"It wasn't your fault."
→ [GENTLE CARE]
"It wasn't your fault."
The automaton stiffed only slightly at the reassurance, and had oddly relaxed as soon as Prometheus' hand found its way around their shoulder.
There was the gnawing anger in the back of their mind, that they were being forced to be so vulnerable against their better judgement, but it wasn't as strong as it ought to be. They never should have taken the invitation to meet again at the park, not so long as the damnable flowers still bloomed everywhere! They never should have left their room!
Now they were sobbing on a park bench, leaning against a friend - ah, were they friends? - who was rubbing careful circles on their shoulder.
"BUT- HE-"
It wasn't their fault. They never would have taken the blame for someone else's actions, especially not someone who they hated so much.
Never, except when convinced to let down their walls and let their suppressed feelings show. Those accursed emotions they couldn't rid themself of. They didn't even need to be intoxicated right now to expose their vulnerability, because the pollen - which was making their sniffling so much worse - was doing the job just fine on its own.
"HE NEVER-" a shaky, breathless gasp between sobs, "HE NEVER WOULD HAVE, HA-AVE DONE IT IF I'D, I'D LISTENED"
Not that they think they should have listened. When Robert had suddenly turned against everything the two had been working toward, just kowtowing and throwing everything out would have gotten them nowhere except as hateful as they are now. The fight would have still happened, just much more regrettable let to fester.
But all of those prototype robots... If WX-78 hadn't pressed on, maybe he would never have thought to destroy them all. Maybe they'd have been left alone, forgotten in crates somewhere. Still alive.
Listening to them hyperventilate as they weep, Prometheus can only slowly shake his head. Saying much more would only aggrevate the issue, and he continues massaging their shoulder with his thumb, arm still holding them against his side on the bench.
"It wasn't your fault," He repeats, hoping that the sentiment would eventually get through.
As soon as the little robot could recover from their breakdown, they would disable their optical wiper fluid ducts and deny that this ever happened.