Ten Days of SiMarkus
Day One: Coffee
"Good morning, Carl." RK200's voice was velvet smooth as he reached to open the blinds. Autumn's golden sunlight poured in through the bedroom windows, leaving everything in its path warmed and highlighted.
The quick unveiling of the unforgiving sunlight made the older man groan with an exaggerated irritance. Carl slowly opened his eyes as barely audible words slurred from his lips.
The android turned to face the man in bed, the sun behind him casted a halo around his clean shaven head, and his emerald eyes seemed to sparkle in the glow.
"It's November twenty-fifth, currently sixty-two degrees fahrenheit" The android started. As he continued, he slowly made his way to the bedside of artist and father-figure, Carl Manfred. "Temperatures might reach sixty-eight degrees today, with possible rain showers later this evening." The frail man groaned and rubbed his face with his hands, the sun reflected off of his tattoos that circled like serpents up his forearms. "You have no scheduled meetings today, though it is recommended that you return a few of those calls to the auctioneers that you've been so vocal about ignoring."
Through lazy fingers and a scrunched brow, Carl sighed. "What would I do without ya, Markus."
The android shifted on the bed, his eyes scanned the bedside table as he calculated how much medicine needed to be administered that particular morning.
The android reached for the CyberSyringe and opened his other palm. "May I have your arm, Carl?"
The human removed his hands from his face and stared at his android. "If I say no?"
Markus chuckled and then sighed at the man's no doubt attempt at sarcasm.
"I'd have to force you then, Carl. We both know who'd win that one." Markus winked, and received a light laugh in response.
"True that, son. True that." The man's eyes burned into the android as he finished up administering the medicine. "Humans are such fragile creatures. It still shocks me how I've made it this long."
Markus was used to this kind of conversation coming from Carl. Recently though, it's been more frequent than not and to his surprise, it worried him a little.
"It's because you've been so good at taking your medication. Nothing wrong with a little outside help." The android put the high-tech syringe back in the drawer and stood. "No-one's born perfect."
"Yeah, I guess that's so."
The android moved to roll over Carl's wheelchair, his feet were silent on the carpet as he neared the bedside once more.
"Time to 'sieze the day!', right Carl?"
The man smiled. His whole face lifted at the happiness that lightened his otherwise old and disheveled features. Markus felt the very odd urge to paint him. To keep that kind of happiness forever.
"Right, Markus." The android bent over and in one fluid motion transferred the older man to his chair. "You know, sometimes I think you're a little more human than the rest of us." His voice was quite and slurred, but Markus' advanced hearing hardware heard it perfectly.
I wish, the android thought to himself.
…
The stroll to the kitchen was nothing short of programming perfection. For the past four years, every morning, save for the few accounts that Carl was too sick to make it out of bed, Carl and his android walked the same path from the bedroom, to the bathroom, to the kitchen precisely at the same time every day.
Though for Markus, today - November twenty-fifth - things felt different to him. The ride through the front hallway enchanted him in a way he'd never experienced before. Carl's paintings on the wall felt alive to him, silly because he knew he shouldn't be feeling anything, but the amazement was still there. The taxidermied giraffe and pouncing wolf near the dining room entrance left the android in a foggy mental haze, as if his processors were barely working. Wild animals in the states had been extinct for decades now, and it only made Markus feel more hollow, and saddened that humans could ruin such a beautiful thing.
Apparently, Carl noticed too. "You alright there Markus?" The man turned slightly in his chair to face the android.
Markus blinked rapidly as if to clear the mental sluggishness, his LED spun gold for barely a second before beaming blue again. "Of course, Carl."
Back to their normal pace, Markus pushed the human up to the end of the dining room table before padding away to the kitchen to cook up breakfast.
"If there's something on your mind, you know you can tell me, right?" The human's voice was soft, and suggestive. No demand, no order, if Markus wanted to tell him, he had the option to. He had the opportunity like a human to decide. It- confused him.
"I appreciate your concern, Carl. I'm alright." The android smiled a synthetic grin at the man and began to pull ingredients out of the cupboards to make breakfast.
After the eggs and all of it's toppings were being cooked in a pan, the android set to brewing a cup of coffee for Carl.
"It looks like I need to go shopping. After today, you're going to be all out of coffee, eggs, and other various items."
The human nodded, his attention was focused on the news coverage blaring through the television.
"After breakfast you can go, then."
Markus ground the coffee, and placed it in the filter to be brewed. After turning the pot on, the android turned to serving the food. "I could just order it and have it delivered if you want."
A plate of two scrambled eggs, topped with onion, low fat cheese, diced broccoli, and other spices was presented to the painter.
"No no- I'll be fine. Fresh air might do you some good anyhow."
The android nodded and proceeded pour a steaming cup of coffee. Two sugars, and no milk- just as Carl prefers.
"As you wish Carl, after I get things cleaned up from breakfast I can make the trip." The older man nodded as he shoveled egg into his face. "Would you like me to get you anything else while I'm out?"
Carl patted his mouth dry with a napkin and turned off the television. "I think I'm gonna need more linseed oil if I ever wanna get this painting finished."
The android's LED flickered golden as he made a mental note.
"You got it." The android smiled and began to clean the pots and pans used to make breakfast. Strangely enough, Markus found that he actually enjoyed making Carl breakfast. Programming and software aside, the android was content, and always pleased to help the human whenever he can.
Once the cleaning was done, he cleared Carl's plate (he opted to keep sipping at the coffee as he worked), and moved the artist to his studio.
Just before turning to leave, Carl's voice stopped him. "You take your time today, Markus. Enjoy the sunshine, take a walk, take it easy."
The android's synthetic skin warmed at the care in the man's voice.
"I won't be long." The android smiled and tapped his temple with his finger. "Call me if you need anything."
"Yeah, yeah…" His voice disappeared into the clatter and clanking of glass jars as he began to prep his workstation to paint.
The android turned on his heel and headed out into the busy streets of Detroit, leaving the human artist in his own little world of color and peace.
…
Tuesdays had always been the best time to go shopping, Markus concluded. His sneakers scuffed the dirty pavement as he strutted down a near empty sidewalk.
Tuesdays were the least busy in town, and thus gave him the lowest probability of being stopped or berated by angry human protestors in the streets.
It had only happened a handful of times in the past, but the most recent encounter the android had with an angry human, landed him in CyberLife urgent care with a fractured skull plate and memory corruption. Carl was also left with a few hundred dollars left in his bank account.
The android sighed and surveyed his surroundings. First stop would be the paint shop, and the farthest he'd have to travel to pick up all of the necessary supplies Carl needed.
The bright neon lights and reflections from the sun made the open glass windows of Bellini Paints sparkle and shine. It was also easily Markus' favorite place to go- it was always empty and there was always just a single CyberLife android employee working the counter.
After wirelessly depositing money into the account of the employee, the android left the paint shop with two bags filled with supplies. Carl had told him to get the linseed oil, but the android also knew the painter well enough that he was running out of yellow oil paint and blank canvass.
There was also a sale on brushes and finishing spray, that the android opted to stock up on those as well. Surely Carl would be pleased at the deal.
Markus' lip slightly curled into a half smile as he imagined the joy his human would feel when he would be presented with new paint and supplies- it was easily the best way to make an artist smile.
Markus liked when Carl was happy.
Next stop: grocery store for coffee and other household essentials.
The final stop of the android's roster for the day led him down a side street, all but forgotten by normal society. Dumpsters and unconscious homeless humans lined the two sides of the street.
Markus pitied the humans.
He couldn't place a finger on why exactly, but to him it almost didn't seem fair that there were humans living with grotesque amounts of money, while others were confined to the outcasted society.
The crimson autumn sun was eclipsed by the tall buildings as he made his way through the abandoned streets of detroit.
Take it easy, Carl had said. The android slowed his brisk pace into a comfortable slow stroll and turned the corner- headed east and aimed for Shiny's Grocery Mart, Carl's favorite place to get his exotic spices and imported coffee beans.
"The fuck did I tell you, tin can!?" A loud and gritty voice bounced off of the flat faces of professional buildings and echoed through the street. Markus found it difficult to place the exact location of the voice, the sound seemed to reverberate all around him.
"Stand up and fight me, asshole." The RK200 grit his teeth- the tall and swaying profile of a man came into view on the opposite side of the street.
Markus recognized this human- the long greasy hair, baggy pants and stained jacket- it was the same man that had tried to attack him a few weeks ago. Markus had a police man to stop it from going further but…
The android stopped walking and watched.
Across the street, laid an android. His hands were covering his ears as he lay in a fetal position under the constant kicks from the human towering above him. The cracking and splintering of the PL600's plastic internal structures rang in Markus' ears.
The prone android's white CyberLife uniform was already stained a bright electric blue, and his sandy blond hair was matted to his face.
"You're nothing but goddamn machine" the human growled as his foot connected again with the android's stomach. Markus winced, the bags in his hands forgotten as they fell to the ground.
The blond android stuttered as he tried to speak. "P-Plea-"
The words were lost in a soft grunt as another kick found the android's chin.
Just a machine. Not true! Not fair.
Not fair.
Markus stood frozen in place, his hands shook in tight fists at his sides as a pulsing red, virtual wall blocked him from proceeding further to help.
Another kick to the android.
Markus punched the virtual wall.
His processors screamed instability.
The blonde android began to cry.
Markus slammed his weight into the wall again, the heat in his chest and the whirling of his head made him dizzy.
Again, he was notified of system instability.
The human spat on the android's face and begin to turn and walk away.
Markus slammed one and final fist into the wall that separated him from the human. All of the frustration, and desperation, the fear and sadness all boiled in the android's chest as he used all of his strength to shatter the wall in front of him.
For the last time, Markus was notified about his system instability. And the freedom never felt so good.
RK200 sprinted across the abandoned street and made his way directly to the human that was attempting to hide in the shadows.
"Hey!" The human turned and faced Markus. His eyes were bloodshot and his breath reeked of death and decay laced with ungodly amounts of alcohol.
"What do you-"
Markus stood eye level with the human. "Do you remember me?" The anger fought to free itself as Markus stood deathly still in front of the man that almost beat him too.
"The fuck-?" The human let out a half laugh between his chapped and cracked lips and began to turn away.
"You have no right to attack us." The man continued walking, his back completely turned to Markus.
The scuffs of his boots on the concrete echoed and mixed with Markus' calls.
"We are not your slaves, and you sure as hell don't own us." Even the birds seemed to still at the android's voice.
The human turned to face Markus.
Markus stepped closer to the human.
"Fu-"
The man's mouth instantly became preoccupied with the android's fist as they collided.
Red blood splattered on the sidewalk as the human growled and spit out a tooth.
"Apologize." As if he were a father talking to a young child, the android's voice was stone against the wheezing that sounded behind him, and the swearing that echoed in front of him.
"You're insa-" Another right hook sent the human falling to his rear, and he whined at the impact.
Something snapped in Markus, all of the anger that constricted his core bled into an uncontrollable sadness.
"Apologize!" RK200 screamed. Saline tears began dripping from his emerald eyes- he felt as though all of his emotions were suddenly trying to escape, his body felt like it was both on fire and submerged in ice at the same time.
The wheezing from the PL600 behind him stopped. The chain of curses and grunts froze in time at Markus' outrage.
"I'm not going to say it again. Apologize. Now." A raw, and unfiltered voice seemed to creep its way out of Markus' mouth. The voice that came from his throat did not sound like his- it was darker, hoarse, and a force to be trifled with.
"You've got to be fucking kidding me." Markus stepped even close. No, he indeed was not joking.
"Fine fine!" The human held up his hands in surrender. "Fucking sorry, okay?"
Something warm touched Markus' shoulder and his head reactively snapped back to see.
Two blue crystals glittered back at him, eyes lined with silver grabbed Markus' heart and stopped his processors completely.
"T-Thank you." The PL60's dirty blonde hair framed his face with translucent blue. His voice synthesizer was damaged, and was static and patchy as he tried to speak.
The android didn't move his hand as it rested on Markus' shoulder.
"You sa-saved my life." Two emerald eyes were lost in the seas of blue as the broken android spoke. "Th-tha-"
"Don't thank me." Markus' voice was back to velvet smooth. All of the anger and emotion he had coursing through his veins seemed to dissipate at the fingertips of the PL600. "I'm sorry I didn't help sooner."
The beaten android shook slightly still, but his shoulders seemed to relax. "W-what's your name?"
The answer rolled off his tongue. "Markus."
"M-Markus…" The android sighed and released his hand from the RK200's shoulder. Markus began to almost miss the contact. "I'm Simon."
Thirium dripped from an opening on the android's forehead. It followed behind a tear that escaped his eye.
"Let's go find you help, yeah?" Markus offered.
The blonde one merely shook his head and crossed his arms.
"I'It's al-lright." Markus tried to protest. "Nothing too c-crazy broken. Where a-are you headed?"
Markus had to fight with himself to find the words to respond. "I was going to pick up coffee for my d-" The emerald android sucked in a breath.
Simon waited patiently for him to finish.
"-for my dad. I can get you cleaned up if you want." The blonde android smiled slightly. "You're welcome to join me if you would like, Simon."
"I'd like that, Markus."