A/N: This is a rather brief one-shot for a larger AU that I'm working on. There will be at least two other fics.
"I'm just saying that maybe you should think about it, that's all."
You glance up, but your girlfriend is cutting her chicken, using more concentration than the task probably requires.
"I'm pretty sure that it's unethical, Aradia." This is an old argument, almost a routine really. You don't remember the last time it didn't come up over dinner.
"Well, yes of course - but that comes with the territory, doesn't it?"
"I guess. And I'm not trying to say that we do here is completely above board."
"I sense a 'but'."
"But – do you remember that poor guy over at the Zahhaks' the other month?"
Aradia makes a face. "Well, obviously we wouldn't do anything like that. Just because I'm suggesting that we work with cadavers in addition to robotics doesn't mean that I think we should put someone's head on a robotic horse body."
"Because that's fucked up."
"Yes."
You're both quiet for a moment, remembering your meal.
"Cyborgs would be kind of cool though," you say, thoughtful.
"Yes."
You continue to mull it over, but the companionable silence that follows is interrupted by alarms blaring from the lab. Aradia only sighs as she stacks the dishes while you snag your PPE (just because you're a mad scientist doesn't mean you're not conscious of lab safety).
Some hours later you crawl into bed and Aradia groggily swats at you, complaining of cold feet.
"We'd still be competing directly with the Zahhaks for business, though."
"We can take them. Now go to sleep, Jade."
The next morning you mostly stumble into the kitchen, worn down by the late night. Aradia, beautiful woman that she is, already has something hot and caffeinated waiting for you.
"Ok, but we don't really know what the whole re-animation thing would be like for the dead people."
"Maybe you don't." As if to prove her point, her shirt is unbuttoned just enough that you can see some of her autopsy scar.
"Aradia, you know what I mean. There's kind of a difference between The Incident and waking up to find you're part frog."
"I don't think it would be so bad, being part frog. At least you'd be alive." And now there's eggs. You really do love her.
"I think you'd get tired of all the ribbitting pretty quick."
"Maybe, but it's still better than being dead, isn't it?" She smiles a little. "Besides, I think I know what animal hybrid you'd like to be."
"Oh, really?"
"A dog, right?"
You try not to laugh. "That's just rude! Just because I was raised by a werewolf!"
"Are you saying it's not true?"
"I'm saying maybe you should just leave me dead."
You don't have much time left to banter before you have to get the lab prepped for the day. There's a young man coming over later who wants his consciousness uploaded to a computer.
Hopefully you can keep the argument going when it inevitably comes up again tonight. You wouldn't want to spoil the surprise before Aradia's birthday, after all.