AN: My friend got me started on this show, and I've literally been in the fandom for less than 48 hours and she's already got me started writing fanfic. And majorly shipping 5/Android. She does this to me often. More often than you think. Silly Walnut. Anyway, I hope you guy enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Dark Matter.
She was a logical being.
Every thought was based off a hundred different calculations, every statement weighed against everything Android knew about the humans she served. Would it upset them, would it endanger the ship, would it help at all- everything she did and said and thought was based on logic. It was how she was programmed, and for the most part, Android didn't mind.
Except when she did, because sometimes the things she did couldn't be based on logic.
Her jealousy of Wendy, for example. Another android who was, as Five had put it, helping the humans "recharge their batteries" was no cause for alarm, and yet she had been. Alarmed, that is. Worried that Wendy would take her place, despite the fact the pleasure unit had no knowledge of how to run a ship or take care of the humans medically. Worried she would be of no use, and thus without a prime directive.
And, as illogical as it was, considering there were six humans she tended to the needs of, Android was worried Five would like Wendy better.
Of course, her worry turned out to be based in fact, as she later learned, but that didn't address the worry she had felt about young Five, or the way that, after she awoke from her repair hibernation, parts of her circuits had begun to warm when Five hugged her. After the young woman left, she immediately ran a scan, searching for whatever had caused the increased temperature of her systems, but beyond the remaining damage, found nothing.
Which logically should have worried her greatly, but it didn't. A quick fluke, Android decided, and shrugged it off so she could get back to work on repairing the bullet damage Wendy had caused to the hull. She did her job, took care of her crew, and was the best Android she could be.
Only to find herself leaving her post to follow after Five the moment the young woman asked her to, despite the many duties she needed to accomplish on deck. Instead of running the diagnostic scan Two had asked for, she found herself holding the components Five needed in order to build herself a new drill.
And it didn't stop there. When she went on her nightly rounds to make sure her humans were all resting soundly and hadn't died in their sleep, she found herself standing outside of Five's door, hand pressed against the metal separating them for long minutes before moving on, listening to her steady breathing and the slow thump of her heart. During the day she found herself monitoring her daily intake of rations, occasionally pushing for her to eat an extra serving if her physical levels of activity outweighed her intake too much. When she woke up from her meditation to try and unravel the memories in her head, she was there, a glass of water and a damp cloth to clean the sweat from Five's brow.
She would brush against Five when they passed in the halls, and the little piece of circuitry that had warmed up before would do so again.
There had to be something wrong, something in her prime directive that had corrupted that made her more attentive to this one crew member over all overs, and if her own scans couldn't find it, maybe someone else's could.
"Everything seems fine, Android," Two said, shrugging as she looked over the papers she had been making notes on. "Your nanotechnology is working perfectly, none of your circuits are fried, and everything seems fine. Now, will you please tell me why you made me do this?"
"Your scan is wrong," Android said, sitting up from the table Two had had her lie on, "just like mine was. I fear something within me has become broken."
"And what makes you say that?" Android could tell Two was annoyed, could sense the mood shift within her, but she actually didn't care. Something was wrong with her, and she needed to find out what it was now.
"I'm afraid I've become overly concerned with Five."
"Five?" Two asked, surprised. Putting her notes down, she leaned in towards Android, her eyebrow raised. "What's wrong with little miss Five?"
"Nothing is wrong with her," Android said, "except for the way I have been acting around her." When Two said nothing, Android took that as her sign to continue. "A few weeks ago, after the incident with Wendy, I found myself paying more attention than usual to Five. I became desirous to see her in good health, both physical and mental, and I found myself going out of my way to accomplish this when another member of the crew would have been just as qualified. I check her vitals much more often than I do the rest of the crews', I spend some time each night listening to her sleep even after I've completed my check to ensure she is alive, and I'm very...concerned about her. And whenever I'm near her," Android finished, raising her hand to touch a small spot over her left chest plate, "a piece of circuitry here begins to warm beyond usual parameters. This all has to be a sign of a malfunction. Correct?"
But even as she said her final word, Android wasn't quite sure. Because the smile on Two's face was wide and genuine, something Android suspected wouldn't be there if there was a problem.
"You like Five."
"Of course I do," Android responded. "She is a valuable member of our team, despite her young age and relative inexperience."
"No, Android, you like her," Two said, reaching out to gently grab Android's hand, giving it a squeeze. "In the same sort of way I like One."
"You and One are in a sexual relationship," Android stated, confused. "I am not an Entertainment Level Android, and so lack the components necessary for that kind of relationship."
"Oh, honey," Two sighed, "love isn't always just about sex. And from what you're saying, it sounds like you've fallen in love with our girl."
"An illogical conclusion," Android eventually responded, "but for now, one I shall accept until a better scanner can be obtained."
And with that in mind, the logical parts of her brain, despite how illogical this whole situation was, started to point out how it all made sense. Humans, she reminded herself as she pulled out a second green ration bar and handed it to Five, the glare on her face at Three and Six just daring them to say something, also became overly concerned with their loved ones beings. They wanted them healthy and happy, and that was what she wanted for Five. Humans, she reminded herself when she spent hours outside Five's door to listen to her sleep, wanted to make sure their loved ones were well rested. Humans, she reminded herself as she slid her arm around Five's shoulders, helping her into a half-sitting position, her head resting against her chest as she wiped away the sweat and tears from her latest memory walk, just wanted their loved ones to be okay.
She was in love with Five, despite the illogical-ness of it all, and despite how illogical it was, Android was happy to finally have a diagnostic.
Happy enough that, the next time she saw Five, she leaned over the table and the mechanical components Five had been working on and kissed her.
An action that was favorably received, if the way Five kissed her back was any indication.
"Android, wha-"
"I'm sorry," Android said, leaning back so she was standing up right, though she couldn't keep her smile off her face as she stared at the disoriented, flushed young woman. "I'm sorry, Five, but it has recently come to my attention that I have fallen in love with you, despite how illogical that sounds. It seems you were right in saying I have a capability for emotions."
"You... you love me," Five asked slowly after a long moment of silence, shock still on her face from the kiss. "You're actually in love with me?"
"Is this a bad thing?"
For a single moment, the part in Android that usually warmed when she was around Five went cold, colder then she had ever felt, something almost akin to panic seeping in. Perhaps this had been the wrong choice? Perhaps she should have kept her realization to herself, perhaps-
"Android," Five said, walking around the table and reaching up, cupping Android's face between her hands, forcing their gazes to meet. "Android, I would like to request access to your database."
"Of course. Which files would you like me to access?"
"All of the scans you've done when I'm in your presence, and compare them to my base charts, please."
Although she was loath to comply she did, breaking their gaze to close her eyes and slightly furrowing her brow so she could concentrate. There were hundreds of scans for her to search through, hundreds she had done over the last few weeks, little check ins to make sure Five was happy and healthy and content, just so she would know if anything was wrong so she could-
Everything about her froze. Her thoughts, her circuits, every single little thing about her stopped and skipped a beat as she finished complying with Five's request and realized the pattern.
A two degree rise in her body temperature. A subtle hormone shift. An increased production of pheromones. A dilatation of her pupils. All signs of attraction, and all signs Five gave out whenever she entered a room or spoke to the crew over the intercom.
It was Five's little laugh and the feel of another kiss that woke Android back up, her arm's wrapping around Five's waist to pull the younger woman closer.
"Does that answer your question, Android?" Five asked when she pulled away, their foreheads resting against each other as Five tried to regain her breathe.
Android just kissed her again, and again, as many times as she could before Two came down to find Five for lunch.
And one last time as Two stood there, smiling, before, hand in hand, they walked to the dining hall.
She as a logical creature, and emotions were the most illogical thing about the humans she lived with. But even so, Android had fallen in love with her little human. And if she had been given the choice, she would have chosen to do so all over again.
