I had liked Astro for a long time. Ever since I first saw him, wrestling in that bag, I thought he was the most adorable (yes, at the time, it was just, well, adorable.) thing I had ever seen. They way his 'horns' spiked up. His facial expressions.

He was so nice, too. The nicest boy I've ever meant. When I found out he was a robot, I shattered in denial. He was SO lifelike. So real. I couldn't believe he actually…wasn't. Astro had given me a look that had told me his frustration and despair at being what he was, himself. I knew he didn't want me to find out. Why? I don't really know. But it angered me. I felt stupid to be in love, or, shall we say, have a crush on a robot. After all, what was I thinking?

I continued liking him. Even after he destroyed the peacekeeper, I had a quiet admiration for him. Everytime I would see him my stomach would flip. Then guilt and shame would overcome me each time I got home from going out with him (No, not like a date.) Whether it was getting ice cream (he hardly ate any.) or going to the Metro Museums. I wondered if he ever felt the same way himself.

Then one fateful day, Tenma pulled me aside. It had been a year since Astro had been "created" and he was now, legally, fourteen. I was fourteen, myself. Astro hadn't changed much, I figured it was just my imagination that he had…grown a bit.

"Cora, I've seen the way you look at Astro." Tenma said, sitting me down on a couch. He sat next to me. Like a father/daughter talk. Astro was in the other room, engrossed in a TV show about the making of robots.

"Mr. Tenma… I…" I began to protest. Embarrassed. Was I really looking at Astro? That way.

"No, no, I know that look," for a minute, Tenma smiled. Then he took a deep breath, "Let me explain things to you Cora. Astro was created like Toby. Just like Toby," He looked at me directly, and I turned away, blushing. I knew what he meant. "He has synthetic skin, of course. And under him is just wires and metal. But he is real. He feels emotions just as we do. He feels pain, dulled, of course, but still. He is also a mixture between robot and human. You see, he has To-" Tenma paused before starting up again, "Toby's DNA, and he thinks just like we do. It's really only the robotic insides that separates us from him. Astro will grow, too. He doesn't know it yet, but he can control his growth. He will be able to get as old as Toby would be expected to live. He could grow…old with you."

I didn't know what to say. "Mr. Tenma," I began, "I admit that I do like your son. But even so, it's just not…right."

"Just, just, just like Toby." Tenma muttered.

I wasn't sure what that meant.

"You can go ahead and like him. Perhaps he'll propose to you. He's really a human that's been created by another human in an unnatural way." Tenma said, getting up. " I just thought I'd tell you. There's nothing to be ashamed about. I wouldn't be surprised if Astro feels the same way."

"He has machine guns in his butt." and that sounded really smart.

Tenma let out a bemused smile, then left.

Well, that settles it, I thought, I might as well talk to Astro himself about this.

So I took a deep breath and opened the door to the room Astro was in.