Things feel strangely peaceful the following day.
Rin slept for about sixteen straight hours once things calmed down, trying to catch up on all the rest she missed. She hadn't been taking care of herself for the past week despite Len's attempts to help her, but she's putting a stop to that now.
Her relationship with Len seems to be back on track, but he still refuses to elaborate more on the incident that caused him to be nearly destroyed. He won't say who did it, or why, and it frustrates her to no end because she can't track them down. Still, she pushes it aside for now, instead thanking the world that he's well enough that it doesn't matter.
Instead, they spend the morning in their normal routine. It's a welcome breath of fresh air compared to the last week or so. It's only around noon when her phone rings that Rin feels on edge, picking it up and seeing Miku's name flashing across her name.
"You should answer it," Len said, watching her hesitation. "I'm sure she wants to talk to you."
"I… I guess, but what am I supposed to say to her? I feel like it's so awkward now with what Mikuo tried to do. I don't want to have things be too weird with us, but I don't know how to prevent it." She sighs heavily.
He places a hand on her shoulder, providing her comfort on the couch. "Talk to her. It's the only way to sort this out and know how it will be. I'm here for you, Rin."
Meeting his confident gaze, she nods and finally presses the answer button, softly murmuring into it. "...Hello?"
"Rin?" Her high voice pierces through the earpiece, making Rin cringe slightly. "You answered…! I'm so glad to hear you talk."
"Yeah. Sorry about that. It's… it's been a rough week, you know?"
"No, no, I understand, but I just wanted to check in on you! How are you feeling? Are things going well with you and Len? I know it's been a bit since we've talked, and I wanted to catch you up on the stuff I'm working on…"
Before Rin can do anything about it, she's sitting there listening to Miku chatter her ear off. It doesn't sound like it's forced conversation, thankfully, instead slipping back into that normal comfort it once was. Neither of them bring up her brother, Rin instead choosing to focus on Miku's dressmaking babble and her everyday situations. It all sounds so…. Mundane. It's a pleasant change from the doom and gloom she's been faced with so much recently.
That is, until Miku stumbles over her words in a different way, alerting Rin's warning signals.
"Oh, and… I think you need to know this. I haven't heard from Mikuo, but I know he's been around. Please be safe, Rin, I know it must be upsetting to hear this."
Her heart grows cold in her chest, but she's not the one as strongly affected. When she glances at Len, he's become stiff as a board, looking off into the distance and seeing something she can't.
He must be as worried as I am. He's so protective after what happened, and I'm… a bit thankful for it. At least I know he can protect me.
At least, he can try to protect me if it happens again. I'm scared to think of the alternative, especially if Len is torn apart again. I never want that to happen again.
"...Thank you," Rin says softly, trying to be calm. "I'll be careful. I promise."
"Good. Oh, damn, my assistant is here. Gotta go. Talk to you soon!"
The bubbly in her voice returns just as she hits the end call button, and Rin stares at her phone screen for a minute before letting out a breathy chuckle. Miku is as transparent as they come. She's clearly concerned for Rin's wellbeing, but she doesn't know how to step in. It's sweet of her.
Putting the phone back where it was before, Rin turns to her friend and tilts her head.
"Hey, you okay?"
He snaps to her, and nods. "Oh. Fine."
It's not fine.
She wants to do something to assuage the way his brows knit together in thought. She doesn't like seeing him visibly worked up over something, but she doesn't have many ideas on how to fix it.
Maybe if I get him out of the house for awhile then he'll forget about this. I don't want him to focus on Mikuo right now. We've gone through enough the last few days.
"Okay. Well… did you want to go out and do something today?" Rin asks, knotting her hands into the hem of her white shirt.
He looks at her like she just offered to cut off an arm. "What?"
"You know… Sightsee? Go visit some shops? I know there's a bakery I really want to visit downtown." She's grasping at straws. It's been awhile since she went out and did things, especially with how she's been feeling lately. It would be nice to get out of the house for awhile. "I think it would be fun."
His eyes narrow. "I thought you were being safe? Careful? What happened to what you just told Miku?"
"Oh, come on. What am I supposed to do, hide in my room for the rest of my life? These four walls aren't very entertaining, and I'm still a, uh, virile young woman." The words roll off her tongue a bit strangely. He looks at her just as weirdly.
"I don't think you know what 'virile' means, Rin."
"Whatever. Look, can we go out? Just for today?" she asks pleadingly, and she watches his strong resolve melt before her eyes. It shouldn't have been a fight to begin with, but it's a bit funny to see the way he softens up for her. It warms her heart.
He hesitates for a minute then nods. "Alright. But the minute anything seems off we're coming home. I refuse to let anything bad happen today."
She chuckles, and he raises a brow her way. "Okay, okay. Let's get ready then."
.x.X.x.
The hustle of the city draws her into its loving embrace.
Rin inhales the sweet fresh air of the coming autumn. It's still warm out, reaching degrees of shorts weather, and the leaves have refused to change color. Still the briskness of it all threatens to overcome the warmth any moment and replace it with harsh winds and the need for sweaters.
She chose a dress today, an azure blue sundress designed with pale yellow lilies that parts toward her thighs in frills and ends at her knees, with a v-neck and long sleeves that billow out at her wrists. It was one Miku had given her sometime a year or so ago that was collecting dust in her closet, but today she wanted to break it out for the first time.
Today is about forgetting the terrible things of the past and living in today, she's decided. It's all she can do to push the events of the last week out of her mind and focus on the present; a date with Len. At least, that's what she's calling it.
It's not just for her, either; it's for Len. He's been acting off since he came back from Gumi's, and she knows it's because he's still shaken by the attack. It would help if he would tell her anything about what happened, but she's stopped pushing for information after he blew up at her for asking. His peace matters more than her fearful curiosity.
If this day can be just one moment of peace, that's all we need.
They had made the trek fifteen minutes downtown til they reached the black and white striped entrance to the bakery she had in mind. The name read in a curly, thick lined font 'Crypton Cakes And More!' on the rounded sign stapled near the roof, and the windows have cute doodles drawn over them commissioned by children. There are trays of bread of all shapes and sizes on the other side of the glass, preventing a good view inside. A few steel chairs and tables with matching black umbrellas sit outside, welcoming anyone to take a seat and enjoy the rays of sunshine.
When they step inside, she's hit in the face by the heady scents of fresh baked goods and coffee. There are more tables, this time white plastic, strewn across one side of the smooth brown tiled floor. On the right is the main counter, an L shape going toward the back of the room, and each inch of the counter save for the register is laden in clear display cases showing off beautiful gourmet cakes, breads, muffins, and any kind of treat Rin can think of. She can see the vast amounts of coffee making equipment in the back, can hear the loud whirring of a grinder and the loud hum of their blenders. There's light chatter from a few seated people scattered about.
"Ah…. It's as nice as I thought," she says happily, taking in the atmosphere with a small smile.
"You seem to enjoy these… cafes," Len murmurs beside her, the first words he's spoken since they left the apartment. "I recall us going to one when I was awakened, when we met Miku for the first time."
Rin glances at him, raising a brow. "Oh? You remember that?"
"I couldn't forget."
She takes his hand in hers, allowing herself to bask in the warmth of his hand and his widened eyes. "Well, then come on."
Walking up to the counter, she faces the barista at the register, a young man with dark hair, glasses, and red long sleeve shirt. His name tag reads 'Kiyoteru'.
"Hello," she says, "May I please get a cinnamon dolce iced latte?"
"'Course," the man replies, punching it into his register. "Anything else?"
It's too late; her eyes have pinned down every dessert in the building.
"Yes, I'll have…"
Just like that, she's ordering enough snacks to feed a small army, the young man looking more and more concerned because he can obviously tell Len is an android and the only one truly eating any of this will be her.
Once it's over and she's got two large bags of desserts, she sits with Len at a nearby table looking out at the main road, watching people walk by on their own paths throughout the day.
Taking a sip of her cool drink, she basks in the familiar flavor, before digging into one of the bags and withdrawing an apple scone. She takes a bite and sighs contentedly, finishing it off and then grabbing the next item, a double chocolate brownie.
She pauses when she notices Len watching her intently.
"What? Is there something on my face?" she asks, and he shakes his head.
"Oh, no. I was just thinking you look quite… happy eating those. Is eating such a joyous occasion?"
"It can be," she responds with a chuckle. "Or it can be a curse, depending on the food. But sweets are almost never a miss with me. I could eat things like this every day of my life."
He studies the brown, partially eaten treat in her hand. "...What does that taste like, then?"
Rin blinks at him, not expecting the questions he's suddenly imposing. "It's, well… it's very sweet. Chocolate can be a tad bitter, but this evens it out. Plus this frosting on top is creamy. The texture is nice and chewy because it's a corner piece, which is my favorite."
Len looks thoughtful at this, as if debating over what she said and trying to imagine it. It strikes a chord in her, another reminder of the things he can't have. Things he'll never have.
Androids can't taste, right? But…
"Here. You can try it," Rin says, offering it to him.
His brows knit together. "I can't taste it. It would be a waste of your food. Why would you give that to me?"
"Well, I know you can't taste it, but I can tell you want to try it. If you can imagine how it tastes, maybe it will really be like you're trying it for real, you know?"
It sounds like nonsense to anyone who might be listening, but it gets through to him enough that he reaches across the table and takes it from her, inspecting the object with uncertainty. Slowly he raises it to his lips and takes a measured bite of it, chewing on it and then closing his eyes. She waits with bated breath, unsure of what will happen now.
A beat passes, and he meets her eyes.
"...Sweet," he mumbles. "I think this would taste… sweet."
There's a moment of hesitation, and then he shakes his head.
"I wish it was, at least."
She sighs, and reaches out to touch her fingers to the back of his hand, offering him reassurance. "It's okay, Len."
He frowns, but then he grabs one of her bags and digs into it, pulling out a plastic encased strawberry shortcake and popping open the top.
Taking a fork, he slices off the thin end and raises it.
"Say ah, Rin."
"Ah?"
She doesn't have time to question, her mouth opening for just a second before he places the fork in it, filling her mouth with the creamy burst of strawberry. She makes a noise, startled, her face turning bright red.
Did he just… feed me?
Withdrawing the fork, a smile finally lights upon his face watching her confusion.
"...You look cute," he says, heartfelt, and the burn in her cheeks only increases.
How dare you say things like that with no warning…!
"I- I-" she stumbles over her words for a minute covering her face with one hand. "Jeez…"
He chuckles, and she can't help but return his smile, feeling her dread falling away in the face of his expression and kindness.
I'm so glad to be here with you.
.x.X.x.
"I love this park. It's really pretty at night, you know?"
Rin walks forward along the paved path, her dress swaying around her legs with her quick turns to take in the beauty of the trees and land in front of her.
They had abandoned the cafe to go to the nearby park, and the day's setting sun casts its darkening rays across the world in colorful hues, allowing her to bask in the sensation of autumn.
She used to come here long before she met Len and Miku, to think about what she was doing with her life or focus on what she wasn't already doing. It was a good place to clear her head at the time; now it's filled with bittersweet memories from a past she wishes was no longer hers.
Len walks with her, keeping close and checking around her periodically, but he's no longer as wary as he was before this. His fear about Mikuo must have faded a tad since their outing started, and she's thankful for it.
The day has been truly beautiful. If only every day could be as peaceful and nice as this one had been. It was all thanks to spending so much time with Len.
He's really started to grow on her in such a strange way. She used to think being with an android would make her feel lonelier, but now… it feels like it fills holes she hadn't realized were there before. It's become something she doesn't want to part with.
"Hey, you wanna sit over there?" she asks, pointing to a nearby empty bench overlooking the nearby flower field. He nods, and they take a seat there, allowing the breeze to wash over the two of them and the world to move on around them.
Rin closes her eyes and lets herself drift for a minute, her body already protesting the length of time she's not been resting. She ignores it and focuses on the here and now, enjoying the surrounding calm. Then she risks a peek at Len.
He's sitting prim beside her, staring straight forward like his mind is on something else, and she softens. He's been through a lot, hasn't he?
Have I been too hard on him? Heartless about an android? Is that even possible? I hate that I ask myself these moral questions all the time like I'm trying to humanize Len, but… he's supposed to be human, isn't he? It's a fine line between what he is and isn't.
But the truth of it, despite anything else, is that Len has always been here for me. He has never asked me for anything, never treated me wrong, or forced himself on me even though that's what his body tells him to do. I force him to act outside his programming that I myself put in him, and he's been… incredible about it.
And it reminds me that I'm… in love with him, aren't I?
In love with an android.
I can't look at him without seeing it, without feeling it in my heart.
I just… don't know how to say it.
He glances at her, breaking her from her reverie. "What's wrong?"
"N-Nothing," she quickly says, shaking her head. "I'm fine. I was just thinking."
"You looked serious," he notes. "What are you thinking about?"
She doesn't want to tell him.
"It's nothing, really, don't worry about it," she promises instead, the lies falling away from her lips easily. "I just… well, I…"
She's tripping over her words again. Why does she always do this when she needs to talk?
Instead, she finds her body moving of its own accord, and she leans into Len, startling him in the process. Her arms wrap snug around his waist, and he stiffens up immediately.
"Rin?"
She buries her face in his shirt.
"Sorry, but… I felt like you needed a hug."
It sounds so silly, but she can't stop herself from saying it. Her tongue loosened up and now her mouth just wants to say whatever it wants.
He's quiet, but then she feels his body shake beneath her, the sound of a soft laugh escaping his body.
Then his arms are encircling her as well, pulling her tight into his chest, his face snuggling into her shoulder and the scent of his hair wafting over her.
"Why would you think I need that?" he asks softly. "Especially when it's you that always faces hardship, Rin. I should be the one offering this to you."
She laughs halfheartedly, gripping tight to his shirt.
It's so comforting to be holding him like this. He's soft, warm, cradling her so gently that she doesn't ever want it to end. She could stay cuddled up into him for the rest of her days and never regret a thing.
Until he grows still, his arms still holding her there but he himself is unresponsive.
"...Len?" she asks, starting to draw away, but he refuses to budge.
Finally she manages to pull away enough to see his face, and she gasps. His beautiful sapphire eyes darkened like they had been the day he'd been torn into pieces.
"Len, oh my god, are you okay?" she asks, and then he's moving close to her.
He shoves her down against the bench, and the traumatic memories of what Mikuo tried to do start to flood back into her mind. Yet the hungry, lustful gaze of Mikuo is nothing compared to the cold, calculating look on Len's face now. Something is wrong. Something is very, very wrong.
"What are you- agh-!"
His hands are on her throat. He's got both palms wrapped around her skin, pressing in, cutting off the air to her lungs. She chokes, her own fingers trying to pull his hands away but futile.
What's going on?! What happened?!
Len, wake up, this isn't you!
"P-ple-ease…" Her words come out guttural and fearful, barely audible as he stares down at her unflinching. "Len…"
She isn't getting through to him. It's like he's been possessed by an evil spirit, vengeful.
The world starts to become spotty and dark and there's nothing she can do to fix it. She's losing her ability to think coherently, or at all. There's nothing she can do to stop him.
The pressure lifts off suddenly. She draws in a breath like a starved fish, her hands flying to her throat where she is sure there are horrible marks showing what he had done.
Len is off the bench like a bolt of lightning, standing a few feet away with a look so stricken that it sends off violently alarm bells ringing through her head. She manages to sit up, coughing, but he backs away further.
"Rin, I- I'm so sorry, I can't believe I…!" His words are rushed, nothing like the composure of an android. He looks absolutely terrified. She's never seen him like this before.
"N-No… It's fine, Len, I'm okay," she manages, clearing her throat and rubbing the sore skin. "This is probably because of… the accident. You had some internal wiring damaged. I think that has to be the cause."
There's not any other options, there can't be.
Is this my fault? Did I cause this?
"No… I can't have hurt you," he says in near whisper. "Never you. I can't."
"I'm fine, Len, please," she tries to assuage him, but it's evident nothing can be said to make him feel better. In fact, he looks worse by the minute; his eyes are flickering that vibrant blue to that deep black.
"I'm sorry, Rin, but I can't let this happen again," he says, looking off to the side. "I won't let it. I'm making Gumi fix this right now."
Suddenly he's running at full speed down the pavement, and she's throwing herself off the bench like a wild woman, reaching out to grab him but losing him immediately, no match for his quickness.
"Len!" she screams, his back to her.
"Len, no!"
She can't believe this is happening. Rin finally thought that this was over, but everything has come back to bite her, like it had been lying in wait for this moment. The moment to tear her down, to destroy the small bits of happiness she has left.
She can't think about it anymore, because another coughing fit strikes her, and she falls to her knees, his image blurring in the distance as she recovers.
You can't, Len, please!
I don't want you to forget me…!