The list of improvements on the house was getting shorter as the days went by. The android took note of Katie's orders, that the house shouldn't be absolutely pristine, so he focused on the smaller details that according to CyberLife made it a bit more comfortable for humans.
Katie had finally adopted a kind of routine that seemed to involve staying in her room as much as possible. The interactions between the two were brief, but he didn't need to use in-depth analysis to understand that there was a problem. And that problem prevented him from following his programming which was in place specifically for Katie's medical condition. The next step dictated that he find a way to solve the issue with as little altercation as possible.
The heat had finally broken, giving way to clouds that filtered the sunlight through the windows. This allowed him to open the windows and create a breeze through the house. He'd tied back the curtains which had taken three cycles to completely clean, and pulled down the blinds so there was some contrast against the television that he left on in the living room. The silverware was out, placed strategically on the table in neat sections as he scrubbed each utensil with a cloth and tarnish remover. Between each utensil, he threw glances at the screen, spinning the freshly polished silver between his fingers so that it whirled in a blur.
"So you don't see anything wrong with your behavior?" said the doctor on the screen.
"What do you mean my behavior?" The young blond girl whipped her hair. "If there's anything wrong with me, it's because my parents made me that way."
"Wait." The doctor shifted the clipboard he was holding. "I understand you're angry at your parents. But you don't think they were just trying to help you because you're so out of control?"
The android twirled another finished spoon, listening to the air whistle smoothly around it. He looked up at the screen as he spun the spoon around his index finger, landing it neatly on the finished stack in front of him.
"Help me? Help me?" The blond girl leaned forward. "How is kicking me out on the street supposed to help me? How about taking away everything I have─ my phone, my car, my android… my boyfriend is the only person who's ever been there for me. They were never there for me. They don't give a sh─" There was a loud beep, and the audience grumbled.
"Maybe they just wanted you to be truthful for once," said the doctor. The android narrowed his gaze as he scrubbed a butter knife. "It's what I always say," the doctor continued. "All fights can be avoided if you just say what you're thinking, even if you think it will hurt the other person's feelings."
The android glanced up again, scrubbing without looking. The blond girl whipped her hair again. "Well, if you want to hear the truth… I… I'm… I'm scared." The audience murmured in the background. "I'm scared of being alone. And Tom said he'd never leave me. My mom and dad just kicked me out. Tom was there for me."
"Cindy…" An older blond woman rushed forward out of her seat. "Cindy we'll always be there for you. You don't have to be alone."
Tears streaked down the blond girl's cheeks, stained black from eyeliner. "But you threw me out. And I was so scared. I just wanted you to love me for who I am."
The older blond woman hugged the young girl, and the audience awed. The android paused cleaning for a moment, spinning the butter knife around his finger so that it whirled like a propeller. "If you just say what you're thinking…" he repeated.
There was a soft clunk outside, and the android turned to see a taxi leaving. He set the butter knife down on the table as he peered sideways through the window. A slender figure stepped up to the front porch, and he had just enough time to catch a glimpse of sleek black hair.
The front door opened, and Jamie stepped into the entryway. She stepped sideways, running a hand through her dark hair as she swung the front door shut. The android watched her as she moved forward, her sweater hanging off of one shoulder revealing a low cut purple tank top.
"Hello, Jamie," he said. Jamie stopped, her brown eyes lighting up as she saw him.
"Hey! How's it going?" She stepped into the living room, looking around. "You've been really busy. Jeez, I barely even recognize this place." She smiled at him, biting her bottom lip gently. "Sorry I've been gone for so long. I don't usually like hanging out when Katie's here. She kinda brings the mood down."
"It's perfectly fine," said the android. He picked up a fork and scrubbed it with the cloth. "Let me know if you need anything."
Jamie looked at the television and nodded. "So it's just been you and Katie here?"
"Yes," said the android, focusing on a particularly tarnished spot.
"All alone?" said Jamie. She moved a bit closer to him. "Together?"
"Yes." He twirled the fork in his fingers and listened to the low whistle. "For five days, seven hours, and thirty-two minutes."
"Oh, okay." Jamie tapped her fingers on the table. "So… I mean, I know it's none of my business, but have you two… you know…"
"Sorry?" The android threw a glance at her as scrubbed a bit more and spun the fork again.
"Have you two… fucked?"
The android paused a moment, the inquiry breaking down into several suggestions. He looked up at Jamie who had an unusually bright sparkle in her eyes. "I assume you're asking if Katie and I have had sexual relations?" he said. Jamie snorted and her grin grew wider. The android set the fork down and picked up another one. "I'm sorry but discussing private information of that nature would violate my programming."
Jamie laughed and took a step back. "Oh my god, she still hasn't. I knew it." She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. "You know I've been trying to help her lose her virginity for over a year now? She won't get with anyone. Not even Matt." She brushed her black hair out of her face. The android looked at her as he cleaned the fork, twirling it in his fingers between every few scrubs.
"Why are you… did she give you a name yet?" asked Jamie.
"Not yet," said the android.
"Can I call you Dylan?"
"You may, but I can only register a name given by my owner," said the android.
"Okay, Dylan," said Jamie. "How come you're watching Terry's Therapy?"
The android looked up at the television which was in the last minutes of the episode. "I'm attempting to understand the different aspects of human personalities and how to overcome difficulties that I've been experiencing with Katie," he said. "I know that reality television isn't always accurate. But it can't hurt to explore all avenues."
Jamie stared at him for a moment. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure you're not going to make friends with Katie by watching Terry's Therapy." She stepped forward and placed her hands on the table, leaning against it. "Katie's… kind of special. If you try to be nice to her, she'll just push you around. You know how to really get on her good side?"
The android looked up with renewed interest. "How?"
Jamie bit her lip again, smiling mostly through her eyes. "You have to be straight with her. Let her know what you really think about her. And none of this android you are suffering from oedipus complex and bad electrolytes bullshit talk. Try to talk to her like a human. Just be straightforward. Blunt. You know?"
The android lowered the fork and cloth, absorbing her words. "Don't hold anything back. All fights can be avoided if you say what you're thinking."
"Exactly!" Jamie reached forward and touched his cheek. "See, you're starting to get it. You know, if you want to know anything about Katie, you can always ask me. I know her better than pretty much anyone." She leaned back from the table. "I'm gonna go to my room. See you around, okay?"
"Okay," said the android. He looked up as Jamie moved away. "Jamie?"
She turned and looked at him. He offered a small smile. "Thanks," he said.
She smiled back at him. "Good luck, Dylan." She moved out of the living room and disappeared down the hall.
The android was still for a while, holding the silverware in one hand and the cloth in the other. A satisfying clarity pulsed through him, and if he could say that he felt anything, it was as close to confidence as it could get.
He resumed polishing the silverware, the sounds of the television filling the room though he was no longer listening. He focused instead on reabsorbing what Jamie had said. It wasn't in his programming to have opinions on what he thought of people. He could make observations based on a human's behavior or history and associate labels to them. But as far as telling someone what he thought of them… it was assuming that he liked or disliked them. Which of course, wasn't relevant to his software. But in this case, it might be relevant to finally build a relationship with his human.
It was approaching mid-afternoon, and the android knew Katie would be arriving home soon. He organized the silverware and began sorting them into their respective drawers in the kitchen. The wind had picked up and the curtains blew gently in the breeze. As the android moved through the house closing the windows, he could hear Jamie talking energetically to what he assumed was someone over the phone. It was a new ambience to what was usually a completely quiet atmosphere.
The android moved back into the kitchen and as he continued to sort the silverware, he heard the thud of a car door closing outside. He looked up automatically in time to see another car roll away, and a few seconds later the front door opened.
Katie stepped into the house, her messy brown hair partially hiding her face although the android could see that she was weary again. She closed the door behind her without stopping and moved towards the hallway, throwing a glance into the living room as she walked.
"Hello, Katie," said the android. Katie looked in his direction, slowing a bit as she walked into the hallway. She didn't say anything which was becoming the norm, and instead gave enough indication to let him know that she was aware of him. After coming home, she would disappear in her room for hours. This time, the android stepped towards her.
"Jamie is here," he said. "I thought you should know in case you wanted to say hello to her."
Katie looked at him again, adjusting her backpack on her shoulder. "Okay," she said quietly. "Thanks."
"I also wanted to know," the android continued, and Katie stopped halfway down the hallway. "I wanted to know if you would like to talk. So we don't have to be so uncomfortable with eachother."
Katie was silent for a few moments, and the android couldn't see her expression from where he stood. Then she continued down the hallway, turned into her room, and closed the door.
The android let his shoulders drop, and he gazed at the floor as he assessed the situation. Katie was probably very tired after a long day at the university, and she hadn't eaten any of the breakfast he'd prepared for her that morning which meant her blood sugar was low. Fatigue and hunger usually led to increased agitation in humans, and that combined with her unease around him meant that now was probably not a good time to have a serious discussion.
He moved back to the silverware, sorting the last few utensils. If he gave it some time, perhaps she would be more willing to listen.
The silverware finally sorted, he moved to organizing the rest of the drawers. There wasn't much in them to begin with; he suspected that neither of the girls cooked much. However, he took the time to gather his thoughts on what he had learned so far about Katie based on her behavior. She wasn't in any way similar to any of the people he'd seen on the television. CyberLife had plenty of history on humans which were resentful or even abusive to their androids. Often the androids were replaced almost immediately with models that were less responsive or more pleasing to the eye. Though even as he considered it, he seriously doubted that what Katie needed was a more attractive android.
He stood up straight as the last of the cabinets was sorted. About an hour had passed. The house was silent, and the wind had died down. There was always something he could move on to next, but he resisted the urge to keep working. This had to be fixed before he gave himself enough time to reconsider.
The android moved into the hallway and paused outside Katie's door. From inside, he could hear the faint sounds from the television show that Katie often seemed to watch. He organized his thoughts again, then knocked.
He heard a light shuffle, then the door opened. Katie's face appeared, her usual accusatory expression lining her face.
"What?" she said.
"I'm sorry for disturbing you," said the android. "I thought we could use this time to talk about our situation. Maybe make things a bit easier."
Katie was silent, her gaze frozen. The android looked away for a moment, re-adjusting his approach. "I understand you didn't ask for this," he said. "You never wanted an android." At that, Katie's face softened. The android pursued the direction. "I know it's a bit late, but I just wanted to say I'm sorry."
Katie had a new expression that the android hadn't seen before. Her hazel eyes were narrowed but the usual malice was gone. She opened the door wider and leaned against the frame. "Alright," she said. "I'm listening."
The android straightened with renewed confidence. "I think if we're going to be comfortable with eachother, we need to talk to eachother," he said. "If you tell me exactly how you feel, maybe we can move past whatever is causing your anger and learn to become friends."
Katie looked to the side, a small smile tugging at her mouth. "Honestly… I don't think that's going to work."
"What if we just gave it a try?" said the android. "You can tell me exactly what you think, and I can try to be as straightforward as my programming allows."
"Well, that's just the thing," said Katie. She continued to look at him with the odd smile and scrutinizing eyes that the android found much more welcoming than her usual glare. "It's not that I don't like you. I just… nothing you."
The android tilted his head as he attempted to process her statement. Katie sighed, shifting her weight. "I'm not mad at you personally. It's not like you were an asshole and just forced your way into my life. You're just a robot doing a job. I get it." She blew a rope of hair out of her eyes. "I just… hate having things shoved on me because people think they know what's best for me. And now you're here, making my food, cleaning my clothes, telling me I'm not eating enough and constantly criticizing the way I live… it's just… it's exactly what my mom wants and…" She paused, her face tense with exasperation. "Is this making any sense to you?"
The android looked at her, breaking apart her words. "I understand that my being here is a disruption of your normal life," he said. "But is there anything specific that makes you dislike me?"
Katie threw her gaze up at the ceiling. "Well, you're so goddamn robotic for one. I mean, you look like a human, you sound like a human, but you couldn't be any further from an actual human being. It's the way you move, the way you talk and… frankly your eyes kind of scare me."
The android blinked. "Is there a certain way that you would like me to look at you?"
Katie's expression narrowed again. "See, no one would ask that question. No sane normal person would ever─" She clasped her hands together and pressed them against her lips, closing her eyes. "Please tell me you're getting this just a little bit."
"Do you wish that I was more human?" said the android. Katie shook her head, dropping her hands to her sides. The android straightened. "I've been studying human behavior and attempting to incorporate it into my programming. I thought maybe you'd like to know what I think about you?"
Katie was silent, staring at him with the same frozen expression. The android took a breath. "You are a very creative and intuitive individual for your age. You adapt to all situations in a way that you can find some benefit which appears to be a select trait among other humans. I've also noticed that others seem to value your friendship and think very highly of you. You're an important person, and that makes you special." He could see Katie's eyes soften again. "Not many people seem to have the same qualities that you've been given," he continued. "And from what I've observed, they also don't seem to respond in the same way. If I were to sum up your character like I was a human…" He thought carefully, gathering the behavioral terminology that he'd learned. He looked at Katie who was still watching him with a softened expression. "If I said what I thought about you, I would say I think you are a privileged and ungrateful bitch."
Katie's eyes widened, and her mouth opened slightly. The android watched her, struggling to interpret her expression. The statement seemed to have affected her, and he anticipated an honest return. He shifted slightly, and gave a small smile.
"What…" Katie's expression narrowed. "... the… fuck."
The door swung open and she stepped out into the hallway so that she was mere inches from him. "Are you fucking serious right now?" she said. "Is this some part of your twisted programming─ some psycho-analytical bullshit?"
The android opened his mouth but found his software faltering. He stumbled back a few steps as Katie shoved him with both hands.
"You walk into my life," she continued, her eyes blazing with fury. "Mr. Breakfasts-are-important-in-preventing-epilepsy and make me a prisoner in my own goddamn house, and you're going to proceed to patronize me like I'm some kind of child? Like I enjoy this?"
The android knew better than to say anything, and made sure to keep his expression blank. Katie stepped towards him again.
"How is this supposed to cure my epilepsy? How am I supposed to─" She paused suddenly, closing her eyes and pressing her hands to the sides of her head. For a moment, there was only silence as the android watched her.
"I can't do this." Katie opened her eyes, her skin turning a slight pink hue. "I can't… I can't live like this. You need to turn off." She looked at him. "Just turn off. Go into stasis or something. Just shut the hell off."
"Perhaps I should rephrase my statement," said the android. "I'm still learning the unique characteristics of human dialect─"
"No. Stop talking. Just stop talking and shut off."
The android regained his composure, moving to a more solid approach. "Stasis is reserved in times of processing and exchange of ownership," he said. "But if you'd like, I can alter the details and create a scheduled interval that can last─"
"Just shut off." Katie pressed her hands to her head again. "I don't care. Just leave me alone."
"Of course," said the android. "To revive me, you will have to contact CyberLife and─"
"Just shut off!"
An uncomfortable jet of what felt like electricity rushed through him. He was able to catch a last glimpse of Katie, her eyes watered and her trembling hand partially covering her mouth before a blue interface swept over his vision, and everything went dark.
