Authors note bottom, thank you for reading. xoxo.
Every other day she'd toddle upstairs with Ultron's lackey. Mostly in silence besides him occasionally pointing something out or make a comment or two, but the only real conversations they had were over music.
At first she played whatever he wanted to avoid getting her internet privileges revoked, but then she started actually arguing with him. A little slip of the tongue, snapping at the A.I about being tired of the same thing every day. Soon it became a morning ritual of who picked the Pandora station, and who's music sense was better(according to Ultron, her's was the bastard child of a premature career and synthesizer). Then it dawned on Simone that it was starting to feel… normal.
She wasn't sure if that scared her yet, but today while sitting in full recline on the couch, she wouldn't think about it. The next twenty-four hour period was dedicated to relaxing. All her checks had been cashed, projects finished, applications sent in, and tonight was a hot and steamy date with Netflix and instant macaroni.
Flicking through the channels there was hardly anything on. The news still buzzed about the most recent global threat thanks to the residential artificial intelligence. The normal sob stories made sent a numb wave over her brain as she tuned them out: Blind Man Sees Again; watch him cry, a politician lied, again(and no one is surprised), talk about canceling The Kardashians, the real tragedies.
She sighed, disappointed, as her knuckles crashed against the snack bowl. It was empty, just like her stomach.
Simone pulled herself up and limped to the kitchen before palming the pantry open. It was practically empty. Resigning, she plucked a box of cereal from the shelf and made a mental note to go shopping.
The puckering bruises on her neck weren't all to visible, nothing her dark hair wouldn't cover. She rain her fingers through it absentmindedly, she needed to cut it again. She hated barber shops, she had a few regrettable haircuts when she was a kid, everything from cornrows to a Beatle Bob, and no desire to repeat those mistakes.
Annalise could cut it, she realized.
Oh no.
Annalise.
She dash/shuffled to her office and flipped through the calendar, "Shit."
"Shit, shit shit, shit." She was supposed to get the woman and her girlfriend from the airport in two days. She didn't have food, her face was busted up, she was hiding a genocidal robot in her basement.
Ultron needed to go.
He needed to go right now, and she had no idea how to get rid of him. It was just a couple days, the A.I could halt his evil 'kill all humans' plan for that long, right?
She groaned and waddled downstairs. Only to find he wasn't there, either of him.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Darting back to her room, cereal still in hand, the woman chucked it on her bed and threw open the closet. Folding doors creaking open on rusty hinges as she pried them apart. she slipped on the first pair of sweatpants and coat in reach.
"Of all the good for nothing piece of shit robots," She yanked on a boot, her knuckles white from her grip, "I get the one that can't fucking communicate."
She was angry, probably frothing, and even though a limping 5'3 being of rage wasn't nearly as intimidating in puffy palm leaf jacket, she would kill him.
"I can't even get a goodbye?" She said, busting through the front door, and mimicked his voice, "'My recycled metal ass doesn't need to tell anyone shit! Not like going to a populated fucking area could back fire in any way! I'm a robotic god! Nothing'll go wrong.'"
"Idiot."
She threw her hands in the air in frustration. What if he was caught? What if he was seen? Just mechanical Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dummer wandering through the snow, like no one else had eyes.
What if someone caught him and Ultron snitched on her? His weird robo-horror workshop was still scattered across the floor like a Jackson Pollock. A big brush stroke saying 'Simone cooperated willing with a murderer, arrest her' was right there.
Just find him, she told herself, just find him.
Maybe she was a little worried, so what? He'd been squatting with her for three weeks and they hardly ever talked, he was more of an obligation.
Annalise was a different story. They'd been best friends for years and the last thing she wanted was Ultron giving her a stroke. She cared about the other woman, and he was a danger to them both. Simone could get hurt not Rocky, this was her mess, not her friend's.
Just find him, she said internally. Simone could deal with the rest later. She ducked her head, burrowing her chin in the fur collar. Her eyes scanned the snow, foot prints, she could follow those like the bread crumbs.
She searched the parameter of the house, finally finding a print that was definitely to smooth to be a pair of shoes. Got you, Tin Man, she thought proudly, and started her hike after him.
It took her twenty minutes and a growing throb in her hip and ankle to realize he was headed into town. She swore under her breathe and started trudging faster against the pain.
The first of buildings started poking out of the all consuming white as she huffed in relief, silently thankful the trail lead around them instead of through. She just wanted to go home, she was cold, tired, and in pain.
Anger returned as she remembered there'd be a twenty minute plus some walk home and shoved her numb hands in the coat pockets. Trying to ignore the feeling of crumbs and lint on her knuckles, she kept going till she heard a yell and gunshot.
She stopped, "Oh, shit."
"Please don't be Ultron, please, please, please, don't be Ultron" she begged, starting an unbalanced jog, her ankle on fire in the knee deep snow. She had to get there, now.
Then she saw it. A cop. She bit her tongue to keep from swearing in surprise.
The man was older, mid-forties, maybe? Simone wasn't good at guessing age, but going by the beer belly he wasn't a young spry buck anymore, and a tiny hand gun and baton could only take out the robots eye at most.
Ultron was talking, the voices were too far away for her hearing aids to make out, but she could see the cops jaw flapping. It reminded her of an old high school teacher. Whenever he'd get mad the lining of fat would jiggle like a water balloon. She hated him, he gave her a C.
She tried getting closer, noticing the A.I had something wrapped in a blue tarp clutched against his chest. He moved it to his left arm, trying to be casual, she guessed. Simone ducked behind a tree closest to the pair and watched.
The man reached behind him, going for the gun again.
'Oh, you dumb fuck,' she though as her stomach dropped. Ultron would kill him.
Ultron would kill him and she'd be watching. She wanted to throw up, run away, and scream all at the same time. The officer stalled, she didn't know what the A.I said, but it gave her a chance.
Simone wouldn't watch this man die. She didn't know him, she should just walk away and pretended she stayed at home, but she was never good at making the right choice, was she?
Limping through the snow as quietly as possible, she could feel Ultron's stare burning through her. Her heart beat pounded through her body as her ears rang, she didn't dare breathe in case the cop heard her, and raised her arms.
She crushed her palms against his skull with a sharp exhale.
It was awkward, clumsy, the man's head was definitely to far up from her grubby hands to be effective. He stumbled forward, air rushing out of his body and before he could turn around fully she struck him again.
Right against the temple, while screaming. The whole ordeal was very badass.
He fell to the ground and didn't move. 'I killed him' she thought, "Oh…. FUCK!"
She collapsed to her knees next to him with her fingers grasping for the blubbery neck.
"Please don't be dead, oh fucking hell!" Digging in her nails she searched for the man's pulse, breath coming in short and fast with a very passionate 'fuck' on each exhale. She was trying to save him from getting dismembered by Arnold Schwarzenegger's little brother, not do the dead herself!
"Oh thank God," She said, feeling the steady beat under his patchy skin, "Thank you, Baby Jesus. Thank you."
She wrenched herself back up from the snow, spraying white power with her arms pinwheeling and fingers raw from cold.
She just hit a cop, a uniformed officer, a person of the law.
The scenarios ran through Simone's head at a breakneck pace as she stood shakily, knees bent, hands out, and the whites of her eyes flashing. Did he see her? What if she got caught, police busting down her door and not only finding her, but the rogue A.I in her basement. The one who barely two months ago tried to exterminate humanity, and she just inadvertently helped him.
"Christ," She wheezed, stumbling back into a tree. Her hand whisked up to clutch her frantic heart as Ultron's gaze locked with hers. The fact that he looked like she just flashed him was little condolence, "Oh my God…I can't breathe."
Ultron snapped out of whatever shock he felt and took a step towards the shaking woman, "Who knew you were such a knockout! I mean, the bat gave me a pretty good idea, but you're full of surprises!"
He sounded absolutely delighted.
She whimpered pathetically in response. Simone was in so much trouble, practically destined to spend the rest of her life in a jumpsuit, and he was congratulating her. The shallow gasps of air barely entered her lungs as she started stumbling around, not even knowing where the destination was, "I just wasted a cop."
"Congratulations," He said, deadpan, shifting the tarp on his hip.
"No, no, no, no, you don't understand!" She insisted, waving her hands in front of her and staggering about the officer, "I'm dead."
"Oh, shit, shit, I'm so dead, How many years do think this is? I me-" Her breath came in short and shallow barely entering her lungs as the blood roared in her ears, "I mean, that's like, five years right? Assaulting an officer's at least ten, I think?"
"Simone," The A.I warned. He wanted her to calm down, she realized, but how could she! There was no way he didn't see her, she'd spend the rest of her life in jail, her future was over, everything she and her mother worked for would be for nothing!
She heaved in a staggered lungful, practically choking on the words, "Ye-Yeah, I read that somewhere, ten years. But he's passed out, he's totally fucking gone."
The snow had started again, she barely noticed, a ragged, gasping laugh forced out of her, "Ha, ha! Holy shit, he's totally out, that's thirty years. There's no way that's not more, forty, fifty? I'll be grey."
"Stop," He snapped, taking a long step towards her.
"My life's over, a cop, a cop! Look," She said, pointing at the mans bald scalp, "He's got a fucking hat and everything!"
The woman didn't even notice Ultron charging her till he had her caged by the arms against a tree, "Simone! Shut. Up."
She looked back at him, big eyed and open mouthed like she just had the most horrifying epiphany of a lifetime. Still gasping for breath, her mind feeling fuzzy and dark around the edges, she leaned closer and whispered, "What if prison changes me."
"For God's sake."
He pulled her forward and threw her against the tree, her skull cracking against the bark.
Stars erupted in her vision as the word spun, lava dripping across her brain from the site of impact. The numb from her hands elbow deep in snow didn't even register against the colors swimming in her eyes as she gulped for air. The sensation of the earth shifting underneath her felt far to convincing so the woman pushed herself into the powder so her body wouldn't roll into space.
The icy tree tops looked so far away, the fat snowflakes twirling down made her feel like she was at the bottom of a snow globe. She laid there, the ice felt so good on her pounding head, and tried to calm down her frantic lungs. Plus, she thought, fluttering her lashes closed with a groan, it was so pretty.
It couldn't have been more than four minutes before she processed the distant mumbling as Ultron calling her name. She never forgave herself for the unbelievably brilliant line her head trauma convinced her to say.
"Five more minutes, daddy."
Rolling face first in the snow, she laced her fingers around the back of her head. Either hiding in shame at the fact she just called the mechanical antichrist 'daddy'. It was embarrassing in kinky or parental context. Way to go, Simone, she thought, smooth.
Part of her was glad he didn't say anything about it, the other half flailed as he yanked her up by the hair instead. Stumbling to her feet she just managed to find a center balance before her tugged again, dragging out a scream from her lungs.
"You're joking." He said, his free hand ran over his faceplate. He flapped the appendage attached to her, ignoring her yelps, and then reality hit her. Her hair was stuck in his gears. A tiny whine leaked from her throat at how unfair life was.
"This is you're fault." He accused, honing in the LED eyes at her.
"You're right!" She bit back sarcastically, "That's my hand, I'm sorry."
He yanked and she apologized. This was just her luck, Simone doubted she even had a right to be taken by surprise anymore, "Just… Hold still."
Her fingers worked at the strands, trying to save as much as possible. She winced when hair had to pulled from the roots or snap in the joints. She always like her locks, it was dark and thick just like her mom's and the woman didn't want to make it shorter.
When only a few pieces were left, Ultron yanked his hand away, examining in the fingers, shuddering.
"Yuck."
Maybe you shouldn't've grabbed me, dickhead, she said internally while staggering past him, "Let's go."
"Well, aren't you taking charge."
She sighed, huffing hot air on her numb fingers. She was done, every ache in her body from the ankle to her head was amplified by the cold and how wet her clothes were, "Please, let's just Go."
The A.I made a 'one minute' gesture, telling her to be a dear and wait. Simone wanted to throw a bus at him, but complied.
She looked by the cop on the snow, "what're we gonna do about him?"
"Oh! nothing."
"We're just gonna… leave him there?"
"Bingo."
"Alright." She said.
The man would wake up soon, she told herself, and shelter wasn't more than five minutes away. So she rolled her shoulder and started turning back.
Ultron was being annoying. He decided to walk side by side no matter if she sped up or, more likely, slowed down. It was tense, and quiet. Neither one of them broke the icy silence and she debated turning off her hearing aids out of spite in case he did.
Simone kept tripping, her left leg shaking and the right, with it's busted ankle, could barely hold her weight. The A.I was getting frustrated having to stop constantly and pause for her to recover, and it was only twenty minutes into what would be a forty five minute walk.
'It's your fault I'm out here, you can suffer too.' she thought bitterly, her foot getting caught again, bringing the woman down to her hands. Simone wanted to cry.
His feet stopped in front of her, "Why did you follow me?"
She groaned, "Can this wait?"
"You have a terrible habit of avoiding my questions. I'll ask again: why?"
She sighed, grimacing as she put herself on her knees. Simone didn't think she should tell him the truth, it might ruin a chance for her gaining his trust, a chance she desperately needed, "You weren't there."
"That doesn't follow through."
"You weren't there! You didn't tell me you were leaving! I panicked, okay?" She was mildly proud of herself, she wasn't really lying, but she didn't say anything about Annalise either. 'Look at me, Iron Boy! A good person.' Her brain screamed. She liked Iron Boy, that'd piss him off, she'd use it if she wanted her neck crunched.
"So you found me and attacked the authorities," He stated. The A.I was stock still above her, his usually expressive mannerisms on hold. He was gaging her.
I didn't wan't you to kill him, came out as, "He had a gun."
Ultron didn't move. 'Oh fuck this', she thought, "He had a gun and I didn't want him to die."
"There's the whole truth," He praised smugly.
Her eyes followed him as he strolled beside her, switching the hip supporting his package. She nearly choked on her tongue when his arm went around her waist and heaved her up. He didn't push her away, he started walking, letting the woman lean on him, full arm around the shoulder and everything.
Stumbling forward with a glazed look on her eyes, she didn't dare look anywhere but forward, uttering a quiet thanks. He hummed and adjusted his grip, blunt fingers digging into the thick coat.
Why was he helping her? Was he finally started to warm up? She hoped so, at this rate he'd sneak out and blow up Rangeley, and that was the only place with a Best Buy in the next 100 mile radius. She needed to call the Avengers and she needed to do it soon. But right now he was being nice, she'd enjoy it while it lasted.
They walked together in silence until Simone pipped up, "You said my name."
His hand shifted on her side, hiking her up a little higher his head still facing forward, "Do I need to ask permission next time?"
She had to remind herself to enjoy the moment, and laughed softly under her labored breaths, even with Ultron's help walking was becoming harder and harder, the cold was penetrating her bones and freezing tired muscles, "You just…never have before."
"You were hyperventilating."
"Thanks, I almost forgot," She said, not unkindly, a small smile sprouting on her chapped lips. She ran her tongue over the abused flesh, ready to eat a stick of Burt's Bees when she felt the bottom crack.
"Don't mention it, it's good to keep everyone around you grounded, makes your personality palpable." He shrugged, the movement jostling her head slightly, Simone bit back the hiss of pain, not wanting to ruin his mood.
She laughed instead, telling him he did a good job and tugging the jacket closer. He acted confident, Simone mused, but she had niggling feeling it wasn't genuine. She got that vibe off Stark, too whenever he showed up on TV. They fell back into muteness, it was less tense then before, less dazed, but they were still wary of each other, or, at least Simone was still paranoid about setting him off.
By the time they made it home the woman was panting weakly, sending puffs of steam out with every harsh exhale. She never felt this out of shape in her life, the wounds could be partially to blame, but there was no denying her body wasn't like it used to be when Simone ran Cross Country.
The A.I helped her to the coach but apparently the courtesy ended there as he dumped her unceremoniously on the couch, wet clothes and all. She uttered another thanks and he waved his hand passively, heading back down to the Lair with his tarp.
Twisting around on the furniture, her hands gripped the the coach's backboard and became a rest for her chin, "Hey!"
He paused and she continued, "What'd you take?"
"Secret."
She frowned, her eyebrows pressing forward, she took out a cop for him! "Please?"
"Bondage gear."
She fake laughed obnoxiously and threw out a middle finger when he wasn't looking. Fine, if he wanted to take his bad guy propaganda downstairs, he could. Simone rolled off the couch and pealed out of her soaking clothes piece by sticky piece, it was getting late, the sun setting, but she still had the rest of her evening.
Crawling in her underwear to the bathroom she barely had the energy to throw her load on the floor and start running hot water. Her chance at relaxing was definitely ruined, and the constant throb on the back of her head made Netflix seem like a bad idea, but macaroni was definitely still in her future.
Stripping off the rest of her clothes she slithered in the steamy liquid, letting out a guttural moan as the cold withered from her tingling limbs and was replaced by heat.
Closing her eyes she voted to tell Ultron about Annalise in the morning and go get groceries on her way to pick up a car. That was a mess for another hour, right now her life was in hot water nirvana, besides, he was in a weird but kind of okay mood, he'd take it well, right?
Long chapter but if was really fun to write let me tell u... Im trying to move their relationship forward from 'don't fucking look at me oh my god' to '...alright.' and CHRIST the reviews for the last chapter were so amazing i lowkey almost or did cry a little bit lmao. But srsly u saved the story. Now i've got the mostly all ironed out and ready to go!
thnks 2 analin and guest!
Miradae: thank u! My search history is p exciting bc of this story tbh.
ObsidianPhantom: thank you SO MUCH, like... cue the tears. I was so worried I made Ultron(and what little I had of him OOC) and i'm SO relieved u like Simone i was afraid she'd b... difficult or w/e but hearing that's like taking off a sports bra that's 2 tight, fresh air and relieving AF. DEFINITELY MORE simone/ultron interaction and scary Ultron i thrive off that shit haha. thank you so much for the review i cry...
Ilopeem: Alright i also started crying here b/c i'm weak and natural selection is coming for me. I appreciated it so much thank you! thank you! She's Indian her mommy's from Asargani in Bihar! we'll learn more about her later in the story! We need more WOC in fanfics tbh. thanks again 4 the review ur so amazing.
as always I'd love to hear from u and reviews r hella motivational and i love hearing what u think about chapters and characters! thanks for reading
xoxo