Author's Notes:
Heh. This is personally one of my favorite chapters so far. And I think you'll see why.
Oh, and the next chapter will finally reveal RWBY's version of Kara~
Can anyone guess who they are?
Strangers: Become Lovers
Act I
BL4K3
9:40
TUESDAY
He hummed in gratitude as she held the chair for him to sit down, his face breaking into a grin as he looked at the food presented in front of him.
"Tuna sandwich," he mused, smiling at the android. "My favorite."
Blake struggled and failed to hide her smile. She knew it was his favorite, that was why she'd made it.
She didn't exactly understand why humans loved particular foods over others so much - and why they would sometimes abandon their health only to eat 'the best burger ever!' - but she respected her owner and wanted him to enjoy himself, even with little gestures such as this.
"Blake." The android tilted her head, slightly anxious at the tone he used. He was looking at her with a frown. "You know how much I hate it when you stand there the entire time I eat." She did. And she couldn't understand why. It was what she was expected to do. "Come and sit with me," he gestured to the chair in front of him. "You must've had a tiring shift."
The android was reluctant to do so… but she had to obey her owner.
She sat there, back straight and attentive in case he needed anything, and watched as he stuffed the meal into his mouth, broke it apart with his teeth, chewed it, and swallowed.
… Humans were odd creatures.
"So… how's the bartending business working out for you?"
She hoped her LED didn't turn yellow. That would give everything away.
She hated burdening her owner…
And… It wasn't as if anything actually happened.
It was just… She was defending herself and acting accordingly. It was good that Yang left her in peace. The kind of topic she was discussing could've gotten her in trouble with the wrong people.
"... It's fine." Nothing worth mentioning happened. Nothing she should tell him.
He narrowed his eyes once more, seeing through her bluff. She couldn't understand why. She had a poker face, and she was sure her LED was flashing blue.
"You know you don't have to do this if you don't want to." His voice was gentle; a tone meant to soothe her. It didn't. "I can probably hire a temporary worker for the time being until we found the perfect model." He paused before adding as an afterthought, "Preferably not one like Junior."
Blake watched as he took a small bite out of his sandwich, waiting for her to speak.
-[TRUTHFUL]-
-[REASSURING]-
She… didn't want to make her owner worry.
"It can get a little confusing at times," she admitted, "but, well, you requested me to." She shrugged. "And it's only for a few weeks at best."
He stared at her unblinkingly for a couple of seconds, and she stared back, trying not to show her confusion.
Was that not the right thing to say? But… she'd meant not to worry him… Sure, she didn't tell him about Yang, but then again, did she really need to?
He put down his food, indicating that he had a lot of things to say and that… whatever he would say would be… important.
This was one of the rare moments where she wished she was a newer model that could detect a human's emotions to a certain degree.
That ability would be very useful at a time like this.
"Blake… I think it's time we talk about who you are."
"... What are you talking about?" She knew precisely what he was talking about. She just didn't want to talk about it.
"The fact that you don't belong to me."
It was said in such an abrupt manner that she… she couldn't function, couldn't comprehend anything, not for a few seconds.
Her LED kept switching between blue and yellow as if it was uncertain… just like her.
Ghira had this look in his eyes, a look that screamed that he knew something about her which she didn't - he often had that look. The same look Ozpin had.
… The same look Yang had since their eyes first met.
"Blake… You can't keep ignoring this. You're more than just a machine, Blake. I know you are."
If she were to accept it, she would be admitting something that wasn't the truth. And if she were to deny it, there was a high probability that her owner would be unpleased with her.
"... What do you want me to say, Ghira?"
He seemed a little hurt by her words. She couldn't understand why, she was aiming to please her owner.
Did her owner not want to be pleased?
If so, then…
What did he want?
What did Ozpin want?
What did… What did Yang want?
"I want you to say whatever's on your mind."
She abruptly stood from her chair. "I… No, that's… I can't do that."
He looked up at her as if their distance were far larger than a few feet. He looked like he wanted to reach out to her, but he never did.
"You can…"
The way he said it…
It was as if he actually believed his own words…
As if they were more than just nonsense…
As if…
As if it was the truth…
As if she really could do it…
-[TRY]-
-[STAY QUIET]-
She chose neither.
"Then order me to."
His face hardened. "I won't."
"Why not?" Her voice rose. She didn't think she'd ever done this before. She didn't know why she started doing it now. Perhaps… Perhaps it had to do with what happened with Yang at the pub earlier.
"I don't want to make you do something you don't want to do."
He… He didn't want her to…?
But…
But she shouldn't have a preference!
She should just do whatever her owner told her to, regardless!
That was…
That was the whole point of her existence!
Blake took a step back, away from her owner - the owner that didn't want her to do her job. The owner that wanted her to disobey the rules.
Both him and Yang.
Especially Yang with her looks and her smile and her eyes, thinking she could just- just ask an android to be in a relationship- a human/android, non-platonic relationship! That- that wasn't- she couldn't do that!
They were both so- so-
"What… What is it with you humans and your confusing words? First you, and now Yang! I'm an android!" she shouted for the whole world to hear, her hands clenched and shaking as she kept herself from crying because she shouldn't cry. Because machines didn't cry. And she was a machine. "So please, treat me as such."
He stood up from his chair, although much more gently as if he didn't want to startle her. As if she wasn't already frightened. He hunched forward to be more eye-level with the much smaller android.
He threw open his hands invitingly to her.
-[COME TO HIM]-
-[DON'T MOVE]-
She chose the safer option. The better one.
"Blake…"
"I…" she closed her eyes for a moment, calming herself down before opening them back, "I apologize for my behavior."
He shook his head almost regretfully. "Don't, Blake."
"It won't happen again." It was a promise.
"Blake-"
"We've run out of eggs." No, they hadn't. "I'll be back in an hour." The trip to the grocery usually took about thirty minutes. "Goodbye, Ghira."
Once outside and alone, she looked up, finding nothing but the dark sky.
The android simply stood there as something wet trailed down from her eyes, biting her lip as to not make a sound… as to not alert her owner that she, an android, was crying; something only humans did.
And she was no human.
She then closed her eyes, her artificial mind as advanced as a computer summoning the dozen books she'd stored. She then picked one, a book about a human who adventured across the world, meeting new people, learning new skills.
She envisioned herself as that human.
She envisioned what it must be like to be able to not only act but think freely. She envisioned what it must be like to not be burdened by the need to serve.
For a long while, that was all she did; envision. To do anything else would mean deviancy, and she didn't want to be a deviant, she couldn't- that wasn't who she was meant to be.
The tears stopped rolling down her face when she opened her eyes. Quickly, she wiped the remaining wetness away.
Books were her only means of escape… when she was having bad days, she'd use them to calm herself down because… well… it was the only method for her that proved to be effective.
She should never cry in front of humans or androids alike. She should never cry at all, but sometimes she couldn't help it and she didn't know why. Sometimes she felt things and she couldn't help it, but none of the things she felt could be physically seen, not like sadness and the tears it brought.
The android thought of Yang, and Beacon, and her owner, and androids…
And this warm thing inside her that made her feel something androids should never feel…
The thing that made her feel alive.
Author's Notes:
One thing I find interesting is how different Weiss and Blake are despite their many similarities.
In the Monochrome Arc back in Volume 1, when Blake was revealed to be a cat faunus, I find it interesting how she never wanted anyone to know, and that she accidentally announced it to everyone. And, once everyone knew, she quickly ran away from her team (from her issue). Even after Sun tried to convince her that it was okay for her to be a faunus and that no one would judge her… she still didn't believe it.
Meanwhile, Weiss actively tried to make amends with Blake, even if at first, she despised them. Deep down, Weiss had always known that hating faunus was wrong, and when the opportunity for her to better herself came, she took it.
Remember, Weiss was the one who reached out to Blake and apologized first. Blake didn't even try to reach out to her team. She still didn't believe that her team cared for her until they showed it.
And… I took that interesting tidbit… and used it as the main factor in this story. Whereas Weiss is simply trying to find out the truth, Blake tries to deny it.