Author's Note:

Yo, I just want to give you guys a reminder of how thankful I am that you guys have stuck through with me on this story. Seriously, the best part about uploading my stories is seeing people's reactions to them! I thank the people who take the time to write out a simple "good chapter!", and I thank the people who don't write anything at all, but quietly enjoy my work.

So, um, yeah. I feel like I need to remind you all, otherwise I'd feel like a total arrogant douche who thinks she's "above her own readers". Ew.

Strangers: Become Lovers

Act II

SCHN33

19:00

WEDNESDAY

FATHER: Neutral

"Where have you been?"

The android narrowed her eyes and heaved a sigh but nonetheless answered his question as she placed her bolero on the coathanger. "I was with Ruby Rose."

Her answer displeased Father further. "And…?"

"I received two more seconds of memory."

There was a hint of pride in her voice. She was feeling better and better about her situation the more the blanks of her memory were filled.

The man seemed to feel the opposite as he sneered. "Two more seconds. Like that has any worth." She wanted to argue that it did have worth but chose not to. "I need the full story, Schnee."

The android stopped in her ministrations to bring him a glass of wine. There was a hint of authority unlike the kind she'd heard before.

Father had always been a complicated man. But his motives made him easy to read. He wanted money. Lots of it. Her being sold would give him that. The incident at the store prevented her from being sold.

She needed to be deemed safe enough to be sold. And she couldn't be deemed yet, not until she retrieved her memories.

It was as simple as that.

So why did Father seemingly disapprove of her efficient-proven methods?

"I'll recover it. Every bit of it," she tried to assure, only for her confidence to falter when his eyes narrowed and his lips thinned.

FATHER: Cold

If Schnee were a human, her heart would've skipped a beat.

That… had never happened before.

Father had always been greedy and selfish, but not once had he been cold. Not toward her.

She gripped the wineglass tighter than necessary.

He strode to her, his gaze unreadable, making her want to shrink and squirm.

She had to fight to control her LED from flashing yellow. She couldn't comprehend the exact reasons why, but she knew that if she were to show any signs of distress… the human wouldn't be happy. Not one bit.

"I don't understand why you have to be with that… girl… in order for you to gain more memories." His brows furrowed. His mustache twitched. Angry lines plastered into his face. "To me, she looks like a complete waste of time."

Something akin to anger boiled within her. How dare he degrade Ruby to such a state. She wanted to yell at him, to shot back of how much a waste of time he was to her, to point out how much of an amazing human Ruby was and would always be compared to a man like him.

But then she realized where she stood in all of this and the consequences of not pleasing the man before her.

-[RESPECTFUL]-

-[BLUNT]-

On a normal occasion, she would have no problem choosing the former option.

But she doubted this was any normal occasion.

"I can assure you, Father, that she is not a waste of time." Ruby had taught her many things the most advanced coding could not.

She watched as his facade broke, his exhaustion showing itself. He massaged his temples, leaning into the counter.

He had never looked older and so worn.

She looked down and was met with the reddened version of herself.

-[STAY SILENT]-

-[TAKE ACTION]-

And so she resolved and composed herself, walking to him and extending the glass outward. He didn't bother giving her a skeptical glance, taking the glass and downing the content in large gulps.

To put it mildly, it worried her.

-[ASK]-

-[STAY SILENT]-

She hesitated.

Father made it clear who she was to him - or rather what she was. He never smiled at her, never made a conversation about anything other than her, never showed empathy or kindness or gratitude or… anything, really. He treated her like a machine.

Unlike Ruby.

And if that dolt of a human were here… she'd be compassionate and alert of other people's feelings.

And so Wei- Schnee tried to be that.

Right. Schnee.

"Is everything alright?"

He chuckled. It didn't sound like a happy chuckle. "Yes, everything's terrific. After Ozpin gives his little speech about freedom and change, more and more androids have turned deviant and walked away from us, their own masters. If this goes on any longer I fear we may have to shut down the company for good." He sighed and turned to look at her with a glint in his eyes. It was a glint that didn't make her feel safe. "Luckily for me, this won't go on for any longer. Will it, Schnee?"

She went frigid. Her stance was straight, proper, perfect. Her face was expressionless, blank. Her eyes were unseeing.

He looked at her expectantly.

"It won't, Father." Her voice held no emotions.

"I want a full explanation as to why you did what you did. I want to know who ordered you such a foolish task and have them punished."

"Understood, Father."

"I'll give you two days. If you don't complete your primary directive by that point then I'll simply have you reset, for safety precautions."

It took her a millisecond too long to answer. Luckily, it was a delay that no human would ever hope to spot. "Understood, Father."

A beat passed.

He still looked at her. And she looked back, hoping with all her might that whatever it was he was searching in her eyes… he wouldn't find it.

Another beat passed.

He hummed before walking away.

Another beat passed.

And she gasped back from whatever trance she was in, having to lean all of her weight to the counter, fearing she wouldn't be able to support herself.

She tried to ask herself what had happened and why did she react the way she did. But the truth was… she already knew all along. She just didn't want to believe it.

-PRIMARY DIRECTIVE: UPDATED-

And now… now she had a directive. A directive she chose herself to fulfill, or else her memories would be erased.

Or else Ruby would be erased from her life.

And she couldn't afford that. Not after everything.

-NEW PRIMARY DIRECTIVE: RUBY-

Author's Note:

Welp… That was heavy. But also necessary. It speeds things up, it ups the stakes, makes things more meaningful, you know.

Next up; Bumblebee and awkwardness. A whole bunch of awkwardness. And it is going to be fun… for me, that is (Cue evil laughter).

Also, a bit of a side note here; it's really, really important that Weiss should call Jacques "Father", so if any of you spot me making the mistake in the story of calling him "Jacques"... do tell me.