Hello guys! Hope y'all are doing well, lots of great stuff happening in the fandom ;) Here is my first oneshot for OQPromptParty, it's an AU for Prompt #188, Regina is an AI Robot owned by a lonely widower Robin. It's a very long one for you, but enjoy and let me know what you think!
The soft jazz music, set low to create a more homey atmosphere, croons tenderly as people go about their business. The cafe is absolutely teeming at high noon today: those either quietly sipping at scalding hot coffee with an open newspaper in front of them, or making small talk with friends over the rainy weather that has been bestowed upon them recently. Spring is in the air, this delicate month of April. And despite the recently melancholic weather, there's an energetic vibe that buzzes amidst San Francisco's microcosm of citizens situated in this small but cosy coffee shop.
The pair sits together at a small table nestled in the corner, at the junction between wall and window. The man's eyes flit back and forth between his untouched mug of coffee. His fingers turn the ceramic around and around on the table as he watches the dark liquid being tossed to and fro, threatening to spill over the edge. The woman gazes intently at him, neither food nor drink lying in front while her shimmering chocolate eyes scan his body language. She looks upon him in wonder, intrigued as to what he must be feeling to bring on such a quiet spell, when the man is usually flowing with nonstop conversation. So she asks.
"Are you all right?" Her voice speaks to him in those deep, rich tones that the man adores so much. The woman tilts her head to the side, furrowing her perfectly sculpted eyebrows. "Robin?" she prompts once more after receiving no reply.
Robin lifts his head, dark sapphire eyes meeting her gaze. A small, but adoring smile curves the corners of his lips as he takes in her outwardly concerned expression. "I'm fine," he replies with a soft sigh as his fingers still the cup at last. He grasps at the mugs handle and lifts the cup to his lips, sipping back the now tepid liquid. "I was just thinking."
"Thinking about what?" the woman questions, her eyes alight with new curiosity.
Robin shrugs, lowering his cup slightly as he gazes at her over the rim. He brings his second hand up to grasp the other side, resting his elbows on the table. "You," he replies.
At this, the woman is letting out a soft laugh, one that sends an inevitably warming tingle down the man's spine. It's just so candid, just so perfect. He always loves making her laugh like this. "What about me?" she asks, a smirk now forming on those luscious lips.
"About how amazing you are," Robin answers with his shy smile. He places the mug down, shaking his head gently. "Every day, you astound me more and more, by what you can do…" he swallows softly, "…and how you make me feel."
"And how do I make you feel?"
"Loved," Robin whispers, his eyes glistening softly with held emotion. He looks into her eyes, smiling sadly. "Regina, you make me feel loved."
Regina's lips part softly, and Robin can just imagine the small breath she could intake, the way her heart would beat faster upon hearing his words. If only it were all true. "But…how?" she says softly, "Robin, I'm nothing, nothing but—"
"No," Robin interrupts fervently, his hand reaching out suddenly to grasp at hers that laid limply clasped with the other on the table. He parts her hands, taking her right hand into his own and squeezing it tightly in a gesture packed with raw emotion. "I refuse to believe that." His eyes remain locked upon hers, holding her gaze steadily. "I knew that ever since I met you, you were special…"
And he did. He really, really did. Upon closing his eyes, Robin can still remember every last detail that had occurred that day, the entire events of the day engraved into his mind for all eternity—the day that changed his life.
It began six months ago, when Robin and his best friend Will had met up one night for drinks at their local bar in Union Square. It was a warm summer's evening on a Friday night, and the two best friends of nearly fifteen years found themselves comfortable in a corner booth, sipping on fresh, crisp Coors Lights and enjoying the bar's effervescent vibe.
"You've got to be kidding me," Robin breathed, shaking his head incredulously.
"I'm serious!" Will insisted, "This is the biggest, most innovative thing. It's been all over the news! I'm surprised you haven't seen it by now."
The man rolled his eyes. "Of course, I've seen it," Robin groaned, picking up his beer and taking another swig, "That's all I've been seeing lately. You have to be living under a rock to not know." He sighed, thinking of all the suffocating infomercials, ads, billboards, radio commercials about this "life-changing technology". After years and years of designing, building, reconstructing, and testing, this one-of-a-kind technology had finally been made available to the public. And it was all the rage.
"Seriously, mate, it will change your life. For the better. You of all people need something like this to seriously pump the life back into you."
"Oh bloody hell," Robin moaned, his eyes looking once more towards the heavens, "Not you too. You're starting to sound like one of those bloody commercials."
Will rolled his eyes, shaking his head before gazing at his best friend. "Robin, really, how long has it been? How long are you going to keep living your life like this?" He leaned forward intently. "I've been to your house and it's a dump. Your depression is certainly not helping with your housekeeping skills."
Robin scowled at the man, feeling his cheeks heat with frustration. "First of all, I think I'm living just as normal as any person that has had to go through what I've had to endure. Second, my house is fine, thank you."
"No it's not," Will argued, "Robin, your mood is getting the best of you. The dishes aren't done, the shades are down. I mean, maybe if you clean your house a bit and open the goddam blinds for once in your life, you'll just naturally feel better. And if you won't do it, an AI will help you right out. That's what they're for, partly, right?"
"Will, please…"
"You need someone, Robin. And if it's not going to be the women I try to set you up with, and if its not going to be someone to get your life, never mind your house, back on track, why not it be an AI?"
"I'd most certainly take the lousy, superficial women over a bloody robot any day."
"Oh no, Robin, you've made it clear you don't want them."
"You're right, I don't want them!" Robin exclaimed, "And I don't want some cold, unfeeling robot either!" He sighed, deflating in his seat with a shake of his head. "I want her," he muttered.
He heard Will exhale loudly, exasperatedly, and felt his heart sink even further. Robin couldn't really blame his friend for his aggravation. He knew that the man has had to put up with his morose, melancholic attitude every single time they spoke. He knew how emotionally draining it was for Will to have to endure days of him wallowing in complete misery and despair. And Robin knew how it broke Will's heart to see him like this day in and day out, and that the man was only suggesting this out of the goodness of his heart. But still, how could Robin possibly be able to move on only with the use of superficial assets that provided nothing but a flimsy bandaid to his profoundly broken heart?
A year since Marian's death, and things have only stayed stagnant. With every day, Robin remained burdened by having to wake up and endure each day without his beloved wife, the love of his life, by his side. All the world's bereavement therapy sessions could not give repose to the man's weeping heart. Days passed simply with him going through the mechanical motions of every day life, neither with thought nor feeling. They might as well have put him in one of those transparent human-shaped boxes and sold him for five hundred dollars, like they did all the other AI robots that everyone was so crazed about.
"I just want you to find happiness again, Robin," Will said, "I wouldn't be suggesting this idea if I thought it was a lousy one—"
Robin opened his mouth.
"—And no," Will added quickly before Robin could even refute that, "It's not the commercials getting to my head. I do really think this could be the solution. You need something new in your life, and this is something. Yes, these robots may not feel real emotion, but they can make you forget, forget your pain. They can be whatever you want, whatever you need." He took a swift drink. "It's been a year now, mate. And I hate to say this to you, but you need to try to move on, for your own good."
Robin shook his head. "How can I move on, when every day, I'm reminded by something, even the smallest thing, of her and what we had?"
"You just need a distraction, that's all," Will replied, "And just because you move on, doesn't mean you have to forget Marian. I know she'll always remain in your heart. But you owe it to yourself to be happy again. Moreover, Marian would want that."
Robin sighed, running his finger over the rim of his almost empty beer bottle. "I'm not sure she'd want me to find peace and happiness in a robot, though," he pointed out dismally.
"Any way you can find it, mate," Will answered, lifting his bottle to his lips once more.
And so they continued to drink, Robin insisting on a second and third, and fourth, beer all in part to forget their conversation, forget his misery, forget everything. It worked for a time, and Robin stumbled into his home late that night and dove right into bed, successfully inebriated and relaxed.
Come morning, however, and the burden of everything that had happened that night (including the conversation about a potential AI) had resurfaced. It all followed Robin as he trudged to the bathroom, still in his sweaty clothes from the night before. The shower did nothing to calm his mind and body. It was already torture to nurse one hell of a hangover, but to have the misery and the possibility of making yet another life-altering decision (that might or might not work) to end said misery to add to that, all Robin felt like doing was going back to bed and avoiding the whole endeavor. Yet, no matter how much he tried, he could not stop thinking about Will's suggestion. Could an AI robot really be the answer to his problems? Could a bit of plastic carved into something seemingly lifelike really be so impactful as to help him change his life and bring him peace of mind? Robin wouldn't even think of the prospect of regaining happiness, for that just seemed far too out of reach, despite what Will believed.
But say that the robot idea actually worked. Say that she—it made such a profound impact on him that it turned his life around for the better. Then what would he do? How would he feel knowing that he had something or someone who finally lifted his spirits, though was made of nothing but synthetic material? Would that become his life then? Would he love it? Would he hate it?
There was only one way to find out. And it was his curiosity, that very need to see for himself, was what led Robin through the doors of the nearest electronics store. There, he was immediately acquainted with the store's manager, a shrewd little man with a pointed nose and a perfectly tailored suit.
"Welcome, Mr. Locksley," the man greeted, offering his hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Mr. Gold." He smiled at Robin, a smile that looked almost as if it were hiding some unknown, surreptitious secret.
"Pleasure to be here," Robin replied, grasping the man's hand in a firm handshake.
"What can I do for you today?" Mr. Gold questioned with a furtive yet subtle smirk upon his lips. His eyes sparkled as he looked the other man up and down, a sort of delight crossing his tightly wound features, almost as if he could already read telepathically exactly what Robin had come here for. And it was not for the same reason as everybody else who had been coming in all too eager to spend ridiculous amounts of money on a fad that had overtaken the entire country at large, merely for the sole purpose of popularity.
"I am looking into buying one of your AI Robots," Robin answered steadily.
"Ah yes, of course." Mr. Gold extended his arm towards the back of the store. "Come this way." Robin followed him in that direction, his intrigue growing as they neared the shop's brand new AI department section. "You can look at a few models here," Gold continued, "See if there are any that catch your eye. Do you prefer male or female?"
"Female," Robin replied with a nod.
"I figured that much," the manager remarked with a chuckle, "Very well, then. Lucky for you, we have a wide selection to choose from after having just received a new shipment yesterday." Gold regarded Robin from the corner of his eye. "As you can imagine, this new technology has been in such high demand."
"I can. So what exactly is it that they can do—well I mean—other than just housework and chores?"
"They can be far more than that, though that is mainly their purpose. All of these AI products have the full capacity to emulate the human disposition. So no, they are not merely 'robots' that walk mindlessly around the house doing chores for those far too negligent to do themselves—" Robin grimaced slightly. "—These are the highest, most developed and sophisticated form of artificial intelligence, capable of real human interactions, thus the continued ability to learn through such communication."
"So they really are quite 'real'," Robin stated, brows furrowed, "They can feel."
"Well, not exactly," Gold amended, as he held up a finger, "Emotion is one exception. And it makes sense. How can a robot possibly feel true human emotion when its mind is composed of nothing but highly complex, mathematical equations? We can only do what is superficial, what appears to be real on the surface." The man halted then, turning to face Robin as he read the uncertainty upon the latter's expression. "I know what you're thinking, Mr. Locksley," he added, "You're worried that you won't have the full experience, no real emotions to tie your own to. But that is the beauty of this product. It's not real. Who would want to deal with the struggles of reality anyway? Let the imagination of the robot's creators become your reality." Mr. Gold smiled, laying a hand on Robin's shoulder. "You'll come to see that this reality is far better. We've gone through great lengths to ensure it."
Robin sighed deeply, a dubious frown set deep in his features as he considered the man's words. What had reality given him, truly? A few fleeting moments of happiness before bestowing upon him the burden of death and its consequences. Would such a darkness really be erased if Robin went through with this purchase? If he bought an AI robot, she would be his. And she would be his forever. A robot may malfunction, it may break. But it could always be mended. One could neither mend nor fix death. Death is permanent.
So with that in mind, Robin straightened himself, giving the manager a more determined look. He nodded, reassured that this would work. After all, what did he have to lose? Well, aside from the few hundred dollars lost.
"All right," Robin sighed, "Show me the models."
At this, Gold chuckled with delight before leading Robin through a wide doorway into the back sector of the store. Once inside, he extended his hand, gesturing towards what appeared to be at least a dozen rows of humanoid robots, all standing like mannequins side by side, encased in clear protective plastic. The sight shocked Robin to say the least; a small gasp escaped his lips as doubt began to resurface. He couldn't help but feel as if this whole setup seemed far too "wrong", even if these humanoids were none but robots—even if these robots appeared to be far more humanlike than he'd expected.
"Feel free to take your time," Mr. Gold encouraged patiently, "This is a very important decision to make."
So Robin took the liberty to do just that, swallowing down his unsettling feeling before beginning to peruse the aisles one by one. Yet even still as he ambled down the rows, he could not shake the strangeness of this situation. Over and over he had to remind himself that these were AI robots and nothing more, not poor innocent women being sold in some kind of twisted market. They just looked so damn real.
"What do you think?" Mr. Gold asked as they reached the second aisle.
Robin shook his head. "I don't know," he answered. "There are just so many to choose from." He sighed in defeat before shaking his head again. "Why don't you just pick one out for me?" he suggested, looking back towards the manager expectantly, "I really can't do this."
Upon seeing the man's distress written across his eyes, Mr. Gold took pity on Robin. He told him to wait there before disappearing around the corner of the aisle. Robin was left with his heart beating in his throat, and a sheet of sweat forming in both of his palms. He shook his head at himself, sighing with disappointment in his own overreaction regarding this whole process. Perhaps he should have brought Will along. His friend would have been far more apt at keeping calm and relaxed especially in new situations such as this.
"Here we are," Gold suddenly announced, startling Robin from his thoughts, "A personal favorite of mine, might I add." Robin lifted his head to see the little man wheeling a certain robot still covered by clear plastic around the corner. Robin's brows rose as he looked upon quite the striking robot set before him. When looking back and forth between her and the rest, the man could quite blatantly tell that she was something special, that she was different from the rest. He wasn't quite sure exactly what it was. Perhaps it was the way her features were so defined from her silky raven locks that fell just shy of her collarbone to her luscious lips, to her perfectly sculpted jawline, down to her shapely physique though hidden under a tasteless grey company smock and trousers. The more Robin stared at her, the more he couldn't help but feel as if she was the one.
"She's perfect," he murmured, still gazing in awe at this flawless masterpiece of a robot.
"Isn't she?" Gold replied with a grin, "There's just something about her. Especially when you see her eyes."
Robin watched wordlessly as the manager reached forward and removed the plastic before tapping a small, almost invisible, button located at the very center of her collarbones. A soft tune sounded, from no real origin it seemed, resembling much like the short melody played when one turned on a phone or computer. And her eyes opened, lips parting almost as if she actually took a breath of air; animation, life, flowing across her features. Robin sucked in his breath, his eyes settling upon the richest eyes of thick, swirling chocolate he had ever seen. They appeared to be fathomless, obscure, yet so dark and defined. How was it possible that Robin could acquire all of such impressions from the eyes of a robot no less?
"Quite the beauty isn't she?" Mr. Gold commented with a smirk as Robin continued to remain trapped in the robot's gaze.
"Stunning," Robin uttered under his breath with a slow incredulous shake of his head. "It's incredible how real she really appears."
"As I've said, we've done a good job ensuring that," Gold answered proudly, a wide grin spread across his features. He then handed Robin a clipboard. "Say the code slowly, it's all part of the identification process. Let her hear your voice."
Robin furrowed his brows, gazing down towards the clipboard and the code composed of a few seemingly arbitrary words. Looking back up to the robot whose dark eyes that seem to wait patiently, the man inhaled and began to speak. "Arrows one, carousel two, forest three, apple."
In that moment, the robot lifted her chin, her eyes seeming to flash with recognition. "Hello," she spoke, her deep and sonorous voice sounded loud and clear, resonating within Robin and sending a chill down his spine. So rich was her voice, so full and melodic, passionate and sultry. Robin shook his head. It was just a robot, he kept telling himself, just something to keep him company and help him through this hard time. Nothing more.
Awkward didn't even begin to cover the extent of just how uncomfortable the setup process was to Robin. It was this part that indeed reminded him that the woman was indeed just a robot. The way her sweet and sensual voice used only to give him instructions on how to further program and customize herself, asking him questions as to where he lived, whether he had any pets, any significant others, children, his relationship with his mother, etc, seemed just wrong. The man couldn't wait until the whole tedious ordeal was over so that she would exit from her dispassionate, authoritative mode and begin to speak to him as if she were a real person, like the manager had so proudly mentioned.
"She didn't even mention her name," Robin remarked with slight confusion as he turned towards the manager who had been waiting patiently for the process to be finished. "How am I supposed to know what to call her?"
"Oh, she wouldn't," Mr. Gold said with a small smirk. He raised a brow. "You have to name her yourself. What do you think she should be called?"
At this, Robin blinked surprisedly. "I don't even know," he breathed, gazing back towards the brunette robot who quietly awaited for further instructions. Her eyes silently scanned his form and face, up and down and right to left, already beginning to take in and learn about her owner.
Robin thought for a moment, his brows pulling together with deep concentration. It had to be a name that suited her well, a name that would do justice to such a work of art, a thing so humanlike yet so perfect that it could very well transcend what was standardly known as human. It had to be a name that held her higher than the rest of her kind.
"Regina," he murmured after a few moments of pensive silence. The name surprised him, as Robin couldn't quite figure out where it had come from. But it was quite the regal name. He tried it once again, louder this time. "Regina." Instantly, the robot's lips curved upward into a gentle smile, a look of understanding pulling across her precise, mechanical features. Robin nodded, satisfied with the way the name sounded off his tongue—and the way the robot smiled at him with a smile that seemed to say she agreed.
"Very good!" Mr. Gold praised, clapping his hands together with delight, "A beautiful name for a beautiful product."
And so it began, Robin's "new" life with his brand new AI robot. That's not to say the transition went smoothly from then on, however. Robin now remembers the way things used to be, the way the atmosphere used to be so awkward and embarrassing at times, those first few weeks. For it was strange for Robin to get used to another body in his house, even if it was simply that of a robot. The man can remember now there were times he'd even forgotten that she was even there.
"Oh bloody hell!" Robin gasped, slapping a hand over his chest where his heart had practically worked itself into overdrive in such a short amount of time.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," Regina replied calmly, an apologetic smile gracing her lovely features. "I was just seeing if you had any laundry you wanted me to do."
Robin shook his head, exhaling audibly and allowing his heart rate to return to its normal pace. "No, no thank you," he said with another shake of his head. He chuckled softly, gazing into her dark chocolate eyes. Robin smiled gently. "Please, you don't have to keep doing chores around the house. You've already done so much for me, helping me pick the place back up in those first few days."
"Oh, it's quite all right," Regina answered with a matching smile as she stepped towards a small mound of clothes that had been thrown haphazardly into the corner of the room. Robin watched quietly as she bent down to scoop up the pile, her movements as smooth as those of a real human. Even as she went about her business around the house, the man couldn't help but admire her as she worked: the way her lips pursed slightly and her brows furrowed in a way that was so lifelike and true for a woman of her personality and temperament. And it was true, Robin was quick to find that Regina possessed quite the character for a robot. It wasn't something he had truly been prepared for, but it was something that had pleasantly surprised him, delighting him in the fact that this made her even more special. Regina was as sharp and witty as she was beautiful. Bold and audacious, and incredibly stubborn, she quickly learned to gain her own opinions on Robin's habits and even pointed out a few of her own idiosyncrasies. For one, the fact that his dirty clothes were always found unceremoniously dumped in a pile of clothes somewhere in either of the four corners of his room. Though, at least for that one, Robin was sure that certain pet peeve must have been something programmed into the domestic section of her software. However, this didn't make her nagging any less endearing to observe.
Speaking of which, "You really need to use the hamper for your clothes, Robin," Regina sighed as she stood back up, careful not to drop any socks or underwear from the offending little mass of attire. "Why do you insist on throwing them on the floor?"
At this, Robin shrugged, dipping his head in slight apology. He hated how she made him feel the same way he used to feel when Marian used to badger him for the same exact thing. But he was—is a guy. And men don't think that much about being orderly.
"Sorry, Regina," he mumbled, "I can't help it." He raised his head, unable to keep the smirk from his lips as he looked towards Regina's slightly dismayed, however slightly amused, expression. "That's what you're here for though, isn't it? To help me with my mess of a life?"
Regina laughed softly. "Robin, your mess of a life won't get any better if you don't do something about it to make it better, you know."
"But I did," Robin replied, smirking wider, "I bought you." Oh how he loved their banter.
"Yes, dear, you did. But still you insist on making my job harder." Regina frowned.
"Maybe I just like getting you all wound up," Robin retorted with a chuckle. He wiggled his brow playfully at the way the corners of Regina's lips began to twitch in reply as she struggled to hide her amusement. He loved having fun with her emotions, her superficial emotions built into her software (the standard happiness, anger, disgust, fear, sadness or any combination of the five), pushing them further to see how far she would go, how much she would feel. Though sometimes, the more and more he pushed, the more Robin secretly believed that such built-in feelings might extend far deeper than what was initially programmed. Though, of course, this couldn't have actually been possible—right?
"Do you want to go out and do something?" Robin asked, with a tilt of his head, tired of being inside of his home, watching his robot as she picked up after him. It made him feel bad, wanting to see her for more than what she was built to do.
Regina frowned, gazing at the man from underneath her dark eyelashes. "Do what?" she questioned curiously.
Robin shrugged. "There's much we can do. It's nice weather. We could walk around, get some fresh air," he suggested with another shrug of a shoulder, "I figured you've never really seen much of San Francisco before…kind of strange, since it's your new home." He chuckled, dipping his head to offer a small, shy smile.
"Oh," Regina blinked, her lips parting with a soft breath. "I—I suppose." She shook her head, unable to help the delighted smile that crossed her lips as she struggled to hide it behind the humble persona for which she was initially programmed. "You really don't have to."
"No," Robin replied with a quick shake of his head as he stepped closer to her. "I want to. It could be fun."
Regina shook her head, smirking slightly at the man's determination. She then glanced down towards the pile of clothes that still rested in her arms before looking back up to him. "Okay, then," she agreed, her smile widening, "Let me throw these in the wash first."
Pier 39 was a lively place, swarming with locals and tourists alike. One of San Francisco's most prominent attractions, the pier was absolutely bustling at noon on this beautiful fall day. Sights, sounds, smells that emit from the pier's shops, restaurants, and arcades provided almost a sensory overload to Regina as she worked to take in everything that she saw, heard, and smelled, every little nuance to add to her ever-growing assemblage of information and data of the world around. She gripped Robin's hand, eyes wide with an easy smile gracing her lips. Children ran about as parents struggled to keep up. Couples walked hand in hand. A myriad of different noises blasting from each place they passed mixed with that of the constant chatter of shoppers around, and the ecstatic screams of the children on the carousel that could've been heard from a mile away.
This was one of Robin's favorite places to be, though he had not returned for quite some time. That was, since the time of Marian's death. Since then, the pier became nothing but a dismal place for the grieving man; its loudness, its crowds, making him feel lonely and lost in a sea of people whose joyfulness proved arduous on his tired and aching heart. Because of that, this was the very first time Robin had returned to Pier 39, and it was quite the leap for him. Robin wasn't sure at all how he would've handled it, coming back to a place so filled with memories that then weighed tremendously heavy upon his mind. But there was just something about Regina that made him forget all of that. Just the way he enjoyed watching her, with such a childlike excitement that it was endearing, distracted him and pushed down any melancholic thought that had threatened to resurface. After having gotten used to her simply doing tasks around the house, Robin had never seen her so alive, so animated. A certain pride began to bloom deep within his chest as he continued to watch Regina enjoy herself amidst the new sights and sounds, a pride knowing that she was his and his only.
Robin studied her amidst the crowd as she walked ahead of him, eager to see more, to take in more. The way the breeze blew through her locks, the way her lips parted so effortlessly into a perfect smile, how beautiful she looked in that new, classy and stylish jacket he'd bought for her, made him feel a spark of something he hadn't felt in a long time. All this perfection couldn't have just been made from the hand of man. Yet, it was so. Though, it was as if something had awakened within him, and as ludicrous as it seemed for this to happen merely because of a robot sculpted and programmed, Robin believed in it.
"Are you coming?" that sweet, yet so sultry voice called to him, effectively breaking the man from his reverie. Robin looked to Regina, his eyes meeting hers as she smirked slightly. With a soft chuckle, he nodded, moving then to catch up with the robot who was already ten paces ahead of him.
They continued through the pier, stopping at whatever attraction that caught Regina's eye, whether that be a tourist shop, or the arcade, or even a restaurant, though she obviously need not eat anything. Robin enjoyed following her around, basking in the glow of his robot's enthusiasm. After stopping briefly to enjoy a street performance of two hip-hop dancers (they were quite good), he decided to take Regina down to a landing over the actual piers. And there, just as he'd hoped, laid dozens of California sea lions all lazily spread out and enjoying the sun on the docks, having emerged from the San Francisco Bay.
"Oh how adorable," Regina cooed upon watching as their cute snouts poked towards the sky, a few of the sea lions flopping over from one side to another to gain a more comfortable position on the pier.
Robin chuckled softly, studying Regina as she gazed at the spectacle before them. "They are something, aren't they," he remarked with a smile.
Regina laughed, nodding her head in agreement. "They all look so cosy just lying there like that. It must feel so nice."
Robin nodded.
"I believe I know someone they remind me of."
At this, the man frowned slightly, tilting his head to the side. "Excuse me, but are you comparing me to a sea lion?"
"You certainly look like so when I catch you sitting on the couch in front of the television."
Robin huffed, feigning offense as he pressed his hand to his chest. He couldn't believe it. His own robot mocking him. Was that in her programming as well? "Regina, you wound me."
"Oh, Robin, you know it's true." Regina giggled slightly, making Robin cock his head once more, this time in awe. "What?" she asked. It was her turn to be confused.
Robin shook his head slowly, his gaze slowly turning to that of wonder. "I just…I can't believe how real you are," he confessed with a sigh, "It's…incredible."
"I'm only as good as how I'm made…," Regina replied gently, "…how I'm programmed."
"No," Robin stated with a firmer shake of his head this time. "There has to be more to you than just programming."
"What more could there be?"
"I don't know—I…" The man closed his eyes, sighing deeply. "I just—I guess I just want so badly to think that there's more to you than maybe there is…"
At this, Regina frowned at him. And Robin could just see in her dark chocolate eyes the confusion, but the determination in trying to understand. "Why?" she questioned gently, "Why did you buy me?"
It was the question that Robin loathed to answer, having known it was bound to emerge at some point. The man sighed, closing his eyes almost as if a small brief spell of something painful had washed over him. And when he opened them, nothing but sadness swirled deep within his sapphire orbs. "You really want to know the truth?"
"Yes," Regina answered immediately, gazing at him intently. "I do."
Robin sighed once more before taking in a deep breath. "My wife," he choked out, the words even to that day hard for him to say, "She died about a year ago…"
"Oh," Regina whispered, dropping her gaze before looking back towards Robin again with her large dark eyes, "I'm sorry."
Robin shook his head, letting out a pained breath. "It was—it still sometimes is…every single day seemed unbearable. Without her, I…"
"Robin…," Regina spoke gently, reaching forward to tentatively touch the back of his hand that rested on the landing's guardrail.
Robin gazed down to catch a glimpse of her fingers brushing his skin before she was pulling her hand back. And deep beneath his sorrow, he wondered if he just saw a gesture meaning far deeper than her set capacity of emotion. Was it empathy?
"I'm sorry…" Regina continued, "I don't know what to say…that must have been horrible."
Robin shook his head again and heaved a large sigh. "There's nothing to say," he murmured. He stared quietly back at Regina's soft frown; eyes tracing the way her perfect skin wrinkled ever so slightly between her brows, lips turned down.
"So you bought me for…"
"Comfort," he confessed, almost as if he were revealing some kind of dark sin. It was not that he was ashamed of having such a stunning, lifelike robot in his company. It was not that he was ashamed of her. But he was ashamed of the fact that he had regressed to such a level that he needed something like a robot to pull him out of the deep chasm of his grief.
Robin sighed deeply at Regina's sad, yet so tender, smile. He knew she was programmed to be nurturing and kindhearted as much as she was bold and audacious. But once again, her expressions reached him far deeper than he'd ever though capable.
"It's okay, Robin," Regina comforted, her rich voice turning soft and soothing. It wrapped around Robin like a blanket, and sent warmth coursing through to his stomach like a cup of hot chocolate on a snowy day. It was simple what she said, but the man even took solace in the sanctuary that was simply her voice and her company…her willingness to listen. "I will be here for you," she whispered, "Always."
Those simple words almost reduced Robin to tears; he gazed at her, blue eyes glossy and glistening. They meant everything to him. He knew Regina was aware of her own status as a robot, as a technical servant of his whose job was to keep him company and help with the housekeeping. But those words, to him, spoke a truth far beyond the superficial truth that they bore. True, Regina would be there for him, forever. She was a robot, synthetic, programmed by science with every aspect of her downloaded into some master computer that could always be recovered should something happen. But, Robin could just feel there was something deeper in her words, something that stretched far beyond the superficial fact that she was saying those words out of obligation, because she had no choice. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, and it was hard to explain. But he knew it was there. Her sincerity.
And that is exactly the way Robin feels in this very moment as he remains grasping Regina's hand from across the table in this small coffee shop, relishing in the way her soft synthetic skin feels so real between his palms.
"You are special," he insists fervently, "You are the most special—person—I've ever met, and far more genuine than I'd ever thought a robot to be. You are so much more."
At his words, Robin watches as the brunette can only shake her head in reply, seemingly at a loss for words. "Robin…"
"It's true," Robin continues, his voice cracking, wrought with emotion. "To me, you are real, Regina."
"But…I don't…"
"Yes, you do. You can feel. You have real, genuine, emotions." The man shakes his head in absolute wonder. "I don't know how, but I can feel that you do, deep down in my gut. Just the way you make me feel so deeply about everything…about you."
Robin watches with his heart thumping in his throat as Regina blinks quietly, her eyes cast downward at their joined hands. He can see her mind working behind her intense gaze, the way her eyes move slightly from right to left as she seems to be wrestling with some kind of internal conflict or dilemma.
"I think…" she breathes with a slow shake of her head. She looks up at Robin once more, chocolate eyes wide and latching onto his glistening sapphire gaze. "I think I feel it too…" she whispers. "Something changing…a code."
"Code?" Robin inquires with a frown. He leans forward, looking intently into Regina's eyes. "What code?"
Regina shakes her head again. "A code that programs my emotions…"
"The superficial ones the factory gave you like fear, anger, joy, sadness?"
"Yes. I—I think I can sense it being changed…"
At this, Robin's heart jolts, his blood suddenly running cold at the thought of something suddenly going wrong, a malfunction that would change the personality she has and everything genuine about her.
But just then, a soft smile appears across Regina's red lips, slowly spreading across her face.
"I can feel it being overwritten, rewritten" she whispers, her features suddenly overcome with the look of victory and celebration—of true happiness.
"How?" Robin asks fervently, "Regina, how is it being overwritten?"
"You," Regina breathes, "It's you. You are teaching me something that I'd—I'd never, ever felt before."
Robin sucks in a breath, not even realizing he hasn't made the move to even release it, as all he hears is his heartbeat pound in his ears.
"It's you who are overwriting the code, Robin, rewriting it into something else...something more," Regina whispers, "You're teaching me how to love."
Robin lets out his held breath, eyes falling closed as a small tear escapes his eyes, rolling slowly down his cheek and paving a wet streak over skin and stubble. "Regina…" his voice is unsteady, broken, overcome with passionate emotion, "No, it's you who's teaching me."
He feels gentle fingertips as they caress his cheek, wiping away his tear. Heart fluttering and slightly apprehensive, Robin opens his eyes to find himself face to face with his beloved robot. Kind chocolate eyes stare back at him with such compassion, such tenderness, that it makes him truly wonder what he ever did to deserve it. Regina continues to smile softly, kindly at him; a look that understands him the way he always wanted to be understood. He smiles back, a watery smile as he feels suddenly overcome with peace and comfort. And for the very first time since his wife's passing, Robin feels his heart beginning to open once more.
And that's all folks! Just a quick note to please forgive any discrepancies with the technological side of this fic, as I'm not terribly up to date as to how exactly AI intelligence works, so I kind of pulled from here and there and made it my own. But, I hope you all enjoyed this oneshot! I had a lot of fun writing it. Please feel free to leave a review, I'd love to know what you all think!
Thank you so much for coming by, hope to see you soon!