Teaching a Robot to Love

-Notes-

Sorry for the delay in posting. I've been fucked up the ass sideways from schoolwork and it's only getting worse. PLUS I was trying to figure out a good transition to the next chapter. I purposefully rearranged the events a little for my story (I know you get the directors quarters the first time you go there). Thanks for all your support I love you all 3

Chapter 10: Merry Christmas X6-88

The bright blue zap of the teleportation faded away as the view of the white Institute lobby came into focus. The past few days had been…eventful, so to speak. Sole's lovely son, Father, decided to announce her succession to the proverbial throne despite her knowing nothing about what it takes to lead a hidden underground organization. Plus he was dying. Boom. Another bombshell. Well, some people didn't take too kindly to that, obviously, and locked themselves up in the Bioscience department in protest. When she went to go get them, those little shits even sent gen-2 synths to attack her if she got too close. Her! They were but toys to her but it did piss her off a little.

Sole was a little surprised that X6-88 had no qualms about the new information. He didn't even make any snarky comment when it happened and went along with it naturally. Maybe he already knew, maybe he didn't care. He must really have trusted Father's judgement.

Anyway, Sole was getting ready to kick some ass as she pounded on the door to Bioscience with her fist. She had managed to coerce them out of there instead. Although she really wanted to blast the door down with her gun, she figured that if she was to become director, she would need to learn more diplomatic solutions to conflicts. Even though she managed to convince the begrudging scientists to give her another chance, she felt like she had to beg them. She hated groveling.

When the time came to deal out their punishment, she had the deviants put on probation. The Institute already was short-staffed and it certainly would have hurt more than help if the scientists were to be exiled to the surface. Besides, she didn't want to be a leader that banished people for dissent. That would be a dictatorship. Now she was starting to understand Hancock's feelings a little bit.

Instead of going straight to Father, she took X6 on a vermin killing spree on the surface to cool her head. Director of the Institute? Dying of cancer? He didn't even consult her! Was this all a test? Why was he doing this? After a while her anger towards the mutineers ebbed as she realized that it wasn't their fault they were distrustful of a stranger. She would have been too.

Well here she was, ready to face Father again, and just in time for the Holidays. Like a fucked up family get-together. According to Sole's pip-boy the date was December 24th. Christmas almost flew right by her without noticing! If it wasn't for Deacon running around Sanctuary with a wreath on his neck (how did he get that?), then she never would have known. When did Thanksgiving pass? Did they even celebrate anything anymore?

Sole and X6 strode up to Father's office overlooking the Institute. He swiveled around in his chair to greet his mother and favorite courser.

"Ah mother, I'm glad to see you are well. I was hoping you would have come straight to me after the little…incident. But no matter, I'm very pleased with your decision. You will surely make a good successor" Father acknowledged.

Sole squinted her eyes and put her hands on her hips, "Shaun, why are you testing me? You could have told me in private and let me build up trust with the other board members. I…I didn't even know you were dying. Why the need to put me on the spot?"

"I needed to know you would react under pressure. A leader is defined by their actions in the heat of the moment. I knew you could do it."

Sole ran a hand through her hair. She couldn't decide whether Father was acting like a kid testing his parent's affection or a parent trying to teach their kid a lesson. Father stood up and approached her with open arms, eyes crinkling with admiration.

"Mother. Do you know what day it is? I can't help but imagine how if everything went differently, we would be sitting around a tree opening presents from one another. Well, regardless of what transpired, I still have a gift that I would like to give you. A house. Rather, a room. Right here in the Institute. Now you can stay here and be closer with us."

"A room?" she asked. Somehow this didn't sit well with her but she couldn't quite place it.

"Yes. I already filled X6-88 in on it and asked him to keep it a secret from you" he explained motioning over to the courser who stood patiently by the doorway. "He will guide you there now. You may not see it, but I am happy to have you here."

Father wrapped his arms around Sole in a hug. It was an emotionless hug. No matter how hard she tried, none of their interactions seemed like mother and son. If anything, the roles felt reversed, like a weird movie playing out. Still, she gave him a half smile and said thanks as she walked off with her companion.

The room was so clean! Like the rest of the Institute it was as pristine and immaculate. The fluffy bed called to her as she plopped down with a grateful sigh. Okay maybe this was a pretty sweet present. X6 stood at the entrance to the room, bracing the doorway. The Institute was the only place where he stood out. In the Commonwealth, he blended it perfectly with the shadows. But, in the glaring bright white everything of the Institute, he stood out like ink on paper.

Ever since that night back at Sanctuary Hills she couldn't get him out of her head. Before it was just curiosity, but now it was borderline obsessive thoughts. Deacon definitely set the stage. And that hug. She kept playing it over and over in her head. Coursers could feel emotion just like every other synth but were conditioned to hide it. Even if she was glowing, everything went back to the way it always had been the very next day. Just like every other time. Nothing was progressing. Nothing except her fast-forwarded position in the Institute's future. Sole sat up and faced X6, scooting to the edge of her bed.

"Hey X6 what are we doing here? I feel like everything is going down a path that everyone can see the end of except me. Father has this huge plan for me and won't tell me a bit of it."

She patted the bed next to her and was surprised when he actually took up the seat beside her. Wow. In any other situation, two people alone in a room would be considered dangerous. But X6 probably didn't think that way. He probably wasn't thinking about how his body was so much bigger than hers, or what it would feel like if she just leaned in a little bit to brush up against his pretty-boy lips.

"When Father told us about you, and who you were, it was clear he had certain biases. How could he not? He's your son, and proud of it. When he shared his plan for you to take his place, well, a lot of us thought that was more than just pride, it was narcissism. How would you, an outsider who knew nothing about us, run the Institute?"

"My thoughts exactly…" she trailed off, starting to feel inadequate.

"We all had our doubts, me maybe more than most" he admitted.

Okay maybe he didn't have as much undying faith in her like she thought. Sole lowered her head.

X6 seemed to pick up on her down behavior and turned his body so that he was facing her on the bed. He placed a hand on her shoulder. Her head shot up immediately. The touch felt electrifying, especially since it was him that initiated it.

X6 continued, "But now, after watching the way you operate… well, I have to admit, I was wrong. It's clear to me now that Father knew what he was doing, and I should have trusted him."

Sole tried not to let the closeness of their bodies or the good mood of the situation go to her head. It wasn't working out so well. Her eyes flashed down his body in a fraction of a second, definitely not thinking about him out of his coat.

"Don't put me on a pedestal just yet, X6" she shyly mumbled, hunching her shoulders to hide her face.

"Of course not, ma'am. It's just…well, if you really knew your son…if you knew his accomplishments, his sacrifices…" he trailed off. "I know that you haven't had much time with him, but I can tell you honestly, ma'am, Father is a great man. I believe in his plan for the future. I'll do anything in my power to make sure that future becomes a reality. My point is, you should be glad to call him your son."

His undying loyalty towards Father was astounding. It was what made him noble. Even if that could be seen as a threat to others, to Sole, it was an oath of honor. Why was every little thing he did so cool? Damn she had it bad.

"Hey X6 can I ask you a question. The Institute hides down here and you always are saying how terrible the surface is. Why do you hate the Commonwealth and its people so much?" She questioned.

X6 moved his hands away from her to explain, his face grimacing, "if the Institute represents the best of humanity, of what it can accomplish, then the Commonwealth represents the worst. It's like a rotting corpse and the people who make their home there are like carrion worms, feeding on the filth. Soon, there will be nothing left but the Institute, and mankind will be better for it."

She grimaced at the disgusting visual he painted and groaned, "oh my god, you are such a princess. Why did I ask?"

"Anyway, I've said what I wanted to say. Thanks for listening" he finished and got up to leave. She instantly missed his presence but she wasn't going to let him escape that easily.

"Whoa whoa wait up X6. I have something for you" Sole quickly said, grabbing his arm. It was true. When she realized that Christmas was just around the corner, she scavenged the scrapped Commonwealth for a present that would be suitable for him. Hard to get a present for someone who didn't value material objects. Sole pulled him back into the room and rummaged through her pack.

"Christmas. An archaic pre-war tradition that's origins were fought over by the people of your time. A time where lying to children was socially acceptable."

"I like my archaic pre-war traditions." Smiling, she pulled out a Fancy Lads Snack Cakes and presented it to him. "I saw you stuffing these into your pockets the last grocery store we raided. You were trying to be all cool and hide it. It was so cute. I never knew you liked sweet things. It must be why you like me so much!" She cajoled with a cheesy grin.

He let out a humorless snort and grabbed the box. He paused.

"I didn't get you anything, ma'am" he said completely impassive.

Sole tipped forward on her toes deviously.

"I think a kiss on the cheek should do it" she teased, turning her head to the side expectantly. She didn't really think anything would happen but it was worth a shot.

X6 smirked.

Then, she felt a large hand grab the back of her head and pull her into X6's solid chest. He rested his chin on her head. Sole held her breath, heart hammering. Even if she was the one that asked for it, she was still caught off guard.

Then after a few moments, he released her and turned around.

"You're right, I do like sweet things" he added.

Then he walked off down the alabaster corridor, leaving Sole to her frozen state, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Father sat in his quarters, typing away at a report on his terminal. He hadn't moved in a while and his back was starting to ache. Old age certainly was taxing. His thoughts were interrupted by the opening of sliding doors. A gen-2 synth entered and marched right up to him. That could only mean one thing. Father sighed.

"Something to report sir" the robot droned mechanically.

"Go ahead" Father said.

"The courser you asked me to monitor, designation X6-88, took the future director to her room as instructed."

"Anything unusual?"

"Yes sir" the robot nodded, motors whirring in his head, replaying the last video file it had just taken moments before. "Right as he was leaving, he voluntarily went back into her room. "I did not get a closer look but he did stand in the doorway for an undue amount of time."

Father's brow darkened as he folded his arms. He was worried something like this might happen. He just hoped it wouldn't have to come down to it.

"Something will need to be done. I am losing faith in our prime courser."

-Notes-

Muahaha I told you I had a plot in mind!