Chapter Two

Elefun paused at the elevator and looked down the main corridor, surprised to see the light coming from Tenma's office. It was past six o'clock, but usually Tenma was out of his office at four, and headed straight to the lab at his home to work on his personal projects.

"Sir?" one of the young technicians paused, holding the door of the elevator open for the older scientist.

He offered the young man a smile, "Go on ahead. I need to check something first."

Elefun paused outside of Tenma's office, listening carefully in case the younger scientist was in the midst of one of his projects before opening the door. Unlike his own office, which was a far more cozier room filled with personal effects, Tenma's was the bare bone basics: a modern desk and a straight chair, with the walls changed into bookcases filled with various scientific journals and other books. Those same books were currently piled on the slim line desk, where Elefun could barely see his dark brown hair over the books. "Tenma?"

"What?" The younger scientist head looked over the books, surprised. "Oh, it's you. What do you need, Elefun?"

"I was just wondering what you're doing here so late," Elefun explained as he closed the door behind him. "Usually you're long gone by now."

"I'd rather not let Hoshi know where I live. It's bad enough she knows where I work." Tenma missed the look of surprise on Elefun's face when he returned to the book he was researching. While Tenma was like the rest of the city, relying heavily on computers and the virtual libraries within the city's network, there was something comforting and nostalgic about using old-fashioned books for research.

"Um, excuse me?" Elefun finally asked.

Tenma sighed and looked up once more. "Your niece. Apparently she's intent on getting a free meal off of me."

There was a moment of shock before Elefun started to smile, which led to a short, soft chuckle that was barely silenced when Tenma's glared at him. Hoshi had said something along the line trying to get Tenma to take her out for dinner. He, of course, thought she was merely kidding, or evading what she really had planned for the evening. Never had he thought she was being serious.

For a second, Elefun thought about helping Tenma out of the situation. The two mixed like oil and water at the best of time, and gasoline and fire at the worst- yet they appeared to be strangely drawn together at the same time. Maybe it was just because they knew they could rile one another, but unfortunately for Tenma, Elefun didn't believe in coincidence but believed strongly in fate.

"She likes the sushi place that overlooks Mount Sophia," Elefun offered, smiling despite the glare Tenma held. "Have a good night."

"That's it?" Tenma asked when Elefun turned to leave. "You're letting me take your beloved niece, who I constantly fight with, to dinner?"

Elefun paused at the doorway, his fingers resting on the sliding glass door. "You're both adults," he pointed out as he turned around. "I don't need to tell how much Hoshi means to me, or to behave yourself. Besides, I know where you work, and live." There was a joking smile on his face before he left the office. As soon as the door slid shut behind him, Tenma sighed and ran a hand through his hair before leaning back in his chair.

Why did he agree to this? This was a horrible idea. He had set up multiple backup plans as soon as he made the rash deal with Hoshi last year just so he could avoid this. Yet despite the multiple reminders over the past week and earlier that morning, he had been too distracted by his research and procrastinated until he had forgotten.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn't hear the quiet hiss of the door opening, or the soft tap of shoes against the tile floor as someone entered his office. "And here Uncle told me you kept things scrupulously clean and organized."

Tenma about jumped out of his chair, electing a laugh from Hoshi. "Told you I wouldn't be late," she continued with an amused tone.

He scowled while noting that she was wearing the same outfit from earlier-including her lab coat, now with a I.D. badge from Metro City's Hospital. "Moonlighting at the hospital?" he asked as he stood up and straightened his own clothes.

"Workaholic," she explained with the shrug of her shoulders. "And if you say one word about that, you are most certainly a hypocrite." Her eyes looked across the bookcase to the books on the tables. "I don't know how long it's been since I've seen an actual book. What are you researching?"

Tenma fought the urge to snap at her when she walked towards the books still on the shelves, and instead quickly marched and grabbed her wrist before she could touch one. "Something that wouldn't even begin to understand," he grounded out as pulled her hand away. "Those are antiques; I would like it if you didn't touch them."

She rolled her eyes with a huff. "I can clearly see that. Do you think I would be spiteful enough to harm one of them?"

Tenma paused, she was many annoying things but spiteful wasn't one of them. "Maybe not purposefully, but I'd rather not take a risk."

"I perform heart and brain surgery; I think my hands are pretty stable."

"Accidents happen," he argued and was surprised when a small smile formed on her face.

"Really?"

"Yes." What was she getting at? He wondered as her smile grew and she took a step closer to him.

"Are you going to hold my hand the entire night, Tenma?" she asked sweetly, and he realized he still had a firm grip on her lithe wrist. Instantly he let go as if he was burned, electing a giggle from her as his face grew warm, and his temper started to spark.

"Let's just get this over with," he grumbled.

~ O ~ o ~ O~

In the end, Tenma didn't take Elefun's suggestion, but took Hoshi to an almost seedy looking Deli-slash-restaurant tucked beneath the raised highway not far from the Ministry building. Hoshi wasn't surprised the place was staffed entirely by robots. Old one that were barely humanoid in shape and had the personality of a brick. The black glowing optics admittingly creeped Hoshi out, and she didn't make a fuss when he ordered for her without so much as a single question.

"You're unusually quiet," Tenma said as the two took a seat at a mismatched table near a grimy window.

"I do have manners," she responded smartly, but the nervous looks towards the robots preparing their meal wasn't lost on Tenma.

A sly smile bloomed across his face. "Hoshi, you wouldn't happen to have slight automatonophobic, would you?" She quickly looked back at him, her honey brown eyes wide with surprise, and a touch of fear.

"What? No. No! I am not technophobic." Her expression changed to defensive as she crossed her arms and glared at him. "That is completely insane, Tenma, even for you. How could you live in Metro City and be scared of technology!"

Tenma was having a hard time not laughing. He had never seen her so frazzled! "I didn't say technophobic, I said automatonophobia- the fear of robots."

"I know what it means, thank you very much," she growled as her face flushed. "And I am not scared of robots. They're just… creepy. Especially the older ones." Her face turned a brighter red as the scientist finally let a few sniggers. This was supposed to be the man that never laughed or cracked a smile apart from a smirk. Yet her he was, laughing and grinning at her. "Oh shut up, Tenma!"

"It makes sense now," he said after one last snicker. "So that's the real reason why you don't employ any robots. It's got nothing to do with emotions and everything to do with your fear!"

"I'm not scared!" she all but shouted, not noticing the robots pause and look at her. "And yes, it does have to do with emotions-the fact they don't have any. They're lifeless yet they're alive, how does that not bother you?"

"They're machines," he answered, as if that explained everything.

"And we trust them with everything?" she implored. "It doesn't bother you that we're starting to rely on them for practically everything?"

"They're far more reliable than any human," Tenma defended. "They don't make mistakes, they can't lie or sabotage. They can work 24-7 without pay in conditions that would kill a person. And they're replaceable.

For a moment, Hoshi was surprised by the passion in his voice and eyes. She didn't claim to know him well, in fact the closest definition of their relationship was acquaintances through her uncle. However, she had had never seen his black eyes light up like that. If she wasn't so enthralled by the argument, she would have found the expression rather attractive.

But at the moment, she didn't. Once the surprise faded, the argument continued as she rebutted his claims. The two lost track of time as the pros and cons of robots, and their impact and influence of Metro City were expounded on well into the evening. A few bits were taken from the meal that the robots had quickly delivered, but for the most part the surroundings were forgotten. Later, they would be surprised that the discussion didn't spiral into a petty name-calling as it was wont to do, but stayed rather professional.

Well, as professional as the two could be when together alone.