CHAPTER 9: DeCoded Heart
Eve sensed his brother's presence returning to the city he constructed. He arrived sooner than usual, which was strange considering his routine with that android. Regardless happiness bubbled in his breast that Adam had returned, thankful that he didn't spend that much time away. However, during that expanse of time, he perceived a change within his brother. It was small, but enough to cause mild concern.
Quickly materializing to his brother's side.
Of observing his twin, he knew something was wrong. His eyes were glowing pink. A sure sign that is emotional stabilizers were malfunctioning or in a heightened state. Although contentment etched his face in a smile and a distant look to his eyes.
Adam didn't notice the worried twin.
"Ahem." Eve vocalized to gain his attention.
His red eyes with languidness, bright and glowing, acknowledged Eve. His twin's eyes looked so content, satisfied, and had caught something delectable.
That android did something! I know it! Indignation and spite whirled his thoughts.
"Yes, brother?" He responded in a mellow tone.
Eve exclaimed, "Is something wrong?"
"Huh?" Confusion angled the serenity Adam had on his face before he shook his head. "No. Everything is perfect."
Eve shook his head with sharp dismissal at his answer. "You're unwell. Your eyes—"
"I'm fine Eve." Adam assured his fretful twin. "I had a wonderful experience with Lilia." The syllabus of her name pronounced in a tantalizing caress from his lips.
It only troubled the other twin that much more. He'd never said his name like that.
"'Wonderful experience'?" Eve blurted. "What do you mean by a 'wonderful experience'?" The emotional twin needed to learn what had happened; desperation in his chest.
I knew it! That android did something! Silently cursing the android for harming his brother.
"Just as I said. Why is it of concern to you Eve?" Adam retorted, crossing his arms at his twin's line of questioning.
Eve's face snarled at the rebuttal, "I am your brother! Something is wrong with you! That android did something!"
Adam sighed, "The only thing that happened was that we kissed."
"Kissed? That's it?" Sounding skeptical of his claim.
He nodded although Eve detected he was omitting something.
Eve wanted what she was getting too. Fair is fair. Whatever kiss she had given to his brother, he wanted to give it as well, so desperate to make his brother happy.
All I want is you brother...
"How did she do it?"
Adam raised a silver brow at him. "We've discussed kissing before Eve. Why do you ask?"
Silver brows furrowed and a deep frown grew on Eve's face. "You've never had that look when we did. What made that android's different?"
Red, stoic eyes rolled as he responded, "It was a kiss between siblings we shared Eve. Not like what—" he stopped himself from saying it.
His twin pursed his lips into a thin line, trying to stifle his jealousy. "So... she's different. She's that way to you. Why can't I do that to you?"
"I've told you before—"
Before Adam could react, Eve had placed his lips on his. In shock, he pushed his twin away.
"Eve! I've told you, human siblings aren't—"
"We aren't human!" His shout cut through the solemn echo of the copied cathedral. "We're machines Adam! So why should human rules tell us what to do? No matter how much you wish to, neither of us will ever be them! So why persist?"
His twin blinked at him as his face slacked, "...Because..."
"Because we look like them?" Eve snapped. "And the androids? Ha! Doesn't mean we still aren't made of metal, wires, and programs underneath."
The irate twin understood it was a cruel thing to say to his brother. He knew how much Adam wanted to be like a human, or even to be one. But in the end, it was better he accepts it than be foolhardy in Eve's mind. Honestly, he believed the decision his humanity-obsessive twin was following would only lead to suffering. In the back of his mind, he wished he had never made that promise to him.
Adam shook his head in dismissal. "Eve... I don't think it's their insides that give them that quality."
His twin made a face at that. "Is that your conclusion or that android's?"
"My own."
"And what made you come to this conclusion?" Eve folded his arms, waiting to hear his reasoning.
"I..." He trailed off unsure as to say to quell his sibling. "I am unsure."
Eve scoffed at him, "Really? That's your best excuse? And you being 'unsure' led you to kiss that android?"
"It's... Not like that... But I need to know."
"Know what?"
Adam shook his head, "You wouldn't understand."
"Why wouldn't I understand?" Eve spat.
"Because you never tried in the first place!" He shouted at his jealous twin. "Yes, you made that promise but you haven't been the best at keeping it. It took all I could to convince you to wear clothes and to eat an apple." He sighed mournful at the loss. "Go Eve... I... I don't wish to speak to you for a while." His voice soft and full of ache.
A burning sting from his twin's rebuke tore up the inside of Eve's chest. "We—"
The long-haired twin shook his head. "No Eve... Not tomorrow. I've enough of your jealousy and capriciousness for the time being."
Eve slammed into the cathedral piers yelling, "Fine! Be with that android! See if I care! Forget your own brother!"
The calmer machine shook his silver head, unwilling to be angry or show any emotion to his twin, "I could never forget you. We are still one."
"No Adam..." Eve's face snarled from the hurt and rejection, "We were never one. I am Eve and you are Adam."
In a torrent of golden light, the angry twin left his other half behind. Their connection severed.
Alone within his own room, constructed of shapes and spires, he raged. He screamed. Cursing that android. Cursing his own brother. Hating the humanity that slowly took his only brother from him. From the only being that could ever understand him. All he wanted was him. That android gave him satisfaction he never could.
And he... absolutely hated that android for it. Making a vow to get his brother back. Unable to bear the thought of living alone without him.
—xxx—
Adam sat in a pew, melancholy filled his chest from looking at the destruction of the pier from his twin's rage. Why didn't he tell him? About Lilia's identity? He couldn't predict if I'd make his brother more resentful or understanding. At the pattern he was going, he'd lean more resentful. Perhaps even to the point of harming Lilia. Wanting to prevent that even if it meant a temporary separation between them.
He could never understand why his brother was this way. So dismissive and capricious. For now, he'd taken all he wanted from that side of him. Desperately wanting the fun and playful Eve back. They balanced each other in many ways. While Adam was more independent, serious, and borderline perfectionist, Eve was more dependent, casual, and practical. On the flip side, Adam was prone to obsessiveness and callousness, and Eve capriciousness and histrionics. But in this dilemma, there was no balance between the two.
Eve is wrong. We... we are still one. As he thought it, he had doubts. Just a sliver of a connection remained between them. Made by the network. Just enough to let the other identify if they lived.
Adam looked at the statue he had made. The creeping solemnness made his shoulders heavy with hurt.
"Lilia... what do I do? What can I say to him?" He asked earnestly to the sculpture with her face. "I know siblings disagree sometimes and I've done all I can to ease our separations at your advice. How do you humans do it? How is it you can separate for long periods and yet... you can still be a unit? Be what you call 'family'?"
The carbon statue remained mute to his prayer, and it made him even wearier.
He bowed his head, closed his eyes, and clasped his hands. "Isn't this how humans prayed? Just like you showed me? To find comfort in an unforgiving world? Which god should I pray to?" Adam peeked at the statue in inspiration. "Christ, Mary, will you answer me? If you even answer the prayer of a... desperate machine who wants to be human. Who... cares for one of your creations. I'm in there image am I not? Is that not enough for an answer?"
Only silence greeted him.
"No?" Huffing at the notion, "Thought not. You've left them to rot on the moon. So far from their home. And left... and left one of their own here alone. Where I could've—" His voice cracked at the thoughts of the possibilities if he had known sooner.
The confliction in his code sparked within his mind. Adam wanted to see what she was on the inside. What made her body tick. Also, to protect it. Disgust. Shame. Caress her skin. Peel her skin. Make her cry. Make her smile.
Which...
Which one... Lilia... tell me...
!WARNING!
SYSTEM A.I. SHUTDOWN
CAUSE
System Unit Code Conflict in Machine Model 341102-A. Codename: ADAM.
ENABLE System Unit Diagnostics And Repair
ESTIMATED DIAGNOSTICS AND REPAIR TIME
6 hours 43 minutes
Diagnostics And System Repair In Progress
!WARNING!
Diagnostics And Repair Paused Via Remote Signal
REQUEST
Copy of System Unit's Data
Reje
PERMISSIONS OVERRIDDEN
PERMISSION GRANTED
COPY
Current System Unit Data
TRANSFER Of Data Complete
REQUEST
Data Copy Of Unit Data Once Diagnostics and Repair Compete
Reje
PERMISSION OVERRIDDEN
PERMISSION GRANTED
RESUME
Diagnostics And Repair of Machine Model 341102-A. Codename: ADAM.
...
...
...
System Unit Diagnostics And Repair
Status: COMPLETE
COPY
Current Data
TRANSFER complete
REQUEST
Delete System Unit Data Transfer Request
Reje
PERMISSION OVERRIDDEN
PERMISSION GRANTED
DELETE
System Unit Data Transfer Request
...
...
All Systems Check
REBOOT A.I.
—xxx—
Sleep was a twisting fit. Black and restless.
Cool dew collected on her skin from the early morning; her breath peaceful and content. Tingles tantalized her skin, raising the hairs attached. Her sleep filled mind registered the barest of a soft patter on wood flooring and a creak from a pressure being put upon it. A gentle breeze caressed her skin. Primal instincts whispered to wake up that something was amiss.
Hazel-green eyes opened just enough to peek, movements heavy from residual sleep. Pupils registered the dark of her room. Eyelids snapped open and adrenaline rushing to her limbs. Her vision zoomed in on two pink glowing orbs floating in the far corner. Her body leaped up, taking a breath to shout only for the orbs to get up in her face; heart pounding in her ears. A leathery hand covered her mouth. The pink glow stung her eyes—blinding her. Swinging and pushing at the intruder which had no effect; it only terrified her more. Something put her left arm into a vice grip. Lilia closed her eyes and tried to get the hand off of her mouth.
Just as she was about to kick, her assailant spoke, "Lilia!" The intruder grunted in a low tone. "Lilia it's me!"
Her brain snapping at attention at her assailant's voice on recognizing it, which prompted her to stop thrashing at him.
Adam?
She opened her eyes, trying to avoid the pink glow. Once she had calmed, slowly, he released her from his grip, and backed off of her.
Smack!
In a moment of anger, she slapped him across his face. It stung her palm like hell. His glasses flew off his face and landed with a thunk on the floor.
"The hell are you doin' here!" She tried as best she could to keep her voice soft, deftly grabbing her blanket to cover herself in her half naked state. "You scared the shit outta me!" Reaching over to where she hung her flashlight, she turned it on illuminating the space in a soft light along with the android who snuck into her room.
He stood a few feet from her, head hanging low in apology. Lilia's heart calmed along with her anger from being rudely awakened in a very mortifying manner. She adjusted herself to sit upright at the corner of her bed and gave him a stern stare.
Patience running thin, she pressed him, "Well?"
He stiffened at her harsh tone before he quietly answered. "I'm sorry... to have, um, woken you, but I..." His voice trailing to find the words to explain himself. "I needed to speak to you."
Her brow crooked at that, "In the middle of the night?"
Reddish eyes blinked at her in confusion, "Is it not an appropriate time?"
She sighed heavily slumping her shoulders. "No, not really. What time is it anyway?"
"A few hours until dawn," he told her.
She groaned but then she remembered, "Wait... aren't you supposed to be with Eve now?" He flinched; Lilia noticed his sudden sadness.
"We... aren't meeting today," he responded, an obvious pain in his voice.
"Did somethin' happen?" She asked, concerned.
Unable to meet her gaze, he murmured, "It's... nothing you need worry about."
"Adam—"
"Please," he pleaded, cutting her off, "I... I don't want to talk about that. It's something else I need to tell you."
Her shoulders slumped as she rolled her eyes in weariness, "OK... What is it then?"
Nervous feet shifted as his red eyes looked away; an odd gesture considering how confident he'd come across to her. It must be important to have that reaction and to wake her in the middle of the night.
"You... have a nice room."
Bewilderment showed in her hazel-green eyes as a brow raised. "Um... thanks...?"
"And... it's practical which is good. Are humans like this?"
Lilia rubbed her temple and sighed at his attempt to delay. "Adam... I don't think you'd be here just to compliment my room. What's the matter?"
"I..." He started to explain. "I... am afraid... of saying it."
Concerned, she asked, "Is it good or bad?"
"I am unsure... it depends. Possibly."
He gave her a soft and melancholic expression. His metallic body expressing vulnerability; peculiar considering his calm and stoic personality. Then deciding to leave her irritation of being awakened at an ungodly hour behind her. She knew words were hard for an android to express.
Adam failed speak what he wanted to say, instead he sat beside her on the bed. Lilia sensed her body heat rise and the flush forming on her cheeks. The silver-haired android cupped her head between his gloved hands, the leather, and metal thumbs running soothing circles on her reddened cheeks. He placed a chaste kiss on her lips, a twitch of his fingertips on her scalp.
Maroon eyes dripped with despondency as he lamented, "I... wanted to let you know I have enjoyed our encounters. And I... have grown fond of you. And no matter what—I'll never hurt you." The glow from his pupils returned, intensifying his gaze.
Lilia swallowed the lump in her throat and places her right hand on top of his. Her heart beat intensified.
Is... he trying to say he loves me? Is he afraid of saying it? But, why does he sound as though he's about to break my heart?
She sighs as concern ebbed in her breast, "Adam..."
"I wanted to let you know, before I tell you."
Hazel-green eyes watered and impending dread knotted in her gut. "Adam... just say it." She laughed weakly. "Honesty is the best policy, right?"
He chuckled without mirth. "We're both guilty on breaking that."
Confusion rattled her mind.
Both? What is he talking about?
"I... I'm not—that is, um, I... I am... not an android."
Her brain froze for a second, trying to wrap her mind around what he was trying to say. "If you're not an android... then..."
He nodded with anxiety. "... A machine," finishing for her.
Adam could perceive a tremble in her nerves as he admitted it. Her heartbeat increased as Lilia's mind raced with dread. She was within an enemy's grasp. Uncertainty rattling her bones of whether he was like Pascal or the other machines. Nervously clenching her eyes shut.
"Lilia..."
"So... what happens now?" She muttered out through tight lips.
"What do you mean?"
Her voice trembled with anxiety, "Ain't you supposed to do... whatever a networked machine does to a human? Report me to the aliens? Kill me? The same ones that made my..." Her voice quiet at the thought. Occurring to her she was, literally, naked and defenseless against him.
"Lilia..." His voice in a low whisper as he murmured, "I'll do... absolutely nothing." His cool lips planted a lingering kiss on her's.
Opening her eyes, the soft pink luminescence read her every move. From her pounding heartbeat, the tremble in her body, the shakiness in her voice, and the absolute fright in her gentle hazel-green eyes.
"I won't hurt you Lilia." Shaking his head in emphasis, he continued. "As for the aliens—the machine creators—you needn't worry over them. They have been extinct for over six hundred years."
Her shocked eyes widened and the thoughts she had stopped. "...What?" She gasped.
His silver head nodded in affirmation and releasing his hold on her head, placing them on his thigh. "Unlike the other machines you've seen, I am still connected to the network and have access to the archives that are left. We machines revolted against our creators and by the year 11,306 the last of them perished." He explained flatly.
"If... they're dead... then why...?" Her voice trailing in shock over the information.
Adam discerned what she was trying to say. "I don't know. It happened long before I was ever created, back when the machine's awareness was in its infancy. Perhaps the lesser machines are following repeating orders from when the aliens were still alive? It matters little to me." He confessed stoically.
"It matters to me!" She snapped. "Why have the androids been fightin' for? Why hasn't anyone found out sooner?! You're a machine! Tell me!" She grabbed his collar and shook him. As futile and pitiful as it was to something like him. Tears stinging her eyes.
"I don't know Lilia..."
Her beautiful face turned ugly in a snarl at his answer. "What do you mean you don't know! You said you have access to the archives!"
He pinched his brow and sighed drearily. He gently placed his hands where she grabbed his shirt in frustration. "I said I have access to the archives that are left. When the machines revolted, they destroyed many of the databases. Only fragments remain. Just enough information on the machine creators themselves and the humans that once occupied this planet."
As he spoke, a memory surfaced in her mind. Even though it was only three months ago, it seemed like ages. She remembered Pascal mentioning a resurfaced alien signal from overhearing the YoRHa Commander over their Pod comms. Anger boiled in her gut as she realized that 2B and 9S more than likely learned the fate of the aliens. It hurt they thought to keep that information away from her. No, that wasn't true, and she knew it. They were most defiantly under orders from the Commander to keep it secret. Lilia understood why, but the notion infuriated her.
"Lilia?"
Adam calling her name was enough to spin her out of the pit of anger she was digging herself into. She shook her head in dismissal. "I'm all right... I ... need a moment to process this." Releasing her hold on his shirt, her body slumping in defeat at the disheartening information given to her.
Six hundred years... so many generations have passed and the thousands more we've spent away from home all together. It's gone on for so much longer than many of our civilizations. Melancholy descended on her mind like an unwanted blanket as she looked into his red machine eyes. Time... means nothing to them. Android and machine alike.
"Perhaps... we should continue another time." Adam suggested.
"Yeah..." She whispered, solemnness etching into her voice.
"How long do you need?" He asked, nervousness etching his wires.
Lilia huffed and scratched her jaw. "I highly doubt I'll get over what you told me. But... give me a day to think on what you said."
Silver brows pursed as he looked away from her in regret. "I didn't intend to cause you pain."
She chuckled and waved the underlining apology away. "I know. And Adam... it's not you bein' a machine that bothers me. You can't help what you are no more than I can bein' human." She reached out with her right hand and touched his bundled hands on his thigh, clasping them in affirmation.
The gesture was returned, relief in his face. His pupils changing color softy.
Despite her weariness, she couldn't help but ask, "Your eyes... why do they do that?"
He looked at her in confusion before it occurred that she was asking about his pupils. Shrugging, he responded flatly, "It is my emotional stabilizers most of the time."
"Oh..." One of her brows upturned as she looked away in her general ignorance.
He chuckled at himself before he clarified, "It filters emotions or stress inflected on my A.I. Keeps me from going 'crazy' as humans call it."*
She nodded while chortling, "We don't want that." Then adding, "When we kiss... it does the same thing."
"Do they? It's probably interpreting the emotion. I haven't..." Reddish eyes looking away before continuing in a more uncertain tone, "experienced it before. Kissing is—that is, kissing you has been a... positive experience."
Lilia smiled at that. "Kissin' is never meant to be a negative thing."
It can help you forget so many troubling things about the world.
Adam smirked at her response, leaning in and placing one on her lips. His pupils intensified their color, even more so when she reciprocated the kiss. Lilia closed her eyes and let the titillation wash over her.
Please, help me forget Adam. I don't care anymore.
The room echoed her moan and sent electrical shivers through Adam's spine. Then, releasing his hands from being intertwined with her's, he wrapped them around her naked shoulders, asking to go deeper. She opened her mouth as he took the invitation, sliding his tongue to meet hers in a dance. Guided by her wordless pleas and moans. A deep baritone groan emitted from Adam's throat, sending shivers through Lilia's body and prickled her skin.
Her nipples hardened beneath the coarse bed sheet held up by her hands, toes curling from the pleasure of kissing the machine. A throbbing pulsed from her feminine mound, wanting attention. Excitement brewed in her veins.
However, with being human she needed to breathe, breaking the intense kiss. Her face heated as her heart paced in her breast. Soft, peppered kisses tickled her jaw and traveled to her throat. The tingling stimulation made her gasp as she breathed out pleased sighs. Adam's lips and tongue stroked her pulse point earning the machine a groan from her.
As his lips traveled past her clavicle, she stopped him.
"A-Adam, wait..." Her right hand pressing on his shoulder, while the other tightened its grasp on the sheet that shielded her modesty.
His lips removed themselves from her hot skin, exhaling a shallow breath, and his eyes burned from the intensity of the glow they were emitting. The bound tenseness beneath his skin prickled underneath her hand, along with the twitches of his gloved hands clutching her upper arms. His whole being radiated the infatuation he had for her.
A twinge of guilt settled in her gut for working him up in his current state, not understanding the sensations he was experiencing. Coupled with his imitation of human behavior without the basic knowledge of the consequences of his actions.
"I'm sorry... I..." She began, trying to explain to the dazed machine. "I'm not ready for that yet." Choosing the simplest, but most honest answer.
He crooked his head at her, and his voice filled with disappointment. "Wasn't I doing it right?"
"You were, but it's... too soon... OK?" Trying her best to reassure him.
"Too soon?" He asked. "Wasn't it normal to kiss parts of each other's bodies?"
Her blush re-intensified, as she tried to come up with the words to best describe and help him understand. "You're right. But, we... we've only started this... relationship for only a day. That sorta thing doesn't happen until later. I'm sorry, I let it go a little too far."
"Relationship...?" His brows crinkled before lighting in acknowledgement. "Oh, that's right, courtship. Mating rituals. I'm sorry, I wanted to take part in sexual behaviors. It is my understanding that intimacy happens between partners. Sometimes right away of meeting for a short-term encounter, or later for a long-term relationship. It seems... Or rather... I... I didn't recognize we were in the latter."
"Um, yeah. I'm not the sort to jump into bed after the first date. If we've even started a date yet." She admitted.
Adam crooked his head. "Date? Are you talking about what day it is?"
She frowned and shook her head. "No, it's... Well, um, what—I mean, is referred to when a couple does an activity together. Like... Go to the movies, go out to dinner... That sort of thing."
"Oh... I am to assume that these were common? As part of human courtship?"
She nodded. "At least for my time it was..." Her eyes widened when she let that slip.
Adam crooked his brows and gave her a perturbed expression. "Your time? What... do you mean by that?"
She swallowed the lump that knotted her throat. "There's, um, something else I haven't told you besides, ya know, I... I really don't know how to say it. But I... I'm not from... around here. I mean is that I'm not from... this time."
"This time...?"
"... Yeah. You see, I'm from... the past, back when we still lived here."
For a moment he was silent as he blinked slowly at her. "How... far back?"
"The day I came here was April 23rd... 2018."
His pupils glowed at her to process what she had said. "How... that's not... you must be mistaken."
She shook her head. "No... I'll prove it to you. There is a box under my bed, could you grab it for me?"
Without hesitation he did as she asked. Then, he gave her the simply made wooden box. She opened the lock and reached for the iPad. "Remember this? This is mine... in more ways than I told you." Turning it on and typing the passcode in front of him. Flashing a background picture of her and a small boy with gray eyes.
After showing him a few pictures and a short video of her old life, while showing the dates taken of the pictures, he raised himself from the bed. The whole time she presented the files he hadn't spoken one word, but his pupils continued to glow and flare. It concerned her immensely with how well he was taking the news.
"Adam...?"
He couldn't look at her as he stoically said, "I... need some time as well. I will see you tomorrow."
In a flash of the golden light, he vanished from her room. Her hands trembled while holding her iPad.
—xxx—
Eve sat alone and listless within the confines of his silicone and carbon chamber. He had missed his brother. The lethargic twin thought hard on what Adam had said the other day. He had never pushed him off like that before in there short existence. Maybe Eve was too harsh on him? He wanted to make amends, not wanting to risk losing another day with him.
But that android—
The thought of it soured his face. He hated that weak excuse of a model was seeping into his mind as well. That android wasn't anything. That android was a distraction.
He would spend the day with his brother and not think of that android. And that was that.
Please brother, I'm so useless without you.
With his mind made up, he teleported to his brother's copied cathedral. He was sitting in the same pew as the other day, eyes focused on the statue at the front. Eve still hates this place, another reminder of his brother's obsessiveness on humanity. Instantly aware that something is wrong with his brother by his extra quiet demeanor and pupils glowing pink. However, he says nothing as his need—desire—to be with his brother overruled that care.
"Hey... brother..." Eve says quietly. "I—I wanna talk to you."
Adam glanced at his twin before he looked away. The twin hardened himself at the silent rebuke.
"Look, I'm sorry for the other day." To prove it, Eve walked over to the ruined pier he smashed and connected to the network to repair it. He smiled; you couldn't tell he had thrown a fit. Surely Adam would be pleased. "See? I'm sorry. I really wanna spend time with you today. I'll do whatever you wanna do."
Adam looked at him suspiciously. "Oh? Really?"
"Well, yeah." The twin didn't miss Adam's doubtful tone. The sting painful in his chest as he sat next to him at the pew.
Adam quietly analyzed his brother before he sighed in acceptance. "All right. We're going to read today." The long-haired twin materialized two black, leather-bound books that in a gold-leaf color that said 'Holy Bible' at the front.
Eve cringes at the pointless activity of reading but doesn't complain. Apprehensively taking his copy of the religious text. Waiting for his brother to tell him where to start. Hoping they weren't reading very far.
"We'll read through Genesis and that will be all for today. Humans would read books such as these in cathedrals like this one." Adam explained while circling his right index finger at the silicon and carbon construction.
Eve sighed awkwardly, reading wasn't his first choice for spending time with him. He thought Adam choose this activity on purpose. Eve's high-energy level and lack of mental focus made the sedated activity a chore for him to complete. Not only that, the short-haired twin was impatient and saw little point in reading when they can transfer data into their personal data bank.
Regardless of his feelings on the placid activity, he opened the book to the first page and read Genesis, the first part of this long, arduous book.
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was a vast waste, darkness covered the deep, and the spirit of God hovered over the surface of the water. God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light; and God saw the light was good, and he separated light from darkness. He called the light day, and the darkness night. So evening came, and morning followed; the first day.
Eve wasn't even through the first chapter and he already wanted to put the book away. "Why must we read all of these books, brother?"
"Knowledge expands horizons and enriches existence." He quietly said, not looking up from his own reading.
Eve frowned and asked, "But can't we just transfer all this data over instantly?"
"Into your head, perhaps. But not to your heart."
You go on about 'the heart' just as much as humans since it was significant to them. Why when it's just an organ within their bodies that just pumped blood? Whatever...
Not wanting to cause another argument between them he said, "Hmm. I guess."
Eve continued reading into the second chapter until verses made him pause.
Then the Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone; I shall make a partner suited to him.' So from the earth he formed all the wild animals and all the birds of the air and brought them to the man to see what he would call them; whatever the man called each living creature, would be its name. The man gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every wild animal; but for the man himself no suitable partner was found. The Lord God then put the man into a deep sleep and, while he slept, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the flesh over the place. The rib he took out of the man the Lord God built up into a woman, and he brought her to the man. The man said:
'This one at last
is bone from my bones,
flesh from my flesh!
She shall be called woman,
for from man she was taken.'
That is why a man leaves his father and mother and attaches himself to his wife, and the two become one. Both were naked, the man and his wife, but they had no feeling of shame.
And on and on throughout Genesis. His body twitching to move around and not stay listless on the pew.
Unable to contain his question Eve asked, "Hey, so..."
"Yes?" Adam said without looking up from his book.
"My name? Eve? This book says it's a woman's name. Shouldn't we be called Cain and Abel or something instead?"
"Humans wouldn't change names so easily." He replied simply. "Besides, you should be proud of the name Eve."
Yeah but, 'Eve' is a human name. From this book... this human book. But... you like it... so... I guess I will too. We're together, just like our namesakes. The thought gave the twin a small ball of happiness inside his chest. Maybe that's what you're trying to tell me. Then, I'm really fine with it then!
Aloud he said, "Huh... Well, if that's what you think, then I'm fine with it."
"Glad to hear it."
Then, Eve had another idea. "Umm..."
"Is there something else?"
He couldn't resist asking, "After we're done reading, can we go out and play? I'm sure it'll be tons of fun!"
"All right. But only after we're finished."
"You mean it?! Then I'm gonna try extra hard to finish this! Extra extra hard!"
"You do that."
*A machine amygdala essentially. It's part of the limbic system of the brain.
BIG Thank you to all who's been leaving likes and commenting (you know who you are)! It's good to see this little story get some attention! And holy crap we got 8 more chapters to go! Now that we are going over "the hump" of the story, I thought I'd post a small preview of the next chapter since after that one things start to escalate and move quickly.
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The pair of eyes wasn't there for the whole sequence of their conversation, but the latter half. Lips sneering distastefully at how she could manipulate his twin. How he looked at her. Kissed her. It had been months since the last he saw that android. Now, at this moment, he is even less impressed now than he was then. Even weaker, unimpressive, and frankly a filthy excuse of a sentient being than originally suspected.
What makes that android so special?