Are you waiting for Sunrise?
At the end of the day, it was a car — or was it?
At the end of the day — could a car come and beckon him to sleep? Ask him how he was? Care for him as though it were a dear friend?
The average car couldn't even close its own doors, converse in a natural manner or ask about your day but the Knight 2000 could.
Perhaps, then, it was far more than just a car…
"Everything alright, Michael?"
Could the little critter living amongst the ones and zeros be genuinely concerned for him? Far more than just an ordinary obligation embedded by code?
His speculations were…well just that…speculations. He had no frank knowledge of the works that made the car talk, nor how it drove itself around the grounds in search of him all the time. Though he appreciated it whenever the car came around to give him some company, it seemed the car wanted to give it to him all the time.
He grumbled, tossing torn grass to the sky, watching it push downward landing a few feet away from where he was lying down.
"I'm fine." He whispered to his wrist.
Was it necessary for Kitt to keep such tight tabs on him? Did he believe that death was around every corner? Always prowling after him?
Whether it was true or not, the car was always at his call, at the tips of his fingers at the first sign of trouble. Always, ready to take on even the oddest requests. Once Kitt had done him the favor of sneaking him out of the mansion to get some midnight snacks, he had to admit that he'd been surprised to see the more playful side of the car, it was quite buried in…well…wherever Kitt's mind was.
"Would you like a little more quiet time?" The car's sweet voice penetrated the static.
Course he did!
"Yep." Michael sighed. 'More quiet time, please!'
"Very well, but I must warn you that —"
"Don't worry," Michael answered briskly. "If someone wants to bust my brains out you'll be the first to know."
An eerie silence settled over the comlink. The man frowned before yawning and attempting to ignore the hurt he'd probably done to the car. Again.
" — Michael, perhaps we should…"
— Paranoia…The car had sufficient to power an entire city grid.
The man stood up, grasping a round stone and tossing it to the thin tree fledglings reaching to the sky shaking their limbs and sending small pine needles tumbling down.
"No, I'm fine…" the man groaned. He shouldn't have triggered the car's somewhat fragile concern. "All's good Kitt, nobody could possibly know I'm here. Only you know I'm here." The man pointed out, standing and heading to the small creek where the black nose dace chased after the evening bugs.
"Very well." The car called defeat.
'Finally!' Michael thought, taking a stick along the water's edge and poking the muddy bottom of the flowing water. He watched the ripples stride past the stick, grazing the current with a scar of bubbles.
He smiled, it was nice to be outside — lately, the workload had seemed to burden him even though Kitt had been doing a good amount of the leg work involving the constant paperwork he needed to file after a mission.
He grinned.
Devon didn't know this rather small fact either.
The car was useful in that aspect, always seemingly saving his neck from tasks he rather not complete…or simply running interference when he wanted to be apart from FLAG; like not answering the telephone or messing with spreadsheets that contained his scheduled appointments with the on-site doctor. Yes, sure the car was always at the edge of willing (usually) when it came to these things…but Kitt would do them if Michael nagged enough.
The man sighed, kicking off his shoes and snatching off his socks, throwing them somewhere nearby. Rolling up his jeans he settled his feet into the cool stream.
He cocked his head, watching a beetle swim by.
A notion hitting him a bit hard. — he'd never really said thank you…
Did he have to?
He gazed down at his comlink. Quietly contemplating if Kitt would appreciate it. If the car would understand even the whims of gratitude. He thought for a while, he probably would. Again — Kitt was very keen on communicating discomfort, distaste, and even disgust. Surely this was evidence enough to prove it was more than a car.
"Kitt?" He asked out loud, suddenly cutting off his thoughts short. Listening to the cool claps of the leaves above, bringing the roll of the ocean home.
No answer.
He wrinkled his nose.
Upset already?
"Kitt?"
He hoped he'd be forgiven easily like all the other time. Kitt couldn't stay offended for long, his upsets never lingered long enough for any anger to really form.
"Yes, Michael?" Kitt asked, sounding somewhat antsy. Perhaps a little annoyed.
He dismissed it with a smile.
"Thanks." He finally grinned faintly.
There was silence again. Only the chatter of birds gliding from one tree to another. He wondered if Kitt even understood…
He was answered at the next moment —
"You're welcome."
— It.
— No. He
…Was really more than a car.