It's a beautiful day outside.

Basking in the soft heat and the late season breeze, Rin inhales with a sense of fantasy, revelling in the sweetness of it.

In the distance she can hear kids playing and adults laughing, and she opens her eyes to see the expanse of green in front of her.

After the festival, she'd been more willing to spend alone time with Len. They'd gone out more as well, and today's choice is the local park. It's always been a place she's felt solace in, and relaxed.

Alongside that, she's made a point of letting Len hold her hand more often, and he's taken initiative fairly quickly. It's a small gesture in the grand scheme of it all, but it feels like she's finally starting to make it feel right. It's something where she once wanted nothing.

She still puzzles over those feelings that had filled her during the festival, but since then, she's been better about not letting them overwhelm her like that. If she were to throw herself at him, it'll just lead to misery— but there is something unspoken brewing inside her she hasn't felt before, and it's not going away. It's still faint, but when he looks at her, she's reminded of her feelings.

Is probably just because I've never really had a boyfriend before, she writes it off. I'm not used to affection like his.

"Perhaps it would be a good idea to take walks like this more often?" Len asks her, breaking her from the reverie with a small smile. "Your smile seems telling of how much you're enjoying this."

She turns a faint red, her fingers tightening in his and her eyes focusing on their feet on the dirt-beaten path.

"I do enjoy it, but… I don't know if we should do it real often," she says, shaking her head. "I get pretty tired very easily."

"That sounds like an exercise problem," Len replies, eying her up and down. "You seem quite fit, if a bit thin; perhaps it would be beneficial to take you out more."

She doesn't know whether she should be complimented or insulted by his words, so she chooses silence and frowns to herself. Len takes notice, though.

"...Or, we just take a walk now and then," he continues, and she can't help rolling her eyes.

Sometimes, it really is too easy to forget Len isn't real, she reminds herself, watching the wind blow his loose blond hair around his face.

...No. Len is real, just not… alive. Wait… that doesn't seem quite right either.

Len could be considered 'alive', because otherwise… what would he be?

It has definitely become easier to come to terms with her purchase now, and even though she was skeptical at first of owning him, she's stopped considering returning him. If anything, he's grown on her, and now she isn't ready to throw him away.

"Louie! Louie, come back!"

A man shouting brings her back to the present, and she takes a step back as a large cattle dog appears in front of the two, teeth bared and growling from deep within his chest. His leash is dragged against the dirt, quickly explaining how he got away from his owner.

Rin feels an icy trickle of fear down her spine, and grips tight to Len's arm, afraid to make a sudden move. The dog's eyes flash, zeroing in on the two of them with fury.

She feels Len shift, and he moves to place part of his body before hers, standing in front of her protectively. She looks up at him, noting the defensive, narrowed gaze on his face. He doesn't flinch as the dog barks loudly at them.

"Louie! Leave them alone!' The owner rushes up, hesitantly approaching his dog. The canine can't seem to hear him, however, not moving an inch from his tensed up position.

Rin has never been too fond of dogs, but in this moment, she can only focus on the saliva dripping from his bared jaw and the rustling of his fur. She doesn't know what set him off, but it's apparent that whatever it is has him ticked off to no end.

Grumbling and angry, the dog suddenly lunges toward her, and Rin screams, closing her eyes and hunching back, nearly throwing herself to the ground in the process.

She feels Len's arm rip from her grasp, and instead his hand is against her chest, holding her back as he shields her, raising his other arm to brace against the animal. Rin is jerked slightly as the dog's teeth snap onto Len's sleeve, shoving him back against her.

Shredding the material amongst a horrible metallic crunching sound, the dog chomps down hard on Len, and the blond recoils slightly as a light blue liquid pours from the bite, his expression not changing an inch.

"Oh my God! Louie! Stop!" The owner finally grabs tight against the leash, yanking their dog away from Len. He wraps his arms around the canine's body, forcing him to be still even as it fights him to get back at Len. "I'm so sorry! Are you hurt? He's almost never like this, I can't believe he attacked you!"

Rin, forcing herself to straighten up, grabs hold of Len's shoulder and turns him toward her. She gasps in horror.

Len's right arm is a disaster. The thin skin over his limb is ripped and discolored, pools of saliva still embedded in the bite mark mixed with the teal blood pouring from the wound. The teeth had torn through, revealing a mishmash of electronic parts and metal wiring. Now that the dog has let go, it seems the oily substance has stopped flowing freely, but Rin is left nonetheless breathless with shock.

"Len…!" she manages. "Are you…?"

"I'm fine," he answers easily, shaking his head and patting her on the head with his other hand. "This is repairable."

"It's an android? No wonder Louie attacked, then," the owner says, pulling at his dog's leash and starting to walk away. "Glad it wasn't a human though, so uh… sorry!"

"Hey!" Rin stares after the man in disbelief, starting to move after him while he clearly starts sprinting in another direction. "Hey! Stop! Come back! You can't just run off!"

Len holds her back, however, and one look from him keeps her from taking off after the guy.

"It's okay, Rin," Len says again. "I just need to be taken for repairs."

Rin panics a little, tenderly taking his injured arm in her hands. "I don't even know who to call. Does it hurt?"

"No. I'm not capable of human pain like that," he assures her. "Perhaps you could call someone who might know?"

A lightbulb flashes above her head, and Rin snaps her fingers.

"I know! Miku would know," she says, already pulling out her phone. "She has to take care of Kaito, after all, she has to know at least something I can do."

Cursing both her own inability to have something prepared in case of a scenario like this, as well as Miku for not picking up after the first ring, Rin waits with bated breath for a few moments, before a familiar voice finally answers the phone.

"What a surprise to have you calling me for a change," Miku playfully teases as soon as the line connects.

"Miku, please, I- I need help," Rin says, and the cheer in Miku's voice completely disappears.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" she demands, and Rin shakes her head as if the tealette can see.

"It's Len. It's not serious I don't think, but a dog attacked him and- and ripped the skin layer on his arm. Do you know where I can take him to fix him up?"

She can audibly hear the relief in Miku's voice at her words, before she snaps back.. "Don't scare me like that, damn it, I thought you were inches from death."

"I'm sorry, I just didn't know who else to call and I really need your help," Rin says pleadingly, and Miku sighs.

"Of course I know someone, Rin. No worries. I would've thought you already had someone on speed dial considering the way you run into little accidents, but I have the perfect person."

"Okay, who is it?"

"Her name is Gumi Megpoid, and I've known her just about since I got Kaito. I had a similar incident happen, and she really knows her stuff. Don't worry about making an appointment, I'll call in a favor and you just get him up there, alright?"

"Thank you, Miku, I knew I could count on you," Rin says gratefully, and the tealette laughs on the other end.

"This isn't quite what I meant when I said 'call whenever you need me', but I'm happy to help. Next time it better be a real emergency," Miku jokes.

"Now, here's the address."

.x.X.x.

Gumi's shop is a garage wedged in a parts junkyard, with the exterior of the building looking quite old and decrepit. It's obviously a very aged place, but there's a rustic sign with 'Megpoid & Co Repair' written on it in neon lights.

It's actually not far from where she lives, Rin notes as she approaches the front business door. It was a quick walk from the park as well, thankfully- though it seems Len's finally stopped gushing that violently bright blue liquid.

Rin pushes the door open, Len in tow close behind her looking completely relaxed (which only bothers her a little.) Peeking into the very small office shaded in greens and blues, she calls out.

"...Hello? Miss Megpoid?"

No answer. Rin studies the interior for a moment. There's a door leading out to the garages, a side hallway leading to some back room, and an empty desk with two chairs in front of it. Otherwise it's very barren and quaint, not much decor littering the walls other than a few framed photos and a couple certificates.

"Miss Megpoid? My friend Miku called, are you in here?' Rin tries again, feeling a little weirded out by the silence. "Hello-?"

Suddenly, someone walks out of the hallway, sending Rin back into Len who steadies her on her feet.

Flowing pink hair down to her thighs, pale skin, and garnet eyes to match, a woman stands there looking over the two of them with a small smile plastered across her small lips. She's slender and cute, dressed in a uniform-like skirt and top with a white, somewhat dirtied apron over the ensemble.

"Apologies for the wait," the woman says, bowing before them deeply. "I will escort you to Gumi."

"Oh, I… it's okay," Rin manages. "You're not her?"

The woman shakes her head, gesturing toward the other door. "No, absolutely not. I am her android."

"Her…?"

Without waiting for Rin to finish her sentence, the android walks forward and throws open the door, revealing the inner garage.

Following the pink-headed woman, Rin and Len enter a wide room absolutely littered with electronics. It's a gray room from top to bottom, but the fact is overwritten by the fact that the walls are lined from corner to corner with limbs. Mechanical arms made up of technology far more advanced that Rin's knowledge can even begin to comprehend, connected to tissue and what seems to be a protective plastic coating. Legs laying across tables and in pieces seemingly everywhere. Even skulls and exoskeletons that are terrifying to behold. There are also enough little bits and bobs of technological parts to make Rin's head spin.

It's a chaotic mess of the highest caliber, and at the center of it is a woman kneeling on the floor, a thick protective mask over her face as she holds a torch to the foot in her hand. Her clothes are rugged and torn up, her blue jeans ripped across the knees and dotted in dark oily spots. The loose white shirt, unbuttoned over her collar and just as dirtied, has the sleeves rolled up past her elbows, showing off her soft tanned skin.

When she spots the three of them entering, she slides the mask up off her face and turns off the torch, her short green hair bobbing around her slightly smudged cheeks. A pair of unsettlingly bright green eyes land on Rin and she instantly feels under a microscope. The woman's eyes scan over her as if raking her for flaws, but she smiles nonetheless, seeming unfazed.

"Ah! You two must be Rin and Len," she says, getting to her feet and putting her tool down, instead walking up to them and extending a hand. "A pleasure to meet you both. I'm Gumi, and I see you've already met my assistant, SF-A2 Miki."

"Please, address me as Miki," the android bows, her long hair falling over her shoulder in a thick curtain.

"Oh, hmm," Gumi says suddenly, zeroing in on Len's grotesque arm. "That must be why you've come today, eh?"

Rin's mouth opens and closes as she tries to figure out where to start, but Len steps forward and nods his head.

"Yes. If you wouldn't mind, this isn't a major injury. Hopefully you can fix it without too much hassle, Miss Megpoid."

"Just Gumi will do, friend," Gumi replies easily, flashing a smile. "No worries, I'll have that fixed up in a jiff. Miki, make him comfy for me while I get my tools together?"

"Alright," Miki replies, brushing past Rin and taking hold of Len, leading him to the center of the room where what looks like an examination table sits. Rin can only blindly follow with hesitant steps, feeling out of place.

"...I, um…. Thank you, for seeing us on such short notice," Rin finally manages, watching Gumi's back as she gathers up some off-putting and frankly terrifying objects from a nearby work bench.

"Not a problem, it's not unusual for me to get called up on the fly for things like this." Turning back to Rin, she offers her a toothy grin. "Things happen. We just roll with the punches and hope it's not a serious malfunction or irreplaceable part."

"There's… irreplaceable parts?" Rin says, blinking, and Gumi shakes her head.

"Most parts on an android are repairable, though at a high cost— but parts like a memory chip? You can't get those back. They're one of a kind, and if they're destroyed, a new custom fit has to be made, and you can't ever get back what was on it before. It'd be like the death of an android."

Rin gasps softly, but Gumi raises a hand before she can voice her concern.

"It's very unlikely that someone will destroy the memory chip in an android; it's not exactly very accessible," she laughs, "So don't give it too much thought."

Rin manages a feeble smile in return, eying Gumi a little thoughtfully. The green-haired woman is a little crass and speaks quickly without thinking it through, but there's also an air of something fairly welcoming and comfortable about her. It speaks volumes about her work ethic considering how friendly she was with Len as well; not a hint of resentment or disgust.

Gumi goes up to Len, whom Miki has gently strapped to the table with thick belts made of some kind of strong-looking woven fiber. He seems unaffected, peaceful laying across the table- and when he catches Rin's eyes, he offers her a look of reassurance.

"This will take a few minutes so I hope you don't mind waiting around a bit," Gumi tells Rin. "If any of this makes you uncomfortable, by the way, you're welcome to wait in the main office. It's what it's there for, after all."

"Oh, I… it's okay. I've seen bad enough things that I'm sure it's not that bad," Rin replies.

"Suit yourself! You can keep us company then. Miki, go ahead and make our guests something to drink."

Miki bows her head respectfully again, and then takes off with measured, quiet footsteps back into the office, leaving the three of them in the room.

Gumi takes a sharp, fork-like tool into hand, and begins to pry at the gnawed on bits in Len's arm. Sparks fly a little as she fiddles with the insides of his metal bones, and Rin wins slightly, thankful that he can't feel pain. Her mind wanders back to Miki, and she wandes closer to watch over the process.

"So… Miki is your android?" Rin asks curiously. "She's a very nice model. SF-A2 doesn't sound like a familiar line, though."

Gumi smirks, looking pleased.

"Yeah, she won't sound too familiar. I made her."

Rin's eyes widen in surprise. "You made her?!"

"All these parts aren't for show, haha! I did make her, down the little screws in her fingertips. Miki is my own creation, but I had a little help from my older sister, Sonika. She's a bigwig up in Crypton."

"You have a sister working for Crypton? That's amazing!" RIn can't keep the tinge of awe out of her voice, and Gumi just laughs it off.

"Sure, sure, but don't think it's all riches and wonder. My sister worked real hard to get where she is, and Crypton ain't a real welcoming place to just anyone. I'm certified under them, s'why I'm able to make androids as beautiful and functional as Miki. She's the only one I made, however; and truthfully, I think one is enough." Gumi pulls a rounder tool out and begins twisting it inside Len's arm, creating a soft squeak as she readjusts some of his pieces.

"I just… can't believe you made her. She looks like a top model from Crypton itself. What made you create her in the first place?"

Gumi glances at Rin out of the corner of her eyes, and then shrugs.

"Not for the reasons you're thinking, probably," she says, and Rin blanches slightly. "I don't do the whole sex and desire thing that most people want androids for. That's a key feature in most androids, and I honestly don't have the appeal for it. I made Miki so that I wouldn't have a lover for all that carnal stuff; I wanted a partner to have by my side, to share the cute romance stuff sometimes but mostly, to have my biggest friend with me always. It's simple, I suppose, but I wouldn't have it any other way."

Rin purses her lips, mulling over Gumi's words with fascination. It's not the most unheard of thing to happen to androids, but Gumi's right; they are absolutely centered toward sex and the lustful side of the market. For people that aren't interested, they're not exactly very accomodating unless you're extremely custom about it.

Memories of the first night with Len, when he had attacked her with kisses, remind her in a painfully clear way just how startling and off-putting that would be to a person who doesn't want it. It would be better to do as Gumi had, and make her own that fit her needs exactly as she wanted them to. Still, the amount of skill to do just that is immeasurable; she has to be one of the most talented people in the field.

"Wait, but… if you're certified and can make androids on your own, why don't you work for Crypton? Or do you? Rin asks suddenly.

Gumi cringes. "Yikes, no thanks. I may have been trained in, and granted permission to, craft my own androids, but there's no way I'd want to work for Crypton. They're a power-hungry, money-fueled conglomerate that only preys upon the weaknesses of others. If Sonika wasn't a big shot head on their top shelf, I'd despise the entire company. What they do isn't just helping people face their loneliness, it's targeting it so that they can profit. To be perfectly honest, it's sickening."

It's the first time Rin's hearing absolute abhorrence in the woman's voice, and she feels a little guilty for asking. Before she can apologize for prying, Gumi shrugs again.

"I do hate the company, but I know too many people who turned to it when they had nothing else left. I imagine you did the same thing as well, since this pretty boy here exists." She gestures loosely to Len, and Rin gazes at him for a few moments.

He's closed his eyes now, listening to their conversation silently, and his chest rises and falls with each breath as if he's doing nothing but sleeping.

A similar reason, huh? I guess she's not wrong. She can't fight the accuracy of the green-haired woman's statement. It's too close to home to be comfortable.

"You asked me why I built Miki, so I'm gonna do the same," Gumi continues without breaking stride, her thin gloved fingers plucking at something Rin can't quite see within the metal recesses of Len's arm. "Why did you build Len?"

For a moment, Rin's breath freezes in her throat painfully, icy shards of dread digging deep into her vocal cords, but she tries to fight past it.

The day she'd made the decision to create Len was one of her lowest days. It was a day it felt nothing would ever be better. Len was an impulse decision that she can't return.

Yet…

...He's become a lot more than that.

"I guess… for the same simple, selfish reasons you stated earlier, Gumi," Rin responds softly, drawing her eye. "I let them prey on my moment of weakness. My loneliness created Len, but… my fondness makes me glad he is."

Len peeks an eye open at her, studying her, and for some reason her face turns red hot, nearly biting her tongue even though the words are already out.

Gumi takes a good look at her then, and rolls her shoulders back nonchalantly.

"Ah, well, don"t beat yourself up over making the same choice as about half the human population," she chuckles, "Androids do tend to grow on people after all."

Reaching beside herself and retrieving what seems to be a clear beaker filled with some kind of transparent substance, raising it into the light and swishing it around. It almost seems to sparkle, and it immediately catches Rin's interest.

"What is that…?"

"Replacement skin," Gumi answers without blinking. "It'll mend the protective layer over Len's arm without any fuss. It's what all androids are dressed in."

Leaning over his exposed wires and parts, Gumi tilts the beaker over him, and the liquid glazes out of the beaker slowly like molasses. It lands with a slushy pop onto his arm, and Gumi instantly breaks out some kind of flat wooden stick, using it to smear the slime over all the ripped and destroyed bits on Len's arm.

Rin watches with keen fascination as the slurry begins to harden right away, turning a faint new color that rapidly switches to Len's skin tone. Little hairs begin to sprout from it, to the exact length as the rest of his arm, and in a matter of moments his entire arm is whole once again, looking no different than it had before the dog had mauled a chunk out of it.

"...That's amazing," Rin manages, awestruck, and Gumi grins proudly.

"Of course. Android sciences aren't just a cute little parlor trick of miracle tech, you know. It took about one hundred years to perfect this. Now, Len, I want you to give your arm a quick check to be sure everything's intact and functional."

She releases him from the fabric shackles he'd been bound in, and Len sits up. Stretching the arm out and moving it this way and that, Len nods his head after a few moments.

"Everything seems to be working as intended. I'm not having any issues, and the skin is perfectly melded to the rest of me without any problems whatsoever."

He slides off the table, and Gumi stands up, bowing her head and giving Len a pat on the shoulder.

"I expected nothing less, of course. You're both completely set to go."

"Wait, hold on a sec," Rin says suddenly raising both hands as if to halt the situation in its tracks. "That repairing skin you used on him looked expensive. How much do I owe you for fixing Len on such short notice?"

The greenette frowns a little.

"...Nothing," she replies.

"Nothing?!" Rin nearly shrieks, and the woman cringes back at the loudness. "What do you mean, 'nothing'?! I can't possibly leave without paying you. I imagine it's not cheap to just use that stuff whenever you want. Please, what do I need to give you?"

"I said nothing, and I meant it," Gumi shrugs, looking completely unfazed by Rin's bewilderment. "Miku called in a favor, not you, so I'm gonna take it up with her. Besides, this is your first time having to deal with an injury to your android, and it wouldn't be fair of me to take advantage of you when you were never prepared enough to avoid the situation. You know what repairs might entail for next time, and I'll be here just in case you need my services again- but right now, this is on me. I'm just happy to help."

Rin, taken aback, stares at Gumi. "Are you… sure…? I feel terrible not giving you anything in payment. Your kindness is incredible."

Picking up her tools from the floor and placing them back in their respective places around her work station, Gumi shakes her head.

"Listen, it's been a pleasure to meet you, Rin. I hope we can talk again sometime… preferably not when you're frantic over your android," she jibes softly, before turning back to the two. "Just make sure to come back to me next time you're looking for repairs, got it?"

The door off to the side opens, and all three people in the room turn to look. Miki slides through, a tray in hand with an ornate teapot and two cups perched atop it.

"Oh, Miki, sweetheart, you're a bit late," Gumi says, her lips pursing. "We've already finished the repairs. They're preparing to leave."

"Oh… How unfortunate," Miki says, actually looking sad, placing the tray on a clear spot on Gumi's bench. "I suppose I took too long."

Gumi crosses to where she stands, reaching out to softly ruffle Miki's bright pink strands with an affectionate hand.

"Now now, it's all right. We can share the tea. Unless our guests would like to stay a bit longer to chat…?" There's an air of questioning in the way Gumi talks, her brow raising as she observes the two blondes.

Rin watches Gumi and Miki's interaction with a curiosity that encompasses her thoughts. Though they're android and human, the way they talk to and touch each other feels so warm and loving that an outsider could never tell one isn't a human. Gumi looks on Miki with nothing but adoration and sweetness, and Miki seems attuned to her every word and movement.

Something about it is strangely… wholesome. There's no traces of carnal desire and lust in the way they interact. It's nothing but love and admiration and respect.

It's… somehow inspiring. It makes Rin long for such a relationship, and her eyes slide to Len.

Maybe we could have something like that, too…?

Or maybe we already do.

What am I even thinking about? There's no way that we…

Trying to shake off the thoughts that try to pry their way into her brain, Rin purses her lips, and considers the offer before her.

"You know what, Gumi?" Rin says suddenly, drawing all eyes in the room to herself.

"I think… we'll stay awhile."

A/N: my laptop's battery has bid me memento mori, so i've resorted to writing via ipad and mini keyboard to work on my nano and new chapters. If you see a lot of errors or things that seem a bit different than normal, that would be why.

By the way. Thank you all for still keeping up with my stories.