“Can I sleep with you?”

Joy had answered the first thing that had come to mind in a suddenly short-circuiting brain, “you don’t sleep though.”

“I don’t. But it makes less sense to say ‘can I charge in your room while lying in your bed’.”

Joy couldn’t help but chuckle. Even though Irene’s face was blank most of the time, the more time passed – the more she realized Irene was actually funny. On purpose! She had never expected the ‘machine learning’ Yeri had mentioned, to pull through in so many different ways. And every one, just made her like Irene more. As if that was even possible anymore. Her heart was overflowing. With feelings of protectiveness. Adoration.

Love.

“Sure,” she said. She had felt awkward for maybe five minutes, after which she had already gotten used to it. Irene next to her. Just like that. It was nice not to be alone. And yes – she realized she hadn’t been alone with Seulgi either but… it wasn’t the same. It hadn’t felt the same. Not like it did with Irene. So natural.

“Can I ask you something?” She asked Irene the question she herself had received so many times.

“Of course.” Came the response automatically. As if she didn’t possibly have any secrets, even in her unshackled state.

“Do you remember the accident?”

Irene opened her eyes again. In fact, Joy didn’t know why she always closed them while charging if she was active anyway. Probably something implemented in her code to make her seem more human.

“I do.”

Joy nodded, “I can’t even imagine… remembering dying. How do you feel about it?” She carefully asked. She wasn’t sure if robots could suffer from PTSD as well.

Irene finally turned her face, eyes upon her own. Every time, Joy felt as if she was in Irene’s hold. Imaginary hands upon her face forcing her to keep the contact. As if Joy wouldn’t fall and drown in those eyes entirely voluntarily to begin with.

“It is strange to think about it.”

“Yeah… I am sorry to bring it up.”

“Don’t be. It is strange because… I… Well…” Joy carefully sat up. She had never heard Irene stutter like this. Was she malfunctioning? . Why did she have to bring up such a traumatizing experience?

“It’s okay. You don’t have to-“

“Because I think I felt scared. Even though I cannot feel. I cannot describe it. It is… difficult.”

Wow… Okay… Joy wasn’t too sure on what to respond to that.

“It’s normal to feel scared of dying. I imagine it’s the same for AI. Self-preservation.”

Irene frowned, before she sat up as well. “You misunderstand. I was not afraid of dying. I was afraid of death.”

Joy’s mind was racing. “What’s the difference?” She eventually asked, finding she would get answers more easily that way. She did not always understand Irene’s way of thinking. But that was exactly the beauty of it.

“I was simply scared of you being alone.”

Joy’s eyebrows shot up. “You were thinking of me?”

“Always,” Irene again admitted so easily. Unlike Joy who couldn’t admit anything. “But also of myself. I wanted to stay with you. I did not want to leave you.”

Even then… Joy scrunched her eyebrows. Suddenly feeling emotional. At the idea of this unshackled robot somehow still being so attached to her. This person, she adored, adoring her back in her own strange way. She felt her eyes stinging and quickly moved in for a hug before Irene would notice.

She planted her palms upon Irene’s back. Her cheek against Irene’s. No longer hard. But soft. And warm. And comforting. Everything she needed. After an eternity, she even felt Irene’s own hands upon her own back. Copying her own. Awkwardly so. Just like everything else she did for the first time.

Joy loved her. Irene. And all of her little not-human quirks. She loved her so much. Even if Irene would never love her back. But what did that even matter? Irene was obviously attached to her. So, even if it wasn’t love, it might just be a mechanical, artificial version of something similar in a way. And honestly, that was enough. Joy didn’t care. They felt comfortable around each other. Joy felt like she could be herself without any judgement. She just wanted to be close to Irene. In whatever way. Because Irene made her happy.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Joy ran her fingers through Irene’s soft hair. “Is this okay?”

“Of course,” came the response immediately. Irene had her head thrown back over the border of the bathtub while Joy was carefully washing her hair. Irene had assured her she could do it herself, but at the same time hadn’t protested when Joy had taken control.

The music Joy had was echoing against white tiles, through the small bathroom.

Isn’t she lovely-

“I like the smell.”

Isn’t she wonderful?

“It’s maple,” Joy supplied. She thought it was really charming how Irene was so into smells. Joy’s laundry had never smelled as good as it did nowadays.

She gently massaged some conditioner into the hair. Not so much the scalp. Since she figured it probably wouldn’t be necessary. And she didn’t want to break anything either. That being said, she had obviously done her research. Irene 4.1 was waterproof and it should be entirely safe to wash her hair. It needed to be done sometime.

Joy was sitting on the other edge of the tub, both of her legs in the bath while Irene’s head was in between her knees. Moments like these were what Joy loved the most. Because they felt so normal. So comfortable and yet intimate in a way. Somehow, Irene had become her whole world. She hoped that wasn’t a bad thing. It didn’t feel like a bad thing.

Water and shampoo had ran down her arms and she had pushed her sleeves up to her elbows at some point. Her hair was in a quick ponytail, surely looking messy by now as well. The bottom of her pair of slacks was wet as well from sitting in the bathtub. She’d change into a fresh pair later on. She really couldn’t care less right now.

She filled a beaker with warm water next, slowly pouring some over the hair and carefully washing all conditioner out with her free hand. Irene had told her cold water was just fine, but it was more of a habit than anything else to use warm water. It was silent for a while, only music filling their ears. Until Joy noticed Irene’s eyes were open and staring up at her.

“What?” Joy asked, chuckling.

“You look cute when you’re all disheveled.”

Joy parted her lips, feeling her cheeks getting warm. Thank God Irene spoke again because she could not.

“Is this not how it works?”

Joy took a moment to try to figure out what she meant. “Are you trying to flirt with me?”

Irene hummed. Another habit Joy had noticed she had started copying from her. “Yes. Is it working?”

Oh gosh. “No.”

In return she just got that smile again. Only for a moment, but it told her Irene knew all too well she was lying. Probably something to do with her ‘increasing heat levels and dilating pupils’ again.

“You’ve been doing some more research online, hm?” Joy absently inquired. Irene’s hair seemed to be entirely conditioner free now. Joy carefully collected into her hands, trying to squeeze out as much water as possible. She then reached over to fetch a towel she had prepared before.

“Yes,” Irene admitted easily. Joy couldn’t help but feel flattered, honestly. Irene was trying to flirt for her. It at least proved they were on the same page.

Joy wrapped the towel around Irene’s head, gently rubbing the hair to dry it. She leaned in, “I like it.”

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

“Rock, paper, scissors,” Joy whispered in concentration, before throwing out her hand. “Hah, I won!”

Irene’s expression remained blank as it did most of the time. Joy knew her well enough to know she was annoyed either way. “There is no logic behind this game.”

“I never knew you were such a sore loser.”

“I am not. It was merely a factual statement.”

Joy snorted. Sure. “Well either way – you lost. So you need to get out of bed to turn off the lights.” She knew for a fact Irene didn’t mind. Even if she was unshackled, she was still very much stuck to her initial programming. Of doing everything she could to support Joy. It was cute. It was more for fun that Joy had suggested they play this silly game to decide who would turn off the lights.

And maybe, to introduce Irene to some new dynamics. She liked seeing Irene develop in front of her very eyes. It was so fascinating. But more than that, it was about seeing Irene reach her full potential. Even if she wouldn’t be able to share it with anybody other than her.

Joy watched her move to the door, the light switch right next to it.

“Do you like what you see?”

These random statements that Irene would sometimes say, these provoking questions – they made Joy’s belly tumble! Even if half of the time she didn’t even know if Irene had meant it in such a way to begin with. “You know I always do.”

That same beautiful smile. Small but so much more meaningful than any other Joy had seen in her life. On any humans. There was nobody like Irene. Nobody as special. Joy already knew she’d never be able to let her go. She’d buy her a thousand new bodies and make a million back-ups if that’s what it took. Because she was in love. With a robot. And honestly? She was beyond the point of caring anymore. Beyond the point of feeling embarrassed about it. Because Irene made her happy. Joy knew she made Irene happy too. And that was all that mattered.

With the lights off, Joy couldn’t quite see what was happening anymore. But she was so used to this ritual to know anyway. She heard Irene move back, around the bed. A click sound which meant she had plugged in the power cable. And then Joy felt the bed dip. She scooted over automatically, throwing an arm over Irene’s midframe.

The upgrade of the material out of which Irene was made, had been a good one. Joy loved how she felt. No longer hard, but soft and warm and inviting to cuddle with. She felt Irene’s arm around her in turn. It had become so normal.

“I love you,” Joy mumbled with a smile on her face. She meant it.

“I can say it back if you want.” It didn’t hurt Joy. She knew Irene wasn’t capable of feeling the same love she was feeling.

“That’s okay. I don’t expect you to. Me loving you is enough. If you want to be with me – that is just as good for me.”

“There is nobody I would rather be with among a population of 8 billion people.”

Joy chuckled. Exactly these things just made Irene more perfect to her. She couldn’t believe she had been lucky enough to receive an imperfect unit of “Irene 4.1” though, ironically. It was the best thing that had ever happened to her.

Her lips sought out Irene’s, pressing them together. She knew they would never be able to share a fully physical relationship in the same way most other couples did. And while Irene had questioned her on this more than once, Joy was really okay with that. Small kisses were enough. Even if they tasted of nothing. There was a warmth and feeling of… connection.

Joy was content, in her bubble of extraordinariness.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Yeri pulled the bowl of salad towards her. “Well, if you’re done, then I am going to finish this.”

Even though Joy had gotten used to it, it was still nice to share a meal once in a while with somebody who actually ate alongside of her.

“I should get an Irene for myself just to eat like this every day,” she spoke in between bites.

“Would definitely recommend, yes,” Joy responded, her eyes lingering upon Irene who was doing the dishes before she dragged her attention back to Yeri. “I wanted to thank you, by the way. For… supporting me, I suppose. I know it’s weird.”

Yeri frowned, finally lowering her fork. “Hey dude, I don’t care if society thinks it’s weird. If it makes you happy – then I support it. Simple as that.”

Joy wrapped her arms around Yeri’s shoudlers, “awwwwwwwwwwww”

Much as expected, Yeri rolled her eyes, “yeah, yeah. Now can I continue eating, please? It’s the only reason I come here, really.”

“I know. That is why I put poison in the salad.” Irene was suddenly standing next to them again.

Yeri blinked, fork once again halting mid-air. Her lips parted but not a sound left them. Not something that happened a lot.

“You’re… joking?”

Irene blinked, silent for a second longer before she confirmed, “yes.”

Yeri let out a breath. “You’ve been giving her some bad habbits! And with that blank expression of hers I can never tell…”

“I think she’s perfect,” Joy responded, shooting an amused wink at Yeri while fully meaning what she said.

-----------------

AN: Ermigewd it's overrr!! I can barely believe it. Thank you so much for all the super kind comments & support. I really enjoyed writing this one. The whole concept of AI fascinates me very much so it was super interesting really thinking about this to write this story. I hope you enjoyed the story! :D 

(Also, reading your comments, it apparently reminded people of chobits, Humans & Detroit: Become Human. I swear I haven't ripped off anything cause I haven't seen nor played these :') I'll try to step up my game and be more original next time hah!) 

For you multi-fans out there, from next week on I shall start uploading a new Lunstal story (f(x)) . Follow my twitter to stay up to date :) 

Shark out.