wickedchouette | (no subject)

[Primly:]

Except for your favorite cat.

[ LISTEN YOU

The android frowns. ]

I'm programmed to want to take care of things. [ That's all. Definitely that's all that it is. ]

Well, you'll be making meals for two from now on, so I suppose you'll find a food you like eventually. How's the pasta?

[ It hasn't eaten any, but it gives Alfie a flat look and continues to pet the cat, leaning back in its chair. ]

Delicious. [ It deadpans. ]

Have you taken even a bite?

[He knows he hasn't. He's been watching.]

Why are you so insistent on me eating?

You've never done it before, am I right?

You're right. I didn't exist before I was given to you, as far as I'm aware.

No, they bought you new. Good Life wouldn't've sold you, otherwise.

Do you truly not want to give eating a try?

[ It stares down at the plate for a long moment, and then very delicately puts the kitten in its lap. She mews in protest, and he frowns heavily, but he doesn't pick her back up again.

Carefully, it picks up a fork and twirls the pasta around before taking a bite. Eating is - weird? It knows how to do it, it's just seems so unnecessary. It's... the food is okay, it thinks. It's distracted by the texture, looking wholly mystified by the process. ]

[Alfie watches him, quietly and curiously, giving him space to take it in.]

I suppose you'll be more impressed with those better meals you were going on about.

Maybe. [ It says, dubiously. ] It's... interesting. The texture is strange.

Mm. Slippery?

Yes. The taste is alright. I'm not sure about noodles.

I'll get you some pad thai this week, mate; we'll see if that'll change your mind.

[It won't be until much later in the evening that Alfie will realize that he called the bot mate, just like he would a human.]

[ It notices, though, and glances up at Alfie with a vaguely surprised look. It could be taken as surprise that Alfie's going to buy him food, however. ]

... Okay. [ It says, after a moment. ] If you allow it, I can go to the grocery store of your choosing and buy ingredients for dinners, as well.

Yeah, all right. I'll give you some money for that tomorrow.

[The cat, which had started to prowl around the apartment, exploring, wanders back. She sniffs Alfie's legs, then goes to curl up on the bot's foot.]

[ Oh, okay. The bot looks down at the kitten with a little twitch of a smile. It'll leave her there for now. ]

I will clean up if you'd like to go back to what you were doing before.

I can wash my own plate; I'm not an invalid.

I didn't say that you are. I said I can do it, if you'd like to get back to what you were doing. [ :T ]

Nope.

[He moves to stand, glancing down to make sure he's not about to step on the cat.]

You wash yours, and I'll wash mine.

[ PBBBLHHHHHTTTTT. Fine. The bot actually grumbles a bit, but stands up, scoops the kitten up, and deposits her around its shoulders. The cat settles like a cat-scarf, and the bot grabs its plate to go and wash it. ]

[Alfie rinses off his dish and deposits it in the dishwasher, then motions for the bot to do the same.]

You really should name that cat.

[He comments as he moves out of the room.]

You'll need to be able to call her, at the very least.

[ It does so, and when Alfie speaks to it, it glances up at him. ]

I don't know what to name her. [ It responds, absently. Alfie's mostly out of the room by the time it mumbles: ] I wish I could ask.

It's a cat, mate; it'll like whatever you call it.

[Alfie calls over his shoulder. The kitten mews, watching him go with alert eyes.]