wickedchouette | (no subject)

[ 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.]

[ It settles down in the living room, eventually, with the cat in its lap. It flicks through thousands and thousands of name suggestion sites, eyes closed as it searches. Eventually, it opens its eyes and looks down at the kitten. ]

Guinevere was the wife and queen of King Arthur, a popular and well-known work of medieval literature. [ It informs the kitten. ] I enjoy the stories, and she is a noble figure, just as you are. Her name is spelled many different ways, and Gwenhwyfar, the way with the W, is the most aesthetically pleasing.

I think I will call you Gwen.

[The cat looks him in the eyes as he talks, and when he's done, she mews again, as if she's agreeing.]

[ He smiles, and - and feels warm. A little alarmed, he runs a diagnostic, trying to find if anything is wrong, but... there isn't. He just is warm, and... happy. ]

I am going to go on standby, for now. [ He murmurs to the kitten. ] Wake me up if you're hungry.

[Fine with her. She'll sleep in its lap for a few hours, if it stays put, and Alfie won't reemerge from his bedroom until it's nearly midnight. When he does, he gives them a glance.]

Tomorrow, when you go out, get things for the cat as well. It'll be needing food and a litterbox and things.

Edited 2019-03-07 21:26 (UTC)

[ Alfie gets to see the bot whir to life, opening its eyes and glancing in Alfie's direction. It heard what he said. ]

I will put those things on the list. Is there anything else you would like me to pick up, Mr. Solomons?

[He hesitates.]

Did I wake you? Do you sleep?

You woke me, but only in the sense that you woke up a sleeping computer.

Right. Of course.

[He walks over, leaning in to pet the cat on the head with one finger.]

Well, speaking of sleep, I'm gonna shove off. What do you do at night?

[ She yawns and flops over on her back, pawing sleepily at his finger. ]

I sleep, like you do. [ It says, with a twitch of its lips. ] Well. Mostly like you do. I'll put myself on standby until the shops are open tomorrow.

[Aw, cute. He tickles her little tummy.]

Have you got pajamas? A change of clothes?

No. I don't need them.

[ You should be expecting this answer by now, Alfie. ]

But your clothes can still get dirty, surely. Seems like whoever packaged you up should have thought of that.

[ There's a pause. ]

Yes. I may have come with an extra set, but I don't know where they might be. I can wash my clothes when they get dirty.

Mm. I can look in the box, if you like.

If you like. [ It corrects. ] I'm content in this.

It doesn't much matter to me; I don't care what you wear.

Then I will stay in this outfit.

Goodnight, Mr. Solomons.