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[devoutish]

[Robots? Robots.]

Comments

[devoutish]

[He goes for the door, opening it, and then hesitates again.]

Don't treat me like I'm a master and you're a servant in public, eh?

[It's already bad enough in private.]

[bywolves]

[ A beat. ]

Noted. [ It says, lifting an eyebrow. ] How would you like me to act?

[devoutish]

What do you imagine I'm gonna say?

[He holds the door open for Royce behind him, pulling his scarf more securely around his neck.]

[bywolves]

[ The bot follows Alfie out, not seeming to be affected by the wind. ]

I don't imagine. That's why I asked.

oh my god pretend i didn't call him Royce in the last tag

[devoutish]

You're fucking ridiculous.

[He grumbles, turning down the street towards the main road. It's a busy, bustling day, despite the chill in the air.]

Right, my office is a short walk away. I don't take the car, normally.

pretends

[bywolves]

It's better for you to walk, anyway. [ The bot says, glancing at him. ] Healthier.

[ Look, it might get grouchy about the whole lack of orders thing but it has a responsibility program in which it needs to just like, make sure its owner doesn't die of a heart attack or something. ] Is there anything you'd like me to assist you with once we arrive?

AND THEN I FUCKING DID IT AGAIN i have WTL verse on the brain i'm sorry

[devoutish]

Nope. In fact, I'm gonna have you wait outside my office. You can hang around the public areas, or go back to the flat once we've picked up your parts, or--

[Suddenly, a large rock flies out of seemingly nowhere, hitting the bot smack on the back of its head.]

LMAO it's fine don't worry

[bywolves]

[ Ow. Or - well, it doesn't exactly hurt, but it is startling and it does make a big flashing error sign go crazy for a second in its head. It stumbles, and then rests a hand where the rock hit it, looking confused.

It shifts to stand in front of Alfie, trying to figure out where the rock came from. ]

[devoutish]

[There's a group of smug-looking twenty-somethings milling around about twenty feet away, trying to look casual and innocent and not doing a very good job of it. The fact that one of them is wearing a sweatshirt with EARTH FOR HUMANS emblazoned across the front doesn't do them any favors, either.

As soon as he spots them, Alfie makes a beeline for them. A series of oh, shit looks cross the dudes' faces; clearly being caught and confronted wasn't a part of their plans today. Thinking quickly, Mr. Earth for Humans decides to muddy the water by gesturing wildly to the bot and calling out:]

Hey! I just saw that bot's light turn red! It's malfunctioning!

[In this city's political and social climate, nothing riles up a crowd more than a malfunctioning, potentially dangerous bot.]

[bywolves]

[ Hoo, boy. The second the guy starts shouting about malfunctioning robots, it gets a lot of attention. The bot is holding the side of its head and looking confused, and that is just enough for a couple of people to start hurrying away. Another man, someone not with the group of smug twenty-somethings, makes his way forward and grabs the android by the arm, wrenching it back. There's an audible crack as the superglued wrist joint snaps out of place.

The man with the bot in a vice grip scowls, trying to get a look at the bot's LED light as the bot just limply stands there, not doing anything to defend itself. The twenty-somethings all holler in Alfie's direction, causing a scene as everybody turns to look. ]

[devoutish]

Oi!

[Leaving behind the young guys (for now), Alfie immediately whirls around, grabbing the guy and trying to wrench him off. Despite being middle-aged, Alfie's pretty strong, and he's not making any effort to be gentle here.]

[bywolves]

[ The guy isn't expecting to be grabbed by some middle-aged dude, so he jerks away pretty quickly. The bot stumbles slightly again, arm held to its chest, wrist joint at an angle that would be broken for a human.

The grabby guy speaks up: ] Ain't got a red light on him. [ And then looks at the group of smug guys across the way.

The bot keeps an eye on Alfie, expression surprised. The LED is yellow, but that's likely because it was just roughly manhandled and broken. ]

[devoutish]

Just because it doesn't now doesn't mean it didn't then.

[Says another guy who's quickly approaching. Alfie doesn't wait for him to get there - he charges over and grabs him by the shoulder, getting right up in his face.]

Fuck off. Eh?

[bywolves]

[ Said dude nearly pees himself. Hello, Alfie is terrifying. The guy shrinks down and mutters something about not wanting any trouble. The manhandler makes a disgusted sound and just walks away entirely, his deed done for the day. No rogue robots here, just a bunch of punks.

The android, arm still to its chest, finally speaks. ]

It's okay, Mr. Solomons. I'm fine.

[devoutish]

[Alfie gives the guy he's holding a solid shake, then lets him go.]

And you--

[He says, rounding on the group of boys who'd started this whole mess.]

-- I live just down the lane from here, and you can fucking bet I'll be keeping an eye out for you in the future.

[bywolves]

Yes sir. [ One of them says, stammering, and the guy that got shaken scrambles away from Alfie and nudges the others off and away from here. They're not so brave when they're actually confronted.

Which leaves the android standing, watching Alfie with a tilted head. ]

[devoutish]

Fucking cowards, the lot of them.

[Alfie stews, watching them make their escape.]

Didn't even think about standing their ground-- what?

[He's turned around to face the bot, and catches the way it's looking at him.]

[bywolves]

Nothing. [ It says, but it's head is still tilted. ] You're just protecting your personal property. It makes sense to be angry. I'm expensive.

[ But still - it's kind of nice. The rock hadn't done much damage in the first place. ]

[devoutish]

Oh, for fuck's sake--

[He says, still a little agitated. He starts to move back towards the main road, still planning to head for his office.]

[bywolves]

[ A beat, and then it starts to follow Alfie. ] Sorry. Did I say something wrong?

[devoutish]

If you're gonna insist on fitting yourself into this little box that's been made for you, the least you could do is not try to shove me in, as well.

[bywolves]

[ Oh. ]

I -- [ It falters slightly. It doesn't know anything else than those boxes. It's a computer, it can't think creatively. At least, it doesn't think it can. ] I'm just... following my programming.

[ :c ]

[devoutish]

You were a gift. I didn't want you, really.

[Which sounds harsh, but in a way, he means it to be reassuring.]

When I defend you or help you out, it isn't because my property is being damaged and I don't want to bother running out and fetching another. I wouldn't; I've no interest in it.

[bywolves]

[ I didn't want you. It is reassuring, in a logical way, and that's all that matters. The part of it that shrinks down unhappily is something to ignore. Bad lines of code. ]

Then that means you help because you don't want to see me treated poorly. [ Right? Is that it? It's the logical conclusion to that statement, because if Alfie didn't care, he'd just let someone break it. ]

[devoutish]

Particularly not for such a fucking stupid reason. Malfunctioning.

[He snorts.]