MOVED

She was a little surprised that Blue had never felt happiness before. Though… it was a while before she remembered what it felt like as well. Even now sometimes she forgot. 

“Happiness… It’s really nice. It fills you with such pleasant feelings and you almost forget you were ever sad.”

He blinked, curiosity instantly sparked at the explanation. His free hand anxiously twirled around a rogue bit of string frayed from his worn jacket. “That...yes, that would be very hard to forget. I’m not sure I could...,” he mumbled wearily. If he couldn’t forget his pain and sadness, did that mean he’d never be happy?

Nines felt no remorse for what he had done, and this android being sad over Zlatko’s death didn’t change that. In his eyes, it had been a necessary act of desperation. He’d do it again without hesitation if given the choice.

“I killed him. His body is in his workshop,” he revealed. “He took things from me, and I intend to get them back before I leave here.”

He knew the other wasn’t lying--if he had been Zlatko would have already been up the stairs and punishing them both. Silent, thirium-stained tears rolled from his eyes as he stared blankly down at the pool of thick, blue thirium. Eventually he would probably shut down like this, without Zlatko’s constant modifications to keep him just barely alive. “You--....you should go,” he mumbled, expression contorted in melancholy, “...-yes, get far from here just in case. And help the others. If...-if they can get away too.” Just because he was stuck here to suffer didn’t mean others had to.

“Whoa!”

Noah wobbled as the android lifted him up, he hasn’t been expecting that, he was honestly surprised they stayed this long, most people would have left him there. But he was secretly grateful for the for being held, his legs were too weak to walk anyway at the moment.

“Go north from here, third street isn’t far, but keep to the shadows, we don’t need to be seen, people seeing what looks like a kid being carried around by an android might raise suspicion. No offense of course, its just how humans are…..I’m Noah by the way…. Thank you for helping me, most people would have left me to die.”

Blue held the human securely--though his body may be fragile, the android still had quite a bit of strength when he chose to use it. He nodded obediently at the directions. Keeping at the shadows shouldn’t be too difficult, as Blue hid in the darkest parts of Detroit all day, fearful of the city’s crowds and too overwhelmed to seek help. Noah is the first human he had interacted with that had yet to hurt him in some way. 

Chloe smiled up at Blue, happy to see that he wanted to get better and was willing to go with her. It was hard to accept help, she would know from personal experience, but it was worth it.

“I’m so happy. Let’s go.” 

She was happy? Did he make her happy simply by agreeing to go? A small spark of curiosity lights in his eyes, head tilting inquisitively. Blue wasn’t sure he’d ever felt happiness before--relief, maybe, when he was finally free of his master, but he’d only found more misery out on the streets.

Blue’s hesitance went unnoticed, Sixty had been more occupied with finding a way out, and once their hands were joined, he knew they wouldn’t be separated. Letting Blue have first pick of the clothing was an easy choice, he could wear nearly anything that was at least big enough to go over him, and it was nice to see the other android so excited. Keeping one eye out for potential dangers, he picked his way through the pile for himself.

Coming out with a different pair of pants, only a few inches too large around the waist, but that was fixed with a thin fashion scarf threaded through the belt loops and tied tightly. He found a t-shirt that was only slightly large on him, a zip up sweatshirt missing the zipper tab and finally a hat that covered the still open hole in his head. His shoes were still in working order, and he found pair that looked like they might fit Blue.

Looking the older android over at his request, he wouldn’t have known Blue was… injured… just by sight. While it wasn’t the most uncommon thing to have each eye a different color, people were likely more inclined to notice now with Markus having been such a visible leader in the revolution. Sixty smiled gently “I think you look great” offering Blue the shoes he found he continued “Let’s get some shoes on you though, I don’t want you to get hurt walking barefoot”

Folding up his Cyberlife jacket Sixty stuffed it into a backpack he found underneath the first layer of clothes. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to get rid of it just yet, if found it could let people know he had survived the tower “What about me? Do I seem alright?” They would still need to find someplace safe while Sixty tried to gather information on the state of the world, if the revolution had continued on, or if it had been violently squashed.

He beamed at the assuring compliment from Sixty but tilted his head at the shoes. “O-oh...yes...-yes, right.” Blue felt a little silly for not having considered shoes, but there wasn’t any major damage on his feet, so he hadn’t thought about covering them up. The ache in his body a bit too much when he tried to bend over, Blue chose to sit on the ground and slip the shoes on. They were worn and faded sneakers, but he couldn’t be happier with them.

At Sixty’s question, Blue glanced up, smiling. “Y-yes...-yes, of course. Better...better than al-alright, I think.” But the AP700′s eyes fell on Sixty’s shoes, finding the laces undone. A brief flash from his shattered caretaker programming urged him to fix it, as he might have for a child under his care. Blue leaned over, carefully tying the laces into a neat, double-knotted bow. “...you--you...might have tripped on them.” He mumbled, shyly looking away as he stood back up.

For a split second, Nines was tempted to bare his teeth in a warning snarl. Like a feral animal. To scare away potential threats. He was afraid, and nervous, and he didn’t want to run into anymore trouble, and the only defense mechanisms he now had were those programmed into him by Zlatko. 

But the android in the tub was not a threat. He was missing limbs, and he was in worse shape than even the other androids in the basement. 

“The master is dead,” Nines said flatly. 

Nines had crushed his skull with his bare hands, and left him a crumpled mess on the floor of his workshop of horrors. 

If his eyes got any wider, his optical units might pop out. The poor android just gaped at the other, not knowing what to think or how to feel. “Wh-what...no, no, no that isn’t possible,” he finally voiced his denial. What was he without his master? Now there would never be anyone to fix him--the AP700 had vainly hoped that if he was good, if he behaved for Zlatko and gave the man everything he wanted, then one day Zlatko would be pleased enough to at least fix him.

Noah took his shirt off, the dampened material only making things worse for him and put the dry jacket around him, pressing it as close to his body as he could, for once grateful his frame was so small. “No…. I think i know what your planning on doing, I’ve already seen an android catch on fire from overheating, I can’t bare to see another one.” He said shaking his head at the android. “C-could you help me walk? To-to third street, I think I have an idea that could benefit us both.” Noah stood up shakily, using the nearby wall for support.

Blue hesitated, tilting his head--he knew heating his systems would be a danger but he had been willing to risk it for the human’s sake. It didn’t really matter what happened to him, did it? If he could take care of just one person, then he was happy to do that even if it was all he ever did. The misguided, lost android didn’t really have much else--just a broken body and even more broken programming. And a lot of feelings he didn’t understand.

“Of course I’m sure. It was a hard thing to grasp and understand, but… we didn’t deserve what happened to us. We deserve to be treated with kindness and respect, it doesn’t matter that we’re androids.”

She smiled when Blue took the offered hand. “I’m so glad to hear that… We can go right now if you would like. There are people who can help our wounds and those who are therapists for us to talk to. They are very helpful and I wished I had gone to them sooner.”

Blue liked the sound of her words, even if he didn’t really understand their gravity--it sounded nice, like he was more than just a toy for his master to manipulate. He wasn’t really sure what else he was supposed to be, but maybe she could help him with that somehow?

His stress only started to lessen once Blue seemed to start up again. Hands gently making sure each plate and hatch was back as it should be, Sixty paused at the sensation of lips against his thirium coated fingers. The small smile had been cataloged and filed away deep in his memory system, hidden away safely.  He’d been so scared at how still the other had been, wondering if he’d done something wrong somehow in his repair. Blue was correct, it was cold, and only going to get colder as time passed. Taking off his own uniform jacket he offered it to the other “Put this on for now, I’ll try to find something warmer for you.

A uniform with it’s glowing symbols was better than nothing, and many had the option of turning off most of the markers with a little brute force if needed. Taking his hand, Sixty helped him upright, his own systems had been a testing ground for upgrades in cold resistance, but he could still feel the chill creeping through him.

“Stay close okay? You don’t have to look if you don’t want to” the graveyard was a terrible place to see, and honestly if he could feel nauseous he would likely have given into the feeling by now. This was what Cyberlife wanted him to ensure happened, they wanted all deviants to end up in this terrible place without hope or warmth.

Forcing himself to ignore the blue smears still visible, he intertwined his fingers with Blue’s as they started walking again picking through cleaner piles searching for something to keep warm. Nearing the fence, Sixty could see it had recently sustained some damage, part of it had been knocked over making it much easier to get out. Down the street he could see an overflowing donation drop box, he couldn’t get all the details at this angle, but there was a high probability there would be something that would fit Blue there “I found some clothes they’re down the street, but they should be warm”

Blue tentatively took the uniform jacket, unsure if it was really okay to use it. “B-but...it’s yours,” he mumbled--though he got distracted by the glowing markings, tilting his head in curiosity. He’d never seen this before and yet it felt familiar, felt right; and for that reason, he really wanted to put it on. He could just take it off if Sixty changed his mind, right? Blue slipped the jacket on, sensors on his back and arms instantly relieved of the harsh cold, though the chilled wind still blew through his open chest. He shivered, trying to pull the jacket closed as far as it would go. 

He nodded meekly at Sixty’s request for proximity. “I-..yes, I’ve already seen it,” Blue admitted sadly. And though it was a new level of horrifying, the open mass grave did not surprise him in the least. He wondered if anyone else here was like him: abandoned by Zlatko somehow. Falling slightly behind as he considered this thought, he took a few quick steps and reached out for Sixty’s shirt sleeve, gently clinging to it like a lost child.

Though, that soon turned to holding the other’s hand as Sixty entwined their fingers. As they approached the donation pile, the android's eyes landed on something almost immediately: a blue scarf--though worn and frayed, he was instantly drawn to it. Slipping from Sixty’s grasp, he picked it up, securely wrapping it around his neck and smiling to himself. So, he could use clothing to stay warm, but, more importantly in Blue’s mind, to cover up. 

Noah jerked in surprise at the man's- no an androids voice. He watched him warily for a moment, giving a quick glance behind him just in case he was being set up, before reaching out and taking the scarf gently, wrapping it around his neck and placing his cold hands inside it.

"Th-thanks....yeah I know," Noah trembled and broke out into another set of shivers. "I don't h-have anywhere t-to go, so this pipe is the best I got."

Noah studied the man's neck, that combined with the stuttering...the poor guy looks like hes been through hell.

Blue knew the man was looking at his damage, subconsciously reaching a hand up to cover his neck. He stood there for a moment, wavering, as he considered whether or not it would be okay to stay. Checking the weather, he found that the temperature was only going to drop lower tonight. Slipping off his ragged jacket as well, he shivered, leaving himself with only a ripped t-shirt (all his clothing had been sourced from what he could find on the streets). But even though he felt the cold and it hurt, it wouldn’t kill him, not like it would the human. “h-here...-you need it more.”

“I know humans can be horrible and are angry. They feel the need to take their anger out on something, someone, and they choose the closest android. It’s not fair and you shouldn’t have to deal with that.” She reached out her hand, not too close to scare him off, but just enough in case he would like to hold it for comfort.

“But, we could go to Jericho. There are only androids there and they have support systems and protection for those like us. I don’t want to see anything bad happen to you anymore…”

“It...isn’t fair?” He tilted his head in confusion. Blue had never considered that perhaps he didn’t deserve the things that happened to him, only that it was a part of life. He didn’t like it, but that’s the way things were. “...-are you sure?” 

RK900 might not have discovering the android in the bathtub had he not decided to check upstairs in his search for his missing and replaced parts. 

Much of his outer chassis had been expertly carved away, leaving him looking like a skinless walking horror. The only part of his synthetic skin still active was on the upper half of his face. His cheeks, his upper lip.

Unacceptable. 

He just… wanted to be whole again. It wasn’t that he was in such terrible shape, because he was still fully functional. But the pieces of him that were gone or switched… he missed them. 

He felt bereft without them. 

When he opened the bathroom door, he paused, staring down into the tub. 

 The AP700 habitually winced as the doorknob turned, fully expecting it to be Zlatko: the man here to take out his frustrations once again. But his eyes widened as he saw the other android, lips parting in shock. “Y-you shouldn’t be here...no...no, the master isn’t going to like it.” He fretted aloud, frightened voice full of static, “no one is allowed in here except for the master...no, no, no...--you need to leave.”

Leaving the torso behind, Sixty turned his attention back to Blue, the sight was devastating to him. He’d let down the other already, so soon after assigning himself the mission to keep him safe. Kneeling down next to him, Sixty spoke aloud before daring to touch the AP700 “Blue, Blue can you hear me? Please look at me, I need to replace your pump” he didn’t dare set down the precious part he’d managed to find, letting dirt and grim cover it would only hurt Blue in the long run.

He didn’t know how much time Blue had left on his countdown, and he couldn’t leave the other to die now. Blue had saved him, he needed to save the other android. Finding himself running low on options, he leaned in close to the other and pressed a chaste kiss on Blue’s hands that still covered his face “I found a new pump for you, please let me help Blue”

When the other finally met his eyes, he smiled gently “There you are… I need you to open up so I can fix you up alright? I promise I’ll be as quick as I can” working quickly he disconnected the other’s heavily damaged pump and attached the newer one in it’s place. His thirium pump regulator was straining to keep his own pump running smoothly, the panic of not being quite quick enough getting to him, as fresh thirium covered his hands.

The AP700 failed to process Sixty’s initial words through panicked sobs, his processor suddenly overwhelmed with Zlatko’s voice reminding him of how very useless and helpless he was. But as Sixty’s lips graced his hands, it all came to a sudden halt. He was astounded by the completely unknown, gentle gesture. It was comforting, something so simple and yet it amazed him. His hands parted slightly to peek at Sixty, seeing the other’s smile. Then, his master was wrong afterall--no, no he was wrong. Sixty wasn’t leaving him.

He nodded meekly, allowing the other to access his torso without any fuss. The fresh thirium doesn’t shock him; at this point seeing his own thirium on another’s hands was a very familiar sight. He trusted Sixty, not even afraid as his broken pump was removed and everything around him blurred and slowed. Blue was almost frighteningly calm, so very used to his biocomponents being removed and replaced for fun--thankfully, his pain sensors seemed to still be offline as well.

As the pump was replaced, he was instantly overwhelmed with all of his senses on full-blast, prompting a very sharp gasp. The familiar ache in his body returned, but wasn’t excruciating. The steady beating of a working thirium pump in his chest was calming. Blue tried on a small smile, filled with new vigor--he reached for the other’s hand, thanking him by returning a small kiss on Sixty’s knuckles. 

Sometimes when the stress of their situation became too much, Simon would find a room to be alone. He’d curl up and enter rest mode to get away for a while. It was just nicer in his mind palace than in reality. Jericho may be his home now but it was a depressing cavern of hopelessness even for him.

As he powered down he awoke in his mind palace; essentially a dream for Androids. There was a modest little cottage with a playground close by. Flowers grew all around in the open meadow surrounding the cottage. It was lovely. Peaceful. Until he suddenly heard a voice.

Simon set down the shears he’d been using to prune the bushes around this home before turning to the other male. He recognized the model type of the man before him but didn’t know him personally. How was he here?

“My dream. Technically my mind palace.” Simon told the man. At least he was pretty sure the man wasn’t there to hack him. I’m

Blue’s attention had dragged away from the other, his eyes focusing in awe at the beautiful scenery--all he’d ever known were the white tile walls of Zlako’s bathroom. He knew what flowers were, but had never seen them for himself. Blue reached out to touch one of the blooms, but his hand froze, stilling himself. This didn't belong to him. The other might not like it if he touched--it might make him angry.

Her jerked his hand away, nervously hiding it behind his back. It’s then that he realized he was dressed in clean, pressed clothes--dark navy corduroy pants with a matching vest and a sky blue button-up underneath. Not only was he whole, but he looked nice. Blue didn't know anything about clothes; he pulled at his sleeve surprise, almost missing the other’s response.

Chloe wasn’t at all shocked that Blue was still horribly affected by his time in that house. Hell, she was too. She wasn’t sure if she would ever be able to fully recover from what she witnessed and experienced.

“You don’t have to be around people if you don’t want to. But, there are androids who are willing to help those of us how were in that house. I tried to do things on my own, but I couldn’t. I don’t want to see you suffer anymore.”

Blue nervously picked at the frayed end of his scarf, “I-...I-...no, I don’t know.” He wanted to believe her, to think that there was some hope someone out there might really want to help him. But his hopes had been dashed and trampled on many times before.