Irandial Wintoris

It was a lie, of course. A perverse twist of the prophecy given to you at birth.

In truth, your heart was what kept this city alive. Instead of taking, you freely gave it to your people, ensuring that as long as you lived, none of its inhabitants would be subjected to aging or illness. The city had flourished for decades now.

Unfortunately, this age of prosperity came at a great cost to you.

The prospect of eternal life was too tempting for so many. And the attempts on your life had started within a week of your eighteenth birthday.

Now, instead of spending your most recent years being courted by nobles or far-off royals, you'd spent it in a cage. A gilded cage, but a cage nonetheless. Your mother, the queen, had insisted on guards protecting your rooms at all hours of the day, after you've been moved to live in the tallest tower of the castle.

For your safety, of course.

Unfortunately for her, she hadn't accounted for just how committed desperate people would be.

The assassination attempts had been ruthless, but also predictable, at first. Knowing that every time you spent the day in court would come with at least one attempt could have been entertaining. Instead, it made it worse, as the Queen used it as a reason to shrink your world.

Practical, she called it.

For the good of your people.

Your birthday ball, which included no less than three attempts on your life - one from a poisoned perfume given as a gift, another from a knife hidden as a hair ornament before its weilder attempted to stab you, and the last from a fire that was stopped before the match could be dropped.

At the end of the night, you were fine. Not even a hair out of place.

The knife hadn't had a chance to graze you, you didn't learn about the fire until later, and the perfume had harmed the poor maid who sprayed it on her own wrist before you had the chance to sample it.

But it didn't matter. Your life was at stake, which meant so was the rest of the kingdom.

Into your tower you went, to be guarded and protected until it was deemed safe to venture through the castle walls, to the library or the gardens or even the dining room.

The assassination attempts had escalated over time. Unsatisfied by no more public appearances, the castle staff had been infiltrated on more than on occasion. First the maids who tried to poison your food. Then the guards that had wrapped their hands around your throat instead of their swords.

Each time, you'd escaped. Each time, your cage had shrank further and further, the Queen demanding more and more safeguards.

The worst was the gardener.

The sweet old man you'd known since you were a child, who cultivated your favorite blooms every year just to see you smile.

He'd cried as he'd been dragged away, after you'd touched the petals of your favorite flowers and a numbness spread through you like wildfire. You'd managed two steps before you collapsed, the gardener kneeling down next to you with tears in his eyes as he mumbled about how they'd taken his daughter and he had no choice.

Now, you lived in your tower, where everything that came and went from your bedchamber could be carefully monitored and proven safe.

All you wanted was to sit in the gardens again, with the sun on your face, and the breeze in your hair.

"Rafayel, please," you said, leaning against your bedroom door as you tried to catch his attention. "Five minutes. That's all I'm asking."

Your bodyguard was leaning just outside the door, his arms crossed over his chest. Despite his relaxed appearance, you knew he had a plethora of knives stashed in his leather armor and could wield them without a moment's hesitation.

"No."

You sighed as you let your head fall to the side, not caring if you hit your head a little too hard on the doorframe as long as it got him to glance in your direction.

"Pleeeeeease," you said, "I haven't had fresh air in ages. I don't even need to stand near the railing."

The slow pattern of his fingers tapping along his bicep was the only clue that he was considering your request. It helped that you hadn't asked for anything in almost two weeks, and you hadn't done anything to make his job harder in the meantime.

There'd been no special requests to the kitchen, no attempts to sneak past him at night to wander the castle halls. You'd followed all of his instructions perfectly the few times you'd been escorted to the library for your never-ending studies.

You'd been perfectly behaved, even if you felt like crawling up the walls of your room out of frustration.

Unfortunately, Rafayel was all too familiar with your tricks. He'd spent too many years growing up with you, carrying out all kinds of schemes and mischief together, as long as it made you laugh. It didn't matter how long you behaved perfectly, Rafayel never trusted your intentions when you asked for something specific.

"We both know the railing is not the issue here," he said, still blatantly not looking at you.

"It's the middle of the night! No one can even see me."

You couldn't help but reach for him then, your fingers grazing the edge of his leather armor before you pulled back. The fabric was warm from his body and tailored perfectly. You'd spent too many hours trying not to admire the cut of it around his shoulders and waist, the perfect garment to protect him and still allow movement when he fought.

"Go back inside, Princess," Rafayel said, his fingers stilling against his bicep once more. "You should sleep."

He wasn't looking at you. He had barely looked at you since you'd opened the door, only turning his head slightly to make sure you weren't planning on leaving your bedroom. If Rafayel had stood just a little closer to the door, you would've done the same thing you'd done so many times growing up. You would've let your chin rest on his shoulder as you stood on your tiptoes, looking up at him with the biggest eyes you could make and sticking your bottom lip out juuuuuust enough to look sad until he finally caved.

When you'd asked the Queen to make your childhood best friend turned soldier into your personal bodyguard, you'd done so in hopes that it would make your gilded cage more bearable.

Instead, it was just another way to torture yourself under the pretense of keeping you safe. The boy who'd done anything to make you laugh now barely looked at you unless your life was in active peril.

"Raaaaaf," you said, finally taking a step out into the hallway so you could force Rafayel to look you in the eyes. You thought you saw the faintest blush growing above the edge of his mask as you stood in front of him in your nightgown, even if his eyes never moved from their neverending sweep around the small hallway in front of your door.

You refused to stop staring him down regardless of whether or not he was looking at you. When you were growing up, your puppy dog eyes had always worked on him, regardless of how outlandish the thing you'd tried to convince him of was. Even if it hadn't worked in years, you couldn't stop trying.

Couldn't stop secretly hoping that a glimpse of your old friend would appear.

"One minute," you said. "Final offer."

Rafayel stood to his full height as he finally looked at you. The full weight of his gaze settled on you, his blue and pink irises soft and familiar even as he frowned.

"One minute," Rafayel said, "but you stay inside your bedroom the whole time."

You couldn't help the giddy little dance you let out as you returned to your bedroom, dutifully sitting on your bed as Rafayel pulled the set of keys that had been carefully tucked underneath his armor. You watched him carefully has he pulled back the curtains, doing a slow visual sweep of the balcony with his eyes before he finally unlocked the door.

Rafayel turned to stare at you, his gaze heavy with something you couldn't quite name.

"One minute."

You nodded before you stood, moving until you were close enough to Rafayel that you could wrap your arms around him in a hug.

You stayed there, protected by Rafayel's body, as he swung open your balcony doors.

The ocean breeze greeted you like a long-lost friend.

You couldn't help but sidestep around Rafayel to fully experience it, taking in slow, deep breaths of the sea salt air for the first time in weeks. You closed your eyes as the breeze drifted around you, toying with the hem of your nightgown and tugging at the pieces of your hair that had escaped your nighttime braid.

You hummed in contentment. The only thing that could've made this moment better was if it'd happened in the daylight and you could feel the sunshine warming your face.

"Princess?"

You turned to face Rafayel, only to find his gloved hand hovering an inch from your bare cheek.

You smiled, hoping that would be enough to know you okay, but his thumb was already there, brushing away the tears you hadn't realized were falling.

You let out a small gasp at the contact as you both froze, the reality of what was happening fully sinking in.

Rafayel's gloved thumb still rested on your cheek. You could feel the warmth of his hand through the leather, noticed he was touching you as delicately as he would a butterfly wing. You were afraid to breathe too deeply in case it scared him away.

So you stayed there, both of you frozen in place, Rafayel's hand steady on your cheek, while the sea breeze danced around you.

When you looked up at him, Rafayel was staring at you with a softness you hadn't seen in him since you were kids. You couldn't look away, afraid that if you blinked his stoic exterior would return again. You watched Rafayel's mouth open a milimeter before he closed it again, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed around nothing.

There was a high-pitched whistling sound. You saw Rafayel's pupils contract before he moved, tackling you to the ground as an arrow punctured the wall directly behind where you had stood a moment before.

His arms were wrapped around you, one underneath your head to cushion your fall, the other at your waist. You were suddenly, desperately, aware of how thin your nightgown was Rafayel's body rested fully top of yours, blocking you from harm.

You saw him drag his eyes down your front, checking you quickly for injuries, before he was on his feet, closing the balcony door with a sharp snap. His hands fumbled with the keys, once again pulled from underneath his armor, as he locked the door and pulled the curtains back into place.

Rafayel wouldn't look at you as he walked through your bedchambers, retrieving the arrow from where it was buried in the wall before he double-checked that every window was still securely locked and no one could see inside your bedchamber.

You thought you heard him whisper a soft "I'm sorry," before he was outside your door once again. All signs of your childhood friend were gone as he returned to his proper station outside your door, your faithful bodyguard once more.

You were still laying on the ground, trying to catch your breath as you took stock of what had happened.

One moment, you'd been in near heaven. The fresh air on your skin, the full-force of Rafayel's attention, the light press of his thumb against your cheek.

Now, you were on the floor, your cheeks flushed from embarrassment as you realized just how high your nightgown had ridden up your thighs as Rafayel had protected you. You could only close your eyes, pressing the heels of your palms against them, as you tried not to cry.

Rafayel refused to indulge you after that night, despite all of your teasing and cajoling.

While he wouldn't abandon his duties and leave his station outside your bedroom, the previous glimpses of the boy you'd grown up with had disappeared entirely. You could usually find him twirling one of his daggers between his fingers as he scanned the area for threats. At the very least, he would occasionally give you a look that meant he knew all too well what you were up to.

Now, however, he stood at attention, only shifting his weight back and forth occasionally, refusing to make eye contact or answer any questions that were outside his scope of duty.

It was even worse than if it was angry with you. At least then he would bite back when you teased him and listen when you apologized after taking it too far.

This complete avoidance of you was like a knife to the gut.

"Your highness," Rafayel said, his voice low as he stood outside your door, not facing you. "I am to escort you to the library for your studies today."

It was the most he'd said to you all week and part of you hated how overjoyed you were at the sound of his voice. You hadn't realized how much you depended on his company until you'd been denied it for three days.

You followed him silently down the staircase, trying desperately not to watch how his shoulder and back muscles flexed underneath his leathers as he moved. You waited patiently as he checked the library, which had been emptied specifically so you could use it to study. When he deemed it clear and safe, you took your usual spot at the table in the corner - the one designated as the easiest to defend - before you reached for the stack of books that had been left for you by your tutors.

When you opened the tome to where you'd left off last time, a large cloud of powder rose and surrounded you, sending you into a terrible coughing fit. You were doubled over in pain as you fought to breathe, the smoke choking you as effectively as if someone had their hands around you neck.

Rafayel was by your side instantly, lifting you into his arms as he carried you through the library. You were barely aware of where he was taking you, too focused on trying to breathe to notice the secret passageway he'd opened.

"Just a little longer, Princess," Rafayel said, his voice low and more tense than you'd ever heard it. "We're almost there."

He set you down on a soft surface before his hands disappeared, only to return a moment later with a wet cloth he pressed gently over your mouth and nose.

"Here. Try to breathe slowly, if you can."

You weren't sure what Rafayel had covered the cloth in, but you didn't care. The moment it touched you, you felt the first punch of relief as your throat opened and you could breathe again. You had to close your eyes as your lungs filled with air, nearly falling over again as your eyes filled with tears of relief.

"Just like that," Rafayel said, kneeling next to you. He rested one of his hands between your shoulders to keep you from falling over. "Deep breaths, nice and slow."

When you started crying, you weren't sure if he was aware that his hand was moving in small circles on your back, but it was a comfort nonetheless. You couldn't help yourself from reaching out, resting one hand on the wide expanse of his thigh as you leaned towards him, using his body to steady your own.

You sat together for a long time, you breathing through the cloth while Rafayel spoke soothing words into your ear while he never removed his hands from your back, even after the tears had stopped.

Tentatively, you removed the cloth from your face. You nearly began crying all over again as your lungs worked properly again.

"How are you feeling?" Rafayel asked. He shifted back to add a few more inches between the two of you, now that you were upright and breathing again. You had to blink several times at him as you realized that, for the first time in maybe years, you were seeing him without his mask.

You shook your head, still not feeling well enough to speak, but Rafayel only nodded as he waited for a response. He didn't rush you, his hand shifting to your waist even though his thumb never stopped moving in slow circles.

Even though the assassination attempts were so prevalent that they'd reshaped your every day life, the ones that slipped through the safeguards Rafayel and the Queen had put into place still managed to shock you. You had so few safe spaces anymore and you knew when the Queen heard of this, you'd never be allowed in the library ever again. She'd probably take away your access to books too.

It was one thing to nearly be shot in your bedroom when you'd willingly opened your balcony doors. But to be poisoned here? Where you studied? Your guilded cage felt like a prison cell.

"I don't want to do this anymore," you said, your voice barely above a whisper.

Rafayel's hand on your waist stopped moving. When the warmth of it disappeared, you worried he was returning to be your bodyguard again, with none of the warmth and closeness you treasured so much.

Then his fingers were underneath your chin, tiling your head up to look at him.

"Say the word and I'll take you away from here," Rafayel said.

His eyes, the blue and pink of the sunset that you'd admired since you were kids, now burned with a devotion you'd only dreamed about. Were you dreaming? Maybe the poison cloud had really killed you and now you were in heaven.

You swallowed around the lump in your throat, unable to look away from him. When Rafayel leaned forward to press his forehead against yours, you couldn't help but sigh into him.

If this was a dream, or the afterlife, you weren't going to waste it.

You reached for him, your hands fisting in either side of his hood, as you pulled him towards you. He went willingly, following you as you leaned back on the bed - his bed, you distantly realized - until he was propped on top of you with his elbows on either side of your head, his thighs framing yours. When you arched up to kiss him, Rafayel only hesitated for a moment before he was kissing you back.

He wasn't gentle and there's no finesse. Rafayel devoured you like it was the first and last time he'd ever get the chance, one of his hands digging into your hair to hold you in place with a desperation you'd only dared hope for.

You'd spent so much time dreaming of this moment - touching Rafayel, him returning your affections, feeling like a normal person for once in your life - that you never wanted it to end. You shifted your weight experimentally, your hips briefly pressing against his, as he tried to pull away from you.

You didn't't let him.

You followed Rafayel instead, pushing against his shoulders until he rolled onto his back and you could swing one leg over his hips as you straddled him.

"Princess," Rafayel gasped, his hands settling on your hips as you reached for his clothes.

"Whoever designed this armor," you said, pulling at his buckles and zippers, desperate for more contact, "was an idiot."

Rafayel only laughed before his hands covered yours, expertly undoing all the closures until his chest was bared for you to see. There was a red glowing mark on his chest above his heart, pulsing in time with the heat between your legs. You stared at it in awe, tracing your finger along the edge of it.

"When did it start glowing?" you asked. You'd seen it a handful of times in your youth, but it was never this vibrant. Now it looked alive.

Rafayel grabbed your hand, pressing it flat against the mark. You could feel his heartbeat, pounding against his chest like it was trying to break free and be even closer to you.

"The day I became your bodyguard, I vowed to be by your side and protect you with my own life. It sealed the bond between us."

You leaned down and pressed a kiss against the mark, softly at first. When you heard Rafayel inhale sharply, you were rougher, dragging the edge of your teeth against it before you soothed the mark with your tongue. You were about to pull away when his hand came up to the back of your head, holding you in place against it.

"I'm yours, princess," Rafayel said. "I always have been."

You shifted your hips, trying to get more comfortable, when Rafayel groaned. The hand on the back of your head moved to your neck, and then he was pulling you up until he could kiss you again.

His tongue was hot against yours as you opened for him. He deepened the kiss, his lips against yours like he was starving and he couldn't get enough of you. You couldn't help yourself from touching him too, sliding your hands across his chest and under his armor. You wanted to bite him and scratch at him until he apologized for holding back from you for so long. He'd been your bodyguard for years. Had he wanted you like this the whole time?

You settled for rolling your hips against him purposefully this time, hoping it would be torturous enough to punish him for denying you both this. When Rafayel groaned into your mouth, your core clenched in response. You could feel his hands on your hips tighten as he guided you forward again, rocking you against him until you were gasping into his mouth.

You let your head fall back as his cock pressed perfectly against your already swollen clit. Rafayel didn't hestitate before trailing kisses down your jawline and the side of your throat, licking and biting and panting against your skin.

"Can I touch you, Princess? Please?"

You could feel his mouth move against your skin as he spoke, like he couldn't tear his lips from you for even a moment. You weren't sure if you gasped or moaned your yes, but Rafayel heard you. He kept one hand on your hip, still guiding you to move against him, while his other reached for your leg and quickly found the edge of your dress.

You whimpered at the feeling of his leather gloves against your soft skin. They were warm and long broken in, but you could feel the slight scrape of the seam as he traced up your inner thigh, stopping just shy of where you wanted him most.

When you looked down at him, you caught him watching you, his eyes tracking your every reaction. You wanted to yell at him for teasing you like this until you saw the corner of his lips quirk in amusement.

"Rafayel," you said, your voice shakier than you meant it to be.

This time, his grin was on full display. You could see the sparkle of mischief in his eyes as he held you in place with one hand, keeping you from grinding down on him.

"Beg for me, Princess. You've begged for me so many times, for so many things. Let me hear you one more time."

You stared at him in shock.

"Is this why I had to plead with you so many times?" you asked. "You wanted to hear me beg?"

Rafayel slid his glove along your inner thigh, not moving it any higher, but forcing you to remember what he was currently denying you.

"Can you blame me? You sound so pretty when you do. I can barely hear you when you touch yourself at night. Hearing you beg was the closest I could get."

Your jaw dropped at his audacity, but he didn't give you a chance to respond. A moment later, you were on your back again, as Rafayel flipped both of you so he was cradled between your thighs. From this angle, you couldn't tease him anymore, but you still had a glorious view of his naked chest and the pulsing bond mark.

"Are you embarrassed, Princess?" Rafayel asked, dipping his head so he could drag his nose down the length of your neck. His voice dropped an octive, making it low and gravely. The sound of it alone caused your pleasure spike and you watched Rafayel's pupiles dilate in arousal as he cataloged your reaction.

"You shouldn't be," he said. "It took all of my willpower not to barge into your room every time I heard you. I wanted to be the one making you fall apart. It should've been my fingers teasing you, making you come."

You were both breathing heavily, flushed from arousal and the adrenaline of your near assassination. It took your brain a moment to catch up to Rafayel's words before you were begging, the words spilling out of you before you could think twice.

"Please, Raf," you said. "Touch me. However you want. I want you to make me feel good. Please. Please."

His gloved hand slid up the inside of your thigh a moment later. When he found you wet and open for him, Rafayel sat up, unwilling to go a moment longer without seeing you. He quickly pushed your skirt up to your waist so you were bared to him. He held you like that, staring at your pussy for a long time as he watched your slick gather and your entrance pulse in time with his bond mark.

"You're so beautiful," he said, spreading your legs open wider before he let his fingers glide up and down your folds. Rafayel was entranced, unable to look away from how easily your body welcomed him. When he pressed against your clit with the lightest touch, teasing in little strokes, your back arched off the bed.

You couldn't stop yourself from reaching for his wrist, trapping his hand against you.

"Please, Rafayel. I need you. I need more."

He let you guide his fingers to your entrance before he was leaning over you, trapping your body fully underneath his once more. When your eyes were trained on his, he finally pushed one of his fingers inside of you.

Your body welcomed him like it'd been waiting just for this moment, sucking him in deeper until you were both gasping into each others mouths as he caught your lips with a kiss.

"You're doing so good for me, Princess. Taking my fingers so well. Squeezing around me like you never want to let me go."

You held onto him with both hands as he added a second finger, slowly pumping in and out of you as you rocked your hips in time with his movements. You couldn't stop yourself from pulling on his hair, trying to pull him even closer to you.

"You feel so perfect, princess," Rafayel said, breathing just as hard as you. He could feel your pleasure building as you grew even wetter, his leather gloves sliding in and out of you with ease, and he never wanted it to end.

"I've dreamt about this for so long. I want you to come for me. Please. Please, Princess."

Rafayel's thumb returned to your clit, teasing and circling the hot nub until he found the rhythm that had your toes curling and your eyes squeezing shut.

"Just like that," Rafayel said. He dipped his head down until he could speak direclty into your ear with that low and gravely tone you loved so much. "Now be a good girl and come for me, Princess."

Your pleasure broke, sending shuddering waves through you so strong that you couldn't do anything but hold onto Rafayel tighter. He never stopped moving, his fingers steadily working you through your orgasm until he'd wrung every bit of your bliss from you.

He kissed you softly as he slowly withdrew his fingers, cleaning them off with his tongue before he helped you right your skirts again. Rafayel didn't move away, laying next to you and combing through your hair with his fingers as you relaxed into his arms.

The moment felt too good, too perfect to be real.

"This really happened?" you asked, when you finally felt like yourself again. "I'm not dead or dreaming?"

Rafayel's soft chuckle smoothed away whatever anxieties had arisen.

"You're not dreaming. You're not dead either. And I'll do everything I can to make sure you live a long, beautiful life."

He pressed a swift kiss to your cheek before he sat up, re-doing all of his buckles and zippers before he was moving around his room.

Oh gods, you were in Rafayel's room.

You'd never been in here before, as it had never been on the list of approved rooms for you to visit. For a long time, you hadn't even been convinced he had his own room, since he spent so much time standing guard outside your bedroom door.

You took in the room around you, cataloging the little details that made it feel like Rafayel's. It was mostly sparse, which shouldn't have been surprising if you thought about how little time he spent here. His leather mask had been discarded on his desk, laying next to a spare dagger and what looked like a sharpening stone. He had a few pieces of parchment sitting on his bedside table, but other than recognizing they were letters, you didn't want to intrude and read them.

The one thing that did surprise you, however, was the lone plushie that sat in his desk chair. It was old and worn, a relic of a trip the two of you had taken to a market when you were only seven or eight years old. You and Rafayel had won matching octopus plushies at one of the carnival games - one red and one blue. The red one sat there, one eye missing and slightly discolored, but no less loved. The blue one still sat on one of your bookshelves, similarly well loved and never forgotten.

It warmed something in your chest and you found yourself smiling. You were so caught up in your memories that it took a moment to realize Rafayel was standing in front of you with one of his hands outstretched.

You took it without thinking, allowing him to pull you to your feet. Then you noticed he had a pack slung over one shoulder.

"Rafayel?"

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

You stared at his fingers, which were clutching the strap of the pack a little too tightly to be causal. You frowned as you looked at him, but he was already pulling his mask across his face again.

"Do you trust me?" he asked again.

"Yes," you said, though hesitantly. "Raf, what's-"

He was already taking your hand, pulling you towards his bedroom door. He opened it carefully, looking up and down the hallway to make sure the coast was clear before he was moving again.

"We're leaving," Rafayel said. His voice was low, but he turned his head to make sure you could hear him. "I can't stand outside your door another day when I know how miserable you are inside it. Especially when you'll never be safe here. At least if I take you with me, we have a chance."

You pulled on his hand in protest until he stopped walking. He quickly opened a nearby closet, ushering you in before he closed the door behind you.

Rafayel cupped either side of your face with both hands a moment later, brushing your hair back so you could fully see him even in the dark closet.

"If you want to stay here, I'll stay with you," he promised. "I made a vow to protect you and I'll honor it in any way I can. But you'll never be truly safe or happy if you stay here."

You nodded before you hugged him, burying your face in his chest. Rafayel was warm and his arms were tight and secure around you. As he held you, you realized that this was the safest you'd felt in years. Even if you were scared, you hadn't lied when you said you trusted him. You knew Rafayel would do everything in his power to keep you safe and make sure you were happy.

"I trust you," you said. "I can't stay here anymore."

Rafayel kissed your forehead before he looked you in the eyes once again. When he was satisfied with the resolve he saw there, he only nodded before taking your hand again.

"Good. It's time to go, Princess," Rafayel said. "If we wait even a few hours, the security measures may change and it may take several more weeks or even months of planning before we get another chance."

He expertly guided you through the castle, leading you through tunnels and passageways you'd never seen before, guiding you through the castle and along the perimeter wall. At one point, he stopped and pulled another pack that had been hidden behind a loose stone. Inside, he pulled out a simple dress you'd seen commoners wear, before you'd been banned from court for you own safety. You only hesitated for a moment before Rafayel helped you change, including pulling a scarf around your face to hide your hair and part of your face.

"You've been planning this for a long time, haven't you?" you asked.

Rafayel grinned as he took your hand again, leading you through another hallway until you were in front of an outer door. He only glanced back once before he opened it, pulling you into the daylight and fresh air.

You froze in place as the sea breeze once again greeted you, this time with the sun warming your skin. You had to close your eyes for a moment, even as Rafayel pulled you into the crowd milling about on their way home, so you could properly take it all in.

"Of course I have," Rafayel said, winking at you when you finally opened your eyes again. "I couldn't let anyone else steal you away when your heart's belonged to me for years."

You let him drag you further into the crowd, into the rest of your lives, into adventure. And you'd never felt lighter.

for @coralreefqueen-ao3

Then, of course, the more commercial aspect, the more visually eye candied usage. Those companions looked like models, fully customized on demand by the client. 

And those rich investors that fueled the budget in the early stages, really knew what they wanted. 

You worked on companions with white hair and ruby eyes, sharp tongue and witty remarks and build that would make anyone take another look, voice so low it was almost a growl. You worked on the flamboyant android with underwater functions that screamed spoiled rich boy, but his eyes… had something enchanting, unnerving in them. The perfect image of someone from your sweetest dreams made very much real. 

You wondered what else was included when it comes to the utility of those prototypes. 

You never asked. The less you know the better you sleep at night. 

Although it did raise a question of how lonely and disconnected from others people can get. Or maybe they preferred the perfect illusion over the reality of imperfection. But then… you started thinking of your situation, and who you were to judge other apples when you were not too far from them. 

The job was actually interesting and, except the riches being well rich and weird, it promised something along the lines of an AI maid but better, which honestly, was the only thing AI should do – the mundane everyday tasks that stole time and energy. 

All things said, all the pros and cons couldn’t really affect the work you did. You really started to enjoy the tinkering around those creations even if it exhausted you. Mostly in peace and quiet, as, let’s be honest, engineers tend to be timid and shy, until you start the geeking waterfall of excitement. 

And what a day it was for excitement! The office was for once buzzing with chatter, that, well, excited you a bit less, but still it was something worth recognition looking at the general prices that the prototypes could pull. If the company truly wanted to give a prototype to every person directly working on the assembly and training team, it was impressive. 

The main hall fell silent when the manager of the group, a lady that handpicked you, stood  excited, with one of the first prototypes near her, a tall, intimidating and cold looking android with green eyes. A choice she made, something to stop her in case her temperament got the best of her while on official business.

“I am delighted to let you know that, as we are slowly approaching a wider investor group interested in our companion progress, we decided to provide each and everyone of you one of the prototypes already fully functional. You know that I am a no bullshit person and as such I will skip all the cooperative speech that I have prepared in case the big bosses stop by.” She rolled her eyes while a few people chucked. The way she was running things was straightforward and everyone knew it. “So don’t fight and pick your poison… Or rather choose your companion. You know best that their capabilities are genuinely making life easier and I hope it will be something you can experience yourself.” 

There was no rushing when she gestured to the prototypes already in their docking stations, few of those that you worked on yourself and almost most of the staff knew. 

“You can adjust them before the shipping will take place, but why do I even bother, you are the specialists here.” 

She leaned near the wall, her own companion near with a bottle of water ready. 

“You’re not picking?” she smiled, shaking her head when you approached. 

“I don’t know if I want one to be honest.” 

“I can’t complain after getting one if you want a review. It’s not as unnerving as you imagine it.” She took the water bottle from the android near, with a smile that was almost thankful. 

“Sure… I guess.” 

You looked at the people chatting about how most of the functions will cut hours of their days, how they will be able to get back to hobbies, and whatever activity they might have lost because there is only 24 hours in a day. 

You bet most of the time will go into mindless scrolling on their phone and not back to the ‘productive’ lifestyle they have envisioned for themselves.

And then you saw it. A familiar companion you worked hours on, getting the perfect balance of the next door neighbour and someone who was supposed to be some sort of commanding figure overlooking some sort of operation, a really weird combination requested for someone. You only remembered him because of a small delay related to some last minute change of mind. 

It seems they either returned him or never picked it up. 

“I know that look. Was it the last one you were adjusting?”

“Well if I have to get one…” 

“You don’t, no one’s gonna force you”  

“I could use some help in the kitchen…” you huffed half amused half trying to convince yourself this might actually be a good idea. Why not help yourself with free android that might not burn the kitchen down.

“You are still banned from microwaves,” your manager said with a chuckle, and you swore her companion chuckled as well. 

*** 

It was charged, unplugged, with way too much packaging for you to pick up scattered around the room. Damn you were tired, you never thought one can put so much foil on such a massive box. You were wondering if it was even worth the space in your apartment. 

Here you were, one step before joining those who oh so prided the AIs and prestige of having a companion like that as soon as possible. Pushing down whatever guilt rollercoaster you found yourself on you took a breath. 

They didn’t change the way he looked, the programming seemed the same you remembered, you hoped, not quite ready to forsaken all of your saturday to go over your work on your day off. 

One press away from the dystopia you always dreamed of. 

Operating system online. Companion booting… Please wait. 

You will have to give feedback on that sequence, scaring you shitless. Giving you a bygone era video game horror mood about some animatronics. Sure, make the operating system function without mouth movements on a human looking robot. Not creepy at all.

Then it took a breath, or it moved like it would. A deep sigh before its eyes fluttered open and the most stunning violet met your eyes. 

“Hi owner. I am X-02.” 

You blinked twice and slapped your forehead. Of course you forgot to input the name! 

“No… I am sorry… Eee… I didn’t input your name,” you huffed, shaking your head. 

“Do you… want to rename me then?” 

“Yea… I mean sure…” you looked at it for a moment longer, the awkwardness of speaking to a machine you helped build making it feel surreal. “Your name is… Caleb.” 

It smiled — a small expression like a boulder was lifted from his shoulders — but its eyes actually seemed to light up with something akin to joy. 

“Caleb… I like it.” He nodded. “Hello, (y/n). I am Caleb. Your one and only companion.”