#avrelies

They’re not meant to be able to feel so much, to form such attachments, and isn’t that the root of all of their problems? Here they sit, clinging onto the hand of their closest friend, a human, someone they care for as if she was their family, as if they were flesh and blood. It’s why their model was discontinued within the first five years of production, it’s why they’re one of the last ones left.

It’s why they live their life as a lie, hiding among humans, as if they are one themself.

It’s why they fear moments like this. 

A glitch. Something that should be easy to take care of, would be easy to take care of if they were still allowed to exist, if they knew that going to a roboticist wouldn’t lead to them being dissembled. But as it is, it’s a death sentence of sorts, the mark that their time as a human is coming to an end.

It hurts.

They cannot feel pain, but it hurts so much, because they know it will hurt her. They’ve memorized all of her expressions, her inflections, every little movement she makes when she’s feeling every little emotion. They know that she’s formed the same attachment to them that they’ve formed to her. She knows something is happening. All of their artificial life, they have spent protecting her, being there for her in ways no one else could, just as they had promised her mother. They can’t leave her behind.

But it’s not their choice.

“Aurelie. I’m not sure I’ll be able to do this much longer. Someone’s going to notice, and you know what will happen if someone suspects.”

There’s a long pause, she looks at them with sad eyes, but there’s another emotion there, one that they don’t know how to identify properly for a long moment, the glitch making recall difficult.

It’s determination.

“You have me, Sterling. And I’m not going to let them take you. We’ll find a way.”

There’s a warmth in their chest cavity that they’re not meant to feel, a hope in their wiring that shouldn’t be possible. But it is.

16 - a happy kiss

          He was so thrilled to see her back up on the stage. Of all the things that Max had missed during the months of rebuilding following the fire, Aurelie’s voice had been one of the ones that he’d missed the most. It was a constant. It had been for the past ten years. He’d listened to it grow over the years as she herself had. Everything had seemed so painfully quiet when she hadn’t been singing, and he was all too willing to take a moment to stop and listen while she rehearsed, standing at the back of the room with a proud smile tugging at the corners of his lips. This was where she belonged, and he’d rebuilt that very stage knowing as much.

         It wasn’t until she was finished that he approached, offering a hand to her as she descended the stairs. “You sound as beautiful as ever.” He draped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a quick, one-armed hug before leaning down to press a kiss into her dark hair. The action was one that he’d repeated over and over, hundreds of times since she’d been a child. Some part of him would always see her that way- as the girl who hadn’t been born as his sister like three others had but had quickly become one when he’d first met her all those years ago.

          Max was smiling once again when he pulled back to look at her. Aurelie had a habit of drawing out more smiles from him than nearly anyone else under the club’s roof. “You are going to take everyone’s breath away when you perform that, but that will hardly be anything new.”

and perhaps the girl is asleep at this time in the morning - or night - but lysander knows better, knows that white rabbits run from forest fires, knows that they fear getting caught in their burrows called home and get burned alive in the once place they once called safe.

aurelie is awake. this, he knows.

quick knocks on doors that are answered proves this, and while the man is hardly fazed by things burnt in fires, whether it be bodies or dreams - is more likely to be the one setting the spark than carrying dancers out - he still wanders the streets awake, feet finding their way to her place too easily.

“dark circles are quite unflattering the the lowlight of the stages, aurelie.” he says in greeting, bypassing pleasantries. “though i would imagine you would not be on stages too soon after the incident, no?”

a pause. his words are neither warm nor cold, statements, almost. he does not miss how fingers tremble at doorways, how knees shake.

“strange, is it not? how one can feel so cold even after being in a fire. should i have brought some tea?”

The Earth they roamed together was scorched, completely barren and devoid of any life worth saving. They walked feet apart, silence lingering between the two as the space between them was only filled with the gentle clanging of their weapons against their holsters, Francis’ crossbow hung across his back while Aurelie’s Sai clashed against her hips with every step they took. 

They’d been following the tracks for miles, clinging only to the hope of a new settlement her mother once spoke of before she turned, but days had passed and they were both losing morale. The sun raged high against their brows, causing sweat to drip from them and wash into their eyes, blurring their visions only slightly, acclimated to the elements and their attempted hindrances. The Earth ahead of them seemed to move in waves as the sun torched the soil, heat rising from beneath their feet and seeping into their skin. The pair of them rarely spoke, knowing that any noise they made beyond their own movements was to attract unwanted attention, from the dead or the living, but there was an unspoken acknowledgement between them as Aurelie’s footsteps slowed.

Turning towards the girl, Francis’ lifted his hand to his forehead and wiped away any remaining residue, breaths coming in steadily and heavily, not realizing they’d been walking for nearly 12 miles without stopping, blazing though the Earth before them without so much as a drop of water. Without hesitation, Francis was reaching behind himself, locating the canteen they shared with ease, bringing it to her attention before opening it and passing it off to her. She accepted the drink quickly, only stopping once she realized there was no more water left for him. 

Her mouth opened suddenly, and he knew an apology was soon to follow, but he shot her one look that closed her mouth just as quickly. He was there to keep her safe. He swore to it at her mother’s side as she lay dying, and Francis was nothing if he went against his word. As she handed him the canteen, he offered her a rather peaceful smile, “Better you, than me.”

AU Meme || @avrelies

She claps her hands excitedly as the pop star twirls for her. Despite being one of the most sought after designers in Hollywood, Vera always ensured she had time for those who had supported her through her humble beginnings, especially the singer before her.

“Just one more twirl, please, Aurelie!”