Human After All (II)

A bird sat at the windowsill, singing a song of love louder than the city noise that accompanied it. Its chirps fluctuated in lovely notes that were soothing to the ear, and touching to the heart. But this songbird's voice was not what awoke Joshua from the deep slumber he was so enveloped in.

Joshua was awoken by the sound of water running. He rolled over on the soft bed, and the silk blanket fell off of his body and unto the ground. Joshua stretched his limbs, throwing his head to the right to find that the door that he hadn't bothered to look in had steam appearing out of the space underneath it. Joshua sat up, staring at the door intently.

The sound of rushing water subsided into droplets pattering against the floor. Joshua pushed himself up on his elbows, waiting for something to happen. With Joshua practically on the edge of the bed, the door swung open while Beau stepped out gracefully. Joshua yelped and fell off the edge of the bed. The silk blanket did nothing to cushion his fall. Then he peeked over the top of the bed.

Beau's hair was dripping wet, and he held a towel loosely around his waist. Joshua watched while Beau pushed his hair away from his face. It wasn't until Beau smiled at Joshua that he felt comfortable enough to get off of the floor.

“Morning, Joshua.” Beau laughed. “Did I scare you?” The sight of a startled Joshua peering over the edge of the bed was priceless.

“Yes, but it was my own fault, master.” Joshua said. Beau walked next to him, and gingerly pushed some of Joshua's feathery hair aside. Sleep had ruffled Joshua's hair slightly. He smiled. “Thank you, master.” Beau waved off his thanks.

“Did you sleep well?”

“Of course.” Joshua rose from the bed, not bothering to avert his gaze from Beau. He saw no issue with looking at him. “Would you like me to leave, master?” Joshua asked. His hands were tightly clasped together at his waist. Beau nodded.

“If you would, Joshua. And please wake the girls up. They're awfully lazy lately.” Beau reached into his drawer, grabbing a pair of boxers, along with dark pants, and slim t-shirt. “I've already requested the room extension. You should have your room soon! Maybe in another hour, or so.”

Joshua giggled in delight before running out of the bedroom, leaving Beau to dress himself. Joshua liked how it felt to be dressed and undressed. It was almost an innovative idea to Joshua. He remembered the feeling of Beau's fingertips ghosting along his soft skin, like a wind that wasn't even there when his shirt fell to his knees. Joshua then remembered the look on his master's face after. He seemed almost... angry. At who?

Beau emerged from the bedroom, hair still slightly wet. His shirt held tightly onto his chest, and his jeans were baggy. He gave Joshua another smile while Joshua poked the doll-sized girls, whispering for them to wake up. Dahlia was the first to wake, then Kiyah, and finally, Leslie.

Joshua pulled the sweatpants at his waist a bit higher, while Beau sipped on a cup of hot coffee. The steam scent of almonds and cream filled his senses as he took in a deep breath. Joshua turned to Beau's bedroom.

“Master, I will go get dressed, if that's okay with you.” Joshua said. Beau nodded, and with that, Joshua began skipping off in the direction of the bedroom. Beau glanced at the room once before he realized that Joshua was making the bed, slipping the silk sheets over one another just perfectly. Then Joshua clicked the door shut.

After a short time, Joshua walked out of the room with new clothes on. His black jeans were snug against his hips, and accentuated his waist perfectly, and his maroon colored shirt contrasted amazingly with his snow white shoes. Joshua hair, however, was messy, and slightly tangled.

“Is this good, master?” Joshua asked. Beau walked into the living room, and grabbed a brush that sat on the couch. He stepped forward, running the bristles through Joshua's thick, feathery hair.

“You need to brush your hair when you wake up. Since it's so long, it'll get messy at night when you're rolling around.” Beau said, finally straightening Joshua's hair enough to satisfy himself. “Understand?” You brush your hair with this.” Joshua nodded, noting the brush and where Beau placed it afterward.

The coffee sitting on the counter was still steaming as Beau made his way back to the kitchen and gulped it generously.

“Are we going to see Drew today?” said Joshua as he made his way to a bar stool at the counter. Beau choked on a swig of coffee, the rich liquid getting stuck in his throat as he tried to gasp for air. Joshua, startled by the outbreak of gasps, stood up and grabbed his master's side. Beau finally inhaled and exhaled roughly until he regained his breathing. “Are you okay, master? I'm sorry, was that inappropriate of me to ask?”

“N-no, it's fine, Joshua. I just wasn't expecting the question.” Beau stuttered. He coughed again. “And we won't be seeing him today. We actually have business at the coffee shop today.”

“The coffee shop?” said Joshua. “But we have coffee right here!”

“Ah, but I have to speak to a friend at the coffee shop. He has something to give to me and I figured, why not visit?” Beau explained. He winked at Joshua, and the boy giggled. His master used a gesture, he thought. It seemed different when Beau did it, compared to how Drew winked at him.

Beau stared longingly at Joshua as he proceeded to play with the girls. Though they were smaller than him, they had grown fond of him in less than a week. A smile tugged at the corners of Beau's lips, and he couldn't help but give a happy grin to his bots. Perhaps he would buy Joshua a gift on the way home. Joshua was a great personal computer, as it turned out. Spoiling him a bit wouldn't hurt anybody.

***

Joshua sat at the coffee shop's table, mimicking what others around him were doing. There were small children with their chins in their hands, so Joshua did that. One of the children sighed, so he did the same. The other twirled her hair, so Joshua attempted to do that as well (Sadly his hair was too short to be twirled!) Beau spoke to a dark hair teen standing behind the counter, casually leaning against the wall as they spoke almost in code. Their mouths moved so fast, Joshua couldn't tell what they were saying.

There was a waitress that had taken a sudden fondness of Joshua. She was blonde with bouncy curls. Upon her curvaceous body was a degrading French maid's outfit that had every man in the shop staring at her. While Joshua thought she was a remarkable looking woman, he knew that she was like him; a bot. He could just tell by the way she could obey orders so well. Humans were casual, and this woman was not. She didn't look others in the eye, though, Joshua noted. She never looked her customers in the eye.

Joshua also found himself eying a man in the corner of the room. He looked older than Beau, and the look he was giving the blonde, bouncy haired girl seemed almost wrong. He didn't see her with the same beauty Joshua did, but with hunger. It was ugly, and evil.

Beau sat down next to Joshua.

“You're awfully quiet.” Beau said. Joshua looked at Beau as though his master were scolding him. “What's bothering you?”

The blonde girl walked gracefully while Joshua watched her. When the customers would try to reach for her, to give her a tip, or even the check, she flinched, yet only enough to look surprised, and not... punished. Beau followed Joshua's gaze, easily finding his sights set on the woman. A feeling filled Beau's core. He couldn't place his finger on it, yet it was something close to jealousy. But why should he be jealous of Joshua took a sudden interest in the woman?

“She's like me.” Joshua said, almost as though he had read Beau's mind. Beau heaved a breath that he hadn't realized he had been holding. “She's a robot, master.”

“Oh, well, she's functioning so well for a bot.” Beau said. “You really are observant, aren't you? I never would've guessed she was a robot.”

“Look at the way that man is looking at her.” Joshua continued, although he was listening to his master. He just barely nodded his chin in the direction of the man. Beau turned his attention from his bot to find the stranger Joshua was speaking of. “I'm sorry. I talk too much.” Joshua said.

“No, no.” Beau said. “I see what you mean... and she continues to look back at the man, like she needs his approval.” Beau noted all the mannerisms the woman did, and Beau oh-so desperately wanted to wipe the smug look off of the mysterious man's face. As much as Beau became frustrated with his bots, he would never hit them, as this man was so obviously doing. He was lucky, because robots never bruised, bled, or even scratched in the slightest. Robots were flawless creations, and they had to be treated as such.

The blonde slowly made her way to the table where Beau and Joshua sat.

“Hello.” Her voice was timid, but loud enough for them to hear. She didn't look up from her notepad, but her hands were trembling. “My name is Troia. Would either of you—“

Joshua's hand touched her wrist. She looked startled that he even reached for her hand. The man in the background shuffled his hands uncomfortably, Beau almost doing the same.

Joshua stood up, reaching for Troia's face. She flinched, but allowed his fingers to cup her chin. Although she had looked away, he turned her gaze to his. Beau sat in awe of how human they could act. Joshua was comforting her, he was actually comforting another bot. It was amazing to watch.

“My name is Joshua.” Joshua finally said, giving a tender smile. “PC936777.”

Troia gasped, throwing her arms around Joshua's neck with a jovial look upon her face. Beau gasped, but threw his hands over his mouth quickly.

“My companion!” She said gleefully. “I knew I would be with you one day!” Joshua laughed in response, though he didn't take his gaze off of the man in the corner. Troia stopped rejoicing long enough to realize that her companion was being very cautious.

“Be careful, Joshua.” She pronounced his name carefully. “My master, he—“

“He is a bad man, Troia.” Joshua mumbled. “Masters are not supposed to act that way with us.” Troia dropped her gaze to the ground, almost looking guilty of letting her master treat her so.

“Your eyes are beautiful.” She said. She pecked a small kiss on Joshua's cheek, smiling to herself as she did so. “But I must go. I have a job to tend to.” Troia turned to face Beau, and bowed. “I apologize. It's just that your bot, he is to be my companion, as programmed.”

“C-companion?” Beau raised his brows. “You mean you two are meant to be together?”

Troia's cheek were tinged with pink, and her mouth opened. She giggled, hiding her smile behind her slender fingers.

“Oh, no, sir!” She laughed. “No, of course not, don't be silly.” Beau felt a bit foolish as she controlled her small giggles. “No, he is to be a companion, an acquaintance, a friend.”

Joshua hadn't said anything over the course of the conversation . He only watched the man in the corner, who had seen Troia speaking so casually to them. He pushed himself away from the wall, and began to make his way to Troia's side. Joshua was wary, and he stood in front of the man, stopping him in his tracks.

“Excuse me.” The man said gruffly. “But it seems my bot is a bit preoccupied with your master.

Joshua's eyes stared deeply into the stranger's without shame. The man was unclean, Joshua could tell. Beau showered in the morning, and he was clean shaved, while this man had short, greasy hair with an unshaven face. He looked like a brute, plain and simple. Joshua took another look into his eyes, but he didn't like what he saw.

Beau noticed the threat between Joshua and the man, and he was quick on his feet. “We should be going.” Beau stood up, straightening out his clothes and grabbing onto Joshua. Joshua backed away slowly while Beau bid farewell to the teen behind the counter. He took a step past the man, and he heard him utter a single sentence.

“Your bot should learn his place.” The man said. Beau snapped his attention to him, and his eyes were filled with anger and disgust. Beau leaned closer, hissing a sentence at the man.

“How do you keep yours in place? Shall I beat mine as you so obviously beat yours?” The man's face turned from anger to distaste. Already Beau could tell that there were going to be future problems between them. How dare this complete stranger tell Beau how to treat his bots?

“Master.” Joshua realized the sudden hostility in the room, and tugged gently on Beau's arm. “We must be leaving.” Troia hugged the both of them, kissing their heads one at a time. She scooted them off in the direction of the door, leaving herself to the mercies of her master. Joshua glanced at the store before Beau stopped, taking Joshua's hands in his own.

“We'll get her, Joshua.” Beau said. “We'll get her before anything bad happens.”

Joshua stood in silence, only bothering to blink while his master tried to reassure him of Troia's safety. He buried his face in his master's chest, as he had seen Drew do when they had embraced. To Joshua, this was the only way to secure a promise. He thought of it as nothing more than a way to make sure his master would keep true to his word. But Beau's cheeks deepened to a bright red color. He couldn't comprehend what his bot was doing, but by force of habit, he wrapped his arms around Joshua's shoulders.

“Do you promise, master?” His voice was muffled by the material of Beau's clothes, but he heard. As people walked past them, few actually paid attention to the embrace. Humans, as they revolutionized, were exposed to things far worse than a person's sexuality, so many never paid any mind to two men, two women, or a human and a bot holding each other. In fact, it was most common to see a robot and a human together. A bot accepted somebody for all of their flaws, and were submissive in most cases, therefore masters preferred them over humans. Sexuality was nothing but another character trait, than a defining point.

“I promise, Joshua.” Beau said, running his fingers through Joshua's soft hair. Beau was almost startled at how comfortable he was with Joshua. But Beau continued to tell himself that Joshua was his bot, not anything more. Beau never had the idea of being with a bot.

“I apologize.” Joshua pulled away from the hug. “I was not given permission to hug you. Please forgive me.” Joshua bowed as Troia did.

“Don't ever bow.” Beau said, hiding his flushed face from his bot. “Don't apologize either. You're allowed to hug, Joshua. You're....” He trailed off. What was Joshua?

Beau started down the sidewalk again, and Joshua followed suit. Joshua felt a bit guilty for embracing his master without permission. He noted in his mind that he would only do so when absolutely needed.