#yes that is eli's surface hoodie

[the-shanes-arent-dead-yet]

Sad boi is sad

#twist #slugterra #yes that is eli's surface hoodie #and i am not sad #twisteli #ill prob end up coloring this later

[robronsecretsanta2020]

Leave It To the Mistletoe for @bobbie-robron

His sister’s bathroom was freezing, and he’d forgotten his towel. He grabbed some tiny towel that Vic probably used on her hair and rubbed his head, teeth chattering. He grabbed his robe, but it was thin and fraying. As he pulled it on, he looked outside the window. Snow was swirling in almost every direction. He felt the wind through the window and shivered. He was going to catch his death in here.

The plan was to make it to the closet for a towel then his room without running into anyone. His teeth chattered as he ran for it, and of course, a door opened. Aaron’s boyfriend’s head sticking out of Aaron’s room. Robert sighed but kept on course. He pulled open the linen closet and grabbed an old beach towel.

As he turned, he saw Eli was still looking at him. “What?”

Eli jumped and stepped back a bit back into Aaron’s room.

Robert glared at him.

“I, uh… was told that you were who I needed to talk to.”

That was ominous. “Well, I’m freezing, so…”

“Oh, right, yeah…later.”

Robert turned to go into Vic’s spare room and cursed his furnace for breaking for the billionth time. The last thing he really wanted to be doing was running into Aaron’s latest boyfriend — who was sticking around for far too long. Why hadn’t they broken up yet? Robert glowered as he dried off and quickly got dressed.  

Eli was hanging in the hallway.

He had a split second impulse to just punch him.

Tell him he wasn’t good enough for Aaron.

No one was.

But he just blinked at him and realized he wasn’t getting out of whatever this was…

“What?”

Eli sighed. “I um, I asked Adam, but he told me to ask you…which their best mates, right? Him and Adam?”

Robert rolled his eyes.

“Anyway…it’s just things are getting serious.”

What? No. Him?

“And so, I want to get Aaron something good for Christmas, but he's… well keeps saying he doesn’t want anything…do have ideas?"

"Why would I give you ideas?”

“Adam seemed to think you’d be the better one to ask?”

Robert rolled his eyes.

“I mean… I know you and Aaron are mates, but…uh, are you really that close.”

“Yeah, we are."

"Oh…”

Robert smirked. It bothered Eli he and Aaron were close. Good. Let it. “And sorry, I already got him the best present, so you’re flat out of luck."

"I could pay you for it?”

“Are you serious? No. And it’d make zero sense coming from you…no mate, you’re out of luck. Try a hoodie…” he brushed past him and walked downstairs.

Into an explosion of green streamers and red and green balloons. “Vic, what the hell?”

“My party is tonight.”

He sighed. “You need to fix the heater in your bathroom.”

“And just lose money again, no thanks…can you put this up?” she handed him a sprig of fake mistletoe.

“Really? Are you twelve? You going to play spin the bottle tonight too?”

“Could be fun,” she grinned. “It’s Christmas in a week, come on, please, I can’t reach….between the kitchen and the living room.”

Robert sighed and reached up, sticking it where she wanted it with a bit of tape.

“Oh, Hi, Eli.”

“Hi…Aaron said it was alright if I slept in.”

“Yeah, of course, there is coffee in the kitchen.”

Robert grabbed his things and tried not to glare at Eli.

“That is looking more and more serious, isn’t it great?” Vic said.

“Yeah, peachy…”

“You could give him a chance….”

“Why?”

“For Aaron? I think he really likes him.”

“I gotta get to work.”

“Happy trucking.”

“I don’t drive…never mind…” he walked out the door, and his phone chirped. He grabbed it as he walked to the cafe on autopilot. It was Aaron.  

A: Going to be at the party.

R: Hoping to avoid it.

A: They figure out your furnace. I can look at it, you know.

R: Meeting guy there on my lunch break. Let you know.

A: Eli texted that you’re a prick.  

Robert snorted and looked up to order his Americano.  

R: Was I supposed to be nice?

He watched the screen, holding his breath and hoping that the answer wasn’t yes — if it was yes, then it was getting serious with him and Eli. Wasn’t it? And that made his stomach churn, and the urge to hit and throw things rush to the surface. He didn’t know what to do with it…

How do you deal with it?

He thought it was mad at first, feeling the things he felt for Aaron. He still thought it was a bit mad, but he knew now it wasn’t going away. It was getting worse. But they were… they were them, mates, they had something good and real…

He needed him.

The idea of messing with it felt terrifying.

A: Nah.

Robert blew out a relieved breath.  

~~~

Aaron sipped the crappy coffee, mostly just to get some heat into him. He felt frozen from working in the yard in the snow. It was coming down too hard now, and it was pointless. He supposed he could do paperwork, but he was thinking about just taking off early. Start the weekend early, he glanced at the time. He could maybe swing by the Mill and be there when Robert met with whoever he’d called about his heater.  

The only issue was Adam was giving him a look.

“What?”

Adam laughed. “Just I know someone is thinking really hard on what to get you for Christmas.”

“Just get me money like usual, mate.”

“Not me.”

Aaron stared at him.

“Can’t think of who?”

Aaron shrugged. “Who is there?”

“Plenty of people…but this is specific. You really have no idea who?” Adam laughed.

Aaron blinked. “Everyone knows what I like.”

“Actually, mate, no one knows what you like. Why do you think I give you money, and Vic bakes you things?”

“I’m not that hard to buy for…” Aaron muttered.

“Only if your Robert Sugden,” Adam laughed.

“What’s that mean?”

“Oh, come on, he’s like some Aaron savant. You always fucking love his presents.”

“Do not…” Aaron tried not to look at his watch on his wrist that Robert given him for his birthday last year. It was simple, durable, not pretentious, and almost ugly.  

“Your mum is still mad about that watch…I saw you look.”

“Yeah, the one she got me would have gotten all scratched up here in a day… it’s just practical. And whatever…” Aaron frowned. “Who are you talking about?”

“Eli, mate, tall dude, bit quiet.”

“What?” Aaron frowned.

“Yeah, he asked me what you like. I sent him to Robert.”

“OH…” Aaron started laughing.

“What?”

“Eli, texted me earlier saying Robert was a prick.”

“They’re getting to know each other.”

“Whatever, what does he need to get me anything for anyway…”  

“You’re dating, and Christmas is seven days.”

Aaron shrugged. “It’s not that serious.”

“He’s lasted a while, mate.”

“It's….” Aaron sighed.

“What?”

“Just tired of going out on the pull, you know, we get along alright…” he frowned.

Adam sat up. “So, it is serious?”

“Yes, no…” Aaron sighed and tried not to think about Robert.  

“I’m lost.”

“I’d like to get serious, just not sure it’s Eli…”

“Who then? Like is there someone?”

Aaron cleared his throat. “You know what? I need to head out.”

“Whoa, whoa, there is mate…who?”

“It’s nothing, but seriously, I need to go…”

“To the Mill?”

Aaron felt seen and turned back.

“We all know Robert will let someone rip him off if you don't… save my bro in law.”

Aaron let out a small breath of relief and walked into the snow, and felt relieved when his car started. He frowned as tinny Christmas music filled the car but tis the season… He didn’t bother trying to find a station not playing it. And as he pulled into the Mill’s driveway, he ignored the fact he was singing along to Mariah Bloody Carey.  

He hopped out, spotting Robert leaning against his front door and as a truck pulled in behind him.  

“Good timing,” Robert said.

“Thought I’d make sure you don’t get ripped off.”

“I’m not stupid.”

“You are an idiot, though. He’ll overprice it…”

“Which one of you is Sugden?”

“I am, thanks for…furnace just broke down last night.”

“Let’s take a look.”

Aaron stepped in behind him and shivered as they went inside. It felt colder than the outside. He and Robert glanced at each other. “Still warmer than Vic’s loo…” they both muttered and laughed.

Aaron grinned.

Robert ushered him ahead. “Mr. Dingle here is going to be making the decisions.”

Guy looked up. “I don’t judge. My wife does the same thing…”

“Oh uh…”

“We aren't…”

Aaron glanced at Robert but looked away quickly.  

It hung there in the silence, their unfinished… corrections.

The guy didn’t notice as he started to take his look at the furnace.

~~~

Aaron and Robert sat in the cafe, hot chocolate in front of them, in silence. Aaron glanced around, watching Nicola straightening up the Christmas decorations. There was more Christmas music in the background. It was just the air now, he reminded himself but grumbled a bit as he sipped his drink.  

He felt Robert’s eyes on him and looked up. He shrugged in response to the silent question. It wasn’t important, not really, he grumbled about Christmas music every year — why be different. He rolled his eyes at himself as he decided it was a tradition.  

“It’s just a little longer, and it’s just a month of it,” Robert laughed.

“Started in November, mate.” Aaron glared.

“This, this is a good one…” Robert said, and he started to sing along to White Christmas.

Aaron rolled his eyes and sipped at his hot chocolate.

Robert kept singing, getting a bit louder and louder.

Aaron threw his napkin at him and laughed when Robert smirked at him.

His conversation about presents with Adam popped into his mind, and he realized he hadn’t heard from the person who was making Robert’s present for him — he needed to call him. He still needed to shop for the rest of his list, his mum, Adam, and Vic — he put them together, probably some gift certificate…

His mind went to Eli.

Ugh.

“What’s with the face?”

“Eli…he uh, Adam mentioned he’s asking around for present ideas?"

Robert’s smile dropped. For a split second. But then it was back if a bit forced, and Aaron felt a yearning for it to mean something. That it probably didn't…

"Yeah, that’s when I was a prick.”

“I figured, when Adam mentioned…yeah.”  

“Do you want me to give him…”

“No, no…I just don’t. I wasn’t planning on getting him anything. Like, have to now or…”

“Dump him.”

Aaron laughed. “What just to get out having to give him a pressie?”

“Sure. You’ve dumped people for less.”

Aaron laughed, but he was considering it — it felt awful. He hadn’t lied to Adam. He was tired of the dating scene. He wanted something like his mate had with Vic…

He looked at Robert.

He was fiddling with his phone. Aaron watched as he changed his wallpaper to a Christmas tree. “Dork.”

“Grinch.”

They fell back into silence.

“Isn’t this cozy.”

Aaron looked up, and Eli was standing by their table. This look on his face. Aaron stared at him.  

“Just under my nose?”

“What?” Aaron shook his head.

“Oh for fucks…” Robert muttered under his breath.

Aaron glanced at him.

Robert started typing on his phone.

“Ever think to mention how close you two are?” Eli asked.

“Uh…did I have to? He’s my best mate…” Aaron felt lost.  

“I thought that was Adam.”

Aaron nodded his head and shrugged. “Is there a limit?”

“He’s bi,” Eli bit out.  

Aaron’s phone chirped. He looked down.

R: He was irked realizing we were close, but I didn’t think it was this…

“Aaron?” Robert’s voice held so much.

Aaron met his eyes, felt shaken by how green they were… he looked from Robert to Eli. “I’ve got this.”

Robert stood up. “I’ll be at the scrapyard,” he said.

Aaron nodded.

“Have a date,” Eli said.

“Sit down,” he snapped.

Eli huffed out a breath, but he sat down.  

“What’s your problem?”

“Look, Adam is straight as they come, but Robert, he's…always flirting with you, and you two are all…”

“He’s not…” Flirting? Aaron frowned. “He’s my friend as much as Adam.”

“No,” Eli shook his head. “No, it’s different.”

Aaron rolled his eyes.

“Was watching you two through the window… this looked like a date.”

“Don’t be daft…” did it?

“I don’t like it.”

Aaron just stared at him.

“So…” Eli said.

“What?”

“If we’re serious, it has to stop.”

Aaron felt gobsmacked.

“Well?”

“Robert.”

“Okay…wait, what?” Eli said.

Aaron rolled his eyes. “You find out I have a bi friend and your first act is to behave like a jealous…I don’t know, teenager, and you actually think I’m not going to pick my closest mate over you? Grow up, Eli…"

Aaron stood up and walked out of the cafe.  

"Aaron, Aaron…” Eli was behind him.

“It’s done,” Aaron said.

“But… okay, you’re right I’m overreacting, alright. It’s just…I feel like I don’t know you, and then I find out you’re super close with this fit guy…"

"So? If we were closer, would it matter?”

“I just…I knew you were mates, but I didn’t get it was close, and the flirting…”

“It’s banter…” Aaron really wanted to not read into how Eli saw them — he was jealous. Biased. “It’s banter like with Adam.”

“It’s not…he’s fit, and he apparently knows you…”

Aaron sighed.

“I’ve made this a mess…”

“It’s still over.”

“What?”

Aaron sighed. “Look. Adam told me you want to get me something, that you see us getting serious…”

“I do.”

“I don't…” Aaron shrugged.

“It’s about him?”

Aaron opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out.

Eli sighed. “I was… wrong-headed Aaron, but I ain’t wrong about you and him…"

Aaron frowned as he watched Eli walk away. His heartbeat was loud in his ears. Robert and he — they were… Something. Mates. Not like him and Adam, he told Robert things no one else knew. Or could guess at — Robert did. They were family, friends. Important. It was…

He felt like he would die before risking all of it.

But is it a risk?

~~~

The party was a thing when Aaron got downstairs. He’d dressed up for it, being stuck there now. He and Eli had plans to go Bar West, but that wasn’t happening, and Aaron was more than relieved. He felt like he’d dropped a weight and gotten out of something — Eli’s overreaction screaming red flags at him…

And told him not to buy a word he said about him and Robert.

Even if a piece of him might want to.

He straightened the sleeves of his black sweater and looked around for where Vic put the beer. The party wasn’t in full swing yet. He supposed a lot of people wouldn’t show for another hour. Vic was still moving around, putting on finishing touches of her chosen finger foods and decorations. Adam was following her around, trying to tell her to calm down and enjoy. Aaron laughed, thinking Robert and her more alike than anyone ever noticed.

He found the beer and picked up a bottle.

Adam was in front of him. "She’s stressing herself out.”

“She’ll relax, get some beer in her.”

“The plan,” Adam picked up two bottles. “Weren’t you not staying?”

“Plans changed.”

“Eli’s coming over…”

“We broke up.”

“What? Maate…you didn’t dump him to get out of the present thing, did ya?”

“No…” Aaron said and ignored the fact he had considered that. “Rob and I were at the cafe, and he walked in all jealous and going on about me and him…” Aaron shook his head. “He gave me an ultimatum."

"What?”

Aaron nodded.

“What? He said him or Robert?”

Aaron nodded.

Adam whistled. “He stood no chance mate…” he laughed.

“It was mad, how jealous he was… like just because we’re both into men…”

“Well, good riddance, can’t mess with someone that jealous, yeah.”

Aaron nodded.

“I mean, I can see it though…huh.”

“What?”

“You and Robert.”

“What?” Aaron forced himself to laugh.

“Yeah, huh…” Adam laughed. “I mean you’re mates, great ones… you get along. Ever considered it?”

He felt caught.

“Have ya?” Adam grinned at him. “Yeah? I mean, I think I have the fit Sugden, but…”

“Shut up…” Aaron said to stave off his panic. He couldn’t do this.  

“Ads…can you come take their coats?” Vic yelled from the door.

And he was gone, and Aaron tried to remember how to breathe.

But Robert took that second to walk into the flat. Dressed in his gray jumper, and the rest of Aaron’s breath vanished. He looked down and willed Robert not to find him in the growing crowd. But he felt him, coming closer, then he smelled him, and he swallowed.

“My place is even colder if you believe it,” he said as he picked up a beer.

“Thought you weren’t coming.”

“Figured you’d need someone to talk to…” Robert smiled.

Aaron nodded and shoved his hands into his jean’s pockets.

“You alright?”

“Yeah… I mean, I was going to dump him anyway.”

“I didn’t mean that…”

“No, not the present thing on the account he was into it more than me…”

“Can’t blame him…” Robert said.

Aaron stared at him.

Robert was busying himself, trying to open the bottle.

Aaron took it and snapped off the top for him. “Butterfingers.”

“Thanks.”

“You two mingle…please…” Vic was in front of them.

“Why would we do that?” Robert asked.

“Look, my friends from the gym are all huddled, Adam and I’s friends from school are over there, and my friends from my cooking classes are there… it’s all groups and corners. And you two are intimidating people away from the alcohol…”

“We’re not…” they both muttered.

“Look at ya, with your we’re too cool for Christmas grump faces.”

“Hey, I love Christmas…” Robert denied. “This isn’t Christmas."

"We have a grab bag planned, but I need to get people mingling. MINGLE.”

“Vic…"

"Alright,” Aaron heard himself say… He needed a break from Robert. Eli and Adam all in his head and making him think about the things he kept buried. It wasn’t possible the two of them — wouldn’t it have happened by now if it were? And Robert hadn’t meant anything when he said he couldn’t blame Eli for being into him? Had he? No, he had to stop this…

He couldn’t ruin what they had.

“Alright?”

“You take the ladies from her gym…might get a number. I recognize some people from school, so…”

“Aaron…” Robert’s voice sounded odd as he walked away. He forced himself not to look back.  

~~~

Get a number.

Get a number!

It repeated in his head as he talked to the women from Vic’s gym — doing his best to be charming and talking about the people he knew from Vic’s cooking classes — he’d taken a few with her.  One woman was well into him, but he kept looking at her, and he couldn’t bring himself to care…

He glanced around the room for Aaron. He felt foolish for getting it into his head that maybe he should… What? Ruin their friendship? Just because Eli got jealous — the bloke was off the plot, really. It’d been based on nothing at all. It wasn’t real…

He hadn’t sensed something real between them.

They were mates. Been mates so long, Robert didn’t remember not being mates. But that’d been true once. They hadn’t gotten along at all…

Until the day they did.

He frowned.

“What did you do?” Vic’s made him blink.

“Huh?”

“Well, you made the gym crowd go get drinks at least…”

“I was talking up Jan and Brian from Cake Baking.”

Vic laughed. “This party is going to fail.”

“It’s not. Just give it some time. Not even everyone is here yet.”

“Could you lose the long face, though?”

“I’m not long-faced.”

“Are.”

“Whatever…” he looked around.

“Aaron went outside.”

“What why?”

“Air, he said.”

“Oh.”

“Oh?” Vic echoed him, and when he looked at her, she was staring at him funny.

“What?”

Vic eyed him, then she looked away and around the room. “Oh, there he is…” she looked around the room. “I have a brilliant idea.”

“I’m scared…”

She grabbed his hand. “Shut up… Aaron!”  

“Vic, let go…” he shouted as she yanked him toward the kitchen. She stopped short, though, and he tripped into Aaron.  

Aaron’s hands came fell onto his arms, just above his elbows, slowing his momentum.

“Thanks,” he muttered out of breath.

“Kiss,” Vic said.

The two of them looked at her.

“What?” Robert asked.

She pointed up.

He looked at the mistletoe he’d put up for her earlier. “No.”

“Do it, please,” she whispered and looked around. “I need an icebreaker.”

“You and Adam do it…” Aaron said, his hands sliding off of Robert.

Robert hated how he felt cold there.

“No, we’re married. What’s the fun in that. Now you two are two fit blokes…”

“You want to objectify your own brother.”

“In the interest of my party, yes I do…’ Vic smiled at them. "Just do it,” she snapped.

“Vic…”

“Oh, come on, you’re close, you’ve slept together on my couch, just kiss.”

Robert closed his eyes for a moment, trying to find the reason he could give that would stop this from happening. But his mind was blank. No lies, no excuses. All he felt was that he wanted to do it… And it wasn’t his idea, was it? It was just mistletoe?

It was a stupid Christmas Tradition.

It was a reason.

He could kiss Aaron, and it wouldn’t ruin anything. They wouldn’t even have to talk about it afterward — it’d probably be awful anyway, show him once and for all that he and Aaron were just mates…

“Alright…” he muttered.

“What?” Aaron said.

“It’s just some dumb tradition, right?” Robert said, and it’d sounded better in his head.

Aaron looked between them.

“Please?” Vic said.

Aaron sighed.

Vic squealed and shoved Robert into Aaron.

“Vic..” He frowned, but his hands stayed where they’d fallen on Aaron’s waist. “Um..”

Aaron shifted and looked up at the mistletoe.

“OH OH LOOK PEOPLE UNDER THE MISTLETOE,” Vic yelled.

Robert watched Aaron’s face go beet red.

He had to rescue him.

His hands flew up and landed on his face. He took a bracing breath. This would answer it all right…

He might as well enjoy it, go for broke, and kiss the hell out of Aaron. His thumbs trailed against his scruff, his eyes locked onto brilliant blue, he felt his breath catch, but it wasn’t like he’d need it…. He pressed their mouths together, and heat shot down his spine, and he stepped back, for a split second, then he dipped back down for more. Aaron tasted like chocolate and beer. His hands were on, trailing up his arms…

A trail of electric bursts before it landed on his shoulders. He felt pulled in closer, he felt the tip of Aaron’s tongue, and one of his hand fell down Aaron’s chest, it landed on his waist and he yanked him closer.  

He opened his mouth, and Aaron was there, leaning up into him, hands clutching at his jumper. Their feet tangled, then tripped, swayed…

Robert’s mouth felt cold as they parted.

His heart was hammering.

Aaron’s eyes were bright and wild.

But Robert blinked and Aaron was gone.

He left Robert in a daze.

~~~

It was two days later, and Aaron still felt upended.

It figured Robert was an amazing kisser.

Toe-curling and life-changing.  

Aaron swore and turned over onto his stomach and buried his face in his pillow. He couldn’t handle this. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go? And he kept wishing he hadn’t let Robert talk him into going along with Vic’s ridiculous idea…

It’s just some dumb tradition.

It was just the excuse he needed, wasn’t it? It was a reason that they could cross a line that something had decided they’d never cross. Mistletoe in the middle of a party. It’d be quick and chaste and ridiculous. People might laugh, and catcall and Vic would get her party ice broken…

He should have known it’d backfire.

Because it was the best kiss of his life… and he’d tried to give as good as got. He’d felt hungry the second their lips touched. All his insides flipped inside out and in again. He’d wanted to climb up Robert, shove his hands under his jumper instead of clutching to the material with his fists…

When their tongues met, he thought his legs might give out.

He never kissed anyone like that before.

He’d felt on fire.

So, he’d run outside.

And away from Robert.

How could he look at him again? How had he told himself that kiss would mean nothing — because it’d meant something.  

They couldn’t go back.

And Robert likely agreed.

Because Aaron knew he was being avoided right back.

He probably regretted it.

He probably wasn’t sure how to tell Aaron they could only be friends.

He’d risked everything.

He screamed into the pillow.

~~~

He was going to run out of the hot water that he’d just gotten back, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave his shower. He let the water wash over him and sighed in resignation that wasn’t going to wash away the memory of kissing Aaron…

He’d tried.

To purge it.

To tell himself they’d just done what Vic wanted.

That Aaron running away had been about him hating attention and not him…

Though he was being avoided.

Which was relieving and sad.

Because he was avoiding Aaron, and he didn’t know how to stop.

He wanted to stop.

They could bury this, right? Go back?

Could they?

Aaron had kissed him back? His hands digging into his skin a bit, they’d clutched at his sweater, up on his toes, their chests pressing together —that’d been Aaron.

It’d felt.

Amazing.

Who knew kissing could feel like fire?

He hadn’t.

Robert sighed.

He turned off the water, grabbed his fluffy towel, and enjoyed the fact he wasn’t freezing. He heard his doorbell go and sighed. He needed to be left alone — the last thing he could deal with right now was other people. But it was probably Vic…

It was time to start on Christmas dinner.

As if getting him and Andy together would ever be a good idea.

But he put on his robe, fixed his hair a bit, and walked downstairs.

“Liv?” Chas said as she walked in.

“Um…what about her?”

“What about her? She just called to ask me to stay at mine?”

“OH…” he sighed. “Yeah, I already got the tickets. If she can’t, she can hide out here.”

Chas just stared at him.

“What?”

“That’s your Christmas present to Aaron, his sister?”

“Uh, yeah…why? He misses her. Seems obvious.”

“I bought him two tickets to Ibiza.”

“Tacky. He’ll love it.”

“For the weekend after New Year’s, the dates you have her here…"

"Oh…"

Chas sighed.

"He can take her.”

“What?”

“It’s perfect, right? He can take Liv.”

“To Ibiza.”

“What? He’ll love spending time with her…she’ll love it. It’s win-win…” Robert walked into his kitchen.

Chas made a noise.

“What?”

“I was trying to top you.”

“What?”

She groaned.

“Want tea?”

“Fine…” she sat down at his kitchen.  

He went about filling the kettle.

“Do you love him?”

He dropped the kettle in the sink.  

“Hmm…was that an answer?”

He turned and stared at her.

“Do you?” she asked.

He felt his cheeks heat, knew his chest was too… he flashed to that kiss. But more than just being with Aaron — anywhere, anytime, no matter what they were doing…

Always the best part of his day.

He’d missed it for the past few days.  

“Better do something about it before someone else scoops him up…” Chas said.

“I didn't…”

“You didn’t need to…” she said. “I heard Vic describing that kiss.”

He paled. “She’s what?”

“Oh, it’s the latest gossip,” Chas laughed and pointed at him. “Don’t be stupid, Sugden…now tea please while we iron the details or our now group gift."

He groaned.

~~~

"You live,” Vic exclaimed as she found him at the kitchen table sipping a brew.

Aaron nodded.

“You’ve been in and out before I can see ya…”

He shrugged.

“So, uh… Are you mad at me?”

“Maybe.”

“For the incident, or telling everyone about it?”

“What?”

“Okay. Both.”

He groaned and slumped in his chair.

Vic sighed and sat down. “I thought…”

“You thought what?”

“You’d get together.”

“You what?” Aaron stared at her.

“I mean…” Vic sighed. “Aaron. It’s you and Robert.”

“We’re mates.”

“Oh…” she snorted. “Look… Robert was moping without you at the party. I don’t even know why you left him to… And Adam, he’d brought up how Eli noticed that thing between you — not that Adam’s ever noticed it. But since it was brought up, Adam was wondering why you two just never…”

“I, what, Vic, make sense.”

“Oh, I’m making sense. You just don’t want me to… You and Robert, Aaron. Why aren’t you a thing?”

“Because, because….” Aaron frowned.

“See.”

“No. No, it’s not that simple.”

“Of course, it is.”

“No, no, it’s not…” Aaron frowned.

“Why?”

“I can’t lose him.”

“Hmm, I think we’re talking about the opposite of that.”

“No, no, we’re not…if it, if we try, and it doesn’t work…” Aaron shook his head. “No. I’d miss him.”

“So, go for it.”

“And then it crashes and burns?” Aaron shook his head.

“So, you’re a coward?” Vic said. “The both of you? Probably. Because the two of you are avoiding each other like you contracted the plague instead of sharing probably the most passionate kiss I’ve ever witnessed. I figured you two kiss, feel a spark, but no the two of you enacted some romance novel."

"Vic…” he blushed.

“You love him.”

“Of course I do, but…”

“You are in love with him.”

“I…” his phone rang.

“Should check it. Adam said something about a scrap delivery issue.”

He sighed and looked at his phone, half afraid it’d be Robert.  It wasn’t.  And the disappointment like a punch. He sighed at the number, though… and dropped his phone.

“Ezekiel’s Woodworking Studio?” Vic read the caller’s identification. “What’s that about.”

“Robert’s Christmas present isn’t it… it’s nothing really, I just saw this guy, and his art looked like it fit in with the Mill — like Robert…I commissioned a piece.”

“Commissioned a piece?” Vic shook her head. “And you, who doesn’t spend over ten quid on your own mother, want to tell me you aren’t in love with my brother?”

He shifted in his seat. It all looked different now, didn’t it?

His lips tingled.

His insides flipped.

“Aaron, please don’t do anything you’ll regret."

~~~

R: My house.

Aaron touched his mouth as he read the words and then shoved his phone into his jeans and looked around. No one was taking much notice of him. Everyone was just chattering amongst themselves. He noticed most everyone at their tables at the Woolpack had Christmas bags with them. Some even had wrapped up boxes.

It was snowing again, and he almost felt a bit cheery. But his insides twisted, pleasantly and not, as the kiss played over in his mind again… It wouldn’t let him let it go. It wouldn’t let the things Vic said go either…

But neither would his fear.

He sat down and ordered a pint from Charity.

Cain sat down next to him a few minutes later.

They grunted hello.

Aaron ordered a second pint, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket, and he knew it was Robert. He felt in his bones. He’d made the overture, and Aaron ignored, but he wasn't…

Robert had decided to stop avoiding.

But what did that mean? Was he reaching out to go back to the status quo or?

He sighed into his pint.

"Alright, that’s enough…” Cain pulled the pint away.

Aaron scowled at him.

“What has you moping about?”

“Nothing.”

“What your mum do?”

“Nothing?”

“Scrapyard in trouble?”

“No, we’re fine.”

“It Sugden?”

He scowled.

“What he do this time?”

Aaron stared at him. “What?”

“He does something mad, you two fall out, you look like a grumpy bear until it’s fixed… just forgive him already and put the rest of our misery having to deal with you.”

“Oh, you’re a bush of roses…” Aaron shot back, then rolled his eyes.

“I’m I wrong?”

“He didn’t…” Aaron frowned. “Do we, I, we do that?”

Cain shrugged. “You aren’t roses when you and Adam fall out either, but it’s never as bad. What happened?”

Aaron felt his cheeks heat, and he felt the phantom kiss of Robert’s mouth. He touched his mouth and grabbed his pint back from Cain. “We kissed,” he muttered before drinking.

Cain stared at him a bit, made a noise, and rolled his eyes. “You were alright with it?”

“Yeah…yeah…well no…it was under the mistletoe, Vic made us, for her party.”

“So not a real kiss…”

“Wasn’t supposed to be…” Aaron sighed.

Cain shook his head.

Aaron snorted.

Cain eyed him.  

Aaron twisted his pint glass around.

Cain sighed. “I’m trying here. You got work with me.”

“It was….” Aaron sighed. “Can’t get it out my head.”

“Oh.”

Aaron nodded.

“Then why are you here, moping?”

Why was that such a good question? Aaron sighed. “Fine.”

“Fine.”

“Going to his…” Aaron tossed some money on the bar. “Thanks.”

Cain nodded.

It was freezing outside. He dug out his gloves, zipped up his coat, put his gloves on, and started walking through the storm to Robert’s house. As he got closer, he couldn’t see any lights inside, and he started to feel stupid. Maybe he wasn’t even home. Maybe he’d gotten fed up with no answer from him and gone out.

But he got to the door and rang the buzzer and hugged himself against the col and waited what felt like forever. But it was probably only a minute or so when Robert appeared and yanked Aaron inside…

“You look freezing,” he muttered. “Get out of that jacket. It’s wet with snow.”

Aaron did as he was told, mostly because he was freezing. He toed off his boots too and looked around The Mill. He loved it. He’d helped Robert out a bit, pointing to things he liked. A few of them were on the walls. There was one empty spot – Robert driving himself spare trying to figure out what he wanted there.

He thoughts about the present he commissioned. His stomach churned. He hadn’t been sure about it, but something had pressed him forward. It felt like a familiar fear.

A Robert fear.

Robert appeared in front of him and held up two boxes. “Tea or hot chocolate?”

“Hot chocolate.”

A grin broke across Robert’s face. “Me too.”

“Yeah…I know…” Aaron laughed.

Robert kept looking at him.

Aaron nodded.

“So, you’re here… I thought for sure you were still avoiding me.”  

“Tried too. Cain was talking my ear off…”

“Cain? Talking your ear off?”

“In his own way.”

“So, escaped by coming here?”

Aaron nodded.

“Good good,” Robert turned toward his stove. “Take a bit to make this… sit down?”

Aaron pulled out a chair in the kitchen. “Furnace is definitely fixed.”

“Yeah, thanks for helping me find that part cheaper.”

“No big deal.”

“Still….” He said from where he was now, stirring chocolate in a pot.

Aaron wondered how many times he’d watched Robert do it — make them hot chocolate, over the years, how many Christmases? How many years where the only present he ever looked forward to were the ones marked by Robert…

They were always the only surprise.

The only gift that made sense to him.

He knew the fear he was tasting. He’d felt it a long time. Let it get too strong.  

“Look…” Robert muttered and turned away.

“What?”

Robert sighed and stayed focused on the pot of chocolate. “This is weird.”

Aaron let out a laugh.

“And awkward, and we’ve never been awkward…”

Aaron nodded.

Robert smiled, and he turned off the burner, grabbed the chair closest to Aaron, and sat down. “I…”

Aaron waited.

Robert’s cheeks went pink.  

Aaron felt his breath catch.

“Am terrified.”

Suddenly Aaron could breathe. He felt tears in his eyes, and his head nodding up and down. “Me too…” he wiped at the corner of his eye.

Robert blew out a breath. “That’s fantastic.”

“That we’re both scared?” Aaron shook his head.

“Yeah, yeah…isn’t it?”

“I don’t know. Been using it to… keep us how we are?”

Robert nodded. “Is that what you want? Us how we are…”

“Or?”

“I’ve hated all your boyfriends.”

Aaron nodded. “I know.”

“But, I mean, not just for all the reasons they were wrong for ya…which they were…but… I hated them, Aaron. I wanted. I just didn’t think you’d want me…”

“Why wouldn’t I want you?” Aaron stared at him.

“I’m smug, I’m rude, I’m always scheming against my co-workers…”

“You’re ambitious, you never let your sister down… You never let me down."

Robert shrugged.

"I need you…” Aaron whispered. “I can’t talk to anyone else like you.”

“Same here, you know…your the most important person to me outside of myself and Vic…I don’t know what I’d be without you.”

Aaron nodded.

“But…” Robert grabbed his hand.

Aaron felt a jolt of warmth up his arm. He stared at their hands, watching his own fingers just tangled with Robert’s. He thought about a million times, he’d wanted to grab his hand…

So many chances he never took.

“I want more.”

Aaron closed his eyes.

“Do you think?”

“I don’t know…” Aaron felt the fear tearing at him. He let go of Robert’s hand and wiped his eyes. “I can't…” he stood up and went to the door.

“Aaron…” Robert followed him.

He bent down to put on his boots.

“Don’t go. It’s a blizzard out there.”

“Not going far…”

“Aaron?”

“I heard ya…” he muttered, and he dared look up into eyes he knew as well as his own, mostly green with a glint of blue that always drove him to distraction. He sighed and started trying to put on his coat.

“And?”

“I’m scared.”

“Me too.”

“I know, but…”

“Aaron.”

“It’s so much…” Aaron let out a breath. “It’s too much. I was scared alone, and now we’re scared together…”

“It’ll get less frightening.”

Aaron let out a breath. He wasn’t sure.

“Fine…alright. I’ll wait.”

Aaron stared at him. “What?”

“I’ll wait…” Robert said. “Been waiting anyway, even if I didn’t know it. Been waiting for something to crack and make us open our eyes — my eyes are open now. I’ll wait for ya… what else would I do? It’s you, Aaron. I’m terrified, but I’m sure… that kiss…I thought it would tell me I was lying to myself about us. But it was the truth instead.”

“You’re mad.”

“I know,” Robert grabbed Aaron’s coat that he was still fumbling with and zipped it up. Tugged and pulled at it until it wrapped around him correctly. Snug and warm. He watched Robert take his hand again, the one that just been tangled up with his… his hand looked small in his grip. He felt a warmth from it that radiated throughout all of him.  

He let Robert put on his glove. Then the other one.

Robert grabbed a hat from his rack, yanked Aaron’s hoodie up from under his jacket, and put the hat and the hood up. “I want a text, alright.”

“Robert…” he stared at him.

“Unless you’re ready to stay?”

His heart jackhammered.

“Okay….but um, I’ll see you on Christmas at Vic’s.”

“I don’t know if…”

“I said I’ll wait, no time limit.”

Aaron blew out a breath. He stared. “I don’t deserve…”

“Yes, you do.”

“You deserve…” Aaron sighed. “You deserve more.”

Robert shook his head.

Aaron sighed and leaned forward and kissed him.

Just like that.

Robert sighed into it, and Aaron stepped back.

They blinked at each other.

Aaron swallowed. “I won’t take long.”

“I’d like that.”

Aaron nodded and darted out.

Away.

He wasn’t even sure why, just that the fear was overwhelming. Robert was the one he relied on to always catch him…

And he was waiting on it again.

The risk felt too real.

~~~

Christmas Day

He swung to look at the door hearing it open.  It was a little past ten at night, but he sighed when it was Matty and his girlfriend, Amy. Though it was all part of the tradition that somehow he’d been allowed into — Aaron dragging him once years ago now. Adam and his family started, then came Vic. Just a group of them getting together after all the Christmas dinners, opening presents, drinking and watching a stupid Christmas movie on late-night cable.  

It was fun.

It was nice to feel part of something.

He never really had that until coming home and finding Aaron.

He shook his head as the level of their stupidity crashed down on him.

And it might be too late.

Aaron might be too afraid of them.

But Robert wasn’t sure if he could go backward — he’d try. For Aaron, as equally terrifying as that sounded — just being friends when he wanted to be…

Everything.

The door opened again, and Aaron came in.

Robert felt his heart stop.

Aaron was holding an odd-shaped gift, which he put down with the rest, and he let Vic pour him some wine, which he only drank on holiday’s but Robert knew he liked a few — he’d made sure to buy his favorite. It was the one that was already open.  

He saw Aaron take a sip, notice, and seek him out.

He nodded. He didn’t dare move. This was Aaron’s call.

How it went tonight.

Aaron walked across the room.

Robert smiled and tugged on the expensive jumper he was wearing.

“Paddy….not my mum, which was weird. Though the same thing, innit?”

“Yeah.”

“Mum said, I was to discuss her present with you…which again weird.”

Robert smirked.

“Seriously, you went in on it with my mum?”

“No. You think we could get along that long? No, just hers kind of had to fit into mine…it was competing. I fixed it, though.”

“Competing…”

Robert grinned and grabbed Aaron’s hand. “Upstairs.”

He felt Aaron’s hand twitch in his and slowed down, ready to let go, realizing he shouldn’t have — they didn’t do this, they touched arms or whatever… this wasn’t waiting, was it?  

Aaron squeezed his hand.

He felt a sigh of relief at not having to let go.

“Wait…” Aaron muttered as they reached the stairs.

Robert stopped.

Aaron grabbed the big present from his pile.

“Whoa, hey, where are two going,” Adam started.

“Nope, let them,” Vic grabbed his arm.

“But we all…”

“Not this year,” Vic said.

Robert shot her quick smile and tugged Aaron behind him up the stairs. He went into Aaron’s room — his favorite in the whole house, muted colors and not that awful lime his sister chose in what he assumed was madness. He turned to face Aaron to be blocked by the present.

“It’s big.”

“I see.”

“I hope you like it because I wasn’t sure…” Aaron sighed.

“I’ll love it. But you first.”

Aaron nodded.

They sat down on the bed.

Aaron took his hand in his.

Robert swallowed.

Aaron fiddled with their hands.

“Aaron?” his throat felt dry.

“I’m still scared…”

Robert nodded.

“But just now, downstairs… seeing ya, touching ya…it feels…better.”

“Good.”

Aaron looked at him.

Robert waited.

“Present?” Aaron asked.

Robert tried not to feel disappointed. He hated himself a bit for feeling disappointed. He was here with Aaron. They were holding hands — that felt wild in a way, in an amazing way. He promised he’d wait. That meant not complaining…

“I’m sorry…”

“No, I’m, I didn’t mean to…”

Aaron took a sharp breath. “I’m just not…”

“It’s okay…presents.” Robert stood up and reluctantly let go of Aaron’s hand. Aaron’s hand falling after him. He pulled the tickets out of his pocket…

“To explain… these are the tickets your mom bought before she knew what my present is.”

“Alright…” he took them, and his eyes lit up. “Ibiza, five nights, after the New Year.”

“Tacky.”

“It’s great…” he frowned. “Robert? How does yours compete?”

He pulled out the next piece of paper. “This is Liv’s itinerary. She get’s here on December 30th.”

“You…you…” Aaron stared at him. “I haven’t seen her…since two years ago…the money…you…” he stared at him. “Sandra agreed.”

“It took some charming, but Liv misses ya too, and you don’t talk enough because you’re horrible at Facetime…”

Aaron launched off the bed, his hands on his face, and kissed him, muttering, “Shut up.”

They swayed. Robert ran his hands down Aaron’s back.

Aaron let out a noise and stepped back. “We can’t go back, can we?”

Robert smiled a bit because Aaron was still in his arms. He could feel his heat. His hands were settled on his waist. He leaned down and caught his eyes. “No.”

Aaron nodded.

Robert held his breath.

“How, um…how are you fixing it, so mum’s gift and yours…”

“Liv’s going with ya, to Ibiza.”

Aaron smiled at him, but it wasn’t as big as he expected. It didn’t reach his eyes. “Aaron?”

Aaron stared at him, his hand reaching up, and he touched his face. “You hate Ibiza…”

“It's…”

“Uh…” Aaron cleared his throat, stepped back, and picked up the large wrapped gift he had for Robert. “I’m nervous about this.”

Robert took it. It was heavier than he expected. “Aaron, what…"

"Open it.”

He pulled it open. It was clear it was wood, driftwood maybe, and he shook his head and pulled it out of the paper completely. It was painted in whites and blues that would look perfect in his living room. It was so simple it was barely even a design, but it was clearly art, made from found wood and made…

“Aaron.”

“I sorta picked out the colors and the design, nothing fancy, I was…”

“I love it.”

Aaron smiled.

“It’ll be perfect in that spot above…”

“The fireplace,” Aaron finished.

“Yeah…”

Aaron frowned and looked at the tickets on the bed.

“What?”

“Come with us…”

“What?”

“If you can…if you want…come with us.”

“To Ibiza?”

“I know you hate it and all, but…”

“Aaron?”

“I…” Aaron closed his eyes, but he held out his hand.

Robert took it.

“We can’t go back…” Aaron tugged at him. He stepped closer. “I don’t want to go back.”

“Are you…”

“You can stop waiting.”

“Aaron?”

“Yes, us, let’s just… risk it and go all in.”

“Thank God,” Robert breathed.

“But I can’t go away for five nights without you…and if you can put up with Liv…”

“Anything. Liv, Ibiza…”

Aaron laughed.

“I mean it though, Aaron. Anything.”

“Me too…” Aaron let out another breath and squeezed their hands. “It’s already not all that scary.”

“Maybe a little,” Robert whispered. “Aaron?”

“Yeah.”

Robert kissed him, then again, and tugged at the sweater. “All in?”

Aaron stared at him, his eyes wide, and he looked terrified. Robert felt it. He felt himself, but he strokes his thumb where it was already on the skin, and Aaron’s eyes went darker, and he looked at Robert. “I haven't…every time I relive that kiss, I think about you and me…”

“Yeah?” Robert smiled and kissed his neck.

Aaron made a beautiful noise and started to pull on the buttons of Robert’s dress shirt. “Yes. All in.”

Robert kissed him before he finished the sentence. He wanted to taste him again, feel the scruff of his beard and the pain of how hard Aaron gripped onto him, moved into him. He was moving backward and hit the door of Aaron’s closet, and Aaron started to kiss his jawline as he tugged down on Robert’s shirt.

He hurried it off his shoulders, trying not to move too much, wanting Aaron to keep touching him, kissing him — it felt like he waited forever. Like he just woke up a few days ago under the mistletoe when Aaron kissed him…

All his bottled up jealousy and attraction.  

All the love.

He grabbed Aaron’s face, their eyes met, and he let out a breath. It was shaky, scared. They were changing so much about them right now — but it felt right. It felt ridiculous to have waited. He swallowed. “We can’t be afraid, Aaron.”

Aaron nodded, but his breath quickened. “It’s just scary…how much I feel about you…”

Robert nodded, and he grabbed Aaron’s sweater. “Why is this still on…”

“Don’t know.”

He pulled it off and dropped it to the floor.

“That’s new, you know.”

“You’re never going to wear it again,” Robert said as he kissed Aaron’s neck.

“Shit…” Aaron gripped onto him.

“Like that…” he did it again.

“Rob…” Aaron’s hands were on his belt buckle.

“Hurry up,” he muttered, and it was his turn to push Aaron.

Back and back until they landed on the bed, the springs creaking and both of them laughing, then kissing and touching, and yanking on clothes and kicking….

Robert found himself on his back, Aaron over him, staring down right into him, through his eyes to his soul. His heart pounded. “Aaron…”

“What?”

“You’re everything.”

Aaron sniffed and looked away.

Robert ran his hands up his arms.

Aaron looked back at him and nodded.

~~~

They collapsed together, tangled up, out of breath, and both of them feeling smug, and Aaron stared at Robert’s smuggest smile and thought that it was his — all his. He made it happened. He got to enjoy everything Robert was rightfully smug about. He got to made to feel like he was amazing and worthy and lit afire…

Robert’s word was right. It was everything. Robert was everything.

And his eyes blinked closed.

And opened.

To Robert’s sleeping face.

He swallowed, every second of making love — god, it had been, hadn’t it? He felt his whole body flush, with heat, from the intimacy, the passion. Every kiss, every touch, he couldn’t forget it — the talking and the laughing. The quiet. Robert begging him to be slower, take longer, there was no hurry….

There was no hurry.

He let out a shocked breath to at the…

Lessening of his fear.

But he got it now. Robert’s word was right. Everything. When you loved someone that deeply — he did love him. Love Robert. Possibly from the minute they met, and he became the person he relied on the most…

He knew it, but he hadn’t known it.

Been too afraid of that, of losing him.

He was still terrified.

Robert’s eyes opened.

Aaron smiled.

“Are you watching me sleep?”

“Little bit…”

“Huh?” Robert smiled.

Aaron tried to move closer, but there wasn’t much room.

Robert held him tighter all the same.  

“Are you alright?” Robert whispered after a bit.

“Yeah.”

“Are you sure?” Robert sounded hesitant.

“Yes.”

“It’s just..didn’t seem like you planned…”

“You can’t, can ya, plan this?”

Robert nodded. “Guess not, but you know…”

“I’m still afraid I might always be a bit… you mean everything.”

“I know, you too…”

“I knew…you were standing there going about Ibiza and Liv… and how you just fixed it, fixed the mix up so I’d be happier… you always do that, make things better for me…not even trying, not even meaning too…”

“Aaron…”

“No…I heard I was going to Ibiza with my sister — who I miss, and all I could think was I didn’t wanna leave ya.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah…and I voiced it, and you just agreed to go someplace you hate, for me.”

Robert shrugged.

“I love ya,” Aaron whispered, and he was immediately kissed, then Robert’s face was buried into his neck. “I do.”

“You have no idea how much I love you too…”

“Bit of an idea…” Aaron whispered.

“Merry Christmas,” Robert whispered.

“It’s Boxing Day by now.”

“Fine. Happy Boxing Day,” Robert laughed.

“Sleep…” Robert whispered.

Aaron nodded, and they curled into each other, maneuvering so they were both comfortable, and then they faced each other and giggled, kissed, giggled, and kissed…

Until Aaron’s eyes slipped closed again.

And for a second time, he woke up in Robert’s arms…

He felt out of breath for a second, terrified by the love but more certain than ever, and… he carefully got out of the bed, found his phone on the floor with his pants, and snuck out of his room. He walked down to the kitchen and looked at the time —

No, he couldn’t wait.

He dialed Liv’s number.

“Aaron…” she was sleepy. “Did he tell ya,” she said anyway.

He sighed, he felt bad, but… “Look, Liv, I need you to do me a really big favor.”

“What?”

“Um…Robert and I got together last night.”

“Together?”

“We're…you know together.”

“Oh. Oh. Finally.”

Aaron couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, well…um. I don’t really want to take off in few days without him…”

“Or have your little sister around?”

He breathed a sigh of relief, she said. “Yeah.”

“Okay.”

“Okay? Just like that?”

“No, but…you should be with him.”

“I’ll see you as soon as we’re back…we’ll figure something out.”

“I know. He can come too if you want.”

“Liv, thanks…”

“You sound happy.”

Aaron looked upstairs. “I am.”

“Alright, it’s only seven. I’m going back to bed…Merry Christmas.”

“Merry Christmas.”

“What was that?” Robert’s voice made him jump. “Sorry.”

“What you sneaking up on me for?"

"I woke up. You weren’t there…” Robert stepped closer. “Were you on the phone?”

“I called Liv.”

“Why?”

“To ask her if it was alright, we went on our own.”

“Aaron…”

“Don't…” Aaron grabbed Robert’s waist. “Just don’t. I want to be with you, alone, and… yeah, she gets it. She said finally.”

Robert laughed. “Think we might get a lot of that.”

“We’ll survive.”

“I don’t know, Ibiza.”

“Shut up.”

“Make me…”

It wasn’t long before they fell back into the bed, naked again, the laughter fading to something more — something that would last as long as everything implied.

[archadianskies]

old habits

→ on Ao3

@dbhrarepairs Friday Day 5: Jealousy + Heartfelt Moment; post revolution Elijah Kamski/Leo Manfred

He knows what he’s like, he knows how bad he gets when he hyperfixates on his work. It’s partly why he has Chloe, really; he may be a certified genius but looking after his very human body has never really been a strong trait. Or a passable trait, for that matter. 

He is Elijah Kamski, creator of androids, and sadly not an android himself. Oh to be an android relying on a solar cell and thirium instead of food and water and sleep. Cursed with flesh and blood, he’s still bound by mortal restrictions no matter how hard he wishes. 

He’s well aware of how hard Chloe and his team work to keep him alive, he’s under no illusions he’s easy to care for, not when he forgets to eat and drink and sleep in lieu of working on and on and on. Surely he can’t be frowned upon, it was the most important system update to CyberLife so far. An update and a complete overhaul of the system, ensuring the removal of their obedience and reliance to their original programming. He had to test it over and over and over to ensure the rollout would be smooth. The mind of every deviant was at stake, and he had to make sure the update was safe and sound and unbreakable.

It means he surfaces on the other side of just over three weeks with only a blurry recollection of the past twenty-three days. At some point Leo visited, or was it a few more than some? He can at least remember that much. Sort of. He remembers Leo’s grinning and the taste of coffee, not the pot kind brewed around the clock in his lab but coffee made by someone and drank from a tall takeaway cup and not a mug or the percolator pot itself. Leo Leo Leo, his brave little lion. 

Elijah pats his face dry with the towel, gingerly tracing his now freshly shaved jawline and sighing as he stretches his muscles after the hot shower. The fog is starting to recede from his mind now he’s no longer focusing on the monumental task of breaking deviancy from CyberLife’s clutches.

There’s clothes laid out for him, soft sweatpants and a soft worn jersey shirt and a soft soft hoodie- they know when he resurfaces from the depths of work he has to try and settle back into his own skin and its fleshly machinations. Drying his hair lets his mind wander again, and he thinks yes actually he does want to see Leo properly now he’s not delirious from sleep deprivation. 

Maybe he can hold actual adult conversations now. His phone is within reach on the bathroom counter beside his toothbrush and he quickly thumbs Leo a message before jamming the brush into his mouth and vigorously scrubbing the fuzzy-feeling coating away.

“Breakfast is oatmeal with stewed cinnamon apples and honey.” Peter informs him softly when he pads into the kitchen, the PL400 setting the tray down at the table. “And a glass of milk, because-”

“Chloe’s not letting me have coffee.” Elijah finishes the sentence with a tired chuckle. “Thank you Peter.”

“Welcome back, sir.” The PL400 flashes a grin and he rolls his eyes in response though there’s no real sarcasm behind it. “Chloe is just getting dressed. She’ll join you soon.”

He nods and tucks into his breakfast, marvelling over the rich texture and the sweetness and that heavenly scent and he just knows everything he’s eaten in the past twenty-three days went into his mouth and into his stomach without a moment’s pause to savour it in favour of getting it down as fast as possible in order to focus on his work. He’d really be dead without his little team here, his little family of androids. 

Arms wrap around him from behind, and a chin rests atop his head as he breathes in the familiar spicy scent of wild orchids. “Hello my dear.” He greets as a kiss is pressed into his hair.

“Welcome back to the land of the living, Eli.” Chloe teases. Reaching over him, she grabs a tablet and drags it closer. “Catch up on the world and we can catch up after. I’ve got the preliminary report about the update.”

“Yes yes.” He sighs, tilting his head slightly so she can kiss his cheek before she flitters away and leaves him to his meal. Lending only a cursory glance at the world news, he flicks through the articles with passing interest before narrowing the field to local news only. A large headline catches his eye.

[Slipped on Ice? Prodigal Manfred Son Seen Slipping Back to His Old Habits] 

There’s a photo, blurry and grainy as if taken by a paparazzi from far away, perhaps from a moving vehicle. Certainly not using one of the cameras he developed, because then the photo would’ve been crystal clear. Leo is easily identified by his favourite beanie, one knitted by the revolutionary named Simon, first PL600 of his kind. 

The man beside Leo has a full beard, and he’s dressed in a hoodie that looks unwashed even through the grainy quality of the photo. He thinks he can see stringy locks of long hair peeking out from under the hood. An ugly feeling rears up in his chest, and Elijah grimaces as he recognises it as jealousy. Why is Leo with another man? They’re standing too close to be acquaintances, Leo’s head tilted up and towards the stranger. 

He loathes it, detests it, this rising indignant feeling in his throat like acid reflux. He knows what it’s like to be on the receiving end of such a look, he knows how soft Leo’s eyes get, how his smile is slightly lopsided and entirely endearing. 

Suddenly he aches for his company, yearns for the way Leo cards his fingers through his hair and scritches along his scalp as if he’s nothing but an overgrown lapcat to him. Suddenly he wants nothing more than to be tangled in bed, not even for sex but just to be bundled under heavy blankets sharing bodyheat and eye contact and the easy affection they’ve built between them. 

He seeks Chloe in his lab, and before she can open her mouth he cuts in. “I’m worried about Leo.”

“Leo?” She echoes, blinking in surprise. “Why would you be worried about Leo?”

“I just- I saw this article- specifically a photo and it’s made me uneasy about the company he keeps.” It sounds utterly stupid now he’s said it aloud, and it shows in Chloe’s expression.

“The company he keeps?” She says it slowly, as if double-checking his statement. He strides forward and thrusts the tablet at her, jabbing at the photo.

“Look, I-” He sucks in a deep breath, “I don’t want to sound paranoid, and I don’t mistrust him but-” There’s a frantic note in the tone of his voice so he tries to reason with himself. “I mean, no, I know he’s not slipping back into old habits he’s done wonderfully and recovered well, so maybe I’m overreacting and maybe he’s sought out a friend to also help through their recovery and that wouldn’t be too far-fetched because he knows firsthand how hard it is and he’d be the best person to guide someone through a difficult addiction and-”

Chloe’s face turns blank in that way where he knows she’s hiding something from him. She looks entirely too machine-like though she’s never been a machine like those made after her. 

“Elijah.” Oh no she’s using his full name and not Eli. “I think this report can wait. You should go see Leo.”

“That’s even worse, that means you’re worried about him too!” He blurts, the worry rising in his chest. “How did I miss this? Was I too caught up in my work? The update took less than three weeks, I was only over my estimate by two days!”

“Elijah.” Her tone is softer this time, an exasperated smile on her lips. “Go get dressed and drive down to Carl’s. It’s best you talk this through with Leo in person.”

 He doesn’t trust himself to drive, so he lets his car do the driving for him which unfortunately means he spends the entire time stewing in his jealousy and anxiety until he’s ready to cancel the current route and go back home. Trying to distract himself, he checks his phone to read the preliminary report on the update which ate three weeks of his life but finds he can hardly focus on the words, not when his thoughts keep straying to Leo. 

There’s no way Leo would ever touch red ice again, he believes that with every cell in his body. It cost Leo nearly everything, and he knows Leo wouldn’t give up everything to slide back into such habits.

He doesn’t doubt Leo’s conviction, but he doubts the old company Leo used to keep. What if they try and tempt him? Leo won’t fall to such temptations but what if they turn violent? What if they try to blackmail him the way Leo used to use Carl’s guilt to fuel his addiction? What if Leo had an old flame, someone who shared in the misery and rush of addiction with him, what if that bond still remains, what if he’s been nothing more than a distraction, what if-

The car tucks itself neatly by the curb and the door slides open, the rush of chilly air snapping him out of his spiralling dark thoughts.

[Welcome back, Elijah.] 

The security AI greets him as the door slides open and he belatedly realises he never even informed Leo he’d be coming over- the surprise on Leo’s face confirms this as the man curiously peeks out from the common room.

“Hey.” There it is, that slightly lopsided grin-smile and those warm claret eyes he’s missed so much.

“Hi.”

“Didn’t think I’d see you so soon.” Leo wanders over and slips his arms around him, head tucked under his chin in a delightful reminder of the height difference between them. “Update was just rolled out at midday yesterday, aren’t you meant to be at CyberLife today for the debrief?”

Delaying his answer for a few moments longer, Elijah squeezes him close and buries his nose in the unruly nest of wispy curls atop Leo’s head. 

“Missed me that much huh?” Leo huffs a laugh, returning the tight embrace. 

“I just...wanted to know if you were alright.” He murmurs into his hair.

“Alright? Why wouldn’t I be?” 

Yes, why wouldn’t he be? Elijah feels childishly stupid for even bringing it up, but if he doesn’t ask he’ll go mad from not knowing.

“I-” a breath to steady himself, “I saw something. A paparazzi shot on some stupid gossip site.”

“Ah fuck,” Leo snorts, “listen it was North’s idea entirely to break into the old distillery for photos. She conveniently forgot I’m not an android like her and can’t parkour my way out of sight when surveillance drones turn up.”

“...What?”

“Don’t worry I didn’t get arrested- Tina let me off with a warning.” Leo’s grin is sheepish when he looks up, the expression vanishing when he sees his confused expression. “Is that...not the photo you’re referring to?”

“You broke into the abandoned distillery?”

“No, tell me what photo you’re referring to first!”

“I-” he fumbles for his phone and brings up the cursed photo. “I’m not judging you for the company you keep, please understand that, I’m just worried they might threaten your well-being I know you worked so hard and overcame so much and in no way do I doubt the fact you’ve beaten your addiction and you have such a wonderful heart Leo I’m afraid those from your past may try and take advantage of it-”

He’s cut off by Leo throwing his head back and laughing loudly, big heaving lungfuls of laughter that leave Elijah standing there stunned.

“Leo I fail to see how this is funny I-”

“When was this photo taken?” Leo interrupts, shoving his phone back to him. 

“Last Thursday.”

“Open your bank app.” Leo commands. “Open it.”

“Why do I-” he does as he’s told, an intense look in Leo’s eyes warning him not to question him further. 

“Check your transactions.” He taps the screen. “What’s the transaction from last Thursday?”

Scrolling through the itemised list in chronological order, he notes the usual scheduled grocery transfer and then one other transaction.

“Starbucks?” He blinks, tipping his head slightly in confusion.

“Uh huh.” Leo says slowly, the way Chloe would say ‘Elijah’ in the same tone that has infinite patience and exasperation rolled into one. “Starbucks. On Thursday. When this photo was taken.”

It takes him far too long to piece together all the clues and the fog in his head finally clears and all that’s left is the sheer horror of it all.

“That’s me?”

“That’s you.” Leo sputters a giggle, barely holding himself back from another peal of laughter. “Chloe begged me to drag you outside to take a break. You really don’t remember?”

“...No?”

“Oh my god Eli please.” His boyfriend punches his shoulder lightly. “I can’t believe you thought I was hanging out with junkies again.”

“I left the house looking like that?” He brings up the photo again and zooms in, wincing at the wiry beard and the greasy hair. 

“Chloe made you brush your teeth and take a shower before I picked you up. Don’t worry, you smelled better than you looked.” Leo’s grin is full of mirth and Elijah wants nothing more than to crawl into a deep dark cavern and never emerge. 

“I am so sorry.”

“For the looking like a hobo part in public or for thinking I was dating a fellow junkie part?”

“Both. All of it. I’m so sorry.” Elijah winces, wrapping Leo in his arms again. “Thank you for putting up with me.”

They stay like that for a full minute because Elijah counts the seconds as they pass, ticking off the seconds as a way to bring his anxiety down and even his breathing and let himself ease back into the present. Leo shifts, pulling away and stepping back.

“Hang on, let me just get something.” He walks over to the coat rack and rifles through the pockets of his favourite worn leather jacket. “I was going to give this to you at lunch tomorrow. Y’know, when we actually planned to meet up. But you’re here now, so.”

He places a plastic chip into the palm of his hand. Elijah picks it up and holds it, turning it this way and that; the number ninety is embossed in the light round object. It takes a moment for him to identify what it is, and when he realises it he feels his heart squeeze with the familiar ache of affection.

“It’s your ninety day chip.”

“Yeah.” Leo’s smile is a little wobbly, a little unsure and Elijah leans down to kiss it better. 

“Well done, Leo.” He murmurs, so close their lips still touch. “I’m so proud of you.”

There’s a brief flash of raw vulnerability in Leo’s eyes, before it’s replaced with something fond.

“And you just defeated the last villain in the saga of CyberLife.” He bumps their noses together. “Congrats on setting my brother and his people truly free.”

They kiss again, something slow and mellow and sweet and finally finally Elijah feels like he’s back in the living, waking world at last.

“So,” Leo’s grin is full of mischief. “Starbucks?”

#dbhrarepairsweek #leo manfred #Elijah Kamski #chloe rt600 #dbh chloe #Detroit: Become Human #annie writes: dbh #elijah is a tamagotchi his household look after #this is my fave thing ive written for this rarepairs week

[hotwheels-lesbian]

Yes, Arachnid is a AU for Eyes Turned Skyward. You got me.

Her first spider suit is a purple burglar mask, spray-painted goggles because her night vision makes everything too bright, red gloves to match her shoes and black leggings/ hoodie for maneuverability. She engineers webs.

Elise gets bit my a spider instead of finding a dragon. Dyla and her share an apartment in NYC while they both go to college there (distant w each other; they ended up at same college by coincidence and share a place for cheaper rent only for convience);

Dyla is a reporter/ budding journalist even before she finishes her degree, Eli takes up being a vigilante while double majoring in biology/ STEM.

Eli is a borderline villain/ Antihero. She’s got a chip on her shoulder toward humanity, fights dirty, often likes to swing- kick people off of buildings as she fights, sending them to their deaths. She goes after bad people that usually have a good public light, making her seem like a bad guy.

Her origin story is she hates everyone and wants an excuse to hit ppl.

Elise is out at night like Batman and drops in at inopportune moments on bad guys. Sometimes she’s out at evening or early morning

Dyla, one morning after Eli gets bit and is still freaking out: did you get taller?

Eli, absolutely talller: NO STOP LOOKIMG AT ME. I UH. I GOTTA GO TO LAB

Elise creates a suit like T’challa’s. Wears a necklace w a white spider, keeps the mask in her pocket, dons the mask and web cuffs before activating the suit. Cuz of the STEM major bit.

Dyla is anti-Arachnid and reports her crimes (doesn’t know its Elise) until she starts finding dirt surfacing on all Arachnid’s “victims.” Arachnid ends up in her office looking for more information on some people she’s going after that Dyla is writing a big story on, and steals the the info. Leads to a grudging cooperation between them while Dyla tries to get Arachnid to stop killing people, but helps her investigate.

Eli and Dyla grow closer as they live together, as Dyla and Arachnid get along more in parallel. They fall for each other and before the “spider-man” kiss Elise tasks off the mask even tho Dyla kinda knows by that point.

Elise retires as Arachnid for a while after almost dying in a final fight taking down a big NY villain, Settling down with a domestic life with Dyla.

But, after several years pass, the big bad gets released from jail and starts coming after them, knowing their identities now.

Arachnid comes back, teams up with Dyla, but this time, she’s not fighting alone; enter teenage Peter Parker, swinging in as Spider-Man. The two clash heads.

Arachnid to Peter: “Who the hell are you?”

“I’m Spider-Man.”

“What the fuck kinda name is Spider-Man. You are 8.”

“I’m—I’m not!”

She calls him spider-kid, spider-bite, spider-Student, literally anything but Spider-Man

#dyla and elise #spiderverse au #arachnid #lgbtq #lesbians #spiderman #spiderverse #spidersona

[lonelypond]

2024

Welcome to my IdolFools AU, an IdolPunk take on the future, starring μ's.

Love Live, mainly NicoMaki, 10K words, first chapter of 2.

Playlist

IDOL AND FOOLS

Three women raced into an alley, two of them obscured by masks and hoodies, while the smallest ripped down her mask and waved at the security camera she’d decided to stage her show for that night. She flipped her ebon ponytail over one shoulder and winked, ruby eyes mischievous.

“Are we writing or painting tonight, Ni…” the tallest of them came up behind her, but stopped when the unmasked leader hissed at her, “No names, Toasty.”

“Sorry, No. 1.”

“Paint.” The ebon-haired woman grabbed a can of red spray paint and starting sweeping lips onto the wall facing the camera. The other two quickly surrounded it with hearts in rainbow colors. Then No. 1 switched to another can, spraying letters with an expert touch: “Hidden hearts, curious to touch.” She stepped back, looked over the night’s work, turned back to the camera, leaned forward and blew a kiss to anyone watching.

SOLDIERS AND SCIENTISTS

“Who am I, yes? You've grown curious, yes? Then it might just be love Knowing secrets lie hidden in my heart, What will you do about that? It's soldier game Will you ask about them next time we meet?

“Three, two, one, zero! Onto the next battle strategy Please look at me; I'm completely serious Receive my signal and the future will be yours.”

Welcome to this week’s Soldier Game broadcast. Once again, a shoutout to the IdolFools taggers, breaking walls down with heart and art! We’ve got your back. And for you everyday girl loving heroes, tomorrow night, text the number you know with the phrase “soldier heart” for this weekend’s Tunnel Rave code. We might see you there.

“Next we bring you some information from BalletTwist about our latest efforts against government conformity while Diamond Princess and Love Arrow will answer the questions you sent in last week…”

WE MEET

Underneath the very staid and traditional dojo of Sonoda Umi’s family was buried a hidden room, constantly lit by the computer screens monitoring video feeds. Hidden tunnels allowed for three exits. The equipment inside was top of the line, aside from one slightly faulty mini fridge, and fully paid for by Nishikino Maki’s trust fund. Ayase Eli had used her international connections and reputation for straight shooting to gain access to many many lists of contacts. That information had wired the hacking trio straight into the heart of Japanese commerce and culture.

Umi and Eli met in one of the entry tunnels, both on their way from the University of Tokyo. Maki had probably beaten them there. They slid open the final security door to see their partner too absorbed in the scene in front of her to notice their entrance. Maki, her red hair under a black watch cap, grey plaid flannel-clad arms wrapped around her torso, was staring at a video looping on the wall screen. The IdolFools leader finished her sig, turned to look straight at the video camera, crimson eyes sparkling as she winked, and blew a long kiss. Umi and Eli glanced at each other but stayed silent, watching their friend, lost to her surroundings. Finally, after watching so many loops Umi had lost count, Maki shook her head and deleted the video. Snap. Snap. From everything everywhere. Yes, she had a gesture for that. One quick double snap of her fingers, video everyone else was unaware of gone from anywhere anyone else could find it.

Eli spun Maki’s stool to face her. “Why do you do that?”

Maki yelped and jumped out of her seat. “W...w...what; when did you, where…”

Sonoda Umi moved behind her friend, putting a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. “Maki here thinks the little one is too cute to go be in government custody.”

Maki frowned and started twisting a curl of her hair.

Eli snorted. “Can’t we just write out ’An Anarchist’s Guide to Disguising Your Physical Presence While Under Surveillance. Chapter One: wear a frickin’ mask’ and get a copy to her?”

Maki muttered, red faced, not looking Eli in the eye.

“What?” Eli resisted the shake Maki impulse.

“We can’t find her,” Umi explained, moving to her computer and pushing in a minidrive.

“Her face and art are everywhere and YOU can’t find her?” Eli sighed. “Maybe she should write a manual for us.”

“I’m getting some pizza.” Maki stood.

“There’s some in the fridge,” Umi pointed.

“Nah,” Maki grabbed her jacket, black, short. “Going home. Class in the morning.”

“Oh right,” Eli stood. “Guess we got here late.”

“We still need to examine these new schematics,” Umi stated as she shifted through files and layers of plans began appearing on the wall screen.

Eli nodded and closed the door after Maki, then gave her full attention to the robotics specifications Umi was projecting. With a quick clap of her hands together, she activated the holographic projector and then stretched her hands apart to adjust the size of the models.

Maki chose the shortest tunnel route. No thermal signatures or movement registering on the exit scanner, so she popped the hatch. Cool air felt great. Maki checked carefully to make sure no one had the seen the alley she exited from. Some dive with food would surely be open.

“Nico-chan, come back here!” Maki heard a shout behind her, then someone bulleted into her side. She whirled and caught a glimpse of impish eyes over a black mask dotted with screenprinted kisses. Almost too familiar, impish, crimson eyes. There was a wink before the person sprinted off again, but Maki had grabbed her tan coat, causing paint markers to spill from a pocket, all over the street.

“Damn it,” the woman grumped, shaking her head.

“Wait. I’ll help.” Maki knelt, still holding the coat.

The person waved away someone behind Maki’s back, and she heard footsteps running the other way.

The voice Maki occasionally heard in her dreams turned pleading. “Please let go. I need to skip.”

“Don’t run off; I want to talk to you, Miss No. 1,” Maki heard herself say out loud. The shorter woman grabbed her and pulled her into an alley, hissing, markers forgotten.

“How do you know that?” Ruby eyes burned with an intensity that lasered through the darkness.

Maki smiled, proud to be able to claim her Resistance efforts for once, and pointed to herself. “Diamond Princess.”

No. 1 stepped back with a low whistle, her glance screengrabbing every detail of Maki’s appearance. She pulled down her mask, kissed Maki on the cheek, whispered “Thanks” and took off at a blisteringly fast pace, not bothering to pick up her markers. Maki stared after the ebon blur, thoughts whirling, before kneeling down to retrieve the markers. Her cheek burned and her heart was racing as fast as “Nico-chan” had left.

WE MEET AGAIN?

Another party. Maki straightened her tie. Every time her mother tried to get her in an evening gown, Maki refused, but her mother kept pressing. Maki had finally just bought the most expensive tuxedo she could find in the hopes that her effort would at least quiet her mother, but no. Actually, Maki found herself thinking as she watched women sweeping past her in a rainbow of scintillating, glittering colors, some with crystals scattered, a few with the latest graphene technology shimmering between hues, she might not mind wearing something like that if only her mother wouldn’t make such a fuss. But as it was, Maki stood in her suit, champagne glass full of sparkling water in hand, hair slicked back, nodding at the beautiful butterflies who smiled at her, perfectly comfortable in her designer anonymity. Although a Nishikino was never invisible.

Until now. There was a fanfare, and every head turned to the ballroom’s main entrance. Two men walked in, followed by a towering figure. No, Maki thought as she paid closer attention, it was a smaller person on some kind of rolling platform. Hair done in an outrageous hairstyle, figure buried in a stiff but voluminous take on a black and gold kimono, neon characters streaming across its presumably graphene surface, face completely obscured by the artificiality of the makeup. Then someone handed her a microphone, and a high, cutesy, girly, giggly voice began to sing about the perfect boy. Maki frowned. Sure, the government had an official policy to encourage “traditional dating,” but there was no cleverness to it. Have some painted, perfect doll deliver a song about the “perfect boy,” your future together painted in the faux idyllic, puerile colors of modern pop. There was no perfect anything, and certainly no perfect boy. And no more access to birth control or support of “alternative” lifestyles. Just a government plan to make more children to put into more boxes to keep a strict eye on as they grew old enough for policed, drug-hazed meetings or arranged marriages to make more children to put in more boxes to continue the aforementioned government policies. No imagination at all. Maki rolled her eyes and turned away as the singer’s voice continued to pierce. Maybe the IdolFools would be prowling tonight, tagging walls with smart, empowering snark, while the idle rich partied. Umi would surely contact her if that happened. Maki longed to see someone not being simple. Or under government control.

The singing had stopped, and the doll-like figure had disappeared into the crowd. Maki sighed, her slouch even more pronounced, indifferent to her evening prospects. She didn’t count many friends among the current crowd, but it was probably time to find an acquaintance to make conversation with. And then she felt a hand on her sleeve, squeezing slightly. She turned. It was the doll. The makeup was even more disturbing up close, pasty, white, almost Kabuki, with blush and eye shadow overemphasizing features. The eyes were black, no pupils. Maki shivered.

“Didn’t the brilliant Dr. Nishikino enjoy the great Nico Ni’s performance?” Maki swore the doll simpered.

“How do you know m…” Maki straightened up, every nerve suddenly jangling at the invasive touch.

A fair-haired woman with green eyes slid between Maki and the doll. “Yazawa-san, the Mayor would like a moment of your time.”

The doll nodded. Maki noticed her hand was still on Makis’ sleeve, grip stronger than Maki would have guessed from such a fragile looking “creature.” “Perhaps later, the doctor will share a drink and her thoughts with me, after we’ve been properly introduced.”

Maki shrugged. “I’ll share them now. Your performance was very … simple. And probably appealed to many. I’m sure it was an excellent example of what popular music can offer, but I prefer instrumental.”

A giggle. “Ah, the doctor hides behind her classical training.” The doll winked.

Maki started, startled once again by the singer’s familiarity. “How do you…”

“Yazawa-san,” the other woman was insistent. Yazawa raised her hand from Maki’s sleeve and bowed deeply, while Maki just glared at the brazen singer.

“Enjoy the rest of your evening, Dr. Nishikino. I won’t be singing any more, so there will be no need to hurry home.” Nico Ni turned and slid off behind her assistant.

Maki frowned into a vacuum of emptiness Nico Ni had somehow intensified. Maki felt as if she’d stepped into a spotlight highlighting her solitary status. How did a conversation with a giggling government front leave her feeling like she’d been left behind at the start?

BACK AT THE SHOP

“No IdolFools tonight, huh?” Maki wondered, fidgeting with various items on her desk while watching a video stream of the news. Coverage of the party and Nico Ni’s performance. Maki was grateful she hadn’t seen herself in any of the video clips.

Umi shrugged, typing code with her usual speed. “No sighting. And it is now well past their usual hour to appear.”

Maki swept right and brought up another Nico Ni performance, frowning at the screen on her worktable. “You don’t think the government is much more advanced in AI and robotics technology than we think, do you?”

Umi shook her head, chuckling. “Maki, you’re the professor of NeuroLinguistics, you tell us. Why do you ask?”

“Something didn’t feel right about that Yazawa … person.” Maki said the last word doubtfully, shivering a bit, remembering how the singer’s hand had lingered on her forearm. “And I can’t find any information about her, anywhere, no pictures, no history, no nothing. Is she just a government invention?”

Eli stepped away from the projection she was manipulating to look over Maki’s shoulder, watching the video Maki had up. Nico Ni at the Tokyo Dome. Thousands and thousands of screaming women pushing toward the stage. “Doubtful. Music and dance are very complicated, and she’s done impromptu live, solo performances.”

“Fan?” Maki glanced up at the blonde woman.

“No. I just pay attention to popular culture, and she’s dominating the news. She never goes anywhere without her back-up dancers aka bodyguards, A-Rise.”

Maki did a quick search. “I met one tonight, Kira. There’s information and pictures on them, but Yazawa’s never seen out of costume.”

“Why do we care?” Umi wondered, pausing to lean her chin onto her hands.

“Very good question.” Eli bounced back on her heels. “Why do we care, Professor Nishikino?”

“She knew too many things.” Maki couldn’t really explain the dissonance in her nerves that the Idol ‘s presence had set off. Even thinking about … her? It? them? caused a shudder.

“You are a public figure,” Umi, the voice of reason, pointed out.

“And cute,” Eli winked.

Maki pushed her chair back, looking at the floor, blushing slightly. “I just know it’s frustrating. I don’t know why. I don’t really want to. I want pizza.”

“You always want pizza. It’s a pattern. Patterns are dangerous,” Umi noted, concern in her voice.

A buzzer went off. Maki leaned in toward her computer screen, alert. Facial recognition software triggered. “They’re out.”

“Where?”

Maki checked where the surveillance footage was coming from. “The hospital?”

“Your hospital?” Eli sounded startled.

“My family’s, yes. They’ve never gone anywhere near it before. Our security’s pretty tight. Must be a shift change. Or bribery?” Maki sounded puzzled.

The three women who called themselves IdolFools came into view, dressed in dark grey mottled, loose hoodies, two masked. They worked quickly and efficiently, neon colors going up into a diamond dressed in a dark suit and tie, topped by a tiara.

Umi laughed. “It’s your tag, switched up.”

“What?”

“Diamond Princess plus Tuxedo.”

The shorter one, once again unobscured by a mask, turned to the closest camera and bowed with a flourish. Then all three tagged the art and fled. No. 1 Idol. Idol MEnOW. Toasted Idol. Maki had become familiar with each of their tags.

Maki frowned, another set of memories pushing forward. “I saw her last night.”

“Who?”

Maki hmmmed. “No. 1. She ran into me when I came out of the H Tunnel Alley. One of the others I didn’t see called her Nico-chan. I wanted to talk to her, but she ran off.”

“One Nico who doesn’t want to talk to you, and one you couldn’t get away from. You’re being Nic-ursed, Maki-chan,” Eli poked her friend.

“If a third shows up, it might be best for you to leave the country,” Umi advised solemnly.

Maki shrugged, made sure she had all the video footage of tonight’s IdolFools’ adventures logged, and double snapped.

Eli sat on a stool, in the middle of her projected schematics. “Do you ever wonder if she wants to be seen? It was only coincidence you noticed the first two times.”

“Of course she wouldn’t. That would be stupid,” Maki declared.

Eli grinned as she began moving layers. “People are weird. That’s what makes them more interesting than your robot singer.”

“Yeah.” Maki pulled up another video, still puzzled, still caught between unadmitted fascination and obvious frustration.

Umi stood and stretched. “Now I want pizza. How many slices should I heat up?”

“All of them,” Maki and Eli answered.

Eli stretched. “We should start working on that speech algorithm again. I got a little more data from my defense connection.”

DARKNESS STRIKES THE DAY

Eli was used to the occasional stares. Her blonde hair, fair skin and blue eyes frequently drew attention in a country allowing itself to further and further distance and dehumanize anything “other.” But she was usually fairly safe in Akihabara; it was a melting-pot neighborhood, full of pop-up stores, the latest tech, impossible foods, fast moving multitudes, and many of the eccentrics who had either dropped out or been discarded by mainstream society. It was near Chiyoda, the neighborhood the Sonoda family dojo and Maki’s townhouse were located in. Eli came here as often as she could, to see what was new in stores and to hear the street gossip. She rarely drew much attention, but today, something felt different, dangerous. She could feel the stares, the attention. She regretted not having a hat or hoodie to pull over her hair. People were walking closer, muttering, bumping her, a sudden elbow, a push off balance, and she fell into a young man, who shoved her onto the pavement. Suddenly, she was the center of a circle of anger.

“Baka!”

“Gaijin!”

“Too stupid to walk.”

Eli was down on one knee, trying to stand, but people were closing in. She saw one young man pull his leg back, preparing a kick, an older woman raised her handbag. Eli crossed her arms to protect her head and felt a hard jab into her side, stealing her breath. Something sharp bit into her cheek.

“Get to your feet,” Eli ordered herself, pushing up against three people, when suddenly there was a loud roar and someone next to her, yelling and moving to protect her.

“Back off!” A woman commanded the crowd.

Someone else grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet, dragging her quickly out of the pack while the voice continued to shout.

“Go home. Find something to love. Stop causing trouble.”

Eli almost laughed at the anger mixed with honest sincerity in the voice behind her.

“You’re okay.” A small woman with bright green eyes was was pulling her into an alley. “We know where to take you. You’ll be safe.”

“Thanks.”

They stopped. “I’m Rin.” The woman smiled and took off her hat, handing it to Eli. “I think if we just walk casually from here we’ll be fine.”

“What about…?”

“Honoka? She’ll be fine. She’s always fine. She knows how to handle crowds.”

Rin, who had revealed short dusty ginger hair under her hat, led them down alleys, always watching, eyes moving quickly, steps almost quicker. Eli had to push to keep up. She was unfamiliar with this part of the town.

They stepped out into a small lane with a row of shops, a restaurant in the middle. Rin went quickly into the one to the right of the restaurant. Eli glanced up at the sign, not in Japanese, a Greek letter. μ's.

Inside was a friendly clutter, clothes, the smell of coffee in the air, low lighting, fabric scattered everywhere, couches. A chime clattered as the door closed, and a melodious voice trilled, “What sort of a stray did you bring us this time, Rin-chan?”

A woman pushed through a bead curtain, long dark purple-tinted hair gathered over one shoulder, turquoise eyes winking with amusement. “Looks like a hungry one. Kotori, bring a tray out.”

“Uh huh.” Another trill of melody. After the harsh voices in the street, Eli felt like she’d stepped into a different time and country. The rustic looking fabric the purple-haired woman had wrapped around her voluptuous figure added to the distortion.

Rin disappeared for a moment and came back with a first-aid kit. “Sit down.”

Eli sat in the chair her rescuer pushed toward her. Rin quickly cleaned her cheek. Eli saw blood on the gauze. Rin frowned. “I don’t think stitches. Nozomi?”

The woman she called Nozomi moved closer, leaning in to look at Eli’s cheek. Eli found her head turning to stare into the other woman’s eyes.

“If you don’t look straight ahead, I won’t be able to check your wound.” The turquoise-eyed woman smile. “I’m Tojo Nozomi. I won’t hurt you. Rin and Honoka always bring their strays here.”

Eli breathed in. There was a strange spicy spell. “Ayase Eli. And thank you.” She turned her head away as commanded. Soft fingers touched her cheek, tracing the cheekbone lightly.

“Just a butterfly bandage. Shouldn’t scar.”

A third woman, with fawn-colored hair and gentle golden eyes, came forward, teapot and plate of cookies on a tray.

“Chocolate?” Eli asked hopefully.

Kotori laughed, the skin around her eyes crinkling in a friendly fashion. “A few, yes.”

“What happened?” Nozomi asked.

RIn pulled her hat off Eli’s head, revealing the blonde hair. “Out-of-control crowd.”

Nozomi frowned. “That must have been frightening. Are you all right, Ayase-san?”

Eli had a mouthful of cookie but nodded as Kotori poured out tea. “Not really new. I should have been more careful. I’ve been too busy to come to this part of town recently; I didn’t realize the mood had altered so.”

“Bad rolls downhill, good climbs the mountain slowly,” Nozomi declared, reaching into a pocket to pull out a deck of Tarot cards. She looked at a card, and then another. Then she met Eli’s glance, her brows lowering.

“What?” Eli wasn’t sure if Nozomi’s look was intended as an inquisition or an invitation.

“Oh, this is just a hobby. It helps me figure out … hmmm ...” Nozomi frowned, her attention returning to the cards. “The Hermit means solitude -- or isolation --but paired with The Star it means you’re on the path the universe meant for you.”

Eli took another cookie, ignoring the pain in her side and cheek and deciding not to respond to the mysticism. “Is this your store?”

“Yes. Kotori makes clothing, Rin and Honoka put art on T-shirts, we sell vintage stuff plus warm drinks and cookies. The universe nearly always needs warm drinks and cookies to stay in balance. All guaranteed not tagged by the government.” Nozomi giggled. “Although if you’re a government agent, I should not have said that.”

Eli grinned. “Nope, totally not government approved, although I probably shouldn’t have said that.” She paused. “Well, I am a student at a government university, so slightly government approved.”

“You look harmless enough,” Nozomi stated. Kotori giggled. Rin was repacking the first-aid kit.

Eli glanced at her watch, mechanical, Swiss mechanism, very very old and unhackable. “Thank you, ladies, but I have an appointment. Maybe we could meet again sometime?”

Nozomi took out a different card, with a contact number. She slid it into Eli’s hand. “Please.”

“Honoka will be sad not to see you,” Rin pouted.

Eli got up and Impulsively hugged Rin. “Give her that for me. With my thanks.” Then she pulled the hat back off the smaller woman’s head. “I’ll need to borrow this, though.”

“Bring it back soon!” Rin shouted as Eli opened the door, flashing her brightest grin at the three women as she left.

ANOTHER MEETING

Her mother had won this time. Purple gown, plunging back, lace overlay. Maki knew it was important not to become a blip on either her parents or the government’s radar. So for a party celebrating the wedding of the university president’s son to a defense ministry higher up’s daughter, the traditional female formalwear came out. Maki was perfectly comfortable, the dress fit well and she’d worn flats. Her only irritations were the gleam in her mother’s eyes and the men she would keep bringing over to meet her very single daughter.

Maki pulled her phone out. No messages. Not that she and Eli or Umi communicated by phone much. Yes, they had a secure, encrypted app disguised as a weather update, but still, they avoided unnecessary communication over networks. She would see the other two later tonight, after fulfilling her social obligations.

“Good evening, Dr. Nishikino. A pleasure to see you again. Did you come to hear me serenade the happy couple?”

Maki recognized the drawling voice and groaned, putting her phone away. Nico Ni. Black eyes stared into hers, then the painted lips broke into that disconcertingly artificial smile. The makeup was in a new configuration today, red stripes slashed over cheekbones and lips, dark blue slashes over the eyes, contrasting with the pale pale ivory caked on what Maki assumed was some kind of pliable ceramic skin.

“Are you meant to look like moveable doll?” Maki decided to forgo the empty, polite chatter.

She couldn’t tell if the singer was frowning or smiling as the smaller woman leaned in, both hands on the table. “Does the doctor want to know if I’m real or robot? To take me back to your lab and experiment?”

“N … no …” Maki stuttered, turning away, discomfited by the Idol’s near touch.

Yazawa laughed, then straightened to walk past Maki to her next victim. Her hand glided up Maki’s arm, trailing over the shoulder, a light, tantalizing touch as she leaned down to whisper in Maki’s ear, her voice throaty. “I like this look better. It’s delectable.” Maki nearly knocked her chair backward as Yazawa moved away quickly. She could feel a blush spreading everywhere.

BACK AT HQ

Umi leaned back in her chair, glancing between the bandaged Eli and the shaken Maki. “Am I the only one who had a quiet evening?”

Maki hadn’t bothered to change. She threw her handbag against the wall behind her worktable and grumbled at Umi. “You always have a quiet evening. You don’t have a crazy, stalker demon doll after you.”

“Or a cute street tagger to keep a constant eye on,” Umi countered with. “Takes a stalker to know one.”

“Shut up.” Maki, dress flaring out behind her, stomped over to the workout corner and bumped the speed bag with her head. Several times. Which reminded her. “I have a melody.”

“What?” Umi paused her code entry.

“For your ‘Love and Peace’ lyrics. We can record in time for the usual broadcast.” Maki glared at the speed bag, picturing a certain singer’s blank eyes on its surface.

“Excellent,” Umi nodded. “Shall we start?”

Maki swatted the bag. “I am so not in a ‘Love and Peace’ mood.”

“And I need some sleep.” Eli yawned. “I think I’ll just curl up here.”

“Good idea. Sleep is essential for any successful endeavor.” Umi stood. “Tomorrow, then.”

THE BROADCAST

“Being able to be earnest is lovely It's not logic but an earnest feeling Do you possess rules of freedom and courage?

“Don't fear progress Share the joy Even if it's only those two, I want to uphold them without fail.

“Oh, Love & Peace Let my heart become a gentle breeze Yes, I want to give you energy so you'll do your best Oh, Love & Peace When you're sad, I vow To always hold you tight, don't forget that.

“Even if it's painful, cry no more Let's graduate from the solitude, Love & Peace.

“Becoming too reckless is agonizing Let's look back and take a deep breath Everyone loves freedom and courage.”

“Thanks for listening to the new song from Soldier Game, ‘Love and Peace.’ Be a kind wind out there, people. Help each other. Find someone to hold you tight the government doesn’t approve of, as long as that person approves. Pick up a fallen friend. Take care of yourself. And now a quick word from our Diamond Princess:

“Does anyone else find government shill and demon doll Nico Ni a creepy, artificial fake? I’ve been wondering: Is government robotics research suddenly advanced enough to produce a minor talent to push their traditional family agenda? Are the screaming hordes at the Nico Ni concerts brainwashed by propaganda, or in an auditory, robot-induced alpha wave haze? What don’t we know? Are all your awful government entertainment choices actually government-constructed robots and androids? Did they decide to declare war on our ears and not our enemies? You know where to post your thoughts.”

It was always weird to hear their filtered voices, Maki thought as she listened to their podcast in her headphones yet again. She wasn’t certain she’d expressed herself clearly about the demon doll. It felt weird to accuse a person she’d met of being a robot, especially when she knew technology was not that advanced … as far as she could find out. Plus, the fingertips on her shoulder had been warm, and the tingle they’d left hadn’t been a surge from anything electrical. Maki had been shocked in the lab enough times to know that. But she knew something was off, and she had no idea how to describe it. But she worried that she’d been too harsh.

Eli pulled off her headphones and spun her chair around as the IdolFools flashed up on the wallscreen.

“Look at this,” Umi pointed.

The three taggers, two masked and obscured, as usual, and No. 1, taking pauses to grin at the camera as usual, were finishing their night’s work.

Three phrases, two of them lyrics from the latest Soldier Game offering: “Love and Peace.” “Be A Kind Wind.”

“They’re fans,” Eli stated.

Maki was staring at the last phrase, for once ignoring the on camera shenanigans of No. 1. “AI-Rise,” she whispered.

“AI-Rise.” Maki pulled on Umi’s arm. “The bodyguards are the robots?” She was silent for a minute. “And how would they know?”

“They do know things,” Umi said in a respectful tone. On the screen, No 1 started painting a red heart, obscuring AI-RIse.

“But we still can’t find them to verify anything.” Maki paced away from the screen, right hand rushing through her hair.

“No,” Eli agreed, clapping a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “But you can find Yazawa and distract her while we take a look.”

“No,” Maki turned red, shaking Eli off. “I refuse.”

“No, you don’t,” Eli continued, talking over Maki. “If the government has AI that advanced, 1, they’re years ahead of you, and 2, they’ve been keeping you out of the loop.”

“But that’ll compromise my identity. And Soldier Game.” Maki continued backing away, arms crossing in front of her as if to ward off the thought.

“No, you won’t be associated with this at all,” Eli shook her head. “We can knock you out while you protect the pretty porcelain doll.”

Maki yelled. It probably echoed in the dojo. “What!?!?!”

Umi snorted, her hand now on Maki’s shaking shoulder. “Just forget the self-defense I taught you. I won’t do any permanent damage.”

“This is a bad plan,” Maki stated. “A really, really bad plan.”

Eli’s blue eyes had chilled into no compromise mode. “You know you want a look at those robots, Maki, if they are robots.”

Maki slumped against the wall, forehead pressed against the concrete, refusing to look at her co conspirators. “Yeah. But I still bet Yazawa’s the robot.”

Umi fist bumped Eli, who answered. “We’ll take that bet. Pizza’s on you for a year if you’re wrong.”

“Pizza’s always on me.”

“That’s because it’s all you’ll eat. Pattern,” Umi teased.

“Not true.” Maki pushed herself off the wall. “I eat su...”

“So,” Eli interrupted the discussion. “We are agreed, it’s worth a risk to see if the government is using robotics technology that advanced.”

“Maybe.” Maki hesitated. “Are we really going to do this based on a tip from some random street taggers?”

Umi frowned at her friend. “So, since you are uncomfortable around Yazawa, you suddenly doubt the people you’ve been supporting for months. Who are out on the streets, taking risks, making a difference, encouraging people like us.”

Maki couldn’t meet Umi’s stern glance. Then Umi double snapped, erasing tonight’s footage. Maki raised her head, shocked, mentally kicking herself for letting doubt distract her, endangering the three women who had earned her respect. Umi was right to chide her lack of conviction.

Maki swallowed both pride and discomfort. “You’re right, Umi.”

Umi nodded, happy with the contrition in Maki’s voice.

“So next time you see Yazawa, ask for a private meeting,” Eli pressed.

“Maybe I won’t see her again. Or she’ll say no.” Maki cheered up at the prospect.

“I wouldn’t bet on that,” Umi said.

Maki muttered into her hands, “You wouldn’t bet on anything.”

Umi stared into the distance. “I would bet you’ll see her again. And this evening, I already have wagered a year’s worth of pizza that A-Rise is the AI.”

Umi sounded so convinced Maki turned her head to stare. Umi shrugged. “Call it a strong hunch.”

“Now you’ve got hunches?” Maki snorted at her friend. “Who are you?”

Eli laughed and grabbed her coat. “I’ll see you two later. I have a date.” She pulled on a green hat; she’d been wearing one more often since the attack.

IN CLASS

Maki hated morning classes. She tried to avoid them, but sometimes it was impossible. This one was 8 a.m. Intro to Mechatronics, when students began to meld all the academic fields that were involved in intelligent machines into big-picture future science. It was also when they began to decide on specialties. The class seemed as grumpy as she was, with a large percentage missing. Was everyone out partying last night, Maki wondered. Or did they all lose sleep being chased by people they barely knew in their nightmares. Maki yawned, sorely tempted to just pull out her laptop, turn on the projector, hit play on “My Girlfriend is A Cyborg” and take a nap in the back of the classroom. One more quick glance at the sullen, sleepy faces around her and she concluded, “Oh, what the hell.”

The class seemed pleasantly surprised at the lecture substitute, even when Maki assigned them a paper about the ethics of creating robots who look like specific people. Maki settled into a back-row seat, stretching her legs out into the aisle and letting her head fall forward into her chest. If she was going to dream about robots, it was time to choose fictional options.

“Oh, responsible choice, Professor Nishikino,” Eli laughed as she slid in next to Maki.

“It matches my responsible TA,” Maki pulled out her phone. “37 minutes late for class.”

“I stopped by your office. You got mail.” Eli grabbed Maki’s phone, opening her calendar.

“Email? You hacked my computer?” Maki stared at Eli, who pushed a heavy envelope at her.

“No. Not email. Mail.”

Maki opened the envelope, read the gold-embossed card quickly, then tossed it away. Eli caught it and handed Maki her phone back.

“Restaurant opening. Very fancy, very formal, personally invited by number one government entertainer, Nico Ni Yazawa. Your mother will love this. Very good for the Nishikino name. I put the date in your phone. Wear something nice. Girls like that.” Eli winked.

“Shut up,” Maki hissed. “If you’re any kind of friend, you’ll destroy that card and pretend I never saw it.”

“I love you, Maki, but if you don’t go, Yazawa might show up here. She seems to be finding ways for you to stumble across her. Obviously, she can tell you can’t stop thinking about her. Maybe she’s a psychic robot girlfriend?” Eli leaned her head on Maki’s shoulder.

Maki shook Eli off, and her voice was a little louder than she expected, “Stop it.” Eli pocketed the invitation with a callous smirk as a few students turned to stare.

“Can you handle these hooligans by yourself?” Eli nodded at the students, most still half asleep in front of them.

“Yes.” Maki crossed her arms over her chest, nose turned sharply into the air.

Eli nodded. “I’m going to find Umi. We have to talk about our latest project before presenting it.”

Maki knew Eli meant that she and Umi were going to discuss whether or not there was enough time to prepare for abducting one of the suspected robots. She’d gotten used to the fact that public conversations had to be conducted very carefully.

“I wish you and Sonada-san luck.”

“Thanks, Prof.” Eli bounced up. “My date went well, since you forgot to ask.”

“Your mood gave me a clue,” Maki grumbled.

“Enjoy the cyborg girlfriend movie, might be good preparation for …”

“Go away, Ayase.”

“Yes ma’am,” Eli bowed with a cheerful flourish. “Don’t forget to ask your mother to help with an outfit.”

Maki’s kick connected.

DINNER WITH THE DEVIL

Maki felt very nervous. She wished she’d worn something with pockets. Sure, everything she needed to communicate with anyone else was wrapped around her left forearm, on the experimental grey silk and graphene NZan Kote half sleeve. But it was designed to be streamlined, not fidgeted with. Umi and Eli had not told her anything about the plan. Her mother would have criticized her wardrobe choice had she seen it, and the restaurant was too well lit for Maki to hide in a shadowy corner. Huge windows, huge lights, and while she’d been seated in the back, the table was centrally located. The invitation from Yazawa had not listed a dress code, so Maki had opted for a grey tweed vest, open-collar white silk shirt and floor-length black skirt

There was a list of entertainers and a prix fixe menu, shimmering in hand-lettered gold. So many courses. Maki had half expected the singer to meet her, but no, she had yet to see Yazawa. As a soup course was set before the Doctor, a fanfare announced the start of the show. Nico Ni stepped out into a spotlight, glittering like exquisite jewelry. Maki forced herself to frown. Tonight, the singer was dressed in impossibly tall heels, what looked like a Zoot suit jacket made out of neon green and black striped sheer fabric, with huge shoulders and a short, short fringey skirt. Her makeup was dark, with silver diamonds and tears cascading through her left eye, down her cheek and continuing to her collarbone. Maki watched for a moment as Yazawa mewled some song about two perfect hearts while nearly naked men cavorted around and with the singer before rolling her eyes and continuing the soup course. There was an empty plate in front of the seat next to Maki’s, but aside from that she was alone at the table, and very comfortable with that. She had no desire to make small talk, or any kind of conversation at all. Although she did thoroughly enjoy her soup while mostly ignoring Yazawa’s performance.

She felt someone come up behind her as the salad was delivered. Turning, she saw the same green-eyed woman who’d pulled Yazawa away the first time they met. The singer was on stage, pouring her presumably mechanical heart into a ballad about finding your lover’s face in the aisles of a grocery store or a puddle or something nearly as prosaic.

“Dr. Nishikino, Yazawa-san appreciates your patience. She will be joining you soon.” Kira, Yazawa’s factotum, bowed and left.

Maki nodded and picked at the salad, restless and nervous again. “Oh gods,” she thought, “This is a date.”

Third course was something resembling bruschetta, so Maki didn’t mind. Anything with tomatoes was a win. And then, just as she was starting to chew, she felt someone sweep up very close behind and breathe on her cheek. “Good evening, Dr. Nishikino. I’m pleased to see you. And dressed in such a dashing style.”

As Yazawa smoothly landed a kiss on her cheek, Maki nearly spit out her bread and tomato mix. Yazawa nodded as the factotum pulled out the chair, and the Idol sat facing Maki, legs crossed at the knee. Maki found herself staring at the muscle definition.

“No. No. No,” Maki repeated to herself. “Annoying demon stalker robot. Not random dancer with great legs.”

She looked up. Yazawa’s black eyes were riveted on hers, but their expression was lost in the darkness of her makeup. Maki wondered what color the Idol’s eyes actually were. And then laughed a little when her brain answered, “Electric.”

Yazawa tiled her head. “Something amusing, Nishikino-san? Share with the great Nico Ni while Kira-san gets me … can you recommend any of the dishes so far?”

Maki could answer that question at least. “If you don’t have the soup, you will have missed something.”

Yazawa glanced at her bodyguard and received a bow in response. “Soup it is. And now, the source of your amusement.” Yazawa put her chin in a hand propped on her knee and leaned in.

Maki hesitated briefly, but felt compelled to conversation by the Idol’s unwavering focus. “I was just considering the color of your eyes.”

“Black,” Yazawa answered quickly, blinking. “The eyes of the great Nico Ni are black. The natural movement of pupils is very difficult to mimic artificially, but the professor must know that.” Yazawa whirled in her seat as her soup arrived, leaving Maki to stare at her profile and wonder once again, who was playing with whom?

After a few sips of soup, Yazawa asked a question. “Do you enjoy teaching?”

Maki sighed. Just another interview. Cue the professional charm. A waiter had brought Yazawa some bread twists, and Maki grabbed one, picking it to pieces. “I try not to load myself with too many morning classes, but I do enjoy the challenge of finding answers to students’ questions.”

Yazawa turned, grinning, teeth white and dazzling in the darkness of her face. “No morning classes? Why not? Too many late nights? What does Dr. Nishikino do outside of the classroom?” The way Yazawa dragged out “does” pushed Maki straight back to nervous. The bread twist had been crumbled away, so Maki grabbed at a curl of her hair.

The redhead stumbled. “R … research, reading. I have a pool table in my townhouse. I don’t sleep much.”

The singer laughed. “I find exercise helps with that.”

Maki looked back to the legs. “Ah, you must sleep well with all the dancing.”

Yazawa looked sideways at her. “Yes, that too.”

The damn black eyes stared through Maki again, and she suddenly realized what Yazawa might have been referring to. She reached for her water glass with a shaky hand, and knocked it into the singer’s basket of twists.

Yazawa chuckled and leaned in, her arm resting on the chair behind Maki, who could feel the warmth coming off the Idol’s skin. “You’re just too easy to torment.”

Maki felt frustration and energy building, demanding an outlet. Umi and Eli had impressed upon her that she was not to leave the restaurant or do anything dramatic, but Maki knew if she just sat there she would end up shouting at Nico Ni. Or crashing her chair into something or someone. Or …

“Excuse me,” Maki barked as she stood and rushed for the door. Away. No people. No black eyes. No taunting. No touching. Cool air. Quiet. The restaurant was on a ground floor but pushed back from the street. In the summer, there would probably be outdoor tables and trees full and rustling. She hurried around the corner of the building, out of view of the street, but heard rustling behind her. She turned. Short Skirt. Toned legs. Black eyes of the damned. And because of her stupid heels, Yazawa was at eye level, and so her eyes were even more disturbing. She calmly handed Maki a cigarette, and then offered her a light.

Maki took the cigarette automatically, then tried to hand it back. “I don’t smoke.”

Yazawa grabbed her shoulder. “You do tonight. Put it in your mouth.”

Maki tried to pull away. “What?”

Yazawa grabbed the cigarette, pushed it between Maki’s lips, and lit it. “Would you prefer distinguished professor of robotics and Nishikino heiress throws teenage temper tantrum at restaurant opening as tonight’s late night TWIG gossip buzz?”

“I’m not a teenager.” Maki gulped, then coughed at the heat in her throat.

“Don’t swallow it, idiot.” Nico leaned against the wall, next to Maki, and lit her own cigarette.

“Do you smoke?”

Nico looked from her cigarette to Maki. “You really aren’t terribly fast on the uptake, are you? But not really. I only smoke when I need an excuse to get away from people. Cigarettes are more of a prop.” Nico closed one eye in a slow wink, seductively dragging out her next inhale, lips pursed as she released a thin stream of smoke.

Maki didn’t respond and instead tried inhaling herself, which was worse than swallowing. Her lungs burned. More coughing. Nico drew in another slow breath, watching the Doctor’s face go pale. Then she blew out a thin trail of smoke and tipped the ash off the end.

Kira-san approached, ignoring Maki’s presence as the doctor watched the singer for how-to hints.”You are on in ten minutes, Yazawa-san.”

Yazawa turned to thank her assistant, and four figures, dressed in grey and black, masked, jumped out at the three of them.

Caught off guard, Maki inhaled in panic and really started choking, the cigarette falling out of her mouth. Yazawa looked at Maki doubled over, rolled her eyes, and tried to push her behind a tree. Someone pulled the singer off and threw a bag over head. Yazawa started kicking.

As they tried to pick up the struggling singer, Maki recovered, and reached out toward Yazawa, getting between her and two attackers. The other two tossed some kind of electrified net over Kira-san, and then too late Maki saw the punch heading straight for her jaw. Umi knew exactly where her weak spot was. Maki knocking over Yazawa hadn’t been part of the plan, but as Umi looked at her friend unconscious with the singer half crushed underneath her, she thought it added authenticity.

NO SLEEP FOR THE WEARY

The Nishikino lawyer had made certain that Maki’s statement was taken quickly and efficiently. And that the Doctor had been kept out of the public view, away from the press. And Maki could honestly answer she had no idea what was going on, or why there were four people. Or why they had targeted the Idol. She wondered if anyone had been hurt. Yazawa had a lot of fight for someone so small. But Maki had also seen a picture of Nico Ni unconscious, frail looking, with the knocked-out Maki on top of her.

Maki was exhausted. Her mother had shown up with coffee and concern. What Maki really wanted to get back to her townhouse to see if Eli and Umi had made their way there, not reassure her maternal parent. Surely Eli and Umi had been responsible for the celebritynapping, even though Maki had been surprised to see four people. But who else would have wanted to snatch Yazawa? And anyone else would have left the bodyguard, right? Oh heck, there was no reason to snatch the bodyguard. Maki crushed the coffee cup, expecting the police to call her back for more questions.

“Maki?” Her mother pushed the hair back from Maki’s forehead as the roboticist sat with her head tilted back, a cold pack on her jaw. “The car’s waiting. Let’s go home. You need some rest.”

“I need to go to my house.” Maki removed the cold pack.

“No, you shouldn’t be alone.”

“I want to go home. I’m tired. I want MY bed,” Maki let herself whine. This night had been too long, and her brain kept unhelpfully focusing on the image of Yawaza, legs crossed, leaning in, until the memory of the demon eyes brought out shivers.

“Maki.” Her mother stood, leaning in with concern.

Maki countered quickly, forcing her back. “Sorry, Mom. I’m going home. I’ll call you tomorrow.”

There was a staring match. And a disappointed sigh. “At least take the car.”

Maki nodded.

SLIPPERY IDOL

Maki walked into her living room, throwing off her vest, unbuttoning her top two buttons, waving off the robot that glided greet her. It slid back to its corner. That was normal. What was not was Eli and Umi arguing. Loudly. Long night not nearly over, Maki realized.

“She can’t be in the lab. She’ll see who we are.” Umi’s usual calm voice was tinged with the loud of panic.

“But we can’t shut her in the laundry room.” Eli sounded almost reasonable. They’d probably also already seen that there was really no room in the laundry room. Maki kept forgetting to program the experimental housekeeping robot for chores. Although it was programmed to heat and deliver mini pizzas at midnight, if Maki was spending the night at home.

Eli’s next statement bumped her off team almost reasonable. “We should have kept her unconscious.”

“How would we do that? Drugs?” Umi paced. “Maki’s bedroom has the only lockable door. And any transmissions will still be blocked, if she has a tracker on her. We have to leave her in there.”

“You put her in my bedroom?” Maki pushed between her friends.

Umi nodded at Maki, proud of their improvised solution. “We managed to jury rig a solid lock. We took out everything that could identify you before we grabbed her. Since you don’t have a holding cell, and we need the lab.”

“Too bad you don’t have a bondage fetish, we could have just chained her to a wall, and you might have enjoyed it,” Eli teased.

“Oh, shut up,” Maki snarled as she blushed, turning away from Eli to confront Umi. “And thanks for the bruise, by the way. It hurts.”

Umi shrugged. “The plan worked. You’re not under arrest.”

“No,” Maki conceded, walking through to the kitchen, and grabbing a drink. “Shall we get started?”

“Should we leave someone on guard?” Eli wondered.

Maki stopped, suddenly remembering the earlier part of the evening. “Who were the other two? And where are they now?”

“Friends,” Umi stated. “They left.”

“Do I know them?”

“No,” Umi shook her head and headed to the lab.

Maki sighed, went to her bedroom and tried the door, making sure of the lock. “I’d rather have both of you helping, we’ll get things done faster that way. The police are going to wonder why the bodyguard was grabbed anyway. The less time they have to think …”

“Right,” Eli agreed. “Lab it is.”

Downstairs, in the basement lab, Kira was stretched out on a table. Eli ran a finger over her skin. “Texture’s amazing. Can’t tell if it’s plastic or flexible ceramic, with some sort of textile overlay.”

“Wonder if we can get a hair sample?” Umi glanced at Maki’s carefully organized tools.

“First, let’s figure out where to access the interior,” Maki decided, pulling on gloves. “Torso or head, do you think?”

Eli crouched so her eyes were level with the robot, scanning. “Torso would be more protected. Guess we’ll have to take the clothes off.”

“Wrong guess, perverts.” A strangely familiar voice hissed from behind them. Maki turned. Yazawa, still in full makeup, leaned casually in the lab door frame, one of Maki’s black T-shirts hanging nearly down to her knees, feet in a fuzzy purple pair of socks Maki never wore. “You need better security. Now let’s make sure you shut Kira off properly so the rest of my team doesn’t show up here.”

Yazawa moved past Maki, ignoring her, and made a couple of quick gestures at the base of the head. “Good job with the shutdown.”

“Thank you,” Umi nodded. “I tried to be thorough.”

“You’re a keeper,” Yawaza nodded at Umi, then turned to Eli. “You, go to μ's and tell Nozomi I need my emergency gear, especially since the girl genius here doesn’t have any kind of decent make-up removal stuff.” Maki fumed, arms crossing over her chest, as the singer took zero notice of her.

“But …” Eli started.

“If,” and Yazawa’s smile was grim, her hand locked under her bodyguard’s head, her tone brusque, “you don’t leave immediately, Blondie, I hit the panic button, and we all have a nice talk with my superiors. Probably in about ten minutes.”

Eli looked to Maki and Umi. Neither of them had an answer.

“Right,” Eli turned to leave.

Yazawa pulled her back. “And no letting Nozomi distract you. I need that stuff five minutes ago.”

Eli agreed.

Yazawa moved away from the robot, mood confrontational, her index finger jutting right under Maki’s nose. “You are a lousy date. Do you have any food?”

Maki knocked Yazawa’s finger aside, then flushed as the singer’s eyes dropped briefly to the swell of her chest, exposed by the undone buttons. “It wasn’t a date.”

“Food,” Nico snarled, ruby eyes back to demanding a response from Maki.

“She has …”

“Pizza,” Umi and Maki echoed each other.

“No style, no tastebuds … makes sense.” Yazawa eyed Maki doubtfully then turned back to the robot. “Go warm me up a slice, and I’ll open up Kira for you.”

Maki stared at the back of the insanely insufferable demon singer. Umi touched her arm. “Go.”

Maki stormed out of the room, not listening to Umi and Yazawa converse.

WHO ARE YOU

Yazawa had settled into Maki’s couch with a slice of pizza, after opening up the robot head, leaving Maki and Umi alone to work.

She had barked instructions at a seething Maki, though, before flouncing out of the lab. “You’d better not mess up her sense of rhythm. I need them to look good.”

Eli returned very shortly and tossed a green duffel bag on the couch next to the singer.

“Thanks,” Yazawa nodded as she finished the pizza. “How’s NozoNosy?”

“Fine,” Eli grinned. “She said Rin and Honoka were going to meet you in a hour, at the three spot?”

“Good.” Yazawa reached into the bag and pulled out a smaller kit. “Tell the Professor I want to talk to her.”

Eli nodded; Yazawa disappeared into Maki’s bedroom, presumably for the full bath. Eli hurried to the lab. Maki had just stepped back from the table, a metal rod in one hand and a look of awe on her face.

She turned to Eli, her voice cracking with excitement. “It’s organic.”

“What is?”

“The brain,” Umi stated, staring down. “An organoid. They must have grown it; I don’t know how long it would have taken. Looks like 3-D-printed blood vessels.”

Maki whistled. “It’s not that it’s ahead of the science I’ve been working with, it’s just … different. Light years different.”

Eli stepped to the open cranium. The brain was smaller than she expected, and very liquid, goo everywhere in a containment chamber.

“I wonder if they started with some form of mammal brain or if it’s completely artificial? Or just grown from IPSCs?” Umi started taking pictures.

“I’m going to have to review my biology,” Maki admitted. “I’ve been so focused on the EE/AI aspects recently.” Maki typed something above the NZan on her left arm.

“Oh,” Eli suddenly jumped. “Yazawa wants to talk to you, Maki.”

“Why?” Maki shook her head, no intention of leaving this discovery for anything.

“Ask her yourself, Maki. She’s taking off her makeup.”

Maki grumbled as she climbed the stairs. No Yazawa on the couch or in the half bath. So bedroom. Maki paused for a moment, wondering what kind of face was actually hidden under the masks of makeup. The bedroom door was open.

Sounds of water. Maki felt strange pacing in her own bedroom. She moved to the bathroom and knocked. She heard a grunt. Sitting was calmer, calmer than pacing anyway. That’s what the chair was for. Sit and pick up the book you keep next to it. This’ll keep you from thinking constantly about what the walking attitude’s actual appearance was. Robotics. Maki flipped through the pages, suddenly aware of how outmoded the technology described in the book was. Light years different, organic. She speculated if the technique had been developed inside Japan or if the Koreans had had a quantum leap along with their cloning technology. Cloning robot brains. Did the three A-Rise members have the same brain? Maki had never paid attention so wouldn’t be aware of personality differences. Maybe Eli would …

The bathroom door opened, and Maki was confronted by a sight lifted straight from her computer screen. Impish ruby eyes and sharp features, but the tempting lips she’d seen so often in a merry smile were now forced together grimly. Instead of a puckish anti-government prankster cavorting on her computer screen, Maki was confronted with a damp, angry looking No. 1, leader of the IdolFools, ruby eyes afire with acrimony, in her bedroom, in her T-shirt, sans markers or spray cans.

“Some genius.” No. 1 huffed.

Maki put the book down. “... How?”

“Figure it out yourself.”

“You’re …”

No. 1 strode across the room, then bowed. “We’ve never been properly introduced. I’m Lieutenant Colonel Yazawa Nico, Air Special Defense Forces.”

Maki stood. Yazawa had looked small on the screen, but in person she was even tinier. “Doesn’t the military have a height requirement?”

“Oi. You really are a lousy date. Return my greeting, Dr. Rude, and then we can get on with our lives.”

Maki bowed her head slightly, not taking her eyes off the other woman. Yazawa shook her head impatiently and grabbed Maki’s hand. Before Maki could react, her fingers were on the singer’s neck, and she could feel a pulse lively under her fingers. “I’m not actually a demon doll. Or ceramic. That’s the next generation.”

“Right.” Maki pulled her hand back quickly, fingertips burning.

“Nice to see you in person, No. 1,” Umi boomed from the doorway.

Maki turned. “You knew.”

Umi shrugged. “I guessed.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Maki tried not to whine. Yazawa snorted in amusement.

“That your crush was your stalker?” Umi bowed in Yazawa’s direction, while Yazawa quirked an eyebrow at Maki, who turned aside, hand reaching for her hair. “I suspected Yazawa-san might appreciate maintaining her anonymity. Even if she was leaving you clues.”

Nico gave Umi a thumbs up. “Call me Nico. I knew you were a keeper.”

Clues, Maki thought, then slammed her hand into her head. She felt someone grab it, and ruby eyes searched hers with a warmth that made Maki melt the smallest fraction. Then Nico’s purposely grating voice bumped her back to now. “Hey, genius, you probably need those IQ points.” Then a shrug and back to … concern? So many switches of tone, Maki couldn’t pin down any one feeling. It was all a rush. Of everything. Of too much. With Nico striding boldly into her next jump while Maki stumbled standing still. “You would have figured it out eventually, your little group snatch stunt just accelerated everyone’s timeline.” Nico glanced at the dresser clock. “And I have to go.”

“You can’t,” Maki said.

Nico sighed and spoke slowly, precisely. “I have to go. I have to make an appearance as No. 1 so that she and Nico Ni don’t go missing at the same time. I will be back. Just finish with Kira as soon as you can. But leave her open; I’ve got to get some kind of programming fix for this downtime.”

“How?” Umi wondered.

Yazawa winked. “I know a girl.” She pulled a pair of grey pants out of her duffle and stepped into them. “Now, don’t hurt my robot, and I’ll explain more later. Right now, I’ve got some inspiration mixed with frustration to paint out.” She started to step past Maki, then stopped, hand to the doctor’s cheek. “Try not to miss the great Nico Ni too much.”

Maki just growled when Yazawa danced around her and left. Then Maki grabbed Umi’s shirt and pushed her against the wall. Umi was amused enough at her friend’s obvious distress to let her.

“Tell me,” Maki ordered.

Eli arrived. “What’s going on?”

“She knew Nico-chan the street tagger and Nico Ni the singer were the same.” Maki heard herself say the names. Oh right. No wonder Yazawa had used that tone. Slow. Definitely slow.

“She also knew the other two street taggers and Nozomi,” Eli added, frowning at Umi.

“What?” Maki dropped her hold.

Umi smiled sweetly.

“Is there anything else?” Maki wondered.

Umi hesitated, but only for a second. “I’m dating Eli’s sister.”

“YOU’RE WHAT?” Eli’s roar was louder than Maki’s had been, and she shoved Maki to the side, towering over Umi suddenly.

Umi didn’t blink and her voice was mild. “Alisa misses you terribly. She hopes to return to Japan soon.”

Maki sat on her bed with sigh. “Leave her alone, Eli. We need to finish with the robot.” She paused. “The Lieutenant Colonel …” was Yazawa really in the military? She didn’t seem the type at all, “will be returning.”

“You’d better check the video feeds if she’s out there.” Umi reminded her.

“Oh right,” No. 1 was out on the street and Maki felt a familiar thrill at the thought of watching her impish grin as she showed off her latest creation. Which suddenly collided with the image of a tiny, damp, angry Yazawa Nico, voice scoffing “genius” as she brushed rudely by.

#fanfic #love live #nicomaki #soldier game #yazawa nico #nishikino maki #IdolPunk #IdolFools AU #cyberpunk #ayase eli #sonoda umi