Evolved(14)

“I am quite adept at dressing. I have excellent fine motor skills.”

“I know. You dressed yourself this morning with buttons without my help.” I grinned. “Helping someone into their coat is… a kind gesture. Something one might to do for his date.”

Shaun’s eyes glittered. “Then I accept your gesture,” he said, sliding his arm into the sleeve of the coat.

“It’s one of my jackets. I don’t have one for you, so if you’d like, we can go shopping one day and you can pick one. If you want to, that is.”

He fitted his other arm and I pulled on the collar to make it sit properly. His smile was one-sided, almost shy. It made my heart squeeze. “I would like that very much,” he said, just above a whisper. As if he’d gauged my proximity and modified his voice to suit. Or maybe it was that flirting thing again.

I took a step back and let out a slow breath. I didn’t know how long this no-physical rule of mine was going to hold out. This was technically our second date, after all…

He blinked and studied me for a second. “Are we waiting?”

“Oh, no,” I said, opening the door. “I was just… thinking.”

I waited for him to join me in the hall, then showed him our front door, or more importantly, the numbers beside it. “Our apartment is 35D.”

“Thirty-fifth floor, apartment D,” he clarified.

“That’s correct.” I nodded down the hall. “Lift’s this way.” We walked to it, and he watched as I pressed the button. “If there’s a fire, you should take the stairs.” I pointed to the exit sign above the stairwell. “But any other time, the lift is fine.”

Shaun smiled like this new information, this little outing, was exciting.

The doors opened and we stepped inside. I showed him which button to press for the ground level and the basement car park. “If we walk somewhere, we go to G level. But if we drive somewhere, we go to B level.” I showed him the other buttons on the panel he may need, the fire button, the emergency stop. I showed him the camera in the corner and explained it was a security apartment, that he’d need keys to get in and out.

He nodded, cataloguing everything. Then he looked behind us at the mirrored wall, just as the doors opened. “This way,” I said, holding out my hand.

He took it without question, smiling as he looked around the foyer. It was a nice apartment building. Spacious, with elegant décor, and a reception desk which I walked toward.

“Good afternoon, Mr Salter,” the android behind the counter said.

“Hello. I’d like to request a second security key for my apartment.”

“Of course,” he said. “One moment.”

He retrieved the small token, swiped it, tapped on the screen, then handed it over. “Anything else I can do for you?”

“No, thank you.”

He sat back down, and I noticed then that Shaun was watching him with his head tilted slightly, a curious look in his eyes.

Oh, he was watching the other android.

“Come with me,” I said, pulling gently on his hand. I led him to the front doors and out into the blustery Melbourne afternoon. The wind tousled his black hair and he looked even more striking in the natural daylight, even if it was overcast. His stark blue eyes, his straight nose, pink lips… He was gorgeous.

“Was that a B-Class android?” he asked.

“Yes.” I watched for his reaction, but he kept still. “Do you have questions?”

He blinked. “Yes. Does the B-Class android have a name?”

“No. They don’t. B-and C-Class androids don’t. They have the same rights as all androids do, but they’re addressed as simply android.”

“Then why do A-Class androids have names?”

“Because you’re a personal companion unit. For me to call you android would be impersonal.” I frowned. “Do you like your name?”

He blinked again. “Shaun. Synthetic Human Android UNit.”

“Yes. It’s the name you had when I designed you. I never thought to change it. If you’d prefer me to call you by another name, you can choose one.”

“I have no preference. I like it when you call me Shaun. I would rather not be called android.”

“I’d never call you that. You have a name, and you are Shaun to me.”

His lips twitched with the start of a smile. “Your hair is lifting,” he said, looking at the top of my head.

I tried to pat it down but it was useless. “The wind,” I explained. “Yours is doing the same.”

His eyes went upward, but of course he couldn’t see. I turned him around to look at the glass doors so he could see his reflection. He tilted his head again but said nothing.

We took a brief tour around the building and he was intrigued by it all. “Come on, it’s getting cold,” I said, leading him back toward the door. I handed him his key. “Swipe it near the keypad.”

He did as I instructed and the doors opened. He smiled victoriously and we went inside, out of the blustery weather. I shook myself a little and fixed my hair. Shaun remained completely still. It really was only moments like that when I was reminded he wasn’t human.

“Let’s see if your key works in the lifts,” I said, taking his hand again.