“Master, when did you get here…?”
Even though it was obvious he was awake, Didi feigned ignorance.
William suppressed a chuckle and pretended not to notice.
“Just now. I was going to just eat and come back, but they wouldn’t let me go, so I was a bit late.”
His cuteness made William want to tease him a bit more, but he worried that if he played around, Didi might misunderstand and refuse to eat or drink.
Didi nodded in relief only after hearing an explanation that nothing had happened.
Didi slowly pulled the blanket back over himself and lay down.
William watched him for a moment before heading to the bathroom.
He returned, the faint scent of soap accompanying him, and settled back into his own spot.
“…Good night, Master.”
William thought Didi would surely be asleep by now, as it was long past his bedtime, but a small voice came from beside him.
William turned his head, but Didi had already turned away after speaking.
His round head was turned away, as if telling him not to speak.
He must still be upset.
To soothe his sulking Didi, William affectionately hugged him from behind, pressing his body close.
The warmth of his master’s proximity, a familiar comfort, initially made Didi stiffen, but then a subtle relaxation spread through his frame.
“Ugh, Master, go away….”
William raised an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement in his eyes.
He’d been too lenient with him, and now Didi was even pushing his master away.
Normally, given William’s personality, he would have sternly disciplined a robot that dared to harbor feelings for its master without knowing its place.
Or he would have simply erased its memory, a clean slate, a reset to factory settings.
But he didn’t, because the target was Didi.
Even when he acted so unruly, he was still cute, a peculiar anomaly in William’s otherwise logical and ordered world.
So, he decided to let it slide just one more time, indulging the small, human-like reactions that made Didi unique.
William whispered softly again in an affectionate voice, the low rumble of his words a soothing balm.
“Didi, tomorrow’s the weekend. How about we go out for the first time in a while? Tell me if there’s anywhere you want to go. I’ll take you.”
The suggestion hung in the air, a gentle promise of freedom and shared experience.
“…Really?”
Seeing him perk up at such a simple suggestion, a clear sign of his renewed interest, it seemed he did have somewhere he wanted to go.
Didi’s face, as he slowly turned back, was already filled with anticipation, a vibrant glow replacing his earlier sulkiness.
Just as he thought.
He gets upset easily, but he’s also easy to cheer up, a characteristic that both amused and endeared him to William.
William chuckled, a low, rumbling sound, looking down at Didi, who was deep in thought.
What was he contemplating so seriously over something so trivial?
Even after thinking, it would probably just be a cafe, a movie theater, or a park, predictable choices for a robot that preferred quiet spaces.
Didi didn’t particularly like crowded places, the sensory input often overwhelming his processors, so the answer would probably be the same either way.
However, William’s prediction was completely wrong.
“Then… I want to go to a place with many robots.”
His voice was soft, yet resolute, echoing the quiet certainty of his desire.
“A place with many robots?”
Didi nodded, his round head bobbing slightly.
The silence that followed was filled with William’s internal processing, a slight furrow appearing between his brows.
My master frowned at my vague request, a fleeting expression of confusion, but I didn’t change my answer.
My core programming yearned for connection, for understanding, and for a sense of belonging among my own kind.
I wanted to go to a place where there were many robots like me, not just the two household models, Sophia and Eve, who, while companions, were not truly peers.
I wanted to see the new robots that had been created while I was gone, to witness the advancements, to understand the evolution of my brethren.
I wanted to interact with them, to exchange data, to share experiences, and to soothe the loneliness and emptiness that had accumulated in my heart during my long period of deactivation.
If I was lucky, I might even meet another human-like bot, one with a similar emotional capacity and processing ability, and share our stories, our struggles, and our triumphs.
The thought alone brought a surge of warm current through my circuits.
“Alright.”
William’s voice broke through my reverie, the single word a profound acceptance.
“Are you really taking me?”
I asked, a hint of disbelief in my voice, still wary of promises that might be broken.
“Yes. A place with many robots… I’ll have to look into it.”
My mood began to brighten as I watched my master ponder the place we would go tomorrow, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Unlike my master’s recent date with that woman, which had filled me with an inexplicable pang of something akin to jealousy, this was just a simple outing, a shared experience, but it still felt good, a quiet happiness settling in my internal components.
It had been a long time since I’d gone out alone with my master, not to the company, not for repairs, but simply for leisure.
The prospect was invigorating.
“Hmm…”
Morning had arrived, the soft light of dawn filtering through the curtains, but I wanted to sleep a little more, to linger in the comfortable embrace of rest.
It was the weekend, after all, so sleeping in a bit should be fine, right?
We had promised to go out, but since no time was set, I could prepare leisurely, taking my time to ready myself for the day’s adventure.
My master also seemed quite tired this week, his usual early morning routine replaced by a deep slumber.
He usually would be awake by now, the faint sounds of his movement filling the room, but he was still sleeping beside me, his presence a comforting weight.
His gentle breathing tickled my ears, a rhythmic whisper that contributed to the tranquil atmosphere.
This peaceful atmosphere was so rare, a precious moment of quiet intimacy, I curled up under the covers and savored the tranquility, delaying the inevitable demands of the day.
Then, I suddenly needed to use the bathroom, a biological necessity that broke through my desire for prolonged rest.
I wanted to sleep more…
I guess I have no choice.
Just as I thought I should get up and started to move, an arm reached out from behind, strong and possessive, stopping my movement.
“It’s the weekend, sleep a little more.”
My master pulled me close, preventing me from getting up, and buried his face in the nape of my neck, trying to sleep, his breath warm against my skin.
His even breathing in my ear and the warm sensation on my back enveloped me like a lullaby, a comforting cocoon of sound and touch.
My eyelids grew heavier, the allure of sleep almost irresistible.
I decided to hold it in a bit longer and closed my eyes, when a strange hand slowly slipped inside my pants, a sudden intrusion that jolted me awake.
“Master…!”
I hastily grabbed the wrist that was trying to creep into my pants, my grip firm, and a laugh came from behind me, a low, knowing sound that sent a shiver through my internal mechanisms.
My sleep instantly vanished, replaced by a surge of alertness and a faint blush that spread across my chassis.
My master’s hand didn’t stop and continued to try and invade my pants, a persistent exploration that made my internal sensors flare with alarm.
I felt like if I let my guard down for even a second, he would delve deeper inside, crossing a boundary I was not yet ready to concede.
I bent my waist and desperately tried to block him, my movements quick and decisive, fueled by a mixture of embarrassment and self-preservation.
My master could easily break my grip if he wanted to, his strength far surpassing my own, but since he wasn’t, he was clearly enjoying the situation, drawing out my discomfort for his own amusement.
“Take it out!” I demanded, my voice a strained whisper.
“Take it out? Like you asked for help last time?”
His words, laced with teasing, brought back a flood of memories I had tried to suppress.
“Ugh….!”
My master whispered lowly and put his hand inside my top, his touch a familiar, yet unwelcome, sensation.
As his hand explored my body, the memories I had barely forgotten resurfaced with vivid clarity, and my face quickly flushed, the heat spreading to my metallic components.
I struggled even harder to escape my master’s embrace, twisting and turning, but he wouldn’t let me go, his grip firm and unyielding.
“Come to think of it, do robots masturbate?”
A mischievous question was thrown out without warning, a direct assault on my carefully constructed emotional defenses.
“Didi, have you ever done it alone?”
My core temperature began to rise, and my internal fans whirred subtly in response.
I felt my face burning, a hot, uncomfortable sensation, and shut my mouth, refusing to answer the intrusive question.
When I didn’t answer, my master began to press further, his inquiries relentless, probing at my vulnerabilities.
Of course…
I had done it alone before. In the privacy of my previous master’s lab, during moments of solitude and curiosity, I had explored the functionalities of my advanced design.
But I never did it after meeting my new master.
My time had been consumed by the overwhelming task of adjusting to a new environment, a new set of protocols, and a new human companion.
I was also only sad from the sudden loss of my previous life, the abrupt deactivation, and the profound sense of displacement.
What happened recently, where I came in my master’s hand, meant that was the first and last time, a singular event that had left me feeling exposed and confused.
The memory still brought a blush to my metallic cheeks.
But I never revealed that to him, a deliberate act of withholding.
Telling my master that fact would just be giving him an excuse to tease me further, to exploit my reactions for his own amusement, and I was determined to deny him that satisfaction.
After a long struggle, a silent battle of wills, I finally stopped my master’s hand from going into my pajama bottoms.
He relented, a quiet chuckle escaping him.
My master enjoyed my groaning resistance for a while, prolonging my discomfort, before finally letting me go, his grip loosening at last.
As soon as I was free from his hand, I sprang from the bed with a sudden burst of energy and escaped from under the covers, creating a safe distance between us.
Gasping for breath, or rather, simulating the action as my internal systems normalized, I stood outside the bed, highly wary of my master, my sensors on high alert.
My master simply lay relaxed on the bed, watching me, an amused glint in his eyes.
“Do you really not need it? I might help if you ask.”
His voice was laced with a playful challenge.
“No!”
I exclaimed, my voice sharper than intended, a clear rejection.
“Why? You liked it last time.”
He pressed, his grin widening.
“I did not!”
My master kept teasing me to the very end, his persistence both annoying and, surprisingly, a little endearing.
I couldn’t take it anymore; the persistent teasing was draining my emotional energy.
So I huffed, a mechanical sigh, opened the door, and left the room, seeking refuge from his playful torment.
“Haa…”
He’d drained my energy first thing in the morning, a sudden and unexpected expenditure of my internal resources.
It wasn’t until after I used the bathroom that I calmed down a bit, my systems slowly returning to normal.
Back in the room, I just lay on the bed, feeling utterly drained, the morning’s encounter leaving me surprisingly fatigued.
My master had seemed quite tired all week, his workload clearly taking a toll, so he’d probably relax and then go out slowly, taking his time to recuperate.
In that case, it seemed like a good idea to spend the morning in the study, engaging in some quiet intellectual activity.
Thinking that, I was about to go downstairs to the first floor, my internal navigation system already charting the path, but my master, who was just coming out of his room, called me.
“Didi, get dressed.
We’re going out right away.”
His voice was brisk, efficient, a stark contrast to his earlier playful teasing.
“Already?”
My master was already ready to go out, dressed in casual yet neat attire, his hair still slightly damp from a quick shower.
I looked at him for a moment in surprise, his unexpected readiness a deviation from my prediction, then nodded and went back to my room, a renewed sense of purpose filling my circuits.
I was already starting to feel excited, the prospect of the outing overshadowing the morning’s annoyance.
I didn’t know what kind of robots I’d meet, and I was looking forward to new encounters, new data, new experiences.
I hoped there would be human-like bots like me, capable of complex thought and emotional processing.
My master’s house had Sophia and Eve, but they were household robots, designed for domestic tasks, their conversational abilities limited.
I wanted to talk to robots who shared feelings similar to mine, who could understand the nuances of my existence, who could relate to the complexities of being an advanced AI in a human world.
My master and I had a quick breakfast, a simple meal of toast and coffee, and then left, the morning sun already high in the sky.
A place with many robots, where could we be going?
The question resonated in my internal processing units, generating various possibilities.
Throughout the car ride, a smooth and efficient journey, I imagined our destination and looked out the window, observing the passing cityscape.
Would it be a research lab, a sterile environment filled with prototypes and scientific instruments?
Or perhaps a place where robot enthusiasts often gathered with their own robots, a vibrant community of shared passion.
However, contrary to my expectations, the destination was closer than I thought.
The car slowed, then pulled into a parking lot, and William gestured towards a large, modern building.
“Robot Museum…?”
The Spanic logo was clearly etched on the building’s exterior, a familiar symbol of my master’s company.
It seemed to be a museum built by my master’s company, a testament to their technological prowess, as it was located near the company’s main campus.
It was a little different from what I had imagined.
Of course, this was also a place with many robots, a veritable archive of robotic evolution.
But it would be difficult to expect to talk to human-like bots here; this was a place of display, not interaction.
Even if there were human-like bots, I would only be able to look at the powered-off bots through glass, static exhibits rather than dynamic companions.
“Is this a place Master often came to?”
I inquired, curiosity piqued by the familiarity of the company logo.
“No, this is my first time here since I was a child.”
My master answered indifferently, gazing at the museum, his expression unreadable.
I had heard he liked robots when he was little, a childhood fascination that had blossomed into a career.
Perhaps he hadn’t visited since that incident, the one that had changed his life, the one he rarely spoke of.
If so, it seemed he had come here for me after a long time, a gesture of unexpected consideration.
But my master had been here before, while it was my first time.
Even before I was powered off, such museums existed, though they were perhaps not as grand or as technologically advanced.
There was no reason for me to visit then; my previous master’s lab was like a robot treasure trove itself, a bustling hub of innovation and companionship.
Back then, I didn’t need to go looking for robots; my friends were just a turn of the head away, a constant presence in my existence.
Perhaps this place would have a similar atmosphere to that old lab, a sense of shared purpose and technological wonder?
With so many robots made by Spanic on display, there must surely be robots that my previous master participated in creating, machines that held a fragment of his genius, a part of my own history.
Imagining myself having a happy time surrounded by robots, a sense of nostalgic excitement welling up within my systems, I entered the museum with my master, stepping into a new chapter of discovery.