Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I don’t care what the fuck he looks like, just make sure he’s here soon.” Frank could see Barbara gesturing at him from where she was lounging on the other side of the room; he waved her off and turned to face the other way as he readjusted the phone in his hand.
“I understand, Mr. Reynolds. Our team is working as fast as we can. There are just a few questions about the modifications you made—“ the placating voice on the other side was cut off abruptly by him.
“Like what?”
“Like the transferable hard drive, for one.”
“He needs to be able to grow up with her.”
“Mr. Reynolds…” the voice paused, choosing their words. “You are aware the androids do not currently possess the ability to age at this point in time, correct?”
Frank rolled his eyes before answering. “Duh. I plan on buying a new model about— what?” He turned back to Barbara, searching her face for an answer before facing away again. “About every two or so years. We’ll have to see how quickly my kid grows.”

The phone was silent for a moment. “I see. So this is a companion android?”
“Correct.” He mimicked their tone from earlier.
“So some of the features—“
“Listen, I don’t care why you people wanna know why I picked certain features, I just need this robot to do what I need it to when I want it to. And if that means a transferable memory and real human hair, so be it! Just build the damn thing.”
“Yes, Mr. Reynolds.”
“And be efficient about it, alright? He’s going to be a Christmas gift.” Frank smiled to himself, imagining his Sweet Dee’s face when she saw the giant box only to unwrap the android tasked to act as a sibling to her and that half the presents under the tree were his. God knew the girl was terrible at making friends otherwise.

The android that later came to be known as Dennis had touched down in America two months ago, undergoing rigorous tests to ensure he was up to standards before being sent on his way. Now, he was standing at the large door at the front of— Dennis squinted, LED cycling yellow as he assessed his relationship to the people who requested him— in front of his Family’s home.

He appeared as a normal boy to anyone walking by, his mannerisms carefully programmed to look like someone anxious to meet someone new for the first time. Despite that, Dennis was all too aware that most of his features had been chosen specifically to look a certain way. He didn’t know much, but he’d overheard some of the younger interns of the lab saying that the woman who would be his mother from now on had chosen based on what would look accurate if he was really human. And that she’d apparently done a good job.
He shifted his weight from each foot, a habit he’d picked up by observing people as they questioned him.
Dennis knocks on the door three times decisively, taking a deep breath to cool his fans.

There’s a moment of silence, followed quickly by a gruff man telling a ‘Deandra’, his sister, he supposed, to stay put and that it might be business. The door opened harshly, revealing a short, balding man.

“Hello? Do you want so– oh, Dennis! Come in. Just be quiet. She doesn’t know about you yet.” Dennis nodded silently. The small man looked over him approvingly, then decided to wave Dennis in, looking both ways out the door before shutting it.
“It was nothing, Sweet Dee!” He yelled up the stairs. “Just another one of those damned telemarketers.”
Dennis didn’t have time to inspect how a telemarketer would be knocking on the door– let alone ‘another one’-- and not ringing the landline because he was too busy being ushered quickly into a guest bedroom.

“Now, I’m gonna go get Barbara. You stay here, hide somewhere to jump out at her.”
“Why would I do that?”
The small man was taken aback, affronted by the fact that the android before him wouldn’t want to scare this Barbara person.
“Cos it’s funny, what, you don’t know jokes?”
Dennis paused, blue LED blinking briefly before he settled on an answer. “Not yet.”
The man nodded, “Don’t worry, we’ll fix that soon. Here, hide in here, in the closet.”
“Ok.” Dennis shoved himself between the clothing racks; he knew the clothing was long and that they were probably expensive based on the other things in the house. The closet was smaller than he expected; it being used as spare clothes storage didn’t help, so he did his best to fit in the space and not damage anything.
“Good, when you hear Barbara coming, you jump out at her. Make a noise or something, that always gets her good.”
“Ok.” The fabric rustled when he nodded.
The man looked up at Dennis to regard him for a moment before shutting the closet door slightly and walking out of the room, closing that door entirely.
Dennis was alone again.

It was moments like this that the android would come to cherish. Not needing to sleep didn’t mean not needing a moment to rest, self-regulate and recalibrate himself.
Moments like this would coincidentally not happen very often from about twenty minutes from now.
Ten minutes had passed, and Dennis was beginning to think the little brute had forgotten about him. More time to himself. What would he do if he had forgotten? He could just sit here, but his purpose was to fit into the family. Dennis hadn’t seen ‘Sweet Dee’ emerge from her room; maybe she was hiding in the closet, too?
Now, it had been fifteen minutes since he was left here, and Dennis had resigned himself to waiting until the next day at least. Twenty-four hours seemed a long time to the fresh android, But if his thirium pump were to last him 150 years like it was designed, twenty-four hours would actually be nothing. Barely a blip in his memory.
Eighteen minutes in, Dennis heard the doorbell ring again, followed by what sounded like an elephant falling down the stairs.
A young girl’s voice rang out near the doorway to the guest room.
“I’ll get it!” Her voice reminded him of something. He’d have to place it sometime, perhaps if he did have the whole night as he thought.
“Whatever, Deandra.” The man from before responded.

What Dennis hadn’t expected was for footsteps to come closer. They sounded big– bigger than one person, surely. The man must be back with Donna. He heard the door click open and prepared himself to spring out and yell.
With a soft creak of the door, Dennis promptly jumped out and shouted, raising his arms to make the effect more significant.
The girl in front of him screamed. Mission success, as far as he was concerned, and Dennis returned to normal. His first joke! But where was the fat man? He was missing this.

Just as Dennis had the time to process that, the man came running in, wielding a metal bat. From behind the girl, Dennis heard the man’s voice.
“What? What’s happening, Dee?”
“There’s a– there’s a man… or maybe an android–”
“Oh god damn it.”
The man walked around her, squinting up at Dennis before turning back to Dee.
“This was your Christmas present. He was meant to scare your mother.”
“Oh.” Sweet Dee stood taller now, regarding Dennis properly now that her fear had died down. “He’s an android?” She asked, even though she was staring right at his LED. Of course, he was an android. What else could he be?

“Yeah, think of him as a bodyguard or something.” The man paused. “Or better yet, as a brother.”
“You… bought me a brother?”
“Sure.” He said amicably, then turned to Dennis. “Come on, no use hiding you now.” The man left the room, expecting the two to follow. Dee lingered momentarily, looking at the slightly taller android beside her.
“Do you have a name?”
“Yes.”
At that, Dee brightened. “Well, what is it?”
“That man– he called me Dennis.”
“Dennis, huh? I guess that makes sense.”
That piqued Dennis’ curiosity. “How so?”
“Well, if I was a boy, it was going to be Dennis. I had a twin in the womb, you know– a brother.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, he was Donnie. Apparently, I absorbed him.”
“Oh, you were a mono-mono twin?”
She tilted her head, and a small crease between her eyebrows formed. “How did you know?”
“I know most things,” Dennis answered simply.
Dee hummed, nodding softly. “Come on, we better not keep him waiting.”

“Who is he?” Dennis finally asked as they both descended the staircase.
“Oh– that’s my dad. Or, I guess, our dad?”
“Ok.”
“His name is Frank, though. Bar– Mum is really the only person that calls him Frank. And his old business partner, but he’s gone now.”
Dennis frowned. “Ok.”
For someone who was screaming in fear at the sight of him mere moments ago, Dee was remarkably open, Dennis noted. He didn’t understand how that wouldn’t be messy. It probably was.
At that moment, the first piece of information Dennis ever logged about Deandra Reynolds himself appeared in his records, a single word. ‘Messy’.

Chapter Text

“Well, Barbara, what do you think?” The small man asked the woman, his mother, he supposed.
She eyed him appreciatively. “I think he’s just perfect, Frank.”
The man, Frank Reynolds, surprised Dennis. Both Deandra and himself had fair hair and were much taller than he expected to come from the two adults in front of him.
“Excellent. Now, Deandra.”
“Yes?”
“I expect you to take him with you everywhere, ok?”
“But–”
“No buts. I bought him to be your brother; you’ll treat him like your brother.”

“Yes, sir.” Despite agreeing so quickly, Dee was inspecting her shoes. Dennis knew that this was a sign of shame or respect maybe. He would have to study Dee more closely.
“That includes school,” Frank emphasised, to which his sister looked up quickly.
“You make me wear that awful back brace, and now THIS?”
“Yes, Dee–”
Deandra cut him off, “Do you know what they call me? The aluminium monster. Now, there are two of us. They’ll call us the tin twins or some other awful, insidious thing.”
“Actually, I’m mostly made of plastic components, and my main core is gold.” Dennis corrected and, at their confused looks, added, “Gold transmits heat better than most metals. They use it in spacecraft, too.”
“Well, there you go, Deandra. If anyone says something hurtful to Dennis, you can correct them with that.” Barbara smiled, moving closer to Dennis and placing a hand on his shoulder.
“And if anyone gives you trouble about him bein’ there, you just send ‘em to me, ok?” Frank added.
Sweet Dee sighed before giving a noise of affirmation.
“Now go to your rooms.”
Dee began to move away immediately, leaving Dennis to stare at his new parents unblinkingly.

“What are you still doing here?” Frank questioned.
“I don’t have a room.”
“Oh, right.” his father aquicised. “Follow me then.”
Dennis nodded, following the smaller man as soon as he walked off, only to feel the same hand from earlier reappear on his shoulder.
“Oh, and Dennis?”
“Yes?” He thought of what he might address her with before settling on just letting the silence linger in the air.
“Welcome to the family.” Barbara smiled at him warmly, and he smiled back.

Dennis watched Deandra fidget, pulling on her hair, eyes darting around at the breakfast table. The android sat beside her, his own place setting empty. He didn’t need to drink fresh Thirium yet.
Sweet Dee was… nervous? Yes. Nervous.
Dennis frowned before asking, “What’s wrong?”
“You’re coming to school with me today,”
Dennis nodded.
“I don’t think anyone else has ever brought an android to school. Let alone own an android here.”
“They dislike androids?”
“Some of them.” Sweet Dee’s smile came out more like a grimace. “But mostly… mostly they don’t have a way to own them.”
“They’re… impoverished?”
Deandra let out an amused huff. “Not everyone’s Dad owns a company, Dennis?”
“Mr. Reyno– Father owns a company?”
“Yeah. They call him the Warthog.”

Despite not having emotions, Dennis looked genuinely concerned by that information. “That seems,” He paused, searching for a polite term, “Appropriate.”
Dee smiled conspiratorily, then paused as though something had just come to your attention. “So what about you?”
“What about me?”
“Are you nervous about your big day?”
“I don’t get nervous. I’m a machine; we don’t have emotions.”
“Shame.” Sweet Dee replied, shovelling a final spoonful of cereal into her mouth as they fell silent.
After waiting for Dee to get ready and watching her pick up her bag, Dennis processed that soon he would be in a situation where he wouldn’t have more time to prepare his reactions.
“The people at school, they call you aluminium monster?”
Deandra stilled. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because of my back brace.”
“You aren’t wearing it today.” Dennis pointed out. “Why? You need it.”
“I know that.”
“Your scoliosis will get worse.” He added helpfully.
“Yes, Dennis, thank you for reminding me.” Dee shrugged off her bag forlornly, trudged to her room and brought the brace out.

“Why do they call you that?” He watched her assemble it around herself. It was practiced and precise, and it reminded him of the other androids.
“I told you. Because of my back brace.”
Dennis’ LED cycled. “That’s not what I mean.” The android stopped for a moment, trying to rephrase. “I mean, why do they call you ‘Aluminium monster’?”
Dee paused. “I don’t think I’m the person to ask, Dennis.”
“Why not?”
“People… prey on insecurities. Just ask Dad. No weakness, no problems.”
“And your brace makes you… weak?” He was beginning to get it.
“It’s just obvious.” She shrugged, somewhat resigned. “I stick out from the others, and that makes me an easy target.”
“And that’s why you didn’t want me to come.”
Dee looked up at him finally. “Yes.”

“Don’t worry, Dee.” He used the nickname, hoping to soften her. “I won’t feel hurt.”
Sweet Dee nodded, looking at the bag she’d mistakenly put on the ground. “Could you carry that for me?”
Dennis picked it up, looking at her for further instruction.
“Come on. Don’t want to make him wait any longer, do we, Bro?”
“No.” He agreed.

This car was nicer than the one he had been dropped off in. Plush seats covered in… Leather? This must have been leather. Dennis decided he liked leather as much as he could like anything. He had overheard them talking about getting him new clothes. Maybe they could get leather ones? Why was he even thinking about this?

“Dennis?” He looked up.
“Yes, Dee?”
The android was still getting used to talking, more used to the sterile environments where he was made.
Dee’s expression was unsure, “We… have to get out of the car now. Are you ok? You nervous?”
“I don’t feel nervous.”
“Oh–”
“I don’t feel anything at all.”
“No, no… I know. Your uh, disc thingy was yellow.”
“It was? That's the second time you've asked today. Are you nervous?”
She ignored him, continuing her original thought, “Yeah, like Big Bird.” The girl paused. “That’s from Sesame Street. Which is a show, which is–”
“I know what a show is, Dee. Supercomputer, remember?” Dennis reminded her.
“Right. Sorry. You're right. I'm still nervous.”
“Because of sticking out?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t worry. You’re my… sister.” He stopped to gauge her reaction—a pleased shock—before continuing, “I won’t let them.”
He exited the vehicle and took one last glance at the leather. “Do you want help with your bags?”
“Uh, yes. Thank you.”

The school was decidedly large and closed. Two, separate campuses joined together by the main entrance. Dennis observed the lockers on either side of the halls, the students milling about, the teachers… it was… it wasn’t unlike a warehouse.

“Hey, look out, man!” A short, baby-faced teen with chin-length hair barrelled past him.
Dennis’ brow furrowed as he stepped to the side, Dee already closer to the wall. Behind whoever that was was another, shorter boy with wild eyes and loose clothes. Following closely behind him was a tall and tan guy, arms outstretched, trying to grab one of them and a group of altogether non-descript group of people attached to him with similar goals Dennis had to assume.

“Who were they?” The android watched as the sea of students behind him parted to avoid getting hit by the chase.
“Who?”
“The students running.”
“Oh, that’s Ronnie the Rat and Dirt grub, probably.”
“Their parents named them that?”
Dee let out a short burst of laughter.
“No, it’s like a nickname. Like aluminium monster.” She whispered the latter.
“Ah.” Dennis nodded. “And the ones chasing Ronnie and… Dirt grub?”
“That would be Adriano and his gang.”
“Gang? They do criminal activities?” He glanced back at where they had run off to.
“No, like his friends.” Dee corrected, also watching the same pathway.
“Hm.”

“Listen, um, Dennis.” Dee turned to face her locker, unlocking and opening the door quickly.
“Yes?”
“I know Dad said we’d be going to school together– but, the thing is…” She shifted uncertainly, her back brace creaking awkwardly. “Well, you see, Dennis. We don’t actually go to the same school.”
“I know.”
“You do?” She asked, incredulous to the point that he felt like he should point out that it could have been taken as an insult, but Dennis refrained. It didn’t seem like Dee had many friends, and Dennis had a social protocol to rely on. She had to figure it out with her limited resources and– he looked around briefly– odd environment.

"Yes. There were two names on the sign. Notre Dame and St. Joseph's. Both schools are single-sex, but there's a plaque with one year-- I assume it became co-ed recently?"
Her head peered around the door to look at him. "Way to go Columbo!" Dee looked impressed, "Good detective work."
"Also, I looked up the school."
"Oh. Well, that's less impressive. If anyone asks just say the first thing."

Less impressive? Him having the ability to look anything up at any time was… LESS impressive?

"Anyway, the campuses are still separated. So we'll be going to school on opposite ends." "They do know I'm not actually a boy, right? And that I know more than the teacher in almost any capacity?"

"Yeah... Yeah..." she drifted off. "Well, no. I think they're only going to learn you're an android today." Now it was his turn to be incredulous, "What?" She placed a book in her locker. "Well. Dad, he, I overheard him talking about you hypothetically being shipped away overseas for... Behavioural issues, but that you were all fixed and ready to go in now." Dennis stared at her silently. His disc flickered once, twice, and then turned yellow as he processed this. "Why?" Dee snorted. "Honestly? No clue. Maybe the school wouldn't let you in otherwise?"

He nodded, LED shifting back to blue as he accepted the answer. “They’ll find out soon enough.” He conceded.
The bell rang before he could ask if they would remove him, and Dee was rushing off as fast as she could manage, shouting “I’ll see you at lunch! Meet me back here.” over her shoulder.
“Where do I go?” He called after her, to no avail.
A tap on his shoulder made him turn.
“You new here?”
“...Yes.”
“Cool, I’m Schmitty. I’ll take you to the office, k?”
Dennis stared at him blankly. “K.”

Schmitty nodded, and began leading the way. Dennis had a feeling Schmitty ‘coasted’ that is to say, went with the flow. He would probably be a good example for his social programming, not that Dennis needed that, but maybe he could teach Deandra.

“So are you one of those uh… robots?”
“Android.” Dennis corrected. “Yes, I am.”
“Cool. How come you were hanging with the aluminium monster?”
Dennis raised a brow at him.
“Not to say all things made out of aluminium are monsters–”
The android cut him off, “I’m not made out of aluminium. That was Dee.”
“I know.”
“Then why do you call her that?”
“‘Cos everyone else does.”
“Hmm.”
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“She’s my sister.”

The teen stopped and looked at him.
“What?”
“You just said she was your sister?”
“Yeah. Thats why Mr. Rey– my father bought me. Why? Should I not tell people?”
“Umm… I mean it doesn’t really matter. Adriano and his crew will find out eventually.”
They started walking again.
“Adriano, he’s a leader?”
Schmitty snorted. “As much as one can be. He’s at the top of the food chain, anyway. He’s the one that gave Dee that name.”
Dennis hummed, deep in thought. “Maybe it was time there was a new head of the food chain.”
They continued in silence.

“We’re here.” Schmitty nodded to the door.
“Thank you.” the android shifted it’s weight. “What do I say? I don’t have a cue for this.”
“Just tell ‘em you’re new man. Ask for a time table. They’ll give you a guide too.”
“Ok.”
“See you ‘round man. And hey, if anyone could shake the order, I bet you have a shot.”
Dennis nodded, not looking away from the door to watch the boy leave.

Mac felt sick. A deep, unsettling numbness that he didn’t quite have the words for had been settling over him since the night before, when officers showed up just after dinner.
He couldn't recognise the person in the mirror. They had been crying. Why the fuck were they crying? Their dad hadn't just been arrested. His had.

God, why couldn't he feel anything? Mac wiped his damp face with the sleeve of his windbreaker.

From down the stairs, he could hear Charlie yelling, “Mac! C'mon dude, we're gonna miss the bus.”
“Yeah Charlie, just gimme a minute!”
Mac flushed the toilet and ran the sink so he could pretend he hadn't just been staring at himself instead of brushing his teeth.
“Coming bro!”

Mac hugged his mum goodbye, lingering longer than most mornings, she just grunted in return, but he could feel the emotion behind it more than usual.
He would have to man up now, support their family while Lu– his dad was back in jail. At least until the hearing.

The air stung his cheeks, the grey clouds hanging overcast washed out his surroundings.
Schmitty had been telling him about this pathetic fallacy stuff from his english classes, something about the weather and the mood or whatever.
Mac hadn't really been paying attention, but standing on the curb right now with his best friend Dirt Grub for what had to be Philadelphia's Worst School Bus, and his dad in the county lockup, he sure felt pathetic.

Charlie broke the silence. “Did you see the game last night, man?”
Mac didn't look at him. “Yeah. Eagles won.”
“Just like you said they would.” The boy beside him laughed nervously. Mac grunted. His mother would be proud.