Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

His name was N.

Or at least it had been, on the day he came back online, only to be greeted by that young human girl standing in front of him—someone his system instantly recognized as his new owner.

He remembered her clapping and bouncing with joy the moment she saw he was awake. From that day forward, the things that had once made him just another background prop drone in the mansion he called home were gone… Not that it mattered—those same things his two previous bosses called “flaws” were what had landed him in that pile of damaged robots outside in the first place.

He was a Worker Drone, an autonomous robot designed by JCJenson, a near-elite corporation whose products never disappointed their clients. His job was simple: serve, assist, and work for humans. But from that day onward, his job was different.

Now, he had a single task: to love and care for his new creator.

They had arrived at the Elliot Mansion one by one—J first, then him, then V, and lastly Cyn, who, despite the permanent damage she carried, N loved as if she were his little sister. Cyn, in turn, had adopted him as her big brother the moment he accepted her.

The girl—her hair a deep, dark black like her father’s, cut short in the back but with long pigtails draping forward—pale as snow, with blue eyes like her mother’s and adorned with countless ribbons—wasn’t exactly good at picking names. In her mind, her beloved drones deserved something truly unique.

So she thought: why not skip the naming process and just take the initials of whatever names popped into her mind? Perfect.

The name she landed on was “Nathaniel”—very elegant and, according to her, only the handsome men from European television possessed it. And so, his name became N.

He remembered that once she had calmed down, the very first thing he received from that human—whom he soon came to know as Tessa—was a hug and a kiss on his visor, along with her joyful exclamation that he was working again. To J, she was a leader and an idol; to V, a great friend; to Cyn, her best playmate; and to him, almost a mother and creator.

Life at the Elliot Mansion was… peculiar. One moment he would be quietly collecting glasses from guests, the next consoling Tessa as he pressed cold cloths to her injured arms, and then running out to the garden to play with her.

“You done yet, V?” N asked, rising from the floor. In one hand he held a small gray plastic shovel full of broken glass, and in the other, a miniature broom.

“Uh, yeah. All done.” The short-haired white-haired drone hopped down from a chair beside one of the bar tables, dusted off the apron of her dress, and adjusted the glasses that covered her visor. “I think we can go now.”

“Yeah, Tessa’s probably waiting for us.” N replied, dumping the glass shards into a green trash bin in the corner.

“She’s not gonna be at the party with us?” V blinked in surprise.

N tilted his head, letting out a sigh of visible sadness.

“No. Her folks still think she’s ‘unfit’ to appear alongside their work colleagues… so they chained her up again.”

“Oh…” V lowered her head, equally saddened.

If only James and Louisa were kinder to their own daughter. If only she had the strength and courage to stand up to them…

“She managed to slip out of the chain, though,” N explained, walking toward the table where his shiny silver tray rested. “She said she wanted to see the opening dance her parents are hosting.”

“Oh, but the gala starts in like… six minutes,” V quickly pointed out.

“Then we’d better go now.” N said, taking his friend by the hand and leading her toward the bar’s entrance.

“What about me, big brother?”

A dazed, damaged, high-pitched voice stopped him in his tracks.

Cyn sat perched on the bar counter, legs crossed, head lolling to the side as if it might detach at any moment. She held a small empty teacup. N’s shoulders slumped, his eyes creasing with regret. Glancing at V, he saw her hugging herself, knowing full well that, no matter how much she wished otherwise, the damaged drone with the oversized bow could not come with them.

“Oh… I think you’ll have to stay here for a while, buddy,” N said softly, walking toward her.

“Get down. Stand. Dust off hands.” Cyn spoke as she slid off the counter and brushed off her dress. Then she looked up at her big brother with innocent curiosity. “am i… not wanted there, N?”

“Oh, Cyn, you know it’s Tessa’s Folks…” N replied, running his metal hand through her white hair. “They’re not very nice to us… or to her.” He sighed, but quickly forced a gentle smile for her. “Tell you what—when the gala’s over and I’m back, how about we have a movie night, and before bed, I’ll read you a story?”

The hunched drone’s small mouth curved into a tiny smile. She placed one hand on the side of her head and tilted it forward and back.

“Nods. I’d love that. Excited,” Cyn said.

“Wait for me in the lounge after midnight, okay? Love you, Cyn,” N said, leaning down to give her a small kiss on the forehead.

“Psst! N, we have to go!” V’s voice called urgently, her visor displaying a flashing message: “3 minutes left!”

“Right, yeah, we’d better go now.” He looked back at Cyn. “See you later, little one.” Then he left with V.

“Goodbye, big brother. Small farewell,” Cyn said from her spot, waving a hand.

Upstairs was now completely empty, but peering over the railing, the maid and the butler drone could see the crowd of humans filling the floor below—everyone dressed in formal, elegant attire. The overlapping voices made it impossible to make out individual conversations. It felt like they were all waiting for some kind of clandestine meeting to begin. Their bosses were nowhere in sight.

N was excited. He loved these gatherings—the music, the atmosphere, running through the hall offering drinks or snacks to the guests while they marveled at the sight of such an intelligent, advanced robot. Being part of the spectacle, so to speak.

V noticed other Worker Drones already downstairs, moving between guests to make sure everyone had a drink, standing firm with their trays or carts full of appetizers. Truth be told, she liked standing out physically from the rest of the butler drones down there. None of them behaved as closely to humans as she and N did, none had pretty white hair like the kind Tessa had given her, and certainly none wore glasses. Her friend had told her she was a very special drone—something her parents either didn’t understand or didn’t care to appreciate.

Still, her absentmindedness meant she wasn’t watching where she was going, and the next thing she knew—wham!—she had bumped into something just as hard and metallic as herself. N, distracted as well, bumped right into her from behind. A trio of pained groans followed.

The butler drone rubbed his visor with a slight wince and looked ahead—only to find another maid drone, this one with her white hair styled into two pigtails.

“Ugh, watch it, morrons” she complained, rubbing her right arm.

“Ow…” N muttered in pain as he got up from the floor, still holding his metal tray.

“Good afternoon to you too, J,” V replied, begrudgingly putting her fallen glasses back on.

“Are you guys okay?” a curious, concerned voice asked.

Behind J stood the human girl so dear to the quartet—blue eyes peeking over the drone’s head, her pale face marked with the occasional scar. Right now, the three of them were with the human who had given them life alongside her—the one they loved most, and who loved them most in return.

“Hi, Tessa,” N greeted cheerfully, waving at her.

“How’d your grades turn out?” V asked their owner and human friend with intrigue.

Tessa paused, tilting her head. J’s relaxed expression immediately shifted to one of concern, glancing over her shoulder at the girl in question.

“Well…” Tessa began, her voice carrying that soft Australian lilt. “The rest were fine… but let’s just say Mother didn’t take too kindly to that seventy in maths.” She turned her gaze away in embarrassment, resting her hands on the railing—only to pull back and fold her arms tightly against her chest.

Unconsciously, she rubbed her palm over her wrists. The trio’s eyes followed the movement, noticing her wrist looked redder than usual. There was a fresh violet mark with inflamed edges—like she had desperately tried to break free from a chain. They also spotted two reddish scratches across her pale, round cheeks.

“Truth is… I’m not even supposed to be here. I snuck outta my room,” Tessa admitted softly, her voice heavy with sadness and discomfort.

J’s white eyes narrowed into thin ovals, her metal face paling with sorrow, almost guilt, and a simmering hatred toward herself for not being able to save Tessa from her cruel parents. But Tessa quickly noticed the way the pigtail drone was looking at her.

“I—I’m fine, J. Nothin’ to worry about,” Tessa said, giving her a pat on the shoulder in a confident tone. But it wasn’t enough to convince J—she could tell Tessa was lying.

“Well, even if you’re not dressed for the party, I think you look great for the afternoon,” N assured her, giving a thumbs-up enthusiastically.

Compared to the other guests, Tessa looked like a complete outsider—wearing short overalls and a light green shirt, a wide gardener’s hat on her head, and yellow rubber boots that hid the injuries on her ankles. In one of her pockets were a pair of gloves. She looked ready to tend to a garden. Definitely V’s doing—always making sure she was dressed perfectly… in her own way.

“Wow, thanks, N,” Tessa replied with a soft laugh at her beloved drone’s compliment, reaching over to pat his head affectionately.

Just then, the small chime of a bell silenced the guests almost instantly, drawing their attention to the hosts. The human girl and her drones leaned curiously over the railing, spotting a tall man with black hair and a top hat holding the bell aloft.

“G’day, everyone…” Tessa murmured in an overly posh, exaggerated tone.

“G’day…”

“Greetings and congratulations to all present,” she continued in that same mock-elegant style.

“Greetings and congratulations to all present,” the man below repeated—but with genuine pride and elegance in his deep Australian accent.

J raised her brows in amusement while V and N exchanged mischievous glances, both trying not to burst out laughing so none of the four would get caught.

“As you all know,” James began confidently, “JCJenson is one of the largest global corporations. The United States of America has even named us a family company. We’re a consumer region, which means you can find our products in every corner of the planet—revolutionising daily life and changing the way people live.” His voice carried the practiced confidence of someone who had never queued in his life. “Since our beginnings, the Elliot family has ensured JCJenson stays alive—not only with good vision, but with damn good lawyers, and by selling in this industry for decades: reinventing, reinvesting, and of course… selling.”

“And that’s why it’s always been our number one priority,” Louisa added smoothly in her refined Australian accent, “to make sure JCJenson takes part in numerous initiatives centred on social impact and sustainability. Whether it’s for us brilliant entrepreneurs, desperate up-and-comers… or for poor sods who had to do a few extra favours under the table just to make it to the top—well, who are we to judge?”

The crowd erupted into laughter, though a few offered only nervous chuckles, lowering their gazes or staring into their drinks.

“This is my husband, James Timothy Elliot—proud descendant of the Elliot line. I’m Louisa Adelaide Elliot—his wife, partner, and sometimes his moral compass. And we’re sincerely excited about everything that could be set in motion after this afternoon. We’ll be presenting proposals that will not only expand our business… but redefine the line of what’s possible when you shake hands with JCJenson.”

Between the couple stepped a small, blue-eyed butler drone—dressed exactly like N, save for lacking white hair. On the tray it carried were two small glasses filled with a caramel-coloured liquid. The Elliots each took one.

“And with that,” James said proudly, raising his glass, “we declare this meeting officially open. Cheers to that!”

“Cheers!” the guests echoed.

“Cheers!” the quartet of friends called out from the upper floor, before bursting into laughter and sitting together on the floor against the railing.

“Father spent nearly three days practicin’ that speech,” Tessa admitted with a grin. “I heard it so many times—and Mother telling him off ‘cause he wasn’t sayin’ it with enough flair—that I ended up memorisin’ it myself.”

“Good thing they picked another drone to bring them drinks. Every time I go, they give me the cold shoulder,” V muttered, adjusting her glasses.

“Ow, but you’re really cute, V. Nearsighted, but very cute,” N teased, giving her visor a friendly tap and patting her shoulder—earning a genuine, warm smile from his short-haired friend.

“How’s Cyn doing?” J asked with interest.

“She stayed at the bar,” N sighed, a note of regret in his voice. “I just hope the meeting doesn’t run too late—I promised her we’d watch a movie afterward.”

“Aw, N… I wish Cyn could be here with us too, come to the parties with you guys—but… you know what Mum said…” Tessa’s voice softened as she reached over to take the butler’s hand.

“Yeah… I just don’t want them hurtin’ you,” N added, lowering his gaze.

“or her either,” Tessa clarified, before peeking through the narrow gaps in the fine wooden railings and catching sight of the gathering taking place below. “Oh… but how I wish I could be down there one day, with all of you. I’ve never been allowed to be at the events.”

“It’s not like it’s that fun, boss,” J confessed, rolling her eyes. “It’s just Corporated talking… and admitting they lie about promotions.”

“But you love Corporated,” Tessa replied.

“Yeah, ‘cause JCJenson’s the only reason I even exist here.”

“And also because Tessa pulled us out of the dump,” V added with a playful tone.

“Yeah… that too,” J added reluctantly, a faint white blush glowing on her visor.

“Yeah, but look at how many humans… so many people,” Tessa went on, her blue eyes still fixed on the meeting. “Getting along, being friendly, showing off their best skills, all dressed up… and when it’s a gala, it’s like one big family dinner with a grand dance floor where the music just fits perfectly with the atmosphere… I’ve never interacted with humans, only with robots. I’ve never known what it means to be part of a group, or to be treated in any other way than how my parents treat me…” She rested her forehead against the wood. “…and I feel like… it would be something really special to be part of one… even if it was just once.”

The trio of robots exchanged pained glances once their friend and creator finished. They couldn’t do anything to help her… as much as they wanted to. All they could do was hope that one day they could get her out of there, or be strong enough to protect her and let her have the happiness James and Louisa had taken from her.

N thought for a moment about something to lift the black-haired human’s spirits, until an idea struck. He stepped closer and gave her a few gentle pats on the back, offering his best smile.

“Hey, Tessa, look on the bright side — your parents are distracted now, so you can go outside and have some fun with J. We’ll make sure they don’t notice you left,” he said with warmth and optimism.

Tessa smiled and nodded, getting up from the floor and hugging N in gratitude.

“Oi, too right you are. Ready, Jaybird?” Tessa turned to the twin-tailed drone.

“Oh… uh… yeah, sure, boss,” J started hesitantly, then shook her head and raised her hand to her forehead in a graceful gesture. She was about to go with her, but the short white-haired drone stopped her by pulling her hand.

“…Good luck, J… take care of yourself…” V said softly, smiling with a white blush glowing at both corners of her visor, her hand holding the twin-tailed drone’s with tenderness.

“Oh… umm, thanks… V.” J’s eyes widened in surprise, but she quickly pulled away from the touch, blushing as well. “…Bye.”

“Alright then.” Tessa clasped her hands and turned around. “We’ll take the exit to the yard, it’s easier to get to the dump from there—”

But as soon as she lifted her head, Tessa’s heart froze, along with the rest of her body. The trio of drones froze too, three pairs of eyes narrowing into thin ovals projecting pure terror.

Right in front of her now stood her father, his piercing gaze locked on her, a half-full glass in hand… It was incredible that a simple human, like her, could instill so much fear.

“And where the hell do you think you’re going, missy?” he asked coldly, never taking his eyes off her.

Tessa swallowed hard, unable to utter a word. Her legs and hands trembled repeatedly. Her eyes stayed fixed on her father’s shoes.

“I asked ya a question. Answer me…” he demanded in that same tone, moving his free hand to his daughter’s chin to make her look at him.

“Well… I… I was just gonna go to the library, y’know, have a read while waitin’ for the meetin’ to end,” Tessa said after thinking for a moment.

“Didn’t ya mother punish you?” the man countered, leaning closer to his daughter with a judging look, swirling his glass so the ice clinked against the liquor.

“She… she un-punished me…” Tessa lied, though it sounded more like a question.

James raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. Tessa bit the inside of her cheek and took a deep breath, praying to every god she knew and believed in. Those were the most torturous four seconds — the trio of drones blinked nervously in place, their danger sensors climbing like lava in an erupting volcano. They glanced at their owner and at their boss, fearing what might come next.

“Hmmm… well, if you say so, you’re excused.” The man turned and began to walk away, leaving his eldest with her “dumbster pets.”

Seeing herself safe, Tessa let out a sigh of relief — but her peace was broken again as her father turned back, brown eyes full of disgust and disdain.

“And don’t you dare go down there lookin’ like that. I don’t want my workmates thinkin’ I’ve got a whore  of a daughter,” he warned coldly, finally walking away.

Tessa stayed frozen in place, her blue eyes pained by those words echoing in her mind, making her feel deeply hurt. Had her father really just said something that cruel? She took a sharp breath, slowly hugging herself.

J quickly approached her and gently tapped her shoulder to get her attention.

“Boss? You're okay?” the twin-tailed maid asked.

Tessa shook her head and ran her hands over her face, quickly wiping away the tears.

“Y-yeah, I’m fine,” she assured in a weak voice, then gave her a faint smile. “Come on, let’s just go now.”

She wasn’t fine — J knew that perfectly well. Every time they came around, they left her in the worst possible state, only for her to put on a fake ‘I’m fine’ when someone asked.

Whenever Tessa needed arms to cry in, J was always there — along with N, V, and Cyn.

J watched her walk away, frowning, but quickly hurried to take her hand to offer comfort, leaving together through the back entrance of the Elliot mansion.

Since the day Tessa pulled him from the dump, N had started to feel emotions — and over the days, what he felt most was pity, sadness, and certainly anger at the situation she lived in, knowing that whenever any of them asked how she was, it was always just an “I’m fine.”

N didn’t like those lies his owner told — not because they were directed at him, but because Tessa shouldn’t have to pretend for his sake. She deserved affection, love, and protection from those monsters.

The quartet had made that promise: as long as they stayed together in the mansion, they would fight for Tessa… even if they couldn’t do it physically.

“She’s gonna be alright, yeah?” V asked, worried.

“…She’s with J. No need to fear,” N assured her.

“I’m worried about J too… How can Mr. Elliot say such awful things to her? Ugh, sometimes I just wanna grab his precious fancy dishes and smash them in his face to see if that teaches him a thing or two,” V said angrily, clenching her metal fists.

“Not all parents deserve such wonderful children,” N replied, hugging her shoulders in a gesture of support.

“I just wish we could do somethin’ for her…” V said at last, finally calming down.

“Me too, V… me too…” N said with melancholy, gazing out the window, spotting the figures of Tessa and J in the distance, running together and far away from the mansion.

The afternoon was grey and a bit chilly, since it had rained earlier. The walk was quick and full of enthusiasm. Tessa, now wearing a black and white cap with the “JcJenson” logo on it, had her eyes fixed on the destination just a few metres ahead. Behind her, she was pulling a small red cart, inside of which sat a large digging shovel, a scalpel, and a waterproof blanket.

“hang on, boss. I might be a robot, but I ain’t got thrusters—can’t go that fast!” J exclaimed between breathless laughs, doing her best to keep up with her companion.

“Oi. Guess ya should’ve had a swig o’ oil before comin’ here, J,” Tessa chuckled.

“Oh, don’t be cruel,” J replied, wearing a fake face that poured digital tears and a jelly-like grin.

“Almost there, no worries,” Tessa said, sounding excited. “This mornin’ I saw they tossed out a few busted drones, but the last one in the pile looked in perfect nick—only a bit broken. I can fix it.”

J felt a chill run down her robotic frame the moment she set foot in that graveyard of fallen drones. Poor broken machines, disassembled and shattered, one drone piled on top of another, stacked in huge heaps or scattered around. Broken visors, wires yanked out by birds that had arrived earlier to pull and tear them away, black oil puddles scattered everywhere, and a persistent smell of burning hung in the air.

While Tessa approached one of the drones lying on the ground and yanked on one of its metal legs until it came clean off—tossing it into her cart—the white-pigtail drone hugged herself, keeping her head low.

“And why do you wanna save this particular drone?” J asked, kicking a small stone on the path.

The human had just finished tearing off the right arm of another drone and placed it in the cart.

“I wanna give all of you a new mate,” Tessa grinned, watching J roll her eyes, completely unimpressed. “And also ‘cause this one’s really unusual—its colour was purple.”

J raised a brow.

“Purple? And what’s so special ‘bout that, boss?”

“Heaps!” Tessa exclaimed, now spotting one of those robots missing all its metal limbs but with its visor perfectly intact, which she pulled off as well. “Drones come in really specific colours ‘cause it’s cheaper that way—always blue or white, like you lot.”

“And what about Cyn?”

“Cyn’s got yellow eyes ‘cause she’s damaged, remember? It’s real rare for a drone to have purple light—must’ve been one of the company’s first prototypes,” Tessa stated, tossing the drone head into the cart.

“But what if it’s damaged too? There’s a reason they threw it out.”

“We won’t know ‘til we check it out, will we?”

That’s when the human looked ahead and her face lit up—on a medium-sized pile of broken drones not far from her, a small purple glow shone. She gasped, bouncing on her feet. Without saying a word to her drone friend, she grabbed her hand and guided her straight to the target.

Tessa rubbed her palms together quickly and took a deep breath, carefully hopping onto the pile to climb to the top. Her wrists ached a little from the effort, but she didn’t mind—she grabbed her prize and hopped back down, laying the robot on the damp pavement.

“Found it!” the black-haired human exclaimed.

Sure enough, it was the elusive worker drone with purple light, the emblem on its chest glowing violet. J frowned behind her visor, uncomfortable at the sight of its poor condition, while Tessa placed her curious hands on it, examining her new patient. She checked its limbs, its metallic torso—it didn’t seem to have any major dents or damage. She poked the drone’s cracked visor with her finger, and jumped back in surprise when two trembling purple pupils flickered to life, blinking a few times before looking around—finally focusing on her.

“Well, ain’t that a surprise.”

“It’s conscious!” J said, astonished.

“G’day, mate, I’m Tessa,” she said to the broken drone in her arms, her tone warm and caring. “No worries, you’re gonna be fine—you’ll have a new home soon.”

The drone stayed still, only blinking.

“Not much of a talker, eh?”

“Tessa, a couple of humans tossed it into a dump.”

“And?”

“How do you expect it not to be scared of another human who’s just popped outta nowhere?”

“No need to worry, we’ll take it home, fix its vision, and give it new threads and a new job,” Tessa assured, full of excitement.

“Thrown out by the corporate, saved by the corporate's daughter—how poetic.”

The human cradled the drone in her arms, trying to carry it to the cart, but as soon as she stood up and took a step forward, her sore right wrist couldn’t handle the sudden strain—she fell to the ground, dropping the drone. She clutched her wrist desperately, trying to ease the pain as small tears welled in her eyes.

J, who had first been alarmed at the sight, now softened her gaze with sympathy and approached her boss. She placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a warm smile. Then she picked up the drone, set it in the cart, and extended her hand to her. Tessa, touched by the gesture, smiled back and accepted the help to stand up.

“Thanks, J—I dunno what I’d do without ya,” the black-haired girl said.

“I appreciate you too, boss,” the white-pigtail maid replied with the same gratitude.

“Right then,” Tessa clasped her hands together, picking up the shovel that had been left on the ground. “Now that we’ve got this future butler with us, we can’t have him runnin’ ‘round the mansion bald-headed.”

“Going to the cemetery now, then?” J asked.

“You betcha,” she answered cheerfully, then kept walking.

J pulled the cart handle and walked alongside her beloved drone.

“And what’re you plannin’ to do with this one?” J asked curiously.

“Take it home,” Tessa clarified.

“No, I mean—is it gonna be a butler or a maid?”

“Hmm, I reckon a maid—I’ve still got a spare uniform tucked away.”

“Don’t we have enough with the three of us?” J laughed.

“I know it’s a bit unbalanced, but I don’t want another butler—N’s very special, one of a kind, no one can copy him,” Tessa said. “Besides, I don’t think Dad’ll be too chuffed if I pinch somethin’ from his wardrobe again.”

“Do you know which grave we’re diggin’ up this time?”

“Well, this one got purple eyes, so I reckon we oughta give it hair to match.”

“And where are we gonna find purple hair?”

“The cemetery’s got everything, J—we just have to look.”

“As long as we’re not too late and your folks find out—then we’re in real trouble.”

The road went on, night still not having fallen, but the sky was darkening to a bluish-grey. It seemed neither the stars nor the moon would be keeping them company this trip.

“Didn’t say this about the rest of you, but I’ve got a feelin’ this new mate’s gonna be someone very special.”

“What do ya mean?”

“Well…I dunno…I just feel like with this one, we’re gonna have heaps of adventures—and maybe it will change a few things back home, fit in real well with all of you.”

“And what’s so special about this broken drone that makes you think that?”

“Remember that day we were in the yard and saw some ladybugs?”

“Yeah, I remember—most were red, but there was one that was yellow.”

“And later that day, I found a dollar right out front of the mansion, just when the ice-cream truck passed by—and that day ice-creams were low priced.”

“And what’s that got to do with a magic ladybug?” J questioned again, raising a brow. She really couldn’t see the connection.

“their colour’s purple—real rare for drones. That alone makes him special, and I’ve got a gut feelin’ that somethin’ good’s gonna come out of all this—not just for me, but for you lot too,” Tessa said with genuine joy, glancing back at the drone. “You, V, N, and Cyn are incredibly precious in my life, so this new drone’s gonna bring good luck to you as well—I just know it.”

J couldn’t help but smile —and blush along with it. She moved closer to her beloved friend, leaning her body against her and wrapping an arm around her waist.

“If we’ve made it this far, it’s because of you. You know that, right?”

“Yes, of course I know, Jaybird…” Tessa replied warmly, resting her arm over the drone’s head. “…and I hope that even when I’m older and stronger, we’ll still be together.”

“We will, Boss… always…”

Just as N had promised, the meeting ended, and Tessa made it back to the mansion safely and unnoticed. When her parents peeked into her room, they found her peacefully asleep in her bed.

As for him, as soon as the meeting ended, he took his tray full of glasses to the bar and ran into Cyn. Together, they went down to the mansion’s ground floor —to the library. There sat an old but functional TV.

Cyn was already nestled into a pile of pillows on the floor, covered from head to toe with a very soft blue blanket. In front of her sat a bowl of spent batteries and a large can of oil to share with her older brother.

“Ready, little buddy?” N asked cheerfully, sitting beside her.

“Snuggle, cuddle. Yes, I am ready for… movie night. Giggle,” Cyn replied, clutching her blanket tighter, her head tilted to the left before she lifted it herself.

N had returned with a few boxes of movies from the upstairs lounge —several films and the first season of a sitcom that Tessa was quite fond of.

“Which one do you want to watch?”

Gasp. Point. Cyn’s index finger moved toward one of the movies, which showed two robots on the cover, seemingly in space. “That one.”

“Alright, that’s the one,” N said enthusiastically.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the elegant mansion, the pigtail-wearing worker drone and the glasses-wearing drone stood side by side at the foot of Tessa’s bed in her now-darkened room. She was asleep, comfortable, and calm in her cozy bed. Her breathing and light snores were steady. She’d returned so exhausted from her trip to the dump and cemetery that she’d barely managed to stash everything in her “workshop” before stumbling into her bedroom and collapsing on her bed.

Of course, they couldn’t just let her sleep in that state, so with V’s help, J had dressed her in pajamas, cleaned the dirt from her arms, palms, legs, and feet, and tucked her under the sheets. J gently moved her hand through Tessa’s black hair, then down to her shoulders. V, on the other side, couldn’t help but glance at her companion shyly.

No matter the angle, V had to admit J was truly…fine, to her, she had always been beautiful —a very special and unique drone. Who wouldn’t love her? She could be tough, yes. Even bitter at times. But she had a light in her being that kept others from wanting her gone (and V had never wanted her gone). Her pigtails, her serious gaze, her voice, her leader-like personality, the way she cared for others —even for V— her loyalty to her work and her loved ones… V admired all of it. And admired her.

V wondered if it was right to keep seeing her that way, but she couldn’t help it. J was addictive to her eyes, and she couldn’t stop thinking about how she’d do anything to make her happy.

That afternoon, before the meeting, while they were cleaning the hall together, V had barely managed to finish two of her tasks without Louisa threatening to toss her out if she didn’t straighten up. She kept bumping into walls, tripping over things, or freezing in place —her white eyes failing to stop watching J’s every movement. Her hands, so fast as they polished wine glasses and tables, made V’s core short-circuit, turning her soft inside.

“I put cold compresses on her wrists before she fell asleep,” V said softly, curling a confident smile on her lips. “That should ease the pain at least until tomorrow. Don’t worry.”

“Thanks a lot, V,” J replied quietly, turning back to look at her.

The short-haired maid didn’t answer —she only let out a small laugh, while a bright white glow shone from both corners of her visor.

“Aw, J…” she sang softly, reaching a hand to the back of her head.

Both of them smiled awkwardly, as if they wanted to say something important. They turned their gaze back to the sleepy Tessa in bed. There was a long silence before one metal hand sought the other, fingers intertwining gently. V felt the wires inside her vibrate and spark, like a powerful high-voltage surge. Beads of sweat even began to slide down her visor. She couldn’t help but feel on cloud nine. J, for her part, wasn’t doing any better —her legs squeaked in anticipation.

“Hey… it’s late, and we both need to rest,” V spoke again.

J’s eyes narrowed into thin ovals.

“And it’s a bit cold, so… I thought maybe we could go sleep toge-—”

V didn’t have time to finish her invitation before she felt J almost immediately pull away, clutching her hand to her chest. She raised her voice and cleared her throat, as if trying to cut the conversation short.

“E-eh, n-no… I… I’ll stay here with Tessa, just in case… you know… uh… just in case she wakes up and needs something! Y-yes, that, that!” J said with nervous cheer, avoiding eye contact at all costs.

V’s expression fell somewhere between sadness and agony, stunned by the sudden rejection of her affection —it was almost like a glass being shattered by a brick. She kept her hand stretched toward her, as if wanting to reach her or say something… but instead, she retracted it and lowered her head.

“Alright, whatever you want,” V replied in a discouraged, almost whispered tone. “Good night, J.”

“Good night, V,” J echoed without emotion.

Another dagger to her aching core. Honestly, she didn’t know how much longer she could keep pretending it didn’t break her.

“…I hope one day you can stop running from me…” V murmured in a depressed whisper before leaning against the wall and shutting herself down.

[SLEEP MODE: ACTIVATED].

“The princess became the new ruler of the forest alongside her beloved. They stayed together for many, many years and lived happily ever after. The end,” the butler drone finished reading, swiftly closing the book in his hands.

“Surprised,” Cyn said, wrapped in her blanket like a little bean. “What a lovely story, big brother N.”

“It’s one of my favorites,” N admitted, setting the book beside him and lying down next to his sister. “I really like that in the end, the princess stayed with the monster and had the love story she always dreamed of.”

“I thought the princess would kiss him and—” small hop “—he’d turn into a handsome prince. Giggle.”

N chuckled softly, his white eyes drifting up to the ceiling.

“That’s what I like most about the story —the monster doesn’t change form or become a handsome prince to take the princess to a golden palace. She loved him for who he was, as he was. His fierce side never scared her, so she stayed with him in his home, and they shared it —finding something they never thought possible.”

“The blue-orange tree?” Cyn tilted her head at him.

“Well, yes, they find it together. But I meant they found love where they never expected it. The princess got lost in the forest trying to find those blue oranges for her sick father, and ended up finding the love of her life. Have you ever seen something like that? Someone finding their love in the middle of a forest? …I wish I could live that.”

Cyn looked at her brother with a curious expression.

“Questioning,” Cyn stated.

“I mean…” N glanced back at the ceiling. “I’d like love to come into my life too —to meet another drone, get to know her, suddenly change my whole attitude because she makes me so happy, go on adventures with her that change how I see the world… or maybe realize later that what I felt wasn’t friendship at all, but love.”

“Snuggle.” Cyn scooted closer to the butler, cuddling against him. “You can be so sappy, big brother N. Maybe that’ll help you when you find your… soulmate.”

N hugged his little sister back. But his smile faded again.

“But in this place, it’s impossible. V and J are just my best friends.”

“J said you should die this morning,” Cyn pointed out.

“….” N blinked. “Well, you know what I mean. In this mansion, we have our roles, and we have each other as a team. We’ll never have a second option. It’s the life I was given. Do you really think it’s possible to find love in the Elliot Mansion?”

“Love is unpredictable, big brother,” Cyn said, yawning.

“Yes, it truly is. In all the stories I’ve read you, in all the movies we’ve watched… someone always falls in love in the most unusual places,” N said with a touch of nostalgia, placing his hands over his chest.

He turned to see that his sister had finally entered sleep mode. He gave her one last pat on the head and a small kiss on her visor. Then he picked up the book he had just finished reading. Opening it to the last page, he found an illustration of the princess and the monster. His metal finger traced the edge of it, admiring it.

It always happened in the books and movies he saw. It was beautiful, yes. But those characters didn’t act or look like him —he couldn’t depend on them to guide him to the right door.

What would his love story be like? What would his first kiss be like?

N hugged the book to his chest before closing it, setting it beside his pillow, and lying next to Cyn. Within seconds, he entered Sleep Mode.

Let’s see what tomorrow would bring.