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[ His smile grows a little as he watches the pair, glad that he was able to give this to them. Being a parent. Having a family. Something he's unlikely to experience himself, but he can't help wondering, now, what it must be like.

Who knows what the future holds or what multiverse paths will intersect. Hopefully they'll get to see her again one day, in some form. ]

I can make physical copies later, if you want them. [ Something he'd already been planning on doing anyway after how eager they'd seemed just to see the photos. Making their own picture frames might be something to do in their "retirement" as well. ]

[ Royce takes a deep breath, and finally settles the rest of the way. ]

We do. [ Royce says, without even waiting for Alfie to answer. He knows they both do. ] I owe you something. Wine, or pastries. We'll figure it out.

You're also welcome here whenever you'd like. [ Which is an invitation he's only extended to Gabriel, so that's pretty special. ]

[Alfie is already mentally running through ideas of where they can hang the prints (it has to be somewhere accessible, but also somewhere where the movement won't be distracting), so absolutely they both do.]

We can send him home with wine and pastries today. We've got enough for it.

That isn't necessary. Not that I wouldn't appreciate either, but I'm happy to do this as a gift.

[ Because bartering for sharing photos of Emily seems insensitive. Of course, if they're just wanting to give him a gift in return out of gratitude, he won't argue it.

Based on everything that he's learned about Royce, he certainly hasn't seemed like the sort of person who extends an invitation like that lightly. The reminders of Emily clearly mean a lot to both of them, and it has him very much regretting not meeting them sooner. When she would have still been here, too. A family. ]

And we're happy to send you home with wine as pastries as a gift.

[ It's not so much bartering as just desperately trying to give something to match what this means for the both of them. He glances up at K. ]

She would've liked you, I think.

Would've run you ragged, though.

[Alfie says, a touch of quiet mischief in his voice.]

And peppered you with questions - about being home, about being a--

[He hesitates, not knowing what K calls himself. He'd use "AI", normally, except that's always been something of a dirty word to him.]

An android. [ K quietly supplies, accurately guessing where Alfie was going with that. It's what he is; he doesn't mind having it pointed out. ] And I hope one day she'll have the opportunity to.

[ Even if, as another victim of Norfinbury, she may hold some roboracist sentiments herself. Maybe he could show her that not all artificial beings are malfunctioning murderbots. ]

How'd you three end up together? In Norfinbury. I've been given the impression it was a very isolating place.

[ Royce only hesitates for a second before answering. ]

It was. Alfie and I found each other early on and stuck together. I died, shortly after I arrived, and Emily found me where I woke up. I couldn't stand up or walk, because my balance was gone. Death price.

She helped me walk across the town to get back to Alfie and another friend of ours.

Tifa.

[Alfie cuts in, because her name deserves to be said out loud; she deserves to be talked about, too.]

It was the three of us, for a bit - me, Royce, Tifa. And then we took Emily in. We all stayed together, until they died.

Tifa, I remember her being mentioned before. [ And how unpleasant House was with her. But that isn't the reason K looks concerned. ] Dying was a regular occurrence?

[ He isn't disbelieving — he's already been told about how death isn't permanent in some places, like the Meadous itself. Even inorganic androids from his own world can experience something similar if their brains are transferred to new bodies after death. ]

Mm. I died at least three times, I think. [ A beat. ] Probably more, past what I remember.

[Quietly:]

It felt like more.

[ K didn't mean to veer so far into an unpleasant topic, he's just been curious about what they've experienced. How it's affected them. So he can perhaps better relate to them, and maybe even help them when possible — like by offering the photos of Emily. ]

The friendships you were able to form in that place remain the only good thing about it, as far as I can tell. I'm glad Zephyr could find you both. And Emily. [ However briefly. ] ... Do people from Norfinbury really complain about being here? In general. I was told that. I know some believe this is a prison, but I didn't think that was exclusive to Norfinbury people.

[ He shrugs. ]

I don't know. I don't spend time with a lot of the other people from Norfinbury. Considering this place a prison seems - disingenuous to me. We can't leave, sure, but we're not being tortured and Zephyr does a lot to make sure we're all comfortable.

Better than all the prisons I've ever been in.

It would be a prison if Zephyr were keeping us here by force, even if it were comfortable.

[The term gilded cage comes to mind.]

But they aren't. They plan to give us freedom to travel, or to leave entirely, once they've figured out how to.

Edited 2019-03-18 19:09 (UTC)

[ It certainly hasn't felt like a prison to K, either, considering. ] I've been allowed more freedom here than I ever had in my homeworld. And Zephyr's been very kind.

[ Especially to those who seem to deserve it least. Which is why it bothers him to think there are people who may believe Zephyr's even comparable to the horrorshow that was Norfinbury.

Whether it's the hour or the wine beginning to make him tired he isn't sure, but it has him realising, belatedly, the onus is on him as a guest to not overstay his welcome. Being invited to dinner is still such a new occurrence he'd genuinely forgotten. Had their offers to send him home with pastries and wine also been a subtle hint for him to do just that, go home? Whoops. After a thoughtful pause, he offers: ] You've both been very kind as well. I should be able to get all the pictures printed tonight.

[ Royce's lips twitch a bit when K offers to excuse himself. It's far more polite than he's used to. Royce typically just leaves when he's done with a conversation, or just... kicks someone out. He figures K has Connor to get home to, though.

So he nods a bit. ]

We appreciate you coming over for dinner. Alfie likes to play host. [ Royce teases, sipping his wine. ] Take your time on the pictures. The fact that they exist at all is enough for me.

[The way Alfie's mouth twists just a little indicates that he'd rather K not take his time; he wants those pictures as soon as possible. But he doesn't say anything about it, instead standing and extending a hand.]

You're welcome back any time.

[ Luckily for Alfie, K isn't inclined to procrastinate when he promises to get something done, which is probably as much a part of his personality as it is his programming. (And he would have actually asked to bring Connor with him to the dinner if he were capable of eating — worrying about Connor feeling self-conscious prevented him.)

He slips his phone back into a pocket and reaches to shake Alfie's hand as he stands up. ] It'd be nice to do this again sometime. [ Which isn't just an empty platitude; he hopes Royce and Alfie's comments aren't either. ] Thanks for having me. [ And Bear and Lady will both be told goodnight and get a final petting before he shows himself out. ]

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