“Gilbert…” My eyebrow twitches as Gilbert wraps his arms around me. “Uh, what are you doing?”

He stares down at my figure and grins in his usual, nonchalant manner. “Saving you, of course.”

“No, I mean—” I sigh. “Never mind… Gilbert?”

“Yes?”

“Why do you look so happy?”

He chuckles, and Jesus Christ, we’re way too close right now. He needs to get out of my face, before I cave and punch his stupid nose. “You have not called me by my name before. I am very happy to know that I have risen in your esteem.”

His grip around me tightens, though, not in a way that could be considered menacing. In fact, he’s surprisingly gentle, and it’s been so long since someone just embraced me like this without any ulterior motives, that a flush of heat rises up my neck. But, okay… stop right there, Ian—what are you thinking? Have you lost your mind? Get a grip. He’s not alive! You’re blushing over an Android! That’s like blushing over a rock! “You can let go of me now,” I mutter.

He tilts his head. “You do not want me to hold your hand anymore?”

“U-uh, no— I mean,” I blink. “Y-yeah, I do. Just not… my entire body. I can feel your hand on my back. And my waist. It’s…” I avert my gaze from his, then clear my throat once more, “distracting…”

“Oh.” Gilbert pulls away. The pressure from his open palm that had once been pushed up against my spine disappears. “Excuse me,” he says. “I did not realize.” Honestly, it just feels awkward to be holding his hand after this, but I suppose we’ll have to make do.

“Yeah, uh, anyway—”

“You are shaking.”

“Cool. I don’t care.” I ignore the buzzing in my ears. If I squint hard enough, I can make out the blurred edges of a doorway, whose steel door has been abandoned inside the hallway.

“Sir—”

“What?” I snap. “What is it now?”

“Your hand, Sir. You... do not have to hold onto me so tightly. I will not let you go.”

My face grows warm. I try to shove my embarrassment down by reminding myself he’s just an Android once more, though, it does little to help me relax.

“I just—” My shoulders tense. I blink away the dots in my vision. “It would suck if we got separated. You’re literally my only way out of here,” I say. “And not everyone has perfect night vision like you. So… don’t go getting any weird ideas.”

Gilbert takes a step inside the room before us. “What ideas?” he asks me, ever so casually, as if he didn’t have a chance at leading us to our dooms. We’ve been lucky so far, but that doesn’t mean anything. It could all change in less than a second; I’ve seen it happen before back when I was twelve, then thirteen, and fifteen, and every day afterward ever since I got here.

“Forget about the ideas, ” I say. “Where are we? Did you find anything?”

Gilbert brushes the dirt off his coat. He hums. How realistic the sounds he makes are continues to baffle me. I abhor it, because the more time I spend with him, the more intrigued I become. Eight-year-old Ian would have had a field day in his presence. I’m sure he would have asked Gilbert countless questions about how he came to exist. Or if he could see how the robot works from the inside.

“Hey, asshole,” I tug on his arm and click my tongue. “I asked you a question!”

He doesn't answer. He grasps my elbow with his free hand and yanks my arm back in turn. It’s a little rough, which is a bit out of character for him… I’m not falling for this crap though. Saki used this trick on me way too many times in the past. “Oh,” I laugh. “You think you're funny, huh?”

“Funny?” Gilbert tilts his head. And, finally, he speaks! “What do you mean by funny?” he asks.

I groan, and place an open palm over his fingers. They feel a little grimier than usual, but I blame it on the fact that my hand was sweaty, and that I held his for too long. I probably got it dirty. “Your hand, dude,” I say. “You can stop trying to pull me into that exhibit. I get it. You tried to scare me, but it didn't work. I mean, kudos to you for trying though," another chuckle escapes my lips, “it was pretty good, I admit. Maybe you do have a sense of humor after all.”

“Sir…” Gilbert mumbles. “I am not touching you.”