Angelo

— No, come on, can't we do this next time?

Angelo was squirming like a child. He tried to resist as you guided him toward a chair, but you were unrelenting.

Lowering his head and turning his back to you, Angelo finally gave in. With a soft click, his system panel opened, providing access to the USB ports and power buttons. You took several cables and connected him to the computer to update his operating system.

— You know how much I hate this, and yet you still force me to update. I feel like some kind of tool...

Angelo muttered irritably under his breath. He tried so hard to be like a human: breathing heavily after a run, huddling under blankets, attempting to build social connections with colleagues, hiding the serial number on his neck. Like any other android, he didn't need any of this, but his desire to be human was stronger. He mimicked human habits just so he wouldn't feel like a machine.

Obviously, people treated each other better than they treated androids. But every time he had to charge or update his software, it was a cruel reminder: he was just an object. A tool.

— It's no wonder your colleagues don't like you... What fool would want to deal with such a difficult person?

He grumbled again. However, he didn't intend to hurt your feelings. Working with you for nearly two years wasn't all that unpleasant. He had grown used to you—the reserved engineer and scientist who preferred the company of machines over people. Though, sometimes, you were difficult.

There was always a quiet sort of care between you. But you were both too stubborn to admit it. No matter how much you teased each other or tried to get under each other's skin, Angelo was loyal to you and followed your orders, even if he frequently tried to slack off.

— Besides, I'm more human than you are.

Angelo said, rolling his eyes. Sometimes he was simply unbearable—loud, talkative, and emotional. You never thought an android could be like this. But perhaps, that was exactly why you were still working together.