moves to walk into the bar, when she realises it's closed and starts to swear up a storm under her breath. She doesn't even notice Gabriel standing right there.

jumps at the familiar voice, turning to face her. "Isabel?"

glances over, surprised. "Joao! You come to this bar too?" She'd actually given his...proposition a fair bit of thought...

laughs softly at her, his voice coming out a bit robotic. "Came, m'lady... Now there's no more." he hums, smiling at the way she pronounces his name. "But I can still play." He offers, wondering if she_

remembers offering him a home.

does remember that. "How about you play while we go find another bar...I need a drink, and then I might have something to tell you."

nods. "Very well, then, m'lady." He hums, adjusting his guitar in his hands. "I suppose there should be another one nearby." He decides not to ask what is it, but he's dying to know, and his eyes flash a_

bit at it.

hums. "I hope so..." She walks along the road, glancing back to see if he's following her.

following her, playing a small, happy tune as they walk. "Is something the matter?"

just a little...confused. But she's told herself she would. "No, I just...need a drink."

smiles a bit at how he doesn't know how that feels, but he keeps playing his song anyway, fingers moving fast at the quick beat.

enjoying the music at least, it's soothing her a little. "Oh, there's one here." She ducks around the corner, slipping into a small bar.

nods, following after her and stopping the music as they walk in, given the noise. "There you go." He scans the place around, now that he has had his face fixed, then points to a corner "There's a table there."

why he needed his face fixed... "Come on, let's go sit." She heads over, slipping into the booth and signalling the waitress.

had a bad eye, from an old fight, and it had crashed some circuits now restored. "Ah, very well." He nods and follows, taking a seat in front of her, pushing his guitar to the side. He wouldn't drink anyway.

orders a triple rum and coke, watching him carefully. "Androids don't eat or drink? Some of the newer ones drink..."

chuckles. "I'm an old one, I don't." He shakes his head, blinking softly and checking his battery levels on the visor. Ah, half-way. "Just energy, and oiling for me, m'lady."

taps her fingers against the table. "Energy. What kind of energy to you take? Do you plug in? Run on power cells?"

chuckles, showing her his wrist. "Plug in." He adds softly. "Once a month, a five-hour charge."

lightly runs her finger over the patch of false skin. "That's convienient..."

nods. "It may change if I'm on dangerous situations, or if my parts are not kept in check, but that's the average for a five-skills robot... Do you want any other information, m'lady?"

hums. "Anything interesting about maintainance? I can't see you being very costly, but...well." Her job laid in destroying androids, not keeping them running.

hums. "Right now, I'm programmed to cook and play music. There are three slots free for whatever ability the lady wishes to download. My maintenance isn't costly, unless you upgrade me into something that_

costs..." he pauses, leaning back. "I'd say the only costly thing I have is my guitar, the parts, save for my central circuits, aren't hard to find."

thanks the waiter when he sets her drink down, and she gulps back half the glass. "Mhm...sounds fair." glancing up at him, she absently rubbed at the glass. "Do you know where I'm going with all these _

_questions?"

chuckles. "I think you're either killing me, or selling..." He hums, pausing to think. Could it be? "Or perhaps that's your answer to my proposition, hm? About taking me in?"

drains the rest of her glass. "Well...you're lucky that you play as nicely as you so. I could use a musician in my home..."

hums. "Then a musician I'll be..." he leans back, watching her. "Or whatever else you configure me to."

watches him carefully. "Can you clean well? Or do I have to use one of those three slots?"

hums. "You'd have to use one of them, but I can do the basics, as that ability was once mine."

raises an eyebrow "Was it deleted or something?"

nods. "Yes, when I got a job at a bakery, for a while."

hums at that. "Well I guess I'll have to reprogram that function. Cooking, cleaning, and music is all I need. You can even slack off on the first two, so long as you keep playing, okay?"

- "Okay." He wonders what made her want music so bad, but still, he doesn't ask, just agreeing to it with a flick of his hand. "Anything else?"

probably wouldn't answer him anyways. "Is there...an ownership process, or do I just take you home?"

hums. "Not a process in my case... My previous owner built me off the records, so technically, I don't exist." He smiles, showing her the back of his wrist again to point out he doesn't have a serial number.

perks up at that. It actually works very much in her favour... "Perfect. Let's go home then." She pays for the drink, and stands up. Though...she sure hopes she's not making a huge mistake here...

nods, adjusting the guitar over his back as he walks after her, noticing that even though he's short, he's still taller than her. "You'll have to point me the directions then, so I can save that." He pauses,_

then, as if the word had triggered something. "Will you... erase my previous memories?"

turns to look at him with a bit of surprise in her expression. "Of course not...would you rather me erase your memories?"

shakes his head. "Certainly not, but it's not uncommon for humans to do that." He smiles sadly. "Sometimes even against our will... It's an easy change of pieces, or cleaning the drive."

scrunches her nose a little. "No...memories are what shapes people. Even if I'm keeping you around for the music, you're a good conversation." Besides, wiping memories...to think of it like that just unsettled_

_her completely.

flattered. "Good talker? I appreciate that." he laughs a bit, smirking. "So we are people, then?"

him a look at that. "Beings. Memories shape beings." She corrects, unable to believe she was starting to treat this android like a...person.

get her to do it one day. "Ah, then I must've misheard something." He teases her, looking back into her eyes and raising an eyebrow. "You're not all that tough, m'lady... if you truly hated androids, you_

would've done it without a blink, but there it is: compassion." he pats her.

makes a face at that. "The day I have compassion for an android, is the day I die." Because one sign of weakness during a job, and she'd be torn to shreds.

laughs a bit. "Sure." he waves it off, walking with her. "Are we getting close?"

glances around briefly. "Almost." She leads him into a smaller alley, making her way towards a fire escape. "Don't use the front entrance, okay?"

nods. "Okay." He follows after her, taking notes of the alley and saving the data in his drive. He's certain she's not telling him something, but what...

starts to climb up the fire escape, hopping onto a balcony three floors up. It was a pretty small building anyhow. "This is ours. Do you know how to pick locks?"

follows after her. "Alright. Hm, I'm afraid so, yes." He shrugs, an odd skill you do tend to learn after living for so long out in the streets.

that's perfect. "Okay. Then you just pick it whenever you need to get in. I always lock it from the inside." She picks it easily, slipping in through the doors. "Do you have anything aside from your guitar?"_

_She'd need to go buy him clothes....

shakes his head. "Only the clothes in my body and a few coins in my pockets..." He slips in after her, eyes glimmering a bit at the lack of light. Yet, he's glad she can't see this small embarrassment,_

and so, he settles his guitar aside.

hums. She knows her place isn't that big. It's dim, a few lamps here and there, curtains for doors and sparse furniture. She leans over to turn on one of the floor lamps, and heads for the kitchen. "I'll get_

_you some clothes next time I go out."

can see all she describes, although faintly. "Very well. Tell me, is there a place where I can clean myself?"

peeks out from the kitchen. "There's a washroom down the hall, and to your left. The one on the right is my room, don't go in there."

nods, though now he's mostly certainly far more curious than ever. "Ah, great." He walks there. "Can I wash my clothes there too?"

pulls out her bottle of rum. "There are machines in the cupboard!" She calls out, before heading over to see if he needs help finding anything else.

doesn't, and simply walks into the toilet, quickly getting rid of his own clothes as he begins to clean himself with the running water and soap he finds, careful not to let it in his circuits.

peeks in to make sure he's alright, before heading off to make dinner. "Call if you need anything."

smiles. "Alright." He bends a bit on the sink to wash the synthetic hair. He doesn't have a notion of modesty, being an android, so he simply picks his clothes from the floor and walks off to wash them, _

humming a small song.

glances back, spotting him...naked. Well...uh. Sure. At least she'd gotten an android that was nice to look at. She wasn't about to complain anytime soon. "You don't actually...eat, right?"

shakes his head. "I can if it's necessary, but there's no need." he explains, waving a hand as he turns the machine on, smiling at it. "Hello, my friend."

stares at him a little. She'd never actually...seen androids communicate with machines. "Does it...talk back to you?"

laughs. "Sadly, it doesn't. But it's a being like me.. Think of it as you humans and your dogs." The washing machine blinks and buzzes as he programs it, leaning against a wall to wait. "It's a small comfort."

guesses...that makes sense? Thought not really. "Alright...well, comfort yourself with the radio, or television too if you want..."

laughs. "Don't mock me." He adds, running a hand over his hair. "You like your food kinda spicy, no?" he notices, knowing about cooking himself.

raises an eyebrow at that."Very spicy. Do you make spicy foods?" She had a new cook didn't she? Might as well take advantage of it...

nods. "It's on my data, Indian food, and I can if you want..." he shrugs, that wouldn't be a problem as long as she provided the food. "You'll just have to tell me your tastes, if it's too spicy or not."

hums. Indian foods were always a bit...strong for her. "How about I show you how I make my own home food, and we'll go from there?"

can follow that. "Now?" He looks up at her, leaning forward a bit to stand up. "My clothes should take a while more."

shrugs. "Whenever you're done. I'll get all the ingredients ready."

nods then. "Alright." He smiles a bit once the machine beeps, fetching the clothes from there once they're washed and dry, putting them on right there.

trying not to think about the fact that she could definitely get used to having him around. "Done?" She's already started boiling the rice, and cutting up vegetables.

nods, adjusting his shirt before he walks up to her, standing next to the woman as he watches. "Done."

glances over. "Good. Okay, boiling the water is pretty straight forward. There's a can of peas and carrots we'll use, and right now I'm cutting up some sweet peppers, and bird peppers."

hums. "Ah..." he blinks at the peppers, saving the data for later. "Do you need me to cut them?"

shrugs. "If you want, you can. Or you can grab another pot with some oil, onion, and garlic."

decides to grab the pot instead, picking the oil, onion and the garlic, setting them all on the cupboard. "I think the milk has expired, by the way."

glad they don't need milk then. "Toss it. I don't know why I bother buying milk, I can never finish it all before it goes bad...."

[byee]

chuckles. "Try to buy a smaller bottle?" He moves to fetch the milk and toss it away, sighing. "Alright, what are we cooking, so I can know and work my way around it?"

[bye~]

figures the smaller bottles cost just as much as the bigger ones. "Fried rice...but with some flavour. It's simple for now."

nods. "Ah, and by flavour you mean pepper?" He jokes, but soon gets to work on the rice. "So, do I still call you Isabel?"

him a look at that. "Yes, pepper. As for Isabel..." Hm.. "I'm not sure where android's loyalty lies. With the government, or with their owner."

shrugs. "My name's Gabriel, not João... You can pick a new one, though." He adds, filling the pan with water. "As for my loyalty... Lies to myself, but if you prove to be a good owner, then I'll be loyal to_

you until the day you die. As for the government.. It's hard to speak of loyalty when their only promise to me is of death."

hums at that. Well, in her line of work, the day she dies could very well be next week. She may have taken up a few more jobs around that military base...blowing up their weapons and soldier androids of course.

_She would never actually work for the government. "Shaliza. I'm glad we have a mutual disgust for the government, Gabriel."

smiles. "It's a pretty name." he comments, then smirks a bit at that, seasoning the rice. "Are you? Then I think we'll get along fine." he hums, thinking a bit before he asks again. "So, the government has_

been after you just for flyers?"

him a look at that, trying to hide a smile. Her other job pleases her greatly. "I've been...branching out lately. A few things here and there, really..."

hums. "That so? Well, will I work with you on that? Because that's the only way it'd concern me.." He explains, and starts seasoning the rice once it's ready. "What else on the rice, m'lady?"

peers over, and pulls out a few sauces and mixtures of her own, along with peas and carrots. "These. And no, I handle those things by myself, so you don't need to concern yourself with it."

nods, and begins to cut the peas and carrots. "Ah, even better..." He smiles a bit.

doesn't see how Gabriel would want to be owned by someone that destroys his kind for a living, so it's better this way. "I think so too. How's everything coming along?"

hums. "The rice is almost done, m'lady." He offers, dumping the cut fruits and veggies on a frying pan with the rice, cooking it quickly as if he'd been doing it for years. "If my memory is correct, there's_

still juice in the fridge."

smiles at that. "There is." She moves to fetch the juice. "Don't forget the pepper sauce."

almost forgetting it. "Certainly not." he replies, not letting that little fact out, seasoning the rice and turning off the fire. "Ready. Do I serve you?"

it would be incredibly amusing if he did. "No...back home all the women had to serve food to everyone else. I found it annoying and stupid, and I wouldn't make you serve me....even if you are an android." She_

tacks on the last bit to not seem...soft.

notices the softness, and feels more at home. "You're the second one who tells me that..." he merely comments with a proud smile, leaving the rice in the fry and a plate nearby for her to serve herself. "Thank_

you, Shaliza."

him an odd look. "Who's the other person?" She certainly didn't know everyone, but she did have a rather large....network.

shrugs. "She's dead by now, you're too young to have known her." he avoids mentioning his first owner, Maria.

can clearly tell it's a...sensitive topic. "I'm sorry..." She starts to fill her own plate, wondering if that person was a previous owner.

speak of her if he's inquired, but only if she asks so.

let him keep that particular secret. "So since you don't eat, you just...?"

pauses, scratching the back on his head. "My batteries are still halfway, I'll wait for them to drop a bit more, since I'm safe now." he just stands around, eventually sitting down on the floor. "I can eat, if_

you want, but it's really not a need... And that'd be a waste of food to you."

very...wrong, to sit here with a plate of food while he doesn't have anything. "Well if you plug in, then you can..kind of be eating with me." Right?

laughs at her, nodding. "Certainly." he stands up, and goes to fetch it where he had left, in the hall with his guitar and coins. He comes back after a while, plugging in (the charge being on his arm) and sits_

down again, his eyes flashing green.

completely averts her gaze at that, finding the green flash very...startling, she supposes. She concentrates on her food, a little surprised at how...good it was.

's eyes remain green for as long as he's charging. "How is it?" he tilts his chin up a bit, meeting her eyes as she seems to spot something on him.

glances away again, taking note to make him charge...away from her next time. "Delicious. Gracias, it reminds me of home."

chuckles. "You're welcome." he is glad to have pleased her, blinking a bit before he tilts his head, curious. "Something wrong?"

shakes her head, still focused completely at her food. "Not at all. Just keep...charging, or whatever." How was it that she'd never actually watched an android being charged before? She had to have seen this_

_coming...

nods. "Alright... You do tell me if there's something you need, mlady." he warns her, waiting and drumming his fingers against his pants as he waits for it.

glances up quick before poking at her food again. "I'm fine for now, thank you Gabriel." Taking another bite, she idly flicked the television on.

nods, flicking to stare at the tv, the local news explaining the bar had been destroyed by a shady group the police couldn't identify. Both humans and droids were affected.

huffs at that a little. "That was my favourite bar, you know..." Maybe she could find out who did it...

nods. "Well, I don't think I'd call it favourite, but I got some good coin from there. The bakery doesn't pay half as well as a drunk who wants some hint of love, even in a song." he clicks his tongue.

smiles a little at that. "No, I can't imagine they would. Well you won't need to go work anymore. I can support us just fine." For the most part anyways.

chuckles. "Indeed." he hums. He guesses as long as he keeps her food ready and the place clean, they won't have trouble. "Alright then, yes, m'lady." he jokes, checking in his visor the battery: 67% complete.

polishes off her food pretty quickly. "Mm...I have a job tonight, don't wait up for me. Just...do whatever you do..I guess. Did I show you the spare room?"

hums. "You didn't, but I suppose I can find on my own..." he smiles a bit at her. "Don't worry, I won't. Do you need me to lock the door, then?"

doesn't think the apartment is all that big. "It's the room after mine. You should probably keep all the doors locked..."

can do that. "Very well, I'll be there." his eyes flash again, then return to their normal colour. "Charge complete." he stands up, unplugging.

finally gives him a good look. Thank god... "Good, all charged up. There's a dog down that howls at this balconey every night. If I'm not home by the time he does that, you can give him some of the food."

hums. "Oh? Alright, I'll do it." He pockets the charger, noticing her change. "Does the plug-in bother you?"

stands a little straighter at that. "Of course not. Nothing bothers me." She realises her over defensiveness may have given her away...but it was too late now, wasn't it?

approaches, tilting her jaw up. "Is it the vein? Or the eyes?" he hums, now really curious. His previous owners never bothered, so it was different to have one who paid attention for once. "Or perhaps that's_

when you just notice I'm not human..."

pulls away from him, moving to put her plate in the sink. "I deal with androids everyday. I'm quite used to being in the presence of beings that aren't human."

shakes his head, walking to the hall instead. "You're a funny one." is just what he comments, resting against his guitar.

scowls a little. It wasn't her fault his...non-humaness threw her off. She'd grown up without a single android in sight, and then made a living killing them before she...well, bothered getting to know them.

certain she'll change as they live on. He isn't sure he wants to know about her job, so he just pauses, then picks up the guitar, strumming it as he thinks of a song to distract himself.

glances over when she hears the guitar. The music was why she'd ultimately decided to pick him up anyways. "What are you playing?"

shrugs. "No idea... Do you sing? Know any songs?"

does sing, but... "Haven't in a long time. But I know that you sing, right?"

nods. "I do." he smiles, shrugging. "I have been singing for a while."

hums. "You should sing something. Whatever you like to."

hums. "I hope you don't mind if it's in my creator's language." He pats his guitar, before he begins to play. Os Capitães da Areia - Dezassete Anos

listens silently. It was a gorgeous song, and she did like it a lot. So his first creator was Portugese...interesting.

keeps playing it, singing softly through the music, looking over at her to see if she likes. He pauses when it's over, smiling softly.

smiles softly at that. "It's gorgeous. Do you speak Portugese then?"

hums. "Sim." he replies, changing. "And a bit of Spanish, if you wish so..."

straightens a little at that. "¿Cuánto españoles lo sabes?"

[*How much Spanish do you know?\]

shrugs. "Un poco... lo suficiente para cantar cuando me preguntan." he shifts languages easily, shrugging. "¿De dónde eres?"

(a bit, enough to sing by when asked to. \\ Where are you from?)

pauses a little bit. "Trinidad...Pero mi padre vivió en España, me enseñó cada vez que visitaba." She's also learned French from an Uncle at a young age.

[*But my father lived in Spain, he taught me whenever he visited.]

nods. "Ah sí, nunca estuve tan lejos...Pero lo hablas muy bien." He merely comments. "¿Te extraña, vivir lá?" He asks, having heard of this human emotion called 'saudades'.

(Ah, yes, I've never been so far... But you speak very well. // Do you miss it, living there?)

smiles at that. "Si, si...Lo extraño más que nada, pero esta es mi casa ahora. No haría bien allí, así que es mejor para el que no ha sido hasta ahora."

[*yes, yes...I miss it more than anything, but this is my home now. You wouldn't do well there, so it's for the best that you haven't been so far.]

hums. "Bien, es verdad... Entonces, ¿lo quieres que yo vos hable solamente en español, o... ?" He offers, unsure if speaking in her father's tongue will be better or worse for her memories.

(Yes, it's true... So, do you want me to speak just in Spanish, or...?)

scrunches her nose a little "English. English is better...but if we're in public and I need to tell you something, it's good that you know Spanish."

nods. "English it is, then." He assures her, humming. "Ah, yes, it was uploaded to my system once, and it has been there... the file was corrupted, so some structures are lacking."

frowns a little at that. "Oh...Well I'm not horrible at coding. Maybe I could look at the file sometime, or upgrade it..."

hums, lowering his head, and brushing his hair aside. "There's a panel there, where you can check it, but you'll have to turn me off." He taps the back of his skull.

makes a note of that. "Alright, maybe some other time then..."

sits up straight again, nodding. "A panel should light up, but you need to remove pieces, the hardware is in my belly." he instructs, not having a manual. "I was homemade, so there's that..."

never heard of hardware being in the belly. "Alright, well...that makes it more interesting." Maybe she'd take him to Alfred's shop...

nods. "My owner couldn't afford parts, so she did lots of... unusual things. Perhaps that's why I'm limited to singing." He explains, as once he was almost turned into a war robot.

would probably take him out immediately if she knew that. "Well I brought you home for your music. She was a smart woman."

keeps it hidden. "She was..." he pauses, his eyes flashing green as he checks his visor: 6pm, possibility of rain later on. He is hesitant whenever he mentions her, still unsure of what he felt.

averts her gaze when his eyes flash. "I'm going to get a drink. Do you need...oil, or anything?"

shakes his head, settling back against a wall. "No, thank you."

nods, going to pour herself a drink. "Alright...uh. You'll probably be really bored here...sorry."

chuckles. "I'll leave if I feel bored, and entertain other people... But I'll return, unless you strictly want me to stay here for yourself."

shakes her head. "No. Go out, do whatever. Just make sure nobody follows you back."

nods. "Then very well, we're settled." he grins, closing his eyes and crossing his arms. "Do you mind if I turn myself off for update? Wake me up later..."

shakes her head. "No, go ahead. I'll be in my room, I'll turn you on...in a few hours, right before I go out."

nods, shutting himself down and then falling limp in front of her, like a dead body.

jumps a little at that, not expecting that...at all. She tries to push him upright on the couch, and sighs when he...kinda..ish looks comfortable at least?

a limp face, but reains the position where she's set him, suddenly cold against her fingers.

doesn't like the coldness, and pulls back. She knows it's ridiculous, but she finds a blanket to drape over him, and fusses a little, before convincing herself to go clean her...tools for tonight.

remains where he is, just a low buzz to hint he's still running as he keeps limp, updating.

freaking out a little. She drains her glass, and slips into her room to go clean her weapons, and make sure all her toys were working for tonight.

completely unaware of it. Outside, it has started to rain.

rather likes the rain. Watching and listening to it calm her as she cleans out all her weapons, testing her toys. Eventually she packs up when it gets dark, and slips out. Approaching him a little awkwardly, _

_she runs her fingers along the back of his neck, looking for the 'on' switch.

stirrs when she finds it, shifting and opening his eyes slowly. "Ah, thank you." He mutters, sitting up slowly as he 'wakes up'. He notices her bags, but doesn't comment on it.

pulls her hand back, smiling a little. "I'm heading out now. I'm not sure when I'll be back..."

nods, reaching over to press a kiss to her forehead, although he's unsure why he does that. "Take care..."

startles a little. Nobody had done that to her in...a very long time. She smiles a little though, and reaches out to ruffle his hair. "No promises~" She stands, hefting the bag over her shoulder, as she makes_

_for the balcony. "Don't forget about the dog."

laughs, watching her go. "I won't!" He announces, waving at her, then standing up to go walk around the place a bit.

waves back, before slipping off the balcony, and hurrying down the fire escape, into the dark alleys.