A few more days passed without a hitch, and they were extremely regular. Lexa lived with him, Pat was his friend now strangely enough, and they even went to see Z-mo a couple times. That was when Luke saw the robber droid again. He was walking back to the store owned by Mr. Setsuna. The bot was sifting through trash, seemingly looking for something.

“Damn thing!”

He didn’t want to walk over, but honestly he didn’t believe the droid was all that dangerous in the first place. While he’d had a gun the other day he never felt threatened, and when he’d learned there was no valuables left without a second thought. Maybe he was just stupid, but it didn’t seem like he meant intentional harm.

“Hey there Crash.”

“Wah! Hey what the hell! You again? Was hoping you’d die tied up in your room there!”

“If I’d really wanted to leave I could have just broke the chair and got out through the door you know.”

“Meh whatever! What the hell do you want then?”

“I was actually wondering what you were looking for believe it or not.”

“I’ve been sifting through this shit for days looking for my circuit regulator! Those are valuable you know, any old homeless bastard coulda walked through here and picked it up! You humans know a lot more about droids than you let on.”

In fact he did know what a circuit regulator looked like, and they went for quite a bit if you knew who to sell it to.

“Wait… you’ve been looking for it for days? Is that why you robbed me!”

“Well yeah, I thought you might have my regulator.”

“How many people did you rob!”

“Like twenty. Or thirty? Maybe, I dunno.”

Out in the boonies if someone was robbed it would be a lot more trouble to call the police than it was worth if the robber only stole a couple menial things like the bot would have. People around here cared less for their cheap knick knacks than those with crystal chandeliers as they had near the citadel.

“Thirty!? Ugh, let’s try to find it then.”

“What? You wanna help me find that thing?”

“Yeah, that’s what I said. Let’s get to it.”

The robot made a slightly mechanical scoff, but allowed Luke to help him for a while. Once about an hour had passed Crash gave up for the day.

“Well, it’s lookin’ like I’m not gonna find it today. Maybe I’ll have to just steal a new one haha! Anyways, thanks for the help meatbag, sorry about the whole almost killing you thing.”

“No problem?”

“Ha! Maybe I’ll be seein you again human.”

The robot walked away, his loud metallic feet crunching on the pavement. He looked left, then sauntered off in that direction. He didn’t seem to have a care in the world. Luke just sighed and began his walk to Mr. Setsuna’s. As he walked he looked around. The city was the greatest hodgepodge of people in the world. There was very little racism in the city because of one simple thing, there was no majority. People from all cultures lived here. There were those from the east, the west, the north, and the south. Every region was almost equally represented. If he had to give the city council one thing, it was that. Otherwise they were all corporate giants who didn’t care about the miners and steelworkers like those in the outer rim. Like him. He stepped up to the door of the supermarket, just picking up some drinks. Pat could really lay into those beers, and never even seemed to get buzzed. It looked like there was nobody in the shop when he walked up to the counter, but when he walked up to it he saw Mr. Setsuna staring at a picture. He didn’t want to snoop in on the old man’s personal life, but in the picture was himself, a woman, and a small boy. Could they be his family?

Setsuna heard Luke lean against the counter, and was brought back to reality.

“Wha- Luke! How are ya? Them foods good enough?”

“They were great! I’m sorry if this seems insensitive, but Mr. Setsuna, what is that picture?”

“Oh this old thing.”

He placed it on the counter and slid it towards Luke, a sad expression on his face.

“They’re my family. Well, guess they were at this point.”

“What happened?”

“A’ll just say they died. All that matters at this point. So whatcha come in for? Not just to reminisce I’d guess.”

“Oh just looking for a twelve pack.”

“The regular?”

“Sure thing.”

The old man knelt over and picked a box from under the counter. The cheapest stuff Setsuna had, but it always seemed like he kept a few extra boxes under the counter just for Luke. He must have enjoyed selling it to him.

“So how are things m’boy?”

“Things? Like what?”

“Ya seem’ta have a spring in yer step ever time you walk in here. Somethin’ change?”

“Well I’ve got a roommate now…”

“A girl?!”

“How did you know!”

“Been a new girl comin’ in recently, seems ta know a lot about ya! So you two gettin’ busy I take it?”

“No! She’s just a weirdo that keeps saying she’ll help me.”

“Well son, ya been lookin’ as if you needed help for a pretty damn long time. Why not let her in, huh? What’s the worst that could happen.”

“Well…”

For once Luke didn’t have a retort. This old man, who’d been more of a father to him than his real one since moving to the city, had a point. He wanted to kill himself. End it all. It was death or giving something a short chance. Even if it was meaningless, he didn’t hate Lexa.

“Maybe you’re right…”

“Course I am! Now, ya gonna go bang ‘er?”

“Now I’m having second thoughts!”

They laughed for a few moments and Setsuna’s hand landed back on the picture of his family. He smiled a sad smile and gestured for Luke to go.

“Well, don’t let an ol’ man keep you from ya sweetie. I might just be an old stupid man to ya Luke, but I do care. If ya ever need anything, y’can come to me, course you know that.”

Luke was touched. The old man had never been so nice to him, disregarding all the food he had given to Luke for free over the years. He really was ten times more of a father to him than that stupid man out on the farm…

“Thanks Setsuna. I will.”

Twelve pack in hand, Luke set out to his apartment once again. Their talk had taken some time, and it had gotten dark outside. The few remaining street lamps with working lights in them buzzed a harsh light onto the cement as he walked back. It was chilly, summer had just ended. Only chilly enough for a coat, but chilly all the same. Give Lexa a chance? If Setsuna told him to… maybe he could. He had no idea what he could accomplish, but the other direction left him with nothing.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

But just one chance.

Luckily Pat hadn’t noticed the scratches on the door. Maybe she really was drunk the other night. Lawrence walked back into his apartment, where Lexa was cooking something that smelled delicious. For once, he felt happy.

“Hey, I thought you said be right back!”

“I ran into a couple of friends.”

“Friends yeah right, you don’t have anything like that. If you did you wouldn’t have tried to off yourself!”

“Ok ok you caught me, they’re new friends. I just made them recently.”

“How recently?”

“Today actually.”

“Oh, so you admit I’m actually helping you then?”

“I do admit things seem to be better since I met you. Although I still don’t have a job.”

“You want to work for Z-mo? He could use a hand at the soup shop.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, and I guarantee it pays better than the steel mill. One hundred percent.”

“We’ll just have to go and check it out tomorrow then right? Maybe you can finally tell me what these bracelets are for too.”

“They’re devices, and I’d love to know what they did as well. Z-mo just said we’d find out when the time is right.”

“Wait, you don’t know what they do either?!”

“I think the more interesting thing right now is how you just said yes to one of my proposals without even one complaint.”

“Hmm, perhaps you’re right.”

“We can save that for later though, food’s ready!”

Lexa brought over a large pot of soup from the creaky stove, and served him up a beef and broccoli combination that was absolutely delicious. They ate and talked the night away, laughing and eating until almost one in the morning. Finally they decided to call it a night, as Lexa wanted to get to Z-mo’s soup shop before it opened around nine.

Luke fell asleep for the first time in a long time with a feeling of purpose. Maybe, just maybe, the old shopkeeper was right.

He would give Lexa that chance. Hell, maybe he’d even love her.

Waking up at seven thirty was pretty ingrained in his mind and he’d been waking up a lot earlier than that for the past seven years, due to the steel mill. Lexa was also dressed and ready, to the surprise of Luke. There really seemed to be no downsides to this girl. Lexa opened the door for him and allowed him outside with a brandish of her arm.

“Isn’t this supposed to be the guy’s job?”

“Normally, yes. But you agreed with one of my stupid ideas, so today you’re royalty!”

“You agree they’re stupid then?”

“Only the vague and strange ideas.”

He laughed again, something he’d grown more accustomed to in the last few days. It had been a long time since he could actually remember laughing daily. Arriving at the soup shop Lexa lifted up the short curtain and brandished once again. He just smiled down at her slightly condescendingly.

“You know this isn’t necessary right?”

“Of course m’lord!”

“Ugh, hey Z-mo, can you get this girl to stop acting like a servant?”

A robotic head popped out from the kitchen, a wheezing whir of gears was heard.

“You two are getting along better than I’d ever expected! What’s up then?”

“My master here is looking for employment. He wishes to be placed in your care.”

“You looking for a job here?”

The bot scratched his head and grabbed a tablet from across the room. Doing some numbers, he looked back up.

“Yeah I could pay you a bit, always have been looking for some help around here. When can you start?”

“Really? Well, anytime is fine.”

“Tomorrow then?”

“Sure.”

“We can discuss salaries and hourly rates then, but for now try my latest concoction! I guarantee this will be the perfect ramen!”

Lexa did not look impressed.

“You said that about the last hundred concoctions Z-mo, but as I’ve said before, how the hell would we know if it was the perfect ramen!”

He wheezed again.

“Because if it was perfect, the customers would pay a lot more!”

Lexa laughed and took a bunch of the ramen in a fork. While she ate, Luke thought of the question he’d wanted to ask earlier.

“Oh one more thing, what do these bracelets really do? Do they make me happier?”

At that moment the bot stopped wheezing and looked over at Luke. The feeling in the room dropped to sub-zero temperatures, and Z-mo’s reply was equally as chilly.

“You’ll find out when it is time. I won’t tell you more on it.”

“Oh… well I think it’s a well grounded question at least.”

Lexa looked up from her meal, worried about the atmosphere that had been created in the room.

“T-this ramen is probably the second best I’ve had from you Z-mo!”

With that the feeling improved and Z-mo started wheezing again. The chilliness from a moment ago was gone, and he talked with Lexa normally as if nothing had happened. Luke didn’t want to ask that ever again… But he would find out eventually. The bot at least told him that. He looked down at the ramen and slurped it up. It was definitely good! The warmth of the meal got his mind off of what had just happened and he went back to normal. But he did have one more question.

“So Z-mo, why do you live in an eastern style soup shop?”

“Funny story actually, the government built this place to hide the lab and put me in it! Now I get a bit of payment to sell ramen and watch over the lab. It’s a peaceful life.”

Lexa thanked him for the meal, and the pair walked out of the shop. But their walk wasn’t finished yet. Luke started walking back towards his apartment, but was quickly stopped by Lexa, who pulled on his sleeve.

“Nope, we aren’t finished yet! I said today you’d get treated a bit better didn’t I? Z-mo’s was just stop one!”

She dragged him along many stops, where they looked at toys and other trinkets, the type of thing that kids would look at. It was fun actually. After they’d shopped lightly around for a while Lexa led him up to a small hill that overlooked the citadel.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever looked around this part of town.”

He sat down on a bench, and Lexa sat beside him, digging through a bag of little things.

“It’s great! They sell little things like this so cheap, so I buy a few things when I pass by. It was nice to finally come with someone else though!”

She took out a top and they watched it whiz around on the bench.

Lexa chuckled, and looked up at Luke.

“Z-mo was pretty peeved after I asked him about the bracelets, don’t you think?”

“Yeah that kind of happened when I asked him too…”

“Why didn’t you warn me!?”

“I just wanted to see what he would do to you I guess.”

“Hey!”

He laughed and brushed Lexa’s hand. Immediately, she stopped and looked up at him. This close, he could see flecks of dark brown in her eyes. He didn’t care that she was getting closer, and she didn’t care that he was either. Luke felt her lips brush his, and they kissed. He really didn’t want to admit having dreamt about this, but he definitely had. She put her arms around him and drew him closer, and his nose was fully filled with her scent. A scent that had permeated his walls and even the mold in his closet. Once their lips finally unlocked, they put their foreheads together, both of them smiling. At once they both said the same thing.

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

At that moment the top stopped whirling and fell to the ground. Lexa laughed softly and picked it up, placing it in the bag.

“So, still wish you killed yourself?”

“I think I’m beginning to see that it was a bad idea, alright? I admit it, you were right.”

She laughed and jumped onto his lap.

“See, wasn’t that easy to say?”

“Only after confessing I think.”

“Well that won’t be the last time you tell me that I hope.”

“No no, I’m not handsome enough for one night stands.”

“Ha! That’s true!”

“Hey don’t take a shot at my already suffering self esteem.”

“I’ll try, but it’s hard not to!”

They walked back down the hill laughing, Lexa holding onto his arm. Across the street a vendor was selling what looked to be chicken wings, and she rushed over to the stand. In the background noise he could hear a mining truck, but barely even thought about it. His mind was on her, and only her. He got two helpings and began to walk back towards him, holding them up. Halfway across the road he heard a scream.

A mining car was going straight for her.

Rushing out as best he could, the truck was faster than him, and he heard a loud smash. Horrified, he looked back up from the dusty road he had landed in and saw her.

She was lying on the ground, face up.

Covered in blood.

It seemed as if the mining car was driven by a load of drunk men, and it sped off quickly. He ran to her, seeing that one of her legs was at an odd angle. There was blood on her face, and he propped her up onto his lap, barely able to say anything.

“Lexa! Please!”

“I…”

One of her hands twitched and he brought his to it, where she lightly gripped on one of his fingers. Something like a smile came across her broken face one more time, and her grip loosened on his.

She had died.

Everything… Everything! It was all back to ground zero! Why! He’d finally, finally given life another chance, and it fucking slapped him down!

“WHY!!!”

He screamed to the heavens, but as usual, no-one answered. On his hands was her blood. The blood of the person he had saved his life. The blood of the person who promised to make that  life better. The person that he loved. Dead.

Suddenly, the bracelets on his body moved. They clicked, and made a whizzing noise. On them, a small LED light turned green, and he started floating in midair.

He didn’t want this piece of shit to make him fly now, he wanted to fucking die!

Why her.

Why not him.