Hours after they started their work, Pearla approached TO looking ragged and tired, but despite that there was a smile on her face.

“I think we’ve done all we can for today.” She said as she looked up at TO, “How’s the list coming?”

“It’s done.” TO said, their ears twitching anxiously, “Do you want to see the lists?”

“Sure, yeah, just send it to me and I’ll check it later.” She said, She looked back over all the people in the underground, getting settled in their bunks as they tried to get some sleep. Most of the children, thankfully, had fallen asleep already. TO cast their eyes around for Constance, and after a moment found her sleeping in a bunk with another family.

“That’s the family she was visiting when everything happened.” Pearla said, catching TO’s gaze, “She’ll stay with them for now.”

“Ah.” TO said, frowning at their datapad, “Should I have put her under their name then?”

“No, no.” Pearla said, “We still hope we’ll find her father.”

“What if you don’t?” DH asked. They had stayed close to TO after returning from the surgery, taking every opportunity they could to slip their hand into TO’s, to brush up against them, or even just to watch them as they worked.

TO’s concentration was good, but after a while even they felt their attention waning with DH around.

“If we don’t….” Pearla sighed, “I don’t know. I know that family would take her in, but they have eight children-”

“Eight?” TO’s ears flicked out as their eyes widened. “Eight?!”

“Eight. And they’ve come to me asking for help before. I know if we asked they’d take her, but… I don’t want to ask and put that on them, you know?” She shook her head, “Anyway… let’s hope we can find her father, right? Let’s not act like he’s dead until it’s too late.”

A moment later, Avery headed from the back towards the three of them. They were looking at something projected before them on their chip, but when they looked up and saw DH with TO they turned off the projection and quickened their pace.

“How did it go?” They asked as soon as they were in easy hearing range, “Is Kei alright?” Can I see them?”

“The procedure went like they expected it to.” DH said, through their ears tilted down, “I don’t know myself though; They were doing some really complicated stuff. It was interesting to watch, but I mostly just handed them stuff while they worked, so I know nothing about how it worked.”

“They’re alright through, they didn’t die, or-”

“Goretta says we need to wait for them to wake up to see how they are, and then sometime late tomorrow the process will start… but yes, they’re fine. They’re just sleeping.”

“Can I see them?” Avery asked again, “Where are they?”

“There’s a recovery room next to the operation room.” DH said, “They’re in there-”

“Alone?”

“Goretta is nearby, and they’re being watched.” DH said.

“I’ll go wait with them.” Avery said, and without another word they strode past TO and DH, and headed out into the hallway.

“Avery, wait-” DH said as they took a step forward, then hesitated as Avery left the room.

TO didn’t hesitate. This time, TO ran after them. They left the room, and chased after Avery, catching up to them only a few seconds later as they reached out and grabbed their sleeve.

“Avery, wait!” TO said, “You heard DH. Kei is fine, they’re just sleeping-”

“I know that.” Avery said, “And I’m going to sit with them until they wake.”

“Alright, but why?” TO asked. Avery didn’t seem like they were going to run off, so TO released Avery’s sleeve. “They’re asleep, they might not even know you're there, or want you there-”

“If it was DH who was asleep after a major procedure, you’d stay with them. You did stay with them. Remember? They day they lost their eye-”

“That’s entirely different though!” TO said, though the mention of that so shortly after talking to GiDi made the guilt stroke through them, a hit of cold in their veins, “DH is my mate-”

“They weren’t then.” Came Avery’s quick retort.

“Well, they were my friend even then.” TO said, “Of course I’d stay with my friend.”

“There you go.” Avery said as they turned to head back down the hall, this time just walking at a clipped pace. “I’m going to wait with my friend.”

“... Are they your friend?” TO asked. “I know you care about them but…”

Avery stopped again and stood still in the hallway. Their ears dipped down, while flicking in contemplation. Their wings tightened slightly on their shoulders.

“Have they ever called you their friend?” TO asked.

“You know the answer to that.” Avery said. “And before all this, Maybe that would have meant something. Maybe that would have even bothered me…” They turned, “But… Now I know I am as I am because of my brain. I can feel friendship for people, empathy, sympathy, I can do that because my brain is altered. Kei can’t. Even if they wanted to, I don't know if they could feel any kind of friendship towards me.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

“And you’re hoping that’ll change now?” TO asked.

“I hope. I if they’ll be nicer, if they’ll be angrier, if they’ll want to be my friend or if they’ll hate me.” They frowned, “But I also don’t know if they’ll be scared, or lonely. The only thing I know is that they’ve been alone for too long now, and I know that being isolated had a toll on them.” They looked up at TO, “So… I’m going to wait with them. I’ll sit by them and wait for them to wake up. If they tell me to leave then, I will… But if they wake up alone and scared after a procedure, and I let them stay alone, I’d never forgive myself.”

It occurred then to TO that if it were anybody else, they’d wouldn’t have questioned why Avery wanted to stay with them. Even if it was some unknown civilian who was alone in the recovery room, TO would have assumed that Avery was just being compassionate, and wanted to help someone… Why was he questioning Avery wanting to stay with Kei?

The answer came back to him the moment the question echoed in his head. Kei was awful; he insulted DH and GiDi time and time again, isolated DH in their early days, made DH feel bad when they were caught in the emergency ship, and reported them to their superior.

If it weren't for the insurgency, the Kei’s actions would have had DH and TO separated by now. Maybe he would be different when the procedure was done, and his brain was repaired. Still, TO wasn’t sure if they could ever feel sympathy for the other synth.

Still… They could feel sympathy for Avery.

“I’ll go with you then.” They said, “I’ll keep you company-”

Avery gave TO a soft, sad smile, their ears dipping, “Thank you… but stay here.” They said.

“I don’t mind going with you!” TO protested.

“I know, and I appreciate that. BUt I convinced Kei to get this done by saying they might be better than you. By holding you over their head, right?” They shook their head, “I don’t know how they might react to you, and just after their procedure I don't want to risk them getting upset.”

“... Would you like it if DH went with you instead?” TO asked. They didn’t want to be apart from DH, but they also didn’t want Avery to be by themself with Kei. However, Avery just chuckled at TO’s suggestion.

“They’re not overly fond of DH either.” They said, “It’s fine. I won't be alone… I’ll be with Kei.”

“But they’re asleep-”

“They’ll still be there… if that makes sense.”

It made little sense to TO, but Avery seemed entirely at ease with the idea. They nodded and pointed to their hand where the chip was stuck. “If you change your mind, message me.” TO said, “And I'll be checking in on you to make sure you’re doing alright.”

Another smile flickered across Avery’s face as they nodded. “Thanks.” They said, “And… if I change my mind, I promise I’ll tell you.”

“Alright..”

Avery nodded again, and continued down the hallway, walking now instead of running. Somehow, that made TO feel better.

With a sigh, TO turned around, and headed back to the room to find DH. They would keep up on checking in on Avery, though. They even activated their chip and set up an alert. Once an hour, on the hour; check on Avery.

======

DH was waiting for them outside the room, leaning against the wall. TO figured that they weren’t too far away from where they had spoken with Avery, so it was likely that DH heard the conversation.

“They’re staying with Kei then.” DH said, confirming that very thought.

“Yes.” TO said, their ears pinning back, “I can’t understand why though. IF they had developed romantic feelings, that I could understand, but they didn’t. At least, they say they didn’t.”

“They developed friendship feelings.” DH said. We have no idea what they’re like together, but we know Kei doesn’t like to talk too much, but they do like being around people if they’re not busy.”

TO’s ears dipped as they nodded. They remembered how frustrating it was to them to just have Kei hanging around them and DH. “Yes, they do.”

“So… I suppose they would have gotten along alright.” DH said, “Maybe Kei took it as friendship. Maybe Kei let them, or didn’t care what Kei called it because they worked well together. Maybe Avery considers them a friend.”

“Kei doesn’t consider anybody their friend.” TO said. DH just shrugged.

“Maybe they will when their brain is restored…” DH mused, “Maybe they will want to be Avery’s friend. Maybe they’ll want to be ours.”

“After everything they did!” TO snapped, their ears pinned and their wings puffing up around them. “The horrible things they said-”

“They might be a different synth after this.” DH said, “That’s what we hope, anyway, right? For us, for them, and for Avery.”

TO huffed, “You’re more forgiving than I am.” They said, “I almost lost you, thanks to them. If it weren't for the insurgents-”

“Well… it’s fine.” DH said as they lined their arm into TO’s, and pulled them down the hallway, “If it works, we’ll deal with that then. They’ll go to Apoikia with us, and they’ll be other synths - other Chilacians. I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

TO let DH lead them down the hallway and away from the dormitory as they considered their mate’s words. Apoikia- the planet of the Chilacians. Maybe things would be fine when they got to the Apoikia, but they had to get there first. They had to get off this planet first, and that wouldn’t be a simple task. Despite how busy they had been, they hadn’t even started any plans for that!

One step at a time. One action at a time. They could only hope it worked out in the long run.