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At twenty-seven years old, Viktor Nikiforov was on top of the world. Maybe not literally, but he was standing on top of the podium at the World Figure Skating Championship for the fifth time in his long and illustrious career. He had to admit, the view was amazing.
“Papa!” A bright voice Viktor would hear in any crowd rang out above the call of the press as he made his way off the ice after the medal ceremony. He quickly bent down and scooped up the ball of energy that was his beloved son, Yuri, who had apparently just been set free to run to him from where Lilia had been watching him.
“Papa you were amazing! You jumped so high, it looked like you were flying!”
Viktor chuckled, kissing his son on the forehead, ignoring the flash of cameras capturing the private moment between father and son. “I was skating for you, little ice tiger,” he whispered to his son who was now burying his face into Viktor’s chest, hoping to avoid the cameras.
Viktor hadn’t expected to become a father at the age of twenty-one, but as he now held his six-year-old son in his arms, he wouldn’t change any of it for the world.
Yuri’s mother was the Prima Ballerina of the St. Petersburg Ballet. They were introduced during one of Viktor’s private ballet sessions with Lilia, and they’d immediately hit it off. Not as lovers, but as friends. They’d celebrated victories and milestones together, gone shopping, and attended cultural events arm in arm. There had been rumors for months they were dating, which both of them laughed off, mostly because Viktor was pretty damn gay.
He had thought he was completely gay, but an ill-advised night of heavy drinking proved he swung just enough towards the middle to be able to get it up when he was shit-faced drunk with his best friend. It hadn’t been a good day when they’d woken up and realized what they’d done. It was even worse a little over a month later when they realized their night of stupidity wasn’t going to be so easily forgotten.
Anna had brought Viktor, Yakov and Lilia together and told them the news. Lilia’s face had gone pale as a ghost, and Yakov had screamed at him for a full five minutes with hardly taking a breath. It was still one of the worst nights of Viktor’s life.
Finally, when everyone had calmed down, Anna had told Viktor she didn’t want the child. She wasn’t a cold or unfeeling person, it just wasn’t the direction she saw her life going. He didn’t begrudge her choice. He didn’t think he was ready to be a father, but something had stopped him. After a long conversation with his mother and an even longer one with Yakov, he’d decided to raise his child on his own.
He’d worked harder than ever that season, attracting more sponsors and earning plenty of money to support Anna during her pregnancy. The night Yuri was born was still the best night of his life, a moment not even a gold medal could outdo.
Anna had walked away then, and though he’d still consider them friendly, their friendship that had once been such a large part of their lives was no more. She would visit every so often, known only to Yuri as ‘Aunt Anna’. It was a little sad, but Viktor could understand her reasons. He knew if they ever needed her she’d come running. She wasn’t unkind, her priorities were just elsewhere.
He still counted himself lucky in many ways. His parents had come in from Moscow to live with him during the first year of Yuri’s life, allowing Viktor to continue his career and still care for his son. He’d spent just as many sleepless nights with his son as any parent, but having their support made those first months merely chaotic, but not impossible.
After a year was up, his parents needed to get back to their home and their lives. Viktor missed them dearly, for more than their babysitting services. He’d forgotten how wonderful it was to have his family close at hand. He’d not just bonded with his son in that time, but reconnected with his parents that he’d drifted away from while he was busy chasing his dream.
They still visited often, but for the most part Viktor raised Yuri alone, or as alone as he could manage. There were nannies of course, but they’d never gotten on well with Viktor or Yuri, finding Viktor’s unusual schedule troublesome, and Yuri to be too ‘spirited’. Many had tried to discipline this out of the boy, something Viktor absolutely would not permit. Several others had tried to seduce Viktor, hinting sickly that Yuri needed a real mother.
Viktor had fired them on the spot.
Now, as he held his son and his gold medal, he couldn’t be happier. Yes, it was hard, but he wouldn’t trade it for the world.
“I love you, Yuri.”
“I love you too, Papa.”
Three weeks later, Viktor was seriously questioning himself as he made his way to Switzerland to visit one of his oldest friends, Christophe.
Chris had been a skater, and some of Viktor’s stiffest competition until an unfortunate skating accident had removed him from the ice permanently. It had broken Viktor’s heart to see his friend go, but again, things had worked out for the best.
His friend had apparently found a new passion, one that he was exceptionally talented at, and that was far more profitable than Viktor could ever hope to be. Viktor was just glad that he had trusted his friend when Chris had asked Viktor to invest in the company he’d joined. In just four short years his shares had grown in value so much that Viktor could happily live on the dividends from his investment for the rest of his life if he chose. The freedom of it was overwhelming.
He wasn’t bothered coming to see Chris, it was the off-season after all and he and Yuri had just returned from a two-week trip to Africa where they had taken a Safari together to see Lions and other big cats in the wild. Yuri was still vibrating from the excitement and apparently driven yet another nanny to quit in just the few days they’d been home.
Viktor had been forced to leave his son with Mila, his rinkmate, for the day he’d be in Switzerland. Not that she minded. His entire team was more than happy to look after Yuri whenever Viktor was between nannies, which was rather a lot.
Yuri had just begun learning to skate, so Viktor’s rinkmates would bring him to the rink and then let him skate as much as he wanted, until he passed out, curled up in a bundle of blankets in Yakov’s office. Yuri might be rambunctious, but he always behaved, making sure to tell Uncle Yakov if he needed to use the restroom or was hungry, or just wanted to watch TV for a while. Yakov had even started coaching the boy on some of the basics of skating, and Viktor secretly couldn’t wait to retire so he could coach his son himself.
No, the reason Viktor was a bit unsure about his visit to Switzerland had nothing to do with Yuri, but everything to do with the nature of Chris’ work. Chris worked at the world’s first, and foremost, Synthetic human company. Or in simpler terms - robots. Lifelike automations that could perform any task with ease, programmed for specific roles, with realistic appearances and behaviors.
This is where Chris came in. Talented artists could make the androids look real, but creating their personalities to feel realistic was a greater challenge, one which Chris proved unusually gifted.
The secret to his success, he’d privately told Viktor, was the inclusion of unique quirks to every unit. No two were exactly alike, housing different characteristics, hobbies, and traits. Some were fearless daredevils who loved adventure; others were quiet, solitary homebodies who thrived on peace. Still others were outgoing and vivacious, excellent with children and beloved by all.
It was these traits that made them feel so real. They had lives beyond their functions; they even had memories, and could tell stories from their past, even if their past was nothing more than a fairy tale.
Viktor stepped into the large, glass walled atrium of the impressive building that now housed Synthetic Industries; it was a far cry from the converted warehouse the company had started in. He checked in, giving his name to the receptionist who he was sure was a Synthetic – though it was hard to tell, and getting harder by the year given how fast Chris and the team were making improvements to their original design.
“Viktor!” A happy shout rang across the sunlit room as Chris crossed over the gleaming floors and enveloped him in a hug. They stood for several minutes, catching up on simple topics while admiring the fountains and greenery that now welcomed guests to their facility.
“So what am I here for Chris?” Viktor asked, curiosity seeping into his voice.
“Come back to my office and I’ll show you,” Chris winked with a twinkle in his eye.
They made their way back through the corridors, past laboratories, work rooms, and offices; Chris introducing Viktor as they went. Despite the fact that Viktor rarely showed his face here, many people seemed to know him.
“Ah,” Chris grinned, “that’s my fault. Well, not me directly. There’s someone here who’s a huge figure skating fan, and he’s always watching your competitions and going on and on about you.”
“Why’s that your fault?”
Chris merely smiled, “You’ll see.”
They continued down the hall, Viktor slowing for a moment as they passed the company daycare. It was staffed by half a dozen Synthetics who all looked even more lifelike than the Receptionist.
“Aren’t they amazing?” Chris asked by his shoulder.
“You’ve really outdone yourself,” Viktor admitted. His eyes were particularly drawn to one of the Synthetics who was half buried in excited children. Viktor couldn't tell who was having more fun, the Synthetic or the kids; he supposed it didn't matter. Viktor couldn’t see his face, but from the way his body shook with laughter, Viktor could tell he was having the time of his life.
He and Chris continued a short way further before entering Chris’ office. It was clean and pristine, white on white on white. The only variance coming from the monitors and screens that were scattered around the room, each showing off a different model of the Synthetics. One of the screens seemed to show a work in progress as Chris built the personality of one of their newest units.
Viktor stared at it with interest. He was always fascinated by Chris’ work. Chris wasn’t a programmer but more of a designer. He would come up with ideas for personality traits, and the programmers would figure out how to simulate it within their Synthetics. Then, Chris would piece together each individual piece of programming until he created a being that seemed almost human.
“It’s not public knowledge, but we’re going to be unveiling a new version of the Synthetics.” Chris smiled as he looked at the screen.
“What? Really? That’s amazing!” Viktor hugged his friend. He knew how hard they worked, and getting a new product out to the world was a huge step for them.
Chris pulled up a few images on his monitors, directing it all from a small tablet in his hands as he and Viktor sat on one of the couches. “As you know we’ve got five main models: The Companion…”
“The sex bot,” Viktor interrupted, earning him an eye roll from Chris.
“Do not insult my Jessica, she is far more than a sex bot and you know it, Nikiforov.”
Viktor held up his hands in defeat.
“As I was saying, The Companion, The Housekeeper, The Assistant, The Bodyguard and The Nanny. Each of these Synthetics has a specific job that they are designed to do. They’ve never been much good at going beyond that role.
“I know you like to tease me about the Companions, but in a way they are the most sophisticated of the bunch. They are able to analyze their owner’s reactions and gage what actions would elicit the most favorable response. If their owner likes home cooked meals, they’ll cook them. If he likes someone funny, they’ll learn to tell jokes. Anything that they need to do to better do their job, they’ll learn it.”
“It is brilliant,” Viktor nodded, much to the appreciation of his friend.
“I wanted to take that to the next level with the newest versions. Physically they are better than ever. In the past, only the Companions had any external sex organs, but in the new versions, all Synthetics will. They also have small flaws in every model, making them unique. One may have a mole, while another may have a scar or some stretch marks. A customer can ask for perfection still, of course, but for most models there will always be some small detail that will just go to emphasize their uniqueness, much like a human.
“Intellectually, they will have the programs of all types of models. They will all be able to cook, or clean, help with office work or even help with children. They can even be romanced and enjoyed. The difference is each model will still have their primary directive. A Bodyguard may happily make you breakfast, but not if doing so somehow keeps them from fully protecting you, as that would go against his directive.
“In order for them to complete a task that’s off directive though, you have to work with them, and encourage them. Companions tend to be less interested in doing Bodyguard work as it goes strongly against their instincts, which are to make their master forget their troubles. But, if you were to bring them with you on vacation, and someone tried to harm you, they would protect you out of loyalty, more than because their program told them too.
“This makes the Nanny bots in particular a marvelous piece. They can do housework, cook, clean, care for children, help with homework; but if anyone tried to harm your child, unlike the past version, they would fiercely protect them. Some people worry about giving genitals to the Nannies, but their protective and nurturing instincts make it impossible for them to harm a child. What the Companion programming does for them is make them more capable of interacting with the child’s parent, becoming a member of the family, rather than a play thing for the children.”
Viktor nodded, it was an intriguing notion, and he had to admit, Chris was a genius for thinking it up.
“And that’s why you’re here.”
And there it was, the other shoe. “I don’t want one Chris.”
Chris held up his hands, “Now now, hear me out. You just lost another nanny didn’t you? How many does that make?”
Viktor pouted, “I don’t know, I stopped counting after twenty.”
Chris nodded, “And that’s because you want Yuri raised in a way that is so different from how most people in Russia do things, isn’t it? If you’re honest with yourself, you know that’ll be nearly impossible to find someone in your home country who can serve your needs. And bringing someone in from another country is a whole other hassle. A Synthetic is perfect for you. They’ll learn from how you interact with Yuri, they’ll listen to your wishes, and they won’t complain, no matter how off the walls Yuri is being.”
Viktor sighed; he didn’t want a Synthetic, not because he had anything against them, but more because he was afraid of how Yuri would react. He wanted Yuri to understand the complexities of humans. Synthetics at their core were simple, and if you were too close to them, it could make dealing with humans harder. He never wanted Yuri to get played by the world; Viktor being who he was just made the world a more dangerous place for Yuri.
“Do you want to know that name we went with for the Nanny models, Viktor?”
Viktor looked up at his friend. There was a soft smile on his face that was comforting. Viktor nodded.
“We call them the Yuris.”
Viktor gaped at him, “You named them after my son?”
Chris smiled, “We gave all of the models a gender neutral name so we didn’t have the confusion of last time. Each of us from the founding group took one and named it. The CEO named the Companions Riley after his wife. The Bodyguards are named Peyton after the Chief Programer’s daughter. I chose the Nannies because I thought of you and Yuri the entire time I was designing them. Yuri was my inspiration, Viktor. I made the Yuri series specifically with him in mind, looking to create the perfect Nanny for him.”
Viktor sighed, “I just don’t think anything made for mass appeal will fit our family Chris, no offense.”
“None taken, that’s why I didn’t make yours for mass appeal.”
“Huh?”
“Two years ago I created the first prototypes of the Yuri series. There were a couple of them, all with different personalities, all scheduled to be sent to some of our initial investors like you for testing a year ago. The one I made for you was different. I pushed the boundaries much farther with yours, that is why his name isn’t Yuri, but Yuuri. He gets an extra U because he’s special.”
Viktor couldn’t help but smile, “Very clever Chris. So what makes Yuuri so special, and why am I just now hearing about him if I was supposed to be testing him a year ago?”
Chris frowned at this. “There was another investor. One I don’t care much for if I’m being honest. They received one of the first Nanny models when we began the company. But then, right as Yuuri was finishing his in-house testing, their Nanny broke down and they demanded a replacement. Of course we were more than happy to send them one of the current models, but they demanded the latest version.
“I was keeping Yuuri a surprise for you so you were the only one who didn’t yet know they would be getting to test our newest version. I didn’t want to give them Yuuri. Their needs and desires in a Nanny are completely opposite to yours, and I knew Yuuri would be miserable there, but they insisted and the CEO basically demanded I give them Yuuri.
“It broke my heart to be honest. I started working immediately on an individualized replacement for them, but every day I would sit and watch Yuuri’s data roll in, each day worse than the next. And then I learned why their previous Nanny had stopped functioning.
“All of the Nannies are built to thrive under stimulation, they love being surrounded by family and activity, but this family was different. To them, the Nanny should do nothing more than watch over their children, staying silent and virtually unseen, only acting if necessary.
“It was terrible. The original Nanny, so much more resilient to this treatment than Yuuri had shut down because she couldn’t take it anymore. Every day Yuuri was getting worse and worse. I started contacting him in the middle of the night just so he’d have some interaction. They’d make him spend all night in the closet with his charging station. He was left alone in the dark for eight hours a day, and if he came out, he was yelled at, or beaten.”
Chris had tears in his eyes, and Viktor could feel a lump in his throat.
“I designed Yuuri to be sensitive, and just a little bit nervous.” Chris choked a bit as he spoke, “I knew you would find that endearing, but they were taking all of those things and twisting them, destroying him from the inside.
“I completed their new Nanny in record time, just under six months. They almost refused her, saying that they had just gotten Yuuri properly trained and didn’t want to go through it again, but fortunately this time I had the CEO with me. He’d seen Yuuri’s data, if he was left there any longer he might never recover. Finally, we got him out.”
He paused, knitting his fingers through his hair. “They’re very happy with their new Nanny now, not that I really care,” he spat, gritting his teeth and he spoke.
Viktor couldn’t help his curiosity. “So what happened to Yuuri? And why am I here? It sounds like he’s in no shape to go back out.”
“He’s spent the last six months being rehabilitated here. I’m the only human adult he’d speak to for months, but he's been getting better, slowly. Mostly he’s been in the daycare, working with the children nonstop. You probably noticed him today; he was the one being smothered by all the kids.”
Viktor gasped quietly, he had noticed him. He seemed so happy.
“Yuuri loves children more than anything. Well, almost anything. Remember when I said you had a fan here?”
Viktor’s eyes narrowed, “You didn’t.”
Chris grinned, “I might have programmed Yuuri to be a figure skating fan. I mentioned you to him early on, telling him you were a friend of mine. After I showed him one of your performances he couldn’t look away. He positively idolizes you. And every time he sees you with Yuri, he just melts. He was literally dancing in place watching you two at the World Championships.”
Viktor leaned back and sighed. “So you want me to take in a Nanny Synthetic who has PTSD and is my biggest fan, am I getting this right?”
Chris smiled sheepishly. “Basically yes, but I promise, you’ll like him. And he'll like you. Part of what brought him back from the edge was your skating. Those people didn't let him watch skating while he was with them, so for three days after he came back I had him here in my office showing him every skating video I could find.”
“Is that why you asked me to send videos of my practice?” Viktor leaned forward as he asked, remembering all of Chris’ texts in the fall, asking for as many videos as Viktor could get of he and his rink mates practicing.
Chris nodded. “His first words to me were right after the Grand Prix Final. He was watching a live stream of the event while I was in a meeting. I came back and he was waiting for me at the door, eyes wide with excitement, positively babbling about how amazing you were.” Chris smirked. “He's a bit of a fanboy, but it's endearing. I only wish he was as big of a fan of me as he is of you.”
“At least he has good tastes,” Viktor teased.
Chris scowled, or at least tried to. A smile was flirting with his lips. “Will you at least meet him before you decide?”
“I don’t know Chris, I can barely manage myself and Yuri. I don't want to get anyone's hopes up.”
“Yuuri will help, I swear it to you. You saw him at the daycare, kids love him! And isn’t that exactly how you think children should be raised? You've always told me that children should be encouraged, rather than stifled.”
Viktor couldn’t argue, he hated it when Chris threw his own words back at him. Or when he was right.
“Yuuri is a perfect fit for you. You’ve been teaching Yuri to skate, and Yuuri loves skating. He might not know how to do it but he’d love watching you two. Plus, if you offered to teach him he’d probably be overjoyed. Not to mention he has the ability to learn quickly so he’d be sure to be up to speed in no time. He could take Yuri skating as much as he likes, cook healthy dinners for you both, read Yuri bedtime stories. I know you have a bad habit of falling asleep in Yuri’s bed and it’s bad for your back. Yuuri could do that too, in fact he’d be delighted to. He loves napping with the kids at the Daycare.
“Plus, you know you have crazy fans. How many creepy letters have you gotten in the past month? Don’t tell me none of them have made you worried for Yuri’s safety. Yuuri could ease your mind about that; he’s got everything that the Bodyguards do. He could protect Yuri – he would rather die than see him hurt.”
Chris’ eyes were shining. He spoke so earnestly and Viktor could feel his resolve slipping. Chris took a breath before continuing to his final point, “How long has it been since you let someone into your life, Viktor?”
Viktor grimaced. “How long have I been a father?”
Chris nodded, “Exactly. It might sound crazy but Yuuri is built to be not only a companion for Yuri, but one for you as well.”
“You’re saying I should sleep with my son’s nanny?”
Chris laughed, “Well, you can if you want to, but no. I was more thinking you maybe take him to see you compete, have pizza, watch movies together. Be friends. I think he could help you open up more so that you could start living for yourself a little again.”
Viktor sighed. He knew Chris was right. He loved Yuri with all his heart, but at least some of his solitude was self imposed, a punishment for his past mistakes. He didn't consider Yuri a mistake, but his actions that night had been. He'd hurt Anna with his immaturity, and he was just lucky that Yuri was the end result. Far luckier than he deserved. “I guess it doesn’t hurt to meet him.”
Chris beamed, tapping on his tablet quickly before a voice came over the speaker.
“Hi, Sally. Would you ask Yuuri to come to my office? There’s someone I’d like him to meet.”
He hung up after the Synthetic had promised she’d send Yuuri just as soon as he finished soothing one of the children who had been having a small temper-tantrum. He turned to Viktor. “So, while we wait, you’re not thinking of doing anything stupid like retiring are you?”
Viktor laughed, “To be honest, with all this nanny nonsense that’s been going on I’ve considered it. Maybe switch to coaching. But, no, I don’t want to, not yet. Yuri loves to watch me, and as long as I can keep flying for him, I want to.”
Chris smiled. “Good. I’ll admit it, I miss the ice desperately, but seeing you on it eases some of the pain for me. I can only hope by the time you decide to hang-up your skates, our little Yuri is old enough to get going. Does he want to compete?”
Viktor grinned, pulling out his phone with dozens of pictures of his son skating. “I don’t know, you tell me.”
He and Chris laughed, looking through the photos not just of Yuri skating, but from their vacation as well. It was so fun Viktor almost forgot about meeting the Synthetic Yuuri. That is until there was a knock on the door.
A young man walked in, face turned downward. “Sally said you wanted to see me?” he asked as he slowly looked up and stuttered to as he noticed who sat beside Chris. His eyes went comically wide as he gaped.
Viktor would like to say he was cool and collected, but the reality was his heart was doing a two-step and his brain had permanently left this mortal coil.
Yuuri was stunning. Bright, expressive brown eyes framed by large, blue rimmed glasses, and rich, raven colored hair that was just a little sloppy. There was a tiny amount of pudginess around his cheeks that softened what was a smooth and toned body, with a small waist and delicate features. He looked like a dancer. Viktor was suddenly so desperate to see him skate he wanted to get up and drag him to the nearest rink immediately. If he was a human, Viktor would have been off his feet and exercising his best flirt game immediately.
Though his best flirt game was woefully out of practice so he'd likely be rejected. It was probably good Yuuri was made of artificial parts and had no clue what the difference between suave and dorky actually was.
Oh god, he was already thinking about flirting with a robot, what was wrong with him?
“Oh yes,” Chris drawled, a slight chuckle held back as he whispered under his breath so only Viktor could hear. “This will work out nicely.” Viktor’s eyes shot daggers at his friend with a glare that would fell a normal man, but Chris just laughed it off. “Yuuri, why don’t you join us? Viktor was just showing me some of his vacation photos.”
Yuuri seemed to hesitate before practically skipping over to the couch and settling on one of the cushions. Viktor thought about moving closer to show him the photos, but instead opted to mirror the images up onto one of Chris’ screens.
He slowly began flipping through them, explaining what they were. It was quiet at first, but when he put up a picture of Yuri positively covered by Cheetah cubs at a rescue park they’d been to, Yuuri gasped with excitement, his eyes twinkling.
“His favorite animals are cats, so he was in heaven. I had to check our suitcases twice to make sure he hadn’t tried to sneak one home,” Viktor noted fondly. Chris chuckled in amusement while Yuuri just smiled endearingly.
They went on, photo after photo, Viktor eventually exhausting new ones and circling back to the ones Yuuri had missed while Chris quietly called for some lunch to be brought in. Soon the three were chatting about skating, Yuuri animatedly looking at the two skaters, desperate to hear more. He’d probably heard all of Chris’ stories a dozen times, but having Viktor there added a new layer to each tale, fascinating the Synthetic.
Soon, Viktor found he and Yuuri were talking alone about all manner of things. Synthetics didn’t need to eat, but they could do it and they seemed to enjoy the flavors. Chris had brought them some wraps which were Japanese inspired that Yuuri seemed to love. Viktor had learned from their short talk that Yuuri’s memories were full of stories about growing up in Japan, his family running an Onsen. He spoke of them so fondly it made Viktor a bit sad knowing it was all make-believe.
The more they talked, the more Viktor realized how easily conversation came with Yuuri. He'd blush or grow shy occasionally, but this only encouraged Viktor to push a little harder. He was curious and intelligent, giggling easily at any story about Yuri; he even had a few stories of his own from his time working at the daycare.
Finally, after many of their initial topics had been exhausted and lunch had been finished Chris spoke up. “Yuuri, you remember when you came back here that I mentioned the possibility of you going to your originally intended owner. Viktor is that owner, and I think you’re ready to join his family.”
Yuuri’s eyes went wide, “Oh no, I couldn’t!” He was stammering, “I don’t think I’d be good enough for them. You know I’m not very good, Chris. No no, it’s better if I stay here.”
Viktor wasn’t sure what possessed him but soon he was leaning forward, gently gripping Yuuri’s fingers in his hand. “Yuuri, you’ve seen me on TV with my son so you know what kind of a family we are. I promise you none of that is an act. I must confess, I cannot keep a nanny for the life of me. None of them are willing to travel with me and Yuri to my competitions. No one is willing to let Yuri be as expressive as he wants. They think his tiger print obsession is crazy, which, let’s be honest, it might be, but that’s beside the point. The point is I need someone like you. I saw you with the kids at the daycare, they adore you, and I think Yuri would too.
“And it’s not just Yuri who needs you, Yuuri. I think I need you too. You can ask Chris, I don’t think I’ve enjoyed a conversation with anyone this much in years.”
Chris nodded in agreement.
“I know you’re probably nervous Yuuri, but we can set a few ground rules before we enter this partnership that I think would help. Chris would be monitoring you daily, and I’d want the two of you to call each other every day to talk about how things are going. If you’re ever unhappy and wanted to leave, I would write it into my contract that Chris would come get you. You would never be forced to stay with me. I’m serious, if my socks smell too terrible for you to stand, you can come back, just please; will you give this a try, for Yuri, for me?”
Viktor had never intended to connect with Yuuri, but he knew it was happening and he couldn’t find it within himself to regret how desperately he wanted this Synthetic to come home with him. Yuri would love him, and hearing that laugh in his home every day...Viktor couldn’t imagine anything better.
Yuuri’s eyes were huge and he seemed to be frantically thinking. Viktor noticed his eyes were darting back and forth between Viktor and the image of Yuri still displayed on one of Chris’ many large monitors. He seemed to swallow, some sense of resolve settling in.
“You said I could go to competitions with you?” He nearly whispered.
Viktor smiled. “Yes, all of them! You can tutor Yuri while we travel, da?”
Yuuri nodded and Viktor beamed. “Please say yes, Yuuri! We’ll have a wonderful time, I promise.”
Yuuri looked at Chris and then back at the photo of Yuri. Viktor was shocked by what he saw in the Synthetic’s eyes. There was so much love there already for his son, a child he had never even met.
Yuuri finally turned and nodded. “Yes. I’d like to go with you, Viktor.” He blushed a bit when he said Viktor’s name and Viktor couldn’t help the small pound his heart gave upon seeing it.
Chris was up on his feet, clapping his hands together, hugging them both like they’d just announced their engagement. Soon contracts were being presented to Viktor, and he and Yuuri read them over, making sure there was nothing that bothered either of them. Technically, all of this could have been done without Yuuri’s approval, but Viktor insisted upon it.
After many heartfelt goodbyes, Yuuri and Viktor were soon on their way back to the airport. Viktor had called the airline to inquire about flights while Yuuri have been making the rounds; he’d been touched by how loved the Synthetic man seemed to be at the office. He could say all he wanted that he wasn’t anything special, but Viktor knew these people were surrounded by Synthetics every day and it was extremely rare for any of them to grow so attached to one of the machines. Yuuri must be a truly extraordinary individual.
“I’m afraid there are not many great options for flights this late in the day, so we’ll be flying to London first and then onto St. Petersburg. It’ll be an all-night journey.”
“That’s alright,” Yuuri said quietly. “I don’t need to sleep, so I can drive when we arrive so you are safe. I am internationally licensed.”
Viktor smiled. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t take my car to the airport, so we’ll just catch a cab home. No driving required today, though I’ll get you a set of keys to my cars, that way you can easily take Yuri to school and run errands, if you don’t mind, of course.”
“I’d be happy to.”
Viktor smiled before noting, “Didn’t you have any luggage to bring with you? Clothes, books?”
“I don’t have any,” Yuuri whispered. “At the lab those of us living there have a big closet full of shared things, I actually feel kind of bad taking these clothes. Now the others can’t wear them.”
“If you want we can send them back once you arrive at my home. Or if you like them you can keep them and we’ll send some replacements. We’ll need to take you shopping though. You can borrow a few of my things for a few days, but I think they’ll all be a bit big on you.”
“Oh no, I couldn’t!” Yuuri was looking at him with wide eyes and Viktor had to remind himself to keep his eyes on the road.
“Yuuri, I am one of the original investors in Synthetic Industries and a world-famous figure skater who just got a free Nanny Synthetic I desperately need. The least I can do is buy you some things of your own.”
Yuuri blushed but nodded.
Soon they arrived at the airport and Viktor presented his documents, along with Yuuri’s, to the ticketing agent in the premier line. He noticed Yuuri peeking at his different club cards and Black credit cards with open curiosity. It was adorable and he had to work very hard to keep his features schooled. He had the highest level of loyalty card offered by the airline, one that most people didn’t even know existed. It was an elite club meant only for the top tier of their customers.
It meant he received nothing but the best customer service.
“Two tickets to St. Petersburg via London Heathrow please. First Class.”
Yuuri gaped at Viktor. “You don’t have to get me a seat — I can ride with cargo!”
“Yuuri, how could I do that to you? You’re not cargo!”
“Well then, a coach seat, you don’t need to…”
“Yuuri, I want to sit with you. If you really insist then I will move my seat to coach as well.” He began turning towards the agent, silently counting down in his head ‘3…2…1…’
“No,” Yuuri practically whispered, “coach isn’t comfortable. You won’t be able to rest. You might hurt your back or your knees in the cramped seats. I’ll ride in First Class with you.” He was blushing furiously which made something inside Viktor purr in delight.
“Excellent! First class it is!”
The ticketing agent smiled. “Actually I have an option that would make both of you happy. I have a discounted First-class ticket that simply excludes Alcohol service, if that would be alright?” She looked at Yuuri, smiling kindly as if he was just a very cute Japanese man, and not a piece of artificial intelligence wrapped in an appealing plastic wrapper. Viktor was impressed, but unsurprised. Synthetic Industries used this airline exclusively for its investors and many of them had high level status. No doubt their employees had been trained to treat Synthetics with care.
Yuuri nodded. “I don’t drink anyways; it messes with my programming.”
Viktor chuckled, “Don’t try and pull that with me, I know you can get drunk just like any human. Messes with your programming, pfft.”
Yuuri grimaced. “Chris had a New Year’s Eve party a few months ago and he gave me a lot of champagne. I have a perfect memory and even I have no memory logs of that night.”
Viktor couldn’t help but laugh, he imaged a drunk Yuuri would be an incredibly endearing thing. He’d have to beg Chris for pictures.
They were checked-in and escorted to a private longue with snacks and drinks. Viktor was soon munching on fresh fruit and nursing a glass of wine while Yuuri sipped a glass of cucumber water. “I’d always wanted to try this,” he held up his glass, “it’s good.”
Viktor smiled, “If you ever want to try something else, just ask. If it’s in my power to acquire, I’ll get it for you. You’re part of the family now Yuuri.”
Yuuri blushed but then looked pensive. “Do you think Yuri will like me?”
Viktor smiled kindly. “Do you like animals?”
Yuuri look confused but responded anyways. “Yes, all kinds. I love dogs and cats; I even had a pet dog named Vicchan when I was a kid.” He blushed suddenly, but Viktor wasn’t sure why. “Or at least, I have memories of him.”
“Then you and Yuri will get along just fine. It might take him a few days to warm-up, but as long as you don’t make him eat peas, he’ll love you.”
Yuuri pursed his lips. “Peas are vile.”
Viktor barked out a laugh, disturbing several other guests. He nodded a silent apology to them but frankly didn’t give a damn. “Yes, don’t worry, Yuuri. You two will get along just fine.”
They boarded the plane as soon as the gates opened, Viktor eager to settle into the plush seats and relax with Yuuri. He had never minded Synthetics, but he’d never really wanted to connect with one before. They were so…artificial.
Yuuri was different. His expressions were beyond realistic, and his reactions were adorable. He kicked himself inwardly; Chris had been right, and he didn’t love that he was that easily manipulated by his old friend.
Then again, if the result was Yuuri…
Ugh, this was going to get complicated. He wasn’t about to go and fall in love with a robot. No, Yuuri was the Nanny; they’d be friends, nothing more.
Yuuri was looking nervous as he stared around the plane, head turning this way and that, watching people as they passed by. The only time he seemed to calm down was when children passed. He’d always smile happily when he saw them.
Viktor wondered if people could tell Yuuri was a Synthetic, or if they cared. He caught himself staring, trying to find any tells that would clue him in to Yuuri’s true identity, but he wasn’t seeing any.
It was clear however that Yuuri was insatiably curious. From the moment they had stepped on the plane, he’d been peeking at every little thing; he even read the safety briefing card no one had read since the mid-90s, despite that flight attendants’ insistence before each flight to review it.
“Have you never been on a plane?” he asked softly.
“When I left the lab the first time, they had me ride as cargo. It’s dark down there, nothing to see, really.” He blushed slightly. “It’s a bit creepy down in there during the flight.”
Viktor nodded. “I can imagine. But what about on the way home? I was sure Chris would have had you with him.”
Yuuri looked away but muttered, “I wasn’t in a very good state, so they had to have a special transport to get home. It was quiet and kind of dark, but it just looked like a normal room. Chris was with me the whole time. I was aware we were flying, but I wasn’t…”
Viktor understood and reached over and gripped Yuuri’s hand.
“They thought I might have to be shut down and wiped. But Chris insisted on seeing if some time in a safe place would make it better.”
“It seems like it worked.”
Yuuri shrugged. “I still have panic attacks sometimes, but it’s less than it used to be.”
Viktor nodded. “Well, that’s alright. To be honest I don’t know what to do to help someone through one, but I’ll do my best. Are you alright now?”
Yuuri’s eyes were a bit wide but he nodded. “I’m more curious than anything, I’ve never been to Russia, or London for that matter.”
Viktor chuckled, “Sadly we won’t be seeing more of London than the airport, but we can come back and see it properly. Perhaps at Christmas?”
Yuuri threw up his hands. “No, no! You don’t need to do that for me!”
Viktor ignored him. “Where else should we go? I don’t suppose you’ve ever been to Japan? Maybe we should go there this summer.”
Yuuri was blushing furiously, but his response was cut off by the Flight Attendant. “Something to drink, gentlemen?”
Viktor smiled up at her. “Champagne please. What would you like Yuuri?”
Yuuri stammered but finally muttered out something that Viktor couldn’t hear, but apparently the Flight Attendant could. “Green Tea? Alright.” Yuuri nodded gratefully and the woman moved on to the next row of seats.
“You really don’t have to do all this,” Yuuri breathed.
“Yuuri,” Viktor cooed, reaching over and placing his fingers on the Synthetic’s chin (his skin felt so lifelike!) and turning his face towards him. “I want to do these things. It’s just been Yuri and I since the day he was born. My parents visit sometimes, and Yakov’s around, but other than that, just us. Having someone new around means new experiences for us as well as you.”
“But Viktor, I’m…I’m not human,” he whispered, blushing slightly as his eyes continued to dart to Viktor’s fingers which were still on his chin.
“Yuuri, I know that inside you’re full of wires and not flesh, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be treated with the same respect as any human. I’ll admit to you, I was nervous about bringing you into my home simply because of that. But I’ve met you Yuuri, and there is something different about you. I don’t know what Chris did when he made you, but you’re special. I can feel it already. You surprised me Yuuri, and there isn’t much that surprises me anymore. So, if you wouldn’t mind, indulge this foolish human and his whims?”
He let his voice take a turn towards sultry (his flirt game might have been in the closet for the last six years, but apparently it was still in good working order) as he stared into Yuuri’s bright eyes earning him a positively adorable flush. Damn, he was so screwed.
“Ok,” Yuuri murmered and Viktor smiled back at him, slowly removing his fingers, they tingled where they’d been pressed against Yuuri’s skin.
“You want to do things that will make me happy?” Yuuri asked. Viktor nodded encouragingly as Yuuri bit his lip. “Would you…maybe…” He paused and Viktor waited with baited breath. What would Yuuri ask for? What would he want? His mind ran wild with possibilities that ranged from the tame to the downright embarrassing.
“Would you teach me to skate?” Yuuri asked softly. He was so adorable the way he asked these things, and VIktor could feel a heat flushing through his body in response.
Viktor kicked himself for being a pervert. “Of course, Yuuri! I was thinking once we get home I could show you around a bit, let you get used to the house before we go pick-up Yuri from school? We’ll go to the rink for a short practice after that, if that’s alright.”
Yuuri nodded.
“We’ll have to go shopping too. You’ll need some proper clothes for skating if we’re going to teach you; and skates too!”
“I can just rent some!” Yuuri squeaked making Viktor chuckle and lean in closer.
“Yuuri, you do realize I have several sponsorships with sporting good lines, right? I get most of my gear and equipment for free, and Yuri’s too. Don’t fight me on spoiling you; you won’t win.” Yuuri gulped at that, but nodded nonetheless.
After that they settled in and watched the inflight movie. The flight wasn’t especially long so Yuuri chose a Pixar movie for them, which didn’t particularly surprise Viktor. Nor was he surprised when Yuuri cried at the emotional climax. It was endearing to say the least.
They made it into London for a quick exchange onto their next flight. Apparently, Yuuri had some sort of Wi-fi connection built in because when Viktor wondered aloud about collecting a present for Yuri, Yuuri instantly directed them to a shop along the way that carried a small cat plush with a UK flag pattern on its fur.
“If you want I can program your credit card information into me and then I can pay for things using the tap system,” Yuuri offered as Viktor pocketed his wallet and took the bag with the plush in it from the clerk.
“Really?” Viktor asked in surprise as they headed for their gate. He could already hear the calls for early boarding.
Yuuri nodded. “It’s useful since you won’t have to order new cards for me, and it’s also secure since the information is all hidden within my programing. They’d have to hack pretty deep into my data to get that information, and to be honest, I’m not even sure it’s possible to do. During the early days of testing Chris had some hackers try and break into my systems. It was cute watching them try and get past my protocols.” Yuuri smirked mischievously and Viktor couldn’t help the little thrill of excitement that slid up his spine at the look.
“I take it you weren’t just sitting there and letting them hack you.”
Yuuri smiled happily. “Nope. I can write my own code on the fly if I need to, only I’m about a thousand times faster than any hacker. It was really fun playing with them, letting them think they’d gotten somewhere while I backdoored into their computers and destroyed their systems.”
Viktor blinked. “You have a competitive side I see.”
Yuuri just nodded, his eyes crinkled in amusement. “I know I have some problems, but there are a few things I do much better than my brothers and sisters thanks to the way Chris programed me, and I enjoy them. Like this.”
They had just approached their gate and Viktor was in the process of holding out their boarding passes but Yuuri stopped him, instead swiping his fingers over the scanner the flight attendant was holding. The computer beeped, showing their boarding information on the screen just like a boarding pass would.
“Digital boarding passes,” Yuuri smiled.
The flight attendant looked surprised but waved them on nonetheless.
“Are you sure that’s legal?” Viktor asked.
Yuuri just shrugged. “I’m a Synthetic. The law basically says I can do whatever I want to assist my owner as long as I don’t endanger anyone else or steal, so I have a lot of leeway.”
Viktor swallowed, suddenly very aware of an almost electric twinge coursing over his skin. “I somehow think I am in way over my head.”
Yuuri just grinned as they took their seats on the plane. He seemed more comfortable now, and Viktor couldn’t help but wonder why. Yuuri seemed to notice his slight confusion.
“Sorry, Chris says my moods swing pretty fast sometimes. He built me with a little bit of pride so I get really excited when I figure out something clever I can do.”
He blushed a little as he said it and Viktor couldn’t help but be charmed by the look. “That’s ok. It’s a cute personality trait, and a useful set of skills you seem to have.”
Yuuri smiled at him, his eyes shining under his lashes. “You should sleep, Viktor.”
“What about you?”
Yuuri blushed slightly and bit his lip. “I have a full charge and I kind of just want to experience this. Flying, people watching, the whole thing. Even picking my own in-flight movie. I’ve never done those things and I just want to remember it all.”
Viktor smiled, glad Yuuri had decided to express this desire. He reached into his bag and pulled out his tablet. “I have several books on here, as well as some TV shows. Feel free to use it while I sleep.”
Yuuri took the device in his hands, looking at it with something akin to awe, mouth slightly ajar. “Thank you,” he whispered, finally smiling and looking Viktor in the eyes. “Now sleep.”
Viktor smiled, and leaned back in his seat, curling up under his blanket. He snuck a covert peek at Yuuri out of the corn of his eye as the Synthetic looked out the window. There was something beautiful and tragic about him. Pensive and morose. Viktor found himself wanting desperately to unlock all his secrets, and he couldn’t help but wonder if a heart made of circuits could truly learn to love.