Work Text:
“He’s stunning, sir.” Taeyong murmurs against his ear—always formal—as Jungwoo descends from stasis, one last scan for bugs and misplaced wires, eyes gleaming as he takes in Minhyung helping their latest model off the platform.
Doyoung eyes them semi-cautiously, knowing Minhyung would take down any threat of a corrupt motherboard, of crossed wires.
He holds his breath as Jungwoo’s system come partially online —not fully, never fully, Dongyoung too fearful of them being taken advantage of if the android’s system blips on a scanner—and he takes in his surroundings, takes in Minhyung’s gentle encouragement and gentler introductions to various supplies and whirring machines surrounding them, not wanting to overwhelm his circuits with too much information.
Taeyong steps closer to the glass, face soft as Minhyung turns towards them and gives a thumbs up.
And Doyoung lets out the breath rattling around in his chest, parts fear and parts awe of what he’s created, of what Seoul has allowed him to do.
oh, and Seoul, the demon she is—full of sharp claws and pollution.
Dark alleys that lights nor empathy can reach, the never-ending hum of ships flying down the highways trying to escape her sin—the hum comforting now, puts him to sleep in his shitty, lonesome apartment—refusing pay for the things he's done—neon filling his peripherals as he tries to fall into a dreamless slumber.
A city, he hopes and prays to any higher power out there, that will never touch Jungwoo’s soft underbelly, never sink her teeth into the smooth artificial flesh of his chest, interrupting the gentle thrumming of machinery that replaces the beat of his should-be heart.
And Jungwoo is indeed beautiful, Dongyoung thinks. Too ethereal to be corrupt like the other androids they’ve lost. The guilt sitting on his shoulders as he spends never-ending nights in his lab—the only place dark enough to drown out the city’s venom and greed.
Doyoung admires the way Taeyong fiercely watches Minhyung, the way his face breaks into a boyish grin when Minhyung seemingly trips over nothing to show Jungwoo one of their monitors that has a display of all his vitals. Minhyung and Youngho the only two being left, the only two Taeyong has.
There’s more of them, sure—he knows Kun would take them in if the need ever arose, gentle in the way he keeps his boys safe, but they’re kept hidden from the world. Somehow too much for the current world of hovering vehicles and other minuscule AI mechanics that are deemed harmless. And it makes Dongyoung nauseous, to be creating them, to be a top scientist in this field, and potentially losing them to black-market trades for scrapes and wires. To be treated like slaves, sitting pretty to be used by the richest and most wealthy dogs of the underworld.
He’s too cowardly to quit, to give this all up—to give up the thrill of watching parts he’s given life to take a false breath, begin a hollowed life never fully theirs.
Too frightened of being truly and utterly alone.
The thought leaves his mind as the soft hiss of the door unlatching fills his head, Mingyung stepping out with Jungwoo in tow.
Minhyung dutifully returns to Taeyong’s side, smiling up at him as Jungwoo steps soundlessly towards Dongyoung—to inspect him, perhaps, but there’s a shy flit about his nature, which Doyoung finds endearing.
He didn’t program that bit in Jungwoo’s chip, at least, not intentionally.
The android smiles up at him, eyes gleaming metallically in the harsh lighting of the lab.
“Good morning, Jungwoo.”