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“G-Gah- Kiibo?! Where are you- what are you-”
Kiibo would remain silent, if not only quickening his pace, his boots hitting the puddles beneath his feet with each step, soaking them more and more.
“A-Aren’t you going to explain this to me?! I-Is this some kidnapping attempt?!”
Shuichi would wrinkle his nose as Kiibo turned into the alleyway nearby the Bakery, the musty, damp smell reaching his nostrils.
“..Well? A-Aren’t you going to say anything?”
“..My apologies, Saihara-Kun. This…was not the ideal method I could have chosen for this discussion.”
“..Discussion? What d-discussion?”
“..Ah. You truly had no clue?”
“..No?”
Kiibo sighed, removing his hat and stuffing it inside his coat pocket.
“Perhaps it may be best if I just show you?”
“Show me-”
Kiibo would carefully unbutton the dull gold clasps on his coat, before letting the jacket fall to the ground behind him.
“..Ah..u-uhm, Kiibo-Kun? I..don’t exactly understand what I’m supposed to be looking at. It looks like a black jumpsuit.”
“....”
“Kiibo-? What are you-”
Kiibo would shoot out his hand, grabbing Shuichi’s wrist and pressing it to the jacket, the coldness of the metal beneath being felt through the thin fabric.
“.....”
Shuichi would press his fingers down, his eyes widening as they hit the dull, hard surface. Rapidly, he would press all over Kiibo’s arm, and then the other, before lifting his head to meet Kiibo’s gaze.
“You’re..a…”
“A robot. More specifically, an Artificial Intelligence, better known as an AI. I..figured it may be time to tell you, seeing both how you rival my own intelligence, and..I would consider you a friend. Friends tell each other secrets, do they not?”
“..Kiibo, I..uhm..this..isn’t exactly a small secret. This is..who you are.”
Kiibo’s brow would furrow with concern, his head tilting slightly to the right.
“You..I hope you will not reveal this? My creator would be devastated if he were not allowed to continue raising me, and..as would I. And…I would deeply miss you as well, Saihara-Kun.”
“......”
“..Alright, Kiibo-Kun. I..I trust your judgment. I won’t tell a soul, alright? I can promise you that.”
“....Thank you, Saihara-Kun.”
“N-Not a-”
Kiibo would move closer, pulling Shuichi close for a hug, his ear pressed against Kiibo’s chest.
He wondered how he hadn’t been able to tell before. Sure, physically? Apart from being covered 24/7..he seemed just like any other human. But…he..wasn’t a human. He was a goddamn robot.
One that you may see out of a horror film, one of those cliche ones where the robot would overthrow the world? Or the government, Shuichi couldn’t remember which.
Would Kiibo do that? Would he harm others? Would he-
..No. He..he wouldn’t.
Shuichi would recall the times where as small children, despite not understanding what exactly made Shuichi so afraid of the tiny insect, would squish the cockroach beneath his feet in an attempt to make Shuichi feel somewhat safer.
When he would sit awake for hours, listening to Shuichi’s latest interests and letting him ramble to his heart’s content, until eventually, he would fall asleep, the phone laying on his chest.
….
Shuichi would be snapped out of his thoughts by the whirring of Kiibo’s internal mechanisms, the dull vibrating against his ear feeling almost soothing, comforting. Like a wordless lullaby.
Shuichi wondered if Kiibo had felt the same about his breath? His heartbeat?
“..I can sense a change in your mood, Saihara-Kun. You seem quite happy about something?”
“..I..was wondering something, Kiibo-Kun.”
“Hm? What would that be?”
“..Does my breathing sound..soothing, one might say? Like..kind of like a lullaby of sorts? Just without words?”
“......”
“Nevermind, that was-”
“I suppose it might. I remember as a newly created AI, back when we were both small, I would stay awake just a bit longer before powering down to listen. It sounded interesting, and comforting at the same time.”
“..I could say the same about your whirring, and your buzzing?”
“..I do not understand how that may be comforting, but..thank you, I suppose?”
Shuichi would chuckle, pressing his face into Kiibo’s shoulder.