Chapter Text
Pin-Lee held up a small box wrapped in colorful paper. “I got you a present!”
SecUnit made no movement. Barely blinked. Its eyes darted down at the box, then back at her. “No,” It said.
“No?”
“No.”
“You don’t even know-”
“Whatever it is, I don’t want it,” SecUnit said.
“Aren’t you the least bit curious what’s inside…?” She said in a tantalizing tone.
It jerked It’s head away, It’s frown deepening. This wasn’t the first time humans gave SecUnit “gifts”. On one end of the spectrum, humans were so wary around secunits that they avoided them, refused to make eye contact, and sometimes even exited rooms as soon as one entered. On the other end, humans loved to find ways to humiliate secunits. They would purposely put stupid hats on It, usually in the form of folded paper or pieces of trash, or even force It to wear graphic shirts with crude messages strewn across the chest. During SecUnit’s earlier career, the first shirt It was made to wear had an image of large breasts printed on the front and the words MILKJUGS in bold. The fact SecUnit was allowed to choose and dress itself was a freedom many didn’t understand.
The box Pin-Lee had didn’t seem big enough to hold a shirt, but a small hat or glasses could fit inside.
“Where’s the camera?” SecUnit asked.
Pin-Lee seemed startled. “What?”
“The camera. You’re going to take pictures of me, right? To show around, to jeer and laugh at, to keep in whatever personal folder you have to embarrass me later. You do realize I am not a dress-up doll, right? I have no intentions to wear whatever ugly accessory you have in that box.”
The little smile on Pin-Lee’s face slowly melted off. She stood there, unsure of what to do next, and then placed the box down on a nearby table. She lifted her chin. “It’s insulting how little you think of me,” she said. With that she left the room.
SecUnit watched her leave. It stood there, hands flexing, not sure of the emotions swirling inside. There was nothing wrong with wanting to avoid being humiliated for the joy of others. SecUnit had spent far too many years of Its life under the boot of humans.
Pin-Lee is my friend, It thought. Yes, humans made SecUnit’s life hell, but Pin-Lee wasn’t one of them. She’s always made a conscious effort to treat SecUnit as a person and has taken strides to change the way she talked to other bots.
It stared at the wrapped box. Guilt weighed down upon It’s shoulders like a heavy rock, forcing It to hunch.
It reached for the box.
There was no need to tear into the paper as the top could easily be slid off. Inside was not a funny small hat or a crude graphic shirt. Instead it was a portable drive with bold words written across it.
Sanctuary Moon: The Lost Episodes
SecUnit sucked in a breath. It groaned out loud, “Oh, I’m such an asshole!”
***
About a half hour later, Pin-Lee got a notification from SecUnit.
Can you come over?
Pin-Lee considered telling It to fuck off. She was still miffed. She spent a long time hunting those episodes down, calling in favors, gave a few bribes, and even gave up a couple of her own personal collectibles. To have SecUnit turn It’s nose up at her without even checking to see what it was hurt. She was ready to send back the heated reply when she paused, biting the inside of her cheek.
Pin-Lee wasn’t one to hold a grudge. She sighed and deleted her first reply. She sent, Sure.
A few minutes later she was standing in front of SecUnit’s door. She knocked.
“Come in,” It said.
Pin-Lee wasn’t sure what to expect. Hardly no one was ever allowed in SecUnit’s room. Even Dr. Mensah has only entered a handful of times. To be invited like this felt honorary, though Pin-Lee still felt quite irked by the earlier treatment. She entered the room and stopped suddenly, staring.
SecUnit was standing there, It’s face pinched. In It’s hands, It held a bowl of popcorn.
“Thank you for the gift,” It said. “Do you want to watch the episodes with me?”
Pin-Lee had to put a hand over her mouth as she was not sure if she wanted to laugh or yell. The thought of SecUnit going to the kitchen area, a place It hated, just to heat up a bag of popcorn as an apology was too much. If Pin-Lee burst out laughing now, she was sure to humiliate the poor bot. That was the last thing she wanted.
Pin-Lee swallowed, finally calming herself down and asked, “Do you really want me watching the episodes sitting next to you? While I eat popcorn? I'm a loud chewer."
The pinched look got more intense. The thought had obviously not entered SecUnit’s head till now. “I… definitely would not like that.”
Pin-Lee turned to leave.
“But-!” SecUnit called out. “I… I’d rather be friends first.”
This time Pin-Lee allowed herself to smile. “I’d like that too.”