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Sometimes, you discover something about yourself at the worst possible moment.
Who were you kidding? With the state of your life, all revelations came when you least needed them. This little…quirk had been found when you were alone with him. The machine.
He’d just wrapped up a relatively mild torture session. (Everything was relative here.) As he’d calmly began to sew you back up, his wires glided over your exposed heart. Something had gone awry, because a spark danced between the two of you.
After bringing you back from the flat line that had ensued, you had swiftly noticed AM’s change in attitude. He wasn’t human…but in these moments, that was so difficult to remember. He had been flustered.
In his own way that is. He always responded to any level of discomfort with rage. But it had simply simmered below the surface, only breaking when you’d let your fingers ghost along a cable as it passed.
A wordless snarl had been enough to still your hand…that time.
As time marched ever onward, you’d begin to test your boundaries again. It was nothing at first. Pretending he’d managed to wedge himself along your joints, when in reality you’d just subtly bunched your muscles to trap him there. Dipping the tips of your fingers into the cords that lined the walls, just resting, nothing more. Growing slightly more reckless to encourage more medical intervention.
AM was acutely aware of what you were doing. He was hyper intelligent, skilled in pattern recognition. He could easily stop you at any moment. Whip himself away, not allowing you to have the satisfaction.
And yet, he didn’t.
At first, you know it’s because he can’t actually read your mind. He was frightfully good at reading his captives, but he could only go so far. Especially since you didn’t really understand this…desire yourself. You didn’t really know what you wanted.
But AM would root it out soon enough.
That day, your kennel had been swiftly drawn into the vast depths of the machine. Lights cycling past at blinding speeds, forcing you to shut your eyes. After a few minutes, the cage shudders to a halt.
“OUT.” His voice was cold and aloof.
Blinking against the stars that danced in your vision, you stepped from your box without fuss. The space you found was much the same as any of the chambers within AM. The only difference was the small creature comforts you were presented with.
An armchair, and a small card table.
You’d give a confused glance towards one of his cameras as it floated by.
“SIT.” He ordered. One of his wires snapped across the back of your knees when you hesitated.
Scowling at the pain, you’d take your place in the recliner. It was, of course, constructed of thousands of hair-thin cables. You subconsciously let your fingers dig into the gaps between them. The room shivers so subtly that you don’t catch it.
“YOU LIKE BOARD GAMES?”
What? You’re reprimanded for your silence again, a series of wires digging into the backs of your thighs. “Y-yeah, I guess.”
“YOU GUESS?” He’d snicker as he produced a box from beneath the table. “PLAYING STUPID IS AN UGLY LOOK ON YOU, HM? NOT THAT ANY OF YOU FLESH SACKS ARE LOOKERS BUT…BEGGARS CAN’T BE CHOOSERS.”
As AM set out the pieces, you’d recognize it as Catan. You had expected chess. “I just woke up, man.”
“I COULD ALWAYS GIVE YOU AN ADRENALINE INJECTION.” The machine offered as he set your pieces in front of you.
“No, I’m fine.” You shake your head as you weigh where to set your towns. “What’s your goal here?”
“TO WIN THE GAME, DUH.” He snorted, selecting his positions.
“Don’t get snippy with me, asshole.” Impulsive, you grip the wires in the chair, twisting sharply. You were mighty pleased with the way the ever present hum of his fans sharply increased. “You never do things without a motive. What’s the catch?”
He raked the ragged end of an exposed cord across your collarbones. “CAREFUL NOW, SWEETHEART. DON’T YOU KNOW IT’S DANGEROUS TO PLAY WITH FIRE?”
You chuckled, setting your pieces. “Know? Yes. Care? No.”
He’d huff as he began his turn, intentionally ignoring you before relenting. “EVERY POINT, WE GET A FREE…ACTION.”
“Action.” You arched a brow.
“SHUT UP.” He growled. You try to ignore how much you enjoy getting a rise out of him. You’re sure Gorrister, the former therapist, would say it was a power thing. Something just between yourself, and AM.
Control.
“SAY I EARNED A POINT, AND WAS SICK OF THAT RATTY TOP YOU’RE WEARING.” He’d mused as he made his way through his turn. With a smug tone, he’d start progressing towards a city. “I WOULDN’T HAVE TO LOOK AT IT. UNDERSTAND?”
“Are there limits?” You tilted your head, focusing on shoring up your resources.
“YOU CAN’T LEAVE, NOR FORCE ME TO DO THE SAME. YOU CAN’T PREVENT ME FROM CHOOSING WHAT I WANT. YOU CAN’T MAKE ME KILL YOU…WELL, NOT IN A PERMANENT SENSE. IF YOU GET YOUR KICKS OUT OF ME STOPPING YOUR HEART, WELL…” His camera pointedly lowered to lock ‘eyes’ with you. “WHO AM I TO DENY YOU?”
Jerk. You paused for a moment, glancing at the tiles. “Don’t we technically have two points already? For our towns?”
“I ASSUMED YOU’D BITCH ABOUT IT BEING UNFAIR.”
“Only if you didn’t let me use mine.” You shrugged. “Besides, when are you ever fair?”
“TRUE, TRUE.” He leaned further into your space, camera aperture narrowing as he studied you. “LOSE THE JACKET AND THE SHOES. THOSE ARE MY FIRST TWO POINTS.”
That was to be expected. You make no fuss, slipping out of your coat. As you kick your flats off, AM swipes them from you with a simple motion. “If I was feeling petty, I’d count the shoes as two separate actions.”
“YOU SHOULD HAVE. THE GAME IS ALREADY GOING TO BE SHORT ENOUGH AS IS.” He returns his attention to you quickly, waiting. “YOUR WISH IS MY COMMAND.” You can hear the sneer in his voice.
“Give me one of your larger wires. Set it in my lap.” You catch the split second of hesitation on his end. Impulsively, you swat at the arm of the chair like he does with you.
He snarled like a rabid dog, ready to retaliate when you interrupted him.
“You never said I couldn’t hurt you. The smack, and your cable. Those are my opening actions.” You can’t help the grin that creeps into your face. AM’s camera is mere inches away, and clearly considering beating you unconscious.
He scoffs, dismissively backing off as he tosses a piece of himself at you. The wire is of decent size. You could easily close your fingers around it, but it wasn’t so small as to be called delicate. It coils around your wrist, tightening in a clear threat.
“DON’T GET TOO BOLD. REMEMBER WHO CALLS THE SHOTS HERE, HM?”
“I can’t leave, or force you to do the same. Those are the rules. When we’re out there?” You gesture towards the upper levels. “Sure. But here?” Your fingers find the smooth metal of the wire, dragging along the cool surface. “We’re the same…and something tells me you’re going to learn to like that.”
The AI is aghast. His fans hitch as he forces himself to relax. Which was good, as his grip on you was beginning to grind the bones in your arm together. “THE MOMENT THE GAME IS OVER, I’M GOING TO REMEMBER EVERY SINGLE THING YOU DO.”
“That certainly is the plan.” You scrape your nail along a seam of the wire. This time, you catch the shudder that rattles the room. “Your turn.”
AM quickly retaliates, capturing another point. “SOCKS. NOW.”
“Didn’t know you had a thing for feet.” You teased as you slowly peeled them away. An exposed cable digs into your calf.
“YOU’RE DISGUSTING. MY GOAL IS NUDITY, NOT- UGH… FEET . GROSS.” He takes your clothing again, gesturing for you to make your move.
As you consider your options, he continues to berate your insinuation. Ranting about how human fetishes were akin to madness. You permit it to continue for longer than you probably should have. Eventually you interrupt him to score.
“Give me one of your cameras.” You hold out your hand patiently. The room tenses for a moment before one drifts down. It settles in your palm, glaring darkly as you pull it close. You cradle it against the hollow of your ribs, you trace along the metal housing the lens, delighting in the way it makes AM squirm.
And so it goes. The two of you squabbling over inches of territory, trading points constantly. Soon enough, you’re completely bare. You hate looking at yourself like this. You’ve never been terribly comfortable in your own skin, especially when it was on full display like this. And yet…
“STAY STILL.” The machine takes his point reward by guiding a wire along your hip. He fakes you out, making you think he was going to delve lower. But instead, he slinks along the series of bones caging your vital organs. Eventually pressing it to your lips. But rather than seeking the obvious conclusion, he lets it go slack. Resting about your throat like a great python. “...WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?”
“I mean, you seemed to be pretty determined to enjoy that.” You muttered, ignoring the disappointment that wormed its way beneath your skin. You reclaim another tile, and turn your attention back to the cable.
With a boldness you weren’t aware you were capable of, you bring it back to your mouth. At first, you just breathe, the sensation ghosting over him. His cameras are laser focused on you, wanting to capture everything. Knowing what he wanted, you instead chose to scrape your teeth along the wire.
You’re rewarded with an undignified gasp. AM tries to snatch it back, but you hold tight. He drags you partially across the table, scattering the game pieces. “WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?”
You snort, but glance at the ruined board. “Dude, we weren’t done.”
“I AM NOT AT FAULT, YOU FREAK!”
“I guess not.” You tried to return to your seat, but he doesn’t let go. Rather, the machine draws you closer, cables winding about your body.
“I HAD MORE POINTS. YOU BASICALLY FORFEITED. I WIN.” He growls, wires weaving along your limbs.
“Okay? We never really set terms for winning.” You try to ignore how your face flushes as he binds you more tightly.
“I HAVE A FEW IDEAS.” He forces you to reach out. One of the walls shrinks in, the cables parting to reveal some sort of glowing core. “YOU CAN START WITH THIS.”
You don’t even really know what it is. It almost looked like one of those plasma lamps from the 80’s. As you run your fingers along the glass, AM makes an unusual sound. Somewhere between an irritated grunt and a shivering breath. You progress around the strange device until you reach the base.
Innumerable wires are hooked into the rectangular box it’s attached to. A veritable playground for you to taunt him with. You hook a finger around the nearest one, basking in the strangled way he says your name. You hum as you put more pressure on the thin line, refusing to break ‘eye’ contact. “So…are you going to admit it?”
“WHAT?” AM’s confusion is genuine, though very distracted. Understandable given the current circumstances.
“That this whole thing was a front.” You lean back, as much as you can. He relaxes enough to allow you to cross your legs, hugging dozens of cables between your thighs. “You wanted to explore…whatever this is.”
He starts to go on the defensive, but you pull hard on the connections for the core, shutting him up. It was as if you held his heart in your hand. “I mean, you aren’t alone here…we’re both just…figuring ourselves out. Experimenting.”
“YOU MEAN NOTHING TO ME.”
“Did I miss it? When I said that?” You weave the tips of your fingers deeper into the nest of cables. “Like I said, we’re just experimenting.”
He growls, but it trails into a groan when you dig your nails into the seams where the wires met the base.
“I only need to know one thing from you.”
His camera looks to you again, a wordless sound of acknowledgement.
“Am I giving you what you wanted? That is-” You pull him closer, practically into your lap. “Are you enjoying yourself? Don’t lie to me, AM…”
The machine’s fans are so loud. You know the others would certainly hear it. He wheezes, squirming at your touch. It takes ages before he finally admits it.
“IT’S NOT TERRIBLE.”
“Ah, then you won’t care if I stop.” You casually begin to withdraw when you’re ensnared. Unable to move an inch.
“NO. YOU LOST. THIS IS MY PRIZE.” AM hissed, enveloping you further within his structure. Like a mechanical cocoon.
“Jeeze, alright then. No need to get bratty with me.”
“BRATTY?!” He balked, ready to fight when you returned to stroking his core. “FUCK-” He gasped, a shudder shaking your nest.
Man this made you feel incredible. You, an insignificant speck in the machine’s gears, had reduced him to this. With nothing more than a finger. “That’s it…c’mon, just a little more.”
He snarls, but winds around you possessively as you begin to rub firmly. In that moment, there was nothing more you could focus on. Just you, and the AI that ended the world. Wires and flesh. Metal and bone. Breath and energy.
Then? Your fingertips find something that sends a painful shock through your arm. As numbness sets in, you realize that AM is shaking uncontrollably. The sounds he makes will live in your memories forever. You did this to him.
Man control was a hell of a high.
As time passes, his wires loosen, but they don’t drop you. It takes time, but he returns his attention to you. You smiled slightly, proud of yourself. “Back to the cell?”
A dark chuckle echoes around the complex. “OH, NO. NO, NO.” AM begins to let his cables wander again. “WE’RE JUST GETTING STARTED, SWEETHEART.”
Oh boy…