"Learning Humans" (Heat Guy J, J + Daisuke)

[nekokoban]

Title: Learning Humans
Author: nekokoban
Rating: totally worksafe o/
Warnings: N/A
Word count: 494
Summary: From the prompt: Heat Guy J, J/Daisuke: android/human - "Partners"

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He's not drunk -- though maybe just a little tipsy -- when he says, "J, let me see your hand."

J turns his head slowly. He's still so brand-new that his neck joints squeak with the movement; he's a looming and too-obvious presence. Daisuke's not entirely sure if he'll ever get used to having this machine following him everywhere and anywhere. "Do you require assistance, Daisuke?"

"Nah, just ..." Daisuke handwaves drowsily. "Lemme see your hand." He reaches out and snags his fingers in the sleeve of J's coat, tugging till the machine lifts his hand obediently. Daisuke touches their palm together, stretching his fingers as wide as they can go. Even straining, the tips of his fingers reach only just reach to the first knuckle of J's own. The machine's synthetic skin is perfectly regulated to human core body temperature, but abnormally smooth: a machine doesn't develop calluses, the skin simply wears down to the metal skeleton beneath, and is eventually replaced. Daisuke considers this. His own breath tastes like alcohol when he inhales; he makes a brief face and decides himself done for the night.

"Do you feel anything at all?" he asks "Like this, I mean."

J stares at him. "I have exactly two million and fifty-sex sensors in each palm, wired up through the fingertips" he says. "They are sufficient for recording all stimuli I may potentially come into contact with."

"That's not really what I ... never mind." Daisuke pulls his hand back and turns it over to study his palm, callused and . After a moment, he curls it into a fist and knocks it briefly against J's still-raised palm. J meets his gaze solemnly, craggy-faced and deadpan, uncomprehending. He reminds Daisuke of some large patient herding dog, waiting for some sort of acknowledgement. He smiles and realizes he means it; it's unexpected, but not unwelcomed. "You've got a lot to learn, don't you?"

"My databases are completely up-to-date as of two months ago," J drones. He stares straight straight down at Daisuke. "Dr. Bellucchi and the scientists at SECT made sure that my AI was well-equipped to handle--"

"No, no, not like that." Daisuke leans back, waving his hand dismissively. "You have to learn to blend in. Like a regular human. Machines are still illegal, even if you're around. Can't have you tipping anyone off, right?"

J looks at him. His expression remains blank, though with a tilted head and squinted eyes, one could easily project confusion onto his worn face. Daisuke scrubs a hand through his hair, and smiles again helplessly. This was what Antonia had stressed to him in detail, that J would learn from him as much as he would (theoretically) come to rely on J.

"No matter," he says. "That's what you've got me for." He curls his fingers into a mock-gun, index finger and thumb extended. He points it at J, grinning. "You leave it all to me."

Comments

[rosehiptea.livejournal.com]

Oh I love that! It's so perfect, Daisuke contemplating J and their differences and learning to care about him.

[nekokoban]

*g* I love how Daisuke complains about J and totally doesn't mean it at all; it's one of my favorite relationships in the series.

I'm glad that you liked this, thank you for reading! ♥

[ladyrazorsharp.livejournal.com]

This is so much squee! HGJ is one of my favorite series. Loved it!

[nekokoban]

It's sort of one of mine, too. *g* I'm glad there are other fans of the series around, and I'm glad that you liked this! ♥