diversified | three's company, too

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three's company, too | [ psl ]

WHO Felix Bakar (

ambibionic), Will Vega, Junior Edition (

androit), Ash Starmer 2.0 (

subroutined)
WHAT Some people don't care enough for their belongings, even the sentient ones. Junior and Felix are gonna fix a few of those shortcomings for their new... acquisition.
WHEN 2106. Junior is 26, Felix is 28, Ash is ??? clone?
WHERE Local shopping center. Mall. Thing.
WHY We don't have to explain ourselves to you

It had been a while in coming and some struggle with financing, but eventually (finally), Junior and Felix had managed to "relieve" Ash of his duty at the company where he had been "employed". (Owned was more like it, and Junior tried not to think about what it meant to save one synth from his fate while leaving the rest there in continued disservice to their individuality.) The two of them owed Ash a lot, not the least of which being their current relationship status. It was a bit convoluted all told, but the fact of the matter was, once Junior understood what was happening with the business, he couldn't just leave it alone.

So, not only did they have a synthetic clone under joint possession between them but it had become rapidly apparent that Ash had no possessions to his name. Two sets of clothing. That was all he was released to them with and it definitely wasn't enough, no matter that he didn't sweat or otherwise dirty them at the same speed or in the same way as breathing humans did. Now they were at the mall, and Junior was hoping to get out of it with minimal attention. It was how he always operated in too big of an open space, much more happy to focus on the people he came with than anything else external.

"All right, where first?" he asked to the both of them. Ash's accent was foreign but there was no way of telling whether that was natural or programmed, so he wasn't going to assume he might not be familiar with the area. "I haven't actually been to this mall for a while... Has anything changed?"

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Ash want sure what had possessed him to stay in touch with Junior after their contract was finished. It was highly unusual and, frankly, not strictly allowed. For exactly this reason; Ash's bosses (owners) feared that if their employees (property) were to create ties with outsiders, those outsiders would try to steal the employees away.

Luckily for Ash, Junior didn't just try, he succeeded.

When Junior had first introduced Ash to Felix, Ash immediately knew he was the 'guy' Junior had mentioned when they first met. There was a way one acted around the someone they loved. Having been programmed to replicate the Real Ash's feelings for Martha, he recognized it easily. So while he felt a bit like a third wheel, the two never made him feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. In fact, they treated him better than anyone has ever treated him before, as if he were just as deserving of things as any regular human being.

Ash walked in between and slightly behind Felix and Junior, following their lead in this unfamiliar environment. "I wouldn't know, I've never been."

This whole situation was a whole new weird to Felix. Technically, his life was already strange enough, what with being a famous dancer by day and assassin by night and sometimes also by day whenever someone tried to kill or capture Junior due to his unknown status as the scion to the Vega assassin legacy. You'd think he'd be used to weird, but it was different to have your boyfriend end up whisking away a synth to add to their little relationship. Felix was the jealous sort, but he couldn't really work up any jealousy towards Ash once he met him. It helped that the synth fit his type almost as well as Junior did.

Wearing a jacket and glasses with the rest of his clothes, Felix was trying to look normal, hide his status as a cyborg so people wouldn't give them any second glances. None of them needed the attention and he wasn't going to help them stand out more than they already did. The mall was a familiar one, though like Junior, he hadn't been in a while. He's been busy, after all.

"Not that I know of, but I don't exactly go out shopping much anymore," he said with a slight gesture of his hand to indicate his cybernetics. Glancing around for a moment, he looked back at Ash for a long moment, studying him as if to figure out just what kind of clothes he'd think would look the best on him. "I know there's a good place in here that should have some stuff that would work for you. If they're still there. If they're not, we can wander. We'll find something good looking for you either way."

Weird didn't really begin to cover the kinds of turns Junior's life had taken. He'd recently ended up in a relationship with is lifelong crush essentially due to having been rented a mechanical prostitute and now he'd even acquired the prostitute for himself if only simply to give him more of an opportunity to exist outside of all that. His grandparents were as cagey as usual, but business was good and he'd managed to convert the apartment above the bakery into a storage-slash-office space and moved out into someplace better.

All in all, things were weird but also the best they'd ever been. (Aside from all the assassins after his head which he was blissfully unaware of, anyway.) "Right," Junior said, turning to eye Felix for a moment. "You're more of a tailor-clothes kind of guy nowadays?" There was no judgment in the tone, more like actual interest. No matter what he wore, Felix always looked great to Junior.

"Anyway, I actually haven't been back here since, uh..." He made a vague motion, flat hand moving upward as if to indicate height. His growth spurt from 5'4" to 6'3" had been unexpected, dramatic and all happened away from home after he had started college. Coming back to the city was like looking at it from an entirely new pair of eyes. "So Felix should probably lead. Oh, but—if you see anything, stop us?"

"Alright," Ash promised, though he honestly doubted he'd be stopping them anytime soon. All his belongings and clothes had been provided to him, either by Martha as hand me downs from the Real Ash, or later, by the company who had taken him off her hands. He had no sense of what would be 'good looking' on him, so he put his trust in Junior and Felix to decide.

A slight snort of amusement was elicited from Junior's words. It was a reminder that Felix wasn't exactly the normal one of the three and that was even after the fact that Ash was a synthetic clone and Junior an android, both created for a purpose that neither were fulfilling at this point.

"Hey, blame my publicist for the tailor-made crap. She threatened to destroy my favorite jackets when I came to an interview wearing one." Grinning a bit, he reached over to place a hand on Ash's shoulder, showing a rare amount of affection to someone outside of Junior. "I'll teach you the ways of looking fashionable since electric boogaloo over there barely has any idea as to how to look good. And you definitely have to tell me what you're made up of later because I'm curious."

Junior looked over to Ash when Felix reached out for him, then dipped his head to hide his smile. Felix showing interest in someone other than him wasn't a point of jealousy so much as pride. Oddly enough, he was glad Felix could make that connection, secure in the one they already had, since even their group of friends still experienced some of the Felix Bakar Wall on an everyday basis. It wasn't Felix's fault and no one really blamed him for the steps he went through. This little outreach just meant more than Ash would probably get just yet.

"Not exactly the sort of skillset I was interested in growing up," he agreed easily. He wasn't a walking disaster or anything, but he knew how to dress casual and business casual and kind of business. Not much dressing up or for special occasions. Not that he was typical in a lot of ways, but Junior did find it entertaining that he basically didn't follow any laws of what people might expect from him. "Thankfully, we're not here about me today."

The friendly touch was unexpected in this context, and Ash really had no reference point to know what it meant. Maybe Felix was just a physical person? Maybe this was normal human behavior? Who was he to know?

Ash's face went blank for a millisecond as he had to internally reference what 'electric boogaloo' meant. But eventually he smiled his typically friendly smile and nodded. "Later, yeah. I will."

He regarded Junior for a moment as they walked, taking in his appearance from head to toe. Granted, he knew nothing about fashion, but...

"I think he looks good. You look good, I mean. I like the way you look."

For all that he seemed upbeat and outgoing, Felix wasn't a people person, preferring to wall himself off from everyone physically and emotionally if they weren't Junior. Even that small touch was a sign that Felix approved of his presence in some way, more than even some of his friends that he had known for years had with him. Not that he'd ever say it. Junior was more than welcome to tell him though.

"Of course he looks good, but he looks good naked, as I'm sure you can agree with me here," Felix said as he glanced at Junior and smiled, a teasing expression on his face. "Not that he's going to escape from getting new clothes because I'm going to get both of you tailored suits just in case of emergencies."

"Oh god," Junior said automatically. One hand came up to cover his mouth while he ducked his head, this time out of sheer instinctual embarrassment. Of all the people to start talking about how he looked, it had to be the two who had most recently seen him naked. More than that, even. Pulling his hand down his face, on lingering and pressing more on the scar at the corner of his mouth, he exhaled a bit shaky with laughter and shook his head to try and work it off.

Okay. So. That was that, and he didn't really have a leg to stand on and argue with them. No one was their own best judge. Still, they were in the middle of a mall and some people were around and hopefully no one heard... although, really, who cared if they did? Junior didn't, not really, it was just the natural reaction, the unstoppable red floating to his cheeks and the tips of his ears.

"I've got suits, Felix," he said, voice unconsciously going into something of a mumble. "Even if they're not tailored. They're fine. Let's focus on Ash today."

Edited (accidentally a word) 2016-06-11 06:45 (UTC)

Ash smiled, his internal memory pulling up the recording of Junior lying over him, nude as the day he was born. But then he observed the scar at the corner of Junior's lips, one that had definitely not been there when they'd first met. "What happened there?" he asked, motioning to his own lip.

A part of him still wanted to know what sort of emergency required a tailored suit, but this was more important. Had someone hurt Junior?

"Your loss," he responded before Ash brought up the scar and Felix's hand involuntarily twitched on Ash's shoulder at the question. That was an awkward topic, one both were embarrassed about because they had gone too far during one of their first times together. Felix wasn't going to hide the truth from Ash since he was a part of their relationship now and he deserved to know of it instead of the lies he and Junior usually thought up.

"Well, our dear Will here, as we stumbled upon during one particular moment of lovemaking, is really into pain and I mean really into pain." He had to pause for a moment as the memory rose back up of them together, cybernetic hands gripping too tight on hips and Junior enjoying it. "Once we found that out, we decided to experiment a bit and I kind of...went a bit too far, thus the scar."

Perhaps unfortunately, Junior had acquired a bit of a reaction to people asking about the scar. It wasn't that he was ashamed for it, simply more that he hoped to keep things from getting awkward because it was something between himself and Felix. That there might be someone else to consider now didn't really change the reaction. "I broke a glass once on accident. It was stupid, really—"

Wait. Oh. Felix beat him to it and... with the truth? That kind of pushed him out of the embarrassment and he slowly shrugged, licking his bottom lip where the scar itself started. Something like a comforting motion to him now. Even if they went farther than they should have, he still liked that it was there and what it meant for them.

"I mean, we're not weird about it or anything," he said, not truly descending into mumbles. It was more his lack of social ability than anything, not sure how to really explain it to someone for whom it really could matter.

Ash's face went blank as Felix explained the reason behind the scar, the truest evidence of his genuine surprise. "Into pain?" He had a hard time wrapping his mind around that one. Sure, he knew of it in an intellectual sense, but he'd never experienced a sadomasochistic partner before. There were strict rules about harming synths, as their contents were both potentially toxic and the subject of many legal battles over intellectual property and trade secrets. He isn't even sure he's capable of feeling pain.

"Sorry, I guess I just can't understand that yet." Not that he would ever try to talk Junior out of what he liked, just that he was probably going to be no good in that field.

But oh look, a clothing store!

"You'll figure it out soon enough. If you want, you can observe us next time we try it, see what it's like. Watch how much Will squirms the entire time." Okay, so maybe Felix was a bit of a tease when it came to Junior. There was no shame in that, especially around Ash, who was definitely going to learn what kind of person Felix was.

"But enough about him, let's check this store out. I want to find you something nice, okay?" Hand moving from shoulder down to Ash's hand, he grasped it and moved to lead him into the clothing store in question. "There's going to be no worrying about prices from either of you. My wallet can handle the abuse."

"What, like a show?" asked Junior while he trailed behind. It was odd to see Felix so open with someone else but, as before, he still wasn't jealous. He liked it. Liked the feeling that maybe he could share some of it with someone else he trusted and wanted to like just the same. Weird but good but still a little confusing. Not bad. The idea of being taken by Felix just so someone else could watch and maybe learn something about himself or Junior in the process...

... well, now wasn't the time to entertain thoughts like that.

He shook his head, standing himself on the other side of Ash, companionably or maybe even protectively. This whole thing was a bit beyond his ken but he knew what he'd like to see on other people so maybe he'd still be of some use. "Again, we're not shopping for me today. It's just him, so your wallet won't be crying that badly. Besides, it's not really something a lot of people are into anyway," he said, sotto voice, to Ash once he figured not many people would hear it.

Edited 2016-06-11 07:25 (UTC)

Ash grinned wickedly. "I'd like a show like that." He'd never been able to be a voyeur before, but he'd been hired to fuck another synthetic or human while others watched. It would be interesting to be on the other side; just one of the many ways Junior and Felix have changed his life and set him free.

He understood what Junior said to him quietly, and nodded, but he still wanted to do his best to understand. He owed these two men a great debt for buying out his contract, and he wanted to repay then however he could. If pain was what Junior wanted, then Ash wanted to give it to him.

Ash let himself be led info the store, looking around at the different displays. "I'd hope not to make your wallet cry too much. I don't need that many new clothes..."

"I like him," Felix said to Junior, looking genuinely pleased by Ash's response. It took a lot for Felix to say that and not be teasing or lying about it, so that comment was definitely worth something even if Ash didn't know the true extent of that.

"I have enough money to buy you five full wardrobes of clothes without stretching things, my wallet will survive this day without issue." He was an assassin and jobs that dealt with that tended to pay well if he succeeded and since he was one of the best still alive, it usually meant he got paid on a normal basis. There was no way this was going to break the bank. "Let's start casual first. Will, you check his sizes and we'll go find something that both fits and looks good on you."

That remark alone got a beaming smile from Junior. He knew what the non-teasing comment really meant and appreciated it for what Felix intended to convey. Approval for Ash, and maybe just a bit of approval for Junior managing to find someone they could both click with so well. He'd done well and wasn't so modest as to not accept that; just too shy to really make a deal of it.

Instead of harping on it, he turned to Ash with an entertained and still rather pleased look. "Dancers," he said, as if that would explain everything. Not that he understood the extent of Felix's pay (or had any idea about his actual day job), but he also knew Felix wasn't the type to exaggerate such matters. That still didn't mean he needed to be buttered up all the time, happy enough to be with the person rather than the bank account. "Sizes, though... I mean, he's probably just a size under me, if that."

Ash, after all, was hardly much shorter but lacked a lot in the musculature that Junior kept. Mostly in his arms but his shoulders were broader as well, and it would probably be more comfortable to find something that didn't hang too loose. His first instinct was to go for something average to start. "What are you thinking?"

Ash gave Felix the same appraising gaze he'd given Junior earlier, taking in his overall appearance and mentally comparing it to what he had for reference under the subset of 'dancers.' Felix is physically fit, to be sure, and shorter than Junior or himself. His mental definitions firmly adjusted, he stands next to a mannequin (as still as one himself) and lets the two men judge his apparent size.

His height was what made people underestimate him usually and the clothes he was wearing now hide the fact that he was in top physical shape outside of the lack of real arms. All Felix did at the gaze was shrug and then turn his attention back to the important topic of dressing their synth.

"Yeah, definitely around your size, little bit shorter and not nearly as broad as you. We'll go with t-shirts and jeans for now, maybe toss in some vests for addition layering and help make him look like there's more to him than just that. Or go the other way and show off just how slim he is in comparison." Felix looked thoughtful, studying Ash like this was the most important thing on his mind. It was, outside of his desire to protect Junior from all threats, though that he'd keep a secret. "What do you think, Will? Ash? I want opinions here, people."

Junior scoffed at the people, entertainment high rather than insult. He really was an easy going guy and completely used to Felix besides. He wasn't ever going to get angry for anything he did, although flustered and embarrassed were different stories. Called up to bat, he moved to stand next to Felix now that Ash had given them a better angle to appraise him.

"I think trimming stuff would work better," he finally said. "No reason to make him look like something he's not. Work with what he has. Which isn't bad at all," he said, kind of to himself and kind of to the both of them. Whatever the case was, he definitely appreciated Ash for Ash and his own opinion was to accentuate that.

It was a testament to how different Ash felt in their company that he counted himself among the 'people' without having to pause. "I've no opinions either way," he admitted. "I trust you both."

The Real Ash had cared more about comfort than appearances, favoring jumpers and henleys over anything flattering. Half the time he'd lived with Martha, Ash had just worn pyjamas, and then after that he spent just as much time nude as anything.

Tilting his head to the side for a long moment to consider Junior's words, he finally nodded in approval. Hiding him up in layers wasn't the right way to go, at least not for now. They could experiment with that another time, but Felix would definitely leaning towards what Junior had said. He may not be able to dress himself properly in Felix's opinion, but he did have a decent eye for other people.

"Trimming it is. Looks like Will wants to show you off instead of hide you away. Take that as a compliment because I know he thinks the same for me," Felix said with a smile to Ash, glancing over to Junior. He wasn't lying, didn't plan on doing so unless it involved the secrets he risked his life to keep hidden.

More than anything, Junior didn't find much need in dressing up or dressing better when what he already had sufficed just fine. It was a lot of unnecessary work when he would rather focus on looking at the people around him or doing work that mattered more. Not that he couldn't appreciate others wanting him to look nice for them, but it had a place and a time that really didn't need to come up as much as the other way around.

"That's..." He considered denying it, but no. Felix was absolutely right. Junior may have had problems with his own outgoing nature (or lack thereof), but the fact that he was with Felix now and didn't care if the world knew was something else entirely. He wanted his favorite people to look good and be looked upon better. What was wrong with that. "Okay, he's not wrong."

That said, the shopping trip itself at least looked like it would go in the right direction. Except for that part where his phone started to ring, and pulled the earpiece out from where it hung around his belt loop to check the number. "Oh," he said. "It's work. Um, one minute, guys. Go ahead, I'll find you when I get back."

Show him off. Ash wasn't unfamiliar with the concept of being put on display; his last employers had often paraded him around for potential clients. But somehow this seemed different. Junior was technically Ash's administrative user, in the eyes of the law his owner for all intents and purposes. But unlike Martha, he didn't want to hide him away like a guilty secret, and unlike his employers, he wasn't looking to make money off of him. It was just another way in which Junior was different than anyone Ash had ever met.

Speaking of, as Junior left to take a phone call, Ash leant in to Felix, speaking in hushed tones. "There's something different about Junior, isn't there?" He wasn't filed as an android on his purchase agreement, that time when they first met, but Ash had his suspicions. "Something no one's meant to know."

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