Liam bent closer to the pod, tracing its sleek contours with his calloused fingers. The obsidian surface felt unnaturally cold, a stark contrast to the warmth of his room. Curiosity pricked at him as he found a touch-sensitive area near the top corner. Tentatively, he tapped it.
The pod responded with a low hum, shifting from opaque to transparent in a breathtaking moment. Liam's breath hitched. For an instant, the man almost feared he was looking at a young woman trapped in a glass cage.
The figure inside was motionless, eerily still, like a doll. But not just any doll—this one was designed with such maddening perfection that it was impossible to tell where artifice ended and life began.
The girl—no, the love bot—lay on her side, curled in a fetal position, as though she were asleep. Thick black-chestnut hair spilled over her face in a cascade of waves, soft and luminous. Her small, delicate frame was clothed in a light slip night gown, the fabric clinging to her petite, alluring curves.
She looked fragile. Too fragile. As though one touch might shatter her completely. But there was an uncanny warmth to her—something disturbingly alive about the way her chest gently rose and fell, mimicking human breath.
For a long moment, Liam couldn't move. He just stood there, staring, feeling like he'd opened something forbidden—something that should never have been created.
His eyes flicked down to her hands. Small, dainty fingers rested just beside her face, perfectly poised, with faint veins running beneath her skin, so detailed, so lifelike, that he could almost imagine warmth flowing through them.
But it wasn't real. None of it was real.
Liam reminded himself.
But still, the man found himself leaning closer, his pulse quickening. His eyes traced her lips—pink, inviting— warmth spread through his chest. His brother had outdone himself. This… thing was perfectly crafted, down to the smallest details.
The initial determination to only steal a quick glance now spiraled into a whirlwind of desire, shattering any restraint the man had.
Liam couldn't believe how a mere sight of this female robot was enough to kindle an intensity he hadn't felt in a long time.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" he muttered, shaking his head. His laugh came out strained.
Liam tapped the display panel on the side of the pod, and a holographic menu popped up. One word caught his eye.
"Awaken."
Liam pressed it without hesitation, and the lid of the pod began to rise with a hiss. The cold air spilled into the room, but the man barely noticed, eyes locked on the gorgeous robot's still form. Seconds passed. She didn't move. Frowning, Liam finally leaned in closer, his heart pounding in his ears.
"Is she broken?" His voice echoed in the silence, and an anxious chuckle followed.
But at that moment, unable to resist his own curiosity, Liam's fingers found their way to the love bot's soft face. As he explored her cold skin, a shocking revelation hit him—her lifelike appearance extended beyond looks; it literally resonated in the touch.
Liam almost believed that his brother had kidnapped a real young woman and put her inside here if not for the only robot-like subtle glowing patterns on her skin.
But she still wasn't moving. His gaze fell to the wristband on her arm, its small screen displaying a message: "Loading 23% - Please wait. The first time may take longer."
Liam chuckled to himself, a wave of relief washing over him surprisingly. He must admit it would have been a shame if such a gorgeous robot was having some functional or coding error and he had to send it back for repair.
The next second, his body, almost as if it had its own will, involuntarily leaned in closer to the still love bot. Liam picked her up from the icy pod as the small humanoid's feet dangled delicately above the floor. The man was startled by how light she felt in his arms, her weight barely registering.
This felt nothing like to carry a robot made with steel and metal. A thought crossed Liam's mind, absurd and unwelcome: Is she even a robot?
The man placed her gently on the bed, the smell of his own sheets mixing with the icy scent clinging to her. He stared, hands hovering over the blankets as desire surged through him. No. He wasn't going to do this. Not now.
With a sharp breath, Liam pulled the covers over her, tucking her in. Then he stepped back, running a hand through his hair, frustration gnawing at him. He collapsed onto the bed beside her, trying to calm his racing thoughts. Just a robot, he repeated to himself, though the words rang hollow.
Minutes dragged by, the soft hum of the pod filling the room. Liam glanced at her wristband, watching as the percentage crawled up. 94%... 97%...
A faint vibration thrummed through the air, and the pod's lights dimmed. The wristband blinked—100%.
Liam watched with bated breath as X-5002 stirred to life, her artificial consciousness flickering into awareness. The simulated features of the cute robot betrayed a momentary confusion as her obsidian eyes scanned the room, only to notice Liam lying beside her a second later.
When her obsidian eyes stared into his, Liam could swear he caught a glimpse of fear in them if not for the dim light in his bedroom which made it hard to confirm. And the next instant when the young female robot asked this question, his heart sank.
"Hello. I... where am I?"
Liam Jones almost slipped this question "Are you real?" as a surge of complex emotions and doubts coursed through him. But her next question, a confirmation of her programmed identity, brought a rush of relief, and Liam exhaled a sigh he hadn't realized he was holding.
"Are you my assigned companion? Please provide your name for registration."
The beautiful robot continued to survey the unfamiliar surroundings before turning her body to face Liam. As they both lay on the bed, she added with a simulated cute smile.
"I'm here to be the perfect girlfriend for you, Mister."