fic | anomalies | echo/topher
Title: Anomalies
Fandom: Dollhouse
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Echo/Topher
Summary: Topher is occasionally neglectful of his duties. Someday, it's going to get someone killed.
Word Count: 513
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Topher's not all that surprised when he walks back into the imprint room to find Echo waiting for him. It occurs to him that this is probably not a good thing, if a Doll hanging around in his office has become normal. He looks at her, standing in the middle of the room, head tilted almost comically to the side, staring at the chair with an inquisitive look. It's kind of worrying.
"Hello, Echo," he says, "I don't have time for any of your nonsense babble right now, boss-lady just gave me about ten different imprints to make on a rush job, so why don't you go, I don't know, swimming. Or something. Yoga. Make sure to be your best!"
"You're not happy," she says, smiling serenely at him. "I could make you happy. Shouldn't I? Making other people happy is nice."
"That's great. Wonderful, in fact!" Topher says. "And I know exactly how: by getting the hell out of here, and going swimming."
She steps closer to him, and Topher resists the urge to take a step back. She's a Doll, he's not going to step back from her, like he's, what, afraid?
Echo kisses him, and the first thing Topher thinks is that it's the first time anyone has kissed him in ages. The second thing is him wondering how pathetic is that, if that's all he has to think about? The third thing is Oh shit, I am so so so fucked.
"Alpha used to do that," Echo informs him, leaning back so that she can speak. "It made me happy. Does it make you happy?"
"Yes," Topher says absently, "Very happy. Why don't you go swimming now, Echo?" He adopts his soft, mellow voice, the one he uses when he's talking to a Doll, when he needs them to do what he says.
"Alright," she says, walking out. "I'll make sure to be my best."
Topher slumps down in his desk chair, thumping his head back against the headrest. This is bad. This is very, very, very bad and he is completely and totally screwed. DeWitt is going to have his head.
And Echo's, too, probably. Most requested Active or no, she was talking about Alpha. She had said that, that Alpha had-- she was imitating his behaviors. And while Adelle wouldn't like it, she wouldn't be willing to risk another incident. Echo was going to be sent to the Attic.
If Topher tells her. And he has to, doesn't he? He doesn't have a choice. It would be stupid, and negligent, and a whole host of other negative adjectives for him to keep it to himself. He could get people killed. Lots of people.
He doesn't want to tell her. It makes him an asshole and how many lives is he risking, exactly? His own, too. But he honestly doesn't think he can. The thought of Echo in the Attic makes his chest tighten a little, and Doll or not he doesn't think he could go through that, not again. And certainly not with Echo.
Topher smacks the palm of his hand against his forehead and thinks, I am so fucked.
Fandom: Dollhouse
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Echo/Topher
Summary: Topher is occasionally neglectful of his duties. Someday, it's going to get someone killed.
Word Count: 513
Disclaimer: Not mine.
Topher's not all that surprised when he walks back into the imprint room to find Echo waiting for him. It occurs to him that this is probably not a good thing, if a Doll hanging around in his office has become normal. He looks at her, standing in the middle of the room, head tilted almost comically to the side, staring at the chair with an inquisitive look. It's kind of worrying.
"Hello, Echo," he says, "I don't have time for any of your nonsense babble right now, boss-lady just gave me about ten different imprints to make on a rush job, so why don't you go, I don't know, swimming. Or something. Yoga. Make sure to be your best!"
"You're not happy," she says, smiling serenely at him. "I could make you happy. Shouldn't I? Making other people happy is nice."
"That's great. Wonderful, in fact!" Topher says. "And I know exactly how: by getting the hell out of here, and going swimming."
She steps closer to him, and Topher resists the urge to take a step back. She's a Doll, he's not going to step back from her, like he's, what, afraid?
Echo kisses him, and the first thing Topher thinks is that it's the first time anyone has kissed him in ages. The second thing is him wondering how pathetic is that, if that's all he has to think about? The third thing is Oh shit, I am so so so fucked.
"Alpha used to do that," Echo informs him, leaning back so that she can speak. "It made me happy. Does it make you happy?"
"Yes," Topher says absently, "Very happy. Why don't you go swimming now, Echo?" He adopts his soft, mellow voice, the one he uses when he's talking to a Doll, when he needs them to do what he says.
"Alright," she says, walking out. "I'll make sure to be my best."
Topher slumps down in his desk chair, thumping his head back against the headrest. This is bad. This is very, very, very bad and he is completely and totally screwed. DeWitt is going to have his head.
And Echo's, too, probably. Most requested Active or no, she was talking about Alpha. She had said that, that Alpha had-- she was imitating his behaviors. And while Adelle wouldn't like it, she wouldn't be willing to risk another incident. Echo was going to be sent to the Attic.
If Topher tells her. And he has to, doesn't he? He doesn't have a choice. It would be stupid, and negligent, and a whole host of other negative adjectives for him to keep it to himself. He could get people killed. Lots of people.
He doesn't want to tell her. It makes him an asshole and how many lives is he risking, exactly? His own, too. But he honestly doesn't think he can. The thought of Echo in the Attic makes his chest tighten a little, and Doll or not he doesn't think he could go through that, not again. And certainly not with Echo.
Topher smacks the palm of his hand against his forehead and thinks, I am so fucked.