Beware the Superman (8/19)
Title: Beware the Superman
Rating: R
Pairings: James/Carlos, Kendall/Logan
Words: 76,216
Summary: What really matters in life, what makes someone human? Having someone to love or the ability to be able to love back?
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Chapter 8: Strega Nona
~
The first thing that James and Dak were faced with was that big red 'Help Wanted' sign in the clean window of the coffee shop across the street. James didn't seem to make a big deal about the ad, Dak was going crazy over it with excitement and eagerness. Only until the taller brunette realized just what his neighbor's true intentions were, the two of them accompanied by Carlos as they walked into the quite cafe.
"Do you think this is a good idea?" James asked and Dak nodded, giving a soft smile to Carlos.
"He's learning a lot, I think that it would be very good for him to be able to learn how to interact with people other than you and me," Dak replied and James bit his lip. Okay, that was a good reason for Carlos to try and apply for the job. The only bad reason that James could think about at that moment was that Kendall also worked here, and the blond was unpredictable as can be. James didn't know if he was going to fight with them or be civil or whatever, he didn't want Kendall to try and start something with Carlos when James couldn't be there to watch over the android. The hazel eyes scanned over the people in the shop, sitting at the tables with coffees or bagels or other little treats to munch on quietly and barely any staff. Then his eyes fell behind the counter, seeing Kendall hunched over writing something and scribbling it back out.
The three slowly approached the blond, Kendall's wrist slowing as he began to sense someone was coming near him. He raised his head, green eyes looking alarmed before hazing over with a defensive glare.
"What do you want?" Kendall more demanded than asked and James frowned.
"Look, I don't know what your problem is since we never done anything to you. If anything, we just want to be friends. . .we're here for the job," James said sternly and Kendall glanced at the sign in the window before looking back at the three. He gestured to Dak and asked, "Is he applying?". James shook his head.
"No, he is," the brunette replied and jutted a thumb at Carlos, the first time the android didn't greet Kendall with a cheerful hello but instead observing his new environment with wide eyes and curious expressions. Kendall frowned even more.
"No. He can't work here."
"Why not? He can learn what to do and he's really cu-" James bit his lip. He was about to call him 'cute' again! Carlos wasn't cute!. . .Well, he was but James was not going to admit it so easily. Or at least admit it to Dak or Kendall. The blond crossed his arms, looking heavily at Carlos and James sighed, "Look, whatever bad past you had with robots or whatever, Carlos is different-"
"How is he different? None of them are different, they're all the same. Programmed to be someone else instead of a unique being. Programmed to replace someone. Would you like to be replaced by a robot?" Kendall questioned and James' eyebrows furrowed. Why was this guy being so difficult? Carlos was unique as far as James knew, he really didn't have any information on the person Carlos was modeled after. Only that during Kendall's rant and rave the first time the pair encountered him, he mentioned that the person wasn't even dead yet. What did that mean? Was he sick? Or maybe in a coma? James didn't know, he didn't ask. He wasn't concerned with who that person was, he was only concerned with the person Carlos was developing into. A kind, gentle android that liked to read children books James would be lulled to sleep with and loved to play with rabbits in a garden dead of life. An android that loved flowers, their shape and their scent and splashed around in a bathtub until the entire tile floor was covered in soap bubbles. An android that was innocent, easily frightened and curious, an android that had something that made James' heart quiver and grow light.
Carlos had something that made James stop in his tracks and want to bond with him.
Carlos had something that made James want to love him. . .
James shook his head, no, not love him. That was silly, who falls in love with a robot? Especially one that couldn't reciprocate how he felt or even understand what he was feeling. It was silly, James felt dumb just thinking about that. He let out a small cough, feeling his face grow hot and he was surely blushing as Kendall raised an eyebrow.
"He's. . .different. He's special to me," James muttered and Kendall's mouth twisted, like the blond wanted to lash out at James but was holding himself back. An annoyed groan escaped his lips and he ran a hand through the blond hair before looking back at Carlos.
"He could wait on tables and clean up afterwords, can he do that?" Kendall asked and James glanced over at Carlos himself. That might seem difficult for-
"Of course he can do it," Dak said, patting Carlos on the back, "He's getting smarter and smarter by the day, he'll learn how to do it in maybe two hours," he replied and Kendall crossed his arms.
"Well, he doesn't have two hours, he has one. The lunch rush is going to be coming and he needs to be ready by then," Kendall replied and Dak raised an eyebrow.
"So does that mean that he has the job?" Dak asked and Kendall pouted.
". . .Yeah. . .he has the job," Kendall muttered and James beamed. He turned to Carlos, the brunette turning the android to face him as well.
"You got the job!" James cheered and Carlos blinked.
". . .Job?" Carlos asked and James sighed. The android blinked again and then glanced over at Kendall, smile appearing on his face, "Hello!"
"Ugh, uniform's are in the back," Kendall muttered, turning on his heel to attend to other business while James gave him a frown. Dak smiled at Carlos, rubbing the android's shoulder.
"You're going to be working here while me and James are at work. So you won't have to go to the bookstore and be reading the same thing over and over again," Dak replied and Carlos cocked his head.
"No James?" Carlos asked, sounding more frightened and James frowned.
"I'll be just across the street, Carlos. Don't worry. . .Kendall will take care of you," James replied. Kendall better take care of Carlos, otherwise this store will get major damage. Carlos moved, hand going up to grip at the front of James' shirt.
"B-But-"
"Carlos," James said softly, hesitant hands going up to hold the android's face and Carlos gasped, "Things will be alright, I'll be right there and I'll come check on you."
"F-Father," Carlos breathed and James raised an eyebrow. The android's eyes dimmed and James began to pat Carlos' cheek.
"Carlos?. . .Carlos, can you hear me? Carlos!" James said urgently, the android not stirring or doing anything, the eyes dark and empty. James bit his lip, "Carlos? Carlos, please. Carlos!"
Dak began to give Carlos a gentle shake, fear on his face, "James, there might be something wrong."
"What's going on?" Kendall's voice appeared, the blond approaching them with a stern and annoyed expression before settling on Carlos' blank stare. He watched the android's face and then frowned, moving over and pushing James away. His hands grazed Carlos' cheek, the fingers brushing into the dark hair gentle and caressing almost, James' face flushing with embarrassment and slight anger. What was he doing touching Carlos so intimately like that when he was glaring daggers at him a few minutes ago? Kendall's eyebrows were furrowed and then raised in solution as his fingers must have found what they were looking for. And Carlos' eyes began to lighten and the android blinked once more.
". . .Hm?. . .Hello, Kendall!" Carlos chirped loudly and Kendall took a hesitant step back, eying the android. James rushed over to Carlos, trying not to touch him and prevent him from going into another episode yet wanting to hold Carlos and be glad that he was alright.
"Is he fine? He's not hurt or anything, right?"
"His software is resetting," Kendall muttered and James glanced at him.
"Well, what does that mean?"
"I don't know what it means for him, just that's what happens to Logan when he tries to retrieve something and his software crashes."
". . .Retrieve? Retrieve what? A memory?"
"I don't know. Look, I'm not here to talk about robots. Just leave so he can get to work," Kendall spat and James frowned, opening his mouth to growl something back but Dak grabbed James' arm.
"Alright, we're going," Dak replied, tugging his friend back. Carlos watched the two with worried expression and James bit his lip. He never saw Carlos look that sad and helpless, the last time he saw that face was the day he first met him. When he was afraid of who he was with and lost. He should be afraid, he didn't know Kendall personally. But. . .but he'll be alright. He'll know James is right across the street and things will be alright. So the only thing that James could do was say a soft, 'I'll come back, I promise'.
And even though his voice was barely above a whisper, he knew the android heard him, for Carlos began to smile that smile James wished he didn't fall in love with every time.
James had his eye on the store, looking out the window of the bookstore every time he passed by with stack of books in his hand. He told himself he'll wait til lunch to check up on Carlos, but he was slowly growing anxious. Stephanie had to give him a couple of slaps to stop fidgeting and hyperventilating and going crazy about everything, he didn't even know why he was freaking out like this. It was just Carlos, not like it was his child at a new babysitter. Or a lover that was in a possibly threatening environment.
Oh wow, out of all the analogies James had to make, why did he think of one that involved lover?
Carlos was a robot, Carlos was a robot, Carlos was a robot-
"Hey James, you going on your lunch break?" he heard Stephanie call out and he turned to the girl before looking at the clock. It was time for his break, he could go check on Carlos! He turned to Stephanie, quickly nodding his head and settling down the couple of paperbacks he was holding before quickly rushing out of the store and heading across the street. From the corner, he saw that there was a surprising crowd around the shop, mostly of men and young women. Was this what the lunch crowd was always like? He didn't remember ever seeing it get this crowded. James crossed the street, trying to push past the crowd of those that were looming by the window and trying to get inside until he finally managed to get a peek at just what was inside that was appealing to these people.
His eyes fell on Carlos, the android smiling pleasantly to a bunch of lecherous looking men and tempting women with tray of food in his hand, dressed in a small and rather tight looking pair of khaki shorts with small apron wrapped around his fitted waist. James felt himself burning at the sight, Carlos looking so provocative and yet, still so innocent and blissfully unaware of the lusting he was causing. And instead of looking at the android with equal arousal, James' eyes began to look for Kendall in anger. He spotted the blond heading into the back room and James stormed past the people to follow him.
James threw open the door, Kendall not growing startled as James slammed it behind them and was glaring.
"What do you think you're doing having him wear that?!" James hissed and Kendall turned.
"Authorized personnel only. Leave," Kendall said sternly and James growled, grabbing the front of Kendall's shirt and fingers curling into fists in the fabric.
"Why is he dressed like that?!"
"He grabbed the girl's uniform by mistake. I didn't notice until a couple of girls asked me who was he and if he was single," Kendall replied calmly and James' eyes widened. How dare someone try to flirt with Carlos?! He was innocent and they were trying to corrupt him! Disgusting! Vulgar!. . .Though James was feeling something pressing against the front of his jeans and he was certain that it wasn't his phone. He shook his head, blushing hard and glaring at the blond.
"Why didn't you tell him to change?"
"He was comfortable in it. And the customers like it."
"Well of course they do, did you see how he looks!"
"They think it's cute."
"They want to molest him!"
"No one has done anything rash, don't worry. Only thing was a couple of silly teenage girls, that's all. He's fine," Kendall assured and James stared at him for a couple of seconds before letting out an annoyed groan and turning away to storm out of the backroom. Carlos turned, seeing James and the android's eyes widened with delight.
"James!" Carlos shouted aloud and rushed over, jumping up and wrapping arms and legs around James tightly to cling on him. James struggled, hands going at first to grab at Carlos' bottom to catch him but then feeling perverted and trying to move his grasp to Carlos' soft thighs, still not feeling any less dirty. Though, James did feel satisfaction when he saw the faces of those that were looking at Carlos with a lusty expression now turn away with a look of rejection. Good, he wanted them to not be thinking about the android like that anymore. Carlos was his.
Wait! James didn't mean that! Carlos wasn't his, he was. . .he was. . .
Ugh, James didn't know what to think when he was holding Carlos like this, scantly dressed and skin so soft as James grabbed at him and Carlos just nuzzled more into James' neck to mewl about how fun working at the shop is and how much he missed seeing James and Dak.
James didn't know what to think about anything anymore.
"I'm sorry sir, we're about to close," a young barista told the man that was walking inside. The man sighed.
"Oh, but I heard that this was a very good place to get some coffee. Can't you make at least one exception for me?" the man asked and the girl sighed before walking over to the cash register. She only hoped Kendall wouldn't get mad, after all, he trusted her to close up when he left.
"What can I get you?"
"What's your specialty?"
"Um. . .I know how to make an 'American Beauty'. It's espresso with two tablespoons of cherry syrup and it's the owner's favorite," she replied and the man sighed.
"I suppose I could try that," he said, cold and watching the girl closely. She smiled, rather nervous as she imputed it into the cash register.
"That's uh. . .$3.50," she said hesitantly and the man gave her his card. She swiped it, the receipt coming out of the machine and she ripped it off to push it towards him to sign. He took the pen that was on the counter, smiling as he wrote his name in a swift and smooth movement. He settled the pen beside the cash register as she and turned to make the drink. The man glanced around, taking in his surroundings with a calculating eye, "You had a busy day today, didn't you?"
"Yes, we did. Got a new person working and guess he drew in a big crowd," the girl replied and then paused, "How did you know?"
He smiled, "It's quite easy to see. You're exhausted from working. . .maybe a little bit upset that you didn't get the same recognition this new worker is getting when you first started. . ."
The girl was frowning, though trying her hardest not to let the man see he upset her, "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Oh, but I think you do. Human's have such a unique body language it's very easy to tell what any person is thinking," he said with a smile that was growing bigger and more mocking. "It's those little things that could make us all flawed, those things that show how weak we could be. Which is why so many people wish that-"
"Here you are sir," the girl interrupted, not wanting to hear anymore and the man stared at her darkly, taking the drink slowly and raising the cup to his lips to take a sip. He closed his eyes, pulling the cup away and licking his lips.
"Delicious, no wonder this is a favorite. . .I'll have to come by again to see what this store looks like during business hours. Maybe see that new worker for myself," he said with a grin and the girl didn't say anything, just watch him with a wary look. He laughed, taking another sip of the coffee as he strolled out of the shop and the girl picked up the receipt that was left behind on the counter to look at the crawled signature.
Jett Stetson
She sighed and placed the receipt along with the others, continuing to close up once more.