Tangible (Yandere Elijah Kamski x Reader)

Three

Days turned into weeks, and soon the CyberLife research facility was complete. Admittedly, Elijah's heart pounded hard the first couple of times he walked in. It was a small lab, but big enough for what he wanted to do.

What he loved the most was the screen that took up nearly an entire wall; he could stand anywhere in the room and work on his computer, able to see everything easily. But it wasn't the best part of it.

The day he finally had everything situated, he transferred you to his lab computer. Your lovely voice would fill the room, guiding and researching out loud for him, but you also had complete access and control over nearly all of the equipment in the building. If it could be connected somehow, you could do things for him that he would have to spend hours trying to set up at the same time.

You'd finally showed him the blue mapping grid-like head that Gavin had seen, so now at least he had "someone" to talk to while he worked. Which was just the way he preferred it: one or two people close to him, as opposed to a team of near-strangers that would be expected to listen to someone who could barely grow facial hair.

Though after nearly two weeks of setting up his new equipment and settling in, you noticed a change. Subtle, but as you were more attuned to the teenager than nearly anyone else, you honed in on it swiftly.

That morning, Eli walked in with his eyes cast down at the bright white flooring, mouth seemingly glued shut as he dumped his bag onto a nearby table before sinking into a chair, head in his arms.

[... Elijah, are you all right?]

"I'm fine," he called out, barely heard from the crevices of his folded arms.

Something felt wrong with both of you, but yours was merely software instability. It happened on occasion, but it didn't seem to affect you long-term.

Still, you knew precisely what was troubling him. With a quick phone call that the human did not hear, your gridded face appeared on a different screen, closer to him. It could be moved remotely, which was exactly what happened as you wheeled the monitor beside him.

[I know it does not mean much coming from a computer, but happy birthday, Elijah.]

Like magic he lifted his head, removing his glasses to show the tears he'd been trying to hide. "Y-yeah. Thanks. I... shit, you're the only one who remembered...." He rubbed his eyes, visibly trying not to do what he was obviously about to start. "Can't... believe this shit... I know it's not a big deal, but..."

[Please don't say that. Elijah, we care very deeply for you. I find it hard to believe your family has forgotten.]

"Vi, I'm not making this shit up. Nobody was in the fucking house this morning. They didn't even leave me a note!" Finally he turned towards the screen and noticed the huge timer counting down. "... what is that?"

[What is what?]

"Vi. What's the countdown for?" All of his upset vanished for the time being. "It's covering your face."

[Oh, this timer? It's just a timer.]

Laughing. Joking. Now you were gently teasing him. Where had you learned all of this? As if to drive the point home, you slowly backed the wheeled monitor away from him, at a pace to ensure he'd follow. Bait, almost.

And thankfully, Eli got to his feet, partially concerned but mostly confused. "Come on, don't... actually, I don't even know what it is you're doing. Just tell me what the timer's for. Please?"

[Sometimes a timer is just a timer. But I would like to regain my visuals, and this mysterious timer is in the way. Would you please check the back of the lab and ensure my external hard drive is not still connected?]

That made zero sense. But you had backed up the screen next to the door, and so the human sighed and caved in, throwing the door open and wondering what sort of bullshit scavenger hunt--

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHERFUCKER!!!"

Ignoring their mother's aggravated groan, Gavin damn near tackled Elijah to the floor as he hugged his sibling tightly.

"W.... w-wait....." It took a solid minute before Eli returned the hug, but he sank easily into it. "..... s-so, what, this whole time, you were... just... here, waiting...?"

"Well, yeah, dude. No fuckin' way were we gonna be able to hide your present back home." Gavin paused, pulling away and noting the tears, his heart sinking. "Aw, man, we didn't forget. I swear. If I said anything, I'd have just given the whole thing away, so Vi made me keep my mouth shut."

Continuously wiping his face, the taller brother could hardly speak, hands shaking and trying desperately to not sob. Quietly, his mother wheeled herself over, grateful for the new and even pavement behind the lab. "Honey, we're sorry for upsetting you," she murmured. "I know how it looked when you woke up, and I hope you can forgive us." Reaching out, she took both of his hands, squeezing them affectionately. "Happy Birthday, Elijah. Your brother and I are so, so proud of you."

Well, that broke the dam. Clapping both hands over his face, there was a mixture of sobbing and muffled cursing on his part.

On the screen you still controlled, the timer had reached zero.

Since it would have been awkward otherwise, Eli knelt down to hug his mother properly, face buried into her shoulder.

Behind him, Gavin had sidled up to stand beside you, hands in his pockets. But his attention was diverted when your screen flickered again. "... Vi, what's up?" he asked softly.

[I do not know. I am sorry.]

By the time your creator had gotten to his feet again, running a hand down his face, his brother was staring at the back door, still open, where you'd just escaped through to return inside. "Gav?"

"--Huh? Oh, uh, shit... um..." With a sigh he poked his head back into the lab. "VI! COME ON, WHAT'S THE DEAL?"

Vi? What...?

Going back inside, Eli found the monitor on wheels dark again, and the oversized wall screen just as black.

... this isn't like her.

Once both siblings were indoors again, the revving of a car engine filled their ears, purring loud, the accelerator pressed a few times to drive the point home. Then the horn blared until Elijah finally got the damn hint.

How a seventeen-year-old boy could be so distracted that he didn't see the brand new car idling behind the lab, no one knew. Nor did they understand how it started with no one behind the wheel, but your absence from inside the lab gave it away. The driver's side door opened up and outward, and Elijah Kamski finally remembered that as intelligent as he was, he was still a teenager: he promptly freaked out.