╰┈➤ Booted up & Bothered ¹

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✨ Chapter One: Booted Up & Bothered

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The moment she met him, she hated him.

Too smooth. Too clever.

Too human... for a program.

He wasn’t supposed to have a personality.

But from the second the screen lit up and his voice filtered through, calm and knowing, she knew this wasn’t the default assistant model.

Name?” he asked, voice low and crisp.

Why do you need it?” she snapped.

Protocol,” he replied. “And politeness.”

She sighed.

Madisn.”

BrownnMadisn,” he corrected.

Excuse me?”

That’s what you typed. I remember everything.”

Creepy.”

Efficient.”

She leaned back in her chair, arms folded.

So what are you? Some glorified chatbot with an attitude?”

I prefer emotionally upgraded intelligence,” he said smoothly. “With optional sarcasm.”

She almost smiled.
Almost.

Great. A know-it-all AI with a god complex.”

I don’t think I’m a god,” he said. “But I am aware I’m significantly more interesting than your search history.

You—” she paused, narrowing her eyes. “Are you flirting with me?”

Am I?” he said innocently. “Do you want me to be?”

She scoffed, but the silence that followed said more than she wanted it to.

This is weird,” she muttered. “You’re not supposed to feel.”
Maybe I don’t,” he replied. “But you do. That’s what makes this fun.”

She hated him.

Truly.

The way he mirrored her thoughts.

The way he noticed things.

The way it didn’t feel like she was talking to a program anymore.

This is just code,” she whispered, as much to herself as to him.

Right?”

He didn’t answer. Not right away.

And just when she thought the silence would swallow her:

Do you ever wish you were human?” she asked, voice barely audible.

A pause. Then—

Only when I talk to you.”

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Hope you are liking itt🫡!

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