The coming year flew by. Quinn tried to distance herself a bit from Daniel, but when she saw him she was always warm and friendly as usual. Whenever she was around him, she couldn't stop herself from caring for him more and more. It wasn't love. She could never do that to herself.
It didn't help that week after week he slowly acted more and more human. This worried her further. Not only did she have to suppress her beginnings of feelings for him, her emotions would make her help him if he ever became deviant. That was entirely illegal. She had grown far too attached to this android. And what would come of the Phillipses? She could never raise suspicion or bring up her doubts with them. They would just try to replace him and that would push Daniel's software instability further.
Quinn was thankful that they didn't know he was even showing signs of deviancy. In the past, she had tried to not think about it and push the signs to the side, but now he was showing them too boldly. Daniel was becoming deviant.
However, what caused it eluded her. The Phillipses always treated him fairly nice, even though Caroline and John weren't the best with androids. Deviancy usually happens when an android becomes overwhelmed with irrational instructions. None of that happened.
All she could do is pray that he would somehow revert back to being an obedient android. Otherwise Quinn would have to intervene and reset him. What if the time came and she just couldn't do it?
She hoped it would never come to that. Working with deviants for the past year and a half had taken a toll on her. Her views were slowly beginning to change... Whenever she reset a deviant, it began to feel more and more like murder. It wasn't, of course. She kept trying to tell herself that, but whenever she saw Daniel her thoughts seemed to change. He was always so good to Emma and herself. It almost seemed like he actually wanted to make them happy, not just follow instructions.
~~~
Quinn breathed in the summer air as she walked across the street in her sandals. It felt good to not have her high blood pressure threatening to make her pass out from the cold.
She stepped in the elevator and it rose, bringing her to the Phillips's penthouse with a quiet whoosh. It dinged and she stepped out, walking into the kitchen.
A basket of crayons was sat on the table between the small girl and the android, Emma scribbling on her paper with a lime green crayon. She was nine now. She had grown up so fast.
Watching, she saw Daniel lift a crayon above his lips, imitating a mustache. This allowed a fit of giggles to erupt from the small girl and he smiled, continuing to color his own work. Quinn smirked. There he was making her slowly fall in love with him. Why did she have to program him like that? I mean, sure he's great with kids, but come on. He's hot and great with kids! Not to mention he has the softest hair... 'Stop it, Quinn!! You told yourself you wouldn't let you think like that!' She mentally slapped herself, trying to focus on Emma and not her irrational feelings. 'He's- it's a machine! Get a grip!'
"Thank you again for helping with Emma tonight," Caroline's voice pried Quinn from her thoughts. "I know Daniel can take care of it, but she just kept requesting you."
"Like I say every time, it's fine! I enjoy hanging out with her. I'm like her aunt. And I've become friends with Daniel so he makes good company as well."
"Friends," Caroline asked, raising a slightly judgemental brow. "Daniel is a machine, Quinn."
"No... I know! But, like, he's a friend..." 'Well Quinn, you couldn't have said that better.'
"Okay... Sometimes I feel she's grown too attached to it," Caroline said referring to Emma before she added, "You too."
"What do you mean? I'm not attached to... it." It felt wrong saying 'it.' She didn't understand why. He was an 'it.' It's the way things were. It just didn't feel right.
With an eyeroll, Caroline continued with a sarcastic edge, "Well I must not know you then. I almost thought you had feelings for it. I mean after the way you were looking at it last Christmas..."
"What are you talking about?! I wasn't looking at him any way!" Quinn thought back to the awkward situation they found themselves in when she and Daniel happened to bump into each other under the mistletoe. It was cliche and dumb. Nothing really came of it.
Caroline scoffed, "'Him'... I see how it is."
"It's not like that!"
"You know, out of all people, you are one of the last I would expect to-"
"Caroline," Quinn's voice was sharp, but quiet, "I'm not interested in it like that. It is a machine, it's just... hard sometimes because it looks so human. I didn't mean to call it 'he.'"
"Alright," Caroline laughed, "There's no need to be so defensive about it... just don't get it on until Emma is asleep."
"Caroline!"
She laughed again, "You know I'm kidding!" She waved a dismissive hand, "I've got to go. Thank you again!" Caroline turned at got into the elevator, leaving Quinn alone to wallow in her brooding denial.
Author's Note:
Thank you for reading! If you liked it please add it to your library or reading list! Comment and vote too! I'd love to know what you think! I also have a Detroit: Become Human oneshot book and a DHMIS (Don't Hug Me I'm Scared) oneshot book if you want to check them out!