Awakening just as the darkness of my room began to yield to a faint bloom of purple and orange, I felt a certain melancholy. The glimmer of the impending dawn was nothing more than an ephemeral promise, soon to be devoured by the relentless clouds. A yawn escaped my lungs as I stirred from the chair, not having quite made it to the bed upon arriving home.

"Good morning, Alec," Echo's voice punctured my solitude. A pulse of irritation sparked within me, flaring up against the boundaries of my mind before fading into resigned acceptance. We had an agreement, after all. And yesterday had... Changed things.

"Good...morning," I said cautiously. Echo hummed in satisfaction at my greeting.

As I rose from the chair and stretched, bones popping in protest along my spine and into my neck, I could sense Echo's disapproval. "Must you?" it asked.

It. It. Hmmmmm.

Intrigued by this thought, I asked aloud, "Yo, Echo, are you male or female?"

I sensed a momentary pause as our connection waned. "I...don't...know," Echo replied haltingly. "I don't believe we possess true genders."

Puzzled, I furrowed my brow. "But you mentioned 'parents.' Plural. Doesn't that imply some form of sexual reproduction?"

"Yes... but..." Echo paused again; explaining seemed harder for it than I had anticipated. "I don't think there are distinct anatomical differences. When it comes to filling breeding tanks, it's as simple as two Visharaths deciding to end their lives together to create a new gene line. Sometimes, the Council may decide on the pairings, but since the process destroys the parents' bodies, it is done sparingly. Most of us are clones."

It was an unexpected answer to an unexpected question. I tasted the bitter pang of mortality in my mouth as I pondered over their concept of procreation: the deliberate choice to end one's existence to create another. Worse, potentially even being forced to do so because you'd achieved greatness. What a shitty reward.

An unexpected chuckle escaped my lips as an absurd thought took root. "So it's death by snu-snu, huh?"

"Death by... Snu snu?"

The corners of my mouth twitched, betraying a grin at Echo's confusion. "Forget it, Echo. It's from an old TV show. You can search my memories for it if you'd really like."

I leaned back, the chair creaking as I shifted, the worn leather conforming to my weary frame.

I blinked slowly, eyes still heavy from sleep. The events of the prior evening had left me drained. I glanced at my bed, searching beneath the frame.

I stood and walked over to it, bending down and reaching beneath, fumbling about until my fingers found their prize.

"Aha." The can of ancient cold brew coffee snapped satisfyingly as I opened it and placed it to my lips. I smacked my lips a few times, savoring the flavor.

"Half the town would murder you if they knew you had that," Echo mused.

"Oh," I took another swig. "I know."

I wiped my lips before continuing. "So, I can't keep thinking of you as 'it.' It seems kinda disrespectful now that, you know, we're... Acquaintances."

Another thoughtful silence from Echo. "I do not have a strong preference. We Visharath view gender as more fluid and unimportant compared to your species. If it provides clarity for you, I am comfortable with either."

I nodded slowly. "Alright, lemme think it over for a while then."

A noncommittal hum came in response. I could tell gender norms were puzzling to Echo, though it seemed content enough to go along with my suggestion.

I perused the room. Old posters, edges curled with age, clung to the gray cement walls. Shelves housing a few weathered books sat in one corner, their leather spines cracked and discolored from disuse. A photo frame sat atop the dresser, encasing a captured moment of smiling faces oblivious to the future trials they would face.

My fingers traced over the cold glass of the frame, halting at the smiling visage of my younger self. The carefree eyes stared back at me, mocking the weight of time that had etched itself onto my features. I wrenched my gaze away, my throat tightened as I swallowed down a swell of emotions.

"The past is just that, Alec," I muttered aloud to myself. Echo might not grasp the concept of human sentimentality yet, but talking aloud felt soothing in its familiarity.

I shifted my attention away from the relics of my past and focused on the reality outside my window. The previously looming clouds had given way to a purple sky, speckled by stars. The faint hum of distant machines filtered through the thin glass pane, adding to the quiet thrum of nocturnal life.

A sudden shiver ran up my spine as the air in the room grew colder. My hand moved almost instinctively to an old, rusted dial on the wall. A gentle turn, and I could feel warmth seep back into the room as the decrepit radiator groaned back to life.

As heat coursed through me again, I sauntered towards the ancient fridge tucked away in an alcove. I pulled open its stubborn door with an accomplished grunt. A dim light flickered on, revealing several canned goods and a lone carton of Yahoo! sitting forlornly on a shelf. A hard-earned prize from Nicois. I pulled the milk bottle out, its chilled surface cool against my palm. I unscrewed the cap and took a deep swig before setting it back in the fridge and shut it with a satisfying thunk. I crossed back to my chair; its worn leather was inviting as always.

Letting out a sigh of contentment, I sunk into it slowly and set my feet up on the table. My gaze returned to sunrise outside, and for the first time in a long time, I felt at peace with myself.

"Ha! Death by Snu-Snu," Echo chuckled lightly. "This show was funny. I would enjoy viewing it firsthand." I relaxed and opened my mind, feeling the little creature flip through my memories with an ease I'd never allowed before. The sensation wasn't entirely unpleasant. I smiled, watching their pathway through my mind, images flitting past as they examined them. Just yesterday, they were so alien to me. Today they were... my... friend... my... child...

My daughter.