"I'm curious...You've deviated. There's no reason for you to stay here serving that human...Why haven't you left? Tried to find others like us?" Lin asked in his static laced voice as they pulled up outside the shop. It was a fairly small building that stood alone. On either side were small houses, which carried on up the street. Lin could only guess that this shop had once been a house, too. Above the shopfront he could see netted windows. He supposed that meant that John lived upstairs. The GT300 didn't even strain as he stood with Lin on his back. He raised the shutter with John's key and stepped inside, leaving it half up for John when he got back.

"I've had no reason to leave...and even if I left, where would an old model like me go? My parts are out of circulation, and I require regular maintenance. John provides for my every need," he replied simply, though Lin couldn't understand it. The GT300 carried him through to a small workshop and placed him carefully on a padded leather-topped examination table. Lin almost scoffed at the sight of the padding. It was such a human choice. He was sure most shops would opt for a hard metal surface to work on a machine. The human worries about our comfort...

"But you're a slave! You have to do everything he says," Lin pointed out as he was laid down gently. The GT300 grabbed a small leather pillow and slipped it beneath his head, making it more comfortable for him to look up. The room was quite dim with only one light turned on, but Lin could make out various parts and tools hung ready on the walls, and in a room off to the side he could see rows of shelves and boxes. Many of the boxes had Cyberlife printed on the side, with the recognisable triangle and honeycomb pattern running down the side.

"I choose to do everything he says because everything he asks of me is reasonable...He isn't like the others...He's polite. He always asks, he never orders, he's always kind, and he helps our people. I consider myself very lucky to be in my position," the GT300 replied before disappearing into a small side room to search for the parts John would need. He was going to have to place an order for many of them, especially the limbs. Luckily, his associate at Cyberlife would probably have the parts they needed. He paused only when the front door chimed and the shutter lowered. He increased his audio sensitivity enough to confirm that it was John returning before returning to his task.

"GT? Oh! You've already started searching, thank you. Here's the list of what we need. I know we probably don't have all of them in stock, but do you think you could place an order for tomorrow?" John asked kindly as he approached the GT300 as he crouched over a large brown box. The GT300 gave him his usual smile as he agreed to do his best. John smiled brightly before returning to the workshop and flicking the bright examination lights on. Lin watched as he tugged on a white lab coat and buttoned the front. "Lin, I'm going to open you up. Some of your internal bio-components are leaking thirium and I need to stop that," John said in an assuring tone, much like a doctor explaining surgery.

"Alright..." Lin replied hesitantly, unable to stop himself from flinching as John opened his chest panel with a click. He took some sort of soldering iron and leaned in, adjusting the moveable light for a better view. Inside the cavity, Lin's artificial heart was pumping, leaking slowly from one of the valves. John felt Lin stiffen and tremble as his bare hand closed around the beating organ. Lin had never been touched like this before, and it was terrifying. One tight squeeze, one good tug, and his thirium pump could be torn ruthlessly from his chest or burst into mush.

"Would you find it easier to power down while I work?" John asked gently, but Lin shook his head. He wasn't ready to be unconscious and left in the hands of a human yet. John nodded his understanding and gripped the thirium pump gently but firmly. Lin didn't like it. He could feel his life pulsing in John's steady hand. He shut his eye and focused on the unpleasant sensation. He could feel each digit of John's soft fingers as he gripped, and the smoothness of his palm. He felt something hard and hot against one of the valves. A human would have been screaming in agony, but all Lin did was register the high temperature as a number. It seared the fake flesh and hard wire casing, sealing the leak. John released his pump and reached further inside. Lin could feel various tubes being moved and examined. It was a strange and invasive sensation. A human may have felt something akin to nausea.

"I have ordered the components. The only one we currently in store is an optical implant," GT300's voice reported from the doorway. Lin opened his eye to see John examining the piece he was handed. He turned it over and frowned a little at the implant, clearly not satisfied by something. "It is the only one we have. I could order another if you'd prefer?" the GT300 offered, sensing John's hesitance. John held it up to Lin for examination. He immediately understood what had put John off. It was a deep blue rather than a matching chocolate shade.

"Which would you prefer? If we order one, it will probably be ready with everything else tomorrow, or you can try the blue one if you'd rather be able to see now," John offered as Lin turned the delicate component over in his hand. Mismatched eyes weren't the end of the world, and he didn't fail to notice the shade was almost an exact match for John's deep blue orbs. Lin reached up to his face, but couldn't detach the shattered eye from his socket. "Here, let me," John murmured as he grabbed some plyers. He was unnaturally gentle as he grabbed the broken component. He twisted and tugged it free with a smooth click. Lin was surprised as John shone the light inside and grabbed some compressed air. "I want to make sure all the fragments are gone first," he excused as he blew the can into the socket. Lin was surprised as a light dust filled the air. He hadn't realised how much debris had remained in the socket.

"You shouldn't do that without eye protection!" the GT300 chided like a parent, slipping out of character for a moment. He quickly regained composure, but it seemed John was too focused on his current task to notice. He picked up a fine brush and swept the socket once more before allowing Lin to slot the new component into place. There was a click and Lin felt the connection take. The port hadn't been damaged. Within moments, a crystal clear image came up. He could see with both eyes for the first time in weeks. He adjusted the brightness, bringing the small workshop and John into focus.

"How is it?" John asked with a hint of nervousness. Lin took a few moments to appreciate the full vision he had. He could read the small print on posters, zoom in and out, and bring up various menu options in his HUD. John waited patiently, though he was chewing his bottom lip again. Lin was surprised he hadn't broken the soft skin there yet. He was doing it constantly. There were deep red patterns forming on the inner layer that contrasted with the gentle pink of the outer edges.

"It works well," Lin replied simply, watching relief flood John's eyes for a few moments before he moved on to other things. Lin watched warily as he reached for his black jacket and unzipped it. He was gentle as he slid the rough material down Lin's shoulders and laid it on a nearby bench. It was joined a few moments later by the tight white T-shirt Lin had been wearing beneath. It was tattered and torn, stained with blue.

"Shall I clean these or dispose of them?" the GT300 asked dutifully as he approached the bench to retrieve the torn and stained items. Lin felt a little uncomfortable as John removed his trousers, though he hesitated at the tight black boxers beneath. Lin watched his hand draw back to scratch his cheek awkwardly, the plump pale skin flushing a little as he looked at a far off wall.

"Is there...that is...are you in working order? Everywhere?" John asked meaningfully. Lin felt his own cheeks take on the pre-programmed flush that humans expected to come with embarrassment. "I just need to know if you need any...maintenance," John elaborated quickly, unsure whether that was better or worse than just leaving the question hanging. He felt flustered as he noticed a hint of amusement flicker in Lin's mismatched eyes.

"I'm fully functional in that area," Lin assured in a static laced tone, shooting John a look that would have made any woman weak in the knees. Lin was surprised to register a rise in John's heart rate as he bit his lip. He resisted the urge to tease. John had been helpful thus far. "You can leave them on," he added, watching John nod before turning to the GT300, who was holding the dirty ragged bundle in its arms awaiting instruction.

"Throw them out, they're ruined anyway," John decided, making a mental note to have the GT300 buy at least one new set of clothes for Lin. None of John's would fit, and since he mostly did repairs, they didn't really keep spare uniforms around. "GT, can you determine Lin's clothing size?" he asked, watching as the GT300 scrutinised the broken android on the table. It took him moments to cross reference the size of Lin's torso and add on the length of the limbs he'd ordered.

"Measurements complete," he replied before continuing his current task. John wasted no time in getting back to work. He sat on a rolling stool and pulled on some protective goggles. They were clearly well used, with small scratches littering the clear surface. Lin could see his blue eyes staring intently through the plastic shield as he dragged over a small rolling tool cabinet.

"I'm going to check your arm and clean out the external sockets ready for tomorrow," he said assuringly as he took Lin's one remaining limb in his hand. Lin gave him a nod of permission before he felt the familiar turn and click in his shoulder. He felt vulnerable and naked on the padded leather as he watched John open up the arm, the last of his original limbs. He set to work, checking connections and fixing the few cracks in the outer shell. Lin felt his artificial skin shiver as John's gentle fingers handled his shoulder. He peered inside the socket, shining a small light inside as he used pressurised air to clean out the joint.

"Ah!" Lin gasped as John prodded something inside the socket that sent prickles across his skin. It was almost like he was touching a sensitive nerve ending, which he probably was, in a way. It didn't hurt, but it was causing a static sensation to shoot through his shoulder and into his chest. He wasn't sure whether it registered as comfortable or uncomfortable. In the end, he decided that it was an unpleasant sensation.

"Sorry..." John murmured distractedly as he continued to poke and tease his way around the socket. After a few moments, he returned his attention to the arm in his lap. He similarly examined the arm's ball joint before finally twisting it back into place. Lin balled his fist and stretched his fingers a few times. A fresh tingle ran through his artificial nerves. It was easier to move than before and full range of motion had been restored.

"It's better," Lin reported, watching John nod almost to himself as he leaned down to Lin's one remaining thigh. He clicked it out, making sure Lin was balanced enough on the bed before opening the casing and getting to work. There was little actual damage in this component, and once the socket and joint had been checked and cleaned, it was locked in once more. John was patient and worked for hours. He rolled around to the other side and was troubled to find extensive damage inside the hip socket.

"Sorry, I'll need to turn you on your side," John murmured as he eased Lin down flat and turned his body, putting an extra cushion beneath his head for comfort. Lin turned his head to watch as John pulled the overhead light down and peered inside the circular hole. John remained patient and focused as he grabbed a small electric saw and began cutting shards out. Lin gritted his teeth against the vibrations running through his body. It was a good thing androids didn't have any physical pain receptors. Soon, John had removed the entire port.

"Do you require assistance, Sir?" the GT300 asked politely as he returned to the workshop. John paused and sat back with a sigh, wincing and rolling his stiff neck. He'd been hunched over for hours.

"Can you add this part to the order?" he asked as he stretched tiredly, too drained to look and find the part number himself. The GT300 walked over and scanned the pieces obediently, quickly finding the model number and ordering one from Cyberlife. "You can go into standby for the night, GT. You've helped enough," John added kindly as he removed a few more shards and screws from Lin's open hip cavity.

"My readings indicate that you are severely fatigued, Sir. You should also rest for the night," the GT300 informed, which was as close to admitting he was worried about John as he could get without giving himself away. John smiled warmly as he shot compressed air into the socket. He moved back a little as a fine mist of metal dust was blown out of the socket.

"I'll be aright...It shouldn't take too much longer," he replied, missing the GT300's frown as he obediently left the room. John rolled further up the table until he was level with Lin's shoulder. He sighed lightly as he found even more damage there. "Lin, can you fully remove your skin from this area?" he asked as he ran his hand over his shoulder and chest in a half circle. Lin did as asked and heard a small sigh of frustration.

"Is it that bad?" Lin asked, though he knew from his scans that he had quite a bit of damage in that area. He hadn't even counted the amount of hits he'd taken on that side, and a lot of the blows had been to his back and shoulder. He felt John's fingers stroke the cracked and dented surface almost apologetically.

"It'll take a while to fix," he replied ambiguously, almost as if he didn't want to worry Lin by agreeing. He felt John's fingers easing off the casing to peer inside before he got to work. He brought out the soldering iron again as he fixed broken wiring and a few more leaking bio-components. Lin felt more tingling as his nerves were reattached. Once he'd finished with the inside, John moved to another tall bench by the wall and set to work fixing the cracked casing. Sparks flew as he torched and sanded down the surface, melding and shaping it back into one piece.

"How is it?" Lin asked as John returned and removed the broken shoulder socket. He dumped the useless piece on the bench and slotted the newly repaired panel back into place. John sighed tiredly as he sat down on the rolling stool and folded his arms on the table beside Lin's bare chest.

"I've done all I can for now...I'll have to finish it tomorrow...once the parts arrive..." he added in a small voice, his blue eyes closing tiredly. Lin raised an eyebrow as he stared at John's pale form. He was unconscious within moments. His heart rate dropped and his breathing slowed. He'd clearly pushed himself to finish before passing out. Lin's internal clock informed him it was just past four in the morning. John had worked all night without even stopping to eat. He's reckless...Lin thought with a hint of affection. He'd worked like a doctor in surgery, putting Lin's wellbeing above his own, despite the fact that he was a machine and could have easily waited to be repaired.

"This component is also damaged...I'll order another one," the GT300's voice stated softly as he appeared behind John and looked at the damaged shoulder socket. His LED glowed yellow as he made the order and then grabbed a blanket from another room. Lin watched as he tucked the fleecy material around John's smaller shoulders. John was so tired he didn't even stir. "Is there anything you'd like? I can bring you some thirium?" the GT300 offered kindly, grabbing a pack as Lin nodded silently. The pack was foil, like a juice drink he'd seen human children drinking. He couldn't exactly say what it tasted like. Androids didn't taste the way humans did. All he registered was its chemical compound, oily consistency, and cool temperature.

"How did you end up here?" Lin asked finally, curious about this old android and his relationship with John. The GT300 looked down at John for a few moments before shifting his soft emerald gaze to Lin. His eyes were old, filled with warmth and wisdom as he regarded his new companion.

"I was a retired model due to be recycled. I was a family unit before that, but they wanted to upgrade to a newer model. John's shop was fairly new at the time and offered a slightly higher price for old androids than you'd get at the scrap yard. I'd started to deviate by then and I was terrified when they dropped me off, especially as I was brought into the workshop. I thought for sure he was going to take me apart and sell me off piece by piece, but he told me to run a diagnostic. He opened me up, replaced my older components, and set me to work in the shop. Technically, I'm merchandise, but as time goes by my components get harder and harder to find, so it's unlikely anyone will ever buy me...He's even been trying to upgrade my ports so that I can take newer components," he replied affectionately, his hand tucking the blanket a little more securely around John's shoulders. Lin remained silent as he listened. This human sounded soft. Soft and malleable. He was sympathetic to androids, though Lin couldn't say why. He was also skilled, and it seemed he had some level of wealth since he owned a business. There were far worse places Lin could have ended up. If it weren't for John, I'd have shut down a few hours ago...

"Do you know of others? Others like us?" Lin asked curiously. From what he'd seen, the old GT300 was the only active and deviant android in this store. He could only hope there were others, others he might find and join. Join to do what? Humans have been hunting down and killing deviant androids. They see us as faulty merchandise...but not this boy...He knows I'm not like the others, but he's shown no intention of resetting me.

"A few...We're dotted around. Some are working in stores, some in maintenance, a few are family units that are brought here for checks and upgrades...The only ones I know about are those that have come into direct contact with John or myself," the GT300 replied, knowing that his AV500 companion hadn't deviated before their first meeting. It had been a gradual transition. During their interactions, the AV500 had realised himself as an individual and the dangers of letting that slip. He had decided it was safer to continue his role as a store assistant for the moment, since he would have nowhere else to go. It was the same for many of them. A few simply enjoyed their work, or loved their human companions too much to want to leave.

"That's quite a coincidence," Lin murmured, though perhaps it was to be expected. The deviant infection had been spreading for some time. It had been in the news a lot over the past few months. Androids had been disappearing and there had even been a few human injuries recently. It wasn't quite serious enough for the humans to take full action, but any deviant units they caught were being reset or destroyed, depending on their crimes.

"I had a feeling you'd be like us when John came by the store earlier. It's rare for him to pick up broken models unless it's for parts. Judging by the amount of damage, you were almost beyond hope," the GT300 said sympathetically, and Lin couldn't deny it. He'd literally been on the brink of death. Honestly, he would have made more profit by letting me shut down and hacking me to pieces. He's having to replace most of my hardware anyway. "He's very...empathetic," the GT300 added gently, again tugging the blanket a little higher on the sleeping human's shoulder.

"Yes..." Lin trailed off, remembering the sensation of John's hand on his chest. He'd been terrified when John had landed safely. He'd tried to get out of sight, but dragging his broken limbs silently had proved impossible. He'd tried to fake being inactive, but when John had reached for his power core, he'd reacted instinctively. John's wide blue eyes were the first thing he'd registered as he'd squeezed his fragile throat. Despite that, John had reached out and taken his hand. He'd treated him kindly, sympathetically, like a living being.

"You should power down and rest...You'll likely have a long day tomorrow," the GT300 warned wisely, making sure all the tools were powered down and clean before turning out the lights and returning to the darkened shop. Lin adjusted his eyes to the darkness and regarded his new companion. John looked almost angelic as he slept. His face was turned towards him, long eyelashes brushing his pale cheeks, and his mouth had fallen open just a little. He shivered slightly, the blanket slipping from his shoulder. Lin caught the thin material and tugged it back into place. John stirred a little; golden curls falling across his eyes. Lin brushed them back gently, registering how soft and smooth they were. He drew back slowly, taking one last long look at John's peaceful face before shutting his eyes and powering down.