Maybe Happy Ending - The Love Device

Chapter 2:

Kurt poked the device on his back. It was working, wasn't it? Why didn't he feel any different? Was he in love? Had him ever being in love? There was a quote from Jane Austen; what was it? He took his phone out and accessed his library, opening his Pride and Prejudice in one of the last chapters. There was it: "I cannot fix the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It's too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew it had begun".

Maybe that was it — no one knew when love really begun, you only realize you're in love halfway through it. And was Blaine his Mr. Darcy? He surely wasn't as grumpy and full of prejudice as Jane Austen's character. Kurt didn't need him to be rich — he had now plenty of money himself. But other than that, Blaine did look like the ideal man all the girls (and boys and bots) sighed dreamily when he passed.

Kurt wanted to rip off the Love Device from his back. Why did it have to beep for a guy who would only want Kurt's friendship? He was sick and tired of mooning over guys who didn't want anything with him. That was partly why he had installed the Love Device. Only to have the damn thing to beep at the wrong time and make a fool of Kurt.

He was weighing the pros and cons of having surgery to remove his LD when his phone chimed with a message. It was from Blaine, inviting him for a cup of coffee.

Kurt smiled and felt his heart thumping in his chest. Fuck! He was doomed! He was really in love with a man he only saw once. Silly heart; silly Kurt. What a way to be a masochist!

Half an hour, late Kurt was pacing the coffee house near his apartment. No sign of Blaine. He checked to confirm he was at the right time., he was. He should calm his heart, it was platonic — it had to be platonic. But having a gay best friend in a strange town to guide him was a very good thing. Not that New York was that strange of a city, Kurt had come here thousands of times for work. Anyway, knowing where the best bars and clubs where was something Kurt always appreciated with a human touch. AI could tell you almost everything, but have a human curation was something the old-soul Kurt appreciated a lot.

A hand tapped Kurt's shoulder. He turned to see a beautiful blond guy smiling at him:

"You must be Kurt."

He only nodded and noticed the guy's white clothes. He was beginning to add two and two in his head when the blond continued:

"I'm Sam! Blaine's bot. He won't be able to make it."

Kurt tried to break the tension with a joke:

"Sam I am!"

Sam stared at him blanky and blinked a few times:

"So you are not Kurt?"

He often forgot he was probably the only person whose mother liked to read children's book from more than 100 years before. He continued reading old books from long-dead authors. Something about the new fiction of bots and hoverboards wasn't as catchy to Kurt's taste. He was digressing, the bot was still waiting for an answer from him:

"Yes, I'm the Kurt you are looking for."

The bot again didn't catch the old reference, but smiled, nonetheless.

"Blaine sent me because he feels bad not being able to come. He got a gig later tonight and needs to practice. He says I'm a good conversationalist and that I could be good company for you."

"Forgive me for being honest, I don't have much experience chatting with robots, but since Blaine considers you his best friend, I think I can try."

Sam grinned:

"Consider you now have a friend who can't lie to you. Ask me anything."

Kurt gave him a lopsided smile, a kind of sad one. What he wanted to know from Blaine he already did: Blaine wasn't in love with him. Sam seemed to be analyzing him when he declared:

"You are in love, aren't you?"

"Is it that obvious?"

Sam chuckled:

"I could read the magnetic waves from your Love Device. Besides, Blaine told me of yesterday's... incident."

Incident? The bot had manners. Maybe Kurt could give him a chance and get to know the world of the Helperbots.

"Tell me, Sam, are you able to fall in love?"

"Yes and no. We have some protocols installed that tell us to share and be vulnerable. We can care deeply about someone; some call it love, some more purist don't. I also have a protocol installed that tells me not to discuss philosophical issues with humans."

"Can you discuss it with other bots?"

"I have nothing that forbids me to. Although I personally have never felt this attached to anyone, I've already discovered that I'm heterosexual."

Kurt's eyebrows raised:

"So, you and Blaine..."

Sam smiled:

"I love him as my best friend too. Again, if you consider I can love. I have offered him sex, as is my obligation, when he bought me. He denied and invited me to play video games."

"Must have been a relief to you... you know... being heterosexual and everything..."

"We don't connect sex and love as humans do."

"So, the bots that marry humans don't ever 'make love' to them?"

Sam looked down uncomfortably:

"This is a philosophical question. I'm not allowed to discuss it with you."

Kurt made a gesture like he was asking forgiveness. He intertwined his fingers and posed both his hands on the table:

"What can you say to me about love?"

"Things I've learned from other bots and the protocols."

"Tell me the protocol, then."

"When you're in love you're alone."

That was food for thought. However, Kurt didn't have much time to digest it because a familiar voice called his attention.

"So, I see you two are getting along. What have you been talking about?"

Kurt's heart accelerated and his palms begun to get sweaty. He looked sharply at Sam and was the first to answer Blaine.

"You."

The bot looked down nonchalantly. Kurt was thinking about if it was inappropriate to flirt with Blaine when the other boy approached him for a hug. An awkward dance of not knowing which arm went where went on before the boys could properly hug. Kurt tried to break the tension:

"I thought you had a gig to study?"

Blaine smiled embarrassed:

"I thought a coffee would do me good. Besides, I remembered you said you don't interact much with bots, and maybe it was incentive of me sending Sam."

Kurt gleamed:

"Sam is lovely."

"Not as much as you, apparently", Sam commented.

Kurt felt his cheeks burning. Was Blaine blushing too? He was biting his lower lip in an adorable way. Focus, Kurt, he's just a friend. Kurt was awakened from his daydream by Sam going on:

"Don't worry, Kurt, Blaine was looking forward to seeing you too."