Withered Roots

Bloom

 The two of you were quiet as you slipped back to your apartment just as sneakily as you had left. You had Ralph pull his hood up until you were safely inside your apartment walls, but once inside, you grabbed some large, clean pajamas that you hoped would fit him. As he threw off his cloak in the light, you realized just how neglected he really was. He was covered in dirt all over his face and wounds, and you stopped before you handed him the clothes.

"Hold on," you said, and turned back to the bathroom before returning with a sudsy washcloth. You persuaded him to sit down on the couch, and gently began to run the warm cloth over his skin. He looked uncertain at first, but started to relax into the comforting sensation as you ran the rag over his forehead and behind his ear, letting it drift down his neck. You started to go up the left side, but the android recoiled and gasped sharply when the cloth touched his wounds. You pulled your hand back only for him to snatch your wrist, watching his LED as it flashed red.

"I'm sorry! Does that hurt you? I can stop."

He shook his head quickly. "No, no... I just... I don't know."

You noted the change in his speech with concern and placed your free hand in his as his grip loosened. You raised the cloth again.

"May I?"

Ralph squeezed his eyes shut and nodded slowly, and you returned the cloth to his face, compassion evident in tenderness of your touch. He squeezed your hand lightly, and you could feel the beginning of tears stinging at your eyes as you hushed him in low, warm tones. Humans were creatures of cruelty, selfishness, arrogance, yet these vulnerable, intelligent beings were being blamed for our lack of understanding when all they wanted was to be treated like anyone else. You were not like other humans though, and you needed him to know that. You wiped the blue blood from his lip and eyebrow, and he gradually settled into your touch as he felt cleaner. He opened his eyes to find you smiling at him kindly, and he even smiled back briefly as you finished your work on his face. You tried not to stare when you moved the rag away to wash his arms, but getting the dirt and blood off drastically changed Ralph's aura. He looked happier and more lively despite the scars, which now didn't seem quite so gruesome. Both of you ultimately felt lighter, and for that you were grateful. He watched you as you continued to clean his arms and hands, and your eyes were still locked on his jaw. You were almost done now, so you simply sat still in the silence of his company.

"Is something wrong, (y/n)?" He inquired, causing you to look away from him with an embarrassed blush.

"No, nothing's wrong. You just... look a lot better. I mean, you look good."

The android smiled widely at this, and his light flashed blue for the first time since you had seen him.

"Ralph looks good. He has never been complimented before! He must see what you have done!"

You pointed him to your mirror, and he stood quickly to go see his reflection. As he caught a glance of himself, he stilled in front of the glass and ran his fingers slowly across his scars and his cheeks, retracing the path where you had scrubbed away the filth. His brows furrowed for a moment, and his light spun yellow as if he was registering himself for the first time. A slight tint of blue rushed to his cheeks. Then he smiled, turning back to face you.

"He does indeed look much nicer! Thank you!"

"You're welcome," you responded. You retrieved the clothes for him again and placed them in his arms. He nodded in gratitude, and when you sat down, he immediately undid the top part of his uniform in your living room and pulled it down to his waist. Your entire face flushed red as you lifted your head up and saw his exposed torso, small scars lining his lean chest and abdomen which was smooth with CyberLife's trademark flawless skin. You looked away and made a rather flustered sound as you explained to him that he should change elsewhere. He apologized and stepped into the bathroom, out of sight, and you let out a heavy sigh. When he returned, he looked almost new with a black sleeveless T-shirt and red flannel pajama pants, and you crossed your arms before glancing him over, satisfied with your work. You patted the couch for him to sit beside you.

"Mi casa es tu casa," you said to him. "Anything that's mine is now yours too. TV, shower, whatever. If there's anything that would make you more comfortable, let me know. It probably won't be too safe for you to leave while the police are on this deviant business, but if you need more stuff to keep you entertained, I can get things from the store."

"Oh, no, no. Ralph requires nothing. He has a friend now, and a nice home. You have already shown him too much kindness."

His cheeks were still a soft bluish hue as he looked around, but his eyes stopped when they landed on the small flower pots you had forgotten to put back in your window. He stood up and grabbed the mist bottle you kept near them, and he began to spritz each plant with trained precision while he talked to them, speaking words of encouragement to some of the more withered ones. Placing them lovingly on the window sill, he turned back to you.

"Did you know that kindness helps flowers blossom?" He said enthusiastically.

"I believe it," you responded, taking a mental note to get him some more plants soon. "Everything deserves a little kindness."