Clearance | Simkus ✔️

Clearance

A/N: so I had an idea,,,, what if Simon and Markus realize what feelings were when they met, only in this AU, they meet in the clearance candy aisle. I love my awkward boys. Anyways, hope you all had a good Valentine's Day. Enjoy this corny gift, from you to me.

XX

Markus never quite understood why humans were strongly opinionated about Valentine's Day.

There were those that absolutely loathed the holiday with every fiber of their being, because they were single, or because they were convinced that it was just an excuse to buy fancy things that wouldn't matter tomorrow.

Then, there were those that loved it, whether they were single or not. Maybe they just liked the love in the air, maybe they loved getting things. Either way, the day was a win for them.

Humans were just beyond odd. They seemed to be strongly opinionated about everything, Markus couldn't really understand it, but he supposed that he never would. Humans were... strange creatures.

He wasn't really sure where Carl stood on Valentine's Day as a whole, all he knew was that the man had asked him to go and get him some chocolate the day after, since it was all on sale.

That was something he wouldn't question either, even if he did find it strange. Why was it on sale the day after? Why wasn't it on sale the day of?

He headed to the store, expecting to just grab what he needed and go, like he always did. As an android, he knew that efficiency was the key. Get from to point A, do what you needed to do, and get to point B as quickly as possible.

He made his way into the store, and immediately he realized how many other androids (and even other humans) were here as well. Probably for the same thing, or something related.

He made his way through the crowd as quickly as he could, basket in hand, making his way into the clearance candy aisle. Many androids and humans alike were in it, grabbing boxes on top of boxes of cheap candy.

Markus walked over to one of the shelves and began putting boxes of candy into his basket. Carl didn't give explicit instructions, he asked for nothing specific, just candy in general, so Markus was simply getting what he thought Carl would like.

"Humans and their clearance chocolate." Markus mumbled to himself, chuckling.

"I know right?" He heard someone say, and looked up to see another android. "All of the humans sent all of us here on shopping sprees for their sweet tooths."

Markus nodded. "He didn't even tell me what to get, just to buy candy. I'm confused, and androids aren't even supposed to be confused!" He exclaimed.

"Same here actually. But I have some gems here. Take a look at this." The other android said, pulling one of his boxes out of his basket.

It was a heart shaped box, with a turtle on the front. In cursive, it read "You're turtle-y awesome!"

Markus felt himself laugh. And odd feeling, any feeling at all was an odd feeling. He had been hit with feeling before, feelings he couldn't quite decipher but never anything quite like this. He didn't even know what emotions were. But, he knew that this was what they HAD to be. And he was having this epiphany the middle of the clearance candy aisle, nonetheless.

"Get it? Cause it's a turtle." The other android said. "I'm Simon, by the way."

"Markus. And yeah, I get it. It's funny."

"Sarcasm?"

"No! I really think it was!" Markus didn't know why he was getting defensive over something so silly,  he sure was.

Simon chuckled. "I believe you."

"Do you really?"

Just then, a worker walked by, glaring at the two androids with curiosity. They were having a conversation like two human beings.

Markus would admit, he never really had a full on conversation like this with another android. Simon was much... different compared to other androids.

"Look at this one." Simon said, pulling out another box. "It's a first aid chocolate box! It was so expensive before, but now it's so cheap."

"Where did you even get that?" Markus asked. "Carl would get a kick out of that."

"I'll show you. Come over here." Simon put one of the boxes into Markus' basket. "Sorry if I'm being annoying, by the way. I tend to... talk a lot."

"Annoying? You're not. Trust me." Markus almost didn't want him to walk away, he wanted to keep talking to him.

Simon smiled. "Really?"

"Would I lie?"

"I don't know, would you?"

"No, I wouldn't."

"You promise?"

"You sound like a human with all of this. Of course I promise."

"You sure?" He chuckled. "I'm kidding. I believe you, Markus."

"You promise?" Markus said sarcastically.

"You're different from all of these other androids, you know. I've never... spoken with one like this."

"That's exactly what I was thinking." Markus said. "Like, exactly."

"I don't know what it is. But I want to talk to you more, when I should be checking out and bringing this back home."

"I want to talk to you too. And before you ask, yes I mean it."

"You're turtle-y being a jerk right now."

"You did not."

"I did."

Both of the minds of the androids were racing, Markus thought he would go in overdrive right then. They were both confused yet delighted at their interaction. It was something they never could have anticipated, something that they never even thought they would experience. They were making jokes, laughing, enjoying each other presence... they had never felt more human, more alive.

Markus didn't get it at all, but it didn't mean he didn't love it and didn't want the moment to last forever. He didn't want to go home, not yet, when going home was what he was SUPPOSED to do. And he wasn't supposed to not want to do what he was ordered to.

Simon felt the same way. He didn't get it either. Something had drawn him to Markus right away, and made him to want to talk to him. Another android.

"You alright?" Markus asked Simon. "You seemed like you were drifting off."

"Just thinking. Isn't that weird? Thinking?" Simon asked, staring at the ceiling.

"How do humans do it all of the time?"

"Good question. You know, I don't-"

Suddenly someone stepped in between them, yet another android. "Excuse me."

Simon and Markus stepped away.

"What were you saying?" Markus asked.

"Nothing. I guess I should get going now. I don't want to come home late, you know how humans get when they're mad."

"Yeah, I do. Hopefully we can talk again sometime."

Simon smiled weakly. "I hope so, too. Maybe next year at Valentine's when they send us back here."

Markus chuckled. "Yeah, you're right."

Simon began to step away, until Markus stopped him.

"Simon." He said.

"Yes?"

"You turtle-y rock."