Natural Selection (Elijah Kamski x Reader)

Revised Article 9

Something was buried within him. You tried to get a glimpse of it as you stared at him from the kitchen, swirling wine in a crystal glass, studying him like a complex work of art. Maybe that's what it was. The problem to solve. Da Vinci's code in human form. Why were you having this moment of weakness? That was more puzzling. A lapse in your hate, resolve to bring him down...for a moment, you wondered if you were doing the right thing.

He unbuttoned his cuff links, and rolled up his sleeves. Flashed you a smile.

"Ready?" He asked gently.

You returned that smile, a soft, genuine thing, that if improperly handled, would break.

"Sure." You answered.

You chopped vegetables on a cutting board, and soon, the kitchen was filled with a heartwarming smell, the product of chemical breakdowns, interactions, and bonding...much like your marriage.

And while your marriage didn't have a dedicated scent, you guessed it would be something along the lines of pine needles. The sweet, beautiful scent released when trees feel pain, have been damaged, and try to repair themselves.

"We haven't cooked a meal together in quite some time." Elijah whispered, "This is nice."

"Well, you haven't had much to do with me lately, or wanted to..." You jabbed, "But yes, I agree. This is a nice change of pace-"

"It's not that I didn't want to, or don't want to."

The blissful, bittersweet thoughts of yours came to a screeching halt. Just like that, your moment of peace was taken away from you. You cherished these moments, however tarnished they were with looming thoughts. For him to rob you of one was one more item added to his tab.

"Do you think I don't want things between us to go back to how it used to be?" He said in a pained voice, and by the heart wrenching look in his eyes, you believed him, "I miss that. I miss you...I miss us."

"You have an odd way of showing it."

"I've tried so many times to level with you, and you know that." He argued, "But this...android, business..." He chopped harder, the knife hitting the cutting board just ever so loud, now, "You can't seem to let it go-"

"Has it ever once occurred to you that maybe I'm right?" You waited for his response, "At all?"

"Of course it has," he stopped chopping, his neck swiveling – his face turning to yours, "Do you not think the idea keeps me up and runs through my veins, just as it does to you?"

Your brows creased, and you cocked your head, "Uh, no, not exactly. You've acted as if the complete opposite was true. Especially that stunt with the Turing Test-"

"It's Amanda."

His eyes closed. His shoulders slowly cringed before they relaxed. His palms flattened on the counter. A light glaze formed on his lashes.

"Any time I say no, any time I question her, she...she makes threats." He looked at you again, blatant tears in his eyes, "She threatens everything I love...everyone I love."

"She's a middle-aged woman who's a step below a politician and one step above a mad scientist. I know she holds monetary power over...well, everything, but other than that, what are you so afraid of?"

He looked at you, more pained now, "You don't understand. I've done everything I can to get you to stop digging. I'm scared what might happen to you if you uncover something too detrimental to Amanda's vision...her goal. To advance humanity into a forced evolutionary stage."

"Right..." You swallowed hard, "That."

Unrestrained science, playing the hand of god, all things you associated with creating androids to begin with? How did they benefit humanity to such a length? You couldn't see it. Maybe that was the point. Maybe there was a piece of the puzzle you were dancing around, simply because you didn't know it was there.