In the Arms of an Android

by Tracy Lauren

  For the first time in my life, I felt my penis twitch to life—inspired not only by the hint of Andrea’s body through the glass but also by the idea of sex with her. Before she said it, I had never considered such a thing. But it quickly became the only thing I could think of. Even as she ate her breakfast, all I could do was picture her mouth wrapping around a cock…but not just any cock—my cock. Tomorrow I’ll have to feed her something else…anything else. No more bananas, regardless of their health benefits.

  When the water suddenly shuts off I jolt to attention. Andrea’s hand steals out and I pass her a towel. She steps out from the stall but makes no effort to leave the bathroom. Instead, she looks up at me with a soft smile.

  “Do you require help drying off?”

  Andrea’s eyes widen and she chokes on a laugh. “I think I’ve got it.”

  “Your mood seems to have stabilized this morning,” I point out, thinking of all the smiles she has shared with me. “I have been highly impressed with your resiliency despite your circumstances.”

  Andrea takes a deep breath and considers my comment. “I feel better when I’m around you, Valens. I don’t know what it is.”

  “There are many species of birds who, upon hatching, imprint on the first being that they see. I was the first person you saw after your stasis.”

  Andrea scoffs and moves her body closer to mine. “Future reference, Valens—don’t compare me to a duck.”

  “Geese also imprint. In fact, many wild birds across the galaxy have similar—”

  Andrea laughs as she rolls her eyes, pushing her way past me. “Completely charming. Don’t you have some work to do?” she calls over her shoulder as she pads barefoot into her bedroom. I want to follow her, but she’s right. I do have work and I promised Captain Nilsson I wouldn’t allow my relationship with Andrea to get in the way. Though I didn’t know at the time just how difficult it would be to keep such a promise.

  Somehow, I find that I have very little interest in performing my regular duties. Instead I would much prefer to spend my time with Andrea—assessing her needs, studying my own reactions to her, and simply talking to her. But I must go.

  Once again however, I keep the monitors in Andrea’s room active.

  Chapter 18

  Valens

  When I get to the hangar Renzo is waiting for me just outside the decontamination chamber. He leans against the wall, arms crossed over his chest and a happy smirk on his face. My friend makes no greeting, but I am aware of the fact that he watches me with great scrutiny.

  The door closes us into decontamination and we are sprayed with a chemical agent that neutralizes anything which should not cross the barrier into the hangar. The power of the blast is strong, ruffling my hair and clothes, and I think that Andrea would not like the process very much.

  “Tear any furniture from its bolts lately, Valens?” Renzo asks.

  “There has not been a need since you witnessed me doing so in the conference room.”

  “And how has your job as liaison been treating you?”

  “I find it…distracting,” I answer honestly.

  “In the best of ways?”

  I turn to Renzo. “I have not engaged in a sexual relationship with Andrea.”

  He cocks his brow at me. “You haven’t engaged in a sexual relationship with Andrea yet?”

  I turn away from him and gather up my hazmat suit.

  “Come on, Valens!” he complains, pulling the overalls of his own suit up his legs. “Spill! I know damn well there’s something going on between you and the girl! Hell, the second she opened her eyes she wanted a little android action. Are you really going to pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about?”

  I zip up my suit and pull on my gloves. Renzo thinks I am reluctant to share the details of my relationship with Andrea. But the reality is, I hardly understand it enough to discuss it at all. I know what my role should be. I should be helping her integrate—not only on this ship but into the current century as well. Instead, I’d be happy to spend the next week alone in a room with her, rubbing her back and watching her eat bananas.

  “I am not familiar with intimate romantic relationships within the human culture,” I venture. Or any culture for that matter. It is not something I have had reason to study.

  Renzo claps his hands together. “Hell yeah! Now we’re getting somewhere! How intimate are we talking?”

  We fit our helmets over our suits and the far end of the decontamination chamber opens for us. We walk out into the hangar, where Odo is running a sanitizing rod over one of the pods. “Ayo!” he calls to us.

  “Odo, my brother!” Renzo calls cheerfully. “You will not believe the shit Valens is getting into.”

  “Oh yeah?” the ebunati asks, flicking the sanitizing rod off.

  “Remember when I said the new girl was into Valens?” Renzo tells him proudly.

  “No shit?” Odo replies, nodding appreciatively at me. “I didn’t know you had those kinds of…drives. Good for you man.”

  “Andrea and I have not engaged in a sexual relationship,” I point out once more.

  “Yet,” Renzo emphasizes. “But you spent the night with her?”

  “Part of it,” I confirm.

  “You dog.”

  “Andrea has been suffering from night terrors,” I clarify, my tone firm. “I join her when she is distraught.” While I am interested in learning about human relationships from Renzo, there’s something to the way he talks about this thing between Andrea and me that is bothersome.

  He frowns. “Well, that’s less fun.”

  “I enjoy all the time I spend with Andrea, regardless of her emotional state,” I tell him defensively.

  Renzo and Odo share a knowing glance through their hazmat helmets. “Look, Valens…I know I’m giving you a bit of a hard time here, but are you really developing feelings for this chick?”

  “I have been experiencing certain reactions to her presence that I have never felt before. And…I find it difficult to terminate my monitoring of her room.”

  “Dude! You’re monitoring her room?” Both Renzo and Odo look aghast.

  “I asked her permission to monitor her heart rate for signs of distress.”

  “Oh shit, man, I thought you meant you kept a visual of her,” he says, shaking his head and laughing.

  “I have both visual and audio running,” I admit, “in addition to her vital signs.”

  Renzo and Odo look at me, stiff with surprise…before they both nearly fall over, laughing.

  “Man, you are one fucked up dude, Valens. Do yourself a favor and don’t tell your girl you watch her around the clock,” Renzo comments once he composes himself. “Damn, this sounds like a full-on crush you’ve got going. I know Andrea was looking at you with doe eyes when we rescued her, but do you think she feels the same way? Has she been sending any signals?”

  I consider Renzo’s words and look back at Andrea’s behavior towards me. She wants me in the bathroom with her when she bathes, but that is because she is afraid. She likes it when I comfort her in the night—but again, it is because she’s scared. “There is nothing I have noticed beside the fact that she seems to feel safe with me. Perhaps…” I think about the power disparity in our relationship. Andrea relies on me to feel a sense of security and comfort. “Perhaps pursuing anything at the moment would be taking advantage of her vulnerability.”

  Odo nods, giving me a reassuring pat on the arm. “I’m with you on that, buddy. If you want anything to happen you’ve got to let the girl take the lead here.”

  Renzo leans back, assessing me, but I can tell that he agrees. As much as he attempts to sound blasé about women and sex, I know that it is—for the most part—an act. “Bummer. If you change your mind you better tell me. I’ll teach you all you need to know about pleasuring a woman.”

  “I will keep that in mind. Thank you, Renzo.”

  My friend laughs. “I still can’t believe you have a thing for a girl, man. This is
some exciting shit. Shouldn’t somebody be writing a scientific paper on this?”

  Throughout the day I continue monitoring Andrea, though now I feel somewhat guilty about it. I tell myself I am simply watching her to ensure she is taking care of her basic nutritional needs, but it is difficult to lie to oneself. The truth is, I enjoy seeing her.

  But the day is long and the contamination in the hangar proved to be a messy one. It isn’t until late in the rest cycle that we finally finish our work.

  “Want to join us for a drink?” Odo asks. “We’re headed to deck seven.” Usually I am eager for the chance at socializing with my friends because it helps me build more complex pathways in my neural network by interacting with them. But tonight I am eager to be close to Andrea once again. She fell asleep a few hours ago—on her couch again, to my dismay—and already she is tossing fitfully.

  “Nah brother, it looks like Valens has somewhere to be,” Renzo points out, giving me a firm slap on the back.

  I nod appreciatively and bid them goodnight, concerned that Andrea might wake before I am closer to her room. As it stands I am already on the opposite side of the ship. I don’t waste time stopping at my own quarters and instead I head directly for hers. But by the time I get to her door, her fitfulness has settled. Instead of coming in and startling her, I opt to wait outside until she needs me.

  Hours pass and when she becomes fitful again I don’t wait for her to wake up screaming. I simply walk into her room. Andrea raises her head and rubs her tired eyes, focusing them on me. Suddenly I feel unsure of myself. Should I have waited until she needed me? Am I invading her privacy and her space? But before I can explore that line of thinking, Andrea makes space on the couch and reaches for me. Gratefully I go to her, scooping her into my arms and pulling her on top of me.

  “Did you just get off work?” she asks, her voice still sleepy. She rests her head on my chest like it’s the most natural thing to do.

  “Yes. The contamination in the hangar was significant. I hadn’t wanted it to keep me for so long.”

  “It’s cool, I know I’m not your only obligation.” Andrea’s small and feminine hands tunnel between my back and the couch until they link together, wrapping me in an embrace. Suddenly I feel hyper aware of every inch of her soft body that is in contact with mine—particularly the apex of her thighs that rests firmly against my penis.

  Again, she is only wearing panties and a thin top, which leaves her arms and shoulders exposed. I run my hands over the skin…but I am discomfited by the fact that my sex begins to twitch again and I have to focus to keep my erection at bay. One would think that my creators would have made such a bodily reaction more easily controllable. I’d hate for Andrea to notice such a thing when I am supposed to be comforting her.

  I thought at great length about our relationship today, and I stand by the assessment I made when I was with Odo and Renzo. Andrea relies on me. She trusts me. I should not do anything that might violate that. And something tells me that an erection grinding against her core while she leans against me for comfort would be a definite violation of her trust.

  “Do you require a blanket?” I ask, assessing her temperature.

  “No,” she yawns. “Just you.”

  Her words fill me with a strange sense of pride, regardless of the fact that I know they are false. I am not all that she needs. I am supposed to be integrating her onto the ship. She should be making friends, eventually she should take on a job. I should not horde her away for myself—an idea that is all too enticing.

  “I would like for you to get to know my friends,” I say suddenly.

  “The people who helped you find me?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. I think I can do that. Besides, I suppose I can only stay locked in my room for so long before I’m officially considered a recluse.” She yawns again.

  “You are tired. I should not have woken you.”

  Andrea holds me tighter. “I was hoping you’d come.”

  “I had wanted to be here sooner—I do not like the idea of you being alone all day.”

  “You’re here now, that’s all that matters.”

  I nod, stroking her back and arms. She snuggles against me. “Sleep, Andrea. I will still be here when you wake up.”

  Throughout the remainder of the night I am aware of Andrea’s body…almost to the point of pain. Every time I cast a glance down at her curves my penis attempts to surge to life. If I weren’t so worried about offending her I would relish the new function of my body. The arousal I feel…it is a rush, making all my senses that much sharper. And despite my sincere intentions to keep my desire at bay, my eyes keep making their way to her rounded backside, barely hidden by a flimsy scrap of fabric—a scrap that I could shred all too easily with my android strength. My penis throbs at the thought and I try to will it back to sleep.

  With Andrea straddling me the way that she is, I cannot help but wonder how one might go about giving sexual pleasure to a human female. Part of me wishes I would have asked Renzo. Another part of me is glad that I didn’t. For some reason I want to keep this aspect of my time with Andrea private. It should be for us alone. Yet still…faced with my own arousal, I am curious about hers. Mentally, I access the database.

  My initial search query is “human sexuality.” But I find the topic too clinical and generalized to relate it to what it is I feel for Andrea. Eventually I find myself engrossed in an ancient Earth article from Andrea’s time about how to make a woman orgasm. It is helpful in many ways, but it also brings about more questions. What is a clitoris, for example? And why does the article decry pornography as being unrealistic representations of sexual encounters? An anatomy query answers the first question. A search for 21st century pornography begins to answer the second.

  I only view the video for a moment, but the impact is lingering. The images were raw and visceral…not exactly what I would imagine happening between Andrea and myself. But the idea of sliding my penis along the wet folds of her sex and pressing into her core…that part fascinates me.

  Instead of bringing the video back online however, I find myself obsessing over the clouded view I have of Andrea each morning as she showers. After that, there is no fighting it. My penis grows painfully engorged. While there were naked women in the video I saw, none of them were arousing. Not the way that Andrea is. Even now, with her spread over me like a blanket—clutching me, needing me…it fills me with a desire like I have never known and my already hardened penis twitches. I need to curb this reaction to her, lest she wakes to find something offensive pressing against her heat.

  No sooner than I consider that possibility, Andrea’s eyes blink open. She yawns and stretches her muscles in a way that makes her breasts rub against my own chest. A small sound of pleasure escapes her as she does. Inwardly, I’m cursing myself. I let my curious mind wander to impossible things while she slept and now my hard on is nowhere near under control. I pray that she won’t notice it.

  Halfway through her stretch, however, Andrea grows still. She freezes really. Despite my shame, I can’t help but wonder if she can feel how hard I am for her. I’d be embarrassed by the thought if I weren’t so aroused by it.

  Her face is only a few inches from mine and she studies me in her dimly lit room, her lips parted in something like surprise. I notice her breathing changes and her heart rate begins to quicken. Andrea swallows and moves her arms so that they wrap around my neck. Unknowingly, she causes her body to shift ever so slightly on my throbbing sexual organ. I fight the urge to thrust against her. I can sense the heat there and I long to be buried in it. As a matter of fact, I’ve never wanted anything so badly in all my life.

  Chapter 19

  Andrea

  I woke in Valens’s arms, feeling rested and content. Wickedly, I thought to play my little game of copping a feel while pretending to stretch again, but as I moved I was shocked to realize Valens had an erection. My first thought was morning wood—do androids even get morning wood?
But when I looked into his eyes there was no mistaking the lust I saw there. Cautiously, I moved against him, relishing the feel of this thick rod pressed against my pussy. I wanted Valens bad, but I questioned the root of my desire. Still…

  Wrapping my arms around his neck, I press my chest against his. It brings our faces that much closer together. I realize for the umpteenth time that I don’t know shit about androids. But I do know how wet I am for this one.

  Ever cautious, I press my forehead to his, nuzzling him as I shift on his cock once more. It’s such a slight movement—one that I might even be able to explain away if he’s put off by my interest in him. But he doesn’t seem put off. He seems desirous, even if he is being just as tentative about this as I am.

  I tilt my face so my cheek caresses his. My lips brush against his jaw. I’m practically panting now—eager for more. His mouth is so close to mine. I want him to claim it. I want him to kiss me.

  “Valens—” I breathe his name, not sure what else I mean to say. But he hears my plea and his hand goes to the back of my neck, pulling me to him. When our lips collide I whimper in desperate glee.

  Sure, I don’t know shit about androids. I don’t know if they get hot and bothered. I don’t know if they kiss. I don’t know if the feelings they have inside them can be equated to what a human feels. But I know I want Valens and I can tell by the way he kisses—he wants me too.

  I run my fingers through his hair, noticing how soft it feels. Though his cheeks are smooth, with no signs of stubble, he is still undeniably masculine. And his mouth—I sigh against him—his mouth is like any man’s mouth. He’s got a wet tongue that teases my own and teeth that gently bite at my lips. His kisses are languid, like he’s content to just be in this moment, exploring what’s happening between us. And so am I. In a different life I might be tugging his shirt over his head, ready to jump his bones. But right now, all I want is this.