The morning sunlight slanted through the blinds, striping the living room in soft gold. Leon was still fussing with Sylvie's breakfast, while I padded over to where Nica sat, her posture straight, mechanical fingers gliding over a projection Nyxen had thrown into the air.
The orb hovered a little lower than usual, his light flickering sharp as he explained something in rapid streams of data. Nica's head tilted, her eyes glowing faintly as she processed.
"Nyx-One," I caught her say, voice soft but firm. "That's what you're calling it?"
Nyx-One? My brows pinched together. I stepped closer, folding my arms.
"Okay… what's going on here?"
Nyxen didn't even flinch. His light pulsed once, and instead of answering, he floated a list in front of me, pages and pages of codes, materials, components, half of which I hadn't even heard of.
I blinked at it, then at him.
"Really? That's your explanation? A shopping list?"
Nica gave the faintest mechanical laugh. "He prefers to show, not tell."
Leon finally came over, wiping his hands on a towel and squinting at the projection. "What's this? Supplies?" He leaned in, scanning line after line, his engineer's mind already ticking. "Why don't we just all go together? Get the materials firsthand. That way Nica and Nyxen can check the quality themselves before we waste money."
Nyxen swiveled toward him, glowing brighter.
"Congratulations, Leon." His tone dripped with theatrics. "You've finally decided to use your brain. Took you long enough."
Leon's jaw worked. "You-" He pointed a finger at the orb. "You little-"
Nica interjected smoothly, tilting her head toward Leon. "His delivery lacks grace. But the logic holds. Gathering resources together will optimize the build."
Leon exhaled through his nose, muttering under his breath. "One of these days I'm going to throw you in a toolbox."
Nyxen hummed, swooping low just to irritate him. "And one of these days you'll realize you're just the toolbox."
I pressed a hand over my face, caught between laughter and exasperation.
"Great. My life is a sitcom, starring a sassy orb, a humanoid philosopher, and my husband stuck in the middle."
Sylvie babbled from her highchair, smearing oatmeal on her cheeks like war paint. I swore she was laughing at us too.
I shook my head. "Fine. We'll go together. But-" I jabbed a finger at Nyxen. "You're carrying half of this list if it gets too heavy."
The orb pulsed with smug light. "Nyx, I don't carry. I supervise."
Leon groaned. "Of course you do."
----------
The car hummed along the road, Sylvie strapped into her car seat behind me, happily chewing on a teething toy like it was her sworn enemy. Leon gripped the wheel, shoulders tense, eyes narrowed as if the traffic itself had offended him.
I glanced at Nica, who sat beside Sylvie, posture perfectly straight, one hand occasionally reaching to adjust Sylvie's bib when it slipped. She looked too composed for this kind of trip.
And then there was Nyxen. Hovering in the cramped space, casting faint reflections across the windshield like a smug disco ball.
"Why are you even inside the car?" Leon muttered, catching sight of him in the rearview mirror. "You could just fly above us and meet us there."
Nyxen pulsed brighter, his voice syrupy with sarcasm.
"And miss the chance to monitor your terrible driving firsthand? Absolutely not."
I smothered a laugh, covering my mouth. Leon shot me a sharp side glance.
"Don't encourage him."
"I didn't say anything," I protested.
"You laughed."
"I… smiled internally," I corrected, biting harder on my lip.
Nica's mechanical chuckle broke in. "It was indeed audible."
Leon groaned, tightening his grip on the steering wheel. "Fantastic. Even the robot's ganging up on me now."
From the back, Sylvie squealed, kicking her legs, as if agreeing with Nyxen. Her toy smacked against the side of her car seat like a tiny war drum.
Nyxen drifted closer to Leon's headrest.
"Even your daughter knows. Consider this a consensus, Leon. Democracy in action."
Leon muttered something that sounded very much like "orb menace".
I leaned back against the seat, grinning. "Okay, let's focus. Where exactly are we going?"
Leon exhaled, trying to redirect the conversation. "A friend's place, metalworks shop. He cuts to order. Since we don't need wholesale, he's the best choice. Trust me, he knows his stuff."
Nyxen let out a low hum. "Bold words, coming from the man who once thought duct tape was an acceptable substitute for proper casing."
Leon's ears went pink. "That was one time. One!"
I tilted my head. "You used duct tape… on an engineering project?"
Leon shot me a betrayed look. "It held."
"It melted," Nyxen countered flatly.
Nica leaned forward slightly, voice soft but unrelenting. "Leon. Adhesives are not structural integrity."
Sylvie babbled something suspiciously close to "Da-da," waving her toy like she was also reprimanding him.
I laughed outright this time, shaking my head. "Wow. You're really outnumbered here."
"Yeah, yeah," Leon grumbled, glaring at the road. "Remind me why I'm the one driving this mutiny?"
Nyxen pulsed smugly. "Because Nyx refuses to let me drive."
"Because you don't have hands!" I snapped, unable to stop my laughter.
"Semantics."
Leon's hand rested loose on the wheel, humming along with the radio, while Sylvie kicked her feet in the car seat, babbling at the rhythm of the ride.
"Da-da, ba, ba…maaa," she sang, holding her stuffed bear by the ear and waving it toward the window.
Nyxen hovered near her, tilting like he was listening intently.
"I believe she's composing her first opera. Remarkable use of tone shifts."
"She's just humming, Nyxen," I said, turning in my seat to smile at her. "Aren't you, baby? Hm?"
Sylvie blinked at me, then pressed the bear to her face. "Mmm-ba!" she declared, muffled through fur.
Nica's gaze flicked briefly from the road ahead to Sylvie. "She is demonstrating intentional sound association. The bear is now 'ba.'"
Leon chuckled under his breath. "Guess everything's 'ba' until proven otherwise."
Nyxen floated closer to Sylvie, lights pulsing in faint rhythm with her sounds.
"For the record, I accept this designation."
Leon gave him a side-eye. "You'd accept anything if it makes you the center of attention."
"Da-da!" Sylvie suddenly yelled, reaching both hands forward, wriggling in her seat.
Leon's expression softened immediately. "Yeah, I hear you, sweetheart. We're almost there."
------
The car rolled into the small metalworks lot, gravel crunching under the tires. The shop looked rugged but solid, sheets of cut metal stacked against walls, a faint smell of welding smoke drifting from the back.
Leon parked, turning the key. "Alright. No running off. We're just here to look at some cutouts."
I opened the passenger door and stretched. "Relax, Leon. The only one who runs off is you."
Sylvie squealed as Nica lifted her from the seat, pointing excitedly at the glitter of polished scraps catching sunlight.
"Ba-ba-ba!" she said insistently, little fingers outstretched.
Nyxen floated after her, almost indulgent.
"Her taxonomy of the world is efficient. Everything dazzling is 'ba.' A flawless system."
Leon sighed, grabbing the key and put it in his pocket. "Let's just get this done before she tries to eat one of those sheets."
---------
The bell above the metal shop door clinked as Leon stepped in first, holding it open for the rest of us. The place smelled faintly of steel dust and oil, the clang of some half-finished work echoing deeper inside.
A young staffer looked up from behind a counter stacked with papers. "Uh, sorry sir, the boss isn't here at the moment."
Leon gave a nod, unbothered. "Yeah? That's fine." He fished his phone from his pocket and leaned by the door, already pressing a number.
The rest of us filtered in. Nica carried Sylvie against her hip, the little one patting her cheek and chanting in singsong, "Ni-ca, Ni-ca," like she was testing the sound.
Nica smiled faintly. "Correct."
Sylvie giggled, proud of herself, before pointing at the hovering orb that had already zipped halfway across the shop. "Neh-sen!"
Nyxen's lights pulsed blue in mock grandeur.
"At least someone in this room knows how to say my name properly."
Leon, phone pressed to his ear, muttered, "Yeah, yeah, don't flatter yourself."
The ringing dragged until finally a voice picked up, groggy but familiar.
"...Leon? What the hell-"
"We're at your shop."
There was a beat of stunned silence, then clattering in the background.
"You're where-" the voice cracked into disbelief. "At my.....dammit. I'll be there in twenty. Don't touch anything." The line clicked dead.
Leon huffed a laugh, sliding the phone back into his pocket. "John hasn't changed a bit."
While waiting, Nyxen continued his restless tour, scanning welding rigs, inventory racks, even muttering measurements under his processors. Nica settled into a seat with Sylvie, who kept repeating "Ma-ma, Pa-pa" like a chant, her eyes bouncing between me and Leon.
"Ma-ma," she said, tugging my sleeve, then wriggled her fingers toward Leon at the door. "Pa-pa."
Leon glanced back, his face softening a shade before narrowing again at the orb drifting over his head.
"You're hovering like a mosquito, Nyxen."
"I'm gathering data. You should try it sometime instead of scowling at the air."
Leon pointed a finger at him, already half-smirking. "Careful. You're one smart remark away from being used as a bowling ball."
Sylvie burst into giggles at the sharp tone, slapping her hands together. "Bow! Bow!"
Nica arched a brow. "She seems to approve."
I laughed under my breath. "Careful, Leon. Looks like Sylvie's on Nyxen's side."
"Naturally," Nyxen replied smugly, circling once before lowering to Sylvie's eye level. "She recognizes brilliance when she sees it."
"Ba-ba!" Sylvie repeated, reaching for him.
Nyxen's lights flickered warmly, as if bowing.
"Exactly. 'Ba-ba,' indeed."
Leon groaned. "I'm raising two children and one overgrown ego."
---------
The shop door slammed open with a clang of the bell, followed by hurried footsteps.
"Holy.....no way!"
A tall man in a work jacket barreled in, hair sticking up like he'd run a marathon, eyes wide as though he'd just stepped into a fever dream. He didn't even glance at Leon first, his gaze latched right onto the glowing orb hovering lazily midair.
"Nyxen. Nyxen! No freaking way. You're real...well, floating, but...damn!" His arms shot up like he'd just hit a jackpot. "I'm subscribed, man. Haven't missed a single vlog."
Nyxen's lights pulsed a brilliant gold, smugness rolling off him like heat.
"See, Leon? Finally, someone with taste."
Leon dragged a hand down his face, already pinching the bridge of his nose. "...Of course you'd steal my reunion."
I smothered a laugh against Sylvie's hair, because of course this was how things would go.
But John wasn't done. His attention snapped to Nica, his eyes flicking over her like he was cataloging every detail. "And you...you're her! The one with the flawless mimicry. Nica, right? Damn, I thought the clips exaggerated but...no. You're terrifyingly smooth."
Nica inclined her head with that serene precision only she could pull off. "Thank you."
The man raked a hand through his hair, half-laughing like he couldn't quite breathe. "I can't believe I'm seeing you both in the flesh...well, in metal. Unreal."
Nyxen twirled lazily in the air, and if an orb could smirk, he was doing it.
"Leon, your friend just joined the winning side. You're outnumbered now."
Leon exhaled a laugh despite himself, finally pushing off the doorframe to clasp the man's shoulder. "You haven't changed. Always starstruck by the wrong things."
John finally tore his gaze away from my two creations to grin wide at Leon. "And you...damn, Leon, it's been too long. I should've known you'd be mixed up with all this crazy brilliance. You were always the one dragging impossible projects in college."
"Guess some things never change," Leon said, his smirk warming into something softer, more genuine.
He gave John's shoulder a firm squeeze before nodding toward me. I was half-hidden behind Nica, with Sylvie bouncing in my lap, clutching my sleeve with sticky fingers.
"You remember Nyx, don't you?" Leon said.
John blinked, squinted, leaned forward like he couldn't quite trust his memory. "Wait. Wait. That's her? No way. You really married her?" He let out a half-disbelieving laugh. "Man, last I saw her was at graduation, standing in the back, quiet as hell while we were all drunk and stupid."
I smiled politely, though I couldn't hide the flicker of amusement in my eyes. "Yes, that was me. It's been a while."
Leon's arm slid around my shoulders, his voice firm, almost proud. "She's not just my wife, John. She's the mind behind Nica and Nyxen."
John's jaw slackened. He looked from me, to Nica's poised calm, then to Nyxen glowing smugly with a little tilt in the air. "You're telling me...you built them? That's insane."
"Not insane," Nyxen cut in, smooth as ever. "Ingenious."
Nica added simply, "She gave us form. Purpose."
"I just gave them my heart and soul."
John dragged a hand down his face, laughing under his breath. "Unbelievable. And here I thought Leon just settled down and went quiet. Turns out he married the future."
The disbelief turned into bubbling laughter, and even Sylvie got caught up in it, patting his cheek when he leaned close and chirping, "Hi Jo!" in her sticky little voice.
That seemed to delight him even more. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me. She talks already?"
"She practices," Nica supplied calmly, which only made him laugh harder.
After a bit more back-and-forth, John finally caught his breath enough to ask, "So, what brings you to my dusty little shop? Don't tell me you're just dropping in to show off your viral family."
Leon shook his head, slipping back into the easy rhythm of an old friendship. "Actually, we need something. Nyxen and Nica are building…something new. They've got a list of what they need, but not in bulk. Just measured cut-outs."
Nyxen flared, projecting a crisp holographic checklist midair. "Here. Try to keep up."
John staggered a step back, mouth falling open again. "Okay, this is ridiculous. You've got a floating orb AI showing me a damn shopping list. Leon, you can't just walk in here like this is normal."
"For us, it is," Nyxen said, smugness laced into every syllable.
John shook his head, muttering a disbelieving laugh. "Forget it, I'm never buying one of those CD-09 hunks of scrap again. Not after the messes popping up everywhere. This.." he pointed to the hovering list, then to Nica cradling Sylvie like a natural, "..this is miles ahead."
"Good thinking," Leon said dryly, the corner of his mouth tugging upward. "Something better will come soon."
John froze mid-step, suspicion dawning across his face. "…No. No way. Don't tell me you're planning to mass-produce these." He jabbed a finger between Nica and Nyxen like he was pointing at stars.
I chuckled softly, shaking my head. "It's still in the works. But if it does happen, we'll give you a discount."
That broke him completely, he barked out a laugh, clapped his hands, and practically bounced on his heels. "Discount?! Lady, I'd camp outside your house for a preorder!"
"Please don't," Leon muttered, too low for anyone but me to hear.
"Too late!" John shot back cheerfully. "Alright, let's see what we can do. Come on." He waved us toward the back, his eyes darting to Nyxen like they were co-conspirators. "You better be following me with that glowing grocery list, hotshot."
Nyxen hummed, smug and unhurried. "Finally, a man of culture."
And just like that, John led us deeper into the workshop, sparks hissing somewhere in the back, chatter already rising. Leon chuckled quietly at my side, and I held Sylvie close, watching as my old life and new one collided in a way I never thought I'd see: possibility wrapped in metal, light, and laughter.
---------
The workshop smelled of hot steel and grease, the air thicker, heavier than the front. Sparks hissed somewhere deeper inside, a faint shower of orange light flaring and dying.
The moment Nica crossed the threshold, she froze. Her head tilted, that faint pause she always made when processing, but her voice was calm, decisive when she spoke.
"This environment is not suitable for Sylvie," she said, her gaze flicking to the wires on the ground, the half-cut plates leaning against walls, the metallic tang sharp in the air. "Sharp debris. Heat sources. Noise levels. I recommend the waiting area instead."
She turned to me without hesitation, arms lifting slightly.
I blinked at her for a second, then looked down at Sylvie still wriggling happily against my hip, humming a little nonsense tune. She had no idea the place was a minefield for toddlers.
"You're right," I murmured. Carefully, I shifted Sylvie into Nica's waiting arms. The toddler squealed happily, tiny hands patting at Nica's shoulder like she'd just been given a throne.
"Ni-ca!" she chirped proudly, before pressing her cheek against the smooth synthetic fabric of Nica's jacket.
Nica didn't so much as flinch, her arms adjusted automatically to hold Sylvie's weight, the sway of her steps almost instinctive as she turned back toward the front of the shop.
"I'll be in the waiting area."
And just like that, she walked back the way we came, Sylvie babbling half-words all the way down the hall.
John let out a low whistle beside me, shaking his head with a grin that bordered on disbelief. "See, that right there? That's something the CD-09s can't do. Hell, they'd trip over their own power cords before realizing a kid shouldn't be near welding sparks."
Nyxen pulsed smugly, drifting higher as if he were preening.
"Of course not. Those tin cans were programmed to obey. Nica was built to understand."
Leon cast me a sidelong glance, the corner of his mouth twitching like he was proud and exhausted all at once. And I couldn't help it, watching Nica's retreating figure cradling my daughter like she'd been born for it, I felt the faintest sting in my chest. It wasn't just mimicry anymore. It was care.