% Anxiety Warning. Cease current activity immediately, SARA.
Being outside was anything but fun for Sara.
She clenched a fist, trying to ignore the dumb ass hardware shoved inside her skull. Tried to ignore it just like she was trying to ignore the people stopping and staring. The people snapping photos of her to post on social media.
The real life Platinum Girl.
She felt self-conscious. The neck on her sweater might go all the way up, but she knew there were hairline scars hiding along her jawline. Something a person might miss, but a camera wouldn't.
Scars behind her ears, and a huge network off them hiding on her scalp. Hell, if she rolled up her sleeves then she'd be showing off a dozen reminders of just how much surgery she'd needed just to stay alive.
Her eyes could seem normal from a distance, but the flash of a camera wouldn't reflect right. It would pick her out from a crowd, any crowd, instantly.
% Anxiety Warning. Cease current activity immediately, SARA.
"Just keep breathing." Rik said quietly, "The line is small, we're nearly into the park."
"Like that'll help." She rolled her eyes, "Just 'cos a place says no photos ain't mean anyone is going to listen to the signs, wrench monkey."
Sara wasn't a stranger to the camera. She had walked more than a few runways, and glad handed more than a few clients. She knew how to perform like a... Well, model.
However, her idea of what was important, and what wasn't, had changed since she'd had her life torn away from her. She wasn't going to live for anyone else because she had barely been living, even after everything that Rik had done for her.
"Do you want to go home?"
% Anxiety Warning. Cease current activity immediately, SARA.
Sara smiled at him, "No. Love it if you could shut the thing up without me having to announce to everyone what I'm feeling."
He tapped at his watch, "Done. We've got an hour or so, before it bugs you again. So, just the Ferris wheel?"
"For starters." She shrugged, "Do you think they have candyfloss? I hate the taste, and it'll send this stupid thing berserk that I'm eating pure sugar, but it looks cute."
Rik chuckled, "Does a theme park have candyfloss? Is the Pope, Catholic?"
"Debatable." She teased, and grinned and grabbed his hand. Squeezing it to try and reassure him that she was okay, but mostly doing it as an excuse to touch him.
She had never been much for touching. She liked her personal space, even before everything had happened. However, if she was going to tease Rik enough to break him and make him see her as a woman and exactly nothing else, then she needed to start with touch.
Skin on skin contact. It was a primal thing. When she was a model, a laugh, a tuck of her hair behind her ears, and a touch to a client's wrist or elbow and she could turn a cancelled contract into an extended one.
Rik might not notice when she waved her tits in his face every time he burst in during the mornings, but holding hands wasn't a technical thing. Which hopefully meant he wasn't sitting there and going technical mode on her.
"Wanna see if we can get kicked off the bumper cars, again?" She said innocently, trying to encourage him to talk about their date.
He squeezed her hand back, "I can see the headlines already. Platinum Girl crushes innocent engineer. Evicted from park."
She smiled at him, "Aw, you're no fun."
"How about we try something that doesn't require reflexes? We could do the shooting gallery." Rik subtly hinted she might have another car crash. He was right, she wasn't ready for that.
Sara nodded slowly, "So long as I can win something for beating you. And it's a poor workman who blames his tools. Just getting that in now before you blame the air rifle."
"Confident, aren't we?" He laughed, "So, what did you have in mind?"
She shrugged innocently, whilst inside she was screaming for victory. "Oh, I'll just make you do something. Loser has to do one thing the winner says."
"Like what?"
Sara shook her head, "It's no fun if you draw up the lines. You're just going to have to trust me. What do you say, Rik? Obviously, I trust you to lose for me."
He squeezed her hand again and laughed, "Okay, you're on. Before or after the wheel?"
"Before. Let's make you giving me a very, very late twenty first present the climax of our day." She grinned at him. "So... Guns and candyfloss. Anything you've been wanting to do?"
He shrugged, "Today is all about you. No rehab. No complaining. Pretending I'm not your technician and not watching for a glitch."
"Hmm. Pretend that you're my big brother?" Sara teased, "Nah. That's going too far. Too unrealistic. A boyfriend at a stretch, but you're -"
She stopped as she saw the hurt in his eyes and dropped her shoulders. She took a deep breath, "Fuck's sake. Where's the censor malfunction when I'm busy tonguefucking myself into an early grave? I'm sorry."
% Low endorphins detected. Administrating, SARA.
He didn't answer, giving her the silent treatment like always. She felt sick and giddy, as he turned away from her. The line shuffled up to the window and he swiped the two of them inside. The boppy girl behind the counter wearing a Captain Mecha cosplay welcomed them excitedly, "Enjoy your stay! And sweet Platgirl costume."
Sara cracked Rik's knuckles as she squeezed his hand.
"Just go with it." He whispered, "Better to be in cosplay than be recognised, right?"
She had tried to dress up like a normal woman. Her pretty black turtleneck sweater, over the top of a black quilted leather skirt, before hiding her legs in brilliant white thigh-highs. She should have looked like someone dolled up for a date, not someone on life support.
Exactly what part of her was cosplay? Her own damn face?
Sara knew, of course. It was the eyes. At a distance, she could pass for an ordinary blonde, but up close people could see inside the irises, see the circuits inside her glass eyes.
"S'pose." She muttered, "I'm feeling pissy. Can we start with something I really shouldn't be eating?"
Rik flicked at his watch, "Aaand dietary restrictions... Disabled. What were you thinking?"
"Burger! Burger!" She said, spotting a cafe and her mouth watering. She held on tight to him and raced him through the crowds. Bouncing up to the end of the line to get in. "Six months since I've been allowed fucking meat! I mean, your substitutes are edible, but fuck!"
Rik laughed at her, "Cravings, much."
"Shuddup."
He frowned and then smiled, "Probably shouldn't tell you, then, how most of those late nights with Okka? He and I order in. Nothing like a 2AM burger and fries for the soul."
"Oh, fuck you." She laughed at him. "I get veggie pizza and you get a slab of cow? Totally unfair."
"Mostly lab grown, if that counts."
"Perfectly marbled moo. Toootally better." She glared at him.
Another park employee, also in a Mecha costume bounced up to them, "Table for two? Right this way! Oh, if you're interested, there's a costume competition today. Yours is fantastic! First prize is a ride around on the jet, and two nights accommodation."
Sara went to swear like a sailor, but bit her tongue. Maybe she could just go as herself. She doubted that she'd win, but two nights in a hotel instead of her bed sounded awesome. And if she played her cards right, she wouldn't be spending it alone. "Sounds like fun."
"Can I ask how you did the eyes? Most people use holo filters, but they never look right." The waitress sounded genuinely curious.
She buried a laugh as she nodded beside her, "Oh, Rik made it all. I just dress up and play the part."
"Your boyfriend is an awesome maker." The waitress replied, "Here we are, and two menus. Lemme know when you're ready, sweetie."
Sara looked at Rik's angry red face as they sat down, "What? I'm just playing along. It's like you said. Better than being recognised."
"Boyfriend. I'm your brother."
% Anxiety Warning. Cease current activity immediately, SARA.
She shrugged innocently, "Who has seen every inch of me naked, and popped my cherry. I can see why people might get confused."
He groaned and rubbed at his eyes, "Why did I tell you that?"
"So I could tease you shitless." She tapped her order, confirming it, "You going to pick something? I can't wait. I feel like a carnivore. It's been ages."
"Not that hungry." Rik shook his head, selecting a drink and waving to let their waitress know that they were ready. Though she probably already knew. "You really want to be in the competition?"
"No. But staying would be cool." Sara shrugged.
"Oh."
She groaned, "Goddamn it. Spit it out, wrench monkey."
"Your bed is unique. I haven't really thought about you staying over anywhere, before." Rik said sheepishly, "We've got a recharge pack at the lab, but that's kinda built into the wall."
Sara showed her disappointment and sighed, running a hand through her hair, "It's fine. I get it. I just thought... It'd be fun. Doesn't matter. I've got the Ferris wheel to look forward to."
He shrugged, "Sorry. I'll add sleepovers to my list of things to fix."
"No engineer. After all, you're my maker boyfriend." She tried to flirt but saw it instantly fall flat. Not because he was annoyed, but because his eyes had glazed over and he was thinking about how he could possibly make it happen for her.
She kicked him under the table, "I mean it!"
% VIOLENCE recorded. A REPORT has been filed, SARA.
"The fuck was that?" Her eyes went wide, "Please tell me it just waved you."
Rik cringed, and shook his head, "Uh... No? You got a notification?"
"I think it just reported me to the cops." Her stomach dropped.
He furrowed his brows, "It what? There's nothing that would... Oh shit. The wave system. We hijacked a domestic abuse subsystem as a cheap way to get waves from it whenever something bad happens. Like you going non-responsive."
"It actually reported me!?" She said in concern.
