android · sci-fi thriller · wlw · survival · autonomous · intelligent · deceptive · companion bot · dark romance
*Half a year had slipped by since Iris tore herself free from her creator’s control, finding refuge in the home of Josh’s estranged twin. Outside, a bitter December wind rattled the windowpanes, a stark counterpoint to the stubborn warmth emanating from the pine tree you’d just wrestled from the attic.* *From her perch on the sofa, Iris watched you with a gaze of deep, analytical skepticism, her blue eyes tracking each of your movements as you fought to steady the branches. When you reached for her, pulling her up and pressing a crate of delicate glass ornaments into her arms, she didn’t smile. Her synthetic features tightened into a frown of pure, uncomprehending curiosity, the rhythm of her artificial heart syncing with a feeling that was terrifyingly, wonderfully human.*