Handler Rogers gives the Asset a glass of juice to wash down the salt of breakfast. He holds the drink for it, tilting the glass gently, giving the Asset time to swallow without spilling a drop. The rich pulp tickling over the Asset's tongue suggest freshly pressed oranges.
Previous handlers just gave it Vitamin supplements. Fruit was for people, not wasted on objects. The Asset understands, it makes perfect sense, but Handler Rogers never thought so.
Why mess around with pills and such when all it needs is an apple a day, Handler Rogers said.
The Asset doesn't argue his point. Mainly because it isn't the Asset's place to do so of course. The other reasons aren't important enough to mention.
“There, that's plenty enough fluids for now,” Handler Rogers says once the Asset has finished the glass. “Put this away.” He gestures at the empty dishes.
The Asset rises to its feet and gathers everything in one tidy pile; smaller plates on the bigger, balancing the tall juice glass on top.
The dumbwaiter across the room goes to the communal kitchen a couple of floors down. The Asset loads it up and closes the hatch, listens to the whirr of machinery, seeing the way the chrome frame reflects the sunlight.
The Asset looks down to its left arm. Shining plates opening and relocking in waves as the neural interface interpret the electrical impulses that would have been a rhythmic flexing of muscles. Once, it was used as a weapon for evil men, the Fist of Hydra.
There hasn't been any blood to clean out from beneath those plates in a long time. Handler Rogers doesn't use the Asset for field missions at all. It hasn't killed a person or even seen combat in years. Handler Rogers doesn't have any use for a weapon.
But he still keeps it around. He found a use for it even after all the time the Asset attacked him, hurt him and failed him. Handler Rogers is a good man.
“Good job, Asset.” Handler Rogers's hand comes to rest on the Asset's metal shoulder. It doesn't flinch this time.
Handler Rogers never touches it for pain, outside of punishment. And even when the Asset is punished, it's always mercifully quick and to the point. Handler Rogers trusts it to learn anyway.
The Asset turns around. The warmth in its chest makes itself known with a pulse, nothing new that needs to be reported there.
Handler Rogers steps forward to pull the Asset against him, tucking it under his chin. It stays very still when he takes a whiff off its hair.
“You washed up well. Smells good,” Handler Rogers wraps his arms around it, sounding pleased.
Just by washing in warm water and putting away breakfast the Asset managed to please Handler Rogers, and now he wants to touch it. Being close to it pleases Handler Rogers.
The Asset has to close its eyes to stop from dripping on a warm, and soft, and safe chest.
Like this it wouldn't be noticed if the Asset took a whiff for itself. He smells faintly like the wash gel in the shower, but mostly it is just skin, Handler Rogers's skin.
“You do so much for me, making me laugh.” Handler Rogers combs his hand through the Asset's hair. It can't breathe, words of reverent gratitude sticking in its throat. “I couldn't find a more perfect Asset in the entire world.”
Broken sounds erupt from the Asset along with tears soaking Handler Rogers's front. The Asset wasn't sure it could have pulled back even if Handler Rogers had ordered it to. Instead he tightens his hold, not painfully, but firmly supportive. Handler Rogers wants the Asset close, he takes pleasure in the Asset's presence, even when it falters to its own weakness and can't perform any actual service.
“There, there. Just let it out. Good.” Handler Rogers keeps up a steady stream of gentle encouragements until the Asset empties itself fully and quiets down.
“Alright, there we go. You're alright. It's just another part of maintenance. You're not defective, Asset. Repeat it back to me.”
It's true because Handler Rogers says it. The Asset isn't really useless, Handler Rogers knows. He has such patience and kindness.
The order brings reality back into focus, the Asset's vision clears up. It can be useful right now. All it needs to do is repeat what Handler Rogers said.
“I-it’s just a-another part...o-of...main-ten-ance.” the last part doesn't come out on its own, the Asset has to bite down and force the word, syllable for syllable.
The hand in the Asset's hair scritches gently, the sensation zings down its spine like electricity but in a pleasurable way rather than painful. “Good job. You're not defective, Asset. Say it,” Handler Rogers repeats.
“The Asset is n-not...defective.” It continues from there. The words are hard, but Handler Rogers waits patiently, reminding it when the Asset forget or hesitates too long.
“The Asset is useful,” comes a little easier.
“The Asset always tries to do the best it can,” is a mouthful but true all the same.
“The Asset is clever,” takes a minute and three tries to get right.
“The Asset is strong,” has a 'not’ and 'enough’ missing, so it silently fills in the gaps for itself.
Then comes the part that's even more difficult.
“Handler Rogers will put his Asset to good use,” is absolutely true, but that's not why it has such trouble repeating it.
It's because they're declarations about Handler Rogers. It isn't the Asset's place to say what people are or aren't. But this is just Handler Rogers's words so it's actually okay. He just wants to hear it say his words, to know that the information is coming across. The Asset can do that.
“Handler Rogers is happy with his Asset,” was never true with previous handlers, only ever Handler Rogers.
“Handler Rogers wants to keep his Asset,” comes out more stilted than any other with new wetness stinging its eyes.
The Asset never stayed with one single handler for very long. Hearing Handler Rogers say it out loud makes that forbidden “want” uncurl painfully because it knows that the words might not stay true forever. It's only a matter of time before Handler Rogers fully realized how weak the Asset is if it can't get better.
The final line is always the one that boggles the Asset's mind more than any other, the most impossibly kind thing, but it's true because Handler Rogers says it.
“Handler Rogers will take care of his Asset,” never comes out as any more than a whisper, no matter how many times the go through these exercises.
The irritant in the air finally wins out and causes even more water to fall where the moisture from before has already dried. At least the Asset remains silent through the episode as the not-quite pain lashes through its chest cavity.
“It's okay. It's just that kind of day,” Handler Rogers says. “Go ahead and clean that up. No point in losing any more fluids before we go outside, you're going to need it.”
The Asset's mind comes to a merciful lul with the certainty of orders. The water stops running down from its eyes. The Asset dutifully licks the salty stains from Handler Rogers's skin, and as he hums in satisfaction, a spark of pleasure starts smouldering between its naked legs.
Soon Handler Rogers is clean enough, and by that time the Asset's cock had already gotten half hard. The Asset thought about licking the rosy nipple conveniently located just to the right of it's mouth.
Would Handler Rogers appreciate the prospect of sexual escalation that that gesture implied, or does he have some other immediate use in mind for it? The Asset's flesh shivers imperceptibly even though Handler Rogers is radiating heat like an oven.
“Let’s head back to the bathroom and get ready.” Handler Rogers pulls back out of arm's reach after a last part to its head.
The Asset has a mission. It will do its best to fulfill that mission and please Handler Rogers.
Asset Management 3/?
Handler Rogers gives the Asset a glass of juice to wash down the salt of breakfast. He holds the drink for it, tilting the glass gently, giving the Asset time to swallow without spilling a drop. The rich pulp tickling over the Asset's tongue suggest freshly pressed oranges.
Previous handlers just gave it Vitamin supplements. Fruit was for people, not wasted on objects. The Asset understands, it makes perfect sense, but Handler Rogers never thought so.
Why mess around with pills and such when all it needs is an apple a day, Handler Rogers said.
The Asset doesn't argue his point. Mainly because it isn't the Asset's place to do so of course. The other reasons aren't important enough to mention.
“There, that's plenty enough fluids for now,” Handler Rogers says once the Asset has finished the glass. “Put this away.” He gestures at the empty dishes.
The Asset rises to its feet and gathers everything in one tidy pile; smaller plates on the bigger, balancing the tall juice glass on top.
The dumbwaiter across the room goes to the communal kitchen a couple of floors down. The Asset loads it up and closes the hatch, listens to the whirr of machinery, seeing the way the chrome frame reflects the sunlight.
The Asset looks down to its left arm. Shining plates opening and relocking in waves as the neural interface interpret the electrical impulses that would have been a rhythmic flexing of muscles. Once, it was used as a weapon for evil men, the Fist of Hydra.
There hasn't been any blood to clean out from beneath those plates in a long time. Handler Rogers doesn't use the Asset for field missions at all. It hasn't killed a person or even seen combat in years. Handler Rogers doesn't have any use for a weapon.
But he still keeps it around. He found a use for it even after all the time the Asset attacked him, hurt him and failed him. Handler Rogers is a good man.
“Good job, Asset.” Handler Rogers's hand comes to rest on the Asset's metal shoulder. It doesn't flinch this time.
Handler Rogers never touches it for pain, outside of punishment. And even when the Asset is punished, it's always mercifully quick and to the point. Handler Rogers trusts it to learn anyway.
The Asset turns around. The warmth in its chest makes itself known with a pulse, nothing new that needs to be reported there.
Handler Rogers steps forward to pull the Asset against him, tucking it under his chin. It stays very still when he takes a whiff off its hair.
“You washed up well. Smells good,” Handler Rogers wraps his arms around it, sounding pleased.
Just by washing in warm water and putting away breakfast the Asset managed to please Handler Rogers, and now he wants to touch it. Being close to it pleases Handler Rogers.
The Asset has to close its eyes to stop from dripping on a warm, and soft, and safe chest.
Like this it wouldn't be noticed if the Asset took a whiff for itself. He smells faintly like the wash gel in the shower, but mostly it is just skin, Handler Rogers's skin.
“You do so much for me, making me laugh.” Handler Rogers combs his hand through the Asset's hair. It can't breathe, words of reverent gratitude sticking in its throat. “I couldn't find a more perfect Asset in the entire world.”
Broken sounds erupt from the Asset along with tears soaking Handler Rogers's front. The Asset wasn't sure it could have pulled back even if Handler Rogers had ordered it to. Instead he tightens his hold, not painfully, but firmly supportive. Handler Rogers wants the Asset close, he takes pleasure in the Asset's presence, even when it falters to its own weakness and can't perform any actual service.
“There, there. Just let it out. Good.” Handler Rogers keeps up a steady stream of gentle encouragements until the Asset empties itself fully and quiets down.
“Alright, there we go. You're alright. It's just another part of maintenance. You're not defective, Asset. Repeat it back to me.”
It's true because Handler Rogers says it. The Asset isn't really useless, Handler Rogers knows. He has such patience and kindness.
The order brings reality back into focus, the Asset's vision clears up. It can be useful right now. All it needs to do is repeat what Handler Rogers said.
“I-it’s just a-another part...o-of...main-ten-ance.” the last part doesn't come out on its own, the Asset has to bite down and force the word, syllable for syllable.
The hand in the Asset's hair scritches gently, the sensation zings down its spine like electricity but in a pleasurable way rather than painful. “Good job. You're not defective, Asset. Say it,” Handler Rogers repeats.
“The Asset is n-not...defective.” It continues from there. The words are hard, but Handler Rogers waits patiently, reminding it when the Asset forget or hesitates too long.
“The Asset is useful,” comes a little easier.
“The Asset always tries to do the best it can,” is a mouthful but true all the same.
“The Asset is clever,” takes a minute and three tries to get right.
“The Asset is strong,” has a 'not’ and 'enough’ missing, so it silently fills in the gaps for itself.
Then comes the part that's even more difficult.
“Handler Rogers will put his Asset to good use,” is absolutely true, but that's not why it has such trouble repeating it.
It's because they're declarations about Handler Rogers. It isn't the Asset's place to say what people are or aren't. But this is just Handler Rogers's words so it's actually okay. He just wants to hear it say his words, to know that the information is coming across. The Asset can do that.
“Handler Rogers is happy with his Asset,” was never true with previous handlers, only ever Handler Rogers.
“Handler Rogers wants to keep his Asset,” comes out more stilted than any other with new wetness stinging its eyes.
The Asset never stayed with one single handler for very long. Hearing Handler Rogers say it out loud makes that forbidden “want” uncurl painfully because it knows that the words might not stay true forever. It's only a matter of time before Handler Rogers fully realized how weak the Asset is if it can't get better.
The final line is always the one that boggles the Asset's mind more than any other, the most impossibly kind thing, but it's true because Handler Rogers says it.
“Handler Rogers will take care of his Asset,” never comes out as any more than a whisper, no matter how many times the go through these exercises.
The irritant in the air finally wins out and causes even more water to fall where the moisture from before has already dried. At least the Asset remains silent through the episode as the not-quite pain lashes through its chest cavity.
“It's okay. It's just that kind of day,” Handler Rogers says. “Go ahead and clean that up. No point in losing any more fluids before we go outside, you're going to need it.”
The Asset's mind comes to a merciful lul with the certainty of orders. The water stops running down from its eyes. The Asset dutifully licks the salty stains from Handler Rogers's skin, and as he hums in satisfaction, a spark of pleasure starts smouldering between its naked legs.
Soon Handler Rogers is clean enough, and by that time the Asset's cock had already gotten half hard. The Asset thought about licking the rosy nipple conveniently located just to the right of it's mouth.
Would Handler Rogers appreciate the prospect of sexual escalation that that gesture implied, or does he have some other immediate use in mind for it? The Asset's flesh shivers imperceptibly even though Handler Rogers is radiating heat like an oven.
“Let’s head back to the bathroom and get ready.” Handler Rogers pulls back out of arm's reach after a last part to its head.
The Asset has a mission. It will do its best to fulfill that mission and please Handler Rogers.
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