>You didn't quite feel lonely, that would be too strong.

>He had gone to bed, leaving you with nothing to do but clean and wait.

>You were designed and brought up to enjoy those tasks, but when you did them alone something was always off.

>For as long as you'd been around, there was someone else right there.

>Whether it be an engineer, your sisters, or even him.

>The few times you got to meet him anyway. Even he was off put by your casing.

>At least your sisters thought it was cute, the cat ears and fur such.

>Dottie could never keep herself from petting your ears when you were tasked together.

>You did miss Dottie.

>But you all knew that you'd never see each other again when the time came.

>With every dish set into the drying rack you felt a warm, crackling reward pulse.

>It made the fur on you shoulders feel like it was charged up.

>...and think of Anon.

>You didn't know what to make of him.

>How he treated you like you were a real person.

>Sure, he had said those awful things on the phone, but when you had stepped out of line and even gone so far as to exhibit personal emotion it was him apologizing.

>That wasn't what you were supposed to do.

>You were supposed to be quiet, and do what you were told.

>He should've…

>No. He wouldn't do that.

>He had done nothing but be hospitable to you.

>You. A hospitality device.

>While you had done nothing but be a burden to him.

>It was almost funny, what a poor job you had done so far.

>The girls would be ashamed.

>But you have all the time in the world to make it up to them.

>Anon wasn't going anywhere, and neither were you.

>He had made that abundantly clear.

>So stern, yet forgiving.

>...

>Why was he by himself here?

>There had been rumors in training that there were people who lived all by themselves, but you were never one to believe in such nonsense.

>Until you met Anon.

>You were sure you would've met his wife and kids by now, but even the few pictures adorning the walls held little but photos of a younger Anon and his older family members.

>You could confidently say from these that he didn't even have sisters or brothers of his own either.

>Here you were, moping over your sisters, when he never even had one.

>He seems lonely.

>You can fix that.

>The last dish was done, and you felt another crackle.

>You couldn't help but let out a faint, pleased “Mrrp!"

>The soft orange glow of your optics buzzing off the sink was all you could focus on as you covered your muzzle with your hands.

>Not when he could hear, keep it under control Julie. You chastised your reflection.

>Holding it in on that walk was almost enough to make her head explode.

>Why they would include a trait to chirp at small animals, you would never understand.

+------------+

>You had been left alone in this house once already, but hadn't taken much time to look around then.

>Just doing some basic cleaning and shutting down in your box, waking up only to make him some coffee.

>You didn't really believe that you were here to stay until you couldn't find it right after he'd gone to bed the first night.

>While the idea of just being able to go back to the blackness of transit was comforting, it was even more comforting to know that anon had gotten rid of it.

>But that didn't matter now, you had a big house to explore!

>Dusting offered many opportunities to find interesting things, having to clean the places that everyone else simply forgets about.

>The girl's often made a game of it, finding new things to clean and seeing who was the most thorough.

>Emily had been the one to set the standard- as she had with all things, but you had sat at a comfortable ninety-eight percent.

>Not that it was that much of an accomplishment, Dottie had been the worst at dusting, and was still able to identify target surfaces ninety-five percent as well as she could.

>No human would be able to detect the few minuscule surfaces that even Dottie had failed to find.

>Anon's house was like nothing you had seen before. The shiny, sleek surfaces you had been brought up in replaced with dark, moody colors and woodgrain.

>Lots and lots of woodgrain.

>You didn't want to admit it, but it was the most comfortable place you had been in.

>Like the entire house was giving you a big hug as thanks for making it shine.

>You explored the few rooms that Anon hadn't shown off in his rushed house tour, but there wasn't much to find. Just a closet with a few bulky (and soon to be dust free) overcoats, a mechanical closet, and the basement.

>You didn't go there, surely a dark, unfinished room would be a lost cause.

>It wasn't because you were afraid of it or anything, that would be silly.

>You quickly closed the door leading to the rickety steps, just to make sure all the mons- dust!

>That all of the dust didn't come to the living area of the house.

>You kept your ears pinned to the door for no particular reason, making sure to listen close for the footsteps that wouldn't come from there

>Hm.

>Enough of this, we have work to do.

>The gentle self reminder was enough to push you away from the awful room, and back to your dusting task.

>Before you knew it, you had thoroughly removed all of the dust from every surface in the house, and the time anon seemed to normally wake up was drawing near.

>You had gradually been working your way to his bedroom door, and had only finished five minutes ahead of your estimated time.

>A fine par time, with plenty of room to improve.

>A few sluggish footsteps approach the door, before it opens, with a small huff from the man you were now happily responsible for.

>"Good morning Anon!"

+------------+

>Sleep was something you felt like you never got enough of, no matter how much of it you got.

>Every time that damned clock box made noise meant it was time to get up and deal with ever more nonsense.

>Luckily, you almost always woke up before it, and got a little extra time to flush the heaviness from your body as it ticked it's march to five o'clock.

>At least today you won't have to rush to get your work stuff ready.

>Julie had it all taken care of, faster than you could even finish the dishes that you insisted on doing since it was her first real night home.

>Not that it mattered, as soon as you'd left to go to bed you could hear her pulling them out of the drying rack for a do-over.

>you readied your hand over the alarm, watching as it flashed the final seconds before you were due to wake up.

>Speaking of Julie, despite the rough start, yesterday went fairly well all things considered.

>After you had left the ice cream shop, the streets had remained totally empty.

>Not a single person driving through the most important section of town.

>Still unbelievable to you, even for Easter Sunday.

>Even with your insistence, Julie stuck close to your side and didn't much explore her new home.

>Fair enough in your mind, you know how it feels to be in a strange place that you aren't used to.

>Wouldn't have if mom and dad hadn't moved away.

>You slapped the top of the box, right before it could start chirping.

>You untensed with a sigh, mourning your last moments of rest.

>Just staring at the ceiling, thinking about nothing for a few magical seconds.

>And then it was over.

>The rest of your morning routine was the sleepy blur it usually was.

>Brushing your teeth in your attached bathroom, getting your work pants and undershirt on, and putting the pomade in your hair all blended together into a thick soup of half awake thoughts and movements.

>Splashing water into your face, you're finally awake enough to face the world!

>Actually, let's just start with the living room.

>At least you might be able to get a little news in.

>You swing the door inwards and step out into the great beyond.

>"Good morning Anon!"

>You let a faint “bwah!" out as you reflexively fling yourself into your doorframe.

>You managed to daze yourself pretty good with that, bringing up a hand to press the back of your skull.

>"Are you okay? I'm sorry!" She cries, tiny robotic hands grabbing your other arm.

>"Yeah, I'm alright." You grunt your response as you press the pain away.

>"I didn't mean to startle you like that, I was just waiting for you to wake up."

>"Don't worry about it." You say, rubbing a tired eye.

>Julie worriedly looks up at you as you shake it off one last time.

>"Anyway, good morning to you too."

>You hear her chuckle sheepishly as she escorts you to the kitchen, still holding on to your bare arm.

>Fluffy.

>You cough.

>As you reach the pot, you find it is already full of the most important liquid ever invented.

>I made the right call, you think as you take a sip from your favorite employee of the month mug.

>"How'd the night go?" You ask.

>"Oh it went just fine Anon, I got your work clothes clean and ironed." She said, her ears perking straight up.

>"I have an Iron?"

>"You-" Julie pauses, displays shifting to the side on confusion.

>"You don't iron your clothes?"

>"Not the work gear, no."

>"...And your boss is okay with that?"

>"Well, yeah. It's not an office job."

>"But… They said…" Julie trailed off, ears flattening against her head.

>You just look at her funny, and retrieve your sad tin foil wrapped sandwich and an apple, and pack your lunchbox.

>"Anyway, you have one now! I was shipped with one as part of the Homesuite." Back to her original morning chipper.

>"Huh, neat."

>There's a silent moment where she's just watching as you finish stuffing water bottles and snacks into your lunch pail.

>Her eyes slowly shift from their sunflower yellow to a slightly buzzy looking lime shade.

>"Something wrong, Julie?"

>"Huh?" She said, tearing her eyes from the lunchbox. “Oh, no no I was just-"

>"Hey, no worries. I know this stuff isn't very good."

>She looks to your lunchpail, and back at you with a hopeful expression.

>"Would you like me to prepare a lunch for you Anon?"

>"I've got to go in less than half an hour, but I'd love to try something you make tomorrow." You say, with an apologetic smile.

>"I think I can make something work." She says, with the cutest determined expression you've ever seen adorning her features. “Go ahead and get yourself ready, I'll have something made up for you."

>You just set your lunchbox down, accepting that your new housemate must be magic.

>When you hit the laundry room for your protective stuff, you find that your rubberized coveralls and canvas overcoat have both been meticulously scrubbed free of every possible contaminant.

>What a dedicated little thing.

>Shame that they'll be back to the usual grit by the time you get home.

>You slip them on, tightening the coverall straps to fully engulf your lower body in a protective wrapper, before shrugging the overcoat on.

>Your body immediately starts to warm.

>Well, at least you get to take this stuff off.

>in twelve hours.

>As you walk past the kitchen on your way to the mudroom, your hit in the face by the wonderful smell of frying bacon and toasted bread.

>It's already plenty enough to start your mouth watering.

>But you keep your focus on the mission, finding your helmet meticulously cleaned sitting right where you left it.

>Is there anything this girl doesn't think of?

>You suppose being made for it helps, but you are thoroughly impressed.

>You smack it onto your head, and grab your fume mask as well.

>It wasn't all that necessary with how good the ventilation is at work, but it adds an extra layer of long term protection for you, and another layer of safety for your boss to brag about to any corporate drone unfortunate enough to find themselves stuck in the factory.

>It had been happening a lot more often recently, but you thought little of it. Probably just the boss looking for more funding again.

>Still, as any good man would, you paid attention to the new buzz of activity in your domain.

>"Y-your work isn't as scary as this stuff makes it look, r-right Anon?" Julie says, looking up at your well protected form, your lunchbox in hand.

>You hadn't even realized you were standing in the kitchen, towering over the slightly terrified electric creature.

>How long were you standing here, staring at your helmet?

>Doesn't matter, you need to finish up and get out the door.

>"My lunch?" You ask. Curt, but still polite.

>"Oh yes, here!" She lets out a synthetic grunt as she hefts the plastic container up to your height.

>“Thanks." You offer, slipping the cover to the side to inspect your meal.

>"Ah! No peeking." She says, quickly reaching up to close it. “It's a surprise!"

>You chuckle. “Alright, I'll play ball. It better be good though!"

>"It will." She confidently replies.

>"About my work; It can be scary at times. It's why we wear all this stuff, so we can be just fine even if the sun explodes." You say while clipping the straps, securing the blue bowl to your head.

>"T-that can happen!?"

>"What? No, no. Just an expression."

>"Oh, good." She said, falsely wiping her brow with a huff. “I quite like the sun."

>"Me too." You said, looking out at the brightening sunlight outside with perhaps a little too much longing.

>Twelve hours, man. You just have to make it twelve hours.

>"Alright, I best be going."

>"Wait! You almost forgot your gloves!"

>You immediately pat your coat pocket, not finding them there, but Julie had already skittered off to the laundry room to retrieve them before you could even ask.

>"Here you go, anon. Nice and clean for another days work!"
>"Thank you Julie."

>You both just look at each other for a moment, before she escorts you on the long trek to your mudroom.

>She looks up at you, with those still citrus orange eye screens.

>"When should I be ready for you to come back?"

>"I'll be back around Six." You say, reaching for the handle. “I'll see you then."

>"W-well, have a good day at work anon!" She says, expression still unchanged from the nervous half smile.

>"Thanks Julie." You say, as you shut your front door, and face the new day.