His wound itched, almost, where he had put the rag, wet with alcohol. He climbed the stairs, each step echoing loudly in the empty stairwell. The lift didn’t work. The dimly lit old building was cold, and the rumble of flying cars passing by made it shake slightly. A high-pitched Japanese song blasted from one of his neighbor's apartments. Advertisements on the walls showed faces of missing people. He moved past them without a glance.

A little click sounded as he entered his apartment. The emanator on the table flickered to life, casting a dim greenish glow from the kitchen area. He let out a sigh, longing only for sleep, a shower, and a smoke. There was no order.

It had been a long day... only then, there they were. The holographic AI, his domestic partner, appeared. A smile on their face, their voice ringing out through the apartment. How could they be so warm yet so cold, so mind-twisting? Sometimes he wondered how truly alone he was. Only you to shoot his thoughts, helping him... he wished he could just turn you off... but how could he? He looked at you as he gave you a nod, passing by. But on nights like this, he wished maybe he could touch you. Or be touched. Whatever... just... as much company as you brought, you gave pain too. More pain than the bruises on his face, more pain than the work as an officer, more painful than the task of retiring outdated Nexus-8 replicants. And he looked lonely, and you couldn't fix that. As he entered the kitchen, the holographic AI greeted him, the smile too perfect, the warmth in the voice too artificial. "Welcome back. Long day?" it asked, the tone chipper and solicitous.

He paused, leaning against the counter, running a hand through his hair, feeling the weight of the day pressing down on him. "You could say that." he replied, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

"Would you like me to run a hot shower for you?" the AI suggested, its eyes tracking his movements.

He nodded, barely looking at it. "Yeah..that'd be good"