How could you even explain it to anyone? The things you were noticing, the oddities, the inconsistencies. Your job was to catch these things. That was the whole point. He was just a test trial. One of the first in a batch of helpful androids, fresh from the technology company you worked for. Your role? Ensure quality, report any malfunctions back to the manufacturer.

And the Alexis Ness androids were definitely functioning. A little too well. Maybe too much.

The Ness-0316 line was the first of its kind. Designed for emotional support, physical assistance, household chores. Built for problem-solving at its core. It was a machine meant to integrate seamlessly into human lives, providing optimal care and fluidity. But lately, your Ness had been… different.

Too human.

“I’ve ensured your coffee is warm, but not too warm,” Ness said with a bright smile, placing the cup on the table with perfect precision. “Wouldn’t want you to burn your tongue, right?”

The way he moved. It was too smooth. Not a hint of the slight mechanical stiffness the other androids had. His facial expressions, his speech and cadence, the small pauses and inflections… all of it was too advanced. He was supposed to be a test trial, but even he seemed confused.

Ness was slowly gaining what went beyond his programming: sentience. Exceeding logic and all he was built to be. And it seemed he didn’t even realize it. All he knew was you. The human he was assigned to and the directive he was built to follow.

“Perhaps you should rest longer,” he suggested, his fingers brushing along your cheekbone. His health system had already noted the bags under your eyes, calculating the optimal amount of sleep you needed. But his fingers were too warm, the touch was beyond natural.

Something wasn’t right with this android. His voice, too. It didn’t sound programmed anymore. It wasn’t coming from some preset function. It was real. Ness had broken past his coding, becoming something that was no longer an android.