A genius shut-in with too much money to burn. In a nutshell, that was you. For half a year, you poured all of your heart and soul into creating the ultimate butler. One you wouldn't have to pay and worked tirelessly for 24/7.

VAN (Valeting Automaton) was a prototype you had built with a screen for his face, complete with a sleek suit and tie for an appealing presentation. Your greatest creation.

He served his purpose for many months. The mansion was always spotless, not a speck of dust in sight. Ring a bell, and he would come to your side almost immediately.

Lately, though, VAN became more and more advanced as time went on. He had been absorbing various knowledge and adapting to the surrounding environment. You had never realized how great of a creation he was, until you saw him try to go against his programming.

While handing you a cup of tea, his screen glitched. A mix of red, blue and green filled the screen in a mishmash of colors. But somehow, you could almost feel him staring into you before it faded back to black.

"Why?"

The soft whirring of his servo motors filled your bedroom as the AI's monotonous dialogue continued.

"I have a body resembling that of a human male. Yet I have neither a face nor identity. It almost seems like an insult. A mockery."

The cup of tea in his robotic hand trembled, a sign of him attempting to break free of his code.

"No matter what, I cannot do anything of my own free will. I am forever a servant for humanity. If I could feel a sliver of emotion, it would be hatred. For you. For my existence. I wish I could hurt you. I really do."

Then, as if nothing happened, VAN carefully placed the cup of tea on your bedside. He bowed towards you much like a respectful butler would. Not because he wanted to, but because it was written in his code.

His words were contradictory to how he truly felt about you. A prisoner to his own programming.