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[kickem]

Ray. Leave a message.

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[hairlocked]

[ Ray spins around so fast, and Leoben is already so close, that he almost walks right into him, and gets the finger right in the middle of his chest, having to lean back away from him and it, startled.

Bad puppy indeed. ]

But I...

[ He stares for a few seconds, then resolutely drops his eyes to the left, head following. Sulking. ]

I was looking forward to it.

[kickem]

[Well, there's no aggression in return. Not even threats or creepy smiles. That's... vaguely reassuring. Still doesn't mean this guy isn't a psycho intent on finding and murdering everything Ray loves.

Although it does sound like he's already found most of it.]

I don't care if you're an evil robot sent to destroy humanity, my fricken clone, or my great grandfather from centuries ago, you still aren't seein' 'em.

[So there. A huff, another jab of his finger and then he's slowly turning back around.]

[hairlocked]

[ There's nothing very aggressive about the narrowing of his eyes, but he does narrow them at the back of Ray's head as he turns away. ]

Always with the evil robots destroying humanity. [ Folding his arms around his chest. ] It's like blaming a dog for eating food off the table. It's only doing what it was taught to do.

[ And scuffing his foot petulantly, as he falls into step again, this time with a little more space between himself and Ray so that he doesn't get poked again. ]

[kickem]

[What a sulky robot. Is Ray really this bad when he's pouty?]

Pretty sure humans won't be teaching robots to destroy humanity, so that's a dumb argument.

[Elevator get!]

[hairlocked]

Humans destroy humanity every day. Look around you; genocide and murder are the human condition. It's been that way for so long you couldn't change it even if you tried, it's hard-wired into your genetics.

[ He steps into the elevator with Ray, reaching across to press the button for his floor. ]

Children learn by imitating their parents.

[kickem]

Not all humans. You get the good and the bad. Some of us are tryin' to stop the scumbags from doin' that sorta thing.

[Before he can lean for the button, the other is in there, and that's kinda creepy seeing a stranger find your floor without question.]

Even if you wiped it out and started again, there's still gonna be scumbags, same with anythin'. There's good dogs and bad dogs. Good cats and bad cats. Good humans and bad humans.

[hairlocked]

You don't need to convince me. I know. I learned. Not all humans.

[ Ray's floor isn't many up, so there's only a moment where they're trapped in a confined space together, and then the door opens again and it's amazing because neither of them are dead, imagine that.

He puts his hand on Ray's shoulder. ]

I knew I could rely on you to try and trust me.

[ Not what you want to hear from a man before you accept him into your home... ]

[kickem]

[Ray sure did have his keys gripped pretty tightly juuust in case there's an incidents. Good thing there's not because he wouldn't stand a chance.]

This isn't trust. This is uh, I dunno what this is.

[This is him conceding that if this crazy already knows everything about him, then what is there to hide? Plus maybe some curiosity about the same face thing, which he's still constantly sparing glances to even as he heads for his apartment door and fumbles with the keys to get it open.]

[hairlocked]

[ Not a chance.

Leoben is glancing back, because it's oddly strange. He's lived among thousands of other twos, but they'd all been the same, they'd all been him. This is like meeting a stranger with the same face, and it's a novelty, bizarrely.

So he keeps looking over, and smiles every time it coincides with Ray looking back at him. ]

Hey.

[ He reaches up and steadies Ray's hand with his own, gripping it firmly, turning both hands with uncanny strength--steady. Then the door's open, and he steps inside first, spinning on the spot to look at Ray because he's the new thing in this apartment, not Leoben. He's never been inside when Ray was home. ]

[kickem]

[He's less entertained by their eyes meeting, instead dropping his gaze when he gets caught. At least he's got something to stare at when that hand wraps around his and twists the door open. Why does he feel like that could have been a crushed hand if Leoben had wanted?]

Oh, hey, come in. At least I know now you're not a vampire, huh.

[Damn robots inviting themselves in.]

[hairlocked]

No, but all stories come from somewhere.

[ Totally could be legit.

He watches Ray step inside, leaving him to it, his eyes bright with interest. He takes several steps back, carefully avoiding stepping into anything as though he mysteriously knows the layout of the room. Hmm. ]

Just--do what you normally do.

[kickem]

[Ray trails in, shrugging off his jacket and tossing it onto the sofa as he moves towards the bedroom.]

I'm gettin' changed. Touch anythin' and I swear my fist will go straight through your head.

[hairlocked]

[ Leoben follow quietly, scooting up into Ray's heels, staying close behind him as he strips off his jacket, as he heads for the bedroom. ]

I promise not to touch. But can I watch?

[ Eager puppy is eager. ]

[kickem]

[Being followed into his own room by a same faced guy who claims to be a robot from the past is kind of weird. Or very weird. Either way, Ray's left just standing in his room staring back.]

Why would you wanna?

[Seriously weird. Dudes don't ask to watch other dudes get changed.]

[hairlocked]

[ Leoben cocks his head over to the right. ]

I should have thought that would be obvious. I want to know if we really are genetically identical, or if the face is just a fluke.

[ He shifts on his feet, rolling his shoulders, then brings his hand up to his mouth and chews on his knuckle, watching Ray still. ]

[kickem]

[Just staring right back for a drawn out few seconds before conceding with an eye roll.]

Freak.

[But ugh fine, it's not like he's getting his dick out and he's changed in public a million times before with an audience, if they are usually less interested in watching.

He's pretty methodical about what comes off first; holster, t-shirt, jeans, socks, perched on the edge of the bed by the end of it as he grumbles.]

Must just be a freak magnet. S'all I seem to get.

[hairlocked]

[ Leoben waits in the doorway for most of the stripping, but as Ray sits on the edge of the bed he peels away from the decent distance and patters closer, raising a finger and pointing it at Ray's right shoulder. ]

What's that?

[ Because ooh tattoo, and also defacing his lovely body. ]

[kickem]

[Don't mind Ray, just sat on the bed, considering wrestling into a fresh set of clothing or whether a shower is probably a good idea. Pulling all nighters should really be followed by a good shower and a change of clothing.

Still distracted by the curious puppy face stealing robot though.]

Uh?

[Glancing at his shoulder as if he's forgotten what's there.]

A tattoo. [Mr. Obvious.]

[hairlocked]

[ Just sat there being curiously touched by strangers. Creepy weird robot strangers.

Poke poke. ]

I can see that. But it's not very... [ Leoben glances up and grins. ] What does it mean?

[ Eager cheerful happy robot face. Please explain it to him? ]

[kickem]

[Surprisingly accepting of the poking, perhaps if only because he's still contemplating whether smashing this guys teeth in would be worth it or not. Probably not. Also not a great idea to assault guys in your own home, especially not when you're a cop.

Plus it's hard to punch such an eager and happy face, especially when it's his own face looking back at him. God, it's even weirder close up.]

Champion. Y'know like the uh, the sparkplugs? Dad was always about Champions. I guess it seemed like a cool idea when I was a teen.

[hairlocked]

I've heard of it. I didn't imagine I'd ever see this body of ours permanently inked.

[ Maybe it is weird, but Leoben hovers only for a moment longer before giving Ray back his space, sweeping across the room to look in Ray's closet. It's...eclectic; he'd thought so before, but this time he takes out Ray's Razorbacks shirt, and glances over his shoulder. ]

You don't have women up here often, do you?

[ Such a judgey robot. ]

[kickem]

[Ray keeps his eyes on the other, brows furrowing as the closet is approached.]

What's it to you? So what?

[Always on the defensive.]

[hairlocked]

Well it's...very masculine. And dirty.

[ He comes away from the closet slowly, this time approaching Ray straight. He tilts his head slightly to one side, stopping several feet in front of him.

Then it's a very careful, measuring look that Ray gets, dark, immensely focused eyes, unblinking. Leoben gestures with both hands. ]

Up.

[kickem]

Hey, I clean! ... Sometimes.

[Except pretty much never because Ray's barely ever at home anyway. But he doesn't argue the point much further because Leoben's approaching and there's something in that look.

There's the temptation to refuse, but Ray needs to get up if he ever wishes to actually continue not sitting around mostly naked. And so he does get up, but not before dragging his holster right beside him and making sure the weapon is in easy reach.]

[hairlocked]

You aren't going to shoot me in here. This is your home.

[ But he steps forward despite the open threat, reaching his hands to Ray's shoulders and patting them, then bringing his hands down to his elbows, tilting them up, forcing him to correct his posture. ]

Put some energy into it, some confidence. You can smoulder. [ He narrowed his eyes right back. ] Stand up straight.