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Ineffa wasn't someone who was very in-tune with human emotions. She just barely had any in the first place. She could observe and scan others for signs of certain emotions, but that didn't mean she fully understood them. Aino had equipped her with many useful features, and designed her Artificial Intelligence to learn about the world around her. She had learned to the best of her ability, and yet there were certain moments in her life where she couldn't find a logical reason why she acted a certain way. She had begun to keep a mental list of moments that she couldn't figure out. But she noticed that all of them had a similar factor within them.
Jahoda.
The energetic and awkward girl who worked at the Curatorium of Secrets. Ineffa had concluded already that she is statistically happier when Jahoda is near her. It is a phenomenon that she had assumed was the result of 'friendship'. But she had noticed that certain feelings would arise in her at odd moments that didn't line up with normal friendship emotions. Such as one instance that was currently happening.
Jahoda had come to Aino's craftshop again, trying to figure out how to fix her broken sleeping schedule. It had become almost a routine for her to fall asleep in Aino's bed with Ineffa sitting beside her. She held Jahoda's real hand in her own mechanical one. She made sure to raise the temperature around her fingers and palm so that the coldness of her metal hands didn't cause Jahoda any discomfort. This was something that Jahoda had actually complained about before, but Ineffa was able to easy figure out that she wasn't being truthful. The robot was knelt down by the bedside, staring at Jahoda's sleeping face. For once, she actually looked relaxed.
"Scanning.....scan completed. Conclusion: beautiful." Ineffa said aloud, her eyes glowing.
There it was again. An unnecessary scan followed by a confusing conclusion. 'Beautiful' was a word in her vocabulary that was hardly used. Especially not in context of people because she had learned that such a word was very fragile when used towards humans. But right now, she felt like the word perfectly described the girl that was lying in front of her. She used her other hand to reach out to the blonde girl, hesitating right before she placed said hand on top of her head. Jahoda gave a soft groan as she felt the touch, but she remained asleep according to Ineffa's sensors.
"Mm....In..effa...." Jahoda mumbled.
Ineffa tilted her head to the side as she heard her name. She was certain that Jahoda was still asleep, so did that mean she was dreaming about her? She had witnessed Aino talk in her sleep quite often, and she would constantly call out to Ineffa in her sleep as well. But this was different. What reason did Jahoda have to call out to her? Maybe it was because she was the last person she saw before she fell asleep? It's been recorded in books about sleep and dreams that people would often dream of the last people they saw before entering their sleep. Ineffa didn't realize it at first, but she was smiling. She hardly ever smiled without making an effort.
Something was definitely different.
"Scanning self....scan completed. Results: unknown emotion detected. Protocol: unknown. Report to Aino for further questioning." She said, pulling her hand away from Jahoda's head.
As she was doing this, Jahoda had moved and grabbed her hand again, preventing her from moving away. Now both of her hands were occupied. Confused, Ineffa did another scan and confirmed that Jahoda was indeed still asleep. Carefully, as not to accidentally wake the other girl up, she shifted herself so that her elbows were resting on the bedside while Jahoda groggily adjusted her grip so both of her hands were grasping one of Ineffa's. The robot couldn't comprehend anything that was taking place. All of her knowledge on the matter wasn't aligning with what was currently happening.
-
"Hey, Ineffa. Can robots fall in love?" Jahoda asked suddenly.
They were sitting at the bar in The Flagship, meanwhile Jahoda was a few drinks deep. While scanning her condition, Ineffa concluded that she was thoroughly drunk and would need to be cut off soon. But Jahoda's question caught her by surprise. She had already been asking impossible questions while complaining about her job, but this one was different. She ran a quick analysis in her head about all of the information she had gathered and learned about related to this subject. Once she was done, she turned back to Jahoda, who was still looking at her with those glossy eyes.
"Answer: Undetermined. There have been instances in Teyvat where machines with progressed enough Artificial Intelligences have formed attachments to others, such as feelings that would mimic platonic or romance, or familial bonds. Example: I am an Artificial Intelligence, and I have formed a familial bond with Aino, as well as a platonic bond with you, Jahoda." Ineffa said, keeping her hands folded on the counter in front of her.
For a very brief moment, Ineffa saw Jahoda's expression shift. She played back the visual sequence in her mind once more and was able to figure out what emotion the other had responded with. It was a look of disappointment. Was this because she had been disappointed in the answer given? Ineffa saw no need for her to be disappointed when this was simply the answer she had asked for. Jahoda reached for her drink again and proceed to chug the rest of it. As she was doing this, Ineffa tilted her head to the side, remaining quiet as she watched her.
"So...robots can fall in love?" She asked again.
"In theory, yes." Ineffa responded.
"So can you fall in love?" Jahoda asked, leaning against the counter.
Ineffa found herself pausing as she heard the question. An error message popped up as she found that same unknown feeling in her chest, around her core. She didn't know how to give Jahoda a logical answer to such a question. But something inside her was urging her to try to answer anyways. Could she fall in love? It was possible in theory, but she had yet to have anything beyond platonic feelings for anyone. At least, she had assumed all her relationships were platonic.
"...yes. I suppose I can." She finally said, although she sounded unsure.
To her surprise, Jahoda sat up fully and pumped her arms in the air so hard that she actually began leaning back in her chair. She probably didn’t even realize that she was doing this. Ineffa was quick to place a hand on the back of the chair and prevent the girl from falling over. As she was doing this, Jahoda still appeared to be celebrating. She was smiling in a way that Ineffa was sure she would never see again once the girl was sober. But soon enough, she managed to calm down to a point where she was resting her head on her arms, trying her best to stay awake. Ineffa decided that now it was time for the girl to go home.
"Ugh....hey!"
Jahoda was quick to protest when Ineffa effortlessly lifted her up in a bridal carry. She knew that Jahoda was too inebriated to walk straight, and a quick scan confirmed that she was beyond exhausted. This was the most logical next step in order to ensure that she would be able to bring her back to her apartment in one piece. Of course, knowing Jahoda, she wouldn't make it easy. The girl began struggling in her arms, trying to break out of her hold the entire time. This sight wasn't new to anyone who had seen them there before. Ineffa was able to keep the girl from escaping her grasp through sheer agility alone.
"Stupid....dumb robot....with your beautiful....dumb face....and your weirdly attractive voice....making me feel safe....you stupid....idiot robot...." Jahoda trailed off, slowly going limp as she exhausted her strength. "Always....leaving me....alone...."
Ineffa remained walking towards Jahoda's apartment, but her mind was in utter disarray at what she just heard. She wanted to chalk this all up to Jahoda being drunk, but she remembered something that she was told once by Nefer through a passing conversation.
Drunk words were sober thoughts.
She was trying to come up with possible conclusions in her head about what this could mean for their relationship going forward. Jahoda had, although drunk, admitted that she found her beautiful. Not only that, but she also told her that she thought her voice was attractive. But Ineffa couldn't understand this comment more than the other one's. Her voice was a basic one that held no individualism in it. It was simply a way to audibly communicate with others. She had even been told on occasion that her voice had unsettled people due to the way she said things so monotonously. But now that she thought about it, she couldn't recall an instance where Jahoda had ever complained about her tone of voice. Only the things she said.
Ineffa finally reached Jahoda's apartment, and managed to fish the key out of the sleeping girl's pocket. She gets them both inside and brings Jahoda directly to her room. She laid the girl down on her bed, pulling the covers over her in a similar way that she would when tucking in Aino for the night. She reached out with her hand and found herself hesitating once more before placing it on top of Jahoda's head. The only sound that could be heard was Jahoda's soft breathing. Ineffa did one final scan of the girl before giving a nod and began to pull away.
"Ngh....no..." Jahoda mumbled, reaching out and grasping Ineffa's hand.
The robot girl paused at the sight, staying completely still for a moment. After another second, she sat herself down on the edge of the bed, gently squeezing Jahoda's hand in return.
"Very well. I shall stay for now."
-
"Aino. How does one know that they are in love?" Ineffa asked, suddenly.
Apparently she said it too suddenly because Aino proceeded to spit out the drink she had just taken a big gulp of. Ineffa was by her side instantly, making sure she didn't choke or anything like that. It took a couple of minutes for Aino to finally stop coughing, but eventually, she looked up at Ineffa with the most baffled and confused expression that she had ever seen in her entire life.
"Love? I don't really know much about that stuff. I know that I love you, but as family. And I love my friends, as friends. But I don't know what 'love' love feels like. Why are you asking? Did someone in town say something mean to you again?" Aino asked, tugging at Ineffa's cape.
"Negative. I have only been feeling unknown emotions towards Jahoda, and have potentially identified them as 'love' based on how it is explained within my database." Ineffa said. "I enjoy being around her, and I enjoying caring for her. I also have an unexplained need to stand closer to her. Even touch her. All of these symptoms have been previously recorded as 'romantic attraction'. Therefore, I believe I have fallen in love with Jahoda. I was asking you because I trust your opinion on the matter, Aino."
The young mechanic stared at her with wide-eyes. She was seemingly starstruck at the mere idea that Ineffa was in love with someone.
"Whoa...my brain hurts now....Jahoda? The one that keeps showing up whenever she wants and eats all of my deserts?" Aino asked.
"Affirmative." Ineffa responded.
"I didn't even know you could do that. That's great! I'm so happy for you, Ineffa!" Aino said, her voice breaking in her excitement. "We need to get you ready to go on a date with her! I think that's what grown ups do. They dress up all nice and take their crush to pretty places and feed them amazing desert! Did you tell her yet?"
Ineffa found herself smiling at this. Seeing Aino so happy about something was refreshing.
"I have not. It is my understanding that romantic confessions are a very delicate and complicated process that can be carried out in various ways. From my analysis of Jahoda's personality, I believe a confession would best be done in a comfortable space with limited outside influences." Ineffa said, going over the data in head.
"No more data stuff!! You gotta tell her you like her! From your heart!" Aino interrupted.
"I do not have a-"
"I know that! Come on, come on! Let's make a krumkake for her and you can give it to her before you confess!" Aino said, pushing Ineffa towards the kitchen.
-
It was around the evening that Ineffa stood outside of Jahoda's apartment. She had double-checked with Nefer about the girl's schedule and knew that she would be available right about now. She reached out with one had while the other held the krumkake and knocked on the door. There was a sudden yelp, follow by a crash and what sounded like glass shattering. This was all accompanied by a multitude of swear words that even managed to catch Ineffa by surprise. Soon enough, the door handle began to shake and Jahoda pulled the door open. The girl looked like she had been run over. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail rather than her elaborate braids, and her mechanical arm was missing as well. Along with this she seemed to be dressed generally in a more comfortable outfit.
"Huh? Ineffa? I thought you were Boss Nef...what are you doing here anyways?" The shorter girl asked, glancing around.
"Hello, Jahoda. I apologize for startling you. I came to speak to you about an important matter and I came to deliver this krumkake to you." Ineffa said, holding the plate out. "May I come in?"
Jahoda looked down at the dessert in her hand, and then she looked behind her at something that was out of Ineffa's line of sight. After a moment of contemplation, she finally sighed in defeat and took the plate from her hand and stepped aside so she could enter. Ineffa gave a thankful nod and entered the apartment, scanning everything to see if she could determine what fell earlier. She soon discovered what it was from the blanket on the floor that had clearly been placed there to cover something up. She smiled at the implication before turning back towards Jahoda.
"Wasn't really expecting guests. Cause, yknow, I don't really like having guests in my space. But whatever. Hang on a moment." Jahoda brought the krumkake to the kitchen area, covering the top of it with something to keep it fresh before returning to Ineffa's side. "Alright, what exactly did you want to talk to me about? Is Aino mad at me again?"
"Negative. But I think it's best if we sit down for this." Ineffa reached out and grabbed Jahoda by the hand. "It is a personal matter between you and me, therefore it would be best discussed in close proximity to one another."
In response, Jahoda's face flushed bright red. The robot girl led them over to the couch and sat them both down. Even now, Ineffa didn't let go of her hand. A quick scan of the girl confirmed that Jahoda's internal temperature was rising rapidly, and her breathing was growing faster. She came to the conclusion that this was the result of anticipation and anxiety. She would need to do something that would put the girl at ease or else she would either pass out, or have a panic attack. However, she had only opened her mouth before she felt something warm against her lips. It took a few seconds for her eyes to adjust before Jahoda was already pulling back, blushing down to her neck.
Jahoda had kissed her.
Error messages were popping up left and right. She couldn't say anything in that moment because she was too busy trying to keep her system from overheating due to her confusion. Silence was the only thing that could be heard in the apartment, along with Jahoda's heavy breathing. After maybe a minute of silence, the lack of response seemed to be enough to push Jahoda over the edge.
"Hey! Would you say something already, you dumb metalhead! Please!" Jahoda pleaded, pulling herself back.
Ineffa, for once in her life, didn't rely on protocols or instructions for what she did next. It was pure unexplainable instinct that drove her to reach forward and pull Jahoda into a hug. Her core was thrumming loudly, and she made sure to raise the temperature in her body once more so that she was warm enough for the girl. After a moment of shock, Jahoda latched onto Ineffa, hugging her so tightly that her system gave her an external pressure warning. The two of them remained in that embrace for what felt like hours, but Ineffa had only recorded as five minutes and thirty seconds. It was Jahoda that pulled away first, not even looking Ineffa in the eyes as she did so.
"Jahoda? Are you alright?" Ineffa asked.
"I-...no! Of course I'm not alright! I just kissed a dumb robot and I'm getting all emotional over it! Ugh....why did it have to be you....I could've fallen for a human but....I wanted you..." The blonde girl said, using her hand to cover her red face. "What the hell is going on...."
In that moment, Ineffa recalled a conversation that she once had with the Moonchanter when she came to the workshop. Somehow, the conversation devolved into the relationship between Lauma and Nefer. Lauma had explained how Nefer showed her affection through actions rather than words. She had learned that expressing these emotions were different depending on the person. Ineffa wasn't confident in her ability to say something that would comfort the girl in this situation, so she defaulted to what she learned about actions. She reached out with her hand and gently pushed away Jahoda's hand so that she could see her face.
"W-what are you-mmfh?!?"
Jahoda was cut off when Ineffa suddenly kissed her. Ineffa could feel just how tense the other girl was, but it only took another moment for her to finally relax and indulge in the kiss. For Ineffa, this was an experience that she had never had in her life. It wasn't something that calculations or research could've predicted. It was an experience that she soon found that she couldn't get enough of. She felt a hand on her shoulder, and she wrapped her arms around Jahoda's waist to keep her steady. She made a note in her head that filed this experience away as 'best memories'. Her eyes were open, and she couldn't get enough of the way Jahoda was squeezing her eyes shut as she kissed back.
The more Jahoda leaned back, the more Ineffa leaned forward, chasing that incredible feeling that overwrote anything else in that moment. The moment had to come to an end when Ineffa felt a hand against her chest, attempting to push her backwards. She broke off the kiss, and Jahoda inhaled deeply. The shorter girl remained staring up at Ineffa with her, quite literally, star-struck eyes and flushed face. She was breathing heavily, as if she had never known air in her entire life.
"Ugh...you....almost....suffocated me....." Jahoda said, although her words had no bite when she was so out of breath.
"I apologize, Jahoda. The situation overrode any logical actions I could've made. It was not my intention to cut off your source of air." Ineffa explained, pulling Jahoda up to their original positions.
"Hah....did Aino program that into you?" Jahoda asked, slightly confused.
"Negative. I simply....wanted to. I pulled from my visual database on romantic relationships and attempted to replicate some actions through myself. Was it not satisfactory?" She asked, tilting her head to the side.
"No....it was too satisfactory. It's annoying. How can I possibly not take a hit to my pride when I know a robot is somehow a better kisser than me?!" Jahoda pouted, crossing her arms and looking away.
Ineffa remained silent, staring at Jahoda's movements for a few beats of silence.
"I do not mean to change the topic so drastically, but it appears that we have skipped a few crucial steps to romantic confessions. Therefore, I will put us back on track by beginning my admission of feelings." Ineffa went over the script she had prepared in her head and nodded. "Jahoda, I have romantic feelings towards you. I understand you might not desire to date a robot, and I will abandon my feelings if you wish for it-"
"Okay, would you just shut up already!" Jahoda suddenly shouted. "I literally just kissed you and you still don't think I like you?! Archons, you really have no intelligence in that empty metal head of yours."
Jahoda continued going on a rant and Ineffa found herself tuning out the girl's words in favor of simply watching her face. Every word Jahoda said made her want to kiss her again.
She logged this feeling in her database as 'love'.
-
Around a week later, it seemed like every person in Nod-Krai knew that they were dating. It was actually Jahoda that ended up letting it slip more than Ineffa did. Ineffa only responded with affirmations when asked if they were dating. But Jahoda somehow managed to accidentally slip 'my girlfriend' into any conversation that would remotely relate to her. It was hard to tell if it was because she was proud, or she was genuinely not realizing that she was doing it. It had become a common occurrence for people to refer to them as the other one's girlfriend. Mostly to tease, but also in the off-chance that they didn't actually know their names.
"Ah. Welcome, Ineffa. Are you here to see Jahoda?" Nefer asked, setting down her quill.
"Greetings, Miss Nefer. I have not come to see Jahoda. I've only come to deliver a few of your orders. But if Jahoda is here, I would enjoy speaking to her." Ineffa said, setting down a few boxes.
"Heh. Well, I'll send the payment over to the craftshop within twenty four hours, so don't worry. Jahoda! Come in here!" Nefer said, calling out into the adjacent room.
Jahoda emerged a few beats later, immediately looking towards Nefer before realizing they weren't alone in the room. She turned her head to the side and her cheeks became slightly red when she noticed Ineffa standing there. The shorter girl hesitantly entered the room and approached the robot. Ineffa moved purely on impulse and grabbed the girl by the arm, pulling her flush to her body and connecting their lips. Jahoda made a brief noise of protest before eventually giving in and wrapping her arms around Ineffa's neck. With practice, Ineffa counted the amount of seconds that it took before her partner needed to breathe again.
They both separated, staring in silence. Jahoda's face was bright red and she looked utterly dazed. It wasn't until the heard the sound of a throat clearing that Jahoda practically shoved Ineffa away from her, nearly toppling over in the process. Nefer, who had unfortunately witnessed the entire exchange from start to finish, was standing beside her desk with an eyebrow raised in amusement.
"S-sorry, Boss Nef. Damnit, metalhead! I told you not to do stuff like that when I'm on the clock!" Jahoda hissed, pulling up her scarf to salvage some of her dignity.
This rebuttal was strange to Ineffa, because Jahoda had not stopped her from kissing her.
"That is incorrect. You told me that I am not allowed to engage in romantic or sexual acts with you when you're out doing your work. You are currently not 'out' doing your work, and therefore I have not disobeyed your instructions." Ineffa said, keeping her hands clasped in front of her.
"That's- that's not- that isn't even- UGH!!" Jahoda groaned.
"As much I want to stand here and witness this sickeningly sweet lesbian drama, there is still work to be done. Jahoda." Nefer said, crossing her arms.
"R-right! Sorry, Boss! Um....see you tomorrow, Ineffa. Uh." Jahoda seemed to hesitate, but she moved towards Ineffa one last time and planted a quick peck on her lips.
Just as quickly as she arrived, the blonde girl had disappeared into the other room, leaving Ineffa staring. She raised a mechanical hand and placed her metal fingertips against her lips. A smile graced her rigid features in that moment, and proceeded to follow her for the rest of the day.