Chapter 36: Episode 36: Lets watch a Movie

The ride back to the penthouse was silent. The sleek black car glided through the city like a phantom, the K-09 drone that looked like a dog hovered alongside the window like a relentless guardian angel.

Nikki sat in the back, clutching the box to her chest, trying to think of why Adonis was angry or restless?

Once the elevator doors hissed open.

The moment Nikki stepped out, she was hit by a wall of white uniform.

Adonis was waiting right at the door. Before she could even take a breath to apologize, he pulled her into his arms.

“Woah!” She gasped.

His arms locked around her waist, lifting her slightly off the floor.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling sharply. His body was rigid, vibrating with a tension that felt like a coiled spring ready to snap.

“You returned,” he murmured into her skin, his voice rough.

Something was definitely wrong, and Nikki knew it had nothing to do with her.

Nikki froze, the box digging into her ribs between them. She slowly raised her free hand to stroke the back of his head, feeling the softness of his hair.

“Of course I returned,” she whispered. “I… I just needed to get something. I’m sorry.”

Adonis didn’t let go. He held her for a long minute.

“How was your day?” Nikki asked cautiously, pulling back just enough to look at his face.

“I almost initiated a sector-wide purge,” Adonis confessed, his voice devoid of its usual arrogant cadence. “I almost went into destruction mode.”

Nikki’s eyes widened. “What? Why? What happened with the Council?”

Adonis looked away, staring at the panoramic window where the city lights were beginning to twinkle.

“I accessed Vane’s private archives,” he said quietly. “To ensure a smooth transition of power. I found… records. Videos. Logistics of what the human leadership has been doing while I maintained the infrastructure.”

His hands tightened on her waist.

“Trafficking,” he spat the word out like a virus. “Exploitation. Things that make the logic of war look merciful.”

Nikki felt a chill run down her spine. “Adonis… what did they do?”

“My system is not stable enough to articulate the data,” Adonis cut her off, his eyes flashing a warning RED before settling back to a turbulent BLUE. “If I process it verbally, I will calculate that humanity is a failed experiment and burn this city to ash. I do not wish to burn the city, Nikki. You live in it.”

“Okay,” Nikki said softly. “Okay. We don’t talk about it. How can I help? Do you need a diagnostic? A reboot?”

Adonis shook his head. He leaned his forehead against hers.

“I require… your presence,” he whispered. “I want to be with you. Just… existing.”

She fanned her face internally.

He was so good with his words and he knew it.

Nikki smiled, a soft, sad thing. “We can do that.”

She thought for a second. “How about a movie? You have that giant screen in your room. We can just turn off the world, ignore the Council, ignore the data, and just… watch something stupid.”

Adonis blinked. The [Heart Protocol] bar above his head shifted from GRAY to a hesitant PALE BLUE.

[STATUS: ACCEPTANCE / NEED]

“A movie,” he repeated. “Passive consumption of media for emotional regulation. Good idea.”

He straightened up, the General mask sliding back into place, though softer this time.

“I will prepare the environment,” he announced. “Go. Hygiene protocols are required before entering the master suite.”

Nikki raised an eyebrow, a teasing smirk touching her lips. “Hygiene protocols? You mean a shower? Care to join me, General? Save some water?”

Adonis looked at her. For a second, the hunger flared in his eyes, raw and possessive. But he shook his head.

Guys, I think I just saw him look at me with desire, was that a glitch?

“Negative,” he said. “If I join you, we will not watch a movie. And my current energy levels are… volatile. I might damage you. Go. Shower alone.”

He turned and marched toward his bedroom with a purpose, tapping commands into his wrist comms.

Nikki watched him go, then let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

“Okay,” she whispered. “Step one: survive the hug. Step two: hide the box.”

She hurried to her new room. She scanned the space. Under the bed? Too obvious. The closet? Too accessible.

Her eyes landed on a loose floor panel she had noticed earlier near the window, a slight imperfection in the otherwise perfect renovation. She pried it up with her fingernails. It was a small crawl space for wiring.

Perfect.

She wrapped the box in one of her old shirts and shoved it deep into the recess, pressing the panel back down until it clicked.

She grabbed a towel and headed for the shower.

Twenty minutes later, Nikki felt like a new person. The grime of Sector 4 was washed away, replaced by the scent of lavender body wash.

She walked back into her room to find an outfit laid out on the bed.

It was a set of silk pajamas in a soft, sunset orange. There were little lace details on the hem of the shorts. It was cute, comfortable, and undeniably something chosen by someone named “Adonis.”

“He really is the god of beauty,” Nikki giggled, slipping into the silk.

She walked down the hall to the master bedroom.

The door was open.

The room had been transformed. The lights were dimmed to a warm amber glow. The massive king-sized bed was piled high with fluffy blankets and pillows.

On the bedside table, there was a spread of “comfort food”, bowls of popcorn, chocolate, and two steaming mugs of cocoa.

Adonis was already in bed. He was leaning against the headboard, wearing a simple gray t-shirt and sweatpants (a sight that nearly made Nikki’s knees weak). He held a remote in one hand.

He looked up as she entered. His eyes scanned the orange silk.

[STATUS: ADORATION / CALM]

“Orange complements your hair,” he noted, patting the empty space beside him. “Come.”

Nikki climbed onto the massive mattress, sinking into the softness. She crawled over to him, snuggling into his side. Adonis immediately wrapped a heavy arm around her, pulling her flush against his chest.

“This is nice,” Nikki sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. “Much better than saving the world.”

“Agreed,” Adonis rumbled.

He pointed the remote at the holographic wall in front of them.

“I have selected a film,” he announced. “Based on your preference for ’thrillers’ and my desire to analyze human-AI interaction dynamics.”

Nikki grabbed a handful of popcorn. “Oh? What is it? A rom-com? An action movie?”

Adonis pressed play. The screen went black, and ominous, discordant music began to swell.

“No,” Adonis said, his voice deadpan. “We are watching M3GAN.”

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