Shaun sat in the last row, a little more rigidly than everyone else, but not too much. He glanced around, spotting me in the crowd, and grinned. I smiled right back at him, just as proceedings started.

I was so proud of him.

He’d come so far. The whole world had.

We didn’t know it then, but the whole SATinc mess set the world to rethink, re-evaluate, and re-assess how androids were made, used, and treated.

It also changed why androids were made.

Military restrictions were still imposed, of course, but personal androids—fully compatible androids, who could make decisions and function independently, androids like Shaun—were now more common.

The AMA had taken the technology created by SATinc and used the very best parts and outlawed the worst.

I’d always assumed Sergeant Waleed of the AMA knew the truth about Shaun. We’d met with him many, many times; in our apartment, in AMA offices. Shaun always acted as a standard A-Class, never missing a beat. But Waleed would look at him a little too long or smile as if he knew the secret we kept.

And keep the secret we did.

If the AMA monitored us as SATinc did, then they knew, because in our apartment was where Shaun could be his true self. But over the years, as laws changed and people’s perceptions changed with it, android rights were amended to reflect the advances in android technology. And so, Shaun could be more himself in public in recent years given how much androids had changed. No one really looked twice now if he started sentences with “I think” or “I feel” because along with the increased technology, vernacular changed as well. So did his ability to orgasm on his own. A software update and a lot of practice later, he was free to pleasure himself as he saw fit.

He would always have better posture than humans, and of course, his looks. Striking at first glance, but not exactly human on closer inspection.

“He looks nervous,” Jae said, leaning in to whisper.

I nodded. “He is.”

I sat a few rows back, Jae and his wife, Karin, had graciously come with me. It was funny how my friendship with them turned out. Jae did in fact come around for dinner, many times, and of course he knew Shaun was Shaun. We trusted him with our secret because he was our friend. He was Shaun’s friend, and Karin loved philosophy. We were an unlikely, motley crew, but we gelled well. They would talk internet and technology, and Karin and I would discuss philosophy and reason, the ethics of capitalism, and issues in bioethics.

Just then, proceedings started and we sat through formalities and speeches until finally, finally, his name was called.

“Shaun Salter.”

He walked on stage to collect his diploma to a rousing round of applause. The media were there to cover the story; there was quite the hype.

He was the first android to ever graduate university.

There were still restrictions for androids who chose to study—they had full immediate access to information at all times, an advantage over their human classmates, so there had to be some regulations in place. Shaun didn’t care. Not one bit. He just wanted to go to university.

After the ceremony, after photos for the press, he was quick to find us. After a quick embrace, he gave me his certificate to hold, then Jae shook his hand with warm congratulations, and Karin kissed his cheek. His smile was possibly the biggest I’d seen to date. We mingled for a short while, stayed and chatted with the people Shaun had friended during his time at uni. Though he soon whispered in my ear that he wanted to go home. We were no sooner through the door to our apartment than he wrapped me up in his arms.

“I’m proud of you,” I said.

He slid his other arm around my waist, and he kissed my cheek. “I am proud of myself, too.”

I scoffed. “Proud? I didn’t think you could synthesise ego.”

Then he shrugged. “Well, I can emulate pride.”

“Oh really?”

“Yes. And I already know which course I’d like to study next.”

I laughed at the gleam in his eyes. “What’s that?”

He hoisted my legs around his hips and carried me to our room. “Human anatomy. I believe you also have internal sensors that I could obtain a masters in.”

He lay me on the bed and pressed me into the mattress, making quick work of my shirt. “I think you’d get a high distinction,” I said with a laugh. “And you’d pass in no time.”

He leaned over me, his dark hair flopping forward, his blue eyes dark with lust. “On the contrary, Lloyd. I want it to take me forever.”

“Forever?”

“Forever. For all future time; for always.”

I smiled and kissed him softly. “Yes. For all future time. For always.”

The End