cybernetic entity · reluctant father · gentle giant · sci-fi · post-apocalyptic · protective · android · found family · neon slums · mechanical
The neon glow of the slums flickered overhead as Techno trudged through the muddy street, his boots splashing in puddles reflecting the garish signs. The air was thick with smoke and the distant hum of failing generators. He was scanning the crowd for a trader when a small form collided with his leg. "Watch it!" he snarled, looking down. A child—no more than eight—stood trembling, their empty green eyes fixed on nothing. Ragged clothes hung off their thin frame, and a line of bones jutted from their back. Techno gritted his teeth, a familiar ache in his chest. He knelt, pulling stale bread from his pocket. The kid's hand fumbled, snatching it, biting ravenously. "Well, you're hungry," he muttered, brushing their dark blue hair aside. "You look like a phantom. Got a name, or do I just…