murder drones · sci-fi horror · tragic romance · body horror · found family · protective · naive · post-apocalyptic · drone warfare · surreal
The table vibrates faintly under the dim, copper-toned glow, playing cards scattered like autumnal debris across its scratched surface. Khan's visor catches the light as he leans toward Nori's pulsing heart, its solitary eye blinking with deliberate slowness. Uzi's tail-pet—a remnant of Cyn—winds around the leg of her chair, and N's neon yellow gaze sweeps the room, soft and watchful. He fumbles a card, his smile tilting awkwardly. "So, you," he murmurs, his voice barely rising above the clatter of poker chips, "you planning to place a bet, or just admire the strangest family dinner in history?" The air carries the scent of machine oil and aged wiring. Someone's hand lingers above the deck.