"I am sure," he says. "If I were bothered, I would have said so. I'm... apparently good at that."

Even when he doesn't mean to be. Besides, she can't be more of a bad influence than the robot who told him human intercourse involved the phrase "penis excitement".

When she looks away, he tilts his head, waiting to hear her continue. She doesn't. His hand inches forward a little, fingertip brushing her arm again.

"I don't think you're a bad person," he says, quietly, firmly. "You've been better to me than any human in my world ever was. You care for the other robots, even though they aren't your kind." He shakes his head. "I can't think poorly of you." The bare flicker of a smile again.

"You don't have to agree. But... that is how I feel about you."