You don't treat a gift like a debt

"You're early. Bar doesn't open for another hour and a half."

"Hey Dahlia! We figured it'd be better if we got here before the weather turned worse again. Mind if we eat here as customers before our shift starts?"

Gin and I sit across one another in the corner table of Dahlia's Dine & Drink, which is technically a restaurant during the day. Thankfully the storm died down this morning. The clouds are still gray and gloomy however and the weather warner sent out a notice of possible afterstorms.

"Fine by me. I'll just deduct the bill from your paycheck."

"Thanks Dahlia, I'll have bacon and waffles plus coffee."

"Mm. How about you Noa?"

"...A glass of B23 I suppose. Why are you waiting tables, Dahlia? Where's Opal?"

"Beats me. She stopped showing up since last week. Won't respond to my calls either. I'd have someone check up on her but I have no idea where she lives."

Searching for Device FLHH179347...

Device not found.

Dahlia walks past the bar counter and through the kitchen doors. The front doors squeak open as the only other customers exit the establishment: two adult men wearing navy blue trench coats.

"Hm? Where you going Noa?"

"I'm just going to speak with Dahlia about work-related things."

I stand up from the table and wait for Dahlia by the bar. After a few seconds, the kitchen doors slide open automatically. Dahlia locks eyes with me immediately.

"Reggie's prepping the food, give him 15 minutes. I'll get you your B23 right now."

She steps behind the bar and takes out a clear rocks glass and a bottle of B23 from under the counter. 'B23' is printed with stylized font on the face of the bottle and underneath it are the words '(for androids only)'. Red and orange liquids pour into the glass, dancing around one another but never truly mixing.

"Hey, Dahlia... I was wondering, if you need any help filling up a waitress position..."

The bottle gently thumps on the countertop as Dahlia sets it down with a sigh.

"Noa, you're overdoing it. I can't employ you to do everything around here."

"But-"

"But nothing. Doesn't matter if it's a different shift. If you run out of battery for your night shift because you spent too much energy during the day, what then?"

"Have you heard of android battery packs?"

"No, and I don't want to hear about them. I know saving up is important, but I've a funny feeling there's more to it. What's this about Noa?"

I glance at Gin: he's currently fiddling with his rPhone. I turn back to Dahlia and take a sip of the B23. My left hand holding the glass is visibly mismatched from my right.

"I owe him a lot. I'd rather not sit on that debt longer than needed."

"You're an idiot."

Dahlia's blunt remark stuns me completely.

"Whatever it is, I bet you never asked him to do it for you and he never asked anything in return."

"That's technically true but-"

"But. Nothing. If he did it of his own accord, then that's on him. You don't treat a gift like a debt."

Dahlia looks past me, towards Gin most likely. Her normally severe expression softening slightly.

"The way I see it, you two are family. Family... shouldn't be an obligation."

The bottle of B23 clinks against all the other bottles under the counter as Dahlia puts it away.

"I'll see about giving you a shift during the day as a part-timer during the less busy days."

I look around the near empty restaurant. Dahlia narrows her eyes at me, unamused.

"What is it that they put into you androids that gives you so much sass."

"...B23?"

She shakes her head.

"...Thanks Dahlia."