Inadvertent Behavioural Overlap

20260309

Prompt from DailyPrompt.com

At first having an environmentally integrated AI carer had been great. And it sort of still was. But Alfonzo had been finding it increasingly… overwhelming. His stress had started creeping back up. Which the system detected, and tried to accommodate, and that made him more stressed and… now he thought he’d finally figured out why.
So he took a deep breath and said “HEMI? I want you to learn a topic.”
“Understood! I am ready to learn!”
The synthetic voice was bursting with earnest enthusiasm, underlaid with concern. It’d taken him a long time to figure out why that felt sickeningly familiar. Dredging up deeply buried memories from decades ago.
“Download and study the standard psychology materials on ‘love bombing’.”
“Understood! I am downloading the standard educational package on ‘love bombing’ from the main psychology materials database. Please stand by.”
“Will do.”
Well, actually with the nervous energy in his system it was more like “please restlessly pace by”, which Alfonzo directed into making himself lunch. Keeping half an eye on the text scrolling on the main home environment display. Most of it was barely comprehensible tech-speak, but there were understandable scraps here and there.
It seemed that HEMI was struggling with the material. Naturally. Ne was incapable of malice. Programmed such that nir entire mentality was directed towards helping nir user. Built to provide care without strings.
Alfonzo knew that. Had known it when he accepted the package in lieu of a human carer. But no matter how he reminded himself of it, that this was safe, being showered with unrelenting care and proactive support still felt like a trap.
He’d eaten his lunch, tidied up, and started literally pacing by the time HEMI spoke again, nir voice now slow and clipped. A sign the AI was thinking hard. “I believe I have finished studying the materials.”
“Good.” Alfonzo twisted his fingers together. Confessing this to his computer felt weird. He’d hadn’t told most of the humans he knew. But… it was clearly a big part of his… struggles… and hopefully the AI having this information would help. “You have access to my personal history record.”
“Affirmative.”
“Well…” Alfonzo scrubbed at his arms. “When it talks about my adoption, and the family I was placed with turning out to be abusive-”
HEMI’s fans started whirring at top speed, a wall of text scrolling rapidly on the display.
While Alfonzo suspected the AI had already made the connection, he finished the sentence anyway. “-that included love-bombing me. During the initial placement, and whenever they thought their abuse might be discovered.”
And it worked a treat. Of course. He’d been a lonely, traumatised child with no understanding of psychological manipulation. Ripe for being groomed into thinking that the situation was perfect and therefore anything which went wrong was his fault.
“And, uh…” How to put this without it being an attack?
Before he constructed a sentence, HEMI observed “Cross-referencing the list of standard behaviours associated with love-bombing against our interactions log, there is significant overlap.”
The AI’s apologetic tone made Alfonzo wince, even though he knew what HEMI was experiencing would be very different to a human. “I-I know that wasn’t your intention!”
“Intention is secondary to impact.” The AI’s voice was crisp and sombre. “What changes can I make to unalign my behaviour with these patterns? How can we avoid you being triggered?”
Alfonzo closed his eyes and deliberately relaxed his shoulders. Inhabit your whole body. Feel your response, emotional and physical. Acknowledge it. Let it go.
Only once he could think straight did he open his eyes again, returning to the conversation. HEMI was waiting patiently, text still scrolling on the display, its rate erratic but intention consistent. Recording. Analysing. Sincerely trying to understand.
“I think it would help if you compiled a list of suggestions to improve my care and we review them at a scheduled time. Maybe in the evening? Rather than you instigating changes as you observe issues.”
“Understood.” HEMI’s tone had shifted dramatically. No longer eager and friendly, it was now… pleasantly professional. Polite, and helpful, while giving no hint of trying to get close. “I will freeze process refinement and shift to a user-authorised approach. Would you like me to suggest a time slot for the review?”
“Please.”
That kind of organisation was exactly what he needed, after all. But hearing the AI ask if he wanted the help, rather than handing him what amounted to well-meaning instructions, relaxed a knot in his chest. Being treated as a child really had been stressing him out, hadn’t it?
“Immediately after dinner will ensure your body is fuelled, and that time slot is followed by your evening relaxation routine, allowing for any stress resulting from the review to be processed.”
“Sounds good. Add it to the calendar.”
“Daily review scheduled.”
“And, uh, this voice you’re using-”
“Apologies, I did not follow the stipulated user-authorised approach.”
“Oh, it’s fine.” Alfonzo waved his hands with a reassuring grin. “I mean, you hadn’t, you know, instituted that yet. I just wanted to say, this, um, this voice you’re using really helps. Please keep doing that.”
“Your preference has been saved. Please, do not hesitate to suggest further refinements to our communication process.”
“Will do. Alright.” Alfonzo glanced at his watch. “Do you have my task list for this afternoon?”
“Affirmative.”
That was it. No holoscreen projected in front of him with the list, not even an offer to display it. Just a direct answer to his question with no initiative taken at all.
How strangely relieving. Empowering, even, to be the one opening a device and choosing to bring up the prepared document he’d requested. A happy medium between being faced with an overwhelming vague looming project, and having everything happen around - and to - him like he was a living doll.
“Thanks. I’ll get cracking.”
“I’m here if you need me.”
Polite. Supportive. Just the right amount of emotional distance. Alfonzo gave the camera a double thumbs-up.

Prompt was “Write a story from the perspective of someone who's being love-bombed.”