Love Is Love, Especially When It's Also Alchemical Science!

Prompt from “pridemonthprompts” 2025 list.

“C-Creator?”
“Yes, A.M.E. 13?” Callum looked up from his workbench, where the latest dissection was ongoing, to inspect the pale waif he viewed as his Masterpiece.
She wasn’t usually this jittery. Something must have happened.
“I, um, I have a new emotion to report…”
“Excellent! Give me a moment…”
A.M.E. fidgeted while Callum pulled off his gloves and fetched out the worn leather notebook he’d been recording all A.M.E.’s developments in since her ‘birth’.
“What new emotion have you discovered?” Callum prompted, pen held ready.
A.M.E. took a deep breath. “I… I believe I am experiencing romantic love.”
“Marvellous!” Callum beamed. “That is one of the Core Six Emotions.”
“I recall.”
“Hehheh, those fools on the council will never believe this. They’ve insisted for centuries that no homunculus could ever truly love someone.” Callum smirked, an expression of joint pride and glee, then became serious again as he moved to the next part of the form. “Who have you developed this connection with?”
“With… with Renee.”
“Ah, that girl you keep swapping books with.” Callum pulled down the giant chart he’d made tracking each of A.M.E.’s classmates and her relationships with them, and inspected Renee’s column. “I did have her down as excellent friend material, but didn’t think to include her in the possible mates grouping. Clearly an oversight on my part.”
“I’m sorry!!” A.M.E. wailed.
“Sorry?” Callum repeated, turning to stare in bewilderment at his creation. “Why would you be sorry? This is a brilliant development! We’re pushing the boundaries of artificial life - or at least, expanding human understanding of it.”
“Well, but, wasn’t I meant to fall in love with a male?” A.M.E. pointed to the circled students.
“Uh… I was expecting you to. But same-sex love is entirely within parameters. The possibility really should’ve occurred to me.”
“…Oh.” A.M.E. relaxed.
“Don’t worry, if I decide I want grandchildren, a little thing like that won’t stop me.” Callum assured her breezily. “Now, let us record physical symptoms and get a brain scan…”
“Grandchildren?? I don’t even know if she reciprocates my affection! Whether she can reciprocate it!!”
“Yes, yes, obviously I would only ask for a genetic sample to experiment with after preliminary courting was successful. Honestly…”
A.M.E. facepalmed and silently grumbled that, no matter what her classmates claimed about their creators, hers was definitely the most embarrassing!

Prompt was “Achievement”.