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“...It’s not gonna come back anytime soon, is it?”
Rusty looked outside as the downpour raged on.
“...I doubt it.” Olimar huffed, his mug of coffee still steaming, the brew having been mercied as it finished processing in the nick of time.
Their house’s electricity had been claimed by the storm. It was unexpected, which just made it evident how inaccurate weather predictions could be.
Rusty had the rude awakening, his charging cut short by the tempest during his daily power nap. Or, was it the crackling of thunder that snapped him awake? Whatever it was, he was awake.
Olimar had just been watching TV, like his usual afternoon. He had recently gotten out of the shower, one he very much needed in the scorching heat of this year’s Hocotatian summer.
He could swear it only kept getting warmer and warmer each year. The electrical bill wasn’t enough to withstand even the air conditioning, because of course it wasn’t. Why would it be?
And now here they were, reunited from their separate activities, by the annoying occurrence. On the couch, their figures reflected against the darkness of the powerless TV screen, with the silence occasionally interrupted by the sound of coffee being sipped up by Olimar.
“I did not finish charging fully…” Rusty frowned, his eye casting a glance down at Olimar, who did not reciprocate.
“You didn’t?” Finally, he looks up. “Well, are you charged enough, at least?”
“...No, not really…It’s just enough for a few hours…not even enough for night vision. I cannot see a thing around here.”
He gripped at his pajama pants. If there was one thing Rusty despised, was being switched off. He hated to not be in control of himself. He hasn’t been in control of himself for over 50 years, and now that he could, he’d want to be able to be operational at all times.
And now he couldn’t.
And that frustrated him. Deeply.
“Well, why don’t we make the most of those hours, then?” The brunet offered with a smile, hand going right onto the android’s. Being solution-oriented always came naturally to him, and Rusty was very aware of that.
“...” Rusty huffed, averting his gaze. “...Alright.”
“Well, let’s get to it then!” Olimar hops off his seat, his hands intertwined with the robot’s. “There’s so many things we could do together! We haven’t had dinner yet, correct?”
“...Correct.” Rusty immediately likes how that sounds. Reminds him of quite a selection of romantic movies, where the lovers would…
“...Are we having a candlelight dinner?”
Olimar grins. “I’m predictable, aren’t I? Or are you just too smart?”
Stars above, he was cheesy. But that’s exactly how Rusty liked it. He rolls his eye and gets up, helpless to his own grin growing on his lips. “Yes and yes.”
Dinner’s a mundane, everyday thing. Of course, for Rusty it was a little less mundane, his ability to taste always made things fun for him.
Though this was…completely different. A dinner in complete darkness…only lit by…
“Aaand here…”
…a single candle.
The waxy stick was supported by a gilded bobeche, and Olimar lit its wick, a small dollop of fire burning its very tip. He watched it grow into a flame, flickering about before snapping his lighter shut and storing it back in his silverware drawer.
Rusty tilted his head at the stick of wax before him. Even though he’s had engines for a great portion of his life, he couldn’t help his curiosity, drawn by the…utter simplicity of the ignitable object.
“What’s for dinner, Olimar?” He takes a moment to ask, arms resting on the table so he could rest his head and continue admiring the candle, the warm light glowing against the metal of his helmet and the candid silicone of his skin.
“Just some steak…” He turns to the cookers, flames clicking to life with the turn of a knob.
“...You’re wasting such expensive meat just for this occasion?” The robot glances up.
“We want this to be romantic, right?” Olimar chuckles, the only thing Rusty could see of him, was what the cooking flames enlightened.
“Still…you should not be wasting so much money on someone who cannot even digest.” He closes his eye when he hears the sizzling of meat being pressed against the carbon steel of the pan. Too late.
“Rusty, you only have a few hours left of operation…who knows when the power will be back, and when I’d be able to recharge you…and how long it will take for you to fully recharge. I want this to be special.”
He frowns when he turns and sees Rusty’s saddened gaze, his closed eye completely uninterested in the candle he showed interest in just a few minutes earlier. “...And I know you want that too.”
“...” Rusty doesn’t answer. He was already feeling tired. So, all he did was rest his head onto his crossed arms.
Yet he couldn’t keep silent for long.
“Why do you care so much?”
The question caught Olimar off-guard. He turns to glance at Rusty. “...Because I love you.”
“...I know. But…” He clicks his tongue in an attempt to find his words.
…This was an Olimar that truly loved him. Welcomed him in his house, promised to always be by his side…it’d be foolish to ask why. Of course he’d want to give him some glory before he inevitably would shut down. It wasn’t death, per se…but Olimar was treating it like he’d never wake up again.
…Yet they both knew he would.
That made him think…he truly did change so much.
“...Nevermind.”
“Alright…” Olimar turned back to his pan, taking his time to gather some spices and herbs from cupboards that he believed would go best.
…A beat of silence followed after that.
…
…Rusty felt himself nearly go in stand-by, thus forcing himself to sit back upright.
“Here.” Though he was immediately served a plate of steak. He blinked - how did Olimar cook that so quickly?
“How…”
The man pauses mid-sitting. “...What?”
“How did you cook that so quickly…?”
“...Rusty, it took me twenty minutes to cook two well-done steaks.”
The android grabs his silverware, starting to cut through the meat. “From my calculations, it was two minutes and two seconds.”
Olimar scoffs. “You fell asleep, silly. You went in stand-by.”
“...” A quick check to the activity log confirmed just that. He did end up going in stand-by. How did he not notice…?
His battery was already draining…perhaps that was why.
He shook his head, deciding it was better to pop a slice of steak in his mouth.
“...So, how do you like your steak?” Olimar obviously has to ask for input, before he himself could take a bite, chewing while he waited for the robot’s verdict.
“It’s…” He nearly bites his tongue when another thunder strikes down, swallowing his piece, “...It’s good. For how expensive the meat is, it’s expected to be of higher quality.”
“Only the best for you…” The man chuckled, working his knife through another slice.
“You’ve always been so careless with money…” Rusty’s eyelid falls with an annoyed stare. “Spending it on me isn’t gonna do you any favors.”
“I’m not being careless with money when it’s about making you happy.” He points his fork at her, a piece of meat still stabbed into it.
“...” He huffs. “I appreciate it…but I simply believe you could be spending it on something better.”
“My family is the best thing I could spend my money on.” He slipped the slice in his mouth after saying that.
“...” He was part of the family. Olimar had always made that abundantly clear.
Accepting defeat, Rusty sighs. “Thank you, Oli.”
“You’re welcome, my dear.”
Rusty’s eye falls once more on the flickering candle - and for reasons not even he understood, it made him smile. “I would have never dreamed of eating something like this when I was in my vessel. Of…doing something like I had seen in those movies.”
“It’s romantic, isn’t it?” Olimar cooed, his expression looking for approval in the android’s features.
…Rusty’s shoulders relaxed. “...It is…”
Things in general have been more romantic ever since he and Olimar got married. First it was some simple dating, but now…they were in a fully committed relationship. One that Rusty hoped would last forever.
Unfortunately, that dinner didn’t last forever. Nor did Rusty’s battery, as he’s been watching it chip away digit by digit for the past hour.
Now they were back on the couch, and while his belly was full, he still wasn’t satisfied. He wasn’t just gonna sit here and wait for his battery to drain while skimming through the pages of a book he’s barely interested in.
“Olimaaaaarrrrr…!” Rusty rose his head to the sky, groaning loudly in a bout of frustration. “I want to do something else! I cannot just stand here and let my battery drain!”
“Give me a moment, Rusty, I’m thinking about it…” He replied, as if continuous pacing back and forth didn’t already give that away. What could they do now?
Getting up from his seat, Rusty protested. “If you don’t know, I’m going outside.”
…until he felt his legs wobble.
“Rusty- Hey- Rusty.” Olimar rushes to his side to help him sit back down. “Alright, that battery’s doing a number on you…why don’t we just take it easy…and lay down?”
“Uughhh…but I don’t want to lay down…” He protests, yet still obliges, laying supine on the couch.
“It’s okay…just stay here for a moment, mm?” Olimar let go of his shoulders to go get something in another room.
…leaving Rusty alone, as he watched more and more of his less important components shutting down in real time to save up battery.
He was growing more tired, and he didn’t even know he could, up until now at least…he was gonna shut down, very soon.
Maybe he’ll let his eye close for a bit…
…
…or not.
Olimar had just returned, a bundle of small candles in hand.
“Rusty!- I’m- oh…he’s asleep again…”
“I’m not…” He mumbles, lip squished against the couch’s cushions.
“I mean…you very much were…”
She went into stand-by again?
The Hocotatian shrugged, setting a few candles down on the coffee table, the same lighter he had before now flicking open in his hand and its flame igniting the smaller wicks. “Alright…this is a pretty new thing for you, but…”
Rusty felt a new weight add onto her, as Olimar straddled her backbone.
“...here on Hocotate, we humans often enjoy massages. It’s…something that is rather relaxing for us.”
“Massages…?” He mumbles, eye snapping open when he felt Olimar’s hands snaking under his pajama shirt. “W-what are you doing–”
“Relax…” He speaks softly, careful hands now starting to work their way through the silicone. Of course, it wasn’t quite like massaging a human…Rusty had no muscles or tendons he needed to take care of…
He felt something metallic pop under his palms, with Rusty croaking out a groan.
…but maybe his exoskeleton might need some fixing.
“How’s that feel?” He feels compelled to ask - he wouldn’t want this to actually feel displeasurable for the android.
“Uugh…it feels…oddly nice…” He managed, grunting as Olimar continued.
“Good, good…”
The massaging wasn’t helping with trying to keep awake, though…he felt his body growing heavier, and heavier…the light of the candles on the coffee table slowly turning into linear beams as his optical sensor lost focus. Olimar’s gentle hands were slowly accompanying his drained body into sleep, and in that moment…
…maybe shutting down now wouldn’t be so bad. Perhaps…Olimar would be by his side, even when he wasn't consciously present to see it. He didn’t need proof of his closeness, no…he knew he would be there when he woke up again.
Was she a fool to put so much trust in the same man that had abandoned him many years ago?
Maybe not…he had continuously proven himself to be trustworthy. She could trust him, in her most vulnerable state…
she could…
…
“...Rusty?” Olimar stopped, getting off of the robot’s back to check on her.
…And his heart sank when he saw her pitch-black eye. She shut down…
“...” He exhaled, blowing on the candles to snuff them out. He didn’t need any more light now.
“It’s alright…” He speaks, even though he knows she can’t hear him. “I’ll wait, right here, with you…”
He just needed for it to come back, so he could fully charge Rusty back.
The night felt so silent without him by his side…so lonely…
…that’s when he realized just how deep of a void Rusty left in him, if he wasn’t there.
But she was now. She was just…asleep, that’s all.
And he was going to keep true to his word.
He was gonna stay there, and wait for the light to return.
Both in his house, and now in his heart.
“Mmh…”
Everything was so blurry…
…
She could make out a few shapes…some splotches of color…three dashes of brown, two lines of black…
Was that…?
“Olimar…?” Rusty’s optical sensors finally focus in on the man, eyelids parting with a sluggish speed.
“Rusty!” He beamed, grin wider than ever as he looked down at the android from the bedside, with a voice soaked in relief. “You’re awake…”
“Yes, I am…” She looks around…he’s in Olimar’s bedroom…her bedroom, her house…she was still home…she woke up in the comforting hold of a bed…
…She looks back at the man, eye dilating in all its watery quiver. “You waited…?”
“Yes…I waited for you to wake up. I’ve been here, all this time.”
“...” She finds the strength to sit up, hands thrown around the Hocotatian, wrapped around in a bearably tight hug.
As always, he’s caught by surprise…a very pleasant one. He returned the gesture, a sniffle slipping out. “Oh, Rusty…How could I not wait…?” His voice trembled, “I could not bring myself to do anything but wait…I felt lonely. It felt like time just stopped…”
That hit so very close to home.
Rusty let go, looking back at…who used to be his pilot, who he was happy to call his husband now. That realization made her choke up a little.
“I am here now, Olimar…” He cooed, “Let us pick up from where we left off…”
“Wait…” He sniffled, letting his knees off the mattress so he could grab a decorated box, bringing it to her. “I found these laying around in my cupboard while looking for something to cheer you up after this…”
Rusty’s eye lit up with interest, warmth growing in her chest at his elaboration. “...You didn’t have to, Oli…” Nevertheless, she lifted the ribboned lid…
Macarons.
Nine macarons, set prettily in their case, of varying colors.
“...” Her lips thin, fingers nipping one of the sweets out of its container.
A small pastry, pretty…and easy to consume.
He turned it around in his fingers, giving Olimar a quick smile in anticipation.
He watched her teeth sink in and crack the sweet magenta shell.