un: xspire

[synthsized]

At what point does something get the right to be called a person? What do they need to do to deserve that?

Has anyone ever thought about it?

Comments

[deuteranope]

[He flinches guiltily when he gets that message, although the instinct to protest flares up immediately. That wasn't it, after all! Not really! Right...?

He starts typing a few different times, but he can't get the words right and he needs to say something.]

gonna go out for a smoke
if you wanna join me that's cool

[synthsized]

[They weren't expecting to get confirmation, so...refusing to answer the question stings in a way they weren't expecting.

There's a pause, before Rover answers.]

Same place we met before?

[deuteranope]

yep

[And Maverick will indeed be at the bench, feet perched on the edge of the seat instead of hanging down, and smoking like a chimney, should Rover decide to come find him.]

[synthsized]

[Rover ghosts him.

Nah jk they show up, hesitating for a moment before sitting next to him and sliding a cigarette from their pack and lighting up.]

[deuteranope]

Hey.

[ahhh, a relief. He would have ghosted him, if he were Rover, or at least made him freeze his ass off for much longer. One leg drops so that he can shift ever so slightly to face them a little more. So... He should just get right into it, probably, and save themselves the pain of dragging it out.]

I think if I thought you weren't a person, I wouldn't give a shit about...not saying it. Right? I mean, why would I fucking care about your feelings? So...

[synthsized]

Hey.

[It was tempting, but...They were asked out here for a reason, weren't they?

They're quiet as Maverick speaks, considering it for a moment.]

So you don't know. [A beat.] Do you not know because you want to fuck me?

[deuteranope]

[STOP FUCKING MAKING HIM CHOKE ON SMOKE YOU ABSOLUTE BASTARD

HE CAN'T EVEN TRY TO DENY IT BECAUSE HIS LUNGS ARE SHIT, but at least he can use the arm he's not holding a cigarette with or coughing into to reach over and smack their shoulder with. You stop that!!]

[synthsized]

[They watch as Maverick Fucking Dies, a carefully blank expression on their face.

Once Maverick smacks them, they smile.]

I have a point, don't I?

[deuteranope]

[This fucking gremlin... When he speaks, his voice is tight and his face burning hot.]

Y-you're such a dumbass... I don't know because you're like this, not because I -- you know.

[synthsized]

Is there...

[They hesitate for a moment, finally lighting their cigarette.]

Is there something wrong with being like this?

[deuteranope]

[And now, even though he isn't having a painful coughing fit anymore, it still feels like his insides are shredding up. This is... Mav grumbles softly to himself and shakes his head, trying to sort out his thoughts, but when that fails, he pushes himself closer. Hesitates.]

I don't know you that fucking well, but I know you drive me crazy. You're such a little shit. And that -- that I...wouldn't change that, because I like you, and wanna keep getting to know you and how much of a little shit you can be. Whatever the fuck that's worth...

[synthsized]

[They blow out smoke on breath they don't need, hesitating as they listen to Maverick.

It's...

It's not something they can grasp, immediately. They don't have any sort of frame of reference or experience with things like this. It's strange and foreign to them and they kind of regret asking, now, because...Because they don't know what to do with the information they've been given.]

It's worth more than nothing. [They hesitate, again, taking another drag.] I'm glad you like me.

[And...they think that's true. They think that's the feeling they're feeling. Whatever it truly is, it's something...warm.]

[deuteranope]

[Mav’s relieved his shitty explanation is accepted, anyway, and that it doesn’t seem to have caused any more damage.]

Good. Or else I’d have to knock some sense into you.

[There’s a lot he wants to ask, about what that means to Rover, or jokingly(?) if that ruins his chances, or any manner of things that don’t matter at all, really. Instead, what comes out after an awkward pause is,] Uh. Do you live with your dad, or...?

[there was a thought process]

[synthsized]

Hah! I’d like to see you try.

[It’s a challenge, as they smirk up at Maverick.

At his question, though, they raise an eyebrow.]

I have a dorm on campus, all to myself. Why, you wanna check it out?

[deuteranope]

[rover pls he already has enough complexes about losing, don't be so adorable and yet kick his ass despite that being your express purpose..........

He hums vaguely, resting his arm on the back of the bench now that he's sitting sideways on it. That was something he expected, really, and if he said he didn't have a motive for asking, it would be a lie. There's the obvious -- aha, a place where they can be alone, how nice -- but there's also...a worry. So Rover is just...alone, thinking these kinds of thoughts.

It must be hard to be a robot with something like feelings. It was hard enough being human, where you're supposed to have them.

But back to being a useless pansexual: he raises a playful eyebrow and hovers his cigarette close to his lips. Just gonna ignore the odd, inferior ache he feels when he asks.]

That line work on a lot of people, so far?

[synthsized]

[They don't mean to kick ass!! It's just what they're built for!!

They smirk, but it's a little shy.]

I've only tried it the once.

[And so far they don't know if it's working!! They can't tell. They can't get a read on Maverick, but...he says he likes them. They don't think that's a lie, so...

He probably wants to go back to their room, they think.]

[deuteranope]

[The odd ache stutters out, replaced by something disgustingly hopeful despite his confusion. He probably looks like a dope, staring blankly at them like he is. Um.]

Why...? I mean, I'm -- w-why me? Or is it just...

[Convenience, maybe? Or specifically using this question? Because he isn't anything special, so even some robot with faulty programming shouldn't find him particularly interesting enough to focus on... If he's been singled out, it doesn't really make any sense to him.]

[synthsized]

[He might look like a dope, but he's a cute dope.]

I...don't know if I could explain it. You were interesting from the start.

[Maverick was a curious person, and Rover was a curious thing. They can't deny part of it was just on a whim, and they probably would have said the same to any other...but Maverick's reactions were what kept it going.]

[deuteranope]

[Maybe it isn't the most flattering answer, but it feels honest, and that matters a lot to Mav, who had so many doubts. Even without his mind tearing him down or holding him back, there was...the mess that was everything else before all this. He couldn't even claim he'd completely crawled out of that.

He swallows and looks at the ground, embarrassed to find his mouth dry, heart awkwardly thumping away, and brain scrambling to pick out words that weren't ridiculously stupid. He nods numbly, going back to his cigarette, but after his next exhale, he peeks over at them again.]

Yeah. If it's cool with you, I wanna, uh, see your room.

[synthsized]

[Gently, so as not to startle the Maverick -]

I wouldn't have offered if it wasn't cool.

[They snuff out their cigarette despite the fact they've barely smoked it, hesitating for a moment before they push themself up off the bench.]

Hopefully it's not too boring.

[deuteranope]

[yeah, that's fair. He's kicking himself over that, but he's still feeling sort of floaty as he does it. The cigarette is a waste -- but then, Rover smoking at all was a waste, wasn't it -- and Mav's glad his own had burned down much more so he doesn't have to have yet another excuse for mental kicking when he abandons it in favor of joining the other.]

I guarantee you I've seen rooms way more fucking boring, no matter what the case fucking is with yours. Don't you fucking worry.

[synthsized]

[They shake their head, fond, before leading Maverick. They live in Lumiere, right on the first floor. They lead him to 101, and their room is...

Well. They were right about the room being boring. There's absolutely nothing in the room besides two strange devices on their desk. Rover looks back at Maverick, before shrugging.]

Make yourself comfortable.

[deuteranope]

[True to his word, it's not the worst room he's seen, in terms of personalization. This made sense in a way that wasn't immediately depressing as hell, too, so that's a bonus. Kano's room had appeared unlived in, anything unusual tucked away in secret compartments he'd created through the years or shoved into the closet.

Maverick wanders over to the desk, absently shrugging off his coat in an effort to assert himself into the space and follow Rover's invitation. A coat hung on the back of a chair normalizes the room more.]

Sooo... Charging station, or...?

[synthsized]

Hm?

[They sit down on the bit, pulling their legs up onto the mattress and crossing them underneath themself. They look at the devices on their desk, before nodding.]

Oh, yeah. Apparently Dad doesn't want to foot the bill for charging me so he made me a station that doesn't hoop up to the school's electric. The other thing is for systems analysis.

[deuteranope]

Huh. Stingy.

[Not that he thinks he’d want to pay for that either, but cost is something you’re suppose to consider before you commit to having a kid!!! What an irresponsible dad. Systems analysis is...also weird...but ultimately not something he’s going to concern himself with right now, instead shoving his hands in his pockets and heading over to plop himself down next to Rover.]

Sssso, uh...

[wow so fucking smooth doing GREAT]