Rest, Recharge, Reboot (Destiny, Robot Sneezing)

[Wig_Powder]

As I said in my previous post about this, I have barely any familiarity with the world and lore of the Destiny video games, and what little I do know is solely because one of my actor crushes voices an NPC in the game. So I apologize in advance to anyone familiar with the games if some of this contradicts canon. But the heart/libido wants what it wants, and apparently mine currently wants a sniffly, gun-obsessed robot.

~~~

Arcite 99-40, Crucible Quartermaster and personal Frame of Lord Shaxx, slowly tapped on his console, examining the latest weapons that had come in. His slowness, however, wasn't by choice; ordinarily he'd have skimmed through the data as quickly as possible, rapidly absorbing all the specs so that he could give an accurate description of them to the Guardians who stopped at his desk. Today, however, he was having trouble concentrating on the data, needing to read each gun's description two or three times before he felt it register in his database. Perhaps it was just a byproduct of his frustration, but it seemed as if his fingers were moving more sluggishly as well. Lifting his hand from the console, he flexed it experimentally. His joints did seem slightly stiff, as though they'd been tightened too much during his routine maintenance. Which was impossible, as his last maintenance had been three days ago, and his digits had been operating perfectly prior to now. And it certainly wasn't cold weather that was causing the tightness, as the weather had been perfectly clear and pleasant for the last week. Indeed, it seemed to Arcite that it was somewhat overwarm at present.

 

Someone cleared their throat off to his left, and he flinched in surprise. He'd been so focused on fretting over his lack of efficiency that he hadn't even peripherally registered that a Guardian had approached his desk. “Ye-eess?” he asked, turning to the man. He flinched again, if only internally this time, at the way his voice had caught. It only happened on rare occasions, generally when he was jolted out of his concentration, but it seemed highly unprofessional for a Frame (especially a former combat Frame like himself) to make it known that someone had managed to sneak up on them.

 

Fortunately, the Titan didn't seem to have noticed Arcite's stutter, too eager to deliver proof of mission completion and buy a few new weapons. Arcite appreciated their enthusiasm, and processed the requests relatively quickly. When it came time for the Guardian to pay for his purchases, however, Arcite realized he'd forgotten most of what the man had actually wanted to buy, and had automatically attempted to charge him for every weapon he'd looked over. Quickly scanning back through his memory files, he was able to recall the correct order, and voided the undesired transactions. Thanks to his vendor programming, however, he was unable to keep silent about his slip-up. “Purchase refused...purchase refused...purchase refused...purchase accepted.”

 

The Titan looked at him curiously, but didn't comment on Arcite's odd behavior, instead taking the slip Arcite handed him and hurrying down to the depot to claim his new items. Once he was sure no one else was approaching the desk, Arcite took a moment to try to compose himself. The interaction had been enough to tell him that something apparently was wrong with him, despite having been tuned up recently. He'd finish out his shift, then speak to Shaxx about the matter once they'd retired to Shaxx's quarters. Hopefully it would only take a few minutes of prodding and reformatting to solve whatever this issue was.

 

As he turned back to his console, Arcite felt a new, and entirely unfamiliar, sensation. It was almost like the energy surges he used to get before jumping into a fight, except this one was more gradual, slowly building up to a peak and uncomfortably crackling through his body. At the same time, it felt as though all his circuits were locking up, freezing him in place until whatever this was had passed. Then, abruptly, the surge reached its peak, and all his circuits tightened and released at the same moment, causing the Frame to shudder and to make an odd, strangled sound as the energy passed out of him.

 

“Ep-GZZT-hhh!”

 

There was a certain amount of relief following the...expulsion?, but it was also accompanied by lingering discomfort and a definite feeling of concern. What exactly was going on here?

 

It seemed that his situation hadn't gone unnoticed, because he suddenly became aware of Lord Shaxx standing by his side. “Arcite? What's going on?”

 

“I don't know,” Arcite admitted, “Something hasn't felt right all day. I have had difficulty concentrating, my parts are not operating at peak capacity, and now I've experienced some kind of energy surge. Despite my recent maintenance, it appears that something was missed.”

 

“I think it may be something more than that.” Shaxx said. He reached out and rested a hand on Arcite's shoulder piece, only to immediately withdraw it. “As I thought,” he said with a sigh, “Your chassis' temperature has risen considerably. I'll have to call a technician to be sure, but I'm reasonably confident that you're currently battling a virus. It must have been lurking in the new vendor update we installed three days ago, but it's only now that it's been detected by your system.”

 

The explanation made sense to Arcite, but it wasn't exactly a comforting one. “Does it seem serious?” he asked.

 

“Hard to tell at a glance, I'm afraid,” Shaxx responded, “But since it took so long to start affecting you, I think it's likely to be a mild virus, one that your systems should be able to purge on their own. Still, the more help we can give it, the better. Take yourself back to my quarters and let yourself fall into hibernation; keeping your activities to a minimum will allow the rest of your system to concentrate on eradicating the virus.”

 

“Now?” Arcite said, startled, “But there are still five hours until evening. What of the needs of the Guardians?”

 

“Don't worry about the Guardians,” Shaxx said, “I'll take over your duties for the time being. Besides, they'll survive a few days without acquiring the latest gear; you, on the other hand, are entirely unique, and I'd rather not lose you. Is that understood?”

 

“Yes, Lord Shaxx,” Arcite said, feeling both disappointment at being unable to complete his shift and a certain amount of relief at being allowed to rest, “I shall go ah-at...”

 

There it was again, that slow surge of energy and the tensing of his circuits. He remained frozen for a few seconds, and then his whole body quivered once more as the energy escaped him. “Et-GZZZT-zuhh!”

 

Shaxx let out a soft chuckle, though his tone was sympathetic as he said, “Off with you, Arcite. Focus your energy on recovering instead of fretting about the Guardians. They wouldn't be here if they didn't know how to take care of themselves, after all.”

 

Arcite nodded and moved away, making his way towards Shaxx's quarters. It took a little longer to reach them due to the virus slowing him down, but he soon found himself in the quiet antechamber that led to Shaxx's bedroom. Moving automatically to the alcove where he recharged at night, he settled himself in his usual position (standing upright, arms resting at his sides, head slightly bowed) and shut off all unnecessary subroutines, from his vendor programming to his optic and olfactory sensors (although he kept his auditory sensors active just in case there was a threat he might need to respond to). Without all the usual stimuli, it didn't take long for him to drift into hibernation mode. With any luck, the worst of the virus would have been dealt with when he next awoke.

 

(To be continued tomorrow...)

[Wig_Powder]

Arcite was startled awake by someone firmly shaking at his shoulder piece. “Arcite?” Shaxx said, “I'm sorry to disturb your rest, but we need you to turn around.”

 

Arcite blearily activated his various routines, wondering why it was so urgent that he turn around. Then the memory of his virus floated back to him, and he tried to take stock of himself. He could hear his processors starting up, their usual hum sounding more like a whine as they struggled to turn themselves on. The temperature in the room felt as hot as the time he and Shaxx had battled the Hive on Venus, which he knew was impossible. And he could already feel another one of those slow-building energy surges, although this one felt sharper and more intense than the previous ones. As much as he wanted to obey Shaxx and turn around, his circuits seemed to be locking up as soon as they activated; he couldn't even use his voicebox to explain himself. The surge grew and grew, until finally...

 

“Eh-GZZZT-tshh! Ik-GZZZT-ksst! Ut-GZZZT-tsst!” There was a small pause, and then a final surge shot through him, unlocking all his circuits and causing him to lurch forward, almost losing his balance in the process. “GZZZT-TZIKKK!!”

 

There was a low whistle from somewhere beside him. “Oh, that's definitely a virus,” said a different voice, which Arcite took a moment to place as Hiteri, one of the Last City engineers who specialized in Frame mechanics, “Sounds like it's gone straight to his central processor, and it's working overtime to get rid of the problem. Which explains the high temperature, the sluggish motion, and those outbursts of his.”

 

“Is it serious?” Shaxx asked. The concern in his voice was obvious, and despite the weakness and discomfort in every bolt of his body, Arcite couldn't help but feel a small flash of pride that he was important enough to Shaxx to be worth worrying about.

 

“I'll have to take a look at his internals,” Hiteri responded, “But I don't think so. If I insert an anti-virus protocol, it should help deal with the worst of it; it'll bring his temperature down at the very least. I'd still let him rest and recharge for a few days, though—the virus implanted itself enough that he'll probably need to divert power from his various subroutines to focus on eradicating it.”

 

Arcite finally managed to compose himself enough to turn around, and he soon felt Hiteri's hands gingerly poking around his internal workings, a faint hum coming from her scanner. “That's about what I expected,” she said at last, “No damage that I can see, though he should probably come in for another bolt tightening once he's recovered just in case those outbursts shake something loose. Let me just...”

 

Her hands disappeared for a few moments, and then he felt her insert something into one of the spare ports. Instantly, the temperature in the room cooled significantly, and Arcite felt a rush of relief. “Thank you, Hiteri,” he said, noticing vaguely that his voice processor sounded slightly distorted, “I can already feel the anti-virus starting to take effect.”

 

“Good,” Hiteri said, removing her hands again and closing his access hatch, “In the meantime, rest as much as you can to let both the anti-virus and your systems do their work. And just as a heads up, those outbursts of yours are most likely your processors trying to expel the remnants of virus bytes they've destroyed, hence the energy surges. But they can't pull that off while you're in hibernation mode, meaning that every time you wake up, you'll probably have to deal with four or five of them in a row, like you did a few minutes ago.”

 

Arcite felt a flicker of what could probably best be described as resigned annoyance. “I understand,” he said, turning to face her, “I'll endure them for as long as necessary, since it seems they're doing more good th-th-th...” His voice processor stuttered, then died away entirely as another energy surge built up in him. “It-GZZZT-tshhh!”

 

He felt something wet tricking down his faceplate. “Coolant leak,” Hiteri explained, reaching into her toolbox and handing him a clean polishing rag, “Another side effect of the virus expulsion, especially if you have a lot in a short period. Just wipe it away with this, and you should be fine.”

 

Arcite nodded at her and rubbed at the area until the wetness disappeared. “Is there anything else I can expect to deal with while battling this virus?”

 

“Mostly just some of your systems not quite functioning correctly as power is diverted to virus eradication. I wouldn't be surprised if some of your more superfluous systems were shut down entirely, like your olfactory sensors. Other than that, though, I doubt you'll have anything to really worry about. Hibernate as much as you can, and you should be mostly back to normal in two or three days, as I said. You'll probably need another day or two before the expulsions disappear and all your systems are back to a hundred percent, but if both you and Shaxx are willing, you can probably return to your post for some light duties once your temperature has gone back to normal.”

 

Arcite looked to Shaxx, who nodded. “I'll leave the choice up to you, Arcite,” he said, “But if you're feeling well enough, you'll be free to return to work once I'm satisfied your temperature has subsided.”

 

“Thank you, Lord Shaxx,” Arcite said, “I assure you, I'll do all that I can to speed along my recovery so that I can return to serving you and the Guardians as soon as possible.”

 

“I have no doubt of that, Arcite,” Shaxx replied, and Arcite was positive he could hear Shaxx smiling under his helmet, “But focus your energies on recovering, rather than making plans for the future.”

 

Arcite gave a brief nod, then stepped back into his alcove to take stock of himself while Shaxx saw Hiteri out. The anti-virus was certainly working wonders; it still felt warmer than he was used to, but it was far from the near-unbearable heat that he'd felt when he woke up. Perhaps it was wishful thinking on his part, but it felt as though his movements were already becoming slightly smoother, and it was easier to think and recall things as well. Any satisfaction at his improving condition, however, was soon swept away as he felt another one of those annoying energy surges. With a buzz of frustration, Arcite braced himself for the inevitable.

 

“Hup-GZZZT-tizztt!”

 

He felt another trickle of liquid, and quickly got the rag to his face just as Shaxx reappeared in his line of sight. “Right then, Arcite, let's get you more comfortable.”

 

Arcite would have blinked at him if he had that ability. “What do you mean?”

 

“I know Frames aren't quite the same as Humanoids, but the general advice for a Humanoid who's under the weather is for them to stay off their feet. So let's try to further conserve your energy.”

 

Shaxx gestured to the far end of the antechamber, where he'd set up a large sofa for those who needed to wait for an audience when Shaxx was wrapped up in strategy meetings and other important duties. “You can lie down on that for the duration of this virus purge,” he said, “And I'll come in and wake you up every few hours so you can get the latest round of expulsions out of your system. Better that than staying in hibernation mode for two days and then having twenty of them at once, eh?”

 

Arcite temporarily found himself at a loss for words. Shaxx was allowing an indulgence like that? “But...what about any visitors you might have?” he asked.

 

“They can stand,” Shaxx said, “Or better yet, I won't have any at all. I don't think any meetings will be necessary this week, so you should hopefully have the place to yourself. Don't bother yourself about this, Arcite; make recovering your top priority, and let me worry about the logistics. Are we clear?”

 

“Yes, Lord Shaxx,” Arcite said, still surprised and more than a little touched by Shaxx's kindness, “Thank you for...everything, I suppose.”

 

“Think nothing of it,” Shaxx responded, “It's the least I can do after all you've done over the years. Now, hurry up and get back to hibernating.”

 

Arcite huffed in amusement at Shaxx's phrasing, then hastily moved towards the sofa. It groaned a bit under his weight, but it had been built to withstand at least five heavily armored Guardians, so it soon settled. Arcite stretched himself out before bending his leg joints slightly, wanting to provide a little extra room just in case Shaxx ended up with a visitor after all. Then he once again turned off all extraneous subroutines and let his mind drift while he waited for his idleness to turn into hibernation. His last thoughts before he lost consciousness was pleasure at how soft the sofa's cushions were, gratitude for Shaxx's care and concern, and a private vow that he'd do his absolute best to return to work as soon as he could and make up for all the time lost. It seemed the least that he could do.

 

(Concluded tomorrow...)

[SleepingPhlox]

Oh my goodness, this is wonderful.  I know exactly zero things about this game and these characters, but I enjoyed reading this immensely.  You have added the perfect amount of detail to welcome in readers that are unfamiliar with the world, but not so much exposition that it gets bogged down in it.  It's the perfect balance.

I love the amount of thought you've put into robot-specific explanations for familiar illness symptoms! And the sneeze spelling!

My little sci-fi and robot loving heart is delighted right now.  Looking forward to the next bit!

[solitaire-au]

I’ve been a fan of Dominic Keating ever since he appeared in Star Trek: Enterprise as Lieutenant Reed. He’s incredibly sexy, and the fact they gave his character both allergies and a cold was 💕🥰.

Some lovely person who I’m guessing was a fellow fetishist (was it you?) wrote a fic on AO3 recreating scenes from Enterprise but with more of Reed sneezing ❤️ and it’s one of my all-time faves.

I’m not familiar with the game, so I just listened to some clips on YouTube of him voicing Arcite and he sounds as sexy as ever!

[Wig_Powder]

@SleepingPhlox I'm so glad you're enjoying it, and that it feels accessible (even if both of us have no idea if it's canon accurate or not! Thanks so much for both commenting and showing enough interest to encourage me to post this in the first place!

@solitaire-au It's so nice to meet a fellow Keating/Malcolm fan! And if you want to hear more Arcite clips, there's an unlisted collection of his idle dialogue from the first game that you can enjoy as well! Just click on the underlined words in this comment and enjoy!

Getting back to the conclusion of this fic; this part is probably the most self-indulgent of the whole story, allowing me to offer Arcite some TLC by proxy. I apologize in advance for that, though hopefully you can enjoy the fluff involved...

~~~

Eryl (Guardian classification: Human Hunter) arrived back at the Last City after a long week of hunting down Hive minions. Exhausted as she was, she stopped by the various stations as she made her way across the courtyard, wanting to deal with most of her other business so that she'd have plenty of time to spend at her favorite spot, the Quartermaster's desk. She'd been teased about it plenty by her fellow Guardians, but she didn't remotely care at this point. Golden Age Humans were apparently capable of quite unusual proclivities; by those standards, her having a crush on a Frame was completely tame.

 

(It probably wouldn't have happened at all if Arcite hadn't given her a gentle “Earn your honor, kid.” during their first encounter, when she was a nervous newbie stocking up for her first mission. The soft cadences she'd been able to hear through his speakers had immediately both soothed her and filled her with a determination to make him proud. Ever since then, she'd loved hearing him speak, whether it be with a brusque professionalism as he completed a transaction or with a barely hidden enthusiasm for weapons and explosions. She knew it could never really lead to anything, but it didn't stop her from trying to max out her reputation with him, in the hopes that eventually they could be friends and maybe spend some time chatting during their downtime. Though she wasn't even sure if he got any downtime, or even if he wanted any.)

 

Eryl finally reached the main hub of the Last City, but rather than going straight to the Quartermaster's desk, she retreated to her room, where she showered and sent her clothes through the wash. She might as well make herself as presentable as possible when she saw her favorite Frame. Once she was sure everything was arranged just so, she gathered up her mission proofs and other necessary equipment and made her way to the Hall of Guardians, trying not to look like she was too eager to get there. Dodging past other Guardians, she soon arrived at her destination, only to find the desk...empty?

 

Eryl blinked in confusion. Arcite generally didn't leave his post until Shaxx was done for the day, and Shaxx was in his usual spot across the way. Had he been sent to fetch something? Or was he making arrangements for the next Crucible match?

 

“Looking for the Quartermaster, Guardian?” Shaxx asked when she glanced over at him for the third time. When she nodded, he approached the desk so he wouldn't have to raise his voice. “I'm afraid you won't be seeing him for a few days. Arcite is currently indisposed.”

 

“Can I ask why?” Eryl asked, “I've got a few completed bounties I wanted to drop off with him.”

 

“I can sort those out for you, if you wish,” Shaxx said, “I've taken over Arcite's duties in the interim. As for why, it's because he contracted a virus from his last vendor upgrade and needs a few days to get it out of his system.”

 

Eryl felt a flicker of anxiety. “Is he all right?” she asked, tightening her grip on her bag.

 

“Relatively so,” Shaxx responded, “He stays in hibernation mode most of the time—better for letting his systems fight off the virus, apparently—but he already seems much better than he was two days ago. At least his chassis won't burn you if you put your bare hand on it anymore.”

 

“Can I see him?”

 

The words had fallen out of her mouth involuntarily, and Eryl kicked herself for her impulsiveness. She'd said it in a flurry of concern for Arcite, but only now had it occurred to her that he was still Shaxx's Frame, even if he had a lot of autonomy. Would Shaxx think she'd overstepped her bounds? Would it impact her position as a Guardian?

 

After a very long moment of Shaxx looking at her silently, he abruptly nodded and turned on his heel. “I suppose that could be arranged. In fact, it might do him some good to know that he's missed. Might encourage him to recover even faster, though he still shouldn't push himself too hard.” Eryl was startled by the sudden acquiescence, but wasn't about to question it, and quickly hurried after Shaxx.

 

Shaxx led her to an area she'd never been in before, quietly pushing a door open and peering inside for a few seconds before beckoning for her to come in. Once they were in the room, Shaxx stepped aside and gestured over to a large, royal blue couch. Arcite was taking up three-quarters of the couch, lying on his side and sort of curled in on himself. His faceplate was pulsing in a slow, rhythmic pattern, and other than the unusual sight of seeing him lying down, there was no indication that anything was wrong. But as Eryl looked closer, she saw that the fur ruff around Arcite's neck looked almost wilted and quite bedraggled, and the light coming from his faceplate looked more yellow than its usual orange. She felt another rush of concern, but tried her best not to show it; she'd try not to react until she'd seen the full extent of the Frame's condition.

 

Shaxx brought her up to the couch, then reached over and shook Arcite's shoulder. “Time for another wake up call, Arcite. And this time, I've got a surprise for you.”

 

The yellow light immediately clicked off, and Arcite twitched a few times before lifting his head and pushing himself up until he was resting on his elbows. Then, abruptly, he froze, and Eryl could hear a faint noise that sounded like a combination of whirrs, clicks, and buzzes. Before she could ask what was going on, Arcite shuddered, his head snapping forward and his faceplate pulsing red as a series of unusual noises burst out of him.

 

“Ih-GZZT-tsst! Huh-GZZT-ksst! Eh-GZZT-tshh! Ep-GZZT-kshh!” There was a short pause, and then...“AT-GZZT-KSHHUHH!!”

 

Arcite seemed as stunned as Eryl in the wake of the outburst, a small stream of yellow liquid beginning to ooze out of one of the vents on his faceplate. After a few seconds, however, he lifted his hand, which was holding a brown scrap of cloth, and brought it to his faceplate, rubbing away the liquid. “Those sounded productive,” Shaxx said approvingly, “How are you feeling, Arcite?”

 

Arcite looked down at his free hand, curling and uncurling his fingers experimentally. “My joints seem to be operating at their proper capacity,” he said, his voice sounding more staticky and distorted than usual, “But my thought and memory processors still take several seconds to fully register anything, and it does not feel like 72 degrees in here to me. But this is still an improvement over when you last checked in. Perhaps at least one of those issues will be resolved by the e...” As he'd been speaking, he'd finally lifted his head to look at Shaxx, then gave a small start of surprise when he saw Eryl standing there. “Oh...you have a visitor?”

 

“You have a visitor,” Shaxx corrected, “Guardian Eryl just returned from her last mission, and when I told her you were dealing with a virus, she wanted to come and see you.”

 

Eryl nodded and stepped forward, fiddling with the strap of her bag self-consciously. “Hey, Arcite,” she said, “I'm sorry to hear you're not feeling well. Is there...anything I can do to help you?”

 

“While I am appreciative of the offer, this is one situation where a Guardian cannot assist,” Arcite replied, “I've already been examined by a technician and given an anti-virus program to help speed up my recovery process. Nothing more can be done other than resting and allowing my systems to clear out the infection.”

 

Eryl hesitated, glancing between Arcite and Shaxx for a moment. Then she decided she'd take the risk. “Could I...at least keep you company for a bit? Sometimes it can feel good to have someone there looking after you, distracting you from how lousy you feel.”

 

Arcite tilted his head curiously. “An interesting idea. However, I will be returning to hibernation mode once Shaxx departs, so I would not have need of distraction for very long.”

 

“Actually, that's a fantastic idea!” Shaxx said suddenly, causing both Eryl and Arcite to look over at him, “I have a lot to do now that I've taken over Arcite's duties as well as my own, and while I've had no objections to leaving my post every few hours to wake him up and check on him, there's a lot to be said for efficiency. Guardian, would you mind filling in the role of Arcite's minder until this evening?”

 

Eryl felt a blush spring to her face. She didn't mind at all, but being presented with an opportunity like this was both unexpected and a little overwhelming. “What...exactly would that entail?” she asked.

 

“Nothing taxing for either of you,” Shaxx assured her, “You'd just have to keep an eye on Arcite to make sure he doesn't abruptly take a turn for the worse, like a spike in his temperature or involuntary movement even when he's in hibernation mode. Then, every four or six hours, gently shake him awake so he can expel the virus and take stock of himself. Really, it's like being on watch, only you'll have the freedom to read or polish your weapons to pass the time. As for Arcite, he can keep doing what he's been doing, only someone will be on hand to run for help a little faster on the off chance that something does go wrong. What do you say?”

 

Eryl didn't even hesitate. “I'd be happy to help serve both you and the Crucible in this way,” she said, giving him a salute and a half-bow, “Especially since, as you say, it won't be much of a burden at all.”

 

“Excellent!” Shaxx said, “What say you, Arcite?”

 

Arcite didn't reply, though the reason for his silence became clear a moment later. “Hit-GZZT-tssk!” More fluid leaked out of his port, which he quickly swiped away with the rag. “While I'm not certain such close scrutiny is necessary, I will defer to your judgment in this matter, Lord Shaxx. I apologize in advance for such a boring assignment, Hunter.”

 

“Don't apologize,” Eryl said immediately, “I don't think it'll be all that boring. Besides, you do such a good job equipping and guiding us Guardians, it seems only fair that one of us looks after you for a change.”

 

Arcite peered at her for a moment, head on one side again. “That is...a very nice sentiment.” he said at last, “Thank you for that.”

 

Eryl smiled at him, though the smile turned into a grimace as Shaxx clapped her hard on the shoulder. “That's settled, then! I'll return to my post—or posts, as the case may be—and let you two get comfortable. I'll be back this evening for a report from both of you.” Then, without any further fanfare, Shaxx turned on his heel and left the room, leaving a brief, stunned silence in his wake. Eryl rolled her shoulder and chuckled softly; she was sure Shaxx's exuberance could get annoying if exposed to it for too long, but it certainly livened things up when you got it in small doses.

 

Turning back to Arcite, she gestured to the empty space on the couch. “Mind if I sit down? I'd prefer not to have to stand or sit on the floor for the next ten or so hours.”

 

“Yes, of course,” Arcite responded, shifting slightly to give her a little more room, “This sofa was meant for Guardians rather than Frames, anyway.”

 

Eryl set her bag down beside the couch and then sat down, taking a moment to make herself physically comfortable before inhaling slowly to steady her nerves and looking back at Arcite. “What was your routine with Shaxx like before I arrived?” she asked, “I might as well follow it to the best of my ability.”

 

“There isn't much to report,” Arcite said, “As he intimated , he would return here every four or six hours to wake me out of hibernation and allow me to expel lingering traces of the virus from my system. Then he would ask for a report on my condition, I would give it to him, and he would leave shortly thereafter and I would resume my hibernation mode. Very occasionally he would touch my chassis to check that my temperature really was decreasing, but other than that, the routine was very simple.”

 

“I see,” Eryl said, “Well, I'll try not to disrupt that routine too much. Except...would you like me to talk to you while you drift into hibernation mode? That way, you can have something to focus on and distract you from any discomfort you may be feeling.”

 

“Ah, yes, a variation of 'white noise',” Arcite said, nodding, “It's certainly worth a try.”

 

“All right,” Eryl said, “And I think I know just the thing to talk about. Unless...would my talking about my exploits over the past week be more likely to wind you up rather than send you to sleep?”

 

“I have no idea,” Arcite responded, “But I'd much rather hear stories of your missions than gossip about the love affairs going on amongst the Guardians. While both may end up involving explosions, the latter are nowhere near as delightful as the former.”

 

Eryl laughed; that was the Arcite she knew and...really, really liked? “Missions it is, then,” she said, “And just for you, I'll jump straight to the story where I used up an entire crate's worth of grenades.”

 

Maybe it was just her imagination, but his faceplate's light seemed a little brighter as he made a buzz of assent and lay his head down on the couch again. She smiled fondly at him, banking on him having already turned off his visual sensors, and started her story. She'd only just reached the part where she'd found the crate of grenades in the cargo hold of a downed ship when Arcite abruptly tensed up again, his parts whirring and whining, before his entire body shook and his faceplate flashed red again. “Eh-hehhh-GZZZT-TKSHHHHH!!”

 

The yellow liquid came out of both ports on his face this time, and Arcite visibly deflated afterwards, his body creaking and thrumming to express its displeasure. “My apologies, Hunter,” he said, his vocals soft and the static adding a bit of a rasp to it as he lifted the rag to wipe away the liquid, “That was a much stronger expulsion than usual. Perhaps it's a sign that my systems are finally attacking the core of the virus.”

 

“It's ok,” Eryl said, “Since it's helping you recover, I can see it as just a minor distur...”

 

She trailed off when she noticed their positions. While Arcite had settled back into his previous position (except for the hand currently wiping at his faceplate), Eryl had, apparently on instinct, reached out and rested her hand on Arcite's head, stroking her thumb across the metal in a slow, steady pattern. She immediately lifted her hand away, the blush coming back full force. “I'm so sorry!” she said, “I just...we Humans like to use touch to provide some comfort, and you looked like you needed some, so I...sorry, I shouldn't have...”

 

“Hunter,” Arcite said, loudly enough to get her to stop her babbling, “Your hand on me was unexpected, but did not bother me. Knowing that it's a gesture of comfort is also pleasing. If you wish to continue, I will not object.”

 

“I...” Eryl's heart fluttered, but despite the invitation, she knew the right thing to do. “I appreciate that, Arcite, but would you like me to continue? If it's too distracting or feels too weird, I won't do it. What matters right now is making you feel comfortable.”

 

Arcite seemed to consider for a minute. Then he gave a small nod. “The touch is light enough that it shouldn't interfere with my eventually falling into hibernation, and while I suspect I won't derive the same comfort from it that Humans do, I am...I suppose the best word is honored that you involuntarily wished to offer it to me, despite my being a Frame. I would like to enjoy that opportunity for as long as you're willing to provide it.”

 

Eryl blushed again, but this time, it was accompanied by a warm smile and another pleasant flutter in her heart and stomach. “In that case, where were we? Ah, yes, I'd just identified the crate full of grenades.”

 

She resumed her story, and after a few seconds to steady her nerves, reached out and put her hand on Arcite's head again. Now that she was actually aware of what she was doing, she was able to note that the metal under her hand was warm to the touch, hotter than Human skin but not crossing over to uncomfortable (though the fact that she was wearing gloves probably helped with that). Knowing that was probably related to the virus, she ignored it as best she was able, beginning to stroke his head with her thumb once more as she described filling her bag with all the grenades she could carry, just in case she ran into trouble.

 

She had just reached the part where she'd tossed three grenades at once to take out a cluster of Hidden Swarm when she glanced down at Arcite and realized that he'd gone into hibernation mode; his faceplate was pulsing with the same yellow lights she'd seen when she'd first entered Shaxx's quarters. Smiling, she gave his head a final stroke, then reached over and pulled a tablet from her bag. She'd get some paperwork and research done, keeping an eye on the time, and wake Arcite up after four hours had passed. With any luck, his chassis would feel a lot cooler the next time she touched him.

***

Back in the Hall of Guardians, Shaxx smiled to himself as he sent off another Guardian with a slip for three new guns. He hoped that Eryl was enjoying being in Arcite's company, even if he was unresponsive most of the time. And if she'd seen through his little plan (which he doubted), he hoped that she wouldn't hold a grudge very long.

 

Shaxx had been aware of the Hunter's interest in Arcite for three months, ever since Cayde had dropped by to argue about something or other while Eryl had been completing a transaction with Arcite across the way. Cayde had taken one look at what was going on and started chuckling, refusing to explain until the Hunter had departed. When she had, he'd lowered his voice and said “You realize that Guardian is in love with your Frame, right?” Shaxx had been taken aback, but subsequent surreptitious observations had proven Cayde correct. Unlike her more confident attitude when she spoke with Shaxx directly, Eryl became slightly subdued with talking to Arcite, as if she was doing her best to avoid giving offense. Her transactions took at least a minute longer than any other Guardian, often because she was engaging Arcite in conversation, asking how things had been going in the Hall during her absence or letting the Frame know that the weapon he'd recently sold her had served her well in her last fight. Once the surprise (and mild confusion) had subsided, Shaxx had decided that it wouldn't hurt to give Arcite a life beyond serving the Crucible (as much as the Frame apparently enjoyed doing so). While a true romance between Guardian and Frame was probably impossible, Arcite would most likely enjoy having a friend, and Eryl would doubtless be happy to spend extra time with him no matter what capacity it was in. Shaxx had just needed to find the right excuse, and while he wouldn't have chosen a virus as the means of getting the ball rolling, he was more than happy to take advantage of it when the opportunity arose.

 

Once Arcite had fully recovered from this virus, Shaxx would start finding excuses to approach him and Eryl whenever she turned up to buy or sell something, at which point he'd come up with further reasons to get the two to work together. Maybe something that required two pairs of eyes to look over papers, or asking Arcite to take an inventory and suggesting Eryl help so it would go faster. When their shifts were over, he'd see what he could do to bring the Hunter up in conversation, gauging whether or not Arcite enjoyed her company or not. If he seemed indifferent to her or annoyed by her, Shaxx would give up and come up with a way to let Eryl down gently. But if Arcite seemed approving of her, then Shaxx would encourage him to spend a little more time with her. Maybe he could suggest Arcite pull out some of his old moves and teach them to Eryl, or act as her coach to help her get more strong and agile. And if that led to her being a more efficient fighter, either thanks to the training or because she had something extra to fight for, well, that would be all to the good.

 

Chuckling softly, Shaxx returned to work, looking forward to getting an update from both Eryl and Arcite. With any luck, their time together would have made both of them feel a lot better.

 

END OF STORY TRANSMISSION

[solitaire-au]

🥰 That was so lovely!

It was so sweet to see Shaxx and Eryl giving Arcite some comfort.

The idea that Shaxx knows she has a crush on his robot, and has been planning to get them to spend time together anyway, was a nice surprise!

I would love to see more of this. There’s no such thing as too much fluff, especially where sneezefic is concerned! ❤️

[Secret Sneezer]

This is AMAZINGLY written! I don't know much about the Destiny series but this fic and the characters have definitely intrigued me to look into it, if only to see more of Shaxx and Arcite 😳Robots in sneezefics can be hard to write, but you did it super well! Robot characters tend to be my favorites in media so robot snz is always great to see.

I look forward to see what you write next! 

[Wig_Powder]

@solitaire-au @Secret Sneezer Thank you both so much for your lovely comments! While I don't think there's any place else I can take this story and I'm not sure if I'll ever revisit the Destiny fandom, knowing that there are several people interested in seeing more will definitely make me more confident to post if I do get other ideas!

2 hours ago, Secret Sneezer said:

this fic and the characters have definitely intrigued me to look into it, if only to see more of Shaxx and Arcite

From what I understand, the game is mostly flying around to different planets fighting enemies until you level up enough to go to the next story mission, which isn't everyone's cup of tea, so I don't know if you'd want to get the game proper, especially since Shaxx and particularly Arcite look like they're a small part of the game. Fortunately, however, youtube has plenty of clips to allow you to get more of a sense of what they're like. That's certainly how I got most of my information.

This is a video showing what the two of them are like in the first game. However, while my fic is based in the Hall of Guardians location, I didn't use these characterizations. Arcite fluctuates between being stiffly robotic, curtly professional, and occasionally showing glimpses of being more personable (see also this playlist of his idle dialogue), and Shaxx is, as the description for the video says, pretty subdued and intimidating. However, then Destiny 2 came out, and...

This is the Shaxx I based my fic's characterization on; loud, boisterous, and honestly a lot more approachable, especially if you're good at fighting things.

And this (and to a lesser extent this playlist) was my main inspiration for how I see Arcite; a Frame who's been around long enough to develop more personality, and apparently decided to fully embrace his weapons/explosions obsessed nature.

As I said when I first posted this, I have no idea how accurate my interpretations are, but hopefully at least these clips will satisfy your curiosity and let you see where I was coming from where I wrote the fic.

Thanks again for all the kind words!

[farre385]

oh I LOVE this. not familiar with the fandom, but as a transformers fan, I'll read anything robot sneeze, and this did NOT disappoint. Thank you so much for posting!

[Wig_Powder]

@farre385 And thank you so much for reading! It's good to know that my niche interests are entertaining to other people (and it's charming when it's because I appealed to someone else's different niche interest). Thanks again for the comment, I really appreciate it!