Scratched Universe Oneshots

Scars and Robotics: Commander X Foster

(It still makes me laugh that Blackimus ships this. The fact he's suggested art of them from me makes me laugh-)

"Why do you refuse?" The large, alien, robot spoke threateningly.

"Because I don't want to." The smaller, male, VAC member retorted, toweling his hair off. He had just gotten out of the shower moments before and made the mistake of letting his giant robo boyfriend see the various scars adorning his torso and legs.

"You would be much stronger and more efficient with our cybernetic enhancements. Not to mention, you'd lack those imperfections." The bot lowered itself to look into Foster's face.

"You call them imperfections, but they serve as reminders for me." Foster huffed, sitting on the edge of his bed.

"Reminders of your pain and suffering? Do humans get some sort of endorphin rush out of reliving their own misery?" He asked, both mockingly and genuinely asking.

"Not necessarily, they just serve as reminders of what I've been through. Reminders of mistakes I made and how I can, now, avoid them. Not to mention they show how far I've come." He smiled as Commander's face plates raised and lowered as he comprehended Foster's words.

"What a foolish way of doing things. I feel like you'd look much better, without these... scuffs." A claw raised and poked a pale scar.

"When I'm working, no one sees them. So it doesn't really matter, does it?" He chuckled, leaning back on his bed.

Commander's face plates shifted again, clearly not content with Foster's insistence in keeping his scars.

"I could design you a much better body than this... Meat one..." Commander walked toward Foster, eyeing him, motioning to him.

"What? You don't like how I look?" Foster gasped, dramatically putting his hand over his chest in feign hurt.

"That is not-" Commander started

"Isn't my partner supposed to like me for who I am? This is such hurtful news to me, Commy!" Foster cried in a woe-is-me sort of voice.

"Foster, you are misunderstanding-" Commander placed a claw on Foster's chest, tapping a scar.

"No, I'm understanding perfectly fine. I'm making fun of you." He chuckled, cutting his act.

"I suspected as much..." The large robot grunted as he looked over Foster's scars. "Human bodies are entirely inefficient at fixing themselves... Nothing should be left behind when fully repaired."

"Well, that's the thing. It isn't fully repaired." Foster smiled.

"That is not helping your argument."

"Oh, I know." He laughed. "But yes, our bodies cannot fully fix themselves. People with scars can often lose some bodily functions as a result. For example..." He started, moving Commander's claw over a scar on his chest.

The scar was large and was obvious evidence of a grievous wound.

"This scar doesn't sweat." He smiled.

"It doesn't allow your coolant system to work?"

"Just in that one spot. It didn't regenerate with sweat glands. So, say, if I get dirty: It'll remain completely clean, because dirt sticks to sweat."

Commander mumbled something about that being inefficient.

"Or down here..." Foster moves Commander's claw down to his upper thigh, just below the shorts he was wearing.

"I lack some sensation in this one." He smiled.

"You are unable to feel?"

"Well, I CAN. But only faintly. The nerve endings didn't come back quite right." He shrugged.

"You are explaining to me every reason you should allow me to give you something better." Commander spoke in a sort of deadpan tone.

Foster laughed. "You're missing the point! With cybernetic enhancements I wouldn't be able to experience everything that I want to! I want to feel it! To feel alive, Commy!"

Commander cocked his head, thoroughly confused. "I can... 'feel' perfectly fine..."

"You've told me this before. You don't feel the same way that humans do. Each of these scars are representative of consequences to the actions I made. They all have stories behind them. They have meaning and sentimental value."

"My kind doesn't hold onto things like those..."

"Relationships have sentimental value too, dummy." Foster flicked above the bot's eye, muttering afterward as he felt the sting on his nail after flicking metal.

"That is different."

"But is it?" Foster teased with a smile.

"...Humans are strange beings..."

"Right back atcha', babe. I'll also drag you into our strange customs too if it's the last thing I do." Foster cupped the sides of Commander's head.

"Only if you allow me to drag you into mine as well." Commander spoke with a tease.

"As long as there's no cybernetically enhancing my body, sure."

"You are.... What do you humans say? ...'No fun.'?"

Foster laughed loudly before planting a kiss on Commander's 'forehead'. Commander nuzzled Foster's cheek as they just sat and enjoyed each other's company for a while.