Date & Time : October 31st, 9:05pm Location : Masquerade Ball, Multiple Roomsstatus : Closed @augustustullett

date & time : october 31st, 9:05pm location : masquerade ball, multiple rooms  status : closed @augustustullett

DATA would admit that, in hindsight, it was unwise to allow Cat to leave the ship. Despite the careful calculations that allowed for him to assess the unwise risk that accompanied taking an animal off of the Concord without the preliminary consideration for some type of leash or harness, DATA had taken one look at the lonely eyes of a guest uninvited to the ball and quickly scooped up Cat. Hidden beneath the bulky coat he had no need to wear, DATA had smuggled the cat back to Theon’s apartment and now to the masquerade ball.

Unable to keep Cat quiet as the animal fidgeted with frustration at being confined to the small space shielded by his jacket, DATA fled to the bathrooms at his first opportunity of independence. Anxious to allow Cat the freedom the animal so desperately desired, DATA didn’t both locking the door before allowing the cat to drop to the floor.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, reaching out his hand to give Cat a forgiving pat. Still growling with something akin to anger, Cat ducked away from his touch and quickly skittered toward the door. A low sigh left his lips as DATA slowly moved toward the animal again; but before he could reach down to scoop Cat up into the safety of his arms, the heavy wooden door slid open with the entrance of the party’s many patrons.

Cat didn’t waste a moment, darting through the closing door to escape to the ballroom. Panic shot through his form as DATA lunged for the animal. Wide eyes and desperate hands, however, were blocked by the suit-clad legs of the stranger still standing in his way. “Move! Move! Move!” he yelled up at the man, only recognizing after he had shouted that the masked face staring down at him was one that held the familiarity of a crewmember. "Gus, Cat escaped."

Send me a ➳ + a question for my muse’s answer!

➳ how badly do you want to fuck theon

“I- I don’t have such a desire...” 

Alternate Universe || you are a machine and machines do not weep

This is your mission.

A series of kills, one after the other designated by someone powerful enough to escape the consequence of your cruelty, dictate your existence. Empty of emotion, you do not weep for those who fall at your hand. Compassion is not a concept for you to understand, but rather a human imperfection that holds no place in your code.

This is your purpose.

You are a machine, created from madness with the intention of destruction. You are a tool, crafted to kill with an efficiency only available in the absence of mercy. You are death, a sentence inescapable once orders have been given.

This is your life.

theonwyndham:

The damaged limb laid there, in his lap, as Theon worked Data’s pant up carefully. The skin was, as usually, flawless. Synthetic skin held no odour, nor taste, no nothing. It was pure, synthetic skin. Scarless and smooth. Even though the reason for contact was plainly obvious, Theon made sure to touch as less as possible, not wanting Data to recoil under his touch once again. If he dared, Data would noticed the trembling hands, the lingering touches. A voice in the back of his head, whispering secret desires and mad ideas, was still there. Remaining there, poisoning his reason. Told him to do it, to let go.

Instead of giving in to his own madness, his attention focused on the task before him. Though the horrible lightning would make it harder to complete the repairs rapidly, Theon was glad it could hid a bit of his expression. And Data’s. The air around them was tense, heavy. The silence was unnerving. Perhaps Theon had been accustomed to the incessant questions, the joyful words coming from the android had become a symphony he couldn’t believe he longed for.

Right. The repair.

Theon frowned at the limb, wondering how Data could’ve hurt himself walking in the desert. Was the suspension not good enough? Perhaps the engineer didn’t think the android would encounter sand in his existence. Which was short-sighted from his part. He was about to ask Data, cutting through the tension at the same time, but the android beat him to it. Why don’t you talk about him? The question left a bitter taste instantly and Theon was glad they were already sitting on the floor because he would have fell from his seat. He hated the closeness though. Especially now.

The tool was heavy and held in expert hands, it could do wonders. Unmoving and cold, it suddenly felt strange holding it. The focus of this meeting shifted, and Theon did not like it at all. His eyes went from the floor and up to meet Data’s brown hues. How could they own so many emotions? A previous thought, a realization, that maybe Data’s brian had rerouted itself. To become more, so much more. Theon felt nauseous. How could he explain, to someone who just discovered emotions, the concept of grief?

Himself felt enough ridiculous to still not be over Eli after those years. How could Data understand?

“I..” He tried, the words breaking in is mouth. He averted his eyes and let a hand down, pale fingertips playing with a loose strand on Data’s pant. “It hurts. Still.” Theon tilted his head. The pain had died down a little with the work that came from making Data. And the adrenaline of starting a new mission. But now, his mind was running out of his reasons to keep Theon from facing Death. Especially when he kept crossing paths with Cosima. Or those with beliefs that would excuse killing in the name of a distant ideal. Theon should be able to forget it, to move on. The nightmares were still coming, haunting and daunting. Demons in each corners of his big mind, ready for the moment Theon would give in. Madness was only was step over the precipice. Not so far.

“I don’t know …how to explain. I don’t like talking about it.” A poor excuse, that Data was probably going to point to him. But he really didn’t like thinking or talking about Eli. He was now a ghost, casted in the limbo that was Theon’s heart, haunting his every thought. His eyes went back to Data’s knee, the engineer now eager to have this finished so Data wouldn’t ask him even more hard questions.

A tremble seemed to shiver through Theon’s frame, making the heavy tool still hanging vulnerable in his careful grip stutter in the subtle motion of obvious nerves. Regret dug beneath his skin, spreading through his veins and seizing his heart at the sight of Theon’s stuttering uncertainty; all as a response to DATA’s unrelenting invasion into Theon’s seldom spoke of past. DATA had grown used to the weary eyes of his crewmembers, to the hesitation they held in their treatment toward him, to the avoidance some still engaged in; but Theon had always been different. Theon had never been uneasy in his presence until now when DATA’s mind demanded unreasonable answers to unwanted inquiries.

DATA wondered if he had gone too far, pushed too hard against the unknown barriers he held no context of navigating around. Eyes as blue as the sea finally shifted away from the eluding distraction of a redundant repair, meeting his own amber gaze in an honest display of emotion. Surprise tinged with the tendrils of hurt still fresh from a loss too far in the past permeated the gaze lingering on his own for only a moment before darting back down to the safety of aversion.

Stubborn against his own urge to look away, DATA kept his eyes fixed on the bowed head of golden hair. Something akin to shame seemed to follow the stuttering sentences incomplete against the grief-struck words falling from Theon’s lips. Calloused fingertips, so different – so flawed- compared to the smooth stitches lining his own synthetic skin, danced across the vulnerable flesh of his still injured limb. Silence once again enveloped the pair, and DATA wondered if Theon expected him to find satisfaction in the single syllables uttered as an explanation. However, before he could find the nerve to inquire further, Theon offered the placation of further clarification.

Eyebrows crinkled in confusion, DATA was unable to comprehend why Theon would not wish to speak about the past. He had familiarized himself with the process of grief, a word understood in the isolation of its definition, and the contexts under which most humans seemed to experience such sensations, and in every instance some form of therapeutic conversation had been prescribed. Talking about it was supposed to help - it would help.  

“You miss him.” His voice held the low notes of resignation, no longer angry in the realization of his inadequacy. Despite the permanent obstacle of death, Eli still held the potential to be the one thing DATA never could be: human. “You would rather he be here.”

theonwyndham:

“Of course.” PIercing blue eyes moved down on their own accord, looking at Data’s knee.The engineer nodded and moved past Data calmly, ignoring the way the android’s tone made his stomach churned. Why else would the android seek his presence if it wasn’t for technical support? Same went to the rest of the crew. He was just their glorified IT guy and the thought left a bitter taste in his mouth. He thought for a moment about what the Benefactor had asked, do you regret? Right now, Theon regretted a lot of things, especially being here. Especially letting them all know they could walk on him and just consider him like a young tech guy with no experience at all.

He wanted to turn on the spot, to apologize to Data and take him back to Wrotham. He’d be better. Theon would find a new job, a new purpose. Was it too much to ask, to come back to what they were? To wish upon the return of Data’s easy smile, one that was too similar and very different as Eli’s? It felt far, an unattainable thing.

No actions were taken, eyes kept resolutely on the ground, determined to make way to the camp as soon as possible. Determined to not notice how the wind played in Data’s soft curls or how is the jacket fit him so well. What was wrong with him? Such thoughts were not supposed to be had, especially when one was mad. Theon was angry. Because he was a coward and the words still hurt him. He never held grudges before. The wrongness of them always rubbed him in the wrong way, and it was better to just ignore everything than waste energy on such negative things. His own mind was already too busy anyway to deal with the always undercurrent of nervousness that filled his bones.

The camp appeared before them and Then could see Alyx, crouched next to Seneca. Their eyes met for a moment, a millisecond, before Theon bent to grab his bag, which contained most of his tools. He wouldn’t be a good IT guy without his nice IT tools, right? Opening the entrance of his tent, he gestured to the android to come in, following suit. There wasn’t much light, or room for what mattered, but Theon could make it work easily. His IBA shone faintly, orange tainting Data’s and his features. “Come on, just sit here.” The floor was not the most comfortable in regard of working surfaces, but it wasn’t like they had much choice.

Theon’s agreement, while not surprising, was much more easily achieved than DATA initially believed. Although his creator undoubtedly cared for his own creation, DATA expected reluctance to invade every action in the wake of their argument still unresolved in the absence of an apology. Their words, toxic on a tongue of hurtful truths, would haunt them with a relentless anger only involved when emotions ran too high; a feat DATA had never thought possible and Theon would no doubt revel at when given the careful consideration of retrospection. But such a catastrophe of sensitivity would not be reconciled by repaired parts and averted gazes, and DATA did not know what it would take for either party to cast away their pride and offer a plea for forgiveness.

DATA followed the tense form of his creator back to camp, artificial amber eyes tracking over the golden hair and reddened skin meant to be pale when sheltered from the harsh rays of the desert sun. Despite the anger that still lingered in excess within the overwhelming emotions he was experiencing for the first time, DATA longed to reach out to the man who encompassed his entire reality. Connections were slow to be made among the crew, and even when met with the hesitant kindness of those he considered friends, Theon remained the only person he could feel something toward with confidence in its certainty.

Hindered by the symptomatic limp of his disjointed limb, DATA tried to keep a steady pace as they trekked back to the familiar camp on the unfamiliar landscape. His only stumble resulting in a frustrated “it’s fine” stinging his lips in an effort to dissuade Theon’s already approaching aid.

Sparing Seneca and Alyx a strained smile as he passed her crouched form, DATA wasted no time ducking into the opened entrance of the tent. The confined space was claustrophobic with the suffocation of secrets Theon still dared to keep, leaving room for only the taunt posture of their two bodies. Straightening the offending leg responsible for his current situation, DATA would not allow his gaze to fall upon the familiar face of his creator. He could not face the hurt Theon would show too easily, not yet. It was only once blue eyes shifted to the broken joint that DATA allowed himself to watch careful determination overtake Theon's features.

Minutes passed under the tense silence neither was willing to break; until finally, DATA could take it no longer. “Why don’t you talk about him?” he asked, voice shaky beneath the uncertainty of whether or not he truly wanted to know the answer.