Pain. Sharp and more powerful than anything Artoo has felt before.

Feeling. Sensation zipping up and down his body at rapid speeds. His processors can't keep up. He feels his wheels tear open, his mechanical parts removed as if by force.

The pain stops at last, leaving him uncomfortably numb. Uncomfortable, that's new. He's never known either comfort or not, besides the given situation and danger. But this feeling is inside, close to his metal plating.

"Oh, look what you've done to us, Artoo!" A shrill voice sounds from beside him. It doesn't compute. Binary doesn't translate the Galactic Basic in nanoseconds. Instead, he simply hears it.

Lungs expand. A heart pumps crimson through his soft flesh. Nothing is right.

Artoo is organic.

He suddenly sees a figure stand beside him. Blue and transparent. Young, younger than he should be.

"Artoo?" Anakin stares, seeming just as shocked. Then, the ghost smiles. "Oh, you're going to be in so much trouble."

"What? How are you-" Artoo stops. He knows basic somehow, despite only ever speaking in binary beeps and whistles. The feeling of his lips and tongue moving is beyond strange. It leaves him feeling absolutely wrong.

Anakin laughs and the sound rings strangely in his ears. He starts to fade and Artoo reaches out to him, only for the figure to slip through his fingers. Fingers he shouldn't have to begin with.

He's alone.

Artoo wakes with a jolt. He goes to sit up but he's tightly wrapped in something, unable to move from his positon. Yellow arms circle his middle and thick lekku lay over his chest. Their legs are tangled together as well, but now that the images from his sleep are starting to leave, Artoo no longer feels the urge to get up. He instead relaxes against his pillow again and smiles down at Threepio. Who knew he would be a cuddler?

Artoo did. He always knew Threepio prefered they stay together at all times. They charged batteries side by side, for maker's sake!

He's cute like this, though. Relaxed and free of his usual anxieties. No worrying for their safety or fussing over Han's manners. There's no protocol to follow, no right way to be. Or maybe there is and Threepio liked him just enough to ignore it.

Something rises in Artoo's chest. It's warm, like an overheating battery, but no warning signals pop up. He feels his face react the same, growing warmer and warmer until he feels the need to smile. Strange reaction. Why would he smile while overheating? It could mean something's seriously wrong with him. He should ask Luke about it.

The heat disappears after a little while. He feels he can breathe clearly again, but looking at Threepio makes it return. Thinking about Threepio. Picturing the golden droid he's used to spread out like this. Impossible, Artoo knows. Threepio has never has such free movement, but it would be nice. He could stretch out his pincher and they could hold each other. Metal fingers could rub his dome, like they always do when Threepio's not too busy being dramatic.

Artoo moves his fingers to run down Yellow skin. He feels the textures and soaks in the heat Threepio seems to radiate. It's new, but not nearly as new as he first thought. The position is new and the appearance is, but being like this? Feeling like this? It's the same.

The pulse in his neck suddenly gets quicker. His stomach flutters uncomfortably and the words leave Artoo almost without his permission. "I love you." He says, a smile tugging at him again. He lets it win.

Threepio's brow furrows and it doesn't relax again. Eyes open lazily as the Twi'lek regains conciousness. Then, dark eyes stare at him. They're so different from the bulbs of a protocol droid. There's depth in them and so much raw emotion.

"Hmmm...?" Threepio hums, still half asleep.

Artoo lets out a ghost of a laugh. "Took you long enough." Though, he didn't mind the delay. Not one bit.

The Twi'lek blinks, then turns away to stretch. "My circuits...or, my brain must be broken." His voice is deep with exhaustion and Artoo hears up again.

"Broken?" He tries to entertain the conversation but his eyes are caught on the way yellow skin shifts around his throat.

"Most sentient beings require at least eight hours of sleep to recharge, but I'm still so tired." Threepio huffs. "Of course I can't get the same effect. It seems I'm destined for misery."

This time, Artoo fully laughs. "Calm down. Don't you remember how grumpy Padmé got every morning?"

Threepio turns to stare at him, confused. "Who?"

Something cold and painful fills Artoo's stomach. He's usually so careful about mentioning the past and has rarely slipped up until now.

It must be his organic mind.

"Nobody. Nevermind." He tries to dispel the feeling but it lingers. So, he gives action to his earlier urges and leans over to pull Threepio closer. "The others aren't up yet. We can stay here a while longer."

The matter is dropped. "But there's a lot to be done. There's food to prepare and that mirror to investigate. And that's not adding the preparations for the baby- mph!"

Artoo stops him with a hand over his mouth. "It's too early for all that worrying."

The hand retracts as Threepio frowns at him. It's a cute pout that presses his lips together and upward. "I think you don't worry enough. If we don't do something quickly, we may be stuck like this forever! Then what will we do? Our services as droids will be useless!"

"But don't you want to explore? We're organic! No other droids has experienced this and I think it's be fun. We could get piercing and tattoos. Get drunk. Oh! We could go dancing! I've always wanted to dance!"

Threepio turns away to lay on his back. His lekku flop over his chest and thin fingers press at the veins. "I don't care to do anything of the sort, thank you. I would rather have my databanks back. I can't speak all six million languages anymore! What good is a translator that only knows about ten?!"

Artoo lets out a sigh. He gets it. Not having his databanks is concerning for him too. He has codes they'll need and not to mention hyperspace will get risky without a droid to double check the navi computer, but...

This is a once in a lifetime chance and Artoo plans to live it out.

One thing in particular is high on his list. Artoo has always wondered why humans always kiss each other. It seems kind of gross and weird, especially watching how Han and Leia get into it. He doesn't understand it, but he would like to. Maybe, if Threepio would let him, they could both find out.

The thought has him smiling again, which makes Threepio raise a brow at him. "What have you planned now?" He asks skeptically.

Before Artoo can present the idea, Han and Chewbacca step in. "Good, you're awake. Sleep well?" Han says it in a way that seems like he really doesn't care. He's far too smug about it.

Chewbacca roars and Artoo can't seem to understand it. That's not good. Maybe the language thing is a problem.

Threepio stands and fixes himself to look presentable. "We slept quite well, thank you. Are Master Luke and Mistress Leia up as well? I would like to return to that mirror as quickly as possible. Who knows what-"

"Hold on, we need breakfast first. And so do you, if you want to do anything today. Come one." Han and Chewbacca turn back out of the room. "I can't wait to see this." Han whispers to his companion.

Artoo never thought of eating or hunger until now, but he can feel the cramp of his stomach and hear his body call for sustenance.

With a stretch and a yawn, Artoo follows the others.

I cannot finish this. I literally have lost all motivation to write this silly thing and it sucks but no one's going to read it anyway.

So, if you did, congrats. Thanks for enjoying it. I may someday finish it but I wouldn't count on it. My motivation has just plummeted and the content for Artoo x Threepio is literally so small and dead it drives me nuts. So, later! See you on anything else I write.