"...you good?"
Rusty blinked meeting Louie's questioning gaze.
"What?"
"Your pupil."
Louie lifted a finger and reflexively Rusty tried to look where he was pointing. Unfortunately he could not see his own eye.
"Your pupil is all..big.."
With a delicate finger the robot touched the glass that protected his optical lens. He had a "pupil" that dilated and constricted not unlike a camera lens would. He hadn't been in possession of this body for too long, just on the cusp of a year, but he knew by now it functioned out of emotion and not sight.
He frowned, a means to express emotion was nice at first but nowadays it was just a hassle…he'd have to find a way to hide it again.
"Pretty sure it is the uh…" Rusty's eye once again wandered to the plate Louie had placed in front of him.
"The food?"
Rusty sighed, something about this was tearing at his pride, "yes. I suppose."
Louie didn't give a response, scratching a light pink cheek.
Ugh. He needed to stop doing that.
"Teach me how to eat." the robot demanded in an attempt to distract from the awkward silence, instead causing himself to curse inwardly. He hated having to be taught things, especially by someone of such...lesser intelligence like his crew members!
The cost of being given an anthropomorphic body was the absolute shame and humiliation that came with learning human motion.
Captain Olimar had certainly enjoyed his torture, unable to control his laughter any time Rusty walked into a wall or contorted his face in an unnatural way. He had even caught Louie snickering from time to time!
Fortunately Louie didn't laugh this time, he simply nodded.
The man had made a delicious looking meat and vegetable sandwich, and even without the ability to digest food it almost gave him the phantom pain of hunger.
"You pick it up…" Louie lifted the sandwich. Rusty waited for him to continue but the blonde simply stared at him before proceeding to put it back on the plate.
Right.
He copied him, easily picking the food up, waiting for further instructions that he'd hopefully get this time.
Louie held an invisible sandwich of his own and bit down into it.
Still watching, Rusty did the same. He could taste the bread already, he had expected it to taste like nothing after reading Louie's notes but the sweet flavor instantly filled his mouth with artificial drool.
He almost didn't notice the next step of Louie's lesson; tearing away with your jaws still clamped down on your piece.
It almost looked a little brutal…or maybe that was just Louie.
He pulled back and instantly was rewarded with the insides of his sandwich meeting his artificial taste buds. His eye flung open, shocked into complete stillness.
Good stars above, he could almost cry.
This is what he had been missing out on for so long? It was better than he could ever have even dreamed of!
No wonder Louie and Olimar drooled over the hoards of sweet treasures! He had every right to be so bitterly jealous of them!
"Uh…Rusty?" Louie had his head tilted, a brow raised and a faint amused lift to his lips, "...swallow."
He swallowed.
"Wow. Congrats. You ate." Louie's face returned to its default state, "good thing you don't have to do that digesting bit huh."
Rusty made a face that clearly displayed his displeasure at such an act, but his mouth was occupied with another bite of sandwich.
Louie watched with an uncomfortable intensity that the robot had thankfully gotten used to. His friend really liked his food, like really, really. He didnt expect someone who had never eaten before to tear into a sandwich so fast. He was going to give himself a stomach ache if he..you know…had one that is.
He blinked when he finished.
"Do you have more?" Rusty was perked up, sitting upright in his chair with an unusual amount of energy.
Louie's eyes bulged, looking around wildly as he lifted his head from his propped up arm, "Uh." He hadn't been prepared for multiple meals, that sandwich had taken a good amount of time to make just by itself.
He began to sweat as he looked back, Rusty had the stare of a hopeful puppy begging for food, he couldn't say no to that! How could he deny his friend good food, especially when he had only now discovered the wonders of it?
His eye caught a cabinet he knew he kept his expensive chocolates in.
His shoulders slumped, those were saved for special occasions, like staying late at work for a rant from his boss.
He somberly walked towards it, opening up and gazing at the fancy wrapping inside.
"Oh-!" Rusty must've been peering over his shoulder because he clearly saw it as well. Maybe he could just give him the wrapping instead, the AI was easily distracted by anything shiny.
"You can only have a little…" he mumbled, breaking off a small section before turning around, "...ok?"
Rusty nodded eagerly, it made Louie want to laugh again. He'd be so embarrassed if he knew how stupid and cute he looked.
Chocolate in hand he joined his friend's side, "open."
The robot opened his mouth only to immediately close it, "wait why? Give me it."
"Nah." Louie grinned when Rusty predictably pouted, "its special. You cant mess it up."
"I am not going to mess it up!" he tried to snatch it but Louie was too quick, "why would you get it out if you are not giving it to me?"
"I didnt say you cant eat it. Open. Im making sure you dont mess it up.
Rusty squinted and Louie only shrugged in response.
Slowly and cautiously the robot opened his mouth and Louie plopped the square of chocolate right into his mouth like a baby bird.
Rusty snapped his jaws shut and recoiled, "Louie!" he shook his head, flustered, "KKZZRRTT- Warning next time! G-Get your dirty fingers away from my precious mouth!"
"Whoops. Is it good?" He added, "Its expensive."
Rusty glared even as he began to chew the candy. Gradually the face let up, looking more thoughtful as he adjusted to it.
"Its sweets." Louie leaned on the table, "you get why Olimar steals them?"
Another glare. This dumb machine was so easy to tease.
"He should not have stolen them." he paused, arms crossed, "but it is an astounding treat, yes."
He felt immediate regret when Louie smirked at him.
The robot was surprised when Louie spoke again,
"Im glad you um...liked my food by the way…"
Rusty blinked, eyeing the man's body language when his face revealed nothing.
"I…happy to make…yeah…"
"Happy to make more?" he guessed, pleased when Louie nodded.
He smiled, a nice warmth settling over him, "and I would be happy to eat it for you!"
Louie froze and simply nodded again, avoiding eye contact, cheeks darkening.
Rusty found his cheeks equally as red, hoping he wasn't steaming. It sounded like they'd have even more yummy bonding in the future, something they both looked forward to.