Work Text:
Sandrone's workshop was engulfed in darkness, the only source of light being a few rays of sunshine, peeking inside through a gap between curtains that were too small to fully cover the window. She really needed to replace those. Unfortunately, because of the outrageous amount of workload being constantly thrown at her, she never had the time.
How long had it been since she'd started working? A week? Maybe two? Since Sandrone didn't need sleep or food, days often blended into each other. The only thing that could indicate the passage of time was the light from the window, but Sandrone tried her best to ignore it. It was a distraction, after all.
Another distraction that she couldn't ignore was the knocking on the door. She knew it would only get louder and more insistent if she tried. With an annoyed sigh, she finally got up for the first time in days—maybe weeks?—and hurried to the door.
"What do you want?" She asked, not bothering to hide her irritation.
Columbina didn't seem to care about Sandrone's rude tone. She only gave her a gentle smile in return.
"To see you, of course. You haven't left your workshop in almost a month... The other harbingers and I were worried that something might have happened."
Sandrone doubted the other harbingers cared much, but she didn't correct her. All she wanted was to get rid of Columbina as soon as possible and get back to work.
"As you can see, I'm perfectly fine. You may leave now." But of course, because Columbina was Columbina, she didn't leave. Instead, she leaned in, making Sandrone step back.
"Oh, but we haven't seen each other in so long! Didn't you miss me, my darling?"
"Not at all. Now go away."
Columbina completely ignored her, eager as always to make Sandrone's life worse.
"I have something for you." She changed the subject, piquing the Marionette's interest. Obviously, Sandrone wasn't going to be so easily swayed away with gifts, but it wouldn't hurt to take just one look.
Columbina raised her hand, presenting a small colorful box.
"I recently went to Fontaine and paid the Knave a visit. Her children made these chocolates and offered them to me. They're quite good, so I thought I should bring you some."
Sandrone eyed the box for a moment. She hadn't had any sweets in a while. Actually, she hadn't had any type of food in a while—not that she needed it anyway.
"You can just eat them yourself."
"I suppose you haven't eaten anything in quite a while... You should really have them. Sweets will keep you energized while you work."
At that moment, Sandrone snapped.
"Columbina, I'm a robot! I don't need food! Just how dense are you?!" She shouted, angrily. They'd had this conversation before. Multiple times, in fact, but Columbina never learnt. She always treated Sandrone like a human, like she was more than just a piece of metal, constantly reminding her of what she'd never be.
"Robot or not, you should still try these. I promise they're delicious." Columbina said, her tone as calm as ever. It was infuriating. Why did she always have to be the bigger person? To make Sandrone feel so utterly inferior?
"I don't need your stupid chocolates, or your kindness, or anything from you! Why can't you just get that through that thick head of yours and leave me alone!?"
"You think I'm kind? Oh my, that's the first time you've ever complimented me!"
It took all of Sandrone's self restraint to not attack Columbina. Fighting would be useless anyway, considering Columbina was significantly stronger than her.
"You— why are you like this?!" She shouted in exasperation.
"Why I'm kind to you...? Obviously, it's because I like you."
Sandrone wanted to laugh at the absurdity of the statement. Maybe she did laugh. It was laughable. How could Columbina like her? The only thing to like about Sandrone was her ability to make machines, and Columbina had no use for that.
"Listen, I am sick and tired of dealing with you, so quit your stupid mind games already and leave!"
Columbina hummed in consideration for a moment, before finally responding.
"Alright. I shall take my leave, but not before you accept these." She extended her hand for Sandrone to take the small box of chocolates.
"Fine!" Sandrone grabbed the box and carelessly placed it on a shelf. Then, she hurried back to her desk, which was covered in tools and robot components waiting to be assembled. "Now leave, I have work to do."
Columbina lingered in the doorway for a bit, probably for the simple purpose of annoying Sandrone even more. Then, she spoke up.
"It was a pleasure chatting with you... Take care, my darling."
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Columbina's next visit wasn't long after the previous one. A mere few days. Probably. Though, Sandrone had never been the best at estimating time.
It was night time, and Sandrone sat down at her desk, working in complete darkness. She didn't need light to see, as she'd been programmed to automatically switch to night vision whenever it was needed.
It was both a blessing and a curse. On one hand, she could work at night, which meant getting more work done. On the other hand, she could work at night, which meant she had no reason to take breaks. It was getting repetitive and dull.
But then—almost as if some higher being had heard Sandrone's unspoken complaints, and decided to bestow punishment upon her—Columbina showed up. This time she didn't even bother to knock. She just barged in as if she owned the place, stopping right behind Sandrone's chair.
"You're still working...? Even this late at night?
"Not everyone has the luxury of an empty schedule. Do you never have duties to attend to? Is that why you come here to bug me all the time?" Sandrone replied bitterly, not bothering to look up from her work.
"I do, but seeing you is always my priority." Columbina leaned down, wrapping her arms around Sandrone's neck, hugging her from behind. She flinched at the feeling of cold metal against her skin, but didn't pull back.
"Oh, darling, you're freezing!"
"Obviously..." Sandrone couldn't help but roll her eyes at how stupid pointing that out was.
"Poor thing... Do you have any blankets around here? We must warm you up."
"I don't need to warm up. My body isn't weak like one of a human."
"Maybe so... But wouldn't it feel nice to have a nap, all wrapped up in a soft, warm blanket?"
"I don't need sleep either."
"But you can sleep, no?" Loathe as she was to admit it, Columbina wasn't wrong. Sandrone could, in fact, sleep. She hadn't slept in years—as it was no more than a waste of time—but she could do it.
"I have work to do."
"Sandrone, you haven't taken a single break all week." Sandrone cringed at hearing her own name. It was unusual hearing it from Columbina's lips, as the girl usually addressed her using pet names. She wasn't exactly fond of the pet names, but she was used to them. "Can't you just spare me an hour or two...?"
Sandrone should say no. She had work to do. She didn't like Columbina and wanted to get rid of her. 'No' was the only logical answer. Still, she found herself hesitating. Work had been so tedious lately. Taking a break could be a nice change. Besides, upon finishing this task, she'd only be met with another pile of work to complete.
"Fine." She said, suddenly standing up. The words surprised both herself and Columbina. "I'll indulge you, just this once."
Columbina stared at her in shock for a moment. Then, a beautiful, bright smile appeared on her face. It was... different from Columbina's other smiles. Usually they were soft and gentle, a bit too graceful—too perfect to be genuine. It covered her gloomy demeanor, without fully hiding it away. This smile was raw and full of emotion, of genuine happiness. Sandrone couldn't wrap her head around the reason for it.
"Shall we go to my room then? I have plenty of soft pillows and blankets for you to use." Columbina said, grabbing hold of Sandrone's hand to pull her along.
"Alright, but I'm not staying for more than an hour. I wasn't kidding about the work." Sandrone grumbled, yet she let herself be led away.
It didn't take them long to arrive at Columbina's chamber, as it was along the same corridor. Unlike Sandrone's room—which was really more of a workshop, with robot components and other supplies scattered all over— Columbina's room was tidy and elegant, exactly what one might expect from the Damselette. There were a few flowerpots, holding blue fluorescent plants. After quickly searching her database, Sandrone concluded that it was a species specific to Nod-Krai.
Before she could ask Columbina if the flowers had any sort of significance to her, she found herself being pushed onto the bed. It really was cozy, with large, feather-filled pillows and a fluffy blanket that Columbina wrapped her up in. It had been years since Sandrone last slept in a bed, and she found herself too distracted by the softness to complain.
"Doesn't this feel nice?"
"I suppose it does..."
Columbina smiled gently before joining Sandrone under the covers. That wasn't surprising. Columbina needed sleep, and this was her bedroom, after all. What was surprising was the way she grabbed Sandrone and pulled her into a hug.
"What do you think you're doing?!"
"It's called cuddling."
"I know what it is, it's just— why?" Sandrone was usually good with words. But somehow, Columbina always managed to leave her speechless.
"To help you sleep better." Such a simple answer, yet it only caused more confusion. Why did Columbina want Sandrone to sleep better? Why did she invite her here in the first place? Why was she always so concerned for her? Why was she so kind to her? Sandrone wasn't human, she didn't need kindness. She couldn't feel empathy or affection, so she had no reason to return that kindness. Columbina knew all this. So why? What was the point?
"Sweet dreams, my darling..." Columbina murmured sleepily. Sandrone should have corrected her—told her that she wasn't human, and therefore, couldn't dream. But she didn't. Instead, she buried her face in the crook of Columbina's neck, and muttered two simple words.
"You too..."
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Columbina had not woken her up in an hour. She'd let her sleep until morning, which resulted in Sandrone being far behind on her work. Despite that, she still complied with the Damselette's whims the next time she came over to invite her out for a stroll.
That's how Sandrone found herself hand in hand with Columbina, the two of them taking a walk through a nearby creek.
The past few days had been rainy—according to Columbina—which resulted in most of the snow melting away, only leaving behind a few muddy piles. The ground was frost-covered and slippery, and since Sandrone was made out of metal, she had to be especially careful in order not to fall. She usually had Pulonia carry her around, so she'd never considered altering herself to be better accustomed to this kind of weather. She might do that after finishing work. Maybe...
Despite the hideous landscape and horrible walking conditions, Sandrone didn't exactly hate walking with Columbina. The Damselette's hand was warm, gripping Sandrone's firmly and making sure not to let her fall. As they walked, she sang a soft and calming tune. Sandrone had heard Columbina sing before, but she'd never taken a moment to actually listen until now. Her angelic voice carried a hint of melancholia, yet it somehow felt... comforting, in a way.
Sandrone couldn't help but be mesmerized by it. Everything about Columbina was just so enticing—her voice, her looks, her words. It made Sandrone unable to stay away from her for long, as much as she wanted to. It was as if Columbina was pulling her by the strings, and like any puppet, she couldn't help but comply, to let herself be hypnotized by the Damselette's spell.
"Are you quite done staring, my darling?"
"I'm not staring!" Her tone was way too frantic for someone who hadn't been staring.
"You're so adorable." Columbina chuckled softly.
"I... My model was designed to appeal to humans, in order to better fit in society. I was given features that would be considered stereotypically 'cute'."
"That's not what I meant." Columbina clarified. "I find the way you act adorable—all of your reactions... You're just so fun to tease."
"Tease? You call this teasing?! You've been nothing but a nuisance to me ever since we first met!"
"Is that so~? Then, if I may ask, why are you here?"
"I simply wanted a break from work. Walking with you just so happened to be the perfect excuse."
"Hmm, I see..." She sounded amused. Sandrone could not comprehend what it was that made her so entertaining for Columbina. Sandrone's behavior was perfectly normal, so why did Columbina insist that there was something adorable about it? She didn't understand. She couldn't understand, and it frustrated her.
"Well, I suppose I shouldn't be neglecting my work any longer. Maybe I indulged you this once, but I can assure you it won't happen again, so quit bothering me." With that, she suddenly let go of Columbina's hand and started to walk away, trying her best not to slip and stumble over the icy ground.
Three steps was all it took for her to fall down.
"Are you alright?" Columbina asked and immediately hurried to her side.
"I'm fine." There was a small mark on her knee where the paint had been scraped off, revealing silver metal. She'd have to fix that later.
"Does it hurt? Shall I kiss it better for you?" She offered, her tone light and teasing. She leaned down over Sandrone, placing her soft hand on her thigh, right above the mark on her knee. At that moment, something inside Sandrone briefly short-circuited. Probably because of the stupidity of the question. That was definitely it.
"Of course not! Archons, why do you have to act like this?"
"Like what...?" Columbina asked, tilting her head. Sandrone couldn't tell if she was genuinely confused or just faking it. Either way, it was starting to get on her nerves.
"Like I'm human!" Sandrone snapped and pulled away slightly. "You always insist on taking care of me and making me engage in all of these human activities, even though I don't require them to function. What you're doing is completely unnecessary. It's illogical. So what is the point?"
Columbina's expression turned serious. She took a few seconds to consider Sandrone's words before replying.
"You're right. I don't have to do any of this. But... perhaps that's why I want to do it." Of course. Obviously Columbina wasn't going to give her a straight answer, but rather another one of her cryptic messages that Sandrone hated so much.
"That literally makes no sense!"
"Hmm, I suppose it doesn't... But must there be a reason behind my kindness?"
"Obviously! All human behaviours have a motive. So what do you get out of being nice to me?"
"You."
"What?"
"You." Columbina repeated. "I get to be with you, to care for you, to hold your hand..." Each one of Columbina's statements was somehow more confusing than the last.
"Is answering a simple question really beyond your mental capacity? Why? Why do you want me? You have nothing to receive out of spending time with you.
"Your company is all that I need, my darling." Columbina said, smiling softly. "So... please allow me to stay by your side and keep loving you."
Love?
Was this what it was?
No, it couldn't be.
Columbina couldn't be in love with Sandrone. There was nothing to love about her. Due to the way she was programmed, she didn't have the moral obligation of returning kindness, or affection, or... love. Columbina got nothing in return out of loving her.
"You don't love me. Y-you can't love me. Love is... it's supposed to be an exchange of affection and passion between people. I'm unable to feel these things, therefore I can't participate in the exchange. You can't love me."
A robot talking about a sentiment she was unable to feel, how ironic.
"My feelings don't need to be reciprocated for them to be real. I love you, Sandrone."
"Your feelings are nonsensical! I can't love you. I can't give you anything in return... Y-you shouldn't want this! You shouldn't want me. It's unfair to you."
She expected Columbina to be sad, maybe even angry. That's how a normal person would react to rejection. But Columbina wasn't normal. Every single one of her actions and words was in opposition with Sandrone's knowledge of humans.
She laughed. Columbina started laughing.
"You know, my darling, for someone who can't love, you seem awfully concerned about what is and isn't fair to me. Could it be... that you don't want to see me get hurt?"
Just like during so many other conversations with Columbina, Sandrone found herself at a lack of words. Why was she so concerned for Columbina? The Damselette getting her feelings hurt by loving Sandrone shouldn't affect her, so why did thinking about it feel so wrong?
It made no sense. Sandrone's behaviour made no sense. She was malfunctioning. Just what did Columbina do to her?
"How are you doing this? Y-you're making me act in an illogical manner. It goes completely against the way of thinking I was programmed to have. How is this even possible...?"
"Calm down..." Columbina whispered. She tried to place a reassuring hand on Sandrone's shoulder, only for the Marionette to quickly pull away.
"Don't touch me!" For the first time ever, Columbina seemed genuinely hurt by Sandrone's words. It made Sandrone want to comfort her, to apologise. Archons, what was wrong with her?
"Sandrone..."
"No!" She quickly cut Columbina off. "This is all wrong! Your abnormal behaviour is affecting me."
"There is nothing abnormal about love."
"This isn't love! You can't love me, and I can't love you."
"Please, just listen to me."
"I'm tired of this." Sandrone said, suddenly standing up, and Columbina soon followed. "This is all a game to you, isn't it?"
"Of course not!"
"Don't even try to deny it! You've just been toying with me this whole time!"
"Sandrone..." Columbina sounded defeated, like she was about to start crying. If Sandrone had empathy, she'd probably feel guilty for hurting Columbina. But she didn't. She wasn't feeling guilty. Not at all.
"I'm tired, Columbina. I'm tired of being your plaything, of you treating me like a human." Of you making me feel human. "Just... please leave me alone."
With that, she walked away without looking back. She didn't want to see Columbina's heartbroken expression. It would only make things more difficult.
The Damselette didn't follow her. For once, she let Sandrone get away.
"Farewell, my darling." She whispered softly.
Sandrone didn't respond.
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Sandrone was in her workshop, as usual. How long had it been since she last went out? Weeks? Months? Columbina was usually the one keeping track, but she wasn't here now. She'd never come to Sandrone's workshop to bother her ever again.
Columbina was gone. She left the Fatui without an explanation, a goodbye, or even a word.
Not that Sandrone cared.
Ever since Columbina left, Sandrone had been far more productive. It was only natural, as she no longer had someone to distract her all the time, to tell her to eat, to sleep, or to go out on strolls.
Still, it felt... strange having her around. There was no one to talk to, no one to remind her to take breaks... Not that she needed those anyway, but it still felt strange.
For a moment, Sandrone actually thought she might be missing her. But that was foolish. It was impossible. Missing her would mean that Sandrone held some sort of affection for her. But Sandrone could not feel affection, just like how she couldn't feel love. Those were emotions only humans could feel, and Sandrone wasn't—would never be a real human.