There was the briefest attempt at a fighting stance, but it failed before it was even fully compiled, another victim of the admin's overcharged state. His circuits fluctuated alarmingly as he staggered. Something was going to have to give soon; even a sys admin could only process so much energy, and his code brother was ridiculously past that limit.
Though strangely his expression shifted from overcharged aggression to something that would have been thoughtful, had the admin not been so unfocused. He stared at Clu as though he were a string of data he couldn't quite read, a puzzle he couldn't quite find the solution to. Clu wondered what he was trying to piece together about him. Then a simple, one word question. Just as puzzled as his expression, and softer in tone than he'd ever heard his code-brother speak before.
It was an easy question to answer, but Clu was delayed in doing so by that 'something' that had been going to give doing so, suddenly and somewhat violently. He half jumped back and to the side slightly in startlement; true, he'd been expecting basically this to happen, but not so abruptly or with such force. Nor quite so much of it; just how much Red had his code-brother drank? And should he move to assist, support him so he didn't collapse?
Before he could reach the decision gate though, it was rendered moot, as the admin's systems finally reached some semblance of equilibrium and the energy purge ceased. Not enough to spare him from the consequences of this massive bender; there was no way he wouldn't feel like a recognizer had crash landed on him when he came online for his next upcycle. But he was at least out of the real danger zone.
Immediate concern from the admin's life was replaced by something gentler at the weak, ragged dismissal. And the admin was likely in for a surprise, as he'd feel a gentle hand on his still faintly trembling shoulder. "Well," Clu said equally gently, "lucky for you then that I don't want."
The hand shifted to lightly rub his back below the disc dock for a moment to hopefully soothe away a bit of the shaking before Clu's whole arm went around his back, securing itself under his arms and disc dock to haul him as carefully has possible to his feet. Letting him lean as much of his weight as he needed to on the hacker. "Come on," he said. "Let's get you to bed so you can sleep the rest of this off. The mess can wait."
A bit of a sidestep to get clear of the puddle, and once Clu was sure the admin's feet were as under him as he could manage, he began guiding them slowly toward the room's other door. The one that led to the admin's private quarters. "And to answer your query, I'm worried because you clearly need someone to worry about you. And because no matter what else you are-", sysadmin, would-be tyrant, sometimes complete glitching idiot, "-you're still my younger code-brother, and I care about you."
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ninetydegrees
Re: cw: program puke is gnarly, serious don't like don't read territory
Though strangely his expression shifted from overcharged aggression to something that would have been thoughtful, had the admin not been so unfocused. He stared at Clu as though he were a string of data he couldn't quite read, a puzzle he couldn't quite find the solution to. Clu wondered what he was trying to piece together about him. Then a simple, one word question. Just as puzzled as his expression, and softer in tone than he'd ever heard his code-brother speak before.
It was an easy question to answer, but Clu was delayed in doing so by that 'something' that had been going to give doing so, suddenly and somewhat violently. He half jumped back and to the side slightly in startlement; true, he'd been expecting basically this to happen, but not so abruptly or with such force. Nor quite so much of it; just how much Red had his code-brother drank? And should he move to assist, support him so he didn't collapse?
Before he could reach the decision gate though, it was rendered moot, as the admin's systems finally reached some semblance of equilibrium and the energy purge ceased. Not enough to spare him from the consequences of this massive bender; there was no way he wouldn't feel like a recognizer had crash landed on him when he came online for his next upcycle. But he was at least out of the real danger zone.
Immediate concern from the admin's life was replaced by something gentler at the weak, ragged dismissal. And the admin was likely in for a surprise, as he'd feel a gentle hand on his still faintly trembling shoulder. "Well," Clu said equally gently, "lucky for you then that I don't want."
The hand shifted to lightly rub his back below the disc dock for a moment to hopefully soothe away a bit of the shaking before Clu's whole arm went around his back, securing itself under his arms and disc dock to haul him as carefully has possible to his feet. Letting him lean as much of his weight as he needed to on the hacker. "Come on," he said. "Let's get you to bed so you can sleep the rest of this off. The mess can wait."
A bit of a sidestep to get clear of the puddle, and once Clu was sure the admin's feet were as under him as he could manage, he began guiding them slowly toward the room's other door. The one that led to the admin's private quarters. "And to answer your query, I'm worried because you clearly need someone to worry about you. And because no matter what else you are-", sysadmin, would-be tyrant, sometimes complete glitching idiot, "-you're still my younger code-brother, and I care about you."