tennis slash - The One Point O
Title: The One Point O
Author: Kris S.
Fandom: Tennis RPS
Rating: PG
Pairing: Andy Murray/Roger Federer
Other Characaters: Mirka Federer, Daniel Vallverdu
Disclaimer: This did not happen. Hopefully, it never will happen.
Summary: AU - Robots and Androids. Roger is annoyed at getting upstaged by Rafa. Andy finds out exactly what Roger means by that.
Author's Note: Written for netcord and gift for halotolerant for yuletide.
“Roger, I have some bad news for you.” Andy knows he shouldn’t be listening in on a conversation between Roger and his wife Mirka, but it just cannot be helped. He’d intended to catch the first flight out of town after losing to del Potro but his team insisted on frequenting their favorite restaurant one last time before heading off to Miami. “The part is no longer in production.”
“Mirka…”
“I am trying. Do you think I am not? I have been on the phone with the suppliers since you left Dubai. They haven’t tracked down the Dorsalgian.”
“He has been charging up.”
“I haven’t quit on this endeavor but you’re just gonna have to accept this model instead.”
Roger throws the towel to the ground and makes what sounds like a cross between a grunt and a huff. It takes a minute before the calm version of Roger everyone knows can speak. “The current model doesn’t work properly. I lose effectiveness after three hours of continuous use.”
“I am sorry, Roger. I am doing what I can as your manager…”
“I will not become obsolete! I cannot have the 2.0 come out of storage after seven months and pass me so easily!”
“The Rafa cannot be compared.” That makes Andy sit up. The Rafa?
“I am 1.0! Doesn’t being the original mean anything anymore?”
“You knew when you agreed to this there was a chance…”
“I never thought it’d be this way. I’m being beaten by mere mortals! That’s not supposed to happen!”
“There are very good ‘mere mortals’. Novak is…”
“Novak is different. He’s a freak of nature, not robotics.”
“Genetics can work that way.”
Roger grumbles, “Genetics can screw up a lot of things. It screwed us up. If Myla and Charlene…”
“Now stop that! They love the man who has raised them.” The sound of fingers on a keypad interrupt, then Mirka says, “I really have to go. Sorry for leaving you like this but I have to if…”
“Just go.” Roger waits for Mirka to open and shut the door before he shouts out, “Who is hiding in here? I can hear heavy breathing.” Upon spotting Andy, Roger rolls his eyes but, now that Andy has heard the previous conversation, the move doesn’t seem natural.
“Hi. You know, it…” Andy shakes his head. “Actually, I have no idea what to say. You and…”
Roger cuts off Andy’s flailing for words. “When do you leave for Miami?”
“Tomorrow morning.”
“We’re going to dinner. Cancel any other plans.”
“I can’t. I…”
“If it was Rafa, not me, asking, you would drop everything. I’m not having you ruin my vacation so we talk now. We meet at this address,” handing Andy a business card, “in one hour. I can track you.”
Andy watches as Roger leaves and wonders if Roger means he can actually track someone. He wouldn’t doubt any explanation at this point.
* * * * *
“I presume you’re not really going on vacation,” Andy says by way of a greeting upon sitting down in the restaurant. Roger is just settling in, still glancing at the menu.
“Nothing is working right. I need to refresh for the clay court events in May and June.”
Andy raises an eyebrow at the choice of words. “I’ve probably heard that word ‘refresh’ used thousands of times but it’s now sounding quite a bit different.”
“Nobody questions me for just that reason. All soundbytes blend together.” The waiter comes to the table at that point and Roger mumbles something in French that’s likely in relation to wine.
Andy nods to the waiter, knowing he’s only touching the water, before pointing out, “So you do mean in terms of refurbishing?”
Roger shrugs, pretty sure he understands that word correctly. “I guess. Parts are a bit dusty… or maybe even rusty. I’m not entirely sure beyond knowing I’m just not working right.”
“Rusty?” Andy thinks about that one for a second. Now that he knows this information, he wonders about players from the past. “Exactly how long has this been going on?”
That causes Roger to smile, seeming to read exactly how Andy interpreted the words. “As far as I know, Hewitt was the first to utilize bionic parts. But for him, it was just to deal with individual limbs and joints. For instance, his feet are all metal and wires. The problem is that Lleyton would work when everything wasn’t at one hundred percent capacity so he kept having to go in for repairs. He wanted to keep everything a secret but I stumbled upon the truth when Mirka and I went to the Bahamas for vacation. For me, it’s always been about the back. Due to possible spinal issues, I was the first to be completely overhauled. Hence I’m the 1.0.”
Andy nods along, though still completely confused. “Rafa is the 2.0?”
“Officially known as the Radical Automatic Furbished Android.” At Andy’s look, Roger adds, “The scientists say the entire phrase so nobody realizes there’s a famous player involved. Anyway, his Uncle Toni travels the world in order to find any advantage. Rafa’s knees are so terrible that it causes other bad habits. As a result, he needed the overhaul as well. He’s getting the newest technology because it’s easier to do test runs on clay. Hence the ‘Android’ part at the end.”
“You’re seriously going to claim that the only two players needing the overhaul happen to be two of the greatest players of all times and that nobody else has even considered it? That seems unlikely.”
“Well, the overhaul requires certain criteria so some players opt for what Lleyton did. The Argentines that ruled in the mid-2000s? They were beta-testing with Nalbandian, Coria and Gaudio. The parts they received only worked for short stretches of time. But when they worked, they really worked well. I suspect del Potro has tried but parts regarding the wrist are the most tricky. The CarPusula hasn’t been as effective as other segments of the body.” Roger nods to the waiter as a thank you for the wine bottle, then continues, “No, it’s not just Rafa and myself but those are players without successful results. I thought Haas had an overhaul - he would have been a good candidate.”
“How many on tour would you estimate have… er, parts?” Andy shakes his head, it sounding even dumber when spoken aloud.
“It’s a smaller percentage than you think. I suspect Gulbis has mechanical parts because his new forehand looks like his left arm is suffering a malfunction.” Andy chuckles at that one. “Um, likely Cilic. Monfils always breaks down but I suspect the way he abuses his body wouldn’t make him eligible for an overhaul so he’s just full of scrap metal.”
“Not Novak?”
“No. Thankfully for the tour, he’s not a candidate. But that’s because he has… mutations, I think, which account for his flexibility and healing ability. He complains loudly about injuries so nobody catches on he’s a mutant. Rafa and I both have been fighting against this… superhuman power.”
Andy isn’t sure he wants to figure out what happened to Novak, but at least he could classify that as a biological wonder, not man-made. “How can ‘mere mortals’ compete with robotics?”
“You’re angry?” Roger glances warily toward Andy as if not sure he’s interpreted correctly.
“Damn right I’m angry. I’ve been doing everything physically possible to become able to keep up with you and Rafa. Now I find it’s scientifically impossible. You will always win!” Andy stands up, needing to get out of this crowded place now. “You know what? Enjoy your vacation. Be ready for Madrid.” He storms out of the restaurant, but darts for a nearby alleyway before he can be seen.
Andy really shouldn’t be surprised Roger can find him right away, as he isn’t far from the building. Roger says softly, “This is why people don’t know.”
“What should people not know? That you have an unfair advantage or that you’re programmed with a GPS?”
Roger gives a side-eye to that remark, then mutters, “That is neither here nor there.”
“But you do have that sense of where your opponent is going next.”
“Oh. Well, if you mean it that way, yes.” Andy lets out a loud huff, to which Roger continues, “So do you. That’s nothing to do with wiring. We both always had that, er, programmed inside, so to speak. The GPS device only helps when it comes to locating top secret locations and the best restaurants on tour.”
“Shut up. I should have figured you’re not one hundred percent human.”
“That’s not a fair assessment.” Roger frowns upon realizing this is only upsetting Andy further. “I think the fact that you’ve gotten to this point without any of this is commendable. It’s…”
“I cannot listen to any more.”
“You make it sound as if I’m perfect. But there are drawbacks.”
Andy narrows his stare on Roger, trying to remember exactly what he overheard. “You’re not a father, are you?”
“I am unable to be. I am the only male parental figure they know but… this is true. Then again, not attracted to women so not a significant problem. The drawback is that I need to keep Mirka around, as she’s my connection to the Bahamas people. Without her, I will just break down and turn into a Major Automatic Robotically Assembled… Trashbin.” Roger grimaces as he mutters to himself, “Pretty sure nobody wants damaged goods.”
“I’m sure you would have a tough time attracting anyone with the life you have.” Andy shakes his head and intends to leave the alley.
It takes a moment for Roger to realize that Andy might be making fun of him. He calls out, “Is that sarcasm?”
Andy looks amused when he turns back to Roger, seeing a blank expression back. “You can’t detect tone of voice?”
“Many? Yes. Yours? No. There has been some extra-sensory work but it’s really helps in giving soundbytes to the press. Interviews are so much less stressful… but also a lot less interesting.” Roger aims for a joke when he adds, “I would take a guess and say you would really enjoy that feature.”
“But you and Rafa have that same feature? You two don’t sound the same in the press.”
“The world doesn’t need clones. Rafa just opted for the Humbility clip - seriously, how could he continually claim he’s not the favorite for a clay tournament even though he wins practically every single match? Agreed?”
“It does get tiring to hear,” Andy agrees, then frowns. “I’m not sure how I feel about the tour being this way.”
Roger cast his eyes down, not sure how to respond. He chooses a different tactic. “It does get lonely. I get mad when around Rafa, who is wonderfully in denial about our differences. I realize you’re angry but I feel a connection with you that I haven’t with anyone else since…maybe ever. Stan might have been the closest but I never could tell him. There were already problems because he has to go through every day of his life being compared to me, which is unfortunate but I didn’t deserve him lashing out at me over it.”
Andy says, “You felt you could tell me? I mean, you know I overheard but you’ve gone into quite a lot of detail.”
“I wonder what would have happened without this agreement. I’d have hoped I would have turned out like you. That you had to fight as hard as you did to finally win that first major is something that can be appreciated by all, even robotic beings.” Roger looks down, as if not sure he wanted to say that out loud. “Sorry about that. I have to pack for my flight tomorrow. If you… want to continue this,” Roger scribbles on a piece of paper, “you’re welcome to come over.”
* * * * *
“You should have joined us at the Indian restaurant,” Dani says when he opens the adjoining door to Andy’s hotel room later that evening. Andy is engrossed in his laptop. “We convinced Ivan that the food was the spiciest in the country and you know how he is about a challenge… Andy, why are you watching Short Circuit?”
“I’m finding clips in movies that might help my game.” Andy hopes there’s something in old movies containing robots that might help him in understanding Roger. Besides robots being hungry for data, Andy hardly sees anything of value from this comedy. Although that would explain how good Roger is at grasping other languages.
“Your game? You just want a Johnny Five of your own. That would be the ultimate hitting partner.” Dani frowns at the thought. “You totally would replace me!”
Andy doesn’t have time to deal with the impending crisis from his best friend. He digs in his pocket for the paper Roger gave. Even though the handwriting is impeccable, the information doesn’t exactly make sense. He goes to Google in hopes these numbers and symbols will help find Roger. What he sees staring back makes him laugh. “I cannot believe you wrote that down this way!”
“What?”
“I’ll see you later.” Andy takes his wallet and room card off the dresser before heading for the door.
“You have to pack,” Dani uselessly calls out to Andy’s back as he leaves.
* * * * *
“You gave me the latitude and longitude points of this hotel?” Andy says as a greeting before walking into Roger’s room. “That is ridiculously geeky.”
“It didn’t scare you off?” Roger turns toward Andy, unsure of the next move.
Andy shakes his head, not wanting to get sidetracked. “I get to you because you can’t read me? I screw up your high-tech solutions so you go possibly the most archaic path to get my attention.”
“This is correct. I literally have my brain running looking for answers.”
Andy smiles at that response. “You’ve been doing that to me as well. Not so much with tennis but… other aspects. Rafa isn’t the one I drop everything for, if you haven’t noticed today. I do watch your matches because you’re so graceful and fluid. It’s just beautiful… sure you’re used to everyone saying such things.”
Roger takes steps to close the distance between them. “In reference to my game, yes. You’re not talking about that.”
“No, I’m not. Wouldn’t be at this very spot if this was about tennis.” Andy reaches his hand out to touch Roger’s cheek, thinking how unnoticeable the hardwiring is. In the past, he would have been afraid due to perceiving Roger was obsessed with facial products. So it’s truthful when Andy continues, “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time.”
“This confuses me. I thought you were interested in Rafa.”
“I think it’s safe to say that neither of us wants to talk about him right now,” then manages to cut off Roger’s impending reply with a kiss. If Andy wasn’t aware of the differences between them, he wouldn’t have known from the touch of his lips, either. Definitely a positive in that department.
When Andy breaks away, Roger appears to be trying to register what’s happening. Andy is rather pleased to have Roger processing information slower than usual. Roger finally says, “I’ve needed that for so long. Probably wouldn’t be as irritable toward Mirka.”
“I think you need to keep on her good side. As far as I’m concerned, you kind of do need her around because I rather enjoy the original model.”