When the drabble you were writing on your way to work turns into a 5k One Shot ^^
"Who's there?"
Killer's voice echoed between the thick metal walls of the infirmary. He swore he saw something moving in the dark behind the hermetic glassy airlock. But nothing answered. Maybe it was only a shadow from the outside. However, behind the window, there was just the same view all over again. The same nebulas were extending as far as Killer could see. The same millions of stars of infinite different shapes and sizes were enlightening the room with their dim lights. In spite of his call still echoing, the infirmary remained quietly filled by the buzzing of the medical devices and the robots sleeping in the corner of the doors. One of them, alerted by Killer's voice, had gotten his little mushroom shaped head out of his tiny body. "Are you in need of assistance?" Its synthesized voice asked politely but Killer shut him off back to sleep. Or rather he'd like to. Those little medical bots could be easily turned off by pressing their head back in their body, they would contract into a compact pill form and go to sleep until they were called again.
But you needed hands to do that. And at this moment it was the things Killer lacked.
He looked down at his arms' extensions. The metal they were covered with was shining in the red night light bathing the infirmary. They were beautiful piece of mechanic. Kid built them himself for weeks. They originally went on a secluded planet outside of the system and stole a biomechanical prototype to make those prosthesis. For weeks they had artificially grown nerves and muscles from Killer's cells within a metallic envelop; before connecting them to the nerve endings of what remained of his arms. That way no risks of reject and more flexibility than the usual all mechanic prosthesis... The operation had been long and very risky but they had the best surgeon on this side of the galaxy aboard their ship.
It was the most advanced technology they had been able to produce. Those metal hands with their flesh and gears all interlocked perfectly with each other formed a flawless masterpiece. It was Killer who was defective.
Sat up on his bed in the middle of the mess he made with his sheets, Killer lifted up his elbows but all he could feel from there to his shoulders was an intense stiffness after dozen of hours on an operation table. He lifted the human parts of his arms but the metal remained awfully inert. It can take time for your body to redo the right connections and accept the foreign materials, Law had said. When Killer had left his eyes from his unmoving hands for the first time, he'd met the hopeful and tired faces of the crew and he hadn't dared saying anything. But deep inside him he knew this wouldn't work. He knew how body mechanic worked, like every other machinery. If something wasn't working it was mostly because the wires weren't connected right, or that a piece needed to be replaced. In Killer's case, he'd been damaged beyond repair; and for these past few days he'd wished in the secrecy of his own mind he'd never accepted this operation. Because what was worse than having lost his hands up to his elbows was to have fake hands that would never work grafted permanently to his body.
"Are you in need of assistance?" The medical bot asked once more and would keep asking until someone shut him up.
"Yes, indeed," a familiar voice answered in the shadows to Killer's surprise. He didn't flinched the slightest though, stoic as ever, but he didn't expect to see Penguin here at this hour. The man stepped into the light and it was as if Killer was breathing a little more freely. "I'm taking care of him now," the hatted man said gently while casually pushing with his hand the bot's mushroom head down. The gesture didn't get past Killer.
Almost immediately gentle fingers gripped Killer's tensed jaw. The pale digits reddened by the infirmary's night light ran over every features of Killer's face. On the growing subtle on his chin, on his rough tanned skin and his straight nose, on the angles of his cheekbones and the softness of his eyelids, under his blonde dirty bangs and every little scars scattered from his lips to his forehead. Under this loving touch Killer's frown was forced to fade.
"There," Penguin's voice smiled in the darkness, "That's where my lover was hiding all this time."
He had kept his hand on Killer's cheek when he murmured those words close to his lips. Penguin brushed Killer's mouth smoothly and the blonde felt him smelling his hair. It was odd for him to have Penguin's head coming from above.
"What are you here for?" The polite tone Killer used didn't satisfy Penguin's expectations. He put his hands on his hips, pressing the fabric of his overall on his sides.
"To help you break out of jail obviously," Penguin retorted with a pout as if he was disappointed by Killer's slowness. At that the blonde worsened his case by tilting his head dumbly on the side, his long hair following spike by spike in his movement.
"The captain's keeping you prisoner here for days," the hatted man felt forced to precise.
"Never occurs to you I had a good reason to?" Killer snapped back straightening his back and feeling the stiffness of his body that was still under the painkillers' effect."Sulking's not a valid argument," Penguin replied adamant.
"I'm not sulking!" Killer burst not afraid to raise his voice. "I'm-"
"Yeah?" Penguin questioned when Killer's silence lasted; the hatted man's tone sounded like he was sarcastically dying to know what Killer was.
Sick? Drugged? Injured? Disabled? but the words of the ship's doctor replayed in Killer's head as he was saying he was all healed and enhanced now and that he just had to wait for his nervous system and muscles to adjust and make all the right connections with his prosthesis. Medically speaking he was well. In reality he was just...
"A stubborn ass," Penguin bluntly finished for him, "That's what you are."
"Go fuck yourself," the blonde retorted annoyed by everything including his lover.
"What do you think I'm doing since you're here?" Penguin teased, not minding Killer's foul mood. "Now get up you big baby, you're like Kid mooning about your sorry ass."
As bad as Killer wanted to be left alone, he was a grown man and also madly in love with their ship's engineer. If it was for him Killer would go to the other side of the universe and conquer undiscovered moons to name them after him. So Killer took upon himself to just sit up from the infirmary bed that his butt hasn't left for days. It was more painful than he expected, especially since his back and legs were doing all the work his arms couldn't but he finally stood up, towering Penguin like he used to.
Penguin looked at Killer dressed in warm and comfy sweatpants and a light blue t-shirt whose the long sleeves had been cut above his prosthesis. His eyes ran on the blonde from toes to head and he bit his bottom lip, "...Perfect. Now it's time to run away." He grinned excitedly.
Penguin took Killer's right metal hand and exited the infirmary with him. To Killer's surprised there hadn't been an awkward moment when Penguin had grabbed him, no caution or hesitation, no angst or fear. He'd just taken his hand and it'd felt right.
Penguin looked left and right in the circular hall of the ship, like they might be caught at any moment. "Quick," he whispered while pulling Killer with him down the inferior levels. Killer's bare feet were making a soft sound stomping on the skid-proof floor. He recognized their way in no time. They had spent too many years in this space wreck not to know each nook by heart. The soft lights running on the baseboards, the throbbing of the recycled air and the patchwork of the parts they fixed again and again over the years. Killer didn't know where Penguin was leading them so fast but he wasn't in the mood to share his excitement. Being put of the infirmary wasn't doing him any good, it didn't change the fact that he was a dead weight pulled by Penguin from a hall to another. They kept progressing in the ship that'd been their home for years now. Killer would always know where he was inside of it no matter how huge it was, he couldn't miss the narrow stairs where Wire was always bumping his head or the weird angle the halls were bending around the massive central core.
"We're going near the engines?" Killer finally asked too curious about the mischievous smile stretching Penguin's lips. "No spoilers!" He replied with a throaty laugh.
He pulled Killer a little closer, speeding up in the familiar rooms. They tried to keep quiet as everybody was sleeping or pretending to be. And suddenly Penguin stopped in the middle of a maintenance chamber. Killer went on immediate alert, searching what might have caused Penguin's abrupt halt. He might not be able to give a punch but he was still ready to put on a fight with everything that'd threaten his lover! With both of them hid behind the high door, Penguin turned towards Killer his eyes lost in the distance as if he was focusing on his hearing, "Sshh..." He intimated placing a finger on Killer's lips, "You hear that?" His lover shook his head with a frown, his lips sealed by a pale finger that he'd have been tempted to bite lovingly in other times. Penguin's voice lowered to a frightened whisper while his eyes opened wide in horror, "It's the sound of someone not enjoying his freedom!"
Killer rolled his eyes high up and his shoulders relaxed. For this he yielded to his earlier want and bit Penguin's finger, "You animal," the hatted man snorted. "I set you free and that's how you thank me?"
Killer sighed, "Why don't you let me get better first?" He asked nuzzling in Penguin's neck "I need to rest-" "No." "No?" The hatted man lifted Killer's head to his eye level, both hands cupping his face, "You need to get in motion or you're going to rust and crumble in your bed," Penguin told seriously.
Killer knew Penguin was trying to help. But the man his lover was looking for wasn't here... Killer didn't know himself where he was. He couldn't possibly tell me Penguin that. So for him he put on a mask. He pulled up an old crooked smile that was hurting his lips but that brought a genuine happiness on Penguin's face. For him he could pretend everything was alright... Killer shushed his own worries with Penguin's mouth, sealing all he didn't want to confess between their lips. He kissed him to put these dark thoughts in a locker and let Penguin's bright spirit get the better out of him.
Penguin took his hand back and they started running in the ship again. It was easy to let his lover guide him. However in their running Penguin couldn't help but laugh like a child and Killer realized too late that Penguin's mood was contagious. Soon he was imagining with him being in a completely foreign place, racing to arrive at their destination first. At every hall's corner they were colliding and giggling before shushing one another, mostly with kisses. Killer didn't know when he stopped pretending and when he actually embraced feeling lighter than he had felt in months. Giggling stupidly just because it felt so fucking good. Even though he wouldn't admit aloud how much he missed this. He almost forgot the useless weighs at the end of his arms. Almost. Because they were still there, heavy at each pull Penguin was giving. Still unable to grab his lover's waist or to run a hand his hair. But Penguin managed to make Killer feel like it didn't matter. And that's all he needed right now.
They reached the huge doors of the eastern hangar and Killer started to wonder what Penguin actually had in mind. This part of the ship was usually used to store big cargos or ships but it wasn't a very safe storage. Despite being a huge room, it leaked a lot and had damaging some of their goods. If they left a crate more than two hours inside the crates were starting to suffer from slight lack of pressure in the air. "Are you planning to get us out in actual space?" Killer asked a bit more serious now.
"You wish," Penguin mocked. "But no, I planned something that won't require using hands."
Any reply Killer could have expressed was covered by the opening of one of the giant metallic panel. The exterior might seem rusty but it was part of the ship's main structure, solid as rock. But it didn't prevent Killer wondering what they would do here. He didn't fear the leaks, they were too minor for us to suffer from them. "Quick, come inside," Penguin urged him and Killer complied without thinking any further.
However he wasn't welcomed by the lower pressure as he expected but by a sharp coldness that bit cruelly through his light t-shirt. "Godammit, it's fucking cold here!" Killer complained restraining the need to rub his upper arms with malfunctioning cold hands. A heavy piece of fabric was suddenly held up in front of his nose. "That's why we've got coats," He heard Penguin laughed behind the fluffy clothing. It was Killer's dark green coat he hadn't seen out of his closet since their stop off on the snowy pole of Punk Hazard in the New World system. Waves of memories crashed onto Killer's mind. Some dreading and other particularly pleasant... Despite being annoyed by Penguin offering him more clothes instead of removing them, he let the smaller man pass him the coat and fasten its front.
Meanwhile Penguin was also dressing up in a warmer outfit. Killer took a look to the empty hangar. Behind the steam coming out of his mouth the huge room, able to contain a small spaceship was empty. Some old solid crates were still lined up in the back because they had found nowhere else to store them; but apart from that there was only a mat grey floor and high metal walls hold up by long arcs like the ribs of a giant creature.
We was about to turn back to Penguin for more explanations but he found himself alone when he did so. Then he saw his lover running towards the back of the room and the main panel control. "What are you up to?" Killer demanded.
"Shachi and I were supposed to help fixing the leaks in the room!" He explained while running to reach the panel faster. He was raising his voice while getting farther. "We did it, but since it doesn't leak the temperature regulator doesn't work! We tried to repair it for days but... you can feel how well we did up to now!" Penguin said ironically from far away. Oh yes it had came to Killer's mind just a bit. The blonde started to follow his lover's trail but he heard him yelled, "Don't move! I need to set something up first!"
For an instant the silence was only broken by the clung of a recalcitrant device being hit and a series of curses before light flooded the room from floor to ceiling.
All around Killer the walls had suddenly switched on and were showing projections of Punk Hazard's South Pole. The images flickered for a moment before they stabilized and Killer was surrounded by snowy mountains and light wind blowing the snowflakes in the distance. He could almost feel the wet touch of the snow melting against his skin and coolness of the air burning his lungs. It was fitting the freezing cold temperature of the hangar perfectly, and it suddenly occurred Killer the match might have been done on purpose.
"Don't worry I skipped the part of the video where we got chased by a Snow King," Penguin pointed out, back at Killer's side without him noticing.
Killer twisted his mouth, "Not my best memory of our stay there." As Penguin as said, it was simply a video, a short static passage played in repeat on the screens separated by the arcs holding up the hangar. They usually used this device to have a view of the outer space they were floating in. It'd been the only useful application they'd found for this hangar when they couldn't store things inside. Although the only thing that came to Killer's mind right now was peace. Space was great but when it was the only view of the world you had for months, you could feel so lost. Deep space sickness was a real thing, that's why they tried to land on a solid ground -preferably with atmosphere- at least every four weeks. Killer's throat tightened also he would deny it. He'd never have thought that the view of solid ground and an experience of another temperature than the ship's over controlled one could moved him so much. But here he was, his eyes were burning through the assault of snow and hot tears gathered underneath his eyelids.
Killer didn't feel Penguin's fingers intertwined with his cold lifeless hand, but he felt the pull on his arm and... oh how he wanted to grip those fingers in return. Killer focused and tried to feel the nerves in his arms. He tried to force the order from his brain for the hundredth time. Move... move! Over and over, but his metal hand remained inert.
Penguin smiled lovingly, "You know what I remember from this planet?" He asked with his eyes lost in the never ending replayed of the snowy landscape. "When-"
"When you taught me ice skating," Killer answered before him, sniffling. "This clearly made our forced stay there much better."
"You were so stiff and concentrated," Penguin mocked, imitating Killer's frown from under his cap.
"At the beginning" Killer remembered him.
"You were thinking too much," Penguin didn't let go. With his finger he jabbed Killer's forehead through his hair, "Just like now." Killer stepped back with a growl, raging to be unable to cross his arms. But Penguin hadn't finish with him yet. "Now sit here," the hatted man commanded while pushing Killer backwards on an old crate.
"What do you want to do now? Recreate the moment where we've been locked in a bunker for weeks on this winter planet?" Killer mocked at his turn.
"I don't remember you complaining about it when we had to warm ourselves up," Penguin grinned.
"It's not sleeping with you that were ruining the mood; it was sleeping with the rest of the crew."
On that matter Penguin didn't have a counter argument, so he kneeled down and fetch a bag laid down by the crates. He pulled out a pair of zero gravity boots. They were unmistakable with the propellers on its sides, needed to defy gravity. They were only used outside though, either to navigate in outer space or to create a small gravity field to keep you on the ground. Shoes like those were also very useful in case the artificial gravity of the ship was down. Thankfully they never came to that extremity... more than once or twice.
Penguin put Killer's boots on his feet and turned the propelling on before doing the same with his own shoes. Sure, Killer thought with absolutely no idea to where Penguin wanted to lead them. But he'd learn not asking too much questions when his lover came up with crazy schemes.
"Now stand up," Penguin told outstretching his hand to his lover. Killer put his prosthetic hand in Penguin's one without question. He expected them taking off when actually their feet barely left the ground. And when Killer stood up from the crate he almost fell head over heels. The only thing that prevented him to smash his butt on the ground had been Penguin's solid grip.
"The f- How did you adjust them?! It's fucking slipping! We're not on-"
"-Ice?" Penguin finished with a huge smug grin on his face. And then something clicked in Killer's head. "Come on," Penguin kept smiling while skating backwards like he was sliding on actual ice, "Show me if you hadn't lost everything I taught you."
Killer's first steps were a bit clumsy but quickly he was able to regain his balance. His back was still aching but his legs worked fine and soon he was able to follow Penguin's trail without him holding his hand. Nonetheless their hands didn't separate as they were moving on the hangar's floor, surrounded by snowy mountains. They followed a curved line and gained speed. Killer was amazed by the air rushing through his hair and his body moving effortlessly after being static for so long. He guessed that running through the ship had been a good warm up. His muscled unknotted and his back straightened up. It felt like waking up from a long sleep.
"How did you do that?" He asked his lover with an amazed voice.
"With a lot of accomplices and an eternal debt to Kid," Penguin laughed, a bit bitterly on the end.
"I mean the shoes, especially."
Of course the first thing the second mechanic in command would be interested in was the technical part.
"Oh, Shachi played with them to be as tall as me. So he set the propelling to the minimum, and you missed one of his best falls it was hilarious!" Penguin recalled before he resumed, "Anyway, it seems on the lowest setting the electromagnetic energy of the boots offset the short distance between your feet and the ground by creating a tension that's making you slide on the surface you're on. Or so Kid tried to explain us."
Killer knew it was definitely more complex than that but he understood the global process. The result was amazing though. With Penguin's hand still griping his, Killer turned and started skating backwards his eyes devouring his lover through his long hair.
Penguin blushed, he knew for long when Killer was looking at him so intensely, "Show off." The hatted man whimpered while Killer made them smoothly change of direction without even looking in front of him. He was lazily skating from one long leg to another. It appeared like Killer had been practicing for years and not only a few weeks stuck on a snowy planet. Nevertheless Penguin would not admit being jealous. Of his tall gorgeous unfairly skilled lover? Never.
They kept skating until they lost count of time, sliding in endless circles in the hangar. In the middle of the snowy mountains Penguin had brought aboard just for Killer. And in spite of the cold, warmth wreathed Killer's chest.
He let Penguin slid closer while their speed was slowly decreasing as the time flew. Penguin had leaned on Killer, his hatted head resting on his shoulder. And he held Killer's right metal arm pressed between their bodies. His lover's long blonde mane was cascading in Penguin's back, waving slightly with their slow motion. Killer's cheek rested on the top of Penguin' head. The blonde's half lidded eyes were telling his want to fall asleep right here and there. He was so warm and well. He didn't want to come back to the cold reality where he couldn't hold his lover... Don't think, Killer commanded himself. Don't think, he repeated while snuggling closer to Penguin, slowing down their dance to a lazy back and forth motion. Penguin had lifted Killer's left hand up, and was playing with the metal fingers. He intertwined his human fingers with the prosthesis ones, and moved the lifeless articulations absent-mindedly.
"You'll like landing on a summer planet next time?" Penguin questioned, his voice muffled by the fur of Killer's coat.
"No fun if you melt once on ground North boy," Killer made fun in a murmur.
"I can handle summer!" Penguin protested without vigor, "You handled winter."
"'S not because I survived warm up by you every night that you'll overcome heat and sunburns."
Penguin sulked, in search of a sharp comeback while he was folding Killer's middle finger. The metal digit slipped out of his hand and continued to flex after Penguin let it go.
It continued moving... on his own!
The hatted man hold on a sharp breath, he tried not giving anything away but surely Killer might have sensed his body stiffened in shock... With a tone he hoped that'd appear natural, Penguin went on, "If I get sunburns, would you rub a cream into my poor skin?"
Killer laughed lightly, unaware of his index and ring finger folding up at their turn between Penguin's fingers, "Don't wanna to break it to you, but it's not as sexy as you imagine actually."
Penguin attempted to find something else. He had to keep Killer talking or he would tensed and break the motion he had initiated in his hand without thinking. Penguin didn't want it to stop yet. Ever so slightly he tightened his fingers between the metallic ones... and they clutched in response.
"Yeah," was all Penguin found to tell, "But... for the view of you in light summer clothing, I can suffer hell and beyond," He continued although his joy was piercing in his voice, "We'll go swimming and eat ice cream."
"I don't know how the hands will do in water," Killer sighed bitterly and Penguin noticed how he named them 'the' and not 'my'. Too bad because HIS hand was currently hugging Penguin's one. Not like a mechanical twitch resulting from hazard but with a real firm grip. And now it was lasting Penguin didn't want Killer to miss it.
Smoothly Penguin brought their intertwined hands to his mouth and kissed them. But it solely made Killer nuzzled deeper in the crook of his neck. Penguin pouted, tempted to shove his functioning hand in Killer's face.
Penguin suddenly felt a gentle bite right under his ear and Killer's caressing voice murmured, "The ice cream part sounded nice though... You'll feed me some?"
Any time! Penguin raged in his head, You! Me! Ice cream! Preferably all over your body! But just look at your goddamn hands right now!
"Killer."
"Hm?"
"Killer," Penguin pressed, then shrugged the blonde's head off his shoulder, their hands still gripped together.
Killer lifted his head, relaxing his back as he straightened up, and rest his forehead on the peak of Penguin's cap, "You wanna get out?"
From his height Killer couldn't see the vein growing on Penguin's forehead but he distinctly heard his lover's exasperated sigh.
Before he understood what he did to deserve it, Penguin shoved Killer in the chest and the blonde fell backwards. By instincts he grabbed hold on Penguin's coat right before hitting the floor. Penguin was actually glad he anticipated that and leaned on his leg to stop their fall. It was nice to have Killer leaned back, tightening his grip to keep his body above the ground. The long blonde hair on his forehead had parted in his fall and Penguin met Killer's murderous glare. Right before something clicked in his lover's eyes.
Penguin would remember his face till the end of his days. His eyes opened wide when he realized what he was doing, his gaze unable to detach from his prosthesis gripping Penguin's coat strongly while his other intertwined with his human hand. Killer's eyebrows smoothed down uncertain between frowning in front of the unbelievable or lifting up in shock. His lips had parted, bottom lip hanging slightly in invitation for a word to go out but no sound seemed able to pass. He remained astoundingly out of word. His earlier frown fading into an expression of pure surprise. His eyes became bright as tear gathered above his reddened bottom lids. For a moment water filled Killer's eyes before uncontrollable hot tears ran down freely on the sides of his face. As the realization started imposing itself, his hanging jaw closed and his lips cracked into a painful relieved smile, twisted and slowly forming as he couldn't believe it entirely. His hands were moving...
Penguin's back started to protest vehemently having to support Killer's weigh much longer. So he brought them up on their feet. Even though Penguin didn't let go of his astounded lover. Killer's mechanic finger slowly unclenched from Penguin's and he looked at his new arms like he was seeing them for the first time. He folded and unfolded his fingers overwhelmed by that simple motion. He lifted them up to his head before running them through his hair. Killer had a strangled maniacal laugh that let steam out of his mouth. He finally looked at Penguin who was mirroring his wet and smiling expression. Killer didn't resist cupping his lover's face and caressed his cheek with his metal thumb. The bright grey of the prosthesis offered a stark contrast with Penguin's pale skin. Killer plunged on his mouth devouring him with the same joy that was filling his body.
His hands wandered everywhere on Penguin. Touching, rubbing, pressing, gripping, sliding, feeling the slight tingling in the artificial nerves at the tip of his new fingers. He couldn't have enough of a lifetime to enjoy those simple gestures. Penguin pulled back of the blonde's mouth to breathe heavily. He suddenly felt Killer's strong grip on his waist before he was lifted up in the air. Killer made the hatted man twirled effortlessly bursting out in laughter. The sound lifted Penguin's mood so up he felt his chest about to explode. They turned several times until their head spun and Killer was unbalanced. Too much to even try to keep him on his feet. The treacherous zero gravity boots slid under his clumsy steps and made them both fall on the hangar's ground. Laughing and short of breath in a mess of tangled limbs.
"You okay?" Penguin asked on top of Killer, worry slightly tainted his laughter.
Killer plunged into his lover's eyes. He had his legs intertwined with him, a hand gripping his waist tight, his heart fluttering so strongly he could feel it through their coats. With his free metal hand Killer reset Penguin's cap properly on his head. A blissful smile was sticking to Killer's lips when he answered.
"Yes, I'm great."