Part One:

Nimble fingers paused slightly in their work as the sound of metal gently rapping on wood grew nearer. The noise was slow and steady, giving away the amble gait of 2. 5 turned around and smiled, "Have a look at this. I'd like to see what you think of it…"

The older stitchpunk rounded the corner with a soft smile on his face. He walked up and gingerly took the invention out of 5's outstretched hands. "I was thinking, maybe we could use it to see farther away. I remember the twins showing me a picture of it before they left.. and 6 said it was a… ah…"

"A telescope." 5's face brightened when 2 knew what it was. "I see you're taking inspiration from all around you." He looked up at the younger doll and tapped his own eyeglasses. "But I think if you used a different lens it would help you see farther…" His worn hands motioned 5 to follow him.

The pair quietly made their way out of the rundown church. Slipping around corners and treading softly, they reached a heap of things forgotten. 2 started sifting through objects as 5 watched keenly from behind.

"Here…" Turning around, 2 held out a small magnifying glass. The other stepped forward and took it from his hands. "Pry the glass out and it will amplify your telescope more."

For a second a frown formed in the soft fabric of 5's face. "Why don't you help me with it? It can be our project." His voice put emphasis on the 'our' though he hadn't meant to. He looked quickly away, hoping his mentor hadn't noticed.

"Yes, that would be nice…" The inventor thought a moment, "We'll need something to cut the glass." 5 gave an inquisitive look. "If we have many glass panels inside the telescope-"

"Then it'll be magnified that much more, perfect." 2 smiled proudly, his apprentice really was brilliant. Suddenly rather excited to be working again, the younger stitchpunk jumped up on the rubble and began searching. "If we can find a knife… and then maybe something to heat it with… do you think that will work?"

He paused, "worth a try, my friend." His eyes watched the number 5 printed on his back twist and contort as the metalwork inside moved. He looked down at his own body. Though 2 had been around for the better part of 4 and a half years his fabric was already coarse and thinning in places. His stitches had come undone many times and he had had to sew them back up; as well as any other holes that appeared.

Spectacled eyes then fell to his hands. What were once beautiful pieces of metal now had many nicks and had long since lost their original shine. But 5 still had his youth. Though his left eye was missing he could still see clearly and his fabric was still in good condition; only having to be sewn up a few times.

"Alright!" The young ragdoll popped his head out of the rubble. When he climbed out he grasped the bag slung over his shoulder, now filled with trinkets. "We should get Eight to help us. He can dig the knife deeper and then kick it through once it's cut. Better than we could anyway."

Both of them started back to the church, scanning around them for monsters. "Your depth perception is getting back to normal," 2 commented as his comrade avoided a slab of concrete protruding out at him.

He raised his hand and gently ran his fingers over his missing eye, not looking at 2. Though his eye had been lost years ago he couldn't shake that self-conscious feeling it brought. 2 was the only one who knew it still bothered him, he could tell by the awkward way 5 joked about being fine with it. Breathing a small 'yeah' he started to pick up the pace. But before he got too far ahead the inventor grabbed his wrist.

"Hey…" His eyes were sympathetic as his hand slid into 5's. The other almost held on, but instead shook his head and let go. 2 stopped walking for a beat before starting up again. The rest of their trip home was in silence.

--

"So you'll do it for us, right?" 8 picked up the objects needed to create the lenses for their telescope. He turned them over in his hands and nodded solidly. A happy-go-lucky smile flashed onto 5's face. "Perfect! Bring it up to the tower when you're done."

As the pair walked away 2 leaned into his partner and whispered, "I hope that brute gets it right. If the circles are off it's going to be hard work for us." He smiled playfully and gave him a gentle nudge.

They retreated to 2's workshop where they each took a chair to sit in. 5 relaxed in his while the other stitchpunk looked over the progress of his latest invention. "What are you working on?" Turning around he held out a small replica of the item 6 was always drawing.

"I had been meaning to work on something like this for a long time. It's something we can use to keep a look out for the real thing." 5 leaned in to look but didn't make to touch it. "Inside is a little light…" He opened the trinket gingerly and revealed a tiny light bulb with a green coating on it—not unlike a Christmas light.

"I wasn't going to add that, but Six said it was important." His skilled fingers connected a few wires inside and the bulb lit up. He held it out once more, a wide grin creased in the fabric of his face.

This time 5 took it from him and looked it over. "How did you get the light to be green like that?"

"Interesting story, I was out looking around one day when I came across this sort of film in a box. I can't remember what the box said anymore but there was a lot of this film. It was this nice green colour so I decided to take some back with me."

He laughed almost bitterly. "Of course the Beast found me half way and nearly made me lose all of it." Taking the replica back he lovingly touched the light. "I brought back enough though."

5 paused and watched the way 2 held and touched his inventions. A shiver ran through his frame, though he couldn't place why. "You didn't tell me you were making that one."

The teacher looked at him. "I guess I haven't mentioned it have I? It was more of a side project than anything." Still, the answer didn't make his apprentice feel better. Usually 2 told him everything; it was quite unlike him to keep a monster attack from him.

He forced a smile, "Yeah." Standing up he cracked his finger joints then remembered that 2 kept getting on him about forcing his metalwork. He gave a sheepish glance at his mentor, "Well… I think I'm going to go to bed for tonight."

Watching him walk off 2's stitched eyebrows knotted together. The growing darkness enclosed around him, a single candle fending it off. He reached up and removed his spectacles, worrying the fabric of his forehead. A member of the slowly dying cockroach species skittered across the floor.

Suddenly finding his shop rather lonely he got up and made his way to 5's room. His friend was sitting on the edge of his bed, staring blankly at the floor. A single eye looked up at him as he entered the room.

2's face creased into a soft smile as he clambered up and into his bed. He pulled the thick piece of cloth over his body and curled his arms around the soft bundle of fabric that was his pillow. For a while all that could be heard was the soft sound of the shutters of their eyes opening and closing. Finally 2 spoke, "You said you were going to bed."

"Going to bed doesn't mean going to sleep," he said with a melancholy smile. "I'm really tired but I can't seem to fall asleep."

"It would help if you were lying down and under covers." 5's body heaved off the bed and his metal feet made a soft noise as he landed on the wooden floor. "Where are you going now?"

The stitchpunk looked over at him, his single eye gave a slow blink. "I can't sleep here."

"And why not? I made that bed just for you, it should be perfect." His voice had a ting of hurt in it.

5 paced back and forth around the room. After a pause, "Five? Come sleep with me…" He turned around to look at him. "Company helps calm people down."

The apprentice hesitated, then moved forward. He climbed into 2's bed and settled in under the blanket. "Calm your mind, my friend." 2 reached out, gently running his metal fingers over the fabric of his partner's face.

With a single movement 5 wrapped his arms around his mentor and pressed his body close to his. His hands tugged slightly on the warn fabric of 2's back, but there was no protest. He almost squeamishly closed his eye, burring his face in the crook of his friend's neck.

"There, there… What's the matter, my dear boy?" 2 had one arm around his apprentice's waist as the other soothed his back.

"You didn't tell me the Beast attacked you. I could have lost you and I would have never known what happened…" The doll's voice was muffled but it was still understood.

Giving a sigh 2 held him closer and clutched onto his fabric. "I promise to tell you, Five. I won't leave without telling you… Not anymore."

The stitchpunk shook slightly before letting his gears relax. He made no motion to let go of his friend and instead started to slowly drift to sleep. 2 had promised—and promises mean everything.