((Hey there! I- like most of the fandom- absolutely adore the idea of human!Wheatley and stories like Blue Sky. This story can be thought of as an epilogue of sorts to this AU- not directly based on Waffle's awesome story, but definetly inspired by it. The title was taken from the song by Regina Spektor. Enjoy!))
-oOo-
"Now we're back at the beginning
It's just a feeling and no one knows yet
But just because they can't feel it too
Doesn't mean that you have to forget
Let your memories grow stronger and stronger
'Til they're before your eyes
You'll come back when they call you
No need to say goodbye..."
-oOo-
It was a sunny day.
The sky was a bright, clear blue, small puffs of cloud drifted past, and a gentle wind blew through golden wheat stalks gleaming in the sunshine.
It was the kind of day that could only be described as artificially perfect- like you're walking through a photograph, and if you touch something, it'll fade into nothing but shape and color.
The wheat felid swept the land for what seemed like a never ending stretch, miles and miles of gold that bled into another mile which led into another, which led into another, and so on and so forth.
Trying to find the end would be like finding a needle in-well- a void of a hay stack, with no true path or destination.
They, of course, knew better.
Through the edge of the field- the end- a child ran, little chubby hands pushing wheat away as fast as they could. She kept looking behind herself, grey eyes wide, blonde curls bouncing wildly underneath the white sun hat tied around her neck.
Whatever was chasing her was gaining fast, ready to scoop up its victim in its arms and not let it go.
The little girl was laughing.
Giggles exploded from her, becoming louder every time she looked back. She was having a great time, frankly, not wanting to stop this chase anytime soon.
As it turned out, the "whatever it was" was actually a young woman only a few inches away, arms out stretched and grinning from ear to ear. Her shoulders shook in what was quiet laughter if you were close enough, and every step she took was purposely big and slow.
One step more, and she'd catch her easily...
but where was the fun in that?
Not too far off from the fields end, standing right between where grass stopped and wheat began, was a third person, an observer.
He was pretty hard to miss, honestly- almost seven feet tall, skinny as a rail, messy sand colored hair, blue eyes the color of that artificially perfect sky.
The man watched the woman and child play "cat and mouse" with each other, a warm smile on his lips. Usually, he was the cat- metaphorically speaking, of course- but today he felt better just watching them go at it. Run around with each other until one or both got tired , or the sun went down, or a storm came, something like that.
Actually, the more he thought about it, the more he realized how much he had done that as of late. Instead of being the first to jump in and try every possible way of doing something, he just shook his head and said
"Nah, 's alright, you go ahead. I'll watch."
Came with being human for almost ten years now, he suspected.
Time had definitely changed him, that was for sure. His skin was more pinkish, and his eyes were a softer bluish, and lines became permanently creased from laughter or frowning or whatever he felt at the time on his face. His sharp, bony body was a little less sharp and a little more... Squishy? A weird word, but he'd take it. The tiniest hints of grey would appear sometimes in his hair, which both bothered him immensely and satisfied him.
But most of all was his talking, or increasing lack there of.
Instead of blurting out whatever came to mind and just continuing even if he'd have nothing to say, he'd stop and assess the situation before speaking. Things made a lot more sense to him when that happened, and eventually it became a habit.
He was still himself, but with an off button he could control at will.
He'd remember things much clearer- memories sometimes flooding back at random.
It could be a small thing, like remembering to get apples at the store or don't put forks in the oven, or big things, like, say, a lab, and a rail, and portals and other little robots.
Her.
Android Hell.
The feeling of not being taken seriously no matter how hard he tried and an itch and power and being big and grab me grab me and the moon and robotic hands ripping him apart and waking up with a bloody human body and Oh God I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm-
Or remembering that this was the same day, ten years ago, that she
found him in this exact spot in this exact field and saved his newly human life.
An outstretched hand, grabbed by his dirty trembling one, cold grey eyes softening, a foreign feeling of safety.
He wondered if his mind had done that on purpose. Decided that after so long hiding away, this would be the perfect day to go back to that field unafraid of what lied ahead. They'd both swore before that they'd never go back anywhere near the place- and here they were, playing cat and mouse.
It wouldn't be that surprising- his mind liked to play tricks on him sometimes. It was just so.. What was that word... Oh! Ironic! That was it, yep. Ironic.
It was an ironic twist of fate, a joke even.
But see, the thing was, he wasn't afraid. Not anymore.
Huh.
"I'm coming for you!"
The voice broke him out of his thoughts, turning to look at the woman, who's slow steps had turned to running as the child shrieked with laughter and toddled even faster away.
He wondered if she remembered.
If she remembered what today is, how important today is, a life changing kind of day that might be deserving of some form of recognition.
She'd never admit it if she did, he knew that, but the possibility was still there.
Of course, time had changed her too.
The woman's hair was tied in a loose ponytail, black strands hanging in front of her face. Grey eyes shone as brightly as lightning, and color flooded her cheeks.
She was smiling.
Completely, one hundred percent smiling. No sign of force, no strain- just a big, cheerful smile that makes others want to smile right back.
Not once at that awful place had he seen he'd see her face positively glowing like that, her skin sun-kissed and hair flying free.
And something about that caught his breath in his throat, made his heart feel full enough to burst.
She had fell.
Her overalls landed with a tiny oomph, sun hat askew.
A funny look was on her face, one that most toddlers had when they were about to start-
And then she was laughing again, hands digging into the brown earth in a way that was both hers and everyone else's.
A mother's never ending determination.
A father's never ending optimism.
A product not of desperate company mandates or the idea of a test subject that would never need to be plugged anywhere, but a product of promises, of changes and explanation and hopes and time and growth and devotion and love and choice.
All wrapped up in this tiny, rosy cheeked miracle that had he couldn't imagine his life without.
his life.
His one, solid, human life.
No one else's. Just his.
The tightness in his throat became stronger, and hit him with a sudden realization:
Humanity, thought to be a curse, a punishment at a time- had become the ultimate gift, giving him so much more than he ever thought he'd get and then some.
Time had passed, and it'd keep on passing, and he'd be right there in the thick of it. Just little old him, one drop of water in a sea of millions, experiencing life the same way any average person could.
And that was perfect.
His fingers brushed up against his cheek, coming back warm and wet. He closed his palm and took a deep breath, taking in it all, not wanting to forget it for a second.
Thank you. Thank you for this.
She had picked herself up, calling out to him and holding out her hands.
"Daddy! Daddy!"
Thank you so much.
He felt his legs move under him as he ran out into the wheat, scooping up the tiny girl in his arms and spinning around and around, hearing happy squeals.
He laughed, closing his eyes and wrapping the small body in a big hug. When he opened them again, she stood there with a hand on his shoulder. He bent down and pressed a kiss to her forehead, thumb tracing her features.
She stared up gently, gold dancing behind her, and then- he almost missed it- he saw her smiling at him for the first time again, intertwined with a bubbly blonde giggle ringing in his ears like music.
He pulled her close and just let the world move around him and her and the little one chewing on his sweater, feeling complete in every sense of the word as a breeze blew and clouds passed by and the sky was a bright, clear blue.
It was a sunny day.
Wheatley was happy.