[TRIGGER WARNING: SOME BLOOD, SLIGHT AND PRIMARILY IMPLIED AN INSIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF GORE BUT IF YOU'RE SQUEEMISH AND YOU PICTURE EVERYTHING IN YOUR HEAD IT'S KIND OF NASTY SO YEAH, THAT'S WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY. ALSO SLIGHT SMUT TOWARDS THE END?]

Jay had never been so nervous as he was now, standing in front of Alex's door. In his mind he saw two ways this meeting could go. Either Alex would be pleased to have a new arm and perhaps Jay would be at least partially forgiven, or Alex would try to kill him with his one good arm and he would have to spend the rest of forever feeling horrible about everything. He hesitated a moment before rapping his knuckles sharply on the heavy wooden door and listened for any sounds of movement. The door swung open and Alex's expression immediately switched from one of neutrality to one of pure rage.

"What the hell do you want?"
Jay swallowed hard and extended the box containing the new appendage, trying not to stare at the empty shirt sleeve.
"I-I just thought...you know, because of everything that happened...you might want a, uh, replacement..." His voice trailed off and he looked away. Alex eyed him suspiciously.
"You didn't bring that...abomination, did you?"
"I didn't bring Tim, no." He felt a stab of anger at these words, but he supposed Alex's concern was rather justified. "You want me to attach it?"
"No I'll just stick it on with my good arm and hope it miraculously merges into my body. What do you think, idiot?" Alex huffed, motioned for him to enter.

The house was surprisingly cluttered. Jay always imagined Alex being very tidy and particular about everything, especially his living space. Instead, boxes and papers and folders were strewn everywhere. All the curtains were drawn, the only source of light being from a bronze gooseneck desk lamp. Jay didn't really like the way it felt, in all honesty. The whole atmosphere gave off a vibe of desperation, as if someone had searched frantically for something and torn the house apart in the process.

"Excuse the mess. I've been busy with research." Alex pushed a pile of papers off of a desk chair and sat down.
"Oh? On what?" Jay pried open the lock on the toolbox he'd brought and started laying out his equipment on the desk.
"Nothing of interest to you." He snapped.
"Oh, sorry." There was a quiet, awkward moment of tension as Jay began his work. "So...How have you been?"
Alex fixed him with a cold, incredulous stare. Jay drew in a sharp breath.
"Sorry. Nevermind."

No matter how many times Tim swore he'd stay home, that he wouldn't follow Jay to Alex's house, Jay had still insisted he stay with Jessica and Brian until he got back. He sat now in the corner of Jessica's workshop on a small stack of tires. Watching Brian work was actually mildly disturbing to Tim. He didn't move like a human, not really. He didn't make suggestions about what material might be better for this particular thing or ask questions about the function of what he was building. Jessica said "do this" and Brian did just that. Tim shuddered. Was that what being a robot was supposed to be like? Cold, impersonal, just a machine to complete the tasks you didn't want to do?

"Hey, Tim, can you help me out with this?"
"Probably." He made his way across the workshop to where Jessica was working on a particularly rare machine - a car.

There really weren't any in Cascade, even though there were paved roads. Everyone used the Cross-Track, a winding subway system below the city with two main lines that lead out of the city. Occasionally a car came in on a shipping train, damaged in some way or waiting to be assembled. Automotive mechanics were considered specialists and as far as Tim knew, Jessica was the only one in Cascade.

"See that bar-like thing across the back? That's the bumper. Get your hands under that and lift, please. Yeah, like that."
"Don't you want him doing this? He knows how to work on these things, doesn't he?" Tim looked over at Brian as he held the back end of the car up. He was still working away with a bored look on his face. Tim hadn't seen a change in that expression since meeting him.
"He's not built as sturdily as you are, so he mostly assembles stuff. I just don't want to deal with pushing this thing back onto the lift, and you just happen to be here and capable. i hope you don't mind?"
"I don't care. Why do you need to get under it? What's wrong with it?"
Jessica slid out from under the car and smiled up at him.
"You're very curious for a bot. Bots don't usually ask questions or make small talk. I'll have to ask Jay how he made you so smart. You're almost human!"
"I'm not just a bot." Tim mumbled as she disappeared beneath the car again, annoyed and slightly hurt by the label. Jay never called him a robot. Alex did, but Alex was just some pretentious asshole. Alex was wrong by default as far as Tim was concerned.

"How did it go?"
"Fine, I guess."
"You don't look fine."

Jay slumped down into a chair, burying his head in his arms on the kitchen table. He had come home quite battered and exhausted. Even Jessica knew better than to question him when he came to pick up Tim.

"The arm works just fine. I think I'm forgiven for now."
"Why is there blood on your shirt?" Tim sat down across from him and Jay could almost feel himself being analyzed, checked over for any reason to yell about Alex.
"Maybe because I had to undo a bunch of stitches and stick my hands all over a freshly opened wound?"

Tim didn't say anything. Jay sighed. He was aggravated. He was covered in blood and his head was pounding. For the past several hours he had endured Alex's cursing and lecturing while he worked in complete silence, internally defending Tim to the point of almost making up excuses for his behavior.

He's not normally violent, just around you.
All occasions of violence have occurred in your presence.
Maybe you're the common denominator, ever think of that?
He's just really protective. I programmed him that way.
One violent outburst doesn't mean he's "gone rogue" it means he needs some work on anger management.

He was jolted from his thoughts by a pair of strong hands on his shoulders. For a moment he thought Tim might throw him across the room or some other thing that would prove Alex's point. But he didn't. He simply guided Jay gently into the upright position, leaned down, and kissed his neck tenderly.

"I'm sorry, Jay."
"I-It's fine. I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to be rude." Jay could feel his heartbeat quickening. Tim was massaging his shoulders gently and, Jay noted, he was doing an excellent job of monitoring how hard he was pressing. Leaning his head back to rest on Tim's chest, a little whine passed his lips. Tim smirked. He knew exactly what he was doing.
"Why don't you lay down for a bit? I'll lay with you."
"Y-Yeah. That sounds r-really nice actually." Tim's hands had wandered down Jay's back, finding their way to all of his favorite spots.
"I could help you unwind a little."
"Why are you so excited all of the sudden?" Jay chuckled as Tim took his hand and began to lead him towards the bed.

Tim didn't respond until they were undressed, covering each other in kisses, hands finding their way to all the right places. Promises to be gentle and promises that it was okay if he wasn't were passed between the two men. Jay had completely forgotten that he had even asked the question as he wrapped his arms around Tim's neck, bracing himself for what was to come.

"I'm excited," Tim breathed the words into Jay's neck, kissing and nipping all along his jaw line and down to his collarbone. "Because I want you to make me feel human again."