This work is part of a series.
The Reconnaissance Model - Melody - Bubbles - The Storm - Abused
This is another work that was inspired by JCK22's art.
The original concept of the Xenomorph came from an AU art by CreatureXIII for their RK800 Connor Xenomorph. JCK22 has since made their own interpretation of an RK900 version.
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Much love!
Tiny grunted miserably as he lay on his stomach in the middle of the entrance hall. He was staring at the door. The same door Gavin had walked out three weeks ago. The exact spot he'd been sitting on as he'd watched him leave with a hurried goodbye. During the first week, Tiny had left his place and wandered around the house, only returning around the times Gavin usually came back. The first afternoon, he'd thought perhaps work had been busy. Gavin didn't come every lunchtime, and he'd been coming less for weeks before that. He'd felt the same when evening came. It wasn't unusual for Gavin not to visit. He'd gone four days without stopping by before. Tiny could wait.
On the fifth day, he'd started to worry. On the sixth day, he'd remained closer to the entrance hall. On the seventh day, he'd returned to that very spot. The spot where Gavin had left him. Perhaps if he waited exactly where he'd been left, Gavin would somehow remember to come back. It made no logical sense. His processors had told him that much, but still he'd stayed. Chloe had tried to coax him from his place at first, bringing him books and toys, or playing music in her parlour. Nothing could get him to move. She'd taken to sitting with him sometimes, bringing blankets and cushions. Teasing him with toys. Pouring him glasses of thirium that would often be left untouched.
Perhaps there was something he could have done sooner to stop Gavin from leaving. Around four months ago, Gavin's mood had suddenly improved. He'd met someone. Someone he called a boyfriend. Tiny hadn't liked the idea, but this boyfriend had made Gavin happy. Gavin was generally happy when he visited anyway, but he'd had a new sparkle in his eyes with every mention of this boyfriend. He'd shown Tiny a picture once. He'd looked like a normal human. Larger than Gavin. Strong. He supposed he would make a pleasing mate. Good for protection and security. Tiny was unsure how to catalogue his looks. He found Gavin pleasing to the eye. This other human was not Gavin. He was different. He had no scars on his face. No prickly hairs on his chin. He had lighter hair than Gavin and kept it a little longer. Where Gavin's eyes were a dirty mixture of green, grey, and hazel, this other man's eyes were a clear blue. He was not Gavin. Tiny had clicked and grunted at the picture. Gavin had laughed and called him jealous. Was he jealous? What did jealousy look like?
After the first two happy weeks, Gavin had started to look different. A bad sort of different. It was small things at first. He'd started getting dark rings beneath his eyes. He'd always looked a little tired, but the rings seemed suddenly more obvious. He also seemed tired. Lethargic. His voice would often sound hoarse or rough, as if he'd been screaming or shouting. Sometimes his eyes would look red and irritated, and his smile would look forced. He'd often seemed somewhat sad. He would spend more time sitting at the piano, playing idly with the keys, than out walking on the mountainside. Tiny missed their walks, but he was always pleased to sit with Gavin. Sometimes his phone would ring and he'd talk in quiet tones. He'd often seemed happier after these calls and left soon after.
During the next month, Tiny had noticed other things. Gavin was less energetic, but also less open to physical contact. He would wince or hiss in discomfort as Tiny climbed to his usual perch on his shoulders. He'd always say he was fine, but he was clearly in some discomfort. Tiny was unsure what had happened. Had he hurt himself at work? It happened sometimes, but at those times Gavin would usually tell him why. Sometimes he'd even show him the injuries and tell him fantastical stories about street fights and shootouts. This time Gavin hadn't told him. He'd tugged his sweater lower to cover himself more.
As time wore on, Gavin was always covered. He didn't spend the night anymore, so he didn't change his clothes. They didn't go walking, so he didn't take baths. Even when the mansion was quite warm, Gavin would wear his heavy hoodies or sweaters. One day, Gavin had come over with a support strap on his wrist. Tiny had been concerned. He'd chittered and clicked, laying his clawed hand on top of Gavin's. Gavin had looked strange. A sad sort of strange. Perhaps embarrassed. He'd tugged the sleeve of his hoodie lower to cover the splint without comment and pulled his hood up. Tiny had trilled in question, troubled to hear Gavin sniffling. Curling up in his lap had seemed to comfort him somewhat. He hadn't drawn attention to the injury again after that.
Gavin's visits had become rarer and rarer, and grew shorter and shorter. Tiny would no longer skitter to meet him in excitement. He'd approach almost cautiously, afraid that climbing his body would hurt. Gavin would greet him tiredly and pet his head before leading him deeper into the house. Sometimes to Chloe's parlour. Sometimes to his bedroom. Sometimes to one of the smaller living rooms. He seemed to actively avoid meeting Elijah or Chloe during his visits, and when he saw them, he'd always try to seem a little happier or more energetic. Chloe had shared her concerns with him. Something was wrong with Gavin, but it was important to allow him to come to them for help. Tiny didn't understand, but he trusted Chloe. Chloe was usually right.
One day, Gavin had entered with a visible injury. Tiny had screeched and grunted, his claws scraping across the floor as he'd run around Gavin's feet in question. There had been bruising on his throat, barely hidden by the loose hoodie he was wearing. He'd said it was nothing, that he was fine. That didn't explain the marks. What had happened? Who had done it? He'd scanned the mark. It had been caused by a hand. A human hand. Had he fought someone at work? Usually, Gavin would share such things with him. Why was this mark different? Tiny wasn't the only one who'd noticed. During that visit, Elijah had seen it. Gavin had evaded his questions, insisting it was fine. It had been an accident. If it had been an accident, then why hadn't he told them about it? Tiny was confused. Gavin had always told him such things before.
The final visit had been far worse. He'd come in with his hood up, barely stopping to greet him in his haste to get upstairs. Tiny had followed close on his heels, chittering in greeting and hoping for some form of acknowledgement. Gavin had at least allowed him into his room before closing the door. Tiny had followed him into the bathroom and watched as he'd pulled the hood down to examine his face. Tiny's LED had spun red, the delicate seams across his body and the segments in his tail also lighting up in distress. He'd scrambled up onto the counter, screeching and nudging Gavin's arm in distress. One of his eyes had a dark bruise forming beneath it. The area had looked swollen and painful, and his lip had been cut. He'd been struck in the face at least twice.
"Phck, that fucker really did a number on me…" He'd winced and hissed as he'd cooled a cloth and cleaned his split lip. Tiny had known that wouldn't help the swelling, so he'd called for Chloe internally. He'd known Chloe would know how to help. Gavin had outright panicked as Chloe's gentle knock had sounded on the bathroom door, her soothing voice asking him to open up. He'd done his best to lessen the damage by hiding the towel and pulling his hood low over his head. That hadn't stopped her from noticing. She'd brought an icepack, since Tiny had mentioned the swelling, and a small first aid kit to clean the bleeding. Gavin had that look again. Was he ashamed? That feeing didn't fit the situation. Why would Gavin be ashamed of an injury?
"Oh…Gavin…" Chloe's gentle words had caused the worst reaction. Tiny had seen Gavin annoyed before. He'd seen Gavin angry about work. He'd seen Gavin confused. He'd seen Gavin happy. He'd seen Gavin tired and lethargic. He'd seen Gavin sad and quietly sniffling. He'd never seen Gavin crying like that though. All it had taken was Chloe's gentle hands cupping his cheeks, and he'd burst like a dam. Tiny had skittered around their feet in concern as Chloe had held Gavin close, his face buried in her small shoulder. He'd held her so tightly, Tiny had been concerned for her more delicate casing. She'd endured it with soft words and soothing touches until he'd calmed. She'd helped him clean up afterwards. He'd held the small icepack to his swollen eye as she'd disinfected his lip, trying to pry out details all the while. Gavin had refused to say anything about it.
"It was nothing. I'm just being dumb," he'd insisted with a small huff of self-reproach. Tiny didn't understand. Why was it dumb to cry? Or had he done something foolish that had led to crying? If it was nothing, then why had it caused such a volatile reaction? Tiny wished to voice these questions. Perhaps he would ask Chloe later. Chloe had been far more sympathetic than Elijah when he'd found out. Tiny had never seen them argue before. They were brothers. They'd always been extremely close. He'd never heard either raise their voice to the other, unless in jest or minor annoyance. Tiny had screeched and clicked, pattering between them worriedly.
"You should call the police! It's physical assault!" Elijah had yelled, both of them almost standing chest to chest. They hadn't laid hands on each other yet, and Tiny had been unsure they would. He'd never seen Elijah raise a hand to anyone, including himself. He'd never seen Gavin strike out at anyone either, though he knew from his stories that he was capable. Elijah's hands were on his hips, while Gavin's were crossed defensively as he shrugged deeper into his hoodie.
"I am the phcking police! I can handle it!" Tiny was unsure of the honesty in that statement, and Elijah's scoff seemed to side with him. Blood had trickled from the cut on Gavin's lip as they'd shouted. The wound had yet to heal, so it had split open again. Gavin had looked shocked and somehow timid as Elijah had reached up and tugged his hood down, exposing his bruised face to the brighter light of the entrance hall.
"Is this what you call handling it?" Elijah had demanded as he'd waved a hand up and down Gavin's body. Tiny had never seen such an expression on Gavin's face before. He'd looked vulnerable. Shocked. Ashamed. He'd lowered his gaze to the floor, his jaw stiff as he'd ground his teeth. The silence had been deafening. Gavin hadn't responded other than to grumble out a goodbye and head for the door. Chloe had called after him, trying to stop him. "Chloe, let him go…He'll call us if he needs us." Elijah had said it loud enough for Gavin to hear. Tiny was unsure if that had been meant as a dismissal or a sincere offer, an assurance that he would still be there if he called. Either way, Gavin had headed for the door. Tiny had chased after him, screeching and clicking his objections.
"See you later, Tiny…Bye," was all Gavin had said. His eyes had been red and irritated as he'd pulled his hood up. Tiny had skittered towards the door until it had shut with a firm click. He'd looked back at Elijah and Chloe, screeching and chittering while nodding to the door. Elijah had sighed and returned to his lab. Tiny had screeched again, scratching the door. He'd heard a car. Gavin's car. It had crunched the gravel as he'd pulled out. Gavin was leaving. Tiny had looked back at Chloe, clicking quietly. She'd been gentle and sympathetic as she'd crouched at his side and stroked his small head.
"Don't worry…He'll be back." That's what she'd said three weeks ago. Since then, Tiny had heard many phone calls. Elijah had called him many times to leave him messages. Chloe, too. Elijah was sorry. Chloe was worried. Gavin hadn't called back. Elijah knew he was at least alive. He was still turning up at work, as far as Elijah and Chloe knew. If he went to work, why didn't he come to the mansion? Chloe had said he'd come back. Gavin had not come back. Tiny was waiting, and Gavin had not come back. Tiny chittered miserably as he stared at the door. When would Gavin come back?