The entire ride home you were lost in your head. Autopilot, recalling every sensation you experienced with Sun. You had a faint smile on your face that you hoped your Uber driver wouldn't notice as you reminisced and longed to be back at the Plex again, with him.
You're home, and as promised, you turn on your watch and send them a message.
You
hey guys, im home. safe and sound 3
Sundrop
Oh! We're so glad you're home okay! Pretty please make sure to get something to eat! And something to drink! And an ice pack for your wrist and knuckles! And please take care! We'll miss you Sunflower!
You
of course sunny, i will!
Moondrop
And enough sleep, Starlight~ Such an exciting day today, wasn't it?
You
oh. im not going to acknowledge that moon. ill text.. both of you i guess before i sleep, shouldnt be too long.
After smiling ear to ear reading Sun's recommended ministrations, your stomach jumps at the appearance of Moon's name also in the direct message, prompting a sharp exhale upon reading what he sent. You hold on to the tiniest ounce of hope that he's only referring to Parts and Service and Monty.. but you know better.
You had stopped outside your door to conversate with them, knowing Mimi would surely be there to barrage you with affection for being away so so long. You unlocked the door, and surely enough there she was, yelling for attention. You really wanted to pet her, but bending down was starting to hurt again. You settled on the small bench against the side of the stairs after setting your bag down to which she promptly hopped up on your lap and began vigorously attacking your left hand, your right you made sure to keep out of her needy reach. You rubbed her head and scratched her back as she headbutted into your chest and hand. You felt really bad for leaving her alone for so long. You hesitantly got up, and made your way over to her automatic cat feeder, still stocked up thankfully. Crouching down as to not bend your torso, you grabbed the almost empty water bowl as she almost knocked it out of your hand - not yet satisfied with the insufficient attention you've given her so far. You filled it up with water and made a mental note to clean the catbox before your shower, for now you were absolutely starving.
You make yourself two sandwiches with what you have in the fridge, grabbing a banana and a sizeable cup of water out of your purifier given how thirsty you were. The pain meds were also wearing off, and slowly your ribs began to burn and pinch, catching up with the exercise you were subjected to today.
The pain meds were pretty effective, but once they wore off it hit you like a truck, or SUV given your circumstances. Your wrists and knuckles ached, you could barely move your upper body, and you were exhausted. You dug through your bag resting on the table for the meds once more and popped one hoping it'd take effect quickly as you winced through the pain, carefully and methodically maneuvering up onto the barstool. Swallowing the bitter pill down with some water, you steadied your breaths before preparing to eat. You began taking small bites of your sandwich, the pain still ever present. You really hoped you didn't worsen the damage with all the moving you did today. Without the pain to brutally remind you what was broken, you're sure that's a possibility. Maybe Sun would have to take you to the infirmary again..
You felt the meds slowly start to take effect, letting out a brief sigh. You'd eaten everything, and were definitely going to need an actual breakfast tomorrow morning given how little you've been eating recently. Rinsing off your plate in the sink, you double checked to see if you had some tiny sausage rolls and dough for pigs in a blanket tomorrow, maybe cooking up some scrambled eggs along with them, lastly adding a glass of milk to the meal plan.
Mimi was hot on your heels as you walked out of the kitchen and onto the first step of your stairs before you stopped abruptly at hearing your phone ding. You didn't really wanna brave the stares yet anyway until the aching in your ribs was fully diminished. You made your way around the corner of the stairs, and past the bench you sat on to adore Mimi, making your way towards the ever so inviting sofa in the living room. You stopped halfway there for a second to observe the email sent to you, before being snapped out of your reading with pressure at your ankle and a subsequent "Ow."
You giggled as you reached down to pet the Roomba, to which it scurried away collecting up more dust and dirt.
Finally melting into the sofa, you sifted through the rest of the email. It was from Wendy detailing that the car they provided you was insured and the investigation found you weren't at fault whatsoever - it'd be taken care of and you should get a new ride in a day or two.
She then went on to address the Monty situation.
"Ya, watching the camera feed, he was in your personal space and we'll take your word he was genuinely threatening you. We really hope the experience wasn't too jarring, but rest easy knowing it shouldn't happen again. Regardless, I'm really sorry about it.. I'd like to interview you sometime later regarding the incident and also about what you've been doing at the Plex with Sundrop and Moondrop so far. I noticed you sent in a routine repair for Moondrop it looks like. Usually the technicians wouldn't get that far to begin with.. especially with Moondrop.. and those that did.. Anyways, I just wanna make sure you're okay!"
"The company is more than willing to pay for your hospital bills if needed regarding your wrist injury. We sent you a couple forms for you to fill out also at your earliest convenience, simply collecting a written report and confirmation that you're.. relatively okay."
"Also, I did want to mention that your FazWatch does record when you're in the building.. hope everything was okay last night! Especially in the Daycare lol. Pretty sweet of you to trek all the way back to the Plex after a whole car accident, all just to make sure they were okay :) hope the night went well!"
"On a more professional regard, you're more than welcome to stay within the Plex outside of your working hours. You won't get paid more unless it's requested and approved overtime for actual.. work lol. But you won't get in trouble really! :)"
"My office hours within the plex are 10am-12pm if you ever want to stop by btw"
"Feel better soon! Have fun :)"
"-Wendy"
You really hope she didn't know the full extent of what you've been doing the past day or so.. Regardless your tummy felt funny and you sighed at your inability to keep a crush secret.
After replying to her, disregarding the last few lines besides her office hours, you closed it and moved on to the documents they sent regarding the incident and filled them out before returning the email.
You sighed. Mimi protested at your movement on your lap as you sat up - you finally being able to brave the stairs given the pain meds were in full effect.
It was almost eight, and you were dead tired after your shower and other hygienic nightime routines. You took your FazWatch from it's charger you left it on before showering and texted your boys.
You
hey guys, im about to fall asleep. ill cya tomorrow at eight, ok? 3
Sundrop
Oh good good! Please rest well, but did you make surely sure to eat and drink and treat your poor little hand!?
You
oh. right. ugh. do i have to get up. i got something to eat and drink dont worry, but no ice pack, the pain meds are working great though!
Sundrop
Oh pretty pretty please take care of your wrist, okay? I really didn't mind taking care of it for you, but I'm not there now, am I?
You
ha.. yeah. i didnt mind it at all either.. but yea, ill go get one i guess. just cause u asked nicely 3
Your tummy filled with butterflies again at him remarking about earlier in the infirmary. You kinda really did wish he was here.. You trailed off thinking about him before jolting out of it noticing your cheeks and chest prickling with fiery needles, your heart creeping up your throat in a warm, energetically soothing wave.
You had a crush on a robot. He was.. at least sentient you confirmed. You glanced over at your computer desk and at the drawer the hard drive containing the document resided in. You really wanted to take care of them. The lengths you're willing to go to extended each second you were with them.
Your heart pangs sharply at what they've implied to have gone through. Sun being strapped to that chair, someone promising him it'd be okay then snatching the assurance up and breaking it by hurting him regardless. Even Moon, him mentioning a person he seemed to care for gifting him books, but then leaving him the day after, not saying a word.
You're sure at this point that no one has treated them with the kindness and respect they deserve. You feel horrible at the thought of everything else you can only speculate they might've gone through that they just haven't told you. You wanna change that, you wanna be there for them. You will be there for them.
As long as you breathe, you will do everything in your power to make sure they're okay.
You wish you could be with them right now, but you need to go get an ice pack at Sun's request. Hesitantly pushing yourself off the ever so inviting bed with Mimi sprawled out ready to nap with you, you made your way to the freezer.
You
hey sunshine, i got it. ya happy?
Sundrop
Very very very much so, yes! We really really hope you recover well Starbite! Make sure you get enough sleep! We'll see you tomorrow, right?
You
getting comfy in bed right now as i text you. and yes of course, i promise I'll be there. 3
Moondrop
Nitey nite Starlight~ sweet dreamssss
Sundrop
Yes yes! Rest well pretty please, goodnight Sunflower!
You
nini guys 3 3
You drift to sleep, Mimi right next to you. Your heart is warm, but regardless you yearn.
Moon was in silent shock the entire time. Sun didn't bother to shut him out, he was occupied at the moment sliding his fingertips up your side, relishing in the shudders and goosebumps that visibly trickled the skin on the arm you were using to delicately caress his rays.
He was burning. If Moon had a physical form at the moment, he would be too despite naturally being cold most of the time.
Moon only felt echos - ghosts of a sensation that Sun would be experiencing. It was numb and just enough to tease him with the miniscule pressure you applied to Sun's lips and lower left ray.
You actually kissed Sun.
Moon scoffed at Sun's brazen comment right before energy seemed to surge from you, and your pretty little eyes met his - your intense blush and pleading expression shocking both of them to the core.
Sun was over the moon quite literally. Moon didn't dare to make any remarks, still processing how he was feeling. It didn't feel good.
As you exited the Plex, both their chests felt funny. Empty and longing.
Regardless, Sun knew you'd be back. All he could do now was replay the memory in his head a couple hundred times as he giddily autopiloted his way back to the Daycare.
Up the stairs between artificial palm trees and under the pink glow of overhead neon, he hopped up four steps at a time. At the top, he bounced over the railing and flew to the right - ducking under the doorframe as he entered the Daycare hallway and skipped down it in-between brick walls
He made sure that the memory was a permanent one. He never wanted to lose your needy expression and flush cheeks, eyes silently begging him to let you suffocate.
Moon finally made himself present. "..Sun, can you at least isolate the memory. You're making me watch."
Sun pauses at a second, almost forgetting Moon was there. He didn't completely forget, he just didn't mind. Him and Moon were symbiotic - they had to be. They needed the spare endoskeleton and parts.
Sunny finally fully processes Moon being there the whole time, coming to a conclusion Moon wouldn't hear the end of.
"..Moon.. are you.. jealous? I really really thought you didn't like them! Hm, well.. I guess you were at least a little affectionate in Parts and Service.."
Moon expresses the equivalent of a slouch in his headspace. "..I was afraid they'd be like the rest."
"..I was too.. B-but they're really really really really really nice and sweet and perfect! I-I'm so glad.."
Sun's doubt sets in rapidly after realizing how wonderful you really are, and how too good to be true it seemed. "..I hope nothing happens to them. I don't wanna be.. alone again. A-and everyone that's even been somewhat nice to us.. Oh they.. they leave. Or.."
Sun's expressive stride dulls a little. "Or we.. I.. don't want that to happen.. again."
Moon sulks with him as they finally reach the Daycare gate. He empathizes with Sun entirely, how could he not? Even if he wasn't sharing the same vessel as him, Moon isn't a stranger to being feared and neglected. The loneliness they feel for loosely different reasons burdens them both considerably. All they've really ever had was each-other. They know nothing but routine and work - drilling into their head that all they are is a machine; that they're not worthy of love and care.
For the first time ever to this extent, you changed that. They would do anything to protect you. Keep you safe. You were precious to them, sososo precious.. They needed to make sure you would be okay, and as the clock hit ten, that's exactly what Moon sought out to make sure of.
Monty regained consciousness, strapped to the dreaded metal chair inside of the capsule. He couldn't feel his right arm, and the last thing he remembers is an impact.
He tried to move, but while in a debug mode, his motions were limited - weak. The brightly colored wires connecting into the back of his head strewn from the ceiling prevented him from lashing out.
His starry glasses were tilted down far enough to see the orange and electric light blue colored bear sitting in the doorframe of the glass enclosed container.
Freddy notices his movements, and looks up and to the right towards him.
"Monty.."
Monty lets out a deep, slow growl. Crackling in the air as he assesses his situation.
"You're okay. You're fine. You should be repaired before Monday at the latest. It's almost six in the afternoon right now, Saturday."
Monty's growl fades. "..What happened? Why am I here, Freddy?"
"Well.." He gestures to Monty's arm resting on a cart next to him. The same one he was using to hold you up after you stunningly threw a bone-crunching punch into his abdomen. He was still processing why you did such a stupid little thing.
"Monty.. you assaulted a worker. You instigated them and then hurt them. We had to take them to the infirmary.. my scans revealed their wrist was mildly sprained at your grip."
Monty hums and looks away. "..Their knuckles too.."
"..Why did you do that? Monty. You know what this means. I'm going to try to fight for you, but what you did was inexcusable. If management decides so, which is a likely option right now - you'll be reprogrammed, if not entirely decommissioned.."
Freddy was stern however perturbed at the situation. He did care, but when dealing with Monty.. it was always a lot more challenging to help him.
"..If you can talk to me, maybe we can get this sorted out. I don't want to lose you too.. I do consider you a friend, Montgomery. I'll try my best to waive their decision, but this behavior cannot continue.."
Monty returns to look at Freddy, squinting his eyes, his expression still bitter.
"..What makes you think I care, Freddy?"
Freddy focuses on Monty. stunned and confused at his response.
"..Wherever we are in this neon glamored prison cell, whatever role we play, we don't get what we deserve. And yet.. that fucking babysitter gets a technician that actually gives a shit about things like us. He was scrap metal when they entered here earlier today. By the time I had gotten to the room only a few hours later, there the murderbot was - pristine and repaired better than ever. They were fucking hugging. When is the last time you saw something like that here and it wasn't a kid with a backstage pass? Mine left the building limping and bruised, never to return. I think I know who I wanna blame for that."
Freddy stares.
Monty snarls after spitting his venom and takes a second to think before corroding the room once more. "Once people are stuck with us and actually have to interact for more than a minute - we're just fucked up machines. Charged and maintained only for the next show and whatever bullshit role we play for them, very very rarely ever nothing more."
Freddy is appalled. There's silence for a minute before he speaks. He couldn't argue with that, he knew it was the truth.
"..You had Avery.. and.. he was nice to you. I'm sorry it didn't last, but there are good people out there. You met them yourself, and you hurt them. You have no excuse to act this way, Montgomery."
Silence as Monty looked into empty space.
Freddy sighs and his ears drop, sorrowfully defeated.
"I hope everything goes okay.. I'll try my best. Please.. if this is resolved, at the very least come to me if you're feeling this way. I want to help you, I really do."
"Just let me. Please."
Freddy looks back up for a second, hoping to catch a glimpse of hope that Monty would at least try.
His head drops as he slowly turns away and walks towards the exit. Only then does Monty give him a remorseful glance.
Moon creeps his way through the darkened maintenance tunnels, finally reaching Parts and Service. He opens the door with a creak, before flinching at the bright overhead lights seeping through the crack. His hand cautiously returns, dragging against the other side of the door, over to the left, and onto a lever.
Two crimson red eyes peer into the capsule towards the back middle of the room. Monty's growl echos in the air as Moon slowly makes his way further left, to the breaker box. Taking after you and your infinite wisdom, he flicks off the main lights, before switching the lever back on.
His pinprick glowing turns white under the dim yellow-orange lights of lamps, and he's finally able to see that dreaded color of green he despises so much. Slowly he walks towards the entrance, Monty's growl only intensifying. Their eyes are locked in conflict, unwavering.
"Mmm.. I'll be with you shortly, Montgomery. Be patient now.." Moon finally looks away, smiling.
Monty observes as Moon interacts with the computer where him and his toy were once hugging - digging a claw into a port, he stays like that for a few minutes as windows flash open and close against the screen in rapid succession. He finally unhooks himself, walking over to the 3D printer along the wall left of the desktop and workstation, confirming it's begun creating something.
Moon finally turns and slowly moves toward the large glass container, his hand clawing at the side of the frame.
Moon towers to the top of the entrance. He observes Monty's situation entirely, and then lowly chuckles with a smile.
"..Oh Montgomery you poor thing, who's the hunk of rusted metal now?" Moon slowly ducks under the frame, walking with his hands wrapped behind his back towards the cart carrying the amputated arm.
"..Mmm now now, who could've done this? ..You look like you could use a.. hand.." Moon's smile is blinding and sinister, his depraved laugh is no different. He wants to rip the gator to shreds right here and now. He hums with light crackling before speaking again.
"You.. hurt our friend. I simply want to make something very clear with you. Is that okay?"
Monty snarls before wiggling uselessly.
"I promise.. if you ever lay a finger on them again, I will rip you to ḟ̷̗̙ǔ̵̥̺̝́͊c̸̢̖͉̙̞͋̑̀́͘k̶̤̙̮͂͊ͅͅi̴͈͎͇̊͜n̸͚͈̅̿̔͌g̷̤̘̓̾ shreds."
Moon grabs the disembodied arm, before adjusting the hand and wrapping his pinky around it tightly, allowing it to creak as it's being crushed. "..Pinky..promise.."
The finger snaps off sideways with a violent pop - taking tendon-like wiring and metal with it. Moon sets it down in the palm of the hand, never once averting eye contact.
Montgomery growls and finally speaks. "..So, just like ya touched my friend? Sadistic. Fucking. Murderbot."
Moon spins his face to the side, smile still ever present. "Oh, so you do know? I want you to understand I gave him the choice to leave. You could've still had him here however if he really gave a shit about you, although it'd be a rotting red-haired corpse." Moon laughs violently observing the disgusted expression on the gators face.
The fist that's still attached to him aches for the ability to clench harder, the debug program not granting the relief of anymore pressure to be applied.
Monty clenched his fangs. "..You're fucking sick. Do ya really think they'll stay? That it'll be any different? They'll find out one way or another what you've done, what you two are. You're both doomed to only ever have each-other, and I really fucking hope even that's not enough."
Moon warns Monty with a low growl vibrating up from his chest.
"Has there ever been anyone different? Even if they don't hate you, they'll leave one way or another. You will lose them. Everyone else that has been close to either of you has suffered. You're a curse."
Moon steps closer to the chair, growl rising in intensity.
Monty laughs. "Didn't Sun black out again? This wasn't you, the lights were on.. And Sun by himself wouldn't be capable of this. No, it's all still the exact same - and only a matter of time.. and if you've already somehow forgotten, at least remind Sun that your little plaything is going to end up the exact same fucking way Foxy and B-"
Moon plunged his claws into Monty's neck, the metal rung and wires snapped in a vigorous explosion of sparks. Wrapping his hand around the mangled mess of a voice box, he pulled up as Monty rubber banded back to the table where he was strapped down, Moon squeezing the box with a crunch similar to bones in his palm. The once ever so annoying noise had finally ceased as small pieces of metal escaped his hand while releasing his grip.
Monty's eyes widened as his jaw attempted at words, only mouthing what he was trying to say in vain, sparks complimenting the scene.
Moon leaned in to convey his point, beginning his final statement in a heavy intimidating voice, vibrating out of his chest.
"We will do anything necessary to ensure they are okay. Anything. Mmm.. I can understand if you can't personally relate to protecting someone with every circuit and wire of your being - given Avery.. however, please understand, there are absolutely no lengths we will not go to in order to ensure their well-being."
Moon beams malevolently as his head spins. "Confirm that you understand."
Monty hesitantly nods as his nose scrunches and teeth bare.
"Yes or n-" He interrupts himself.
"..Oh.. that's right.." Moon spins his faceplate fully now in a circle, grinning ear to ear.
Moon turns and slowly skulks away out of the capsule and to the printer which has now completed it's task. Pocketing whatever he made, he waits at the door. Looking back to Monty, he waves goodbye, and flicks the light switch off.
He blood-red eyes stare down Monty as he can only return his gaze.
The door shuts with a bang.