Sun pressed open the maintenance entrance doors with anticipation, ducking excitedly into the Daycare exterior, hurrying past the artificial palm trees and to the Sun and Moon symbol-themed gate. His eyes sparkled as he noticed the boxes and bags containing his new clothes and the slumber party necessities Wendy decided to drop by. You watched his jubilant body language as he hopped over, pausing for a second a couple feet away, studying the boxes and bags before hurriedly continuing his sprint.
You grinned, and began walking towards him.
You noticed a STAFF bot near the restrooms, having paused its sweep to stare in your direction. You slowed a little to wave briefly before continuing, it subtly tilting its head before returning to clean. You must've forgot about them, as it took you off-guard for a second noticing the segway-like robot staring you down. Hopefully when Sun gives you that tour, you'll grow a little more accustomed to them. It is a tiny bit unnerving. Maybe that's why there aren't too many human employees around though. The company likes to cut corners, of course.
Sun's head was flooding with ideas for the weekend, he'd have to get a few sheets of paper inside to write the tour down along with anything else he was planning to do with you later on~. For now, he needed to find out what 'slumber party necessities' meant, and get these tattered clothes off, likely with a little help from you.
Your FazWatch buzzes as you come up behind Sun, you decide to put it off until you get inside. You were just as curious.
"Hold on Sunny, d-don't rip them apart!" You half giggle, only a little worried he'll actually tear into them. He's on his knees spinning a box in his hands before swapping to the other. You carefully fall down onto your knees to join him.
"Would - Would you have a.. a knife!? W-we need to get them open, c'mon! C'mon!" He turns and stares closely into your eyes, only a couple inches away where you can pretty much hear his rays spinning with excitement.
"Ah, we don't need a knife, silly. Probably. You gonna let me hold it?" He's still messing with the box, not even looking at it.
His head does a little double-take before pausing and holding the box out to you. There's one other somewhat larger box, and what you mistook for some random bag, which you can now notice straps on. A backpack..?
You'll check it out later, for now, you'll show Sun how not to tear things to shreds. You're sure he's more than capable of unpacking boxes, given he does it every week with new supplies, but his excitement is getting the better of him right now.
"..Okay, so, you have claws right?"
Sun freezes for a moment before looking down at his hands. "..O-oh, ye-yes.. why..?"
"Just to help cut open the boxes, okay?"
You reach for his hand, and he flinches suddenly before steadying.
You look up at him, worriedly. "Is.. everything okay?"
He whines. "Oh.. yesyes, just.. don't use them much. Not even for.. boxes.. nono, didn't even think of that. Silly.. silly."
You continue to gesture for his hand, him hesitantly letting you hold it. "They can just be tools, Sunshine." You trace your fingers around his palm, to which he seems to like. You glide up his long fingers to the tips.
You use your other hand to slide down the bag off his other arm, it having been hung off his shoulder, straps caught securely on a small ridge ever since being on the roof. You place it onto the ground next to you both.
"Are you okay with using them to cut open the tape? It'll be helpful. If not, you don't have to, okay?" You remove your hand from his to let him decide.
His face melts out of hesitation into resolve. You watch as his fingertips slowly adjust and claws poke their way out of a small slit that opened up. It's almost like a cat, but the razors protruding from the tips instead of between paws.
"You're okay, you're in control. They're just tools." You smile as he turns to the box and slowly glides his claws along the tape, slicing it open with ease.
Your mind wanders for a split second. You're glad the glitch, whatever it was, decided not to use them.
As quickly as the thought appears, you brush it away, your smile returning to Sun.
"Seeeeeeeee, clothes!" You pry open the box after he retracts his claws and fidgets with his hands, you look over to make sure he's okay, and he grants you a warm smile before you turn back to inspect the contents of the box.
Sure enough, there's Sun and Moon's clothes. They're defaulted to Sun's set pattern, but despite their inconspicuous look, they're far from normal sets of clothes. Just the right electric frequency and they shift color and pattern, both the pants and neck ruffles. His ribbons, skirt, and shoes are among the more advanced attire too, however not capable of changing color like the others.
Sun leans over your shoulder to take a peek inside the box with you. "Ooooh, yesyes, new clothes! Ah, we will admit, our current attire is so very.. worn.. Mhm.."
"Yeah. When's the last time you guys have had a different pair?" You scoot out from above the box and turn to look up at him, having to crane your neck all the way up as he towers over you.
He stops to think for a little, or just to stare into your eyes. "..Hm, it.. it has been.. a while.. A while before you got here, yes.."
Your smile lightens a bit as you take pity. "Well, that changes while I'm here. You'll be more than taken care of."
Sun leans in a little closer, eyelids dropping just a few centimeters. "And so will you, Sunbite."
Your smile returns in full, along with a little warmth creeping up your neck. "Mhmm, we'll see."
"Is that a challenge?" He watches as you turn away, crawling to the other box and standing on your knees to look over it. You don't humor him with a response, just an ambiguous hum.
The next box is about the size of you. It meets your thighs when you stand, and is definitely wider than you. The closer you get, the clearer the black marker on the top reads "slumber party necessities - April (-and Wendy!)" scribbled in different handwriting for both names.
Aw, guess you assumed it was only from Wendy. She would probably be gossiping, and April seemed on board, if not humored at your relationship to Sun and Moon. Given the additional tack-on for Wendy, you wonder if it was April that planned the gift in the first place.
You look back for Sun, before noticing him kneeling behind you and his arm already reaching over your shoulder, claws extended and cutting open the tape. He drags his hand closer to you, cutting the tape clean through as his arm brushing back against your shoulder gives you goosebumps just through touch.
He's slow at first, noticing your initial tensing then immediate relaxation feeling him against the top of your shoulder, but as soon as the box is able to be opened without ripping it to shreds, his claws sheaths back in, and he lunges to press himself against your back and over your head, throwing open the top flaps of the box.
Your hands grip the side of the box in front of you to regain your balance with him pressing into your back and leaning over your head, but it seems he noticed your balance faltering given the arm wrapped around your waist.
Your FazWatch buzzes for a second time, but it doesn't seem to distract either of you.
Inside the box, the first thing you notice are blankets. A lot of blankets. They range from dozens of colors with dozens more patterns, some stars, some shapes, some blue, some white. Stars of white and gold adorn the mess of blankets beneath the various objects on top, which you're now processing through the explosion of color.
Books, board games, a couple dozen DVD cases held together by a rubber band, a note on top of them all. She also generously left you a charger for your phone and watch, which were both definitely low on battery as is. There's a little plastic bag too on top of what you assumed was another blanket, and you lean over the top of the box to unwrap it, Sun's arm around your waist adjusting accordingly.
Ah, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, a little wash cloth, body wash, a brush, some packaging with a toothbrush, floss, and toothpaste in it. Under the bag is a baby blue towel. The various suns patterning the blue background made you mistake it for another blanket, but the hemming near the ends give it away as you study closer.
So far the items consisted of vague Daycare entertainment items, but the hygiene products kinda send the message they're aware of you spending the nights here occasionally. You didn't really mind Wendy knowing, but with her gossipping to April, you sigh, shaking your head and grinning a little.
The absurdity of them encouraging a worker to stay the night is a little weird, especially since Wendy already mentioned at some point even management being fine with you staying outside of your working hours. It's not like you'll get paid for them, and with this company, you guess they wouldn't turn down free labor.
Plus you're starting to prove yourself really valuable in an objective sense. Your efforts haven't gone unnoticed, especially not to Wendy. Having repaired them last weekend, agreeing to fix Monty even if it did kinda go sideways, and of course returning to work right after a fucking car crash with broken ribs and eventual surgery to come in those following days.
And most of all, everyone knows how long employees assigned to be around the Daycare Attendants tend to last. You should've been gone one way or another a few days ago, even with your probably-not-legal contact binding you here, at least while you're alive. They've noticed how you're not afraid of them, how close you are, how well they've taken to you. It is a little strange to a few outside of Wendy and April, Vince taking it the best, Kieran taking it the worst.
So far.
Management only knows what Wendy tells them, but the other animatronics are definitely aware of precisely how close you are with them.
And you're not good at hiding it anyway.
But since you've been doing your job considerably well, they haven't felt any need to rain down anything on you. Even if Wendy slipped up and your relationship was revealed to them, that just strengthens your loyalty and commitment in their eyes.
That doesn't mean management won't exploit your emotional attachment to Sun and Moon. If there's any chance they can finally get rid of the virus and cease covering up incidents, they'll take it. Your hospital bills weren't cheap, and neither were the past funerals.
"Oh!" A lightbulb suddenly ignites in Sun's head.
"..Hm?" You question as you dig through the final contents of the box, finding another circular container under the blankets.
"Oo-oh, uhm, n-nothing! Just.. just got another slumber party idea, yesyes.." Sun is practically vibrating above you in nervous necessity to get paper and writing supplies to jot down his ideas.
"Sunshine.. Y'know it's still morning, right? If we do have a slumber party, it's still a ways away." You really do like staying overnight, especially given yesterday. You'll have to go home to Mimi eventually, you can't keep asking Wendy to take care of her, and you're sure she misses you.
You can hear him pouting above you as he brings up a few books at a time from the box to inspect them. "..O-oh.. I know, I know.. Just, never too early to be prepared, nono. I'll make the best list ever! Very, veryvery important!"
You giggle, finally winning the battle against the blankets to release the container under them. "Okay, I promise we can do that, but first we need to get through this, and get you cleaned up.. and probably me too."
Sun's eyes deviate from the books he's inspecting, back to the hygiene products. "Oooh, chemicals, yes, just make sure they're out of reach of the children! Chemicals.. no, not good for the kids, not one bit!"
You smile. "Of course, I'll find a place for them." Probably one of the breakroom cabinets, hopefully no one goes in there.
Sun hears the rattle of things inside the box you're now resting on top of the blankets.
The box is a wide, short cylinder. Adorned with yellow and white stripes covering the lid and body, it's kinda cute. You jiggle the lid off, it being secured pretty tight.
As soon as it's open, you're met with thousands of brightly colored beads and strings. It takes you a moment to process it, but.. it seems like they're for those silly bead bracelets. There's various tupperware containing some, to more professional dollar-store plastic containers which separate the beads by color, and tons of string in little plastic baggies. Hanging on the inside of the box, you notice a sticky note.
'Had these collecting dust, hope you two can find some use for them :) -April '
Sun sets down his books and picks up one of the tupperware containers housing various beads and shakes it. "O-oh, small! Too small for the little ones, nono.. choking hazard!"
You reach up to where he's inspecting the beads above you, slowly taking it so he doesn't pop the lid and spill everything everywhere. "Everything here is slumber party supplies, for us Sunny, don't worry. They're for bracelets, maybe we can make some.."
He pauses for a moment, hands still hovering in place above you. "..Us. Ah, yesyes.. I.. can make the bracelets?"
"Yeah, of course. We'll both make them. Don't you make arts and crafts with the kids?" You slowly gather everything up and closing the box, fastening it shut after fighting with the lid a little.
"Mmh, sometimes, yes.. but only to demonstrate or help one of them.. But.. drawings and crafts the little ones would gift us were the only ones we had, yes. Never.. never ever made any for ourselves, nono. They're for the kids!" His hands release from their position to fidget with each other.
You slowly turn around on your knees to face him, reaching up for his faceplate and pulling it down to your eye level so you don't have to crane your neck up uncomfortably. Even with him sitting on his knees, you in-between them, he's far taller than you.
"We can make whatever we want, Sunshine. I'm sure the kids won't mind, and you're not gonna get in trouble for using your Daycare's supplies occasionally, promise." You rub at his rays, but freeze after noticing something over his shoulder.
He notices your attention suddenly not being entirely devout to him, and he spins his head to follow your eyes behind him.
The STAFF bot almost runs into Roxy, but she picks it up with one hand and redirects it before adjusting her green bangs, not seeming so enthusiastic about you two noticing her.
You watch as she approaches, carefully adjusting yourself in a less embarrassing position beneath Sun.
She stops a couple feet in front of you, crossing her arms, you notice something in one of her hands.
"Alright, so, here." She barely makes eye contact, but extends her arm to offer a.. Monty plushie.
Neither of you make any attempt to grab it for a second, kinda stunned. You slowly reach your arm out, but Sun jolts his and grabs it before you can, claws surprisingly not extended.
Roxy steps forward suddenly. "Hey! Don't destroy it! Alright!? Just.. chill.. for a second."
You redirect your hand to Sun's leg, to which he looks over at you, giving him just enough incentive to hear her out.
You sigh. "A gift?"
She rolls her eyes. "It's not a gift, ugh. I.. Me and Chica.."
Everything is silent for a few seconds.
She speaks quietly. "Something is wrong with Monty. I clawed the plush open, Chica stitched it shut. Check inside whenever you're out of view of the cameras."
Sun stares down at the plush, before both of your eyes return to Roxy. "..Why are you giving this to us? What's inside?"
She scoffs, rolling her eyes. "Keep your voice down.. You're the only one that seems to give enough of a shit here. It hasn't gone unnoticed. I know what Monty did to you, to you both, but.. at least consider seeing him for yourself. He's harmless."
"Language." Sun lowers the plush and you take the chance to rub his wrist, notifying you want to take it.
You inspect the plush, noticing the purple stitching on its back. "I don't want to see him again."
Roxy begins to turn away. "Good, cause it's not him."
You look up, and meet her eyes briefly before she turns her back to you fully. "Please. If they can do that to him, they can do it to any of us."
You and Sun watch as she walks down the hallway, simply avoiding the STAFF bot this time, tail stationary as she disappears behind the curve.
You sigh. "I'll.. have to think about it, Sun. I'll be fine though, I have his control chip too."
"..As long as we're there too, Sunbeam."
"Yeah, I don't see why not." You place the plush next to the box, waddling on your knees to the backpack leaning against it.
You unzip the main pocket, and dig inside.
Your hands grip something cold and plastic, and you pull. Something briefly rustles against the entrance, like paper.
It's.. a generic laptop, with another sticky note on it.
'Just thought you wouldn't like being stuck in Parts and Service to work on them. Management was hard to convince allowing their software on it, but your contract and reputation swayed 'em. Don't break it! There's also a couple other things in here I thought you'd need. - Wendy '
You'd have to text her back about downloading your own software choices, and probably doing a full scan to make sure no one's spying on you. You don't want anyone to know what you're changing for Sun and Moon, and you're clever enough to probably get around reporting every little update.
You rest the computer on your lap, and dig around some more in the backpack. Chargers, flash drives, USB connectors, that one weird cord that you needed to hook Sun and Moon to the computer in P&S. There was also another map in another one of the smaller pockets, and after searching some more in another pocket, you found a flashlight, spare batteries, granola bars, and a cute little notebook along with writing utensils. You usually just keep stuff on a document digitally, but you might not mind using it for drawing or something.
You look down at the laptop, then over to Sun who's digging through the box, unfolding the blankets and admiring their patterns. You giggle a little, which seems to catch his attention. "Hey, sooo, do you have any more of those cute stickers of you two?"
His head tilts a little, and gives you a puzzled look. "..Hm? What do you mean, Sunbeam? They're right here!"
He reaches over, ruffling your hair suddenly before pulling away and showcasing his hand in front of you. Multiple stickers rest between his fingers, at least a couple dozen. You'd fix your hair, but you're a bit stunned. There wasn't anything in his hands when he reached over, at least you don't think..?
"Sunny, how.. how'd you do that? C'mon, you gotta tell me eventually." You finally adjust your hair from its mess.
He grabs one of your hands, twisting it over and opening your palm. He places the stickers in your hand, then leans in, locking eyes with you.
"Magic."
You grin and roll your eyes, hesitantly pulling away to hide your smile. "Uh-huh, okay, okay. I'll find out one day, though. I have all your blueprints and everything."
Sun gestures his hands on his hips. "Hm..? Are you questioning our magical ability? Shame. Nonono, how cruel of you, Sunflower."
You peek over at him, your smile fully visible.
He stares down at you, rays spinning and stopping occasionally to switch direction, the bells on his wrists that don't seem to jingle unless he wants them to, his poor tattered neck ruffles and baggy yellow and red pants that you'll certainly be helping him out of soon.
Wait, what was that last thought?
You close your eyes, shaking your head a little as you move the laptop off your lap, resting it on the floor with the pile of stickers on top of it. You carefully adjust yourself up and wobble on your knees towards him, and once you're in range, you wrap your arms around him and pull yourself tight into his tummy.
With your ear against him, you hear his fans kick on, the whirring of various mechanical parts hum a little louder as you feel his hands hold you to him.
"Maybe you are just a tiny bit magical, just a little bit."
He uses a hand to fix your hair he messed up. "Mhmm.. That's what we thought."
You hum in disapproval, just knowing he's smug up there.
After about a minute, you pull away. Your hand drags against the fabric of his pants, and you study the imperfections and occasional hole that plagues the fabric, subtly revealing his legs underneath. "Yeah, wanna help me gather all this up and bring it inside?"
His fingers glide along your temple to the side of your head. "Mhmm, can do! You can have the backpack, there's absolutely no way you're lifting anything heavy, nono." He pulls back, and folds the top over both of the boxes containing his clothes and the slumber party supplies. He easily picks them up under his arms, and waits for you to load up the backpack with your laptop and other things, transferring your old hand-bag into the backpack as well.
You carry the fragile stickers in your hand, and stuff the Monty plush in one of the back pockets. You throw the backpack around and onto your shoulders, pulling the security badge connected to the lanyard around your neck out of your shirt to open the gate.
It whirs open, and Sun ducks inside before the gap raises to the height of your neck. You giggle. "Be careful, you don't have to be a show-off, silly."
His head turns backwards to you. "Nonono, not showing off, just very very flexible, yesyes."
You roll your eyes as you pick up your pace to be at his side. "How are you so flexible and strong at the same time? It's like you defy gravity" You hold the railing as you both go down the stairs.
He pauses for just a second. "Not sure one bit, nono. Maybe you'll figure that out when I change my clothes~, especially since my blueprints certainly aren't teaching you enough, nope!"
You almost slip before regaining your posture, Sun already positioned himself behind you in case you did feel clumsy enough to fall suddenly. He studies to make sure you're okay, and once realizing the only injury you sustained was mild flustering, he continues down the stairs. "Ah, is everything okay, Sunflower?"
You're silent for a second, feeling your heart beat in your chest, both from almost falling, and his comment.
"..Mhm, we'll.. we'll see, y-yeah." You stare at the ground in front of you just in case he is attempting to savor your blush.
He waits for you at the bottom. "Unless you don't want to help, that's okay! We can do it ourselves, of course. Just pants and ruffles, skirt, shoes and ribbons, yesyes."
You sigh as you walk past him, your tummy doing funny jumps. "No, I'll.. I'll help, don't worry."
"Oh how kind of you, Sunflower, what ever shall we do in return?"
You walk through the Daycare doors, him following. Your lack of response worries him a bit. You set your backpack down against the security desk, and the stickers on top as he lowers the boxes to the ground behind you.
You walk to him, but approach more towards the slumber party box.
You reach in, and pull out the bag of hygiene products.
"..Well, it's only fair."