AN: Thank you guys so much for all the reviews I have gotten on this story! I haven't been on Fanfiction for the past few days because I have actually been auditioning for The Voice all day today...I unfortunately didn't get past the first round, but it has been an insanely crazy weekend, and both my dog and I managed to get sick on the trip (I'll leave out the gross details, haha). But since you all have said such kind things about my story, I decided I'd stay up a little later and finish this chapter :) I was honestly surprised about how many great reviews I have gotten. Hope you guys like it!
Toshi Neku: Thank you so much! And yes, I think Deon and Chappie are absolutely adorable, they did not get nearly enough screen time together. One of the things I always worry about while writing fanfiction is that I always get everyone OOC, so I'm glad that you thought I captured their relationship well.
TheForgotten: Thank you, I'm so glad you like it! Here's an update for you :)
Neko-chan: There have been so few stories written about Deon and Chappie, so I thought I'd add one to the small fandom. Hopefully the Chappie fandom will get larger soon
Fabiiianaaa: I'm so glad you like my story so much! :) That means a lot, here is an update for you
"Maker!" Chappie screamed as Deon slumped in the chair, dying. There was so much blood. Chappie couldn't stand it, and he knew he couldn't let Deon die. But Deon's eyes fluttered closed and he took quick, gasping breaths. "Deon!"
"Get out of here, Chappie," Deon said. "Just save yourself."
"I won't let you die-"
Chappie shot straight up in bed. He sighed in relief when he realized it was just a dream. Then he looked over at the bed and saw that Deon wasn't beside him as he usually was. "Maker!"
He ran towards the living room and almost smacked into Deon, who was on his way back to bed. It was early in the morning, not yet light out. "Chappie?" Deon gripped his shoulders. "Are you okay?"
Chappie threw his arms around him in a hug so tight that it would have squished any human. "You're alive," Chappie gasped out.
"Of course I'm alive," Deon reassured him, hugging him back. "Chappie, what's going on?"
"I had a dream I - I didn't save you in time-" Chappie clung to Deon like he would never let him go.
"Oh, Chapps..." Deon pulled back. "I'm fine. See?"
"I love you, Deon!" Chappie's face was pressed into Deon's neck and his maker held him tight.
Deon's hand moved to the back of Chappie's head. "I love you very much, Chappie." He pulled back and smiled. "Let's go back to bed. It's early."
Chappie didn't fall back asleep, but Deon did. He lay there in Deon's arms as his maker slept. If he lost Deon, he'd never be able to bear it. He loved him so much.
He moved his hand down to Deon's side where his maker's hand rested. He laced their fingers together, filled with relief now that his maker was here beside him, alive and healthy. Chappie thought that he was doing a pretty good job of keeping Deon alive.
When Chappie did sleep, his dreams was free of nightmares. A couple of hours later he woke up beside Deon, who was already awake and reading a book. Chappie loved and admired how nerdy Deon was. His maker smiled when he noticed Chappie awake. "Morning, sleepyhead."
Chappie decided not to mention that he'd laid awake for a while watching Deon sleep, protecting him. He was a little bit embarrassed. "You slept longer than I did, maker," he noted.
Deon laughed, which cheered Chappie up. "Well, since we're both awake now, I have a surprise for you," he said.
"What is it, maker?"
"We're going camping."
Chappie considered this. He didn't know what camping was, he realized. "What is camping?"
"It's a great bonding experience, and I think it will be for us," Deon told him. "It's when people go on a a vacation in the woods and they either stay in a cabin, or a trailer, or a tent - we'll be staying in a tent - and do fun activities like swimming, and fishing, and hiking. And sleeping outside."
"Isn't that dangerous, maker?"
"Not with me there to keep you safe."
Chappie's heart fluttered at the words, and he felt as close to Deon as he did in the factory. Deon's voice was soft, and Chappie shyly took his hand, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"So, we're leaving soon." Deon cleared his throat and let go of Chappie's hand. "Start getting ready, okay?"
"Okay, maker." Deon left the room, probably to get ready himself. Chappie heard voices and when he was ready, he went out to the car, where Deon waited.
"Ready?" Deon asked him.
"Yes, Chappie's ready. Chappie's excited to go camping."
"Good! Let's hit the road." Deon climbed in the front seat and they drove off.
They made great time and with little traffic, just one accident that held them up for barely twenty minutes. About an hour and fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the campsite. No one was staying here, it was just them, and Chappie instantly felt the mood change, although he wasn't sure what it was.
"You want to help me pitch the tent, Chappie?" Deon asked him as they drove up.
"Okay, maker." It sounded fun and exciting.
Setting up the tent was, in fact, anything but fun and exciting. It was hard, stressful work, and definitely preventing Chappie and Deon from doing any sort of bonding. They had a few arguments about where to put what - and how to tie the knots on the tent. By the time they finally got it set up, they were both panting from exhaustion.
"Chappie, I told you, three times, to do it this way and you didn't listen!" Deon exclaimed, clearly annoyed.
Hurt, Chappie said, "I'm sorry, Deon."
Deon sighed. "Me, too," he said. "I don't want to fight."
They hugged and quickly made up, and while they went hiking, they walked down the path holding hands, pressing close to each other as it got darker. Chappie didn't want to admit it to Deon, but he was a little scared of the woods - they were too mysterious. When night fell, they headed back and built a fire. "So, Chappie, do you like camping so far?" Deon asked.
"It's fun," Chappie said. "The woods are scary, though."
Deon patted his knee. "Don't worry," he told Chappie. "You're safe with me."
Again, Chappie felt kind of embarrassed. "I should be the one keeping you safe," said Chappie.
"Don't worry, Chappie," Deon said. "You aren't as scary as Ninja."
It took a few moments for Chappie's mind to process that. "Deon, did you and Ninja fight this morning?" he asked I heard raised voices."
Deon didn't respond.
"This is why you took me camping," Chappie realized with horror. "So you could get away from Daddy! You didn't care about spending time with me!"
Incredibly hurt, Chappie got up and stormed off. "Chappie!" Deon called after him, following him. "Chappie, wait, of course not!"
"Really, maker? Would you have gotten the idea if you and him hadn't fought?" More silence. "No. Of course not."
They had a pretty ugly fight. Some things were said that Chappie needed to get out, but he also wished he could take him back. "I...I hate you," Chappie practically spat in Deon's face. "I hate you, Deon!"
"Chappie..." Deon's voice broke as he followed Chappie down the path. "Chappie, please get back here, we need to-"
And that was when Deon slipped and fell, and Chappie heard the twisting of Deon's metal robot arm from a few feet down the path.
Chappie was so disappointed in himself.
"I'm so sorry, Deon!" Chappie kept apologizing. His maker's arm had bent in an unnatural way, and Chappie had carried Deon back to the campsite and propped him against a tree as he put Deon's arm in the best sling that he could, until they returned home.
"And you have been," Deon insisted, taking both of Chappie's hands in his own. "You've saved my life, Chappie, several times. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead this second. Come on, Chappie, that's...I can't even...You always insist on doing nothing but protect me, but let me protect you for a change, because I haven't done a very good job of it so far. I've never been a father before, Chappie, but I'm going to start being a better one."
Deon's words broke Chappie's heart. "No, maker...I didn't mean it earlier when I said I hate you." He squeezed Deon's non-injured hand tightly. "I love you. I'll never stop loving you, and I'll never stop protecting you either."
"I love you so much." Deon gave him a one-armed hug that Chappie returned with both arms. He pulled Deon close, burying his face in his maker's shoulder. "We'll keep each other safe, all right?"
"Okay, maker." Chappie pulled him closer and didn't say anything else for a long time, they just held each other. They spent the night cuddling in the tent, and headed home the next morning, after a successful camping trip.