[TRIGGER WARNING: BLOOD, GORE, VIOLENCE.]

Oh my god it feels like I fell down a flight of stairs.

Jay groaned and rolled over onto his back. Tim was gone, assumedly somewhere else in the house or the shop. Everything ached, especially his legs. He had discovered a rather valuable lesson last night - sex with a robot was intense, pleasurable, and he would do it a thousand times more. But the morning after was hellish. Slowly, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and pulled on a pair of boxers. Scooping up a fresh pile of clothes, he made his way over to the door that connected the shop to the main house, eager to have a cup of coffee and wash up. On the way over he caught his reflection in a pane of glass and sighed. Bruises, all over his shoulders and arms and legs. They poked out from under his waistband, surely extending over his hips and the down the back of his thighs.

"Good morning." Tim was seated at the kitchen table, already smoking his first menthonol cigarette of the day. A cup of coffee sat opposite of him, which he motioned to now. "I made you coffee."
"Oh! Thanks." Jay smiled. "I just need to, uh, wash up a bit. I'll be right back."
Tim looked up and his eyes went wide.
"Oh my god. Did I do that? Jesus, Jay, I'm so sorry."
"N-no, it's fine! I'm okay! I liked it, it was worth it. We just have to wait a while before we get that...intimate, again. Let me put some clothes on, okay?"

Jay scuttled off into the bathroom, blushing slightly when he saw his reflection again. What a greasy, smudgy mess he was. There were small indents on his cheek where the bolts on Tim's chest plate had dug in. Well, that's what I get for using a robot as a pillow. He chuckled softly to himself as he stepped into the shower.

Tim sighed. He had really done a number on Jay, it seemed. Mental note: Take it easy next time. The feeling of having so much power over his creator was addicting, but the guilt of seeing him covered in bruises wasn't really worth it. It unsettled him that he hadn't even realized how rough he was being. What if one day he...

No. No he would never hurt Jay. He would take care not to leave bruises any more. He would take care of Jay, that was his job. Right? Wasn't he Jay's boyfriend and weren't boyfriends supposed to be protective?

These were the things he fretted about while he listened to the water run and held Jay's coffee, turning on his heating system to keep it warm.

Jay re-entered the kitchen feeling refreshed. The hot water had soothed his aches and pains. Tim held out the cup of coffee automatically, seemingly lost in thought. Jay's brows knit together as he sat down.

"You okay?"
"Yeah. What about you? Do those bruises hurt badly?"
"I'm fine, Tim. I promise." He reached out and stroked Tim's cheek tenderly. "I told you, I liked last night a lot. I was happy. I still am."
Tim remained silent and stared down at the table, but a smile pulled at the corners of his mouth.
"Now then," Jay took a sip of his coffee, pleasantly surprised that it was still warm. "I have an order that I've been putting off for about 3 weeks now. It's pretty cool, actually. A special bot heart. You can help me out if you want. I need to get a few parts for it still, just a couple of brass hooks. You coming with me to buy them or...?"
"Of course I am."
"Great!" Jay rose from his seat, placing the empty mug in the sink.

As Jay reached to open the door, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see Tim, looking nervous and trying very hard to avoid making eye contact.

"Er, Jay?"
"Yeah?"
"Am I dangerous?"
Jay froze. Alex's words echoed in his head and he swallowed hard.
"No. No you're not dangerous."
"Are you sure?"
"You're strong, but you're smart enough to know how to use that strength." Jay said firmly. He brought a hand to Tim's chin, forcing him to look at his face. "You're not dangerous. Don't ever say that."

"Hello, Jay."

Jay's heart sank. He sighed and placed the toolbox he'd been examining back on the shelf. "Hello, Alex."
"You look pretty beat-up. Rough night?"
"Sort of. I had trouble sleeping." Please stop talking.
"Why? Couldn't get comfortable with all those bruises? I bet those are from that robot."
"Shut up, Alex! It's not from anything like that!" He spun around, heat rushing to his cheeks. He had never been so angry before and it kind of scared him. Silently he prayed that Tim was still on the other side of the store, looking for brass hooks.
"But he did cause them, didn't he? Is that what you're into these days?"
"Sh-shut up." He looked away, folding his arms across his chest and shrinking a little. Alex gave him a cruel, knowing smile.
"I told you he was a mistake. He'll be the death of you one day."

"Say that again. To my face." Jay discovered that yes, his heart could sink lower than it already had.

"Oh, hello there. I said you're a mistake. Jay shouldn't have ever tried to play god. You're going to snap one day. Probably going to kill him." Alex turned to walk away but Tim lunged forward, wrapping one hand around his neck and pinning him to the wall.
"T-Tim, no! Put him down!" Jay was panicking. He couldn't stop Tim physically, that much he knew. "Please!"

"One more word and I'll make sure you suffer for the rest of your life you fucking plague rat."

"See?" Alex struggled to speak under Tim's tightening grip, still smiling wickedly. "I told you he'd go insa-"

There was a horrible ripping noise, followed by an ear-splitting wail. Jay felt like he was going to be sick. He was shaking violently, almost unable to stand.

Tim dropped Alex to the floor. The man clutched at the bloody hole where his arm used to be. The robot's eyes had begun to glow a searing crimson red. He tossed the arm to the side with a cold smile.

"Get out of my sight. Get out of my sight and rest assured that if I ever see your face again I'll take the other arm too."

"T-Tim...Please, no, don't...Go home, Tim. Please just go home." Jay was almost crying. When Tim turned around to face him, he looked like a child who realized he'd done something wrong. The hurt in his eyes forced Jay to look away. Tim left without a word.

"I told you Jay! This is exactly what I meant! Control that fucking animal you call your 'boyfriend'!"

By this time, the shop owner had come back to the aisle and was already working on the wound with a medical kit. He shot a nervous glance back at Jay, telling him that he better leave so that he didn't have to face Cascade's fucked up police force. He promised to tell them that it was a malfunction, that the bot had been provoked and was acting in defense mode. Jay thanked him profusely, stuttering worse than he ever had before. He couldn't even look at Alex.

"What were you thinking?" Jay shouted, nearly breaking the door's hinges as he stormed into the shop. He wasn't angry so much as he was frightened and sad.
"I'm sorry, Jay, I just-"
"No! No, I just...That was not okay! You asked me if you were dangerous and I told you no, and then you went and tore somebody's arm off!"
Tim cringed, sinking down into his chair. Jay was splashing water on his face, still shaking badly.
"I'm sorry."
"Please, just...Just don't talk to me for a little while, okay? You're not leaving this house ever again, I swear to god."
"Jay, I'd never hurt you it's just that son of a bitch-"
"I have to build Alex a new arm to replace the one you removed. I have to get started on that immediately. Please, stay in here and...I don't even know."
"Okay."

Jay was miserable. He didn't like yelling at Tim. He didn't like the fact that Tim looked so hurt, like he would be crying if he could. He didn't like the fact that he was crying because Alex had been right. He didn't like the fact that he had to build his friend, and he used this term loosely, a new arm.

He didn't like the fact that he was afraid of Tim.