A/N: Hey guys! Sorry I've been MIA lately but y'all know how life is atm... Anyhooz, I've been feeling a little out of it and I needed some cuteness in my life so, here we are! I don't think I'll ever expand on this any further just bc it's so random to begin with AND I have yet to really come up with a backstory/content for future chapters. So. I'm labeling this a oneshot until further notice. Obviously, if y'all want to see more, shoot me some ideas and/or suggestions via review or PM and I will do my best! Thanks and enjoy! :D
Prompt: An unexplained event leads to startling results. Though Kitt is sure his circuits are going to melt from cuteness overload.
His Guardian
Being a crime fighter was never easy. You had to be prepared for anything, as was a given. One could never be too comfortable in their surroundings, could never trust an outside person too openly. You stick close to your team, your partner. Rely on them. Help them when needed. Get in. Save those who need to be saved. Apprehend those who need to be apprehended. And get out. That's how they operated.
At least... that's how it use to be.
Kitt's whole experience on life took a rather drastic turn last Tuesday. The incident fell on a chillier than usual Fall evening at exactly 8:30:25 PM. They weren't even on a mission! The bottomless pit of hunger that was his beloved partner had stated he'd like a snack for the road trip back home. Kitt had of course obliged and found a small convenience store off the side of the road. He kept vigil on his driver as he made his way down the first aisle and then rerouted his systems, setting to work organizing and updating files for their latest mission after a job well done.
Michael had only been gone for five minutes when a lanky toddler of only five or six years old wearing a red sweatshirt and jeans came barreling out of the store. The child's attire should have clued him in at the time, but the abrupt appearance of the distressed toddler took precedent. Tears streamed down his face as the boy all but crashed into Kitt's front end, clinging on for dear life. The AI immediately performed a medical scan and found no injuries on the child. At the same time, his scanners came back with no obvious threat in the area that could indicate the reason behind the child's distressed state. In fact, no one appeared to even be looking for him!
Kitt knew he wasn't allowed to openly talk to strangers, but he held a definite soft spot for kids. Especially when they were upset or scared.
"What's the matter, little one?" He asked kindly. Kitt started the engine quietly, the warmth soon radiating to the small child. The boy looked up at him dubiously.
"Kitt, it's me! You know who I am!" The child insisted tearfully. It took all of about two clicks before an audible gasp escaped the Trans Am's voice box at the telemetry readings he had performed.
This small, terrified child, who was staring at him with panicky big blue eyes... was indeed his crime-fighting partner.
"M-Michael?" Kitt asked aghastly. His driver door quickly swung open, most basic programming taking over at being faced with a helpless individual. "Oh my word! Get inside before you freeze!"
Michael wasted no time in scrambling into the seat and curling up into a small ball. Kitt shut the door and blasted the heat. His partner glanced around the interior, sniffling and wiping away the last of his tears. Kitt felt something inside him be yanked hard in sympathy. He looked so small and vulnerable sitting there. Kitt could only imagine what must be going through Michael's mind.
"It's going to be okay, Michael." Kitt comforted as best he could, though a part of him felt the words were useless. Neither of them knew what this ultimately meant, or if there was even a way to fix this. "We'll figure this out. Just like we always do."
Regardless of whatever thoughts were wreaking havoc in his mind, the toddler nodded in a show of blind faith. Even through this startling change of events, Michael still trusted Kitt's words without question. It made Kitt feel all the more responsible about ensuring Michael's feelings towards the situation and finding a way to correct this.
"Michael, how did this happen?" Kitt asked, shock worming it's way back into his tone. He opened the glove compartment and Michael carefully climbed over, reaching out to grab a tissue from the small box inside.
"I don't know." Michael croaked. More tears suddenly filled his eyes as he looked up at the the voice box. Those baby blues held so much fear and anxiety. It didn't look right on the man Kitt knew from before. "I was at the back of the store when I felt like I was going to faint." Michael sniffled and blew his nose. "When I realized what had happened, I ran out of the store and crashed into you." A small sad smile crossed his features then. "Sorry if I put snot on your prow by the way."
"It's fine, Michael. Don't worry about it." He told him and smoothly pulled out of the parking space. "We have more pressing matters at the moment."
They fell silent until they reached the highway. Inside it was warm and comfortably dark. Kitt's gentle presence gave the cab an aura of safety that was hard to miss. It was like being wrapped up into a warm hug. Soon, Michael felt sleep pull at his conscious, but a worrisome question abruptly popped into his head.
"Kitt?" He asked in the midst of a sleepy daze.
"Yes, Michael?" Kitt pitched his voice to be soft and soothing. He had hoped the poor guy would just allow himself to get some shut eye while Kitt figured out a plan on how to break this to Bonnie and Devon.
"What's going to happen now?" Michael had asked the question lightly, but Kitt could easily detect the fear there. The AI felt something warm spread throughout his CPU. His voice was gentle and determined, yet held an edge of protectiveness that quickly put to bed Michael's potential fears.
"Absolutely nothing, Michael. I won't let anything happen to you."
"Promise?" The question was laced with childish fear.
"Of course." Kitt replied warmly, a touch of amusement present. "You know I never break my promises, Michael."
The toddler gave his partner one last sleepy grin before falling asleep to the idle roar of Kitt's tires on the pavement.