AN: So I kind of want to continue this stupid series a bit because it helps me refresh the brain juices a bit when I need a break from TC:R. I figure just slapping it all under this title on FF is nice, but if you go to my ao3 (energonbunny) there's a series there that I collect it under.
Miles got home and opened the door to find Cleo sitting on his kitchen table and quite obviously reading his mail. He had no idea how they had managed to open the envelope, much less retrieve the letter inside and spread it out on the table without ripping the entire thing to shreds but he had already come to accept the fact that he'd never be able to understand most of what Cleo did. Cleo didn't glance up at him, but they did nudge a pile of open letters with their tail in his direction. Miles walked over and picked it up, noting they were all bills.
"I have a robot cat organizing my mail for me," Miles muttered.
Cleo made a soft chuffing noise and Miles just pulled himself a chair out so he could sit down at the table. Life was getting a little too absurd and he hadn't even known them for two full days yet. He took a moment to decide if Cleo going through his mail was something he wanted to take issue with but he honestly still felt a little in disbelief with the whole situation and didn't see the point in it.
"Okay, if you're going to stay here, there's going to have to be some rules." Miles set the bills down in front of him and took his phone and car keys out of his pockets, setting them both on the table as well. "Like if I ever get any mail from Nevada you don't open it. Just leave it with the bills, or something, and I'll take care of it however I want."
They actually looked at him for that statement and then inclined their head in what he figured was agreement.
Miles pursed his lips, "Is there a way we can talk a little easier? I think you can understand me with no issue, but…"
Instead of answering, Cleo used their tail to grab Miles' phone off of the table. And then they opened their jaw and put it in their mouth. Miles blinked and watched as they worked their jaw for a moment, not freaking out only because he didn't hear any crunching sounds.
"I can talk like this," Cleo responded. "I just have to be plugged into a device capable of reading text out loud."
Cleo's voice was a robotic female one that Miles recognized instantly, because it was the automated voice for his phone. And because Cleo was using that, there was no inflection to what they were saying. Miles only had body language to go on to hint towards any emotions, but that wasn't any different than it had been.
"That's kind of rad, actually." Miles grinned, "And it makes things a whole lot easier. I wasn't sure how much to read into the cat body language."
"I am merely mimicking it as this is the form I took for my alt mode," Cleo turned their attention back to the only letter they had yet to open. "That you are adept in reading it was advantageous for us both."
"So do you have an actual name?" Miles reached over and snatched the letter up before Cleo could get their claws into it, ripping it in two when he saw it was an ad.
They shot him a dirty look, "Ravage."
Miles opened his mouth and then closed it again as he took in their appearance. Sharp claws, powerful body, and sharp fangs. They could certainly fit that name and perform the definition as well, but outside of some minor posturing they had never made a move to do it to him. Doug had actually hit them with his truck and they hadn't harmed him, either.
"I am fine with female pronouns," Ravage continued. "I assume you were already referring to me as such in your head, given the name you were using for me. My kind has no gender, at least not what humans use to define that word, and your human tongue would be unable to recreate what I would be called, anyway."
"Okay," Miles agreed easily. And then he caught on to the most important word, "Wait, kind?"
"Did you think I was a human creation? And that I was the only one?"
"Uh… yes?"
Ravage made that chuffing noise again and now Miles realized it was her version of a laugh, "Humans could never. Your kind is still far too young. Besides, all your tech was reverse engineered from one like me."
"Then what are you-"
A tail came and pressed against Miles' lips, making him stop talking. It was both interesting and incredibly weird to see that Ravage could extend her tail.
"You have a lot of questions, don't you?" Ravage didn't move her tail away so Miles nodded. "Well, I don't feel like talking much. How about two questions a day?"
He had a few choice words to say in response, but he decided to take the high road and just nodded. It wasn't until Ravage lowered her head to the table and opened her jaw so his phone could fall out that Miles realized he had technically already asked his questions. He knew Ravage's actual name, now, and also knew there were others like Ravage out there.
Miles knew he could try to protest, or demand more answers, or just generally act huffy so Ravage understood he wasn't pleased with the situation. As of yet, he'd not actually said no to Ravage or done anything Ravage had made clear she didn't want him to. This was his house and his life he was allowing her in, it was their relationship he was allowing her to dictate, but he wasn't too bothered by that.
Ravage was the most interesting thing to happen to him in years. He loved his job, loved the animals he got to work with, and generally enjoyed his coworkers and the clients that came in, but life had gotten monotonous. And it had been nice to come home to the expectation of someone being there and waiting for him.
"Well, we know who wears the pants in this relationship," Miles sighed. Ravage tilted her head to the side and curled her tail into a question mark, "Human expression only, I guess." He picked up his phone and looked at the screen, "Woah, you charged it, too?!"