Gavin hummed softly as he sat at the piano in the parlour of Elijah's mansion. Well, one of them. This one was on the second floor, with a view of the mountainside that went all the way across to Detroit. This parlour had been mostly set aside for Chloe's use as a combined music room and study, decorated in soft creams and warm woods. She had a huge grand piano set up by the window so she could look out over the city as she played. It was sleek and white with a matching stool, a beautiful piece. The wingback was propped open to display the inner workings. Endless lines of delicate strings and pale wooden hammers. The parlour was one of Gavin's favourite places, and it seemed Tiny agreed. The little mechanical monster had been curled up sleeping on the fluffed cushion of the chaise lounge for almost an hour now. Gavin's lips curled as he listened to the gentle whirring purr of his inner workings.
The cut on his face from their first meeting had healed up nicely, though the line was still there at the moment. He was using scar cream, so it would probably fade in a few weeks. Since the incident, and much to Elijah's annoyance, he and Tiny had become inseparable whenever he was in the mansion. Elijah had originally planned to place the reconnaissance model back in stasis. It was a prototype designed with a very specific job, and even if androids had freedom now, that didn't extend to such dangerous models. The law would likely call for the whole series to be discontinued and destroyed. The only reason they hadn't been decommissioned yet was that they were early prototypes that no one knew about, besides Elijah and Chloe. What had stopped Elijah from putting Tiny in stasis was the pure look of heartbreak on Gavin's face when he'd told him. He'd never been able to turn down his brother when he gave him kitten eyes. Worse, the reconnaissance model, or Tiny as Gavin had named him, had mastered the look, too. He was surprisingly cute, considering his alien design.
Gavin's visits had become more frequent. He stopped by on every day off, and sometimes he'd even visit after work. It meant Elijah got to see more of him, so he couldn't complain, even though he wasn't really there to see him. Tiny had taken to waiting by the door every night and every morning, just in case Gavin stopped by. It had become somewhat of a problem. Tiny was a sophisticated machine, controlled by a far higher intellect. An intellect that could get extremely bored. That meant there would often be a lot of damage where Tiny practiced stunts and routines around the entrance hall. Climbing, jumping, stalking, pouncing, shredding. Elijah had already had to replace a section of the marble flooring and re-plaster three walls. Various expensive items had been broken. Sculptures, vases, and even one of his paintings. Each time, Tiny would give him those almost apologetic kitten eyes until he was forgiven. He was a bigger menace than Gavin!
Gavin would call for Tiny as soon as the door opened, and the small machine would come scuttling from wherever he was playing or sleeping. He climbed Gavin like a tree to curl up on his shoulders and often went back to sleep. It was always peaceful when Gavin was in the mansion. He kept the small creature entertained. Tiny still didn't trust Elijah, and would often stay out of his reach. He would, however, accept thirium and treats from Chloe. Chloe would speak to him. She didn't treat him like a monster or a pet. It was refreshing. She also hadn't enlightened Gavin about his true nature, for which he was thankful. He enjoyed his time with Gavin very much. They would play hide and seek, tag, wrestle, and even go hiking on the mountainside. No one else ventured up the mountain. The land belonged to the Kamski estate, so it was safe for him to be out in the open.
Tiny also very much enjoyed lazy days like this one. Gavin had settled in the lounge earlier that morning to read, and Tiny had curled up on his stomach to listen. Gavin would always read aloud when they were alone together. Tiny enjoyed the stories, especially when read in Gavin's soft rumble. His voice was a little rough, and if Tiny curled up high enough, he could feel the vibrations through his chest and ribcage, along with the lulling beat of his heart. Gavin had finished reading earlier and stood to stretch, leaving him curled up on the chaise lounge while he'd moved to the piano. He'd sat there for a few minutes, enjoying the view out over the city before finally opening the piano lid. He did it slowly and quietly, hoping he wouldn't disturb his small companion too much. Tiny's tail twitched a little at the small creak, but he didn't open his eyes.
It had been some time since Gavin had last played. Months, at least. He stroked his fingers along the smooth keys, feeling the coolness on his fingertips. He was pretty sure it would still be tuned. Chloe played, even if he didn't. He remembered a lot of the melodies he used to play. Jurassic Park, Africa, Bella's Lullaby, Disney tunes, a few pieces by Mozart, and some old anime soundtracks he used to love. He paused and looked across at Tiny, wondering what sort of music he'd like. You can't go wrong with John Williams…He played a few quiet notes, slowly reacquainting himself with the keys. It was easier to pick up than he'd thought it would be. He wasn't at his old standard, not by a long shot, but the tune was passable.
Over on the chaise lounge, there was a small trill. Gavin huffed softly as he looked across to where Tiny was still curled up. His clawed feet were drawn in and his sharp tail coiled around his body, much like a cat. He'd raised his head to blink with interest at the strange new sounds. Maybe Chloe hadn't played in the last few weeks, or Tiny just hadn't been curious before. Either way, he hopped down and pattered his way across the wooden floor to hop onto the piano with clicking, tapping claws. He blinked and looked down, feeling the vibrations through his clawed hands and feet. Gavin chuckled as he watched the small beast creep over to the open wing of the piano and put his head over the edge.
Tiny watched the small wooden pegs inside as they rose and fell. They knocked the strings like tiny hammers, moving with the keys as Gavin played. Gavin stood to look over the top as Tiny slithered his way out of sight and into the body of the piano. He wasn't sure that was the best place for him to be. Chloe would kill him if he ruined her piano. She loved this old thing. It had been a gift from Elijah years ago, something she'd originally used to help with calibration. Gavin was almost alarmed as Tiny disappeared beneath the strings and into the case. He sat again, keeping his fingers light on the keys. He didn't want to hurt Tiny somehow by knocking the pegs too hard, or risk damaging the insides.
"Hey, you be careful in there. This is Chloe's piano," Gavin warned as he played, pushing the pedals with his feet to hold the notes as necessary. He huffed as he heard a small, hollow knock of acknowledgement, unsure if Tiny really understood or not. Elijah exactly gone over his model. He'd only given him a vague idea of what he'd been made for. Reconnaissance suggested he was a little spy-bot made to slink into places he shouldn't to get information. He could certainly do that. He could sneak up out of nowhere. Gavin could never quite figure out exactly where he came from when they were playing tag or hide and seek. One minute, he would be alone and the next, there would be a skittering armoured menace flying at him out of nowhere.
Gavin bobbed his head as he continued to play, speeding up a little as he got back into the old melody. A series of muffled grunts and clicks sounded within the wood, and the scuffling of small mechanical claws scratched the walls. He was certainly having fun in there. He almost seemed to be rolling back and forth with the keys. Gavin chuckled as Tiny's head reappeared, ethereal blue on black eyes wide awake now as he hopped back onto the solid frame of the piano. He clicked away happily as he settled on the front edge to Gavin's right, still looking down at the plucking strings. He followed the steady pattern, gradually able to guess which string would be next. Gavin watched as his sharp tail flicked down to press the end key a few times, experimenting. Gavin paused his playing to watch as Tiny's tail hit a few random white keys, making a series of high notes.
"What? You want to play?" Gavin asked with a small chuckle, surprised as Tiny trilled and clicked in agreement. He seemed to sit up almost eagerly as he looked over his shoulder at him. Gavin blinked a few times before regarding the keys. He wasn't sure if Tiny really got it, but it couldn't hurt to try. "Alright…Try this." Gavin raised one hand and played the first seven notes of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star in the middle of the piano. As he played, Tiny watched the strings inside, unblinking. It was almost like he was analysing the position and vibration of each string. Gavin removed his hand and waited.
He watched as Tiny shuffled further along the piano, standing up to look over the bookrest and into the open bulk of the piano again. He raised his tail with a few clicks, which Gavin was surprised to recognise as the melody he'd just played. The sharp tip swept down to press the keys methodically. Tiny clicked happily as he finished, looking over his shoulder at Gavin for some form of approval. Gavin huffed and stroked his ebony locks, still surprised by how similar he looked to Connor. With a pinker colouring, the removal of the black lines, and brunette hair, he'd be a pretty close match. It was kind of creepy how Elijah had just altered Connor's face a little and reused it.
"Good job, now this…" Gavin played another seven notes, and then put them together. Tiny watched the strings the whole time and copied him perfectly. Since he was picking it up so quickly, Gavin taught him the final fourteen notes together and then played the complete set. "You'll be better than me in about a week," he teased as he settled down to play the tune properly. Tiny hopped down to watch, clicking in surprise as Gavin added a few additional notes. "Oh wait, it gets better…I probably can't play all twelve anymore though…"
Tiny rested his clawed hands on Gavin's thighs and propped himself up between his open arms for a better view of the keys as he played. Gavin took a slightly deeper breath as he played the next section. It was hard to remember the right keys after all this time, and he was pretty sure he fumbled a few wrong notes. Tiny didn't seem to mind. He was rapt with attention, seeming almost disappointed as his hands froze and he stopped with an apologetic chuckle. He was really out of practice.
"Sorry, I think that's too much for me without a refresh…What else do I remember…" he mused as he idly toyed with the keys in a simple melody. "How about Sleeping Beauty?" He was pretty sure he remembered the old Tchaikovsky tune. It used to be one of his favourites. Unfortunately, he could only play half by himself. Tiny trilled happily as he watched, blue and black eyes blinking upward as Gavin started to sing softly. The curse of growing up with old Disney movies on repeat all day…His lips quirked as he remembered singing the song with his mother while learning to play. Elijah had always sworn he never sang along, but Gavin clearly remembered hearing him from the small dining room table while he was writing his homework.
Gavin sighed as he finished, petting Tiny's head as he prepared to stand. He was surprised as Tiny's tail wrapped around his wrist tightly and led his hand back to the keys. Again? He tilted his head questioningly, huffing as Tiny began grunting out the Once Upon a Time segment. Gavin relented with a few soft words and began playing again, singing in a soft voice. Tiny purred happily, shuffling further onto his lap and curling up. His tail flicked lazily to the one-two-three beat of the waltz, blue eyes closing in contentment as he rested his chin on Gavin's knee. By the time Gavin finished the second round, it looked like Tiny had fallen asleep.
"You know, I'm beginning to think you did that on purpose…" Gavin accused softly as he stroked his ebony locks, watching as they fell back into place. His eyes remained stubbornly closed, leaving him trapped at the piano. Gavin hummed thoughtfully as he played through a few old melodies he'd picked up in school. Ghibli was always a popular choice, so he ran through a few of those. He didn't remember full songs anymore, but he knew enough to pass the time. Tiny's contented purrs vibrated against his thighs as he listened, shuffling into a more comfortable snoozing position. He was soon curled on his side like a foetus, tail looping up over his head. He looked so cute and innocent that Gavin found it hard to believe he'd been designed as some sort of covert war machine.
Outside, the sun was still shining. It would get dark a little earlier than a few weeks ago, but it was still early afternoon at this point. It was heading towards the end of summer, but the weather was still hot and sunny for now. The trees on the mountainside were a deep shade of green, Chloe's flowers were still in bloom, and Detroit was glistening in the distance. It was quiet. Peaceful. He couldn't even hear Chloe and Elijah, though he knew they were somewhere in the mansion. Probably the lab. The silence was hardly surprising. Most of the mansion was soundproofed for privacy. Maybe we could go for a walk later…
"What the phck?" Gavin jerked his head up at the sound. That was weird. Elijah's house had never had a pipe problem before. That was all he could think it could be. There was a strange creaking above his head, like metal bending under the strain of something heavy. Are the pipes about to burst? The sound stopped as Tiny raised his head, clicking and blinking innocently. Gavin was still tense as he rested a hand on Tiny's spiked spine. "It's probably nothing…" He wasn't sure who he was trying to reassure. The hair on the back of his neck prickled as another low creak sounded. Maybe I should have Eli call a plumber…Pipes shouldn't make noise like that. Sounds like the ceiling's about to cave in…
"Gavin! Lunch is ready!" Chloe's voice called from somewhere downstairs. Gavin couldn't help jumping out of his skin at the interruption. He huffed an amused sigh as he rubbed his forehead, shaking his head at his own skittishness. His heart was still racing as he gathered Tiny against his chest and got to his feet. There was a louder groan above his head as he moved. He held Tiny a little closer as he looked up, edging away from the stool as he did so. He half expected the surface to open and a flood of water to pour out. Tiny trilled softly, nuzzling him in what seemed like reassurance. Gavin scratched his head, still looking up. I'd better tell Eli before Chloe's piano gets ruined…
"Come on, we shouldn't keep Chloe waiting…" he murmured as he headed for the door, feeling Tiny butt his chin in an almost placating manner. Tiny trilled as he scrambled up onto his shoulders, as usual. "What? Are you hungry?" Gavin teased, chuckling as the small creature leaned down to lick and nudge his cheek.