With the arrival of February, Gavin's injuries were mostly healed. He wasn't quite at the stage of returning to work yet, much to Tiny's relief, but he was getting stronger every day. His flesh was less tender and he no longer winced when he moved. He could sleep on his side without discomfort or stiffness, and had even stopped taking pain killers. The only thing really keeping him from work was rebuilding his strength. He'd regained a lot of the weight and muscle he'd lost, but he wasn't quite back to normal yet. Elijah wouldn't even hear of him going back to work until he hit his old weight, and neither would Gavin's boss. Tiny was pretty sure Elijah was bribing the man to keep Gavin home.
Whatever the case, Tiny was determined to enjoy whatever time they had left, and that meant keeping Gavin entertained. Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot to do around the mansion that they hadn't already done before. Going in the pool was an everyday occurrence now, and they could watch television whenever they liked. Walking the mountain paths was pleasant, but the weather hadn't been good recently. They were trapped inside most days by snow.
Tiny had seen snow before, of course, but he'd never ventured out in it. Last winter Gavin had been in hospital, and until now Chloe and Elijah had insisted he take it easy. On snowy days, they'd stayed inside where it was warm, and the few times they'd gone walking in the garden the snow had almost been melted. That morning was different. Tiny was restless and Gavin was bored, as he had been for weeks. He had what Elijah called cabin fever. Tiny wasn't sure he understood this disease, but it was truly terrible. It put Gavin in a sour mood and made him less playful and more lethargic. Seeing the flurry of falling snowflakes seemed to cheer him somewhat as he looked out of his bedroom window.
It had been snowing all night by the looks of it, leaving a white blanket covering the driveway that was about five inches deep already. Snow always looked beautiful first thing in the morning when the sun was still low and unable to melt it. Tiny chittered curiously as he moved to sit at Gavin's feet where he leaned on the glass and looked out. His expression was dreamy and far off, probably thinking about something nice. A fond memory perhaps. He smiled at Tiny's interruption and looked down, nodding to the window with a questioning look.
"What do you think? You want to go out today?" In the snow? Tiny wasn't too sure as he looked at it. The snow would be wet and cold, two things Gavin certainly didn't need while he was in recovery. Despite that, he could almost feel Gavin's eagerness bubbling beneath the surface. His tone was hopeful and his green eyes were almost glittering with eagerness. "You'll probably enjoy it." Tiny remained unconvinced. He didn't like rain and muddy puddle water getting between his plates, so why would snow be any different? It was also cold. What was Gavin planning to do out there? "Just for a little while." Now he was offering compromises!
Tiny clicked, still unconvinced as Gavin headed to the bathroom to start his day. Tiny waited patiently, hopping on the bed and curling up in his warm bed. He could hear running water and the hum of Gavin's electric razor as he trimmed his stubble, but he didn't shower. He washed up and brushed his teeth before returning to find some warm clothes. His usual jeans, a long-sleeved top, and a thick black sweater. Tiny wasn't sure three layers would really be enough to fend off the cold as he grabbed his leather jacket and headed to the door.
They wouldn't go out straight away. Gavin hadn't had his breakfast yet, and since he'd stopped taking so much medication, he was drinking coffee again. It wasn't that he didn't like tea. In fact, he often preferred tea in the mornings, but he'd missed coffee. They arrived in the kitchen to be greeted with the sweet smell of pancakes as Chloe bustled about. The coffee maker was already running, a clear sign she'd heard them coming. She smiled as Gavin approached, accepting a kiss on the cheek as he grabbed a mug down and poured a coffee. Tiny hopped on the counter beside him and watched as he leaned back and cradled the mug beneath his nose, breathing in the nutty scent with a sigh.
"It'll be ready soon. Why don't you get some plates?" Chloe said cheerfully as she set a second pan down to fry bacon. Gavin put his coffee down and reached up into the higher cupboard to grab two plates. Tiny clicked softly as he watched, pleased to see him reaching without trouble. It had been hard to watch all those weeks ago as he'd winced and struggled to even lift a box of tea leaves down. He set the plates side be side on the counter, lacing a hand in Tiny's hair as he finished.
"Is there anything else you want me to do?" he asked as he scratched along Tiny's spinal plating, huffing as he hunkered down and raised his tail like a cat. He only stopped as Chloe suggested he could set the table for her. They'd eat in the conservatory. It was Chloe's favourite place in the house, which meant it was also Elijah's favourite place, besides his lab. Elijah was already there with a pad as they arrived, catching up with the morning news as he sipped a cup of tea. He wasn't much of a coffee person unless it was late at night and he needed it to keep working.
"Good morning, any plans for the day?" he asked absently as he continued skimming the article. He often did that. Tiny wasn't sure if it was his eidetic memory or just force of habit from years of intensive study, looking for particular information, but Elijah didn't read the way Gavin did. When Gavin read a book, he would slowly make his way across the page, taking in each word. Elijah was different. His eyes flicked quickly up and down each page before moving on to the next, and yet he always seemed to take everything in. He could even read passages back if asked.
"Not really. I'm taking Tiny out in the snow after breakfast, but aside from that..." Elijah raised an eyebrow and looked up in response. Tiny had noticed a marked difference in the brothers' personalities. While Gavin was physical and playful, enjoying active hobbies and games, Elijah was more reserved. He likely didn't see a benefit to playing in the snow like children, and was far happier conducting research in the warmth of his lab. His only proper exercise seemed to be swimming, which was enough to keep him in shape, but also meant he was far less fun to be around.
"Don't stay out too long. A fever is the last thing you need in your state of health." Gavin rolled his eyes at that, but Tiny had to agree. Detroit winters were especially bitter, and with the snow making his clothes wet, it would increase the risk of sickness. Tiny trilled his agreement from his place at the table, curled up on the seat between Gavin and Chloe. Elijah was pleased that Tiny agreed. Gavin often listened to him more than anyone else, besides perhaps Chloe. Gavin almost scoffed as he looked between them, folding his arms and sitting back like a chided child.
"Yes Mum..." he grumbled, smirking a little at the way Elijah's lips thinned. "I'll be fine! I'm dressed for the weather, and we'll probably only be out there for an hour or two, right Tiny?" Tiny chittered his agreement as Gavin looked at him. He certainly wouldn't want to be out longer than that. The cold didn't bother him, but he was conscious of how it would affect Gavin. It would bite his nose and cheeks, freeze his fingertips and make his whole body shiver. It would be worse as the snow soaked his jeans, which was quite inevitable, considering how deep it was.
"You're going out in the snow?" Chloe asked cheerfully as she stepped inside with two hot plates of pancakes with bacon and maple syrup. Unlike Elijah, she didn't think it was a silly idea at all. Gavin needed some form of new stimuli to keep him busy. She'd noticed him getting bored too over the past few weeks. It was really quite inevitable. There was only so long you could spend in one place before everything started to sour. Unfortunately, Tiny couldn't go into town with him, so he was limited to the estate unless he left Tiny behind.
Since shopping at Christmas, Gavin hadn't left the estate. Tiny was still clingy in that regard. The mere suggestion of leaving would result in a loud shriek and disgruntled clicks. Despite his successful shopping trip with Elijah, Tiny still didn't trust that he would always come back unharmed. Chloe couldn't blame his caution after the last time. His latest work related injury had almost gotten him killed. She couldn't even imagine how Tiny would react when Gavin was actually signed off to return to work. There was sure to be a tantrum or two. Elijah would have to keep his cheque book handy to replace any damage in the entrance hall again.
"Yeah, it seems a nice day for it, and I haven't taken him out in the snow properly yet." The last time they'd walked in the garden with snow, he'd been too weak and frail to play or stay out too long. He'd barely lasted ten minutes with the cold making him shiver. The tensing of his muscles had hurt his chest and stomach, driving him back inside for a hot bath and a mug of hot chocolate. With any luck, today would be different. He was hoping to teach Tiny the joys of playing in the snow and all the different things you could do.
"That sounds lovely. Have fun, and I'll have the bath ready when you come back." Gavin murmured his thanks as he wolfed down his pancakes. He was a little impatient to get going after being stuck inside for so long. Tiny chittered his amusement as Elijah grumbled at him to slow down and chew his food, luminous eyes sharpening as a spot of syrup stained his chin. Gavin grudgingly slowed down, taking the time to appreciate the fluffy sweetness of Chloe's pancakes. Tiny trilled, getting to his feet and eagerly hopping across to Gavin's lap. Gavin accepted the extra weight with a small huff, ruffling his hair as he leaned up and licked his chin.
"Little weirdo," he chuckled as Tiny trilled and hopped to the floor, the yellow light between his plates suggesting he was busy analysing. The makeup of the syrup popped up in his HUD, along with a second box displaying Gavin's DNA profile. A small purring sound whirred in his chest as he looked at the small box, pleased to see a marked improvement in his health. As the light returned to blue, Gavin finished up and got to his feet. "Come on, Tiny." Tiny followed as he pulled his leather jacket on and zipped it to his chin. He also pulled the thick hood over his head to keep his ears warm as they made their way to the back door in the kitchen.
They could have left through the conservatory doors. The entire room was made of glass, and there were two doors that led outside, but Gavin didn't want to let the heat out. Despite being completely made of glass, the room was kept quite warm with the underfloor heating. Chloe even had a few exotic plants sitting in long planters that thrived in the warmth. The door in the kitchen let them out right next to the conservatory anyway. Chloe was clearing the table while Elijah finished his tea and continued reading his pad. He didn't even seem to notice as Gavin and Tiny crunched their way across the snowy grass.
That was something Tiny found most curious. The crunching sound. It was like a muffled, whispering crunch, completely unique. He couldn't find another sound profile that even came close. He chittered in delight as he hopped from patch to patch, leaving large holes in the fluffy white blanket wherever he went. Gavin chuckled fondly as he watched, slowly walking alongside him as he hopped about in glee. Gavin was right. Snow was worthy of further exploration. Tiny trilled curiously as he poked out his tongue and licked the snow. It was really no surprise that it was water. He'd expected nothing less, though it was perhaps a little disturbing to find it contaminated with trace amounts of industrial filth. Disturbing, but not unexpected. At this point, there wasn't a place on Earth left unaffected by pollution.
"Don't do that if the snow is yellow," Gavin teased as he watched Tiny licking up snow. He seemed to enjoy the texture as he went back for a larger sample and happily munched away. He tilted his head at Gavin's warning, wondering why the snow would be yellow. "What do you want to do first? Make a snowman?" Tiny chittered excitedly. He'd never made one, but he'd seen them in some of Chloe's movies. They were rather crude as far as sculptures went, but that also meant he'd probably be able to do a good job. His hands weren't meant for building things. "Alright, we need to roll some big snowballs first."
Tiny trilled and darted around his feet as Gavin gathered some snow into a ball and started rolling it across the ground. He clicked and chittered excitedly, watching as the ball got bigger and bigger. Seeing how easy it was, he gathered his own small ball. It was like how dung beetles gathered their balls, something he'd seen in a nature documentary that was left playing while Gavin napped. He chittered happily, using his claws and tail to nudge the ball along and gather more snow. He was sure to roll the ball sideways every so often to ensure the ball formed a sphere. By the time he stopped, the ball was almost as big as he was! Gavin continued gathering snow for his ball, claiming it needed to be a lot bigger because it would be the base. Tiny wouldn't argue. Gavin had more experience where making snowmen was concerned.
"Why don't you gather some little rocks we can use for the eyes and mouth?" Tiny clicked and trilled at the suggested before bounding off through the snow. Chloe kept a small pond of artificial fish, which was full of smooth black stones. They were perfect for their purposes, and he was sure she wouldn't mind giving them up to a good cause. The stones would be returned once the snowman melted anyway. He chittered; luminous eyes wide as he found the surface of the small pond frozen. That was perhaps to be expected with the cold weather. The pond was a large square with a slate ledge around the edge, where Tiny crouched and reached out. He tapped the frosted surface with his claw, putting a little weight on the ice. It seemed to hold. Pleased with that development, Tiny placed a second claw on the surface and leaned even more weight. It really was quite curious how the ice was holding his weight. Clicking curiously, Tiny crept his way further onto the frosted surface and padded out a few small paces. "Did you find any?" Gavin called from the top of the garden, unaware of his plan.
Letting out an affirmative chitter, Tiny set about his task. It was his plan to take some stones from the pond. The pond was frozen over. He had to break the ice. Tapping the surface, he found it felt quite firm. Surely it couldn't be that thick after just a few scant hours! He used the tip of his sharp tail and stabbed the surface, screeching as large cracks scattered across the ice and made it break into sections. Unfortunately, that also included the ice beneath his feet. Although he didn't feel the cold, it did affect his systems, especially in this smaller body. He clawed his way up to the surface, letting out a gurgled shriek.
"Tiny!" He continued to claw the surface, kicking his small legs and making his way to the edge of the small pond. Gavin knelt on the stone ledge and leaned over, grabbing his splashing arm and pulling him from the icy water. "Are you alright?" Tiny chittered and clicked miserably as he shook himself off. Although he was durable, such low temperatures would affect him like any other android. Luckily, he'd only been in the water for a few moments and his systems were already working to warm his internal components. "You need to be careful, alright? No walking on the ice!" Tiny trilled his agreement as he looked over the edge of the pond. "Is that what you were doing? Trying to get the stones?" Tiny chittered happily as he pulled a small, flat stone from the pond.
Giving him another reminder to be careful, Gavin returned to the snowman. He was already working on a second large ball for the body, and by the time Tiny returned, he was lifting the large ball up to place it on the first with a groan. Tiny clicked worriedly as he circled his feet. He wasn't supposed to be lifting anything too heavy just yet. Judging by the smile he got, Tiny assumed he was fine. After placing the smallest ball on top, he let Tiny climb on his shoulders so he could add the eyes and mouth. He'd even brought extra stones to act like coat buttons running down the front. The snowman looked quite cheerful as they drew back, but so far he was both armless and noseless.
"Alright, why don't you head to the kitchen and ask Chloe for a carrot? I'll see about finding some sticks for the arms." Tiny chittered his agreement as he bounded off towards the kitchen. Reaching the closed door, he jumped and pulled the handle down with his body weight before using his tail to swing the door open. The kitchen was deserted, but he knew Chloe kept most of the vegetables in the bottom drawer of the fridge. Rummaging in the drawer, he managed to find a carrot, and there was a packet of small red chillis. Tiny clicked curiously as he plucked a thin, red pod from the packet. It was perfect!
Taking the carrot and the chilli, he scurried his way back out to Gavin, who was busy pushing a large stick in one side of the body to act as an arm. Tiny watched, clicking softly as Gavin moved to the other side. The snowman was really quite fine! Three balls high with shiny black buttons, a cheerful smile, and two long arms. Gavin stood back with his hands on his hips, admiring his handiwork until Tiny's clicks and chitters alerted him to his return.
"You managed?" he asked as he looked down at him. Tiny chittered happily as he held up his prize. Gavin chuckled softly as he lifted him and took the chilli. "A little small for a nose, don't you think?" he teased, grinning at Tiny's trill of agreement. The chilli wasn't the nose, but Gavin had no idea what it was for. He held Tiny up so he could reach the face and watched him put the carrot nose on. With another chitter, Tiny grabbed the chilli and carefully pressed it into the snow just above the carrot. "Oh great, a snow Gavin!" Gavin chuckled as they stepped back. Tiny trilled his agreement and hopped down to curl himself around the base of the snowman as best he could. Gavin laughed as he took a photo and added it to his Tiny folder.
Building the snowman had been fun, but the second activity was Tiny's favourite. Gavin taught him the most important skill of all. Snow based warfare. He called it a snowball fight. They each made a small pile of small snowballs, each about the size of their palms. The aim of the game was to throw these projectiles at each other and land the most hits. Gavin truly didn't comprehend his disadvantage. Tiny was fast, sleek, and dextrous. Dodging airborne projectiles was child's play! Although he wasn't as strong as his extraction model, Tiny still had good aim. He didn't need to hurt Gavin with the snowballs, only hit him. With that in mind, he took to the task with gusto.
"Hey! That's cheating!" Gavin exclaimed as he dodged his way across the trodden snow, covering his head and laughing as Tiny screeched and launched a barrage with his hands and tail. "I only have two hands!" Tiny chittered smugly as he hurled another ball with his tail. Gavin's lack of limbs was not his problem. The ball struck Gavin's head, bursting into powder and leaving droplets in his fluffed hair. "Oh, come on!" Gavin cursed as Tiny easily dodged the ball he threw in retaliation. Tiny trilled as he raced across the snow to make more balls, hopping this way and that as Gavin wore himself out throwing balls and rushing back and forth.
Tiny chittered from his place beside a pile of snowballs, using both hands and his tail to hail Gavin with snow. Gavin dodged and used his arms to cover himself, knocking the occasional ball from the air. Tiny was triumphant, screeching and trilling as Gavin finally fell to the ground in an exhausted heap, laughing and panting all the while. Believing the fight was over, Tiny chittered and hopped his way across the snow to fall on Gavin's chest, nuzzling into his wet jacket. Now that Gavin was lying in the snow, he was certain they would go inside soon. His jeans would be soaked through at the back.
"Alright-alright, you win!" he panted as he stroked Tiny's fluffed hair and icy metal plating. It was a good thing Tiny couldn't feel the cold. His matte casing was so cold Gavin thought his fingers might stick to it! Tiny trilled in triumph, smiling happily as he flicked the snow with his tail. "You want to make snow angels before we go inside? Here, I'll show you." Tiny chittered curiously as he hopped off and watched Gavin move his arms and back and forth through the snow. His legs left swishes in the snow that looked like a dress or robe, and his arms left swishes that could be wings.
Chittering curiously, Tiny hopped into his own patch and stretched out his arms and legs. He copied Gavin, subconsciously swishing his tail through the snow as well. When he was done, he hopped across to climb Gavin's shoulders and looked down at his handiwork. It wasn't quite the same as Gavin's. Perhaps creatures like himself were never meant to be angels. Gavin chuckled softly as he reached up to pet his head, taking a picture on his phone to save it. Tiny's shape had the wings, but his tail had added a second layer to the skirt that made it look odd.
"You made a little snow mermaid!" Gavin teased as he held up the picture. Tilting his head, Tiny trilled curiously. He could sort of see it. The longer, thinner section at the bottom could perhaps be a mermaid tail, with the skirt acting as fins. With the wings, perhaps he was a flying snow mermaid. "What do you think? Ready for a bath and hot chocolate?" Tiny chittered excitedly and leapt from his shoulders at that, scuttling his way back to the kitchen door. Gavin laughed as he ran to catch up. There was really nothing better than bath time with Gavin and cuddling up with hot drinks on a snowy day.