Dates don't always go the way you plan, and sometimes they do!
Fandom: FNAF SB
Rating: General
Pairing: readerxSun
warnings: None
Summary: Sun is supposed to have a date with you tonight. Your first date! For the third time! The anxiety that had him canceling the previously scheduled dates rears its head again and threatens to ruin this one too, but you're not content with letting this chance slip by again.
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Sun held his phone in his shaking hand, thumb hovering over your name. His internal conflict was making him nauseous. He couldnât imagine canceling on you again. If he did, would you ever give him another chance? Thisâd be the third time. He wouldnât have given anyone a chance after the first so why should you give him a fourth?
If he didnât go tonight that would be it. Youâd never talk to him again. Youâd hate him. Youâd leave and find someone else and marry them and maybe you should. You deserved someone better than him, someone who wasnât so scared of embarrassing himself that heâd cancel multiple dates.Â
Sunâs heart hammered in his chest and when he met his eye in the mirror, he almost vomited. He looked a mess. His hair was still wild and untamed, he was pale, sweating through the white shirt heâd picked out, an-
âMr. Sun!â
The daycare attendant jumped and spun quickly to see the little boy in the doorway.
âYou asked me ta tell you when-when moms and dads got here and theyâre here so I came to get you like you asked!â The childâs enthusiasm was almost irritating to Sun. Couldnât this kid see he was having a crisis?! Still, work was work and heâd spent more time than he should have in the bathroom already. Left the kids unattended for too long. His anxiety instantly shifted to all the possible injuries or messes made in his absence.
Sun launched himself out of the bathroom to check on the kids & distribute them back to their parents without any more cause for incident.
As the final parent left, with a snide comment about his chosen date outfit (he knew it was a bad idea, he knew it looked awful. Stupid stupid stupid!), ending pick up after an eternity and simultaneously far too quickly. Sun still hadnât texted you. He still wasnât ready to go. He couldnât stand the thought of losing you.
Sun jumped when his phone buzzed in his pocket. His hands dropped from his mouth â he didnât notice heâd started biting his fingers, a bad bad habit he needed to work on â and checked the notification. He yelped when your name came up on the caller ID.
A million thoughts swarmed Sunâs mind â you were canceling (a relief followed by panic and deep-seated grief) you were at the restaurant and wanted to know when he was coming (he wasnât. he couldnât wait to see you), youâd realized what a waste of time pursuing him was and were ending it before he could disappoint you further (devastating but understandable).
Sun answered and flinched at the shake and pathetic sound of his greeting.
âHey Sunny, come open the door, my hands are full.â Your voice was like a refreshing glass of cool water after days in the driest desert. His shoulders instantly relaxed and the shaking almost fully subsided.
âY-yeah! OK yeah coming!â Sunâs legs began carrying him in a random direction before he paused, uncertain where he was supposed to be going.  Â
âUhâŚwh-what door?â He was so ready to do anything you asked he hadnât even considered what your request was referring to.
Your laugh, warm and inviting, flowed through the speaker. âThe daycare door, goofus! Come let me in, see you in a sec.â The call ended and Sun remained frozen for a moment to process.
The Daycare doors? Here? You were HERE?!Â
Sun scrambled, dropping his phone in the process to get to the door as quickly as he could. Why were you here? Did he forget you were supposed to meet here? Did you say you would be picking him up?  Did he forget he said heâd drive?
Sun flung open one of the large wooden doors, leaning his body out of the frame with a torrent of questions.Â
His mouth snapped shut.
All the concerns and confusion dying on his tongue when his eyes found yours. The tension in his shoulders melted away with your warm smile. One he couldnât help but return.
Sun stood a little straighter to take you in. His face burned as his mind and eyes fully comprehended what was before him. There you stood. Kind, caring, beautiful, wonderful, patient you. You, with a bouquet of yellow daises and scarlet roses in one hand, a picnic basket in the other.Â
âI hope this isnât too weird, but I uhâŚI guess I figured you might be canceling because youâre uncomfortable with going out? So, I thought maybe a date here would take some of the pressure off.â Youâd started out confident but felt your own face flushing as you registered the shocked expression of the tall man before you. He was dressed in a white shirt and clean pants. He was going to come see you tonight! That realization soothed some of your own internal anxieties about misreading the situation between you both.
Sunâs eyes lingered over every part of you as his face heated quickly, body going rigid. You were clearly dressed for the date; your outfit was like nothing heâd seen you in before.  Your silhouette was breathtaking and the colors seemed to reflect in your eyes in a way Sun had never gotten to experience before. His fingers twitched with a barely contained desire to reach out and feel the fabric that was lucky enough to be draped across your body.
Time seemed to drag by as you awaited Sunâs response. The continued silence had you shuffling awkwardly and the thought that heâd been canceling because he didnât actually want to go out with you was returning with vengeance. Maybe heâd felt bad saying no? Maybe he thought it was kinder to cancel than outright reject you? Maybe you were really just super wrong about what you thought he felt.
âO-or maybe this was a dumb idea.â You forced a small laugh out. âS-sorry Sun I should have taken the hint the first time yo-â
âCome in!â Sunâs shout cut you off and caused you to jump slightly. There's a heavy tinge of panic in his voice as he stepped back into the daycare to make room for you to enter. âPlease, please come in, Sunflower. Sorry, I was justâŚsurprised to see you.â Sunâs arm shook as he held it out in a welcoming gesture.
You looked between his face and arm with a small frown. âSun really itâs ok Iâm sorry I shouldnât have-â
âNo no no! Please! Please stay!â Sun looked almost frantic â fearful. âPlease donât leave.â
It was how quietly he spoke that last part that bolstered some of your confidence back up. You took a breath of your own and entered the brightly lit play area. As you passed Sun his expression relaxed into his usual smile and the tension seemed to evaporate.Â
âSo so so so sweet of you to come! I-Iâm sorry I canceled before IâŚIâm happy you decided to come here.â Sunâs sincerity was palpable, his large hand resting just below your shoulder blades as he walked beside you into the daycare. âAnd with gifts too! WowâŚwowie IâmâŚthank you, Sunshine.â Sun sounded sheepish as he glanced away from you and bit his lip. Cute.
You suppressed the shiver that threatened to roll through you at the sensation of his warm palm and long fingers â that when spread almost reached passed your mid-back. Unconsciously you leaned in closer to Sun as you walked towards the security desk. You glanced up at Sun who wore a large smile â his face coated in a deep red flush. You grinned at him in turn and moved to face him, holding the bouquet out to him.Â
âFor you, good sir!â
Sun gently took the flowers from your hands and brought them to his face. He closed his eyes as he took a â almost comedically â deep inhale of the blooms, followed by a loud sneeze.
You couldnât help the laugh that his surprised expression pulled from you and when he lowered the flowers from his face the sheepish grin turned almost dopey when your eyes met.
âI want to marry you.â Sunâs voice was dreamy as he spoke the wish aloud. It only took a moment for him seemingly realize what heâd said. Sun began to sputter out apologies, trying to take it back, but not really, but wow that was inappropriate, and haha oh god.
âSun, breath.â Your command was kind as you took one of his hands in yours and gave it a squeeze, shutting him up instantly.Â
You continued, not wanting him to rile himself up again, âI think Iâve known you long enough that you donât have to apologize for yourself anymore. I know you can get intense, itâs one of the things I like about you. Youâve got a lot of feelings and arenât afraid to experience them. I donât want you feeling like you have to explain every little thing you say youâre embarrassed about. I want you to feel safe with me.â You pause for a moment to make sure heâs listening.
âObviously we are not getting married anytime soon. But I think itâs sweet that youâre so sure of it being something you want. I canât promise right now that Iâll get there but knowing that youâre actually looking for something long-term isâŚnice.  It means you arenât just trying to mess around. I appreciate that about you.  I might have been weirded out if anyone else said that butâŚI donât knowâŚit wasnât anyone else, it was you.â You chuckle at yourself for the actual absurdity of it all.Â
That was a big ass red flag and here you were happy to invite Sun in regardless. Because somewhere in your gut, your heart, your soul, you knew he wasnât trying to play with your feelings. He wanted you in his life and you were finding it hard to keep him out of yours
âBut no, we arenât getting married anytime soon, becauuuse, you have some actual dates you need to take me on before we can have a wedding.â You give him a teasing grin and release his hand, turning to open the basket youâd set on the security desk, pulling out the meal and dessert youâd prepped earlier in the day.  âHow about we have this first one, yeah?â
Sun could have cried if he wasnât so busy trying to fully accept this wasnât a dream, his shoulders relaxed and he felt, for the first time in weeks, the anxiety that had been permeating his being left to make space for the warmth and love he had for you.
âYes! Yes! Yes! Iâd love that, Sunshine!â Sun dipped down to press an excited kiss to your cheek pulling another laugh from you as you playfully swatted at him. You smiled, ready for whatever this new experience was going to bring.
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fandom: FNAF SB
Rating: T+
pairing: readerxSun/Moon
warnings: Suggestive content
summary: You need to take an impromptu day off and know your clingy and well-meaning co-worker robots will not handle it well. But they mistakenly get a reward for their relenting.
I only proofread this once and I was high so my bad in advance. I also couldn't think of a title so, my bad again.
Sun paced in front of the large doors that lead to the atrium outside the daycare. He would occasionally glance at the slide to see if there was movement there, only to droop when there was still nothing. Sunâs hands wrung together in a seemingly unconscious manner as he unsuccessfully tried to find something to keep him occupied.
You were running late. Late late. Not the 2-5 minutes that he had learned to tolerate. It had been your idea to get him to relax and stay calm but it had been sososososo hard to learn to wait five whole minutes when you should have already been there. It was 10 minutes past your clock-in time now and despite his ongoing checks you still hadnât even entered the building!
What if you were hurt? What if something badbadbad had happened to you?? What if-what if you were NEVER coming back? What if you were going to leave him just lik-
Sunâs thoughts stopped as he felt more than heard the annoyed groan from within his head. If Sun could pout, he would at the sense of Moon pushing forward enough to get the yellow attendantâs attention.
âIf something happened then itâs already happened. Thereâs nothing we can do. Stop squirming.â Moonâs tone was strict and to the point. If anyone else had heard it they would have likely listened.
But Sun isnât anyone. And Sun can hear the undertone. He can hear the concern in Moonâs thoughts and sputters aloud.
âYouâre worried too!â Sun shouted out loud into the empty daycare. Heâd never been very good at the internal communication and knew it was an annoyance to Moon. Which may be a teensy tiny reason he made sure to do so louder than normal.
âBeing worried is not the same as your panicked pacing.â Moonâs tone was biting in nature but there was nothing behind it, not really.
âWell well well Mr. Too-cool-to-Care Iâd rather be doing something than sitting around.â Sun grumbled. His voice was quieter now and heâd forced himself away from the entrance to realign the toys on a nearby shelf â despite them being perfectly set up already.
âYouâre going to wear out our battery if you keep acting like a petulant child.â
âPETULANT CHILD?!!âÂ
âYes. Youâre pouting and stomping around like someone stole your favorite toy.â
Sun bristled at the implication of him thinking of you as an object. As though you were anything other than the most perfect adult theyâd ever met!  As though you werenât the most important person in their lives!
With a huff, Sun held up a finger to scold the Moon regardless of his lack of physical presence when he froze. Moonâs inner snickers ceased as well when they both realized you were finally at the Plex.
âOUR STARâS HERE!!!!â Sun all but bounced over to the entrances whipping his head to look between the slide and doors trying to anticipate which you would come in from today.
The creak of the door barely had time to make its way through the air before Sunny was running full speed towards it. He was so happy you were here! He was soooo upset you made him wait! Heâs relieved youâve come to him! He wants to reprimand you. He wants you to never leave and scare him like that again!
He stopped in his tracks once he finally made it to the door, a tall figure that at one point had been imposing now just reminded you of an overgrown puppy. Â
âSUNSHINE!â Sun shouted, reaching out to give you a signature âSun Snuggle nâ Spinâ˘â He stopped mid-bend when your hand came up to his face to alert him to stop.
For a moment Sun felt his anxieties re-emerging. Were you mad at him? Were you here to tell him you were leaving forever?
Sun didnât even notice his hands resuming their fidgeting until your raised hand dropped to them and gave his long fingers a reassuring squeeze.
Sunâs pupilless eyes stared back at your face and he felt his shoulders relax when your smile was what greeted him. Relived, heâd still be pouting at the lack of greeting hug if he could. It fueled his frustrations and Sun was going to give you a stern talking to about tardiness but it died in his voice box when his eyes finally noticed the bundled hoodie being cradled in your other arm. Â
All of Sunâs other emotions stopped in an instant as his servos were flooded with curiosity. He could feel Moonâs annoyance again but knew he wanted to figure out what was happening too. Â
You feel bad for the moment after stopping Sunâs hug, especially with how hurt his body language was, but you couldnât risk him accidentally hurting your unexpected surprise. You grinned excitedly at the jester before trying to explain yourself. Â
âIâm so sorry Sunny, I know how late I am and Iâm so sorry for that - I hope you werenât worried o-â
âPshh me? Worried? Haha oh, Sunshine you know I was ok waiting. Iâm very patient after all.â Sun puffed his chest out to try and sell his vibrato, ignoring the hissing sound of liar in the back of his head
Your smile goes from excited to understanding and Sun unconsciously lowers himself more so he can be at eye level with you. It maaaaybe also was to get just a bit closer to you.
âYouâre right, I shouldnât assume things. But I am sorry for being late, itâs not responsible and I was uhâŚa little distracted so I couldnât call.â Not that you thought your message to the front would make it to Sun anyway, but you still felt guilty for not trying.
âWhat was so distracting?â Sun asked, his face rotating to the side in curiosity. He could feel Moonâs own prickliness dying down at the apology, just as invested in your reason as his counterpart.
Your smile seems to grow more which tickles something in the mind of Sun and Moon that they werenât used to yet.Â
 âWell, well first of all I want to say sorry too for the hug, I love your hugs, but wellâŚâ You trail off a bit as you shift the hoodie youâve been cradling out to Sun. Â
âI was getting a coffee this morning and when I was ordering I heard this little noise.â You explain carefully pulling back the soft fabric to allow Sun to see just what youâd found. âAnd this lilâ thing was on the ground, right in front of the order box. Like,  basically in the road! And I mean it was so cute, and itâs so little and I couldn't just leave it there! Itâs definitely too young to be on its own.â  Â
You pause to take a breath, impressed by Sunâs actual display of patience. âSo, wellâŚok I think this is going to be something very cool for you or at least new so, uh, can you shut Moon out for juuust a second? I want to see your guyâs reactions and itâs not a surprise if he sees it now too!â
Sunâs faceplate had rotated back to straight and he giggled, excited to see what youâd brought. He could tell it was some kind of animal and heâd never really seen an animal for real - outside of some service dogs. Service dogs were working though so he couldnât ever really pet them to see if the fur was as nice to touch as it looked. Â
Sunâs giddiness overwrote Moonâs indignant refusals to being shut out and soon Sun was left with silence. It was always odd to have one of them off. It felt too quiet. But for you, for you, heâd bear the discomfort. Â
Sun nodded once, firmly, to confirm heâd done as you asked. He found himself swooning a bit at the way your eyes softened when you looked back down to the bundle in your arms.
âOk, ok I know Iâm being extra here but close your ey-erâŚturn off your eyes?â You were uncertain what the right way to phrase it was. Youâve never really had to ask him to do this before.
Sun whined quietly but knew he could never deny a direct request from you. He wasnât going to do it easily though. He made sure to huff loudly and turn his head from side to side as though trying to decide if heâd follow through or not. He made another loud dissatisfied noise before he turned off his ocular receptors. Â
Sun heard you giggle at his antics and it filled him with warmth in his chassis. Â
âThank you, Sunny. I appreciate you playing along with me.â Your voice somehow sounded even sweeter when he couldnât see you. He unconsciously leaned further towards you, a fleeting thought of being kissed runs across his servos and he felt himself shiver. MaybeâŚmaybe you would?
Sun hummed in acknowledgment; all memory about the fact you basically said it was an animal that was the surprise leaving him. His thoughts being replaced with conflicting pushes of calming down and excitement buzzing at the possibility of feeling your lips on his faceplate. Â
You take his hand lightly in yours and guide it forward. Your palm was warm and soft and Sunâs whole body followed your pull. He couldnât suppress a whispered and shuddering âS-sunshine?â heâs never felt so nervous before and so hopeful. Â
âGently.â You respond just as quietly as you bring his fingers to the hoodie. Youâd pulled back the layer of fabric covering the kitten youâd found this morning and lightly brushed the DCAâs fingers against the tiny animalâs fur. Â
Sunâs eyes snap on and he pushes a gasp out of his voice box to mimic the feeling of coming across something too cute for words. Sun lets out a quiet âawwâ as he let his hand gently rub against the soft fur of the kittenâs back. It lifts its head the best it can after letting out a âmmrpâ to look up at Sun. It wasnât a kiss but Sun would be lying â which he doesnât do â if he said it wasnât an exciting experience.Â
You grin at Sunâs dopey smile - only rarely does that permanent expression feel genuine and youâre filled with warmth at this being one of those times. The kitten is mostly white with differing shades of brown splotches along its back and tail. The fur seems like it will remain short but the kitten is still too young to know for sure. The small catâs nose and ears are a bright pink and the squinting it does lets the slightest sliver of blue eyes show.Â
Sun is enthralled with the little fur ball as it turns onto its back and nips at his silicone finger. It tries to kick its back feet but they just wiggle and its toes stretch wide showing off the soft pink paw pads.Â
It seems like Sun has completely shut down as the tiny creature continues to exist in front of him. Youâre about to ask if heâs ok when the constant swaying you know so well starts up again. Youâre relieved for only a second before Sun yells, âSunshine!! This is the CUTEST THING IâVE-â
You harshly shush him as the kitten flips onto its feet and hisses, its short fur standing on end looking more like a sea urchin than a danger. Sunâs volume and closeness clearly have scared the kitten and you do your best to pet it back into comfort. Sun gives you his best approximation of a sheepish and apologetic look before continuing.
âIâve never seenâŚwell, I mean Iâve seen some cute cute cute babies and kids, oh such cute kids! Butbutbut Iâve NEVER seen a really real kitten before!!!â Sun is ecstatic and itâs exactly what you were hoping for.Â
You hope heâs enamored enough that he wonât stay mad about you being late. You arenât sure if itâll be enough for him to forgive you for having to leave soon. You know he wonât take it well, but you need to get this kitten to the vet ASAP.
âI thought youâd appreciate it,â you start, the kitten has relaxed again into a loaf in your arms, eyes closed as it purrs. âLike I said, I saw it on the side of the road, or, wellâŚthe side of the drive through and I couldnât just leave the little guy there!â You explain again wanting to hammer down the fact that it was in need to better help your case.
Sun nods along, heâs crouched down now and his face is close to the little cat. His finger rubs its soft head again and the kitten pushes itâs face against Sunâs finger. With its eyes still closed it moves itâs face so Sun doesnât have to do much. The kitten noticeably rubs the sides of its mouth against the silicone as it tries to scent him.
âUnderstandable understandable.â Sun mutters quietly, nodding along. You notice heâs vibrating at almost the same frequency as the catâs purrs. Itâs cute in its own weird way.Â
You push the thought away and clear your throat preparing to land the crushing blow.Â
âSooo, since itâs really young and was in the roadâŚI need to take it to the vet.â You pause only for a moment before continuing the next sentence in a rushed single breath, âSo Iâll be gone for the rest of the dayâŚprobably.â
Sun freezes and you try to hold a pleading smile. He doesnât do anything that indicates his attention has left the kitten, but the shiver that you try to suppress means he has to be staring right at you.Â
Youâre hoping you donât have to use the nuclear option. You had accidently found out that if you use juuuust the right pout and ask in the sweetest voice you have, Sun will do what you want. You donât like using it, it feels like youâre manipulating him, but this is a situation that has you preparing for a finisher. You really hope you donât have to go that far.
Sun still hasnât moved but the sense of being watched has left you. His pupilless white eyes have focused back on the kitten in your arms. He had stopped petting the animal and instead had one of his large warm hands resting on the now sleeping felineâs back.
Itâs a sweet scene, but the tension is palpable. You adore Sun and Moon but this is one of those times you wish their faces could move. You hate not knowing whatâs going on in his head. You hate that you know youâre upsetting him.Â
âSun?â You use your quiet pleading voice and watch as he simulates taking a deep breath.
âI wa-we were worried about you this morning. We thought you werenât coming back.â Sun says in the quietest voice he has.Â
Youâve only heard it once before. It was about 3 months into your employment and you, (while emotionally exhausted and frustrated with how the Day Care Attendants had been neglected), ended up swearing to them that you would never leave the Plex for good. Not without taking them with you.
You canât help but smile softly at him. They have just as much power over you â maybe more â as you have over them. You shift the bundle so the kitten is able to rest in one arm while the hand of your other comes to the bottom of Sunâs faceplate. Your thumb rests on the front while your pointer finger is behind the metal as you gently coax him to look you in the eye.Â
From far away it would seem Sun has nothing but white eyes, up close you can see how wrong that is. Youâd spent enough time with him, up close and personal, to be able to just make out where the (you assume) paint was supposed to go. A small circular groove that outlines a pupil.  Like this you can tell his white eyes are looking anywhere but at you.Â
âSun.â Your prompt is quiet and questioning, he hesitates only a second before looking back at you.Â
Sun is almost completely slumped now, his body sagging sadly. This is one of those rare moments you are looking down to him. Usually, it would be followed by a joke of some sort. But this is different. This is a raw, vulnerable moment and if it were anyone but Sun or Moon, youâd have run before confronting that level of emotionality.Â
âHave I ever not come back?â You ask quietly, unconscious of your thumb lightly caressing â what would be â Sunâs chin.
Sun pauses then carefully shakes his head no, trying to be aware of his rays and your proximity. Heâs hyper aware of your fingers on his face plate and is trying to cool his body quickly without the fans whirring too loudly to alert you. Your fingers are comforting though. If he could keep your hands on him forever, he would.Â
âSo.â You pause for emphasis, unaware that you have startled the animatronic from his own thoughts. âI promise, no I swear on Freddy Fazbear himself that I will be back tomorrow. Iâll bring all sorts of pictures of this little guy and give you a full report of its health.â
You punctuate this declaration by giving a reassuring squeeze to his face plate that still rests between your fingers.  Â
Sun whimpers at you. There is so much stimuli that heâs struggling to know what to focus on.Â
Finally, Sun responds with, âThe Fazbear swear?â
Sunâs quiet still as he confirms what youâve said. You give him a firm nod, but notice thereâs still some hesitancy in his posture. Â
âWould a pinky promise make it stronger?â You ask.Â
Sun nods and straightens his back so heâs a little taller. He carefully moves so that he doesnât remove his faceplate from your hand, and puts his pinky out. You have to let go of his face to link your smallest finger with his. You miss the sad huff that emanates from the day care attendant.
You make sure Sunâs looking in your eyes when you say again, âI promise I will come back to you both.â
Sun shivers but hopes you donât notice - you do, you always do. You never say anything though. Youâre honestly not sure what it means. Most often you chalk it up to being part of his machinery settling or something. He was good with telling you when something was wrong so you assumed the shivering was normal. Your knowledge base was in childcare not animatronics.Â
Sun is silent for another few seconds, you worry you may have to go for the nuclear option. Sun is clearly upset and you swallow hard, uncertain if you should go straight for the pout now or in a few seconds.
Finally, finally Sun fakes another sigh and with a sassy roll of his head he stands to his full height. âFine. You can be gone for one - ONE day.â He holds a single finger up and close to your face. Sun doesnât hold a stoic tone well though and you smile at him appreciatively. You can tell he isnât as upset as you worried he might be. At least if his spinning rays were anything to go by.Â
âThanks Sunny, I really appreciate it, Iâm sure itâs tough for you to agree to this but Iâll owe you a favor, does that make it better?â You ask, digging your fazwatch from your pocket. You found them ugly and didnât often wear it if you didnât need to.Â
Sun âs rays spin faster and he bends at the waist so heâs eye level with you again. âDealdealdeal!!!â He enthusiastically agrees, extending his hand to shake.Â
You laugh and happily shake in agreement.Â
Sunâs whole head spins this time in conjunction with the possibilities running through his mind. Maybe heâll be able to ask for a kiss? Itâs a scandalous thought, but sounds so so so lovely. Unknowingly, you interrupt his processors running through all the options with a question.
âWould it be ok to switch so Moon can see the kitten too?âÂ
Sun is, not for the first time, thankful he canât move his face. He knowns heâd be frowning otherwise. Heâd never even pretend to not enjoy having all your attention on him. It was rare that long periods of time would pass with just the two of you butâŚbut he knows that fair is fair and sharing is caring. With a quiet huff Sun nods his head and squats down again, arms open for a gentler hug.
You happily embrace him, the arm cradling the kitten turned away from his body. You bask in the warmth of him. Youâd been trying to ignore the slight chill that came with giving your hoodie to a cat. It was a good cause of course, but being warm was good too.Â
Sun holds on to you longer than he knows is appropriate. Heâs tried to be ok with ending hugs with you, but knowing he wouldnât see you until tomorrow made it harder for him to let go. Sun makes another sad sound and tucks his face plate against your shoulder â rays retracting in as necessary to not get in the way
âIâm going to see you tomorrow my sweet summer sun.â You promise, lightly rubbing his back.Â
Sun nods against your shoulder and finally removes himself from you. It looks like heâs weighted down with his uncharacteristically lethargic movements. One of those warm hands cups your cheek.
âIâll see you tomorrow, Sunshine.â Sun mutters. He removes his hand from your face to reach past you, flicking off the lights before he has to deal with anything else that might make it even harder for him to let you leave.Â
The transformation is smooth, certainly much smoother than it used to be. Neither was good with relinquishing control in the early days and would often screech in pain when the other would try to force themselves to the front as soon as the lighting changed. It took a lot of patience and work to get them to learn how to change without hurting the other or themselves. Most of the work was with their feelings towards themselves.Â
Sun was open and would talk at great length about his thoughts and feelings but was difficult to challenge and get to think of things differently. Moon was better at hiding his emotions than Sun. Moon was guarded, deflective, and would go so far as to remove himself entirely in the midst of a conversation. It was months before youâd cracked his shell. That opened the flood gates and youâd found that Moon tended to feel things more deeply and personally than his twin.Â
You shake your head and look down to your arms. The mechanical whirs wake the kitten but only enough for it to open its eye before letting out an annoyed huff and falling back to sleep.
Your eyes donât adjust quickly to the dark â something that you feel should have gotten better with the constant light to dark you experience. Youâre pretty sure thatâs not possible scientifically though. At least not yet.Â
Your blindness and musing cause you to miss the concern in Moonâs eyes before he steps close enough for the LEDs of his eyes to light you. His fingers twitch at his side as he beats down the urge to grab you. He isnât sure if heâd pull you close or give you a harsh shake for the worrying heâs continued struggling with. Especially after you asked to have him shut out.Â
The heat of anger cools when Moonâs eyes finally meet your apologetic ones. Itâs hard to stay mad at you.
âIs everything alright?â Moonâs voice is quiet, gravelly, and measured. You give him the most reassuring smile you can and nod.Â
âIf something was wrong, I wouldnât have asked Sun to close your communication line. I know it upsets you, but Iâm proud of how well youâre both doing with it.â You pause to give another smile. You really are proud of them for being able to come back to being online without as much panic.Â
You knew there would be times theyâd each want privacy and both agreed that was true. Just like with the distress tolerance of you being late youâve been working with them to be more comfortable being in the metaphorical dark and taking that time for themselves to decompress.
Moon doesnât respond so you continue your thought.Â
âI will always make sure you both know if something is wrong, I promised that and you know I donât do promises.â You try to add a lighter tone to the end of this sentence hoping to break the tension that was starting to become a bit too much.
âWhy did you block me out?â Moonâs cautious but you can hear the edge to his voice, youâre just not sure if itâs anger or hurt.Â
You move closer to Moon and reveal the sleeping kitten in your arms. Moon is silent as he looks down at the bundle of fur and hoodie youâre offering him. Moonâs systems take a moment to process what heâs seeing and what youâre trying to tell him. He wasnât sure what to focus on. His hurt or curiosity?
Moon is quiet for a long time. Youâre not sure what exactly heâs thinking but when he quietly asks to pet the small cat you nod vigorously.
Moonâs movements have always been slower and lighter than sunâs, the tips of his fingers hardly brush along the soft fur. He freezes then, seemingly uncertain what to do next. The kitten doesnât even seem to notice the touch and Moon doesnât know what to do next.Â
You smile fondly at Moonâs hesitance and lay your hand over his.  Moon looks from the kitten, to your face, to your touching hands, in rapid succession as his mind furiously turns. He must have done something wrong. You must be touching him to move him from the kitten. He must have done something wrong wrong wrong wrong
âYou donât have to be so nervous Moon. I know youâre not going to hurt it. Youâre doing great.â You try to sound as reassuring as you can and ignore the slight shaking of his frame. You know Moon has become skittish and nervous since the virus was cleared â he still sees himself as a killer and a danger. Youâve been working for months to change that perspective of his, but trauma is a bitch to work through.Â
Moon is silent as you lightly press his palm against the kitten and guide it slowly to demonstrate for him how to pet it. The kitten makes another âmrpâ as it lifts its head to look at him. Moon stills as he looks into the kittenâs eyes and watches it blink slowly at him.Â
Moonâs eyes turn to you and your smile is soft, he has the odd sensation that this is an intimate moment, the two of you close, touching, a small bundle in your arms. You remove your hand from his and he unconsciously continues petting the kitten. But when it starts to purr, he freezes again circuits buzzing with concern.Â
Youâre quicker this time to comfort Moon. You assure him, âItâs ok, itâs a good sound, it means it feels safe and happy. Youâre making it feel safe.â You keep your voice quiet, not wanting to cause any more alarm for the naptime animatronic as he copes with this new situation.
Moon looks to you again and thinks if he could cry this might be one of the moments he would. Youâre looking at him so softly, like heâs something important and that you care about. Youâre talking to him like he matters and logically he knows you do. But Moon often finds these are the moments it hits him. What being cared for actually feels like. What you caring for him feels like.Â
You take the silence as an invitation to speak. You quietly explain what happened like you had with sun. How you found the little thing and that it is likely going to need some medical care.  Youâre watching him as he stares at the cat who is starting to yawn and stretch.Â
âSoâŚIâll need the rest of today off to get âim looked at and brought home.â You inform with as much softness and warmth as you can. You know this wonât be easy for him. Unlike Sun, Moon is more likely to withdraw and decide that you are saying this to try and get away from him as opposed to the truth of wanting to get the cat medically cleared.
Moon stills and you know the anxiety is building in him. You donât want him to dissociate and shut down so you press his hand against the purring kitten for some grounding before lifting that same hand to rest on the cheek of Moonâs faceplate. Moonâs watching you and you know heâs looking for any deception or lie in what you are telling him. His scarlet eyes bore into your soul and you stare back unyieldingly to show him your honesty.
Moon will feel guilty about this distrust later, you know it from experience. You would never hold it against him though. Moonâs been hurt and used and needs as much as you can give before heâll let his guard down.Â
âI promise it will only be one day. Iâll come back tomorrow. I promise.â You reiterate yourself to ensure he knows how serious you are. You push up on your toes so you can press your forehead against the forehead of Moonâs faceplate. His hand is still on the kitten and the warmth from both of you makes him relent. Â
âYouâll come back tomorrow.â Moon says. Itâs quiet and itâs a weak demand as opposed to a question.Â
âAbsolutely.â You assert, keeping your eyes locked on his.Â
You can see and feel the tension Moonâs been holding start to sooth when the sound of his bells draws your attentions to the kitten again. Â
Tiny paws are batting at the bells on his wrist and nipping on the ribbons. In your discussions the small cat had turned itself on its back underneath Moonâs hand to get to the dangling pieces. You canât help but snicker and a puff of air comes from Moon that youâve learned to associate with a dry laugh.
Your forehead is still against Moonâs when he lets out a simulated sigh as he seems to accept that youâre going to be leaving for the day.Â
Moon presses his faceplate a little firmer against your forehead before he mutters, âTomorrow.â
âTomorrow.â You agree with a nod, returning the slight pressure of your forehead to his. Moonâs shoulders shift and he hesitantly pulls away from you and the kitten. The hand that had been petting it rests on your cheek to match how youâre still holding his.Â
âGo slowly my lovely moon.â You whisper, asserting your promise with the mantra you had both decided to use for calming him down â especially if amongst others.Â
Moon hums and you can hear his cooling fans running on high before he quietly responds, âGo slowly.â
Moon moves away a bit more, both your hands fall from one anotherâs faces. Moon seems to hesitate a moment before pressing the unmoving smile of his face against your forehead.Â
Before you fully process what happened Moon pulls away and attaches to his wire. It quickly pulls him from you and into the vast darkness of the daycare.Â
You smile softly and turn to leave, knowing the boys will do just fine running the daycare themselves for a day.Â
Over the next few weeks, you come in with news and photos for them of the kitten as she grows and plays. You name her Comet to stick with the celestial theme of the daycare and assert that she is the daycareâs new mascot. Itâs a few months later when you come in almost as excited as the day you first found the kitten.
Youâre there early and wave Sun over. You tell him thereâs a video you want them both to see.Â
âOh yes yes yes!! I looove when you show us videos!!â Sun excitedly agrees. He pauses for a moment then nods, his rays spinning, âMoonyâs watching too! Show us! Please?!â
You laugh at his enthusiasm and hit play on the video and it starts with Comet meowing long and loudly at the camera.Â
âAre you ready for bed?â Your voice asks from behind the camera. Itâs pitched a bit higher and more cutesy than normal. Comet meows again and takes some steps forward, jumping onto your bed.Â
âBed time little nugget? Youâre in your sleepy spot.â You continue, zooming in on Comet. Sheâs making biscuits on pillow covered in her fur and purring so loudly even the phone picks it up. Her eyes blink slowly at you.Â
You were a little embarrassed by the baby voice you were using but hoped that it would slide as the video comes to the main part.
âWell, we canât go to sleep without our buddies, can we?â You ask the kitten. She doesnât respond but blinks slowly at the camera (you) and continues to purr and make biscuits.
From behind the camera comes into view a sun and moon plush - equal in size and both clearly fur covered as well. The kitten mewls, does a circle and lays down eyes locked on the two plushies. Her tail swishes slowly across the pillow and her paws slow in their kneading.Â
âOk sweet pea letâs get you set up so you can sleep.â Your voice is quieter as you sit on the bed beside Comet. You set Moon on the left of her loafed form and Sun on the right effectively sandwiching your kitten between the DCAâs plush likenesses.Â
Your fingers remain in the frame as your thumb brushes up and down the bridge of Cometâs nose. She tilts her head back enough to sniff it. Comet yawns and stands, stretching her back in an arch. She circles again on the pillow then flops back so her head is on the Moon plush and the Sun is between her front paws.Â
You whisper loving words from behind the camera as Comet clearly falls asleep quickly, the video ending a few seconds after.Â
Sun has been cooing throughout the video and making quiet comments from both Moon and himself. Itâs almost shocking to see how much bigger Comet is from when they first saw the thing almost a month ago.
But Sun goes quiet when the plushies enter the screen, he becomes unusually still and his white pupils are locked on the screen. You notice but donât say anything, not wanting to break whatever little spell Sun seems to be under.
Sun feels his chassis swell with affection seeing how comfortable and loving the kitten is with his and Moonâs likenesses. Sun canât help but feel a little jealous but imagines that he and Moon are really there with you both. He wonders what it would be like to have you and Comet curled against him and resting comfortably. Moon doesnât comment but Sun can feel some warmth and love from his counterpart slipping through Moonâs barrier.Â
You wait a moment but when you get no other reaction from Sun you begin to swipe through the photos you took after the video of Comet curling with the toys and fast asleep. Sun seems to snap back to life and makes little âawwsâ as the pictures go by.Â
Youâre looking at him and commenting on something about whatâs in the picture when you swipe again. Sun freezes again but this is different from earlier. Heâs seized and his fans are whirring at double speed. His voice box isnât making coherent words but thereâs a high-pitched whine that youâve never heard before.
âSun? Sun are you alright?â You ask before looking at the phone to see what must have caused such an extreme reaction.Â
Your eyes widen and your face heats up faster than youâve ever experienced before. You did it. The dreaded swiping one picture too far.Â
Your screen shows a picture you took of yourself in your full-length mirror. Your back is whatâs reflected and youâre looking over your shoulder making your best approximation of sultry/fuck me eyes. You are completely nude. Your ass is bare in the mirror in the photo and thereâs clearly nothing covering your chest or any other part of you. If that wasnât bad enough, also reflected in the mirror is your bed where the Sun and Moon plushies rest, seeming to be looking directly into the mirror. As though staring at your naked form.Â
Your embarrassment finally subsides enough for you to take action. You hit the power button and tear your phone away shoving it into your pocket. Youâre babbling an excuse about needing to get back to work before booking it to the other side of the daycare.
You do your best to act as though nothing happened and to your relief so does Sun and Moon. Youâre grateful they donât bring it up. You have to leave as soon as your shift is done and wave good-night as you exit.
Sun clenches his hand together in nervousness. You have no idea. They can tell you donât know. They are certain you are totally unaware that the photo you showed them has been memorized and filed away by both daycare attendants.Â
Thereâs unspoken uncertainty about what to do with the feeling of tingling circuits that erupted the moment they saw the photo. They know theyâve done something wrong and thereâs brief flashes of guilt as they pull the picture up in their memory banks throughout the night. They feel bad for doing this.