Chapter Text
Rust's feet tapped loudly on the hard floor as they walked into their house. Although it was a small building, the sound seemed to echo.
They shrugged off their coat. The cold of the house nipped at their skin.
They walked silently into the living room. Sat down. Turned on the TV. The noise felt artificial.
On the screen, the main couple kissed. Rust switched programs.
They ate food they didn't taste. Had a drink. Had another. It softened the hard edges of the world. They took another back to the couch, finished the TV program.
Getting late. They went to bed. They couldn't sleep. The bed felt empty, even though they filled it.
Morning came. They didn't move. They should work out… but somehow, they couldn't find the energy.
A dull headache throbbed. They stuffed their head under a pillow.
Morning went. Rust stared at the ceiling. The world seemed dim. The warm feeling that that had glowed in them for the last few days had extinguished, leave behind a heavy darkness.
Afternoon came, afternoon went. Rust should eat. They slept instead. Their dreams were full of Tesla.
The next day was just as bad. They'd lost all the will they'd had to do anything. They could barely even summon up the will to move.
They'd taken storms of bullets. They'd walked on shattered legs. They'd gone days without eating. And here they were, lying in bed, pining over someone they'd met a week ago. It was a bit pathetic, really.
Afternoon came. Rust grit their teeth and forced themself to get up and eat something. They only managed a small bowl of cornflakes, but it was something. They couldn't laze around forever, they told themself firmly. They needed to stay at least somewhat active.
They slept on the couch that night so they wouldn't get stuck in bed again. It didn't help. They just lay around on the couch instead.
The days crawled by. Everywhere they looked there were things Tesla had meddled with. Every time they let themself think there was a warm memory. It had only been a week, but, they were quickly realising, it had been the happiest of their life. And every moment further away from it was a moment they sank further and further into the clutches of despair.
Was this how they were going to live for the rest of their lives?
They clenched their fist and pushed the thought away.
It was awful, they knew it was, but they found themself hoping someone would come to them for help. Give them something, anything to do to keep their mind off the hollow emptiness of their home.
Then one morning, it hit them. A familiar fire sparked in their chest.
They should ensure Tesla's safety. They should take revenge for everything that was done to it.Yeah.
A few hours later, they were back at the Doctor's facility.
This time, they kept their weapons. Gun in hand and fire in their gut, they thumped on the metal door, then backed out of sight of the cameras.
It clicked, and a guard opened up, frowning.
Without hesitation, Rust shot them in the face.
Shouts. Running footsteps. Two more guards appeared. Rust dispatched both.
They strode into the facility, a cold calm overtaking them.
Guards poured into the hallway. Rust dispatched each with ease. Blood sprayed the walls. The bastards stumbled on the bodies of their twisted comrades.
Among the floods, they caught sight of a familiar face, twisted with fear.
They'd save that one for last.
Bullets, fists, feet, teeth found their body. Rust didn't care.
Soon it was quiet in the hallway, empty except for Rust and their prey. Rust's back twinged with the ghost of searing pain.
They advanced slowly. The torturer tried to run. Rust snorted and grabbed them by the throat.
They hit, bit, kicked, wriggling like a mouse in a trap. Rust didn't care. They dragged them roughly down the hallway, squeezing as hard as they could without crushing their throat, until they reached the room Rust wanted.
They snatched the torturer's newly replaced keycard from their pocket and swiped it. The door to the room of weapons opened. Rust threw them inside. Their head cracked off the floor.
They scrambled for their gun. Rust put a foot on their wrist and shifted their weight slightly onto their leg.
Crack.
The torturer screamed.
"PLEASE!" they sobbed. "I'M SORRY!"
Rust kicked them in the ribs.
"Let's do a little experiment," they snarled in their ear. "Let's see how long you last before I kill you."
"NO! PLEASE!"
"How should we start?" Rust wandered slowly around the room, pretending to think. They crawled for the door. Rust grabbed the whip and lashed their arms. They screamed loud enough to hurt Rust's ears.
"Shirt off," they snarled.
"I- I- I can't-"
Rust shot a bullet right next to their head.
Sobbing, they slowly dragged their shirt off over their head and let it collapse next to them.
Rust put a foot on the small of their back and pressed them hard to the floor. Then they laid into them.
Again. And again. The whip snapped against their back. Blood sprayed and splatted the floor in drops of crimson. They begged, wailed, pleaded for mercy; but Rust didn't let up until every exposed inch of their back was angry and bleeding.
They threw aside the bloodied whip and gave them another kick. They collapsed into a puddle of their own helpless tears.
Rust got the iron cast.
"Don't." Their voice wobbled. "Please don't."
They turned it on. It began to glow.
"Please-"
Rust hit them with it.
They screamed and screamed and screamed, thrashing, flesh sizzling. Rust hit them again and again, digging the cast into the rawest, most sensitive parts, baring their teeth. The former torturer's voice eventually began to break, devolving into desperate sobs.
Rust let up. They let out a sob of relief.
Time to put the fucker out of their misery.
With a hard swing, Rust smashed open their skull.
Their brains splattered across the floor. Rust dropped the cast and stalked out of the room.
Only one thing left to do. Find the Doctor, and make sure they'd never touch Tesla - or any Tombsona - ever again.
They headed back to the hallway where the elevator awaited them.
They stole a keycard and swiped it. The elevator doors opened.
It was small, the lights fluorescent. It stank. Or they stank. They honestly didn't care.
The elevator doors opened onto a long, dark corridor. Rust thundered down it until they reached a door. They kicked it in.
Inside was a nice, big, well lit office with big windows. It was above ground, unlike the rest of the place and had nice fresh air streaming in. The Doctor was cosy in a comfortable chair behind a polished desk, reading a book through round glasses. They sighed in irritation and looked up.
"You could at least have knocked before- oh dear god!"
They jerked back, eyes wide.
"I apologise for my tone just now. I thought you were one of my employees, you see." They put down their book and offered them a wide smile. "What can I do for you?"
Rusts hatred for them instantly doubled.
They slammed their hands on the desk and leaned over until their faces were inches apart. The Doctor sank in their seat.
"You can shut your mouth."
They nodded mutely, their smile growing nervous.
Rust studied their stupid face, lip curling.
This idiot was the reason Tesla had been kidnapped. The reason it had been hurt. The reason all of this had happened.
Rust shoved the barrel of their gun into their stomach.
"Fuck you."
"W-wait- I can get you money- I can get you anything you want- I can-"
Bang.
The Doctor went limp.
Rust stood back, breathing heavily. For a moment they smiled; but it faded quickly.
…
Now what?
They didn't want to go home. They couldn't face returning to that cold, empty house.
Instead, they went and slept in their old cell.
This was where they'd first met Tesla. If only they'd known when they first walked into this cell the ways their life would change in the week ahead. They could have done something differently. They could have been stricter with themself. They could have stopped themself falling in love.
They tucked their arms under their head and drifted off staring at the white ceiling. It was the best night's sleep they'd ever had.
They awoke slowly the next day. For a moment, the world felt peaceful. The hard floor below them, the fluorescent lights humming.
They opened their eyes.
Tesla wasn't beside them.
The moment slipped away.
They sighed shakily. They needed to get over this. They needed to get over Tesla.
They couldn't stay with it forever.
They couldn't. It would be selfish. Selfish selfish selfish.
Rust lived for other people. Always had.
They rebelled to build a better world they wouldn't get to live in. They plunged into danger to make sure other Tombsonas got back to safety. That was how they lived.
So what was wrong with taking something for themself for once?
The thought felt new.
They'd lived their whole life being in everyone else's corner. What was so wrong with wanting someone in theirs?
Why shouldn't they get to live the kind of life they ensured for other people? Hadn't they earned that right?
A spark of hope kindled in them.
Why fucking deny themself?
The thought turned over and over in their mind as they drove back home, stoking the spark into a flame.
They didn't pause for a moment. They grabbed a rucksack and stuffed all their clothes into it. They had nothing else they wanted to take with them. They had no roots here. They'd never put down roots of any kind. Even their bike had changed four or five times in the last few years alone.
They slung their bag over their shoulder, locked up their house for the very last time, and rode back to Tesla.
They remembered the route like they'd driven it yesterday. It was burned into their brain.
Soon they found themself on a semi-familiar street among semi familiar houses, eyes searching until they found the one they were looking for.
They didn't park in the driveway. They didn't want to assume too much, even though they were sure they'd be welcomed.
They hurried up the drive, heart thumping in their chest, half inclined to stop and go back to their house, knowing that they couldn't.
They knocked.
A minute later, the red one, Armstrong, opened the door.
Rust! they signed, their still expression somehow warm.
"I need to see Tesla." The words tumbled from their mouth.
Armstrong lit up.
Please, come inside.
They stepped aside and let Rust in.
It was a warm, cosy little house. The living room smelled of flowers.
Shoes off, please, Armstrong signed. Rust wriggled their boots off and shuffled into the living room, lingering awkwardly. They'd never been in a place this nice unless they were tearing it up.
Please, take a seat! signed Armstrong, gesturing to the couch. Rust perched on the edge.
I was hoping you'd come back! they signed. Tesla's been talking about you non stop ever since you left. Complaining about you, mostly. It really really likes you.
Rust smiled.
Wait here. I'll go and get it.
Armstrong disappeared down a corridor. Rust waited, tapping their fingers on their leg.
Footsteps charged down the corridor.
"RUST!!"
They barely had time to look at Tesla before it threw itself at them.
"YOU CAME BACK!" it yelled and squeezed them tight.
Nobody… nobody had ever been that excited to see Rust before.
"Yeah," they heard themself say. "I did."
They slung an arm around it.
It leaned up and kissed them fiercely on the lips.
A lightness spread through them.
The orange tombsona - Zero - was on the stairs. They were saying things Rust couldn't hear. Armstrong was watching them with a warm expression. Doc was coming in through the back door, looking curious. Introductions were exchanged. But Rust barely paid attention to any of that. Their mind was on Tesla's lips, Tesla's smile, Tesla Tesla Tesla.
They thought they'd never get a kiss like that again.
"You've got a bag! Are you staying?"
"If I'm allowed," they heard themself say.
"Course you're allowed, numbnuts. Come on. You're staying with me." It took them by the hand and dragged them upstairs, past Zero_one, who waved. Rust raised a hand to him briefly. He followed them and Tesla down the corridor, jabbering away. Rust mumbled some generic response. Their hand - their entire body - was growing warm from the touch. They couldn't stop smiling.
Tesla kicked open the door to a messy room. It snatched Rust's bag off them and threw it on the bed, which was decently wide.
"Welcome."
"…Thanks."
They'd stopped processing reality.
"You okay? You still with me?" Tesla waved a hand in front of their face.
"Uh… yeah."
"Maybe they're tired?" said Zero_one.
"Not tired. Just… uh…" They shook their head and shrugged. How were they possibly supposed to describe this?
"Stupid," said Tesla, nodding understandingly. Rust grinned.
"Sure."
Tesla gave them a tour of the house which they barely payed attention to. All they could think about was the fact Tesla was still holding their hand.
They weren't allowed to look in to the kitchen because Armstrong was cooking. He shooed Tesla out, but gave Rust a friendly wave and a snack. They took it loosely in one hand. Zero_one hovered hopefully until Rust gave it to him.
Doc was outside, reading. When Tesla pulled Rust out he clasped their hand and said things they vaguely understood as a thank you and a welcome. They nodded like an idiot until he stopped. Armstrong stood at the open window and watched them warmly.
This…this was nice. This place. These people. It felt… homely. Was this what family was like?
Tesla left them alone in their room to settle in. They perched on the bed, staring into space, turning everything that had just happened over and over in their mind. It didn't feel true. And yet it was. They had a home, now. A family. A partner.
Those weren't just things for other people to enjoy anymore. They were Rust's own.
They didn't have to think about food that night. Just as evening began to fall, Tesla came and got them for 'dinner.' Zero_one, Armstrong and Doc were at the table, eating delicious looking food.
There'd been some put aside for Rust.
They'd dragged in the deckchair from outside, because they only had four chairs. Rust smiled.
They sat next to Tesla, wolfing down the food. It was delicious. Conversation drifted across the table. Rust stayed quiet. They couldn't really think of anything to say. Doc asked them questions. They shrugged. Their mind was too fried for questions.
Tesla rolled its eyes. "They're like that. Don't mind them."
Rust felt a surge of affection.
They tried to help clean up after dinner - least they could do - but Armstrong shooed them into the living room.
"Rule number one of living here," said Doc lightly. "You're not allowed to help clean up."
Rust chuckled.
Tesla threw itself onto the couch and patted the space next to it. Rust sat. It immediately glued itself to their side. Rust put an arm around its shoulders.
Zero_one perched on Tesla's other side and craned round to blink at Rust.
"I like your tattoos."
"Thanks."
"And your bike."
"Thanks."
"You're awesome," said Zero, then squeaked. "Am I being too much?!"
"Nah." Nothing they hadn't heard a million times before.
Armstrong brought everyone chamomile tea. They didn't drink tea, but they accepted it anyway. After all, Armstrong had made it for them. The warm glow in their chest pulsed.
Armstrong settled in a chair, and just like that they were all together, the family and Rust, warm and cosy in each others company.
This was something they could get used to.
They felt their eyelids start growing heavy. They yawned and let their head drift down to rest against Teslas.
They felt it take their wrist and tug them from the couch. A chorus of goodnights. They mumbled a response. They stumbled up stairs, down a corridor, through an open door, then Tesla pushed them gently into a warm, cosy bed. They snuggled down.
Tesla slipped in beside them. They immediately slotted against each other in a way that felt right.
Tesla rested a hand on their cheek.
"I'm glad you came back."
"Me too," Rust mumbled.
The two of them closed their eyes, and drifted to sleep.
Together.