Work Text:
Faust had been busy checking the supplies in his medical bag when he felt little fingers tugging on the tail of his coat.
“Hmm? Is something amiss?” He asked as he turned, finding, to little surprise, one of his mini-fausts clinging on. “What’s got you all excited?”
“Ah.” It replied, in a little high-pitched squeak.
“Repairs? What for?”
It turned around. Faust wondered for a moment if it was intending to leave, but he noticed a long rip in the small thing’s jacket, nearly running the whole length of it.
That immediately had him concerned. “Now how did you manage that? I thought I told you and the others to stay out of trouble. Were you playing with scalpels again after I told you not to?”
It didn’t respond. Faust sighed, shaking his head and sitting down on the grass. He beckoned it closer. “Come on, then. Give it here.”
The mini-faust clambered up onto his leg, shedding its jacket in the process. The doctor got to work threading one of the needles from his bag. He analyzed the ruined garment briefly before getting to work on it, remarking to himself with a bit of amusement how it could have been perfect as doll’s clothing. He was well-used to his peculiar little helpers, but he was still able to find a bit of humor when it came to them.
“I’d appreciate it if you could please be more careful next time.” He said to the mini-faust. “I can fix rips, but I’d rather not have you getting hurt.”
Keeping them tucked away in his pocket dimension was often the safest place to put them, but they grew restless without things to keep them occupied. He would have liked to think he could leave them on their own for just a few minutes, but…
Cold metal grazed his finger. Faust paused for a moment to check his hand, but he hadn’t jabbed himself. The mini-faust was watching him now with uncertainty, having felt the way he jerked.
“I’m fine, little one.” He gave it a reassuring pat. “Not even a poke.”
Now that he thought about it, though, where were the other ones? They always tended to travel together in a pack and cling to one another, nor could he hear their chittering squeaks. Faust could feel the dismay well up in his chest at the thought of having to hunt them all down, that never made for an easy task. But maybe it served him right for getting so distracted with his medicine stash to even notice they’d vanished.
As soon as he attempted to move, though, he found his vision filled with red. The sight of it made him reel back and his breath caught in his throat from panic, but he realized a moment later that it wasn’t actually blood.
“...Huh? Where did you get those?”
The squad of mini-fausts chirped with unusual glee. They all seemed in an equally-peculiar state, if not tattered and scuffed up then covered in dirt. But it made sense, considering all the thorny red flowers they were carrying, only one or two each as they tried hauling things almost as large as they were.
“Be careful! Be careful. The thorns are sharp.” Faust carefully took the flowers from them, and then went back down the line, very gently pulling their tiny hands open with his own to check for any nicks and pokes. “What made you decide to get into trouble like that? Haven’t I told you not to wander off?”
They seemed unintimidated by his reprimanding, and continued to chatter. “You what? They’re for me?”
A small burst of affirmative squeaks acted as his answer. They had gotten him a present? When he looked at the pile, he realized they must have all been carefully picked. None of the flowers were dead or torn or bruised, even though their carriers certainly were. They must have wanted to surprise him, and snuck off without making their usual noise.
Faust picked up a rose and held it to the edge of his paper bag. “They’re lovely. Thank you.”
Another little burst of excitement arose from the mini-fausts, overjoyed that their offering had been accepted. They then proceeded to express that excitement by climbing onto their creator’s lap, clamoring eagerly until they received a pat on the head.
“Easy! Easy, now. There’s so many of you, and I only have two hands!” But his words had no real bite to them. It was difficult to, when they looked that cute. The little troublemakers didn’t let up until he’d petted them all into a contented nap on his lap.
“Impossible.” Faust said quietly. “Really, you’re all just impossible.”
He sighed with a smile, and went back to sewing.