Archive of Our Own ^beta

A job at Bigweld Industries was one that many robots could only dream of obtaining. Not a lot were allowed in as most didn’t meet the requirements for the job when it came to applying for work there. What did this mean exactly? Well, thanks to some interventions from the new higher ups, there were now new requirements for the job – the main one being that one had to have upgrades in order to even set foot in the place, and those who didn't have upgrades... they were as good as scrap metal. No upgrades, no job – this was a rule Cappy learned early on, having been forced to do the same when she tried to apply for a job at the industry. In order to get the job she wanted, she used up all the money she could to get the latest upgrade. She didn't care about how shiny she looked, how she was apparently so 'drop-dead gorgeous', for she only made the decision to upgrade in order proceed with her career. She didn't want to make such a choice, but there wasn't any other option.

And soon, she added more upgrades to the point where she couldn't even recall what she once looked like, the memories of her past self being so vague. She definitely recalled her old color palette had been different, a bit rusted orange looking, but that was about it. The only thing that remained were her eyes. But this wasn't the price she paid for her upgrades, for 'improving' her looks, her supposed beauty – oh no, it wasn't the money or the forgetting of what she once was that was the consequence. 

The price she paid came in the form of her boss: Phineas T. Ratchet.

Phineas T. Ratchet…oh, where could Cappy even begin? The moment she stepped foot inside Bigweld Industries and Ratchet laid eyes upon her, he was smitten. Well, perhaps smitten wasn't the right word – the more accurate way to describe his immediate attraction to her would be 'lust at first sight', because that's all it was: lust. She was attractive, so he was attracted to her. At first, she found it flattering. Who wouldn't? After all, it's not every day that such a high ranking member of a big company falls for an ordinary robot. So when Cappy first got the job, she was alright with Ratchet's flirtations in the beginning. No one had ever really told her she looked beautiful before until he came along, so of course she took it with strides. It meant he liked her and if he liked her, that meant she'd keep this job and she needed this job, so it was all working in her favor.

Until it no longer became flattering. 

Ratchet's small remarks and nice comments soon turned into incessant flirting. It started with simple compliments, then turned into a blunt lusting that never seemed to stop – constant questions about dates, constant wrapping of his arm around Cappy, his constant stares upon her figure and face; it became apparent soon enough that the businessman wanted one thing and one thing only, and that was his favorite employee.

Then Cappy began to regret getting the upgrades, because her workdays were no longer fun like they used to be. It was never easy even in the start, but it was even less easy now that her boss was flirting with her every chance he got – aka nearly every second of every single day. She couldn't even laugh at his antics anymore, not when he would turn it into focusing on his bizarre attraction to her. 

The hardest part was that she couldn’t even reject his advances, not when her job would be jeopardy if she did. She didn’t want to get on his bad side, because she knew what would happen if she did: she would be fired on the spot, leaving her out on the streets – and she couldn’t afford to let that happen. So she tried her best to lightly turn him down, though that only made him more persistent for some reason.

Today was the same routine as usual. Cappy had been sitting at her desk, minding her business and then, of course, Ratchet came in and began to flirt. Same old thing, new day. 

“So, Cappy,” Ratchet began, leaning his form on her desk. “Do you have any free time tonight? Any plans in mind? If not, then perhaps you and I could go out to dinner at a fancy restaurant. Just you and me, together.” 

Cappy tried her best to focus on the work laid out before her in neat little stacks of papers, which sat before a computer that she was currently typing away at, paying no mind to her boss’ words. “Sorry but I can’t go out tonight. I’m busy,” she answered briefly. “Got loads of work. You'll have to go alone.”

“You used that excuse yesterday,” Ratchet said, some amusement in his tone. “And last week, and the week before that – you can’t always be busy. I’m sure you’ve got some time to spare and that you can easily make some room in your schedule to kick back, relax and…” He brushed his hand on her arm. “Have fun with me .”

Cappy withheld a groan. She knew there was no use trying to throw excuses at Ratchet, hoping he’d take her word forever, for she knew him well. He wouldn’t give up, not until she gave in. She always tried to stay docile amongst her fellow workers, never getting too assertive or stating any risky opinions on Ratchet or anything else going on within the industry – which somehow led the boss to think that she was siding with him. Funny how things worked. 

“I’m…not really into fancy restaurants,” Cappy said slowly, trying to sound as polite as she could. “I like casual settings. It’s the little things adding up that matter to me.” It wasn’t a lie, not really. She wasn’t a fan of those bourgeois restaurants that all the rich, snobbish robots went to. As a child, she once dreamt of dining there but once she got a job at Bigweld Industries and was able to afford to eat there, she found the atmosphere and scene of it all to be rather…dull and drab. She assumed it was being poor in her youth that made it seem so grand to her and that once she reached a decent rank in her adulthood, the idealism died out and she was left with the reality that it was another dining establishment, but for douches. So she went to smaller restaurants, local businesses that appealed more to her for the dedication of the staff and the fun folks there – her current favorite place to go to eat being Gordon Gearloose’s Grubhub. It was a lovely place run by its kind namesake who strove to entertain people as they dined, setting up a stage with several acts, the funnest being a routine that sort of resembled a Cirque Du Soleil performance but with its own twists. “Fancy meals just don’t cut it for me.” 

“Ah, I see… then how about we do something more casual then?” Ratchet suggested, a grin forming on his face. “I could take you to one of those—” he held back an urge to gag upon uttering the next words “— local restaurants.” God, how he despised mingling with the lower, un-upgraded robots. They were all so… rusty in comparison, so unshiny and… he just couldn’t stand to even glance at them. But if that was what the lady wanted, then it’s what she would get. That is, if she wanted to head out to a restaurant at all. There were other options, thankfully – ones that didn’t involve mingling with unworthy bots, bots that didn’t deserve to even look in his direction…let alone Cappy’s. “Or we could head to the theater and see a movie, or go to my place and watch one. Your choice~” he purred the last two words out, his grin growing by the minute, glints of lust shining in his eyes. 

Cappy nearly shuddered at the sound of his purring. She dared not look at him face to face, for she knew what his expression would be. “Uh, well, I don’t know. Wouldn’t it be a bit of a hassle? I know you’re into the more…extravagant things.” She swirled in her chair, turning away from him and stood up. She wanted to end this ‘conversation’ now before it got any further, so she began to walk away. 

But Ratchet didn’t take the hint. Instead, he followed her. “Oh no, it's not a hassle at all! I can accommodate well if simplicity is what you want. It doesn't have to be extravagant,” he assured her. He didn’t understand why she was doing this though, why she was playing so hard to get. It had been over a year since she started working there, since he began to pursue her and she hadn’t even considered his offers once. Why though? Couldn’t she see how much he wanted her? Didn’t she once ever consider how good they’d be together? How much thrill and excitement could be had from their relationship if she just gave into him? It was getting frustrating…yet also exciting at the same time. He usually didn’t like being challenged, but for her – well, perhaps he could make an exception there. It added more…fun to the pursuit, and it also made him think that she did secretly feel a similar way to what he felt for her, but she simply kept it hidden. She was always more reserved, and he liked that about her. It made it more exciting as he tried to get to know her, tried to take her out on dates.

Now, if only she would say yes.

Cappy held back a groan as she heard footsteps behind her, wishing her fellow employees were around now. When no one else was around, the persistence grew stronger and Ratchet grew more flirtatious, more bold. She was pretty sure this was violating many, many company and workplace guidelines – for about a year or so now, no less. Not that she could complain to anyone since it would only make things worse for her and not to mention, Bigweld wasn’t around anymore, so Ratchet had all the power. Great, just great, she thought to herself. And I can’t even quit… not that she wanted to – no, of course not. It would take more than some persistent pursuits from an aggravating suitor for her to leave her job. Besides, she needed to continue working there if she didn’t want to end up on the streets, right back at square one. And if she went back to square one, then… no, no, don’t think of that now. That won’t happen, she assured herself. So she said: “Ratchet, don’t you have some important business to get to? It’s a weekday, after all. How about we talk about this some other time, huh?” And she hoped that would dissuade him. 

It didn’t dissuade Ratchet though, not at all. “Oh, I’ve finished up my work for today. Nothing’s on my schedule, for now at least.” He flashed another grin at her, noticing that she was looking back slightly from the corner of her eye, which nearly made him smirk. “If you want, I could arrange for some work to be taken off your schedule if you’re really busy. I’ll just write a few things off, send a message and—”

“I appreciate the kind offer, but no thank you,” she interrupted, declining yet again. She forced a polite smile. “I – I really should get going now.” She continued to walk away, her pace growing faster. Why couldn’t he just give up? It would make things so much easier for the both of them. It wasn’t just for her own sake, but his too – he had his position as the man in charge, after all, and bosses didn’t date their employees. If they entered a relationship or even so much as went on a single date, many things would be put at stake – their reputations, their privacies, their lives as they knew it; nothing would be the same anymore. Everyone would judge them, spread gossip, and soon they’d both be the laughing stocks of the entire town. After all, why would a man in such a high position go for a woman beneath him? And strangely enough, she felt an aching as she thought of this. She didn’t know why, nor did she want to.

Ratchet quickened his pace as well, catching up to Cappy. He reached out and grabbed her shoulder. “Wait! I get it,” he said in realization, something clicking inside his head. “You’re the type that wants to get to know the guy first, right? Well I want to get to know you too, but you have to let me.”

She stopped and turned to face him. It was only the two of them, alone in the hallway. Damn it, she cursed silently. Why now? He seemed a bit surprised that she even glanced at him. “Ratchet—”

“You can call me Phineas.” He gave her a toothy grin.

“Phineas,” she started, trying not to roll her eyes. There was exhaustion in her voice. She just wanted to move on with her day. She was tired of the endless pursuit, the endless flirtations, the endless lusting – any other would have felt lucky to have even been noticed by a man of such power and a high position like him, but she didn’t feel lucky. She didn’t feel her confidence boost at all, nor her self-esteem. She felt them lower, actually. What, was she just a silver trophy? Was that all he saw her as? “I’m flattered with all the compliments you’ve showered me with and that you wish to go out with me, but…you’re my boss and I’m your employee. We've had a discussion about this before. Have you forgotten?”

The businessman frowned, recalling that discussion she mentioned in detail. A while back, after various attempts of asking her out, she had sat down with him in his office to talk. At first, he had assumed she was accepting his offer, only for her to tell him that because of their positions in the company, they couldn’t be together. Bosses don’t date their employees, was what she had said to him. Romance and work should stay separated. Besides, what would people say if we did get together? As much as he hated to admit it, that wounded him – not just ego wise, but inside it left this strange aching feeling in his chest. He couldn’t fully grasp it, but all he knew was that it felt horrible…he hated the rejection, especially over something that shouldn’t even be an issue in the first place. He didn’t give a damn about their positions or that it was forbidden for them to fraternize. So what if he was her boss and she was his employee? Big deal. This kind of relationship happened all the time, not just in movies but in real life too. And it wasn’t like anyone could punish them for dating. Bigweld wasn’t in charge. Ratchet was. If anyone had any problems with their relationship, then it was tough luck for them, because Phineas T. Ratchet wasn’t giving up.

“Cappy,” he said softly, “I don’t care that I’m your boss and you’re my employee. It’s not a big deal, honestly.” He shrugged. “Many workers here have relationships with one another, so what’s stopping us from doing the same thing?” 

“It’s forbidden, Ratchet,” she argued, shaking her head. “Those in high power don’t mix with those of lower power. At the end of the day, I’m another worker under your supervision. And besides, like I’ve said before, people will talk. We’ll be the laughingstock of the entire company. Do you know what they’ll call us? I do. They’ll call me a gold digger, and you a—”

“Like I’ve said before, I don’t care,” Ratchet interrupted, eyes narrowing slightly. “I’ve seen CEOs of companies date their workers before. It happens all the time, so why would us going out be a big deal? And as for people talking – if you’re afraid of any nasty gossip, then don’t worry. I’ll make sure nothing unsavory is said of us, especially not you.” He placed his hand over hers, smirking again as he leaned in close. “Just relax. Have some fun for once. One night together, that’s all I ask.” 

Cappy could hear a slight plea in those last few words. She sighed, knowing there was some truth to what he was saying. Yes, many heads of companies dated their workers – in fact, it was one of the most common forms of relationships in the workplace. Still, she wanted to keep things professional and yet, she knew at the same time that her boss wouldn’t give up on trying to pursue her, trying to get her to date him. Ratchet wouldn’t stop until he got what he wanted, and well…a part of her didn’t want to know what would happen if she accidentally pushed things too far – if she managed to provoke him, getting on his bad side. She knew very well that he didn’t like being challenged. He would fire those who dare go against him, so she was aware he’d keep his word in regards to any gossip, but…she wasn’t sure if she was an exception to any rule. 

Besides, truth be told, she was too tired of this routine – of having to reject him over and over again, only for him to continue in his pursuits. What was the point if he wasn’t going to listen? Might as well say yes and get it over with, she thought to herself. At least then, he might tone things down a little. You need to stay on his good side anyway, if you want to keep this job. So she reluctantly answered, “Fine, I’ll go out with you.” She quickly raised a finger as she saw his brownish-red eyes start to light up. “But just for tonight, alright?”

A wide grin stretched across Ratchet’s face as he nodded quickly. He felt a large rush of excitement course through him, a strange sensation pounding in his chest – what it was, he couldn’t tell, but all he knew was that it had something to do with the sheer happiness he felt upon hearing his favorite employee finally accept his offer to go out on a date. “Alright then. Meet me at my house tonight at eight o’clock,” he told her, handing her a small piece of paper with his address on it. “I’ll see you there, and trust me when I say: I promise you won’t regret this.”

Cappy nodded, watching as he left for his office. She sighed and continued down the hall. “Oh boy, what have you gotten yourself into now?” she asked herself, feeling a slight regret already, yet a strange sense of relief as well. At least he wouldn’t be bothering her as much anymore after this… hopefully.

Still, she couldn't believe it. She said yes to Ratchet! It felt like some odd dream that she would be waking up from at any moment, except it wasn't a dream at all – it was real. This was all real. 

She was actually going out on a date with Ratchet tonight.

Cappy decided that since it’d be a – hopefully – regular date, she would go with her more ‘casual’ upgrade in terms of looks. That is, she wore her dark grey hair down, plus a regular top and pants instead of her business attire and skirt. She looked at herself in the mirror, a neutral expression on her face. She would’ve smiled had she been heading out alone, but given that tonight was a date night…she wasn’t sure how to feel. She didn’t have much confidence in her looks, especially in her more regular appearance. Would she still be seen only for her beauty outside, and nothing on the inside? She didn’t know why she feared this so much when she knew the answer, considering the person she was going on a date with was Ratchet, but the fear built up inside her and wouldn’t go away. And it did her self-esteem and confidence no favors. 

“Come on, it’s just one night,” she told herself, trying to push away those thoughts. “Nothing to get worked up over. Don’t start feeling sorry for yourself now. Besides, you need this job and you’ll keep it if you stay on his good side. Don’t want to end up back in Rivet Town now, do you?” She felt a fist ball up, shaking slightly as she recalled her not so bright beginning. She used to be a poor outmode, scrounging for quick day jobs left and right to make enough money to move to Robot City, where she could finally achieve her goal of working at Bigweld Industries. These day jobs weren’t exactly fun, ranging from being a waitress at a diner with rather horribly tempered customers to washing cars, where her fellow employees would make snide remarks about her. It didn’t help that her family —

Oh god, no. Don’t even get her started on her family, especially not her parents. She dug her nails into her metallic skin, recalling the nights in her childhood where she went to bed with tears in her eyes, her cheeks stinging from the harsh slaps and her heart wounded from the cruel words. She recalled the time when she began voicing her dreams of shining no matter what she was made of, like how Bigweld would say, and how her mother ridiculed her for that. How she lightly swatted her on the head and said, ‘stupid girl, you’re a lowly outmode. A foolish, ugly, rusted little outmode, just like your father and just like I. Do you really think you’ve got what it takes to shine? You don’t. The only shining you'll be doing is shining cars, if you’re lucky enough. The chances of you getting to Robot City and landing a decent job there with those looks and your skills are slimmer than us getting out of this nasty neighborhood. So don't even think about it, do you hear me?’ She could still remember when she reached thirteen and walked in on a nasty argument between her father and mother, where her father then proceeded to yank her arm harshly and — and told her to pack her bags because they were going out for a ride and then—

Cappy shook her head, trying to rid her mind of the bitter memories of her past. It was over now. She was no longer a poor outmode living in Rivet Town, doing lowly jobs in hopes of being able to make it to Robot City someday. She was far, far away from her parents – for about ten years now, actually. There was no need for this kind of negative energy, especially not before her date with Ratchet.

Ratchet… she still couldn’t believe she was actually going out on a date with him. It felt almost too good to be true – wait, what? You’re off your rocker, she scolded herself. This is just to get him to calm his advances. Nothing more, nothing less. One night out, that’s it. Or so that’s what she believed. 

She took one final look at herself before nodding, ready to head out. And so, she did – she left her house, carefully locking the door behind her before heading to Ratchet's place. She recalled the address and walked down the road, until she found herself at a rather...surprisingly regular-sized house. She blinked for a moment, having assumed his house would have been some large fancy mansion – not that his house wasn't fancy; it was, but still, it was more...homely than she had expected it to appear. Especially considering who it belonged to. 

Cappy walked onto the doorsteps and carefully knocked on the door. She waited for a few minutes until the door opened, revealing none other than Ratchet himself in his usual dapper suit, though there seemed to be this extra shine to him for some reason. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but it was there alright.

"Hey, Cappy!" Ratchet greeted her, a large grin on his face. "Glad you could make it!" He looked her up and down, taking in her appearance which left him nearly breathless. It was just as beautiful as she was at work – actually, maybe even more beautiful. It made him wonder why she didn't wear this upgrade more often. It suited her so well. "Wow...you look gorgeous tonight..."

Cappy felt her cheeks heat up at this compliment. She had no clue why, considering it wasn't much different from the other compliments she got from her boss, except the way it was said – his tone almost breathless, as if she were the only girl in the world... it almost made her feel confident for a moment. It almost made her feel good. "I'm – I'm not this way usually," she insisted, stammering. "It's just a casual night out between us, so I figured I might as well go with my regular look." 

"I like it," Ratchet said, sincerity in his tone as he continued to stare at her. "It suits you." 

Cappy's cheeks heated up even more. "Do you really think so?"

Ratchet nodded. "Of course! In fact, I think you should wear this upgrade more often," he replied, stepping outside of his house, right next to her. 

Cappy smiled slightly. "Thank you," she said, rubbing her arm nervously. "I might..." 

He offered her his arm. “Shall we go now?” he asked, trying to sound as suave as he could, gesturing to his car with the other arm. 

She nodded and took his arm in hers, entwining them. “Yes, we shall,” she answered. 

They walked towards Ratchet’s car – a jet black Lamborghini – and he opened the door, allowing her to get into the front passenger seat. Once her door was closed, he opened the door to the driver’s section and got inside, closing it and starting up the vehicle. 

“Ready?” Ratchet asked.

“All set,” Cappy replied.

And so, they drove off.

Cappy had expected their destination to be some fancy restaurant, something that suited Ratchet’s perfectionistic self, but instead she was met with a surprising sight: the parking lot of Gordon Gearloose’s Grubhub. Her eyes widened slightly and she looked at Ratchet incredulously. “Gearloose’s? I thought—“

“You said fancy restaurants weren’t your thing and that you’re more into casual stuff, so I figured you’d like a casual night out to eat,” Ratchet explained, interrupting his employee. “And Gearloose’s was the most recommended ‘casual’ restaurant to go to, so I thought…why not?” he chuckled, slightly nervous. And he nearly gagged inwardly too, for he was aware that Gearloose's patrons were a mixture of some upgrades, but mostly outmodes, and lord knew how much he despised looking at outmodes. Yet he would risk going through the pain of seeing a few of those rusted freaks if it would please Cappy. For her, he would put his own pleasure aside if only for the sake of getting to know more about her, to get this chance to go out with her after nearly a year of being spurned so many times he couldn't count them all. He only hoped she would be pleased with this choice. “Do you like it?” 

Surprisingly, a smile made its way across Cappy’s face and she felt a strange joy inside her. She always did like the Grubhub, so to be taken there by Ratchet for their date was quite the pleasant surprise. “Like it? I love it!” she exclaimed, feeling an odd thankfulness. She was glad he took her there, yet…it felt weird too, considering how he usually was. But tonight, he was surprising her with these twists and turns she never saw coming a mile away. “Gordon Gearloose’s Grubhub is my favorite restaurant!”

Ratchet was slightly surprised yet also relieved to hear this. “Really? What a coincidence,” he remarked, a small smile appearing on his face. “I’m glad that I picked a place to your liking then.” He drove into a free spot and parked there. 

Once the car was parked, they both got out and walked towards the restaurant. Ratchet offered his hand to Cappy, but she curtly shook her head. No, not yet – he wasn’t there yet. Just because he took her to her favorite restaurant didn’t mean she was ready to hold hands, like they were officially together or something. It was just one single date – nothing more, nothing less. No need to go there.

Ratchet felt slightly dejected by this, but didn’t press further. Better not to rock the boat too much, risking his chances. So he withdrew his hand and simply walked alongside the female robot, his eyes glancing at her frequently, admiring her casual form. She was already beautiful in her work attire, but to see her how she was when she usually went out – she was stunning, from top to bottom. Yet she seemed to not notice this, at all. He wondered why she couldn’t recognize her own beauty, though he wondered even more why she couldn’t take notice of how much he wanted her – but he pushed these thoughts aside, deciding to focus on their date for now. Hopefully, things will change after this, he thought. 

Once they entered the restaurant, they were met with a waitress who held up a clipboard with a list on it. “You two lovebirds must be the ones who made the reservations for two over by the booth near the window?” she asked.

Both of their faces heated up, a slight flush on their cheeks. “Lovebirds?” they cried out. “Oh no, we’re not—”

“I mean, not yet at least,” Ratchet murmured, rubbing his arm nervously.

Cappy looked at him, her eyes filled with an incredulous look. “What was that?” 

“I – you heard that?” Ratchet asked, growing more nervous.

“Look,” the waitress cut in, rolling her eyes impatiently. “Did you make the reservations or not?”

“We did,” Ratchet answered, clearing his throat. “Well, I did. But yes, we’re reserved for that seat.”

The waitress nodded. “Alright then, follow me.”

The two followed the waitress as she led them to their booth – a nice little dining area by the window, as she’d said. The silverware was already set up, along with the napkins and menus. Both of them sat down as the waitress told them, “In a few minutes, I’ll be back to take care of your orders, so in the meantime, look through the menu and see what we’ve got. Then you make your choice. See ya.” With that, she walked off to the other current customers.

Ratchet unfolded the menu and looked through, wincing as he saw how… plain the dishes looked in comparison to those from the fancy restaurants he went to. It wasn’t a surprise though, considering half of the patrons of this place were outmodes. Still, one would think there’d be at least one fancy dish but no, it was all simplistic greasy foods…

Cappy was looking through her own menu, until her eyes caught Ratchet’s look of distaste. “Is something wrong?” she asked, raising an eyebrow. “You look...disgusted.”

“All the food here looks so…basic,” Ratchet said, his features scrunching in distaste as he looked at the menu, then back at his employee. “Not even one single unique-looking dish!” He gestured to the menu with displeasure. 

“This isn’t one of those fancy restaurants you dine at,” Cappy said bluntly, rolling her eyes at him. God, did he have to act so ridiculous? So stuck up? Especially when it was on a date, no less? “It’s a regular place that both upgrades and outmodes dine at. You knew that when you drove here. What, did you think they would serve fresh oily caviar with a side of battery salad?” she asked snarkily. 

Ratchet paused, knowing she had a point. He felt ridiculous and a bit idiotic, but he was so used to having things his way that he assumed he wouldn’t have to worry about the food being so basic. “No, but I expected something grand.”

Cappy’s eyes narrowed. “You said you had no issues accommodating,” she recalled. “Was that a lie?” For some odd reason, there was a bit of hurt in her voice as she asked this, a strange sense of ache inside her chest. She figured it was due to how much of a brat he was being, especially considering what he promised her. “Did you only say that just so you could get alone with me?” 

Ratchet was silent. He didn’t know how to respond. It was true, he said he would accommodate – he just figured he wouldn’t have to accommodate too much. And, well, it was also true that he just wanted to get alone with her…but it wasn’t for the reasons she thought. He genuinely wanted to get to know her, but she wouldn’t have let him if he didn’t use a bit of persuasion. 

“It…it wasn’t a lie,” he said slowly, his tone uncertain. “I can accommodate, it’s just – I’m not used to this type of place, that’s all.” He reached over the table, placing his hand on hers. “And I admit, I did want to just get a chance to be alone with you, but I swear it’s not how you think it is.”

She snorted. “Oh really?” 

“Really,” he insisted. “Just give me a chance, and I swear this’ll be a great dinner.” 

She paused for a moment, then sighed. “Fine. But don’t push any buttons, or else I’m leaving.” 

He nodded. “You have my word.” 

She looked at him, a bit doubtful yet strangely hopeful too. Could she trust him to keep his word? Only time would tell. So she looked back at her menu for a moment, before making her choice on what she would like to eat. Meanwhile, he looked through his menu, reluctantly picking out a meal to dine on.

After a few minutes, the waitress returned. “So, have you figured out what you’d like to order?” 

“Yes, we have,” Cappy answered, nodding. 

“So what will you have?” the waitress asked, looking at Ratchet.

“Roast beef with a side of batteries – with some grease, if you please,” Ratchet told the waitress, a hint of reluctance in his voice. It was so… plain, yet he couldn’t demand for much or else he’d be pushing it – and he couldn’t jeopardize any chances with Cappy. 

Speaking of which, Cappy’s eyes widened upon hearing his order. “No way!” she cried, causing him to look at her with a raised eyebrow. “That’s exactly what I’m ordering too!” 

Ratchet blinked. “Really? Gee, another coincidence,” he found himself chuckling slightly. He felt a little relieved, seeing as how if she liked the same meal he was ordering, maybe it wouldn’t be too boring in taste.

Cappy smiled slightly. “Guess so.” 

“Alright then,” said the waitress. “I’ll be back with your orders in about twenty minutes.” And with that, she left.

Ratchet cleared his throat. “So tell me, Cappy,” he began. “What brought you to Bigweld Industries to begin with?” He figured that since he wanted to get to know her, it was best to start with questions like these – to find out her aspirations, dreams; the little things that added up to her wonderful self. Besides, it was always something he wondered: why did she choose to work there? Not that he was complaining, but he was merely curious. “I’m curious, especially since most robots of your caliber don’t work their way to becoming executives. So many settle for lesser jobs that don’t suit their high level skills, but you came for one of the best – which is admirable, but it also makes me wonder why you picked it.” 

Cappy was silent for a moment, unsure of how to answer. She appreciated his implying that she had skills of a high level, but she wasn’t sure if she could say exactly why she went to work at the company in fear of having to mention her past. Lord knew she didn’t want to bring that up, especially since she was fully aware of how he looked at outmodes as lesser beings, so what would he say if she told him she was once an outmode? Would he look at her as lesser? It made her heart clench, her body trembling slightly as her green eyes became foggy for a second. She couldn’t afford to let his view of her change, diminish into something so lowly, so she told a half truth.

“I wanted to shine no matter what, like how Bigweld always said in the commercials. I couldn’t do that back where I lived, where I used to work, so I came to Robot City to live out my dream and become an executive. And well, here we are.” She shrugged. It wasn't a lie, per say, just not the entire truth.

Ratchet nodded. “I see… well, you sure do shine well at Bigweld Industries,” he said with a small smile, though he felt that she was hiding a few things from him. The answer didn’t feel complete, somehow. It only made him wonder what she chose to keep silent. “This company wouldn’t be the same without you as an executive, Cappy.” And it was true – without her, things would be different. He couldn’t really imagine a scenario where she chose to stay wherever she’d been before she worked in the industry – all he knew was that things were better with her around.

Cappy blushed a little. “You’re just saying that because I’m beautiful,” she said, waving her hand dismissively. 

"No, I'm being serious," Ratchet insisted. "Without you, I don't know how this company would've been. Certainly not as fun to work at, that's for sure. You're one of the finest employees we've got – in fact, your work never ceases to impress." 

She smiled softly at him. "Thank you, Ratchet. That means a lot to me that you think of my work in such high regards." And she was being sincere, for she truly did appreciate his words. For a moment, she felt her self esteem and confidence boost up. 

"But of course! Who wouldn't regard your work so highly?" asked Ratchet, his smile growing. "Only a fool would think lowly of your talent." 

"You'd be surprised," Cappy said quietly, looking down for a moment. "Not a lot of my former bosses appreciated what I had to offer." Nor did my parents, she added silently. They never liked her though, so she was used to their scorn. 

"Then your former employees are a bunch of idiots," Ratchet remarked, scoffing. "They don't know what true skill is until it's escaped from right under their noses." 

Cappy looked back up at him. “Do you really mean that?” 

“Of course I do,” the male robot replied. 

“...thank you, Ratchet,” she thanked him, smiling. “That really means a lot to me.” 

He swore he felt his metallic heart nearly skip a beat, seeing her smile. “Of course, Caps. You deserve all the praise in the world for your talent.” 

She giggled. “Oh, stop!” She waved her hand at him again, before a thought then crossed her mind. There was always something she wondered, and that was how Ratchet came to become the current head of Bigweld Industries – and why he even wanted that position to begin with. How did he get there, exactly? “But enough about me. What about you, Ratchet? What brought you to Bigweld Industries?” 

Ratchet froze. He wasn’t sure how to respond. How could he explain why he came to work at Bigweld Industries and where he got to now without mentioning his mother and her schemes, how Madame Gasket pulled the strings and guided him to where he was now? He couldn’t, not without jeopardizing everything. But he wanted to give a decent answer, so he told a half-truth. “I always wanted to work at a big company,” he began. “Ever since I was a little kid. I saw those commercials for the industry, and it was then that I knew what my job calling was – what I wanted my future career to be. I wanted to make it big, I wanted to run the business – I wanted to be in the center, shining above all else. So I worked hard to get to where I was. I studied at the best universities in Robot City, until I had the skills I needed for this job. I applied for a job and began working at Bigweld Industries as an intern, originally, slowly but surely working my way up to the top.” And that wasn't a lie, not really, just not entirely true – but she didn't need to know about the underworking behind his rise to the top, or Gasket's involvements. 

"So wait, what age were you when you started out at Bigweld Industries?" Cappy asked, tilting her head curiously. "Because if I recall, you're in your thirties, right? So you had to have been in your early twenties." 

"Yes, I'm thirty-five. See, I was actually twenty-one when I began working at the company," Ratchet explained. "Graduated college early, bachelor's degree and all. Naturally, it took about twelve years to get to where I am now, but I think I started out pretty strong given my age at the time." Granted, he had some outside help and did a bit of dirty work underground to get to his current position, but it wasn't something she needed to know now... or ever. 

Cappy gaped at this. "Wow... you really are quite the success story," she remarked. "I'm twenty-three, and I'm just an executive—" 

"Which is also quite a success story," Ratchet interrupted. "I mean, you started out here a year ago when you were twenty-two and already just a year later, you've got one of the highest positions in the company. It took me until I was thirty-two to get a position as an executive, so consider yourself lucky." 

"Still, that's quite impressive," Cappy went on. "Twelve years and look at where you are now, head of the company at the age of thirty-five. Truly an accomplishment." 

The businessman's face flushed slightly. "Thank you," he said, feeling his posture tense. He was struggling with words to say. Goddamn it, how was it that she could leave him in such a state? It boggled his mind yet made sense at the same time. She was a special one, and that's why he liked her. "I'm glad you think so. Your input means a lot to me, you know that, right? 'Cause while I may be your boss, it's your feedback as my employee that really matters and, well, you're one of the best I've got so..." 

"And it means a lot to me that my word means so much to you," she told him, feeling her own posture tense up. Her chest was pounding as she felt a strange sensation inside. To hear him say such things about her – it felt so good and strangely enough, she could sense he was being sincere as well, which startled her even more considering he'd flirted with her many times yet these words of praise sounded so genuine unlike all those other words he'd shower her with in the past. 

They smiled at each other for a moment, his red eyes meeting her green orbs as they looked at one another, happy as could be. 

Then the waitress came in with their orders. “Here’s your food,” she said. “When you’re done, we’ll discuss the bill.” She then left, leaving them with their dishes. 

“Bon appetit,” said Ratchet with a shrug, before he dug into his meal. His eyes widened in surprise as he tasted the roast beef and batteries, decked with grease. It tasted magnificent, unlike how he expected it to taste. He thought it would taste dull, but instead it was great. “Wow, this is…actually delicious!” he exclaimed.

“And you thought it was basic,” Cappy teased, her eyes filled with amusement. 

“Well, the menu wasn’t something I was familiar with,” Ratchet said a bit defensively. “So I assumed it wouldn’t taste well. But it turns out it’s great! I can see why you ordered it.” 

“It’s actually a favorite dish of mine,” Cappy said, grinning. “I just enjoy sitting down and digging into it while Gordon puts on one of his shows.”

“Wait, they have shows here?” asked Ratchet, raising an eyebrow.

Cappy nodded. “Oh yes, they have several acts in fact. The routine I like the most is—” 

A voice sounded through the speakers, interrupting her mid-sentence. “Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for Cirque du Gearloose !” 

Cappy grew excited. “Ooh, it’s starting!” she cried ecstatically, shaking Ratchet’s arm and gesturing to the stage in excitement. “You’ve gotta see this! It’s spectacular !” 

“What could be spectacular about a knockoff of Cirque du Soleil?” he asked skeptically. 

She shot a glare at him and turned his head to face the stage. "Just watch and you'll see." 

As he was about to make another remark, the curtains pulled aside to reveal a bunch of robots lined up, all dressed in over-the-top costumes, which fit the whole theme of a Cirque du Soleil parody well enough. One of the robots pulled out a horn and began to blow into it, while another let out a chant of gibberish. The other performers began to move about, performing acrobatics and other cool tricks. 

But the real stars of the act were when three robots – quintuplets, four guys and one girl – began to perform some type of contortionist act. Through some weird trick, they made it seem as though their bodies combined to shape all sorts of animals from tigers to dragonflies – they’d do it all. This was quite impressive, Ratchet had to admit, albeit a little unnerving too. 

“Woah!” Ratchet whisper-exclaimed, astonished by the performance. “How are they doing that?” he asked Cappy. 

She shrugged. “Beats me! I don’t know much of the logic behind contortionism.” She smiled nonetheless and nudged his shoulder. “I take it you’re enjoying the performance though?”

He nodded with a smile forming on his face. “Oh yes, definitely. It’s quite impressive…for its own little spin.” 

“I told you it was spectacular,” Cappy teased her boss, bumping her elbow on his. 

“So you did,” Ratchet chuckled, shrugging as he continued to watch.

The quintuplets finished off by forming a pyramid with the one female in the middle while all the males surrounded her, then they split apart seamlessly once the act was finished. The crowd roared with applause, some even demanding for an encore while others cheered for the quintuplets, who simply bowed at everyone.

Ratchet and Cappy both clapped and cheered, but especially the businessman. “Bravo!” he yelled, whooping as he raised his hands up high and clapped loudly. “Bravo!” He turned to Cappy and began gushing, “Oh that was amazing! Did you see the way they formed that pyramid so effortlessly? It was perfect! Better than any Cirque du Soleil performance I’ve been to!”

“I know! It was incredible,” she gushed. “And the way they pulled apart without any setbacks – I can’t imagine how long it took to get that right during practice!” 

“If they practiced. Maybe there’s some dark magic behind this that allows them to perform such contortions,” Ratchet suggested jokingly. 

Cappy laughed and elbowed him. “Ratchet! Don’t be ridiculous,” she said, playfully scolding him. “They’ve probably been doing this for a while.” 

“I know,” he laughed. “But still, you never know…”

The two laughed together, their hands brushing for a moment. Both felt a bubbly sensation as they were giggling together like a pair of schoolkids at a carnival. This felt right, just the two of them having a nice night out. Cappy wondered why she hadn’t accepted Ratchet’s offers to go out before, considering this was the most fun she’d had in a long while. Strangely enough, she found herself enjoying his company, which shocked her seeing as how all their other interactions made her exhausted, yet now he was making her feel…nice. Really nice. Meanwhile, Ratchet wondered why he’d been so whiny about a more regular setting for the date, considering he was having such a fantastic night compared to the more fancy settings of the other restaurants he had been to. But he chalked it up to the fact that he had Cappy with him, and she made him feel so wonderful – she made this night perfect despite the less than usually ideal place. To both of their surprises, this date was going better than expected. 

Their eyes met again, red staring into green, and they leaned towards each other slowly. Their hearts were pounding so harshly in their chests as their faces neared. Was this really happening?

“Ratchet…” 

“Cappy…”

Before their faces could get even closer, Gordon Gearloose came up on stage and his voice boomed into the microphone, “Give it up for the quintuplets!” 

As the applause kept going on, the two pulled away and chuckled nervously. “Oh, wow, um…” 

“I’m sorry, I—”

“No, it’s fine—”

Their eyes glanced at everything but one another, before focusing on the stage. “That was…quite the performance,” Ratchet said slowly, trying to cut through the awkwardness. “I can see why you like this place so much. It’s very nice, despite how plain it may seem to an upgraded outsider.”

“Yes,” Cappy replied, nodding slowly. “I like the shows they put on here. It reminds me of when the circus would play in my old town and how I always wanted to go, but my family didn’t—” she stopped, feeling her throat become dry. You idiot, why did you have to go and ruin it by mentioning them? Things were already awkward from your little overstepping of ethics, now they’re only going to get worse because you—

“Your family didn’t…what?” Ratchet asked, tilting his head curiously. Ah, so there was something she left out in her little response earlier – something about her past, regarding her family. Maybe they played a bit of a hand in her move to Robot City and how she ended up working at Bigweld Industries?

“Nothing,” she said quickly, feeling an aching build up inside her. She remembered her father shouting at her when she had asked if they could go to the circus, how he'd slapped her and yelled at her I don't work my ass off vacuuming buildings from top to bottom floors for you to waste the money I earned to go to some circus! You know what? Go to your room and think about how selfish you sound. She remembered how she'd held back tears as she headed upstairs to her room, before crying into her blankets once the door was closed and her father had stormed back into the kitchen. She swore, it was still so painful that she could still feel the pain of the injustice of her past building up inside of her. But she tried to appear calm, as if nothing was wrong when that was the opposite in reality. “It’s not important,” she lied. “Nevermind I said that.” 

“Don’t lie to me,” said Ratchet, frowning. He could sense something was wrong with how tense she seemed. Clearly, this was important and yet she kept hiding it from him. It made him feel a bit concerned and worried for her. “What is it about your family?” 

Cappy grew more tense, her body trembling. Now look at what you’ve done. You’ve ruined it. This night was going well until you had to get too close, and then on top of that you had to bring up the past, a voice in her head harshly scolded her. “Really, Ratchet, it’s nothing—”

Gordon’s voice cut her off as it sounded through the microphone. “Setting up this act in particular was a labor of familial love amongst us,” the restaurant’s owner went on. “For you see, these five aren’t just ordinary workers, but actually my children.” He gestured to the five robots, who all smiled at him. “There aren’t enough words to describe how proud I am of these kids, and just how much I love them all.” He then pulled them all into a hug. “C’mere!”

The crowd awed, while Cappy froze up at the sight. She felt her stomach churn, her fists clench, tears stinging at the back of her eyes as she watched Gearloose hug his children and how they embraced their father in return – and she couldn’t help but think of how she never got to do such a thing with her own father. Whenever she tried to hug her father in the past, she would get a harsh shove back and be scolded, told that she was being childish and had to grow up. The same thing went for when she tried to hug her mom. And she couldn’t help but think of all the times her parents expressed no signs of being proud of her, but rather how they always seemed disappointed with her even when she achieved some – albeit minor – accomplishments. Not to mention, her parents never once said they loved her. She tried to dig deep into her earliest days but even then, not once did she hear those three words. Instead, she recalled an incident from when she was ten where she asked her father if he loved her.

“Papa?” 

“What is it?” 

His voice was gruff and harsh, making her flinch. Yet she still continued, her voice filled with hope as she asked him, “Do you love me?”

His dark green eyes stared down at her before he let out a low, harsh cackle. “Do I love you? The chances of a single ounce of me caring for you are slimmer than the chances of you making something useful of yourself.” 

“But…” the little robot’s lip quivered. “Papas are supposed to love their—”

“Why should I love a mistake?” her father interrupted her, roughly picking her up by the scruff. “You’re the reason I’ve had to work hours on end vacuuming various buildings, just so we can afford to put food on the table because we keep losing money from the parts we buy to help you with your growth! To provide for you! Not only that, but because of you, your mama and I can’t even stand to be around each other for more than an hour!” He then dropped her, not caring how hurt she was from the harsh landing. “So no, I don’t love you. Never have, never will.” 

The little girl watched as her father walked away, before oily tears cascaded down her cheeks. She sat there, silently crying. “I’m sorry, papa. I’m sorry…”

“Cappy?”

Cappy didn’t respond, for she was stuck in the memories of the soul-crushing past. The robot recalled all the times her mom expressed clear disappointment in the ways she would clean the house, despite her best efforts to prepare it for the elder’s standards. Or when her father would always remind her she was the reason they were so poor, because her parents were required to buy her parts. Or when she was constantly shoved, slapped and pushed around by her father, or when her mom would verbally ridicule and scorn her. She recalled all of the humiliation and abuse she faced from the two people who were supposed to love her and care for her, but instead showed nothing but hatred to her. 

And then she remembered that day when she was thirteen, the day her father grabbed her roughly by the arm after making her pack her bags and shoved her into his worn-down jeep, responding to her asking where they were headed with “just a little ride, sweetheart.” 

But it hadn’t been a little ride at all. He left her at a park, telling her...

“You’re on your own now, kid. Your mother and I worked our asses off trying to raise you and you’ve been nothing but a thorn in our side since the day you were born. I’m sick and tired of struggling to pay the bills, of working as a lowly vacuum cleaner just to feed you. I’m sick of seeing your mother being reduced to working as mere attachments of a vacuum on the weekends when she should be relaxing. You’ve cost us not only so much money, but our marriage as well! You know, we used to be so happy together and even thought that you would only bring more happiness to our already joyful life! Big mistake. Now we can’t go an hour without being at each other’s throats, and who’s to blame for that? You.” 

“But papa, you… you can’t just leave me here—!” She tried to approach him only for him to shove her back, causing her to land on the ground, dropping her suitcases. 

“Oh yes I can!” he snarled. “From now on, you have to take care of yourself, because I’m done wasting my life bringing up a worthless brat. Now it’s your turn to work low-paying jobs. You pay for your own parts. You work to put food on the table yourself. You pay your own bills because starting as of today, you, Cappy, are no longer our burden. From here on out, the Gadgetsons have one less mouth to feed. Good riddance.”

And with that he walked away, leaving her lying on the ground, sobbing and screaming for him to come back. But he never did so much as even turn his head toward her. Instead he just left her there, all alone.

Abandoned.

“ CAPPY! ”

Ratchet’s voice snapped Cappy out of her thoughts, and she blinked back tears as she looked at him. His eyes were filled with concern, like he genuinely cared for her well-being. He gently grabbed her hand, his own hand squeezing hers as he asked her, “Are you alright? What’s wrong? You look…so hurt and lost.” 

“I…I—” Cappy tried to answer, but the words got stuck in her throat. She blinked and caught her breath, trying to answer again, but nothing left her mouth. She pressed the back of her palm against her lips, stifling a sob. Her body trembled even more and tears trickled down her cheeks, recalling the lowest of the lows she had experienced – how her parents never loved her and only saw her as a burden. The injustice of it all bubbled inside of her chest, ready to erupt after decades of feeding and growing. How long had she gone, holding back her tears so that no one else would see them? How long had she gone, hiding her pain? Too long, she knew that was certain. But it was because she feared that she would be a burden, just as her father called her.

Just as she was being right now, she realized. After all, Ratchet had been looking forward to this night out, no doubt, and what did she do? She ruined the fun they were having by burdening him with her problems, all because she couldn’t keep it together – all because she couldn’t forget her own past, like a selfish child. No wonder she had been abandoned. It seemed like it was her specialty, being a burden – a constant ruin on anything nice.  

“I’m sorry,” she apologized, standing up. “I’ll – I’ll be leaving now.” And sparing you any more trouble, she added silently to herself as tears fell down her cheeks. She pulled out a couple of coins, placing them on the table. Then she ran off, out of the restaurant. 

“Cappy, wait!” Ratchet shouted, holding an arm out as he watched her run off. He felt concerned for her, worried about her. It surprised him how his feelings for her had shifted, for now he no longer felt lust towards her but genuine love and affection, recognizing the cause behind the aching he’d felt before. It was because he loved her. He loved her so much which was why the thought of any more rejection from her hurt him so much. But what hurt even more was seeing her upset, seeing her so hurt and not knowing why. He wanted to see her happy always, to protect her from anything that would harm her or get in the way of her happiness, to make sure that not a single frown crossed her beautiful features and instead a lovely smile – to make sure that tears never spilled from those gorgeous green eyes. He cared about her deeply, which was what sent him running after her, out of the restaurant and into the streets. “Caps, please stop running!” 

But she didn’t stop. She kept running as fast as she could. She needed to leave, to escape before she could burden him any more than she already had. She didn’t want to be pushed to the side of the curb and abandoned again. She didn’t want to risk losing her job by stressing him out with her problems, because if she got sacked, she’d end up losing everything she worked so hard for. And where would she wind up? Sleeping in the log of a tree in some park, just as she’d done the night she was abandoned. That or an alleyway, when she began working those lousy jobs just to scrounge enough cash to get her one ticket to Robot City, to pay for the upgrades – the very upgrades that had drawn his attention and landed them both in this situation to begin with. It seemed like nothing could go right for her, could it? And the worst part was that…she had begun to feel something for him too. 

Cappy almost felt like laughing, due to the sheer irony of it all. At the beginning, she merely went on the date with Ratchet as a means of trying to calm his persistent pursuit of her, but she ended up enjoying it and his company more than she had expected. He was right – she didn’t regret going out with him at all. In fact, she wouldn’t mind if he asked her out again…or even took her to a fancy restaurant, just as long as he was there. She understood now why she felt those aching feelings in her chest earlier on, because she liked him – no, she believed there was something more to it than just liking him, but she wasn’t ready to call it love. Not yet at least, but perhaps in the future… 

That was, if he even wished to bother with her after what she pulled tonight, which she did regret. She didn’t like bringing issues for others, especially those she cared about. So that was why she left, before it could get any worse. 

But it did.

She saw more families – fathers, mothers and their children – all having fun outings, laughing together and chatting happily. She stopped, skidding in her tracks as she saw how the parents would embrace their children so lovingly, and she felt a mixture of envy and grief for the parental love she never got. She wondered, how troublesome had she been to the point that she couldn’t have even received so much as a pat on the head? She teared up, pressing her lips together in a mixture of sorrow and anger. It wasn’t fair. She hadn’t meant to bring so much hardship and yet she was shoved aside like it was nothing… had her parents ever really wanted her to begin with? If they bothered building her to begin with, then there had to have been some love in the beginning. Yet even as she tried to dig deep into her childhood memories to recall such a moment when her parents did care about her, she remembered nothing. All she remembered was the painful, crushing defeats and the resentment. 

Maybe they’re right, Cappy thought sadly. Maybe I am just a mistake… but just as she began to think this, she suddenly felt hands upon her shoulders. Suddenly, she was turned around, face to face with none other than Ratchet. 

“Cappy,” he said, a look of worry on his face. “Why did you run off like that? If something is wrong, please tell me what it is.” His voice was filled with genuine concern as he wanted to know what was plaguing her, what was hurting her so much that tears stained her cheeks – that she ran off in such a hurry. 

Cappy glanced down, unable to meet the business robot’s gaze. “It’s none of your concern,” she said quietly. “Just go home. Don’t let me ruin your night, burdening you with my problems.” She turned away from him, preparing to head off but found herself being pulled towards him. 

“It is my concern,” Ratchet said firmly, placing his hands on her arms. “You are my concern. As your boss and date, I’m supposed to make sure you’re doing alright and that you are completely satisfied and happy – and something’s clearly bothering you so please, tell me what it is.” He put a hand under her chin, lifting her face up so their eyes met again. “And don’t you ever think that you’re a burden. You could never ruin my night or burden me. I want to know what your problems are so I can help you.” This wasn’t the first time he pleaded with someone, but it was the first time he was being sincere and unselfish as he did so: “Please Caps, let me help you. Let me know what is troubling you so I can do whatever I can in my power to make sure those troubles will be far behind you.”

As Cappy looked into Ratchet’s eyes, she saw the genuine concern in them just as she heard the sincerity in his voice. It shocked her, seeing someone genuinely care about her as she was so used to being ignored and having her needs pushed aside, so much so she expected him to be the same as everyone else in her life had been up to that point – uncaring, but here he was disproving her assumptions and exceeding her expectations. She once thought of him as selfish, inconsiderate and spoiled, but now she was seeing a side of him she never knew existed until now. He really did care about her. He wanted to help her, and yet she still hesitated. How would he react if she told him about her past? Would his view of her change if she were to tell him that she was once a lowly outmode, no different than those he currently looked down upon with disgust? Would he still care about her and want to help her out then? Or would he see her as broken, childish and revolting? She didn’t want to experience any more heartbreak than she already had in her life. For him to no longer look at her with the care and concern he showed now to instead look at her with scorn and disgust, it was too much to bear the mere thought of, especially when she was growing fond of him. 

So she breathed in, then out, sighing. “Alright, I’ll tell you everything, but you must promise me something.” She raised a finger at him, just as those dark red – handsome; they were so handsome, just like him, she now admitted – eyes of his seemed to light up. “Promise me you won’t look at me differently after this.” 

“I solemnly swear to you that I won’t look at you differently after what you tell me,” Ratchet promised, nothing but sincerity in his voice. He didn’t know why she thought his view of her would change, for he could never imagine looking at her differently than he did now.

Cappy nodded numbly. Then, with many doubts clouding her mind, she began to tell him the full story. She didn’t watch his reaction, unsure if she would be able to handle it enough to get through the whole tale. She kept her eyes staring blankly forward as she spoke. She recounted her beginnings as an outmode, living in a poor neighborhood in Rivet Town, brought into the world by a once happy couple who soon began to hate each other.

She recalled how her family was always running short on money and how her parents had to work lowly jobs to get by and put food on the table as well as pay for the parts she needed, with her father working as a vacuum cleaner almost every day of the week and her mother working as the attachments on the weekends. She told him how her parents’ marriage began falling apart, of the many occasions she would hear them constantly screaming and cursing at each other until their voice boxes could take no more. She told him how her parents' growing hatred for her, how it manifested and grew until she couldn't even really recall if there was ever a moment in time where they loved her – and that in their eyes, she was seen as a mistake and a burden upon them, the cause of all their problems and pain. She told him of all the insults, ridicule, scorn and slaps she'd received. She told him of how her father abandoned her. She told him of how she had to work lowly jobs to slowly save up money for a ticket to Robot City, along with some cash to pay for her upgrades. She told him everything, leaving not a single detail out.

When she finished, Cappy's eyes finally traveled to Ratchet's face, and his expression surprised her. His red eyes were wide, his facial features a mixture of horror, anger, sorrow and guilt. 

It was of the few times he was silent. He looked like he wanted to speak, but no words left his mouth.

She sighed. "I shouldn't have said anything," she muttered, taking his silence for an answer. She braced herself for the upcoming heartbreak, but instead was met with something else.

"I..." Ratchet began, finally saying something. But his voice was so weak, so he cleared his throat. "Oh my god, Cappy, I had no idea your past was that rough. I presumed your beginnings weren't all that great, but...I never knew that it was that bad." There was genuine sympathy in his tone, which startled the executive robot. "I'm so, so sorry you had to go through all of that." 

Cappy looked at the business robot in shock, having genuinely thought he would’ve looked down upon her for being an outmode once – for having such a horrid start. But here he was, showing sympathy and care. It boggled her mind to no end. She wasn't used to anyone caring about her, but she supposed there was a start for everything. So she shook her head and assured him, “It’s fine. It’s been ten years since I was left on the curb. Look at me now: I’ve achieved my dream and disproved their claims.” She forced a smile again. It wasn’t fine and it hurt to lie, but she didn’t want him to think she was weak. “Everything's alright now.” 

Ratchet frowned, knowing that Cappy was lying and that things weren’t alright. “No, it’s not fine. You’re clearly still scarred from all the torment those despicable robots put you through,” he said, spitting the last words out with venom. He loathed her parents for what they had done to her. How could any being treat a child that way, especially their own? It confounded him to no end. Madame Gasket wasn’t the best mother and Monsieur Gasket, well, wasn’t very present in his son’s life but after hearing how Cappy’s parents were like, Phineas was thankful that his parents at least cared about him. His mother did occasionally insult him, but she never treated him like he was a mistake. And his father had always shown paternal love, even when he had acted childish and immature. So for the Gadgetsons to completely disregard their daughter, for them to treat her like a burden…it made his wiring boil. 

He felt anger building up inside his chest, ready to erupt at any given moment after hearing of the decades of pain she endured. He swore silently that if he ever came across her parents, he’d put them through living hell for their horrendous actions – and then he'd send them right to the Chop Shop, let those rusted bastards melt into scrap metal, even though they were much lower than that. For now though, he tried to calm himself down. He had to cool down for her sake, make sure she no longer felt sad by chasing away all her doubts and sorrows, ensuring her happiness. “What they did to you was vile and I can assure you that one day, karma will catch up to them.” He reached his hand out for hers, which she took. “What they told you wasn’t true at all. You’re not a burden or a mistake. You’re a beautiful, smart robot that’s contributed so much and shined brighter than any other bot in this city,” he told her, softly squeezing her hand in assurance. 

For a moment, Cappy felt a sense of ease and comfort from his words and yet, the moment didn’t last long as she recalled how he usually looked down upon the outmoded bots. She paused for a moment, before she carefully asked, “Even if I was once an outmode?” And once again, she braced herself. 

But Ratchet’s expression only softened, his eyes still filled with care and affection, something so foreign to the executive. “I don’t care if you were once an outmode,” he told her firmly. “It doesn’t matter to me at all. I’m sure that even then, you were still beautiful as you are now. In fact, the fact you were once an outmode from such a poor background yet made your way to the top to become an upgraded executive at the biggest company in Robot City despite the obstacles and harsh pushback you've gone through is remarkable. Don't you ever think for a second that the unsavory bits about your past make you any less perfect.” 

Cappy finally smiled, a genuine smile, a few tears still left in her eyes. “Th-thank you,” she stammered, finding herself choking up as she squeezed his hand gently. She felt overwhelmed with happiness, knowing he truly cared for her and that his view of her hadn't changed at all, only improved. “I just – no one’s ever cared about me before. I’m so used to people being indifferent that I…I assumed you’d be the same.” She then pulled her hand away and rubbed her arm. “I thought you’d be disgusted if you knew I was once an outmode, since you don’t like them. I thought you’d see me as broken, childish and weak, so I didn’t say anything but when I saw Gordon hug his kids, I remembered how I’d try so hard to gain my parents’ love only to be spat in the face each time.” Tears fell down her cheeks again. “And…and I – I left because I was afraid if I ruined your night, you’d leave me behind too, and I couldn’t go through that again. My heart wouldn't be able to bear it.” 

Ratchet reached his arms out to Cappy, and she fell into them. He patted her back as she began to sob softly into his shoulder. His heart ached for her and in that moment, he swore he would protect her from everything that stood in her way, anything that threatened to harm her – in that very moment, he swore he would be her protector. “Cappy, I could never be disgusted by you,” he spoke softly, rubbing her back in reassurance. “While it’s true I don’t necessarily…care for outmodes, there is always an exception to the rule and you are exactly that – and you didn’t choose your beginning anyway; no one does. It’s not how you started out that matters, it’s what you make of yourself, and look at what you’ve made of yourself now – you’re the shiny executive of Bigweld Industries. So I’m actually impressed by you.” He felt her bury her face into the crook of his neck, and he held onto her as tight as he could. “And you’re not broken, childish or weak nor would I ever think of you as such. Actually, in my eyes, I see you as strong.” 

“How?” she asked him, her voice hoarse. 

“Because you persevered despite all the pain,” Ratchet explained. “You didn’t let any of the obstacles stop you from shining no matter what you were made of. That’s strength.” He pulled away slightly from the hug, to look at her face. He wiped away her tears. “Being upset over the past doesn’t make you childish or weak. It takes a long while to ever really recover from such an experience, so your reactions are understandable. It’s better to let out all your emotions than just bottle them up – trust me, I know from experience.” They both chuckled at this. “And once again,” he continued. “Let me tell you: you could never ruin my night. You’re what made this night wonderful. You improved my night.”

Her cheeks flushed. “You’re only saying that to make me feel better.” 

“No, I’m saying that because it’s the truth,” he countered, grinning at her. “So don’t worry, I’m not leaving you behind ever. As long as you reside in this city, you’re stuck with me.” He winked at her. 

She laughed, a smile growing on her face. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” she said softly. She looked into his eyes. “Thank you, Ratchet, for everything. You’ve been so wonderful, so fun and charismatic… you really made my night.” 

Now his cheeks flushed. “Oh you…”

“And you were right,” she went on. “I didn’t regret it, not one bit.” She grinned at him. “I had a lot of fun.” 

He felt his metallic heart pound in his chest. Hearing those words, seeing her grin at him – he wanted to dance with joy, to pull her into his arms and smash his lips onto hers, to shout how much he loved her, but instead he kept calm. “I’m glad you had fun,” he replied. “I had fun too, even if the place was rather…basic. I guess even the regular bots can be entertaining.” He shrugged. “Perhaps I’ll visit again…that is, if you’re up for another night out?” he suggested slowly, praying for the best. 

She nodded. “Sure,” she answered. “I’ve got some room in my schedule next week.” 

Ratchet grinned widely. “Great!” He clasped his hands together excitedly. “How does next Friday sound?” 

“Sounds good,” Cappy replied.

“I’ll meet you at your house then,” Ratchet stated. 

Cappy giggled. “Looking forward to it.”

They smiled at each other for a moment, before Ratchet looked around and saw that the streets were empty, save for a few sweepers down the corner. He saw that it was late and cleared his throat. “We’d better get home. It’s pretty late.”

Cappy nodded. “Yeah, we should.”

Ratchet rubbed his arm nervously. He was so used to being suave and forward with Cappy, yet now he felt so anxious. Was this what love was like? Did it usually make even the rowdiest of bachelors nervous messes around the one they pursued? He had no clue. “Would you like me to drive you home?” he asked suddenly.

Cappy smiled warmly at him. “Yes, I’d like that very much,” she answered softly, taking his hand into hers.

Ratchet smiled. “Then let’s go,” he said, gesturing back to the parking lot. Together, they walked back to the parking lot, towards the car.

One thought crossed their minds: this was a night to remember, one that they would never forget. That was certain. 

After an hour of driving, Ratchet stopped at the destination: Cappy’s house. He admired how it was rather small yet homely. It suited her, he thought as they both got out of the car. “Nice place you’ve got,” he said to her.

She shrugged. “It’s not much, but thank you.” She walked alongside him to her porch. “And thank you, again, for taking me home.” 

“Oh it’s no problem,” said Ratchet, waving his hand in dismissal. “It’s the least I can do. Really, I should be the one thanking you.” 

“And why is that?” Cappy asked, raising an eyebrow with an amused look on her face. 

“For going out with me,” Ratchet answered, chuckling as he rubbed the back of his neck. “I know it sounds ridiculous but…ever since I met you, I wanted to at least have one chance to spend a night out together. I wanted to learn more about you. I wanted to at least have a single moment with you that wouldn’t result in spurning.” He gulped. He could feel his joints shaking, his chest pounding. Stay calm, he told himself, but it was hard. “You’re my best employee, Cappy, and… and I guess what I’m trying to say is that I—”

“Shhh.” Cappy placed her finger on his lips. “Say no more.” She removed her finger and as he began to protest, she leaned up and kissed his cheek. “I believe I’m starting to fall for you too.” 

Ratchet’s eyes popped wide, his posture tensing. He couldn’t believe it. His heart soared with joy, a grin forming on his face. “Really?” he asked incredulously. 

"Really," she said, nodding and returning the grin.

“You have no idea how happy you’ve just made me,” he whispered. 

“Oh no, it’s you who has no idea how happy you’ve made me,” she countered.

He looked into her eyes and she looked back into his. Then, they leaned towards one another, their eyes closing as their faces were getting closer and closer until—

Their lips met in a soft kiss. It was brief – just a flicker of the flame for their budding romance was had, but it was enough to ignite a passion that they both felt. The kiss was enough to dispel any doubts in the two. No, this wasn’t a dream – this was real. When the kiss broke, the two were left breathless. 

“That was… amazing,” Ratchet whispered, staring at Cappy up and down. He felt paralyzed, unable to move. He struggled with words to say, wanting to shout I love you yet also wishing to restrain himself, to keep calm. 

Cappy nodded at him, smiling as she walked up her porch steps and unlocked the door to her house. She looked back at him and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow at work.” 

Ratchet cleared his throat, nodding. “See you tomorrow.” He raised a finger and said teasingly, “Don’t be late.” 

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Cappy laughed, waving her hand at him. There was a glint in her eyes, both happiness and…love. “Goodnight, Ratchet.”

He felt his heart melt with each minute that passed. “Goodnight, Cappy,” he responded.

And with that, Cappy went inside the house, closing the door behind her. 

Ratchet watched for a moment in silence, before he began to walk off the porch and towards his car. Then he paused for a few seconds, registering all that had just happened tonight – and then he began leaping with joy. “YES! THIS IS THE GREATEST NIGHT OF MY LIFE!” he shouted, pumping his fists into the air. “TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT OF PHINEAS T. RATCHET! GOD, I LOVE HER – CAPPY GADGETSON, MY BEST EMPLOYEE!” He didn’t care if everyone in the block heard him as he was shouting to the heavens. This night had been so grand that he felt like he was the king of the world. The one he’d been pursuing for a year finally returned his affections. Nothing could bring him down now.

He ran towards his car and hopped inside, driving off while still cheering loudly. 

Meanwhile, Cappy watched this all from the window on the top floor, chuckling as she shook her head. He was ridiculous, very ridiculous, but she liked him. She liked him a lot. She hadn’t expected to fall for him and yet, here she was and well… perhaps, this was a price she was willing to pay in exchange for the upgrades. If she was his best employee and he really did love her, then she was content. 

She sighed happily and went to bed. Tomorrow would be another day at work, and the first day that she was looking forward to Ratchet’s pursuit. 

She couldn’t wait.