Work Text:
This was Six, he knew it, even with her gnarled arms and twisted legs, even with the tower distorting her beyond anything that he knew her to be.
This was still Six.
He couldn’t hurt her, couldn’t even bring himself to lift his arms as pained eyes stared down at him from behind a thick blanket of tangled black hair.
Her music box was spinning in a dischordent tune, not at all similar to how it sounded in the Hunters house, he remembered that one perfectly. Static prickled at the back of his mind, shifting and morphing till it was vaguely recognizable as sheet music.
Clicking his tongue, Mono whipped his sweaty hands, wincing at the rough feel of his pants. He could help her, he knew it. His head was supplying all he needed to know.
He just had to do something.
Jumping, he fought the urge to stay with her and stumbled over uneven flooring to something in the corner, following the staticky instinct that pulled on him. Gripping the curtain tightly, he pulled it down, bundling it in his hands on instinct as he stared at what he had just uncovered.
It wasn’t perfect by any means, one side looming almost a foot over the other, the keys turling up slightly at the ends, and the legs almost as big as the room itself. But, his heart beat heavy with recognition.
This was one of those big music making things that the Teacher was playing in the school. Loud and… nice sounding.
Looking back at, he hesitated - it hurt, Six. She was looking at him almost expectantly, she was closer having shuffled a few feet closer to him while he was admiring the music machine.
Gulping down his memories, the boy tried to steel himself. He couldn’t play the keys like the Teacher did, but he was heavy enough to probably push them down, he could try. He knew the keys to press, his mind wouldn’t let him forget it.
He managed to direct a shaky smile to the girl, before climbing his way up, to stand on the keys with a heavy twang.
It didn’t sound nearly as nice as it did at the school, each note having just a slightly weird twinge at the end. Maybe he was making excuses, with a gulp and one last heartbreaking look at Six, he started.
Foot moving from note to note as he tried his best to jump over any unwanted ones. He followed his mind's eye as a tune started to weave it's way through the air.
He could hear Six behind him, her harsh painful breathing morphing into crackly hums. Not fighting the smile, Mono continued. Even as his legs strained from all the hopping and his coat grew far too warm.
Long spindly fingers eventually settled on the keys beside him. Breathing heavily, he leaned down to rest his hands on his knees, turning to look at Six.
She was smiling, bright and beaming, eyes no longer a toxic purple, but her usual light blue. Hope filled his chest, swirling as he jumped into her palm. Her fingers closing slightly to gently swaddle him as her other softly brushed against the keys a soft look in her eyes.
Her fingers followed the same places as his feet did, memory eventually taking over as her arms slowly straightened out. Angry twists and painful bends slowly forming out into flowy skin and straightened bones.
Mono watched, the despair from earlier crushed under his awe as her face shifted. Six slowly becoming more and more familiar as her hair shortened, face softening as she played.
Eventually she started shrinking, her hand letting Mono drop back down onto the piano as he jumped happily, messing with his fingers as he waited. Eventually the Six he knew, the one he had traveled all across the city with, sat breathing softly and staring at him confused.
No even trying to fight his glee, Mono gathered her up in a tight hug, almost afraid to let her go, to lose her again.
Six pushed at him lightly and he loosened his grip enough for her to break out if she wanted, even if it scared him, but she only offered him a chuckle. Her own arms moving to wrap around the small of his back, her face smooshed against his jacket.
They stood like that, all wrapped up, for probably far too long in a situation like theirs, but neither could find the strength to break it off, even if adrenaline yelled at them to move.