Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Marina took a deep breath as she gazed at the entrance of the pizzaplex. She had been in this position a few times before, loving arcade games and the taste of cheap pizza, but today was different. Today was her first day at work.

And holy shit was she nervous.

As she opened the passenger side door, she couldn't help but notice her fingers becoming numb, trembling as she attempted to grip the handle. She let out a strangled sound of frustration. It's an entry level security job, and in a daycare no less. There was no point in being nervous.

"...Hey short-stop? You're gonna do fine, I promise."

Marina looked up at her best friend, Emmett, as he locked the car up for the day. He lazily circled towards her, his much larger body towering over her, and offered his arm.

Marina attached herself to it without hesitation, curling her left arm around his right, clutching his sleeve with her hand like a lost child. She heard Emmett huff a laugh above her, his dark brown hand circling his torso to pat her head.

"Let's go get ya settled, hm?"

When they walked in the doors, Emmett made a beeline for the main security desk by the door. Marina let him do most of the talking, but politely replied with a greeting when the head night guard, Vanessa, introduced herself. By the time she walked away, Marina was carrying two security shirts, a security badge, a name tag, a walky talky, and a fancy new fazwatch. Marina was thankful that they had already held a training session for all of the new security staff--that meant she could be escorted by Emmett, since she didn't need Vanessa to give any equipment run downs or pointers on what her job would be. All security offices were set up the same, so it shouldn't be too hard to use the training videos she had flipped through if she got stuck.

Emmett offered to help her with the fazwatch and she accepted, watching him attach the sun and moon themed plastic to her wrist, it's soft blue and yellow coloring blending in the middle. She could have done it herself normally, but her hands still weren't the most cooperative right now. She was relieved to find that the plastic was soft and flexible, though she still worried about it becoming annoying. Jewelry was always overstimulating for her. Upon her first touch, the watch immediately greeted her by name, her tasks for the day popping up in a bar, along with the time, her heart rate, and her steps for the day. Huh. Neat.

Marina had been advised in advance about the uniform, so as they walked, she carefully slipped the button up over her plain white t-shirt. No use wearing something she would've needed to change out of. As she began to button herself up, she noticed that the back shoulder details of her uniform were marked differently than those she'd seen before. A tiny sun was pinned to the left shoulder, while the other had a soft blue moon. Emmett noticed her looking and laughed.

"Bruh look, we match!"

She followed his finger to his "mechanic" badge, which also had the sun and moon pins differentiating it.

"They started giving us those so people don't need to ask what area you belong to. You're in the daycare, so you get the sun and moon. People in the arcade get these super cool arcade machine pins that I'm kinda hoping to steal one day."

"So you have the sun and moon because…"

"Because my main duty is to perform maintenance on the daycare attendants, Sun and Moon."

Marina hummed in understanding. She remembered him mentioning that before. It was the main reason she had ended up getting hired to begin with. The daycare hadn't had a dedicated security person in months, as Sun and Moon could cover a lot of the work themselves, and they weren't paid. However, as the location grew, it became apparent that there was a need for at least SOMEONE to be down there. When the animatronic pair began to resist the change, Emmett had recommended Marina for the position, advising the hiring manager that he worked with the animatronics often enough to know what type of person they would like to work with. Apparently, the daycare attendants trusted him a lot, as they put up a lot less fuss when it was announced that the person they would work with was hand chosen by their main mechanic. Considering Moon's finicky nature, the upper execs were willing to do basically anything to get him to agree, even if it meant hiring a new person out of the blue.

As she finished attaching her walky talky to her belt, the pair came upon the daycare doors. They were tall, made of a solid, lightly stained wood. Upon entering the lobby, two large statues of Sun and Moon greeted them, their hands holding small candies. Marina thought it was a little on the cute-creepy side, but she supposed it wasn't TOO off-putting. She reached for the string bag on her back, shoving her extra shirt inside as she followed her friend.

What confused her is when Emmett began to walk AWAY from the stairs leading to the playroom. She didn't even get a chance to ask before the mouth of a brightly colored slide came into view, the label "slide into fun" across the top of it. He grinned mischievously at her.

"What? Did you think I would go through the door when a cool ass slide is an option?"

"I didn't think anything, considering I didn't know the slide WAS an option."

Emmett tsked at her, pulling her up to the entrance of the slide. He sat down before smirking up at her.

"You wanna go down in my lap, or are you gonna be a big kid and go alone?"

Marina flushed at his teasing, her lip twitching in annoyance.

"I'll go by myself, thanks. Unless you need me to hold your hand?"

Emmett barked a laugh, smiling at her.

"Good, I'm glad to have you back. You were goin' quiet on me."

After a beat of confusion on her part, she returned the smile and he pushed off, her smile turning into a laugh as she listened to him scream on his way down.

Well. Guess I have no choice now.

She gave it a few seconds to be safe before she made her descent, giggling despite herself as she flew down the colorful plastic. By the time she reached the end, her anxiety had lowered significantly.

Her body soon met more plastic as she was dumped unceremoniously into a ballpit. When she popped back up to the surface, Emmett stood a few feet away, grinning at her.

The daycare was huge, its ceilings vaulted to make way for a huge play structure to the left side. Brightly colored plastic created what she could only describe as a maze. Plastic tables and chairs sat on the right, each stained in some way with paint. Off the right was a small kitchen area that had a fridge, microwave, and countertop, all of which glistened with annoyingly bright primary colors. She could see two other doors, which she could only assume were the storage and first aid area she had been advised about. She had to admit, the pizzaplex had really gone all out, and she was a little impressed. Emmett's voice cut through her thoughts.

"I hope he picks you."

"What do yo--"

"HO HO HOOO~!"

Looking up, Marina watched as an animatronic made his way across a platform jutting from the wall. The wall behind it appeared to have a clock theme, down to the carefully painted scene and rooster sounds that came with the entrance of the newcomer. When she looked closer, she caught sight of pale yellow rays and red striped pants.

Ah. Sun.

Putting his hands in front of him, he plunged head first into the ballpit, his body disappearing amongst the balls. There was a pause and some shuffling before two hands came out of the pit, grabbing Emmett under his arms and lifting him off the ground. Emmett, appearing used to the behavior, merely allowed himself to go limp, smiling at the happy animatronic as he spun his human captive around.

"Ah. He picked me."

"EMMETT YOU'RE HERE! How exciting! You usually don't come by in the morning! I'm so so SO happy to see you friend! Have you come to play? Have ya? Huh?"

The animatronic stopped spinning, but continued to bounce in place, waiting for an answer.

"Actually Sun, I came to introduce you to your new security guard. She's a very close friend of mine, so I hope you'll get along well."

Sun's head spun around to look at her, and Marina sheepishly waved a hand in his direction. His energy was a lot for her to handle, but he seemed harmless enough.

"OH! Hello new friend!"

Sun carefully placed Emmett outside of the ballpit before he turned towards Marina, rushing over and picking her up the same way he had done her friend. She, not as accustomed to being picked up, curled her legs towards herself instinctively, but otherwise attempted to be calm.

"Hello." Marina said, her voice soft and borderline shy "I'm Marina."

Sun's smile somehow widened further, the rays on his head spinning in a quick circle.

"Hello hello! My name's Sun! It's nice to meet you new friend!"

Sun's eyes suddenly glowed a soft blue. Marina tilted her head in question, glancing at Emmett.

"He's scanning you. Normal for the animatronics when they first see someone."

Sun's eyes dulled once more, bouncing happily on his feet.

"You're quite small for your age! I haven't seen many people your size before! Aside from the children of course."

Emmett laughed as Marina felt her face heat up, her expression going from a soft frown to positively glowering up at Sun.

"Yeah. Short-stop has always been like that, even when we were kids. I was wayyyy taller than her." Emmett teased, his smirk turning mischievous. "She's more of a kid herself really. I just protect her like a good friend. "

"I'm OLDER than you!" Marina protested, her glare turning to Emmett. "Also, who got beat up as a kid, you or me?"

It was Emmett's turn to pout, crossing his arms. When Sun turned towards Emmett, he sighed, his expression radiating embarrassment.

"Me."

"Exactly. 'Protect her' my ass."

"Language."

Sun broke into the conversation, his voice slightly scolding. It seemed like the gripe was mostly involuntary. Emmett's smile returned.

"Oh yeah. Better get used to that Sun. She's got quite the mouth."

"Oh and you don't?"

Marina squirmed a little to get down. Sun, who seemed fine with just listening to the two banter back and forth obliged her, placing her down next to Emmett.

"Yeah, but I work outside the daycare. I'm not around kids, and I'm not with Sun enough to get caught by anyone who cares."

Well. That fucking sucks.

Marina sighed, lightly shoving Emmett towards the door.

"Yeah yeah yeah I'm 5'1, I curse, and I've put up with your bull WAY TOO LONG apparently. Anything else?"

"I mean yeah, but Sun can figure that out on his own. He's quite good with people, so he can learn about you as he goes. Also he knows what's up and you're usually chill with doing whatever tasks you're given, so it should be fine."

"Oh yes yes! I look forward to playing with Miss Marina! We can paint and tell stories and do a PUPPET SHOW! I haven't had an older friend down here in a LOOOONG time."

Marina nodded. While she knew her mouth got her into trouble sometimes, she was also quite agreeable. Why should she fuss if someone else knows what they're doing and she's clueless?

It's a lot easier to just shut up and listen. Being willing to do what other people want always got her far in making friends.

Marina watched as Emmett prepared to go, giving Sun a pat on the arm and a promise to come back soon. The prospect of her one social shield leaving left her remembering her numb hands, the light trembling returning. Fuck anxiety disorders.

Emmett seemed to notice her discomfort, and gave a confident smile. He slung his arm over her shoulders, his other hand petting the top of her head.

"You're gonna be okay. Okay?"

Marina swallowed and nodded, tugging restlessly on one of her dark brown braids. Knowing she would be around children, she had decided to put her hair into twin french braids. They won't come down, and they're a bit harder for little hands to grab. Right now though, she felt lost without loose hair to fiddle with.

Emmett shook her shoulders once in response before letting go, waving to her as he left.

"Later Mari. If you ever wanna talk on the walky with me, do frequency 11. No one but the technicians use that one, and there aren't a ton of us, so it'll be pretty quiet."

Marina nodded, offering a small wave as he climbed the stairs out of sight. Once he was gone, she took a deep breath and gave one sharp tug to both of her braids.

What have I gotten myself into?

Chapter Text

Marina took another slow, calming breath before turning to Sun, plastering a smile over her mounting fear.

"I'm gonna check out the security desk real quick and make sure everything's set up correctly. When I'm done I'll come help you finish your setup tasks. Sound good?"

Sun returned her smile...though in reality, he didn't have much of a choice.

"Sure thing! I'll be getting everything tidied up then, yes yes yes!"

Marina turned and walked into the desk area, sliding her bag onto the ground. When she had finished syncing her badge number to the computer, the monitor popped up with cameras from multiple angles, ranging from the doors in the front, to the far end of the play structure. She could see the whole of the daycare from just this monitor.

That's insane. How could a guard in a bigger area handle so many cameras?

Marina felt lucky that she had been given the daycare area. While she knew she would be dealing with little ones screaming, she didn't need to worry about keeping an eye on hundreds of people at once. She wasn't tethered to the desk the way the arcade guards would be.

A second monitor offered a selection of food to be delivered to her, and the third was a simple desktop for paperwork and reports. There was also an internet connection available with a live chat with all other guards. She could see some chatter going on, but was mostly uninterested. They were all strangers anyway.

Marina looked at her bag again and considered putting in her noise canceling earbuds. They didn't fully deafen her, but rather, muffled the background noise. She worried little about conversing with Sun or the children, as she could hear voices just fine with them in.

The issue was, kids ask a lot of questions. She didn't really feel like explaining overstimulation to Sun or any of the kids. She hadn't even informed the company of her autism, fearing it would hinder her ability to land the job.

Marina sighed, deciding against it. She could handle it. If worse came to worst, she could always hole up in the office with them in, and everyone would be none the wiser. She stood, walking out into the main play area.

"All finished! What can I help you with hon?"

Sun whipped his hear around to look at her, seeming somehow surprised. His head was tilted to the side in slight confusion, his hands stilling midway through placing paint bottles on the table.

"...Sun?"

Calling his name seemed to snap him out of his trance, his body bobbing back and forth from one foot to the other.

"Yes! So so sorry about that Miss Marina. Can you help me with setting up the craft supplies? There are still two more tables left."

Marina nodded, studying the way his now completed table looked before she began. He had everything the right way so, she should probably try to copy it as best she could. Plus, Emmett had explained previously that Sun was quite particular about the set up and cleanliness of the daycare, seeing as it was his and Moon's space. She laid out the pale white tablecloth, hung silly sun and moon themed aprons on each chair, and arranged the paint in rainbow order just as Sun had. She placed glitter glue, crayons, and washable markers as well, finishing it off with two stacks of paper: one of plain white, and one of colorful construction paper.

She repeated the process on the third table before reporting back to Sun, giving him a small smile. Upon seeing her, Sun turned to her two tables, which were near exact copies of his own. His rays spun again, a little twirl taking over his whole body.

I'm gonna assume I did it ri--

"MISS MARINA YOU DID WONDERFULLY! IT'S SO ORGANIZED AND CLEAN!"

Marina winced at his loud voice, but otherwise gave no comment other than a shrug. A strange feeling of satisfaction bloomed in her chest at his praise.

"Anything else you need?"

"No no no! You've done plenty! The children should be here soon anyhow."

Marina glanced at her watch and realized he was right, so she nodded in response, walking back to the security desk as she tried and failed once again to calm her nerves. She could clean and organize all day. She could follow instructions. She could mimic basically anything if she had a good enough example of what the person wanted.

But that wouldn't fix her social anxiety, nor would that help her interact with kids easier. That wouldn't prevent her from making someone angry, or give her courage to do social tasks she was too anxious to do. It wouldn't keep her from melting down.

She supposed she would just have to see how it went.

---

Sun looked up from his drawing to check on his new friend. Marina, like the first seven times he checked, still sat in her place, her face neutral as she scanned the cameras and windows dutifully. He was quite delighted to see someone cared for the safety of the children as much as he did.

It was new to have someone other than Moony talk to him throughout the day. Sure, he talked to many a child, but babbling about why the sky is blue to a four year old was much different than talking to an adult about work or more "grown up" topics. He was actually really excited to have her.

Sun had been pleasantly surprised when Marina had asked what he wanted from her. Being that he was an animatronic, most of the guards and maintenance staff had assumed the role of being "in charge" and would tell him what needed to be done. It could be frustrating, especially when it comes to the things he knew best, but he figured it couldn't be helped. To a lot of them, he wasn't a "person."

But Marina hadn't even attempted to take control. She allowed him to teach her, and she was quite perceptive from what he had gathered so far. She had set up his craft tables just like he wanted them. No one ever took the time to do that. Even at playtime, she was sitting, diligently watching, her eyes flicking up to him on occasion. He would rather her be playing with the children, but he figured she might be trying to acquaint herself with the security space more before doing much else. After all, it was only her first day.

She seems like a nervous type, don'tcha think?

This was the first time Moon had spoken since Marina had entered the daycare. Sun had heard chuckles tickling the back of his mind when Emmett was teasing her though, much to Sun's amusement.

I don't know Moony. It's only her first day. I mean, most of the staff are nervous starting out! She's done fine so far!

Moon only grunted in response, which Sun took as a win. He knew he needed to keep things as positive as possible. Moony could be quite a meanie when he was upset.

The sound of paint splattering caught Sun's attention. He looked up to see that one of his charges had managed to get ahold of a full bottle and squeeze, spraying dark blue paint all over the floor

"Ricky!" Sun scolded, his voice stern but gentle. "We don't play with paints outside of the table area! What is the rule?"

Ricky froze, which soon evolved into fidgeting, his head tilted down so he wouldn't have to look Sun in the eyes.

"...be nice to yourself and your things."

"Good job! Yes, that is the rule. But you broke that rule by spilling all of that paint. What if the others wanted to use that?"

Ricky's lip trembled slightly, but he managed to croak out an apology. Sun seemed satisfied with this, gently accepting Ricky's words of remorse before hurriedly turned towards the room holding the cleaning supplies.

What he did not expect to see is Marina, mop in hand, carefully pushing the bucket over towards the mess. He watched in shock and she tidied up, her eyes focused on her task.

Looks like somebody beat ya to it Sunny! Ya might be fighting TWO of us for the best cleaner prize now.

Shush!

Sun beelined towards Marina. As if sensing his staring, she looked up at him, head tilted in a silent question.

"I-I can clean up! There's no need to waste your time on something so small, no no no!"

Marina didn't pause, her arms rigid as she scrubbed.

"'S fine. I got it. I'm almost done anyway."

Sure enough, a few seconds after she spoke she was done, straightening as she plopped the mop head into the ringer.

"You need anything else?"

Sun froze up, trying to put together the pieces in his mind. He understood the idea of reporting to someone very well, but he had never been the one reported to. He'd never even been given the chance before. Why was she different? What did she see him as? Was he her boss or just a coworker in her eyes? He knew he was capable of keeping the daycare running with his routines, but it felt way different being IN CHARGE of someone else! What--

Sunny~. Earth to Sunnnn. The lady asked you a question.

Sun started at Moon's teasing tone, shaking his head in an attempt to clear his mind. Marina, on her part, only waited patiently, her eyes gleaming in silent question.

"Sorry sorry! Um, snack time is coming up! Could you help with preparations?"

Marina nodded, following him dutifully over to the cheap black countertop. Sun popped open the fridge, pulling out a bag of apples. When he turned around, Marina had just finished washing her hands, her eyes now trained on him.

We didn't even have to ask!

Sun, I sure hope a grown ass adult knows how to wash their hands.

Language!

"There's an apple cutter in the far left drawer--use your security badge to open it. No sharps for the little ones, no no no!"

Sun watched as she placed her badge over the sensor, a happy huff leaving her mouth as the drawer responded, her eyes sparkling.

"That's sick…"

Sun sat confused, wondering what was "sick" about a drawer, and why she was so happy about it. After a moment though, she had retrieved the item, holding it carefully in her hands as she looked at him.

"We have about 40 friends currently, and I already did a quick count of who wants what snacks. I need about ten apples, if that's ok?"

Marina immediately took the bag from him, carefully counting out the apples before she began cutting. Her movements were all hesitant, but she continued her task without complaint, placing the finished slices on the plates Sun had begun to set out. Sun worked on gathering pretzels and cheese sticks, counting out quantities in his head as he kept one eye trained on his friend.

I told you. Look at her. She's practically shaking, and all she's doing is cutting apples.

Maybe it's just hard for her Moony! She's awful small. Those apple cutters can be hard for human hands!

Sun doubted that was the case though. While her arms were usually covered with her sleeves, she had gone through the effort of rolling them up for this task. Her arms were clearly muscular, and her shoulders looked quite wide. Her body was small, but it somehow radiated power. An apple cutter seemed a pitiful opponent for her to lose to.

And yet, what was making her so nervous? Did she not like him? Most people hated working with him. Staff had deemed him and Moony "annoying" early on in their careers, and tended to steer clear of them unless absolutely necessary. They had a few trusted people, like their mechanics, but even they had limited patience for the pair. She'd hardly been there three hours! Had he already done something wrong?

As she finished the last apple, Sun gathered up two cases of small water bottles. Keeping the kiddos hydrated was verrrry important! As he turned away from the fridge, Marina held her arms out. It took Sun a few seconds to realize she was offering to take the cases off his hands.

"Oh oh oh! N-no no it's quite alright! These are quite heavy after all. You can carry the plates."

Marina looked away, her face conflicted.

"I-I mean I can, but you're the one who knows who wants what. If I carry the plates, it would be a bit counter productive…"

Sun blinked, realizing she had a point. He had facial recognition, notes on each child's allergies, and the check list of orders all at his fingertips. Marina didn't have any of those tools. She hadn't even spoken to a child today.

"Okay! That makes sense to me. You can take the water and pass that out, then."

Sun handed over the cases carefully, his anxiety heightening at the idea of it crushing his new little friend. Marina, however, seemed unbothered, balancing the water on her hip with ease while Sun scrambled to collect the plates. He cheerfully called out to the children to eat and they all but rushed to make a circle on the floor, their bodies buzzing with energy.

Sun looked over to check on her again, but this time he got caught. Marina's indifferent face changed into a small, playful smirk, her eyes--a beautiful light blue, Sun noticed-- filled with amusement.

"C'mon now Sun. I may be on the...smaller side, but I'm not weak. Us little guys gotta make sh-stuff happen too."

Sun appreciated the correction in her language, but positively radiated joy at her words. She was joking with him! That's a good sign, right?

"Of course." Came Sun's reply, his entire head whirling in a circle. "My mistake. You seem pretty strong to me, yes yes!"

Sun watched as her face flushed with color, her chin turning so she wasn't looking at him anymore.

Oh no! Was that the wrong thing to say!?

Nah bro. I think she's just flustered. You DID just compliment her out of nowhere.

Aren't compliments good? She looks uncomfortable…

Maybe she's not complemented much.

That's fair. Moony got restless when people praised him too. Maybe she was just unaccustomed to the idea.

The thought made Sun a little sad.

"Sun? You ready?"

Sun broke out of his thoughts, letting his head swirl in a few loops.

"Yes yes yes! Snacks won't be passed out by themselves!"

He could think about his new friend later. Right now, his kids needed him.

Chapter Text

Marina thought snack time went pretty well, if she said so herself. She passed out the water, smiling and chatting a bit with the kids. She didn't sit and have a full on conversation, but they seemed fairly comfortable with her anyway.

She sat back in her security desk while the others ate, fiddling with her watch as she scanned over the cameras. Once again, the security guard group chat was teeming with life, but it still felt too daunting to actually jump in. She did however, familiarize herself with it, scrolling down and becoming aware of the names of her coworkers and the faces attached to them.

After their snack, Sun began dragging naptime mats out of the storage room, taking them about ten at a time. Marina scrambled to her feet to help, slipping into the room to carry out some blankets stacked in the corner. Sun's smile widened when he noticed her busily working around him.

"Thank you! You're very kind!"

Marina felt her face burn and she rushed off to gather another set of blankets. What was with him and praising every little thing she did? Was it just his programming? After all, kids usually needed a lot of guidance and care. Talking them up and boosting their confidence was probably a huge component of his job.

But she was a grown woman. A grown woman diagnosed with cripplingly low self esteem and social anxiety. How does she even deal with this?

Once everything was in the main space, Sun mimicked a whistling sound to the children, 40 or so heads turning his direction at his call.

"Alright my friends! It's time to wind down and start choosing nap time spots! Hurry now, Moony will be here soon to read you a story!"

The children flooded towards them, each plucking a mat and blanket out of the stack before heading to the back left corner of the room. When she looked, Marina realized there was an entire quiet area she knew nothing about.

It was small, not really meant to hold 40 kids, but rather, looked more like a place to sit and take a break. There were a ton of dark blue and yellow cushions on the floor, making a nest of some sort. Around that were some shelves of children's books, sensory toys, stuffed animals, and an oversized rocking chair. The chair itself was stained a dark brown, crafted with an ornate moon carving on the headrest.

Must be for Sun or Moon. No one else is that tall.

Once Sun was finished rounding up the stragglers, he skipped happily over to the light switch, smiling down at the kids.

"Sweet dreams little ones!" He almost sang "I'll see you again when nap time is all done!"

At that, the lights went out.

Marina watched in fascination and the rays on Sun's head curled inwards, hiding themselves amongst metal and plastic. His clothing showed blue in the darkness, glow in the dark stars slowly becoming visible on his pants. A nightcap popped out of his head, swinging as his eye lids drooped into a more "sleepy" position.

She was now looking at a whole different person. Within seconds, Sun had turned into Moon.

That's so fucking sick dude--

"Hello my little stars" Moon rasped, his voice noticeably rougher than his counterpart. "Any suggestions on what story you would like this time?"

A few ideas were thrown about, until Moon finally settled down in the chair, Goodnight Moon clutched gingerly in large hands. Apparently, the kids chose this one a lot, if Moon's mock exasperated sigh was anything to go by. Marina felt it was quite appropriate.

Marina sat back down in her chair and watched the cameras as Moon read, and she couldn't help but feel a sense of calmness enveloping her. Whoever had chosen his voice box really knew what they were doing. It was soft, raspy, but still clear enough to be understood without difficulty. If it soothed even her, she couldn't imagine how effective it was on children.

By the time he finished reading, many of the kids were well on their way to dreamland, lulled by his charm. When he stood back up, he moved and pressed a button on his chest. A lullaby played at a gentle volume, it's cadence sweet. It was a beautiful melody.

Marina glanced up from her work when she heard footsteps coming her direction, her eyes widening slightly upon realizing it was Moon himself. Realizing she had never introduced herself, Marina relaxed, offering a small wave in his direction.

"So you're our new guard, hm?"

Marina realized quickly that his voice could very easily shift from its relaxing tone to a gruff one, his words a lot less sugary sweet. She blinked in response to the change, but nonetheless offered him a small smile in return.

"Yes, hello. My name's Marina. It's nice to finally meet you."

Marina kept her voice hushed, not wishing to wake the children he had just managed to settle. Moon's sleepy eyes shifted, one looking a bit more open than the other.

"Ya know, I can hear and see everything Sunny does. I've been around all day, trying to figure out what kind of person you are. What Emmett saw in you to think you were a good fit for us. Now that I'm in the driver's seat though, it's a lot easier to tell what those things might be."

Marina, following his shift in tone, turned to face him, bracing her elbow on one of her knees.

"Oh? What might that be, hon?"

Marina was genuinely curious as to what his answer would be. Honestly, even she didn't know why she was considered a good fit, aside from the fact that she knew Emmett.

"You stay out of the way." Moon said, his smile curling into the best smirk his limited facial mobility could manage. "You don't step on toes. You let Sunny and I do whatever we do, and you work around us. Even your protests end in questions. Are you really so impartial? Or are you just biding your time? Waiting until Sunny trusts you enough to do whatever you want, so you can have a cushy job doing jack?"

Marina had expected some resistance from Moon, but this was much more personal. He was like a predator, pouncing on her weakest points, trying to maintain dominance. To her it felt fruitless--she didn't really want to be in charge. That's a lot of stress she didn't need. However, she understood from her briefing that Sun and Moon had their fair share of negative experiences with staff. It made sense that he didn't trust her...the lack of care and compassion he and Sun faced from previous colleges was more than enough reason. Moon's eyes glowed a soft red for a moment, and she knew he was scanning her. When he finished, he tilted his head.

"Your heart rate is high. Are you frightened?"

Marina knew how to handle this sort of situation. She had been bullied and pushed long enough to know that when someone tries to take the first bite, you bite back harder. Make it clear that you wouldn't tolerate their bullshit.

"No more than usual." She replied honestly, her voice level and clear and she flicked her eyes up at him. She knew very well her eyes were her most intimidating feature, their blue color easily going icy with a sour mood. "To answer your question, you're absolutely right. I follow instructions and keep my mouth shut. It's much easier that way, don't you think? Leadership only comes with more stress and responsibilities at the same pay grade. If you and Sun wanna lead, why would I bother with that? I'm brand new anyway, it's not like I know what shit needs to be done in the first place. You have nothing to worry about, aside from the fact that I'm not so easily intimidated."

Aside from a scolding "language" at her curse, which he had fairly little control over, Moon said nothing, his arms crossed over his chest as he processed her response. Marina stood her ground, pinning her gaze on his forehead rather than his eyes. She never was good at eye contact, but faking it was easy.

Moon's body clicked as his head tilted left, then right, then left again.

"...not the answer I was expecting, but acceptable. So long as you keep your place, this arrangement should work out juuuust fine."

Marina hummed in agreement, finally turning her gaze away from Moon and back onto the monitor, scanning over the cameras as she spoke.

"Need anything else? Or is your job just standing there looking pretty?"

Moon snickered at the jab, his head spinning around fully.

"Nope. Nothin' at all."

---

When nap time was over, Sun came back out, absolutely mortified by his brother's behavior. Sun had apologized profusely, but Marina shrugged it off. Sun couldn't tell if she genuinely didn't care, or if she was just being nice.

The rest of the day breezed by and, after all the children went home for the day, he and Marina were scrubbing down a table when he heard a familiar voice.

"Hey way to go short-stop! You didn't die!"

Sun saw Marina's head shoot up from the corner of his eye, a smile tugging at her cheeks. It was at this moment he realized this smile looked a lot different than the wobbly ones he had gotten all day.

"Hello hello HELLO Emmett! I've gotten to see you twice today friend! What fun!"

"Indeed it is Sunny. I'm quite the fun person to be around."

Emmett punctuated his words with a fake hair flip, which made Marina snicker.

"As if."

"You've kept me for 13 years, sweetheart. I have to have SOME kind of charm."

When Marina finished her table, Sun watched as Emmett stretched his arm towards her. Marina immediately latched onto it, her fingers curled into the fabric of his coveralls. Only then did he see her shoulders finally slump in exhaustion.

Seems Marina is the type for physical affection.

Yes yes yes! How cute! She looks much less stressed now!

"Ya hungry Mari?" Emmett asked, his other hand coming up to ruffle her hair. "Lets grab something before I drop you off at your place. I'm gonna take a super wild guess that you 'forgot' to eat lunch today."

Marina remained silent, partially hiding her face in Emmett's sleeve. Emmett sighed.

"I'm gonna take that as a yes."

"Oh no oh NO! Miss Marina you have to eat! It's part of the daycare rules! 'Be nice to yourself and your things!' That includes taking care of your body!"

Marina's face was beet red, her grip on Emmett tightening as she shied away from Sun and his scolding.

"Don't think that's gonna work Sunny. I've been telling her that for years and well...here we are. She always has trouble eating when she's nervous. Or uncomfortable. Or really just in general. Being her first day at a new place, it's kinda to be expected."

"Ya know, I'm right here." Marina glowered, her eyes narrowed in agitation. "No need to talk as if I'm not standing right the fuck next to you."

"Language."

Marina sighed, tugging on Emmett's arm. She looked uncomfortable, her face pinched and her eyes wandering.

"OK. So my eating habits aren't the best. We are all aware of this now. Can we go?"

"Then I'll just have to make sure to check on you!"

Sun clapped his hands at his solution. Marina looked up at him, her head cocked to the side.

"...pardon?"

"If you have issues remembering to eat, then I'll just have to remind you!"

Marina paled before her blush came back full force, one of her hands releasing Emmett's sleeve in favor of scrubbing her face.

"I'm a grown adult.That's not necessary--"

"Sure it is! It's very important to your health, yep yep yep! Even if you're a big girl! The children eat when they're here, so it shouldn't be too hard to make sure you feed yourself too."

Marina looked positively mortified. Moon's cackles made their way to the forefront of Sun's mind.

Sunny, I think you broke your new friend.

I-I didn't mean to!

Emmett's voice cut through the silence, laughing heartily as he shook Marina's shoulder.

"Whelp. Looks like your days of poor self care are over darlin'. You may be able to run or trick me into dropping it, but Sunny's a professional. Any last words?"

"Yeah. You've always been such a fucking snitch."

"You're welcome."

As Sun exchanged his goodbyes, he assessed how the day had gone. After a bit of processing, and sifting through Moon's inappropriate banter, Sun came to his conclusion.

I think we're gonna be ok, Moony.

Chapter Text

Marina was an enigma Sun had yet to grasp, even as he learned more about her, adding his findings to her daycare profile.

To start, she was fairly quiet, hums and tsks taking the place of words on a regular basis. This didn't bother Sun--after all, he usually worked with kids--but it just wasn't something he was used to in staff. To her credit, her face was fairly expressive at least.

Secondly, she followed instructions to the letter. Sun found she worked best with fairly specific instructions to guide her, her strength being her ability to mimic and remember his processes. Once she had it down, her work was always of the same high quality she had given the first time. Sun appreciated her attention to detail, and she seemed to enjoy doing whatever pleased him.

The next thing that came to his attention was her ability to change face easily. The way she spoke to Moon was completely different from the way she spoke with Sun. Neither of those ways of speaking matched the way she acted with Emmett. It was as if every person got a different Marina. It was almost as if she catered her personality to whatever the person she's speaking to wants. It was a worrying behavior, and something that really gave Sun reason to pause.

But the main thing he noticed is that she didn't really interact with children or parents very much. She was polite and sweet when a parent came to pick up their child, what the guards have called a "customer service voice" spilling from her lips like it was natural. She was gentle with the children when they approached her, taking them on trips to the bathroom or to get a bottle of water. But she didn't play with the kids at all, nor did she approach them first. It was always someone coming to her, unless it was checking in with Sun for tasks.

Sun had figured she would warm up to the children once she had settled into her duties, but by the end of her third week, it seemed like that wasn't going to happen. While she wasn't actually required to do much with the little ones, Sun couldn't help but feel sad. She sat in the security box alone all day, face illuminated by screens. It seemed awfully lonely to him.

She's fine Sunny. If she wanted to leave, she could. It's not like she's locked in.

Moon had a point. She wasn't trapped anywhere--if she wanted to play, she very well could. Maybe she just...didn't want to?

But that doesn't make sense! Everyone likes to play and have fun! Right?

As Marina came back from taking a little one to the bathroom, Sun made a decision.

"Miss Marina!"

The woman looked up quickly, giving the child a wave goodbye before approaching, that wobbly smile forming on her lips.

"Hiya! Do ya need something, darlin'?"

Sun was happy to note that she had loosened up her way of speaking to him. It was a lot less formal, familiarity and warmth entering her words much more often. It made him feel good about their progress as friends, but also gave him a rare feeling of...being special. She wasn't genuinely friendly to just anyone after all.

"I was hoping you would help me lead craft time. It seems like you're in the security box all the time. You should get to play too, yes yes yes!"

Sun hadn't expected to see in her eyes a flit of...was that fear? It was hardly any time at all--if he hadn't been watching her face, he could have easily missed it--but it was there. She recovered quickly, though her smile was a little less sure this time, her freckled nose scrunched.

"Sure Sun. I can do that."

She doesn't seem very enthusiastic.

Sun shrugged internally to Moon, though he was worried. He didn't want to make her do things she didn't want to.

Maybe she's never done this before?

No clue, but I have a feeling this is gonna be fun to watch. I hope she cries.

Be nice, Moony.

Moon cackled as Sun let his head spin, clapping his hands in delight. Maybe his happiness would rub off on her. He called for the children before turning back to her, bouncing on his feet.

"Perfect! Let's get everyone settled."

As they came to him, Sun began tying the strings of aprons for the youngest children while Marina looked for stragglers. When she returned, she copied him, gentle fingers helping small hands. The kids chirped happily about what they wanted to draw, and she listened dutifully, smiling and encouraging their ideas. The kids seemed happy enough to have her.

See Moony! It's fine!

So she can tie some aprons and be nice. That doesn't mean she knows what she's doing. There's a lot more to it.

Yeah well, you're a meanie a good amount of the time, and you do fine. She's got something down even you haven't mastered!

Moon huffed at him as Sun internally laughed, hugging Moony warmly with his code.

Still love you though!

Yeah yeah. Whatever.

Sun could tell his brother wasn't REALLY mad though. If anything he seemed amused.

Once the children had settled, Sun took one of the remaining chairs, patting the one next to him. Normally he would put Marina at a different table for supervision purposes, but he figured being near him might calm her nerves. Marina took the spot without complaint, glancing around the table at the materials provided.

"Alright my stars! Today I'd like for everyone to draw something that makes them happy! Anything will do! Drawing happy things helps us feel happy too, yes yes!"

Sun watched as little hands grabbed for paper, giggles in delight punctuating the air. Marina was helping already with opening the paints, distributing colors to the children who asked. Children who were younger than eight were expected to let a helper get paint for them.

Knowing the rules, Sun had encouraged most of the youngest kids to sit near him, within his reach. He'd hate for them to want something but be unable to catch his attention. Today that didn't seem to be an issue though. Marina rose from her chair, following the voices of calling children, giving them whatever they asked for with a soft smile. Well, at least it was clear she liked children. Many of the guards before her had been indifferent at best.

Sun began a painting for himself, choosing the brightest yellows and blues for his project. He wanted to make a picture of himself and the little ones! That's what always made him happiest!

He smiled at Marina as she settled in beside him once more, her fingers coated with a few small drops of paint. She immediately set to wiping them away, rubbing a bit more forcefully than Sun ever would. She seemed unenthused by the mess. Sun decided to attempt distracting her from her trouble.

"Aren't you going to draw something, Miss Marina?"

Marina looked almost surprised he asked, her eyes widening as she turned her attention to him. She did respond however, her voice a bit hushed.

"Uh. Sure."

Marina grabbed a piece of plain white paper, turning it portrait style. For a while she didn't move, seemingly lost in thought over what she would do. Eventually her hand came up to her breast pocket, pulling a cute, pink mechanical pencil out of it. Only then did she begin to draw.

Kinda a boring choice

Shush Moony. She can do whatever kind of art she wants!

Hmph.

Sun went back to his own work, satisfied that his new friend was participating. She responded to questions and comments directed at her, but otherwise kept mostly to herself. She did continue her conversations for a bit longer than before though, offering questions to the kids who asked her first. Sun was happy with the change.

His thoughts were broken by the happy squeal of a girl seated directly across from Marina, her hair bouncing as she wiggled forward on the table.

"Miss Marina! Miss Marina is that me?"

Sun's neck nearly snapped with how quickly he turned, his eyes going back to his coworker. She was looking at the girl now--ah, Lexi--her smile embarrassed.

"Ah. Yes it is. W-Would you like to see?"

Marina beckoned the girl over and she complied, all but tripping over herself to get to Marina's side. Marina sat back, her face still radiating embarrassment as the child looked over her work.

Sun was not expecting what he saw.

It was a bit of a messy sketch, quick, short strokes coming together to form lines--but it was most certainly Lexi. It erred more on the side of a cartoon version of her, her eyes wide and expressive, her dimples a bit exaggerated. It may have only been a sketch, but it wasn't hard for Sun to tell that she was good. If she had produced this in the few minutes they had been sitting, he couldn't even begin to imagine what she could do with more time.

"It's so pretty Miss Marina! It looks just like me! You even got my hair right! I'm very peculiar about that."

Sun nor Marina bothered to correct the little one's vocabulary--honestly it was impressive she was that good at age six--but Sun did feel the need to chime in.

"Yes yes yes! It's lovely Miss Marina! I had no idea you drew so well! Very good, very good indeed!"

Ah. He'd embarrassed her again.

I thought this would be amusing for other reasons, but flustering the fuck out of her works too.

Language!

"I--thank you"

She directed the words towards both Lexi and Sun himself, offering each her signature "I really don't want to be here" smile. Lexi didn't seem to notice or care.

"Can I keep it?"

Marina nodded, though she seemed shocked to have been asked at all. Lexi cheered, smiling up at her.

"Thank you Miss Marina! When I'm done with mine, I'm gonna give it to you!"

Ok, now we've gotten to the crying part.

I SAID SHUSH MOON.

To Moon's defense, he was kind of right. Marina looked just about ready to cry at any moment. Whether it was happy or sad tears, Sun couldn't really tell. Once Lexi was settled, the boy next to her stood up, smiling widely at Marina.

"Can you do me next?"

Sun jumped in quickly.

"Oh my little star! Let's be careful not to overwhelm Mi-"

"Sure."

Marina cut Sun off with a soft, almost genuine smile. Her hands reached for a new piece of paper, her eyes locking on the child's face for a moment before she put her head back down, gentle sounds of lead to paper filling Sun's processors.

By the end of craft time, Marina had drawn eight headshots of the children, each one capturing their personalities much better than Sun would have expected. Could she really gather that much about the kids just by studying their faces?

"Alright my stars! Time to clean up clean up! Anyone who needs to wash their hands please make a line at the sink!"

Some of the kids seemed disappointed, a little crowd having gathered around Marina as she worked. Marina took notice, giving a peace offering to their protests.

"It's ok. I'm here quite a bit. I can always make more next time, ok? Promise."

The kids seemed pacified by this, some forcing her to offer up her pinky as collateral. Sun couldn't help but chuckle as she patiently wrapped her pinky around each of theirs.

"What do we say, little ones?"

"Thank you Miss Marina!"

By the time clean up was done, Marina had tucked herself back into her desk chair. This time, Sun felt a lot less anxious about it.

---

Holy shit.

By the time Marina made it back to her desk, her hands had started up trembling again. That activity had taken a lot out of her.

She enjoyed how enthusiastic the kids were about her art. She was even more ecstatic about the painted picture of herself she was gifted in return. It was wonderful but…

It was exhausting to interact with so many new people at once. Especially children.

She liked being, well, liked. She tried to keep herself polite and sweet, hoping that the people around her would react positively. She had already ruined enough interactions with her inability to read the room. But, unfortunately, masking for long periods of time was exhausting, and she could feel cracks seeping to the surface.

Not good.

Fortunately for her, after another hour of freetime, nap time had arrived. She quickly aided Sun with gathering the mats, placing freshly laundered blankets in a neat stack by the "quiet corner" as Sun had called it. She couldn't help but pet one of the blankets as she set it down, a happy tingle going down her arm. She loved soft textures.

Soon the lights went out, and Marina found herself surrounded by relative quiet. She let out a sigh of relief, relaxing back into her chair, eyes struggling to refocus on the screen in front of her. While the soft sound of Moon reading and the lack of bright lights were calming for her, it also made it a lot more difficult to hide her exhaustion. She HAD worked five long days in a row after all, sensory and social issues aside.

Soon the rasping voice turned into the tinkling of a music box, which Marina found almost worse. She did her best to keep focus, but it was hard not to let herself shut down and let herself breathe.

Why can't I just be normal?

"That's quite the face you're pulling."

Marina nearly jumped out of her skin, muffling a curse behind her hand as she turned to glare at the offender. As she expected, Moon stood in the doorframe of her station, his sleepy eyes narrowed even further than usual as he snickered.

"Keep doing that and I'm gonna die of a heart attack."

"You're being dramatic."

Marina groaned, running her hand over her face in annoyance. Pressing her fingers down on one of her temples, she turned back towards the cameras, her eyes flicking up at Moon for a brief moment as she spoke.

"What d'ya want?"

It came out more tired than she had intended, but she tried to ignore that as she waited for Moon's response, her fingers softly tapping against her cheek.

"You played with the kids today."

Marina, surprised, swiveled back around to face him.

"Yes?"

"You were afraid."

Marina's mind went entirely blank for a second. She knew she wasn't schooling her facial expression well enough by the way Moon's smile twitched. She shook her head a bit to clear it, trying to ignore the sudden ringing in her ears.

"Excuse me?"

"You were afraid. Sun and I both saw it. Don't know what you were afraid OF, but it was there. Kinda weird to be afraid of a buncha rugrats so, figured I'd ask."

Marina swallowed, narrowing her eyes to match his. She let her posture relax, propping her chin on her right hand rather than tapping.

"That wasn't much of a question. Those involve a thing called 'question words.' C'mon now, surely you're versed on second grade syntax?"

Moon stiffened, his arms crossing over his chest betraying his agitation. Marina felt a little smirk start on her face as she leaned forward a bit, her eyes narrowed like a sleepy cat.

"Ok then, darlin', I'll be more specific. Whatcha so afraid of?"

Marina sighed at his portrayal of her, filing away that she should try to cut down on the endearments in her conversations with Sun. She turned back towards the monitor.

"Don't you have work to do?"

Moon chuckled humorlessly.

"Not until you answer my question, no."

"I can just wait you out. If you wanna sit here for an hour, be my guest."

"Ok. Then we can just do this again every day until you tell me."

Marina couldn't help the deep sigh that escaped her at the thought. Moon was already painfully annoying on purpose, but when he had a genuine goal behind it? She didn't wanna know. She bit her lip hard before opening her mouth, letting her expression go blank.

"Fine. I have no experience with children. No siblings, no younger cousins, nothing. I don't really know how to play with them and, honestly, I'm not one for trying new things. I would call it more...apprehension than fear. It's not like I expect some kid to take me down in a fist fight or some shit like that."

Moon seemed a little taken aback by the answer, even sputtering a bit on his "language" protocol.

"You don't know how to play with children?"

"Nope." Marina replied, popping the p with disinterest.

"You were a child once."

"Yes." Marina replied, glancing at him "I was a kid once. It's been 16 years since I was Lexi's age. You can forget a lot in 16 years." She left out the fact that other kids also didn't really play with her much then either.

Marina refused to make eye contact but, from what she could tell, he had been stunned into some form of silence, no sound other than the tinkling of his music box entering the space.

"Now can you please fuck off for a while? I've got work to do."

Chapter Text

Sun had been very quiet for the rest of the day, even when Emmett came to pick her up.

Marina figured he had been listening to the conversation she and Moon had, but his behavior all but confirmed it. He seemed so sad. Even his head got stuck in the upside down position a few times when he looked at her, his smile turning into the largest frown she had ever seen.

Is it really that big of a deal? 

Marina tried not to let it get to her, hoping that by her next shift the whole thing would be forgotten.

Boy was she wrong.

Sun was practically glued to her at that point.

"Miss Marina, would you like to come watch the puppet show with the kids? I have to stay in character!"

"Miss Marina! It's craft time! Could you perhaps draw with the children again? They love your drawings, yes yes yes!"

"Miss Marina, I haven't seen you eating anything today. Why don't you have a snack with the little stars? Your health is important, it is it is IT IS!"

She was gonna go insane.

She wasn't sure if this was some sick form of exposure therapy, or if he just wanted her to feel included, but by day three she was spiraling. Being with the kids all the time meant not only could she not watch the cameras…

She couldn't get a break from the stimuli, either.

Her head felt like it was positively buzzing, every little sound tapping on the inside of her skull. She wanted to just curl up, petting one of her many plushies and watching a YouTube video she'd seen hundreds of times before. The sort of stimuli she could expect. Comforting things.

Instead she got sticky paint, children's screams, and bright daycare lights. The "quiet corner" she had been avoiding like the plague felt like it was calling her name.

But she couldn't do that. That would break down the "normalcy" she had already built. She didn't want to be treated differently anymore. She was so tired of the jokes and jabs at her expense. She was tired of people assuming she was an idiot, just because tones of voice all sounded the same to her. She was tired of being hated. 

But if she didn't do something soon, she knew she would hit her breaking point. And that was even scarier than being outed. 

When she finally managed to break away from Sun for a bit, she fished through her backpack, looking for her noise canceling earbuds. Those would at least help, and it wouldn't be as glaring as taking a sensory toy from the quiet area. 

When she had finally found them, she glared at the case for a second before caving in, sliding the soft plastic into her ears.

Immediately, the sharpness of the room faded into a hum. She could have cried in relief. 

She let her vision refocus on the screen, finding a steady rhythm. Cameras, windows to check on Sun, cameras, work group chat. The monotony of it all was soothing, and her brain locked in on the task and blocked out everything else. Maybe she would finally get some relief.

"Miss Marina!"

If she had ever felt the urge to strangle someone, that was the time. And to her frustration, it wouldn't have even worked. 

"Yes?"

Marina looked up to see Sun leaning into the doorframe, his body nearly bent in half to stick his head inside. At any other time she would have found it funny, but at that moment she just felt tired.

"It's about time for the little stars to start packing up. Can you bring the sign out forms?"

Marina was shocked, glancing down at her watch. Had she really been in there for two hours?

"Sure hon. I'll be right out."

Marina was thankful when he left with only a little spin of his head, either not noticing or not caring about her earbuds. Sun was a lot better about not asking personal questions than his counterpart.

As she walked up to the front, she pocketed the earbuds again, not wanting parents to think she was listening to music and not them. That was her least favorite complaint at her last job, and she didn't really need a repeat performance.

Everything was going pretty well until one of the kids got fussy about having to leave. The little boy had a hearty set of lungs and, upon being relinquished to his mother, screamed the song of his people.

God. Damnit.

Marina could feel the panic surging up in her chest, her hand moving to fist the fabric of her dress shirt.

No. No no no. We are not having a meltdown here.

But it seems she didn't have much of a choice in the matter. 

She glanced around but, to her relief, everyone was distracted by the siren child. She wouldn't be able to make it to the bathroom--that would involve pushing past the scene that caused her panic in the first place. So, as quietly and casually as she could, Marina walked back towards the security desk, her heart pounding in her ears as she fought to jam the earbuds back in again. 

Much to her dismay, this and the deep breathing exercises did little to calm her, her brain being taken over by fight or flight. So, she did the one thing she had been wanting to do all day.

She hid.

---

After a long fought battle, Sun finally managed to get the last child out of the daycare. He knew it was hard to leave, but jeez, that had been quite a show. 

When he turned around, he was surprised to not see Marina behind him. She usually stayed close around closing, ready to help Sun with clean up duties. 

Oh dear, Moony! Where did she go?

I don't fuckin' know. I have the same eyes you do.

Language! What if she's hurt or lost? What if she doesn't like us anymore!?

Why don't you just go look for her? She couldn't have gone far.

Sometimes Sun didn't know what he'd do without his brother.

Sun looked around the main play area, but it was quickly evident that she wasn't there. Next he tried the cleaning supply closet, but that too showed no sign of her. The security desk was next, but that was empty too! 

Where else could she be!?

Well, that's her bag on the floor, so she's gotta be here somewhere.

A soft shuffling caught their attention, Sun swiveling around towards the sound. Turning on his heel, Sun followed it, and the closer he got the more he could tell that shuffling was actually--

Crying?

Sun picked up the pace, scrambling towards the sound until he was in the quiet corner, looking down at the very person he was looking for.

Marina was curled into a tight ball, her head resting on her knees. She sat rigidly in the middle of the pillow pit, her hands tangled within her braids. She was rocking on her heels, low whines and whimpers escaping her lips. 

Sun, for the record, was at a complete loss.

Moony what do we do!?

Bro I don't know. Scan her?

Sun did as Moon requested, his eyes brightening, the pale blue light glistening as it overtook Marina's form.

All kinds of warnings flooded his screen.

Warning: Elevated heart rate 

Warning: Hyperventilation detected 

Warning: Possible signs of panic attack detected

Warning: Self harming behaviors detected 

Sun began reading over the information sent to his hub, sifting through for something that would help him calm her down.

"...Miss Marina?"

At the sound of her name, Marina flinched, somehow managing to curl into herself even further. The hands in her hair tightened their grip, graduating from just holding to full on tugging. Sun knew that definitely wouldn't do.

"No no my star! You can't be doing that! You'll hurt yourself!"

Sun reached for her hands and received a sharp whine in response, but he pushed on, untangling her hands to hold them in his own.

Marina didn't respond well to that.

A sound that seemed almost inhuman to Sun came from her throat, her hands clutching his in a death grip. Her rocking became harsher, her body seemingly desperate to comfort itself.

This somehow felt familiar to Sun, and yet he still was at a loss on how to handle it.

Before he could ask Moon another question, the sound of Emmett's voice cut through the room. Sun didn't even have time to feel relieved.

"Emmett my friend! Back here! Quickly quickly quickly! Something is wrong with Miss Marina!"

Sun listened as the sound of heavy footsteps made their way towards him. He could tell very clearly that Emmett was running.

The footsteps quieted and Sun turned, watching as Emmett gingerly approached the pair. When he finally made his way next to Sun, he sank to his knees, his face full of sadness.

"Poor Mari. You overdid it, didn't you?"

Marina whined, tugging at her hands in Sun's grip. Emmett responded immediately, his voice soft.

"Its ok shortstop. Do you want me to get you something else to hold onto?"

Marina only whimpered, continuing her fight against Sun.

"Where's her bag?"

"The security desk."

Emmett hurried off, his steps much quieter than before. Sun noticed Marina was growing tired, her pulling less frantic than before. When Emmett returned, he held Marina's bag in one hand, his other opening the draw string. 

After some rifling, Emmett let out a quiet cheer, pulling out a stuffed animal. It was a pastel blue bear, a little plaid ribbon tied around its throat. If Sun had to guess, the plush most likely took up the majority of the space in her bag.

"Here we go Mari! I found Peter! You want him?"

Marina sobbed again, nodding frantically.

Sun released her hands, and Emmett replaced them with the toy. Marina curled around it, crushing its soft body into her chest. Her fingers began running through the fur in random patterns. Emmett spoke up again.

"There ya go! It looks like you already have your earbuds in, so that's covered. Can I touch you?"

No answer came for at least two or three minutes, but Emmett was patient, quietly watching for a response. Sun felt like he was sitting on pins and needles. What was even going on?

Does she have autism?

Moony's words cut through his consciousness like a knife.

Autism?

Yeah, autism. We have protocols in our systems about that, and it seems to match pretty well to me.

Sun pulled the files to the forefront of his mind and sure enough, a lot of it made sense. Nonverbal, social anxiety, a tendency to take things literally? Those all fit Marina quite well. With the way she was acting now, it also seemed like she had sensory preferences and stims. He tilted his head, eyes locking on to the pastel pink plastic jutting from Marina's ear that Emmett had mentioned. Sun felt like an idiot for not noticing before.

"Out."

Sun was broken from his internal processes at the sound of a watery voice, soft and scared.

"What was that short-stop?"

"OUT."

Her words were more forceful this time, one of her hands coming up to tug on her braids.

"Ah. Do you want me to take your braids out?"

Marina nodded frantically, her hand gripping her hair tightly.

"OUT!"

"Ok Ok, easy there. I'll take them out. I'm gonna touch you now."

Marina nodded as Emmett reached up, gently removing her hair bands, deft fingers coming up to carefully undo the intricate work. Marina visibly relaxed, her head leaning into Emmett's touch. When he was finished, Emmett continued to play with her hair.

"There we go. Now let's take some deep breaths and try to settle, ok?"

Sun simply watched as Emmett made his breaths more audible, his fingers never leaving Marina's hair. Marina appeared to be copying him, her breaths slowing steadily until they were much closer to normal, albeit a little ragid. 

"There ya go doll! Much better! You did so well."

At that, Marina finally looked up, her eyes filling with tears all over again. Sun felt a deep sense of sadness at the sight of her puffy eyes and bright red face, the blues of her irises nearly glowing.

Moony. She looks so…

Broken.

"'m sorry…"

"Bruh, don't start that shit up. It's not something you can control."

Sun muffled the "language" protocol as much as he could, but that seems to be what made Marina realize he was still there. Her face went white. 

"SHIT."

"Mari."

"'M SO SORRY."

"Mariiii."

"'M SO STUPID--"

"Marina."

Emmett's serious tone stopped Marina in her tracks, her body shrinking in on itself.

"I'm sure Sun isn't mad at you. It's not your fault. You just got overwhelmed. Everything just became too much for you, and that's ok."

Marina sniffled but said nothing, scrubbing her hand over her eyes. Sun instinctively reached out, careful fingers wiping away her tears. Marina seemed surprised, but didn't try to stop him.

"It's ok Little Star. I'd never be angry over something like this. Never ever, no no no."

Marina seemed to relax a little at his words, though her tears didn't stop. Sun continued to brush them away while Emmett started back up playing with her hair.

Marina all but melted, her head bunting intermittently into their hands, her eyes slipping shut with a sigh.

That is the cutest thing ever!

For once I'm gonna have to agree. Maybe not the cutest ever, but it IS kinda cute…

Once some time had passed, Emmett stood, offering his hand down to Marina.

"C'mon, doll. I'll take you home. I'm sure your kitty will make you feel much better, hm?"

Marina nodded and reached her hand up to grasp his. Sun retracted his hands, but quickly scrambled forward again as Marina swayed on her feet, her steps slightly disoriented. She sighed.

"Sorry…"

Once they had helped her out of the pillows, Sun let go, allowing Emmett to guide her on his own, her hands slipping around his arm. Sun decided to pipe up before they were able to fully leave.

"N-Normally I wouldn't ask, b-but I feel like it's important, given the circumstances. Quite scary, yes yes yes! Um, Miss Marina...do you happen to have autism?"

Sun watched as Marina tensed, her body pressing closer to Emmett as her hands began to tremble.

"...Yes."

Nailed it. 

Ignoring his brother's smug words, Sun felt his head tilt.

"Your profile says nothing about it."

"That's because I didn't tell anybody."

Marina took a shaky breath, turning her head towards him.

"And you shouldn't either. Tell no one."

Sun felt so confused.

"But Miss Marina, if people know, they can help y--"

"I SAID TELL NO ONE."

Marina hadn't yelled, but her tone went dark, her words firm as her teeth sunk into her lower lip.

"Ok?"

Sun felt helpless, but softly replied.

"Ok."

As he watched Marina leave, Sun was both enlightened and more confused than ever.

Chapter Text

When Marina came to work the next day, she was positively mortified. She wasn't sure whether her physical exhaustion partially overtaking that feeling was a blessing or a curse.

Even with the sleep and quiet time she gave herself the day before, residual effects of what was essentially a full breakdown kept her in a daze. It felt as if a cloud had taken space in her head, floating back and forth, leaving her in a constant fog. She was able to keep up with simple tasks, cleaning and preparing snacks with little difficulty, but decided not to participate much in the children's activities. Sun must have noticed her discomfort, or that she had inserted her earbuds before even stepping into the room at all, because he didn't even attempt to ask for her assistance in anything that would involve talking. For that, she was grateful.

Around snack time, Sun coaxed her to take some of the apple slices she had cut for the children back to her station, but she declined. The peel of an apple sounded much to gritty. Sun continued to offer different foods and drinks until she finally agreed to find something, shuffling through the contents of the snack area herself until she found a little bag of goldfish. That seemed a lot more doable. They were even the rainbow ones!

She didn't eat many of them, but Sun seemed satisfied nonetheless.

By the time nap time rolled around she was feeling a little better, but still exhausted. She let Sun take care of the mats, focusing instead on the much lighter blankets. Based on his lack of complaint, she figured he didn't mind too much.

Once the lights went out, Marina took out her ear buds, wanting to listen to Moon read again. His voice was soothing to her, and while normally she wouldn't cave to that softer part of herself, her foggy brain had little room to care.

She felt herself relax as his voice carried to her, soft and sure, reading some story about a goose trying to find a place to lay her eggs. Marina smiled a bit to herself, remembering her mother reading that same story to her when she was small. She had always loved stories with animals in them.

Sooner than she would have liked, Moon finished the book, closing it with a soft thump and a gentle "goodnight" to the children. Then came the soft sounds of his music box once again, his hands tucking in and soothing the ones who still lay awake.

As she expected, the drowsiness following her all day returned with a vengeance, tugging at her eyelids as she typed up her daily notes. Maybe she should put her earbuds back in if only to escape the effects of the music--

"Helloooo again, Little Star."

Marina turned towards the teasing voice, rolling her eyes a bit when she was met with Moon in the doorway. Again. She let out a sigh, rubbing her eyes in an attempt to make the blurriness leave her vision.

"What is it, Moon?"

"It's nap time."

Marina looked at him, her eyes narrowing with irritation as she responded.

"What is with you making statements that are very obvious and then expecting me to know what the fuck you're getting at? Just spit it out."

Moon's smirk widened, his "language" protocol coming out almost as a laugh.

"Clearly someone's grumpy. Do I need to put you down for a nap, runt?"

Marina turned back towards the screen, but based on Moon's crackling laughter, it did little to hide the blush on her face.

"No. What do you want?"

"C'mon now. You look tired. Why don't you take a niiiice nap, and then maybe you'll stop being such a brat."

Marina felt her nose scrunch, unsure of whether she was enjoying his attention or loathing it. She knew being the center of attention made her flustered, but the past few weeks with Sun and Moon had made her acutely aware that she didn't mind it as much as she thought. Their attention was actually somewhat flattering, their compliments and teasing filling a bit of a hole in her chest. Was she that starved for someone to care for her?

"Screw off. I'm working."

"Yeahhhh no. Not how this works."

Marina yipped in surprise as her chair was pulled backwards, her hands flying away from the keyboard with a clack. Her chair spun around and, when she looked up, she was face to face with Moon, his long body leering over hers.

"Let's go, brat. Either you come with me, or I carry you."

Marina froze, her face on fire. She gripped onto the hand rests until her knuckles turned white.

"M-Moon I'm working. On the clock. Busy. I can't just stop because you've decided you want me to."

"You can and you will."

"I'm a grown woman with bills to pay. I can't and I won--"

"Carrying it is then."

Marina felt hands grip her under the arms, tugging her away from her chair. Her grip on the arm rests was tight, though, and Moon struggled to get her to let go of it. As he pulled her body towards himself, she lifted the chair off the ground with her.

"How strong is your grip, you heathen!?"

"I break glass bottles by accident more often than I successfully open them. You tell me."

After a minute or so of struggling, Moon dug his fingers into her rib cage, causing Marina to jerk and loosen her grip enough for him to yank her out of the office without the chair.

"I win."

"Cheater." Marina growled under her breath, shuttering away the phantom tickle that had traveled through her body.

"It's not cheating if I didn't know whether it would work or not. Good information to have, though."

Marina aimed a kick for his torso but was pulled back before impact, Moon holding her at a decent distance as they made their way towards the quiet corner.

"Watch the merchandise. I don't think Emmett will be happy if he has to buff your footprint out of my shell."

Marina glowered but stopped kicking, grunting in frustration as Moon brought her to his chest.

"There we go! I knew you could be decent!"

"You're lucky Suns in there, or I would have already sent my foot through your fucking neck."

"Language. And that's not very nice."

Marina felt Moon halt in his tracks, his arms reaching to put her down. She squirmed to free herself, but Moon held fast, pushing down on her chest as he laid her down on a mat.

A mat.

An unoccupied mat.

He had planned this from the start.

Marina was both impressed and pissed at the same time.

"Moon. I don't have time for thi--"

That's when Marina felt cool fingers make contact with her head, stroking from the top around to her ear and back.

Don't do something stupid don't do something stupid don't--

But Marina knew she was had. Her shoulders physically relaxed, her eyes drooping at the tingling feeling sent down her spine. She couldn't even fight it as she leaned towards him, wanting to increase the pressure of his petting. She let her eyes travel up sluggishly as she heard Moon's soft chuckling.

"Sun was right. This works like a charm. Maybe I should use this more often. You might actually shut up for once."

Marina didn't reply, simply curling her head so that his fingers would trail under her chin.

After she had fully relaxed, Moon tucked soft fabric around her body--one of the little star blankets, she realized--and kept silent, letting his music box take over for him.

Within a minute or two, she was out like a light.

--

Fuck that woman is strong.

Language! But I'm so so SO happy you decided to help her, Moony! You were very nice!

Shut up.

Moon looked down from his rocking chair, his eyes fixing on the one slightly larger form on the floor. Marina laid prone, her fingers curled into the fabric of the blanket as she slept. She was silent aside from the occasional sigh, her other arm pressed to her face, as if hiding herself.

Moon himself hadn't really cared much, but Sun had been adamant that their coworker wasn't looking so great. He couldn't deny that her face seemed pale, her eyes sunken in and cloudy as she fumbled to slice apples. What Moon didn't understand is why that was his problem.

Look at her Moony! Sun had exclaimed, his voice sad. The poor star is exhausted! Don't you feel just the slightest inclination to lay her down for a nap?

Moon had to admit, his brother had a point. His programming itched to do something when a human looked sleep deprived. It was what he was coded for. So, while he hated that Sun was right, he agreed to his little "master plan" to get Marina settled down.

But he had severely underestimated how hard one woman could struggle. He had nearly taken a foot to the chest for fucks sake! It had been a tad satisfying to win the game in the end, though. Especially when it flustered his target so much to lose.

Nap time will be over soon. Shall I wake her up now?

Nah! Let her sleep. I'll wake her up in a bit!

Moon let out an amused sigh.

She's gonna be livid when she wakes up. Good luck with that, Sunny.

I'm sure it won't be that bad!

Moon looked forward to the mess to come.

---

When Marina's eyes blinked open, it was light in the room again. The quiet corner was always a bit dimmer than the rest of the room, but even in her drowsy state, it was clear to her that nap time was long gone.

"There you are, Little Star~! It's time to get moving again! Did you have a nice nap?"

Marina sat up slowly, one of her hands coming up to rub at her eyes. Once she felt she could focus again, Marina turned to Sun, who was towering over her, his arm extended to help her up.

"Fine I guess" she answered, her voice still sleepy. "How long was I out?"

"Oh you know" Sun said, his voice wobbling a bit. "Only for a little while. Maybe an hour and a half or so?"

"An HOUR AND A HALF!?" Marina squeaked, now feeling very much awake. "Sun, naptime is only an hour at MOST."

"Yep yep yep!" Sun chirped, though his voice still warbled a bit. "The kids got up about forty five minutes ago, but you seemed sooooo sleepy. I told Moon I'd just wake you up after you got a bit more rest."

Marina went silent, her eyes wide as she stared at Sun. Her shock was soon replaced with irritation.

"Sun--"

"Oh please please PLEASE don't be mad! You just seemed so TIRED and it made me feel just so BAD to see you half asleep in the security room! I just wanted for you to feel better, yes yes yes! So I got Moony to help me get you a nice nap! I'm so so SO sorry!"

Marina closed her mouth, running a hand over her face as she assessed his words. He wasn't wrong--she was EXHAUSTED when naptime had begun. She knew that she must have looked like hell and, to Sun's credit, she DID feel a lot better after her nap. Marina sighed before turning to Sun.

"It's ok. I know you were just trying to help. But I work here, and I'm paid for that work. It doesn't feel right being paid for time I spent unconscious on the clock. I mean, fuck capitalism and everything, but it's unfair if I get break and all of the other guards have to work that time."

Sun drooped a bit at her words.

"Language! I understand my Star, but I still think you should get more breaks."

"Agreed." Marina sighed, running her hand over her now loose braids. "But I am unfortunately bound by the laws of this land, and that means the pizzaplex chooses if they wanna bring the hammer down with more and more work for us staff. Which they solidly chose a 'yes' for."

"Is that what capitalism means?"

"Basically."

"I don't think I like capitalism very much either, no no no."

Marina began to laugh at that, her shoulders shaking with mirth.

"Only people with a lot of money like capitalism, big guy. Us regular folks just have to deal with it so that we can afford to eat." Marina shrugged. "But I suppose I can't complain too much. This job is way easier on me than my last few. No grown adult has thrown food at me yet, no man has tried to blatantly hit on me, and I get to sit down, so I'd say we're doing pretty good."

When silence was all that answered her, Marina looked up at Sun to see he had frozen up.

"Uh, Sun?"

"Is that what happened at your last job? People threw things at you? You couldn't sit down?"

Even tone deaf Marina could hear the worry and hurt in his voice.

"Um...no?"

She never was a good liar.

Sun started saying something else, but Marina was quick to cut him off.

"ANYWAY I should probably go check the cameras and finish the report I was halfway through. I'd hate to fall behind! Have fun with the kids for me ok?"

With that, Marina holed back up in her office. She's beginning to think it provides "security" in more ways than one these days.

Chapter Text

For a few days, everything was quiet. Sun asked a little less frequently for her to be part of activities, but otherwise didn't treat her any differently. Marina was pleasantly surprised by the development, but was thankful for his consideration. She had a hard time saying "no" to him, and she really didn't want to overdo it again.

She was starting to get the hang of the child interactions, too. She still fumbled, which she saw as pretty much unavoidable, but she was able to at least face the kids without wanting to vomit. She saw that as victory enough.

She wasn't really expecting to get tested this early, though

As she lazily tapped at her keyboard after another successful craft time, Marina heard the distinct sound of a child hitting the ground, followed by a high pitched wail. She flinched at the sound, but reluctantly got up from her seat in the security office to investigate.

A little boy, no older than six, sat not far from the entrance to the play structure, protectively holding his left arm to his chest. Sun looked positively frantic, bouncing on his toes worriedly in front of his charge.

"Oh no little friend! Looks like you took quite the tumble! Let's get you to the first aid area and I'll get you all patched up, yes?"

Sun reached for the little one, but stopped in his tracks when the child wailed even louder, curling in on himself in fear.

The poor thing was scared to death. Whether it was of Sun, or simply his reaction to taking the fall, Marina wasn't sure.

Should I do something?

She wasn't really well versed with kids, but comforting a crying one wasn't that hard right? Was it like comforting her cat at the vet? No no, this is a whole ass child, not a cat. But she knew what she wanted to hear when painful stuff happened to her. This child may not be her, but he was a human being. His needs comfort wise shouldn't be THAT much different from her own.

Marina took a deep breath before walking closer, keeping her steps loud enough for the boy to hear. She sat on the ground with him, but kept a good amount of distance so as not to frighten him further. She offered him a smile, though she knew it probably looked a little funny, what with her stupid nervous energy.

"Hey there bud. Have a bit of a spill?"

The boy's head whipped up at the sound of her voice, his eyes trained on her. He continued to sniffle and cry, but nodded in response to her question. Marina let out a sympathetic hum, smiling in his direction.

"That must have been super scary huh?" She made a gesture towards his arm. "Can you be a brave boy for me and let me see your arm? I can make it feel a whole lot better if you let me see. I'll even ask Sun to give you a sticker after!" As she mentioned his name, Marina became acutely aware that the animatronic was staring at her. She made a point of not looking up, afraid that seeing her audience would make her lose her nerve.

The boy still seemed apprehensive, lowly whining to himself. Ok, nice words weren't working. New angle. Marina slowly opened her arms to him, letting her expression soften as she did.

"It's ok bud. You're gonna be ok. Would a hug make you feel better?"

That seemed to be the tipping point. The boy teared up again, reaching his good arm desperately towards Marina for comfort. She responded immediately, scooting closer so she could scoop him into her lap, swaying her body slightly as she held him.

She continued to sway and shush him until he quieted down to the occasional hiccup. Once he had calmed, she rose to her feet, lifting the little one into her arms. She positioned him carefully so as not to put pressure on his injury, and swiftly headed towards the first aid area. This was fine. This was totally fine and not terrifying at all. She could hardly keep herself alive, and now she was being trusted with tending to a child.

The first aid supplies were in a small room off to the side of the security office, its walls covered in cute posters about washing hands and safety rules to prevent accidents. Bright white cabinets of supplies lined the right wall, each door decorated with artwork the children had made about playing safe. The bright yellow paint was a bit much for her eyes, but Marina couldn't help but find the space charming. She placed the little one in a small plastic chair, before finding a stool for herself, wheeling up close to him.

Luckily, after she finally managed to grasp the boy's wrist, she was able to see that his injuries weren't too bad. A bit of a "burn" from skidding on the floor and a blooming bruise on his forearm were his only worries. She spun around in her chair and grabbed a few bandaids and a disinfectant spray before getting to work.

He had fussed a bit at first, but perked up quickly at the prospect of choosing what kind of band aid he wanted. Marina was finished and carrying the boy back to the main room within a few minutes, listening to him babble about how cool the Freddy bandaid he chose was.

Marina scanned the room before spotting Sun at a craft table, chattering happily to a group as they painted with him.

"Hey Sun! Do you think our little friend here could get a sticker for being so brave?"

Sun perked up at the sound of her voice, swiveling his head around until his eyes landed on the little boy--Aiden, he had informed her on the way out--in her arms. He then looked up at Marina, seemingly analyzing her expression. Marina could very clearly feel the heat of a blush on her cheeks, her lips tugged into what she could only assume was a sheepish smile. After a few seconds, Sun seemed to remember himself, clapping to himself as he returned his attention to her charge.

"Of course of course! He was such a good good GOOD boy for Miss Marina!"

Marina flushed even more, still not used to being called "miss." Usually she could easily ignore it, but in her vulnerable state, the discomfort was much more acute. She felt way too young and irresponsible to have an honorific used on her. She let her small smile waver on her face as she put Aiden down to run to Sun.

"Thank you Miss Marina!"

As soon as the boy was occupied with Sun, she darted back to her place at the desk, hiding herself from the daycare to assess her feelings on the situation she had just dealt with.

She had done something right with a child. A child, an actual child, had felt comforted and safe with her. It was a very strange feeling. This was one of her first times interacting one on one with a kid, rather than in a group. And he liked her.

And she had been, and still was, terrified of messing this up.

While this had been a very good experience for her, she still felt very overwhelmed with anxiety, her brain going over all of the places she might have done something wrong. All of the places she COULD go wrong in the future. No two kids were the same--she wasn't out of the woods just because she made one kid happy.

She took a deep breath in an attempt to calm herself, her hands trembling as she gripped the edge of her desk. It's fine. She was fine. She did a good job. The kid is healthy and happy. No one died. There was no reason to be anxious about this right now. And yet…

"Miss Marina!"

Sun's happy chirp jolted her out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see him standing just outside of the doorframe.

"Ah! I'm sorry! I didn't mean to startle you!"

He took in her expression, and Marina watched his head slowly begin to tilt, his eyes glowing blue for a second before fading back to white.

"Are you ok, Miss Marina? Your heart rate is elevated."

Marina started at that, her hands coming up defensively.

"Y-Yes I'm fine!"

When Sun continued to stare, Marina quickly realized her hands were still very much shaking. She quickly hid her hands in her pockets, turning her head towards the monitors.

"A-Also, you don't have to keep calling me that. Just Marina works fine. Or Mari, if you'd like."

When she looked back, Sun's spikes whirled in a little happy circle, and Marina couldn't help but smile.

That is still so fucking cute--

"Okay! Just Marina it is! I was going to tell you how well you did with Aiden, but when I looked up you were already gone! So quick on your feet, yes yes yes!"

Marina felt her face bloom red once again, her hand automatically coming up to tug on one of her braids. And just when she had started calming down, too. Damnit.

"A-Ah, I see. Um...thank you? While I'm glad you're happy, you don't need to praise me for something so small. It seems like that's a habit of yours… but I'm not one of the little ones. I was just doing my job."

Sun's head tilted again, this time with one of his eyes moving minutely down to create a "questioning" face to the best of his ability.

"But, shouldn't you be praised when you do something well? Everyone likes knowing they do good! Even the big boys and girls!"

"..."

Marina.exe has stopped working.

Once again, Marina was out of her depth. She never knew how to take praise. It was fleeting, not very frequent, and something that she knew deep down she craved, just like anyone else.

But God, it's so damn embarrassing.

"Uh…"

Marina floundered for an answer for a moment, before becoming very aware that there was no way she would be able to get out a clear response. Either she would self-deprecate, lie, or she would babble until she overshared some sort of thing that would make her look like a sorry excuse for an adult. These were not options that would appease Sun at all.

Avoiding the question it is.

"Eh." Marina shrugged, her eyes looking over the cameras. "...Did you hang up some new drawings on the front doors? I didn't notice earlier. That's super cute. Maybe we can start hanging drawings up there like parents do with fridges at home. The door is pretty big, so there should be enough room to fit quite a few of them."

Sun's head spun happily, his hands coming together into a single clap.

"Yes yes yes! The children are so very talented! I've been trying some new places so parents will see their work easier! Hanging up paintings there regularly is a lovely idea!

Marina smiled at him, nodding.

"...howevvvver, you still haven't answered my question."

Damnit. That shit usually works--

Sun's suddenly stern voice surprises her, her body naturally leaning away from him.

"Emmett told me allllll about how you do this, yes he did!"

Marina had a feeling she was gonna need to strangle her best friend in his sleep.

"Oh?" She asked, tilting her head innocently. "Do what?"

"Avoiding things you don't like by changing the subject! Or as he called it 'Bugs Bunnying,' but I'm not sure why. He told me about it when I went down for maintenance a few weeks ago. Apparently you give him the run around when he asks you to eat until he forgets you never actually ate! Naughty naughty!"

Marina looked away, squirming at being called out so blatantly. Whelp. Considering that's exactly what she was trying to do, she couldn't really deny it.

"It's called 'Bugs Bunnying' because the cartoon character Bugs Bunny is known for doing it. In one episode, he and Daffy Duck are fighting over whether it's duck or rabbit hunting season. They go back and forth until Bugs changes his answer mid argument, which makes Daffy forget what he was even saying and, in turn, makes him declare its duck hunting season. Meaning he's being hunted instead of Bugs. It's one of my favorite episodes."

Sun brought his hands to his face, his rays spinning.

"Oh oh OH that's so delightful! It's from a children's show! I wish I could watch shows, but we don't really have any way to do that here."

"I'll see what I can do. Maybe I can get a tablet or something in here so you and Moon can watch some stuff."

Sun squealed with delight, making Marina smile.

"Yes yes YES! Did ya hear that Moony? Maybe we can watch TV! Oh it's so exciting--"

Sun paused mid squeak, turning towards Marina with his eyes narrowed as much as he could.

"Hey wait a minute, you're doing it again! NAUGHTY NAUGHTY!"

Marina couldn't help but laugh, clutching her stomach as Sun fumed.

"What can I say? Looney Tunes was a huge part of my childhood. Bugs Bunnying is what I do best."

"Yes, well, I won't allow you to get away with it, I won't I won't!"

Marina felt her smile falter.

"Well." She said, feeling her lip curl into a pout. "That's no fun. How am I supposed to ignore my problems if I can't change the subject?"

Sun's head went back into the tilted position, his hand coming up to tap his "chin."

"You shouldn't ignore your problems."

Sunny stood up straighter, his face plate clicking as it shuffled left and right.

"Wait, being praised is something you would consider a 'problem?'".

Ah. She's skirting along the line of over sharing. Lying it is.

"Nope! It's fine. Not a problem at all. Adults typically desire praise just as much as children."

She left out the "I just don't deserve any" part.

Sun seemed skeptical of her answer, but nodded nonetheless. She was grateful that it appeared he was letting her off without any further questioning.

"...Alright then, Marina. I'll leave you alone for now. Wonderful job with Aiden, yes yes yes!"

Well. She wasn't sure this was much better.

Sun reached up and patted her head before skipping off, heartily calling out to the children who awaited his return.

Marina sat in her office blushing for nearly an hour, wondering what the fuck just happened and how she managed to be beaten at her own game.

---

"You tried to Bugs Bunny him?"

"SHUT UP YOU TRAITOR!"

Emmett laughed from his chair, his eyes focused on the tiny wires of Sun's hand. Some kid had gotten paint in there, and Emmett decided to check his circuits just to be sure everything was functioning properly.

Marina, on the other hand, was simply waiting to be taken home. And of course, Sun had to "thank" Emmett for the heads up on her "naughty behavior." Marina felt like she was going to combust.

"I'm no traitor, my dear." Emmett stated, putting on a posh accent. "I act only in your best interest."

"My best interest!?"

"But of course!" Emmett replied, his hands gently grabbing Sun's pointer finger to check the joints. "Now it's a lot harder for you to do stuff that's self destructive. I'm dumb and always fall for it, but Sunny is big brain. He won't let it slide so easily."

"Emmett!"

Sun's voice interrupted abruptly, his free hand coming up to grab Emmett's shoulder.

"We don't say things like that about ourselves! You are far from dumb, yes yes yes, far from it!"

Emmett paused, looking up at Sun's face.

"I mean it's fine. I'm dumb in some ways and smart in others. It's just realistic."

"Even so!" Sun huffed, crossing his arms. "We don't not say mean things to ourselves. It makes you have bad feelings towards yourself, and you don't deserve that! That's why the rule exists in the daycare against it. 'Be nice to yourself and your things,' yes yes yes!"

Emmett sighed, turning his eyes away from Sun. When she saw the faintest hint of a blush, Marina smirked, realizing she wasn't the only one flustered by being scolded.

"Sorry Sunny…"

"It's not me you should be apologizing to...Oh, I know! I want you to say two nice things about yourself. One to make the bad comment go bye bye, the second to take its place! That's the rules in the daycare, yep yep yep!"

"Wait what!?"

Marina was desperately trying to hold back laughter, bent nearly in half as she leaned forward in her chair. Emmett was getting punished by Sun like he was one of the five year olds. Considering her friend tended to be up on his high horse of confidence, she was a little happy to see him get knocked down a peg or two.

"Yes yes yes! Go on now, Emmett. Two nice things!"

"Marina if you laugh I'm sending you to an early gra--BITCH YOU'RE ALREADY LAUGHING!?"

"AHAM NOT!"

Marina's answer was muffled by her palm, but a giggle or two still spilled out, betraying her. Emmett's voice rose in pitch as he screeched.

"MY OWN FAM! DOING ME LIKE THAT!?"

"You LITERALLY SNITCHED ON ME. All bets are off, darlin'."

Emmett growled but said nothing more, pouting in Marina's direction. Sun seemed to finally register what had happened, his head whirling between the two.

"Emmett! Language! We do not call Marina names!"

"Eh. It's fine. He calls me that because he loves me."

At the sound of her voice, Sun focused in on Marina, his eyes narrowed.

"And Marina! No laughing at Emmett! Unless you'd like to participate in the self love exercise too, since you both seem to hate it so much?"

Marina put her hands up in a defensive position.

"NOPE nope. No, I'm good. So good. I'll be quiet."

"Wait? Has Sun never heard you self deprecate? How!? You're just as bad as me!"

Marina looked away from him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"You're LYING!"

"You have no proof."

Emmett stared at her for a second in disbelief before slowly pulling his phone out of his pocket.

"How long do ya think it's gonna take for me to find proof in our text chat?"

Marina froze, her face draining of color. Sun had looked like he was about to protest when they had started yelling again, but paused when Emmett directed a question. He turned to her now.

"Marina?"

Marina recovered as best she could, narrowing her eyes at her friend.

"You wouldn't."

"I wouuuuuld~"

"You couldn't."

"I couuuuuld~"

"You're the biggest snitch I've ever seen! Why can't you just be in trouble on your own?"

"If I'm going down for self sabotaging behavior, I'm taking you with me! We grow together!"

"Let me die in peace!"

Emmett unlocked his phone, scrolling with vigor.

"Let's seeeeee."

"Emmett!"

"Today, 12:04pm: 'Nearly ate shit by simply trying to walk. I'm an idiot.'"

"EMMETT!"

"Yesterday, 6:12pm: 'God please kill me, I'm an idiot. Cooking is so HARD. Can't I just die of starvation instead? Darwinism or whatever?'"

Marina had just gone silent at this point. Emmett couldn't chill and let her live EVER, could he?

"Yesterday AGAIN, 6:45pm: 'UGH Emmettttt, why am I such a dumpster fire? Now I have so many dishes and I didn't even get any good food out of it. This is why I should just order delivery. I'm shit at this.' And then, directly after that because I thought it was funny 'Fuck it. This depression is chronic but this ass is iconic. I'm ordering pizza.'"

Marina couldn't help the snicker that came out of her mouth. She was mortified, of course, but she still stood by that joke.

"I could keep going but we'd be here all day, so. I refuse to go at this alone when this is the conversation we have literally every day together."

Sun looked horrified, his language protocol basically stuck on repeat the entire reading. His face rotated to the upside down position, and Marina couldn't help but feel a little bad.

"...hey but I ate?"

Emmett lost it, laughing hysterically as Marina offered a sheepish smile. She forgot that her normal speech patterns revolved a lot around daycare inappropriate things and being an awful adult. Sun was probably losing his mind.

"Marina. Come here."

Marina's smile vanished at the sound of Sun's hurt voice. She shuffled her feet, looking at them from where she sat on a table.

"Um--"

"Please?"

Always the people pleaser, Marina rose automatically, walking up to Sun with a bit of apprehension. She stopped a few feet away, standing next to Emmett. Emmett didn't seem to be as amused anymore, but he at the very least appeared smug.

"You...you say things like that about yourself?" His face swiveled between her and Emmett. "Both of you?"

Marina looked anywhere but his face plate, biting her lip in anxiety. She glanced at Emmett, hoping he would answer for them, but he also said nothing more, letting out the smallest of nervous laughs.

"Oh...My Stars…"

Marina jumped when she felt fingers come under her chin, loosely gripping her jawline. Her head was moved so that she was looking straight at Sunny's upside down faceplate, his eyes narrowed in the tiny amount of "sad" face he could do. She assumed Emmett was in a similar bind.

"This is no good. No good at all! You both should be kind to yourselves! You're not stupid for getting something wrong, no no no! Neither of you are, and you shouldn't be saying such things! Do you both not realize how special you are?"

Marina choked back a joke, knowing that while Emmett might find it funny, it might just kill Sun. She instead decided to shrug, her eyes diverted towards Emmett as he finally piped up.

"Um...I mean yes and no? We just don't really think about it. We just kinda say that stuff normally? It's mostly just a joke."

Marina knew that "mostly" wasn't going to go unnoticed.

"But that means sometimes you're serious? No. No no no. We will not be doing that anymore."

Sun stood up now, rising to his full height as his head locked back in the upright position. Marina couldn't help but feel a little intimidated. Sun stayed crouched most of the time, so she wasn't used to being at where his belly button would be, rather than his shoulder.

"Are you done repairing me?" Sun asked.

"Uh, yeah Sunny. You're all good to go."

"Lovely, yes yes yes! A splendid job as always!" He chirped, before going back into a more serious tone. "Both of you, please follow me back to the daycare."

Uh oh.

Chapter Text

This is really fun. They seem terrified.

Sun pulled his mind away from the bickering whispers going on behind him, moving his attention internally.

I don't want them to be afraid of me! I want them to realize that they shouldn't say such things to themselves! To think, they hate themselves so much as to--

I'm not shocked. Moon interjected. You've seen how the girl takes compliments.

Ah. Yeah, that made a lot of sense. Moony's right: those two behaviors go hand in hand.

That gave him an idea.

Once the doors to the daycare shut, Sun brought his two friends over to one of the craft tables. When he gestured, they both sat without complaint.

"Ok my Little Stars! We're gonna do some self love activities, because it's clear they're very much needed for you two."

Emmett's face scrunched in distaste, but Marina outright groaned, putting her face down on the table.

Such a drama queen. Moon snickered.

"It's not that bad, Marina. My programming may be for children, but these exercises should work just fine on adults too! You may even find them fun!"

Marina only huffed in response.

"Now then, let's get everything set up!"

Sun ran to the supply room, grabbing up basically any art supplies he could find. When he returned, he laid out his haul, sporting everything from washable markers to glitter glue.

There's no way they won't find this fun!

"Ok Ok Ok!" Sun mused, twirling in a circle. "First, I want each of you to draw each other."

Marina blinked, tilting her head.

"Excuse me?"

"Yes yes! I'd like for you two to draw each other! With that drawing, write five things down that you like about the other person!"

Emmett seemed confused, but still reached for a piece of paper, grabbing up some markers and pens.

"Ok, but Marina, you gotta chill on the art skills. I'm shit at art and I'd like to be laid to rest gently, rather than death dropping out of this field of existence."

Marina let out a little laugh, but Sun cut her off.

"Emmett! What did we just go over? No talking yourself down!"

"Sorry, sorry. Force of habit. It's basically my entire sense of humor at this point."

Marina had pulled the pencil from her breast pocket once again, focused heavily on her work. Emmett took a much looser approach, his drawing resembling closer to what the children would do. He used bright colors and patterns, little blots of ink coating the inner edge of his hand as he worked.

Bill Nye seems to be the more "artsy" of the two. Color me shocked.

Yes yes YES! Marina draws really well, but Emmett is very creative! He seems to love color!

When the two had finished, Sun clapped happily for them.

"Wonderful job! Now, trade drawings."

The two shuffled the drawings, taking a second to look at the other person's work.

"Now Emmett, what do you see?"

Emmett picked up the paper, bringing it closer to himself for a better view.

"A damn good drawing. Marina has always been really good at artwork. Especially in pencil and colored pencil. That's her favorite medium."

Oh oh OH MOONY. I'm going to request colored pencils on our next craft shipment!

"Very good!" Sun cheered, his rays spinning. "What else do you see? What did she write about you?"

"Uh...hey! She drew me in my favorite shirt! Obviously you never see us out of uniform, but at home, I have my favorite t-shirt with a cool animatronic anatomy model on it. She drew it so close to the original!"

Sun watched as Emmett took in every detail, delighted by the sight of his favorite thing.

So cute!

"As for the writing, she made a little bullet point list in the corner." Emmett commented, tilting the paper sideways to get a better look. "In order, she says I am 'intelligent, driven, focused, creative, and really good at dancing." Emmett laughed at the last one, turning to Marina. "That was ONE TIME."

"And you killed it that one time. I'm uh...rhythmically challenged…" She said with some apprehension, glancing at Sun. "But you did really good! That party was made way better by it."

Sun decided to let the comment slide. It's ok to admit something isn't your strong suit. It was another to put yourself down for it.

"Very very good Emmett! Marina, what about yours?"

Marina looked down at her portrait, her fingers running up and down the paper as she took it in.

She's a tactile learner, Moon commented.

"It's really bright and colorful. He made my shirt purple, which is cool of him since that's my favorite color. Yoooo you even drew on my tattoos!"

Sun hadn't known Marina had any tattoos, but sure enough, one arm of drawn Marina had two distinct designs on it: a black cat on her shoulder, and some sort of cartoon on the forearm.

"Yeah man!" Emmett replied, crossing his arms proudly. "Your tats are most of your arm! I'd be kinda weird to see you without them."

"What about the list, Marina?"

Marina's eyes moved to the far right corner.

"He says I'm "a good artist, a kick ass friend, smart, super good at video games, and buff. Bro I am not that buff, it's not that serious."

"You're like, five feet tall and can pick me up. I consider that pretty impressive."

Marina said nothing, other than correcting him to say she was 5'1.

"Now then." Sun said, letting his voice box soften. "Your friend thinks so many good things about you. Why is it so hard to think them about yourself?"

His charges fell into silence, eyes locked on their papers.

"This exercise helps little stars realize that there are other perspectives aside from their own. You may not think well of yourself, but someone else clearly does. Take a bit to see how you can possibly change your perspective, and maybe try to see more of what they see. Of the good they see. Maybe realize that all those bad things you tell yourself are just your brain being a meanie to you."

When they both stayed quiet, contemplative, Sun clapped, startling them out of their stupor.

"Good job My Stars! Very good, yes yes yes! I'm so proud of you for trying your best!"

Sun realized quickly it wasn't just Marina who was a bit horrified when praised. While Emmett's reaction was much less noticeable, he still seemed a bit uncomfortable, his eyes averted.

They BOTH freeze like that? Why? Were people shitty to them or something?

Language! I dont know Moony, but I guess I have more work to do!

"...We will need to do an exercise on how praise is good and you deserve it another time! For now, you've done so good! There's only onnnne more thing I want you to do, and then we can be done."

Marina and Emmett continued to stare, waiting for his response. They both looked like they were eager to be finished.

"What are two nice things about yourselves?"

Marina looked ready to burst into flames, but Emmett sighed, balancing his head on his hand.

"Okay okay. I'll do it. I just wanna be done with this. I'm hardworking and I'm funny."

"How wonderful Emmett! Good job good job!"

Sun picked up Emmett out of his seat, swinging him in circle before putting him down with a pat on the head. Emmett laughed a little at his antics, and Sun was happy to see him smiling.

"Marina?"

Sun watched as Marina sunk further in her chair, her eyes averted.

"I think you're gonna have a liiiiittle more trouble with her, Sunny dear." Emmett cut in. "She's much more stubborn than me."

"I'm not that stubborn!"

Sun continued to stare as Marina protested, her arms crossing over her chest. A little pout had started to form on her lips as she stared at Emmett.

For someone who doesn't understand kids, she sure acts like one sometimes.

Shush Moony! It's really cute!

Sometimes. Sometimes it's a pain in the ass. Like right now.

Language!

"You are totally that stubborn." Emmett replied coolly, mimicking her posture. "How many times did you LITERALLY FALL ASLEEP at a dinner table because you didn't want to eat when we were kids? Your parents' dead ass had to stop doing the 'you can just sit here until you do' thing because you would just...not care. Your want to not do the thing meant more to you than chilling alone and bored."

"Language!"

"It was only twice." Marina replied flatly. "And yeah, but that's autism. Foods that are wrong are just wrong man."

"Still."

Sun was at a loss. What would he do if she didn't comply? He could put her in time out he supposed, but based on what Emmett said, it wouldn't do him much good.

"Oh dear oh dear! Any ideas Emmett?"

Emmett went quiet for a second before turning to Sun, his face mischievous.

"Nah. Don't even bother. She doesn't have the balls. She chickened out so that means I did better at the activity."

Marina jolted up at that, her brow twitching.

"Excuse me?"

"I said you don't have the balls, my dude. You'll never do it because you just can't. It's fine. Understandable even."

Marina's hands came down with a sharp thump, her eyes dark.

I see what's happening. This is what I did wrong before when I was putting her down for a nap. She hates to lose. He's making her the loser of this game so she'll do what it takes to win.

"I could if that's what I wanted."

"Then do it, you pussy."

"Language!"

"Fine!" Marina hissed. "Alright? I'll do it! But just so you know, I'm fucking aware I'm allowing myself to be Bugs Bunnyed. After this though, it won't work again. I'll have already proved I'm capable."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

Honestly I'm impressed. Emmett got her to agree, but Marina is still doing it out of spite. It's an equally petty match that's really entertaining. I like this game.

Moony--

Marina growled, her hands pushing into the table as she stood up. Her eyes radiated intimidation, her jaw locked tight as she looked at Emmett. Emmett seemed unbothered, perhaps used to her more aggressive behaviors, but Sun was shocked. Sure, she was a bit rough sometimes, insulting Moony or glaring at him when he did something mean, but this felt different. It felt like she was literally pinning him with her gaze alone. It was the first time he had ever seen his people pleasing, kind eyed Marina switch into a more dominant role.

If this was the effort she felt she needed to put in to keep control, he wasn't surprised that she didn't have any urge to be in charge. It must be exhausting.

"I'm intelligent and I'm driven."

Her voice came out cold and flat, her eyes still locked on Emmett's as she spoke. Emmett's smirking face softened into something friendlier, his body leaning forward.

"There ya go short-stop. All done. Good job."

His change in demeanor seemed to snap Marina out of whatever haze she had been in, her shoulders loosening and face flushed with embarrassment as she glared at her friend.

"Yeah, well--"

"Oh oh OH MARINA! What a good job! Good girl, good girl, good girl!"

Sun didn't want to hear anymore arguing, too elated that his plan had at least somewhat worked. They would need reminding, and it would take time for them to adjust, but they had done really well with his lesson.

Sun picked up the small woman, spinning her just as he had done Emmett. Marina clutched onto his arms, eyes wide as they went in loops. When he placed her down, he rewarded her with a head pat, which, despite the embarrassment practically radiating off her, she leaned into.

"Ahhhh there ya go Sunny! I've figured it all out! You do have a way to get Marina's attention."

Sun turned towards the sound of Emmett's voice, his hand still ruffling Marina's hair.

"Yes, Emmett?"

"Affection."

Sun paused, tilting his head.

"Think about it. I do things because I just don't want the consequences. I didn't want to sit here anymore, so I finished the activity. Mari doesn't work like that. She isn't consequence driven...she's reward driven. The reward I gave her was winning and proving me wrong. You aren't cold enough to insult her the way I do though, so you need something else. And what else does she consider reward worthy?"

Physical affection. Moony chimed in internally, his code shifting in the mind space as he thought. It makes sense really. If she's rewarded with attention every time she says a nice thing, she'll start to associate the two. It's like your stickers.

"'M still right here, ya know?"

Marina's voice was slurring slightly, her eyes half lidded as she turned her head towards Sun's hand, guiding his fingers where she wanted them to be. She looked relaxed for the first time in a while, Sun noticed.

"That's a wonderful idea, Emmett!" Sun praised, his smile widening as far as it could as he brushed his fingers under Marina's chin. "This is how it will go then. Whenever the two of you say something ugly about yourselves, you'll need to replace that naughty with two nice things! Whenever that's done, or whenever you say something kind to yourselves, you'll be rewarded, yes yes yes!"

"Fine by me." Emmett replied, looking at Sun. "While I'm still a bit dumbfounded, I appreciate the help with this. I know it's a bad habit but.." Emmett turned his head away. "I didn't think anyone cared that much."

"No one else has." Came Marina's dreamy voice, her eyes now fully closed as she seemingly struggled to keep herself upright. "No one you hang out with is any better. We can't really fault you without being hypocritical."

"Mari, I think Sun needs to stop. You're getting sleepy."

"Noooo."

Marina's voice came out pitiful, her eyes flitting up at Sun. While Sun saw Emmett's point, it was really hard to deny her when she made that face.

"He's right little Star. You need to go home and rest, yes yes yes!"

Marina whined as he removed his hand after one last pat. She looked ready to cry.

"Shut up short-stop, you're spoiled. You get plenty of attention from me and literally my whole family that likes to coddle you. Your 'be cute so they keep giving me what I want' act doesn't work on me anymore."

Emmett laughed as Marina's face turned dejected.

Sun felt his smile widen as he looked back down at his friend as she readied herself to leave.

"Don't worry little Star! I'm sure you'll earn plenty more, yes yes yes!"

When the two left for the day, Sun went back to his and Moon's shared room, brainstorming on activities and fun rewards for two of the most important humans in his life.

For the first time in a long time, he felt like he had a goal to strive for, and he couldn't wait to start.

Chapter Text

Marina's stomach was in knots as she and Emmett walked through the halls the next day, making their way towards the daycare.

Yesterday's events had been quite rough to say the least. Her best friend turned snitch seemed unbothered, but she could feel him flexing his hand over and over from where she gripped his arm. He always did that when he was nervous.

However, when the two entered the room, Sun acted normal as ever, greeting them warmly and picking up each of them for a quick spin. Marina didn't know whether to feel relieved or to put her guard up even more.

She knew she was gonna slip up at some point. Her way of speaking was deeply ingrained in her, and she would for sure blurt out something problematic to Sun at some point. She would really need to be careful, otherwise she would be stuck listing good things about herself all day. She wasn't sure she could handle that emotionally.

This is so unfair. Emmett won't even be around them all day like me. He can basically say whatever he wants!

Marina was still irritated with her friend. Sure, he had thrown her under the bus for her own good, but that doesn't mean she had to be happy about it. He was a fucking snitch, and snitches usually get stitches. The frustrating part was she could never hurt him, she liked him too much.

Marina realized then what she had to come up with something to pay him back in full. For now, she waved him goodbye before going to her station, to prepare for the day.

---

By snack time, Marina was starting to feel antsy. The stress of watching her words really compounded with the unruly bunch of children they got stuck with today. Two kids had already had full on tantrums, and six on top of that had been put in time out. It's not like they never put kids in time out--Sun took his job of teaching the children to be kind very seriously--but this number was unprecedented. Being that she was someone who was hesitant with children already, she struggled to keep her cool, jamming her ear buds in as soon as that second child started screaming.

A headache bloomed soon after, causing her to rub uncomfortably at her eyes. As she sat at her desk, she tried to stay calm, swaying side to side in an attempt to self soothe. She was still hesitant to do any of her more obvious stims, but swaying was a relatively normal thing to do, autistic or not.

Once the second child had finally stopped screeching at the top of her lungs, Marina sighed in relief, letting her forehead rest on the cool desk in front of her, starting up some breathing exercises. She didn't feel too close to the edge this time, so she had hope that she could still pull herself back out.

"Marina?"

Marina jumped a bit, lifting her head to meet Sunny's faceplate.

"Y-Yes?"

"Oh dear oh dear! I'm so so SO sorry! I didn't mean to frighten you!" Sun tilted his head a bit. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Marina replied, tapping her earbuds with her finger. "Just kinda...noisy."

"Oh yes, the little stars have been quite ornery today! Are you sure you're alright? You can go to the quiet corner if--"

"NO!" Marina yelled, her hands up in a defensive position. Realizing that came out much too loud, she calmed her reaction. "N-No, it's fine. Thank you though."

Sun had started at her initial reaction, but his eyes drooped a bit when she corrected herself.

"It's really fine, Marina. You're allowed to take care of yourself. It must be hard, working in such a loud place when you have--"

"I'm fine." Marina cut him off, not wanting to have this conversation. "I have my earbuds in, and they should muffle the sound. That should be enough for me. I'm not gonna go sit in the quiet corner for something so trivial as a little bit too much noise."

Marina could feel her teeth grinding, her emotions becoming a bit much for her. She took a deep breath, attempting to center herself. She always got more on edge when she was overstimulated. She forced her voice to soften.

"Ok?"

Sun looked at her for a second before seemingly making a decision, his eyes narrowing a bit.

"No, Marina. It isn't ok."

Marina froze, her eyes locked on Sun. What did he mean it wasn't OK? Sun was usually pretty good about leaving her alone when she asked. What had gotten into him?

"...no?"

"No. You do this every time Moony and I try to get you to self-care in some way. You say no to food, to praise, and now you're saying no to doing the things that help you stay calm and care for your mind. This behavior is not ok, and it needs to stop right now."

Marina felt like her soul was leaving her body.

So Marina wasn't the best at caving to her body's needs and desires but...she had made it this far hadn't she? Her eating habits were always spotty and best. Also, she hadn't even known she was autistic until she was an adult. She had never purposefully stimmed or had ear buds or any of that growing up. It was hard, but she was fine. Everything was fine.

Marina was silent a little longer than she meant to be, but soon found her voice, shaking her head to clear it.

"Sun, honestly, I'm fin--"

"That's it!" Sun cried out, his hands wrapping around her waist. "I have warned you about the rules many times now: You are to treat your body and your things kindly. Yet you continue to be stubborn."

Marina was too shocked to fight him as she was lifted out of her chair by her armpits, her body dangling in the air.

Sun walked with her silently for a moment before placing her down on the pillows of the quiet area.

"You're in time out. I'll come back to get you in ten minutes."

That sentence jump started Marina's brain.

"Excuse me?" She fumbled out, one of her hands coming to grip her forearm out of stress. "Sun, I'm at work. I have a job I'm supposed to be doing right now."

"It can wait for ten minutes." Sun said, his voice firm. His hand came down to grab a plushie from the stim toy corner, depositing it in Marina's lap. "Stay here and think about your actions. If you get up, you won't be getting any head pats today."

Marina felt a shiver go down her spine. She didn't expect to get head pats anyway (she didn't really expect to do anything to warrant them,) but she also didn't want to disappoint Sun. Or take the small chance of affection off the table entirely.

When Sun walked away, Marina settled herself down in the pillows, grumbling a little to herself.

Fuck Emmett.

She knew it wasn't entirely his fault--her behavior had caused this--but Emmett had been the one to snitch about a good bit of it. Now she was stuck in the corner over one little incident because she had already worn down Sun's patience. It was embarrassing.

Nonetheless, Marina sat in the corner, going entirely unnoticed by the children running around the room. She turned the stuffed animal--a Glamrock Freddy--over in her hands, stroking his fur and making patterns. She had to admit, she felt a lot calmer after holding the teddy bear for a while.

Once what she assumed was ten minutes had passed, Sun returned to her, kneeling down so that he was closer to her eye level.

"Marina?"

Marina kept her eyes on Freddy, turning him this way and that in her hands. She hadn't felt her stomach drop like this since she was a little girl.

"Are you ready to come out now? Can we follow the rules?"

It took Marina a moment to realize she was swaying again, her body unconsciously attempting to sooth her discomfort. After a short pause, she felt herself nod, her chin curling in as close to her chest as she could get it.

"'M sorry. I'll try harder."

Marina hadn't really cared about being put in time out...she never really cared about that sort of thing. Sitting around and daydreaming about fictional worlds kept her occupied in her own head easily enough. She also wasn't that worried about her own health all that much. She did, however, feel bad for making Sun upset and worried. She hated disappointing people.

Marina felt Sun's fingers wrap around her chin, lightly pulling her face up towards his.

"Good job. Very good." His voice was more hushed than usual. "I'll be holding you to that."

Marina said nothing, a small huff coming out of her mouth as she felt her face heat up. God this is so fucking embarrassing. Some adult she was, being punished the same way you would a four year old. She felt stupid.

She kept her thoughts to herself, however, her hand accepting Sun's outstretched one as he helped her to her feet. She didn't need another self love lesson on top of whatever this was.

"Come along my friend! It's almost naptime."

Chapter Text

I still cannot believe you put a grown woman in time out. Her face was priceless.

Moony, be nice. She already had to endure your teasing during naptime.

Granted, he had been a lot softer than Sun had expected. Other than him asking her if she wanted to go back to time out when she insulted him, Moon hadn't mentioned it. Maybe he could actually sense when something should be left alone.

Not that he usually cared.

When Emmett entered the room later that day, Marina seemed to get a little agitated. She had been the same way that morning, perhaps still sour about yesterday's events. He couldn't really blame her, though he hoped she realized how much Emmett cared about her.

"Hello hello HELLO Emmett!" Sun chirped, picking up his charge to spin him. "I trust you had a good day?"

"Yeah, I guess it was alright." Emmett replied, his eyes holding amusement. "No big incidents."

"Wonderful!"

Emmett looked over to Marina.

"You good short-stop? You're making quite the face. Are you still mad at me?"

Marina huffed through her nose.

"No, I'm not mad at you. Annoyed, yes. Ready to kill you if you do that shit again? Also yes. But I'm not mad."

"Seems fair to me."

"Language Marina! We do not threaten to hurt others!"

Sun was quite horrified, even though he could sense this was some sort of joke.

"It's fine Sunny. She threatens to kill me at least twice a week."

"Speaking of." Marina answered, her lips upturned into a mischievous smirk that Sun had learned to fear. "I may not be able to kill you, but I still need to pay you back for yesterday."

Emmett looked like he had seen a ghost.

Ohhhh Sunny. Things are about to get good.

Oh dear OH DEAR.

"You can't beat me up either." Emmett pointed out, backing away a few steps. "Sunny won't let you."

Sun took the time to note that Emmett seemed pretty sure that he would never win in a physical altercation with Marina.

"Please. We aren't twelve anymore." Marina replied, rolling her eyes. "Beating you up now leads to assault charges, unlike when we were kids and my mom would just pull me off you. The stakes are too high for that now."

I had a feeling when she said he was beaten up as a kid, it was by her. For how small she is, that girl holds a lot of rage.

Oh dear OH DEAR! What do you think she's planning?

I don't know, but I really wanna find out.

"S-So what are you gonna do?" Emmett asked, mirroring Sun's thoughts.

Marina's eyes suddenly went back to the same predatory state from the day before, her head tilting to the side.

"You have a five second head start."

"Wait what!?"

"5…"

"Wait! Marina what are you gonna do to me!?"

"4…"

"Mari, come on! Let's talk about this…"

"3…"

"I don't even know what I'm running from!"

Marina's smile went positively feral, her hands raising in front of her in the shape of claws.

"2…"

Sun watched as some form of recognition flooded Emmett's face, followed by him sprinting the opposite direction.

"SHIT!"

"1…"

Marina started slowly walking in the direction he went in.

"Ready or not, here I come."

Sun could hear the sound of Emmett's loud footsteps thumping against the padded floor. Marina, on the other hand, seemed dangerously calm, casually shuffling her feet as she walked.

"Marina?"

Marina looked at Sun when he called her name. Her eyes softened, amusement glittering within them.

"Don't worry Sun. I'm not gonna do anything awful to him. Just messing with him a little bit."

The sincerity in her voice made Sun's worries lessen, though he still wondered what had Emmett so afraid.

Marina continued to circle the daycare for a while, her movements remaining slow. She didn't seem to be trying that hard to find him right away.

She's making him squirm. She's a fucking savage.

LANGUAGE MOONY!

Eventually, she made her way to the front of the play structure, her smirk beginning to grow as she crawled inside. A few seconds later, Marina's voice reached him.

"You seem to forget, Emmett, that while my vision is shit, my hearing is impeccable."

A screech came from the play structure, followed by loud thumps, indicating a chase. It seemed both of them were now giving it their all, Marina losing her slow circling in favor of crawling full speed.

Sun felt happiness bubble up in his processors. He had heard the two friends joke around before, but this was full on play. They were playing. And they trusted him enough to let him see them in a relaxed and happy state. Well, at least happy on Marina's part. It seemed like they finally saw him as an actual friend.

Soon, Emmett popped out of the slide, ready to run to the opposite side of the room.

But he was too late.

Marina came in hot, landing on her feet with a loud wump before quite literally pouncing at Emmett. Her weight crashed into his back, causing him to stagger. A quick kick to the ankle and he was on the ground, Marina straddling him as she fought for control of his hands.

See this is how we know this isn't the first time she's done this. She took him down so easily it's sad. This is way more entertaining than the kids fighting.

Moony kids fighting is never amusing. They could get hurt!

Sure Sun. It's not amusing at all. I find no joy in it whatsoever.

...I realize you're being sarcastic but I'm just going to pretend you aren't.

A yell followed by loud laughter jolted him out of his thoughts.

Marina had pinned Emmett's hands under her knees, using her body weight to keep his upper half as still as possible. Her hands were meticulously tickling Emmett's ribs and sides, her eyes focused.

Emmett was visibly losing his mind, his legs kicking outward in an attempt to escape. Every time he came close to bucking her off, however, Marina shoved herself down again, unwilling to let him go.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT WAIT WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS!" Emmett cried through high pitched laughter, curling in on himself as much as he could. "YOU'RE GONNA KILL ME!"

"No. I already said I'm not gonna kill you. Buuuut you still have to pay the price for snitching." Marina informed him, moving her fingers to Emmett's stomach, which caused him to scream. "So suffer."

"I CAHAHANT! MARINA I'M SORRY. IM SOHOHO SORRY I WON'T DO IT AGAIN!"

Sun decided this was fine. The children tickled each other all the time, after all. He didn't want to ruin the playful vibe. So long as Marina didn't overdo it, he'd allow this to be her retribution.

Suddenly Marina jumped, a bark of laughter spilling from her lips. Emmett had gotten one of his hands free, using it to squeeze Marina's side with vigor.

I feel like humans are so silly to tickle each other if they too are ticklish. Something like this happens pretty easily, and then you're at risk too.

Stop analyzing this fight. It's weird.

We live in this daycare, Sun. Shit gets boring. This is the most action we've seen all week, and that includes the kid that punched that little boy so hard his loose tooth came out.

Emmett's revenge didn't last long. As soon as it started, Marina fought to stop him, slamming her hands into his and retrapping his wrists.

Now even Sun felt a little afraid, watching her glower down at Emmett.

"Uh ohhhh. Looks like we have to start allll over."

"MARINA WAIT NO, IM SORRY! SUNNY HELP--"

Emmett cried out and begged as Marina slowly took him apart. She showed no mercy. Not that Sun had expected her to.

When Emmett began to wheeze, Marina slowed down, her fingers tapping his stomach in warning.

"What have we learned?"

"'M not gonna snitch anymore. I won't...not ever…I'm sohorry…please stop."

At the word "stop," Marina immediately relented, crawling off of her friend as he lay panting heavily. Her smirk changed back to her usual soft smile, amusement in her eyes.

So she does know and respect his limits.

"You ok bud?"

"Fuck you."

Marina laughed as Sun's language protocol went off. Realizing he was still there, Emmett turned his head towards him, his face flushed with exertion.

"Yo, I thought we were friends. You didn't help me at all bro."

"This...seemed to be an incident that needed resolving. I'd much rather her tickle you than kill you when I'm not around, yes yes yes!"

"Also, you said you do things because you don't like the consequences." Marina said, her smile sickly sweet. "So here's your consequences."

Emmett said nothing, choosing to let his head flop back onto the ground as he caught his breath.

Marina stood up, offering her hand down to Emmett, which he accepted.

"You're ruthless."

"You knew that already."

"Yeah but it's been awhile. I haven't been on the receiving end of your anger in a loooong time. Even if this was only a minor infraction."

Sun didn't want to know what a major infraction looked like.

"Speaking of, I trust that both of you did your best to refrain from saying negative thoughts about yourselves?"

Emmett nodded.

"Yeah. I had to stop myself mid sentence a few times, which weirded out the other mechanics, but I didn't finish any of those thoughts."

"Wonderful! Very very VERY good Emmett! I didn't hear Marina say anything either, so it seems you both managed to keep to it today!"

Marina looked a little flustered, probably thinking about her stint in time out. Yes, she had made some mistakes today, but she stuck to the main goal Sun had given her, and that should be acknowledged.

Sun offered a sticker to Emmett for his efforts, which he stuck in his planner "as a reminder that I had a victory today." For Marina, Sun ran his fingers along her hair and face, gently undoing the tension she held. By the end of it, she seemed content, her eyes hazy with pleasure.

"You're spoiled, short-stop."

"I swear to God I'll put you right back on that floor."

Sun was really happy with their progress.

Chapter Text

There were many days that Marina forgot that her job title was actually security guard.

Sure, she checked to make sure children were going to the right parents. She watched cameras, checked doors, and overall tried to ensure the safety of the children. But most of the time, the daycare was quiet. The worst thing she would get is some Karen mom who thought her kid was better and above all the rules, or some grouchy parent that snapped at her when she took too long.

This was not one of those days.

It had been a week since the self love lesson, and overall, Marina had done well. She hadn't self deprecated at all (out loud,) and put a bit more effort into taking the snacks Sunny offered to her, if only to please him.

All had been going pretty well that day, until a single parent ruined it when they came in trying to pick up their son. Only, their name wasn't listed as a trusted adult, and therefore, Sun couldn't hand over the child.

"He's MY SON!" the man growled, taking a predatory step towards Sun. "I can take him wherever I damn well please!"

Sun, on his part, muffled his language protocol as much as possible.

"I can't give a child to anyone that is not in the system, no no no! If you'd like to be registered, you need to talk to the parent who dropped him off."

"I want my fucking child!"

Marina, who had been watching from a few feet away, decided things were escalating a little too far for her liking. She swallowed back her anxiety, trying to keep her voice level.

"He says you're not registered, you don't get the kid. Thems the rules. We can't just hand a child over to any person who comes in claiming to be their parents. It would be unethical. Either talk to one of his trusted guardians about getting registered, or leave. Take your pick."

The man's eyes locked onto her, his new target seemingly decided.

Of course.

Sun was nearly ten feet tall when standing at full height. He was metal, sturdy, and quite frankly intimidating if you weren't familiar with his gentle nature. Marina on the other hand was a small, human female. She knew damn well she looked easily beaten.

Boy was she determined to prove him wrong.

The man walked closer to her, bursting into her personal space like he owned the place.

"I. Want. My. Son."

Marina glared at his forehead, refusing to show fear.

"Ask. His. Trusted. Guardian."

"And what if I just take him and leave huh?"

"You won't. Sun will follow protocol to keep the child away from you, and I will be forced to escort you out."

The man leaned into her face, his breath rustling her hair. She smelled alcohol.

"You can't make me do shit."

Marina let a smile come on her face, masking the sirens going off in her head.

"I can and I will. Get out."

That was the last straw, a closed fist connecting with her eye before she had time to think.

She heard Sun call her name, but time felt like it was in slow motion. Marina launched herself in the man's direction, wrapping her arms around him in a hold that resembled a hug.

Except that hug turned into her spinning, using the man's own body weight to gather momentum as she slammed him into the ground.

"Wrong move darlin'." She heard her voice say, though she felt disconnected from it somehow. She usually had a very mild accent, since she had moved North when she turned ten, but right now it sounded heavy, a southern twang hitting every word. "Stop resisting!"

The man bucked and screamed, flailing his limbs as she settled her weight onto his back, shoving her knee between his shoulder blades. She whipped out her walkie talkie for one of the first times.

"Main security, we need backup in the daycare unit. Drunk guy who attempted to take a child without permission and assaulted a security guard. Police should probably be contacted."

"GET OFF ME!" The man wailed, beating his hands on the ground in an attempt to gain traction.

"Nah." Was Marina's only response as she picked up her knee again, slamming it down hard in the same spot. She felt satisfaction coarse through her at the sound of his pained cry. "Also, shut up."

She looked up to see Sun standing horrified over the top of them, hopping from foot to foot.

"Sun. Take the kids to the other side of the daycare. Keep them safe."

Sun nodded frantically, running off and rounding up the remaining children. Hopefully he could be a good distraction for them. Marina brought her knee down again, the man whimpering at this point. That one was just for her.

Eventually, two more guards, along with Vanessa, arrived in the daycare. Marina got up, allowing for the guards to haul the man to his feet and out the wooden doors.

"We'll take him to the main security office to await authorities." Vanessa explained, her arms crossed. "That door has a really heavy lock on it, just in case he tries to strike again. The police may want to talk to you, so please stick around until they're gone."

Marina nodded stiffly in response, but said nothing.

"Your face is starting to bruise already. You should probably ice that. Do you need help?"

"No." Marina replied robotically. She could handle this herself. "Thank you though."

Vanessa nodded, her eyes holding a small amount of sympathy. At any other time, Marina would have felt shocked, considering the rumors around how nasty she was.

"Alright. Let me know if you need anything. I'll dismiss you when the investigation is over."

With that, Vanessa left, her footsteps clicking as Marina watched her leave.

When Marina turned around, Sun was already right behind her.

Marina jumped, forcing herself to relax her hands, rather than lash out. She had always been a fight kind of person when things spooked her, but now that she was triggered, she knew it was going to be so much worse.

"All of the children have gone home! I'm so sorry! Are you--"

Sun seemed to notice the blooming bruise already beginning to surround her eye.

"What am I saying!? Of COURSE you're not alright! Let me help you, oh dear oh dear oh dear!"

Marina went to open her mouth, but was cut off by her own yelp as Sun picked her up, pressing her body to his chest. She couldn't deny that it comforted her. As her adrenaline wore down, her face had really begun to hurt, her hands trembling from residual anxiety.

She may be good at hiding her feelings in the moment, but she was always paid back tenfold afterwards.

Sun carefully placed her on the kitchen counter, his hands flinging open the fridge to grab an ice pack. Marina did her best to keep herself calm, regulating her breathing and focusing on the physical pain, rather than her running mind.

When the ice met her face, Marina couldn't help the involuntary hiss that escaped her, her body begging her to move away from the pressure. She managed to stay still, however, reaching for the ice pack.

"I can do it."

Her hand however, was a traitor, trembling noticeably in front of her face. She had a feeling if she took the ice pack, it would simply slip out of her numb fingers anyway.

"No no no! Let me do it for you! You must be so tired, and that looks like a biiiiig ouchie!"

Marina may struggle with reading others, but even she could feel Sun's anxious energy. It felt similar to a mother fretting over her child falling off their bike.

Marina found it endearing, somewhere in her mind.

Marina could tell that the numbness was spreading, her hands starting to tingle. For her, that was a pretty good indication of an oncoming panic attack. It felt natural, really, considering the circumstances. She knew deep down that while she can win her battles, they still hurt her.

Normally when a feeling like this starts, she goes to hide, holing herself up in a bathroom stall until the worst of the storm was over. She hated people seeing her weakened state. Whether it was a regular panic attack or an autism meltdown, she wanted to keep that side of herself under lock and key.

This time, she considered telling Sun before it was too late.

Last time, he had found her hiding in the corner, already sobbing and ripping painfully at her hair. He hadn't been mean, but instead insisted on staying with her and keeping her safe. She didn't much care for the idea of showing him that again, but she knew deep down that if she kept this from him, she would really be hurting Sun. Making him feel like she didn't trust him.

So instead, Marina decided it was time to swallow her pride for the good of her friendship. If she wasn't half way to panic already, she would have made it cheesy and funny to lighten the mood.

Instead, when she opened her mouth, she struggled to make words form.

"S-Sun…?

She felt Sun looking at her, her vision partially obscured by the ice pack.

"Yes?"

"I-I…"

Her throat already felt like it was closing, the tremors spreading from her fingers to most of her upper body.

"Q-Quiet corner."

The ice moved away from her face and she instinctively locked eyes with Sun, hoping he would understand.

He bent over, coming closer to her level as she watched his eyes go to scan her, causing her to flinch violently backwards.

Marina took a deep breath, continuing to fight her losing battle.

"Gonna...have a panic attack…"

With that, Marina let herself curl inwards, full body trembling as she desperately fought not to hyperventilate.

Chapter Text

Sun finally seemed to get with the program when she hid herself, his hands snatching her up off the counter, beelining for what she could only assume was the quiet corner.

As she felt her body press into the pillows, she realized the loud breathing she could hear was actually her own, though she couldn't feel it. She curled up tighter, laying on her side, fisting handfuls of hair within her fingers.

It hurt. It hurt and she needed it to stop. She tugged on her hair, desperate to feel something other than the panic rising in her chest.

She felt hands wrapping around hers, untangling her fingers before holding them still. She whined, her source of comfort removed, squirming against the hands.

"Marina, you can't do that. You'll hurt yourself."

Sun's voice was soft and gentle, but Marina could hardly hear it through her ears ringing and ragged breaths. She tugged at her hands again, desperate for something physical to combat the mental pain.

She soon felt something soft brush along her fingers. When she realized it was the Freddy bear again, she latched onto it, crushing it against her chest like it was her life preserver.

Eventually, the panicky feeling dulled down, leaving her exhausted and emotionless. She had to admit, she almost enjoyed the after effects of a heavy panic attack. The feeling of nothing was something to be cherished after so much hurt.

When she finally managed to unfurl her body a bit, she saw Sun, dutifully sitting next to her.

"There we are, Sunshine. Right as rain. Thank you for telling me you weren't feeling well."

Marina shrugged, her body numb, her tongue too heavy to speak.

"It's wonderful that you trust me with that information. It makes me so so SO happy. Especially when you let me help with something so big and scary."

Marina searched his face with her eyes, but otherwise didn't react, her body going limp.

"Oh Mari…"

She watched as Sun's head swiveled to Emmett, who looked worse for wear, his clothes and hair frazzled.

"I-I heard there was an incident. That...that someone hit you. I got here as fast as I could but…" Emmett looked down dejectedly. "Looks like I'm a little late to the party.

"It's not your fault Emmett." Sun answered, his hand coming up to run through Marina's hair. "You were doing your job, and they probably weren't in any hurry to inform you. You didn't do anything wrong, My Star"

Marina sighed, leaning into Sun's hand. When he released her hair from her braids, she didn't protest, melting at the feeling of his fingers combing out tangles.

Emmett seemed unsure, but nodded.

"Has she talked yet?"

Emmett always knew what had happened, even when she didn't tell him.

"No."

Marina watched as Emmett knelt next to Sun, tilting his head towards her.

"Let's do some grounding, yeah?"

She felt herself nod.

"Lit. What are five things you can feel?"

Marina didn't answer for a while, struggling to get her mouth to open. Struggling to regain control of her body. She growled in frustration.

"Easy there, short-stop. Take your time. You're in the middle of a factory reset."

Marina huffed a laugh, her lips eventually forming slurred but comprehensible words.

"Freddy, the pillows, Sunny's hand, cold air, tingly hands."

"Good job." Emmett said, taking her hands into his. "Four things you can see?"

Marina went through all of his questions until she felt well enough to roll onto her back, her legs splayed out amongst the pillows. Sun still continued to rub her head, which she appreciated. Emmett smiled at her.

"Welcome back."

"Thanks. I hate it here."

"At the pizzaplex or just the earth in general?"

"Yes. Kill me."

"Can't do that, sorry. Against best friend policy."

Marina groaned, lifting her head and allowing it to land back on the pillows with a sound "wump."

"That's bullshit."

"Language!"

Marina glanced at Sun, but otherwise didn't bother to defend herself. She didn't think he particularly cared about that right now.

"I assume you have to stay here until they tell you?"

"Yep."

"Wonderful. Do you want something to eat?"

"No."

Emmett visibly steeled himself.

"Allow me to rephrase. What food am I going to have the pleasure of shoving down your throat?"

"Don't care."

"Pizza it is."

Emmett stood up, stretching his arms over his head.

"Sun, please stay with her and make sure she doesn't do anything stupid, like apologizing. She almost always does that. And maybe give her some water."

"I can do that, yes yes yes!"

Marina watched Emmett go, leaving her alone with Sun once again.

Sun's hand continued to trail along her face, avoiding the angry purple skin surrounding her eye. She fought the urge to just crawl into his lap completely, sheltering herself from the world for a little while. Her face really fucking hurt, and she lost a lot of her self control when she was in pain.

In other words, she's a clingy bitch who doesn't want to be that way. She can handle things on her own. She already felt super weird being cared for as much as she had been today.

But pain is a devil, and soon, her desire for comfort began to outweigh her pride. She decided a compromise was fine, right? She sat up a bit, turning her body until her head faced Sun. She then let her head rest on his crossed legs, the artificial warmth there spreading to her cheek. She couldn't help but sigh in relief.

She tried not to look at Sun, unsure of how he would take it. He seemed surprised at first, his hands stopping their path through her now wild brown hair. When she had settled though, she heard the distinct sound of his rays spinning, causing her some embarrassment, but also allowing her to relax. Clearly he was fine with it if he was happy stimming.

Huh. She guessed that would be considered a stim, wouldn't it?

By the time Emmett came back, she was well on her way to falling asleep, her upper half slowly making its way more and more into Sun's lap.

"While this is super cute and all, I'm gonna need you to at least give eating the good ol' college try."

Marina groaned, curling herself into Sun.

"College is overrated. Look how much I'm using my degree right now."

"Shut up and eat. It's not like any of us are going anywhere right now. You can lay back down after."

At that, Marina caved, taking Emmett's hand as he pulled her to her feet.

"You may wanna take your contacts out before your eye swells up any more, by the way. I'm not sure you're gonna be able to get them out later."

"Yeaaaah. This is gonna fucking hurt, isn't it?"

"For sure. You got any painkiller you can take beforehand?"

"In my bag."

Marina managed to choke a slice of pizza down, pausing only to take the medicine offered by Emmett. When she finished her tiny water bottle, she sighed, rolling her shoulders. Emmett made a noise in sympathy.

"Do you need help?"

"No. I think I can do it. I just don't want to."

Marina decided on taking out her right contact first, since that eye wasn't literally pounded into her skull today. When it was out, she took a deep breath and moved on to her left.

Ok ouch.

The painkiller had dulled the ache down quite a bit, but messing with it hurt. She hissed a bit, curling her head back for a better angle.

By the time she finally got it out, tears had formed in the corners of her eyes, and it wasn't due to the prolonged eye touching.

"Fuck."

Emmett walked over, rubbing her shoulders.

"Yeah I figured that wouldn't be fun. You ok?

"I'm blind and my face feels like it's exploding from the inside."

"I take that as a maybe?"

Marina laughed a bit in spite of herself, rubbing tears away from her good eye.

"Unfortunately, I'll live."

Sun's voice cut in, sounding worried.

"I'd much rather you be alive, Sunshine. Don't you? It's no good if you don't, no no no!"

Marina, not wanting him to fret, gave him a little smile, trying to ignore the flustered feeling that had started at the nickname.

"Right now? No. But that'll change once everything calms down." She looked between her now very blurry friends with a sigh. "Now, can one of you help me back to the corner? I can't see it."

Emmett laughed, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as he walked her towards her desired destination.

"I forget you're blind as a bat."

"God had to give me some sort of handicap. Otherwise it would just be unfair."

"Shut up."

By the time they got there, Sun was already settled on the floor, seemingly ready to receive her once again. Marina didn't fight it this time, flopping her upper half back in its original position in his lap. She heard him chuckle, his hand rubbing her back.

"You did a good job, Sunshine. It must have hurt so so SO bad. But you did it. Good girl."

Marina let herself enjoy his attention until she was finally questioned, her injuries had been photographed, and she was cleared by Vanessa to go home. She may have been literally punched in the face by today, but somehow she felt lighter than she ever had.

She supposed letting her friends take care of it wasn't so bad.

Chapter Text

When Marina came in the next morning, Sun felt sadness zing through his processor.

She looked mostly normal on the outside. Her hair was in two neat French braids, her uniform was in order, and she walked with her usual straight posture.

However, half of her face was covered with a medical eye patch. She was also wearing glasses, their round frames something Sun had never seen on her before.

She clung to Emmett's arm, her fingers curled into the fabric of his sleeve as they made their way inside. It was clear that Marina was struggling a bit with her impaired vision, her shoulder leaning into Emmett as she anxiously followed along with his steps.

"Hello hello HELLO my friends!" Sun greeted, smiling down at each of them in turn. "It's wonderful to see you!"

Emmett smiled at him, giving a soft hello. It seemed he was a bit off today too, his body protectively pressed to Marina's.

Marina, on her part, offered him a wobbly smile. The "I don't want to be here right now" smile he had come to recognize. He hummed in sympathy.

I don't blame her. I wouldn't wanna be here either if some asshole decided my face was a punching bag.

Moony, language!

"Poor little Star. How are you feeling today?"

Upon being asked directly, her face crumpled, her freckled nose scrunching as she looked away.

"Apparently it's pretty painful." Emmett sighed, his eyes sad. "She took some painkillers, so hopefully that should help some. But God, if it hurts her, I can't even imagine. Her pain tolerance isn't low."

Marina huffed, offering them a small smirk.

"I'll be fine. My momma didn't raise a bitch."

Emmett laughed as Sun's language protocol sounded off.

"That she didn't, short-stop. You'll heal up just fine."

Emmett petted her head before waving goodbye to them, making his way to the door. Sun noticed that he walked extra slow today. It seemed he didn't want to leave her behind.

Sun would make sure to keep her safe this time.

When he was gone, Marina turned back to Sun.

"So. Corporate has stated I need to keep my eye covered so I don't scare any kids. I kind of agree--it looks nasty. However, that also means I can't see very well, so I'm probably going to struggle with things a bit more than usual. Sorry about that."

Sun frantically shook his head.

"No no NO, don't you worry about that! You just take it easy and do what you can! You need some time to heal up, yes yes yes!"

Marina looked unhappy about it, but nodded, wincing at what Sun assumed was the movement.

"Try to keep your head still, Sunshine. Especially if your medicine hasn't kicked in yet."

Marina blushed, looking away as she adjusted her glasses with her hand.

"O-Okay."

Did I do something wrong? She seems embarrassed.

Maybe it's because you've given her a cute little nickname, Sunny.

Sun felt his sensors jolt in surprise.

Oh oh OH I did! I didn't even notice!

Yep. You started that up when she was all upset yesterday. I think it's fun that she gets flustered by it.

It IS quite cute. Cute cute CUTE and sweet!

Sun reached out, petting her head instinctively. Marina responded favorably, sighing a bit in relief.

"If you need anything, let us know, yes?"

Sun watched as Marina went to nod, but stopped herself in time.

"Okay."

With that, he watched as she settled at her desk.

---

God damnit. Even the painkillers aren't taking care of it.

By the time Sun had started crafts with the children, Marina could feel her good eye straining, her head beginning to pound. She remembered having to wear eye patches as a kid one or twice, but somehow blocked out the fact that eye strain was a real problem when you forced one eye to work overtime.

She rolled her neck to release some tension, pressing two fingers into the muscles around her good eye. It offered a bit of relief, but not enough to soothe her entirely.

With a heavy sigh, she got up deciding she couldn't sit and wallow in the pain any longer. She needed a distraction.

She poked her head out, taking in the state of the daycare. Sun was currently cleaning up craft supplies, the children dispersing to do their own activities. The urge to curl into him for comfort surged through her, but she bit it back, instead choosing to wander into the kitchen for some ice. Her bruised eye didn't really hurt that much, but she could tell it was still pretty swollen.

It may not actually help much at this point, but the idea of the cold against her face sounded amazing.

She kept her hand a bit in front of herself in fear, walking a little slower than usual. She'd much rather look a little dumb walking if it meant she didn't eat shit.

She heard footsteps approaching her and turned her head, meeting Sun's faceplate.

"Where are you off to, little Star?"

Marina turned, pointing to the kitchen, before pointing again to her eye. She wasn't feeling the most verbal right now.

"Ice."

Sun nodded, his smile widening a bit.

"Ah, I see I see! Let me help you, yes yes yes!"

Marina didn't even have it in her to protest, so she said nothing as Sun lifted her off the ground, curling into him as he pressed her to his chest. As she relaxed, she noticed his grip tighten around her. For the first time today, she felt safe.

Sun was gentle when he placed her up on the counter. Marina was reluctant to let go of him, but she somehow managed to force herself to unlatch. After a few moments, Sun returned to her field of vision, an ice pack in hand.

"May I remove the patch? I'd like to check on the injury."

Marina fumbled at that, looking down at her hands. She could feel herself swaying as she played with her fingers.

"...it doesn't look great."

She could hardly stomach changing the bandages herself that morning. She felt a little self conscious showing her face to anyone else.

"That's alright. It needs to be monitored, anyhow. I can do that. I'm programmed to take care of injuries."

After some consideration, Marina nodded. This was something she unfortunately couldn't do herself. Not if she couldn't look at her own face.

"Good job. Thank you."

Marina lifted her head a bit at his prompting, allowing him to methodically remove her glasses and peel off the patch covering the left side of her face. She didn't bother to attempt opening her eye any further--it was mostly swollen shut anyway.

Sun made a sympathetic noise, his eyes narrowing with sadness. His faceplate twitched, as if he was fighting the urge to turn it upside down. Marina refused to look him in the eye.

"That's a bad ouchie, Sunshine. You've got quite a bit of swelling."

Marina sighed in resignation, jerking a bit in surprise as the cold pack made contact with her skin. Sun seemed to expect this, his other hand coming around to cup the back of her head.

After a few moments, she did start to feel a little better, letting her good eye slip closed with a hum.

For a few minutes, they just sat there, Sun absently stroking the back of her head. Marina let herself enjoy it for a bit, too tired and hurt to fight her desire for comfort.

Eventually, Sun moved the ice away, carefully placing a new patch around her face. His fingers were gentle, careful not to press too hard on bruised skin. Marina hummed in thanks.

With that, Marina hopped off the counter, making her way back to her station. She wanted to get today over with.

All throughout the day, she noticed Sun kept checking on her, though he was trying to hide it. It made her chest feel strangely warm

Chapter Text

Moon couldn't help but be on high alert.

All throughout the day, Sun had been keeping watchful eyes on their security guard. He fretted within the headspace, worried that she needed something. Worried that she would get hurt.

Considering they shared the headspace, it was hard not to feel anxious too.

That wasn't to say he didn't feel nervous at all on his own. Watching Marina get bashed in the head was not an experience he ever wanted to have again.

He wanted to jump to the front and beat that man until he begged for mercy.

He felt satisfied when he watched Marina slam the man to the ground, but it wasn't quite enough. He wanted that man to suffer more than just one throw and a few knees to his back. He wanted him to suffer more, much more than she had or would continue to.

Please please PLEASE check on her Moony. She's been so quiet today. She must feel AWFUL.

Alright, alright. Give me a minute.

Moon focused on the children, giving moondrop candies and soft lullabies to the ones still struggling to fall asleep. He always took his job seriously, his programming aching to help the little stars in any way that he could.

When they were all asleep, he made his way to the security office.

He loved to bother Marina. It was one of his favorite pastimes. He really enjoyed bothering just about anybody, but she was especially fun. She was the type to give it right back, insulting Moon to his face on a regular basis. She wouldn't put up with his shit without a good honest fight. He liked that about her, even if it got annoying when something actually needed to be done.

Games were more fun with two players.

When he got to the door, he peered in, knowing that it always creeped her out if he stared at her without speaking. Especially if it took her a second to notice.

This time it didn't take long. Perhaps she had noticed that they had been watching her all day, or maybe it was because her good eye was the one closest to the door, but she turned, her mouth turning into a grimace.

"Weirdo."

Moon laughed, pushing his body through the doorframe so that he could leer over her.

"Hello to you too, Little Star."

Marina's face filled with color, making Moon's smirk widen. He didn't usually use nicknames on her, but now that he'd seen her reaction to Sun's, he couldn't resist. "Little Star" sounded different coming from him, apparently, considering Sun's use of the endearment hardly phased her now.

"What d'ya want?"

Moon took in her expression, his eyes flicking over her carefully. She had her face propped in her hand, her other rubbing at her good eye in slow circles. He could tell she was trying to mask it, but she was definitely in pain. He scanned her.

Warning: severe eye bruising, left eye
Warning: mild knee bruising, right knee
Warning: moderate eye strain, right eye

Knee bruising?

"You bruised your knee?" Moon asked, trying to ignore Sun's incessant worry bubbling in the back of the head space.

Marina seemed surprised by the question, before her indifferent face changed to that of a smirk.

"Little bit, yeah. It's from ramming my leg into that guy's back over and over again. Guess I was a bit rough."

I'm so proud of her

Moony! Violence is bad!

There was a short pause before Sun continued.

But I'm kinda glad it happened, also.

There we go Sunny! Baby's first craving for violence.

MOON.

Moon hummed, leaning his back against the door frame.

"Maybe, but he deserved it, so I guess it's fine."

Marina's smirk widened, a little happy hum escaping her.

That happiness was quickly dashed though, her hand pressing harder into the side of her head.

"It still hurts? Have you taken anything else for it?"

Marina nodded, rolling her neck back and forth.

"Just dosed myself with painkillers again. Funny thing is, it's my good eye that hurts, not the bruised one. Guess it doesn't like working double time."

Moon clicked his neck joint, leaning into her personal space.

"Poor Little Star. Need me to put you down for a nap?"

Moon teased her about that all the time. He knew it embarrassed her greatly, especially since it had actually happened once. She found it mortifying, and always responded with a resounding "no," accompanied by a dark blush.

This time, however, he didn't receive an answer right away. Shock filled his systems, his processor whirring as he tried to figure out what to do.

Wait…is she considering it?

ASK AGAIN ASK AGAIN ASK AGAIN ASK--

JESUS FUCK, FINE!

Moon did his best to block out Sun's excited babbling, leaning closer to Marina, who now refused to look his way.

"...Little Star?"

Marina flinched, her hands scratching up and down the desk as she swayed in place. He and Sun both knew that swaying meant discomfort at this point.

He was about to speak up again when the softest of answers came to him.

"...I'm tired."

Her voice was so small and gentle. She sounded sincere, but nervous. It made his programming
burst into action, his voice dropping from the one he used with her normally, to the one he used with his charges.

"Then, shall we go rest?"

Marina paused again, her scratching increasing in intensity. Even with her face turned, he could tell she was biting her lip, her jaw locked.

Why must our humans always feel so bad about caring for themselves! Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR!

Capitalism or whatever, I guess.

Moon put one of his hands on her shoulder, massaging it gently. Her body relaxed a bit at his touch.

"I know taking a nap on the clock makes you stressed, but you also took a fist to the face on the clock. I feel you've earned a little rest."

Moon heard a little huff of a laugh. She was cracking.

"So?"

After a few seconds, Marina turned her chair to face him, her face tilted towards her lap.

Then she extended her arms to him.

Well. That's a new one.

IF YOU DON'T PICK HER UP RIGHT THIS INSTANT--

LIKE I WOULDNT!

As soon as Moon came out of his shock, he reached down, plucking her from the chair and pulling her to him.

It seems that was all she needed.

Marina wrapped herself around him, her legs crossing at the back of his torso. She rested her cheek on his chestplate, one hand clutching at the fabric around his neck.

Oh. My. GOODNESS! MOONY! MOONY SHE'S LETTING YOU HELP! THIS IS SO EXCITING--

Yeah yeah yeah it's very exciting. Can you please stop screaming?

Moon had to admit though, this was a situation he never thought he'd see. Marina was trusting him. Being vulnerable. She guarded herself pretty strongly, after all, and even Sunny hadn't gotten quite this far. It brought Moon a sort of satisfaction he had never felt before. A strange sense of protectiveness filled him.

So he got to work.

Before leaving the security room, he picked up Marina's bag, giving it a quick squeeze. There was definitely a plushie in there.

He took it with him, slinging the string bag onto his shoulder before replacing his hand on her back, rubbing slow circles.

He hadn't put a mat down for her, so he opted to place her amongst the pillows that always stayed in the quiet corner. She seemed reluctant to release him, making him chuckle quietly to her.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm just getting you settled."

At his words, Marina slowly unhooked herself, allowing him to create a nest of pillows around her. He went to the corner and grabbed one of the spare star blankets, bringing it back and pulling it over her small body. She seemed to find the tucking in motion amusing, her lips twitching in a happy smile, as if holding back giggles.

Moony it's too much I'm gonna overheat us--

Don't. I'm not finished yet.

Moon pulled her bag to himself, his fingers immediately finding the soft body of a plush toy. This one was different then the one before, a black cat with a pink collar labeled "Edgar."

A happy hum came from her at the sight of the plush, her hands extending to take it.

"Ed."

Moon handed over the toy, which she curled her body around gratefully.

"He's not quite as good as the real one..." She said, a yawn breaking up her sentence. "But he's still good."

"The real one?"

Marina hummed in affirmation, nuzzling into the plush's cheek.

"I have a real cat named Edgar at home. It's funny, 'cause we match now. He only has one eye."

Moon remembered her mentioning a cat before, but he had never known his name.

"Well then. It seems he's the perfect nap companion."

Marina nodded, her fingers working patterns into his fur. She already seemed to be feeling a little better, and she hadn't even slept any yet.

Moon started up his music box, the tinkling noise filling the quiet air around them. A contented sigh let him know that he had made the right choice. Marina shifted so she was laying prone, her plush squished between her body and the floor. Edgar's head filled the space between her shoulder and her cheek.

She did the same thing last time. She must be a stomach sleeper.

Moon moved one of his hands to her back, starting up again with the circles. He kept his movements predictable and sure, afraid that changing his pattern may wake her up. She was very sensitive to tactile stimulation.

Within a minute or two, however, she was out, her breathing slow as she sunk into a deeper sleep.

He reached down, unhooking her glasses from her ears and setting them aside, along with her bag.

There. Now you can do whatever you want.

MOONY!

Sun started in immediately, his words melding together as he babbled. He was so excited, Moon worried he may accidentally shove himself to the front. If he were human, Moon would have asked him about his air flow.

Ok Ok Ok. You're excited. I'm happy for you. But if you don't slow down, you may genuinely overheat us and that would be annoying to deal with.

Sorry.

Sun still crackled with energy, but seemed to be doing his best to soothe himself. For that, Moon was grateful. Maybe now he could relax.

As he settled back into his rocking chair, he let his eyes sweep over the room, his gaze locking on his newest member.

She won't be put in danger again. Never.

Chapter Text

Marina had made it through the rest of that day without a hitch. The nap had really helped, though she vowed never to bring it up again. Just the idea of how helpless she must have looked made her nauseous.

That brought along the self doubt again, it's talons tightened around her chest. She hated not being useful, even if it was for an hour nap. She also hated showing her needy side. With both of those two things comprising most of the past few days, she felt the desire to just die.

That is precisely what led her to fucking up.

She was really starting to get annoyed with the vision thing. She tried her best, but the lack of depth perception really threw her off. She now understood why her cat didn't land on his feet like the other ones.

Dropping things, tripping herself, even missing when she tried to grab a pen felt like a personal insult. Her patience was wearing thin.

Dropping a box of craft supplies was the last straw.

"Fucking stupid." She grumbled, leaning to try grabbing the box again.

"Language!"

Marina jumped at the sound of Sun's voice. She had been pretty quiet with her remark. She wasn't expecting him to hear it.

Well fuck.

"What's stupid, Marina?"

Me her brain supplied, but she knew that wasn't the answer Sun would want. So she changed it.

"This box. It's heavy and apparently my eyes don't want to work with me."

"You're lying to me, Marina."

Ok wait WHAT?

Calm down. It's fine. Act innocent. You know nothing.

"...what?"

"You're lying. You have a tell, I've noticed. Lying is very naughty, Marina."

She was really missing the pet names now. Him saying her name like that was really not working for her. It made her feel small. Also, a tell? She'd need to figure that one out at some point.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I'm gonna finish getting this box to the supply room. Do you need anything while I'm in there?"

She didn't even have a chance to turn before a hand came to grip her shoulder, firm and foreboding.

"You're Bugs Bunnying me."

FUCK EMMETT.

Marina knew she was caught. He'd seen right through her, smacking down every idea she had. It was a strange feeling to be had. No one had really bothered to fight her this long. But she really didn't wanna do this right now.

Marina stayed silent, noting she had at some point begun swaying back and forth. She brought one hand up to grip her arm tight. She felt her nails stabbing into skin.

"Marina. Answer me properly this time. What were you saying was stupid?"

Marina bit her lip, her digging fingernails now scratching anxiously up the length of her arm.

"Me." Her voice came out much smaller than she'd ever heard it, her chin tucked so as not to meet his eyes. She wanted nothing to do with disappointed looks, even with Sunny's limited facial movement.

Silence met her. She bit harder on her lip, a bead of blood dribbling around her mouth. That's what ended up breaking the tension.

"Fuck."

"Language!"

Marina scowled, her hand coming up to press against her lip. Blood came away with her fingers. She threw her hand back over her face. She really didn't need blood on her white shirt.

"Oh dear!"

Sun seemed surprised out of his stupor, grabbing her wrist as opposed to her shoulder as he led her to the first aid room. Normally she would argue that going there was overkill for a split lip, but she figured fighting him any more wouldn't end well. When he pushed her down into the patient's chair, she stayed put.

A damp paper towel came up to meet her. She tried to take it--she could hold a paper towel by herself-- but Sun denied her, pushing her hand gently away.

"You mustn't bite your lip so much, no no no! I can see your teeth marks indented in your skin."

Sun's eyes went blue, his programming most likely scanning her for any other injuries.

"...let me see your arm. The left one, please."

Marina knew what had happened without him needing to look. She scratched a lot when she was upset. Tables, walls, skin, whatever she could find, she dug her nails into.

She had probably made marks this time.

Marina didn't fight him, allowing him to roll up her sleeve. The inside of her arm looked fine, the bright ink of her Helluva Boss tattoo popping off of her skin. The other side, however, held irritated skin, angry red scratches and blotches going up from mid forearm to mid upper arm.

Yikes.

"Wow. Doing great today." Marina huffed quietly, irritated out of her mind. She really was just fucking up everything, wasn't she.

Sun didn't respond, only spraying some disinfectant on the area before replacing the sleeve. A scratch that had no blood really didn't need anything in her opinion, but she had well decided that her opinion was garbage at the moment.

"Thanks." She said softly, watching her fidgeting fingers in order to keep them from moving to her arm again. She must have been biting her nails earlier, the edges jagid as she ran her fingers over them.

Marina had a feeling they weren't done here, so she didn't even bother to move as she heard the clicking of Sun getting down closer to her level.

"Marina. What's gotten into you? You're usually such a good girl…"

Marina scoffed before she could stop herself.

"...do you think you aren't?"

Marina's mouth opened without her consent, her mind tumbling into depression mode. It had been a long time since she had last fallen this deep into self hate. She could feel her lip curling in disgust.

"Never have been, not even when I was small. I was just annoying and needy." Marina sighed, her teeth clenching.

"And I haven't changed. All I've been is needy. I've been helped with every damn task recently. I can't even change bandages on my own, apparently. Or stop myself from biting a hole in my lip."

Her nails found her arm again, the pain effectively distracting her from her emotions. Her back hunched as she began to sway.

"I don't understand why you even feel the need to try with this self love stuff. It's not like I'm gonna suddenly become likable. What do you even stick around for? I only stay with me because I don't have a choice." Marina looked up, her body and mind feeling separated. "Is it because you want a pet? I've done that one before. I can act cute and cuddly. I can act silly and stupid to make you feel good about yourself. I can do whatever activities you like so that I don't cause any trouble."

Marina felt like she was going down the slide again, just like her first day in the daycare. Only, this time wasn't nearly as fun.

"I can be a punching bag. Take your frustrations out on me. I've done that one too. Insult me, keep me low. Remind me I'm incapable of doing things on my own because I'm neurodivergent and childish, and how annoying it is to accommodate me."

She couldn't feel the pain in her arm anymore.

"Or, you can just actively loath me. Tell me I'm weird or disgusting. Single me out for not being like everyone else, and use that as an excuse to outcast me. Tell me I need to 'grow up' and get over myself. I like that one best--at least it's honest."

Marina tilted her head, her eyes locked on Sun. He had been silent her entire rant, the whole thing coming out in a cold, monotone voice. Somewhere in her head she knew she would regret over sharing, but right now it didn't matter.

"What kind of Marina do you want?"

When she finally stopped, her world filled with sweet silence. She felt distant, like she was floating around in the sky, rather than in her pained body. She waited for Sun to respond.

She could become whatever he wanted. She could do what he needed her to do. Being agreeable is how she made friends. Being what they wanted made them want to keep her.

She would do anything to keep Sun, she realized.

She was very surprised when she was suddenly pulled into Sun's lap.

At some point during her little daydream, he must have sat down on one of the stools, his legs awkwardly long, even with it adjusted to the tallest height. Regardless, there he sat, Marina settled on his legs. His arms wrapped around her tightly, her chest pressed up against his as he moved his faceplate to the upside down position.

"Who did this to you, Sunshine?"

That line made Marina crash back into reality. To her aching body.

She had...really just said all of that?

Marina could feel Sun trembling underneath her, his legs jittery. Though he was very hyperactive by nature, it was clear to her that it wasn't pent up play energy this time.

She considered not answering his question, but realized at this point there was no point. She had already spilled her guts.

"...lots of people. Kids in school. Ex friends. Teachers. Coworkers."

Sun jumped at the last one, his hands pulling her back so he could see her face.

"Do your coworkers do that here!?"

Marina huffed a laugh, looking away.

"No. I haven't given them the chance. I haven't talked to any of the other security guards, aside from Vanessa and the other shift leads. I'm required to talk to them."

Sun was quiet again, holding onto her tightly. If she didn't know better, she would almost say it was protective. She let her head fall back to his chestplate, her body curling against his. If she was going to be stuck here, she should at least be comfortable. She absently fiddled with the fabric around his neck.

Eventually, he spoke.

"Sunshine, I don't want you to be someone other than yourself. I want to get to know you for you, not for what you can give me. The only thing I want from you is your friendship."

Marina felt tears springing into her eyes. She pressed her face against his torso in an attempt to hide it.

He was trying to be nice, but...

"I don't know who I am anymore."

It came out so naturally, so simply that she didn't even need to think. One of the things she ignored most...was herself.

"Then we'll get to know you together."

Marina continued to bite back tears as they sat together. Sun sounded so sure, so determined, that Marina almost believed him.

Chapter Text

Yo, what the fuck.

Language!

But no really. What happened to her? How many people failed her for that to happen? ...Does Emmett have similar issues?

Sun filed that last question away in his mind. That was a good thing to investigate. If they were both dealing with self love issues, it was probably important to know where they stemmed from. Being that his two coworkers were full grown adults, their reasons were a bit more complicated than those of a five year old child.

It's not like he hadn't noticed the behavior before...he just didn't know how deep she was in. That she did it at least somewhat on purpose. That she felt it was a necessity to keep people close.

Sun had sat in that stool for quite some time, just holding Marina close. He was surprised she didn't complain about the hug being too tight. Eventually, though, she forced him away, saying she had to get back to work. Since then, she hadn't left the security office again.

Taking this sort of issue on would be biting off way more than he could chew. He could do simple exercises, he could encourage good behaviors, and he could do his best to listen to her when she wanted to talk. He couldn't heal this sort of trauma. He had no idea how to even process the fact that she had felt forced to do such things in the name of friendship.

It's not your battle to fight, Sunny. You're a friend, not a therapist. The best you can do is be her friend and have her back when she needs it...and maybe help her self-care. You are a caretaker, after all.

Sun knew he was right, but that didn't make it an easier pill to swallow. It was in his nature to want to care for people. To help in any way he could. Being helpless to a situation made his processors go into overdrive with anxiety.

Eventually, Emmett arrived, his voice its normal, chipper tone. Only then did Marina come out.

One glance at her and Emmett flipped like a switch.

"Heya...you doin' ok, doll?"

Marina hummed in response, her eyes unfocused and hazy. She absently fidgeted with her fingers, moving them in circular patterns. Emmett squinted a bit before sighing.

"...you're not really in there, are ya?"

Marina hummed in a negative this time, her body lightly bouncing in place.

"What do you mean, 'in there?'" Sun asked.

"She's disassociating. Not sure how much you know about mental health stuff, but it's essentially a thing that happens with stress. Sometimes it makes the person feel like they're not in their own body, which can make it hard for them to talk or be present in conversation."

Sun would need to do more research on that later. He filed the term away, feeling Moon already looking through their data for answers within the headspace.

Emmett grabbed Marina's arm.

"Can you feel me touching you?"

Marina looked at him, her glassy eyes confused. She followed his arm to her own before turning back.

"Take that as a no." Emmett sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "Jesus, you don't usually get this bad. Usually you just kinda pull yourself out before you fully sink. What happened, short-stop?"

Marina, as Sun expected, said nothing.

Emmett pulled her to him, sitting her down in one of the craft table chairs. He then retrieved Marina's bag, fishing through it until he found Edgar. He placed Edgar in her lap, which she immediately found interest in, her fingers petting his fur.

"Mari, let's go through some grounding techniques, ok?"

Marina nodded a bit.

"Good. What are five things you can feel?"

Marina didn't answer for quite some time, her body gently bouncing in the chair. Emmett waited patiently, his hands holding onto her shoulders. Eventually though, a spark of clarity came into her eyes. She twitched a bit, her lips attempting to open.

Apparently disassociating looks different depending on the person or even the trigger. He said she usually doesn't get this bad, so maybe she has milder symptoms typically.

Oh dear OH DEAR! It seems like the self love issue really sent her in deep...I hope I'm not making it worse.

You do what you do for her own good, Sun. But we will need to ask about her boundaries and triggers. If she wants to share, that is.

The sound of Marina's voice brought Sun back to his surroundings.

"...chair, shirt, eye patch, hair on my ear, and your hand."

There were pauses in between her words, and she couldn't quite form a full sentence, but it was a start. Emmett asked her more questions, which Sun took care to remember. By the time Emmett finished, she seemed a lot more present.

Emmett sighed in relief.

"Jeez Mari, ya scared me there for a second. You feeling OK? Did you forget to take your medication or something?"

"No, I took it."

"Then, do you know what the trigger was?"

"Yes."

Marina didn't specify further, her one word answer hanging in the air. Emmett's head tipped in silent question, but Marina seemed unwilling to respond.

Emmett sighed, shaking his head.

"Ok. Well, so long as you're OK, that's all that matters. I do hope you resolved whatever the trigger was, though."

Marina huffed through her nose, a cynical look on her face.

"Neither of us have."

So it is a shared problem.

Emmett's own eyes grew guarded, an arm coming to wrap around his chest, almost like he was hugging himself. Discomfort radiated off of him.

"Ah."

"Yeah. I kinda wish you'd have just left me in the ether that is my head."

"I'm sorry, but you know I can't do that. It's not healthy. You can't disassociate away from the feelings forever."

Ok but I hate not being in on the drama.

MOON. This is serious!

I realize that. But I'm also nosy.

Silence dragged on after that until Marina suggested the two head home. As the doors closed, Sun felt his coding twist in anxiety.

What do I even do here?

---

Good news: Marina felt relatively normal the next day.

Bad news: Sun's hovering again.

She knew this was going to happen. She had really overdone it with the sharing thing, and now he was treating her like a porcelain doll. Like any little thing would break her. She hated it when people acted like that towards her.

Normally, her mental health wasn't nearly this bad. There had just been a lot of compounding factors recently that led up to this point. Getting punched in the face was step one to a real nasty fall.

Regardless, Marina continued to ignore Sun for as long as she could, but…

It was getting ridiculous.

Finally, after the fifth time of her catching him looking at her within ten minutes, she stood up from her chair, her mission clear.

Dear lord, he needs to stop looking at me like that.

"Sun, can you help me get more glitter glue down from the top shelf? I'd rather not get on a ladder at the moment."

Sun's smile widened.

"Sure thing, Sunshine!"

Yeah. That was still a bit flustering too, but at least it was the nice kind.

As soon as Marina had him in the supply room, she let the kid friendly facade drop.

"Dude. You gotta stop with the looks."

Sun paused, turning towards her.

"...what?"

"You keep looking at me. Checking on me. Over and over again. I can see you, ya know. It's my job to see everything." Marina let out a huff, glaring at him. "I'm not just gonna burst into flames or break like a glass figure. I'm fine. It's fine. Just because my eye is fucked up or my head is fucked up doesn't mean I need you breathing down my neck."

"Language!"

"Fuck."

"Language!"

Marina bit back the urge to just set the language protocol off over and over again. For some reason she felt a bit of satisfaction over being able to potentially annoy him with it.

No no. Sunny is nice and doesn't deserve your desire for chaos. Save that for Moon.

"I'm an adult." Marina stated, her hands finding her hips. "22 years old. Don't you think maybe I should be able to handle myself at least a little bit? I may have control issues, but you do too. The only difference is you want to help me too much, and I don't want to be helped at all."

Admitting fault was kind of weird to do out loud, but she was so tired of it all that she didn't particularly care. She was not going to let this growth thing be one sided. Emmett was right. "We grow together."

"I realize you're a caretaker, but ya gotta let me go a little bit. I existed before I worked here and I was able to function. I'm not gonna die."

Probably. She added internally.

Sun was silent, his neck clicking a bit as he registered her words. Perhaps he was chatting with Moon. He did that a lot.

"Okay, Sunny?"

Sun seemed to come back to the sound of his name, his voice box hushed when he answered.

"But what happens if you get hurt again?"

Marina hadn't expected that answer.

Did he blame himself for what happened to her? She wouldn't be surprised, considering he felt the need to mother everything to death. She had been so focused on her own issues, she had failed to see his. She knew what she had to do.

Her hand came up to rest on his faceplate.

"I'm gonna get hurt again. It's inevitable, especially in this line of work. That isn't, nor will it ever be, your fault. Just like my broken ass mind isn't your fault. I've been in and out of mental health programs since I was young enough to be in daycare myself. That's not something that you need to feel guilty over, and I most certainly don't expect you to fix it. If it were that easy, it would have been done by now."

Marina took a deep breath, looking him in his eyes.

"The only thing I want from you is your friendship." She said, mirroring his sentiment from the day before.

Sun's neck joints creaked again, seemingly processing her words. She waited patiently, her hand resting on his "cheek."

"...okay, Sunshine. I can do that. I can always do that."

Marina felt her lips twitch into a smile, fighting with herself not to get teary eyed.

"Thank you, darlin'."

Chapter Text

"We need to have a chat, Little Star."

Marina looked up, watching as Moon took his place leaning in the door frame. She swallowed, feeling wary. It had only been a few days since she and Sun had also had a "chat."

This sounded very much like a thing Marina didn't want.

"...what kind of chat?"

Moon seemed to pick up on her nervous energy, adjusting his posture so that he was closer to her level. That made her even more anxious.

That meant it was serious.

"Boundaries."

Marina stopped dead, apprehension replaced with confusion. She tilted her head.

"Boundaries?"

"Yes. Sunny is a nice guy, but he struggles to have these types of conversations. He doesn't wanna make anybody uncomfortable."

Moon's faceplate shifted, tilting to the left as his smirk widened.

"I, on the other hand, don't care. I'm fine with making you have uncomfortable little talks. So we're gonna have this one."

Marina did feel uncomfortable, but she hid it behind a smirk.

"Awwww! Moonyyyy! You do care about me! Look at you, asking about boundaries. Such a sweetheart."

Moon's head spun, one of his arms coming up to clutch his shoulder.

She had flustered him. Satisfaction coursed through her, her smirk widening.

"Moony, darlin'! Are you embarrassed?"

"Shut up. You're not gonna 'Bugs Bunny' me or whatever."

"That wasn't a no."

Marina leaned forward, now in the mood for some chaos. And maybe to stall.

"Hey, I thought of a new game when I was talking with Sunny earlier."

Moon tipped his head, his neck creaking as he started creepily hovered over her.

"Oh? I'd love to hear about it after--"

"Fuck."

"Language!"

Marina felt a mischievous energy bubble within her, her smile curling at the edges.

"Why would you--"

"Shit."

"Language!"

Marina couldn't help it. She laughed, a hand coming up to muffle the sound.

"See? Isn't it fun?"

"Marina--"

"Bitch."

"Language!"

Marina did her best to keep her laughing quiet, looking up at Moon, who looked pissed. His faceplate was upside down, something Marina had never seen before.

"It sucks when someone is being annoying when you're trying to do something, doesn't it?"

Moon was absolutely livid. Marina was living for it. Even as Moon gripped onto her chair, pulling her towards him, she still couldn't help but think it was worth it.

"Listen you brat." He growled out, his faceplate inches from her. "We are going to have this talk, whether you like it or not. Either you play nice, or we go through this every single day until you do."

"Annoying you like this every day forever? Sign me up, my dude."

"That's it!"

Marina let out a startled noise as she was lifted up, her body slung over Moon's shoulder before she had time to react. Within seconds, she was on the floor, pinned beneath him. She struggled against him, but he was heavy, and she had little to no hope of moving him.

"I figured as much. You're really good when you have the upper hand, but when you're the one pinned? You're stuck. That's how little ones work."

Marina growled at him, her hands coming up in an attempt to fight him off. She was easily foiled, though, her two hands pinned in just one of his.

"Maybe it's not because I'm small, but because you're fucking huge."

"Language!"

"Fuck."

"Language!"

Moon practically hissed the second protocol, pressing his weight harder against her hands as he loomed. She heard him kick the security door closed.

"So sorry, but it's probably about to get rather loud, so we're gonna need to keep that shut."

Marina paused in her struggle, staring up at him in confusion.

"Wait, why is it gonna b--"

Before she finished speaking, his other hand came down on her stomach, tickling with vigor.

Ah.

That's why.

Marina squeaked in surprise, struggling harder against him. She clamped her mouth shut, but a few giggles none the less spilled out, her lip twitching as she fought him.

Moon looked positively feral.

"It's like you with Emmett." Moon said simply, his fingers not stopping, "I can't kill ya, but there are consequences to be had. I'm just taking a page out of your book. You understand, right?"

Marina continued struggling, growling in frustration when she couldn't get free.

Taunting it is.

"Aw Moony!" She babbled between giggles, her feet kicking behind him in agony. "You're playing with me? How sweet! Does that mean we're friends now?"

She knew it was the wrong move, but dammit, she couldn't go down without a fight.

Moon confirmed her suspicions by releasing her wrists in favor of tickling with both hands.

She could see why Emmett was begging when she did this.

She broke, squeaky laughter filling the room as a heavy blush formed on her face. She hated the way her more hysterical laughter sounded.

"Gotta admit, Little Star. I may be annoyed with your inability to shut up, but this is a good look for you. Your laugh is awfully cute."

Marina wanted to die.

"Is not!" She protested, her hysteria worsening as he continued to tear her resolve apart. This was both physical and mental torture at this point.

"Is so."

"Is N-NO--"

Her protest was cut off by a squeal as she jolted upwards, followed by desperate laughter.

Perfect. He'd somehow managed to get under her arms. She was now doomed.

Clamping her arms down did nothing to stop him, his smirk as wide as it could be.

"I think I've hit the jackpot. Would you like to stay here, or have that conversation now?"

Marina hated to admit it, but she couldn't take much more. After giving squirming free one last try, she slammed her hand on the floor three times.

"OK OK OK I'LL TALK!" She whimpered, trying to curl in on herself. "JUST STOP!"

Moon listened, his hands immediately removing themselves from her. He did, however, continue to hover over her, seemingly worried about her running out on her end of the deal.

"Perfect. I knew you'd see things my way."

Marina flipped him off, coughing a bit as she attempted to calm down.

"Now that's not very nice!"

"Go...fuck yourself."

"Language!"

"Bitch."

"Language!"

Marina gave him the tiniest smirk, happy with herself.

"Keep it up. I can start again just as easily."

Marina stayed quiet after that.

Chapter Text

After she had calmed down a bit, Moon picked Marina up off the floor, placing her back in her chair.

Moony that was so CUTE

Shut up.

She's right! You were playing!

SHUT. UP.

Her laugh is so SWEET yes yes yes! So young sounding.

Moon couldn't disagree with that, so he just opted to say nothing.

Marina, on her part, seemed a little less stressed than before his attack, though perhaps that was simply exhaustion. He knew humans tended to be easily worn down by physical activity, and she had put quite a bit of effort into fighting him.

Moon took some time to pull a stool into the small space for himself, pressing his back against the wall so he could jut his legs outward. Normal sized chairs weren't really built for them.

When he closed the door again, he heard Marina sigh in resignation before looking up at him.

"Ok. What are you wanting to discuss?"

While she didn't seem fully on board with talking, Moon at least appreciated her desire to hear him out.

"Ok. So, a few days ago you and Sunny had an...interesting conversation."

Marina tensed, her eyes flicking away momentarily before refocusing on him.

"So we figured it would be good to talk about what types of boundaries or triggers you may have. Clearly, something made you upset. We'd rather not have that happen again. You understand?"

Marina nodded, her face now fully turned away from him, her brows knitted together.

"So." Moon finished, his neck clicking as he readjusted his face plate into a tilt. "Clearly you don't need to share anything you don't want to, but, would you be willing to give us an idea of what we need to avoid?"

Marina was quiet, her fingers fidgeting back and forth as she swayed a bit. Her teeth sunk into her lower lip, the previous wound still visible as the skin became taunt.

"You're biting your lip."

Moon leaned up, tapping her cheek with his finger. She jerked, her hand automatically coming up to grip his.

"T-That's one."

Moon paused, his faceplate tilting in confusion.

"I--"

Marina looked down a bit, her voice going soft.

"N-Not really mentioning this for me, but for you. You sneak up on me all the time which, while terrifying, is fine for the most part. But--"

Marina rubbed the back of her head with her free hand.

"Touching me when I'm not looking at you or expecting it is a bad idea. You've been around me long enough to know in a fight or flight situation, I'm a fight. If you sneak up on me like that--"

A soft laugh escaped her.

"I swing. Which ends in you with a solid dent, and me with a broken hand. I've thought about it before, but figured I'd be able to control myself. So far so good with not totally taking y'all out, but, it's a lot harder than I thought, apparently."

Seems she's worried about damaging us.

Oh oh OH! How sweet of her! Though, I can't help but think there's more to it than that…

Moon agreed, but decided not to press the issue.

"Okay." Moon replied, moving his hand a bit in her grasp. When she noticed, she immediately loosened her grip to release him. "Anything else?"

The fidgeting was back in full force. It seemed she was struggling to figure out what she was comfortable with disclosing. Moon resisted the urge to scan her, fearing it would make her feel intimidated.

"We don't need to know why." Moon supplied, hoping to ease her mind. "Just what we should avoid."

Marina reached up and gripped her arm, but her mouth opened nonetheless.

"I'm sure you already know, but, loud noises. Especially s-slamming doors or similar sounds. Luckily, there aren't many doors that we close manually here, so..."

Moony--

I said we wouldn't ask why, so we won't. Even if we wanna know.

"Um…" Marina fidgeted. "Sorry, it's kinda hard to explain, but…"

She gripped her arm tighter.

"I already said that my past experiences with people have been…not great." She murmured, her fingers twitching. Her eyes got a bit glassy as she continued to speak. "I don't think there's much to be done in terms of avoiding those triggers, since I don't really understand what they are myself yet… and it's kind of an ongoing issue."

"As in, you're still treated poorly in some way?"

Moon's voice came out much more angry than he had meant it to, his hands clenched into fists.

Marina biting into her lip again gave him all the answers he needed.

"Im...a neurodivergent in a neurotypical world." She said simply, her shoulders shrugging. "I try to avoid behaviors that out me to others, but masking for long periods of time can be taxing. The longer I'm socializing, the harder it gets. Which makes me frustrated, and then..." Marina pauses, eyes locked on her arm as she loosened her grip on it. "Things like what happened the other day with Sun occur."

"Behaviors?"

Marina nodded, still watching her hand.

"Some of it isn't on purpose. I know that mimicking people is a pretty common thing people with autism do in order to look more 'normal,' and I'm aware I do that, even when I'm not trying. But I do try in other ways. The stims I do in public are much more subdued than those I would do at home alone, and I don't really bring out plushies or stim toys around other people."

She looked up again, her eyes dull.

"The easiest thing really is just being agreeable. Be nice and people will usually leave you alone, ya know? Even if you do a few little things that feel 'off' to the average person."

What happens when they don't leave her alone?

Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR! Moony…

I said I wouldn't---

I know, but, maybe---

No. She will only disclose what she wants to. I'm honestly a bit surprised she gave us this much. I'll take what I can get.

…

Moon nodded slowly, making notes in her profile as she spoke.

"Then, we can just play it by ear?"

Marina nodded, her eyes beginning to look a bit less focused.

"Yeah. Pretty much, if I'm out of the office for more than a few hours at a time, I'm in the danger zone. So if I continue to break off as usual, there shouldn't be too many issues. Unless, ya know, I get fucking punched in the eye. That's made it about three times harder to function, both physically and socially."

Poor Star! That eye injury really has her down. Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR!

"Luckily, that issue will heal soon." Moon replied, keeping his voice calm and soothing. It was clear to him that she was becoming a bit upset again. "Anything else?"

Marina slowly shook her head.

"No, I don't think so." She replied, her voice soft. Moon jumped in surprise as she suddenly shook her head back and forth rapidly.

"Nope. No. We aren't doing that. I'm staying in my body this time. No."

Moony, what do we do?

Emmett said she's usually pretty good at getting herself out of it.

But--

She told you to back off a bit. Let her try on her own first.

Marina sat up straight again, letting her hand rest on the side of the desk, scratching up and down. Her other hand came up to tug at her braid. Her eyes eventually slipped closed, her breathing going slow and quiet.

After a minute or two, she looked up again. Moon could see a visible difference, her eyes much more expressive than before.

It seems pretty easy to see when she's "present." Maybe that'll be our cue, rather than us knowing a certain trigger.

Yes yes YES! We may not be able to prevent it, but at least we can see when it's happening!

"Sorry."

There's the apology Emmett warned us about.

"There's no need to apologize. You can't control that."

Marina didn't answer, but her eyes still held obvious shame.

Humans are so weird about things like this. That's why she's been treated so poorly, after all. Stupid assholes can't deal with someone having a different type of brain function. It's primitive.

Language! But you have a point. Even kids can be so cruel about such things, yes yes yes…

"What about you two?"

Moon was pulled back to the conversation with a start. He looked down at Marina in confusion.

"What?"

"What about you? I've told you what my needs are, but you have yet to tell me yours. You may not be human, but you have feelings and sentience. You should be treated kindly too."

Moon felt like he might short circuit.

Moony--

…

Moony she asked about US. She sees us as people. As friends.

…

What do we do?

…

Moon was having trouble processing, his coding having no previous data on such a question. No one ever cared how they felt.

Having someone suddenly show interest in them was a lot to handle.

"Moon?"

Moon once again was yanked back to the front. Huh. He hadn't come that close to accidentally receding in a long time.

When he looked down, Marina seemed a bit worried, her lip between her teeth. Moon waved his hand at her before slowly tapping her cheek this time.

"You're biting."

Marina went red, releasing her lower lip in favor of hiding a bit in her shirt collar.

"Sorry…"

"Don't need to be."

Moon did his best to reel himself in before addressing her again.

"We don't really have too many triggers. At least, not ones you need to be concerned about." Moon tilted his faceplate a bit away from her.

Ok, he could see how this kind of conversation could be embarrassing. It's a very vulnerable feeling.

"I don't like anything to do with maintenance, but Sun handles that for us, and you wouldn't be around that. I also don't like any form of being restricted from movement but--" he looked at her. "Unless you suddenly become superhuman, you wouldn't be able to do that. Not unintentionally, anyway."

Marina nodded slowly, her eyes finding and locking onto his.

"Ok. Then, if ever in that situation, I'll do my best to avoid those triggers. Does Emmett know, though? It seems he could potentially skirt that line, and I'm sure he would feel like shit if he made you uncomfortable."

Moon felt his eyes widen as much as they could, his neck clicking. He paused to think for a moment.

"...He seems to have figured it out through working with us. I never go into maintenance, and if something is needed for me specifically, he comes here."

Marina let out a sigh of relief.

"Good. I'm glad."

Moon's faceplate whirred as it spun in a circle.

This was much more than he was bargaining for. He was supposed to be the one asking her questions, not the other way around.

Why does she even care, anyway. We aren't human.

Sun hummed, his coding curling up as he thought.

She said we have feelings and sentience, and that's why she cares. She doesn't care if we're human. She cares if we have the ability to have opinions.

Well. That's new.

"What about Sunny?"

Moon refocused, his eyes locking back onto Marina's.

"Being told he's ugly or scary. He hates that. Scaring children is his worst nightmare."

M-Moony--

She did what we asked. It's a fair trade. Even if it's a bit...uncomfortable.

A bit?

A lot.

Marina's eyes looked sad, her tone soft and sweet when she replied.

"That won't ever be an issue, since I've never thought that anyway. Nor will I ever."

Moon could feel Sun buzzing with happy energy at her words, though it felt a bit shy.

"He seems to like that you said that."

MOONY--

This is what you do to her. You reap what you sow.

Marina was positively beaming.

"It's true! But I'm glad he likes it, since I've always found him cute. If we get compliments and praise, then he should too. It's only fair."

Moon didn't like the way her eyes went mischievous.

"Let me even it out, then. I really like your reading voice. I take my earbuds out to listen to you. It's raspy and sweet. I have to be careful not to get sleepy, though."

"..."

"You reap what you sow--"

Shut. Up.

It was at this moment Moon realized his faceplate was spinning. He forced himself to stop, his eyes averted from Marina. He cursed himself internally when his voice came out timid.

"Thanks, I guess."

"No problem, Moony"

Marina was eating up his discomfort, he realized. She seemed happy to be on equal footing in this game.

But he was no loser.

"It seems we've covered everything. I need to get back to work, and so do you."

Marina nodded, her smirk still visible.

"Sounds good. Be good to the kids, ok darlin'? Though I don't worry too much: you're a bit of a softy under all that gremlin energy."

Moon wasn't sure what "gremlin energy" meant, but he knew he didn't like the embarrassment that zinged across his processors at being called both "darlin'" and "soft" in one go.

I can't let her get the last word.

Moon pushed himself forward, showing her his hand as he reached forward to pet her cheek.

"No, I think I should be the one telling you to be good. None of your new little games with Sun, ok, little Starfire?"

Moon felt so much satisfaction when her face morphed into a blushing mess as she sputtered, trying to find the words to reply.

"N-No fair! I had that one! I made you flustered first! Also w-wait, what did you call me?

Moon smirked as he turned to leave, waving a hand back at her.

"You're too feisty to just be called a Star. As for embarrassing you: sorry, Starfire, but it's just too easy."

As Moon dodged a thrown pen, he felt a buzz of happiness go through him.

It seemed they had finally found a human who would stick around and play. He'd make sure to keep it that way.

Chapter Text

The rest of the day went by quickly, though Sun seemed a bit embarrassed after he had returned. Marina couldn't blame him: Moon got to bare both of their souls to her, and he didn't even get to be part of the conversation (with her, at least.)

As they cleaned up, Marina made a realization.

"Are you gonna have that talk with Emmett too?"

Sun looked up, his faceplate tilting.

"Hm?"

"Are you gonna ask Emmett about his boundaries and triggers too? It only seems fair, given he's your friend just as much as I am. I'm sure you wouldn't like hurting him on accident."

Sun seemed to consider her words, his hands moving methodically as he cleaned off the table in front of him.

"I suppose we should, though I'm not sure when Moony will catch him next."

"Then why don't you do it?"

Sun let out an uncomfortable hum, turning away from her.

"I...don't really do well with those sorts of things…"

"Ah. Not one for confrontation?"

"Well…" he started, tapping his fingers together. "It's more like...I'm too...much for that sort of thing. If I had been the one asking you, I would have been asking for way more information than Moony was. Because I worry about you…"

Sun's rays receded slightly.

"But that's too pushy for something as important as this. Moony, shockingly, has a lot more control than me over that kind of thing."

Marina nodded. It made sense to her. Moony cared a lot less than Sun about knowing the reasons for their behaviors. Sun had a fix it kind of attitude. Moon was much more preventative, from what she had gathered.

"Then I'll help you, I guess. I already know that information, so I'll know when to stop you from prodding."

Sun still seemed apprehensive, but nodded nonetheless.

"Sure Sunshine, if you say so…"

---

After another twenty minutes or so, Emmett's voice rang out, his crooked smile wide across his face. Marina bumped his shoulder affectionately.

"Heya my guy! Have a good day?"

"Yeah man, mostly."

"Mostly?"

Marina smiled at him, clearly excited to be the one out of the hot seat this time.

"Sunny needs to have a chat with you."

Emmett looked nearly as apprehensive as Marina did earlier.

Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR! This isn't going to go well!

Relax. She's messing with him. He's used to that from her. Emmett seems like more of an open book than her anyway.

"About what?" Emmett asked cautiously, turning to Sun.

"Boundaries." Marina replied. "After the fiasco that is my life a few days ago, Sun and Moon are worried about triggering us. So, they asked if we would be willing to share what they need to avoid to keep everyone comfy cozy. I've already had my turn, so it's your go now, darlin'."

Emmett looked at her in disbelief.

"You already went? As in, you shared information about yourself willingly? Wow, short-stop, I'm impressed. Usually you're ornery about that sort of thing."

"Hey, shut up! It took a bit of...convincing, but I did. Be lucky Sun is the one talking to you. I got Moon."

"Moon had this conversation with you?"

Emmett took a seat in one of the art chairs.

"Then I can do this. It can't be worse than that."

I'm not sure whether to be flattered by their fear of me or offended that they find me incapable of the task.

I wouldn't dwell on it too long, no no no!

Emmett sighed, nervously cracking his knuckles.

"I hate this actually. This sucks."

"I agree, but I sucked it up so you will too."

Emmett grunted in response, leaning forward so that his elbows rested on the table. He cradled his head on his hands, his face partially obscured by his fingers.

Hm. Maybe not so open book after all.

"I don't think I really have many triggers…" Emmett considered aloud, his brow furrowed as he thought.

Marina huffed.

"You're pretending to think about it because we both know what the triggers are and you just wanna make it sound not as bad as it is. Like you could easily forget about it."

Emmett's face paled.

"See? I'm right. You're stalling and acting nonchalant because then it'll seem like you shared a lot when in reality, you're planning to share little to nothing. Lying by omission is still lying."

Emmett stared at her, his eyes clearly showing he did not enjoy being called out on his behavior.

"'We grow together' hot shot. I did my part this time, now you gotta do yours."

"Now now, he doesn't need to share anything he doesn't want to--"

"You're right." Marina conceded, her hands going up in the defensive position. "But if he's not gonna share, he needs to just say that. Not lie to you guys about it. He's the kind of guy that needs to be called out on his shit in order to stop doing it."

Emmett made a low grumbling sound, glaring at Marina, one hand thrown over the lower half of his face.

See Sunny? You don't need me. You have her to do your dirty work for you.

This isn't any better! He's still uncomfortable!

Emmett sighed, straightening his back out.

"Fine."

Emmett turned his head away, speaking to the wall as he opened the floodgates.

"I don't like when people talk about my body or the way it looks. I also don't like any feminine gendered terms being used towards me, like 'sis' or things like that. It makes me...uncomfortable."

"You're allowed to say it's triggering." Marina replied, her head tilting. "I know people love to throw that term around or make fun of it, but, it's the truth in this situation."

Emmett looked at her, but didn't reply.

"...other than that." He said after a beat. "There isn't much else, really."

Marina looked at him, her eyes questioning.

"I think you're missing one, buddy. If you don't want to talk about it, that's fine, but it seems more like you're forgetting about it than you being uncomfortable."

Emmett looked at her in confusion.

She knows him so well.

I know! I wonder what it's like to have someone in your life for that long. Even we haven't been together for thirteen years.

"Oh!" Emmett piped up. "My chest. I don't like when people touch me there. That one really doesn't come up much, so I tend not to worry about it as much as the others."

I wonder why he doesn't like it.

...do you really not know why?

Sun's confusion made Moon sigh heavily, the back of his mind filled with his frustration.

You scan him all the time. Surely you've noticed some differences there.

Sun thought about it for a moment.

Um…

Dummy. He's transgender. He doesn't like his chest being touched most likely because it causes him to remember that fact. Same with the other triggers. Feminine language doesn't bother most people like that, and his body isn't exactly matching his mind, so he doesn't want to think about it too much.

Sun really did feel a bit like a dummy.

Of course he knew Emmett wasn't biologically born male, but he was used to that by now. It wasn't really something he thought about often. To him, Emmett was just...Emmett.

He didn't know a lot about transgender issues, but Moon's logic made sense to him. Besides, Moon searched up things relevant to their lives way more often than he ever did. He had probably already looked some things up when they first started to become close with Emmett.

"Alright! We can avoid all of those, yes yes yes! Thank you for being open and honest with us, Sunlight!"

Emmett flushed with color, scratching the back of his head shyly.

"Um, sure. Do I get to know yours now? I already picked up that Moon doesn't like the maintenance room, but I don't know anything else."

Sun was timid when he responded.

"Moony doesn't like restraints of any kind…

Sun felt himself losing his nerve.

Come on Sunny. It's your turn. You can do this.

"...I don't like it when people call me ugly or scary. The children are quite bad about that, yes yes yes… other than that, we are fine."

Emmett looked at Sun with a saddened expression.

"Aw buddy, don't worry. I'd never say something like that to you. Not only is that super mean, but it's also not true. You've got nothing to fret over, my friend."

Sun felt his rays spinning before he had time to even think.

Someone knows how to make Sunny happy~! Look at you, all bashful.

You hush!

Sun stopped his rays forcibly, looking away from Emmett.

"Thank you…"

Emmett smiled at him, standing up as he spoke.

"No problemo, big guy. Of course I'm not gonna find you ugly. You're my bro. And I spend a lot of my time on your maintenance. I make sure that pretty face stays that way."

"Emmett, stop being a flirt, ya weirdo. If you're starved for dick, I'll go to a bar with you and we can find you one."

Emmett blushed bright red. Sun could feel Moon's buzzing cackles in his mind as his language protocol sounded off.

"First of all, being kind and complementing a friend is not automatically flirting. Second, Sun does not have a dick. That would be fucking weird, since he really doesn't need one when he lives in a daycare. Third, I am not in need, but thank you for your friendly concern."

Marina smirked through his entire rant, her body leaning forward as she spoke up again.

"Whatever bottom."

Emmett had never looked so affronted.

"Don't call me a bottom!"

"But you are a bottom."

"Marina."

What does "bottom" mean in this context?

I just looked it up, and I've made the executive decision to just not tell you ever. Just know Marina is being really fucking funny right now.

Language! Oh dear...

"Nothing to be ashamed of man." Marina said. "If you wanna take it--"

"That's it, I'm throwing you in the ballpit."

Marina giggled as Emmett scooped her off her feet, walking them towards the ballpit.

"Whatever. Still doesn't change that you're a--"

Marina was now in the ballpit, Emmett following soon after, Marina's hands coming up to tug him in with her. As Sun watched the two fight, he decided the awkward conversation was worth keeping this. He didn't know what he would do if he lost the friendships he had finally fostered.

Sun jumped into the ballpit, each of his humans screaming for his help fighting against the other.

Yeah. This is worth it.

Chapter Text

For the next few days, things were quiet. Marina continued to heal up, her eye hurting less as time took care of the damage. She still allowed for Sun to change the bandages for her, if only to make him feel that his need to care for her had been fulfilled. She didn't like looking at the injury anyway.

Perhaps this high is the reason Emmett decided today was the day to really test her patience.

"Hey short-stop, I was thinking maybe we should get some food before we go?"

Marina nodded, wrapping her arms around Emmett's left bicep.

"Great. I have a friend that's been wanting to meet up. That ok?"

Marina felt her heart drop to her stomach.

"...maaaybe I'll sit this one out."

She could feel her fingers tightening their grip, her anxiety very quickly taking over her body. She hated the crowds of the pizzaplex, but that was something she could handle with Emmett's help. Meeting a new person on top of that anxiety sounded like a disaster waiting to happen.

"Cmon, Mari. You hardly know anyone here. You haven't even talked to the other guards. You have to make some friends eventually.

"I did. Two of them."

"While I appreciate that, you probably need to start branching out to people aside from Sun and Moon."

Marina could hear Sun's rays spinning, being that he was cleaning tables not too far away. She sighed.

"I don't wanna mask anymore. I'm tired."

"Then don't."

"We both know that's not how that works."

Emmett sighed, running his hand over his face in frustration.

"It's one person, and I'll be with you. He's already my friend, so I've vetted him already. He's chill, I promise. I'll be right there if anything happens. You can't rely on me forever...you need more connections outside the daycare."

"You'll be alright, Sunshine!" Sun cut in, pumping his hands in the air energetically. "I can't imagine anyone would ever dislike you."

Marina blushed and grumbled, her fingers anxiously flexing from their place on Emmett's arm.

"...fine, but I'm setting a time limit of 45 minutes."

"Deal."

"Good job, my Star!"

As Sun approached to pet her head, Marina did her best to keep calm. This was fine. It would be fine.

It's fine.

---

This wasn't very fine.

As the pair made their way through the plex, Marina's anxiety continued to grow. Loud banging, harsh lights, and heavy smells of grease making her feel like ripping her hair out. She kept her arms around Emmett at all times, but even he was of very little comfort in this situation. It didn't help that she was still down an eye.

When they arrived at the food court, she watched as Emmett's eyes scanned the crowd. Soon, his face lit up, and they were moving towards a man she had never seen before.

He was shorter than Emmett, maybe six or so inches taller than Marina. He had sandy blonde hair and suntanned skin, freckles dotting along his cheeks in random patterns. When he looked up, Marina noticed his expression was soft, his demeanor a bit more subdued.

Ok. Thank God. He has surfer dude vibes. I can handle that.

"Heya Sean!" Emmett called, his hand going out to grasp his friends. Marina released him so that he could complete the action, which ended up being a side hug.

Definitely a bro.

"This is my friend Mari I was talking about. She works as a guard in the daycare center."

Marina waved, smiling shyly at him.

"It's nice to meet you." She said softly, tilting her head.

Mask on.

"Nice to meet you too, man. I'm Sean. Emmett talks about you all the fucking time."

Emmett laughed, scratching the back of his head, his body radiating embarrassment.

"Oh really?" Marina teased turning towards him. "Good things, I hope?"

"Nah." Emmett replied, crossing his arms. "I told him how much of a bitch you are."

"Fair. As you should."

Sean laughed, his smile showing off a small gap in his front teeth. Marina found it charming.

"He's such a dick. He just said you've known each other forever, and told a few childhood stories. Nothing too serious."

"Ohhhh stories!" Marina mused, glancing at Emmett. "Did you tell him about the time you broke your arm trying to do a cartwheel for me when we were twelve?"

"No." Sean said, a smirk starting on his face. "But I'd love to hear all about it. Let's get some pizza first, though. I'm dying over here."

Emmett ordered for the three of them, taking a large pepperoni pizza to an empty table in the back corner of the room. Marina sent him a look in thanks. Corners were much easier to handle.

Sean turned out to be a pretty cool dude. He was soft spoken, intelligent, but also not too uppity about it. The pins on his maintenance uniform told her that he worked with Monty as his primary animatronic. It seemed to be a decent match considering they both had bro personalities.

According to Emmett, the Glamrocks had entire teams of people to work on them, though, given their popularity. It made her chest go tight, thinking about how Sun and Moon only had Emmett. It seemed so unfair to her.

She was just getting comfortable when a voice cut through the crowd.

"Ey! Sean! What's up bro?"

Marina lifted her head to see Monty cutting through the crowd, the few remaining children in the plex hanging on his legs and tail. He seemed to pay them no mind, moving with ease, cutting through crowds as if they were water.

Even from a distance, Marina could tell he was huge. He wasn't quite as tall as Sun and Moon, but he was built, his shoulders broad, muscle like structures carved into the metal.

When he finally made his way over, she felt Emmett gently squeeze her leg comfortingly, sensing her apprehension. Monty's eyes lit up as he scanned Sean.

So it is normal for them. Makes sense.

"Heya Monty!" Sean said, his head resting on his hand lazily. "Not much man. Grabbing a bite before we head home."

"Oh? These your friends?"

"Yeah man. This is my buddy Emmett, and his friend Marina. They both work with the daycare bot."

Monty's eyes lit up as he scanned Emmett. He then moved on to Marina.

"Woah, little lady. What happened to your eye? You get in a fist fight or somethin'?"

Marina flushed, looking away from him.

"Sort of?"

"Marina. You literally got that from being punched in the face. I don't think that's a 'sort of' kinda deal."

"Wait! Holy shit!" Sean piped up, turning to look at Marina. "You're the guard that got attacked by that drunk guy!"

Word apparently spreads even if no one knows who you are. Great.

Marina felt herself start to sway, tapping her fingers on the table nervously.

"Yeaaaah. Unfortunately."

"Dude. I heard you fucking took that guy out." Sean gushed, leaning forward on the table to get closer to Monty. "Apparently she slammed him to the ground so hard, it picked up over the walkys."

Marina, who now had three sets of eyes on her, chuckled nervously. She could feel her face burning.

"I don't know about that, but I did subdue him after he took his shot. I can't really take him to the ground unless he hits me first. Company policy or whatever."

"Bro, it's so cool!" Emmett chimed in, clearly hyping Marina up. "She slammed her knee into his back so hard, she has bruises."

"So that's where those are from!" Monty spoke up, his head tilting. "Rock 'n Roll dude! Taking down a man isn't easy, even for someone closer to his own size. You're a little thing, so it's probably even harder."

Marina wished her height wasn't such a big deal in these circumstances, but she could see his point. She was at a natural disadvantage if her opponent was a foot taller than her. Still, it felt like she was being gassed up a bit too much for her liking.

"He was drunk. Wasn't hard to get him off balance. Once they're on the ground, it's easy to keep them there."

"Mari, just face it. It's super cool that you took him down. You can't really downplay something like that. Especially when you got a sick battle scar from it."

Marina turned towards Emmett, where he sat smirking at her. He knew she hated this sort of thing.

"Bro let me live."

"If your way of living is downplaying everything you do well, then that's a no from me."

Marina huffed through her nose at him, glaring.

"Whatever. I got my practice beating you up when we were little, anyway."

Emmett went red, waving his hand at her.

"We were kids."

"I pinned you literally a few weeks ago."

"I plead the fifth."

Marina laughed, petting his head. He swatted at her hands, which only made her laugh harder.

"Keep laughing. I'll tell Sun you need more self love exercises."

Marina shut her mouth, looking away.

"Snitches get stitches, Emmett. Choose your battles carefully."

"Is that what working with Sun is like?" Sean asked, his eyes wide. "I know little to nothing about him."

Marina turned back, her nose still scrunched at the thought of going through the exercise again.

"He's...interesting. He's very easy to work with, and such a sweetheart, but I think he forgets Emmett and I are twenty-two, not four."

"I second that." Emmett responded, his eyes roaming back to Monty. "Monty seems to be more of a chill guy, but Sun is always amped up. And if one of us does something even mildly self destructive, he flips out. We both were wrangled into a 'self love' lesson after I said I was stupid one time. The upside is Mari eats a lot better with him nagging her about it."

Marina glowered at Emmett, her eyes dark.

"It's still your fault I got in trouble for that in the first place, snitch. You can just keep your mouth shut."

"Absolutely not. I refuse to go down alone."

Sean laughed, his eyes amused.

"Well at least he's nice. It seems like he cares about his team, at least."

Marina hummed in agreement, her fingers tapping the bandages on her eye.

"Yeah. I've been letting him take care of the eye thing. It's pretty gnarly from what he said, and I really don't wanna be a part of it any more than I have to be."

"It is pretty bad. Bruising and tissue damage galore, itty bitty."

What is with this man--alligator?--and her size? She sighed, deciding to let it go.

"My man was really not happy with me. At least he didn't get to the kid he was trying to take."

"Right on. The kiddies always come first."

Emmett checked his phone before standing up.

"While this has all been really fun, I should get short-stop over there home. It'll be her bed time soon."

Marina snorted, also moving to stand up.

"As if. You just wanna go home because you're halfway through the second season of whatever the fuck show you started last week."

"Ok, listen."

Marina smirked at him, looking up at Monty as she passed.

Ok maybe he has a right to poke fun. I barely reach his chest.

"It was nice to meet y'all." Marina said in her sweet voice, her accent a bit thicker than usual. "See ya around?"

"For sure man." Sean answered, his face still radiating soft boy energy. "You seem really chill."

"Of course, little lady" Monty chimed in, leaning down closer to her level. "Maybe we can spar next time."

Marina smirked at him, standing tall so that she appeared to be looking into his eyes.

"You're on, tough guy. I'll give ya a run for your money."

Monty laughed, patting her head with force that made her sway on her feet.

"I'm sure you will."

I'm taking this man down whether he likes it or not.

As they left, a small amount of confidence coursed through her. She had managed to have good interactions with her coworkers. After years of being mistreated in workplaces, she finally felt safe. And she had done it herself.

Maybe there was hope for her yet.

Chapter Text

Whe Marina came in the next day, Sun hit her with an onslaught of questions about her venture the day before. It seems Sun may have somehow been even more worried than her.

"Did you have fun? Was Emmett's friend nice? Oh I do hope you didn't get too overwhelmed! It's awful noisy out there!"

Marina gave him a small smile, though it looked shy.

"I think it went OK? Sean was a nice guy, and he seems like a chill person in general. Not very energetic." Marina scratched her arm as she talked, her body betraying her anxiety. "But Monty came up after that and uh, that started a conversation about my eye that I didn't really expect."

"You mean, everyone telling you you're a badass and you trying to act like it isn't a big deal?" Emmett chimed in, tilting his head. "Because that's what happened. Monty and Sean were eating that story up. But noooo. Little Marina had to be like 'he was drunk and it wasn't that hard, I don't know why you're so excited about it.' Ya know. Like someone who can't take a compliment"

Marina's face darkened, her eyes traveling to Emmett.

"Thin ice, my guy. Tread carefully. I warned you yesterday."

"I'm just telling the truth."

Marina turned to him, her face flat.

"Oh? OK. Bet. I can tell truths too then. How are those daddy issues, my good dude?"

Oop.

His what…?

Emmett choked on whatever he was about to say, sputtering as he recovered. His next response was less boisterous.

"I see your point."

"Exactly. Honesty isn't always fun to hear. I'm not in the mood."

Emmett coughed, straightening up.

"Well, aside from that little detail, you did really well. No meltdowns, no dodging conversation, and you actually put forth effort to get to know those two. I'm proud of you."

Marina rolled her eyes, her hand waving dismissively.

"Yeah whatever. Not a big deal. It's a minute task."

"Not for you it isn't. Let people be proud of you, damnit."

"No."

"Yes."

"Absolutely not."

Emmett shrugged, his smile curling into a smirk.

"Ok. Then Sun won't give you head pats for doing a good job. Since it wasn't a big deal."

"I didn't expect him to."

Despite her words being seemingly genuine, Sun noticed a flash of disappointment cross her eyes as she folded her arms in front of her.

Looks like you're up, Sunny.

"...I can easily reward you, my Star. I'd love to, yes yes yes!" Sun clapped his hands together. "But I'd really like it if you'd accept at least one word of praise from Emmett."

Marina looked ready to put up a fight, but after a few seconds, she sighed heavily in resignation.

"Fine."

Emmett perked up, grinning at her.

"That was quick. Is someone touch starved? Poor Mari."

"Yeah. You."

Moony, what is touch starved?

I'm looking, please hold.

"Wow. You're really into just turning things on me today, aren't you? You must really be grumpy. Did your neighbors have a party and keep you up again?"

Marina kept staring at him without a word, her arms still crossed as she bit her lip. Emmett rolled his eyes.

"Alright alright, I'll get to the point. You did a good job, I'm proud of you."

"Thank you." Marina replied through gritted teeth.

Such a drama queen. She acts like it's killing her.

I must admit, her stubbornness is quite...strong. She doesn't back down easily, no no no!

Regardless, Sun reached forward, petting Marina's face with gentle fingers. He had realized fairly quickly into their friendship that soft touches seemed to be her favorite.

"Splendid job! Very good girl, yes yes yes!"

Marina didn't reply, her body relaxing under his touch. Moon spoke up as she slowly began inching closer to him, her chin tilted upwards.

Being touch starved means a human isn't receiving enough physical contact with others. It can cause psychological or physical stress, including loneliness, anxiety, depression, immune system drops, poor sleep, and many other issues that sound not great.

Oh dear…

Sun knew that Marina was someone who desired quite a bit of physical affection. She got a decent amount from Emmett, but from what he had seen, he wasn't very cuddly. He let her hang on his arms, he petted her head some, but he didn't really provide her with hugs or other large forms of physical interaction often. Perhaps he just wasn't as touch centric as Marina was.

Sun ran his fingers slowly around her face, stroking from her hairline down to her chin and back. He curled his fingers under her chin on occasion, letting his hands trail wherever she guided them with her head. Emmett just seemed content in chilling there, scrolling his phone for a bit before he needed to head to his station.

Sun's eyes widened when Marina nearly jumped out of her skin, a quick intake of breath breaking the soothed look on her face.

"Ah." Emmett said, not even looking up. "Gotta be careful, Sunny Boy. Her ears are really ticklish."

Huh. I haven't heard of that one before.

Me neither. We don't usually touch children's faces much, though, no no no…

Marina, on her part, was blushing, glaring at the side of Emmett's head from where he scrolled.

"Oh stop it. You're acting like I kicked your puppy or something. You like being tickled there, so I don't really see what the problem is, doll."

"Excuse me?"

"You're excused. You act like I don't know you well enough to tell when you're putting up a fight because you hate it, or when you're putting up a fight because you feel like you should hate it. Ya gotta stop denying you like things or avoiding them just because your pride is through the roof." Emmett looked up this time, his eyes amused. "Like. Compliments."

He's really just going for it today, isn't he?

I sense Marina is very not happy with him right now.

Great read, genius. Wouldn't have guessed.

"I'm about to ring your neck like a fucking bell, bitch."

"Language!"

"Honestly Mari, you really are agitated today, aren't you? Normally you aren't so quick to wanna actually murder me. What happened, doll? Not sleep good? Edgar sick? Your momma call?"

The last one made Marina stiffien.

"Ah. Momma called. What did she berate you for this time?"

Marina bit her lip, her eyes focused on a wall.

"Nothing."

"Liar liar~! Phone calls with your momma go one of two ways. Either its fine and she talks about work and other stuff like that, or she decides to go absolutely in on you. I refuse to believe it was the first one."

"In on her?"

That doesn't sound good, no no no...

After a few beats of silence, Marina opened her mouth.

"Same shit as usual. Doesn't like where I work, complained my house was too messy over the FaceTime call, said my hair looked horrible, that shit. Ah. And the 'I'm sorry your anxious and depressed, but everyone is! Try going on a walk or thinking more positively' argument. Again."

Emmett sighed, rolling his eyes.

"Yep. Sounds like her. It's weird that she's so chill about some things, but super judgey about others. Especially you."

Marina shrugged.

"I'm an only child. Guess I'm her only shot at success and she thinks I'm blowing it."

The self esteem issues are making a lot more sense now.

Her mother said things like that to her? ABOUT her? Poor little thing!

Sun couldn't stop himself as he instinctively rushed forward, waving a hand at her before picking her up in his arms.

Marina huffed in surprise, hands reaching forward for purchase on his shoulders. Sun wrapped an arm under her legs, his other gently petting the back of her head.

"My poor Little Star. You're not blowing it. You do a very good job, and work very hard, yes yes yes! You do your best, and I'm very proud of you. Your anxiety is something you battle every single day, and I admire your tenacity. Also…" Sun added, his fingers trailing around to come under her chin. "Your hair is quite pretty to me."

Little tears pricked in the corners of Marina's eyes, but she immediately buried her face in his shoulder, hiding them from his sight.

Sun's body automatically began bouncing soothingly, his hand trailing down to rub her back. Marina stayed quiet, though Sun could hear the occasional choked breath escape her.

Her mom's a bitch.

Language! Don't say that about Marina's mother! She may just be misguided. We don't know her or her situation!

When Marina finally relaxed again, Sun scratched his fingers behind her ear, making her jump up. He watched as her lips twitched into a forced smile as she attempted to tilt her head to her shoulder for relief.

That shits cute. We're keeping that.

Moon. Language...but I agree.

"C'mon now, Sunshine." Sun chirped, finally stopping his movements when a giggle slipped past her lips. "Let's get to work now, hm?"

When Marina nodded at him, the smile didn't leave her face.

Chapter Text

Sun could say for the first time in a long time, he was at a loss for what to do.

Monty came into the daycare.

It wasn't like he and Moon never saw the Glamrocks, but for them to come to the daycare was unprecedented. Today though, after all the kids had left, Emmett marched straight through the doors, another mechanic and the animatronic gator at his side.

"Mari, my bitch! Monty's here and he wants to fight you! Pop the champagne!"

Oh this sounds fun.

This absolutely does not sound fun!

Marina poked her head out of the security office, and Sun watched as her eyes filled with excitement.

"Oh hell yeah."

She beelined it for Emmett, affectionately bumping his shoulder with his. When he offered his arm, she took it, her body lightly bouncing with excitement.

"You up for it, little lady?" Monty asked, his face amused. "Emmett told me we can only spar here because of the padded floors. He doesn't want me crushing your delicate human body."

Marina lifted an eyebrow, unlatching from Emmett to cross her arms. Sun could clearly see her eyes shifting into predator mode as she took a step in Monty's direction.

"I think you'll find I'm anything but delicate, but I thank you for your concern. I'll try not to give Sean too much work to do. I'm sure buffing my foot prints out of your back wouldn't be very fun for him."

The other mechanic--Sean, he now knew--whistled.

"Damn man, she really doesn't give a fuck. How did you find her again?"

"She moved to my neighborhood when we were nine. She's got that redneck tenacity, that's for sure. Born with a hefty amount of anger and a desire to win at all costs." Emmett looked at Monty with amusement. "I hope you realize that she's gonna keep trying until she gets you."

"Then I guess we'll be here all night." Monty grunted, towering over Marina in a way Sun could tell was meant to intimidate her. Marina, on her part, seemed unconcerned, matching his posture, her eyes fiery with determination.

This isn't good, no no no! He'll hurt her!

Or worse, he'll win and she'll be pissed, and then we have to deal with that.

...I'm pretty sure her taking an injury is worse than a tantrum, yes yes yes…

Aside from a muffled language protocol, Sun had said nothing, but now he felt he needed to step in.

"Marina. Don't you think this is a little...dangerous? You have already sustained injuries recently. You can't see out of your left eye, no no no! I'd much rather you not get hurt anymore. While I appreciate Emmett for bringing it here to the daycare, where there are safety precautions, you're still human. He's solid metal."

Marina turned to him, eyes going dark.

"You don't think I can do it?"

"N-No! That's not what I--"

"Now I'm definitely gonna do it."

Nice going there. You played right into their plan. I'm sure Emmett knew you would protest, but he also knows Marina can't back down from a challenge.

Shoot…

My money is on Marina.

Moon!

"I'm taking the eyepatch off. It's not fair if I can't use both of my eyes. So yall are just gonna have to deal with my gross ass face for a bit."

"Marina!" Sun scolded, fighting the urge to pull her to him. "Your face is not gross! You know the rules! Don't say such things about yourself!"

"Uh oh Mari." Emmett sang teasingly. "Self love lessons incoming."

Marina groaned, her uncovered eye locking onto Sun's.

"I'm not saying anything bad about myself. My face does look gross right now, mostly because some douche decided it was a good place to plant his fist."

"Language!...I'm not a fan of the 'mostly' qualifier, but I'll take it. But, will your eye be ok uncovered? It's still quite sore I'm sure, yes yes yes…"

"Wow." Sean commented, his voice fascinated. "He really is a mother hen. I guess it makes sense but, I had no idea how bad it was."

Sun scanned the man as he spoke, realizing that he was one of Monty's team. He was 23, and had been employed for about a year now. He also had asthma, apparently. So this was Emmett's new friend?

"Don't worry, Sunny." Marina said, her voice soothing. "I'll cover it again when we're done. Besides, my eye isn't swollen as much anymore. I can probably even put in my contacts so I don't accidentally break my glasses."

Just let her do it, man. You're hovering again.

…

At his apprehension, Marina sighed.

"Fine. I'll even let you patch it back up. And if I get hurt, we'll stop immediately. Ok?"

"C'mon man." Monty chimed in, his hands going to his hips. "Don't be a buzzkill."

Sun sighed, bending so he was at Marina's height.

"You'll stop if it hurts?"

"Yes."

"...alright then. I'm holding you to that."

---

After a few minutes, Marina returned from the first aid area without her glasses or eyepatch. Looking at the damage made protectiveness zing through Sun, but he tried his best to stifle it. Sean piped up.

"Damn girl. He really tried to take you out, didn't he?"

Marina sighed, swaying a bit on her feet.

"He sure tried. But I'm not a little bitch, so."

"There ya go short-stop! That was a positive comment about yourself! I'm so proud."

"Shut up or you'll end up being the one on the floor."

Emmett raised his hands in surrender, taking a few steps back as he did so.

"Exactly."

Sun watched anxiously as Marina rolled her shoulders, her eyes closed. When she looked back up, her eyes were in full hunter mode, focused only on Monty as he stepped forward.

"Alright. Let's do this."

"Rock 'n Roll, little lady."

The two started slowly circling each other, their attention not leaving the other for a second. Monty walked coolly, clearly confident that he would be victorious. Marina, on the other hand, moved with purpose, her back straight as she made herself as large as she could. She clearly worried about being seen as weak, instead deciding to turn that worry into a fierce need to succeed. Nothing new here, if Sun was honest.

She's really into it. She seems to be almost having fun.

After a minute or two, Monty lunged, his body rocketing at Marina with his arms outstretched. Marina dodged, her small body moving quickly and quietly to Monty's right side. She attempted a kick to the back of his knee, but aside from a wobble, she didn't get far. Monty turned to her with a smirk.

"Not bad, but you're gonna need to try harder than that."

He turned his body again, swishing his tail at her ankles. Marina grunted as he knocked her over, a loud thump echoing through the daycare as she landed. Monty went in for the pin, but Marina rolled away from him, attempting to regain her footing. By the time she was on her knees, though, he lunged again, effectively restraining her upper half with his arm.

Marina looked pissed, her body squirming underneath his. Monty laughed, his free hand petting her head.

"Sorry there, itty bitty. That's one for me."

"Again."

Where Sun thought he would see frustration, he saw even more fire, her body radiating with energy. She patted Monty's arm three times, effectively tapping out, locking her eyes on his.

"I will figure this out."

Monty laughed, pulling his sunglasses down to look at her.

"I like your style. I'm in."

Over and over they fought, Marina trying different tactics each time. The knee kick didn't work, so next she tried throwing her weight into his waist. A grand effort, but his tail kept him upright, and she hit the floor again.

Next, she tried keeping her distance, offering small jabs at a time to confuse Monty. She lasted much longer this time, and Sun was impressed to see that Monty did look a little frustrated, but she was eventually caught.

By time number six, Marina looked ready to burst, her fire turning into a full on inferno. Sun was worried she might actually throw that tantrum Moon had warned him about, but instead, she tapped Monty's arm, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

"Again."

"Aren't you getting tired by now, little lady? Why don't you just give in? We can do this again later, if you want your ass handed to you more."

"Not your concern. Again."

"Fine. Have it your way."

Sun could see Emmett and Sean talking amongst themselves, their eyes still on the fighting pair. Sean laughed at something Emmett said, and Sun couldn't help but notice the flash of warmth that crossed Emmett's face at the sound.

Seems Emmett really likes that Sean guy.

Oh yes yes yes! I'm so glad to see he has a new friend! Emmett is such a good boy.

Another slam of the mat caught Sun's attention. Worry flooded his systems. What if she didn't win? What would she do? She clearly hated to lose, and each loss only seemed to fuel her more. How would he pacify her if she never got to release those feelings?

Not your problem, Sunny. She's a grown woman who needs to take her losses on her own. Even if it hurts her.

While Sun understood his sentiment, he somehow knew there was more to this than just friendly competition.

She was serious. She was hunting. Something more than just a desire to win was fueling her fire right now, but Sun couldn't quite place what it was. Moon and Sun had the same thought in unison.

What is this even about, anyway?

Chapter Text

By round 14, Marina didn't know whether to cry or scream in rage.

There's gotta be a way around him. There's gotta be.

Marina had loved sparring as a kid. Her dad would wrestle with her all the time when she was little, and then she took martial arts classes for a few years. She had a good idea of what was what, and she knew the strategies a small fighter needed to take on a bigger opponent.

Those didn't help with a metal fucking alligator.

For one, he was heavy as hell. He was actually significantly shorter than Sun, but his body was rock solid, the metal endo along with his casing easily overshadowing any human weight she could possibly go up against. Therefore, brute forcing it wouldn't work. He had a tail that acted as another limb essentially, able to knock her over or keep him upright. Her sneaking up tactics didn't work if she couldn't use her weight or his to pull him off balance. Her ability to dodge him was pretty good, since at the very least she beat him in the speed category, but that meant nothing if she couldn't so much as knock him off balance.

Think it through. There's gotta be a way.

Monty, on his part, just seemed happy to have something to do. He was just as competitive and violent as she was, it seemed. Every take down made him even more cocky, which in turn made her blood boil. She did her best to keep a level head, since she knew getting caught up in her feelings would only cause rookie mistakes, but damn it was hard.

Sun seemed to be getting more and more worried, which only made Marina frustrated. She didn't want him to put a stop to this before she could solve this problem. She hated leaving a job half done, and she did not want to see how much Monty would gloat if she didn't knock him down a peg. He had already made her irritated with the comments on her height and gender, and that would only solidify her disdain for him. He seemed like he meant well, but that didn't make her any less inclined to hate every word he said.

Emmett seemed amused watching her, him and Sean babbling back and forth about animatronics, as well as the fight itself. They were taking this time to be nerds, apparently.

Why am I not surprised?

As she geared herself up for another try, she ran through her strategies again, racking her brain for something new to attempt. She was angry to find she was running out of tricks. She was getting tired and kinda just wanted to lay down and die, her head aching from the jostling of her injury, as well as her heavy thoughts.

"You ready to cool it, little lady?"

Nevermind. She wanted to wipe that stupid smirk off that fucking face.

"Nope." She replied, popping the p.

"Gotta admit, I didn't actually think you would have me here all night. Though it's not the first time a woman has asked that of me."

Marina scoffed, rolling her neck.

"You wish."

Marina glanced at Emmett as he snorted, his hand coming up to cover his mouth. At least he was having a good time. Nerding out about the inner workings of the animatronics was his favorite thing ever. He was probably having a field day.

Wait. Animatronics and their quirks?

That she could work with.

She started circling Monty again, plotting her attack. If she could just get him on the fucking ground…

She glanced at the play structure that was now in her view before making a decision.

She continued to circle, biding her time until her back was to the structure. She then proceeded to climb up the outside, using her decent upper body strength to keep her balance. She heard Monty laugh behind her as she turned to face him, her feet digging into plastic.

"Running out of ideas, runt? I can easily just pull you off of that."

"Marina!" Sun cried out, his voice worried. "That's not safe at all! Come down from there right now!"

"You act like she cares if she dies." Emmett replied, rolling his eyes. "She's fighting a metal gator with her bare hands like she's superwoman. If he takes her out, she's just gonna see it as an honorable defeat in battle. Also, being alive sucks and she knows it."

Sun seemed to not even know where to start with that comment, but before he could reply, Monty turned towards him.

"She's fine, Sun man. She's made it this far. Honestly I expected her to quit way before this point."

Marina took her chance. While his back was turned, she jumped off the play structure and onto his back, jamming her feet in between his "shoulder blades." The angle wasn't good for his tail to balance him and he fell forward on his stomach, Marina scrambling to sit on his back.

Now's my chance.

Without hesitation, she jammed her hands under his shoulder plates, curling her fingers into his casing. Her fingers were just at his shoulder joints, blocking the area where he would bend his arm.

"Nice try, but you're light as a feather."

Yet when Monty moved his hands to stand, his shoulders stayed still.

"Wha--"

"Oops. It seems I'm triggering the sensors in your shoulders. Looks like you can't bend your arms anymore, huh hot shot?"

Monty looked over his shoulder in shock.

"...how?"

"You have sensors in all of your joints." Marina replied, her hands still curled into the metal. "Because of that incident a few years back of a kid getting his fingers broken by shoving them in a knee joint, all of you got upgrades so you can sense when little hands are in the way of your moving parts. As you've kept saying all day, my hands are quite small. So, if I put my fingers in your shoulders--"

"He can't move." Emmett finished, his eyes wide. "Because his sensors won't let him crush your fingers."

Marina nodded, fighting off Monty's squirming lower body. He was having trouble finding traction flat on his stomach like this.

"Does that mean you listen when I tell you about how animatronics work?"

Marina tilted her head, confused.

"Yeah?"

"Why? You have no interest in that sort of thing."

Marina blinked, shrugging at him.

"Yeah, but you care about it. So I listen. Besides, your excited info dumping is really cute, so it's kinda hard not to get sucked into whatever you're saying."

Emmett's face went red, a choked sound escaping the back of his throat.

"Don't say that."

"Say what? The truth?"

"Nah. Shut up."

Marina smirked at him before looking back at Monty.

"So tough guy, are we done here? Or do you wanna flail around some more? You can have me here all night." She teased, letting her voice drop into a tone that was clearly mocking but also a bit sexually charged.

Monty growled at her, but finally let out a synthetic huff, tapping his hand on the ground three times.

"Fine."

Marina couldn't stifle her squeak in delight, her hands removing themselves from his arms in favor of happily shaking her fists in front of her, her body wiggling. Emmett immediately cheered, hopping up and down a few times.

"FUCK YEAH MARI!"

Sean also seemed positively shook.

"Holy SHIT!"

Marina rolled off of Monty and onto the floor, her body buzzing with energy that she just did not know what to do with. Emmett didn't let her think about it too long, though, grabbing her up off the ground, trapping her arms at her sides as he lifted her.

"I knew you'd figure it out! That or die trying."

Marina huffed, playfully glaring at him.

"So glad you have confidence in me."

Another hand came into her view, waving before grabbing her out of Emmett's arms.

"Well done well done well DONE, Sunshine! I'm so proud of you!"

Marina giggled as she was cuddled to Sun's chest and spun, his body radiating excitement.

When he finally stopped spinning, she looked over at Monty, who nodded to her.

"Nice job, runt. You ain't a quitter. I respect that. If you ever wanna tussle again, or even just chill, hit me up."

Sun placed Marina on the ground and she approached him, offering her hand.

"Same man. You're a tough one to beat. Good game?"

Monty nodded, taking her hand.

"Good game, Marina."

Soon after, Monty left with Sean, who was laughing about the fact that there were, in fact, two little footprints on Monty's back. No dents to buff out, but a battle scar nonetheless.

Marina sat on the floor to rest her aching body, happiness still overflowing when Emmett spoke up.

"Awww Mari. You're happy stimming."

Marina took stock and realized he was right. Her body was bouncing up and down, a very different look to her usual uncomfortable swaying. She was wiggling in place with built up joy, her hands flapping in front of her.

She began to stifle the movement, not used to doing such obvious stims outside of her house, but Sun's gentle voice made her look up.

"No no, Sunshine. Do whatever makes you happy and comfortable. I'd hate to see that excitement go away. You look so cute, yes yes yes, very sweet and cheerful!"

Marina blushed hard, her hands automatically flapping again in front of her joyfully at his compliments. People weren't usually so kind about her stims.

Her brain screamed at her to stop, so used to her avoiding these larger stims and refusing to believe she was worth complimenting. But right this second, everything was too much to stifle, so she just decided to listen to Sun, bouncing and flapping to her heart's content.

When she had finally cooled down a bit, Emmett spoke up.

"By the way, doll?"

"Hm?"

"How much did it hurt slamming your feet into his back like that?"

"Oh. A fucking lot. I don't think ankles are supposed to take that much force."

Marina couldn't help the little mischievous smirk that crossed her face as she heard Sun shout her name.

The scolding was worth the reward.

Chapter Text

After the Monty incident, it seemed Marina was on a bit of a high, her body bouncer than usual the next day. It warmed Sun's processors to watch her bubble up with excitement, loosening the reins she held so tightly over her emotions. If he had the ability to cry, he may have done so the day before, watching as her body was overtaken by happy stims as she sat on the floor. Moon seemed just as enamored as he was.

For Sun, though, the next day was more of a low.

He was so happy for his humans. Emmett and Marina had made two new friends. One of them was even a Glamrock!

That fact sent Sun deeper into his depressed mind.

Sun knew that Marina and Emmett saw them as friends. He knew that the pair cared for him and Moon equally, something that they had never experienced in the time since their creation. Overall, he was overjoyed about their relationship.

But, what happened when they moved on to someone else?

To Sun, it seemed inevitable. That's what happened with the children as well. They grew up, grew older, and moved on to the Glamrock group. They were much more interesting, having their own stages, teams, and merchandising campaigns that Sun and Moon could only dream of.

It only made sense that two lovely humans such as them could bewitch anyone they wished, human or animatronic. That being said…

Why would they stick around if they can do better?

Moon and Sun both had gone through these thoughts before, over and over in their head. The difference now was, it seemed closer than ever before. Their charge's wings were fully ready to spread and head out, leaving their nest empty once again.

They both couldn't even begin to imagine what that would feel like.

Sun did his best to appear chipper, despite the growing anxieties flooding the back of his mind. Usually, Moony would reassure him in these sorts of situations.

But he couldn't if he had the same worries.

So Sun continued through his day as normal, helping little hands open juice boxes and cleaning paint off of surfaces that were definitely not the painting area.

He should have realized that wouldn't work for long.

At the end of the day, he was cornered by Marina in the supply room again. He knew as soon as the door shut that he had been read like a book.

"Alright, big guy." She started, her hands on her hips. "What's the matter? You've been looking like a kicked puppy all day."

Sun froze up, trying to think of a response. He didn't want her worrying over him, no no no! It was his job to do all the worrying.

"I'm just fine, Sunshine! Nothings the matter. Not at all, no no no!"

Marina was clearly not convinced.

Dude, she's the queen of this game. Do you really think you can Bugs Bunny...Bugs Bunny himself?

You're right, but what else do we do?

I don't know, tell the truth? That's what you make her do when she does the same thing.

Yeah but--

"Sunny." Marina said, breaking him out of his thoughts. "I thought you knew better than to lie to me. Isn't that one of the rules you hold me to? Why should I follow YOUR rules if you won't?"

Sun remained silent, unsure of how to respond to that.

She's right, you know.

Marina's eyes softened, her hand coming up to clutch one of his.

"It's ok, bud. Just tell me what's wrong. I'm a really good listener, I promise. You have nothing to worry about, ok? You're safe here."

Her words only made the pain surge through him again, his hand gripping onto hers as his body shook. He looked at their joined hands as he spoke again.

"But what happens when you're not here anymore?"

A pause followed his statement, Marina seemingly struggling to process his words.

"...what?"

Sun gripped a bit tighter, afraid she would suddenly disappear. He knew it was a ridiculous notion that she could, but he still felt better knowing he was in physical contact with her.

"You and Emmett. What happens when you move on to someone else? Someone other than us?"

Silence greeted him, and after a minute or two, he looked up, confused. Marina's face was pale, her eyes filled with hurt.

"...you think we're gonna leave you behind?"

Sun immediately looked away again, shuffling his feet.

"It's ok, we understand. That's how it works, right? The kids get older, and then they go play with the Glamrocks. Now that you have Monty and Sean, we aren't really needed anymore. They're much better playmates for you two, yes yes yes!"

The room was once again quiet, before he heard a loud sigh come from Marina.

"You're so fucking lucky that I love you."

OK. That was not the answer he was expecting. Clearly Moon didn't either, a sputtering sound reaching him internally. Sun looked up at Marina in shock, not knowing how to respond to something like that. Sun and Moon, once again, had a thought in unison.

...she loves us?

Marina opened the door again, pulling Sun by his hand towards the security office. Sun allowed himself to be led, keeping his body hunched so as not to tower over her. It was hard to see her well when he was standing up straight.

When they got to the office, Marina started shuffling some papers around, seemingly looking for something.

"I swear to God, I better get so many head pats after this. I'm embarrassing myself just for you two. Honestly, yall really think we would leave?"

Marina's voice was scolding, something Sun had never heard from her before. Her accent was a lot heavier than normal, but that happened frequently when she was passionate about something. In this context, it was hard to tell if this was good or bad energy fueling her.

After a moment, Marina had gathered a stack of random white paper, holding it out to him.

Sun cautiously took them, stacking them neatly as he noticed they weren't actually random papers.

They were drawings.

Drawings of him.

There had to be dozens of them, little Suns and Moons in various situations. Sun making friendship bracelets with the children at the crafting table. Moon, cradling a drowsy child in his lap, rocking back and forth in his chair. Sun, skipping happily towards a waiting little girl, who held a drawing up for him to see. Moon, music box playing, walking gracefully between children, candy in his hands.

It was clear that some of these were from actual events Marina had seen, but others seemed to be from her own head. Sun saw one he liked of himself in a flower crown. Moon seemed to enjoy the one of him in a long sleeved black shirt and beanie, the decal reading "going through a phase" with the phases of the moon sketched in. Sun had to admit, the look suited him.

He and Moon were both stunned into silence, neither of them really knowing what to do with this information. He looked up at Marina for answers.

She was blushing, one of her hands coming up to cover the lower half of her face. Her eyes were pinned on the desk.

"I watch you two all day. That's my job. I see everything you do for those kids, and for Emmett and I. I don't just hang around because you're convenient. I hang around because I like you two. And…" Marina cut off, her good eye focusing on him. "I wanted to keep some of those good moments, so...I captured them as best I could. If I go through the effort of keeping as many memories as I can, why would I go away? We can't make new memories if I'm gone. And I know Emmett feels the same way."

Sun felt so many emotions at once, his and Moon's thoughts and feelings melding together into a chaotic mess. Joy, excitement, apprehension, fear, protectiveness, all swirling around without any sign of stopping.

So Sun hugged her.

He clutched the papers in one hand, but quickly decided one arm was not enough for him, and deposited the papers down on the desk. He brought her close, as close as he could, his faceplate nuzzling into her hair.

Marina latched onto him, pressing her cheek to his chest. Her fingers curled around his shoulders, her grip strong and sure. She really wasn't going anywhere.

...let me out.

Sun jumped a bit in surprise at the sound of Moon's voice. He hardly ever asked to come out when it wasn't his time. He tended to be a bit reclusive when people were still in the building.

...are you sure?

Let me out. I want OUT.

He couldn't really say no to that. Sun picked up Marina to bring her with him to the light switch, unwilling to let her leave his sight. She looked up at him, her eyes flooded with confusion.

Sun snapped the lights off.

The change was quick, maybe ten seconds tops, but both watched as Marina's eyes lit up, fascination overtaking her features.

"Fuck that's still really cool."

"Language."

Moon's voice came out in the soft, sweet rasp he reserved for the children. Marina seemed surprised at first, but then smiled at him, her hands still gripping their shoulders.

"Well well well. Long time no see, buddy. This isn't usually your time."

Moon's neck clicked, Sun watching from the inside as he leaned forward, pulling Marina's head back to his chest.

"After all that, Starfire, I don't think it would be appropriate to just let Sun do all the talking."

Marina hummed in acknowledgement, one hand moving from his shoulder to grip the fabric around his neck.

"I hope y'all are feeling better now. Also, Sun owes me two nice things about himself. I think that denouncing your entire existence counts as a negative comment about yourself."

I--uh--

She's got ya there, bro.

You were thinking the same things!

Yes, but I SAID nothing.

Moon chuckled as Sun burned with frustration, petting Marina's back affectionately.

"Yes, we're much better now. Though, Sun seems very unhappy about being given a taste of his own medicine."

"Well, he can suck it up." Marina said simply, peeking up at him. "Do stupid shit, win stupid prizes. And thinking Emmett or I would ever leave for someone else is some pretty stupid shit. That goes for you too, by the way."

"Language."

Moon huffed, curling his body around hers protectively. Sun felt Moon's satisfaction as Marina hummed happily.

"I suppose it is Starfire. We won't make that mistake again."

Chapter Text

"Alright bitches, bros, and nonbinary hoes!"

Emmett's voice rang over the daycare, setting off Sun's language protocol. Marina, on the other hand, laughed at him, shoulders shaking as she attempted not to snort. When Emmett came into view, he pointed at Sun.

"Marina told me that you two haven't seen cartoons or movies. That's a tragedy. I plan on fixing it."

Emmett flung his hands in the air dramatically.

"So. Operation 'sneak into the pizzaplex after hours to have a movie night' is officially a go!"

"Wait what?"

Marina felt apprehension in every bone of her body. She may be a bit contrary, but breaking rules so blatantly wasn't her thing. She preferred being unnoticed.

The whole fiasco with Sun and Moon had happened a few days before and, of course, Marina had filled Emmett in. He had responded with just as much shock as she had, frustrated that they really hadn't understood the depth of his care for them. So, he had made a pact with her in which they promised to be less subtle, making their desire to be in their lives much clearer. To make them feel included and loved.

She supposed this was his way of holding up his end of that deal, but that didn't make it any less anxiety inducing.

"Don't be a little bitch, Mari. You always wanted to be a goodie two shoes when we were in high school. Hell, the biggest 'sin' of your life was smoking weed all the time in college."

"Emmett!"

"Marina!" Sun cried, turning to her. "Smoking?"

He's still a snitch by nature. What the fuck.

"Ok listen, it's not that bad. First of all, it's legal here. Second, Emmett smoked too. And finally, I smoked, I had fun, I went to a few parties, it's fine. I'm good and it's fine. I hardly ever smoke anymore."

"You smoked two weeks ago. I know because you texted me some shit that you would only say stoned out of your mind."

"Shut up. My eye hurt. It had been months before that."

Sun seemed apprehensive, but stopped fussing, his nervous energy showing as he hopped from foot to foot.

"Anyways, I'm gonna bring my projector, and we're gonna sneak in. We both have passes to be here, so going unnoticed shouldn't be too hard, so long as we're in uniform. We can pack other clothes to wear once we get in."

Marina bit her lip, twirling braids in her hands. She hated this idea.

"While it sounds really fun, what if--"

"If you come you get to show Sun his first Disney movie."

"I'm in."

Marina's mouth spit out the words without her consent. She could feel her face lighting up, a little hop of excitement escaping her.

Animation was her special interest. He had tricked her.

"No fair using my special interests against me!"

"So is it gonna be Moana or Mulan?"

Marina felt anxious about the choice immediately, apprehension forgotten. Once her brain latched onto her interests, everything else faded away. If this was Sun's first movie experience, she wanted him to love it. That was why sharing special interests was so fun to her--watching other people enjoy the things you loved most just gives so much serotonin.

"I don't know! Sun would probably like Moana more. Less war and dying. But Mulan has kick ass music and Shang, who you probably still have a crush on from when we were 10."

"LISTEN--"

Marina laughed as Emmett's face went red, a hand coming up to cover it.

"I take that as a yes?"

"Don't talk to me."

"Awww Emmett, it's ok! Even I think he's a little attractive, and I usually go for girls."

Her voice was still teasing though, and she happily took the shove aimed at her shoulder.

"I vote Moana so I don't have to deal with your singing along to every song. You'll still do it, but it won't be so loud as 'Be a Man.'"

"You sing along just as much!"

As they argued, Marina started to become more and more excited. Maybe this was worth the anxiety.

Guess she'd find out.

---

Sun couldn't help the relief he felt as the wood doors creaked open, Marina and Emmett slipping in carefully. Once the door closed, he watched Marina release a breath, her face pale.

"You're such a little bitch, my dude."

"Anxiety disorder bro."

Emmett laughed, waving up at Sun.

"Heya big guy! You excited?"

To be honest, Sun felt ready to explode with happiness. There are so many experiences he and Moon had yet to have in their 'lives,' and they had come to terms with the fact that they most likely never would.

Now they had friends bringing the experiences to them. It overwhelmed him with emotion.

Sun rushed up, plucking Marina off the ground before pressing her to his chest and spinning. He felt Marina latch onto him, a soft giggle reaching his sensors.

She's so CUTE MOONY!

"We are so so SO excited! We never thought we would actually see a movie! I can't wait!"

When he looked down, Marina's eyes sparkled with pure, unadulterated mirth. She seemed just as excited as he was.

Moony--

Yeah yeah yeah. It's cute ok?

"We decided Moana was a better movie choice. It's less sad and has no romantic plot lines. Just cool girls and The Rock."

Sun didn't know what "The Rock" was, but he was more than ready to find out. He carefully placed Marina back on solid ground.

"Mari! Go change into your pajamas fam! Maximum coze is required for movie night." Emmett looked up at Sun, jutting his chin out proudly. "Also, Mari let me choose what pajamas she wore, and I make very good choices."

"I'm scared to know what I'm gonna look like."

Regardless, Marina took the bag, smiling at Sun before rushing off to the bathroom to change.

Sun didn't know what to expect, but it wasn't this.

When Emmett returned, he was in what Sun could only describe as a onesie. It was made of fleecy fabric, it's detailing making Emmett look like a panda bear. When he spun in a circle, Sun noticed a tail.

Moony--

Ok. That's cute. That's really fucking cute.

Marina followed soon after, wearing a similar get up, only hers looked like a dalmatian. It was kind of ironic, considering her uncovered and mostly healed black eye. It also was a much different fit than Emmett's, looking more like a blanket covering her body with how much fabric was between the legs. As she approached, Emmett swooped in and yanked her hood over her head, revealing little ears.

Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR! I'm gonna overheat us.

Don't.

It's going to happen, Moony.

DONT.

Sun released hot air through his ventilation system before picking Marina up again, pulling her to him.

"Oh my GOODNESS! You look so adorable! ADORABLE yes yes YES!"

Marina blushed red, but seemed to be enjoying his attention, her arms snaking around his shoulders to cuddle against his chest.

"See? I told you. I make good choices."

Emmett looked very pleased with himself, his arms crossed proudly.

"Yes yes YES Emmett! A wonderful choice indeed! You both look so CUTE!"

Sun reached down to ruffle Emmett's hair, which the man accepted with an embarrassed chuckle.
Marina soon piped up again.

"Does this mean we can watch 101 Dalmatians too?"

Emmett laughed, smiling at her.

"Maybe. If you don't pass out before then."

"I would never and you know it. My mom literally had that movie playing every minute from when I was two until I turned four."

"Yeeep. She said you'd cry so hard while she was trying to restart it. You never could be patient."

Marina pouted, pushing her face against Sun's chestplate.

"Rewinding a tape takes a while for a three year old, ok?"

"Sure sure. Whatever helps you sleep at night."

When Emmett went to unzip his bag, Sun stopped him before he had a chance to think things through.

"Do you two want to come up to our room? It should be much better suited to a projector, yes yes yes!"

Sun--

Moony. You said yourself that they've been vulnerable to us. Its only a fair trade. Besides, would you really deny them after they've made such a big effort in making us feel good?

Moon fell silent, which Sun took as a win.

Marina, who was still in his arms, piped up.

"I wouldn't mind that, if it's ok with you. I've never been there before."

"Yeah buddy. If you want to, then I'm down."

"It's settled then!"

Sun took Marina up first, since she was already in his arms. He then had to reassure her that he would pick her back up when he returned, as he felt guilty when she whined at the loss of his touch. Once he had scaled up the stage a second time with his other friend, he kept his promise.

Sun led his friends into the room, his arms holding Marina securely to him. It wasn't much--some pillows and blankets, a few toys and games, some pictures from the children, and a small collection of books made up most of the room. The walls were a faded yellow, something that Sun had done himself long ago. It was small, but cozy, a hidden sanctuary he and Moon used to feel safe and secure.

He had never shown anyone else before.

Marina hummed happily as they entered the room, her hands fiddling with the fabric around his neck as she looked around. Emmett seemed just as enthused, taking in the carefully hung artwork and book selection. Marina looked over at him.

"Em, you love books. Maybe you can recommend some for them. I'm sure they'd appreciate it."

Sun bounced her in his arms, causing her to laugh happily.

"Yes yes YES! Moony is more of a reader than me, but I'm sure he would love it!"

Emmett smiled at him, but he seemed almost bashful.

"Sure. Based on these titles, I think I have a pretty good idea of what kind of stuff he'd like. I'll bring him some of mine."

That'll be nice. I've been stuck with the same few for a while now. Reading them online isn't the same, and it's not like we have money to buy ebooks anyway.

Emmett got to work setting up his projector, aiming it at a patch of empty wall. Marina, on the other hand, squirmed out of Sun's arms, fussing with the blanket pile in the corner.

"Trying to nest already, Mari?"

Marina hummed in response. Sun tilted his faceplate.

"Nest?"

Emmett barked a laugh, his face falling into a fond smile.

"Yeah. As you know, Mari loves soft things. When she wants to be comfy somewhere, she tends to make a 'nest' out of the stuff she likes. That's why her bed at home has at least five blankets on it at a time. And don't get me started on the number of stuffies it takes for her to finally be satisfied."

When Sun looked back over at her, she had a soft pout on her face, her hands still gently petting each blanket in turn.

"Look if you're boring just say that. I think the stuffies make the bed a lot better."

Sun heard Emmett huff in amusement.

"No no, they do. Doesn't mean I won't tease you for it. Speaking of which, did you bring any with you? I haven't seen any of yours today."

Marina nodded, finally seeming happy with what she had created. She appeared to have put one or two of the thicker blankets on the floor, presumably for some padding. The few pillows they had were carefully arranged around the wall. She stacked a few blankets at the sides, perhaps to snuggle under. She seemed to have already picked her favorite, though, a soft, fluffy blue one with little clouds on it clutched in her hands.

"Mhm. I brought Archie."

Emmett whistled softly.

"Bringing out the big guns, eh? He's in your top five."

Marina nodded, her face serious.

"It's an important day for Sun and Moon. So Archie needs to be here for it."

As she spoke, she tugged the zipper on her bag open, pulling out a pink, rounded plush toy. He had a cute little "w" mouth, his eyes two plain black patches. He had little hands, and fin type structures on his head. Sun thought he was adorable.

Moony! Moony we're special! We got the special plushie!

Yeah. Very exciting.

While Moon sounded sarcastic, Sun could still feel his satisfaction lingering in the back of his mind.

Marina immediately cuddled Archie to her chest, seemingly happy to have him there with her. When her eyes turned back to Sun, she seemed to consider something, before grabbing his hand.

Where is she taking us?

I-I'm not sure. I--

Sun was cut off in his thoughts when she stopped in front of the nest, tugging on his hand. At her cue, he sat down, crossing his legs in front of him.

Marina unceremoniously flopped down directly in his lap, her head resting on his chest. She placed her blanket over both of them before letting out a soft sigh, hugging onto Archie as she settled.

I--

What--

"Congrats Sunny Boy!" Emmett cheered as he finally found the movie. "You've been upgraded to the highest friend tier. She only invites people to her nest when she really likes them."

Marina bounced a bit as she sat, clearly still very excited for watching the movie.

Sun was losing his mind.

Highest friend tier? Us? S-She picked US Moony---

Moon was radio silent, his feelings swirling around within them. Just like before, excitement, protectiveness, even a bit of fear, all came together in an overwhelming cloud in their mind.

We finally made friends!

Chapter Text

"Ok, I'm setting some ground rules, specifically for Mari."

Marina fidgeted in Sun's lap, looking up at Emmett with confusion.

"One: don't spoil the plot. Two: don't sing along the first time the song plays. Let Sun and Moon hear it first. We can play it again and you can sing your little heart out after if you'd like. And three: keep having fun. It's really nice to see you being, well...more you. Not masking so hard."

Sun watched as Marina's face went red, her eyes wide. When she finally seemed to fully process what he said, she turned her head to hide in his chest.

"I...I guess I'm not, really, am I?"

"No. You nested, you've got two special interests happening at once, and you're doing the happy bouncy stim you do when we watch stuff at your house. You seem comfortable. I'm glad."

Sun felt his processors fill with pure joy. She trusted him. She was revealing herself to him. This was the closest to Marina he had ever gotten.

He and Moon both were on cloud nine.

Marina's bouncing turned into embarrassed swaying, her hands firmly gripping onto Sun. Emmett smiled at her.

"Movie time, bitches."

As the film started, Marina perked up again, her body turning towards the screen.

Watching a movie was unlike anything Sun had done before. The colors were so vibrant, the characters expressive and fun. Emmett had told him this movie was child friendly, but Sun could really see his point now. Kids would love this. Honestly he loved this, but there was more to it than just the movie.

Marina was following Emmett's rules pretty well. She didn't sing along to the opening song, though Sun could hear her humming a bit to the beat. She did however, continue the "bouncy stim" Emmett had described, her body bobbing happily in his lap.

He could hardly comprehend the happiness he felt.

Marina struggled a lot harder later in the movie. Apparently she very much enjoyed those songs.

"I promise I'll rewind it." Emmett soothed, glancing at her now more violent bouncing as How Far I'll Go finished. He paused the movie, but halted in his actions when Marina spoke up.

"No, it's fine. I don't need you to. I probably wouldn't sing anyway."

"Ah, maybe not. You've got a bit of stage fright. It's sad really...your voice isn't bad. I'll miss my soprano backup singer."

"Shut up. Also, I'm pretty sure I outgrew being a soprano by this point. My voice is much different than when we were little."

"I'm sure it would be just fine, Sunshine! It would be quite nice to hear you sing. You hear Moony do it all the time."

Marina squirmed in his arms.

"That's different. It's usually his music box. Also, he's programmed to be really good at it. Whoever chose his voice box really killed that shit."

"I have to agree. His voice is really nice." Emmett conceded.

Sun could feel embarrassment radiating off of Moon from the inside. He couldn't help but chuckle.

"He doesn't seem to know what to do with that information."

Sun!

Moon!

Marina looked up at him with a smile.

"Last time I said that he got flustered, so that doesn't surprise me."

"Anyway!" Emmett interrupted, looking at Marina. "I'm gonna rewind it and you can sing if you want to. I probably will because I have accepted the fact that while my singing voice is…" Emmett looked at Sun cautiously. "...not the best, I still like singing things."

They're really afraid to mess that up.

They don't like the consequences of their actions.

Neither did you when Marina made you do the "self love exercise."

...

"Okay." Marina conceded. "You do that. I'm never against hearing it again."

When the song started again, Emmett sang along happily, his eyes focused on Marina rather than the screen. While his voice was definitely untrained, it wasn't a bad sound, in Sun's opinion. It was energetic, lively, and it made Sun feel giddy knowing he was having so much fun.

Marina seemed to be cracking, her lips quirked in amusement when he looked back down at her. It took until right before the chorus for her to chime in.

"...to the place I know, where I cannot go, where I long to be…"

Marina joined Emmett in singing, her face turning back towards the screen to watch. As Sun watched her, he realized her hands were doing the same movements as the character on screen.

She really knows this movie.

Well, she does mimic, after all. It makes sense that she would associate movement with the words, yes yes yes!

Her voice was just as Emmett described, a soft, shy soprano that became more and more confident as the song continued. She clearly had a little more practice than Emmett, her pronunciation showing signs of vocal training.

Was she a singer once?

I'm not sure. Emmett seems to know her singing voice well, but that doesn't say much…

By the end of the song, both of them were really going for it, singing to their heart's content. Sun had to admit, Marina's voice was powerful when she allowed it to be, easily overshadowing Emmett's with its intensity. She was into it. Sun was happy that they were showing him this side of them.

At the end of the song, they went back to the movie as if nothing happened, until the next one started up and they began again. Huh, apparently "The Rock" was a person both of them liked. They sang just as much to his song, though they both seemed to really enjoy the rap portion. By the time the final song began, his two humans were buzzing with a joy he hadn't seen in a long time.

He was very happy to share it.

---
Once movie number one was over, Sun snapped off the light in the room to allow Moon a turn. Marina seemed apprehensive, squirming a bit like she was going to get up, but Moon quickly put a stop to that, wrapping an arm around her waist. With his permission, she slowly relaxed again.

She likes you too, Moony!

Sure sure. Whatever.

"Are we going Disney again or are we wanting a more adult movie for Moon? He's probably more into that than Sun would be."

"Adult movies are kinda boring." Marina chimed in, slumping backwards against Moon. "They're usually live action, and that's super annoying when you can't hear vocal tones. I do enough guess work everyday, I don't wanna read faces anymore."

Emmett hummed in acknowledgement, sifting through movie choices.

"That's a fair point. I don't want you getting tired just because the movie was frustrating for you to keep up with."

"Hunchback of Notre Dame?"

"That's still Disney."

"Someone kills a woman ON SCREEN, they try to burn someone at the stake, there's weird sexual tension, need I go on? Not very kid friendly, and the music is still fire. No pun intended."

What the hell is this movie?

Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR! What are they getting us into?

"Ya know that's fair. I'll keep it as an option."

Emmett suddenly froze.

"Oh my God, wait. The Sixth Sense exists. He hasn't seen it."

Marina shot up straight. Both chanted in unison.

"We're doing it, we're doing it, we're doing it!"

Moon decided now was the time to speak up.

"...what is this movie?"

"You're about to find out!" Emmett cheered.

As they watched, Moon realized this movie was much different than the one chosen for Sun. It was actual humans, rather than drawings, and there wasn't any singing. There was, however, a child main character, so he supposed at least that would appeal to Sun.

He did like the creepy atmosphere. Most of the books he read were mystery novels or thrillers, so this energy was something he could get behind.

He noticed Marina kept her attention half on the movie, half on his reactions to said movie. Emmett was doing the same, though perhaps not as overtly. He guessed they really cared what he thought about it. The idea made him feel a little warm inside.

...Until they got to the end of the movie.

"Wait, what!?"

Moon heard Marina start to giggle, her body shaking in his arms.

"What's the matter Moony?"

"What's the matter? That guy was dead the whole time!?"

Emmett burst into laughter, clutching his stomach.

"Surprise! It's a really fun twist ending. I got Marina with this movie a while back, and she reacted the same way. When you look back at the progression of the movie, it makes a lot of sense, but boy is it fun to trick people with on their first watch."

Moon had to say he was impressed. Everything about the movie was weird, but he really didn't see it coming. Maybe Emmett really did know his taste.

"...Well played."

Once the two of them settled down again, Moon noticed that Marina was becoming a bit sluggish, her weight leaning more and more against him as time went on.

"Are you getting tired, Starfire?"

"No."

Moon could tell she was lying through her teeth, her body easily telling the truth as she pressed her cheek against his chestplate.

"Mari and I usually go to bed right around now, since we're due at work around eight am. I feel like an old man being in bed by eleven, though."

"We used to stay up until like three in the morning in college." Marina piped up, a smirk on her face. "But then again, we also didn't really sleep in college, so."

"That...doesn't sound healthy."

"It's not." Emmett agreed, fussing with the projector. "But college life isn't really healthy. We ate whatever cheap junk food we could afford at the time, slept whenever we had an hour or two, and smoked a lot of fucking weed."

"I miss that." Marina hummed, her body curling inward as she seemingly tried to get comfortable. "Shitty food tastes so much better high."

"Once again, you were literally high like two weeks ago."

"Yeah. And eating garbage food was wonderful two weeks ago. But I don't really get high like that anymore."

"Probably for the best." Emmett sighed, choosing 101 Dalmatians. "You got a bit too dependent on it for a bit there, Miss Stoner."

"Yeah well, my dad died. Sue me."

"Your dad also loved weed, so I can't say I'm shocked."

"True. I'll puff puff pass in his memory."

Both of them chuckled, the conversation casual, but internally, Moon was hearing a whole new onslaught of comments from Sun.

Her father is deceased? And recently so? They've only been out of college for a little less than a year! Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR! Poor Little Star! She's never mentioned it before!

Maybe it's a sore subject? Though, they seem rather casual about it. Weirdly casual, considering they're discussing death and possible addiction.

"Anyway Mari, I'm gonna put on the movie, but we really should sleep soon. We both have work tomorrow."

"We're already at work." She protested, crossing her arms. "We won't need to go as far."

"Still."

"Fine. This movie is pretty short anyway. Older animated movies tend to be that way."

As Moon settled in for movie number two, he wondered just how many pieces of the puzzle he was missing. How could he not know such important information?

He made it his goal to try to get as much out of his friends as he could.

Time to put his nosy trait to use.

Chapter Text

Dogs. Ok. This movie was just a lot of cute dogs. The movie did feel considerably older than the others, the sound quality low. He could, however, see the appeal. The music was soft, and the drawings were amusing, dozens of little puppy tails wagging at once. He could hear Marina mumbling some of the lines to herself, easily recalling each one as if she was the actor that played the role.

OK, now I believe she watched it two years straight.

Yes yes yes! She knows so much of this one! I must admit, though, the movie is quite cute. Almost as cute watching her watch the movie.

Sudden singing brought Moon's attention back to the outside, watching as Emmett stood up, facing Marina.

"Cruella De Vil. Cruella De Vil."

He sang in a way that matched the character, making his hands into claws as he leaned towards Marina.

"If she doesn't scare you, no evil thing will!"

Marina seemed delighted to play along, singing the next line, albeit in a much higher range than Emmett.

"To see her is to take a sudden chill."

Emmett cut back in, singing along with her.

"Cruella, Cruella, De Vil."

After one more verse, the movie continued on, the man on screen aggressively playing piano. Moon appreciated his desire to be annoying to those he hated. Cruella seemed like a bitch.

Soon though, Moon felt Marina start to squirm, so he let her go. She scrambled to her feet beside Emmett, their bodies to the left of the projected image.

Marina stood on her toes, her body moving fluidly as she acted out the movements on screen. The song started again.

"At first you think
Cruella is the devil.
But after time has worn
Away the shock.
You come to realize
You've seen her kind of eyes
Watching you from underneath
A rock!"

Her hands moved in time, her neck swaying in a predatory manner, similar to a snake, covering and uncovering her eyes along with the man.

She's actually a pretty good actress.

Yes yes yes! Perhaps it's because she's light on her feet! But her voice is quite nice too!

Marina grabbed Emmett's hand, dipping him before spinning him around with her. She was still in time with the movie itself.

"This vampire bat
This inhuman beast
She ought to be locked up
And never released!
The world was such
A wholesome place until
Cruella, Cruella De Vil"

She finished the song off softly, her voice going sweet. Instead of kissing Emmett, she bunted her head against his.

"You've always been really good at that one."

"It's a really good song."

Moon decided it was his turn to talk now.

"You're actually pretty good at this in general. Did you sing at some point?"

Marina jumped at his voice, blushing profusely. It seemed she had forgotten he was there. Emmett cut in to answer for her.

"Yeah. We were both in drama classes in high-school. Stereotypical theater gays. She tended not to go on stage, though. She did lights and set painting backstage for a lot of our performances."

Moon tilted his head, his neck clicking.

"Why? She could easily act."

"Stage fright, mostly. She hates any type of performing for other people. She literally took a zero on a lot of our public speaking assignments just so she didn't have to do them."

"I still got better grades than you." Marina pointed out, crossing her arms as her face flushed even darker. "Also, we both know what happened the one time you convinced me to try it."

Emmett's face turned guilty as he rubbed his arm. Moon looked at him questioningly.

"Ah. Yeah. I tried to convince her everything would be fine, and she decided to give it a go. Uh…" Emmett looked away, his face sad. "She said like two lines and then had a full on panic attack in front of the class. It took forever for me to calm her down, and she never tried again. Never was in any more plays, either. Not even as an extra."

"Hey, I got really good at painting sets though!"

"That you did." Emmett said, his smile turning more genuine. "You always painted the set pieces. Your landscapes were amazing, even if you thought painting them was boring."

I knew she had some social anxiety, but that's a bit extreme.

I know. It's sad that she never got to be on stage. She's so good, yes yes yes!

"Yeah well, you were the lead role our senior year." Marina said with a smile. "They didn't even care that you always skipped your vocal training. You're a really good actor."

Emmett sighed, blushing.

"God, I wish I had transitioned sooner. Being the lead role is amazing, but looking at the pictures makes me feel super weird now."

"Yeah. You still had long hair."

"I didn't bind yet, either. Gross."

Marina laughed, settling back into Moon's lap.

"Still cool that it happened. Rewind the movie to where we were?"

Emmett obliged her, and they watched the rest of the movie quietly, aside from Marina's occasional mumbles. Sun really enjoyed the movie, thinking the dogs were really sweet. Moon liked that the villain got what she deserved, enjoying the satisfaction of a good ending with a side of revenge.

When the movie ended, Marina seemed exhausted, her body pressed into Moon.

"Perhaps we should end things here, hm?"

Marina nodded, curling into him.

"Mhm…"

Emmett cut in.

"Mariiii. Don't go to sleep. Take your meds first."

Marina hummed in acknowledgement, rubbing at her eyes before scooting out of Moon's lap to rummage through her bag.

"Don't forget to take off your binder." Marina hummed, huffing as she finally found the pill bottle. "Your ribs won't be happy if you wear it any longer."

Emmett looked uncomfortable, shifting side to side as he sat.

"Um--"

"Keeping it on is not an option. You're gonna get blisters again."

Again!?

"But…" Emmett gestured to his chest uncomfortably, his lips tight. Sun popped in, his code bouncing anxiously.

It must be hard, disliking a part of your body so much that you can't stand to look at it.

Yeah. I've never really thought about it before, but dysphoria must be a bitch to deal with…

Marina's eyes softened, her voice going gentle.

"It's ok, bud. It's just us here, and you're wearing a onesie, so we wouldn't be able to see anything anyway."

When Emmett stared at her longer, Marina sighed, popping the pill in her mouth and washing it down with her water bottle. She began to speak again as she took out her braids.

"Tell ya what. I have a sports bra on. Do you want that? You can wear it, and that should keep everything from being so noticeable to you, but also is not so tight."

Emmett's eyes widened before a chuckle escaped him.

"You think I can fit into your clothes?"

"I'm autistic. I buy everything at least two sizes too big so it doesn't touch me so much. I don't like tight bras, so it should fit you normally.

Moon watched as Emmett laughed, his face betraying his gratitude.

"Ok. Switch, then?"

"Sure."

Moon only felt confusion as Marina slipped her arm out of her sleeve, shimmying a bit before doing the same on the other side.

"Ah." Emmet cut in, his eyes amused. "You're doing girl magic."

After a second, Marina dipped her head a bit, and out popped her light gray sports bra, now detached from her body.

"Do guys really not know how to take off an undershirt without getting undressed?"

"You'd think they would, but no. They don't worry about it I guess."

"Weird."

Marina laughed when she turned to look at Moon.

"Sorry man. You probably had absolutely no idea what was going on."

"You'd be correct. Kind of a cool skill to have, though."

Marina passed off the bra before turning away from Emmett, allowing him time to change. She explained that binders are much tighter, and therefore, he wouldn't be able to pull the same trick. Emmett spoke up timidly.

"You're sure I can have this?"

"Yeah man. I don't want to sleep in it, anyway. Just give it back tomorrow so I'm not flashing a bunch of kids with that thin white table cloth the pizzaplex calls a shirt. I'm all for the 'free the nipple' movement, but I'm not putting kids through all that."

Emmett laughed, the sound of fabric being yanked off skin filling the room. Moon had to admit, he hadn't seen the binder, but it even sounded tight fitting.

When Emmett finished changing, Marina smiled at him, yawning as she cuddled closer to Moon.

"See? No big deal."

She's so sweet to him, yes yes yes! She really cares for his comfort. She literally just gave him the shirt off her back!

Yeah. She does the same for us, you know. This get together was no easy task, but they both did it for us.

Emmett smiled timidly, his arm still uncomfortably covering his chest.

"Thanks."

"No problem, my guy."

Moon's programming kicked in at the sound of another yawn. Gently, he pushed on Marina's back, laying her down flat on her stomach.

"Bed time, Starfire."

"Alright alright. I'm goin'."

Moon repeated the process with Emmett, tugging him further into the nest so that he was parallel to Marina. He tucked them each in, making sure Marina received her favorite blanket. This time, she openly giggled at him, squirming happily as he performed the tucking motion.

Cute cute CUTE!

"You've always liked shit like that." Emmett murmured, amused. "I'm really not sure if you're just an attention whore, or if you just like the sensation."

"Porque no los dos?" Marina replied, her eyelids already growing heavy. "I've been an attention whore my whole life. Why stop now?"

"Touche." Emmett replied, allowing Moon to tuck him in as well. Moon made sure to avoid getting too close to his chest area, opting to tuck in at the waist instead.

Remembering his previous naps with Marina, he started up his music box, speaking softly to the pair.

"Settle down now, My Stars. It's time to rest."

Marina had Archie jammed underneath herself, her body curled protectively around him. Once again, she stayed prone as she started to drift off.

Emmett was a little more difficult, seemingly less tired than his counterpart. He turned on his side, snuggling into the blankets, his face turned towards Marina.

Moon began unconsciously murmuring to Emmett, his voice low and hushed. His hand made its way to his back, rubbing slow circles. By the time he realized what he was doing, Emmett was out, his body curled nearly into a ball.

Oh oh OH! They're so cute when they sleep.

Moon hummed in agreement, tidying up around the room as they slept.

This went a lot better than expected.

Yes yes YES. We got to see movies for the first time, and we learned lots about our new friends that we never knew before! It's very exciting! I hope they keep sharing with us…

Moon had a feeling they would. He finally felt confident enough to trust in someone other than himself or Sun. It was liberating to be able to pass some of the burden to someone else. To someone who cared if they were happy.

Moon files those thoughts away for later. He had some patrolling to do.

Chapter Text

Marina woke up the next day to her name being called.

"Marina? It's time to get up, Sunshine! It's a brand new day, yes yes yes!"

Marina's eyes fluttered open, her vision blurry from her lack of contacts. Even without them, though, she could see Sun sitting next to her, his rays spinning.

"There she is! Good morning, Sunshine!"

Marina, still dazed, lifted her hands towards him. Hug time sounded very nice right now.

Sun hummed at her, easily wrapping his arms around her back. He pulled both her and her blanket into his lap, bouncing lightly as he held her.

Marina rubbed her eyes, her body curling as she stretched. She was sure at any other time, she would be embarrassed by the squeaking sound that escaped her throat as she popped her back, but for now, she wasn't worried about it. 

"What time is it?" She asked, her voice still raspy from sleep.

"7:30, my dear. Plenty of time to get ready for the day, yes yes yes!"

Marina hummed, glancing over at the still sleeping form that was Emmett. 

"Good luck. For once, I'm the easy one. Emmett does not wake up very happy."

"I'm sure I'll manage."

Marina shrugged at him, crawling away to her bag so that he could attempt poking the bear.

It went about as well as she expected.

Emmett immediately whined, turning away from Sun and burrowing further into the blankets.

"C'mon now, Sunlight! We gotta get up up up!"

Emmett was not happy as he was picked up, pulled close to Sun's chest. If looks could kill, and Sun could die, he would have.

"Aw Em. Don't look at him like that, grumpy. It's not his fault."

Emmett mumbled something under his breath, clutching his blanket in his arms. Still, he accepted Sun's comfort, allowing himself to be lightly bounced the same way Marina had been. Marina smirked a bit at him, her voice teasing.

"Good job buddy! You didn't curse anybody out this time! I'm so proud of you.

"Go fuck yourself."

"Good morning to you too."

Eventually, Emmett managed to get himself to the point of movement, shaking his head back and forth in an attempt to wake himself up.

"I hope they're making coffee in the maintenance break room. I could really use that."

"Considering y'all live off the stuff, I wouldn't be too worried."

Marina and Sun turned away from Emmett as he changed, Marina using the time to take her morning medication and slip in her contacts. 

She felt her bra land on her back, thrown haphazardly in her direction.

"Wow. I let you borrow my shit and this is the thanks I get?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

Marina huffed a laugh, switching out with him to change in the corner once his binder was on. 

Once she had dressed herself, she sighed heavily, her fingers running through her bedhead. 

"I love this for me. I love it."

"I wish you luck, my friend."

Marina whined, glaring at her hair brush before spraying her hair with leave-in conditioner.

"Why couldn't I get an easy hair texture, huh? Why did I have to get thick hair? Why did it have to be wavy? Fuck this."

"Bro, I get it. My mom braiding my hair used to hurt so fucking bad. It took like ten hours too."

"Yeah, my hair texture doesn't require that, thank God, but I totally remember my momma trying to braid my hair. She was so rough. I still won't let her touch it." Marina growled as she began brushing out the tangles, her hair ties around her wrist. "Marina stop bein' so tender headed! Sit still! It can't hurt that bad, quit your whinin'!"

Marina thickened her accent to resemble her mother's, rolling her eyes as she spoke. Emmett laughed, digging through his bag for his own brush.

"I'm impressed. You sound just like her when you do that."

Marina shook her head, a smirk twitching on her face.

"Yeah well, I'm fifty percent her so, I'd hope I could get it right."

"Nah. You're about thirty percent her. You look and act way more like your dad."

Marina hummed, whining in frustration as she hit another tangle.

"I guess that's fair. I for sure got his shoulders."

"And eyes, and nose, and mouth." Emmett finished, amused. "Your face is basically a copy paste situation. You just got your mom's hair and curves."

"I guess I'll never be rid of him, then."

Marina pulled a hair band off her wrist, ready to start braiding.

"May I do it, Sunshine? I braid for the little ones quite often, yes yes yes!"

Marina looked at Sun warily. She usually didn't let people do anything other than play with her hair. She was kinda sensitive about that part of herself. It was a hassle, and hard to manage. It never looked right, in her opinion.

But with Sun sounding so sincere, it was hard to say no.

"...if you'd like, sure."

Sun clapped happily, patting his lap from where he sat on the floor. Marina obliged him, settling down far enough away for him to see what he was doing.

When Sun started, Marina didn't really know how to react.

His fingers were so soft and gentle, carefully parting strands of hair and weaving them together. Any time he found a tangle, he would remove it slowly, so as not to cause her any pain. It was so different from all the times she or her mother had done it. It felt good.

She sighed in relief, letting her eyes slip closed as Sunny worked. She could hear Emmett shuffling, but otherwise, the room was quiet. She felt like she was in heaven.

All too soon, Sun finished the second braid, taking the hair band she offered from her wrist to secure his work. 

"There we are! It just needs one more thing!"

Sun held up two light purple ribbons, his smile widening. Marina nodded, turning again so that he could finish tying two neat bows. Emmett suddenly spoke up.

"Oh my God Mari. That's adorable. Sun, I didn't know you had that kind of skill! You did such a good job!"

Marina fished her phone out of her pocket, turning on her camera to look at herself.

Two loose, fluffy braids ran along the sides of her head, both equally spaced. Amongst the strands, purple ribbon had been weaved in, melding in and popping against her dark brown hair. At the end of each braid was a bow, tied carefully so as not to leave too much ribbon hanging off the ends.

Emmett was right. It looked great.

Is that actually MY hair?

Her fingers came up to delicately grab the end of her left braid, entranced.

"Seems you've really surprised her. Earth to Mari?"

Marina shook her head to clear it, feeling her braids bounce as she did. Huh. Usually she braided them so tight, they hardly moved at all.

"T-Thank you." She murmured, still trying to contain the flood of emotions that crashed into her. For some reason, this was mending something deeper within her than just her need for hair out of her eyes.

She hadn't felt pretty like this in a long time.

It wasn't that she found herself ugly. She actually considered herself fairly average, not very remarkable in any way. Her hair was a rich brown, but it was unmanageable. Her skin was clear of acne, but she got rashes and bruises easily, her skin sensitive to most things. Her body was curvy, but she would also be considered overweight, her broad shoulders and muscular arms bringing her up to 140 pounds. 

She just felt average. She had become content with that. She took the complaints from her mother in stride: her "unkempt" hair, her clothing choices, her lack of makeup. She knew in the end it was her decision what she wanted to look like, even if her mother's picky nature sometimes stung.

But now, right this second, she felt right. She felt like her.

With how often she was stuck in a uniform with no personalization, and the constant onslaught from her mother, it had been a long time since she had felt this way.

"Any time, Sunshine!" Sun replied, his faceplate spinning. Clearly she wasn't hiding her emotions very well right now. She had just woken up, so honestly it didn't surprise her much. It usually took her a bit to settle into "public Marina."

"Honestly, that look matches a lot of your stuff at home." Emmett reflected, tilting his head as he turned to Sun. "Outside of work, her clothing style is pretty bold. She likes bright colors and fun silhouettes that most probably wouldn't mess with.That and oversized clothing, but I think that may be more of a comfort choice than a style choice."

"Oh oh OH! I had no idea. I just chose her favorite color, according to you. I'm glad it's something she likes!"

"That is in fact my favorite color." Marina responded, forcing herself to look away and pull on her shoes. " Also, Em, it's both. Oversized sweaters look really nice with tights. And they make my shoulders look smaller." 

Emmett huffed as he stood up, grabbing his bag.

"It's always the shoulder thing with you. They're not that noticeable." He looked up, eyes amused. "You ready to head down or what? I wanna brush my teeth."

Marina nodded, slinging her bag over her shoulder.

"Yeah man, let's go."

Chapter Text

Sun and Moon were thriving at the moment. The kids had been bubbly and bright, Marina and Emmett had been staying behind later to hang out with them, and for once, they felt like they had a steady and sure mindset about their friendship.

The worries that usually plagued the back of their systems were dampened by Marina's sweet smiles and hugs, and Emmett's desire to share every piece of media he loved with them. Emmett had even left them an old tablet with his streaming services logged in for them to use when they had free time. Moon had obliterated multiple true crime documentaries, and Sun was making his way through the list of Marina's favorite animated content that Emmett had slid him with the tablet.

Sun would never grow tired of the excitement that would cross Marina's face when he would reference one of her favorite films or shows, a little bounce almost always escaping her before she could control her reaction. Of course, she always asked him his opinion of the film, and he always gave an honest answer: and they were always good, since Marina had good taste.

So when Emmett came to pick Marina up, his face pale and sickly, Sun of course felt everything in him seize up with anxiety.

Moony--

Yeah no. Scan him.

Sun did as he was told, his body impatiently bouncing as he waited for a response.

Warning: abdominal cramping detected.

Well that's not very specific.

Marina immediately noticed his discomfort, her voice coming out soft and gentle.

"Heya bud. You feeling alright?"

"Everything hurts and I'm dying." Emmett sang, his face betraying his discomfort.

Marina hummed at him, leading her friend by his shoulder to sit down in one of the art chairs.

"I know that look. Is it…?"

"Yup."

That's even MORE vague.

Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR.

"It's been awhile for you, hasn't it?" Marina asked, giving Sun a look that very clearly told him to be quiet.

"Five months." Emmett ground out, putting his head on the desk. "Five months of bliss. And now I'm here and I wanna fucking die."

"Have you taken any painkillers?"

"Tylenol is all we have in the maintenance room, and it's doing literally nothing for me."

"Hold on, love. Lemme get my bag. I have some ibuprofen you can take on top of that."

Marina was being strangely sweet, being that she typically regarded Emmett with snarky comments or giggles at his sufferings. That told Sun that this was serious.

Emmett's sudden growl caused him to jump as Marina made her way back across the room.

"God DAMNIT! WHY DID GOD MAKE ME A FUCKING WOMAN! I HATE IT HERE!"

Marina spoke calmly to him, placing her water bottle in front of him as she opened the pill bottle.

"Sweetheart, he made you a man. You have always been a man."

"But not on the outside! On the outside I have boobs and a uterus and everything else I never asked for!" Emmett's eyes pricked with tears of frustration, his head coming down to rest on the desk. "Testosterone may have made it less frequently known, but I still have a uterus. I don't want to have one, nor do I want to have kids. I don't need a period! Now it hurts and my dysphoria makes me wanna die."

Ah.

Oh.

Sun didn't know much about human reproduction aside from the educational aspects. He realized females had eggs, and that there was a cycle they went through roughly each month involving those eggs, which ended in a menstrual cycle. With the age of the kids he cared for, though, it didn't come up often. He hadn't really dealt with someone in this situation before. It made him anxious, his weight shifting from one foot to the other.

Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR! He's very distressed. What do we do?

It makes sense. It reminds him of his physical sex. Let Marina lead, I suppose. She seems to know what to do. She has her own cycle, after all.

He never thought about it, but that makes sense. Of course another biological female would be able to help here.

"Do you have some form of protection?" Marina asked, handing over the medicine.

"Yeah. I have some hidden down in the maintenance room."

"That's good at least. Much less mess that way."

"Mm."

Marina's hands came up to massage Emmett's shoulders, her chin resting on top of his head.

"It's gonna be ok, bud. I know it's no fun, but I promise, everything is gonna be fine."

Emmett sighed, curled into a ball as best as he could while sitting up. Suddenly, his hand came to slam onto the table, his face screwed up in pain as a low whine came from him.

"You always did have bad cramps, huh bud?" Marina asked quietly, hugging him as he writhed. After a few seconds, the harsh pain seemed to pass, sweat accumulated on Emmett's brow.

"So do you. You're just not a little bitch about it."

"My pain tolerance is higher than the average person, and I've still been brought to my knees by a bad one. It's ok to just...hurt."

"Is there...anything we can do?" Sun asked softly, matching Marina's energy as best he could.

Marina looked up, considering him for a second before replying.

"I know we have cold packs, but do we have anything warm? That should make his muscles relax a bit, and maybe offer some relief."

Sun thought over it for a bit.

"Me."

"What?"

Sun tilted his faceplate, holding up his hands.

"I'm heated. Usually it's on a low setting, so that I feel a bit more like a normal human to the children. I can turn it up, though."

Marina chuckled, her eyes amused.

"Hear that Em? He's a walking heating pad."

"I'll take anything at this point. I don't wanna throw up this time."

He becomes physically ill from the pain? I didn't know it got THAT bad.

We need to heat up. Make sure we have our fans unhindered, yes yes yes!

Marina smiled at him, her eyes soft.

"Most of the pain is going to be around his lower back and stomach areas. That's where you should focus your efforts."

Sun suddenly had an idea.

"May I pick you up, Emmett?"

"...sure. I can't really get up on my own, anyway. Not without agony."

Sun lifted his charge as gently as he could, placing his hand on the man's lower back as he made his way to the quiet corner. Sun felt some satisfaction at the sound of a relieved sigh.

When they got there, Sun settled down, pulling the man into his lap so that his back was pressed up against him. He then placed his hand over Emmett's lower abdomen.

Emmett immediately relaxed fully into him, his body going limp.

"Oh my God where have you been all my life?"

"I'm actually a little jealous." Marina piped up, settling down next to Sun. "I almost always start at like 3am and then die until morning. Sunny would be heaven right around then."

"I still don't know how you manage that. I'd cry if my sleep schedule was that fucked once a month."

"I see it as a blessing. If it gets really bad, I can get in the bath at home, or turn on my heated blanket. I can usually get it under some sort of control before I go to work."

Sun physically felt Emmett's stomach move, his charge tensing up again as he clutched onto his arm.

"Fuck!"

It makes sense that we can feel his muscles tensing like that, but--

That really feels like it would hurt. I'm not surprised he gets sick, no no no!

"You're OK bud, it's ok." Marina soothed. "Once the painkiller kicks in, you should feel at least a little better. Is there anything else you want?"

Emmett paused, looking at Marina. Marina's nose scrunched.

"I don't like that look on your face."

"Whatcha mean?"

"It says 'I'm gonna ask for something and you're gonna hate whatever it is.'"

Emmett shuffled in Sun's lap, moving Sun's hand lower on his stomach. Sun let his hand be guided, simply allowing Emmett to do as he needed.

"...remember when we were little and I used to get really upset when I was sick or got hurt?"

"Yeah? You were always a big baby, even if it was just a little cold."

There was a pause, before Marina seemed to catch his drift.

"No."

"Pleaaaase?"

"No."

"But you always sang to me before!" Emmett whined, his head raising from Sun's chestplate. "Why is it different now?"

"Because I don't sing anymore."

"You sing when we watch movies!"

"That's different. Have Moon sing to you or something."

"It's not the same!"

Marina groaned, running her hand over her face.

"You're acting like we're nine again. It's literally the same whether Moon does it or I do. I don't see wh--hey wait. No. No puppy dog eyes."

Sun turned his faceplate to get a better look at Emmett and, sure enough, he was giving Marina a doe eyed look, his lip in the beginnings of a pout.

"Please?"

"I'm not gonna be swayed by you. I've grown a tolerance to your cute faces."

"But it hurts, Mari."

Marina stiffened at that, her face a bit guilty. She was cracking.

"Emmett--"

"Please?"

Marina sighed heavily, scrubbing her now blushing face with her hands. Her voice came out exasperated

"...what song?"

"Don't care. Whatever you want."

"Ohhhh, so now I have to come up with a song on the spot, too?"

Emmett hummed at that, his hand clenching onto Sun's as seemingly another cramp hit.

"...what about You'll be Okay?"

"The song from Helluva Boss? That's a lullaby."

"Yeah, but you love that show. You said singing to movies was different, right? Sing your favorite song from one of your favorite shows. Also, it's space themed, so I think Sun and Moon would like it."

Marina sighed, shifting in place as she pulled out her phone.

"Fine. But I'm gonna try to add an accompaniment. Someone did a beautiful piano cover of the song, and I'd rather not go acapella."

"Ok."

Once Marina found what she was looking for, she turned up her phone volume. Once the piano began, she resituated, sitting on her knees and straightening her back. Her fingers tapped silently on her leg as she kept time with the music.

"Still can't stand singing in the wrong posture hm? Vocal training really hit you hard."

"Shut up or I just won't sing at all."

Emmett went quiet again as Marina began the first line.

"It always feels so quiet in the dark
It always feels so stark
How silence grows under the moon
And it's always gone so soon…"

Sun felt Emmett's body relax again, his cheek resting against his chestplate. Marina's voice came out soft and sweet, if perhaps a little shy. Over time though, it became more sure, her eyes closing as she concentrated. Her voice swelled at the chorus.

"As the stars start to align
I hope you take it as a sign
That you will be okay
Everything will be okay

And if the seven hells collapse
Although the day will be my last
You will be okay
When I'm gone you'll be okay."

This song is really cool actually. I wonder what this show is.

Emmett wrote it on my list, but warned it had pretty aggressive adult themes.

Sounds like it's more for me than for you.

Sun's attention caught at the use of his name.

"How could I possibly suspect
That you'd еclipse the midnight sun
I thought that I knew all thе moons
But then you pulled me back to one…"

The piano paused, Marina tilting her head upwards. As she took a deep breath, the sound started again, her voice much more powerful.

"If the stars ever align
I hope you take it as a sign
That you'll be okay
Everything will be okay."

She's getting really into it now. She's really talented. Maybe closing her eyes is the key?

He said she has stage fright. Perhaps not being able to see her audience helps her, yes yes yes!

At the end of the song, her voice went into a higher register, coming out gentle and calm. Sun could definitely tell why this song would be considered a lullaby, despite the dark tone.

"And when creation goes to die
You can find me in the sky
Upon the last day
And you will be okay…"

As the piano faded away, Marina opened her eyes again, seemingly falling out of whatever trance she had put herself in. Her face flushed with color as Emmett began to speak, his voice a bit sleepy.

"Thank you. See? That was--"

"Nope." Marina cut him off, her voice still quiet, but stern. "It's over and now we pretend it never happened. Done. Finished. Shut up."

"But Mari, I was just gonna say you did--"

"Nuh uh."

"Ma--"

"No."

Pffft. She seems very against any sort of feedback.

Seems so.

...give her some positive feedback.

But of course.

"That was lovely, Marina. You're quite talented, yes yes yes!"

Marina's face fell.

"Not you too! I just said we now forget this ever happened. Start forgetting."

"But it was so beautiful! I don't want to forget, no no no!"

Marina's face went scarlet, a soft squeak coming from the back of her throat.

"Remember Mari? We're working on you being able to take praise." Emmett teased, his hand coming up to point at her. "So shut up and take it."

"You seem to be feeling a whole lot better." Marina grumbled, her eyes averted as she began to sway uncomfortably.

"But of course!" Emmett hummed, his hand coming up to press against his forehead. "I've been healed by the voice of an angel."

"I'm leaving."

Emmett laughed as Marina got to her feet, stalking away towards the security desk.

"Bye bye song bird~!"

"Drop dead."

Sun called Marina's name in a scolding tone as Emmett giggled, curling back into his side.

"...thank you."

Sun looked down, offering Emmett a firm squeeze.

"No problem, Sunlight. We love you."

As Emmett's face flushed with color, a soft reply met Sun's processors.

"I love you, too."

Chapter Text

Emmett, 5:35pm: Hey Mari. Do you mind coming down to parts and services for a few? The team is trying to do some work on Freddy's stomach hatch, but we're all too big to really get in there, and taking his casing off is a hassle.

Marina read the text, groaning out loud at the idea of helping with mechanical stuff. She never was good at that sort of thing, and her autism meant she would need very detailed instructions, or frustration would be the only thing Emmett got out of her. 

Nonetheless, being that the day was mostly over in the daycare, she accepted, letting Sun know where she was headed before making her way to the elevator.

This better not be some difficult shit. I never do well with things like this. I'm already at a disadvantage.

When she began walking towards the cylinder, her stomach started to do flips. She could hear the sound of a few different people talking, along with Emmett's cheerful laughter. She hadn't even thought about the fact that strangers would be involved here too.

When she got close enough to see everyone, she made her steps heavier. Emmett always complained that she was too quiet when she walked, and she really wasn't looking to scare the shit out of anyone. 

Emmett perked up, offering her an encouraging smile. The other men: Sean and a second mechanic, along with Freddy, looked at her as well. Great. She was in a room with a strange man and an animatronic she knew nothing about.

At least Emmett seems to realize this is going to be uncomfortable for me.

"Heya Mari! Thanks for being so quick!"

Marina hummed at him, beginning to roll her sleeves up to the elbow.

"So what was it you needed again?"

Emmett's face molded into a sheepish smile.

"So uh, some kid decided it would be fun to shove a toy into Freddy's stomach hatch. Usually that isn't a problem, but this kid must have really gotten in there, because none of us can get far enough back to reach it. So I thought maybeeee…"

"You assumed I'd be small enough to crawl in there."

"...yeah. Sorry short-stop, but I don't know anyone else here that's your size."

Marina rolled her eyes.

"Alright alright. I'll give it a shot. No guarantees though. I may be short, but my shoulders are still pretty wide."

"I'm sure you'll be fine. If you can tussle with Monty, I don't think you'll fall to the task of reaching into Freddy's hatch."

"Wait a minute." The other mechanic chimed in, giving Marina a once over. "You're that guard Sean was talking about. You wrestled Monty and won. You also fought off that drunk guy."

Wonderful. So glad I'm known for being a brawler.

"Guilty as charged." Marina answered, grabbing the safety gloves out of Emmett's hands and putting them on.

"I heard that dude totally just clocked you out of nowhere man. That's crazy."

"Oh no! I do hope you're alright!"

Marina looked up to see Freddy, his face etched with worry. He had a lot more facial movement than Sun, she noticed. His eyes brightened, and she assumed he was scanning her.

"It's fine. He only landed one hit. He sure did make it count, though."

"That he did." Freddy said sadly. "Your file has some documentation of the injury. He bruised most of your eye socket."

"Well I heard she broke his fucking vertebre." The mechanic chimed in, one eyebrow raised in question. 

Marina felt her face heat up a bit as she made her way towards Freddy. She hated being in the center of drama.

"I don't think I broke anything, but I did subdue him. Considering my knee was bruised from holding him down, though, I wouldn't be surprised if he had a matching one on his back."

Marina sat in the stool Emmett offered, taking in the sight of Freddy's internal workings. 

"'Scuse me there Freddy. Let me know if this is uncomfortable."

"Alright. Thank you, miss…"

"Marina. And no problem."

With that, Marina reached her hand inside, pushing her body forward. She rotated to the side, making it easier for her to get her full arm in. She heard Emmett speak up.

"It should be near his left shoulder area."

Marina heeded him, moving her other arm to rest on the opening to the hatch for balance.

"Jesus, did this kid fucking climb in?"

"I had a very large group of children. When I removed the cake, he must have slipped past me."

Hearing Freddy talk from the inside was super weird, but the vibrations were really fun. Marina felt like someone was using one of those back massagers on her. 

Suddenly, she felt something squishy in her hand. She grimaced, tugging at it for a moment before realizing it was really jammed in there.

"Ok so good news, I found it. Bad news, it's pretty stuck, so it may take me a second to finagle it out of here."

"That's fine." Emmett answered. "It's not like I can go home without you anyway."

Marina chuckled, pressing her fingers into what she could now tell was a bouncy ball. She had a sudden realization.

"Y'all got anything sharp?"

"Yeah, hold on."

Emmett soon tapped her back, offering her a pin from one of the cork boards on the walls where they kept basic instructional messages. 

"Thanks. Sorry Freddy, this may be a little loud."

Marina shifted back in, her hand finding the ball again.

"Ok. One…two...three."

She jammed the pin into the ball before pulling it back out again. The sound of it deflating filled the space, making Marina feel claustrophobic. Within a few seconds, however, the ball came loose, falling into her hands. She pulled it out with a small cheer of victory.

"Nice Mari!"

"Way to go, Superstar!"

Marina wiped her face with her arm, sweat having accumulated on her brow. She was glad her blush could easily be explained away. The inside of an animatronic was apparently hot as fuck. Emmett walked up to her, lightly bumping her shoulder in praise. She bunted her head against him in return.

"So wait." The mechanic asked again--Scott, she noticed by his name tag. "You took down a full grown man by yourself? And Monty?"

Marina watched as Emmett's face morphed into one of trepidation. They both knew this man was assuming she was supposed to be weak.

They both also knew she hated that.

"Oh no." Emmett said, quiet and exasperated. Freddy looked at him, seemingly confused. 

Marina decided to quote one of her favorite women in cinema. She tilted her head, her voice dripping in faked innocence.

"What, like it's hard?"

Emmett choked on a laugh, his hand coming up to cover a smile. Marina raised an eyebrow.

"I mean, yeah I'd think so. You're a small girl."

Marina could tell that while he wanted her to focus on the small part, he was more concerned about the girl aspect. She smiled at him.

"Well…" She made a show of looking at his name tag. "Scott--if size is what you think constitutes strength and capability, I'm going to have to disappoint you. Unless you've seen small things being insufficient in your own personal experience."

It took Scott a few seconds to catch her drift, but once he did, his face turned scarlet. Sean was losing it, falling to his knees with laughter. Emmett was trying to be more subtle, but he was positively shaking.

Marina sighed, tossing her gloves up on the counter outside the cylinder.

"Anything else darlin'?"

"N-No that's everything Mari, thank you." Emmett got out, his voice still laced with amusement.

"Sick." 

"Wait though." Scott piped up, his face still crimson. "But like, how do you do it?"

Marina sighed, cracking her fingers with agitation.

"Well, I spent my childhood beating the shit out of Emmett at least once a week, and the drunk guy was close to his size. I guess I'm used to it."

Freddy seemed horrified.

"Ok, first of all, way to throw me under the bus." Emmett cut in, his arms crossed. "Second, you didn't beat the shit out of me. You just pinned me down. A lot. Maybe a bit violently. You're gonna make people think you abused me."

Marina snickered, shrugging her shoulders. 

"Whatever. Point stands."

"I don't understand why I still hang out with you."

"'Cause you looooove me." Marina teased, bumping shoulders with him again.

"Fuck you."

"You doooo."

"Die slowly."

"Emmeeeeett."

Marina pouted at him, tilting her head cutely. Emmett looked at her for a second before sighing, his hand coming up to rub her head. 

"Alright alright. Maybe a little."

"Sap."

"Watch yourself, I'll take it right back."

Marina hummed happily, wrapping both of her arms around Emmett's one.

"While I'd love to stay and chat, Sun's gonna need help with cleaning up."

Marina looked at Freddy, smiling at him. 

"It was very nice to meet you, hon."

Freddy smiled at her, though it was a bit tight lipped. It seemed he was a bit uncomfortable after her little talk with Scott.

"Ah yes, it was wonderful to meet you too! I hope I'll see you again, though perhaps in a more...ideal situation."

Marina laughed, about to answer in an affirmative, before being cut off by a hand on her shoulder.

It was not Emmett's hand.

Chapter Text

Marina swiveled around, her hands automatically releasing Emmett and clutching onto the offending limb, wrenching it the wrong direction.

A cry in pain sounded off, and when she looked up, she realized it was Scott's hand in her possession. She continued to hold his arm, her fight or flight instincts still ringing at her to protect herself.

He's a big man. Scared. Don't let him take you down. Scared. Keep him in sight. Scared.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!? Emmett roared, glaring at Scott. "You can't just grab somebody like that! Haven't you heard of consent, bro?"

Scott continued to fight for his hand, glaring up at Emmett.

"I just wanted to see if she really was that good! It's hard to believe she could take a whole ass man down on her own!"

Marina was losing patience, trying her best to calm down her frayed nerves. The screaming wasn't helping, her senses in overdrive.

"That's no excuse just to grab her like that! Now you've freaked her out! I literally just said she would take me down all the time bro! Can't you just take my word for it?"

"She could probably beat you 'cause you're gay, bro! I don't have that problem."

The crack in Marina's patience turned into a full shatter.

"What did you say?"

Marina could see red, her fight or flight kicking into something more.

She could hear Emmett trying to pacify her in the background.

"Marina, hey, let's sit down and talk huh? Maybe let's not do this. Maybe we can just let it go?"

"No."

"Yeaaaah I figured. Freddy, uh, sorry in advance? Scott, may you rest in peace."

"Wha--"

Scott didn't even get to finish his sentence before Marina made contact.

Marina darted forward, using the full of her body weight directly to his stomach. A loud "oof" escaped Scott's mouth, caught completely off guard. That was her trick. Never let them have the first move. He landed on the floor with a slam as she moved the wrist in her hand under her knee.

"Take it back."

"Marina! Marina, you need to calm down, doll."

"Take. It. Back."

She had Scott pinned underneath her, her arm pressed up against his chest, keeping him from lifting too far off the ground. Her voice came out dark, a slight growl punctuating her thickened accent.

"Is this proof enough for ya? Do you need another lesson, you stupid, homophobic piece of shit? Try me again, see what happens."

Marina pushed a little harder with her arm. Scott struggled, but every time he moved up, she slammed her arm down again. She felt finger nails stabbing her skin as he scratched her exposed arm with his free hand, but she didn't care.

"TAKE IT BACK."

"ALRIGHT ALRIGHT! I'M SORRY!" Scott cried, his voice laced with fear.

Marina looked down at him, her face cold. She slammed him down one more time threateningly before releasing him. She knew the only thing she hurt was his pride, but it still felt good, her blood pumping from adrenaline.

Scott immediately scrambled to his feet and excused himself, darting off to the bathroom.

That's right. Go lick your wounds.

A hand grabbed her shoulder, making her jump and turn, only relaxing when she realized it was Emmett's hand.

"Sorry, sorry. I thought I was walking loud enough. It's time to calm down now, apex predator."

Marina realized she was panting, blood dripping from Scott grabbing her arm. She watched it for a second before looking back at Emmett.

"Well. Sun isn't gonna like that."

Emmett snorted, rubbing her shoulders with gentle hands. Her body started to relax.

"Not really my biggest worry right now, doll. Your hands are doing the thing."

When Marina looked down, she realized he was right. Her fingers trembled, twitching back and forth as her body unconsciously swayed. As her adrenaline dissipated, she only felt anxiety, her body still reeling from the sudden shift to fight mode.

It was then Marina realized that Freddy and Sean were still there. Sean seemed to be minding his own business, though his face seemed a tiny bit amused. She assumed he enjoyed the show. Perhaps he wasn't a big fan of Scott, either.

Freddy on the other hand did not seem happy. Considering she never expected to see him again anyway, she decided she wasn't really that worried about it.

People never liked her, anyway.

"Hey Sean, can you give us a minute?"

The other mechanic nodded, silently disappearing further into the maintenance tunnels. She could hear the shuffle of tools being moved, calming her a bit. She'd hate to be the reason he couldn't get any work done.

Emmett seemed less worried about what Freddy was doing, which Marina didn't really understand, but decided not to question.

A loud clunk from somewhere close made her jump, her hands instinctively moving towards her ears before she could stop them. An involuntary whine escaped her lips.

"Mari, do you have your earbuds or anything? You seem agitated."

Marina felt her walls cracking, her arms wrapping around herself as she slowly swayed.

"...'s loud."

"Yes, it is a bit loud."

"He touched me."

"Yes, he did. It was quite rude."

"F-Fight or flight."

"Yes, doll, I know. I'm not mad at you. He started it. You just finished it."

Marina nodded, her hands still trembling as she fought to calm herself down.

"Her heart rate is elevated, and her breathing is rapid. Aside from abrasions on her arm, she is physically unharmed."

Ah. That's why Emmett kept him around.

Emmett sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Sounds about right to me. He scared the shit out of her. Unfortunately, she's never been very good with people suddenly coming up on her like that. Freaks her out."

I feel like that's just normal Marina added internally.

Marina allowed for Emmett to push her back onto the stool she had before, his hand not leaving her shoulder.

"I'm gonna get a first aid kit, ok? Your arm is messed up."

Marina shrugged with indifference.

"'S fine."

"I don't think Sun would agree with you, and I sure as hell don't. Here are your choices: I do it now, or I send you to Sun and he does it for you. I'm pretty sure I know the answer, but choices shall be given none the less."

"I-I can do it."

"That wasn't one of the options. Your hands are still not cooperating, and you also don't do well with blood or injuries."

Marina grunted, curling in on herself a bit.

"Y-You."

"Okay."

Emmett stopped a second, thinking to himself. He suddenly turned, walking over to a small room off to the side. Marina assumed it was a first aid area.

When she dared a glance in Freddy's direction, he was staring at her, his eyes filled with worry. She immediately shrunk away, hiding her face by keeping her head turned towards her lap. She felt her swaying increase in intensity, attempting to regain control of her breathing.

When Emmett returned, he held a small kit, along with a Glamrock Freddy plush. This one was different then the one in the daycare, his body made of a soft fabric, rather than being fur covered. When Emmett offered it to her, she accepted, pressing his body to her chest and running her fingers over the ridges of his ears. Emmett smiled at her.

"There we go. That outta help."

Emmett clicked his tongue.

"Don't bite your lip, doll."

Marina realized the mistake and unlocked her jaw, her lip burning from being bitten raw.

"Thank you."

Marina murmured an apology before looking down at the plush in her hands.

"...different than the one in the daycare."

"Oh?" Emmett answered, gathering supplies. "How so?"

"He's smooth. Freddy in the daycare is fuzzy."

Emmett hummed, blotting carefully at the blood on her arm. Marina twitched involuntarily.

"Which one do you prefer? Considering you collect stuffies, I trust your opinion."

Marina huffed, but went on to answer his question, going into the quality and pros to each plush. It helped that she remembered exactly what daycare Freddy looked and felt like.

By the time she had stopped, Emmett was finishing up with the gauze.

"Would ya look at that. Already done."

Marina flexed her fingers, realizing they weren't shaking anymore. A smile twitched at her lips.

"Asshole. You tricked me."

"Guilty. Sorry Mari, but you can't resist telling me about a new plushie. I know you."

Marina laughed, petting plush Freddy's head.

"I don't think using my special interests against me would be considered great practice."

"Eh. Also, because I know you're gonna love it..."

Emmett squeezed the plushie's nose. Marina's eyes widened at the sound that followed.

It squeaks?

Marina couldn't control the wiggle that came over her body, a squeal of delight coming from the back of her throat. She reached up and squeezed the nose herself a few times, thoroughly amused, before cuddling it back to her chest, rubbing her cheek against the soft fabric of its ears.

A synthetic chuckle made her jump.

Ah. She forgot the real Freddy was still here again. Now that made this whole thing way more embarrassing. Her face burned as she hid the lower half of it behind the plush, trying to tamp down her excitement.

That is, until Freddy poked his own nose, which also squeaked.

Marina felt one of her hands flap before she could stop it, her body bouncing excitedly. She knew just by the feeling that her face held all of the excitement she felt. Freddy's eyes lit up with amusement, seemingly enamored by her reaction.

"Wow Freddy, way to one up me on the 'things Marina is gonna love so much she involuntarily stims scale."

Marina felt like she was going to catch fire, embarrassment radiating off of her in waves.

"Stop doing that on purpose, you dick."

"Why? It makes you happy, and it's cute. Sounds like a win-win to me."

Marina growled at him, which only made him tilt his head in amusement. Sighing, she distracted herself from the flustered feelings as best she could, looking at her arm and rolling her sleeve down carefully to cover the bandages.

"...how long ya think until Sun notices?"

Emmett smirked at her.

"Honestly? Three seconds tops. That's how long it takes to scan you."

"Fuck."

"May you also rest in peace."

Marina whined dramatically, her head falling forward as she sulked.

"Is it really so bad for Mr. Sun to be aware of such a thing?"

Emmett chuckled, petting Marina's head.

"Nah. Not really. He's just...protective."

Marina let out a huff, crossing her arms with a pout.

"I'm never gonna hear the end of it. He's gonna never want me to leave without him again. He's still hovering real bad over the eye thing. Even Moon won't let me out of his sight for very long, and he's usually not that concerned. They've been getting better after I called them out on it, but...they blame themselves for everything that happens to me."

"I mean, they are caretakers. It's not that shocking that they try to, ya know, care for you." Emmett reasoned, pinching her cheek. "They unfortunately just picked a brat that fights them every step of the way and can't keep her hands to herself."

"Fuck off, man!" She hissed, swatting at his hand. "He was being homophobic and sexist at the same time! Towards my bro! I should have done more than just pin him."

"I admit Scott is a douchebag, but I'm still glad you didn't rough him up any more than you did."

Marina only growled.

"Honestly, I'm not. These hands are rated E for everybody. I would of rather knocked his lights the fuck out while I had an excuse."

"Language!"

Marina's breath caught in her throat at the sound of a familiar protocol. Of a familiar voice.

She heard Emmett sigh, looking over at Marina.

"Better count to three."

Chapter Text

"Hello hello HELLO my friends! Marina was gone for quite some time, so I decided to come check up, yes yes yes!"

Marina tried to appear casual, moving her arm back to her side.

"Heya, Sunny Boy. Everything's fine. I finally got the bouncy ball out of Freddy's hatch."

"Oh oh OH! How wonderful! You did such a good job! So helpful, yes yes yes!"

Marina smiled at him but didn't reply, not wanting to rock the boat. Her grip on the plushie tightened.

"She should be done now." Emmett chirped, very obviously trying to keep the mood light. "She can go back up now."

Real smooth Em.

Sun tilted his head, his eyes turning blue as he looked at Emmett.

"Are you alright my Star? You seem off somehow."

I forgot. Emmett can't lie to save his life.

"Nope. I'm great. Just glad to be done with this. That ball was stuck for quite some time."

Sun went quiet, before turning to Marina.

His eyes lit up.

God. Fucking. Dam--

"Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR!" Sun exclaimed, immediately rushing forward to cup Marina's face. "What's happened to your arm, Sunshine?"

"Whaddya know. It actually took about thirty seconds for him to notice. My mistake."

"Emmett."

"What do you mean?" Sun asked, turning to Emmett. "Notice? Did you plan on not telling me?"

He turned back to Marina, his face as distressed as he could manage.

"What happened, Sunshine?"

When he talked to her like that, it was really hard to lie. She looked away nervously, swaying side to side, her plush pressed against her chest.

"It's no big deal."

"If it's 'no big deal' then you can tell me what it is, yes?"

When neither Marina nor Emmett replied, he turned to the only other person in the room.

"Freddy?"

Freddy appeared to pause, before looking between Emmett and Marina.

"Sorry, my friends."

Wow. They programmed snitches.

"Miss Marina was approached by another mechanic about her eye injury. He grabbed her shoulder without her consent in an attempt to test her strength. She became distressed, and grabbed his arm…"

Freddy paused again, looking at Marina before continuing.

"The mechanic then made a comment of homophobic nature towards Mr. Emmett. Marina took the mechanic to the ground and kept him there until he apologized. During that scuffle is when he injured her."

Silence.

Marina couldn't even move. How was this going to go? They hadn't had a situation like this before. This wasn't an angry customer taken in by the police. This was a regular worker, who had harmed both her and Emmett. Someone that should be trustworthy. Someone Sun could come in contact with at any time.

Sun's voice cut the silence.

"Which one was it?"

Emmett was the one to recover first, replying.

"Which what?"

Sun's head tilted a bit, creaking as he moved.

"Which mechanic hurt you? He needs a time out."

Marina shivered, her body beginning to tremble again. This energy was not one she was used to from Sun. She had never seen him go so cold.

"I-Its fine, Sunny. I took care of it."

"It isn't enough."

His faceplate whirled, stopping upside down. His fingers curled a bit under her chin, moving her up to face him fully.

"I didn't do anything last time. But I can do something this time."

Marina had no idea what to do.

"S-Sun--"

"Which one, Sunshine? Which one is it? It's ok, you're not in trouble. You're never in trouble for defending yourself, no no no!"

Marina tried to get a glimpse of Emmett, but Sun wouldn't let her go, keeping her focus on him.

"I'm waiting, Sunshine."

Marina felt like a deer in headlights. This was a totally new feeling to her. She didn't feel the urge to lash out--she didn't even feel in danger, per say--but she didn't like this. She liked her happy and friendly Sun, not an angry one. She did the only thing she could think to do.

She lifted up her arms towards him.

He never denied her comfort. Never. If he didn't respond, she knew he was too far gone to reason with. While she was a little embarrassed to do such a childish thing with Emmett and Freddy watching, she literally couldn't think of anything else.

Sun's eyes widened, seemingly processing her request.

Her feet left the floor.

He was gentle, an arm coming under her legs to support her, the other wrapping around her shoulders. Marina sighed in relief, laying her head against Sun's chest, her plushie still in her arms. She had broken the spell, even if only a little bit. Her needy side started prodding at her, as she had now opened the floodgates. Her panic had really taken a lot out of her.

"'M tired."

Sun's hand came up onto her back, rubbing slow circles the way that Moon usually did.

"I'm sure you are. Poor Little Star…"

Marina felt the blush on her skin deepen, her eyes finding Emmett's. He seemed to realize what she was doing, but for once kept his damn mouth shut.

"No."

Marina looked up as the rays in Sun's head spring locked down, his face turning a darker shade in the dull lighting of the tunnels.

Dull lighting.

Is that enough for Moon to take the driver's seat!?

Her question was answered when the hands around her gripped tighter, Moon's faceplate coming into view as he turned her.

"No no no NO! Naughty girl! You may be able to Bugs Bunny him, but I won't be fooled!"

A small squeak of fear escaped Marina, her body automatically shrinking away from his faceplate.

"I--"

"WHO. DID. THIS!?"

Of course, because Marina has no luck whatsoever, this is when Scott returns from the bathroom.

Her eyes flick to him, but she refocuses on Moon, hoping he won't see her discomfort.

"Why is she still here? And since when does Moon have an appointment?"

Moron. Even I can read this room.

Moon's faceplate is locked towards her, unmoving. Every movement she makes is tracked, his eyes narrowed as she tried to stifle her fear.

Her mouth may lie well, but her body apparently doesn't.

"Him?"

Marina bites her lip, but doesn't reply. There's no point.

Freddy apparently decides now is the time to intervene.

"Moon, my friend. You are letting your anger get the better of you. Perhaps you should take some time to calm down."

Nope. Not the right thing to say.

Moon swiveled, nearly crushing Marina as he pulled her close. He stalked closer to Freddy as he spoke.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN? He touched her without asking! He HURT her! And him!" Moon growled, his body curling around Marina's in a protective hold. "He deserves much worse than what he has gotten from her!"

Moon turned back to Scott, his neck clicking.

"Run, naughty little boy. I'm putting you in time out."

Marina yipped as Moon dumped her unceremoniously into Freddy's lap. Freddy managed just fine, catching her without difficulty.

Well. Now she was embarrassed on top of being distraught.

"Fuck! Moon, don't hurt him!"

Marina tried to get up, but Freddy held her back, his arm around her waist.

"It's not safe for you to go to him!"

"He won't hurt me!"

"Not on purpose, he won't."

Marina whined, but realized pretty quickly she was stuck. Freddy was built like a tank.

They all watched in horror as Moon slammed Scott into the wall, his hand around his throat.

"Listen up you little shit." Moon growled, his voice going into static on the curse. "You have three seconds to give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you."

"Because Marina and I don't want you to!"

Emmett answered loudly, his voice cracking.

"Don't do it. We don't want you to. Please don't."

"And why not!?" Moon howled, his red eyes never leaving Scott. "He's a waste of human life! A disgusting bully who doesn't deserve mercy! Why do you protect him?"

"We don't." Marina answered, her voice timid. "We wanna protect you. And Sunny. We don't want you to get in trouble." She tried to keep her voice as level as possible, but her fear was evident. "You two are caregivers, you aren't meant to harm people. You are kind and caring. Please don't go against that. You'll feel awful about it later, trust me."

Moon was quiet, processing her words.

"If it's for you and him, we won't regret it."

While that thought suddenly filled Marina with an extreme bout of happiness, she had to stifle it.

"Ok, then I will. I'll feel bad that you got in trouble trying to protect me. I'll feel bad because it might result in me being removed from the daycare. I don't want to lose you."

She was a bit surprised by how genuine her words were. Moon seemed just as shocked.

Scott's body hit the floor with a loud wump. Moon curled his body over Scott's, his faceplate inches from him.

"You're lucky she's kind hearted. I am not so forgiving." Moon's neck clicked as he tilted his faceplate. "You are to never speak to her again. You are to limit your interactions with Emmett to business only. Or we will be back. Do you understand?"

Scott nodded, his hand coming up to touch the grip marks left by Moon's long fingers.

"Get out."

Scott didn't need to be told twice.

Once the sound of his running finally died down, Moon turned, looking at Marina, and then Emmett.

"Come here."

Emmett responded immediately, walking up to Moon in a hurry. Marina looked back at Freddy in question. After a pause, he released her, and she was able to follow suit.

Moon started with Emmett, scanning him and grabbing onto his shoulders, as if he was afraid he would disappear. His neck clicked, and one of his hands went to Emmett's back, rubbing.

"Your heart rate is elevated and your breathing is erratic. Do be mindful."

Emmett nodded, closing his eyes and focusing on calming down.

After a minute or two, Moon seemed satisfied, reaching for Marina. She flinched automatically.

"S-Sorry. Haven't quite calmed down yet."

Moon nodded, though Marina could feel that his anger had somewhat returned. Moon repeated the scanning process with Marina.

"Your heart rate and breathing are also concerning. Has your arm been tended to?"

Marina nodded, allowing Moon to roll up her sleeve and see the gauze Emmett applied.

"Emmett is pretty good at that sort of thing."

"That's because you're clumsy. You get a little cut or bruise literally from just being alive."

"You should thank me. Now you have a marketable skill."

"Fuck you."

"Language!"

Their banter seemed to lighten the mood, Moon's grip on Marina loosening. His body clicked as he straightened.

"We should go back to the daycare."

Moon's eyes locked on Freddy, making himself as big as he could.

"Tell no one."

Freddy hummed, tilting his head.

"Tell no one what?"

Moon nodded, putting one hand on each of his charges shoulders.

"Let's go. Being here makes me sick."

Chapter Text

The group stayed silent on the elevator ride up to the daycare. As they had entered said elevator, Sun took his spot presenting again, Moon shifting inside once again.

Their emotions were going haywire.

The thing about having two minds in one body was that they each had their own thoughts and emotions, but only one place to express them. If they were both compromised…the emotions became overwhelmingly strong.

Their collective outrage, hurt, and protectiveness had nearly resulted in a human being injured at their hands. Still at this very moment, Sun had half a mind to turn around and show that mechanic the consequences of his actions.

The only thing that held him back was the fact that his friends didn't want that. The desperation in their voices as they talked Moon down echoed in his mind, and he forced himself to relax. He didn't want to upset them more when they had obviously been traumatized enough already.

When they reached the daycare, Marina immediately made for the quiet corner, her body carrying her towards her comfort zone. Sun felt a little buzz of pride within him when he realized she had chosen self care all on her own.

He and Emmett trailed behind her naturally, watching idly by as she formed a nest. Within a few minutes, she had finished, her blue eyes looking up at Sun in question.

He sat down in the nest without complaint, Marina settling in next to him, her body pressed against his. Emmett followed suit, sitting on her other side.

The silence dragged on. Sun wasn't sure how to even begin to broach this subject, and it seemed his friends were no better equipped.

"...if it makes you feel better…" Marina spoke first, her voice hushed. "I'm pretty sure I've got quite the bruise from beating on his chest. That means he has one too."

Sun could feel some satisfaction coming off Moon in waves, in spite of his silence.

"...Moon enjoys that."

Marina huffed, the tiniest smirk starting on her face.

"...the grabbing me thing isn't why I attacked him." Marina murmured, rubbing her arm. "I pinned him for what he said to Emmett. I couldn't let him get away with that." She looked up at Sun, her eyes glittering with an emotion he couldn't quite place. "I'm glad you didn't attack him, but I'm not mad at you for your reaction. I'd be a hypocrite if I was. I just want to make that clear."

"I agree." Emmett chimed in, his eyes glassy. "I'm not mad either. I'm just glad you didn't do it. I'm glad Marina didn't hurt him more. Her tackle can be explained away easily enough by him touching her first, but an entire beat down would probably get her at least a reprimand. I don't want any of you getting in trouble."

I don't want to lose you.

Marina's words bounced through Sun's mind again, his mind filling with a love he never felt possible.

They want to protect us just as much as we want to protect them.

The realization hit them like a truck. Somewhere deep inside themselves, they knew this to be true, but having it proven was something different.

This felt much more real.

"So in the future…" Marina said, looking him in the eye. "It's ok to get mad for us...to want to protect us and keep us safe. But please be careful and keep yourselves safe too. If for some reason you're gone, or I'm moved to another department…" Marina's voice choked up, her head turning away. "...it's not worth the risk. Ok? Not to me. I'll take that douche bag only getting one bruise if it means keeping you close to me. It might be a bit selfish, but that's how I feel."

Emmett hummed in agreement, fidgeting in his seat.

"...Marina has always been this way. It seems I attract hard-headed protective types." Emmett shook his head fondly. "But that also means I have all three of you to keep out of trouble, so please don't make my job any harder."

Sun felt himself nod, his voice soft as he answered.

"Ok."

The room settled into silence again, until Sun built up the courage to speak.

"...what can we do then? To protect you? What are the boundaries?"

Moon finally spoke up.

...not like you to ask such a question.

It's worth the discomfort.

Emmett considered it for a moment before answering.

"No physical violence, please. That's a one way ticket to being decommissioned. If you wanna support us, verbally reprimanding someone is suitable. Comforting us is great. Even just being there for us is enough. We just want to know...we aren't alone. That someone cares about us and what we need...or even what we want." Emmett fell quiet for a second, before speaking again in a soft whisper. "Our last friends didn't."

Sun watched as Marina's shoulders tensed, her body rigid as she began swaying.

"...your last friends?"

Emmett nodded, turning his face down to look at his hands.

"We had a friend group in high school. Three girls other than Marina. They...weren't very kind to us. Didn't care about what our boundaries were, blamed us when we said we felt uncomfortable. Made us feel like we were being sensitive for having things we didn't like." Emmett looked up, his eyes dull. "And the ones that put us down the most, the ones who made fun of us the most...were them. Why would they stick up for us or care about us being mistreated when they were the ones doing it?"

Emmett swallowed thickly, his hands clenched into fists.

"We finally decided to stop talking to them about a year ago. They made me out to be the bad guy one too many times, so I decided to leave. Marina left to support me, but, if I'm being honest...I'm not sure she would have left on her own. They really had a hold on her."

Marina was looking anywhere but Sun, her body swaying side to side, occasionally bumping against Sun's arm.

"So...in this friendship, I'm making sure we all get what we need. Everyone's needs will be met, and all boundaries will be taken seriously. And above all, we will all protect each other from harm, and help each other when it's needed, but in ways that are healthy and safe. In a way that is equal. Do you understand?"

...what do you think, Moony?

It sounds reasonable to me.

I agree. I hate how they were treated before. I want to make sure we aren't like those girls.

"...yes. We understand, and we can agree to that. We want to stay with you, too."

Emmett nodded, looking over at Marina.

"...you ok, doll?"

Marina jumped, her eyes foggy when she looked up.

"U-Um. Yeah. Sorry, I'm trying not to go into the cesspool that is my brain."

"I'm sorry. I probably should have warned you before I started talking about them."

"It's ok. I need to get over it eventually." Marina glanced in Emmett's direction. "You had it a lot worse, anyway."

"I disagree. They may have had very different ways of treating us, but both were manipulative and damaging."

Marina said nothing in response, resting her chin on her knees. Her facial expression clearly showed she didn't feel the same way.

Do we ask questions? Do we just let them say what they want to? What's proper etiquette here?

Sun turned over Moon's questions, unsure of what to do next. Eventually, he spoke.

"...if you two ever want to talk about it, we're here to listen, yes yes yes. Those are some big emotions, some major issues you two have managed to overcome. It can be a lot to process. We may not be therapists, but we can give a listening ear."

Emmett smiled at him, warmth in his expression.

"...I can't speak for Mari, but I really appreciate that. I might just take you up on it."

Marina was seemingly still fighting to stay present, her hands flexing.

"I don't really talk about it, but thanks for the offer. I appreciate it."

She's never been an open person, no no no.

Indeed. She probably NEEDS to process it eventually, but when that will be is her decision.

Emmett seemed just as disappointed by her answer, but he didn't let himself be deterred.

"Okay. Anything else we need to discuss?"

Marina shook her head no, her eyes closed.

"No, Sunlight. I think everything has been resolved."

Emmett's body visibly relaxed, his face full of relief.

"Good. Hard, emotional talk over."

"Thank God." Marina murmured, her eyes a bit more focused than before.

"Tired Mari?"

"Very much so. Beating up homophobes and having mental health crises really takes a lot out of you apparently."

"I probably should get you home then. You could use a nap."

"It's not a nap if you sleep til morning."

Emmett laughed, playfully glaring at her.

"It's like 7pm!"

"Sounds fine to me."

"You're gonna mess up your sleep schedule."

"Jokes on you, I have depression. Sleeping twelve hours straight is nothing. Rookie numbers if you ask me."

"Marina."

Oop.

Um--

"What?" Marina griped, crossing her arms. "Joking about it is considered a coping mechanism! Therapist said so and everything!"

"Though I'm guilty of the same thing, and not saying it applies here, but not all coping mechanisms are good. And saying that makes you sound like you're still in therapy. You've refused to go for like, two years now."

"Didn't help."

"Didn't let it help because therapists can't help you if you won't talk to them about your issues."

"Didn't help."

Emmett groaned, running a hand over his face.

"I'm gonna leave it be since we've already had this discussion at least twelve times now. Just know you're fucking impossible."

"So I've been told."

Emmett stood, offering a hand to Marina. She took it, using the opportunity to latch herself back onto Emmett's arm. Emmett rolled his eyes affectionately.

"C'mon doll, let's go."

Despite the pain of the day, Sun couldn't help but feel something had grown between the four of them, a happy buzz in his chest. His friends wanted them to be safe. Wanted them to be happy. Saw them as equals who deserved a healthy friendship dynamic.

His rays whirled happily.

Chapter Text

The next day, Emmett and Marina were later than usual. Marina already looked exhausted.

"Douche nozzle filed an incident report." She ground out, her eyes rolling so hard it looked like she might sprain something. "So we had to go talk to the head guard and bla bla bla and I hate it here. She talks so much about policies I don't care about."

"To be fair, that is her job." Emmet supplied.

"I feel mildly sorry for her."

Hm.

Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR! What if they know about what we did? What if we get decommissioned! What if--

Yo, shut the fuck up and maybe we'll find out.

"Anyway." Emmett redirected, looking at Sun. Sun did his best to snap himself out of his panic, keeping his eyes locked on Emmett's lips. "Freddy handed over his security footage, but conveniently left out the bit where y'all showed up. Considering Freddy doesn't usually lie, and Sun almost never leaves the daycare, head security decided it was more likely that the three of us were telling the truth."

"I have officially forgiven Freddy for being a snitch." Marina said with a nod, her eyes full of relief. "Even if he had to snitch on me to keep y'all safe."

"What do you mean?" Sun asked, a cold feeling settling in his processors.

"I took responsibility for the finger marks around that trash goblin's throat. Your hands are significantly bigger than mine, but saying I used both hands sounded reasonable. The mark was too indistinct to tell, thank God."

MOON!

YOU WOULD HAVE DONE IT IF I HADN'T!

"So...what happens now?"

Emmett started smiling again.

"Well for one, Scott is either has to go through sexual harassment training or be terminated…"

"As he should." Marina said with a nod.

Emmett's smirk grew wider.

"And little Miss Marina has to go to a mental health assessment with one of the Plex psychologists."

I'm sure she just loves that.

Oh dear, oh dear, OH DEAR!

"I hate being alive. Fucking victim blaming if you ask me."

"Language!"

"You were triggered on camera. They believe that trigger caused you to choke a man. It makes sense that they wanna be sure that you're mentally sound."

"Yeah, but now I'm gonna have to do research on how to cheat the test. We both know I wouldn't get the answers they want on my own."

Emmett hummed, tilting his head.

"I don't think they'd be that off put. You have anxiety and depression, but they're managed with medication. You aren't much of a risk."

Marina shrugged, slumping where she stood.

"Yeah, but that also means I might get roped into going regularly. The 'Plex loves to stick us into their little programs that make them look good."

"I don't think therapy is a bad idea for you, doll."

"Yeah yeah yeah. Fuck you, and kill me."

"Language! Marina!" Sun scolded, hands moving to his hips. "You know better than to say such things!"

"Probably, but my urge to die is higher than my care for the consequences. After all, consequences don't matter if you're dead."

Emmett sighed, looking at her.

"You're pissed. I haven't heard you ask to die this much since all of your left switch controllers started drifting. It's honestly kind of hilarious."

"Sit and spin, bro."

Is that a new insult I hear?

MOON.

"Ok look." Emmett said, his voice exasperated. "It sucks. I know it sucks and you don't want to. I also know you're acting pissy because you're scared to go in the first place and just don't wanna freak out. I get it. But it's gonna happen so you might as well just suck it up. Getting all worked up isn't gonna help. We'll support you as best we can, and you'll get through this."

Marina let out an amused huff, her arms crossing in front of her.

"I've been in therapy since I was five. I'm not afraid of a therapy appointment."

"Ok. Then you're afraid of going to a new place and meeting a new person. Also might not be the most comfortable with someone probing your mind since you don't really do the opening up thing. Also Also might be upset that this might change your routine and make you do this even more. Is that better?"

Marina bit her lip but didn't reply.

"Cool. Glad we agree."

He really does just read her like a book.

She does the same to him. It's a fair trade. Very helpful for us, though. Her book isn't very easily opened, no no no.

"You'll be fine Mari." Emmett soothed, his voice soft. "It's probably for the best anyway."

"You're just happy I'm required to go."

"Absolutely. I've been trying to get you back to a therapist for two years now. An opportunity just fell right into my lap, and I'm counting it as a blessing."

"Whatever. Dickbag."

"Bitch."

Assholes.

"Language!"

Emmett laughed, reaching to pet Marina's head.

"Your appointment is in a few days. Not too long a wait, but enough time to prepare yourself mentally for this. You're gonna be ok. Ok?"

Marina released a breath, her voice small.

"...okay."

"Cool." Emmett smiled at her, bunting her in the shoulder. "Just do your job and you'll be fine. You're the one who took down an intruder. The company already likes you for being feisty."

Her aggression is fine if it benefits them. But as soon as it doesn't, it's a problem.

Sun closed the distance between himself and her, running his fingers over her face, her head, her chin, anywhere he could reach.

"Thank you, Sunshine. You did this to keep us safe. We're so happy and lucky to have you, yes yes yes! The therapy appointment may not be the best outcome for you, but you put yourself aside to prevent an even worse outcome for us. We will always be grateful for that. Thank you."

Marina all but melted, her eyes going hazy as she leaned towards his hands. She was always more affectionate when she was stressed. Her face was flushed with color, her eyes averted from embarrassment.

"If it's for you, it's worth it, I suppose."

Emmett cooed behind her, his voice teasing.

"Hard ass Mari is going sooooft~!"

"How about I show you how soft my fist is when it connects with your nose?"

"Careful now, they might send you to anger management next."

"Shut. Up."

Emmett laughed at Mari's anger, but Sun quickly soothed her again, brushing his fingers along her hairline.

"Now now, be nice to her, Emmett. She's already got enough going on right now, yes yes yes!"

"Yeah Emmett. Be nice to me. I'm suffering."

"Hardly." Emmett growled. "Sun's petting you. Unless you're suffering from being too spoiled, you aren't suffering."

"Shhhh. Let me live."

"Attention whore."

"Language!"

Emmett rolled his eyes, turning towards the door.

"Whatever. I got work to do. See you guys at closing!"

Marina hummed a goodbye, while Sun wished him a good day and asked him to remember to drink water. Emmett never drank enough, in his opinion.

When he looked back down, Marina looked a bit teary eyed, her voice wavering.

"I'm glad you're ok."

She--

It seems we scared her.

Sun wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. Her hands gripped onto the fabric around his neck, her face nuzzling into his chest.

"It's ok, Sunshine. Everyone is OK. You did a good job, yes yes yes!

Marina whined softly, pushing as close to him as she could. Sun held her for a little longer, allowing her to get her fill. He would give her all the reassurance she needed.

After a few minutes, she looked back up at him, her skin slightly red from tears. He hadn't even realized she had fully started crying.

She always cries so quietly. She's almost silent.

Sun ran his fingers under her eyes, gently wiping away any tears that remained. She silently accepted this, her nose scrunching a bit when she seemingly became impatient.

When he had finished, Sun darted his fingers behind her ear, scratching at the soft skin. Marina jumped, a surprised giggle escaping her as her hand snapped up to catch his wrist.

"C'mon now, no more of that. Only smiles now, ok Sunshine?"

Marina squeaked when Sun seemingly hit a bad spot, her neck trying to curl inwards like a turtle. While her hand did grip his wrist, she didn't really make any move to stop him otherwise. Her giggles were infectious, something warm starting in their processors.

"Okay okay! Only smiles! I swear!"

"You suuuure~?"

"Yes! I'm sure!"

At her insistence, Sun finally stopped, reaching up to pat her head.

"Great! Then let's get to work, Sunshine."

When Marina continued smiling at him, he felt his fans kick on from the warmth spreading through them.

"Okay."

Chapter Text

I really don't want to do this.

Those few days before her appointment passed by quickly, the knot in her stomach growing as it inched closer. She hated this feeling. She didn't want to answer a bunch of questions about herself. Especially very personal ones.

But like, that's what therapy is. And she wasn't in the mood to be torn open by a stranger.

It's just one appointment. It'll be pretty general, since they know literally zero things about you. Just keep a level head and you should be fine.

She knew how first appointments worked. Basic information, questions about coping mechanisms and medication, those sorts of things. That was fairly easy to answer without getting too personal. It's not like she hid the fact that she had anxiety or depression.

It was more the triggers and reasons she preferred to forget about.

She sighed as she made her way through the hallway, taking her sweet time finding the right room. The therapy offices were actually located not far from the Plex itself. She could even walk to work afterwards, since she had decided to go early in the day and get it over with.

It had all of the things she disliked about medical and mental health facilities. It had that sterile smell that reminded her of a hospital, crisp white walls, and harsh lights that made her feel like she was in a horror movie. The carpets looked old and thin, a light brown color that matched all of the randomly scattered chairs and tables lining the halls and lobby. The only colors she had seen so far are brown, white, and a splash of green from the fake plants.

How charming.

When she found the right door, she took a deep breath before knocking gently.

"Come in." A female voice replied.

Oh thank God it's a woman.

Much more manageable than a man, if you asked her. Much less intimidating.

The room itself was nothing too out of the ordinary. Two empty chairs were situated on the wall closest to the door, their red fabric worn from use. The lights were much dimmer here, the overhead lights off in favor of using a tall octopus lamp in the back right corner. Next to that was a cheap wooden desk with an outdated desktop situated in its center. Various books lined shelves on the wall to the left, all of which appeared to be either self help books or psychology textbooks of various types. The room wasn't large, but there was still enough distance between her and the desk that she felt she would have enough personal space.

At least this room isn't so...hospital-like.

Sitting in a rolling chair in front of the desk was a friendly faced woman. The first thing Marina noticed was her hair, it's strands a beautiful golden blond that were pulled back into a low ponytail. She was clearly older than Marina, perhaps in her mid thirties, a few laugh lines and crow's feet just beginning to ghost her features. Her eyes were a rich brown, and fairly expressive, shimmering with a gentle, friendly energy as she smiled at Marina.

"Marina, correct? Please, sit wherever you're comfortable."

Marina nodded, situating herself in the chair slightly further away. She always liked corners better.

"Now then! Let me introduce myself. My name is Dr. Lisa Keller, and I've been assigned to you by your current employer to perform a basic mental health evaluation. It's very nice to meet you. I do hope this can be a positive experience for you."

Marina nodded, smiling in return.

"It's nice to meet you, too." She replied, keeping her responses short and sweet. She really didn't want to be here.

"Alrighty then! Let's get started. I'm going to ask some questions involving your previous mental health records. I do not possess any of that information, as your employer does not have it, if there is any. Please answer to the best of your ability."

Marina nodded, rolling her shoulders back and sitting up straighter in her chair.

The questions started out easy. She had been in therapy on and off since elementary school. She had depression and anxiety. She was medicated and had already received some therapeutic treatment for these things. Marina skipped over her most recent autism diagnosis, not really keen on releasing that information for her employer to know. They must get some sort of summary of the assessment, after all. She did her best to mask it, speaking carefully and keeping her eyes pinned on the psychologist's forehead. As she spoke, Dr. Keller typed various notes into some document on her screen.

Once those questions were over, they moved on to the incident that brought her in.

"I received a basic rundown of the events, but can you describe to me what happened in your own words?"

"Sure." Marina answered with a shrug, crossing her right leg over her left. "I went down to maintenance to help the guys get a toy out of Freddy's stomach hatch, since I'm one of the few small enough to climb inside. The topic eventually got on to a previous incident in which I was forced to restrain an intoxicated guest. Pretty normal stuff, as I'm a security guard." Marina sighed, rolling her eyes. "But of course. One of the boys got super confused on how someone my size could take down a man. I tried to explain to him that my size means nothing, but he didn't care, so he grabbed my shoulder. I don't like being touched without permission. Then he insulted my coworker." Marina let her eyes go a bit dark as she lied, trying to sell that she would be capable of producing a higher level of violence. "My fight or flight kicked in. I'm a fight. I took him to the ground and choked him out until he apologized. My coworker then calmed me down, and we left. The dick put in an incident report, so here we are."

Marina rubbed her temple in annoyance, exhausted from telling the story over and over again. She really just wanted to put it behind her and move on. This shit was stupid.

"I see. Yes, your description is very similar to the report given in by the Pizzaplex." She resituated, typing more notes into the computer. "You said it was 'a fight or flight response?'"

Marina nodded, crossing her arms in front of her.

"He touched me when I wasn't looking. It freaked me out and made me feel the need to defend myself. So I did."

"Does this occurrence happen frequently for you?"

"Only when I'm touched when I can't see the person. It spooks me to suddenly be touched. It's my body and I don't want people touching it without asking first."

Marina didn't feel the need to hide that part. She felt it was only natural for someone to want control over their own body. That's why consent was so important in the first place.

The woman nodded in understanding, making another note.

"Yes, I can see why that would be distressing. It's never fun when someone doesn't respect your boundaries."

Cool. Glad she gets it.

"However…" She began again, looking back up. "While fight or flight responses are all well and good, most people would not react so violently as to take the person to the ground. A punch or slap, sure, but not a full take down. I was provided the video footage for analysis, and it looked like you grabbed him first...but then you pinned him after. Is there a reason for that?"

Marina sighed, leaning back in her chair.

Here starts the probing.

"I was already worked up to a ten, and then he started insulting my coworker. Making a homophobic comment and still grappling with me. It sent me in deeper and I felt the need to protect myself and Em."

Another nod, another note.

"I see. So it was more than just the initial response. It was a need to protect. It makes sense given your profession that you would want to keep people safe." The woman turned more towards her, her eyes a bit sad. "You must know that reacting harshly isn't good for you, though. It seems to me you got filled up with too many emotions--anger, protectiveness, fear--and expelled them by attacking the source. Is that your usual response to stress?"

No. My usual response is to ignore it until it goes away.

Her brain popped in the answer without her consent. Marina considered Dr. Keller for a moment before responding.

"...not always, but sometimes. It's more of a last ditch effort response. Can't really stop to do breathing exercises when a man is actively yelling at you."

"Hm. I suppose you have a point. Is that your other form of coping? Breathing exercises?"

Marina nodded.

"Breathing exercises, listening to music, distracting myself with activities I enjoy or that make me feel nice. Those sorts of things."

And pretending it doesn't exist. Pushing myself to the limit because I can take it. I'm not weak.

Marina tamped down those answers in her mind. Those were for her only.

"Those forms of coping are wonderful! I'm glad you've found some healthy ways to channel your emotions."

Marina smiled, though she could feel it was strained.

I know all of the right answers. That's what I'm going to give.

"How is your support system? Do you have people in your corner?"

"Yes. I have many friends who support me in my life. They are very helpful and there when I need them."

"Wonderful!" Dr. Keller chirped, making some notes. "And your parents? Are they in the picture?"

Oop. Uh--

She forgot this question had recently...developed a bit. Last time she went to a therapist, her father was living.

"...yes. My mother is in my life and gives me advice when I need it."

"Good. And your father?"

Should I redirect?

Marina considered her options, but decided to just be casual. It's not a problem. It's all over now, as far as she was concerned.

"He's deceased."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. As of when?"

Marina counted on her fingers before responding.

"A little over two years ago."

"Oh dear. That's quite recent. How have you been coping with that?"

I haven't.

"The usual things I suppose. Had the funeral, did my goodbyes, got my closure. Kept some of his things around to remind me of him. My friends and family have been a huge help to the process. I'm doing a lot better now."

"I'm glad to hear it."

Keep a level face. Everything is fine.

Marina continued answering various questions about her childhood, experiences, and current home life until finally Dr. Keller told her the assessment was complete.

"Ok Marina! It looks like our time is winding down. I'll be filling out a full report and sending it to you and your employer as soon as I'm finished. From what you've told me, though, it seems you're quite well adjusted."

Of course it does. I made sure of it.

Marina smiled at her, sighing in relief.

"Thank you for your time."

Before she could stand to leave, however, Dr. Keller's gentle voice started again.

"Have you considered starting up regular sessions again? While you seem to be doing well, some of your behavior indicates signs of underlying issues. Fight or flight that strong is usually linked to trauma response. You're very guarded as well--you put physical distance between us, and your body language indicates you may be feeling uncomfortable. You also have a recent parental death, and you have not attended any sessions since then. There's no need to suffer in silence--if you'd like someone to talk to about it, therapy is a great option."

Damn shrinks.

Marina felt her smile twitch, irritation simmering in her chest.

I don't want to be told about what I do. I just want to be left alone.

"I have not. I've been doing well and don't see the need to continue treatment. I've already received quite a bit."

Dr. Keller hummed, fussing with the pocket on the front of her jacket.

"Well, it's never a bad time to take care of yourself. If you change your mind, here's my card. Your employer would be happy to send you again I'm sure. The Pizzaplex is known for their wonderful mental health resources."

Yeah. Because working here makes us wanna die.

"Thank you. I'll consider it."

With that, Marina left the room, pausing in the hallway to take a few calming breaths before making her way towards the elevator.

Trauma? Guarded behaviors? Wanting to keep myself safe? No news to me, lady. Not exactly great that you picked it up that quick, though.

But she's a professional. Professionals pick up on those things much faster and easier than the average person. She highly doubted anyone else would know. She also said nothing about autism or any of her verbal responses being off putting.

Nonetheless, as she walked back to the Pizzaplex, her brain flooded with anxiety.

Can people really tell? Do I not mask myself well enough?

She'd have to try harder, she supposed.

I'll be fine. I can Bugs Bunny my way out of anything.

At least, she hoped so.

Chapter Text

While Marina had texted Emmett about her appointment ending, she hadn't expected him to be waiting around the front security desk.

She expected even less that Freddy would be there.

"Eyyyy! Short-stop! You didn't die!"

"I wish, but unfortunately not." Marina replied, her smile a bit sour.

"Wow. I was literally just telling Freddy you would probably say something about wanting to die, but I didn't expect it to be off the bat."

"You opened the door, I just shoved my way through it." Marina replied, directing her attention to Freddy. "Hello again! Nice to see you in some 'better circumstances.'"

"Indeed! It's lovely to see you, Miss Marina."

As Freddy scanned her, Emmett spoke up.

"So, I know this was involuntary, and you literally never would have gone otherwise, but I still went ahead and got you something as a 'yay Mari went to therapy' gift."

Mari rolled her eyes, but she felt a fond smile tugging at her lips.

"Em, this feels very similar to giving a sticker to a kid after a doctor's appointment. I'm 22. There's really no need to--"

Marina stopped dead as she looked into the eyes of a plushie. The plush was a soft mint green, his belly fuzzy and white. He was round and had the same w mouth and even little head fins like Archie, but she knew this plush was a bearded dragon, not an axolotl. She knew exactly who he was immediately, in fact.

"OH MY GOD IT'S ABE!" She squealed, her hands automatically moving to take the plush from him. She ran her fingers over his stomach as she studied his black, fabric eyes. While she was busy fussing over her new toy, Emmett spoke up, amusement in his voice.

"I've been saving him for a rainy day. I know he's been on your wishlist for awhile, and I figured now was as good a time as any. He'll look really good with your pastel collection.

Marina nodded, bouncing on her feet as she turned the plush to study his back markings. He had little blue stripes! And a tiny tail! She loved him.

"He's perfect for the pastels! I'll have to rearrange them a bit, though. Most of them are pinks or blues. He's different, so I wanna make sure the aesthetic isn't compromised." She mused aloud, her brain already mapping out possible ideas.

Emmett laughed, making her snap out of her thoughts to look up at him.

"I wouldn't expect any less. I assume you're gonna put his tag in your little book too, hm?"

"Duh. It has his personality on it. What if I forget that he wants to be a teacher?"

"No no, that's fair. Ya gotta keep 'em all straight."

Marina hummed, smiling up at Emmett.

"Thanks man."

"No problem. Glad you didn't die."

When she turned her gaze a bit, she could see clear amusement in Freddy's eyes. Her eyes darted back to Abe, fighting a flustered feeling in her chest. Showing Emmett her more...excitable side was one thing. Showing a near stranger was another. Even if he did seemingly enjoy it. Emmett spoke again.

"Marina?"

Marina looked up, not liking the tone her name was just said in.

"Be honest. Did you cheat?"

Marina felt her mind go blank and yet race at the same time, attempting to formulate some sort of answer.

"Cheat?" Freddy asked, his ears flicking and his head tilted.

"Yeah. As in, I wanna know if she cheated the test."

"It was a therapy appointment, was it not? Are humans able to cheat such things?"

"They can and she has. We call it cheating, but it's more like just flat out lying to the therapist about how you're doing." Emmett replied firmly, looking back at her. "So…did you?"

"No." She responded immediately, looking at his forehead.

"Great. You cheated. Of course you cheated."

"I just said I didn't!"

"Marina, I have known you for 13 goddamn years of my life. I know your tells and I know when you're lying."

Marina rolled her eyes, squeezing Abe close to her chest.

"I didn't lie! I told her what she wanted to know! Been in therapy since I was a kid, take a concoction of medication to make sure I don't wanna commit die, clinical anxiety and depression diagnosis at age eight, whatever. I told her what she asked for."

Emmett blinked before crossing his arms.

"Ah. I get it now. You lied by omission. You told her some stuff that was true and just… 'forgot' to mention others, right?"

"...I didn't want to go in the first place."

"Marina."

"Not really into the whole therapy thing."

"Which is exactly why you need therapy."

"Fuck off."

"Nah."

Marina huffed, crossing her arms.

"Look man, this shit is company mandated. Meaning they get access to any information I disclose. There's a reason I never gave them any of my previous mental health records. Is it really a great idea for them to know?"

Emmett hummed, slumping a bit forward.

"...perhaps not everything."

"Exactly."

"What is wrong with the Pizzaplex being aware of your mental health status?" Freddy asked, his face etched with worry.

God he has dad energy.

"Discrimination." Marina said, sighing. "While the law forbids it, many employers treat mentally ill or neurodivergent workers differently. They are seen as weak links, or liabilities."

Freddy's ears drooped, his face sad.

"Is that why your file omits your autism status?"

"...excuse me?"

Marina felt like she was short circuiting all over again. She was really gonna need to pop in on nap time today.

"Your autism status is not on your profile. But based on you and Mr. Emmett's usage of words like 'stim' and 'special interest,' as well as your behavior the day we met when you got upset, you appeared to be neurodivergent."

Marina choked a bit on her words before croaking out.

"Hey Em. Maybe we should be more careful with what words we use, huh?"

"Probably. At least around the animatronics. They know what's up."

Marina groaned, rubbing her temple.

"He's right though. I dropped my mask hard that day. Normally I'm not so careless."

You need to try harder.

"It's quite alright, Miss Marina." Freddy soothed, his voice gentle. "I will not tell anyone, and I don't see you any differently for it. Many of my Superstars are on the spectrum. It is just a different way of thinking."

Marina sighed heavily, her brain not very convinced.

"Thank you."

You need to tighten your grip.

"Did the therapist say anything about it?" Emmett asked.

"No. I had the mask on rather tight today. I don't think she saw anything off. Or at least, if she did, she didn't tell me. Considering how much she did tell me, though, I don't think she would have just skimmed over that."

"Ahhh. She good at what she does, then?"

"She really tried to read the fuck out of me." Marina growled, crossing her arms. "I hate that. Every little move I made was an indicator for some personality trait."

"Was she right?"

Marina clamped her mouth shut, her body naturally shrinking in a bit.

"Damn. She must be really good then. You're not an easy one to crack."

"I know!" Marina said, her voice exasperated. "I couldn't Bugs Bunny her because she was using a test form, so she would always redirect to the same questions I tried to weasel past. I'm a decent liar, but she's a shrink. I can't outfox a literal fox hunter."

"...what is "Bugs Bunny" as a verb?"

Marina explained softly while Emmett laughed at her plight.

"It seems counterproductive to 'Bugs Bunny' or lie to a therapist who is trying to help you, yes? I understand the autism point, but did you lie on all fronts? At what point is it destructive to you?"

"Oh. She doesn't care about that." Emmett replied, waving his hand. "She just doesn't want to tell the therapist the truth because that would involve admitting there's a problem. Miss Marina is quite stubborn about being 'just fine' even as the world burns around her."

"That's because there is no problem and it is fine. I'm fine and it's fine. All good. Chill."

"Marina, sweetheart, with all due respect, your brain is a literal pit of chaos. I'm not sure how you function living in there."

"Momma didn't raise a bitch."

"Perhaps not, but she did raise a stubborn ass."

Marina laughed, booping Emmett's nose.

"Whatever man. I'd love to be scolded some more, but I have work to do." Marina turned to Freddy, offering him a smile. "Nice to see ya again buddy. Don't let the kids stick anything else in your stomach hatch today, yeah?"

Freddy laughed, his face a bit flustered.

"Ah yes. Be safe Miss Marina."

"Bye bitch. Don't forget to eat something today."

"Yes dad."

With that, Marina headed for the daycare. She could really use some Sun time right now.

Chapter Text

When Marina entered the daycare, Sun could already tell the appointment had really knocked her out.

She smiled at him softly, clutching a plushie to her chest as she made her way towards the security desk. When he caught her eyes, they seemed dim. Tired.

Sad.

Sun gave her a few minutes to get herself settled, playing with the children that had already begun filtering into the daycare. When he felt she had gotten enough time, he went to check on her.

When he gently knocked on the doorframe, she jumped, looking up at him with startled eyes.

"I'm so so SO sorry Sunshine! I didn't mean to scare you!"

Marina chuckled nervously, her fingers knitted together in her lap.

"No, you're OK. I just spaced out a bit."

When he scanned her, nothing was really off. He had no inductions of her usual anxiety symptoms or any injuries.

It appears she's just...down.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Sun asked before he could think, his head tilting naturally in question.

Marina looked up at him, surprised. She bit her lip before turning away from him.

"Not really. I'd rather just forget it ever happened."

Sun hummed, lowering his voice to a softer register at her body curling inward in discomfort.

"Ignoring our feelings isn't healthy, Sunshine. It's good to let those things out, yes yes yes. The bottle will break when it eventually becomes too full."

Marina looked back up, her eyes wary. Guarded. Sun spoke again.

"It's ok to just...not be ok. To feel things."

Marina growled, her head tilting towards the desk as she seemingly grappled with her own thoughts.

"I don't want to."

"I don't think anyone wants to not be ok. But I think letting yourself process those not ok feelings will make you feel a lot better later. Not so heavy hearted."

Not so alone.

Like your feelings matter.

Replacing the ache with the relief of the first light after you've been stuck in the dark.

And know someone cares if you're ok.

Marina whimpered, curling her body so that her knees touched her chin. She tilted her head down, hiding her face from him.

"I think Emmett's upset that I cheated."

Sun blinked, confused.

"Cheated?"

"Yeah. Cheated. I cheated the test."

She mentioned that before. Saying she would need to figure out how to mess with the results.

That's no good at all is it? No no no, no good at all.

"...how? How do you think you cheated?"

Marina laughed coldly, somehow curling up even tighter.

"It's not that I think so. I know so. Every question she had, I knew the right answer. I've been in therapy since I was five. I know what therapists want to hear. What makes them think you're doing really good. So I just told her that. Some of it was true...I have anxiety and depression, I'm medicated, I have one living parent and good friends. But I left out what I didn't want to say for some questions. Full on lied on others. If you say something with enough confidence, they believe you. It's not like they know you enough to be able to call you out. This isn't the first time I've done it. Emmett doesn't like it, but that's how it is. I didn't want to be there anyway."

Marina growled, her teeth clenching in anger.

"But she's good, and it pisses me off. Every move I made she recorded. Every little thing I did she took notice of. I think I mask pretty well, but she still chipped away little pieces. Told me all about myself based on how I physically move. And she was right. I hate being out done." Marina moved her head upwards. Sun could see her eyes were dark. Enraged.

"I don't like being bested at my game. I present myself exactly how I want to be seen. And she figured out a way around it. She figured me out. At least to an extent." Marina was glowering down at her own hands, which were wrapped around her knees.

"Clearly I need to do better."

...somehow, while sharing all of that with us, she still shared nothing. Not a single comment about what her therapist saw. Only admitting that she hides it. Which we already knew, though maybe not to this extent.

She hides her personality...her struggles...she sees it as some sort of game to win? Why would she want to do that? It seems so...lonely, yes yes yes, lonely.

They knew she liked to change herself to please others. She had admitted that to them before. She had even asked them what they wanted her to be. But seeing it in practice felt…

Much more real.

"There's no need to hide such things, Sunshine." Sun murmured, his hand coming up to stroke her head. "She just wants to help you. That's what her job is, just like mine is to care for these little ones. She's not there to judge you. Besides, your personality and true self are lovely."

"But she is there to judge me!" Marina said forcefully, her head finally turning towards him. "Her job is to figure out if I'm crazy or not. If I'm a danger to myself or others. And then try to 'fix' me in some way that I very much don't want to do. I don't want her to do anything. I don't want any help. I'm doing fine on my own. I haven't died yet."

Marina's breath hitched in a way that sounded painful.

"Also, how would you know? I don't even know what my real personality is anymore. At least, not any good traits I'd care to keep."

She's spiraling down hard.

We need to break the train of thought. She needs to release herself from all of those feelings.

Sun hummed gently to her, reaching his arms out in question. After a few moments of hesitation, she reached back, her eyes glassy with emotion.

He picked her up, taking her spot in the office chair and arranging her in his lap. She responded immediately this time, desperately pressing herself to his body as she trembled. She had the fabric around his neck in a death grip.

"It's ok, Sunshine. It's ok. Just let it out. It's alright. We're here with you. We love you, and it's ok to let go."

A low whine reached his processors. Sun looked up, gently kicking the door closed for some privacy. Unfortunately, the door was a little louder than he had anticipated.

Marina jumped, her body somehow pressing even closer to him. He apologized softly to her. A strangled sob met him.

That seemed to be the tipping point.

One sob turned into two, then three, then even more, anguished breaths continuing to escape her throat. She kept her face buried in his chestplate, seemingly attempting to muffle her cries.

This was the moment Sun realized he had never actually seen her cry. Those silent little sobs he had witnessed before were just a stifled version of the truth.

Her real cries were much more human. Much closer to what he had heard from others. Choking, coughing cries that were filled with emotion, rather than quiet breaths that were so easy to miss.

He held her close, whispering gentle words of encouragement into her ears. No shushing her, no coaxing her to stop. He really didn't want her to stop now. Not when he knew this was what she needed most.

After a few minutes, her sobs trickled down to gasps, and then down again to mere sniffles, her body limp against his. Only then did he break his ongoing mantra.

"There we are. All done! Doesn't that feel so much better?"

Marina didn't say anything, but he felt her nod as his hand gently stroked the back of her head.

"Good. Good girl. It's never fun to keep all the bad stuff inside. It's much better to let it go, yes yes yes. Let it go and let yourself heal from it. Otherwise it just keeps being painful."

Hypocrite.

Shush.

Marina coughed wetly, her right hand releasing his collar in order to scrub harshly at her eyes.

"...You've been away from the children too long. You should go check on them."

Sun hummed, grasping her wrist and pulling her hand away from her face. He replaced her hand with his own, brushing her tears much more gently.

"Sure, but I'm going to put you in the quiet corner first. Where's your plushie? I saw them earlier."

Marina sniffed, her hand reaching under her desk to tug the mint green fabric into her lap.

"Emmie got him for me today. Said it was a 'yay Mari went to therapy even though it was involuntary' gift."

Sun hummed as he stood with her in his arms, carefully opening the door.

"That was very nice of him, hm? Do you like the new plush?"

Marina nodded, her body pressing the fluffy body closer to her chest.

"He's been on my wishlist for a while. His name is Abe and he's a bearded dragon. He's got the same mouth as Archie. He wants to be a teacher when he grows up."

Sun bounced her a bit before lowering her into the pillows, his hand coming up to pet her head.

"That's lovely! I'm sure he will do a wonderful job, yes yes yes."

Marina nodded, nuzzling into the fabric of the toy. From the way he was turned, Sun could see he did, in fact, have Archie's little w mouth and a plump, fuzzy belly.

Oh my goodness! That plush is adorable!

I think you mean SHE'S adorable.

Sun couldn't disagree as he watched her curl herself around Abe, her eyes half lidded from exhaustion.

"If you'd like to take a little nap, we can take care of your duties for a little bit. There aren't too many stars here, yet."

Marina hummed, her body slowly going limp.

"Dun wanna be a bother."

Sun reached down, rearranging the pillows around her into a more comfortable nest.

"Not a bother at all, no no no. We can handle it for a little while. Just take a rest. I'll wake you up in an hour or less, I promise."

Marina paused, but eventually nodded, her eyes already hazy with sleep.

Once he was sure she had dropped into dreamland, he turned back towards the children, planning to check and see how many new little ones had trickled in while he was gone.

The whole time though, he still kept one eye on Marina, his processors warm.

She's finally starting to let us in. For real this time.

Chapter Text

After her nap, Marina woke up feeling better. A lot better, if she was honest.

Guess he has a point about the bottling thing.

She made it through the rest of the day without issues, and the day after that. She was on a roll. She felt so light. Even with Emmett's disapproving stares burning into the back of her head.

Things changed on day three.

That afternoon, Emmett stormed into the daycare, his eyes full of excited, mischievous energy.

Well that's never good.

"Alright, you bitch!" Emmett called, standing in front of her with his hands on his hips. "I've figured it out! I know how I'm gonna give you consequences for your actions!"

Marina looked up at him, her eyes amused. 

"Darlin', we both know damn well I don't care about the consequences of anything. I don't roll like that."

"Yes, that is true…" Emmett started, his arms coming up to cross over his chest. "But that just means I have to reframe it!"

"Ya lost me."

She looked back at Sun, who also seemed confused. 

"Okay, so." Emmett grabbed her wrists, pulling her towards him. "I started thinking about it as soon as you came back from your appointment. Unfortunately, I kinda rewarded you for shitty behavior. Yeah, the reward was more for doing the thing than how you did it, but nonetheless. So I thought it would only be fair if I figured out how to also punish you for the bad behavior."

"Kinky."

"See, this is why you need consequences."

Marina laughed, swaying her arms so that he would sway with her.

"You would miss it if I stopped being like this."

"Not the point here." Emmett stopped their movement, holding their arms still. "Anyway, I got an idea from watching the kids with Freddy. Every time they did something well, or gave him something, he always gushed at them. Told them how good they are and complimented their skill."

"Yes?" Marina said, tilting her head. "That's how positive reinforcement works. It's common practice for little ones like that."

"Well. You have a mixed feelings relationship with praise." Emmett said, his smile turning into a smirk. "So I can use that to my advantage."

Marina didn't love the look in his eyes.

"So!" Emmett mused, leaning close to her face. "Congratulations. Positive reinforcement has become your consequence."

"Positive reinforcement...as a consequence?" Sun piped up, coming up behind Marina to fully join the conversation.

"Yep!" Emmett replied, his grip on her wrists suddenly tightening. "I'll give you an example!" 

Emmett smiled at her, his eyes softening.

"Marina. Your hair is really cute today. It makes you look like one of those dolls we had when we were little." Emmett leaned forward, his smile widening. "I also like it when you do your hair because it makes it easier to see your eyes. They're so pretty and expressive. I like how bright they look when you get excited or happy."

Oh this is AWFUL. 

Marina heard a choked noise escape her throat, instinctively tugging on her hands to curl in on herself. Emmett wasn't having it, though, his grip firm. She could feel her face burning as she tilted her chin down, hiding her expression from him.

"What's the matter Mari? Are you uncomfortable? The blushing is really cute. Why are you hiding from me?"

"Shut up."

"Why? I'm only telling you the truth. It is cute."

"SHUT. UP."

The second protest came out a bit more whiny as she continued to attempt breaking Emmett's hold.

"See? She hates being complimented like that. Especially when she can't Bugs Bunny her way around it, or hide physically from it. She thinks it's embarrassing. The 'two good things to replace a bad comment' thing sucks for her, and she hates it, but this is worse for sure. And this offense is worse than just one comment, so..."

Marina looked up again, her eyes full of fire. 

"Emmett Lee I swear to God--"

"Oho! Pulling out my middle name huh? You're pissed."

"I'm not afraid to bite your wrist. Let go."

"You won't. You're willing to pin me or whatever, but you wouldn't actually hurt me. You'd feel too guilty."

Marina didn't say anything, continuing her struggle. He had a point. She loved taunting and messing with him, but she would never actually cause him lasting harm. She couldn't stomach even the idea of it. 

"I see your point, yes yes yes!" She heard Sun say as he went around her to stand next to Emmett. "It's a positive comment you're giving, and truthfully at that, but she always becomes flustered when complimented directly. Doing so repetitively would serve as at least somewhat negative for her. Though her receiving positive attention is still good for her regardless."

"Y'all really love just talking as if I'm not here, huh?"

"Oh? You don't like it? Then I'll talk to you directly!" Emmett responded, his smirk returning. "What should we talk about next? How good you are at drawing and video games? Your angelic singing voice? Your ability to strategize and win mental and physical fights? Maybe Sunny can talk about all the things you do well at work. There's so many things!".

Marina felt a little dizzy from the onslaught, her head tilting back down in protest when she felt the warmth spread down her neck. She could feel her mouth twitching slightly as she fought an embarrassed smile.

Please let this floor swallow me.

"Nevermind! I'm not here! I don't exist."

"But you are here, Sunshine! And we're so very glad that you are, yes yes yes!"

A hand waved in front of her face before gripping under her chin, pulling her eyes up to meet Sun's. 

"No more hiding from us, no no no! You must take the consequences of your actions head on!" Sun's rays spun as she felt her heart drop into her stomach. "I suppose I should be involved too, yes? You've been doing so well with the children recently! Not nearly as fearful, no no no, much more talkative! They've really come to love craft time, just so they can play with you more! Did you know she draws portraits for the children when they ask, Emmett? They're so very lovely! Well done, yes yes yes, very adorable!"

"I did not!" Emmett replied, smiling at Marina. "How sweet of you, shortstop! I'm sure the parents love them! You're a wonderful artist."

Marina was in overload, her eyes closing so she didn't have to look at their faces anymore. She wasn't sure she had EVER felt quite this embarrassed all at once. She didn't even want to know what her face looked like. She released a quick breath from her nose, attempting again to squirm, but Sun had a firm grip on her chin, keeping her facing them.

"Mariiiii~! C'mon now, don't try to hide from us! We're just getting started!"

"Please kill me." Came her breathy reply. God she felt like she was melting, and she really wasn't sure how to deal with the flood of both positive butterflies and embarrassment all at once.

"Sorry Mari! No can do. You're just gonna have to tough it out." When she opened one of her eyes again, Emmett looked positively delighted.

Fucking dick.

"There she is! Anyway, as I was saying. You've always been so talented in the arts. It's really your strong suit. That includes when we were in drama together. You're so diligent, and went to all of your coaching lessons, even if you weren't planning on going on stage. You were the apple of our instructor's eye. She always made time for your one on one lessons, just so she could hear you sing every now and again. I liked sneaking in on those too. You always did well with really emotional songs, because you learned to add a growl to your voice really early on. Maybe your angry personality just made you perfect for it."

"Growl?" Sun asked, tilting his faceplate.

"Yeah! In singing, a lot of the fun comes from being able to express the emotions behind the song. Plenty of people can do the casual sad or happy songs, though perhaps not always in a way that sounds professional. But Mari took a lot of time to learn to physically add emotion to words, and can make herself sound frustrated, angry, passionate, just plain powerful when she sings. Which is a huge accomplishment, because her autism really hinders her ability to hear vocal tones."

Sun's head spun happily, his body bouncing.

"How lovely! I do hope one day we can hear it!"

"Maybe. I'd be really happy to hear it again. She's so good at it. She worked so hard. I'm proud of you, Mari."

Marina really was overheating now, her face curling into Sun's hand for relief. His hands were warm, but compared to her, they were an ice pack.

"No more." She whined, tapping Emmett's hand repetitively. "Mercy. I'm gonna pass out."

Emmett laughed, swaying the two of them back and forth as she had earlier. 

"Okay okay, I think you've had enough...for now. You look ready to fall over soon, and I really don't want that to happen."

Marina let out another puff of air in relief, her eyes feeling a tad hazy from emotional exhaustion.

"However, I'm gonna need you to accept our compliments first. Then I'll let you go."

Marina stared at him for a second before her eyes narrowed.

"Really bro?"

"It's fine if you don't want to. I can just start from the top--"

"NO! NOPE! I'm good. I'd rather not. Thank you."

"Thank you for whaaaat?"

Marina growled, her nose scrunching.

"For the compliments." She grumbled.

"You're welcome!"

Emmett immediately released her hands and took a few steps back. Marina did feel the urge to pin him, but reverted to her other instinct first, pushing herself against Sun and hiding her face. She felt her hands flap in discomfort, her emotions being too much right now. 

I don't wanna be here. This is so fucking embarrassing.

Sun cooed at her, petting her head soothingly as he leaned down to curl closer to her.

"You're so cute, yes yes YES!"

"Y'all said you would stop!" She whined, her hands now gripping the fabric of his pants, her body swaying. She wanted to die.

A synthetic chuckle came from above her, another hand coming down to snake around her shoulders.

"Sorry, sorry! You're right. But let this be a reminder to follow the rules, hm? We can always do this again, yes yes yes~!"

The teasing lit to his voice made her squirm. She nodded against his chest in affirmation, unable to find any more words right now.

"Poor Mari. She doesn't really know how to take being put at center of attention. It's strange, considering she's an attention whore when it comes to physical affection. Call her cute one time though and she's flustered out of her mind."

"To be fair…" Marina answered, her words muffled by Sun's chestplate. "I don't accept physical affection much either. Unless it's you, Sun, or Moon, it's not happening."

"That's fair. You don't really accept any sort of...anything from strangers. Or hell, even friends that you aren't as close to."

"This is cruel and unusual punishment."

"I'll give you unusual, but it's not cruel. I mean, you might think so, but you're not supposed to enjoy being reprimanded."

Marina only growled, moving her head so that Emmett could see one of her eyes glaring daggers at him.

"Ya know, that look would be terrifying if you weren't still tomato red. But you are. So it isn't."

"Hm." Marina let go of Sun, cracking her knuckles. "Allow me to change your mind."

As Emmett started running, Marina went over he'd feelings on what had just happened.

It was mortifying. She got embarrassed by singular, off hand compliments that happened in her day to day life. But this was a full on attack. They had just...pinned her and said nice things to her until she cracked?

She had to give them points for creativity. 

Yet there was more to it than that. Like most other humans, she at the very least enjoyed when people liked her or her talents. She felt those happy little butterflies any person would feel at being told she was good at something. But God, she really just couldn't take it. It was too much. Especially with them looking right at her as she was forced to just...take it. Even thank them for it.

She took a deep breath, slowly circling the play structure she knew Emmett was hiding in.

It could be worse, but I really don't want to do that again.

She would just need to be more careful. As she finally pinned Emmett down she set herself to doing her best to be good.

These self love exercises would be the death of her.

Chapter Text

Of course, it happened again very soon. Much sooner than she would have liked.

Naptime the next day, she sat at her desk, her eyes checking cameras as her fingers poised to finish a report due later that evening. The sound of Moon's music box was her background noise, much to her delight. It was still one of her favorite sounds.

When she heard the music box coming closer, she braced herself to be scared shitless. Somehow he always managed to get her, even when she knew he was coming.

Surprisingly he just strolled right in, his mouth curling that little bit it could into a smirk.

Suddenly she wasn't in her chair anymore.

Marina squeaked in surprise as she was lifted from her chair and pulled to him, her body flush against his chest. Once he had her, he closed the door to the security office, his face on hers.

"So, Starfire. I got to bear witness to evvverything that went down yesterday, but I didn't get to participate. Isn't that so unfair to me?"

Marina froze, her hands gripped tight onto the fabric around his neck.

"Maybe, b-but it would be no fair for me to pay the price for the same action twice."

"True." Moon hummed as he snaked his second arm around her back. "But you forget that I'm not human like you, and I'm on the inside a lot. I spend most of my time just...watching."

Marina leaned away from him as he continued to speak.

"And I heard the lovely children complementing your drawings earlier. And how you waved them off. Bugs Bunnyed them, if you will. Now then." Marina began squirming harder as Moon leaned closer to her. "Haven't Sun and Emmett been very clear in telling you that you should be accepting praise for yourself? That its good for your self image and that you deserve it? I'm thinking I should give you a second chance to accept the praise, don't you?"

Uh oh.

"They technically didn't make it a rule that I have to accept praise." Marina pointed out, her body curling in on herself.

"True. I suppose you're right." Moon purred, tightening his grip on her. She didn't even have time to feel relieved before he began speaking again. "How about the fact that I haven't seen you eat anything today, and it's 2pm. Is that a good enough reason? That's a rule."

Marina choked, somehow shrinking even further in on herself.

"Sunny gave me the all clear on that one! Looks like you're caught, Starfire."

"No fair!" Marina growled, still trying to get away. "You were just trying to find a reason to join in!"

"Maybe a little bit. But you're a naughty thing. It doesn't take long to find a reason. Perhaps this will be a good reminder for you to follow all of the rules."

Moon attempted to turn her towards him, but she flung her arms around his neck, effectively pinning herself to him. He grappled with her for a bit before seemingly deciding on something.

Marina yelped as he let himself sink to the floor, his legs crossing underneath him. Her shock caused her grip to loosen, and he managed to pull her away from his chest and into his lap. The arm around her back came around her like a seat belt, her tiny body no match for his long limbs. She was essentially being held like a baby, her head propped up on his upper arm.

This is so much worse.

The position itself was already flustering, her stomach doing flips as she attempted to squirm out of his hold. She knew it was over, though, especially so when his other arm rested over her legs, pinning them to his own.

"Oh no. It seems you've been caught." Moon teased, his faceplate nearly nose to nose with her. "Your heart rate is already through the roof. Is it really that bad for you?"

Marina let out a low whine, her body going limp as she accepted her fate.

"Yeah."

Especially when I'm being held in your lap like an INFANT. Can this get more embarrassing?

When Moon started talking again she realized that yes, in fact, it can.

"Already blushing, Starfire? I haven't even done anything yet. It seems someone's in trouble." Moon laughed as Marina felt her face scrunch, her eyes averting from him. "I'd like to remind you that just because you can't see me, that doesn't mean that I can't see you. I will admit, though, your flustered avoidance of me is verrrry cute."

Marina felt herself start to squirm uncomfortably, her head turning towards the crook of Moon's arm.

"Ah ah ah. None of that." Moon scolded, the hand on her legs coming up to tilt her chin back in his direction. "Remember what Sunny said, ya gotta face this head on."

Marina let a breath out of her nose, feeling her lower lip settle into a pout.

This fucking blows.

"Good girl." Moon nearly sang, making Marina feel the telltale feeling of her blush spreading down her neck. He hardly ever said words of praise to her like that. It hit different. "Now then, what shall I praise you for? Perhaps I could just sit here and tell you how adorable your face is when you're embarrassed. You're quite literally glowing with all of that red, Starfire. It even makes your eyes look brighter."

Marina kicked her legs unhappily, hating how she just couldn't look away from him. Not to mention, he was hovering over her, his faceplate at an angle that very much reminded her that she was in his lap. Absolutely mortifying.

"Or I can tell you how good of a singer you are. I watched that Helluva Boss thing if only to see the context for that song. I'll admit, it's pretty funny. I had to keep Sunny from seeing it, though. I don't think he'd enjoy the adult content."

Marina couldn't help the little smirk that started on her face.

"No, I'd say not."

"Ah! Your smile is cute too. Especially when it's a bit mischievous. That's when I know you're gonna do something I'm gonna find amusing."

Ah. Back to dying.

"What was I saying again? Oh yeah! Your voice. It's a very beautiful sound. You hit high notes like they're nothing. It's impressive. One day you'll need to sing for us again, hm?"

"At the rate you're going I'll die before the day is even done."

"Drama queen. You're fine." Moon mused, his hand moving from her chin to the back of her ear.

Marina let out a surprised squeal, her shoulder twitching to relieve her of the feeling as the giggles started.

"The ear thing is so endearing too. Your laugh is so high pitched, just like your singing voice. I especially like that you like it too. Very cute."

Marina desperately tried to turn her head away from him, but he caught her chin again easily, his red eyes glowing down at her.

"Now then. I spent a good chunk of last night looking through databases to help me find some more fun compliments. Don't take that as them being disingenuous, by the way. I'm just not used to this sort of thing. So, I'll try some of those."

OK, now Marina was at least a little curious. And also terrified.

When Moon spoke again, his voice was softer. Less teasing.

"You're very helpful, kind, and considerate. You do your best to make us feel welcome, and we appreciate that. We appreciate you. And while you may like to cover up some facets of your personality that you seemingly have deemed 'flaws,' you're wonderful just the way you are. You are enough, all on your own."

Deer in headlights.

Marina didn't even know how to process that information.

Being called cute, being complimented on her skills or hobbies, those were embarrassing. Those were just flustering little comments that could easily be brushed away.

This? This was some genuine shit. This was some deep from the heart kind of shit.

Marina floundered for any sort of answer, but couldn't really find anything. Her eyes must have been the size of saucers, her teeth tugging at her bottom lip.

Moon seemed amused by her reaction, but also a bit flustered himself as he tapped her cheek with his finger.

"No lip biting."

At his cue, she released her lower lip, mumbling a soft apology.

"Have you had enough yet, or shall I go on?"

Marina, still staring at him in shock, opened her mouth.

"N-No. I'd rather be done."

"Then what do we say~?"

The teasing tone was back, bringing her back to earth. She spoke softly, timidly, her face burning.

"Thank you for the compliments."

At that, Moon let go of her chin, his other arm loosening its grip on her torso. She immediately shot upright, her face coming up to hide in his chest. After listening to him admit all of that to her, she really could use a hug and a place to hide.

Moon chuckled, patting her back gently, his other arm snaking around her waist, pulling her close.

"Alright there, Starfire?"

Marina nodded, huffing a breath as she wrapped her arms around him.

"Asshole. Ya can't just drop shit like that without warning."

"Language! Sorry, Starfire, but it had to be done." Moon's voice went hushed as he spoke again. "You're not the only one that's new to this."

Marina simply held him tighter, leaning her head up to bump her cheek against his faceplate.

"You're doing a good job, too. You're a good friend. I'm happy to have you."

It was apparently Moon's turn to be flustered, his face plate doing a few spins. Marina couldn't help but notice the way his body tensed.

"Oh?" Marina said, looking up at him. "I'll have to discuss putting you in my position next time. I'm not the only one who struggles with compliments."

Moon grabbed the back of her head, pressing her to his chest plate again.

"Yeah yeah yeah, Starfire. See where that gets you. One wrong move and I'll do this again for hours."

Marina shuddered at the thought.

"No thank you."

"I thought so."

The two sat on the floor quietly until it was time to go wake the children, holding each other with gentle hands. It was one of the most soothing nap times Marina had ever had.

Chapter Text

Sun felt like he was on top of the world. Marina seemed to be doing a lot better, the kids had been really positive recently, and overall, he and Moon were just in a good place.

He was especially happy with the most recent changes in his friends. Emmett had started opening up just a bit to him, his head slowly poking out of his shell. It was only occasional off hand comments about something that was upsetting him, but it was something. He even said a few things about how happy he was to have a healthy friendship--along with a few little details of how he had been treated in the past.

It was small things that he shared...comments about how his old friends would have been angry at him for voicing his discomfort. Comments on the way they talked about him behind his back, which he only knew because Marina would scurry back to him with the information, thinking he was entitled to know what they said. The way they outright blamed him when they did something that he found upsetting, saying he was just "too sensitive."

It made him angry to hear, but he was happy to know Emmett was out of that situation. He was even more happy that he felt safe enough to discuss it with him. Sun made sure to reassure him and validate his feelings. To remind him that he cared if he was uncomfortable, and that he could always come to him if he ever needed a friend. Emmett seemed soothed by his words, bumping his hip against Sun the way he had previously only done to Marina.

Seems we've 'leveled up.'

Yes yes yes! He's being so much more casual with us! We're going to need to adopt some of the touches he usually gives to Marina. He's not as open to big hugs and snuggles like she is.

And so they did. Hip bumps, small head pats, shoulder shakes, all of the things they had noticed Emmett do to Marina, they offered in return. Aside from offering their arm. That seemed to be something Marina liked to be on the receiving end of, but that Emmett would probably prefer to not do himself. The returned gestures and little shy smiles told Sun that he was very happy with the change.

Marina, on her part, seemed to have loosened her grip on the reins a bit. More often she initiated their cuddle sessions, rather than waiting for Sun or Moon to offer their arms to her. She still seemed fairly embarrassed about it, her eyes hardly ever meeting theirs, but it was a big step. She was asking for the things she wanted, rather than denying herself. She was also more willing to accept their help and advice, fighting Sun much less when he told her to take a break in the quiet corner when she seemed upset. Sun couldn't help but be proud of her.

It got even better when Marina came in to work one day, hair bouncing around her shoulders as she walked. She had shyly approached, asking if he would braid her hair.

Sun was ecstatic.

"Of course I can! Come with me, yes yes yes!"

Though he said nothing, Emmett seemed just as happy with the change, his eyes soft as he watched Sun gently comb his fingers through her hair. Marina, on her part, let out a soft sigh of relief, her body relaxing as he separated strands of her hair into his hands. He may have taken a little longer detangling than was needed, if only to let the moment last a little longer.

Her hair is so fluffy and soft.

Yes yes yes! It's thick and bouncy! I think it suits her.

Once he had finished braiding, he asked her to wait where she was. He rushed to the supply closet, fumbling through the many ribbon choices he had at his disposal. Ribbon was a very fun craft tool, in his opinion.

When his eyes landed on the sun and moon themed ribbons, he knew they had to happen.

She can wear sun ribbons today, yes yes yes! They'd be so cute on her.

Nah. She's wearing the moon ones. You get to braid her hair, I want something of mine too.

Sun pondered it for a moment, humming to himself.

One of each?

...yeah. Yeah, I'll agree to that.

And so, he did.

He carefully tied bows on the ends of her braids, careful not to pull her hair as he tightened the knot. When Marina took out her phone to look, she chuckled in amusement, her eyes bright.

"Really? These are the bows you went with?"

"Only the best for my Sunshine, yes yes yes!"

Marina had flushed at that, her smile turning bashful in the camera. She clicked off her phone, tilting her head to look up at him.

"Thank you."

Sun had felt his rays spinning, his smile widening as much as it could.

"No problem at all, Sunshine!"

From then on, braiding Marina's hair became one of his opening activities. Every morning she would come in, her hair down around her shoulders, and he would lead her to the quiet corner to fix it for her. He even moved the ribbon stash onto the bookshelf, wanting to have access to all of his options throughout the process. His favorite thing to do was weave the ribbon in with her hair, the bright colors popping against the dark brown strands. Marina didn't seem to mind, her eyes brightening every time she checked his work. He was really glad she liked it so much.

Emmett had apparently decided he needed to be in on the whole thing too. That's where they were today, a box tucked under Emmett's arm as he and Marina entered the daycare.

"Okay so! I broke into Marina's apartment last night to steal this for you. You're welcome."

"That's why I heard you fucking tumbling through my living room like an asshole at midnight?"

"Language!"

"You heard me?"

"How could I not hear you? You tripped over my coffee table and then babbled to Edgar on the floor for like twenty minutes." Marina lowered her voice, imitating him. "Hi Ed Ed! You're so small! You're a baby! Did you know you're a dummy? I still love you, though. Dummy kitty."

Emmett blushed red, pouting at her.

"He is dummy kitty."

"Of course he is. He's my Ed. Now what the fuck did you steal from my house? I have like three dollars to my name, so there's not really anything worth stealing in there."

"Wellllll."

Emmett placed the box on one of the craft tables, popping it open for Sun to look inside.

Hair supplies

Lots of them.

Hair clips, bows, scrunchies, headbands, really anything that could be used in hair was in that box. At least, everything he had ever come in contact with.

"This stuff is all from when Mari and I were little. Our parents did our hair sometimes, but we also had sleepovers and did our hair then, too. Most of this stuff is actually mine, since my mom insisted on taming my afro, but Mari took possession of all of it when I transitioned. It seems there's a use for it again, so I figured it would be better to bring it here."

"I forgot I even had this stuff." Marina mused, her fingers digging through the box. "Hey! You wore these bows for eighth grade graduation! Orange has always been a cute color on you."

"Yeah yeah yeah. It has everything from those stupid plastic hair clips from elementary school to the costume hair bows we used for drama. I think my crown from our final performance may be in there too."

"Yep!" Marina replied, her hands gently untangling the two combs attached to the sides of the piece. It was more of a tiara, silvery glitter and jewels lining its edges. The band had three points, two to the sides and one in the middle, each topped with a pearl-like structure. Despite its being fake, the tiara itself was quite beautiful. But maybe Sun just liked glitter. "Once Upon A Mattress was great with you as the main role. You're a good actor."

"I just wish it hadn't been a princess. That's a bit...awkward now."

Marina hummed sympathetically, turning the tiara in her hands.

"Still really cool that you landed the lead role."

Sun had started going through the box himself, ideas flooding his system as he took in everything. There was even a hair brush and comb inside, along with a bottle of the spray Marina had put in her hair when she spent the night.

Looks like you have a new craft to take care of.

Oh oh OH I'm so excited! I can do so much more stuff with this!

Sun clapped his hands, his head spinning in a few circles as he started bouncing.

"Thank you thank you THANK YOU Sunlight! I can do so many more things with her hair now, yes yes YES! It'll be so PRETTY!"

Marina flushed a bit, her body swaying as her smile twitched into its usual 'I don't want to be here' mode.

"No problem Sunny! It seems to me you both enjoy the bonding time, so I figured I'd support that! We always have our one on one when I'm giving you a check-up, so it only seems fair that Mari gets some, too."

"I'm here all day with him."

"And like, a metric fuckton of kids. It's different."

"Language!"

Before Marina could speak again, Sun grabbed her wrist, tugging her with him into the corner. He couldn't wait to get his hands on everything.

That day ended with two bright pink bows, and three metallic clips on one side of her face, two pink and one blue in the middle. Instead of the usual French braids, he had done two loose traditional braids, leaving her hair framing her face, rather than tightly pulled to her head. The clips kept the hair out of her eyes, while still allowing for the much gentler look. This way, it was also a lot easier to see the wavy strands, her hair looking fluffy and full. Sun really liked how it looked on her.

She looks so young like that. Her face is so...pudgy.

Yes yes yes! She's got quite a soft face shape. Her cheeks are so round and cute!

When Marina looked at herself this time, a blush started forming quickly, her eyes wide.

"Wow shortstop, you almost look sweet enough to not murder people."

"I don't know whether to take that as an insult or a compliment."

"It's cute, Mari. Though I know that baby face is a fucking lie. God gave you tiny nose freckles and big eyes so people wouldn't notice the little horns growing out of your head."

"Haha. Dick."

"Bitch. Try clicking your heels together. Maybe you'll end up in Kansas."

"Language!"

Marina laughed at Emmett's joke, though Sun didn't really understand the reference. Marina did as he said, clicking her heels a few times quickly.

"There's no place like home, there's no place like home...nope. Still have to work today. Damn."

"Tragic."

Marina turned back to Sun, her eyes shining with amusement.

"Thank you."

Sun patted her head gently, delighted by the way her braids bounced at the motion.

"Anytime, Sunshine."

Chapter Text

Marina anxiously clutched onto Emmett's arm as they wandered through the 'Plex, loud music still playing as some straggling kids wandered around the place. Her earbuds had been jammed in her ears on contact with the areas outside of the daycare, her body automatically tensing from the stimuli.

Apparently the daytime maintenance workers were doing a hang out after shift change. Emmett insisted she go. She had protested all she could, but his puppy dog eyes and Sun's gentle encouragement finally made her cave in.

She and Emmett had packed extra clothes to wear, hoping that feeling less...workish would help her nerves. If they were being honest, though, they both just found their work clothes cheaply made and a bit uncomfortable.

When Emmett had walked into the daycare, Sun had all but rushed him, gushing over his "adorable outfit." He had gone pretty simple, a blue plaid button up and dark wash jeans, but he looked good in it. Emmett could pull off most things, in her opinion.

Marina felt she needed to be a bit more selective, worried about how she would be perceived. She had agonized over the choices, and Emmett ended up shoving her aside and choosing for her. Her clothing consisted of high waisted light wash jeans and a soft pink crop top, the combination covering all but a small sliver of skin. Over that, she had a cropped bomber jacket in royal blue, it's sleeves fluffy and soft in the best possible way. It gave her somewhere to hide if she wanted. Emmett had even gone through the trouble of matching their outfits somewhat. She liked that.

She had decided to just leave her hair the way Sun had done it that morning. He had been a bit more experimental, her hair pulled into a messy bun and secured by a blue scrunchie. She had described her outfit colors to him in advance, so he seemingly tried to match it, little pink and white flower clips littered through the bun itself. She felt like Rapunzel, and she honestly kinda loved that.

Now when she entered the room after changing, Sun had all but lost his mind.

He picked her up, cuddling her to him as compliments spilled out of his voice box like water. Marina ended up hiding her face against him, overwhelmed. When he finally put her down, he walked in circles around her, taking it all in a second time.

"You're lovely, Sunshine. I'm sure everyone will think you're the sweetest thing."

His confidence did make her feel a little better.

As they entered the food court, her eyes immediately found Sean, his head lazily propped on his hand as he chatted with a few of the other men. Marina felt her grip tighten on Emmett, her body nudging itself towards him.

"Is...is Scott going to be here?"

Emmett squeezed one of her arms in return, his voice low and soothing.

"I doubt it. Word spreads fast. No one's really his biggest fan after what he did to you."

"To us." Marina corrected. She wasn't the only one slighted by that man.

Emmett hummed in response, pulling her towards the table Sean was occupying.

"Ey! What's up my dudes?"

Sean stood, offering his usual side hug to Emmett. Marina offered her fist to him, which he bumped in return, before rewrapping her arms around Emmett's one.

"Glad y'all could make it! I haven't seen you in awhile, Mari. Everything good up in the daycare?"

"As good as it can be with 100 or so kids ten and under." She replied, rolling her eyes. "I only had one kid try to paint my face this week, so I'd say I'm killing the game."

Sean laughed, his chin tilting as he looked down at her.

"Yeah, I've heard about that problem. Sunny always has a ton of paint in his joints at any given time. I assume they find him a fun canvas too?"

"For fucking sure. Especially since his eyes are basically a paint your own coloring page to them. Apparently they all think Sun's eyes should be blue."

"Rock on. He'd look sick with blue eyes."

Marina hummed in agreement, taking a seat next to Emmett as he settled across from his friend. Emmett waved his hand in front of her with a flourish.

"Everyone, Marina, Marina, everyone. She's the security guard up in the daycare bla bla bla. Yall get the point."

"So you're the one who took out that guy."

Why is this always the first thing that comes up!?

"And the one who finally took Scott down a peg. Thank God. That man is a fucking creep. I'm glad someone finally rung his damn neck."

"Especially a woman. With his sexist ass mindset, I'm sure he's mortified. He deserves it."

Marina smiled, though she could feel it was a little wobbly. Compliments were still difficult, even after her bouts of 'exposure therapy.'

"Happy to help. I love making dick bags suffer."

The boys laughed before happily jumping back into casual conversations amongst themselves. Marina appreciated that they didn't pressure her to speak anymore.

Marina decided to just listen in, watching Emmett as he spoke with Sean. His eyes had a gleam she hadn't seen in a long time.

Uh oh. Someone has a thing for the surfer boy.

To his credit, Sean seemed just as happy to be talking to Emmett. She wasn't sure of his sexuality, but he seemed awful touchy for someone who wasn't interested in the slightest. A lot of subtle hand touches, leg bumps, and nudges were being exchanged back and forth.

Good for him. He deserves someone sweet like that.

Regardless, Marina couldn't help the little pang of jealousy in her chest. She was a bit of a party girl in college...or a lot of a party girl in college, and she had done her little hoe phase. She even had some lasting 'relationships,' women coming by every now and then for a fuck and cuddle session. But that was much different than a crush. Now that she didn't have liquid courage flooding through her body, she struggled to sweet talk girls the way she used to. And even if she could, she hadn't found a girl she was interested in like that yet.

It sucked.

A gruff voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"'Ey! Yall havin' a party?"

Marina looked up to see Monty walking towards their table, his tail swishing behind him in a way that Marina found amusing.

"I guess it could be considered one!" Emmett replied, grinning. "All the maintenance guys and a rogue security guard feels like a big enough group to me."

"You're welcome to join bro." Sean chimed in, smiling. "It's not a real party without the Glamrocks."

Monty laughed, his eyes bright as he scanned Sean and Emmett in turn.

"Nice to see ya again bro."

"Same man. It's been awhile."

"The kids keep me busy. Can't keep them off my tail. Literally." Monty rolled his eyes, turning his attention to Marina. "Well well well. I see what he meant by a 'rogue security guard.' How ya doin' lil' lady?"

Marina replied as his eyes brightened again.

"A lot better now that I can finally fucking see again. Eye patches are the worst."

"Well I heard a certain miss was already caught up in another incident." Monty teased, his arms crossing in front of him.

Marina felt a sheepish smile come over her face, her eyes averting.

"Uh--"

"Not her fault man." Sean cut in, his tone the most un-chill Marina had ever heard it. "Scott's such a dick. Doesn't know how to keep his thoughts and hands to himself."

Marina shivered involuntarily, the feeling of his hand on her shoulder still a vivid memory. She did her best to cover it up by speaking again. Based on the gentle squeeze to her arm, Emmett had noticed anyway.

"I don't start shit man. I just finish it. I don't do letting people touch me without my consent. Or homophobes. He just happened to be both."

"And sexist." Emmett chimed in. "Very much sexist."

"Three strikes you're out." Marina said with a nod.

"Don't gotta tell me twice." Monty said, his arms crossing. "Touching girls without askin' is a huge no from me."

"Ya know." Emmett said, his brow furrowed. "Now that I think about it, how he managed to find the one top energy lesbian on the floor to insult is beyond me. He really just did you dirty on all fronts."

Marina huffed, resting her chin on her hand.

"Mediocre white men always find a way, love. I'm just the one who shoved him back in his lane. Literally."

As Emmett laughed, the sound of metallic footfalls caught Marina's attention.

Oh. ALL the Glamrocks are here.

The other three animatronics were wandering their way around tables, speaking with various maintenance members. She assumed they were stopping to chat with their own teams. Seeing Chica and Roxanne made Marina suddenly very aware that she was the only human female here.

Gross.

Marina started zoning out again, her earbuds doing well to muffle the harsh music and background noise. She felt her fingers begin tapping the beat to various songs flooding through her head. She did her best to at least be aware of what the conversation was about, but honestly, even the environment was enough to drain her energy.

Too many people in one really loud, bright room. I'm doing so well.

Marina felt a finger tap her leg, bringing her back to earth. Emmett's sketch pad was shifted in front of her, along with a pencil.

He's giving me something to stim with?

Marina didn't enjoy doing her more obvious stims in places where other people were. Doing normal activities didn't bother her as much. Someone doodling on paper was a pretty normal thing to see, especially in a room full of mechanics. They were always mapping something out. Hell, she wasn't even the only one with a sketchbook RIGHT NOW.

Marina tapped his leg back in thanks, flipping past his various diagrams and graphs to a fresh page. She let her hand move on its own, her brain half on the sketchbook, half on the conversation occurring around her.

She only looked up again at the sound of another familiar voice.

"Hello Mr. Emmett and Miss Marina!"

Marina looked up, offering a soft wave. Verbal things were feeling a little difficult at the moment.

"Ey! What's up Freddy! Come to join the party? Clearly this is the best table to be at, so."

"Duh. Because it's my team's table." Monty growled proudly, his hands finding his hips.

"Hey! Some of us aren't on your team. One of us isn't even on anyone's team."

"I think I count as on Sun and Moon's team by now." Marina said, her eyes back on the paper in front of her. "It's just us two, anyway. I refuse to let you have the title to yourself."

Emmett hummed in agreement.

"Ya know what, that's fair. I think you've claimed the vice president spot. Congratulations."

"Wow." Marina said flatly, looking up to playfully glare at him. "What. An. Honor."

"Bitch."

"Dick."

"Your hair is quite beautiful today, Miss Marina. Much different to how it usually is."

At Freddy's words, a familiar flustered feeling started in Marina's chest. She stifled it as much as she could, but she could still feel a bit of warmth flood her face.

"Thank you. Sun did it for me."

A new voice cut the air.

"The daycare attendant did that?

OK. I am officially overwhelmed beyond belief.

Now Roxanne and Chica had casually made their way over, one leaning on each of Freddy's shoulders as they looked down at her.

It was definitely Roxanne who said that.

"Oh! Ain't it so cute Roxy?" Chica asked, walking around Marina to get a better look. Marina obliged her, tilting her head downward so that she didn't have to lean so far. Marina couldn't help but feel a buzz of fondness when she noticed Chica spoke with a soft southern accent. "I'll need to ask him to do mine next! Though, I don't have hair much like hers."

"Not really. She looks like she's got a lot of it." Roxanne replied, waving her hand dismissively. "Just let me keep doing it. I do it just fine, don't I?"

"Oh of course you do!" Chica chirped, her eyes soft. "But it's always fun to try something new, ain't it? I don't talk to him very much. He seems nice if he does her hair for her."

"Everyday at that." Emmett cut in, his smile a bit mischievous as he looked at Marina. "It's become part of his opening routine now."

"Shut. Up." Marina growled, shrinking a bit on herself. Freddy's synthetic chuckling at her reaction wasn't doing her any favors, either.

"What? I think it's very nice of him. He likes doing your hair, always mumbling about how fluffy it is. And now I don't have to listen to you bitch as you try to tame those waves." Emmett looked at Chica, his eyes amused. "She hates trying to fix her hair. It's a hassle, apparently."

"I have a lot of it, OK? And it does NOT untangle easy."

"I'd say she's right." Roxanne said, her head tilted as she looked at Marina. "Poor pup has probably twice the thickness I have, and I've got the most out of the four of us."

"See? Finally, validation."

"Whatever short-stop. Luckily it isn't your problem anymore. You've passed the torch into capable hands. You'll probably need to request more ribbon soon, though. Sun likes putting those cute sun themed ones in your braids."

Marina rolled her eyes, her hand going back to softly sketching on the paper in front of her as she felt her face heat up more.

"Yeah yeah yeah."

"What was it he said again? 'Only the best for my Sunshine?'"

"Emmie~! It seems you just can't WAIT to get back to the daycare for your date with the floor!"

Emmett immediately shut up, scooting himself a bit away from her.

"That's what I thought. Play stupid games and you'll win stupid prizes. Like the imprint of the playmat on your cheek. Speaking of which." Marina turned to Sean, her smile wry. "Did ya get my footprints off of Monty's back ok? I'd really hate to give you more work to do."

Sean, who had just been casually listening up until this point, snickered to himself, his eyes filling with mirth.

"They came off with no trouble at all. Two size seven footprints aren't too hard to get out."

"You were lucky you little brat!" Monty growled playfully, leaning into her face. "I took you to the ground fourteen times!"

"Yeah. And then I figured out your patterns on time fifteen. Just because you took me down more doesn't mean you didn't have to submit to me once."

"It's honestly impressive she got you on the ground at all." Sean said with a grin. "Let alone incapacitated you for long enough to make you tap out."

"So she's the one who pinned him!" Roxanne said, barking a laugh. "He gushed about that for days. He was pretty pissed he lost, but Monty respects the hussle."

Monty crossed his arms in front of himself, clearly embarrassed.

"Yeah, well, not many people would go fifteen rounds and not give up. She's feisty. I like that."

Marina smiled lazily, her eyes skimming over the paper before she started a new sketch.

"I don't do 'giving up.' I play to win."

"Ooooh I like her." Roxanne growled, smirking down at her. "We outta race sometime. I'll kick your ass."

"You can try." Marina replied, glancing at her. "Just know we keep going until I win. Even if it takes fifteen rounds."

"Better free up your schedule, squirt." With that, Roxanne excused herself, pulling a smiling and waving Chica along with her as they moved to the next table. It was unfair to hog all of the Glamrocks to themselves, she supposed, and it seemed like Monty wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Marina felt her shoulders relax a bit as she settled back into sketching, occasionally adding commentary.

By the end of the meet up, Marina was feeling a bit more confident in her ability to socialize. Maybe a little bit proud too.

Seems working around a bunch of people really did do me some good.

It's still hard, and there are still a lot of things she struggles with, but for once, it felt like there were people around who actually cared if she was comfortable. That she succeeded in her task of happily socializing.

Something about it made the bright lights not so bad after all.

Chapter Text

Marina was actually doing pretty well after that. The get together had really been a bit of a confidence boost. She felt a little more capable, leaving her office for longer periods of time and speaking a bit more with children and parents. She had actually gotten pretty positive reactions too, especially from Sun.

But then, because God couldn't just let her live, she was finally handed the packet sent by the therapist.

Marina had been stopped by the front desk, the papers placed in her hand while Emmett was busy chattering away to Sean, who had 'conveniently' walked in at the same time.

Those guys are so into each other.

Marina thought for a moment before shoving the packet into her bag. She really didn't want to deal with it right now.

"Please look over the information as soon as you can. Corporate has received a copy of the same information. I'm not sure if they'll want a follow up, as I am not privy to the contents of the packet, but you should be prepared just in case."

Marina thanked Vanessa quietly before slipping out, walking with Emmett to the daycare. Her bag felt oddly heavier than usual.

She knew she shouldn't be too worried about the results. They were sure to be fudged anyway, given how much random information she had given and taken out. But her strong desire to do well at everything she did wormed its way into her heart.

I wanna know if she's satisfied with my answers. I need to know I cheated right.

Regardless, she put off looking, trying to distract herself as best she could. Drawing portraits, helping with snacks, putting a bandage on a skinned knee. They all kept her occupied physically, but she couldn't help the thoughts swirling in her head. She was caught in a loop.

What if I did too well and it looks suspicious? What if I didn't do well at all and they know I'm broken? Wait, can you suck at therapy? I guess you can if the goal is lying to get a good report.

More and more thoughts just kept making her dizzy and anxious until finally she really just couldn't take it anymore.

She waited until the afternoon, just after naptime, when Sun usually did freetime with the kids. Usually he was distracted then, darting every which way as little hands beckoned him to different games and activities to participate in.

I don't need him looking over my shoulder right now. I'd rather see this for myself before telling the others anything.

Marina took a deep breath, carefully opening the packet.

The first few pages were all the answers she had given, small quotations littering the page. Marina skimmed through them, refreshing her memory on what had been covered. What she had said.

Ok, she listed the dead dad as a traumatic incident. That's fair I guess. Even though I didn't say it was.

She had been honest on some things. She had admitted she had smoked and drank recreationally in college, but that she had stopped pretty shortly after. She had mentioned her parents didn't really get along well, but they stayed together for her benefit. Not that it really was beneficial to her. She had even tossed in a little comment about being overly competitive, enjoying the feeling of success after fighting tooth and nail for it. Stuff she felt that a well put together person would know about themselves, but wasn't too out there. Those were pretty average issues for a person to have. A college party girl with fighting parents sounds like any teen drama character she had ever seen.

After she refreshed herself, she flipped further in the packet, scanning to find the results section.

Behavioral analysis stood out in a way that made something curl in her stomach. She read carefully, her fingers starting to tremble.

Marina is a pleasant and cheerful young woman, and was kind and mild mannered when speaking. She showed signs of discomfort, such as distancing herself from the test administrator physically, and fidgeting behaviors. While she did eventually answer all questions, she did show some redirecting and avoidance behaviors that are a bit concerning. I am unclear if these behaviors indicate mere apprehension, or outright deceit in any way, but it is worth noting that such behaviors can cast doubt on the validity of test results.

…

Well. That's fun.

She may not have known Marina lied, but she had picked enough on her anxiety to at least question her. She didn't know whether to be impressed or pissed off.

After that section was an area of findings and results.

Marina appears to be a well adjusted and hardworking individual. She appears to have stable and solid relationships with friends and family, creating a sound support system. She seems to have many healthy coping mechanisms and ways to self soothe, and does not appear to be a danger to herself or others.

The last sentence filled her with relief, her shoulders sagging.

However, based on the behaviors she displayed during testing, as well as her reactions involving the incident which brought about a referral, Marina appears to have some sort of trauma response issue. Marina reported no traumatic experiences in her childhood, but the sudden aggression towards a perceived threat and avoidance behaviors do tend to indicate fear response. While her assertion that being touched suddenly without consent caused the issue is a valid response, it does not explain the continued hypervigilant behavior witnessed.

With this in mind, Marina would most likely benefit from regular sessions with a psychologist to seek further treatment and more in depth answers. Grief counseling for recent parental death may also be a good option, as she has sought no therapeutic treatment since that event.

So I'm not dangerous. I'm just broken…I can work with that.

Marina was deeply unsettled by how much the therapist was able to garner from her in a single session, but she was smart enough to take her blessings where she could get them. She had proven herself to be harmless to the company.

Doesn't mean she doesn't have me fucked up though.

Marina stared at the results for a few seconds longer before putting it away, feeling a bit sick to her stomach.

You did what was required. You're done now. Even if you don't like the results, you're done. She can't make you come back.

With a sigh, she forced herself to redirect her energy again, her eyes wandering over the security cameras.

Just forget about it. The sooner you drop it, the sooner you can just pretend it never happened.

She knew though, that it was easier said than done. Things like this could easily make someone spiral. Obsessive thoughts were a pretty big issue for her, and she really wasn't looking for that to be her downfall here. If she broke down, she would just be proving the therapist's point. She really hated that idea.

Pretend it never happened. Eventually you'll forget about it. It'll be a drop in the bucket eventually.

Little did she know, she was very much wrong.

Chapter Text

Sun noticed that Marina had been a little...off, for the past few days.

She acted fairly normal. She did her job, talked and joked with him and Moon, smiled and laughed along with the children. To the untrained eye, she would seem completely normal.

To Sun, though, it was obvious something was wrong. That something was bothering her.

She seemed very eager to do whatever he asked, keeping herself busy with tasks. Her hands and face seemed less expressive, her eyes a little dull. Her smiles weren't as genuine as he normally found them. It was a strange turn, considering how well she had been doing before.

Don't worry too much about it. If she wants to talk, she will.

While he knew Moon was right, it didn't make him feel any better. Being helpless really wasn't a feeling he enjoyed. He wanted to take care of everything and make it all better, not watch as something not great was clearly happening.

On the afternoon of the third day, he got his answer, though it was more on Emmett's accord than Marina's.

"Hey shortstop, did you ever get the results back from that therapy appointment? They should probably be in by now, right?"

The way her shoulders tensed told them all they needed to know.

"When'd they come in?"

"...few days ago."

Ah.

Emmett hummed, his head lazily propped on his hand as he watched Marina work.

"Not a fan of what you saw?"

"Not really." Marina's voice came out with a sense of finality, warning laced in her words. "I was deemed 'not a risk to myself or others,' so that's really all I need to know. My job is secure."

"Well that's good. I'm glad they realized you're not a threat, just an angry little thing that doesn't take shit from others. You don't go off unprovoked."

Marina nodded in agreement, folding up clean aprons for use the next day.

Silence filled the room for a few minutes, the only sounds hitting Sun's processors being Marina's shuffling and his own joint clicks. After a while, though, Emmett spoke up again.

"...I'm gonna assume those therapy results are going to go to the grave?"

"...if I have my way, yes. I'd much rather they did."

Emmett grunted. He seemed a bit disappointed, but nodded.

"Okay. I respect your privacy. Just know if you wanna talk about it, we're listening."

"Thank you."

"May I ask one question, though? You don't have to answer, obviously."

Marina paused, her fingers tapping the table she had stopped to wipe down. After a moment, she nodded.

It must be really eating her up...

I know. She usually tells him everything, yes yes yes!

Actually, she really doesn't. He just already knows everything because he witnessed most of her life.

The realization that Moon was right hit Sun like a truck.

She really didn't share with him. With anyone. She just carried it all on her own. No wonder he had so much trouble getting her to let go. To cry it out.

She probably didn't even know how.

Emmett's voice made him refocus on the outside.

"Did they recommend you continue therapy? Or will you?"

Marina clicked her tongue, her hands stilling in front of her. After she seemingly contemplated the question, her mouth opened.

"Yes they did. But I will not be."

Emmett released a sharp breath, his sigh heavy with frustration.

"Marina--"

"No."

"If you'd just--"

"I said no."

Silence filled the room again, Emmett's gaze locked on the back of Marina's head. Marina didn't look up from her hands, her body motionless. Being that he was used to seeing her do at least some sort of stim at all times, Sun was very put off by the stillness.

When Emmett spoke again, his voice was hushed.

"Look, all I'm saying is that it could help, ok? There's been some...unfortunate mishaps in your life, and recently at that. I know you've been to therapy before, but since… some very major life events happened."

Marina's hands moved to grip the edge of the table. While she wasn't facing them, Sun could clearly tell her teeth were clenched.

"I'd much rather leave the past where it is."

"It's not in the past if it's hindering you now."

Marina growled, her fingers tightening their grip.

"I'm not hindered. It wasn't that big of a deal. None of it was."

"Doll, traumatic experiences are--"

"I wouldn't consider any of it 'traumatic.'"

Emmett suddenly stood, his hands smacking against the table as he leaned forward. He wasn't quite yelling, but his voice had become much more strained. A little less hinged. Sun hadn't seen anger in his eyes quite like this before.

"Not traumatic? Not traumatic?" Emmett sputtered out, a laugh of disbelief punctuating his words. "Doll, he died. You lost a parent at 20. And you're an only child, so you had to bear that pain mostly on your own. Your momma did a lot of the legal stuff, but she isn't very helpful with emotional stuff. I mean fuck Mari, weren't you the one sent in to ID his body? That alone is it's own traumatic event."

Marina stayed silent, her entire body filled with tension.

This...is even more serious than I was expecting.

Sun couldn't find any words to give Moon in return, let alone his friends. So, he just listened to Emmett.

"And that's just one thing. You moved out on your own at 18 into a world for neurotypicals where all the odds are stacked against you. Went to college, wanting to do something with your life. And where did that go? You got the degree, but it came with an autism diagnosis and a suspiciously refined taste for whisky sours and weed. I'd specify the strain, but I don't remember the name of the one you like."

Marina stayed quiet, her knuckles white.

Emmett sighed, his hand running through his hair.

"I'm proud of you for kicking that habit, by the way, but it still happened. You partied hard in college. Especially after he was gone."

Marina huffed a bit at that, her body slowly starting to sway.

"You distracted yourself with anything you could. School work, hobbies, parties that you could only stand to be in if you were blasted, flings with pretty sorority girls that wanted a gay girl to experiment with. Hell, I'm not entirely sure you stopped that one. You have girls pull up regularly. While I'm happy for the ego boost it probably gives you, meaningless sex to escape reality isn't great. Then again, I'm pretty sure you don't have the same boldness with women when you're not filled with liquid courage."

"Gay girls only now." Marina responded quietly, her voice firm. "I don't mess with the straight ones anymore. They get attached too easily." A laugh hit Sun's processors, somewhere between mocking and amused. "Once they've had a woman, they don't wanna go back. Especially a woman who'll top."

Sun was thrown for a loop. Emmett had briefly mentioned her love for smoking, but neither party had mentioned just how deep it all went. How much she had let herself spiral.

And yet he couldn't say he was surprised. She bottled her emotions up, keeping her cards close to her chest. She would simply push everything down and move on as if nothing had ever happened. He may be a daycare attendant, but he had the mind of an adult. He knew very well that some humans became very attached to substances and physical pleasure. It seemed fair that she would use distraction as a means of forgetting the ache she carried with her. Even if it was a distraction rooted in addictive behavior.

"Well, then there ya go. I'm glad you stopped. Screwing straight girls only makes things complicated." Emmett sighed again, his voice softening back to something a little less demanding. "My point is, that's only the last four or so years of your life we're talking about. That doesn't even begin to cover anything previous. Mommy issues and daddy issues can't be a fun combination."

"Can't have daddy issues if you don't have a daddy." Marina said, amusement slightly in her voice.

"Uh uh. No. No making me laugh with dead dad jokes during a serious conversation." Despite his words, Emmett was clearly fighting back giggles, his frown a bit wobbly.

They have a very dark sense of humor, it seems.

"What? I'm just sayin'. You know that just as well as I do. You don't have a dad either."

"Different situation, doll. Mine is a deadbeat not dead."

Snickers came from Marina, her face turning a bit to reveal a twitchy smile.

"No fair. You can't make trauma jokes if I can't."

"Ahaaaa see. You do know it's traumatic. You just wanna ignore it, so you say it isn't. You wanna be seen as fine."

A choking sound escaped Marina at being called out, but nonetheless she stood up and faced Emmett, her body leaning towards him. Her eyes were full of fire.

"I am fine! It's been fine! It all goes away eventually. As time passes it becomes unimportant, just like everything else! Eventually I don't even think about it anymore."

"Until it's father's day." Emmett piped up, his eyes dark. "Until it's his death anniversary. Until you see something of his in your apartment and look a little too long. Until your momma talks about him. Until you're reminded he existed!" Emmett stalked in front of the table, closing the distance between himself and Marina. "Ignoring it forever doesn't make it go away! It's like putting a bandaid on a bullet hole! It may cover it up, but it's not gonna heal like that! You need stitches! Not bandages! I've seen you on those dark days! I've been here the whole time! It eats you alive! Him, our ex friends, your mom, social anxiety, all of it!"

Marina's squared shoulders began shaking, her back arched to lean away from Emmett. Emmett responded immediately, softening his voice, murmuring an apology for his tone.

"You have to process it eventually, or you're gonna end up hurting yourself more and more. Not to be that guy, but it affects me too. You're my friend and I hate to watch you crumble. It hurts me to watch you hurt yourself."

Tears were starting in Marina's eyes, her body slowly hunching in on itself. She looked like a cornered animal, her eyes filled with anger, fear, apprehension. She seemed so unsure. So scared.

Emmett lowered his posture to something less intimidating, slouching his back a bit so that he wasn't towering over her. Sun realized then just how big of a size difference there actually was.

"I can't lose you like you lost him, Marina. I just can't."

I think I can now infer the cause of death.

I...

Marina gritted her teeth, her arms wrapping around her body in a self hugging motion. Her swaying had become full rocking on her feet, her head tilted so that her chin pressed against her chest.

Sun could tell she was crying, regardless.

Emmett slowly offered his arms to her, his movements careful. Marina sniffled, her cries finally becoming audible

"It's ok Mari. Come here."

Silence followed for a few seconds before Marina moved forward, her head hitting Emmett's shoulder with a thump.

There she goes.

I hate how much it takes to make her finally feel, yes yes yes…

Emmett wrapped his arms around her shoulders, tugging her down onto the ground with him. Marina pressed flush to him, her small body sitting in his lap comfortably.

"Ya gotta stop this, doll. It's time to let it go for real. To acknowledge all the things that happened and are still happening to you. To accept help in healing from it and dealing with it. Aren't you tired?"

Sun felt his body move without thinking, leaning down to pick up his humans. They both made noises of surprise, but didn't stop him as he situated them both in his lap, Marina still wrapped around Emmett.

He held them close, tight, as if they would disappear if he let go. After a minute or so of silence, Marina spoke.

"...'m so tired."

Her voice was broken, breathy as she paused to hiccup from crying.

"...it hurts."

Sun felt Emmett shift, running his fingers over her face gently. She tilted her head up, tears freely running down her face as she accepted his comfort. Sun, on his part, kept her in a tight grip, giving her deep pressure.

"Then let's work on healing up now, OK? It'll never truly be gone, but it can get better. I'd really like it if you'd consider going back for regular sessions. If not, I'd like it if we could come up with another solution."

Marina closed her eyes, her head resting on Sun's chestplate as Emmett continued to run his fingers over her cheeks.

"...ok."

Sun automatically began murmuring words of comfort and praise, rocking them in his lap as he spoke. He really didn't have much to add to this conversation--it felt wrong to interrupt with his own thoughts on something like this--but he could at the very least make his presence known. Let her know he was there.

When she relaxed into him, he knew he had made the right choice.

And so, they sat there until finally Marina's tears dried. Until the storm had passed.

And they grew stronger for it.

Chapter Text

After her breakdown, she told Emmett she would take some time to consider her options in terms of improving her mental health. She didn't feel rushing anything would do her any good, since she still felt unsure as to what her true goals were. Emmett agreed with her, and they made a plan to discuss it again in two weeks.

For now, he asked that she focus on self care and positivity. That included doing a bit more for herself in terms of forming connections and gaining the social validation she needed. She agreed, as it felt like a reasonable goal. A good starting point that wasn't too overwhelming, albeit uncomfortable sometimes. Considering how well things had gone in her social life recently, talking to people a little more often felt like a cake walk in comparison to the hurdles looming in the near future.

She was lucky to have an easy in with her coworkers.

Apparently the maintenance event went so well, the guys decided to make it a weekly occurrence. And so, Marina was now roped into a regular, but low risk, social activity.

It was both exciting and terrifying.

Today was the second meeting, and Marina had gone with a cozy outfit, wanting to feel comfortable at least physically if she was fishing mental strain. She had chosen black boots, black leggings, and an oversized emerald green sweater that she could use as a dress. For a bit of spice, she added a black corseted waist that accentuated her curves. It made her feel warm and sweet, but also a bit sexy. She couldn't wait to change into it. Her thoughts were broken by the sound of Sun's voice.

"Do you want me to do your hair, Sunshine?"

Marina nodded, smiling up at him.

"Actually, I forgot to tell you. Last week's topic of conversation was actually how good you are at hair. The Glamrocks were all trying to get a look. Chica even mentioned wanting to let you do hers one day. I think you have some fans, Sunny Boy."

Sun froze for a second, seemingly shocked. After a few seconds though, his rays started spinning FAST, his body bouncing in place as he scrambled up to her.

"Me? They liked what I did? Chica wants me to do hers? Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR! Come here, Sunshine! If everyone likes it so much, then I must do my best to impress yes yes YES!" Sun tugged her with him, nearly dragging her along as he made his way to the quiet corner. "Though, I'm sure it helps that my model is so cute. I have a good canvas to work with!"

Marina blushed red as Sun pulled her into his lap, his fingers already carefully combing strands of hair out of her eyes.

Well, I'm glad he got the confidence boost. Even if it means I have to be a bit of a test dummy.

Marina nearly fell asleep sitting up this time. Sun chuckled at her, running his finger tips over her face as a way of waking her.

"It's your fault." Marina slurred, her mind still muddled from her sleepiness. "It feels so nice I can't help it.

"I'm glad you find it relaxing, yes yes yes! But it's not naptime just yet, so you're going to have to wake up."

Marina whined, her head bobbing forward in protest. Fingers behind her ear made her head pop right back up, a little squeak escaping her. She turned to glare at him, but relented, stretching her arms over her head before pulling out her phone to see what he had done today.

When he said he wanted to go all out, he meant it.

Two French braids started from the front of her head, wrapping above her ears in a way that looked similar to a crown. When she turned, she could tell they ended in a bun, the ends of her hair tucked in and out of sight. It was lovely, and aside from maybe one or two bobby pins, there were no extra details. It looked elegant all on it's own.

"Oh Sunny." Emmett said, his voice fond. "That's so cute. You did such a good job. She looks like a princess."

Marina was silent, fully shocked by how she looked. Emmett was right.

I do look like a princess.

"Seems someone is a bit overwhelmed. Earth to Mari?"

Marina shook her head gently, worried about ruining his work.

"I love it. Thank you."

Sun's rays whirled again, his body bouncing as he sat behind her.

"You're welcome. I do hope everyone likes it, yes yes yes!"

"There's no way they won't." Emmett said with confidence. "It's adorable."

Marina could sense Sun's anxiety, so she leaned back, tilting her head upside down to look at him.

"Don't worry, Sunny buddy. Even if they don't like it, I sure do."

At her words, there was another period of frozen sitting, followed by Sun wrapped his arms around her waist, snuggling her to his chest.

"Thank you, Sunshine."

"Look at you Mari, giving him a sappy little nickname. Softie."

"I will end your life."

---

By the end of the day, Marina was EXHAUSTED. She had really been given the run around by the little ones today, and all their screaming had really worn her down.

But Marina was determined to make this happen. Skipping out on the second meeting really felt cheap to her, and she didn't want anyone thinking she disliked them, or that she had a bad time. She wanted to make a good impression.

After she got dressed, Mari prepared herself for the oncoming onslaught that was Sun's gushing.

Sure enough, her feet immediately left the floor, her body cuddled into Sun's.

"Oh oh OH this outfit might be even cuter than the last! Thank goodness the hair matches well."

Marina laughed, squirming against him.

"How are you supposed to know what it looks like if you hold me too close to even see it?"

Sun lowered her to the ground, starting up his pacing around her body once again.

"You're right! I have to look more, yes yes YES!"

Emmett wore his favorite t-shirt and dark jeans, his look much more relaxed. A guide of Freddy's internal workings on a shirt seemed highly appropriate for a gathering of mechanics.

"You ready Mari?"

"Yeah, sure."

After waving goodbye to Sun, they "conveniently" ran into Sean, walking along with him towards the food court.

Yeah. That boy is some flavor of gay. Bless.

As soon as the sounds and lights of the Pizzaplex hit her, Marina filled with anxiety, her body tensing from its position around Emmett's arm. Emmett gently squeezed her arms, soothing her seemingly without knowing. Marina smiled to herself at the thought, bumping her cheek against his shoulder.

When they settled at their table, Marina pulled out her sketchbook, very much ready for a distraction. As she sketched, she listened in on various conversations.

"Yeah man, that kid really took a good yank at Roxy's tail. Luckily there was nothing damaged… other than her pride, maybe."

"Nah dude, Fazerblast is hands down better than Gator Golf. Isn't golfing for people over sixty?"

"Ey yo Brian! You got your fancy ass pencil? We're trying to figure out how to reinforce the bearings on the older bots."

Marina was happy just to listen, learning little bits and pieces of information about everyone as she took everything in. Marina always did better not being in the conversation. Can't say the wrong thing if you say nothing at all. Plus, it gave her time to focus on what the other person was saying, rather than worrying about what she was gonna say next. It was a great way for her to get to know the people around her.

Eventually though, her time in her head ran out, the Glamrocks once again dispersing amongst the crowd. It seems word had spread about their weekly gatherings already.

Marina hummed a greeting at Monty as the boys greeted him more boisterously, eyes only flitting at him for a moment before she refocused on her paper. Even with her earbuds in, she did fine keeping up with the conversation she was now somewhat a part of, her fingers on her left hand tapping gently on the paper as she worked.

"What are you up to, lil' lady?"

Marina looked up, realizing she was now being directly addressed. She smiled sheepishly, her body starting to sway.

"Not much really. Just like having something to do with my hands."

"Mari is more of a listener than a talker." Emmett explained, shaking her shoulders affectionately. "She always knows what's going on, but she needs to keep her mind busy. Otherwise she goes off into lala land."

Marina huffed, sitting back in her chair to glare at him.

"Hey. You're the type of person who hyperfocuses so hard he can't hear or see anything else. I don't wanna hear it."

"Hey wait, that's actually really good."

It was Sean talking this time, his chin tilting so that he could see the paper a bit better.

Marina looked down to see she had sketched out Emmett's face, his eyes filled with that gentle puppy love she had been seeing more and more of. He had his hand under his chin, his body leaning on what was assumed to be a table as he spoke. It was a rough sketch, but the intention was clear.

"Um--"

"Oh yeah. Mari is really good at drawing. She does a lot of sketches of people or things in her surroundings. She can look at people and just...copy it. It's really cool."

"I can see what you mean, bro. It looks just like you."

Marina felt flustered butterflies fill her stomach, her tapping fingers picking up the pace. It wasn't helped by Monty walking around behind her, his face leaning near hers as his eyes roamed the paper.

"Damn. That really does look just like him. I didn't know you drew, lil' lady."

"Doesn't really come up much." She replied simply, choosing to ignore the rest of the conversation.

"Have you drawn any of the animatronics?" Sean asked, his eyes filled with interest. "I feel like that would be a lot more challenging. I'd like to see how you'd handle that."

Marina felt her teeth sink into her lower lip. She had drawn the animatronics--mostly Sun and Moon, but she had sketches of the Glamrocks as well--but it was a little embarrassing to admit in front of one of them. Showing people her drawings was embarrassing enough without looking like a fangirl.

"Er--"

"That would be a yes." Emmett interpreted, leaning forward. "This is your work sketchbook, right?"

"Yeah? Why?"

"Because I assume any Fazbear entertainment related content would be in a sketchbook you bring here. It makes the most sense."

Why couldn't I be friends with a himbo? Why did I choose the guy who reasons everything out?

Emmett reached forward, his hand hovering over the book in question. Marina sighed, showing her consent with a nod. He and Sean seemed excited about it, and she didn't want to ruin their fun. Besides, she had actually been pretty satisfied with her most recent work. Showing it to them seemed not so bad.

Emmett hummed in thanks, taking the book and flipping through the pages a bit.

"A lot of Sunny and Moony, but that's to be expected. You're around them all day. I'm pretty sure you don't even need to see them anymore to know their features."

"Yeaaah not really." Marina replied, her gaze fixed on the table in front of her. "I know everything down to where their craters are on their faceplate. Three on their forehead, three on their nose, two on their chin. Moon keeps their eyes slightly less open, probably because it looks a little sleepy. They have fairly limited facial movement anyway, so it's really a minute difference. Moon also moves with less fluidity, so his posture always looks a bit stiff in comparison to bouncy boy Sunny. It's just stuff you notice from watching all the time."

Emmett nodded, still flipping through with gentle hands. Sean stood up, walking so he could look over Emmett's shoulder, rather than seeing all of the drawings upside down.

"Yeah I've noticed the stiffness thing with Moon. I think he just...enjoys being a little bit creepy. He does a lot more of those neck clicking sounds too."

Finally, a little sound of triumph escaped from Emmett.

"Well well well Monty. Looks like you got a page all to yourself."

"Lemme see."

Emmett held the sketchbook up to him, allowing him to get a full look at the spread.

She had drawn one full-body sketch, along with a few varying head shots. The full body was of him walking at a side view, small children clinging to his legs and tail. She had also added one child on his shoulder, Monty holding the little one up with his hand. His expression was nonchalant as he continued on his path.

The headshots were just varying angles and facial expressions, being that Monty had much more facial movement than Sun and Moon. She had fun drawing in his teeth, making his face into a snarl for one sketch so that she could show them off. She had really just...gone for it. It was stylized to look more like a character from a comic or show, but she made sure his markings and posing were accurate to Monty and his personality.

"Rock n' roll dude, these are sick."

The burn in Mari's face multiplied at his words, her swaying increasing in intensity.

"It's not that serious bro. I just sketch to give my hands something to do."

"Mari~" Emmett sang, slinging his arm over her shoulders. "You're doing the thing again where someone says you're good at something and you just ignore it."

"No clue what you're talking about."

Emmett rolled his eyes as he moved along.

"Oh hey, the next page is Freddy.

The page was a similar layout, but Freddy was in a much different pose. He was at a profile view, kneeling down to talk to a young child, his eyes soft and mouth open slightly.

The headshots were mostly smiles and laughs of various types, one even showing his ear wiggling motion she had noticed when watching him from afar. She added in the squeaky nose too, a hand coming out to boop his smiling face, his eyes crossed.

"Ey yo Freddy!" Monty called, looking over his shoulder. "You gotta see this."

Chapter Text

Marina felt ready to die as she heard metallic footsteps approaching. She let her hands slide down, her chin now resting on the table.

"Yes Monty?" Freddy asked politely as he approached, his head tilted in question. He seemed used to being pulled in all directions, but Marina was sure it got annoying after awhile.

"Seems you have some fanart."

God, don't describe it like that.

Freddy took the sketchbook into his hands, being that he didn't have the same paper shredding claws as Monty. He analyzed the pages, his eyes lighting up as he took it in.

"These are wonderful!" Freddy said excitedly, bringing the paper closer to his face as he spoke. His ears did a little wiggle, making Marina smile a bit in spite of herself. "Who drew these?"

"Marina. Apparently the lil' lady is quite the artist."

"Who also doesn't know how to handle this amount of attention." Emmett quipped, amused. "I think she's half dead by now. She can hardly take one compliment, let alone this."

Marina let her head fully thunk onto the table, her forehead pressed to the cold plastic. It felt nice against her now uncomfortably warm skin.

"'Take a compliment?'" Freddy asked. His voice was coming from somewhere above her, but she didn't bother to look.

"Yeah. She doesn't really know how to handle positive attention. More than one or two comments and she ends up flustered." Marina knocked her hand on the table three times in frustration. Emmett snickered.

"You can't tap out from people saying nice things to you, doll."

"I didn't ask for this. I just wanted something to do."

"Well, sorry short-stop. You're very good at what you do."

"Shut up."

"I'm just--"

"Shut. Up."

Marina emphasized her point by shoving one of her hands in his direction, which he caught with a laugh. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, shaking her fondly as he held her wrist in his other hand.

"Remember all the self love lessons? You've been training for this moment."

"I didn't ask for them. If anything I've just been given training to withstand torture."

"Pft. Drama queen. You love the attention and you know it."

Marina barely held back her squeak at being called out.

Regardless, Emmett released her in favor of taking the sketchbook back, if the shuffling above her said anything.

"Have you done Chica or Roxy yet? You just met them, so maybe not, but I figured I'd ask."

Marina turned her head to answer, mushing her cheek into the table.

"Yeah. Did Chica the day after the last meeting and Roxy maybe like...two days ago? They're probably pretty far to the back."

Emmett let out a little hum in acknowledgement, flipping a bit quicker through the pages this time.

"I'm not sure what there is to be embarrassed about." Came Freddy's soothing voice. His hand came down to pet her head in a way that felt very similar to Emmett. "You're very talented, Superstar! That should be celebrated!"

"Not gonna work Freddy. I've been telling her that since we were little. She's just stubborn and self loathing."

"Bite me." was Marina's only reply as she flipped Emmett off. Much to her own mortification, though, she felt her head instinctively move towards Freddy's hand. Freddy's synthetic chuckles met her ears, his eyes fond as he went to stroke her head again. Regardless of the return of her blush, she allowed it. His movements were so gentle. She felt like she could trust this.

Fucking Sunny has me trained now. Great.

"Behave, Mari, or I'm telling Sun we need that 'praise is good and you deserve it' lesson we weaseled our way out of. Also wait--you've already somehow roped Freddy into petting you! Spoiled ass."

Marina looked at him through half lidded eyes, her head still tilted towards Freddy's hand. When she spoke, her voice came out a bit sleepy.

"He started it, not me."

Freddy chuckled, looking down at her. She met his gaze, knowing her eyes were most likely hazy from pleasure. She tilted her head at him before bunting against his hand again, listening as his chuckles changed into a fond hum. She saw Monty smirking teasingly in her side view, but decided to pay him no mind.

I'm stressed and I want it, so I'll have it. That's what Emmett's been trying to get me to do, right?

Emmett rolled his eyes, but Marina could see the proud smile twitching on his face as he looked back down at the book.

"As I was saying before, you're an attention whore. I swear to God, you're gonna have every animatronic wrapped around your little finger from putting on your little cute act, and I'm never gonna have peace...Oh hey, found Chica!"

Chica's page had been a bit more of a fun thing for her. She had drawn her in a cutesy front facing pose, her hands on her face as she winked at the viewer. Her headshots varied, one with gentle eyes and a soft smile that Marina saw in pictures of her with small children. Another was pouty, her eyes lidded a bit in sadness. Marina had added little stars and fun southern charm, adding a rough, very animated sketch of Chica in boots and the stereotypical red flannel and blue jeans.

"Ah. I see why you drew Chica first. Feeling a bit homesick?"

Marina crossed her arms with a pout.

"Not really, but I don't hear a lot of people around here with my accent. It's refreshing."

"'Round here." Emmett said teasingly, laying on a thick, fake sounding southern drawl.

"Never thought about that, actually." Monty piped up. "But the lil' lady does have a voice like Chica's doesn't she?"

"Yes'm." Emmett replied, still teasing. "I reckon Marina was born redneck as they come."

"Now come on, Emmett." Marina said before thickening her own southern speech pattern. "If yer gonna go for it, ya gotta do it right. You've been 'round me too damn long to not be knowin' better. Momma would be ashamed."

Emmett laughed, turning the pages once more.

"You're right. Your momma would be pissed if she heard how butchered that was. I swear to God you sound just like her when you do that."

"Don't remind me." Marina groaned, returning to her usual voice. "I don't need to be turning into her already."

"You won't. You care about other people's feelings too much."

"Oop--"

Marina couldn't help the laugh that escaped her at that, her hand coming up to stifle herself.

"Emmett!"

"What? It's true! Your mom doesn't give a fuck about hurting people's feelings. I've seen that woman hug you hello, and then pull back to tell you your hair looks like shit."

Marina was trembling with muffled laughter, her eyes closing from the effort to stay hushed. She tried her best to be chill, realizing Freddy looked horrified behind her, his hand still on the top of her head.

"Woah bro, is she really like that?" Sean asked, his head tilted. He and Monty didn't seem all too enthused either.

"For sure." Marina supplied, still snickering. "I remember when that happened too. She was visiting my first apartment to see how I was 'gettin' along.' Guess I didn't do my hair that day."

Marina looked up again and accidentally met Freddy's concerned eyes. She looked away quickly, happy this time when Emmett piped up again.

"Oh hey look, Roxy!"

Marina had gone punk with Roxy's look, her hair made up of more geometric shapes. Her eyes were sharp as she stood with her arms crossed in front of her, her chin up and expression determined. She had added a growling head shot as well, along with a softer smile for something a little less...angry.

"You really leaned into the bisexual rocker look huh?"

"For sure, yeah." Marina said with a shrug. "Every girl I draw comes out looking a little gay."

"Maybe you're just really gay yourself and therefore make all of the women you draw attractive to you. Which means you draw the kind of women that are gonna be into other women."

"Ok fair. Not in this case, but most of the time yeah probably. Then again, all women are attractive to me in some way, so."

"Pft. Horndog."

"Women are queens, Emmett. It's the law."

Emmett glanced around, eyes locking on Chica and Roxy.

"You do realize I have to show them now, right?"

"Ima just head out--"

"Nope!"

Emmett wrapped his arm around her shoulders tightly, causing Freddy to release her. Marina whined, thumping her head against Emmett.

"Why am I being subjected to this?"

"Because fuck you, you're good at things. Also, if you were really against them seeing it, you would be using your serious voice rather than your whiny one. And saying the word 'stop,' rather than my name over and over."

"Excuse me--"

"Hey Chica, Roxy! C'mere!"

"Emmett." She hissed, smacking his leg.

Fuck.

Chapter Text

Marina sighed and reigned in her emotions as she heard the two other animatronics approaching.

"Oh Marina, sweetheart!" Chica said sweetly, darting behind her. "Did Sun do your hair again? Oh! Let me see!"

"Again with the hair?" Roxanne asked, crossing her arms. "Is it really that much better than mine?"

"Of course not! I just like seeing new things. It's ok for both of you to be good at something."

Emmett let go of Marina, allowing her to turn so that Chica could get a good look at her hair.

"It's probably a little messy from me wearing it with the kids all day,  but I think he did a really good job." Marina turned to smile at her, showing off the crown going along the side of her head. "He was very excited to hear you liked his work last time. Said he had to 'do his best to impress, yes yes YES!"

"That was really good Marina. You have his inflection down pat." Emmett said with an amused smile.

"It's pretty distinct. Kinda hard to forget. Awful cute too."

"It sounds cute! And he did a great job!" Chica chirped, clapping her hands together. "I really should go see him! I don't know much about Sun at all."

"He's a sweetie." Marina said fondly, her fingers spinning her pencil as she spoke. "Little bit of a nervous one, and maybe a little dramatic sometimes, but a sweetheart nonetheless. He'd do anything if it meant making someone happy."

"That's true. Especially for girls roughly 5'1 with soft hair and really good puppy dog eyes."

Sean huffed a laugh, making Emmett perk up.

Marina felt her smile turn into a smirk.

"You're just mad because you think he spoils me."

"He does spoil you. He does your hair every morning, is always trying to feed you or plan activities you like to participate in for the kids…" Emmett turned to look at Chica. "And don't even get me started on how often I find him just...holding her. Like she's a teddy bear or something. Moon too, come to think of it. Now she's even got Freddy started on it!"

Chica looked at Freddy, who simply twitched his ears with a shrug, not meeting her eyes. Monty snickered at his avoidance, patting his shoulder.

"I won't blame ya buddy. The lil' lady has her cute moments. When she isn't being a menace."

"Awww Emmie!" Marina cooed, though embarrassment filled her stomach with butterflies at being called out. Somewhere inside her she knew she enjoyed being fussed over. It made her feel special. Loved. With now three Glamrocks showing her attention directly, she felt the need to redirect some energy. "Do you wanna be pet too, darlin'?"

"Ew. No. You get my Mari appointed arm and that's it."

"What about someone else? Sunny? Moony? Sean? Would that be better?"

Emmett flushed with color, looking down at Marina and meeting her innocent eyes. She knew he could see the horns, though.

I can play games too, sweetheart.

"Anyway!" Emmett redirected, grabbing up the sketchbook with fumbling hands. Marina glanced at Sean, who seemed very much interested in his reaction.

I'm such a good wingman.

"We have some fanart of you two in here, so we figured you'd wanna see it."

"'We?'" Marina asked flatly.

"Mostly me."

Emmett turned to Chica's page first, letting her hold the sketchbook as she looked over the pages. She let out a synthetic squeal of delight, her beak contorted into a smile.

"Oh! These are so fun! I love them!"

"They really give off her vibe." Roxanne cut in, leaning over her shoulder. "You said I'm in here too?"

Emmett directed them to the correct page, Chica holding the book for Roxanne to see. 

"Oh Roxy! Look at your hair! And your little growling face! It's so cool!"

Roxanne hummed in agreement, smiling down at the pages.

"I like the glare. I look pissed. As I should."

"Yeah. Marina is really good at getting someone's energy right in a drawing."

"YOU did these Marina?" Chica asked, bouncing in excitement. "They're lovely! You draw so well! Thank you!"

Marina made a sound of surprise as she was pulled into a hug, Chica cuddling her body into her chest.

Marina felt her face flush, but returned the hug cautiously.

"N-No problem?"

"Once again folks, Marina is incapable of accepting any form of positivity directed towards her. What. A. Shocker." Emmett teased, taking on an announcer voice. Monty laughed heartily, seemingly finding her flustered state amusing.

Marina let her head flop back from where she was being held to glare at him, letting her eyes go cold.

"I'm gonna lose my life later today. Y'all pray for me."

"May you rest in peace." Sean said solemnly, patting Emmett's head. Emmett flushed, seemingly unprepared for the physical contact, but he didn't shove him away.

You're welcome. Douchebag. 

"Quick, Freddy! Pet her again! She'll forget she's mad!"

"That is not how that works." Marina huffed out, crossing her arms. Regardless, her shoulders relaxed when a large hand found her head again, her neck automatically tilting towards it as she let out a sigh of contentment. 

Guess he's already paying me back in full.

"But really, this work is good." Roxanne said, looking down at her. "You ever considered doing artwork for the company?"

"Not really." Marina said, turning her neck to allow Freddy access to her chin. "I'm no professional."

"You've done commissions before, right?" Emmett asked, his brows furrowed. 

"Sure, a few times. Rent doesn't pay itself. But I don't think doing a few commissions makes me a professional by any means. Also, I could literally never put those works into any portfolios."

"Ah right. Because the money is in drawing porn, isn't it?"

"Pretty much yeah. I did mostly pin up, but that's still a lot of naked women and not much else for a while. That's how I could afford to buy my drawing tablet, though."

Freddy seemed mortified, but Monty and Roxy looked much more interested. She wasn't sure what kind of feelings they could have, but at the very least they seemed happy to have some girls in their life. 

I knew Roxy had bi energy.

"Either way." Roxanne said with a shrug. "These sketches are plenty to show in my opinion. If you wanted to render them fully, I'm sure the company would pay good money for an in-house artist. Marketing is their biggest department, aside from the department dealing with lawsuits."

Marina hummed, tapping her fingers on the table. When she spoke again, her voice was once again sounding a bit tired.

"Guess I'll need to consider it. I already draw the kids..."

"Careful Freddy. You're gonna make her fall asleep."

"I'm not falling asleep."

Despite her words, Marina rested her head on her hand lazily, her eyes mostly closed. Freddy chuckled kindly, following her. She heard a little coo come from Chica's direction, but she was too busy to be embarrassed right now.

"Yeah, ok. I'll allow it since you're not on the clock this time."

"How nice of you." She slurred, shivering as little claws ran their way down her neck.

For the rest of their time together, the group discussed various things amongst themselves. Sunny's hair techniques, events around the Plex, pizza toppings (that was mostly Chica,) anything they could think of. All the while, Marina allowed Freddy to bring her down, her body feeling like jello before Emmett roused her out of her half asleep daze to go home. When she went to say goodbye, Freddy had offered her a sweet smile, rubbing her shoulders affectionately.

Alright then. New friend officially acquired.

Chapter Text

Moon was very surprised to be pulled to the front as Marina's shift ended. He was even more surprised to see her hand on the light switch.

"What the fuck?" Emmett asked, looking at her. "Why did you--"

"I need Moon's help with something." She said, her lips curling into a little smirk.

Oh I like the sound of that.

I don't, no no no

"Whatcha need, Starfire?" Moon asked, leaning his body so that his face was close to hers.

"You know Sean?"

"The little blonde guy that's Emmett's friend? Yeah, why?"

"Emmett is very much crushing on him, but from what I've gathered, he's too pussy to say anything."

"MARINA--"

"So naturally I need your help teasing him about it and possibly help telling him he deserves love and he should go for it."

"W-what!?"

Emmett's squeaky voice made Marina laugh, her eyebrow raising.

"C'mon now bro. You can't tell me you thought I wouldn't eventually talk about it? You're smitten by the sweet little surfer boy. He's not a bad match for you, really. Physically, he's adorable, and personality wise he's very kindhearted. I can see why you like him."

"N-No more talking from you."

Oh?

A crush? Our Emmett? Oh oh OH how exciting!

"How cute." Moon teased, walking slowly towards Emmett. "How long have you been keeping this secret from us?"

"Ah. Uh. Um--" Emmett went scarlet, his hand coming up to cover the lower half of his face.

"S-Since I met him…"

"So love at first sight hm?" Marina mused, her eyes warm. "Poor Emmie. You really didn't stand a chance. Oh! But wait!" Marina spun around to look at Moon, her face radiating devious energy. "There's more! Blondie's been flirting back. Another gay boy has been spotted, and he seems sweet on Emmett."

"Flirting Emmett?" Moon asked teasingly, his smile widening as far as it could. "On the job? Naughty naughty…"

Emmett looked ready to combust, pressing his forehead to the craft table he was sitting at.

"W-We haven't been flirting persay…"

"Emmett. You light up every time you make him laugh. You're constantly touching each other and showing affection. Hell, I helped you out yesterday by making you imply that you would enjoy getting your head petted by him, and he did it. You're welcome, by the way."

"Oh shut up. I got Freddy to pet you pretty much the entire time we were at the party. I thanked you plenty."

Moon wasn't prepared for the strong pull of jealousy and protectiveness that hit his sensors.

Freddy pets her too? And Sean pet him?

…no no no. I don't like that very much at all.

Moon leaned over the table, closer to Emmett.

"The Glamrocks showed up again?"

"Yeah. Seems they like coming to see everyone. Marina had some sketches of them and they were really interested. Freddy seems to like spoiling her just as much as you two do."

Moon nodded, but it was stiff.

It didn't really surprise them that the Glamrocks would be interested in their humans. They were beautiful, intelligent, loving creatures that exuded a welcoming energy towards just about anyone. Their pull was surely enough to gain the attention of even the all important Freddy.

And yet the thought of him touching them sent red hot fire coursing through their systems.

Remember what Marina said. She said she would never leave us, no no no. She loves us. And Emmett agreed.

…

"Anyway." Marina said with a hand wave. "Emmett, eventually you have to swallow your shyness and actually ask the boy out. Otherwise you're both just gonna go back and forth in gay limbo forever. It's already getting a little sad."

Emmett sighed heavily, resting his head on his chin.

"Actually, I think he's bi from the way he talks. And you're right, he seems interested in me too. But…" Emmett's arm came up to cover his chest. "...my situation is a bit more complicated. He doesn't know."

Complicated?

His body doesn't match his gender. If they were to get intimate…

Oh.

Marina hummed sympathetically, moving to hug him from behind.

"It's ok bud. If he's the right one for you, he won't care what your body looks like. He'll care about who you are. Besides, if he's bi, that's a good sign that physical attraction might not be an issue, since he's attracted to biological males and females. It sucks to think like that, but it's a fair concern to have."

"Yeah." Emmett huffed, mushing his cheek. "But still. Being trans is just different. Even people who are attracted to multiple genders can be super freaked out by it."

"Yeah. But I guess you'll never know if you don't try, hm?"

Emmett nodded, his face flushed from embarrassment.

"From everything I've seen, he's a good boy. Even if he isn't interested like that, I highly doubt he would stop talking to you or be mean if you came out. He's too gentle for that kind of cruelty."

Emmett groaned.

"...God he's so cute. Too cute. Too nice. Am I even good enough for someone like him?"

"That he is, and yes you are. You're just as sweet as he is. Good looking too. He'd be lucky to have you."

Moony say something.

"If anything he isn't good enough for you. Perhaps no one is."

Moon felt eyes on him and knew that perhaps he had let his emotions speak a bit too much.

Smooth.

Marina smiled, her eyes soft but amused.

"Awww Moony. Are you jealous?"

"No."

"Oh my God, you are!"

Moon felt his head spinning without his consent, his arms crossed in front of him.

Emmett hummed fondly, getting up to bump shoulders with him.

"Don't worry bud. Bros before hoes. I'll never leave you or Sunny behind for a guy. You're worth more to me than that."

Moon felt his processors warm up, the overwhelming relief felt by both Sun and himself taking over him. He bumped back, his voice quiet when he answered.

"...ok."

"Good. Glad that's settled. I won't have you guys thinking you're ever getting rid of me. You're stuck with me now, bro."

"Same here." Marina joined in, hugging Moon around the waist. He was amused to see she had to get on her tiptoes to fully reach. "Marina's friendship is for life."

Moon simulated a hum, picking up Marina to return her hug. Marina easily found her place, her legs wrapping around him as he patted her back.

"I'll enjoy continuing to tease him about this forever, but, are we done here? Sunny is getting restless."

Am not!

Are so. You may not think about it much, but I can feel all of that chaotic energy you have when you're inside. You wanna go cuddle Emmett and gush.

…

"Actually, while we're already having uncomfortable conversations…" Emmett piped up. "There's one more thing we need to talk about."

Marina immediately started squirming in his arms, causing Moon to tighten his grip around her. When he looked down in question, she was already pressing herself against him, hiding from Emmett's unimpressed gaze.

"Marina. You promised after two weeks we were gonna talk about this. It's been two weeks. Times up, buttercup."

A low whine sounded where Marina hid, her grip tightening on his neck.

Oh yeah. Totally forgot that was a thing she promised.

She seems very unhappy that someone remembered, yes yes yes...perhaps she was counting on him to forget too.

"I promise I'm not gonna harp on you. The ball is in your court, doll. But something needs to happen here, because I really can't handle the domino effect anymore. So either we come up with some sort of solution, or I distance myself until you do. I can't continue to enable the behaviors that hurt you."

He isn't messing around this time.

He does have a point…her lack of care for herself trickles to him too. It must be taxing to slowly watch her devolve like that...he has to look after himself too, yes yes yes. It's hard to blame him for offering an ultimatum.

Marina sighed, swaying in Moon's arms as she turned to face Emmett. Moon couldn't see her face but, based on Emmett's drop in posture, she must have looked intimidated in some way. He always softened when she was afraid.

Marina reached into the pocket on the front of her shirt, holding up a card.

"The psychic therapist lady gave me her number. Because I'm broke and can't afford therapy otherwise, I'd need to stay within the company to get treatment. However, if I do that, it's gonna be with the understanding that I will not be speaking on autism related issues with this person. That, or negotiate some sort of confidentiality between her and the company. There are things I can't mention for fear of termination or discrimination.. "

Marina cut off, her body swaying as bit more aggressively. Moon rubbed her back on instinct, soothing her.

"So, are you saying you'll go back to her?

"Provided those terms are agreeable, yes."

She sounds like she's doing a business transaction.

It does seem rather formal, yes yes yes.

Emmett tipped his head, nodding.

"You're allowed to say whatever you want to your therapist. That isn't for me to decide. I may have poked at you for lying, but I know that in the end I really can't do anything about that. I'll agree to the conditions if you promise to at least give it a good faith effort. Don't go just to go. Actually try to learn something while you're there. Literally anything. There are many things I don't really discuss with my own therapist often, but I'm still able to find some coping tools and learn things about myself regardless. It's really helpful. I want you to get the opportunity to heal too."

Marina wasn't shaking much anymore, her voice firm when she answered.

"Ok."

"Okay?"

"Ok."

"Good. I'm proud of you. Would you like to do some grounding exercises now?"

"Nah. I can handle it."

What?

Moon looked at Emmett in question as he and Sun had the same thought. He nodded in Marina's direction.

"She's about half in half out right now. I think that was the only way she was gonna get through that conversation. I hate that, but for now, that seems to be her only way of getting through things she hates."

Moon looked down at Marina, who had her eyes closed. When they opened again to look at him, they were bright and normal.

"See? All good."

"Neat. Now maybe you won't sound like a forty year old secretary."

"Bite me."

As the two bickered, Sun spoke up again.

See Moony? They care so much about each other. If they have that level of care for us, I can't imagine they could ever leave, no no no. They aren't like the little ones. Their loyalty is a lot stronger than that, yes yes yes, much more than just enjoying us because we're fun. They see us as friends, not toys.

Moon only hummed, absently bouncing Marina in his arms. He supposed it made sense. They wouldn't be having such serious, personal conversations around them if they weren't trusted. If they weren't planning on being with them anymore. This was pure trust and vulnerability.

Moon suddenly pulled Marina up, bumping his faceplate gently against her head.

"We're proud of you, Starfire. We love you."

Marina froze up, her eyes flooding with that same flustered energy he had become accustomed to. Emmett piped up.

"If Moony has a faceplate, does that make him bumping it against you a kiss?"

Marina's blush was beginning to spread down her neck, her face coming down to hide in his shoulder.

"This is not a conversation we are going to continue."

"I am. I think it is, and that's cute as fuck."

"Language. And I don't know, we've never thought about it before. We don't typically show this level of physical affection towards anyone."

"Well congrats Mari, you're Moon's first kiss. Platonically. How cute."

"NO MORE TALKING FOR YOU."

Emmett laughed as Moon felt his faceplate spin, his processors whirring.

Congrats! Seems you've gone soft Moony--

SHUT. UP.

As Moon took more and more teasing from all sides, he couldn't help but feel the warmth of their unconditional love for him envelope his processors.

Maybe someone would finally choose them.

Chapter Text

Another week, another meeting. Marina felt like she was really getting the hang of this socializing thing. The maintenance team had become used to her, their casual greetings making her feel light whenever she walked into the room. Even when walking to and from her post every day, many of the workers would give her fond waves and fist bumps, taking time to remind her that she had been accepted into their group. It made her feel warm.

As she sat chatting with Monty, she let her eyes roamed the room, searching for something or someone new to add to her sketchbook.

Marina froze at the sight of a familiar face in the crowd.

Scott had finally made his entrance.

She figured eventually this day would come--he was a maintenance man, and this was a maintenance gathering--but she was hoping she either wouldn't notice, or he would be too nervous to show. But she had noticed.

She very much noticed.

Emmett, feeling her tense up, looked over at her.

"Doll? What's the matter?"

Emmett followed her gaze to Scott, his arm automatically reaching out to wrap around her shoulders protectively. Monty looked at him in question, trying to figure out what was going on.

Marina felt her hands start to tremble, her fingers growing cold and stiff. She did her best to school her expression, putting her hands down in her lap to hide them from view.

"What's that asshole doing here?" Sean asked, his eyes narrowed. "He's not usually so bold. Most of the crew won't even talk to him."

Marina shivered, her back folding in a bit. The fight or flight feeling was hard to keep under control, even just at the sight of him. Her body saw him as a threat. She saw him as a threat.

Not good.

Emmett squeezed her tight, his other hand going to rub circles on her back.

"You're ok." He murmured softly, his lips close to her ear. She appreciated that he was trying to be subtle, keeping his words to just her. "He can't hurt you here."

He can't hurt me period. Marina supplied internally. He's weak.

Regardless of her confidence, though, her body had other plans. Her brain flooded with memories from that day. Being grabbed, the homophobic slur, the RAGE and FEAR she felt as he stood tall over her, even the upset emotions and actions of her friends. He hadn't even hurt her, but...

Maybe I just never processed it before now.

The shaking in Marina's hands spread to the rest of her body, her head tilting down towards the table. She did some breathing exercises, trying to keep herself under control.

It's fine. You're ok. It's safe here. Safe.

Emmett continued to casually speak to the others while keeping a firm grip on her. She knew he was trying to distract them, give her time. But she could feel Monty looking at her. She could feel Emmett checking on her. She could feel Sean's uncomfortable energy.

And then, it all just became too much.

Marina felt her body start slumping into Emmett's, numbness slowly spreading through her arms. She tried to fight it, shaking her head back and forth as she flexed her hands. It was getting hard to breathe.

That was the tipping point, Emmett turning back to her.

"Mari?" He asked softly. When she didn't reply, he tilted down to look at her face. She looked back, panic rising in her throat.

"Dammit." Emmett murmured, glancing around. When he hissed another curse, she realized Scott was still close to the entrance they would typically go through, blocking the way out.

Emmett clicked his tongue before turning to her.

If I help you, can you walk? He signed, glancing around. He didn't usually sign to her--they had learned for his little sister--but it occasionally came in handy whenever they were in a private situation. It was quieter, and not many people could understand it.

Marina watched his hands before raising one of her own as best she could, her sign coming out sloppy.

Yes.

Emmett nodded, standing up. Marina followed suit, his arm still around her shoulders.

"Be right back." He told Sean, smiling.

"Sure man." Sean replied, his voice light. Marina could tell he knew something was up, but right now she didn't really care.

Marina walked as normally as she could, leaning her shoulder into Emmett's. He led her through to a corridor by the bathrooms. It was quiet and empty, something Marina was grateful for.

Emmett settled her on the ground, sinking to his knees in front of her as she stared straight ahead.

"Good job. That must have been hard to do. Take your time, and when you're ready, tell me five things you can feel."

Marina remained silent, her body trembling as she fought off the oncoming panic attack. Being sent into fight or flight always put her right on the edge, her body wanting to release that energy. Emmett took her hands into his, squeezing them tightly. What she didn't expect was another voice.

"What's up with the lil' lady?"

Monty's heavy footsteps approached, his voice a bit more serious than she was used to. She spared him a little glance before hunching her back, her breaths coming out labored.

"Um." Emmett said eloquently, a nervous smile on his lips. "She's fine. Just needed a break."

Sure. This is normal. Totally just need a little break.

Marina felt eyes on her again. When she tried to open her mouth, only a sputtering breath came out, so she just settled with another glance.

"Suuuure."

Emmett winced a bit at Monty's disbelieving tone, squeezing down tighter on her hands. Marina felt her legs and arms start to twitch, feeding off of both her own and Emmett's stressed energies.

With that, she went under. Her breaths turned heavier, louder, her body desperately gasping for air as she coughed against the rising lump in her throat. She felt tears pricking in her eyes, her body curling in on itself.

Emmett sighed, moving her arms so that the two of them were swaying, trying to stim for her. He murmured soothing words, his voice soft as he gently coaxed her to take some deep breaths.

"What the hell?" Came Monty's voice, sounding alarmed. "Her heart rate is through the roof."

Emmett glanced in Monty's direction, still swaying their arms. Marina banged her head against the wall twice, forcing him to pull her away from it and towards himself. She groaned unhappily, squirming against him.

"No Mari. I'm sorry, but I can't let you hurt yourself. Squeeze my hands instead, ok?"

She tried throwing her weight back again, but he stopped her. This time, he sat against the wall himself, pulling Marina into his lap, his hands coming back to grasp hers once more. Marina leaned into him, her body desperate for comfort. Everything felt like too much and too little at the same time.

Emmett glanced at Monty, speaking to him while keeping his focus on Marina.

"That dude that fucked with her before came into the foodcourt this time. We didn't think that'd be an issue, since he knows none of us fuck with him, but it seems he's bolder than we thought. Marina didn't react well, so here we are."

Marina felt a low whine escape her involuntarily, her hands holding Emmett's in a death grip as her body curled into his.

"You're ok, doll." Emmett soothed, bumping his cheek against hers. "He can't hurt you. No need for a meltdown, yeah?"

Too late. Marina thought darkly, her lips twitching as she tried to take control of her mouth.

And it's not really me I'm worried about.

"He caused this?" Monty growled. "Point him out. I'll take care of it."

"There's no need to cause a scene." Emmett replied, his eyes staying locked on Marina. "My main priority is getting Mari settled down."

Marina felt Monty's eyes on her again. She looked up at him this time, knowing full well the fear that must have been present in her eyes. She didn't want him fighting anyone for her. She didn't want anyone fighting for her again. Not at the risk of them getting hurt.

After a pause, Monty spoke again.

"Is there anything I can do?"

"If anyone comes this way, tell them to go somewhere else. I don't think Mari needs company right now."

Marina heard Monty walk a little closer to the mouth of the corridor, his steps vibrating the floor underneath her as he moved.

Once that was settled, Marina sat, coughing and sputtering for breath as Emmett spoke softly to her, holding her hands tight. She whined, kicked, tried to hit her head again, but Emmett held firm, keeping her safe. He even started rocking for her, providing the stimulation she was looking for. After a while, her strangled breaths died down, her body slowly going limp with exhaustion.

"...is she done?" Monty asked after a while, his footsteps coming closer once again.

"Seems so." Emmett said softly, still rocking. "Eventually she just...runs out of steam."

When Marina tried opening her mouth again, she managed to get a word out.

"...'m fine."

Emmett let out a little huff, smiling at her from above.

"There she is! Welcome back, my dude. Of fucking course the first thing you say is that you're fine. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but I don't think he's gonna buy it. Can you tell me five things you can feel, doll?"

Marina looked around, trying to ignore the fact that she was being watched by a very tall gator animatronic. It took a bit, but she managed to gain control of her muscles, her words slurred when she spoke again.

"Hands, floor, you, hair on neck, soft shirt."

"Great. Four things you can see?"

They continued through the grounding exercises until Marina could squeeze his hands with normal intensity.

"All good?"

"Yeah." Marina answered, her voice soft and raspy, her eyes staring blankly ahead. "Sorry..."

"Not your fault. It's not something you can control, remember?"

"...did I hurt ya?"

"No. You're not nearly as tough in that state as you are when you're actually trying to hunt down and fight someone. Those unfocused kicks and punches are easy to deflect."

Marina hummed, swaying side to side as her body occasionally twitched in aftershock.

"Stupid."

"You're not stupid. Say that again and I'm telling Sun."

"Snitch."

Emmett snickered.

"It's for your own good, doll. Talking shit about yourself is just gonna worsen your self image. Or whatever Sunny said, I dunno."

Marina only grunted, her brain muddled.

Marina started the process of standing up, releasing Emmett's hands so that she could scoot away from him. Emmett stood, helping as much as he could. She stumbled a bit, but he managed to keep them upright, his hands moving to keep a firm grip on her shoulders. She reached a hand up, scrubbing her face. She was sure she looked like hell.

"If I take you back out there, are you gonna get rallied up again?"

Marina considered it, her body still swaying uncomfortably. She felt her free hand flap at her side in discomfort.

"Possibly? I didn't think I was gonna in the first place."

Emmett glanced up and, seemingly just remembering Monty's presence, spoke to him directly.

"I appreciate you being concerned, and thank you for keeping the area quiet for her. But I think so long as I get her away from him, she shouldn't have any more trouble."

"What kind of trouble is she even havin'? I've never seen shit like this before."

Marina laughed dryly, turning to thump her head against the wall.

"Anxiety attack~" She sang, knocking her head again. "Someone murder me in my sleep. Being alive is agony~"

"Marina." Emmett said scoldingly, pulling her away from the wall. "You're gonna hurt your head."

"I wish." Marina said honestly, her eyes going dark. She hated feeling like this. It was only an inconvenience to anyone around her. Now even Monty was roped in. "Maybe then I'd forget this ever happened. Or die. Either is fine."

"Did you take your medication today?"

"Yep. My brain is just broken in spite of that."

"Fantastic. Gotta love anxiety disorders."

"I didn't know she even had an anxiety disorder." Monty said, tilting his head. "Though, I don't know much about that stuff, so I guess I wouldn't know unless it was obvious signs like this."

"Oh yeah." Marina said, her head tilting to match his. " I have multiple anxiety disorders. And depression, and many other problems. I'm a walking mental health crisis. The only reason I haven't died yet is medication and spite. I'm surprised it's not on my profile, since Fazbear Entertainment forced me into a psych assessment after I clocked Scott. That therapist really read me for filth, too."

"Aren't you supposed to make another appointment with her soon? I think this is a good example as to why that should happen sooner rather than later."

"One crisis at a time, please."

"Fair enough."

Marina looked at her fingers, flexing them. Her head felt fuzzy still, her emotions and inhibitions about oversharing dampened by exhaustion.

"This is getting more and more fuckin' annoying. Sunny and Moony should know, because they work with me. But Freddy and Monty have now been around for anxiety attacks, albeit different kinds. So glad I'm constantly dying in public."

"Once again, not your fault. You can't control it, and no one is judging you." Emmett was firm, pulling her towards the exit to the corridor. "Also, I bet Freddy will squeak his nose again for you if you tell him you don't feel well."

Marina felt a few excited bounces exit her body before she had time to think about it. Emmett laughed.

"See? That's the spirit."

"Stop doing that on purpose."

"Nah. It's cute to see you happy bounce."

Marina growled at him as he laughed, turning to Monty.

"Okay so. If he's still out there, which I assume he is, I'm gonna take her out of here. If you'd like to help, I'd appreciate it if you'd walk on her other side so he can't get too close to her. I don't expect him to pull anything, but I'm sure she'd feel better knowing she's covered."

"It's fine, Em." Marina said, pouting. "I already kicked his ass once. If he wants round two, so be it. My safety isn't really what I'm worried about."

"Nah. I'd prefer he didn't come anywhere near you." Emmett scratched the back of his head, seemingly timid. "I...actually really can't handle the idea of him touching you again."

Shock flooded Marina's system. She had thought about how the comments directed at him would make him feel, but she didn't consider how he would feel about her side of things. Obviously, she had gotten fairly protective over him when he was the one threatened, but...

Is he feeling protective of me too?

"I can take care of it." Monty said simply, walking to stand on Marina's right. "He won't go anywhere near ya, lil' lady."

The sigh of relief that left her was involuntary, but it seemed to make Monty feel good, his back straightening out in pride.

Emmett glanced out into the food court. Marina followed suit, easily spotting Scott in the crowd.

"Right side, second table."

Emmett nodded, glancing at where she specified.

"Yep. Right in the middle of the starter team. They don't actually have a main animatronic. The newbies usually start out with the map and wet floor bots. Stuff like that." Emmett sighed, releasing her shoulder and offering up his arm. Marina wrapped herself around it instinctively, pressing her cheek to his shoulder fondly.

"Ok. Let's go, doll. I'm sure Sunny would be happy to see you again for a bit. I'm sure you'd just hate getting more cuddles from him."

Marina rolled her eyes as she nodded, taking a deep breath before she stepped out into the open space.

She kept her body close to Emmett's, but did her best to appear casual, walking with her back straight as usual. She lifted her head, tilting it as if she was being leisurely.

I know how to mask well enough for this to work.

When they started to walk by, Scott looked up, his eyes locking on Marina. Marina looked back, forcing her eyes to dull with disinterest. He made a sour expression, his jaw locking into something a bit predatory.

That is, until Monty made his presence known, his body blocking her from Scott's view. Marina felt a small smile cross her face, satisfied knowing that any sane man would be freaking the fuck out.

When she glanced over her shoulder as she exited the area, she felt satisfied by the paleness his complexion had taken on.

Once they were in the clear, Marina released a breath, shaking her head back and forth.

"Good Mari?"

"Yeah. I don't think I'm gonna go down again."

"Cool. Good job doll." Emmett looked up at Monty, his smile fond. "Thanks man. I appreciate the help. Douche bag is really on one today."

"No problem at all." Monty replied, his arms crossing. "I saw the way that punk looked at her. Gross ass bitch."

He looked at Marina, his voice hard.

"You ever need anything, you come to me, ok lil' lady? You should always feel safe here."

Marina felt a warm smile make its way onto her face, her eyes fond.

"Thank you. I'll do that."

When they left, Marina felt like she had once again bagged one more friend than she had started with. Who knew fist fighting a metal Gator would bring her to this moment.

She regretted nothing.

Chapter Text

"Hey Mari?"

"Hmmm?"

"Would it be weird for my mom to bring Adalyn into the daycare for the day?"

Sun looked up at his friend, his head tipping.

"Adalyn?"

"My little sister. My mom has an appointment and can't watch her today like she usually does when school is out. She's seven, so she's right at the target age for you."

I didn't know his sister was so young.

He doesn't talk about his home life much, no no no. But Marina says he has quite a few siblings.

"I wouldn't be weirded out." Marina said, looking up from her table. "Lyn is very well behaved. A bit shy, but I can't really fault her for that. I'd be a hypocrite."

"Yeah, I was just afraid of it being a bit too personal for work?"

"Nah. I may dote on her a bit more than the others, but I can easily do my job with her hanging on me. She needs to learn to socialize at some point, anyway."

"I know, but you know how ma is. She's always all over Lyn. Youngest child who is deaf? A recipe for an overprotective parent. But I think she'd be comfortable bringing her here knowing you'll be around."

"Your sister is deaf?" Sun asked, surprised. He had mentioned his sister having many doctors appointments, but he had never specified any conditions she may have. Some little ones were just prone to illness, so he hadn't really thought much about it.

"Yeah, but she has hearing aids now to help with it. She's still in speech therapy, but I'm happy to say she can hear pretty well now thanks to technology."

"Well, Moony and I both know sign, so she would be fine regardless, yes yes yes! I'd love to meet one of your siblings!"

"You'll love her Sunny." Marina said, smiling at him. "She's very creative. Mild mannered too. She's hands down the easiest little one I've ever watched."

"Careful telling her that." Emmett warned with a grin. "She's already figured out that being cute gets her what she wants. I wonder who taught her that?"

"It's a mystery." Marina said with a shrug, though her eyes held mischief.

"Uh huh."

Oh oh OH Moony! I'm so excited to meet Emmett's family! He seems very worried for her, yes yes yes, a good older brother.

I agree. I just hope she's comfortable. It sounds to me she isn't used to being on her own.

Well, that's why she has us, yes yes yes! Marina too! There's no WAY she'll have a bad time!

"Alright then, if y'all are cool with it, I guess it's fine. Ma will drop her off in an hour or so. Don't let her monopolize your time too much. She can be really clingy and anxious."

"It's fine. Worse comes to worst, she can sit with me in the security box. I don't usually let little ones in there, but she keeps her hands to herself, so I don't mind if she sits in my lap while I scroll cameras."

"Don't treat her too special. She needs to learn to be independent like the other kids."

"Yeah, I know. I'll try to keep my involvement minimal. Like I said, that's for the worst case scenario, like if she gets panicked or something."

"Fair enough."

With that, Emmett said his goodbyes, off to start his shift.

We have to make sure she has the BEST time!

---

Sun was able to pick out Emmett's mother immediately as she walked in. There was no question in his mind, considering how much he looked like her.

She was a tall, curvy woman, her hips swaying softly when she walked. Her skin was rich and dark like Emmett's, her lips full and eyes large and doe-like. She had her hair closely cropped to her head, but it was clear to Sun that she had very little gray, her body seemingly untouched by age. She looked far too young to have a 22 year old child.

In her arms was a small girl who also held a lot of resemblance to her mother. Her skin was a lighter tone, but she still had her mother's eyes, her lashes long and delicate. Her hair was in two puffballs on top of her head, neat and tidy. Attached to her ears were purple plastic hearing aids, which matched the cute daisy patterned dress she wore. She was absolutely adorable.

Do you think Emmett was that cute when he was little? Because she's darling, yes yes yes!

Absolutely. She looks just like him. The genetics here are very strong.

Marina seemed to notice too, popping out of the security box to greet their new guests.

"Mawi!" Adalyn shrieked, rushing quickly over to Marina's legs. Marina plucked her off the ground with ease, resting the child on her hip.

"Heya bug! I haven't seen you in a while. You're gettin' awful big!"

"She needs to slow down." Emmett's mother said with a grin. "She's growing way too fast for me."

"Good to see ya ma." Marina greeted, bouncing Adalyn on her hip. "How are things?"

She calls Emmett's mother 'ma' too. They seem very close.

"Hectic as usual. Donovan's in football again this year, so running him 'round has been quite an ordeal. Malik graduates soon too, so there's a lot to be done."

"Good for Malik. I know he had some trouble, but he made it work."

"Yes he did! I swear that boy, always wanting to do things all by himself. Audiobooks have really been somethin' for him though. Really helped him study better."

"I'd say so. Dyslexia can't make reading very fun."

"Nah. It's like pulling teeth for him."

Dyslexia. Hm.

Not an uncommon condition, no no no. I'm glad he found a way to make things easier for himself.

"Ah! I shoulda done this right off the bat. Ma, this is Sun. He's the daycare attendant, and the animatronic Emmett works with."

"It's so so SO nice to meet you!" Sun chirped as he scanned her. "Emmett means the world to us!"

Name: Lanelle Hart
Age: 44
Height: 5'8
Weight: 180lbs
No known allergies
Known conditions: high blood pressure, depression, anxiety

Interesting.

Seems mental illness runs in the family, yes yes yes. How unfortunate.

"He better! He talks about you all the time. And Marina, but that's how it's always been. He's attached to her hip as much as he can be."

"That's 'cause sis is fun." Adalyn chimed in with a nod, nuzzling against Marina's cheek.

"Still calling me that ey? Emmie is your brother, but I'm not your sister, silly. I'm just your friend."

"Now you stop with that!" Emmett's mother, Lanelle, scolded, wagging her finger at Marina. "You're just as much my baby as any of the others. Even without the blood, you're my family. Adalyn is your little sister, and you'll act like it!"

"Yes ma." Marina said obediently, her face curled into an embarrassed smile. It was clear to Sun though that she was very happy to be considered Lanelle's, her eyes bright with affection.

Cute cute CUTE!

"Good. Now then." Lanelle stepped forward, planting a kiss on her daughter's forehead. "You behave for Mari, Sun, and Moon OK? Emmett will bring you back home tonight."

"Ok ma!" Adalyn replied, kissing her mother in return. "I'll be good."

"I'm sure you will." Lanelle's face turned anxious as she looked back at Marina. "If anything happens you call me. If she so much as looks uncomfortable, you--"

"I got her ma, I promise. You have nothing to worry about. She's just gonna do some arts and crafts, take a little nap, and be on her merry way home. Nothing too demanding for her."

"...alright." Lanelle said with a nod, leaning forward and kissing Marina the same way she had Adalyn. "Come by soon for dinner, ok?"

"Of course." Marina said with a smile, kissing Lanelle's cheek. "I would never pass up your cooking."

"As you shouldn't. I'm making a pot roast on Friday."

"Wow would you look at that, my schedule just freed up for Friday night. Weird."

Lanelle laughed, giving her daughter one last head pat before making her way out. Sun waited until she was gone before speaking again.

"She's lovely, yes yes yes!"

"Yeah. Ma has always been such a kind woman. People unfortunately like to take advantage of that, but it's never stopped her from being a good person. No matter how many times she gets burned."

Marina turned to the child in her arms, gesturing to Sun.

"Adalyn, this is Sunny. He's the animatronic that runs the daycare! Emmie's job is to make sure he's always in tip top shape!"

"Emmie is his wobot doctor!" Adalyn squeaked excitedly, looking up at Sun with innocent eyes.

"That would be one way to put it, yes yes yes!" Sun replied, holding his arms out to her. She accepted his invitation, climbing up as he scanned her.

Name: Adalyn Pierce
Age: 7
Height: 3'11
Weight: 47lbs
No known allergies
Conditions: congenital hearing loss, anxiety

Already has an anxiety diagnosis huh?

It's for the better, yes yes yes. She can get the help she needs for it early.

"You tall." She said, tilting her head at him.

"Yes he is Lyn. He's a big strong animatronic huh?"

She nodded, patting her hands along Sun's shoulders. From what he could tell, it was an affectionate gesture.

"He's cool. I like him."

Sun felt his rays spin as pure joy filled his processors, twirling with the girl in his arms. She giggled happily, cuddling against him.

"I'm so so SO happy to hear it, Lyn! We're gonna have lots of fun today!"

She nodded excitedly, bouncing a bit. Sun bounced with her, used to the action due to Marina's near constant movement.

"It's almost craft time, little star. Why don't we go get ready, hm? Can you be a good helper?"

"Yes!" Adalyn said with a nod, her eyes bright. When she smiled, Sun realized how much her expressions matched her brothers, her eyes crinkling in the corners from the force of her grin.

When he set her down, Sun gave Adalyn the task of putting clean aprons on each chair, since it involved no mess and no hard to reach places. Adalyn did the job diligently, her little body buzzing with energy as she moved. When she finished, Sun saw her sign to Marina, bobbing on her heels.

Done! I did it! All done!

Marina smiled back, her hands moving as she spoke.

"Good job! You did wonderfully, bug! Why don't you pick a chair, and I'll sit next to you, hm?"

Adalyn nodded, scurrying to find a place for herself.

Marina was right. She's very agreeable.

She is, yes yes yes! She seems easily entertained and eager to please. Not one to become fussy quickly, no no no.

When Sun called the children, Marina kept her promise, sitting next to Adalyn when she had picked her favorite spot. Sun decided to sit at a different table, allowing the two to chat with each other. It was better to have adults spread out amongst the kids, anyway.

"Okay my little Stars! Today's activity is to draw a self portrait! Draw yourself how you see you. Be creative! There's no right or wrong answer!"

At his words, the kids started grabbing various supplies, babbling to each other about their favorite colors and what they thought was important about themselves. Adalyn seemed much less interested in talking, asking Marina politely for paint colors.

Emmett did say she was less social.

It's understandable yes yes yes. Why be social with people you can't communicate with?

Once everything was settled, Adalyn started painting, her tongue poked out slightly in concentration. She was much more like Emmett when doing artwork, enjoying the bright, fun colors and patterns. She also appeared to like using her hands, her fingers coated in paint within a mere few seconds.

Tactile.

Seems so, yes yes yes. It makes sense, considering touch is a sense she always has access to.

Marina, per usual, was entirely ignoring the activity in favor of sketching children, her eyes clearly scanning the room for new faces. Adalyn occasionally pointed at Marina's paper, talking about various aspects of her work and what she thought about her choices. Marina seemed flustered at first, but soon fell into a rhythm with her, complimenting Adalyn's own painting in return. She didn't outright thank Adalyn for her comments, but she also didn't shy away.

I'm so proud of her.

As am I, yes yes yes! Acknowledging praise and giving it back!

"Mawi?" Adalyn eventually asked, tipping her head. "Awe you gonna dwaw you too?"

Marina blinked, looking at her new sheet of paper.

"Dunno. I don't usually."

"But that's what Sunny said!"

Marina sighed as if it pained her, looking playfully at Adalyn.

"Fine. I suppose I can follow the activity. Just this once though. You know how I am about following guidelines."

Adalyn giggled, nudging her cheek against Marina as she started sketching.

"Mawi doesn't like bein' like evewybody else."

"Nah. I'm more about individuality. Why be boring when I don't have to be?"

Hm. For a people pleasing, anxiety filled woman, Marina really can push some confidence when it's something she cares about enough. Like this. Or fist fighting.

The duality of man, yes yes yes. Personality is a very complex thing.

Marina and Adalyn fell into comfortable silence, only pausing occasionally to change paint colors or supplies. Sun continued aiding the children around him, encouraging and complimenting them when needed. Soon enough, he heard Marina click her tongue, setting her paper aside.

"There. Happy now?"

"Yeah!" Adalyn responded, peering over at Marina's drawing. "'Cause now we both got one!"

Sun couldn't help himself, standing up to peer over Marina's shoulder at her work.

She had done a bust, similar to what she typically drew for the children to take home. Her eyes peered upward at something, her head tilted as a sly smirk started on her lips. Her hair was back in her usual braids, though Sun was delighted to see she had drawn in his sun and moon ribbons. He thought it had just the right ratio of mischievous to cute.

"That's lovely Marina, yes yes yes! That expression is perfect! It looks just like you."

Marina hummed, neither accepting nor denying his compliment.

Progress.

I'll take it, yes yes yes.

Adalyn's painting was much more abstract, but it was still easy for Sun to register what it was. She had drawn herself with her puffy black hair and daisy dress, bright purple paint sticking out against the brown of her skin. To him, it was pretty clear she did a lot of painting.

Seems we have another artist.

How wonderful yes yes yes! I'm glad this is the first activity of the day. It's a nice introduction for her, being that it's something she would do on her own.

"Your painting is wonderful, little Star!" Sun praised, spinning his rays at her. "I like the way you did the daisies. Very cute, yes yes yes!"

"Thank you!" Lyn replied sweetly, bouncing a bit in her chair. "I like flowers."

"Flowers are very pretty, yes yes yes! Very colorful and delicate."

Sun continued talking with Lyn until the end of craft time, looking to learn as much about her as possible. So far, he had noted her favorite color being purple, an enjoyment for art and flowers, and her gentle nature. A good start, but he was eager to continue his quest of winning over Emmett's youngest sibling.

She's a good girl, Sunny. I don't think there's any way she won't like you.

I know, but I wanna be sure, yes yes yes! She's very precious to our friends. She's important to them.

I guess.

Sun steeled himself, clapping his hands together as he announced clean up time.

I'll make sure she loves us, yes yes yes!

Chapter Text

Adalyn did very well with clean up, patiently waiting to wash her hands and helping with cleaning out the used brushes. However, she still avoided talking with any other children, her eyes apprehensive whenever a child came into her personal space.

She's scared of them.

I wouldn't say it's fear. I think she's just unsure of what to do, yes yes yes. Much like Marina can be.

When she turned back to him, Sun had a thought, leaning down to her level.

"Would you like some ribbons like Marina's in your hair? I'll be putting them away soon, but I haven't had the chance just yet, yes yes yes!"

"Yes please!"

And so, Sun gently tied two lavender ribbons around the girl's already existing hair buns, her eyes bright as she bounced excitedly.

"Mawi Mawi! We match!"

"I see, bug! That's super cool, hm?"

Adalyn seemed happy after she received her new bows, her eyes bright and nerves forgotten. When the kids dispersed for free time though, that is when the anxiety truly started, Adalyn clutching onto Marina's sleeve to stay close to her. Marina took it patiently, but eventually kneeled down to her level, her voice gentle.

"Lynnie, don't you wanna go play with the other kids some?"

Adalyn shook her head, pressing her cheek into Marina's shoulder to hide herself.

"Sweetheart, they aren't gonna hurt you. I'm sure they'd be very fun to play with."

"Dun wanna." Lyn said quietly, nuzzling against Marina as she clutched onto her forearm.

Marina hummed a little tune, stroking Adalyn's head.

"Remember what your nice therapist said?" She asked, continuing to hum when she had finished speaking.

"...twying new things is how we leawn they awen't scawy." The girl murmured, looking at Marina.

"Very good. So, how about we give this a try, ok? If you don't like it, that's fine too, but at least you can say you tried it, hm? I bet ma would like it if you did."

Adalyn continued to hold onto Marina's sleeve timidly, but still managed a quick nod.

"Good job! I'm very proud of you for being brave."

If only someone took her own advice.

This feels very much like a pot and kettle situation.

Adalyn squirmed happily at her praise, bunting her head against Marina. Marina gave her a small kiss to the forehead in return.

"Good. Would you like help introducing yourself?"

Adalyn nodded again, her grip not loosening. Marina nodded, scanning the room.

"Sunshine!"

Marina turned to look at him, tilting her head.

Sun pointed to a small group of girls settled at the bottom of the play structure, playing some sort of game involving their hands and saying things when prompted.

Marina smiled gratefully at him, nudging Adalyn with her hip.

"How about those nice girls over there? They seem to be having fun! It also looks like a quiet game, so it shouldn't be too overwhelming, huh?"

Adalyn paused, but eventually nodded, her eyes scanning over the group.

"Great! Let's get you settled on then."

Sun couldn't hear the entire conversation but, within a minute or two, the girls were scooting to make room in their circle, their faces encouraging. Adalyn settled herself next to them, her body language still shy.

After a few more minutes, she was happily playing along, the previous anxiety much less prominent. While she still showed signs of apprehension, she was slowly but surely relaxing into the group setting. Marina managed to sneak away, coming to stand with Sun.

"That went way better than expected." Marina said, looking at the girls. "Normally Lynnie would get really upset and anxious, but it seems like the vibe of the daycare and those girls really helped. It's not as uptight as school or an organized event. She can just...play as she sees fit. No pressure."

"That's why daycare is a very good thing for shy little ones, yes yes yes. It's a safe, controlled environment for them to learn social skills. My job is to facilitate that. I suppose now it is somewhat yours too."

Marina shook her head with a huff, crossing her arms.

"No way man, that's too much responsibility for a chick who can hardly socialize herself. I can't teach them what I don't know."

Sun hummed in thought, his hand coming down to pet her head.

"You've made a lot more progress than you think, Sunshine. You've been doing much better with talking to the children, and now you go to those meetings with Emmett. Your social confidence has grown significantly since we met you, yes yes yes!"

Marina flushed with color, her head automatically tilting into his hand.

"I-I suppose…"

She accepted the praise. This is not a drill.

Sun wrapped his arms around Marina without thinking, cuddling her to him.

"Sunny--"

"You accepted praise! Good girl good girl GOOD GIRL!"

Marina's blush went dark, red now going down her neck as she hid her face against him.

"What about it? Shut up."

"No way! This is a huge huge HUGE step for you, yes yes yes!"

Marina went quiet, hiding herself as much as she could from her cradled position. While she was very used to his antics, he didn't usually offer such blatant signs of affection with others around. Not even the children. Marina wasn't one for attracting attention to herself.

But Sun couldn't help it. The loving emotions from himself and Moon were so overwhelming, he just had to give her cuddles.

A few of the children turned in surprise, but otherwise seemed unphased, also used to Sun's hyperactive nature. They were also subjected to snuggle time, after all.

Marina soon relaxed a bit, though she refused to lift her head at his coaxing, thoroughly embarrassed.

Flustering her is well and good but we should probably let her go before she dies.

Fine…

Sun released her, setting her back on her feet. Only then did she move her face away from him.

Tears. There were tears in her eyes.

What did you do?

I-I don't know! Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR.

When Sun began hopping from foot to foot, anxiety building, Marina waved a hand at him, scrubbing her face with her arm.

"N-No, it's ok, I'm fine. They aren't sad ones."

Not sad tears?

Does that make them happy tears? How many kinds of tears are there? Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR isn't this something we should know?

Marina offered him a little smile, reaching her free hand out to pat his shoulder.

"I just haven't ever heard that before. I didn't realize I would react that strongly."

"Haven't heard what?"

"That I've done well in anything socially. Usually it was teachers telling my parents I was way behind, or kids picking on me for not being...like them. Well, trying to, anyway. My sick right hook developed around then."

Ah. Neurodivergent children do tend to act differently than those who are neurotypical. It doesn't surprise me that she would be singled out for that.

Poor thing. That must play into the anxiety, yes yes yes? I would be anxious too if I thought everyone would poke fun at me for the way I communicate.

Sun hummed, petting Marina's head.

"You're doing well, Sunshine. You may not be like those other kids, but you are most certainly not lesser. You are wonderful the way you are, yes yes yes, and we are proud of you for the steps you've taken to come out of your shell. To be proud of yourself."

Marina looked away again, her arm scrubbing harder at her eyes.

"T-Thank you."

She just told us something personal on her own accord.

Many steps are being made today, yes yes yes. Perhaps watching over another so like herself is making her reframe her thinking. See herself from a new angle.

Sun let silence settle over them as they continued to watch the girls play.

The warmth in Marina's eyes didn't leave, even long after free time was over.

---
When nap time rolled around, Moon wasn't really sure what to expect.

Marina had warned them that Adalyn's anxiety really took it up a notch before bed, as she had a phobia of the dark. Marina said it most likely had to do with the lack of visuals and hearing at the same time.

It must be a very helpless feeling.

Marina held the girl in her lap when the lights went off, allowing her to watch Sun change over into Moon. The girl seemed nervous, but very enthused by the animatronic in spite of it.

"Emmie is his wobot doctow."

"Yes. He makes sure they can switch over like that. So they can do their jobs."

Adalyn nodded, cuddled into Marina's shoulder. Moon tilted his head at her, his glowing LEDs focused. She seemed unphased, watching back with no signs of finding him intimidating.

Weird.

Perhaps it's because Marina and Emmett are calm with you, yes yes yes. Reassurance is a big help with feeling comfortable around unfamiliar people or things.

Moon spoke in his usual raspy voice, going to his chair with a storybook in hand. As he read, the children one by one started drifting off, though a few little eyes remained focused on him stubbornly. When he finished, he clicked on the music box, placing candies by the Stars still rustling restlessly at his feet. Soon he landed on Adalyn and Marina, the girl bobbing gently as Marina bounced her in her lap.

"Why don't we try to take a nap Lynnie."

Adalyn didn't seem too keen on the idea, her grip tight around Marina's shoulders as she nuzzled into her chest.

"Sweetheart, I know it's scary, but I promise it's ok. I'm right here. Moony is here too. Nothing can hurt you."

Adalyn shook her head stubbornly, her legs wrapped around Marina's waist.

Moon gently tapped Adalyn's shoulder, dipping his voice into a quiet rasp.

"Would you like a moondrop?"

"They're very good Adalyn. It's candy."

There was a beat of silence before Adalyn poked her head out at him, one eye trained on his hands. Moon unwrapped the candy before leaning forward, his fingers placed by her lips.

She accepted the candy without a word, her eyes lighting up at the taste.

"There ya go Lynnie."

Marina waited for her to swallow before asking once again if Adalyn would lay down. This time she reacted harshly, a low whine escaping her throat as she clenched harder onto Marina.

She's overtired and frightened. What a wonderful combination.

Oh dear…

"Lynnie, I know you're sleepy. Let's lay down, ok? I'm right here. I'll lay down with you."

By now the girl was crying, though it was quiet, her sobs muffled by Marina's chest. Marina let out a sigh, bobbing her charge up and down.

"Yeah, I figured that would be too easy."

What do we do now Moony?

I suppose we just wait it out. Little ones eventually tire themselves out after they cry. That combined with the moondrop should knock her out eventually.

But she's so upset, isn't there something we can do?

Moon didn't have a chance to reply before the sound of soft singing hit his processors.

"I remember tears streaming down your face when I said I'll never let you go

When all those shadows almost killed your light…

I remember you said don't leave me here alone

But all that's dead and gone and passed tonight"

The song was soft and sweet, Marina's voice in a high register. She had started gently rocking, Adalyn's tiny body moving along with her. By the time she started the first chorus, Adalyn had settled significantly, her cries going down to sniffles.

She's--

Very good. Her voice is beautiful, yes yes yes.

Marina continued the song through, though she stayed fairly quiet. Moon wasn't sure if it was the stage fright or merely not wanting to rouse any already sleeping children, but he wouldn't complain. Her singing was a gift they didn't receive often.

"Just close your eyes, you'll be alright

Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound"

As Marina finished the last line, she leaned forward, laying Adalyn down on her mat. The girl was fast asleep, her hand tangled within her own hair as her body snuggled into its new position. Marina tucked her in quietly before rising to her feet with a huff, tiptoeing her way back to the security desk. Moon followed, closing the door behind them as he leaned against the wall.

"She's always fussy when she's tired. I should have prepared better for that. Fuck."

"Language. You did just fine. Honestly, you didn't need to even do that much. Putting the little stars down for a nap is my job."

"Yeah well, it's a bit different with Adalyn."

Moon let his smile curl into a smirk, his voice teasing.

"Miss 'I don't sing anymore' was certainly willing to for a certain little girl. And you said you aren't good with kids."

"I'm not! Adalyn is different. She's the only kid I knew before coming here. I know her, not kids. Also, fuck you, you try letting a kid cry in your arms and doing nothing. I can't just let her be upset like that…"

How sweet, yes yes yes!

Moon hummed, leaning forward to pat her head.

" Language! Sap."

"Eat a dick."

"Language!"

"Bitch."

"Language!"

Marina snickered, looking a bit proud of herself. If Moon could roll his eyes, he would. He instead reached forward, pinching her cheek.

"Whatever. Sun thinks it's very cute of you."

Marina sighed, scrunching her nose in distaste.

"Whatever."

"You are very talented though. Your voice is actually very nice."

"Says the dude with the most soothing voice box known to man. Your humming is better than me belting full on."

"I think you don't give yourself enough credit. Maybe the next step in your self love training is being able to compliment yourself, now that you are beginning to stand us complimenting you."

"Gross. Absolutely not."

"It's settled then."

"Absolutely not."

Moon merely laughed, his smirk curled as he leaned over her.

"We'll get you to that point eventually. For now, you just have to tolerate us. Sunny's doting and all."

"Love that for me."

In spite of her sarcastic tone, Marina didn't seem too upset by the prospect.

And so they sat together, chatting about casual things and enjoying each other's company. Moon appreciated the relaxed feeling he got from talking to Marina, his mind and body able to relax as she answered his many questions and asked her own.

Perhaps she wasn't the only one making progress.

Chapter Text

"Special delivery, one child that doesn't belong to me!"

Marina held tightly onto Adalyn's hand, guiding her through the main maintenance tunnel. Sun kept up behind them, his hand holding onto Marina's shoulder.

They found Emmett sitting in a chair, poised in front of Freddy, Chica sitting not too far behind. He appeared to be checking diagnostics from what she could tell, Freddy's hand connected to one of the many computers.

"Hey, that kid looks familiar." Emmett said teasingly, grinning at Adalyn. "Might need a closer look just to be sure, though."

"Emmie Emmie Emmie!" Adalyn squealed, bouncing happily on her feet.

"Ah. No. That's definitely mine. Heya, bug!"

Marina let go once she was close, allowing for Adalyn to rush to her brother. Emmett plucked her off the ground, swinging her up into his lap and peppering kisses all over her face, making Adalyn giggle.

"Is she your child?" Chica asked, cooing when Adalyn returned a kiss to her brother.

"Oh God no. I'm not old enough to have one her size. Nor am I responsible enough to be popping out babies. She's my little sister."

"Ah I see!" Freddy said, his ears wiggling happily. "She looks very much like you."

Adalyn looked up at the movement, smiling as her hands came up to sign.

Ears wiggle!

Emmett hummed a happy note to her, bouncing his leg.

"Yeah Lyn. Ears wiggle!"

"I am actually not programmed to understand sign language." Freddy said, tilting his head. "It is a shame, as I would like to be able to."

"I can do that." Emmett said, clicking at his computer. "It isn't hard to add that in, considering the program already exists for Sun and Moon. I'd say I'm surprised you weren't given the ability, but this is Fazbear Entertainment we're talking about. Money over caring about safety and wellbeing and all that jazz."

Adalyn turned to Freddy, signing as she spoke.

"I like yowr hat."

"Thank you, little one. I like your hair bows."

"Sunny gave 'em to me!"

At the mention of his name, Chica looked up, a happy smile taking over her face.

"Ah! Mr. Sun! It's so good to see ya hon!"

Sun seemed surprised at first, but after a beat his rays spun happily, his hands coming forward to clap in front of him.

"Hello hello HELLO Chica. It's so so SO nice to see you too!"

"I've been seeing a lot of your handiwork recently! I hope you don't mind if I drop by sometime? I'd love it if you would do my hair."

Sun bounced joyfully on his feet, his whole head spinning.

"Yes yes YES of course! I would love to!"

"My my! Marina was right! The way you speak is downright adorable!"

"Isn't it?" Marina chimed in, smiling at Sun. "So excited! It's so sweet."

Marina laughed as Sun's head spun again, his hands coming up into a defensive position.

Poor guy.

"Sorry Sunny Buddy! Didn't mean to fluster you. Though I must say, the payback feels amazing."

"N-No it's quite alright! Thank you!"

Emmett seemed amused, glancing up as he worked.

"How did she do?"

"It went well!" Marina replied, smiling at Adalyn. "She was very well behaved and even played with a few of the other kids! The only trouble we had was nap time, but that was more because--

"--She's afraid of the dark." Emmett said in unison with her, nodding to himself.

"That makes sense. Being in an unfamiliar place where it's dark doesn't sound like something she would react well to."

"Can't blame her for being scared. Not being able to see or hear well at the same time has got to be terrifying."

Sunny cut in, his voice cheerful.

"She was a little frightened, but Moony and Marina still got her down for her nap, yes yes yes! Marina sang her a lovely lullaby, and Moony gave her a moondrop!"

"Oho!" Emmett said, pausing in his work to turn to her. "Adalyn got you singing? When I can never convince you to sing for me?"

Marina felt her face heat up, her arms crossing.

"First of all, I literally sang for you not that long ago. Second of all, you're not seven and crying because you're scared."

"So I just have to bring Adalyn around and you'll sing for me more?"

"I like it when Mawi sings." Adalyn chirped, looking at Freddy. "She's weally weally good."

"Once again, I don't sing anymore." Marina said flatly, rolling her eyes. "So no Em, I won't."

"Why do you not sing anymore?" Freddy asked, tilting his head.

"Stage fright." Emmett and Sun said in unison, glancing at each other.

"Ok we need to start hanging out less." Marina said, rolling her eyes. "We've started the finishing each other's sentences trope."

"I think it's cute!" Chica said happily, smiling at them. "It's nice that you guys are so close."

"...we actually all three said the same thing, yes yes yes. Moony answered as well."

"Ugggggh."

Emmett laughed before turning back to the screen, refocusing himself. Adalyn bobbed back and forth on his lap, patting his shoulders affectionately as he worked. Emmett nuzzled her hair absently, his eyes still on the screen.

"He's such a good big brother, yes yes yes." Sun cooed, clasping his hands.

"He really is. Especially to her. She's the youngest of all of them."

"How many children are there?" Chica asked, her head resting on her hand.

"Emmett is the oldest of four."

"Nuh uh!" Adalyn piped up, her head tilting away from Emmett to look at her. "You the oldest!"

"Once again, I'm not counted in that. I am your friend."

"Ma says you our sister, so you gotta be!" Adalyn said in a scolding tone. "So that means five kids."

God she sounds like her mom.

"She's right ya know." Emmett said, his voice amused. "Ma insists that you're one of her kids, and you're older than me. That makes you the oldest."

"Fine. I guess I have a second mom then."

"Mines better anyway."

Marina laughed, her hand coming to clutch her stomach.

"Maybe so. Your mom certainly likes me more than my own."

"Your mom always liked me best."

"She likes a lot of people more than me. Don't think you're special."

Emmett huffed a laugh of his own, seemingly engrossed in his project. It was only when a comfortable silence hit that she realized Freddy and Sun were looking at her with sad eyes. She looked away quickly, refusing to meet either pair.

Maybe I should be more careful about my jokes.

"There it is!" Emmett cheered, turning to Adalyn. "Try signing to Freddy, bug."

Adalyn looked up at Freddy, smiling as she signed.

What's your favorite color?

Freddy blinked before his hand came up, signing back.

Blue, what's yours?

Purple.

Emmett let out a whoop, fist pumping once in the air.

"Sign language added! That should help you communicate with more children."

"Thank you very much." Freddy said, his ears wiggling once again. "I am grateful for the help. Speaking with children like Adalyn will be so much easier now."

Somewhere in the tunnels, a loud clank sounded, making both Marina and Adalyn startle. Adalyn let out a low whine, scratching at her ears.

"Loud…"

"Ah. Yeah. You've had your hearing aids in all day, haven't you?"

Adalyn nodded, nuzzling into his shoulder.

"Tired…"

"I'm sure you are, bug. You're still getting used to those. You're probably getting overstimulated a bit, huh?"

"Like Mawi?"

Marina felt her body tense naturally, not used to her own mental health being mentioned so casually. Especially not in a semi public setting. Emmett took it in stride, however, petting his sister's head.

"Exactly, yes. Would you like to turn them off while we ride home?"

"Yes please."

Emmett nodded, carefully reaching around to fuss with her hearing aids. Adalyn whined a bit when he went to turn off the left one, seemingly upset by the loud noise his fingers on plastic made. She was quick to stop at Emmett's soft apology, his head leaning to plant a kiss on her temple.

"There we go. That outta help."

Adalyn immediately looked less overwhelmed, her eyes half lidded as she sighed in relief. She signed Emmett a thank you before snuggling her body back against his, her head resting on his shoulder.

"We should probably get her back to ma before we start getting 'where the hell is my baby' calls."

"I agree." Marina said, sighing at the thought. "If ma gets worked up, we'll never hear the end of it."

"For sure. Also, you're coming with us. Ma insisted you look like you haven't been eating well, so she's feeding you."

Marina huffed in amusement, rolling her eyes.

"I'll never pass up ma's cooking, but I seriously need to have a talk with her about 'I'm literally considered obese and I don't need to get any bigger.'"

"BMI is bullshit. You're mostly muscle. Also, you are literally the worst about eating a bag of popcorn and going to bed, rather than cooking for yourself. Ma isn't actually wrong."

Marina shrugged, stretching as she offered to hold Adalyn. Emmett accepted, passing her off for Marina to prop on her hip, allowing him to stand.

"Hey, I'm not that bad. At least I eat when I'm here now."

"That would be involuntary, since Sunny Boy would absolutely never allow you to do anything but."

"You are rather neglectful towards your own wellbeing, yes yes yes…"

"Shut. Up." Marina said, glowering at both of them. "I know that already. Don't need to hear it again."

"You've come far though." Emmett reasoned, tilting his head towards Adalyn. "You used to be terrified at the idea of holding a kid, but now you do it without any worry. The 'I can hardly take care of myself, why the fuck does this company trust me to keep kids alive' Mari has left the building. Even if you still struggle in some areas, like basic self care, the social confidence building has gone really well. This company may suck, but the interaction and engagement with people has been good for you."

"Still not great with kids." Marina pointed out, hiking Adalyn further up on her hip. "It's merely tolerable now. Sunny is the one keeping them alive, not me. I watch cameras and maybe hand out water bottles and bandaids."

"Eh. Still better than before. You used to not even like being left in a room alone with a kid, even if ma was only one room over." Emmett put on a higher pitched voice with an over exaggerated southern accent. "'If she dies I won't be taking responsibility. You were the one stupid enough to leave me in charge of a living child.'"

"Does she truly believe the child will be harmed?" Freddy fretted, looking at Emmett with worried eyes.

"Nah. She's just a worrier and is always afraid of the worst thing happening. Kids are very dependent and she hates the idea of one being harmed when it was her job to keep them safe. She doesn't like that responsibility over another life, especially because she very much cares about other lives more than her own."

"Their lives are worth a lot." Marina reasoned. "I am not responsible enough as a human to be trusted with the life of another."

"The fact that you worry that much about it means that you are." Chica piped up, her face thoughtful. "It's the folks that don't care about kids that end up getting them hurt. Not the ones that care too much. There are tons of parents who care about themselves more than their little ones."

"You do so much more than give out water bottles, Sunshine! The kids love you, yes yes yes! You draw for them and talk to them about games and movies and other things I'm less versed in. They enjoy having you as a playmate, and complain about your absence on the days you're off."

"Also, you literally took a fist to the face for one within your first few months of working here." Emmett added with a shrug. "You took that hit so the kid wouldn't be taken. And then you risked your own safety again to take the man to the ground. That's very admirable. You're a very anxious person, but you are also very protective and kind to others. Those parents have nothing to worry about with an apex predator watching over their kids all the time."

Marina blinked, unsure of how to take this onslaught of information. She didn't even have the wherewithal to be embarrassed, merely caught in her own confusion.

Adalyn ended up being her savior, her body coming up to sign as she spoke

"Tired. Go home now?"

Marina bounced her gently, shifting her to one arm so that she could sign, speaking aloud as she moved.

"Yes. We can go home now."

"Poor Star tuckered herself out, yes yes yes."

Marina walked Adalyn around to say goodbye to the animatronics. Sun and Freddy each offered her a head pat, while Chica went in for the full hug, pulling Marina in along with them.

"Oh oh OH! Before I forget."

Sun leaned forward, bunting his faceplate against Emmett's head.

It took him a second to process, but when he did, Emmett's face flushed with color, his head snapping up to look at Sun.

"Awwww Emmie! Sun gave you his first platonic kiss! Cute."

"You got Moon's." Sun said, his face whirling. "It's only fair that Emmett gets mine!"

Chica cooed, clapping her hands together in excitement.

"Oh how sweet! I'm so glad you've found each other!"

Marina smiled at her, whispering a soft answer to herself.

"So am I."

Chapter Text

Scott's here? Again!?

Marina felt tension seep into her body, her shoulders going rigid as she locked her eyes on the one person she couldn't stand to be near. She was hoping for no repeat performances, but it seemed this boy was determined to shove his way back into the good graces of the guards.

Or perhaps make her uncomfortable. She wasn't really sure to be honest.

Emmett immediately responded to her change in body language, humming softly to her in question. She gently tilted her head in Scott's direction, her hands not cooperating. Emmett's arm circled around her shoulders, tugging her closer to his side. He signed to her.

Do you want to go?

Marina shook her head, signing back.

If I leave, he wins. I won't allow it. I need to learn to calm down and tough it out.

Emmett sighed, but turned his attention back to Sean and Monty. Monty seemed to pick up on the issue, his eyes locking on Scott before darting back to her. She signaled that she was fine with a little thumbs up, but she realized it meant nothing when her hands were trembling. He must have noticed, because his eyes continued staying on her, even as his mouth replied to the others.

Marina did some soft breathing exercises to herself, closing her eyes in an attempt to forget where she was. Her earbuds were in, so at the very least she couldn't hear a lot of the background noise. Marina debated just exiting into her own mind, but she had a feeling Emmett wouldn't be too happy with that solution. If she was being honest, she wouldn't be either.

So she continued breathing until she started feeling a bit better, flicking her eyes back open. They automatically met Monty's and she nodded to him before turning her attention back to the conversation.

For a bit, she was doing a little better. Her heart was still racing, but her breathing remained mostly under control, albeit with her continued focus on it. She managed to even speak a few words without stuttering or sounding too breathless. She was actually a little impressed.

And then the slamming sounds started.

It seemed like the guys were trying to test the durability of whatever they were dropping, because they were really showing no mercy. Over and over again the slamming continued, metal on tile sounds filling the room. The mechanics, used to this, seemed unphased.

Marina was in hell.

Her earbuds only did so much. They wouldn't stop the sound entirely, and they wouldn't help keep her from being triggered by something like this. Slamming sounds just weren't her favorite thing.

On the fourth or fifth slam, Marina felt her hands automatically move towards her ears, but she stopped them, hands hovering in the air before she carefully brought them down again. Monty's eyes refocused on her, his irises lighting up as he scanned her.

Emmett, bless his heart, gently bumped his arm against her side, offering it to her as casually as possible. She latched immediately, tugging on the fabric of his sweatshirt as a means of self soothing. She pressed his arm to her torso, wanting the pressure to combat the chest pains.

When the next sound came though, she gripped him tighter, nudging her face into his shoulder. Emmett, seemingly realizing the severity of her discomfort, carefully signed again.

We can go. Would you like to?

Marina felt her hands trembling as she attempted to answer him.

Maybe--

Another slam sent her hands right back up, covering her ears with a sharp breath through her nose. Emmett patted her back soothingly with his free arm, keeping his Marina arm still pressed to her.

"Why don't we go somewhere with less noise, hm?"

Marina nodded frantically, very much not willing to have a meltdown here.

Can you walk?

Marina felt it would be difficult, but it was possible. She nodded, her eyes screwing shut as she attempted to block out the remaining sound.

Emmett stood up, offering his arm once again for her use. Marina gripped it, standing on shaking legs. A soft whimper escaped her as another slam met her eardrums, her face pressed to Emmett's arm.

With a nod and smile to Sean and Monty, Emmett took Marina back to that same bathroom hall, letting her rest on the far end so as to be as separated from the noise as possible. Emmett rustled with her bag, offering her Abe. She accepted, curling her body around him as she took some deep breaths.

"You were doing really good doll. I'm proud of you. I'm sorry, I didn't realize they would still be doing work shit up here. Especially testing like that. Maybe it's a personal project…"

Marina just shrugged, slowly calming herself.

No meltdown today. None.

Unsurprisingly, a set of heavy metal footsteps made their way into the tunnel again. Marina paid them no mind, focusing on calming herself.

"Hello again." Emmett said, his voice still at a soft register. "Before you ask, she's OK. She managed to calm herself before she could melt down."

Marina looked up, still trembling.

"Not s-sure it matters if I s-still had to bail out."

Her words were slurred and stuttering, but she considered the ability to talk at all a win.

"Nah. It's a big difference to me. You aren't gonna wear yourself out, and I don't have to keep you from slamming your head into shit your head shouldn't be slamming into."

Marina let out a huff but said nothing, her fingers tracing patterns over Abe's belly fur. She pressed her face to him, curling her body carefully around his.

"Was it Scott again?" Monty asked darkly, his teeth snapping together.

"At first, yeah." Emmett conceded, crossing his arms. "Right now though, it's all the noise. Marina doesn't do well with loud noises. Especially slamming noises."

Marina sighed, resting her chin on top of Abe.

"Seems like I just don't do well in general. I'm not very great at being alive and functioning."

"I do not believe that is the case."

Marina looked up to see Freddy approaching, his feet clanking as he moved. Marina flinched a little, but tried to keep herself calm. It wasn't something he could control.

"Well now I think we just have a party back here." Emmett said, his voice laced with amusement. "Hello there Fred Bear. Whatcha doing here?"

"I saw Monty come back here. It seemed unusual, so I wanted to investigate." Freddy glanced down at his human friends, his ears wiggling. "What are you doing?"

"Um--"

A perfectly timed thump answered their question, Marina letting out a strangled cry of discomfort as she latched tighter onto Abe.

"...the noise is a bit much for her." Emmett supplied lamely, rubbing the back of his head.

Marina growled in frustration, pushing on her earbuds to make sure they were all the way in.

It's not the sound itself. It's the type of sound. Earbuds won't fix it...it's not even that it's loud to me.

Freddy simulated a hum, his eyes sad when Marina managed to glance back up at him.

"Yes, I suppose such loud sounds would cause discomfort for her."

Marina didn't care to explain the nuance of her condition, so she didn't reply, rocking herself gently to self soothe, one of her hands moving to tug on her braids.

"Don't pull your hair, doll. That hurts you. Pet Abe instead. I'm sure he doesn't mind."

Marina held onto her hair for a moment before slowly releasing it, going back to stroke Abe's fur. Emmett hummed approvingly before speaking to Freddy.

"She didn't have a full meltdown, thank God, so I think she should bounce back. So long as the noise eventually stops, or she can't hear it."

Freddy kneeled in front of her, his metal limbs creaking a bit as he settled. Marina looked up in question, until a hand gently started petting her head. Marina felt her eyelids flutter, her body automatically seeking to press closer to Freddy.

"Feeding her inner attention whore should help, actually. Good call." Emmett said with a little smirk. "I can play music too, if you want? My phone is in my pocket, and I have your playlist saved."

Marina huffed a little laugh, her mouth twitching into the beginnings of a smile.

"Probably shouldn't...u-use my playlist. Not company friendly. Unless y-you have headphones."

"Ah right. Your hoe ass likes hoe music. And nah bitch, I wanna listen to music too, and sharing earbuds with your squirmy ass sucks." Emmett seemed to think a bit before speaking up again. "Broadway? Or maybe Disney?"

Marina considered it before answering.

"Broadway."

"I thought you'd say that. I'm assuming you're avoiding songs you like to sing to?"

"Mhmmmm." Marina responded, brushing her cheek against Freddy's hand. "Not really d-down for embarrassing myself."

Marina focused on the music that started from Emmett's phone, her body relaxing further at the sound. Beetlejuice was what he chose, and she had to admit that not singing along to this may be just as hard as Disney.

Emmett took on the role of Beetlejuice himself, softly humming and murmuring lines. Freddy seemed confused by the music choice, and maybe a little bit concerned, but he didn't say anything more, his face focused on hers. She felt her lips move without sound, her fingers tapping the various melodies into Abe's fur. As she began to relax, it seemed Freddy did too, his eyes gentle whenever she would spare a glance.

A few songs in, she realized she was in trouble, the duet Say My Name being her favorite to perform. Emmett immediately got in character, actually singing this time rather than simply muttering to himself. They both loved acting this one out.

...I'm on the bench but coach!
Just put me in the game!
All ya gotta do is say my name~

Marina felt her mouth open before she really thought about it, her head tilting in Emmett's direction.

I don't know your name.

Emmett's smile went wicked, turning towards her.

Well I can't say it!

Marina, realizing now she was caught, sighed as she replied and turned her body to face him. Luckily this part wasn't sung, anyway.

How 'bout a game of charades?

Yes, let's play it!

They continued through the dialogue, Marina murmuring softly to Emmett's regular vocal tone. She wasn't really looking to be very loud. The spoken words were ending though, so she had a choice to make. She glanced at Freddy, who seemed amused by their exchange, his hand still petting her hair down as she faced Emmett. Monty seemed just as happy to be there, watching the show as he leaned against the wall behind Freddy.

Wow, I'm impressed
And all you gotta do is say my name three times
Three times in a row it must be spoken
Unbroken. Ready?

Yeah

Okay, go

Betelgeuse

Yes...

Betelgeuse

Yes...

Beeeee

Oh, oh, this is gonna be so good!

'Cause

What?

Marina decided that soft singing would be fine. She really just wanted to leave her mind for a bit and immerse herself in something. She just couldn't let herself get carried away.

And so, she sang, allowing her hands to move with the words. If she was going to sing, she might as well act too.

You're so smart
A stand-up bro
I'll think about your offer
Let you know
But I prefer my chances down below
Betelgeuse

Yes

Betelgeuse

Yes!

Being young and female doesn't mean that I'm an easy mark
I've been swimming with piranhas
I don't need a shark
Yes, life sucks
But not that much
Okay, Betelgeuse
Betelgeuse
Be a doll and spare the lecture!

Marina did her best to control her volume, her higher notes harder to keep down. Power was required to hit those, and she tried to reign it in enough to hit the note, but also not go too loud. Emmett followed along, though much less controlled with his volume. He wasn't worried about it at all.

She lost some of her own self consciousness when she reached her favorite lines.

What was that?

That was possession. Any ghost can do that in less than one lesson

Any ghost?

Pretty much, any ghost'll do sure

Then, Betelgeuse, what do I need you for?

On the last spoken line, she let her voice go mischievous and taunting, putting more effort into the acting. Emmett seemed happy to play along, acting affronted.

By the end of the song she was trying a little harder, though still keeping herself soft, her eyes locked on Emmett. Emmett, on his part, started moving his hands up and down as their vocal coach once did, seemingly amused with having the power to influence her choices in notes subconsciously. His hand went up pretty high on the second to last line, and she felt her body follow him naturally to hit it.

Not running away!
I'll make him say my name!

She added a growl to the last line, matching Lydia's energy as much as she could. Shortly after, she realized what had happened, giving Emmett a sour look.

Emmett snickered as the song changed over, smirking at her.

"I knew you'd crack. You love that song. Also, this is about ten times funnier when you sing it, since your dad is already dead."

Marina's now blushing face twitched into a smirk, a little laugh escaping her. Freddy, who had looked delighted before, seemed shocked by the change of conversation.

"Yeaaaah, you're right. The flavor of daddy issues in that song is off for me. I don't resent him. He's just dead. Maybe you should play Lydia."

"Listen--"

Marina laughed, smirking at him as he pouted. He huffed unhappily.

"Regardless, I'm glad it helped. You like acting and singing, so I figured it would probably work. Your brain focuses in whenever you get in character. Even if you refuse to go full power."

"So you're telling me you chose Beetlejuice specifically so I would sing with you?"

"Correct. You can handle just humming for most songs, but not these. You love this soundtrack."

"Dick, we've been over this. I don't sing anymore."

"Which is still a shame. Even with dulling yourself down, that was really good."

"She was turning it down a notch?" Monty's voice asked, his eyes flicking between the two. Emmett answered him.

"Yeah. She sings way louder than that normally. And with a wider range. And more emotional. And basically just better in every way. Shortstop has stage fright, though, so she tends to take it down whenever we are somewhere someone could hear her."

"Her voice is lovely! If that wasn't even her full potential, I can't begin to imagine her talent!" Freddy praised, his ears wiggling.

"Not gonna bother people doing other shit by being loud as fuck." Marina growled, shying away from Freddy's comment entirely. "Common courtesy, Em."

"But it's so much better." Emmett whined, flopping his head to the side as he continued to pout. "And I only get to hear it when we're alone. Or with Sunny and Moony, maybe, if you're in a good mood. Most of the time you won't even sing at all."

Marina rolled her eyes, glaring at him pointedly.

"Oh f-fuck off"

Her voice faltered at another loud bang, her face naturally flinching. Emmett turned the music back up. Marina huffed, her hand rubbing against her arm.

"I don't think they're gonna stop anytime soon." She grumbled, her nails scratching down the length of her arm in stress. "We should probably just get out of here."

"Yeaaah. The daycare doesn't really have a lot of noise, other than the music when the lights are on. I'm sure we can convince Sunny to switch out if needed."

"Nah. I'd leave him be. Moony says he gets antsy stuck on the inside. Moon is much more accustomed to chilling in the background."

Marina felt a hand grab hers and jumped, her free hand moving to quickly snatch the offending limb. When she realized it was Freddy's hand, she unlocked her newly clenched jaw, slowly relaxing her fingers from around his wrist. When she looked up at him, he gave a soft apology.

"You're hurting yourself."

Marina blinked, looking down at her arm. Angry red lines criss crossed over its surface, clearly created by her nails.

"Good catch Freddy." Emmett said, picking up his phone. "I was so focused on making sure she didn't bite her lip or pull her hair that I forgot about the scratching."

Marina murmured her own apology, letting go of Freddy's wrist. Freddy only smiled, his own grip changing to simply holding her hand. Marina didn't protest, figuring he was worried about her starting up again.

"Ok doll, let's go back to the daycare yeah? Your earbuds aren't really helping, and they're really determined to trigger the fuck out of you. I'd prefer no meltdowns today."

Marina nodded, her hand gripping onto Freddy's each time something louder than a footfall sounded.

Emmett stood himself up, rolling his shoulders and putting his phone back in his pocket. Emmett offered a hand to Marina, which she accepted.

"You do realize if we leave, we have to go by the newbie table, right?"

"I'm well aware. I'm sure we can figure it out."

"I can cover her again." Monty piped up, his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"That would work, if you don't mind."

"Cover her?" Freddy asked. Emmett caught him up on previous events, Marina avoiding Freddy's gaze at the mention of her panicking.

"I can do it." Freddy said once he was up to speed.

"It's no problem man, I can handle it." Monty replied, tail swishing. "You probably have things to do right? You're the face of the company or whatever."

"It is fine. I would like to make sure they make it safely back to the daycare."

Marina felt surprised at his words, warmth spreading through her chest.

He cares that much?

"Whatever bro. You do you."

"Ok then. It's settled." Emmett said with a clap. "Freddy, please switch to Marina's right side if you could. That's where Scott will be."

After some shuffling, Marina slung her bag over her shoulder. Emmett offered his arm. Marina paused for a moment, her hand still in Freddy's, before slipping just her free arm around Emmett's. He seemed a bit surprised, but based on his soft expression, he wasn't upset about it in the slightest.

Emmett glanced around the corner, locating Scott in his usual position before nudging Marina out. Marina plastered on her mask once again, her back straight as she clutched Emmett's sweatshirt in her fingers.

Once again, Scott immediately noticed her, his face turning sour. Marina gave him a sweet, innocent smile, making herself appear to be unbothered. She enjoyed playing games. The other boys at the table smiled and waved at her, some of their eyes lit up in a way that told Marina they were interested in more than just her friendship.

Too bad boys. Unless you have money, I ain't interested.

When they rounded the corner out of the food court, Marina felt her mask slip down a bit, her nose scrunching uncomfortably at the bright lights and harsh sounds of the plaza.

"We should probably invest in sunglasses for you or something." Emmett reasoned. "The lights are bright as fuck."

"Don't remind me." She huffed, blinking against them. "I'd take this over the noise, though."

Emmett hummed, looking at Freddy.

"You really don't have to walk us back. I'm sure I can get her there no problem."

"Nonsense." Freddy said firmly, swinging Marina's hand in his as he walked. "It would be irresponsible of me to do anything other than see to your safety."

Marina felt a smile twitch at her lips, but did her best to stifle it. Emmett only shrugged, but he seemed just as delighted, in his own way.

And so the three of them walked, continuing until the noise faded away to nothing but a subtle clink in the background.

Chapter Text

Sun turned towards the door when he heard a distinct click. He tilted his head, only to spin his rays upon seeing Emmett.

"Oh oh OH! Hello Sunlight! What are you doing back here so early, hm? I thought you two were going to play with your new friends!"

Emmett flung the door open, allowing himself, Marina, and...Freddy? to step inside.

Freddy? Why is he with them?

Upon seeing Sun, Marina unlatched from her two escorts, her hands automatically raising for comfort. It was clear from her expression that something had happened, her eyes glassy.

Sun responded immediately, plucking her off her feet and into his arms. He scanned her as she buried her face in his chest, clutching onto the fabric around his neck. A sigh of relief exited her as she went limp.

"Oh dear oh dear OH DEAR! What's the matter, Sunshine? You aren't usually so quick to cuddle, no no no. Especially not with company. And--"

His fingers clutched onto her left arm, making her whine unhappily as she was forced to release him for the moment.

"You scratched yourself up again, my dear. No good at all, no no no."

Sun felt himself start bouncing instinctively when Emmett answered.

"It was a bit too much for her. Some of the guys were doing durability testing. Basically slamming shit into the ground. Mari didn't like the noises."

Idiots. They shouldn't be doing shit like that in food court anyway. She can't be the only one disturbed by that.

Language! But I have to agree...those things are best left to the tunnels.

Sun simulated a click of the tongue, letting go of her arm in favor of stroking the back of Marina's head with his hand. He felt a warmth in his processors as she nuzzled him in return.

"Poor dear. Don't worry Sunshine, everything will be nice and quiet here. No more big sounds, no no no."

Marina huffed, looking up at him through her lashes. Her eyes seemed tired, but her heart rate and breathing were relatively normal. Sun turned his attention to his other visitor.

"Hello hello HELLO Freddy! I don't see you here very often. If I may ask, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

Freddy smiled at him, his ears wiggling joyfully. Marina perked up upon seeing it, eyes focused on the movement.

Seems she enjoys his little quirks.

"Mr. Emmett expressed concerns about Miss Marina's safety, so I felt it was best to make sure she made it back here without any issues. She was quite upset when I happened upon them."

"Her safety?"

Sun looked at Emmett, his grip tightening on his friend.

"Um…"

Emmett gave a nervous smile that made Sun know he wasn't going to like his answer.

"...as of last week, Scott has started attending the meetings."

Emotions from himself and Moon started swirling around in his head as Emmett quickly continued.

"BUT Freddy walked with us so that Scott wouldn't be able to approach her or me in any way when we walked past. Monty did the same last week. I've been handling it, I promise!"

"But Mr. Emmett." Freddy said fretfully, his eyes drooping in concern. "You said Miss Marina had a panic attack last week over the situation. Did you not tell Mr. Sun?"

Marina tensed in his arms.

"...Well now he knows, Freddy. Thanks for that."

She WHAT? That stupid bastard thinks he can be in the same room as her? After what we told him? I outta break his fucking neck this time.

Moony! Moony, remember what they said. They don't want us getting physical with Scott.

But--

No. Boundaries. Even if it's burning us up inside.

Emmett looked at him with a bit of fear in his eyes that made Sun's heart ache. He didn't want them to fear him. He didn't want them to be afraid of his reactions.

And so, he forced himself to stay as calm as possible. He did, however, bounce Marina with a bit more force, his arms curling around her protectively.

"Well, that's no good at all, no no no. Has he attempted any sort of interaction?"

The three of them seemed to relax at Sun's soft response, Marina's voice coming up to answer him.

"Other than some pissy glares, no. But we also haven't given him much of a chance." Marina's lips curled into a little smirk, her eyes filled with amusement. "Freddy deterred him today, and Monty scared him shitless last week. Apparently a Monty glare goes a long way. Then again, he also did the tough guy 'shove your body in front of the girl' thing, so it was just all around aggressive. I was living for it."

We keep Monty. He sounds cool enough to me. I like a guy who doesn't take people's shit.

Language! But… you're right. If they're willing to protect our friends and make sure they come back safe to us, they must be good. Somehow, at least.

"Language...Moon is very satisfied by that." Sun said, tilting his head. He turned his faceplate to Freddy. "He and I are both grateful for you two taking the time to make sure they are safe. Please let us know if there's anything we can do in return."

"Nonsense." Freddy chirped, his ears wiggling as he spoke. "They both deserve to feel safe whenever they are within the Pizzaplex. I am happy to fulfill that in the times that you cannot be there to do it yourself. I am sure Monty feels the same. After all, they have been very kind to us."

"I don't think they're capable of being anything but, no no no! They're both sweet by nature. Caring and sweet, yes yes yes!"

"I am not sweet Sun. I am literally known around the 'Plex as a brawler now...much to my chagrin."

"You're sweet to them Marina. You let Freddy hold your hand all the way here. Monty talks to you every week because you're chill. You answer every question Moon asks you about human things and media, now that he has a tablet and is trying to educate himself. Hell, you're literally in Sun's arms right this second. You might be feisty, but you're sweet when you feel someone deserves it."

Marina flushed with color, her face coming to hide partially in his chest, one eye glaring at Emmett.

"I'm not sweet Em--"

She was cut off by a soft squeak, which Sun quickly realized came from Freddy's nose. He felt Marina happy stim in his arms, her body bouncing on its own, rather than with him.

Freddy smiled kindly at her, pressing his nose a second time. She seemed entranced, excited by the sound.

"See Mari? Very sweet. You can't say otherwise when that's how you react to Freddy's nose thing."

Marina pouted, glowering at Emmett before quickly being sidetracked by the nose sound again. Looking to please her, Sun walked up to Freddy, Marina close to his eye level from Sun's arms. Freddy leaned forward a bit, inviting her. Marina cautiously reached a hand forward, gently pressing his nose with two fingers.

The squeak made her eyes light up in delight, her hand flapping a bit excitedly.

"I didn't know your nose was soft! And squishy!" She squealed happily, tilting her head this way and that to look at it. "It's not quite like either of the Freddy plushies, but it's way closer than I thought!"

"Yeah doll, it works similar to a squeaky toy. It's a rubbery texture from what I've read."

Marina nodded, still looking. Freddy looked back at her, clearly enamored by her reactions. His ears wiggled happily once more, exciting Marina all over again, reaching out in question. Freddy allowed it, his ears stroked by gentle hands.

I guess this is OK. She may like his little gadgets, but she still wanted US for comfort. Not him. She picked our arms to crawl into.

It would be bad of us to say she could have no other friends. So long as we are not ignored or cut out, it should be OK for her to find joy in the company of others.

If they don't treat her right though…

We will take care of it, yes yes yes. Following the boundaries, of course.

Sun felt his rays whirl at her happiness, bunting his faceplate against her gently.

"I'm glad you like it, Sunshine! It seems you've made a new friend, yes yes yes!"

Marina nodded with a hum, her eyes bright when she looked back up at him.

"Yeah. I like Freddy. Monty and Sean too."

"Wow. You just doubled the number of people you consider friends. Congrats shortstop."

"Shhh shut up. That just makes it sound sad."

"What? That you and I were each other's only friend for a bit? It's fine. One ride or die is better than a million flakey friends."

Marina only hummed, releasing Freddy so that he could step away from her.

"He's right, yes yes yes! You and Emmett have a wonderful bond! You've been friends since you were small enough to be in the daycare! Very special indeed."

"I just can't seem to get rid of her." Emmett teased with a shrug. "I tried leaving her in hallways at school, but she'd just latch right back onto my arm."

"Once you're my friend, I'm with you til we die." Marina said firmly, her eyes gleaming with a determined energy. "Falling out of my good graces is honestly impressive. I won't drop somebody easy."

"And yet three people still managed to be abusive enough for you to drop them." Emmett muttered softly, a little huff escaping his nose.

Sun felt Marina tense up a but in his arms, but she quickly turned back to Freddy, ignoring the comment entirely.

Forbidden topic.

She's fine, yes yes yes. She can Bugs Bunny around it. For this, I'll allow it.

Freddy seemed fretful, clearly hearing Emmett's comment, but Marina was quick to interject, her voice filled with vigor.

"I've already decided that you and Monty are chill. So I consider us friends. But just so you know, that means you're stuck with me forever, which lowkey sucks probably."

"Marina!" Sun scolded, tapping her cheek with his fingers. "We don't say negative things about ourselves. Its--"

"Against the daycare rules yes yes I know, but it's true and I'm saying it. I'll cancel it out or whatever later."

"Actually, you owe quite a few self love exercises." Emmett interjected, his smile a bit mischievous. "I kept count at last week's meeting and this week's. You've been on a roll today, Miss Marina Mae."

"Wow, my own fam. Snitching again. Why am I not surprised? Also ew, don't middle name me. Thats fucking weird."

"Language!"

Her middle name is Mae?

That's so cute, yes yes yes! Their profiles only list first and last. Marina Mae is an adorable name!

"Hey, you're the one breaking rules. Gotta pay the toll."

"Anyway." Marina cut him off, seemingly eager for a subject change. "You're stuck with me Freddy. So I'll ask now: you cool with that? Because if we aren't gonna be friends, I gotta back off early enough to where I don't get attached."

"She's already attached but whatever." Emmett whisper shouted, earning him a glare.

Freddy, who had seemed concerned by her previous comment, lit up at the question, his eyes gentle.

"Of course, Miss Marina. I would love to be your friend. Especially if it means you will be with me forever. I do not find that to 'suck' as you say."

Marina's face lit up with a blush, but Sun could feel her hand happy stimming between himself and her, hidden out of sight.

Seems she's happy.

I'm glad, yes yes yes. She deserves this love.

What will we do? How do we fit into that?

Sun considered the question, keeping his arms firmly locked around Marina.

Like we said earlier, it's ok for her to have other friends.

Yes, but how do we function here? We don't have friends other than them. Their branching out most likely means we will too. They've already brought Monty and Freddy here.

…

Oh...oh dear.

He was right.

Marina and Emmett have now brought two of the Glamrocks to them. They may not have interacted much, but the connection had been made. Sure, they saw them occasionally before that, especially when Moony was on patrol, but it was a quick wave and move on situation. They had come to their area. The Glamrocks never came to the daycare before this.

I do not believe they are much interested in us, no no no. Perhaps we will simply be cordial as usual.

Something tells me Marina and Emmett aren't gonna let us do that.

Sun felt anxiety swell in his chest at the thought, not really sure how to handle himself. He and Moon weren't...well socialized. They had little experience talking to people, other than the kids and their two humans. They didn't really know how to do much else. What would they even say to a Glamrock?

We aren't on their level.

Sun snapped himself out of his stupor at the sound of Marina's voice, her head tilted in confusion.

"Ah, sorry! What is it, Sunshine?"

"I asked if we can go chill in the quiet corner for a while. Freddy has to go so he doesn't miss the show tonight, and I'm tired.

Good girl, asking for what she needs.

I'm proud of her, yes yes yes.

Sun spun his rays in delight, still bouncing her gently.

"Yes yes yes! Of course my Star!" Sun let his voice turn a little less excited, tilting his head. "Perhaps it will give you a chance to cancel out those bad thoughts, hm?"

Marina groaned, bunting her head against his shoulder.

"You're such a fucking drama queen. Saying two nice things about yourself is not that difficult."

"Language!"

"Shut up. You're still a snitch, and I assure you that you will be getting stitches."

Freddy hummed synthetically, reaching out to pat Marina's head.

"If the infraction calls for you to say two kind things about yourself, I should think that punishment is easy for you. There are so many good things to say."

Marina's soft blush turned into everywhere from her forehead to the bottom of her neck being red. She ducked her chin against Sun naturally, hiding herself in his shoulders with a soft whine. Emmett, on his part, was laughing up a storm, amused by her discomfort.

"Oh dear. And you've been doing so well with accepting compliments, yes yes yes! But that's alright. An off day is to be expected sometimes."

Marina only huffed in response, her body squirming uncomfortably.

Soon after her fit, Freddy waved them goodbye, offering a head pat to Marina and a high five to Emmett. Sun received a kind smile and well wishes, which only brought back the nervousness in his chest.

What are we gonna do?

Sun nudged those thoughts to the back of his mind, focusing himself on getting Marina settled down. On making her feel loved and safe. He needed a distraction.

If she's happy, perhaps we will be happy too.