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It was around 9 PM on the weekend. There you sat at your desk, concentrated, but still bored out of your mind. Normally, you would be skimming through your course materials while immersing yourself in some music, be it relaxing or totally eccentric and vulgar; whatever seemed to keep you level-headed depended on the subject, really. But today a storm was passing through. Because the thunder was much too loud and frequent for you to really listen to your music undisturbed, you opted to pause your mixed bag of a playlist and put your headphones away.
As it turned out, a few minutes of listening to the outside proved that the stormy ambience was actually quite nice. You listened to the light pitter-patter of stray droplets happening onto your window, and to the heavy sheets of rain beating against the ground of your backyard in union, forming no singular sound as the little hints of precipitation on your window did. It was like a symphony so massive you couldn’t pick out any one instrument being played; everything was one, save for a distant crackle from those ominous clouds. Complimenting this natural orchestra, a breeze that swept through the trees overhead, gently rustling the wet leaves; even a frog or two joining in with a delighted, guttural serenade.
This is what you loved about rainy weather. What most tend to describe as dreary and blue, sometimes even discordant and violent, never failed to put you at ease. It was a thought that would come to you in squalls like these, a subtle reminder that you can make some good out of any situation.
It was a strange thing to associate hard times with storms, considering how much you preferred this wild cacophony to a peaceful quiet. You could probably turn it into some profound statement about how if every day were a picnic, the good wouldn’t matter nearly as much as it does with the existence of tumultuous rainfall, but isn’t that obvious?
Already you’re reminded of something Sun told you once. Oh, Sunny, always so considerate. That one time you came to the Daycare, all down in the dumps after an outside gettogether gone awry, he didn’t try to shoo the imaginary rain clouds over your head away once and for all like you expected him to, and as much as his jubilant spirit and jesterly antics made the case seem to be. His voice rang in your head, clear as day, as you internally quote:
“Without a little bit of rain in your life, I’m afraid, you’ll miss all the beautiful, beautiful rainbows! Oh– Oh how I’d hate to see you miss it, so pretty, those rainbows! Oh, so colorful… dazzling!”
A quiet giggle escapes you at the memory; all his visual dramatics you fondly recorded in your mind playing so vividly, like it was just yesterday.
Sun, of everyone, a kids’ animatronic, understood that people often face dark times – times too dark for children under his care to have to go through, being as young as they were. Looking back, it almost seemed ridiculous how much you had misjudged his ability to understand you. You had some serious credit to give to whoever programmed his AI; must’ve put a ton of research into psychiatry. He never pressured himself to get you through those times as soon as possible; would only give you a light bonk on the head for “being sad” as a joke on occasion – just one of many little games you two played with each other out of habit.
For your sake, as much as he hated to see you upset, he’d rather you wait out those difficult storms on your own time. You probably could have come up with that meteorological metaphor by yourself, but what really etched such an otherwise cliché saying into your memory was just how literal it was.
“And you know, rainbows can’t be made without a little… Sunshine!”
A thoughtful beat of your heart snapped you back to the present. When you looked up, sure enough, there the celestial themed animatronic was, sitting cross-legged on the corner of your bed. Judging by how still and calm he was against the wall, not fidgeting in his spot like usual, he must have been in rest mode, and probably for a couple hours.
He’s always been there for you.
Your mind had long since wandered away from your studies, and you considerately pondered over this one thought to the natural song outside. It was always the same, but never repeating, unpredictable. No part of this song, even if it lasted an eternity, would ever match another. Even after most of the lightning had subsided, you didn’t go back to your digital music. Instead, you let the noise flood your senses as much as your hearing could allow.
Suddenly, you remembered that your plants were out there. You used to manually water them a specific amount every day, but started to get lazy and let the weather do its thing. Letting them thirst for a couple days, you reasoned, would be fine if downpours like this happened. Sure, you figured they were alright, and they did keep growing like normal, but you also wanted to make sure the amount of water they’ve gotten today wasn’t somehow detrimental.
You closed your laptop, pushed your chair back, and rose, passing loyal Sunny on your way out. Tenderly taking in the sight of his “sleeping” face while slipping your coat on, observing just how cute he was now that you were this close, sinking into that pile of pillows, you gave him a smile of gratitude for sticking with you in support of you and your studies for this long. Respecting his personal quiet time as he did yours, you slipped out of your bedroom door, minimizing the volume of your exit by leaving it open.
The staircase you eventually started heading down was in the most closed off part of your house, away from any windows, doors, any escape towards the outside, any hole where sound could get in. The rain was quieter, and the silence was louder. Buzzing. It made you all the more eager to get outside.
You found your shoes in a random pile on the living room floor, just where you had always kept them. Carefully you slipped one on, then almost tripped as you hooked the second shoe onto your foot. You sent yourself hopping, barely balanced while your one shoe plodded loudly against the floor. Muttering curses, you had barely gotten your shoe on with success by the time you backed harshly into your couch, falling backwards onto the cushions with an “oof.”
Lying there, you exhaled and decided to let it sink in how much of a bumbling fool you just made of yourself. All sprawled out on this chair, one shoe hanging loosely on your toes… such a clumsy display. Thank God no one wasn’t there to witness it.
As if just on cue, the rhythmic jingling of bells chimed through the silence with every footstep, accompanied by the unmistakable hinging of robotic joints and those winding noises reminiscent of a music box. It was too late to save yourself the embarrassment by jumping up and pretending that didn’t just happen– playin’ it cool and all– so you just toss your head back into the armrest and let out a quiet groan. Man…
He peered around the corner almost mischievously, rays jittering with intrigue. He approached you gingerly, hands behind his back, but with a clearly exuberant playfulness in his step. “Wow, Sunbeam! I would’ve rated your act a solid… hmm, hmmm… four out of ten, haha– but you missed your hat on the way down!” He whipped his lanky arm out to reveal your beanie in his hand; you recounted in your mind how you were too busy bouncing across the floor like a total klutz to grab it from the coathanger. Your mouth became a thin line as your gaze moved slowly from the accessory in his hand to his warmly smiling face. With a giggle, he stepped closer, looming his tall, elegant structure over your much less elegant one and put your hat on in a careless manner, messing up your hair and adding to your sloppiness like it was nothing to him. Like he didn’t see how embarrassed you were already. “Buuuut, I’ll give you a two and a half for your effort!”
He stood up straight, hands politely clasped together as he idled, while you sat there in your spot, still processing what just happened. You found it a relief that he didn’t seem to mind your carelessness (so long as you weren’t hurt), but you also found it just a tad troubling that you couldn’t tell based on his fixed expression and ever so joyful disposition whether you really should be as embarrassed as you are now. So rarely would he hint when you did something worth feeling anxious over, and he would only ever do that to tease you. Blinking, you conclude with a sigh… he probably thought it was “cute.”
Sitting up at attention, you fixed your hair neatly beneath your hat and sighed. “How long were you watching me?”
“Mmmm, long enough!” he chirped, earning a defeated glare out of you. He chuckled sheepishly as you stood up. “I was just wondering, my Sunflower– Oh, sweet, delicate Sunflower– where you were going out in this weather, and so late at night?”
In this instance, you figured his nickname for you out of the many he’s come up with was no random selection. There was a mildly anxious inflection in his voice box that made you feel just a tad guilty. Paired with his description of you, his “Sunflower,” a plant known to dislike downpours and darkness, it sounded like he was concerned for your safety out there. And with sunflowers being so closely associated with the sun (it’s in the name, for Christ’s sake), you figured it must’ve been a little hint that he wanted you in his arms. It was incredibly sweet, actually.
“Oh, I was just gonna check on the plants, make sure they have the right amount of water. I won’t be long.”
“Oh!” Tilting his head, he involuntarily bent down to meet your eye level better. “Do you want an umbrella?”
“I’m good, Sunny. Thank you though.” Blushing, you reached up and gave him a gentle peck on the cheek before heading towards the back door, smiling. “Be back soon! Love you.”
“Love you too,” he said with a timid wave. And with a tender look, you shut the door.
And finally, you were outside.
While strolling towards the pots where you kept your plants, you allowed the cool water to land on you, dancing down the sleeves of your jacket and tickling your face. Once one stops shielding themself from the rain and embraces it, it’s actually refreshing. That’s what you thought, at least. Everyone who tries so hard to avoid it ends up a little disappointed, anyway. So you welcomed the precipitation to seep through, cascading down your skin and soaking your shirt.
When you observed the leaves of your plants, everything seemed just perfect. No drooping or rotting, color was vivid as always; they seemed quite happy, actually.
As were you, because it wasn’t really the plants you were here for. It was to be here, in the midst of the torrent. To see it, to feel it, to even pretend for a moment that you were a part of it.
But most importantly, to hear it.
You wished you could hear true silence, but white noise was the closest you could get to it. Actual silence was loud to you, and it was a song you hated. It was quite literally stuck in your head, constantly looping. Always the same, repetitive. It could last an eternity, and never change. And the quieter it was around you, the more clearly you could hear it.
That’s why you reveled in this mist, making a little game for yourself to predict the exact moment you’d hear the croak of a frog, or the exact countdown towards the next distant crackle of thunder. All the while, the sounds of nature suppressed the ringing in your ears; after a few minutes, you couldn’t hear it even if you tried. You wished you could stand out here in this bliss forever.
But you turn. Sun was sitting at the window, waiting for you. His mouth seemed a bit more straight than curved in his usual smile, his solid white eyes slightly lidded as if deep in thought, or perhaps concerned. Upon meeting your gaze, he seemed to perk up a little, fixing his faceplate upright again while he raised his slouched shoulders up and forwards bashfully. His rays gave an excited wiggle just a bit out of his own control, like a puppy wagging his tail. He hunched forward with his neck afterwards with that goofy smile, and you could practically hear him claim, “I wasn’t staring!” Which he probably, definitely, totally was.
It could’ve taken you a minute to check your plants, but you took at least five. Gosh, he must’ve missed you, especially after being dormant for a good couple of hours. Heart sinking at the realization and feeling sorry for the guy, you started to head back, savoring the tiny splashes of your shoes in the shallow puddles along the way.
Just as you approached the door, he had disappeared from the window; you knew he was on his way to greet you. So, turning the knob, you braced yourself for impact.
And when you’d barely stepped inside, you were scooped up into a hug. Sun spun you around joyfully, and you heard an abrupt, yet satisfying jingle of bells below as he kicked the door closed, ultimately shutting out the rain. But you couldn’t complain, not when you were here with your baby. Not with his gleeful voice bubbling up in laughter, so adorable. Not with how, despite you being soaked, he didn’t hesitate to hold you so tightly, so affectionately in his arms… squeezing you like a sponge, letting the dirty rainwater fall into the vulnerable slots of his once clean and dry shell…
Ok, maybe you could complain a little. You already hated trailing wet footprints onto your clean floor, but that was a much easier fix than fizzed out wires. While you were fairly certain Sun was ok— clearly he didn’t mind one bit— you were worried about him touching water for… reasons.
“Oh, Dewdrop! I missed you, I missed you!! Oh, how I've waited so, so patiently… But you looked so lovely, oh, so lovely standing out there in the rain! So beautiful, so at peace… Oh, my sweet little Dewdrop!” He gushed while peppering kisses over your face, each with an exaggerated “Mwah!” He had your face helplessly smushed against his as he relentlessly bombarded you with snuggles, rolling his faceplate forehead to chin against you, even making a full rotation once. It kinda tickled.
When he got like this (maybe he was making up for lost cuddle time from when he was shut down?) you simply couldn’t help but give in and hug him back, allowing yourself to indulge in the positive aura he radiated. His happiness made you happy, and any uneasiness that he might short-circuit from wringing out your wet clothes seemed to melt away. He always knew how to put a smile on your face, and it delighted him to see. To hear your joy in the form of laughter, to feel the warmth of your face when you allowed yourself to simply be yourself around him without fear… What a lovely picture, and such a sweet song filling the room. This, he’d made clear before– the sight, the sound, the feeling of your glee– was plentiful reward in itself for taking care of you. How you would worry you weren’t giving him enough in return, if it weren’t for one plain fact: he does it because he loves you. Simple as that.
Chuckling, you stop his aggressive nuzzling by squeezing his face in your hands. “Alright, c’mere, you big goober!” And with that, you attack him with revenge kisses, on the nose, forehead, cheeks…
“Noooo! My weakness!” he whined, full of giggles and butterflies. “Sunshine, Sunshine! I’ll overheat! Hahaha!”
Just as he was recoiling bashfully, you pulled him back in and pressed one final, looong smooch onto his mouth. He stiffened, eyes widening for a moment, and you could’ve sworn you could see little heart shaped pinpricks in there to match his cartoonish reactions. You could even hear tiny puffs of steam escaping the panel on the back of his head. K.O.
Soon he melted into the kiss, sagging his shoulders in bliss as he held you close, completely focused on the softness of your lips. He felt very warm, uncharacteristic of a robot; but you’ve been with him long enough to have grown accustomed to all his upgrades, each of which opened a path for him to channel a bit more of his humanity through physical means. You were even there to witness the before and after of most of these changes and to help him familiarize himself with them. That time was extremely special to him; he got to further relate to you and rejoice in these newfound experiences, like how he was blushing so intensely right now, his machinery whirring almost like the beating of a heart. It was hard, if not impossible to tell these differences from afar, but they were so significantly clear when you were as close to him as you were now, overwhelming the guy with affection.
When you finally pulled away, you watched as he slowly processed. He opened his eyes for but a moment to take in your loving gaze before he let a quick, low sound play through his voice box, smile widening as the sound slowly built up into higher pitched snickers. You had flustered him speechless, any words in his silly little head replaced with the sweet sounds of childlike mirth. Continuing to hold you in one arm, he fanned himself with the other hand until he was just waving it aimlessly in the air. You loved when he stimmed like that! Especially when it was because of you.
“Heheh, you can put me down now, Sweetheart.”
He showed no hesitation, holding you beneath your arms like a stretched cat, placing you on your feet just to use both his hands to let out all his positive energy, even bouncing in place a little. The incessant, merry jingling of bells brought about a nostalgic feeling that had you smiling like the lovestruck dummy you were, leaning your cheek into your hand as you watched the tall animatronic dance. Meanwhile, you committed every movement to your most deeply cherished memories.
Finally he settled down, showing mock exhaustion by dangling his lanky arms down and exchanging a loving look with you, releasing weak leftover chuckles. Goofball. Suddenly, he lunged forward once more in a fluid motion, scooping you up into a bridal carry. It caught you off guard for a moment and you let out the tiniest little yelp, provoking a pleased sound from him.
With his prize in his arms, he strolled confidently across the living room and kicked his foot up in an exaggerated way, turning slowly on his heel. You wrapped your arms around his neck as he keeled backwards, plopping deliberately onto the couch— same one that played a part in proving how inept you were at the impossible task of equipping slip-ons. Sun, on the other hand, as if he had been rehearsing for this moment, took you effortlessly onto the couch as if it were a dance. He draped one leg over the armrest while the other reached far out towards the floor, giving him an intentionally sprawled out, lazy look. You could easily picture him on a portable lounge chair, enjoying a glass of lemonade, tiny umbrella and all on the beach, enjoying the sun… getting a robo tan? What a funny thought, now that you’ve imagined it; so ironic. Plus, here he was, not at the beach, but in your living room, letting you enjoy him instead.
Curled up in his lap, you pressed your head against his chassis to hear the gears turning inside. Sun involuntarily brought his hand up to pet you, humming a joyous, yet quiet tune. The rain had long since become quiet background noise, not immersive at all. It was nice while it lasted, but spending time with Sun was nicer. He knew that it was no uncommon thing for you to hear ringing through the silence, so it wasn’t like you were upset, not the least bit.
However, you sat up and slipped your coat off; it was still wet. Slinging it over the couch, you settle once again into Sun’s embrace, your eyebrows furrowing slightly.
“I’m sorry for being out there so long, Sunny,” you near whisper, looking to the floor.
“Oh, Buttercup,” he cooed, leaning his face down in front of yours. “You’re so thoughtful! But there’s no need to worry about me!”
“I took longer than I meant to.” You twiddled your thumbs and looked up to be met with an understanding smile from Sun. “I would’ve taken you with me, but…”
The fire. The reason Sun was in your home. He was built to be just water resistant enough to survive the emergency sprinklers, with an experienced enough repairman to deal with any messed up wires. Several times you thought it over, afraid it might be insensitive to open that wound again. He lost his beloved Daycare and just about all the little kids’ crafts he and Moon cherished so much, and you didn’t want to remind them of that. That deep-seated fear that rain could be a trigger told you that’s why he looked so sad, watching you from the window like that. Sure, a moderate rain would probably feel harmless to him, but you couldn’t imagine how the cold dampness must’ve felt against his burning metal with his melting touch sensors during the fire.
So, you had a dilemma on your hands. Bring Sun outside and risk him reacting negatively, or keep him inside so as to avoid his supposed fear of water growing even stronger. Obviously, you chose the latter. If only there was another way…
A gentle rustling of your hair sounded right outside your ear, accompanied by a light tingling sensation on the edge of your cheek, trailing to your lobe. Tiny metal globes trilled inside hollow spheres extremely close by, and you quickly identified the culprit to be the large hand of Sun. Almost immediately, your eyes magneted towards his.
“I think the sound of the rain is nice… Very nice! Yes sir, I can listen to it all day, all night, all the time!” He cheered proudly. “And you know, I have great hearing! That’s right! I was listening from the window the whole time, dear! Listening with you!” He held your cheeks between his index and thumb, playfully nuzzling your forehead. “So don’t you worry your cute, pretty, silly little head about it! I was never even gone, Sunshine! No, no, we were never apart!”
You scrunched your lips into a half tizzied smile as he reassured you, and you placed your hand on his larger one against your face. “Haha okay, but still!” You sighed. “I really missed you, Sunny. I-I wish I could’ve held your hand and… really be out there with you.”
Raising an eyebrow, he gave you a quizzical smirk. “It’s still raining, isn’t it?”
Puzzled, you tilted your head slightly out of his hold. “But…”
But the fire…?
“Are you sure about that, Sunny?”
Shrugging his shoulders, he murmured a funny little “I dunno” noise. “I’m sure it’ll be fine! My whirring ears will thank me, for sure! Plus, I get to enjoy it with you, my sweetest little daisy!”
…
You blink, almost audibly.
“Whirring?”
His rays rotated ever so slowly, making clicking sounds along the way. His face seemed stuck as he processed, before lighting up with a little bounce, rays returning to their default position.
“Oh, yes! You can’t hear them; they’re so tiny in my head, so quiet! So innovative. But I can always sense them! Like I said, Sunshine, I have excellent hearing! But you can’t stop the fans from spinning, spinning, spinning away! Something can overheat! Malfunction! It would be very bad! Hoho, it’s a small price to pay to keep being my good ol’ functioning self!”
“So…”
The gears start turning in your own head.
He had tinnitus, too?!
An elated puff of air was pushed out of your lips. “Why didn’t you tell me before?!”
Before he could respond, your grip around his hand tightened as you leaped out of his lap. While you made a beeline towards the main closet, Sun was pulled out of the couch with a “Whoop!” The force of your momentum didn’t affect Sun too much, though he was quick to pretend it did, stumbling along until he adjusted to your speed. Once you stopped at the closet and let go of his hand, he flailed his arms in circles, keeping himself barely balanced on one foot. He repositioned himself as steadfast and unmovable as a gangly guy like him could possibly be, arms stretched out as if on a tightrope. Jester stuff.
“Now we have to do it!” You rummaged through the closet full of your spare jackets, some that you’ve outgrown and others you just kinda forgot about. What would fit Sun? What… “Oh!”
You found a brown raincoat and immediately wrapped it around Sun’s shoulders. He became straight as a stick as he watched intently, but was still bent at the hips so you could reach him. While you buttoned him up, he slipped his arms into the sleeves; they didn’t cover them completely. Dunno how you didn’t foresee that, but it was kinda funny. Head tilted up, he smiled softly at you as you reached the last buttons by his collar. Not letting go, you take in the sight of him, realizing how he leaned over you, making you have to almost bend backwards. You blushed. He blinked.
From his nicely buttoned collar you pulled him towards you, quickly pecking him on the mouth. For a moment he gave an imperceptible shiver, and you could hear the faintest sound like the purr of a generator inside his chest. Rays whirling, he jolted upright with a hand to his face to feel the warmth, making the cutest sound of delighted shock.
Satisfied with the reaction, you went back in to grab him some rainboots and a scarf for good measure, which you helped him put on. He squinted suspensefully at you while you wrapped the scarf around him, which made you giggle. You settled on giving him a pat on the head for being a good boy, to which he caved in and cupped your face as a thank you.
Finally, you grabbed your umbrella leaning against the wall of the closet. “Ready, Sunnybee?”
Taking a confident stance, he stepped aside and made a graceful gesture, his arm making a fluid movement, guiding you towards the back door as he bowed. “After you, m’theydy!”
“So refined,” you snort. He dared open one eye to look as you passed by him, and you paused, just to poke him in the side with your umbrella.
Clutching the point of impact, he doubled over, reaching an arm out dramatically. “Augh!! Betrayal!” Almost to the floor, he quickly broke character through his theatrics with laughter, looking at you with mischievous white pupils, and pouncing, chasing you out the door.
“Eep!” And before you knew it, you were outside, already getting wet again, Sun following closely behind. You scrambled to get your umbrella open, and it did, making a satisfying sound as it expanded into a large dome in front of you. You turned to hear a thump where Sun stopped himself, hands caught on the door frame like a mini jumpscare, which you admit did make you flinch, much to his amusement.
Frozen in place now, he looked like just a shy, curious creature with his head peeking out the door; this was a new experience to him, after all. The two of you blinked at each other for a moment, before you tilted the umbrella above him with a reassuring look, shielding him. He listened to the droplets tap against the protective top, slipping together into tiny streams that drove off on the other side, barely brushing the side of your jacket. You touched his palm, which alone was almost as big as your entire hand, prompting his silicone-coated metal fingers to coil around. You gave him an encouraging squeeze and coaxed him forward. With a little splash in a puddle with his new rainboots, he was finally with you, right beneath your umbrella.
It was dark outside, and the two of you were next to the porch light, the rails of the deck illuminated with some Christmas lights. It was just enough to keep Sun out for the time being; you could imagine Moon affectionately mocking you two from the sidelines. Looking up and seeing the look on Sun’s face and the subtle movements he made, seeming to have an unseen conversation in his shared headspace, you felt you could safely confirm that.
You guided Sun forward, and he carefully followed you, never thinking to let go of your hand. The two of you stopped in front of the rail, letting the string of lights illuminate your faces.
The night was beautiful, flooded with the proud song of a downpour, distant thunder, and a gentle breeze rustling the treetops. Never repeating, never the same; free of all ringing and whirring and buzzing. You had a player two for your prediction game now, and you spent the next several minutes counting down out loud to the next crackle of thunder, or the croak of a frog. Your Sunshine celebrated with such ecstasy when either of you predicted correctly, and it made your heart leap every time. Once, you both burst into an improvised dance, briefly exchanging hold of the umbrella. More than once, the two of you shared a kiss. And the whole time, you basked in each others’ company.
This is what he loved about storms. They reminded him of you: inspirational. You made the best of your situation, and so he did the same. He realized that storms were nothing like the fire, not at all. It was life-giving and soothing, and it made your bond stronger.
He reached out, letting the heavenly tears trail down his hand. With such a lovely song it made, why associate the rain so closely to hardships and fear? Why not embrace the downpour for how refreshing it is once you let go of the negative? Better yet, why not use it to heal? All those bad associations whirring in his head were gone, and it was you who helped him to experience that when you went outside in the first place.
After all, how could he think anything bad of the storm if you were always there for him? No, he would never miss out on someone like you. There was no other experience he would trade for this one. Just Sun, the rain, and…
Crouching to your height and nuzzling you, he spoke in a hushed tone.
“My beautiful, beautiful rainbow.”