Chapter Text
It was the fourth of July. The one week of the year that the six automatons were required to return to Walter Manor. They all needed maintenance, and a safe place for them to get help for the flashbacks.
Rabbit hated this week with a burning passion, and The Spine didn't say it, but he hated it more. He hated the way he had nightmares through the entire week and how, even in the depths of Walter Manor, he couldn't protect his siblings. It used to be easier, when it was just him, Rabbit, The Jon and Upgrade. But when Hatchworth was released, and then Zero, then the mainly silent and occasionally muffled noises of the basement were no longer an option. He still remembered the one time Upgrade tried to force Hatchworth into the basement. He remembered his sobbing, pleading to not leave him again. The Spine shuddered and powered off for the night, hoping to escape the flashback of this day for the nightmares of this night. It didn't really feel like a fair trade to him.
Zero flinched at the shrill shredding of Spine's voice box. Then he heard pleading. "No, no don't hurt him..." After a short scan, he sighed. Spiney was powered down, meaning it was a nightmare. He paced in front of him, he wasn't having a nightmare from the three day war! There was nothing in that would've made him beg like that! He sighed, he didn't know how to help but Spine couldn't stay stuck like this! Zero trundled up to Hatchworth and turned his older brother on. Hatchy Boy is good with problems!
The low light of night turned on and Zero was standing patiently in front of him. "Zero?" He asked hazily as his boiler started boiling again. "What's going on?" The shrill sob answered him. Hatchworth's optics slid over to the Spine. "Oh." He said softly and walked over to him. He wrapped his arms around him and switched it on as his Eldest brother, the Spine of their family, begged for someone to hurt him instead. His optics turned on slowly.
"Jon-" He tried to jolt up but Hatchworth kept him in his arms. "He's safe, he's just asleep. We're all safe and here Spine." Spine's chassis shuddered as he let himself relax. He let out a puff of steam. Hatchworth let him go and smiled. "Where was that from?" Zero innocently asked the unwelcome question. Hatchworth looked torn for telling him. Spine didn't want to answer. But Zero had been locked away for so long... He deserved to know. Hatchworth too. "The Vietnam war." The name of it alone made him sick to his stomach in so many ways.
Hatchworth noticed the oil film coating Spine's visual receptors and noticed Zero gearing up for another question. "I think he doesn't want to talk about it Zero." He said quickly before he said anything to cause Spine to burst into tears.
It was silent between the three for a long time. Zero opened his mouth, "How many wars have I missed?" Spine gave the forlorn answer of three. It was quiet between the three of them once again. "We really miss a lot, didn't we." Hatchworth's audio output was hollow when he spoke. He had missed two of those wars. Two of them because he was a blasted broken bot. He couldn't have helped his siblings at all. He couldn't have made little treats to delight them. To make war just a tiny bit easier. He couldn't help them. Because he was a blasted broken bot. Spine got all tense. "Yes, you did. But I'm glad you did. I wouldn't have wanted you in them." They got silent yet again.