Work Text:
The metal heel is almost uncomfortable how it digs into the palm of his hand. Almost. Sharpened by... an obscene amount of sliding on it for speed, he was going to have to smooth that down as well.
Filing down V1's rough edges is not the focus right now.
Right now, Gabriel has enough to work on, cleaning out the accumulated grime and viscera from their joints. Lucky for them, V1's foot started seizing when they weren't out hunting.
Not so lucky for them, it doesn't look like V1 has ever cleaned out their feet. Gabriel was going to be down here for a while. (Like he hadn't already spent far longer on his knees then he ever did in prayer?)
Gabriel grabbed the tweezers once again, pulling out a small shard of wood. How it hadn't been pulverized inside of V1 was a mystery to him.
He goes back in, expecting more. Pushing the tweezers around carefully, brushing against the bundle of wires he had learned to work around. Coming back with barely a splinter wedged right where their toes would be if human. A pleasant surprise.
Gabriel brought his head down. Turning V1's foot over as he checked each side of the front. It bent like normal at the front, though the same could not be said for the stiffness in their heel.
A soft hum came from Gabriel, falling dead in the silence of the room. Brushing his fingers against the gap where V1's heel normally bent.
Err, where there should be a gap. Further inspection showed how caked it was with blood and sand and stones and other now-unidentifiable things, making a cover on the side of their foot, and clearly having leaked into their mechanics.
First thing was to remove the outer crust. Could he even do that with the small amount of tools he had been able to scrounge together? Well, it was try or find something else to try with. He couldn't keep going without them- without their assistance. Tweezers would be of no help here. Sanding would most likely damage them.
Ah, perfect. Gabriel plucked out the small rod from within the pile of tools, no specific origin or name he knew of, but helpful regardless. After comparing its size to V1, sure it would do the job appropriately, he brought metal to metal, scraping at the edge of the filth, watching it relent. Slowly coming undone with each gentle push.
Gabriel kept working. Silently cleaning V1 of the grime holding them down. Despite wishing for some sound, anything aside from barely audible mechanical whirring and his own breathing, there was nothing to fill the space. The only gospel he knew was meant to be sung standing, not knelt before someone.
He has survived worse. He will endure the horrid silence until they have been cleaned.
At least repetitive tasks let the mind be at rest. It was quick for Gabriel to fall into a rhythm. Pushing and pushing, cautiously scraping until most of the grime had fallen to the ground below. Allowing him access to the backed up joint.
It was tougher to clean than the outside, crevices hanging onto everything he loosened. Though soon it would clear. Soon V1 would be able to move one foot again. Something worth the ever growing ache in both of his hands.
Eventually the last of it gave way, falling to the ground with too little ceremony for how stubborn it was. All that was left of this foot was to wash it.
There was.. no water directly nearby. Gabriel would have to leave them vulnerable to get it. The fact they were in an enclosed space, boarded for security, went ignored.
Hesitantly, Gabriel brought his hand up again. Stalling. Checking their foot once more to make sure nothing large was missed. There really was nothing he could see.
“V1.” Finally breaking the silence that had loomed over them from the instant Gabriel sank to his knees. V1 was already looking at him – it had been this whole time – there was no need to get its attention, and still, he continued. “I have to fetch water. Will you be secure enough unable to walk?”
As soon as he said it, Gabriel realized how utterly ridiculous it sounded. Still, V1 nodded. And with much less amusement than feared, pointed to the shotgun residing in their wing.
“Good.” Gabriel was still holding onto their foot.
Eventually he rose. Setting V1's foot back on solid ground, followed by a loud pop of his knees. How merciful is it that his companion cannot speak.
The echos of his footsteps leaving rang out, even after Gabriel had left V1 alone in this room.