Work Text:
wireless mouse
Mecha focused intently on the task at hand.
With a drill in one hand and wood filler in the other, he made precise but swift work of repairing a shelf inside their warehouse home. Every so often his hand would jerk, tremors still rife within his frame, but he remained focused nonetheless.
"Little brother, I do wish you would play with more caution…" Mecha murmured to himself as he worked, recalling how Silver had caused the shelf to fall after landing on it at an awkward angle. That wish only grew when Mecha started to become overstimulated by the loud noise of the drill.
Over the whirring of the tool, Mecha heard something - something small, but with his hypervigilance he managed to pick it up. At first, he dismissed it, putting it down to movement of an Egg Pawn elsewhere in their home. It kept coming back, though, distracting him eventually. He drew his gaze away from the shelf and looked around, making use of his infrared vision just in case - nothing of note. That was until he looked down.
A tiny organic lifeform - utterly harmless. If he so desired, he could take it in his hands and crush it, killing it instantly. He could list a thousand ways to destroy it if he wanted to.
But times changed. As did hearts.
Standing in front of the creature, he slowly knelt down, meeting its frightened eyes with curiosity at first. But the longer he looked down at it, the softer his gaze became.
Oh.
"You are injured."
The creature, a miniscule Micky, stared up at him. It was a small rodent with silver-grey fur, round pink ears, and a pointy nose that twitched. The smell of metal seemed offputting to it, but it was equally as curious about him as he was about it.
"It is alright." Mecha said quietly. He gingerly reached out to the little mouse and brushed a finger over its side. It flinched away in surprise and Mecha withdrew, feeling a pang of compassion. Was it injured or just frightened? Mecha quickly assessed the situation - he was huge, made of metal, and his engine was probably loud to the animal.
Mecha had to recognize that he was a machine, of course, and act accordingly. It was only natural for a little thing like this to be nervous.
"I will not harm you. Your fear is understandable due to my size and build in comparison with yours, but I ask that you trust I have good intentions. Why have you approached me?"
It, of course, did not respond. It only continued to stare at him, unsure but clearly wanting something from him. Its coat colour and confidence reminded him of his little brother, Silver.
Mecha put down the power drill in his other hand, now bringing it around to gently scoop up the mouse in both hands. It nestled down into his palms for security, letting him inspect it closely - and there, he saw the problem.
Its leg was scratched and looked infected. How had this happened? Regardless, that wouldn't do, for the animal was likely suffering. He walked carefully to the bathroom, planting each foot as gingerly as possible. Then, Mecha set the mouse down on the bathroom sink and leaned down to be at optic level with it.
"I promise I am not going to injure you. But you are very small, and I am, by contrast, very big. I ask that you please stay where I can see you."
The Micky sat there quietly. As it did, it watched Mecha closely, ears flicking forward and whiskers twitching with refreshed curiosity. Mecha glanced back to it and noticed its softer backline, signalling openness. That was better already.
"In Micky fancier terms, you are a dove satin colour. It is most interesting. Most members of your species are standard grey." Mecha mused as he rummaged through the cupboard beneath the sink.
He found a small bottle of topical disinfectant, left behind by the warehouse's previous human tenants, and quickly scanned the ingredients to check that nothing would be toxic to the little animal. Once satisfied, he opened it and carefully tipped some of the liquid onto a piece of cotton he had found.
"This might cause you pain, but it will be brief. I ask you to trust once more that I have good intentions in doing this." Mecha told the mouse gently.
It waited patiently.
Mecha's hand shook as he restrained his strength. He knew one tiny slip could crush and harm this living creature. Perhaps having little brothers had been training for this. The universe, maybe, lending him a hand, for once. Slowly, he reached over and, stalling his engine to limit his shakiness a bit more, he dabbed the damp cotton onto the mouse's injured leg. It squeaked in surprise and pain for a second, but true to the robot's word, the sting quickly wore off.
"I apologize."
Mecha then took out a strip of cohesive bandage from the first aid kit.
"Your wound requires protection. Without protection, it could face further exacerbation. May I proceed?"
The mouse didn't complain. Not that it could, really. It was a mouse.
Now, this was a real test of his restraint. It was a feat that even a trained human wouldn't be able to do easily. With the mouse sitting up on its hind legs, Mecha took the bandage between his forefinger and thumb and, very carefully and with robotic precision, wrapped it around the injured forelimb. He scanned it quickly, checking that it wouldn't cut off the blood flow to the limb by being too tight.
It was just about right. Not perfect, but it would suffice.
The robot observed the creature closely, watching for signs of pain or discomfort. Its telltale signs of pain dissipated - orbital tightening slowly reduced, its whiskers relaxed, and its ears perked forward once more.
"That will do. Now, accompany me. We will make a short journey."
Mecha gently scooped the animal into his hands once more and ventured out to the "kitchen" - the old break room that the humans would have once used. Once inside, he placed it down on a tea towel on the countertop. He tilted his head as the mouse scuttled down onto the soft fleece, watching as the tiny creature turned around to groom itself. It sneezed, scaring itself for a second.
"Bless you." Mecha said, tilting his head the other way. "Do you require sustenance?"
The mouse stared up at him, eyes bright.
Mecha nodded, looking to the strawberry plant on the windowsill. "I see. Allow me to inspect what "food" items I have in my possession. "One garden strawberry contains 1.11 grams of protein, 12.7 grams of carbohydrates, 3.30 grams of dietary fiber, 27 milligrams of calcium, 0.68 milligrams of iron, 22 milligrams of magnesium, 40 milligrams of phosphorus-"
The Micky reached up and touched a leaf. It gave way just a tiny fraction under the subtle touch.
"A Micky requires 5 grams of calcium, 35 milligrams of iron-"
It took a nibble from the leaf. A strawberry would do, apparently. Mecha gave a nod and picked a berry from the plant, then gently handed it to the little rodent. It took it between its hands and started to tuck in. Mecha watched for a while, content, and curious about the little organic thing.
Why had it chosen him?
Mecha had heard once that animals could "sense" good people. Maybe this was a sign from the universe, or something akin to that, reminding him of his newfound place in the world. That's what Silver would probably have said, what with his affinity for astrology. Mecha cared little for such ideas, but things like this gave some nuance to the concept from time to time.
"Your diet should consist of 20% fruits and vegetables, and 75% fortified pellets. I must acquire the correct diet for you if you are to recover."
With the mouse temporarily happy, he turned his attention to his surroundings, looking around calmly. The other plants (which were steadily making their way out of his own room) were an assortment of both tropical and desert, were healthy and happy - he had his computer brain to thank for that, for he could research their precise needs in just a few seconds. Wait, that Philodendron was toxic to Mickies - Mecha quickly moved to lift the pot and placed it on a shelf to keep it out of his new friend's reach.
Mecha could just hear Silver's comments on his plants from the other day.
"Soon you will have national park designation and the government won't be able to tax you. You are literally getting to the bottom of tax evasion."
"We already commit tax evasion every day. We do not pay taxes." Mecha had replied.
The mouse finished its strawberry and scampered up to Mecha. It placed a little hand on his arm and sniffed to get his attention.
Mecha went to turn around suddenly looked down in alarm. "I instructed you to exercise caution around me."
The mouse tried to climb up his arm, but his shiny armour was too slippery. It slid back down with a soft plop.
"Are you seeking interaction?" Mecha asked. He gently leaned down to present his hand to the rodent, who climbed on and sat there looking at him. Slowly and carefully, he sat down on the floor and held his hand in front of his face.
"You must be careful," Mecha said gently, "for I am not harmless. I have attempted to commit murder. I have caused unspeakable devastation. I have stolen something precious that was not my own.""
A being like this could not judge him for his misdeeds. It was purely innocent. There was something especially precious, worth protecting, in this. Mecha immediately felt closer to this animal than he had expected to, for its fear was not of him for who he was - just the very basics. A blank slate.
The mouse reached out and held his nose in its hands. It gave it a light test nibble. Nope, not edible. Mecha gently took one hand away to offer it another strawberry, which it took and began to devour.
"I see that you do not judge me for my past. However, you should be aware of this: I could hurt you. I could kill you. And I do not desire that. I wish to protect you and creatures like you from being hurt. Life, although it may have brought me and my brothers anguish, is dear to me, and I shall defend it..."
Mecha had not realized that she had been spacing out whilst speaking. When she came to, the sight before her rammed her right back into reality with a bang.
The mouse in her hand, covered in blood.
Mecha froze. Her engine stalled and cooling fans went into overdrive, sending her internals into a cold freeze.
"I..."
"I killed you."
The animal was still, curled up in his palm, satin fur stained deep red.
"I... killed you. I am sorry."
The machine sat in silence. The tiny being that had trusted him with its life was gone, just like that. In just a few seconds. The pain and horror of witnessing her raw strength take a little life without even wanting to was more than she could bear.
What if she did the same to her brothers one day?
Panic set in. She couldn't live like this. Couldn't exist like this. She wasn't meant for this soft world. Her trembling fingers slowly closed around the animal, and she held it to her chest plate as if terrified to lose it.
"You died. I am sorry. I am sorry. Forgive me. Forgive me."
A little nose poked out between the gaps in her fingers. Mecha drew her knees up to her chin and made herself small, feeling much too big and powerful for the space she was in, turning inward into her despair. The nose sniffed and sniffed and she continued to lack awareness, unable to feel the small pressure on her hands from its feet moving. It wasn't until the creature squeaked several times for freedom that Mecha realized what was happening.
It was alive?
Mecha opened her palm in surprise, hand shaking uncontrollably, to find that the rodent was indeed alive. It began to lick at her fingers, lapping up the red liquid now coated across them. Mecha stared on in disbelief when suddenly it hit her.
The blood was just strawberry juice. Slowly, his trembling subsided and gave way to relief. He felt warmth return to his internals almost immediately after.
"You frightened me. I apologize. I believed I had... hurt you."
None the wiser, the mouse finished its meal and curled up in his palm.
"Thank you. You have shown me that I am capable of restraint in ways I had not previously known. I believe... this is useful information."
With this in mind, he wandered back onto the main floor, where he sat down on the sofa. He laid down on his side and let the mouse nestle into his palm further. With the light of the TV screen protecting him, he curled up and tried to relax. The emotional rollercoaster had drained her quickly-
Wait, that wasn't right. Mecha paused, remembering that organics needed warmth to survive. He reached over to the blue blanket that was folded on the sofa and pulled it over himself and the little mouse. Neo had left it there - he appreciated the sensory input, he said. Silver had teased him for it. The mouse snuggled closer to Mecha, enjoying the security that this big metal creature provided it. The warmth from Mecha's engine and the blanket combined provided the perfect safe haven for a prey creature like itself.
Silver and Neo returned home a few minutes later.
"Hey, M?" Silver called out across the main floor, looking around for him. "We're back! You okay?"
Neo nudged Silver and pointed to the sofa, where they both spotted Mecha curled up under a blanket. Strange. Mecha hardly ever did that out here. They quietly approached and knelt down in front of him, finding him in sleep mode. What was stranger was the presence of an organic lifeform close by him, which set off both of their scanners.
Neo carefully lifted the corner of the blanket to find a mouse beneath it. It spun around to stare at them in alarm, wide-eyed and nervous at the sudden disturbance. It puffed up its coat at once and wagged its tail rapidly, a sign of aggression. When the robots didn't back off, it started chattering its teeth at them angrily. It didn't recognize them.
"Feisty. Where did Mecha find this little dude?" Silver whispered to Neo, baffled but amused at the same time.
Neo shrugged a shoulder in reply and signed, "it reminds me of you."
"Hey. That's a low blow to compare me to a rodent. Erm, should we ask if something happened?" Silver asked carefully. "I'm kinda worried."
Neo gently reached out and took Mecha's hand in his. "Brother, wake up."
Mecha didn't. He stayed fast asleep, for once. Also odd. Usually a simple step in her direction would startle the robot awake.
Silver sighed softly. "She probably wore herself out after an episode or something. Should we let her be for now? I mean, she's got this little guy 'protecting' her, I guess. We can ask later."
The mouse protecting Mecha latched on to Neo's hand and tried to bite it. Its teeth met metal and it nibbled, unfazed by the tough armour coating. Silver snickered and prized the rodent off of him and placed it back down by Mecha. Neo took the corner of the blanket and tucked it back in. Neo heard the rodent give a slight huff as it settled down.
"Definitely you." Neo pushed, signing with conviction.
"It is not, unless you mean in the cute and adorable way." Silver argued in a whisper, frowning.
"Is too, and no." Neo retorted, a smirk in his optics.
"Whatever. Hey, we've never had a pet before, have we?"
Neo shrugged a shoulder and signed, "our family was never big on pets. Or affection."
They fell quiet, watching over the unlikely pair with an equal amount of fondness.
Silver folded his arms. "Maybe this is something we should look into. I mean, he's never bonded with organics like this before. He's always been closer to, like, books, machinery, non-living things."
"Things that don't hurt." Neo signed, becoming more serious.
Silver was quiet for a moment. "If it dies, he's not gonna take it well, I think."
"So we have a pet now." Neo signed decisively.
Silver lightly tapped his fingertips against his arms. "I guess so. How hard can it be? You've stopped me from exploding more than once, so, just do that but times a million."
"So, you but small."
"Again, whatever. I think we should name it Wireless. As in, wireless mouse. On account of it not having a wire coming out of its-"
"That's bad." Neo signed back with a squint.
"It's called humour, princess. Look it up."
Mecha unexpectedly spoke up from below. "I am attempting to remain in sleep mode. Converse elsewhere."
"Oh! M, can we name it Wireless Mouse?" Silver pleaded, crouching down to his brother's level.
Mecha shifted slightly to get more comfortable, holding his little friend closer. "If you allow me and my companion to complete one full sleep cycle, we may."
Silver grinned and prodded Neo in the knee. "In your face. Or, knee."
Neo's optics brightened despite the prodding. To see Mecha calm, and not jumping out of her frame at the disturbance, was new and very welcome. To see his brother feel safe was worth anything in the world.
"Welcome to the family, Wireless. Protect our brother in our absences, and we will protect you with our lives in turn. That is a promise."
And under hedgehog-series protection, even a being as small as this could prosper if they simply decided it was worth it. For their brother's sake, anything was worth it. For an innocent living being's sake, anything was worth it.