Work Text:
While the finer details were beyond him, P knew that his heart was basically an extremely complicated clock. It was comprised of countless delicate gears and a specialized crystal oscillator that, with the power of the ergo flowing through him, kept all of his mechanisms properly synchronized. If he focused for a moment, he could usually hear the persistent ticking of the device, and the sound had become something comforting to listen to. As long as P could hear it, he knew he was alive. Well, as alive as a puppet could be, at least. Nevertheless, such a reminder was a blessing in a city that was constantly trying to kill you.
That is why it was extremely concerning when he realized that something in the device had changed. Due to the chaos of clearing the Grand Exhibition, meeting Simon Manus, and getting the injured Belle back to the Hotel safely, he hadn’t yet had the chance to slow down and take time to check himself over. It was only when P found himself sitting in the upstairs operating chair, waiting for Geppetto to finish tweaking his latest quartz-ergo inclusions, that he realized something was amiss.
The first sign was how P’s senses had improved again. Unfortunately, that meant the upgrade procedure felt much more intrusive than before. Change was a delicate subject, however; Geppetto hadn’t taken lightly to something as minor as P’s hair growing out, after all, and so he was hesitant to tell his father the extent of his progression. Even with his current pain, P didn’t want Geppetto to try and fix these “malfunctions.” The ability to taste the rain on his tongue, to enjoy the aroma of the various soaps in the Hotel’s baths, to feel the delicate softness of Spring’s fur as he pet her… he was captivated by it all. He didn’t want that to end now.
The main downside was, of course, that he could well and truly feel pain. And now, in order to take his mind off of the uncomfortable sensation of various needles poking around inside his chest, P turned his mind inwards. But when he searched for that familiar comfort of that rhythm from within…
Tick-tick… tick-tick… tick-tick…
“Hmm. Can you release some of the tension in your torso for me?” Geppetto said, “Everything seized up again, but I have one more crystal to inset. I just need to get to the last slot.”
“Yes, sir.” P replied automatically, although it was difficult to obey due to his rapidly increasing concern. His heart was stuttering for some reason, and he’d never even realized it. Had something inside him broken? When? How?
Tick-tick… tick-tick…
He had not experienced any major malfunctions lately, P reminded himself firmly. The ever-observant Gemini hadn’t detected anything strange about his ergo, either, and the little cricket was quick to scold him if he forgot to take care of himself. Additionally, at the start of the upgrading procedure, Geppetto had confirmed that P’s ergo flow controls and even the clock-heart itself were all in fine condition. So, whatever this was, it might not be disastrous. Probably. He really hoped not.
“You’re changing,” Sophia had said to him some time ago. “If this is what you want, just keep behaving... keep feeling like a human does.”
Was this just something else that humans experienced, then? Something that their hearts did naturally? He still knew so little about human anatomy in general, and now he desperately wanted to ask Sophia. And possibly Venigni, too, just in case. P wasn’t sure how much the man even new about the heart-clock’s construction, but he would rather consult the eccentric inventor first before daring to broach the topic with Geppetto.
Tick-tick… tick-tick…
Time must have gone awry again, for it seemed to take Geppetto far longer to complete the upgrades than usual. When his father finally finished, P all but leapt out of the chair; he was nearly out the door before he remembered to put his shirt and coat back on, so lost in thought he was.
At least it's still working, he thought, fiddling with his collar as he hurried towards the stairwell. Its cadence was different now, but it was still functioning properly, and it still had a clear rhythm that P could follow. The most important thing about it had not changed, either.
As long as that rhythm persisted, he was alive.