Chapter Text
It all started one unfortunate evening.
Moon had been spending several nights away from home working on projects with Solar.
Sun being home alone wasn't anything new, but Moon began to feel guilty when he thought about it one night and decided to call it in early so that he could spend some time with his brother, whom he'd been missing as well.
When he pulled up a portal back home, Moon was surprised not to see Sun up in the living room, either watching TV or playing video games, but he figured that maybe he was up in his room after a rough work day.
As the nighttime bot crept up the stairs, he started to hear the muffled laughter and shouts of his brother in his room. It didn't register as anything unusual at first, him knowing Sun to be a rather loud bot in general, but the closer he got, the more the sounds continued until there was an extra loud squeal.
"SUN!?!"
Moon burst through Sun's door, and what he saw had his systems almost self-rebooting just to process what he was looking at.
To his horror and then disgust, his eyes first went to the large, half-naked body of Blood Moon, who was hunched over Sun.
At first, Moon thought that he was being attacked until he noticed Sun's arms wrapped around his neck, and his legs wrapped around his torso, as the two broke from their makeout just in time for the brothers to lock eyes.
"Moon!? Wha-what are you-?"
Sun scrabbled to grab something to hide himself with as he felt utterly exposed under Moon's glare. Blood Moon, noticing his panic, huddled down closer to him, shielding his mate while maintaining eye contact with Moon and growling.
"Blood, wait, it's okay! M-Moon, please, I can explain! Ju-just give us a minute, please!!"
Sun managed to wiggle himself out from Blood Moon's protective stance while pulling out a throw blanket to cover himself with and stepping in front of their (former??) enemy. When he moved to place a hand on Moon's arm to try and usher him out the door, the contact was what finally snapped the stunned, silent bot back into the present moment.
"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE!??!" Moon swatted Sun's hand away, frightening him into stumbling backwards, and the act caused Blood Moon to jump forward to his defense.
The two began fighting, making Sun shout at a volume that had Solar rushing in as well. With his help, they were able to separate the two lunar bots, and Solar had to drag Moon out to keep them from going at it again.
The night ended with a long family discussion in which Sun revealed that he and Blood Moon had been seeing each other for some time.
What started as Sun's attempt to reform the former villain turned into something deeper the more time they spent together, and the more Blood Moon changed from the single-minded murderer into someone who enjoyed the new life he was living in secret with Sun.
To Moon's surprise, even the ghost child Dazzle had known about Blood Moon's presence in her favorite caretaker's life, but they had decided not to bring up his role in her murder, feeling that neither of them might be ready to talk about it just yet. Blood Moon did want to assert that he means her no harm and feels genuine remorse for his and his late brother's part in the massacre.
The family meeting went on well into the morning with Moon still unhappy. The two brothers were both stubbornly holding their ground on the matter of whether the deadly bot could be trusted, with Sun insisting that if Blood Moon had wanted to try anything on the family, then he had more than enough chances before the night they were finally discovered together.
Solar, being the calm and collected peacekeeper that he is, was able to get the two to agree to drop their arguing for the time being, so that they could focus on work, the children, and the other threats still plaguing their lives. And that's where things settled for Sun and Moon. At least for the time being.
The weeks went on as the family adjusted to a new normal, now including their former enemy, who no longer had a reason to hide his presence at home or at work.
For a while, Moon insisted on the pair always having a chaperone with them, with himself generally being the one volunteering for the job, until he was finally forced into letting up with Sun agreeing to a "mental evaluation" with Earth to make sure that he wasn't suffering some Stockholm syndrome or mind manipulation.
With her approval and her vouching for Sun's autonomy as an adult capable of making decisions for his own love life, Moon was forced to drop his overbearing behavior and accept Blood Moon as a new part of their lives.
As the Celestials adjusted to their new normal, things appeared to improve between the brothers. For a few weeks, Moon appeared to be tolerating Blood Moon more, even including Blood Moon as a target for his teasing, yet Sun seemed less than thrilled by this development. Tolerance isn't acceptance, and the cracks within their fragile peace finally burst open one early morning.
Sun was in the kitchen getting everyone's breakfast ready with a groggy Solar at the table sipping his coffee and trying to wake up.
"Morning, brother..." Moon grumbled as he entered and sat sat next to Solar who handed him a coffee.
"Hi Moon! What would you like for breakfast? I've got eggs and pancakes cooking or I can make you a breakfast burrito?"
"Eggs and pancakes sounds amazing! We got any bacon?"
"Of course! You know much Bloody loves his burritos extra meaty!" Sun smiled. He plated the two their breakfast and slid it over to them.
"Where is Big Red anyways? Out hunting?"
"No, he said he wanted to take the weekend to do a solo hunting trip for his big restock. He's been really looking forward to getting out in nature. I'm a little jealous, but he needs this time to let loose."
"Let loose!??" Moon nearly choked on his big mouthful of food. "Are you out of your mind?! What if he runs into some people out there? Do you really think it's a good idea to let that thing go off leash!?"
"Off leash?? What are you..? No! I would never-! Blood said that he's done eating people and he hasn't given me any reason to not trust him." Sun's rays twitched but he kept his composure. He turned off the stove and began angrily packing up some of the food to take with him to work.
"Sun, calm down. I'm just trying to be realistic with your 'reformed Blood Moon' project. Look, Solar and I've even made up some plans for a correction device, just until we're sure that his hunger is under control..." Moon pulls out from his chest cavity some schematic drawings of what looked like a shock collar.
At this point Solar stood up and was saying something about the design, probably explaining how it works to Sun, but none of his words registered in his mind. He was far too upset to give him or his brother any mind as his only thought was to get rid of that offensive blueprint before Bloody could see it.
"Sunrise? Have you finished your morning preparations yet? Blood Moon came to a pause when he entered the room. He immediately picked up on the heavy atmosphere by the clear distress plaguing his mate and he quickly went to his side to try and soothe him. "Sun, speak to me, what is causing you such distress?" He scanned the room untill his eyes landed on the papers in Moon's hand. The crimson bot visibly bristled and he started to back away from the others.
"Bloody, wait! It's not what it looks like! Moon is just...he was just playing another cruel joke..." Sun spoke in a soothing tone and gently takes one of Blood Moon's hands to reassure him. The look they share suggests that there was a lot that was spoken between them before and that they would be having another conversation about it privately. He then handed Blood his bag and kissed him on the cheek. "Go on ahead of me. I'll catch up. I just need to have a word with these two and then I'll join you."
Blood Moon only nodded then left to the awaiting portal that was just outside of the house.
"So, I take it as a no to the shock collar?"
"What the hell is wrong with you, Moon!?"
Solar held up his hands, looking caught between guilt and logic. "Sun, look, it’s just a prototype. We thought if he had a fail-safe, everyone, including Moon, would feel more comfortable with him being around the family."
"He is not a 'danger' to be managed! He is a person!" Sun’s rays began to spin at a dizzying, frantic speed. "You two don't get it. You’ve been 'joking' for weeks, comparing him to all kinds of wild animals, acting like he doesn't have any thoughts or feelings of his own, and now this?!" Sun snatched the papers from Moon's hands and shredded it to small pieces.
"Sun, you're being a bit dramatic. This is Blood Moon we're talking about. I'm sure he'll be fine!"
"No, Moon! I'm not being dramatic! I'm telling you that you've been completely insensitive to my partner. Someone who I hoped you would see as family some day but maybe I was being too wishful!"
"Come on now. You're being ridiculous here! He. Is. A. Killer! There's no 'being insensitive' with killers, Sun!"
"Enough! Both of you!" Solar's voice cut through the two's argument and he put himself in between them as a physical barrier. "This fight is going nowhere! You two need to cool off before one of you says something you'll regret!"
"Fine! I need to get to work anyways!" Sun huffed, turning himself to exit out to the portal. "I need to go make sure Blood is okay... "
Sun left, slamming the front door behind him. Solar's rays hung low and he looked at Moon.
"We-uh... We really messed up here, didn't we?"
"He'll come around... I'll talk to him about it later. We can't afford another July 16th incident. He should know that more than anyone..."
"We might've gone too far with this, Moon. We made a shock collar for his boyfriend. We really couldn't have done anything more dehumanizing..."
"It's Blood Moon, Solar! Am I the only one who remembers how much trouble he's given usin the past? Especially for Sun??"
"Yeah, well, if Sun's sure about them then there's nothing more we can really say about it." Solar patted Moon on the back and headed for the kitchen. "Come on, we can decide on how to apologize while we clean up."
The two cleaned up, with Solar taking extra time to try and get it as close to Sun's cleanliness standard as he could, and they continued their day as usual. As the time grew closer to when the daycare's closing time, the two grew more anxious for the upcoming conversation.
Moon couldn't help but check the security feed from time to time just to check in and make sure that Sun wasn't still too angry with him.
"You gonna keep creeping on him or are you gonna man up and apologize?"
"Sol-!" Moon quickly minimized the window on his computer and turned to his friend. "I uh was just checking up on him...he seems back to normal... maybe, I should just leave it-"
"Nope! Nu-uh! You're not getting out of this! Neither of us are. Now, go ahead and get back home. They should be finishing up by now and we should all be home for for this talk."
"Ugh, fine! You're such a nag, you know that?" Moon typed in a command on his computer and was shortly teleported home.
Solar was about to follow him but he couldn't deny that he was curious as well to know what kind of mood to expect from the couple before they could all meet up again. He quietly looked around and then reopened the camera feed for the daycare and saw that Sun and Blood Moon were sitting at the front desk chatting.
A part of him knew that he should close the window now and not intrude, but another part of him noticed the somber body language of the two sitting together and before he knew it his fingers were typing up commands to pull up any better audio feed he could find.
"I think... we should start looking at places..."
Blood Moon's eyes widened. He scooted closer and pulled Sun to lean on him.
"Sun..." His voice was deep, a low rumble that sounded much softer than Solar had ever heard from the carnivorous bot. "This is your home. You belong with your family... We... I am the intruder. You should not lose out on that just because of our... affliction."
"You are my family, Blood," Sun snapped, though there was more sadness than heat in it. "I thought if I gave them time, they’d see what I see. I thought they’d see the person who's never judged me for being too loud or feminine, or annoying. The person who stays with me everyday after work no matter how long I take to get this place looking just right, and makes sure that I'm safe and don't over work myself...but they don't... I can't keep asking you to act like it okay when it's not."
There was a long pause. Solar sagged in his seat feeling even worse about his treatment of the pair. His hand hovered over the mouse considering if he should keep listening.
"Maybe we can look at some of Old Moon's bunkers when you get back? I know it makes you uncomfortable to be around too many people so I was thinking about something more hidden and where you can hunt nearby."
"They will hate us more if we take you away. Moon-man already hates us...me." Blood Moon whispered.
"He can think whatever they want to think once we're finally out of that place." Sun cupped his face and pressed a soft kiss on his lips.
Solar closed the camera feed and stood up. He stepped back from the computer, his vents huffing as he tried to process what he’d just heard. He booked it for the portal and arrived to see Moon lounging in the living room and pouring cereal directly into his mouth.
"Moon!" Solar shouted, stomping his foot down to get the other's attention. "Get up! We’re not just apologizing with words, we have to think of something big, right now!"
Moon looked up, startled, with some of his cereal dropping around his face. "What!? Did you talk to him?"
"No," Solar said, his optics wide with panic. "I heard him and Blood talking. He wants to leave, Moon, they're already talking about picking out a new place."
"WHAT!!?" Moon stood up fully, not caring for his spilled snack. His eyes darted in every direction, trying to make sense everything and his fans picked up speed before he let out a snarl. "It's because of that freak! Did he put Sunny up to this?!"
"No, Moon! Blood Moon was trying to talk him out of it! Sun is the one done with us! I'm being serious when I tell you that we screwed up! If you can't find a way to make nice with Blood Moon and show Sun that he can be welcomed here, then we might just risk losing him for good."
That statement shattered Moon. His mind raced with memories from the day he woke up, his daily routine, and to the present. Sun has always been there with him.
"We're Sun and Moon. We always win!"
"No... Solar, I can't lose Sun! What-" Moon fell back to the couch and covered his face with his hands. "Tell me what I need to do to make it right?"
"Well, unfortunately we can't just apologize now," Solar spoke while stepping around the food mess to crouched down in front of his friend. "We’ve spent weeks treating Blood like another one of Sun's pets instead of his partner... If we want Sun to stay, we have to prove we see Blood Moon as a person. An equal member of the family."
Moon looked up with a raised eyebrow. "So... What do you suggest? Should I buy him a 'World's Best Brother-in-Law' mug, stuff it full of fine deli meats and call it good?"
"No," Solar countered with an unamused look before a spark of an idea lit up his optics. "You, Moon, will be taking the weekend off to spend some quality time with Blood Moon on his hunting trip. You two are going to use this time to get to know each other and bond as in laws."
Moon's body practically rattled. "You want me to go into the dark woods with a cannibal!? Solar, you can't expect me to survive a whole weekend with him! Besides, what about you? Shouldn't you be there with me?"
"Nope, you're the brother here, Moon. It's your approval that matters the most to Sun. Also...someone needs to be here keeping an eye on things. Maybe I can try to get Sun to reconsider things by grovelling while I'm at it."
Moon stood motionless for a good couple of minutes thinking over the plan and Solar's words. He was right (as usual.) Moon had been the biggest jerk and loudest contestant to Sun's choice in a partner. If there was any hope for setting things right, then he would have to start putting in a great effort with his repentance.
"The portal," Moon said suddenly, his voice cracking. "Maybe I can offer up the portal to us somewhere nice for the trip. Somewhere in the deep woods where you and Sun can keep tabs on us in case things don't go... amicably. We can make sure it's somewhere with no hikers or campers. Just... nature."
"Now you’re thinking like a great brother!" Solar gave Moon a smile full of relief and pride. The two of them received a ping from the home's perimeter alarm system letting them know that there was movement at the front of the house. "Come on, I think the lovebirds just got home. Ready to become 'Nice Moon' for the weekend?"
Moon sighed. He rubbed his face in a furious motion and took in a deep breath, turning to face the front entryway with a huge smile that didn't look all too comfortable. "Ready!"
The two of them found Sun and Blood Moon just a few places in front of the front door. The air instantly became thick with tension the moment they opened the door and saw them standing with their hands held in mutual support. Sun’s rays flared up before falling down as he looked up at his brother and Solar. He looked like he was internally readying himself for another fight, and his hand squeezed Blood Moon's even more.
Moon stepped forward first. He cleared his throat, his servos whirring nervously. "Sun. I... Solar and I have been talking..."
Sun’s optics narrowed. "If this is about the collar again-!"
"It's not," Moon interrupted, holding up his hands. "It’s about our... mostly my behavior for these last couple of weeks... I'm sorry, Sun. I've been an awful brother to you and I want to make it up to you!" Moon turned his gaze to the red animatronic. He still felt a prickle of unease, but he forced himself to maintain a neutral, if not friendly, expression. "I have the coordinates to a restricted forest preserve. It’s wild, it’s beautiful, and there isn't any human life around for miles. I’ll... I’ll pull up a portal for your trip."
Sun’s rays gave a small, hopeful twitch. "R-really?"
"Yeah," Moon said, then let out a heavy sigh, looking like he was almost about to gag at his words. "And I would love to join you on this outing to, uh... help..bond! Or whatever..."
Sun’s eyes narrowed with disbelief. He looked over at Solar who shot him a thumbs up and then he looked back at his brother with hopeful confusion. "You mean it?? You and Blood Moon? Together?"
"A whole weekend," Solar chimed in, leaning against Moon, who was back to stretching his face with his over exaggerated smile. "Just the two lunar bots. I’ll stay here to keep an eye on things that way these two can spend the weekend getting to know each other without worrying about us... As long as that's alright with you two?"
Solar could hear the creaking of metal as Moon slowly turned to give him a dirty look, but before he could come up with some sort of a snarky comment, Sun leaped forward, pulling Moon into a crushing hug that made him squeak.
"Thank you, Moon! Thank you! I knew you'd come around!! You won't regret this, I promise! He’s great, you’ll see!"
Over Sun’s shoulder, Moon made eye contact with Blood Moon. The crimson bot wasn't smiling. He looked at Moon with suspicion, but to his surprise, he gave a single nod of acknowledgement.
"Don't mention it, Sunny," Moon wheezed, patting Sun’s back. "You know I'd do anything for you..."
That night, Moon started preparing his gear for the challenge ahead. The tight knot in his chest eased just a little, comforted by the thought that he had at least gained a little extra time with Sun in his life.
As he looked at the various gadgets he was attempting to fit into his backpack, he realized that the hardest part was still to come. Rationally speaking, all he needed to do was be nice to the feral bot for a few days, maybe even less if Solar manages to work a miracle to get him out of it sooner. Still, he couldn't shake the feeling that Blood Moon may prove to be even more of an unreasonable beast without Sun around to placate him, and the long weekend ahead might be far more challenging than he may be prepared for.