Chapter Text
Watching robots try to be stealthy was an interesting experience for the human members of the band, especially when the robots were Rabbit, and Hatchworth.
Grinning a little, Michael Reed went up to the two, and waited patiently for their advanced circuitry to notice him.
“What’s going on?” He asked the two ‘bots, as they peeked around a pillar in the lobby of the Shady Oaks Retirement Village. Admittedly not their usual type of venue, but they couldn’t really afford to be picky.
“The S-Spine’s having some issues” Rabbit said, smirking and pointing to the silver automaton.
The Spine was standing stock still, and staring at an older woman who didn’t even come up to his shoulder. She was stretching up, and patting his face, and when Michael looked closely, he could see tiny tremors running through the Spine’s chassis.
“Is he going to be okay?”
“Yeah, he’s fine, just nervous.” Rabbit’s smile grew wider, and he ignored the buzz of ‘Rabbit help me’ that the Spine was sending over their wireless connection.
“If you’re sure…”
“I’m s-sure.” ‘Rabbit!’
‘Not now Spine, we need to finish packing up!’ Rabbit sent back, staying resolutely put to watch the Spine’s discomfort.
“Did ya need something Mr. Reed?” Rabbit asked, as Michael hadn’t left yet.
“I needed his help moving some stuff, but if he’s busy…”
Exchanging a look with Hatchworth, Rabbit turned, and saluted the one man band; “we’ll help you, I wouldn’t want ta interrupt.”
The Spine grumbled through the wireless as Rabbit left. He didn’t want to just leave; Mrs. Gable was being very polite, but every time she spoke to him she called him “son”, and it was causing tiny malfunctions that were making him nervous. No one called him son like that, so casually. Peter Walter I hadn’t even called the Walter ‘bots that, despite their affections for him.
“Are you alright there, son?” she asked, breaking his concentration. He nodded, jerkily, and she kept talking. “You did such a good job, I recognized all of those songs from when I was young!” Then she stretched up and patted his face gently.
The Spine’s photoreceptors widened perceptively as he felt her hand on his cheek. No one touched him as casually as that- just like no one called him ‘son’. After all, he was a seven foot tall silver robot, that would just be weird.
“I-I’m glad you enjoyed it ma’am” he said, stuttering like Rabbit.
“Are you sticking around for a while” she asked. “We have a sewing circle going on up stairs, and I’m sure the ladies would love to have you helping.” Her hand moved, she had been stretching to reach his face, and must have been getting tired, but she didn’t remove her hand from him completely, instead gently placing it on his arm.
The Spine knew how to do stitches; he had been upgraded with the ability during the First World War, and he hadn’t ever learned how to sew, but he nodded, brief error messages showing up, and then vanishing again.
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“Wait, where did the Spine go?”
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They found the Spine sitting awkwardly with a bunch of older ladies, stitching up teddy bears, photoreceptors slightly unfocused as the older ladies teased him, calling him ‘son’, and other endearments. He had a faint smile on his face.