Maraich was in his apartment, as usual, watching his son. He had Matthias set up in a little chair to play with a variety of colorful toys. Nearby he was resting on the couch
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"Thank you. It's a good enough place for just the two of us," he accepted the compliments, noting how intent Astro seemed on giving them.
Maraich shut the door behind him, going back to his seat.
Matthias was too young to differentiate between human and robot, and perhaps he had seen too many odd people from different worlds, but all he could tell was that there was something different about Astro when compared to his mom. Astro caught his attention more as a stranger than as a robot. His play chair was a seat that was surrounded by a small table. On the table there were bright colorful toys that were attached - most of them clicked into a slot or were strapped down. The seat could turn around to face any part of the table. Matthias had already figured out which of the toys were loose. He tugged on an attachment in the shape of a smiling flower until it came off. Then he pushed and pushed until it fell off the other end of the table onto the ground, watching where it fell.
"Yup, that's him," Maraich confirmed it, tired but happy. The "go fetch" game of Matthias dropping things and expecting someone to pick them up had gone on long enough for him.
If there was one thing Astro loved about humans, it was human babies. They were so cute and innocent, and he loved playing with them. Stopping beside Matthias' chair, he giggled and waved, smiling. "Hi Matthias, my name is Astro." When the toy broke, Astro sprang into action as it were and went over to it, picking it back up. He turned it over in his hands for a moment or two, then returned to the babe and held it out to him. "Here, you dropped this."
Giggling, he looked at Maraich with a smile. "Oh, he's adorable~"
((OOC: Sorry my response is so belated 8D;; My nephew was over this weekend, and then Astro!muse left me for a while ^^; ))
Astro seemed like a cute kid, and polite enough. He was familiar enough with humanlike robots, so he didn't have too much trouble thinking of Astro as a little boy.
"I know. He is mine, after all," Maraich responded nonchalantly as Matthias took the toy back. He swung it a bit with one hand, with the end of the flower banging lightly on the table. For a brief moment he paused almost as if he was thinking about what to do with it. Then he leaned over as far as he could with his arm outstretched and let it drop again.
Maraich figured he'd interrupt before it went on too long, "Don't worry too much about it. He seems to think it's fun to drop stuff and get people to pick it up right now. I think it'd just a phase." At least he hoped it was. He stayed in place, figuring he would let Astro get around to what he wanted to talk about whenever he was comfortable.
He was halfway to getting it again when Maraich spoke, drawing his attention. Astro looked up at him and blinked, then chuckled faintly. "Oh. Okay." He smiled at Matthias before his expression did a 180. Staring at the ground, he sighed, his hands balling into slight fists at his side.
The reason for the change in his demeanor was obvious: He'd decided on finally discussing what he'd come to. He looked at the couch, gesturing at it slightly with one hand. "May I sit down?"
For now Matthias was satisfied. Even when the toy wasn't picked up, he went back to tugging on the other toys. They were more securely locked in, however, so he wasn't able to pull them out. A few of them played tunes of children's songs when their buttons were pressed, but they weren't too loud.
"Go ahead," he said reassuringly, patting the spot next to him gently. Astro's expressions were especially easy to read. It didn't take much to figure out what was probably on his mind.
Astro watched the boy for a few moments longer, a ghost of a smile passing through his manmade features. He then turned and walked over to the couch, putting his hands on the seat and pulling himself up onto it, turning around once he was there to sit down.
He rested his hands in his lap for only a moment before he laced them together, his thumbs twiddling nervously. He was staring at his feet the whole time.
"It..." Astro stammered for another word or so, then gave up and shook his head. "I don't really know where to begin..."
The young robot nodded slightly, then sighed. "His name is Atlas, and he really really hates humans..." Astro was silent for a moment or two before speaking again, spreading his hands in an almost-shrug. "I don't like it, but I think it's because of how some humans treat robots... And he wants me to join him, but I don't want to do it!" The sharp change in his voice was accompanied by his fists clenching again, before his hands relaxed and he looked up at his friend.
"When... when we were captured by him-- my classmates and I --I said I'd join him, just so he would let them go and not have them as hostages anymore..." Astro's head sank slightly and he was looking off again; his voice quieted as well. "I'm not proud of it... But he was doing mean things to them, and threatened to make them go away forever! I had to do something!..." His eyes closed and he shook his head. "I did get away, and we had a fight and I defeated him. But I don't want to do it again... I just want to stop fighting him..."
The situation had vaguely familiar overtones to it. He let Astro finish, and gave him a minute before he responded, soothing but firm, "Sometimes we don't want to fight but we have to. Sometimes we have to do a lot of things we don't want to, to keep people happy, or safe, or protect people we care about."
He placed a hand on Astro's shoulder, looking him in the eye. He couldn't find any way to whitewash the situation that wouldn't lead to disappointment later. His eyes were thoughtful, almost too understanding of the situation after growing up fighting and having many times he had wished he could stop. He added as little more resolutely, "That's why we have to stay strong. People count on us."
He listened in silence, letting it absorb into his mind. When Maraich touched him he looked up, staring at him. His eyebrows knit together slightly, giving him a little air of confusion, but his face cleared at the further addition from his friend and he nodded, looking off again.
"I know. It's kinda hard sometimes though..." Astro paused for a few moments, thinking over his words. He inhaled deeply, and released it in a sigh. "But I have to stay strong for my friends and family..." That was muttered softer than the rest, more to himself than anything else. Raising his head he watched Matthias again, sitting in silence.
He could tell Astro was still struggling, and he couldn't blame him.
"It's hard," he admitted, smiling just a bit to encourage him, "But you'll have me." He left his hand on Astro's shoulder, gently.
Matthias was going about his business as if nothing was going on. The toy he'd taken an interest in was on the opposite end of the table, so his back was facing them as he pressed the buttons to make the lights flash and music play.
Staring at, or rather past Matthias, and intent in his thoughts he jumped slightly at Maraich's touch, which so suddenly brought him from them. Blinking he turned his head, staring up at the man, before he broke into a smile.
The young Astro failed to pick up on the deeper meaning behind Maraich's tone, but even so he could tell it was meant in all seriousness. He stared up at him for a long, silent moment before he finally broke it by wrapping him up in a hug.
"Thank you~!" Astro tightened his arms slightly, careful not to squish his friend which, with his robotic strength, would be all to easy to do. "That means so much to me." Leaning back slightly, he looked up at him with a grateful smile.
He jumped a little as Astro suddenly hugged him, but settled down. When he loosened his grip on Maraich's arms, Maraich patted him on the head, speaking mostly to himself, "Cute kid." His eyes narrowed, not in anger but in a gentle gaze. Astro reminded him of certain other people that he considered innocent to the world. And he preferred to keep it that way if possible.
Maraich shut the door behind him, going back to his seat.
Matthias was too young to differentiate between human and robot, and perhaps he had seen too many odd people from different worlds, but all he could tell was that there was something different about Astro when compared to his mom. Astro caught his attention more as a stranger than as a robot. His play chair was a seat that was surrounded by a small table. On the table there were bright colorful toys that were attached - most of them clicked into a slot or were strapped down. The seat could turn around to face any part of the table.
Matthias had already figured out which of the toys were loose. He tugged on an attachment in the shape of a smiling flower until it came off. Then he pushed and pushed until it fell off the other end of the table onto the ground, watching where it fell.
"Yup, that's him," Maraich confirmed it, tired but happy. The "go fetch" game of Matthias dropping things and expecting someone to pick them up had gone on long enough for him.
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Giggling, he looked at Maraich with a smile. "Oh, he's adorable~"
((OOC: Sorry my response is so belated 8D;; My nephew was over this weekend, and then Astro!muse left me for a while ^^; ))
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"I know. He is mine, after all," Maraich responded nonchalantly as Matthias took the toy back. He swung it a bit with one hand, with the end of the flower banging lightly on the table. For a brief moment he paused almost as if he was thinking about what to do with it. Then he leaned over as far as he could with his arm outstretched and let it drop again.
Maraich figured he'd interrupt before it went on too long, "Don't worry too much about it. He seems to think it's fun to drop stuff and get people to pick it up right now. I think it'd just a phase."
At least he hoped it was. He stayed in place, figuring he would let Astro get around to what he wanted to talk about whenever he was comfortable.
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The reason for the change in his demeanor was obvious: He'd decided on finally discussing what he'd come to. He looked at the couch, gesturing at it slightly with one hand. "May I sit down?"
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"Go ahead," he said reassuringly, patting the spot next to him gently. Astro's expressions were especially easy to read. It didn't take much to figure out what was probably on his mind.
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He rested his hands in his lap for only a moment before he laced them together, his thumbs twiddling nervously. He was staring at his feet the whole time.
"It..." Astro stammered for another word or so, then gave up and shook his head. "I don't really know where to begin..."
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He didn't want to press him too hard. Giving him something to start with might help, though.
"You wanted to talk about that other robot, right?" he brushed his bangs back as he looked down at the boy.
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"When... when we were captured by him-- my classmates and I --I said I'd join him, just so he would let them go and not have them as hostages anymore..." Astro's head sank slightly and he was looking off again; his voice quieted as well. "I'm not proud of it... But he was doing mean things to them, and threatened to make them go away forever! I had to do something!..." His eyes closed and he shook his head. "I did get away, and we had a fight and I defeated him. But I don't want to do it again... I just want to stop fighting him..."
Reply
He placed a hand on Astro's shoulder, looking him in the eye. He couldn't find any way to whitewash the situation that wouldn't lead to disappointment later. His eyes were thoughtful, almost too understanding of the situation after growing up fighting and having many times he had wished he could stop.
He added as little more resolutely, "That's why we have to stay strong. People count on us."
Reply
"I know. It's kinda hard sometimes though..." Astro paused for a few moments, thinking over his words. He inhaled deeply, and released it in a sigh. "But I have to stay strong for my friends and family..." That was muttered softer than the rest, more to himself than anything else. Raising his head he watched Matthias again, sitting in silence.
Reply
"It's hard," he admitted, smiling just a bit to encourage him, "But you'll have me." He left his hand on Astro's shoulder, gently.
Matthias was going about his business as if nothing was going on. The toy he'd taken an interest in was on the opposite end of the table, so his back was facing them as he pressed the buttons to make the lights flash and music play.
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"R-really?"
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His tone was slightly defiant, almost as if he was telling someone that he wasn't going to die even if he was supposed to.
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"Thank you~!" Astro tightened his arms slightly, careful not to squish his friend which, with his robotic strength, would be all to easy to do. "That means so much to me." Leaning back slightly, he looked up at him with a grateful smile.
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His eyes narrowed, not in anger but in a gentle gaze. Astro reminded him of certain other people that he considered innocent to the world. And he preferred to keep it that way if possible.
"Is there anything else I can do for you?"
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