Chapter Text
The warehouse was huge! Filled with machinery and unfinished projects. Broken wires and sparks flaming randomly. There were cabinets filled with tools and tables stacked with blueprints. Mk could help but awed like he was in a museum. He walks over to a table, wanting to examine the blueprints.
“Don’t touch anything!” Red shouts from across the room. “We came here to get supplies, not sightseeing.”
“Chill out, Red! I was just taking a look.” Mk rolls their eyes.
“Sure you were” Red Son turns around.
“BOYO!” Red son shouts, starling Mk.
“BOYO, where are you?!”
A sudden shuffle thru things as something seems to run around. Mk quickly runs over to Red, scared. Red seemed relaxed. Suddenly a figure quickly appearing in front of them, making Mk lose his balance and fall. He looks up to see a bull clone bot. But this one was different, it was a lot smaller and had 4 arms. Its eyes seem to be glitching on and off. It also seems to be indifferent shades of purple. From light to dark scraps, around his body, poorly fixing any wounds. The bot extends all four of his arms to help up Mk. Mk picks the bottom ones and is pulled up. The bot then seems to be searching him, poking him, and looking around his body. Mk looks at Red Son for help.
“Don’t worry, she’s just taking a better look at you.” Red Son reassures them.
“She?” Mk questions.
“They go by all pronouns, they prefer it that way, like me.” Red Son responds, taking the bot off Mk’s shoulders.
“Boyo, I’m looking for some machinery that can help me build a large machine, mind help me find it?”
“Boyo!” The bot replies and runs off.
“Come on, this way.” Red Son signals Mk to follow him. Mk quickly follows beside him.
“What’s up with the bot?” Mk questions
“He’s one of my first inventions, he’s like the original bull clone bot. My parents don’t like tho, they wanted to get rid of it since it wasn’t perfect. So I hid him away in here, where they won’t find him.”
Mk smiles at Red Son
“Heh, I never took you as the rebellious type.”
“I’m not, I just hate it when my parents want to make me perfect.”
The little bot suddenly stops, so does Red and Mk. The bot’s head then starts spinning and its torso. It then stops and starts climbing a stack of machinery. Once at the top, about 10 feet off the ground, he bot screams its name.
“BOYO!”
“Great job, Boyo! You found it!”
The bot then processed to walk and falls of the tall structure. The bot then brakes, its pieces falling all around the place. Mk then tries to run over to help it but Red stops him.
“Hold on, she can do it.”
The bot then starts building its self back the way it was. Once its body was in place, it took its head and attacked it, but it was tilted.
“Boyo!”
Red then walks over and adjusts its head. Mk smiles at Red Son’s kindness to this small bot. He then remembers what Red said earlier and decides to ask.
“Hey uh, Red … can I ask you something?”
“Sure”
Mk looks away, embarrassed, kicking the ground.
“Earlier you said that Boyo uses all pronouns as you do… does that mean … you're… ya know?”
“Genderfluid? Ya, I am. At least I would like to be.” Red replies, drifting off on the last part.
“Why do you ask?” Red asks, with a threatening glare, making Mk want to choose his next words carefully.
“Oh just cause, I mean you kinda just threw it in there.” Mk mumbles.
“Do your parents know?”
“My father doesn’t like it, he finds it difficult. While my mother tries but tends to forget every once and a while.”
Red Son then walks over to the machinery.
“My parents try to make me like them, perfect. But I hate it. I hate that word. Every time I hear it, it makes my blood boil.” Red Son’s hair flames up at the last part. The bot walks over to Red and gently pulls on his coat. Mk starts to follow Boyo. Red then sighs and relaxes.
“Ya know, I’m also not perfect,” Mk admitted. Red Son then turns his head and looks at Mk in question.
“I’m trans!” Mk beams.
“Oh … so,” Red son questions. “You use they/them?”
“I use He/them but they/them is ok. Would you like me to call you she/him/them?
“That will make me happy.” Red Son says standing up, putting his hands in his pockets, “Guess we're both imperfections.” looking away bashful.
The bot beeps, and Red taps it's head.
“Imperfections?” Mk questions, not knowing if he should take it as a compliment or a joke.
“Ya, were imperfections, you, me and especially Boyo. That’s why I kept her. They aren’t perfect. He’s different. ” Red then stands up and walks over to the machinery. Mk stays with the bot, getting a look at him.
“Her programing is glitchy, the bottom left arm sticks and they're loud.” Boyo gives demonstrations of his flaws as Red lists them. Spinning his head when he talks about their programming, stretching his arm, and makes a loud sound. Mk laughs as the bot gives a show.
“Boyo had quirks and flaws but that’s why I like him!” Red Son then pats its head.
“Imperfections are what makes scientific experimentation possible, imperfections are beautiful!” Red announced, when suddenly, a spark plug becomes unplugged, making flashing color light behind Red.
“At least to me…” ~ Red looks at Mk, giving a warm smile. This Mk blush red. Red then chuckles along with the bot.
“Come on, these parts don’t make it to the ship themselves, I’ll call up Dragon- I mean Mei to tell Sandy to park the ship near the gate, so we can load them in.” Red Son then takes out his phone, he turns on his phone and Mk sees the lock screen photo, it’s Team Monkie Kid along with Red Son. Red then calls up Mei. Mk looks at Boyo and then back at Red Son.
“I’m so glad, I fell in love with you, Red,” Mk speaks.
“Oh hold on, Mei.” Red Son covers the phone. “I’m sorry I didn’t quite catch that, did you say something, Noodles?” Red son questions.
“Oh, nothing.” Mk smiles as Boyo giggles.
“Oh Ok?” Red then returns to calling Mei. Mk feels a light yank on his sweater. The bot then forms a heart shape with its hands, gesturing at Red. Mk giggles and nods, admitting to bot his feeling for Red.
“Boyo! Boyo!” The bot leaps up and down in happiness.
“Mind keeping it down back there?!” Red Son shouts. Red grabs a controller from the wall and presses it. The gate starts opening slowly.
“Alright, Boyo. We're heading out!” Red Son yells out.
Boyo then grabs Mk’s hand and pulls him over to Red Son. He puts him right next to Red Son. He then yanks Red son’s hand. The bot then points at her cheek.
“What is he doing?” Mk asks.
“Oh ya, every time I head out, I kiss him on their cheek. He likes it when I do that.”
Boyo then gestures at Mk.
“I think he wants you to do it too.”
Mk and Red lean down and a near inches from Boyo. As they’re about to kiss her, the bot suddenly ducks, making Mk and Red kiss each other. Both notice and both back away, embarrassed. Mk hides his face with his sweater. Red with his coat.
We kissed … WE KISSED! Mk thought to himself as he tried to calm himself down. He looked over at red, his hair was flaming up. Despite covering himself with his coat, he looked bright red.
Mei then walks in.
“We’re here!- Woah! Are you two ok? You guys are both red!” Mei asks, unaware of what just happened.
“I-It’s nothing! We’re ok!” Uh, it’s just uh… HOT in here.” Red Son yells. “Anyway, let’s get these scraps to the ship, heh.” Red Son quickly runs off.
“That was weird…” Mei comments “You ok, Mk? You look … distracted”
Mk's eyes are sparkling and he’s swaying back and forth. His cheeks are bright red and a big wide smile is shown across his face.
“Yup … never better~”