A Breath of Fresh Air [OPEN]

[Lurid]

It was so cold out… but then again, that was to be expected this time of year. Lurid looked up at the sky as she pressed against an old shoe to hide from the stinging wind, purring gently to herself as she waited for her significant other to join her. It would take a lot more than unpleasant weather to dampen Lurid’s spirits today—she and Mikey were up and about, preparing to spend their first moments outside in weeks; they were healthier, they were free from the factory, and they were alive. Her future had never felt so hopeful, what with Donnie back and them all safe and together again (though she couldn’t be sure where Donnie was at the moment). They still had to take it slow, just a little walk today to get some of their strength back, but the progress made Lurid so happy she felt like running. She pulled away from the shoe for a moment to look for Mikey, teetering a bit with poor balance thanks to her lack of arms. What was taking him? His lack of appearance was beginning to make her worry, but the x-skullbeast fought the emotion down. She wanted Mikey to be well enough for this. He had had it the worst between the two of them, and she wanted to see him keep improving.

“Mikey?” Lurid called softly, hesitantly, taking wobbling steps back towards the theatre they were staying at. “Are you okay?”

[Mike]

Mike

From within the Theater came a soft breath, two eyes peering through the crack in the door as the summoned creature hesitated. Dull red optics scanning the outside, silvery steel fangs parting to draw in the sting of the cold air beyond the door - Mike felt the tingling tension that had been building up inside himself for the past few weeks. He shivered briefly at the thought of taking a few steps outside, which had seemed an impossible feat when he'd first gained consciousness in the Theater after the nightmare of the Factory had ended.

"Here, I'm right here Lurid." He spoke in a soft tone as he stepped free of the interior of the building, allowing his lips to slide back down over his teeth to conceal them. He made his way over to the shape of the smaller, armless and skull-faced creature, reaching out a hand to rest it against her back. He cast a warm glance down at her unsteady shape, his chest briefly rumbling with an affectionate growl. "I'm fine, I'm just... still getting used to being on my feet. It looks like you are too, miss Wobbles."

Grinning, the half-machine slid his hand up to briefly trace his touch along the skull cheek of his companion before he allowed his gaze to explore the landscape further. "It's nice out here.. and LOOK! You can still see some snow over by the Southeast Shops."
His optics widened slightly, and it was apparent in his voice that he hadn't lost his childish delight, not even from the experiments he'd suffered as a labrat of the Fabricator. "Let's go see!"

[Lurid]

Mikey’s voice and appearance chased away all traces of worry Lurid had felt; she eagerly stumbled over to him, still struggling to keep herself upright. As they met and he greeted her with a touch to her back, she couldn’t help but burst into another loud purr, the closest thing to a smile she could give.

“You’re doing so much better, it makes me so happy,” she gushed, leaning forward to gently bump her face against his chest, but when he poked fun at her unsteady movements she pulled back to puff out her chest a bit.

“I think I’m doing really good! I haven’t walked on two legs in forever and this time I don’t even have arms or a tail!” She said all this quite cheerfully and proudly, as though not bothered with her crippled form at all.

At another gentle touch from Mikey, this time a hand tracing along her cheek, Lurid quieted and lost her bravado; she soon fell to heavy purring once more, bumping her muzzle into him to rub her teeth against his fabric in a grooming gesture. She turned to gaze out into the world as he started talking about it, leaning into him ever so slightly, and blinked as he pointed out the distant sight of snow.

… “There is!” She purred enthusiastically, picking up on Mikey’s delight; when he suggested they go take a look she jumped away from him, ready to tear towards it…

She’d forgotten she was in a clumsy body when she made that decision, however, and ends up falling on her face.

[Abbot [43]]

Abbot cursed silently, his frustration throbbing in his mind. The winds carried a sharp chill that was murder on his old body. The bandage wrapped around his fractured leg did little in the way of keeping out the cold that now chilled his inner workings.

His sharp taloned feet sunk into the sparse snow with a soft crunch. His bird-like legs folded a bit more than usual, allowing him better balance in the whipping winds. His eyes narrowed as he peered off in the distance. What was this?

There were two shapes he could vaguely make out. One appeared to be a relatively normal stitchpunk, while the other seemed...strange. Did it not have arms? His curiosity was tugging at him mercilessly. He sighed and began to venture slowly toward the pair f them, weariness in every step. His claws scraped at the rocks beneath the snow, his long, freshly sharpened talons glistening in the soft light.

He couldn't help but chuckle a bit as he drew nearer and saw the armless one fall on her face. He paused, though. He was unsure if these two were hostile or friendly, he figured they would wonder the same about him.

"Are you OK?" he called, his voice low and careful. He kept his distance, ready to make a break for it if needed - not that he'd be able to out run them.

[Mike]

Mike

Lurid seemed so happy, and it made him happy to see her so happy. Every gushed word - every purr - was enough to alight warm adoration in his chest. His lips rose up to reveal a large, toothy grin when Lurid puffed out her chest and let a bit of her old spunk shine through her worn appearance. "We'll get someone to build you arms as soon as we can, and a tail if you want it. For now you'll just have to stick to hopping and tap-dancing."

Mike watched Lurid affectionately as she continued to purr like a little motor, and he gave off soft hums and growls to harmonize the sound. The instant Lurid broke away and sprawled onto her front - in the haze of her excitement - Mike jerked and let out a worried yelp. He quickly reached down to cradle her small form into his arms, lifting her off the ground and looking her over for any sign of damage.
"... Maybe we should save the tap-dancing for later," he laughed softly, leaning in to nibble at her cheek. He flinched, however, the instant a new voice cut into the scene. His optics shrank and locked onto a figure in the distance, his fangs parting in a silent growl.

The newcomer's words had seemed harmless enough but... he was already fairly close. How long had he been standing there, watching them? Mike was aware of how weak he and Lurid were at the moment, and it made him anxious, especially since this newcomer had a less-than friendly design. Before he could stop himself, his limbs were out of his back, two of them curling close to Lurid's shape protectively as the other two rose up threateningly. When he spoke, his voice had a sharp, panicked edge to it. "Who are you?"

[Lurid]

“And a face!” Lurid had said eagerly when Mikey brought up adjustments. She meant changing her face to a stitchpunk face, or at least getting a bottom jaw for her new skull one, but she didn’t think about the fact that she needed to explain something like that. Instead she just purred away as they continued talking, even giving soft howls when he started harmonizing with her, until the moment she fell on her face with a soft ‘oomph!’. It didn’t really hurt, the fall, but Mikey’s alarmed cry and the way he scooped her up after made her a little nervous—she pressed against him silently as he looked her over.

As everything calmed down to lightnheartedness again, Lurid gave a giggle and another purr at Mikey’s joke. She leaned to bump her teeth against his lips in a kiss at his nibble, just enjoying his company, then suddenly paused, staring at him…. She looked down at herself, in his arms, then back up at him once more, her optics wide.
“You’re… HOLDING me! Oh Mikey you’re strong enough to hold me!” She almost let out a sob of happiness—here he’d been afraid to just walk and in reality he was strong enough to pick up a smaller adult stitchpunk! Even if she was light it was a big deal. She started rubbing her face against him as much as she could, laughing at the happy surprise, and purring louder than ever.
“I love you so much Mikey! I’m so happy!”

Then, suddenly, a stranger spoke. Lurid gave a jump with Mikey; she’d lost her sense of smell with the body switch and hadn’t thought to keep an eye out for danger while they were still so closed to the theatre. Wincing internally, she berated herself for letting her guard down, and it took a moment for her to realize the stranger hadn’t attacked. When she did so and allowed herself to hope they’d be okay, she looked over to take in the newcomer curiously, still in Mikey’s hold. The stitchpunk had strange, funny bird legs and clawed fingers that reminded her of old lost family members; the thought brought a surge of stale pain and affection and she couldn’t help but lower her guard and answer in an almost automatic way, “I’m fine, thanks for asking.”

MIKEY’S reaction, however, was much more hostile, and it threw Lurid off so much she went mute and curled close against him. She shivered a little at the edge of fear in his voice, glancing over at the other and wondering if he really was dangerous. She’d fallen for friendly fronts before, too easily. In a flurry of panic Lurid remembered how weak they were, and begged silently that the stitchpunk wouldn’t hurt them.

[Abbot [43]]

Abbot smiled as his tired eyes took in the sight of the lovers before him. It was nice to see that love could still exist in such a world where hatred seemed to rule. But the moment was shattered when he spoke after the female doll fell. He felt almost guilty for speaking; it had been such a lovely moment.

The female doll's words were far more kind than the males, though he got the feeling the male was being protective rather than being hostile guy. Mainly because of the shake in his voice. Of course, he could be wrong.

Abbot raised his arms before him, his palms facing them in a submissive stance, taking a couple steps backward to hopefully show he meant them no harm. His tired eyes were quickly glazed over with surprise as the limbs extended from Mikey's back.

I don't seem to be in 'normal' company. he thought to himself. At the male's command, he sighed, as if bored. "My name is Abbot, young ones. I am... a wanderer so to speak." he told them. "My apologies for startling you, it wasn't my intention." His voice was low and rough, and certainly matched his worse-for-wear appearance. He didn't bother asking their names. He had a feeling neither of them would feel like being very personal toward him.

[Mike]

Mike

In truth, Mike hadn't even noticed the fact that the once earthbound Lurid was now in his arms. He'd scooped her up out of instinct, and it had happened too quickly for him to realize the significance of it - he merely wanted to know if Lurid was ok. Once her words reached him, however, he glanced down and was able to make sense of what had just happened -- "you're holding me!"
Mike's face instantly broke into a grin - not only at how happy Lurid seemed to be, but out of a small twinge of pride for himself. He was getting stronger. Wheezing softly under his breath, Mike rubbed his face back against hers, not at all bothered by the texture of cool bone against warm burlap.

Now faced with a possible threat, however, Mike's previously lighthearted mood was border-lining on anxiety. He felt himself bow under a wave of doubt when Lurid addressed the other so kindly. Was he responding violently when this newcomer wasn't a threat? Is this what his days spent in the Factory had reduced him to, an unstable monster ready to snap at any wandering doll?

Lidding his optics, Mike allowed his lips to slip back over his fangs, his limbs twitching behind himself momentarily before he pulled them behind himself without tucking them back in all the way. "Abbot's" greeting was innocent enough, but Mike had fallen for facades before, and it was far too easy to remember that he and Lurid were fugitives to the Factory.
"I'm.. sorry too, then. We're still recovering and it's easy to be on edge." He winced slightly after he spoke, wondering if it was wise to announce their vulnerability. "Do you live around here?"