A new addition (pt.7)

“Papa I don’t wanna!”

“It won’t take long, Junior. In fact it’ll take less time if you’d sit still” Spine chided with a grin, lightly poking Junior’s nose as he squirmed. Dressing inattentive toddlers for suit-and-tie affairs was certainly challenging, especially when Junior insisted he only needed fancy shoes like Uncle Hatchy said. Who was also met with a similar argument earlier that day from The Spine.

“But it’ll be boring!” the small silver bot whined noisily and kicked his little legs over Spine’s knees.

“I know, but no one’s around to babysit you tonight and I don’t trust QWERTY enough for it either. In fact I wouldn’t trust him with a pepper pot never mind a sentient being!”

Spine sighed heavily as the tot pouted in his lap, fiddling with his little black bow tie in agitation.

“Look, we won’t be there all night, okay? A couple hours then we’ll have Steve drive the two of us back. I just need to be there long enough to mingle with the Cavalcadians and to reassure Six that your Uncle Hatchworth won’t upturn any sandwich buffets or Aunty Rabbit won’t be being… well. Rabbit.”

Junior giggled. His papa did have a good point.

“I also have a little surprise in store for you if you behave if that counts as a small incentive?”

“For me?” Junior went wide eyed as Spine nodded, “What is it?”

The Spine laughed heartily, “Well if I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise now, would it?”

Junior huffed sulkily and reluctantly let Spine finish tucking his shirt in.

“There. Now we both look dashing!” Spine hoisted himself up from the bed and held Junior on his hip, “Let’s head on downstairs and see if everyone’s ready.”

As they reached the foyer, Junior cocked his head at a box wrapped in silver paper and fastened with black ribbon. He wondered if that was the ‘surprise’ papa had meant. He puffed a small cloud of disappointed steam as it was scooped up by Norman to be loaded into one of the cars outside along with bottle bags and bouquets of bright blue roses.

The robots and humans piled into the various waiting cars, despite the passage of yet another hour whilst Rabbit decided which faceplate she wanted to wear for the evening after numerous attempts of failing to convince The Spine that her previous selections were not borderline creepy.

“I st-still think my 1930’s one was a f-f-fine choice” she grumbled.

“Rabbit, that thing is 84 years old. And furthermore the jaw’s completely rusted off” Spine replied gruffly.

“It’s vintage!!”

“It’s falling to bits!”

“M-M-MEANIE!”

“DUMMINS!”

Junior giggled helplessly in the front in his child-seat as Rabbit and his papa bickered like 5 year olds in the back. Steve glowered at them through the rear mirror, not exactly appreciative of the near ritualistic distraction.

“You two keep arguing and you’re walking to the Cavalcadium!” he snapped, hoping that would at least deter Rabbit considering her illogical choice of ‘pretty’ footwear with 6 inch heels.

“That’s f-fine, Spine’ll ca-ca-carry me!”

“I most certainly will not!”

Steve groaned. It was going to be a long night.

~*~

Junior was completely enthralled by the event, doing absolutely no justice to his protests that it would be boring. The people there were fascinating – esteemed scientists from all over the globe and even a few notable figures from Kazooland. He couldn’t decide whether he was more interested in the dragon tamers of Snornia or the scientist who claimed he had perfected the art of invisibility cloaking, from whom Spine promptly ushered Junior away after overhearing his avid ramblings and offers of a ‘demonstration’. Children have to be seen AND heard as far as he was concerned. Especially robotic ones with a painfully short attention span in a house where anything, and absolutely anything, could happen. Or go missing. Or suddenly achieve sentience.

It wasn’t long until Junior was the centre of attention with a horde of goo-goo eyed researchers flocking to The Spine to admire and coo over the new addition. The Spine couldn’t help but puff his chest out with pride as Junior soaked up as much adoration as his little ego possibly could – of course from behind the safety of his papa Spine’s leg. New people were still scary.

Spine took out his pocketwatch. It was much later than he’d expected having been caught up in a whirlwind of unintended attention regarding his tiny bashful companion. He nodded at Steve who’d just finished handing out the blue roses with Carolina to the romantic couples of the evening.

“Excuse me ladies and gentlemen, but I’m afraid it’s past this little one’s bed-time.”

“No it’s not!” Junior protested loudly, clearly having a lot more fun than he’d initially thought.

“Oh that’s a shame! We would have loved him to stay a little longer,” one of the ladies in a shimmering gown spoke as she gently ruffled the toddler’s hair.

“Well, he’ll certainly be coming along next time,” Spine winked at Junior who gasped with delight.

“R-really!?”

“Sure. And you’ll be old enough to stay up a little later too,” he scooped up Junior as the child yawned and grasped hold of his papa’s neck.

“It was an absolute pleasure meeting him,” another lady graciously curtsied and held out her hand, “It would be a delight to learn more about him at the next gathering. Perhaps he could be the subject of a lecture here?”

Spine smiled warmly, gently taking the lady’s hand and (ever the eternal gentleman as he was) planted a soft kiss on her knuckles, “We’d both be honoured.”

He turned to leave, swiftly flanked by his dreadlocked chauffeur for the evening who was none too pleased about being both the taxi and flower service. At least he was getting paid.

“You guys’ll be alright on your own here? Ya don’t want me to stay or anything?” Steve called from the car as Spine ascended the front steps of the manor.

“We’ll be fine, you enjoy the rest of your evening.” Spine called back to him.

He paced slowly inside the darkened manor as the lights slowly hummed to life. QWERTY was in stand-by mode, having grown bored of playing online chess with Bee-bop around 5 minutes after everyone had left. Bee-bop barely acknowledged the two silver automatons as he busied himself with his flamethrower adjustments.

“Junior? You still awake, kiddo?”

Junior mumbled sleepily and cracked one eye open. Spine chuckled softly and headed up to his chamber.

“Mm sleepy, papa.”

“Too sleepy for your surprise? Well that’s a shame…”

That certainly woke the child back up. He rubbed his eyes as Spine set him down on his queen-sized bed.

“You were so well behaved and now I guess you’ll have to wait til morning...” he teased.

“N-n-no! I’m awake!”

Spine grinned and kissed the top of Junior’s head as he reached down under his bed. The toddler watched in open-mouthed curiosity as Spine pulled out a box wrapped in giraffe patterned paper and handed it to him.

“I know it’s technically not your birthday, but I wanted to give you something to celebrate you surviving two weeks in this mad-house.”

“Can…can I open it?”

Spine laughed and wrapped an arm around Junior, “Of course you can, sport! It’s for you after all.”

Junior squealed a little and carefully pried away the paper with it becoming blatantly obvious he meant to keep it. A card box was left with elegant silver lettering on the lid.

‘For Junior, from Papa XOX’

Spine watched intently as Junior eased the lid off. The child’s bright green eyes widened. He threw his arms around his papa’s neck in overwhelming joy.

“Oh, papa, I love it! I love it so much! Thank you!”

He eagerly returned Junior’s hug and smiled broadly, “This used to be mine, Junior. Giraffe-o always kept me company. Now he can do the same for you. That way you won’t feel lonely at night.”

Junior released Spine’s neck to tightly cuddle the giraffe plushie, nuzzling its fuzzy mane.

“He’s also great at fighting monsters under the bed and nightmares.”

“I’ll take really good care of him, papa!”

“I’m sure you will,” Spine planted a gentle kiss on Junior’s cheek as he pulled both the child and giraffe teddy into a close embrace.

“Though I don’t think he’ll ever be as good as you are at fighting monsters and bad guys, papa.”

“Well… maybe not. But in case I’m not here, he’s just as good for the job.”

“But you’ll always be here, won’t you?”

Spine went quiet for a moment as his smile faded slightly.

“W-won’t you?”

He sighed and looked into Junior’s eyes, running a thumb over his silver cheek-plates. Perhaps a little too early for that kind of a conversation.

“Sure I will.”