Chapter Text
Smoke and Mirrors
Chapter Thirty-Three
Nyx
Sun did not speak to him for the rest of the time they were at the base. His shoulders stayed tight with tension the entire time. All day, there was nothing but silence between them.
Helios sighed heavily. He slowly approached, his eyes soft. "Sun..."
They were finally alone in their rooms after the children had all gone to the bar for a slumber party and the twins had been out to bed. It was just them now. Reckoning time.
" No . I don't want to talk about this, Helios." The attendant snapped, whirling back around to face him with optics filled with anger and tears, "What's the point? You've already decided what you're going to do! Nothing you say is going to make me feel better about this-this self-sacrificing bullshit ." Sun started pacing as if he were a storm trapped in casings and metal. "Why does it always have to come back to this? Someone having to put themselves In harm's way to protect the others? Haven't- haven't enough of us been hurt? Haven't I lost enough people?" He stopped in the center of the floor as tears began to spill down his yellow face, features contorted in misery.
Helios looked at him, his eyes filled with pain. "Sun...while I saved you from my fate, I put two other people in worse positions. All because I was biased and prejudiced. If I don't do this, Achlys won't stop. He'll keep coming back and hurting our family, or worse, he'll go after the kids."
Sun covered his face as if he could hide his tears away somehow.
"I- I know... I'm just- I'm just so-" His words broke off with a stuttering sob.
"Scared." His love offered him in a whisper, touching his back gently. This time, Sun allowed the touch.
He could understand that. Sometimes, anger was just a mask for fear and sadness and hurt. He knew that better than anyone. His sunshine nodded.
"I'm s-scared I'll lose you..." He wept bitterly.
Helios pulled him into a hug, wrapping his arms around his waist.
"You won't. I swear to the gods themselves, you won't. I promise you, Sunshine."
His beloved's sobs were stuttering and- now that he could recognize it for what it was- terrified.
"H-how can you promise that?! It's just like-like when I lost M-Moony! He's was s-supposed to be okay t-too!" And then he wasn't and Sun had been all alone, left to juggle their family and enemies and a brand new rebooted brother all on his own in the midst of a grief that he was drowning in.
Helios cupped his cheeks, pressing his forehead against Sun's. "Because I know that I have you and our babies to live for. And I'd fight the entire multiverse just to get back to you all."
The tearful attendant gave him the tiniest of smiles and at last, he leaned into Helios' touch. That was all he needed to hear to practically collapse against his lover and soak in the comfort that he had denied himself all day. Helios kissed his rays, nuzzling him and rubbing his back in circles. Sun whined softly, allowing his partner to wipe his tears away.
"I'm here, darling...I'm here."
~O~
"Moony, it's time to get started with our training ." Achlys purred, looking over the lunar bot's newly repaired body with delight. He'd finally gotten Moon back up to one hundred percent functionality! Now- now it was time to proceed with his plans.
Moon looked at him with nervous blue eyes- Achlys thought the color matched him better- fiddling with his sleeves anxiously, "Wh...what kind of training, Sunny?"
"The kind of training that will help us move into a bright a beautiful future. A future without that murderer in it." His grin was shark-like as it leveled on the lunar bot, "Our first step? We need to shake the rust off of those magic powers!"
His...magic? And a future without his Sun? A sick sort of understanding began to build in Moon's heart. It sounded like Achlys was wanting him to- to help him to kill his own brother.
Fratricide. That was the word for it.
Moon's heart pounded in his audials. His stomach twisted, as if he'd throw up all the delicious food he'd consumed the past few weeks.
"I...I-I can't." He croaked, shaking his head.
Achlys crooned, nuzzling him softly, "It's okay, Moony. You don't have to be afraid of him anymore. Once he's out of the picture, we'll both be free ."
"Sunny, I...I-I don't think I can do it."
Correction: he knew that he couldn't. Because, despite everything that his twin put him through, Moon still loved him.
Killing his Sunny... It sounded worse than all of the torture he'd gone through in the past twenty-five years.
Those unblinking optics turned at once cool and disappointed and Achlys leaned back away from him, taking his warmth and touch away with him. He hated himself for missing it.
"S-Sunny, wait." Moon said, hating himself more for the fact that his voice cracked. "D-don't be mad. Please."
Achlys turned away, and despite how he knew what he was doing, how he knew that he was being manipulated, Moon felt himself panic to be alone again. The other bot got up as if to leave without a word.
And Moon, despite feeling utter disdain for his captor, he lunged himself at Achlys, clinging to him like a child would cling to their mother.
"Don't- don't leave!" He wailed, gathering Achlys' cloak in his fists. "Don't! Please! Please!"
The sun gave a heavy sigh, his posture tense. "You're- you're hurting me, Moony. He hurt me and- and now you don't want to protect me or even save yourself. If that monster finds out 1you're alive? He'll- he'll torture you again! He'll kill me! And you want him to do that..." He whispered mournfully, unable to even look at the desperate bot clutching at him.
Moon's optics watered. Fuck- he- he felt guilty. Why did he feel so guilty?
"No, no, that's not it!" He sobbed. "I- I'm not strong enough to kill him! Please, Sunny...don't be mad, I don't mean to hurt you. Please..."
He turned to look at the simpering lunar model and his optics, it seemed, had thawed ever so slightly, "Oh, Moony..." Achlys breathed, shaking his head, "That's why we work together . Together, we can do anything! Come on, brother."
Gently, he picked up the trembling lunar bot and cradled him in a hug. Moon felt himself wither in shame at how easy it was to soak in that comfort and warmth. He'd been alone for so long...His only company had been his own Sun who only appeared in order to torture him but even then, he could be alone with his thoughts and the silence for weeks .
Weak weak weak weak weak.
"Don't leave me." He sobbed, clinging to Achlys. "I-I don't want to be alone."
"I won't leave you, Moony. Never ever! You're mine and I'm yours and together- together, one day, we'll be free ." He whispered quietly, rocking the lunar model back and forth in his arms, "You'll never have to be alone ever again. I promise."
Moon whimpered. He- he liked this. Being held. Deep down, he knew that he was being manipulated in the worst possible ways, but...But he just wanted to cling to this feeling. This feeling of not being alone for the first time in decades.
Achlys stroked the back of his headplate and held him close. Above, out of the sight of red-turned-blue optics, the solar model grinned.
~O~
Sunrise beamed, his heart awash with excitement as he and Earth stepped through the portal. Today was only the second or third time that he was going to be able to leave The Refuge and go out into the wider world!
With the children starting their new art class this week, they needed to stick up on supplies! He and Earth had been tasked with making the trip to pick everything out. Sunrise may as well have been in heaven. Craft supplies! Craft supplies for days! More than he'd ever seen in one place!
Earth giggled at his excitement, smiling warmly. "It's pretty great, isn't it? There's so much to choose from!"
"I've never seen a place like this before!" He gushed joyfully, "We were never allowed to leave the property at- at FazCorp."
And Freddy certainly wasn't bringing them oodles of craft supplies out of the goodness of his heart. Sunrise was quite convinced he didn't have one.
Earth smiled and gently squeezed his shoulder. "Why don't we look around? You are the art teacher, after all!"
He nodded, already grabbing a basket and rushing off down an aisle as she took the other side of the store at a more sedate pace, enjoying the atmosphere.
The solar bot was looking at a shelf of different colors of clay when a navy hand appeared to point to a yellow as bright as his own casings.
"I recommend this one."
Sunrise's eyes widened and he whipped around, his eyes widening in shock at what he saw. It was a- a Moon. Or...at least an animatronic that looked like one. One side of his face was painted to match the rest of his casings, but Sunrise's keen eyes could see that there was a tiny crack on his face that suggested otherwise.
In that crack, the yellow of a sun model shone through. That and a certain gleam in his eyes. It wasn't one of true madness. He'd seen enough of that to know. This...person, he didn't remind Sunrise of Moonrise or of Freddy. Not even of the GlamRocks.
He reminded him of someone who was desperate and hurt. Someone who had been desperate and hurt for a long, long time.
"You're Achlys." He said softly, looking at the other bot with a grim sort of recognition.
The strange bot hummed in confirmation before tilting his head to the side, optics keen and quick even though his blinks were out of sync and slow.
"Are you afraid?" The intruder asked at last, grabbing the clay and dropping it idly into Sunrise's cart.
Was he? Maybe he should be. Achlys had stolen Helios' Moon. He knew that. But...maybe he was like a wild animal? Don't show him your teeth and he won't lash out either. What was he even here for? Did he plan to try and take Sunrise too?
He didn't know if he was afraid so instead, the sunny bot simply answered with another question of his own.
"Are you going to hurt me?"
Achlys tilted his head the opposite way before quietly humming out a quiet, "No. I don't think so."
To his surprise, he didn't want to hurt this pretty Sun. He reminded him of his Moony. He picked up a blue that was the exact shade of his brother's eyes and set it gently, almost tenderly, into the basket.
"Then...why are you here, then?"
Achlys looked at him, eyes dark and grim, "Do you know what Helios has done? What he still does?"
He didn't. Not for sure. But...
"I have...suspicions." Sunrise admitted in a whisper.
Achlys chuffed, looking to the side, "Is one of them murder?"
Sunrise's mouth grew tight, and he gave a short, tight nod.
"I know what he did to the crooked moon that- that was experimenting on the baby suns. And- and I know what he did to his own moon. It...isn't such a leap to imagine that he's done it before." He revealed quietly.
Achlys laughed bitterly. "He murdered mine."
His voice box crackled with hurt and grief of his own. Grief for Achlys, "I lost my Moony too...He- he was murdered by FazCorp when he tried to get us out. They were going to- to make me into some kind of sex doll and we ran ." But they had caught up to them. Moony had held them off to try and give him a chance. Sunrise touched the cap that sat perched upon his head with shaking fingers, "They almost got me too but- but Helios saved me."
Achlys scoffed. "Because he's too selfish to try and save an innocent Moon. My Moon...he was a lot like you. Innocent. Sweet. And that bastard ripped his motherboard out without a fucking care in the world."
Sunrise made a soft, whine of grief-stricken understanding and shook his head.
"Oh god... I'm- I'm so sorry that happened, Achlys." He breathed.
He wouldn't try to defend Helios' actions. He wouldn't try to explain how the other Sun had been healing and improving. None of that would make Achlys feel any better. It would undo the damage that had been done, the life that had been stolen.
His eyes traced over the casings that the other solar model was wearing with a gentle understanding.
"These belonged to your Moon." Just like his cap.
Achlys rubbed his arms gently. Arms that he often imagined wrapping around him in a warm, loving hug.
"...How can you stand him? Now that you know the truth?"
He shrugged softly.
"I know this isn't what you want to hear because it doesn't undo what's been done and it doesn't stop your pain... But Helios is healing. He's saved and protected other moons. He's taken in infants that were victims because they had no one else. He's helped me to realize that-that I'm not an object . I'm not a toy for someone else's gratification. I know it doesn't take away the crimes he's committed. It doesn't undo what he stole from you. But for me? If it weren't for him, I would be living my life chained to a bed, never leaving it, forced to endure... Unspeakable things until I was dead." That was his reality. He couldn't agree with what Helios had done but at the same time, he couldn't deny the good he had done either.
Achlys scoffed. "Bull. He doesn't care for anyone."
Sunrise's gaze turned soft, and his smile was tender, "He cares for Sun . Sun is the one who's changed him for the better. He loves him and he loves their children. He even loves Moon and Nexus now."
The demented bot laughed at that. "Because he's an egomaniac. Sun is him. He only cares about those who are like him. He's most likely going to kill Moon and Nexus at some point. If I hadn't been interrupted, I could have put them out of their misery."
That was what made Sunrise's optics turn frosty at him.
"Moon is badly hurt because of what you did. His motherboard is broken and it can't be fixed. He has episodes and headaches that he'll have for the rest of his life. I don't think that your sweet and kind Moon would be proud of you for that, how would he?" He didn't say it in a way that was angry or frigid. He said it in a way that made him sound simply.... Disappointed.
Achlys growled at him. That tone dug at him, but... "You know nothing."
"My Moon was sweet and kind too." Was all he said quietly, his meaning clear.
He understood because his Moon had been the same. Because he and Achlys shared so much.
Achlys huffed, and he turned around. "Maybe one day...you'll come to your senses."
"Maybe." Sunrise relented softly. Anything could happen after all but given how things were now, it was unlikely.
The other solar model stormed off, not looking at him. Sunrise was wrong. He had to be.
There was no way that Helios would ever change. And even if he did, did it matter? He'd still stolen his light and life, his other half, away from him and for what? Because he was hurt and grieving? So, he had to make everyone else hurt and grieving too?
'No', he decided. It didn't matter. Even Sunrise himself had said that it didn't undo what that monster had done.
And one way or another...he would make sure that Helios would pay.
~O~
"Um, Hey, b-brother?"
"Yes, Moony?"
He fidgeted, picking at his lasagna idly. He wasn't sure how Achlys was going to react to his request. Would he become violent over it? Or maybe he would be fine with it?
"I- I was thinking about maybe...changing my name. L-like you did!" He ventured, flicking his eyes nervously up at the sun anxiously.
Truthfully, he couldn't care what name he went by. But it made him ill, actually physically ill, to hear that monster call him by the name his brother had always used before everything had gone so bad.
Achlys hummed, setting his fork down. A new name, hm? Well, he did technically change his name. And besides, who knows what that monster had done to his precious brother when his dear brother was in his wretched grasp? Of course, his poor brother wouldn't want to use his old name anymore. It probably brought too many bad memories.
"Of course, sweetheart. Do you have a name in mind?"
Moon gave him a relieved smile. "I was thinking maybe...Nyx?"
"Nyx." Achlys repeated, as if he was tasting the name on his tongue. Then...he smiled. "I like it."
Moon- now Nyx- beamed and took a big bite of his dinner in celebration. The sun chuckled, looking at his found-family fondly. Nyx...another name from Greek mythology. Pretty funny, actually. It seemed like they had a bit of a theme going on, didn't they?
He liked to imagine that it had been done purposefully so that his brother would fit in with him and the new life they were creating together. His trapped rays wiggled in their housing, even stuck beneath navy casings as they were. It made a rather humorous rattling sound that he ignored even as Nyx gave him a curious look at the noise.
"Ummm...are you okay?"
"Hm? Oh, yes, Nyx, I'm fine. It's just an old habit trying to break free, is all."
His head tilted and now optics frowned. "Is it...something I can help with? Are you in pain?"
Achlys cooed softly. His brother was so sweet.
"Don’t worry. It's nothing serious. See?"
The noise soon stopped as he spoke, and Nyx tilted his head.
Hm...was that his set of rays? Huh. He wondered why he didn't let them out.
"If your rays are trapped, I could-"
" No . No, thank you." He said firmly but his expression on Nyx was soft, "Sweet brother... It's all right. I chose to have them there. Such is the price of keeping this last piece of my Moony with me." He touched his chest gently, as if he could reassure the one that the casings had originally belonged to.
'Sunny, I love you. To the stars and back!' He loved him too. He would never stop loving him. Never stop missing him. Never .
"It's a cost I'm happy to pay to get to keep this, to keep him close."
Nyx's eyes softened. It reminded him that, even though he was a potential monster in the making, this Sun...Achlys, had gone through so much hurt. And he had, too.
The only difference, however, was that Nyx's pain was crafted by his own hands.
The way that the other held on to his Moon's casings reminded him of Helios and how he carried Dazzle's little picture next to his own heart for over two decades simply because it was the only thing he had left of her. That and his own memories. It was strange how similar they all really were.
Nyx looked at his lasagna, sighing when he'd realized that he would have to go back to his training soon after dessert. It was the same thing the past few days. Wake up. T.V. with Achlys. Cuddle time. Breakfast. Then training. Lunch. More cuddle time and then back to training. Dinner. More training. Then cuddles until they both went to sleep.
It was uncomfortable sleeping in the same bed as Achlys...but at the same time, it brought so much comfort.
He'd had no comfort at all, of any kind for so so long. It was an impossible feat not to soak it up now that it was being so generously heaped on him. Even though he knew that that affection came with conditions. And that comfort was not without a cost.
A cost he wasn't willing to pay in the end.
He would have to kill himself before he could be used to hurt Helios. Maybe pull his own wires out? Either way, he would not be used to hurt the only family he had left. Not for any amount of comfort.
He would have to be careful too. He'd have to reinforce the locks on the doors to their bedroom or the bathroom. He knew that if he so much as clued Achlys in on his plan, then he'd be fucked. Royally.
But...for just a little longer...
"Could- could we watch a movie together and just...have some extra cuddle time tonight?" He asked pitifully, giving Achlys his most pitiful gaze.
Achlys thought about it. "Well...you have been working hard lately...and so well-behaved..."
He looked up at him with wide optics filled with hope and excitement even though he hated himself for it.
Pathetic, Moony. Look at you. No better a filthy dog begging for scraps.
Achlys sighed, seemingly in defeat as he smiled at Nyx. "What movie do you want to watch?"
"Maybe the Sound of Music?" Sunny had always loved that one.
His pretend brother hummed. "I've never seen it before. It sounds lovely."
Unfortunately, they would never get the opportunity to enjoy it. Just as they were cleaning up from dinner, Achlys' alarm again sound and he scowled.
"B-brother?"
"Stay inside." The Sun hissed, "There's an intruder."
Outside, Helios stepped silently into the island that had once been their home, glaring up at the house. Inside there, no doubt getting alerts to his presence, was Achlys. He took a deep breath, clutching his fists. It was time. He wouldn't kill Achlys- not if he didn't need to. But right now...his brother needed him.
He only needed to wait for a moment before his enemy was stepping out onto the patio to stare him down with a vicious hatred in his optics.
" You . So eager to die, are you?"
Helios looked at him, eyes somber. "I'm here for my brother. Not you."
Achlys snarled, "You mean my brother. You tortured him and left his corpse dumped like he was trash! I repaired him and brought him back!"
"I won't excuse my actions. But Achlys...you can't do this. He won't be content. He'll be miserable if you don't let him make his own decisions. You have to let him go."
"You would know all about that, wouldn't you, Sun ? Taking his choices and freedoms away? Why, you're practically a master at it! That's what you're best at, isn't it? Taking . That's what you do. You take and take and take. You consume everything you touch like a ravenous beast!" He hissed, enraged.
"I'm sorry. But...your Moon is dead. And you can't just replace him."
" You of all people don't get to tell me how I'm supposed to get by! Nyx is mine now and I'm going to let him help me tearing casings off, you fucking monster!"
Helios hummed. "Very well."
Then, in a flash, he was gone.
Achlys looked around, eyes wide. "W-wait, what the fu-" A fist collided into his face, sending him falling back.
The snarling, enraged sun had no way of knowing that just inside of the kitchen, where Nyx had backed up, a portal had opened.
The shaking moon gasped when, from out of a swirling vortex that appeared on the wall, a rayed head peeked out.
This sun was an exact copy of his twin as he had once been. Even the way he smiled at him when he turned to face him at last.
However, he could remember ghostly fists pounding into him. Once loving hands choking him until he'd blacked out, only to be revived over and over again, and then the tools.
"P-please don't hurt me!" He sobbed, covering his face as he fell to the floor, curling up in a ball.
Sun winced and backed up into the portal, "Moony, you'd better take this one." Nyx heard him say quietly.
Moony?
After a moment of cowering, he felt a cool hand land on his shoulder.
"Hey..."
Blue optics looked up at the gravelly, soft tone and saw... himself . Himself and Nexus of all people. He was colored differently and was softer, more gentle looking now but the model was unmistakable. He couldn't stop the choked sound that came out of his voice box. He hadn't seen Nexus since their dimension had collapsed. Since they'd lost everything .
Moon smiled at him and knelt down next to him. "I know that you're scared but, I promise. We're here to help you."
Nyx looked at Nexus, stunned, and the purple bot chuffed gently. "It's okay. I'm not here to hurt you. I'm with him."
The younger lunar model beamed at him, "I promise I'll explain it all. But for right now, we have to get you to safety."
"Wh- why?"
"Because you're Helios' brother . He sent us here."
He had? Nyx began to shake and tremble harder at those words. He'd known that his brother wouldn't miss the opportunity to torture him again once he knew he was alive. Hell, he'd resigned himself to it. But now that the time was here... he was afraid .
Nexus reached over and gently cupped his cheek. "Sweetheart...he isn't going to hurt you. He sent us here to save you. He found your drawing."
He had?
But- what if he just went back to hurting him? Why wouldn't he? He deserved it.
"If you were a sun then maybe you wouldn't be so wretched. Why don't we try it out?" And then burning burning burning as rays were soldered onto his headplate while he was awake and so very very aware.
Moon cradled Nyx's face. "Hey, hey, hey, hey. Look at us. Look at us."
It tore Moon's soul in two to see what could have easily been his own future, trembling and traumatized on the floor. Blue optics were black with terror and filled with tears as he looked up into kind crimson.
"He rescued a Sun whose Moon died...but that Moon had been kind. His Sun had loved him and Helios cares about you. Do you think he would have sent us to rescue you otherwise?"
"M-maybe he wants to-to hurt me some more..." He stuttered, letting out a frightened whimper when, from outside, they heard Achlys roar with rage.
But he couldn't stay here either. Not with what Achlys wanted from him.
"Shhhh. Come with us. You can stay with us for now." Nexus said softly. "Would you like that?"
That...did sound nice, he supposed. Nyx nodded slowly. They were running out of time. If they didn't hurry, Achlys would come back and stop them and he would be stuck here!
Moon gently scooped him into his arms. "Come on, let's go."
They carried him through the portal, a portal that tasted so much like his own magic that it made him shiver. That who this was...
This was his past self.
And soon enough, they were in a place that he vaguely recognized. The base. But...it didn't look like a base anymore.
It looked like a home. A proper one. Still though...he shook at the idea that he was back in this place. Back in the place where he had been trapped for so long.
Moon looked at Nexus. "Nex, baby, can you leave us for a few? I've gotta explain some stuff to him."
Nexus smiled at them both- at him! - and nodded.
"Of course." He whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of Moon's head, "I'll check on Sunny and the others in the cafeteria."
"Okay." Moon smiled softly. "Love you."
"Love you too, nightlight. Take care of him." Nyx looked between the two lovers, utterly baffled . He definitely would remember if he and his Nexus had been lovers!
Moon smiled softly at his counterpart when they were alone. "Guess you have some questions now, huh?"
"Uh...yeah. That's- that's definitely an understatement."
He laughed, gesturing him to follow, "Want some tea? Leftover eggnog?"
Eggnog?
God this was so fucking surreal. This was the most bizarre dream he'd ever experienced. Hands down.
"S-sure..."
Moon nodded, and he went to the kitchen, pouring Nyx a cup of eggnog. He was calm.
God...his poor future self.
When he returned, he set it down in front of him and sat him at the small nook table in the large kitchen. Beyond the door, he could hear the sounds of people talking.
"I'm Moon, though I'm sure you've gathered that by now. I guess it's fair to say that I'm your past self. Or your past self after Helios changed the timeline."
"I-I’m Nyx-" Nyx's eyes widened. "That's right...things- things changed, didn't they?"
He nodded, smiling. "They did. They changed a lot. Helios and Sun are together and have four kids, two of them newborns. As you saw, Nex and I are together and we have two sons, Jack and Molten. Solar and Ruin are an item-"
"Solar and Ruin ?!" Nyx squawked, shocked.
Moon cackled. "Yeah. Pretty crazy, right?"
Wild.
"A-and you and Nexus...live here?" Here in the place that had been his cell for so long.
"We do." The naptime attendant nodded, "We made it a home. However, you don't have to stay here if you don't want to."
"Where else would I go?" He whispered somberly. Where else would he be safe from Achlys?
Moon's eyes softened and he rubbed Nyx's arm. "I want you to know...Helios changed. When he found his newborn sons? They had Moons, too...baby Moons who were killed by an adult Moon who'd tried to recreate the lost bond between himself and his Sun. Helios is making a graveyard in his own garden for them all...and a special plot for his sons' Moons."
He- he was? That sounded...both horrifying and beautiful.
"Is...is he really doing that?" Nyx asked quietly.
Could it be true? Could it be true that his twin, the one who'd finally gotten his revenge on him for taking away everything and everyone that they held dear, would make an infant graveyard for even little Moons?
He nodded silently.
"And he apologized to Nexus and Ruin for everything and to me too. He gave us this base so that we would have a safe place where Achlys couldn't find us after- after Achlys hurt me and Nex." He touched the back of his head with a grimace though he always felt slightly reassured when he felt the protective cap over his damaged motherboard.
Nyx's eyes widened and he tensed. "What happened?"
He sipped his eggnog for a moment, summoning the courage to talk about the worst thing that had ever happened to him.
"When Achlys attacked us the first time, he- he tortured us to try and get Helios' location. My- my motherboard was broken. Solar was able to solder it together and save me but it left...side effects."
Nyx took a deep breath. "Jesus..."
He nodded somberly.
"I have episodes now where- where I don't always know where I am and I don't always remember things properly. I get horrible headaches. I'll have them for- for the rest of my life...But Nexus takes such good care of me. Helios does too. Him and Sunny and Nex, they take such good care of us. If it weren't for Helios, I really don't know where we would have gone. Where would have been safe for us."
Nyx slowly soaked in his words, leaning back. He wanted to believe that. He wanted to believe that so fucking badly.
"He...he really took care of you? H-he didn't hurt you? At all?"
Moon smiled softly and reached across the table to offer his hand for comfort.
"Not at all. Also, I'm pretty sure Sunny would pitch him into the void if he tried to hurt me." He chuckled.
Nyx snorted. "Your Sunny sounds vicious."
"Only when he's defending the people he loves." He chuckled, "Otherwise, he's happy and soft and- and he makes the people around him feel that way too." He hummed.
The blue-eyed bot’s heart ached with nostalgia. He smiled weakly. "I-I’m glad..."
"And now, just like Helios, you have a chance to have a fresh start too." He did?
"I-I do?"
Moon nodded with a smile, "You do. Helios wants a chance to make up all of the terrible things he did to you. He wants you both to have a fresh start together ."
Nyx froze at that. Tears developed in his optics, and he clenched his fist. "He...he does?"
A matching hand slid into his and gave him a comforting squeeze.
"He does. After he and Sun got together and then he rescued Sunrise- Sunrise's Moon was killed just before his rescue and I think it sort of...gave him a perspective that he'd never had before." He shrugged.
The elder lunar bot sniffled. "I-I want to believe that... so badly."
He was about to respond when a soft knock came at the door and to Nyx's surprise, it was Dazzle who poked her head inside.
"Uncle Moony? Daddy wanted to know if you would make the babies their bottles." She said softly and her wide green eyes turned curious at the sight of the blue-eyed moon at the table.
Nyx froze. He stared at Dazzle. His heart was in his throat, his body beginning to tremble once again.
It was her. It was her. It was Dazzle. Evelyn. His precious niece. A little face that haunted him day and night ever since that fateful day.
"Oh. Um, sure, doedrop. I'll bring them out in a moment, okay?"
She nodded, her little bells jingling merrily before she gave the new moon a tiny wave.
"Hi, new friend." She said sweetly before looking back to Moon with a frown, "Will Papa be home soon?"
"He will be, love." Moon said softly. "In fact, this is your papa's Moony."
Papa...? He remembered them saying that Helios and Sun were raising a family together but he hadn't really put two and two together. He gave her a wobbly smile and another small wave.
Dazzle gasped, little green eyes wide with wonder. "I have two Uncle Moonies now?!"
"Yep! Except this Uncle Moony goes by Uncle Nyx." Moon explained, ruffling her hair.
The small deer giggled. "That's pretty! Like a prince!"
Nyx's cheeks glowed and he smiled.
Dazzle looked at him curiously. "Were you and Papa playing hide-and-seek?"
"Um...sort of. It's nice to meet you, Dazzle." Nice to meet you again.
She smiled. "I like your eyes. They look like Daddy's!"
He chuckled. She wasn't wrong, he supposed. His eyes did match a Sun's now, huh?
The little girl got on her tippy-toes, looking at him. "Do you like kitties, too?"
Nyx ruffled her hair just as his past self had, "I sure do, doedrop."
She grinned. "I'll be right back!" Then, like she was on a mission, Dazzle took off.
The two moons shared identical soft smiles and Nyx got up to help when the angry sound of hungry infants began to sound from the next room.
"I'm coming, babies! Uncle Moon’s sorry!" Moon called back, quickly taking a bottle and preparing the formula.
He gave Nyx a wink. "Those shrieking bellows out there are your new nephews, Aries and Atlas."
Nyx cooed softly. "They sound so hungry...Uhh- do they use the bathroom, by the way? Since they can eat?"
"Thankfully no. The stomach nanites take care of everything for the most part."
He hummed. "I see..." Interesting. He’d never seen infant animatronics before, let alone had the opportunity to inquire about their functions.
Moon smiled gently. "Do you want to see them after Dazzle comes back?"
"O-oh..." Was he allowed? Didn't he need Helios' permission? Would he be punished if he didn't ask first?
His counterpart’s easy expression soothed his anxieties somewhat.
"It doesn't have to be right now. But whenever you're ready. It isn't as if there won't be more opportunities after all. We all see each other everyday for the most part. And since you're living here now too, that goes for you as well. Whenever you feel ready, we will be too."
Nyx took a deep breath. "O-okay..."
Moon gave him a proud grin and carried the bottles out of the kitchen and into the cafeteria where his weeping nephews were being comforted by their father.
"It's okay, babies." Sun cooed, bouncing Atlas in his arms. "Daddy's got you, loves, Daddy's got you."
Nyx peeked out of the doorway, still anxious but unable to temper that endless curiosity that moons were so infamous for. There, being cajoled and soon fed by his own twin's past self were two infant suns. His nephews.
His eyes were wide, and he couldn't look away from them. They were just so...small. Helpless. And they were utterly precious. He couldn't help but coo softly to himself at the sweet sight of Sun feeding his babies.
The way that the solar model looked down at them with utter adoration...It was beautiful.
The moment was broken for him though when, from outside in the hallway, his brother emerged quickly, striding through the doors hurriedly. He only looked slightly worse for wear with clothes that were singed from fire and a few rays that had cracked.
Nyx ducked back further behind the door to watch the scene where he would hopefully go unnoticed.
Dazzle let out a squeal and rushed over to Helios, followed by a small robot, with an excited, "Papa!"
He scooped them both up into his arms and gave them both a kiss, grinning. Sun beamed over at him and joined them by the door to give his lover a deep kiss.
It seemed so...so domestic. Nothing to indicate that this was the person who had tortured him for two and a half decades.
"Hi, my babies," Helios cooed, twirling Dazzle and Neptor around in his arms. "How are you?"
"I was going to show Muffin to your bubba!" Dazzle squeaked, her little hands flapping. "Your bubba has eyes like Daddy!"
Her father beamed down at her and then dipped down to nuzzle her little heart shaped nose fondly.
"What an excellent idea, sweetie!"
"Yeah! He says he likes kitties too!"
"Well then I think you have a lovely idea, my dear. We want to make your uncle feel right at home, don't we?" As he said it, his eyes flicked to the doorway of the kitchen where Nyx was hiding.
Dazzle giggled and nodded. "Uh-huh!"
He set them down gently and Moon went to greet him, whispering between themselves while Nyx ducked back into the kitchen, his heart in his throat. He never thought he'd see the day when his twin would willingly tolerate any moon, let alone greet one with a smile like he did to his past self.
And then... A gentle knock.
"Nyx?"
Helios.