Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Atlas had a few different options he could take. He really did. But the most important thing was to find food and clean water. Being a street kid meant he had to grow up fast even when the world kept telling you that you were still a child. That also meant that if something happened to him, he'll have to deal with it by himself. It's not a great life, but it's surviving. And all street people are good at that. Atlas had the unfortunate accident of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and being shoved against a wooden fence, slicing his arm a little open. It didn't look bad but Atlas was no doctor. Clean water would help clean it up and keep him from getting sick...or so he hoped. Sick meant he couldn't find food or run from trouble. Sick meant he would be on death's door.

So, his only real option was the place had had been staring at for almost ten minutes now. His body refusing to accept that it needed to move while his head pulled them there. Atlas knew he couldn't steal with his arm like this and that was not good. He decided that sneaking into this place was going to be the best way to do it. It would have food, probably fresh ingredients if he was lucky and water to wash himself...probably even a first aid kit he could steal. The best part was that there would be no one there. It's nighttime and the place had been shut hours ago, everyone had most likely left to go home by now. No one will be in there to stop him.

Stealing his nerves, Atlas forced his feet to slowly approach the front door. The name of the place 'The Celestial Pizzaria' with a sun and moon character had been painted on the door in bright colors. His fingers pushed lightly against the door to test it...it was open and unlocked. His lucky day! Someone forgot to lock it. Atlas took a deep breath in before opening the door open with his unhurt hand. The cool air smack against his face blissfully as he stepped inside. 

The place was still brightly lit up like there was still someone here. He listened for any signs of someone being there, nothing was heard. Atlas moved further inside looking at all the art on the walls. When he got to the dining area, he saw a bunch of tables filled with party hats and plates. Colorful streamers hanging everywhere. He stopped just to take it all in. Atlas had never been inside a place like this before, not once. Not for a birthday party (his or a friend). Not for food. His good hand slid across the plastic table cloth as he slowly made his way further into the room. More art filled the walls of different animatronic characters. Would he see any of them? No, they were probably shut off for the night.

A sign said that the room near the tables was the kitchen. He headed there. Atlas opened the door with his back as he rounded into the room. Sinks and ovens lined one wall while counters and burners were in the center of the room. He thought it was rather simple for a pizzeria but who was he to judge. He just needed to clean his wound and get some food...or later. he wasn't that hungry despite not eating for a while. He glanced around for a first aid kit but saw nothing. Instead, he turned on the sink to put his wound under the running water. He hissed at the pain, watching the blood flow down the drain.

"Fuck....it stings."

He pulls his hand away as another wave of pain hit in, stumbling backward. Atlas's back knocked off a platter onto the floor with a loud 'Sching!' and 'bwawawawawa' as the metal clattered on the ground a few times before settling down. The noise in the entire building seemed to still, all going quiet at the same time. His head flicks over to the door. Did someone hear the loud clanging noise? Where they coming to arrest him? After a minute, a couple of heads pop into the room. One was a long cone like blue and white hat. Another was a clown face. The last was white chicken head. All three were animatronics, looking around the room before settling on the ten year old boy.

"Oh my it's a little boy!" The chicken screamed. "Are you lost?"

Atlas paused. 

They paused.

"Little boy, are you alright? Your arm looks hurt?" The Blue and White Animatronic crept into the room with his hands out.

He glared at him, hugging his arm to his chest. "Back the fuck off!"

"Okay!" The chicken walks into the room, "No need for the harsh language, chickadee!"

"And I'm not a chickadee! I thought they shut you off when they go home."

The chicken snaps her fingers at him. "Sun and Moon let us move all we want during the night...as long as we don't leave the building."

Atlas tilts his head just a bit. "Who?"

"Speaking of which, should we call them?" The clown girl asks, looking at the two then at the others seemingly behind her. Atlas could hear the mutters from them. "Wouldn't they like to know of a kid sneaking in their kitchen...who is hurt."

Atlas makes a run for it while they were distracted. He runs past the three in the doorway only to run into three more. There was the bear animatronic that looked like he was not all together there. As well as a crocodile animatronic with glasses on his nose. The last one was a wolf like animatronic with mismatched eyes. He looked between them all feeling as if they were crowding him in, pressing against his body to herd him into the center of their circle.

"He's hurt! We should do something."

"No. Let's call Sun and Moon."

"What can they do?!"

"Oh dear, I hope he isn't in too much pain."

"The little one is certainly a sight to see. Eyes like my favorite Roxy."

"Lick."

"Call Sun at least!"

So many voices surrounded him as he spun around to see each one speaking. Arguing. His heart hammered in his chest louder and louder, pulsing in his head as well. He kept moving, squeezing his arm tighter. Air was squeezed in his throat as it was unable to get loose. There was too much, too many. It was loud and noisy and chattering...and...and he was crowded in. Trapped. Caged. Even animatronics made him feel uneasy and uncomfortable. Nothing was safe. He wanted out. Atlas kept trying to breathe, breathe, but only his head worked as it swerved to see everyone at the same time.

"Oh dearie, sweetheart," Suddenly, a voice was closer than the rest. It wasn't the one he recognized, but in the fray of everything, there could have been more. This one was yellow and like the sun. "Are we too loud for you?"

Atlas wouldn't cry in front of anyone else, but he would nod.

"I'm sorry. Everyone!" He screamed. "Shut up! And move back!"

Once everyone did, he turned to Atlas. 

Atlas still couldn't breathe, clutching his hurt arm to his chest more. 

"Is that better?" The yellow sun bot asked, kneeling to be nearly eye level with Atlas. "Oh! You're having a panic attack. What do we do, Frost? No, I don't want to hurt him. Frost!"

Was he talking to himself?

"Nova, dear, you're only making it worst." The chicken girl cocked her hip and placed her hand there.

The yellow sun bot gasped, "Oh dearie me~! Am I? I'm sorry!" Then he runs away.

Atlas still struggled to remain cool and calm, breathing choked as he tried to just....be normal again. He trembled. He was starting to feel more and more like he was dying. Atlas's vision was starting to blur and his head pounded. His hand gripped his hair as he struggled, pulling and ripping at the hair. Then a gentle metal hand careful pried his hand off his hair while another pressed lightly against his chest. There was a soothing voice kneeling in front of him embracing him in a calming hug. After a moment of just existing, of breathing, he started feeling better and could breathe now. His lungs burned heavily with cool air filling up his chest.

Finally able to process what was around him, Atlas looked up at the animatronic helping him. The robot was the same sun from the logo on the door except that this sun did not have any sun rays as it was supposed to in mockery of the real ball of gas. But there was a forever smile on his face that didn't seem as happy as it looked. His chest had two buttons that were supposed to represent having a shirt on without having an actual shirt. And his pants were yellow and red striped. Despite the look, Atlas was amazed at him. No matter who or what came near him, Atlas would panic, flinch, or run away...but he did nothing when this animatronic did it.

"There. Calm now?"

He nodded, not trusting his voice.

"I'm Sun...and you are?"

Another voice came from behind Sun. "He's hurt, Sun! We need to call the ambulance.

"Shut up!" Sun snapped. "Let me...give us a moment! Okay. Please."

Atlas watched as another sun like robot, a moon like robot, another crocodile robot, and an animatronic that was only made of wires pass by him. Sun, though, brought his attention back to him as if he knew that the boy was already going to start panicking. His body settled on the floor in front of Atlas, crossing his legs, and folding in his hands in his lap. Though he appeared calm, Sun had this numb feeling look to him that even Atlas had picked up on. Atlas curled up against himself as he observed the way Sun looked at everything except the ones a ways away from them.

"Who-what?" Atlas took a deep breathe, "Don't call the ambulance."

Sun offered a cheerful smile and soothing tone. "We won't...but we need to check on that arm of yours. We wouldn't want you to get infected now, would we?"

"No...but that's why I came here. To clean the wound....and get some food for later when I'm hungry." Atlas swallows hard on a lump in his throat. 

"I see. May I? I won't touch you unless you give me permission." He offered out his hands, palms up.

Atlas nods, holding his arm out. He was still unsure about him since they just met. Then again, Sun was the only being out there that he didn't react to in a negative way. He needed to weary of this animatronic. What if they try something and his body doesn't stiffen up and react like he has learned to do. Atlas could not take being hurt by someone he trusted doing something bad to him again. Not again. He had to keep his guard up while Sun was around.

Sun was so gently inspecting the would on his arm. It wasn't a deep cut but it did bleed a lot. Still lightly bleeding through his shirt. Sun's fingers graze over the wound softly without actually hurting it. Atlas flicked his eyes up to Sun then back down at his own arm, going back to look at Sun. The animatronic tutted in that artificial voice that didn't come from his face but his chest. Atlas grimaced at the thought that the animatronic didn't like what he saw and would mean he had to stay here longer than he was hoping. 

"It's not...bad...just not good." Sun sighed, letting Atlas's arm go back to be suctioned to his chest.

Atlas glared, "So?"

Sun looked up at the others which made Atlas look too. They were all huddled just below the stage in the center, while the chicken sat on the stage, kicking her feet. No one seemed to be telling him anything so Atlas looked back towards Sun to see what he was thinking about doing. Would he force Atlas into something he doesn't like? Would Sun just let him go? As adults, they would have to call the authorities...but they aren't. They are robots. He was confused, head hurting.

Sun gently spoke, "How about you stay here for the night? Let us patch your arm up, then, in the morning, you'll be able to leave with a full stomach. Okay?"

"I don't know." He looked around. "I don't know if I can trust you."

"That's...understandable." Sun looked around, before stopping on Molten. "You see the animatronic made of wires?"

Atlas nods.

Sun took a deep breath, "He mans the prize corner of this pizzeria. You can stay there with him. No one will mess with you while he's there."

Atlas looks around completely. Taking in everything around him. Then he turns to Sun, looking him in the eyes, and says, "Okay."

Chapter Text

Atlas follows Sun as he is lead down another long hallway of artwork of the animatronics there. His arm is still suctioned to his chest as he is slowly walking behind the yellow animatronic. The robot was calm and peaceful. His stride is slow and relaxed as if he is trying to show that he isn't someone that Atlas had to worry about. That he understands that Atlas is cautious, scared, and, above all else, alone. Sun seemed to pick up on his body language easily despite the wall the ten-year-old boy had built so long ago blocking most of it from the others. Atlas could sort of imagine it as Sun being able to see through that wall and straight to his soul.

"Atlas." He said, "My name is Atlas."

Sun paused, turned to look at him, a soft, almost whispered, "It's nice to meet you, Atlas."

Then it returned to silence. His eyes turned to see where the others were. They were waiting at the end of the hallway as they looked down watching the two of them walk on ahead. When the arcade area came in, he was surprised by the flashing lights and bright colors. His head slowly looked around the area with mild interest that crept more into full blown amazement the more he took in. Of course, there was even more artwork on the walls, but there was neon lights hung on the wall of stars and lightning bolts. Atlas eyed all the arcade cabinets as he passed by them, fingers itching to play some of them. His hurt arm, though, couldn't even play anything correctly though. Oh well.

Sun took him to a counter where there were so many plushies of all sizes and cups of various sizes lining the shelves. They paused together on the outside of the counter looking in. Atlas shifted as he glanced back to the entrance where the others had followed them as they looked at them from the corner. He wanted to growl and hiss at them to back up, heart hammering in his chest. Sun seemed to understand that Atlas was not dealing well with having eavesdroppers. The animatronic rounded to block the boy from their sight. His hands point at them before he was yelling.

"Get out of here, you fucking pests!" His voice sharp and pointed, like this wasn't the only thing he was mad at.

"Sorry," They mumbled, "He's still very mean."

Sun seethed as he watched them go. "Sorry about that, little one. They can be rather annoying." His arms resting at his sides.

Atlas takes a deep breath in; arm pulled to his chest. 

"Now, can I clean up that wound?" Sun bounced on his heels as he waited for the answer.

The boy sighed. He was still hesitant on letting Sun get any closer since he seemed to be different than any other person he has ever met in his entire life. Yeah, his arm hurt and, maybe, having his wound bandaged and taken care of may help. But Sun getting that close to him even just to help him seemed dangerous to do. Atlas did also need to be better if he wanted to survive, and not...die. Though, did it really matter? Did he want to keep living? Life is so hard and always made him feel so small in comparison, like he just wasn't cut out to keep going. Place one heavy, too heavy for a small child, footstep in front of the other. Despite those feelings, he was still...scared...to die. Not that he hasn't tried to, you know, but what was out there that was better than here. What if...he was doomed to repeat this same life over and over and over, and over, again until he does that one small thing that frees him? If he is freed. He was unsure on everything.

Atlas gulps, voice very soft. "...okay..."

"Good. Can you sit up on the counter?" He calmly walked to the other side of the prize corner desk. He searched through some of the cabinets before pulling out a first aid kit. Then he looked at Atlas with a smile as he struggled to get up using only one hand. But despite all that, he never came to help. He just watched him. Knowing more than he let on. "Is it okay that I touch your hurt arm for a moment? I need to wipe it clean then bandage it."

"Yeah. I guess."

He didn't move though. He just stared down at the hurt arm, cursing his luck. Finally, while still waiting patiently for him, he offered up his arm to Sun. The animatronic gently held onto the limb with a surprisingly warm metal palm as the other hand took a medical wipe from the first aid kit and wiped the wound. Atlas cringed, bit his lip from crying out, and closed his eyes tightly. He fought the urge to yank his arm away because that was a sign of weakness. And Atlas was not weak. Not in that way anyways. He nearly choked on his spit when Sun had to rub ointment onto the wound before his nimble fingers started wrapping gauze around his arm. The wrapping wasn't too tight or too loose. In fact, it was perfect, but no less than a machine could do. 

Sun backed away from him, "There. Done! How is it?"

While Atlas inspected his work, Sun started cleaning up the mess and putting everything away. The white bandaging and gauze stood out from the dirty, dust covered pale skin the boy had. Atlas tended to stay in the shade or under cover in the sun since he could never get cool air to cool him down if he overexerted himself. Now that he was looking, he could see the bones in his arms wrapped around his skin. Just how bad did he look to the animatronics in this building? Was that why they were so interested in him? It's been years since he had food that he didn't have to steal and even longer that he had food that filled up his stomach.

"Well? Did I make a mistake?"

Altas shakes his head. "No. It's good."

Sun's voice seemed to soften. "Good. How about rest now? It's almost ten o'clock and I think you need sleep. And in the morning, we'll get you some food and you can be on your way."

"Sleep? Oh, yeah, that's right." He finally stopped looking at the wrap. "Okay. Though, I don't sleep much."

"Well, you can try. Molten? Can you come here?" Sun shouted, leaning over the counter next to him. 

As if on cue, the wired animatronic slowly lumbered over to them. Atlas tensed instantly which made the new animatronic pause in his advancement. His broken white Freddy head shifted until it was whole again, and white plastic fur covered his body in place of all the wires. Atlas shot to his feet, standing on the counter, growling out his hatred at the shape shifting monster in front of him. He was ready to pick up the nearest object to hurl it at the animatronic. The hiss of pain at the tension in his hurt arm didn't go unnoticed but ignored more at than anything else. 

"Sorry...thought...this form would be...better. Is it not?" The deep, gravelly voice asked. "I experienced humans tend...to be calmer...with this form."

Atlas bristled. "Well, I'm not most people. It's a lie, a mask. I hate it."

That seemed to pause the monster. "You hate this look?" His body went back to being wires and hope. "But like this one?"

"Yes." He seethed. "One's a lie and the other your truth. I...I don't..." 

"I see...interesting..." He then took another step forward. "Am I scary to you?"

Atlas glanced at Sun who was watching him also waiting for an answer. "Yes...but everyone is."

"Well, Molten here is as tough as they come. No one will mess with you while he is on watch." Sun stopped leaning on the counter. 

"Can't you stay?" He didn't mean for the words to sound that desperate nor that needy, but they did.

Sun looked ashamed, head lowering, sighing. "Sorry, bud, but I have a daughter at home waiting for me."

"Oh." That crushed Atlas's heart, what was left of it anyways. "Anyways, where am I supposed to sleep? I don't want-"

"Here." Sun gestured to the back corner of the prize corner area. He turned to Atlas who had been sliding down behind the counter. "It's warm and soft; the carpet is not scratchy. I can find some blankets for you."

Atlas shakes his head. "I'm fine without one. This is perfect. Thank you." 

Sun took in a deep breath, "Yes....alright. Molten will be here too, okay?"

Atlas turned to see that Molten had, indeed, come back the counter as well to stand there near them. "Right." He eyed the bear for a good minute before sighing. His legs took him to the corner Sun gestured to and laid down there. His back to the wall and his face outward so he could see who was coming if he needed to. He would sleep sitting up, leaning backwards so he could race off if he had to. If the dangers were real and warranted of course. Most of all, he felt more safe, not actually safe, just more this way. How he wanted to sleep and not anything that could get him in danger. Or so he hoped.

"Comfortable?" Sun asked, clapping his hands and bending down on one knee. "You can sleep on the ground; you'll get a crick in your neck sleeping like this." 

Atlas chuckles, "Probably." But stays where he was.

"Alright. Good night, little one. See you in the morning." Sun stood up, stretched, then turned to Molten. "Take good care of him, Molten, okay?"

"Will do." The gravely, low, reverbed voice answered back. 

Without much other words, Sun walked away and back out of the arcade, leaving him and Molten together. Atlas kept an eye on Molten as the wired bear just stood at the entrance. His tall frame imposing, but oddly...not bad. Not great! Just not uncomfortable like Atlas had thought at first. A part of Atlas believed that he could take the mostly wires animatronic since it was only wires and he could see through Molten. Which did make the boy feel better knowing that. Even if it wasn't true. Molten looked as if he could fight off an actual bear if he wanted to, and we are talking black bear kind. 

"Go away." 

Those words snapped him out of whatever train of thought he was slowly following, looking up at the bear. He wasn't looking at the boy, but Atlas couldn't be sure. His voice low and menacing, deadly serious too. Then he heard a scramble of footsteps and realized that Molten wasn't speaking to him. He didn't have to leave, though a part of him knew he should. His shoulder relaxed just a bit, and he put his arm that was hurt on his lap. One night here, under a roof, with air conditioning wouldn't be that bad right? He knew, though, that he had to always be safe and if he was unsure, he shouldn't be here.

He adjusted himself against the wall, arm throbbing a little.

Molten hummed machinal in his artificial throat, "Hard to sleep?"

"It's always hard to sleep." Atlas brings his legs up closer, jostling his arm as he adjusted himself. "Sleep doesn't come easily."

"Would you like a plushie?"

Atlas shouldn't. He'll want to keep it and that wasn't feasible. Stuff like that get stolen, dirtied, ripped, torn, burned, used, anything else that would mean he'll have to give it up. He might even give it up to a much younger kid living on the streets. He hasn't met anyone younger yet, but that didn't mean they weren't out there. He didn't want to give it up either. If he got it, then had to give it back, he'll be disappointed. It didn't make sense to say yes to that. He really shouldn't. But today, he has done a lot that he wouldn't have done ever before. His hand twitched to reach out and grab one.

Molten nods, "How does... a Nova plushie.... sound?"

"I don't know."

"It may help." He goes over to the shelves, picked up a smaller Nova plushie, which was the sun lookalike, then looks at it. "Here. Take it or leave it, it's up to you." His hand holds out the plushie.

Atlas looks at it, really looks at it, then he struggles to get up and grab it. "I'll take it." He hugged it to his chest with his good hand and settled back against the wall like before.

Chapter Text

Atlas jolted awake, heart hammering in his chest, pounding in his ears. Molten had his hand on his shoulder. He panicked away from him as he scrambled away from the wired mess of a Freddy model. He was trapped though. His back against the wall. Atlas growled, shaking Molten away, and hitting him with both hands. He growled and snapped curses at him. The problem was that he wasn't seeing Molten, even though Molten scared him. He was seeing the shadowy hands of another person who used him like no child should have been used that impacted how Atlas saw everyone else. 

"No one...will...hurt you here." Despite the angry aggressive Altas, Molten's voice remained calm and low...maybe he couldn't change his voice levels or anything. It didn't matter.

He pulled away from Molten, curling up tightly. "Don't touch me."

"Sorry." Molten took a few steps backwards. "You were...whimpering...in your sleep..."

"I know."

"Does that happen...often?" Molten looked off to the arcade area as if there was someone there, probably those other animatronics he saw.

Atlas noticed that the plushie he was given had been tossed away from him. The boy quickly snatches it up and hugs it to his chest. He could feel his heart. His pulse rapid against his neck. Atlas was shivering because of fear and not coldness, panic settling in every fiber of his being. He wanted to run and scream and just be away from here with those eyes staring down at him Instead he pulled himself further into his knees. His arms wrapped tightly until they were squeezing to white. Atlas buried his face into the Nova plushie to shield the tears threatening to come out from Molten. He doesn't cry in front of others anymore. He refuses to.

Atlas takes a shaky breath in.

Molten's voice confirms the unanswered question. "I...understand."

There was a pause as Molten just scans Atlas, he could feel it underneath his skin.

"Your body...temperature...has risen...you are...sick. Quarantine should be put into effect."

Atlas wipes his eyes from the tears, "What are you talking about?"

"You are...sick...your body temperature... has risen to 101.4 degrees... Fahrenheit... indicating that something... is wrong. A virus has... probably gotten into your system... and will be... spread across the... world. We must... separate you... from the others."

He tilted his head, "I don't...what are you...saying?"

"I'll contact...Sun and Moon...":

"NO!" He stood up, dropping the plushie. "Don't tell them."

Molten looked down at him. "Why?"

Atlas didn't know what to say. He had just reacted on instinct. "I...don't want them to know. Not like they can do anything."

"They know a lot of ways to help."

Atlas shakes his head, trying to convey that he didn't like the idea. "Please?"

"Fine." Molten sighed. "But...if you...get worse...I'll contact them...anyways."

"Deal."

Atlas settles back to leaning on the wall, sitting crisscross. His arm throbbed deeply now as he placed it gently on his lap. Fresh blood had seeped through the bandages that Sun had put on earlier. He eyed the plushie trying to figure out if he wanted to pick it back up and get it dirty from his blood or leave it there to keep it clean. Atlas could keep it clean and just slid down the wall until he was laying on his side, stretching out his hurt arm to rest against the cool carpet. He let his other hand pillow under his head and his legs pull up a little to shield him from his own emotions.

The boy tried to sleep the rest of the night. His mind still swirling around from his nightmare and the situation he had found himself in at this pizzeria. Atlas isn't normally this bad at stealing things. He blames it on getting hurt. If he didn't try to act tough when that man had come around and started following him, then he wouldn't be here. He would still be out there trying to steal from whatever store he wanted and be out of there before anyone could find him there. Atlas was good at living on the streets. 

Atlas finally got some sleep in the early morning when the light started coming in. His heavy eyelids fell shut despite the throbbing in his arm and he got some rest. He was awoken to a soothing voice, hand rubbing gently on his shoulder. He sat up to look at the person doing it. Sun. It was Sun who was kneeling down next to Atlas with his hands steadying the boy as he sat up. Sun seemed tense and worried as he adjusted himself and Atlas. Last night, he couldn't really feel it, but now, he could feel the fever in his systems blocking his brain from fully waking up. He noticed that his skin was a little sweaty too.

Sun sighed, "Molten said your wound reopened last night, can I take a look?"

"...sure..." He nodded, already offering up the painful pulsing arm. 

Sun, again, took it gently to examine it. He shook his head before standing up and getting the first aid kit again. The animatronic then sat down to start unwrapping and rewrapping his hurt arm. It barely took two minutes for him to be done this time with only cleaning and ointment slapped on. Atlas didn't feel any better than before his wrapping got changed. His eyes still seeing with a hazy look, felt too hot in his own clothes but so cold too, and his arm still hurt. Actually, it hurt more now than it did before. Sun brushed back some hair out of his eyes, hair was really long, in a sweet caring gesture.

"We are fixing to open up for the day and I got a few options for you." Sun stood back up, looking out of the prize corner. "We have a backstage area, but the others will be in and out all day. There are the office areas...but Moon is almost always back there. He did say he'll stay on the floor to give you the time you need. And lastly, is taking you to our house and let you sleep there."

All options felt like crap. Backstage sounded loud and too crowded with the other animatronics. He couldn't imagine trying to sleep with the characters singing right there on the stage that was only separated them was a thin curtain. Animatronics could also come in and out with full access to him at all points of the day. That wasn't safe at all. Going to Sun's house felt...wrong. That had to be most unsafe out of all of the options. He really didn't know who Sun was or why he was good at handling him or even why he cared so much to help one small child in a storm of helplessness. So that left the office area. He assumed Moon was the one that was the one that was blue and came in with Sun and he did not like him. He seemed like he would always be angry for no reason at all, temper and emotionless. It would be quieter, and he could rest like he so bad wants to do right now. Then again, Moon had access to him all day. 

Atlas took a deep breath, "Is that my only options?"

"Yes...unless you want us to contact CPS."

"No." He growled, "Never."

Sun nodded, "Then yes. Those are the only options at the moment."

Atlas tilts his head, "The offices then. I can sleep anywhere at the moment." 

Sun turned to him with a fake smile plastered on his face. "Good. I'll take you there. Do you feel well enough to walk on your own?"

"Yes. I always will." He snapped, part due to the fact that he was exhausted and in pain, another part due to the fact that Sun offered to touch him. That was a never.

The boy awkwardly stood up from his spot as he tried to get up using one hand. Once he was up, he looked up at Sun for direction on what to do and where to go. Sun ruffled his hair, then led him around the prize counter and back through the many arcades filling up the space. Then they came down the hallway. At the stage, he could see the others waiting there. The clown girl, the chicken girl, the wolf girl, the crocodile guy, the bear guy, Molten, who he assumes it Moon, and a Moon lookalike (the one with the cone hat from last night). All of them plus an orange version of Sun with a totally different vibe who was standing further away from the group were talking to each other. Suddenly, they stopped at his presence. 

Atlas walked closer to Sun as he was lead past the animatronics, hand reaching out then stopping. The orange version of Sun animatronic stopped Sun by standing in front of them preventing them from going into the 'Employees Only' area. He seemed to be trying to convey information silently without words, maybe they talked internally since they are robots. Then he stepped to the side and allowed Sun to take the kid back where he isn't supposed to be. They passed two doors before arriving at the final door that opened upon them getting close. He looked up at where it disappeared to just to see how it worked. 

"Choose any corner you like."

He looked around the area. It was mostly bare save for three desks. Two against one wall and one separated. There was also a couple of bookshelves and posters. That's it. Atlas chose to curl under the furthest from the door desk, pulling the chair as a block so he didn't have to worry about someone coming without his knowledge. Sun watched him get comfortable under the desk. Then he grabbed something out of the bookshelf cabinet and came back to him. His yellow and cream hands offered up a blue blanket to him. He thought about whether or not he needed a blanket. Then a shiver racked up his spine, hand already snatching it from Sun's fingers. Once he was situated, Sun placed the Nova plushie he had next to him. 

He looked up at him, "Wait, how did you know-?"

"It was on the floor near you, Molten would never let that happen." He chuckled. "Anyways, relax here for a while. Rest up and I'll come back to check up on you."

Atlas nods, "Okay." 

He settled with his hurt out on his stomach and his other hand at his side. The blanket wrapped around his body like a second skin just to stop some of the shaking shivers he had, nose buried under the fabric. His head rested near the plushie. Sun sighed, hand coming to brush back some of his hair from his face again, gently and adoringly. He had this soft feel to him. Atlas curled into a ball, allowing him to continue running his fingers against his scalp in a soothing manner. Sun stopped, stood up, and went to the door. Atlas watched him flick off the lights to the room as he left with a soft "Goodnight" and a gentle wave of his hand.

Atlas closed his eyes. The weight of the nightmare had faded when Sun was there but came back the second he was alone again. He reached for the Nova plushie and dragged it to his chest in a crushing hug. It was dark, warm, and silent. The fading laughter and singing of the crowd coming into the pizzeria had this background noise static to it that lulled him to a feverish sleep. He was still shivering, still felt hot to the touch, and still felt dazed. He wanted to do nothing more than crawl away from the place and back to his junkyard. Yet, the thought of having to deal with this all by himself felt...daunting. Too much and too overwhelming.

Chapter Text

Atlas was in and out of sleep for a long time. One time he felt like someone was watching him. Blue eyes begged for him to be okay from their perch near the door. Sun rays and hands near his mouth as he looked at him full of concern...not pity. But that could be because he was in and out of it. Another time it was the Moon guy that looked similar to Sun. He was working for a while. Atlas could hear the clicks of the keyboard as he typed up whatever it was that the animatronic needed to. Each time that he faded back to sleep and woke up, the animatronic was still typing away. 

At one point he was dreaming so real that he felt the animatronic come over to him. His cool metal hand touched his forehead, brushing back some hair that was in his face. So real that he actually felt himself be lifted up and carried out of the office area like he weighed nothing more than a sack of potatoes. His flaming face rested on cold metal shoulders and tight arms wrapped him up in a hold that even if he was awake, he probably wouldn't want to get out of. The type of hold that screamed safe. This was safe. He was safe. Atlas nuzzled into shoulder weakly, begging for something he didn't understand.

The dream didn't end there either. 

He woke up again to a bright light. It came from above him and shone down with an intense beat. Atlas felt the whine escape his throat before he could stop it, but he was shushed with a gentle gravely deep voice. Then a cool metal hand gripped the back of his head as it lightly pressed him into the shoulder to keep from moving. Not that he would anymore. He settled back against the metal being carrying him and let him take him away. 

The steps jolted him a bit, but he accepted them as he was carried up them in his dream. Actually, they were kind of lulling, forcing his eyes to close and open many times before closing them again. He didn't remember being placed on a bed, but he did feel the blanket wrap tight around his body protectively. Whoever's hands tucking him in carefully and gently. The person must be Sun... he was the only one his fuzzy brain could make up that was that nice for his dream. Weird dream but he liked it. Being taken care of like a child felt new and right at the same time. Like something he never gotten before. A cruel fate that it had to be in a dream. 

Atlas let his hurt arm settle on a fluffed-up pillow next to him gently only wincing in pain once because once it was settled, it felt like laying on a cloud. He sighed, a real chest deep sigh that came from somewhere deep within him. He was sleeping on a real comfy bed, a real bed at that with a pillow that was super fluffy. And a blanket that didn't smell of dog piss and trash. Atlas could spread out his legs. But with a feverish mind and a deep glassy vision, he couldn't get comfortable. He'll take the hyper realistic dream of being able to sleep on an actual bed over any other dream. Most dreams were nightmares....so this was better.

The boy seemed to wake up more the next time. His eyes scanned the room; he must be dreaming still. A four-post bed raised high above his head as he laid on soft white bedding. A minimalistic decor. A yellow chair and a half sat on his right as well as dresser on the left-hand side next to a couple of doors. Atlas lolled his head to the side to see a set of stairs going down with a railing. Well, he assumed it was stairs because having a railing in a person's room is kind of weird. True, this would be normal for a regular person but to Atlas, this was completely clean. Too clean for him. There was even air conditioning! He was still very cold but now, he felt the cold from the air seep into his bones.

This had to be a dream.

Another time, he felt more than saw touch on his face. Cold metal fingers roughly pried open his mouth by pinching his cheeks until he couldn't bite down without chewing on his own gums and fingers. It hurt a lot to have his cheeks stretched but it wasn't the first time that this had happened to him. He knew what came next, and he had no strength to fight the hand off or whatever was fixing to come into his mouth. Atlas could barely move any part of his body at all. His good hand weakly grabbed at the cool metal arm, eyes still too heavy to open. Then something poured into his mouth. Another hand helped close his jaw together with the one that was holding it open, removing his fingers from his mouth. His nose being held too until he swallowed whatever was poured in his mouth. 

The hands quickly retreated and left. A strange chemical taste stayed on his tongue.

A sudden loud noise woke him back up, someone yelling. Still in the same bed, same room....same bed? He bolted up. Atlas frantically looked around the room, eyes darting to everything. He was in a real bed! Atlas's heart hammering faster in his chest as he observed the area more thoroughly now that he wasn't as fuzzy. There was a staircase leading up to the room and a bathroom conjoining this and another room. Sitting on the chair and a half was a black and white cat, curled up watching him panic. Atlas tried to stand up on his legs but they were a bit shaky. The cat meowed at him.

The yelling continued as he tried to breathe. He was on a fucking bed! Did he have his cloth-? Yes, they seemed to still be on him, but no one could be sure they weren't replaced. He didn't feel sore anywhere. The strong pounded in his ears as he whipped his head around the room for no reason other than think. Think. THINK! He had to think straight but-But- the ringing in his ears was too loud and he wanted it to stop. He wanted to breathe. Atlas wanted his lungs to expand to full volume. He wanted the room to stop closing in on him. He struggled to breathe again, tears prickling at his eyelids.

Murrh!

A heavy weight crashed into his lap. It was the black and white cat. He had climbed into his lap while Atlas was panicking, scaring him out of his panic attack. His deep purr vibrating his body that was oddly comforting soothed him just a bit. Air rushed into his lungs as he slowly started petting the cat on his back. Sighing deeply just to get his breathing back under control, he focused on how soft the cat was. How loud he was purring. How much he was glaring at the boy's chest. Atlas doesn't think that the cat likes people that much, but he was kind enough to recognize how much the boy needed something real.

"Thank you, Mr. Cat."

He stood up, picking up the cat, and adjusted his stance to keep a hold of the cat. He cat's paws settled on his shoulders as he continued to purr. Despite his heart still drumming away in his chest, holding the cat helped keep him on his feet. Atlas noticed that the door next to the dresser was open which led to a bathroom and another door that was open. Sitting in the doorway was another cat, an orange one, who meowed at them coming to rub against his legs. He bent down to pet him a couple of times too before straightening up again. He glances at the closed door where the yelling was coming from. Atlas opens the door awkwardly with still holding the cat and wincing as he had to use his hurt arm to pull it.

The yelling cut in quickly. 

"Why don't you ever listen to me?!"

"I do listen to you!"

"No! You don't. You don't understand anything about the situation!"

"You weren't doing anything about it and he was dying!"

"He was fine, Moon! You probably made this a whole lot worse!"

"Sun, you are exaggerating."

"Exaggerating!?! Do you even understand that that kid has been through things and needs someone who understands?!"

"Sun," Moon, Atlas assumes, sighs. "You don't understand. We should have called the police the second we saw him. Now he's here in our house with an infection. I gave him medicine that I created so he should be okay."

"It's your house." Sun stated. "But that's not what I am talking about. The boy, obviously, has issues. He won't like being taken somewhere he doesn't get to choose. He'll freak out."

"That's ridiculous. He's a child."

There was a pause.

"I'm just...I'm going to go check up on the kids."

Another voice entered, "Not cool Moon."

Atlas startled at the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs. His panic flared back up and even the continued purring wasn't helping. He just...he can't be here. Not in a place like this. Not with others in the house. He needed to leave! He-he-he can't be here. Doesn't want to be here. The two cats started really meowing at him. He tried to put the cat down, but it sunk its claws into his shoulder. He was panicking again. The boy nearly tripped on the orange cat at his feet who was rubbing against them. Atlas leaned against the door just to get away from the orange one and trying to pry off the second one. It looked worse than it actually was. 

"Cleo? Let him go." Sun's voice felt like someone dropped freezing water on him. 

Atlas watched as Sun carefully pried Cleo, the tuxedo cat, off his shoulders and shoo off the other one. 

Sun's voice was still calming and soothing. "How are you feeling? You look better."

He glared at him, reminding himself that Sun wasn't who he seemed to be. Yes, he was nice and kind, soothing even, but he helped tricked him. Sun wasn't as innocent as Atlas thought he was when they first met. He stepped away, banging against the door as he scrambled away. Sun allowed him to be put somewhere he doesn't want to be. Atlas wiped at the tears that were already forming...even though he doesn't want it to come out. He hates crying in front of others. He hugged himself. How could he have been so stupid as to trust someone again? He should have ran away the moment he saw that Moon lookalike peek in at him. Why was he so...stupid?

"How is he...doing?" Decker jerked his head to Moon. He had followed Sun up the stairs. 

"He's better but I think he still has a fever." Sun said, hand reaching out but Atlas was prepared and dodged it.

Moon looked between them. "Okay. He does look a little red in the face. Let me check."

He comes to touch Atlas's forehead, but he literally jumped out of the way. He was crawling away towards the bathroom door. The boy growled at him with as much venom as possible towards Moon. He wanted out of here. Out of this room. Out of this house. Out of their lives! He hated them. Atlas stumbled around the cats as he raced through the bathroom and into the conjoining room where he nearly fell down due to the blankets on the floor. His hands ripped open the door, running through as he heard hurried footsteps behind him. He didn't feel as if he said, "Fuck you!" as he ran but he heard the words yell out of his throat.

Atlas headed towards the stairs. Trying to get free. He stopped in his tracks when he saw a small deer like animatronic stop at the top of the stairs after she had climb them. She had big, jade green eyes, a soft smile that angered Atlas more than he cared to admit. Her base color was light tan, and her hair was short brown. He tilted his head at the two light brown deer antlers adorning her head with purple bows with yellow bells in the middle tied around them. Fluffy tuffs of fur came from out of her ears. She also had a heart shaped black nose that was supposed to be cute to those who looked at her. She was wearing blue overalls that had a star graphic on it with a white undershirt and a bracelet on her wrist. Her feet were hooves. Or was she a he? He couldn't tell. What girl deer had antlers?!

"Oh, hello! You must be Atlas." Her voice was soft and hesitant.

"Oh, fuck me."

Chapter Text

"Kid, don't try it..." Moon growled behind him, stopping not far away next to Sun who had followed the two of them.

"Stay away! I don't-" He snapped, adrenaline keeping him aggressive. "Just stop!"

"Dad?" The deer-girl animatronic called to Sun and it connected when Sun moved to go to her. This kid like animatronic was Sun's daughter that he talked about.

Atlas stepped a step away when Sun passed, standing near his daughter.

"Dazzle, Atlas is a little...jumpy at the moment. He's still very sick."

Those words in that tone of voice just irritated Atlas. It was like this wasn't the same Sun he met a day ago who could keep him calm and sooth him. This Sun was a guy with a kid. Atlas wouldn't say he had that father vibe, more like he wasn't fully into being a dad. He did have a childcare aura around him. Atlas couldn't really tell you how Sun felt around him. It was more of a feeling he got from how Sun paid attention to him, cared for him, recognized that something was not all together right with his body language. Atlas was still very skittish around people, but he also had an aggressive side. He was not a good kid. He will no longer let others use him, walk on him. Take advantage of how he treats others.

"Fuck you! I didn't want to be here!" He pointed at the two animatronic adults. "I was just fine out there on my own."

Moon stepped forward with a shuffle of feet, probably because he felt the shift in the air. "First off, language. There is a child present. Two...you were badly ill."

"I didn't ask for your help. You offered. I don't have to take fucking nothing!" He growled, feeling trapped. He couldn't go down the stairs or back the way he came. 

"Cannonball!"

Atlas looked around at the voice only to be scared nearly to death when another child like animatronic fell from the ceiling in front of him. He screamed, clutching his heart that was already racing before that and now was going ten times faster. He curses under his breathe. Maybe holding the plushie to his chest would help calm him-FUCK! Where was his Nova plushie?! He looked around him but found nothing attached to him and couldn't remember waking up with it either. Just his luck...he knew it would happen. He straightens back up to see the situation he was currently in.

The animatronic that had fallen looked like a pumpkin faced Moon. The crescent of his face is orange, and the other half is a dark purple blue-like coloring. His eyes are brown and dark orange with white pupils and a white grin. His body is shades of gray, darker browns, and oranges with a few spots of blue from Moon's coloring peeking from underneath. He wears green ruffles around both his neck and hip, along as green ribbons at the bottom of his pants, which are colored similar to that of a burlap sack, with darker sewn-on patches. His shoes are a similar purple, blue-like color as half of his face, alongside his wrist ribbons, which have bells on them. His shoes also have bells and little crescent moon patterns on them. The animatronic wore a brownish orange cap.

"Jack!" Moon shakes his head. 

"What?!" He turns to look at Atlas. "Who this?"

Sun spoke first. "This is Atlas...did Solar tell you about him?"

Jack really looked at him. "Oh yeah! Father did mention something along those lines. He looks funny."

Atlas couldn't speak with how fast his pulse was racing.

"Are you okay?" Dazzle, the deer animatronic, asked Atlas who was looking around anxiously.

"The fuck you think!"

Moon growled, "Language! Not in front of Dazzle."

Atlas was normally not that bad with his language but, when cornered like this, and the fact that Moon didn't like it, made him do it more. He was trying to defend himself the only way his brain could come up with at that moment. Offend them all and race out of the building. That's always the best plan in this situation. People don't want to continue fighting when it not them, continue reaching out when the other pushes back. It is not fair for each, and it still hurts. Atlas just couldn't take this, not from them, not from how he was starting to trust them. He did not want to be anywhere close to their house and yet...here he was.

"I...I just...I'm out." He turned to leave anywhere, too crowded. "Let me go!" 

The boy jerked around, trying to find a spot to escape through, having to stop moving as to not touch anyone who was still too close! They were closing in, he could feel it, too close. His heartrate felt like it was trying to bounce out of his chest. He felt it in his throat. Beating. Beating. Beating in his head. He was so...scared. And at that realization, his body reacted on how it knew it should in this situation. Just stop breathing. Air couldn't reach his lungs at all. He was gasping and pressing his good hand on his chest as if that would help beat the air into his lungs. Tears were falling, against his will.

"Hey, hey." Sun's voice came out. "It's okay. I know it's scary."

Atlas knew that Sun was reaching out, placing it on his head and pressing his head against his chest. He just couldn't breathe still in this situation. Part of it was due to the fact that he thought he could trust Sun to keep him in control, but now he wasn't so sure that he could trust him. Another part of him knew that the others were still there too close to him. How could he feel safe when he didn't feel safe? Sun seemed to understand that and carded his fingers through his hair to help sooth him. Another hand wrapped around his shoulders to start rocking them together.

"Try to breathe, I know it's hard." He continued to rock. "Jack, can you take Dazzle into her room and play for a while? Moon leave. Just leave."

Jack bounced in place, saluting. "Yes sir!" Then he took Dazzle's hand, and they disappeared into a room close to them. 

Moon hesitated, "Are you sure?"

"Moon...leave." The tone of voice seemed neutral, but it had an edge to it. There was a step of heavy footsteps leaving to another room before it was quiet. "There. We're all alone."

Atlas nods lightly, still trying to breathe.

"Okay, Atlas, let's focus on your breathing. Deep breath though your nose...Come on." He inhales shakily. "Good, good. Now, hold it for three seconds. 1...2...3...exhale through your mouth." He did as he was told.

They kept doing that for a good ten minutes, standing right there in front of the stairs with Sun holding the kid who was not moving. Atlas just stood there, relishing in the fact that his lungs could take in a chilling breathe of air and expel it without a choking, squeezing hold on his throat. He wiped at his tears with his good hand as he tried to lean away from Sun. But Sun wouldn't let him go further than a few inches away. His arms tightened whenever Atlas leaned to get away, pressing him back into the hug. Sun rubbed his shoulder. Up and down. Up and down until the tears slowly faded and many minutes after.

Sun knelt down from there, "Better? That was a big attack."

"Yeah...I'm better." He rubbed a hand across his face.

"Good. Your fever is better, still a mild one but it's better." His hand brushed across his forehead. "So, let's get you back into bed."

Atlas growled, "No."

"Why?"

"I do not like that. I hate bed, no beds." He pulled away harshly. "You put me into a bed already! Even after I stressed how much that made me uncomfortable."

Sun sighs, "That wasn't me, little one. Moon was the one who brought you here. I wanted to keep you at the pizzeria until you wanted to come here. On your own." He let Atlas get a few spaces away from him.

"But..but..you just let him! And how do I know that you didn't. He was very gentle like you and made me comfortable, most of the time." He remembers when his mouth was roughly pried open.

"He was?" Sun nodded slowly as if he was unsure of his claim. "Okay...I can see how you might have thought it was me. But I can assure you that it wasn't."

Atlas looked down, then back up at Sun. "I want to go."

Sun seemed to sigh internally. "I'm sorry but you can't leave while you are still sick, little one." He kneels down to be eye level, hands reaching out to squeeze his arms, but he stopped himself. His arms came back to rest at his sides.

The boy brushed some hair back in thought, "Who's going to stop me?"

Sun glanced up at the ceiling then at the stairs behind them, finally settling on Atlas again. "No one. If you really want to leave, then go ahead. It's no use keeping you here when it hurts you so. Those panic attacks are quite serious and if they are that bad, then keeping you here against your will is not going to help."

"You're...not...going to stop me?"

Sun shook his head. "No. Just let me pack you a snack bag before you leave."

Atlas does everything but look at him in the eyes. "Okay....okay...I can do that...if you don't mind."

"No. I don't mind. Come on and watch me work." He gestured for Atlas to follow him down the stairs.

Upon reaching the kitchen, Atlas stood at the island looking around the place. Sun set to work making different types of sandwiches and cutting up fruit then putting them into little bags and packing him a bunch of medicine tablets. He was fascinating to watch. His movement sure and true, drawing the knife into deliberate cuts, placing meats onto the bread, spreading the peanut butter and cheese spreads just right. Like he had done so many times already. Probably has considering he has a daughter. Though, a part of him wondered if the animatronics could even eat and why they had food in the house to begin with.

Sun looked up passed Atlas's head, leaving the room as if he was on a mission. Atlas took the moment to clear his head. His lungs inhaled a refreshing intake of air as he calmed down. The boy took in the past couple of days. First, he was hurt by some bastard after he tried getting away from him. Then he enters the Celestial Pizzeria in seek of a first aid kit and maybe some food if he was hungry, and good enough, to get away with it. Only, he wasn't so he ended up talking with Sun who didn't look like a sun, no rays. He trusted them to keep him safe, which he knew better but he was stupid, and that turned on him. Now, he was in a house he didn't know, in a bed he didn't know, and can't really remember what had happened while he was out. And anything could have happened...even if these were animatronics. 

"Okay, here is your bag." He stuffed food into a random bag for Atlas.

Atlas nods, "What happened to your rays if you don't mind me asking?"

Sun stilled, touching his head. "A prank gone wrong."

"Oh," He took a deep breath in. "Was it Moon?"

"Surprisingly, no. But that doesn't matter."

"Right." He noticed Sun holding out the bag and takes it. "Thanks."

Sun leaned against the island to look at him. "Just promise me that you'll come back to see us if you need help."

The boy looks away, in thought and in shame. "Sure..." Though that was a lie and everyone felt it.

Chapter Text

Moon appeared in the doorway behind them. "You are just going to let him go like that, Sun?!"

"You aren't understanding. He doesn't want to be here." Sun defended.

Atlas moved to look between the two feeling as if he was a monkey in the middle.

"So?! He's still sick." Moon took in a huge breath of air to calm down. "Kid, you are fucking staying."

"No. He can leave if he wants to. You can't keep him here, Moon. He has nothing to do with us or our problems." Sun shot back just as quickly. 

"Why are you fighting me on this?! Not too long ago you wouldn't have let him go anywhere until you got him settled into a new home. Now, it's okay to let him leave?!"

Sun slammed his hands on the counter, "Well, I'm sorry for changing. But you are only making this worse....and I would have gotten him to that point if you fucking trusted me. Yet, you don't."

"He was dying Sun! Thought the old daycare attendant would know that!"

The air grew very tense. Atlas looked between them, half expecting one of them to jump the other and start fist fighting.... but nothing happened. Moon sighed, then turned to walk away. His metal feet surprisingly light on the flooring. The two watched him disappear before glancing at one another. Atlas turned to where Moon went. He was scared of them, but a part knew that Sun wouldn't let him trick him again like he had. Or his body believed that. His mind was another story. Atlas's hands gripped the straps of the bag tighter, taking a shaky breath of air. He turned to Sun who was staring at him still, head tilted as if weighing options in his head.

"I do wish that you would stay here...at least until your fever disappears." Sun had his palms placed on the counter as he watched the kid. 

Atlas looked off again, anywhere that wasn't at the animatronic. "I don't know." He fidgeted in his spot, playing with the straps. 

"Oh, yes, wait just one minute." Sun pointed a finger at him before racing up the stairs that were in the conjoined dining room. Atlas listened as the animatronic shuffled around upstairs for a moment before he came rushing back down the stairs. Sun looked at him before going around the stairs to what Atlas assumed was another hallway. Finally, Sun came back around with something yellow. He held it up to Atlas who instantly grabbed it. "Molten said it was yours."

"Thank you!" He hugged the Nova plushie to his chest. "I thought I lost it."

Sun smiled. "You like that?"

He nods. "Yeah, I never had one before...and I like it."

Sun came to kneel right in front of him. "Okay, buddy, before you leave, tell me...are you in trouble?"

Atlas startled, "Trouble? What do you mean?"

"I wanna help you. Are your parents...harming you?" He gently took Atlas's arms and rubbed them soothingly. "I can help as much as I can."

Atlas sighed. His chest started pounding again, lightly, as his heart worked overtime. He didn't know if he really wanted to tell him anything. But...a deep part of him trusted him. What difference would it make if Atlas does tell his story of what his life had been life? What could Sun do to help him? Atlas had been so far from normal life that he couldn't even tell what his own life was just and what wasn't. Then again, what was his life like anyways? Why did it even matter? Not like he truly cared about his life anymore...not truly. The future that awaits him wasn't anything good. Not with how he grew up. Not with how he is.

"It's nothing you can deal with." He looked down at the floor. "I'm not just..." He sighed again.

"Take your time, I'm here." Sun never stopped rubbing his shoulders. 

"Why should I tell you? What can you do?!" His voice raised just a bit in frustration more than fear.

Sun stopped rubbing, squeezed his shoulders, being very careful of his wound. "For one, I won't leave you to deal with this alone. Even if you have to leave, I'll still be here to talk with you. Through phone. Through text. Any way we can. Two, I can help walk you through this process. As you heard, I used to be a daycare attendant and I have seen many, many things where I needed to take care of the child first."

Atlas still looked at the floor, "Okay."

Sun's hand left his right shoulder, gently lifting his chin up so he can look at him in the eyes. "I'm serious. I won't do anything you don't want me to do though."

"Alright..." He swallowed his fear down. "I was...mistreated by my parents....among other things."

"What things? I'm sorry, I need the details to be able to fully help you. I'm sorry, little one."

Atlas pulled away, "Why?!" his voice whiny and scared.

"I know." he let the boy wander a little away from him to collect himself, to feel safer. "It's a lot...but without it, we can't get you the proper treatment."

"I.." He ran a hand through his greasy hair, blowing out air. "Okay. Okay. I'm trust you deeply here Sun."

Sun seemed to offer a smile despite never actually able to move his face at any point. "Thank you for that Atlas. Whenever you are ready."

He gripped the plushie tighter to his chest. Atlas would never be ready. How could he talk about something so personal to someone he barely knew? How could he just talk about it at all?! It made him cry just thinking about it! Why did Sun expect him to be that brave? Atlas was never that brave as he always told all his life. He was not the one who could go out and just...tell his side of the story. Atlas had to tell Sun because Sun made it known that he cared. Cared about him, about his feelings, about how he felt. This is the least he can do for someone who has reached out first.

"My..." He choked on a sob before wrapping his arm tighter around the plushie. Atlas took a steadying breath in. "My father liked to beat me...every day. He had this...Whacking Stick...that he liked to use a lot. If he wasn't doing that...he would...get drunk. And he wasn't a nice one." He wiped the tears with the back of his good hand.

Sun took in a gasp of air. "And your mother?"

"She...um...she was never happy with me. I couldn't do anything right. I tried, but I guess she was right. I am wort-"

"No!" Sun interrupted, coming and cupping his face in his large metal hands. "Don't ever believe that. You aren't worthless. You aren't unworthy. You aren't stupid and useless!"

Atlas gulped down the heavy lump that was stuck in his throat. "Doesn't feel like that."

Sun pulled him into a hug, pressing the boy's face against his torso. "I'm sorry....I'm sorry. You should never have to have gone through that at all."

"No one should but they do....be that someone else making you or you yourself."

Sun paused, hands no longer soothing down his shoulders. "Yeah, no one should ever feel that way."

The boy looked up at him. "Do you?"

"hmmh?"

"Do you feel that way too?"

Sun didn't answer him, only squeezed the boy a little harder. Atlas had surprised himself even when his own arms wrapped around Sun's torso lightly. If the animatronic was alarmed or anything, he didn't show it. He just kept his arms around the human child like he had before with his hands rubbing soothing circles on his shoulders. Just as quickly as he had wrapped his arms around Sun, he released him just as fast. He pulled away slightly, just to give him room to think. To consider.

The child looked up at Sun. "What now?"

Sun looked up at the ceiling. "Well, for now, I just want you to feel comfortable before we just throw you to the wolves...so to speak." he finally glanced down to connect eyes with the boy. "How about you stay with us for a while? Just until you are ready to talk to human adults who can help."

He nods, "Okay...okay...I think I can do that."

"Alright. Perfect. First, let's find you a room to stay in."

Atlas blushed, "Can I, um, go to the you know?"

Sun, who had turned around to look start leading the way, tilts his head back at him. "Go where?"

"To...the...bathroom?" His legs fidgeted around as he spoke, embarrassed that he had to ask. He hadn't had to ask when and where to go for a long time now.

"Oh." Then it clicked. "OH! Yes, yes...a bathroom...a working bathroom." 

Sun moved to the living room, looking into the door that was behind the couch then looked at the kid. 

Atlas watched him, a bit anxious.

"So, um, no working toilets in this entire house. So, what I am going to have you do is, if you want to and I can provide you with clean clothes, let you take a shower and...you can go in there." Sun cringed at the end.

"You want me to...pee in the shower?" He tilted his head. "Okay, I guess."

The animatronic clapped his hands. "Then let's get you into a shower. You need one anyways." His hand waved in front of his face where his nose is supposed to be.

"No one will come in while I shower, right?"

Sun sighed, "No...and if you want I can have Molten watch over the door for you."

"Molten? He's here?"

He nods.

"I don't know." He glares at the floor. "I'll feel better if he did, to be honest. He really did watch over me while I was in his prize corner, so I trust him a little."

The yellow animatronic seemed to be happy at that. "Molten! Are you here somewhere?!"

"Yes." Molten said from behind them, both quickly turning around to see Molten standing in front of the glass doors leading to the back porch. "I can see you are doing better Atlas...that's good."

Atlas nods.

"You called Sun?"

"Yes, we were wondering if you would be so kind as to watch the door to make sure no one comes in while Atlas takes a shower. Would you mind?"

Molten lets his eyes wander down to the boy, mouth opened already. "Of course. Let's go."

"I'll bring up some clothes that you can probably wear...Jack might be too big in some areas and Dazzle...hmmh." He moved towards the stairs as he talked leaving Molten and Atlas alone together again.

There was another pang in his heart at that.

Molten cleared his broken voice box. "You ready?"

"Yeah...I guess."

Molten moved towards the room behind the television, bursting into the room. Atlas jogged to catch up. Inside the room was another Sun lookalike. His coloring more orange than anything else. He was lounging on his bed with the male child animatronic, Jack, bouncing next to him. Both instantly shot up at the presence of the tall wire animatronic. The adult robot glared at them which caused Atlas to shrink behind Molten, trying not to panic too much. Jack waved while the other shouted. "What the fuck are you doing in my room Molten?!"

"Get out. We need this room."

"This is my room." He defended.

Molten's voice got deeper. "This is the only bathroom... with only one door...Leave."

The Sun Lookalike seemed to understand and herded Jack. "Fine. Come on Jack, let's get you to bed."

They slipped by Molten and Atlas before disappearing into a hallway. Atlas follows Molten into the room, shutting the door behind him, and continued further into the room. The human looked around at the room. Simple...plain...fits an animatronic. Then he eyed the bathroom. His eyes swept over to Molten who was watching him. Molten was a good animatronic. Molten was a good animatronic. Atlas can trust him. He can. He gulps before moving towards the bathroom.

Chapter Text

Atlas held the plushie to his chest as he looked at himself in the mirror. His greasy hair felt different, no longer slimy and dirty as he ran his hands through the wet strands. His skin wasn't black with grime. Sun had given him some clothes that were supposed to fit. Jack had happily given a few pairs of pants that he could have. A black pair of his pantaloon and a patchwork pair. The black ones were, as he described them, for his pirate costume for Halloween. That was fine. He put them on, and they fit okay. It was the shirt that he had trouble with. Dazzle's spare white shirt was a little too big on his frame. He was too skinny according to Sun and Molten who were looking at him from the doorway after he changed. But it wasn't long enough to reach before his rib cage. She had odd measurements for sure.

"I look different."

Sun chuckled, "A haircut and you'll look like a new person."

He looked at himself longer, "It's odd seeing myself...like this."

"Oh? You don't like it?" Sun smiled at him through the mirror. "I think you look better."

"He'll look better.... when he gets.... his shirt...." Molten commented. They had sent Solar and Jack to get real clothes for him.... which really made him feel like he had friends.

Atlas put the plushie down on the countertop. He almost backed out of it all when Solar and Jack came back with the clothes the human needed. Solar practically tossed the bag into the bathroom before leaning like Sun against the doorframe to watch his reaction. He pulled out the clothes with his good hand awkwardly, wrestling with the bag for a moment. They got him a black pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt that had Batman on it, also in black. He wasn't even upset at that. He liked the fictional character as much as the average person does so he'll take it. He looked up at the four animatronics in the doorway.

"Thank...you..." 

Solar clears his throat. "Didn't know what color to get you so Jack suggested black."

"It's fine." He doesn't look at him, can't look at Solar nor Jack.

"Alright...let's let him change in piece." Sun ushered everyone out as he shut the door behind all of them, rays spinning audibly before he closed the door.

Atlas looked at the clothes one last time before changing into them. The dark clothes felt better on him than the odd fitting clothes from Jack and Dazzle, almost as if Solar knew exactly his size and got them true to fit. He looked at himself in the mirror again. Still didn't look like he thought he did. Long, messy hair that curled at the ends felt different to look at. He often only saw his reflection in window glass of the stores he passes or in the surface of rippling water. He didn't realize how dull his blue eyes looked though. Was that how these animatronics saw him? A kid who was lifeless and useless.

He didn't belong here.

His arm was rewrapped by Sun after his shower, ointment reapplied before they covered the nasty wound. It was better than before thanks to Moon Sun said. Didn't make him feel better or anything. Still tricked and used. Like so many had done before. Atlas sighed at himself. His feet, socked, padded to the door, inhaling and exhaling deeply, before opening the door to see Sun sitting on the bed with Jack (who was standing on it) talking about sponges. Solar was leaning against his window near some dumbbells. Molten was standing near the bed, also listening to the rambling of Jack.

Sun turned to him at the sound of the door opening, offering a soft voice. "Well, that fits you so much better!"

"Wow! I like it!" Jack yelled, throwing his hands up in the air.

"...thanks..." He muttered, pulling the ends of his sleeves with his fingers.

"All...that's left...is that...haircut....I can do it..."

Sun scoffed. "No. NO!" He pointed at Molten.

The hair was getting into his eyes now that the grease wasn't holding it back, he blew it with a puff of smoke. Solar grumbled, "Here." Before Atlas knew it, Solar had come over to him, brushed his hair back with surprisingly gentle hands, and tied it into a small ponytail with a rubber band. He adjusted the ponytail a few times before deeming it good and walking back towards his side of the room. Atlas shakes his head at what just happened. The ponytail hitting his neck, caught his attention before his mind wandered and he realized he could do things without it getting in the way.

"That's good. This way you can still see while waiting for if you want to get a haircut." Sun commented as he stood up. "Well, it's getting close to dinner time, so let's head to the living room to wait while I cook the food."

He ushered Jack and Atlas out of the room with the other two following behind them. Atlas stood awkwardly next to the chair as the others took a seat. Solar sat down on the couch with Jack settling between his legs as Molten takes the chair further away from him. They turned on the television, flipping through the channels as they searched for something to watch. It was a calm atmosphere...which was odd to experience. Solar had one leg up on the couch and an arm on the back, using the other hand to flick through with the remote. He landed on Pirates of the Caribbean movie marathon where Jack started to scream to stop and watch it.

Dazzle came down from the top of the stairs screaming, "DAAAAAAAADDDD!"

He flinched at the shout, quickly hiding on the other side of the chair he was near as he watched her race towards Sun. Atlas continued to eye Dazzle and Sun as they smiled at each other in the kitchen. They looked so happy with each other. So much like a real family. It was sad that animatronics got a happy ending and he...Atlas noticed that Dazzle was showing Sun a piece of paper that had her drawing on it. It was an awful sketch of Sun and her standing in front of what he had to assume was the house they lived in. Yet, Sun's happy acceptance of it confused him so much. He didn't understand it.

"Everything alright?" Molten's voice asked.

Atlas never looked at him because he was intrigued at the scene unfolding in the kitchen at that moment. "Yeah....I guess."

Jack jumped up causing Atlas to quickly look at him. "My favorite part!" 

The boy blinked at him, then dragged his eyes over to the screen. A pirate battle was happening on screen with a lot of swords fighting and gun shots. There was even a cannon ball at one point. Jack's commentary on the show made it slightly better too. He seemed to enjoy pirates a lot and wanted everyone to know it. Atlas scooted a little closer to see the screen a bit better; he had never watched an entire movie before nor seen an episode of anything. He lived on the streets for a long time and before that his parents only cared about one thing and that wasn't him.

"Did you see that?!" Jack pointed at the television with his finger, looking over at him. Atlas nodded in response.

"That seems...highly...improbable." 

Jack shook his finger at Molten. "You shut it. This is a work of art!"

"So...they all are pirates?" He asked.

"Yes! That there is Captain Jack Sparrow, the best pirate ever!!" He jumped up and down.

Atlas turns back to the screen to see a black-haired man talking. He took a seat to watch the scene further. Jack seemed happy with what was going on so he guessed that the pirates they were following were the good guys or at least who the camera thought would be watchable. They were all simple characters. But who would watch a character that was scared of everything but still yearned for a family? Not him for sure. Atlas noticed a scene change and sat further onto the edge of his seat just as Jack did beside him. They were so invested in the movie that the two did not hear when Sun called dinner time.

"So you like pirates too?" Moon's voice came to his side, so he quickly turned to see who was there.

His hand pressing against his chest at the sight. Atlas didn't even hear the animatronic walk into the room or lean against the chair he had been previously standing near, now sitting at the couch next to Jack who was still watching the movie. His heart started hammering in his chest again, telling him that something was dangerous. He stood up. Atlas could have sworn his legs felt like jelly. But just as quickly as he had come in, Moon left to go to the kitchen where Sun was coming out of. His hands on his hips as he stared Jack down with a glare that would have rivaled death itself.

His voice was frustrated more than mad, but Atlas still felt bad. "Jack, it's dinner time. Come eat with everyone. Now....don't make me get Solar."

"UGH! Fine." Jack stood up, heading to the kitchen now too. "Come on Atlas, let's go."

At that the human perked up. He had never been invited anywhere before. And, yeah, it wasn't an actual invite, it was the closest he had ever gotten. Most just yell at him to scram or they call the cops on him. He wouldn't be lying if he said he still felt like Sun and Moon still might call the police and have them come take him away at any moment. Atlas looked down feeling overwhelmed at all that, processing that he was liked by someone. Someone actually liked him enough to drag him along. 

"You coming?" Jack poked his head back in the room.

But that the thought of following dead when he remembered that everyone was going to be sitting in the same room as him. His heart was still pumping fast and his lungs wanted to stop at any second. Atlas was feeling useless...pathetic. Utterly pathetic. His hand went to his hair, pulling at the strands and freeing them from the ponytail they were trapped in. He shouldn't be here. Why was he still here?! Atlas should have left a long time ago! He should have left the second the others saw him in the kitchen at the restaurant. He should have ran out the door the second Sun calmed him down. He was not this...not a family person. He could never be a family kid!

What was he thinking?!

"Atlas?" Jack's hands softly pulled his fingers from his hair. "What's wrong?"

He cleared his throat, trying to get the lump to disappear from his neck. "There's nothing here for me...I should go."

Atlas looked around for something, anything to show him that he should leave. There were no beer bottles on the ground or tables. There was no cigarette buds stumped out on the coffee table. There were no white powder lines on any flat surface that he could see. There wasn't even trash anywhere in the entire house that he had seen. This place...this home was the stuff of legends to him, stories and lore, imaginations that had gone wild in the middle of the night when he couldn't sleep. This was a whole other world that he knew he would never be part of. And the more he saw the more it confirmed. They were animatronics...not human...how could they take care of him if he wanted them to adopt him.

NOT that he wanted that of course.

Chapter Text

"Wait a minute, stay here!" Jack disappeared to the other room before he could say something. Then he returned with two bowls of macaroni and cheese. He placed them on the table. "Let's eat in here together!"

Atlas looked down, hands rubbing his shoulders. "You want me to eat with you?"

"Me too." Dazzle called from the corner, peeking out, then slowly entering the room with her own bowl, sitting closer to Jack. She goes to whisper something Atlas couldn't hear. 

"I don't know..." He looked around, hand running through his hair and messing up the ponytail. Atlas tried to fix it the best he could.

Jack whined, "Please! Stay here...for dinner at least!"

"Well," He looked at Jack, then at Dazzle, and finally settled on the two bowls getting cold. "Okay. Just for dinner."

Together the three children sat around the coffee table, slowly eating. And Atlas could tell you that he couldn't remember the last time he had a warm meal, let alone being able to eat as much as he wanted. Jack talked about sponges and how they tasted better than the food to which Dazzle argued back that macaroni and cheese is better. The boy was just glad to be eating real food, being able to take in what a home was like for once. It all felt so surreal to him. Something that was only myth to him before, but now a certainty. 

Atlas licks his lips, "Thanks...Warm food always feels great."

"Right!" Jack yelled, jumping up. "And do you know what's even better?!"

Both Atlas and Dazzle looked at the pumpkin animatronic in confusion.

"Playing pirates right after!" He jumped on top of the table, producing a sword out of nowhere and pointing it skyward. "Captain Jack-o-Moon at your service!"

Atlas looked down at his empty bowl, "I've never played before."

Both kids gasped at his admission. 

Dazzle's soft voice came out, hoof going to her mouth. "Never played?!"

"We can change that!!" Jack stated, pulling him up on his feet, mindful of his hurt arm. "You can be one armed Pete!"

"I'm the princess!"

"And Dazzle's the princess!"

Atlas tilted his head. "I don't know...It all seems rather...odd?"

"Please?" Jack begged.

He sighed, "One round...and you'll have to teach me what to do."

"YES!~" Jack smiled, jumping up and down.

Sun came into the room, gathered up the bowls, and turned to Dazzle. "Dazzle, honey, you didn't finish the reading I asked you to do. Go to your room and I'll be up there in a minute."

"No. I'm play pirates and princesses with Jack!"

"What did you say, missy?" Sun stopped heading to the kitchen and turned towards his daughter. "Go to your room and I'll be up there in a minute." His voice was stern but not mean, like how Atlas always imagined a father to be.

Dazzle started crying as she ran up to her room while Sun shakes his head and headed into the kitchen.

"We can still play!" Jack brought his attention back to the childlike animatronic. "We can be pirates on the same team looking for treasure and fighting bad guys!"

Atlas looks at him, then turns to where Dazzle went off to, coming back to settle his gaze on Jack. "You sure?"

Jack lowered his sword, "Unless you don't want to. We can just sit around."

Atlas thought it over for a minute. He could just say no and the two of them could sit there until they figured something else out. Or the boy could just leave, like he keeps telling himself to do since he met Sun. Then again, he kind of liked Jack. He was chaotic, hyper, and a lot of other things that Atlas only ever hoped to be one day. That same thought made him irrationally angry that even a freaking robot had a better life than he did. Jack had a loving father, two uncles that took care of him, a Molten. And a cousin that he could play with every day. All Atlas had was himself and an alleyway. But this could be his one time to be a kid. He had to do this, for himself.

"Let's be pirates." He offered a small smile to encourage both of them. "Just teach me along the way."

"Yes!" Jack jumped up and down. "Captain Jack and his first Mate One Armed Pete!"

Atlas shakes his head, playfully. "Why Pete?"

"Sounds better. But One Arm Atlas could work too!"

Jack took his hand and started running around with a toy sword. He helped the Atlas stand up on the coffee table together. Dazzle coming back later on, just sitting and watching them play. The plot of the story was that the two of them were the leaders of a large pirate crew, and they were on the hunt for a legendary treasure of the Pirate King. Whoever finds the treasure gets to be the New Pirate King. Together they sailed the seven seas, fought the kraken and other pirates, destroyed villages, and so much more. At first, Jack had to explain everything. He guided Atlas on running around, pretending to fight each other. He even directed how the plot of the imaginary scenario should go while playing. Most of plot was made up along the way.

Atlas and Jack, smiled, running around the living room as if they were on a ship, protecting it. He sorts of forgot that they were playing and really got into it with Jack. They really were Captain Jack and First Mate Atlas. Atlas was able to own an imaginary black crane that would sit on his head when they were just hanging out on the deck waiting for the next adventure. Currently, the two were hanging on the rafters of the ship, looking out at sea. Jack had just heard the sweet calls of something out at sea. Atlas came to investigate what he was hearing. It was a beautiful sound that seemed to capture the two males.

"No! Don't listen, Atlas!" Jack pulled his head away from the sea. "It's sirens! Mythical lady fish things!"

"Sirens?" He gasped, "Are they all female?" 

"Um...Yes?"

Atlas nods. "Wait, can I not feel love? Like do not want any sort of physical love?"

"Of course." He smiled at the boy. "Oh! OH! You can be the key to keep us from falling under the siren's spell!"

"Yes! And I have to kill them to free you from their trance." 

Jack sudden made his body went ridged. "They want more slaves. You will join us!" He started chasing Atlas.

Atlas giggled as he ran away from Jack.

"Never!" He rounded around the couch. "I will save you Captain! Oh no, the crew is infected as well."

"Join us!" Jack laughed as he continued to chase Atlas.

There was a clap of hands causing both boys to stop dead in their tracks. "Ok, boys, it's bedtime." Sun was standing in the entrance to the kitchen with Solar and Moon, Molten standing near the other entrance near the basement door. 

Jack groaned. "Awww! Five more minutes! Please?"

"It's already too late, Jack." Solar answered, arms crossed over his chest. "Go to bed."

"Fine. Night Atlas."

Atlas nods, "Night....Jack."

Sun turned to him next. "Okay, Atlas, time for your bedtime too."

He blinked. 

"Where do you want to sleep? Jack's room has a few spots...Dazzle's has an extra bed." He put a finger to his chin in thought. "I'll give you my bed if you liked that."

Molten's voice cut in. "Or the couch. It's near three... doors. Two of which... are near the couch... for easy escape."

"I'll sleep on the couch."

Solar nods, "Then I'll be in my room, right here if you need me." Then he slams the door to his room after he enters it.

"And I'll be up in my room. Please find me for anything." He smiled at him, eyes going soft. Then he waved night as he left to head up the stairs towards his room.

"I'll be around if you need me as well." Molten offered as he turned to enter the basement. He paused with his hand on the knob. "Seriously, we all like you here...well, not everyone. But me and Jack do. I think Sun does...it's hard to tell. Anyways...Good night, Atlas." 

Then he disappeared into the basement.

Atlas looked down, biting his lip. A hallow feeling in his chest sunk deeper and grew wider until it was overwhelming his senses. Why was he still here? Why haven't he left the room yet? The house?! Why was he not leaving? Why did he feel...so safe here with everyone? Molten wasn't as scary as he thought when he first saw the animatronic made of wires. Solar...well, he still had this air about him that wasn't scary but still made him uneasy. Moon. He didn't really like him. And Sun, he liked. Jack too. It was a place he thought he could relax just a bit and not feel bad about doing.

Sighing, he crawled up on the couch and settled down on his side.

"Hey." Solar opened the door to his room, scaring the crap out of the boy. He clenched his heart as it pounded behind his ribs. "You left this in my bathroom." 

Atlas got hit in the face by his Nova plushie. Oh? Guess he did leave him behind. Solar disappeared before he realized it, and he was left alone on the couch with the plushie. He hugged the plushie to his chest to help calm him down since his heart was still hammering away. Atlas laid back down on the couch and cuddled the stuffed animal. He felt exhausted all of a sudden. Like all of his energy was expelled when he played with Jack nearly for two hours, or more, he didn't know. It was certainly more than he ever had got to do on any day. Mostly, it was just run away far enough not to get caught by the police then rest for the next time he had to run. That was it. He never got to run and play and hide and jump and play fight and just have fun.

He closed his eyes for only a second, opened his eyes to stare at the screen saver on the television. The light casted a soft glow on his face and he liked it. It was like he was back in the alleyway with the lights dangling above his head. Sighing, he relaxed back down, making sure his hurt arm isn't squashed under him. He closed his eyes again, longer this time, before he opened them up. Finally, he closed his eyes. Sleep coming almost as soon as his eyes closed that time. Atlas didn't even dream anything while he was sleeping either. A dreamless, peaceful, full blank sleep.

Little did he know that Moon had come out of his room when Atlas had fallen asleep, standing behind the couch, leaning a little, to look at the child on the couch. His eyes scanned his frame. Atlas was small, too skinny-probably malnourished-and in need of some proper care. There were some cigarette burns on his arms, peeking out from under his sleeves. His hair definitely needed a cut. But he looked better. No longer dirty and grimy from living on the streets, cleaned up and giving a good amount of food. The kid needed that. Moon sighed, he couldn't do this again.

Moon figured the kid should be given to the proper authorities. He'll call the police in the morning and figure out what to do with him since he was so...defensive and skittish. Atlas needed someone who knew how to deal with kids like him, who had PTSD about people. Someone who was patient with him. Someone who could take care of a human child. Someone who wasn't him or his family. What were the rest of his family even thinking? Atlas was human and they were animatronics. 

Chapter Text

Atlas wakes up in the middle of the night when he heard a noise, like a person soft cursing so they didn't wake anyone up. He placed the Nova plushie on the couch before following the noise. He was reminded himself of when he used to live at home with his parents. Back then, he heard the hushed whispers of his parents talking in another room. And just like right now, he carefully crept down the hall to see if he could understand what was going on. He hated to think that history repeats itself and he'll end up back where he begins so many months ago. That all these turbulent feelings swirling inside him didn't mean anything at all.

The noise was coming from Sun's room. He saw a bit of light from the creak in his door. The rustling of fabric. The soft sighs of disappointment. Atlas slowly, hesitantly, peeks into the room. He could barely see in, but he knew he saw Sun standing in front of his mirror. He saw Sun standing in the middle of his room wearing a yellow dress. He looked happy wearing it. His hands softly smoothed out the fabric as he took himself in the mirror, eyes looking at himself. Sun's eyes looked so...sad. Without thinking, Atlas knocks on the door, waiting for Sun to reaction.

Sun flinched, turning to see Atlas. "Oh, my! Atlas...this isn't...I am just..." He face-palmed. "I'm sorry you had to see this."

"Why?"

Sun looked up at him. 

"Because you wear dresses?"

He nods. "Yeah, it's not appropriate."

Atlas tilted his head. "I don't understand. Why is it inappropriate when you like it?"

"Because not everyone that you like is appropriate." Sun explained, taking off the dress. His fingers felt along the yellow fabric. "Some things are wrong."

He looked over his shoulder at the dress. "How is wearing dresses wrong?"

"You just don't understand, little one.;" He folded up the dress and put it into this box that was laying on the bed. 

"I thought you looked pretty...do you want to be called pretty? Sounds weird to say to a male."

Sun chuckled, "Thanks...it's fine."

Atlas watched him pick up the box, hands glow blue, then it vanished. "What-?"

"Never seen magic?" 

He shook his head.

Sun's voice felt more gentle, real. "It's cool right?" He showed his fingers as they started glowing again.

"Do you use magic all the time?"

He shook his head. "No. That'll make Moon angry."

Atlas nods slowly, as if he was absorbing the information. "Does he hate that you wear dresses too?"

Sun started, "Are you-" Then he sighed, heavily as if he were just exhausted. "He used to make fun of me for it."

"I never understood that." Atlas shakes his head. "Why do others care what another does?"

Sun made no more on the topic, obviously still sore from the past, so instead, he sighed. Again. "Time for bed, little one."

Atlas goes to say something, but the look Sun gave him made the boy stop. He nodded. The human headed back to the couch where his Nova plushie was staring at him. Begging him to come back to bed. So, he carefully crawled back on the bed, wrapping his good arm around it, and settled back to go to sleep. Atlas opened his eyes to stare at the television screen again. A sudden thought that he wasn't alone. Despite how quiet it was, he wasn't alone. This house was full of a family. A family that didn't need someone else entered into the fold without it being forced. Maybe if someone was a lover it'll be more natural since it'll be something different...not a child in need of a home. 

Sighing, he sits up.

Not like he'll sleep anymore now.

His hand maneuvered the Nova plushie to look at all the details. The yellow dark in the light of the purple screen saver of the television screen, ray's floppy as he was turned over. He liked the look of it. His friendly smile stretched across the felt and fabric of the plushie. Slowly, and gently, Atlas put the Nova plushie to his forehead just to calm down. From what? Even he didn't know. But his heart was racing, and his breathing grew quicker. So, he tried just to calm down using the plushie. He wouldn't always have Sun to help him anyways. Just why was he feeling so overwhelmed when no one was around? 

Atlas rubbed his eyes as he gets up. He heads over to the back door, putting his hurt hand on the glass. Seeing it through the mirror caught his attention to it. It didn't hurt as much as it did before. Actually, thanks to Moon, it barely twinged with pain now. No one had ever reached out like these animatronics had before. The other people living on the streets either shoo him away for being a baby or just avoiding him. He never played with anyone before, and Jack had been fun. So much so that, he lost track of time when they were playing. They matched energies for sure. He got to release a lot of energy that he didn't know he had. Which made him more tired than he ever felt while on the streets. You always had to be ready with all the strength and stamina you needed to escape from whatever the danger was.

He sighed, letting his hand drag down the glass until it was flopping by his side. "What do I do?" He whispered to himself. 

The boy leaned his forehead on the cool glass, eyes scanning the outside of the backyard. The porch light illuminating the small dining table and chairs. Even more so, the grill still full of cooked meat just sitting there. Further out on the dock, the lights reflect on the water just right to make mini moons rippling there. Other than that, it was so dark he couldn't see anything else. Dark shadows of the trees and bushes lightly canopy the yard to make it darker. Swirling blackness made imaginary monsters crept and crawl towards him, disappearing in the light. He closed his eyes to stop seeing it.

Turning around, he opened his eyes to see the television screen still lighting up the living room. Maybe he should just leave...he's starting to think of something odd. That he is too scared to leave at night like this. He never had been before. What was he even doing here? Playing pretend? Playing house like so many kids his age used to do. He shouldn't be here. What was he thinking?! Atlas was not a family kid. He shouldn't be involved in a family.

Rolling his head over, he noticed the door handle. He could just man up and leave. Fuck the results and make it back to his alleyway, settling down on the ground. Pulling his jacket. No, that was thrown away by Sun. This new hoodie could be used though. Anyways, he would lay down there and try to rest, knowing full well that he only slept lightly and the slightest noise would wake him up for good. That is where he belonged. Not in some house like this with real food and loving, caring people. He was nothing, a dumb stupid bastard who will amount to nothing. That is who he was.

And that is how he'll stay.

Atlas pushed off the glass and started looking around the house. He really didn't know where anything was which was odd since he liked to always know where an exit was. Be that a window or door. But he always knew where to run to if he needed to, if he had sensed danger, if Atlas was not feeling it. His feet took him to the basement door where Jack had disappeared to when he was told it was bedtime, also where Molten went to rest as well. Further passed that was the dining area of the kitchen. Next to the table was a set of stairs leading up towards what he could assume was Sun's room since it was the only one that had stairs, something he still didn't understand. Continuing into the kitchen part, he stopped at the island. The marble countertops smooth and clean to the touch, fingertips gliding over it as he looked around. The door lead back to the living room area.

Taking a deep breath in, he let his head fall back to look at the ceiling, leaning against the counter. Atlas had never once thought about finding a family again. That was too scary. Opening up his heart again to someone was more terrifying than anything else in his life. And when he did that to Sun, it made him feel...vulnerable. Made his mind go blank. It made him start thinking that Sun was right. Maybe he can help him move on. Get better at feeling these feelings and move on, if not all the way, but enough. Get him back on to his feet once again. Let him feel normal once again.

Why was he here? 

He moved away from the counter and through the door back towards the living room, stopping at the dining table. It looked unused. Moving further on, he stops at the stairs. He didn't notice that there was an office there. It was shut and closed off to him. He could enter but past experience warned him that there were too many things that could wrong if he tried. The door could squeak. He could be trapped in there if there was danger. Hell, he could break something, and the others hate him forever. He'll keep away from that. No use getting in trouble again if he can help it.

Atlas lets his head look up the stairs. No. He can't go there. There were at least three others sleeping up there, or in Sun's case, dressing up. He placed his foot on the step then backed back out and heading towards the living room again. The couch still held his sitting Nova plushie near the blanket he was given. Seeing it there, watching him, watch it, gave him just a bit more courage to look around more. His yellow body a ray of sunshine in an otherwise dark room that had false light trying to guide him. He picks up the plushie and carries it in his arm as he makes his way towards the back door.

He's determined to check out more of this yard. To get some fresh air, maybe. Maybe an excuse if he wanted to escape, maybe just a way to be himself. He didn't know. Atlas had trouble thinking nowadays, not collecting all his thoughts together type of feeling. His hands slowly, and gently, open the door. It did squeak, once, when he opened it but otherwise remained quiet. Then he heads outside to the balcony as he leans on the wooden railing. His hand placed the plushie on the railing near him. His eyes sweeping across the yard again. Seeing it differently. No longer scary dark blobs trying to reach towards him and drag him to their level. Now? They were friendly dancing ink blots that just minded their own business. 

Atlas flinched when something jumped onto the railing next to him. It was the black and white cat. He let out a puff of calming, stuttering air before reaching to pet the cat. He purred at his touched. Atlas continues to scratch across his fur, letting his eyes look up at the moon. A clear crescent moon. It didn't produce a lot of light for the night, but it did make this feel safer. Maybe he was just feeling trapped inside since most of the time he lived outdoors. In the heat of the day, the smoldering of the night. The cat meowed beside him to get his attention. He stopped petting him and let him go. 

"Yeah, I can stay just a little longer."

Chapter Text

Atlas leaning on the railing looking down at Moon and Solar as they talked on the couches about why the television wasn't working. Jack had been jumping from the railing to the television cabinet and back again as he tried to show how much he could jump. Atlas was strongly encouraged, by Jack, to jump there as well but before he could even think about that, Solar yelled that he better not and that Jack better stop as well. Jack and Atlas shared a look that looked guilty before trying really hard not to laugh out loud. He liked to think that he could have made that jump. It wasn't that far.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the front door. Both boys went to see. A small, very blue, probably animatronic, kid like being stood there.

"Oh my god." Solar's voice groaned from the living room.

The thing shouted from outside. "What's up?!"

"That's Cosmos...he's the younger brother of Sun and Moon." Jack explained. 

"Just come in, dude. There you go." When Atlas leaned over the railing, he saw Solar shake his head and lean forward, putting his head into his hand.

"It's called being courteous. Aries has been trying to drill that into my head." He said, coming into the house and walking up to the two in the living room. Jack and Atlas still leaning over the railing to watch them. 

Solar looked confused for a just a second. "The word?"

"What?" asked Cosmos.

"The word courteous...or?"

Cosmos interrupted, a little irritated. "No, like being courteous."

"That's-" Solar tried to speak again.

"Because I'm not."

"Shocking. Actually."

Cosmos looked between Solar and Moon. "Real quick, also, before we stay in here and have a 20-minute conversation. Where's Sun?"

Solar was the one who answered, which didn't surprise Atlas as Moon hadn't spoken up yet. "Uh, in his room, I believe. Why?"

"Yeah, he should be upstairs." Moon looked up as he spoke to see Atlas and Jack leaning over. The boys waved before trying to hide between the railing bars.

"Just sit." Solar said at the same time as Moon spoke. 

"First off, I need to go apologize very quickly." Cosmos looked guilty at something.

"Oh yeah, you do actually." Solar nodded in agreement, looking between Cosmos and Moon.

Moon's head tilted a bit. "What? What happened?"

Atlas couldn't hear what Solar was explaining but Jack said it was about how Sun lost his rays for a while, explain it properly later.

"Okay! There's a reason. It's not a great one, but it is a defense on my end." Cosmos started running up the stairs, so the two boys hid in Moon's room. "Anyways, I'm going to go apologize."

Jack leaned over Atlas, who had been kneeling on the ground watching through the door, "As spies, we should see what all that is about."

"We should!"

Currently, they were playing as spies while Dazzle took a nap. It was Atlas's suggestion that Jack loved so they were running through the house trying to pick up on something to spy on. Which was why they were observing Solar and Moon. Though that was because Atlas mentioned in passing that it seemed like Moon and Solar hung out a lot together. To which Jack said, it could be a remembrance of past events. Atlas didn't know what that meant and it seemed like Jack didn't want to remember those memories either. So, the human didn't ask any more. But they did stay to take in whatever the two older animatronics were doing. 

Atlas followed Jack, creeping on the floor. Rolling and crawling towards the door that Cosmos just entered into. 

"So, I'm very sorry." Was all the Atlas could hear from the other side of the door. 

He leaned over to Jack. "This about the rays?"

"Yeah...He apparently got sent money by accident and sent it over here to us...and Molten decided to run with it by doing what it was for...taking Sun's rays."

Atlas nodded, coming to an understanding, more than before anyways.

"Oh! He's here for a week." He whisper-yelled, turning to offer up a smile to the boy.

"Is he bad?"

Jack put a finger to his fake mouth. "No. He's sassy...and I like sassy. But Cosmos is really cool. He's like the teenage cousin you like hanging out with at a family reunion."

Atlas grimaced. "I wouldn't know. I never had a family reunion."

"Me either. All my family is here. Father, Moon, Sun, Molten, Monty...Even Terra."

"Who's Terra? Monty?"

Jack groaned. "You'll meet them soon...I think you already have met Monty though."

"Have I?" Atlas asked, looking up in thought but nothing came to mind of who Monty could be.

"We should leave." Jack stands up. "They are talking about Sun and Moon's fight."

Atlas agreed. "Is it that bad? I mean, I knew it was bad, they fight a lot. But?" He follows Jack back to leaning over the railing to continue their spying on Solar and Moon.

"It is still pretty bad. Sun is extra...angry all the time. And Moon, now, is depressed. It's not a good place to be."

"How did all this come about?" He looked at Jack, then felt ashamed for asking. "Sorry, you don't have to tell me."

Jack sighed, "It's fine. Sun is tired of being...the butt end of every joke, being left out...and I can't blame him. Moon can be a bit mean at times. But he decided to turn on his emotions to better understand how he has been treating everyone."

"How is that solving anything?"

"Wha?" Jack finally looked at him.

Atlas made sure to connect their eyes. "Well, think about it. The damage is done. You can't just hope to fix something you broke. After making someone feel alone, beaten, depressed..." He shakes his head from the spiral he was fixing to go under. "There is no reaching your hand out to save them."

Jack hummed but didn't make any more on it.

"I know Sun's and mine's situations are different. But I would never accept an apology from my father. Never. I've been called stupid, useless, not worth it. I've been left out of so many decisions. I just can't trust anyone the same either. It's only a matter of time before they treat me the same. It's me."

Jack took a step closer, not touching Atlas yet, just there. "I'm sorry."

"Well," he sighed, "It wasn't you so don't apologize. You know, I wasn't always this...afraid."

"You weren't?" He was genuinely surprised.

The boy had to chuckle at that. "No. The last straw was when I... well, let's just say, I turned out to be just what my father always said. Worthless loser who does nothing right and I'll end up alone. And I've accepted that fact. No use being anything other than that when it's true."

"I don't think it's true."

"You don't even know me."

"And you don't know me."

At that, Atlas had to admit, that was true. They really didn't know each other. Not in the way they at first thought. What could a human really know of an animatronic who acted like a child? That same thing, what could an animatronic know of a human who barely acted like a child? Both are broken in a way, haunted by memories from their pasts that continue to shape their decisions on everything in their lives. From what they eat to the dreams they have at night when they are supposed to be sleeping peacefully. Because of that, what did they know of each other. Both just leaning on the railing in the same thought.

The two were so in thought, not even watching below, to notice the small figure coming to stop near them. When they did, it was because he cleared his throat. Atlas nearly fell off the railing if Jack hadn't been there to catch him. A hand pressing at his beating heart and checking to make sure it didn't just give in at that moment. He gasped for a calming breathe for a moment too. Jack's hand found his shoulder to help soothe the distress currently entangling his limbs and mind. It had been Cosmos. A small blue animatronic with some of what Moon's theme was but with a brighter blue and white instead of black. He had a hood on with a swirling night sky that the human was not going to question either. To be honest, he looked more like a kid than an adult...

"Um...who are you?"

Jack spoke first, jumping up as he did. "This is my new friend, Atlas. We're playing spies."

"...hi..." He gave a small wave. 

Solar voice drifted up from the living room. "He's a human Sun and Moon are trying to help. He's not a threat or anything."

Cosmos chuckled, "Doesn't seem like a threat at all. Nice to meet you. I'm Cosmos, Sun and Moon's younger, better brother."

"Atlas....Atlas Stilton." It had been a long time since he had spoken his last night. Felt more like a sin now than it did before

Jack leaned heavily on him. "You wanna play with us?! We're waiting for Dazzle to finish her nap."

"Maybe later. I need to speak to Moon." He waved them off, but that was fine. 

"Okay." Thankfully, Jack didn't sound upset. He just grabbed Atlas and dragged them into the darkness of Moon's room. "Returning to the darkness...."

Atlas tried not to giggle at that. Jack had started saying that whenever they entered shadows or darkness. The two went back to playing spies as if they didn't just have an awkward moment that involved both of them standing in silence for who knows how long. It had been something. They tried not to listen into the conversation down below or the slight shutters from Sun's cat's room that sounded a lot like crying. Atlas could only pause at the door to imagine how the scene inside looked. A lonely Sun curled up on the floor with his back to the wall as his cats meowed at his feet to get his attention, desperately trying to hide the oily tears falling down. After a long while, Sun came out of the room just as the boys settled down to watch the three in the living room. He announced he was fixing to start dinner after waking up Dazzle.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

All heads turned to look at the door where a woman dressed in a suit and two police officers stood.

Atlas bristled in his spot, heart stopped working and his lungs expanded. He knew who she was. He knew her all too well. He glanced over at Sun to see why. How could he give him up like that, as if he meant nothing?! Maybe he didn't mean anything to him. He had a brother, or three, a daughter, a good life. Sun had it all. Atlas didn't fit in that puzzle, his piece still unused. He couldn't go back there, not after all this time has passed. He just couldn't go.

"Hello, Ellen Marcel...I'm with CPS. I got a call about a child."

Atlas glared at Sun. "I trusted you!"

Sun turned to him. "What? No, this wasn't me!!" 

"I should have known better." He spun around to figure out where to go, how to get out. 

The boy made it halfway down the stairs before the front door opened and the three of them walk inside. His heart wouldn't stop pounding in his ears. He didn't know what to do. She glanced up at him, smiled, before saying. "Well, haven't you caused me enough problems, Atlas Stilton. How about coming calmly." The two police officers squared up at her sides.

"Fuck."

Chapter Text

"Come now, Atlas. No use doing something stupid." Her words were pointed, obviously having done this dance before. "Thank you, Mr....Moon, was it?"

Moon had come over to them. "Yes. And he's not a bad kid; he'll go without a problem. Won't you?" He connected eyes with Atlas, who was still bristling.

"The fuck I will." He shouted.

"No!" Jack came to stand in front of Atlas. "He's my friend."

Ellen glanced towards the police officer on her right who nodded and took a step towards the stairs, causing Atlas to stumble backwards up the stairs. He panicked. Fully turning around and sprinting away with the officer coming right after. He heard Sun shouting and Jack hollering, but he didn't care. He was getting out of here. He made a bee line for Sun's room where he knew another set of stairs led to the kitchen and another way out. Atlas was not going back to foster care. Fuck if he gets caught. His hands made sure to slam the door closed right behind him before racing towards the stairs.

The boy skipped two sets at a time as he ran down them, hand gripping the railing so he can twist towards the door. Only the other police officer was there. The officer scooped him under his arm. Atlas kicked and screamed, pulled and hit at him, but got no response from the older man. He just jostled him a bit as he was carried awkwardly towards Ellen who was still standing at the front door. She was watching him as she always did. With pity and remorse. She brought out her phone and started texting someone, probably telling them that Atlas was in custody. She then looked back up into his eyes.

"Let's get you into your new home." She pinched his cheek, nearly drawing back one less finger when he snapped his fingers at her. "Don't worry, the Rogers are not going to press charges."

The officer jostled him again.

"Charges?" That was Sun's voice, something that had his heart sinking.

No. No....please no!

He couldn't see anyone else, but he could hear the conversation.

Ellen left his field of vision. "Well, Atlas here, had a slight...accident with his last family. But we don't talk about that."

Atlas growled.

"Accident?"

"I really can't say, Mr...?"

Sun seemed to step a bit closer. "Sun....just call me Sun."

"Sun? Moon? Odd names for such...handsome young men." Ellen's tone suggested that she was thinking, obviously curious about the situation. "Well, let's get going. Come along, Atlas. I already have a nice family lined up for you. Two other kids, warm meals...nice right?"

Ellen starts walked through the door, leading the two officers back out the door.

"Wait! We'll take him." Sun shouted.

This time the officer turned around, and he got a good view of everyone. Dazzle and Jack stood, hugging each other, at the top of the stairs. Sun was slowly coming down the stairs while Solar and Moon were in the area between the two rooms. Molten had come out of the basement and was peeking at the scene unfolding. Cosmos was sitting on the couch just taking it all in. Atlas saw the look on all their faces too. Sun looked about ready to grab him from the officer holding the boy and run away. Like he did mean something...at least just a little bit. Atlas watched him slowly make his way down the stairs to stand in front of the three individuals.

Ellen quirked an eyebrow. "As much as that's...um...nice to hear. You need to be certified to foster children for the state. It involves taking classes, exams, passing background checks...it's a lengthy process, one that takes months to do. Everyone in this house as well, which means extra time to finish the checks. It's not worth it. Not for one little boy."

"That's not fair. Doesn't he get to pick?" Sun's hands twitch his fingers as he tried to reach out towards them. "What about him?"

He jostled in the hands again.

"I'm sorry, but we really must be going. Come, Atlas, your new home is waiting." 

Without waiting, the officers left the building carrying him away from the house. Atlas looked away so he didn't have to see the disappointment in their eyes. The officer placed him inside the back of the car as Ellen hopped into the front seat. He buckled up. Atlas couldn't believe what was happening. He didn't even get a chance to say goodbye. Though his mind raced. His heart drummed away in his chest as if it were on fire itself, hearing it echoes inside his ears. He curled up on the seat, pulling his legs up on the cushion, and wrapping his arms around himself. He couldn't breathe anymore.

"This new family is so nice. No problems. No worries. You are going to love it there." She talked as if Atlas was listening, as if Atlas could breathe let alone care about it.

~~~~

"MOON!" Sun rounded on Moon the second he heard the car drive away. "How could you?!"

Moon took a step forward. "Sun, you don't under-"

"SHUT UP!!" He pointed a finger at him. "I asked you, I TOLD you, that I had this under control. And you once again ignored me, because I can't be smarter than you in something. I can't know what to do."

"That's not why I called. Sun, he needs help. This wasn't about you!"

Sun seethed, seeing nothing but red. "Then why did you not include me when you were calling in about him?! You knew this whole time huh?! Probably called this morning."

"I did." Moon confirmed. "When I mentioned his name, they knew all about him and suggested we waited until after dinner. I didn't think-"

"You never think." Sun walked over to Moon and slaps! his face. "You only care about yourself."

Cosmos suddenly appeared between the two of them. "Sun." He warned.

Solar agreed. "Let's just take a break and calm down."

"Calm down! CALM DOWN?!" Sun turned to Solar. "Why? So, you can pretend that you are a father? So that you can pretend that Moon is Nexus?! Don't think we don't notice how you always hang out with Moon. News flash, Solar, that isn't Nexus."

"SUN?!" Cosmos gasped, hand covering his mouth. 

Sun's internal fans kicked on as he just breathed. "I was this close.... this close...to getting him to open up to me more. And now, you probably sealed his fate."

Moon finally recovered from the shock of being hit. "Sun, I was only-"

"NO! I don't want to hear it. Moon, at this moment, I don't like you." Then without another word he goes to leave.

Molten blocks his path. "Sun... you are...very anger...and that understandable...but this is not.... the way to...handle this situation."

"Not the way? Do you want to know what the way wasn't to handle any situation. Giving your brother adoption papers for a Christmas present when he didn't even want a kid. I love Dazzle and that will never change, but no one asked if I wanted to adopt her before they just...did it! And when I actually do like a kid enough that I probably would have said yes, that was ripped from my hands."

No one could say anything. Not even the wise Molten. They all let Sun leave through the kitchen to head up to his room from there. Moon's head fell to his chest in defeat. No one told him that his emotions would hurt this much. Felt like he wanted to cry and scream at the same time. Just when he was fixing to move to feel better his eyes caught the sight of Sun's cats, clawing and scratching at the front door. They meowed loudly in distress.

Molten's voice came out softer than expected. "They miss Atlas."

"We all do." Jack said, pulled a teary-eyed Dazzle away to her room

Moon looked away from them and into space thinking about what he had done.

~~~

The car came to a sudden stop in front of a midsized house in a suburb. Two cars filled the driveway. Toys littered the front yard. He hated it. Atlas let out a shuttering breathe of air. The entire ride there he had a huge panic attack that he had to fight off by himself. No help. No other person. Just himself alone. So, he was dead tired, feeling all his limbs turned numb. His arms tightened more around his legs. How could Atlas be such a fool when it came to picking out people to like? He wasn't good at judging other's characters. Atlas tried to make himself seem smaller than he was. Maybe then she may not see him and just leave.

The door opens. "Come on, Atlas."

No respnose.

She leaned against the door frame. "No one blames you for what happened. Ollie is still alive...barely but...anyways, it wasn't your fault. You just got spooked. No one can blame you for that."

He side-eyed her. 

"I know it's hard. You don't know these people and it's scary to open up." Her voice grew soft, "Don't worry. This time, everyone is prepared. The other two are teens...you'll probably never have to see them."

He just squeezed himself tighter.

"Atlas...please...just meet them, you might end up liking them."

Atlas looked away from her. "I don't want to."

She moves to settle beside him, half in the car, half out. "Atlas, you can't keep running from your past. Embrace it." Her arm went to go around him but stopped at the flinch.

"I know." He knows.

"But you liked how that...Sun and Moon...treated you?"

He paused. Did he? He liked Sun. He made him feel as though he could have emotions and could express them. That he wasn't a mistake. But a part of him thought that Sun called CPS, while the other knew he would never do that to him. He was so confused on that matter. He didn't like Moon so much. Solar was iffy. He didn't mind Molten or Dazzle. Though, he did like playing with Jack. Considering he just met Cosmos, he won't say anything on that matter at all. In all, they were okay. He didn't mind them. Atlas would go as far as to say he did like how they treated him. Because, after everything, they treated him with something akin to kindness.

And he craved more...but he wouldn't act on it.

He sighed, "No... not that much."

"Atlas, I'm saying this because I do care. I wish things could have been different for you. I really do. But you need to realize that you can't keep running away. For now, just meet these two. I'm sure you'll love them."

"Fine." It was the closest thing he could get to being alone and being able to escape when he needed to. "I'll...meet them..."

"Great." She pats his leg to which he moved away from.

Atlas unbuckled his seatbelt and got out of the car. Together they made their way to the closed front door. He took a step further away from the door, waiting for Ellen to knock. Two human figures opened the door. The man's arm wrapped tightly around the woman. Both were surprisingly attractive for foster parents, getting nervous about that too. He noticed their bright fake smiles directed at him. He shrunk back. Feet and legs ready to bolt the second he sensed any sort of danger present. Behind the couple ran two older teens as they played some sort of laser tag against each other. He hugged himself tight...already feeling another attack coming. Walls slowly closing in.

"Hello! This is Atlas. He's a very shy guy. Probably been staying in his room. Thank you again for agreeing to watch over him."

The woman waved Ellen off. "No worries. We love kids. Too bad we can't have any of our own." She snorted out a chuckle that the man did not return with any sort of amusement.

"Right. Be wary, he gets panic attacks when he gets close to people...so, there's that." She looked at him. "Okay. Go on. I'll be right behind you."

He looked back at the car, still guarded by the two police officers. 

Oh, yeah, he didn't get to take the Nova plushie...