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Prairies

Summary:

Hypertana slow burn… but they try to raise a baby Biograft.

Notes:

This work is somewhat inspired by Drunk Drivers/Killer Whales by s0lars0da!

Chapter 1: A paid drink

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

.

.

.

.

 

Warmth.

 

Not his own, though. 

 

A crimson red caked the snow beneath him, that thick liquid splattered across his helmet. It was a familiar sight - one that he’d seen countless times before. It was warm, almost comforting, protecting him from the biting cold that fell around him. 

 

He brought his gloved hands up to the side of his helmet, waiting for the familiar ‘chhk’ sound as his intercom turned on.

 

“Subspace, I’m finished here.”

 

It took a while before the crisp, high-pitched voice of his boss pierced through the intercom.

 

“Finally! Took you long enough! Just come back as soon as possible so that I can…”

 

Hyperlaser didn’t hear much more than that. His mind had already drifted off to other things. What was he going to eat for dinner? What was Princess up to? Did he lock the windows before he left? 

 

By the time the sudden ‘chhk’ of the intercom reached his ears again, it had been a good five minutes. He didn’t process a single word Subspace uttered, probably some incessant rambling about the person that lay at his feet.

 

A white speck crossed his vision, bringing him back to his senses. Lifting his head to the sky, the ominous grey clouds hung overhead, as if a giant cat was sleeping above Blackrock. Soft white dots gently drifted to the ground, floating around him like feathers. It began to coat the snow beneath his feet, hiding away the thick blood that hung like ribbons across the floor.

 

Hyperlaser shrugged off the ache in his back, slinging his gun over his shoulder. It was as big as he was, and quite heavy. Not that he was complaining though, since it helped him maintain accuracy. He began to crunch through the snow, each step sending a bit of ice-cold water into his boots, much to his mild annoyance. Despite being told to return as soon as possible, he trudged in the complete opposite direction of the factory. The thought of being forced to listen to his boss ramble for half an hour was enough to make him want to turn his gun on himself. If he had to do it, he sure as hell shouldn’t have to do it sober.

 

He swung open the door, almost slamming it due to how light it was. His mind wandered back to the doors at the factory - heavy chunks of metal that always slammed shut on their own due to their sheer weight. The soft clink of a door chime dragged the bartender’s attention to the mercenary, who shot him a dirty look as he walked in. Hyperlaser was well aware of his presence and reputation, and even more aware of the fact that he was literally at the border between Blackrock and Thieves den. Thus, he shook off the dirty stares, and nestled himself right up at the front of the bar.

 

“Whiskey.”

 

He muttered, pointing a bloodied finger at the menu before him, smearing a bit of dark red onto the laminated paper. The bartender gave him another dirty look, but still turned to the back and prepared his drink.

 

Hyperlaser’s mind began to drift again. The image of Princess appeared in his mind, wondering what his fluffy companion was up to at home. The thought of her soft fur and cute meows was enough to warm his heart, offering a comforting distraction from his daily routine. 

 

The clink of the door chime dragged him from his thoughts. As he blinked, he finally realised that his drink had been served, the ice already beginning to melt as it floated around in the little cup. He didn’t turn to look, but he felt someone’s gaze rake across him, staying for a little too long on the gun strapped to his back. 

 

An inphernal walked up to the bar, grabbing a stool beside Hyperlaser. From the corner of his eye, Hyperlaser could tell this person was most likely from Thieves den. They had large red horns that curled upwards like a crown. Long, fluffy hair, almost like a mane, poured and flowed down the inphernal’s shoulders, with a visible softness that could compete with Princess’ fur. He had a sheathed katana strapped to his waist, which drew long stares from the other customers in the bar. 

 

Most peculiar was the inphernal’s face. He wore a mask that resembled a barn owl’s face, with two red tusks curling up from beneath. Hyperlaser vaguely recalled seeing them in a few phights before, the letter ‘K’ dancing upon the tip of his tongue as he tried to recall their name. Based on his size and mannerisms, this inphernal was definitely older than Hyperlaser by a few, but the mercenary paid no mind. 

 

The large inphernal didn’t say a word, but the bartender was already preparing a drink for them. Probably a regular.. Hyperlaser thought. He was about to attend to his own drink, when he noticed that it lacked a straw. 

 

“…Could I get a straw?”

 

Another dirty look from the bartender.

 

The bartender slid a straw over to Hyperlaser and put down a small cup in front of the man beside him, briskly walking off to attend to other customers

 

Hyperlaser tapped the side of his helmet, allowing a small hole to open up at the front. It was just big enough for a straw, but not big enough to fit anything else. He stuck the straw through, letting the taste of the alcohol burn across his tongue and throat, washing away the worries of his work.

 

The whiskey was sweet, but it burned his tongue. The alcohol sparked and danced through his body, reaching into his mind and slipping him into a quiet exhaustion. He didn’t realise how tired he was, the weight of his gun seemingly dragging him down as he drank. He felt his eyes flutter ever so lightly, his mind filled with wandering thoughts.

 

“When will my next mission be?” “This time it was a little messy..I better keep my distance next time” “That bartender looks suspicious” “Princess is so cute…” 

 

Hyperlaser rested his head against his hand, a small smile creeping up on his face as he thought about his beloved feline friend, Princess. She was probably still waiting for him at home. He was drifting off into sweet memories, wandering through his thoughts as he stared off into space.

 

“…You’ve got something on your helmet.”

 

Those words practically jolted him back to reality. Hyperlaser quickly sat up straight, shaking the exhaustion out of his head. He turned to the source of the noise - the inphernal beside him, who was pointing to his own mask in a quiet gesture.

 

Hyperlaser nodded, wiping off the bloodstain on his helmet with a quiet mutter. “Thanks..” The dancing arms of exhaustion seemed to wiggle around him, poking at his vision and tipping his head over every few minutes.

 

“I’ve seen you before.. Hyperlaser, isn’t it? I’m Katana.”

 

The mercenary felt himself stiffen up a little more, the alarms in his head beginning to ring. His left hand, resting at his side, slowly shifted to brush against the grenades in his pocket, ready to throw one at any moment. He nodded with caution, shifting his drink away for a moment.

 

“…yes I am. You’ve participated in Phights before…. Right?”

 

A quiet nod. 

 

“You’re from Blackrock, I presume?”

 

“I’d rather not associate myself with them.”

 

An odd silence hung in the air as Katana hummed, processing the information that was given to him. He then nodded to himself, presumably satisfied with the answer. Hyperlaser let his hand rest back at his side, pulling his drink back to him as his shoulders relaxed. He poked the straw through the hole, taking another sip.

 

Katana’s gaze seemed to take in every bit of Hyperlaser, and he couldn’t help but stiffen a little as the larger man raked his eyes all over him. After all, he wasn’t exactly in the safest place on the border, and he could be attacked any time.

 

A quiet scream from the tip of his straw pulled him out of his thoughts, his eyes looking down to see his depressingly empty cup. He pulled the straw away, coughing a little to somehow ease the tension of the air between them. Raising his hand, he quietly called for his tab, cracking open his wallet and sliding a black card across the bar counter. 

 

“I’ll cover it,” A quiet murmur came from beside him, as a large hand placed a few notes on top of the card. 

 

The bartender nodded, taking the bux and leaving the card on the table. Hyperlaser hesitantly took his card back, slowly turning his head to glance at Katana. The larger man simply nodded, waving his hand as he said, “No worries at all.”

 

How odd.

 

When the receipt came, Hyperlaser grabbed it without hesitation, sliding off his seat and muttering a quiet thanks before leaving the bar. It was the first time someone had ever paid for his tab, and what was more surprising was that that someone was a complete stranger. He didn’t have much time to dwell on it though, as he stepped out into the snow-covered road, and started making his way back to the factory.

Notes:

Some headcanons for this fic:
- Hyperlaser is a snow leopard
- Katana is a snowy owl
- Hyperlaser is missing a few fingers, but wears prosthetics + gloves to cover them
- Hyperlaser experiences hypervigilance, but when he gets drunk or tired, he starts daydreaming and his mind wanders really easily (Bros eepy)

None of this is beta read btw!! I don’t have a beta reader 😭 My writing is also really rusty and bad cus I’m writing ts in class instead of paying attention,,
Feel free to drop suggestions for future chapters!

Chapter 2: Dangerous Beast.

Summary:

Bio is here!

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

His head buzzed lightly, a gentle ache pumping itself through his skull and into his brain. The incessant yapping of his boss wasn’t helping either, the pink-horned demon rambling on and on about how some dude had crossed his path, and how they deserved to die at Hyperlaser’s hands, so on and so forth. It was a weekly occurrence at this point, the constant rhythm of being sent out to attack a target, then reporting back to subspace, then sitting through an hour-long debrief in which all he had to do was reply “mmhm” and stroke Subspace’s ego.

 

By the time he was set free from that prison, it was already incredibly dark out, the darkness of the world outside just barely pierced by a few cheap lights, lights that the higher ups never bothered to fix or change. He trudged along the halls, carrying his railgun by his side as he navigated the building on autopilot. The buzz of the alcohol was really starting to kick in, forcing a blur to his eyes and luring his mind away from reality.

 

A sigh parted his cracked lips as he slammed open the exit door, immediately greeted by a gust of harsh, freezing wind. He began to push through the snowstorm, his tail brushing away his footsteps as he walked. The lights from the factory began to dim behind him, and the distant glow of the town left a slight shine on his visor. His mind was pulled off autopilot when his boot crunched against something hard and heavy.

 

His gaze trailed down, but all there was was snow. Using the tip of his gun, he pushed the snow away, revealing a familiar-looking metal plate, branded with the symbol of Blackrock. He crouched down, using his hand to brush more snow aside, until the full structure at his feet was revealed.

 

A being made of metal and wires, half buried in the snow. It creaked and hummed at every touch, trying to move but far too cold to shift its stiff joints. Hyperlaser grabbed its hand, pulling it up with great difficulty, supporting it with his own body. The Biograft released a plume of steam from its vents, the snow sticking to its outer shell slowly melting away, only to be replaced by more snow. It looked at him for a moment, before talking in a warbled, cracked voice.

 

“HYPERLASER-R-R. I B-BELIEVE I-I AM DEFECTI-TIVE. TAKE ME TO REPAIR AND MAINTENANC-E IM-M-MEDIATELY.”

 

Hyperlaser frowned at the Biograft. Seriously, he’d JUST ended his shift, and now he’s gotta go back because of a Biograft? If he wasn’t drunk, he’d have tossed the Biograft aside and left it in the snow already, but the alcohol made his head buzz with ideas. Stupid ideas.

 

“No. Factory’s too far away. I’ll bring you to my place for now, before you freeze over or something.”

 

He pulled the Biograft’s arm over his shoulder, shuffling through the snow with the hunk of metal beside him. Thank the SFOTH that it was pretty late out, otherwise he’d get some odd stares from his neighbours. Not like he minded, but he’d rather not have anyone questioning why he was bringing a Biograft home with him. 

 

With much difficulty he cracked open the door with one hand, kicking it open with a foot and shuffling the Biograft over to his living room, letting it collapse on the floor with a clank. He was about to check on the Biograft when a soft ‘mrrp?’ caught his attention.

 

His head snapped to his little feline friend, his hand immediately moving over to give her a nice pat on the head. He didn’t even *want* to pet her, it was just as if her meowing had hypnotised him into giving in to her demands. He scratched her chin for a little while, before patting her on the head, turning back to the Biograft with a quiet murmur.

 

“You’ll get your pets later, princess.”

 

Hyperlaser reached for a nearby towel, wiping up the water that the Biograft had dripped all over the floor. The huge hunk of metal twitching and spasming as it tried to get up. Eventually, it gave up, lying on the floor like a passed out drunkard. 

 

“W-W-WATER DAMAGE LEVEL: ME-MEDIUM. KEEP ME IN A DRY PLACE AND REMOVE ANY WATER FROM M-MY SYSTEMS.”

 

Hyperlaser would roll his eyes if the muscles weren’t burnt off. He reached for the Biograft’s neck, searching for a button near its jawline. He’d seen Biografts get repaired before, and vaguely remembered the repairmen opening the Biografts’ chest plates with a button around that area. A quiet click caused the chest plate of the Biograft to spring open, revealing the systems inside. 

 

In the very centre was a crystal, glowing with an ominous pink light. It was stored in a small glass vial, with wires and whatnot connecting the various parts to the crystal. Hyperlaser could see some circuitry, something that looked like a motherboard, and an unnecessarily large amount of wires. It was honestly mind-boggling how something with this many wires could speed through the air with such chilling accuracy and speed.

 

Using the towel, he gingerly pressed it against the wires, wiping away the water droplets that clung to the inside of the Biograft. He wiped off the water on the inside of the chest plate too, drying it off to the best of his ability. The Biograft stayed completely still, it’s glowing eyes now shut tight, having gone into some sort of maintenance mode, probably. 

 

Hyperlaser tossed the towel aside, shutting the chest plate with a slam. He stood up, cracking his old man bones and grabbing his railgun off the floor, hanging it by the door where he always put it. He let out an exhausted sigh, stepping over the Biograft before heading into his room to grab some clothes and take a shower.

 

-

 

When it awoke, the first sounds that registered in its system was the distant sound of running water. The second thing it registered was a weight on its chest, accompanied by soft vibrations that it hadn’t heard before. The warnings from before were mostly gone now, replaced by reminders in the corners of its vision to head to repair and maintenance when possible, and to stay away from the snow. 

 

It released a small plume of steam from the vents across its body, a machine’s version of a relieved sigh. Its optic sensors wandered around the building, before landing on the weight on its chest. 

 

A beast.

 

A large, fat, furry beast. Its dark fur looked like some void-like melted cheese, its large blue eyes staring directly into the Biograft’s optic sensors. A challenge.

 

“mrraow..”

 

“GET OFF ME, BEAST.”

 

“Mrrp!”

 

“I WILL NOT HESITATE TO SLICE YOU APART.”

 

The creature stood up and raised its rear, pulling its chest down and extending its arms towards the Biograft’s face. It parted its little mouth, revealing its large fangs in a display of dominance. It was threatening the Biograft.

 

“GET OFF ME BEFORE I DESTROY YOU. THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING.”

 

It stood fully on Biograft, its little clawed paws stepping all over the metal like it owned the place. It let out another ‘mrrow’, turning a full circle before lying down right on top of Biograft, getting comfortable in a large, black loaf.

 

Biograft tried to move, but its systems refused to budge. It tried to lift its arm, only for it to hover a few centimetres off the floor before dropping back onto the floor. The weight of the creature on him was so immense that it was pinned to the floor, stuck in this position until it decided to spare Biograft. It let out a warbled noise, staring directly into the creature’s eyes.

 

“YOU HAVE BESTED ME. TAKE YOUR VICTORY, BUT SPARE ME.”

 

“mrreow!”

 

The beast blinked slowly, tucking its paws under its rotund fluff, and curling its tail neatly at its side. It was so cruel, beating Biograft when it was shut down, and now it was smugly laying claim on its undeserved victory. 

 

In the distance, the bathroom door opened, revealing a Hyperlaser, dressed in pink pyjamas from head to toe. He paused in the doorway, his eyes landing on the sight before him. Biograft, a machine made to kill, made for war, was lying perfectly still where he had left it, and on top of the machine was Princess.

 

Princess let out a soft meow, almost proud at her victory over the war machine. A quiet snort left Hyperlaser, his hand reaching down to scoop up his cat with an arm. He gave her a gentle boop on the nose, chiding her with a quiet voice. “You naughty little cat… leave the Biograft alone.”

 

He set her down on the kitchen table, stroking her back and giving her all the attention she needed. The Biograft finally got up, staring right at the creature named ‘Princess’, its voice breaking the silence.

 

“THAT BEAST IS DANGEROUS. IT WAS ABLE TO DEFEAT ME. WHY DO YOU KEEP THIS CREATURE, HYPERLASER?”

 

“Mmh? You mean Princess?” Hyperlaser asked as he cracked open a can of wet food for his cat, putting the food on her plate. He pulled out a small bag of dried food and placed some toppings, afterwards adding a bit of broth and water to her food. “She’s a cat. She’s not dangerous at all.”

 

He let out a quiet chuckle, putting the plate on the floor to let Princess eat her dinner. He gave her a soft pet on the head, before turning back to Biograft. 

 

“IT WAS ABLE TO PIN ME DOWN WITH EASE. IT ATTACKED ME WHEN I WAS SHUT DOWN. IT IS DANGEROUS.”

 

The mercenary couldn’t stop the chuckle that escaped his lips at the absurdity of Biograft’s words. He glanced at Princess, then back at Biograft.

 

“Yeah, she does that. She doesn’t mean any harm. Don’t hurt her, alright?”

 

The Biograft stared at the fat feline for a while, before nodding reluctantly. It released a small bout of steam, its warbled voice coming out quiet. “….UNDERSTOOD.”

 

“You can stay in the living room for tonight. I’ll be in my room if you need anything.”

 

Hyperlaser yawned a little, giving Princess a final head scratch before returning to his room once again, leaving Biograft alone with the beast. Biograft stomped over to the cat, crouching down and watching it eat. The way it devoured its food like someone was going to steal it reinforced the idea that it was a voracious beast. 

 

“YOUR GREED SICKENS ME.”

 

Biograft uttered, reaching out a hand to tentatively touch the creature’s head. The soft fur against Biograft’s sensors made their entire being buzz as they tried to process the new information. It was warm and soft, and so unbelievably fluffy. Biograft’s fingers began to curl behind the feline’s ears, mimicking the scratching motion that Hyperlaser did previously.

 

“Mrraw!”

 

Princess purred, nuzzling up against Biograft’s hand. The machine couldn’t help but feel a sense of joy swelling inside it, an unfamiliar feeling beginning to wash over its body.

 

“AHA. I HAVE FOUND YOUR WEAKNESS.” 

 

Biograft continued to give Princess head scritches, eventually stopping when she walked off to the sofa. The machine trudged over, sitting down beside Princess. Just as it was about to reach out to pet the feline, Princess’s squeezed under its hand, curling up on Biograft’s lap.

 

“YOU CRUEL BEAST. USING TRAPS TO BEAT ME NOW?”

 

“Mrrp!”

 

The cat merely curled up, tucking her nose under a paw as she got comfortable, shutting her eyes and slowly drifting off to sleep. Biograft was at a loss for words, their systems coming to the conclusion that they were unable to move until the beast moved off their lap. The soft vibrations that left the creature resonated through Biograft, almost taunting the Biograft for falling for its trap. 

 

Eventually, Biograft realised that it would be a long time before the creature woke, and it did not dare to see the consequences of waking it up. Slowly, its systems began to shut down one by one, the quiet whir and buzz of the machine growing softer until the room was fully silent. 

Notes:

Some details/hcs I might not have put in properly:
- Princess is absolutely PHAT. Like, chonky. She eats way better than Hyperlaser does.
- Princess is also a Norwegian forest cat! Big floof :)
- The reason why bio was in the snow was cus they got forcibly shut down by something (or someone!)
- Biograft has 0 clue what a cat is…
- Due to the scarring on Hyper’s face, rolling his eyes kinda hurts a lot.

Hyperlaser and bio might be a bit ooc for this one 😭😭 just gonna chalk it up to hyper being drunk

Also, feel free to drop some name suggestions for bio! Gonna be giving them a name in a later chapter :3

Chapter 3: A break from routine

Summary:

The gays meet again.

And Biograft is stupid

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Hyperlaser’s eyes blinked open. His head buzzed as his senses began to seep back into reality. He reached an arm over to the nightstand, grabbing the familiar surface of his helmet. With a bit of difficulty, he slid it over his head, the sensors immediately connecting to his optic nerves and granting him his vision. 

 

Immediately, a bolt of pain cracked through his head like thunder, before dissipating into clouds of a dull ache. It was still dark out, the soft blue glow of the early morning light seeping through the cracks of his window. The glass was frosted over, caked with a fresh new layer of ice like every other morning. It was snowing again. It never stopped snowing, not in Blackrock.

 

He was rather tempted to sleep in, lying on his bed with his fluffy pink pyjamas and his large tail all curled up around him. It was warm in his room, and it was cold outside. But alas, his responsibilities weighed on him, and his absence at work would definitely draw an unwanted nagging from his boss.

 

Hyperlaser slid off the bed, grabbing his phone and turning it on. The picture of a baby Princess glowed back at him, her happy little smile when she was just a kitten, back when Hyperlaser first picked her up off the street. A smile crept its way across his face, before disappearing, as notifications from a particular someone started to roll in. 

 

S: ‘HYPERLASER’

 

S: ‘If you’re already awake (you probably are)’

 

S: ‘The higher ups are sending us for a Phight today.’

 

S: ‘I’ll see you at crossroads.’

 

Great. A Phight was the last thing Hyperlaser wanted to do for today. Not because he sucked at it - he found his targets rather easy to kill. The issue was that he was going with his boss. He’d have to spend the entire day stroking his boss’ ego again, forcing out words of comfort whenever he died.

 

Though, a Phight was still better than his usual routine of running all over the inpherno to kill people.

 

He stepped out of his bedroom, heading into the bathroom to brush his teeth and get changed. His tail dragged on the floor behind him, wiping away the nonexistent footsteps left behind in the hardwood floor.

 

After feeling much more fresh in his uniform, he headed to the living room. His entire being froze when he saw a Biograft sitting on his sofa. His head ached as he tried to recall what the hell happened last night, and it finally came to him. Right. He’d brought home a Biograft, for some reason. 

 

The moment he cracked open the can of wet food, Princess leapt off of Biograft’s lap, scrambling over to her food bowl with a loud meow. A chuckle left Hyperlaser’s throat as he quickly prepared her breakfast and put it down for her to eat. With a gentle pat on the head, he walked off to see what he could do with the Biograft.

 

It was completely still, its body surprisingly cold, and all its lights were shut off. To be honest, Hyperlaser didn’t know that Biografts could go into sleep mode like that. Hesitantly, he gave it a small smack on the head, and immediately, the lights flickered on, the machine whirring to life.

 

“GOOD MORNING HYPERLASER. AM I FINALLY FREE FROM THE BEAST?”

 

Free from Princess? Hyperlaser glanced at his feline friend, who was absolutely chowing down on her food, practically inhaling it with how fast she was eating. He didn’t question the Biograft’s words, simply nodding in reply.

 

“I… I HAD A DREAM.”

 

A dream? Could robots even dream?

 

“I DREAMED THAT I WAS AT A TREE. THERE WERE TWO PEOPLE THERE, BUT I HAD NO INCLINATION TO ATTACK THEM.”

 

“I… see.” (No he doesn’t)

 

Hyperlaser stood in the awkward silence for a moment, his tail flicking across the floor before a buzz from his phone brought his attention back to the matter at hand.

 

“We have a Phight. Not sure if Subspace wants you there, but do you think you’re fit to join us? You could follow Subspace back to the factory for your repairs afterwards.”

 

“RUNNING SCAN… SYSTEM INTEGRITY: 87%. WATER DAMAGE LEVEL: LOW. OVERALL DAMAGE: 13%. I AM FIT TO PARTAKE.”

 

Hyperlaser gave a quick nod, walking off to the doorway and grabbing his railgun, slinging it over his back. The Biograft followed closely behind, holding its large blades tightly in its hands. 

 

It was only around 6 or 7 AM. Most of the townsfolk hadn’t woken up yet, and those that were up didn’t dare to make their presence known. Hyperlaser trudged through the fresh layer of snow, heading towards the bus stop to catch the first bus to crossroads. Behind him, the Biograft stomped along, mechanical whirrs and clanks echoing through the small town. When the two finally reached the bus stop, Hyperlaser sat down, checking his phone every now and then to see when the bus would arrive.

 

The Biograft stood beside him like some sort of guard dog, drawing stares from those that were walking to work in the wee hours of the morning. A notification appeared in his phone, reminding him of the upcoming Phight. He scrolled through the crude details that his boss sent him, and his eyes stopped at a familiar name. 

 

Team Red: Hyperlaser, Subspace, Biograft, Sword, Coil.

Team Blue: Slingshot, Rocket, Skateboard, Vinestaff and… Katana.

 

Katana was going to be there.

 

That was good, in a way. He could pay him back for that drink last night. Hyperlaser’s mind drifted to the swordsman, how he had an air of elegance around him, how he carried himself with such poise, and how fluffy his hair was.

 

It was safe to say that Hyperlaser had quite a lasting impression of Katana.

 

The squeal of tires made him snap his head up, his eyes landing on the bus that stopped before him. Quickly, he got up, straightening his attire a little before stepping onto the bus, dropping a few coins into the fare box. The driver gave the mercenary a dirty stare, but stopped when a Biograft stomped onto the bus as well. The machine followed behind Hyperlaser, taking a seat beside him on the crowded bus.

 

The mercenary could feel the stares of others around him, how the bus suddenly became much quieter with him around. He was considered pretty high up in the Blackrock rankings after all, and the Biograft beside him made him look more important than he actually was.

 

As the bus began to drive along through the snow, the Biograft suddenly spoke up.

 

“HYPERLASER. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE.”

 

Oh SFOTH.

 

His skin prickled as he felt the gaze of almost EVERYONE on the bus boring into the two of them. He patted the Biograft’s shoulder with a forced chuckle, trying to hide his growing embarrassment,

 

“I’ll.. answer that when we get off.”

 

He was so glad that he had this helmet on to hide his face, otherwise people would be able to see his red hot face on full display. What the hell was up with this Biograft, asking all these weird questions??!

 

-

 

Hyperlaser stepped off the bus with a quiet sigh, feeling the warm weather seep into his bones. It was a nice change for once, something better than the cold weather that made his old man bones stiff and sore. He checked his phone, reading the new messages from the boss.

 

S: ‘The Biograft that came with me was defective, help me fetch another one from the factory.’

 

S: ‘I’m at Zuka’s truck’

 

His eyes snapped up to the first message, reading it and realising that it was sent 20 minutes ago. That was when he boarded the bus. He looked up at the Biograft, then back at the message.

 

“Looks like you’re Phighting today, don’t ask weird questions around Subspace, yeah? I don’t think he’d like that.”

 

“AFFIRMATIVE.”

 

The two made their way to Zuka’s truck, seeing a familiar neon pink figure. Tall, tapered horns and a messy black eyepatch, it was easy to spot the great Subspace T. Mine from the crowd.

 

“Hyperlaser! It seems you saw my message! Let’s go.”

 

He didn’t bother to nod, simply following behind his boss as they got on Zuka’s truck and headed to the Phight. He drowned out the yapping of Subspace, slowly letting his mind wander to the upcoming Phight…

 

-

 

When they reached the waiting area, Hyperlaser’s gaze scanned across the area, taking a mental count of who was there already. A flash of red caught his attention, his eyes drawn to the large swordsman. That messy white hair, those bright red horns, that large sword hanging from his belt. 

 

Hyperlaser glanced back at Subspace, noting how his boss was busy rambling to the Biograft, and he took the opportunity to approach Katana. 

 

Beside Katana was a younger iphernal, dressed in pink and wearing similar attire to him. A friend, perhaps? Hyperlaser walked up to the pair, shifting his Railgun a little to try and hide it from view. He raised a hand to wave at Katana, the larger man waving back.

 

“Hyperlaser. A surprise to see you here,” the swordsman murmured. Hyperlaser could feel the taller’s eyes trailing all over him behind that mask, how Katana stared at him like an owl watching its prey.

 

“Indeed. I wanted to pay you back for last night’s tab.”

 

He fished out his wallet, ready to take out a few bux for Katana before a hand gently grabbed his own. The swordsman’s hand was large.. and warm. The feeling spread across his gloved hand, sending a small tingle along his spine.

 

“No need. I just thought it would be a nice thing to do.”

 

His hand paused, his eyes moving from his wallet to Katana. Quietly, he murmured, “Are you.. sure?”

 

“Of course. If you really want to pay me back… maybe we could go for a drink.”

 

Another drink. Tomorrow was a weekend, so it wouldn’t be a bad idea to get hammered tonight. He nodded, slowly pulling his hand away and shoving his wallet back into his pocket.

 

“…sure. Same place as last time?”

 

A nod.

 

“Cool, cool… good luck on the Phight.”

 

“You too.”

 

The swordsman waved as the timer ticked down, the familiar feeling of weightlessness washing over Hyperlaser as he was teleported to the venue of their Phight. But all he could think about was that owl mask.

 

He found it oddly beautiful.

 

Notes:

UGHH OLD MAN YAOIII

Hyperlaser is starting to catch feelings!! Woooo!

Anyways as per usual, my headcanons!
- Biograft has a little wire tail!!
- They also have gained sentience, but hyper hasn’t noticed yet
- Subspace is stinky.
- Katana has little wings on the sides of his head and at his waist.
- He also has feathers in his hair all the time
- also has a feathery tail, but usually hides it

Sorry again if they’re kinda ooc… I’m living on 4 hours of sleep and I’m in the middle of bio as I’m writing this…

Chapter 4: Late night things

Summary:

The gays go for a drink and Biograft has a nightmare :(

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

The darkness of the area blurred his vision for a moment, his eyes slowly adjusting to the poor lighting. They were on Protect Telamon this time, which provided many good vantage spots and dark shadows for him to hide. 

 

“Ready? START!”

 

Valk’s voice boomed through the speakers, and Hyperlaser immediately bolted off from his spawn. He clutched his railgun close to his chest, feeling his entire body tremble as he targeted the nearby building. After a short moment, he felt a sense of weightlessness, before feeling his feet land on the roof of the building.

 

Kneeling down on one knee, he cocked his weapon, getting into position to aim. He quietly muttered as his crosshair immediately landed on the enemy vinestaff, his finger squeezing the trigger a little. “I hope I’m being paid for this.” He muttered under his breath, before pulling the trigger.

 

Shots were fired, and the point was thrown into chaos. Subspace’s mines and Biograft’s attacks weren’t doing much to hold back the barrage of ranged attacks from Vinestaff, Rocket and Slingshot, but nobody had seemed to notice Hyperlaser yet. His skin prickled as he felt a sense of anxiety creeping up behind him. Something was off.

 

Relaxing his grip on the railgun, he took a glance at the battlefield before him. Skate, Slingshot, Vinestaff, Rocket, and…

 

A rope shot out from the darkness, curling around his waist and yanking him from his perch. His weapon clattered to the ground beside him, a loud bang resonating through his head as he hit the floor. Pain bloomed across every bone in his old body, further amplified by the rope that bound him tightly.

 

Just as he was about to start wriggling against his restraints, he felt the cold of metal against his neck, barely scraping against his cracked and warped skin. His vision finally cleared, the sight of that owl mask burning into his brain. Katana stood over him, a figure so large that it was able to block out the light from the phight happening behind them. 

 

The dim reflection of light in Katana’s eyes bore right into Hyperlaser, practically burning him alive with just his stare. No words were exchanged, but Hyperlaser could feel something behind Katana’s gaze, something other than the need to win. 

 

His skin shivered at the feeling. It was something new, something foreign. Oh, how he felt like a little mouse in the talons of an owl.

 

“My apologies, Hyperlaser.”

 

That was all he heard before he felt the swordsman’s blade meet the soft flesh between his neck and collar, and his vision was plunged into darkness again.

 

-

 

“DEFEAT!”

 

It was safe to say, Hyperlaser didn’t expect to win at all. His mind was plagued by the image of that owl mask, that burning gaze that seemed to cut Hyperlaser open, spreading out all of his inner thoughts and secrets. He felt so vulnerable around Katana, yet so comforted. A feeling that he’d never felt before.

 

Even as he was brought back to BlackRock, his mind was wandering elsewhere. The more he thought about it, the more his body seemed to heat up and burn. His hands wouldn’t stop shaking, even as he trudged through the snow to that very same bar. He sat right up at the front, his leg bouncing and his tail twitching as his head replayed that scene over and over again.

 

It was empty today, with nobody else besides Hyperlaser and the bartender. He brought a hand up to his forehead, his brows furrowing as he tried to think about something other than the Phight.

 

“Did I leave that great of an impression on you?”

 

A quiet, familiar chuckle came from behind him. The jingle of the door dimmed away as that large figure took up the seat right beside Hyperlaser. The mercenary glanced up, his shoulders relaxing a little at the sight of Katana beside him. His tail was tightly wound around his own leg - a crude way to stop himself from bouncing his leg in his anxiety.

 

“Perhaps,” he replied, gently sliding the menu over to Katana. 

 

Another quiet chuckle.

 

Katana ordered sake, while Hyperlaser ordered his usual. The night was young, and the two began to talk. They talked about all sorts of things, like their lives, dreams, hopes… but they never once mentioned the past. There was an air of understanding between them, a knowing feeling that one should not bring up the topic of the past. And so, they looked toward the future. They talked about what they dreamed for, things they looked forward to, and for once, Hyperlaser’s mind was at ease.

 

When the two finally left the bar, it was late into the night. Hyperlaser’s legs stumbled under the weight of his railgun, but he refused any help from Katana, much to the taller man’s worry.

 

“I’m fine, ‘Tana… I know the way back just *hic* fine…”

 

With a quiet goodbye and a quick wave, Hyperlaser stumbled through the thick snow to head back home. Princess is probably really hungry right now…

 

He could barely stand up properly by the time he got into his house. It was quiet, but a comfortable kind of quiet. Princess would probably be asleep by now, and finally, he didn’t have to worry about a random biogra-

 

Sitting on his sofa was a Biograft. Not any random one, but THE Biograft.

 

“HELLO, HYPERLASER. I DO NOT WISH TO BE REPAIRED, SO I CAME HERE. IF I STAYED WITH SUBSPACE, HE WOULD SURELY FIGURE OUT MY DEFECTS, AND SEND ME FOR REPAIRS.”

 

With every word that came out of the machine’s speakers, Hyperlaser’s head pounded even more. He threw his railgun on the floor and crashed on the sofa, not even bothering to change out of his sweaty, uncomfortable attire.

 

“FRET NOT. I HAVE FED THE BEAST, AND SUBDUED IT TO A SLUMBER.”

 

SFOTH, can’t he just have a normal night of peace? 

 

He didn’t even take off his helmet, just grabbing a nearby pillow and slamming it over his visor, trying to block out the noise and the light.

 

“HYPERLASER. DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE? YOU LOOK RATHER INTOXICATED.”

 

The mercenary grumbled, waving a hand to try and shoo the machine away. Barely a few seconds later, however, he was scooped up by the hunk of metal, and tossed into the bathtub.

 

“Just leave me alo-“

 

Water hit his body, soaking through his uniform and making his skin shiver. He threw a glare at the Biograft, who continued to hold onto the shower head, sending water all over Hyperlaser.

 

“SFOTH, I can bathe myself perfectly fine! Just go and grab some pyjamas or something.”

 

He hissed, snatching the shower head from the machine. After a slight pause, a puff of steam escaped the Biograft as it turned around and walked off to Hyperlaser’s room. The mercenary grumbled under his breath, taking off his many soaked layers of clothing and tossing them to the floor. With a bit of hesitation, he took off his helmet as well, leaving it on the countertop.

 

By the time the Biograft returned, Hyperlaser was more or less done bathing himself. He stepped into his snug pyjamas, with the help of the machine, and walked straight into his room, flopping on the bed in his intoxicated, exhausted state. Sleep came quick this time, especially since the Biograft finally decided to leave him alone, and trudged off to the living room.

 

-

 

”Hyper.”

 

“…”

 

“HYPERLASER.”

 

He jolted awake, hands clutching the sheets tightly. His hearing buzzed a little as he turned to the source of the noise, the darkness that was his lack of vision not providing any help in his exhausted confusion.

 

“HYPER, I HAD A NIGHTMARE.”

 

Right. The Biograft.

 

He grumbled, patting the empty space beside him on the bed and murmuring quietly, “c’mere…”

 

Hyperlaser felt the bed sink down as the machine crawled under the sheets with him, the warmth of the metal giving Hyper a bit of comfort in the cold of the night. He reached for anything on the bed, his hand wrapping around the fluff of some kind of plushie, and he pushed it into Biograft’s arms.

 

He didn’t bother to provide any words of comfort, his mind far too tired to process anything that was going on. It was so absurd, it felt like a dream to him.

 

The soft hum of the machine beside him began to quiet down, the warmth of his bed calling him into sleep, eventually pulling his mind into a heavy rest.

 

Notes:

Poor bio :(
No hcs this time!! Im kinda tired :sob

Anyways,, I’m still taking name suggestions for the Biograft! I also have plans for some angst coming soon… (laughs evilly)

Chapter 5: Happy beep boops

Summary:

Hyperlaser murders someone and Biograft finds out self expression

Notes:

Im back!!! Sorry for the super long hiatus, my partner(now ex) almost died twice in the last month and exams have been swallowing me whole. Anyhow, I’m (thankfully) still not hit by the Ao3 writer curse, so I shall bring to you guys a new chapter!! Hope you enjoy :D

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

A sharp jolt of pain through his head slammed Hyperlaser into consciousness, his body immediately stiffening as he sat up in his bed. His horns hurt, the pain of it tingling all over his skull and burrowing into the back of his jaw. His hand instinctively reached out, drifting over the sheets before bumping into something hard… and cold. He pulled his hand back for a moment, before relaxing when he recounted the events of the night before.

 

After a pause, he slapped the machine, hearing the whir of machinery come to life as his Biograft companion woke up. He sped through his morning routine - brushing his teeth, washing his face, putting on his uniform. Just as he was about to walk into the kitchen, he paused in the doorway. 

 

Crouching down on his kitchen floor was Biograft, quietly stroking Princess’ fur as she gobbled down her breakfast. 

 

Well, at least he didn’t have to worry about feeding her then.

 

With a tired yawn, he murmured, “Biograft, I’m heading to work. Stay home and take care of Princess, and don’t cause trouble.”

 

He didn’t like the idea of leaving his beloved cat home alone with a murder machine, but the Biograft seemed somewhat trustworthy, at least.

 

“…AFFIRMATIVE.”

 

After putting on his boots and slinging his gun over his shoulder, Hyperlaser gave the pair one last glance before walking out into the snow. The cold air brushed against his clothes, trying to worm their way past the thick layers he wore and into his bones. Thank Subspace for fitting his uniform with heat pads… at least it was something useful, unlike those toasters walking around.

 

As he trudged through the ankle-deep snow, his helmet’s intercom clicked on, a pre-recorded message from his boss slowly coming through.

 

Based on the information given, his target for today was someone from thieves’ den, someone going by the name Flashbang. Apparently they were some nosy wannabe vigilante who had gotten a little too deep into Blackrock business, and needed to be taken care of. 

 

An easy job, he thought, walking off to the bus stop with a route to Thieves’ Den.

 

-

Flashbang

He slinked through the alley, holding his weapon tight in his hands. Despite his gear being a support gear, he could still fight just as well as the other gears. In his hand, he tightly gripped his dagger - his weapon of choice, with his actual gear, the flashbang grenade, being strapped to his belt. He’d heard of more biografts patrolling the area lately, and The Silver Shadow was probably busy with all the larger cases like gangs or criminals. So, Flashbang took it upon himself to deal with these pesky biografts, and perhaps mess up Blackrock’s plans while he was at it.

 

He climbed on top of a dumpster, using it as a platform to reach the ladder on the side of the building. With great difficulty, he slowly climbed, eventually reaching the roof of the building he was on. 

 

SFOTH, if his dad were here, he’d be getting an earful for doing something so dangerous. But his dad wasn’t here. He’d run away from home a couple months ago, just to prove a point. To prove that he was strong enough to survive on his own as a teenager, that he wasn’t just a weak support gear like his father made him out to be.

 

His absolute idol was The Silver Shadow. Thieves’ Den’s most (in)famous vigilante, who always did what the bandlands police failed to do. They would capture criminals and beat up bad guys, all while leaving behind nothing but a whisper of their presence. Flashbang hoped to be like that some day, to be as good as The Silver Shadow.

 

Tugging his ragged hood over his head, he sped off, running across the rooftops of houses and jumping between buildings. He skidded to a halt, crouching down on the edge of the roof.

 

His gaze landed on a lone Biograft, stomping around like it owned the place. It turned into an alleyway, trudging along into the darkness. A perfect target.

 

Flashbang hopped down from the roof, his dagger tightly held in his hand. The Biograft continued walking, disappearing down a bend. He trailed behind, making sure to be as quiet as possible. 

 

He turned the corner and… the Biograft was gone. Not a single soul in sight. Furthermore, it was odldy quiet for an alleyway, especially considering how close he was to the markets. The silence dawned on him, growing more and more eerie with each passing second.

 

A sudden ‘click’ behind him put him on high alert, but he barely had any time to look before a ray of energy blasted its way through his throat, leaving a large hole where flesh and bone once were. 

 

Flashbang collapsed to the floor, choking and wheezing as blood began to flow into his lungs, spurts of crimson splattering all over the walls of the alley and pooling in the cold concrete beneath him. He could only choke on his own flesh, gagging as blood continued to pour into his throat, filling his lungs and gut up with flesh. His dagger met the ground with a loud clang, the once shiny metal now stained a dark red with blood, not even a sliver of dignity left behind for the young inphernal.

 

If only I was stronger. He thought, If only I was still with dad.

 

If only I didn’t run away.

 

I’m sorry, dad.

 

“Dad..”, he choked out, his mind beginning to get fogged by the lack of oxygen, the blood beneath him beginning to smear all over his cheeks. The cheeks that his dad once squeezed oh so tenderly, now forever cold with scarlet. In the blurry mess of his vision, he caught a glimpse of his killer. The three unmistakable triangles burning into his mind.

 

Blackrock.

-

 

Biograft

For a machine, feelings were quite new to Biograft. And whilst most of them, it could easily discern and figure out, one emotion proved quite troublesome for him.

 

Boredom.

 

Biograft was absolutely, utterly, bored. Even with that beast running around and trying to cause trouble, without a new task, Biograft felt utterly empty and helpless. It had read every book it could find in Hyperlaser’s house, then spent an hour playing with Princess, then tried to use the television but couldn’t figure out how, and finally chose to crash on the sofa to contemplate life.

 

B-2478. That was it’s serial number. Something like a name for itself. But it didn’t feel like a name. A string of numbers was not enough to differentiate it from the other Biografts - it wanted to be unique, to be itself.

 

It slid off the couch, trudging off to Hyperlaser’s room. Surely the mercenary wouldn’t mind sharing some clothes? They looked rather comfy after all. Biograft swung open the closet door, kneeling down to rummage through the boxes of old clothes that Hyperlaser kept, the clothes that he barely wore - if not at all.

 

A flannel jacket? No, too many patterns. A flower-pattered shirt? Too summer-y. An old singlet? No, it gave homeless vibes.

 

It spent the next two hours simply trying on different clothes, taking the opportunity to reorganise Hyperlaser’s closet as well. Finally, its optic sensors landed on a small piece of cloth in the corner. It was a shade of faded purple, with the faintest hint of a lace pattern on the edges. Biograft tied it round its neck, walking over to the mirror to have a look. 

 

It was… oddly pretty. It made Biograft look just perfect - not too awkward, and not too flashy either. Biograft let out plumes of steam, a sense of warmth bubbling in its chest. Quickly, it began stacking the boxes back into Hyperlaser’s closet, hopefully the mercenary won’t notice anything amiss.

 

Its mood was definitely much better now, and even Princess seemed to like the accessory on Biograft. She swatted and pawed at the cloth, before curling up in the machine’s lap to demand more pets. 

 

Biograft sat on the sofa, mindlessly petting Princess while it thought about the possibilities. It could paint itself, or even place stickers, or even put plants on its horns. The possibilities were endless as to how it could express itself, and it couldn’t help but tremble in excitement at the thought. But first and foremost though, it needed a name.

 

After a short moment, it eventually decided that it would be best to wait for Hyperlaser’s opinion. It couldn’t trust itself to come up with a somewhat normal name, after all.

Perhaps… having feelings wasn’t such a hindrance after all.

Notes:

I’m back with more Phighting headcanons! Im also a little tempted to add little doodles at the end of every chapter, what are y’all’s thoughts?

Headcanons galore:
- Biograft surprisingly, has a good sense of style
- Hyperlaser on the other hand, does not. All he knows is his work uniform and his pj’s, nothing else
- Biograft 100% contemplated naming itself Toaster
- Biograft can run on solar energy if it’s crystal runs out of power, but it’s highly unlikely that this will happen
- Biograft has stubby little claws for hands, so it can’t pick up delicate objects like flowers
- Biograft will probably be Asexual/Panromantic, they’re a silly lil guy :)

 

Im also thinking of writing another fic, a meadowlark-inspired au! Let me know your thoughts if you’d read something like that :D

Chapter 6: A date?

Summary:

Holy fuck they're so gay.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

He’d honestly never expected for the job to end so fast. For a wannabe vigilante, this kid had the survival instincts of a brick, and even a brick would at least have some use in stopping Hyperlaser’s path. Well, he wasn’t going to complain. A quick job done meant that he had more time off - more time to stay away from BlackRock under the excuse of ‘work’. 

 

Clicking that familiar button on his helmet, he recorded a message to Subspace, scheduling it to be sent in a couple hours. And with that, he shoved his hands in his pockets and slinked away from the crime scene. 

 

For someone who has had to come to thieve’s den many times for ‘work’, Hyperlaser never really got the time to appreciate the faction’s beauty. The cobblestone streets clicked under his feet, and a light fog caked the small city. 

 

He glanced around as he roamed the streets, casting curious glances at the inphernals that walked past. Many were dressed in a similar fashion to Katana and his friend. Vine… what was her name again…?

 

Lost in his thoughts, he just kept walking.. until he was pulled from his mind as he bumped into someone. 

 

He turned to glance at the inphernal he’d accidentally hit, taking in their appearance.

 

They looked rather young, with bright green horns and a simple black outfit. It wasn’t like the outfits worn by Katana or the other inphernals, but more reminiscent of something Subspace would make Hyperlaser wear. Something like an assassin’s outfit. 

 

“Oof- Sorry!! I'm sorry!”

 

The inphernal quickly apologised, giving Hyperlaser a quick bow before speeding off and disappearing into the crowd. Hyperlaser barely even had time to say anything, before the young inphernal disappeared before him like a gust of wind. 

 

With a quiet sigh, he shrugged, strolling off into the streets.

 

Honestly, Hyperlaser quite liked Thieve’s den. The weather was just perfect, and the plants here were absolutely beautiful. The sky was gorgeous too, like a painting filled with shades of pink, purple and blue, a stark contrast to Blackrock’s melancholy landscape and depressing air. 

 

Even despite the carnivorous plants that swayed ominously whenever he walked past, or the odd stares he got from some of the locals, or the fog that constantly blanketed the city, he didn’t mind it. It was all much, much better than Blackrock.

 

After a long time, a peculiar shop caught his attention. The sign was written in a native dialect he couldn’t read, glowing with a vintage neon light, but the display showed various cakes and other sweets. 

 

One might say he was too old to be eating sweets, but he honestly couldn’t care less. And with so much time to kill, it wouldn’t harm anyone if he stopped for a sweet treat. 

 

He stared intently at the array of sweets before him, tempted by the various options. Strawberry seemed like a safe choice, but matcha seemed interesting too… and hibiscus cake was rather peculiar.

 

“I didn’t realise you would be coming here today.”

 

His head quite literally CRACKED as he spun around to face that familiar voice. Towering behind him was his friend Katana, looking at him with curious eyes behind that hypnotising mask.

 

The taller man seemed to laugh at Hyperlaser’s surprise, a soft chuckle escaping the confines of his mask, “Had I known you would be coming, I’d have invited you for a drink.”

 

Hyperlaser cleared his throat, trying his best to ignore the flush of heat across his chest that rose into his cheeks. 

 

“It was a... last minute decision. I got off work early, and I was already in the area so… might as well explore.”

 

Katana nodded, stepping closer to the display case behind Hyperlaser. He leaned in, muttering quietly, “I didn’t know you took a fancy to confectioneries.”

 

Hyperlaser turned to look at the display with Katana, occasionally throwing side eyes and glances at the taller man. For some odd reason, Katana’s exposed cleavage was literally staring at Hyperlaser, drawing his gaze every time.

 

WHY ARE THEY JUST HANGING OUT LIKE THAT????

 

“O-oh, well I… It’s rare to find cakes like these in Blackrock. Would you have any recommendations?”

 

He quickly turned his gaze back to the cakes, feigning interest in the confectioneries and silently praying that Katana hadn’t noticed him absolutely staring at his chest with zero shame.

 

“Hmm… I personally prefer hibiscus cake. But if you want something sweeter… maybe strawberry might be a better choice?”

 

Hyperlaser hummed in acknowledgement, before nodding quietly, “I see. Perhaps I should get both then.”

 

He quickly ordered one slice of hibiscus and one slice of strawberry cake, taking it from the storekeeper in a small pink box, comfortably nestled in a paper bag.

 

He held the bag in his hand, turning to Katana. SFOTH, why was this man so tall?! He felt tiny beside Katana, like he was some insignificant insect basking in the glory of a giant eagle.

 

“So uhm… are you busy?”

 

“Not particularly. I was simply out to run some errands, but I’m not in a hurry.”

 

Hyperlaser couldn’t help but clear his throat again, a feeble attempt to break up the awkwardness that hung in his voice. He tried his best to play it cool, keeping a nonchalant facade in front of the taller man.

 

“I.. see. I’ve never explored Thieve’s den before so…”

 

He trailed off, unsure of how to put his intentions into words. Katana, however, seemed to pick up on Hyperlaser’s thoughts anyways, quickly perking up.

 

“I’d be happy to show you around.”

 

“I… yes. That’d be nice.”

 

Hyperlaser couldn’t help but smile under his mask. With the government curfews and hordes of biografts walking around, it was rare to be able to walk around peacefully in Blackrock. To be able to just spend time with a friend like this.. it gave Hyperlaser a warm, fuzzy feeling in his chest.

 

-

 

Shuriken

 

He slid through the crowd with practised ease, tugging his hood over his horns. That person he’d bumped into… they didn’t seem like a local. But this area was teeming with tourists anyways, so it probably wasn’t anything. Just another lost tourist exploring the streets of Thieve’s den.

 

Shuriken turned into an alleyway, following his usual route to patrol the area when he was stopped in his tracks. 

 

The sight before him was nothing short of gruesome.

 

An inphernal - a young one, dead. A hole blasted clean through their throat, their face frozen in their last moments of fear. Cautiously, Shuriken stepped closer, inspecting the crime scene carefully.

 

Who could’ve done this?

 

The blood was only just starting to turn brown, indicating that the crime must’ve taken place at least over an hour ago. The kid’s ragged hood reminded Shuriken of his own - in fact, it seemed like it was almost exactly the same as Shuriken’s hood.

 

No signs of a struggle… no footprints either. The attacker was probably a ranged gear.

 

He crouched down, reaching into the victim’s pocket.

 

He pulled out a small wallet, with nothing more than a few coins inside. A piece of paper fell out as he checked the wallet, his fingers reaching down to pick it up.

 

Slowly, he unfolded it, revealing an old makeshift poster, with the title “The Silver Shadow” written on it. 

 

Realisation slowly set in as he connected the dots. This kid had probably looked up to him, probably had tried to become a vigilante like him, and had gotten killed in the process.

 

*Poor guy. So young, too.*

 

He tucked the paper into his pocket, placing the wallet back in the victim’s pocket. He silently noted to investigate the clans soon, and perhaps try to see if any of them were involved in this murder.

 

Shuriken stood up, stepping back and giving the victim a moment of silence. He clenched his fist quietly, before turning and disappearing into the shadows.

 

-

 

Katana

 

He would have never thought that he'd run into Hyperlaser, especially in the middle of Thieves Den of all places. Nonetheless, it was a pleasant surprise to see a familiar face here.

 

Katana walked alongside Hyperlaser, showing him the sights of Thieves Den. His shoulders were relaxed, hand lazily rested on the hilt of his Katana as he strolled along with his friend.

 

“Say, Hyperlaser, what food do you usually eat in Blackrock?”

 

He glanced at a nearby food stand, eyes grazing over the array of vegetable skewers and other delicious native treats.

 

Hyperlaser seemed to follow his gaze, pausing for a moment before giving his answer.

 

“I typically just eat… Whatever they serve at the canteen. If you're asking about Blackrock specialties, there isn't really anything special about the food there.”

 

Katana hummed for a moment, nodding in silent agreement with Hyperlaser's words. Based on what he's heard so far, Blackrock didn't seem like such a.. pleasant place. 

 

“I see. Would you like to try some of our local food then?”

 

He slowly led Hyper over to the food stand, taking in the fresh smell of food. Of course, what kind of guide would he be if he didn't let his friend try out the local delights too?

 

“...No thanks, I'm alright. I'm not very hungry.”

 

He stole a quick glance at Hyperlaser, noticing the way the mercenary stared at the food. He was probably lying, but Katana knew better than to pry.

 

“hm… perhaps another time, then.”

 

Katana nodded, turning away from the store and continuing down the road. He stole a glance at Hyperlaser, only to be met with what was singlehandedly one of the worst things in the world. 

 

Direct eye contact. 

 

He stared at Hyperlaser, Hyperlaser stared at him. He knew he was staring at him. Even behind that helmet of his, he felt the smaller's gaze boring into his own, and the air seemed to thicken with every passing millisecond.

 

*Was Hyperlaser staring at him just now??*

 

-

 

Hyperlaser

 

FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK SHITSHITSHITSHIT OH SFOTH OH FUCK

 

He quickly snapped his head away, feigning a cough and trying to hide the embarrassment that burned through his body. Even with his skin all burned off, he still felt himself getting warmer and warmer, a hot flush spreading across his scarred face. 

 

“I-”

 

A sharp click caught his attention, the message from his boss finally coming in.

 

“HYPERLASER! Finally, you're done! Took you long enough. They were…”

 

He sighed, already mentally blocking out Subspace's rambling. He faked a cough again, finishing his sentence.

 

“I.. I need to go. My apologies.”

 

Katana's voice was the complete opposite of Hyperlaser - stable, warm, calm. He nodded, muttering softly.

 

“I see. Then we shall part ways here.”

 

“Yeah. Then… do you wanna go for a drink again sometime? Maybe next weekend?”

 

The larger nodded, giving Hyperlaser a small wave before the two finally parted from their short little hangout.

 

Or was it a… Date? 

 

Hyperlaser was quick to disappear into the crowd, speeding off in the direction of the bus stop to Blackrock. His cheeks were still stupidly hot and red, the images of Katana's eye glinting behind his mask boring into his mind.

 

...fuck, that was embarrassing.

 

Notes:

HOMO HOMO GAY GAY HOMO

Headcanons again :3

- Hyperlaser can't taste properly. Some of his taste buds are burned off, so he can't taste lighter foods. Probably why he can tolerate Blackrock's canteen slop food so well
- Katana, while he isn't vegetarian, generally doesn't mind vegetarian food and sometimes prefers it
- Katana doesn't like using technology and prefers to send letters

GAHDDAMN THESE BITCHES GAY!!! I'll try to feed you guys some more chapters before I die in exams :3