Buddying Alliances (Stray Oneshot)

The Droid And The Cat.

Disclaimer: I don't own Stray (Video Game). I don't own the picture (cover). Or the song if I put one in.

(qwertuno and SilentReadersMatter)

(Hope you enjoy.)

B-12 is not blind.

They see how citizens of the city looked down on them. The cat wandering almost oblivious to the stares of the robots seemingly tempted to tear them apart. Separate the duo as they assumed a cat, an animal of all things couldn't possibly understand the droid better than they ever could.

"Now that we've...escaped-"

The cat yowled in protest. Their eyes boring into the Droid's soul pupil, eyes meeting and clashing walls as to who's fault it was that ran into them. The bot sighed, knowing cat would not let down until they received the answer they wanted.

"Sorry, Kit. Fought our way outta there, we can continue our way to the main point."

The ginger cat nodded, seemingly satisfied before raising its legs and starting to clean itself. Herself? Himself? Themselves? B-12 would never know.

Well, their companion understood them. And would continue to do so even if B-12 had to fight everyone single guardian who got in their way to keep the furry creature by their side. B-12's kind picked their masters. And they chose the cat. So what if they couldn't understand their words, their body language and actions spoke louder than verbal communication did anyway. No false promises, deception, lies, deceit. B-12 could tell if the cat planned to deceive them. Their ginger coat stained in blood as they finished the fight against the Zurgs.

"Hey, Kit."

The floating bot swore that the cat stared straight into their cybernetic soul.

"Do you like the name I gave you?"

The cat blinked, tail swishing left and right as if it was thinking. Tilting their head, the cat responded with nothing but a croon leaving their mouth. Body curling in itself to gain warmth and rest after the exhausting battle.

"Heh, thank you. Even if we are different, we're kinda one in the same. Fighting, lack of companionship, and having to rely on each in combat."

B-12 took that as a yes. The cat merely turned their body in their sleep. Facing their back to the floating droid as it's sole orb started drifting shut. Power draining and needing to be charged.

They were ready as sleep as the cat was ready for its body to shut down. Not used to being up at night and fighting for a reason they would never know, but let themselves be dragged into due to their new friend insisting that they head these different pathways.

"Goodnight, Kit."

They dropped the technical tone and used the normal voice they recorded the human using whenever any programs were on screen.

The droid hoped no one would try to separate them. Whether the car realised it remained its usual oblivious self, they were perfect for each other. The droids never liked humans and after their...extinction, took to never speaking, mentioning, getting rid of any human-like items scattered throughout the land. Any left objects were collected, burned, or delivered to the leaders who thought over what they were to do with the materials. Most were useful. Some thought it was too dangerous to tamper with. The citizens burned, melded, made use of any of the remaining items before they were scrapped when determined useless to their cause.

B-12 desired to help the ginger cat. The only one who understood them and never insulted, lied, or even became mildly annoyed at (the swat they received when meeting them did not count). The cat wanted upto them. Eventually allowing the perfectly fitting backpack on and trekking on with B-12 in tow. Their robotic heart fluttering for an unknown reason. Maybe it was because someone finally found some use for them. Even if they weren't let on their uselessness, B-12 was still determined to prove their worth. Providing weapons, giving history lesson, watching over the cat while it slept. An unspoken request as enemies tried attacking the one time they both stopped down for a rest.

Their imaginary stomach dropped again the prospect of having to let their companion leave. Practically leaving them alone for the rest of their miserable distance. The other robots would never understand B-12 even if they tried getting to know them out of sympathy or pity.

The droid reached its sensors to the cat's fur, brushing the extra matting to the side of it's head and saving any important contact for past. They were good at a lot of things.

They just didn't know if they could let go their companion so easily.