Library/Home Is Where The Heart Is

**Home Is Where The Heart Is** is the story of when Steam went back to her family home and found out that Rust had just straight up started living there because it had been empty for years. It's also outdated as both of them have had updates to their backstories, especially Rust. It was written around 2013.

It has really gross outdated pairing stuff, but a few fun interactions here and there, stuff was still pretty tense when they began living together. Steam x Rust grosses me out today, I don't know why I shipped them back then ugh

## **Summary**

Steam returns to her family home in the forest, only to realize it's not the way she left it.

Meanwhile, Rust ponders about his love life.

## **Features**

### **Characters**

* Steam
* Rust
* Iron
* Atomus *(Mentioned)*
* Blade *(Mentioned)*
* Zelly *(Mentioned)*

### **Locations**

* The Rem Forest
	+ Steam and Rust's workshop
* Coperton *(Mentioned)*

## **Home Is Where The Heart Is**

Steam sighed happily as she looked up at the bright blue sky. The wind blew on her light blonde hair while her cream-coloured eyes gazed at the clouds, as her mind unconsciously gave names to the shapes each one individually made. She felt delighted. Her trip to Coperton had been successful even though it lasted three years. She was happy to return to her old family house, though they had abandoned it, empty and dirty.

Such a big, useless building, she wondered why it was made so huge anyway. The forest where it was, had barely changed but something was not right… A certain thing had caught her attention as soon as she caught a glimpse of her old house...

Smoke and the sound of working machines.

She stared in shock, was someone at her house? Sure that if she abandoned it, it wouldn’t belong to anyone, but that wasn’t the point of it. She rushed to it. It certainly bothered her that whoever was there, never asked permission to enter or claim the house has theirs. She stared at the door silently. It was bright and clean, not the way she left it. Curious, she knocked on the door and waited a bit as she heard slow steps, at least she was feeling patient.

The door slowly opened to reveal a young boy, probably around her age, if not older, with short black hair and teal eyes, wearing an outfit that consisted on a pale yellow shirt, a brown vest, baggy black pants and brown and grey boots. He was looking like a mess, the kind of mess you look like when you wake up. He yawned and rubbed his eyes lazily

- We're closed… Can I help you or something?

- Is this your house?

- Yes…?

- May I come in?

- Hum… Is there anything you need?

She didn’t reply, she ignored him and walked inside, looking around on the decoration, raising her eyebrow a bit weirded out.

- Why so many clocks?

- I like clocks… - He looked rather nervous – Do you need anything?

- I just came to take back what is mine – She said as she crossed her arms - You should know what I'm talking about.

The boy looked a bit shocked and scared at her – O-oh! Huh… Is one of the clocks yours??? You must be from a different timeline! If so, I huh, I apologize! I might have borrowed them temporaria-!

- What? - She looked weirded out - I don’t want your clocks, why would I need such things! I don’t have time to that! And I won’t even ask about the timelines...

He sighed relieved, quickly composing himself – I see...Huh… Nevermind what I just said! Do I owe you something?

- Technically yes. This building in which you are living, I presume, belongs to me, and I’m quite curious to know who gave you permission to claim it as yours!

He stared at her dumbfounded and sighed – Must these things always happen to me? Allow me to explain. The building was abandoned. It was all empty and dusty inside, with not a single clue of anyone living here, so I decided to claim it. And I’m afraid to say that I do not plan to leave it any sooner, so you’ll have to find somewhere else to live. Once again, I apologize. - He crossed his arms, looking firm.

- Apologies not accepted! Are you throwing me away from my own house?

- I’d say yes if it was actually yours. Would you like some snacks to eat on your way out?

- I am NOT leaving! You leave!

- This conversation is getting ridiculous! Why should I leave when someone like you, just comes here and claims to own this place. I find it highly suspicious... You have no proof!

- I lived here all my childhood, my dad gave this building to me. Please leave.

- He stood there, shocked. The girl was stubborn but he couldn’t leave! He could still live with Atomus’ but his things would waste too much space on his humble house, assuming that some of his creations were as big as an actual small house. Not very convenient at all, and he wasn’t willing to leave anything behind.

- N-no! I can’t do that! What about my things?! You gave me no notice, I won’t have any place to put them!

- Not my problem.

- Seriously, I can’t leave...Well... Actually, I can but I’ll have to come back. I have a place to live but nowhere to put my stuff!

- No!

- Why?! You know what? You don’t live here now! I claim this place to be mine!

- You’re contradicting yourself, that’s amusing.

- What? This is no time for jokes and contradictions! Seriously, I can’t and WON’T leave! Please go away.

- But you just said you could leave a second ago.

- I did not! It won’t work out. I suggest that you leave.

- Excuse me? Be more polite and I might listen to you, either way, I won’t.

- You’re being extremely confusing. Is that your attempt to be smart? I am not willing to leave! Maybe this house isn’t really yours and you’re just a persuasive double-crossing thief trying to make me go away.

- That makes no sense. I can describe this house from here. BECAUSE I lived here!

- Fine. Do it.

- Well then! This room is the entrance, where most of the work is done, there on the left, there’s a large room and a small bathroom for visitors, in that same room there is an exit on the back and stairs that will lead to the 2nd floor. On that floor, it’s the most personal part of the house. There are two rooms, MINE and the guest’s room, plus the kitchen, another bathroom and the living room. There are more stairs, and on the third floor there are large rooms where I kept my things but now they’re empty, I suppose.

- Actually they have mannequins now. – He grinned and she stared neutral.

- Remind me not to go there. AS I WAS SAYING, there are more stairs and on the top floor there’s the observatory and there’s a door there that will lead to an open space, no ceiling, no nothing! That’s it.

- I know.

- Well?

- Well what?

- I just made my point!

- So?

- You’re leaving.

- I never agreed on that.

- You’ve got to be joking.

- I’m sure that I’m serious.

Steam held her two pigtails and complained in some gibberish - Why are you so hard to talk with?! Can’t you just leave?! Maybe I should kick you out.

- I do not wish to start a fight, for I am terrible with those. I was going to suggest sharing the house, but once again, you made me change my thoughts.

- Well good! I wasn’t going to accept living with someone like you anyway!

- Then you may leave. – He crossed his arms staring at the side - You know this house well enough to know where the exit is.

- No!

- I’m trying to keep calm here, okay? No fights, no arguments, just speaking POLITELY, which is what I was doing in case you did not notice.

- Okay, let's act mature for a moment, shall we?

- Yes, you’re keeping me waiting.

She groaned but sighed – Okay. So basically, this house is mine, and you stole it. Why do I have to keep explaining this?!

- This I did not steal. For it did not have an owner. It was abandoned and free to claim.

- I just left it, I never abandoned it.

- Maybe a warning or a sign could have helped. I do not recall seeing anything with the looks of that. No one could know if it was yours or not.

- It’s still mine.

- Not anymore. Maybe it was yours, maybe it was not. It’s been claimed by someone else, that someone being me, and you have no power over it anymore. Do you understand?

- It’s stupid. What’s the point of that explanation?

- To confuse you and point out your immaturity and ignorant behaviour.

- You’re so arrogant... Can I at least sleep in my room? Sorry, but I am not going to the guest’s room.

- No no, dear. You will. I am the owner, so I make the rules. You go on and make the guest’s room your own. I never used it anyway.

- Wow, you’re actually letting me keep the house?

- No, I would never! I’m being kind enough to let you stay. I’d be thankful if I was you.

She blushed a bit and opened her mouth to say something, but he quickly interrupted her.

- I’m not done yet! I have very simple, specific rules for this place.

- Oh for the love of...

- First rule, don’t touch my things without any permission. Second, you are NOT allowed to touch any of the clocks on the walls. And most importantly! Don’t. Change. Their. Time.

- Why would I do that anyway?

- I don’t know you. And I don’t know what to expect from you. Third rule, you must ask for permission to change the decoration anywhere, though the answer will most likely be no. Was I clear?

- I hate you already. Am I allowed to cook, use the bathroom and
go to the ceiling?

- Take a guess!

- I just wanted to make sure... geez. Fix your temper, will you?

- I try! – He groaned and she just pulled out two travelling bags she brought with her - You’re lucky I barely brought anything with me. I would need help.

- In your dreams.

- No seriously! It would be a lot of stuff.

- Yeah yeah, good for you. I was going back to my nap, but now I can’t because you might throw me out of the window while I’m asleep!

She sighed and mumbled – Chill.I’m not that bad when you get to know me.

- That’s what everyone says until they stab you in the back! – He sat on his chair cursing to himself when suddenly there was a scream upstairs.

- HELP! THERE’S A RAT IN HERE, I SAW IT JUMP, IT WAS HUGE!

- That’s not a rat! That’s my rabbit, Copper! Don’t you dare hurt her! – He yawned a bit and she got back downstairs.

- . . .

- What do you want...? – He mumbled.

- You do realize that your room is the guest’s room, right? Also, I saw the rat going in there.

- It’s a rabbit... – He closed his eyes a bit and let his arm fall a bit.

- Oh! That’s so much better! Anyway, I’m going to my room now, I’ve got to organize all my stuff. And I just realized I don’t know what your name is! Did you say it before? I don’t really remember...

- . . .

- Hello?  - She poked his cheek only to find out that he had fallen asleep.

- Well, that’s a way to ditch a conversation. But at least he’s silent now... – She sighed relieved – Well what can I do now?

She pouted as she stared at the sleeping boy, then silently left the room and proceeded to walk around the house that she once grew in. She felt like she couldn’t recognize anything, and she was right!

The rooms were still the same but the decoration was far too different. Instead of her old plane models and photos of her and her dad, there were elegant Victorian clocks and beautiful paintings of scenarios from places from the human world, paintings extremely rare and expensive for such a young one to acquire in such a large number.

She wondered how that boy even got those. Maybe his family gave it to him, or so she thought. He looked strangely familiar to her, like from a blurred memory from a dream. She shook her head and looked at his room.

She quickly assumed the obvious, which was that he most probably had problems with the invasion of privacy, but it wouldn’t hurt him or anyone to take a glimpse at it since she had been far too worried about the “rat” to even notice what truly was in there.

She silently walked inside it and sighed in disappoint. It was nothing but a small normal room. A bed on the right corner and a small desk on the left, with several scraps of metal, built randomly. She wondered what he planned to do with that but shrugged it off. The guy was really awkward anyway, so why bother?

She walked to her own room and stared at the bags that she had left on the bed. Oh, how she missed that room! She smiled alone, maybe she didn’t get to own the house, but she was living there now, wasn’t she?

Fair enough, she thought. However, she thought it would be better if she stopped getting distracted by her thoughts and curiosity  Those bags weren’t going to get unpacked on their own!

She opened one of them but quickly stopped, for she felt sort of a presence near her. She shivered and glanced back to the door, only the find the boy who had fallen asleep probably not even five minutes ago, staring silent with a non-amused look on his face. She squealed, almost panicking and he just sighed.

- You were in my room.

- GAH! DON’T DO THAT! WEREN’T YOU ASLEEP, LIKE, FIVE MINUTES AGO OR SOMETHING?!

- I have a sixth sense that told me you were in my room.

- I was just looking at how it was like! I didn’t do anything bad.

He facepalmed and cursed a bit then stared at her – Never mind that. I’ve been thinking... Are you truly and honestly the real owner of this place?

- ... Are we really doing this again?

- It’s bothering me, Miss Vapora. I do not wish to leave, and I won’t of course! BUT! I fear what you might try to do to make me go away and/or change my ideas. Do you understand? – He said with a short yawn and Steam looked surprised.

- I won’t do that. Shut up.

- I’ll try to believe you, despite the fact that it’s extremely hard for me to trust and believe anyone.

- Okay, okay! I get it! You don’t trust me, you don’t believe me,
and it’s understandable! Just, please, DON’T STAND THERE SPYING ON ME WHEN I’M
NOT WATCHING, OKAY?! – She blushed irritated and he just shrugged

- I have certain habits I can’t avoid. You’ll have to excuse me.

- Well, that’s great. Also, quit speaking fancy, it sounds so fake it's annoying.

He blushed and quickly covered his mouth.

- . . . It’s the accent... Isn’t it?

- Most probably yes. Even though I’m used to English accents like yours, you just speak too much and too quickly, plus, you’re polluting the air with your exquisite bad breath so badly, that it becomes agonizing to talk to you. – She started opening her bag and organizing her clothes as she talked and he just blushed even more, red with rage, yet, trying to stay calm.

- My sincerest apologies for bothering you, Miss Vapora! I shall take my leave now! – He ran away and Steam let out a small cackle.

- Oh for the love of- Did you actually believe that?! Oh gosh... Don’t tell me he got offended hahaha – She let out a last chuckle and stared back at the door.

That should stop him from spying on her. As long as that didn’t happen, she’d be alright. He seemed to have a short fuse but she guessed it was from his lack of sleep and interrupted naps, she didn’t know him at all, but he was quite easy to tease, but once again, she had forgotten to ask for his name.

She shrugged and got back to unpacking her things, though when she was almost half-way through, she stopped. Not because she was done, but because her stomach grumbled with hunger. Eating nothing besides small fruit on her way didn’t help much.

She got up and walked to the kitchen, passing by the boy’s room, noticing him inside reading a book, and very obviously pretending he didn’t see her, she pouted and played the very same game with him while walking away.

Besides another clock on the wall, the kitchen looked the exact same. What was with that guy and clocks anyway? Curious, the first thing she went to check was the food, after all, wasn’t that what she came for? He didn’t seem to keep any food around, only some stuff on the fridge. She wondered how could someone live with just some water, sushi and cookies (Who puts those on the fridge anyway?)

She’d freak out if there was no food at her house! Heck! What if someone came over? She shook her head and sighed, there was no need to lose her mind over something stupid like that! She grabbed a package of small cookies only to find out that there was only one left. She held it and ate it, stinkbrain would have to understand the emergency she was in, a small cookie would be enough to satisfy her needs, but her stomach didn’t share the same opinion.

She left the kitchen and walked to his door, knocking softly despise the fact that it was open. She noticed he had closed his book and had a look of someone who was spacing out while staring deeply into the light brown wall in front of him.

- What is it...? – He mumbled, not looking away.

- Hum... Is there anything else to eat? I’m a bit hungry... – She asked a bit uncomfortable with his serenity, he slowly shook his head and mumbled a single “no”. She stood worried but he didn’t react.

- Okay... Are you alright? You look a bit weird.

- I am fine there is nothing to worry about. You might want to hold your breath, you probably don’t want to get that agonizing feeling again.

- Wow, calm down, I was joking about that! Your breath’s fine!

- Humph...

- Oh, I finally remembered! What’s your name? I don’t remember you telling it before...

- I’m Rust.

- Rust? Like, the thingy in metal that nobody likes?

- Why do you think I was named that?

- Hey... I wasn’t trying to offend you... You’re a bit paranoid, aren’t you? Rust... It’s... A really peculiar name actually... I never met anyone with that name...

- Now you did.

- Yeah... heh. So... – She looked around, trying to strike a conversation – Where are you from?

- Why do you want to know? I myself am unsure. Please stop asking so many questions! – His voice hinted worry and anger, making her shiver a bit.

- Okay, sorry! I’ll talk to you when you’re fully rested then. So annoying. – She said walking away. She wasn’t used to anyone screaming at her, but she had to let this one pass.

She went back to her room to finish unpacking. And after what seemed to take forever, she was done with it. She felt bored, there wasn’t anything for her to do, and it was only 6pm.

She felt tired, so she just lied on the bed and closed her eyes, letting the feeling of peace bring her into her slumber, though her cotton feathered dreams barely lasted, for she heard some loud smashing sounds and voices talking loud enough to wake her up.

Startled, she got up and rushed downstairs, where the voices were clearer, only to find Rust talking to what seemed to be... a robot person? She couldn’t quite tell but they seemed to be having a pleasant conversation, she quickly assumed that the cyborg wasn’t created by Rust since he seemed to be far too lively to be an actual robot!

She wasn’t an expert with robotics but it didn’t bother her much. She watched silently, waiting for a moment to ask them not to talk so loud, but the wooden floor would always crack at inconvenient times, quickly spoiling her location. Both boys stared at her in shock she blushed in embarrassment as the stranger asked a bit suspicious

- Rust... Who is that?

Rust kept a poker sighed and grumbled – She’s just a guest. She won’t be staying for too long... – He glared at her and she remained silent, but the other Drimare smiled a bit confused at her. She noticed that apparently she had seen him from the wrong angle all this time, only the left half of his face resembled a robot’s, the other half was completely normal, dark-skinned with a light olive green eye with soft shades of brown,
contrasting with the bright neon green of his robot half.

- Aw Rust, she looks nice. Nice to meet you I guess? – he chuckled, approaching her for a handshake, he was a lot stronger than she thought – You can call me Iron, Ron for short. What’s your name?

- Ron don’t interact – Rust groaned.

- I’m... Steam. Steam Vapora. Nice to meet you too...? – She mumbled timidly as she stared at Rust, who coldly gazed back at her. Amused, Iron smirked and looked back at Rust, a bit worried, who in response crossed his arms and looked displeased.

Nothing else to see here, she thought. Though she didn't intend to be rude, but as soon as that stranger left, she would let her adored friend know that she wasn’t someone who wouldn’t be “staying for too long”.

A decision had been made, and he was going to have to stick to it, whether he liked it or not. She tried to be reasonable and nice, but it didn’t seem to be working out, so being tough was her only way to make herself clear. While waiting, she walked back to her room. After all, she did have her sleep interrupted, no?

- ... Rust, seriously, who is that girl? – Iron asked looking curious - You seemed tense.

- Just some girl who came here, claiming that this whole building belonged to her. I stupidly let her in and now she’s trying to act nice probably hoping I’ll be foolish enough to fall for her trap and leave! – A loud sarcastic laugh left his mouth, followed by a cough.

- Woah, really! Haha! Does she actually own the place? That explains a lot. You got yourself in quite the problem, huh? - He laughed - Not gonna lie, I honestly thought she was some girlfriend you got or somethin’... – He mumbled, chuckling a bit.

- Ron... After that whole drama that recently unfolded before us, do you honestly believe that I would be interested in getting into that sort of mess AGAIN? Honestly reply to me.

- Yeah I know how that is, I was just teasin' ya. Please don’t start cryin’ or anythin’ like that. You'll freak me out...

- I’m not crying, nor do I feel like it! My expression is like the one of a rock!

- Rocks can have expressions? I didn’t know that. Hahaha!

- I-I ME-MESSED UP! YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN! N-now leave! Shoo. – He pouted, staring at the side, and Iron gave him a disappointed look.

- Didn’t you need my help with somethin’?

- Leave it for some other day. You made me mad.

- And I wasn’t even tryin’! I should reward myself with a good ol’ borin’ day of stayin’ home bored because there’s nothin’ to do around here! – He babbled, letting his Texan accent flow through his words. One could guess he was desperate for something to do or anyone to talk to but Rust didn’t feel convinced.

- Grr... Just go prank some bloody humans with Blade or whatever it is that you like to do in your free time.

- Yeah... - He sighed - Blade’s cool, but he’s been kinda gloomy lately, doesn't really wanna talk to me or Zel... Everyone’s sad and it gets so lame to get a silent treatment from everyone.

- It’s great, isn’t it?! It’s like a plague of sadness is spreading in this Dimension! You will soon catch it too! It’s like a fever because everyone has it!

- That's not how it works. It wouldn’t hurt you to be more optimistic...

- Oh... – Rust chuckled – Are you calling me a pessimist? I will not deny the facts, but I prefer to be called a realist!

- Ha. Good. Very good. How you are you living with such values on your mind?

- Like everyone else is. Simply trying to live even though every day manages to prove how much of a douche bag you truly are. You might not believe me, Ron, but I do have hope that things will soon get better! I just have this weird thought in my head, you know?

- Anything that comes from your head is going to be messed up in some way or another. Yet, you seem much more optimistic than you look... I might have underestimated you...

- Please no. You’ll make me cry. Boohoo.

- ... Should I even ask?

- Are you indirectly mocking my perfect representation of embarrassment? I’d like to see you do better.

- I really don’t care, man. Do you need help or not? Then I’ll leave you alone with the girl, to do whatever you want with her. Hehe...

- She is a stranger who asks too many questions. What exactly are you trying to imply here?

- Just sayin’, maybe she has a thing for those sweet eyebags of yours. - He chuckled.

- Ron. She came here only two hours ago, and now you’re talking about crushes? Let’s hope not... I learned my lesson and hate to repeat mistakes.

- Sorry!

- Besides, tell this to no one, but I’ve been stalked in the past! I mean! Well, not childhood past, but when I visit other timelines, there’s always a creepy group of girls just going around, staring at me and stuff like that, AND IT IS NOT GOOD AT ALL BECAUSE THEY GO AFTER ME AND I HAVE TO HIDE BECAUSE IT’S SERIOUSLY FRIGHTENING, OKAY!? NO CRUSHES.

- Bro, you don't have to make stuff up to impress me, your weirdness does that just fine. That’s the weirdest thing I heard today. You were probably just unlucky because that’s not how girls act when they have crushes. Blade told me that girls get all shy and cutesy when they have crushes.

- Well, not these girls! Being stalked and chased is not good at all!

- I feel ya. Don’t tell me you ever got caught by them.

- One time was more than enough to traumatize me for life! They touched my arm! I could have been violated in there!

- Spare me the details.

- I am NOT exaggerating! I want to keep my virginity safe and sound.

- Yeahhh I don't think you have to worry about that.

- Yes. Thank you.

- Wow... I was just thinking... what if that girl, Steam right? What if she... she’s one of your stalkers who came to the future to capture you and your precious virginity!

- GOOD LORD! RON NO! DON’T JOKE ABOUT THAT!

- Hey, chill! It was a joke!

- Well, thank you, for now, I will not be able to sleep because of paranoia. I can’t just “chill”, Ron! How do you do that?

- I just... I don’t know? It’s natural for me. There’s no secret.

- Fine then, well hum. About I wanted you to do...

- You got so carried away by the sound of your own voice you got off-topic.

- ABOUT WHAT I WANTED YOU TO DO... I’ll leave it for some other day, you’re free for now. I actually think I can do it on my own...

- Horray, so excited.

- Yes, very.

- So what are you goin’ to do now?

- Draw boring stuff. Isn’t that what like to call my drawings?

- You do enjoy making super detailed pictures of a chair, so what do you want me to say? Can you teach me how to draw? Like, no, not chairs, but like, cool stuff! Like... like comics!

- Do I look like I draw comics?

- I don’t know... maybe?

- No, I don’t. You go home and practice or whatsoever.

- Uh...

- What is it? You can’t expect to learn how to draw if all you do is complain on and on about how you cannot do it.

- Okay, okay! I’ll leave, not because you told me to, but because you’ll start a two-hour-long rant, so I’d rather leave now.

- Two... hour? Well, I am offended!

- That’s exactly why! See ya! Ron's out!

- Humph! Bye.

Rust gazed at the door where his friend had just left. Of course, that drawing was the perfect excuse, though this time, it wasn’t that much of an excuse, he really wanted to draw, yet the thought of being stalked rushed through his mind once again, followed by some uncomfortable memories, though he shrugged them off and walked to the room where the girl was supposed to be.

He noticed the door had been closed, so he had to knock, which he did, without getting a response. He frowned and slowly opened the door, only to find Steam lying on the bed, sleeping peacefully. He stood a bit dumbfounded but quickly closed the door. Feeling a warm blush on his cheeks never meant anything good.

He was a lot of things that could be considered bad, but “perverted” wasn’t on the list. There’s no way he’d watch her or anyone sleep, it was just too creepy! She was probably tired from her trip, so that would explain it. He wondered what was he planning to do in the first place when he went to see her. He was simply the greatest when it came to forgetting things. It just made him mad, but he had grown used to it, so what to do?

He didn’t bother much, and his thoughts got quickly dispersed as his little pet bunny Copper clang to his leg. He looked down and softly grabbed her while receiving warm bunny kisses in the cheeks, he just smiled and hugged her gently, trying not to break any bone from her tiny fragile, brown furry body.

– Hello, how are you? Are you hungry? – he asked kindly, and the bunny, unable to talk, just snuggled more on his chest – I guess not... You just felt lonely, didn’t you? I’m sorry for not talking to you, I’ve been busy... –

He gazed at the door from Steam’s room and walked away, to another large room, while two lively dark brown eyes attentively watched him – And now, there’s this other new girl living with us... I don’t know for how long she’ll be staying so please try to be nice to her.

Copper kept staring at him, memorizing all of his words as he walked in this large room, filled with elegant mannequins all together in pairs, all of them wearing fancy suits and dresses, he himself had designed some of the outfits, though it was a tailor that did the sewing work since Rust himself couldn’t sew a button on his own.

Many would find it creepy, but Rust found comfort in the lifeless mannequins, he would often imagine colourful balls with beautiful music playing, and there he’d dance with the love of life, all around the room to their heart’s content.

And then as it got calmer, they’d go to a more private place, where they’d share the most romantic words that they never had the courage to say and they would fall asleep in each other’s embrace only with the light of the Moon shining upon them.

He blushed a bit at the thought and smiled, he was too much of a dreamer but knew no one was willing to care about his classical romance nonsense, not like he would ever let anyone know of his silly fantasies, he had the reputation of serious grumpy guy and nothing was going to ruin that for him... at least not again.

These “fantasies” were actually really common in Rust’s mind along with a whole bunch of other things, he had them a lot but as days passed by, they would become more and more hurtful ever since the small incident with Iron and Zelly, even though he still loved
her, he knew better than anyone that the joyful puppeteer would never dream of stuff like that, he knew it himself.

She was a tomboy at heart despise her feminine appearance. He smiled and shook his head, taking her off his mind, he just wished for her to be happy more than anything.

He sort of longed for some noise, everything was so silent in that room, the mannequins stood in their same place as the light of the sunset reflected on their elegant outfits.
Perhaps some music would do the trick?

He remembered how much he’d like to play any sort of instrument, but he just couldn’t understand how those bloody things even worked. His favourite one was the violin, he just adored the sound of it. He had one himself but he just couldn’t manage to touch it.

His first time resulted in loud, horrible screeching noises that could make a deaf person shiver in fear. He laughed when he remembered it, he felt a bit stupid but there were things that were worse than screeching violins and rotten fantasies.

Copper just watched him silently, but cuddled more on Rust’s chest, who in response pet her head softly – I should stop this random laughing business don’t you think? Hahaha!

Copper stares curious and he stopped for a bit, looking at a clock hanging on the wall like he observed a hypnotizing void, a sudden thought crossed his mind, the mysterious girl, Steam... He just wondered...

How would she react to a room full of mannequins? He burst out laughing when he remembered Iron’s reaction, sobbing in fear while panicking with the fact that the wooden figures had no face of their own and that there were human mannequins mixed with the Drimare ones.

Rust knew Ron had some sort of phobia when it came to seeing anyone without a certain body part, which could be considered ironic since he had broken both his right arm and horn. horn, but he never thought he would scare him for life.

Rust didn’t mind much and Iron had forbidden himself from ever entering that room, which was convenient since Rust would often place his most prized possessions in there, away from Iron’s grabby hands and stealing jokes. Almost anyone felt uncomfortable in that room.

“They’re just mannequins” Rust would say with no avail.

Was there anything wrong with a room full of lifeless wooden figures wearing fancy outfits? He couldn’t see why.

**[UNFINISHED, I have a much longer version of this on a physical notebook but I am not THAT dedicated to archiving that specific mess here LOL]**