Chapter Text
Reaching his hands towards Mami results in a positive reaction.
Mami always picks him up or uses it as a prompt to give him something. What he gives him depends on what they’re doing. He never knows what to do with what Mami gives him, so he just holds whatever it is until it slips from his grip or Mami takes it away.
He’s not sure what started it, but seeing how pleased Mami gets lets him know he’s doing good.
He thinks he’s been doing a lot of good, lately, though all he can think of is the reaching.
Maybe it’s because he has more opportunities to do good since Mami has been spending more and more time with him.
He’s different from Maker in that way.
Mami doesn’t hide him in a bag or put him in a playpen. He carries him in his arms. He never lingers in one spot outside of their home though, usually they’re headed to different places so Vax cannot get a good look around.
This time, they’re in a more familiar place. Near Maker’s office in front of a wall of blue. There’s a hum coming from it.
This is the first time Vax has been given the chance to look at it. Mami has sat down with him on his lap to stare at the wall of blue.
A dark, sharp figure darts past, surprising him.
“That’s one of Vox’s sharks,” Mami says. “Sydney, I think.”
The figure loops back around, this time slowly passing them.
Alive. An animal.
Sydney.
He reaches towards Sydney.
Mami laughs and nuzzles him. “No, I can’t give you a shark, baby. How about you tell her hello instead?”
He can’t do that.
He can’t talk.
-love Mami
Mami takes his hand to stretch his arm out and gently guides his fingers up and down. He uses one of his other hands to do the same in the direction of the shark.
“Hi, Sydney,” Mami coos.
He lets go of Vax’s hand.
“Tell her hi,” Mami says.
Vax lifts his arm up and waves his fingers up and down.
Mami chitters.
There are other sharks. Vax tells them hi as well. Mami laughs.
“Smart boy,” he says, kissing his antennae toppers. “Maybe Vox will let you feed them.”
“No way. He’d end up as shark food himself,” Maker says, emerging from his office. He has a wide grin. “Ha! I didn’t expect to find you two down here. You visiting me or is this a field trip?”
“Look, Vax, it’s your papa. Say hi to papa,” Mami coos.
He reaches towards Maker and waves his fingers.
Maker’s smile falls.
He bends over to pick Vax up and Mami lets out an odd sound.
“No. No, stop it.”
Maker pauses. “Excuse me?”
Mami hasn’t moved from his spot. He’s staring at Maker. His fists are trembling on the floor.
Maker picks Vax up and Mami bares his teeth at him, but still does not get up.
“Put him down.”
“Just a second,” Maker says calmly.
Maker’s wire plugs into Vax.
“Stop it. Stop it,” Mami says. “Stop doing that to him!”
Maker grimaces. He unplugs the wire and puts Vax back down.
Vax doesn’t understand what happened, but he does recognize the look on Mami’s face when Maker cups his cheek.