#Stickcur

[duhuang1896]

Doesn't anyone like this ship? !

(Top Henry)

[crazy-pe3p]

more of these guys

also i'm writing about them now if anyone wants it i just think theyre silly :3

https://archiveofourown.org/series/4673803

i swear ill get back to dtd at some point. haha. er. oops

[sir-subpar]

His Translator. Part 14

 Burt walked through the halls of the space station, he felt a little nervous, but that was okay. He knew Henry. He knew that even if Henry rejected him he would let him down gently at least, so it wouldn't be too bad. He just had to find him, and tell him how he felt. Burt recited his confession in his head, trying to figure out the best phrasing to go with. 

Eventually he found Henry in the conference room of the station, he was sitting at the large round table by himself. He appeared to be marking important places on the world map. Henry noticed Burt's presence and waved at him, smiling. Then he rested his hands on the table, pausing whatever work he was doing. "Hi Henry uh… can I… talk to you for a bit?" Henry nodded and gestured towards the chair across from him at the table. Burt quietly moved to his seat, still uneasy at the thought of confessing his feelings for Henry. But he wanted to take that chance. "Henry. There's something I want to tell you. It's um, a little personal." Henry nodded. "Okay uh.." Burt trailed off a bit, then cleared his throat and continued. "Henry I… I'm not good at these things but I just wanted to tell you that I-" Burt froze slightly, he wanted to continue but he wasn't sure how. What was he supposed to say? His hands fidgeted. Burt thought about his previous conversation with Sven.

 "There's no better confession than an earnest one."

Burt took a deep breath.

"I just want to say that I really like spending time with you and I appreciate you." Burt decided to be a little bold, he reached out in front of him and gently held Henry's hand. He avoided eye contact as his cheeks turned pink, then continued to speak. "I feel so… safe around you. You're so fun and gentle. I like spending time with you. I love it when you visit me during work. I love your determination, you're always up to something and you're so motivated. You make me feel happy whenever you're around. I feel like I can trust you Henry, I just want to say that I… I love you. I really love you."

Burt avoided looking Henry in the eyes. "I'd really like to get to know you more in a… romantic setting? If you uh, you want to try that too."

 Burt began to pull his hand away, fearing he had made Henry uncomfortable. Before Burt could fully break the contact between the two of them however, Henry's grip on Burt's hand tightened. Burt jolted in surprise, then looked Henry in the eyes. Henry was smiling at him…

Henry gave a nod and thumbs up and let go of Burt's hand so he could sign more clearly. "I had no idea you felt that way. Though maybe I should have." The both of them chuckled. "So… What do you say Henry? Wanna go on a date sometime?" Burt asked, having a bit more confidence. Henry gave Burt a nod. "What do you want to do for our date?" Henry asked. 

"I uh… shit. I didn't think this far ahead." Burt admitted, slightly embarrassed. Henry chuckled. "How about a movie in the station theater?" He signed, figuring it was a good place to start. "Uh, yeah! That sounds good." Burt agreed, still a little bit flustered. "What time works best for you?"  "7 okay with you?" Henry asked. "Yeah! Sounds good Henry." Burt replied sheepishly. Henry beamed "Great! I will see you then!" Then he took off, some other Toppat was yelling for him. Honestly Burt was grateful that someone interrupted their conversation, because that meant no one would see the excitement and panic taking over him. For once it was hard for him to keep his signature blank face. 

Burt pulled out his phone and texted Sven.

"I did it."

…

Burt wished he could focus on the movie, he really did. But he was too tense. He knew he shouldn't be, but he couldn't help it. His nerves were getting the better of him. Henry, on the other hand, appeared totally relaxed. Burt wondered how Henry felt about all of this. Burt's grip on the armrests was tight, a failed attempt to help himself relax. It was kind of ironic, if you'd ask Burt a year ago how he felt around Henry, he probably wouldn't have said much. He would've reacted the same way he did with every other boss he's had, complete indifference. But now, he felt like a teenager in a romcom, practically having a heart attack over the smallest ounce of romance. Burt's wrists started to ache from the constant tension in his body. Why was he freaking out!? He was on a date with Henry! This is what he wanted! 

Burt jolted when he felt a sudden but gentle touch on his hand. He realized Henry was caressing Burt's hand with his thumb. Henry entwined their fingers together, he gave Burt a sympathetic look before leaning closer to him. "Hey Burt." Henry's forever raspy voice whispered into Burt's non-existent ear. "You alright?" Burt was glad the theater was mostly dark, that meant Henry couldn't see how red his face was for once. "Yeah, I'm fine." Burt whispered back quickly. "You sure? You seem tense. Why don't we head out and get some dinner instead?" Henry whispered caringly. Burt felt bad that he was ruining the moment, but maybe some food would do him some good. "You know what? Sure. Let's do that… Thank you, Henry." Henry nodded, and the two left, doing their best not to bump into anyone else in the theater. 

…

The two men sat across from each other at a small table, next to them was a large window that gave them a perfect view of Earth and the vast sea of stars that surrounded it. They began eating a nice dinner. Burt felt much more relaxed in this environment, though he wasn't sure why. 

Looking at Henry in this moment, awestruck with the stars and smiling slightly with every bite he took. Burt noticed that whenever Henry ate the food on the Toppat station, he closed his eyes and savored the flavor. Like it was his own little slice of paradise. Through the subtlety of Henry's movements and facial expressions, Burt could see how much Henry just… genuinely enjoyed this. It was yet another thing Burt liked about Henry. 

Henry waved to get Burt's attention. "Yeah Henry? What's up?" Henry raised his hands, tilting his head to the side as he signed. "Are you feeling better?" Burt smiled and nodded. "Much. Thank you for this, I'm sorry for making you leave the movie with me. I didn't mean to spoil the fun." Burt apologized, feeling a bit guilty. Henry waved dismissively. "Don't worry about it. I prefer this anyway. It feels…" Henry pauses for a moment, seeming to think what to sign next. "... Natural." Burt let out a breath of relief. Glad he was on the same page. "I like just eating and talking with you, Henry." Burt rubbed the back of his head, slightly nervous still. "I… I'm not really accustomed to this sort of thing. Dating, you know? I rarely ever feel this way about someone. I'm glad that I feel this way, but I'm still adjusting, I guess." Burt admitted, once again pouring his heart out to Henry. Henry nodded, seeming to sympathize with Burt's problems. 

"Well, I still appreciate you coming to dinner with me, it's nice spending time with you." Henry signed to Burt with a smile. "You're great company and I like having you around." Henry reached across the table, gently gripping Burt's hand. Burt smiled back. "Thanks, Henry. I… I enjoy spending time with you too." This was nice, just having a calm moment between the two of them. After all the craziness that transpired, it was a relief to have this night. The two of them paused for a bit, seeming to run out of things to say. Henry gently lifted Burt's hand, and leaned forward to get closer, closing his eyes. Henry gave it a kiss, Burt's face turned pink at the action, he could feel Henry's lips on his knuckles. Henry's eyes fluttered open, locking with Burt's. "Let's make sure to do this again, yeah?" Henry said out loud, as gently as his scratch voice would allow. "Y-Yeah." Burt agreed with a flustered tone. 

"I'd like that."

[physicaltale]

an inspired drawing from an Ao3 fanfiction called "his translator" uwu this weird ship IS so cute. I liked it and finally I made a drawing, every time I read I imagined them like this QwQ.

so I leave this and go * runs away *

____________________________

un dibujo inspirado de un fanfiction Ao3 llamado "his translator" uwu este ship raro ES tan lindo. me gusto y por fin hice un dibujo, cada vez que leía los imaginaba así QwQ.

Así que dejo esto y me voy *se va*

[crazy-pe3p]

thsc shipping but it's just toppats crushing on their boss

and of course they admire and see that stupid man differently

meanwhile henry

[sir-subpar]

His Translator Burtmin fluff!

[sir-subpar]

"His Translator" Teaser

(Tell me Burt isn't the kind of guy to wear casual clothes to work)

[sir-subpar]

Okay. Hear me out. Toppat Henry being a hugger

[sir-subpar]

His Translator Part 12

This will mostly be a fluffy chapter

Burt sat at his desk, typing away. Checking the solar panels, engines, and various programs on the station. Henry was out on a heist for the first time since the incident at the Wall. Burt's chest tightened when he thought about it. What if Henry got hurt again? The thought unsettled Burt. The image of Henry hooked up to life support, bruised and beaten, crept its way into Burt's mind, making his stomach tie itself into knots. 

Breathe. He needed to take a breath, and just calm down. This mission wasn't related to the Wall, Henry would be fine. He'd be okay. Burt shook his head. When had he become so paranoid? Henry's been on tons of heists. He'll be fine. Burt just had to wait and listen for when Henry and Ellie told him to beam them up to the station, no big deal. Burt thought about how excited Henry was to go on this heist, how his blue eyes lit up at the idea of stealing all those jewels and treasures. Henry looked so happy, it was as though all the intensity of the past few months had never happened. The way Henry smiled at Burt, the way he held Burt's hand and leaned closer to him… they were just a few inches apart. Burt's cheeks once again wore the color pink at his thoughts. He had come to terms with the fact that he had feelings for his boss, but now he didn't know what to do about his feelings. He didn't have a lot of experience with dating, it was always difficult for him. He wasn't sure how to approach the situation, if he even should at all. Would Henry want Burt the same way Burt wanted Henry? Burt heard rumors that Henry was bisexual, but he hadn't heard a confirmation from Henry about whether or not it was true. Damn it. Why did this have to be so… complicated? Was it even that complicated? All he had to do was ask, right? 

… 

No. Not yet. Soon, maybe, but he wasn't ready just yet. For the time being, he was fine with being Henry's friend. 

"Hey Burt!" Ellie's voice rang through Burt's headset. "We're ready to come back, beam us up!" Ellie instructed. "Yes ma'am." Burt replied as he followed orders. Just like that, Henry and Ellie were home. About twenty minutes after Burt beamed Ellie and Henry back to the station, he heard a knock on his door, and there stood Henry with a gift box in his hands. “Hey bo- Henry. Welcome back.” Burt corrected himself mid-sentence. He was still adjusting to calling Henry by name. Henry smiled, handing the wrapped box to him. Burt took the gift in his hands and saw a card attached that read "Happy Birthday". He remembered… 

Burt looked up at Henry once more, he was still smiling. Burt tore the wrapping off the box, feeling excited. He pulled out a Topaz crystal. His birthstone. It was carved into the shape of a top hat. It was orange, his favorite color. It was beautiful. Burt felt his chest tighten. He wasn't expecting this, but he appreciated it nonetheless. People didn't usually pay much attention to him outside of work-related boundaries. But Henry did. He always did. Henry was just so… good to him. So appreciative. Burt's vision became slightly blurry, as if he had just opened his eyes underwater.

 Wait.

Burt lifted his hand to rub his eyes, slightly surprised when he discovered the moisture present on his face. Tears. When had he started crying? Henry cupped Burt's cheek with one hand, using the thumb on his other hand to gently wipe away the tears. Concern etched on his face. "Ah, I'm okay, Henry. I just… got emotional there. I don't usually- people don't- I'm not really… I'm not accustomed to this kind of stuff. You know? Birthday gifts and whatnot…" Burt wiped his eyes with his wrist, attempting to dry out the little drops of emotions oozing from them. Henry hugged Burt. Then whispered something very quietly in his raspy voice. "...let it out.."

Burt felt his hands tremble, reaching his arms up to return Henry's embrace. He realized just how much he needed this. Needed him. Henry's encouragement and support made him happy. Whenever his life felt monotonous, he could look forward to Henry giving him something to enjoy at the end of the day. "Thank you… Henry." "Mhm!" Henry hummed, happy he could help Burt like Burt had many times before. After a few minutes, the two parted from the embrace. As Burt regained his composure, he held the topaz top hat, inspecting it more. It fit so well in his hand, it was about the size of a computer mouse, albeit denser since it was carved from a crystal. Burt smiled slightly. "It's beautiful Henry, I love it." Henry smiled back, excited. 'Happy Birthday Burt!' Henry signed. His goofy grin made Burt's cheeks tinge pink. With how much Henry makes him blush he might as well tattoo them pink by now. 'Since it's your birthday, why don't you take some time off and do something fun?' Henry's signed in question. "Sure. Why not?" Burt replied, placing his gift in his pocket. Burt stood up, and almost immediately Henry held his hand. 'What do you want to do?' Henry questioned, signing with his free hand. "Uh… I don't know.. What do you want to do?" 

'It's your birthday, it's up to you.'

Burt squeezed Henry's hand.

"Oh. Right. Uh.. I guess we could get some food and watch a movie or something. I'd like to just keep things low key." Burt replied with slight embarrassment. He just wanted to spend time with him. Henry gave a thumbs up with his free hand, and the two of them walked to Burt's room. Burt felt a little nervous when he realized that this would be the first time Henry had seen his living quarters, but it faded a bit when he thought about everything the two of them had been through together. 

Henry observed the space Burt called home. Burt's room wasn't huge or fancy, but it was comfortable. There was a tv in front of Burt's bed that was set up on its own shelf with a row of DVDs on display. The comforter on Burt's bed was a gradient of yellow, orange, and red, it reminded Henry of a sunset. There were a few comic strips taped to a wall above a desk which had what appeared to have drawing supplies on it. The nightstand next to Burt's bed had a small lamp on it. Burt's closet was in the corner, it was one of those wooden closets with two doors that folded open. Overall, it was nice. It was calm and simple with a warm atmosphere. Henry let go of Burt's hand and moved to sit on Burt's bed, "Nice room" he signed. "Thank you. I'm.. Glad you're comfortable here. Anyway, I've got a few movies here… let's see.." Burt trailed off a bit looking at the DVD cases on the shelf beneath the television screen. What kind of movies did Henry like? He wanted to pick something they'd both enjoy. Did Henry like horror movies? Burt realised he had a lot of those, maybe even too many, but hey, you like what you like. “Hey Henry, do you like scary movies?” He asked, glancing behind him to see Henry’s response. Henry gave him a thumbs up. Burt turned back to the shelf, he decided to go for a movie Sven gave about a week ago. He hadn't watched it yet, so he figured it could be fun for him and Henry to experience the jumpscares for the first time. After pressing play, Burt took out a bag of chips he had hidden under the bed, and their movie marathon began. 

*Several movies later*

       Burt found himself struggling to stay awake, he leaned his head on Henry's shoulder. He was just so… cozy like this. He just wanted to be smothered in Henry's embrace. They've spent the night in the same room before, so it wouldn't be weird. Burt stayed there trying his best to justify his desire to cuddle in his head. But luckily he didn't need to, as Henry leaned his head on top of Burt's, seeming tired as well. Burt felt a wave of relief, and closed his eyes. Him and Henry being intimate and supporting of each other just felt so… right to him. Maybe he should ask Henry if they could be more than friends? Burt figured that he should ask Henry about those rumors concerning his sexuality first before asking him about dating. All of that could wait until the next day though; at the moment, Burt just wanted some sleep. Burt could feel himself drifting off, and just before everything around him faded he heard Henry whisper.

"Happy birthday Burt, sleep well."

Burt yawned. "Thanks… you too.."

And just like that, he was off. Away wherever his dreams (or lack thereof) would take him for the night. 

To be continued...

[sir-subpar]

His Translator Part 11

(This is mostly a fluffy chapter, not much plot development. Enjoy Burt's pinning)

         Henry and Burt ate together in the station's cafeteria, just to unwind and enjoy themselves. Henry especially wanted to just enjoy himself for a bit, what with everything that had transpired earlier. Although things had been stressful, he had to admit he was feeling better. Talking to Burt just.. Helped him. Burt made him feel comfortable and secure. He made communication more comfortable for Henry. Burt was there for Henry to during his recovery. He comforted Henry multiple times. Henry appreciated everything Burt had done for him. 

'Hey.' Henry signed. "Yeah boss?" Burt asked, before taking another bite of his muffin. 'I wanted to say thank you for what you've done for me. You've made my life a lot easier, I appreciate it. Just so you know, if you ever need help or someone to talk to, you can come to me as well.'  

Henry reached across the table and held Burt's hand, giving him a smile.

"Thanks boss. That's uh- good to know." Burt stuttered slightly, his cheeks slightly pink. Henry's random bits of affection were nothing new to Burt, but every time they happened, Burt felt something. It was a foreign sensation to Burt, but still pleasant. Each time Henry hugged him or held his hand, he felt welcomed. And each time Henry pulled away, Burt kind of missed it (of course, he never told Henry that). 

         Now that Burt thought about it, he enjoyed a lot of things about Henry. He looked forward to Henry's visits to his office. He liked being the one to translate Henry's sign language. He just liked Henry; his reckless yet determined attitude, his silly antics, his smile, his scars, and his openness around Burt. He wished that he was more open like Henry, but he just wasn't. He wasn't an expressive person. He internalized pretty much everything, that was just his nature, yet somehow… Henry brought out the emotions that Burt had hidden, at least some of them. 

     "So uh… Are you gonna go on any heists soon? It's been a long time since you've actually gone on one. With the whole spine thing and whatnot." Burt asked, changing the subject. Henry let go of Burt's hand so he could sign a response. 'Actually, I'm planning on going on a heist next week! Can't wait!' Burt smiled slightly, Henry's excitement was adorable. Like a puppy being given a treat. "I'm glad you're excited, but are you sure you'll be alright?" Burt asked, nobody wanted a repeat of last time. 'Yeah, I'll be ok. Ellie insisted on going with me, so I won't be alone.' Henry replied with a smile. 'I'll be sure to bring back a souvenir for you! Your birthstone is topaz, right?' Burt's cheeks turned ever so slightly pink, his boss had remembered his birthday. "Uh, yeah it is. I'm surprised you remember that…" No one else does… Burt thought. 'I've been trying to remember people's birthdays, but there's a lot of us. I at least want to remember the birthdays of the people I spend a lot of time with. I'm glad I got your birth month right.' Henry beamed proudly and Burt looked away bashfully, fidgeting with the sleeve of his sweater. "Yeah… I see what you mean… Thank you." Burt's nervous demeanor caused Henry to tilt his head to the side, an expression of mild concern etched its way onto his features. Henry took a gentle hold of Burt's hand, his grip was gentle, and his palm was slightly calloused. "You..okay Burt?" Henry asked in his hushed, slightly scratchy voice. "Huh? Oh! Yeah, I-uh just… I'm just not used to people… getting me birthday gifts and whatnot. Just never really took part in it much. Well, I guess except for you, boss." Burt stammered, his leader's presence making him comfortable and nervous somehow. Henry's grip on Burt's hand tightened slightly. He leaned forward over the table, slightly. "Burt.. You don't have to keep calling me boss, just Henry is fine." Henry whispered, he had talked more than preferred that day, so he was trying to avoid putting more strain on his throat. That being said, it didn't help Burt's nerves about his maybe-crush on his boss when he was leaning over a table whispering about how they don't have to be so formal. Burt's heart started beating harder, his cheeks felt warm, is this what having a crush is like? Switching between nervous and comfortable? Over and over again, back and forth, just feeling confused and yet… happy? Burt has never really felt like this before. This… giddy around someone. His stomach tied itself up into knots. Burt made eye contact with his boss… have Henry's eyes always been that blue? 

"Burt?" Crap. He got lost in thought while Henry was talking to him again. "Uh! Yeah bo- er, Henry. I was just thinking about something." Burt's cheeks continued to burn. Was that normal? Maybe, he wasn't sure. "Heh. It's gonna take some time for me to get used to calling you by your name." He stated bashfully. Henry pulled his hand away so he could sign again. 'Take your time.' Henry's sweet smile had once again made Burt's chest feel fuzzy. 

"Henry!" A voice interjected. Henry and Burt turned towards the source of the voice, revealing Ellie. "We still need to finalize the plan for next week's heist, aren't you coming?" Henry nodded, standing up, Burt followed. As the three walked together, Henry held Burt's hand. Burt gripped Henry's hand in return, the pinkness in his cheeks remained. Just then, Burt realized something. 

Shit. He did like Henry. He was in love with his boss.

To be continued... 

[sir-subpar]

His Hand (Burtmin)

*Based on the Toppat Recruits ending and my "Addicted" comic. One more thing, this will have angst, and some sensitive content, blood and whatnot. Enjoy the oneshot!*

     

        Burt walked to Henry's room. He saw Henry storm by, clearly bothered by something. He entered the residential area, feeling nervous, (even if he didn't always express it on his face). His stomach was in knots as he reached the door to Henry's headquarters. 'Please don't be doing it again Henry. You do deserve better.' He thought. The metal door opened, revealing Henry, who was sitting on the edge of his bed, his back turned towards Burt. 

      "Ssss!" Henry hissed in pain, sharply sucking air through his teeth. 'Shit.' Burt thought. Henry was doing it again. Burt walked around to be in front of Henry, who didn't respond to the new presence in his room. Henry held his lit cigarette in between two of his fingers, he was pressing the hot, ashy cigarette bud into the exposed skin on his other hand. Blood oozed from the burning flesh. Burt grabbed the first aid kit hanging on the wall, then sat on the bed next to Henry.  Burt took the cigarette from Henry, dropping it on the floor and putting it out with the bottom of his shoe. He'd pick it up later. "If you keep doing that you're gonna run out of skin to burn." Burt commented, gently grasping the burning, bleeding, hand. Henry said nothing, but made no attempt to pull his hand away. This had become a routine of theirs, Burt finding Henry burning himself and patching him up. It was thanks to this routine that Henry had the first aid kit at all. Burt had put it there in hopes to silently encourage Henry to take better care of himself. 

      Henry took his hat off and rested his head on Burt's shoulder, letting him clean and bandage his hand. "I know…" he mumbled into Burt's shoulder, almost inaudibly. "What happened this time?" Burt asked, his voice monotone like usual. Henry stayed quiet. "Just one of those days again, huh?" Henry's silence continued. Burt finished wrapping the bandages on Henry's hand but continued to hold it. Neither of them were really good with emotional talk, so they mostly expressed care through action. Whether it was laying next to each other on a late night, giving small kisses on the cheek or just holding hands, they knew they both cared. Burt gave Henry a kiss on the forehead. "Don't wanna talk about it, eh?" Henry shook his head, burying his face into Burt's shoulder. Burt wrapped his arm around Henry, then he leaned back onto the bed, bringing Henry down with him. Henry made no effort to pull away. "You really need to stop doing that. You deserve better than that." Burt said, entwining their fingers while Henry moved to lay on his side. Burt's grip on Henry's hand was gentle, as to not hurt the already injured flesh under the bandages. "... Why do you even bother with all this? You and I both know I'm gonna do it again." Henry asked. His tone sounded hopeless, and disappointed. "At this point, helping me is just… it's-... It's just pointless." Henry sighed, his spiral of negativity overcoming him. Henry hugged himself (rather, half-hugged himself since Burt was still holding one of his hands). "Why bother with me?" Henry asked weakly, his eyes starting to burn with tears. No. Do not start crying damn it! Haven't you bothered Burt enough? Stop it! Henry thought to himself. Henry dug his nails into his skin hoping in vain that it would distract himself. Burt's eyes widened. He grabbed Henry's other hand to stop him from hurting himself even more. 

      "Henry. Listen to me. You are not a bother, you are the love of my life. If I have to come in here and do this every day I'll do it. If doing this helps you, even if just a little bit, then I'm going to keep doing it. I know I don't always express it, but I hate seeing you do this to yourself. Please Blues, let me help you. You are worth it. Even on your worst days." Burt pleaded, looking Henry in the eyes. That's when Henry broke. Burt let go of Henry's hands and wrapped his arms around him. Henry buried his face into Burt's chest, now full on sobbing. Burt rubbed circles on Henry's back, and kissed the top of his head. "It hurts Burt..." Henry's voice cracked as he continued to cry. Burt's hold on Henry tightened. "Is there anything I can do to make it hurt less?" Burt asked. "Just… keep  holding me… please." Henry quietly begged. "Will do." Burt knew Henry needed more than hugs to get through this, but it was a start. "Henry, I think you should see a counselor. I'm sure therapy will help you. Please at least consider it." Burt asked. Henry sniffed, trying to steady his breathing and voice. "... Okay… I'll think about it." 

...

     Henry and Burt continued to cuddle. Henry's crying subsided, his sorrow replaced by exhaustion. He struggled to keep his eyes open, and Burt noticed this. Burt kissed the top of Henry's head. "I love you, blues. Sleep well." Burt said quietly. "I love you too, gemstone."

Henry mumbled, drifting off to sleep. Burt eventually let sleep take him as well. He'd help Henry find a therapist later, he just wanted to cuddle and sleep for now.

[sir-subpar]

His Translator Part 5

     Boss fell down a cliff? Does he even have a chance to survive that? Burt thought after being filled in on the story. He could only imagine how painful that was for Henry. Burt sat alongside Reginald, RHM, and Ellie as they waited outside the medical ward. It had been several hours, and they still hadn't heard anything about his condition yet. 

They waited, anticipating how bad the damage was until finally a doctor emerged with an explanation. Ellie immediately asked "Is Henry okay? Can we see him?" "You may. Come with me, I will explain his condition." They all awkwardly shuffled into the room to see Henry. To everyone's relief, he was alive, although he had clearly seen better days.

"The chief has sustained a number of injuries, so I'll start with the lesser ones then move up to the more severe ones, alright?" 

Everyone nodded.

"To start off, he's heavily bruised, that will heal with time. He has some gashes that we have stitched up, he will recover from those as well. He has a concussion that we will be monitoring, and finally… "

 The doctor took a deep breath before she walked to her desk to pick up a small stack of papers, presenting them to the group. Upon closer inspection, it was clear they were x-rays. 

"As you can see on these x-ray photos, his spine had broken. We couldn't fix it, so we had to.. Replace it using cybernetics. Much like we did with you, Right. So, overall, Henry Stickmin will make a full recovery. He's lucky you brought him here when you did, he probably wouldn't have made it if you brought him in any later."

 Holy sh*t. We could've lost him just like that? Burt thought, he looked at Henry. His bruised, beaten face. Clearly some of those marks weren't from the fall. Who would go so far against one man? Burt's heart sank slightly. He thought about the scars Henry showed him. Looks like you'll be adding some scars to that list boss. Burt inquired internally. 

If this had happened a year ago, Burt wouldn't have cared that much, but he was getting to know Henry. He cared what happened to him. He wanted to talk to him. He wanted to see him. He just wanted to spend time with Henry and get to know him more. Burt's train of thought was interrupted by Ellie's voice. 

 "Poor Henry… I hope he'll adjust well to his metal spine..." Ellie's voice was laced with a mix of pity and awkwardness.

"We should find a way to thank him for his help!" Reginald remarked, RHM hummed in agreement. 

"Maybe we should start by giving him a "get well soon" cake." Ellie suggested. 

Burt paid her little mind as he walked to the side of Henry's bed, observing the unconscious man. It felt weird seeing him like this, his usually silly and welcoming demeanor was absent. He just looked so tired and hurt. Then suddenly, he began to stir, a groan of pain escaping his throat. Burt's eyes widened slightly, a bit of excitement bubbling in his chest. Henry blinked his eyes open. "Hey boss, good to see you're awake. How are you feeling?" Burt asked quietly, he was sure to keep his tone gentle not wanting to overwhelm the pained man. Henry remained quiet as he made eye contact with Burt through half closed eyes. Ellie and the others turned towards Henry's direction after hearing Burt speak. Ellie walked to Henry's other side, eager to talk to him. "I'd give you a hug if your body wasn't riddled with injuries." Ellie semi jokingly declared. "Henry! Goodness, you have us quite a scare!" Reginald remarked, a mix of excitement and nerves in his voice. " 'Ello Henry. 'Ow are you feeling?" Right's voice interjected, a serious tone prominent in his words. Henry drowsly looked around, he seemed to notice they were there but he wasn't responding. He seemed out of it like he could see them but their words weren't getting through to him. It made sense, he did have a concussion after all, not to mention he also just had surgery.  Burt decided to try another approach, sign language. Burt slowly waved his hand in front of Henry's face, gaining his attention. Burt signed slowly, keeping the messages simple as to not overwhelm Henry. 'How are you?' Burt asked, not sure if Henry could really understand him at the moment. To his surprise, Henry signed back. Albeit slowly, 'Hurts' Henry replied. 'I bet it did' Burt commented.

 "What's he saying?" Ellie asked. "He's just saying he's in pain. I'll translate as we talk so you guys can follow." Burt replied. 

 'We were worried about you' Burt mentioned, speaking out loud while he and Henry conversed in sign. 'Can't feel inside back' Henry signed. "They had to remove your spine." Henry immediately had a look of panic, quickly signing 'They stole my bones!?' "Your spine was broken, they gave you a new one." Burt said in attempts to calm Henry, realizing that Henry was probably still slightly loopy from pain meds. "Boss, calm down. They gave you a new spine. You will be fine."

'So they didn't steal my skeleton?' 

"No boss, they didn't steal your skeleton."

'Ok good. I like my skeleton.' 

Burt and the others chuckled. 

"Skeletons are good to have." Burt replied, deciding to humor Henry a bit.

The group continued to spend time with Henry until he fell asleep again. 

The group finally left to let Henry rest, parting ways. Ellie took charge while Henry recovered. Reginald and Right decided to enjoy being reunited without interruption, and Burt went to get some work done. They would all visit Henry again the next day, hopefully by then he'd be less loopy.

To be continued... 

[sir-subpar]

His Translator

Toppat King Henry Stickmin x Burt Curtis

What's their ship name? Benry? Stickcur? Actually, I like the second one. Imma call it "Stickcur" anywho here's the oneshot:

Having Henry Stickmin as the boss was...interesting, as Burt would put it. Not bad at all, Henry was a good boss. He just took time to get used to. The first thing people noticed was his selective mutism. Henry tended to prefer signing instead of talking. Again, not a bad thing, but not every member of the Toppat Clan knew sign language, which made meetings difficult sometimes. Whenever Henry did talk, it was clear that he wasn't comfortable. His voice was slightly hoarse, and constantly sounded strained. That's when Burt really came into the picture. If someone came up to Burt and told him that he would end up acting as Henry's "translater", he'd say they were messing with him, after all, none of the previous Toppat leaders thought he was that important.

It started when Henry began visiting Burt's little office. He'd ask how Burt he was doing and bring him lunch or sweets; small gestures like that made Burt feel appreciative of him. He eventually wanted to return the favor, and he had an idea how.

Henry walked into Burt's office, "Hello Burt!" Henry's hoarse voice catching said man's attention. Burt turned away from his computer and faced his boss as Henry took a seat in the spare seat in the room. "Hi boss." Burt replied. "How are you?" Henry asked, clearing his throat after doing so, his voice was a bit more hoarse than usual. Burt made a mental note of that before speaking, "I'm good. Yourself?" Burt replied, "Oh I'm alright, a little tired, but I'm fine." 'Liar' Burt thought, he could tell there was more to it than that, but he didn't push it. Clearly Henry didn't want to go into further detail. Burt decided this was the moment to repay his boss for his kindness.

"Hey. Boss."

"Hmm?"

Burt raised his hands and began to sign 'Just so you know, I know sign language. You can communicate to me this way, if you feel more comfortable doing so.'

Henry's face lit up. Finally he could communicate with someone without his throat hurting! Henry lifted his hands, signing back 'Thank you Burt, that means a lot.'

That's how Burt became Henry's personal "translater".

Should I do a part 2? Let me know! I have ideas for future One-Shots with Henry and Burt.

( Also, if anyone notices any typos, misspelled words, or grammar mistakes please let me know so I can fix it lol)

[sir-subpar]

"His Translator" Part 9

It's finally here!

    Henry had just finished assigning tasks to different groups of Toppats for the day. He stood in his office alone, looking out at the infinite stars and space through the large window in front of him. He was just thinking. A pang of guilt in his chest. So this is what getting cybernetic enhancements is like. I put Right through this. Henry looked at the intercom microphone. "Hmm"

…

   Right walked towards Henry's office, slightly confused and admittedly a little nervous. Why would Henry want to talk to him alone? Sure, they didn't really hate each other (rather, Right didn't hate Henry anymore, and he was pretty sure Henry never truly hated him), but he wouldn't say they were close either. It was awkward when they were alone, so this was pretty odd. He'll probably have Burt there Right thought. He has made communication easier for Henry. That thought made Right feel a bit more at ease. 

     When Right reached Henry's office he noticed that Burt was, in fact, not there. So it really was just the two of them. Henry turned around and waved at Right. "Hi." Henry's usual quiet and slightly raspy voice greeted, Right hummed in response. "You wanted to talk?" Right asked, walking to stand next to Henry. Henry nodded, the two of them facing towards the giant window. "Are we waiting for Burt to get 'ere?" 

"No, this is a private conversation." Henry replied. "Well… What do you want to talk about?" Right asked. "I wanted to say something I should have said a long time ago, Right. Remember when we first met?" Henry asked. " 'Course I do, it's hard not to." 

Right bluntly replied. "I just wanted to say, I'm sorry. You didn't deserve that. I went way too far." Henry paused trying to quickly recover from his pained throat. "I know it's late, but I wanna make it up to you." Henry continued, awaiting Right's response. "Hmm." Right hummed, an awkward silence filled the room for a few moments before it was finally broken by Right's voice again. "I'd say we're already even as is. You gave up your own spine to 'elp me get Reg out of the Wall. That's enough for me." Henry and Right made eye contact, and exchanged small smiles, before hazing at infinite space through the window again. "Speakin' of the Wall, mind if I ask what happened? You seemed to 'ave control of the situation before we all split up. What went wrong?" That very question had plagued his mind for far too long. Henry appeared to be thinking a bit hard, as if he were trying to remember what happened.

 "I drove away… cars chased me… I shot their tires, the warden caught up to me… I crashed. I got into a fight with him, he strangled me, and punched me… I was on the ground, it was cold. I tried to fight back as best as I could but he was strong. I remember he pulled me off the ground and shoved me back… I remember... falling…" 

Henry started coughing, and turned away from Right, his throat pained from his speech. "Is that all you remember?" Right asked, Henry nodded. "Hmm." Right hummed, waiting for Henry's coughing to die down, when it did so, Right spoke up again. 

"You want to know something?" 

"Huh?" 

"While you were getting treated in the med bay, Reg was freakin' out, he was crying about 'ow he got you killed. He was really worried about you." Right commented. Henry turned to face Right again. "Really?" Henry asked. "He sure was, anklebiter." Henry and Right chuckled. When suddenly another voice intervened through Henry's walkie talkie. *beep* "Hey boss? Could you come by the brig when you have the time? One of the new prisoners is claiming to know you?" *beep* Sven voice questioned. Henry raised his own walkie talkie *beep* "Yeah, I'll be there soon." *beep* "Duty calls." Right said, half jokingly. Henry chuckled as the two of them left his office. They were about to part ways when Right spoke again. "I appreciated the apology, by the way." Right gave Henry a small smile, then continued to walk away. Henry, too, smiled before focusing on the task at hand.

Time to go see this prisoner who apparently "knows me". I should bring Burt, I'm tired of talking.

[sir-subpar]

His Translator Part 7

       Burt's eyes fluttered open as he was brought out of sleep. He was always a light sleeper, small sounds or movement woke him easily. Burt sighed, staring at the ceiling. The room was silent until...

"Sss!" The sound of someone's sharp intake of breath through their teeth caught Burt's attention. He sat up and looked at Henry, assuming the sound came from him. Henry was clutching the blankets so tightly his knuckles turned pale. His body was really tense, yet he was still sleeping. It was then it dawned on Burt.. Henry was having a nightmare. Burt wondered what Henry could be dreaming about that would evoke this kind of response. Burt observed Henry for a few more seconds before he decided to wake him up. 

     He reached out, gently placing his hand on Henry's back ( he made sure not to touch his spine ), before calling out to him. "Boss… Hey… wake up… Boss!" Burt whisper-yelled, while gently shaking Henry. Henry violently jolted awake, gasping as he did so. His spastic movement startled Burt. Henry sat up, looking around the room frantically before he moved his hands up to his chest. It was as if he was checking to see if he was intact. "Boss?" Henry's head snapped towards Burt's direction. Henry's expression was filled with panic as they made eye contact. "... Burt…?" Henry asked, his voice quiet and raspy. "Yeah boss, it's me." Henry let out a breath of relief. Henry laid back down, avoiding eye contact. He just stared off into space, as if he were contemplating what just happened. “You alright boss?” Burt asked, his voice laced with care. 

      "... Nightmare." Henry whispered, his breathing uneven. He sounded scared. Burt laid down next to Henry, resting his hand on Henry's back. "Do you want to talk about it?" Burt asked, not sure how else to help. Henry remained quiet for a bit, before he nodded. "Don't tell anyone…" 

"I won't boss, don't worry." 

        Henry nodded again; sitting up a second time, Burt did the same. Henry decided to sign, as it was more comfortable for him. 

'I was at the wall, and I called Reginald and the other Toppats for help. So I went to the cafeteria and launched myself towards the airship. I couldn't make the jump, but just before I fell, Reginald caught me. I was relieved, I thought he saved me… but he didn't. He betrayed me, he threw me into the ocean… it was cold… and dark.' 

"What happened next?" 

'I saw a woman, she saved me, gave me cybernetic enhancements, like Right's. I used them to get to the Toppats…' Henry paused, his hands trembled before he continued. 'I killed Right, and Reginald, I crashed the airship. Then I woke up.'

Burt looked up at Henry's face… was he crying? Sure enough, as if on cue, a few tears slid down his cheeks.

"Boss?"

Henry buried his face in his hands. Sobs shook Henry's body. "I don't know what scares me more, the idea of being betrayed, or the idea of me bringing so many people down with me." Henry continued to cry. Burt's heart hurt at the sight, but it was the next thing Henry said that really made his heart throb.

"I care about the Toppats. I-I don't want to hurt any of you. I love you guys." 

Burt wasn't the most emotionally intelligent person out there, but he wanted to help. He had to.

"Boss, you haven't hurt us."

"I hurt Right." Henry replied weakly.

Burt paused; that was true, but there was surely more to it than that. "I'm pretty sure that if you didn't, he would've killed you. This is Right we're talking about."

"Still feel bad… I went so far…" Henry's voice continued to be hoarse and broken.

Burt was at a loss for words. He wasn't used to seeing Henry like this. This was Henry Stickmin; the man who broke out of prison, stole the Tunisian Diamond, Overthrew the previous Toppat leaders, escaped the Wall, and saved the Toppats from the government. Yet the idea of betrayal and harming the Toppat Clan brought him to tears. Burt had to say he admired Henry's deeply rooted dedication to the clan. Sh*t. How was he supposed to comfort him? Burt sat there, contemplating the best course of action before deciding to do what Henry would do to comfort someone else; give him a hug. Burt wrapped his arms around Henry. He wasn’t usually this affectionate, he simply wasn’t accustomed to it, but Henry needed this. Henry returned the hug, as Burt expected he would. Eventually Henry’s cries eased a bit, reduced to occasional sniffles and sobs.

“... Thank you…”

 “You would’ve done the same for me.”   

[sir-subpar]

His Translator Part 4

Got some copperright in this chapter

Right Hand Man paced around the briefing room angrily. Henry couldn't blame him, Reginald meant the world to him, not knowing whether or not his spouse was okay was clearly eating at him. "Don't worry Right Hand Man, we'll get him." Ellie assured. "Yer goddamn right we will!" Right hollered, his frustration only growing. "Henry and I broke out once, we can do it again." Ellie stated with confidence. 

"Hm!" Henry hummed, getting the attention of the other two. "Looks like Henry's got an idea." Right observed, ready to do whatever it took to bring Reginald back home.

"Alright Henry, what's your plan?" Ellie questioned.

"Warden's got a grudge against me. I could distract him and some of his guards while you two get Reginald." Henry proposed.

"Seems pretty straightforward." Right states bluntly. 

"Let's get some supplies, and start this rescue mission!"

…

To say Henry caused a distraction would be an understatement. In less than fifteen minutes, Henry managed to blow up one of the complex's walls, hijack a car, and had a notable amount of guards pursuing him (as well as the warden, but that was probably because of the previously mentioned grudge he had against Henry). Henry was currently driving the car he stole away from the complex, giving Ellie and Right an opening. The two of them spent a good chunk of time breaking into prison cells until they finally found Reginald. Ellie used a backpack while Right Hand Man just used his cybernetic enhancements, holding Reginald as they flew to lower ground. Deciding to wait under the cover of trees, out of sight as they waited for Henry to meet up with them. 

They waited for a few minutes when they saw Henry standing on the cliff's edge above them, facing the warden. In a matter of seconds, things went from great to horrible. Either Henry fell, or the warden pushed him, regardless, Henry tumbled all the way down the cliffside. Landing a boulder in front of the three of them, a sickening snap heard as he fell limp. 

"HENRY!" Ellie and Reginald shouted. Ellie ran toward Henry, gathering him in her arms as she called the Toppats to beam them back up to the station. 

As soon as they made it to the station. Ellie rushed Henry to the medical ward, letting their doctors care for him. 

…

"What if he doesn't make it, Right!?" "Reg-" 

"It's all my fault!" "Reg.." 

"Henry's been a great leader for the Toppats and this is how I repay him!?" "REGINALD!" 

He paused, Right's hands holding both of his cheeks. "Listen to me. This ain't yer fault. You weren't the one who pushed 'im. It was the warden who did this to Henry. So don't blame yourself Reg, alright?" Reginald took a deep breath. "Alright." Right wrapped his arms around Reginald as they stood, swaying side to side. "Heh. What would I do without you, Right?" Reginald whispered into his shoulder. "Not sure, but I don't wanna live out 'ere without you either."  Right responded quietly, having a sense of peace with Reginald in his arms again.

...

"... Did I miss something?"

"Burt!"

To be continued…