#this is about Spine angst but Rabbit and Zer0 play a bigger role in this than he does

[brooklynisher]

Short Fanfiction Time

Because I am incapable of writing long ones apparently.

Had a long conversation about Spine angst and how it affects his relationship with his siblings and that's what this is.

Do not be fooled though! This fic is quite lighthearted despite the what it's about.

Here's the link, but you can read the full story under the cut!

Summary: Zer0 notices that The Spine seems uncomfortable whenever he's around. He looks towards Rabbit to explain what the problem is.

Annoying Little Brother

After Hatchworth left the band to pursue his career in gold-fishing, Rabbit and The Spine were left in the dark. That’s one more robot to leave their old life behind in the pursuit of something greater. And though Rabbit and The Spine are always proud of their siblings for chasing their dreams, it doesn’t exactly feel great to be left behind as the “old life”. Not to mention that they cannot have a band of just two robots! They’re already so familiar with their three-robot dynamic. How could they adjust now?

Luckily a young robot was able to step in. Many years ago, Peter Walter VI accidentally discovered a robot originally used for war deep down in the basement. When he was discovered, he joined the band for a brief moment before pursuing a solo career. However, the success of his solo career was short-lived. He ended up going bankrupt and found himself coming back home. But now that he’s back, he’s more than happy to rejoin the band of his siblings! Especially now that they’re one robot short. Will he bring peace to the minds of his new bandmates?

"No Zer0! Now you just got paint all over your clothes!" Rabbit whined.

It seems not.

"You dip the figure into the paint. Y-y-y-you don't dump the paint onto the figure!"

"I don't get it!" Zer0 protested. 

"Rabbit, I've never done this before. I'm trying really hard to do it right but-"

"What even is that? Is that an alligator?" Rabbit interrupted.

"No! It's a-"

"Rabbit?" Another voice calls down the halls. 

Before Zer0 could explain his clay creation, Rabbit shifts her attention to her other brother's voice.

"Spine?" She calls back.

The Spine enters the room looking quite different than usual. The bots had gotten familiar with The Spine's tendency to overdress when he's not on stage, but to see him all decked out in cowboy attire is… different. 

"Hey, Rabbit, I was wondering if you- oh. Zer0, I- I didn't know you were in here." The Spine's mood seemed to slightly dampen at the sight of Zer0.

"How couldn't you with all his whining?" Rabbit teases. 

Zer0 lets out an embarrassed yet offended puff of steam.

"Oh. Well... Is everything alright over here?" The Spine asks.

Rabbit, sensing that The Spine's motives have changed, tries to coerce some honesty out of him. 

"Oh, w-w-w-we're just messing around! It's fine. But what about you huh? Whatcha doing over here?"

"I just wanted to see if..." His voice fades. 

The Spine seems to be a little uncomfortable as he speaks.

"Well... Never mind." He sighs.

With that, he takes his leave.

Rabbit nearly gets up in an attempt to stop him but she stays put, simply groaning in defeat.

"Annoying..." She mutters.

Rabbit returns to the original task at hand which was making clay figures with Zer0. Zer0 however, seems to be a bit put off by his older brother's behavior. He stares at the doorway trying to figure out what was so strange about what just happened. Spine walked in dressed like a cowboy, he was confused about Zer0's presence, he wanted to talk about something with Rabbit, but he left before he could say it. He left when he realized Zer0 was there…

"Hey, Rabbit?" Zer0 asks.

"Yes, Zer0?" Rabbit responds.

Zer0 paused. He couldn't help but feel like he was about to ask an inappropriate question, but he wanted answers.

"Do you think The Spine... doesn't like me?"

Rabbit tilts her head in genuine confusion.

"What? No! What makes you think that?"

"Well... You saw how he was acting when he saw me. He got upset and left. You don't think it's because I'm a new member, do you? Or maybe he's mad that I left you guys behind for that solo career... or maybe-"

"Zer0!" Rabbit stops him early. 

"Calm down! He isn’t-isn’t mad at you."

Despite Rabbit’s efforts to keep Zer0’s mind from making this worse, he still seems to be overthinking this.

"But he always acts like this Rabbit! Every time I'm around, he gets uncomfortable and he always tries to hang out with you, but never with me! I know I'm new and needed in the band and all but I don't feel like he wants me to be here… And I think-”

"No! Zer0 he... The whole reason he came here in the first place was because he wanted to play cowboys! He’s not-" Rabbit starts

"With you. Not with me. Because he hates me, I get it." Zer0 interrupts failing to hide his stubbornness.

"Oh come on Zer0 it’s not because he hates you! N-n-n-not at all! It’s because… Well… “

Rabbit pauses for a second contemplating if she should dig this deep. Zer0 raises an eyebrow. 

“Honestly? He's afraid of you Zer0." She reveals.

That stops Zer0 in his tracks.

“Afraid of me? Is it because of-”

“‘Afraid’s a strong word’ Okay okay. I get it, but the point is, it’s not because of y-you.”

Rabbit’s tone has gotten rather serious compared to how she usually is. Zer0 can be rather stubborn when he’s all worked up. And although there can be something endearing about his stubbornness, it’s quite a challenge to deal with when it’s about a serious topic. During moments like these, Rabbit finds it easiest to shut down any attempts at pushing his worries further.

“Spine’s just not used to this.” She continues.

“Used to… what?”

“Used to behaving like… well… a brother. Or more himself I suppose” 

Rabbit leans towards Zer0, standing up a little as to intimidate him.

“Listen-listen, I’m going to tell you a secret. Alright? You cannot tell anyone, especially-ly-ly The Spine, that I told you this. Can you keep it?”

Rabbit can be scary at times, but usually, it’s in a silly way, much like how many people find clowns to be scary. But this time, it’s different. It’s as if she’s threatening him without words. Even though Rabbit herself isn’t known for her ability to keep secrets, whatever it is she tells Zer0, he has to keep it between them.

“Yes ma’am.” He responds unintentionally showing a bit of fear.

“Good.”

The lights go out. Suddenly, Rabbit’s entire face glows up as a flashlight shines on her from underneath. Was this a bit dramatic for the tale she was going to tell? Absolutely, but she could figure out people fast, and although Zer0 was new, she knew this was exactly what he needed to understand this secret.

“You see Zer0, Spine grew up very different from the rest of us. Unlike us, The Spine was designed to be perfect. Perfect in every way. Such an impossible goal. But Pappy Walter believed he could achieve it.”

As she speaks, she walks around the dark room, still facing Zer0. Zer0 follows her as needed.

“He tried his hardest, but no matter how hard he tried, something always went wrong. There was always something that The Spine did or said that needed to be fixed. So he kept trying and trying and one day…”

Rabbit flicks the side of her head to create a dinging noise.

“The Spine figured it out. If it was his behavior that was the problem, then it’s up to him to fix it. And so he did. He taught himself how to appear to be perfect.”

She takes a step towards Zer0.

“And you know what perfection means right?” She asks towering over him.

“Wh-what does it mean Rabbit?” He responds, shaking a little.

“That means no whining.”

“Ah!”

“No crying.”

“AH!”

“And no playing.”

“AHHHHHH!!! TURN IT OFF RABBIT TURN IT OFF!” Zer0 screams as if this is a movie.

Rabbit chuckles a little before turning off the flashlight, which only induces more screaming from Zer0. She walks over to the doorway, now covered with a tarp, and flicks the light switch back on. Zer0’s screaming subsides.

“How… how did you know all of that?” Zer0 asks.

“I know everything. I’m the oldest.”

“Oh.” Zer0 looks away for a second before another question finds him.

“But… wait...” Zer0 starts. 

“What does The Spine being perfect have to do with him being afraid of me?”

“You see Zer0, The Spine has a bit of a hard shell.”

“Aren’t all of us made of metal?”

“Not literally.”

“Oh.”

“But I’ve managed to break through it in recent years. He’s getting comfortable with me. And-and I’ve managed to actually get him to let his guard down around me. To be imp-p-perfect with me!”

“But it’s just you?” Zer0 asks.

“Exactly! That’s why he was uncomfortable when he saw you! He was wearing his cowboy outfit! Y-y-you caught him playing pretend!”

“Ohhhhh…” Zer0 pauses before coming to a realization.

“Oh, well he probably feels terrible now! Oh no, he definitely doesn’t want me around now! I should-” Zer0 begins to stand up.

“No! No!” Rabbit interferes. “Spine NEEDS you around Zer0!”

“What? Really?” Zer0 asks feeling genuinely surprised. 

“Yes! Even beyond-ond all that band stuff. Spine’s gonna need a lotta help before he could ever learn to be himself”

She sits herself and Zer0 back down.

“There’s a lot of things Spine doesn’t understand because of his perfectionism. He d-d-doesn’t understand how to enjoy himself, how to be honest with himself, or even how to be an actual brother!”

She grabs his shoulders.

“And with everyone else out and about doing their own things, you’re the only little brother out there who can teach him how to be a big brother!”

Zer0 looks perplexed.

“Rabbit… do you think I’m a good little brother?” He asks.

“You’re the perfect little brother!” She exclaims.

“But, you’re always yelling at me for being dumb and-”

“EXACTLY! The Spine needs an annoying younger brother to yell at and an annoying older sister to dunk on him and we need to love him through all of that! Th-th-th-then he will know the true meaning of being a brother!”

Zer0 was now getting excited at the prospect of being an annoying little brother.

“Yeah… Yeah! If Spine needs an annoying yet loveable little brother, then that’s just what I’ll do! I’ll be the most annoying most lovable little brother in the world! I don’t even have to try!”

“That’s the spirit!” 

Rabbit pats Zer0’s back. Before looking towards the doorway.

“You know… I think Spine has a lovely red coat that can use some decor-decorating… If you catch my drift…” Rabbit winks.

“Ohhoho... we’re gonna turn Spine’s coat into party banners…”

Rabbit pauses for a second.

“That… Actually, you know what? I like that idea better. Let’s do it!”

Zer0 and Rabbit go on to destroy a perfectly good coat out of love for their brother. Perhaps Zer0 is exactly what the band needs to bring peace to their minds after all. Even if he needs to vandalize a few things with Rabbit to do so.