Eternals

He was the cause of this. Once more he had hurt someone he loved. Making sure the Immortals were all dead, he transformed back into his true form, abandoning his smaller and more useful form. He crouched down besides his friend and carefully picked him up, holding him in his arms.

Nyarth had taken a rather serious blow to the head, as well as other minor and usual injuries. He struggled to pull himself to his feet, his whole body shaking under his weight as he tried to stand. The moment Springtrap had crouched to his level, he knew exactly what he was planning to do. He growled slightly, his voice tripping over itself and cracking in pain as he was lifted off of the ground and cradled in his friend's embrace.

Carefully, the animatronic held him in one arm and lifted his other hand and gently touched his serverely broken tail. Instantly, the scratch cat hissed in pain, reaching up one paw to weakly push his hand away. Springtrap listened to his silent request and lifted his hand to gently pet Nyarth's head, brushing away the blood on the back of his head, the wound still leaking.

Head spinning, Nyarth attempted to sit up, not bothering to try and walk on his own. He knew he would fail and fall. He trusted Springtrap but he had a pride that was hard to kill. But the moment he moved though, he let out a small cry of pain as his body refused to hold himself up. Tears obscuring Nyarth's vision, he watched the animatronic continue to pet the back of his head, worriedly looking at his hand as it became coated in his smaller friend's blood.

Springtrap's eyes softened as his friend shut his eyes and nuzzled into him, his body convulsing in physical pain. Only when his hand met the back of the scratch cat's head did he relax. Somehow this brave and great creature trusted him with his life, something he didn't deserve after all he had done.

"Sprin'y..."

The animatronic was snapped from his distracting thoughts by the quiet voice of his friend. Averting his eyes downwards, he watched as the scratch cat looked up at him, his blue eyes shimmering with a strange powerful emotion. The moment he he noticed the look. he felt a sharp prop into his mind, easily crashing through his mind barrier.

He always hated his rather dark mind being invaded by others but he couldn't force his friend out. Well, he could but it would hurt him. He was trying to further prevent that. But he also knew what the scratch cat would find.

Self-hatred.

Sure, the feline had those feelings as well but not as bad as his was. He felt the almost overwhelming feeling as he pushed into the front of his mind, fishing through his thoughts before snapping back out, a distant and dazed look crossing over his face.

Carefully, Springtrap continued to pet the back of Nyarth's head, the wound starting to heal itself by the protective layers of the shadows surrounding them. Being a being of darkness had it's advantages but his friend's refusal to speak or move right now worried him. But before he could speak, he got his answer.

Despite the obvious pain it created, Nyarth pulled himself to a sit and leaned up to stare directly into his friend's eyes, his blue eyes narrowed and burning with a hidden emotion Springtrap had never seen before. Even with the painful shaking of his body, the scratch cat continued to stare at him, his black ears laying back against the top of his head. A small growl escaped his throat, his claws digging into his metal, slipping between the cracks and around the wires below.

Springtrap froze, his circuits running cold as his friend's claws wrapped dangerously close around the wires that controlled his nerves and pain. He knew the feline would not do what he feared and it was with that thought that the growl emitting from his friend intensified, his blue eyes narrowed almost angrily.

When he spoke, his voice was low and laced with frustration. Added with the frown and expression on his face, the animatronic couldn't help but to flick his left ear frighteningly.

"Sprin'y, listen ta me an' listen ta me closely. Trust in ma words when I say dat ya are not a murdarous monsta. If ya wanna see a murdarous monsta, look no furda dan inta ma own eyes. I have killed more dan all of da animatronics combined, an' ya have da nerve ta tell yerself dose words when dey do not apply ta ya at all"

Pausing to take in a deep breath, he pulled himself up and closer to Springtrap, his eyes unblinking and filled with burning emotion. The animatronic could do nothing but stare back at his friend and process his words to make sense.

"Ya question why da Eternals an' all of da oda animatronics trust ya, why dey like ya an' protect ya. Dat should already be painfully obvious. An' me? Ya t'ink ya dun deserve ma kindness an' trust. Look, I may not be da Element of Honesty, dat's Ze, I'm Laughta, but believe me dat I'm bein' honest when I say I am da one who doesn't deserve yer friendship"

Nyarth paused, hearing the static coming out of the animatronic's throat. He was attempting to speak, but knew he was unable to. Expression and gaze softening slightly, he blinked and continued on with what he was saying.

"Sprin'y, ya are not ta blame for dose murdas. Da animatronics, dey trust ya 'cause of dat. Ya did not do dat. Dat fuckin' Purple Guy, Vincent, did. Ya had no control, we undastand dat. An' yet ya still blame yerself"

The anger fueling his body slowly began to seep away, his expression softening to a soft smile, the fire burning in his eyes no longer as strong. Gently, he leaned back into Springtrap's arms, his eyes closing and a shaky and heavy laugh left his throat.

"Ya blame yerself for somet'in' ya didn't really do. Seems me an' ya aren't taa diffarent afta all"

It was in this moment that he did something that startled Springtrap, but he didn't fight back. Nyarth opened his eyes, a soft and caring smile creeping onto his face. And, without so much as a warning, he bypassed his injuries and leaned forward, wrapping his paws around Springtrap's neck and hugging him tightly.

The animatronic froze, the tender form of affection rarely ever shown towards him besides Plushie. The fact that someone who had seemed to be on his side since they ever first saw each other was of great meaning to him. At first, he merely didn't do anything, simply watching the scratch cat never loosen his grip and instead nuzzling the side of his head affectionately.

But eventually Springtrap fell from his self-hating mindset to a more gentler and sensitive side. This was his normal side and the one he only let those he trusted see. And he trusted the scratch cat. And he trusted him.

With the same gentleness as before, he wrapped his arms around the feline, shutting his eyes as he hugged him to his chest Nyarth responded by sighing contently and snuggling closer to his neck, his mind wandering into the animatronic's mind and breaking with no problem the mind barrier around the bunny's emotional mindset.

In almost immediate response, Springtrap let loose his emotional gate. Mechanical, real tears ripped from his eyes, his chest heaving in static-like breaths and cries he couldn't ever voice. Nyarth smiled softly as he carefully used the strengthening magic from the shadows to teleport them both to the ground, Springtrap in a sit and him in his lap.

Nyarth shut his blue eyes to snuggle closer to the now full on crying animatronic. He hugged him to his chest, his head resting on top of the feline's own. Although he would admit that he hated the feeling of tears mixing in both his fur and a slightly open wound, he wouldn't say anything, this situation too important to dwell on that.

"It's okay, Sprin'y. I'm here for ya. Just let it all out. I Pinkie Pie Promise I won't eva use dis ta hurt ya. Cross ma heart an' hope ta die, stick a knife straight t'rough ma eye" Nyarth promised, opening his eyes and looking up to the sobbing bunny, feeling his own tears beginning to slip down his own face. The promise caused Springtrap to hold him tighter but not enough to hurt him. That was why he trusted him. He would never hurt him intentionally.

"Do ya trust me, Sprin'y?"

The sudden question caused Springtrap to open his eyes a crack, his hug tightening slightly at seeing his friend cry, although he wasn't crying as hard as him. That was evident by the small smile on his face and understanding eyes. But his question confused him, not that he could tell him that. Instead, he simply tilted his head slightly and flicked his right ear.

Seeing his confused look, Nyarth repeated the question, "Yes Sprin'y. Do ya trust me? 'Cause I trust ya one hundred pacent an' wid ma entire life. An' yet ya doubt ma trust for ya when we share most of da same worries and difficulties. Ya are da Element of Protection for a reason. Why would ya represent dat if we, if I, neva trusted ya? Like I said before, I trust ya completely. But..." He paused, averting his eyes downwards before returning to his friend's eyes and continuing.

"Do ya trust me, Sprin'y?"

The silence that followed was long and almost agonizing. Nyarth simply looked back into his friend's eyes, never once feeling the used to be normal feeling of dreadful betrayal of a prolonged silence to an important question. He wasn't as sensitive anymore and he knew the animatronic needed time to gather his rather fragile thoughts.

After what felt like an eternity, Springtrap nodded his head, his tears beginning to fade as he did so.

To the soundless response, Nyarth couldn't help but to frown slightly, blinking his blue eyes silently before he spoke, his voice deprived of any strong emotion.

"Say it"

This got his attention and he honestly looked hurt by the demand. He probably was but he needed to get his point across. The rabbit allowed distorted bits of static to leave his throat, causing the feline to raise an eyebrow almost frustratingly. This confused the animatronic. He wanted him to say he trusted him yet he couldn't, his voice nonexistent at the given moment. What else could he possibly mean?

In response to his internal question, Nyarth extended his mind into his own, pushing past the barrier and entering his thoughts, the main part of his mind. Not even bothering to look through his thoughts and instead concentrated his brain on his limited telepathy. He narrowed his eyes as he silently worked until he felt it open, the mind link.

It was a well known fact that Nyarth was unable to use the mind speaking ability of telepathy and the ability to hover. Even when given the option to gain them, he angrily declined. Now, he had to speak to him directly, knowing he would be nervous about this but knowing he would do so. The reason was painfully obvious.

"Sprin'y, I know ya can feel it. Ya can feel ma mind link ta yers" He paused. Springtrap simply gave the smallest of nods, his eyes cast to the side almost shyly. He reminded him of Fluttershy, or Masty in an emotional situation.

"Ya can feel it, an' I know ya know dat ya know dat I can't speak ta ya like dis. But... ya can" Nyarth stopped once more to watch his reaction. Springtrap blinked and shook his head slightly, indicating his refusal to do what he asked in fear he would accidentally hurt him.

The response caused Nyarth to narrow his eyes slightly, his voice gaining an edge of a growl as he he reached up one paw, his mechanical one and gently pet Springtrap's right, broken ear. The action was comforting to say the least and his words only added to that.

"Do it. I know ya won't hurt me an' dun even try an' ask me how I know. I just do. An' if ya truly trust me Sprin'y, ya will do it" Although his words held a sense of slight anger, his voice remained gentle and caring, somethings he was so wary of receiving.

But he did trust the feline, more so than he cared to admit but now he felt it was alright to admit that, because he trusted him. Carefully, he followed the mind link, concentrating on his friend's mind, hoping he wouldn't hurt him in the process. It was a noticeably simple and easy process but even then, Springtrap couldn't bear to think there was some kind of trick to this.

His hesitation was noticed by Nyarth, who gently probed his thoughts, making him wince slightly. With that, he extended his mind into his friend's and then relayed his message, his voice for once heard. It was rough and raspy yet clear enough for the feline to know what was being said.

"I-I tru-ust you-u Ny-Nyarth"

At first, Springtrap was worried his message had not gone through, but then his friend spoke, his voice soft and sympathetic. "I know. An' I completely believe ya"