Tom blinks a few times and snatches the bong from Mari while she's preoccupied. "Because I put all my photos in that drawer yours was just on top.." Tom walks over and checks his printer which is almost a quarter of the way finished as he hits the bong. "Why was mine on top then? Why not your dad's or Mike's?" Mari continues to badger Tom before snatching the bong back.
"Because my dad's is in a frame on top of the desk and Mike doesn't take pictures jeez you should know that by now..." Tom continues deflecting and circles his way back to the desk before picking up Mrs Crawley and setting her down. "Did you wanna see her move or not?"
Mari huffs and crossed her arms. "Yes I wanna see the d@mned bug move, AFTER you answer me.." Tom just looks at her in mock confusion "But I did answer you? anyways stand back she's booting up I'm gonna run a diagnostic test and make sure everything works like it's supposed to."
As Tom starts messing with the controller Mrs Crawley begins to move first spinning clockwise then counter clockwise, moving forward and backwards before setting down. All this time Mari starts thinking that maybe she misread the situation and Tom really was telling the truth.. it's just that his initial reaction seemed off.
"Ok if the picture wasn't a big deal why didn't you want me going through that drawer?" "Because I had something embarrassing in there that I didn't want anyone to see, lucky me you completely over looked it and now it's locked up somewhere safe." Tom said with a look of complete victory. He has had a major crush on Mari since middle school but since they have been best friends for years he decided to just suck it up and find someone else he'd rather not risk her saying no and making things awkward.
"Then why did you let me win?" "Because I was thirsty.." Tom replied before opening Mrs Crawley and taking out the spikes and thermite pellets. "Ok you can pilot her now just don't push any of the buttons that have a flame on them." He hands the controller over to Mari and backs away from the robot as Mari takes it for a spin.
A couple of minutes later and Mrs Crawley has travelled the entirety of the garage multiple times with out bumping in to anything. "You're pretty good maybe I'll let you pilot for me at the tourney this year, everyone else runs in teams and it gets kinda lonely being by myself over there."
"You're just saying that because you think the other teams will go easy on a pretty pilot besides I haven't even used the weapons yet, how do you know I won't just flub it in the first match?" Mari smiles while watching the mechanical tarantula walk in figure eights. "Why do you call it a her when the others are all boys?" Tom shakes his head and starts explaining "Actually snails are hermaphrodites, and I was originally going to make her a black widow but the design is too bulky so instead of lady black she's Mrs Crawley, why you got a problem with it?" Mari frowns a little before she answers him "Well she's not very feminine maybe give her some bright colors? or a bow or something?"
Tom scratches his head for a second "Huh? maybe I could change up the colors but no bow, how about painting the blade pink to look like lipstick? I mean it will rub off basically the first time it cuts something but it would be easy to repaint".
Mari walks Mrs Crawley back to the desk before handing Tom the controller. "No to the lipstick but if you need color scheme ideas I could give you a hand some time, I'm going to go get some sleep." as Tom reaches for the controller Mari rushes in and kisses his cheek.
"Tom you're so far in denial you could see Egypt.. you're a sh!ty liar but I think I know why you won't tell me.. look I haven't went out with anyone for a reason and as long as you ask me out before we graduate I would probably say yes.."
Just as Tom opens his mouth Mari puts her hand over it. "Not tonight, I want you to do it on your own and it better involve a real date not the robo league thing deal?" Before Tom could answer Mari she ran out the door and went inside the house.
Tom stood there for an a few moments thinking about what happened before touching the cheek she kissed.. "Well d@mn.. I thought she fell for it" Toms free hand slipped and accidentally pushed on the joystick at the moment Mrs Crawley stepped on his foot eliciting a few profanities from Tom before he set her on the desk next to the others and powered her down.
"It's not creepy talking to you guys right?" Tom says while staring at his creations and for just a moment he thought he felt sympathy from their cold lifeless eyes.. "Hmm maybe a little".
After Tom cleared his head (and the bowl) he checked the printer again to see that his work was almost complete just a few more minutes and his new bracket would be ready, seeing this he removed the part on Mrs Crawley that would be considered the top half of her abdomen and started tracing out where he would mill the holes to mount his bracket.
Just as he finished drilling the holes his 3D printer shut off and made a loud beep informing Tom his new part was ready Before picking it up he put on his thick leather welding gloves then he lined up the bracket with the holes and luckily everything looked like a smooth fit. "Hmm anything else I need to make tonight?" Tom asked himself this time instead of his quite companions before deciding he needs to get some sleep. Tom decided to leave the robots in the garage tonight. On his way inside he found that Mari locked him out...
"Heh at least I have a key" as Tom reached for his key a felt something cold brush against his finger tips, he pulled it out and realized that he left the necklace his dad gave him in his pocket.
Tom whispers to the stone "Hey mom I guess you heard all that.. looks like me and Mari may actually go out like you always said.. I miss you" Tom decides to put the necklace on and tucks the stone under his shirt before reaching back for the keys again. On his way to his room he does another double check of the house, locks all the doors and makes a PBJ in the dark to eat before going to his room. Larry is still asleep in Tom's bed... until Tom rolls him off, Larry complains about Tom's heartlessness for a second before passing out again, Mike jumps awake when he hears the thud only to realize what happened causing a smirk to light his face before he goes back to sleep. "G'night guys" ""night"" two muffled voices reply.