![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thecrazyalaskanApril Curtis was possibly KARR's only friend. She didn't judge or belittle, but addressed him as though he were her equal and listened to what he had to say. Not too bad, considering that she wore a hearing aid and communicated via sign language as much as she did spoken word. She explained what had happened to her once—a nasty fall she'd taken as a little girl fractured her skull (or in her own words, "I broke my head"); she'd recovered fairly well, save for partial hearing loss. She dismissed KARR's sentiments of sympathy, saying it was nothing sign language and a hearing aid couldn't fix. She was kind, she was genuine, she was a little shy…
She was also very late.
KARR was physically incapable of fidgeting, but he certainly felt like he was as he waited for April to arrive. He was due for a systems check, and April was never late for any of his appointments. Every time he heard footsteps outside, he couldn't help but try to see to whom they belonged. Every time, though, they weren't hers.
KARR was beginning to give up, to worry, to wonder—when the repair bay open and a blessedly familiar form stepped inside. April pulled the door shut behind her and started to speak and sign to the Trans AM. "Sorry I'm late—running slow today."
It's okay, KARR replied, speaking a little louder than normal. It was really the only time he dared to raise his voice modulator, when he was talking to April.
"How are you today?" April asked, patting KARR's hood and taking up a tool.
Fine, he answered.
"Good." April nodded and opened the drivers side door, settling herself in the seat. "Working on dash circuits today." As she started to examine a panel by his steering wheel, she pushed some of her hair out of the way.
That was when KARR saw the bruise, a greenish yellow mass that hadn't been there yesterday. April, what happened to your cheek? he asked worriedly.
He gave her a few moments; when she didn't respond, a clear sign she hadn't heard (blasted hearing aid), he revved his engine slightly. The vibration in his floorboards caught her attention, and she looked up. KARR repeated his question, this time translating it to text on his monitor screen.
April looked away, her fingers coming up to brush against the bruised skin. "Nothing," she mumbled.
It looks like it hurt, KARR commented. He couldn't feel pain, but knew that injuries were something that caused pain in humans. April had shown him plenty of sympathy before, he could at least return the favor.
April paused and looked around the repair bay, almost… nervously. "Can you keep secret?" she asked, signing the question as well as speaking it.
Of course… KARR replied sincerely.
April hesitated, then decided she didn't trust her voice and signed, "Bonnie hit me last night."
The little jerk of KARR's motor was his equivalent of a surprised start. Why? he asked in disbelief. He'd seen Miss Barstow and April together plenty of times, and had accidently seen his share of very hungry kisses and touches. Not that he had much of a frame of reference, but he presumed this meant they loved one another. Why on earth would Miss Barstow strike her partner?
"Make me listen," April managed, the words coming out choked.
Why did she have to hit you to make you listen? KARR wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer; he was still reeling from the knowledge that Miss Barstow had struck April.
April didn't answer or even look toward his voice modulator. You have to tell someone, KARR continued, practically pleading with her. You have to leave!
"I can't!" April moaned. "Bonnie got me this job…" She switched back to sign language: "I leave, no work."
KARR couldn't answer. There was truth to those words—there was absolutely nothing keeping anyone from terminating April's work, for no reason whatsoever. She'd come into work while she was very sick, or without her hearing aid, because she was worried that missing work would be all it would take. She confided to KARR that it wouldn't even take that—because of her hearing loss, the Foundation wasn't required to keep her, or even to hire her.
"You can't tell anyone, KARR," April begged. "Please."
After several moments, KARR agreed. God, how he hated himself for that, and he couldn't help but worry about how it would end up…
-.-.-.-
Title: A Secret Kept
Author: TheCrazyAlaskan
Fandom / Setting: Classic Knight Rider, mirror universe
Characters / Pairings: April, KARR, mentions of Bonnie x April
Rating: T+
Warnings / Notes: References to domestic abuse
Genre: Hurt / comfort, angst
Some more light April x KARR. I actually started this before the 5+1 Meme, but just now finished it. >>;;;
Hey I think I finally got a bunny for a human male KARR and April. >>
She was also very late.
KARR was physically incapable of fidgeting, but he certainly felt like he was as he waited for April to arrive. He was due for a systems check, and April was never late for any of his appointments. Every time he heard footsteps outside, he couldn't help but try to see to whom they belonged. Every time, though, they weren't hers.
KARR was beginning to give up, to worry, to wonder—when the repair bay open and a blessedly familiar form stepped inside. April pulled the door shut behind her and started to speak and sign to the Trans AM. "Sorry I'm late—running slow today."
It's okay, KARR replied, speaking a little louder than normal. It was really the only time he dared to raise his voice modulator, when he was talking to April.
"How are you today?" April asked, patting KARR's hood and taking up a tool.
Fine, he answered.
"Good." April nodded and opened the drivers side door, settling herself in the seat. "Working on dash circuits today." As she started to examine a panel by his steering wheel, she pushed some of her hair out of the way.
That was when KARR saw the bruise, a greenish yellow mass that hadn't been there yesterday. April, what happened to your cheek? he asked worriedly.
He gave her a few moments; when she didn't respond, a clear sign she hadn't heard (blasted hearing aid), he revved his engine slightly. The vibration in his floorboards caught her attention, and she looked up. KARR repeated his question, this time translating it to text on his monitor screen.
April looked away, her fingers coming up to brush against the bruised skin. "Nothing," she mumbled.
It looks like it hurt, KARR commented. He couldn't feel pain, but knew that injuries were something that caused pain in humans. April had shown him plenty of sympathy before, he could at least return the favor.
April paused and looked around the repair bay, almost… nervously. "Can you keep secret?" she asked, signing the question as well as speaking it.
Of course… KARR replied sincerely.
April hesitated, then decided she didn't trust her voice and signed, "Bonnie hit me last night."
The little jerk of KARR's motor was his equivalent of a surprised start. Why? he asked in disbelief. He'd seen Miss Barstow and April together plenty of times, and had accidently seen his share of very hungry kisses and touches. Not that he had much of a frame of reference, but he presumed this meant they loved one another. Why on earth would Miss Barstow strike her partner?
"Make me listen," April managed, the words coming out choked.
Why did she have to hit you to make you listen? KARR wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer; he was still reeling from the knowledge that Miss Barstow had struck April.
April didn't answer or even look toward his voice modulator. You have to tell someone, KARR continued, practically pleading with her. You have to leave!
"I can't!" April moaned. "Bonnie got me this job…" She switched back to sign language: "I leave, no work."
KARR couldn't answer. There was truth to those words—there was absolutely nothing keeping anyone from terminating April's work, for no reason whatsoever. She'd come into work while she was very sick, or without her hearing aid, because she was worried that missing work would be all it would take. She confided to KARR that it wouldn't even take that—because of her hearing loss, the Foundation wasn't required to keep her, or even to hire her.
"You can't tell anyone, KARR," April begged. "Please."
After several moments, KARR agreed. God, how he hated himself for that, and he couldn't help but worry about how it would end up…
-.-.-.-
Title: A Secret Kept
Author: TheCrazyAlaskan
Fandom / Setting: Classic Knight Rider, mirror universe
Characters / Pairings: April, KARR, mentions of Bonnie x April
Rating: T+
Warnings / Notes: References to domestic abuse
Genre: Hurt / comfort, angst
Some more light April x KARR. I actually started this before the 5+1 Meme, but just now finished it. >>;;;
Hey I think I finally got a bunny for a human male KARR and April. >>
