*Full comic at the end*

Marshall Lee sat on the familiar white couch, looking around at the different gadgets on the walls and tables. He'd been to this house many times, for the person who owned it was the best scientists/doctors around. His official lab was pretty far away from where Marshall lived so it was pretty hard for him to get there regularly under his condition. Luckily the scientist lived in his neighborhood and was acquaintances with him even before his accident. It just so happened he also loved to test his new inventions on people.

Marshall glanced down at his legs, felling a little gloomy. Only a handful of months had passed since he'd lost them but he still wasn't used to them being gone. Most of the time it still felt like the parts were there, until he quickly realized there was no shin present to itch. He inspected the pale scars crawling up his thigh and calf. Instead of ending in nubs, his legs had a white metal piece attached to them, making them able to connect to whatever new prosthetic part Barnaby had created. Speaking of, Marshall's self wallowing was interrupted by a tall man with pink hair.

"Sorry about that, had an important phone call. So, where were we?" He clapped his hands together happily and pulled a stool over to Marshall. "Let's see here..." Barnaby leaned in and planted his fingers gingerly on the metal piece on his right thigh, inspecting Marshall's healing. After he inspected his left calf, he smiled and removed his ticklish hands. "Well, it seems you're legs have healed completely and thankfully haven't rejected the new attachment piece. Have you been feeling any pain with it?" He asked, looking up at him.

Marshall stuttered on his words but nonetheless replied, "N-no, not really."

Barnaby looked back down, examining the metal on his left calf. "That's good to hear. See? I promised you it wouldn't hurt," he beamed. Marshall just awkwardly laughed. Glob, why did this guy have such ticklish hands? He imagined them touching other parts of his body and instantly felt his face heat up. Marshall cursed at himself internally and blocked out those images. While trying to rid his mind of dirty thoughts he quickly realized that Barnaby had said something and was waiting for a reply.

He blinked. "What?"

Barnaby chuckled. "I asked how you were doing emotionally. Losing your legs isn't exactly an easy thing to get over, neither is a bad accident. Are you coping well?"

Marshall shrugged. "I guess so. Sucks having to be in a wheelchair all the time. And to, you know, not have legs." He didn't really care that much, it was just one of those things. Yeah, getting in a bad motorcycle accident wasn't fun and having to get his legs amputated was a bit of an inconvenience, but it wasn't something that he cried about at night. Marshall was pissed at first, knowing he wouldn't have his own legs anymore, but he quickly got over it since there was nothing he could do about it. He wasn't really one to dwell upon those sort of things. Besides, some good things came out of it.

That's how he found Barnaby. The doctor had done the surgeries on him and was there for his healing process. He'd put the cast on his arm, nurtured his burns and stitches. Pretty much saved his life. He was also secretly experimenting with new types of prosthetics and wanted to try them out on Marshall. And how could he say no to a super hot smart dude? His legs were already fucked anyway, why not try it out?

"Well hopefully you won't have to get around on wheels anymore. I've perfected these new legs just for you." He smiled excitedly. "Want to see them?" Marshall's stomach fluttered and he wasn't sure if it was from the doctor's smile, or the thought of having cool new robo-legs. Either way, he nodded happily. "Let me go fetch them." He patted Marshall's one knee before he stood and left the room.

As he watched the doctor leave, he started to feel a little nervous. What if these legs didn't even work? He'd have to be that person going around in the bulky wheelchair. Or he guessed if they didn't work, he could get regular, normal prosthetics like they used in the way past. They were shitty and uncomfortable looking, but they were cheap nowadays. Then again, thanks to this crazed scientist guy, he had weird metal pieces fused to his legs, nerves, and bones. So, that wouldn't exactly work out... He hoped the robo-legs would function properly.

Speaking of, Barnaby waltzed in with a crazily excited grin on his face and two robotic lower limbs. "So, what do you think? Cool right?" The legs looked just like normal legs, except... well, metal. "One of a kind. You can't find anything like these babies anywhere. Unlike the crappy ones they sell for way too much, you'll be able to do just about anything with these on! Walk, run, jump, bike. Swim even! Anything you can imagine... Ready to try 'em?" He asked eagerly. Marshall was sure that Barnaby was more excited about them than he was.

Marshall Lee smiled nervously. "Now or never, I guess."

Barnaby focused his attention to the limbs, setting the smaller one down on his table of gadgets. "Just a few more adjustments and your new legs should be ready to go!" Marshall had no clue what the other was doing but he was intrigued. The pink-haired man was humming to himself while he worked, zapping the flat parts of the legs with some other charged metal piece. Marshall wished he understood what was happening. "So, which one do you want to try first?" After he was done with, whatever he was doing, Barnaby lifted both of the limbs up for him to see.

"The bigger one," Marshall decided. Go big or go home.

The scientist grinned. "Wise choice." He laid the foot down on his table and brought the full leg over, sitting back down on his stool. "That's what I always say, bigger is better." Barnaby made eye contact with him for a few seconds before laughing a little and getting to work. Marshall felt his face heat up. He was just talking about the leg, right, yes, the leg. Not everything is an innuendo. He didn't know if it was the glasses or his clear blue eyes, but something had made his heart skip.

Marshall, once again, blocked out his dirty thoughts and tried to focus on something else. "You know, I really can't thank you enough for this," he said. "I couldn't afford ones like this normally." New fangled prosthetics like these would've costed him a fortune if he were to go to a normal doctor. Barnaby had promised him he'd do the procedure for close to nothing, all he cared about was making Marshall happy. And being able to try out his new experiments, of course.

"Don't be silly!" Barnaby cried, fiddling with something small on the limb again. "I should be the one thanking you for letting me test out so many prototypes on you." There were only a few. This set of legs weren't the first ones they had tested, but hopefully they'd be the first ones that worked. The other legs either were uncomfortable or didn't work in the sense that Marshall couldn't feel physical touch. Which was the whole point, according to the doctor. He wanted these prosthetics to act like regular, normal legs. To be able to withstand everyday activities and feel when something touched them.

"Now, hold still while I link the nerves." Barnaby, with his ticklish fingers, gently held onto Marshall's upper thigh where his scars an the attachment piece was. The scientist had asked him to wear shorts so that his clothing wouldn't get in the way of his working. Marshall didn't mind, he wore short shorts often. (Maybe that wasn't such a smart decision the day of his accident.)

He kept his eyes elsewhere, trying not to think about those fingers. He was sure his face was beet-red by now. His right leg suddenly becoming heavier after feeling the prosthetic piece connect to his leg. "This part may sting for a moment," Barnaby warned, grabbing up that one metal instrument from before.

The black-haired male sat awkwardly as Barnaby worked on his leg, zapping minuscule parts together. The metal part was attached to some box on the ground, connected my a rubber covered wire to prevent the electricity from shocking anything. Again, he was humming while he worked which didn't help distract Marshall. This will probably take a while, he figured and leaned back against the couch, careful that he didn't move his leg.

He thought about what would happen if these legs worked. Would he ever see Barnaby again? Sure, probably for checkups every once in a while but would they ever hang out normally? The pink-haired man seemed busy with new experiments all the time, he probably wouldn't be the first to ask. The more Marshall thought, the more he decided that he wanted to spend more time with this guy. Not professionally but, as friends. Maybe even more as friends... He felt his face heat up again.

"Hey, so, y-you think maybe I could come over again this Saturday or something?" Wow, real smooth.

Barnaby was focused on his work and didn't look up. "Oh, no, with this version you shouldn't need to have maintenance done for at least another four or five months. Maybe longer." Marshall tilted his head back, rubbing his forehead. Of course that's what he thought he meant.

He took a deep breath. "N-no. I- uh, don't want you to look at my legs... I mean not unless you want to... uh." He tried to be funny but it came off as flirtatious. Marshall cursed at himself, that probably sounded a little too forward. Fuck it, he decided, no or never. "I meant... like, a date." Shit shit shit.

"Oh!" Barnaby's eyes widened in surprise. He hadn't expected this. "I- oh wow. I didn't..." The scientist paused his work to look at the other. Unfortunately, his auburn eyes were faced the other direction. Barnaby noticed the blush on his tanned cheeks and couldn't help but feel some warmth on his own as well.

"Yeah..." Fuck, what if this guy isn't gay? He shouldn't have assumed. This was a mistake.

"I hadn't realized..." This guy was the last person Barnaby thought would be into men. This was a shock to him. Well, who was he to refuse a date with an attractive young man?
"You know" he started, getting back to work on connecting the nerves. "I am curious. Maybe we should test your new legs a little bit." That seemed like a smooth enough answer. The blush on his cheeks said otherwise.

Marshall was surprised. Did this man actually just accept his date offer? He felt his heart skip again.

"How about once I'm done finishing your other leg, we go test drive them by the waterfront. Maybe get some lunch while we're at it." Barnaby smiled up at the other. This time, Marshall kept his eyes where they were and smiled back.

"I think I'd like that."

"Alright then," the scientist grinned happily. "It's a date!"

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It had been an hour more at least by the time Barnaby was done. Neither of them could contain the excitement that they felt inside, for two reasons. One, because of the date but also because there was a great chance these legs would work this time. And if they did, the quicker they could leave for their date.

"Now these prosthetics, like most, can be removed easily whenever you want. You're nerves are now connected to these babies so whenever they're attached, you'll be able to feel things you normally would." As an example, the pink-haired man poked Marshall's thigh. "Did you feel that?" To the doctor it felt like soft, stiff metal.

The other smiled, excited that he would be able to do anything again. He blushed at the contact, and the fact that his legs were draped rather gracefully over his lap. "Yeah, I felt it."

Barnaby grinned. "Fantastic! That being said, whenever you do wish to take these off, it might feel a little weird. And possibly a little painful, considering you're removing what your body thinks is a part of you." That made Marshall a little nervous. "You shouldn't worry though, I'm positive it'll be fine." He patted his now robotic knee and gave it a little squeeze for comfort. The scientist stood, gently placing his mechanized feet on the ground.

Marshall was interested in what they felt like to the touch. If they were anything like the attachment piece, they'd feel soft like mock-skin, but be hard like metal. His fingers brushed against the material, deciding that they were in fact the same as the part fused to his normal leg. The mechanical legs were indeed smooth and soft like skin, almost sort of rubbery, and hard like the metal they were made of. It fascinated him.

"Before we try standing and walking, why don't you try moving them from where you are." Barnaby watched in anticipation as the the sitting male stared down at his legs. All he had to do was get his brain to move them. It already registered that they were a part of his body since he was able to feel them being touched. They both grinned once he lifted his legs and moved them about, bending and twisting his lower limbs. Marshall laughed excitedly, moving them felt natural to him, just like his old legs. He didn't have to think or concentrate about making movements.

"I can move them! And feel them!"

"Amazing!" Barnaby grinned, extremely excited that his invention worked. "You think you can handle walking?" He asked, holding out his hands.

Marshall stared at them, nervous. What if he couldn't stand or walk? Or what if he fell? Barnaby would be there to catch him... It was worth a shot. "Yes," he said, determined. He grabbed the scientist's hands, ignoring the tingling feeling, and allowed him to help pull him off the couch. The black-haired boy stared down at himself. He was standing! On legs! He looked up at Barnaby who was staring happily at him and smiled. He felt really tall, all he'd done was just sit or lie down for months.

"Look at you!" The taller man cried happily. "Take a step towards me." He moved backwards, his hands still holding on to the other's. Marshall looked down again, as if watching his legs would give them the power to move. He lifted his left leg, the one with the smaller prosthetic, and placed it in front of him. He still couldn't get over the fact that he could feel solid ground beneath him. Before he moved his right leg, he glanced up at the doctor for support, to which he gave him an encouraging nod. Marshall Lee smiled.

"This is awesome! I'm like cyborg now," he laughed, watching his ankle and toes bend as he lifted his other leg. Moving it in front of him, he wiggled his foot, grinning because he could do that again. Once both of his robotic feet were on the ground again he smiled up at Barnaby, who smiled back. He took a few more steps back and released one of his hands so that he could try and support himself more. Marshall moved towards him with ease. Finally, he continued to step back but this time let go of Marshall completely. The black-haired male still seemed to walk with ease.

Barnaby stopped walking and so did Marshall, who stumbled a little once he wasn't in motion anymore. Luckily, the scientist grabbed ahold of his hand and held him in place, close to his own body. "It'll take some getting used to," he smiled comfortingly. Marshall realized how close they were and blushed. "Now, how about that date?" Barnaby placed his other hand on Marshall's lower back, crystal-blue eyes shooting him a wink.

Life for a while had been difficult for him, but he was grateful to have this innovative man in his life. Without him, he could've died or have been in debt until he did. Hopefully Barnaby would continue to stay by his side, helping him every robotic step of the way.

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Comic creds to @/adrianricker on tumblr