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“Michael,” KITT speaks up, after some few minutes of quiet driving.
“Yeah KITT?”
“Where are we going?”
“To get you washed, pal,”
“Oh please tell me we aren’t going to a car wash. I require much more thorough care than that,”
“Meaning ‘Oh please Michael, wash me, only you can give me the treatment I deserve!’“
“Not quite as desperate as that, thank you,” KITT said haughtily, earning a grin on Michael’s end. “But yes, essentially. Despite your having me tossing myself into the air at every opportunity--”
“Oh you love it too,” Michael said, poking KITT’s voice sensor playfully. “You have just as much fun as I do,”
“That is besides the point,” KITT responded briskly, and Michael sniggered. “Now, if you would let me finish?”
Michael did a mock bow with many a flourish of his hand.
“Thank you,” KITT ignored Michael’s teasing. “As I was saying, despite that, you do take good care of me, and you do have an appreciation for cars,”
“Well of course,” Michael said, patting KITT’s dashboard affectionately. “I do love a beautiful car,”
KITT was quiet for a moment.
“You mean me, correct?” KITT said tentatively, having gotten used to Michael always teasing him about other cars.
“Yeah you idiot. I mean you,” Michael’s heart swelled a little, and he tried to lean more into the steering yoke as if to hug KITT. “And even if you weren’t a car, I’d love you all the same, buddy,”
KITT’s front sensor swept back and forth.
“I see,” And then, after a couple of moments; “I love you too, Michael.”
The rest of the drive was in amiable silence, and Michael felt a mounting frustration that he couldn’t get any closer to KITT, which was very odd considering most of his body was practically pressed against him. But there was still an ache for something, and he found himself hoping that washing KITT would relieve him of it.
Considering the Foundation’s base was immense, there didn’t seem to be anywhere private that they could stop. KITT suggested various locations, but there always seemed to be some kind of scientist or technician or gardener passing through it. Eventually they found somewhere and stopped, and Michael waited to see if anyone else would come by.
When no one did, he smiled, got out of KITT and shut the door behind him, placing a hand on KITT’s hood and letting it run along the smooth surface as he walked.
Once he’d gathered the necessary items, he shucked his leather jacket and placed it to the side, thankful that he’d chosen to wear something with short sleeves.
“Alright buddy, it’s time,”
Michael was positive KITT wiggled slightly on his axles, but it could have been his imagination, so he shrugged, although he hoped it had actually happened, because that would be quite adorable.
He began with soaking a specialist sponge, one which could only be obtained at the Foundation as it was created specifically for KITT, and squeezing it before running along KITT’s hood. There was a small appreciative rev of the engine.
Michael’s fingers dipped into cracks and picked at the windscreen, removing anything larger than small bugs and was almost sure he heard KITT sigh every time he did.
“Is that good?” Michael asked cheerfully as he moved towards the doors.
“Yes, Michael, thank you. I can... feel myself becoming cleaner,”
“Another upgrade?” Michael said curiously, his skin turning to goose flesh.
“Of a sort,” KITT replied thoughtfully, and Michael was sure he could hear a sound of enjoyment as he removed a rather tightly lodged stick. “April was experimenting to try and increase my surveillance mode and my sensors. It appears I feel you washing me. It is rather nice I must say,”
“And before?”
“Before I could feel pressure when you sat on me--”
“Oh uh, sorry about that,”
“Quite alright. You have a rather nice buttocks and thighs,”
“KITT,” Michael said sheepishly, feeling heat creep up his cheeks.
“Anyway,” KITT continued, a hint of amusement in his voice. “I could feel pressure. But not... sensation, as such. Now it feels... I suppose the closest I could describe it is... nice,”
“Feels nice,” Michael repeated, suddenly slowing down his circular movements on KITT’s door, and KITT sagged a little on his tires as though he was relaxing. Michael chuckled. “I can see that,”
He continued with his careful movements until he dipped into the groove of the door and KITT exclaimed.
“Oh my!”
Michael jumped back as though he had been shocked.
“What?! What happened? Did I hurt you?”
“No! No... quite the opposite,” KITT said, voice trembling. “That felt... incredible,”
“What did?” Michael said, pounding heart now thrumming for a different reason than fear. “This?”
He repeated the motion from before, and KITT made a noise akin to a moan.
“Michael,” He managed, engine starting up. “You’re lucky we don’t have to worry about extortionate gas prices,”
“Can’t help it, huh?”
“No I can’t!” KITT practically whined, managing to turn off the engine for a moment before it started right back up again as Michael moved back to the hood to follow the indents of the light panels with the sponge. “Please,”
“Please what?” Michael asked sweetly, thoroughly enjoying himself and repeating the motion with the other light panel. “Please stop? Please keep going?”
“I... don’t know,” KITT murmured, and Michael stopped. “Please keep going!”
The suddenness of his response caused his front sensor to light up in embarrassment. Michael grinned and continued, mercifully returning to cleaning KITT as he usually would after a minute or two and giving KITT time to cool off.
Once he reached the back of KITT’s side where the fuel filler inlet lay, a mischievous curiosity welled within him. It must’ve been more apparent than he’d realised, because KITT’s voice sensor came to life.
“Michael? Michael, what is it? You’re staring. I know that’s difficult to do what with how especially good I look cleaned up, but...”
He trailed off, expecting Michael to say something, but the latter didn’t. Instead he inched forward and slowly placed the sponge to KITT’s side, so as not to alarm him. Then, he trailed it to groove of the covering and followed it, leaving small suds in its wake.
“Michael...” KITT began, and the engine, which had been running quietly on a neutral setting began to rev up again. Michael’s movements were slow, circling the indent until KiTT gave the very convincing illusion of melting. “Oh.”
“You like that, huh?”
“I’m... I do, but it is a lot,” KITT managed, and Michael kept up the motions for a couple of minutes before speeding up. KITT yelped, and Michael had to stop for a moment, because there’s no way KITT could be making that kind of sound.
To test, he started again, at the same speed, and KITT whimpered.
“Damn...” He breathed, trying desperately not to think about how the circling movement was similar to when he was with a lady friend. “Can you...?”
“Can I... what?” KITT managed, seemingly fighting not to go zooming off backwards by mistake. “Michael...?”
Michael didn’t answer, but slowed down again, then sped up, then slowed, in a similar manner to how he would tease a girl, and KITT’s engine was roaring full blast. It was a wonder no one had come to inspect what was happening. It was only when Michael was going quickly again with no sign of slowing down, that KITT finally spoke again.
“Wait,” And he somehow sounded breathless. Michael waited. “I need a moment,”
“That good, am I?”
“No,” KITT said sharply, and Michael pouted. “I mean. Yes. But I was certain my inner circuits were about to blow,”
“Oh. Oh!”
“What?”
“Ah, nothing,” Michael said quickly, squeezing out the sponge. “Is it okay if I keep going? Just finish off washing the rest of ya,”
“Yes. Yes of course. Just be careful of what you touch,”
Michael nodded, then washed KITT as one would a normal car, only gentler, more careful. Quite unlike him, but when it came to KITT, Michael would always treat him like a person, and that meant respect. Occasionally, KITT would express his gratefulness at this fact, to which Michael would respond “don’t gotta thank me, pal. it’s the way things should be.”
At some point, Michael decided it would be amusing to sit on KITT’s hood, spread his legs, bend down and wash the sensor, which flashed furiously, and even the headlights peeked out to join in. After a frustrated; “Michael, do you really have to do that? We were supposed to be calming me down, not riling me up!” and a laugh from the perpetrator in question, KITT was covered in suds and ready to be washed off.
It was time for the hose down, and Michael had a feeling KITT would enjoy the cool stream, and he was not mistaken. As soon as the jet of water hit KITT’s hood, Michael heard a sigh.
He was thorough with his washing and hosing, always was, and by the time he was finished, KITT was shining. Even more than usual, that is. Michael stepped back to admire his handiwork.
“Boy. I am good,” He said, hands on his hips, rather wet in places, and KITT snorted.
“Come round to my door, Michael,” KITT requested, and Michael, raising his eyebrows, complied. “Thank you. I can sense you still but you’re not so much in my field of vision. Seeing your clothes wet like that gives me an excuse to ask you to take them off,”
“You could still do that,” Michael said, after his initial curiosity. “They are pretty soaked after all,”
“No,” KITT said, and Michael rolled his eyes. “Hey now, do you want to cause my circuits to blow, and for me to need repairs, and be out of commission for the next few days?” Michael opened his mouth to say something most likely sordid, but KITT added something before Michael could speak. “As the saying goes, on second thought, don’t answer that.”
Michael laughed.