Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Anywhere, Zero would know those brown curls anywhere. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t see his face. It didn’t matter that he was wearing a pastel blue sweater and not his signature blue armor. He knew X when he saw him.

Three years. Three long, agonizingly lonesome, goddamn years. Zero had more than just a piece of his mind to give to his supposed ‘best friend’.

“Where. The hell have you been?!” Zero stormed into the crowd and grabbed his arm, pulling X into an alleyway. X screamed in a way that was rather… un-X-like, but now he was looking at Zero and never in his life had he been more certain that X was staring him in the face. He ignored Alia’s harsh reprimand over his comm; in fact he outright disabled it. “Three. Years. X! Do you have any idea of the hell you put me through?!” X looked terrified. Well good! He should be!

“Plea- please let me go! I- I haven’t done anything!” X cried out, struggling against Zero’s grip, grabbing Zero’s hand to try and pry him off, weakly.

Zero only held on tighter, tugging X closer. His teeth bore in fury. “Haven’t done anything? Haven’t done anything?!” his voice raised, “You call up and vanishing without a trace not doing anything?!”

“Please stop-!”

“Answer me, X!” Zero roared, “Where. Were you?!”

“I don’t even know you!” X shouted back, tears forming in the corner of his eyes.

Zero’s grip went somewhat slack, just enough for X to rip his arm away. He held it close to his chest, breathing heavily. He swallowed. “I’m… I’m sorry but I think you’re mistaken.”

Zero stared at him like he’d grown three heads. “Like hell I am…” his shoulders rose, “What do you mean you don’t know me?”

X took a step back, “I mean I’ve never seen you before in my life. I’m sorry… but I’m not this X you’re looking-”

“Don’t lie to me!” Zero lunged, grabbing his shoulders harshly, “I know my…former, best friend! I’d know you anywhere! In any way! So don’t tell me you’re not X!”

“But I’m not lying!” X cried out, trapped in Zero’s grip again, his hands pressed to his chestplating. 

Zero searched X’s face. This was X. He knew this was X! But… at the same time… now that Zero was this close to him, able to stare deep into verdant eyes,  “You’re…” his grip slacked, “not lying…” his hands fell to his sides, looking dumbfounded at the reploid before him who he knew for a fact was X, but X himself…didn’t know that?

—

Waltz rubbed his arms where that red reploid had grabbed him. The grip had been firm, but nothing that actually hurt. He looked up, taking in the other’s slumped posture. The red reploid was staring at the ground as if he’d just lost something valuable. Something told Waltz, something deep down, that this man wasn’t bad. Even if he made… quite the first impression. It was almost alarming that the part of Waltz that was telling him to run away from this clearly near-maverick reploid was so small, and nearly entirely silent.

This man won’t hurt him. Not physically, unless Waltz asked him to perhaps.

He coughed and shook the thought out of his head. He cleared his throat and walked over to the other, hand extended. “I’m sorry that I’m not who you want me to be. But why don’t we start over? I’m Waltz.”

The red reploid’s gaze snapped to his hand, and then to Waltz’s eyes. “Zero…” He slowly reached out as well. They shook hands, but something… felt a bit too stiff about it. Waltz couldn't put his finger on it. Zero gave his hand a light squeeze and Waltz looked back up, finding an intense sky blue gaze. Waltz swallowed.

“You’re… rather tall.” Waltz flinched inwardly, a great line there. Real conversation starter.

The corner of Zero’s mouth twitched upwards slightly, “There’s taller out there, but yes. I’m certainly taller than you.”

Yes! Ok! Good! This is good right? Waltz coughed into his left fist. “Right! Yes! You are exactly! Which means you can reach the top shelf! Why don’t you make this up to me by helping me with my shopping!” Waltz mentally kicked himself again. He had no idea what he was doing, or saying, or what had gotten into him, but just… something told him that he wanted this man beside him. For as long as possible.

“Uh…” Zero made a face, mouth scrunching to the side, deep in thought. “Yeah…” he said after a beat of silence, “Okay, sure. But can you do something for me first?”

Waltz perked, “Yes?”

“Let go of my hand?”

—

Zero stuck close to X’s back. ‘Waltz, huh?’  

Each time something on the list X was holding was high up Zero was asked to grab it, and grab it he did. If being his shopping lackey meant he’d be able to spend longer with X he’d do it. This had to be X. It had to be. Any normal reploid would have run from him screaming maverick after being grabbed, yanked into an alleyway alone with someone as sharp and pointy as Zero and getting shouted at like they’d bombed a bridge or something. X was never easily cowed. Though… it was still concerning. Zero thought back to X trying to fight his grip, it had felt so… weak, like X couldn’t get a grip, like X wasn’t capable or strong enough to pry Zero off. Something was wrong, something was very wrong on top of X not remembering anything.

“So, Zero,” X turned to him, “What is it that you do?” His head was tilted, those brown curls falling over one eye.

“Uh…” Zero had never seen X so… casual? Was that the right way to think about it? He’d seen X without his helmet plenty of times, he was one of the extremely few who have. But never in such a… relaxed setting, where X was out of armor and in civvie apparel, like those civilian reploids made for human companionship. “I’m a maverick hunter.” He finally replied after realizing he’d been silent for a tad too long.

X blinked, then he smiled sheepishly, “I probably should have figured something like that, with a saber attached to your back like that and all.”

“No, you’re fine-”

“So… this X,” X had turned back around to look at his list, “Do I really look so much like him?”

“Terribly so…” Zero breathed out. “It’s almost like you’re twins.” Because you are X. You just don’t… remember.

“Hm… Some reploids do come out looking identical, maybe he and I were mass produced from the same model.” X shrugged offhandedly.

“Impossible.” Zero said immediately, “X was- is one of a kind.” 

X glanced back at him from the corner of his eye, then forward again as he crossed something off the list. “I see…” his shoulders lowered a bit, “I’m sorry then…”

Zero narrowed his eyes, why was he sorry? Before Zero could voice as much, X clapped his hands together, “Alright! That’s the list,” he smiled at Zero, “time for check-out!” 

Zero had never been shopping in his life and he wasn’t about to start making it a regular thing. Waiting in line is clearly not something he was built to withstand. If any maverick wanted to take him down then all they really had to do was put him at the end of a very long line and ensure Zero dies of boredom, clearly. A tittering chuckle got his attention, X covering his mouth.

“You poor thing, patience isn’t your strong suit I take it?” A familiar teasing grin graced X’s face as he took his shopping bags off the end of the belt.

Zero found himself smirking, “It’s not a skill I have to use often.” if at all.

Outside the market X shuffled his feet awkwardly, “Thank you for your help today.”

Zero shrugged casually, “Like you said, it makes up for uh… menacing you earlier.”

X nodded, opened his mouth, closed it, and nodded again. “So… I… supposed this is where we part?”

No, wait. If Zero let him go here he might not find him again. He needed to find out what happened, where X had been all these years. “Why don’t I walk you home?” he blurted out.

X looked up at him, eyes wide, wider than Zero had ever seen them before. Like he’d been hoping Zero would offer to do so. “Yes please!”  he leans forward, then coughs and leans back and in a much more casual tone, “Yes, please. I would appreciate that.”

—

Ok, cool. The Maverick Hunter offered to take you home Waltz. That’s good, great even. It is getting dark after all, and having someone who’s job it is to protect the human and average reploid population is very good. But you don’t have to feel this giddy about it! Waltz shakes his head as he and Zero walk silently side by side. What was the matter with him? But this felt right, more than right, to have the red clad warrior at his side. It felt like they reached the gate into his neighborhood all too soon.

“Cogwork Meadows, huh?” Zero observed the sign above the gate, decorated in cogs of all sizes, all of them properly locked so they would spin together.

“Yep.” Waltz shuffled, “This is it… so… uh…” Now what? He didn’t want to say goodbye, despite the chaotic introduction. But he was home, and Zero probably had to get back to some important Maverick Hunter thing, like patrol, or paperwork.

“You got a number?” Zero asked and Waltz nearly dropped his shopping.

“Huh? Yes! I number have- I mean I have a number!” He does actually drop his shopping bag as he tries to get to his pocket for his pen and the shopping list, blessedly Zero is a good catch.

“Easy there, no need to write it. Just tell me and I can save it in my database.” Zero quirked his mouth.

“Yeah, yeah sure.” Waltz chuckled awkwardly. They said their goodbyes after Waltz gave Zero his number. He lamented that Zero probably didn’t have a proper phone number as a Maverick Hunter, and Waltz didn’t have the fancy comm-unit in his own audio processors. Though, even after saying goodbye they hung around one another for a bit longer, both reluctant to let the other out of their sight, albeit for different reasons.

“Waltzy! Babykins! Are you coming in?” The intercom next to the gate spoke up, jolting both reploids from gazing into one another’s eyes. 

“Oh- uh, coming, Joyce!” He smiled awkwardly at Zero, nodding his head to the intercom, “Head of the H.O.A. I should… yeah… I should go so she can do the thing with the gate…yeah.”

“Right…” Zero seemed disappointed, “I’ll call you, Waltz.”

“Yes! Definitely! I’m looking forward to it!” Waltz was very thankful for the groceries in his arms at this moment, or else he’d be making finger guns. The gate opened and Waltz stepped through, still gazing at Zero till the gate began to close behind him and Zero turned to leave. Waltz sighed and turned around to return home. He didn’t see Zero look back.

—

“You assaulted a civillian-type!” Zero tuned Alia’s shouts for the most part. He knows for a fact he didn’t screw up, even if everyone else perceived it as such. “I know it’s been a stressful three years, but you can’t go grabbing someone just because you think they resemble X! That’s how we get fined, or worse, sued!” She pinched the bridge of her nose, “How bad?”

“Huh?” Zero turned only slightly to acknowledge her.

“How. Bad. was it?” Alia grit out, “How much trouble?”

“Oh. None.” Zero shrugged.

Alia took a deep, steadying breath, pressing her hands together, lips pursed. “What do you mean, none? Zero, please don’t tell me-”

“What-?” Zero turned looking at Alia incredulously, did she seriously think that- “No! He’s fine! Nothing happened!” Well not nothing per-say, but nothing like what she was insinuating happened.

“Listen, Zero, I know these past few years have been… hard without X, on all of us.”

Oh god not this again.

“But-”

He tuned Alia out, ignoring her. None of them understood. How could they? No one but Dr. Cain could understand how deeply his and X’s connection ran. None of them had been here from the start, none of them had known X for as long as he had. None of them… 

“Don’t walk away! I’m still-” Alia let out a frustrated noise. 

Zero crossed his arms over his chest, electing to take the stairs over the elevator back to his room, needing the walk to process just... All of today.  Finding X by chance, after three years of him missing, X’s lack of memory, the fact that he’s living in a gated community with an H.O.A. of all things.

“Zero! Hey! Zero!”

Zero stopped and turned, acknowledging Axl.

Axl came to a jog before him, “So… did you really find X?”

Zero pressed his tongue to his cheek, thinking. Did he find X? He’s certain he found him in body. But X didn’t think he was himself. With a heavy sigh Zero came to a conclusion, “Not yet. But I’m close. I’m going to bring him home.”

—

“Waltzy!” Waltz found himself with a face-full of bosom once he’d set his bags down on his kitchen island as Joyce enveloped him in a big hug, “Momma was so very worried about you!”

Waltz chuckled with a wry smile, “I was just out shopping Joyce, you have to stop doing this every time I leave the neighborhood.” 

“Oh never! You’re like my own baby! And a mother always worries for her baby!”

Waltz sighed, giving Joyce a quick squeeze, satisfying the woman enough that she’d let go. When they pulled away Waltz turned around to unpack and put away his groceries, “Oh…” he glanced at Joyce from the corner of his eye, “I met someone today.” 

Joyce stiffened somewhat, “Met someone you say?”

“Well,” Waltz smiled sheepishly, twirling a curl in his finger, “He’s tall, and handsome, a bit… aggressive at first but once you talk to him you realize he’s just assertive. And…” Waltz sighed, biting his lip, “There’s just something about him…like… us meeting was meant to be…” 

“I see, what’s his name?” Joyce’s smile, normally so wide it crinkled the corners of her eyes, was small, tense. Something told Waltz…

“Oh… I never got it.” He sighed forlornly, and guilt bubbled. He just lied to Joyce, he never lied to Joyce. “But maybe… if I see him again…”

“It’s probably best if you don’t.” Joyce’s tone was clipped, her hands resting on Waltz’s shoulders. “The reploids outside these gates are dangerous, Waltz,” Her nails dug into his shoulders lightly, “They carry nasty things like glitches and viruses that could corrupt even the sweetest of machines” She gently lifted his chin to look her in the eyes, “it’s bad enough that you have to leave to get groceries.” She kissed the top of his head before hugging him again, “I would just die if you ever went maverick.”

Waltz smiled sadly, returning her hold. “Yes, Joyce.”

Chapter Text

“So he grabbed you, tore you away from the public eye, and started screaming in your face because he thought you were his missing friend.” Loretta sipped her tea, judging Waltz over the rim. “And your first thought was… Let's go shopping together?”

“Well, not my first thought.” Waltz chuckled awkwardly, sipping his own cocoa.

“Waltz… honey…” Loretta reached over to gently touch his hand with her wrinkled one. “That's not a meet-cute. That's a bright red flag made of other smaller red flags.”

Waltz shook his head, pulling his hand away, “You weren't there. It was… he was…” Waltz struggled to describe the connection he felt.

“A stranger. A stranger you gave your number to.” Loretta pointed out. 

“He's not a stranger!”

“Then tell me three things you know about this guy, Waltz, aside from his name.”

Waltz scrunched his mouth, squinting. The only reason he came to Loretta about this was because she was the only woman in the community who didn't consider gossip a hobby. While it was a stretch to say she would have been in his corner, he expected a little less judgment.

“I'm waiting, Waltz.”

“Well…” Waltz turned his eyes down to his now lukewarm drink. “He's a Maverick Hunter.”

“Ok so he's inherently violent, great start.”

“Loretta!” Waltz snapped, “let me finish,” he took a breath, and his mouth spoke before he could really think, “he's a Maverick Hunter, S rank, He's 5’9”, so he's taller than me,”

“Waltz, most folks are taller than you-”

“As I was saying, he…” Waltz looked down at his drink again, “he's… the kind of guy that would die for you, without hesitation.” He wasn't sure how he knew that, but it felt right, correct. But he didn't understand, wasn't that an admirable trait? Why did thinking about it make him feel so… bitter? “He values the lives of others… more than his own.”

Loretta made a face, “And you surmised that all in one shopping trip?”

Waltz shook his head, gripping his mug harder, “I know how it sounds. How… weird and far-fetched this all seems, but-...” he closed his eyes, lips pressed into a thin line, “there’s something there! I can’t describe it. I want to see him again.”

Loretta sighed, shaking her head, platinum wisps of hair that had fallen from her neat bun flowing with the motion. “I just worry. You’re a trusting boy, Waltz. Too trusting if you ask me.” She sipped her tea. “Just make sure your ducks are in a row before you go declaring this man your soulmate.”

“Soul- Soulmate?!” Waltz felt his cheeks bloom, “Who said anything about soulmates!” he laughed nervously, “I didn’t say soulmate!” He hid his face behind his mug.

Loretta smiled and glanced at her cuckoo-clock. “Right.” She finished her tea and set her cup down, standing from the table, her long skirt brushing the linoleum tile. “I always appreciate our talks, Waltz, but I get the feeling that Joyce doesn’t know you’re here and it’s about time for her to menace me about my lawn gnomes, you’d better hurry off.”

Waltz perked, his curls bouncing, “Oh, okay.” He quickly downed the rest of his cocoa, heading to the screen door to the back yard. “For what it’s worth Loretta, I think your gnomes are cute.”

“That’s because you have taste. Now run along before she scolds you for hanging around the neighborhood nuisance.”

Waltz gave the older woman a quick peck on the cheek before bidding her farewell and heading out the back door.

—

“That’s the fifth one just this week.” Alia sighed, hunched over the console in the main navigation hub, Signas at her side, examining the console quietly. Maverick attacks had been infrequent since after the Red Alert incident and humanity returned to the surface. However, in the past year and a half there has been what can only be described as a crime wave of petty theft all over the city. Had it not been for several security cameras being able to confirm that the culprits were reploids this issue would have been firmly placed in human law enforcement’s hands, but as it were the criminals were all reploids, so it was up to the Maverick Hunters to deal with them. Unfortunately catching these thieves proved to be harder than anyone thought. Somehow they’d lose the thief within moments of catching their trail. Alia was at her wits end, but Signas was still unwilling to send any high ranked hunter after them, not trusting anyone over B rank not to retire the thieves on sight. They need information. They needed to know who was behind this, just taking out the reploids committing the crimes wouldn’t do much of anything except perhaps stall the next wave of thefts. 

“Signas, we have to do something,” Alia sighed, “it feels like we’re going around in circles.” she wished X was here. He’d be able to bring in someone, she was sure of it. But X was gone, and after three years she, and everyone else was sure he wasn’t coming back. It was hard not to listen to the gossip as to what had happened, ranging from the wild ‘He went mermaid chasing and got lost deep in the ocean.’ to the more believable, ‘He finally got sick of everything and went into hiding.’ Alia couldn’t help but have her own theory, it wasn’t unlike the latter rumor. X, still fresh off of his tantrum after the Red Alert incident, couldn’t take being back in the action for long, he finally just… gave up. There was another theory, but it was a thought she never wanted to entertain, even if it hurt to think of X as someone to run away, she never wanted to ever believe that he’d willingly take himself out of the world’s equation.

“Double the patrols around the districts that have already been hit. Let our hunters be seen.” Signas said, eyes firmly on the reports and statistics. 

Alia made a face, this tactic at least kept the thieves at bay for a bit, but they were never scared away. Whoever was calling the shots was patient, and they knew for a fact there was someone calling the shots. Each theft was organized, too organized to just be individuals.

“Signas,” Alia began to protest- Signas held up a hand.

“I know this isn’t ideal, Alia,” Signas sighed, “but until Axl is ready we don’t have an ideal method of catching any of them.”

“We would if X were here…” one of the new navigators mumbled, a little blonde thing clad in green.

“Pallette.” Alia hissed.

Signas shook his head, “She’s right, but X is gone. And we need to accept that, all of us.” He glanced towards the window overlooking the training hall. Down below the window, Zero was tearing apart training drones, his armor off to the side, and Zero himself only in his bodysuit. His body shone in the light from condensation due to his cooling system working overtime as he worked himself harder than normal. His form was tight and the water defined athletic synthetic musculature. His hair, loose from his usual warrior tail, flowed like water with his movements, what part of his bangs weren’t slicked back clung to his forehead. 

—

Zero let out a shout of effort, bringing the wooden training staff down on one of the training bots hard, he heard the stick make a slight cricking noise and elected to continue breaking Maverick Hunter property. His thoughts continued to stray back to yesterday, back to X, finding X after three years of searching high and low for him, three years after holding out belief that he was out there after everyone else had given up, even Alia. And this entire, goddamn, time he’d been living a quiet little life, in a gated community of all things, with an H.O.A., going by the name Waltz, and no memory, none at all, of anything, least of all Zero.

Zero roared and brought the wooden staff down viciously on three training drones in a row and the wood splintered with a horrible crack! Wooden chips falling this way and that from the now destroyed training implement. Zero stood tall, chest heaving, teeth grit and eyes narrowed into azure slits.

‘What happened, X?’

—

Waltz sighed, wiping the flour off of his baby blue apron. Most of the dough was in the bowl, as it should be, right? He licked some off of his fingers, humming. Now all that was left was to roll some dough balls onto a cookie tin and put it in the oven. He wiped his hands together once he was done, flour clapping off as he did so. The dough felt a bit grainy, like the sugar and the butter hadn’t fully mixed in. Waltz was sure it would be fine. The oven was set to 350°, and the timer set to 35 minutes. Then the phone rang.

“Coming!” Waltz called as if the caller could hear him, he abandoned the kitchen, pulling his apron off, confident that the cookies would bake and picked up the receiver, “Hello?”

“Ehk-” The caller coughed, “Waltz?”

Waltz perked up, it was him! The handsome reploid from yesterday! “Zero!” he coughed, don’t sound too eager Waltz, “I mean- Zero, hello.” He twirled his phone cord around his index finger, leaning on the wall between his kitchen and living room. “What’s up?”

“I…” Zero sounded like he didn’t know how to go about this, “How about we meet up sometime?”

Waltz leaned further on the wall, using the wall and his shoulder to hold the phone, “I’d love to! What did you have in mind?”

“Uh…” Zero fumbled his words, “I- uh… Well…”

Waltz’s shoulders shook in a quiet chuckle, “Well, I was planning to go apple picking this weekend for Lottery.”

“Lottery?”

“One of my neighbors,” Waltz clarified, “She wants to make an apple pie for the bake sale, but she’s too afraid to set foot outside the neighborhood. So  I offered to go out and pick some for her. Why don’t you come with me?” He bit his lower lip hopefully.

“Uh… yeah, sure. This weekend.”

“Saturday. I’ll meet you outside the neighborhood?” Waltz asked, not knowing where else to ask Zero to meet up, “around, 3?”

“I’ll be there at 2.” Zero’s tone shifted from unsure to resolute quickly.

“It’s a date then.” Waltz grinned, holding back his giddiness while the phone was still off the hook. “I’ll see you Saturday.” He didn’t want to hang up, not really, but he couldn’t think of how to keep the conversation going.

“Wait!” Zero said suddenly, startling Waltz enough that the receiver fumbled in his hands for a bit, then out of his hands, he had to dive to catch it and wound up tangling himself in the cord. It’s not like Zero could see through the phone though right? Right, Waltz could totally play it off like that didn’t happen.

“Y-yeah?” he wriggled in the cord.

“So, this… neighborhood, how long have you lived there?” Zero asked.

Waltz blinked and shifted like a caterpillar to sit up slightly, “Since I can remember, really.”

“And how long ago is ‘since you can remember’?”

There was an edge to Zero’s voice that made Waltz shiver, “Uh… three… three years.” he swallowed, shifting.

“Nothing before then?”

“Uh… no, not really.” Waltz shrugged.

“What about the Maverick Wars? They were… pretty big news.” It felt like Zero was narrowing his eyes.

“I wasn’t active before then, I…” He wasn’t active before then… he couldn’t have been… but… he felt dizzy, something felt like it was fighting to push through his processor. He shut his eyes tight and shook his head, “No.” he said firmly, “I wasn’t active till three years ago.”

Zero made a sound on the other side, it sounded, disappointed? Was he disappointed that Waltz didn’t know about the Maverick Wars? Was he a big player in them? Was he hoping that Waltz would know enough that he could… brag? No… Zero didn’t feel like the type to shove his accomplishments in others' faces, but maybe… he hoped Waltz would praise him? Or acknowledge his accomplishments, maybe think he was cool? He… Another wave of dizziness hit, he couldn’t help the groan that left his lips, his arm wriggled in the cord, trying to hold his head. The world went out of focus, Zero’s voice became muffled. Eyes consumed in blue, purple scars, cold, regret, resolve, Zero’s head in his arms… Zero’s head… Zero laying there, his lower half missing, sparking horribly at the waist, mouth leaking oil, pain tearing through his chest as he holds Zero, Zero’s eyes losing their luster….

“NO!” Waltz shouted, and then there was a loud beeping, his smoke detector, “The cookies!” he desperately wriggled out of the phone cord, barely registering that Zero was calling out to him through the receiver. He stumbled into the kitchen, unthinkingly bringing the phone with him, he shoved the phone onto the island and yanked the oven door open, turning it off, coughing as smoke puffed into his face. He turned the stovetop fan on and waved an oven mitt till the smoke dispersed. He pulled the cookie sheet out of the oven and grimaced. What laid there wasn't even burnt pucks of cookies, no. It was a caramelized lake of what should have been cookies, he tried to pry the substance off the sheet. It was sticky.

“X! X, what’s happening?!”

Waltz sighed, looking back at the phone, he picked the receiver back up, “I was baking cookies for that bake sale I mentioned…”

Zero laughed over the receiver, “Let me guess, whatever became of them is completely inedible?”

Waltz pouted, staring at the caramelized sticky brown chocolate chip blob. “We don’t know that for sure.”

“Then give it a taste.” Zero sounded smug. Jerk.

Waltz grimaced at the cookie sheet, he poked the substance, and came to the conclusion that it didn’t matter what his teeth were made of, this substance would stick to and ruin them worse than a sugardaddy caramel. “Ok, it’s inedible.”

“Never could bake.” Zero snickered.

Waltz snorted, “How do you even know I’m terrible at baking?”

“Uh- I uh… well…” Zero cleared his throat, “See you Saturday eh- Waltz.”

The line went dead before Waltz could say goodbye.

—

Zero paced around his quarters, what was he to do about Saturday? He had successfully applied to have the day, much to the shock of all that he, Zero, was asking to use his provided, due to legal pressure from pro-reploid groups, accumulated vacation days. Axl looked at him like he'd gone crazy. Alia outright questioned him.

“I'm meeting someone.” Was all he gave her, “can I have the weekend or not?” 

And now he was here, trying to figure out what to do. He doubted showing up in his armor would be received well for an activity as mundane as apple picking. He didn’t like the idea of walking around unprotected, but it wasn’t as if he couldn’t call HQ if he needed an armor transfer. His wardrobe was sparse though, as in nothing. Nada. Zip. Of course he didn’t own any casual wear, why would he? He wasn’t built for casual or mundane. He had one purpose, fighting, even if… He closed his eyes tight, willing Iris’ memory away, even if temporary. Wait… Zero turned to his recharge cot, tapping a button on the side, popping a storage drawer out. Inside lay four items, two neatly folded, the other two a pair set beside the other, untouched for years. A pair of brown slacks and a red plaid button-up. It had been a gag gift from Dr. Cain, there was even a pair of hiking boots he could wear.

Zero almost couldn’t believe it, but Dr. Cain’s little joke gift actually came in handy, just like the Doctor had said it would.

Chapter Text

Axl squinted, glaring where Zero had stood moments ago, demanding the weekend. Meeting someone? Zero didn’t meet people. Zero didn’t know people! Curious… Axl rubbed his chin, very curious.

“If you glare at the wall any harder, Axl, it’s not going to melt. We checked, you don’t have laser vision.” Palette looked at him funny.

“No, it’s Zero.”

“What about him?”

“He doesn’t know anyone outside of HQ. Who is he meeting?” Axl hummed.

“Well maybe he met someone?” Pallette shrugged.

Axl turned to grab her shoulders, “Do you have any idea how insane that sounds, Pallette?” 

Pallette scrunched her mouth to the side, looking at Axl like a weirdo. “People meet all the time?”

Axl sighed, his head hanging between his shoulders, he had to remind himself that Pallette had only been here for a year. “This is Zero, Pal. Zero doesn’t meet people. He beats people up and then goes to the training room to hit things and brood.” 

“Well, what are you going to even do about it?” Pallette tilted her head, putting her hands over his, “it’s not like you can stalk him, you’re working with the stealth unit this weekend.”

Axl perked up with a grin, pressing his forehead crystal to Pallette’s forehead. “You’re brilliant Pal!” He grinned wide, his scar scrinching with his nose. 

“I know that.” Pallette smirked proudly, “But please, go into detail, you know I like hearing about it.”

“I gotta talk to Signas!” Axl turned, dashing out.

“Huh? Axl hold on!” Pallette called out to him.

Axl skidded to a halt, “Oh yeah,” he jogged back to Pallette and gave Pallette a peck on the forehead, “Thanks for the idea!” and then he dashed out again.

“What idea?!” Pallette cried out, “Don’t you dare credit me if you get in trouble!”

—

Zero leaned on his ride chaser outside of Cogwork Meadows’ gate. He’d arrived three hours earlier than he’d said he would. He fiddled with his shirt, the fabric feeling odd against his body, too soft, too flimsy. He sighed and flipped his hair from his face as the autumn breeze picked his long strands up. He closed his eyes, listening to the din of the city. Car horns honking in traffic, the ring of a bicycle bell and the ticking of something in the spokes. Conversations he could only catch glimpses of unless he really paid attention, things like ‘My mother-’, ‘Jerry you can’t just-’, ‘I paid. FIFTY ZENNY for-’, and the tittering giggles of young humans and mentally young reploids. Tittering giggles that were coming closer.

“Ask him!”

“No, you ask him!” Two voices whispered excitedly to one another, the sound of fabric brushing and moving.

Zero cracked an eye open and glanced over at them, a pair of girls in school uniforms. They let out higher pitched giggles and began lightly pushing one another. Both of them grinning from ear to ear with light blushes on their cheeks. Finally one girl managed to push the other forward. She stumbled a bit in front of Zero, but she was quick to snap into proper posture and smooth her skirt out. He sighed through his nose and turned his head towards her.

“Hel-” her voice was high and creaky, she cleared her throat, “Hi!” She took a big step forwards, bag dangling in her hands in front of her, “Cool bike.”

Zero glanced at his ride chaser then back at the girl. “Thank you.” he said, stiff but polite, “It is standard issue.”

“Oh? Yeah?” She twirled her long hair, “I bet it goes fast.”

“It gets me where I need to go when I’m off duty.” Zero shrugged.

“Oh…?” The kid’s tone went a bit lost, her eyes looked around for something else, “Uhm…”

“Off duty?” Her friend came up beside the girl, “So are you like - a cop or something?”

“Maverick Hunter.” He pushed his hair out of the way to reveal his audials. The first girl’s eyes lit up, her grin going wide.

“Oh. My Gawd!” She got into Zero’s personal space, “Can you, like, jump up walls and stuff? I hear Maverick Hunters can jump up walls and stuff!”

“Uh… yeah…” Zero leaned away, “Wall jumping is a standard skill any hunter above D class learns.”

“Show us! Show us!” The girls both invaded his space now, eyes sparkling.

Zero grimaced, he’d heard about interactions like this. Excitable citizens, especially young excitable citizens, wanting to see the skill of a Maverick Hunter up close outside of a crisis. Specifically they wanted to see the mundane abilities that most any reploid could pull off with enough hard work and training, no upgrades required. He huffed, not seeing any way out of this, it was his own fault for being impatient and heading out much too early. He didn’t know how to turn these girls down without being rude, and he’d been made to sit through enough seminars on interacting with humans again after years of them having to live underground while reploids fixed the planet enough that it was liveable again. No really wasn’t an option.

—

Waltz looked in his mirror with a frown, trying to decide what sweater to wear. Normally he’d just wear whatever he was feeling like, but this was a date. You had to look nice for dates, combed hair and breath mints and all that jazz. He was stuck between a light blue turtleneck sweater and a white button-up with a burnt orange sweater vest. Turtleneck… Sweater vest… Turtleneck… Sweater vest.

Waltz grimaced, “Why is this so hard? It’s just apple picking!” He brought the turtleneck to his chest again, gazing down at it, “With someone really cool… and handsome… and…” he sighed, thinking about Zero. Loretta was honestly right to be worried for him, he was a little worried himself. He really had never felt like this before, never in his three years of activation felt such a pull towards someone. He hugged the sweater closer to his chest. Blue… something told him Zero would appreciate it if he wore blue. The turtleneck it was then. Waltz set the other garment back into his closet and appreciated himself in the mirror for a moment before checking the time. Zero said he’d be outside the gate at 2, but there wasn’t any harm going out half an hour early to wait for him was there?

Waltz swiftly made his way downstairs, humming came from the kitchen as he passed making Waltz pause. He leaned around the corner, “Joyce?” he called to her.

Joyce turned her head, neatly styled red hair flowing with her turn, “Waltzy!” she smiled at him, “Good afternoon, Babykins!” she strode to him and pulled him into a tight hug.

“What brings you over?” Waltz’s voice was muffled by her bountiful harvest.

She gave him a squeeze, “I was around and decided to visit my favorite sweetie!” she pressed her cheek to his head.

Waltz gave her a quick hug back and then gently tried to pry himself from her hold. “Thank you for the consideration, Joyce,” he smiled placatingly, “but I’m about to go out.”

Joyce pouted, her brows knitting together, “Out?” she took Waltz’s face into her hands, “what do you mean, out?”

The entire house felt a little colder, “I promised to go apple picking for Lottery.” Waltz swallowed, “She wants to make an apple pie for the bake sale this year.”

“Oh? Well why can’t she just go herself?” Joyce harrumphed.

“She’s too scared to leave the neighborhood.” Waltz stated, and Joyce interrupted him before he could say anything else.

“As she should be! But that doesn’t explain why she can’t just ask me, or Mr. Weatherby, or Mrs. Goodman or any of the other humans.” Joyce snipped, hands on her hips, “how selfish of her to take advantage of your kind heart and make you risk yourself again!”

Waltz rubbed his arm, “I… volunteered Joyce.”

“All the more shame on her!” Joyce snapped, “She’s just taking advantage of your kind heart Waltzy, don’t let yourself be fooled by a pretty face. Even in our own little slice of Elysium the prettiest of faces can be hiding how ugly and manipulative they are.” She lifted his chin, “And there are many who would want to take advantage of a heart as kind as yours.”

Waltz shook his head, pulling out of her grip, “I really have to go, or I’ll end up late.” He said.

Joyce tilted her head, her eyes narrowed, “Late?”

“I really gotta go, gotta get the best apples after all! Don’t want to let Lottery down!” he turned, hurried out the door.

—

“C’mon! Pleeeeeease?!”

Zero was backed up against his ride chaser, dumbfounded as to what to do. He’d jumped up walls for these girls, showed them certain stances and standard techniques, even answered questions about what HQ was like. But now they were begging to see his arsenal. An arsenal that was firmly locked away in the saddlebag of the ride chaser that he had no intention of taking out in a mundane, non-emergency.

“What about a buster?” The reploid girl begged, “All Maverick Hunters get a buster right?! I bet it’s big and stuff right? Is it heavy?”

“Guh…” Zero made a face, he hadn’t had a buster equipped since the Nightmare incident, and while he hadn’t forgotten how it felt to wield one his memory wasn’t exactly fresh either.

“Trixie?”

Oh thank god. Zero turned, X standing just before the gate as it opened. He turned around, vaulting over the ride chaser away from the girls and towards him.

“Oh, hi Mr. Waltz!” the human girl greeted him, coming around the ride chaser, “get this,” she thumbed towards Zero, “this guy’s a Maverick Hunter! A real Maverick Hunter!” her eyes were sparkling.

“I’m well aware.” X gave the girl a charmed smile, “but if you stay out here any longer asking Zero questions your mother is going to start worrying.”

Trixie’s eyes grew wide, she looked back at Zero, “Zero? The Zero?” Zero swore the child started vibrating, he didn’t even know humans could vibrate. “Then, you gotta show us your sword! The glowy one!”

“Lightsaber! Show us the lightsaber!” Trixie’s friend cried out, the girls moving to crowd him again.

Blessedly X decided that Zero was worth mercy and stepped between the girls. “Sorry, but Mr. Maverick Hunter here promised to help me with something and we really need to go.”

“Awe…” both girls pouted, “Okay.... Bye Mr. Waltz.”

“Goodbye girls!” X gave them a brilliant smile as they both retreated behind Cogwork Meadows’ gate. Then he turned and eyed up the ride chaser with a smile, “I suppose the bus is out of the question then?”

Zero shrugged, “Why take the bus when a ride chaser is faster and more private.”

X made a face at him, pink dusting his cheeks, “Uh… yeah… yeah I- I’d say it is…uh-”

Zero raised a brow but didn’t comment, he took a seat on the vehicle and patted the spot behind him. “Well?”

“Oh! Right! Yeah!” X slid onto the ride chaser behind him, it felt like he was hesitating to wrap his arms around Zero’s waist, but eventually he got a snug grip. Zero chuckled, remembering the first time X had ridden with him on a ride chaser, it had gone similarly. “Hang on.” He teased, realizing that he could give X his first chaser ride all over again.

“I a- AAAAAAAAAHM!!!!” 

Zero hadn’t waited for an answer, going full throttle in an instant.

—

Waltz’s hair was a mess by the time Zero parked the ride chaser in the wide gravel lot. He was shocked how steady he felt despite such a wild ride, he spat out some of Zero’s hair. “I’m pretty sure you broke a few traffic laws…” He tried to fix his curls as best he could. 

Zero snickered, crossing his arms, “That’s called hunter privilege, rookie.”

Waltz pouted, unthinkingly combing his fingers through Zero’s very long hair, Zero didn’t seem to mind though, he hummed and closed his eyes. “You’re going to have trouble with all of this hair…”

“Doubt it.”

Waltz huffed a chuckle, “Well I would feel better if you didn’t wind up with sticks and bees and leaves stuck in it. Do you have a hair tie?”

Zero shook his head, he’d left his hair clasp back at base with his armor. Waltz hummed and reached for his hand, then hesitated, opting to gently take the sleeve of his shirt and pull him along towards the farm-shop.

One small purchase later Zero’s hair was braided back and held with a red scrunchie. Waltz admired his work, he’d never braided hair before so he was impressed with himself, his fingers had moved as if he’d done it plenty of times before. “There,” he proudly placed his hands on his hips, “wait here, I’ll get us tickets and a basket.”

“Tickets?”

—

Axl pressed his back against the nearest wooden building. His eyes scan for a suitable body to copy. 

“I told you to grab data before you left!” Pallette sang in his ear.

He rolled his eyes. “Yes Pallette you were right, how could anyone have seen that coming?” he grumbled.

“I don't appreciate the sarcasm. Here I am going out of my way to help you navigate such a dangerous mission and all you have for me is a snippy attitude!” She humphed.

“Geeze, okay, sorry.” Axl sighed, leaning around the shed to catch a glimpse of his target.

“Axl, to your left, animloid around your size.”

—

Zero's head perked when the corner of his eye caught a bright flash behind one of the sheds. He was about to go inspect when X returned.

“Ready?” He was beaming, two thin slips of paper in one hand and basket in the other.

Zero eye’d the slips, “Why do we need tickets?”

“The apples aren’t exactly free, Zero.” X chuckled.

“Why not?”

“Because they have to make money.” X shook his head, charmed.

Zero scrunched his mouth to the side. “But they’re outside.” He pointed his hands towards the orchard.

“But that land is owned by the farmers, it’s called private property.” X chuckled, “Just taking them would be stealing.”

Zero coughed into his fist, thinking back to all the fruits he’d definitely stolen on missions before. On long stakeouts he’d usually end up with a hankering for a snack and fruit had a nice taste even if it lacked nutritional value for reploids. He would just walk up to a tree or bush and pick without any real thought. “Uh…”

X laughed and took him by the sleeve, “Come on, I paid for both of us so we can legally take them.” He pulled Zero along, the taller of the two of them obediently following behind him. Zero paused for a moment, making X jerk to a stop. “Zero?”

Zero narrowed his eyes, there was a horse animaloid, just standing there, whistling, with grass in its mouth. Zero hummed, he could have sworn… “It’s nothing, let's go.”

—

Axl let out a sigh when Zero and his… his date walked away. A date. Zero had gone out for a date?! When? How?! Who was this guy?! Were they human or reploid? Axl couldn’t tell and scanning him may give himself away!

“Pal, are you seeing this?!” He hissed into his comm.

“Zero on a date?” She sounded as horrifically mystified as he felt, “Yeah…”

“I’m going in.” He moved to follow, but then someone stopped him.

“Ticket please.” A young woman with the barn’s logo on a shirt grinned at him.

“Ticket?”

—

Waltz weaved through the trees, making sure Zero didn’t get lost. The harvest seemed plentiful this year, each tree holding nice, large, red apples. Zero seemed confused that Waltz had passed the first tree, and the second and third, passing entire sections of trees. He figured Zero didn’t quite understand the difference in types of apples, from red delicious to honey crisp to gala. Waltz was specifically looking for either pink lady apples, or granny smith; they were the best apples for an apple pie.

He paused and turned his head, waiting for Zero to catch up, but also quietly observing the horse animaloid that had been obviously following them for the past three rows. Currently he was using another patron as a hiding spot, but Waltz could see the swishing tail and there was also the fact that the animaloid was a bit more broad than the person he was hiding behind. Waltz smirked, ‘rookie.’ he thought, then blinked. Rookie? 

“How much farther?” Zero asked once he’d caught up.

Waltz snapped out of it, then turned to scan ahead, “Not much farther.” he smiled, pointing towards the sign. “The apples we want are just over there.” he jogged the rest of the way, trying to put the horse reploid out of his mind for now. He set the provided step-ladder up to the side and handed Zero the basket. “Here, hold the basket and I’ll drop the apples as I pick them.”

Zero took the basket and stood under Waltz without protest. Waltz hummed a soft melody as he plucked the pink ladies from the tree. He tilted further up the ladder, getting on his toes for one very big and shiny apple.

—

Axl scurried up the tree like a squirrel, even though he was a horse at the moment. He ignored the people staring at him from below, they weren’t the mission right now. He scuttled from one branch to an entirely different tree’s branch, his focus entirely on Zero and his mystery date. Something felt fishy about this, he just couldn’t put a hoof on it. He leaned further from the branch he was on, he moved to another, closer tree.

“Pallette,” Axl whispered, “I’ve got a visual on Mr. Mystery’s face.”

“Just hold yourself there for a bit longer Axl, aaaaand, Ok I’ve got the screenshot, you can-”

“Hey!” Someone below Axl shouted at him, “Get outta that tree ya’ damn kid!”

“Uah!” Axl wobbled on his branch, startled from his focus. With a surprised cry he fell from the tree and rolled, right into the step ladder Zero’s date was standing on.

—

“Ah!” Waltz cried out, the ladder wobbling harshly. His feet gave from the unbalanced tool and the ground rushed towards him. He closed his eyes, it wouldn’t hurt much but it was still going to sting.

“X!” Zero shouted.

Waltz felt himself shift in the air, a warmth at his back and under his knees. He kept his eyes shut for a moment longer.

“Hey-” Zero sounded worried, and close, very close.

Waltz slowly peeked his eyes open, and realized Zero’s face was mere centimeters from his own, one hand on Zero’s chest while the other was braced on his shoulder. Zero was holding him, like a bride or a prince. “Uh… I… I’m okay…” He found himself gazing reverently into Zero’s eyes, while Zero gazed intensely back. “Nice catch…” his hand on Zero’s chest slowly slid up till it joined his other around Zero’s neck. His arms were strong and warm and it felt right and comfortable to be in them. He wanted to be closer. And then his breath hitched.

Long brown hair, beret, eyes as green as his own. Kind, soft, peaceful. Innocent. She was perfect. He should feel happy… He should be happy for his friend… Why? Why can’t he be happy for them? She’s in his arms, he’d caught her after a fall. He was gazing at her like she was everything… She was everything to him. Oh…

Waltz pulled his hands back as if he’d been burned. “You… you can put me down…” His head hung low. What was that? Why did that go through his mind? This… this was a date right? Why was his processor registering Zero as already taken?

Zero set him down on the ground, then sharply turned towards the cause of Waltz’s tumble. “Explain yourself.” he growled.

—

Axl stood abruptly, trying to ignore Pallette’s cries of ‘Abort!’ In his ear. “Ah- hah hah- well, uh…” he slapped his face with both hands, get it together! “Shucks these darn knees of mine!” Axl lifted his knee and gave it a smack, making his leg swing this way and that as if the joint was loose. “So'ry for interruptin' your date!” Zero made a face.

“Date?”

and Axl took the opportunity and ran, literally, “gotta go, bye now!”

—

Zero narrowed his eyes as he watched the horse retreat. X stepped beside him, arms crossed. “That guy was following us the whole time…”

“Was he now?” Zero's grin was downright malicious. 

X looked at him, then he knelt on the ground, picking up the apples that had fallen out of the basket. Zero glanced and frowned, his shoulders were slumped forwards, back bent a bit more and he held his head lower. X was upset, why was he upset? Zero looked up, was it because he wasn't able to get the apple he'd been reaching for? Zero took a few steps back and then made a running jump, using the fallen step-ladder as a boost. He snatched the apple from the tree and landed in front of X, depositing the large apple on the top of the pile.

X looked up and he made sure to give X his usual smile, all cool and experienced. X returned the smile but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“What's wrong?” Zero asked, offering a hand to bring X up. X hesitated then gripped Zero’s wrist allowing himself to be pulled into standing.

“I…” X lifted the basket into the crook of his elbow, then hugged himself. “I think we have enough apples now.” In truth they had more than enough.

Zero frowned, deflection. “You don't have to shoulder the burden alone, you know.” gosh,  how many times had he had to say that to X back then?

“...” X took a deep breath, stepping closer, it was just the two of them and the pink lady apple tree. “You seemed… offended at the idea of this being a date.” X looked at him with such hope and trepidation. 

Zero rubbed the back of his head, “Well not offended,” How would he feel going on a date with X? He figured it probably wouldn't be much different than how they were spending time now. “Just taken off guard.” He shrugged, but X didn’t perk up. 

—

Stupid, so stupid. Waltz scolded himself, willing his lips not to tremble. Of course this isn’t a date. Why would it be? Why would anyone as cool as Zero want plain little Waltz? And besides his processor was insistently labeling Zero as taken and he can't get it to go away.

Zero gently took his shoulder, “If we're set here, then how about I take you to dinner?”

Waltz looked up at him, tilting his head. “Dinner?”

Zero shrugged, “I never get to treat, so let me take you now.”

Waltz nodded slowly, letting Zero lead him towards the exit, the apple basket safely deposited into one of the ride chaser’s saddle bags, and then they were off. Maybe this really was a date, maybe he’s just in his own head about Zero already having someone. After all he thought before and he’ll probably keep thinking it, what were the odds of someone like Zero coming into his orbit, and wanting to stay in it?

…

This was not what he was expecting. Zero had taken them to what looked like a fast food-type restaurant, tucked away and hidden in the back of a plaza strip. The sign said Lotta - Halal, and the menu contained a mix of food, from standard burgers and sandwiches, to platters, gyros and wraps, and did he see quesadillas and mozzarella sticks on the menu? So… maybe this wasn’t a date after all…

“Go get a seat, I’ll order.” Zero smirked at Waltz, pointing his thumb towards the booths and tables.

“I can stay up here with you, I don’t want to make you leave your spot in line to ask me what I want.”

Zero’s smirk grew, “Don’t worry, I know what you like.”

Waltz felt a flush come to his face, he shook it off, “How do you know what I like?” he chuckled.

Zero turned Waltz around and pushed him lightly, “Just trust me.”

Waltz gave him a look, but he did trust Zero. So he found them a nice little booth and waited. Zero wasn’t long, he slid into the booth smoothly with a buzzer in hand. “I got our usuals.”

“Usuals?” Waltz tilted his he’d, he’d never been here before, what did Zero mean by usuals? Oh… Waltz frowned at the table, “I…”

Zero tilted his head, leaning closer, “What’s up?”

Waltz’s mouth scrunched one way, then the other. He pressed his tongue to his cheek, not knowing how to say what he wanted to say politely. He didn’t want to hurt Zero, but he’d noticed a little pattern after yesterday, he had to nip it in the bud if he wanted this relationship to go well, be it friendship or, he hoped, more. “I’m not-”

The buzzer went off.

“Hold that thought,” Zero held up the buzzer, “I’ll be right back.” He got up and Waltz was alone again. With his thoughts. Thoughts that were growing less and less confident by the moment. He sighed, twiddling his thumbs in his lap, closing his eyes.

“Oh, who am I fooling?” he sighed heavily, “how do I even say this?”

Zero returned with a tray, a gyro plate on one side, a pretty stacked looking platter on the other. He set the gyro in front of Waltz and then sat with his own, smiling at Waltz expectantly. Waltz looked from Zero, down to the food. He took a breath, it would be rude to not try it at least.

It was amazing. Waltz ended up digging into the gyro, moaning at the flavor. “What is this?” he asked, mouth still full.

“A lamb gyro." Zero smiled, he opened his mouth to say something else, but he coughed into his hand instead and dug into his platter.

Waltz ended up finishing before Zero, really digging into that gyro, he was almost horrified at himself, it was as if his manners had gone out the window. “Oh, that was good… that was really good.”

“Told you I know what you like.”

Waltz sobered immediately, right. He placed his hands in his lap, staring at them for a moment. He closed his eyes tight, taking a deep breath, then looked up into Zero’s eyes with a firm expression. “I… I’m not your missing friend, Zero.”

Zero froze, fork halfway to his open mouth. “...” He slowly sat up, setting the utensil down, “I…” he swallowed, taking a deep breath, “I know that.”

“Do you?” Waltz asked sharply, his tone harsher than he’d intended.

—

X was staring at him harshly, and Zero realized he’d been slipping up, badly. “Yeah…” Zero swallowed, “you’re just… so much like him,” He looked around the restaurant, anywhere but Waltz, “we just met, and… I guess it’s uh…” he looked at the table, “you’re so alike it’s scary, it might take me a while to get used to…” this sounded like absolute bullshit, bullshit that Axl would come up with, or worse bullshit Vile would come up with. “I… I just…” he reached under the table to take X’s hand. “I want to know you. I really do.” I want my friend back.

X gazed at him, green searching his blue, Zero hardened his gaze. He was determined not to ruin this, to not lose X a second time. ‘Please, X’ Zero thought, ‘Keep me in your life so I can bring you home.’

“... Okay.” X nodded slowly, “But I’m not him, I’m Waltz. Please try to remember that?”

“Yeah, I can do that.” Can he?

The rest of the evening passed relatively peacefully, and Zero drove X back to… his temporary residence. Once parked he helped X get the apples out, the sun dipping deep below the horizon. “Hey…” Zero started as X headed to the gate, “I’ll call you…?”

X looked back, giving him a small smile, “I’d like that. Goodnight, Zero.”

“Yeah… goodnight…” Zero reached back, fiddling with his braid as he watched X disappear beyond his reach again.

—

Axl yelped as Zero slammed him against the nearest console. “You little-!”

“Zero!” Alia got between them, managing to pry him off of Axl, and stayed between them as Zero continued on his warpath.

“I was just using you for practice! What’s the big deal? You can't blame me when you, of all people, take a day off! How was I supposed to know I was interrupting a date!?” Axl took shelter behind Alia’s back.

“It wasn’t a date, it was an important and personal mission!” Zero snapped.

Axl peeked around Alia, “Right, because picking apples is totally an important mission.” He rolled his eyes, then ducked back down behind Alia when Zero snapped a hand out to grab him.

“Yes! It is important! I’m trying to get X back!”

Alia pushed Zero back a bit, “Zero! What are you talking about!?”

“X,” Zero said firmly, “That day I ‘assaulted’ a civilian? That ‘civilian’ is X!”

Alia glared at him. Everyone else had moved on. They all accepted that X was gone, for good. “Zero.” Alia said just as firmly, “No matter what you think, that poor civilian isn’t X. He can’t be. X is gone.”

“No he’s not! He’s been under our noses this entire time in a cushy gated community!” Zero snapped at her, squaring up to the navigator. “He likes the same things, he can’t bake, and I would know his face anywhere, anywhere! He just doesn’t remember!”

“For god's sake would you just let him go!” Alia screamed at him.

The navigational hub went silent.

“Ok, maybe this guy is X. Maybe you’re right and he’s been under our noses this entire time living sequestered away in a gated community. But have you ever considered that he’s been playing dumb to keep you from dragging him back!? And that’s the best case scenario!” Alia stepped further into Zero’s space, “Because worse case he’s just some normal guy who has coincidental similarities! And you’re trying to drag him into a world he is neither prepared nor built for!”

Zero glared at her and she matched his glare, not cowed by his intensity.

“You don’t know X like I do. And you never will.” Zero growled in her face before turning abruptly and leaving.

Alia let out a heavy breath and covered her face in her hands. If she could cry, she would.

“I want him back too… but we can’t always get what we want…”

Chapter Text

Waltz slumped at his kitchen island. Joyce had long since left, leaving him with a few cans of energen. As good as normal food was, consuming it was more recreational for reploids than actually nutritious for them. Waltz took one of the cans, downing it. He smiled, green apple, she always got the flavored kind despite the expense. Then he sighed again, slumping back onto the counter.

The basket of apples sat in front of him, right. He forgot to stop at Lottery's to drop them off.

“I'll do it tomorrow.” He sighed for the upteenth time. Why was he getting so hung up about this guy? This guy in particular? What was it about Zero that stirred his core like this? Moreso than anyone else he’d ever dated? Why wasn’t he as bothered as he felt he should be that Zero was mistaking him for his lost friend? Sure maybe it was a little flattering that Zero was mixing him up with someone he held in high regard. But he was Waltz! Not this X guy. Waltz… he was Waltz, right? The world began to blur.

…

The next morning Waltz woke up on the couch, the TV running some old slapstick cartoon about a cat and a mouse. He scrubbed his face with his hands, did he end up falling asleep here last night watching TV? He couldn’t remember… Maybe yesterday had just emotionally exhausted him to the point of auto pilot? He shook his head. Then the doorbell rang.

“Coming!” Waltz called, hearing rhythmic knocking at the door. “Joyce…” He smiled lightly.

Indeed Joyce was standing outside his door in all her glory, a pink scarf around her neck with a sky-blue tank today. “Waltzy!” She embraced him.

“How are you never cold?” Waltz chuckled, returning her hug properly.

Joyce nuzzled his head with a light giggle, “Oh, now you know better than to ask a woman about her secrets!” she pulled back to observe Waltz fully, “Greg’s should be opening soon, why don’t we go out for breakfast today?”

Waltz smiled. Honestly, breakfast sounded really good at the moment, and Greg always had the best. “I’d like that- Oh,” He shook his head, “I should probably clean up, I wound up falling asleep on the couch last night.”

Joyce followed him back inside, frowning, “Did you now?”

“Yeah, I must have been exhausted after getting Lottery her apples, I don’t even remember falling asleep, let alone even sitting on my couch!” He chuckled, heading up the stairs, “Oh!” he called down, “Speaking of Lottery, I need to drop those apples off before we head to breakfast!”

He heard her put upon sigh from his bedroom. He shook his head, smiling. It didn’t take long to dress and fix his hair, then he was back down the stairs, scooping the basket into one of his arms, his other locking with Joyce’s.

Waltz closed his eyes as the autumn breeze caressed him, picking his curls up lightly, freshly fallen leaves that had yet to be raked or mowed crunching underfoot. Waltz’s smile was soft, reverent for the season, he hummed lightly, his steps grew slower, forcing Joyce to slow with him.

“Oh! Good morning Waltz, Joyce.” A soft, timid voice called out to them.

Waltz opened his eyes to see the tall orchid mantis animaloid step up to them, he took his arm from Joyce to walk up to her. “Lottery! Good Morning!” he adjusted the basket and held it up to her, “I got you those apples!”

“Oh thank you so much!” she clasped her hands together, “I’m sorry to bother you with picking them!”

Waltz just barely caught Joyce muttering something, then she turned with a bright, forced, smile, “Oh yes Lottery! I bet Waltz just loves running errands for you! Every single time! You certainly know who to rely on!”

“It’s no trouble, Lottery.” Waltz quickly spoke before Lottery could process the back handed compliment, “I’m always more than happy to help you.”

She happily retrieved the apples, hooking the basket on her elbow, then began to shift from left to right, her hands fidgeted with her green capelet, looking around with her head as her eyes kept darting back to Waltz.

“Hey, Joyce?” Waltz turned to her and she gave him a more genuine smile, “Would you mind going ahead? I kinda want to enjoy the walk, if you go ahead we can get a booth.”

Joyce pursed her lips, winked an eye- observing Waltz closer, then smiled brighter, “Alright! I’ll meet you there, Waltzy babykins!”

Lottery wasn’t exactly subtle as she watched Joyce leave, but once she was sure the head of the H.O.A. was out of earshot she turned quickly back to Waltz. “Oh Waltz, you're so lucky!”

“Lucky?” Waltz motioned for her to walk with him, “How so?”

“Well, on top of Joyce liking you so much, you went on a date with a Maverick Hunter! A Maverick Hunter!” Lottery squeaked, her shoulders rising just thinking about it, “And not just any!” She placed her head in her hand with a dreamy sigh, “Zero.. The Zero…”

Waltz stopped walking, Lottery getting a few steps ahead, turning around, “Lottery? How do you know about that?”

“Oh, Trixie told me.” She folded her hands together, “Tha…that isn’t a problem is it? I can forget about it! I won't bring it up ever again, I’m so sorry, I-”

“Hey- hey,” Waltz took her hands before she could wring her wrists to the point that wires exposed, “it’s okay that you know.” he assured her gently, “I just wanted to know how you knew. I should have figured it was Trixie, she saw me leave with him, and her and Betty did have him cornered against his bike.” Waltz chuckled, slowly releasing her hands. “Just don’t tell Joyce, ok? She doesn’t know that I’m…” Waltz looked around, then leaned in to softly speak, “seeing someone outside the gate.”

“My lips are sealed.” Lottery promised, crossing a finger over her core, “I can’t promise for Trixie though.” Her antennae twitched and she fiddled with the fake red carnation attached to the base of her right antennae. “I- I could tell her not to spread it… but she probably already has, and she might get mad at me for telling her what to do and-”

“Lottery.” Waltz took her hand again, “It’s okay. I can talk to Trixie if I’m worried.”

Lottery nodded, her dainty foot kicking up a few leaves playfully as her mood shifted back to something positive, “But really, you’re so lucky… “ She looked down at the leaves scattered on the sidewalk, “so very lucky…”

“Well…” Waltz shifted closer to her, “if you’d like, I could take you out one of these days to get you a Maverick Hunter of your very own?”

Lottery stood straighter in surprise, “oh no! I could never! My firewalls are so weak and my anti-virus is nearly nonexistent! One foot outside and I could get sick! Or infested with malware that turns me into some pervert or worse, maverick!” she shook her head quickly, “I’m much safer here!”

Waltz sighed, he wished Lottery would branch out, he thought she would be at least a little bit happier and less… a ball of anxiety waiting to implode upon itself.

Lottery’s antennae twitched, “Oh no! I’m almost late to see Loretta! I have to go, have a good day, Waltz!” she scurried away with a wave.

“See you.” Waltz waved back.

—

“Damn it!” Zero looked up, hearing a nearby bang. One of the C ranks was hunched over the nearest desk, head hung low. Other lower rank hunters were gathered around him. “That’s another robbery we’ve lost! What the hell is going on?!” the C rank hunter yanked his helmet off, tossing it onto the desk before digging his hands in his hair, “How are they getting away so easily?!”

“Possibly advanced cloaking systems?” A soft, deep, feminine voice spoke up. All eyes turned to the speaker who immediately began fidgeting with her hands, looking away, “of course that's just a theory, I would have to see for myself…” her bangs covered her eyes, thus it was difficult to see her expression.

“It's a good theory, Layer.” Pallette came beside her, she smiled at Zero and pulled the taller reploid over. “Zero! What a coinkindink! Meet your new navigator!” She presented the woman to him like a new car, “Zero, Layer, Layer, Zero!”

“New navigtor?” Zero asked, looking at Pallette even as he reached out to shake Layer's hand.

Pallette made a big grumpy face and dropped her voice to a mockingly deep cadence, “You don't know X like I do. And you never will.” She put her hands on her hips, “sound familiar?”

Zero huffed. He'd be lying if he said he felt bad about it, but he could admit to himself that he probably took it too far. Alia had been suffering too, even if it was a different suffering to Zero's. He looked up at Layer. “I look forward to working with you.”

A small, shy, smile graced her lips, her long bangs shifting out of the way of one eye to reveal beautiful forest green. “As do I, Zero.”

He nodded, turned and walked away.

Pallette rolled her eyes, “Don't let the stoicism get to you, Zero’s-”

“Really cool…” Layer watched him leave, her cheeks tinted pink. Her hands were over her core.

Pallette grimaces. Oh no, not another one.

—

Waltz nearly fell over himself, scrambling for the phone when it rang later in the day. While folks knew his number, his neighbors would just come to his door if they wanted or needed him, only one person would be calling him. “Hello, Waltz residence.” He played it cool like he didn’t know who it was and like he wasn’t excited to hear from him.

“Hey.” Zero said from the other end.

“Hey yourself.” Waltz responded, a smile growing on his face.

He could hear Zero fumbling around with something, it sounded like hands shifting over a metal surface, “Uh… I just wanted to call, see how you’re doing today after uh… you fell yesterday.”

Waltz giggled, fidgeting with the cord in his other hand, “I’m doing okay. How’re you?”

He heard Zero blow out a puff of air, he could almost imagine him, clad in his dashing red armor, rubbing the back of his head. “Well… uh… lost Alia as my navigator…” He almost sounded sheepish to admit it.

Waltz frowned, “What? How?! How did you lose Alia?! What did you do?”

“I was… kind of an ass…” Zero grumbled.

“Kind of?” Waltz didn’t intend for his voice to come out so harshly, but something inside him was upset, immensely so.

“Okay, I was a huge ass.” Zero huffed, “but I’m not sorry for what I said to her. Only how I said it.”

“Zero!” Waltz scolded him.

“Alright, alright, I’ll apologize later!” Zero groaned, “but anyway, I have a new navigator now. Her name’s Layer, I’m actually going over her file now.”

“And?”

“She’s probably a better fit for me, to be frank.” Zero sighed, “Her specialty is combat analysis.”

“That does sound like you.” Waltz chuckled lightly, tone calming. “Hey… would uh… you happen to be free this coming Friday?”

“No, but I can be.” Zero’s response was immediate, “What’s Friday?”

Waltz shifted his phone from one ear to the other, “The bake sale, it’s one of the few times Cogwork Meadows opens its gates to the public… so… uhm…”

“I could visit you properly.” Zero sounded awed, like Waltz had just offered him a trip to some paradise.

“Yeah!” Waltz perked, and then his processor block hit, Zero listed as taken. “I… If you want to, that is. It’s fine if you don’t… I mean-”

“Of course I wanna visit you, dummy!”

“Dummy?!”

“Yeah. dummy. I can hear those gears grinding in your processor from here!” Zero scolded him, “quick overthinking whatever it is. I want to visit you. I want to see… what you call home.”

Waltz’s smile grew, just a little bit. His eyes lowered shyly, “I’d like that, I’d like that very much…” once again his processor yelled at him. He couldn’t have Zero, he was someone else’s. Someone, Waltz looked into his floor length mirror, much prettier than he was. Someone with… long brown hair, as long as his if not longer. A sweet disposition, and no true will to fight. Someone he could protect. He doesn’t have to protect you, not really, you don’t need yourself a knight in shining armor, she does, and thus…  Waltz shook his head, really wishing these recent bouts of dizziness would stop.

“Waltz? You there?” Zero asked.

“Huh? Uh… yeah, I’m still here, I just got a little dizzy for a moment…” Waltz chuckled, and their conversation continued from there. They wound up talking for so long that Waltz had lost track of time, only realizing how long they’d been speaking when he heard the door knob jiggle downstairs, and then open with Joyce’s voice calling out, “Waltzy! How about we have dinner together tonight?”

“Uh-oh…” Waltz swallowed.

“Waltz?”

“I gotta go!” He said quickly, “But Friday. Save the date! The bake sale starts at noon, but the gates open a little under an hour before so you can come around anytime after! Bye!”

“B-” Click.

Waltz held the phone down hard on the receiver as if it would rise back up like a cobra from a basket as Joyce walked into this bedroom, knocking on the open door, “Waltz?” She gave him a look.

He turned back around faster than fast, hands behind his back as if he had something to him. He did have something to hide, but it wasn’t the phone. “Joyce! Hey! Wha- what are you doing here? Didn’t we just see each other earlier? During breakfast?”

Joyce tilted her head with a small smile, “Yes, and now I’m seeing if you want dinner.”

“Oh, no, I’m fine tonight! I’ve got some leftovers I want to heat, and I wanted to try and get another batch of cookies before Friday." Waltz chuckled.

Joyce huffed, “Honestly, I wish you would let me help you! It would-”

“But then it wouldn’t be mine!” Waltz insisted, “You always take over baking projects, I know it’s something you enjoy, but I have to be able to make my own one of these days!” Another lie. This was the second time he lied to Joyce. 

The woman threw her arms up, “Fine. Fine by me.” She pouted, “but when you set the house on fire-” She scrunched her mouth, “please call Hoser first and then call me.”

Waltz chuckled, “I will, Joyce. How about we get dinner tomorrow night together?” he shifted away from his phone, leading Joyce down the stairs and out the door. He waved to her as she walked away and once Joyce was out of sight, a thought occurred to Waltz.

Who was Alia?