I entered the pass code to the fencing arena, causing the doors to slide open. It had been a very slow day for the H.Q., so I wanted to get some exercise.
The arena wasn't empty like it normally was when I entered. My Navigator, Layer, was switching from stances with her rapier in hand. She would stay in a stance for five-to-six seconds, then switch to another one. She was so focused and confident, but that seemed to dissolve when she noticed I was there.
"Z-Zero-" She nearly dropped her rapier, and she completely lost her balance as she struggled to stand upright. "I didn't see you there," she said as she let her bangs cover her face. "Are you here to practice?"
"Yes," I said as I walked towards the center of the arena. "Don't mind me." I pulled out my saber. "Keep practicing, I won't get in your way."
"Th-thank you..."
I held the green sword in front of me and looked at it for a few seconds. My eyes moved on Layer, who seemed to be staring at me. However, when she noticed I was looking at her, she turned her head away and got into another stance.
I sighed.
"Hey, Layer." My voice seemed to make her tense. "Wanna spar with me for a bit?"
For a moment the purple Reploid looked as if she might faint, but then an excited smile joined her awestruck eyes.
We stood across from each other, tightly gripping our weapons. Layer hesitated to attack me, so naturally I attacked first. She leaned to her left and held up her weapon to block it.
With a quick swing from her rapier, my Z-Saber was sent out of my hands, and in a split second I was kicked onto the ground next to it.
Layer gasped and bent down next to me in a panic.
"I'm so sorry! Are you all right!?"
I picked up my saber and forced us to switch places. Her dark face turned completely red once I slammed her into the ground. I quickly stood up and dashed backwards, griping my sword tightly.
My Navigator stood up and after staring at me in awe for a few seconds, she dashed forward to strike me. I blocked it, and moved my weapon to strike her. She blocked it. I moved my green sword again to strike her, and again she blocked it.
"You have quick reflexes," I noted.
One of her yellow orbs appeared through her purple bangs as a blush appeared underneath it. Noticing her daze, I pushed her rapier out of her hands and pinned her into the ground.
I stood up and held out my hand to help her up, causing her face to mimic the shade of my armor. Her slender hand slowly slipped into mine, and I pulled her up. She didn't seem to expect that, as her upper body sprung up and her head landed on my chest, making her blush harder.
"You all right?" I asked.
The purplette quickly moved off of me.
"Y-yes. Thank you." She slightly bowed. "Great work."
"Hey," I said, "I noticed that you seem to be off balance on occasions. Let's see if we can improve your stance."
Layer stayed in her bowing position for a few seconds, then stood up straight with a serious face, trying to appear more poise.
"O-of course."
She first got in a defensive stance. I circled her to correct any flaws, but all I could find was her trembling from nervousness. Finding nothing of fault, I stood behind her.
"Okay, switch stances."
She stepped back and held her elbow behind her purple head while pointing the rapier forward. Her elbow hit me in the face, knocking me over.
"Hmm? Zero!" Layer quickly sat next to me and held up my head. "I'm so sorry! Are you all right!?"
"Ow..." I moaned and rubbed my nose, then turned to her and smiled. "Yeah, I'm okay," I reassured her. "I probably shouldn't have been standing behind you."
She put her hand to her chest and sighed.
"Thank goodness..."
Noticing she was still holding my head, she frantically stood up, blushing again. Looking down slightly, she inched her hand towards me. I grabbed it and stood up, making her redder than she'd been that day.
"Okay, let's try that again."
That time, I stood far away from her.
"Switch."
Layer switched into a piercing stance. My blue eyes caught a flaw, and so I held her hand and put my other hand on her waist to correct her. For a moment I could have sworn she died.
"Okay," I said as I moved away from her. "Switch."
She started to move into another stance, but her feet ran into each other, causing her to fall over. I dashed forward and placed my hand under her back to keep her up. Her eyes opened to look up at me, and then they rolled back in her head as her face turned completely red.
"Layer? LAYER?" I put my head to her chest. "Oh, oh snap!" I could barely hear her heart beat.
My white hands pushed down on her chest constantly, trying to amplify her pulse. Then I slightly opened her mouth and started puffing air into her. As I was, I noticed her eyes roll back out of her head to look at me, but once I moved my head, they went back again. I put my head to her chest.
"OH, FUDGE, IT MADE IT EVEN WORSE!" I picked her up by the back and her legs. "Don't worry, I'll get you to Cinnamon!"
I ran towards the infirmary with Layer in my arms for a minute until she finally woke up.
"Z-Zero," she said, her face still completely red, "wh-what's going on?"
I stopped running.
"Phew, you're awake. Are you all right? You fainted back there."
"I-I did? I'm fine, and sorry for causing trouble for you."
"I'm just glad you're okay." I turned around and started walking back to the main room. "I think that's enough fencing for one day, let's get you back to your post."
"I um, I can walk-"
"It's okay, I've gotcha."
"O-okay," she said as she let her head dropped, too shy to look at me.
I'm not stupid. It was quite obvious that she had a crush on me. Do I like her back? Maybe. I'm not ready to be in another relationship after what happened to me, so for now, I had no plans of ever sharing her romantic feelings.
But I'm never going to tell her that. Just because I don't like her, it doesn't mean she should stop liking me. I know what it's like to have a broken heart, and I'm not going to give her one just because I'm not settling down.
"Layer, would you mind wrapping your arms around my neck? It's easier for me to support you that way."
"S-sure."
The purple Reploid wrapped her arms around me, and rested her head against my red chest.
Plus, I don't mind that she likes me. She's not like those other obsessed girls I've come across who throw themselves at me, wanting nothing more than to be carried away in my arms. She's accepting of my feelings, gentle, and makes sure I do my best in a stage.
So, maybe I do like her back. But I'm just not ready to be in another relationship. Maybe someday. But, until then, we can at least do some fencing together.
A/N: This is my 100 doc submitted. Yup, this is the 100th sheet of paper I've written. And you know what? I'm glad it's on this. ZeLay is my fave Mega Man pairing, and we need more of them here on ! And yes, this is how I imagine their relationship. But come on, we need more stories of them fencing together. Please review!