Disclaimer: Oh if only I owned Gearbox…
Author's Note: Because there is a lack of cute ZeroxGaige fics on here…
I think I'll dub this pairing… ZAIGE.
I feel like this story needs a better title, but I can't think of anything. Remember folks, reviews are like candy!
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Repairs
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I instantly noticed the change, when his right arm moved more stiffly and his fingers didn't wrap around his gun properly. Luckily he was still able to perform, so Axton and the others didn't notice. But then, I was a mechromancer, and it was obvious to me that Zero's cybernetic implants needed a checkup. My thoughts were strengthened when I saw one of his shots actually miss his target and nearly hit me, a large red "!" appearing on his mask. So as soon as we'd finished taking out the bandits, I pulled the assassin aside "We're going back to Sanctuary." I told him bluntly, a question mark appearing on his mask which caused me to groan in frustration and explain "Your implants probably need some adjustments. Look, your hold in your rifle is too loose. Your aiming was shaky… I've never seen you miss, and today you missed. Something is up, mister."
"But-"
"No buts!" I snapped, turning to the others with a grin "Hey! Guys! I'm heading back to Sanctuary to fix Deathtrap up a bit!"
The others all looked at each other for a moment before Maya spoke up "Ok! Zero, you cool with going with her?"
Zero nodded, albeit a bit grudgingly, but followed me back to one of our trucks I refused to let him drive, which he also grudgingly accepted once we'd returned to Sanctuary and entered the crappy apartment that our team bought together. It wasn't fancy, not at all. It had enough space for all six of us, considering that Krieg slept on the couch in the living room and the rest of the boys just bunked together. Maya and I got our own rooms, probably because we were girls… and also because I'd pretty much converted my room into a workstation to upgrade Deathtrap in.
Opening the door to my room, I allowed Zero to enter first "You're probably going to have to take off your-"
"Understood." Zero cut me off, unlocking the seals on his helmet to pull it off, revealing his young, handsome appearance before working to unseal his torso armor.
It never ceased to amaze me how super cute Zero looked without his mask. Not that I'd actually seen him mask less and shirtless that often… I'd only seen him without his armor once before, when he'd first told me that he had cybernetic implants and I'd refused to leave him alone about them until I'd gotten to see them. But the first time, when he pulled off his mask I'd said something along the lines of "Wow you're sexy."
Which was really embarrassing enough.
But come on, he looked like some sort of half-Asian Aragorn, only with shorter hair and a lot younger and beardless. The ninja even told me his age: 25 years old. He was like, wow. The robot arm only made him look even more badass, and while his other arm was, you know, human, he'd still only had four fingers. Zero explained that it was a birth defect, in his usual haiku-y way.
Realizing that I was checking him out, I quickly rushed over to my desk and dug around for my tools. Once I'd gotten everything I'd thought I needed, I turned to see him calmly sitting on my bed with his hands resting on his knees. Shirtless. Internally cursing my hormones, I sighed and sat down next to him, grabbing his cybernetic arm and inspecting it "Damn Zero, when was the last time you oiled this thing?" I asked him, pouring a few drops of oil onto the joints of his arm and polishing the cool metal with a rag "It's like, squeaking when you move it."
"I apologize." The assassin replied with a shrug, "Never had to before."
My eye twitched "That's just… wow." Resisting the urge to face palm, I pulled out a screwdriver and began loosening some of the screws "Some of these are way too tight. How come you didn't do this sooner?"
He shrugged again, and I sighed loudly.
"You're impossible."
He smiled, shrugging at me again.
"Now you're just doing it to bug me, aren't you?"
He shrugged, and I pinched his side. The ninja jumped, glaring at me "Ow."
Grinning up at him, I shrugged.