Apparently I'm a masochist because I need like 3 or 4 stories going at once Xp
I know ya'll are probably going to hate me for this and try and stone me, but just so you're informed: this actually started off as a crack-pairing of mine that just sort of raised itself over time to my #2 OTP (just behind Spova). And I know it's sad and I make Chiro look bad, but that's what I wanted to do, so bugger off about that. There are going to be 2 other chapters in the others point-of-view so this thing will make more sense and not be as horrible. I just don't know when they'll get here.
Quote: "The course of true love never did run smooth."--Shakespeare
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters nor am I making any profit from writing them.
The first time they met was around a large holographic table displaying the various battle strategies the Team had come up with in order to combat the newest version of the Skeleton King. They didn't really stand out to each other. They were just standing next to each other, listening to the monkeys interrupt each other about various aspects of the plans.
It wasn't until a few days later amidst all the chaos that Chiro noticed how...well they were getting along. It was only natural though: they were colleagues now, they were both advanced robots with sophisticated artificial intelligence, and JinMay was always sweet. So he brushed it off and prepped from the next battle just like everyone else was.
He didn't keep any particular eye out for them or anything, but he did notice the slight absence of his girlfriend during his free time. He wasn't selfish by any means and he realized that they had probably gotten different schedules and she wouldn't appreciate him wearing himself down with worry over her. She would be fine. So he fell into his bed, asleep before his head hit the pillow and didn't think anymore about it...
... Until he saw them both walking along very comfortably together during another scarce moment of relaxation.
He was a little hurt by this. But he decided that she couldn't have possibly known when his next breather was and he actually had no idea what they were discussing and they were both robots anyway so they really couldn't move any other way besides the way their mechanics had built. He took a deep breath and ran off to join them. (Funny how there actually did seem to be an uncomfortable tension now that he was here...).
From then on he spent as much time with JinMay as possible; of course it never failed that he would be right there with them the whole time. He could forgive him though--he didn't know the social customs of humans, he was probably totally oblivious to what his relationship with JinMay entailed. Besides, he had willingly given up his hunt for his enemy to help the Team out with theirs, so casting him in such doubt was not only rude but just plain wrong.
The battles intensified over time and he was sucked further and further into the War and away from his girlfriend. She always understood though. She was so sweet; guilt started to eat him up for being so... mistrusting of her. How many things had she done for him? Hadn't she waited for him on the off chance that he might return? And tried to save the City to the best of her abilities?
Once the War was over he'd make it up to her, he swore.
Then, one day, the War was over, and he was alive. He was bruised and bloodied and exhausted beyond sanity and he felt as if some parts of him had died somewhere along the way, but he was alive; and so was she.
They celebrated. The whole planet did. There was a big to-do: there where many cheers and kisses and hugs and tears and smiles and grief but none it really mattered because it was finally and truly over. The Skeleton King had been wiped from the face of the Universe for good. And it was all thanks to him.
But at the end of the day when the euphoria had died down and people were returning to their beds or shuffling off to just be with each other in mutual feelings he was left with only his team for company. His team ,which consisted of five cybernetic monkeys and no one else.
He frantically searched the area, looking for a flash of pink or a light giggle that contained all the goodness and innocence that the universe could hold. There was none to be found.
He absently told the general direction of his team that he was going for a walk and began a thorough search of the City. There was only one person in the Cosmo's that he wanted to be with right now and she was nowhere to be found.
After what must have been several hours he finally caught a hint of her. In their favorite spot. With him.
Chiro didn't know what to think. So he didn't, he simply snuck up behind her and gave her a surprise kiss. Her eyes widened as they usually did, but this time that little sparkle of appreciation and love wasn't in them. The blush was definitely from embarrassment as it usually was but he could help but feel it was different this time. He wrapped an arm around her anyway and told her that he'd missed her.
She smiled at him in return and told him that she had missed him too. Her smile was still the same. Still his.
He pulled her a little closer all the same and stared at the other occupant from the corner of his eye.
No one said anything for the remainder of the night.
He attached himself to her hip after that. Not literally of course, but he was never far from her and spent every second he could with her. He had yet to leave the planet.
He was always on the periphery of his vision; always just outside the comfortable bubble that Chiro had so painstakingly fought for.
"Chiro," JinMay said one day. "Chiro, there's something we need to talk about."
"Shoot," he said.
"You know I love and all, but you're becoming very... cling-y."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean that you hardly ever let me out of your sight, much less your arms."
"Well sor-ry if I want to hold my girlfriend who I barely spent any time with since we've met."
"But that's just it! We have spent a lot of time together. We've spent so much lately that it's suffocating. Chiro, I will always always love you, but I need my own space too."
After that fight, JinMay found herself with all the space that she needed and more. Chiro refused to talk to her for over a week.
He noticed that she never seemed really upset that he was ignoring her (exasperated maybe, but not heartbroken or anything) and that she filled up most of her time with him.
When he couldn't take it anymore, he apologized and they kissed and made up. He wrote it off as just a normal lover's spat and resumed trying to fill his time with her.
However, JinMay seemed much more adamant that she be allowed her own space away from him now.
"Chiro, just stop."
"I'm only trying to help you."
"I don't need your help with this."
"I want to help you."
"I don't want your help right now!"
She hadn't ever been this bossy as far as he could remember and he had a sneaking suspicion it had something to do with his influence over her (even when he was finally out of the picture he still managed to ruin everything).
"Please, Chiro, just let me have five minutes. I have a headache."
"You don't get headaches."
"Yes, I do. And you're not helping my current one."
"What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to just be quiet for a few minutes, please."
He let her have it though, if only to keep the delicate peace that remained between them.
"What do you want to do today?"
"I don't know, what do you want to do today?"
"I don't know, what do you want to do today?"
"I don't know, what do you want to do today?"
"I don't know, what do you want to do today?"
"Just pick something, Chiro!"
Their fights were becoming more and more frequent though.
"Why can't I fight by myself?"
"It's too dangerous."
"I'm a robot; I can take harder hits and destroy things better if I have enough space to fire at my opponents."
"But what if you get ripped apart again?"
"Then I guess you'll just have to put me back together."
"What if I can't?"
"Then get Otto and Gibson to do it."
He didn't understand; he was doing everything for her, and she still demanded more from him. It seemed like she never sacrificed for him and he was getting sick of it. He had given his life up multiple times for the sake of the Universe because of some stupid prophecy that he had to fulfill, didn't he deserve some kind of reward? Where was his justice?
Antauri began to council him more about his growing temper; Nova tried to get him to focus more on healthy expression of emotions; Otto wanted him to help out more with his inventions; Gibson began piling him with more and more school work; Sprx tried talking to him man-to-monkey. He knew they were trying to help in their own ways, but he was honestly just sick of it all. He wouldn't have to go through all this if he was a normal teenager; if he didn't have to go off and save some planet or the entire universe every so often. He could have a real life and spend as much time with his girlfriend as he wanted and not worry about whether or not he'd see her again tomorrow.
"Chiro," she finally told him one day. "Chiro, this isn't working. I can't take this anymore, I feel like I can't breathe."
"You don't have lungs," he pointed out.
"You know what I mean."
"What do you want me to do? You want me to just stop worrying about you all the time, or wanting to see you? I can't do that JinMay, I love you too much."
"I'm not asking you to stop loving me, Chiro. I'm asking that we...take some time apart. Go on a little break. Only for awhile. Until you get over...whatever it is you won't tell us about."
"We don't need a break. We're fine. I'm fine."
"But we're not!"
"Only because you go run off to him every chance you get!"
"What?"
"Yeah, that's right. I know all about you two and how great of 'friends' you've become lately. If you'd just stop it and love me as much as I love you then we'd be fine."
"How could you say that? I've told you millions of times, I love you. Yes, I have other friends and people I like to hang out with and have fun with besides you--but so do you. You can't hold a double standard, Chiro."
"That's different!"
"How?!"
"I have to go save the universe and meet other people. You don't have to be so friendly with him."
"What do you want me to do? Be rude to him?"
"Yes."
"I can't do that, Chiro. He doesn't deserve that."
"Oh and why not? He's not exactly the most polite person himself. In fact, he's one of the biggest jerks I've ever had the displeasure to meet in my life."
"Chiro--how could you say something like that?"
"Because it's true and you know it."
"I'll admit he's not always the most pleasant person to be around, but he has his merits."
"Why don't you just go with him then. It's obvious you'd rather go wandering the galaxy at his side than mine."
"Chiro--"
"No! Just leave. I don't want to hear it."
"Fine."
"Fine."
"Fine."
The next day he found out that she'd had Gibson and Otto replace her programming about her feelings toward him. And had left with Prometheus 5 for some far off corner of the universe.
The Chosen One, Savior of the Universe, and Champion of Worlds threw a tantrum only teenager could and spent the next few years nursing a broken heart before he ever matured enough to finally forgive and move on with his life.
It helped that he never saw her again.