Title: Sensitivity of Attraction
Pairing: Azkadellia/Zero
Summary: Azkadellia knew not much of men, nothing of love, but that flare of chemistry she felt for that man haunted her to her sleep, as it was the only thing the witch had no control over. Post-series contemplation on an attraction not acted upon.
A/N: Well, my first foray into the Tin Man fandom, and I don't know if there's many Az/Zero fans out there, but I hope I can get some feedback as to how I did with this piece. So R&R please, and ENJOY.
The attraction was mutual, though they so vehemently ignored the magnetism. Despite the chemistry they felt boiling, each respective party pretended no attraction flourished between the two. After all, they were in midst of war, with one being the leader and the other the follower. They not only partook in the feared dictatorship that could bring darkness forever to the O.Z., but they also were the heads so hated throughout the resistors and victims.
Unbeknownst to the man who followed each and every one of her words, she was possessed by the darkest of witches. A woman far too old to sustain her weak power, thus inhabiting a young, once light-encompassed woman, strong and formidable enough to sustain and project deathly shocks of power.
Unbeknownst(?) to the woman who bitingly spewed orders at him, he was solely a coward who deemed following the dark a safer route, and inevitably (as he was always a strong, externally courageous soldier) became her right hand man. Professionally, they entrusted power and darkness in each other, keeping a distance when possible, because blood boiled when they were near each other. And not blood that boiled due to anger--perhaps frustration, but no, this was more like a fury for skins to infuse.
It was strange, no doubt, to the man. Zero never had much respect for dictators, much less a woman bent on sending his homeland into eternal darkness. He pushed aside her reasoning as pure need to have control, pure rebellion to do the opposite of what the world wanted, so as to continue to live. It was also fairly obvious that he, Zero, had come to enjoy some of the control and destruction left in the palm of his hand.
The adrenaline. The carelessness. The power.
All a game, really, so when he was in close proximity to her, all he saw was a leader gone mad with power. Once though, he saw a flicker in her eyes, saw that maybe this woman here was in fact human. Saw an innocent spark in her glisteningly angry eyes. An inner battle, and in that flicker, a light within him switched, and a fire marred his blood. Or rather, had him feeling empathetic towards the woman, sparking maybe guilt for aiding her in an ultimately self-destructive tirade.
Zero began seeking this flicker more often, felt attraction growing, and he could not pinpoint when, but he could see that she felt the attraction as well.
It was frightening, no doubt, to the woman. Azkadellia submersed herself to the witch long ago, only emerging once in a grand while, when little bouts of doubt let themselves known to the witch. Anger arose, and internal debates occurred. The witch would win, because Azkadellia allowed her to, afraid to be left alone and vulnerable. And though she had been possessed as a girl, she had grown to be a woman, except that obviously she had been a late bloomer.
So late, that she had never cared much for any man. She was surrounded by men a vast majority of the time, but never had any caught her interest. Lust, like, and love were irrelevant matters that the witch had depleted into being nothing but shows of weakness. So it was no surprise to Azkadellia that when she had become interested in a man, the witch turned her head away and ignored his existence.
The man had long shown to be a valuable asset, a man who followed orders with no questions asked, and executed them beautifully. However, due to Azkadellia's avid curiosity towards him, the witch was reluctant in promoting him, until it became absolutely necessary for him to lead the army.
The witch kept in command, allowing him, Zero, proximity when the situation called for it, but never allowed Azkadellia to fall for her inconvenient attraction.
On one occasion nonetheless, he was so close, and Azkadellia, already angry and infuriated with the witch for controlling every of her actions, kept around him a second too long. And they were near, so near they could touch, and her breath hitched. She saw his eyes drawn to her lips, drawn to her overtly exposed breast, and a blush threatened to creep onto her cheeks. But the witch turned that cheek, chastised Zero for not going on his way, and she was left only as the witch's prey once again.
And now, with the day calm for the night, she drew herself into her bed, testing the waters of sheets not painted with crimson and black shadows. Wearingly, she sighs and flutters her eyes, trying to meditate. Trying to forget all those annuals in which she was a puppet to that ill-ridden witch.
She remembers, however, because even if her mind were to be erased, the pain would always flutter in the pits of her subconscious. What she remembers is strange, but again, no surprise, because throughout her reign--and even before, when he would come around the house with his father and play with the girls--he had been ever-present. Interest, attraction, and like for Zero had always possessed her. Not forcibly like the witch however, and that is what makes her wonder.
Really wonder if it had all been different, if he had not been a coward and taken bid to every of her words, if he had stayed amongst the strongest resistors…if he had not fought by the witch's side, if he came out alive and waiting to build the kingdom back up, if they would reunite in a different way. And the attraction wouldn't have been so wrong, or made her have felt so guilty. Or perhaps, even better, if she had never been taken, that the two would have grown in a healthy environment, in a healthy romance that she had believed to be possible as a child due to so many fairy tales.
Ifs are not relevant though, and even half-asleep, Azkadellia knows this. So instead she ponders, ponders where Zero is, and wonders that maybe he could be given a chance at a redemption. Because the magic that has always remained within her has told her that Zero, at heart, was the type of man who took a reign of second chances if only someone gave him the opportunity, if only someone believed in him. Because Azkadellia, in her hearts of hearts, knew she would never be attracted to another the way she was attracted to him.
That draw towards Zero that made her blood boiled, that had scared her (because as far as the witch went, ramifications and consequences would generate abundantly if the attraction was acted upon), was the only connection she had to the real woman that thrived within the confines of her imprisoned soul.
And no other man could ever compete with that sort of awakening.