Alright then, guess who? First attempt at a ReBoot fic, second attempt at what might eventually turn into a hardcore yaoi. I cannot do yaoi to save my life, I can read it, I can watch it... I just can't write it. Anyway, this story has no real place in the timeline of the show,(which according to my sister is called AU) I'm pretty much re-writing it from the point where Bob reunites with Matrix (The Enzo that grew up quicker in the games) and AndrIA aboard the Saucy Mare. And from there, they go back to the principle office of the only partially destroyed Mainframe to catch up. Sorry if the characters seem a little OCC (another term my sister explained to me)There's no Megaframe or anything like that, because poor Megabyte is still an incompetent ninny but the town did get messed up a bit, and Megabyte is slightly more bad-ass than before. The italicized stuff is what happened in the past.
"Bob! Bob! Look how high up I am! I can see all of Mainframe from here! You've got to see this!"
It was another sunny day in Mainframe. Bob had taken Enzo out to an energy park to spend time with him. Of course, Enzo promptly ran off and began to play like a puppy hyped up on energy shots.
"Heh heh, alright Enzo I'll be right up."
Bob climbed to the top of the energy slide with Enzo and gazed at the sprawling city of Mainframe.
"The city does look beautiful from here, doesn't it Enzo?"
The young sprite nodded and continued to gaze at the city with Bob. They were both quite for a long time, quiet until Enzo wrapped his arms around Bob in an affectionate hug.
"Bob... Thanks for always spending time with me. Ever since dad died... Well, you and Dot are all I have..."
Enzo's voice trailed off. Bob turned his head to Enzo and smiled warmly at him. He picked up Enzo and cradled the young sprite against his chest.
"Shhh... I understand Enzo."
Enzo snuggled closer to Bob, content to just stay there forever.
"It's 'Matrix' Bob. Just 'Matrix'."
The time Bob spent trapped in the Web was rough for all of Mainframe, but no one seemed to take it as hard as the once young and innocent Enzo Matrix. Loosing Bob was more traumatizing than loosing his own father. After Bob's disappearance, Enzo almost self destructed. The only things that kept him going were the hope that Bob was still alive somewhere in the web, and the fact that Dot needed him now more than ever. When Bob came back however, things weren't the same. Bob was... Different.
"Enzo... How could you have changed so much? What happened to the little sprite I used to know?"
Matrix folded his arms angrily.
"I HAD to change, Bob. I had to change because you were gone."
Bob, saddened by the hurt in Enzo... No, Matrix's voice, hung his head.
"I'm sorry..." He whispered hoarsely.
"Bob! Noooooooooooooooooooooo!"
That night, the night of Bob's disappearance, Enzo cried more than he could remember ever crying. Dot, Phong, AndrIA, Mouse, as well as the other Mainframers did their best to console him but to no avail. All Enzo could think about was the hole Bob's disappearance left in his heart. For weeks all he did was cry, cry until his pain melted away into dark slumber. Enzo couldn't bear not being with Bob, and began to self destruct. Running with the wrong crowds, getting into gangs and drugs. He didn't care that he was dragging those who cared for him down with him. All he wanted was for the pain to go away.
"Sorry Bob? Sorry? That's all you can say after what I've been through? Do you know how much you meant to me? How much... You still do?"
Bob lifted his head to gaze forlornly into Matrix's eyes.
"En... Matrix, you meant a lot to me too. I thought about you every day. You were... you were the kid brother I never had the chance to know... When Megabyte sent me away into the Web, all I thought about was you. How were you doing? Were you okay? Who was watching out for you?"
Matrix was silent, and faint traces of remorse could be seen ghosting across his face.
"I had to look out for myself, mostly. AndrIA did her best, so did Dot, Phong, Mouse and the others... But..."
Matrix shook slightly as a weak, half formed sob broke free of him. Bob cautiously stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Matrix in a gentle, comforting embrace. Matrix tried to push Bob away, but despite the fact Matrix was physically stronger than Bob, Matrix was weak in sorrow and Bob kept a frim grip on him. When it was apparent to Matrix that Bob wasn't letting go, he allowed himself to relax in Bob's arms. Tears flowed from the eyes of both sprites as they stood in each others arms in one of the meeting rooms of the Principle Office. Matrix found himself growing tired and dozing in Bob's arms. He tried to stay awake, for he feared that should he fall asleep his weight would knock Bob over, but his weariness overcame him.
Bob gazed across the vast expanse of Web before him. How much time had passed? He knew time passed differently in the Web, but how so he could only guess. Was time moving slower? Or had the minutes he spent really been hours or even days to the people of Mainframe? Bob imagined how Enzo was doing. Was he staying out of trouble? How was he adjusting to being the Guardian of Mainframe?
"Enzo... I love you little brother... Don't give up hope on me..."
"He's hurting Bob... We've all been. But Enzo... Bob, he loved you more than all of us."
Matrix was vaguely aware of voices. He opened his eyes to see where he was, and found himself to be in a room he hadn't seen in days. The living room of Bob's apartment. Matrix was laying on a couch, shoeless and covered with a thin cottony sheet.
"I've missed him... It's so strange though... Seeing him now... He's... Grown up."
Bob was talking to Dot with his back to Matrix. Dot must've been standing in Bob's kitchen, because Matrix could only hear her voice.
"Yeah... sometimes it's kinda scary... He's not the Enzo we all knew... He's..."
"Something that doesn't have to cope..."
"Yeah... The same could be said for you too. Your time in the Web changed you."
Bob ran a hand through his silvery chrome and black hair.
"Should we wake him up Dot? He might want to spend some time with you."
"No... Let him stay here for a bit. It's you he really wants to see."
Matrix saw Dot leave Bob's apartment and a moment later Bob walked into the living room carrying a kitchen chair. He placed the chair by Matrix, whose eyes were closed so Bob wouldn't know he was awake, and sat by his side.
"Matrix? Are you awake yet?"
Bob placed his hand on Matrix's shoulder and gently shook him.
"Wake up. C'mon, we just got back and here you are sleeping like the dead... I don't blame you though... I could never truly sleep in the Web..."
Matrix still feigned sleep. A soft sigh escaped Bob and he removed his hand from Matrix's shoulder.
"We've both changed so much... I'm not the Bob you remember, and you're not the Enzo I remember... We're different and... I guess we can't be the same friends we used to be."
Matrix cracked an eyelid ever so slightly so he could see what Bob was doing. Bob was gazing at Matrix, a pained expression evident on his features.
"Matrix..."
The way Bob called his name was almost a moan and caused Matrix's pulse to speed up. Bob leaned forward, bringing his face closer and closer to Matrix. Matrix felt like his body was stone and simply waited in shock and anticipation until he felt Bob's lips lightly graze his. As soon as Matrix felt Bob's lips, his eyes jerked open and he gasped in shock. Bob also seemed startled and jerked his head back. The two men stared at each other, a hurricane of emotion dancing across both their faces. Matrix was going to push Bob away, before he could however Bob pressed his lips against Matrix's with passion.
"Matrix? What's wrong? Why aren't you spending time with Bob? I thought all this time you wanted to find him?"
The Saucy Mare would be docking in Mainframe within the minute. Matrix, AndrIA and Bob would finally be home. Yet, Matrix was troubled. Being reunited with Bob wasn't at all how he thought it would be.
"I... Need some time."
AndrIA cocked her head to the side.
"Time? Matrix, I know how important he is to you, and I'm sure you know it too. So go be with him. Don't think that just because we've found Bob he'll be back forever."
"Bob is important to me... That's why... I need time right now... You wouldn't understand."
"But you do?"
"Do I what AndrIA?"
"Do you really understand how important Bob is to you?"
The question caught Matrix off guard.
"Of course I do! He's..."
Matrix stopped talking. He searched for words to explain. Words to explain that seeing Bob again did more than ease Matrix.
"Look, I don't need to explain myself to you AndrIA..."
In a way, Matrix almost grew to hate Bob. He had spent most of his life blaming Bob for what had happened. When Matrix saw Bob again after what seemed like a lifetime... Well, things were different. Matrix didn't see the world with the innocence of a pre-pubescent boy, he saw the world with the eyes of a man. And those eyes saw Bob in a way Matrix never saw him as a boy:
He saw eyes that were a light chocolate brown splotched with high lights of a golden honey, eyes that seemed to twinkle no matter how the light hit them.
A gentle face, almost feminine with its thin and curvy lips, framed by thick black and chrome hair that fell neatly to either side without effort.
Bob had a thin build, hardly more than skin and bone yet he still had well defined muscles. Matrix knew from experience Bob was strong, as a boy he had seen Bob pick up a man several times his size and toss him nearly ten feet across a room without much effort at all.
And now, Bob was kissing Matrix.
"You're not in love with me."
"Yes I am AndrIA, I've known you for so long."
"That's not what I meant Matrix."
"What are you talking about then?"
"I can tell you want someone else. You love me alright, but not romantically."
Matrix looked at AndrIA, confusion evident on his face.
"So?"
"You're afraid to admit who you love because you've spent so much time hating him."
Matrix looked away so AndrIA wouldn't see the tears rimming his eyes.
"I don't want to love him."
Somehow, they moved from the couch to Bob's bed. Matrix's head was spinning around the world a thousand miles an hour, how could he be acting so... Adult with a man he'd spent his adolescence hating? The hands and lips of both men roamed the body of the other, feeling and tasting each others skin. Matrix wanted to stop, but he couldn't. The burning need to feel Bob's hands against his skin was too great. Matrix bit his lip, drawing blood.
"Stop."
Bob froze, his hands leaving Matrix instantly.
"I love you."
Bob arched an eyebrow, then recoiled as Matrix's next sentence hit him.
"I can't stand it, you make me sick."
Bob stared, mouth slightly agape at Matrix. Matrix pushed Bob away, maybe a bit rougher than strictly necessary, and got to his feet so he could look down upon Bob.
"I spent my whole life hating you, you ass. It's your fault Mainframe went to shit, it's your fault we trusted Megabyte and look where it got us. And now... God... Now I'm in your fucking bed? How the hell does that work?"
Matrix felt his whole body shaking. He didn't know whether he was going to punch Bob, or just walk out of his house.
"I... Matrix... I..."
Bob weakly stammered a few syllables then was quiet. Matrix sat back down on the bed and rested his head in his hands. Several minutes later, he felt Bob sit beside him and wrap his arms around him, not saying a word. They sat in silence for a long time, until Matrix's weariness got the better of him and he lay down. He laid on his side, back to Bob. Bob pressed himself up against Matrix's side and drapped an arm over him. Without really realizing what he was doing, Matrix found Bob's hand and laced their fingers together. Before drifting completely into the world of sleep, Matrix was vaguely aware of Bob's soft lips lightly grazing his cheek. This action caused Matrix's lips to shape into a slight smile, but he said nothing to Bob.
Okay, this is going to hopefully be a really in-depth story about Bob and Matrix. The desired end result is that they have sex in later chapters, so ergo this story is rated "M" however, I'm more than likely going to chicken out like I did with Twisted Roses (cause remember I mentioned there being rape in it) and have nothing of the sort so "M" just to be safe. There also is going to be a lot of emotional turmoil, possibly some emo behavior. This is different from my normal works, I have no intent of this story having a happy ending. I'm not promising anything, as I mentioned earlier I'm not really comfortable writing graphic yaoi's. Anyway, let me know what you guys think, and if I should continue the story. If you guys like it, maybe I'll add it to the list of stories I need to get finished, also sorry for the mega long chapter. 13.5 kb's on my computer, dang!