Author's note: Just a little one-shot on how my two ROMAC OCs met.

Disclaimer: The only things I own are Ace (Dylan) and Demo (Alma).

Ace sat with his back to the slowly dying fire he had made just a few hours earlier. The soft glow snaked around him causing his shadow to cascade inhumanly long into the depths of the empty, ruined streets before him.

He dared to give a glance back at the girl sleeping close to the fire, yet far enough away so she wouldn't be lit up like match. A smile spread across his face, hidden behind his mask. Yes he was tired, but the fact that Demo was able to sleep so peacefully made the whole thing worth it.

Demo… He leaned backwards a bit. It was supposed to stand for "demolitioner", which was what he started calling her after he learned about her skills with explosives. It surely had been a surprise.

Back when the two had first met, Ace had assumed she was just a vulnerable girl who needed all the protection she could get. That made him stop. Back when they had first met…

A shadow trudged its way down the darkened city streets, its head darting from side-to-side as it searched for a place to rest. It knew fully well that the city was a dangerous place to be, and it knew even better how much worse it was at night. What with all those monsters and whatnot running about.

The shadow halted as it spotted a light shifting around. Quickly the shadow looked left and right before hesitatingly moving towards the thing producing the strange, moving glow.

As the shadow crept closer its shape morphed into that of a young man. The young man paused catching his breath. Across from him sat a young girl staring at him; her fear was evident in her posture.

Slowly he lifted his hands up and spoke in a thick Irish accent, "It's okay, I'm not gonna hurt ya." He shifted closer to the girl and held out one of his hands to her, "My name's Dylan…What's yours?"

The girl relaxed a little and mumbled, "Alma."

"Alma," Dylan repeated, "That's a nice name, you're American?

Alma nodded in response and reached out to grab Dylan's hand, "Please stay here tonight…"

Dylan stared at Alma and the hand she had used to grab his. It was obvious how she needed someone and he squeezed her hand before sitting down facing away from her. A smile spread under his mask as he felt her lean against his back.

"Don't worry, I'll protect you."