A.N: Inspired by how the character Zer0's body shape vaguely resembles the Rat bandit enemies that you see in the Fridge and the fact that my co-player in co-op sometimes mistakes Zer0 for an enemy and shoots him. Also going to be adding to the Zaige fics out there!

Also apologies if I make any mistakes relating to Borderlands II facts and especially Gaige's character since I haven't played any DLC's so all my info on her is from the Borderlands Wiki page and stuff. So let me know if I can improve in those areas, thanks.

Warnings for spoilers! Don't read if you haven't finished the game at least in the normal mode just in case.

N.B. In this story Gaige's birthday was recent so she is 19.

Chapter 1:

Zer0 was bored, not as in there was nothing to do because there was always the occasional mission or fulfilling someone's whimsical need. No. This assassin needed a challenge. Ever since the vault hunters had destroyed Handsome Jack and opened the Vault, Zer0 felt somewhat empty. He needed another aim another goal. Besides it would be awhile before any other Vaults had their locations pinpointed.

So off he went to the Highlands on his own whim, hopeful of some satisfaction.

"Assassin's never die." Zer0 growled as his blade slit the throat of an engineer. A EXPloader had sneaked up behind him and was charging a laser shot but the Hunter's digistructed clone had burst into a shocking coronas overwhelming the robot's circuits and causing a sequential larger explosion that blew up the cloaked stalkers too.

"It was a decoy!" shouted some random engineer who turned to run away but didn't go far before a sniper bullet to the head finished him.

"Leaves falling from trees/ Snow drifting on to the ground/ Life leaving your corpse." Zer0 said non nonchalantly as he stood, admiring the wreckage of his handiwork with the scenic backdrop of the highlands.

Pleased that the area was clearer now the assassin whipped his 'Jackobs' sniper away.

"You ASSHOLE Zer0!" Cried a shrill voice! A shock barrel flew in front of his face and before he could get far away enough- it exploded and his shield depleted. Soon there appeared above him, atop a hill, was a very angry Gaige...and her Deathtrap who looked like he was ready to blow the bewildered assassin into bits and bobs.

"Gaige! Oh Little One/ Why are you angry at me?/ What-" Before Zer0 could finish Gaige had fired a flame shot at his shoulder. Alighting him in red fury.

"I feel the burning / Eating through my equipment / Must stop,drop, and roll."

"You moron, you knew I was working on these left over loaders! You just couldn't help yourself could you?!, Oh my poor machines..." Here Gaige unquipped her gun, feeling safe to have Deathtrap aimed at the man (or whatever he is). She dropped down and inspected a damaged HOTloader, she sighed as she saw that there was no way to restore the parts they would have to be recycled, although the process wouldn't be even close to 70% efficient.

"...you knew that Roland...when he was still...well that doesn't matter! He asked me to re-program the loaders. We could use them to our advantage y'know!" At this point Gaige looked up to the injured assassin who had stood there like he didn't just take a bullet from a 19 year old, which pissed her off.

"HEY! Are you even listening!?" Gaige got her gun out again and fired another round, which went straight through him. "Oh great he's run away again! Stupid, cloaking, idiot."

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise. I will do what I can to help you." The real Zer0 said as he reappeared to her side. He had a bunch of robotic metal wires in his hand which were bent into the shapes of flowers. Maya had given Zer0 advice on how to treat a lady that was 'on his radar' so to speak, since he obviously lacked skills in that department and used to have trouble talking to the young teen when they first met.

"These are for you, I was making them before these loaders and engineers- err- distracted me…"

She blushed. She really liked the gift but still wanted Zer0 to pay. So she snatched the metallic flowers and wacked his head with it. Zer0, being as gentlemanly and manly as possible took the hit but it had actually cracked his helmet.

Deathtrap lowered all his weapons and un-digistructed taking the sign that Zer0 = ally again.

"Wow this is actually a good melee weapon, thanks man. Just don't go doing shit like that again, think before you kill something that I might like."

Gaige sighed when she saw the rubble of robots,

"I just wanted to at least finish what Roland asked me to do, it is the least I could do, in memory of him-maybe. I dunno. I just wanted to do something for him."

Zer0 was about to speak before Gaige started chuckling. She turned her face to him again and smiled,

"Although you did a pretty neat job here."

An :D emoticon displayed on Zer0's visor.

"Urgh I shouldn't add to your killing, blood lust ego." Gaige said

"Killing isn't the/ only thing I lust for Gaige/I must have you know" Zer0 replied. Gaige frowned as if to say 'huh?'. Zer0 slowly advanced to her and gently grabbed her shoulder and with his other hand he caressed the back of his gloved hand against her rosy cheeks.

"Zer0?" Gaige asked with a questioning look as the realization of what he actually meant by what he 'lusted' for sunk in. She knew he liked her in some ways and she liked him too in a way. She thought they talked more to each other since they liked more of the same things, he was more protective of her but she just thought that it was because she was the youngest. But hang on he did give her flowers just now…and oh! He did get her that awesome Maiwan for her birthday. Oh dear.

"Its not only that/ But I like you Gaige, very much/ You are my wonder."

Her eyes widened and the heated blood rushing to her face didn't help, she liked what he said and then again she wasn't sure.

When Gaige didn't respond Zer0 worried a moment, he noticed that she was thinking so he thought he had to say more:

"You are beautiful/ I just love the way you are/ You make me feel whole."

All Gaige could think was that this was really cheesy. Or maybe that was just a subconcious protection for her to not interpret his words any other way. She grabbed his hand that touched her cheek and smiled.

"Thank you Zer0," she pecked him on the side of his visor and walked off. Zero expressed an embarrassed emoticon (:$). Sometimes his visor would unknowingly express his emotions since it was linked to his brain functions. But usually he could choose to display them or not. When he was relaxed though, it would automatically display everything, so when he was asleep 'Zzz' would show.

"Huh? I…" Zer0 let her slip from his arms and go. He was a bit dumbfounded. He guessed that he would either get rejected or accepted mostly the former. But not that, whatever that was.

Gaige stopped in her tracks, her back facing him, atop the hill she had shot his decoy from, before she disappeared from his view and said, "I just need some time to think about what you said. But thank you for being so kind to me-"

"I never thought anyone could like someone like me." She quickly said before jumping into her light runner and speeding away.

While Zer0 was standing there, he realised was confronted with the ultimate challenge: 'How to love Gaige the way she wanted or rather, the way she needed.'

Unbeknownst to the young killing machine a Rat priest who had scurried from the Fridge had been inspecting Zer0 ever since he entered the Highlands that day.

"I finally found him! He is the One!" He hissed.