Title: Aptitude

Summary: Gluto hates it. His boss being so oblique to the unconventional, that is. Tetrax/Myaxx

Warning: This here revolves around alien love. That is, this is not for those who think alien of different species being together is sick. If couples of different species bothers you, you should probably go back. Now. Mild, slight cursing, nothing explicit. Fluffy-ish.

A/N: Written for the, imagined by me I'm sure, UST between Tetrax and Myaxx of the movie Ben 10: Secret of the Omnitrix. Unbetaed (any takers?).

How he ended up being the third party, again, is beyond him. In retrospect, he should of have seen it coming, Tetrax was beyond obvious.

This was supposed to be a meeting between comrades, conspirers, allies. All three of them would sit together to mold a plan to take down the newest tyrant aspiring for power.

Somehow it turned to Tetrax and Myaxx speaking palaver. Irritating, old, trite palaver that always starts and ends the same way: an argument.

Gluto makes a sound hoping to catch their attention. No such luck. He nearly slumps into his chair, but decides against it. Last time he did Myaxx didn't notice him in the chair when she hurled it at Tetrax.

"That miniature pest! You'd think after all this time he'd say it once in a while; I am the one doing all the hard work, again. The way he acts, it's as if it'll kill him if he said it.

Has mini-heart attacks just thinking about, but that implies he has a heart.

Annoying know-it-all, with his stupid habit to loop around the subject. You know what he said last time? 'This mess isn't going to clean itself Myaxx. Clean my mess Myaxx! Bring me a sandwich Myaxx!'

Not a lousy sign of gratitude. And he expects me to cook for him? Hah! Biggest mistake he'll make sonofab-"

Myaxx stops her tirade for a second to accept the drink Tetrax hastily offers her, frowns, and continues with more fervor than before, "Thank you. See? It's not hard at all! Bastard."

Tetrax's smile is forced, almost placating, "Better than prison."

"You know, at this point I'd welcomed it."

"It could be arranged."

Gluto almost slaps his face but his training prevents him to go through with the act. Who says that to the alien they're trying to work with? Oh yeah, Tetrax does.

Myaxx sidesteps the insensitive comment gracefully, setting down her drink and patting his partner's armored shoulder.

"Always the joker." she extracts something out of the bag she brought with her, "Anyway, here are the extra schematics. Be careful, these are my lifework, and very dangerous." She stands, "I trust you to bring them back?"

Gluto wondered, judging from the way she said that particular word, if Tetrax understood its depth.

"Will do. Thanks." Tetrax's response is too quick; Gluto takes it as a solid negative.

Still. Myaxx accepts the comment with unreasonable calm. It's…irksome.

"You're welcome." Myaxx says. She gets a strange look on her face. It's satisfaction; Gluto's three eyes flatten when Tetrax smiles gawkily. This, too, is common occurrence now.

It's disgusting. Not to mention dangerous.

They were becoming more and more predictable. She provides the necessary bargaining tools, he the transportation, and Tetrax the muscle. In theory, it's a good partnership. In theory messy feelings weren't involved. In theory, predicting your partner's move would be excellent.

In practice, in practice he's afraid their enemies will start to suspect something. In practicality, they may already suspect.

How can anyone be dangerous and predictable at the same time, is beyond logic. But here they are, living proof of it.

Myaxx's part in the plan is over, and with that she waves a lazy goodbye, and turns to walk towards the exit hatch.

Tetrax looks particularly helpless. Gluto isn't quite sure why, and despite knowing he'll regret it and that he despises the Chimera, he nudges his friend. It's tragic. It prompted his emotionally retarded leader instead.

"Wait Myaxx," he snaps, and Myaxx stops to glance over her shoulder in aggravation, "What now?"

Tetrax, realizing his hand is mid-air, lowers it and straightens up. "Er, could you go over this with me again? The mission needs to go off perfectly."

Myaxx's expression is unreadable from where Gluto sits, but he does catch Tetrax's slip of tongue and the way his shoulders relax tentatively, adds "Please?"

"Are you serious?"

"I don't kid."

"I know, I was teasing Shard."

There is a small pause, followed by an almost apologetic: "Oh."

The chimera laughs mockingly, walks back to the table they had been using for their strategy building; suitably Tetrax moves back to let her by him. This time she doesn't sit across him like is custom, rather to his right, opening the schematics with a flourish of paper. In this case the small change is different and familiar. This too tends to be habitual for them.

Belatedly, Gluto understands Myaxx already figured out Tetrax's weak attempt to keep her around longer. Tetrax doesn't need a second repeat; warriors know they only have one chance to survive, and she's allowing him a second chance that could be disastrous.

The blob wonders if he should save his boss the humiliation.

"Alright, show me what's worrying you." Myaxx commands, Tetrax automatically obeys, and Gluto crosses his tentacles. No, he decides he won't.

Tetrax's a being born from following others. He may have been a mercenary 'working for himself' but he looked to others to tell him what to do.

Steal, destroy, kidnap, and every so often, kill. What was to be gained by doing so?

Structure.

Tetrax was a being to follow orders and be in order. Order gave to structure, structure gave to order. It is an endless circle, if one then the other.

Repeat.

Like their arguments. Old, trite, always reoccurring. It's their version of, of, Gluto shudders just thinking about it-foreplay.

Tetrax followed whoever gave enough then, and now, he followed the annoying she-alien with nearly blind faith. Now she is the one that gives enough. Attention, respect, admiration, irritation, an equal partner. This is also irksome.

It is hard-earned blind faith and trust, sure, and because of this Gluto is forced to step back sometimes. Trust in a team is invaluable, and as much as he hates stepping back on those times, he trusts her too. It's just nearly being assassinated on so many occasions tends to make one slightly bitter and cynical. Being replaced like that, on the other tentacle, offends.

But he's made peace with it, there are roles Myaxx fills he'll never be able to. Besides, he thinks glumly, sometimes the best course of action is to be the Lepidopterran on the wall.

Well, occasionally.

Watching his leader make a fool out himself every time Myaxx was around wasn't what Gluto wanted to do for fun. And so Gluto decides once again, no, he will not help Tetrax this time. They're adults in their own rights, and growing up involved more than being able to throw around petty insults.

There isn't much he could do to help Tetrax anyway. He and Myaxx were meeting each other far more often than usual, and Gluto hates being a buffer to their nearly inevitable fights. It makes him feel ineffective! No one likes that.

Gluto misses Myaxx's comment, but judging from Tetrax's countenance it was a nasty one, so it isn't much to miss. His bosses' nonchalant attitude so far has been bleak.

Gluto sighs, he's not rescuing Tetrax again.

He's been Tetrax's partner for a long while now, and from that he has learned Tetrax was two things: a genius in action, and clumsy outside it.

You think with all the beautiful aliens he's constantly rescuing he'd have more tact around she-aliens.

Tetrax does not.

It eludes all sense of logic. Just like this strange attraction Tetrax has toward the selfish, rude, and obnoxious she-alien. To the point that now they are constantly operating outside logic. Gluto has to admit he's become far, far too comfortable with that concept.

Myaxx, on the other hand, Myaxx has serious boundaries issue. A fact Tetrax doesn't seem to mind much. As long as it is in the privacy of the ship or current hideaway.

The diamond being is simply awful when they're in public, always trying to pry her off surreptitiously- Gluto cringes when a cup flies by his head, makes an outraged complaint, and is nearly impaled by another cup. Gluto sighs again.

This is as discreet as those two can be when they are together. They were so different physically it was garish. She's tall, to his broadness, soft to his sharpness, and combative to his levelheaded nature.

Together they're nearly omnipotent and oppressive. And that's why Myaxx's hands over Tetrax's shoulder, or her hooking her arm through Tetrax is damn near impossible to ignore. Myaxx never seems to mind being pried off, though.

That's mostly because neither have much tact to begin with. Tetrax isn't really as discreet as he liked to believe, and Myaxx has stopped caring about the opinion of the universe in general. It must be her time in prison honing that particular skill.

Gluto upon realizing his glare is rather useless focuses on other things. Like the putrid smell of the food Myaxx brought over, or how alike they were even if they were physically a paradox to each other. That his leader hands are firmly gripped on the chair for all intents and purposes actually paying attention to the female after their mini argument.

Gluto, as pilot, knows better, and so does Myaxx the scientist. They're apt to observation.

"You're nervous." She says, derisively leaning into the petrosapien.

"No." He looks offended, if not uncomfortable.

"Right," Myaxx does a semblance of a saccharine smile, Tetrax's grip tightens enough Gluto can see cracks on the chair appear, "I can accompany you, if you'd like."

"I don't need babysitting."

Myaxx looks sharply at Gluto for a second silently asking what he often wonders too, this is one of the few rare times she acknowledges him outside of official work. He wants to strangle them both. Which would be impossible because they're taller and much sturdier than he is. And he's tried it twice before with minimal results.

No, the captain isn't always this dense. Just when you're around.

Gluto will not betray his leader, though he sorely wants to walk out of the meeting room, but who would be guarding the innocent table and chairs then? Last time he did leave they destroyed a perfectly fine set, and he ain't abandoning this one.

Myaxx huffs understanding Gluto's silence, turning to Tetrax once again, she growls, "Wasn't going to, you lug, I was offering help."

"I'll be fine."

"Fine!"

"Fine."

A beat, "You're an idiot."

Tetrax doesn't have a comment to that, but does glare and point to the paper in front of them. Gluto holds back a scream. Repeat. It's like they're stuck.

"Focus." Tetrax growls. Myaxx doesn't, Gluto mentally sobs.

"Alright, you wanna fight?"

"What?"

"You wanna fight?"

"No!"

"Then what's your problem pointy?"

Tetrax's confused frown turns vicious. "You are."

Myaxx for her part crosses her arms defiantly. "No. I'm 'part of the solution', remember?"

It was true. Tetrax used that little line to get her on their side.

"No." Tetrax tends to be a pathological liar when she's around too. Tetrax's a lot of things when she's around. A lot of frustrating things that the earthling Ben was: clumsy, inarticulate, downright defensive, and foolhardy. And. And very obtuse. So very obtuse.

Myaxx rolls her eyes and waves him off when she hears the response. She like many other normal aliens, hates being pushed around and then ignored, "Whatever, I'm supposed to help Azmuth finish the new project, I'm leaving." Myaxx stands brusquely, looks at Tetrax through slanted eyes, "Unless you need another explanation."

It's an opening. Apologize.

"I no longer need your services." And Tetrax slams it close. Refuse.

"Asshole."

"Yeah, well-" Tetrax seems at a loss, so instead stands up to counter her height. It doesn't quite work, but Gluto now wishes he was in that nice swamp planet they passed a few days ago. "Your food is disgusting!"

The blob slaps his face. His leader isn't always this dense. His. Leader. Isn't. Always. This. Dense. Gluto keeps repeating this to remember it is in fact true.

There is a pause, a long, long pause. A long pause that made far too much noise.

He barely hears Myaxx's low rumble of a sigh, "You are lousy at this." She sits back down as a peace offering, crosses her arms, "What is it?"

"Azmuth." Tetrax mimics the female chimera.

"What about the little grump?" and despite her nonchalant posture, her voice is on edge. Tetrax picks on it too.

"Is he your…" Tetrax looks away uncomfortable and his voice lowers so his question sounds much like a threat would, "Is he your, your, uh mate?"

"What?!" Gluto is surprised to realize he yelled that. How dastardly uncouth asking such questions. Tetrax and Myaxx ignore him, and this time he is very glad about that. But now, now he understands why his leader was so uptight, why he kept needling Myaxx, why he kept his distance, why he was suddenly so awkward around her, and why the he kept glancing towards her nervously. This is past annoying.

He's jealous.

Myaxx's expression is of disgust, but she recovers in anger, "Azmuth isn't, he's a, and I, and, and ew! Why would you even ask such a ridi-" she stops for a second, "Oh. Oh. OH." She laughs then; Tetrax lowers his head a little. Gluto knows he should probably leave now, but stays to watch the two just in case it ends badly. And because he is morbidly curious about just how badly it will end. Jealousy tends to be a violent factor in all manners of relationships, casual or not. He just wishes he wouldn't be in the middle of it. Too messy. He's more of a side-line kind of alien.

"He's my annoying boss, Tetrax."

"Really." He doesn't sound too convinced.

Gluto can literally feel the room's temperature plummet. He can also feel the weight of the female alien's staring at him, asking the same question as before, lsowly turning to his partner's she asks: "Is that what this is about?"

Gluto does sink into his chair this time wishing to blend into it. He thinks of swamps, water, Gwen. Gwen! She's a nice sweet human that always helped, and was amazed and attentive, and not complicated. Gwen was simple. And cute. And no trouble at all!

And this, this is trouble, of the explosive kind, of the kind that almost always ends with him being injured.

"Yes, really. Wha are you…Are you-" she stops sporting a blank face, "Are you jealous Tetrax?" the strange smile is back on the chimera's face.

Gluto wants to disappear. Again. Can't. Again. Thinks of the swamp world, Gwen, separately and then together. Again. They're a nice thought. It doesn't last. Again. Repeat, they keep staying in repeat. It got old really quick.

"What?!" Tetrax's question resonates in the ship; Myaxx doesn't say anything immediately, and Gluto can't remember what it was he wanted to remember about the swamp or Gwen any longer.

A few tense seconds pass, Myaxx's gaze never faltering away from Tetrax's. His leader may be terrible in these situations, but he doesn't back down.

"No, I am not." He finally says, almost meekly. Gluto never said Tetrax was assertive in them.

"Well then, that solves that. I still have to meet Azmuth though."

Tetrax almost snarled at the mention of the name, Gluto knows because he's been around him for a long while and recognizes how Tetrax schools his feature, how he cover his voice. So does Myaxx. But she's meaner than he is and laughs.

"Relax pointy, he's the grumpy grandpapa I never wanted." Tetrax does not. Calmly Myaxx stands, Tetrax follows her movements cautiously, as if waiting for a strike or an insult, or her to leave. She does neither, instead sighs melodramatically.

"But ...since you're so painfully obvious," Myaxx leans across the table, and places her hands on his cheeks, "I like you too, you crystallized oaf."

Then Myaxx kisses Tetrax.

Gluto's isn't the only one that gasps in surprise, but he's sure he's the only one cursing mentally. He wasn't able to close his three eyes quickly enough and now he's scarred for the rest of life!

But then again, he supposes being scarred for life was worth getting to see Tetrax's dumbfounded expression, and Myaxx's genuine, bashful, smile.

Myaxx finally makes it to the exit hatch and leaves without another incident, a smug smile comfortably plastered on her face. The meeting ended more positively than Gluto expected. Nothing was really accomplished, granted, but he still has all his tentacles, and there aren't parts of Tetrax decorating the walls.

Though, after a few seconds pass Tetrax is still frozen on the spot. Annoying. Gluto clears his throat, successfully snapping Tetrax out of the moment. He gives Gluto a smile that was both goofy and overly confident for someone acting like a jealous fool a minute ago, "Who knew?"

Gluto grunts, rolls his eyes and finally exits the room, eternally grateful to still be in one piece.

Despite all of his annoyance and complaints this is an interesting development. Next time Myaxx grabs Tetrax's hand in public, he doesn't pull away. Not too, too quickly that is.

so being stuck on repeat isn't always a bad thing

( who knew?)

A/N: This is a strangely fun pairing to write. Not the most aesthetically pleasing or easiest one to write, but fun nonetheless.

Alien crossbreeding is interesting, and this is my favorite ship in the show. Unfortunately no one else seems like it. Just in case: aliens intermixing romantically in the show: "The Galactic Enforcers", "The Visitor","Big Fat Alien Wedding", "All that Glitters", and the newest episode from Ben10: AF.

Come on fandom, there are more characters outside of the Tennyson family and Kevin. It's a big playground, go wild and climb on the monkey-bars already.

Reviews and criticism both welcomed.