"One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important."

-Bertrand Russell

"Netto-kun…"

"Hmm?"

"Don't you think that's enough?"

"Enough of…?"

"You've planned a schedule for yourself until you're thirty. And you never plan ahead" The brunette couldn't suppress the twitch that came with this statement and bit down an angry retort with the sole reason that Blues could appear at any moment and that blowing his cover too early was not a good idea. This was also missing the fact that the beacon e-mail had yet to be sent.

"It's just the truth…" ah, it seemed that Rockman could read him perfectly. Though, it wasn't that hard. "You're usually not this nervous" Now there was an understatement.

"Of course I'm not" he grumbled. "I usually don't have to wait"

"But you've still done it before" continued the blue navi. Netto decided that something was really working against him today. The brunette frowned and leaned up further against the fake converters, as if he was merely getting comfortable. This would have worked on maybe Laika, his papa, or even Meiru if he looked really convincing. However, Rock happened to be in that select group of people (which also included his mama and Enzan), who saw through this for the stalling that it was.

"Like when?" and there was another trick to the delaying business. But instead of calling it, Rock merely ticked the instances off on his fingers. It brought the point across better that way. Netto's frown became decidedly deeper with each new addition, finally dropping to an all out glare when Rockman finished with 'bug-hunting'.

Now that had just been below the belt.

"And so I conclude, that something is wrong" a sage nod accompanied this. Rock must have been nervous too, Netto figured. Because usually there was no need to say things like this. They were acknowledged on a level that didn't justify a description, a way that both new existed but neither could explain.

So Rockman was stalling too.

"Oh I dunno, maybe it's because the vaccine chip doesn't have a hundred percent success rate…" oh, sarcasm. That was new. Rock took a second to digest the tone, before putting on his best skeptic face and keeping his eyes level with Netto's own.

"Why so pessimistic? We've faced worse odds and you were fine" there he went again, the voice of reason in Netto's jumbled train of thought. The brunette vaguely wondered if this was what having an annoying goody-two shoes brother was like.

"Because it was just our skin then…it's Blues's now" A good save if he did say so himself. But, Netto still prepared himself for whatever counter Rock would have. And generally, they were a smidge better than the brunette's own.

"Plus Enzan's" there we go. More backup. And Rock hadn't even had time to think of a way to get around the Blues bit either. The navi's mouth opened to protest, but Netto was on a roll here. "Do you really think that Enzan didn't follow us?" Rock paused and his open mouth twisted into a line.

"Am I right?" he pressed.

"You're going off topic" finally conceded Rockman.

"What was the topic in the first place?" fired back Netto.

"That you were nervous" Crap. He'd forgotten that Rock wasn't him for a moment. Paying attention all the time might not have been Netto's primary skill, but it sure could have been Rock's.

Okay, so something wasn't working against him today. However, several somethings were.

"Okay! I'm nervous! Now what? Are we going to cover whether I'm hungry or tired or need to take a piss? Because you know, I really haven't done that for a while!" That…hadn't come out well. If he hadn't been busy being grouchy with his navi, Netto would've cringed at the tone.

It seemed Rock didn't like it either.

Eyes narrowed and arms crossed. If Rock hadn't been cut off at the waist, Netto imagined that he would have been tapping his foot as well. Body language was great like that. He didn't need anyone to tell him that Rockman was far from happy with the response. Hell, he hadn't technically even needed to look to know what kind of face his navi would give.

Silence.

"Sorry" finally breathed the human of the two. More stalling. The look and the slouch would have been enough on their own. If Rock had been low in processing power or due for a sleep cycle, even the slightly dimmed eyes would've given the apology away.

But to accept it…or not?

Netto understood what he was getting now. It was that 'tell me or I won't forgive you' look. This of course was missing the fact that Rock always forgave him anyway, whether or not the brunette did what he was told. If Netto had been a thinker, he probably would've classified it back with the things that didn't really need words.

But as it was, he wasn't a thinker. He was an actor and a damn thick-headed one at that.

"The dark aura" the boy finally mumbled. "And what happened to Misaki-san" Rock bit back a cringe, instead opting to clench his hands just a little tighter around his arms. Their fight with the older net savor wasn't exactly his favorite memory after all.

"…That still doesn't explain anything" what better way to break the mood than by asking a stupid question? It worked though, Netto's eyes shifted back up from the floor and the curves of his mouth hinted upwards. Mentioning Misaki always made them both uncomfortable anyway…

"I dunno really…" the boy shrugged again and Rock bit back a sigh. It really was depressing to see his operator like this. Netto was the loud one, the bouncy one, the one always ready to go. Seeing him hunched over the PET screen as close as possible -while making the navi feel needed- still gave him the idea that Netto was feeling far from alright.

"Its just…what if its not that easy? What if we're fine and we think that we've helped Blues, but one day, he just snaps! What if the vaccine isn't permanent, or what if it doesn't work? I know that papa already covered it, and we were fine with it but…but…"

"Netto-kun…"

"What happens if Blues can pass it onto us?"

Silence.

If Rockman had been in the real world, a few things would have happened. First, it was merely a standard emotion, one that he had become used to. One that clearly dictated to him to just give Netto a hug and wipe away whatever worries he may have had with a sweep of a hand. He was Rockman. He was capable of that.

But it gave way to indignation. Anger. For a moment, it was far out of place in the AI programs that Rock generally used when dealing with Netto. Yes, they feuded…but at a time like this? Now? Yes, he supposed, now. For a moment, the blue navi felt like roaring, grabbing Netto by the shoulders, shaking some sense into him. Shouting, making sure his point got across, the point that they had strived so hard to make with Blues. They were navi and operator, but they were more. They were one with the power of two. Didn't that mean anything? Why would Netto abandon that ideal logic now? They had proved their bond! Now, when they searched to save another, was not a time to doubt it.

"I don't want something to happen to you. I almost lost you with the dark chip, and I know its really selfish, but I don't want to, I don't want you to-" The anger was pulled back like a dog on a short leash, pulled back and shut away where no one would touch it for a long time. Because, Rock mused, Netto was worried. Humans were allowed to be worried, no matter what bonds they had to back them. No matter how many smiles Netto would plaster on his face, no matter how many times he would groan that he would be okay to a concerned 'well-wisher', Netto was still human, and he was allowed to fear for his life.

Rock didn't feel like being so selfish as to direct all that worry to his own well being.

So the blue navi merely smiled and spoke the words of comfort that his AI allowed. It was far from what he wanted to express. It was far from the job that another human could have done. It was far from the wisdom that Enzan had literally thrown into him. But it was enough. Because Netto was grinning afterward. And Rockman knew that it was his grin, the cocky –but still rather thankful- beam saved for just him.

So, even if Netto was nervous, that grin meant he was ready to take on the world. Or at least Dark Blues.

Because, think about it. Netto is Netto. He's a protagonist, he's confident, he can hold his own, he puts others well-beings above his own, he's a standard shounen-anime main character. But he's still only in fifth grade. And like any other fifth-grader, I think he's prone to minor breakdowns, especially where Rockman is concerned.

Heh, so there's my poor justification for why Netto is so grossly OOC.

Anways, yay for plot being squished into the last few paragraphs! I really need to work on ejecting all this filler from my fics :P So here's my birthday present to myself. Happy 15th myself!