Aya: Well, here comes random dark fic that I thought of for no particular reason.  Maybe to balance out with the happy "Wheee!" fic I posted a while ago.  This will be completely in X's point of view, as the dark events pass.  Shounen-ai alert!  Don't read if you don't like boy x boy stuff (although I never see anyone warning about girl x boy stuff. O_o why do I have to warn?)  Violence, crude language, sexual situations (I guess…) General dark fic warning.  Don't read if you're not over 17, okies?

Reader number 1: Yeah yeah, blah blah blah, I'm "over 17", now gimmie the fic!

X: Dark fic? Uh oh.

Zero:  O_o

Aya: One shot short fic, babeh.

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For You

It was only a matter of time, wasn't it?  Zero's gone off the maverick end again, and was busying himself by destroying most of the city surrounding Hunter Headquarters. 

Everyone fell silent when they saw me enter the equipment room, to prepare myself to go fight Zero.  Even Alia, who liked to say words of encouragement to each Hunter before they left, simply looked at me sadly and hugged me…  Douglas simply handed me an energy canister and nodded.  Signas did not bother to brief me.  I'm sure he's in his office right now, considering that in the span of an hour, all of our futures will be drastically different.  It could be that I mange to stop Zero, or maybe I will fail and die in the process.  A lot of us could die…

I loathed fighting.  Tear a limb from me before letting me lose another friend in battle. 

Something had to give. 

While I was calibrating my buster cannon, news returned via a short-breathed rookie dashing into the room that delta squad just got wiped out by Zero.  On cue, everyone stole a hesitant glance at me.

"Don't bother sending in anyone else to fight him."  I said, clutching and relaxing my hand out of anxiety.  "Just rescue the others, and evacuate…  I'm ready."

In the span of 10 minutes I was staring into his eyes.  My mind was a blur as I made my way from the teleport point to Zero's location, images of our times together swirled in my mind.  I had trouble concentrating. When I got there, I found Zero standing still in the center of a shallow crater.  Several Hunter's remains lay on the brim of the crater.  His destructive force never fails to surprise me… 

The icy blue stare he saved for his enemies took my breath.  Intense, burning, blue hatred. 

"Zero."  I whispered.  I took a step forwards.  Zero did not move, but continued to look at me with those piercing eyes.  I try very hard to match his icy stare with my own, but no doubt emotions where pouring out from my eyes at this very moment.  A tear slid down my cheek.

"Have you come to die, X?"  I stop for a moment as you said that, Z saber pointing towards me. 

"No."  I shook my head, and moved closer towards Zero.  The freezing stare continued, but Zero lowered his sword as I got closer.  With my palms open, to show him I hid no weapons in them, I wrapped myself around him, and found myself beginning to shake.  "I want to go with you, Zero."

"What?"  Zero sounded surprised.  I'm surprised.  I made up my mind on the way here.  I would not fight Zero again.  I would not lose him again.  If that meant…  I would lose the world for him… just to be with him.

"I want to go with you, Zero."  I repeated.  "I don't want to lose you again…"  Finally I braved a look into his eyes, and saw something akin to amusement now.  Curiosity danced in the blue, melting away the icy stare that was there before.

"You want to come with me, X?"  Zero brushed my cheek, bringing his face closer towards mine.  My body shook from desperation.  I needed reassurance that I was wanted.  I would give up the world for you, Zero… all you need to do now is to accept my love. 

His lips hovered over mine, and I waited. 

Pain.

Blood spurted from my mouth, and involuntarily I gagged.  Looking first downwards, I saw Zero's Z-saber impaling the unarmored part of my torso.  Dread washed over me.  A part of me hoped that my love for Zero would win him back from the darkness; that I could quench his thirst for blood.

I thought too much of myself, perhaps.

Zero drew his sword back, and immediately I fell backwards, my legs no longer able to support my weight. 

I wanted to die right at that moment.  From the shame.  Zero's eyes lingered over my body, now with some new amusement. 

"X, X, X…"  He straddled over my body, putting one hand over my chest to press me down against the ground.  "Pain amuses me, but nothing pleases me more than to see you in pain."  Something was in his hand.  A shard of scrap metal.  "I think I can thank my creator for that."  I winced as Zero pressed the razor edge of the metal against my throat, drawing more blood.  "Did you know what I enjoy the most about our relationship?"  He paused, actually waiting for me to respond with something.  "Well, when I'm in the middle of fucking your brains out and you're sweating, panting and calling my name…  I can pretend I'm killing you."  Zero's expression flickered with new found joy.  My eyes must have betrayed my pain.  "It's always been like that."  Zero sliced the metal across my throat, and I felt the warm blood running down the sides of my throat.  "And the only reason I come to save you during our little Hunter missions is so I can see you at the brink of death."  He leaned closer, licking some of the blood from my neck.  My mind was numb.

Could I believe this Zero, and all he said?  It made sense, and in some corner of my mind I always wondered about Zero, the spawn from Wily's hope for destruction.  Maybe I have been kidding myself all this time.  Zero didn't really love me.  He just liked to see me in pain.

Zero pulled back, now he watched me intently.  Waiting for me to die, perhaps?  I had nothing to say to him.  Nothing I could do at this point could salvage our friendship or our love.  I simply stared back lazily.  The most pressing thing on my mind right now was how much the blood tickled as it made its way down my neck. 

I felt my helmet slip off, and then saw Zero tossing it aside.  He ran a hand through my hair, stroking it gently, like he was lulling a child to sleep.  His face was expressionless now.  Waiting for my death was all business to him.  I didn't want to show him how much that hurt… but I did anyway.

"Zero!"  I cried, searching one last time for some sign of redemption. 

Nothing.

I would die for you, Zero, if it makes you happy.   I closed my eyes, waiting for the darkness to wash over me.  I could still feel his hand playing with my hair. 

I would die for you, but it burns my soul like nothing else, that you cannot return my love.

It was the end for me.

*END*

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Mob Member 1: …..

Mob Member 2: ….

Mob Member 3: …. WHAT?!!!!!

Aya:  Sorry, I've been playing too much Silent Hill 3.  In some kind of macabre mood, I guess. 

X: But but.. I DIED?!

Vile: Welcome to the club, Bud-D! *lifts hand for High Five*

Zero: Dude…

Aya: Feel free to go crawl into bed and contemplate X and Zero's relationship and/or cry…. Maybe contemplate some kind of blackmail that will make me write the happy, sappy version of this fic where Zero goes: "Oh dear X!  Of course I love you."  And then happy yaoi love making ensues.  For now, sit in darkness.