"How's Mitsuru-kun doing?" Kokoro asked as he returned from his trip.

Shaking his head, Goro replied, a grimace forming on his face as he did so.

"That guy has been rambling on and on about Zero Two all day. To be honest, I couldn't catch a word of what he said." Goro grumbled, his frustration at having to put up with their ranting squadmate taking it's toll on his usual relaxed demeanor. "Lets just give Mitsuru his space for now." He finished.

"No way..." She frowned.

Peeking into the sick bay after listening to Goro's report, Zorome scrunched his nose at the soft sobs emitting from behind the occupied bed's drawn curtains as he spoke in disbelief.

"He's been like that ever since we got back. Did piloting with that girl really mess him up that much?" He leered.

Feeling his eyes tick in irritation at the munching noises beside him, Goro snapped at the pudgy Stamen.

"Hey, show some concern! And besides, that's supposed to be Mitsuru's food."

"I am concerned! I just didn't want it to go to waste, that's all!" Futoshi argued his point, not helped by the crumbs of bread still dotted on his cheeks.

Sighing in exasperation as he allowed Futoshi to return to his feasting, Goro's eyes ran over the conspicuous empty gap in the social circle that Squad 13 had formed outside the entrance to the sick bay.

"You still can't reach him?" He asked, eyes flickering to their Squad Leader as she rested herself against a wall, a knee casually lifted.

A shake of her head was the only reply he received as Ichigo continued tapping away at her communicator.

"We all received the mail, right? The one from Ichigo telling us to gather for a visit to the sick bays." Miku cut in from the sides, annoyance displayed on her face at what she perceived as his truancy.

Raising his hands into a placating gesture, Goro attempted to calm the fuming Pistil.

"Hiro mentioned that he was going for a round in the training units. He might have lost track of time, you know how he gets when he practices."

"That's right."

A clicking sound interrupted them as Ichigo snapped her communicator shut, joining the conversation.

"Our suits don't include pockets, so it's a possibility that Hiro left his communicator in the locker room."

Spinning on her heels, twintails bouncing in the air as she did so, Miku jabbed a finger towards her.

"Oh, is that so? Why am I not surprised that when it comes to Hiro, you're the first one to step to his defence?" She snapped.

Goro glanced towards Ikuno at the sparks forming between Miku and Ichigo, their friendship already considered rocky at the best of times. Ikuno merely spared him a glance and shrugged her shoulders.

"In any case, Hiro isn't officially part of Squad 13 yet. His absence is regrettable but Hiro wasn't obliged to come." Ichigo stated.

Miku narrowed her eyes at the sound of that.

"That's just a technicality and you know it. Right now, you're just abusing your position as Team Leader to favor him."

Nails leaving marks on her skin, Ichigo spoke through gritted teeth.

"I'm not favoring him."

"Then tell him off for skipping! Lecture him!" Miku dared.

Giving Ikuno a look as he silently expressed his discomfort at their rising voices, she merely tilted her head and shrugged once more. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Goro sighed again. Miku and Ichigo barely got along on the best of days, but after the mock battle, it seemed things might have gotten a little more heated between them.

Well, it's best to let the girls air out their feelings, I guess.

"I will. In private." Ichigo flatly stated.

Miku let out a sharp, short laugh at that.

"In private, she says. If it were anyone else we would be getting dressed down in front of everyone. So, one rulebook for Hiro, another for us?" She scoffed.

"It's not like that! He's been feeling down ever since Naomi left us. Making an example of him is just going to backfire and make him feel even worse. That's my judgement as Team Leader." Ichigo snapped, emphasizing on her authority.

"And I'm sure him being your childhood friend doesn't play a part in it." Miku sarcastically called out.

Elbowing Zorome, Goro motioned him towards the commotion. Receiving a quick nod from the shorter boy, the Stamens made to move on their partners.

"You've said enough, Ichigo. We all trust you as our leader." Clapping a hand on her shoulders, Goro spoke.

"Hey, Miku! Come on, it's not worth it. Lets ditch!" Zorome pleaded as he tugged at her arm.

Giving a quick appreciative nod to the shorter boy and receiving one in return, Goro grunted as he turned Ichigo away from the fuming Pistil.

Pushing up the bridge of his spectacles, Goro frowned to himself.

Dammit Hiro, just where in the world are you?

"Nnngh... Harder, Darling..."

When he told himself that he'd wanted to understand Zero Two more, Hiro never could have imagined this happening, not even in a million years. Freezing in place like a deer caught in the headlights, Hiro couldn't do anything but cast a wide-eyed stare in the distance as his brain struggled to reboot itself.

"Haaaa... Give it to me..."

Soft, watery moans released themselves behind him as Hiro found himself caged by the surprisingly strong grip of the arms looped around his tummy. At some point of time, it seemed that Zero Two had fallen asleep with him, considering their current position where they laid on their sides on the forest floor.

Every now and then, the grip on his tummy that served as his jail would tighten as she shifted in place, Zero Two grinding her body against him in all the right ways. Loud exhales came forth, along with the sound of sleepy groans accompanied by wet popping noises as her tongue clucked in her mouth, lips parting and closing in succession as she did so.

Burying her face into the nape of his neck, the patch of skin there rapidly heating up and staying warm from the breaths she exhaled upon it, Zero Two snoozed away in blissful ignorance.

"Mmm... That's the spot, so goooood..."

Well, if one were to be clinical, Hiro noted as the heat in his face threatened to make him pass out, technically he had learnt something new about Zero Two from the experience of being her living pillow.

Because apparently, Zero Two sleep-talked.

So... That meant he understood her better now...?

Hiro blinked at that train of extremely warped logic which crossed his mind.

Feeling his communicator vibrate in his uniform's pockets, Hiro winced at the annoyed hiss behind him as his captor stirred.

"Turn it off."

Swallowing nervously at the sound of her tone, Hiro fished the communicator out of his pocket. Hurriedly flipping it open, his eyes widened at the plethora of missed texts he faced.

All from an extremely furious childhood friend.

"Crap! The time...!" He panicked.

Placing his hands over the interlocked fingers right at his waist, Hiro gave out a gasp as he felt her manicured nails dig harshly into his skin through his uniform, threatening to leave red marks.

"It's bad manners to immediately ditch a girl after sleeping with her, darling." Zero Two purred, the sound making the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

Panic filling his voice, Hiro quickly refuted her.

"That's not it! I was supposed to go visit Mitsuru at the sick bay along with the rest of Squad 13! Ichigo's mad at me for skipping and-!"

Hiro let out a cry of pain as her fingernails dug into his flesh, hissing out a drawn out breath as he did so. Sweet honey entered his ears, it's sugary tone chilling him to the bone from the contrast of it's gentle sweetness to the dangerous undertone it carried.

"That's even worse. Sleeping with a girl only to rush off to meet another." She cooed as a hand came up to play with his raven locks, fingers twirling them. "My my, cheating on me already? Am I not good enough to satisfy you?"

Gasping out, Hiro told her the truth.

"Zero Two is the only one I want to pilot with."

Giving a couple of quick, affectionate pats on the spot her nails had dug into him, Zero Two released her hold on him.

"Nice save." She smirked.

At the sound of her usual tease, Hiro let out the breath he was holding, the tension leaving his body.

Dusting herself off as she rose from their previous spooning position, Zero Two locked her eyes on him as Hiro made to rise as well.

"Don't move." She ordered.

Blinking to himself at the sudden intensity that she had injected into her demand, Hiro froze in place as he complied, his hands on his knees as he knelt with his legs under him.

Turning herself away such that her back faced him, Zero Two's hands roamed over her red uniform as she patted herself down. With a keen eye, Hiro noted how her hands paid extra attention and lingered over the buttons of her uniform top and the zipper that held her skirt in place. With a frown on her face and her eyebrows furrowed, Zero Two muttered to herself.

"Everything's still in place, I guess..."

Spinning around to face him, Zero Two beamed as she extended a hand towards him. She had a reason to grin after her inspection, of course.

After all, she was saving herself for her True Darling.

But still, Zero Two mused, she wanted to know the reason for his lack of... activity towards her whilst they were asleep.

If it was because of APE's standard Parasite education lacking any coverage regarding boy-girl sexuality, she would let him off the hook.

But if he was afraid of her or found her hybrid nature unattractive, then she would know for sure, that this maybe-darling was nothing more than a fraud.

"Seems like darling is a true gentleman after all!" She winked.

Still in a daze from the rapid emotional switch states that Zero Two displayed towards him, Hiro mutely nodded as he took her hand. A sharp tug lifted him towards her where Hiro found himself once more pushed up against a tree trunk.

"Zero Two... You're being a little rougher than usual today-" His complaining was cut off by her lowered voice, the one that flashed danger signs and made his body snap to attention in survival mode.

"Or were you too afraid to touch me?" Zero Two accused, her hands on each side of his face as she utilized the height advantage between them to dominate him whenever they were in close proximity. Bending her head at a downwards angle such that her horns were front and center to his gaze, she awaited his reply.

Panting out from the intensity of their interactions, Hiro steadied his speeding heart as he recognized her intent.

She was testing him.

For once, Hiro understood the reason for her current actions. After all, he had rejected her once, at the mine battle. He couldn't blame Zero Two for her insecurity towards him, it was his lack of resolve that led to their current state.

Placing his hands on her horns and caressing them, Zero Two's body shivering from the pleasurable sensation, Hiro declared towards the horned girl.

"I'm not afraid, I'm not scared and your horns don't repulse me."

A quick sting of pain flashed through his hands as Zero Two batted them away, snapping at him as she did so, her breathing harsh.

"So what!? You just show interest in me because I'm like a circus freak that parades herself-!"

Gripping her wrists with as much force as he could muster, Hiro cut off her angry tirade.

"No! You're wrong, Zero Two!"

Struggling against his grip, Zero Two screamed.

"Let me go!"

Refusing to give ground, Hiro clung on. Deep down, something within him understood that this was a critical juncture between them, and that if Zero Two had really wanted him off, she would have tossed him through a set of trees by now.

It was just another set of walls that Zero Two was throwing between them.

"Even if everyone in the world thinks of you as a monster, I won't!"

Mitsuru was injured because of his cowardice. Zero Two was suffering because of his lack of resolve.

"Shut up! Let me go or I'll seriously hurt you! I mean it, Darling!"

He failed her once at the mine.

"To me, Zero Two is the most human person I know!"

He would not fail her again.

"I said shut up, dammit! You're pissing me off!"

Surging forth with inhuman strength, her hands broke free, Zero Two finally deciding to stop playing around. Sharp, manicured nails glinted dangerously as their owner swiped at him, promising pain and injury as it sung through the air.

Dropping his hands to his sides, Hiro faced her and steeled himself, his eyes fixing themselves on her shining red ones, refusing to budge a single inch.

The clawed hand came to a screeching stop just millimeters away from his eyes, the force of the sudden stop sending currents of air to tickle at his eyeballs.

Harshly panting out, Zero Two snarled at him.

"Why didn't you dodge!?" She snapped. "Are you insane!? You could have gotten seriously hurt!"

Clasping their hands together, Hiro straightened the clawed form her hands had taken as he intertwined them.

"Because even during all of that, you still called me 'Darling'."

Her red eyes shone with welling tears as he continued, Hiro refusing to disengage their gaze.

"That day, at the lake, you told me that yourself. That 'Darling' is someone very important to you. I don't believe for even a single moment that Zero Two is the type of person that would hurt someone dear to her."

"You don't... You don't know anything about me!" Her voice cracking, Zero Two furiously shook her head as she rejected him. "Don't get cocky just because you're fine after a single ride with me! When the time comes, I'll consume you too!"

Squeezing at their clasped hands, Hiro tugged at her, Zero Two's feet shuffling herself closer towards him until their chests touched. With her face half-turned away, Zero Two continued to watch him from the corners of her eyes as he spoke.

"Before you came to Plantation 13, I was brooding and living my days in a daze. Unsure of my purpose, pretending that it was to pilot Franxx and to protect Papa along with all the adults in the Plantation."

With a pitched breath, Hiro confessed his most disgusting secrets towards her.

"I hid away from everyone and locked myself in a training unit when it turned out I wasn't able to pilot. At that time, I didn't want to admit to myself that maybe the reason I ran so hard in a Training Franxx was because I wanted an escape from my sorry state."

Pausing to take a breath, Hiro pushed onwards, bringing the most shameful moments of his life to light.

"But you were different! During the time when you took an interest in me, I was uplifted from my moping. You blew away the black clouds that surrounded me! You were confident, held your head high, and I found it amazing that you could be so carefree! With you, I felt I could finally fly!"

Following the directions his hammering heart were providing him with, Hiro confessed, recalling the last time when he had rejected it.

"Partner Killer or third ride or whatever nonsense rumors that surround you, I don't care about that at all!" his voice raising from the emotions he was feeling, Hiro continued, pouring all of his sincerity into their linked hands as he confessed.

"I just want to ride with you Zero Two, only you."

When Mitsuru had taken Zero Two away from him, right from under his nose. His stomach turning at the memory, Hiro forced it to the back of his mind as he continued.

"I won't pretend that I'll understand everything about you, and I probably never will. But, I want to try and get to know you better. So please, let's speak our minds with each other, okay?"

Zero Two turned to finally face him, her breathing labored as her hands shook, gripping his hands so tightly that both of their knuckles were flushed white.

"Just... Just who are you?" Her voice shaking, she asked, eyes wide and fearful.

Flashing her his best smile, he answered.

"Right now, I'm just your Darling. Nothing more, nothing less."

Hiro ignored the protesting complaints of his back as he felt himself being peeled off the tree trunk, her warm embrace worth every second of sacrifice that he had to endure on that uncomfortable bark.

Feeling the ticklish sensation of her hands stroking the length of his back, Hiro's ears perked at the soft, quiet voice that murmured towards him.

"Does it hurt?"

Awkwardly scratching at his cheek at the sudden transition, Hiro shook his head.

"Pain isn't the correct term... It's more like 'uncomfortable'. Tree bark isn't exactly the softest material, you know."

Tilting her head sideways, Zero Two fluttered her eyelashes at him innocently.

"So you wouldn't mind if it was a bed instead?" Biting her lip for extra effect, she pouted.

Wincing to himself, Hiro pointed out the flaw in her cutesy act.

"Zero Two, your eyes are still red."

Dropping the pout from her face to replace it a slowly spreading grin that lacked gentleness, she murmured.

"Yes, yes I guess they are."

Clearing his throat as he tried his best to ignore how her hand had begun to stroke his thigh in long, drawn out motions that ended with her fingernails slowly scraping against the fabric of his uniform trousers, Hiro spoke, his voice loaded with forced casualness.

"Why do they get like that, by the way?" He asked.

Humming to herself, with the same slightly dangerous smile crossing her face, Zero Two replied in a tone that sent tingles of dangerous anticipation trickling down his spine.

"It gets like that when I'm angry."

"Are you still angr-"

Baring her canines, Zero Two flashed a feral grin at him as the arms she had around him tightened none too gently.

"Or hungry."

"But we just had lunch... Oh."

Finally realizing her intentions, Hiro uttered out loud, feeling like a complete fool.

Feeling her hot breath tickle against the crook of his neck as she exhaled, Hiro squeezed his eyes shut as his cheeks lit up in flames.

"Thank you for the meal."

Zero Two stared outside at the ubiquitous yellow lighting that covered the City, doing her best to zone out the droning lecture she was receiving from the Plantation's commanders.

"-must be eliminated."

Blah blah blah listen to our orders. Blah blah blah stay away from weaklings.

"-Doesn't mean you get free rein."

Blah blah blah or else we'll send you back to the front lines. Blah blah blah The Nines.

"-That much power to deal with mere Conrad-classes."

Nope. But that cocky little jerk needed to be taught a lesson. Only darling could tame her, no one else.

"-Nearly lost one of our squad."

That useless fodder? Just another piece of trash to toss out into the piling garbage dump outside of Strelizia's cockpit. Now darling on the other hand...

He moaned so nicely. Darling looked so cute fluttering his eyes with his cheeks dusted in pink. He resisted at the start, of course. He always did, which made it even more delightful whenever he gave in and started crying out her name in pleasure-

"Are you listening to me?"

Knocking sounds jerked Zero Two back to reality from her delicious fantasies as Nana rapped her knuckles against the glass panels of the elevator they were in.

Giving out a loud, exaggerated sigh that made Nana's cheeks twitch in annoyance, Zero Two drawled.

"I wanna leave. I feel like I'm gonna suffocate in here."

Placing her balled fists onto her hips in frustration, Nana narrowed her eyes at her rebellious reply.

"Why you..."

"As long as I have my darling, I don't care about this place." Zero Two cut her off as she bluntly stated. "And the rest are sure to die soon, anyway."

"Zero Two." Nana snapped at her as she continued. "Those children are your fellow Franxx pilots, even if you do belong to different units."

Snide snickering came forth from Zero Two as she rebutted her.

"Fellow pilots? Are you serious? Those weaklings are only a nuisance, no matter how many they are."

A stern voice cut in from the sides, Zero Two's eyes narrowing at the sound of his voice. This one was particularly unimpressive, he had all the personality of a potted plant. Zero Two made a bet that he probably wouldn't make a sound when it was his time to die.

At least that fodder she just destroyed in her previous ride screamed beautifully.

"They may be an irregular squad, but they're Parasites who were carefully chosen for their high aptitude."

The snickering became a full blown chuckle.

"High aptitude... Really? The only thing these fodders seem to be good for is cluttering up the body disposal services." Zero Two sneered as she continued. "How's that one doing, by the way? Is he dead yet?"

Baring her canines, Zero Two grinned.

"I enjoyed every second crushing him."

Her ire increasing at such a display of shameless audacity, Nana snapped at her once more, her voice rising.

"Mitsuru will make a full recovery, given enough time. But you will not approach him ever again." She ordered.

"Don't worry, I'm not interested." Zero Two spat.

"That goes for Code 016 as well. It's highly unlikely that he'll be given permission to pilot Strelizia."

Sounds of groaning metal rang out as Zero Two hopped off the handlebar she was sitting on, the silver-colored steel twisted into an ugly mess.

"What the hell? Don't go deciding things for me!" She snarled, fury awash on her face.

Was this a sick joke!? Did Fate really have it in for her? After introducing her to this maybe-darling that just blew past every wall she threw up between them, and now they wanted her to ditch him?

At least wait until his third ride! If maybe-darling dropped dead, then obviously he wasn't her True Darling.

"It's been decided by headquarters. You'll be returning to the front lines."

"What about my darling?"

Lines of red began to form on her palms as she heard Nana's answer.

"We cannot risk losing the Special Specimen to your curse." Nana spoke as she shook her head.

Hissing sounds made itself known through clenched teeth, Zero Two's breathing becoming labored as she fumed.

"You will give him to me. Darling belongs to me and me alone."

Doing her best to burn a hole through Nana's skull, Zero Two glared.

"He. Is. Mine."

"Hiro, belongs to APE and Papa. As do all other Parasites. If you ever forget that and start thinking about pulling your usual stunts, we might need the tranquilizer gun again to help you remember." Her face etched in stone, Nana continued. "Not to mention the amount of trouble you'll cause for him if you drag him down with you."

With a frown on her face, Zero Two chewed on her fingernails as she looked away, turning her attentions towards the irritatingly bright City.

All she wanted was... a little bit more time to confirm her suspicions.

Was it too much to ask?

Sheepishly tugging at his collar, Hiro fidgeted in place as he fretted about the purple bruise on his neck peeking out from his uniform top. Warmth began to flush against his cheeks as he recalled how Zero Two had handled him in the forest. Hopefully the mark she had left on him didn't show, he had already tugged his collar as far up as he could.

With nothing else to do but wait for his deserved lecture, Hiro slouched against the wall of the courtyard, his eyes idyllically following the ball game between Zorome and Futoshi.

"Mitsuru's fine, by the way."

A familiar voice from besides him caused him to turn towards her, where Hiro winced at the glare coming from her forest green eyes.

"Thanks for asking."

Making a frown of discomfort, Hiro shifted in place as he apologized.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't be there."

Sighing at his reply, Ichigo began her interrogation, her voice shifting into 'Team Leader' mode.

"Where were you, Hiro?"

"I was..." He started.

Sleeping with Zero Two.

"You were...?" Ichigo leaned forward as she repeated herself after him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Embracing her in my arms as she made me cry out her name, her long hair tickling my nose.

Clearing his throat, Hiro fixed his gaze on her questioning emerald green eyes as he spoke, hoping his voice did not falter in the process.

"I was in the training units. I'd left my communicator in the lockers and I lost track of the time."

Silent tension filled the air as his voice fell away. For some reason, after he had finished giving his excuse, Ichigo's gaze had shifted to look at something off-center from his face.

Her emerald green eyes had a strange, indescribable quality to them.

It contained a look which made Hiro pause, a creeping sense of unease crawling on his skin.

As if her brain was putting something together and waiting for it to click.

Distantly, warning bells began to ring in his mind.

With a heavy, painful gulp, Hiro forced his eyes to follow her as Ichigo reached for something on his shoulders.

A slight rustling sound came forth as fabric shifted beneath her fingers.

Drawing back her arm, Ichigo twirled the single strand of pink between her fingers, her head cocking in slow motion as the gears in her brain clicked.

In a slight, mocking tone, she smiled at him.

"Good work."

Next chapter preview: SECOND CHANCE

"Hiro lied to us."

"You saw what she did to Mitsuru."

"Monster...? Different...? Calling her different was what made her this way in the first place! If anything, people like you are the ones who're responsible for her broken outlook on life!"

"This is the end of the road for us."

"I tried my best."

"I know you did."

"Bye bye, Darling."