Reno slapped an ice pack over Zero's eye, "You weren't supposed to get hurt."

"I won didn't I?" Zero pouted as he nursed various bruises and abrasions that littered his body.

Reno sighed and continued to look Zero over, "Where does it hurt?"

"Which it Axel? There's tons of them!" Zero stuck his arm out to show off the multiple bruises that purpled him.

Reno rolled his eyes and gripped Zero's arm, "What do you want me to do huh? Kiss it and make it better?" Zero blushed and opened his mouth to comment, but Pence, Olette, and Hayner saved him from replying.

"That was great Zero!" Olette grinned and bounced around him as Hayner and Pence slapped him on the shoulders, not noticing his pained winces.

"Really?" Zero raised the eyebrow that wasn't being held down with an ice pack.

"Yeah!" Hayner ruffled blonde hair and Reno glared at him as Zero winced in pain. He had been whacked around pretty good and had the marks to prove it.

"Be gentle on him kid, he's a bit fragile at the moment." Reno frowned and raised the ice pack to examine Zero's puffy eye.

Hayner rolled his eyes, "Ease up ginger its not like I'm gonna hurt him."

"Ginger?" Reno frowned and pressed the pack back to Zero's eye.

Olette quickly started to drag Hayner away as she scented danger, "Uh, we'll see you two later okay? Congratulations Zero!"

Pence chuckled and started to follow, "I swear they're gonna date someday. He needs watching and she needs someone to watch over."

"More like he needs controlled and she needs someone to control." Zero frowned and pulled the ice pack from Axel's fingers so that he could hold it himself. He couldn't understand why Axel was so worried about his eye, the rest of him hurt much worse, but he didn't really question where the ice pack was placed. He figured Axel probably knew what was best, he hadn't steered him wrong so far. He had gotten hurt fighting in that stupid Struggle match, but he had had more fun than ever. Sure he was bruised and contused, but he didn't really care. He had the strange feeling that he had had worse than just a few scrapes before but he couldn't place the odd sensation.

Pence laughed, "You don't know how right you are!" He ran after the pair who could be heard arguing several feet away.

Reno sighed and continued to look over his injured charge, "Have fun?"

Zero grinned at him, a large bruise on his cheek making the movement awkward, "Definitely!"

Reno grinned back sadly, "Hate to say it kid, but this will probably be the most fun you have for awhile."

"Why Axel?" Zero frowned, wondering if he was in trouble for getting hurt.

Reno sat beside the blonde and threw a gentle arm around his bruised shoulders, "If I don't take you back the Organization'll kill me. Working for the Organization ain't exactly fuzzy bunnies and sunshine Zero. You'll have to work and fight, but not for fun. There's a good chance you'll get hurt much worse than you are now. You were using padded bats and look how messed up you are!"

"Its not that bad Axel." Zero snorted, the feeling that he'd been hurt much worse rising up again.

Reno sighed and rubbed Zero's shoulders in as friendly a gesture as he could, "I hope to Gaia you're right kiddo."

"Who the heck is this Gaia person you keep talking about?" Zero raised his unimpeded eyebrow at him, "You kept telling me to 'hit him for Gaia's sake'. Who's Gaia? Is she a member of the Organization? Will I meet her?"

Reno chuckled sadly, "Gaia is the name of my home world. It's gone."

"Do you miss it?" Zero asked dumbly, wondering just how it felt to lose an entire world full of things you liked. He imagined it wasn't a good feeling.

Reno nodded glumly and then gave Zero a cheery smile, "I've had time to get over it for the most part Zero. How about we grab some more of that ice cream you like and head home?"

"Home?" Zero tested the word on his tongue like it had a flavor he wasn't quite acquainted with.

Reno sighed sadly and pulled Zero to his feet, "You're going to have to think of anywhere the Organization has you live as a home now. They might keep you at Castle Oblivion like me, or they could ship you off to The Castle That Never Was."

"Would they send you with me if I went to that Never Was place?" Zero sounded hopeful as he followed Axel down the narrow street.

"Don't know, we can hope though right?" Reno dug into his pocket and fished out the rest of his munny. "If I get another ice cream and don't like it are you gonna eat it for me?"

Zero licked his lips in anticipation, "Course I will!"

Reno laughed and ruffled blonde spikes as he led Zero towards the store. He hoped the salty-sweet taste of that blue ice cream would grow on him, but really he just wanted an excuse to pamper Zero a little before he would be subject to all the rules of the Organization.

Author's Note: AUGH! I wrote this months ago and forgot to post it! I'm such an idiot! Oh well, you guys are lucky and get a double update today then. Enjoy!