Chapter 7
Zane stops going to Fl4k's room. He spends his days working on STNTL or adjusting his prosthetics. Sometimes he stops by Moxxi's for a beer but prefers to stay in his room.
He knows the other vault hunters can tell something is off, but they don't bring it up. The day after the incident with Fl4k the team had another mission. When they had to split up, he opted to go with Amara. She tried to question him about the hunter but respected him when he said he didn't want to talk about it.
His heart aches. He misses the hunter greatly, but he needs time to heal - time to lick his wounds. Withdrawing is how he protects himself.
Zane sleeps as little as possible. When he does rest, he finds himself waking up covered in sweat.
On the third night of caffeine and no sleep, Zane is repairing STNTL when there is a soft thud at his door. He ignores it, adjusting the work lamp. There's another thud, more insistent this time. He sighs, pulling a sweater over his bare upper body.
He opens the door and Broodless stands there, gently bumping her head into the floor.
"Hi, sweetheart," he bends down to pet her. "What are you doing here?" She clicks and pushes past him into his room. Chuckling, he stands and closes the door.
She follows him closely and settles near his feet when he sits back at his workbench. He adjusts the light again, going back to work on his drone.
"They sent you, didn't they?" Zane runs his fingers over the crown of her head and she clicks happily. "Well, I appreciate the company, sweetheart."
He talks to her while he works. About Fl4k, about how he feels, even though she doesn't understand, it helps him feel better.
Eventually he gives up on working, his hands shaking from excessive caffeine and complete exhaustion. He stretches his arms on the desk and lays his head on them. Almost instantly, he falls into a dreamless sleep.
He wakes up with a grunt, his back complaining. Damn being old.
Broodless is grumbling at the door, bumping her head against it.
"Alright, sweetheart, I'm coming." He crosses the room and opens the door. He inhales sharply, finding himself face to face with Fl4k.
"H-Hey, didn't expect to see you there," Zane leans against the door frame, trying to play it cool. He knows he looks terrible, his hair is a mess, dark circles under his eyes.
Broodless clicks and pushes past her master, making her way back to their room.
"I was looking for her," they watch her go before turning back to him. "May I come in? I'd like to speak with you." He frowns but doesn't have the heart to say no.
"Sure, beastie." He crosses back to his workbench, busying himself with organizing his tools.
Fl4k follows him, watching him carefully.
"So?" Zane asks, not looking up.
For a moment, the hunter is quiet. He looks at them out of the corner of his eye. They shift on their feet, flexing their hand, gaze wandering. They're nervous.
"I've been talking to Ellie and…"
Ah, that's why they seem so nervous. His shoulders go slack but Fl4k doesn't finish their sentence. They just look at him, deep in thought.
"Look, beastie," Zane sets down the wrench he's holding. "It's alright. You don't have to explain anything. Whatever this thing was," he gestures at the space between them. "Don't worry about it. I'll get over it." He smiles at the hunter. "I'm happy for you two. Really."
Their eye flickers and curves into a frown. "You think I'm with her."
Zane stares at them in complete shock. He wonders if maybe, just maybe, he was wrong the whole time. Fl4k's eye gleams and they look like they just unlocked the secrets of the universe.
"She is a friend, nothing more." They take a cautious step towards him. "I've been asking her for advice."
He tries to explain himself, but his ears are burning, heart pounding. He just babbles some incoherent nonsense. His brain is completely exhausted.
"The pack misses you," their voice is sincere. "Forgive me if I did something wrong. We all miss you."
He's relieved at the words but the relief comes with another feeling - an ugly feeling. One that screams skepticism. One that reminds him of every shattered moment in his life, telling him that something good can't be really happening. It doesn't fit. It doesn't make sense. It's a hideous feeling that burrows under his skin. It devours the glimmer of hope blooming in his soul.
Zane shakes his head, crossing his arms tightly. He needs to breathe, to be rational.
Fl4k studies him and takes another step, treading as if they might startle him. He makes no attempt to move away from the hunter.
They gently take his face in their hands. They loom over him and he looks down like a child.
"Overthinking won't help," the hunter whispers, bumping their forehead to his. He inhales sharply, the touch pushing him over the edge. It's too much. It's all too much. The longing in his heart is too painful, it's like he's suffocating.
Fl4k quietly soothes him, cradling his face in their hands as if he's worth protecting. Like he's something pure and unbroken. He scrunches his face, looking down at his prosthetics. He hates being seen like this, so vulnerable. But he just can't seem to hide from the hunter, can he?
"Why?" he wraps a hand around their wrist. "Why would you want this old, broken soul?" His voice is strained and sounds so strange, even to him.
"Snowdrop," they softly caress his cheek. "How could I not?"
Zane blames the lack of sleep for the soft chuckle that escapes his lips. The hunter never fails to surprise him. He knows Fl4k means everything they say, it's one of the many things he loves about them.
He sighs, wrapping his other hand around their other wrist. He's so far gone. Fl4k's eye curls into a smile. Zane returns the look and finally takes a moment to breathe. Just breathe. Slowly, the doubt fades into the background. On instinct, they move closer to each other, coat brushing against his chest. Their gazes meet again and a new question hangs in the air, a new uncertainty. Part of him wants to be selfish, before it's too late. The other part of him is still trying to convince him that it isn't real. He fights it as hard as he can.
Taking a breath, Zane stands on his tip-toes. His lips brush against where the hunter's mouth would be. He freezes, heart pounding. But Fl4k adds pressure. He instantly relaxes, sighing against the warm metal. Even though it's an unfamiliar feeling, he embraces it. Fl4k wraps their arms around him and he wraps his own arms around their wide shoulders, kissing them again.
A small jolt of electricity shocks him and he gasps, jaw going slack. The hunter chuckles.
"Did… Did you just shock me?" he smiles.
"In my defense, I didn't think it would work."
Zane giggles and Fl4k pulls him closer. He rests his head against their chest, taking in the warmth of the touch. It's like a great weight has been lifted.
"You should rest," the hunter looks down at him. They're right. The nap he had when Broodless was in his room was enough to keep him together. And this encounter, as much as he loved the result, drained the last strength had, physically and emotionally.
"Will you stay, beastie?" Zane asks, no longer wanting to be alone.
"Yes." They smile and follow Zane to his bed.
He lays with his back against the wall and chuckles as the hunter squeezes themself into the space.
They squish their bodies together, wrapping their arms around one another. Zane rests his head on their chest, listening to the hum of their inner workings.
Taking a deep breath, he breaks the silence, "they were my family."
The hunter makes a noise, unsure of what Zane is talking about.
"Aliera and Jericho," he breathes again, fighting off panic. "Aliera was my wife, Jericho was our son." His eyes burn, their faces swimming in the darkness.
Fl4k pulls him closer.
"My brother, Captain, wanted me to join his bandit group. But I refused, more than once." His heart clenches in his chest. "One night he showed up with our other brother, Baron, and some thugs. Dragged us out of the house…" he trails off, taking deep breaths. "I was so helpless. I tried to fight, but they held me down." His legs scream, remembering the pain. "Captain loved fire. He'd burn anyone or anything that got in his way." The tears stinging his eyes spill over. "They left me alive as a reminder of what happens to Flynts that don't follow the family. I ran away from Pandora to escape the ghosts of my past. Only to be chased back by the ghosts of the present."
Fl4k doesn't say anything. They just hold him, letting him sob into their coat.
Zane eventually puts himself back together and the two lay there in silence.
"Do you ever sleep, Fl4k?" their name tingling his tongue.
"Bots don't really sleep. But, if you'd like, I can try something similar."
Unsure of what that means, Zane settles into his pillow, watching the hunter.
Slowly, their core becomes quieter and the light behind their eye starts to fade. Zane's heart jumps to his throat, afraid that something is wrong. The hunter must sense the fear because they reach out and touch his face. He relaxes, eyelids feeling like lead. He moves as close to Fl4k as he can get, listening to the quiet humming in their chest. Slowly, he slips into unconsciousness.
There are no nightmares.