04

The glass walls cracked. It cracked, cracked, cracked.

But.

It didn't.

SHATTER

Thump.

Zero Two punched the hanging bag again, sweat pouring down her body as a fire raged in her, her fists releasing it all through its punches. Her fists were hammering the punching bag, and her eyes with tight slits of concentration.

Thump.

Focus. One, two. One, two. Feet moving. Always moving. No pauses, no time to recover. Punch. Weave in, shoulder. Punch. Dodge, kick. Jump back, feet moving. Forward punch, feint left. Punch again.

Thump.

Sweat. It was hot, steaming really. She could barely breathe in the heat, but she had to keep going. Another punch, another jump, another hit. Feet back, recover. Punch.

Thump.

Keep on moving. Let her heart control everything. Don't listen to the mind. Follow instinct. She feinted right as she punched it again, shifting her feet. Instinct. Forget the mind. Only instinct. Punch.

Thump.

"Iota."

Thump.

"Iota."

Thump.

"Iota."

Thump

Zero Two finally turned, her body exhausted as she fell back against the wall, drops of sweat falling to the ground. She gave an annoyed glance at the boy who stood at her doorway, an amused smirk on his face.

"What do you want," She snarled, the very presence of the other figure irritating her to no end. He was rather short, having light blond hair accompanied with pale skin. He wore white jeans and a white shirt, and his form was deceptively small. His entire body was a deception really, because in reality, he was a ruthless murderer, capable of incapable feats.

"You've just been in here too long," Alpha smugly said, crossing his arms. The annoying smirk that was plastered across his face was large enough to warrant a punch, but Zero Two decided against it. "Papa was getting worried."

"Shut up," Zero Two sneered, wiping the sweat from her forehead with her palm. "When's the last time Papa's even thought about me?"

"Don't say that!" Alpha mockingly placed his hand over his heart. "He thinks about you every day. You are his only daughter after all."

"Fuck off," She growled, getting angry. She needed to focus on punching. Hitting. Killing Klax. Not talking to annoying little shit stains like this one. She couldn't let her mind run like this.

"Alright," Alpha slowly said, raising his hands in the air as if to surrender. "But, I actually do have purpose coming here. Papa has a mission for you."

Zero Two waited impatiently, tapping her foot against the floor as the silence only extended.

"Well? Are you going to tell me?" Zero Two demanded, her eyes angrily turning to the boy, who gave her a smile in response. She knew he did it to get on her nerves, a nature that Alpha seemingly held only towards her.

"Well now that you asked," He said, that annoying smirk stretching across his face. "As you know, we have a very important weapons shipment incoming that must be protected at all costs. Of course, the Klax have found out, and we have reports of a planned ambush on our transport trucks. We have already diverted the danger and changed the date of transport and placed two dummy trails, along with air dropping the supplies instead."

Why was he taking so damn long to tell her what she needed to do? Just give directions, and she would do it. It wasn't that fucking hard. This smug ass bitch just loved to hear the sound of his own voice, that's what. Zero Two was all about ready to strangle the boy when he finally began to inform her of her mission.

"Papa wants you to find out exactly all they know and kill some Klax while you're at it," Alpha finally finished, before waving her off. "Try not to kill them all, though. You must leave some for us other Nines."

She just ignored him as the boy finally left her to her room. The room in question was quite large, a flat really. Papa spoiled her with it, in hopes of keeping her in line. It was scarcely decorated, just a large bed and various supplies. A punching bag hung from the ceiling, and she had her own bathroom. Of course, given that it was in a large warehouse, it was made mostly of stone, and the ugly dark color wasn't appealing at all.

But it was her own, one of the few things she had really. So she reluctantly cherished it, ignoring the fact that it had been given to her by Papa.

She made her way to her restroom, taking off all her clothes on her way as she turned on the water to its hottest setting.

She got in, reveling in the comfort as the heat splashed against her naked figure, washing the sweat off her. However, this was definitely not good for her either. The reason she had been vigorously attacking her punching bag had been to keep her mind from thinking. It was a successful effort, but when she got into the shower, all she could do was stand and wash.

Which gave her brain the perfect opportunity to think, which was never good. Of course, her mind immediately trailed to the boy that had been plaguing her thoughts for this past week. His black hair that fell messily atop his head, threatening to cover those beautiful icy blue eyes. Her darling.

Or, to be truthful, her fake darling. Her real darling was somewhere out there, and she was sure she would find him eventually. She had to, no matter what. It was her only motivation to stay alive, just for him. So the fact that she was with fake darling was a betrayal of the highest right in her mind.

It was strange, really, the frightening resemblances between the two. She had originally thought her fake darling was her real darling. Of course, if it was her real darling, then he would have remembered her. Then they could leave this shit hole and be happy together, forever.

But no, he hadn't remembered her. So, it wasn't her real darling, despite the striking similarities between the two. The hair wasn't a surprise, as it wasn't rare or anything. But it still captivated her, its messy black that was just an inch too long, but still perfect in her eyes. No, it was those beautiful blue orbs she could stare forever. That icy color that held her very existence, keeping her alive. The gentle way of his words that controlled the wild spirit in her. The care, despite the danger she brought with her. The unconditional love. That was what separated her real darling with everybody.

He was her very lifeline now, so she must remain loyal. That's why the very presence of fake darling was a complete betrayal. He wasn't her real darling, so she couldn't treat him as such.

But her mind found itself reminiscing back to that night exactly one week ago. That night, where she was on the rooftop, all alone. Always alone, she was. She was used to it, and she was ready to remain alone that night. But then he came, right next to her. And those sweet whispers that seemed to tug at her heart, so perfectly caring. She felt normal for once, and the two had connected.

His warm, hot lips that so gently pushed onto hers, so perfectly moving in sync with her that she felt that she was melting into him. So tasty. So fucking tasty. She could feel the taste now as she licked her lips. God, his scent too. So powerful. So alluring. It was like it held her hostage, and those icy eyes that seemed to just understand her, to actually care-

No. Bad bad bad bad bad Zero Two. Don't think of fake darling, he was fake for a reason. No more thinking about him. Must stay loyal, loyal, loyal. Loyal Zero Two.

So she finished washing up, all while doing whatever it took to keep her fake darling off her mind. Her fake darling, with the delicious lips that she just wanted to taste one last time, just grab his innocent self so forcefully while she devoured his taste-

She scowled into the mirror, slapping herself. Keep her mind off him. Just think about killing. Klax killing. She enjoyed Klax killing. After all, Papa said when the Klax were all gone, she was free. She could go find her darling. So to do so, she must kill the Klax. Easy enough.

She grabbed a towel and dried her hair rigorously, leaving her restroom. She laid in her bed, naked, as she sighed in exhaustion. She enjoyed killing, but not always. She wanted to be normal. She wanted to go have fun, be a teenager, go to school. Instead, she was here, and she would never be normal.

But sometimes, she would dream of it. What it would be like to just be a teenage girl, thinking about school, boys, all that stuff. What kind of boys she would like, all the dates she would go on. All the kisses she would steal from those innocent lips of his, the perfectly soft flesh that moved just to perfectly against hers-

She got up, scowling again. She had been in this constant conflict for the past week, unable to do anything but try her best to not think. In doing such, she hadn't seen her fake darling for a week. She thought it would be good for her, to try and forget about him so she could stay with real darling. But it was like her body was an animal, and it yearned for him, his touch, his warmth. His so hot lips that radiated the perfect amount of heat when it touches hers and-

She put on her clothes, slipping into a simple black and red plaid skirt and white shirt, loose jacket tied around her waist. It was a perfect guise really. Innocent, student-like. Attractive. Nobody would expect it. Long black socks that rode up to her thighs finished her look as she strapped her combat knife against her waist, hiding it perfectly. She grabbed the black handbag from her stand, gun inside, loaded.

She was ready.

"I promise, I have no clue about anything," The man pleaded with her as he lay slumped to the floor, his back against the alley wall. His friend laid in a bloody mess next to him, his throat slashed. Annoyingly, the corpse was still gushing with blood.

"Hmm. Really now?" She pondered out loud as she flipped her knife in hand, before jumping forwards and slamming it against his neck, pushing it in just far enough to nick it. Blood trickled down. "Are you sure?"

He stared at her, his eyes panicked, quaking. Zero Two didn't care. She would get the answer out of him, then kill him like his friend. They were just Klax after all.

"Really, there's nothing I know. I'm just a Conrad class grunt, that's all," He pleaded, and Zero Two sighed, nodding in understanding. Unfortunate. She slit his throat, and blood sprayed all throughout, even splashing onto her. She wiped it off quickly, getting up and walking out of the alley. She winced as she nearly fell, latching onto her leg as she balanced herself against the wall.

Stupid fucking Klax. Blood dripped down, staining her leggings as she cursed away those damned fools that had somehow gotten a slice onto her. She rubbed at it haphazardly, biting her tongue in annoyance as she limped away from the scene.

That was the fifth one today. Of course, she could just torture them in hopes that they might give away the answer. But that ruined the fun, plus, this meant more Klax dead. That was always good.

So she continued her hunt, stalking her way through the city as the evening sun watched. It was the slower part of town, meaning that she was mostly the only one walking around. Occasionally she would see others, but she didn't care for them unless they were Klax.

Her mind meandered aimlessly, similar to her body, and she suddenly found herself thinking about Papa, strangely enough. The mission he had given here was strangle unspecific, and she couldn't help but think he must have another reason for sending her out. Papa was like that. After all, she had known him since birth.

He was her father, though she wasn't certain if he was truly her birthfather. The way he treated her, it just seemed unreasonable for that to be so. Of course, Papa wasn't exactly a loving man, so she did admit that she would most likely be treated the same way if she actually was his daughter.

Their strained relationship led to a growing fester of hate towards the gang leader. It shouldn't be so, given that he treated her nicely enough. However, she hated it. The way he controlled everything, the way he thought he could keep her in line with simple gifts like a room.

Yet, even though she found herself yearning the day where she could finally be leave him, she couldn't yet find herself running away. At least, not yet. Papa had given her a promise, one that she was still hesitant to believe in. It was a promise from a while back, a desperate attempt to maintain her presence.

Kill all the Klax, and Zero Two was free. But not only that. Papa would show her where her darling was. Her real darling. Zero Two noted that the second part was most likely a lie, however the hope in her still existed. Papa was a powerful man. Perhaps he was aware of the boy's location?

So she stayed, eagerly killing all the Klax and dutifully doing his missions, all while hoping that one day, she could finally be reunited with her one and only.

Another surge of pain caused her to finally sit down, sliding down the wall as she clutched her leg. If she had just been more cautious, she would be fine, probably on her seventh kill. But the way her mind had been holding her this past week meant she was making mistakes. Fatal mistakes. Had it been gang members more experienced, she figured she might be in a much worse condition.

Another scowl stretched across her face as she looked through her bag, hoping for a bandage or wrap. Instead, she was left with nothing. Of course, her arrogance would eventually lead to this. Her belief in her expertise led her to never carry such things, and now that she actually needed it, she didn't have it.

She was stuck here now. She crossed her arms, annoyed. Since she was just lying there now, she began to think, which was never good. This time, her mind wandered to her fake darling, and his messy black hair and those hypnotizing blue eyes. What was he up to? She hadn't contacted him in a week, ever since their encounter outside the mall.

'Maybe he forgot about her,' Zero Two thought amusedly. Hopefully he did, so they could never meet again. However, her mind protested greatly to that, thinking back to what he had said.

"I'm staying, so you better get used to me."

'If he was so determined on staying, then why hadn't he contacted her,' Zero Two thought crossly, but she already knew the answer. She hadn't really given him a real chance to contact her, given that she didn't even have his phone number or anything. So how would he know how to find her?

Well, if he really wanted to stick around with her, he's going to have to show up for her. Nope. Zero Two wasn't going to him anymore, nope. That's traitorous. Such thought only enforced her position on the ground, other than the fact that her leg was wildly bleeding away.

People occasionally walked by, giving her strange looks, but she paid them no heed. She was used to those kinds of looks, all the way since her childhood. Pointing, laughing behind their hands, whispering. They acted like she couldn't hear, like she couldn't see. It was infuriating, but she learned how to deal with it.

Then the fear that the people showed, dear god. She wasn't sure if she hated it or loved it. They'd think so little of her, until she had them at knifepoint, on the verge of death. Then came the begging, the fear, the recognition of how scary she was. There wasn't any laughing anymore, no strange looks. Only fear. She reveled in it.

Of course, it still annoyed her. The way they feared her like she was some kind of monster. But even Zero Two had to admit that she recognized herself as a monster. With the way she was, could a specimen such as herself even be considered human? Not until she was finally done with all this gang warfare would she finally be released, to try and be human.

That's what scared her, one of the few things that did. Could she even be human? Be normal? She had to, for her darling. She had to so she could be with him. Otherwise, she might as well continue her separation from him.

So even with her desperation for being normal, she was determined to stop any effort to become such. Because that meant weakness, and she couldn't afford that right now. She needed to be hard and steeled. She had to keep up her walls so she could kill the Klax. Then, finally, she would be offered salvation.

So when she heard the footsteps in front of her stop, and a figure stand in front of her, she became immensely irate. Who was this fucker to just look at her so closely, and now he was bending down. Fuck off, as if she needed help. She was always alone, and she was used to it. She was independent. She looked up, trying to fill her eyes with as negativity as possible, in hopes that such an aura would make the person dash away.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck. She had to get away, but she couldn't. She was stuck there, watching helplessly as the person in front of her held her hostage, his icy eyes forcing her to be still.

"Are you okay?" Hiro asked, worry eminent in his voice as he looked at her leg, gently placing his hand against it. "Stupid question, you're clearly not."

Zero Two shot up, standing as her leg screamed in protest. She nearly fell over but balanced herself swiftly against the wall.

"I'm fine, I'm fine. Don't worry about me, I'm fine," She repeated herself multiple times as she limped away, determined to lose him. However, due to the circumstances, Hiro quickly caught her, holding his hand against her shoulder as he steadied her.

His hand was warm. Really warm. Was that normal? Why was he so warm? Was she just really cold, or did he have a fever or something? Why was he so hot? This definitely wasn't healthy. No good if fake darling was sick, nope.

"Zero Two," His voice called out softly to her as his eyes examined down her body, and she could feel her nerves chill up, her synapses freezing over. "What happened?"

"It's nothing. Go away," She seethed, giving him a hard look before averting her eyes from him, unable to genuinely maintain anger towards him just for being worried. If she didn't look at him, he didn't exist. Yeah, that's right. If she couldn't see him, he wasn't really there. With that belief in mind, she tightly shut her eyes. No way would she open them, nope. She was strong. She was loyal. No more fake darling, only real darling.

"I'm serious. Tell me what happened," She heard him repeat again, but to her, he didn't exist anymore. Hiro? Who was that? Fake darling? Who was that? Nope, she had no clue. Just stand still, and he would have no idea she was even there.

A sudden cold feeling caused her to gasp, and she shot her eyes open as she nearly fell from the sensation. She looked down at Hiro, who was kneeling, a wet cloth in hand. An open water bottle was to his side, and she looked at him as he bit his lip, clearly concentrated in wiping her wound cleanly.

It was… cute. He was so undeniably cute like that, his little lip bite as he concentrated, the worry that was so bright in his blue eyes. The way he gently wiped her wound, and the little glances he shot upwards to her, as if to make sure such action was okay.

It was so fucking cute.

And it was so utterly wrong. This was the first time she was under someone else's care. Nobody ever cared for her, never cleaned her wounds for her. It was always her, always alone. She wiped her wounds, alone. She limped, alone. She did everything, alone. So why was fake darling here, thinking he could change up the formula?

He finally finished, blowing gently at the now clean cut as he put the cloth back in his bag, closing the water bottle before shooting Zero Two an uncertain glance, who held a clearly guarded look. Zero Two wasn't sure what to do really. Him even being here wasn't good for her, but the conflict within her found itself siding towards staying.

"Hey, Zero Two. Have you been avoiding me?" Hiro finally asked as the duo uneasily stood with each other, and Zero Two nearly found herself toppling to the floor as she recognized the obvious guard behind his eyes, as if to say "It's okay if you have, I get it. I just would be hurt, that's all.". He was so easy to read. He was so. God. Damn. Innocent. And she found herself loving every fucking second of it.

"Maybe. Why does it matter to you?" Zero Two asked as she gave him a look. If Hiro was going to try and stick around, Zero Two was determined to not make it easy, that was for sure. However, the sad glint in his eyes softened her stance, and she instinctively raised her hand affectionately to his cheek.

His eyes immediately warmed as she held her hand to his cheek, and she loved the way his cheeks reddened almost instantly, his eyes averting from her gaze. He seemed to mumble something, something that Zero Two couldn't hear. She urged him to repeat himself with a "hmm?", and his cheeks seemed to somehow blush even more as he spoke a bit louder.

"I… I just missed you, I guess," He spoke softly as he expressed himself, and his nervous glance towards her warmed Zero Two's heart. "B-b-but that's weird and all, I know. This is like, what, our third time meeting? Not that I'm counting or anything! No, definitely not. I don't know why I even said that to be hon-"

Zero Two shushed him, placing her finger against his lip, which was oh so soft against her. "I missed you too," She echoed him, giving him a smile, their gaze connecting for what seemed like an eternity. Looking at him, everything else seemed to fade away, leaving just him and her. Perhaps this was her real darling? He certainly acted the same, and there were so many things that they shared.

Even if he wasn't, was it so bad to stick around with him? Hiro was nearly identical to the boy she had met oh so long ago. If she just simply replaced him, would it be so bad?

Yes. It would be. She shot down the idea immediately. Maybe Hiro brought out a happiness in her she hadn't felt since that one special night, but that didn't mean he was her actual darling.

"A-Anyways," Hiro coughed as he spoke up again, turning his gaze away, an action that Zero Two hated as she yearned for those blue eyes to look at her own. "You're hurt. Here, my house is close, so I'll just carry you there, alright? I'll clean you up, and you can stay over for the night and stuff."

"You're inviting me over? For the night? You do know the implications of that, right?" Zero Two teased the boy endlessly as he only turned more crimson, and he shook his head vigorously.

"No, not like that! I had no intention, never!" He exclaimed, defending himself profusely to Zero Two's great amusement. "You're just hurt, so I'm offering you a place to rest for the night. I live alone, so you don't have to worry about anything. You can even have my bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

Zero Two loved the way the boy rambled in front of her, and she felt touched the way he worried about her. Still, there was no way she could stay over. She still was determined to stay away from him, in efforts to remain loyal. Though, her strength seemed to be waning the longer she stayed.

"It's fine. I'll be fine," Zero Two promised, dropping her hand back to the side. "I'll manage on my own. I've always been alone."

"Nope. Maybe before, but not anymore," Hiro confidently stated, turning his blue orbs back to her. "You're coming with me, no matter what you say."

"You think you can make me?" Zero Two challenged, amusement clear in her eyes as she raised an eyebrow, smirk stretched across her face. "Don't worry, really. I'll be fine, I've always managed on my own."

They remained like that for a bit, Zero Two determined to stand her ground. As much as she would like to accept the offer, she couldn't. Thus, there was no way she was leaving with him. Plus, he was just a simple high school student. Meaning she had already won this battle. Now, it was just a matter of patience.

She watched as emotions battled in Hiro's eyes, and it was so clear that he was obviously unsure of what to do. The boy began to bite his lip slightly as he contemplated, an action Zero Two appreciated greatly. He really was cute when he became concentrated like that.

His eyes finally settled on Zero Two's lips, much to her confusion. Was there something on her lips? Zero Two wanted desperately to grab a mirror and look, or even to just wipe them with her hand, but she was frozen. Those damned icy eyes, holding her still.

"Zero Two," Hiro slowly said her name, his voice deep, huskier. Was it always like that? Since when was his voice like that? That wasn't normal, right? What was he playing at? Zero Two could only watch as she saw Hiro slowly moved forwards, his eyes stuck on her lips.

"I really," Hiro continued, his voice excruciatingly slow as his movement followed his voice, and Zero Two still found herself unable to move. That voice just completely controlled her, and she was powerless against him.

"Really," Hiro was so close, and she could begin to feel his warmth. His eyes were so concentrated, and she found herself trembling before him. What exactly was he trying to pull here?

"Want," He was right against her now, his arm sneakily finding its way around her to her back. He was so warm, and she wanted to just melt into him. She was like pudding, swaying to his every move, his every word.

"To k-" His breath was right against her lips. He wanted a kiss? He was being so slow; it was killing Zero Two. She just wanted to smash herself against him, to feel those inviting lips move so gently against her own fiery ones. To just have him hold her as they kissed, to rip that innocence away from him, to-

"Carry you," Hiro finally finished, to Zero Two's relief. Wait. Carry her? She suddenly felt her feet being whipped from the ground as Hiro suddenly held her bridal style, removing her from the ground.

"E-Eh?!" Was all Zero Two could say as she was lifted, and Hiro gave her a confident grin, a cheeky one. She could feel her heart fluttering, threatening to fly away as she felt the blood rushing to her face. She had… lost? He began to move as Zero Two still tried to process everything, her face turning bloody crimson. Since when had her darling been so… so…. sexy?

Hiro was carrying her easily when she was finally able to speak, her words sputtering from her mouth.

"Y-Y-You tricked me!" She managed, her face flush as she looked up at the mischievous teen, who offered her an apologetic smile.

"Sorry. Were you looking for… Perhaps…" Hiro drawled out his words as he continued to carry her, and Zero Two found herself quite comfortable in his arms. "A kiss?"

Damn. When had he gotten so good? Zero Two was getting redder by the second. Since when was this allowed? She was supposed to tease him, to make him turn red. This was definitely illegal. Who allowed her darling to get so damn good at this?

"Hmph. Whatever. I'll just take one from you later," Zero Two said nonchalantly as she finally began to collect her own wits. Two can play at this game.

"Nuh uh. Not until we get you patched up right. Then, maybe I'll give you one kiss," Hiro returned, and Zero Two found herself cuddling up against him as he continued to hold her. "Though, I will admit, I do love seeing your face red like that."

Impact. She blushed even more, and she cursed the day that she had ever met this fool. How was she losing to him? She thought she had him wrapped around her very fingers, the way he blushed every time she flirted with him. But now…

"Hmm," Was all Zero Two said as she lifted her finger against her darling's chest, twirling the tip around gently. He was stronger than he seemed, that was for sure. His heart was pulsing. Much faster than a normal rate. Much like hers. And his scent. God, it was so strong. She loved his smell. It was addicting.

"You know, Hiro," She started, purposely lowering her voice in a sultry way, raising her eyes to his innocently. "I never knew you were this… sexy."

Bang. Insta-kill. She could see the blood rise to his face as he sputtered, mumbling nonsense as he purposely looked away, seemingly concentrated on just walking. And just like that, she was back in the game. Another hand rose to trace his vein down his arm, and she was loving the way his muscles rippled at her contact.

"We're here," Hiro finally announced, gently settling her down with an apologetic smile. He held her as he rummaged for his keys, and Zero Two took the time to examine the exterior of his home.

He had said he lived alone, right? It was quite large, much larger than her flat at least. It had a very modern look to it, and had the homey feeling that her own living space was missing. Hiro unlocked the door and helped her in, where the sight surprised her.

It was clean. Very clean. Unlike her own, which was incredibly dirty. She never bothered to clean, as she didn't really care about her living space other than it being hers.

Hiro, on the other hand, seemed to care immensely as the house was spotless. A single step led to a depressed area with a couch and TV, fireplace dead below it. Farther out was a kitchen, modern countertops and cabinets making it up. A set of black half-steps made up his staircase, and his bike laid right against the door, along with a bin full of various things.

It was very nice. Much nicer than her place. Hiro led her to the couch, where he gently sat her, making sure she was completely comfortable before leaving, stating he would be back soon.

She sunk into the couch as she examined the area, very impressed. "I could get used to this" She mused, admiring the setting. It was perfect. She especially loved this little sunken area, with the couch and table, accompanied with a large TV and fireplace. It was perfect to cuddle, and she could imagine herself with her darling, laying on the couch, their hot bodies right on top of each other as she claimed those delicious lips for herself, marking her claim.

"I'm back," Hiro announced, waking Zero Two to reality. He had a bandage wrap in hand along with a gauze, and he sat down next to her. He began to unwrap the gauze as Zero Two watched him, in love with the way he gently did everything.

Slowly wrapping it around her wound, he began to bite his lip slightly again, and Zero Two just wanted to smash herself against those soft bits of flesh that were really just so utterly perfect. Instead, she had to control the flaming beast inside of her that wanted to rampage all over this poor boy.

Ensuring it was tied, he got the bandage wrap after, making sure to tighten it enough to where it would heal, but also to make sure she was comfortable. After finishing with a small pat of reassurance, he got up, and Zero Two shot him an appreciative smile.

He was being so perfect right now, it was blowing Zero Two's mind. He was so caring, so nice, so gentle, so cute, so hot, so everything. It was all qualities that her inner beast devoured, yearning for more. She just wanted to grab his hand and pull him back to her. But a small part in the back of her mind protested. He was also not her real darling.

"Are you hungry or anything? I can order something if you want," Hiro asked, and Zero Two pondered on the question. While yes, she was hungry, it wasn't really for food. Instead it was for the fucking delicious taste of those lips, fuck she wanted them. She was sure just one taste of those things would be able to keep her sustained for her entire lifetime.

"Yeah, just get me whatever, darling," Zero Two finally answered, taking some time to control herself. Zero Two had to be normal. Plus, what was she doing, calling this fake her actual darling? It was her fake darling, not her real darling. Speaking of, was it even okay for her to be here? It was traitorous, right?

But her heart spoke differently. It certainly was okay to be here. She wanted to be here. Plus, the way he smelled, tasted, the way he spoke, his personality. There was no way this wasn't her real darling.

And there she was, back at her original dilemma. She nearly growled out loud as she shook her head, attempting to clear it. It was really getting to her, and it was starting to hurt really, and she just wanted to figure out what to do and she was getting angrier and it was-

"Hey," She heard Hiro speak, and the thoughts erupting in her mind immediately were silenced by his charming voice. "Do you have a phone?"

"Yeah, why?" She asked, already knowing the answer. She just wanted to hear him say it.

"Oh, it's just… Well… I wanted your phone number, so I could contact you easier," The boy admitted, moving his hand through his hair nervously. "B-but, if you don't want it, that's fine too, you know, it's just-"

The sound of her giggling interrupted the boy, and Zero Two loved the warm smile that landed onto his lips.

"Of course, dar-ling~," She drew the last word out as she took out her phone, quickly scrolling to create a new contact. First name: Darling. Put some little heart emojis, and… perfect. She handed him her phone, ready to see his reaction.

His face flushed as he read the contact name, an accusatory glance passing over to her, which Zero Two happily returned with a wide smile. He quickly punched numbers in before passing the phone back, which she ecstatically took, before he pulled his own phone out, passing it over to her.

It was a new contact, blank. Boring. She tapped onto the first name, wondering what she should call herself. She decided to go easy on the boy, who was still flushed, and typed in Darling, this time only with a single heart emoji. She tapped the numbers in, hit save, and returned Hiro's phone.

"So, Zero Two," Hiro began after placing his phone down, and the girl in question turned to look at him. "Want to tell me what actually happened now?"

She paused. After all Hiro had done for her, perhaps he should be given the liberty of knowing what happened. But… She didn't want to scare him away. He did promise he would stick around, but still, Zero Two wasn't sure how truthful that promise was.

"I told you, I kill people. It was one of those times," Her tone was nonchalant as she spoke, however her eyes cautiously watched Hiro, waiting for his reaction. He remained blank, and his eyes looked towards hers, an unrecognizable emotion in them.

She hated this, the way he looked at her like that. This is why she didn't want to tell him, because he wouldn't know what to say. He was scared, and Zero Two realized that the fear she brought in people was no longer something she enjoyed. She hated it. It made her feel inhuman… it made her feel-

"Why'd you kill them?" His voice interrupted her thoughts, and his hand reached out cautiously to touch her, landing in her hair. His touch nearly made her flinch, his fingers gently moving between her strands of hair. She blinked as she realized she had been unknowingly curling up, and his hand guided her down, ending in his lap, where Zero Two looked up at her darling. His blue eyes were warm, and Zero Two, once again, found herself getting lost in it, amongst other things, like the warmness of his lap.

"It was my mission," She found herself murmuring as she shifted in his lap, sinking deeper into him. A serious tone had enveloped the duo's conversation, yet the affectionate handling that Hiro was giving her brought the severity of it down.

"Did you want to kill them?" The question rang out in the air, cautiously, as if testing the waters. Zero Two didn't know. She did on the technicality that killing would lead to her freedom. But she knew that wasn't what Hiro was asking.

"I guess. It's not like they were good people," She muttered, leaning into Hiro's hands which was slowly moving throughout her hair, playing with the strands. It wasn't the best answer, but she truly didn't care for the people she was killing. They were just Klax, after all.

"Would you have killed them if you weren't ordered to?" Hiro threw out another question, one that floated in the air until Zero Two grabbed it, deciding to answer.

"No. I wouldn't have," She finally responded, having thought about it for a bit. "But it's not like I can't do it. I was ordered to."

"Do you hate your gang life?" Another question, accompanied by his curious blue eyes staring down on her. Well, if she were to compare her normal life to what was going on right now, definitely. She could lay here forever, his hands lovingly rubbing her head, an action she didn't know she found so endearing until now.

"Yeah. I do," Her tone was blunt as she spoke, a clear expression of truth. "But there's nothing I can do about it, can I?"

"That's not true. You could always run away with me."

Silence ensued following that statement, and Zero Two paused. She stared up at her darling, who clearly was staring straight forwards in an effort to avoid her eyes.

"You're joking, right?" She asked, disrupting the silence. He shook his head no, and Zero Two softly smiled at the boy before him. "I couldn't do that, especially to you. You have school and-"

"I don't care about school," His voice rang out louder than hers, interrupting her. All she could do was blink as the boy continued. "School doesn't mean anything to me. I'm telling you, we could run away together. I can make it happen, really. Just trust me."

Zero Two sat up, forcing the two to connect eyes. Behind those beautiful hues of blue was a passion, but she could tell it wasn't all about her. There was another reason for his sudden outburst, and she wasn't content just watching it happen.

"Hey," Zero Two said lightly, grabbing his attention as she placed her hand against his chest. "Is something wrong?"

She wanted to comfort him, a foreign feeling to her. She didn't know how. She wasn't good at interacting with other people, but her stomach told her that she needed to comfort him. So she tried her best at it, as she maintained eye contact, trying to send him every ounce of positivity within her. His mouth opened slightly, seemingly hesitant, and Zero Two grabbed his hand, urging him to answer.

"I said I lived alone, right?" Hiro finally croaked, his voice cracking slightly. She enthusiastically nodded, trying to urge him further. "It's because three years ago, my parents died. In a car accident."

Silence. Zero Two didn't know what to do, so she moved her hand to his cheek, letting her warmth spread to him. Perhaps the feeling that Zero Two felt anytime darling touched her was felt both ways.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm sorry," She whispered, her voice carried along by caring tones. However, Hiro shook his head.

"No, it's not that. I've… gotten over the deaths," He said, but the way his voice shook clearly indicated that the opposite was true. "It's the fact that it was a car accident. My parents left that day on a walk. Our one and only car was still in our garage. The report said there were only three people involved, my parents and the other driver. Why were my parents in a car that wasn't theirs?"

Zero Two paused as he rambled, his body trembling. She could see his eyes getting colder, and strangely it was like he was getting colder too, the warmth being sapped away. She leaned into him, taking her arms to hug him, placing her chin right on top of his shoulder, leaving their cheeks to rub.

"I'm sorry, darling. I'm sorry," She whispered against his neck, hoping her warm words might liven him up as she rubbed his back gently.

"That's not all," Hiro finally said, his voice sounding tired. "My father's corpse was missing too. All these questions, but no answers. It's been three years, and nothing. There's something about their deaths, but I just don't know and school certainly isn't helping me figure out."

She lifted her head off of him, looking directly into his eyes. She placed her hands atop his shoulders, and she slowly leaned forward, leaning here forehead atop his. It was an intimate action to her, one only done by her real darling. She had never done it to anyone else, but it felt natural to do so here.

"Hey, I get it now. You want answers. But running away with me won't help you any either," She softly said as their faces laid inches away, so close to contact. "But I will tell you this. We can look for answers, together. I'm here now, okay? So we'll figure this out, together."

His breaths were hot and sporadic, and his eyes expressed gratitude, shining.

"Thanks, Zero Two," His voice still shook, but much less than before. "You're right. I won't run away, not yet. But we'll get you out of your situation too, okay? I'm here too, so we'll solve both of our problems, together."

She offered him a light laugh as she pushed her forehead against his, and she moved her arms to wrap loosely around his neck as she adjusted herself to sit right atop his lap.

"You know, I think I might just like you a lot, dar-ling~," Her voice was sultry, inviting. She figured a change of topic was needed, and she jumped to the one that seemed obvious. Her words whispered right against his lips, and she knew exactly what she was doing with it.

"Hmm, is that so?" His voice matched hers, and she found herself leaning in ever so slightly, so ready to finally reclaim that lost kiss from before. "Because it seems that I might just like you a lot too."

It was a wide-open invitation that Zero Two happily received. His tantalizing lips urged her forwards, and she drew herself in, his hot breaths directly brushing against her rose-pink lips. The beast inside her raged for contact, but she steadied herself, making it agonizingly slow. Hiro's eyes were glued onto her lips, attention that Zero Two craved for. She was so close, their lips began to brush, tingles exploded throughout her, his warm soft flesh so deliciously wanting hers-

The doorbell rang. And with that, the tension, the drive between them shattered as Hiro moved away, his eyes looking anywhere but at her as he immediately flushed, coughing.

"A-hem. The food's here," Hiro murmured as he set Zero Two down, an action which she heavily disagreed with. A scowl stretched across her face as she murmured curses at the delivery boy. Whoever he was, she would make sure his corpse was sprawled right across the door mat of his parents so they could know the horrid creature that they had made. If she weren't injured, that door would already be ripped open, just like that deliverer's heart.

Her darling returned with the pizza boxes, setting them on the countertop before returning to the sofa, where Zero Two still remained, scowling.

He gave her a lopsided smile before extending his hand out to her. "Hungry?"

She hesitated before taking his hand, reluctantly nodding as she let him lift her up. She would make sure to get that kiss, sooner or later. Which meant that she would have to stick around for a while. Maybe she'd stick around for two kisses. Maybe even three. But she found herself happy, much happier than she had been in a long long time. So perhaps it wasn't so bad, hanging out with fake darling.

For once, all the conflict within her seemed to stop, and a resounding agreement was made. She would find her real darling, she would make sure of it. But, for now, it was okay to hang out with fake darling. Just for now though.

The Prince Reveals Himself

Author's Note: Thanks to those that left reviews, I appreciate every word you guys left. I'm glad you guys are enjoying it so far. If you find any errors within my work, please let me know so I can fix it! Otherwise, expect another update soon!