Rain pelted at the window panes lining the loft, it's sill a tiny oasis from the bustling of Skull fortress. A portal to the forbidden desires of its lone occupant. Proto sat staring out onto the western hanger's tarmac longing to go out and fly, but he was trapped. Not by the rain, but by his injuries. It had only been a few weeks since Wily had made the order for Proto to stay locked within Skull Fortress. He never realized how exhausted he was or how much pain he was in, but all of it paled in comparison to the depression.

Proto just couldn't find the energy to leave his loft, he could barely convince himself to leave his bed. The pain of getting up and walking was reason enough, but his wounded pride sealed it. So there he sat looking out at the ever growing storm outside, trying to pick up the pieces of his broken psyche. His tired amber eyes transfixed on the disappearing horizon forcing the lump in his throat into his chest. Pulling the thick throw blanket tighter around himself. The storm outside only aided in the oppressive atmosphere of the dreary loft.

The soft humming warmth of the Fortresses servers gave some comfort to Elec as the rain pelted heavily against the thick glass panes in his office. However it wasn't the security systems or the mirriaded of little coding projects he had on the side. It was the lack of a certain particularly rebellious aeronautical dork, and the sounds of him working on his jets or the Skulker that preoccupied his mind no matter how much he tried otherwise. The void Proto had left in the western hanger was unusually disturbing, so much so that Elec found it somewhat difficult to work. A moment of absence wasn't too bad, he could handle that if not relish it. Then those hours turned to days and those days turned into weeks, something was wrong. This wasn't Proto's usual aloof nature or his laxed attitude at play nor his rebelliousness or pettiness either. This was something that Elec just couldn't've been prepared for, Elec peered into the quiet dark hanger once again. Noticing like all the days before everything was still and untouched. Tools, parts, plans and the like were all where they had been ever since Lotos was defeated. Ever since Proto had come back from California, ever since Proto had been beaten and nearly taken by The Syndicate. It was disturbing to see everything in such disarray, as if the hanger was left in a state of suspended animation. Elec turned from the window and stalked off in search of his missing partner. He had a sneaking suspicion of where he was.

There was a soft rapping on Proto's door, its presence cutting itself into the dark oppressive air. The soft murmurs of something were the only response Elec had, before he took it upon himself to step inside. The sound becoming more obvious and distinct as soon as Elec had opened the door. It was the unmistakable sound of sobbing. Not the quiet kind nor one of great pain as Elec had expected when closing the door. No, this was a deep and heavy crying of someone under immense emotional turmoil. Of someone in the throes of self doubt… of someone drowning in an agonizing sea of internalized trauma and the soul crushing weight of having their pride, of their confidence ripped straight out from under them. Whatever had happened with the syndicate, whatever they did, it had hurt the ball of sniveling blankets before Elec.

That's when a few pieces had clicked together for Elec, sending out the four masters to beat Proto was one thing. Hell they could've killed him or forced him into servitude right then and there. Centum would've had the world's most dangerous robotic criminal the world had ever known at his command, but instead Centum decided that he wasn't going to do that. No instead he'd erase whatever he could of Wily, of his criminal experience, of everything Proto had worked hard to create for himself and leave him at the mercy of his creator . Centum wasn't planning on killing Proto outright, no. It was much worse, devious even.

Inessence, Centum had taken what fragile joy, pride, accomplishment, self that Proto had created and shattered it to dust… And what lay before Elec, was the broken hollowed out remains of a young man whose entire world was destroyed in a single night.

He couldn't stop, he tried but he just couldn't stop himself from crying. He couldn't control the heavy choking feeling in his chest and throat. He wanted to scream but nothing would come out. No words could be formed even when he tried, even when he heard Elec come in he couldn't so much as choke out a single word. Only sobbing.

"How pathetic." Centum had snarled into Proto's inner self as he had been for the past few hours "here you are sobbing and pouting like a toddler and my son has to come and drag you out of your little corner just so you can even be a teeny bit productive. You know my son is far better suited to be Wily's second in command, you should just leave the work to him since he's already here… you're obviously too much like your crea-."

"Hey, I haven't seen you come into the hanger or at all since the whole California trip and Lotos and," Elec stopped for a moment choosing his words wisely. "Anyways is everything okay, you want to talk? Maybe I can snag a couple E-tanks and once the storm passes we go out for a walk in central park. Grab a film or two… I don't know, whatever seems fun to you right now. You- I- I don't want to leave you to feel like you're a prisoner here."

"Oh look you're even being comforted like a child… some second in command you are."

"Elec…"

"Yeah."

"Do, do you think I should quit being… Do you think I'm not… up to par for being a criminal like you or Centum or… do you think you could take over my place in Wily's army? I just…"

"Proto, no. I."

"Do you think I actually earned, let alone deserve my position here? Should I just quit while I'm alive and go back to Light Labs and be an assistant again?" Proto inhaled sharply, doing his best to speak over the overwhelming pressure in his chest.

"Do you think less of me now?."

Elec looked into the broken soul locked behind those amber eyes, how the very sentence spoken between them had sunken in like a large boulder. How those once bright eyes he met all those years ago were now dulled with the weight of each tear. Oh how he just wanted to reach out and erase whatever Centum had done to him. But all Elec could do was sit there and process and calculate what words he could say.

For a moment everything was silent.

For a moment the world collapsed around Proto as all his doubts and self hatred clawed at his mind. Taking Elec's silence as an agreement, a silent pact between Creator and Creation.

"No." Proto looked at Elec, blinking in confusion. " Do you really want to know what I think?" Proto quietly nodded, closing his eyes in anticipation for the final blow to his pride. For Elec to finally get revenge from all those years ago when he had taken him to Wily.

"I think I heard the cries of a certain someone, whose had their ego bruised a little too well. And are now in the depths of a depressive episode and in need of some comfort." Elec reached out gently, wiping a fresh tear that had fallen, caressing Proto's cheek. Having Proto's Amber eyes finally locked onto Elec's electric blue. "I think, someone shouldn't be so harsh on themselves and maybe come and talk about it instead of shutting themselves up in their loft next time. Maybe, if they still want to 'hangout sometime.' we could go grab dinner and maybe a couple snacks and just I don't know, watch one of those weird thriller movies you like so much."

"That… Sounds nice actually, I'd like that a lot. I-I mean that sounds a lot like a date. Are you? I mean if you were I wouldn't say no, I'd just be a little shocked I guess. I just-." Proto blinked the remaining tears away before processing what was said, becoming flustered by where the conversation had headed.

"Hey." Elec spoke in a deep hushed tone, enticing Proto to listen.

"Hm." suddenly Elec kissed between Proto's eyes, eliciting a small gasp.

"I love you, Light." Elec grinned as Proto's face turned a bright shade of pink. The dullness from before escaping him and his amber eyes gained their fiery hue once more.

"I love you too." Elec hadn't expected Proto to return his affections so soon, but didn't complain and was just happy to see everything back as it once was.

Elec looked down at Proto sleeping against his chest, breathing out deep soft breaths as his eyes twitched erratically. They had decided to grab a newly released documentary on the history of military aircraft instead of a thriller. Elec grabbed a charger from his office earlier. The cable was initially meant for when he wanted to work but not necessarily be bound to a charging pod. Thinking that at some point Proto would fall asleep and he didn't want to leave him alone he snagged it and plugged it and himself in. He also wanted to satisfy a bit of curiosity he had, never really knowing what Proto actually did while or even how he'd fall asleep. Halfway through the film he got his wish as Elec felt a warm weight against his shoulder. Looking over he could see Proto slowly blink, lifting his arm Proto curled into the crook of his neck; sighing softly before eventually drifting off. That was about an hour ago, and he had watched as Proto's chest rhythmically rose and fell. Causing his core to slow, his body to relax (even going limp in some places) and finally he rolled onto his stomach burying his face into Elec's chest and letting a long slow breath escape. Elec hummed softly letting a gentle smile rest on his face as he quietly reached for the remote. Before turning off the television and pulling the covers up farther and finally letting himself drift into his own state of rest.

Peacefully listening to the gentle pitter patter of rain against the loft's window.