Author's Note: Well, I'm a sucker for all types of animation, even cartoons. I'm currently addicted to The Zeta Project, a series airing on Kids' WB, and I found myself writing this fic after seeing a certain episode—Westbound, to be exact. This fic is pointless Ro and Zeta cheese, but it was fun to write, and it left me with a nice fuzzy feeling. But I'm babbling. Read and review, please. Oh, and the first part is from Zee's POV, the second part is from Ro's, and the end is in third person. Weird, I know.
Hug
By Faria
I believe I am getting better at sensing human emotions.
Ro's, as well.
And it seems to me that she has not been in the best of moods. Not today. Her mouth has remained constantly turned down, and her eyes seem glaring and angry. Signs of unhappiness.
I don't like it when Ro is unhappy.
However, I am unable to do anything about her mood at the present time, for one reason.
She refuses to tell me what is wrong.
Every time I ask her, she says that she is fine, and puts on a smile. That throws me off a little—or it did, at first. But after getting the same response several times, I am quite certain that she is not okay. That smile doesn't reach her eyes.
I feel I need to do something for her, to cheer her up, but I don't know what. I offered to take her shopping earlier, but she didn't want to. That, more than anything, makes me uneasy. Ro always loves to shop.
On the other side of things…it seems we have succeeded in escaping Bennett, for the moment. There has been no sign of him or his officers for many days. Which is why I felt it was safe—enough, at least, for Ro to leave the hotel room without me. She will only be gone a little while, I am certain. And while she is away, I can continue trying to think of a way to make her happy again.
I walk over to the little window, looking out to the streets below, and I notice two people walking together—a "couple", I believe the word is. These two are obviously very close—I wonder if they have known each other for a long time. Certainly not as long as Ro and I.
When the two reach the end of the street, the boy looks at the girl for a moment, then wraps his arms around her and holds her for a second. When he pulls away, I notice she is smiling.
Hmmm…perhaps that is what Ro needs. A sign of friendship? That might make her feel better. She should know how I value her friendship, but if she doesn't…well, it seemed to work for those two. It's worth it, to make Ro happy again.
I'll feel better, myself, when her smile is back.
*
He just doesn't get it. And I guess I can't blame him—Zee's not exactly your average person, you know? Not even your average synthoid. So I'm not surprised that he let me go. But it still makes me angry.
I wanted to stay.
Lately it's been bothering me—all this running, working towards some goal that neither of us can really see. Looking over our shoulders every second to make sure we won't be caught in the next. And maybe Zee can take it, maybe he's all right with everything, but he's not like me. As much as it pains me to admit it, he's not human.
Unfortunately.
I was testing him, I guess. The longer we stay together, the more I wonder what he really thinks of me. I tell myself he needs me—I'm needing the reassurance more and more as time goes on—but I can't help feeling that I'm becoming a burden to him. A setback. Extra baggage, you know?
That's why I decided to go out. Well, that's why I asked him, anyway. I wasn't really planning on going anywhere, but I needed to see what he would do. I was expecting him to come with me.
I was hoping he would.
He didn't.
The people, the hovercars, the buildings…I can't see them anymore. They've melded together, a bright technicolor blur, with me as the dark center. I pause for a second, turning my eyes to a scene that has caught my attention. A boy and a girl, about my age, probably a couple, walking down the street, oblivious to the outside world. He's walking her home, I guess, because they stop in front of a tall apartment building and move away. He reaches out to her, holds her for a second in a brief goodbye embrace.
I almost call out to the guy. I could use a hug right now.
My thoughts are interrupted by a crack of thunder—it's begun to rain.
"Wonderful," I say to no one in particular. My day just keeps getting better and better.
Well, maybe I should just let Zee go on alone. It would probably be for the best. But he's looked out for me so far…I should at least tell him I'm going. Reluctantly, I turn around and trudge back towards our hotel, already reasonably wet. I'll wait until the rain lets up, anyway, before I leave.
I'm certainly in no hurry.
*
Five minutes later, Ro came through the door to the room she and Zee were sharing. Her hair hung in wet strands, plastered flat to her face, and her clothes were absolutely soaked. On top of that, she was cold. And tired. And not looking forward to telling Zee her decision.
For his part, Zee deigned not to comment on her rather harried appearance. Instead, he walked over to her, quite calmly, and put his arms around her, drawing the girl in close. Ro's mouth dropped open—what in the Hell—but she didn't pull away. Well, this was…certainly a different welcome then she'd expected.
"Zee?" At her questioning tone, the synthoid released her, moving away only slightly. He seemed to be waiting for something. Ro raised an eyebrow.
"What was that for?" she asked, not sure yet what to make of it.
"You seemed upset earlier. I wanted you to feel better. Do you?" His tone was so innocent, so totally oblivious, that she had to smile. And he grinned back at her—this time her smile was genuine.
"Yeah…I guess I needed that. Thanks, Zee." She traipsed over to her bed, flopping down on the clean sheets and not caring that she was soaking wet.
"Just…don't make a habit of it, okay? I feel like a little kid when you do that."
"Was it a sufficient show of affection?"
Ro didn't immediately respond. Affection?! Well, this was Zee, after all, and he did tend to be a little clueless. At least, she hoped he was being clueless. Things were complicated enough already.
"Uh…yeah. Sufficient."
"Then you are well now?" Better than well. Actually, a little…giddy, almost. But there was no need for him to know that.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Go to sleep, or shut down, or whatever it is you do."
"I am capable of—"
"I don't want an explanation, Zee. Recharge."
"Oh. All right, then. Good night, Ro."
"'Night, Zee." She was just starting to feel drowsy when her ears registered an unwelcome sound. Right. I forgot. Of all the synthoids in the world, I'm rooming with the one who snores.
Well, at least I got a hug.
~*Fin*~