Zero took a long way home. Was it really home? He guessed as much. Where else was he to stay?
"Damn it, being a merc sucks sometimes." He walked alone down the street. Really he didn't know what he was getting pissed about. Certainly wondering about his "home" wasn't going to solve anything. What he was trying to get at in his head was the whole reason why they went postal when he blew that "Rancid" fuckhead away. The classic "three slugs to the head," was "standard," to him, but evidently not to Robin. He would have to learn what "standard" was.
Or, being a mercenary, he could just leave. Screw "operating procedure."
Yes, but then he would be leaving something behind… what was it?
Who cares? Life on the road worked, right? Who needs them? Mercenaries can do whatever, whenever. He liked that idea.
But he would leave it behind, but what? Home, a sense of security… the kitchen, a sense of supply, and her…
"Jesus Christ, fuck it all!" He planted his fist in a nearby wall, and not his mechanical one. Blood began to flow out of his broken knuckles.
"God fucking damn it." He pulled his hand away and suppressed the pain that numbed his arm. There was a hole where there had once been wall.
He popped a hatch on his left leg and out came a field medical kit. He cleaned the open wounds, repositioned out-of-place knuckles, and wrapped it up. He deposited the kit in the hatch and shut it.
His wandering led him to a little restaurant. A short, round man was working register. Business was nonexistent, until Zero stepped closer.
"Well there fella, what can I do for ya? Maybe a burger and a drink?" the man said.
"Uhh, sure." Zero asn't thinking clearly yet. His thoughts were still clouded, and he was failing miserably to suppress this anger which seemed to manifest itself at nothing.
"I haven't seen you before. What brings you to this part of town?"
"I don't even think I know the answer to that. Sorry." Zero wasn't looking at the man, rather at his hand rapped in bandage. Damn that wall hurt. "Yeah, couldn't say."
"Ahh, no sweat, stranger." The man flipped the burger on the grill. "I serve a lot of people that I've never seen before. But it looks like you got some company there." The man gestured to behind Zero.
"What do want, Raven?" Zero grunted.
"Now that's no way to talk to the lady," the man said disapprovingly. "Try again."
Zero knew he was right. He turned to face her. "Sorry," he said looking at his hand, then back to her. He didn't know what to say, so he offered, "Burger and a drink?"
"That's more like it fella." The man said behind him.
She was silent for a second, observing him. Then finally she said, "You gave us a scare back there. Random gunshots usually aren't good thins, and really, we're not used to a problem being fixed like that."
"Well, well to the mercenary's mind. Shoot first, collect payment, leave. Questions are out."
"Well, for future reference, don't kill the target."
"Kneecap shots it is then." Zero said
She shot a look at him, but not one of hostility. One of, "You know what I mean, don't be a smartass." Zero got the message. He changed the subject post-haste.
"So, how pissed are they?"
"Robin's pissed you blew the guy's head off, because he can't bring a dead body to justice," she started. "Cyborg's pissed, because he's Cyborg. He'll be like that sometimes. And beast boy is just surprised. You scared him the most; you gun was right over his head."
"Really? Must've felt the muzzle blast at that range. Tell him I'm sorry." Zero looked at his hand again.
"Why not tell him yourself?" she said. Then the realization struck her and the blow destabilized her emotions and a lightbulb blew out.
"That's odd. That's never happened before. Ah, well." The man behind the counter was bewildered, but resumed food preparation.
Zero noticed what happened. He then remember his thoughts from before. That's what he'd be leaving behind. Or rather who: Raven.
It was then they made eye contact. And it was then he got the strongest message from her eyes. They said, "Don't leave me." And he leaned close to her and said without hearing himself that he would stay. And it was then, for the first time, he saw her truly smile. And it was then for the first time they kissed each other.
And it was then that the man behind the counter that he would not tell a soul. He said, "What happens here, stays here, friends." He smiled at both of them. Raven blushed and Zero stared at his hands on the table.
When they left, Zero flew with Raven back to the tower. In mid-flight, Raven grabbed his right hand. They both felt the warmness of each other, and they flew together side by side.
It was then Zero decided to stay with her, forever.