"Hey X, the museum called. They were wondering if they could borrow you for a display."

"Shut up Zero."

"Do you have a slot for floppy disks?"

"I'm not kidding."

"Can you use a dial-up connection?"

"Just because you're my boyfriend does not mean I will not throw you off the top of a building."

Zero laughed at that. "Eh, I'll take my chances. I've survived worse," he shrugged, before continuing his stream of playful insults.

This was not how X had expected his birthday to go. As much as he had tried to down-play the event, Zero (the ever-thoughtful reploid that he was) had been sure to remember. After all, what sort of a boyfriend would he be if he didn't do something to commemorate the occasion of X's one-hundred-and-fiftieth birthday? Of course for Zero, 'commemorate' meant cracking old jokes from the moment X had returned from night patrol onward.

A few minutes and several insults from Zero and threats from X later, the two finally reached their shared quarters. As Zero turned to lock the door behind them while making a crack about X running on steam, X finally decided that he'd had enough. Zero had barely taken two steps into the room before X was suddenly beside him and, using a move that Zero himself had taught him, simultaneously kicked Zero's feet out behind him as he used his arm to knock Zero's upper body forward. Had Zero not been caught off-guard he could have easily recovered, but in this instance X's unexpected attack sent him sprawling onto his stomach. Before Zero even had a chance to react, X was then sitting on his back and had firmly pulled one of Zero's arms behind him.

Zero's brain finally caught up with him, and he shot a startled look over his shoulder at X, who was grinning smugly.

"Heh, now if I'm so old and feeble, what does that say about you to let yourself be pinned by me?"

All teasing was gone from Zero's voice as he tried to pull his arm away and said, "Okay, okay, you've made your point."

X sat back slightly, putting even more of his weight onto Zero. "Hmm, no, I don't think I have. I think you insulted my pride, so it's only fitting that I return the favor."

Shifting his hold on Zero's arm so he was only holding it with one hand, X brought his free hand up into Zero's field of view and wiggled his fingers for a moment, watching as Zero's eyes grew wide as he realized X's intentions. Zero barely had time to protest before X was assaulting his side with his fingers in what he knew was Zero's most ticklish spot.

Zero's protest gave way to laughter as he writhed and tried to buck X off, but X's hold was unshakable. Soon enough, sooner than X had expected, Zero bit out a strangled cry of, "Stop! X, come on, that's enough!"

"Not until you say it."

"Dammit X! Please!"

X gave a hum of disapproval. "Now you know that's not what I meant."

Zero shook with laughter and squirmed desperately under X, but the combination of X's weight and Zero's awkward position was enough to keep him down. No matter how much Zero thrashed and swore, he still couldn't escape.

"I can keep this up for hours," X reminded him, with just a little too much satisfaction in his voice.

In very little time, Zero relented. "Uncle! Uncle! Please for the love of fucking Asimov stop!"

At this X finally withdrew his hand and released Zero's arm, sitting back with a triumphant smile. "There, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Zero was panting too heavily to reply, his side still twitching slightly.

Eventually Zero calmed down, and X used his arms to push himself up enough for Zero to turn over, then sat back down on his stomach. Zero looked up at X with a tired grin, which X returned with a softer expression and reached down to intertwine their hands.

"Why did I ever teach you hand-to-hand combat?" Zero joked.

"Because at the end of the day you still love me, and want me to know how to protect myself," X said, giving one of Zero's hands a loving squeeze and leaning down to kiss him briefly. "Besides," X mused, "who could have known I'd pick it up so quickly?"

Zero chuckled. "Yeah, I guess it isn't true what they say about old dogs and new tricks."

The moment the words were out of Zero's mouth he regretted them.

"'Old dogs', huh?" X's hands tightened their grip, and his expression darkened. "Oh, you're freaking dead."