Author's Notes; Rich Family AU. Lots of plot. Some fluff. X nurses Zero and Zero explains what happened to him. Please enjoy..
X looked up at Zero, tracing his black eye rings. "You must be cold in nothing but your boxers. Would it be ok if I dressed you before I get you more soup?" Zero nodded, gesturing his head forward to say 'Go ahead'. X got up and picked the shirt first as Zero carefully sat up, folding his wings. X looked back in time to see Zero's wings disappear. Zero picked his arms up, helping X put the red shirt on him. The blond gently pulled his hair out from under the shirt. X stared at Zero's casted broken ankle in hesitation. "Will your ankle be ok?" Zero shrugged in uncertainty. X thought for a moment. "What if you stood on your good foot only? You can hang onto me or the bed." Zero shrugged again, at least wanting to try it. He slowly stood from the bed, watching the weight on his feet. X slid the black pants on him, feeling Zero hold onto him. X blushed while pulling the right side of the pants up. Zero pulled up the left side. He felt a little dizzy and wobbled after the pants were on. X caught him and gently eased Zero back to the bed. "Easy there. Lay down. Your blood sugar must still be so low. Will you be ok by yourself while I get you more soup?" Zero nodded deeply, slowly getting comfortable. He watched X leave the room for more soup.
While he waited, Zero flipped to a clean page in the notepad before setting it back on the dresser. After a few minutes, the door opened. To Zero's surprise, it wasn't X. X's brother Rock came in holding a glasses case. "You must be the mute boy father mentioned. Xavier left his glasses behind again and father wanted me to bring them. He can see without them, but just not the best." Rock set the glasses case on the dresser next to the notepad before leaving the room.
X soon came back into the room, bringing a tray with a larger bowl of soup for Zero. He noticed the glasses case on the dresser and sighed. "I see my brother brought my glasses. I'm not blind without them, but I guess they're good for something. I always forget about them when out with father." X closed the door behind him and set the tray on the dresser. Zero picked his head up just in time to see X open the case and put on the blue-framed glasses that were inside. X gently slid the glasses on, first looking at Zero's face. "Your eyes look a little more blue. I do hope you are recovering." X picked up the tray again and instead of just sitting beside the bed, he sat on the bed close beside Zero. Zero moved over a bit in surprise, looking at X as he propped himself up with his elbows. X sat the tray on his lap, dipping a spoonful of soup for the blond. Zero slowly drank from the spoon. X grinned, giving Zero another spoonful of soup. He then picked up the notepad and pencil. "With your present behavior, I almost find it hard to believe that you're a crook. Please tell me what crimes your group committed. That is, if you're comfortable revealing such." He wrote and showed to Zero. Zero sighed gently and took his turn. "We did many horrible things. Stealing, mocking people, holding people for ransom, killing other gang members, picking fights. We were and are scum." X read the notepad, frowning a bit. "These are rather low crimes. What part did you play in them?" He wrote. Zero took his turn. "I was usually the stealer, the fighter, and the killer. The other two of the gang held a greedy approach to money. Sigma and Vile are their names. Vile was good for mocking, being as hateful as my own father. It was Sigma who organized the ransoms and his favorite thing is looting banks." Zero wrote, showing it to X. X shook his head as he read, then taking his turn. "Was it them who kidnapped you? If they hold people for ransom and kill after no ransom money, how did you survive?" Zero read the notepad, closing his eyes for a moment before taking his turn. "Sigma orginally captured me and held me for ransom. Nobody seemed to care at the orphanage. He and Vile were ready to kill me. Though, by some divine luck, he instead saw use in me and made me part of the gang." He showed X. X felt a tear running under his glasses and down his cheek. "He corrupted you. You have my sympathies. I feel very sorry for what you've had to go through. Nobody deserves even half of what you've endured." When X showed Zero his writing, Zero's eyes closed as he lowered his head and drank the soup directly from the bowl. "Father will have to know about this." X told him. Zero gently nodded as he drank his soup.
X stayed with Zero throughout the day. He helped Zero to the bathroom when he needed it. In their journies they encountered X's brother and sister, their bodyguard, and a maid working for Light named Iris. X's sister Roll and Iris took an immediate liking to Zero, thinking he was very cute and loving his long hair. Both agreed it would look better if it were brushed out. Once in the spare room again, X offered to brush out Zero's hair and re-do his ponytail. Zero had no objections, sitting up on the bed for him. X untied Zero's hair ribbon and began brushing Zero's hair out carefully. Zero stayed still for X, enjoying how kindly X treated him. It took him a while but once Zero's hair was brushed free of knots, X tied Zero's hair back into a ponytail.
Light came into the room as X finished Zero's ponytail. "I am glad to see you two get along well." X turned around and grinned at his father. "He's been so good that I almost find it hard to believe that he's a crook." Light nodded. "Even after we watched him kill that mobster that caught you. Though there, its justified." X nodded back. "Father, he and I are communicating in writing. He told me his whole story in that notepad." Light looked at the notepad and began reading. After a long pause, Light closed the notepad. "I see...Such is the nature of this cruel world. I am truly sorry such things had to befall you, Zero." Light came closer and sat down next to them. "Even though I'm willing to let you stay and accomodate you to your heart's content, I feel I must warn you; When you are healed, I want to put you in an experiment. You will be the subject. You will have your armor back. Though, what I want to see is how you behave without those thugs around you. If your behavior around X is any suggestion, then there is great hope for you in your effort to leave your criminal ways behind." Zero nodded, wondering what the experiment would be like. Even he wasn't sure how he'd behave without his group or any tension from other gangs. "What kind of experiment, father? Will it endanger him?" X asked. Light looked at his youngest son. "It will depend on what he decides to do."