Chapter 3
The team lands on Eden-6 and Moze spawns a vehicle from the Catch-A-Ride. They pile in and head towards the Children of the Vault's camp. Zane sits in the back with Fl4k and Meat Thief hangs off the back.
He can feel the hunter's eye watching him. But anytime he looks up, they look away, blinking. He chuckles, heart fluttering softly.
The group hops out and Zane asks Fl4k if they will be alright trudging through the nasty green water. They assure him they will be fine and are, in fact, waterproof.
Amara grabs a bandit running towards them with her siren powers and crushes them. A war cry follows, bandits and COV fanatics pouring out of the gates.
Smiling, Zane clicks the safety on his SMG lets off a spray of bullets. A couple bandits fall. An explosion rocks the area and he turns to see Moze's Iron Bear unloading a barrage of rockets. He laughs and charges into battle.
As he's reloading, a shadow passes into his vision. He's about to pull out his knife when a shot rings out somewhere behind him. The bandit falls at his feet, shot square between the eyes. Zane turns to see Fl4k on a nearby roof, sniper pointed in his direction. He smiles and tips his fingers. But the smile is short lived. The hunter grunts, staggering sideways and clutching their side. They've been shot.
Zane's eyes dart around and he spots a bandit just behind the building where Fl4k was standing. His legs are moving before he even has time to think. He rushes around the corner, leaping over the porch railing, landing his thighs around the bandit's neck. Bringing the bandit down with a twist he pulls out his pistol and fires twice. Blood splatters in his face but he ignores it, frantically searching for Fl4k's shape on the roof but doesn't see it.
With a grunt he pulls himself up onto the roof, shaking a bandit off his leg. He quickly shoots the enemy and turns back to where Fl4k lays.
"Hey, hey, hey," he rushes to their side. "You alright?"
"I will be fine," they respond. Their eye is squinted and they're clutching their side.
"Hate to tell you, beastie, but you don't look so good."
"I can say the same about you."
Zane relaxes slightly, looking down to see the field is cleared. Amara and Moze search through the bodies and Meat Thief joins them. He helps the hunter to their feet and they pull their coat closer around them.
They smile faintly, "thank you."
"Don't mention it, beastie." Zane curses himself for overreacting. Fl4k was obviously alright.
Fl4k seems to struggle to climb down from the roof, causing Zane's worry to resurface. His heart clenches when they grunt again. Meat Thief runs up to his master with a few trinkets in his hand.
"Good boy," the hunter praises his jabber, patting his head.
Moze and Amara join them and they head back to the vehicle.
"Nothing going on huh?" Moze nudges Zane.
He flips her off and she laughs.
When they get back to Sanctuary III, the girls want to get food at Moxxi's. Zane declines with a grand wave. Thinking only about getting the dirt, sweat, and blood off of his skin.
It's refreshing to scrub the grime off. He stands under the water and his mind starts to wander to Fl4k. There's a tightness in his chest. They fell so hard and didn't get back up like they usually do. The look on their face, that grimace of pain. After his shower, Zane puts on sweatpants and a plain t-shirt. Then he's out the door barefoot metal against the cold ship's floor, his blind eye exposed.
He knocks on Fl4k's door. "Mind if a friend drops in, beastie?"
"Now is not a very good time," they respond.
Zane frowns but presses the button to open the door anyway. What's the worst that could happen? It's not like he'll catch the hunter naked or anything.
The hunter sighs and Zane shrugs, stepping into the room. Fl4k is sitting at their workbench, their coat next to them. They'd been looking at themself and messing with something when he walked in. He takes another step, studying the hunter. His breath catches in his throat and any guilt he felt for invading their privacy is thrown out the window. Zane closes the distance between them in just a few steps. His hands hovering in front of him.
Fl4k's shoulders drop and so do their hands. They can't hide it now. There, on their left, just below where a human's heart would be, the metal exoskeleton is melted and twisted.
"Why didn't you tell me the shot was corrosive?" Zane's voice is shaking, his blood heating up.
"It didn't hit anything important. It is nothing. I can fix it." They respond, not looking him in the eye.
"That's not nothing! You were clearly in pain. I heard you. I saw your face." Frustrated, he runs a hand through his hair. "I shouldn't have killed that bastard so fast."
"Za-"
"Does it hurt?" He interrupts the hunter, blood boiling.
"Not anymore."
"Good," Zane takes a breath. There's a lump in his throat and his eyes burn. He scolds himself. He's too old to lose his shit this easily. So why is he so worked up about this? Fl4k watches him carefully.
Still cursing himself, Zane stares at the damaged spot. He doesn't doubt the hunter can fix it but he feels partly responsible. He should have paid closer attention to the battle instead of staring at Fl4k like an idiot. Obviously his heart is trying to kill him. A warmth on his left cheek startles him. Fl4k is tenderly cupping his face. Their gazes meet. Fl4k is actually warm! The hunter's gaze is soft and Zane looks for something, unsure of exactly what.
"You are worried about me," they say, brushing their thumb over his skin. His heart flutters and his ears start to burn.
Zane crosses his arms and smirks, not breaking eye contact. "Well, someone told me we should be if we want to succeed."
"Did they?" they brush their fingers down his cheek and Zane shudders. "They sound wise. Tell me about them."
He chuckles, "I don't know how wise they are. They're stubborn as hell." He leans closer to the hunter, lowering his voice. "But I like them anyway."
Fl4k tugs on his beard again before letting go. Zane stifles a grunt already missing their touch.
He clears his throat, standing up straight. Something in his stomach feels like it's on fire. He needs a distraction. Now!
"Is there anything I can do to help you?" He asks.
Fl4k thinks for a moment and then nods, "I cannot reach some parts on my back."
Smiling, Zane sits carefully on the workbench next to the hunter. It's the perfect height and he can easily reach their back. He bends his knee, bringing one foot onto the table to give him better balance. He works slowly, carefully following Fl4k's instructions. They don't speak much, but they occasionally exchange glances.
Zane's heart flutters. There's something so intimate about touching Fl4k like this. He's not sure why, but something about the hunter makes his old heart confused.
He's almost done when he notices Fl4k's gaze has gone to his exposed metal foot. He curls his toes under the attention and searches their gaze for any sign of pity. He's relieved to find none. They don't say anything, only raising their hand and gently touching the top of his foot. Did they know he has prosthetics before this? The touch makes Zane's heart clench but the hunter's gaze is soft.
Pulling the panel off, Zane stands slowly. He rests his hand on Fl4k's shoulder for a second and sets the piece down. Then he winks. The hunter makes a sound somewhere between a grunt and a growl. It's a primal sound and the heat in Zane's stomach resurges. He gives a small wave and steps out of the room.
Back in his room, Zane tosses cold water on his flushed face. His stomach is still burning. What was that sound Fl4k made? And what he wouldn't give to hear it again. He shakes his head and dries his face, cursing at his old, bruised heart.
Walking into Moxxi's he spots Moze and Amara in the group's usual booth. He sits down with them and Moxxi brings him a beer. She exchanges a look with the girls and Zane frowns. This can't be good.
"So, sugar," she puts a hand on her hip, smirking. "A little bird told me you and Fl4k have been fooling around."
"Moze…" he looks at her, raising his eyebrows.
She puts her hand over her heart, feigning offense. "Me? Why would I say anything? What about Amara? She could be the little bird." She laughs, nudging the siren.
"Oh no," Amara shakes her head. "Don't bring me into this."
"Jeez," Zane takes a long drink of his beer. "There's nothing going on, I swear. At this point it seems you're just hoping for it to be true."
"What are they hoping for?" Fl4k's deep voice startles Zane. He has to physically grab his seat not to jump. Moze opens her mouth to say something but Amara covers it with her hand.
"Just debating who has the highest score on the science machine," Moxxi smiles at them, not missing a beat.
Fl4k asks Zane if he can join them and he mumbles, nodding. He slides over in the booth.
They get settled and Moxxi smiles at them. Zane's heart is pounding in his ears.
"What do you think of Zane here, honey?" Fl4k narrows their eye, looking around at the group. They think carefully about their words and Zane can feel their gaze on him, suddenly aware of the heat radiating from them. He knows how warm they are and how that coat smells. His ears burn and he wonders if he'll have a heart attack before he finishes his beer.
He tries to focus on something else. Like the basket of fries in the middle of the table. Those are some fine fries right there!
"He is a reliable partner with incredible skill in battle," they say. "The only downside is that he thinks he can dance." Everyone laughs. Zane relaxes a little, letting go of his seat.
"Oi, beastie!" He grins at the hunter. "You can't lie, I've got some serious moves!"
There's laughter again and conversation resumes, everyone talking over one another. Moxxi smiles and winks at him before walking back to the bar.
After a few rounds of drinks, Zane finally excuses himself to go back to his room. Needing a moment of quiet. Fl4k stands up to let him out of the booth. He's not sure if it's intentional or not, but the hunter brushes close to him when they sit back down. Their hands touch for only a second but Zane feels the familiar warmth, wanting to reach for it. But he doesn't. Instead, he smiles weakly and walks away.