"STOP!"

Zero Two hears someone shout. Momentarily frozen, she fails to dodge the metal pole charging at her. The cold metal hits left side of her head, making her lose balance and fall to the ground.

Her surroundings were a little fuzzy and she felt something warm trickle down her chin. Bringing her hand to where she was hit, she winces and sees that she was bleeding profusely from the cut.

"Shit.." She mutters under her breath, the pain slowly getting to her.

"What? Little miss demon ain't gonna fight back?" Her attacker taunted.

"Piss off. I ain't in the mood for you assholes." She hisses, earning her another blow to the backside of her head.

An iron taste fills her mouth, forcing her to spit out the wretched taste, which was blood.

Zero Two was on her knees, slightly trembling. To be honest, she really wasn't in the mood to deal with those piece of shits. If she ever was, they'd be pulverized in seconds.

Still, she manages to give them a cold glare that meant there was NO way in hell she was about to back down.

The leader smirks sadistically at her pseudo toughness. Turning to his lackeys, he orders them.

"Go teach this freak show a lesson."

Ganging up on her, Zero Two finds herself receiving blow after blow; she's gotten punched in the jaw, scratched on her cheeks and kicked on her thighs. For the weak, they'd probably be howling in pain, begging their attackers to stop; but for Zero Two, she welcomes the pain like a friend. Their violence pumping her veins.

What they didn't know was with every hit and kick, she feels more and more alive.

And in a sick way, she liked it.

But when she gets swiftly kicked in the stomach, her hazy vision suddenly catches a raven haired teen approach her despite the looming presence of her attackers. For a fleeting moment, Zero Two is stunned.

'Could it be..?'

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Hiro couldn't take it anymore.

He felt disgusted at how ruthless those thugs were, beating the girl up as if she was some kind of rag doll. In the distance, he could see Zero Two's head bleeding profusely. Blood also stained her lips and flowed through a deep cut in her cheek. Nasty bruises were also starting to form on her jaws and thighs.

Just looking at the her made his heart clench.

She looked broken and messed up, but he could see just how much fire she had in her eyes. As bloody and silent as she was, her eyes still held the power to mock and taunt her attackers;

It was as if she was asking for more.

But for Hiro, he couldn't bare to see her take any more blows. Just a few more hits, she might as well suffer from internal bleeding; so, as he sees her roll over in pain clutching her stomach, he knew that he had to do something.

And just like that, a jolt of electricity courses through his veins.

Everything else seemed like a blur because the next thing he knew, he was crouching over her fragile form asking if she was alright.

"You.." She croaks out softly.

"I-it's me Hiro! The guy from the Sakura tree." He says while gently trying to lift her up.

"We've gotta get out of here!"

.

.

.

"Not so fast, you punk ass bitch!" The thug leader grunts, holding what seems to be a bloody nose. "Don't you dare fucking think you're 'bout to leave scratch free after punching my nose!"

'W-wait..did I..?'

Hiro gritted his teeth. Never in his life did he resort to any kind of violence, however, witnessing these people hurt Zero Two made his blood boil, and in his adrenaline filled state, all he wanted at that moment was to get back at them. He wanted to fight back for Zero Two's sake. He wanted to…

...at all costs…

He wanted to protect her.

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"Stand back Zero Two." she sees him stand in front of her, shielding her with his body. She also notices his knuckles were bruised from the punch he landed on the leader.

'What is he..'

Why was this boy trying to help her? Judging by his lanky appearance and how his hands easily bruised from the punch, he had no experience or whatsoever with this kind of things. Did he seriously think he'd be able to fend himself against those burly looking men?

A part of her was amazed with his bravery, but a bigger part of her was highly annoyed at how reckless this boy was.

Did he think she couldn't fight for herself?

Did he pity her?

'I don't need him to defend me.' Zero Two thinks bitterly.

Letting out a sigh, she slowly stands up with shaky feet. Almost losing her balance, Zero Two holds on to Hiro's shoulder for support.

"Leave me be…" She says. "It's not safe, just go and run. I can handle this."

Slowly, she walks towards the group with a slight limp, when all of a sudden, she feels someone take a hold of her wrist.

'What the-?'

"No, I won't let you!" Hiro looks at her with determined eyes, sending a slight thrill to her insides. "...You're bleeding and you're starting to bruise all over….there is no way I'm letting you handle this alone! That's why.."

"Let me fight with you!" he declares

No…

...No you can't!..

...After all I'm a..

Zero Two shoves him aside quite hardly. "I said leave!" She raises her voice, hoping it would reach his head. When she sees him flinch at her outburst, Zero Two could only smile bitterly.

'Yes..show me your scared expression…'

"I...I've always been alone..things like this, I'm used to it."

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Hiro was not a fool.

Despite her actions, he did not miss the way her eyes flashed with sadness, nor the way her lips curled into a melancholic smile.

She tells him she's always been alone. Why? Was it because of her horns? Were they the reason why she'd decided to isolate herself from the world? Why she turned out to be this rebellious?

Was this Zero Two's way of coping with this cruel and messed up world?

And was this the reason why Hiro immediately felt attracted to her? Was it not because of her beauty or horns, but rather, the pull her spirit had towards him?

'She's just like me…'

Glancing over her, he sees one thug try to do a sneak attack on her. With heightened senses, he tightens his grip on the umbrella he was holding since earlier and brings it forward, hitting the thug in the stomach.

"So...you say you've always been alone huh…" He mutters against his breath. "Well, I, too, have always been alone as well." He could feel his emotions surging up; he didn't know if what he was feeling was pity, sadness or frustration.

But one thing's for sure, his emotions were so overwhelming at the moment, he couldn't help but feel something wet pouring from his eyes.

"But from now on, I'll make sure you'll never walk alone! I'll always be by your side!"

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"But from now on, I'll make sure you'll never walk alone! I'll always be by your side!"

'Those words..' Her heartbeat quickens.

'It was like from back then…'

For the first time in years, Zero Two felt herself being consumed by Hiro's feelings. A warmth began spreading inside her after seeing how determined this boy was to help her.

'He even shed tears for me..' She thought fondly.

With a new found resolve, she turns towards him.

"Well then.."

She smiles at him before facing the thugs, who were rendered shock after Hiro's sudden attack. Smirking at them, Zero Two declares before lunging for their asses

"Why don't you show me what you're truly made of!"

You are now…..

….My darling!