Disclaimer: The Vocaloids featured in this story obviously do not belong to me. They belong to their rightful companies which includes Zero-G.

Notes/Comment (not really a note this time, oops): Ready for more "fluff" with a pinch of Tonio's self-esteem turning into trash again? (I'll try finding something much better for the next chapter, I promise!)

Also, gets the "fixed" version. I, uh, accidentally spelt a few things wrong in this chapter's original Tumblr post, so I went ahead and fixed it. That's...pretty much it.

Tonio seems to be pretty pessimistic, as you can plainly see.

It was a fine, Tuesday morning at the English-Spanish Vocaloid residence. The weather was mildly warm, but not completely hot as it has been these past couple of days, much to the relief of a lot of people, including some of the Vocaloids which lived in this two-story house in particular.

Leon looked over his shoulder at Tonio, the opera singer relaxing in a chair near the swimming pool instead of his usual spot further back, near the backyard door. Tonio seemed to look relaxed, but something felt off upon looking at his face clearly. What was it? The blonde turned back to his tulips and shrugged. He went back to fixing them up today, though his number one priority was that these beautiful red and gold flowers survived the sun's stronger rays. Granted, they've survived before when it was a lot hotter, but one could not let their guard down because of that.

Tonio took a sip of his chilled martini whilst a hand adjusted the shades he wore. He listened on to Leon saying things to his dear flower, complimenting on how wonderful they looked and hoped that everything would go well from here on out. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips when he heard the sound of a kiss being pecked on something, possibly one of the flowers. What a dork…

"So!" Leon cheerfully spoke up before he strode his way to where Tonio sat. "How are things over here?"

"Fine, I guess," he answered, then took another sip as Leon sat in the reclining seat to the left of him.

"Are you sure? You look a bit off."
"I'm certain."
"Tonio…"

He sighed with a hint of annoyance as he swiped his sunglasses off to look at Leon better. "Alright, fine. What's retirement like?"

"Erm, well," he blinked, wondering why the opera singer was asking that question for the third time since the blonde had retired with Lola and Miriam, saying, "it's…boring, really. We," he added, referring to the three of them who had to leave, "don't do much besides hang out downtown and at the hotel suite we live in now. At least we don't have to work."

"How did it feel, then?"
"…I…I know I've said this before, but I felt like I failed everyone, especially the rest of the Engloid family…and you."

"Trust me," Tonio immediately said, his eyes looking away from Leon, "you haven't failed anyone, including myself."

Leon smiled softly at him. "I'm glad you think that, love."

Ignoring the small blush forming on his cheeks, Tonio sighed again and closed his eyes. He stayed quiet for a minute, something that made Leon wonder what was wrong. If there wasn't anything bothering him then, then there probably is a problem now.

He was right.

"I'm thinking about retiring, Leon."

"What?" Leon immediately sounded, staring at Tonio with scrunched eyebrows as he leaned forward in his seat to look at his face better. "Why…?"

"I'm giving up," Tonio answered. "I don't see anything improving for me, and it isn't as though I matter much to anyone, including myself…so, I don't see the harm in retiring before I get a similar call which the three of you received prior to becoming the first Vocaloids to retire." Once he finished saying all of that, almost in one breath, he placed his sunglasses back in place. "I'm sorry that you might have heard me saying some of those parts plenty of times before, but…I had to give a reason, right?"

Leon frowned. "Oh, Tonio…please don't say that," he begged as he leaned to Tonio's seat. "You don't want to retire. It isn't great at all! For the first few days, I felt like we were just cut out so curtly and…I even felt betrayed! It really hurt, Tonio!"

"At least we can be together even more. I could live with you, if you wanted."
"Tonio, this isn't something you want."

"I already said I gave up," he objected, "what's the point in me staying around, drinking my damned arse off while everyone else is getting an opportunity on singing and actually doing things that a Vocaloid is supposed to be doing? It doesn't make sense!"

The sound of his martini glass smashing onto the pool side ground could be heard within seconds of Tonio saying those words, which led to Leon jumping in his seat and almost letting out a yelp from the sudden noise. He watched Tonio sink back into his seat, placing a hand to his forehead, his shades successfully hiding his eyes from Leon so he couldn't see if he was glaring ahead or blankly staring.

They sat in silence for, what it seemed like, minutes until Leon gingerly reached out a hand and placed it on Tonio's covered shoulder. "Tonio," he softly said his name, capturing his attention by turning his head to look back at him, "please? Don't do this. I swear, you're not doing to retire, love. Not any time soon!"

"…what makes you say that?"
"You don't think well of yourself, but I do and so does everyone else."

"The fans say otherwise," he replied with a weak chuckle. "July fourteenth was my birthday, apparently. I wouldn't have known if it weren't for you and the others reminding me."

"That was a mistake," he tried assuring him. "It wasn't as though they…purposely forgot you. Please, reconsider about not retiring…"

Tonio shook his head, hanging it down. "I'm sorry, but I can't. I'd rather retire on my own account before they do it for me." He was about to get out of his seat and head back inside, but he was suddenly pulled into a hug by the blonde. "H—h—-hey!" he shouted, turning red all over from the warmth surrounding him. "L—let go, Leon…!"

"No," he stubbornly replied with a pout, "not until I can convince you not to retire." Leon ran a hand through his hair, then he placed a kiss on his forehead, causing Tonio's cheeks to turn a deeper crimson. "I don't want to see you act like this anymore. I'm worried that since I retired that your thoughts about yourself gotten worse, maybe thinking that you're next! You're not going to be, I swear! It's going to be okay…"

Tonio fell quiet, feeling a lump form in his throat. Damn it, he was frustrated with everything, including himself. Why couldn't he have left and retired with Leon and the other two? At least he probably wouldn't feel like absolute rubbish anymore.

"…I love you, Tonio," Leon said with hope in his tone, trying to calm Tonio down.

"…" Thank God these sunglasses were great at hiding his eyes. He'd feel humiliated if Leon saw his eyes turning red and glassy as he tried holding back any more comments he wanted to say. "…I love you too…optimistic dork."

end