Author's Note: Yes, this is one big fic. This fanfic contains heavy yaoi and the pairings Omega/Zero and Zero/X. Heavy angst.

Format: This fic is compromised of several scenes strung together with undefined amounts of time between each. A / lyric / is a scene break; a (*~*) is a break within the same scene.

Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

"Hello…"

He pressed his chest against the wall, closing his eyes tightly even as teasing fingers slowly trailed down his spine. His back arched away from the touch, pressing his front to the wall, fingers digging into yielding metal that groaned under pressure and muffled his own longing whine. The fingers pressed against the top of his waist armor, tapped the edge of it once, then slowly ran back up his back and despite the clothing that blocked most of the sensation, Zero moaned. He was a prisoner to that touch, his unwillingness to shove the offender away the scathing, guilty proof of his entrapment. The wall Zero clung to knew more secrets than his own soul.

Warm, humid breath against Zero's cheek made his eyes snap open, but he didn't dare look. He fixated his eyes on the wall, this disgusting wall that offered comfort and secrecy to his basest desires, even as the breath began to slip down to his neck where the warmth was absorbed by the cloth of his clothing. Another throaty, deep groan escaped through his lips as he felt the faintest press of a kiss to his throat, down to his shoulder, where a painless nip made him twitch and press his fingers deeper into the wall, deepening the miniature craters already formed.

As the first hand slowly walked up his spine, the other rested on his hip, gliding so leisurely down his thigh. Warmth, like sleeping embers, a sensation that made Zero shiver and the slow progression of heat building within him began to rob him of his sanity, of the rationality he was so well known for. He chanced a look over his shoulder, for a second catching the smoldering ruby gaze before a bite through his vest and suit over his shoulder blade disoriented Zero. He hit his helmeted head against the wall with a loud clang.

"Now, now…" that condescending, silky voice rushed over Zero like a wave of burning, dark water. "Shh, Zero, else we'll be discovered…"

"We shouldn't be in a hallway…" Zero groaned. "S-stop, Ome…" he inhaled deeply, cutting off his own words as the lower hand slipped to the inside of his thigh.

The red-eyed blond smirked as his higher hand grasped Zero by the back of his neck. "Make me."

Zero panted out a breath before shoving himself off the wall and whirled around, knocking Omega's hand off his neck. He saw Omega's wide-eyed look before grabbing him by the shoulders and slamming him against the opposite wall. Zero fisted Omega's vest, bowing his head and gulped in several breaths, although why he felt the wind knocked out of him he wasn't sure.

Omega tilted his head to the side, smirking. "Houu, Zero, it's not often you're this frisky… I think I like it."

Zero pressed his head to Omega's chest, gritting his teeth. "This needs to end." He ground out, his fists tightening and nearly tearing out chunks of Omega's vest. "Just… stop."

"Mm, why?" Zero's entire body tensed as Omega enveloped him in his arms. "You enjoy our dirty little secret…"

"That doesn't make it right…" Zero whispered. "Just stop it. Just…"

Omega smirked. "What are you, a saint? You can be a hero with desires, what's it to them whom you spread your legs for?"

Zero's shaking increased, and Omega was quite sure it was out of anger than anything. Before he could escalate the problem, Zero swung him off the wall and shoved him back. Although he easily regained his balance, Omega purposefully let himself fall on the floor, lifting himself up slightly and resting on his elbows. Zero's eyes were roving over him, angrily quick and his teeth were bared; Omega reclined his head slightly and gave Zero a neutral stare.

"Get up." Zero snarled. "Leave. Get out. Don't come back."

Omega snickered, pushing himself up til he was on his knees and he peered up from under his helmet. The look made Zero shudder, but he had to steel his resolve. This could not go on.

"You don't mean that," Omega purred. "You're just feeling guilty again."

"I mean it. Get out, or I'll force you out!"

Omega suppressed his urge to roll his eyes, instead opted to play on Zero's programmed male urges. Keeping eye contact, Omega slowly lowered his upper body until he could rest on his hands. Almost immediately Zero's eyes took on a more hungry look, and with feline grace and sinister purpose, Omega began to crawl toward him, eyes still locked on his as if injecting his will into Zero through the contact. Under his clothes Zero trembled, and when Omega got close and pressed a kiss to his navel, right above his armor, he knew he lost. But he wouldn't show it—Zero grabbed Omega by the helmet and tried to shove him away. Omega reached out with one hand and grasped Zero by the hip, pulling him forward and planted a suggestive little kiss to the armored groin, still staring up at him, his eyes deep crimson pools of liquid sin.

Zero wanted to resist. Oh how he wanted to resist, but to have Omega on his knees for him for once, someone he was inconceivably and lethally attracted to… Desire was a dangerous emotion, one Zero wanted to suppress with all his being, and he had for years, but sinful, gorgeous Omega brought it all out and Zero couldn't, wouldn't let his chance at release go. Indulging in his dark desires with someone like Omega spared someone else their pride, dignity and purity… so it wasn't that wrong… was it?

X…

"Do you want me to go, Zero?" Omega's rumbling voice made Zero gasp out of his thoughts. "You realize if you tell me to go and never come back, I won't. I'll just kill you the next time I see you."

Zero knew it was true, at least the never coming back part. As to who killed who, it was up in the air, although in his current position Zero really did hold the higher ground. He should just twist the bastard's head off and be done with it… he knew he had to kill Omega eventually. Do it now, get rid of two problems at once, do it do it do it just kill him get rid of him he's going to…

"Get up," Zero's voice sounded ragged. "Get up, before people start coming in here…! Omega…!"

Omega pressed another kiss to Zero's groin, "Make," another kiss, "Me," another kiss, then a long, purposeful drag of his tongue up to the top of the armor. "Zero…" still Omega stared up into his eyes, and Zero seemed entranced by the languid way Omega's tongue ran over the edge of Zero's armor, then his lips hungrily before retreating back into his mouth.

Zero shuddered, unable to stop watching as Omega finally broke eye contact and began to lap at his armor, starting at the top and slowly bowing his head to lick lower. The black-eyed blond pressed his legs together and his hands slipped to Omega's shoulders, leaning on him as he moved his head to the left and began to lick at Zero's thigh. Soon Zero felt warm wetness through the fabric, and he could not suppress the wanton desire to feel that sensation on a much more sensitive area. His face finally colored a deep red and he moaned, guttural and needy as Omega kissed, licked and nipped at the cloth covering his inner thighs.

The hand grasping Zero's hip slipped further back, splaying on his bottom and pushing Zero's waist forward. Zero was trembling noticeably now, and Omega pulled back from his torturous teasing to look up, smirking as he licked his top lip in a slow, purposeful, sinfully erotic adaptation of hunger.

"Oh god," Zero moaned, his knees threatening to go offline. "Get up. Get up get up get up…"

"Oh, I'm sure you are up under this thing, Zero…" Omega smirked, hooking the fingers of the hand against Zero's bottom under the rim of his armor. "How about we find out?"

Zero shoved Omega back by his shoulders, then gripped his collar and jerked him to his feet. Lips slammed together and Zero began to push Omega back down the hall toward his room. Upon reaching it and the door opening, Zero broke the kiss and violently shoved the other blond into the room, purposely ignoring the Cheshire smirk on his face as he locked the door and placed the teleportation barrier in place. No one could enter, not even a particular Cyber Elf, without Zero's express permission… and he had no intention of letting anyone see what was going to happen.

The thought of X brought Zero's guilt and shame to the forefront and he choked, one hand going to his chest and gripping his vest in a human reaction to pain. Omega's smile only grew, enjoying the spectacle of Zero's emotional turmoil and how it made him so endearing. Several seconds of watching waves of anguish flow over Zero's face later, Omega finally decided to grant a bit of sinful mercy and moved toward his copy.

Zero gaped as he found himself in Omega's arms, a place of fake bliss and a mockery of intimacy. It only fueled his guilt, realizing the amount of danger he allowed to be posed against Ciel and the rest by indulging this darker want of his. Yet Zero didn't say no when Omega kissed him; instead the amnesiac submitted himself to the kiss, wrapping his arms around Omega's neck and clinging to him as if he were a lifeline Zero had gone too long without.

Omega's palms cupped Zero's bottom and hoisted him up, forcing him to wrap his legs around Omega's hips and grind their armored groins together. The kiss broke, Zero's blush still dominating his face, and the sight of him so enthralled made Omega purr as he carried Zero to the bed. He set the black-eyed blond on the bed, initiating another kiss as he crawled on top of Zero and shifted their bodies up so that Zero's head rested on the pillow. The kiss left Zero's lips and began a slow journey down his jaw, and Omega lifted one hand to gently unlatch and remove Zero's helmet. Golden hair spilled free from the confines of the armor, falling over Zero's reddened face and brushed aside by Omega's affectionate lips as he kissed up to Zero's temple, across his forehead to the other side and down the jaw line again. Zero tilted his head back, closing his eyes and erasing any feelings outside of the feathery sensation of pleasure as Omega kissed under his chin, lips and now tongue trailing down his neck as the blond on top unzipped his vest.

The harsh, grating sound of the zipper traveling down its track made Zero open his eyes and stare at the ceiling with hazing vision, his hands absently moving up and one grasping Omega by his shoulder, the other wrapping around and grabbing a handful of the pale blond threads. His eyes closed tightly again as he felt Omega bite a path down his chest between the parting red fabrics, hands already unlatching his lower armor and coaxing his hips to shift so it could be tossed aside.

His undersuit peeled off him easily enough, and Zero opened his eyes again to find himself once more bare before Omega's roving, ravenous eyes. Zero always dressed in red, a color he found both appeasing and disgusting, yet the glittering orbs his original body possessed were absolutely mesmerizing in their bloody coloring. Zero found himself falling into them unwillingly, unable to deny the allure they held, the excitement and danger they promised. The first few times, Zero remembered he would try to cover himself from that devouring stare, ashamed and almost afraid, yet now he turned his head to the side with a touch of coyness to his look and kept his arms at his sides. He wasn't sure when, but the tables had turned: Zero thought because Omega actually was on his knees before he won some sort of victory, but in the end, he played right into Omega's sick, twisted, delightful little game and fell for the appeasing bait.

Although really, Zero had lost long before that moment… he had lost the first time he was seduced by Omega's eroticism and his own dark desires breaking free.

The first swipe of Omega's tongue on his skin made Zero hiss, clenching his eyes and teeth as that offensive appendage trailed down his stomach, down the creases of where his leg connected to his waist and toward the pulsing, traitorous part of Zero that begged for Omega's attention. When lips met sensitive flesh, Zero whined and pressed his fists to his eyes; his legs stiffened when he felt the wet warmth of Omega's mouth descending upon him and a strangled moan made its way past his lips. At that moment, Zero lost any sense of shame, guilt and resistance—he threw aside his dignity as he tossed his head side and side at the mind-numbing delight of Omega's mouth and tongue working and teasing him below, moaning and begging for Omega.

Zero writhed under Omega's touch, reduced to whimpers as each bob of Omega's head built up the tension coiling tighter and tighter in his gut. As Zero's vocalizations grew louder Omega's attentions became more teasing, tightening that coil and bringing Zero's focus only to seeking release, desiring nothing but the snap of that tension and the tornado of rapture that came with it. With a soft, wet pop Omega withdrew Zero from his mouth, grinning widely as Zero whined in protest and stared down at him with the most adorable, pathetic expression Omega had ever seen.

Omega pressed a kiss to the tip of Zero's desire before sitting up and gently maneuvering Zero from his back to his hands and knees. Zero's blush deepened as he complied without a protest, even allowing Omega to raise his hips higher into the air and press his upper body into the mattress.

"Omega…"

A nip between his shoulder blades silenced Zero, and Omega lapped at the lightly reddened area a few times before dragging the tip of his tongue down Zero's spine. As Omega's tongue approached the small of his back Zero hugged the pillow beneath him to his chest, pressing his cheek against the cool fabric and bracing himself for the shameful pleasure he panted so eagerly for.

Zero's embrace on the pillow tightened as Omega teasingly slid two fingers between his buttocks, running up and down in the slit and making Zero tightening his muscles instinctively. When the digits pressed against his entrance Zero hissed, hoping Omega would not dare insist another attempt at a dry taking. The last time was far too close to like…

Omega curled his fingers and separated his knuckles, parting Zero's buttocks a bit and giving him a teasing glimpse of the puckered entrance. No matter how hard he took Zero, how rough he handled him, he always seemed like a fresh virgin, making the act that much more worse and exhilarating.

The red-eyed blond parted Zero's lower cheeks further with both hands, snickering at the way Zero shook in his hands before leaning forward and lapping at his entrance. The little hole flexed and relaxed under his ministrations like a pulse, unable to make up its mind if it wanted the attention or not. He traced the rim of it lightly with the tip of his tongue, satisfaction blossoming when Zero whined for more; Omega didn't oblige, instead completely withdrawing his tongue and trailing it further down to even more sensitive areas.

Zero's whines became deep moans as Omega's mouth explored his intimate regions, the receiving blond not even ashamed enough to try and muffle his vocalizations in the pillow, letting them echo through the room. Omega pushed Zero's hips forward a bit, then spread his knees further apart and reached between them to grasp Zero's hardness firmly. Zero winced as his partner pulled his length backwards through his parted legs almost to the point of blinding pain, the wince deepening even as Omega lathered the straining tip with his tongue.

Zero attempted to tilt his hips in a way to relieve the slight ache from being so handled, yet nothing he did helped. Omega's mouth traveled between the tortured member in his hand and the moistening entrance, his lips and tongue further robbing Zero of reason and thought. His hips began to slowly rock, unable to resist, especially when Omega's mouth covered his entrance and began to rapidly flick the tip of his tongue in and out, teasing with the promise of more and exciting nerves that ached to be fulfilled. It made Zero's back arch and his embrace on the pillow tightened as hard as possible as his eyes clenched shut with a few tears leaking out. Pleasure assaulted his entire body, stabbing into his core insistently until his will all but shattered and Zero tossed his head back with strangled cries of Omega's name, hips undulating beneath that torturous mouth.

The hand holding his length began to pump it just as Omega's tongue, finally, delved deep into him. The tension didn't snap, but it got close, causing the black-eyed blond to moan louder and push back against Omega. Muscles flexed haphazardly, seeking stimulation to push him over the edge; Omega's tongue wiggled in him, his lips closing over Zero's entrance and lightly sucking, his hand moving unbearably slow, yet Zero's eyes rolled back in physical bliss, mouth open to allow any and all vocalizations free. His arms released the pillow so he hands could grasp the sheets beneath him, fisting them so tightly tears developed as his body seemed to go insane in its quest for release.

"O-Ome… ga…!" Zero couldn't control himself, never could, not when Omega had him in his hands. "Omega… Omega!"

His moans began to sound almost like sobs as each time he came close, so close, Omega would pull back on his length harshly. The sharp bolt of pain was enough to push back his release, and Zero could probably handle it if Omega kept hurting him… yet immediately after his short yelps of pain the bastard would bring his hardness back to that only-slightly-painful angle and resume petting him, building up his pleasure… Zero knew the game, knew it so well, loved it, couldn't live without it, if his wildly rocking hips and cries of Omega's name were any indication.

After denying him release for several agonizing minutes, Omega pulled away from Zero's entrance and released him, a wide smirk on his face as Zero let out a frustrated sob. Pushing himself up so he rested on his forearms, Zero looked back at Omega, red faced and drying tears on his cheeks.

"Poor little Zero," Omega cooed, sitting up then bending over Zero and licking up his cheeks. "Why do you cry every time we do this?"

The coarseness of Omega's clothes against his sensitive skin made Zero mewl, but he knew Omega wouldn't let the question go unanswered.

"Why…" he croaked, then cleared his throat and resignedly rested his head on the pillow under him, too low for Omega's reach. "Why can't you just… rape me? Why can't you just take what you want and go on your way?"

Omega hummed as he sat up and began to undress himself, grinning even as Zero remained the way he was, his eyes shut in submission as he waited. Soon Omega was as bare as the other blond, just as excited, and when he pressed the tip of his hardness to Zero's wet entrance, he bent over and kissed Zero's shoulder gently, tenderly, daresay lovingly.

"Because," Omega whispered as he began to push himself in, raising the volume of his voice to be heard over Zero's hissing, "I don't want you to hate me."

Zero's eyes were squeezed shut when Omega pushed himself in to the hilt, and he patiently waited for Zero's body to adjust to the intrusion. His gentleness, his awareness of Zero's reactions, only made the blond beneath him let out another choking sound. Somehow, no matter what Zero did or how much he tried to convince himself otherwise, these meetings were more than a casual romp or rape. Somehow the brute that was Omega knew tenderness, knew how to make it feel so intimate and emotional, and Zero felt both torrents of longing bliss and burning shame as his lover finally began to move.

He pressed soft kisses to Zero's back, whispered gentle words in his ear, moved with the carefulness of a caring, thoughtful partner. Yet despite that, Omega purposely avoided sliding just a bit further to press against there, and regardless of how incredibly delicious the friction of Omega moving inside of him was, Zero could not force that tension building within him to snap and release him from this limbo of physical heaven and emotional hell.

Omega's hands held onto Zero's hips as he slid in and out of him—lips, tongue and teeth teasing sensitive flesh and deriving groans and whimpering form Zero. He clutched at the sheets, pressing his cheek against the pillow as he moaned, begged and exalted, even tried to move his own hips faster. Yet Omega had him right where he wanted Zero, teetering on the edge yet just unable to get over—it was a delirious sensation, being so close, and yet even as Zero wanted and pleaded for it, he never wanted Omega to stop, wanted to go insane with the feeling.

Zero had to respect Omega's amazing control; despite how he grunted, hissed and moaned himself, he kept the deliberately slow pace. He ignored Zero's urging, controlled Zero's body, all so perfectly like a well-rehearsed role that the black-eyed blond was amazed beneath his longing.

Yet the exhilaration of pleasure felt too much, and Zero did not want to suffer any more at Omega's hands. He opened his eyes, looked over his shoulder, unable to resist the shudder of excitement at the pleasured way Omega looked. His eyes were nearly onyx in their smoldering depths, lips parted ever so slightly to let out hissing moans of delight… and deep down, somewhere in Zero's disgusting self, was that bit of pride knowing his so-called 'lesser copy body' provided such sensations.

"Omega…" Zero whimpered, letting out a loud whine as he responded with a harder thrust into him. "Please… please…"

"Please…" thrust, and Zero cried out, his entire body tightening and making Omega groan before he went on, "what, Zero?"

"I-I want…" thrust, cry out, "Want… to…!" thrust, whimper, thrust, beg, "Please!"

Omega buried himself deep into Zero's body, smirking as Zero quivered beneath him. He wrapped his arms around Zero, and with a sharp exhale pulled both of their upper bodies up. A satisfied, wondrous, gorgeous scream tumbled from Zero's mouth as the shift of weight impaled him upon Omega and finally, finally, that spot was hit.

One arm around Zero's waist, the other roaming his chest, Omega resumed movement within him, much harder and faster, somehow still maintaining depth despite the upright position. Zero helplessly spread his knees farther apart as if that would assist, resting his head back on Omega's shoulder and letting his throat be assaulted by caressing lips and violent teeth. Omega's breathing quickened, and hearing it right in his ear excited Zero more than he thought possible.

Omega's roaming hand found itself at Zero's right nipple and he grasped it between thumb and forefinger, rolling it between them harshly. He pinched and pulled it to hardness, repeating the same to the other as he nipped and tongued along Zero's neck. Bound in Omega's arms Zero gave in wholly, completely submitting heart and soul, near-crazed cries of pleasure echoing in the room.

Between kisses and bites, Omega nibbled on Zero's earlobe, breathing out, "Touch yourself,"

Too lost in his pleasured haze to care, Zero obeyed readily enough, grasping himself in his hand and moving it in time with Omega's thrusts. Pleasure heightened, mounted with the tension, and regardless of how he felt earlier Zero wanted time to freeze and stay in this sinful moment forever, locked in Omega's arms and completely his, mindless and blissful.

He moaned, whimpered, hips practically dancing against Omega's thrusts as he pumped his hand and raced toward the exaltation of release. He hungered for the release, the high he was so addicted to, what brought him back to Omega time and time again. Zero could never do this to himself solo, could never subjugate another to the shame of his bed… Omega owned him, completely and utterly, and Zero loved it regardless of how disgusting it was.

Zero rode the waves of horrendous pleasure, moving his hand faster, a little dribble of saliva escaping the corner of his mouth. Omega licked it up, purring as Zero turned to him and they kissed fiercely, the pace picking up to a heated, almost ritual-like frenzy and left Omega panting and Zero screaming in their lip lock.

Thrust, thrust, there, right there, more, please, yes…!

It was too much but he couldn't bear to make it stop. Bliss on shame on pleasure on sin on rapture completely dominated Zero's mind until all he could think was Omega—he was consumed and he wanted to offer more.

Omega bit his tongue as he shoved himself deep into Zero, right there, and Zero broke the kiss by throwing his head back with a wild cry of Omega's name as he hurtled into the black hole of ecstasy, his hand still moving and Omega still thrusting even as he climaxed. Thick streams of his essence flew into the air, littering the bed and soiling the sheets, a physical testament of Zero's inability to be strong, but one he couldn't stop loving and wanting.

Zero's flesh felt hypersensitive, borderlining painful, yet he couldn't stop pumping his hand, couldn't bear to beg Omega to stop. His lover grasped his hips and thrust into him all the harder and faster, hurtling Zero into another climax far too quickly, his body screaming in joy and protest. He was a cauldron of boiling pain and delight and he couldn't stop!

Omega moaned as Zero moved against his thrusts, burying as deeply as he possibly could, tightening his muscles and clamping on him. He could never resist Zero, not when he so pathetically submitted to him, not when he was so beautiful in doing so. Zero cried out Omega's name as his body clamped on him, and with a deep groan Omega spilled himself within his begging lover and he held them both still as pleasure washed over his own mind and, for a long moment, rendered him mindless in its thrall as well.

Zero was shaking almost violently when Omega finally returned to his own senses, and with a slick sound pulled himself free of Zero's body. Zero leaned back against him, blushing terribly as he felt warm, sticky wetness ooze out of him and trickle down his thighs; he closed his eyes and tried not to think about what just happened, why it was wrong, and instead he grasped Omega's wrists and wound those arms around him.

Why Omega always obliged him Zero never knew. Omega cradled Zero with one arm, the other grabbing the soiled sheets and moved them enough so that he could lay down their burning, sweating bodies onto the cool mattress underneath.

Once Zero finally ceased his quivering, and seemed much calmer, Omega licked up his neck to his ear, smirking at the gasping inhalation the action caused. Zero swallowed, eyes wide as he looked over his shoulder at Omega, lips swollen and eyes shaking.

"You're beautiful," Omega murmured as he leaned close to brush their lips together, "when you hate yourself."

Zero closed his eyes, fighting back the urge to spill tears. "I hate you," he whispered, his voice shaking.

Omega chuckled, and Zero hated the pleasing way it sounded. It was such a condescending sound, for even Zero knew he was lying. He hated himself far more than he could ever hate Omega.

He kissed him to stop the laughing, even as it echoed in his head. How he wished Omega just would never stop…

I'm sorry, X, everyone. And yet, he really wasn't. That only made Zero hate himself more.

/ Hello, I'm your martyr… Will you be my gangster? /

The knocking on Zero's door made his eyes snap open and he lurched himself up with a horrified look on his face. Once more Ciel knocked, calling for him, and when he looked back down his fear was realized: Omega was still here.

"Omega!" Zero hissed, and the other blond opened his eyes. "What are you doing? You're supposed to be gone!"

The smirk he received did not dampen Zero's anger in the least. "You broke down, again. What sort of lover would I be if I left you to cry yourself to sleep, all alone?"

Zero's face colored and he launched himself out of the bed, grabbing clothes off the floor hurriedly. "I'm here, Ciel! Just… give me a minute!" he haphazardly slipped into his body suit, strapped on his waist armor and put on a vest with one hand as he threw the rest of the clothes at Omega.

He ignored the deep chuckle Omega did for some reason and grabbed a brush off a nearby night stand. Luckily his hair never developed tight knots, and he had it orderly in no time. He slammed the switch for the barrier without even looking at Omega, going off stupidly placed trust he'd leave. Zero heard Omega teleport away and rushed to the door, opening it and pretended to be putting on his gauntlets.

Ciel's smile faltered when she looked at him and her eyebrows furrowed slightly. "Is that your vest?" she asked.

Such a random question made Zero blink, then when he looked down, he nearly yelled out in frustration. No wonder Omega was laughing, he had put on the bastard's vest instead of his own! The deep, bloody red color was too dark and sinister to be a part of Zero's usual ensemble.

"Y-yeah…" Zero muttered, going back to his gauntlets. "That… form system spec I had, I still have a couple of them, guess it messed up…"

"The form system was practically flawless…"

"Obviously not if I ditched the majority of it." Zero muttered. Although his tone was not sharp, it still made Ciel winced, and he hated the pathetic puppy look she adopted when he did not particularly agree with her. "Is there something you need, Ciel?"

"N-no… just that… it's almost noon and you didn't come out, and you're usually up and about early…" at Zero's shocked look, Ciel again furrowed her brow. "Were you that exhausted from the mission?"

"I… I guess…" Zero said absently, mentally berating himself.

He had woken up an hour or so before dawn, which Omega was taking his sweet time in getting ready to leave. Watching Omega stretch triggered some stupid emotional response in Zero's retarded systems, and as the red-eyed blond had said, he broke down in uncontrollable tears. Zero didn't remember much else other than that… and the sex before then.

Ciel suddenly reaching for him made Zero jerk back from her, and she looked even more worried. "Your entire face is red, Zero. Are you all right? Systems malfunctioning at all? Do you need a defragmentation?"

"I'm fine. Just fine. What needs to get done?"

"If you were so—"

Zero shook his head furiously. "No, I can't waste any more time. What needs to get done? How's the Dark Elf search? What about Neo Arcadia's movement?"

Ciel frowned, but she knew better than to argue with him, unlike others. "No luck on the Dark Elf and Neo Arcadia's been pretty still, aside from analysis sweeps like us. There was a reading in the missile factory, although we're not sure what."

"I'll check it out." Zero made the move to push past her, but then stopped and looked down at himself.

He wasn't sure if it was shame or anger, but something overcame him and he growled, making Ciel take a step back. Savagely he grabbed at the dark red vest with both hands and ripped it right off his body, throwing it to the ground before whirling around to the armor cleaner against the opposite wall. He grabbed a clean vest, freshly woven with new reflective micro-fibers, and shrugged it on. Without another word or look to Ciel he grabbed his weapons belt and left the room, leaving the torn vest on the floor.

Ciel watched him walk away before slowly going to the room, picking up the scraps of cloth and staring at them pensively. If this was part of his form system, the color would revert to normal…

She rubbed the fabric between her fingers. It wasn't stained with anything; it was made to be this color. Where did Zero get it?

What's going on?

(*~*)

Zero transferred to the missile base, yet upon creeping into the building, found nothing. No droids, no traps, not even security cameras. It only made him more tense and apprehensive as he carefully treaded his way through, looking sharply for anything out of place.

But it was completely empty. Not even a prototype missile was in the launch bay.

Zero stood in the middle of the massive launch bay, deactivated saber in his hand as he looked around dumbfounded. Ciel said they saw something on the radar, but there was no sign of Dark Elf or the Baby Elves… no Neo Arcadians, no Resistance, the place was clean.

It was like a ripple in the air, Zero's own internal radar making him spin around with his saber activated. A second later the familiar light of someone transferring in flashed, and once the light cleared, Zero was stared down by a pair of heated jade eyes.

"State your business," Harpuia hissed, "and be gone."

Zero's shoulders tensed as he met Harpuia's challenging gaze, eyes narrowing. "I don't believe its any of your concern what my business is."

"On the contrary, it most certainly is. A Resistance dog, sniffing around Neo Arcadian property," Harpuia floated into the air, drawing his blades. Zero raised his own, ready for him. "Such mongrels need to be put down!"

Zero flung his body to the side just as a miniature tornado crashed into the spot he was at, spiraling out into the wall behind and slamming into it with a gut-wrenching sound of metal being crunched by raw power. Harpuia flung another artificial tornado and once more at the last possible second, Zero dodged.

The blond rolled under Harpuia's floating form, kicking up an undamaged wall until he was in line with the Guardian. Kicking off the wall Zero launched himself at Harpuia, saber charged with what Harpuia hated most—the Ice element.

The Guardian hissed and, ducking right under Zero's horizontal slash, flipped under him. Zero grunted in pain as Harpuia shot both feet into his gut and he went flying into the ceiling, cracking his back and head against the metal roof before falling to the ground on his stomach. Systems protested but activated his self-repair regardless, and Zero slowly pushed his upper body up, one eye clenched closed as the other glared at Harpuia.

The Guardian landed smoothly on the ground before him, deactivating his sabers and letting the wrist compartments of his gloves open. He slid the handles into the compartments, and as they closed, he held one hand out to Zero, whose glare only increased in intensity.

"Good thing your body's so tough," Harpuia mused when Zero finally accepted his hand, and he carefully lifted him up. "It crushed that camera pretty good."

"I was wondering if you were being a real douche or just playing," Zero ground out, still wincing. "So now that I know you're still on my side, what's going on in your end? What's with this place?" he sat down heavily, content to just let his body repair itself.

For a cheap copy body, it took care of itself pretty well. The thought made Zero wince again, but luckily being in pain was a good enough excuse for the expression. Harpuia crossed his arms over his chest, looking toward the other side of the empty launch pad.

"Truth be told, I can't give you reliable information anymore. That copy of Master X Weil brought back to life has officially stripped all authority from the Guardians. Gave it to Weil and his little pet, Omega." Harpuia spit out the name, and Zero's face colored a faint pink. "Weil's just in a damn frenzy looking for Dark Elf, and Omega disappears every now and then. For such a giant monstrosity, it's amazing we could even lose it."

Unless you knew what was in that armor…"I'd assume he's on Weil's orders to track down the Dark Elf."

Harpuia growled. "Well, that's a no brainer. What worries me is that he usually emits the same energy pattern as Dark Elf, yet there are times he just vanishes. What Reploid could turn off their energy pattern and remain functional?"

Me. "Who knows," Zero shrugged. Lying was starting to become too familiar, like a second nature, and Zero hated he had to lie to a reliable comrade like Harpuia. "Although in a way it makes sense. Dark Elf wants to keep way from Weil, and she knows only she has a certain energy pattern. Now suddenly something is coming at her and it reads like her? Dark Elf isn't mindless. Omega might just be equipped with a reader canceller."

Harpuia had sharp ears and he narrowed his eyes at Zero. "What are you hiding?" he frowned, kneeling down so he was face to face with Zero, staring into his eyes. Zero tried to hold the stare, yet old-fashioned guilt and shame made him avert his eyes every so slightly so he looked at the space between Harpuia's eyes. "Zero,"

"Nothing," Zero lied between his teeth. "Why do you think I'm hiding something? I thought we agreed to have trust."

"Hard to uphold that agreement if you can't even look at me in the eye right now."

Zero inwardly cursed the obvious X-inherited trait Harpuia was showing. "It has nothing to do with our battle," Except that's another lie. Keeping Omega safe is putting the world in danger."I haven't recovered from yesterday's mission and now you just kicked my ass."

Harpuia's frown grew severe. "You're distracted, Zero. What's going on? Is it the real Master X? Has something happened to his soul?"

Zero grabbed a handful of his vest over his core, shutting his eyes tightly and finding himself trying to breathe through clenched teeth. X, saintly X, even he was in danger because of Zero's selfish wants and lusts. As if it weren't bad enough he left X a hundred years ago, failed to protect his body from Elpizo… now he was letting the very monster that they fought against together go free! To hell if anyone else found out about his shame, but if X knew…

"Zero!"

"He's fine as far as I know." Zero had to hold back the emotional overload his chip tried to trigger and he swallowed hard. "Just… I can't talk about it, Harpuia. I can't, all right? I can't."

Harpuia snorted and rose to his feet. "You can, you just won't. What happened to that strong warrior that always bested my siblings and me? What happened to him who fought not for some skewed vision of justice but what was right?"

Shut up! Shut up shut up you don't know you don't understand you don't have my past you don't have the urges I do quit looking at me stop it stop it quit-

"Quit looking at me!" Zero exploded, and Harpuia took a step back in surprise. He had never seen Zero burst before, and it was unnerving.

Zero pulled his knees to his chest, his hands grasping his helmet as he pressed his forehead to his knees. "I'm just really messed up right now," he said, much calmer, much quieter. "Memories are… coming back. I can't tell what was the past and what's now. And X… X, he… for me and I…"

Harpuia was at a loss, but he couldn't just leave Zero like this. "This isn't the time to let your emotions cloud you, Zero. As warriors, we must shelf our emotions and do our duty. Afterwards we can have our break downs… but not now. We need your help if we're to get rid of Weil, Omega, and the threat of the Dark Elf."

Zero swallowed, letting Harpuia's words sink in. The Guardian was right, for once, and the blond slowly uncurled his body with a long exhale. He took in a deep breath, and then released it as his hands dropped from his head and he leaned his head back, eyes closed.

A few seconds later, when he opened his eyes, Harpuia was relieved to find the old, emotionless Zero back.

"Get back to Neo Arcadia," Zero said, softly but coldly. "Make sure you bust yourself up before you get back. Report our fight and that I managed to escape, but whatever it is you're hiding here, I didn't find it. Keep in touch the old way."

"You know, a particular snake has been asking about you." Harpuia smirked at the code. Go figure Ciel made it up.

"Tell her the usual." Zero stood and brushed himself off, masking the aching pain in his injuries the best he could. "Until then, Harpuia."

"Til then,"

Harpuia vanished, leaving Zero alone in the compound. When the silence fully registered to Zero he shuddered, hating it and the loneliness it brought. At least with Harpuia, he…

Again Zero shuddered and he left the compound, although he did not return to the Resistance Base. No, he didn't want to face the others, not with his guilt so fresh and raw at the surface of his flimsy mask. Zero needed a distraction…

/ Can you feel my trigger hand, moving further down your back? /

"I don't want to have sex."

"… What?"

Zero leaned back slightly, staring wide-eyed at Omega, who shrugged indifferently. "I don't feel like it." the red-eyed blond said. "Unlike you, my libido isn't limitless."

Zero continued to stare, even as his cheeks turned a light pink at the offhand comment. He finally managed to stammer out, "Y-you never refused me before."

"I never indulged you either, I always indulged myself."

The copy bristled at that comment, trying to ignore the strange pain he felt at such a confession. "So why the hell did you answer my call?"

Omega's lazy smirk made Zero want to punch him. "I'm still your lover, let's say I feel obligated." He leaned in close to Zero, who pulled back away; despite the bit of annoyance he felt at Zero's pathetic emotional response, he still smiled. "What? I can't kiss you if I don't wanna have sex?"

"Kissing without sex is what people in love and in stable relationships do."

"I think we have a very stable relationship. You call, I come," Omega's smirk grew at that and Zero scowled, "We obviously get along."

"We're not in love."

"Mmm… you're not?" Omega's eyes were glittering as he leaned forward again, and this time Zero remained still with his eyes wide. "Well?"

"Y-you're…not." Zero muttered, weakly, voice fading as Omega's face came closer centimeter by agonizing centimeter. "No… I'm… you're…"

"You think too hard,"

Zero's eyes fluttered close as Omega's lips grazed the corner of his mouth, a sigh escaping as those lips brush across his cheek. So soft, so tempting, and Zero's entire body shuddered as he tilted his head to offer his throat—Omega obliged the submission, dipping down to trail butterfly kisses to his neck right under his ear cover.

Zero's sigh became a soft moan as Omega's breath washed over his cheek, warm enough to make his entire body feel cold except where his lover touched and caressed. Tingling sensation, like droplets of water streaking down his skin, felt pleasurable and disgusting, and Zero only felt the almost overwhelming need to kiss Omega and lose more of his soul.

He pushed Omega back slightly, reaching for the monster's lips, yet Omega smirked that devilish smirk of his and turned his head away. Zero's eyes opened slightly, looking through lashes at Omega with a look he hoped stirred something in his enemy-lover, something that would compel him to fulfill Zero's needs and desires... Pity, love, lust, the want to dominate and control, anything.

Omega pressed their foreheads together, their helmets preventing lips from touching, only allowing the feeling of warm breath pass between them. Zero opened his eyes a little more, waiting for the berating comment, knowing he was to be ridiculed… knowing anything Omega said about him was correct; no matter how ashamed of the fact he was, it was still fact.

"One day, you'll have to explain to me what exactly is making you feel so guilty…" Omega murmured, then tilted his head so that he could press a short, soft kiss to Zero's aching lips. "Why it should matter at all…"

"You wouldn't understand," something gave Zero the rational will to speak. It certainly wasn't himself, for he simply longed to be kissed, embraced and smothered in shame so deeply his thoughts couldn't reach him.

Omega's chuckle was breathy, hot and alluring as it washed over Zero's mouth before his lips was devoured in a kiss that retained the foreign gentleness, yet completely and utterly crushed all forms of resistance within Zero in one brutal swipe. It hurt to be so controlled, to be played with so easily.

But it made it easier to hide from his thoughts, his emotions, and when Zero opened his mouth and heart to let Omega in, he drowned in the feeling until he felt numb, so blissfully cold and out of touch with reality.

/ When you hide, hide inside that body… /

Zero could scarcely look upon him, in all his glorious virtuous light and wondrous halo. X was beautiful—not handsome, beautiful—and so perfect and clean… Zero was terrified his very shadow would dampen that beauty, that monument of hope, dreams and peace X was. He truly wasn't, but in Zero's eyes, X was the perfect saint, with a pure heart and purer hands. His very presence soothed, calmed, made Zero feel warm and loved even if he didn't deserve it, was so far beneath X, a maggot to an angel.

Zero was horrified by X… no, he was horrified by X's desire to be around him, because Zero could destroy him with a single touch, and he did not want to mar such perfection with his bloodstained hands and dark thoughts.

"Zero," such a wonderful voice, so tangible but heavenly, a melody with each sound and it made Zero ache so badly to know he left this being alone for so long to bear the onslaught of such an unworthy world. "Are you all right?"

To be the object of concern… Zero couldn't look at him. "I'm fine." Lying! To X! How much further can you go?

"Ciel has been saying some days, you've been spending excessive time recharging… you can't push yourself so hard, Zero."

Zero faintly recalled such mother henning from X was actually normal, yet such a faint memory was nothing to the feeling of exaltation to be so cared for by someone such as X. Sometimes the blond highly doubted someone as earthy and filthy as he was once best friends with X, someone who had a conscious, who cared and had his own dreams and ideals. Someone who was someone, not a shell, especially not one so used by his former body…

Oh, god, if X knew…

A whispering touch, so light Zero barely felt it, but it caught his attention and arrested his mind. His eyes fell on X, that shimmering form barely existing and yet completely dominating in its soothing, heavenly appearance, and his focus became only on X.

When X smiled at him, Zero felt his will practically melting. X didn't know it, but during these few moments alone, Zero was his slave. At this moment, if X asked again, he couldn't lie, he couldn't say no.

"I worry about you…"

Zero's eyes softened, losing their cold edge and shimmering with X's light, staring at him and half-willing X's goodness to flow into him, to fix him of his lusts and deceptions.

"I wish you'd be more careful… ask for help if you need it. You needn't tackle this war alone, like I tried."

The words made the moment shatter, and Zero felt flooded with piercing black guilt. He couldn't control himself when he reached up with both hands and tightly grasped one of X's own, pressing X's palm to his cheek and began to rock back and forth. X stared, eyes wide, shock and concern so plain and readable.

You sweet, lovely angel. "I'm sorry," Zero murmured. "For everything… everything!"

"Zero, I've already forgiven you… it's all right, please, don't be guilty about it anymore."

"How can I not be?" X's hand felt flimsy in his grasp, reaffirming Zero's belief that it was not his right to touch someone like X. Otherworldly powers, fate, something greater than he obviously deemed it so… for if Zero had a right to X's light, he'd be able to touch him so much more than a grasp of a dream like he was now.

"Because you came back. Because you want to carry on the dream we both had… succeed where I failed."

Zero clenched his teeth, speaking through them. "Don't ever say you failed… you've succeeded so much. You are so much… you…"

X laughed. Laughed and it sounded so wonderful, a beloved memory Zero longed to regain and only now had the blessed pleasure of knowing again. If he hadn't left X a century ago… if he had remained by his side, perhaps X would be even more radiant… he would smile more, laugh more… any darkness X harbored was, ultimately, Zero's doing. Because of his own stupid, selfish wants.

"I'd be nothing without you, Zero. Please, forgive yourself."

So perfect, so wonderful. Zero felt incomplete and pathetic, for all different reasons, when he was with X. Yet unlike with Omega, he felt as if such burdens were his duty. Let calamity rain upon him, for someone like X, who sacrificed everything for the greater good and the world who was ungrateful, deserved peace. Zero's torment was both punishment and cherished duty… he had sworn, at one point, to protect X. And if being the walking sin equated such, he would do it.

It didn't hurt any less to know such… it didn't make Zero's actions redeemable in the least. But a shamed person always sought forgiveness, and Zero would forever seek X's. It gave him the excuse to be near X, and although it wasn't the most honorable one, Zero took what he could get.

And that only made him that much worse of a person.

"I'll make it up to you…" I'll fix it. I swear it, I'll fix everything. Myself, the world, the situation, everything!

"What are you afraid of, Zero? What're you hiding?"

Zero only pressed his cheek against X's palm harder, eyes closed and focusing on that illusionary warmth and light he wished so fervently he was worthy of. But no, deep down Zero knew he wasn't. What he was worthy of was someone else's soiled soul, equally disgusting as himself.

/ But just remember that when I touch you, /

Zero wasn't sure just how the whole charade was working, given his slip ups now and then, and the fact sometimes when he was overwhelmed by that stupid emotion chip, he really sucked at lying. Yet no one has figured out his dirty little secret, and he managed to balance spontaneous romps with scouting missions and visits with X. Ciel has asked again where he got the vest, even went so far as to lecture him about how the form system would have reverted it to its original state once removed, but if nothing else Zero was persuasive with the opposite gender. She eventually dropped the whole issue, and from then on, Zero was very careful to keep his clothes and to give Omega his upon the man's leaving.

In a way, Zero had to wonder if his situation with Omega was what kept the Dark Elf out of either Weil's or the Resistance's grasp. They never said it, yet it seemed to be an unspoken agreement to never betray the other so long as they slept together—it sort of made Zero feel better. In a way he might be risking everyone, but he was also protecting them.

Maybe he should stop trying to rationalize and justify the whole thing. Down to the bare wire, Zero had an unholy lust, and Omega fulfilled it. That's all it was, just quenching a selfish thirst and not giving a damn how it could affect others who were innocent and free of blame.

Damn it.

If he knew how to turn all the negativity off and spare himself—and others—of all of this, he would have by now. Yet like humans, Reploids couldn't just 'turn off' their emotions, although Omega seemed to say otherwise. But try as Zero might, he never could, and he envied his original body and his ability to really not give a ratloid's ass. There had to be a pretty good benefit in not being so tortured by his own stupidity and pathetic inability to stop feeling like he was.

The worst part of it all, was Zero knew if he stopped his rendezvous with Omega, he could get on the road to recovery so to speak. Attachment to someone like Omega only spelled disaster, and he knewhe would have to fight Omega to the death. Positive feelings would lead to his demise, and ultimately that of the world… he had to disconnect. To stop this madness and foolishness.

But Omega just felt too good…

Especially when they were this close and his lips were on Zero's neck just barely touching, his breath so warm and light. It made him shiver as little tingles of anticipation and wanting crept up his spine, causing Zero to arch his back with a soft little sigh. At one point Zero relinquished even more control, allowing Omega to touch and kiss him even outside of intimate actions, only making it feel more and more like some sort of actual relationship. A relationship Zero craved, one balanced with love and lust, equality and of a quality that brought peace to his soul… such was not possible with Omega, but during moments like this, he could close his eyes and pretend. And nowadays, pretending was all Zero had.

"How long do you plan to keep me a secret?"

Zero opened his eyes, turning his head to look at Omega, who was resting his own head on Zero's shoulder as his arms encircled his waist. Lying like this, cuddling, it felt so much like a real… a real…

"Forever." Zero muttered. "Why?"

Omega grinned, an expression that told Zero quite clearly he was darkly amused and for all the wrong reasons. "I don't think you could keep me a secret for that long."

"Who exactly would I tell?"

Omega lifted his head so he was once more looking down at Zero, a position the black-eyed blond had long gotten used to. "You're weak," he said, matter of factly, "especially when it comes to X. I expect you to break and tell him everything, hoping he'll forgive you eventually."

"I'll never tell X," Zero swore, the very thought of it making it feel as if some crushing weight slammed into his chest. He grabbed a fistful of his vest, trying to catch his breath. "X can never know!"

Omega hummed, enjoying just how tortured Zero looked by the idea. It would not be hard at all to find X and tell him all of Zero's filthy little secrets… but such an action was far too quick to end after its explosion. And explosions were not nearly as fun as ever-burning fires, and so long as no one knew, Omega could keep Zero tortured in his arms; such a wonderful source of entertainment, knowing he held in his palms the key to effortlessly destroy Zero far beyond of merely killing his physical form.

And this was why Omega was the true Messiah, but he wouldn't tell Zero that. Instead he was content to cradle him close, kissing the jewel of his forehead and waited for the tears he could kiss away and bring Zero deeper into his thrall.

Zero was trembling, quaking with the effort to hold all of his fears, doubts and shames in. But Omega had to only murmur his name before he shattered, tears streaking down his face as his eyes lost that fierce will and determination that felled so many of Weil's henchmen.

Nothing was more beautiful to Omega than knowing he could rob Zero of such so easily. He kissed his copy, loving how he clung to him so desperately. No matter how hard Omega held him closer, Zero's shaking could not be slowed, and it only made him all the more beautiful and tormented.

"Then keep the secret forever," Omega murmured against his lips. "I'll be a part of you forever."

Zero knew better than to accept the words in any romantic sense. And yet they made him shiver more, a sensation he didn't quite mind.

/ The more you shake, the more you give away… /

The Dark Elf was becoming more and more of an issue, one Zero was quickly tiring of. He had to somehow both go after her and make sure he never caught her… but still combat Weil's attempts to catch her and hope Omega was doing the same. The issue was this couldn't go on forever, someone had to catch her, and he had to eventually fight Omega… a real fight, not these framed ones they've been pulling off.

Speaking of framed fights, Zero was starting to think Omega had forgotten the 'framed' part as he clutched his shoulder, one eye clenched shut in pain as his sensory units went haywire from his injuries. The massive armor before him pulsed out another radar blocking signal, and Zero hissed as his portal radar shattered inside his already aching body. Damn his compliance about an installed radar…!

Zero dropped to one knee, unable to take the pain just as Omega planted his armor's massive arms on either side of him and lowered it to the ground. With hazy eyes, Zero watched the compartment open to reveal Omega just as the wires and latches holding him in withdrew, and the original smoothly slipped out of the cockpit to the ground. Encased in the arms of the armor, a strange parody of an embrace, they were out of line of sight to any possible spectators, at least for the moment. Secretly, Zero wondered if Omega would try to start something in such an open area… he wanted to deny the thrilling feeling of such a thought.

Omega stood before him, almost glaring down at him, and Zero sighed. If he was going to die, it might as well be at the hands of his secret lover—deep down, Zero wondered why he felt calm about such a thought. Maybe it was what he deserved…

The black-eyed blond learned forward slightly, resting his head against Omega's stomach. He felt elated with a strange, pleasing sensation when he felt Omega's arms come around his shoulders and head, cradling him, as if apologizing for the pain. But, Omega never apologized, and Zero had to kill those thoughts before he got too attached to the idea. If Omega ever apologized, he'd have to think the man finally snapped and probably would have to kill him out of pity and preserve his twisted dignity.

"Did I hurt you too much, sweetling?"

All the time. I can't believe I'm alive after each encounter with you. "If I'm alive, no, you didn't."

Omega gently tilted Zero's head up so their eyes met, and the hurt Reploid could not resist those alluring scarlet pools that drew him in and arrested his rationality. It felt as if things were slowing around them, ceasing to move than ceasing to exist to Zero, and before he knew it he was mesmerized and all that reality consisted of was Omega... Omega with his enthralling eyes and gentle caresses and softer lies.

Zero's split lip screamed in protest when Omega kissed him, and despite the attempt to be careful, Zero jerked back in painful reflex. This momentarily stunned Omega, and Zero caught the flash of heated anger, maybe hatred, in his eyes before the emotions were covered by that thin blanket of 'care' Omega liked to pretend he had. The look made a shiver of coldness dart down Zero's spine, but unlike other emotions before, he managed to suppress it.

Zero swallowed, leaning back more from Omega and rising to his feet. They stared, obsidian to ruby, a sort of tension never before experienced settling into the air around them.

He wouldn't admit it out loud, but Zero hated that tension, wanting to slice it aside and fall back into Omega's arms and be rocked to imaginary bliss for a little while. But it was hard to ignore, that sensation and the look Omega had briefly shown.

I'm really nothing. I'm not surprised, and yet I…

/ Cold, but I'm still here, 'cause I'm so blind; say never…
We're far from comfortable this time… /

Kissing was supposed to be an action shared by those whom deeply cared for each other, loved each other. Outside of lovemaking, it was a reminder of deep devotion and care, an action to heighten one's love and desire to the other and leave the promise of more… a lingering want, pure and sure, to tease til the next kiss, the next embrace, smothering and absolute.

Yet kissing Omega was nothing like that. There was no soaring on a high and feeling light—it was the crushing darkness of absolute surrender, the sense of being forcefully robbed of control but so sweetly seduced into a sensation not unlike love and devotion, just so much darker and very much worthy of shame. Needless to say, being deprived of his will and thoughts was an addicting sensation, and the only two people were capable of doing such… and one would never do it.

Zero was beginning to wonder just how screwed up he could get. He was discovering that, in a way, he was growing to resent X. X, in all his heavenly perfection, so high and mighty and wonderful… who'll never break Zero the way he wanted to be. Oh, X could break him, have before, but it was always so gently and lovingly and never on purpose. Now, Zero craved to be thrown to the ground and shattered… he wanted to be forcefully broken, on levels beyond simple physical and emotional pain. He wanted someone stronger than he to control him, and out of the two people who could do it, only Omega did it in a way that left Zero totally helpless and at his every whim and mercy. X was too soft. Too easy. Too wonderful.

Omega never handled him roughly unless he asked for it. Omega never treated Zero with reverence or tried to burden him with duties and dreams. Omega swept him away from the world, dominated his mind and forced Zero to endure what he wanted… and Zero found himself more and more okay with it. Oh, he rebelled once in a while, just for the thrill of Omega punishing him in some way. Zero felt smaller than he was with Omega…

Felt almost normal. Human. Not someone trying to be a hero or do heroic deeds. He was just someone named Zero. He was Omega's. It was liberating.

But Zero couldn't reveal that to anyone, not even to X. He had to struggle with himself daily to keep up the emotionless façade he built up to everyone. The only person who knew he was struggling was Omega. Omega knew it all…

He was completely enraptured, Zero knew. Maybe at one point he felt so normal and content with X, but now X was too impressive. Being next to him, it was natural for Zero to feel degraded and lowly. Omega though, he was on the same ground as Zero, soiled and earthly and he broke Zero in ways that were more satisfying, because it wasn't natural. Zero knew he had a fighting chance against Omega, and he purposely lost yes, but he knew he could fight back if he mustered enough will to do so. X rendered him obsolete with his very presence… no struggle. No real shattering. A mortal to an angel.

Zero couldn't make sense of it, couldn't keep up. He was slowly losing to his guilt and shame, thinking it normal and 'fine' instead of something he should try and redeem into something positive. He was starting to really not care.

People would notice eventually. But it wasn't quite obvious yet, thankfully.

"You're shivering."

Omega had a way of stating the obvious that still made Zero surprised to hear it. He was thrown out of his labyrinth of thought and was back in reality, in Omega's arms, submitting to him all over again.

Zero swallowed hard. "I'm cold."

"Should have said so, sweetling."

Zero hated it when Omega called him by endearments. Hated it when Omega would do the romantic thing and held him or kissed him or said sweet things like it was natural. Hated it that he knew Omega was lying all the damn time and still tricked him.

Hated Omega. But still, deep down, was his and exalted in it. Loved him even.

Oh, god, no, he...

"Are you mine?" Zero blurted, unable to help himself; Omega stared at him, somehow mixing an amused and incredulous expression. "Don't lie to me."

Omega smirked. "You're telling me what to do? Remember what happened last time you did that, sweetling."

Zero remembered, and he could still feel the stinging pain on his backside from such an event. "I'm telling you what to do," he whispered. Damn his weakness, his pathetic wants.

"Such a funny, funny toy you are!" Omega snickered. "No, Zero. Never. But does that really bother you, sweetling?"

It did. More than Zero could bear to admit. But if there was one thing Zero was mastering, it was lying.

"No."

/ Cold, now we're so cold, and you're not mine; say never…
We're far from obvious this time… /

It hurt so badly, Zero was amazed he was still alive after each encounter. To be able to breathe and function afterwards, yet he still could—he supposed he just had that amazing of tenacity to exist in the world and get his work done, whatever that 'work' ultimately was. Saving the world? Saving himself? Who knew…

"Are you all right?" X looked so concerned.

But for some reason or another, Zero actually was okay. He felt like he was floating, on a different plane of existence. The pain was so bad it numbed him, and the guilt, the shame, were so far away, Zero felt so content he could just lay on the ground and rest his head in X's lap.

So he did, and it was amazing. So simple, so incredible, and Zero wondered why he never done it before. X never minded, even petting his hair with that wistful, dreamy touch of his that felt like a cool, loving breeze. It felt so good, so peaceful, Zero kept falling asleep and X was too polite to wake him up, always waiting til he did so on his own before striking up conversation.

"You're in a good mood today," X said, smiling. Zero felt like soaring, opening his eyes and seeing such radiance as a first sight.

If only this went on forever. Forget the world, forget his mistakes, just the now existing, just them… Zero smiled, and it felt like the first real smile he had in a long, long time.

"I am." He rolled onto his stomach, wrapping his arms around X's waist. "X, I never told you how happy you make me."

X's cheeks actually reddened, even though Zero couldn't see it, he knew X was blushing from his shy tone. "I-I don't do anything…"

"How wrong you are…" Zero nuzzled his stomach. "You're so wonderful, so beautiful… X, you're so perfect. Would you hate me if I said I loved you?"

X's tone had a smile to it, and Zero felt his spirit regain feeling… but it was a good feeling, a wondrous feeling. "What if I said I loved you, too?"

"I could die happy."

"Well, don't do that. We still have to save the world."

"Would you hate me if I said screw the world?"

X laughed. Such a glorious sound! "If I were as selfish as I wish I was, I'd agree. But I still don't hate you. I don't expect perfection from you, Zero. I just want you to be you."

That utterly destroyed all the good feelings Zero had, and his heart plummeted. He buried his face into the cloth of X's shimmering robe, trying to hide his sudden drop in mood. Yet he felt like asking.

"What if…" Zero swallowed. "What if… I am a bad person, X?"

"You have a skewed definition of 'bad' Zero." X scolded him like a little child, and in truth, Zero felt like one now. X was so almighty, so overpowering. "As long as you're honest to yourself and to me… Well, what can I say? I know you, Zero, even if you don't know yourself. I love you, who you were and who you are. Don't be ashamed to be you. I wouldn't love you if you weren't you."

Zero felt even worse at the words, despite their attempt to comfort him. Because Zero had lied to X, boldfaced lied to him and pretended to be someone else. To be the one X thought was him, just so X would care, would stay. The Zero X knew really didn't exist… the Zero that X loved didn't exist!

You don't love me. You love the fake me. You couldn't love the real me if I had shown the real me to you!

Zero thought he was numb from the pain. No, he was just delusional. In the end, if X knew the real him, that would be the end of what they had here. The friendship and love would be gone, destroyed, because Zero was a liar, a coward, a whore.

"Zero?"

Zero pretended he had fallen asleep, and X hummed to himself and stroked his hair. Here he was, running away from the problem, from the issue, instead of confronting it. Lying to X, running from X, knowing he'd eventually run into the arms of Omega.

All because he loved X, every sinful part of him wanted X, and he didn't want to hurt X… X, X, X… always X… But it wasn't X's fault. No, it was all his.

It was only a matter of time, really.

/ Wait another minute here, time will kill us after all… /

The concept of time was always lost on Zero, and he briefly wondered if it was because of the hibernation. Sitting on one's ass asleep for a hundred years, forced awake and thrown into battle upon opening one's eyes had to mess something up, right? Well, Zero as a whole was messed up, but his personal concept of time was among the really screwed up.

He hadn't noticed how long it had been since his affair began. Hell, couldn't even remember how or when it started, the memory files were so dated they had been deleted as unnecessary bytes and thusly discarded in favor of more eventful memories. But how could he possibly forget the first time he submitted to Omega? Or had it been that long?

It wasn't that long, Zero figured. He remembered it started sometime shortly after Elpizo's defeat… but how long ago was that? And how could he forget the timeframe, considering he failed X then, as always? Something was wrong…

Well, he was Zero. Something was always wrong.

But something had to be really wrong when Zero could barely remember the last damn time he had a diagnostic test!

Truth be told, Zero was terrified of letting Ciel or Cerveau lead anymore of his tests or system repairs. It wasn't that they'd find evidence of his… activities, as Zero always was meticulous is clearing up such despoiling proof. It wasn't that they'd possibly find parts of Omega's own system in him—considering they'd think it was part of him anyway—but it was the fact Zero was paranoid as hell about everyone now. What if they looked into his memory drives? What if they downloaded recent data? What if, what if, what if…

Zero hadn't let X do it either, especially not X. If Ciel found out, he could kill her and make it look like an accident or Neo Arcadian attack. As sick and demented as that sounded, Zero was at that point in his desperation to keep his filthy secrets to himself and away from X. So long as he pretended and kept X oblivious, he had X's care, support and love. So long as he had that, Omega could do whatever he wanted, and Zero would endure. Even if X's love hurt more than Omega's manipulation, he still wanted it. Still craved it and needed it.

He was disgusting, but X didn't know, so Zero would put up with it.

But he knew he couldn't hide or run from X, or the truth, forever. And the longer it went on, the worse it got, and the harder it would crush X. Zero was having an affair behind X's back, betraying his trust and love. Worse yet, it was with his sworn enemy from over a hundred years ago, betraying X even deeper. Zero held the world's fate in his hands, dangling its safety just by keeping Omega alive. X would eventually find out, and in the end, Zero had to decide if he should suffer the pain of finding by third party means, or the pain of hearing Zero admit his sins himself.

Heavenly X, forgive me, for I have sinned…

Zero felt like he was choking every day, choking on words and air and nothing at all, just that his time was running out and it was ticking down to some final count down to a result that scared Zero beyond anything in the world. Why he was so on edge, when he could end it so easily, boggled him still. There were so many chances he passed up where he could have brought peace and serenity to his warzone of a soul. Omega had more or less completely relaxed around him… Zero could kill him if he just had the damn will to do it!

Yet even if Zero planned it all meticulously and perfectly… he knew once Omega gathered him in his arms, he'd lose the will. He'd be rendered useless and pathetic, because he wanted the crushing oblivion being taken control of offered. X offered peace and salvation, love and adoration… but Zero had to be a hero, had to complete his dream. Omega offered nothing but took everything, leaving Zero without a care or mind, an almost equal sort of peace… and he didn't have to do anything but surrender.

On days like this, when Zero was not expecting to see either his love or his lover, he felt like he was slowly dying. He was being strangled by the right and wrongs he knew, by the invisible force that was X and Omega in his mind and heart. He hated them both for this. If not for X, Zero would still be sleeping and dreaming time away, lost in his own mind and left alone. If not for Omega, Zero would be free of this sick, disgusting want of being manipulated and taken advantage of, to be reminded he wasn't powerful and the fact Zero was almost human. There was a sense of mortality with Omega, a sense of ethereality with X. A hell and a heaven. Somehow the choice was hard.

And it hurt. It hurt so much, because either one Zero picked, he had to let one go. He was attached to both like a pathetic idiot. Neither were realistic either… Omega was his enemy, enemy of the world. And X? X was dead. Zero couldn't have both and in all reality, he couldn't have either one. In the end, Zero would end up alone just like he was now. Alone and choking on air and time.

/ Can you feel its second hand wrapped around your neck? /

"I hate you so much."

The declaration didn't even get him to open his eyes. "Yes, sweetling," Omega said in an exasperated tone, yet he was smirking a bit, "you've told me before. Trust me, I understand."

Zero punched the ground, frustration building. "I hate you. I want to kill you. I want to get rid of you."

This time, Omega opened one of his eyes slightly, peeking through slightly disheveled locks of blond hair at Zero, who was sitting up next to his prone form. "Is that so?"

"Yes."

"So why don't you do it?"

Zero looked at him, at that amused and condescending look on Omega's face. He let the anger of being insulted flash in him, let it out, and he actually lashed out. But it seemed that Omega was waiting for it, because Zero found his wrist caught and his entire body was soon flying off the ground and across the clearing. He hit a tree with a heavy thud, then fell to the ground with a grunt. It was almost comical, and Omega was laughing.

"It's been a while since you've been so feisty, Zero!" Omega sneered, still lounging on their makeshift bedding of their clothes and resting on his side, his naked body now in plain sight. "You need to regain your spark, sweetling. I've missed utterly crushing it."

"I'll kill you!" Zero raged, again lunging at Omega. Weeks, months, however long it's been, just endless days' worth of guilt and shame converted to rage and it wanted Omega's blood.

Omega caught Zero by the wrists and they rolled off the other side of the bedding onto the dirt. Zero was favored to have landed on top, but Omega's grip was absolute on his shaking hands. He tried so hard to jerk them free, at least one, so he could just punch Omega once. Just one hit, one striking, shining moment of proof that he was Zero and not some weakling nobody Omega decided to screw once in a while. He was Zero, expert Hunter, cold-hearted killer, he was…

…losing his drive the more he looked at Omega's amused face, slowing his struggle as the look in his enemy's eyes seemed to arrest him.

When Zero finally stilled, Omega sat up slightly, still holding onto his wrists. "Do you really hate me, sweetling?" Omega murmured. Velvet voice, silk words, so tempting and Zero tried not to be affected. "I've treated you so well. We've been doing so well, no one knows, no one's been hurt. What's wrong with our arrangement?"

"Everything," Zero hissed, looking away as Omega leaned closer. "Everything is wrong! Eventually you'll get tired of me. You'll kill me… and then you'll kill Ciel and Alouette and Cerveau and X and…" he jerked his hands from Omega's grip when it slackened, but now the drive to hit him was gone. Everything was just gone. "Why do I keep you alive… why do I let you do this? What have you done to me?"

"Nothing you didn't ask for, Zero." Omega's breath made Zero look at him, into those eyes and damn everything and everyone.

Zero didn't ask for any of this… not at the start. "I want to hate you," he whispered, even as Omega's lips slowly advanced for his. "God, I want to hate you so much…"

Omega smirked. "If you can't, Zero, then don't waste energy on trying. Just accept this is how it is. If you have to hate something, hate yourself. You are the one who started this, don't pin your shame on me."

"I know that!"

The red-eyed blond wrapped his arms around Zero, smirk growing as their hips began to grind against each other and Zero's face colored. "I make you feel good, sweetling… in more than just physical. I know I do… you know I do. Fight it all you want, but you gave yourself to me willingly because of what I give you. I treat you so good, better than anyone else."

Zero closed his eyes, denying it all, even as his hips pressed against Omega's. "No…"

"I make you feel alive. I give you a purpose," his words wheedled into Zero's mind. They rang true and false at the same time, contradictions confusing him, making Zero want to run away like he always did. "I shelter you from what you hate. I give you what you want. So don't hate me, sweetling. Hate yourself for giving in."

When Omega's hands gripped his thighs, pulling Zero up and onto him, Zero whined. When Omega entered him, tears streaked down Zero's cheek and he clutched Omega tightly, pressing his teary face into Omega's shoulder.

Omega ignored Zero's whimpers of 'stop' and began to set a rhythm, knowing eventually his pathetically weak copy would fold and beg for him all over again. Zero clung to him, broken and useless, a complete opposite of what he was outside of the bedroom and outside of Omega's arms. With a smirk, the red-eyed blond laid Zero onto the ground, hands moving to his hips and angling up, pulling away and staring into Zero's eyes. Their bodies moved, still slick from earlier, and still Zero begged to be let go, for Omega to stop.

"Don't tell me what to do, sweetling," Omega murmured, husky and dangerous, his eyes half-lidded and smoldering with a fire Zero craved, feared, loved and loathed. "You always regret what I punish you with."

"Please," Zero shook his head, trying to not look at Omega's face. X's face floated to his mind, and he felt so much worse. "Stop, stop!"

Instead of stopping, Omega quickened his pace, plunging deeper and harder into Zero's body. Zero wished it hurt, wished it was painful instead of pleasurable. But even with the delight coursing through him, he wanted to stop. Stop and end it, make it all stop…

I give you a purpose.

I make you feel alive.

I make you complete!

Zero sobbed, surrendering at last, unable to resist Omega's eyes, taste, kiss, touch… unable to resist his truths and lies. In the moments he let it, Zero felt right and whole. Those moments were worth the torment, weren't they?

/ Fall into my eyes, fall into my lies… /

Rage was a spiking emotion, surging and falling at such rapid intervals he found it hard to breathe. He never felt so angry before, so inflamed and consumed by a negative emotion… it transcended any other moment of his life he ever got angry. Any time he was sad or anything… this was heartbreaking, will breaking… faith breaking.

"How long...?" X seethed.

Zero was on his knees before him, palms covering his face as he hunched over in shame. His shoulders were shaking, maybe he was crying. X hoped he was, hoped that guilt and shame he had been plagued with were consuming him to the point he'd break.

X didn't have the patience to let Zero sob out excuses and lies, not anymore. "How long!" his voice thundered, the loudest he had ever been in his life and afterlife.

Zero cringed away and X felt a sick pleasure in intimidating the usually stoic blond. "I-I don't… I don't know. X, please, just listen—"

X was ethereal, always felt like a breeze when touched. Yet when he lashed out at Zero, fist at his head, it felt like a hurricane slammed into his cranium; Zero yelped, flung back by the sheer force of X's fury. He sprawled on the ground, his vision spinning as warnings and caution prompts triggered. He deserved that, yes, but it wasn't the hit that hurt Zero the most… it was the fact it was X that hit him.

X was visibly shaking, his teeth clenched so hard it was difficult to understand him. "I trusted you… I loved you!" X threw his hands up onto the air and Zero again cringed away, the guilt and shame threatening to offline him more than the blow to the head. "I did everything I could do for you! You promised me… you promised me, and behind my back, behind ALL of our backs, you're fucking the most dangerous enemy known to the world? You're fucking Omega? How could you, Zero? How could you endanger us like that?"

Zero got back up to his knees, but he didn't dare stand. He didn't have the strength, nor did he have the right. "H-he… he hasn't hurt anyone. He hasn't… he purposely avoids Dark Elf, and I…"

X wasn't done speaking, and although he didn't raise his hand to hit Zero again, the blond felt the wave of rage emit from him like a blasting wind. "You're an idiot! Since when were you so weak, so moronic? Do you actually think you letting him screw you would keep him tame? Maybe I'd buy that if you didn't have much reservation in sex… unless, of course, you lied about that to me, too! Have you forgotten what I've told you, what I've shown you? Did you forget what you told me, you bastard?"

Zero grasped X's hands, desperation so plain on his face and in his voice, but X couldn't find the heart to give him a chance. He thought Zero was a noble, loyal and strong soul… only to find him pathetically wrapped in Omega's arms, outside near Base even, being rutted like a dog and enjoying it! Maybe that's what hurt the most… it wasn't catching Omega raping Zero. It was catching Zero and Omega mutually sharing an intimate pleasure X thought was a privilege only he had with Zero. Zero said he had loved him… was that a lie, amongst everything else? Now it all made sense… the shame, the guilt, the mood swings, why sometimes Zero was completely and utterly undetectable for hours a day…

X wished he had never gone looking for Zero. Wished he was never worried enough to finally risk over-depletion of his energy and going to find him to comfort him. That sight will never be erased from X's mind. This offense will never be forgiven.

"Shut up." X whispered, too angry to even properly speak. He jerked his hands from Zero, shoving him away again. "Go on, go and run back to Omega! Go spread your legs for the one who'll ultimately destroy us all, for the one who always hated you! Go ahead and forsake the ones who care and love you!"

"X, please…"

"Get out of here! You obviously don't care about the wellbeing of humanity, of Reploids, of the world! We don't need you!"

"I care!" Zero cried, rising to his feet finally. A show of strength, of the old Zero, finally… "I care! I care so much I let him use me so you all will be safe! I care so much I'll keep my sins and share them with someone as immoral and wrong as me! I love you so much I won't taint you, not ever, not while I live! I need you, I love you, I care! I swear it, I swear by whatever god exists, X!"

X turned away. "I can't even stand to look at you… You… you disgusting…" he didn't bother finishing his sentence. Instead, X shrank into the small ball of light that was his energy-saving form and flew off, disappearing within seconds.

Zero was alone, with all the words in his throat, but it was far too late for them.

/ But don't you forget, /

Misery was something Zero thought he had suffered ever since the first night with Omega. Yet now, as he again refused to leave the room even as Ciel cried for him on the other side of the door, Zero never felt so… dead while still alive. Numb, but suffering. Nothing mattered anymore, not the world or living, Omega or the affair, Dark Elf… nothing could touch him now. Zero didn't care. The single positive aspect of his life, the source of light he could depend on no matter his wrongs, had left him. He was abandoned, forsaken, because he was weak.

Zero slowly turned his head, the first movement he had done in days, and he heard his joints creak. He looked at the mirror, cracked from his initial shock of misery, and looked at his pale face. Layers of dried tears streaked down his cheeks, his hair was matted and disgusting. He had no idea how long he had holed himself in his room, locking out the world. Locked out Ciel, the Resistance, Omega, X, nothing could reach him unless it tore down the door. And here he wallowed in misery, looking every bit the disgusting piece of shit X said he was.

So weak, so damn pathetic. Zero wanted to laugh at his pitiful reflection, but he didn't have the will to do even that. He didn't have to the will to be… why couldn't he just shut down? Shut down, die, no longer exist…

You're so weak! His mind screamed. It wasn't the first time it tried to rile him out of his hole, and it was the only thing that kept him from willing himself to dying. This is why you let Omega use you! This is why X hates you! If you want to stop being miserable…

An answer, a glimmer of hope, was the only thing Zero could depend on. He stared at his reflection, swearing it was speaking.

… become stronger.

That was too easy! Zero looked away from the mirror, back to staring at the ground. It wasn't the first time he thought of that answer, but could everything be fixed so easily?

No. No, everything would take years to fix. But if he wanted it to be fixed so badly, then Zero had to change, didn't he? And to change, he had to be stronger… but to do that, he needed strength. Strength he lost.

What happened to him? Zero looked back at the mirror, staring at himself. What few memories he had recovered, he knew he always was strong. He had power, had strength, had will and faith. What happened to all of that? Why did he lose it?

Didn't lose it. Locked away.

Simple enough answer. But if he had it all, why did he give in to Omega? Zero was a Reploid… he was almost human. He wasn't a hero or some immortal being… he could have flaws. Maybe Omega was right, he was flawed and imperfect and unfit to be a 'hero.' But that didn't make him nothing.

X had high expectations… everyone did. Everyone expected 'legendary' Zero was a god incarnated, but he wasn't. He couldn't reach those expectations and he let it get him down. He had those expectations for himself, and when he let everyone and himself down… having a moment of weakness, that was normal, wasn't it?

"I'm not…" Zero whispered, voice cracking, static-filled from disuse. "I'm not… perfect…"

But you can still fight! You can still do the right thing!

Zero stared at the mirror as suddenly, a sort of gothic hope grew. Yes, he was imperfect, flawed, pathetic, and maybe he was also weak. But he could fight, and in the end, so long as he did the right thing, the ends justified the means, didn't it?

It was fragile, such a thought, but Zero clung to it. He needed the motivation, needed the will. He wanted X's love back, he wanted to be free of Omega. He wanted peace, to end the wars of the world…

He would do whatever it took to have those goals met. Even if he had now hit rock bottom, all he could do was go up. If Zero wanted to change, he had to do it now.

"Get the Tran server ready," Zero called out, the best he could. Ciel ceased her blabbering. "I'm coming out in one hour. And then you're going to give me a mission."

"Z-Zero…"

X once said if you pretended hard enough, sometimes, you really could be what you pretended. If Zero pretended hard enough he was strong and could do the duty given… he eventually could have the strength. It was the only thing left to do.

(*~*)

It seemed Weil was not expecting the Resistance to suddenly fight back with ferocity. The first mission Ciel gave Zero was simple, but he did it with no complaints. He retrieved the data from the old library, merciless killed the 'Judge' standing guard there, and went right back out to another mission. Any Arcadian that stood in his way was cut down with no sympathy, largely because Zero had none to spare. Quick, effective and efficient. That's how he was before he had dug himself a hole, and with each mission success, no matter how small, was a step on the road to recovery. Zero could do this, was starting to truly believe that yes, he could live up to the expectation X had put upon him.

He hadn't seen X in a while, but Zero knew better than to think a few successful missions would bring his love back. No, Zero was pretty sure he would have to slay his former lover before X graced him with his presence again. Parts of Zero still cringed at such a thought, but the other parts of him, the parts that he drew this imaginary strength from, screamed for retribution for all Omega had taken from him. His pride, his will, his sense of self, and X's love… Omega took it all, and Zero had to take it back.

Zero hadn't been in the Base for a minute before one of the Navigator's screens pinged, and the look he gave her made her immediately explain.

"The missile base is showing heavy activity and energy patterns are on the rise," the red-headed Navigator said. "It seems it is now functioning."

"Trans me," Zero ordered.

Ciel couldn't even utter a countering word before he was gone, and she stared at the space with wide eyes.

When Zero teleported into the missile factory he was a flurry of motion. Two pantheons had no time to react before his saber sliced right through them, and the blond dashed between them before their pieces even made it to the floor. He shot down security cameras, destroyed mechanical rats and anything that dared fling itself at him.

He made it to the missile in question fast enough, and made quick work of the control console. Emergency sirens blared as communications to the missile were severed; Zero nodded to himself as he made sure the missile was now completely defunct. Pleased with his fast pace, Zero actually let himself smile.

"I've missed you, sweetling,"

That smile vanished as Zero whirled around just as Omega crashed into him, hands pinning Zero's wrists to the smoking console behind him. Zero's saber clattered to the ground while the look of shock was still on his face. Omega let out a low chuckle, leaning close.

"Where have you been?" Omega whispered, in that husky, dark tone that made Zero heady. "Other than pissing Weil off, I mean…"

"Get off," Zero growled, tapping into that imaginary well of strength. "I'm going to kill Weil, get rid of the Dark Elf and rip you to pieces."

Omega's eyes widened for a moment before once more adopting that sly, glimmering look of predatory pleasure. "Your spark," he marveled, "it seems you've regained it. Lovely… why don't we celebrate?"

Zero shivered at the way Omega spoke, that look in his eyes promising the empty but fulfilling oblivion he had once depended on. But X's words of venom ripped through his mind, incising the rising excitement and gave Zero the fury to throw Omega off.

"It's over!" Zero cried, although it was more for himself than to intimidate Omega. "Everything is over!"

It had been so long since Zero actively fought him, and Omega found himself exhilarated. "Nothing's over til I say so, sweetling, you know that. Do you intend to make me force you?"

"You won't win," Zero swore. Don't look in his eyes. Don't look at him.

Omega's tone was so seductively dangerous; Zero couldn't resist looking at him and feeling that longing. "I always win, Zero. But it seems our time apart as made you forget that fact."

Zero should have been prepared, but he foolishly let his guard down. Omega leapt at him, knocking him back against the console again. Pain bloomed where his head slammed into the console, and Zero's entire body locked up as he felt Omega's teeth on his neck. Excitement coursed through him, flooding every inch of his being before surging to the point between his legs. Armored groins wracked against each other, and when Omega bit down harder, Zero clutched his shoulders and moaned.

"You disgusting…"

Zero wasn't aware he had closed his eyes until they snapped wide open, and when Omega's hands went up his vest to caress his back Zero screamed in anger. He shoved Omega off him, catching the original by surprise, and as Omega stumbled Zero landed a swift kick to his stomach, further tossing Omega back.

A sudden fear seized Zero as Omega landed harshly on his back a few feet away. He had hit Omega… actually hit him.

Instead of rage, however, Omega was smirking as he got up. "Beautiful," Omega murmured. "The more you fight me, the more I want you. I love this game, Zero; I love that spark of yours. Let me have it again, sweetling, it's been so long…"

Love, love, love, Zero wanted to twist those words in some sort of sick confession of feeling. Omega loving his 'spark' meant he loved him… that's what a part of Zero wanted to reason. Why hurt the person who won't hate him for his flaws? Why toss aside the person who loves him for the weak coward he really was?

No more! He couldn't stay here another minute, not with the way Omega looked at him. Not with the way he spoke… not when his stupid, weak heart wanted nothing more than to fall against him, sob and beg for his dominance and take away the world. Zero wasn't that weak anymore… he couldn't afford to be anymore!

Zero grabbed his saber and fled, tears in his eyes and heart, but his pride cheered. For once, Zero actually was proud of himself, even if he was in so many ways running away again.

/ The more you turn away, the more I want you to stay! /

Zero cursed himself as he found himself at that damn missile base again, rolling under plasma bullets and jumping over Pantheons attempting to stop his flight through. Weil was getting smart—he had, during Zero's depression, reconfigured the missile base to be able to prepare two missiles for launch. The one Zero targeted was a decoy, and the true one housed Omega and pointed right at a human settlement.

Have to stop it, have to be faster! Zero's mind raged, fury pumped his body with energy as he sailed over a compartment that opened to revealed flying mechs aimed to blow him up.

Why hadn't he questioned Omega's presence previously? Out of armor, no less, in a relatively 'public' area where any of the Guardians or Resistance could have seen him or detected him. Obviously something was going on, but Zero was so preoccupied with fighting off his own stupid urges to notice! He had to stop the missile, stop Omega, because hundreds of innocent humans could be killed…

Just as he approached the missile, the entire place began to rumble. Ciel's panicking voice filled his ear, and Zero blocked her out as he jumped into the outer shell of the projectile, scrambling for a foothold as it took off into the air with a deafening screech. He clung to it until the speed stabilized, and once it did he lurched himself into action, racing for the back of the missile. Guard units were torn to shreds by his saber, and when the back of the projectile was discarded, he dropped down into it and fought his way through.

Pantheons, security cameras and more guarding units tried to slow him, but Zero's anger at himself and at Omega gave him the speed and ruthlessness to cut them all down and race on, regardless of damage he received. As he ventured closer to the head of the missile, pieces of it fell off behind him, and as Zero scrambled he found himself losing more and more ground with each falling piece.

Can't fail…

Zero threw himself through what appeared to be a door, dashing through the corridor. A sudden giggle made him screech to a stop, and two lights appeared; one behind and one in front. Zero's eyes looked to the side as if attempting to look behind without actually turning and the baby elves giggled again.

"Baby elves…" Zero muttered.

Crea and Prea tittered happily, as if glad they were recognized. "He came!" Crea chuckled. "The bad Reploid!"

Her sister laughed from behind Zero. "He came! The nasty Reploid!"

You're welcome for the earlier saving, brats… was the first thing that came to Zero's mind, but he shook it off. Now was not the time. "Get back, baby elves."

"Omega will rescue Mama!" Crea declared, sounding somehow happy and vindictive at once. "Don't get in his way! Leave!"

As usual, Prea also chimed in, "We'll protect him from you! Don't get in his way! Leave!"

Zero frowned. "I won't leave."

The baby elves needed no other provocation, their bodies shimmering white and pulsing with power. Zero braced himself, and when they charged he dashed low to the ground. Before either elf could move, he got up and whirled around with his saber, slashing both at once. They cried out in pain before separating again to either side of him, steadied themselves, and tried the same maneuver.

The baby elves were not meant for fighting as Zero ducked beneath them and jumped over their attempts to hit him with large spheres of energy. After the two elves merged temporarily, Zero knew he had to end this now, and he leapt into the air with a roar, spinning toward them.

His saber severed their connective energy link, forcing them apart and jolting them with an energy backlash. The baby elves fled to the far corner, sobbing, when Zero landed.

"Waaaah!" Crea screamed. "You horrible thing!"

"Owwww!" Prea cried. "That hurt!"

Zero didn't have time to spare any regrets, but as he passed their shivering, wounded bodies, the turbulence of the missile grew and Zero was rocked to his knees. Alarmed, he looked up at a ceiling window, noticing how the clouds were moving.

Crea laughed in triumph, "We may have lost but the missile will land soon! Our mission is a success!"

"We may have lost, but we'll see our Mama soon!" Prea taunted. "Our mission is a success!"

Zero gulped as realization dawned on him, and he tried to rise to his feet. The descent quickened, and he backpedaled several steps before crashing to the ground, rushing wind drowning out the baby elves' giggling merriment.

Zero swore just as the missile impacted the ground, and his body went flying through the air.

(*~*)

The roar of Omega's armor brought Zero back to consciousness, and he jumped to his feet. He swayed, systems still not quite online, and fell back to his knees; raising his eyes, the most terrible sight greeted him. Dark Elf shimmered between him and Omega, the baby elves flying around her happily.

"Yay!" Crea was screaming. "Maaama! Maama!" Prea repeated the same cheer.

Dark Elf shuddered as Omega towered over her, and Zero willed himself to get up, to save her. Get her to run, to do anything! But the armored talons of Omega's armor crossed as his body shook, and then the arms flung aside a black hole-like cavity appeared in Omega's body. The Dark Elf screamed as she was pulled into the chamber, and a sudden silence descended as Omega's armor began to glow. The only sound Zero could hear was the crackling of flames that engulfed the once human settlement.

The white armor became a luscious gold, and the baby elves gleefully flew circles around him. The cockpit of the armor opened, and Omega fell almost ungracefully out of it.

Zero hadn't realized he moved until Omega landed on him, in his arms, safe from the damage. His eyes were rapidly twitching, his skin nearly paper-white, and Zero couldn't resist slowly stroking his cheek in worry. He froze, breath catching, when Omega suddenly snatched the hand touching him and those ruby orbs focused on his face.

A slow, predatory smile formed on Omega's face as he whispered. "My… my sweetling…"

Zero tried to let him go, to get away, cursing his weakness. Yet Omega stood on his own, somehow now entrapping Zero in his arms. The black-eyed blond struggled, shouting in frustration and perhaps fear, free hand punching Omega's chest.

But nothing phased Omega, and he continued to croon in a slow, soft voice, "Allll this power… allll thanks to you… Zero, my Zero, you can't escape me now…"

"Let go!" Zero shoved at him, but Omega was like a titanium statue.

"Always so feisty," the more Omega spoke, the lower his voice got, the odder it sounded, as if someone else spoke through his body. "Always so ready to be broken, so endearing. Shall I indulge you, my beautiful Zero? Shall I take you into my arms again and show you the world where you're finally complete?"

"No!" Zero resisted the temptation, resisted, because as the seconds ticked on, less of his Omega was here in that body. The merging with Dark Elf was doing something…

Omega laughed, so low and dark. "Shall I love you?"

That made Zero freeze, the entire world seeming to stop. Omega's eyes, almost as black as Zero's own, captured his and seemed to drawn Zero into him as he did the Dark Elf. Deep, deep pools of desire and seduction, black and plain, nothing like Omega's usual teasing, tempting subtleness.

"Oh, yes…" Omega whispered, lips brushing Zero's cheek, jolting him to awareness. "Is that what you want, Zero? I'll love you. I'll love you until I break you."

A soft whine bubbled from Zero's throat, but before he fell into temptation a thunderclap rang throughout the smoldering ruins. The blond suddenly found himself thrown to the ground, discarded so easily, and looking up he saw Omega leap backwards into the cockpit of his armor.

Seconds later Harpuia teleported in, standing over Zero almost protectively. He was visibly shaking with rage, the hate radiating off him like a palpable aura.

"We, the Reploids of Neo Arcadia…" Harpuia's voice trembled, but not from fear; from pure, undiluted fury. "We are the defenders of humanity, the only justice here. Is this wasteland what you people call justice?"

Harpuia's fists clenched tightly and Zero could hear the joints grinding. "WEIL!"

The Guardian pulled his swords free as he levitated off the ground, crossing the pink beams over his head and invoking his almost celestial-like power. Lightning bolts descended from the smoke-filled skies, striking Omega's armor several times dead-on. The electricity rolled off the armor like water, and before Harpuia could move, several beams were shot out from the helmet, striking Harpuia and knocking him from the air.

Harpuia screamed in pain as his systems began to overload. "I… I am…!"

Zero scrambled to his feet. "Harpuia!"

Ciel's voice suddenly rang out in Zero's ear, "Zero, don't move! I'll transfer you to the base, now!"

Just as Omega fired again, the baby elves goading him, Zero and Harpuia faded out safely.

/ You're so endearing, you're so beautiful… /

Zero wanted to cry, but he held it in the best he could as Cerveau conducted repair on both he and Harpuia. The announcement from Copy X still rang in Zero's ears, the threat he issued, yet that was not what struck him so terribly. Not even Harpuia's pitiful state and lamenting of his wrongs moved Zero to the near depression he felt now. The memory of Omega, beautiful red eyes turning emotionlessly black, his very mannerisms morphing before Zero, was what bothered him so much.

The empty promise of love was what Zero wanted to shed tears for.

The moment he could, Zero fled to his room, not wanting to risk a possible break down. He locked the door and flung himself onto his bed, trying to council the battling he had going within himself. A part of him was glad to see Omega change, making it easier for him to be slain. But the other part of Zero, that weak and pathetic part that wanted not just Omega's love, but X's as well, cried out in denial.

What has happened to Omega?

It was obvious what happened—the merge with Dark Elf changed him. But was it temporary? He was practically convulsing in Zero's arms.

But did it matter whether or not he changed, whether or not if it was permanent? Zero had resolved to let go and kill him, save the world and try to earn X's good graces back. Omega was Omega, and so long as he existed, Zero was weak; if Zero wanted to be strong, he had to kill Omega. So why was he so upset over what he witnessed? Why did his emotions center on Omega, and not the fact of Copy X's threat, or the dead humans, or even Harpuia's broken faith?

Because I still love him.

Zero buried his face into his pillow and screamed, the fabric barely muffling the sound.

(*~*)

Copy X's threats were rather easy to deal with, once information was readily available. Zero dispatched of all three armies and their leaders almost effortlessly, the only thing remaining was Copy X himself. As the operators worked themselves to finding his whereabouts, Zero kept himself busy by patrolling Resistance-dominated areas.

He couldn't stay cooped up in the Base. Couldn't look at Harpuia and stand the fact he felt no sympathy for who was to be a close comrade. Couldn't handle the silence of his room, where he once had private conversations with X during the day and spent hours panting beneath Omega by night.

That thought made Zero stop in his tracks, cheeks stained a heavy red. He shouldn't think of those memories, even if by definition they could be 'good memories.' He had to let all of Omega go… including the memories. Omega had to be nothing, not even a memory.

Zero fell to the ground in a graceless heap, head bowed as he fought himself over this again. Why did he cling so desperately to what was so terrible for him? Was this was it was like to be human? Emotionally torn and conflicted over one's shames and mistakes? It was haunting, and Zero wasn't sure if he'd ever achieve total separation between his strength and that pathetic part of him.

Hands clapped on Zero's shoulders, making him instinctively roll forward out of reach and swing his saber at the offender. No resistance meant he missed, and Zero crouched defensively as he glared heatedly at the figure that snuck up behind him. To say he wasn't shocked that it was Omega was an understatement—Zero had actually been waiting for him.

Omega's smile seemed to be normal again, as were his eyes. Yet something rang off to Zero, something key that only he was attuned to, because once he was Omega's. He knew him.

Or maybe he didn't, all along. "I've missed you, Zero." Omega practically purred. "Did you miss me?"

"No."

Zero hurled himself at Omega, who swiftly dodged to the side. The original's smile became nearly deranged as Zero again attacked, and this time he also drew his saber. The screech of energy slamming into energy rang throughout the forest, forcing birds to flee and leaves to rustle as their eyes locked and stared heatedly into each other—Zero in anger, Omega in passion.

A desire simmered in Zero, but instead of shoving it aside, Zero let it fuel his self-disgust. He let it make him hate himself, and Omega, more and focused that negative energy into his duel. Hit for hit they were matched, Zero's wild fury to Omega's calm control, but Zero looked for the advantage. If he could kill Omega, he'd be free. He'd have atoned, and perhaps even be forgiven.

Yet it was Omega who broke Zero's defense, saber tip hitting the handle of Zero's and catching it out of his grip. Weaponless, Zero jumped back a few feet, reaching for his buster pistol; Omega's forward lunge gave him yet another upper hand in that he was still close enough to tackle Zero to the ground. The buster pistol skittering several feet away, and Zero found himself beneath Omega once again.

Zero braced himself for the killing blow, but when he felt no pain for several seconds, he hesitantly opened his eyes. Omega remained above him, straddling his waist and hands pinning his shoulders, the oddest look on his face. Zero wasn't sure what to do… wasn't Omega going to kill him?

"Are you finally growing a backbone, Zero?" Omega asked, cruelty in his tone. Zero stared at him, unflinching. "Are you finally regaining who you were?"

Zero didn't answer, and one of Omega's hands caressed his cheek in such a loving way he had to fight his reactive systems to not blush happily at such soft contact. "I've missed you," Omega repeated. "Miss our secrets, our dark and dirty sins. I miss your shame; I so very miss shattering you and building you back up. I want nothing more than to rip you to pieces and make you beg for completion again. Will you cry for me?"

The level of disgust Zero felt easily overrode whatever possible 'happy' feelings he had for Omega's soft touch. To hear him speak so brought Zero back to reality, where he was nothing more than a toy to Omega… he was much more than that. He'd prove it, to X and Omega, he was more than their toy or tool.

"Get off," Zero hissed.

"Cry for me," Omega whispered, tone dropping to a half crazed, half seductive level. "Shed tears for me; show me what it means to be ashamed and full of self-loathing. Show me how pathetic it is to be remotely human. Surrender to me, Zero. Or I'll take it from you again."

"Get off!" Zero bucked under him, trying to throw Omega aside. Omega remained, hand returning to keep Zero pinned down.

Omega grinned as Zero struggled. "Deny me, go ahead! I'll take your pride, your spark. I'll crush it under my heel and you'll scream for me to do it again and again! I'll break you again, just like you love to be broken. You want love don't you, you pathetic, emotional bitch? Then take my love of shattering you!"

Suddenly Omega's hands wrapped around Zero's neck, his red eyes wide in what could only be insanity. Zero felt a part of his heart break to see what used to be such a composed, alluring Reploid morph into a madman. Omega's grip tightened, threatening to crush the wires in Zero's neck and offline his sensory chips.

"Just because I don't look and act like others doesn't mean I'm any less real," Omega taunted, smile widening. "Just because I don't love like others doesn't make it any less true. Isn't this what you wanted? Isn't this what you begged me for, time and time again? X denied you his love unless you paid his price, so you turned to me for mine. Well here it is, sweetling!"

Anything Zero tried to say came out as choking sounds as he tried to get Omega's hands off his neck, legs kicking wildly as sensory programs began to report lack of power and data exchange. If Omega offlined him, who knew what he'd do? And with them this close to base… no, Zero couldn't just let this happen.

Just before his optics began to fill with static, Zero punched Omega across his jaw. Omega didn't fully let go, but his grip slackened enough for Zero to fling him off and to the side, rolling away and coughing to inflate the wires back. His vision stabilized just as Omega got to his feet, and Zero finally got a good look at the unadulterated anger, hate and lust Omega had once carefully hidden away.

The true Omega? Or what the Dark Elf unleashed?

Zero dove out of the way when Omega lunged with a howl. He grabbed his saber up off the ground, forsaking the pistol, but instead of turning to fight Zero fled. He couldn't face Omega, couldn't watch him deteriorate anymore. No one ever wanted to watch a loved one die, and to Zero, Omega was dying. Whatever this monster was, it wasn't his Omega.

His Omega, while still a monster, at least was a beautiful one.

As he ran, Zero couldn't help but congratulate himself regardless. He, rather easily, deflected this Omega. Maybe all that pretending was finally paying off.

/ Well I don't look like they do, and I don't love like they do. /

With Copy X dead and Weil taking control of Neo Arcadia, Zero had not seen Omega since that day in the forest. Without that reminder of failure, Zero remained steadfast and resolute in his dispatching of enemies, whatever Weil threw at them died before it came miles within the Resistance Base. Zero wondered if for each enemy slain, he was truly on the road to redemption.

But those complacent days came to a crashing halt when, during planning with Ciel, the doors suddenly broke down on both ends of the commander's room. Ciel shrieked, hiding behind Zero as Resistance fighters poured and leveled their weapons at the pair; even the operators stood from their seats and pointed pistols at them.

Zero was an amazing fighter, but he knew he couldn't protect Ciel from all three directions and still keep the Resistance members intact. Ciel clutched his free arm, eyes tightly shut as she felt the waves of hopelessness, denial and shock numb her stupid—Zero seemed to have his wits about him, drawing his saber, but it would be useless in this conflict.

"Dr. Weil…" Zero hissed.

"Wondrous detective work, Dr. Ciel," one of the operators, in a much different voice, chuckled. "Unfortunately, you were a little too late."

Suddenly a transmission loaded on the overhead screen, showing Weil standing. Zero's heart leapt at the way Omega's armor was bound behind him, held by the skull and chest to a strange machine. Even in the static and hazy image, he could see the pulsing of power coming from the armor. Weil was amplifying the Dark Elf's power… and further destroying Omega's mentality.

"Hehehe…" Weil's face contorted into the most insane expression Zero had ever seen. "This time, Omega is absolutely perfect. I can now manipulate all of the Reploids on the planet, without using the Baby Elves, and make them do whatever I want!" he cackled, and Zero tensed.

"Time to start, Omega," Weil turned from the transmission, spreading his arms out as he faced Omega's armor. "Now you will see, pitiful humans, what you get for banishing Dr. Weil! Taste the fear, you foolish Reploids who banished me! Omega shall inscribe my name upon this world… the name of your new ruler! The entire world, in my hands… I have the power to crush it between my fingers at any time!"

Weil, and the controlled Resistance Reploids, began to laugh insanely. They all were in Weil's voice, and Ciel let Zero's arm go to clap her hands over her ears, shaking her head furiously.

"No!" she cried, falling to her knees as more Resistance soldiers entered, chanting of a new world and Weil's name. "This can't be happening!"

Zero brandished his sword, eyes narrowed in fury. How the hell could he cut them down?

"Both of you, freeze!"

Zero threw his hands up as a sudden light filled the room, and Ciel screamed in surprise. Thuds all around them echoed in the room, and when Zero slowly lowered his arms and opened his eyes, the Resistance soldiers were slumped on the floor, offline. The transmission was also cut, the screen full of static.

A chime made Zero turn and Ciel raised her eyes as a small speck of light descended from the roof. Another quick flash and X materialized over Ciel, looking down at her and appearing ragged, as if exhausted. Zero held his breath, immediately captivated by X's ethereal appearance and angelic radiance.

X didn't look at Zero as he spoke, "It's okay, they're just unconscious. All I did was disable the power of the Dark Elf. But I only have enough power to protect those in the base."

Ciel swallowed, slowly rising to her feet. Zero assisted her, silent, and still X didn't look at him. It was as if he didn't exist to the Cyber Elf, and Zero felt the dull ache in his heart.

"Thank you," Ciel said breathlessly.

"Weil is in Sub Arcadia, the underground power system. With him lies Omega, transmitting the power of the Dark Elf around the world." X reported. "I've already put the coordinates on your transfer device… but you'll have to hack the anti-transfer shield yourself. If I do it, I won't be able to protect you all here."

"Can you bring the operators and Cerveau back online?" Ciel asked.

"They'll reboot within two minutes," X said. Finally, he looked at Zero, completely emotionless. "So. You plan on fighting against Omega?"

Zero took several seconds to answer, making Ciel turn to him with question clear in her eyes. The red-clad Reploid ignored her, responding at last, "Yes. I will destroy Omega."

He couldn't tell if the answer was good enough, because X said nothing and just disappeared. Zero glanced at Ciel, who was still giving him that questioning look.

He ignored it again. "How long for Cerveau and the operators to hack the shield?"

"If all goes well…" Ciel replied slowly. "Two hours."

"Make it one. I'm going to prepare." Zero whirled around, leaving Ciel among the unconscious bodies. He wished he were among them.

(*~*)

Zero took the saber off the recharger, knowing the time was coming. Once he started this, he couldn't stop… no. He already started, and now he was stalling the inevitable. He would stop Weil, for sure, without a regret or thought. That man deserved to die for too many reasons.

What made Zero pause and stare at his saber handle was the knowledge he'd have to kill Omega before he even got close to Weil. Zero was not the type to let others fight his battles, but at this point, a part of him wished someone else was strong enough to slay his original body so he didn't have to. He could barely tolerate watching the Dark Elf's power slowly destroy him… what said Zero could strike him down himself?

Why did he love the brute so much? Zero never could think of a satisfying answer to that question. He could list a million reasons for why he adored and loved X, but what was there of Omega worthy of anyone's love? He murdered millions, destroyed so much, stolen everything Zero ever cherished… made him a toy.

And yet, Zero found his heart aching. Omega did wrong… but didn't everyone? Perhaps not to the scale he had, and by no means did Zero forgive him. Yet Omega, even if it was all a game to him, empowered Zero those desperate and despairing days. Gave him a reason to exist, to live, when he failed X time and time again. Gave him completion when he was far too weak to complete himself. Like it or not, Zero existed today because of Omega, grew into a better person because of him. Loved him, because Omega in essence 'took care' of Zero, showed him enough pleasure and positivity to go on when he thought he shouldn't.

Maybe Zero was overthinking it, maybe he had no true reason for falling in love with a monster, but he loved him. There was no denying or covering that fact up.

Zero looked at the mirror, raising a hand and pressing it against the glass surface. "I love Omega," he whispered. The words swirled in the air, hanging delicately, and he repeated the statement louder.

Truth was ugly, and those words were among the ugliest Zero ever spoke. Yet if he wanted to grow stronger, he had to accept he failed and made a mistake. And now he paid for it, with blood and his heart.

"I love X," Zero suddenly uttered. "I love them both, and I hate them both!"

The mirror suddenly cracked, and Zero punched it again. Slivers of glass fanned into the air at a third impact and Zero screamed, sudden emotion welling up within him and erupting with a ferocity that made him want to kill.

"I hate you!" Zero screamed, punching the mirror until all of the glass was either in pieces on the ground or embedded in his fist. "I hate you, Omega! I hate you, X!"

Punching was no longer satisfying, and he threw his saber handle at the farthest wall. It activated and embedded in the wall as he picked up a small bedside table, hurling it toward the remains of the mirror. A lamp followed, anything Zero could snatch and easily lift went flying toward that abused mirror with a vengeance.

I can't do anything! Zero thought desperately as rage blindly left him destroying the room, grabbing an unused dresser and flinging it aside. Useless, weak, pathetic! I pretended and faked it, but in the end that's all I'm good at… that's all I am! A fake!

A fake that couldn't win the battles that mattered. A fake that couldn't truly feel and only sought to give pain and misery. Omega was the God of Destruction, and Zero was nothing. X was the savior of the world, and Zero was nothing.

He'll go there and choke. Go there and fall sway of his pathetic excuse of a heart and show his weakness to the world. In the end he'll be…

Zero grabbed the saber handle and froze in the act of pulling it free. You're going insane. You're going Maverick.

He let the saber go and his back thumped against the wall; eyes staring at the carnage he caused, he slid down the wall until he was a crumple of the floor, a heap of emotional mess.

"I love them both," he muttered. "X, because of his goodness, his capacity for love and forgiveness. Because he isn't afraid to dream and strive for that dream. His strength and how he made me feel. Because of his confidence and the purity of his soul and intentions. X taught me to dream."

Zero drew his knees to his chest, staring at the mess of his room, how it mirrored his own soul. "Omega, because of his brutal strength and ability to reduce me to nothing. To complete me in the most human, debasing way possible… he taught me to live."

And with them, I have the will to live and the determination to have my own dream and goals, to be real. I'm more than a fake. More than a tool. More than a toy. I am Zero.

And because neither of them understood him, Zero hated them. Hated them in his confusion and human process of being scorned in different ways by both. That feeling of failure, that which made him easily manipulated by both, was the source of his hate, but that hate was fake. It wasn't true, not like real hatred.

I will prove it.

/ But I don't hate like they do... /

Zero felt it was rather ironic X stopped him in the same hallway he was often ambushed by Omega. It took all of his willpower not to look at the various finger-sized indentions in shame.

"So you are going." X said, right off.

Zero nodded, the tense air making it hard to focus. He wanted nothing more than to embrace X and tell him he'll make it up to him, but hadn't he already declared such already? "I am."

"I heard you screaming." X replied, and Zero's shoulders tensed visibly. "I… I listened to all you said. I still don't understand, nor do I want to. But I don't truly hate you, Zero. I hate what you did. Not you."

It felt as if the world suddenly shattered, and Zero's knees shook as he tried to keep from falling to the ground in a pile of relief and humility.

"This doesn't mean I forgive you," X went on, but Zero was surprisingly all right with that. It was far too soon for forgiveness. And if he didn't strive for X's forgiveness, he'd break. "I'm still mad and I'm still disappointed in you. All I want to say is, don't die. You have to win."

"I know," Zero replied quietly. "And although you already heard it, I love you, just like I do Omega. But, you're more important, you're the future that must go on and persevere. He's the past that must be put down and forgotten, mistakes noted and learned. You said to me, that I was weak. So did he… to both of you, I was weak and pathetic. I was an easily manipulated tool and casual toy. But I'll show you my strength, X. The strength I had all along, as well as the strength you both gave me. I'm more than a toy. I'm more than a tool." Each word, Zero's voice grew stronger, more confident. X felt tears, because it was just like a hundred years ago. "I'll prove to you I'm Zero."

"Prove it," X mumbled. "You really have to prove it."

"I know." Zero suddenly lost that confidence, and took a tentative step forward. X didn't flinch away. "Despite how I feel, I'll keep my promise to you… I'll destroy every enemy. I'll take care of it. Just like I promised."

X had nothing more to say, and he nodded briskly. The air was still charged, still tense, and he couldn't stand it anymore. In a way, despite his own words, he couldn't stand looking at Zero anymore, either.

When he turned away to go back to expending his energy, Zero spoke up again, "X," when the Cyber Elf looked at him, Zero went on quietly, "…during the days away… did you think of me at all? Did I really lose everything?" Just because X didn't hate him, didn't mean he was anything to him anymore.

There were a few seconds of silence, and X turned away and vanished without a word. Zero stared at the air, willing him to come back and answer, but he didn't have that power. Zero didn't have much power, really…

No, he couldn't get into that loop of thought again. Prove his strength, prove his resolve, and maybe he'll get back all he had. Zero steeled himself and went on to the commander's room, only half believing he was ready. But at least a part of him believed.

/ Am I ever on your mind? /

Gold really wasn't Omega's color.

It made Zero think 'precious,' because gold was still considered in this day and age a 'precious metal,' and by no means was Omega precious. Not even to the man who loved him, Omega was far too rough for such a word to be used in any way. Why his mind was on this as he dodged Omega's massive claws and fired projectiles, he wasn't sure. But so long as his mind kept itself busy, Zero could dodge and strike back with little problem. Let the combat program do the work… his emotional mind wasn't needed, but it had to be pre-occupied.

Dodge, roll, slash, strike.

Zero never did recover the memory of the very first time he fell to Omega's charm. Didn't even remember how they met. The oldest memory he had was their first night sleeping together, and Zero only vaguely remembered they had a sort of 'relationship' for at least a month prior to that night. Only reason he could say a month was because a month after their first copulation, the Resistance finally met Dr. Weil and Omega on the old spaceship. Why Omega was there, Zero never figured out… hell, didn't know it was him in that armor til Weil said something. Imagine the shock…

Slash, roll, strike, dodge.

After that their meetings became that much more intense, because it was that much bigger of a secret. Zero got over the whole original-body thing rather easily, because he was still reeling from failing X, saving him from Elpizo and preventing the Dark Elf's release. At the time, Zero wanted any distraction from the feelings of failure and misery… and Omega was the perfect distraction. The perfect punishment for his transgression, so he thought. Zero had to admit he only started feeling truly guilty when he realized X was more keen to spending time with him.

Roll, strike, dodge, slash.

But it seemed the more Zero tried to pull from Omega, the more Omega pulled him back. Tantalizing pleasure and promises, the feeling of being a lesser mortal invigorating; Omega built Zero a heaven to escape his failed attempts to the high expectations given to him. Such expectations everyone had for him, and he ultimately let them all down… the only person he never let down was Omega. Not until now.

Strike, slash, dodge, roll.

That first night together was suddenly fresh on Zero's mind. His physical vision saw Omega's armor, scathed and smoking from the damage he inflicted, but his mental eyes saw the scene of that night. Of how he tried to turn Omega away, saying they were enemies… of Omega agreeing, and saying it made it all the more 'perfect.' How Omega touched him, brought him close and kissed him so sweetly Zero had to fight the urge to gag at the moment. How could he have been so blind? But blinded he was by Omega's sheer will, letting himself be dragged to the bed and laid upon it. Remembering those crooning words that meant nothing at the time, because they were nothing, made Zero wonder if there ever was a something the entire time.

Dodge, strike, roll, slash.

What shocked Zero was Omega's gentleness. Never once did Omega rape him—no, he made Zero a willing participate, even when his mouth said no, Zero truly meant yes and he knew it. Omega eased into him, held him, even kissed him, and it only served to bring Zero under his thrall now that he remembered the night. But, it was still beautiful, no matter how Zero looked at it, he couldn't bring himself to regret he gave himself to Omega and Omega's taking was more than Zero hoped it would be.

Strike.

Zero watched impassively as the armor fell to the ground, falling through to the abyss below. He heard Weil laughing, saying something, but his memory was still replaying that night, slowing it down so he could savor the details. He could still taste Omega on his tongue, feel his slick skin against his, felt his body moving against his own. Zero remembered the warmth of being trapped between Omega and the mattress, of how he really did forget the world and his shortcomings for that glorious time.

As Omega's transformed armor rose once more to confront him, the atrocious combination of his, X, and the Dark Elf's likeness, Zero could hear Omega's voice above the roars and flames.

"You're mine, now."

Yes, Zero could agree with that. At the time, he was Omega's. His toy, but nonetheless his. But he didn't belong to Omega anymore, not this monster before him.

"You can be a hero with desires."

As he readied his saber for the coming battle, Zero nodded. Yes, he could… he was. He had desires, bad and good… and he could still be a hero.

"Then keep the secret forever. I'll be a part of you forever."

Such a sick thought… but even Zero saw the truth of that as he began to fight. All the things Omega said, all said just to make Zero depend on him… all of it lies, manipulation, his own weaknesses, put into sweet words that led to this turmoil and loss of everything.

Zero let the hate fill him to the brim. He hated what Omega did. Hated what he said. Who he was then and now.

He launched himself into the air, screaming as he slammed the saber into the forehead of the middle face and released the charge. The energy spread and Zero was throw off by the backlash, the memory of their first passion finally being shoved aside. He didn't need to remember the first night, remember how he was broken so quickly and easily.

The armor sank down again, the explosion as it fell shattering the floor beneath Zero's feet. As he fell through, Zero tried to erase that first night from his memory. When he landed, he was disgusted he couldn't bring himself to forget, because even if he was broken that first night, it was still beautiful in all of its ugliness.

Zero did not want such thoughts given the next phase of this battle, but damn himself, he couldn't help it.

/ You broke me from the very first night... /

Weil's voice from the computer above them was filled with static, "Very, very good, Zero!" he sneered.

Zero recognized the area they landed in immediately. How ironic, the place where he was awakened would be the place he'd put himself down.

That stupid human was still going on, "But the battle is far from over! Omega is just getting started…"

Zero didn't bother to pretend shock when the debris went flying, Omega rising to his feet. His eyes, the jewel of his helmet, were glowing unnaturally with a fiery madness. What stood before Zero was not the Omega he knew, or even thought he knew. What was there was a monstrosity, the thing that slew more than half the world.

"I must admit, when I found memories of your affair with Omega, I was quite affronted," at these words, Zero did look surprised, and Weil laughed. "Did you think he could hide it from me? Once the Dark Elf entered his body, his personality data took up too much space. What little was left, I removed, but I let the memories stay. Rather ingenious of him, to get you to fall for him!"

Zero ignored the taunting now, his eyes focused only on Omega. Weil didn't seem to notice, because he kept going, "Can you do it, you fake? Cut down not just your original body, but the one you lo—"

Omega suddenly swung his arm out, and the transmission ended abruptly. Zero's shoulders tensed as the other blond slowly lowered his arm and began to advance toward him, ruby eyes glittering in the dank darkness of the laboratory.

"Either you surrender to me, or I'll rip you to shreds," Omega threatened, unable to keep the insane grin off his face. "I'll kill you and murder each person you swore to protect. That girl, her little Resistance, even the damn Guardians. And if I can I'll find X. Find him and make him my new toy, my new bitch!"

Zero didn't respond to Omega either, nor verbally anyway. Instead he dashed forward, swinging the saber as he came closer. Omega jumped over him at the last possible second, making Zero stop and pivot just in time to parry Omega's retribution.

"What's wrong?" Omega taunted. "Don't like that idea? Can't stand the thought of me fucking someone else?"

Zero's eye ticked as he broke the standstill, bringing the saber above his head for a mighty downward slash. Omega hopped back a step, and once the slash was completed lunged forward with his own. Zero had no choice but raise his right arm, using his bracer to deflect most of the blow. It still cut through the metal and sliced a bit of his flesh beneath, and when Zero moved to the side to avoid another hit, blood was already oozing between the sliced metal.

"That's it, eh?" Omega kept pattering. "Jealous I'd go for someone else so easily?"

He wished he'd shut up, and Zero hoped a Zaneidan was just the thing. Calibrating the saber for the attack, Zero swung it horizontally, releasing the triangle of energy straight at Omega. The original jumped over it, and barely had a chance to raise his saber to avoid being impaled by Zero's thrusting Reppuugeki, the impact skidding Omega a good ten feet back before he regained his balance and began a battle of strength.

Omega leaned in close, smirked widely as Zero didn't pull away. "You pathetic, weak little bitch. Can't earn anything, can't take it either. You're nothing… this is why I'm the messiah. This is why you're just the fake."

Zero broke the standstill again, swinging the saber and shoving Omega back. The original laughed, pressing his hand against his helmet. "So predictable! You can't do anything!" Omega snickered.

"Shut up!" Zero finally exploded. "Just shut up and fight!"

"You don't want to fight," Omega gleefully went on, "You want to toss aside your weapon and beg for my forgiveness. Beg me to take you and fuck you and make you nothing but my toy!"

"I hate you!" Zero charged at him, swinging the saber wildly. Omega parried each strike easily, the ringing of weapons the only thing above Zero's frustrated screams. "I hate you, I hate you, and damn you to hell, I love you!"

A particular strike was powerful enough to send Omega reeling back, as if Zero channeled his emotion into his weapon. Zero shook his head furiously, trying to clear it, but he couldn't.

"Hate you so much, love you so much, you monster…" Zero whispered. "Even after I kill you I'm going to love you. Are you happy now? Are you glad you broke me so much I feel for you so strongly? Is this what you wanted?"

Zero should have known better. This wasn't his Omega. His Omega wouldn't just laugh at him in such a deranged fashion. His Omega wouldn't have charged at him with his weapon, his ferocity matching Zero's perfectly.

"You will be the one to die!" Omega shouted. "I'm going to shatter you to pieces!"

/ I'd love you til the day that I die... /

Zero had felt the abusing pain of near-defeat several times in his life. Now, however, as he and Omega were sprawled across from each other on the ground, Zero knew he never fought as hard in his whole life as he did this battle. Both of them were severely damaged, a miracle they were functioning still at all, the most either could manage was to stare at each other; Zero in hate, Omega in insanity. Story of his life, it seemed.

This felt like a finale of some sort of play, some tragic story coming to a close and the curtains were coming. Even if he managed to land the final hit, Zero wasn't going to walk out of this alive, no way. But as he stared into those deranged eyes he once thought so alluring, he felt a sort of peace unlike any other settle on him. A sense of calmness that rivaled any moment he spent when in Omega's embrace or X's angelic light. He was comfortable with this sort of ending; he was okay with it… almost looking forward to it.

How perfect. To slay one of his loves and die with him. Two sins purged from the world, the tainted and the profane, leaving behind legacies for people to learn from. Zero always figured his story for the world would be an inspiring one, like X wanted, expected. Maybe he made some bad choices along the way, but Zero hoped people could learn from them when he couldn't, not til it was too late.

Dying with Omega was too perfect to pass up, and Zero re-routed his energy reserves. He gripped the saber and pushed himself to his hands and knees, not once breaking eye contact with Omega. He wanted to look at him in the eyes, those eyes that once rendered him weak, when he struck the killing hit.

He had two percent energy left. Walking to him wouldn't work, and so once Zero got to his feet, he dashed at the fallen Omega, saber ready to slice him in half.

A sudden screech made Zero falter, and a purple light exploded from Omega's form. The force of it tossed Zero away, and when Zero landed a few feet away and managed to close down the warning messages his system threw out, his eyes widened in horror.

The black and purple light of the Dark Elf hovered above Omega, her wings spread as a sort of glitter descended from her. The glitter absorbed into Omega's body, and he managed to rise to his feet.

"No…" Zero whispered hoarsely. "Dark… Elf…"

A force field circled Omega as Dark Elf empowered him with more energy, even repairing his wounds. When his eyes found Zero's again, Zero felt his heart ache—there, a glimmer of 'his' Omega.

"Idiot…" Omega muttered as he glared. "What the hell are you doing? You and your overly romantic ideals and attempts of justice and absolution… This is why you're weak. You let yourself be manipulated, and not even by me. You manipulate yourself right into my game."

"Ome…" his energy was far too low, and Zero lost the ability to speak in favor of keeping his core running.

Omega held up a hand, gathering the Dark Elf's dust in his palm. "You lost yourself, to yourself. You lost your strength and spark to your own emotional turmoil and inability to realize what you are. Giving in to your human side… This is why you're over there dying, and I'm still standing. Didn't have your own strength to go on, couldn't build it yourself… so damn pathetic. The Zero I found exhilarating, completely broken over something as trivial as love. How disappointing."

The igniting of a saber activating drew Zero's eyes to Omega's other hand. "Don't worry, sweetling," Omega grinned, and Zero saw his Omega die just then. "I'll put you out of your misery."

Zero tried to will himself to get up, defend himself, but willpower couldn't power Reploid bodies. Omega stepped out of the force field, insane intent on his face. Of course Zero's emotional response would lead to this… he truly was pathetic.

Zero could only close his eyes and wait.

/ I'm far too comfortable this time... /

Omega's scream of pain would have made Zero open his eyes if he could have. The several impacts he heard of saber edges and plasma bullets hitting their mark gave rise to a sort of hope that someone had come to finish the job he failed. He heard voices, barely recognized them, the last of energy ebbing out of him and shut down was imminent.

Yet a gentle chime rang in his eyes, a sort of attached feeling blossoming in him, as if he suddenly plugged himself into a charge pod. Energy filled him, not completely, but enough for him to open his eyes and get to his knees. Around him, the Guardians stood with their weapons drawn, pointed at Omega who stood back in Dark Elf's force field. Even that field was starting to fail, and Zero could see smoke rising from Omega's new wounds.

The small body of X's Cyber Elf form rose off Zero's shoulder, floating a bit lope-sided around his ear. His glow was much dimmer, and Zero realized where the energy came from.

"X…" he whispered. His eyes travelled to the Guardians. "You guys…"

"Get up, Zero!" Harpuia snapped. "This is your fight, your legacy! You must finish him off!"

"We can't have you dying when we haven't gotten the chance to kick your ass!" Leviathan added, a cheeky smile on her face.

Fefnir fired off another short volley at the force field, and although the shots were deflected, he laughed. "I'd love to kill him for ya, Zero, but from what I get, this is your job!"

Zero turned his eyes to X's form again, and the Cyber Elf seemed to nod at him. "You must defeat him yourself… for you to have closure. You swore to prove to me your strength… you have proven your will by battling him. Now show me your strength in destroying him."

The blond nodded slowly, rising to his feet with a little difficulty. He activated his weapon, and ran toward Omega with the intent to finish it quickly. Omega swung his arm out, and Dark Elf screeched as her body pulsed; Zero fell right through the force field as it enveloped him and became completely solid. Although he could hear the Guardians and X panic, try to break in, Zero couldn't see them. He was fairly sure they couldn't see in, either.

Omega was weaponless, practically defenseless, his only fighting spirit now reflected heatedly in his glare. Zero steadied himself, approaching him with his saber raised. But the weapon shook in his hand, his entire body shivered, and he stood right in front of Omega and couldn't find the power to strike; his sword arm falling limply to his side.

"Still unable to do it…" Omega scoffed. "You can pretend all you want… you have no power. You have no strength. You don't even have a name. You're not worth the power the name you stole has… you can't even tap into it. Your strength, your spark, gone…"

Zero shook his head. "No… no, I have it now. I lost it, but I have regained it."

"So why do you hesitate?" the red-eyed blond taunted. "You're pretending, like you have been since the Elf Wars. Pretending to be who you aren't, pretending to have what you lack. You're nothing but a fake. That spark that made you such a wonderful toy… even that was false."

Zero's free hand lashed out, grabbing Omega by his vest and jerking him close. He closed his eyes, pressing his forehead to Omega's chest, and did was he did best—pretended for just a moment, he was back in the days of shame and guilt. Where Omega's embrace made him forget, made him something, even if it was just a toy.

"I hate you," Zero whispered.

"Do you really, sweetling? By the way you cling to me, I don't think so. You hate yourself, you hate the you that gives in to me."

The conversation was familiar, and it somehow gave Zero strength. "I hate you so much," he looked up, opening his eyes, seeing someone he knew and didn't know. What an odd look for an insane person to give. "I want to kill you. I want to get rid of you."

Omega closed his eyes partially. It suddenly was like that day in the woods, with the real Omega. "Is that so?"

"Yes." Zero muttered.

"So why don't you do it?"

Zero let out a breath, a sigh, a sort of sound that even to him sounded pathetic as he felt himself break. He pulled Omega down and kissed him with all the intensity his broken strength allowed. At the same time their lips met, Zero lifted the saber and slammed it right through Omega's chest.

/ I loved you from the very first night! /

Dark Elf's shuddering was cue enough something had happened within the force field, and the onlookers tensed when the purple body suddenly became a much purer, more soothing shade of light. The force field dissipated with a hiss, and X slowly floated forward as the blonds were revealed. Zero's head was bowed, as if he were solemnly praying, his hand wrapped tightly around Omega's neck, gripping hard enough for his fingers to be digging into the metal plates between the thin fleshy layer. His other hand held the saber, still embedded in Omega's chest.

The silence was broken as Omega suddenly broke out in a static-filled, deranged bout of laughter. Zero's body shook violently and he muttered something no one could hear over the laughter; he shoved Omega off the saber and as the insane Reploid began to scream nonsense, Zero blindly lashed out with a shout of his own. As the saber sliced through Omega's midsection, he was finally silenced, his torso falling back as it was disconnected from his waist.

Sparks from his cut wires ignited the oil and fluids, and when Zero stumbled back, the now purified Mother Elf slammed into him, filling his vision with white.

Zero was fairly sure he was floating, although how he went from standing on solid ground to floating he wasn't sure. He hadn't even realized he closed his eyes until he felt the sudden urge to open them, and when he did, he saw nothing but fuzzy whiteness, as if trapped in a blank box. The floating sensation slowly bled out of him, like water emptying, running through him lazily and lovingly. It made him relax, want to sleep almost.

"You did it."

X's voice came from behind him, and Zero tried to turn to see. But he couldn't move his head, his body, not even his eyes. Forced to look ahead, couldn't look back.

"I'm proud of you, Zero," X went on. "You proved to me… to the world… your strength. The strength you had within you all this time. The strength I, and others, sought to use for our own ends…"

Zero found he also couldn't speak. Something rendered him motionless and silent. All he could do was listen and feel. He tried to fight that blockade, wanting to embrace X, apologize for his weakness, his failures, but the choking, iron-hold would not relent.

"I'm so, so sorry…" X never sounded so tired, so sad before… Zero wanted to hold him, so much. Needed to touch him. "I'm sorry for all I've said. I was angry and I felt betrayed, and I know my words hurt you so much. You may think yourself deserving… but Zero, it's my fault you were driven to such extremes. You woke up and didn't even know who you were, didn't have a past… and I came along and dumped the fate of the world onto your newborn shoulders. If I had loved you, I would have let you discover yourself, or even let you make a new you. But I was weak… I could not handle the responsibilities of the world, and so I shoved them on to you. I clung to you because of my own lack of strength."

Zero felt X's hand on his forearm, a light breeze, cool and delicate. "Omega claims he broke you. No, I must fess up to that atrocious sin myself. It was not fair of me to expect you to be perfect. It was not fair of me to force you to be the hero… when I myself could not do it. What right did I have to place such crushing expectations on you, and think you would not feel sorrow, loss, or disappointment? I disregarded your heart, Zero, and it led you down a path I am to blame for opening to you. You're no less human than I am, Zero… I am so sorry I tried to make a machine out of you. You're so much more than that… more than a toy, more than a tool. You are Zero."

Zero tried to reach X with his mind, touch his thoughts with his. X, I forgive you. I could never turn my back to you.

He didn't see it, but Zero sort of felt X's sad, little smile. "I still have not forgiven you for your unfaithfulness, but despite that selfishness, I still deeply love you. You will always have my heart."

The blond tried so hard to turn around. All he wanted to do was hug him! Hug him and tell him everything, express it all…

Sadness filled the white void, stealing Zero's breath in its overwhelming weight. "My energy is spent… I'm sorry, I can't… stay in this world… much longer… I want to leave the world in your… care; protect the humans and… the Reploids." His voice was fading, and Zero's heart quickened.

X's touch on his arm was slipping away, and Zero fought that invisible control on him. "I'm sor…sorry. I still… need you to… be the hero. Ze…ro… you can do it… you've proven…"

It was an almost audible snap when Zero managed to break the hold. He whirled around and flung his arms around X's fading body, clutching him close. He wanted to scream the words, but he didn't have the strength. Zero felt as if every aspect of himself was broken—heart, soul, body and faith. Omega had broken him, and so did X, but he still wanted them to stay. He lost Omega, he couldn't lose X!

Zero opened his mouth to speak the words, to force the strength he was supposed to have, but X disintegrated in his arms like a crumbling monument folding to the force of time. All Zero could do was scream as pieces of X faded away from him.

/ You broke me til the day that I die... /

"Ze…ro! Wake up, Zero!"

Zero's eyes snapped open and he jerked upright, pain still clutching his heart in its devil-clawed hand. Ciel jerked back in surprise at his sudden movement, but when his eyes settled on her, she felt nothing but relief.

"What a relief!" she touched his arm, not noticing his flinch. "I was so worried about you…"

Zero heard a Resistance soldier express his relief, going so far as to run into the base with a cry of joy. He heard the resounding reply inside, the clapping and cheering, but none of it reached him. Their joy and restored faith did nothing for the remains of Zero's.

He knew it would happen… knew the day would come where he lost both of those he loved, directly and indirectly involved in their demise. Gazing upwards, he saw the pure light of Mother Elf drifting away from them, and when he stood Ciel stood with him, also looking to the sky.

"She brought you back here…" Ciel muttered, suddenly realizing the depressive air around the Reploid. "Zero… X… he told me about you."

"Really…" Zero's reply was distant, his mind too far gone to really hear what she was saying.

She sputtered something about his copy body, his heart being his own, how he was Zero. But none of it mattered—Zero knew who he was now. He knew his body didn't matter… no, what mattered was the state of that heart. He knew it'd break, but even with knowing, it still hurt. Zero once claimed he didn't know misery until X shunned him.

Zero now truly knew what it was like to be dead and still be alive.

He left Ciel on the roof of the base, crookedly ambling to his room in a slow, swaying way. Those inside cheered his arrival, but seeing his tired state, they slowly fell silent and watched with piercing gazes as he walked by them with no regard. His room wasn't that far…

He couldn't make it. Although his body was full of energy, Zero felt sapped of any strength to remain standing. He fell to his knees, and before anyone could come to his aid, Zero shocked them all by pressing his palms to his face and began to cry.

Such a show of emotion made the entire Resistance freeze, confusion filling the air as well as pity and sympathy. Perhaps they knew why he broke, maybe they didn't… but Zero was obvious, for once, with his emotions.

Alouette approached him, standing next to his bent over form as she clutched her doll to her chest. "Zero…?" she whispered.

Zero shook his head, refusing to look up, knowing he was causing a scene but also not caring. These people didn't know, couldn't know, and therefore couldn't understand. Telling them anything would only worsen the matter, and he only wanted to be alone, even if at the same time he so desperately wanted X, or even Omega, to be at his side right now.

Zero got back up to his feet and shambled his way blindly to his room, thudding against the door frame before falling through. The door closed and locked, and he curled up on the floor as despair completely filled him. He killed Omega and now X was finally truly dead. For all the fighting and growing stronger, was it all in vain?

It couldn't have been. No, he couldn't let even this tear him down. Broken or not, Zero had promised X he'd fulfill his duty—he was given a task, and Zero had to see it through. Although X was gone... Zero was still here.

The blond got to his feet and, avoiding the debris from his violent break down before the mission, went to the abused mirror. The glass was all over the floor, and he looked down at the shards, feeling a sort of empathy with them.

"I will restore peace, as you asked," Zero whispered. He wiped away the tears and took a deep breath—now was not the time to fall to weakness. Not anymore. Once, Zero resolved to be stronger so he'd never go down that path again… and never would he.

"I'll never be weak again," Zero swore, the image of Omega in his mind. "You alone will have the glory of breaking my spirit and strength. I'll never replace you in that regard, for I'll never allow myself to be manipulated like that again."

Words somehow gave him strength, and Zero began to clean up his room. Clean up his mess, both within and without, and start over with a new resolve.

/ I'm far too obvious this time... /