Two Maverick Hunters strolled down a hallway in Maverick Hunter HQ. To the casual onlooker, it was clear that the two were engaged in a conversation about something. It also appeared that the one in blue armor was rapidly losing patience to the one clad in dark-purple armor.

As in, trying not to smack someone levels of lost patience.

"You have to know what I'm talking about."

"We're not having this conversation."

"C'mon, X! Haven't you seen her lately?"

"Axl, I told you. We are not having this discussion."

The younger Maverick Hunter smirked at this. "'Discussion'? So you do have an opinion on this!"

X sighed, going to extreme lengths to not let either hand swing up and have an impromptu meeting with his face.

"No, I do not have an opinion on this matter. And, as a Probationary Hunter, I'd expect you to know better than to even broach this subject to anyone in this building, especially not to the Hunter that happens to be your superior officer."

Axl folded his hands behind his head, eyes moving to a point on the wall as the two walked down a hallway. He made no effort to hide the fact that he was uninterested in the latest "X Lecture Session," as he dubbed them. As X finished his mini tirade, one of his hands scratched away at his helmet.

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry, Sir."

X tried to stare a hole into his subordinate.

"I'm serious, Axl. Even if this subject weren't a serious breach in protocol, it demonstrates a huge gap in moral standing on your part. I don't know how things were run in Red Alert, but here, we have a standard and expectation that we uphold every single member of this organization to. That standard includes showing due and proper respect for one another. Am I clear?"

Axl let his hands down. It was clear he wasn't getting out of this situation without at least making an effort to appear that he was listening to X. It didn't help his situation that X was right about this; he was as right about this as he was with pretty much everything else since he'd defected to the Hunters.

"You're right, Sir," He bowed his head slightly, hoping that it was enough to appear apologetic while the two continued to walk, "I've been incredibly disrespectful toward not only one of our fellow members of the Maverick Hunters, but also to one of our closest teammates. I'm sorry."

X nodded once. "Very good. Apology accepted."

The two continued to walk in silence for a few moments. The only thing that could be heard was the mechanical thumping of their footsteps as they neared their destination. Once he felt enough time had passed, Axl let a wicked grin stretch across his lips. X, so focused on getting his mind off the conversation and onto wherever it was the two were going, never noticed his subordinate's expression.

"But seriously. Have you looked at Layer lately? Her designer obviously knew what he liked, and apparently what I like, too."

Very rarely would anyone ever say they could see X as being anything other than the consummate professional. Very rarely did he ever raise his voice, and the only times he ever spoke down to someone, he handled himself with care. He almost never spoke with a more negative inflection in his voice than disappointment.

If anybody could hear the conversation the two were having, they would also say they couldn't blame X for his outburst.

"OH MY GOD!"

I want it known that I apologize for nothing that goes in this series.

Except Axl, maybe.

...nah.

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