ただ機械

.:Just a machine:.

C H A P T E R 1: .:nothinness:.

Brera stopped being Ranka's bodyguard at the end of the Vajra war.

Brera had known for a long time that there would be nothing really tying him to Ranka afterwards, but he stuck around none the less. For a while there, everything was fine enough, until Alto got out of hospital and there was nothing stopping him from seeing Ranka. And legally, Ranka could get a restraining order on him and then--

In the end, it was all down the blunette. With the end of war, things where supposed to bring good fortune to the winning side, things were supposed to get better.

But for Brera and Alto -despite their hard roles on the battlefront- it didn't.

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"And why exactly do I have to live with you?"

Alto's brows furrowed for a moment, eyes strayed at the blonde standing with distaste in his living room. "Because all hotels, most residential area's, islands 1, 3 and 6, are all destroyed. Apparently since we're both working for SMS, they figured you could stay with me."

"I can't stay with you." His tone was even, but the princess could tell be was even if just a little, annoyed, but to mentally strained to bother arguing.

"I sure as hell hope not," He snorted, leaning back against the doorframe with a scowl adorning his feminine features. "Don't you have any things to bring with you?"

"I don't need any." The blonde met his gaze halfway, firestorm red eyes willing him to back down.

"Not even an electrical socket to plug yourself into?" Brera snorted softly at the insult, folding his arms almost snobbishly and moving away from the wall. "Since we're staying together, it's only polite to let me have the bed."

What? He knew the blonde was trying to get on his nerves now, and he glared at the cyborg. "Microwaves and toasters can sleep standing up, I'm sure you'll manage."

The bodyguard looked affronted, and was quickly approaching him, hand coming up and painfully pushing him into the wall. "I'll kill you. This time, I'll make sure you're finished." If the blonde was ever really annoyed, he guessed this was the time, and his hands came up to try push the boy off of him. "Brera, let me go," He hissed.

He didn't. But it loosened slightly, and it was only now they realised how close they were, bodies touching, but what really grabbed Alto's attention was Brera was breathing. He didn't realise it before, but it such a human attribute, it could him off guard. But at the same time, under the hands trying to push him away, he felt nothing. No heartbeat, and the thought made his own heart race. 'No heartbeat?'

Something conflicted behind those ringed irises, before an expression came over his face and he roughly pushed the blue haired boy away, snarling. "Don't touch me,"

And he walked out.

-

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Brera came back 6 hours later.

It was 11pm, and Alto was sitting in the living room doing his homework from the academy. He didn't say anything to him, but their earlier confrontation had caught him off guard. He'd never seen such a reaction out of him before, it seemed, without meaning to, he'd really touched on something. Something inhuman. He had so many questions he wanted answered -not to mention most cyborgs were illegal in this fleet- but seeing the way he had reacted, made his heart race at the possibilies.

Brera wasn't human. He always knew he wasn't completely human, but no heartbeat wasn't it wasn't..

He shut the text book, a little irritated he'd been thinking to much into it, into Brera. But his curious nature got the best of him, and he picked up his phone. If anyone would know anything, it would be Ranka.

His reached into his pocket for his phone, setting the number and calling. It was only a moment before Ranka picked up, sounding as chirpy as ever. They hadn't really seen each other since the end of the war, it was a good excuse to fish for some answers.

He turned around, still on the phone and almost stopped talking when Brera was leaning against the door frame, watching him. His expression was pretty neutral, but something in his eyes was livid, feral almost, knowing what the blunette was up to.

When Alto hung up, he had to break his gaze and casually put his study and homework away, as if completely relaxed. Mainly because unlike Ranka, he could remember. He could remember what Brera did to that elephant sized Hydra with one arm, he could remember how swiftly he was pinned down in the academy classroom, he could remember how with one hand the cyborg lifted him off the ground to the wall earlier that day. And they were alone, with no one to see what could be done to him.

He wasn't scared, just rather on guard, but Brera didn't show any of that earlier emotion, just instead sitting down and gazing out the window at the decayed streets.

Picking up the keys, he watched the blonde from the corer of his eye as he left, locking the door behind him, though with Brera around there was probably no need.

It was cold. The heat generators were on ration, and only left to the buildings, so he hurried towards the bigger house Ranka got since becoming a star. The guards let him in without trouble, and it was only now he realised how simple and easy it seemed now that Brera was gone.

"Alto-kun!"

He was broken out of his revere when Ranka was running towards him, smiling innocently as per usual. "You look so cold, you should have put a coat on or something!"

He knew it too, so he was grateful for the warmth of the house as she let him in, sitting on her bed with a horrendous amount of stuffed plushies. "It's been so long, Sheryl-san was also worried about you and then we heard Brera had to move in and.." She trailed off, biting her lip with a look that clearly displayed apprehension.

"About him..." He began, thinking of a way to put it without sounding too weird. "Has he ever acted...inhuman in anyway?"

"Kind of..." He trailed off, thinking back. "He doesn't eat...and he rarely ever sleeps...like only every 3 days. It's really odd. Why? Did he do something?"

"No...nothing. I'm just wondering."

He didn't really get any answers. If anything, one answer rose another dozen questions. What realy disturbed him though was┘how much he was looking into this, and then he did something stupid.

He went to Grace O'Conner.

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He unlocked the door and let himself in, feeling strange, almost dizzy after what Grace had told him with an almost devious smirk.

"His entire body, or 80 of it, was destroyed with the 117th research fleet as a boy. The only reason he survived was because he was quarter Zendrati."

The room was quiet, and Brera was sitting on the couch starting at seemingly nothing, looking...bored, and it was only now he could really see he looked...lonely.

"I reconstructed most of his material body, and now he's searching for his past which he can't remember, only one song."

It was so familiar, he didn't realise how he could be so ...stupid not to get it until now.

"The same song Ranka knows...do you know why Alto?"

He stopped, watching the blonde with a confused look. He never really liked him at all, even saw him as an enemy. But--

"Because he's Ranka's real brother. He doesn't know, and neither does she."

He almost felt sick. How could this happen? This wasn't supposed to turn out like this. He couldn't tell him, or Ranka. They were so different, but he supposed that's why Brera was touchy with the subject. Because he used to be human, and now he probably saw himself as a machine.

"Brera, you can have the bed."

He didn't reply, just slowly turning his head towards him. "You spoke to Grace."

"Why?" He got up, watching the blunette with a snarl. "It's none of your concern. You're not suited for Ranka, so why do you bother? You only cause her harm."

He felt his brow twitch. No matter how much he pitied him, he couldn't forget what a jerk this guy was.

"Because we're friends."

"You don't deserve her." He said, his tone more calm. "You're nothing."

"You're nothing. I'm ashamed you're my son Alto, get out!"

Something snapped in him then, he wasn't sure if it was the distant, hurtful memory, or the hatred he had for this guy, but he snapped, and regretted it.

He was so angry with him, he wasn't thinking straight. He supposed it was just to get a rise out of him, to make feel hurt like he felt, but it sounded better in his head before he said it out loud, lying for all his worth:

"I slept with Ranka."

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TBC