Title: "The Man and Boy"
Author: Pirate Turner
Rating: G
Summary: She'll love both parts of him, both the man and boy, forever.
Warnings: Het
Word Count: 1,316
Challenge: For a SmallFandomFest LJ comm prompt
Date Written: 14 June, 2012
Disclaimer: AndrAla, Enzo Matrix, Frisket, all other characters mentioned within, and ReBoot are ﾩ & TM their rightful owners, none of whom are the author. Everything else is ﾩ & TM the author. The author makes absolutely no profit off of this work of fan fiction, and no copyright infringement is intended.

She knows he's an adult. She's watched him grow to manhood and been there with him every hard step of the way. She knows it's happened far too fast and under circumstances more terrible than under which any one should have to suffer. They've lost so much, but yet, she's still gained while he's lost everything but her and Frisket. Perhaps that's why he tries so hard to distance himself from the boy he was when she first met him, but AndrAla knows that young Sprite will always be a very important part of him.

He growls whenever she calls him Enzo. His name is Matrix now, and he has no time for fun or games whereas once he'd been all about having fun. Now he moves simply from one battle to the next, looking for a way to return home and get back to his family. They were all his family, she knows, from the old Phong to the galaxy traveler Mouse, even if Dot was his only blood family. He's spoken of others a few times. She knows he has a brother of the same processor speed, too, but the others back in Mainframe will always be his family far more than any one else.

She wanted a family for years while growing up in that game, but she'd always been by herself until he arrived that fateful day so many cycles ago. That's why, even though they've lost so much, she's still gained, because she still has him. She still has her family, and perhaps, too, that's why she's thankful for those little glimpses of the reckless, little boy he used to be that she's rewarded with often but yet also never too frequently for her.

The kid's still inside the man. She sees him on almost a daily basis. She saw him when Ray Tracer first appeared, in the jealous way he reacted when she wanted to befriend the Surfer and spend time with him. He would have gladly killed him on the spot, but because of her, he didn't. AndrAla smiles to herself now every time he glares at Ray. If looks could kill, Ray would have sizzled into nothingness long ago, but thankfully, the gun isn't locked into Matrix's eye when Enzo glowers at him. She pats his arm, a silent gesture of reassurance that Ray could never take his place in her heart, and leads him on. She still thinks Ray's cool, but the whole reason she's interested in the Surfer is because she knows that, if any one can find their way back to Mainframe, it's got to be him. He'll get them home, and then Enzo will have his family back again.

It's not just in dealings with Ray, however, that AndrAla sees the child within the man. He puts out a strong, brave, and machoist attitude wherever they go, but when she's in trouble, in those rare times that she's been outmanned or taken by surprise and he's thought that she might not make it out or he might not make it to her in time, fear overtakes him. She sees it in his good eye and on his handsome face and hears it in his voice. She wants to tell him it will be okay, but she won't make that mistake again.

She told him once, when their journey through the games had first began, not to be afraid, and he had blasted into her. He claims not to be afraid of anything, but she knows better. She knows he fears for her and for Frisket every time they go into battle. She's witnessed his reckless maneuvers, often risking his own life and blowing his cover, to get to them in time, even when they have the enemy well in hand, and seen him come close to tears every time she or Frisket has been injured.

He's so beautiful when he looks at them like that, but that's another thing she's not allowed to say without unleashing his wrath. A man isn't beautiful. He thinks himself ugly and has ever since he lost his eye. She knows better, as she knows him more than he knows himself in so many ways. Enzo has always been the loveliest, most wonderful thing she's ever seen: a friend and a companion in more ways than one ever since their beginning.

She knows Sprites are only supposed to have one birth, one life, but she has two. Her first life was spent in the game, trapped and never really living. She was reborn when she met him. He gave her her true life. He gave her happiness and real adventure and taught her to love and live. Those are all attributes he pretends to have lost, but she knows better. They're still in there, hidden deep within him and only coming out on occasion, but even though they're laying dormant for now, she's going to make sure they stay in there. She's going to keep him, man and boy, alive and processing, and when they get back home to Mainframe, he'll finally be able to be himself again.

She watches him carefully now on the brow of the ship. She's finally feeling better, but he's still sullen and sulking. He still wants to kill Ray every time he sees him, but now it's not just because he fears he might take her away from him. He blames him for not yet having found the right path back to Mainframe. They've got Bob back, but they still seem to be no closer to finding their way home.

AndrAla looks to the large, female Sprite next to her. "Mind if I borrow this?" she asks, grinning impetuously and promptly steals the bone from her nose. She grabs it as the Princess bellows and throws it straight toward Matrix. "Heads up!" she calls while whispering to the Princess that she'll owe her one.

Frisket started yipping the moment he saw the bone whirling through the air. Now, he runs pass their best friend, leaps into the air, and snatches up the bone. He comes down directly on Enzo's massive, leather-clad shoulders. Despite AndrAla's warning, he's still caught by surprise, and she laughs delightedly at the little boy's look on his face as he finds his dog on top of him.

His boots slip out from under him; he hits the deck. Frisket barks happily, throws the bone up, gives him slobbering, wet kisses, and grabs the bone again before running off with his prize. AndrAla's come to stand before Enzo.

Matrix looks up at her, still a bit in shock but grinning. She almost asks him if he needs a hand up. Then she remembers that he claims now not to need any help, so she simply leans down and silently offers him her hand instead. He takes it. She helps him to his feet and smiles up into his face. He grows ever more handsome with each passing day, and she'll always help him, rather he admits to needing it or not. She'll help him and the little boy who saved her all those cycles ago. She'll keep them all alive. She'll get them home too, and once home, he'll be free to be the man he truly wants to be. However much of the warrior, Matrix, or the boy, Enzo, is left in him at that time, she'll care for him all the same and never stop being where she belongs, right there by his side.

Matrix is surprised as AndrAla suddenly hugs him. She squeezes him hard and tight. His bulky arms slowly go around her slender waist and return her hug, and in that moment, the whole ship sees the little boy he tries so hard to hide. "Aw," the Princess comments in her deep, bellowing voice. Frisket barks, and everybody smiles. They're going to make it home.

The End