So, the anime is now over. As with many things DitF, it's surrounded by controversy. Some are fine with it, other hate it, all for different reasons.

If you enjoyed it, that's perfectly fine! I'm glad. But if you found it lacking for whatever reason, I'll simply tell you this:

Take my hand and never let go, darling.

"Remove your shirt."

Hiro complied wordlessly and then sat in the chair. The doctor scraped a small flat tool along the pulsating tumor. He removed the handle carefully and placed the other end in a petri dish, before walking to one of his myriad desks strewn about the office. He put the dish under a microscope and examined the cells.

"Does it hurt?" Franxx asked, scribbling something down on a piece of paper. He didn't bother looking up from the microscope.

"No, not at all," Hiro replied. "I only noticed it this morning, in the shower. It wasn't there last night. Even now, I can't even feel it. It's just... there."

"Interesting. Quite interesting."

"What is it? Is it dangerous?"

Franxx was silent for a moment. He scrawled something on the same piece of paper, then looked up at the boy. "No," he monotoned. "It's completely normal, my boy. Just a momentary side effect of piloting with Zero Two."

Hiro could smell the lie from a mile away, but he knew better than to push the old meddler when he was being so secretive. Honestly, of all the bullshit in the world... why did things keep getting in the way? First it was society, now it was biology? Were the stars aligned against them or something? Was their luck really that bad? He just wanted to pilot with the girl he loved! He just wanted her to be his partner!

He sighed in annoyance. "At least tell me how long it's going to be on my chest. Is it permanent?"

"Momentary is momentary. You'll be fine, Hiro. At the rate you're progressing, it'll be gone by the next piloting session. Think nothing of it. You're free to go."

At the rate he was progressing? What the hell did that mean? What was going on?

Already frustrated at the lack of answers, Hiro put his shirt back on and stomped out of the doctor's lab wordlessly. Should he go tell Zero Two? No, he shouldn't. It would stress her out too much. She'd end up blaming herself.

He considered his options. The plantation had been ordered onto a course correction for some reason and needed to refuel for the journey. But with the mines still undergoing repairs from the recent klaxosaur attacks, the only option available was a magma energy transfer from a nearby sister plantation. Such an exchange would attract a vast quantity of klaxosaurs, he knew. Squad 13 wouldn't be enough. Strelizia would need to be deployed. He'd sneak this past her so she wouldn't worry, and hopefully it would disappear after the next sortie without a problem. It just meant they couldn't be as... intimate as usual.

Great, great. His day just kept getting worse!

"They went beyond stampede numbers during the battle," Hachi noted. He replayed the camera feed from the hangar for the fifth time and watched the playback with no lapse in interest. Nana nodded and continued jotting down information on her electronic clipboard, the epitome of focus. What they were doing was imperative, of critical urgency. They needed answers, and they needed them now.

"Should we place limiters on it for its next deployment?" she offered.

Hachi stared at the feed. "We will have to consult the doctor. We're predicting a large influx of klaxosaurs to our position once the kissing begins. Strelizia will need to be operating at its full potential if we want the operation to succeed."

Franxx weren't supposed to move before the pistil was fully synced to the system. It was simply the way things were - stamen couldn't control the movement alone, and only 002 had the unique ability to "safely" guide a stampeding machine. Barring that one exception, both copilots had to be fully connected before any actions occurred, and every single Franxx ever built had followed that rule to the letter. If the pistil's face wasn't on the monitor, the machine was an oversized brick.

Until now, that was.

It had occurred some time after the operation, a few hours after the parasites had been debriefed and released. For such a dramatic breach of all known laws regarding Franxx operation, the movement itself had been surprisingly benign and tame. It hadn't attacked anything. It hadn't powered through walls or torn through its holding bay. No rogue actions, nothing to suspect it wasn't under control. But perhaps that simplicity and lack of outwards aggression was why it was so nerve-wracking, so horrifying.

The looped feed repeated once again. In the silence of the hangar, surrounded by its fellow deactivated machines, Strelizia growled.

Then it cracked its neck.

"He doesn't pilot a single time for years on end and then all of a sudden he begins to overshadow all of us! Aaaaaargh!"

"Come on, Zorome! You shouldn't compare yourself to him, he's a double digit you know!" Futoshi replied, taking a bite out of a piece of bread.

Goro shook his head. "Even we can't compare," he admitted. "I don't think I've ever seen a Franxx kill a klaxosaur that quickly. It was what, two minutes maximum?"

"Geez!" Miku complained. "We did such a good job, too! We killed how many of those balloon thingies? Nine? Ten?"

"That shockwave we felt was from Hiro's fight, wasn't it?" Kokoro asked. "That Franxx he was in must be so strong!"

Ikuno looked over at Ichigo. "You and Goro were in the briefing room watching them, weren't you? What was his pulse?"

Ichigo didn't answer.

"Ichigo?" Ikuno asked again.

"It... it was impossible," she whispered at last.

"Impossible?" Futoshi asked.

"His pulse, both of them. Their sync rates," Ichigo clarified. "They capped out at 199."

Silence.

"...Are you hallucinating again?" Zorome asked. Miku elbowed him in the gut.

"No, she's right. I saw it too," Goro acknowledged.

"But... no parasites have ever managed above 110 before!" Miku spoke up, confused worry laced in her voice.

"Futoshi and I can only manage in the high 70s," Kokoro said. "I thought we were doing pretty good, too..."

"I wonder. What happens when you go that high?" Ikuno asked, more to herself than anyone else.

"A mind meld."

All eyes turned, once again, to Mitsuru, who suspiciously seemed to have all the answers.

"A whatwhat?" Zorome questioned dubiously.

"I don't know much about it myself," Mitsuru said, shrugging. "It's only a rumor I've heard. Supposedly, when the sync rate between pistil and stamen crosses a certain threshold, they become capable of interacting mentally. They can talk to each other or exchange ideas."

"You mean, without talking? Telepathically?" Ichigo asked quickly. Mitsuru nodded at her.

Goro glanced at his partner but said nothing.

"But, wouldn't that mean the other person can see all your secrets? Read your mind?" Miku asked. She shivered. "That's a little scary!"

"Yes," Mitsuru replied simply. "Every part of you would be exposed to your partner. At least, in theory."

"When does this mind meld thingy happen?" Futoshi questioned. "What number?"

Mitsuru looked out the window. "I believe the trigger is hypothesized to be 120."

"Didn't you say they were at 199, Ichigo?" Ikuno asked, turning to her.

Ichigo swallowed and nodded.

"Why that number? Why'd they stop there?" Zorome wondered.

There was a long pause. Goro was the one to speak up.

"199... is where the system stops tracking a parasite's pulse."

Zorome blinked, his eyes widening. "Hey, hey... but that means..."

Ichigo's voice was a whisper. "They didn't stop. Those two probably went even higher."

Flap.

Flap.

What the hell was this?

Flap.

What was going on?

Flap.

Flap.

Flap.

Flap.

Flap.

Flap.

He didn't understand. Why was the bird moving so slowly? Wasn't that the same one as before? It should've been fully healed by now.

From his position on the hill, he watched it hang in the air and sluggishly move through the enclosed sky. It was almost as if it was fighting against a current, or trying to flap its wings in sticky molasses.

With how it hung there, he felt like he could reach up and...

Something raced through him. From his chest, across his back, down his legs and arms.

He bent his knees, shifted his weight forward, brought his arms back as a counterbalance.

Reach up and...

Flap.

"Code 002 has been given permission to remain at Plantation 13 until the fuel transfer operation is complete," Hachi told her. "This temporary leave may become a permanent reassignment should Code 016 complete his preliminary trial period and prove his compatibility. For the remaining duration of her stay, 002 will be housed with Plantation 13's parasite squadron. You will provide her with room and board and treat her as a member of your squad, with all the privileges and regulations established within those parameters."

"Understood," Ichigo replied.

"Do you have any questions regarding the arrangement?" Nana asked her.

Ichigo thought for a moment.

"I wish to ask permission to give her a separate room. I believe she is not yet comfortable with our squad as a whole and think such an arrangement will help her acclimate. I consider the attic to be a suitable location. It has already been prepared as a backup living space. Also, I would request two keys to be made," she appealed officially.

"Why two keys?" Nana asked.

"She will be alone. I would like to check up on her and help her adjust, as is my duty and right as a squad leader. I will keep the spare key on my person at all times."

Hachi nodded. "Request approved. Return here after the ceremony to retrieve the keys, and deliver one to Code 002 by evening tonight."

"Understood. Thank you."

Ichigo turned on her heel and walked out of the parasite house's meeting office, her mind racing. Had that been the right decision? Would they see through her? She knew Mitsuru would accept, as would Hiro and Goro, and this arrangement would benefit the squad as a whole. The boys needed a bit more space and this would help even out the environment. There weren't any downsides, were there?

But would Zero Two trust her enough to believe her words? The girl didn't like her very much, Ichigo knew. She'd seen that glare quite often recently. Would she even accept the key? Maybe if she mentioned Hiro first, the girl would hear her out?

Ichigo bit her lip.

"Ichigo?"

Eh? She had stumbled into the house's library. Goro was looking at her from a table, where he was hunched over a piece of paper.

"Thinking again, huh?" he asked quietly, smiling at her.

"Yeah."

She walked over to him and looked at his piece of paper. She blinked.

"Goro? What're you..."

He grinned in embarrassment. "Ah... I'm just trying to figure things out."

He'd folded the paper in half horizontally. The top half was labeled "Known" and the bottom, "Unknown". He'd penciled down several things in that neat scrawl of his, all of them related to a certain partnership; judging from the various eraser scuffs and other markings, he'd been at it for a while. The top category had barely anything in it, but the bottom was rapidly running out of space. She sighed and sat down next to him, resting her head on her palm.

"I've been meaning to ask you, Ichigo."

"Hm?"

Goro swallowed and looked at the paper. "You... back at the house, you said you needed to talk to Hiro, right? That you'd seen something. What was it?"

A bunch of emotions raced through her. Up until a few days ago, she'd never really asked questions. Asking questions had always been Hiro's thing. He was their guiding light, their moral compass. She always just followed orders and tried her best to keep everyone together. That boy had always been their spiritual leader, even in Garden. He should've been the official squad leader, too. For the longest time they had thought his awkward position within the squad was due to his connectivity issues. But now, after that girl's sudden appearance, it felt like their whole world had been flipped upside down.

Hiro still hadn't talked to her. She didn't know whether it was intentional; she didn't even know if he knew she'd seen his memories. He hung out less and less with the squad. She barely saw him. He didn't offer advice anymore. He didn't quote those sayings he was so fond of. Every day, it felt like he grew more distant and aloof. When he wasn't with that girl he didn't smile. He'd stare out the window, waiting. In the past she had caught him doing that many times, ever since that week. Before she had thought nothing of it, that it was just a strange quirk or hobby he picked up. Now she knew the truth.

He'd been waiting for her all this time, hadn't he?

And that girl, Zero Two, she followed him like a shadow. When she was alone she was cold, distant, hostile. But with him, when they were together, she was the happiest girl in the world. Her smile was radiant, her personality spunky and caring. If she really was the pistil killer... maybe... maybe she was just... scared? Alone? She didn't hold any value in anything, she didn't have any personal possessions. Just the clothes on her back. She kept everything at a distance. If she was in Zero Two's shoes, Ichigo thought, that's what she'd do. She'd try to protect herself, she'd try to hide. When Zero Two was alone, she was always looking for something. Her eyes roamed. She didn't pay attention to the people around her or her surroundings. She was aimless, careless.

She'd been searching for him all this time, hadn't she?

She...

She didn't know what Hiro was to her. She didn't understand her own emotions. But... but when she saw herself in his memories, there were no emotions attached. She was a bystander, someone who was just... there. That girl, though, the things he felt for her, it was all encompassing. She could feel herself drowning in those memories. They had weight to them, significance. Was that what it meant to care for another person?

She'd seen those heavy memories. She'd intruded, experienced something that she shouldn't have, stolen something that wasn't... that wasn't hers! But... but... it was just... between the two of them, wasn't it? Those two kids, all those days ago. All they wanted was to be with each other. All they wanted was to sit, and sleep, and talk.

Ichigo couldn't have that! Not with him! She... she wanted that! She wanted to be that girl! She wanted it so, so badly! So badly it hurt! She'd already lost, and she hadn't even realized it! Without seeing those memories, perhaps she never would've understood. And that was fine, because it wasn't about her. She was a nobody! She wasn't a part of their story! Who was she to think she could ask questions, to think she could get answers?! They weren't her questions to ask and weren't her answers to get! She didn't matter!

But...

But she could be! She could matter!

Maybe not in the way she'd originally wanted, but she could make him happy! She could make her happy, and make them happy! She could do something, she could be of some small use to him! She could help him, and her! She was the squad leader and she knew their story! She could defend them, protect them! And if she did that, then... then surely...

Surely Hiro would see that and thank her for it!

"I-Ichigo?"

She clenched her fists on the table.

"I just..."

"Hey, what's... what's wrong? Why are you..."

She squeezed her eyes shut. "Why can't I... just..."

Goro got up from his chair and hesitantly approached her, reaching out.

"I want it too! I want it so badly! I hate this!" she screamed, heartbroken tears flowing freely. "I want him to look at me like that! I want him to smile at me, I want to sit with him and laugh with him! It's... not fair! It's not fair! Why couldn't it have been me under that tree! Why did he choose her! I just... I just...!"

Goro paused, jerking his hand back. He looked at it, remembering that one private moment he'd robbed. He clenched his hand and grit his teeth, then walked forward. He leaned down and wrapped his arms around the girl, his own eyes welling.

"I... I want that too, Ichigo! I want it, I get it! It's not fair, is it? I want it too!"

They were supposed to be participating in that bigdumb ceremony thing or whatever.

But that was boring, so they were fooling around instead! Yupyup! She had convinced darling to give her a tour of the parasite house. That lady with the killer figure had told her she'd be staying here and it was so exciiiiiiting! She didn't know which room she was staying in, though. She hoped it was with darling! Then they could cuddle every night! She hadn't slept very well after sneaking into his bed that first time. How'd she even manage before? She was so cold without his warmth and the sheets were too stiff and ugh grooooss!

"But even with the ceiling, it still rains here," darling said with that perfect voice of his. She was jolted from her thoughts.

"Rain?" She'd never heard of that, it was a silly word! Raaaaaaain. Rainrain, rain. Ha!

"Yeah. Water comes pouring down from the ceiling."

Whoaaaaaaaaa! Like a... falling ocean! Falling darlings! Pffft!

"That sounds so cool! I wanna see that, do it for me!"

Wannasee wanna seeeeeeewannasee!

He turned away from the window, blinking at her in mild surprise. "E-Eh? I can't. The system's automated, Zero Two. It does it by itself, on a set schedule I think."

Whaaaaaaaat!

She pouted. Nnnnnn.

"I'm... I'm serious..."

Nnnnnnnnnnnnn!

"Come on, Zero Two, don't look at me like that."

He scratched the back of his head, grinning in exasperation. She stuck out her lower lip as much as possible and gave him the look. A bead of sweat rolled down his cheek and he glanced away quickly.

"O-Okay, okay!" he sighed. "I'll figure something out."

The saddest pout in existence disappeared instantly, replaced by a beaming, toothy smile.

"That girl, Zero Two, will be staying with us for a while. She'll be living in the house," Ichigo announced. They had all gathered in the foyer - all but Hiro, that was.

"E-Eh?!" Zorome exclaimed.

"Was that a recent decision?" Goro asked, a bit surprised.

Ichigo nodded, keeping her eyes on the floor. "Nana and Hachi told me this morning. Papa's given her permission to stay here, at least until the fuel transfer is complete." She looked up, trailing her eyes across the squad. "She'll be in our care, everyone, so please treat her kindly."

"W-Wait!" Miku spoke up. She swallowed nervously. Kokoro and Ikuno wore uneasy expressions, as well. "All the rooms are occupied! Where will she be staying?"

"The attic has already been prepared for her," Ichigo replied. Miku sighed in relief. "On that note, the boys will have some different arrangements, as well. Mitsuru will be moving in with Goro. Futoshi and Zorome will have their own room now."

Futoshi blinked. "Is Hiro moving in with us, then?"

"No," Ichigo said quietly. She crossed her arms and looked at her feet.

"Oh, so he's staying his current room?"

"...No."

The other squad members shared confused glances. But then Ikuno's expression changed and she spoke up.

"Ichigo? You don't mean Hiro's..."

Ichigo nodded. "He's already been given a key to the attic. I'll be giving Zero Two her key later today."

It was like time itself had been frozen. Dead silence.

Miku was gaping like a fish. "I-Ichigo! Isn't that forbidden?! Boys and girls can't... can't sleep together!"

"It's the best arrangement possible given our situation!" she explained quickly. "With this, everything's even! Two girls and two boys per room!"

"Still!"

"I think it's a pretty good idea, actually."

Everyone turned to glance at Goro in shock. "W-What?" he said, holding his hands up defensively. "Think about it. He's the only one she listens to, right? And they're obviously comfortable around each other. He'll help her adjust! How bad could it be?"

"Goro..." Ichigo whispered.

"Even so, regulations are regulations," Mitsuru spoke up. "I agree that the new setup is for the best, but we may get in trouble if they're caught sleeping together in the same mattress. We should bring up an unused one from one of the other rooms, to be safe."

Futoshi and Zorome shared a nod. "We'll bring our spare bed up to the attic," Futoshi said.

Zorome grinned. "Yeah! Getting rid of it will finally let us separate that blasted bunk! It's a win-win!"

Ichigo smiled in relief. She opened her mouth to thank the boys, but a beeping from her pocket interrupted the thought. She pulled out her communicator and read the message it displayed.

"Guys, Nana wants us in the briefing room. We're getting a joint briefing with Squad 26, the parasites from Crysanthemum."

The room was dark, tense and claustrophobic; it clearly wasn't meant to handle multi-squad briefings. The orange glow of the hologram flickered on the parasites' faces like a bastardized campfire.

"We detected klaxosaurs an hour ago, at a distance of approximately 3,000. They number anywhere from 100 to 150," Hachi explained.

"O-One hundred and fifty?!" Futoshi exclaimed. Zorome and Miku gulped nervously. On the opposite side of the room, Squad 26 had no reaction.

"That number is expected to go even higher," Hachi clarified. Blue lines and symbols appeared on the holographic map, showing the klaxosaurs' predicted path to the plantations. "Their estimated time of arrival is around 33 hours from now." The blue lines snaked their way closer to the orange circles representing Cerasus and Crysanthemum, eventually convering on the massive fuel transfer pipe connecting the two structures.

"No matter how we rush, we can't complete the kissing process before they get here." The combat coordinator pointed to a bright orange line placed in front of the pipe, labeled as "Defense Line". "So we're going to place a line of defense here, with Squad 26 at the vanguard. Squad 13 will stand by in the rear as backup."

Zorome didn't like the sound of that. "What? Backup?"

"This will be a chaotic dogfight," the Squad 26 leader, 090, said passively. "Our squad can link up better if we go at it by ourselves."

"Wha..." Zorome glared at him.

"Did he just call us dead weight?" Miku asked rhetorically.

Hachi cleared his throat to regain their attention. "Defending the main pipe linking the two plantations together takes top priority. So I decided to deploy a Franxx that's capable of solo combat here." He pointed to the top of the pipe.

"Do we really have such a Franxx?" 090 asked.

Hachi paused for a moment and then turned to deliver the bad news. "Strelizia will be placed here."

Squad 13 took the news in stride, but the reaction of Squad 26 was markedly different.

It was fear.

Pure, unadulterated fear.

"Strelizia?" 090 murmured. He'd jumped up from his seat, as had some of his squadmates. Their eyes reflected utter terror. "What are you..."

The door swung open. Nana walked in, trailed by Hiro and Zero Two.

"Sorry we're late," the administrator spoke. She stepped aside, allowing Strelizia's pistil to take a few steps into the room; all eyes turned to her. Hiro leaned up against the doorframe, still in the shadows.

"Code 002!" Squad 26's leader whispered in horror. Squad 13's parasites looked between each other, the sudden shift in atmosphere having rattled their nerves.

"Did we receive Papa's permission?" Hachi asked.

"Yes, we're good to go," Nana confirmed. "They're looking forward to seeing the two in action again."

"And the limiter?"

Nana shook her head. "The doctor said it might disrupt the process too much, and the operation is too important. They're to deploy normally." Nana ushered the two in. Hiro and Zero Two approached Hachi. The room's eyes were solely on them.

Hachi nodded. "Very well. This is the best course of action right now." Hiro and Zero Two grinned at each other.

"Wait a second."

090 approached Hachi, purpose in his steps. "We can't fight alongside Strelizia."

Hachi regarded him passively. "The plan is final."

"But..." the stamen interrupted quickly. "That girl doesn't care about her allies!" He pointed a shaking index finger in her direction, his face a mix of fear and trauma. His speech was rapid, stressed. "We can't trust her to have our backs!" He turned to look at her. "Code 002, you know what I mean."

Zero Two just looked downright confused. She eyed the boy with noncommital suspicion. "What are you talking about?"

"The joint operation two years ago!" the stamen practically snarled, his voice cracking. He was starting to hyperventilate. "Your reckless fighting style got us isolated on the battlefield, and I lost my partner!"

Suddenly exhausted, his upper body lost its tension and he looked at the ground, gasping for breath. Outwardly, Zero Two's posture or expression hadn't changed. But her hand had found Hiro's and was gripping it with bone-wrenching force. It was shaking slightly.

"Huh... doesn't ring a bell," she replied after a moment. 090 straightened suddenly, gasping. He stared at her hatefully.

"Weaklings die," she continued quickly, not making eye contact. "Big deal."

090 did not like that answer. He began approaching the pistil, who was still looking away. He grit his teeth.

Then Hiro was in front of him. "I'll keep Zero Two from going out of control," he said swiftly, firmly. He glared at 090. "I'm Strelizia's stamen."

Squad 26's leader stared at him, then her, his eyes wide. He made to shove Hiro aside and continue his approach. "Out of my way!" he all but screamed.

And then there was movement.

090 was on the ground with a mighty crash. He choked out a scream of pain and reflexively tried to wrench away the hand on his throat. It wouldn't budge. The floor around him had splintered and fractured; blood seeped from a gash on his upper back. The parasites had all jumped up with a start, Squad 13 included. Even Zero Two had twisted towards the commotion in alarm.

"Darling?" she whispered.

Hiro's eyes were glowing blue. His voice was ice.

"Do not touch her."

It was not a suggestion.

"Hiro...?" Ichigo whispered, her hands covering her mouth.

The hand released 090's throat as swiftly as it was grabbed. Hiro blinked once, twice, and then his eyes returned to normal. He doubled over, coughing, his hand on his mouth. He was pale and sweating.

Hachi turned to Nana, damage control his immediate concern. "Bring him to the doctor at once."

"Right away," Nana replied without hesitation. She grabbed Hiro forcefully and dragged him out of the room. He made no move to resist.

Zero Two made to follow him immediately, but Hachi moved in front of her to keep her from exiting.

"H-Hey! Let me go, let me go!" she urged.

"I'm sorry, 002, but the briefing has not concluded. You will return to the house with Squad 13 afterwards. We'll keep you updated on 016's status."

Zero Two clenched her teeth, glaring daggers, but then stalked back to the wall silently, brooding. She bit her thumbnail and focused on the clock.

090 had stumbled back along the floor, trembling. One of his hands was holding his side painfully. His pupils were dilated to their maximum size, but he wasn't seeing anything. Not really.

"His... his eyes, his eyes..." he whispered in horror, over and over again. Hachi regarded the traumatized stamen stoicly before gesturing to his squad, which had gotten up to help their leader.

"One of you, take him to the medical facility for examination. Make sure he's fit for duty for tomorrow's operation," Hachi ordered swiftly. A pistil - his partner, presumably - nodded and made to help him out of the room. The door closed silently.

Zorome wide eyes roamed over the small crater in the floor, a bead of sweat on his cheek. He swallowed dryly. "Wh-What the hell..."

"Hey... hey, Mitsuru," Goro prodded urgently with a nervous chuckle. "You know what that was, right? Right?"

Mitsuru was staring at the damaged floor with a thousand yard stare.

He said nothing.

Ichigo had finished making the room's first bed and was now working on the second; she figured Zero Two wouldn't know how. The other girl was leaning against the wall, looking at nothing in particular. Ichigo could sense the girl's hostility and anger; whether it was directed at her or her separation from Hiro, Ichigo didn't know. She sighed internally. The silence was awkward, tense and definitely uncomfortable.

"This room is yours to use," she spoke up at last.

It was a while before Zero Two decided to reply. "I'd rather have been with my darling."

Ichigo finished the preparations and closed her eyes, gathering herself. She could do this. This was for him. She straightened, hardened her raging emotions and reached into her pocket.

"I know," she said stiffly. She turned to Zero Two, who was staring at the floor in annoyance.

Ichigo approached her, holding the key tightly. "You'll be with him. You're sharing this room."

Zero Two blinked and looked at her, utterly confused. "H-Huh?"

She bit her lip and gathered her thoughts. "Hiro, he... he means a lot to you, doesn't he?" she asked quietly. The other girl turned to face her now, her expression not changing.

"When he was..." Ichigo looked at the ground. Her voice was a whisper. "Before you came, I'd always see him looking out a window, waiting for something. Or he'd be outside in the forest, looking at the sky past the ceiling."

"What are you..."

"We - we're not your enemies!"

There was a long pause. The silence was overwhelming. Ichigo clenched her fists.

"I get it! I get it. He's all you have, I understand that! We're... I'm not going to hurt you or take him from you! I want him to be happy, and he's happy when he's with you. I would never try to change that! None of us would."

Her voice was cracking but it didn't matter. She lifted her head to stare at the taller girl. Zero Two's eyes were wide, shocked, like she didn't know what was going on. She couldn't comprehend something like this, could she? She wasn't used to - used to being understood.

"Please," Ichigo continued softly. "P-Please, all I ask is - is that you protect him. Okay? Nana just messaged me, they're almost done! He'll be here soon, you just need to wait for him! Honestly! And... and after what happened in the briefing today, we're all worried about him. We've known him for a long time. We don't want him to get hurt or sick or injured. He's our friend, you know? He's our... our squadmate."

Carefully, Ichigo held out the key to the other girl, palm open. She tried to gather herself. "A-And I'd like it if... if you could be our squadmate too, Zero Two!"

...

Ah.

So that was the girl Hiro knew and cared so much for, the Zero Two he'd helped that day.

She understood now.

The poor girl was a shaking mess. She was extending her hand and then pulling away repeatedly, trying to decide whether to take the key. Ichigo could hear her shallow, quick breaths reverberate off the walls. She really... didn't have anyone else, did she? No one she could trust, no one she could rely on. Not one single friend.

It was just him.

Gently, Ichigo steadied the girl's palm with her free hand. She transferred the key over to its new owner and then closed Zero Two's fingers around it. Ichigo looked up at her, smiling.

"Have a good night, Zero Two."

Then she turned around and walked to the door.

"U-Um!"

Ichigo stopped, twisting back to look at her. The girl was clutching the key with both hands, quivering. Her eyes were screwed shut, her head bowed.

"Th-Th-Thank y-you!" She lifted her head, trying but failing to blink away her tears. "I-I'll p-pro-protect him! I promise!"

She was... really cute. Hiro had good taste. Ichigo smiled at her brightly.

"I know you will."

Hiro groaned as he trudged up the stairs an hour later, his mind a whirlpool. It was completely unlike him, but he wasn't looking forward to sleeping with Zero Two either. Something was telling him to avoid her, that something bad was about to happen. But he shrugged it off as unfounded, delirious worry. He didn't know what was going on and the stupid doctor still wasn't saying anything. Nana had dragged him all the way there; the entire time he felt like was going to puke.

He could barely remember what had happened in the briefing, but he remembered the emotions he felt - the raw, all-encompassing anger and urge to protect. The power he'd felt welling up inside him, taking control of his body... it was a frightening sensation. But then it had all drained away, every last bit of it. His mind had been frozen solid, everything was crystal clear and yet he had still felt different. His hand was around the other stamen's throat! Why would he do such a thing?! What had gotten into him? It was just...

Ugh.

Ughhhhh.

He felt the dull throb of the tumor on his chest, his heartbeat racing through his arms as he reached out to knock on the door. He tapped it twice and then gave the handle an experimental tug. It was unlocked. He peeked inside, but the door swung open, seemingly of its own accord, and he found himself being yanked into the room. The door shut behind him. A pair of hands gently grabbed his shoulders and sat him down on one of the two beds.

Zero Two was in her sleepwear, looking at him with intense worry.

"H-Hey," he whispered.

Her hands were all over him, searching him for something, anything. They touched his neck, checking his pulse, before running down his shoulders and arms. The girl's eyes followed her appendages, watching for any imperfections or anomalies.

"Zero Two, what's wrong?" he asked.

"What... what happened in there, darling?" she asked quickly. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, honestly. The doctor let me go, he wouldn't tell me anything." He gulped, knowing the jig was up. She was perceptive, especially when it came to him. She'd find it eventually. It was better to ease her in gently at this stage. "It's just..."

Her eyes shot to his face. "Just what?"

He sighed. "Please, promise me you won't freak out. It's... it's not as bad as it looks."

He took off his shirt. All color drained from her face immediately. She leaned back away from him, hands covering her mouth.

She shook her head in disbelief. "W-Wha... what is... what have I..."

He reached out to grab her shoulder. "Z-Zero Two, seriously, it's not-"

Her hand slapped his own away, hard. Blood arced onto the sheets. "N-No! NO! Stay back! DON'T TOUCH ME!" She scrambled backwards on all fours, pure panic her only expression. Shaking, she looked from her offending hand to his bleeding gash, then to his chest. Her eyes were wide, unseeing, utterly heartbroken.

"I've... I'm..." she choked out, crying.

"Zero Two!"

She hastily opened the door and bolted out of the room.

Hiro watched her go, shocked. The wind howled in the black night outside. Its ferocity snapped him from his daze.

Angry, broken tears welled in his eyes. No. No! Not after all this time, no!

Hiro got up and raced out the door. He nearly tripped down the steps to the second level and ran out of the house, not caring if he woke everyone up. He saw the prints left by her bare feet leading into the forest and sprinted after her. But once he was well into the woods, the tracks stopped, breaking off into the foliage. He doubled over, gasping for breath. He'd lost her.

"Zero Twoooooo!" he screamed into the night. The wind was his response.

No.

No, he refused.

He clenched his fists.

She was all he had! Without her... without her, he was dead! Useless, worthless!

And if his body couldn't find her...

His nails pierced the skin of his palm, drawing blood. He looked around wildly, brow furrowed and lips curled.

Then...!

Then he'd throw it all away! His body didn't deserve her! His body couldn't help her!

His body was fucking dead! He was dead!

Sharp, stabbing pain echoed outwards from the tumor. He didn't care.

He would earn her! He would prove it! He'd show them all! His Zero Two, his Zero Two! His thoughts raced. What did he need?! What did he need to be with her, to protect her?!

A stronger nose, to always smell her...!

He looked suddenly to the west, and bolted off into the woods.

Better ears, to hear her voice! No matter how quiet, no matter how soft!

Footsteps, gasps of breath, sobbing.

Keener eyes, to always see her!

The lake! But - but he wouldn't catch her in time. She was outpacing him.

No! NO!

The pain surged through his frame. It ate him alive, froze him solid. His nerves were on fire, hypersensitized to the extreme. Every pebble he stepped on sent horrid agony up his legs and hips. But it didn't matter! Any cost! Any cost!

He would sacrifice it all, if it meant catching her! If it meant holding her!

The misery centered on his forehead, localizing into two individual points above his eyes. He screamed through the suffering and the death. The power overwhelmed him, struck him down - but then he saw her, stumbling away, weak and alone. He sucked in the damp air and grit his teeth, his eyes flashing blue.

Under that starless night sky, he was off, his legs carrying him like the howling wind.

"A-And I'd like it if... if you could be our squadmate too, Zero Two!"

badjoke

She tried to choke back her sobs. She failed.

mOnstERdEMonSNAKESNAKESNAKESNAKEpOISonEDPOiSOnEDDARLINGDEATHKILLmONStERWItcHwITchDIEDIEDIEJUSTDIEDIE

it was

"P-Please, all I ask is - is that you protect him. Okay?"

MONSTERDIEMONSTERDIEMONSTERDIEMONSTERDIEMONSTERDIESTAYAWAYFROMHIMSTAYAWAYGODIEGODIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE

badjoke

MONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTERMONSTER

poisondarling

"I-I'll p-pro-protect him! I promise!"

"I know you will."

DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE

snake

JUSTDIEsnAKeDEMonWItChMoNSTErDIE

"Hiro, he... he means a lot to you, doesn't he?"

STAY

AWAY

FROM

"EO TO!"

DA-

She was on the ground now, her shoulders and the back of her head soaking in the edge of the lake. He was over her, but all she saw was the monstrosity. Her wide eyes locked onto that throbbing, disgusting thing, the result of her poisonous handiwork.

"No! Don't look at me!" she cried out, terrified, her voice broken. She tried to escape from under him, to run away, far away, anywhere but there, where she coULnN'ThURTpoISonEDDARLINGwiTChSNAkEfEARScAREdSCAREDFEARSCAREDFEARFEARnoNONONonONOONonONO

The hands on her shoulders held her firmly, securely. "LOOK AT MY FACE!" he screamed.

Her frightened gaze snapped upwards. Those ice blue orbs pierced her soul. Tears streamed down his cheeks.

oCEAnOceAnDARLINGDARLINGsCArEDScARedPoISOnEDDARLINGNORUN

He grabbed her left hand, the same one that had cut him, and brought it up to his neck. He placed the palm flat against his artery. She felt his pulse's strong, rhythmic beat against her skin.

"Darling's heart. Darling's heart. Darling's heart never changed."

DARLINGheARtDARLINGHEaRtDARLINGheartneverchanged

He leaned in close, so close. She could smell him. "Darling's scent. Darling's scent. Darling's scent."

DARLINGscent DARLINGscent DARLINGscent

He tilted this cheek to her. "Lick!" he urged. "Slowly! Darling's taste!"

Tentatively, trembling, she lifted her head and licked a line up his cheek. His taste flooded her mouth, drowning her in its flavor. It hadn't changed in the slightest - if anything, it was fresher than normal. Her tears flowed down into the lake's water.

DARLINGtaste darlingtaste darling taste, darling's taste. It never changed. Darling's taste.

He grabbed her head and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. He made sure she was focused on his eyes. High above, the water began falling from the ceiling. It drenched them thoroughly and mixed with their tears, but otherwise went unnoticed.

"I will never stop being your darling," her savior reassured, his voice a whisper. "No matter what I look like, no matter what appearance I may take. I will always be here. I am not dying, I am not suffering. I will never leave you. I will always be your darling and you will always be my Zero Two."

She sobbed in desperation and fear. "Please don't go please don't go I don't wanna dalin I don't wanna! Please don't go!"

"Never. Never, I promise."

The wound on his hand was already healed.