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To Axl, the entire week following the entire Lumine debacle was a drag. The fact he’d been knocked out cold at the end of that fight and badly injured alongside that meant his normal free reign was clipped. Oh, how he missed being able to sprint and parkour without his entire body aching in protest. How he missed being able to think without that lingering headache bothering him. Only now was it all starting to fade for good.
Hell, the only good thing Axl could count missing out on was that elevator ride down from space. Sure, the ride up was anything but boring-- he, alongside X and Zero, had their hands full basically the whole way up. Of course, the way down was through a different elevator, and though it was more peaceful, it also sounded about ten times more lame. Even X, who was far more patient than Axl could ever dream of being, said the ride down was really long and monotonous. Zero even said he and X wound up falling asleep. Somehow, that was both reasonable and out of character for both of them at the same time.
As Axl leaned back in the chair he’d been perched in, he couldn’t help but let his mind wander. Things really had been weird for the past week. There was the obvious for him-- being a lot more sluggish than normal had really changed the mood of the base for a bit. But then there was something else. He couldn’t tell if it was just his imagination running wild, or if it was really something that was happening.
To Axl, something had shifted between X and Zero.
It wasn’t huge. Yet… it was always there. The way their eyes met was subtle, but they were slightly less afraid to hold each other’s gaze. They had always smiled at each other more than they would anyone else in the base, and Axl couldn’t tell if they were doing it more than normal or not. He couldn’t tell if they were on their game with their jokes this week, or if they just found each other funnier, or what. Even the way they lingered around each other seemed like it was abnormal. Like they’d been doing it more often.
And it wasn’t even just that. The air around them together was a unique combination of emotions, passively playing their parts in the background. While they were close as they’d always been, there was something about the two that felt… closer. Yet, in the same breath, there was an awkwardness that stuck out like a sore thumb. It was such a paradox to Axl, who could barely wrap his head around the emotions one of them could churn out like clockwork, nevermind two of them.
“Yo, Axl!”
Axl perks up, sitting back up properly (though keeping his awkward perch strong). “Hey, Palette,” he responds, watching her skip around to his side.
“How’re you doing today?” she asks, “Feeling any better yet?”
A shrug naturally comes to Axl, though it still feels sore and tense. “I’m getting there…”
“God…” Palette stretches out a little bit, “Can’t the medics hook you up with something? Like, I dunno, some energy to speed up your healing? Painkillers? Anything?”
Axl groans. “I would take it if they let me. Apparently, energy is being rationed for ‘more dire situations’, and the same goes for the painkillers.”
“They’re telling that to the guy who got knocked out for like… what, six hours? Twelve?”
“I know, right…? It’s bullshit…”
Palette nods. “I can only imagine.”
With the silence that follows Palette’s words, Axl’s mind can’t help but fill that space with his thoughts. And like old faithful, it went straight to Zero and X. He’d seen Zero come in with his hair braided twice this week-- he could only assume that was X’s work. And the fact X had borrowed one of Zero’s shirts this week, as well, was something… fishy? Out of the ordinary? Unusual? Suspicious? Axl couldn’t think of what it was exactly about them that was happening-- all blame landed on his headache diverting his precious attention span.
“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” Palette inquires, rocking on the balls of her feet.
Axl’s head almost drifts out of the clouds with that. Yet, he couldn’t help but think… Would Palette see things the way he was seeing them? Was he overthinking it? Was he just conjuring things out of thin air? Was this a subtlety that he’d missed before?
“Axl?”
With that, Axl fully comes back to reality. He exhales a little, trying to formulate his thoughts in a way that would make some semblance of sense. “So… tell me if I’m crazy.”
“I mean, you already are, but go on.”
“Hey!”
Palette smirks. “What? You left yourself wide open to that, buddy!”
“That wasn’t what I was trying to get at!” Axl exclaims.
“Alright, alright. Whatcha got cooking in that head of yours?”
“Are… are X and Zero like… extra… y’know, as of this week…?”
Palette crosses her arms, contemplating. “Depends. Define ‘y’know’.”
“Like…!” Axl sighs, not knowing how to describe it. “They’ve been like… laughing harder with each other, looking into each other’s eyes and stuff… they’re like… extra buddy-buddy. Not like they weren’t before now, but the past week they’ve been… more.”
To Axl, this was just slightly out of the routine. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen X and Zero teeter between platonic and romantic before-- they did that practically all the time. They would never acknowledge it, though. They would always insist they were friends, and nothing more, no matter how much their actions spoke to the contrary. This change in behavior was subtle-- yet still, somehow, Axl picked up on it.
A chuckle leaves Palette’s mouth. “Aren’t they normally super close?”
“Yeah, of course! It’s just… I don’t know how to put it. They seem… like… closer…”
“Hm.” Palette shrugs. “I honestly couldn’t tell you. Alia, Layer, and I all have a running bet on whether they’re in love or not.”
Axl actually sits down properly upon hearing this, unfolding his legs from underneath himself. “This is the first I’m hearing of this. A bet??”
“It’s only 20 Zenny each, at the end of the day, but yeah. Alia and Layer are both certain they are. I’m not so sure. Of course, Alia is woefully pessimistic if they’ll ever actually tell each other-- and she’s known the two for longer. I’m willing to trust her view on this. Wanna join the bet?”
“I don’t know…” Axl mutters.
“Fair enough!” Palette begins wandering away with that. “Let me know if you want in or not!”
“Will do!” Axl shouts, as she disappears around the corner.
It barely takes ten minutes of sitting at his desk for Axl to get bored. God, it was driving him crazy. Was there something going on between X and Zero? Was it just a phase of seemingly deeper platonic affection? Was it a romantic spark that was finally catching between the two? Was it all just his (admittedly) crazy imagination, taking to the wind once more? He couldn’t tell. He needed to know.
Springing up from his desk, Axl immediately makes a break for the Navigators’ base of operations; where Alia usually hangs around. Even through all of his aching pains, he sprints basically a quarter of the way across the base, before finding her.
“Oh, hey, Axl!” Alia exclaims. “What brings you over here? You don’t usually visit here. Not unless you need something from Palette.”
Axl hides his face in his hand with a facepalm. Alia was very right about that. Last time he was down here, he’d been chasing Palette around for his favorite pen that she stole from him. As much as Palette was a good friend, the girl could be obnoxious when she wanted to be.
“It’s not something from Palette this time,” Axl clarifies.
Alia smiles. “Good, because last time, you two sounded like you were going to kill each other.”
“Anyway!” Axl almost shouts, trying to make sure he can ask his question before it vanishes from his memory. “Where can I find X? Or Zero?”
“Oh! Last I saw them, they were both headed to one of the training rooms together.”
“Really…” Axl mumbles, before his voice gains clarity again, “I swear, they never give themselves a break.”
Alia sighs, that smile on her face gaining an air of sadness to it. “No, they really don’t. They’ve given it their all basically 24/7/365 the entire time I’ve known them for. Especially X…”
She then nudges Axl, a mischievous thought tugging the edges of her mouth back into a much more playful grin. “You could always drag them away for something a little more leisurely. Bust out one of those party games you’ve been dying to play. Break out the karaoke. Hell, dust off one of the board games in storage, probably collecting dust… and maybe mold. You don’t have to do this, though, this is simply a suggestion.”
A smile graces Axl’s face. “Thanks, Alia.”
“No problem.”
With that, Axl jogs off once more. Even though every impact his feet made with the ground shook his entire body with jolts of pain, he simply just wanted to move. At this point, he was sick of limping around like a sad old man-- he wanted his mobility back, and he wanted it now. Mercifully, the journey across the base wouldn’t take too long, only being two minutes or so to get from the Navigators’ informal “HQ” to the training rooms.
It didn’t take long at all to find the right room. With the latest Maverick threat being quelled, the vast majority of the Hunters have been taking this time to have a break. Every other room was empty, save the one with X and Zero in it. As Axl walked through the sliding doors, he quietly took a seat on the bench near the entrance to the room. The two were still clearly mid-practice, and the last thing he wanted was to distract them.
Almost instantly, Axl watches the coordinated fighting unfold. Zero somehow made wielding a sword in combat look like a dance, bobbing and weaving with grace, every slash a calculated, powerful, decisive move. X, on the other hand, made Axl’s shooting look pitiful by comparison. X had a reputation for his alleged “limitless power”-- everyone knew that practically just by hearing the guy’s name. Yet, it was always mesmerizing to see it in practice. Where Axl would shoot rapid-fire, in the hopes that the majority of his shots would chip away at his enemy, X would take deliberate and powerful shots. He barely ever missed-- if he did, it was a miscalculation from thinking off the cuff. What still wowed Axl was how the two perfectly worked together. The two barely had to say a word-- they had enough awareness to be mindful of each other, and then some to be able to duck around each other seamlessly, somehow understanding each other’s ideas with so much as a nod.
The simulation comes to a close, as X shoots the final enemy. He immediately turns to high-five Zero, who quickly returns it. Axl merely watches in silence as the two laugh like the old friends they are, unsure if they saw him or not.
“I’m still impressed with how good you are at using a sword!” X exclaims.
With a smirk, Zero responds. “Nah-ah-ah, not just a sword. My sword. My handy-dandy Z-Saber.”
“Oh, duh!” X practically shouts, a wild amount of snark radiating from his voice and body. “But still, you’re awesome with it.”
“Oh, you. You know too well you’d kick my ass if I came face-to-face against you.”
“I mean… I did, at one point.” X points out.
Zero scratches the back of his neck. “Yeah, you did…”
“Anyhow, you’re awesome!”
“X! You’re way more awesome!”
“You manage to make combat look like art!”
“You’re skilled beyond my wildest dreams!”
“You’ve really refined your swordsmanship and talents!”
“You have infinite potential that outmatches me any day!”
“You’re really cool!”
“You’re cooler!”
“No, you!”
As Zero shoves X playfully, Axl couldn’t help but think. The two truly were each other’s biggest fanboys. It took everything in Axl’s body to resist the urge to explode onto the scene, telling them both that they were equally as cool as each other!
Even after receiving a light nudge from Zero, X throws his arms around him, bringing him into a hug. Zero almost instantly returns the embrace, wrapping his arms around X. Axl, merely watching from the side, smiles. As much as he likes hugs, the two were probably sweaty, and radiating warmth. Nothing in him would’ve liked that if he were in that situation, yet both of them so clearly are enjoying the embrace they’re in.
From where Axl was sitting, he couldn’t hear what the two were saying to each other. Their voices had dimmed to whispers, almost intimate to a degree. Every now and again, he could get the gist of what they were saying from reading their lips.
You did so well, Zee.
You too, X.
As they separated from the hug, their hands remained connected, their bodies still close, as their voices remained soft.
Axl can’t fully understand the thing X says. Something about how they’re both all sweaty… and how something was pretty? That was all Axl understood. Whatever it was, though, it made Zero laugh.
Now Zero was saying something about something being pretty as well? Axl couldn’t tell.
Yet, the next few words were all too clear for him. Almost unmistakable, even without the audio to back it up.
I love you, X.
I love you, too, Zero.
With barely a moment to process those words, Axl barely processes what happens next correctly. Yet, it was undeniable-- he watched X bring in Zero by his waist, tender, yet still a little awkward. With just a little lean in, the two let their lips meet in a gentle kiss. It became painfully clear how Axl had gone unnoticed, as he watched, knowing he was invading the time they thought they had alone together, yet unable to remove his eyes all the same. The way they gently held each other, in a way that was simultaneously steadfast and uncertain, was a sight to behold. To Axl, he was watching the proof that something had changed unfold in front of him.
Within moments, the two had retreated from the kiss. Of course, they weren't done being affectionate with each other. Zero was stroking X’s cheek with nothing short of sheer adoration. X's hands had slid to Zero’s hips, with that same nervous yet gentle grip. Axl couldn’t help but smile, looking at the two of them. Even if the idea of romance seemed like a foreign concept to him, he still appreciated when two people felt that way about each other.
Of course, as soon as Axl thinks about how cute the two of them are, X’s eyes dart towards him for a split second. With a double take, X realizes for the first time that their fourteen-year-old teammate had been sitting there, basically watching a spectacle unfold. Zero’s realization quickly followed that there had likely been an unintended audience to their romantic actions.
“… How long have you been there for…?” The question from X’s mouth pierces the silence.
Axl glances around, the awkwardness setting in. “Um… Long enough to watch you two kiss?”
Without missing a beat, X and Zero’s faces both turn a nearly cartoonishly bright shade of red. Zero in particular was worse than X, to a degree where his armor’s color essentially matched his face.
“Soooooo… are you guys a thing now?” Axl asks, trying to ease the tension slightly.
“No,” X says flatly.
Axl’s expression essentially gives away his confusion without a word being said. Before he can open his mouth, X sighs.
“I was being sarcastic. Of course we are…!” X pinches the bridge of his nose lightly.
Axl smirks a little. “I dunno… It took you two this long to get around to this whole debacle already.”
“Axl!” Zero exclaims.
“What? You know I’m right! The entire time I’ve known you, it’s been hard to tell what’s meant platonically and what was essentially flirting! And I know I’m not the only one-- Alia, Layer, and Palette all had a bet running on whether you were in love or not!”
“They had a bet?!” Zero shouts, his voice a little louder than he anticipated.
“Listen, don’t shoot the messenger here,” Axl says, throwing his hands up casually, “I didn’t know this information half an hour ago. Anyway, my point is, you guys could’ve easily excused that somehow with some wild reason that I don’t even know how you could conjure up! Like I said, you two already tightrope along the line between friendship and flirting frequently!”
Zero’s face deepens further in embarrassment, if that’s even possible at this point. “Axl!!”
“No… he’s right,” X states, putting a hand on Zero’s shoulder. “Even just a week ago, it was hard for me to tell if the relationship we had was… more than just friends. I knew how I felt about him-- I had feelings for him for so long…”
Zero sighs, nodding a little bit. “Me too. I just… wasn’t sure at all whether you’d reciprocate the feelings or not.”
“How much of that was like… not picking up what the other was putting down?” Axl asks, “‘Cuz to quite a few of the people here at the base, it was pretty obvious. Little less obvious to me, but that’s ‘cuz I’d never be looking out for something like that intentionally for myself.”
X and Zero both lock eyes hearing that from Axl. “Uhhhhhh…”
“Bro…” Axl mutters-- almost reflexively-- to their shared response. “I’m gonna take that as ‘I didn’t realize I was missing social cues until now’ unless one of you wants to say otherwise.”
Both Zero and X shake their heads, not objecting to Axl’s statement. By now, their faces were beginning to return to their normal complexion, instead of being lit up like fireworks.
With that, Axl nods a little. “Alrighty… One last thing before I leave you two alone to continue without a live audience of one. If that’s okay?”
“Should be,” X replies.
“Are you gonna keep this under wraps?”
That question fills the room with an undeniable silence, at least audibly. Yet, visibly, Axl could practically read the thoughts flying through X and Zero’s heads.
Are we? I don’t know if I’m ready to tell everyone that I’m dating yet. There’s no danger in telling people that, it’s just hard! Of course, if I don’t tell anyone, then that’s just gonna lead to rumors that’ll probably spiral out of control. And… well, of all people, Axl! Axl knew something was up! I’m not discounting the kid, he has his moments for sure, but he’s not the most emotionally… aware. The fact he picked up on my unintentionally ignored attempts at flirting and I didn’t is telling of… something, I don’t know what! And he’s not even that good at keeping things private. I get it, the newest deets in a co-worker’s life are interesting to talk about! I just worry about how long he’ll be able to keep this an actual secret before he talks about it with someone…
With the tension in the room suddenly thick enough to cut with a knife, Axl glances around nervously. His own mind was trying to rattle up ways to deescalate this awkward nervousness that he’d unintentionally spawned. As soon as the contents of his head settle down to figure out a coherent thought, though, X beats him to the punch in breaking the silence.
“I’m okay if you mention it.”
Zero nods, his eyes lighting up slightly. “You practically read my mind. Same here.”
“Really?” Axl asks, before clarifying, “You don’t have to, I can try to--”
“It’s gonna come out, sooner or later,” X points out, “And… I get if this is a big ask of you, but try to only bring it up if the situation prompts it.”
A grin hits Axl’s face. “I’ll try.”
Without another word, X brings Axl into a hug. In mere moments, Zero had joined in on the embrace as well. It takes a second for the teenaged Reploid’s mind to catch up to reality, but once it does, he brings his arms around his teammates.
“Aw… thanks, dads,” Axl whispers.
Zero snorts a little. “You’ve been waiting for too long to say that, haven’t you, kid?”
“Of course,” replies Axl.
“Can’t exactly blame you,” X adds, quietly interjecting.
Axl then steps out of the hug, smiling at his teammates, his adoptive “dads”, his friends… Even if the two were much older than him, he still couldn’t help but feel proud of them. He waves a little, before turning to leave.
“Oh, hey!” Axl calls out, swiveling around once more at the door. “If you’re down, I could bust out some games for a little later! You two need a break from your nonstop training, after all.”
X beams, a radiance so infectious, it spreads to Zero almost instantly.
“I’ll see what I can do!” responds X.
Zero chuckles slightly. “Ditto!”
Axl flashes one final grin at the two, almost as an acknowledgement. With that, he exits the room, feeling a strange sense of energy in his body. If only briefly, he’d forgotten completely about the persistent aching. Effectively walking in on two of his closest teammates kissing was… unanticipated, to say the least. But not unwanted. If nothing else, it distracted him. And now, as opposed to referring to each of them separately as a “dad”, he could collectively call them his “dads”. Something about that term felt so right. Especially now, more than ever before.