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X approached the ocean cliffside in a daze, his audio input filled with quiet static and his breathing cycle still too fast and heavy. His whole body felt exhausted and uncomfortable in a way that was far too human, and perhaps he would’ve collapsed and let the ground take him if it wasn’t for the fact that he was almost desperately following the one walking in front of him.
It was dusk, and the descending sun had turned the swirling water below into murky shades of orange and yellow. The lighting illuminated Zero’s figure as he stopped at the cliff’s edge, turning the usual sharp, vibrant red armour into something more of a warm and fiery orange. X caught up and stood beside him, mere inches away, their shoulders almost touching.
It always felt uncanny, being in the presence of something so calm and natural after days of chaos and destruction confined behind sharp metal walls. Just minutes ago, X had been fighting for his life, nothing but pure adrenaline — or whatever a reploid's equivalent is — running his body through the motions of dodging, shooting, blocking out electric pains, and fighting through the static build-up in his faux eyes.
Shots aimed to disorient, shots aimed to kill, shots aimed to survive to be here now, staring at peaceful waters. The quiet, golden atmosphere and the dead beside him made this all feel hazy, like a dream, like he might blink and it would all merge into the dying light of the setting sun.
It didn’t help that Zero hadn’t even looked at him once, his gaze fixed firmly on the sea and the view of his face obstructed almost entirely by the side of his helmet.
X vacantly noted a crack in the headwear. Actually, several dents and cracks were scattered across the blond’s armour, but there wasn’t a trace of emanating smoke or sparks, auto-repair systems clearly did their job at fixing the brunt of Zero’s internal injuries. It was amazing how fast he could recover, incredible that he was even alive. X marveled at the one beside him until the silence felt as if it were suffocating him, like everything around him was about to vanish into static and darkness once more. He needed to hear something, anything, to remember that this was reality.
“I… never thought I’d see you again.” He finally states meekly. His voice is quieter and more breathless than he intended.
He thought he could see Zero’s metal body tense slightly, gaze still unwavering from the sunlit ocean. He knew it was the wrong thing to say, Zero was never one to talk about… sappy things. X would’ve done far better in starting conversation had he simply gloated about their recent victory, but that felt too wrong. Out of all the human traits programmed into him, X wished the ability to feel awkward wasn’t one of them.
What should he even say? “I missed you” was too clingy, “I’m so happy we could save you” was too doting, even if those were his true feelings, he settled for a simple;
“I’m glad you’re back.”
Zero turned around, and X could finally see his face for the first time outside of battle, in proper lighting. Emerald eyes bore into him, a gaze that was sharp yet soft, running down X’s figure, as if inspecting him. The armour upgrades X had gained and lost over the past half year must be a bit jarring to look at, X realized.
“Me too. And I’m glad to see you’re… doing alright.” The red warrior finally commented.
His voice was low and soft, almost unsure, a bit raspy. X let it sink into him, feeling a bit unsure himself, was he alright?
Ah, he needn't complicate things farther, he still itched with things to say, with unspoken feelings, but at least the air didn’t feel quite as heavy with tension. Zero had relaxed, but still wouldn't meet his gaze.
Maybe life was full of things that could never be said.
Normally this would bring X to crisis, but his mind felt far too sluggish and everything was blurring into almost complete numbness. He felt so much at once that none of it was being processed, his systems hot and whirling uncomfortably. He sure got overwhelmed easily for a being that was essentially a supercomputer.
So for several breath cycles he just stared dumbly, taking in Zero’s face properly for the first time in six months. The other had decided to stare back, almost reverently. Then he surprised X by letting out a weak chuckle. Something about it made electricity shoot through X's circuits.
“Let's go home.” X suggested, swiftly ending an interaction he had so desperately wanted mere moments ago.
Maybe it was ok to just be content that Zero was alive. Maybe being with Zero at Hunter Base again would make things feel normal, like they did before he had experienced losing the person closest to him, like they did before he had taken lives and won two wars. X so desperately wanted to feel normal again, or at least some positive emotion after winning these battles.
“Alright.” Was all Zero replied with, agonizingly simple but not unkind. Wasn't that always like Zero? Maybe death hadn’t changed him at all. X wasn't sure if that was a miraculous blessing or a foreboding misfortune. Time would only tell.
And so they walked side by side, away from the ocean cliffside and down a path of trodden dirt and rock. They could very easily teleport, or dash forwards, or travel just about any easier and more efficient way, but there was a human feeling to slow walking that made X feel more at ease.
For Zero, who knows, there was nothing in it for him, but the taller reploid kept up the gradual pace all the same, staring absent-mindedly ahead. The sun that had set his armour ablaze mere minutes ago was now dipped low into the seawater and the new lighting turned him a shade of bronze this time. Maybe X paid too much attention to him, or perhaps it was normal to stare at something you thought you'd lost.
For some reason, this silence didn't bother X like the silence at the cliffside did. Maybe it was because he was moving, maybe it was because he was almost hysterically tired, maybe it was because although comically brief, Zero and him had exchanged words.
Or maybe it was because Zero occasionally glanced at him with a quick smile and a soft gaze, just like he used to.
He'd stop overthinking it all, at least for tonight.