💾 Archived View for tilde.team › ~khuxkm › writing › oneshots › ch3.md captured on 2021-12-04 at 18:04:22.
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Zero laid awake in his bed. He couldn't stop thinking about that night in the Mystic Jungle base. Everything was so normal. They set out on their usual patrols, when suddenly, everything went south quickly. He shuddered. He definitely didn't need to think about that. He got up and walked to the window, but even as he walked, he couldn't help but remember his teammates fondly. Bridget, whose smile always lightened up any room, was the first to go. Then Jack, who often told jokes at Zero's expense about being named after a number, was the next. *Damn it, he was crying.* He sat there, shivering, staring out the window at nothing in particular. He couldn't stop the memories, but maybe he could ignore them? That's where Gadget found him when the wolf had been coming back from the bathroom: staring out the window, shivering. He walked up to Zero, ignoring the jackal's vacant stare. "Zero? Is everything alright?" After a pause, Zero's response came, stilted. "It's... nothing. I'm... totally fine." Gadget arched an eyebrow in response. "Doesn't seem like it." Zero sighed; Gadget really could read him like a book. "It's just... I can't stop thinking about..." Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry- "stuff... and it's making me really uncomfortable..." Understatement of the century, maintain your composure, don't look weak- "...and I can't sleep even though I'm completely spent..." "Mmm." Gadget could tell that whatever it was, it was making Zero sad. He sat down next to the jackal and pulled him into a close hug. "I miss my squad." "It's okay..." "You would've gotten along well with most of them. Especially Tim, he was a real joker when he wanted to be..." "I can imagine..." After a bit more back-and-forth banter, they sat in silence for a bit. What happened to Zero's squad just wasn't fair; they were taken so young, there was so much more life for them to live, and then that Shadow jerk had to come along and- Gadget tightened his grip on Zero. "Relax. Your heart's racing. Just focus on the here and now." Zero tried it. He focused in on the moment: the pretty stars in the night sky, the feeling of being held close, Gadget's heartbeat, Gadget's breathing, slow and measured. Zero could feel himself relaxing, and before he knew it, he was asleep. Gadget smiled. "Sweet dreams." He set Zero down on the floor, fetched a blanket and some pillows, and they slept right there on the floor by the window. If sad thoughts came for Zero, Gadget would be there to stop them. Tomorrow would be a new day.