zero

chapter 6: how about no?

Zero had always hated the dull and ordinary. The routine, the mundane—it just wasn't for them. Life should be loud, colorful, and chaotic, not some monotonous loop. And yet, there was something about the city park today that drew Zero in. Maybe it was the wind, cutting through the air like sharp blades, or the way the gray sky seemed ready to burst open with a storm. Zero loved storms. They were sipping on boba, the sweet tea offering a small comfort against the biting cold. Zero, optimistic yet oddly stingy with their emotions, had pink-streaked fingernails, meticulously painted just last night. People saw them as distant, even prickly, but it didn't bother them much. They were used to being misunderstood.The streets were unusually empty, the wind whipping through Zero's hair as they leaned against the window of the local café. The world outside looked almost frozen, as though waiting for something to happen. And then, in the distance, something did. Or rather, someone.Zero squinted. It was Sasha.Sasha, with her sharp gaze and effortless swagger, always looked like she had just stepped out of a movie. Her hands were short, but her fingernails were always perfectly manicured, painted a shade of black that gleamed under any light. She had a way of glaring that could send anyone running—but not Zero.Zero gulped, though. They weren't exactly prepared for Sasha today.As Sasha drew closer, Zero stepped outside, feeling the chill intensify. The wind, no longer a background element, now howled like a beast set free. Sasha's lips curled into a slow, deliberate smile, the kind that spelled trouble."I hate you, Zero," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "And I want revenge."Zero stood their ground, raising an eyebrow. They had known Sasha for years, and she'd never been one for subtlety. Revenge? That was new. "What's this all about, Sasha? You mad I stole your boba order last time?" Zero asked, their voice teasing but laced with curiosity.Sasha's glare deepened, her eyes full of a quiet fury, like a volcano on the verge of eruption. "You think this is a joke? You think I forgot what you did?"Zero blinked, their mind racing. Had they done something? Sure, they lived life on the edge, but what could possibly have set Sasha off this time?Sasha took another step closer, the wind swirling her hair around like some wild creature. "You ruined everything.""I ruin a lot of things," Zero said with a shrug, "You'll have to be more specific."Sasha's frustration reached a boiling point, but as she was about to lash out, Zero did something unexpected. They smiled."Come on, Sasha," Zero said, holding up their hands in mock surrender. "You know I'm a disaster magnet. Whatever happened, it wasn't on purpose."For a moment, Sasha faltered. There was a crack in her steely demeanor, a glint of something softer beneath the surface. Zero noticed it, though they didn't comment on it.Sasha's anger melted into something almost... playful. She sighed, crossing her arms. "You're impossible.""That's what makes me interesting," Zero shot back, grinning.The two stood there, the tension slowly dissipating into the cold air. Sasha's glare turned into a reluctant smile, the kind that made it clear the storm had passed. At least for now."Fine," Sasha muttered, her tone more resigned than vengeful. "But next time, you better watch your back."Zero laughed, stepping forward and extending a hand. "Come on, let's get out of this wind. I'll buy you a drink."Sasha eyed Zero suspiciously for a moment before finally accepting. The two of them walked back into the café together, the air warmer inside, though the threat of revenge still lingered in Sasha's eyes.They didn't talk much, but as they sat down with their drinks, Zero leaned back in their chair, watching the world outside as the storm clouds gathered."I feel the same way, you know," Zero said suddenly.Sasha looked over, eyebrows raised. "What?""About... all this." Zero gestured vaguely, but Sasha knew what they meant. The chaos, the constant back and forth between them. The energy that surged like lightning whenever they were together. It was a mess, but it was their mess.Sasha sighed again, this time more in defeat than frustration, and took a sip of her boba. "You're a nightmare," she muttered, but there was a hint of a smile on her lips."And you love it," Zero replied with a wink.Sasha rolled her eyes but didn't disagree.

They sat in the café, a comfortable silence settling between them. The tension from earlier had dissolved completely, leaving only the quiet hum of the coffee machines and the occasional clink of cups. Outside, the storm clouds were still gathering, but inside, things were calm for the first time in a while.

Zero stretched out, kicking their feet up on the empty chair across from them, and took a long sip of their boba. "You know," they said thoughtfully, "I don't actually hate you."

Sasha glanced up from her drink, one eyebrow raised in amusement. "Oh? That's a shocker."

"Yeah, I mean... I don't love you either," Zero smirked, "but I don't hate you. It's more like... a love-hate thing? You keep life interesting."

Sasha rolled her eyes but didn't argue. "You're ridiculous."

"And yet, here we are," Zero said with a grin. "Having boba together after you literally said you wanted revenge. What happened to that, by the way?"

Sasha shrugged, swirling the straw in her drink. "I got bored. Plus, you made it sound like whatever you did wasn't worth my time."

Zero laughed, a bright sound that made Sasha smile despite herself. "See? That's why we make such a great team. You're all wrath and drama, and I'm... well, I'm just me."

Sasha gave him a sidelong glance. "I think that's why you annoy me so much. You're always so laid-back about everything."

"And you're always so intense," Zero shot back, leaning across the table. "Maybe that's why we balance each other out."

Sasha snorted, taking another sip of her boba. "Maybe."

For a while, they just sat there, the café growing busier as more people ducked in to avoid the impending storm. Zero was the first to break the silence, leaning back with a thoughtful expression.

"You know," they said, "we should do this more often."

"What, argue and then make up over drinks?" Sasha asked, her voice dry but tinged with humor.

"No, I mean hang out," Zero clarified, giving her a look. "Like, without the whole 'I want to destroy you' part."

Sasha stared at them for a moment, as if trying to figure out whether or not they were serious. When she realized they were, she looked a little surprised.

"You actually want to be friends?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "I thought you'd just keep annoying me for fun."

"Oh, I definitely will," Zero said with a mischievous grin. "But friends annoy each other, right? That's part of the deal."

Sasha chuckled softly, shaking her head. "You're unbelievable."

"And yet, you keep coming back for more," Zero pointed out, their tone teasing. "So... friends?"

Sasha hesitated for a split second before nodding. "Yeah. Friends."

Zero's grin widened. "Awesome. Now that we've settled that, wanna go do something crazy?"

Sasha narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What kind of crazy?"

Zero's eyes gleamed with excitement. "There's this abandoned building a couple of blocks over. I've been dying to check it out. You in?"

Sasha looked at them, half-exasperated and half-amused. "You're going to get us arrested."

"That's the spirit!" Zero laughed, already grabbing their coat and downing the rest of their drink. "Come on, it'll be fun. Worst case, we get kicked out, and I'll treat you to more boba afterward."

Sasha sighed dramatically, but there was a small smile playing on her lips. "Fine. But if we get caught, I'm blaming you."

"Deal," Zero said, holding out their hand for a fist bump.

Sasha rolled her eyes but bumped her fist against Zero's. "You're lucky I don't actually hate you."

Zero winked. "You're lucky I'm fun."

As they stepped out into the now-raging storm, Zero threw an arm around Sasha's shoulder. "Welcome to the wild ride that is being friends with me."

Sasha shook her head but didn't pull away. Despite the chaos that always seemed to follow Zero, she felt a strange sense of comfort being around them. Maybe it was because, for all of their teasing and recklessness, Zero was real. No pretenses, no masks. Just them, in all their strange and unpredictable glory.

And maybe, Sasha thought, that wasn't such a bad thing after all.

As they made their way through the city, laughing and joking like they hadn't just been on the brink of a full-blown fight, Sasha realized that this might just be the beginning of something unexpected. Something that felt... good.

Friends. Yeah, she could get used to that.