[Hello everybody! New oneshot kinda thing, set before the moon crash in season 8 - so any season or time before that which included Evil X and Worm Man (I LOVE THEM)
I decided to give some fluff before some more angst in the next bit because I'm kind :3
No content warnings this time!]
If Exiona had missed out on anything in his childhood, it would have been good, loving, positive touch—and basically his whole childhood too, but that was a different story. Besides, the point was: he had never been held by someone with care and genuine love, nor had anyone held his hand or even given a reassuring shoulder pat.
So it startled him quite suddenly when Zedaph leapt towards him and enveloped him in a warm embrace.
"Uh... Zedaph? What are you doing?" Ex asked.
Zedaph frowned, baffled. "It's a hug, you doofus!" he exclaimed, dropping his arms and stepping back. "Have you never been hugged in your life?" he laughed, although he quickly stopped as he caught a glimpse of Exiona's expression. "Right..." he muttered. "Not joking, I see."
"I hardly had a childhood, no one ever showed their love to me," Exiona scoffed.
"What?" Zedaph gaped. "What about Xisuma? Surely he'd have hugged you at some point in your life? You're– you're literally brothers!"
"Do you think he'd have time to so much as look at a wreck like me? I was a glitch, a mistake! No one ever wanted me!" Ex paused, slowly exhaling to calm himself down lest he launch lightning everywhere. "Xisuma, for all I know, probably hated me."
"Come on now," Zedaph said. "X could never–"
"You don't know," he retorted, sitting down. "You don't know the things I've done... to him... to you guys — you're family to him!"
Zedaph remained silent, watching his friend worriedly.
"Enderians don't have physical touch as a love language, anyway. Much less Voidwalkers," he continued. "And even then I'm not any of that; I'm just—I'm just a pathetic glitch." His voice cracked, and he huffed, burying his helmet in his hands.
Zedaph placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, unsure on whether to do anything else. "I know you're not a glitch, or whatever you used to be," Zedaph said comfortingly. "You're a silly goofball who's just trying to... work out his way in life. You're so funny and humble and considerate and interesting—there's no way all that could come from just a glitch. And, above all," Zedaph smiled, "you're my friend."
Exiona closed his eyes, breathing in and out once more. "Thank you, Zedaph," he said, opening his eyes. "You... you're my friend too." He reached up and clasped Zedaph's hand with his gloved one, giving it a quick squeeze before standing up. Awkwardly, he stepped forward and gingerly wrapped his arms around the other, who returned the embrace. "Thank you," he said again softly, "for being my friend."
After a moment, they stepped apart. "Was that good?" he asked anxiously.
"Yeah," Zedaph replied, "It's kinda hard to give a bad hug."
[hehe :D]
