Darling in the FranXX: Insurrection

Chapter 11- Dusk

Happy new year everyone! So in celebration of the new year how about a update? As always I'd love to hear any thoughts you may have after reading so please don't hesitate to let me know. However that's enough from me so enjoy!

"Good night, Zero Two," you hear your roommate say just past the door to your quarters. You had already said your goodnights to the rest of the squad and were now preparing to finally drop yourself in bed and sleep. The only thing left was for Hiro to finish up with Zero Two outside, so you could kill the lights. To your tired mind, they were like lances of pain through your eyes, and you just wanted it to be over. "'Night, Darling," you hear Zero Two chirp in a sing-song voice, before following with a loud and energetic "muah" sound.

A moment later, Hiro enters through the door you had left only slightly ajar so you could hear them. His cheeks are rosy, eyes wide, and he wears a goofy-looking half smile. "You good?" you ask him, rubbing your eyes with the back of your hand.

Hiro doesn't seem to hear your question as he slowly walks over to the dresser and pulls out his sleepwear. "Uhh, hello," you repeat with a snap of your fingers, "Earth to Hiro." He continues to change, then lazily flops onto the bed.

"Hey, Hiro!" you stand from your seated position and cross the distance separating your beds. The raven-haired boy halfheartedly turns his head to face you, but makes no effort to move otherwise. "Oh, hey (Y/N)," he says dreamily. "Snap out of it," you reply while clicking your fingers sharply at him. "What's gotten into you?"

Suddenly, the color in Hiro's cheeks becomes much more intense and he flinches. He rights himself in the bed and looks up at you. "Umm...how long have you been in here?" he asks. "Long enough to hear you and Zero Two outside," you answer, narrowing your gaze. "It's not-" he begins to defend himself, but you hold up your hand and he falls silent.

"You still owe me an explanation," you state. First, Hiro looks confused as to what you've said. Second, he seems relieved that you're the one changing the subject to anything other than what he may or may not have been doing with his partner. "Sure," he smiles widely, "what do you want to know?"

"Last week," you begin, "when we were still at the Garden, you and I both finished our tests at the same time. You said something about there being a relationship closer than partners." Hiro's expression returns to the conflicted one he had worn mere moments before.

Hiro looks out the window of your room into the darkness that blankets Mistilteinn. "I remember, (Y/N), but are you sure you want to know? I think they would be angry if they found out we knew this. Basically everything we don't know seems to have been made that way on purpose."

You take a moment to consider Hiro's words. He does have a fair point. APE isn't always the most welcoming to anything they haven't explicitly told us. Even so... you think as your mind wanders to Hiro and Zero Two, walking hand-in-hand through the snow, both smiling and laughing. And only a few minutes ago, that sound. Zero Two had kissed him, there was no doubt about it. You had heard the same noise when Ichigo hurriedly kissed you before connecting to Delphinium two days ago. Why would they kiss now, though? There's no way we're going to sortie soon, in the middle of the night. They didn't do it to boost their compatibility.

Finally, you finish your little deliberation with yourself. "I'll hear it."

"Well," Hiro sighs, "you may want to take a seat." You quickly do as he says, ending up poised on the edge of your bed, and after a moment he resumes. "I won't claim to know a lot about it, (Y/N). Truth is, everything I know is because of Zero Two. Apparently a long time ago, before the plantations, people used to have these things called 'relationships.' They were kind of like being partners, but not exactly the same. They would work together, watch out for each other, and do things they liked together. But... there were other things too. A relationship was two people staying together because they chose to be, not because they were assigned to one another. It's almost as if you were Ichigo's partner because she liked you out of all the guys in the squad, and you felt the same way about her."