Duality [INFIDGET]

Chapter Five: Bonding

"That's a wonderful name" Gadget replied. "My name's Gadget, though the Resistance always calls me rookie" he chuckled softly.

"Doesn't that bother you?" Zero asked and looked down at Gadget. "That they don't call you by your real name" he continued. Gadget sighed, "It does, but I try to not let it get to me" he looked at the jackal and then looked at his large ears, "You have very large ears" Gadget chuckled. Zero smiled, "I am a Jackal, after all" he smirked.

Gadget smiled, his gaze turned to the red ruby in Zero's chest. Zero noticed this, "The ruby does not harm me, I control its power and what it does" he explained, this made the small wolf frown. "So, everything you done to the cities...was you willingly doing it? Those murders, that poor child left without a mother"

Zero sighed and stopped scratching Gadgets ear, "Admittedly, yes. When I first had the ruby I was overwhelmed with the power it contained, I made a deal with the doctor and we decided to work together to take over this puny world" he explained. "My rage initially was from...loosing my squad" the jackals large ears drooped. "I lost them to Shadow, who works for the Resistance."

Gadget sighed, "I guess I can understand...I lost my family and friends too" he looked away from Zero, this made the larger being sigh as he knew he took those lives away from the wolf, "Loss breeds rage, it's controlling it that keeps it away" Zero commented. "We seem to be equals, both have lost loved ones" Zero looked down at the wolf, who was fighting back tears at the still fresh loss of his friends.

The jackal soon caught on, "Hey" he spoke gently and hooked his finger under Gadgets chin. "It's okay to cry" Zero gave a soft smile at the wolf. Gadget's lip trembled and he broke down on Zeros chest, he had locked up his emotions from the Resistance to go on the missions but now that he was with Zero he unleased the waterworks. Gadget sobbed, "I-I miss them so-so much.."

"I know, it's okay.." Zero wrapped his strong arms around the crying wolf and embraced him to comfort him.

It was around 20 minutes later when Gadget started to calm down, he regained his breath and sighed softly, "Thank..you" he looked up at Zero, his eyes slightly bloodshot from the crying. Zero stroked Gadgets fur, "Don't worry about it, I'll be here whenever you need to release your emotions, I may be thick-skinned but even I know that it's okay to cry whenever things have been tough" Zero wiped Gadgets tears.

"That means...a lot, coming from you" Gadget chuckled gently. Zero smirked, "Wow, touchè, Gadget" he rolled his eyes and chuckled along with him. Gadget smiled at him and rested on his chest, avoiding the sharp ruby as he didn't want to be jabbed by it, "I want to stay like this.." he murmured softly. Zero sighed, "Me too, but you know we can't, you need to go back to the Resistance otherwise they'll search for you again"

"You're right" Gadget huffed and pouted, he didn't want to leave Zero now they they got to know eachother a little more, and he could see that Zero felt the same.

"We should get some rest" Zero shuffled to the edge of the bed so he could take off his shoes, gloves and scarf. "Right" Gadget agreed and took off his own shoes, gloves, chest piece and glasses.

Laying back on the bed, Zero got under the covers with Gadget following suit, Zero pulled the wolf close to him and relaxed, resting his head on Gadgets. Gadget blushed but snuggled into the jackal, feeling happy that they came to a mutual understanding. Both beings fell asleep quickly after.

Soon, morning dawned and both canines woke up, but they mainly woke up to the sound of the alarm beeping. Zero woke up and sat at the edge of the bed, only to have a pair of arms wrapped around his waist by a still sleepy wolf. The jackal yawned and tried to pry Gadgets arms off him, "I need to get that alarm, Gadget" Zero groaned, much to the protest of the tired wolf, "Nooooo...stay" he whined and didn't let go of the jackal.

"Gadget, please" Zero looked back at him, "I'll be back" he scratched Gadgets ear, causing the smaller one to huff and let go, "Fineeee..." Gadget curled into the bedsheets that carried Zero's scent and fell back asleep.

Zero took this opportunity to get up and check on the alarm, he checked the cameras but immediately woke up when he seen a black and red hedgehog in the camera, the hedgehog didn't come alone either; Sonic, Knuckles, Silver and Rouge were there too. Zero growled, "That bastard followed him last night..." he sighed and turned off the alarm.

As Zero returned to his room he crawled into the bedsheets and hugged his wolf from behind, causing the wolf to snuggle back into him. "They're here" Zero spoke up. "Shadow must have followed you last night" he sighed. Gadget gulped, "O-oh...what are we going to do?" he asked softly. Zero hummed, "You have to choose now, I can bring you up there and be forced to surrender under their group or you can stay here and let them search until they give up" he stroked Gadgets back.

Gadget thought heavily, weighing up the sides. He then came upon a decision, a tough one but hopefully the right one, "I want to stay here, with you"