Sixty Days: Acceptance
"I never used this word in my life before as far as I remember, but I'm going to use it now: X, what you just said is plain retarded."
X's image shimmered in annoyance. "It is not. I've been around these past years, and seen it all the time. It's not as uncommon as you think. You're just stuck in the past."
Zero made a face, drawing three cards from the deck. "Are you calling me old?"
"I'm calling you old and dated and a traditionalist." X huffed as Zero lifted a Jack of Diamonds, placing it over a matching Queen.
The blond then snatched the Ten of Diamonds and placed it on the Jack. "You can add 'jaded' to that list, while you're at it." He drew another three cards.
X threw his hands up in the air, frustration making his form static out a little. "I can add jackass too, right?"
Zero looked up from his solitaire game, inclining his head at the Cyber Elf slightly with the shadow of a smirk on his lips. "If you think it fits, old man."
It was as if X's anger just vanished into thin air and his eyes widened. "I... I am not an old man!"
"If memory serves, which considering I don't have many it must, you're really old, little over three hundred now isn't it?"
The Cyber Elf scowled. "You're just as old as I am, you jerk."
"Indeed, but it doesn't bother me in the least. You, however, become livid, and the look on your face when you're angry brightens my day." Zero reached the end of his deck and growled. "Damn it."
"You're the only person I know who can lose at Solitaire of all things." X chuckled, disappearing and reappearing next to Zero on the floor, leaning against him until their shoulders 'touched.' "Your observational skills still suck, huh?"
Zero would have shoved him if he could. A glare would have to suffice. "In unimportant things, yes."
"Oh? So what important things have you been observing then?"
"Keeping you around." Zero gathered the cards back into the piled deck, then began to randomly shuffle them between his hands. "You know, some of Ciel's research may work on you. You're a Cyber Elf."
"I'm not a simple program, however."
"No, but applications can be made." Zero spaced out his hands, the cards forming an arch in the air as they were forced from one palm to the other. "If you'd just, I don't know, be agreeable with me..."
X smiled sadly. "As you said, Zero... I am old. And old things eventually can't hang on anymore."
Zero was doing another impressive card trick when X spoke, and the words made him drop the entire deck. They fluttered to the floor in a mess, scattering all over. Zero's black eyes were focused on the fallen cards, hands balled into fists that he jammed into his lap into the hole his crossed legs made.
"Zero..."
"Don't 'Zero' me," the blond snapped, making X recoil back from him. "You go on and on about how I have to take care of the world, how I need to save it, how I need to experiance the true peace I can bring... and you're just going to die off and fade away. I'm old too, what if I don't want to 'hang on anymore?'"
X felt frustration rise. Why couldn't Zero just let him go? "Will you grow up?" X snapped back, rising to his feet and glaring down at Zero, who stared up at him. "Maybe I can't hang on anymore because, oh I don't know, I don't have a body! I don't have an infinite energy source anymore! I'm not a program that can be feed Energy Crystals, Zero, like the Elves Ciel works on. I'm not the type of Elf that can manufacture my own massive amounts of energy like the Baby Elves or Mother Elf... I'm a soul! I'm already dead! I died the day Axl died, the day Signas and Alia and Layer and Palette died! I died the day you left me!"
Any retort Zero was about to shout was forced back into his throat, and his mouth clamped shut at X's last sentence. He could see, now looking up at X, past that peaceful mask his old friend put on. Years of suffering, of external and internal battles, surfaced on X's face and glittering trails were trickling down his cheeks from his eyes. X fell to his knees, bowing his head, as if standing were too much of an effort.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that." X muttered.
"No," Zero shook his head, slowly, bracing his hand on the floor and placing his weight on it, unfolding his legs as he leaned toward X. "No, you had all rights to say it. I am acting like a clingy brat, aren't I?"
X sighed heavily. "If I could... if I really could, Zero, I'd stay with you. A hundred years is a long time to make up... but I no longer can promise you that I can make up even a year of that time."
Zero laughed bitterly. "It's not you who should be making the years up. I don't even know why I sealed myself away, X. Why I thought it was a good idea when it seems obvious you needed me to help you. Some friend I am... all I can do to make up for my sins against you, is do as you ask."
"Then do something for me... Give up trying to keep me here. Focus on making these last days good memories for you to remember."
"X..."
"Then, when you experiance peace, and it's finally your time... I'll be waiting for you, and you can tell me what it's like." X looked at him, giving him a shaky smile. "You know, real peace."
Zero frowned, but he shoved the cards on the floor away from them and held his hand 'on' X's head. His frown became a bittersweet smile, and X's shoulders tensed.
"Yeah. I'll think about it."