Sixty Days: Swear
"Please," Ciel propped her fists on her hips, glaring down at the blond sitting cross-legged on the floor. "Do not swear in front of Alouette!"
Zero never had been admonished before over his language, and he really had no idea how to reply. Instead he looked to the wall, his face blank, his hands holding onto his ankles. Ciel bristled at the reaction--was he ignoring her?
"Zero!"
"I heard you," Zero huffed. "And I said I was sorry. I wasn't aware Alouette never heard the word 'dammit' in her life."
Ciel sighed heavily, bringing one hand up to rub her forehead. "I'm sorry, Zero, I shouldn't have reacted like I did. It's just... Alouette is so innocent, like a real human child, and I want her to grow up in a peaceful and stable world."
"We all do, Ciel."
"She calls me Sis, but I feel like her mother," Ciel clasped her hands under her chin. "I guess I'm reacting over my boundaries, so I'm sorry too. Just... please refrain from swearing around her, okay?"
"I said okay." Zero got to his feet, pausing to pick up the spare toy Alouette had dropped when Ciel sent her off so she could yell at him in peace.
Ciel bit her lower lip, tucking her hands behind her shyly. "You know... Alouette looks up to you, too."
Zero spared her a quick glance before going to put the toy on the table. "Everyone does."
"Almost like a father."
At this, Zero actually snorted. "Me? A father? X would be laughing pretty hard if he heard that." Mentioning his friend, Zero paused to wonder where he was. He hadn't seen X in a few days...
Ciel's voice snapped Zero back to the issue at hand. "She almost could pass as your daughter, you know," she said, half-teasingly. "The blond hair and such."
"More like yours."
"Ours, maybe?"
Well, that was certainly one way to approach the subject, and even Zero felt a little uncomfortable about it. As far as he could recall, even with Iris, they never considered building Reploid children. Having children was a human thing... and it only further cemented Zero's belief he had to get Ciel to stop her... infatuation.
"Ciel..." Zero sighed, putting one hand on his hip as he turned to look at her. "I'm well aware of your..." Don't be an ass, Zero. Don't be an ass. "... feelings for me. I'm not dense."
Ciel blushed. "I... I never thought of you as dense."
"I don't feel the same," Zero said, blunt and honest, as always. Ciel winced inwardly at it, but at the same time, his honesty was one of the many things she loved about him. After all that happened, Ciel preferred honesty over pretty lies. "I can't provide you with love, a family, a normal life. After all this bullshit ends, that's what you're going to want... and I can't give it to you."
"Zero, just having you with me..."
Zero shook his head. "And if I die on one of the missions? If I fail? I am not stable, Ciel. Don't get me wrong, I am your friend. I do believe in you and your desire to bring peace without fighting. I trust you. But I can't, won't, and don't love you."
Ever so honest, ever so blunt. That was Zero, and Ciel bowed her head. "I understand," she said quietly after a few tense moments. When she was sure she wasn't crying, she raised her head and tried to smile. "Thank you... for being honest. And not... leading me on."
Zero nodded, visibly relaxing. "I swear I'll help you bring peace so you can settle down one day," he said, as if it would help the gash in her heart.
"I never doubted, Zero." Ciel replied, still quietly.
Zero nodded again and walked for the door. He said his piece, she said hers, and it was over.
Ciel waited til the door was closed before going to the table, picking up the toy and holding it to her face. Well... she thought as her tears trickled down her cheeks, some absorbed by the soft toy. I guess... it could have been worse...