You're perfect for me.

Hiro was woken up by a gentle call "Darling~" his eyes fluttered open and he saw Zerotwo leaning over him with a big living smile on her face. He suddenly realized his head was on her soft thighs, how did this happen? He wasn't complaining though.

He pursed his lips and said "5 more minutes, Angel." Zerotwo giggled and hung her hair over his nose, shaking it slightly. Hiro's nose scrunched up and he sat up and sneezed, Zerotwo giggled and looked at him.

Hiro looked back and gave her a pout. She laughed and said "You slept here the entire night. Maybe you forget we have a mission?" Hiro grumbled "What mission? If we don't go is it such a big deal..." Zerotwo pursed her lips and hugged him from behind, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing his cheek.

She said with half opened eyes "You want to... Abandon your post?" Hiro sighed and said "I want it to be just us." Zerotwo hummed before saying "It is. In Strelizia." Hiro shook his head and said "Everyone else interferes all the time..."

He held her arms and stroked them with his thumbs as he looked up to the sky and said "I don't want you to be unhappy." Zerotwo paused and spun to his front, straddling him as she said seriously "I'm not unhappy." Hiro pursed his lips and said "You can fool everyone else, but can you fool me?"

Zerotwo bit her lips and panicked, Hiro ran his fingers along her horns and said softly "You're not a monster. You're more human than anyone else I know. You know love and affection..." he sighed and looked into her eyes asking "You're not a monster, you're not a human, you're you. You're special. Why do you want to be a human so badly..."

Zerotwo nibbled on her lips and said through tears "Because of my Darling!" Hiro smiled and said "Another Darling?" Zerotwo cried and Hiro held up her cheeks and said "Silly girl. I'm your Darling. I've always been your Darling." he wiped her tears and said "Even when you had red skin, long horns, a cloak, sharp teeth, and bandage shoes."

Zerotwo said "It's... It's you!?" Hiro caressed her cheek as he smiled.

[Achievement Unlocked! Tell her the truth. Reward: Picture book.]

He reached out and grabbed the air, Zerotwo watched as golden light appeared in between his hands. The golden light slowly receded and revealed the thing to be a book. She trembled and Hiro brought the book to her saying "Actually, I wanted to make a new book myself but the System made a new one..."

He sighed and shook his head, he stuffed the book into her hands and picked her up, putting her on his back as he walked away, in a bit of a sour mood. Zerotwo held the book and looked at Hiro before saying softly "You... were making one?"

Hiro pulled it out of his System space and said with a soft smile "Yeah. It was done yet..." Zerotwo started crying again and said "You... Why? Why are you so good to me?" Hiro smiled warmly and said "Well, because I love you. Do I need another reason?"

Zerotwo buried her head into his neck and cried, Hiro smiled softly and looked at the book in his hands. He sighed and put it back into the System space.

They got back to the Residence and walked inside, everybody looked at them and said "Where have you been?" Hiro said "Outside." Miku said "You slept outside!?" Hiro coughed and looked away, the rest slapped their foreheads.

Ikuno said "You shouldn't sleep outside. It's not very good for you." Hiro licked his lips and said "Yeah. I won't do it again... At least not when it's raining." as he went upstairs saying "I'll make myself breakfast!" Futoshi shouted "Ah! Can you make me some too!?"

The group looked at him and heard Hiro shouted "Sure." the rest clicked their tongues and Futoshi fist pumped.

Hiro went for a bath and brought Zerotwo with him. He couldn't do anything else, she clung to him. Not that he was complaining by any means, it was quite nice. They got into the bathroom and Zerotwo slid off him before saying "Hiro."

Hiro took off his clothes and looked at her "Hm?" she held out the book gave him the sweetest smile he had ever seen in his lives as she said "I want the one you made. Not the on the System made."

Boom

Thunder rumbled in Hiro's mind, his eyes turned red and tears pooled as he said "Are you fucking with me?" Zerotwo smiled softly and shook her head gently, Hiro reached out a trembling hand and grabbed the perfect and pristine book.

Every single inch of the book was perfection. The corners were sharp and flat, the pages were neat and uniform. There wasn't a single millimeter of imperfection... And yet she didn't want it. She didn't want the book that was a perfect re-creation of her first treasure, her first pretty thing.

She wanted the one he made. The one with imperfections and poor drawings. The one that wasn't finished. The one he had been working very hard on, but wasn't finished with yet. He didn't know what to say, he just felt like crying.

He said "But it's not done."

She replied "I'll wait."

He said "But it's worse."

She replied "It's from you."

He replied "But it's not perfect."

She replied "I don't care."

He replied with clenched fists "But it's your treasure."

She hugged him, crushing her soft breasts on his chest as she replied "YOU'RE my treasure."

Hiro broke down and cried, Zerotwo held him and rubbed his back with a beautiful smile.

A while later

Hiro and Zerotwo came back downstairs. Hiro's eyes were puffy and he was dressed in his uniform, he went to the library and pushed the picture book into one of the shelves before walking away.

[Secret Achievement Unlocked: True Love. Reward: Max Any Talent]

Hiro said immediately "Drawing."

[Drawing Talent has been Unlocked!]

[Drawing Talent has been Maxed out!]

[Drawing (N/A) > Drawing (Transcendent)]

Hiro didn't even bat an eyelid at the clear waste of a 'Max any Talent' reward. He didn't care at all. He would make the best book for her. It might not be perfect, it might not be the original, but he'll try his hardest.

He went to the kitchen and started cooking for Zerotwo, completely silent, seemingly absent minded. The rest came into the kitchen as well, after smelling the aroma. Hiro noticed them and started making more, after cooking Zerotwo's first of course.

He served Zerotwo French Toast with caramelized Apricots and Maple Syrup, a tall stack of them with little carvings of a man and woman on top in the Apricots. She looked at it in a daze and Hiro went to cook for the rest, serving them the same but far less amazing in appearance, though it still looked good.

He finished cooking and started washing everything before leaving the room and going to somewhere quiet as he started to draw the Picture Book again. His movements were still crude and rough but they got better as he went on.

He drew for the entire day, uninterrupted, until he got a message on his Comms. He looked at the message and closing the book. He took a deep breath and sent the book back to the System space before leaving to the locker rooms.

A while later

He was dressed in his Stamen suit as he walked through the Hall way to the Franxx. He was stopped by Ichigo, who was pushed towards him by Goro, who walked away, waving over his shoulder. Hiro looked at Goro, before looking down at Ichigo silently.

She said "Hiro... I... This mission's starting pretty late tonight isn't it?" Hiro looked at her and was silent for a few moments before saying "Ichigo." she perked up and said hopefully "Yes?!" Hiro looked at her with a straight face and said "Don't die. You can tell me how you feel about me after the mission."

He patted her head and said "We can talk later." before passing her and walking away down the hallway. Ichigo touched her head and watched him go, Zerotwo came out of the locker room and glanced at Ichigo before turning her head and following after Hiro.

The duo arrived in front of Strelizia, Hiro looked at the Franxx silently and Zerotwo said worriedly "What's wrong? You haven't talked since..." Hiro looked at her and said "Why do you like me? I'm imperfect..." before looking at his trembling hands.

Zerotwo walked over and held his hands saying "Darling, look at me." Hiro looked up and Zerotwo smiled "I like you because you're you. Your imperfections are my favorite parts. I love you because you're not perfect. You're not perfect at all." he held his cheeks and said lovingly "But you're perfect for me."

Hiro held her hands and said softly "Do you really mean that?" Zerotwo kissed his forehead and said "Every word." Hiro pulled her hands and kissed her lips as they got into Strelizia.

A few minutes later

Strelizia was standing on the kissing apparatus and over looking the fight.

The hatch was open and Zerotwo was standing on it looking out at the battlefield. Hiro was swinging Sun and practicing, she looked over and said "Darling, your squad's movements are atrocious." Hiro replied "Squad 26 isn't much better either."

Zerotwo smiled and added "At least they're taking down Klaxosaurs." Hiro shook his head and was breathing laboriously as he replied "They work together good, but they take 5 Franxx to a single Conrad-Class Klaxosaur. It's not efficient. It's like smashing an egg with a rock."

He spun Sun back into his ear as he went to the Stamen chair, he sat down and said "Let's go, Angel." Zerotwo looked over her shoulder and said "Can you do it?" Hiro lowered his head and only a feral grin was showing as he said "Only one way to find out."

Zerotwo grinned and jumped into the Pistil seat as the hatch closed.

Strelizia booted up and shot across the battlefield, Zorome shouted "Strelizia!?" Ichigo shouted "Stop!" Hiro ignored them and slaughtered Comrade-Class Klaxosaurs, staying silent as the blue growth on his chest started growing and spreading to his left shoulder and cheek.

He was breathing heavy and his eyes glowed blue slightly, Zerotwo said "Darling!" Hiro smashed the back of his head on the Stamen chair and said "Let's go!" as he pushed forward.

Strelizia ran through dozens of Klaxosaurs, wiping them all out. It sped backwards, looking in all directions for any surviving Klaxosaurs.

It saw one running and threw the spear through the air, breaking the speed of sound as it blew the Klaxosaur to hell. It pulled back on a cable and caught the Spear back in it's hand before backing off to the Kissing Apparatus.

Strelizia went back to it's position and Squad 26 engaged the Giant cub Klaxosaur. Hiro was grunting like a wild animal as his entire arm was covered in bulging veins along with his entire left cheek and neck.

He let go of the handle and held his chest, Zerotwo bit her lips and said "Hold on, Darling! You have to hold on!" tears were pooling in her eyes and she heavily blamed herself. There was nothing she could do, it was all on Hiro now. He had to get through it himself. She asked him to just use the healing potion but he said it didn't work because it wasn't an injury.

Meanwhile

The cub had turned into a giant humanoid Klaxosaur with horns. Hiro grabbed the handles and pushed forward, Zerotwo shed tears as she went back.

Strelizia moved and shot through the sky before spinning in the air and diving down, thrusting the lance into the middle of the Klaxosaur's body. It fell limp on the ground and Strelizia jumped off. Hiro's vision blurred and said "You've got to be fucking kidding me... Fucking old Hiro..."

As he collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Zerotwo roared "DARLING!" before getting blown into the Kissing Apparatus by the, now transformed, Klaxosaur.

----MC'S POV----

I opened my eyes and found myself in my old room. I looked at the computer and it said 'Publish Complete' I was waiting for a bang that never came. It was... all a dream?

I felt lost, I felt uncomfortable in my own skin, what was this feeling?

I got up and left my room, going down the stairs. I shouted "Mom! Going to burn down an orphanage!" my mom said "Have fun, honey." I sighed to myself, sure enough everything was normal. I was being ignored again.

I walked past a window and the entire world turned black and white as a flutter of pink passed by outside. My heart beat increased and I said "Zerotwo!" forgoing any shoes, I ran outside and looked around.

Far, far, down the street I saw the only color in the world. The figure that I yearn for day and night was skipping down the street. I chased after her and felt sluggish, as if something was holding me back. My speed can to a crawl and I waded through the seemingly thick air, clawing towards the figure.

The figure turned around and I saw her face, my heart twisted in pain. She was covered in blood but she had a sweet smile on her face as she said "Come to me, Darling." I wanted to, I tried as hard as I could.

I felt my ankle grabbed and turned around to see the girl that still haunts me to this day, she smiled beautifully and said "Come with me, *****. I've always loved you. I never had anyway to tell you, but I'm saying it now. I never loved your friends, I only loved you!"

I grit my teeth and looked at Zerotwo in the distance, who was tearing up as blood seeped out of her mouth. I growled "Get the fuck off me, whore!" and kicked her in the face before running to Zerotwo and hugging her tightly, she said "Darling... You came back..."

I said "Always..." the world shattered like glass.

----Back to normal----

Hiro opened his eyes and saw Zerotwo roaring like a feral animal covered in blood. He twitched his fingers and said "What a fool..." the blue veins receded like lightning and the blue growth sank into his skin.

[Congratulations! Klaxo-Sapien bloodline fusion 99%]

Hiro grabbed hold on the yelling Zerotwo and whispered in her ear "Angel.. Everything's okay now. You don't have to hurt anymore..." Zerotwo's eyes slowly went back to normal and a green vial appeared in Hiro's hands as he poured it into her mouth.

The vial disappeared along with most Zerotwo's injuries.

Hiro chuckled and kissed her cheek saying "Angel?" Zerotwo said softly "Yes, Darling?" he sat back in the Stamen chair and said "You ready to fly?" She smiled beautifully and leaning into Pistil position as Handles came out of her suit as she replied "Yes, Darling!"

Hiro grinned and his eyes glowed blue as he pushed forward and said "Then let's fly!"