Night cast its shadow across the land. The stars hid behind ominous clouds, creating a bizarre display of black upon gray. The general hum of the city was muffled by the dull rumble of thunder that echoed, promising a rain that wouldn't fall.
X curled up under his blanket, shivering as tears welled up in the corner of his eyes. He slept on, oblivious to the fresh and dried tears that clung to his delicate cheeks. An occasional sniffle issued forth from his body, only to be replaced by an aching silence.
It was painful.
Vile crossed his arms as he peered through the darkness, crouching on the rafters of X's room. It was his favorite place to be; he could watch X silently, marveling at his angel from afar and yet be near enough that he could touch him if he wished.
Indeed, Vile wished.
Vile's eyes narrowed as X let out another sniffle before going still. The sound tore through his heart like a searing blast of plasma. Vile remembered, vividly, the reason behind the dejected whimper; the sound that no angel should be forced to make.
That bastard Zero...
Vile closed his eyes as he thought about the events that had occurred just hours before. X and Zero had been fighting, though the reason was unimportant to Vile. Vile knew everything that happened to his X; to his angel. He was always watching over the azure hunter, even if the hunter himself did not know that. Penetrating the base was surprisingly easy, if you were determined enough. Vile simply 'borrowed' some identification cards from recently deceased hunters and slipped in. No one ever seemed to catch on, which said quite a bit for the mentality of the Maverick Hunters.
Vile tilted his head. Perhaps the reason behind their fight was important, as he recalled. He vaguely remembered talk of fighting and that Iris girl. Apparently Iris was giving his X a difficult time; she was jealous of how close he was to Zero. Vile felt similar surges of jealousy, but it was more aimed at that flirtatious oalf than his sweet little X. Vile made a mental note to visit Iris later; it just wouldn't do to let her get away with how she treated X.
But Vile was straying from the subject.
He had been watching when X had tried to reason with that stubborn pig, Zero. X had sensed that there was something wrong about Iris to begin with. X was naturally astute, though he often failed to realize it. Zero wouldn't listen, of course. He refused to believe that the scheming Repliforce girl would ever treat anyone with contempt and viciousness. Ah, what a fool Zero was. He did not know the evils of a woman who is jealous. He cannot fathom the depths they would sink to get revenge; it is often too gruesome even for the Mavericks.
But, once again, Vile digressed.
X tried, desperately, to get Zero to understand the truth. To see what a wicked girl that Iris woman was. But Zero wouldn't have it. He refused to listen and grew angry when X tried to press the subject.
That was when that bastard did something that Vile would never forgive.
He had struck X across the face.
Vile could still hear the sound of Zero's hand as it bruised the angel's skin, tender metallic skin turning bright red. A deep growl issued from the depths of Vile's throat.
Vile had watched as X stared, dumbfounded and hurt, at Zero before turning on his heels and darting down the hallway. Tears flowed from his sweet angel's face; which, in itself, was a crime upon all that lived.
X cried himself to sleep, feeling unloved and hurt by that son of a bitch. His cheek was still tainted a faint pink as tears caressed the aching skin. Small whimpers escaped X's throat as he dreamed; no doubt about that ass and what he had done. Zero plagued X, even in his sleep, with his insensitivity and vulgar attitude.
Vile would not allow such abuse to continue.
Vile dropped down from the rafters, his footsteps clinking against the ground. He looked around, slowly, before approaching the bed. X shivered and curled up under the blanket, unconsciously rubbing his eyes with his hand. Vile stared down at him, in reverence, before he leaned close. He slipped his arms under X's body and lifted upwards, pulling the small hunter towards him. X shivered against the cold and whimpered, before sighing and nuzzling his cheek against Vile's chest.
Vile felt as if he had been blessed.
Grinning under his helmet, Vile pulled X in to a protective embrace and turned to leave. He stopped short and peered at X's writing desk. A thought crossed his mind as he stared, blankly, at a pen and pad of paper. A wicked grin spread across his face, causing X to unconsciously cringe. Vile whispered soothing words of apology to the sleeping angel before shifting his grip and taking hold of the pen.
Zero quietly walked towards X's room, sighing. He felt terrible about how he had acted earlier. Once again, Zero had lost his temper and acted irrationally.
He had never intended to hit X. When it happened, he had been so dumbfounded by his own actions that he wasn't able to say anything as X ran away. At first, Zero had tried to justify his actions. He just couldn't apologize; X shouldn't have said what he had about Iris. Zero knew that Iris could be rather nasty when she wanted to be, but she certainly wouldn't act that way towards X.
Still, Zero knew that he had no business hitting X like he had.
Zero bowed his head and massaged his temples. Contrary to popular belief, Zero only cared about Iris as a friend. X knew that, Zero knew that, and so did Iris. Atleast, Zero hoped Iris knew that.
Zero stopped short as his eyes widened.
What if Iris didn't...? And supposing she thought of X as a threat...? It was true enough that Zero thought more about X than anyone else; the two were inseparable. X and Zero were like ying and yang, darkness and light, and two halves of a whole. Perhaps Iris was jealous of that...?
And that X had been right about the entire thing.
"I've got to apologize," he grunted. "I've just got to..."
Zero came to a stop in front of X's door and stared, dumbfounded. The door was dented, as if kicked with incredible force. Dangling over the nameplate, barely balancing, was X's helmet. A note fluttered, slightly, as it was held in place by a pen. The pen had been rammed through the door itself, ink splattering everywhere.
Only a few words were legible on the note.
"You shall not harm the angel more,
He will not be treated like a chore.
An angel deserves the pleasures of life.
And so I will save him from your strife."
Zero stared blankly, then looked at a small scribble in the corner of the note.
"Vile"