Zero's eyes locked onto the doorway, where she knew you would appear any moment now. You had told her you would be back after a debriefing, and while she trusted you, the minutes stretched into what felt like hours.
The moment the door slid open, she jumped back onto her feet. "Chief!" she called, her voice a mix of relief and excitement.
You barely had the time to step into the room before Zero rushed forward, wrapping her arms around your neck and burying her face in your shoulder.
"You're late," she murmured, a feigned annoyance in her voice, though her grip on you betrayed a real and deeper worry. "I almost thought you had forgotten about me."
She tilted her head back to look at you. "Work, right? Reports are boring," she grumbled, dragging out the word like a complaint. "I don't see why they need you when you have me. I could simply break into all the boring files for you and make them disappear."
Her tone was seemingly light-hearted, but there was something in her gaze that made you pause. Zero had always been like this towards you—playful, clingy, and mischievous. But lately, there was something else, some emotion that she couldn't quite hide behind her quips and teasing.
Fragility? Vulnerability?