章 35: I need you.

Hiro was sitting on the couch on the lounge with bandages on his neck. Zerotwo bandaged him up even though he had crazy regeneration. She said it was to prevent him from scratching again, what a woman.

Goro said "If Papa didn't create us, where did we come from?" Hiro stood up and walked to the window, looking outside as he said "Would you really like to know?" everybody looked at him and Miku said "You know?"

Hiro lit a cigarette and reached for his neck before pausing and putting his hand down as he said "You've all seen the things between your legs, right? When a boy and a girl come together, this is known as sex. It feels good, but there's more to it. It can be an act of love, pleasure, or reproduction."

He tapped the glass and said "After it's done. The male releases what is known as sperm, while the female doesn't release anything... Usually." Zerotwo felt her eye twitch and he continued "When the sperm infiltrates the womb of the female and succeeds in fertilizing an egg, a new life will be grown from inside the female. This is where we all came from. Your parents are former parasites who broke the law and became pregnant. In Zorome's case, he already met his mother."

Zorome shouted "No! She would've told me!" Hiro tapped the glass rhythmically as he replied "As I was saying, we have a perfect example of this. Nana was once a pregnant Parasite."

The group's eyes widened and Goro said "How is that possible?!" Hiro said "Once the Parasite gives birth to the child..." he sighed and added grimly "The baby is taken away. The place the baby goes to..."

The group slowly realized as Hiro finished "The Garden." they shook their heads not believing it. Hiro continued "Nana doesn't remember because they erased her memories. Your mother didn't tell you because the Immortality surgery indoctrinates emotions, deeming them worthless and useless. It's the same with the reproduction."

He poked a hole through the glass and shattered it as he said "The numbers of humans are decreasing because that's what they want. The humans are killing Klaxosaurs because they deemed it so. Klaxosaurs were the original inhabitants of the planet, humans came after. Do you know what Magma energy is?"

The group was silent and Hiro turned around and said "It's their corpses. Its the core of the planet. Have you ever wondered why the planet is so desolate? What happened to the people on it? They were either killed or corralled into Plantations. The Klaxosaurs come from the earth and return to the earth when they die, keeping the Planet alive. We used the core of the Earth, what happens when it's all gone? No more Humans, no more earth, no more nothing."

He walked forward and explained "We fight Klaxosaurs because that's the fastest way to extinction. When all the Klaxosaurs are dead, every single human will die along with them. Plus... What do you think Klaxosaurs really are? Monsters? Beasts?"

He shook his head and chuckled "They're Klaxo-Sapiens. The cores of the Klaxosaur is Male and the body is Female. Remind you of something?" Ikuno mumbled "The Franxx..." Hiro smiled and said "Exactly. Ding ding." Zerotwo stood up and ran off, he sighed and said "Think about what is truly right and wrong. No matter what we must still kill them, because at this point... Peace was never an option." before he went after Zerotwo, leaving the rest of the group scared and confused.

Hiro came to the roof and walked over to Zerotwo, sitting next to her silently.

Zerotwo said "I've been... killing my own kind... this entire time?" Hiro replied "Me too." she looked at him and said "Why didn't you tell me?" he sighed and said "Because it doesn't matter. Would you have stopped?" she didn't speak, silently agreeing to his words.

He spun to the side and held her hands saying "Listen to me. The Klaxo-Sapiens wouldn't have stopped regardless of you stopping or not. This war has been going on for a long time. Both sides won't stop until one is completely dead. I... I want you to fight with me. Not against Klaxosaurs, or humans. I want you to help me fight the real people behind the scenes."

She said "Who? Darling." Hiro said "The VIRM. Papa, the Vice chair man, and that owl in APE. They're all VIRM. An alien race that wants to destroy the Klaxosaurs and the humans in one feel swoop. Why do you think APE banned reproduction? Wouldn't more people be better? Why detonate Plantations full of people and sacrifice parasites when there's another way?"

He said "They don't care about humanity. They don't care about anything other than killing everything here..." he held her cheeks and said "I want- No, I need you. Zerotwo, maybe this isn't the greatest time to do this. But really, I really, really, love you. Every time I'm with you, whether it's in or out of a Franxx, it's the best day of my life. Every look, expression, word, action you make puts me in a trance. Every second of everyday with you is my happiest moment."

He choked on his voice and pulled out the Storage/Wedding ring from the system space as he got on one knee and said "I need you. In my life, by my side, fighting with me, laughing with me, every piece of my body is yours. I'll give you my everything... I.. I..."

He looked down and grinded his teeth before looking at her dazed eyes and saying "I just want you to be mine. I want to be there when you wake up, when you go to sleep, when you cry, when you laugh, when you need someone to listen to you, or when you just feel lonely. I really have never felt like this before, I love you. I love you more than anything in the world, and more than myself. Will you.. Will you marry me!"

He kinda screamed at her at the end, but Zerotwo covered her mouth and said "Darling, y-y-you!" she started crying and continued through tears "Y-Y-You want to m-marry me?!" He said seriously "There isn't a doubt in my mind. I need you and I love you. I might not have anything to give except myself though."

She waved saying "It's enough! It's enough! I love you too, Darling!" Hiro looked up in shock and said "Angel, you-" she laughed through tears "Yes! Yes, of course! 100 times yes!" he's face lit up brighter than the moon as he laughed and teared up as well. He hugged her tightly and kissed her soft lips.

He was beyond happy.

She was beyond happy.

Zerotwo said "What is that?" Hiro smiled saying "A ring of course." he slid it onto her left hand ring finger and had a cute smile on his face the entire time, she had a wildly happy open mouthed smile as she looked at the ring saying "Wow!" he smiled and said "It also has a space inside so you can store items instead of carrying them around."

He added "I didn't make it. I've been carrying it around for a long time, I didn't know when was the right time to give it to you. I.. I.. If you don't like it..." he looked down and she smiled saying "What, Darling?"

He took out a black box and held it out to her with a red face.

She pursed her lips and took the black box, opening it herself before gasping. Her eyes turned red and her lips quivered as she said "That... That... That..." she looked at Hiro and said "Hiro... You didn't..." he looked down and she lifted his hair to see broken horns.

She started crying again and said "Are you for real..." Hiro held her hands and said with a lot less confidence than before "I.. I.. I really love you a lot." she took out 2 rings, one was blue and had a shining ruby on it and the other was just fully red.

He said "These are.. um... these are the only thing I've made that have a name!" he tapped on the air and a light screen appeared. Zerotwo covered her mouth in shock and tenderness as she looked at him with eyes full of love.

[Marriage Rings of Eternity: Hand crafted wedding ring pair, made with blood sweat and tears. (Effects when worn: +10 Luck, 200% increase in stats when near each other.) Made by Hiro.]

He said "I didn't know what to do because you usually don't like things from the system. This was really important so I made these." he scratched his neck and added "I used your and my horns to make them... I didn't know if you would like them so..."

She held his hand and kissed him saying gently "So you gave me the System one first, right?" Hiro nodded and she bit her lips saying "I love you, so much..." she took off the system ring and said "And I love the rings you made even more." Hiro perked up and he looked excited and happy.

If he had a tail, it'd be wagging.

Zerotwo giggled and Hiro took out a bead saying "This is the Unbreakable Upgrade I got..." he smiled "Do you want to use it on them?" she took it and crushed it over the rings. The rings started shining with a white light and the Storage Ring melted down, shooting into the blue ring, disappearing.

Zerotwo and Hiro were stunned, what was this development? A new screen showed up.

[Immortal Marriage Rings of Eternity: Hand crafted wedding ring pair, made with blood sweat and tears. Made with Hiro & Zerotwo's horns, along with Adamantium and a flawless Ruby. (Effects: +10 Luck, 500% Stat boost when near each other, Blue ring- Infinite Storage Space) (Unbreakable) made by Hiro.]

Hiro trembled and looked at the rings before looking at Zerotwo, she smiled shyly and stretched out her left hand. He grabbed the rings and put the red one before stopping and switching with an embarrassed expression, she giggled and he slid the blue ring on her finger.

His hands were trembling and his heart was beating extremely fast. He was unable to process everything. Did he just propose? Did she just say yes? We're married?

He felt like he was going to wake up from his dream any time now.

Zerotwo pursed her lips and took the ring from him, she looked at the '016 x 002' engraved into the ring and she bit her lips, looking at him, only to laugh at his short circuited look. Somehow she felt this was better than the confident Hiro.

She liked his flaws, his goofiness, and his embarrassed face more than the super tough guy Hiro. Sometimes they blended together, but she felt he was keeping up appearances. The goofy, cute, a little stupid, and shameless Hiro was her favorite and she felt like it was his real self.

She was immersed in her thoughts as she slipped the ring on his left hand ring finger.

She joined her hand with his and hummed "Darling?" he woke up and said "Yes, Angel?" she smiled sweetly and said "Let's stay together forever, okay?" Hiro pulled her into his arms and said with a cheeky grin "Where else would I go?" she giggled and curled up in his arms saying "I don't know~"

He said "Maybe, I should lock you up so you don't run away when you find out I'm crazy..." she giggled and said "I already know that, Darling~" he held her tightly and looked around saying "Don't speak, this is a wifenapping!" she burst out laughing and he smiled as they returned to her room.

They snuggled together and she purred in his arms, tangling her long legs with his. He hugged her close and smiled warmly as they both slowly feel asleep in each other's arms, happy and together.