Rose's Ramblings

20+ || A place to put some of my writing || Ao3

[candiedmane]

Whose Kid is This? (Sylus)

Sylus x MC fluff. Babysitting, but with guns involved. 2,806 words.

The sound of distant gunshots rang in your ears as you sped down the N109 Zone on your 270HM. One week ago, Captain Jenna had instructed your team to take on a shadowy organization by the name of 'Silver Wolves' that had begun a calculated assault using dangerous high-protocore explosives on the border between Linkon and the N109 Zone. Their target was another faction by the name of 'Viridian.' Three Hightower explosions had already occurred in quick succession along the border.

Despite having the best Unicorn hunters on the job, it was nigh impossible to track them down. The explosions left no traces to the culprits. No footage, no biodata, not even eyewitnesses. Having no leads left you beyond frustrated.

That's why you texted Sylus and were on your way to one of his numerous hideouts. You didn't like the idea of relying too heavily on Onychinus intelligence, but this case just left you no choice.

With a screech, your 270HM came to a stop in front of a set of heavy steel doors. You left your helmet on the motorcycle and entered the passcode to the hideout. The doors unlocked.

"You think you can catch me?! Take tha—"

You paused. You were pretty sure you just heard the sound of a young girl trying to run away somewhere inside. Your blood ran cold; surely some hooligans snuck in here after kidnapping a little girl. Sylus would never stoop so low, right…?

After taking a deep breath, you unholstered your gun and kicked the doors wide.

Whatever scene you expected to walk in on, it certainly wasn't the one in front of you. A little girl—a first grader, if you had to guess—dressed in an extravagant princess gown, with blonde hair bigger than she was, was pointing a gun at Kieran, who had his hands up in the air.

While you stood there, eyes wider than ever, with your gun still pointed at the ceiling, the young girl expertly switched targets to point the gun at you. You tried to raise both hands despite still holding your own gun.

"Who's there?" Her tiny voice sounded as threatening as it could possibly be. Her eyes roamed over your figure, looking at the hunter uniform you were still wearing. "A hunter?! Crap, this place is compromised!"

Your heart nearly stopped when she pulled the trigger, but instead of the bullet you were expecting, a stream of water spurted out. It didn't reach you.

"Tch," you heard the little girl scoff.

"Don't worry, I'm not in the habit of arresting little girls…"

"Yeah, right! You'll never catch me alive!" She shimmied closer and pulled the trigger more forcefully this time. The water hit your chest.

"Renée." Just then, a young woman dressed in a maid uniform swooped in to pick up the child. She bowed to you apologetically. "We're very sorry," she said.

You glanced at Kieran, who was shaking with silent laughter, and huffed as you holstered your gun.

"Would anyone mind explaining to me what's going on here?" you asked, still glaring at Kieran.

It took a second for Kieran to calm down enough to answer. You could still hear the smirk in his voice, though. "Boss-man is inside, if you want to ask him directly. He's waiting for you."

You stomped your way over to Sylus's office; the sound of your boots echoed through the hideout. When you opened his office door, he was just hanging up a phone call.

"What's got you so worked up, kitten?"

"Sylus, since when does Onychinus harbor rabid children?"

He laughed. "She got you too, huh? Who would've guessed that Linkon's best hunter would ever be defeated by a seven-year-old."

"Seven-and-a-half!" a shrill voice from behind the door yelled out.

Sylus sighed. "Luke."

"We got it, boss-man," Luke responded immediately, his voice fading the farther he carried the little girl away.

"We're very sorry!" a woman's voice came not long after.

Sylus pinched the bridge of his nose. You giggled at him.

"She's formidable, it seems even the leader of Onychinus isn't safe from her wrath," you said, your voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I assume you didn't come here just to play babysitter with me."

You sauntered over to the desk and sat on the edge. "Do I need a reason to visit?"

"You know you're always welcome at any of Onychinus's locations, sweetie." He took your hand and kissed it. "But a little birdie told me you've been scouring for information across the N109 Zone all week. And you didn't even think to come to me first. I'm hurt, kitten."

"That little birdie should mind his business."

He chuckled. "Won't you let me know what's been bothering you?"

"I assume you're already aware that the Association is looking to take down Silver Wolves."

"And what did you find out about them, sweetie?"

"They're after Viridian."

"I'm surprised you even got this far—the Association's reconnaissance really is getting better."

You scoffed. "If it was, then I'd already know where the Silver Wolves' boss is hiding."

"Not necessarily, kitten." He ran his hand along your calf. The heat of his fingers lingered on your skin. "Do you know what it is they're after?"

You crossed your arms. "Who knows? Some protocore shipment, I bet."

"Think bigger." His hand moved higher. You grabbed it. "For example, that little girl running around outside."

"…What would they want with her?"

"Hmm." He pulled his hand out from under yours and clasped your fist. "Let's say that little girl has a… unique case of Protocore Syndrome. I can think of a certain organization that would be veery interested in this… potential test subject."

Bastards.

"Naturally, your Association's methods stood little chance against them. Don't take it to heart, sweetie."

"So, what? You stole that kid before EVER and their new lapdogs could?"

"Oh? Is that how you think of me?" He looked up at you with those mischievous, enchanting eyes. "I only happened to make a deal with Viridian; I would ensure their boss's safety along with his family in exchange for certain high-grade protocores."

You looked away. "How convenient."

"Luke and Kieran managed to save his daughter from some would-be kidnappers interested in making a quick buck off the bounty Silver Wolves placed. I had them bring her here, away from Viridian's base for now."

"And if they figure out where she is?"

"Then they'll have to deal with me, kitten." He smirked.

"That's what you're hoping for, isn't it?" You scoffed. "Sylus, you're using the girl as bait."

He chuckled. "Relax, she's our esteemed guest. Naturally, I must guarantee her safety."

"And the maid?"

"Viridian's leader insisted the girl's nanny accompany her. 'For Onychinus's safety as much as her own,' as he put it." He leaned back in his chair. "I'm sure it would put his mind at ease to know that his daughter is being watched over by Linkon's guardian angel as well."

Thud! A loud noise startled you from behind. You exchanged a look with Sylus, then rushed to investigate.

Next to the door, the face of that tiny menace stared at you from a low vent in the wall. Somehow, she managed to give all the adults the slip in order to listen in on your conversation.

"Ohh, I get it," she said with a smug expression. "The leader of Onychinus has a mole at the Hunter's Association. You have them in your pocket, and make them go after your enemies. Clever."

You bent down to effortlessly pull her out.

"You watch too many spy cartoons."

A sly giggle came from behind you. You turned to point at Sylus.

"And you're enjoying this way too much!"

Absolute chaos roamed throughout the relatively small hideout—what would be considered small for Onychinus, at least. A cacophony nearly pierced the sound barrier as Renée chased a mechanical bird with a water gun half her size. While being egged on by two teenagers. Followed by a concerned nanny, politely begging her to simmer down.

You sat on the couch while that circus ran laps around you. To your side, Sylus leaned further back into the headrest, rubbing his forehead. You decided to add to his troubles.

"You know, if she actually gets Mephie with that water gun, won't he short-circuit?"

"If he somehow also manages to get shot by a second-grader, then we'll have no choice but to surrender, I suppose," he cocked his head to watch as the haze of people and bird passed by; the corners of his lips raised ever so slightly.

After a couple more laps, Mephisto took a sharp turn to land on Sylus's hand. A hologram screen projected from the bird's eyes. Sylus studied the contents intently; it seemed the trap had been triggered.

Sylus moved to get up when Renée crashed into his long leg in her effort to continue chasing the bird. Mephisto mockingly cawed at her, but she was too distracted to notice. Instead, her eyes were fixed on the terrifying giant above her. Slowly, she walked backwards with a nervous laugh until she was far enough away to run for cover.

"Seems our little scamp still knows how to be scared of something."

"Can you blame her, sweetie? I am the scary big bad boss of Onychinus."

You poked his forearm. "Yet here you are, protecting her."

"Protecting her? I'm not sure she sees it that way." He poked your forehead. "You didn't see it that way when I stole you from that Nest rat."

You pouted. "That's different."

"I don't see how, kitten."

Just then, a loud explosion resounded near the base's entrance. The mayhem inside went quiet in an instant. Without missing a beat, the twins began redirecting Renée and her nanny to a safer room.

“Join them. This won’t take long,” Sylus said in a stern voice.

When Sylus began to move, you grabbed him by the arm. He gave you a look of concern.

"You want me to hide?" you asked, indignant. "In case you forgot, this is my mission."

A gunshot fired into the room; the bullet floated in the air encased in a red-black mist before falling to the ground unceremoniously.

You unholstered your gun. "You're welcome to tag along, if you want."

Loud laughter shook Sylus's chest. He extended his arm to the door with a bow. "After you, Captain."

Behind a vaulted door, Luke and Kieran were following their instructions to keep the guests safe—and to entertain them, should need be.

The sounds of gunshots and explosions continued unabated. The more it intensified, the more the nanny clung to her little girl—much to Renée's dismay.

"Ugh, why do I always have to hide when the action starts!" she cried out. "I am Viridian's protégé! You should at least let me watch."

"Hey, we're stuck here too, you know," said Kieran.

"Sometimes you just gotta miss out," chimed in Luke.

"No fair!"

The little girl began to squirm in her nanny's arms. The woman let out a shaky sigh.

"Please, Renée. It'll be over soon." Her voice cracked. "It'll be alright," she breathed out in a whisper. Almost like she was comforting herself before the restless child.

Kieran left his spot by the door, and walked closer. He flashed a mischievous smirk under his mask. "I know of something more exciting than the gunshots. Wanna hear?" 

He sat down on the ground and gestured to Renée to sit next to him. She would have happily obliged, if not for the woman clutching onto her for dear life—her anxious eyes fixated on Kieran. He simply nodded at her, and after a beat, she looked away and finally released the girl from her grasp.

"What is it! Tell me!" Renée threw herself forward as soon as she was free. Her little body vibrated with enthusiasm.

"Oh, nothing… Just some juicy Onychinus gossip."

Renée jumped excitedly. A sparkle gleamed in her eyes. She caught herself, and put on her best serious face as if she hadn't just squealed mere seconds ago. "Give me all your top-secret information. Viridian will make sure you get out of here alive."

"I don't believe that's a good idea—" the nanny tried to interrupt, when Luke placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Don't worry," he whispered. "He's not that stupid. He's just making things up."

Eventually, the steady noise of heavy gunfire began to thin. While Renée was fully engrossed in Kieran's wildly exaggerated stories, her nanny kept an ear to the wall, her anxiety written plain on her face.

"I could tell you some stories too, if you'd like." It took a moment for the nanny to register that Luke was speaking to her.

"N-no, thank you. I'm alright." She gave a sheepish smile.

"You didn't grow up in the N109 Zone, did you?"

"I—well…" She sighed. "It's a long story. But I… I'm here for Renée. She means the world to me."

A familiar caw drew Luke's attention to the small horizontal window that was their only connection to the outside world. Mephisto was here to signal an all-clear to the twins.

The heavy door yielded to Luke's pulling, and the impromptu shelter group stepped past it—only to find the rest of the hideout utterly destroyed. In the middle of all the rubble, you stood next to Sylus, both covered in tiny scratches and some light bruises. Sylus had already begun to heal some of them.

"Heh heh heh…" Renée muttered under her breath. With all the confidence in the world, she strutted over to Sylus. She placed her fists on her hips and puffed her chest.

"Once I take over Viridian, you'll have no choice but to renegotiate the terms of our agreement! After all, I know all of Onychinus's secrets now."

"Renée!" cried out the young girl's nanny in panic. She tried to rush to grab Renée when Sylus motioned for her to stay.

She stopped in her tracks, her body shaking. She started to plead. "Mr. Sylus, we're very sorry. Please, don't mind her. She's just a little kid—she doesn't know what she's saying!" But Sylus didn't even look at her. He kept his attention on Renée.

"Oh no," he said in a drawn-out, playful tone. He crouched down to be closer to the little girl's height, only to still be considerably taller. He very gently flicked her forehead and watched as she scowled at him while rubbing the spot he flicked.

"Then I have no choice but to wait for your offer, little lady. But just so you know, I don't accept bad deals."

Her eyes lit up with excitement. "I'll make you an offer you can't refuse! Just you wait!"

He chuckled. "I look forward to it."

Once he was done with the conversation, he finally allowed the poor nanny to move closer and pick up the child. She held her little girl close.

"Your boss should contact you shortly." He swiped a finger at his split lip, healing it instantly. "Make sure she gets back safely. She has a promise to keep."

"T-thank you, Mr. Sylus," the nanny managed to eke out. She hugged Renée tighter. "I will… I'll keep her safe."

Ten minutes later, a limo arrived for the young lady and her chaperone. Renée waved goodbye before they disappeared behind the window tint. You waved back.

Luke and Kieran left to check for any stragglers. Mephisto was running surveillance. The hideout was finally quiet. You plopped onto the cut-up sofa. Sylus followed your lead soon after. He placed his arm around your shoulder.

"I guess we should head back to the base," he said. "You can report back to the Association from there."

You gave a short, satisfied hum, only to giggle when a thought popped into your head.

"What's so funny, kitten?"

"Sylus, do you think you'll ever be handing your empire over to your progeny?"

He scoffed, then leaned over to kiss your head.

"Well, I'd have to have a child first to ever consider that."

You placed a hand over his chest. He moved his hand over yours. "Would you want that?"

"A child?" He pretended to mull it over. "Don't you think this lifestyle is too unstable for a kid?"

"I didn't ask about logistics. I asked if you want it—a little boy or girl who adores you."

He stared into your eyes and you stared back intently. In them, you saw a tenderness reserved only for you. You thought about what it might be like to share that tenderness with your own tiny troublemaker, and your heart skipped a beat.

"A mini-you who adores me, huh…" He smirked and brought your hand up and peppered kisses along your arm. "I'm convinced. Let's have ten, at least."

"Sylus!"

[candiedmane]

Whose Kid is This? (Zayne)

Zayne x MC Fluff fic. Babysitting story. 1,693 words.

On an idyllic windy autumn day, you walked down the street a short distance from Zayne's residence. In your hand were several boxes you got from a nearby bakery that had just opened recently—a curated selection you were excited to share with the sweet-toothed doctor.

Mere minutes later, you were standing in front of Dr. Zayne's door. With one hand carrying the pastries, you used the biometric scanner with your other hand to enter. Dr. Zayne had insisted on adding you to the database a while back, with a long-prepared speech on how it is important to have at least one more person as backup in case of emergency. When lightly pushed, he admitted it would also be nice to have for convenience.

You confidently strutted into his residence with a wide smile, and called out to Zayne. "Zayne! Are you home?" You carefully set down your pastries. "I managed to snag some limited-edition macaron flavors from this new bake—"

When you looked at Zayne's desk, you were met with a pair of intense eyes under a pair of round frames. Except, they belonged to a young girl—no older than ten—tapping away at a laptop with all the zeal of a pre-med student. Her long, straight jet-black hair was neatly tied into a high ponytail. You were momentarily stunned.

Crap! Dr. Zayne has been turned into a little girl! You shook your head to dislodge the silly thought out of your brain. No, there must be a more… mundane explanation as to what this child was doing sitting at Dr. Zayne's desk.

"Hi there," you cooed.

"Hello. I'm Sophie, nice to meet you," the young girl replied with all the professionalism of a working adult.

"Um… Hi Sophie," you replied. "Do you know where Dr. Zayne is?"

As if on cue, Dr. Zayne walked out of his bedroom—to your relief, that is. You still weren't fully convinced some Metaflux anomaly hadn't turned him into a young girl until you saw him with your own eyes.

"Dr. Zayne!" you exclaimed. "Did you manage to adopt a child while I was away? She looks just like you."

"Don't be ridiculous," he huffed in an exasperated tone. "A certain scatterbrained doctor managed to book a date with a certain hunter, forgetting he already promised to watch his sister on that day."

"This is Dr. Greyson's sister?!"

"Yes," he replied, matter-of-factly. "He called and asked me to watch her for a few hours. Practically begging, might I add. Said I was 'his last resort.'"

"And you said yes?"

"I don't see why not. I only have two reports to finish today." He placed his papers on the coffee table. "Plus, I have experience. I'm used to dealing with the child patients from the pediatrics division."

"I see. Would you like me to help, Dr. Zayne?"

"Respectfully," the young girl's calm voice interrupted. "I don't need two adults supervising me. One is more than enough." She shook her head. "I even told Greyson I'd be perfectly fine alone for a few hours, I have homework to do—yet he insisted on making frantic calls to several people and embarrassing himself."

A nervous chuckle escaped from you. You were somehow left feeling lectured by a child. Dr. Zayne rubbed his temples.

"Of course, you're more than welcome to stay. But as you can see, this young lady is very self-sufficient."

Several minutes later, you were done rearranging the kitchen counters and finding a spot for all the things you brought. You turned around to a clear view of the rest of the house from the open plan kitchen, and couldn't help but be mesmerized by the scene before you.

Having had his desk stolen from him by a little girl, Dr. Zayne was writing his report nearby on the couch instead. Dr. Zayne always had this extra serious look on his face when working on reports. His eyes focused intently, and his brows furrowed—yet you couldn't help but giggle. A small distance away, his demeanor was juxtaposed by Sophie having the same serious look on her tiny face. You could've sworn you saw them adjust their glasses in perfect unison. It made Zayne's expression appear cuter in turn—you remembered him as a child with that same vigor for homework as her.

"Zayne, I'm going to make some tea. Would you like some?" you asked.

"Yes please, milk tea with full sugar."

This exchange seemed to have caught Sophie's attention. She got up from Zayne's desk to approach you in the kitchen.

"Miss, can I have milk tea with full sugar too?"

"No," you heard Zayne say from the living room. "You have to watch your sugar intake."

"But Dr. Zayne, you're also drinking full sugar," Sophie argued.

"Doesn't Dr. Greyson ever tell you that you should listen to your doctors?"

"He said I can have extra sugar on special occasions. I believe this counts."

Zayne exhaled as if annoyed, but he couldn't hide the smile tugging at his lips. He motioned with his head to you, and you understood. You added one extra spoonful of sugar to Sophie's tea.

"Do your teachers ever call you argumentative, Sophie?" asked Dr. Zayne. You could hear the smile in his voice.

"Yes, why?" Sophie said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

You handed Sophie her tea, to which she gave a polite thank you.

"…You just remind me of someone."

An hour later, and everyone had settled into their routine. You were sat next to Zayne reading a book while he finished writing his reports. Sophie was as focused on her schoolwork as ever.

How does a child even have this much homework? The thought crossed your mind.

"Sooo… what are you working on, Sophie?" you broke the silence.

"Algebra."

"Algebra?! I thought you must have been in 5th grade at most!"

"I am." Her tone carried the faintest hint of obviously. "I take 5 extracurricular courses."

You could only blink at her. When suddenly, Zayne closed his laptop and got up from his seat.

"I think we both could use a break," Dr. Zayne addressed Sophie. "How about we head to the park nearby for a breather? They have a lovely pair of swings appropriate for your age."

"But I'm not done with my work yet."

"It's only the beginning of the weekend," he replied. "You'll have time to finish it tomorrow."

Sophie looked like she was seriously mulling it over. The mental calculus was written all over her face. Seeing this, Zayne decided to nudge her a little further.

"Your dedication is admirable, Sophie, but you must remember to focus your efforts on things other than academic work as well for a healthy balance." He leaned down and spoke in a gentler voice. "Besides, it's a special occasion. You said it yourself."

Finally, Sophie made up her mind. She nodded at Zayne. He straightened up with a job-well-done smile on his face.

"Then let's go."

Surrounded by crisp autumn leaves, you sat next to Zayne on a park bench and watched Sophie slowly get out from her quiet shell—going from lazy swinging to being coaxed by other kids to hang out with them on the playground. She even cracked a big childlike smile at some boy's antics.

You placed your hand over Zayne's and squeezed it. He looked ahead with a gentle tenderness in his eyes—the kind he got when he had been reminiscing.

Moments later, he glanced at his phone. "Dr. Greyson just texted me. I told him to meet us here—he shouldn't take long." You hummed in agreement.

"You know, it's a nice thing you did," you said. "I'm sure you would have liked to have someone make you take breaks when you were a child."

"If I recall correctly, I once spent a whole year being constantly hounded into tagging along for some misadventure or another with two troublemakers."

You flashed a grin at him, the kind you used to make when you dragged him into mischief. "It wasn't so bad, was it?"

He chuckled. "No, it wasn't."

You leaned your head against his shoulder, and took in the calm atmosphere. It was nice, this quiet bubble punctuated only by the sound of laughing children a short distance away.

"Do you ever want children, Dr. Zayne?"

The question clearly took him by surprise. His shoulder stiffened against you. You moved your head to look at his face, only to meet with his anxious eyes.

"I've thought about it," he said, his voice slightly shaky, yet full of tenderness. "I'll be honest, the idea of caring for a child still terrifies me."

He placed his hand in yours this time, and intertwined his fingers with yours.

"At the hospital, I watched many children's parents stricken with grief. I watched children cry out for their parents knowing they'll never return." He closed his eyes and sighed; the memories were surely too painful for him. "There are so many things I have no control over, and if anything were to happen…"

You squeezed his hand once more. He used his other palm to pat your clasped hands. You couldn't help but trace his scars with your eyes.

"However, it doesn't feel quite as scary when you're around."

"Dr. Zayne!" Your tender moment was interrupted by the sound of Dr. Greyson calling out. You got up from your seat along with Zayne in order to see Dr. Greyson and his sister off.

"Ah, miss hunter! Y-you're here too!" Dr. Greyson stuttered. He held Sophie's hand, who was back to her usual stoic self. "Once again I'm very sorry for springing this on you on such short notice, I hope I didn't ruin any of your plans. Heh."

"Don't be, it was a very enjoyable experience. Sophie is very bright and well behaved." Zayne gave Sophie a subtle smile, to which she nodded as if agreeing with what he said.

"That's a relief, haha." Dr. Greyson ruffled his sister's hair, she didn't react. "Sooo, if I ever need someone to watch her again…"

"Don't push your luck."