Page 15 of Cyborg's Tether

“We make a good team,” she said, surprised by the warmth in her voice. She wasn’t used to relying on others, but working with Xavier was thrilling.

Xavier stepped closer, his imposing frame seeming to fill the small space of the control room. “Yes, we do.”

The air between them crackled with tension. She couldn’t look away from the lines of his face, the interplay of organic skin and cybernetic enhancements utterly fascinating. Her gaze lingered on his lips, and she suddenly wondered what it would be like to kiss him.

As if reading her thoughts, he leaned in. For a moment, she hesitated, her usual walls threatening to slam into place, but the memory of their seamless collaboration and the trust they’d built pushed her forward. Their lips met in a searing kiss. Her world narrowed to the sensation of his mouth on hers, and his hard body pressed against hers. She tangled her fingers in the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer.

Xavier’s cybernetic hand cupped her face, the cool metal a stark contrast to the warmth of his organic skin. The duality of his nature, machine and man, made her shiver.

When they finally broke apart, both were breathing heavily. Amaya tried to process what had just happened. She’d kissed Xavier. More than that, she’d enjoyed it. Wanted more of it.

The realization sent a jolt of panic through her. She’d spent years building walls around her heart, protecting herself from the pain of attachment. Now, in the span of a few days, Xavier had begun to chip away at those defenses.

“Amaya?” His voice held a note of concern. “Are you all right?”

She forced a smile, trying to mask her inner turmoil. “Yes, I’m fine. Just...processing.”

He nodded, his expression softening. “I understand. This is unexpected for me as well.”

She took a step back, needing some physical distance to clear her head. “We should probably get back to work. There’s still so much to do with the investigation.”

“Of course,” he said, though she caught a flicker of disappointment in his organic eye.

As they made their way back to the main lab, Amaya’s mind whirled. She couldn’t deny the connection she had with Xavier, both professionally and personally. Working with him had been unlike anything she’d experienced before. For the first time in years, she’d felt truly understood and truly supported.

And therein lay the danger.

Amaya had learned the hard way that relying on others only led to heartbreak. Her mother’s death and her father’s subsequent withdrawal into his work had taught her the only person she could truly count on was herself.

Yet here was Xavier, offering his strength and support. The temptation to lean on him was almost overwhelming.

They reached the lab, and she immediately buried herself in work, hoping to distract herself from her conflicting emotions.She pulled up the data from their latest tests, scanning for any anomalies that might shed light on the cyborg malfunctions.

Xavier moved to stand beside her, his presence both soothing and unsettling. “What are you looking for?”

Amaya pointed to a series of fluctuations in the neural interface readings. “These spikes here. They’re not consistent with normal cyborg operation. I think they might be related to the malfunctions we’ve been seeing.”

Xavier leaned in, his cybernetic eye focusing on the display. “Could this be related to the sabotage attempt?”

“Possibly, or it could be a symptom of a larger problem. We need more data.”

As they worked, she was constantly aware of his proximity. Part of her wanted to give in to these feelings, to explore this unexpected connection, but another part, the part that had kept her safe and independent for so long, screamed at her to pull back to protect herself.

“Amaya,” said Xavier softly, breaking into her thoughts. “You seem...distracted.”

She sighed, knowing she couldn’t hide her inner turmoil from him. “I’m sorry. It’s just, this is all very new to me.”

His expression softened. “For me as well. I can’t remember much about my past, but I doubt I’ve ever had such an intense connection with anyone before.”

His honesty touched something within her. She suddenly wanted to share her fears and doubts. It was a terrifying prospect. “I’m not used to relying on others. It’s difficult for me.”

He nodded. “You have been alone for a long time?”

“Yes,” said Amaya, surprised by how easily he’d read her. “After my mother died, my father withdrew. Buried himself in his work. I learned the only person I could truly count on was myself.”

Xavier was silent for a moment, processing her words. Slowly, he took her hand in his. The gesture was so gentle, so at odds with his imposing appearance, that her breath hitched.

“You’re not alone anymore. I’m here, and I won’t abandon you.”

---