Skating

(Sequel to Chase Pt2)

Holding Nos's hand, XR flew beside him over the city. It was only for about ten minutes of blushing at the feeling of his hand holding hers before they finally landed.

"A skating rink?" she asked, looking up the building in awe.

"Your lovely means of escape was my inspiration," he explained with a smirk. XR looked back at Nos and glanced down with a raised eye brow at his lower half, clearly seeing the two main parts you needed to skate missing.

"Uh, I hate to break it to you, Nos, but how can you skate without…?" She pointed at his cone-shaped lower half with a clearing of her throat.

"Oh," he chuckled, "I knew I forgot about my latest upgrade." He then pressed a button on his belt, and the cone shape-shifted into a pair of red legs with violet boots. It's like watching Bumblebee go from car to Autobot in that Transformers movie. XR's bottom jaw dropped in awe.

"Surprised?" Nos asked with a smile.

"Craters…" XR was only able to breathe it out as she stared at the legs, admiring unknowingly at what gorgeous sculptures they were. They looked to be muscular, if metal could be muscular.

"Someone seems to like them~" Nos teased. XR snapped out of it and looked away with red cheeks.

"Don't flatter yourself!"

"I'm only teasing you, milady," he chuckled. "But in all honesty, did I surprise you?" XR cleared her throat and nodded.

"Yes, you did in a way."

"Forgive me, milady." Nos took her hand and lifted it to his lips to kiss it.

"Nah, it's fine," she assured him calmly. "I just wasn't expecting that sort of upgrade."

"Quite different from my randometer, I agree," he replied as they linked arms.

"I am rather curious," XR added as they headed for the rink. "What convinced you to get a leg upgrade?"

"Hm, I believe you could say I was quite curious about how most robots get around on foot," Nos answers. "Flight and levitation can be quiet helpful, but one's curiosity can't help but wonder."

"They say that curiosity killed the cat," XR stated.

"True," Nos countered casually, "but satisfaction brought him back."

"Huh, touché," she replied. "Seeing you again makes me think you've nine lives or something."

"Now then, shall we?" Nos purred, gesturing a hand out towards the rink. Sighing in defeat, XR decided to just get this over with. The sooner she entertains him maybe the sooner he'll leave her alone.

Taking his hand, she blushed as they entered the building, greeted by colorful light displays and rock music. She then tried to get her mind off the hand-holding by turning to the rink, but most of the skaters were skating in pairs.

What is this? XR asked herself. Couples Night? She saw something from the corner of her eye and glanced at it. It's a flyer saying that tonight IS Couples Night at the skating rink.

Me and my sarcasm...

"What's the matter, my star?" Nos cooed. XR cleared her throat, shaking her head.

"Nothing," she muttered softly and allowed Nos to lead her to the rink. She watched as he carefully stepped onto the smooth polished floor, silently wishing he'd stumble and fall, but sadly fate was against her tonight. She then watched as a set of inline skating wheels appeared under the bottom of each foot.

"What the—you have built-in skates too?" she asked with surprise.

"I've always wanted to try skating," he explained as he gently guided her onto the floor. XR looked down at her feet, lifting one to test the tread by making it spin midair. She set it back down and looked back at Nos who was smiled back at her. Slowly Nos pushed off from where they were standing, keeping a hold of her hand to gently pull her with him. Wanting something to help keep her balance for a bit, XR held onto his arm.

"Was I too quick there for you, my little one?" Nos asked.

"N-no, you're fine," she assured him quickly. "Just wanted to get myself steady a bit."

"Oh, well why didn't you say so?" He slowed down and moved himself to slowly skate right beside her so she could hold and lean into him. XR couldn't keep the blush from creeping onto her face at how generous and thoughtful he's acting towards her.

"So what happened?"

"Huh?" XR asked looking up at him.

"How did you get from a boy robot to a girl robot?" he explained. XR frowned and glanced away, embarrassed about the experience.

"I don't feel like talking about it."

"It's alright; no one's listening but me." XR sighed, knowing she's not going to walk her way out of this one.

"Well, we got this intel that Zurg created this evil secret weapon, so we infiltrated his castle to destroy it. I was attempting to sneak attack like Buzz instructed, but Zurg got the jump on me. He then took out his new weapon and fired it at me, saying he wanted to 'test it out.'

"I don't remember much about what happened when I was hit with that thing; just this...burning pain, Buzz and Zurg's voices yelling at each other, my own cries of pain, Mira calling me, and then...blacking out.

"When I came to, I was in Star Command Labs. I asked the others what happened, and that's when I noticed the change in my voice. I got up from the cot I was on, and I noticed I'm about as tall as Mira. The others told me not to look in the mirror beside me, but I did anyway." XR then looked down at herself with a blush. "And I screamed when I saw that I became a girl robot."

"My, my that is quiet the predicament. Any chance the weapon that changed you may still be around?" Nos questioned. XR frowned and flared down at the floor.

"No, Buzz got the bright idea to destroy it why I was out. Zurg was even so stupid he didn't even know why it would do and so there weren't any blue print made for it either."

"That's my creator for you," Nos sighed. "Always failing to think these things through."

"Trust me; Buzz was just as bad as him," XR growled. "He blew it up without even thinking about using it to reverse this."

"Can't the LGMs do it?"

"That's what Buzz figured, but they said they couldn't without that weapon; they needed to know how it worked so they could reverse it."

"I'm sorry..." Nos replied with a frown.

"It's not your fault," XR sighed, looking down at the floor. They slowly skated with other skates rolling past them without a care. Nos saw her sadden state and didn't like the frown she wore. So to change that, he pulled her closer to him and held her from behind, her back pressed up snug against his chest.

"Oh, ma chere, please don't be sad."

XR only smiled sadly, loving the comforting warmth her suitor's giving her. She can no longer deny what she's feeling in her heart. His kind gestures...his loving embrace...his kisses...She has fallen in love with NOS-4-A2, although she didn't want to. She then took a gentle grip on his hands.

"XR?" Nos asked, thinking she's trying to force him off her.

"Please," she whispered with what sounds like a lump in her throat. "Hold me like this...just a little while longer."

A warm smile spread across Nos' face, and he leaned over to rest his chin on her shoulder.

"If I could I would forever," he whispered, nuzzling his cheek against her neck.

"I'm just...so angry at Buzz...for what happened to me," XR stated sadly.

"I'm sure it was all an accident," Nos stated, hoping to cheer her up. But it didn't help.

"I really don't want to go back."

"You can always stay with me. Would you like that?" XR turned her gaze to him with a small smile.

"...Yes."

"My starlight," Nos purred happily, wrapping his arms around her waist and hugged him closer, "you have no idea how much that warms my circuits and makes my very being soar." XR then turned her body a bit and leaned into his chest.

"Can we go someplace private?" Nos purred with a nod and carefully steered them back to the edge where the floor wasn't polished smooth.

"Watch your step, my love," he cautioned, stepping up to show where the step was for her. She then stepped up over the step and up to his side before leaning into his side. Then they headed out of the rink.

Once outside, XR spun Nos around so he's facing her. Then she pulled him in for a kiss on the lips.

Like lightening, Nos' entire body nearly short-circuited from the sudden but very much welcomed kiss. By the stars, he never would have imagined her kissing him would be this electrifying. He then wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. As he did, his legs returned to their original form. A minute later, they pulled apart.

"Ma petite," he purred before nuzzling into her neck. "Anxieux, n'est-ce pas?" XR whimpered in reply.

"N…not out here," she whispered. "Others…will see." Nos hummed/purred, tempted to tease her more. But he did as she asked, not wanting to scare her away.

"Very well; my home is nearby. Would you like to go there or back to yours?"

"Yours," she answered without hesitation. "Like I said before, I don't want to go back." With a nod, Nos picked her up bridal style and took off.

As they flew above the city, XR held on. She didn't want to let go of him. And he has no intention of letting her go.