Let me just say that it's getting real fucking hard to write stuff for this modern!AU with all the shit they've been throwing at us these past episodes, like holy shit. Lemme vent, you can skip ahead to the line-break if you don't wanna read this.

First off, the whole Mitsuru/Kokoro/Futoshi mess. Whhhhyyyy? I mean, I get why, but there goes the headcanon of Futoshi and Kokoro being the cutesy couple. I also had Zero Two and Kokoro being best friends in the modern!AU because of that one shot where Kokoro is helping Zero Two dress up in the 2nd ED, but now I'm thinking of scrapping that idea because Kokoro has been kinda rude lately. Maybe I'll keep it, I dunno. Thank god I only made Kokoro pat Futoshi's head. And now I feel bad about making Ikuno so mean to Zorome and Futoshi(although that's probably still very much in-character).

Next, all this Hiro memory loss stuff. It's driving me crazy, since it'll change so much if we find out Hiro and Zero Two met as children (which has like, a 99% chance of happening now).

Related to that is Zero Two's mood swings. Holy shit guys, you have no idea how hard it is to write someone as inconsistent as Zero Two, especially since I can't be all like "she's being moody cuz she can't kill giant blue magma monsters" in the modern!AU, now can I? (also oh my god power rangers AU where zero two is the 6th ranger(6th as in the new person that's added, not actually 6th)). Right now, I'm just trying to write her as the happy flirty Zero Two we've seen in Ep8 and in some parts of the earlier episodes, but now I'm kinda worried that's not her true personality, which would suck cause that would make all my other fics irrelevant. I mean, I'm pretty sure that's what she's really like, but there's always that underlying chance that it's not, y'know?

Because of Zero Two's inconsistency and how the plot is starting to slowly pick up, I'm mostly worried about writing something and finding out the exact opposite is true or whatever. Like, I write that Hiro's a great cook and than boom, turns out canon!Hiro sucks ass at cooking. Or in Stars, my Hiro thinks about how he taught Ichigo and the other kids about stars, but now we've found out that he's not just forgetful but that his entire fucking mind got wiped! HOW AM I SUPPOSE TO EXPECT THAT?! Ugh, it's just such a pain right now to write Darling In the Franxx fics.

So for now, just expect really short fluffy fics that don't provide much backstory to the modern!AU. I might just go ahead and make the dreaded one-shot compilation to satisfy everyone's HiroxZeroTwo needs, as much as I loathe the thought.

Enough rambling, here goes the story. Sorry it's so short, but like I said, not a lot to work with.

Library Nap

The library was brightly lit, the air conditioner making the temperature nice and chill, and the soft murmur of quiet talking ever present. Despite all this and the ice cold water he had drank earlier, Hiro couldn't help it when his head dipped, his eyelids suddenly feeling as heavy as lead.

Trying to rub the sleep from his eyes, Hiro yawned. He reached towards the ceiling, stretching his arms with a small groan. Across from him at the table they were seated at, Zero Two hummed in question. "Are you tired, darling? You've been doing that a lot lately." She said as placed down the book she was reading to focus her attention on her beloved.

Hiro rolled his eyes when he saw the dirty magazine hidden in the textbook Zero Two was evidently not reading. He was wondering why she seemed so interested in mathematics, a subject she often proclaimed her disapproval of. Following his gaze, Zero Two smirked and gently shut the text, placing her elbow on the closed book to prop her head up.

"I thought we came here to study." Hiro softly laughed.

"Nooo, you came here to study. I just said I'd tag along," Zero Two grinned back. "Don't avoid the question, darling. What's wrong?"

Placing down his own book, Hiro shrugged. "I stayed up pretty late last night working on my Chemistry project with Goro. I felt fine during school, but I guess it's finally starting to catch up with me."

Zero Two stood up and Hiro's brow furrowing in confusion. His unspoken question was quickly answered when she leaned across the table and her hands cupped Hiro's face, ignoring his sputtering protests. She closely inspected him, pulling and twisting at his cheeks, tutting in disapproval.

"Sleep is important for one's health, darling. I simply cannot, in good conscience, allow you to tire out your body like this."

Hiro gave her a deadpan stare, the effect entirely lost as Zero Two continued playing with his cheeks. He slapped her hands away, glaring at her tauntingly wide smirk.

"Just because you sleep 16 hours a day doesn't mean everyone else has to as well, Zero Two. Besides, I feel finnee~" He trailed off into a yawn. Hiro mentally grimaced. No way he was going to win this argument now.

Indeed, Zero Two had already begun packing his things into her bag. He knew that meant he wouldn't get his stuff back until she got what she wanted, a common tactic that, Hiro was disappointed to acknowledge, worked disgustingly well. That was his favorite pen, too. "C'mon, I have the perfect plan!"

Might as well go along with it, Hiro thought dejectedly. He sighed, too tired to put up any sort of resistance when she pulled him out of his seat with an excited gleam in her eyes.

"If it makes you feel better, darling, we won't even leave the library!" Zero Two smiled widely. "One time when I was looking for more porn - I mean, reading material, I found these great little spot for naps. I go there every time Ichigo drags me and the other girls here, and I've never been caught!" Hiro rolled his eyes again. He had a sneaking suspicion as to what these so called nap spots were.

Leading him past a couple tables and into the isles, Zero Two made a beeline for the back of the library. His suspicions were confirmed when she stopped, proudly presenting the conference room doors. "Tah-dah! My sleeping rooms!"

"Zero Two, those are conference rooms. They're for people who are actually trying to get work done."

"I am getting work done," she pouted over her shoulder. Hiro had to acknowledge it was a very cute expression. "My beauty sleep is very important. I'm not so selfish as to deny the world of someone as amazing and awesome as I am."

Hiro let out a small chuckle. Circling his arms around her waist, he hugged her from behind, resting his chin on her right shoulder. Her right hand rose to cup his face and her left hand was placed on his arms as a small turn of her head allowed them to gently rub their noses.

"You are pretty amazing and awesome. But, Zero Two, these are conference rooms. They only have tiny chairs and big tables." Hiro hesitated as a thought came to him. "You don't sleep on the tables, do you?"

Zero Two softly laughed. "No, darling, I don't. Here, let me show you." She slowly shuffled forwards, unwilling to break their embrace. Hiro was more than happy to comply.

After a minute or two of edging forward like some sort of four legged creature that was terrified of its own legs and had no limb-eye coordination, they reached the farthest conference room door located in the corner. If the two were anyone else, they might have been bothered by the few stares they got, but Zero Two was never one to care for others' opinions and Hiro had gotten used to the fact that being the center of attention was commonplace with his pink-haired girlfriend.

When Zero Two pulled a key out of her pocket to open the suspiciously locked door, Hiro's eyes narrowed. When she opened the door, his eyes went the opposite way and widened. "H-how… how did you do this, Zero Two?" She smiled mischievously, and stepping away from him, shrugged. "No need for you to know, darling."

Inside the conference, the chairs and tables were completely replaced by a big plush couch and a small coffee table with an assortment of smaller lounge chairs and vending machines lying around. He might've thought the library had simply changed one of their conference rooms into a lounge area were it not for the big 'Zero Two's Awesome Spot' banner hanging from one of the walls.

Hiro shook his head in disbelief as he spotted the massive TV and its giant speakers on one of the walls. "You have a place like this but you decided to sit with me at that little table?"

Zero Two tilted her head, a sincere and gentle smile growing on her face. "I don't mind being alone, but I'd rather be with you, darling."

Blood rushed to Hiro's face. "Z-zero Two…"

"Now!" She grabbed his arm and spun quickly, using their momentum to fling the both of them at one of the large couches, Hiro letting out a loud yelp. They landed on the couch, Zero Two propped up on an arm rest, Hiro on top of her between her legs, his head on her stomach. He looked up at Zero Two who was glaring down at him. "Sleep! I know your schedule like the back of my hand, darling. You only come to the library to study if you have nothing else to do, and you don't have to get home till 9 at the latest. You're not leaving until you sleep for at least 2 hours! And if you don't go to sleep in the next 10 minutes, I'll knock you out myself!"

Hiro grumbled good-naturedly. He nuzzled into her stomach, Zero Two gently running her fingers through his black hair. When Hiro glancing up at her, Zero Two smiled warmly back down, her eyes full of affection. "Sleep," she softly whispered. She began to hum a slow song that felt like it was lulling Hiro to sleep. Before he knew it, his eyes had fallen shut, and he was comfortably sound asleep in Zero Two's loving embrace.

Three hours later, a well rested Hiro and content Zero Two left the library as it closed, their hands held together.

Zero Two began to swing their held hands, her free hand mimicking the exaggerated movements as she started to march like a cartoon soldier. Hiro smiled as he compared Zero Two to a little child.

"Daah-ling!" She announced loudly. "I'm hungry!"

Hiro shrugged, mentally laughing as the accuracy of his comparison grew. "Okay."

He kept waking with a straight face while Zero Two playfully glared at him. "Darling, I'm hungry now!"

His poker face broken, Hiro laughed. "Alright alright, let's go to that cafe across the street from the bus stop."

Zero Two smiled widely and leaned in to place a kiss on his cheek, before backing off. "A man after my own heart."

Hiro pulled her back for another kiss, this time on the lips. "Oh?" She questioned with a tilt of her head, used to being the initiator.

"Thank you, Zero Two."

"For what?"

He rolled his eyes. "For everything you did today. Coming to the 'boring' library with me, showing me your napping spot, letting me sleep. You didn't have to do those things."

Zero Two scoffed, throwing her pink hair over her shoulder. "I did those things because I wanted to. I got to spend more time with you and I got to sleep." She gave a small glance to Hiro, uncharacteristically quiet. "And I love you, after all."

Hiro smiled. Zero Two very much preferred using her actions to show her affections, so having her say it out loud was always a nice change.

With great care, he softly placed his forehead against her own. Their gazes met, and all they saw was their love for each other reflected in their eyes.

"I love you too."

End

Please do leave a review.