Small talk was inefficient.
She needed to secure the primary objective.
"Excuse me," Dia said, her tiny voice echoing through the vast, empty garage.
She stood up straight, trying to project authority despite being the size of a fire hydrant.
"You are fixed now. You are no longer leaking."
"I am not," Adrian agreed, resting his massive arms on his knees and giving her his full attention.
Dia took a deep breath.
She didn’t want to ask.
Subject 404 didn’t ask for things; she endured them.
But the logical part of her brain knew that a five-year-old could not survive the apocalypse alone.
She needed this heavily armed meat-shield.
She needed to initiate the contract.
"When you leave this place..." Dia started, her small fingers nervously twisting the hem of her oversized shirt, completely betraying her attempt at a stoic facade.
"Can... can I come with you?"
Adrian’s breath hitched.
He looked at her standing there, so small, so dirty, yet possessing an undeniable dignity.
She had just granted him a second life.
She had given him power beyond his wildest dreams.
By all rights, she should have been pointing a tiny finger at him, demanding he serve her, commanding him to be her bodyguard for the rest of his days.
Instead, she was asking.
She was requesting permission to accompany him, fully prepared for the possibility of rejection, because the only people she had ever known had thrown her to the wolves.
It hit Adrian with a profound, aching heaviness.
The warlord didn’t smile.
A smile wouldn’t convey the gravity of the vow he was about to make.
He slowly pushed himself off the wall, rising to his full, towering height.
His joints popped. His muscles rippled beneath his shredded gear, his silhouette casting a massive, intimidating shadow over the small child.
Dia craned her neck upward, her eyes calculating the sheer volume of the man.
’He is extremely large. Excellent perimeter defense.’
Adrian walked forward, stopping just a foot away from her.
He slowly sank down onto one knee, placing himself at eye level with her.
Up close, Dia could see the faint stubble on his jaw, the harsh lines of his face, and the unwavering intensity of his blue eyes.
"You saved my life, kiddo," Adrian said, his voice a low, steady rumble that vibrated in Dia’s chest.
"In my book, that means my life belongs to you."
Dia blinked, her hyper-logical brain processing the phrase.
’Belongs to me?’
She didn’t completely understand what that meant.
But it sounded good.
More importantly, it sounded like he wasn’t going to leave her.
Adrian reached out a massive, calloused hand. He didn’t grab her. He simply held it open between them, offering it to her.
"My name is Adrian" he said, his gaze locked onto her large, doe-like eyes. "And I’m not just going to take you with me. I’m going to make sure you never have to be scared, or hungry, or run away from anything ever again. If you want to come with me, I will be your shield, your sword, and your permanent ride. Deal?"
Dia looked at the massive hand hovering in front of her. It was easily three times the size of hers. It was scarred and stained with dried blood, but it was steady.
She looked at it for several seconds.
Then she remembered the System’s quest:
’Tell him he’s your new Daddy/Uncle/Big Brother!’
Dia’s little nose scrunched up.
She didn’t want to say something embarrassing like that.
Besides, Adrian had already said she could come with him.
That was enough.
’I will not use infantile too much familial titles,’ Dia resolved stubbornly. ’But a verbal confirmation of the symbiotic pact is required.’
Slowly, Dia reached out. She placed her tiny, grubby hand into the center of his massive palm. Her small fingers barely wrapped around his thumb.
"Deal," She said solemnly.
Then she hesitated.
Her eyes flickered toward the strawberry milk bottle tucked away inside her spatial ring.
"My name is Dia. I will require... strawberry milk. On a regular basis."
Adrian stared at her for a moment.
Then his lips finally twitched, a genuine, warm smile breaking through his harsh features, crinkling the edges of his eyes and making the Brachiosauruses on his forehead dance.
"Strawberry milk," Adrian repeated, his thumb gently brushing over the back of her tiny hand.
"You got it, Dia. As much strawberry milk as you can drink. I’ll personally hunt down every last carton in this ruined city."
[BING! BING! BING!]
The System screen practically exploded with digital fireworks right behind Adrian’s head.
[SYMBIONT BOND ESTABLISHED!
Guardian ’Adrian Pendelton’ has sworn eternal loyalty!
Warning: Target’s protectiveness parameter has exceeded 999%!
He is now in ’Overprotective Uncle Mode’!]
Dia tilted her head.
"Uncle?"
[YES! UNCLE!]
The System immediately produced a shower of sparkles.
[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully acquired your first Guardian!]
Dia’s eyes brightened slightly.
Uncle.
She liked that.
Adrian, meanwhile, had no idea that a pink holographic interface had just assigned him a permanent position in a very strange family.
"Come on, Dia," Adrian said, standing up effortlessly, holding her small hand in his. He didn’t let go.
Instead, with a fluid, practiced motion, he scooped her up entirely.
"Ah—!"
Dia let out a tiny, undignified squeak as she was suddenly hoisted six feet into the air. Adrian settled her onto his broad left shoulder, securing her with one massive arm wrapped securely around her legs.
Dia blinked.
She was very high up.
The entire garage suddenly looked different from this height.
She could see over Adrian’s shoulder. She could see the dark ramp leading toward the surface. She could even see the emergency lights flickering overhead.
Her little hands instinctively curled around the collar of his torn tactical vest.
Up.
She liked being up.
It was like sitting on top of a heavily armored mountain. The vantage point was spectacular.
’Elevation acquired. Transportation secured. Energy expenditure reduced to zero,’ Dia calculated, instantly relaxing against his neck. ’This unit is highly efficient.’