5 Times Zach Was Hugged (+ 1 Time He Hugged Someone Else)

Chapter 1: 1) Worth It

Throughout Zach Varmitech's life, touch never meant anything good. He was small, weak, and annoying — basically, he had a very large target on his back, and the whole world just loved to take aim.

Then he built his Zachbots, and the world couldn't get to him anymore. The only touch he felt after that was cold, comforting metal; exactly as he liked it.

And if he woke up in the middle of certain nights and wished there was someone else there? If sometimes during fights he considered letting his enemy get to him just to feel their skin on his? If every once in a while he thought about making a softer, warmer version of his Zachbots?

Well, no one ever had to know about that, did they? His mind was stronger than his body, and the logical knowledge that touch wasn't actually desirable beat his body's animalistic desire for, ugh, other people.

Several blissful years passed where he successfully managed to avoid people altogether, except for a texting war he kept up with Aviva. They talked more as enemies than they ever had as... friends, much to his delight amusement frustration.

Then he was hired by a crazy fashion designer who wanted him to build something morally corrupt, legally dubious, and completely against common sense.

It was the best job he'd ever had. The Pose Beam was so delightfully bizarre and unique, a challenge he wanted more of. He just had to see the woman who hired him in person, so he insisted that they meet up for the first live test.

She was a... very forceful woman. He'd barely stepped foot in her jet before she stuffed him into a closet with a black turtleneck and the order to change out of his 'tacky suit' immediately. Professional was apparently cliche in Donita Donata's book.

After being held hostage in front of a mirror to 'fix that ridiculous hairstyle, Zachary darling' for half an hour, Zach was regretting both the decision to leave his Zachbots outside and the decision to come in the first place.

Seeing thin, horned, savannah horse-thingies waltzing up a runway in a pink glow honestly made it worth it. Actually, the big check Ms Donata wrote made it worth it, but the hilariously bizarre sight was a good bonus.

"Zachary–"

"It's Zach." He corrected for the thousandth time.

"–you are a genius!" Ms Donata finished as if he never spoke, as she had the last thousand times. He preened at the praise, having forgotten how nice it felt to hear words like that in person. "This will revolutionize my shows. Dabio, celebrate."

"Yes, Donita." Dabio grinned. "Yay!"

The big idiot was almost adorable, twirling around with his arms up, and Zach soon found himself giggling maniacally in joint celebration. Then Dabio did something that completely ruined the moment; he picked Zach up in a bearhug.

Zach froze in panic, mouth open in a silent scream he couldn't quite force out, mind stuttering at the first human touch he'd felt in years. A too-tight squeeze rebooted his brain enough to start uselessly flailing against the larger man's hold, kicking and screeching. "No! Nonono put me down! Put me down! PUT ME DOWN RIGHT NOW!"

"Dabio, release him." Ms Donata ordered sharply, eyes wide. Zach fell to the floor, scrambling away until his back hit a desk. "Darling, are you–? Dabio, get something for him to breath into."

They didn't mention it after he left, but Dabio never tried to hug him again. Zach never thanked Donita for calming him down, never even acknowledged it.

But he still came back when she needed the Pose Beam repaired.