| Gundam Wing: Legend of Mystiks Chapter 30 � I can�t spend every moment of time here, though I wish desperately that I could.� He shrugged. � It�s nothing big. Duo�s a baby again.� � Nani?!� � Don�t ask why and don�t worry.� � Why not?! My son is a baby for the second time! I don�t know what you heard, but that�s not exactly normal!� � It didn�t just happen to Duo, Lily. It happened to the others too. I think it has something to do with them having to adapt to their strength.� � So what�s not to worry about?! Where is he?!� � He�s safe. Stop worrying.� � I�m his okaasan, Daric! It�s my job!� � Cosmos is taking care of him. Now would you please quit yelling?� She gave a tolerating sigh and sat on the floor by his chair. � You men.� � What about us?� � You don�t worry about anything, do you?� � You don�t trust Cosmos?� he asked sharply. � I trust Cosmos, but I�m not saying she�s invincible.� � As in . . .?� � She�s young, Daric. And though she can hold out longer than you or I, she�ll get tired eventually. What if Duo crawls away and gets attacked by Ferals? Cosmos might not get there in time.� He turned his head the other way. � Don�t remind me.� � Of what?� He looked at her again. � Not long ago there was an . . . incident. Duo was dead and I�d set Cosmos� punishment. Somewhere along the line she managed to revive him, but hadn�t stayed with him much longer after that so she could train herself alone. I hunted six hours for her and when I found her she tried to explain why she hadn�t come back here, but I wouldn�t listen.� He turned away once more. She lightly put her hand on his arm. � What did you do?� � I beat her.� � Nani?� � I beat her,� he repeated, � for not coming back. And I made sure it hurt.� There was a bit of silence. � It hurt both ends. She was in physical agony and my heart was breaking. The end result was her all bloody and me sobbing like a child.� Another pause. He began again in a choked voice, obviously crying at the memory. � I left her with scars and broken wings.� � Broken wings?� He nodded, still facing away from her. � Her wings are totally useless. They are for nothing but show. They�re all twisted out of shape and look like a sculptor put them on her while he was drunk. She can�t fly anymore, if you hadn�t guessed. And know what the worst part is?� � Nani?� � It was completely unnecessary. If I�d just listened to her, she�d still be able to fly and I wouldn�t feel like I�d commited some crime on a holy being. I mean, she�s my adopted daughter. I didn�t raise her so I could beat her.� � She can�t possibly be angry with you?� He shook his head. � That�s the awful part. She�s forgiven me even though those scars will be there to remind her and her wings are broken forever. I think I�d prefer it if she hated me for the whole thing.� � Cosmos isn�t one of those people, Daric. She grew up knowing her life was worthless compared to yours and Duo�s. If you beat her every day---� � Please kill me if I ever do that.� � ---she�d always forgive you. Just as you see her as a daughter, she sees you as a father, one of the many reasons she strives to please you. It�s not because she�s trying to show up the other Reapers; she just wants to make you happy. She doesn�t want anything in return, except maybe acknowledgement for bigger things that she�s done.� � But her life isn�t worthless, Lily. It�s infinitely precious. She just doesn�t know it. I promised Garin I�d take care of her and here I am beating her. What kind of promise is that?� � It was only once, Daric, and has she shown any signs of not wanting to be near you?� � Iie.� � Then there�s no reason to be upset about it. The only one who won�t forgive you is yourself.� � And Duo.� � Nani?� He smiled. � Oh, you should�ve seen it, Lily. Probably the only good thing that resulted from that mess. I was still angry at Cosmos and I believe I�d been holding her jaw. It was breaking from my grip and Cosmos was obviously in pain. Duo appeared from nowhere and broke my wrist--he�s amazingly strong, Lily--and started yelling at me. That wasn�t what surprised me though. It was his posture.� � His posture?� � He was being defensive. But not of himself. He placed himself between me and Cosmos and he was tensed, ready for an attack. It was positively beautiful, though it took a bit to figure out.� � Anou?� � He�s in love, Lily. I don�t think he even knows it. Cosmos certainly didn�t, from the look on her face then, and I know I�m going to get really angry if they don�t get with it and get together like the others have. I think everybody sees the relationship except them.� � Lovers are so clueless,� she agreed with an elbow to his side. � No da?� � Oi, that�s different.� � How so?� He shrugged. � Don�t know. Just is.� She laughed. � Won�t admit it, will you?� � Never.� |