| Gundam Wing: Legend of Mystiks Chapter 32 � �Smos! �Smos! �Smos! . . . �Smos! �Smos! �Smos!� � Duo! Let her rest!� � Hai.� The peace lasted three minutes. � �Smos! �Smos! �Smos!� � Duo!� Cosmos finally opened her eyes at the loud yell and looked over. The first things she saw were two bright indigo eyes staring at her over a ridge of light-consuming black. � Duo?� He giggled. � �Smos! �Smos!� Cosmos looked around. She was in the Seventh Dimension, that was for sure. She was uncurled, though something against her lower back kept her arched slightly backwards. The chair she was in was comfortable. Glancing down, she realized she was in a large, black, well-stuffed chair. <But this isn�t mine . . .> She checked around frantically. � Shinigami-sama?!� � You don�t have to shout, Cosmos. I�m right here.� She leaned over the chair arm, ready to speak but stunned into silence. She managed a squeak of surprise, but nothing more. Eventually she forced out, � What are you doing on the floor?!� He shrugged and waved the gathering ankle-deep fog away from the papers. � Damn mist . . . I wanted you to have my chair until you were better.� He glared at her as she began sliding out of the seat. � And if you get out of it now I�ll tie you to it. You�re not well enough to be up and around. If you need anything, let me know and I�ll get it.� � Shinigami-sama---� He stood and leaned over her in a partially menacing gesture. � Cosmos, I am not going to let my child, biological or adopted, work themselves to death for me. I swear that if you move from that chair I�ll do worse than what your back did to you and that�s a promise.� Cosmos shrank down into the chair and nodded. � Hai, Shinigami-sama.� He sighed and rolled his eyes, letting out a quick breath through his teeth. � I don�t want you to call me that while you�re healing, either.� � Then what am I supposed to call you?� � I don�t know. I don�t care. As long as it�s not obscene or degrading, I really don�t care.� He disappeared from view as he sat down again. � Now get some more rest. And make sure you don�t sleep lightly enough that Duo wakes you up. He�s horribly energetic from the excitement.� � Let him run around a bit.� � I did. I almost didn�t catch him again.� � Oh.� Cosmos warned Duo with a look that he should behave. The baby dropped into the dark crib and was quiet. � I�m going to sleep.� � Okay. Enjoy.� Cosmos peered over the chair arm once more as a final thought occured to her. � Arigatou, Otousan. For everything.� Shinigami, leaning against the side of the chair, tilted his head up in surprise to look at Cosmos, but she was already asleep. <�Otousan�. She�s never called me that before . . . Ah, whatever. I like it. I could get used to her saying that.> Smiling, the God of Death returned to his work. *~*~* � Where is she?!� Halcyon immediately silenced herself. She�d forgotten babies didn�t like people who yelled and right now the boys were all sleeping. She quickly sound-proofed the playroom and began again. � I�m going to murder that girl! Iie! Better yet, I think I�ll call Shinigami-sama and let him deal with her! I can�t stand her calmness when I�m totally pissed off!� Shinigami appeared a moment later, looking for all the world like he�d been the receiver of severe sleep-deprivation. � Nan da, Halcyon?� he asked with a barely stifled yawn. � My apologies for waking you, Shinigami-sama, but Cosmos is gone again and I�m too angry to deal with her calm demeanor.� The Death God was instantly awake. � Cosmos went out to give Duo some exercise. There was an accident and Cosmos was injured and attacked by Ferals. She is recuperating in the Seventh Dimension. Any problems you have with this you can take up with me, because I forced her to rest and she is unfit to do any more than talk without causing herself terrible pain.� Halcyon noticed the strain in his voice. <He�s being as protective of Cosmos as he was with Duo a few weeks ago! I know he adopted Cosmos, but why should he care about her so? She�s just Duo�s guardian; easily replaceable.> Deciding to back off, Halcyon looked at the floor. � Gomen nasai, Shinigami-sama. I was not aware.� Shinigami visibly relaxed. � Wakatta.� He glanced into the playroom. � They need a change.� Then he left. The girls looked at each other in surprise at Shinigami�s quick assessment of the crying boys, then broke out into giggles. Of course he�d know what they would need even if he couldn�t hear them! He already knew before and now he�s got a second round of the same thing. As suggested, they went to get the boys for the needed diaper change. *~*~* Shinigami stopped breathing as he saw the sight upon his arrival back home. It was picture perfect. Duo had somehow gotten out of his crib again and had crawled to Cosmos to lay on her stomach, his head on her chest. She�d evidently had no idea and had not even woken up upon his wiggling--probably because she was used to it--since she wasn�t supporting him. Neither had a problem with the arrangement, it seemed. Carefully, Shinigami picked Cosmos up and sat in her place. Leaning back, he tipped the chair backwards a bit and placed Cosmos in his lap. <I told her she couldn�t move, but I forgot what to tell her what would happen when I was tired. Oh well. It shouldn�t scare her. I wish I had a bed so Cosmos could have it and I could take the chair, but no~o, mighty Shinigami said he didn�t need one �cause there wouldn�t be situations like these.> He snorted quietly as he made fun of himself. <Whatever.> Shinigami looked down at the still-sleeping Cosmos and Duo. � Perfect pair, no da. Oyasumi.� |