I Cannot Offer You Freedom
Chapter 5
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Rising early, Robin decided there was no point in lying around doing nothing. After a cold shower, she crept around the small residence quietly, doing her best not to awaken Touko.
About an hour later, she was seated on her vespa riding slowly through the sleepy streets and watching the fog swirl around her hands. It was the type of fog that didn't really impair your vision, just blurred things so that they reminded one of a half-forgotten dream or a wispy ghost. She sighed and breathed in deeply through her nose; the air was cool and crisp.
Turning into Raven's Flat, she parked the vespa and entered the elevator, just like any other normal day. She entered the STN-J quietly, automatically looking around for Michael. That's odd . . .
She heard a noise to her side and whirled around only to find Michael leaning against the wall, head hanging down and hands limp at his sides. "Michael!" She rushed over to the older boy, worry clouding her eyes. "Michael?" Gently she touched one of his arms and nearly jumped through the ceiling when one hand darted out and latched onto hers.
The hacker looked up at her, and Robin allowed a gasp to escape her lips. His eyes were bloodshot and carried such a look of immense pain that the blonde girl almost cried just seeing it. It was obvious he too had been crying, for there were still fresh tear-trails on his cheeks and his mouth was turned down slightly at the corners. "Michael . . ." she whispered.
"He killed my mother," he replied in a dull, flat voice. But she saw his true emotion as anger kindled in the depths of his blue eyes. "He killed her."
Confused, Robin was just about to ask who when the boy suddenly slumped forwards, body trembling. Catching him with reflexes honed by all the witch hunting, Robin supported her friend as they moved towards the computer chairs. Pulling two up she gently set the obviously exhausted computer genius into one and took the other for herself. Fresh tears streamed down his face as she put her arms around him and hugged his body to hers. "Now. . . who killed your mother?" she asked, voice soft and soothing.
His body shook even harder with the new wave of sobs, but somehow he managed to choke out, "That witch! Miro Yukimora."
Nodding in understanding, Robin continued to hug Michael, holding him while he poured out his sorrow to her. She murmured occasionally, nonsense words and soothing sounds, feeling as his body gradually stopped trembling and his breathing evened out.
Eventually, the tears stopped altogether and the hacker pulled back and sat up. Wiping his cheeks with his hands, he refused to look at Robin until he felt he had regained his composure. Meeting her eyes, one hand traced the lines of her face in a gentle caress. "Why?"
Taken aback at his question, Robin only sat in silence, closing her eyes at the feel of his hand on her cheek. Cupping her other cheek in his other hand as well, Michael leaned in and asked again, "Why?"
His breath was a whisper that tickled her cheek and when the young Craft-User finally opened her eyes, she found herself staring into bottomless sapphire depths that seemed to suck her in even more with every passing moment. In a shaky voice she replied, voice barely audible, "I . . . I don't like seeing you in such pain. I don't like seeing you like this."
With a sigh, Michael looked down for a moment, freeing Robin from his penetrating gaze. "He killed my mother." That same flat voice cut Robin's heart even deeper then the anguish in his eyes had. "I can neither forgive nor forget that."
Anger started to boil beneath his calm tone, and the teenaged girl shuddered at its tone. "Michael!"
"He killed my mother! She's dead because of him! He's the reason why my life was torn to pieces!"
The silence seemed terribly loud after his sudden outburst and both gave an involuntary quiver at its oppressiveness. "I'll kill him," the hacker said, voice quiet and steely. "I'll kill him with my own two hands and see that he receives his proper justice. He took an innocent life, and therefore he deserves to be punished."
Horrified, Robin put a hand on her friend's arm; this was not the Michael she knew! "Michael, what are you saying? You're not a hunter!"
"I know that! But I can't just sit by and watch as you kill him. I have to even out the score, settle this and avenge my mother."
Robin just shook her head. "You know you're being unreasonable, you can't leave the building."
With a glare, Michael looked over at Robin, eyes flashing. "I don't care! I would rather die then just sit here and let my mother's killer go unpunished! I-"
But Robin cut him off with a firm hand over his mouth. "You can't," she said voice matter-of-fact. "And you know it. Now, promise me you won't. Promise me."
Slowly, Michael closed his eyes and his lips moved against her soft palm, brushing it with the most tender of kisses. Startled, Robin's hand lost its insistence and fell to her side. The hacker's eyes met her own and both his hands took hers in a gentle grasp.
Eyes filled with regret, he opened his mouth and-
"Isn't this cute?" Karasuma's voice startled them both so much, they sprang apart instantly, hearts pounding in their chests. She grinned at both of them and turned away as Amon entered behind her.
Shooting Michael a glance, Amon said, "We're heading out. Now."
Robin followed him and Karasuma, and tried to forget the regret and pain she has seen clouding Michael's eyes. All for the better; now he can't do anything.
***
Eh, I really don't like this chapter. -__- The next one will have some action in it, I promise! This is moving much slower then I had originally intended, so I'll try and post the witch hunt ASAP! Reviews would be much appreciated!
~Dreamwalker
P.S. Once again, I was astounded by the amount of feedback I got from you guys. THANK YOU SO MUCH! ^_~
Chapter 6
