"You stupid fool!" -Duo Maxwell
"I don’t want to copy Heero but...you’re going with me to hell!" -Duo Maxwell
Completely shocked, I looked up at the figure, whose face was shadowed as the sun rose behind him. Then I saw the tell-tale sign that identified him.
His long, platinum blonde hair.
Sighing, I calmed myself down, bringing my heart rate back to normal as Father taught me. "Uncle Miliardo? What are you doing out here? I thought you were sleeping off the sedative that..."
"I asked you a question."
Eyebrows knitting, I looked up at him, positive confusion was easily discerned in my features. Awaiting his answer, I now raised my eyebrows, eyes growing wide. "What?"
"I asked you a question, you know." he replied rather coldly.
Thinking back, I tried to remember what it was he inquired about, but in my flutter I had forgotten. Suddenly, I remembered, grinning. Then the corners of my mouth upturned as I really thought about his question. Looking down, I answered, "Away."
"Why?"
Once again I was speechless. How could I tell him that I was afraid? Heero Yuy’s daughter, afraid. Afraid of what...well that was a different story. To tell the truth, I wasn’t exactly sure what I was afraid of. Just afraid. Scared shitless, as my mother would say. At that comment a smile came to my lips, remembering the way she used to talk about certain subjects of life. She was so great.
"Why?" my uncle reiterated, bending down to come face to face with me. "Is it me, Priscilla, your aunt, what?"
"No, it’s not you, really...it’s just...I’m just..." Overwhelming emotions caused me to fall onto his shoulder into his outstretched arms, crying quietly. "I don’t know what the fuck I’m doing out here! Why...why?" I sobbed as he patted my back softly, making soothing sounds in my ear. I almost laughed as his hair tickled my throat, but I couldn’t bring myself to. And I hadn’t had a good cry in a long time, I knew I needed this.
"Let’s go back up to the house, alright?" I could only nod as my tears drained down my throat and nasal cavities, making a mess of my face. He handed me a light blue tissue from his pocket, smirking. He led me up to the house like a frightened child, arm around my shoulder as I snuggled close to him, breathing in his musky scent as I tried to regain control of my emotions. When we got up to the front walk, my aunt came running out of the huge French doors, eyes wild and a note clutched in her hand.
"Oh thank the gods you found her! What’s wrong dear? Why did you try leaving?"
Kissing his wife softly on the cheek, my uncle smiled and whispered, "She’s just confused, that’s all. I let her try out the...system yesterday and it...messed her up a little. She’ll be fine." My aunts eyes grew the size of saucers as she heard this, then seemed on the urge of decking Miliardo.
"What the hell is wrong with you? It messed up Heero for a month, two at least, to where he wouldn’t even look at a mobile suit, and you let his 15 year old daughter try it out? What is going through that thick head of yours now?" she yelled, furious at my uncle’s "carelessness."
"Here, dear, go inside, wash up. Pris, take your cousin up to the second floor bathroom please, show her where everything is so she can wash her face and things, alright? Thanks honey."
As my cousin led me up the stairs, I could barely hear my aunt and uncle arguing about his decision yesterday. Only catching bits and pieces of the conversation, I wanted to go down and help my uncle out, knowing it wasn’t his fault at all for the problems the system caused me. I heard my uncle’s deep voice echo off the mahogany wainscoting, while my aunt’s tinkling speech reprimanded him, cutting off his bellowing of defense for himself. How I wished to go down and defend him, but I knew I shouldn’t get involved. It didn’t involve her, yet in every aspect it did.
"Alright, here it is. Feel free to use whatever you want, I don’t mind."
"Oh, is this your bathroom?"
Priscilla smiled, patting my shoulder as she left. "Yeah, I’d think you would be more comfortable in this one than the one the maids clean twice a week. No one ever uses that other bathroom, it’s...too sanitary. If there is such a thing..."
I laughed a bit at her, then realized exactly what she was saying by looking at the sink alone. Covered in combs, brushes, hair ties, and hair spray, I shook my head as I remembered my own at home. I had a basket in the tray under the left side of the sink with my one comb and hairbrush set, along with a hand-held mirror I used to look at the back of my hair, my hair ties were in a little baggy in the corner of the tray, and my toothbrush was sitting on the back of the faucet next to the toothpaste. Clearing a space on her crowded counter, I sat for a moment, wondering if her room was this bad. A hidden instinct told me it was worse. Chuckling, I jumped down and turned the water on, cupping my hands to catch the cool liquid. I splashed it on my face, enjoying the dripping noise it made as it fell and hit the sink. Then the sound of my aunt and uncle bickering even more floated its way up to me once again, and I felt regret. I knew I caused this. I had to clear it up.
Leaving the tiled room, I followed the same path I took to come up, and walked down the stairs quietly, finding them in the foyer. They didn’t seem to notice me at first, at least not until I cleared my throat, causing them to acknowledge my presence.
They both turned, and I noticed tear streaks down my aunt’s face and a red mark on my uncle’s cheek. Eyes downcast, I began my plight.
"Look, I’m sorry for all the trouble I’ve caused you...and Aunt Lucrezia, it wasn’t Uncle Miliardo’s fault that the system did this to me, or that I even tried it in the first place. He warned me several times and asked if I was sure about doing it, and I still did. It was my fault. I just...I had to experience it, had to see what it was like. How else can I ever understand what a Gundam is without knowing about the most important part of the one my father piloted? I’m sorry...lo siento, gomen nasai, really. If I said it in all the languages I knew, it would take a few hours at least, but I will say it in the one we all understand. I’m sorry." Salty rivers formed once again on my cheeks, but not at my colliding thoughts and confused being, rather at my regret for even asking my father about that picture. That damned picture! I reached into my pocket, pulled it out and felt the worn edges. It hadn’t really left my pocket since it was placed there, so I had slept with it and traveled with it, and even passed out with it there. I smirked at this thought, then looked up at my mother’s brother and wife, lower lip trembling.
My aunt looked from me to my uncle, then from my uncle to me, until finally her eyes grew heavy with tears and she ran forward, embracing me as we cried into each other’s hair. Miliardo kept his stance at the door, raising one eyebrow, then the other as he watched our emotional outburst.
As we finally left our locked state, we both sniffled and looked at him, who still was doing the eyebrow dance. Aunt Lucrezia and I laughed, while she turned to me and whispered, "Men never understand..." I nodded and we both walked up to him, wrapped our arms around his waist, and hugged him soundly until he was gasping for air. I saw my aunt whisper something in his ear and him grin, kissing her fully on the lips.
Watching them made me realize something. This is how it’s supposed to be, me knowing about my parent’s lives and knowing my relatives. These were my aunt and uncle...I should be close to them. And Priscilla...she definitely had a rough exterior, but on the inside, once she got to know you...she was a great person to know. I smiled and looked at the couple I was embracing, knowing it was time to go. I needed to wait a bit though.
I announced this to them at dinner and received many shocked faces.
Priscilla was first to recover. "You’re leaving? Why? I thought...but..."
My aunt had pretty much the same reaction, only it took her longer to respond. "Sarah...I thought we worked this out..."
Uncle Miliardo was the only one who understood. "I have something for you before you go, alright? When do you plan on leaving?" Aunt Lucrezia looked about ready to throw the biscuit she was holding at him. "What? It’s time she met the other pilots! We can’t be selfish, keeping her here forever, can we? And she’ll keep in touch, she’s a good girl. Don’t worry about her. She survived the Zero system, didn’t she?"
Another death glare.
"Okay so she went into emotional shock...she recovered! Look at her! She has to go."
I was waiting for my aunt to say "Omae o korosu" as she once again glared at her husband, who had the most innocent look on his face. But, to my surprise, her face instantly changed to that of agreement. "Make sure she has a lot of money and a car, Miliardo, or you’re sleeping on the couch for a month. Dear, sorry you have to go so soon, but I understand now. Who are you wishing to see next? We can give you directions and the quickest way of getting there, we know where everyone is living!"
"Thanks, Aunt Lucrezia. You’re the greatest. I plan on leaving tomorrow morning, so I can get a good night’s rest and an early start."
"Sounds like a good plan. Off to bed for you! I’ll wake you at five!"
It was my turn to use the patented "Omae o korosu" look on my uncle, who beamed as he asked Priscilla to pass the salt.
I love my family.
Author note: Sorry had to use two quotes for this one, they both fit so well!
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