AC: Can't Let Go

DISCLAIMER: DESCRIPTION CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE.

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“MIN!!!” Kaizen suddenly appeared next to her, having teleported, and slapped the fork out of her hand. He grabbed onto her shoulders and crouched down to look at her.

“Min, Min, tell me you didn’t eat that,” he said, frantically.

She had just swallowed her bite as he appeared. Her face went ghostly pale at his tone, and she looked down at the tart. “....I....I did.” She was starting to notice a bitter aftertaste. Her eyes widened in panic. “Kai, I ate it. What was in it?!”

“FUCK!” He jumped up and looked at the guard. “Get me a nurse! And the cook! NOW!” he ordered and grabbed the tart, burning it in his hand and flew it across the room. It smashed against the opposite wall.

“Kai?” she asked quietly, standing up uncertainly. “What was it Kai? Am I going to--?” Her voice caught in her throat as she suddenly fell to the floor. Her legs had given out and she felt like she was going to throw up.

“Min!” He crouched down beside her and rolled her onto her back.

Meanwhile, Helena was starting to cry at her seat.

“Damnit, where’s that nurse!” he yelled at the guard who had yet to move. “For fuck’s sake, move your ass!”

“...I can’t do that, Sir,” she said calmly and just watched.

“THE HELL!” Kaizen’s hand lit on fire again. Then, his eyes widened. “...YOU.”

He jumped to his feet and rushed forward in a flash. He grabbed her throat with his flaming hand, hoisting her into the air and slammed her against the wall. “HOW DARE YOU!”

“It is for the good of Faction!” she said as loudly as she could between gasps. “We can’t... stain our faction with Andrilim BLOOD.”

“...For this,” Kaizen said, low and menacing, grinding his teeth. “I will paint the floor with YOURS.”

Her whole body lit on fire then and she thrashed around in his grip, screaming in agony, clawing at his arms to try to break free to no avail.

It wasn’t until she fell silent and her ashes crumbled to the floor that Kaizen finally dropped his arm. He kicked the ashes and spat on it before turning back toward Minnerva. A nurse had arrived during his fight with the guard, but she looked at him with a scared and hopeless expression.

“...It...It was--”

“Bar Bristle... Czen’tha...” Kaizen finished and crouched down next to Minnerva again. He was still fuming, but picked Minnerva up gingerly and laid her in his lap.

“...Want to rest in bed, love?”

Her breathing was ragged and her eyes full of fear. She managed to nod slightly. Before he could move though, her eyes flashed over to Helena, then back to him, pleading.

He nodded slowly, teleporting Minnerva to the bed and laying her down atop the covers. He returned a second later with the whimpering and fearful babe in his arms.

“You want to hold her?”

Minnerva nodded again, trying to sit up a bit.

He shifted Helena to one arm and helped Minnerva to sit up a bit with the other. Kaizen sat down next to her on the bed and gently transferred Helena into Minnerva’s waiting arms.

Her arms trembled slightly as she held the small girl. She kept her eyes fixed on Helena as she finally managed to speak again. “How long?” Her voice was barely audible.

Kaizen’s throat hitched a bit as he tried to stay calm. “...Not long...”

She gently rubbed Helena’s cheek, fighting to keep her hand steady. She looked up at Kaizen with a sad smile. “I guess you were right.”

He frowned and started to shake his head. “...Stop...”

She suddenly felt her chest seize up, making her fight to breathe. Take her. The thought was urgent.

He gulped and took her back, making sure to cradle her head.

“Kai,” she managed to say softly. “It’s okay. Don’t worry.”

His frown deepened and his eyes started to water as he looked down at Minnerva. “...Min...” he said slowly, and fear started to creep into his eyes.

“It’s okay,” she repeated. She managed to give him one last smile. “I love you.”

“...Min?” His heart raced and tears started rolling down his cheeks. “Min... Min!” He hugged Helena tight and leaned forward to bury his face into the crook of Minnerva’s neck.

“MIN. MIN!” He draped an arm around her head and started to caress her hair and cheeks. Kaizen nuzzled and rubbed his face against her slowly cooling skin.

“MIN!! MIN!!”

He started screaming now and Helena cried with fright. One of the nurses ran into the room, assessed the situation a bit, and gently took Helena from Kaizen’s arms. She rocked the babe as Kaizen wrapped his around Minnerva, cradled her, and rocking her too.

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Kaizen (c)
Minnerva (c)

Drew this while listening to "If I Die Young," by The Band Perry.