Claude was left speechless by his twin's words. He gazed at them in complete confusion. He slowly rose up, anger dissipated the moment he realized the comfort of their presence. He sat up straight and gazed at them, who had a serious expression on their faces.
"I am miserable?" he asked himself.
"You don't even know you're miserable," Athy replied. The twins stood up and gazed at him from above. "Don't worry, Daddy. We won't die at your hands."
"We refuse to die at your hands," Yhan seconded.
Claude finally realized this was reality.
"It's good to see you, Daddy. We missed you."
*flash!*
Claude reached out his hand to stop them from leaving. Words that he thought made him insane were uttered in complete panic.
"Don't go."
His hands, laid in public, desiring to catch them, suddenly had someone to hold. Two small hands, smaller than his own, cupped his hands fervently. Two children with tears in their eyes clutched his hands and placed them on their foreheads.
Claude could not speak. He could feel a lump in his throat. Agony crept into his being, as if his soul were being ripped apart.
A broken nest contains whole eggs.
There were no words spoken during that moment. Claude, who thought he was not holding them close, drew them into his arms.
He may not remember anything. He may have completely forgotten everything about them.
However...
He knew he needed to hold them. Reassure them. Make them stay, even if rage consumed his entire being. He knew right away that the cold rage in his heart was not directed at them. This was only for him.
He despised himself more than he did the world.
Despite his feelings for the children, he continued to blame, hurt, and push them away, even though he missed them so much.
The dream of loving someone he can not seem to remember...
Claude's sad sigh reverberated throughout the room. The twins did not spare him a glance as he continued to stare outside, watching the bright moonlight enter the room. His heart and soul were at peace.
He buried his head on their shoulders, gripping them with the rage he was attempting to control.
He felt his shoulder become wet from their tears.
It is repulsive.
It is tedious.
It is annoying.
Yet...
It is fulfilling.
It's loving...
It's... happiness.
Claude used to despise the idea of family. He once watched his entire family tree fall apart, leaving him as the only branch. However, no matter how hard he shakes his branch, these fruits refuse to fall off.
The thought of these children becoming like him bothers him.
Neglected and loathed children still love their parents, but they also stop loving themselves.
It was a painful reality that Claude knew from the moment he was born.
Yet...
These fruits, which refused to yield under his rotten branch, were a God-given opportunity for him to mend his rotten life.
YOU ARE READING
What Universe is This Again?
Fanfiction"I can feel it!" exclaimed Lophe, the pope of Obelia's current religion. "The new Empress and the Saint of Obelia will be born soon!" Everyone was almost listening to a cult's proclamation, but the bright light currently shining at Obelia's Eternal...
