Disclaimer: I don't own Aldnoah Zero. If I own it, maybe I would add at least one more season to wrap things up nicely. Oh I also don't read the manga. I only watched the anime (which I finished the whole 24 eps in like less than 48 hours). Sorry if there's any OOC. Lastly… well… I will definitely continue my other story ...later. Trust me. ;p
Not Just a Second Chance
He had cried his heart out. Never did he think that he would let his tears flow freely in front of another person. When was the last time he cried? Oh that time when he found out that his dearest Princess was awake. At that time, a big lump of burden was lifted from his chest. He felt so glad… so glad… so… he couldn't quite picture it as he tended to cast away all his emotions; but it just felt so good.
Of course, after that episode of release, he still had to face the reality; the reality that his life is now confined into this cage, because to the world he was dead. He had never imagined a life where he would be a shadow. He hated it, but he tried to accept it because it was his Princess' wish. The best thing he could do to repay her was to grant her wish, even though it crushed his heart.
However, that was a few months ago. Now here he was, living another life he too had never imagined before. Guess, life is always full of surprises, isn't it?
He wondered as he looked at his reflection in the mirror, in his own small but homey bedroom. Why would they do that for him? Why? Was there a need for that? It was not like he was not grateful for this kind of life now, but he thought he could survive the prison as a payback for his deeds. So why?
"Slaine, breakfast is ready!" a sweet motherly voice awakened him from his thoughts. He quickly reached for his door that led to a cosy dinette where two persons were already seated there.
"Good morning," a plain greeting welcomed him. Well, that guy sounded as monotonous as usual, but now he was able to notice the various feelings that poker face was showing through his… plainness.
With a small smile –a real smile– he answered the two people who took him to live with them and gave him a new existence in this world, "Good morning, Yuki-nee, Inaho."
He sat himself next to Inaho and they began to have their breakfast. When was the last time he had this kind of 'family' time? Certainly, this simple food, in this rather small room, with seemingly unimportant chitchat, it was a pure bliss compared to all the time of his past life. He still often missed his own family and his Princess, nevertheless, he was glad for his life now.
After cleaning up, the three of them left their apartment. Slaine was walking with Inaho to the university that they were attending, while Yuki took a different direction to her office. Slaine walked a step behind Inaho and as he watched that small back of his now enemy-turned-brother, he could not help to paste another smile on his face.
Maybe, despite all his wrongs, he still deserved not just a second, but also a third chance…
Inaho turned, looking at him with raised eyebrows. Ah, he got it, Inaho was asking what made him walk so slowly.
"Nothing," he said lightly, walking past Inaho who matched his pace right away.
As the soothing morning breeze caressed his hair, he murmured so softly that nobody would be able to hear, "Thank you…"
Written because I just want to give Slaine a nice ending instead of that prison… though I'm not good with romance and I just couldn't decide the pairing. Maybe I will write something like this in multi-chapter story at another time. So for now, ja ne! Back to my school projects!