DISCLAIMER: Fire Emblem: Awakening belongs to Nintendo and Intelligent Systems. The cover picture doesn't belong to me either. Occasional references from other series and fanfics belong to the original owners. Please understand, and support the official release.
She's gone.
It was my fault.
I pushed her. I encouraged her to sacrifice herself like that.
"What does one life mean against millions?" she said to Blue. But I assure you that she was lying. She didn't wanna lose me or Morgan, as much as I didn't wanna lose her.
I looked at her eyes, totally focusing on them. I could see her eyes were wet. After all the stuff happened, of course she wasn't fine. She asked me, shaking, "Hey, uh… Gaius… is it… really okay for me to, um…"
She just stared at me without finishing her words. She let go a choked sob, as her tears flowed down her face. I noticed that she already started crying.
Then I kissed her for some tad bit sweet taste. It was just short, but it was enough to keep her quiet.
"Shhh…" I shushed her, pulling her into my arms. "You'll be fine, babe. Naga said that you have a chance to return, right? You can take that shot. I believe in you, and I'll be waiting."
That's what I told her, but I was being a hypocrite. I wish I could tell her that I wouldn't let her go, as I promised her. Even if one life is nothing to millions, she's worth more than millions to me.
And of course she wouldn't let Blue land the final blow.
She decided to end Grima with her own hands. After she killed Grima, she stood frozen. I saw her body was starting to vanish to the air. She was turning into black dust. She was crying and her tears were unshed.
"S, sorry…" she said, sobbing. "I… care about you too much, so… I can't let you… bear more grief… because of me…"
I reached her to hold her inside my arms for the last time. I wiped the water over her face. "It's okay, babe," I whispered to her. "I told you, I believe in you. You better come back at my door later on, Bubbles."
"Bubbles…" she mumbled. "I like it… when you call me that…"
"…You do?"
She just nodded. She was biting her lips, as if to hold back her tears. She smiled, pretended that she would be fine, but she couldn't be any more hypocritical.
"I love you… may we meet again… in a better life…"
Those were her last words.
The next thing I knew, she was no more than dust. She already disappeared, leaving me behind her.
She's gone.
It was my fault.
I pushed her. I encouraged her to sacrifice herself like that.
I told her that I believe in her, that she'd come back at my door someday.
But… will she?
"If Robin's anythin' like me, she won't check out 'cause a job is done. Gotta collect on all the sweet rewards, right?"
That was what I said to everyone.
But I was already more than simply a hypocrite.
I was totally breakin' in the inside.
Morgan was torn apart as well, but he didn't conceal the fact, unlike his hypocritical parents. He said, "Mother… You can't leave me now…. Not like this… I believe in you…. Come back!"
"She'll return…" I told him. "You just gotta believe in her."
"Father…"
"It's okay to cry sometimes, kid," I patted his head. "It can make you feel better."
Then I could feel his arms were around me. I hugged him back. Next, he was already cryin'. Guess he actually took what his old man said down to his throat.
I wanna cry too.
It'll make me feel better, after all.
But… guess I'm not supposed to. I mean, if it's not me to be strong for him, then who?
Who am I kidding? I'm not the one to say that.
All this time, I was just playing strong. So that Bubbles and Morgan wouldn't worry about me.
Well, of course I'm never strong to start with. I lied about I was strong.
I lied about everything.
That tattoo she found out the other day, I did tell her the story 'bout it, but no details. It was actually when I did some favor for an old mate, and I pin the blame on Twinkles' pops so they wouldn't put a pinky on her. In the end, I got free and they didn't manage to harm her, but still…
There's the pendant, too. I made it by myself, of course. I actually lied about why I made it. I said that it was a simple thank-you gift for keepin' the nugget under her hat. But I never told her that I already had a thing on her by that point. I already had my other pendant—the other half to hers, with me all along.
And then I finally hitched her. I promised her many things. One, I'd never call her Bubbles again. Two, I'd make her happy for the rest of our lives. Three, I'd steal her heart on a daily basis.
This old brigand never made any of those happened.
I still called her Bubbles, over and over again. Guess I'm just used to it, instead of her real name. Plus she's way too sweet and cute like lil' bonbons to me. I think Bubbles fits her better, eh.
Making her happy? I was never good enough for her. I mean, I'm a thief. I break in doors, snatch sacks of gold for living, how is she supposed to be happy with it?! She could just live on by herself, being Blue's chief tactician. It's obviously a better job for her.
I never really stole her heart, after all. I was more like, snatchin' her other stuff. Like her attention, just because she was hangin' out more with Green or Potty than she did with me. Also the novel she borrowed from Princess, and I put it at Stumbles' place so she would blame her.
She was still wearing the pendant even at her very last.
Guess she actually took what her man said down to her throat. I told her not to take it off. I said that she'd return someday, so I needn't to retrieve her treasure for my own memento.
And that pendant was lost with the thin air… along with Bubbles herself…
In the end, I've always been a hypocrite, and I'll never be any better than that.
Yay, a first regular Awakening story! And my first time actually made one shot! Play any sad songs you know, for more feels! Nah, not really.
I really, really, ship Gaius x Avatar to death. We need MOAR fics of is why I make a C2 community of Gaius x Avatar. If you want me to recruit you as a staff, you recommend a story for me to add, or whatever that might be important, you can just PM me :D
Yup, here I am, making one-shots of Awakening instead of continuing Zero Tactics. I'm still working on it, though. This one is just a pre-chapter 4 refreshing. If you've ever played 999, you can read that one. I ship Junpei x Akane too!
p.s. feel free to review :)
- Ellie
