Not Good Enough
By WickedSong
Disclaimer: I do not own Eternal Sonata or anything related to it (although I wish I did)
He would never be good enough for her. He knew this perfectly well. She was a sweet young woman and he was... well he was a filthy street rat who had stolen. It may have been for the right reasons but that didn't stop the regrets and didn't stop the embarrassment as he had told her about his and Beat's stealing. Instead of walking straight out of the hideout like he had expected, though, she had sat beside him as he hung his head and patted his arm.
"You couldn't have helped it" She said sweetly and he smiled. She understood. He had looked up at her but avoided her eyes which he feared were secretly filled with judgment and then down at his hands and it was silent for a while after that. They had sat there very quietly and in the stillness the both of them had the chance with their thoughts.
"Thank you" He had said to her finally meeting her eyes which he had avoided after his confession.
Even if she had understood though he had to find another way to get things for the orphans. This was why he was working in the shop, delivering things, taking any other odd jobs and Beat was selling his photographs just to earn enough gold to be able to go back to the hideout and the sewers at night and deliver the bread but not by resorting to thievery. Though they never talked about it, both boys were glad that there was no guilt over their heads. That they could walk around the town without people shouting thieves or that they could walk into the bakery without the baker woman grabbing her broom and chasing them out without a second to explain. Though she still kept a very close eye on them when they came in.
Years passed and things changed. Beat spent more time with Salsa. Jazz and Viola had married and everyone had moved on with their lives. Allegretto had spent more time with Polka than ever and they were both very much in love with each other but he couldn't help but have that niggling doubt. Was he really good enough for her? Could he really be that person? His answer had been given to him by Jazz.
"The point is" The older man had began "Is even if you're not good enough for her are you willing to try and be good enough for her?" Jazz's words had stayed with Allegretto and it was one night when he and Polka were sitting on that ledge that overlooked Ritardando that he made his choice. Polka had drifted off to sleep with her head on his shoulder but he was still awake and as he looked down to see her peacefully sleeping he said his choice.
"I may not be good enough for you" He said still looking at her and then turning his gaze to the city with its bright lights "But I promise to spend every day trying to be" That was a promise to her and to himself that he had never forgotton and through everything else that had happened to them during the years he had never forgotten it once.
Due to a lack of A/P stories I decided to make this short and quite rubbish, in my opinion, oneshot. I think it is very clear in the game (and the manga which I have read) that he always feels a little inferior and I can't help but love 'Retto and I love A/P so... Implied Beat/Salsa and of course implied Jazz/Viola which everyone always loves.
Hope you enjoyed.