Thunderstorms
By Team GEMINI
Because being in Daddy's arms always feel the safest
xYuki: I wrote this at like… 5am… to... idk anymore. I stayed up the whole night I think lol. Anyways this is dedicated to two of the greatest people I know. TruePrime and Grumpo, I just wanna say thank you for all of the hard work you've put in for the novel and towards the team in total. I don't know how else to say happy anniversary… so I hope this will do. x3
Little warning to readers, I wrote this with full intention of a little girl writing it. You can say I can word something better, but think of it as a kid… and keep in mind that I wrote this at 5am with like… 3hrs of sleep.
Anyways, thanks to smiggers for editing this~
After reading the first review I had to agree, but I was tired, overworked, and well... sleepy, so I couldn't really think straight (no pun intended). Anyways, somewhere in the beginning of the story I had placed a Japanese translation, and I forgot to warn people about it. I really don't think that anyone besides my team and my very observant fans would notice why I placed it there. If you read my words carefully, it states very clearly that Vivio didn't understand it, and since this is a first person story, the reader should know just as much as Vivio herself. :P I'm a tricky little writer, so be prepared.
Anyways, I'm writing a part 2 just to answer any questions people have about the story... and as long as you -the reader- read carefully, there shouldn't be any questions.
It was night time and I held my teddy close to me, its soft fur giving me comfort as I shuddered in fright from the sound outside.
BOOM!
I yelped out in fear and hid underneath my blanket--the smell of Nanoha-mama's favourite fabric softener bringing an image of a field of flowers to mind.
CRACK!
"Mama…" I whimpered quietly as I felt tears prick at my eyes, but Nanoha-mama wasn't always there to make the bad things go away. She always said that whenever bad things come, they will pass; but in case they don't, always think of a happy memory.
And if all else fails… "Starlight break the blasted thing!"
Happy memories always make the bad things run away, so I started to think of some.
CRASH!
The first happy memory I thought of was a memory I had of Fate-mama singing me to sleep during a storm—just like this one, I think. She held me tightly in her arms and rested her head on top of mine as she hummed a little tune softly before her words drifted into my ears. I don't remember the whole song exactly, she had sung the song in Nanoha-mama's native language… and I wasn't too good at it—although I am pretty sure it had something to do with rain… and melting?
The song went something like this. "Asa me ga samete. Massaki ni ukabu… kimi no koto. Omoikitte, kamigata wo kaeta. "Doushita no?" tte kikaretakute. Gure- no jaketto dokuro no shiruba- ringu tsukete, dekakeru yo! Kyou no boku wa… kakkoiinda!" After that she sang about something melting, then I heard the phrase Nanoha-mama always shouted out when the weather forecast man got the weather wrong "Tenkiyohou ga, uso wo tsuita", and then I learnt a new phrase, "Doshaburi no ame ga furu".
Even after the song had finished, the thunderstorm didn't go away, but Fate-mama was still there beside me. She stayed up and held me until I fell asleep, but the last thing I thought about before closing my eyes was that Fate-mama, smelled like Nanoha-mama.
She smelled like… mangos?
I couldn't help but giggle at the ending of that memory.
BANG!
Even though I had thought of a happy memory the storm was still here and it was louder than before. So I thought of another memory; however this one wasn't as happy as the last.
I was eating breakfast one morning, enjoying the kon-kontra… band cereal Nanoha-mama dubbed unhealthy. But what she didn't know was that Fate-mama snuck in a box of frosted flakes and replaced the icky tasteless brand Nanoha-mama feeds me. She said that I was a growing little girl and eating horse feed wasn't good for me. I needed sugar in the morning, not wholesome whole grain.
Lots of sugar.
Lots.
Anyways, that morning when I was enjoying my sugar loaded 'horse feed', Nanoha-mama ran into the kitchen and leaned over the sink holding her hair back. I heard some really… unappetizing noises after that. A minute or two later I stared at my breakfast and poked it with the spoon, the crispy flakes no longer crispy—not that it mattered anymore.
I sent Nanoha-mama an unhappy look with my cheeks puffed out, but she didn't really notice, she was too busy rinsing her mouth out with some water from the tap.
"Nanoha-mama, what's wrong?" I asked her, instantly forgetting about being mad at her; I was too worried to be.
She stood up straight with her hand over her mouth with a disbelieving look on her face. She gave me a quick glance but returned to stare down at the sink. Slowly I noticed her face lighting up as she replied, "Nothing's wrong, Vivio. It's… something wonderful. I'll tell you later after I tell your Fate-mama."
At that time I wasn't all too curious, but when she ran up the stairs I suddenly felt alone. Almost as if something was going to take my Mama away from me.
Little did I know… I was right.
Later that day, after Nanoha-mama picked me up from school, we stumbled upon Auntie Shamal and Vita. They were out doing some grocery shopping and as we were heading in the same direction so we followed. I walked beside Vita, behind the 'adults', and heard some strange things.
"So… it happened today." Nanoha-mama told Shamal, acting as calmly as she could.
"Really?"
"Yeah… I think it worked."
Shamal crossed her arms and sent Mama a serious look before cracking a smile. "I'm a genius then!"
"That you are, but Fate-chan was really apprehensive about it. Said some crap about us not being ready yet." Nanoha-mama chuckled and shrugged. "She's such a worrywart. How can we not be ready for this? We already have Vivio, so what's to worry about?"
"Nanoha-chan, this is Fate-chan we're talking about here. She worries about everything when it comes to you." Shamal stated. "Plus this is a step you two have yet to experience and she's probably scared out of her wits-- you did tell her already right?"
Nanoha-mama stuck her tongue out and said, "I'm going to surprise her with the news when she comes home tonight—a twenty says she passes out."
"Make that fifty and you've got a deal."
"Nyahaha, deal."
Vita ran up to Nanoha-mama and distracted her enough to give me a chance to talk to Auntie Shamal.
"Auntie Shamal, Auntie Shamal!" I called out to her. She looked back and smiled at me. "What were you and Nanoha-mama talking about?" I asked.
"Oh nothing much. We were just talking about how your Fate-mama couldn't keep it in her pants." I shot the tall lady a confused look and waited for her to continue. "Haha, it's okay Vivio, you'll understand what I mean when you're older."
I nodded my head slowly and frowned. I knew what she meant -Auntie Hayate told me what it meant- but for now I'll pretend I didn't.
After saying our goodbyes to Auntie Shamal and Vita, Nanoha-mama told me relax a bit, eat a snack and start on my homework. I looked up at her and nodded in agreement like a good little girl, but something didn't feel right. Nanoha-mama always said to eat a snack first and then do my homework, so by the time Fate-mama comes home from work we can all sit on the couch as a family and relax… but today was different.
Almost like she didn't want me to be there when Fate-mama came home.
Once again… I was right.
That night when Fate-mama walked in through the front door, I snuck out of my bedroom and hid behind the stair railings. Nanoha-mama walked up to Fate-mama, wrapped her arms around her neck and kissed her like she always did. They exchanged their regular "welcome home" and "glad to be back", but then I heard something that would change my life.
I wished I didn't… but I did. I heard it. I heard it.
"Fate-chan… we're having a baby."
And even though I was really upset, I couldn't help but laugh at Fate-mama. It was like what Nanoha-mama said, Fate-mama fainted.
The wind was picking up outside and many things were shaking and rattling. The rain was pelting the windows, thunder boomed and the sound of my heartbeat was starting to make my head spin. All these sounds, all these memories and this loneliness--Nanoha-mama was wrong. Thinking of happy memories during a storm wouldn't make the bad things go away--wait happy memories! That last memory wasn't a happy one.
"Think Vivio, think!" I chanted quietly to myself.
I dug into my little vault of memories and pulled out a more recent memory. It was night time (close to my bedtime) and like tonight it was raining. There wasn't any lightning to light up the night sky, or any thunder to keep me awake, it was just rain.
"Ne, don't you just love rainy days?" Nanoha-mama said for no reason in particular. She sat closest to me, but she also felt the farthest away. She had her hand over her round belly, head turned towards the window and her eyes staring far out into the dark cloudy sky.
"I don't like rain." I growled angrily. Fate-mama kneeled next to me, across from Nanoha-mama. The tender look in her eyes made some of my hurt feelings go away, but looking at Nanoha-mama made them come back. "I wish rain would go away!"
"Why would you say that?" Fate-mama asked me, her voice calm and understanding, while Nanoha-mama's eyes held a hurt expression. "The rain hasn't done anything bad to you."
"Yes, it has!"
"Like what?" Nanoha-mama asked, almost scared to hear the answer.
I pondered for a moment before replying, "I don't know…"
Fate-mama chuckled and stroked my head lovingly. "Vivio, you shouldn't accuse the rain of hurting you when it never did anything bad to you. It isn't a very nice thing to do."
I didn't say anything; I just held my little stuffed bunny close to me and sniffled.
My mamas both knew I wasn't talking about the rain anymore.
"Vivio," Nanoha-mama said to me. I looked away and huffed. "Vivio," she said in a softer tone of voice. "You know, I always familiarized myself with the rain."
It was that big word that always confused me. Family-or-ized, meant that Nanoha-mama was aso-shi-ating herself with the rain.
At least I think she was…
So I struggled to family-or-eight myself with the hard word.
"Do you know why?"
"Why?" I asked her.
"Yeah, Nanoha, why?"
Nanoha-mama hummed and tapped me on the nose. "Because whenever there's rain, lightning will be there."
"And when there's lightning… you know there'll be thunder. So we both know when that happens, Fate-mama did something to upset Nanoha-mama." Fate-mama added with a hearty laugh. I couldn't help but join in the laughter, even Nanoha-mama who was about ready to shout at us realized what Fate-mama had meant, began to laugh too.
Whenever there's rain… lightning will be there.
Whenever Nanoha-mama's there… Fate-mama will be there too.
Fate-mama…
Come to think of it… Fate-mama slept on the couch that night.
Suddenly I couldn't hear the rain and thunder anymore. Instead I heard the sound of Fate-mama's song-- the one I couldn't understand completely. I started to feel a little more at ease and soon I was getting sleepy.
BOOM!
I shot out of bed, bunny in hand, rushing out of my room and down the hallway before stopping outside my mama's closed bedroom door. I was scared to barge in like before, I learnt my lesson that night… and I don't ever want to relearn it.
That night I had seen something a six year old should never ever see.
But then I realized something else… Fate-mama wasn't in the bedroom. She was sleeping on the couch tonight.
Running down the hall and then down the stairs I rushed towards the couch and… tripped.
"Mm… Vivio?" I heard Fate-mama's sleepy voice and forced myself to stand up. It was kind of cool how she could tell it was me just by the sound of my falling. "Why are you still up?" she asked me, not too worried that I had fallen.
"I'm scared…"
"Of?"
"The thunder…"
The sound of the couch creaking was followed by the rustle of bed sheets being pushed away, before the image of Fate-mama crouching down to my level with a crooked smile on her face. Just looking at her little smile made me forget all about the scary things outside. I waited for her to motion for me before running into my mama's arms. The moment I felt her strong embrace, tears began rolling down my cheeks.
"Your poor dear, the scary thunder must've scared you silly!" Fate-papa mumbled, her lips pressing against my forehead as she kissed me. "It's okay, I'm here. Why don't we go upstairs and snuggle in with your Nanoha-mama? I don't think she'll kick me out when I have you there with me."
"U-Un."
Fate-papa picked me up slowly and carefully wrapped her arms around me. She yawned, kind of like how Arf yawned when she was in her puppy form and grinned at me.
I know my papa isn't really a papa, but she was mine.
My papa wasn't like the other children's papa, my papa was much better.
My papa wasn't always home like my classmate's papa; my papa was out saving the world alongside my Uncle Chrono.
My papa was like a superhero!
And like most superheroes, my papa had a weakness… my mama. The White Devil.
Knock Knock
"Fate-chan, you aren't sleeping in this bed until I say so and right now I say no." my mama growled. She didn't sound too sleepy; it was almost as if she was patiently waiting for papa to knock on the door.
"J-Jeez, Nanoha… I didn't mean it. Honest." Papa said with a nervous smile on her face. "Let me in, I have Vivio."
"Don't use our baby as a meat shield."
Fate-papa sighed and opened the door, just wide enough for us to poke our heads in—we opened the door all the way actually. "Come on Nanoha, truce? At least till the thunderstorm subsides."
I took a closer look at my mama and realized she wasn't lying down in bed. She was sitting on Fate-papa's side with her arms crossed and a stubborn look on her face. "Nanoha-mama… were you waiting for Fate-papa to say sorry?" I said pointing out the tired expression she had on her face.
"Papa?" both my parents said at the same time.
I nodded my head and smiled. "Because being in Daddy's arms always feel the safest!"
Nanoha-mama chuckled at the embarrassed groan Fate-papa made and told us to go to bed. Fate-papa was in the middle with Nanoha-mama to her right and me on her left. I was still a little uneasy with the idea of having a sibling; I didn't want to lose both my mama and my papa to someone else just because of a little thing called "d-de-oxy-ri-bo-nu-nu-cle-ick acid" … never mind that wasn't small at all!
Auntie Hayate recently told me that Mama and Papa had been trying for a really long time. They wanted the baby for themselves, but they also wanted it so I wouldn't feel so lonely whenever work got in between us. It happened a lot, even more so now that a civil war was breaking out. I've actually lost count of the days Fate-papa had been called out to duty; each day I waited by the window waiting for her car to drive in.
But I was scared.
If the war es-k-ka-lated my mama might be called out too.
Suddenly I felt a warm hand caressing my cheek. Looking up from Fate-papa's shoulder, I saw Nanoha-mama looking at me. It was a look I hadn't seen for awhile, but it was a look I could never forget. It was the look she always gave me before saying—
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"I love you both, but can we please… get some sleep?"
Nanoha-mama and I both giggled. We snuggled in closer together squishing Fate-papa in between us in a big group hug. She groaned from fatigue, but I knew my papa loved it when we gave her bear hugs. I think it was something she got used to from Uncle Chrono, or maybe it was from Amy… I'm not too sure.
But in a night where rain poured, thunder clapped and lightning crackled, I truly felt safe. And I'm sure Nanoha-mama feels the same way too! Honestly… she was more scared of thunderstorms than me, but like me, she too had Fate-papa to sing her to sleep.
"Nanoha-mama…"
"Hm?"
"It's like you said, "Because whenever there's rain, lightning will be there", but tonight's different."
"How so?"
I giggled and hugged my papa who was already fast asleep, not even aware that Mama and I were still talking. "Because tonight, rain was waiting for lightning to come back to bed."
"N-Nyahaha…"
Closing my eyes I couldn't stop smiling.
Being in Daddy's arms really is… the safest place.
And maybe… just maybe… I can share her.
And just in case people had trouble with that little Japanese thing earlier... here you go. It should look familiar if you're caught up with Team GEMINI updates. :P Now you ask me why I put the melt ref. here... easy. TruePrime, likes the story. That's way. So lulz.
メルト
朝 目が覚めて
asa me ga samete
When I woke up this morning
真っ先に思い浮かぶ 君のこと
massaki ni omoi ukabu kimi no koto
The very first thought I had was, yes, it was you
思い切って髪型を変えた
omoikitte kamigata wo kaeta
I daringly changed my hair style
「どうしたの？」って 聞かれたくて
(doushitano?) tte kikaretakute
Because I wanted to hear, "What's with the new look?"
グレーのジャケット ドクロのシルバーリング つけて
gure- no jaketto dokuro no shiruba- ringu
Wearing my favourite grey jacket and a silver skull ring
出かけるよ
dekakeru yo
I set out
今日の僕は かっこいいんだ！
kyou no boku wa kakkoiinda !
Because today I'll definitely be really cool!
天気予報が ウソをついた
tenkiyohou ga uso wo tsuita
The weather forecast told a lie
土砂降りの雨が降る
doshaburi no ame ga furu
And we got caught in a downpour