Fear. What is Fear? I have plenty of reasons to fear for and because of Fear.
Yet I don't. I don't feel any fear around her, do I? To me, she just simply seems like a little sister or something. Sister? That implies that she's a human.
Is Fear human? Isn't she considered a cursed tool? That couldn't possibly be a human. Right?
"Haruaki?"
"Fear?! What are you doing here?"
"Well, I am living here, idiot."
"That's not what I meant. Why are you in the kitchen? Shouldn't you be sleeping?"
"I'm hungry. I want rice crackers."
Doesn't she always want rice crackers? "Alright, I'll get some for you. After you eat, you have to go back to sleep, alright?"
"Thank you!
She said thank you. Just like any normal human would in that situation. I'll go grab some rice crackers and place them on a plate. Then I'll sit down and eat them with her. Like any normal humans would.
"Here you go, Fear. Do you mind if I eat with you?"
"Please do!" As I sat down, Fear stood up and grabbed her cushion. I look at her with curiosity. She was blushing. She walked beside me and plopped down next to me. I felt a little of her warmth. She was warm. Just like any other human. And she was sheepishly looking away from me.
Of course I'd feel a little nervous. There was a cute girl sitting next to me. Girl? A cute, cursed tool? That doesn't sound right. "Ahh, Fear? What are you doing?"
"I just thought that it would be better if I sat with you. We are eating together, right?"
"Uh, yeah, I guess. But we'd still be eating together if you sat opposite me. Right?"
"Am I warm?"
She ignored my question just like a normal human. She is freethinking, not just some computer. Not just some tool. "I guess you are, Fear. Is that, umm, unexpected?"
"Are you scared of the warmth?"
Scared of Fear's warmth? "Of course not! That would be absurd."
"Are you scared of the heater?"
The heater? Is she talking about herself? She's using a strange, roundabout way to ask these questions. "No, I'm not scared of this heater, or any heater." I chuckled a little bit about my comment, but Fear was just looking down. I looked over at her. "Hey, Fear. Are you scared of me?" I asked that as a joke. She could easily kill me if she really wanted to.
"Yes."
Yes? She fears me? I don't pose a threat to her at all! "Huh?! Why?"
"I fear."
She's not scared of my threat. She couldn't be. "What do you mean?"
"I'm scared of our relationship."
Why would she be scared of that? We're living with each other and taking care of each other. "What kind of relationship is that, Fear?"
"Family."
Family? Those are people who live with each other and take care of each other. Are Fear and I a family? "Do you think of us as a family?"
She didn't answer. She would never answer that. How could she possibly be part of my family? She's a cursed tool. You have to be a human to be part of a human family! "Why are you scared about us being or not being a family?"
She finally snapped. "Because I want to be part of your family!"
Part of my family? Why can't she be? She's someone who lives with me, and we take care of each other. Ha, I naturally said 'someone'. She's not 'something' in my mind, is she? "So you fear that I won't accept you as my family."
No answer.
"Why should I accept you as part of my family?"
No answer except for a single tear.
"Why shouldn't I accept you as part of my family?"
She looked up.
"Is it because you're not human?"
She looked away from me again.
"I can't be affected by curses. I'm not normal. Am I not human because of that?"
No answer, but a single glance of curiosity.
"Where does the line that defines human and not human get drawn?"
Still no answer. She closed her eyes.
"Fear, I don't know if you're human. In fact, I completely doubt that you're completely human."
No answer except for a strained face.
"We have no blood relation at all. That's usually how families are defined."
No answer. She tensed up so much though. I smiled.
"Of course married couples aren't blood related either."
She blushed. Red as red can be.
"I'm not planning on marrying you though."
No response. She opened her mouth as if to speak. No sound came out.
"I guess family isn't the right word to use then."
"I guess not." A verbal response.
"Are you scared of our relationship now?"
"If we're not family, do we have a relationship?"
I couldn't help but smiling again. "How can we not?"
She looked at me, not happily, not sadly. She finished eating. She gave a polite smile and started to walk towards her room. She whispered something. I heard something about love.
"Did you say something, Fear? I think I heard 'love'."
"Nope. Good night!"
What is Fear? Is she human? I doubt it. Nor is she part of my family. I don't think she likes that though. We have a very special relationship though. I feel like I have to take care of her. Not as my job or moral obligation. I just feel like I should. Maybe it's because I love her. Not like a couple's love. It's something more subtle. But I'm pretty sure I love her. If I love her, does it matter if she's my family or if she's human? I guess not.
I walked over to her room's door. Quietly, I said "Thank you, Fear. Good night."
I headed to my room and quietly lay down. I pondered Fear and our relationship. I felt as though I couldn't figure out, but it didn't matter. I just let sleep run through my head as I waited for the next day.
I lost all my motivation for my Angel Beat's story which may be on hiatus for a while. Thus, I decided to try a one-shot. Even better, this is the second story that Fanfiction has for C3. I (don't actually) feel proud for myself!
Reviews and such are always wanted. I'm too insecure and feel as though that's the only way I know that people are actually enjoying xD I actually just like writing, so do what you want. Thank you for reading!