In The World everyone is blessed

Man that smile could melt anyone’s heart…. or, at least, his. “Yeah, I promise too…” he added.

“In that case, I welcome you with open arms!” Aura smiled and moved in to hug both of them. Warmth radiating from the goddess.

Aura perked up the moment she heard her daughter, although her expression turned concerned when she saw who was with her. “Ah… is… is here by choice?” She was sort of confused but not displeased.

“Y… yeah…” Cubia replied nervously, looking over at Zefie for reassurance.

“Hmm.. I… well… okay.” He agreed, nervous. He hadn’t really seen Aura in quite a long time…

“Y.. you really mean it…?” He wasn’t so sure he wouldn’t be hurt again, but it was nice to hear. He moved his free hand to pat the girl’s head, gently petting her hair. “I’ll… give you guys a chance.”

Hearing that… he felt his eyes get dewy. Being told by someone that he didn’t have to keep being like this… it filled him with emotion.

“W… well….I…” he ran a tongue along his teeth as he thought. “I guess I can try…”

“I… I really don’t get that.” He replied, tone softer and uncertain. “I’ve lived life fueled by malice… It’s hard to really understand how anyone could be that loving.” It even sort of made him mad… but maybe it was just because he didn’t quite know how to love back.

“L… loves me!?” No way… that had to be made up! How could she ever care about a monster brother like him? “I… I dunno…” now he just sounded dumbfounded.

He knelt down and finally made contact with his… niece? He guessed that’s what she was. Putting a hand on her small shoulder. “C’mon…. quit crying. I… I listened….” he mumbled, eyes glancing away.

“I… I’m not ignoring you, I just…” just what? Didn’t want to admit he might be sorta wrong? Yeah… that was exactly it.

“St… stop crying, damn it!” It was making him feel increasingly worse and he didn’t like it!

“Way more people know and care about her though! She can’t be that bad off…!” Otherwise he’d of been all wrong… this whole time. Oh, he did not wanna accept that…

Seeing the girl continue to cry made him bite at his lip. It was making him feel…. bad..? “She… she has plenty of people.” He was the lonely one! “I….” he looked away at the next bit. That was true but… it was so ingrained.

“I didn’t start out mean!” He didn’t want to be like this, damn it! “B… because!” He couldn’t think of a good come back for that one… Morganna had pit them against each other in the first place, so….

Cubia reeled back from the tears. He didn’t expect the little runt to cry…! “Y.. yeah… well no one cared if I died or not! ‘Grandma’ even encouraged me to do something that would end my life….” he wasn’t so lucky as to have a bunch of people care about him! Just Kite….

“Well neither did I!” He snarled. “Being called nothing but trash? Just data left behind after she was born… And she gets all the sympathy while I get called a monster! It’s not fair!”

“Everything’s her fault….” he grumbled, looking away. “If not for her, I could just live life normally.”

“You’re her daughter. That alone is reason enough to anger me.” There was so much venom in his tone when he referred to Aura, he wouldn’t even say her name.