Telling the Truth

[Deleted]

[after the unfavorable encounter]

Jean had stumbled back to HQ, after the battle between those that had declared war between them. He was injured, but he managed to get up to his office as if nothing had happened. Mitsuko insisted that she heal his wounds, but Jean had said no, because he didn't want her to tire herself out. He suggested that she go in the infirmary to make sure Matthew was okay even though she wasn't hurt in her stomach. The stress could affect her though, and he had to talk to Zero first before the husband and wife came face to face.

“Oww.... that guy packs a punch...” He called Zero to tell him to meet him at the office. He had to talk to him. “Zero... come to my office now.. something's.. happened. Jean knew that he had to tell Zero the truth. it was hard, but it had to be done. Keeping a secret from him would do no one any good, and besides he was a husband, and bounty hunter so he had a right to know.

[TAG: Zero]

[Zero]

Zero held onto Hunter as he tries to fish out his cellphone from his jacket. They're both on a motorcycle heading back to the headquarters with Hunter driving. Once he had flipped his phone open, Zero yelled a bit with how loud the sound of the motorcycle engine is, "Hello?! ...Oh hey, chief!!"

He couldn't hear Jean's tone very well so he missed to suspect that something's wrong, but he did get Jean's message at least. "Alright, I'll be coming in your office in 10 minutes!! Do you need me to bring Hunter along??" Mistaking this to be another mission briefing, Zero asked.

[Deleted]

“No son its just you for now. I need to talk to you alone. It's regarding what Mitsuko and I have been through, she's in the infirmary. But before you go see her I need you to come see me first got it?”

Jean moaned a little in pain but he tried to remain as strong as he can manage. “Mitsuko and I were in a fight with an unknown group. I think they are called 7DW or something like that. Their leader has declared war against us bounty hunters... that's the short version Zero...” Out of courtesy Jean gave Zero the gist of what's going on. He had to at least give Zero some information before he arrives, but then Jean knew that Zero would ask about his family.

“Before you say anything, Mitsuko did get a little hurt, but your son should be alright..”

[Zero]

All the muscles in Zero's body numbed upon hearing what happened to his beloved wife. His eyes are wide, seeing all kinds of tragedies that could have befallen to poor pregnant Miki. He was so shocked, his dulled fingers dropped the cellphone in the middle of the road before Jean could even tell him if Matthew is going to be okay.

Zero stayed frozen behind Hunter, his eyes as wide as saucers and his face is of shock. Hunter called his name several times but Zero was unable to respond, his mind filled with thousands of possibilities on what could have happened to Miki and he wanted to reach that infirmary right at this instant. It felt like his heart just dropped to his stomach, a knot that tightens in his throat and he wanted to cry right on the spot.

He wanted to scream at Hunter to go faster and hurry up, but all of his strength has left his body that he could faintly even feel anything he's trying to hold. Getting so caught up in his emotions, he arrived in the headquarters before long. Usually, at the mere topic of Miki ever getting hurt, Zero would explode walls and destroy everything in his way in anger.

This time however, that kind of explosive anger is almost...non-existent... All there is in his heart is extreme fear. So much fear that he's practically shaking, he almost looks like he's about to cry. His legs took him to the door of the infirmary, just staring at it with his widened glassy eyes. He's shaking so much he could've fallen with one touch.

Deep in his mind however, Zero knows he has to keep strong. He's not 8 years old anymore to have a temper tantrum, he's an adult with the responsibility to protect and care for his wife, more so when she's currently pregnant. Perhaps it hits Zero so deeply this time is because Matthew is involved in this as well, and he'd be broken to pieces if something were to happen to his son before he was even born...

Slowly, his shaking hands clenched into a loose fist. He's an adult now, and Miki trusts him to be mature and handle things calmly instead of blindly exploding on everyone. Zero took in a sharp breath, and quietly backed away from the infirmary door. There must be a good reason for Jean to ask him to head towards his office first before seeing Miki, so for the first time in his life, Zero took control of his emotions from swaying his judgement and is determined to handle this with a good head on his shoulders.

Slow knocks could be heard from Jean's door, and after a moment, Zero entered, his expression beyond broken. The boy stepped in Jean's office, looking like he's about to collapse any moment... But he didn't. He kept standing there, closing the door behind him, and approach Jean's desk.

"..Wh...." He wanted to ask what happened, but the second he tried to voice that out, a couple of tears trickled down his frightened face.

[Deleted]

Jean still groaned in a bit of pain but he man aged to hold his composure and his voice strong. “Zero. I want you to know that you're two loved ones are alive. Mitsuko is okay, she just put herself in harms way for the sake of a little girl named Lillith. This young girl has this 7DW group after her, and she was in a bad spot. Before you get angry at Mitsuko for putting herself in danger, I want you to think calmly about Mitsuko's personality. Would she as a mother let a little girl be ganged up upon? Yes Mitsuko's sweetness can get in her way of making a judgement fitting of her own welfare, but then you and I both know she has a big heart. And never goes against her heart.”

Jean paused for a moment. “You do have a right to feel angry, but i need you to process this carefully, before you react. You are Mitsuko's strength, and if there is a war about to break out, you need to be with your wife. I will get to the bottom of it, I still don't understand why this group is against us, that part confuses the hell out of me, but I'm too tired right now to even make sense of it all, let alone why they are against Mitsuko as well. They called her a bounty hunter but she resigned Zero, and yet they are dragging her into this, because she saved a child's life.”

His eyes narrowed slightly- even he was angered by the situation. “I didn't call war. They did. And I will not take this lying down. Mitsuko showed great courage today, she knew you would be angry with her and yet she still felt she did the right thing, you gave her that courage Zero, and you should be so proud. Your son is a fighter Zero, he's gonna make it. I can tell you that she didn't get hurt in her stomach.”

[Zero]

In the midst of Jean filling in Zero of what happened, the boy's legs couldn't take the weight anymore as he collapsed on his knees against the floor. His palms are in contact with the floor to hold his upper body up, though his arms are visibly shaking. While the fact that they're alive is relieving, the fear that had settled itself so deeply in his stomach still has not left.

It's the fact that both Miki and Matthew were in danger that causes this kind of deep-ingrained fear within him. It scares him, to the point that he couldn't even stand... He's not even angry, he's just deeply saddened and frustrated and...scared. So very scared... He has never felt this devoid of anger all his life.

He shook his head when Jean told him that Miki thought he'd be angry, and slowly, the boy raises a weak hand from the floor to wave it at Jean, "..No... I'm not...." He stared at the floor for a moment, taking a deep breath to get himself back together, before slowly rises up to his feet. It took him another long moment to look at Jean, and once he does, his blue eyes are now clear and...almost tranquil even.

"...If it's alright, Jean, I'd like to see my wife first before I listen to the war details.... I can't focus right now.." Because what matters to him more right now than fighting is Miki.

[Deleted]

Mitsuko had rushed to Jean's office much to the dismay of the nurses that had treated the angel's injuries. Truth was she was she was a little worried about Zero's reaction when he had found out the truth about what happened. In her heart though she trusted Zero. She trusted Zero to be mature about this, even if he was angry.

Mitsuko turned the knob of Jean's office door slowly, and as she turned the knob she took a few deep breaths to ease her worries that have surfaced. Tears were falling from her blue eyes and staining her cheeks, and when she saw Zero once she had opened the door all the way, those tears of hers fell even more. Her heart was hurting, but pulsing fast in her chest, and her breath was a little shaky. For a second her mind went blank- the words that she wanted to say to her husband left her.

A few minutes passed as she struggled to find her words, and when they came she spoke in a broken tone. “Zero....” She called his name first and then she walked over to him slowly. Once she was close to Zero she wrapped her arms around him. “I'm sorry to have made you worry. I should have called you when I knew I was in trouble. But I couldn't let that little girl get hurt, I had to focus on her safety and the battle in front of us. We were outnumbered and there was no time to call for you, as much as i wanted to.”

She paused again. “I wanted to call you not only for help, but to tell you how much I love you! No matter if you're angry with me... I love you.”

She really started to cry, but as she did she let Zero know something important about their son. “Our son's okay! He's safe and not harmed. I'm glad that he isn't. While I did get hurt... I'm glad this life inside of my tummy is safe. I'm glad our son is safe.

[Mitsuko]

[This conversation will be restarted in the PS. I love you thread a little later. It's a conversation years in the making due to life circumstances at the time but Zero and Mitsuko will have this chat)

{END THREAD}