𝐒𝐔𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐈𝐂, bradley rooster bradshaw

001 ━ her slithering fall

CHAPTER ONE
━━ in my heart and in my head,
tell me why this has to end?
oh no, oh no
i can't save us
my atlantis, we fall

THE PACIFIC OCEAN | 2012

LCDR Sage 'Snake' Ruiz was perfect.

That's what they all tell her. In kindergarten when she joined the talent show and sang 'Auld Lang Syne' in front of all the kids and their parents, she sang perfectly. When she joined an innovation contest in middle school, her ship with advanced technology was done creatively with no flaws. In high school, she had joined the marching band and drama club- her playing and acting were flawless. Now as a naval aviator, though risky and most times reckless; her flying was perfect.

Sage had dedicated her entire life to being the perfect daughter her mother would want. Her father had left her when she was just twelve weeks old, and as she grew up she wondered why she wasn't worth him staying. What was her flaw? Was she not pretty enough? Did he not believe she would grow into a smart young woman? Did he not think she'll ever be good enough? So she did the one thing she could to take some form of control in her life; she made herself perfect.

She spent most of her time perfecting her guitar playing and made sure she sang the right pitch and tune. She spent her time reading books and watching videos on creating new innovations for her school contests. She spent her time going over her lines and making sure she nailed every expression and intonation down. She made sure she was perfect enough for her mama to stay.

Tessa Kazansky never saw this. No, all she saw was a brilliant young girl who could do no wrong. Because everytime Sage slipped up, she'd immediately catch herself before she could make any other noticeable mistake. God forbid the bright diamond of a girl dulled down for a split second.

Tessa loved her daughter, more than she'd ever shown. Because she never did show it. The day the love of her life left her was the day she decided she had no more love to give. She cared for Sage, put a roof over her head, food on her plate and everything else all her money could offer but she forgot to give her one thing— a mother's love.

She assumed her money gave it all. Sage was quite content with the comfortable upbringing her mother offered, and although she never felt like it was enough, she pretended. She pretended it didn't hurt when her mother didn't attend her ballet recital, she pretended she wasn't disappointed when her mother didn't show up to her high school graduation. She pretended she didn't care that Uncle Ice and Aunt Sarah were the ones who prepared her for prom. She pretended she understood even if she didn't.

Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky never stopped covering for his little sister since they were children. If Tessa broke a vase, Tom claimed to have done it. Tessa snuck out? Tom pretended to be the bad influence. Because the second she was born and he held his baby sister in his arms for the first time, he swore not to let any harm fall onto that girl.

Many years later, Tessa gave birth to Sage. Tom was there the whole time. Tom was the first to hold little Sage as Tessa was still unconscious from the sedative after needing surgery to give birth. With tears in his eyes, he cradled her like she was the most precious thing in the world.

"I swear with my life, baby, I won't let any harm touch you. Not even a single hair on your pretty little head," he whispered so softly with so much love and adoration.

Sarah had filmed the moment without him knowing, and as the years went by the video was one of the many added into a sweet compilation for the Kazanskys to watch during Thanksgiving or Christmas. Sage never forgot his words even as she flew high up in the sky and went beyond the stress limit her plane could handle.