Covet {Yuumika/Mikayuu}

Silence

Wince. Flinch. Clench his fists until his nails dug into his skin. Clench his teeth until they ached. Bite his tongue until he tasted blood. That was all Yoichi could do. Because what could he do. He wasn't anyone special to the household. He had no right to stop Mikaela's father.

He was now a bystander next to Lacus. Next to René. No one liked the scene before them. And Yoichi wished Mikaela would move. Wished he would fight back. But he only sat on his knees, and waited for his father to stop screaming. To stop hitting him.

After René had returned a week later, as promised. He returned with the master of the household, Mikaela's father. The first time Yoichi met Mikaela's father, it was like this. He walked in looking furious. Walking in and heading in the direction where they all were. Mikaela had stood up surprisingly fast, and just as quickly fallen to his knees in front of his father.

Just like that, Yoichi, for the first time saw Mikaela being struck. He had made a move to stop the scene before him, only to have Lacus latch onto his wrist and pull him back. His eyes were downcast. He wanted to cry. He couldn't. Yoichi looked desperately at René, for answers! For an explanation! For anything! But nothing came. René refused to look up from the floor. Refused to look into Yoichi's eyes.

Before he knew it, he had made his mind to stop what was happening. Yoichi took a step forward, when all of the sudden Mikaela's father dropped to his knees and pulled a shaky Mikaela into his arms.

"I'm sorry! Forgive me! Please forgive me!" He wailed.

Mikaela didn't respond. Didn't move. He flinched when his father began to run his hands through his hair, that had grown to the small of his back.

Mikaela finally brought his right hand and place it onto of his fathers head, which had been resting on his shoulder. His father, upon noticing the gentle touch, shot up and grabbed Mikaela by both of his shoulders.

"What can I do for you to apologize me?" There was a desperation in his voice, that Yoichi didn't sympathize with.

"Tea." Is all Mikaela said.

His father nodded, a bright smile on his aging face, before standing up and running out of the room. Once he was completely out of the room and down the hallway René and Lacus ran to Mikaela.

They kneeled infront of him, René closer than Lacus. René gently took Mikaela's face in his hands and checked his injuries. Yoichi slowly made his way to them.

"Lacus! First aid-kit!" René chanted. Voice laced with a desperation, that Yoichi sympathized with.

Lacus nodded and ran out for the room.

Yoichi finally sat down. He hesitantly looked at Mikaela's face. Once he looked, he squeezed his eyes shut.

"Wh-why does he do t-that?" Yoichi whispered.

René froze his gentle touches for a second, before mumbling a, "Later." That left no room for complaints.

"My father," Mikaela said, making René and Yoichi forget how to breath for a few seconds, "Hates me. And loves me. He hates me because my mother did. Whatever she hated, he hated. Whatever she loved, he loved. He was chasing after her even after marriage. Trying to win her affections, even though he knew he'd never receive them." He stopped talking when Lacus ran back into the the room and handed the first air kit to René. Who took it and set to work, that didn't stop Mikaela from continuing, " He loves me, because I look like my mother. Because I act like my mother. My father is mentally sick. He was sick, from the moment my mother gave her last breath. He takes out his anger and frustrations on me, just like he did on my mother. He questions why she never loved him back, while he does what he once did to her, to me. And in the end he ends up thinking that I really am her, and begs for forgiveness. Begs my mother for forgiveness."