Why Me? |EDDSWORLD X READER |FF| HIATUS

[~ Birthday 9/6 ~]

Silence.

"...You know what? I think this marriage isn't working."

"What?"

"You heard me, Richard. This just isn't working for the both of us."

"You can't just walk out of your child's life! He needs a mother, Patricia!"

"You take care of him then. I'm leaving him to you."

"I need to go for military training for 3 weeks a month, Patricia! He needs someone to look out for him! In fact, training will be over by next month, and I'm eventually going to be sent in to the battlefield! Who'll take care of him while I'm gone?!"

"Surely anyone and that's not gonna be me! I'm packing my things tomorrow."

Silence once again.
Tears were threatening to spill down my cheeks.
They always had a fight.
I knew someday, they would soon have to split up.
Even with that, I just wanted to have a normal family.
Like every child wants.

Dad chuckles, but it was more muffled than I could hear.
It sounded like he was...crying?

"...So who's he? He must be good looking, since you have a really picky taste. Good personality too. And probably rich. Unlike me, the first time we met."

I can hear mom faintly gasp.

"...H-how—"

"Oh don't act like a dumb bitch now, Patricia. I'm not a fucking moron. Your body language says it all, even mannerisms. Although we only see each other for 7 days a month, you think I wouldn't be able to pick up the signs, now huh? Really, I should have just ended it all when it was still early."

I can hear mom sniffling.

"You can stop pretending to care now."

Tears were streaming down my face.
I bite my lip.

"It's like a seesaw game, right? The seesaw is our relationship, you and me are on opposite ends. For years, we tried to make the seesaw balanced, but no. One person is always heavier than the other. One person is trying harder than the other. And Suddenly, the seesaw game just becomes repetitive and boring. One of us knows that someone has to get off the seesaw for it to finally end, but no one wants to in fear of hurting the other."

Dad pauses,

"And after many years, the seesaw becomes balanced. Why? Because both got tired of each other."

The silence felt almost stingy.

"...And finally, I made the choice to get off of the seesaw. Tord's sticking with me."

~

"Pew pew pew!"

Dad rolls around in the grass, trying to avoid getting wet with the water gun.

I laugh, "You can't keep dodging the bullets forever!"

"Ha! Keep saying that!" He stands up to run to the next hiding spot, but I shot him right through the heart. "OOF!" He says as he stumbles backwards and onto the soft grass.

He closed his eyes, tongue sticking out.

I laugh once again, "GOTCHA!" I celebrate.
But then I found out he wasn't moving.

"Uh...Dad?" I said.

I walk near his face, poking his cheeks.

"D-dad? Please wake up..." I said.