<Nagisa>
"Who knew we would finally settle down with so much time on our hands now!" Karma laughed aloud while the family sat around in the living room, just hanging out.
We just finished playing a couple of board games, while snacking on popcorn and cookies. Karma won a few times, but Mari was something else with her unbelievable skills.
"Don't jinx it Papa." Naki sighed and jokingly rolled his eyes, "already lost most of my childhood." He said while sipping his soda.
"Ouch..." I giggled along from the shade Naki gave him.
"Why can you be sweet and more polite like your sister? Isn't that right Mari?" Karma pinched her cheeks, treating her how he always.
"Papa...you're embarrassing me." She pouted, "I'm not a little kid anymore." She added.
"What is this? Is this a rebellion? My own kids?" Karma didn't take the sudden blow very well and tossed himself to the corner sulking.
However, Mari tried to apologize while Naki just kept on teasing him there.
"Alright alright. Leave your papa alone." I motioned to Naki and he scooted closer to me, leaning his head on my shoulder. "You're not a boy yourself anymore." I caressed his hair, "I'm sorry Naki."
He held my hand gently.
"You did nothing wrong. Don't apologize." He spoke. "You're the greatest woman I know, so don't apologize for something that can't be helped."
I grew weary of his words and couldn't help but to feel emotional. Honestly, it still feels like just the other day, he helped move me around in my wheel chair, prepping meals along side me, and cuddling next to me in bed. He's always been my support...but at what cost?
Mari glanced over and was able to drag Karma back over to us. When she did, she sat next to me quietly.
"Yeah, you're amazing Momma." She snuggled closely in.
Karma sat criss-cross a few inches in front of us and smiled brightly at the warming sight before him.
"Hey Momma? Papa?" Mari started.
"Yes Mari?" I asked.
"Can you tell us stories of when you guys were younger? I sometimes look in the photo albums, but it's not the same." She explained.
"Yeah, but tell her ones that I don't know either. I don't want to hear the same stories twice." Naki sat straight and stuck out his tongue at her.
"Here we go again. It's all about you isn't it?" Karma raised a brow, trying to provoke him.
Naki shook his head trying to ignore him, but he gave into the faces Karma was jokingly making. Naki grabbed the bowl of chips from the coffee table and started to eat them.
"Umm, well..." I revisited my memories, trying to find one that would cater to their liking. And something Karma would remember too.
Obviously because of Namari's sensitive age, she doesn't know much of the real Karma. Of course for Naki, growing older and more aware, he knows about the past Karma had and how he got here.
We do intend to tell her, especially after being surprised by meeting Koro-Sensei, even when she had known that he was dead in the past.
"How about this?" Karma notice my distracted thoughts and winked at me. "When Nagisa and I had a few days to spend together because of our strict situation back then, she tried to pull an all-nighter. She didn't last with her energy drinks." Karma chuckled, "drowsy-acting like she was drinking alcohol." He added.
"Hm? Momma tried to pull an all-nighter? How long did she go to?" Naki asked leaning in because he does it quite often on school nights.
"She went to bed around 3am." Karma said.
"Momma, you're so weak..." Mari giggled lightly.
"H-hey. You kept pestering about how I should go to sleep and all. Of course I would listen to you." I crossed my arms with a grouchy attitude while speaking to Karma.
"Momma, don't worry. Not even Mari can pull an all-nighter at her age." Naki said.
"You're so rude today Naki. Quit it." She got up and shoved him over, losing his seat on the ground.
Karma laughed and raised his hand in the air and Mari high-fived him.
"Ugh. If only there was something embarrassing you did." I spoke with a more sassy tone.
"Hm? Papa didn't do anything weird when he was younger?" Mari questioned.
"Well. There's a difference between weird and embarrassing. But your young ears aren't ready for any of that." Naki said, catching us both by surprise.
"What's that supposed to mean?!" Mari couldn't hold in her bottled up vexations. "Naki, you used to be way nicer to me when I was little."
"That was when you were little." Naki stuck out his tongue.
"Argh. Act your age." She finally confronted him from there. Even Karma was startled by her sudden extroverted side.
"Now now. Settle down." I tried to calm the smoking situation. "If you're too loud, the neighbors will hear us." I brought up.
"I can't take this. I need a breather." Mari got up with her cheeks lit red and headed towards the kitchen.
But before she was lost in our sights, Naki called out.
"Forgive me Namari, I went far didn't I?" He genuinely apologized with his compassionate personality leaking out.
Mari didn't turn around but she made a tight fist and released it. "I'm going to get ice cream. Want some?" She said with a sweet and mollified tone.
Both Karma and I tried to hold in our little laughter while Naki ignored us and smiled at her, despite Mari not looking his way.
"Yeah, I would like some. Thanks Mari." He replied.
Mari didn't say anything else and continued to talk to the freezer, disappearing for a moment.
The three of us stared at each other and waited for her to return. When she did, she carried two white bowls in her hand and handed one of them to Naki with a spoon.
Chocolate ice cream with whipped cream and chocolate syrup, his usual go-to.
Mari on the other hand had plain vanilla.
"Hey Momma, did you have any boyfriends before Papa?" Mari asked while spooning once cream into her mouth.
Naki glanced over.
"You know, I was momma's first and last." He gleamed with great pride, "her one and only."
"Hm? You guys are so lucky." Mari sighed while admiring our relationship.
"Didn't Papa say once that someone liked Momma?" Naki brought up.
My eyes widen. Hopefully, Karma never mentioned the name! That would put Sugino in such an awkward situation later on. For the sake of the kids and the Tomohito's, Karma please!
He mouthed, don't worry.
Phew...almost lost it there.
"Yeah, you could say that. Your papa is a jealous type you know? He likes to assert his dominance."
I poked at him and he grinned.
"And your momma was an air-head. Totally oblivious to the guy who liked her. But I'm kind of glad she was like that then because I came in and swooped her away." Karma made a peace sign.
"Did he ever confess to you?" Naki asked.
"Yeah he did. Of course I let him down. Karma was already on my mind by then. And even when it wasn't Karma who impacted my decision entirely, I knew that I could never lie about my personal feelings. He's a great friend of mine." I smiled from the idea of talking about Sugino and the past.
"How far did you guys go back?" Mari asked while Karma was growing antsy.
"Well. We were neighbors and he went to school with me ever since grade school. He was always been by my side, especially when I had family complications." I explained.
Mari and Naki nodded their heads.
At this time and age, those two are well aware of the relationship I have with their grandparents. My mom and I haven't spoke once to each other ever since I moved out. She just refuses to acknowledge any of my life onwards from there. Whereas my dad, their grandfather, who visits at least once a month, showers the two with love.
My dad helped me a lot from the side lines. When I had Naki and when Karma came back to us.
And I knew that he became more healthier and livelier ever since I moved out of the house. I guess you could say that he was finally relieved from the terrors that kept him up at night.
"Hah? Papa what did you do? Scare him away?" Naki nudged his arm.
"I had to tell him straight that I was the one looking after her. Especially the time when your mother was sick." He nodded his head with blaring confidence.
"Your love story sounds too good to be true." Naki sighed, trying to be hard on Karma again.
"What about you Naki? Do you have a girlfriend yet?" Karma asked.
"Of course not. I have studies to tend to first." He replied. "Education is a priority."
"Don't worry Karma, he's a late bloomer like me." I comforted. "Don't start thinking about becoming a grandfather just yet." I added.
"You better hurry." Mari joined.
"Like you said. It's a special thing created by love. I don't need to rush right? I haven't found the one yet." Naki said to Karma with a serious tone.
"Of course." Karma responded happily, "unless you swing the other way?"
Both Naki and I choked, coughing on air. Mari just blankly stared at us confused.
"Excuse me?" Naki questioned with displeasure.
"It's alright if you are." Karma assured.
"Karma..." I said with concern.
"N-no! I am not for your information." Naki sighed, "it's not like that."
Karma nodded his head, leaving that conversation for later on.
"And what about my princess?" He asked Mari.
"W-what? Don't start asking me." She placed the bowl back on the table. "Y-you don't need to know." She pouted again.
Even though she says that, the three of us know that she has a crush on Ichiro. She's been clinging to his side since she was little. It's only naturally that it would blossom into something great.
But the age difference does make Karma and I worry. But I guess Naki never found it a concern because he's always trusted Ichiro's character.
"Well, whatever happens don't be hard on yourself okay?" Karma patted her head as she silently nodded.
"Even if it is impossible, I won't give up." She assured, "because Momma and Papa, didn't you guys think like that before too?" She raised her head.
I gleamed and kissed her cheek.
"I know I would be old fashion to say this Mari, but don't let this burden you okay? There are other things in life than to fall in love. Plus, your papa is what you have to worry about." I pointed out.
She looked over, with her puppy-face expression.
"Papa, promise me you won't get in the way."
Karma shook his head.
"Nope. That's the kind of person I am." He pinched her nose, "I can't be easy on anyone." He stared off with a gentle smile.
We ended up talking late around 1am. I suggested for everyone to go to bed because Karma and I had work in the morning. Plus, Mari had school and Naki was heading back to Uni as well.
•••••
With one lamp lit in our bedroom, Karma decided to keep me up with his nonchalant teasing.
"Karma, not today. I'm still sore from last time." I tried to pry him off me, while his iron arms coiled around my waist.
"You're a morning person. Of course you would still feel sore, come on." He kissed me on the lips.
"Nope. That's the kind of person I am." I repeated those mean words he said to Mari earlier before we headed to bed.
Karma chuckled and plopped back on the bed, holding my hand.
"Karma, do you regret it?" I asked the general.
"Hm? It's not what I regret. Do you regret it? That's the real question. From day one, I said that I would love you regardless." He said while we both stared at the ceiling.
"No, I don't. I don't know how to describe this feeling. It's like my mind is at ease and everything is complete. My younger days at the facility, slowly becoming a distant memory." I closed my eyes with brewing emotions making me nostalgic.
"Nagisa. Remember when we stood on opposite sides of the glass wall?" Karma asked.
"Yeah I do." I answered.
"Do you remember when we started going out?"
"Of course, and I didn't know at the time either." I giggled, "yes, I remember everything."
I felt the bed shift and Karma moving. I opened my eyes to see him hovering above me, caressing my cheek.
"Remember it was our goal, to make our dreams a reality? Look at us now Nagisa. We have two beautiful children and a kind of love kindling with fire. You're a angel that sparked a life within me." He kissed my cheek.
"Remember when I was just scraps of metal, programmed to kill?" He asked.
"Yes." I nodded my head, with subtle tears streaming down my eyes, wetting the pillow. Karma lightly smiled and tugged me upward from the bed and embraced me.
"You are the human that gave me a chance to experience life. And I am the robot who cherishes everything you've given me. I am blessed to be saved by you Nagisa and I hope you'll continue to take my hand until the very end."
His comforting voice soothed the knot that bundled within my beating heart. The loud thumping and beating that meant we were alive.
"I love you Karma, I truly truly love you." I said.
"You are my treasure –the most precious thing in my life." Karma kissed me on the lips again but much longer, pressing me back down on the bed.
I wish I could tell my younger self that feared to be alone because of my old lifestyle, that everything would turn out just fine.
No, better than just fine.
It's too great to even describe it.
The glass wall that used to separate the both of us. And the artificial love that became so much more.
Project: Karma, is no more. You're just Karma, my one true love.