Once again, Stardust didn’t follow. How was he selfish for wanting to help his Papa? Selfish people only cared about themselves. If he wanted to help, he couldn’t be selfish.
“Papa, if anybody is being selfish it’s you. You want Mama to come back but haven’t done anything to do that. I just wanna help you, after all…”
Hands slammed against the kitchen counter as the mechanic’s voice finally raised after keeping his frustration held in. “I’m the one who’s selfish?! The only reason I haven’t gone after her is because of you! I know you’re still not comfortable around her and she knew that too! You weren’t willing to talk it out with him, You keep saying how you can replace him! We both still love you Stardust!” The turbo duelist spun around facing the child, hands curled into fists; God damnit Stardust why can’t you understand that?!”
The child flinched and stared up at the duelist, trying to keep his shock in check. No. He wasn’t gonna be scared. He would hold his ground and be a strong dragon, even if that meant crossing a line he could never return from.
“I won’t ever understand because I don’t like Mama anymore. I was left here for you, Papa, but if Mama means more to you, maybe I should go so she can come back. At least then you’ll finally be happy, which is all I want.” Unfurling his wings to try to be a bit more intimidating, he adjusted his stance so Yusei wouldn’t be able to pick him up, bracing for any kind of impact as well.
“I only want you to be happy. How can I be selfish for that, Papa? Tell me that.”
The mechanic was at his wits end as he fell to the floor. “I don’t want you to leave either. I just want you, Judai, Kizuna and I to live together as one big family! That’s what I want. That is what will make me happy. But obviously that’s not going to happen is it?!” The turbo duelist’s body shook, “Just do what you want. It obviously doesn’t matter… You can’t see what is so obviously in front of you you’re blind to it, deaf to it, and quite frankly I’m sick of it. I’m sick of all this fighting, all this running and all these problems. I’m not ready to be lonely but I sometimes wonder if it would be better to be lonely than to be by any of your sides.”
“…” Stardust shook his head, not knowing what to do as he curled his wings back in and slowly approached the mess on the kitchen floor. His arms wrapped around the male’s neck, pulling it into his chest as he gently held it there, closing his eyes as he did.
“Papa… I love you, Papa. I won’t leave unless ya tell me to.” He smiled faintly, happy to be able to hold the man like this. “So I definitely won’t run.”
The mechanic pushed away from the child. “I appreciate the sentiment, however it’s not going to help, and I’m afraid I’m still going to go after her no matter how much you may dislike it. I love her Stardust, and I love you and Kizuna as well, but yes I am still worried about her, and no… No one can ever take her position.”
"... Okay." That was all that came out of his mouth. He awkwardly turned around after the turbo duelist's little speech and walked to the couch, as if nothing had happened. He curled up, closing his eyes once more as he decided to sleep, leaving the rest to the man in the kitchen. Everything was up to him, now.
