Kyle Mizoguchi adore his little sister, but he hates when she is Robin.
The windows weren't left open on ordinary nights; Kyle always closed them as soon as the sun hid and the air cooled, his dark eyes frequently checking to make sure they were properly shut.
Except on Maps' patrol nights, those were the nights his windows were open in anticipation of his sister, nights his eyes were wide awake.
He never favored the Robin mantle falling on the girl's thin shoulders, but his words faded when he observed his sister's bright smile within the costume.
She was born for the extraordinary, Kyle reflected, sitting on his dorm bed, resting his bones.
His hair, still wet from the post-training shower, dripped onto his shoulders and back; his thin white t-shirt and gray sweatpants offered little warmth compared to the crumpled blankets at the foot of the bed, above which lay a change of clothes and a hot water bottle.
Only Mia's roommate and he knew about her secret. Kyle would dedicate some of his time to preparing clothes, water, a first-aid kit, and snacks for his sister after her patrols.
Another worry frequently tormented him: Mia's relationship with Robin, who had recruited and trained her almost every night—the boy who was stronger than Kyle in many ways.
If Mia were to have her heart broken by that boy, Kyle could do nothing but comfort his little sister and brood with anger for not being stronger, for not being enough.
Mia was different; her interests, her way of speaking, and her mannerisms were not normal among most people around her. The signs were there from a very young age, on several occasions.
His mother's green eyes watched him with latent concern as she stroked her younger sister's hair. Mia slept peacefully in their mother's lap, drooling on the skirt of her black dress; it was cute.
"Oka-san?" Kyle called hesitantly, squeezing the small packet of gummies in his chubby hands, his voice softer than usual.
A faint smile formed on the woman's lips; the sound of her sniffling and the dried tears on her pale face gave him certainty about one thing that day, even as a child.
"It's nothing, Oka-chan is just tired." Her voice came out choked, unlike her usual soft voice.
Their mother lied to maintain her peace and comfort, just as Kyle maintained a lie about every aspect of Maps's departures from Gotham Academy; it was his way of protecting her.
It was Kyle's duty to protect Mia; that was the only request their father made of him when she was about to enter the academy.
The sound of a dry thud against the floor caught his attention again. Kneeling on the wooden floor of the dormitory, Maps was breathing heavily.
Kyle's legs gave him the quick momentum to run towards the girl, his hands gripping her thin shoulders, his eyes focused on his sister's sweaty face.
"Mia?! What happened?! Are you okay?!" The questions came in pure despair, his raw voice burning his throat.
Her slanted eyes were half-open, her dark brown orbs trembling, and her breath weak; the cold skin chilled her bones just from the proximity.
Closing her eyes tightly, the girl rested her head on her older brother's shoulder, her breathing becoming more stable as the following minutes passed.
Kyle's hands slid from the girl's shoulders to her back covered by the yellow cloak, tightening his embrace, his chin resting on Robin's head.
"Maware maware maware yo..." Her voice was sweet and low, Kyle's whispers always were.
His dark eyes watched the body in his arms relax against his touch, noticing that strands of his sister's hair were damp, her cold skin a shock against Kyle's warmth.
The melody of his childhood always calmed Mia in her moments of panic, or sadness, to the relief of the family. His father used to ask Safi, the family butler, to put on certain films to distract them at night.
Most of the time, Kyle and Mia argued over which two films to watch; his favorite was Ponyo when he was under ten, while Mia adored My Neighbor Totoro.
But there was one film that made them both sit for hours staring at the TV: The Tale of Princess Kaguya filled a void he couldn't coherently describe to the adults around his small world; it was striking.
Never knowing what went on inside Mia's head, Kyle simply accepted that there was a small, unique agreement between them that this film was an inspiring work.
"Mizuguruma maware," The sung verses were sung carefully, gently, and lovingly to reassure his little sister.
In the end, Kyle just hopes that one day, Maps will realize that this vigilante life was too dangerous for her and fly back to the nest they call home.
Birds in Gotham have the bad luck of always ending up dead with their bones broken like glass.
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