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“I wish…” She wasn’t sure what exactly.
Many things went through her head, but they were too many to say out loud. After all, she was told that for each falling star, she could make a wish. But she was too selfish for her own good -she thought at the end- for she wanted so many things, hoped for the impossible more than once, so much that it should have been a sin.
They were right, obviously. She was a monster, just like they always said, as he always reminded her…
Eri woke up with the sound of soft music playing, a bit disoriented and with her heart pounding on her ribcage, memories of a long time ago passing along her eyes. She couldn’t stop herself from checking the room, to make sure it was safe, to make sure there wasn’t a shadow looming over her, waiting for the moment it could take her, hurt her, break the reality she still couldn't believe she had.
But she was alone.
Her favorite chicken plushie greeted her like always, with its orange beak in a soft smile and its rhomboid silly glasses a bit crooked to the side. She took a deep breath and held it for a couple of seconds, before letting it go in a heavy puff of air. Eri looked around again, but everything was exactly like she had left it the night before; her frilly dress laid discarded on the desk chair, while her painting tools were thrown haphazardly over the smooth surface, with her last drawing still on the top of the pile. Her other toys were all carefully accommodated inside her big red box, with heart shaped stickers decorating its walls and the doors of her massive dresser, the one that contained all her favorite and new clothes, the ones she had never even dared to dream of having one day.
She pushed the bedspreads away from her, bunching it at the end of the bed in a mass of rainbow colors. Then, she practically jumped out of the mattress, walking quickly on her chicken themed socks to her barely opened door. Eri didn’t even think, she just took the handle with her little hands and threw it open with so much force that she almost fell back. Instead, she ran around it and shot out of the room, going all the way to the end of the hallway before stopping, sinking her heels on the plush carpet while propping her weight on the wall, waiting for her breathing to go back to normal.
On the contrary, it got stuck on her throat.
I see trees of green, red roses too.
The melody was soft, sweet in a way that made you close your eyes just to be able to feel it closer to your heart, while the words were sung by a deep but gentle voice. It may have been a bit scratchy, but it only gave it more depth, even made her feel warm inside.
But the view… the view was what had stopped her on her tracks.
Keigo had his head on Dabi’s shoulder, his arms surrounding his husband’s neck, while Dabi’s were on his small waist. Both had their eyes closed softly, enjoying the atmosphere, breathing it in with every fiber of their being, with senses that made them all the more sweet. They were as close as humanly possible, holding tight to clothes and skin, like they were about to lose the other, like they were in risk of disappearing in a cloud of smoke and blue fire if they so much as stopped breathing the same air. Despite the tight hold, they were swaying to the rhythm of the music, slowly, so much so that Eri didn’t know if it could be called dancing.
She didn’t dare to interrupt the moment, even if she wished… if she…
I see them bloom for me and you.
The morning rays warmed the living room to a comfortable temperature, one that made her want to cuddle in the plush sofa, with a book on her lap and her dads at her side. But instead she was there, frozen in a cold place, for the sun didn’t reach the hallway she was on. So she stared and wished, like she always did.
And I think to myself…
She wished she could be part of it, of this family that welcomed her with open arms, but that sometimes it felt as if they were miles away, in their own little word, the one she wasn’t part of. She hugged herself and noticed her lips wobbling, memories she wanted to forget invading her mind, telling her she didn’t deserve this, that she wasn’t good enough.
But then, Keigo opened his eyes.
Bright and shining like dripping gold in the winter sun.
… what a wonderful world.
And they saw her, not a monster nor a sinner. He saw his daughter just out of bed, still in her cute pajamas, trembling on the threshold like a leaf. So he extended a hand to her, aware of his husband’s watchful eyes over the interaction, noticing the same as him: her eyes were misty and unfocused, her lips trembling while trying to hold herself together without making a sound.
I see skies of blue and clouds of white.
Eri waited a beat, processing what was happening, and then she was throwing herself at them. They laughed when it made them stumble, but they didn’t let her go. She clutched their clothes with a desperation she didn’t know she had. Fortunately, they held her just as tightly.
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night.
And when she looked up to see their expressions, to make sure they weren’t faking the happiness, she found it was bright, almost too much. The smiles that adorned their faces were beautiful, shy and small like hers, but precious all the same.
And I think to myself…
Aaah, she had wished so strongly for the star to hear her.
… what a wonderful world.
“Good morning snowflake,” Dabi greeted her with his low drawl, still sleepy himself with the gentle light softening his usual sharpness. “Want some breakfast?”
The colors of the rainbow… so pretty in the sky.
She buried her face in his hoodie covered belly, shaking her head and hugging his middle.
Are also on the faces of people going by.
“Hey chicklin’.” She raised her head just the tiniest amount to be able to see Keigo from the corner of her eyes, but he was with his back to the windows, so the view blinded her a bit. “What’s wrong?”
“I just…” She started, but didn’t know how to continue. “It’s…”
I see friends shaking hands… saying ‘how do you do?’
Her dads exchanged looks, their brows furrowed and their hearts seizing inside their chests, before turning their heads to her again, making sure to have smiles on, to not make her worry more.
“It’s okay to not be okay, sweetheart. Remember when we talked about it?” Dabi brushed her hair gently out of her face with a calming presence that made her relax, finally releasing some of the anxiety that had been eating at her since she woke up.
She nodded shyly and his smile grew beautifully.
They’re really saying ‘I love you’.
“I just… want to dance with you,” she murmured, a bit of pink dust blossoming on her ears and cheeks, happy she was brave enough to say it.
“Of course.” It was as simple as that. Dabi took her in his arms while Keigo hugged them both, surrounding them in the warmth that radiated from his body and the fluffiness of his clothes.
I hear babies crying, I watch them grow.
That’s how they swung about, dodging stray furniture and laughing when they failed and hit some part of their bodies with it, not enough to hurt, but enough to be heard over the music. She let her head fall on Dabi’s shoulder, closing her eyes like they had done before, taking in the moment like it was the last she would ever live. She could feel the little change in the air every time Keigo would exhale, as he was resting his head on his husband’s other shoulder, facing her. Despite not being able to see him, she could imagine the sweet smile and the closed eyes that he surely had. Kiego’s hand on her back was a welcomed weight that made her think of precious things while Dabi’s chin on the crown of her hair made her feel the safest she had ever felt.
She sighed, content to keep going like that for eternity.
Eri found she wouldn’t mind it one bit.
If time were to stop right at this moment, if you were to tell her that this was it, that this was the precise time she would be forever frozen in, she would welcome it.
They’ll learn much more, than I’ll never know.
But her tummy thought differently, as it growled like it hadn’t been fed in years. Her parents stopped moving to chuckle at the sound, yet they kept the smiles on. “I think now it is time for breakfast.”
Keigo broke the hug at Dabi’s words, walking to the open kitchen that connected with the living room they had been dancing in. “Don’t ‘orry, I’ll take care of it.”
And I think to myself…
His husband huffed, making Keigo twist a bit to look over his shoulder. “You sure? I’m positive Eri doesn't want burned food.” She could see the mischievous smile over his face, and she knew she had one very similar on her own.
“Who, me? Burned food? Never, right eyas?” Keigo finished turning to give a wink and a heartbreaking smile.
… what a wonderful world.
“Of course not dad, your food’s the best!” She assured him.
"See?" Keigo crossed his arms, raising his chin like he had won. "She loves my food."
"Of course, birdie." He put on a serious face, making Keigo nod once before turning around again, resuming his march to the counter.
Yes… I think to myself…
"You cheeky liar." Dabi barely tickled her side with his free hand, getting a giggle out of her. "Let's go help your other dad before he burns the kitchen down."
"'Course dad."
And, in the end… her wish did come true.
… what a wonderful world.