My Sunshine: Sunrise

Wishful Thinking - Haru / Another Shitty Mother - Mizuka

Iruka had spent a few days in the hospital, and Haru hadn't left his side. But Mizuka had a visitor for him in the morning.

"Now that you can talk, we need to address what happened."

Kakashi came through the doorway with Mika. She looked terrified, but even Haru was surprised by how little emotion she felt as she watched the woman. This woman had almost destroyed her life, not once but twice.  First by abandoning her, and then by almost taking her soulmate's life.

"Haru!"

She didn't move, instead staying against Iruka's shoulder. She slid a hand down his arm, entwining her fingers with his.

"Okay, Iruka. It's your call, whatever happens to her next."

Haru looked at her husband as he watched his mother-in-law. And then, he pursed his lips.

"Just let her go outside of the gates."

Haru's mouth fell open. Everyone's mouths fell open. Haru put a hand on his bicep.

"Darling, you don't have to.  Give her what she deserves-"

"I am.  Let her go. Shes been through enough. But don't come back, Mika. Don't ever contact my wife again, or I'll neutralize you myself.  It seems cruel to put you in a physical cage when you already live in a mental one."

Iruka turned and kissed Haru's forehead tenderly.  He spoke gently to her.

"She didn't take my life, so I won't take her freedom. But she has to leave you alone so you can continue to flourish here.  Hopefully, we can just go back to the way things were."

She hoped they could as well.  Haru turned back to Mika one last time.

"Goodbye. I wish you well."

Mika looked heartbroken. And then she sneered.

"You're dead to me-"

"I already was when you thought I drowned in the sea. You took a liar's word for it because you were finally free of me. I'm aware of what I am to you, even though I'd hoped that time would change it. You seemed happy to see me a few nights ago.  But time didn;t change a thing. I may be your blood, but I'm still Hachiro's rape baby. You didn't try to kill Iruka to save me. You tried to kill him because all men are evil in your eyes."

It felt both freeing and crushing to say it out loud. All of the mother / daughter lunches in the world wouldn't change the fact that her mother would never be able to love her the way that Haru needed to be loved. Her mother spoke coldly.

"Only a foolish woman would willingly carry a man's child, or even take his clan's name."

"Iruka gave me a home and his love. He is my family. We're equal partners. Hell, if he could've carried this baby instead of me, he would've gladly done it. I begged him to give me a baby. A love this strong begs to multiply."

But she was no longer speaking to Mika, having turned to Iruka once again, caressing his cheek. He spoke to her.

"You are my equal in every way, and I would've gladly taken the burden of growing this child from you if I could've."

She smiled.

"But then I would've missed all of the baby flutters and getting to see your face when I told you that we were finally pregnant."

He kissed her slowly before Kakashi spoke.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

Iruka turned back.

"Yes."

And with that, Kakashi took her away, leaving the two of them. Haru whispered to her partner.

"I love you. You're the kindest man I've ever met."

He nuzzled his face against hers.

"She won't come back. She only came after me because it was opportunistic. I'm only sorry that none of this worked out like you wanted. It would've been wonderful to have your mother be a part of our lives."

She shrugged.

"It was wishful thinking. She seemed excited to see me. And she was always kind to me as a child. I think that seeing me pregnant was triggering to her. More than I'd realized."

He nodded.

"Thank you for being my wife. No one on this planet wants you more than I do. I'm glad you exist."

"Me too. I'm more than the sum of my past."

She snuggled in beside him, letting the dream of having her mother in her life go.  And that was okay.  She'd make sure that she did better for her own daughter than her mother did for her.  So much better.

***

Mizuka escorted her to the front gates.

"You're lucky that the Uminos are so forgiving. I wouldn't have been. I would've made you pay."

Mizuka felt a darkness rising in her that she hadn't felt for a while. While it was Iruka's choice, it didn't mean that Mizuka had to like what he chose.  Mika turned to leave, but Mizuka stopped her one more time.

"Mika, does it bother you that you'll never meet your granddaughter?"

The woman answered coldly.

"No. Another weak girl comes into the world- AAH!"

Mizuka pulled out her kunai in a flash and struck it twice across the woman's left cheek, leaving a prominent 'X' and making her scream.

"Like I said, I'm not forgiving. We used to mark unwanted visitors in Tenchi with an 'X' across their cheek. Our way of spotting undesirables. You're not welcome here, or in Tenchi. Don't come back or you'll be neutralized on the spot.  If not by Iruka, then by me.  You're a shitty mother, and the world doesn't need another shitty mother."

Mizuka turned and left.