SHIFT 2 - Purgatory

Protection

“You have any ideas on where to find it?” Nagisa asked.

“Nope.” Reginald said.

He looked sideways at the boy. Nagisa walked tall, proudly, and he marched next to the man. Reginald smirked. This kid! He thought.

“Do you even know what fear is?” He asked the boy.

“Yes.” Nagisa stated.

“I’ve lived in fear all my life.” He admitted.

They walked for a time. The silence stretched around them. Reginald pondered on what the boy said. He didn’t know how to ask, just what he meant. As it turned out, he didn’t have to.

“I feared you returning to the castle. I feared you wouldn’t. I feared “practice” with Marcus watching. I feared fighting Mori. I feared that I would never be strong enough to fight like the old Marcus. The stories you told of him were bigger than any legend.” Nagisa said.

“I feared that my sexuality would make you hate me. I feared coming out that you would kick me out of the castle. I feared ever showing you my ability with fashion. Anything other than books or weapons.” Nagisa stated.

He looked up at the man. Reginald frowned. “How the hell did you even function like that?” He huffed.

Nagisa shrugged. “Sometimes I didn’t. That’s why I ran.” He admitted.

Reginald looked down at the ground, and they walked over. It was mossy. He scowled. He knew the fears the boy spoke of. He had felt them to. Being inadequate to his own father. Not being able to live up to the Romanari name. Loving a male, when he himself was one. Yes, he understood these fears, far too well.

“When did you stop?” Reginald asked.

“Stop what?” Nagis questioned.

“Being afraid?” Reginald turned to look upon the boy.

The teen snorted. “I’ll let you know when that happens.” He insisted.

“You march, head first, into the most dangerous situations, a child your age should never have to think about, let alone face. You do it with this determination about you. You’re telling me, you’re afraid right now?” Reginald demanded to know.

Nagisa laughed. “Me, afraid of a fight?” He laughed at that.

“Never.” Nagksa shook his head.

“Well, unless should tell me Mori or Marcus went rogue, and I have to end them. Then I might be afraid. But this...” He shook his head.

“This!” Reginald gestured to a vague space before them.

“This is an eldrich horror! A beast born before the dawn of time! It was created in the primordial ooze of the universe! It’s older than the planet we walk upon! You’re telling me, you’re not afraid of facing it?” Reginald growled.

He didn’t know whether he should be awed, shocked, or be thinking about having this child commented to some insane asylum! How do you walk into a fight with something this old and not fear? He couldn’t phathom it.

“What is the worst that could happen?” Nagisa asked.

Reginald glared at him. Nagisa looked back nonplussed.

“I die.” He shrugged.

“That’s fine. Some day, I will have to die. I would like to do it fighting.” Nagisa decided.

“Right now, if this thing kills me, or I die killing it, so be it. It can’t get out. It can’t hurt my siblings. Cami and Carter are safe from it. Ryu is safe from it. So, if I die here, oh well.” He shrugged.