Who We Are (A Zodiac Story)

Flashback: CANCER (1)

Disclaimer: *All flashbacks are written in 1st person*

FLASH = Time Skip

*...Several light years ago.* (When Cancer was a toddler.)

"See that?" Dad asks, his weathered hand gently guiding my chin, turning my gaze outward. I follow the line of his outstretched arm, my eyes drawn to the clean, unwavering divide where the boundless azure of the ocean meets the vibrant tapestry of the setting sun.

"That is called the horizon," he murmurs, a soft smile gracing his rugged features as I clamber into his lap, desperate to get a closer look. The warmth of his embrace envelops me as we sit together in the sand, our usual towering palm tree casting a comforting shadow over our serene tableau.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Dad asks, leaning down to press a tender kiss to the crown of my head. I nod mutely, my gaze transfixed by the breathtaking sight before us as he continues, "It's what separates the Earth from the sky."

My Dad loved the ocean. In fact, he may have been slightly obsessed, as he would often talk about it for hours on end.

Now, as we sit in companionable silence, the rhythmic crash of the waves against the shore, I can feel that same yearning emanating from him. He turns his gaze to the nearby docks, where the boats sway gently in the salty breeze.

"There's another world out there," he murmurs, his voice tinged with a wistful cadence as he looks out at the shimmering expanse of the sea. "So much to discover."

Leaning in, he gives me a conspiratorial nudge, his eyes sparkling with childlike excitement. "One day, Daddy's going to buy a ship," he whispers, and I look up at him, my brow furrowing in a mixture of confusion and intrigue.

"Ship?" I repeat, tilting my head back against the strong, comforting warmth of his broad chest, my curious gaze swimming up to meet his.

"Yes, my darling," he replies, a warm, loving smile spreading across his face, crinkling the corners of his eyes. With a gentle finger, he taps the tip of my nose, eliciting a giggle from my lips. "A big ship," he clarifies, his hands grasping my sides and turning me around to face him directly.

His hands tucked under my arms, and with a smooth, effortless motion, he hoists me up toward the boundless, cloudless sky above. "We'll see the world together!" he exclaims, his voice taking on a wistful, dreamlike quality, "Just you and me."

I gaze down at him, my eyes filled with wonder, a million questions bubbling up within me. "And mommy?" I ask, looking at him curiously, my small hands reaching out to trace the contours of his face.

A heavy sigh escapes my father's lips, and he slowly, reluctantly lowers me back down, enveloping me in a tender, enveloping embrace. "Mom doesn't get it the way you do, crab cake," he says softly, his fingers stroking through my hair with a bittersweet affection.

I didn't really get it either, but Dad thought I did, and that made him happy.

FLASH

"It's an expedition," Dad declares, his hands flapping a colorful flyer filled with intricate details in an attempt to sway my mother.

From my hiding spot behind the staircase, I couldn't help but eavesdrop as the conversation unfolded between my parents in the kitchen. I watched intently, my eyes darting back and forth between them, as my father eagerly tried to explain his plans.

"What?" Mom asks, her brows knitting together in confusion as she grapples the large, wooden spoon from the counter, her fingers gripping it tightly as she stirs the bubbling pot of soup on the stove. The steam rising from the fragrant broth seems to mirror the growing tension in the air.