The Typhoon ~Vash x OC AU~

Chapter 29: A Good Man

Leilani

"I can't get over how much she looks like you," says Jonas. He smiles, placing a finger in Grey's hand. She grips, holding on as he wiggles. "So much hair. But those aren't your eyes or your nose."

He glimpses at me, and I nod, "Yeah. She has her dad's eyes and nose."

And she does. The newborn tint that had clouded her eyes has finally peeled away, revealing beautifully vivid blue eyes that are fanned by long, dark lashes, and it is with those eyes that she looks at her great-uncle, and she smiles.

She has grown so much over the last month. She is no longer that itty bitty infant who looked and felt so small and frail in my arms. She is longer, her limbs stretching and already humming to life with each flail and kick she makes. I know that it is only a matter of time before she starts to crawl and walk – sooner rather than later due to her plant genes. I swallow, not wanting to think about that future.

Jonas gives his finger another wiggle and pulls away, asking, "Speaking of her father, I was looking forward to meeting him today. Did something come up?"

I clamp my mouth, remembering Vash and his worries.

"...but will Jonas be the same, or will he see the man who made his life a living hell?" he had asked.

The truth had been that I couldn't speak for Jonas. I was so young when the fire happened, and I only saw Millions Knives once. And though his face was seared into my memory, in my eyes, Vash is so different from his brother. He's nothing like him. They were disconnected to me, but Jonas... He was already a grown man when everything happened. His memory was already a practiced function. He could take one look at Vash and very well see Nai.

Could.

I shift, adjusting Grey in my arms. "I thought it best if he stayed behind today."

Jonas's brows knit. "Why?" He straightens his posture, crossing his arms over his chest. "Is he doing something? Is he hurting you? Don't lie to me, Lans."

A surge of awareness dashes through me as I jolt, shaking my head. "What? Oh, God! No! No, no, no, no!" I start to laugh, resting my hand on Jonas's shoulder. "No, no. It's nothing like that."

He narrows his eyes. "Lani..."

"Jonas, I promise it's not that," I say. My voice is level and sincere. "Vash is a kind and good man. He loves me and he loves Greywynn. There isn't anything he wouldn't do for us."

And there isn't. Vash has already demonstrated that when he arranged for us to go to Ship 3 while he stayed back in Stoneburry. Though, originally, he planned on pursuing his brother. I'm grateful he didn't. I shudder imagining what could have happened.

Jonas surveys me, his eyes searching far and wide, then: "You're not lying, right? If he was, you wouldn't keep something like that from me, would you?"

His expression is severe and troubled, but I understand it. I reach over, resting my hand on his forearm, smiling. "I promise," I say, smiling. "Vash is a good man."

He studies me a beat longer, nodding, "Okay. I believe you." He relaxes, uncrossing his arms. "Vash, eh? That's his name?"

"Yes."

He rubs his hands together. "He's a good man?"

"An amazing man." It's not a lie. It is the truth, and I speak it from the depths of my belly, and the hollow of my chest, wholeheartedly.

He nods again. "I see. So, why did you not want him here then? If you thought I was gonna knock him out 'cause he got you pregnant, that's not my place. You two are adults. However, if he was hurting you –"