Unthawing my heart from its icy grip. [Mizetto and Girls]

Ten years felt so long and drawn out. And Mizetto felt older than he should feel, like he'd been stretched out. Didn't help that Glacie and Terra had grown into strong and independent ladies. They were official members of the clan now, like Mizetto had earned, but even so they were free to do as they wished. Terra made a job for herself in creating indestructible crystals, that the clan were slowly adapting to use in light sources or pretty displays around the clan's grounds. Glacie wished to go see her mother often, and Mizetto didn't try and stop her. He'd go too, but learnt long ago how that wasn't going to happen. 

Maraz many years ago had offered to help Mizetto find Ari, after they'd failed to do so when Mizetto asked the first time. They'd set off on a passive approach to the Taiyo clan. And it had remained passive, until Mizetto met Gash. And was told how Ari had been moved, given to her fathers, and that Mizetto wouldn't be very welcomed there anymore. And Mizetto didn't take the sudden drop in his heart very well, taking it out on Gash. Almost killing the guy, if Maraz hadn't stopped him. Mizetto's brother had to spend years apologising to the light clan to make sure there was no conflict, and wasn't particularly happy with Mizetto for doing so. He called Mizetto reckless and foolish, and how he was so similar to his human self. The one that caused so many to die. Mizetto hid for a long time after that, he'd open up to Glacie and Terra, but no one else, and spent his time just working, manual labour, what the tough little guy was good at. Years had passed before Mizetto even realised, ten years in fact, since he'd lost Ari. And he did believe he'd lost her. If the ice hadn't taken her forever, then waking up to find him gone would. As much as Mizetto hated Gash, he had a point, Mizetto had ruined his chances for anything with Ari. 

Lost in thought as usual, Mizetto was left to his own devices for now, not too much work to do. He relaxed in his home, built by his hand, customised for the girls, but otherwise pretty simple. It was close to the outskirts of the clan, near to the gate leading through Rycora and into Baransu. He had his eyes closed, trying to get some sleep now after last night had been restless. But his eyes opened as he heard voices outside, and soon someone was knocking on his door. It was only an unusual noise, until they spoke, and their soft, feminine voice almost made Mizetto's heart leap into his throat. 

Mizetto just stood up from his bed, shaking, staring out of the room and towards the door in silence. He rushed out, grabbing a shirt, putting on gloves to cover up his arms, that was one thing Ari didn't need to see, she sounded guilty, which hurt Mizetto. The last thing he needed was for her to feel to blame for what happened to him. And the first thing Mizetto wanted was to open up the door, hold Ari close and remember how warm it felt to hug her. But, his hand stopped near the door handle. His palm might be made of stone, but it still shook weakly, the Demon panicking. He didn't hate Ari, he never could, he hated himself, for driving her away, for driving the girls away. For trying to run from this, and getting Clue killed because of it. He could sense how afraid she was as well, that he hated her. His hand still trembled, but he wanted to see her face at last, not the tearful, frozen one he'd had to remember for so many years. His hand gently held the handle, slowly unlocking the door, and opening it very slightly. "Ari?" Came a very dry, unused voice. Once he peered out and saw her, the tears fell. He was about to say so many things, like how he loved her so much, or what happened, or anything. But, instead, his throat seized, and Mizetto went silent before eventually saying, "It's my fault... I'm sorry. You... you ain't to blame." He admitted, eyes dropping to the ground. He sighed quietly, before moving out of view, opening the door wider to let Ari in, and let a wave of dust just come falling out of the house. Light filtered into the dull front room, where it had probably been left in darkness for days. "The... the girls are out. Terra's.. uh.. workin' I think, Glacie went off to the city." Mizetto said to fill in the silence, eyes still to the ground, terrified of things, of the obvious wall of... something, that was between him and Ari at the moment, it was why he was too afraid to hug her, despite how much he wanted to. 

Mizetto's damp eyes looked around the room, wincing at how unkempt it looked. Mess was everywhere, meals left uneaten on the table, when Mizetto couldn't find the stomach for such things. Then there was dust on everything, dirt trailing through the house. It was a state, perhaps a physical interpretation of what the inside of Mizetto's head looked like right now, but even so... Mizetto wished Ari didn't have to see how rotten things had become, not more blame to put on her shoulders that she didn't need to carry. His hands fumbled together, unable to speak anymore. He didn't expect a hug from Ari, for her to get close to him at all, after the monster he'd been towards her the last time they'd met. But she impacted his chest, and Mizetto felt the impact go further, hit him right in the heat with how emotional this Angel was. He slowly returned the hug, eyes relaxing down from a surprised state. "I was real cruel, Ari. Backin' down when the truth came to light. You ain't got nothin' to be sorry for. You were the brave one, fightin' a war for our sake, sacrificin' yourself for the girls... All I did was run away, an' ruin things like the monster I am. You're a lot better than me, Ari. Better at bein' a good parent, better at bein' brave, fightin' for good. I couldn't even keep.. keep Clue safe, an' when you were puttin' yourself in front of the girls to save them, I was runnin' away." Mizetto admitted slowly, quietly. He didn't cry though, he came close, but didn't think he deserved to, with all that he'd said. "I've been no good to you, all this time. An' I'm so sorry for draggin' you through all this grief."

They always seemed so alike, Mizetto managed to muse just a little. They were so different, an Angel and a Demon. But both carried so much grief that they didn't want the other to bare. Both didn't think they were worthy of the other, it was sad, but also almost perfect. Mizetto could have smiled, if he wasn't overwhelmed with the exhaustion of finally seeing Ari again. He didn't want to accept Ari's apology, because none of it was her fault, but he did nod ever so slowly, before scoffing a little. "The weirdest." He muttered, before his eyes dropped. All of those good memories, the amusing ones of their time gradually growing closer together. Mizetto didn't speak for a while, just holding Ari close, reliving those moments she described, and relaxing down a little. They were fine. Perhaps some weren't fully healed, but together, they were fine. 

"Terra's a real shit," Mizetto suddenly warned Ari, hiding a smirk into her shoulder, before moving back to look to her. "Won't stop boastin' her mouth off, got such an ego that one... no idea where she got it from." Mizetto updated Ari with a smile. "But... she's a beautiful little miss, and Glacie is too, easier to handle than her sister." Mizetto added, sighing again. Then he went quiet, looking from Ari to the ground. No, he didn't want to keep a secret from her, she'd find out eventually, a little later on, so Mizetto didn't see why she should have to be shocked by this later when he could just show her now. "Things happened back when you... an' Clue..." Mizetto began, taking off the gloves covering his two, silvery stone hands, "I didn't just lose you both. Almost kicked the bucket myself, if it wasn't for Clue." Mizetto explained, face glum once more as he looked to the stone digits on his hands, offering Ari a little sad smile. 

Terra did always want to impress, she longed to be praised, and got angry when she got anything but praise. And because of that, she thought she was the best. Mizetto did smile, yeah she was a lot like him, back when he was younger, but her ego came with a stubbornness only her mother could give her, that was for sure. He smiled soft, watching the slight look of pain on Ari's face, knowing how she'd missed so much of the girls growing up. Both before and after freezing. Mizetto made a promise in his head to make sure both the girls came over to see their mother as soon as possible. Not just for their sake, but the one who made them, who deserved to see her children at last. 
Mizetto couldn't feel anything through his arms now. He could turn earth into anything, even limbs, but he couldn't make them living, couldn't make them feel. Despite that, he could swear the slight kiss Ari put on them was felt, a little spark running up his arm. He moved from simply watching Ari, listening to her, to moving a hand up her own arm, wrapping it gently round the back of her neck to pull her closer. There was no tension between them, the one Mizetto feared might be there. So, he let himself give in to the taste he'd almost forgotten, the sweetness of kissing Ari. And despite how they were both tired and emotionally drained, it was a perfect moment all the same. 

Mizetto took a deep breath after, holding Ari close whilst looking outside the open door. "Well after you... fell asleep.." Didn't really feel right to call it that, but he'd go along with it, "I woke up here. Turns out I wasn't just from the Iwa Clan, I'm their leader's older brother. Maraz, my little brother, let me stay here, and the girls. We slowly earned a rightful stay here, made some poor choices along the way.... I especially did." Mizetto paused, looking to the ground, "I'm sure you'll know what happened between me and Gash."

Mizetto chuckled, "Older yeah, but he's doesn't always act like it. Maraz turned into a kid again when I turned up, and he can be a little bit of a brat, somethin' in our blood I think. But... he's the one responsible for savin' my life the night Clue... you know." Mizetto replied. Mistakes would be forgotten, Mizetto didn't want to hold onto them, now that he knew Ari wasn't holding him to blame anymore, but it would take time to not blame himself for everything. They'd still be all together as a happy and close family if he'd not cowered under pressure, or lost his faith in Ari in that one moment of weakness, and ran away rather than face things. So he slowly nodded, putting a kiss on Ari's cheek as he did so. 

He winced at the mention of Gash, under the impression Ari had been told already. Mizetto sighed, before explaining. "We'd gone to go get you back, Maraz promised to help me. We thought you were with the Taiyo Clan, but Gash met us and told me otherwise. He said your dads were protectin' you, and that it was all my fault. I didn't deserve you, and I'd never see you again." Mizetto sighed, a small hiccup to his exhale as he almost felt the rush of grief he'd felt that day return. "I didn't like his words, and my... temper got the better of me. Gash is still livin', but he ain't quite the same. Still a creep though." Mizetto paused, moving an arm down to grasp one of Ari's hands. "He was right about one thing. Not that I didn't deserve you, or anythin' like that. But... that I'd not taken anythin' further with us."

Mizetto smiled. A part of him also wondered about that Aisu guy. He only knew him from the Nightmares, but Ari knew him much better. He did wish Ari got the chance to really meet him again, make amends, be a family. Mizetto never knew he needed a brother until Maraz found him, and since then, the Demon refuses to abandon his little brother again. Mizetto dragged out the kiss, seeing Ari miss them as much as he did. And he scoffed when Ari commented on it, faith returning with more power when she spoke. She truly did love the stupid Demon, and he felt even more an idiot for ever doubting it. "He's not had it easy though, after how I left the guy. Should probably go easy on him." Mizetto replied with a little smile. Did Mizetto really pity Gash? No, not even a little. But, he did have enough sense not to want to cause Maraz anymore grief by trying to settle things out between the two clans peacefully. 
There was pressure put off Mizetto to hear Ari say it herself that she didn't need him to make that step, but still Mizetto smiled softly. "But... you could still have more." He mumbled, smiling wider, "If I've learnt anythin' from all this, it's that you'd do anythin' for me and the girls. And I've learnt that I could never live without you, tiny. So... uh.. if you wanted more." Mizetto paused, shoulders dropping as he thought, before he remembered, and reached down into the bottom of one of his pockets, to something he'd kept in there for a long time, a little reminder of sorts. His stone hand clenched around the little thing, before showing Ari a ring, fit with all the right parts. Something Maraz had given Mizetto years ago to try and cheer him up, suggesting to his brother than when he got his girl back, to make sure he never lost her again. "It.. it doesn't have to be a big thing... and I get it if you didn't want to anymore. But... I just want to ask you to.. you know, put up with me forever, thought this might make things more official."