[I/OOC][WIP][STORY][Season 1][RFC] Less Than

[robkelk]

Washu-chan sighed.  "Benjamin.  You've been giving her shards of your soul.  And you haven't even noticed it!"

Later, once the report of this incident goes out to the inner circle, Rob's going to have something to say about this...


Once it was just the two of them, Rob started off with, "So. Ben. This whole 'giving pieces of your soul to Alicia' matter."

"It's under control."

"Thank you for confirming that; that puts my mind at ease. But Usagi spotted the matter in your report right away, and she shared it with Hyoga. They talked for almost a half-hour, then they gave me a long list of technical questions and asked me to ask you for answers. I told them no."

"You did? Rob, you know I don't keep secrets from all of you."

"I know, and I also know that things that affect only you are your business. If you want them to know, then tell them yourself when they ask. And you should know by now that Usagi will ask about this. She loves you too much to let the matter go unaddressed to her satisfaction."

Ben looked surprised for a brief moment, then he realized what Rob meant... and Rob saw the subtle signs on Ben's face as he came to that realization, which meant Ben wasn't hiding it from him. Rob went on.

"Yeah, she doesn't love you the way she loves Mamoru, but she loves you and me and even Accelerator the way she loves Rei and Ami. Usagi is Love, the same way that Madoka is Compassion. Of course she cares about you."

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Usagi or Madoka?"

Rob grinned. "Both of them, actually. And they both care about both of us, and all the other displacees and building managers they've met. In some ways it's humbling to have two such kind and caring people care about me without wanting to be a part of my life. Why do they think I deserve something like that? But I'm getting sidetracked. Usagi is going to ask because she wants to make sure you aren't killing yourself by giving yourself to Alicia. And that's something I wanted to know, too. It won't do Alicia any good if you die."

"Oh, I know that very well, probably better than you do. But why are you so concerned about her?"

It was Rob's turn to look surprised. "Think about it, Ben. I was present at her rebirth, and other than the Celestials, I was the oldest person present. I'm the closest she has to a godfather in this world. Unless you've asked somebody else to take that role in her life. If something happens to you, it's up to me to make sure she has a loving family - and that's a responsibility I take seriously and accept gladly."

And that made Ben wonder for a moment. Sure, he knew that Rob wouldn't let Alicia suffer if something happened to him, but to go that far? Then he remembered that Rob's early life was nothing like his, and his attitude started to make sense.

"I hope you never have to actually take that responsibility. And I suppose you want to know the answers to Usagi's questions, too."

"I hope so, too. But I don't want answers to those technical questions - all I need to know is that you've got things under control, and you already told me that. I just told you that the questions exist so you'd be ready for Usagi."