The park was quiet, the spring breeze soft against the skin, fluttering cherry blossom petals across the stone path where Xzavier and Zadie sat together on a bench. The distant sounds of children laughing rang out like windchimes in the background, though Xzavier did his best to ignore them.
He wore a black eyepatch over his right eye, borrowed from Hageshi, who joked it made him look like a brooding anime villain. Only Sensei Gara knew about the new Sacred Eye hidden beneath. The swirling Yellow power in that eye was too much to reveal casually—and Xzavier wasn't ready to answer questions he didn't fully understand himself.
Zadie, on the other hand, was completely at ease, watching the children play. Her smile stretched ear to ear, eyes gleaming with warmth.
"Just look at them," she said, nudging Xzavier. "So full of life, so cute."
Xzavier raised a brow, then leaned back. "They're loud, sticky, and have an alarming amount of energy for people who can't even tie their shoes."
Zadie gasped. "You can't be serious."
"I am," he said, resting his arm behind her on the bench. "They're just snot-nosed dwarves running around causing chaos. And they cry a lot."
Zadie turned to him, crossing her arms, mock offended. "That's such a grumpy-old-man take. Kids are adorable! You were a kid once."
"Yeah," he said flatly. "And I hated myself back then too."
Zadie laughed, shaking her head. "You're hopeless."
Then her eyes lit up with that dangerous gleam—the one that always meant she had an idea.
"How about this," she said, grinning. "Let's go to the Akira Orphanage… and adopt a kid for a week."
Xzavier nearly choked. "Adopt?"
"Temporarily!" she corrected. "Just for a week. Let's call it… exposure therapy. You'll see how amazing kids can be."
Xzavier looked horrified. "Or I'll wake up with crayon drawings on my face and peanut butter in my sword sheath."
She smirked. "Then it's settled. We're playing rock, paper, scissors."
He blinked. "What?"
"You win, we do something else for our next date. I win, we get a kid for a week. Deal?"
Xzavier sighed. "This is the dumbest game of high stakes I've ever played."
But he held out his hand anyway. They both shook.
"One… two… three…"
Zadie: Paper.
Xzavier: Rock.
Zadie squealed in victory. "YES!"
Xzavier slumped. "I knew it. This is how villains are born."
---
Later That Day – Akira Orphanage
The matron of the orphanage smiled warmly as she introduced a small child to them—a four-year-old boy with wild silver hair, curious emerald eyes, and a wide grin. He clung to a tattered plush dragon and wore mismatched socks.
"This is Nova," she said. "He's a little shy, but very sweet. He's been here since he was two."
Zadie knelt and waved at him. "Hey there, Nova! I'm Zadie. This is Xzavier."
Nova looked up at Xzavier, blinked, and whispered, "You look like a pirate."
Zadie stifled a laugh. Xzavier gave a tight smile. "Yeah. And you look like a goblin."
Nova gasped, then giggled.
---
Day One:
Nova was energetic. Too energetic. He raced through their apartment like a miniature berserker, pretending the floor was lava and swinging a rolled-up scroll like a sword. Zadie played along while Xzavier stayed on the couch, dodging toy attacks.
"You'll warm up to him," Zadie whispered.
"I'm already warming up," Xzavier muttered. "Because he turned the stove on and left it."
---
Day Two:
Nova followed Xzavier around everywhere—the training yard, the kitchen, even the bathroom door.
"You're strong," Nova said, eyes wide as Xzavier trained.
"Thanks," Xzavier replied.
"Can I be strong too?"
Xzavier paused. "Maybe. If you learn to control your sword and not use a toothbrush as one."
---
Day Three:
Zadie came down with a mild cold, leaving Xzavier in charge of Nova.
Xzavier had no idea what he was doing.
They ended up building a pillow fort and eating cereal for dinner.
Nova eventually fell asleep in his lap while watching cartoons. Xzavier didn't move. He looked down at the boy's peaceful face and felt something strange—warmth.
---
Day Four:
Nova asked about Xzavier's eyepatch.
"Did you lose your eye in battle?"
Xzavier hesitated. "Sort of."
"Does it hurt?"
"Not anymore."
Nova reached up and gently poked his own eye. "If I lose mine, can I be like you?"
Xzavier smiled faintly. "No, kid. Be better than me."
---
Day Five:
They took Nova to the city park. Zadie brought snacks, Xzavier brought his sword (just in case), and Nova brought his plush dragon.
They laughed. They played tag. For a moment, it felt like a real family.
That night, Nova looked up and whispered, "I wish you guys were my parents."
Zadie nearly cried.
Xzavier stayed silent, but something in his chest tightened.
---
Day Six:
Zadie painted Nova's face like a tiger. Xzavier pretended not to notice the tiger stripes Nova sneakily painted on his neck while he dozed off.
Later, Xzavier carried a sleeping Nova to bed. The boy stirred and mumbled, "Love you…"
Xzavier paused—just for a second—then whispered back, "...You too."
---
Day Seven:
They returned to the orphanage.
Nova clung to Zadie. Then to Xzavier. "Can I stay with you forever?" he asked, eyes brimming with tears.
Zadie hugged him tightly. "We'll come visit. I promise."
Nova turned to Xzavier, holding out his plush dragon. "For you."
Xzavier kneeled. "I'll protect it with my life."
---
As they walked away, Zadie sniffled. "So?"
Xzavier looked ahead, quiet for a moment.
Then he smirked. "Fine. Kids aren't that bad."
Zadie beamed. "I knew it."
Xzavier muttered under his breath, "Still loud, though."