Silence.
Absolute silence from the other side of the line.
Then—embarrassment.
"Oh." Nadia said quietly. "I-I see. It seems like I misunderstood."
Then, shyly, timidly, in a voice so small and vulnerable that Mika almost couldn't believe it was coming from the mighty Nadia, the Ice Cold Queen of the Battle Angels she said,
"S-Sorry, Mika. I didn't think of that. I just...I got excited."
"I guess I'm so desperate for anything from my daughter that the thought of touching her tail again made me...happy."
"Sorry...for saying such a silly thing. Just forget I even mentioned it."
Hearing this, Mika's heart absolutely broke.
He hadn't expected that.
He knew Nadia struggled with her relationship with Astrid.
He knew there was distance and pain and years of unresolved conflict.
But to think she was so desperate—so utterly, achingly desperate for even a piece of fur from her own daughter's tail?
That was heartbreaking.
That was devastating.
That was wrong.
