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“You don’t have to love me.”
“Papa. Why are you crying?”
It was the Wild West, but not by choice. By some strange phenomenon and future time lapse, there was a Time Machine that suddenly appeared in this era. The one who witnessed this sight was a simple farm girl who was washing the cattle for her father. The reason why she was doing this by herself was because her father was out to town to buy some groceries for the nights dinner. If she didn’t finish by the time he gets home, he would use his belt to improve her efficiency.
Even though she was used to this, she still didn’t like it. But she didn’t understand why her papa was home so early and not using his belt. In fact, he looked different. He looked like a knight she would read in fairy tail. On his armor, she could see his name writte over his hear, along with another name.
United States Marine Corp, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion.
“Sweety, listen to me okay. I don’t have much time to spare. I have to pursue a CIA agent gone rogue from my time who hijacked the time-leaping system to kill Abraham Lincoln three days earlier. I have to stop him before he messes up my timeline for some messed up political motive.”
“Papa. I don’t understand. You never touched me like this before. You're very soft and gentle. Did I do something wrong?”
“Honestly, my multiverse counterpart, what the H*ll have you been doing to my sweet little daughter!?”
"Are you sick? Mama said not to drink moonshine from strangers. It will make you go loopy."
“...N-no. Sweety. I've given up the bottle a long time ago. I even go to Alcohol Anonymous for counselling too, I swear!... Never mind. F-frankly, I’m not the same… person, you normally see. But I still love you!”
“Papa, you’re confusing me.”
The little farm girl tilted her head at this man with the name United States Marine Corp labeled on his chest. The man in the modern looking knight armor with holographic headset and a futuristic rifle strapped to his back. The little girl was still confused about seeing her father dressed up like this, but he still continued regardless.
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“Listen to me, because I want to tell you something I didn’t have the chance to tell you before… Don’t wear white, it makes you look plain. Plaid makes you look too round on screen, and you should grow out your hair. Boys dig the ponytail.”
“… Okay.”
“And listen to your mom okay? Because daddy is always getting deployed to one country after another to fight evil Special Forces to save the world every day, we won’t have time to visit you on your birthdays. But, I’ll do my best to at least show up on your wedding, alright?”
“But papa, I’m eight years old.”
“Trust me. When you work for the military, it takes years before you could properly see your family again. This isn’t just working overseas as a hard working salary man situation. There is no such thing as 'taking the day off' or 'calling sick' when serving the United States Marine Corp. It's why we uphold our motto of honor, courage, and commitment.”
“Hmm. Okay.”
The little farm girl nodded. She was still holding onto the mop in her hands as her father in the futuristic armor held her by the small shoulder.
“… I’m sorry.”
“Papa?”
“I’ve never been there when you always needed me. I couldn’t even make it to your university graduation.”
“Papa, I’m still eight.”
“I’m sorry I rejected you when you told me you got a boyfriend.”
“Heh? I-I thought you scared off every boy in town from playing with me?”
“I’m sorry I didn’t accept you when you got pregnant.”
“….. I am?”
The little girl put a hand to her stomach. It was flat and soft. As if realizing this fact, the eight year old let out a sigh of relief.
“Phew. If Papa found out I had a baby without you knowing, Papa would punish me with your rake all day.”
“GOD-D@MN IT ALTERNATE ME!”
Her father carrying the name of United Stated Marine Corp on his chest grabbed at his helmet with an unearthly scream. For some reason, he started to hate himself even more from whatever thoughts or possible imaginations he was experiencing in his mind only.
“….Darling… I’m sorry… Daddy loves you… but you don’t have to love me.”
"…………………………………………….”
“….. I have to go now. I’m already running late with a coordinate assault on the enemy forces from a foreign nation hijacking this timeframe. I've already broken every Time Walking Protocol known in the Department of Defense from doing this, but since the moment I saw you - I had to take this opportunity to tell you how I feel…… It’s my only chane to tell you now.”
“……………………………………………”
“……………… Grow up to be a good girl, kay sweetheart?”
“….. I love you papa.”
The girl who didn’t like having her father’s belt touch her, suddenly said those words to the same-looking father who wore futuristic armor with the name of United States Marine Corp labeled over his heart. The man from another time frame broke down with a tight hug to someone who only looked like his daughter in appearance.
He swore after this mission, he will visit her memorial back in his timeframe with lots of flowers.