Chapter 6 (Timeskip)

A/N: Sorry it took so long, finals is one month away and I am graduating from school.

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It has been 2 years since Enrico had arrived in this world. Today is a very special day, so much so that everyone related to the Rose or those who are close friends are in a hurry.

This is because it's someone's birthday, and that someone is Summer. Today is her 9th birthday and Enrico is having a hard time on deciding what to give her.

Enrico at this time was all alone in his room, sitting on his desk while his fingers are interlocking one another. He was thinking... pondering... on what present he should give her.

Something to note is that his room was vastly different from when it was 2 years ago. Before it was just a mundane room with little to nothing at all besides a bed, a desk and a chair.

Now the room is filled with his personal belongings and books. His walls are plastered with pictures of him and Summer, some of them had her parents in it as well.

Some of those things plastered on his walls are some drawings that Summer made and had given it to him. It was something he cherished a lot since no one except Dio had given him anything meaningful.

Now back onto the topic about Enrico having a hard time choosing a present. Enrico wanted it to be meaningful because there was news of her unlocking her semblance at such an early age. He wanted to give her something to commemorate this day, something unforgettable.

'What... What should I give her.' Enrico thought to himself as he felt disheartened. Unable to think up of anything.

"Ugh... What should I do..." He muttered as he looks around his room, trying to find inspiration for anything.

"That's it! Cookies..." He said menacingly as he narrows his eyes out of the window.

'But how will I make them... Scarlet is the sole ruler of the kitchen. If I want to bake something there I need to distract her...'

Enrico then thought of an elaborate plan to distract Scarlet so that he can have all the time he needs to bake some cookies. But the problem is... Enrico doesn't know how to bake anything for that matter.

Enrico fell into despair and depression yet again as he doesn't know how to bake a cookie for his niece.

Enrico had an idea that popped up in his head, but he was reluctant of doing it because that would mean losing his pride. But Enrico was determined because pride meant nothing to him if he can't give Summer something.

Enrico sighs as he got up from his chair and went out of his room. He wasn't working today because he asked Christopher for a day off.

"Well... here goes nothing." Enrico went downstairs because he wanted to talk with Scarlet.

Walking downstairs he had met with Scarlet and Siegfried about to set up everything for Summer's birthday party. It was still early in the morning and Summer had already went to school.

"Oh, Enrico! Ya need anything?" Siegfried asks him as he carries a box full of decorations.

"Yeah, I need help from Scarlet."

"Oh, She's in the kitchen. Let me know if you need anything." He said as he went on to put up decorations.

Enrico then went to the kitchen announcing his arrival. "Uhh... Scarlet?" He peeked his head through the window of the kitchen that is connected to the living room.

"Oh, Enrico! I was wondering when you'd come down and help us." She said cheerfully.

"Sorry Scarlet, but I need a favour from you..." He sighs as he rubs the back of his head.

"Sure, anything for Summer's favourite 'uncle'." She said with a sly grin.

Enrico only gave her wry smile as a response before clearing his throat with a fake cough. "About the favour... I need your help on how to make some cookies." He blushes because he is embarrassed.

"Hmm... Let me think..." She gave him a thoughtful look before smiling and responding his question. "Nn.. Yes!"

Enrico sighs in relief because Scarlet is his rival when it comes to getting and giving affection to Summer. Siegfried on the other hand... He was just kinda there, not wanting to get involved.

"So Scarlet, I know there are a lot of flavours exist for cookies... Do you know what kind Summer likes." He said while mildly blushing in embarrassment.

"Well, she always say the original chocolate chips are superior because it is the primordial cookie. Whatever that means..." She said while scratching her head in confusion.

"Umm... I don't even know what to say to that. Anyways... Shall we get started?"

"Yes! but we have to hurry because she'll be back in 5 hours. Good thing that we had already prepared the cake! Sieg will get it at a later time, for now let's get started." She said as she handed Enrico one of her spare aprons.

Scarlet then guided Enrico and taught him how to make her super special secret cookies. It took him 3 hours after many trial and errors to barely get her approval of a passable cookies.

For some reason, every failed cookies he had make were black goops. It looked like it was alive and the fumes it emitted were poisonous. Thank god he was able to make edible cookies that were barely passable.

He had to persevere in making the cookies, because the last time they celebrated Summer's birthday he didn't even know it was her birthday. Therefore, he didn't prepared any gift. He still remembered her looking at him with a hopeful look, expecting a gift from him.

It still hurts him every time he remembers her being so disappointed of not getting anything from him.

Back to Enrico and Scarlet, both of them are now taste testing his newly baked batch of cookies.

"It's... passable." Scarlet said as she took a bite. "But seriously Enrico, how bad is your skills when it comes to making food?"

"Uhm..." Enrico too was shocked at his skills and he was at lost for words.

"Okay, let's just stop right there. We'll talk later on how to improve your cooking skills. For now help me finish setting up the decors, because he's busy getting the cake." She sighs as she pinches the bridge of her nose in frustration.

Never had she seen someone that bad at cooking, Enrico was nearly a hopeless fool that needs to do 3 times more work than other in terms of cooking.

Enrico was in a state of distraught, he was concerned at his cooking, flustered, distressed, and perplexed at how bad it was.

Enrico groans at himself as he kept the successful batch of cookies in a container for Summer later. 'I never thought I was this bad at something... I guess you win some, you lose some.' He thought to himself as he sighs.

He then went to the living room and saw Scarlet on a ladder setting up the balloons that says 'Happy Birthday'. Seeing her struggling to reach a higher, she pouts. But place he decided to take over, and let Scarlet hold the balloons for the time being so that she could pass it on to him.

"Thanks Enrico... atleast you're good at this." She tried not to laugh at his awful cookings moments ago.

Enrico the shot back with a comeback where it hurts her. "Atleast I'm not short." He said with a smirk as he glances at her.

"Grr... you'll regret this Enrico... I have my eyes on you." She squinted her eyes as she looks at him.

"I'M BACK!!" Siegfried came back as he slams the door open.

When he came back, he felt that the atmosphere was weird and he knew he came back at the worst possible time. This is because he knew Enrico and Scarlet would always butt heads against eachother.

"Hahaha... I'm not here at all. Please continue." Siegfried said as he slowly walks back and closed the door quietly.

"Oi! get back here and help us! Don't think you can slack off!" Scarlet said as she ran towards the door.

Enrico sighed with a smile and continued setting up the balloons. It was the last thing they needed to put up before everything is ready.

As Enrico's minds wandered, he looked back at his life for the past 2 years. He loves this new life of his much more than his previous one as it gave him a happiness he never had during his later stages of life.

Something not even Made In Heaven had given him. He had never felt more human before meeting with these folks. Because before this, he was much more inhumane. Something that many people would condemn him for his past actions.

He prayed to God every night to let it this last even just for a second longer. Even though he knew it was a futile attempt to grasp onto something like this forever. Something that would slip from his grasp as the clock ticks by. He still hopes for it.

This is what makes Enrico more human than he ever was before. Because, he now had someone new he dearly cared for.

After setting up the balloons, there was still 2 more hours before Summer would come back from school. He know had time to kill but he didn't know what to do.

And that is what still bothers him till this day, he had nothing to do and he was growing old. a few wrinkles has started to appear on his face but it was barely visible due to his Joestar physique.

Enrico sighs due to his predicament, he needed an actual hobby. Sure he is content with his life, but doing nothing to pass time is boring even for him. Unless he is watching the sunset, rise or stargazing with Summer.

"Hmm... maybe I should try hunting grimms. That could work... Need to ask Sieg's help with that..." He mumbles.

He couldn't just go in and out of the village as he pleased because no one knew how strong he truly is. To them, he is nothing but a normal human with no aura to protect him nor training to defend against a Grimm attack. So to protect civilians like him, they would limit them from going in and out of the village, and would only permit them to go outside if they had a Huntsman to accompany them.

Fortunately, he was pretty certain that Sieg would help him. But there was also a chance he would reject him out of good conscience.

'However... There is still one thing I would like to try with my powers.', Enrico thought as he pondered around.

If he could move the universe itself, then he would need the awareness to move it. Meaning he could sense nearly everything and everyone that has gravity weighing down on them. Even planets and stars gravitational pull.

This means, as long as there is gravity, he was near nigh-omniscient. But that doesn't mean he would learn secrets kept by someone in their head, like reading their mind. No, he would only know of their presences.

Then again, his mind is strong enough to process and map the entirety of the universe and it's inhabitants individually so that they would not be affected by the time acceleration. While at the same time moving the universe simultaneously to speed up time to infinity.

He was nearly invincible... no living organism is able to keep up in his time acceleration. The only one who could move freely within it is Pucci and essentially, God ...

But after spreading his awareness throughout the universe, he found nothing except a few aliens voyaging the cosmos and multiple alien life forms on other planets that are light years away and even other galaxies.

Although Enrico noticed some aliens, he didn't notice the Twin gods. There's a few reasons for this, one of which is that they are entities who belongs in a heaven state much like Enrico. Divinity... And they are also in their own private dimension to hide themselves from prying eyes.

Enrico unlike them still very much has a mortal body with emotions and morals holding him back. He's also being held back by attachments and flaws that which makes him still very much a human.

[Summer's POV]

'School is soooo boooriiing...' she thought to herself as she looks around at the market.

Then an idea popped into her little head 'Hmm... I should get Uncle a present. I'm sure he will like it.' She thought to herself as she giggled.

Summer then searched for her pockets for money and luckily for her she had some given to her parents as allowance, a measly 100 lien, which is enough to last a week when used to buy food. This is also a part of her training to spend and save her money responsibly.

With this, she looked around the market hoping to fond the perfect gift for her uncle. It took a while but she found it.

A handmade bracelet with Enrico's name on it. Other than that, she also got another identical bracelet, but with a different colour for herself with her name on it. Her's was coloured with red and black while Enrico's was black and white. The colour of the alphabetical engravings were coloured gold to make it stand out more.

When she ordered for these bracelets to be made, she had asked for assistance from the shopkeeper there to help her make it. It wasn't hard as it only took her 20 minutes to make it.

When she inspected the bracelets, she felt proud. 'Hehe, I'm sure Uncle will like it!' She thought to herself while looking at the bracelets in her little hands. She couldn't wait to give this to her uncle as she was proud of making it.

though she was still oblivious of her birthday party, something thing that totally slipped her mind as it was occupied with the bracelets and school.

When she was finally done admiring her work, she walked her way back home. It was less than 3 minutes away by foot.

When she reached for the door handle and opened the door. She was greeted with a suprise party.

"SUPRISE!" Yelled everyone at her as they popped the confettis.

The ones who were present at the birthday party were her parents, grandparents, Enrico, Casper, Christopher and his family, and a few of Siegfried's and Scarlet's friends, who brought their own family. Although crowded, it was pretty lively.

It took her a few seconds to process what had happened before the people present yelled out.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUMMER!"

Surprisingly, Casper who was the quiet one even yelled out. Albeit, still keeping his voice lower than anyone.

"OMHGOSHOHMYGOSHOHMYGOSH!!!" She yelled out as her eyes widen. She had completely forgotten about her birthday.

"Suprise my little cookie!" Her dad said as he scooped her up into his arms.

"Do you like your birthday party little one?" Her dad said as he walks up to the crowd of friends and family.

"Yes! Oh ThankyouThankyouThankyouuuu!!!" She screamed in excitement as she hugs her dad.

"Hahahaha! We even got you your favourite flavoured birthday cake! Velvet Cookies and chips with caramel toppings and the edges are a little crispy for that extra crunchiness that you like so much in your cookies!" Siegfried said with enthusiasm as he puts her down in a chair that was in front of the cake.

When she was shocked as her birthday party this year was much more grander than before. She wasn't complaining, but she was touched by her family.

When she was stared at her birthday cake, they sang happy birthday to her and then took a picture of her cutting the cake with Enrico and her family.

It was a joyous occasion for everyone. After a few minutes after the cake was cut, a few more people arrived. That being her friends and her some of her teachers.

They greeted each other in excitement before playing tag and hide n' seek.

It took 2 hours before the kids were exhausted, keep in mind they had their aura unlocked.

When the kids were exhausted, they ate and ate until they couldn't. Summer who had her fill went to find Enrico, who was in the kitchen.

"Uncle?" She called out as she saw him rummaging around the cabinet.

"Oh, Summer? Did you have fun playing with your friends." He asked as he turns around and hid something behind his back.

"Yes! This was the best birthday I ever had!" She said jumping around.

"Well, I have present for you Summer. It's not much but... here." He handed out a bag of cookies.

"Is this... what I think it is...?" She asked.

"Yep... you favourite snacks cookies! I made it myself." He said whilst having a small smile. "Although, it did take a few tries..." He chuckles as Summer took the cookies out of his hand.

She was touched that her uncle made her favourite snacks. When she took one of the cookies, she ate it and her eyes swelled up with tears.

She cried as she ate the cookie. Enrico looked at her with worries as he asked her. "Was it... that bad?" he kneeled to her level.

"No! It was good... It's just... Thank you Uncle..." She said, giving him a hug.

Enrico who had a worried looked was surprised, then smiled and hugged her back.

"There... There... I'm not sure what you wanted, so this was the only thing that came to my mind. I'm hope like it..." He tightens his hug.

Summer who was hugging him cried harder as no one but her family gave this much love to her.

Enrico was someone special in her heart, someone could never be replaced.

"Your cookies was a little bland tho..." She said sniffling on his shoulders.

Enrico chuckles at her comment before replying. "Then I'll just have to improve. Although I'm not sure if your mother would allow me into the kitchen again..." He muttered before continuing. "And Summer... I love you. You're like a child I never had."

Summer was happy, and she hoped that this moment would last forever but alas...

When she stopped crying, she took off without saying a word. Enrico just smiled as he saw her ran away, thinking that she was embarrassed that she cried in front of him.

Or so he thought, because she came back with something behind her back. "I forgotten about this but... this is my gift for you uncle." She gave him the handmade bracelet.

Enrico surprised because today was not his birthday, nor was it a special day connecting to him.

"This... it's..." Enrico who was at lost for word took the bracelet and wore it on his wrist.

No one had ever given him something like this. The only one who did gave him something special was his friend, Dio.

"It's beautiful Summer..." He said while smiling.

"Look Look! I got a similar one for myself!" She pointed her bracelet out with a big smile.

"Haha, I like love this gift Summer. I will cherish this from the bottom of my heart." He said whilst patting her little head.

Enrico smiled as he realised that he was getting old, while at the same time watching someone grow up.

It was weird for him, he didn't like the idea of dying, but he also didn't try and cling onto it desperately.

He also doesn't like hoping for things because he believed that things needed to be done with your own hands.

To him, even though he hopes because he prayed to God for this to last as long as it can... To him... hope is like a disease that everybody clings onto.

Because once that hope crumbles away, humans falter in their steps and gives up... This is why he hated and loved the idea of hope.

Because hope and despair are two sides of the same coin. Where there is hope, there will always be despair and where there is despair, there will always be hope.

A delicate balance where one does not cling too much on it. A delicate balance that could collapse with just a slight imbalance or disturbance.

This is what the idea of hope is to Enrico. He doesn't hate the idea, but he knew it was something he could not run away from it no matter how fast he is because of Summer... She is the light in his life, yet that thing could be snuff out with just a gust of wind.

Once that light has been snuffed out, he would fall into despair because he is too dependent on her to make himself happy, and he himself doesn't even realise it even though he is aware of his idea of hope...

★To be continued ★

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