Cold

A/N: WARNING WARNING Please go back and read the last chapter if you haven't. I updated it from "not a chapter" to an actual chapter. END OF WARNING

This was a little hard to write as it's from a child's perspective. But hopefully, I did okay.

*Song of the Day: Shadow Lady by Portwave*

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---Jaya 1st POV---

What was that?

Is that real?

Is it possible to get that big?

Does Dad have to fight that?

These thoughts rushed through my head as I looked at the giant that stood on the field scratching its blood-red hair.

My dad has just finished his fight. It was super cool to see him win. But I was worried. He was cut up pretty badly. Cuts hurt. I had a paper cut and I cried from it. But mine didn't even bleed.

Dad's cuts were bleeding, and he never stopped smiling. How?

I watched my father come out of the gate once more. But unlike the other times, he didn't look at me. He stared straight at the giant of a human. The smile he had on his face was gone.

He just stared at the giant as the announcer spoke, a face of pure determination, not joy. But I didn't pay attention to that. I was worried about Dad. He was bleeding a lot.

Then he started dashing at the Giant. But he was a lot slower compared to when he was fighting earlier.

As he ran up the size difference was very apparent. The giant was twice as tall as he was. My dad just reached up to the giant's waist.

Luckily my dad was still up to the task of fighting, he smoothly dodged the giant tree swung at him.

He landed a hit on the giant but it didn't seem to do anything, then he got hit and time froze.

This was the first time I have seen Dad being hit back into the ground.

'Please be okay Dad.' I crossed my fingers as I sat on the couch.

As if answering my prayers Dad just rolled on the ground, dodging another close call before running at the giant, seemingly unfazed.

Then as Dad got close, the giant whipped out his leg and kicked him hard. Unlike the last hit, my dad flew across the arena at a breakneck pace, skipping across the ground like a stone over water.

'No. No. NO! Dad is invincible. This can't be happening.' I heard the man beside me let out a dark laugh. It gave me chills. Dad just lay there for a second, before slowly getting to his knees. 'Come on Dad. Get up. Get up! You don't lose.'

Dad slowly got to his feet. But it was bad. Blood was leaking from his mouth and his forehead was bleeding as well. His arms were skinned and they were bloody red.

He was more red than brown now.

'Come on Dad.'

The giant looked just fine. He was holding his knee but seemed okay otherwise. Meanwhile, my father was barely standing.

Dad started running towards the giant, rolling around him before he was able to make the giant fall. I guess the giant's knee hurt more than I thought.

He threw one of his golden wraps around the giant's neck and pulled him back as if restraining a bull.

The giant then dragged the wraps and my father around to the front. I don't know how he held on, he was slung around like a yoyo. Then Dad was on his chest.

He was okay, but the giant clawed his back. Dad didn't even notice as he just kept holding onto the wraps.

After what felt like an eternity the giant fell over. I didn't know when, but sometime during the fight I had gotten up and was against the glass looking at my dad.

He was hurt. Bad. He was bleeding from every part of his body. Then he turned to me, gave me a thumbs up, and smiled. But the smile wasn't the same. It didn't hold the same energy.

I saw my dad slowly make his way out of the arena.

'Was he coming back to me?'

'He needs a doctor.'

'A doctor can fix him.'

'Dad is invincible. He will be okay.'

Thoughts raced through my head before I turned to the strange man.

"Is my dad going to be okay?"

"Probably not." The man replied steadily. His eyes never left the giant lying on the arena floor.

"What do you mean! My dad is invincible."

"Nobody is invincible."

"But my dad is!"

"Listen little girl." The man turned to me as he snarled. "Your little daddy fought for over an hour fighting opponents most of the world would die too. He has continuously lost blood and energy. I would be surprised if he is even able to walk to this room right now."

My vision got a little blurry as I stared at the mean man.

"Well... He can go to the doctor and get better!" I yelled.

"Unfortunately for him, I don't have any doctors here. After all, I never promised to get him a doctor. By the time he gets to a doctor... who knows if he will live. I didn't prepare one as your father is simply here to pay off a debt he owes me." The man gave me a side glance. "Mainly because of you. Because you were weak, your dad needed me to help him take care of someone. Because of this, he owed me a debt. He was always careful about not owing me debts. Luckily you brought him right to my doorstep. If anything, his current state is your fault. Not mine."

The man took a short pause, taking a sip from a glass of red wine. "You should get him to the doctor. If he doesn't.... well... he will probably die."

As he said these words I didn't even listen to him as I ran out the door. The same door that my father had left out earlier.

I sprinted past men in suits and out the big doors. I ran as fast as I could.

'Was this all my fault? Why did Dad owe a debt because of me? How can I get him a doctor? Is there one here?'

My feet stepped over the soft ground as I saw someone in at the end of the hall slowly making their way down the hall.

It was my dad.

I ran and jumped into his chest. He stumbled back as he held me. He was bloody and cold, but I didn't care.

"Daddy are you okay?!" I asked as I looked at him.

He didn't reply he just looked at me. One of his eyes seemed to be filled with blood. But I still felt his gaze on me.

He didn't say anything, but he did smile. This time it wasn't the crazy smile or the forced smile. It was his smile. The one he always had on him.

He put me down gently on the ground. His grip slipped as he set me down and he almost slumped over.

"DAD!"

"Jaya." My dad said. His voice was warm as it always, but his situation was betrayed by how cold his hands were right now. "Are you okay?"

"Y…Yea." My voice seemed like someone took one of Percy's stuffed animals and shoved it in my throat. I rubbed the tears out of my eyes.

"Good…good." My dad muttered. His head nodded slowly towards the floor before he snapped his head towards me, but this time, his eyes weren't focused. "See your… old man in action? Pretty… cool huh?

"So cool Daddy... You never gave up." I grabbed his hands. They were cold. "Daddy. You need a doctor. We need to go."

Dad didn't register the words. He just kept looking at me with that far-off gaze. He was scaring me.

"Never give up Jaya. I... I love you, Jaya... Let's… go home… we can… cook… and spar a little." (A/N: Paternal love you incels.)

"Daddy. Please. Get up. Please. We have to get to a doctor."

Then my dad slumped into my arms.

"DADDY!" I screamed as I shook him. My voice hurt. Why couldn't he get up? We had to go to the doctor.

I just held my father, crying, and kept calling his name. He didn't respond. I don't know what to do. I don't know where to go. I do know Dad needs me. I just needed to be here with my dad.

I felt a hand on my shoulder as a gruff voice spoke up. I looked up to see Uncle Anthony. The man who brought me here.

He also had tears running down his face.

"Jaya. You need to let go so I can carry him out."

I looked at my dad who I was holding. He was so cold. I slowly let go. And Anthony picked him up and we slowly left.

We passed by a large group of people. They all didn't say a word as they stared at me as I followed Anthony up a set of long dark stairs.

After an eternity we reached the lobby. Outside red and blue lights were flashing. An ambulance sat outside.

When the EMTs saw my dad they rushed toward him, took him from Anthony, and laid him on the ground. They yelled at each other while rushing around him.

I just stood a few feet away. Alone. Uncle was speaking with some of the EMTs.

But I wasn't looking at them. I was looking at my father. His always bright smile wasn't there. His bright happy voice and large warm hugs weren't there. He just lay still on the cold wet concrete.

They brought out a pair of irons from the ambulance and put it on my father's chest.

It made his body bounce in the air. I had seen this in a cop show. Dad's heart stopped. They were trying to restart it.

This was my fault.

I was weak and my dad came here.

Dad came here because of me.

My Dad's heart stopped because of me.

I killed Dad.

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A/N: 1.7K words