Chapter 0.3: sofia's birth

Today, Sofia about to come to this world.

Hyena found himself standing outside the birthing room, before she even born ,a sterile, brightly lit space that hummed with human activity.

What am I even doing Here?, he thought.his brow furrowed, a rare display of confusion.

This is pointless and A waste of energy.

He turned to leave, the chaotic energy of the human world grating on his ordered senses, a discordant symphony of beeping machines and hushed voices.

Then, a sharp, piercing cry echoed from within the room, cutting through the sterile silence. A newborn's cry. It was Sofia.

Before he knew it, he was inside, drawn by an impulse he couldn't explain, an involuntary pull that defied his logical mind.

He watched as the medical staff tended to the infant, their movements efficient and practiced, their expressions a mix of professional detachment and quiet awe.

The mother lay exhausted, her eyes closed, her breathing shallow, while the baby, now cleaned and swaddled, was placed in a small, transparent cradle.

Sofia slept soundly, her tiny chest rising and falling rhythmically, her dark lashes resting against her smooth, brown cheeks.

Hyena watched her, his expression impassive, his mind cataloging every detail. Then, her dark eyes fluttered open, wide and curious.

She looked directly at him, her gaze unwavering.

"How dare you a mere human to look at me straight at my eyes" hyena said to her

A wide, toothless grin spread across her face, a smile that radiated pure, unfiltered joy, a light that seemed to fill the sterile room.

Hyena, despite his attempts to remain aloof, felt a strange warmth stir within him, a sensation as foreign as it was unsettling.

"Fine, I would let you go this time" while sulking hyena said to her

She reached out a tiny hand, her fingers grasping at the air, her movements clumsy and uncoordinated.

Hyena found himself drawn closer, an involuntary movement he couldn't quite control, his feet moving of their own accord.

Sofia’s tiny hand clasped around his finger, her grip surprisingly strong. Her smile grew brighter, and she cooed softly, a sound that seemed to vibrate through him, a gentle resonance that echoed in his usually silent mind.

He gave her a cold, emotionless look, trying to regain his composure, to reassert control over his errant emotions. But the warmth of her smile, the innocent joy in her eyes, contradicted his efforts, melting the ice around his heart.

Then, to his utter surprise, she began to suck on his finger, her tiny mouth working with surprising strength, her dark eyes fixed on his.

Hyena froze, stunned, his mind blank. He, the emotionless Guardian, the master of control, was being held captive by a newborn's tiny grasp, her innocent joy a foreign and unsettling sensation.

The room filled with the sounds of human voices, parents and relatives arriving to see the newborn, their voices a mix of hushed excitement and casual observation.

"Why is she so much darker than us?" Sofia's mother asked, her voice laced with a hint of disappointment, a subtle undercurrent of unease. "I thought she'd be at least a little fair, like you or me."

Hyena frowned, his brow furrowing, his mind struggling to comprehend their concern. Why do they even care? He thought, his gaze shifting between Sofia and her mother. It's just skin. A meaningless difference.

Sofia's father chuckled, but there was a tension in his smile, a forced lightness. "She's beautiful," he said, avoiding a direct answer.

Relatives arrived, their eyes lingering on Sofia's skin, their expressions a mix of curiosity and subtle disapproval. "Quite dark, isn't she?" one remarked, their tone casual but cutting, a casual cruelty that made Hyena’s frown deepen.

"Not like the rest of the family."

I don't get it, he thought, his mind racing, trying to process their illogical reactions.

I think She's…cute. He paused, his thoughts freezing mid-sentence, a strange, unfamiliar warmth spreading through him. Cute? What am I thinking?

Sofia, oblivious to their words, continued to smile, her dark eyes shining with innocent joy.

Hyena watched, a strange mix of emotions stirring within him, a chaotic storm of unfamiliar sensations.

He saw the parents' fleeting discomfort, the relatives' casual cruelty. He didn't understand their obsession with skin color. It seemed pointless, a waste of emotional energy.

But he saw Sofia's unwavering joy, her pure, radiant warmth.

It was a warmth that defied the coldness of the room, the casual prejudice in their words, a light that seemed to draw him in, against his will.

He didn't understand the pull he felt towards her, the strange fascination that held his gaze captive. But he knew, with a growing unease, that this brown-skinned baby, with her radiant smile, was going to change everything.

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