(no subject)
Characters: Lockon Stratos meteo_sniper, Tieria Erde fragile_proud
When: just recently, a day or two after Minato disappearance
Where: Meisters apartment, Tieria's room
Rating: G
Summary: Lockon noticed change in Tieria's behavior, and decided to investigate what caused it. Nearly forcing his company upon Tieria in "mourning",
Lockon waited a longer moment before knocking.
Possibly a too long, but he was very careful around Tieria recently, and he still wasn't sure if it was a good move. That knocking. But the kid nearly locked himself in his room all gloomy and depressed. As much as Tieria can look depressed of course.
Something happened, and Lockon didn't know what it was. The easiest way is to simply ask, but then comes the wondering if that asking won't make situation worser.
Even if it will, he couldn't wait any longer. There were times when the purple-haired pilot needed help, but he never asked for it. It could very much be one of those times. At least Lockon intuition was telling him so.
Tieria sat on his bed, staring absently at the wall. He couldn't reach Minato through the PCD, and neither was he in his room at the clinic. Just now... he had learned from Faust that Minato wasn't there anymore. He most probably won't see Minato again.
Tieria buried his head in his hands. Was it supposed to feel like this? Did Minato leave him on his own accord? Faust said something about fulfilling his duty...
The Dark Hour.
But still.. this just seemed like... he didn't care. Like someone else he had put his trust in. Perhaps, he should stop trusting all-together, even if he still did so with Sion... and started it with Fai. But perhaps it was all just wrong.
Suddenly he heard a knocking at the door. He didn't know if he should respond, but he did anyways. "Who's there?"
"It's me" Lockon responded "Can I come in?"
"Lockon Stratos," he asked. Why did Lockon come over now? Tieria wasn't sure if he liked company right now, but if he said no, he would only make his leader worry even more.
So, he tried to put up the best stoic face he could manage for now, before he answered. "Yes, you may come in."
Tieria stood up to open the door.
"I thought I'd bring you some candies. It's not easy to find them so I want to share." Lockon smiled to the boy as he entered the room, but his eyes observed him carefully - oh yes, that blank face they all knew so well. But the sniper couldn't help but think that it covered something other then it usually did. It was not annoyance - not only it, at least - that was in Tieria's eyes.
"Candies?", Tieria asked startled. Why should Lockon bring him now candies? "Lockon Stratos, you know... that I am not too much into sweets..."
Tieria tilted his head to the side. "I'm sure someone else would enjoy them more."
Lockon chuckled "That's true. I just needed an excuse."
"An excuse? An excuse for what?", Tieria knitted his eyebrows.
"Excuse to get your company."
Tieria sighed. "Why do you want my company?"
He had just had an horrible argument with Kamui, Minato disappeared, everything went down right now. Why did Lockon want his company now?
"Because I enjoy it." Now sniper was sure. Something was definitely wrong, something happened. He sat on the bed and gestured Tieria to sit next to him. "And I had that feeling you may need me right now."
Now he said that again. That he would enjoy his company. Tieria didn't know what was there to enjoy. He didn't talk much and it all ended in Lockon getting worried, sad or in any other bad mood.
But Tieria just silently followed Lockon's gesture and sat down next to him, surprised at Lockon's next statement. "Need you? Why should I need you right now?"
Lockon gently placed a hand on boy's shoulder, slightly bringing their bodies together. It wasn't enough for a real hug or embrace - he wasn't sure if Tieria would like that - but it still was a contact. He knew that his worry probably was seen on his face right now - good, this time, he wanted it to be seen.
"Tieria, would you tell me what happened?" he asked softly.
"W-what are you doing?", Tieria was surprised at the sudden contact. Why did Lockon do something like that right now? Was... Lockon worried?
Tieria didn't want him to worry, he had caused him enough problems already, he shouldn't add another one on the list. He tried to remove Lockon's hand from his shoulder. "Nothing special, nothing you need to worry about," Tieria said firmly.
Bingo, so he was right. Lockon sighed and took his hand from Tieria's shoulder, only to put it on boys head. "You're waiting for Sion to return. I know I'm not her and I can't help you as good as her, but you can trust me a little bit."
Tieria bit his lower lip, trying to ignore the hand on his head. "I... do trust you, Lockon."
Or so he hoped.
Lockon smiled, a little sad. He wasn't sure if it was the truth, but he didn't blame the boy for distancing himself. Sniper was aware he failed as their leader in this place.
"I'm glad."
He didn't say anything more. If Tieria really trust and need him, he will say what's going on by his own will. Being nosy and forceful would only do worse.
'This is just getting worse,' Tieria came to that conclusion in his mind. He wanted to trust Lockon, he really did, but at the same time, it was so difficult to do that. Just because of that, well, wish, that Lockon had ignored back than, he shouldn't lose completely the faith into their leader.
"M-Minato... is gone...", it was barely a whisper. Tieria clenched his fists. It was worth trying to rebuild here something, right?
Lockon closed his eyes, exhaling breath. Now everything made sense. That boy, he was really dear to Tieria.
"Gone as in, he's lost somewhere here, or...he was sent back home?"
"Well... Faust assumes, that he's back home, fulfilling his duty... ", most probably alongside his friend Junpei. That Dark Hour seemed indeed like a horrible thing, and let alone that Minato used Persona every night there just made him feel sick. He covered his mouth with a hand.
And he was just gone, without saying goodbye, nothing, He was just away, leaving him here, alone.
"So.. like Ritsuka and Soubi." Lockon muttered. So there was way back. Somehow it was possible to get back. Was it happening randomly, or those who disappeared simply found it? And when they found it, they had to use it immediately and couldn't share information with others? Makes little sense, but it's not time for theories.
"I'm sorry, Tieria." again, a whisper, as he hugged the boy.
Tieria nodded slightly and just let himself pull into the hug. But did he really want that? This only reminded him of all the times Minato did it, and did he really wanted to remember that now?
"Why do you apologize... ?", Tieria tried to say it as stoic as possible, hoping that his voice wouldn't crack.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you." he hugged him tighter. "You must feel really alone now, don't you?"
And, didn't he do that all the time? But he didn't want to make such a comment, but also... somehow, he didn't want this... pity?
He placed both his hands firmly on Lockon's shoulders to move away a bit. "It's not your fault... and... it's nothing too special, like I said it."
Lockon let him move away, but he didn't took his hands away. He looked straight into Tieria's eyes. "It's very serious Tieria, don't lie to me." his tone serious, but was gradually softening. "You're suffering, and feeling all alone right now. It hurts to lose someone close to you, I know."
Tieria looked down to avoid Lockon's gaze. Even though he struggled to suppress it, he could feel that there were tears coming up in his eyes. He didn't want to cry, not in front of someone.
"And... how can I feel all alone when you are around?" Tieria sat there, unmoving.
Lockon shook his head, feeling a rush of compassion and a very...sibling-relation-like feeling to the purple-haired boy. Well at least he wasn't un welcomed here.
Was considered a company.
He knelt in front of Tieria, taking his hands into his palm, while other covered them. "I don't want to let you feel all alone." he said softly. "Loneliness hurts. I don't want you to be hurt even more then this. Your ways parted so cry. Cry all your heart out if you need to. But remember you're not alone, and I will be here to wipe those tears away and support you."
Oh, he knew it sounded cheesy, very very cheesy, but such words worked sometimes in situations like this. He didn't want Tieria to feel all abandoned. Sure, they all run through harsh times and conflicts among each other..but they also were a team - a family, of screwed one kind - one for all, all for all.
Tieria didn't know what to do with these reassuring words, this was somehow just the way Lockon was... but still, there was something that bothered him to let his tears fall freely. It was... Lockon always said such tings, but when it came to him and his problems, he never told an of them.
So why should it be okay? Tieria sniffled a bit. Crying in front of someone was still hard.
"I'll be okay", he said calmly. "It will work out, somehow."
Lockon just sighed, still kneeling when he was, his hands still cupping Tieria's hands. "You will, but you're not now. If you want someone to talk to, someone to listen, someone to embrace and support you, I'm here." he chuckled without much of humour "Even if you want someone to kick or punch I'm free at service too."
"There is no reason to kick or punch you", Tieria stated dryly. There were enough people who he could kick or punch, if he wanted to. It didn't need to be Lockon who should suffer from his anger.
Tieria gazed to his side, mustering the blanket of his bed, trying to find the right words for what he wanted to express.
"A-and if I offered you the same... would you take it?", Tieria asked the question which had been bothering him for a while now.
Fai said to him always that he didn't want to keep secrets, so perhaps...
Tieria's question surprised sniper. So it was still bothering him? True, Lockon knew he was holding a little too much secrets, and hiding his feelings too well. But the mask began cracking recently and all that filth had started becoming visible.
And sometimes, just sometimes, he was glad. He wanted to talk, to share something of this.
But that also made him feeling guilty, and irresponsible - he's the leader, he should be able to work his issues alone on his own.
Yet, such offer. It was tempting, perhaps too tempting.
Grip of his hands tightened a little before he answered. "I would. I promise."
Tieria blinked a bit and stared at Lockon. He actually would... ? He didn't expect that Lockon would say something like that, not after all the secrets he had hidden, even in this world.
This made Tieria... happy, very happy. So he would start to open up for real?
"Really?", he asked.
He could feel how some of his tears started to drop from his eyes, but he didn't know if those were now the ones of happiness or the ones of sadness.
"Really" Lockon reached to the pocket, hoping to find a tissue pack there. And - oh, luck! - he had some. Suddenly one of his hand was under Tieria's chin, while the other gently wiped tears off boy face.
"It won't be easy for me, but I'll keep trying."
He just sat there and waited. It needed some times till the meaning of those words reached finally through to him. So, Lockon at least promised him to try it? This was better than nothing.
Tieria pulled Lockon in a sudden hug. It was a bit awkward, since he didn't do such things usually with people, but right now, he just felt like to do it.
Now, that surprised Lockon even more, but it wasn't an unwanted gesture. He returned the hug, feeling almost happy - in weird way, because this wasn't time to be happy, with Minato disappearance and such, but sniper always considered himself a selfish man - for seeing such gesture from Tieria.
Tieria still sobbed a bit, but Lockon said it was okay, wasn't it? Tieria had really the opinion that, after Minato left, everything would turn back the ways they were. Of course he did trust Sion - she was important to him - but Lockon was special in the way, since he was the first person he actually ever had trusted.
Tieria clung a bit tighter to the taller man, just enjoying the warm contact.
Lockon kept the boy in his arms, as long as it was needed. Rocking them slightly, ona hand entangled in purple hair. He didn't said anything, maybe there were some words that should be spoken, but sniper didn't knew them.
He could be the most social of the group, but the truth was all of them had some sort of communication issues.
Tieria stood still for a while with his eyes closed, but decided to open them slowly again. That talk... even if it didn't have many words, it felt like was something they should have talked about long ago.
"Thank you, Lockon", Tieria whispered.
"Pleasure is mine." sniper winked and moved some unruly hair out of Tieria face. "Can I do anything to make you feel better?"
Tieria shook his head slightly. "N-not really...", he mumbled. Because... whatever happened, nothing could replace Minato, but...
"Perhaps... just stay for a while," he covered his mouth with one hand. He hoped that wouldn't be too much to ask.
Lockon nodded and smiled. "I will stay. As long as you will need me, I will be close."
When: just recently, a day or two after Minato disappearance
Where: Meisters apartment, Tieria's room
Rating: G
Summary: Lockon noticed change in Tieria's behavior, and decided to investigate what caused it. Nearly forcing his company upon Tieria in "mourning",
Lockon waited a longer moment before knocking.
Possibly a too long, but he was very careful around Tieria recently, and he still wasn't sure if it was a good move. That knocking. But the kid nearly locked himself in his room all gloomy and depressed. As much as Tieria can look depressed of course.
Something happened, and Lockon didn't know what it was. The easiest way is to simply ask, but then comes the wondering if that asking won't make situation worser.
Even if it will, he couldn't wait any longer. There were times when the purple-haired pilot needed help, but he never asked for it. It could very much be one of those times. At least Lockon intuition was telling him so.
Tieria sat on his bed, staring absently at the wall. He couldn't reach Minato through the PCD, and neither was he in his room at the clinic. Just now... he had learned from Faust that Minato wasn't there anymore. He most probably won't see Minato again.
Tieria buried his head in his hands. Was it supposed to feel like this? Did Minato leave him on his own accord? Faust said something about fulfilling his duty...
The Dark Hour.
But still.. this just seemed like... he didn't care. Like someone else he had put his trust in. Perhaps, he should stop trusting all-together, even if he still did so with Sion... and started it with Fai. But perhaps it was all just wrong.
Suddenly he heard a knocking at the door. He didn't know if he should respond, but he did anyways. "Who's there?"
"It's me" Lockon responded "Can I come in?"
"Lockon Stratos," he asked. Why did Lockon come over now? Tieria wasn't sure if he liked company right now, but if he said no, he would only make his leader worry even more.
So, he tried to put up the best stoic face he could manage for now, before he answered. "Yes, you may come in."
Tieria stood up to open the door.
"I thought I'd bring you some candies. It's not easy to find them so I want to share." Lockon smiled to the boy as he entered the room, but his eyes observed him carefully - oh yes, that blank face they all knew so well. But the sniper couldn't help but think that it covered something other then it usually did. It was not annoyance - not only it, at least - that was in Tieria's eyes.
"Candies?", Tieria asked startled. Why should Lockon bring him now candies? "Lockon Stratos, you know... that I am not too much into sweets..."
Tieria tilted his head to the side. "I'm sure someone else would enjoy them more."
Lockon chuckled "That's true. I just needed an excuse."
"An excuse? An excuse for what?", Tieria knitted his eyebrows.
"Excuse to get your company."
Tieria sighed. "Why do you want my company?"
He had just had an horrible argument with Kamui, Minato disappeared, everything went down right now. Why did Lockon want his company now?
"Because I enjoy it." Now sniper was sure. Something was definitely wrong, something happened. He sat on the bed and gestured Tieria to sit next to him. "And I had that feeling you may need me right now."
Now he said that again. That he would enjoy his company. Tieria didn't know what was there to enjoy. He didn't talk much and it all ended in Lockon getting worried, sad or in any other bad mood.
But Tieria just silently followed Lockon's gesture and sat down next to him, surprised at Lockon's next statement. "Need you? Why should I need you right now?"
Lockon gently placed a hand on boy's shoulder, slightly bringing their bodies together. It wasn't enough for a real hug or embrace - he wasn't sure if Tieria would like that - but it still was a contact. He knew that his worry probably was seen on his face right now - good, this time, he wanted it to be seen.
"Tieria, would you tell me what happened?" he asked softly.
"W-what are you doing?", Tieria was surprised at the sudden contact. Why did Lockon do something like that right now? Was... Lockon worried?
Tieria didn't want him to worry, he had caused him enough problems already, he shouldn't add another one on the list. He tried to remove Lockon's hand from his shoulder. "Nothing special, nothing you need to worry about," Tieria said firmly.
Bingo, so he was right. Lockon sighed and took his hand from Tieria's shoulder, only to put it on boys head. "You're waiting for Sion to return. I know I'm not her and I can't help you as good as her, but you can trust me a little bit."
Tieria bit his lower lip, trying to ignore the hand on his head. "I... do trust you, Lockon."
Or so he hoped.
Lockon smiled, a little sad. He wasn't sure if it was the truth, but he didn't blame the boy for distancing himself. Sniper was aware he failed as their leader in this place.
"I'm glad."
He didn't say anything more. If Tieria really trust and need him, he will say what's going on by his own will. Being nosy and forceful would only do worse.
'This is just getting worse,' Tieria came to that conclusion in his mind. He wanted to trust Lockon, he really did, but at the same time, it was so difficult to do that. Just because of that, well, wish, that Lockon had ignored back than, he shouldn't lose completely the faith into their leader.
"M-Minato... is gone...", it was barely a whisper. Tieria clenched his fists. It was worth trying to rebuild here something, right?
Lockon closed his eyes, exhaling breath. Now everything made sense. That boy, he was really dear to Tieria.
"Gone as in, he's lost somewhere here, or...he was sent back home?"
"Well... Faust assumes, that he's back home, fulfilling his duty... ", most probably alongside his friend Junpei. That Dark Hour seemed indeed like a horrible thing, and let alone that Minato used Persona every night there just made him feel sick. He covered his mouth with a hand.
And he was just gone, without saying goodbye, nothing, He was just away, leaving him here, alone.
"So.. like Ritsuka and Soubi." Lockon muttered. So there was way back. Somehow it was possible to get back. Was it happening randomly, or those who disappeared simply found it? And when they found it, they had to use it immediately and couldn't share information with others? Makes little sense, but it's not time for theories.
"I'm sorry, Tieria." again, a whisper, as he hugged the boy.
Tieria nodded slightly and just let himself pull into the hug. But did he really want that? This only reminded him of all the times Minato did it, and did he really wanted to remember that now?
"Why do you apologize... ?", Tieria tried to say it as stoic as possible, hoping that his voice wouldn't crack.
"I'm sorry for what happened to you." he hugged him tighter. "You must feel really alone now, don't you?"
And, didn't he do that all the time? But he didn't want to make such a comment, but also... somehow, he didn't want this... pity?
He placed both his hands firmly on Lockon's shoulders to move away a bit. "It's not your fault... and... it's nothing too special, like I said it."
Lockon let him move away, but he didn't took his hands away. He looked straight into Tieria's eyes. "It's very serious Tieria, don't lie to me." his tone serious, but was gradually softening. "You're suffering, and feeling all alone right now. It hurts to lose someone close to you, I know."
Tieria looked down to avoid Lockon's gaze. Even though he struggled to suppress it, he could feel that there were tears coming up in his eyes. He didn't want to cry, not in front of someone.
"And... how can I feel all alone when you are around?" Tieria sat there, unmoving.
Lockon shook his head, feeling a rush of compassion and a very...sibling-relation-like feeling to the purple-haired boy. Well at least he wasn't un welcomed here.
Was considered a company.
He knelt in front of Tieria, taking his hands into his palm, while other covered them. "I don't want to let you feel all alone." he said softly. "Loneliness hurts. I don't want you to be hurt even more then this. Your ways parted so cry. Cry all your heart out if you need to. But remember you're not alone, and I will be here to wipe those tears away and support you."
Oh, he knew it sounded cheesy, very very cheesy, but such words worked sometimes in situations like this. He didn't want Tieria to feel all abandoned. Sure, they all run through harsh times and conflicts among each other..but they also were a team - a family, of screwed one kind - one for all, all for all.
Tieria didn't know what to do with these reassuring words, this was somehow just the way Lockon was... but still, there was something that bothered him to let his tears fall freely. It was... Lockon always said such tings, but when it came to him and his problems, he never told an of them.
So why should it be okay? Tieria sniffled a bit. Crying in front of someone was still hard.
"I'll be okay", he said calmly. "It will work out, somehow."
Lockon just sighed, still kneeling when he was, his hands still cupping Tieria's hands. "You will, but you're not now. If you want someone to talk to, someone to listen, someone to embrace and support you, I'm here." he chuckled without much of humour "Even if you want someone to kick or punch I'm free at service too."
"There is no reason to kick or punch you", Tieria stated dryly. There were enough people who he could kick or punch, if he wanted to. It didn't need to be Lockon who should suffer from his anger.
Tieria gazed to his side, mustering the blanket of his bed, trying to find the right words for what he wanted to express.
"A-and if I offered you the same... would you take it?", Tieria asked the question which had been bothering him for a while now.
Fai said to him always that he didn't want to keep secrets, so perhaps...
Tieria's question surprised sniper. So it was still bothering him? True, Lockon knew he was holding a little too much secrets, and hiding his feelings too well. But the mask began cracking recently and all that filth had started becoming visible.
And sometimes, just sometimes, he was glad. He wanted to talk, to share something of this.
But that also made him feeling guilty, and irresponsible - he's the leader, he should be able to work his issues alone on his own.
Yet, such offer. It was tempting, perhaps too tempting.
Grip of his hands tightened a little before he answered. "I would. I promise."
Tieria blinked a bit and stared at Lockon. He actually would... ? He didn't expect that Lockon would say something like that, not after all the secrets he had hidden, even in this world.
This made Tieria... happy, very happy. So he would start to open up for real?
"Really?", he asked.
He could feel how some of his tears started to drop from his eyes, but he didn't know if those were now the ones of happiness or the ones of sadness.
"Really" Lockon reached to the pocket, hoping to find a tissue pack there. And - oh, luck! - he had some. Suddenly one of his hand was under Tieria's chin, while the other gently wiped tears off boy face.
"It won't be easy for me, but I'll keep trying."
He just sat there and waited. It needed some times till the meaning of those words reached finally through to him. So, Lockon at least promised him to try it? This was better than nothing.
Tieria pulled Lockon in a sudden hug. It was a bit awkward, since he didn't do such things usually with people, but right now, he just felt like to do it.
Now, that surprised Lockon even more, but it wasn't an unwanted gesture. He returned the hug, feeling almost happy - in weird way, because this wasn't time to be happy, with Minato disappearance and such, but sniper always considered himself a selfish man - for seeing such gesture from Tieria.
Tieria still sobbed a bit, but Lockon said it was okay, wasn't it? Tieria had really the opinion that, after Minato left, everything would turn back the ways they were. Of course he did trust Sion - she was important to him - but Lockon was special in the way, since he was the first person he actually ever had trusted.
Tieria clung a bit tighter to the taller man, just enjoying the warm contact.
Lockon kept the boy in his arms, as long as it was needed. Rocking them slightly, ona hand entangled in purple hair. He didn't said anything, maybe there were some words that should be spoken, but sniper didn't knew them.
He could be the most social of the group, but the truth was all of them had some sort of communication issues.
Tieria stood still for a while with his eyes closed, but decided to open them slowly again. That talk... even if it didn't have many words, it felt like was something they should have talked about long ago.
"Thank you, Lockon", Tieria whispered.
"Pleasure is mine." sniper winked and moved some unruly hair out of Tieria face. "Can I do anything to make you feel better?"
Tieria shook his head slightly. "N-not really...", he mumbled. Because... whatever happened, nothing could replace Minato, but...
"Perhaps... just stay for a while," he covered his mouth with one hand. He hoped that wouldn't be too much to ask.
Lockon nodded and smiled. "I will stay. As long as you will need me, I will be close."