tampered | log

log | closed

When; August 1. Midnight.
Rating; G
Characters;

sound_rune
Summary; Connell gets a nightmare that Tyr left them again. He wakes up in the middle of the night and can't sleep.
Log; Connell could still feel the shock from that unexpected nightmare. His eyes were wide open, uncomfortably curled against his pillow. Faintly shaken from the events a few days ago, something like this... it was more than a simple hit. Even though he's already assured that Tyr wasn't going anywhere anymore... a place like the City, anything could happen.

He stared out the ceiling as he remained motionless on his bed, but he can't bring himself to close his eyes again. He calmed down a few minutes later. It's okay... it'll be okay, he kept cheering himself up.

Calm enough to move, Connell pushed himself up and left his room - passing down the dark hallway as he glanced at his apartment mates' room doors. But he particularly stared at Tyr's door.

Staring... staring...

Eventually, he stepped over to it quietly and opened it, peeking his head inside to check on the said person within that room. He's in here, right? Of course... silly. He's here. He's sleeping soundly. Satisfied enough, Connell just as quietly closed the door and headed down further the hallway, eventually ending up in the kitchen. Maybe he should have a glass of warm milk.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Tyr, for his part, wasn't a particularly heavy sleeper, but was hardly a light one. Especially after having taken care of settling Luc in and Riou being awake again, the past day had been busy. Connell's movements had been entirely unnoticed. With Luc and Riou back, somehow everything seemed to be getting back to how it had been, as if the last month was some cruel nightmare the City manufactured. Even though Tyr knew that wasn't the case, it somehow helped him rest more easily. ...As easily as someone could with the Soul Eater, at least.

As it should've been, Connell didn't want Tyr to wake up because of his little worries. After he fixed himself a glass, he drank from it and continuously thought of what happened lately. How did Tyr and Flynn get a slug in their ears in the first place?

And just how long ago last month did it happen? Did it happen right when he arrived? He lowered his glass after drinking a portion of it, moving a palm to rest against one part of his left forehead. Thinking about it... is it just a coincidence that bad things happened just when he arrived?

Of course it was. But he had been careless. He wanted to be more careful this time. It's not a guarantee that similar situations may not happen again. Then, there's that clock investigation coming up soon...

Being too busy with his thoughts (as well as a little dizzy from his fever), Connell accidentally tripped himself against one part of the kitchen counters, smacking on the floor. Though he was all right, that made his heart jump.

The glass of milk broke, however - leading to a short frown and a startled face. Connell immediately began cleaning.

Maybe it was because of his time in the army, but the sudden sound of glass breaking caused Tyr to immediately sit up in his bed in shock. The room was all shadows - not a person in sight - and the former leader quickly realised it was nothing. Or it wasn't assassin, at least (he wouldn't put it past the deities to implement a curse like that).

That sound definitely came from inside the apartment, though. Fully awake from the shock, Tyr slipped on his house slippers and walked out to investigate. It didn't take long for him to figure out from the sound of the shards being swept up where the noise had originated, or from what.

He honestly had a sigh of relief as he leaned against the wall and looked down at Connell at work cleaning up. "Connell... Why are you still awake?" he asked quietly, trying not to wake up any of the others.

That sudden voice caused Connell to turn his head up, an arm positioned in a guard. But as he saw the figure and recognized the sound of the voice, he lowered his arm again and tried to smile the best he could. But this time he can't really cover up his shock from the nightmare and the sound of the shattering glass.

He trembled a little. He knew there was no use in lying now.

"... Ah, I couldn't sleep," he merely said, closing his eyes and did his best to fix that off-set smile.

"I'm sorry... did I wake you, Tyr?"

Connell eyed down after asking, he hoped he hadn't woken up Luc or Riou as well. He tried to hurry a little with cleaning the glass. But the lightest comfort came to him - it was Tyr who made his presence well-felt this way.

He didn't miss that raised arm and trembling. Did he expect someone to strike him? It was a thought that made Tyr's jaw clench, but also to keep his spot against the wall in case he was the reason for Connell's reaction.

"It's fine," he answered honestly. "It's been a long day... Being a little restless is normal."

He went quiet for a moment after that, looking over Connell while he cleaned up the glass. But he still wondered over that initial reaction. "Is something on your mind?"

Connell didn't notice the way Tyr's jaw clench as he was busy finishing up. When he wiped away the last of the milk, he stood up and disposed of the two rags that he used to clean. He turned to face Tyr with a renewed calm smile on his face afterwards.

"... I was just thinking back on a few things," Connell replied, then looked out the window for a moment.

"I had a nightmare... that's why I couldn't sleep. They say one would have unsettled worries at the back of their mind if they would have a nightmare."

So that was the case... Tyr nodded his understanding. "A lot of nightmarish things have happened..." But from he way Connell spoke of it, it didn't sound like a simple nightmare. Whatever he dreamt about was still on his mind.

Well, he had been fully woken up by the glass breaking. "What were you worried about?" he asked as he walked closer to Connell.

"That's true. But even back in our world, things like that happen..."

Connell didn't want to look at his world in a different way, even though it was a little strange. In the end, everything is the same. Conflicts... holding on... He smiled faintly, continuing to watch out.

He doesn't answer until a few more seconds.

"You know... The way that Luc, and other people here, forget their memories when they leave or come back to this place. It makes you want to think, what have we done all these for, in the end?

A lonely glance as he lightly closed his eyes, then reopened them fully to look at Tyr.

"I suppose that I was scared of losing you. Whether it's you or me, who has to disappear someday. We haven't talked much back in our world, so it probably wouldn't matter even if you and I forget each other... what we've been through here..."

But that smile faded a little, his eyes getting a little wet, "... But I don't want to forget. I don't want to see you go, willed or not. I'd like to believe... even if the mind has forgotten, the heart won't forget. Though... why can't I stop worrying?"

Tyr didn't know how to answer that. His worries weren't unfounded: Leaving people behind was hardly an issue for Tyr. He had planned to leave the two - now three - of them after they were all settled and continue to live alone, at least until Gremio showed up.

Listening to Connell though reminded him why he left the Toran Republic in the night, with only a note to say what happened. It was harder to abandon someone when he could see the effect it would have on them. He wouldn't be able to help if the deities saw it fit to send him home or to erase his memories of his time here, but he could stop himself from leaving their shared apartment to live in... wherever he chose. He didn't really have a plan of where he would have gone.

"I..." he started uneasily, "What happens... we can't help that, Connell... Forgetting all the painful things that happen here and all the damage being erased when we return to our world, that's a good thing...

"...But if we forget each other and our hearts remember... that's enough for me. Asking for more would be..."

He trailed off, not sure what he should say, if he should ever confess his earlier plans.

"Yes... It's what I do want to believe, after all."

It was enough for him as well. But they could never know if their heart memories will also be erased... Though, he wished that wouldn't happen. He knew they all had to part one day. But right now, without warning... he didn't want it to happen.

Connell shortly laughed it off, "... I'm sorry, I must be bothering you with my strange thoughts. Thank you for listening though, Tyr..."

He felt that uncomfortable song that played in Tyr's heart. But he didn't say anything about it. He should just stop talking.

He shook his head. "It's no problem..." Connell's worries weren't so childish, despite Tyr being unable to see him as more than a little boy. He wasn't so much younger than him when he led the Liberation Army, but... Maybe perceptions changed with age.

Closing the distance between them, though, Tyr placed a hand on his shoulder. "Let's get you back to bed now. You should rest more easily with that off your mind... You shouldn't worry about the future like that."

"... You're right."

He smiled, even just a little. A better smile this time. The future will come as it will, but right now the present was more important. He's alreay assured himself many times tonight that Tyr won't be going anywhere soon. Neither will any of their friends. He doesn't have to be all alone in this strange world...

A nod followed, then turned to face Tyr completely to observe him a little bit. He may look young on the outside... but this is Toran's hero... Still, that was another front as well. Tyr is just as lonely... someone who carried a much heavier burden than him.

In the end, maybe the reason why he didn't want Tyr to disappear is that he didn't want him to be alone. Rather than himself being the one alone.

That serious, Toran's hero façade had been up for some time, since the slug had finally been strangled out of him. It was useful in hiding away the feeling of weakness and guilt that hadn't left with the slug. But part of Tyr's loneliness would always be from his own choices.

But just as much as the City could take people away, it could keep people there. By this point, Tyr was fairly certain these was no place to really run here. There weren't any quiet fishing villages here, and he wasn't in the position he was in their own world. Whether he liked it or not, he would never be completely alone here. Patting Connell's shoulder, he gave a little smile for a moment before turning to guide him back to his bedroom silently.

Connell allowed himself to be lead back to the hallway leading to their rooms. He stopped at the door though, then turned to Tyr to smile brightly.

"... Tyr, thank you. Even though I might be not very important... you still treated me kindly and allowed me to stay with you and the others here. I really appreciate it. I'm sorry if I'm hard to manage sometimes..."

He didn't wait for a reply for that, maybe a small apologetic glance after it. With a bow, he dismissed himself. But before he closed the door behind him:

"... Good night."

That statement took Tyr entirely off-guard - is that what Connell thought Tyr saw him as? He couldn't understand saying such things while smiling like that. Maybe it was just more humility than Tyr was used to, but it still didn't sit well.

It was true that he didn't serve any major role in Riou's army and was a stranger to Tyr until they saw each other again here, but such remarks were simply untrue. His hand went up to try to catch the door, as small or non-existent the gap might be.

"Connell, wait a minute," he said in a quick, harsh whisper.

That type of voice made Connell startled, turning to face towards Tyr once more. He didn't do anything to shut the door because of this, and instead opened it slowly again.

He blinked once as he held a hand on his chest.

"... Tyr?"

Tyr's hand slipped off the door, and he was glad that at least Connell wasn't going to run off to bed after saying that. He kept a stern look on his face, though his voice softened.

"Don't think that you're beneath us just because of the ranks we held back home. You're important to us, too..."

Connell eyes faintly blinked without closing, then blinked another time fully. He was still startled a bit, but Tyr's following words also added in to that startle. Though, Connell also found himself reddening against his face to hear such words. Words of importance and recognition...

He opened his mouth a little to want to reply, but he closed it again after a second. Deciding to wait a bit until he calmed fully, he eventually smiled one more time, and said:

"... Thank you..."

His eyebrows raised, both of them, as he looked down the floor - completely touched. Though, he only said his earlier words because there wasn't really a reason for Tyr to have taken him in the same apartment with them... Tyr could've helped him a bit, but not go as far as he did. But for all of that: he felt so happy and lucky.

"-very much..."

Whether Connell took those words to heart or was just embarrassed that Tyr called him out, it wasn't easy for Tyr to tell. He looked down at him for a long minute, though, before just placing a hand on Connell's shoulder again. To Connell, he might have just been a former acquaintance, but he was still one of Riou's friends and subordinates as far as Tyr was concerned. It wouldn't have been right to just let him on his own here.

It wasn't so simple anymore, though. Now Connell actually cared about if he stayed with them or left entirely. The thoughts of moving out that he had entertained were gone.

A sad sort of smile came to his face, and with a quiet sigh, he gave Connell's shoulder another pat. "Good night..."

Connell stayed still as long as Tyr kept quiet as well. But after that next pat, he moved a hand of his on top of Tyr's after that shoulder pat, firmly watching him. He left his eyebrows lower, sealing his lips flatly. He seemed to hesitate about something - but only for another few seconds.

He eventually stepped forward and gave a brotherly, very thankful embrace around Tyr. He smiled underneath it and he felt his shyness float around him. But still, he truly was happy.

"Yes, good night..."

Tyr would never be used to receiving hugs from people other than Gremio and Cleo. But in this position again, in Connell's doorway at night, he lightly wrapped his arms around the young boy. It was weird - he could only think of those two people back home, and how it had been to see them again... It added a bit of melancholy to the short embrace as Tyr put a hand to the back of Connell's head.

"Sleep well... Everything's going to calm down now, so you can rest easy..."

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

log | closed

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject