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esp_dragonv2Fandom: Trigun Stampede
Summary: Nicholas guides Livio back.
Notes: Snippet of an idea ococo and azure are working on.
Rating: PG
Genre: General
Word count: 788
Status: Complete
Nicholas woke with a start, hand grasping out across the bed out of habit. Empty. Still warm, not cold. It hadn't been too long since Livio had left.
Livio was still in the room at least, his wandering taking him towards the door, but the candle Nicholas placed on the table next to it had caught Livio's attention, Livio standing silently as he stared at it. The candle by the bed had burned itself out, not even glowing at the tip, and that must have been why Livio had gotten up.
Nicholas slipped out of bed, walking towards him. Livio must have heard him coming, tensing and hands reaching for guns that weren't there - Nicholas had had to hide them to make sure Livio didn't arm himself on the way out.
"Oi, Livio, it's just me," he murmured, pausing.
Livio's hands tensed and he was still for one second, two, three, before he exhaled, relaxing. "Nicholas...?"
Nicholas released his own breath. It was hard to know just how lost Livio was in the mind control at any given time, but sleeping seemed to make its hold over him worse before he shook it off. "Yeah, it's me."
Livio didn't turn around, still staring at the flame. "The mission..."
"Is over," Nicholas finished, moving again, circling around to block Livio from the door. "There's no mission now."
"No...?" Livio's hands were grasping again, his breathing stuttering. "There's always - there's always-!" He hunched over, hands gripping his hair.
"You aren't there anymore!" Nicholas wrapped his arms around Livio, Livio shaking badly against him.
Livio tried to shove him away, but his arms were trapped.
"It's me, Livio," Nicholas repeated, feeling the tension seeping out of him.
"Nicholas," Livio gasped out, turning his hands to grab Nicholas' shoulders like a lifeline. "Where are we?"
"Sheer Block," Nicholas said. The orphanage had been closer, but with how Livio was right now, it was safer if they stayed away in a more deserted town until Livio was better and had more control over himself and his memories.
Livio was quiet for a moment, and Nicholas let him think, the only movement were their shadows cast by the flickering candlelight.
"You've done this before, haven't you...?"
"You remember that much, huh?" Good. He was starting to remember more about what was going around him, not just focused on completing whatever shit mission he'd been given. "Yeah, I have."
"It's going to happen again." Livio's voice wavered as he leaned into Nicholas.
"And I'll guide you back as many times as I have to," Nicholas promised, like he had before, tightening his hold on Livio, making sure Livio knew he was there. That he would always be there for him now.
Livio's breathing steadied and slowed, and Nicholas had to double-check he hadn't fallen asleep on his feet.
Livio hadn't, but his gaze had blanked, gazing at nothing.
"Oi, Livio," Nicholas said, and Livio tilted his head up to look at him. The mind control didn't have him again. Not yet. "Let's get you to bed."
Livio didn't say anything, but he dropped his arms, trailing a hand down Nicholas' arm, threading his fingers with Nicholas'. His hand was cold and Nicholas held it to warm it up.
When Nicholas turned to go to bed, Livio fell in step behind him, and Nicholas still couldn't tell if that was Livio's memories shining through, or if that was the mind control making him follow. But Livio's hand was familiar in his and Livio had initiated it so maybe. Hopefully.
That was all Nicholas had right now. Hope. That what Livio had gone through hadn't permanently damaged him. He was still there, Nicholas knew that, from how Livio stuck close, held his hand, was so taken in by staring at flame, but sometimes Nicholas didn't see that for an entire day, Livio wanting another mission to follow instead. Those periods were shortening though.
It was...something.
They reached the bed, and after Livio sat down on the edge, Nicholas fished out another candle, lighting it and setting in its holder. Livio stared at that too as Nicholas popped a cig from his pack. There was only three left so he'd need to get another in the morning.
He lit the cig with the match he'd used, taking a deep drag as he waved the match out, drawing the smoke through to his lungs.
Movement caught the corner of his eye, Livio reaching for him. His face. "Huh," Nicholas said, exhaling. He handed the cig to Livio, who placed it between his own lips, his eyes going half lidded as he took a drag.
Yeah, Nicholas would guide Livio back. He would make sure of it.
Summary: Nicholas guides Livio back.
Notes: Snippet of an idea ococo and azure are working on.
Rating: PG
Genre: General
Word count: 788
Status: Complete
Nicholas woke with a start, hand grasping out across the bed out of habit. Empty. Still warm, not cold. It hadn't been too long since Livio had left.
Livio was still in the room at least, his wandering taking him towards the door, but the candle Nicholas placed on the table next to it had caught Livio's attention, Livio standing silently as he stared at it. The candle by the bed had burned itself out, not even glowing at the tip, and that must have been why Livio had gotten up.
Nicholas slipped out of bed, walking towards him. Livio must have heard him coming, tensing and hands reaching for guns that weren't there - Nicholas had had to hide them to make sure Livio didn't arm himself on the way out.
"Oi, Livio, it's just me," he murmured, pausing.
Livio's hands tensed and he was still for one second, two, three, before he exhaled, relaxing. "Nicholas...?"
Nicholas released his own breath. It was hard to know just how lost Livio was in the mind control at any given time, but sleeping seemed to make its hold over him worse before he shook it off. "Yeah, it's me."
Livio didn't turn around, still staring at the flame. "The mission..."
"Is over," Nicholas finished, moving again, circling around to block Livio from the door. "There's no mission now."
"No...?" Livio's hands were grasping again, his breathing stuttering. "There's always - there's always-!" He hunched over, hands gripping his hair.
"You aren't there anymore!" Nicholas wrapped his arms around Livio, Livio shaking badly against him.
Livio tried to shove him away, but his arms were trapped.
"It's me, Livio," Nicholas repeated, feeling the tension seeping out of him.
"Nicholas," Livio gasped out, turning his hands to grab Nicholas' shoulders like a lifeline. "Where are we?"
"Sheer Block," Nicholas said. The orphanage had been closer, but with how Livio was right now, it was safer if they stayed away in a more deserted town until Livio was better and had more control over himself and his memories.
Livio was quiet for a moment, and Nicholas let him think, the only movement were their shadows cast by the flickering candlelight.
"You've done this before, haven't you...?"
"You remember that much, huh?" Good. He was starting to remember more about what was going around him, not just focused on completing whatever shit mission he'd been given. "Yeah, I have."
"It's going to happen again." Livio's voice wavered as he leaned into Nicholas.
"And I'll guide you back as many times as I have to," Nicholas promised, like he had before, tightening his hold on Livio, making sure Livio knew he was there. That he would always be there for him now.
Livio's breathing steadied and slowed, and Nicholas had to double-check he hadn't fallen asleep on his feet.
Livio hadn't, but his gaze had blanked, gazing at nothing.
"Oi, Livio," Nicholas said, and Livio tilted his head up to look at him. The mind control didn't have him again. Not yet. "Let's get you to bed."
Livio didn't say anything, but he dropped his arms, trailing a hand down Nicholas' arm, threading his fingers with Nicholas'. His hand was cold and Nicholas held it to warm it up.
When Nicholas turned to go to bed, Livio fell in step behind him, and Nicholas still couldn't tell if that was Livio's memories shining through, or if that was the mind control making him follow. But Livio's hand was familiar in his and Livio had initiated it so maybe. Hopefully.
That was all Nicholas had right now. Hope. That what Livio had gone through hadn't permanently damaged him. He was still there, Nicholas knew that, from how Livio stuck close, held his hand, was so taken in by staring at flame, but sometimes Nicholas didn't see that for an entire day, Livio wanting another mission to follow instead. Those periods were shortening though.
It was...something.
They reached the bed, and after Livio sat down on the edge, Nicholas fished out another candle, lighting it and setting in its holder. Livio stared at that too as Nicholas popped a cig from his pack. There was only three left so he'd need to get another in the morning.
He lit the cig with the match he'd used, taking a deep drag as he waved the match out, drawing the smoke through to his lungs.
Movement caught the corner of his eye, Livio reaching for him. His face. "Huh," Nicholas said, exhaling. He handed the cig to Livio, who placed it between his own lips, his eyes going half lidded as he took a drag.
Yeah, Nicholas would guide Livio back. He would make sure of it.