middleofsomewhere | Mission Five: Conclusion

Mission Five: Conclusion

The Voidtreckers turn the tide, save the day. That isn't to say it is easy or straightforward, the battles are tough but together Red Team prevents the mega weapon getting through, orange team maintain shields, blue team fend off those trying to attack the command centre and purple fight the battle of their lives.

The system is safe and everyone who hasn't already evacuated back to the train using their SCA can gather on the space station again. There is a roar of noise as the Void Trecker Express appears in the hanger once more, noise and wind rushing through their hair it is no mystery why the army here reacted in shock at their initial arrival.

Hitrinto is there, as are many of those the void treckers have met in their week in this system. Here to thank them for their timely rescue and to wave them off.

The voidtreckers as well are reunited, the four teams back as one and it is time to re-board the Voidtrecker Express and move on to the next adventure!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

It takes a while before Madoka shows up. She has enough terrible things to deal with already, after all. She's so worried about the people who disappeared, and she feels so bad that someone even died, and it's just been really difficult to do much of anything at all when her heart feels so, so very heavy.

But she did hear about what happened to Gladio, and she would feel much too guilty if she just sat around feeling sorry for herself. Maybe the only thing she can do right now is put on a brave face and try to help others.

So after that while Madoka does show up - although she's probably just a hesitant voice from the distance at first from where he's lying.

"Um.. Mister Gladio, are you awake..? I.. I made some cookies.."

Her voice is even softer than usually (although maybe that's a good thing, given his current condition?) and after a moment she finally ends up next to his cot, holding a plate. She smiles at him, although there's something so obviously sad about it.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't ask what kind you liked.."

Gladio had been drifting off to sleep when a soft voice roused him. He groaned and opened his eyes, head turning to look toward where the voice was coming from. Between one blink and the next, Madoka had somehow teleported from the door to his bedside and the smell of cookies wafted up toward him. His stomach growled.

"Uh... Yeah, I'm awake..." It was a bit of a struggle to get his hand under him, but he managed to push himself up to sit on the edge of the cot. He wobbled a bit, but with a hand flat on the cot under him he was able to keep himself steady. Lips curved into a small smile and he patted the space beside him. "You'll eat them too?"

Even in this situation it seems to take very little for Madoka to sit down next to him. She eyes the way he wobbles slightly warily, but when he remains seated without falling over for a moment or two, she does take a spot on the cot next to him, the plate of cookies resting on her lap.

Her jaw drops open slightly at his suggestion.

"Me? Ah.." Madoka seems to waffle before shaking her head. She smiles up at him, but it's so obviously forced that it's a wonder she even tried. ".. I'm not hungry at all."

At least that's not a lie. It's just an omission of the fact as to why she has no appetite.

"You can have them all, mister Gladio. I made them just for you, since you're hurt."

"Oh..." There was some disappointment within Gladio's voice then but he quickly covered it with a smile as he took the plate from Madoka and leaned across to set it on the table beside the bed. He snagged one before he settled back.

"Don't think I can eat em all, kiddo. These pain meds they have me on make me feel sort of sick. But I think I can manage one." He was definitely hungry, he needed something to line his stomach. He just hoped to the Six he wouldn't throw up in front of the kid.

".. That's okay."

There's not as much disappointment in Madoka's voice. She's trying to be understanding, after all. She's not an expert by any means, but Gladio doesn't seem like he's in the best shape.. so there's no way she's going to force a plate of cookies down his throat.

Her gaze drifts over to the plate before looking back at him. "You can eat some later, if you feel like having more then.. Or.. um, you can always give some to uncle Prompto." She's seen those two around each other enough during the mission - there's no way he wouldn't be here at some point, she's sure of it.

"Um, if there's anything else you need.. you can let me know. I can grab things for you.." She's nervously fretting, her hands tugging at the bottom of her blue hoodie. Feeling like she's at least doing something useful might be the only thing that can ward off her worry for Gladio, for Tony, for Ignis who's gone.

Gladio took a bite of the cookie. It was good, really good, he could clearly taste that. But his stomach tried to reject it. He made himself eat the rest, even made a show of licking his fingers clean of the crumbs. "That was good. Heh I don't think I'll be sharing them with Prom. They're much too nice. But I'll save them for tomorrow, if you don't mind?"

He looked down at Madoka then. She looked... so damn sad. No smiles. No happiness. It hurt. This was why kids should never have been involved in fighting. It wasn't fucking fair. Gladio sighed and gently slipped his good arm around the teens shoulders. "It'll be alright, kiddo. I'll be fine. But if you need anything from me, anything at all... Even if it's just to sit and listen to you. I'm here."

She slowly nods at him asking if she doesn't mind. The cookies are his, after all, he can do with them what he wants! It's the arm across her shoulders that seems to draw her attention more, momentarily snapping her out of her funk as she looks at him.

"You're the one who's hurt though." Sure, Madoka's heart may be hurting, but at least she's physically fine. While his current situation can't exactly be pleasant if it's bad enough to keep a big guy like him on a bed. She pouts slightly. "I should be the one helping you out right now, not the other way around."

"Maybe this helps me?" Gladio suggested kindly and gave her a little tug to have her lean against his side for a moment and grinned. "Maybe I like looking after people?" And she looked so damn down. Maybe leaning on someone, if only for a moment, would be good for her? He had no idea. He was just hoping for the best. The arm around Madoka wasn't tight and could very easily be slipped out of if she had really wanted. Gladio didn't quite have the energy to go chasing after her if she did. It had taken all of his energy just to sit up.

".. That's a very sweet thing to like," she just simply says at first. It still sounds down compared to the way she usually speaks, but the words still don't sound empty - she means them, despite her own lack of happiness right now.

Besides, she's not shrugging off the hold he offers her at all. Madoka even leans into it a bit when he tugs her over, although it's probably noticable that she's trying to not do that too much since she's worried about hurting him while he's in this state.

For a moment she's quiet. Madoka really is no good at admitting these kinds of things, but she's trying. It just takes a lot to effort. "Thank you though. I.. I think it helps me too. Not being alone right now."

Because if there's anything that gets Madoka down, it's that. And with everyone injured or just hurting over the loss of someone right now, it's hard to find company that she doesn't feel like she'd just be a bother to at a time like this.

"You should tell me when I should go so you can sleep though, okay..?"

"If you don't want to be alone, maybe you should stay here?" Gladio offered slowly, realising that it could very well sound suspect, but the truth was he was worried about Madoka. She really didn't seem like she should have been alone right then. And he knew when Prompto showed up he would say the same thing.

"Prompto will probably come by later, so you'll have the two of us to keep you company." He spoke gently and kindly, his arm around her tightened just a little in the barest of hugs. "I think being alone isn't good for any of us right now."

The offer makes her quiet for a moment, though it's not because it seems suspect to her. Instead Madoka's gaze seems partially careful, but mostly surprised when she glances sidelong at him. Her own answer comes out just as slowly.

"Would that be okay..?"

Sure, it might help them not be alone either, but they technically already have each other. Gladio and Prompto wouldn't be alone if they were hanging out together. They don't need her for it.

"I-I mean.. you guys don't know me as well as you know each other, and I wouldn't want to be a bother.." That's the exact reason she didn't stick with Tony this whole time. She's much too worried about just being a reminder of the fact that Ignis is gone to him.

"If you were a bother I wouldn't have asked." Gladio pointed out, not unkindly. He grinned down at the teen at his side, somehow amused by the comment. Maybe they didn't know each other that well. But he thought they'd gotten to know each other somewhat over the last two weeks, and he knew that Prompto loved Madoka. So it stood to reason that they would more than welcome her to join them. Not that he'd had a chance to drop that particular bombshell on Prompto, but he couldn't see the blonde complaining.

"Balls in your court, kiddo. If you want to, I'd love you to stick around. But if you'd like to be on your own I understand. Just remember if you ever need us, we're right here." It was the best he could offer as he was then. Gladio definitely wasn't 100% and he'd been informed in no uncertain terms he wasn't to move around (not that it stopped him), but he would be there for his friends if they needed him.

"I really don't want to be on my own."

It's the first thing she admits, although quietly. Not that there's any need to lower her voice, considering they're literally the only two people in the carriage, but it's still something Madoka wouldn't dare to say too loudly. She doesn't deserve to whine, but still.. it's an honest answer. More honest than she'd admit to some people, especially right now.

"So, if it's really okay.. then I'll gladly stay. I'm actually kind of sad right now.." She says it as if she's admitting something that's very secret. As if it hasn't been written literally all over her face this whole time she's been talking to Gladio. "But I think I could maybe feel a little less sad around you two.. You're both so nice to me."

Gladio was quiet as he listened. Then quiet for a few seconds longer. He knew what Iggy would do. He knew what Prompto would do. He knew what he wanted to do, but still had to spend those few precious seconds second guessing himself. In the end he just thought to hell with it.

"C'mere." He said, even as he shifted his arm to wrap more around Madoka and pulled her up. Sitting made it harder, having one arm made it even worse. But Gladio had strength on his side and he was able to lift Madoka and turn her so that he was able to hug her. He didn't care about his arm, didn't even think about it. There were more important things. Like giving the poor girl a much deserved and very needed hug.

"It's okay to be sad." He spoke gently. "I'm a little sad too. So I'm glad you'll stick here with us. Maybe we can help cheer each other up just being here together?"

At first it aaalmost sounds like she's going to protest. Not against the hug itself - Madoka likes hugs, and she likes Gladio hugs - but more just against how much he has to be straining himself to move like that. But before the protest can fully form, Madoka already feels too guilty about it to actually say something. Especially since Gladio has already put the effort into moving by then.

Instead she just resigns to enjoying the hug. Which is easy to do. Right now the poor girl is so starved for the slightest hint of comfort that she leans into the hug easily, even moving her arms to hug him in return (though making sure to stay far away from any spot that seems hurt).

"T.. That'd be nice.." Her voice sounds a little shaky, like she's only now giving into the feeling she's been supressing all this time enough for her eyes to grow watery. "I-I mean, at least we're not alone.."

Not that it makes the loss any easier to bear. But she's about ready to tell herself anything that might help even in the slightest. And maybe it'll help him too.

Gladio didn't feel a damn thing. And even if he had he wasn't about to let Madoka know. He waited for her to work out what she wanted to do, if she wanted to be released or of if she wanted to hug him in return. Gladio was very relieved that she hugged him back. His eyes closed and he smiled as he gently wrapped his arm more around her, encircling her with just his one arm alone, and held her close.

"We're not alone." He promised warmly. "You're not alone. I've got you, kiddo. Don't worry about a thing, it'll be alright in the end." And Gladio knew it would. After a battle there were always feelings like this. A version of survivors guilt. Mourning those lost. Missing them. The sadness and melancholy were hard to resist, sometimes it could turn to anger and rage, most often depression. But Gladio knew that things would look better in the morning. And then they would take each day one step at a time and moods would lighten. He was sure Madoka would find her smile again. But until she did he would be there to keep her safe for as long as she needed him to. Even if it was just for that night.

Despite how reassuring everything he's saying is (or maybe exactly because it's so reassuring?) the tears finally start to slip out as she listens to him speak. At least it's a quiet kind of crying rather than outright upset sobbing, but the tears are rolling down her cheeks all the same. Madoka really was planning on trying her best to not cry in front of anyone, since everyone was having such a hard time and she didn't want to add to it.. But something about Gladio's hug and presence feels so warm and comforting and safe that it feels like maybe, just maybe it's okay to cry a little bit now.

"Thank you, mister Gladio.." The words are half-mumbled, since she doesn't want to pull back from the hug at all so they're kind of muffled against him in said hug. "You're always so sweet.. a-and it's like you always know what to say. It's really amazing."

Gladio didn't bring attention to her tears. Didn't mention them and barely reacted to them... Though he couldn't quite stop the slight rocking of his body. It wasn't anything too pronounced, if you weren't paying attention you might not have even noticed he was doing it. Madoka clearly needed a shoulder to cry on, and he had more than enough shoulder for her to do that. She didn't need him to tell her to stop or make a fuss about it. What she needed was, he hoped, what he was giving her. Comfort. And a safe place for her to drop her guard enough to be weak, to be vulnerable, and know that he would keep her safe.

"I don't always know what to say." Gladio replied with a low, amused chuckle. "But I'm pleased you'd think so." He was just honest, that was all. Gladio though Madoka could use a little of that. "You think I'm sweet?" He asked then, a smile tugging at his lips. "I guess maybe, Prom keeps saying I'm a cupcake... Personally I think I'm a cookie. A tough cookie."

It's that last part that makes her move her head up just slightly to look at him. It makes the tears on her face very obvious, sure, but at the very least there's a small smile alongside the tears as well.

"I think he calls you a cupcake since he likes you." She probably means a more general like than a romantic like, but still. It's hard not to notice how much Prompto sticks to the other guy's side.

Madoka is definitely not moving though aside from just enough to be able to look him in the face. The warmth of having someone else near and the slight rocking are just enough for her to at least be somewhat comfortable in her current position - or the most comfortable she could be while their circumstances feel so miserable at the moment, anyway.

She sniffs as a new batch of tears rolls down her cheeks. "B.. But I think a tough cookie sounds right too. You're the toughest cookie I know."

That's what he'd been hoping for. A smile, even a watery one, was still a smile.

Gladio lifted a hand and softly brushed tears from Madoka's cheek. "Or because I made a fuss one time and now he knows it drives me mad." But he was smiling, there was no anger in his voice, only a warm tenderness. Because he really didn't mind it so much. Being thought of as a cupcake was a hell of a lot better than being considered dangerous.

He dropped his arm and went back to hugging the teen when more tears came. "Really?" He asked gently. "I think you're a tough cookie as well."

It's good to at least still hear about something sweet in the middle of all of this. It's impossible to miss that warmth in Gladio's tone, and Madoka is genuinely glad for it. Both Gladio and Prompto have been so nice to her and helped her in their own ways, they deserve to have people around they can speak of with that kind of fondness.

It's the last statement that makes her laugh though. It's shaky because she's still crying, and maybe a tad airy. "I think I still need to become a tougher cookie."

But that compliment coming from him - the toughest cookie of all - does mean a lot. Even though it's hard for Madoka to internalize.

"I want to become someone who doesn't have to c.. cry like this when things are bad. I wish I could just smile and cheer everyone else up instead.."

"Do you wanna know what I think?" He asked her gently, still smiling, a bit wider now that he'd actually gotten a laugh out of Madoka. It was hard won but he would take his victories where he could get them.

"I think there's strength in being able to cry. Not crying... that's a weakness." And he said this knowing full well that he wasn't crying. That he never cried. That he hadn't even cried when he'd realised his father was dead and his city lost... "You don't run from your emotions, kiddo. You face them head on and deal with them. There's nothing wrong with crying when you're sad, or yelling when you're angry, it's a sign of your strength. Your emotional strength. It's... admirable. I wish I could be strong like that..."

Those words almost threaten to fry her brain. It's just so hard to understand. Not necessarily the point he's trying to make, but more the fact that Gladio thinks she's the strong one here compared to him. Even though he's such a huge guy who can rip lids off crates, even though he protected the rest of them from getting hurt back on that space station. Even though he seems so cool no matter the situation.

Maybe it's the sheer surprise of what he's saying, but it's enough to still her tears for a moment. Madoka reaches up to her face to rub the remnants of the last few away.

"B-but.. Isn't crying easy..?"

She doesn't even have to think about it. It just happens! There's been so many times in her life when the tears just came out without her even realising it. What takes effort to her is not crying, trying to hold back tears.

And yet he's saying he wishes he could be strong like that..?

"I mean.. If you want to cry too, you can, mister Gladio. You don't have to hold back for me.." Is that the problem? She can't think of any other reason as to why he wouldn't be able to cry if he wanted to.

Was crying easy? Gladio wasn't sure about that. He smiled for her and gave a slight shake of his head. It wasn't that he was holding back, it just wasn't something that came to him naturally.

"I'm not, kiddo. It's just... harder for me?" It wasn't even a matter of strength or him being a man, crying just wasn't something he'd ever been able to do freely. And in a way he admired those who would. It was a weakness on his behalf, he knew that. "Which is why I think it makes you strong. You can show those emotions, Miss Madoka." He smiled wider.

At first it looks like she's trying really hard to pay attention to what he's saying and listen to him..

.. but then he just has to add that last part. Her jaw drops open, and it probably looks even more comical with that obvious 'just cried' look on her face.

"M-- Mister Gladio, that's not fair..! You can't bring that up at a time like this!"

Mission Five: Conclusion

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