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!

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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!"

Gladio just smiled. It had distracted her from her tears, if only for a moment, so he considered it a well executed use of the Miss Madoka. He chuckled and have the teen a gentle squeeze of a hug.

"Bring what up?" He asked with forced innocence. "Miss Madoka, I have no idea what you could be talking about." Except he did, and he couldn't stop himself from smiling at her.

"I know you're doing it on purpose..!"

Sure, she just sounds slightly whiny now, but maybe that's not such a bad thing in this situation. It really does seem to distract her for a moment from her tears, or even from the very reason she had those tears in the first place. (Besides, the fact that she's even giving him that kind of response at all in favour of something more bashful or polite like she would with most people is quite the show of how much she trusts him.)

Her tone isn't too full of energy though. After a moment or two the girl even reaches up to her eyes to idly rub at them a little. This time it's not to get rid of any tears though - no, she's just tired. Being this sad has taken up a lot of her energy, and Gladio being such a comfy ~~pillow~~ ~~teddy bear~~ hugger is very visibly starting to make her feel kind of drowsy, especially with how late it's getting.

He was, and he was rather pleased with the reactions it was getting him. But he also noticed there was tiredness behind the cranky. Now the tears had stopped more reaction was setting in and Gladio could see the exhaustion that followed it.

Gladio considered his options, and since Madoka had already agreed to stay with him and Prompto when he reappeared, he felt it wasn't an unreasonable thing to just lie down. So he did. Still holding onto Madoka he shifted himself back an inch and then tilted to the side and brought his legs up to lie down. "I'll stop teasing if you get some sleep." He said once he had them lying down on the cot. "And if you can maybe reach the blanket down there?"

Usually Madoka would have been a little more shy about this. But maybe it's the sleepiness, or the circumstances that make her desperately not want to be alone, or maybe it's just that Gladio is always so sweet and caring.. Or maybe it's just a mix of all three. But whatever it is, it's getting her to easily let him move her around to lie down with him.

She only moves when he asks for the blanket. It means getting back up just a little to be able to reach over and grab the blanket to draw it over them, but once she's done so, she's already settling right back in. Gladio doesn't seem to be complaining about it, so it makes it a little easier for the girl to accept that just maybe she deserves this comfort and company for a few moments.

".. It's comfy," she mumbles when she's lying down again. It's just nice to have someone be right there next to her.

Once Madoka had the blanket and had dropped back down, Gladio smiled. His arm was loose around her middle, keeping her shored up on the bed and safe from accidentally falling off the side. It was a narrow cot after all.

"Get some sleep, kiddo." Gladio spoke softly and warmly, just watching Madoka as she slowly succumbed to sleep. It was something she needed. The poor girl had gone through so much in such a short time.

"You too.. mister Gladio. After all, you're hurt.." It's a very, very sleepy mumble. Honestly, it's hard to tell just how much of this Madoka realises she's saying, since she's rapidly starting to drift off to sleep. Between the spent (emotional) energy and how warm and safe everything suddenly feels right now, it'd be hard not to.

"Thanks.. for everything.."

After that, she goes quiet entirely. Apparently the girl has truly fallen asleep.

"You're welcome..." Gladio smiled and continued to watch Madoka. When she finally fell into sleep, he allowed himself to close his eyes. The painkillers he'd been given did make him drowsy and he'd been fighting it, but now he knew he could let himself go, and he let himself fall asleep beside Madoka.

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Mission Five: Conclusion

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