Adjustments
In a way, Mez wasn't all that different than his home back in Dernd. He still got up at the same time and ate breakfast, before starting on his chores and hunting, but... Even with it's similarities, Mez was very different than what Aaran was used to. For one thing, everyone seemed to take the time to relax together in this family system, as if they were all related. No one wanted to be alone, except for Rastian, when he was around. But even he liked to sit and chat with his brother and Natsu when he wasn't busy healing, or complaining. The prentice didn't really know what it was like to always be around people, and it was a jarring realization. His parents, though they were around, didn't really talk to one another as much as he recalled. And Gattick, well, Gattick was his only friend in the entire world. Aaran had never had the opportunity to step out of his shell and get acquainted with his surroundings. People that were his neighbors in Dernd, did he really know them at all after growing up with them? He could honestly point at anyone across the table here in Mez and say he knew three or so qualities about them after only being here for a few months at best, but he couldn't say the same for the people in his own home town?
He'd fiddle with his hands as he thought about this and catch the attention of someone at the table, and quickly place his hands underneath his thighs. Stupid nervous habits. It was like he was born with them. Constantly needing to feel something soft or drink something warm as soon as his heartbeat raised a little too much for his liking. His mother had always berated him for these things and tried to wean him off, per say, whenever she could. But her methods never took hold, and Gattick always gave in when he saw Aaran in distress. He couldn't remember if his father ever had any problems with him being so nervous, but he was sure that he might've thought about it. Did he feel shame, like his mother, whenever he asked for a piece of cloth to rub between his fingers? Did he get frustrated when Aaran would hide underneath the table during storms? These questions only made him more anxious and embarrassed, but everyone around him in Mez didn't seem to pay it much mind. Natsu acknowledged the habit and Viveka seemed keen to indulge it with furs from Zena, while others were merely curious as to why he did them in the first place. They were all so... Oddly accepting, weren't they? These random people, who'd taken him in as if he were family... Who exactly were they?
And why did they like him so much?
Not to say that he wasn't appreciative of their warmth, love, and, depending on who it was, mothering, it was... Just not something he was used to. Not even his own mother concerned herself with how well his hair was combed, or if he'd bothered to put socks on under his shoes. She'd expected him to do all of those things on his own without prompting, but here, prodding about everything was very normal. Everyone kept tabs on everyone else and fussed over those who didn't have as much as the others. They wiped at each other's faces, washed each other's clothes, and patched one another up until they were satisfied with what they saw. They cared so much and so fervently, it was beautiful, and yet smothering. Aaran couldn't get fifteen feet away from most of them without being asked if he'd eaten, asked for a new canteen, or slept comfortably in the last 24 hours. It was lovely at first, but as it went on, he found himself biting his tongue to keep from asking them to stop. He desperately didn't want to be rude to them because of how grateful he was to have a place to call home after the war, but he honestly wished they'd give him a little space!
The worst offender of space invasion was Ogbonna, a twenty-something year old Guard who seemed bent on keeping Aaran as comfortable as possible. Aaran could say that he appreciated his enthusiasm, but not exactly how much he liked to hug. Natsu was almost as bad, and Viveka did like to touch his hair, but of all the people in Mez, Ogbonna was someone he wished would calm down. Honestly, who gets up at four in the morning to meditate, train for two hours, make breakfast, and proceed to run after everyone else? Was it a Guard thing? Just... Randomly bouncing in to check on people? Aaran wasn't someone who liked surprises, espescially if they were loud and terrifying, like thunder. Ogbonna had footsteps like thunder, even when he was trying to be quiet. It was one of the reasons why Aaran spent most of his time wandering around instead of staying in one place, so Ogbonna wouldn't find him as easily. However, avoiding Ogbonna only seemed to make him worry more, and earned Aaran a good ten minutes of quality time with him. Sometimes Oggie talked about the importance of safety and, sometimes, all he wanted to talk about was what they were having for dinner that night. Aaran quickly found out that all Ogbonna ever hoped for at dinner time was some sort of meat, and swore that the Guard could inhale and entire Mammu if he wanted to. Still, despite his faults, Ogbonna was genuine, and Aaran supposed he could at least appreciate that.
Aside from Ogbonna, and the persistent mothering he was enduring, Aaran found his new life in Mez easy and pleasant. It was the matter of actually adjusting to Mez that still kept him from letting go of the past. Well, he wasn't sure if he could ever let go of the past, that would mean letting go of his family. His mother's voice, his father's hair, the sound of Gattick's laughter... The arrows his brother used to fire, the bed he used to sleep in, the smell of the dinners they used to have... It was all so close, yet so far gone. He missed everything about them, even the most annoying things that they used to do were things he longed for, things he yearned to endure again. He wanted so much to touch them, to kiss them, and to cling to them like he'd never clinged to them before. But he couldn't. All he had were the memories, their clothes, and his brother's bow and arrows to hold at night. His bed in Mez was so crowded with these things that there was barely enough room for him, but he couldn't bring himself to sleep without them.
He knew that he'd wake one morning and be able to put them on the shelves where they could belonged. A day where he'd be able to see arrows fly through the air and not have to wipe tears from his eyes. A day where he'd be able to stand up, get dressed, and not confuse Natsu's voice for his father's. A day where thunder could make all the noise it wanted and he wouldn't cry out for his mother. That day would come, one day, but not today. Not tomorrow. Maybe not even for years. But it would come.
And on that day, he'd repay this strange, wonderful village for everything it did for him along the way.
Word count: 1263
In a way, Mez wasn't all that different than his home back in Dernd. He still got up at the same time and ate breakfast, before starting on his chores and hunting, but... Even with it's similarities, Mez was very different than what Aaran was used to. For one thing, everyone seemed to take the time to relax together in this family system, as if they were all related. No one wanted to be alone, except for Rastian, when he was around. But even he liked to sit and chat with his brother and Natsu when he wasn't busy healing, or complaining. The prentice didn't really know what it was like to always be around people, and it was a jarring realization. His parents, though they were around, didn't really talk to one another as much as he recalled. And Gattick, well, Gattick was his only friend in the entire world. Aaran had never had the opportunity to step out of his shell and get acquainted with his surroundings. People that were his neighbors in Dernd, did he really know them at all after growing up with them? He could honestly point at anyone across the table here in Mez and say he knew three or so qualities about them after only being here for a few months at best, but he couldn't say the same for the people in his own home town?
He'd fiddle with his hands as he thought about this and catch the attention of someone at the table, and quickly place his hands underneath his thighs. Stupid nervous habits. It was like he was born with them. Constantly needing to feel something soft or drink something warm as soon as his heartbeat raised a little too much for his liking. His mother had always berated him for these things and tried to wean him off, per say, whenever she could. But her methods never took hold, and Gattick always gave in when he saw Aaran in distress. He couldn't remember if his father ever had any problems with him being so nervous, but he was sure that he might've thought about it. Did he feel shame, like his mother, whenever he asked for a piece of cloth to rub between his fingers? Did he get frustrated when Aaran would hide underneath the table during storms? These questions only made him more anxious and embarrassed, but everyone around him in Mez didn't seem to pay it much mind. Natsu acknowledged the habit and Viveka seemed keen to indulge it with furs from Zena, while others were merely curious as to why he did them in the first place. They were all so... Oddly accepting, weren't they? These random people, who'd taken him in as if he were family... Who exactly were they?
And why did they like him so much?
Not to say that he wasn't appreciative of their warmth, love, and, depending on who it was, mothering, it was... Just not something he was used to. Not even his own mother concerned herself with how well his hair was combed, or if he'd bothered to put socks on under his shoes. She'd expected him to do all of those things on his own without prompting, but here, prodding about everything was very normal. Everyone kept tabs on everyone else and fussed over those who didn't have as much as the others. They wiped at each other's faces, washed each other's clothes, and patched one another up until they were satisfied with what they saw. They cared so much and so fervently, it was beautiful, and yet smothering. Aaran couldn't get fifteen feet away from most of them without being asked if he'd eaten, asked for a new canteen, or slept comfortably in the last 24 hours. It was lovely at first, but as it went on, he found himself biting his tongue to keep from asking them to stop. He desperately didn't want to be rude to them because of how grateful he was to have a place to call home after the war, but he honestly wished they'd give him a little space!
The worst offender of space invasion was Ogbonna, a twenty-something year old Guard who seemed bent on keeping Aaran as comfortable as possible. Aaran could say that he appreciated his enthusiasm, but not exactly how much he liked to hug. Natsu was almost as bad, and Viveka did like to touch his hair, but of all the people in Mez, Ogbonna was someone he wished would calm down. Honestly, who gets up at four in the morning to meditate, train for two hours, make breakfast, and proceed to run after everyone else? Was it a Guard thing? Just... Randomly bouncing in to check on people? Aaran wasn't someone who liked surprises, espescially if they were loud and terrifying, like thunder. Ogbonna had footsteps like thunder, even when he was trying to be quiet. It was one of the reasons why Aaran spent most of his time wandering around instead of staying in one place, so Ogbonna wouldn't find him as easily. However, avoiding Ogbonna only seemed to make him worry more, and earned Aaran a good ten minutes of quality time with him. Sometimes Oggie talked about the importance of safety and, sometimes, all he wanted to talk about was what they were having for dinner that night. Aaran quickly found out that all Ogbonna ever hoped for at dinner time was some sort of meat, and swore that the Guard could inhale and entire Mammu if he wanted to. Still, despite his faults, Ogbonna was genuine, and Aaran supposed he could at least appreciate that.
Aside from Ogbonna, and the persistent mothering he was enduring, Aaran found his new life in Mez easy and pleasant. It was the matter of actually adjusting to Mez that still kept him from letting go of the past. Well, he wasn't sure if he could ever let go of the past, that would mean letting go of his family. His mother's voice, his father's hair, the sound of Gattick's laughter... The arrows his brother used to fire, the bed he used to sleep in, the smell of the dinners they used to have... It was all so close, yet so far gone. He missed everything about them, even the most annoying things that they used to do were things he longed for, things he yearned to endure again. He wanted so much to touch them, to kiss them, and to cling to them like he'd never clinged to them before. But he couldn't. All he had were the memories, their clothes, and his brother's bow and arrows to hold at night. His bed in Mez was so crowded with these things that there was barely enough room for him, but he couldn't bring himself to sleep without them.
He knew that he'd wake one morning and be able to put them on the shelves where they could belonged. A day where he'd be able to see arrows fly through the air and not have to wipe tears from his eyes. A day where he'd be able to stand up, get dressed, and not confuse Natsu's voice for his father's. A day where thunder could make all the noise it wanted and he wouldn't cry out for his mother. That day would come, one day, but not today. Not tomorrow. Maybe not even for years. But it would come.
And on that day, he'd repay this strange, wonderful village for everything it did for him along the way.
Word count: 1263
