Wired: Metta's Story

THERAPY CAN'T SAVE YOU FROM YOURSELF, KID!

Lightning Bolt

The Fearamid - November 23, 2012 - 1:03 AM

Lightning knew he should've been sleeping, to keep his strength up for whatever the next day would bring, but he was too excited to get any sleep. He'd finally made up his mind once and for all. He was going to talk to Felix.

Master was out again, thank Cipher (literally), so Lightning knew his attention was elsewhere. This was a fantastic window of opportunity. Hopefully it was a good time for Felix, as well. But, to be fair, Felix didn't have any way to track the passage of time, so what did it matter if it was the middle of the night or not?

His path through the Fearamid was far more direct this time, since he actually knew where he was going and wasn't just mindlessly wandering. He was so excited to speak to Felix that he almost got distracted and ran into a couple demons that would most certainly not treat him with kindness if they knew he was there. Such was Lightning Bolt's reality.

Felix was still the sole prisoner of the Fearamid. Well, unless one counted Lightning Bolt. Which Lightning didn't, because he could come and go fairly freely and he was only punished when he deserved it and not tortured for information or anything. It was all good. Not a prisoner. Felix was in a far worse situation.

"Felix?" Lightning had arrived at the older man's cell. "You're awake, right?"

"You came back!" Felix appeared at the bars, a wide grin on his face. Lightning had never seen someone be so happy to see him. It was... surprising. "I've been waiting for you."

"Really?" Lightning blinked. "You really wanted me to come back?"

"Of course I did, Lightning." Felix had something warm, loving in his gaze. Lightning didn't understand it. "I truly want to be able to help."

Lightning nodded hesitantly, taking a deep breath. Steeling his resolve, he stepped through the glowing blue bars and it was like stepping through a threshold, stepping into something he could never return from. He prayed he wouldn't regret this. Felix appeared unaffected by the show of his power, that the bars did nothing to him. Lightning respected that.

"Sit down, alright?" Felix guided Lightning to a sitting position and sat down beside him. "It'll be easier. Now, where do you want to start?"

"U-Um..." Lightning had no idea how to answer that question. He'd been stifling down all his emotions, all his insecurities for as long as he could remember (and probably far longer than that.) And once he started, where did it stop? What if Master noticed his altered state? What if this was all just an elaborate trick by Master to test what he would do? What if Felix wasn't being genuine? Was Felix listening to all of this? What if Master-

"Hey." Felix put a gentle hand on Lightning's arm. "Breathe, alright? You're spiraling. Just take it slow. It'll be okay."

Lightning couldn't remember the last time someone had spoken to him like this, had been this kind to him. He didn't understand why Felix would want to be kind to him. And anyway, why couldn't Felix pick out his thoughts without Lightning having to speak?

"I'm kind to you because you deserve it." Felix said patiently. "You're just as much a victim as anyone else. And while I can pick out some things myself, it's better for you to be able to sort through it without my interference. Besides, your mind is kinda..." Felix waved a hand vaguely.

"R-Right." Lightning nodded. This was so overwhelming. Take it slow. "Well, it's harder than it seems. I'd like to see you identify your own problems."

"I care too much for those around me and not enough for myself or my mental health." Felix said instantly. "I know, it's been a burden my whole life. I made a lot of mistakes when I was young."