erased - Frouse AU

Confidence Boosts

The nerves Pezzy felt were intense. Droid had said their friends were coming to visit, that they had some things to talk about but they wanted to see him and the other three too.

Droid had said their names were Eli, Yumi, Ash, Tuxy, Rectrixx and Simple. Or the 6 that were coming were called that. He'd sat down with him two days before and pointed them out in the pictures Pezzy had in his room, that familiar angry wistfulness filling him as he looked at memories he'd experienced but couldn't remember.

They were due to be there in an hour, or so Droid said, and he was not looking forward to the pity filled looks of sadness the guys would have. It had taken the guys in this building almost a week to stop looking that way, and every glance had sent a guilty pang of sadness and irritation through him.

He wasn't ready to deal with those looks again, but he knew he had to bear it. They were past him's friends after all, and he did want to make the connections he'd had before.

A very timid knock came at the door and while his body tensed, he'd been doing better about flying to the wall and sitting against it. He rattled the doorknob and Matt stepped in, worry on his face.

Pezzy smiled faintly at the other, patting the bed beside him. "Okay?" Pezzy whispered and Matt shrugged as he sat down, a fidget cube in his hands. Soup had gotten him one to help his nervous ticks, and it did seem to really help.

"New people are coming," Matt said softly and Pezzy nodded, slipping his fingers under his legs. "Not so new?" Matt asked confused and Pezzy nodded again.

He knew Matt, Smiity and Dooo would be as thrown off as he was. These people were new to them, but they weren't new to the new people. It always made Pezzy's head ache thinking about it.

Another very timid knock came at the door, Pezzy grabbing Matt's hand as he reacted to rush to the wall. Matt slowly calmed down, eyes on the door nervously as Pezzy rattled the doorhandle.

It opened to show Smiity and Dooo peeking in, both looking tense. Since he'd come back out of his room after his 3 day meltdown, they had been coming to him more and more, Pezzy taking them under his wing like their older brother, even if Dooo was older.

Pezzy gestured for them to join him and Matt, the two scurrying over to sit on the bed on either side of Pezzy and Matt. Dooo's hand slipped into Pezzy's, which seemed to be his favorite thing to do.

"Okay?" Pezzy asked again and Smiity shook his head quickly, nerves very clear on his face. Dooo shrugged, playing with Pezzy's fingers. "Don't want to see the looks," Dooo whispered and Pezzy sighed, looking over at Smiity who nodded.

"Just ignore them," Pezzy said and the three gave him looks, making him chuckle lightly. He knew that was much easier said than done, he struggled with it too.

"Safe place here, just ask okay?" He said softly and they nodded, the tension fading away slowly. "I'll protect you, promise."

The three smiled faintly at him, Matt leaning against him with a sigh. They sat there in silence, mentally preparing for the day.

So when a third knock came at the door, louder and more confident, it made them all startle violently and Pezzy didn't even try to stop himself or the others as they scrambled to the wall.

He was happy to see though that none of them went for their blindfolds, though Smiity pulled his out of his pocket to squeeze in his hands. He rattled the doorknob, pulling his knees to his chest.

Droid and John walked in, smiling brightly at the four. Smiity and Matt perked up, standing to hurry to John's side. Droid moved to where Pezzy and Dooo sat, the latter smiling shyly at him.