Sentinels and Guides are Known [Part the Fourth]

[garantundkraft]

It's been ten days.

Which, really, it's a miracle he can still keep track of days by this point, as by the- third? fourth? might even have been the second but we'll go with- third day, Gilbert was beyond exhausted and strained by being separated from Arthur. Which meant, of course, that the next day they intensified the training they were having him do. Obstacle courses designed so that only a Sentinel's enhanced senses could navigate them safely. Hand to hand combatives classes. Marksmanship, although perhaps more specifically sniping. Which didn't even touch on the fact that they were also testing him often, charting out the limits of his sensory range whilst his Guide wasn't around to rein him back in.

Despite being exhausted by the end of these days, he can still only barely sleep, waking up at slight disturbances throughout each night. This, after spending what feels like hours missing Arthur and regretting getting in that fight with him. Not just because it means he's out here, being driven half-insane from separation and exhaustion, but because he'd enjoyed spending time with his Guide before this. They'd been working well together. And now Gilbert is just certain that Arthur will hate him and maybe even try to leave whilst he's out here. In fact, maybe Arthur has left and that's why he's so miserable.

It just feels like someone's ripped out his heart without even the courtesy to put something in the cavity left behind.

After ten days of this, Gilbert is so far beyond the end of his rope that he's at the bottom of a chasm, staring up at the faint flutter of his rope being blown in the wind thousands of feet above. Well. Metaphorically speaking. So when they finally order him to pack up and get in the vehicle, it doesn't occur to him that he's being returned to his Guide. Not until they're halfway through the training complex, when it dawns on him that what he's feeling is his bond relaxing, no longer having to stretch all the way across the camp to connect him with Arthur.

Comments

[blitzkriegd]

It's amazing how close you can get to someone in just a month. Arthur wonders if it's because they are desperate, or because they made their bond so quickly. Nevertheless, he is practically clawing at the walls by the time the ten days are up. His exercises were very different. In fact, they involved a lot of pain. The translator said that the more pain a Guide could take, the better, because then the Guide could hold out long enough in case the Sentinel took a while in coming to get them. Of course, Arthur thought that was a little more than messed up. He understood the idea behind it but, well... He still didn't approve.

The test that morning was seeing how long Arthur could last under water. He was dunked over and over again, and there were times that he hoped the soldiers would just leave him there. But then he would think about Gilbert and suddenly he would have the strength to fight back. As the guards are bringing him back from the icy cold river, he knows that his Sentinel is nearby and he is filled with elation.

The guards escort Arthur back to his room, tell him to clean up, and then leave. Arthur hurriedly changes into warmer clothes and comes back his hair with his fingers. ...And then he checks himself in the mirror several times just to make sure he doesn't look like a drowned rat. Yes, that should be fine.

[garantundkraft]

When he is finally brought back to their room, he's so overwhelmingly happy that he doesn't give a single thought to anything but getting in there and just holding Arthur for as long as he can. It doesn't occur to him to think of how Arthur might feel, or what the training personnel will think, or anything but getting that door open.

Once he does, despite how his hands shake, he is just going to snatch Arthur up and bury his nose against the other man's shoulder.

He doesn't even notice his escort depart, muttering something about Gilbert being too weak and soft-hearted.

[blitzkriegd]

So all is forgiven, Arthur assumes. He just lets Gilbert hold him, and only moves once the guards are gone. He brings up a hand and strokes Gilbert's hair. Arthur had been so cold, but having the Sentinel close to him was now warming him up.

They could speak later. Right now, Arthur was fine with comforting Gilbert.

[garantundkraft]

Not that he was crying, or anything like that. Honest. Gilbert just needs to hold Arthur until he's absolutely convinced that the Guide is here and not going anywhere. Though after a while, he finally does find his voice. "You're cold and you smell wet." If it sounds like a complaint, it's not one against Arthur. It's more he wants to know why.

After all, they don't begin the harsher forms of training until after a bond is made. Prior to that, there's little point. So Gilbert has no idea what sort of training a bonded Guide undergoes.

[blitzkriegd]

Ah, right. He is very cold and still a bit wet. Arthur pulls back, but still keeps his arms behind Gilbert's neck. He doesn't look upset. Actually, he's very calm.

"Hm, Let's see... "Guide training. In water. Hold breath." And as much as he had hated it, he was still happy if only because Gilbert was back.

[garantundkraft]

His gaze, sharp as it is, homes in on that burn immediately. He's tugging Arthur's arm towards him so he can get a closer look at it. "No. No, it's not fine because what if you die?! Stay here." Arthur can complain about being ordered around later, because Gilbert is up and going through his gear to get out his first aid supplies. Even if it's really a bit late to be bandaging the burn -he doesn't even know when it was inflicted- it makes him feel a bit better to do so.

"I'll show them... kill them all... run their guts up the damn flagpoles..." Those words and other threats against the lives of the Guide trainers are what Gilbert mumbles as he sits back down with bandage and disinfectant. "Hold your arm out."

[blitzkriegd]

Oh, well. That wouldn't do. As awesome as it was to have someone want to kill for you, Arthur is not so certain that's a good idea. He holds out his arm, but tilts his head so that he can look at Gilbert in the eyes.

"Relax. I'm here."

[garantundkraft]

"I know you're here..." Gilbert is a bit frustrated, because he doesn't need calming and reassurance right now. He needs to go get a bit of vengeance because people hurt his Guide. "I don't get how that's supposed to make you stronger! Why not just teach you how to not get captured or how to kill enemies on your own?!"

[blitzkriegd]

Gilbert still was agitated. Arthur leaned in closer and put their foreheads together. Calm down, Gilbert, please.

"It won't do to have you trying to take this place apart, Gil."

[garantundkraft]

"Why not? They... that's not training! How is burning you with a Goddamn cigarette training?!" And why didn't anyone ever tell him that's what training for Guides was like?

[blitzkriegd]

Arthur could talk about himself. He's not sure what Gilbert would understand, but he would try.

"Well. I have four other brothers. They are all older than me, except for the one, Peter. And they all hate me." Despite saying that, a small smile crept onto Arthur's face as he thought of home. He missed it. "There's a cat there. Her name is Titania. She meows when I sing... I hope that means she likes it."

[garantundkraft]

He doesn't understand everything. He gets the part about having brothers, and one is named Peter. And apparently they hate him? "Why do they hate you?" Oh, and he also understands about the cat, but he'll save asking Arthur to sing until later. (Though Gilbert likely won't have the presence of mind to do so in a way that won't be interpreted as either demanding entertainment or a lullaby.)

[blitzkriegd]

"Hm? Hate?" Arthur looks down at Gilbert for a moment, gently tugging on a few strands of the silver hair. "We... Uh. Don't like. Fight all the time." Wasn't really an answer, so Arthur just said it in English. He looked embarrassed discussing his family. "We don't have much in common. And they're all stronger than me, or think they're better than me... Silly things. Not like I care what they think about me, anyway. They're all jerks."

[garantundkraft]

He makes a quiet, pleased noise at the tugging. "Ahhhh. Well, when the war is over I'll kick their asses for you; how's that? No, wait, even better! I'll just get Lutz to pay them a visit! Kesesesesese!" Gilbert claps his hands together once, like this is one of the best ideas he's ever had.

[blitzkriegd]

Lutz, Lutz... The brother, right? Arthur smirked a little at Gilbert's enthusiasm. "You and your brother get along well though, yeah?"

[garantundkraft]

A chagrined look crosses his face, pale skin doing nothing to hide the embarrassed flush. "Yes. It's... I don't know how they pick out Guides. Sentinels tend to be pretty easy because even as kids they have at least one enhanced sense. But Mutti was very certain I would be a Guide."

[blitzkriegd]

"Ah... I didn't... understand that." Arthur slides his hand lower and he brushes his knuckles against Gilbert's cheek, trying to encourage him.

[garantundkraft]

He tilts his head towards that touch, trying to think of a different way to convey the same idea. "How did you know you were a Guide? I don't know how they tell."

[blitzkriegd]

"Oh!" Arthur nods in understanding. "Hm. School. We do exercises to help. Very early."

[garantundkraft]

That just confuses him, which shows in the crease of his brows. "But how? What... is measured?"

[blitzkriegd]

Heh. The blush makes Arthur blush, too. He might have had a few similar thoughts just then. They were linked, right? So they had to share some ideas.

After a little while of just massaging Gilbert's head in silence, Arthur decides to open his mouth again. But this time, not to speak. He decides to sing, just a little bit, and very softly. It's some love song that is popular in his country.

[garantundkraft]

Entirely likely that they do. Gilbert sighs happily during the head rub, whilst Arthur is being quiet, content enough to almost doze off. Except then Arthur starts singing, and he has a very lovely voice. The albino listens, slightly entranced, but when it sounds like Arthur is about done... well, how can he resist?

He definitely meows at his Guide.

[blitzkriegd]

He sort of spaced off there for a moment. And he blinks when he hears Gilbert make... some weird sort of noise below him. O-oh. His face turns bright red. How much of that did the Sentinel hear?!

"............."

[garantundkraft]

Ah, Arthur looks irritated at him... Whoops. "You have a lovely voice." And he is very sorry for interrupting now, because his Guide probably wasn't expecting any comment.

[blitzkriegd]

Oh, gosh. He heard everything! Arthur feels like an idiot. A red-faced idiot.

"I thought you were asleep. Go to sleep."