Characters/Pairings: Lockon, Tieria. No slash intended, but interprete as you like.
Warnings: Worksafe.
Notes: It's slightly AU, but it's still settled on canon. This story happens just before Neil is recruited for Celestial Being (He's 19 years old, or so). Also, I played a bit with the idea of Innovades being implanted into society to gather data and monitor humans. The thing is, "Tieria" is implanted into human society for this purpose and story ensues~ More details are at the end of the story, so as not to spoil you. Happy reading!
EDIT: Just another note. "Seoirse" is NOT an OC. It's just another name for T-chan in this story.
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{ To meet again }
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Neil found himself lounging on the comfortable seat of his old, trusty Lancia 037. Sunday afternoon, a warm day of summer, cloudless and in every word a perfectly fine day to be out. So he did go out, or try to, because he had nowhere to go in mind.
He gazed boredly at the passers-by of the small plaza he'd parked infront of. On the other side, shops lined up but most of the people just went by without as much as glancing towards the decorated shopfronts.
A clear, ringing sound drew his attention. The antique bookstore's door swung open in one fluid motion —not too wide, not too forceful. A head of very straight and perfectly combed hair emerged, followed by an armful of books and a scarringly bright cyan sweater.
How can anyone wear that on a summer day? Neil thought, absently observing the young man that couldn't have been much older than him, walk towards the nearest bus stop, the one just across Neil's Lancia. He frowned slightly at the sweater. Scratch that, who would wear that in their right mind?
He glanced up at the man's face.
Oh.
A flicker, a faint one, of recognition sparkled somewhere in his mind. The other seemed to have noticed that he was being watched, as a head of unusual purple hair turned to Neil's direction.
Figuring he didn't have anything else to do and that it'd be rude not to go and greet an old —uh— acquaintance, Neil stepped out of his car. After looking sideways to make sure there was no vehicle nearby that would suddenly smash into him and launch him into an early death, he crossed the street leisurely.
"Hey," Neil greeted, trying to hide his awkwardness behind a loopsided smile. "It's been a while."
The other regarded him behind purple bangs. "Yes, it has been sometime since we attended the same high school." He shuffled his books expertly under one arm to free a hand to shake Neil's.
"Yeah... But it's summer break right now, so why so many books?" Neil gestured vaguely at the load under the cyan-clad man's arm.
"I'm doing some research on my own," he answered simply.
"Oh, that's great." Neil shuffled his weight. To be honest, he didn't remember ever talking to... Oh, great, he didn't even remember this guy's name!
"Neil Dylandy," the other suddenly spoke. Damn, he remembers my name. This is getting real awkward... "I hope things are going well for you."
"I'm doing all right." Neil knew his former classmate was expertly tip-toeing around the taboo topic of Neil's orphanhood. "I work part-time and some of my relatives help me a bit."
The other man hmm-ed and turned to look absently in the direction of the approaching bus.
"That's good to hear," he finally responded. "My bus is here. It was a pleasure to—"
The bus was bustling.
Neil laughed good-heartedly. "Looks like a pain to board with all your shopping. I can drive you home, if you want. I don't—"
"That's not necessary. I'll just wait the next—"
"I don't mind. I'm free, anyways."
The purple-haired man pressed his lips together into a fine line for a good minute, before giving in.
"If you don't mind, then..."
Neil grinned. He didn't notice when all the tension had been freed from his limbs, but he sure loved to have some company once in a while. After all, the was no one waiting for him at home. And it was such a nice day too. Though, on a second thought, it was more fit to go out with a girl or something like that. Oh well, Neil hadn't given the topic of romance and relationships and what-not much of a thought.
"Great. Let's go then."
During the ride, the other young man didn't offer much little talk, so much of it was taken over by silence and the ocassional direction given by the GPS. Neil parked infront of a modest looking apartment building.
"We're here," he announced unecessarily.
"Thank you."
Neil scratched the back of his head at the formal reply. Not that anything in this guy was other than formal, calculated. "Sorry if it weirded you out to have someone you barely know suddenly offer to drive you home."
He blinked owlishly back at Neil, who gulped as the awkwardness quicked in again.
"You don't remember my name," he said. Before Neil could come up with something to say to that, he continued. "That's all right. I don't mind. I never tried to get close to anyone as far as I remember."
The Lancia's door lock was lifted. "Thank you for the ride."
Neil jumped when the passenger's door was shut. He practically threw his door open and, leaning over the car's low ceiling, he called out, "S-Sho... sha... Uh...! I'm sorry!"
He didn't even know why he was apologizing, but that was the only thing that seemed to make a bit of sense in his flabbergasted brain.
The other young man looked over his shoulder, surprised. After a second's pause, he turned towards the apartment building again and walked up to the reception's door as if he hadn't stopped in the first place. Neil felt quite embarrased and curiously empty after his outburst.
"It's Seoirse," a voice rang clearly in the deserted street. Neil looked up, and found his former classmate gazing at him, a subtle smirk etched on his face. "Don't you dare forget this time."
"Are you stalking me?"
Neil would've hit his head on the ceiling of the Lancia 037 if it wasn't for the seatbelt. He turned to his left to meet a purple-haired man's narrowed eyes.
"Uh, hello?" Neil said sheepishly. "And no, I was just passing by the block—"
"—for about six times? That's not exactly believable."
Neil didn't even bother ask how the other knew; he already suspected that it was linked with the unsettling perfect stealth technique he had just revealed. Even Neil, who was used to spot his hiding targets easily in his almost-everyday practice at the marksmen association's facilities didn't notice the man at all.
"Well?"
"Well... I..." Neil struggled to say something coherent. "Do you... want to hang out?" He practically forced out.
The other blinked.
"You know, it's the last day of summer break. I don't want to end up stuck in my desk typing an essay," Neil continued on now that he had something to talk about. Smooth, now. "C'mon, Seoirse, I bet you did all your summer homework in the first week. Go out for a change."
Seoirse regarded him cooly before crossing his arms and sighing. "I thought you'd come up with something like that," he said. Seoirse walked around the Lancia to the copilot's side and boarded it.
"You thought...?" Neil was surprised how well he was taking this. "For someone who was labelled a sociopath in highschool, that's surprising."
Seoirse adjusted his glasses, effectively hiding his eyes with the sun's glare. He mumbled something that sounded like, "I did my own research."
"It's such a nice day, huh? I'm glad I didn't end up locked up in my room slaving in homework."
Seoirse glanced at him. He took a sip of his drink, with his pinky rised, Neil noticed.
"You should've scheduled your time better so you didn't end up doing everything in the last minute."
"Even if I did, I wouldn't be able to follow through after the first few days."
"And that's why your grades aren't as good as they should be."
Neil put down his empty glass and leaned on the table. "Doesn't matter much. I was planning to drop out of school anyways."
He was expecting a reproachful look from Seoirse, but the other didn't let his gaze stray too far from his own drink.
"What good would that do, though?" he asked.
A long haired guy has been stalking me and then suddenly he asked if I'd be willing to join a top secret organization to end warfare. So, it's not as much useful, but a mandatory requirement for this.
"None, I guess. But I can't keep studying anymore."
Seoirse made a non-commital noise in response, but didn't enquire more. He ordered another drink for Neil.
"Hey, you're going to get me drunk."
"Doesn't matter much," Seoirse echoed Neil's earlier words. "It's still early and I can take a bus back."
"What a good friend you are, leaving me wasted in a random alleyway." Neil downed half of his drink in a gulp. He usually avoided drinking alcohol because he hated his senses to be muddled by its effect. But today, he felt like drowning out the world.
Nothing mattered much right now. If he were to disappear from the world, no one would notice. His family was gone, Lyle didn't care enough to even answer his e-mails and well, he had no one else.
"Hm, I suppose I do owe you a favour. I'll only take you to your house if you don't throw up, though," Seoirse told him, successfully snapping Neil out of his self pity.
"You would?" Neil asked him a bit to enthusiastically. He cursed inwardly for rising his head so quickly as everything began to spin.
"That's what I just said," Seoirse said, annoyed.
Neil couldn't help but smile.
"You smell terrible."
Neil barely registered someone's voice. It sounded so far away. He fought to open his eyes and blinked groggily at the purple-haired person that was staring down at him.
Purple?
"Good, you're awake. Please change into something that isn't stained in vomit before you fall asleep again, will you?"
Neil looked down at his clothing and —oh, dear. He felt his stomach lurch, but held it in. He slowly noticed he was back in his house, to be more accurate, his living room.
"How...?"
"I just used your car's GPS. Passing through the security system isn't that hard for such an old model. Afterwards, I just borrowed your index finger to open the front door."
A hand —Seoirse's, he realized— grabbed him firmly by the arm and pulled him up, leading Neil towards his room. Seoirse left Neil wobbling on his feet before the latter's closet and left the room to give him privacy. With difficulty, Neil discarded his stained clothing and put on a loose tee-shirt and pants for the night.
In fact, it wasn't as late as he'd thought. The sky was still painted a mix of orange and purple.
"You done?" Seoirse's voice came from the doorway and Neil nodded dumbly in response.
"Y-yeah," Neil called out when he realized Seoirse wouldn't be able to see him nod.
The other stepped into his room, almost unashamedly. "I left your car keys at the key rack. I'll take my leave, it's getting late."
Neil took an uncertain step towards Seoirse and toppled over. His new cushion/support growled in annoyance and perhaps a bit of anger.
"Neil Dylandy! Don't try to walk if you're inebriated! That's common sense!"
"You don't talk about common sense to a drunk, Shorrrrsha," Neil slurred the name with a lot of difficulty.
"Shut up!" Seoirse half dragged, half pushed Neil towards the bed. "You're only bearable when you're asleep in this state! Now sleep!"
Neil's hand shot out and grabbed Seoirse's arm as the latter pushed him onto the bed, resulting in a mess of tangled limbs and curses. In the end, Neil had pinned down the leaner man in a bear hug. He sighed contently as Seoirse suddenly fell still.
"Y'know, it's better when you're quiet cuz I'm starting to have a headache."
"Neil Dylandy...!"
Neil pressed his head into Seoirse's chest, trying to block out the noise.
"... It's been so long," he mumbled, and maybe it was the sudden change from his usually bright and carefree tone that had stopped Seoirse from protesting. "It's been so long since I've felt some warmth."
He could feel his new friend —in his mind— angle his head down, regarding him almost curiously.
"Father, Mother and Amy were killed... and Lyle... I was left alone, but I told myself I could handle it. And I did well, I did great... But in the end, I..."
"Neil Dylandy."
He looked up into deep, garnet eyes.
"Shut up and sleep."
It was morning. He could tell by the terrible, piercing noise his cell phone was making. By the headache and general discomfort, Neil could tell he was having a hangover. He didn't even try to open his eyes or move too quickly. The last thing he remembered was a bar, emptying his stomach in a car, feeling really content and looking into garnet eyes—
He sat up so suddenly, his body couldn't manage the momentum in his half-awakened state and slumped back down on the matress.
Neil looked down. He still had his clothes on. Good.
He looked at the floor. No clothes strewn about. Great.
He looked over at his left. A young man was glaring at him. Aweso—
"Fuck." Neil's eyes went very, very wide. "We didn't do it, did we?"
"Do it? I don't know what you're on about, but I think you do owe me an apology."
"A-apology? For what?" Neil was almost scared to ask.
"For many things, but specially for having a stone hold on me all night and not letting me go, you drunkard!"
"O-oh?" Neil didn't know if he should feel relieved or even more ashamed.
Seoirse glared at the display of my cell phone, which was again ringing as an alarm. It was eight thirty.
"I have class in half an hour and I still need to go home, prepare and then go to college." He stormed out of the room.
Neil followed slowly, punching the security panel just outside his room to lock the front door. Seoirse shot him a very venomous glare.
"Seoirse, just skip. You won't make it anyway."
"Skip? Skip? That'll ruin my attendance record! Now unlock this door or I shall!"
Neil sighed. So noisy... Is he shouting on purpose? "Look, just... let me clean myself up and I'll drive you to your apartment and then to college."
"You, drive? I'd rather walk," Seoirse hissed, then proceeded to do his way to the security system. Neil sighed and went to tidy himself a bit before heading out. He was done in about five minutes and he found the purple-haired man in the action of throwing his front door open.
"I'm done here!" Neil called playfully. He grabbed the keys and headed out after the very unhappy Seoirse.
Neil smiled openly at the baleful glare his friend shot him. Seoirse probably didn't expect him to talk to him the very next day after the incident.
"I brought something for dinner," he offered. "Unless you'd like to go out to eat."
Seoirse tilted his chin up haughtily. "I thought I had told you to get out of my sight."
"And I came to say I'm sorry. I really am. Look, I even brought a peace offering."
"You're unbelievable!"
"What? Nothing happened, right?" Please tell me again nothing happened.
"Nothing? I was late for an hour yesterday! I thought you would be more responsible—!"
I guess that confirms nothing happened. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I was drunk, okay? It won't happen again, I swear. And it was you who bought me that drink, so it's partly your fault too."
Seoirse possitively growled. "However, it was you who asked for the next six! Not only did I have to drive you home, bear with your disgusting scene and then you— Umph!"
"Yeah, yeah. I don't think any of your neighbors want to know the details, so please, can we get in?" Neil laughed awkwardly as he muffled the other man's curses with his gloved hand.
Seoirse slapped his hand away. "Fine. Just— I'll never go drinking with you ever again."
I don't think we will have the opportunity again. Neil thought forlornly. He followed his friend as he led him through the apartment complex and when access was granted, Neil stepped into the room.
The first thing he noticed was that it was the definition of spotless. He'd figured it'd be quite clean since he surmised Seoirse was a bit of a obsessive compulsive person. However, the place looked too clean, as in inhabited, lacking human warmth. No pictures were in sight, no ornaments —it was just the basic. Yet, it fitted Seoirse.
"Please leave your shoes at the entrance. I'll bring you some slippers," his host told him. Seoirse returned, as promised, with a pair of brand-new white slippers. Neil slid them on without questioning him.
"So, you hungry yet? I can start making my special recipe whenever."
Seoirse frowned, glancing at the display on the wall. It read eighteen forty-three.
"I suppose it's about time for dinner."
"Great! I'll get started." Neil brought the bags with the ingredients with him to the kitchenette. He dropped them unceremoniously on the counter and reached up to the cabinets. He opened one, glanced inside, then shut it again. Probably the wrong one. He opened another and found yet another set of unfitting contents. "Uh, Seoirse, why are there chemistry measurement devices in here? Where are the plates and stuff?"
After Seoirse had deemed Neil's recipe of mashed potatoes to be edible, even though Neil hadn't used any of the measuring equipment, the dinner had gone quite uneventful.
When they finished, they gathered up the dishes silently and proceeded to clean up.
"Seoirse, would you mind me asking about your family?" Neil asked, shooting for the fifty-fifty chance of success with the conversation starter.
The other man didn't as much as blink. It was a good sign. "My family lives in the south. Both my parents work and pay my studies and living expenses. They told me to concentrate on my studies and nothing else. It's been a while since I've seen them."
"You should visit them every now and then," Neil said softly.
"It's difficult," came the simple reply and Neil didn't pry anymore. After all, going down the memory lane, he had remembered that Seoirse was labelled the 'unwanted kid' in high school as his parents were never seen, not even when Seoirse graduated with honors.
"You probably know this," Neil said, scrubbing a plate, "but it's unfair for you to tell about yourself and not receive anything in return, yes?
"I lost both my parents and my little sister Amy about five years ago in that bombing incident. Only Lyle, my twin brother, and I survived. We were thrown around our relatives for a bit, but when it was time to enter high school, my brother got a scholarship to a boarding school. I haven't seen him since then. When I turned of age, I inherited my parents' house and went back."
Seoirse dryed his hands with a towel and offered it to Neil. "Heh, we've been both left on our own, don't we?"
Neil nodded. He gazed contemplatively at the purple-haired male. "That's why, it doesn't matter if one of us just disappeared, right?"
"No, not at all." Neil noticed the empty expression on Seoirse's face. "We'd be a burden less, some more space for someone else to use."
He felt a tightness around his chest. "I'd miss you, though."
Garnet eyes bore into his aquamarine ones. "Would you? A stranger you've only know for two weeks?"
"The whole world is a stranger for me. But you... It's the first time I've felt comfortable around someone, ever since that day." Neil laughed humorlessly. "I hope I don't sound like a creeper. I just... have been left alone too much time after knowing what it is like to have someone there just for me."
Seoirse looked away. "Neil Dylandy, you're a strange man. I don't quite grasp what you're talking about, but I find it unusual you were able to attain part of what you've lost in me." He wrapped his arms around himself tightly, as if trying to hold together. "I am no one. I know nothing of the world, but I keep going lacking a drive. It's just... living on yet not."
"Then you just have to find it." Seoirse looked up at Neil uncertainly. "A reason to live on. When you find it, take a hold on it and never let go. I... don't know if that will be the final answer to everything, but we have nothing to lose."
"What is it for you, Neil?" Seoirse asked, leaning back against the counter. "Is it revenge?"
"Probably. But if I could change the world, so that incidents like that would never happen again —I would be more than happy to do that."
Seoirse's lips twitched upwards slightly into a smirk. "You would do that for a bunch of strangers, like you said?"
"I'll try," Neil conceded. "When there's a terrorist act, I can't help but think of those losing what's precious to them. I want to make sure what happened to me doesn't repeat."
"I don't know if you're too kind or you're just an idiot," Seoirse turned to look at him in the eye. "I'm leaning towards the latter."
"Well, there's you and Lyle too. I'd protect you both as well."
"Yes, an idiot." There was a pause. "Neil Dylandy, it's late. You should go home."
Neil grinned. "What? You worried about me? If it's too late, I'll just stick around."
"You can't."
Neil felt the atmosphere drop several degrees. "Seoirse?"
The other blinked as if waking up from a stupor. He brought a hand to cup his head.
"I'm sorry. I... have things to do. You should go ahead."
"All right. Sorry I trespassed so long." Neil went to grab his gloves and the Lancia's keys. He followed Seoirse as he led him towards the front door. Neil put on his shoes again and arranged the borrowed slippers neatly.
When he stood up, he found Seoirse staring at the slippers with an undescribable expression. He waved a hand infront of his friend's eyes which seemed to snap him out of whatever trance he'd gotten into.
"I'm going. I hope you accept my offer of an outing sometime these days," Neil said trying to be cheerful.
Seoirse nodded slowly. "I'll make some time."
"Right. Have a good night, Seoirse!" Neil turned away reluctantly, it didn't sit well with him to leave Seoirse behind like that. There was something unsettling about the young man back there.
When he got into the Lancia, he turned to check on Seoirse's apartment's windows. The lights were off.
"Seoirse! Never thought you'd call me. I'd thought I'd be the one insisting."
"... Yes, I thought so too. I... Something got cancelled and I'm free."
"That's great. I'm not doing anything right now either. Would you like to meet in a hour? Infront of that bookstore we met at about two weeks ago?"
"It sounds fine. I'll be there."
"All right. See you later."
Neil closed his cell phone's display. He'd the played the recording at least four times to make sure he was in the right meeting place at the right time. Yet, almost a hour had passed and Seoirse had yet to appear. Neil was worried. The Seoirse that made such a fuss about being punctual was late for an hour and hadn't even notified him of any changes.
Another hour passed. The sun was starting to settle in the west and from yellow and orange and deep red, the sky became a familiar hue of purple.
Neil started the Lancia and sped through the city. He reached the modest apartment building before the sun had sank entirely. He practically assaulted the receptionist.
"The man living at number ninety-eight, has he gone out?"
"N-ninety...?"
"Yes, ninety-eight! Is he home? Did he go out?"
"S-sir, no one lives at that... Ah! Wait, you can't just go—!"
Neil didn't care what the receptionist had to say. She must be new —didn't know well who lived where and—
He boarded the first elevator that came down and hit the panel for the ninth floor. He was beyond agitated now. What could've happened...?
The doors opened and Neil shot out of the elevator, running to the end of the corridor until he saw the numbers nine and eight flashing at an apartment door. He punched the emergency code into the panel and the door slid open.
It was a pristine room. Everything was too clean. But then again, Seoirse mantained it like that. There was just the necessary furniture in there, but that was just Seoirse being calculative—
Neil looked down. The brand-new slippers were missing.
Just when he thought he'd go tear the apartment down looking for any clues on his friend's whereabouts and call the police, his cell phone emitted a beep.
Neil took it out of his pocket and read the message.
I'm sorry.
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"It's time, Neil Dylandy."
He could barely gather the energy to look up at the long haired man. "You know, don't you? You know where he went."
The man didn't address his question. "I've come to scort to you to Celestial Being's base."
Neil slumped down against the kitchenette counter.
"I had today to say my good-byes. In the end, I was too cowardly to say it to someone who's my only link to this world and I wasn't able to say so it to my only friend. Heck, I don't even know if he even considered me his friend or anything. He was right saying I was a idiot."
"Seoirse Dimitri," the man began, garnering Neil's full attention, "ceased to exist today. It was just a coincidence that it was also your last day as Neil Dylandy."
"'Ceased to exist'...?"
"From now on, you are Lockon Stratos, the man who can lock on and snipe any target from the stratosphere."
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Tieria...
I couldn't let go of revenge. That's why... I wasn't able to change the world.
I wasn't even able to say good-bye again.
But at the very least... I protected you.
So live on. And change.
And make the world a better place for everyone.
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{ f i n }
On 00I it is mentioned that the Innovades implanted in human society are called back by Veda after 10 years or so, as they don't age as fast as humans. Veda proceeds to wipe out their memories and insert a new personality into them so they can be sent out to mingle with humans again. Basically, what happened here is that Tieria AKA Seoirse got called back and had Veda rewrite his memories and personality (I think Veda for fun implanted a similar one on him, haha).
Of course this isn't canon at all, I mean, the Tieria-in-society thing since he was woken specifically to serve as a Gundam Meister/Celestial Being observer. Also, it wouldn't fit 00P's timeline since Tieria's supposed to have awakened before Neil was scouted to be a Meister. But that's why we have fanfiction for! (Oh, and the 'long haired guy' is Grave Violento, the Innovade that helped pick up the 3rd gen Gundam Meisters).
On another note, I just randomly picked up a name for Tieria keeping the "earth, earth" line. Seoirse is pronouced "SHOR-sha" (yup, just like Neil did, just without the drunken slurring).
I'll be back to Echo, Echo now that this plot bunny is free to run around amock.
I hope you liked this little... wild story idea. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them as best as I can.