Disclaimer: Don't own
Note: Separation Anxiety. Everyone experiences that when they're small. Lloyd is like…two, nearly three.
I had a hard time writing the sad parts. –cries— It's just so sad!!
Separation Anxiety
Anna looked puzzled, "Kratos?""Yes?" came her reply.
"Should we harvest the crops now? I think they're good enough now to pick."
Kratos nodded, "It would seem so, but what should we do with Lloyd?"
The mercenary tilted his head a little to the left to gesture at his son, who was napping on a very fluffy Noishe. The protozoan looked content as being used as a pillow as he too began to fall asleep.
"I think he'll be okay, it's been around ten minutes since he fell asleep, and he usually doesn't wake up until two hours later." Anna told her husband, "The garden is pretty big and we need to harvest the vegetables and fruits before insects eat them rotten."
"Hmm, you're right." Kratos said and he turned to Noishe, "Be sure he doesn't hurt himself, or you."
Noishe blinked and nodded, his big ears waving about. (AN: DUDE THOSE THINGS ARE HUGE!)
Anna sighed as she picked two large baskets from a cabinet, "Kratos, I don't think Lloyd can hurt himself or Noishe in his sleep…"
Kratos gave her a look, "You hurt yourself when you dreamt a spider was crawling on your face, and you still kick me in your sleep." Kratos winced as he poked his right thigh, "I still have the bruises and I think I will get more later on."
Anna blushed, "Okay okay, point proven, but you know I don't kick you on purpose."
Kratos raised an eyebrow as he and Anna went out the back door, "Oh really? I recall you pretending to be asleep one night, and you kicked me so hard, I could not get up in the morning!"
Anna laughed, "Yeah, your expression to staying in bed for two hours was hilarious, even more so when Lloyd kept poking at the weird colored circle on his daddy's leg and making his daddy jump."
Kratos looked indignant and huffed, "I would have been immune to the pain, but you have strange ways to give me bodily injuries, like the one time you nearly slapped my head with a flyswatter when trying to kill a cricket."
Anna blushed again, "Fine, I admit I'm dangerous, but at least I'm not danger prone!" Anna pointed out.
"True."
Then they closed the door, leaving the house in content silence as they began the work of pulling and picking the fruits, berries and vegetables they grew in their garden, talking all the while, not knowing that Lloyd had entered the most heartbreaking stage of all: Separation Anxiety.
It had been roughly thirty minutes after Anna and Kratos left, Lloyd had decided to take a small nap today, his parents unaware.
Noishe was still sleeping as Lloyd carefully got up; his massive fur was matted with the shape of a very small toddler head.
Lloyd didn't want to wake Noishe up so he silently got off the couch and looked around for his parents.
He didn't see them in the kitchen so he went into their room.
"Mama?" he asked, his voice echoing throughout the room, "Dada?"
No, they weren't there; Lloyd was beginning to feel scared. The house was silent, and he didn't like that.
Lloyd tried to check the bathroom, but it was locked from the outside, due to Anna and Kratos' fear of Lloyd digesting deadly contents from the bathroom items.
After trying for five minutes to open the door, Lloyd gave up and went to his room, but saw nothing but his crib, drawers and many toys.
"…Mama?" Lloyd asked again, whimpering, "…Dada…?"
The toddler went back into the living room where Noishe was napping at and tried to look for his parents outback, but he was a little short for the doorknob and couldn't reach. The boy slammed his palm down on the door, hoping to get someone's attention.
No one came.
Noishe's ear twitched and he woke up, yawning widely when Lloyd slammed the door with his palms again, again, still nothing.
Lloyd was beginning to panic and became frightened.
Lloyd was confused and he looked around, where were his parents? They weren't anywhere in the house and no matter how hard he slammed the door, no one heard him, except Noishe who walked over to him, wondering what was wrong.
"Mama? Dada?" Lloyd babbled as his panic and fright began to catch up with him.
"MAMA, DADA!" Lloyd plopped down on the kitchen floor and began to cry.
They weren't here, they simply vanished!
Noishe did his best to try to calm Lloyd down; the boy hugged Noishe in fright and sadness. Noishe was the only one there for him now. His world was shattering as the thoughts of his parents leaving him alone in the house and never coming back for him or hat they didn't want him anymore; made him wail even louder.
All he wanted were his parents, was that too much to ask?
Lloyd hugged Noishe tighter and as the protozoan licked his tears away, he wished with all his might for his parents back with him, to tell him everything was alright and that they were never gone and never will be. His cries were soon to be answered as his father picked up the sound of his cries.
Outback in the garden, Kratos looked up.
"Isn't that Lloyd crying?" Kratos asked worriedly.
Anna stopped and listened. Then she promptly dropped everything and ran to the house, Kratos following her lead.
"Oh my, what if something happened?" Anna asked in a panic
"Do not panic, Anna, it might not be something bad!" Kratos replied; his eyes and voice betraying his cool face.
Yep, the Aurion parents were freaking.
As soon as the two got to the door, they wrenched it open, their hearts racing, fearing the worst, but not prepared for what was behind the door.
Lloyd was wailing loud and hard.
"MAMAA!!!!" he cried, he didn't like the feeling of being alone, it was too scary. Even with Noishe it was scary, though Lloyd knew Noishe would do everything to protect him, he wanted his mommy and daddy.
"DADAA!!!"
Lloyd couldn't take this anymore, even with Noishe trying to comfort him wasn't enough, he wanted his mommy and daddy!
But before Lloyd could throw another screaming fit, the door in front of him wrenched open.
Lloyd abruptly stopped screaming and crying as he looked up at his—
"Mama! DADA!!!"
Lloyd hurled himself at parents and was unbelievably happy. His world was whole again! His parents back and not gone, they came back for him! (Not that they had ever truly left, but Lloyd didn't know that)
"Lloyd! Are you alright, baby?" Anna was busy fussing over her son and hugging him tightly.
Anna cleaned Lloyd's face and calmed him down from his sniffles, though the boy was smiling and his eyes were shining.
Kratos was immensely relieved and he patted Noishe's head for doing his best to calm his son down.
"Is he hurt anywhere, Anna?" Kratos asked.
Anna shook her head, "No. He isn't."
"Then why was he screaming and crying?"
Anna thought for a while and then it came to her.
"Lloyd went through separation anxiety, meaning he didn't want us to leave him alone."
Kratos was confused, " 'went' and 'didn't'? Doesn't that mean he's past it now?"
Anna shrugged, "Let's see."
Anna put Lloyd down and both she and Kratos started to move away.
Lloyd panicked again, "MAMA, DADA!" Lloyd held out his arms and both Kratos and Anna went over to him, and said to each other, "He's not past it." They looked at each other in surprised before laughing as they said another sentence together.
After they calmed down, Kratos and Anna went back outside to resume harvesting, this time with Lloyd and Noishe in tow, though Noishe immediately wandered to Lloyd and Anna set him down on the protozoan's back.
"Guess we're stuck with him for a while, angel-cake." Anna said as she picked the dropped vegetables and fruits and putting them into her basket. Noishe trotted after her, Lloyd bouncing on his back, happy that his parents took him out with them.
Kratos looked at his wife and replied with a small smile, "I think we wouldn't have it any other way, Anna."
Anna laughed, "That's true."
By the time they were done harvesting the fruits and veggies, Lloyd was asleep, laying on his front of Noishe's soft furry back as he did before and his mother picked him up. Noishe followed Anna and Kratos inside and was again used as a pillow when Anna put Lloyd down on the couch with Noishe laying on it.
Anna went up to wash up afterwards, Kratos following her example after she got out.
When they were both done, Kratos and Anna took their place in front of the couch since Noishe and Lloyd took up space and fell asleep.
Their son would wake up later, but this time, he and his parents wouldn't be separated; he'd make sure of that, but it would be impossible in the future. (1)
Well…I think that was good. I hope it wasn't too short. I detest short chapters, even more so when it's by me.
(1) ...Two words: Kvar and Yggdrasill...
I hope you liked it! This separation problem I think only happens between mother and child, but since it's my story, I'm putting the father in too! Hmm…I'd better ask my mommy if I ever went through this and if she ever had time for herself without me following her like a duckling.
Please Review!