(no subject)

[redstray]

Who: Eric and his close CR or those who know
When: November 8th night
Where: Inanna's Temple and surrounding area
What: Eric's going through a bad time in the head and has decided to run away and hide from people who care. Because that always works

Eric sprung from his bed, eyes wide and breath quick. He jumped out of his bed before he could even process it, his eyes darting from side to side in the room. Nothing was clicking, nothing looked...familiar. Where was he? He wrapped his arms around himself, nails digging in Unfamiliar meant unsafe. He should leave. Run.

He almost paused as he thought about it...why did he fall asleep here if it wasn't safe? As he walked to the door he ignored that thought because better to be safe. And safe meant not being here. He didn't know where he was...he'll find someplace else.

Still, he paused in an area, the small voice coming back. This place was safe, this place was fine, this place wa--

 

A step caused a loud noise and he jumped. A screech, a bad noise. Something dark darted around his legs. No, no this place was not good, he had to leave, had to leave be safe somewhere else. Run.

 

His bare feet hit the ground as soon as he was outside. It was cold but he didn’t seem to notice, it was dark but it didn’t seem to matter either, he just ran.

The door was left open and Eric was gone, somewhere even he didn't know.

Comments

Warning for ptsd

[redstray]

[ Lost ]

[ There was a tree upon many that was a little bit large, and the roots had uprooted slightly, creating a small area.

And that's where Eric had managed to find himself to hide. His back against the tree he had his hands in his hair, pulling and yanking out some of his hair. His arms were red from the cold and from scratches he had given himself to try and get calm. it wasn't very successful so he moved on to his hair, mumbling lightly under his breath. His bare feet curled as a nightly wind went through and he shivered, though it was masked by his trembling.

He sat there, eyes open but nothing was clicking still. The only thing going through his mind was 'safe' or 'not safe' and for now, he felt safe. If only a little. ]

[ Found ]

[ Eric was in a ball, small and tight on the couch in his temple. He was tense, but also tired looking. His eyes never seemed to focus on any one spot in particular or on anything. Loud and even soft noises caused him to jump slightly or to lean on the one beside him but besides that he didn't move, there wasn't much energy to do so.

He fidgeted his arms ever so slightly, just tightening the blanket that had been placed on him. His mind still whirling even if it was tired. He knew where he was...albeit slightly, but he was still deciding if this was right or not. If it was safe. He knew it should be but...Eric tried to tug on his hair again to try and get the thoughts to stop. He didn't get it. ]

lost

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun had ended up splitting the area in the vicinity of Ren's temple into blocks and going over them one by one - there was always the chance Eric might end up going between them, but Shun has the feeling he would've just tried to find a safe place. There's very little reason he would've fled from the temple if it wasn't a snap reaction to some kind of fear, and Shun's certainly seen that before.

His footsteps are typically silent, and it's for that reason he manages to spot the blond hair just visible among the roots of the tree without being detected. Considering the situation, he pauses...then backs off, going around in a wide arc to find somewhere he can approach more visibly and not scare Eric off before he even has a chance to try and figure out what happened.

When he does, he stops a good distance away, several meters, and crouches down. He doesn't say anything yet, but it makes the small amount of noise he expects to be enough to alert Eric to his presence in a situation like this. At the very least, since he left his coat with Ren, he cuts a little less of an imposing figure than usual.]

[redstray]

[ Eric's movements freeze when he hears the noise and it slowly approaching. His hands clench in his hair as he tries to curl up even further. Hoping to hide as much as he could, maybe he wouldn't be seen.

When the noise stops, just a bit away from him he still stays that way for a moment or two. Waiting to see if anything else would come, waiting...waiting but nothing. He peeks up, his eyes just coming above his knees to see if whatever it was that made the noise left. It hadn't, something...someone was there and he stiffened but made no other move. ]

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun's eyes follow what he can see of Eric's movements. It definitely looks like he's still panicky, to the point he doesn't think it's safe yet to come closer - and somewhat explains why he fled from Ren's. If he's in that state, chances are he's going to have some difficulty recognising friend from foe.

Slowly, Shun moves both his hands to somewhere Eric can see them - and see that he's not currently armed, more importantly. His usual carried weapons are concealed well enough that they're all but invisible from this distance.]

It's me. Shun. [He says it quietly, but clearly. Mostly to see if Eric registers any real recognition.]

Lost

[lionhearrt]

[ Ra's nightly walk takes him through the Farshore, his steps tracked by an old companion rising above the clouds. The moon and the sun. One made of light and the other made flesh, forever silent in their fellowship.

Like the night before and the one after, Suoh lets his feet wander aimlessly, an acrid scent marking his path. The wind picks up and the steady stream of smoke rising from the cigarette tucked in his mouth is swept behind him as he comes to a stop in front of an old hollow tree. ]

.......

[ Suoh stares at it, only then catching the signs of passage. A bent twig, disturbed grass, and a barely there footstep from all body much too small to leave a larger impression on the soft earth.

Gold eyes stare down at it, seeing not the signs but feeling it. A light airy flame flickering in the night, the red aura which meant - a red clansmen. HOMRA. ]

[redstray]

[ This one had to be the safe one this time right? No one would come...a strange thought that was comforting yet somehow fearful as well. Eric scratched his arm as he walked quickly away, seeing another good spot to hide just a short distance away.

He had to hide...hide and wait. Wait for what? He didn't know but hiding was good, he'll know what will happen when it happens and do something then.

So right now he had to hide, get to where he needed and hide. ]

Found

[welcome_home]

[ Word eventually gets out to all the people searching that Eric's been found again and safely back at Ren's temple. Nanako's quick to head in that direction, still dressed in her kitten pajamas from the night before and looking sleepy but determined.

Slipping inside Ren's temple, it doesn't take her long to locate where Eric is and she peers in past the doorway, spotting him curled up on the couch. Hesitantly, not wanting to startle him, she slips inside with a worried look. ]

Eric?

[redstray]

[ His name being spoken snaps Eric's attention back to reality as he looks for the source of the voice. He tilts his head slowly as he stares at the new person that had come in, his brain trying to calm down enough to see if he should be recognizing this child.

Ah.

His mouth moves as if he were whispering but nothing came out until a few more tries. ]

...nako...

[ That's right, it was Nanako...right? He blinked at her, more confused than anything. What was she doing here? ]

Found!

[thevanguard]

[ Word had quickly sped along the grapevine and being at Izumo's temple meant he had been one of the ones woken up when Izumo had heard about Eric being missing. Luckily, his vessel power also made for a great help in instances like this, so it's no surprise Yata had immediately volunteered to help Izumo search for their friend.

Now, though, with Eric found and safely back at Ren's temple, Yata is back in his own normal form and coming to look for the shinki. He's got two mugs of hot cocoa in his hands, one for himself and one for Eric that he holds out to the other teen as he comes to sink down beside Eric. ]

Here. This will help get you warmed up.

[redstray]

[ Eric does a small jump when someone sits beside him but he doesn't move, he was caught and he'll sit here. He'll be good. He frowns to himself, that wasn't the right way, was it? He doesn't know. Either way, he lets the other sit there, too tired to fight back.

He stares at the mug for a long minute before finally he looks up at the person that was giving it to him. His head tilting slowly as if asking if it was okay, still not reaching for it. ]

Found

[toremainbehind]

[After he had received the calls from Shun (and most likely Ren), Izumo had asked Yata to help him find Eric with clear warning not to do anything to set him off. It's been a long time since he's seen an episode like this, especially since the last time Eric has freaked out this badly was when he was still adjusting to being brought to HOMRA.

He moves slowly, enough to let Eric know he means no harm, and he crouches in front of the blond.]

Eric. [Izumo keeps his tone level as he calls his name, soothing.]

[redstray]

[ Eric watches as someone approaches him, his shields going up but he didn't really understand why. His guard goes down the closer they came towards him, his head tilting as he continued to watch them, something familiar about it.

Ah, he knew this person, didn't he? By the time he crouched down in front of him he remebere. Kusanagi-san. Izumo... ]

...usana...

[ He frowned as his voice barely made any noise but didn't bother with trying again, not right now. He tilted his head as he shuffled in his blanket, wondering what he was doing here.]

found

[revolutionfalcon]

[Eric still looks like he's in a bit of a bad way, so Shun's just going to requisition the coffee table next to this couch for use as a chair temporarily. He's light, so it's probably fine.

It seems a little vapid to say "are you okay" in this situation, but considering how things are right now, Shun has to wonder what else he's going to respond to.

For now, he figures, it's best to get a read of how he's feeling.]

Do you remember much?

[redstray]

[ Things were becoming a bit more clear in Eric's head, things were becoming more recognizable and aware. So, when Shun sat down on the table, he was able to identify him a bit quicker. Still, he stiffened just slightly, because his nerves were still going haywire.

At the question Eric tilts his head slowly, frowning in thought. He remembered waking up...did he step on one of the cats tail? There was...a lot of woods, but nothing else much clearer. How did he even get back?

As an answer he shook his head, looking down. He knew it was morning..ish, so he was found somehow, how much time has passed he doesn't know. ]

lost

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex had caught sight of the blonde, was quite a distance from him, and with the way he was running it took quite some effort to catch up. ]

Eric--! Wait! It's me--Alex!

[redstray]

[ Eric almost pauses his run, hearing his name. Why was his name being called? Was that a good thing? Did he hear his name often? No, no he had to keep going. It wasn't safe, it wasn't safe.

His pace quickened again but he was now off balanced, and he fumbled in his speed and tripped over the uneven ground, rolling until he banged into a tree. He tries to quickly get up, not registering the fall or letting it get to him. But he failed and slumped down for a while, his legs tired from the sprinting and fall.

Eric grips onto one of his arms with his nails. He wasn't safe, he had to leave, had to hide. ]

ota

[revolutionfalcon]

[It wasn't long after Eric's disappearance that Ren ended up contacting Shun - only about half an hour. And he hadn't taken much longer to dash out a quick message to Izumo on the assumption that he'd let anyone else he thought could help know before setting out himself. A tracker in the truest sense he may not be, but Shun is thorough, determined and familiar enough with fight-or-flight behaviour to have some idea of the kinds of places Eric might've hidden himself. He is also the kind of person who absolutely refuses to give up and has been known to stay awake for several days straight if he considers it necessary, so it's really only a matter of time rather than a question of whether he's going to find anything.

There's definitely a note of mingled frustration and concern in his face as he searches, a clear determination in his bearing and calculation to the way he's covering the Heavens. He might be worried about Eric, but he also can't help but be worried for Ren as well considering his history with shinki, and it's only going to be worse on both of them the longer it takes to find Eric.

He definitely won't refuse help from anyone who chooses to approach him at this point.]

[sing_for_me]

[ Alex had been on one of her now regular walks late at night. She would sometimes find others doing the same, but it was still a surprised whenever she spotted someone. She recognized him as that person that approached her during God's meeting. The talk was a little awkward, so she'd much rather stay out of his way, but he looked... bothered. It seemed he was looking around for something. Hesitating for a moment, she decides to approach him. ]

Did you lose something...?

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun stiffens slightly at the not particularly familiar voice - he knows it's Alex, but he doesn't really need to be distracted by small talk right now. Still, she's involved herself with Mikoto, so...there's a possibility she could be of help. And it's not like they don't need it right now.

Considering it for a moment, he eventually turns towards her, still looking ill-at-ease.]

Do you know Eric Surt? He's a shinki who lives around here.

[welcome_home]

[ When Nanako stumbles across Shun, she's been awake for a little while, having been woken in the middle of the night by Ren calling for Eric outside her temple. She's still dressed in her pink kitten pajamas, however, with a sweater tugged overtop, because what is actually preparing for disasters when a friend might be hurt or lost.

The little girl is searching the area around her and Ren's temples as well, wings working to keep her aloft as she searches in any place she thinks Eric might be lost or hiding.

When she spots Shun instead, she backwings to a stop, blinking at him a moment before moving in his direction. ]

Shun-oniichan? Are you looking for Eric, too? Have you seen anything?

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun looks a little surprised - and worried - at the appearance of Nanako this early. He'd been considering contacting her if it got to later in the morning and he could assume she was awake, but she must have found out another way.

His reaction settles quickly at the questions, though.] Not yet. I've been trying to go over the nearby area in a certain order so I don't miss anything, but nothing's come up so far. What about you? Why are you out this early?

[They are pretty close to her temple, so it's possible she overheard something, he supposes.]

ota

[shadowrevenger]

[It's the screech that ultimately wakes him up, or rather, it's the screech that makes him actually get up instead of lying there, tossing and turning and too uncomfortable to be completely asleep but really wishing he could be. If he's going to just not be asleep anyway, he might as well get up and find out what that sound was all about.

It doesn't take long to figure out that the uncomfortable feeling is from Eric and Eric is gone, or to find the distressed cat and sooth him, or to find that Eric isn't answering his phone, or to decide that Eric seems to have a pretty big head start in going wherever it is he decided to go and he's not answering his phone either so Ren is going to need more help than Michiya and Shibau the dog to find him. Eventually, he calls Shun, because Shun probably knows this place better than almost anyone with all his patrolling and he'll have a better idea of who else might be able to help.

And then Ren heads out to continue searching, still in his pajamas and with Shibau trotting along at his heels. A lot of said searching involves calling for Eric like that will be enough to convince him to come out of hiding, but he and Shibau spend a fair amount of time checking behind bushes and trees as well...]

[revolutionfalcon]

[...He expected Ren to be worried, but really.

There's some typically quiet footsteps behind Ren - which may well go noticed by Shibau first - before a heavy coat gets draped over his shoulders. At least the difference between his and Shun's height is little enough that Shun's coat doesn't quite drag on the ground for him.

It might also be helpful on Shun's part that he can probably get away with not having it pointed out it's late autumn and he's only wearing a sleeveless shirt without his coat on.]

I contacted Kusanagi. He'd have a better idea of who in their group knows enough to help. [Shun...has his doubts about Mikoto in a situation this delicate, and he doesn't know how much people like Yata and Fushimi remember. Izumo, however, probably would.]

[shadowrevenger]

[Shibau does indeed notice him first as it's a bit hard to successfully sneak up on a puppy, and he dashes to Shun's side to helpfully escort him the last few steps to Ren. By the time Ren has noticed Shibau's absence or the footsteps, it's just in time to have a coat dropped on him. He automatically grabs onto it so it won't go anywhere and nods to Shun.]

Good. I wasn't sure who would have been safest... [He should probably make a little more effort to know who all is from Eric's world and how dangerous they could be information-wise...but it's also a whole lot harder to slip up when you don't know anything.

Ren frowns a little at Shun's bare shoulders even while he tugs the coat tighter around his own.] You're going to get cold like that.

[welcome_home]

[ It's the calling that Nanako first hears, carried through a window left open in her bedroom at the temple. Waking sleepily and rubbing a hand against her eyes as she yawns, she listens, wondering what had woken her. Hearing the voice come again, and again, although she can't quite make out who is calling, or what, she eventually slips out to investigate, a sweater tugged on over her pink kitty pajamas and angel wings flitting on her back as she makes her way through the trees and bushes that surround her temple towards the sound of that voice.

At least Ren makes himself easy to find, even if the little girl is a little confused about what's going on in the middle of the night.

Sleepily, she flutters towards him, stifling a sleepy yawn behind one hand. ]

Ren? Is something wrong? Are we playing hide and seek?