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Time half gasped, half growled when the fist struck into his face. He hadn’t really waited for that punch which was the reason he struck to the floor bit roughly while catching his fall with his left hand. The thing he was actually grateful of was the fact the hit had come to his blind side. It wouldn’t matter if his unseeing right eye ended up blocked.
Four inhaled sharply in shock while staring wide-eyed at the scene. “T-Time…” He stammered with wavering voice while tears already formed in his eyes. “I… I-I’m s-sorry…” He nearly mumbled in fright.
The one eyed male sat down to better position and shook his head with a gentle smile. “Not your fault.” He started calmly. “Just me doing a wrong move at wrong time. Should’ve seen that hit come and not crouch down yet.” He told before bit tilting his head. “Can I hug you?”
The newest boy of the ranch jerked a bit in start at the inquiry before slumping and nodding. Time smiled fondly and gently pulled the shortest boy of his into an embrace. “It’s all right, Four. Everything’s okay.” He promised before giving a slight grin. “I think I might still need some ice to that hit. You got good strike.” He complimented and smiled a bit as the boy in his arms blushed. “May I pick you up?” He inquired while looking at the younger male.
Four just nodded while unconsciously bringing one hand to his necklace. He pressed one of the four small buttons and changed the blue into red. Yet, he gave out a startled yelp when the ranch’s owner tightened his hold and stood up. He adjusted his hold while the youngster wrapped his arms around his neck.
Time took them to the kitchen where Wild was working with meal. “Wild, could you throw me an ice pack, thanks.” He requested and the scarred youngster just nodded. He didn’t check behind as he easily and with full knowledge of where everything was fetched the needed thing. He turned around and threw it already before getting tad startled of the already forming notion of his caretaker having gotten a hit into the corner of his right eye.
“What happened?” Wild queried while bit frowning and tilting his head.
“Just bit of an accident. Nothing to worry.” The one eyed male replied calmly. “Just keep on working with the food.” He called while already heading off to the living room with Four still in his arms. Wild just nodded even though he wanted to know but he easily figured it out that it wasn’t for him to know. At least not unless Four chose to share the information.
Time sat down to the sofa before gently pressing his forehead against his boy’s. “It’s okay, Four. You’ve been bit off today and I just wanted to see if I could help. Usually anger has a reason.” He told gently while doing his best to soothe the younger male as well as he could.
“You should’ve just let me be and figure this out by myself.” Four mumbled with ears drooping and still being fully slumped. “At then, at least, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Time grinned a bit and shrugged. “Yeah, well, that’s not my style.” He replied almost airily. “If one of my boys isn’t feeling well, I’m going to do everything in my power to help. If using me as a punching bag helps, then I’m willing to act as such.” He told with a grin which widened when Four gasped and pulled off almost horrified.
The one eyed male shrugged. “Twilight used to use me as a target when he practiced to throw his knife straight and true.” He told before chuckling a bit as the color started to drain away from Four’s face. “Just kidding! Just kidding!” He assured while grinning. “Twilight had bad nightmares. He woke up screaming. Still does at some nights as you’re aware by now. So, before he really knew me, and while being between dream and reality, he was just trying to defend himself by throwing the knife. Had the bad luck of getting struck couple of times.” He explained calmly and the shortest boy sighed in relief and relaxed a bit.
“So, we all have our own ways to react to things.” Time continued bit sorrowfully. “Wild wakes up crying, Wind whimpers. Legend throws out curses. Sky falls silent and nearly rigid. I wake up with a gasp and fear.” He pointed out and bit shrugged. “I guess your reply to nightmares is anger.”
Four had frowned while listening to his caretaker’s explanations. Yet, he slumped and turned his gaze off when his actions came out. “So, you can either talk with me or anyone else in here or even with a shrink if that’s what you want or you can just write it all down into the booklet and deal with it that way or I can get you a punching bag to vent your anger off. Your choice.” The ranch’s owner listed out the ideas of helping that came into his mind straight off. “Unless, of course, you can come up with something else that you believe could actually work in your place.”
Four frowned while thinking through the options before raising his gaze up bit uncertainly. “I could try the punching bag.” He half whispered and Time nodded in acceptance.
“I’ll get it first thing tomorrow.” The one eyed male promised after having checked the clock. “Most places are closed by now and the food’s probably within an hour.” He pointed out before returning his gaze into his boy. “But, hate to say this, you gotta work with your nightmares and trauma somehow.”
Four sighed and nodded. “It’s just… I don’t recall the nightmares. It’s more of a feeling. I just end up feeling useless. Unable to fight back against whatever’s in there. I just…” He trailed off and shook his head sorrowfully.
“It’s okay, Four. I got you. You’re not dealing with this alone.” Time promised gently while pulling the youngster close to him. “You’re safe here with me and the others. We all just want to help you.” Four nodded before yawning. “Take a nap, kiddo. Emotions are rough things to deal with.” He whispered quietly while holding his boy protectively and still somehow managing to keep the ice bag to its rightful place.
As Time promised, he did buy the punch bag at the next day and installed it into his boy’s room to right height. Four gave it a test run at that day and actually liked it. Yet, even though he hoped he could’ve used it at the good days too, it was more often than not given a thorough workout during the bad days.
The ranch’s owner had bought at the next day from the boy having come to the ranch, four different colored mats for his boy so he could let people know in what mood he went to bed. Yet, the youngster used it also for others to know in what mood he woke up along with what mood he was having when he stayed at his room. Green was calmness, blue was anger, red was emotional and violet was scientific.
Sadly, the blue colored mat started to be outside the boy’s door in most of the days and the kid really was putting the punching bag through hell. That wasn’t yet the worst part. Time could give the solitude and attempt of clearing the feelings. Yet, he could NOT accept the boy missing meals as some days were in such way that the youngster didn’t eat a thing. He really hated to play the bad guy’s part but sometimes he just had to do such to help the younger males to heal.
Eventually, at one day, the one eyed male just stormed into Four’s room dragged the kicking and screaming boy outside. He felt slight bit grateful that he hadn’t needed to command his boy to open the door and, most of all, he hadn’t needed to break the lock of the room. So far each of his boys kept their doors unlocked even though each of them had the chance for it.
“Okay, kiddo, just attack.” Time quite well commanded while taking a stance. “The punch bag can’t fight back and right now you need something more since that’s not aiding you even one bit.” He stated out firmly. “Put that anger into use and fight.”
Four was trembling out of rage and he was glaring at the ranch’s owner. After a while, he screamed and attacked. His caretaker, though, stayed fully on defense and just avoiding and blocking the punches and kicks. That only got the shortest boy of the place even more furious and his hits had more strength within them.
Time took his chance and tackled the youngster into the ground. Yet, he held firmly and made sure the boy didn’t get hurt even one bit. Once lowered to the ground, he let go and backed off. Four screamed in frustration as he scrambled back to his feet and dashed forward to attack even harder.
When the others started to gather around in shock and uncertainty, their guardian just commanded them to stay out of the situation. Four didn’t pay even one bit of notion of his brothers being in there. His blind rage had overtaken him and he just needed to win.
Yet, after the umpteenth time of having been tackled to the ground, he finally stayed there and just broke down. Time relaxed and sighed bit in relief before walking that short distance to his boy and crouched down. He pulled the youngster into his arms and just started to comfort him as well as he could. The others around him were baffled but Twilight and Sky quickly started to disperse the crowd of theirs to give the duo the privacy.
Eventually the newest member of the Lon-Lon Ranch’s family just fell asleep out of emotional fatigue. The one eyed male held him tight while continuing to whisper reassuring words and comforting nonsense. He stayed in there until Four yawned and slowly woke up. “Feeling any of better?” Time inquired while slightly loosening his hold to get a better check on the boy.
“Time, I…” Four started ashamed while slumping.
“Sshh, it’s okay. No harm done. Just venting off the feelings.” The ranch’s owner whispered while tightening the hold. “Any clearer mind about the cause of the anger?” He half queried but the boy just shook his head. “No worries then. We’ll get to the bottom of things with time.” He promised calmly.
It took quite a few times of raged fights against Time and breaking down afterwards with the whole situation and emotions just exhausting the shortest youngster to sleep before he finally began to understand the reasons behind his actions. He had just once again woken up in his caretaker’s arms that the realization hit. “I can’t fight.” He mumbled.
“It looked pretty good to me.” Time replied calmly.
Four shook his head. “I can throw in the swings and kicks but… I can’t win. I lose against everyone. It just…. Makes me feel…” He trailed off with a frustrated sigh.
“Go on. You can tell me.” The one eyed male coaxed gently. “The better we know the reasons, the better we’ll be able to address the problem and fix it.” He pointed out and the youngster nodded in understanding.
“I feel…” Four started while bit frowning. “Angry. Useless. Inadequate. Frustrated. Worthless.” He mumbled and slumped. “I can’t help or defend anyone. I can’t even fight for myself without losing the fight each and every time. I…” He closed his eyes while feeling like breaking down again. “I think that’s the reason my dad abandoned me. I’m no fighter…”
Time tightened his hold and kissed the top of the boy’s head. “Not everyone are. Wild doesn’t fight even though he’s gone through hell. Sky doesn’t fight because it simply isn’t who he is.” He pointed out gently. “You do fight. You just need to find a way to use your shorter stature for your advantage. Hit where you can and use any weapon in your usage, be it already with you or what you can find from around you.” He advised calmly. Four frowned while thinking it through.
“Tackle your opponents if they’re too tall. On that way you’ll get them to your level and you can land a strike or several where it matters.” The keeper of the ranch informed while knowing he was putting himself into bad situation. Yet, he was ready to do and go through absolutely anything for his boys. If it meant to be struck by knives, beaten by shortest boy or taking one’s curses and hatred or something else, he’d be right there to do that. Whatever aided his boys forward in their path of recovery, he was ready and willing to go for it.
Like on the times before, Wild brought two cups of hot chocolate when he noticed Four having woken up from the battle. It helped his newest brother to calm down more and get into better mood. And that was what the cook of sorts of the ranch was happiest about.
Little by little, with Time’s advises, Four began to get his fighting into order. The more he knew of the battle and how to win, the less severe his anger was. Yet, it still didn’t mean that the caretaker of the six boys was going to be safer through the fight. No, it ended up being more on the opposite way.
The one eyed male did his best to keep avoiding and anticipate the moves but he made mistakes every now and then. He learned from them, just like Four did, but he knew his failures might end up causing him to lose his life during a mission. Nonetheless, he refused to worry his boys about the danger of those rare things. Plus, obviously, he was bound by the contract of confidentiality and the simple line of “Top Secret”.
Each time he lost the fight against Four, he yielded as swiftly as he could before his boy could do worse than break few bones and give him a black eye. More often than not, he had to move swiftly to keep the others boys from interfering into the battle. Despite the broken ribs, arm or leg, he wrapped his arms around the shortest youngster and held him tightly while commanding the others, usually Twilight, to stay back. After that he made sure Four understood that he had given up.
If, and when, the bad mornings came while the caretaker of the six was out on a mission, he put Legend in charge of aiding Four. The others could’ve been of aid too but he knew the second boy of his had the unwanted teaching of fighting due to his checkered past. The apple tree caretaker wasn’t happy of it but he understood and did his best as it was a way to help one of his brothers.
“Twilight and Sky would just hold him no matter how much he’d scream and struggle. Wind would put up one hell of a brawl just for the heck of it. Wild would just take it and let Four do as he pleases.” The one eyed male had explained when Legend had asked that simple question of Why for first and only time. Besides the reasons, he gave ways to help. “Stay in defense. Do NOT attack. Just tackle him, let go and back off. When he breaks down, just hold him and let him rest. Try and talk with him afterwards but at least be there for him as long as he needs it.”
Slowly but certainly Four’s ways changed. The coloration of blue turned into the emotional red. At then he just clang to Time through the whole day and cried a lot. The one eyed male held him through most of the day while soothing and talking. He tried not to blame the boy’s father but he did do his best to increase the boy’s own self-worth and acceptance.
Out of Four’s own request, Time got him into a few different self-defense schools. At first he stayed there with him to see how things would go and if the boy enjoyed of the martial arts they were giving a chance at. Once he was certain the youngster was both enjoying and learning as well as the place really putting notion into safety, he finally let the lessons to be had without him keeping close eye on things. Afterwards, though, he put the boy through his moves to keep him practicing even outside the lessons.
Eventually the red mat changed into being green more often than not. The practices became more of conscious things than ruled by anger. At then they both actually learned some new little tricks and were in fact enjoying of the situation instead of fearing to end up harming the other one.
The more Four got his emotions under control, the more balanced his life became. The color of green became his default of normal and calm. Some nightmares and memories, obviously, changed that either into blue or into red. The color of violet was rarer case but usually at then he was fully trying to figure something out and accepted help rather than fooling around or such.
Nonetheless, the life at the Lon-Lon Ranch fully helped the short boy to understand that he was perfect the way he was. The six he lived with were caring and fully willing to aid him in any possible way they were capable of. And Four knew for absolute certainty of having found a place to call home. The family he had gained was worth staying with and, most of all, fully worth fighting for. His shortness wasn’t an issue anymore.