Meeting Gabriel (2) – Maritsu and Gabriel’s POV (2)

After Gabriel realized that the young man behind him didn't make any moves, he relaxed his muscle and walked out of the door and into the hallway. His muscles, however, tensed again quickly when he heard a sound behind him. When he noticed it was just the young man following behind him, he forced himself to calm down. It wasn't very successful though, because as soon as he heard another sound behind him, he tensed up again.

He scolded himself in his heart. I know you have been on the frontline for a long time and that this kid is skilled. However, you didn't see any maliciousness in him and you decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. So, don't be so paranoid!! He scolded himself even harder when he noticed that the indistinguishable sound he heard was just the young man closing the door behind them and taking a deep breath. He forcibly relaxed his tensed muscles once again and walked out of the hallway into another. It was the hallway he had to follow to get to his office. He would have already been inside his office if not for the sound he heard at the end of the hall.

After opening his office, he walked inside and put the desk between them for safety. "Take a seat," he said, leaning against the table, "and tell me why you were inside an office where you had no business whatsoever to be in. You better tell me the truth too, because only if you have a fantastic reason, I will hear you out. Otherwise, I will call the guard right now and will have them haul your ass to jail."

- Maritsu POV-

"Well, that isn't as bad as I thought it could be", Maritsu thought. However, should he tell the man who was standing behind the desk the truth? He was a soldier and a very good one at that. After all, he joined the army with a goal and he knew achieving his goal would be dangerous. Therefore, he took every single class he had seriously. The skills he learned would become the tools for his survival and also the tools with which he could achieve his goal. This made him an excellent soldier and also aware of the situation he was in. The man stood behind the desk, it seems casually, but the fact that he needed to put a desk in between them while there was a couch to his right and he didn't take a seat, showed that the man still was weary of him and gave himself the best position to defend himself if necessary.

He was mauling it over in his head slowly. He didn't feel threatened by what the man said. Being hauled off to jail was fine, but if he told someone about his brother's death, especially the wrong person, then he wouldn't be able to have his revenge or get justice for his brother. It would be a simple choice to make if the only risk was his death by telling the wrong person. That wasn't the case however, the danger was bigger than just his demise. It was the danger of not getting the answers his brother deserved and honoring the promise to his brother, which he had made that night when he was told of his brother's death.

He would do nothing to jeopardize that promise, no matter what. He touched the dog tags around his neck. These dog tags were his brother's and anytime he faced a situation, he couldn't figure out what to do, or if he was facing a life and death crisis, he would always touch these dog tags. It was a habit he wasn't even aware of. He did it completely subconsciously. Maritsu was lost in thought, so he didn't notice that his movement fell into Gabriel's eyes. When Gabriel saw what he was doing, his eyes widened, because where it was a subconscious habit from Maritsu, Gabriel had the very same habit. However, Gabriel was very aware of his own habit. He always made the same action when he wanted to give up or had to make a tough decision. Gabriel knew what Maritsu's choice would be even before he said it, and he was proven correct.

- Gabriel POV -

Gabriel saw that the young man in front of him took a deep breath and his eyes stopped wavering. Again regaining the firm determination and clarity the eyes had before in the office. Even after being caught red-handed. "I cannot tell you, Sir. Please call the guards and take me to jail, if that is what you need to do." When he said it, Gabriel could visibly see his back straighten and becoming more rigid. It also seemed like he didn't have to carry a burden anymore, which was too heavy for him to carry alone. Maybe he thought he didn't have to carry a certain burden anymore, because he had to go to jail. Everything would be out of his control.

Gabriel was very sure that the guy wasn't acting. He might not even have realized that he seemed to have let go of some kind of burden. If carrying the burden was so heavy and burdensome that jail might be a relief, then he would fulfill him. "Okay then," Gabriel said while he walked towards the other side of his desk and reaching out to pick up the phone. Before he actually picked up the phone, though, an image flashed through Gabriel's mind. The young man touching the dog tags around his neck. It must mean something to him. For a habit to be so ingrained, it must be of utter importance. So why would someone rather go to jail than confess the reason behind his actions? He would only do so if the reason was more important than himself. This spoke of character.

Gabriel pulled back his hand and decided to tell his story first. If the guy could open up, it would be good. If he couldn't, then it wouldn't be too late, to send him to jail at a later moment if he still decided not to cooperate.

Finally, letting go of his defenses, Gabriel sat down in his chair, ready to tell his story. "I saw you touch the dog tags around your neck. The person who left those behind must have meant a lot to you, right?" It was like Gabriel had pushed a pause button. The kid in front of him looked absolutely flustered. Not only that, he looked like he was punched in the gut and seemed absolutely nauseous. This made Gabriel more confident that he had guessed right.

He would tell his story and then hope this guy would trust him enough to tell him his. Maybe he could help the guy carry his burden. God knows how much he wished at times that he didn't have to carry his burden all by himself. Maybe he could do something for the young man, give an olive branch to him. Be the man he has wished to encounter when he was that kid's age. Be a mentor of sorts and help him through the difficult time ahead and offer support. He always wished he had someone who understood his pursuits. Now he could do that for someone else. However, it all depended on what the kid would decide though and if the young man truly had a good reason. If he didn't have a good reason or if he still refused to tell his story, the only thing Gabriel could do was send this excellent officer to jail, a place he probably didn't belong at all. So Gabriel said a quick prayer and started his story.