Title: A Little Bit of Comfort
Author: AotA
Rating: K
Warnings: None
Characters: Matthew, Isaac
Setting: Day before the game begins, AU
Summary: Matthew is feeling exhausted from life, but he takes heart in being able to hold and be held by one of the strongest men he knows. FatherSon
Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun: Dark Dawn.
Notes: I think that Matthew is seriously emotionally marginalized in the game. I played through a few times at the beginning just to see the various reactions and at several points, no matter what option you choose, he is berated. Kind of like: Happy's response is "be more serious!", Sad's is "don't be a wimp!", etc. I felt sorry for him and even though I give characters hell and Mourning Moons, I decided I wasn't going to be completely evil and give him some time with his dad too.

Matthew sat on the edge of the Goma plateau, looking over the forest. His feet swung aimlessly back and forth. Back and forth.

He knew all the possibilities. He knew that tomorrow Tyrell would jump off the roof after stealing Ivan's Soarwing. He remembered all those possibilities. So many times, the Second Mourning Moon had risen over Goma plateau… So many times it had killed him… So many times he had revived so much more a child than he had become in his journeys…

No matter what he did, no matter if he was sullen, cheerful, cautious, or rash… Nothing changed that mattered. Each time he lived through this endless loop of time. Things varied a little, but it was generally the same over and over and over. Matthew was tempted to just sit things out this time. Just let his father and Garet take care of things until the Second Mourning Moon rose once more.

Matthew was tired.

So many times… No matter what he did, what he tried, he couldn't break the cycle. He could defeat the Tuaparang over and over and over but when it came to the Moonrise, he failed every single time. He just didn't understand. Was there something that he was missing? Some clue he needed to find?

Thoughts chased themselves in circles inside his head and his head bowed. So distracted in his thoughts, Matthew didn't notice his father walk up behind him until his large warm hand landed on the top of his head and ruffled his golden spikes of hair. His head bowed further and he let out a heavy sigh.

"Thinking heavy thoughts, son?" Isaac asked coming around to sit beside him, and pulled him into a tight, one-armed hug. Matthew felt the heat radiating off him, warming him, body and maybe even soul. He tucked his head against his father's chest, feeling glad for the strength of the embrace. "It's alright," Isaac said softly, and began running his fingers through the golden blonde hair that reminded him so much of his own when he was Matthew's age.

For a long time, they sat there, Matthew soothed by the real firmness of his father being there for him, and Isaac just let his son have what he needed, glad that he would still allow his old man to comfort him like this and not be like so many other teens who divorced themselves from their parents as soon as they could. When the sun went down, they finally got up and went inside.

The next day, Tyrell stole the Soarwing and leapt from the roof and everything began anew.