[When Luke enters the apartment, he'll find Asch dozing on the couch, with Star curled up into a bundle on his lap. It's strange for him to still be asleep at this time in the morning, but what's probably even more strange is that he doesn't stir as Luke comes in.]
[Luke had honestly figured that Asch wasn't home when he didn't answer the door. He still didn't have a good grasp of their link, after all; only enough to realize it was there, or when he was close, or to talk if he tried hard enough. He... feels close, but...
So, Luke unlocks the door and lets himself inside, locking the door behind him. Once he looks out and into the apartment... he is pretty surprised to see Asch there. Immediately, there's the strong urge to get out and run away, or at least retreat to his room and not come out for a while.
Instead, he frowns and purses his lips to fight it, and the fist holding the remains of his hair shakes as he lowers his head once more, and he reaches out within the link in an attempt to rouse him as well as speaking out loud.]
[Star moves first, perking up and launching himself at Luke with a chipper, welcoming "mieu!" in hopes of some cuddles. After a moment with no sign of reaction, Asch's eyes snap open to zero in on Luke, holding his breath and remaining still for just long enough to probably make his reaction somewhat alarming. Once that's over, however, he exhales and sits up, brushing his hair out of his face.]
[Luke might not like Star very much, but he can't help smiling a little and scritching the top of his head with his free hand. Asch's reaction, however, makes Luke flinch, still keeping his head low. It makes the still long bangs cover his face, which he doesn't particularly mind.]
I... [What was he doing here? Luke wasn't really thinking when he fled the weapons shop. He stays silent for a few seconds, then tries again.] I wanted to stay here again.
... Yeah. Asch, I... I'm sorry for saying all that stuff to you. And for pushing you like I did. [He gives a half smile, though it's very bitter.] I don't see how you put up with me for even that long.
[Asch scowls at that, then stands up, heading away from Luke for the kitchen. He can't bitch at Luke on an empty stomach.]
Just shut up, I don't want to hear your apologies. I'd rather forget it ever happened.
[Ugh, just being reminded of it has gotten him back into that same foul mood. Stupid naive idiot. He'd rather forget his own replica had been that much of a fool.]
[It sure is a good idea, forgetting it ever happened... But he knows everyone else won't let it go that easily. This means that Asch is going to let him stay... right? He didn't shout at him, or make him get out, or...
After a moment of just standing there, Luke follows after Asch, Star leaping onto his shoulder to go along for the ride.]
If you have to. [Asch isn't going to outright agree to Luke sticking around, obviously, and he responds in a tone that is almost neutral, leaning on the side of irritation.
He's still angry - he's not even looking at Luke as he preps himself a piece of toast to nibble on. But he's been through enough experiments to know that kicking Luke out for this will just come back to bite him in the ass later, somehow, whether through karma or just sheer lonely misery at having to live alone deal with Star's complaints.]
[Luke stands in the doorway as Asch prepares some toast, staring down at the fist which still holds the long mane of hair. It's like a part of himself died... Maybe that's why he hasn't let it go yet. Or maybe he just doesn't know what to do with it.
Regardless... He knows he must look like a mess without it. It's... It takes some courage to ask Asch this, seeing how he really only trusted two people with taking care of his hair, one who was kidnapped and one who was gone.]
Asch? Could you... help me cut the rest of my hair?
[Asch glances back at him, biting thoughtfully on the toast as he eyes the bundle of hair Luke's holding. It's true that his current hairstyle is a mess, and someone's going to have to fix it. And he'd much rather that Luke ask someone else, but...
...well, Guy's gone, Tear's gone, and Xion's in the hospital. And unfortunately this is not an unfamiliar job to him. Eventually he turns away again, fetching the butter.]
Throw that out before you drop hairs all over the apartment. And get a chair, I'll cut it outside. I'm not sweeping up your mess afterwards.
[Since he can't make Luke do it because he'd TOTALLY DO IT WRONG okay.]
[He heads out of the kitchen, and out of the apartment buildings entirely. It had been a nice, ordinary day, though gusts of wind would blow at times.
This is one of those times. Luke stares down at the hair in his hands... Then shuts his eyes and opens his fingers, feeling the strands slide and be caught by the wind.
And with that... he says goodbye to the person he once was.
Once he goes back inside, he grabs a chair, holds it under one arm and goes back to the kitchen.]
[By the time Luke's finished, Asch has finished his snack, washed his hands, and located a few things: a sharp pair of scissors, a spray bottle (for keeping Star out of the houseplants, totally), a brush, and a comb. When Luke returns and fetches the chair, Asch just nods and steps past him, wandering out the door to stand outside one of the windows, setting up his little collection of equipment on the ledge.
HE IS READY FOR HAIRCUTTING. Are you sure you want to go through with this?]
[Luke follows him outside, and he stands still for a second, just watching Asch fiddle with the hair cutting equipment. Really, was he ready?
After all that's happened... yes. He definitely is.
He shifts the chair under his arm, and when Asch seems to indicate that he's ready to cut his hair, Luke nods, then sets the chair in front of Asch, sinking into it and straightening his back automatically. He places his hands on his knees, too, and shuts his eyes.]
[So dramatic, dreck, over a little bit of hair. because Asch would never be like that. Asch doesn't respond, though, immediately going to work; dampening the hair first, then combing, then starting to trim.
He tries to push aside his irritation and lingering anger about the act itself; his replica, his stupid replica. Cutting the hair that showed his nobility to the world. Sure, it made little sense here, but in Auldrant...
...It's just infuriating, to see him discard something that Asch still clung to, despite having no claim at all.]
[That nobility was a strong part of Luke's behavior. To claim that he was Luke fon Fabre, that he was wealthy and could deem anyone else unimportant... It was what he wanted to leave behind. He wanted to look at the world through the eyes of a normal person, not just a noble.
So as Asch trims his hair, Luke realizes that this time it's... different. He's not as attached to his hair as he was when it was longer on Auldrant, although he still cares a great deal about it. When Tear trimmed his hair, it was as if pieces of his life were being cut away. Now... It felt like he was slowly being freed.
He opens his eyes and stares down at the ground at his feet. He was expecting to feel sorrow all over again... but it's liberating, now.]
Reply
So, Luke unlocks the door and lets himself inside, locking the door behind him. Once he looks out and into the apartment... he is pretty surprised to see Asch there. Immediately, there's the strong urge to get out and run away, or at least retreat to his room and not come out for a while.
Instead, he frowns and purses his lips to fight it, and the fist holding the remains of his hair shakes as he lowers his head once more, and he reaches out within the link in an attempt to rouse him as well as speaking out loud.]
Asch?
Reply
What are you doing here?
Reply
I... [What was he doing here? Luke wasn't really thinking when he fled the weapons shop. He stays silent for a few seconds, then tries again.] I wanted to stay here again.
Reply
...You're back to normal, then.
Reply
Reply
Just shut up, I don't want to hear your apologies. I'd rather forget it ever happened.
[Ugh, just being reminded of it has gotten him back into that same foul mood. Stupid naive idiot. He'd rather forget his own replica had been that much of a fool.]
Reply
After a moment of just standing there, Luke follows after Asch, Star leaping onto his shoulder to go along for the ride.]
So I can still stay here?
Reply
He's still angry - he's not even looking at Luke as he preps himself a piece of toast to nibble on. But he's been through enough experiments to know that kicking Luke out for this will just come back to bite him in the ass later, somehow, whether through karma or just sheer lonely misery at having to live alone deal with Star's complaints.]
Reply
Regardless... He knows he must look like a mess without it. It's... It takes some courage to ask Asch this, seeing how he really only trusted two people with taking care of his hair, one who was kidnapped and one who was gone.]
Asch? Could you... help me cut the rest of my hair?
Reply
...well, Guy's gone, Tear's gone, and Xion's in the hospital. And unfortunately this is not an unfamiliar job to him. Eventually he turns away again, fetching the butter.]
Throw that out before you drop hairs all over the apartment. And get a chair, I'll cut it outside. I'm not sweeping up your mess afterwards.
[Since he can't make Luke do it because he'd TOTALLY DO IT WRONG okay.]
Reply
[He heads out of the kitchen, and out of the apartment buildings entirely. It had been a nice, ordinary day, though gusts of wind would blow at times.
This is one of those times. Luke stares down at the hair in his hands... Then shuts his eyes and opens his fingers, feeling the strands slide and be caught by the wind.
And with that... he says goodbye to the person he once was.
Once he goes back inside, he grabs a chair, holds it under one arm and goes back to the kitchen.]
I'm ready when you are.
Reply
HE IS READY FOR HAIRCUTTING. Are you sure you want to go through with this?]
Reply
After all that's happened... yes. He definitely is.
He shifts the chair under his arm, and when Asch seems to indicate that he's ready to cut his hair, Luke nods, then sets the chair in front of Asch, sinking into it and straightening his back automatically. He places his hands on his knees, too, and shuts his eyes.]
... Okay. [Come at me bro.]
Reply
He tries to push aside his irritation and lingering anger about the act itself; his replica, his stupid replica. Cutting the hair that showed his nobility to the world. Sure, it made little sense here, but in Auldrant...
...It's just infuriating, to see him discard something that Asch still clung to, despite having no claim at all.]
Reply
So as Asch trims his hair, Luke realizes that this time it's... different. He's not as attached to his hair as he was when it was longer on Auldrant, although he still cares a great deal about it. When Tear trimmed his hair, it was as if pieces of his life were being cut away. Now... It felt like he was slowly being freed.
He opens his eyes and stares down at the ground at his feet. He was expecting to feel sorrow all over again... but it's liberating, now.]
Reply
Leave a comment