020 ♪ audio ♪ how can they possibly know that

[chosenfake]

[The communicator clicks on, and at first, it seems incredibly innocent. Just the sound of a bath. But then there is a shaky and familiar voice pleading over the water.]

I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Just make it stop.

[For those inside of his apartment, there's a pretty evident trail of red leading from Luke's room to the bathroom-- so thick in

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[Action]

[servidude]

...What the...?

[Whatever Guy had been doing is dropped in favor of following the trail of blood quickly to the bathroom. Screw knocking, whoever's in there needs help.]

Luke?!

[action forev]

[chosenfake]

[Luke looks up sharply. He isn't hurt, but there's a sickening amount of blood everywhere, staining his clothes, the floor, everything. Even the water in the bathtub is pink. He makes no move to get up from his knees or pull his hands from the bath; he knows it won't work.]

It's-- it's a curse. It won't stop...

[He knows why. These were the same hands that used hyperresonance to steal the lives of ten thousand people in a single instant. And then, ten thousand more in order to save millions.

He feels sick again and hides his face in his elbow. How long is he going to have to endure this?]

[action forev]

[servidude]

[Guy strides over to Luke, sinking to his knees by the kid and checking him for injuries that aren't there, because that's what you do. A curse that covers you in blood, really? That's extreme, especially for poor Luke.]

[He drops his hand on top of Luke's head and frowns, leaving his hand there as comfort as he considers the bath and Luke.]

Nasty. [He decides.] This place is really nasty sometimes.

[What can he do for Luke? He feels kind of helpless.]

[chosenfake]

[He lowers his head, but otherwise doesn't struggle. What can he do but sit here and think about what he's done? If anything, this just proves that no one can hide from the deities. Are they mad because of his plan? Or is it because he hasn't told a single soul of his crimes?

Not that he's been pretending he's a good person. Luke is the first to stress that he's no hero whenever it's brought up. He knows what he is. And who he is. It is a part of him. The blood he took is now his own. Their memories give him strength-- at a terrible price.]

I hate to ask this, but... could you do something about the blood outside before Florian sees it? I just don't want him to worry. [His expression harbors a hollow, wry sort of humor.] You're always cleaning up after me, but this time I really can't do it myself.

[servidude]

Yeah. Don't worry about that, I've got it.

[He pulls Luke closer a moment, tucks the kid's head up against his shoulder and holds him there, fingers tangled in his hair in a brotherly way.]

How long is this going to last?

[chosenfake]

[Luke has been held like this a few times before, and every single one of them, he's needed it. It's probably selfish to take this comfort and not give anything in return, but all he's good for is donating blood right now. Blood and tears. He's so pathetic. Pathetic and unclean, and hardly even human. He feels it all around him, slippery and wet and still warm, and it makes him want to throw up everything he ate last night.]

Midnight.

[He swallows thickly. He can hardly see over Guy's shoulder, so he shuts his eyes against the tears and doesn't try to stop them.]

You're going to get dirty.

[servidude]

[Guy hates the blood, but he ignores it. A whole day is a long time to be stuck bloody, but Luke's strong. That doesn't mean Guy's going to let him do this alone though. That'd make him a pretty poor friend. He keeps the hug up, lets Luke cry on him.]

I don't care.

[chosenfake]

[That makes him chuckle a little bit, wry and humorless. Crying like this is just... well, it is what it is.

He didn't have anyone to hold him when he cried over Akzeriuth before.

He chokes back a sob.]