Action; Evening of November 12thcakeblockedNovember 13 2011, 08:35:07 UTC
[It was only a few minutes ago that Luke received the written message, yet it made him pull on his coat and shoes and head outside right away.
"Can you meet me outside of community housing 2?"
It wasn't really the message itself that worried him, but the way it was written. He could tell it came from Ion, yet the handwriting was messy and shaky. It was pretty clear that Ion was upset about something, and he came to Luke to help him with it. And Luke wasn't the type of person to leave a friend.
So, just moments after receiving the message, Luke opens the door to the entrance of his building and steps outside. It was still sunset, nearing evening... What happened, anyway?]
[Luke will have to look down if he wants to see Ion when he opens the door. Though the message only came a few minutes ago, Ion's been sitting there far longer, back against the wall and knees hugged to his chest.]
[He looks up when he hears Luke's voice, but then just as quickly looks back down. When he speaks, his voice is brimming with false cheer.]
Hello, Luke. I... hope I'm not interrupting anything, asking to see you so suddenly like this. [He's shivering. It's hard to tell if it's from the cold or something else. At this point, probably a little of both.]
I would have knocked, but I've been sitting like this for so long... [A weak laugh.] Could... could you help me stand?
[False cheer or not, Ion's posture, words and behavior is worrying Luke all the more.]
Ion...?
[He bends briefly to take both of Ion's hands before he straightens and pulls him up, taking a step back to further aid this. Jeez, he was cold. How long had he been out here?]
Why didn't you call me sooner? - Nevermind, let's just get you inside.
[And with no room for protest, Luke lets go of his hands to place his own on Ion's shoulder instead, and guides him inside. It should already be warmer in the housing building.]
[At least an hour, though that's not counting the amount of time he spent wandering the village since earlier this afternoon. He was dressed for the weather, yes, but he had certainly not been prepared for staying out so long.]
[He's easily pulled to his feet and walks with Luke into the apartment, but he might be a bit unsteady until they actually make it inside. His legs were just asleep, after all. By the time he speaks up, that false cheer has all but vanished, and his eyes are still fixed on the ground.]
Sure. [Once they make it to his apartment, Luke takes a brief glance around before he brings Ion to his room. Just making sure that Asch isn't nearby. He doesn't think Asch would mind, but... Better safe than sorry right now.
Just a moment later, Luke sits Ion down on his bed while he himself finds a chair nearby, the one he'd usually sit to write in. He brings it near the bed, then sits and clasps his own hands as he leans in slightly.]
[Not even once he's sitting down does Ion look up, keeping his hands neatly in his lap and, at least for now, his coat on. Even though they were inside, he was still shivering a bit.]
[He nods, but doesn't say anything yet. He's trying so hard to keep himself together right now, but he knows the moment he speaks that it's just going to become that much harder.]
[With a fleeting glance up at Luke, he replies in a soft voice.]
I told Anise how I feel about her today. [He hunches his shoulders and looks more pointedly as the ground.] It... didn't go well.
[After a moment, Luke reaches to pull the blankets up as much over Ion as he can. That might help a little...
It's as he's pulling his hand back that Ion starts to explain, and as a result, his hand hovers in the air for a few seconds before he pulls it back fully, and lets it rest in his lap.]
... Oh. [He frowns and purses his lips as he leans over a little, trying to look at Ion's face.] Did she... say anything, or...?
...I think it surprised her. She must have had no idea that I felt that way... and the look on her face when I told her was...
[His hands tighten into fists as he grips the edge of his coat. By his posture and the way he's sitting, it almost looks as though he were trying to occupy as little space as possible, as if he wanted to just curl up and disappear. And maybe a part of him did want to disappear right now. It would make things easier.]
[He wraps his arms around his chest, gripping his coat tightly.] It was... a mistake. I shouldn't have... I...
[He turns and glances up at Luke. He's sad, he's hurt, but more than that, he's confused. Ion had only barely understood his own feelings before; this wasn't something he knew how to deal with. He couldn't handle it.]
"Can you meet me outside of community housing 2?"
It wasn't really the message itself that worried him, but the way it was written. He could tell it came from Ion, yet the handwriting was messy and shaky. It was pretty clear that Ion was upset about something, and he came to Luke to help him with it. And Luke wasn't the type of person to leave a friend.
So, just moments after receiving the message, Luke opens the door to the entrance of his building and steps outside. It was still sunset, nearing evening... What happened, anyway?]
Ion?
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[He looks up when he hears Luke's voice, but then just as quickly looks back down. When he speaks, his voice is brimming with false cheer.]
Hello, Luke. I... hope I'm not interrupting anything, asking to see you so suddenly like this. [He's shivering. It's hard to tell if it's from the cold or something else. At this point, probably a little of both.]
I would have knocked, but I've been sitting like this for so long... [A weak laugh.] Could... could you help me stand?
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Ion...?
[He bends briefly to take both of Ion's hands before he straightens and pulls him up, taking a step back to further aid this. Jeez, he was cold. How long had he been out here?]
Why didn't you call me sooner? - Nevermind, let's just get you inside.
[And with no room for protest, Luke lets go of his hands to place his own on Ion's shoulder instead, and guides him inside. It should already be warmer in the housing building.]
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[He's easily pulled to his feet and walks with Luke into the apartment, but he might be a bit unsteady until they actually make it inside. His legs were just asleep, after all. By the time he speaks up, that false cheer has all but vanished, and his eyes are still fixed on the ground.]
Can we talk in your room?
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Just a moment later, Luke sits Ion down on his bed while he himself finds a chair nearby, the one he'd usually sit to write in. He brings it near the bed, then sits and clasps his own hands as he leans in slightly.]
Did something happen?
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[He nods, but doesn't say anything yet. He's trying so hard to keep himself together right now, but he knows the moment he speaks that it's just going to become that much harder.]
[With a fleeting glance up at Luke, he replies in a soft voice.]
I told Anise how I feel about her today. [He hunches his shoulders and looks more pointedly as the ground.] It... didn't go well.
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It's as he's pulling his hand back that Ion starts to explain, and as a result, his hand hovers in the air for a few seconds before he pulls it back fully, and lets it rest in his lap.]
... Oh. [He frowns and purses his lips as he leans over a little, trying to look at Ion's face.] Did she... say anything, or...?
Reply
[His hands tighten into fists as he grips the edge of his coat. By his posture and the way he's sitting, it almost looks as though he were trying to occupy as little space as possible, as if he wanted to just curl up and disappear. And maybe a part of him did want to disappear right now. It would make things easier.]
[He wraps his arms around his chest, gripping his coat tightly.] It was... a mistake. I shouldn't have... I...
[He turns and glances up at Luke. He's sad, he's hurt, but more than that, he's confused. Ion had only barely understood his own feelings before; this wasn't something he knew how to deal with. He couldn't handle it.]
...I didn't think it would hurt this much.
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