004 [Video] - This is going to be so awkward the morning after

[servidude]

[Guy sets the device down on the counter. He's in an apron in the apartment kitchen, behind him Asch is visible also working on something. Guy smiles at the camera as he leans back, picking up a bowl and resuming the mixing of whatever is inside.]

Hey Luke, just wanted to remind you it's our one year anniversary. [He beams, looking so damn happy

Comments

video;

[blastiafreak]

[What. What is this-

ASCH CAN ACTUALLY SMILE?!]

Wait-

Okay, you have to be cursed!

[action]

[stupidgenes]

I don't--

[Asch's eyes widen as he has the same shocking realization--the same brief and quick rerun of yesterday's events--at the same time that Guy does. Oh NO. Just. No. Dammit. He feels disgusted and betrayed by the City's twisted little joke.

He hopes to free himself completely from Guy with one final shove before backing away slowly and rising to his feet, which now feel wobbly like a gelatinous substance. There's still this somewhat horrified, incredulous look on his face.]

It can't be...

[He chokes a little just thinking about it. Of course, he wants to have a good relationship with Guy. But just... not THAT one. Things never were that way, things can't have been that way, things just AREN'T that way, things WILL NEVER BE that way EVER

[action]

[servidude]

[Guy isn't exactly resisting the shove. He scrambles to his feet, snatching up his sword out of habit but not doing anything with it, just meeting Asch's eyes with what is probably a matching look of horror and shock. He was cursed before, forgot who he was, believed he was some noble living a happy life for two days... The aftermath of that, however, wasn't so bad. It was really weird, but he could forget about it. He and Yuri hadn't ended up hurting each other, and that was about the only thing he would have regretted from that event. And for that matter, even with altered memories his feelings hadn't been changed.]

[But this is different. This is so much more personal and violating. To him and Asch both. Worse than being controlled by the Score, much worse than being manipulated by Van, they were both used, with no say, and they enjoyed it--Guy distinctly recalls being head over heels for Asch but that memory doesn't fit because the rest of him, the real him, has mixed feelings at best about the other man. Most of them negative

[action]

[stupidgenes]

[Asch ponders briefly how it's so simple for Guy to sweep that all under a rug and say it never happened. But he decides that Guy simply has had that much practice and probably is wholly forcing himself to believe it, too. It's not that Asch doesn't have any experience with denying the past, but... it's always so close behind him, often at his very heels. No matter how much he casts it aside and tries to believe with all his conviction that it isn't his or that it shouldn't have happened that way, he can't lie to himself like that. It's too difficult.

Maybe... maybe Guy is used to living a life filled with lies and deceit, but Asch just isn't like that.

He turns aside, dropping his gaze to somewhere on the floor.]

... it's that simple, huh?

[action]

[servidude]

[Guy watches Asch. Noting, absently, the body language, the closing off. Can't really say he doesn't feel much the same. Turning away, looking down... He'd like to do that himself. What he doesn't get is whatever problem Asch has with just deciding it never happened. Neither of them had a choice in this, better to just shove it aside than to let it linger, so what does Asch want?]

It's that simple.

[He crosses his arms, doesn't look away, keeping Asch within his gaze instead of looking away from him. It's a bit of a pride thing--he won't glance away even if he wants this all to just disappear.]

So what if you've got a problem with it, what do you want?

[Surely neither of them want to confront this. Guy's voice holds a slight, challenging edge. If Asch has a better idea than forgetting the whole thing, he'd love to hear it.]

[action] ...i am sorry about failtag. DX

[stupidgenes]

[Naturally, Asch doesn't have a better idea, but he just can't seem to really do it. I... don't know... would be the real answer if he trusted anyone enough to be perfectly honest with him. But this is Guy, and Asch finds it difficult to place his thoughts and feelings on him.]

--Nothing.

[Whatever. Maybe they're no longer in Auldrant, and maybe he has all the time this world has to offer him. But it's too much, too soon, and too painful a wound.

He turns to walk away.]

I'm leaving.

[action] No fail in sight!

[servidude]

[Guy can read that hesitation. It's half blessing half curse he can read people so well, especially when they lie. And Asch isn't exactly the best liar Guy's ever met. Better than Luke, at least. But he doesn't know what to do about it. He doesn't even know what he wants to do about it.]

[He wants yesterday never to have existed but that's impractical and not happening. To him the next best thing is denial, but he knows that's not healthy and Asch... Asch can handle it, he tries to convince himself, looking away from the redhead's retreating figure.]

[Asch has been abandoned by everyone for seven years. Why does his conscience sound suspiciously like Natalia? He clenches his fists, growls out despite himself, half hoping Asch is too far to hear, half dreading he isn't.]

Asch, wait.

[action]

[stupidgenes]

[Asch's feet stop moving when he hears Guy's voice. Even though his mind tells him to just ignore it, he doesn't continue walking. He stands, still facing away.

It all seems so stupid. Guy already made his decision. So why should Asch even bother listening to what he has to say now? But Asch still wanted to listen, still wanted to hope that Guy had a solution in mind, still wanted to respect Guy's wishes in some way or with some small gesture.]

What.

[action]

[servidude]

[Why isn't Natalia around? Maybe he should be glad, since yesterday would have been heartbreaking for her, but today he really wishes she were here. Or maybe not--what could Natalia hope to do in this situation anyway? What exactly did he plan to do? Guy's really not sure where to go from this, why he asked Asch to stop, beyond the fact that he couldn't just let him go off alone this time.]

[But what other options does he have? He doesn't have a solution to offer. He makes a frustrated tch and doesn't look at Asch

[action]

[stupidgenes]

[He's still standing. Listening. Thinking. But Asch doesn't want, doesn't *need* this lecture right now, and especially coming from Guy.]

Shut up! [His voice cracks a little, another betrayal of sorts. He's aware that Guy knows what he's talking about, but his mind just overrides and blocks out that rational logic.] Don't make me repeat myself.

[Asch had already said he's leaving, and he certainly hasn't changed his mind. What does Guy care whether or not he accepts what he's saying? Why should Guy even care about him running away for some alone time to sort out his problems?

... yeah. Dammit. Why would Guy care?

He resumes his walk, feet taking him to who-knows-where.]

[action]

[servidude]

[Guy stares at the blanket he's folding for a little while, forcing his fists to keep from clenching and his jaw to remain relaxed. He even keeps his face neutral as Asch stomps away.]

[And instead of growling or yelling or punching something in frustration, he slowly, methodically, finishes cleaning up the picnic basket and blanket and everything, and stands and calmly turns to walk towards home.]

[Brat brat brat brat brat. He breathes deeply, looks up at the sky without really seeing it as he walks. Why does he try? He's not even sure he wants to succeed. But as much as it's tempting to just... Leave it, say he's through with it, he's pretty sure the next time something happens he'll try again anyway.]

[Maybe he's just stupid for doing something he doesn't even want to, but Asch doesn't have to be such a frustrating moron either.]

[Calm, stay calm.]

[Brat.]

video;

[blastiafreak]

[This is why she hates talking to people who are cursed out of their minds!]

How about the fact that you haven't even been here for weeks?

video;

[servidude]

[He'll apologize tomorrow...]

Rita. We've been here for years. [Worried now. She's clearly cursed!]

video;

[blastiafreak]

[Clearly! Rita wishes she was in the same room so she could just punch them both.]

Your memories are obviously fake. You've been here less than a month!

video;

[servidude]

[S-so mean Rita.]

...You're forgetting things. Yuri and Euphemia are home with you, right? You should probably let them know.

video;

[blastiafreak]

[She's all about literally knocking sense into people. And it makes her feel better.]

Oh...them. Right. They're cursed, too.