(Untitled)

[oliverplus]

Characters: Oliver Day (oliverplus) and OPEN
Location: Your reality!
Time: After Oliver's fairytale has ended, and during or after yours, as you prefer
Summary: Oliver goes on an involuntary reality-hopping tour of the multiverse~
Warnings: Oliver is a geek, and depending on your reality, he might just show it. Possibly a lot

Comments

[oliverplus]

Oliver was not at all expecting the sight that greeted him when he arrived in Auldrant. In fact, he was so stunned that all he could do was take a few stumbling steps back and hope that maybe this time he was dreaming. But it couldn't be a dream, could it? There was a dead man at his feet, bleeding away on the ground, and he could smell it, and weren't smells supposed to be missing from dreams? Even so, he hoped it was a dream because the alternative was that he had appeared just in time to see someone be killed, and he didn't want to believe that. He could already feel the guilt welling up inside him at the very thought

[oliverplus]

Oliver nodded. "Thanks," he said, though it was still a somewhat strained and uncertain response. He stood, assuming Asch would do the same but knowing that the other man would want to be allowed to take the lead. While he was still upset with Asch, he didn't want to fight anymore. There was nowhere to go, it was too quiet, Asch was protecting him, and...the whole thing just made him too tired. He was starting to feel as ready for it to be over as he knew his reluctant companion was.

[promisedsomeone]

"Don't thank me. It's just common sense."

Asch was tired, too. He was so tired of running, tired of waiting, tired of keeping secrets. But the truth would destroy everything, and so he continued to hide whatever he could. He was no magician; he couldn't make the truth disappear forever, and it would soon come back to bite him. He knew it would.

He pushed those thoughts aside and stood up as Oliver did. He hesitated, then offered his hand for Oliver to take. His eyes didn't move from the older man's face.

"Come on."

[oliverplus]

"Still, thanks," Oliver said--less hesitantly and more insistently this time. Looking into Asch's eyes, he could feel all of his uncertainty and fear and...regret? For an instant, Oliver hesitated. Maybe he shouldn't go yet. He wouldn't be able to do anything for Asch if he did!

But one thing Asch's expression told him, even without the empathy, was that he didn't want Oliver's "help"--not here. If anything, Oliver's presence was holding him back from whatever it was he wanted to be doing. No, Oliver knew it would be best for Asch if he did leave. And with that in mind, he reached out and took his hand. "Be careful." The statement had nothing to do with the trip to the Plane that they were about to attempt, but Oliver had a feeling Asch would know that.

As he waited, he didn't let his gaze move from Asch's either.

[promisedsomeone]

It was a sign of trust. He knew Oliver's secret and yet permitted him a rare window of opportunity to see into Asch's head, or at least his heart. Trust went both ways, after all. Oliver was dependable, and Asch was sort of returning the favor. Or trying. Having to watch out for other people was annoying. If Oliver actually had something to contribute to his plan, Asch might have told him some details... or not.

Now wasn't the time, regardless. "Don't get killed," he returned, then took that mental step needed to jump to the Plane.

[oliverplus]

Oliver didn't have a chance to reply before Asch went to the Plane. And it was only Asch who left--in fact, Oliver saw him disappear. But something did happen to Oliver as well. Most likely Asch's attempt to pull him to the Plane had set it in motion, though he didn't know that for sure, but suddenly he wasn't just seeing the clearing anymore. Like the last times he had moved between worlds, he was seeing double now--both the outcropping and some sort of town.

"Asch?" Oliver called. He had been through this on several worlds already, so he knew he was going to be leaving in minutes no matter what. And while it might have been easiest to do so without having to say anything more to Asch, he couldn't help wanting to at least say good-bye to his friend. He may have still been upset about the killing, but...he found that the time they'd spent together and Asch's explanation had at least taken care of his anger. He didn't want to just disappear without a word.