fabrecation | 010 [Written/Accidental Voice]

[Written; Filtered to House 5]

I'll be back once this is all over, okay?

[/Filter]

[Luke made sure to cover up the little camera that records his face as he writes, and he does so all the way until he shuts the journal. It seems that's all he's going to do.

Except a little while later, the journal's knocked open, and a broken pair of scissors that clatters against the floor near it proves to be the culprit. Luke himself... or, rather, Asch can be seen with his back to the journal in a community housing room while he stares intently at a mirror and tries to style his hair into something that looks a little more like himself. He had tried to cut his hair, but judging by the scissors, that proved to be a colossal failure. At the moment he has his bangs down in front of his face and brushing furiously, trying to get them to stay there, trying to look at least a little different-

But once he's confident enough to let go of the hair, it just springs right back into place on the top of Asch's head. Luke stares for a second... then buries his hands in his hair and ruffles it wildly with frustration, and he tips his head back to shout (with Asch's deeper tone):]

Damn it, why won't you stay down?!

[And, of course, once he jerks his hands out and gives the mirror a flat look, the hair springs back into place once more, looking as if nothing ever touched it except love and care. With that, Luke drops his head into his hands and lets out a long groan.]

I give up.

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[It is. So. Weird. Hearing Sanji's voice saying all of that, shyly glancing up from his staring contest with the floor to see Sanji's face looking at him so seriously. It's Xion under there and he knows it, but it's still so. Weird.

For a second that's all he can focus on, but then he hears her words. Her tone is so... patient and sincere, one that Tear would sometimes give to him when trying to cheer him up, but more often than not, all he'd get would be rushed words and a sense of exasperation. He never seems to learn - but no one gives him the chance to learn.

But... how can she see past his appearance? His hair, his eyes, his face, always such symbols of his entire nation, always a symbol of what he is. Instead she sees... all of the little things. Just like how he can look at her and see how she smiles and laughs, how she blushes sometimes, how she speaks...

Xion might not be blushing, but he is, a little. And he ducks his head to look at the floor, though he still tilts his lips up in a weak smile.]

That's the first time anyone's said that to me.

[ Xion is trying to ignore the weird, tyvm.

Still... that catches her off guard. The first time, ever? Really? A little uncertain, suddenly, she looks away herself... God, Sanji, she's sorry, but her face is a little pink after all. Anyway, she looks back at him and chances a smile of her own. ]

It's the truth. Don't forget that, okay?

I won't.

[Luke's smile grows, at least a little, as he glances up at her, then turns his hands around to hold hers. Really, it doesn't matter what she looks like. It's still her under there.]

It's always "You're you, you're you, you're Luke, you're you". But... it's hard to really hear that when you don't even know who you are.

[ "You're no puppet in my book. You're my best friend."

"You're not a mistake."

... Xion knows from that, and her expression dims accordingly. ]

I ... I know what you mean. But, Luke, you ... you're someone I care about. [ more than she lets on. red. ] The things that make you "you" ... I may not know exactly how to describe them, but I know they're there, and ... you're one of my most precious friends. That's not going to change no matter what you look like. So... [ so don't be sad. please don't be sad. ]

[For a moment Luke breaks eye contact to look down at the floor again, his hands loosening from hers. The way he carries himself, smiles, speaks... Is that part of his lost identity? The one he's been searching for for these past few months? Is that "Luke"?

Luke isn't really sure if he can step forward and grasp that theory just yet, but it still feels as if he's found some kind of light at the end of the tunnel he's been lost in. Maybe that light is far away, maybe he's afraid of going to it and seeing what it is, but it's there.

All from words and gestures.

Without a hint of hesitation, he leans forward to hug her tightly around her middle. It feels different, but that's all right. He still presses his forehead to her shoulder - doesn't cry, doesn't even give a hitch in his breathing, though he certainly feels like he should.]

[ ... god. She is hopeless for him, and she's slowly, very slowly, coming to realize it.

Does he even care she's in a totally different body? Doesn't seem like it. For once, she's the one hovering in indecision for a moment, as if unsure what to do with her arms -- then she sighs, eyes slipping shut as her arms wind their way around him in turn.

Mumbles, quietly: ]

Will you be okay?

... I think so.

[He opens his eyes - sees a very flat chest - can't help but give a half smile in amusement.]

I still can't go back, though.

[ Luke what are you. Xion will pull back to put some space between them again, still pretty conscious of her body. At that, she just smiles and shakes her head. ]

I understand. I'll come visit though, okay? Just because you're staying here doesn't mean you have to be alone.

[Oh, Xion, believe him, him staying away is for the sake of everyone, not just him. Asch would be even pisser than usual, Guy might accidentally kiss his cheek and that would be awkward, and Natalia would be more conflicted than ever...

Luke sets his hands on his knees and smiles, his first real one since she arrived.]

Yeah... And I'd really like it if you came to visit me.

010 [Written/Accidental Voice]

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