fabrecation | 013 [Voice/Actionish] (Backdated to the day before the event)

[Ever since that battle with Vanitas and his talk with Asch afterward, Luke had been feeling absolutely exhausted. He'd spent all day, all night, and then all day again in bed, which surprised him a little. Hyperresonance had never worn him out that much before... Then again, he never actually tried it in Luceti apart from his training with Asch, and never in combat like that. It's the next morning when Luke finally feels energized enough to get back to his daily routine.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary at first. Sure, there was no breakfast, but it's not like that was too unusual. Maybe enough to make him raise an eyebrow, but he shrugged it off and made himself some toast with butter and cinnamon. That seemed to be one of the few things he couldn't ruin, even if the meal wasn't all that fulfilling.

It's as the day goes on that something seems to be wrong. The silence could always be from Guy managing Good Spirits, but a quick check made him see that Guy wasn't even there. Sure, he could be somewhere else, but... without even checking in on him? Even at his worst, by this time Guy would always come by to see if Luke was okay and if he needed anything. It was always a little annoying, but... it was routine, too. A routine that's never broken easily.

It's late in the afternoon by the time Luke flops down in one of the chairs and frowns as he stares worriedly down at the floor. Something about this feels wrong. He's kind of afraid to check on Guy, because what he finds might just be everything he feared. It'd be easier to just pretend things were okay, to think that Guy's just off somewhere and that he'd be back later. Maybe he finally went to bring Asch back from wherever he was. Maybe he just went to do some errands. ...Very long errands.

But he can't keep doing that forever. He shuts his eyes, then stands and heads towards Guy's room.]

Guy? Guy, come on. [Luke's at the door now. He raises his hand to push it open... turns it into a fist, and brings it back down to his side.] ... Look, whatever I did, I'm sorry. Just... open the door, okay?

[No response. Luke purses his lips and tightens the fist at his side, then forces himself to relax it enough to raise his hand and open the door.]

Guy...

[Somehow, a part of him was expecting this. It was only a quiet, little part of him though, one that would be pushed firmly away by denial and what he felt was rationality. Even now as he stares into the completely empty room, a wave of rejection comes over him. No, maybe Guy just cleaned his room way too nicely. It continues even as Luke steps slowly into the room and looks into the closet, checks the drawers, even peeks under the bed: No, Guy's just having a massive cleaning day. He just moved to another room - Luke even tries to make sure by checking all of the other rooms, his steps quickening into a run by the time he goes upstairs, calling his name uselessly. No, Guy's just...

He's just...

Luke finally stops at what used to be Natalia's room. It was just the same with her: Everything was gone. All that was left was an empty space where his dear friend used to be... Just like Guy's room.]

[It takes a long while before Luke thinks to at least let everyone know what happened. He'd sat on what used to be Natalia's bed with his head in his hands and quietly thought of things that would take away the fact that Guy was gone and mentally berating himself every time his breathing hitched.

It takes another few minutes for Luke to actually get up and go to his room, where his journal lays on the nightstand. He rests one hand on the journal while the other reaches up to wipe at his face, trying to make himself look at least somewhat presentable.

... But when he does that, he just wants to cover his face, turn away and leave. To get away for a while, because now the house felt too empty, but... He shakes his head to himself and flips the journal open, keeping his head ducked down to hide whatever emotion he might be feeling.]

Guy... went back to Auldrant.

[That's all Luke can say before he shuts the journal and leaves it behind.]

[[ooc: ~~Just a fair warning, Luke might not reply to some of the responses.~~ Null and void since I am terrible at that. 8| He's a sad puppy right now and all. He can be caught wandering around the village, though, if you want to talk to him!]]

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[Luke's never had a pet like this... Sure, there was Mieu, but Mieu would always try so hard to help with that stupid, shrill, annoying voice of his... Miyabi, as a wolf, is quiet and receptive, and... that's how Luke's always thought a pet should be like. Of course, he's not thinking of her as a pet right now, just... reminiscing on how he was never allowed to keep anything like this back at home. Mieu was a cheagle - a sacred beast, so there was no getting rid of him. Dogs and cats, however...

The thought makes him start to stroke her head. It's... nice, being able to do this. And though Luke may be dense, the message comes across to him - yes, she heard.]

And that's why you're here, huh? [He looks past her head as his lips spread a little, as if he's trying to hold back a deep emotion. Luke had barely ever cried here, and when he did, he'd usually feel worse. It meant acknowledging what he was feeling and the reasons behind it... It was never that he was ashamed to cry in front of someone. It was just... easier.]

[Sometimes the best way to help is to just be there. Miyabi understood this now, and was glad that she became Ammy, a being who didn't need words to communicate what she was thinking. Hopefully, she begins praying with all her might, Miyabi would stay like this for long enough - just so Luke could calm down a little or just let it out.

Her ears fold back and she closes her eyes, tail swishing slowly against the floor. Those pets feel awfully nice, and she places her paw on Luke's leg as well, nosing his pants. He could cry if he wanted to (Miyabi really thought it'd at least help get out his frustrations), so her eyes closed to give him something similar to privacy, if he does decide to.]

[Had Miyabi caught him later, Luke wouldn't have taken her invitation. He would've locked it away nice and tight - at least, when it came to the emotional aspect. Sure, he would've talked about it, but... he would've done his best to keep a straight face.

Now, though... It's still too raw. He had only just found out that Guy was missing. Guy. The person who he wrestled with, talked with about things that he couldn't tell anyone else, helped him with his homework, cooked for him just because he liked to do it, was his best friend...

He presses his free hand to his face and turns his head away. Miyabi will probably be able to hear the hiccups, sniffles, and the other quiet, telltale signs of crying, but Luke tries not to make it obvious. Still... It feels good to just let it out, even if it means really, truly acknowledging that Guy's gone back for good.]

[Miyabi does hear Luke crying, and keeps her eyes closed, ears folding back. She lets him cry in silence and peace for a little while, before her nose brushes up against him again to try and comfort him - reassure him that she was there. To tell him that it was okay to cry, that he didn't have to hide it.

Her second front leg comes up onto Luke's thigh and Miyabi opens her eyes at last, leaning her head up with a quiet whine to lick at Luke's face. To wash those tears away and just be close to him.]

[Once Luke got started, it was hard to stop. They weren't sobs; he hadn't done that in a long time. But his hiccups grew louder, and his hands were shaking with fear and anguish. Where was Guy now? What was happening on Auldrant? Why wasn't he here? Why did he have to leave? Why now? Why couldn't he have just said goodbye or-

Then Miyabi licks at his face, at the tear tracks that just kept getting wetter and faster, and he brings his hand away to look at her for a second. It only took that second to decide to lean in and hug the wolf tight, burying his face in the fur by her shoulder. Her coat was going to get wet, but... It helped a little to have someone to hold onto. Someone who wouldn't shush him and tell him that it'd be okay, because it wouldn't.

He wants to ask all those questions: Why did they have to take Guy, why now, but his voice is too compressed by the tightness in his throat. So, all he can do is silently cry.]

[Ah, this was what she had been expecting, even hoping for. Miyabi stares at Luke in the second between her wiping his face free of tears and him hugging her, eyes full of warmth, sorrow, but also understanding. She could remember how she acted when Ammy left, the pain and hurt and the thousands of questions. So the hug came as no real surprise and Miyabi closes her eyes and she just closes her eyes and nuzzles Luke's hair and shoulder.

She doesn't mind the moisture that seeps into her fur. Not in the least. She welcomed it, and waited quietly for Luke to calm down some. She didn't want to say it'd be okay, because even now, for her, it wasn't, but...the Sun rises. Over, and over again, the Sun rises.

So you just have to move toward to that new dawn.]

[Thankfully, after he took the opportunity to hug her, it was easier to calm down, especially with her nuzzling him like that. The house just felt so huge and overwhelmingly lonely, what with Guy and all of his possessions, even the sword he tried so hard to get back, gone, and Asch still off in the mountains. His embrace just assured him that he wasn't quite alone here, wasn't quite as abandoned as he thought.

It takes a few minutes, but after that, Luke pulls back and lifts his hand to wipe his face, trying to look at least a little presentable.]

Sorry about that...

[Miyabi continues the gentle nosing and swishes her tail to the hug pleasantly. There, that was so much better... When Luke pulls back, Miyabi moves as well, just to sit neatly next to him and shakes her head. Silly boy, it was fine to cry like that, even if it didn't change anything. It felt good to just let it all out.

Miyabi moved toward Luke again, and bumped her head gently against his with a quiet whine. Really, she was surprised she stayed like this for so long, but Miya was also very thankful. Luke may not have reacted well if, say, she changed into the snake or dragon again.]

Wuu?

[Her tone is questioning, and she looks into Luke's eyes with her own black ones. Black, but at the same time bright and warm. Amaterasu really was just like the Sun. She tilted her head and twitched her ears, giving another, softer, 'wuu'. Would he be all right? Was he all right now?]

013 [Voice/Actionish] (Backdated to the day before the event)

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