024 [Voice/Video]

[fabrecation]

[When the journal opens, there's a redhead who looks as if he wants to do nothing more than climb into a bed and sleep. A good explanation for that should show itself just as he opens his mouth to speak.]

Hey –

[Because he suddenly lurches forward and coughs harshly, though he tries ducking out of view of the camera. There's a slight sniffle before he leans in again, just after he wipes his mouth and nose with the back of his hand. His cheeks are slightly flushed, too, with signs of a fever.]

I'm back. Anyone know what day it is? [And he ducks his head again to cough, though not quite as hard as before. As for the question? Because he'd really like to know how close it is to that accursed Valentine's holiday.

... But now that he's got that journal open, he pauses, looks off with an expression of uncertainty towards the village and flexes his left hand, then squints slightly as he works on a filter. Ugh, it's hard to work with this stupid foggy ache in his head. Yet he knows that it'd be dangerous otherwise, especially with the topic of his questioning.]

[Filtered to Jade... and Dist//100%]

Could you take a look at me when I get back to the village? Something happened to me back there... [He does hate getting examined, especially for medical reasons. But this is extremely important.]

Comments

[action]

[seleniahymn]

[The melodist will already be waiting outside the house for her when she arrives, doing her best to hide how anxious she is to hurry and get to Luke's side as soon as possible – for all they knew, he could have been out there for a significant period of time and have just barely woken up.]

Noelle, are you ready?

[Filtered]

[failazure]

Somewhere in the... [really luke] Wait! Let me look for you. You sound awful right now. [You poor guy. 8( Noel is grabbing a coat.]

Do you know where it might be in the forest? [Any clue? At all?]

[action]

[moelle]

[Noelle nods firmly, readjusting her grip on the blanket.]

Which way from here?

[action]

[seleniahymn]

Just follow me, it's only a few minutes. [Tear practically lived by that cherry tree in the afternoons anyway, so going there is second nature when it was so close to the house. Regardless she keeps herself alert as she walks, searching for every sign of Luke along the short route.]

[action]

[fabrecation]

[He's a little past the cherry tree, right near the river and a little deeper into the woods. They won't have to look hard, though, because by that time Luke's decided that he can't just stay still and wait for help to come. He's gotten up and is trying to head towards the tree, remembering that that's at least close to Tear's house.

Past the treeline, though, Luke has to shut his eyes and lower his head, fighting off a wave of dizziness. Everything hurts, he's so tired, his hands are numb, particularly his left... Uuuugh he feels like he can't really stand up anymore.]

[action]

[moelle]

[Noelle's looking around, as she walks, especially as soon as she spots the cherry tree. It doesn't take her long to spot Luke, and once she does, over by the edge of the woods, she changes directions, calling to Tear.]

Over there!

[Once she's close enough, she reaches out to try and support him as best she can, hopefully enough to keep him upright.]

[Filtered]

[fabrecation]

Uh... [Oh god he doesn't want to look, it hurts his head. D| But he does anyway, squinting his eyes slightly against the light.] I see that... thing, the cherry tree. It's... off to the right.

[action]

[seleniahymn]

[Nearly the exact instant Tear hears Noelle call out to her she rushes toward her, already checking over Luke before she reaches him. While she sees no visible wounds, there's something about the way that he is carrying himself that is worrying her immensely.]

Luke, how do you feel?

[action]

[fabrecation]

[Luke cringes when he hears their voices, and he can't help coughing again. He leans a little on Noelle when she supports him, though he makes sure not to use his full weight, as much as he wants to. If he did, he's sure they'd both just fall over. ... Plus he'd like to appear like he's mostly okay. Yup.

With Tear's question, he lifts his head a little before he brings it back down and presses his hand to his forehead. Gah, it's so cold he can't really bend his fingers right... or maybe that's because of what he was forced to do back there.]

... Pretty awful. Cold. [But he's totally fine. Really.]

[action]

[moelle]

[Once Luke's a little steadier, Noelle draws back for a moment, to unfold the blanket with one arm and then spread it out and drape it over his shoulders.]

Sorry I wasn't able to grab a jacket.

[His face is flushed... and with the coughing he was already doing... he looked sick.]

[action]

[seleniahymn]

[As much as Tear would like to believe that Luke is simply having a cold, she knows him better than to take that as the whole truth. Nevertheless she moves to his other side so that she may help Noelle in supporting him and not have Luke use as much effort, trying to ignore the chill from him for the time being.]

Where do you want us to take you?

[action]

[fabrecation]

[Yes, Tear. Believe he has a cold. This is a good thing to believe. 8|

But Luke does appreciate the help. He holds the blanket around himself, though he has to make an effort to hold it with his numb fingers.]

It's okay, Noelle. This is good.

[COUGH COUGH uuuugh. He keeps his head down, and he redistributes his weight so that he can let them both handle his weight. It's a lot easier, now that the doesn't have to worry about it so much.]

Uh... [On one hand, he'd like to talk with Jade and Dist about what happened. On the other hand, that might raise suspicions... and he doesn't need that when he really doesn't know what's going on with him.] Your place... that's fine. [He can just sneak out later. Besides, Dist is there.]

[Filtered]

[failazure]

Cherry tree?

[It takes her a moment or two, but as soon as she realizes what he means she is on her feet and bursting out of the room.] Oh! I know where that is, I think! [DOWN THE STAIRS DOWN THE STAIRS] Just hang on, Luke!

[She'll even grab another coat on her way out. 8| ...and then begin jogging to where that tree should be.]

[action]

[moelle]

[Noelle helps Luke to settle the blanket around his shoulders, making sure it's covers more area. The coughing draws another concerned look, though.

She wasn't given the cold explanation, so she doesn't know what to expect. At Luke's words, she glances between him and Tear and nods, an unspoken Let's go.

If Luke really was sick, he needed to be inside out of the snow and resting as soon as possible.]

[Voice]

[drawnbythesword]

Eh? [What's today's day? It's...] ...Today's the sixth, of February.

[video]

[blazing_heart]

It's February sixth, but... are you okay? You sound sick.

[Voice]

[fabrecation]

[YOOOOOOUUUU except he's too sick to care and is kind of glad to hear other people.]

Oh, good. So it's not - [COUGH COUGH] Valentine's yet...

[voice]

[trueknight]

I'm sure you know the date by now.

[Or at least he's figuring other people got to Luke before he did.]

You gonna be all right there?

[Voice]

[knightofratatosk]

Are you all right? You don't sound so good...

[Filtered]

[fabrecation]

[Luke doesn't say anything in return, just lets out a confirming noise, then shuts his eyes and eases back down to his side, curled up slightly. Ugh. Ugh, he feels awful. What Luke would like to do is get up and get back on his own, but he feels like he can't even do that at the moment.]

[video]

[fabrecation]

... Good. It's not that day yet. [He shuts his eyes and rubs his forehead; ugh, he feels like he can barely sit up at this point.] I'm - I'll be fine. It's just - [COUGH uugh.] Just a stupid cold.

[voice]

[fabrecation]

Heh... yeah. The sixth, right? [Doesn't stop him from responding the same way. Luke's not all there, and getting reminders of what day it is is a-okay with him as a result.]

It's - It's just a cold. [He coughs a few times into his hand, a rather nasty, rattling one at that.] I need to get inside, that's... that's all.

[video]

[blazing_heart]

...What day?

_{[he doubts that.]}

You sure don't sound like it's only a cold.

[Voice]

[fabrecation]

I'm okay, it's just a cold. [It's sure what it feels like, even though he feels way crappier than he's ever felt the other times he had one.] I don't know why - [COUGH COUGH hold up COUGH okay okay] I don't know why they gave me something like that...

[video]

[fabrecation]

It is a cold! [Forgive him for sounding forceful: It's what Luke wants to believe and it's what he wants everyone else to believe. It's just a cold...]

... I'm sorry for yelling. Anyway... Valentine's Day. It's not that day.