fabrecation | 025 [Action]

[Sunset of the 21st. After looking in his diary several times to make sure of the date, Luke has practically memorized the exact time it happened. This is the day, and the time, that he and Xion confessed to each other, without the influence of the experiment, and shared their first kiss.

This is the place, too. Luke leans on the railing of the bridge nearest House 14, staring out ahead of him and obviously lost in his thoughts. Even though this is the day, and even though they had been making plans to celebrate it, Luke's sure that Xion won't be able to now. Not with everything that's happened.

Still, that doesn't mean he can't find his own way to celebrate. It isn't much, though; he just leans on the bridge and twirls a blue iris idly in his fingers. Later, past sunset, he'll make his way to Seventh Heaven for the first time in quite a while, only to practice the piano. He's been away from it for a good while, so he's just a tad rusty. But he still manages to get over it after a song or two, and he doesn't mind, for once, if anyone else is there. He'd even be happy to chat it up with someone, whether on the bridge or in Seventh Heaven.

He does seem a tad cautious, though. He hasn't been here for a while for a reason and all.]

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[Luke's a little too preoccupied with his playing to notice anyone at first - he's playing this, and he's determined not to get it wrong. It always sucks when he does, after all, especially when there are people around.

But on one of the slower parts, Luke can't help glancing to the side to see if there is anyone watching. And once he sees Ion... he slows down a little more, lifting his hands up a bit, and then continues playing. He just wants to get the song done, that's all.

It's not that he's awkward. He apologized to Ion, realized the boy was uncomfortable about something, and left it at that until they could talk again. Maybe at a later date. And now, he was here. But Luke felt an obligation to finish the song first - it was just a thing.

Luke holds out the last note for a few seconds, then brings his hands to his knees. Now to let that musical mood pass.]

[As the song continued, Ion found his eyes sliding closed as he sat there, simply enjoying the music. It was... soothing. With how tense he's felt since the experiment ended, how tense he felt simply coming here tonight, this was something that he couldn't help but appreciate. Not that Luke could have known Ion was coming here, but...]

[He waits a few moments after the song ends before speaking.]

That was beautiful, Luke. [Opening his eyes, he looks over at him with a gentle smile.] You've gotten very good at playing.

[And Luke can't help gripping his hands into his knees and blushing at that. It always makes him flustered to hear someone compliment him, especially in something like piano playing.]

Thanks... I'm still kind of stiff, though. [No he's not. After more than a year of playing and already having such an affinity for music, he's gotten very good. He just doesn't think s himself.

But let's focus on something else.] Hey, how're you feeling?

Not at all. [Don't worry, that's the only bit of insistence he's going to do. Though "stiff" is certainly not a word Ion would use to describe the music he just heard.]

[Before he answers Luke's question, he pauses. He's debating what sort of reply to give... in the end, the pause is probably more telling than his answer.]

Ah, I'm all right. Thank you for asking, Luke. [With a smile that doesn't quite meet his eyes.] I'm sorry about before. I guess I just had a lot of things to think about, is all.

It sounds like you're still thinking about them. [Judging by that pause and that smile he pulls up. He's gotten a little more observant of people as time passed.]

[That catches Ion off guard, though he tries not to let it show on his face. But it does, unfortunately for him, result in another pause.]

I... suppose I am. But it's nothing. I'm probably just over-thinking things. I came out here to clear my head a little.

[Maybe it'd be good for Ion to talk about it, but... maybe not. Luke isn't really sure. So, after a pause, he turns forward to look down at the keys again.]

You want me to play something else?

[Whether it'd be good for him to talk or not isn't something Ion's going to give him time to consider. Deflecting was good. He could do that. Right now, he just wanted a distraction.]

[Getting to hear Luke playing the piano was just a bonus.]

If you don't mind, I'd love to hear more of your playing, Luke.

[He nods once before he leans to the side to shift through the sheet music on top of the piano - what, you think he memorizes every single song he plays?

Ah, here's one... Maybe it'll help Ion a little, too, since it's an uplifting melody. So, Luke sets that down in front of him, counts down in his head and gets a proper rhythm going from there, and then beings to play this song. It's slower than intended, but Luke means for it to be that way. He wants every note to come across, because... well, he's not sure if it's the same with Ion. But music impacts Luke, and he's pretty sure part of it is because of the fact that he's a replica, created by sound itself.]

[Ah, that... almost the moment Luke starts to play, Ion's eyes slide closed again and he lets the sound wash over him. It was a feeling he couldn't quite explain, the way music seemed to reverberate inside him as if he were hearing it with more than just his ears. It felt nice...]

[His eyes remain closed even when the song ends, and though he doesn't say anything right away, the smile on his face seems a but more genuine than it had when he first walked in.]

[Luke's eyes shut for a few seconds after the song ends, and then he opens them to glance at Ion.

... Heh. Maybe he can't talk to him about whatever's the matter, but he's glad he can at least do this. Sometimes just being distracted, just hearing a song or doing something to lift your soul, sometimes that's enough to help ease whatever troubles one might have.]

[Ion opens his eyes just in time to see Luke looking over at him, and the smile on his face remains. He certainly didn't regret coming out here tonight.]

Thank you, Luke. [For more than he knows...] For letting me listen to your playing. You've become quite the musician.

[Mmm he shifts a little awkwardly in his chair.]

I'm just... practicing as much as I can. It's something I like to do, that's all.

[Rrrgh if Van weren't here he'd practice all the time, but...]

025 [Action]

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