025 [Action]

[fabrecation]

[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.]

Comments

[meteorical]

...but there has to be a way you can outsmart him enough to come out on top. It's not fair he he has the full and only advantage.

[fabrecation]

How am I supposed to outsmart him when he hasn't even done anything? [He pauses, then lets out a long sigh.] Other than use me to figure out how filters work...

[meteorical]

...wait, you still don't know how to use the filters?

[fabrecation]

No, I know how. [He can't help a half smile; even though he feels used thanks to that incident, he still feels a sense of victory as well.] Because of that, he taught me how to use them too, and he didn't even know it.

[meteorical]

I'd say maybe he's good for something then, but that might be giving him too much credit.

[fabrecation]

Mm... I guess it means I'm still learning from him. [...] Or maybe it just means I'm finding a way to fight against whatever he tries to do. I'd like to think of it that way, but...

[But his affection for his master, that feeling that's still there even after all this, really makes him want to think of the former.]

[meteorical]

...but it's hard because you can't just immediately reverse everything you were raised to believe, right? [She's getting a little better at reading you, Luke.]

[fabrecation]

... Right.

Van was my master for seven years. My teacher, the one person I thought liked and understood me more than anyone else.

[His head turns away slightly, and his shoulders loosen, as if drooping.] It... It's a lot harder than I thought to accept that all of that was just a lie.

[meteorical]

Is there someone else that you can trust more than Van? Someone else that likes you and understands you just as much?

[fabrecation]

Yeah, of course. [It's said without hesitation, his shoulders straightening again and his head lifting up.] I've learned that already. Van... He doesn't know me at all now. There's are so many other people who do, on Auldrant and here.

[He pauses, then glances at her, his face slightly flushed thanks to what he has to say.] Like you.

[meteorical]

[...FFFFF Luke you are so cute, Kairi can't even stand it sometimes.] Exactly.

You want to know what I think? I think that as long as you remember you have so many people here that know the real you, it'll get easier to forget about Van and break away from the type of relationship you two once had as master and student. It won't be easy, of course, but easier. Does that make sense?

[fabrecation]

[He's silent, looking down at the river again as he mulls her words in his head. And... well. She's right. It's how he got this far, knowing that he could cling to the confidence of others, and then rely on he himself. Not trust Van's words, the words of a man who despised him for what he was. He'd even stopped using the word "Master", had stopped thinking about him most of the time. He could even walk into Seventh Heaven and not feel... quite as terrified.

So, he looks at her with a smile, and he reaches out to wrap an arm around her shoulders and pull her to his side in a one-armed hug.]

... Yeah. It really does. [His arm loosens a bit, though he keeps it around her.] I think I'm starting to break away from him already. It's hard, but... I'm liking where this is going so far.

[meteorical]

[She's not going to push him off either, figuring he could use the support and reaching up with one of her hands to pat the arm around her shoulders.]

And it's just going to get better. You know...you're actually one of the stronger people I've met here. That's saying something. Give it a few weeks and it won't be more than a memory.

[fabrecation]

... Heh. I wouldn't say I'm stronger than anyone else around here... [He says as he wipes at his nose and loosens his hold fully. He'll start walking now, towards Seventh Heaven, at a slow pace. Kairi can follow if she'd like, either all the way to the restaurant or part of the way.]

[meteorical]

[Eh, she might as well.] You know I don't mean physically, right?