fabrecation | 027 [Video/Action]

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027 [Video/Action]

[It starts with a hum.

It isn't enough to be discernible. It may just sound like a buzz from an insect flying nearby ~~ready to be swallowed~~. Swatting at it would yield no results, though, seeing how the hum is coming from his head.

It turns into a whisper.

They aren't really words. They're snatches of letters, snippets of thought that pass through his unconscious mind. A wind, of sorts, as threads of the link begin to tie together and come alive once again.

It ends with words.

Weak, scattered and quiet, it seems to be a stream that passes through, from replica to original, words that pour from a sleeping mind to the newly formed link. It comes from the north side of the village, the complete opposite direction from where the link first faded into nothingness.

But it's there. It's there like a beacon, pulling, asking for him to be there.]

"here.

i'm here.

i'mherei'mhereaschaschaschcan'tmovecan'twhereareyou

help me"

He's alive.

And he's calling for him.]

[It's about two hours after the sun sets that the journal comes on, showing a familiar redhead looking away and rubbing the back of his neck. The area is somewhat lit, and it looks something like the front of Good Spirits. He just needed light, that's all.

The reason he can't look at the camera? Asch had told him that his death was announced over the journals. He had a right to know, after all. Here Luke had been hoping to just announce he was back like he went on vacation or something, sickness gone, health returned. But now everyone knows that he died.

There's probably a lot of people out there who are mad at him.

But he does finally look at the journal after a few seconds, and he gives a nervous little smile.]

Uh... hey. I'm back?

[He hopes to hear from at least two people. And if he doesn't, and soon, then he'll find them himself.]

((And a belated NSFW alert for the thread with Xion 8|b))

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[Words still filter through, though they're spaced out, quieter and calmer, and they start to make more sense than the random rambling of before. Luke feels more than hears Asch get near him, get down on his knees beside him, and -

Wake up.

And just like that, awareness floods through his mind, and he tenses the muscles around his eyes before he tries to slowly open them. It's just before sunset, so the light doesn't hurt so much. But he still squints, and his gaze immediately finds Asch's sightless one.]

A - [He shuts his mouth; his voice is so rough. He swallows, and tries again, this time with a different method.] "Asch..."

[Asch's hand touches skin, and it takes a moment for it to register that he's gotten ahold of Luke's wrist. He leaves his hand there, wondering if the contact will help. He can't see any kind of reaction, so touch will be his only guide in this instance.

Ha... how familiar. All of it is familiar. Most of all, the relief he's feeling now, voiced or otherwise.]

"Can you move? Are... you missing anything?"

[He has no way of knowing what Luke's penalty might have been. A sense? A memory? He recognizes Asch, so at least that isn't an issue.]

[Everything feels... new, for lack of a better word. His skin is sensitive, his eyes hurt, his ears are ringing... Luke's guessing it's because of how nothing had been used for a week - in fact, he was separated into millions of pieces for a week. How odd it is, to think of it that way.

It's all so disorienting, so for the moment, he slowly turns onto his side to face his original, eyes only half open, and moves his other hand to rest on top of Asch's. Right now, Asch's touch feels a bit like a lifeline, a whole other link, one that tells him that he's alive, that it's okay, that this isn't just a dream, even if it still feels something like one.]

"I don't... I don't know. Everything feels... fine. Kind of weird, but... but fine."

[He's sure all of his memories are intact, though he can't really be the judge of that. Would he realize it if he was missing a memory? But he can still see, still hear, still feel... Nothing seems out of place so far.]

[Weird, but fine? Well that's not vague at all. Asch doesn't press him on that feeling, though, since it's more likely than not that he doesn't know what's wrong yet. It had taken a while for Asch to notice his lack of hyperresonance the first time he'd died here, after all.

He lets Luke grip his hand without protest, waiting for Luke to be ready to get up. They're both kind of stuck here until then, anyway, so he has nothing to lose by waiting.]

"You remember Auldrant clearly? And the people here from our world?"

[Actually, that reminds him- something else happened while Luke was gone. Something pretty important.]

"I think so. But... how would I know if I'm forgetting someone?"

[He frowns a little; it's worrying to think of it that way. As far as he knows, he remembers everyone, and he lets the images of them flash through his mind. But would he know if he forgot someone? An event? A memory? He just can't be sure.]

"...It doesn't matter, we'll figure it out later. Listen, replica, Van came back while you were gone."

[DROPS

BOMB

SHELL]

[...

GOD

FUCKING

DAMMIT

Luke's eyes widen considerably as his grip on Asch's hand tightens almost protectively. Emotions, uncontrolled, fly through the link: fear defense protection distrust hope anger sadness hate inadequate jealous fear fear fear

It's only then that he pulls those emotions back, enough to gain enough clarity to look up at Asch.]

"... When? When did he get here? What did he do?"

"He showed up on the 9th, just a few days ago. And he didn't do anything- he remembers Luceti, so he just moved back into the house."

[The sudden influx of emotions makes Asch withdraw a little in discomfort, though he can't quite pull his hand away from Luke's. He knew this wouldn't be easy, but hopefully the previous truce isn't unsalvageable.]

[Luke holds on tighter, though only to wince and let go with one hand to push himself up. Almost immediately he feels the world spin off its axis, and once he's at least upright, he finds himself moving forward to lean his head against Asch's shoulder. Sure, in the past, that might have gotten him shoved or sneered at. But he doesn't feel the same intimidation as he did then. At least, not with the ground still spinning beneath him.]

"So he's... still... with - you?" [The words are unsteady and weak, due to such dizziness.]

"I couldn't exactly kick him out, it's his house."

[Or it was, anyway. Close enough. Asch shifts his hand to rest on Luke's shoulder, letting him catch his balance for the moment. He may not be able to see, but he's strong enough to support both of their weight. As tempting as it is to just shove him off, he knows that Luke wouldn't do this if it wasn't necessary.]

[Luke just keeps his eyes shut while his mind tries to right itself again. Asch wasn't like this when he came back... But then again, Asch's body also wasn't dissolved in millions of pieces. Maybe that factored into how woozy and sensitive Luke felt, like everything had just come together again.

There's a small desire in the back of his mind to ask about him. Did Van know he died? Did he say anything? Did he care?

But Luke isn't a fool. And he doesn't want to know, either.]

"I don't - want him here." [Not exactly what he wanted to send through the link, but with his muddled awareness, it's close enough.]

[Asch scoffs quietly, one hand shifting awkwardly behind himself to try and find something to lean on for support while he waits for Luke to sort himself out. He finds a small tree that seems stable enough about a foot away, so he carefully slides them along the dirt until his back hits it, tilting his head back and closing his eyes. Not that it made a difference, but it's more for the sensation than anything else.]

"You think I do? But it's out of our hands. At least he kept his memory, so we don't have to repeat that truce nonsense."

[Luke shifts too, though just that movement alone seems to make his world spin again despite him knowing it isn't really happening. He sways on his knees, one hand gripping Asch's shoulder to at least keep himself upright. With that as his guide, he scoots a few inches forward until he can rest his head on Asch's free shoulder again, feeling more than seeing the bark just behind it, weight more against his chest and shoulder than anything. At the moment, going without contact is unthinkable. It's like he wants to stay as close the source of the link, his one guiding source for the moment, as he possibly can.]

"Have to tell Xion. And the others - Auldrant - do they know?"

[Sigh, replica. You're so high-maintenance sometimes. Asch lets his shoulder drop a little, letting Luke do what he wants. As long as he genuinely needs the rest and isn't just milking this, then whatever.]

"Some of them knew already, or met him themselves. I passed the news around to anyone who was left."

"... Good."

[Oh you like it, Asch. Regardless, he's mostly leaning because he needs it. Because he'd rather do this against something warm and soft than cold and rough, like a tree or the ground. Because that link seems to be the only thing he can focus on right now.

It's slow, but things are starting to right itself thanks to this.]

"... I'm glad you're here." [He punctuates that with light squeeze of the shoulder. There's a sense of gratefulness in the link as well; he isn't just glad that Asch is here, but that Asch answered his call. That he found him, just as he did for Asch.]

"...Heh, why does that not surprise me?"

[His tone is a little mocking, but it's mild compared to how he might normally say something like that. The squeeze on his shoulder makes him quirk his brow upwards, but he doesn't pull away. The replica's always been more touchy than him, but this is... definitely familiar, that's for sure.]

"Consider us even, now."

"Heh."

[For a while, that's all he says while he recovers. Thus it takes him a few minutes to get together enough to lean back, though he keeps his hand on Asch's shoulder, and - a thought occurs to him then.]

Asch, do you... [He swallows and clears his throat.] Do you have that pendant? The one I...

[Oh, he's talking again? Asch lifts a brow at the question, then scowls, leaning away from the tree just enough to reach a hand to unclasp something around his neck before withdrawing, offering his hand out to Luke. Dangling from his fingers are both of the necklaces, intact and just as they'd been when Luke had handed them over.]

I'm insulted you'd even ask.

[He just stares at the necklace for a moment - both of them. So Asch kept it... Luke didn't expect any different, but a part of him just had to ask. In a way, it was as if Asch just accepted him all over again. Not just as a slow realization, but a real symbol of it, right now at this very moment.

Luke slowly reaches out to gently take the gold pendant from Asch's fingers, and then ducks his head, wavering slightly on his knees, to bring it over his head and around his neck. If anyone told him that he'd miss the feeling of cool metal against his chest, then he probably wouldn't believe it. But he did, and feeling it there now is something of a relief.

It's only a simple little thing, yet it means so much to the both of them. Luke rests his hand against it for a moment, then lifts his head to smile at Asch, though knowing that he can't see it.]

Thank you, Asch.

[Excessively dramatic as always. Asch shrugs aside his thanks, withdrawing his hand to replace the silver pendant around his neck. Losing it now would just cause his replica more grief, and he's not in the mood for that. Not now, or...

....

Tch.]

Can you walk yet?

... I think so.

[Luke sounds a little unsure about that. But he'll try anyway. He places his palms against the ground and pushes, enough to get his feet under him and straighten out his knees, then his body.

And he sways and stumbles, and he has to hold onto the trunk of a nearby tree to get his balance again. But he's up, at least.]

Just... give a second and I'll be able to.

Don't push yourself, that won't help either of us.

[He might be blind, but he's strong, so he remains close in case Luke needs the support to stay upright. If Luke can be his eyes, he can do that much, and they'll make it back to the village somehow.]

... Right.

[He gives himself a minute, at least enough to gather his wits and prepare himself for the walk. He'd rather be a help to Asch as well; Luke can be his eyes, and if he's out of sorts and pushing himself, then his gaze might just keep wavering.

So, after that moment, he moves away from the tree and goes to Asch instead, where he sets a hand on his shoulder. He wouldn't normally be so touchy, but he feels like he needs a more physical link. Something to keep him standing.]

Okay... [As he sets his eyes on the path ahead of them.] Let's go.

[Asch glances briefly - and pointlessly, since it gets him nowhere now that he can only see what's ahead - at Luke, wishing he could study his replica's expression. He knows the feeling of being revived (repeatedly now) and it's unpleasant and disorienting every time.

He's dealing with it, and... that's what matters for the moment. If there are any lingering issues they can be tackled later.

With a quiet exhale, he nods, and starts walking. They have a ways to go before they're safe.]

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027 [Video/Action]

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