abyssdressing | (no subject)

[Today, Abyss DR, you'll find one small child plopped down in the middle of a pathway. He blinks and squints in the sudden sunlight, then turns his head away to try and block it out, not realizing that raising your hand to do so would accomplish the same thing. Once he dares to open his eyes again...

He looks confused, then scared. Of course, he's not sure what that uncomfortable feeling is that seizes his chest and makes the beating in it increase its speed, but he knows that it's unpleasant, and it makes him want to get away from whatever's causing it.

Where was he, anyway? This was bright with colors and shapes he's never seen before, not the dark, muted walls of the castle. He shouldn't be here, right? He was told to wait. Well... dropped to the floor and continuously pushed down every time he tried to follow that man until he got the message, anyway. But that message still rings clear - he needed to stay there. And he's not there anymore.

So, he's going to try to scoot and drag his way to a space between two buildings. It doesn't look as bright, so it's practically the same thing, right? Still... where was he?]

[[OOC: Hi everyone! Luke is as new as I am to this place, and not only that, but he's only about... oh, an hour or two old. Have fun with that!]]

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[Luke doesn't even realize where he is or what's going on - that was his first nightmare, the first time he's ever slept, and he's not sure what it was supposed to be. For all he knew he was actually back at the castle with that man, with all of those terrible ghosts, and for all he knew the sudden movement and the feeling of someone holding him was the man again, coming back to take him away...

Luke struggled at first, screamed and cried - most of all, he cried out for someone.]

Asch!

[Aside from his own, it was the only name he knew, the only person he'd met and come to trust. It's no surprise that he's trying to call for help from that man... But once he wrenches his eyes open and sees who it is, he just-

Starts to cry. It's no longer the hysterical sobs of a boy who's scared for his life, but the quiet ones of a boy who's just found his savior. Asch was here, and that man was gone. The one with the blue eyes... He was nowhere in sight, nor the ghosts or the cold, or... None of it was around.

So, he leans into Asch's hold and just cries, the memories of that horrible experience fresh in mind. After a moment, though, his sobs start to quiet down, and soon enough, they're just little sniffles. The comfort is certainly helping, along with the knowledge that he's somehow escaped from that castle again.

He's okay. He's okay. Asch is here.]

[The wriggling child in his arms wasn't anything Asch wasn't used to. In fact, it didn't bother him as much as it should have. He was used to things like this - nightmares and struggling against any and everything that seems like it's holding you down, even if it's just the sheets of your bed. Asch knew the pain, the suffering, the horror that Luke was experiencing. They had shared that horror, after all.

What really bothered Asch, however, was that Luke cried out his name. Asch.

Curling his arms around the small child when he finally just breaks down into tears, Asch holds and hushes the little child as quietly as he could. Luke's terrified cry of his name echoed in Asch's head, and he pressed his face into Luke's feathery red hair, rubbing his hand against Luke's back and letting him cry for a little bit, all the while speaking softly and reassuring Luke that it was all right. It was just a bad dream...]

Shh...shh...you're fine now.

[Asch pulled Luke away gently, wiping his face with the corner of one of the sheets. But after that, Asch allowed Luke to lay against him again. If he was so reliant on Asch's presence for comfort, then Asch would grant it to him this night. He picked Luke up into his arms and took him right to his room, where the bed just a little bit bigger. Enough space for two people to fit comfortably.]

You can sleep with me tonight, so nothing else can scare you. I'll be right here with you this time, Luke...I promise. I'll be right here all night, and I'll be here in the morning. So no more tears... [Asch paused. Those words...they were words from the lullaby his mother used to sing to him when he was sick. Maybe...maybe a lullaby would help?]

[They were moving again, Luke could tell that even with his eyes still full of tears. It was still dark, so he pressed his face against Asch's shoulder and shut his eyes. Even with someone there, his nerves were only lessened, not relieved fully - he couldn't see anything, and that man could be hiding anywhere... or those ghosts...

Even once they're in the bed and situated properly, and Asch is there and everything feels better, Luke's hands shake a little, and he finds himself still unable to sleep. How could he? He had gone back to the castle when he slept; what if it happened again? What if this was something Asch couldn't stop?

He was so tired... but he didn't want to sleep. Not if it meant going back there. So, he just lets out a quiet whimper and presses close to Asch. No, he won't sleep. He won't. But his body aches, and his eyes hurt...]

[As Asch took Luke back to his room, where the bed was larger, he tried to remember all the lyrics of his mother's lullaby for him, pushing out the questions of whether she sang that song for the replica at all or not. It was supposed to be his lullaby. Now it was just another thing the replica had taken from him--

No. No, that's not right. Stop thinking that.

Asch squeezed his eyes shut, angry with himself for straying down that bitter road once more, when Luke so desperately needed him, and began to rock the little boy gently in his arms as he - yes, Asch, himself - began to sing. It was quiet, barely above a mumble or a whisper at first, then began to grow as Asch grew more confident. It's not like his voice was bad or anything, quite the opposite, but Asch had never done this before. He never thought he'd have to! Ever.]

Goodnight, sleep tight...no more tears. In the morning, I'll be here. And when we say goodnight...dry your eyes. [He wipes at Luke's face again, for anything that remained.] Because we say goodnight...and not goodbye.

We say...goodnight and not....goodbye.

[Ah, what an ironic lullaby. It both pained and calmed Asch, but he kept his emotions hidden away, focus all on Luke now. Please sleep, little brother. You need to sleep now.]

[For a long moment all Luke could think about was everything that happened back in the castle - the dark, the cold, those eyes, those ghosts... It was all he knew back in that other world. No one came for him after he was told to stay...

But those thoughts break once he hears Asch's voice again, and not just speaking to him, but... what was that? It sounded so... pleasant. Soothing, peaceful... He strained to listen, and it was as if all of those dark thoughts floated away, as if the melody washed over him and made him feel... better. Safe. Home...

It was the first song Luke had ever heard. And judging by how quickly he relaxes and how he shuts his eyes, shuffles closer and begins to breathe deeply, it works. Luke didn't know it, but he was a replica, made of nothing but the fonon that embodied sound. Of course, that meant that hearing such a soothing sound would have a tremendous effect on him.]

[Asch is amazed by how rapidly the lullaby took effect to calm his little replica down. He looked down at him for a moment of two then started again, singing the song again and he shifted slightly to lay down in bed with Luke in his arms. It'd be better this way, even if Asch hadn't slept with anyone in his entire life. Luke wouldn't feel as scared if he was right there with him.

The movement of Asch's hand on Luke's back, and over his hair, was slow and tender, trying to lull the small child to sleep. Asch hushed him again, watching Luke's face as his lullaby dimmed to a slow and steady hum. It's okay...it's okay if you take this. He'll give it to you this time, replica. Just this one time, Asch will share something important of his with you. You need it right now, don't you? He understands.]

[Yes, he certainly needs it right now. But don't worry, Asch... That song is still yours. You're only sharing it for a while. That doesn't mean Luke won't want to hear it again, though.

Once they're laying down, Luke shifts closer to Asch and fists his hands lightly in his clothes while resting his cheek against him. He can feel Asch breathe like this, and the movement and the warmth, as well as Asch's actions and most especially his singing, serve to soothe him even further. It isn't long until his breathing evens out and deepens, a sure sign of sleep, and he doesn't go to the castle again. He's here and safe with Asch, and his dreams won't be remembered in the morning. He'll only remember the lullaby.]

[Asch remains awake even after Luke is lulled to sleep by his song, rubbing his back, petting his hair, or just watching his face. He sighed softly, and leaned his head on his pillow. This...wasn't so bad, really. Luke was warm, and having a body close to him - a body he trusted to be near him in his most vulnerable state - was strange and even comforting.

Asch tucked the little replica's head under his chin and pressed his face into Luke's hair, smiled into it as his eyes shut and sleep began to overtake him. Maybe, just maybe, he'll have good dreams tonight. Perhaps he could actually sleep easily this one time, and greet the dawn without bitterness.]

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LUNCHBREAK TAG

THE BEST KIND.

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