abyssdressing | (no subject)

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characters: scionofhispower

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[Clearly, redheads have never been in short supply here.

As a result of this fact, seeing Asch sitting at a table with that smug "I'm better than you" look of his shouldn't really take too many people by surprise. Oh, sure, the lack of any discernible agitation is probably a little disconcerting as is the presence of a deck of playing cards set upon the table within easy reach of his right hand. Of course, this Asch is a little different from most, missing anger notwithstanding; it isn't too hard to tell he is a fair bit older, somewhere within his early-to-mid twenties.

Regardless, he is Asch. And he? He is challenging you to a game of poker.

Ready to try your luck?]

[ooc; Unlike

swallowfury, Asch here is definitely not reset, so he retains any CR he had from the last time I was around a couple years back. Of course, he's not going to come out and just let you know who he is; he feels like being a bit of a jerk, so even if you do know him, he's going to leave you guessing. Especially. If you're a certain replica. Why? Because he can. ~~And, no, he's not going to deal cards to kids. But he might go into papa mode on them.~~]

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...you'resuchapervert. [ Sometimes? Sometimes? Try most of the time. And you see how Luke hates it, hugging him from behind like that~ ]

Only when it works to my advantage. [Yes, he's smirking a bit. But it's gone quickly as Aidan reaches up for his hair again; Asch ducks his head down to bump their noses together, which earns another bright and happy smile from Aidan.]

What advantage does flustering me net you?? [ Hmm. Actually, since she's back here... She's going to be playing with your lovely locks from this end, Asch. ]

It amuses me. [In fact, it amuses him a hell of a lot. Sucks to be you, Luke.]

Find yourself another source of entertainment, then! [ Just for that she gives a handful of his hair a tug - not too hard, since Aidan was right there. ]

...

[Yeah, the only thing saving her from an angry Asch reaction is Aidan.]

[ Their poor boy is going to be subject to all kinds of parental spats. She goes back to threading her fingers through Asch's hair again and divides it into sections to be braided. ]

["I rather enjoy the way you entertain me." He doesn't explain further, but the reason is because it's Luke entertaining him.

His attention is taken again when Aidan starts pulling on his shirt again, trying to get up. Asch helps him along as Aidan manages to stand up on his legs; this time, the boy hugs him around his neck. This may or may not disrupt Luke's efforts to braid Asch's hair.]

[ "Hmph. I wouldn't mind entertaining you so much if you'd be willing to do the same for me." Because really, Asch's teasing and trolling almost makes her feel as stupid as Jade did. She'd like to think she'd gotten better since then.

Luke's face scrunches at having Asch's hair pulled from her grasp, though immediately softens into a smile when she sees a pair of tiny arms is the cause. Folding her legs underneath lets her kneel and press a kiss to one of Aidan's hands; a game they'd played often to make treating scratches easier. ]

["It's not my fault you're so easy to tease."

Aidan squeals happily at his mama kissing his hands, snuggling closer to Asch so his hands can get closer to her. Asch can't help but laugh - yes, laugh - softly at this, wrapping Aidan in a warm hug.]

[ "Only when you're being a jerk..." Which she never minds after the fact, ironically enough.

Luke is more than happy to oblige his demand, taking one hand each in hers, alternating between the two soft palms. Hearing Asch and Aidan's laughter together made her realize how relieved she was that they could be a family again. It finally felt like home. ]

["If you say so."

He honestly didn't really believe he was back until Aidan had woken up and climbed onto his lap; it had felt too surreal, like a dream he'd had far too many times over the past two years only to wake up to find all that joy he'd managed to recapture had been nothing more than an illusion. Their family wasn't complete anymore - it couldn't be with the son they'd adopted gone - but, even still, it was far better than what he'd struggled through for the past two years.

Thinking about it, it was strange. Six years ago, had someone asked if he'd ever find himself missing his replica, he would have looked at them as though they were insane while biting out some scathing comment about how that trash who had stolen his entire existence could hurry up and disappear for all he cared. And now? Now he could not imagine a life without Luke; now, he was a man who had fought not only to bring his replica back to life but also to return to Luke's side when he had inexplicably been torn away. He was a man who had started a life - a family - with that same replica who he'd once held so much disdain for.

He'd felt this way, two years before: content, complete. He'd created a family of his own despite the odds and his own belief that he would never be able to - or that he would never be worthy of one. And now he had returned to that family as he had been unable to in the past. Perhaps that was a sign of how he'd changed since his childhood.

Suddenly, Asch tipped himself to the side, dislodging Luke's arms from around his shoulders and toppling down onto the bed with Aidan; he quickly rolled onto his back so his son was sitting on his stomach before holding a hand up to Luke.] Come here.

[ A quiet curse slipped past Luke's lips at seeing her son go overboard, but Asch had him safely seated before she could even make a grab. Not that it stopped her from fuming. ]

B-be more careful...! [ That's her baby you're handling there, mister. Still, Luke acquiesces with a face that would do Anise proud, and crawls the couple of feet to grab Asch's hand. ] What?

I had a firm hold on him, Luke. [They'd landed on their sides when they fell to the bed, anyway, with Asch turned more toward the bed than Aidan was to absorb what little shock there would have been. Plus, it had sent Aidan into peals of laughter, so wasn't that worth it?

Asch tugs Luke forward and uses the momentum to push her slightly to his side, so that now he has Aidan on top of him and Luke at his right.] Hmm.

But if you'd lost your grip... [ She's imagining the thousand-and-one ways that single motion could've gone wrong and none of them are pretty. Luke now understands what the farmers in Engave had been talking about when they mentioned "mother hens". ...but since Aidan was unharmed and very much pleased with his ride, she'll let it slide for now.

Not expecting to be pulled, she ends up face-first at Asch's side and has to blink a few times before shuffling closer. She could get used to this. ]

[Has she ever known Asch to lose his grip?

He closes his eyes, one arm around Luke and the other holding Aidan, who is now watching his parents curiously before snuggling into his daddy's chest.]

[ Nope. Doesn't stop mama from fretting though.

Luke rests her head on Asch's chest and brushes back Aidan's hair, smiling to reassure him that everything was fine. --oh! Before it slips her mind again: "...thank you." ]

["Hm?" Asch is just absently rubbing Aidan's back and pulling Luke just a small bit closer; she can't imagine how much he's wanted this.]

[ "Thank you, Asch." Loving from both his parents keeps Aidan happy, so Luke steals a quick kiss from Asch meanwhile. ]

[His lips quirk up slightly as he kisses her back. "For what?"]

[ Well, she can't let it go at that. He gets another kiss right along the corner of his mouth. "Still being you. Coming home. Giving Aidan the best father ever. Everything." ]

["Sorry it took so long." He nudges her cheek with his nose, still rubbing Aidan's back. It's... comfortable, he has to admit, spending time with the two of them just like this.]

[ Humming, she inches up to kiss a path to his neck. "You can make it up to me~" Yes, Asch, you did just get tilded at. ]

[No words.

Asch's arm tightens around her and the hand rubbing Aidan's back stills for a moment before he resumes rubbing their kid's back. "Maybe later."]

[ Her lips stop dead in their trek as she wiggles backwards a bit, pushing herself up to peer at him with curiosity and a hint of concern. "What's wrong?" ]