abyssdressing | I'm sorry, he's being really loud

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I'm sorry, he's being really loud

[Someone's making good use of his time here. Now that he's here, and things aren't... they aren't interfering with things at home, it's a little freer. He doesn't have to hide inside a stuffy medical facility to keep Van and the God-generals from finding out about his condition, for instance. Though unfortunately, this comes at the price of worrying what's going on at home, and what's going to happen if he can't get back in time. But for now... he'll take what freedom he can get.

Not that he has the energy to do much with that freedom, and

indigaytion probably wouldn't be pleased if he started pushing himself too much. But it does give him the chance to do... small things.

Like go out on short walks and just look at things, things he hasn't really had the chance to see for a while, though after a couple weeks the novelty has started to wear off a little. Still, there's something to be said for being able to just sit down, take your shoes off and stick your toes in the grass, feel the cool autumn breeze and watch clouds bustle by, when you know you won't be able to do any of these things for too much longer. Though lately something about that's been bothering him...

Bother y/n?]

[[ooc; open like a news stand on election week]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Whoa wait what- Suddenly he's got his alternate poking and checking him, and it's enough to make him flinch back a little in surprise. It's not something he really expected, especially not from a version of him with long hair.]

I-I'm fine! It's... [He hesitates. Not sure how much he really wants to say on this one... especially if the Luke he's talking to doesn't know.] I'll be okay. And I've been staying with Jade. Er... a Jade.

[More like Jade's been looking after him, really.]

[ Over time Luke had gotten better about being a nosy busybody, but it's an easy habit to fall back into when someone is unwell. Especially if said person shares your face. ]

But-- [ Oh you have to be kidding. Jade? He's rooming with Jade? The look Luke gets is a mixture of amusement, pity, and concern -and probably for a good reason. While Jade has enough wisdom and experience to put their whole group to shame, he has warped sense of humor to match. Ah well... If Luke is sick, it's likely for the best. ]

If you say so... I know we just met, but let me know if you need anything; I owe you one.

[Luke probably wouldn't have stayed in the same house as Jade otherwise - nearby maybe, but not in the middle of prime trolling territory. While he trusted Jade (at least with the big, important things)... he wasn't sure he was comfortable living - casually, as opposed to simply staying in the same room or set of rooms at an inn to rest for the night - in the same space like that. But Jade knew things, maybe had ideas how to help him somehow... and Luke wasn't really able to take care of himself on his own right now. This Luke had that much right, at least.

He rubs his nose a little sheepishly, smiling a little for maybe the first time.]

I will. So... uh... you've been here a while, right?

A while is an understatement. I think I've been here for over three mini-year things. They're way shorter than the ones back on Auldrant.

[ The seasons had a habit of blowing by so quickly that Luke felt it was hard to really enjoy them. Not only that, but living here meant they could experience weather capable of baffling Belkend scientists; it ranged from freezing temperatures that rivaled Keterburg to what Luke had to assume was summer, making them all sluggish for weeks.

Luke scoops up Mieu so he'll quit bothering their new friend, and returns the smile, though not without an inquiring look. Suspicious replica is suspicious. ]

How can the years be shorter-?

[Still, there is a bit of alarm underneath the disbelief in his voice. Three years, even if they were shorter? Was it normal to stay that long?]

H-how much shorter are they?

They go by faster! It sounds weird, but I know three winters have come and gone since I was last on Auldrant; this'll be my fourth.

[ Luke has to think how best to explain the differences between the worlds or universes, or whatever they are. Someone like Jade or Asch might have been able to tell if the days were the same length, but for Luke it wasn't so easy. ]

I found a calendar for this place, I think, and it says there's only twelve months. But the main thing is the number of days in each can be anywhere from twenty-eight to thirty-one. It's like they're missing four weeks in each month.

[Luke can't help but make a face. Who would have their years like that anyway? (Though really, years were determined by the planet revolving around the sun, not on anybody's personal preference, but details)]

Ugh, that sounds so weird...

[Though suddenly, he cuts himself off and grimaces. Should have figured it was about time for another one of these... Unfortunately, the way he twists his legs around to try to hide the suddenly glowing foot might be a little suspect...]

[ It's more ridiculous than having two extra days during Lorelei Decan. Though at least everything else seems fairly normal. There's no bizarre weather phenomenon like lightning storms or cheagle rain, though some random occurrences came close at times. ]

Could be worse, I guess. And it's not much weirder than talking to yourself, right?

[ In looking up from petting the cheagle, Luke catches the pained expression on the other's face and his squirming in place. Man, talk about being as subtle as a rockslide... He gets an accurate Asch impression for that attempt. ]

For someone that's supposedly okay, you sure seem to be hurting. Mind explaining what's going on or should I find out myself?

[Yeah, the talking-to-yourself part was weird, though it added an extra complication. If this Luke didn't know what would happen... he really didn't want them to find out... e-even if they were looking at him just like Asch would. He didn't want anybody to find out, really, and... back in Auldrant he didn't really have much chance to keep it secret.

And of course, he is nothing if not stubborn.]

I-I'm fine.

[Really though, a glowing foot with fonons floating from it is not that easy to just hide... Not that he won't try.]

[ Once again Luke (both of them) proves that their communication skills are still very much in need of practice. While he fears divulging information to the those who shouldn't know it, Luke here thinks he's either being obstinate or just plain wary. Neither of which is necessarily a bad thing at times. But previous experience has shown that not talking tends to be worse. So Luke shrugs and starts to turn away.

...only to suddenly lunge for the leg he seems keen on hiding, sending Mieu rolling back into the grass in the process. ]

[... which of course, takes him completely by surprise. Of course, once he gets over the shock of it, he realizes exactly what she's trying to do. And the possible ramifications of it.]

H-hey! Careful, careful!

[He pulled his foot out and away from himself, into plain sight, holding it to make sure that it didn't sink into the ground. It was still there, flickering feebly, and lasts for another several seconds (long enough for her to see it) before the glowing fades and his foot re-solidifies, aching, but still there.

... dammit...

[ That... hadn't been what Luke was expecting to find. After it dawns on her that his problem isn't a typical sickness, she hurries out of his way with a faint noise. Ugh, stupid stupid stupid. ]

You should have just said it's fonon separation...

[ In hindsight, even Mieu using Luke as a hiding place had been risky-- more so thanks to him carrying the Jewel around. Though that did a great deal towards explaining why Luke had seemed sickly. Hell, it probably wasn't a good idea for even another replica to get too close. ]

[Luke just watches her in surprise, shifting a little uncomfortably at her words.]

I didn't know you knew about it...

[He does reach a hand down though to start rubbing at the affected area a little. It helped it ache a little less when he did that.]

Oh, I forgot it's not obvious.

[ It's times like these that Luke wondered if it wouldn't be better to lop off some of her hair again, or start drinking milk. Natalia had said it made you grow... ]

Still, are you sure you're okay? My hands never... [ She trails off, knowing the subject to be one of her least favorite topics right after Akzeriuth and Eldrant. ]

Did it grow out...?

[Honestly he'd never have thought that he'd grow his hair out again, and this Luke didn't look that much older than him, or at least he thought. He's not the greatest judge of ages...

The other question though... was he okay? No, he wasn't, really. He was dying and he'd never... never really had the time to come to a sort of peaceful terms with it. Sure, he'd had more time in Belkend, but... a lot less to help him feel at peace. His friends were often gone, there was so little to do except... just contemplate all that he wanted to and couldn't do.

Doesn't stop him from trying to put up a front though, while he can.]

I-I'll be fine... [quieter] It's not like there's anything I can do to stop it.

Not grow, per se...

[ Luke grows quiet again and idly picks at the blades of grass. For once she isn't trying to be evasive about personal questions, it's just that his problem is a more imperative matter. When the silence almost starts to become suffocating, she flips to her feet and faces Luke with hands planted on her hips. ]

I refuse to believe there's absolutely nothing that'll prevent it! There's all kinds of information here from different worlds, plus some of us have learned a thing or two on our own. It might not be much use if you go back home, but I won't let you disappear here! We'll find a way!

[Her markedly emphatic reply startles Luke a little, and he stares up at her with wide, surprised eyes, until he looks away and rubs his arm nervously. It's not like he doesn't want it... to not have to worry about disappearing or dying, even if it's only here.

It's just... he doesn't know... He really doesn't know.]

Can we really do that? [Even Jade didn't seem to confident about his ability to come up with something here... but there is a faint stirring of hope in his voice. One he's almost afraid to acknowledge, should it be proved false.]

Sure we can! We've got enough people here that are familiar with fonic artes and fonons -I've been studying too- that we're sure to come up with something if we try! Even if keeping your body together isn't possible... I'll do it the hard way, same as Asch did for me.

[ Of course, that might only be an option if fonon's didn't immediately disperse after death. Here there wasn't a fon belt for them to be drawn to, so maybe...

Luke lets out a huff that makes her bangs jump, and she offers him a hand up. Enough rest; it was time for work! ]

Come on! The longer we sit here, the more we'll have to do later!

[ooc; it's like you knew...]

The hard way...?

[That... doesn't sound good. At all. The treatments he had already been getting at Belkend weren't all that easy on him. Before, he might've said he was okay with giving up whatever he had to so long as he could live, but then reality had hit home. If he couldn't help people... if he was just stuck inside, sleeping, eating, staring at walls... It was so hard, because he didn't want to die, but... he didn't want to do nothing with the rest of his life either....

When he finds her holding out her hand though, he stares down at it then up at her, faintly surprised.] Wait... now?

[ A prompt answer isn't forthcoming, as for once Luke takes a fair amount of time (for her, anyway) to weigh her words carefully. Even before beginning to speak, her gaze wanders off to the side and fixes on nothing in the distance. ]

...we'll talk about it later if it comes to that. There's a few problems with the method and I don't know if it'd work here without Lorelei or the Fon Belt, but... It's worth keeping in mind. With the others' help, I bet we could even improve on the method he used.

Anyway! We should go. It's important, right? [ Now protesting will be tolerated; she snatches him by both hands and starts tugging, with Mieu doing climbing up onto his arm so as not to be left behind. ]

[Before Luke can ask what the hell she was talking about, before he can even utter a protest, he finds himself tugged to his feet with a cheagle clinging to him.]

H-hey, wait!

[Jade was going to kill - er, not be very happy with him, if he kept running around. He was only supposed to be out for a little while! Though... if there was some way, to help the fonon separation... to make sure he lasted long enough to get home... ergh... It was a tough call...]

[ Crypticness: one of the -admittedly few- things Luke managed to pick up from Asch and master with very little practice. And off they go, at a pace slow enough for him to keep up without taxing himself. Wouldn't do to wear him out before they had even started looking. ]

Don't worry, it's not far!

[ If it was, she'd have carried him instead. Secondhand-wrath of Jade is still intimidating enough to keep silly replicas in line. But since her house is just outside of the main town, it doesn't take long for the mid-size cottage to come into view and Luke glances back to check on her ~~victim~~ friend. No wheezing, right? ]

[No wheezing, though maybe a tiny bit out of breath. He does watch the house with a fair amount of interest, though.]

Is that where you live?

[He's only ever stayed at Jade's house so far, so it's not like he really knows were a lot of the other people here in the nexus live]

[ Whoops... Very good thing they didn't run, in that case. Her grip changes from just pulling his hand to supporting him by the arm, in case he needs the help. ]

Yep! This is our house. We get a lot of guests and sometimes our friends stay with us, so it made more sense to just get a larger place. Did you need anything to drink...?

[ You poor boy. Talk about boring as hell. Luke waits for him to recover before leading them up the path, past the slowly wilting garden. Not a whole lot of flowers blooming this time of year. ]

[It's nothing unexpected, for him. He just... doesn't really have as much in endurance anymore. It's really frustrating, especially when he wonders just how he's going to keep up with everyone else when they inevitably take him with to Eldrant to make sure they have someone to free Lorelei.

He follows along still looking around curiously. At her words he nods.]

Sure... [beat] Are there a lot of people here? In the... city... nexus... thing, I mean.

I'm sorry, he's being really loud

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It's funny, you warned me not to take the loud ones for granted, and then he went quiet for a while

I speak from experience. both my loud ones hushed up earlier this year and refused to cooperate;;

D: That must've been awful...

It was. 8( I said "Let's play!" and the redheads were like "...eh. no thanks." So frustrating. X|

DX Well, I'm glad they're back now.

Same here! I like your Luke. X>

igjhioewahgs- /)////(\ Th-thank you... <3

♥♥♥ \>w<

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