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[dissonates]

[There isn't a lot that makes Asch wake so suddenly in the middle of the night, feeling sweaty and shaken. He's been having some difficulty sleeping the last couple of nights, but this is the first time it's actually woken him up. It's disturbed him enough to kill his desire to sleep, so rather than bother trying, he rolls over beneath the covers and stares at the wall for a while, mulling over the dream. Just what does it all mean? He knows he's not the only one going through all this.

What bothers him most though... is why did it feel like some of the dreams he'd had weren't even his?]

Comments

[dissonates]

That's why I said it was just a dream.

[And maybe if he keeps telling himself that over and over it'll feel more like the truth.

But it is the truth- it must be, he knows that. He has memories of his childhood, of growing up here with Luke and their mother. He remembers that age. He didn't kill anyone, and definitely not like that. And sure, maybe the uniform resembled some of his clothes, but... still.]

[fabrecation]

[He was in his favorite clothes in that dream, ones that are in his closet right now. Usually he never dreams of them in that kind of detail - the demon face on the back would be missing, his belt would be gone... But not this time.

They were both murderers in those dreams.

Still, it was fake. It was. He had long hair in that dream - he never owned that outfit back then, he wasn't even that age when his hair was that style. That accident with the scissors happened when he was thirteen or so, not seventeen.

Dwelling more on them would just make them spout more denials and maybe even make Luke sick again, though. So, he turns to his other side, facing Asch now, and forces up a little smile.]

I took a nap earlier. I dreamed of this thing that looked like Star, but a different color and a lot more annoying. [Now that smile's looking a little more genuine, and he lowers his voice as if he's sharing some kind of secret.] I kicked it like a ball, and it went flying. But it still came running back to me. [He pauses, the smile falling away in favor of confusion.] ... It talked somehow. It called me Master.

[dissonates]

[Asch scoffs faintly at that, giving his twin a little shove.] If you go around kicking animals, it's no wonder Star prefers to stay with me. He's not as stupid as that dream of yours.

[How strange, to dream about an animal like Star, but not Star himself- they've never seen another one like him, after all.

Well... since we're on the subject of better dreams...]

Yesterday I had a dream about a blonde-haired princess. She jumped right out of her castle window and landed on me.

[fabrecation]

[That makes Luke give a lop-sided grin and prop his head up on his arm to get a better look at him.]

A princess? Really? She just - jumped out of the window, just like that? And landed on you?

[dissonates]

Don't ask me why. Maybe she was running away from home. We must've gotten away, anyway- the next thing I knew we were standing by a cliffside watching the sunset.

[H... holding hands. For some reason.]

[fabrecation]

... Who were you supposed to be? Her knight?

[Poooke in the ribs. |D]

[dissonates]

[Asch glares at him and slaps away the offending hand.] Knights aren't unarmed and ten years old, idiot. Anyway, what the hell does it matter? She's not even real.

[fabrecation]

Relax, I'm just messing with you! [Rrrgh, stupid twin, taking things way too seriously. B| But he settles back down on his pillow after that and, as if he's trying to be discrete about it, he takes a little scoot closer to Asch.]

Yesterday I dreamed about a man with a beard and weird eyebrows. He was training me, and he kept giving me advice. And... [Guy was there, watching us spar.]

[dissonates]

[Asch doesn't finish the sentence for him, though he knows what it ends with. He's been trying (with difficulty) to avoid talking or thinking about Guy- for him, it's the easiest way to cope with his disappearance. Instead he focuses on the rest.]

...I don't remember anyone like that.

[fabrecation]

Neither do I.

[It's the easiest way for him to cope with Guy's disappearance, too - to never mention him or think about him, or if he does, to try and think about the good things. Still... it's hard. Luke ducks his head and scoots closer still, enough so that his fingers bump against Asch's upper arm.]

He felt familiar, though... At first I thought he was our dad, but... He didn't look a thing like us. [...] I don't think mom would like him, anyway.

[dissonates]

[Asch's eyes flicker downwards, to where Luke's fingers rest, but this time he opts to say nothing. Maybe this is something they both can appreciate, at least for a little while.]

...We should probably write these dreams down. If they're that troublesome, Mother can help us with them later.

[Though he's not particularly inclined to discuss that bloody mess they talked about earlier.]

[fabrecation]

Yeah... [His journal rests behind him, but he makes no move to retrieve it. Maybe he'll do it later... When he feels like moving.]

[dissonates]

[Asch falls into a long silence, mulling over the situation, and the dreams that have been troubling him all night. He's certain that this wasn't the last of them- which means it would be more prudent to stay awake, despite their mother's advice. Sleep could wait. Nightmares are something he'd rather avoid for the moment.]

[fabrecation]

Maybe we should... uh...

[... How embarrassing. Luke can't even finish the sentence, though the suggestion is there in his head - maybe we should sleep in the same bed, just like how we used to. That way, if we have nightmares, we can be there for each other. Just like how they used to be.

... Just like how they are now, really, in a strange way.]

[dissonates]

[Asch blinks at that, lifting a brow as he shoots Luke a sidelong glance. Share the same bed? They're not little kids anymore. And the last thing he needs is Luke catching him so startled, in that position of weakness.

Then again it's more likely for Luke to be upset by those dreams, so... maybe his being here would at least settle him down a bit.

With a sullen sigh, Asch reaches down to grab the cover, pulling it over the both of them as he flops back on the pillow.]

Fine, you can stay here. Just don't kick me in your sleep.

[fabrecation]

[... Oh, Asch, do you know how happy that made him? Actually, you probably do know. Luke's surprised at first, but then he smiles in the darkness and shifts enough to get comfortable and rest an arm across Asch's chest. Nothing more than that - he's not that kid who'd cling like a python anymore.

...

Not while he's awake, anyway.]

I won't, I promise. Thanks, Asch.

[And though he'd rather avoid his nightmares and thus stay awake as much as he can... He knows better than to throw away his mother's advice. Missing out on sleep is never good for anyone. Besides, he is a little groggy... So, he shuts his eyes and tries to fall asleep again. With Asch here, someone whom he's always looked up to and practically followed everywhere as a child, it's a little easier to not be afraid, but... He still doesn't want to dream of all that blood again.]

[dissonates]

[Asch nods slightly at being thanked, though he says nothing. As Luke dozes off, he shifts ever-so-slightly, making himself more comfortable and moving his arm so he can rest his hand in Luke's hair, brushing gently through it. He's such a little kid, despite being the same age- falling asleep like that, wanting to stay in the first place, being so easily satisfied, taking comfort in the arms of his teenage brother instead of his own bed like an adult should. And this brat is getting married before him?

He'd intended to get up once Luke fell asleep - get a drink, wash his face, try and figure out how to stay awake longer - but with Luke like this, he remains where he is for a while, his hand lazily sifting through his twin's hair, letting his thoughts wander away from the dreams that had been troubling him so much.

Geez... why the hell am I always looking after you?]