dissonates | [Voice / Action]

Oh, you didn't give that away, too? Why, here I thought you told him every detail of my life! It wouldn't surprise me. You've always been atrocious at holding your tongue when it actually matters, Asch.

[Though, in the back of his mind, Dist is glad Van doesn't know where he lives, or who he lives with. Heaven knows what Van could plan, but Dist isn't willing to find out, or risk anything - or anyone - he cares about.]

Forget it! I'm still leaving. [Let's try for the door again. Whyyy does he come to this place again.]

Is this my thanks for warning you about his arrival?

[STUPID UNGRATEFUL SCIENTIST.]

[...What the hell is she even babbling about.]

This is ridiculous. Why would I be going after a woman who's already married with a child?

[Even if the aforementioned man hasn't been in Luceti for- no, that doesn't even matter!!]

[Luke holds her just as tightly against him, eyes squeezed shut and the side of his cheek pressed against the side of her head. Back on Auldrant, it wasn't like this; he had many people who knew of Van and were against him, after Akzeriuth happened. Some of them were even royalty, and could make plans to slow him down. Here? It was only a few people out of around three hundred or so. He didn't want another Akzeriuth to happen... He didn't want to see someone be used and tossed aside. He didn't want to be pulled into Van's scheming anymore.

And he didn't want Xion involved in any of that. Now... inevitably, she had to be, considering he and Asch were high on Van's list of useful people.]

I... I know. And he won't. I promise he won't.

[Maybe it's a careless promise against such a huge threat. But promises are important to Luke - it means that even if he can't keep it, he'll try his absolute best to do so.]

Oh? Where are you going?

You expect me to thank you for letting van know of my presence here?! Ha! You have another thing coming if you expect me to show you any sort of thanks!

[STUPID LOUDMOUTH READHEAD.]

Edited 2011-09-18 21:34 (UTC)

Luke ... no matter what, you're ... you're a good person. I'll always believe that, and ... [ And you should too. But ... she knows she can't really ask that of him, especially not right now. ]

Why else would you come here and visit Sweetie especially, huh? [Norma smirks, leaning her head onto her hand. Ohoho, this is definitely fun, mmyes.] Besides, Senny's not here, right? Fight the good fight, Chuckles! Charge into battle! FOR LOVE!

[FIST PUMP, YEAAAAAAAH.]

Where I live, obviously.

Why I came is none of your business, but it sure as hell wasn't to seduce her or anything. Keep me out of your stupid fantasies.

[TURNING AWAY NOW. Go away you strange person.]

Fine, do whatever the hell you want! I gave you my message, so leave me alone.

[Stella stays quiet at that. She can agree, even though she wants to... do something. Anything. Anything would be better than doing nothing and knowing that such a person is out there...]

... I won't speak to him, then. [One important question, though:] What does he look like? [After all, she might just chat him up one day and not even realize it.]

I'm not telling you to avoid him at all costs- it's possible that doing that will just make him suspicious. But if you do meet him, avoid associating yourself with me. I don't know what he'll do.

[He tugs out his journal, ripping out a page and doing a quick sketch of Van, showcasing the beard, eyebrows, and hairstyle before offering it out to her.]

This is Van.

Why are you going there? You'll miss supper.

Don't think I enjoy speaking with you, Asch. And you have my word that if anything happens in regards to Van, because of you, I will hold you accountable.

[Translation: If Nephry or the Professor get hurt, he's going to sew that fucking mouth of yours shut. That, or forcefully remove your vocal chords.

Journal being snapped in your face now. HAVE A FABULOUS DAY.]

[Oooh, he's pretty cold, isn't he? Chuckles and Wally would get along real well, Norma bets. Little D, too. She frowns after him, pouting, but doesn't go after him or anything. All she does is lean her cheek onto one hand and wave with the other.]

Seeee ya later, Chuckles. Remember to bring flowers next time!

[...

He doesn't answer that. Van's arrival just... tore down the dam that had slowly built around his insecurities, allowing them to flood over him once again. Akzeriuth was his fault. The Score being thrown off track was his fault. Everything terrible that happened to his world, his home... was his fault.

How can anyone call him a good person...

But he doesn't let that be known; instead, all he does is tighten her hold around her waist and keep his eyes shut. Maybe... if she keeps believing that, then... he'll believe it too someday. Even with Van here.]

[ ... but she knows why he's not answering. The Luke that kissed her under the stars and swore to her he was proud of his name would have said something. Something, at least -- but now he's silent, and just holding her even tighter.

And she knows what that means. And it makes her breath hitch in her throat as she swallows back a sob.

It's not fair. It's just not fair.

Bizarrely, she thinks of Noel. She thinks of going with Luke that day and finding Noel out by the Battle Dome and just ... talking to her. Three Replicas... all fighting for their humanity. And she remembers Luke standing by her side -- more uncertain than she, but willing all the same to fight. To show that they are worth something, that it's okay to be...

And it feels now like that moment couldn't be further away. Now Van's here, and Van's going to ruin everything. He's going to destroy everything Luke has worked so hard for, every bit of that shaky pride, and he's going to take Luke away from her.

Can she do anything but watch it happen? Are words enough, with someone like that here...? ]

Luke--

[ Her voice is fraught and tight, the edge of it betraying her hidden tears, but he won't get to comment on it. Because abruptly she kisses him hard, desperately, full of sadness.

There is an idea at the back of her mind. A dark and terrible idea. But ... there's just no way ... someone like her ... could deal with Van herself.

...

Right? ]

[And Luke had just leaned back and opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, only to get cut off and let out a very startled sound instead by a fierce kiss from Xion. It's enough to make his eyes go wide and... leave him unsure of what to do with himself. One hand stays at her waist while the other hovers uselessly in the air, until it slowly lowers back to her waist, though he's still no less caught off guard.

...

Damn, Xion.]

[ It's a kiss of all her anger and all her grief. And yes -- it's a fierce kiss. Fierce and hard. Her hands are tangled in his hair, fingertips pressing against the back of his head, and she kisses him so fiercely and so desperately.

She wants him to believe her. And if words won't work, maybe something like this will. ]

I already told you I wasn't staying!

Whatever. [MUMBLE GRUMBLE. And off he goes, not even bothering to get her name. Flowers, she says... feh.]

[Were Luke in a normal state, he'd... probably stay the same, sitting there uselessly and blushing, maybe push her back and ask her to slow down. All the other times they kissed like this, they always... built up to it, never started right off like that. It was too much right now.

But Luke is still frazzled. He's angry and nervous and scared and helpless against the tide of insecurity. And she's telling him he's a good person, and with Van's arrival still fresh on his mind, he's reminded of everything he's done to prove the opposite. He's trying so hard to be better. So hard... and he thought he was getting somewhere. Van showing up just...

... At the same time, he still wants to fight. Now, not only to prove his humanity and his right to live, but to prove his master wrong. To let him know that his reason for existence was not for destruction, not just to throw off the Score. He's Luke... and maybe someday he can shout that back at Van without that hint of desperation in his voice.

Luke shuts his eyes and lets himself fall back from a kneel to a sit, one hand back to support his balance on the floor while the other reaches up to grip Xion's hair, and he finds himself kissing her with that same fear and grief and anger and resolve. It's still too much, too strong; he has a feeling this kiss won't last long. But right now he just revels in it. Not only does it allow him to get everything he's feeling out of him, but, well... How often does one get kissed like this?]

[She nods to that - yes, she won't just avoid him... But if she does talk to him, then she's a good enough actress to not be bothered by his presence. And she won't associate Asch with her; doing so would just place him as well as herself in danger.

As Asch works on the sketch, Stella turns to work on that tea some more. By the time he's finished, the tea is on the stove and heating up nicely - she plans on making a drink with vanilla and cherry, just as she knows he likes it. And maybe she has the tin with the tea name on it on the counter. Just so he can see.

When he hands the sketch to her, Stella takes it with raised eyebrows. Even for a quick sketch, it was still very nice. But there are more pressing matters to deal with, so she won't comment on that part. Instead, she focuses on the person she's seeing in the sketch. Good, she hasn't met him yet... And she hasn't really seen anyone quite like him, either.]

That's rather distinct... I suppose that's a good thing. [Stella looks up from the sketch past Asch, where she knows Norma is sleeping on the couch.] Part of me thinks that I should tell the others about this, too. But... [She glances away with an awkward and helpless little tug at her lip.] I've learned that secrets are hard to keep for them. [And Grune would just forget it. Or remember that Van was important but not know why.]

[Voice / Action]

[Voice | Filtered]

that's a slightly terrifying thought, really.

[Voice | Filtered]

[Action]

[action]

Master Badtouch strikes again.

[Voice | Filtered]

[action]

[Action]

no subject

[Action]

[Voice | Filtered]

[Action]

[Action]

no subject

[Voice | Filtered]

[Action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

[action]

no subject

[Action]

[action]

[Action]