dissonates | [Action]

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[Action]

[Missions suck as much as, if not moreso than, the drafts. Asch has decided this. It's not just that he'd been sent on an uncomfortably-outnumbered solo mission, it's not just that his health problems had reared their ugly heads in the middle of it and nearly gotten him killed, it's not just he'd had to rely on luck and skill to keep him alive with zero ability to heal himself despite being a Seventh Fonist.

No, at this point, mostly? It's the fact that once it's all over, and the Malnosso saw fit to send him back to the village, he finds himself floundering underwater.

Bastards, is his second thought, since his first is a string of expletives that would do a sailor proud. Thankfully he's only a couple of feet or so from where his feet can touch solid ground, so within a minute he's slogging towards the shore, soaking wet and pulling seaweed from his hair. Damn. Bastards.

Not that the shore is much better. There's apparently something going on - the usual love experiment, no doubt - and he's managed to get dumped right in the middle of it. They probably did that on purpose. He can't do anything while soaked as he is, though, so his first order of business is to get changed. There isn't much selection, but within a few minutes he's got his uniform hung out to dry and is wearing a suit and a long, dark blue bathrobe. It's humiliating, but it's better than freezing to death back in the village.

Since he has to wait for his clothes and hair to dry in the sun, Asch will be hanging around the beach area, available for chatting, fruity goodness, and whatnot. Come and bother the cranky one! (He is unaffected by the normal love stuff, btw.)]

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That's what everyone keeps saying. [Not that Asch can disagree with them. He does feel a little better, with the weather and the... company. Sort of.] News must travel fast in the village these days.

Tell me about it. I guess that's what journals are for! Can you imagine everyone trying to talk with carrier pigeons? [He grins at the image - gosh, it'd take everyone hours just to get through one little conversation.]

The village would be a mess, that's for sure.

[Somewhat lazily, Asch tilts his head to sort of... flop it against Luke's. Casually, like it's nothing. ...And Luke started it, okay!? So it's fine. Yes. Just fine.]

[A mess, huh...

... And now Luke just imagines pigeon poop everywhere, so he snerks, then lets out a quiet laugh - only quiet because this is Asch. He makes himself stop for that same reason, though the grin stays on his face as he shuts his eyes and sort of tilts his head against Asch's, as much as he can, as a kind of sign of affection. Nope, this isn't strange at all. ~~Or gay.~~ So it's totally fine. It's totally nothing.]

Yeah, it would be! [There's silence after that, as Luke just enjoys the presence. It's kind of strange. He could've sworn that he usually, metaphorically, has one eye open and one ear out any time he's touching Asch in such a way, whether it's a hug or accidentally falling asleep on him. If Asch tensed or moved to shove him, Luke wanted to move before it could connect. But now? Now, he's just relaxed. It's nice. The company is nice.]

I can't believe I used to hate this place. The ocean, I mean.

[Surprisingly, Asch doesn't react or respond badly- to either the laugh or the touch. He merely relaxes, his eyes closing as well, and takes another bite of the fruit. Yep, all in all, it feels like a perfect afternoon.]

The ocean? Why?

[The ocean's like... freedom. And it smells like home. What's not to love?]

You try liking it when you nearly drown the first time you actually go there.

[Asch should remember that quite clearly, too. Luke really would have drowned if it weren't for him.]

And then get a crab in your hair the second time you go. [... But after a pause, he lets out a sigh, and gives a somewhat helpless smile.] But it's really nice right now. The way it looks and smells and sounds... It's kind of like - I don't know...

You're not supposed to let first impressions colour your entire opinion of something.

[Shut up, he knows he's a total hypocrite. He's too cozy to worry about what he's saying at the moment.]

Anyway, just remember it like this instead. You'll be better off.

[First and second impressions, actually. He was willing to give it a chance! And then it interrupted make-outs with his girlfriend to nearly drown him again and tangle a crab in his hair. At this point he's just convinced that it's out to get him.

But... yeah. Asch is right. It's nice to remember it like this, just watching it peacefully with Asch right by his side. This is... really nice.]

... Yeah. I think I will be.

[He enjoys it for a moment longer. The sea, the company, the warmth... before he tilts his head slightly to look up at Asch.]

Hey, there's some places to go up on the hills. You wanna check them out with me? A lot of people have been going up there already.

[Asch blinks, lifting his head a bit lazily to meet his replica's gaze. The mountain? What could possibly be out there? And why would they want to move?]

Mm... alright. It could be interesting.

[And why is he agreeing?]

Yeah... And we can come back here if it isn't.

[... He doesn't really want to move. It's so comfortable here... But after a moment, he pushes himself up, then holds his hand out for Asch to pull him up.]

Come on, I'll race you there.

...Race? Are you crazy?

[Asch lifts a brow, though he does take Luke's hand to let his replica pull him upright.]

We're not children, you know.

So? You don't have to be a kid to race, you know!

[He grips Asch's hand a little longer before he lets it go to start running. He does look behind him after a few steps to see if Asch is following suit or not; he'll either speed up or slow down depending on which it is.]

[...His replica. Is such. A brat.

Asch watches him for a moment, then, with a quiet huff, he pushes himself to his feet and takes off at a run after Luke. Better get your ass in gear, replica, because he's catching up now.]

[He's actually running! AAAAH

That gets Luke to grin, then turn ahead and RUN. The sand makes it a little harder to run, ~~and Asch is a much higher level and thus his AGL stats are much better~~ but he will still give it his all! Maybe since they're original and replica, their speeds will be pretty much the same, too...!]

[Well, considering Luke had a nice head start, it'd be safe to assume they reach the hobbit holes around the same time. It takes some effort to catch up, though, so Asch is breathing hard when his hand hits the door, turning around to lean against it.]

Give me more of a warning next time, dreck...

[Still said without any venom or anger, though. Just amused weariness.]

[Once his own hand hits the door, Luke leans over to rest his hands against his knees, panting a little to catch his own breath. He's not as worn out as Asch, but he still had to run up hill at full speed. Once he hears that, though, he grins up at him and slowly straightens himself up.]

H-Hey, I did! I told you I'd race you.

Aren't you supposed to say something like "ready set go" before starting a race?

[Seriously, even a seven year old ought to know the rules of such games.]

[Rules shmules, you're talking to the guy who cheats at hide and seek.]

Well... [SIGH.] Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll do it next time.

[Except not. ANYWAY, he pushes open the hobbit hole to find... several things, actually! There's a piano near the back that Luke immediately sees, along with various food and drink on a table. Cake, both vanilla and chocolate, and both of their favorite teas, a plate of chicken, and other things that they both enjoy. There's a few books, too, sitting on a pile of pillows and just waiting to be read. What else is there?]

[Asch peers in after him, brows lifting. It looks surprisingly cozy for a Malnosso-designed mountain hole. There's a few candles lit here and there to give the place a fresh scent, and a cushy looking couch, but otherwise little else. The smell alone is enough to get Asch through the door; is that vanilla he's smelling?]

What's the point in all of this?

[Luke follows in after, closing the door behind him. He's looking around in mild awe; he wasn't expecting something like this to be in a mountain. The smell alone is enough to send him wandering over to the table, though his sights are on everything else.]

Was this always here? [Mmmm chicken - wait.] Is this stuff fresh? [He peels some of the skin back on the chicken - yup, it looks good.

Smells good too.

...

...

NOM.]

[Replica, what the hell are you doing, wandering in and eating something you don't even- OH MY GOD THAT SMELLS AMAZING he needs to try some right now. Swiping some skin for himself right now.

....

Yep, nothing quite like fresh-cooked, crunchy chicken skin.]

[Luke grins, though more in the fact that they're sharing something they both like than amusement, and he plops down as he pulls some food over - they even got his favorite tea, sweet!]

This stuff is amazing! [SERIOUSLY NOT EVEN THE BEST COOK IS CAPABLE OF THIS.]

[This is weirding him out... but whatever, Asch sits down with him, setting the kettle to boil. May as well enjoy it while it's here.]

We're placing an awful lot of trust on them, eating this.

[He says as he helps himself to more chicken...]

Yeah, we are...

[He says as he pulls over a bowl of strawberries and begins to munch on a few.]

... This stuff's still good. Really good.

Don't mix meat with fruit, dreck, that's disgusting.

[Still spoken with no malice, though, chewing idly on another piece of chicken skin. This is literally the most perfect chicken he's ever tasted. How the hell did they make it so good?]

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