[Asch starts at the sudden grasp around his hand, and his fingers tense, going still for a moment, then finally curl around Luke's, holding on perhaps a little too tightly to be comfortable. The contact is... reassuring. Not that he'll say as much. There's a certain degree of stress quietly draining out of the link, though, so Luke probably notices anyway. His shoulders droop, he exhales shakily, and after a long pause - after Luke speaks, after he says what Asch knew he was going to say anyway - he lifts his head, his expression torn between determination and resignation.
He honestly doesn't know what he should be feeling right now. But whatever it is, he knows that he should be burying it, keeping it quiet. It's all he knows to do.]
...Fine. I thought so. It's not- [He stops, lowering his head again, slowly loosening his vice grip on Luke's fingers. His arm goes slack, moving almost as if to pull away. Don't be weak, don't be weak, don't be weak.] ...I can't see.
[He doesn't need to say it; he knows, and Luke knows. But he needs to hear it, he needs to say it. First he'll accept it.
[action]
He honestly doesn't know what he should be feeling right now. But whatever it is, he knows that he should be burying it, keeping it quiet. It's all he knows to do.]
...Fine. I thought so. It's not- [He stops, lowering his head again, slowly loosening his vice grip on Luke's fingers. His arm goes slack, moving almost as if to pull away. Don't be weak, don't be weak, don't be weak.] ...I can't see.
[He doesn't need to say it; he knows, and Luke knows. But he needs to hear it, he needs to say it. First he'll accept it.
Then he'll figure out how to deal with it.]