[Action]

[dissonates]

[Since a certain someone's arrival, Asch has been kind of cranky and not particularly social, which has suited him just fine, besides having to endure appearing more pathetically lonely than usual. It's not like he really cares what other people think of him anyway (usually). Apparently there's some kind of party going on today, which makes him want to go out even less, so he's content to stay inside and keep out of the way. Parties? Not his thing.

But apparently some people have other ideas.

Eventually he will escape the party (greatly relieved to be away from it, whether he enjoyed himself at all or not), and will instead hang around outside the building trying to gather what's left of his dignity before he heads home. He just wants an uneventful walk in the dark (because it's always dark for him) and a long night's rest.

And apparently he's not allowed to do that, either.

Only when he makes it home does he finally take steps towards contacting a certain scientist who can get his body back to normal. Four months is long enough to be fumbling around in the dark without his replica nearby.]

Comments

action;

[gleamed]

Well, I'm sure I could make one if you have some craft supplies...[But something tells her that Asch doesn't have a secret craft supply.] I could run to the shops and pick one out, though.

action;

[dissonates]

[...Uuuugh. With a half-swallowed sigh, Asch turns around and starts making his way towards his bedroom, his closet being the goal. Maybe he can find something acceptable to wear on his own before they put him in something ridiculously mismatched.]

[explaining]

[Guy fixes Asch's tea and sets it on the table with an audible clink of cup and saucer. He realizes that he doesn't actually know how to move around someone who's blind, and resolves himself to find out.]

I don't want to keep you up. Should I be going?

[dissonates]

[Asch pauses at those words, his body tensing a little. He's not used to the tone Guy is using, and he can't see the body language that goes along with it. And after the more recent interactions with the previous Guy, he's more inclined to assume the worst.]

...If you want to go, then go. No one's keeping you here.

[explaining]

...let me guess.

[This is probably a bad idea, but whatever. Asch never did inspire him to make great decisions.]

The me who was here before wasn't exactly polite with you.

[dissonates]

[The sour look that crosses Asch's expression at that comment is probably answer enough. He moves to the table carefully and sits down, one hand sliding over the surface until it finds the cup, checking the temperature.]

That's a mild way of saying that he wanted me dead.

[explaining]

Ah. So I was from quite a bit earlier. [That explains a lot of Asch's iciness. Guy remembers how bitter and hateful he was before; especially if he's from much earlier on, from before they began to collaborate with Asch.] I'd apologize, but I don't think it'd do much good.

[dissonates]

You'd be surprised.

[He doesn't really mean it, though; he'd never received an apology for his death, nor had he expected to ever get one. Luke deserves apologies, Luke deserves grief, regret, guilt. Not him. Not ever.

He's supposed to be done being bitter about it, but... apparently it's not so easy to brush aside.]

[explaining]

[Guy stops, pulls up short.

Huh.

He pours himself a cup of tea and sits opposite of Asch at the table.]

...Asch, I'm sorry.

[dissonates]

[....

Asch stares blindly down at his tea for a long moment, mulling it over. He's sorry.

...no. It just sounds so empty, when he doesn't even know what happened. When he didn't even do it. It's pointless, meaningless.

The other Guy would never have apologized. Not to him. To hear it now is... alien.]

Shut up, don't apologize for something you didn't even do. It's pathetic.

[explaining]

What do you mean, what I didn't do? I remember being pretty awful to you back on Auldrant.

[dissonates]

[...oh.

Close call, there. Asch lets another silence pass between them while he considers his options, then shrugs carelessly.]

I haven't been in Auldrant for more than two years now. I'm well beyond those grudges.

[explaining]

[that is

the worst lie guy has ever]

Uh huh. Well, all right then. I take it back.

[dissonates]

...Good.

[Why does he feel like he just dodged a bullet that is actually a boomerang?]

Why did you follow me here?

[explaining]

Is that a question about why I followed you like a stalker, or why did I want to check up on you at all?

[dissonates]

...Consider it a dual-layered question.

[Because now that Guy's brought them both up, he'd really like to know what the hell this is.]

[explaining]

I'd think the answer would be obvious.

...why I wanted to check up on you, that is.

[dissonates]

If you're at all worried about me, you shouldn't be. I'm doing fine on my own.

[Though he technically isn't on his own, he just. Likes to establish the fact that he could be, if he wanted. So there.]

[explaining]

I wasn't worried about you taking care of yourself Asch, jeez. I care about you. People check up on other people they care about.

[dissonates]

[Asch mulls over that in silence for a while; it's starting to feel like this conversation is just a collection of interrupted pauses.

That's mostly his fault, though, he knows.]

...You have to realize that I'm not used to you... caring about me. Or even acknowledging I exist.

[explaining]

[Guy sighs, leans back against the counter and rubs his face.]

I know. I know, I do.

I just- [The last time he saw Asch, they were fighting, but they both still knew they cared about each other. Shared something. Now, it feels like Asch has forgotten that or done his best to try to forget, which he shouldn't be faulted for if Guy really was as awful as it sounds like he was.]

I feel like no matter how far we come, together or as individuals, something happens to make us take giant leaps back. Y'know?

[dissonates]

Maybe that's for the best.

[Asch lowers his voice, trying to conceal his discomfort while at the same time squashing his sudden urge to leave, or to get angry and kick Guy out of the house. This is getting too close, too personal. Too much like how they used to talk, and he's sure that can't handle that right now.]

Maybe we're just not meant to be friends.

[explaining]

That'd be assuming fate can't be overcome. Which has already been disproven. [Plus, that's kind of like telling Guy he's not capable of doing something, which has always pissed him off a little.]

[dissonates]

It isn't about fate. This isn't the Score, or any other kind of destiny. It's a simple conflict of interests.

[explaining]

What's your interest? [Guy really wants to know. If Asch's interest is to get him out of his house and out of his life for good then yeah, that's probably where the conflict is.]