dissonates | [Action]

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[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.]

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...Hn. [There's a moment of scoffing disbelief, but it passes, and Asch relents, turning towards the house and snapping his fingers. Star comes scampering back, climbing up his arm when he crouches and perching on his shoulder once more to direct him to the door. He leads them inside without bothering to glance back- he'll be able to hear the footsteps if Guy follows.

The house, obviously, isn't the same as the one Guy might remember; not just in shape, but the way it's sparsely decorated, sort of reminiscent of Daath, actually. The only colour to be found in the immediate vicinity is a handful of half-dead houseplants and the covers of the many books scattered on various surfaces in the first set of rooms.]

[Granted, it's probably more efficient to have a home free of knick-knacks to reduce hazards, but Asch's living space lacks so much personality Guy could have assumed Asch had just moved in a night ago.

He watches Star -waves, hey Star- give Asch directions and quirks his brows up. Good idea.]

Excuse me, [Guy says -because it's polite- before finding his way into the kitchen. Getting tea ready is more familiar ground, more comfortable ground, and the sounds of the kettle and water and cups helps break up the uncomfortable silence that's fallen between them.]

[Asch is briefly taken aback when Guy moves ahead into the kitchen, and for a while he just stands in the doorway, leaning against the frame, just listening quietly to the sounds of the blond at work. It's familiar, yes, but... uncomfortable, at the same time. Like Guy's just a servant again. Or an emotional tornado passing through. A bit of both, really.

He should close his eyes- he knows how eerie his vacant stare can be, he's seen it a few times when Luke's looked at him with the link open. But he can't really bring himself to care right now, either.

Speaking of Luke, though... maybe it's time to break the silence.]

The replica really didn't tell you anything?

He was being pretty secretive and shifty about it, so I told him it was all right not to say anything about what's happened since I was gone.

[Guy will find out eventually. There's enough people in Luceti who know things to give him a good idea, and even if they don't know he can pry the truth out of Luke eventually.

Guy takes a moment to look at Asch, really look and take him in. The stare is creepy, yeah, but everything else just...]

Your hair's longer than it was.

[Asch goes still at that, lips pursing uncomfortably, and he glances away, arms crossing his chest.]

It's not as if I can cut it like this.

[His tone is curt, somewhat defensive; it's such a little thing, but he doesn't like admitting that there are certain habits he can't follow anymore because of his condition.]

[Ah, that's right. Guy was always the one to cut it for Asch; Stella did it too, but she's gone. Luke- nope. Not happening. There are very few people Asch would trust to touch his hair, let alone hold two sharp blades near his head.]

I could cut it- [Guy clamps his mouth shut. It's just so automatic to offer.

He turns back to the tea. Shakes leaves into the strainer.]

[Asch's frown tightens, and he doesn't answer right away, letting his silence answer for him. Guy cut himself off, though, so he probably understands, anyway. He knows he should explain, but- he just-

No.

He looks down, keeping his empty eyes fixated on the floor instead.]

...Did he give you the Jewel?

The- my sword? [Guy blinks. So it'd stuck around, even after he'd gone? Weird.] No, I didn't even know he had it. It didn't disappear?

...No. It was still here when you left, both times. [Asch isn't sure whether to be annoyed or touched that Luke didn't hand it over. It's the sword that killed him, yes, but it's still Guy's family sword. No one has the right to keep it from him, especially not the son of Duke Fabre.]

That's strange.

Well, I'll ask him about it later. [Guy wants it, he really does, but he remembers Luke getting it back for him and him tossing it aside. Luceti- well. It has a way of clarifying things.

The kettle whistles shrilly and Guy plucks it from the burner, filling up the teapot and giving the leaves a minute to steep.] You still take it the same way?

Mm. [Asch shrugs his shoulders, noncommittal, though in his mind that's a good enough answer. Guy knows him well enough.

...God, that's such a strange thing to think, after so long, after the last half-year or so. Guy actually knowing him.

And now he can't decide whether or not he can handle it again.]

[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?

[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.

...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.

[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.

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.

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.]

[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.

[....

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.

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

[...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.

[that is

the worst lie guy has ever]

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

...Good.

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

Why did you follow me here?

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

...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.]

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