dissonates | [Voice Post]

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[Voice Post]

[There's a series of slow, shuffling footsteps, then a sudden thud, and a curse. A long silence, then another thud, louder this time, as if something much larger had fallen. It's followed by a hushed curse.]

Sh... shit... I need...

......

[ooc: by some miracle Asch got away from Seraphiel, but he's in pretty bad shape and collapsed at the edge of the mountains. \o His rescue is pre-arranged but feel free to harrass him.]

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[For Asch to be admitting to something like that...it was bad. Guy swallowed past a lump in his throat and offers Asch a quiet smile, moving to slide his arms beneath Asch's legs and shoulders.]

That's all right. I'll take you back.

[It pains him to admit how crippled he'd become by such a small trek out of the house, but he has little choice at this point. Better for Guy to know of his weakness than to remain stranded outside. And it was a hell of a lot better than the replica carrying him.

Still... it feels wrong for Guy to worry about him.]

I'll be alright. Just tired.

[Guy doesn't answer or even waste any time on small talk as he hurries back to the house with Asch in his arms. Fumbling his way inside, Guy moves down the hall carefully and reaches Asch's room, setting him down on the bed and moving to remove his tabard and boots.]

[Asch lies still on the bed, letting Guy work, feeling too exhausted both physically and mentally to protest being babied. Instead he just rests against the bed, eyes closed, and doesn't move - mostly lacking the energy to move anyway. He feels mostly resigned about the situation.]

...This was a mistake.

What happened?

[Even as he folds Asch's tabard and sets it aside, Guy keeps his voice passive and soft. Despite how furious it would make Asch to hear it, he and Luke were alike in that pretending not to listen is the best way to get them to spill something they'd rather keep to themselves.]

[Asch is quiet for a long moment, only half-paying attention. He shifts an arm up - slowly - and sets the back of his hand over his eyes, then murmurs a response, too tired to get properly angry about it. He does sound annoyed though.]

...that... Seraphiel guy. Wanted a favour.

Did he? [Guy's voice is perfectly even and he moves to tug Asch's gloves free, laying them across the chair with his tabard.]

[Asch grits his teeth, averting his eyes. He hates the fact that he was tricked - by someone he'd started to trust! - and he hates even more that he'd ended up in the state he's in. It's hard to admit it.]

He used some sort of teleporter, to go up the mountain. ...Bastard... wanted me to kill him.

[Okay not even Guy can hold up the act of indifference hearing that. He pauses in tugging the blankets from beneath Asch to lay them over him and gives him an incredulous look tinged with a hint of anger.]

He what?

One of his ghosts wanted revenge... I don't know why he asked me to do it though.

[Asch grits his teeth, fists clenching at his sides.]

It was a trap. He said I couldn't leave the mountain unless I killed him.

...I see.

[Right about this time, Guy's Asch ghost decides to morph into existance and kind of stares down at Asch, arms folded.]

So instead you climbed down.

[Asch glances over, glaring up at the ghost for a moment, then looks resigned once more.]

...I didn't have a choice. I wouldn't let myself be blackmailed like that.

...hn.

[It's obvious that his ghost self has more to say to Asch, but instead he kind of floats away to be bloody in the corner of the room. Guy watches the spectre for a moment before returning his attention to the flesh-and-blood version of Asch, pulling the blankets over his form.]

Take it easy for a while, Asch. I...well, I won't say "you should have asked for help," because I know you wouldn't have anyhow.

[Asch lifts his shoulders in a tiny shrug, eyes closing again.]

He was right there, watching me.I wanted to return with my own strength, but I...

[He trails off, ending with a quiet curse. He doesn't need to explain further, since his state is obvious.]

[Guy's next words are a murmur, and they make Asch's ghost leaning against the wall in the corner with his arms crossed look up quietly to watch them.]

Your strength is what kept you from killing him.

[There's another long paused, and Guy goes about fussing with Asch, no real purpose behind his movements.]

He was arrogant to assume that he knew me.

[Asch hesitates, lips pursed, expression oddly pained. So close to death, he's feeling more open and not as snappy than he usually is.]

I didn't kill people because I liked it...

[And Guy's response is immediate and confident.]

I know.

[Asch lets his head rest back against the pillow, gazing wearily at the ceiling, concentrating on breathing for a time.]

... I... might have pushed myself too hard this time.

[It's a difficult thing to admit.]

[Guy watches Asch for a bit before, seemingly on impulse, he reaches forward and strokes Asch's bangs out of his face. He was brought back to when Asch was only six -or was it seven?- and had a horrible fever. Guy had been placed at his bedside, and even then, even when -at merely eleven years old- he'd been so fixated on thoughts of revenge, he hadn't been able to help the pity when the boy had whimpered in his sleep.

Asch was no longer a child, and would certainly resent any bit of pity that he so much as sensed coming from another person, but...]

It's all right. I'll look after you.

[Asch is surprised by that - the touch, and the promise. He's so used to Guy resenting him, or at least just tolerating him for the world and the replica's sake. This... it was different. He'd had time for forgiveness, it seemed, after all.

And so the touch makes Asch smile, just a little bit.]

...Brings back memories.

Ha ha. [Guy smiles fondly, continuing to stroke Asch's hair absently, eyes fixed vaguely on the pillow beneath Asch's head rather than his face.]

You were so sick. I remember your mother- she was so determined, even though she was sick herself. Tried to sit in with you, but His Grace just carted her back off to bed and told the maids to keep a close eye. She was so furious with him she didn't speak to him for a week.

Made meals uncomfortable, though; we -the servers and I- we always tried to find excuses to duck back into the kitchen because it was just so tense. You remember that...?

Yeah... Father said Mother was being so unreasonable...

[Asch's smile shifts a little, wistful now.]

It was always so strange when they fought... Father seemed to lose just by winning. But Mother... she always forgave him. Just how she is...

[Guy's hand stilled atop Asch's hair and it was out of his mouth before he could even think to stop himself.]

You know she- ... [Might as well follow through at this point.]

...she...misses you. Every day.

[Asch is quiet for a moment again.]

... I know. I-- ..... I miss her, too.

[Knowing what Guy's not saying, he adds.]

I can't go home yet. Maybe if I live, I...

You know... [Guy's aware he's cutting Asch off, but there's something...heavy about their conversation. As if there were things that needed to be said. Things that Asch should hear.

Things he should have been told.]

Asch, I...it's selfish and childish of me. [Guy pauses, and settles his hands in his lap instead, threading the fingers through one another.]

I always thought...even after your kidnapping, after everyone thought you'd lost your memories...even after we found out the truth. After we learned about everything, even after that...I thought... "He has no idea what it's like." I thought that about a lot of people, that they couldn't understand. But I guess nobody ever could, if I kept it to myself.

[Guy laughs a bit, the sound quiet and ashamed.] I was such a child. I still am, really...but I'd like to think I've had some time to grow up. For a while, I wanted to ask you to forgive me; a year after Eldrant fell, actually. I wanted to ask you to forgive me, and I wanted to see Luke again.

Now, though...I don't think that's what I need at all.

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