INACTIVE - Appointments - IC

[relinquishing]

"Sit back, relax, prop your feet up if you need to. Let me get you something to drink, and we'll talk!"

One-on-one meetings, conversations, backthreading, LJ-thread-pickup, and any other encounters that we might need to work out outside of regular logs can be placed here.

Specify:

1)Vatheon or Luceti
2)Date the thread takes place
3)[Voice], [Text], or [Action]

If we're backthreading/moving from LJ, please link back to the previous thread!

Comments

[LUCETI | May 13th - May 21st]

[relinquishing]

[After the events of the 13th, Guy has been whisked off to recover from his injuries, away from the Fabre boys. His journal, although with him, remains untouched the entire week. Any voicemails, messages, notes - they all pile up, unanswered, until the evening of the 21st.

On the 13th, Guy has been brought to one of the spare rooms of Community House 2 for immediate assistance and the removal of that pretty nasty Daathic Fonic Arte. He remains unconscious for most of the day due to the effects of the curse slot and he won't be particularly responsive to anyone once he finally wakes up (outside of whoever is there when he first opens his eyes).

From the 14th to the 18th, Guy will be moved to the clinic just south of the plaza. He's quieter, withdrawn - much broodier than normal - but surprisingly willing to talk about anything and everything that isn't related to what just happened. Sure, I'm wrapped in bandages, but hey, let's talk about your day!

The 19th will find Guy... well, gone. Missing from his room at the clinic, dismissing himself and wandering out regardless of his current condition. He has only one person he wishes to talk to. Now, before a certain God General returns.

The remainder of the day, as well as the 20th and 21st, one can expect the blonde to be locked up in his and Luke's shared apartment at Community House 1, refusing to answer the door unless there is a particularly good reason. For all extents and purposes, he isn't home. Not unless you bang on that door particularly loud.]

May 13th

[distressedude]

[With the curse slot removed, all that was left was for Guy to wake up. Perhaps it was for the best that he hadn't simply woken up right away -- after performing the proper arte to remove the curse slot, Ion very nearly passed out himself. His mind was still reeling from what had happened earlier, and he still didn't even known whether Luke was okay or not. He had to be. He had to be. And right now, Ion had to believe that he was.]

[He's the only one left in the room by now, sitting in a chair by Guy's bedside with a journal nearby so he can call for assistanace once Guy is ready to be moved to the clinic. Despite how tired he is, he can't even bring himself to start nodding off. He had to be awake when Guy woke up. He needed to hear what happened, what he remembered, just to be certain... even if he already has a fairly good idea.]

[relinquishing]

[The first thing he felt was pain.

The pain of fatigue, of combat, aching in every bone and joint and muscle; The sting of open wounds on his arms, his shoulders, a sharp discomfort shooting through his back and one of his wings every time he took in a breath.

The ache that lingered in his mind, however, was different. It hurt in an eerily familiar way... Almost as if someone had been holding his head between their hands in a death grip, pressing and pressing for an unspeakable amount of time before suddenly letting go. It was that feeling, of a sudden release of tension, the absence of pain and restriction causing its own type of discomfort...

So it isn't a surprise when he finally stirs, his face tightening with a quiet groan before his eyes finally open. W-where-- what--

...

And then he catches the glimpse of green hair out of the corner of his eye, and he turns his head to see who it was sitting beside him...]

...Ion?

[distressedude]

[Ion's eyes dart over the moment he hears Guy speak. He's not even trying to hide the look of concern on his face, and even now there's still stains of blood along his sleeves from moving Guy around. As for who's blood it is, Ion's been trying not think about it. Though at the very least, seeing Guy awake seems to remove some of the tension he'd been holding onto ever since he heard that initial message over the journal.]

...thank goodness you woke up. Don't try to move too much or you'll aggravate your injuries. [Not that Guy looks ready to spring out of bed or anything, but... better safe than sorry. Ion's prepared to cast a few more healing artes in the event that Guy needs them, but anything drastic and he'd probably have to call for help.]

How are you feeling?

oh my goood. Hah... s-sup Sarah, I am the latest ever.

[relinquishing]

[The blonde blinks up groggily at the younger boy for a long moment, shifting his weight with a slight grimace. His first intention was, in fact, to try and sit up... but hearing the tension and fatigued tinge of worry in Ion's voice was enough to keep him still for the moment.

What... what had happened?]

I've... felt better. Not gonna lie.

[He slowly brings a hand up, meaning to rest it against his forehead... and hesitating when he sees the coating of blood stained up his gloves and sleeve.

Something wasn't right.

What had happened?]

/pat pat

[distressedude]

[Ion sees Guy's expression change when he sees his hand, realizing right away what it likely means. He doesn't remember what happened. He doesn't know what he's done. And how could he? It wasn't as though he had any control of his body or mind... Sync had made sure of that.]

[But even knowing what Guy's answer might be, he has to ask. There's a definite edge of seriousness in his voice.]

...Guy. Can you remember the last thing that happened before you woke up here?

Hardest part about this tag - spending 5 minutes choosing an icon.

[relinquishing]

[His hand moves to rest in his hair, fingers clenching and expression tight.]

I... Luke and I, we... we'd just left the apartment... going to the Battle Dome...

I ran ahead...

And..

...

[-- and then what?

...

He... fell?

Yeah... that...

That sounded right.

Knees hitting the ground, a finger wrapped against his

arm

and pain

pain pain

pain and the sifting of thoughts and PANIC and HORROR and

Anger.

Uncontrolled.

Unable to be tamed.

Unable to be held back.

Pain and PAIN and

letting that control slip

through

his

grasp

His face slowly pales, fingers clenching harder into his hair as his eyes widen.

Anger anger anger and the pulling of weapons, the clashing of metal.

The rush of adrenaline.

The catch of sword on flesh.

Knocking a blade away.

Not away - through...

a feeling of finality - of triumph, of wrath having its way

the flash of black

the spattering of blood

a shower of feathers

the force of a blade

cutting

through

bone

and

screaming

SCREAMING

The scent of blood suddenly becomes so very strong, so evident and pronounced.

He's trembling.

Trembling so hard, so suddenly.

I...

I killed...

I killed...

...]

...I-Ion.

[His voice is quiet and shaking.]

Where...

Where is Luke...

May 18th

[fourteen]

[ ... she waits several days before going. She isn't even really sure she wants to. Can anything be gained by talking to him?

Luke hasn't said a word about what happened. But she'd noticed Guy there, of course. And with Asch dead...

... she remembers last time Guy was here. And now, too -- she knows what sort of person he seems. Why would he have...?

But who else could have done it?

... she hates herself for even suspecting. But if anyone might know the truth, it would be him. So she goes, a little scared, but trying to keep her chin up. This has been a long, dark week. ]

... Guy?

[relinquishing]

[It's been a quiet week so far - what Guy was expecting, honestly - so any visitors caught him by surprise. The voice in the door now was no exception, and he starts a bit at the sound of it. But hey, it's someone he recognizes, at least, and he slowly sits himself up in the bed as she makes her way in.

His right arm is wrapped from wrist to elbow, back and shoulders bandaged, one wing secured tightly down while the other lay weakly folded against his shoulder. Parts of his upper arms, particularly the right, are still bandaged here and there, but mostly are open, showing the scars of wounds that looked older than the rest. It's a rather awkward sight, coupled with how shaky he is as he nonchalantly leans his arms against his knees... and a definite contrast to the casual smile that's on his face.]

Well, hey there. [His voice is still as lighthearted as ever, if not a bit quiet, rough and tired around the edges. But it certainly doesn't bear the weight she might expect.] Can't say I expected a visit from you this week, Xion, haha. It's nice of you.

[fourteen]

[ His appearance shouldn't bring her up short, but it does. Just a little. After a brief pause, she sighs heavily and goes to his side, eyebrows knit in deep concern. ]

... I--

[ ... ]

I saw you there. I mean ... I knew something must have happened. I just...

[ Guilty face, somewhat. Staying with Luke versus even checking on Guy, a thing she never bothered to do, suddenly makes her feel very selfish. ]

... I wanted to see if you were ... okay. And ... I wanted to ask ... what happened.

[ Very tentatively. Her eyes search his face, her expression uncertain and deeply worried about the whole affair. ]

[relinquishing]

[He shifts away slightly as she approaches, more out of his own personal space and natural discomforts than anything else. But he chuckles lightly at the questions, leaning his chin on one hand.]

Well, I'm alive. I can walk. I can breathe. I have some sort of mobility through all this gauzy mess, heh. So I suppose I'm doing fine.

[He's not so unobservant as to miss that look of uncertainty and concern that's burrowed into her features. His first thoughts flick to the idea that the only reason she might be here asking him about this is because Luke was unable to. Whether because of injury or refusal... she was his girlfriend, after all, and Guy had picked up on their affection for one another in the little time he had seen them together. She would have asked him, if she had the chance.

He gives himself a pause, gazing thoughtfully into the covers before his voice speaks up again, rather suddenly and clearly.]

So Luke hasn't said anything to you about it, then?

[fourteen]

[ --she seems to remember, belatedly, and with a soft "oh" takes a step back, sheepish about discomfiting him.

Then she just -- listens, and watches, her brow still knit. Her eyes fall at his question, and she shakes her head. ]

... he hasn't said much at all. ... actually, I -- didn't ask.

[ She pauses, briefly pressing her hands to her mouth. When she lowers them to speak again, her voice is sad. ]

I -- I've known Luke and Asch for a long time now. It feels like a long time, anyway. Asch can be ... prickly, but I care about him. [ She swallows. ] ... I don't know if any of this is even my business. [ Luke almost died. Asch IS dead. She shakes her head. ] ... I guess I'm just scared. I know how much you mean to them. And I don't ... know how any of that happened.

[relinquishing]

[The girl probably had good intentions. Really. But Guy, meaning a lot to Luke and Asch?

Hah.

Laughable.

...

It was sentimental of her, he supposes. Sweet, maybe, if the situation had been anything else but this. But right now, Guy's mind can't help but process the comments she gives as anything but... he's not sure of the word. Annoying, possibly. Unnecessary. Emotional words, confused words, said from a girl that was thrown into a situation she really had no place butting into.

If it was anything else, that uncertainty would be the first thing he would try to wipe away, regardless of how he was involved. But If she was aiming to calm her fears by looking for answers, then asking about what happened was probably the worst thing she could be doing.

And she had probably just gone and decided to ask the worst possible person for answers.]

Just because you've know someone for a while or not doesn't mean that you can always understand how they are or what they've gone through. There's only so many ways you can try to empathize with a situation out of your control before you just become a bother.

[He shrugs lightly.] So if they have business they want to keep to themselves, then you're probably better off respecting that.

May 17th

[silversnowfall]

[It's taken her a while to come and see him. There were a lot of things in her own house that needed to be handled, and she thought he would want his space.

But after promising Luke she would come to see him...well. It's hard not to, in that case.

Knock knock.]

[relinquishing]

[It had been a slow day. Not too many nurses. Not too many visitors. So Guy had, in fact, drifted off into a nap for most of the afternoon.

He's not quite a heavy sleeper right now, though, and the gentle knocking against the entrance of his room is just enough to stir him. He blinks groggily at the doorway for several long moments before his face draws up in a smile of recognition.]

Hey, Nephry. It's good to see you.

[Sure did hold his tongue on using her title that time. Good boy.]

[silversnowfall]

Oh, I'm sorry for waking you. Should I go?

[Far be it for her to disturb anyone's rest.]

[relinquishing]

Ah, no, no, you're fine! Just dozed off, that's all.

[See, he's even leaning up to a better sitting position! Albeit with a slight grimace, but who's keeping track of things like that?]

What's up?

[silversnowfall]

I just came to see how you were. And, if you haven't heard, to inform you about how Natalia is doing.

[She figures you will want to know.]

[relinquishing]

[...Yes. Yes, he would very much like to know. He sits up a little straighter, his brow furrowing.]

...No, I haven't heard a thing - not since she showed up in the village, anyways. How is she?

[May 20th]

[fabrecation]

[It's late at night by the time Luke makes it back to the apartment. He spent the entire day by Asch's side, not leaving for any reason, helping him get around and to let him see through his eyes.

Now, Asch is finally asleep, and Luke spent more time to watch his chest rise and fall and making sure that Asch was deeply asleep. After that, though, Luke needed to go back to the apartment. The horror in his stomach never left, and he just... needed some time. To get his strength back after it was lost for so long, because he knew Asch would need it. To sleep in his own bed. To... be with Guy for a little while. They had reconciled while Luke himself was in the clinic, and... right now, even knowing that Guy was the reason behind Asch's penalty, he just. Needed to spend some time with his best friend.

He still has the key; it had been beside his bed at the clinic, as if telling him that he should move and get some life back in him. And now, here he is. At first he knocks quietly, and when he doesn't receive a response, he fumbles for the key and does his best to open the door with his usable hand, his less dominant hand. And it's pretty clear how much he favors his left hand over his right, considering how long it takes for him just to get the key in the slot and turn it correctly.

And once he's inside, he's quiet. Maybe Guy's asleep. It was pretty late, after all. He didn't want to wake Guy up just because of some stupid little need for companionship.]

my feels are so not ready for this thread just fyi

[relinquishing]

[Guy would never admit it. But... maybe it wasn't the best idea to come back to the apartment.

There was only so much he could do in this place. Only so many ways he could work himself just a little too hard. Often Guy would find himself repeating a chore for a second or third time and feel the deeper wounds of his shoulder ache from the effort, sometimes even re-opening and bleeding out once more into the bandages. He'd stop with a grimace of pain; applying pressure, downing a gel and waiting it out, cursing himself as he did so.

He couldn't stop. He couldn't just sit and wait. But at the same time, he couldn't bring himself to face people in the village right now. He was pretty sick of receiving questions that people weren't quite willing to hear the answers to.

Luke still hadn't returned. Not that Guy had expected him to. Even with the words Luke had spoken only days before, there was still a part of Guy's mind that didn't expect him to come home. Flee to the sanctuary of life with his lover. Find Asch and cling to him, make him feel secure. Protect him.

Surely he wouldn't be stupid enough to come back here, of all places.

And yet, despite those thoughts and insecurities, Luke's bed was being re-made one too many times a day. Belongings were cleaned. Laundry was folded and put away in its entirety. One could say it was out of boredom. Or just something else entirely.

He was just plain exhausted. And he didn't quite know what to do.

But giving himself a couple days to think was... invigorating. Refreshing, in a sense. It helped calm the nerves he felt knowing that, according to the way Luceti ran, today was apparently the day that Asch would return.

Somehow.

It takes him all day to muster up the courage to check. To just... open up the journal. To see that entry or message; from Asch, maybe from Luke, saying who knows what and teasing at that twinge of discomfort twisting in his gut.

The afternoon drifts by, as does the entire evening. Only then, when Guy can't bring himself to work any longer, does he find himself dropping to a seat on his bed, his journal on his lap.

He hesitates, exhaling slowly, before turning the cover over, flipping through the pages gently for the first time in over 8 days, looking for those familiar names...

And it's then that the messages come.]

I assume your body is not ready either

[fabrecation]

[Star bounds over to Luke before he can make it to his room, mieuing and holding up his little arms. And even though Luke will always find the cheagle annoying, he still gives a faint smile and kneels down to scritch behind his ears, though he gives a quiet "Shut up" to quiet him down. He stands a moment after, allowing the cheagle to follow him as he gets to the door of his room -

And he glances at Guy's door out of habit, and he sees a faint light at the bottom of the door. Guy usually slept with no light whatsoever unless he just fell asleep at his desk, so the sight makes him hesitate.

He heads towards Guy's door instead.

____

The messages begin the day Luke woke up.

[May 14th]

C

[It was supposed to be a G. But the pen curves away after that, as Luke felt dizzy and weary. He didn't try again that day.]

--

[May 15th]

Guy?

--

Guy, are you there?

--

Are you okay?

--

Guy...

--

[May 16th]

Guy?

--

I need to talk to you about... this. Could you get over here?

--

I'm worried about you. Are you okay?

--

Talk to me?

--

[May 17th]

Guy?

--

Where are you? Are you okay?

--

I want to see you. Please answer back?

--

Do you ha Do you want to see m

--

Guy... Please?

--

[May 18th]

Guy?

--

It's boring here. Come over please?

--

Rapunzel brought pies earlier. Better come get one before I eat it all.

--

Guy...

--

I'm lonel

--

You're still my best friend. Please...

--

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

--

[May 19th]

Guy?

--

Guy

--

I want to see you, please...

--

[After that, Guy finally visited him. It's after that that he writes one last thing.]

Thanks for coming. It made me happy to see you.]

Let's just pretend for a minute that Nik is just never ready for anything ever (spoilers: she isn't)

[relinquishing]

[...

The first message is messy. Pointless. Guy isn't even sure what it's supposed to be, and he closes it almost instantly.

But then a second pops up. A third. A fourth. Multiple messages a day, in a barely legible scrawl.

Questions.

Pleas.

Short, half-winded attempts at light-hearted comments, followed quickly by earnest statements... by brokenhearted apologies...

All from the same person.

All from Luke.

By the end of the comments from the 16th, Guy's reading becomes a little shakier, his attempts to flip through the comments quickly not as fueled. The tightness in his expression, the burn in his chest... it aches the more and more he reads. He needs to close it, he needs to close it, he doesn't have to read all this--

He--

Please...

He doesn't--

I'm lonely.

You're still my best friend.

...he--

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry

I'm sorry.

...

He doesn't hear the door open. He doesn't turn to recognize whoever might have just poked their way into the room.

No.

His head is busy being buried into the crook of his elbow, a hand clenched into his hair while the other presses a palm against his face, his shoulders tense and shaking.

The burning in his chest has erupted into something deeper; a painful, out-of-control frustration; a fear, an anger, an unquenchable hurt that he can just barely contain, it seems, within the confines of his body, every muscle shaking and taut.

And something else. Something that he hated to even recognize. Something that he couldn't quite place, amidst everything else. Not due to unfamiliarity, but just, perhaps, to an incredibly long absence.

That bitter, burning touch of anguish.

That never-forgiving knaw of guilt.

...

Dammit. DAMMIT ALL, why had he waited...

He was so stupid.

Luke was stupid for saying all that, for thinking all that, for trying too hard for something that just wasn't worth it...

That idiot.

That...

...

Dammit.]

Okay we can go with that

[fabrecation]

[The sight surprises Luke, jolts him to freeze. And it's good that he did that, otherwise he would've moved forward and touched Guy's shoulder and maybe make him feel shame and embarrassment on top of everything else.

Something about this makes Luke kind of... afraid. Afraid to move, afraid to do anything at all. He's never seen Guy like this before. It makes distress and pain rise in his chest, and it's all he can do to at least look and see the cause of it -

The journal's laying open. And Luke can barely see it, but... that's his handwriting. Sort of, since he had to write with his right hand...

... Right. Those are the messages he wrote.

Was Guy doing... this... over those? Is he seeing them for the first time...?

...

Quietly, Luke steps out of the room, his fist clenched and shaking at his side. As much as he wants to go in and touch him, give Guy some kind of sign that he's there and it's okay... this is a highly vulnerable moment for Guy. And he's sure that he wouldn't appreciate the very cause of that vulnerability to let him know that he saw it.

So he stands in the living room and looks down at the floor. He gives it a few more minutes.

Then he goes to the front door, and he unlocks, opens and shuts it again, this time a little louder. He... presses his hand against the door for a moment, to compose himself, to give Guy time to register that sound, if he even heard it.

Once he counts to three and ensures that the burning in his eyes has relaxed a little, he steps inside again, tells Star to shut up again (which causes a "mieu?"), and stops just a few steps away from Guy's room.]

... Guy? Are you awake?

[Of course he is.

But Luke doesn't have to know that.]

Hooray for being honest with ourselves!

[relinquishing]

[It takes some effort, but the journal is slowly closed and placed to the side. Guy slides his hands down enough to rest his head in them, elbows against his knees. Fingers still clench as he works at taking in a shaky breath.

Another.

And another.

He's still shaking. That frustration is still bubbling up within him, eating away. But god... he needed to calm down. He needed his composure back. He hated feeling like this - feeling out of control and restless.

Feeling vulnerable.

He treasured his self-control around others. He'd managed it as best he could. Even with everything that happened.

So why...

The slam of a door echoes through the apartment, cutting through the mess of his thoughts. Guy stiffens, straightening up just slightly. Fingers slowly uncurl from his hair, moving to press into the side of the bed.

The soft sounds of movement. A muffled voice, the timber and tone achingly familiar.

He can feel himself holding his breath.

And then the call of his name, right outside his door.

...

It was Luke.

He was home.

...

It takes a long, long moment. Enough for Guy to pry his fingers from the edge of the mattress, slow his breathing... and pretend he wasn't as pale as he knew he probably appeared.

Composure. Composure had to be his ally again.

It was only then that he got to his feet, trudging to the other end of the room and slowly pulling the door open. He looked weary, and he couldn't quite fight the heaviness that lay over his expression. His shirt seems to have been shrugged on, unbuttoned; his bandages are easily visible, only one of his wings sitting properly against the fabric against his shoulders. But he still stood tall and straight, with that same chipper grin making its way onto his face at the sight of Luke.

Whether it was genuine or just slid on out of habit was hard to determine. Even for him.]

Hey. [Damn, his voice was heavy... alright, drawing in a breathe and letting his tone be a little stronger this time.]

You're home pretty late. What's the occasion?