Twas the night after Christmas -

[bloodyashes]

Characters: Asch and open; later, he goes to see Jade about things [closed]
Setting: A nicely hidden corner of the upper lounge and/or media floor; hassling Jade in the library
Format: What have you, bro
Summary: Feelings about regains, headaches about replicas, yelling at Jade
Warnings: Fon Fabre temper tantrums incoming.

[There's a redhead in a beanbag chair in the corner, heels tucked in, with an old framed photo in his lap. Asch's attention is pretty much entirely on the picture, which is tilted up so that it can't be seen from any other angle. Want to see? Better come lean around his shoulder and be obnoxious.]

[He puts a hand to his forehead very suddenly, as though taken by an unexpected headache. Uh-oh, isn't the flu epidemic over? Maybe you'd better go see what's wrong with him.]

Library -

[It's as good a place to start looking as any. Asch is very pointedly not hurrying through the shelves, because it's not like it really matters anyway. If Jade can't fix this, then no one can, and at least death in the Tower isn't going to stick.

Luckily, it seems that right there is the teal uniform he's looking for.]

Jade.

[All the greeting you get. No beating around the bush today.]

Is there any way to halt fonon separation once it's begun? Failing that, is there a way to slow it?

Comments

[holychord]

Asch?

[Why was Tear passing through the media room? IT'S A MYSTERY. But she was, and she noticed him out of the corner of her eye. She actually thought she'd found Luke for a moment. But then she saw him seeming to clutch his head, and she started toward him quickly.]

Are you alright?

[bloodyashes]

Tear? ...It's nothing.

[The ache is already mostly past; Asch brushes a few stray hairs back before folding his hands, facing the photo down into his knees.]

[holychord]

That... didn't look like nothing.

[She glanced curiously at the photo, but didn't say anything about it... yet.]

[bloodyashes]

It's nothing you can do anything about, so don't concern yourself.

[Depending on how much she nosed around the manor, the frame, even from behind, might be familiar to Tear - it's fancy filigree as only the royal family can afford, after all.]

[holychord]

[Oh, so that's how it was. Not that they were close friends or anything, but that didn't mean he had to act like that. So her eyes fell to the frame. Obviously he wanted to hide the picture it held...]

Fine... What's that you're holding?

Library

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

[Jade's still reading as the temperamental of the two Fabre boys came into his little reading space.

He at least seems to be ignoring Asch at present, though he finally looks to him at the questions.]

It depends.

[bloodyashes]

Depends on what?

[Really, Jade, he does not have the patience for your games right now.]

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

Quite a few factors. I'd have to do tests before I gave you any answers worth any weight.

[bloodyashes]

[Jade he hates you so thoroughly right now.]

What. Tests.

[attheclocktower]

[Xion was wrapped in a blanket, books and Vexen's notes in hand as she approached the upper lounge area. Namine's help had given her some good ideas... and places to start, but a part of her... still really wanted to understand this.

As she's looking around though, she spots someone definitely familiar looking, and heads over. Groups in general were safer to stick to in the Tower]

Luke?

[Except... he looks different. Was it maybe another him? And what was he holding? Had he gotten something too?]

[bloodyashes]

[Asch glances up at the voice; really, it was only a matter of time before someone around here mistook him for Luke. It's hard to not get annoyed by it, though. He folds his hands over the photo and looks the girl over.]

...Not quite. Do you need him for something?

[Because if he can just pass her off, all the better.]

[attheclocktower]

[She stops, biting her lip. "Not quite" is an odd way to put it. Still, she shakes her head.]

He's a friend of mine. I just figured it'd be better to sit together if we were both here.

[It's safer to stick in groups in the Tower, after all. You could never tell when something might happen.]

[bloodyashes]

[Well how would you describe it, Xion. It's complicated.]

...If you want to sit, you can.

[Just don't attempt to share his beanbag ok. And Xion you say that like this one is ever in a group - ]

[pitiedthefool]

[See, the thing is... Yu is usually haunting either the media floor or the lounge area. Especially considering it's one of the more peaceful places than anything else in this godforsaken (ha ha) tower. Still, when he sees the familiar head of red hair that doesn't completely look like a bad case of bedhead, he can't help but stop himself and silently approach. He notices that far too well, what someone has in their hands. So he'd gotten something too, huh.

His felt like it was burning a hole in his pocket, but he wasn't about to remove it just yet. Instead, just leeeeaning over Asch's shoulder.]

Got something too, huh. [...Oh right. He'd snuck up behind him. ...Oops?] You alright?

[bloodyashes]

[Whoa hey who the - oh it's y(o)u. Asch looks up at him with a bit of a glare; it's not every day someone actually manages to startle him.]

This isn't anything catching. Don't worry about it.

[...Yeah, nice try Asch. He's going to worry anyway that is just the way he is.]

[pitiedthefool]

[He'll end up being amused by it later, but dad mode concern outweighed the lulz right now.]

That isn't what I asked.

[]

[bloodyashes]

[Grumble; Asch grudgingly leans the picture back so that Narukami can see it.]

I'm half convinced it's their idea of a joke.

[scorchedchivalry]

[Saber comes to a stop nearby and looks down at the redhead.]

You look like Luke. Who are you?

[bloodyashes]

Luke is my replica; he looks like me.

[Asch, your stubborn insistent terminology isn't answering her question.]

[scorchedchivalry]

That explains why you look like Luke, but it does not tell me who you are. Your name, please.

I'm sorry he's a butt -

[bloodyashes]

You're not exactly introducing yourself, either.

[He folds his arms, giving her a pointed look. And didn't he just say that Luke looks like him, get it right - ]

...Asch.

[sacred_flamer]

[There's a pounding sound on the stairs leading up to the media room, followed by the sound of someone coming to a skidding halt. A moment later, Luke poked his head into the room, a bright smile on his face.]

Yu-sensei!? Are you in here?!

[...seriously, there needed to be a law against that much happy and rays of sunshine in the Tower.]

[It was a moment before he realized that Asch was there, and he let out a curious noise, leaning over his shoulder.]

What'cha doing?

[bloodyashes]

[;kjadhfdg;kjdf;khgt hello Luke.]

It's nothing.

[Asch folds the picture down quickly, but not quickly enough; seeing as it had come from the manor, a quick glance was probably all Luke needed to recognize it.]

[sacred_flamer]

Hunh...? Isn't that...?

[Yeah, bad move, Asch. Luke is curious now, and when Luke gets curious, things get invaded. Hopefully you didn't put that picture too close to places that should Never Be Touched (c), because he's diving for it.]

[bloodyashes]

I said it's nothing!

[Take an elbow to the face, Luke. There will be no diving into your original's lap today.]