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

[bloodyashes]

Temporary, huh...

[That is not a happy expression. He's sick of dying without quite making it to dead.]

Nothing more permanent?

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

The other solution is to open your fon slots to Luke.

[bloodyashes]

... ... ...

[Faintly horrified look.]

... I suppose I know better than to ask if you're kidding.

[Asch crosses his arms, looking distinctly unhappy.]

And why would involving the dreck help?

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

You'd share fonons. He'd fill in your gaps and you both would be far more stable. Think of it in the sense of a circuit. You need to close it to make it more efficient.

[bloodyashes]

...I think I'd rather not.

[Which, no doubt, was the response Jade was expecting. Predictable redhead is predictable.]

I don't want to get any more involved with him than I already am.

[Lies, dirty lies, and denial. He just doesn't want Luke to know how nosy he is.]

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

There's no avoiding that, Asch. Inevitably, he's going to be more involved. You're being childish if you think you can hide a thing like this from him forever.

If you really didn't want him involved, you should not have forced his fonslots open in Coral Castle.

[bloodyashes]

[At that, he snaps.]

Don't say this like I knew it was going to happen! You think I would have done it if I knew that it would kill me?!

[He would have, though. Jade probably already knows; Asch doesn't care enough for his own life to keep it, if that was the way to stop Van.

After all, he already has a replacement.]

...I'll hide it from him as long as I have to. All he can do is worry about it, anyway.

[bootsweremadeforcasting]

[Jade remained impassive, not appearing the least bit affected by Asch's temper tantrum. When Asch was done, Jade shifted to stand properly.]

Then I have nothing more for you.

[Jade went for the door, rolling his sleeves down and grabbing his teal outer uniform. Shrugging it on, Jade buttoned it up quietly. If Asch was planning on whining, then Jade wasn't going to have it.

You're making yourself worse, and it ceases to be my problem when you die from your own stupidity.

[bloodyashes]

I don't need anything more from you.

[Stubborn to the end. Asch just stays right where he is until after he's sure Jade is gone.

When he walks out, in a huff with his hands still balled into fists, he leaves the books behind.]