distressedude | Appointments Post

[Luke had heard that Ion had a wing sliced off in the draft. Almost as soon as he heard, he headed out to House 1 to go visit him. Luke didn't know what having a wing cut off was like, but judging how sensitive his own wings were... He didn't even want to imagine. And someone like Ion having to suffer through that...

He hated these drafts. He hated them so much.

With a knock on the door, he's allowed inside by Nephry, who leads him to Ion's room. Once there, he knocks again, quietly.]

Ion?

[By the 31st, much of the pain of losing the wing had passed, but that only meant the pain of growing the new one back had begun. Not to mention the cut that spanned between his shoulder blades which, even after multiple healing sessions, would still leave a rather nasty scar. He couldn't even sit up without feeling a little pain, so he stuck to laying on his side most of the time.]

[He's only just woken up from a nap, so he probably sounds a bit groggy when he replies.]

The door's open.

[Luke lets himself in, though for the moment he stands by the door. Now that he's spent a while here, it's... weird, to see Ion with only one wing. And here he thought he'd never get over the oddness of having wings in the first place...

He offers a half smile. Luke isn't sure if Ion really wants any visitors, but... he just had to see how he was doing.]

Hey... How're you feeling?

[When Ion glances over and see's Luke, his face quickly brightens into a smile. Regardless of how much pain he's been in, he always loved having company. If anything, being alone right now was far worse... after everything that happened, it was a comfort to know someone was still there by his side.]

Luke... it's so good to see you. [Ion tries to shift a little so as to see him better, but after a wince of pain and a short gasp, he thinks better of it. Though he manages to keep smiling, it's rather forced; he also manages to side-step Luke's question.] Why don't you come sit down?

[He can tell just from Ion's expression that he's not feeling well at all. With a worried little frown, he steps inside and sits in a chair beside his bed, back straight and hands on his knees.]

I heard about what happened out there. [He pauses, then lifts a hand to briefly rub his nose.] Though I guess it's pretty obvious, huh...

[The smile on his face relaxes when Luke takes a seat. He wished it were possible to sit up and talk to him, but it hurt too much to lean on his back, even with the pillows there.]

[He nods.] Did... Asch tell you about it?

Yeah. [Asch didn't talk much about the draft... But his original figured that he ought to see Ion, seeing how hurt he was and how close Luke was to him. So, here he is.

He wrings his hands between his knees and gives him a half smile.] But you probably don't want to talk about it, right?

I... [His eyes stare straight ahead, not quite looking at Luke. For a moment, his thoughts drift back to the draft and everything that happened... the third-party soldiers, being recused by Asch only to be ambushed again, losing his wing and that horrible moment when he thought he would die, and the even more horrible pain that followed... the pain that felt like it would never end, even when they were off the beach and--]

[His eyes grow wide before he squeezes them shut, gently shaking his head.] N-No. I don't want to.

[It was only a few minutes ago that Luke received the written message, yet it made him pull on his coat and shoes and head outside right away.

"Can you meet me outside of community housing 2?"

It wasn't really the message itself that worried him, but the way it was written. He could tell it came from Ion, yet the handwriting was messy and shaky. It was pretty clear that Ion was upset about something, and he came to Luke to help him with it. And Luke wasn't the type of person to leave a friend.

So, just moments after receiving the message, Luke opens the door to the entrance of his building and steps outside. It was still sunset, nearing evening... What happened, anyway?]

Ion?

[Luke will have to look down if he wants to see Ion when he opens the door. Though the message only came a few minutes ago, Ion's been sitting there far longer, back against the wall and knees hugged to his chest.]

[He looks up when he hears Luke's voice, but then just as quickly looks back down. When he speaks, his voice is brimming with false cheer.]

Hello, Luke. I... hope I'm not interrupting anything, asking to see you so suddenly like this. [He's shivering. It's hard to tell if it's from the cold or something else. At this point, probably a little of both.]

I would have knocked, but I've been sitting like this for so long... [A weak laugh.] Could... could you help me stand?

[This first message is written in her clearest, most formal handwriting. She's done a few drafts outside of her journal already before penning this.]

Ion, are you okay? Please come back soon. We're all really worried.

[A quick scribble.] Why aren't you writing back? Ion, please!

Ion, come on! Please! I'm ~~really sorry~~ ~~miss you so much~~ really worried!

[When Ion saw her first message, his heart sank. He wanted to reply. Just a quick message that he was all right... that would be okay, right? He could handle that.]

[But when he pressed a pen to the page, the second reply came up.]

[By the time he convinced himself this was just proof that he needed to reply, the third reply came up.]

[He had to put the journal down. And he couldn't bring himself to look at it again until an hour had passed...]

You're probably busy or something, right? Just write me back when you can! ♥

[Despite the fact it's just writing, you can still probably sense the false cheeriness dripping from the words.]

You're still not back yet?!

Ion! Are you in trouble?! Come on! Answer me!

I'm probably annoying you, am I? I'm really sorry. I'll stop.

[And then there'll be nothing for the rest of the day because she stuffed the journal under the mattress and went to the library to try distract herself.]

[Just when Ion didn't think this could possibly hurt any more, fate turns around and slaps him in the face. No, maybe it's guilt doing the slapping. He thought he'd been doing better... he thought he'd be able to handle this. Why? Why does he have to feel this way!?]

[When Anise checks her journal tonight, she'll find a reply. The handwriting is unmistakably Ion's, though it's written rather stiffly. The camera, however, has been covered.]

Anise.
I'm so sorry.

[Something is written here but crossed out beyond readability.]

Please don't worry about me.
I promise I'll come back soon.
I [More illegible scribbles.]

I'm sorry.

[The reply comes late at night.]

Ion!

[There's only one word as Anise struggles to think of what to write, and the message is sent during her inactivity.]

[Anise had left the journal to plan out her reply on another sheet of paper, which is the only reason that the message Ion is getting isn't a mass of scribbles and strikeouts.]

I'm the one who should be sorry. Please come back soon. We all miss you.

~~You're still not back...~~ ~~I'm just~~ ~~I wish~~

Just stay safe, okay?

~~You haven't wri~~

You're fine, right? Don't put yourself in any danger ~~I'm not there to protect~~

My writing's such a mess...Just be careful please.

[After his talk with Nephry last night, Ion knew he'd have to make a decision today. Though he knows he shouldn't stay away for so long and he really didn't want to avoid Anise... he still doesn't know if he can go back yet. He doesn't know if he could handle it...]

[But he knows he can't just let things stay like this. Which is why, almost immediately after her afternoon message (he slept in okay), there's a written reply. Without the camera being covered this time. He's smiling, but it's not entirely sincere.]

Hello Anise.

[False cheer or not, Ion's posture, words and behavior is worrying Luke all the more.]

Ion...?

[He bends briefly to take both of Ion's hands before he straightens and pulls him up, taking a step back to further aid this. Jeez, he was cold. How long had he been out here?]

Why didn't you call me sooner? - Nevermind, let's just get you inside.

[And with no room for protest, Luke lets go of his hands to place his own on Ion's shoulder instead, and guides him inside. It should already be warmer in the housing building.]

Appointments Post

Afternoon of August 31st

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Action; Evening of November 12th

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From November 15th onwards

5 minutes later...

Another five minutes...

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10 minutes this time

10 more minutes...

5 minutes again also it's IN VOICE YAY

20 minutes, back to writing

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20 minutes later

Morning of November 16th

Afternoon

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