015 ~ [Voice]

[distressedude]

[For anyone who knows Ion well enough to be considered a friend, or perhaps just well enough to say you've had a conversation with him at some point in the past, you just might catch a filter at some point during the day. It's a small, weak, empty filter and it'll disappear only a few minutes after it's made, so chances are you might miss it. But for those who happen to see it, there's an explanation that follows... though there's no filter here.]

[His voice sounds rather tired, and perhaps a bit sad.]

...when you can't set up a filter to someone, it means they've gone home, doesn't it.

[The way he asks, it sounds like he already knows the answer.]

Comments

[fabrecation]

[There's a short pause from him, too, until:] ... Hey, do you need some company or anything?

[distressedude]

Oh, you don't have to trouble yourself, Luke. I'm still stuck in bed, after all. It would probably be a little boring over here...

[But he's still not saying no.]

[fabrecation]

... Heh heh, so you're saying you're bored, too.

I'll be there soon, okay? [Which means he's not taking no as an answer even if Ion was thinking of it.]

[distressedude]

[Oh Luke. That gets a smile.]

All right.

[fabrecation]

[AND SO Luke gets out of the apartment to go visit his friend. He'd been worried about him, anyway, so seeing him again would be nice for Luke too.

Seeing how House 1 is some ways down the path, it does take Luke a few minutes to get there. But not too long, and soon he's knocking on the door and allowing himself inside.]

Ion?

[distressedude]

[The moment Ion hears Luke knocking, he gets up, thinking for a moment that perhaps the door was locked. By the time he hears Luke calling his name, he's already made it to the hallway, visible from the front door. It was the middle of the day, but Ion was still in his pajamas. He'd been asleep prior to making that entry.]

Hello, Luke. Sorry I didn't meet you are the door...

[But he makes no move to walk closer to Luke. He's using the door frame for support right now; he was still a little unsteady on his feet.]

[fabrecation]

It's okay. ... Should you even be on your feet right now?

[That's as close to a scolding as Luke's going to give, because he knows that if he were in that position, he wouldn't even be near the bed. Instead of chastising him further, though, Luke just moves forward to place a supporting hand on Ion's shoulder. Come on bro, back to bed with you.]

[distressedude]

I'm not supposed to be, no. But it's not that far from my bed to the door.

[He lets go of the door frame so he can quickly turn to walk back into his room, but doesn't get further than one step before swaying and nearly stumbling backwards into Luke. If not for that hand on his shoulder, he might have not caught himself in time.]

[But this isn't the first time he's done that, so he just laughs at off.] ...maybe it's farther than I thought.

[fabrecation]

It's pretty far when you're not feeling well... [Luke knows that for a fact. When he had pneumonia and got restless, he'd only make it to the door before having to lean heavily against it.

And then Guy would seemingly pop up out of nowhere and chide him for walking that far and lead him right back to bed.

The thought makes Luke cast his gaze downward for a second, but then he pulls it back up to Ion again as he keeps a steady hand on his shoulder and leads him back to the bed, just as Guy did for him. It's a short walk for him, but for Ion...]

[distressedude]

[For Ion, that short walk may not have tired him out, but his sense of balance was still pretty off. But with Luke there for support in case of another stumble, he makes it safely back to his bed. The moment he's laying down, he closes his eyes and holds a hand to his forehead.]

I'm sorry. I'll be fine in a moment, just... a-a little dizzy still.

[fabrecation]

[Luke pulls up a chair near the bed and sits himself down, hands on his knees and his back straight. Ah, the posture of a noble.]

It's okay... Don't try opening your eyes until that feeling goes away.

[distressedude]

Mm. [He'd nod, but he was still trying to keep his head still. He tries opening his eyes once, only to mumble an apology and cover them again. A full three minutes passes before he finally rests his arm back at his side and can turn to look up at Luke with a small smile.]

I guess I shouldn't have tried getting up before... Thank you for helping me, Luke.

[fabrecation]

[Luke blinks at that, then scratches his cheek a little. Eh heh...]

You don't have to thank me for that... I wouldn't have just let you fall over or anything.

[distressedude]

I know you wouldn't have... but I was also thanking you for coming.

[He may have told Luke not to bother, but... he really did want company right now. The first few days after the draft, he couldn't stand being in his room alone, even if all he was doing was sleeping. He was still a little more shaken up than he cared to admit...]

[fabrecation]

Yeah... It's no problem. Just - don't try moving around like that for a while, okay?

[He rubs a bit at his nose, then after some pause, he reaches out to take one of the pillows on Ion's bed and holds it in both arms, just to give him something to hold.]

So who's Simon? A friend of yours?

[distressedude]

Yes. He was one of Anise's good friends. We didn't really start to get to know each other until after... er, that one experiment a few months ago.

[So specific, Ion.]

[fabrecation]

That one experiment? Which one?

[There were several experiments a few months ago, Ion. :|]

[distressedude]

The one in February. [Okay, the months here were weird. He's only going to be a little more specific.] The Malnosso had placed a strange tree in the plaza for part of it...

[fabrecation]

... Oh.

[Oh. Right. That one. Luke shifts in his seat and glances away as he thinks of that experiment. Sure, it... sort of brought he and Xion together, though he's sure they would've been brought together despite it, but... it was still awkward.

But that thought makes him blink and glance back at Ion, one eyebrow raised.]

Wait, so... you were in love with him? [So blunt, Luke.]

[distressedude]

[kjsdhfk.]

[Luke, what is that face.]

Only during the experiment. [That's still a yes, though.] Weren't you affected by the experiment as well?

[fabrecation]

[And that... makes him blush, and glance to the side again as he shifts the pillow a little closer, to hide his mouth. That's right... Ion didn't know about Luke and Xion, right? He at least knows her; he'd seen him talk to her in Xion's filter to the replicas of Luceti. But...]

... W-Well, yeah. But... [How does he start? What does he say? Aaaah, this is why he never tells anyone about this. It's always so awkward!]

[distressedude]

...but? [He knew the experiment had been a little embarrassing, but that blush... did something happen?]

[fabrecation]

[Oh god Ion keeps asking. Luke takes a quick glance at Ion before he looks away again, sinking in his chair a little. His voice is a little muffled, thanks to the pillow.]

... You know Xion, right?

[distressedude]

She was the one asking about replicas before, right?

[fabrecation]

Yeah, she was...

We kind of... We got hit by that experiment, too. But we... sort of... liked each other before that. So the experiment just... pushed us together. And we've... She's...

[WHAT DOES HE SAY?]