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]

[Maybe the Malnosso are trying to tell you something Ion Luke feels just slightly embarrassed by that, so he grips the pillow tighter and shoots Ion a frown.]

Of course it would be! Don't you feel weird and awkward talking about things like that?

[distressedude]

[Gdit the malnosso made me gay.]

I can't say I've ever had to talk about things like that. I remember being a little embarrassed during the family experiment, but I wasn't exactly myself then.

[fabrecation]

[Luke lowers his head a little, resting his chin further on the pillow, and looks down at the bed. He still looks flustered and embarrassed, but... there's something about the way his eyes look that makes him look happy, too.]

Maybe you will get to talk about it someday. It's weird, but... it's great, too. I don't think I've ever felt like this before.

[distressedude]

[...]

Are you in love with her?


[Now who's the blunt one.]

[fabrecation]

[That happy looks give way for surprise, and he leans away slightly at the bluntness of that question. Jeez, is that how Ion felt when he asked?]

Ion! [But... he relaxes, and he looks down at the bed again.] ... Yeah. I am. I don't think I could feel anything other than that with her.

[distressedude]

[Ion smiles at that reaction. He was happy for Luke! But he can't help but wonder... he falls quiet for a moment.]

...what does that feel like? [He glances away as well, his voice sounding just a bit hesitant.] Being in love, I mean.

[fabrecation]

It's... It's kind of hard to describe.

[He leans back in his chair and stares up at the ceiling. What's it like...]

When she walks into the room, it's like... everything lights up. The whole room gets a little brighter. And when she talks, you want to listen to everything she says to you, because everything she says is important. But... Just the sound of her voice is nice, too. It lets you know she's there.

If she's sad, you want to do everything to make her feel better. You want to hold her, talk to her... Do everything you can. Because seeing her smile and be happy again, knowing that she isn't sad anymore... That's all it takes to make you feel better, too. When she's sad, you're sad.

When she compliments you, it's... not like when anyone else does it. It really... really makes you feel special, despite what we are. It makes you feel like... you're worth something to her. And that means so much...

1/2

[distressedude]

[Ion didn't know what kind of answer he was expecting, but that certainly wasn't it. It was hard to describe something as abstract as feelings of love; Luke said so himself. And yet for everything he said, every little detail, Ion could tell he was right. Because with every word he said, there was only one person Ion was thinking about.]

[Did this mean he really...?]

[distressedude]

[He tries to push those thoughts away, but it's starting to become more difficult to do so.]

...that was beautiful, Luke.

[fabrecation]

[Well. That snaps him out of it, and he lowers his head to give a look of irritation.]

Sh-shut up, don't say it like that! It's just the way it is!

[distressedude]

[Ion chuckles at that sudden change in mood. Luke, you're such a tsundere.] I think it's sweet, Luke.

[After a moment, he turns and looks up at the ceiling, musing quietly to himself.] So that's what it's like, then...

[fabrecation]

[Mrf. The word choice still makes him annoyed, but he guesses he can forgive it.

At his musing, Luke tilts his head, then gets up to lay at the foot of the bed, gazing up at the ceiling as well. The chair was getting just a tad uncomfortable, and he figures they'll probably be here for a while, talking about love and girls and the like.]

Yeah... That's what I feel when I'm with her, anyway. [He turns his head to look at Ion.] Have you felt it before, Ion? Even just a bit?

[distressedude]

Have I... I wonder... [He keeps his eyes fixed on the ceiling. It's been on the edge of his mind for a while now, something he didn't really want to think about. It was easier not to think about it... that was how he spent most of his life dealing with things that were too difficult or painful to comprehend, after all.]

["There was something you wanted to say to her?"]

[...]

I... I think I have.

[fabrecation]

[Luke raises his head a bit, eyebrows lifting in surprise, when Ion admits to actually having those feelings before. Honestly, he was expecting a flail and a blush of some sort, not... this.

... Well. There is a blush, and that just confirms what Ion's saying to him. With a grin, Luke turns over on his stomach and twists slightly at the waist to face him.]

Ha ha, you're blushing! So who do you have those feelings for?

1/2

[distressedude]

[If you were looking for the flail, Luke, here it is. When Luke asks that, Ion turns just a bit more red before sitting up rather quickly and then pulling the blankets up to his chin. How he didn't anticipate that question after saying so is anyone's guess.]

A-Ah, that's... I only said I think I have, not that I...

[distressedude]

[...]

...it's Anise.

[fabrecation]

[And with that, Luke goes a little slack-jawed. Whoa, he... Anise? Luke didn't even see that coming somehow. Sure, Anise and Ion were close on Auldrant, but... he thought that was just a Fon Master Guardian thing, not...

At first, his eyes light up, and he starts to smile. But then a thought hits him...

Anise is back on Auldrant. And Ion... not from Luke's time, but this Ion... he can't go back to Auldrant. Or, at least, he can't go back to Anise.

So, the smile falls away, and he glances off to the side.]

Oh... I didn't notice at all.

[distressedude]

It's all right. In a way, I didn't really notice either. I never even thought about it until... after she went home.

[Ion brings a hand to his chest, his eyes now fixed on the blankets. It hurt... he couldn't explain how, but it did. Suddenly that description Luke gave just moments ago seemed far more bitter than sweet.]

[He smiles weakly.]

All this time I've just been trying not to think about it... not to think about her, when I really...

[He trails off, pulling his knees up to his chest before speaking again, softly:]

...I love her.

[fabrecation]

[Luke lowers his head to rest his chin against the pillow, as he had brought it along with him on his trip from the chair to the bed. He keeps his eyes away for a moment, trying to think of a way to fix this... then looks at Ion again, smiling a little.]

At least you know now. It isn't easy not knowing what that... feeling is. I spent a while being so confused about Xion... I actually felt bad about it sometimes.

[distressedude]

[He keeps his face angled down at the blankets. Ion isn't really sure what to feel right now. There's an ache in his chest he can't quite explain, and for the first time in a long while, he finds himself longing for the chance to see Anise's face again. The chance to see her smile. Hear her laughter. Talk to her. Or even just sit quietly beside her...]

[He pulls his knees closer and closes his eyes.]

Mm. You're right. It's painful, but...

[He relaxes his arms and folds his knees back down with a soft sigh. His smile from before falters for a moment before returning stronger than it had been before.] I'm glad I said it.