Tales of the Abyss - The Unattainable
Endgame Asch/Luke angst written for solerika:
The sunset was just the same as it had been the last time. It painted the sky in glorious shades of orange, pink and almost purple. It was beautiful, and he really wished it wasn't. The last time they'd seen the sun set in Sheridan had not been the best of days. He'd much rather not have that sort of reminder, but there it was: gorgeous and impossible to ignore. Why did he have to be the one to come here? Couldn't one of the others have done it? But no, of course not. They were busy and he wasn't, not really. Sure, there was a lot for him to do, things to get done, but he never really got around to them. There was always something else monopolizing his attention.
"We need a vacation," Luke sighed as he leaned against the rails looking out over the sea.
The only response he received was a slight shifting in what he could only guess was annoyance. It usually was, after all.
"You know, a holiday," he tried again.
"Why?"
Luke winced at the bitter irritation that practically dripped off of that one single syllable word. Well, he couldn't say he wasn't expecting that. Any attempt to interact with Asch was always a trial in and of itself, but he had to keep trying. There was no one else to do it. "Because I'm tired of being here. I'm tired of everything," he mumbled unhappily. "I just want to get away from it for awhile."
He was expecting to get yelled at, berated for being such an idiot and wishing for the unattainable. Instead, all he got was a heavy sigh and sense of weariness that almost had his knees buckling from the weight of it. "That would be nice, but unfortunately, it is an impossibility now. We are stuck in the same body because Lorelei is an oh so helpful asshole. There is no holiday to be had. I can't get away from you. You cannot get away from me. We are stuck here until the day you die, and no, you are not allowed to commit suicide again."
Luke winced and shook his head at the familiar tirade. Of course not, just because they both got screwed over was no reason to not try and help people. They both wanted to do that, and at least it was something they agreed upon. One of the very few things they agreed on. He just wished...
"Stop that. There is no solution to our problem. Accept reality for what it is and move on."
"Right right," Luke nodded mechanically as he turned away from the setting sun and headed back towards the meeting hall. "You're dead and I'm not. I just have to keep moving forward. That's all."
There was no forthcoming answer, but he wasn't really expecting one. Asch had his own little mantras for keeping himself sane in their rather insane situation. If he could keep himself together with just being a figment of Luke's imagination, then Luke could keep the rest of them in one piece. Somehow.
The sunset was just the same as it had been the last time. It painted the sky in glorious shades of orange, pink and almost purple. It was beautiful, and he really wished it wasn't. The last time they'd seen the sun set in Sheridan had not been the best of days. He'd much rather not have that sort of reminder, but there it was: gorgeous and impossible to ignore. Why did he have to be the one to come here? Couldn't one of the others have done it? But no, of course not. They were busy and he wasn't, not really. Sure, there was a lot for him to do, things to get done, but he never really got around to them. There was always something else monopolizing his attention.
"We need a vacation," Luke sighed as he leaned against the rails looking out over the sea.
The only response he received was a slight shifting in what he could only guess was annoyance. It usually was, after all.
"You know, a holiday," he tried again.
"Why?"
Luke winced at the bitter irritation that practically dripped off of that one single syllable word. Well, he couldn't say he wasn't expecting that. Any attempt to interact with Asch was always a trial in and of itself, but he had to keep trying. There was no one else to do it. "Because I'm tired of being here. I'm tired of everything," he mumbled unhappily. "I just want to get away from it for awhile."
He was expecting to get yelled at, berated for being such an idiot and wishing for the unattainable. Instead, all he got was a heavy sigh and sense of weariness that almost had his knees buckling from the weight of it. "That would be nice, but unfortunately, it is an impossibility now. We are stuck in the same body because Lorelei is an oh so helpful asshole. There is no holiday to be had. I can't get away from you. You cannot get away from me. We are stuck here until the day you die, and no, you are not allowed to commit suicide again."
Luke winced and shook his head at the familiar tirade. Of course not, just because they both got screwed over was no reason to not try and help people. They both wanted to do that, and at least it was something they agreed upon. One of the very few things they agreed on. He just wished...
"Stop that. There is no solution to our problem. Accept reality for what it is and move on."
"Right right," Luke nodded mechanically as he turned away from the setting sun and headed back towards the meeting hall. "You're dead and I'm not. I just have to keep moving forward. That's all."
There was no forthcoming answer, but he wasn't really expecting one. Asch had his own little mantras for keeping himself sane in their rather insane situation. If he could keep himself together with just being a figment of Luke's imagination, then Luke could keep the rest of them in one piece. Somehow.