[FIN] The Same Old Song

[BlackPidgeot]

It was surreal to even Asch, which was reflected in the way he handled the instrument with an expert's hand and utmost care. He had never expected to pick this up again.

With each adjustment of a peg, Asch plucked the strings to check the pitch. Moving onto another after he was satisfied, until they were all reasonably tuned. Luke's rapt attention seemed to go unnoticed as he picked up the bow again and tucked the violin under his chin. He breathed an open mouth sigh as he pressed the bow to the strings, testing a few notes in a C scale. The acoustics in this old church were even decent.

Closing his eyes, Asch proceeded to lose himself as he started to play. A tune that Luke would be very familiar with.  

[Suudonym]

Ah, he was kind of jealous. He'd learned to play piano as a child, but that knowledge was long gone - not that he had a piano to play even if it wasn't, of course. Maybe he'd have to fix that. As a child he had obviously been too impatient to learn properly, more interested in partaking than producing, for some odd reason. Would it be difficult to learn, he wondered? Hard to find a piano? Hard to acquire it and study its operation?

He was lost enough in thought that he failed to notice when his voice joined the melody, but the music didn't suffer for his inattention. It was a shame to hear the music without the lyrics, something in the back of his mind decided. And so he produced those lyrics himself, singing in harmony to the song.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Asch hadn't known that his brother could sing, and was a bit startled and surprised to hear the voice as it accompanied him. However, he didn't stop or protest. It actually added to the nostalgic effect that the song always had on him.

Eventually though, the playing ceased and he put down the violin and bow, returning them to it's case. He said not a word, perhaps a bit lost in his own thoughts  

[Suudonym]

The words finished with the music they accompanied, fading into a silence that was soaked in unasked questions and murmuring thoughts. It was a simple feat to forget, in moments of song, how deeply entangled they were in their respective situations. It was a simple feat to imagine, in moments of song, that there was an easy solution to every problem that ailed them.

It was unfortunate, then, that songs had to end.

He breathed a light sigh, maintaining a distant gaze on the softly glowing windows. "I don't know everything about your situation," probably because that was exactly how Asch wanted it, "but there are people that would help you if ever needed or wanted it." He didn't want to generalize too widely, not knowing if, say, Dith or Guy would appreciate such words being spoken on their behalf, but he was at least fairly certain that he could speak for Rosie and Natalia in addition to himself. It wasn't an offer or even a suggestion - just a simple fact that his brother could take and use to whatever extent he wanted.  

[BlackPidgeot]

There was silence from Asch for several moments after Luke's words. Until the violin case snapped shut. He sighed, slightly flustered at the statement. He had told him on more than one occasion that he couldn't just leave. Granted he never told him why, exactly, but he had thought that would have sunk into his thick skull by now.

He wanted to snap, to yell, to say how impossible it was. But... that hasn't worked in the past and he just didn't really feel like it. Instead his voice was quiet, although slightly impatient.

"I will consider it."

Or rather, he would entertain his brother with the thought of the possibility, even though he knew there wasn't one.  

[Suudonym]

Considering was better than outright rejecting, even if done insincerely. Maybe Asch couldn't just leave, but there were probably other things that could be done if they just took the time to think about it properly. There could very well have been some option out there that he just hadn't come up with because he was thinking on his own. It was a long shot, certainly, but that possibility, that small hope, even if it were only a lie intended to get him to stop bringing it up, was enough for now. Luke failed to prevent a small smile in relief.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Asch saw the smile and sighed a bit. "Don't get too excited about it. I haven't promised anything." This said with a grumbling note to his voice as he picked up the violin case.

"Is that all?"

Cause he'll just go unless his brother has anything further to say.  

[Suudonym]

Not excited, no, but it was kind of difficult not to overappreciate small hopes after all the gloom lately. He replied with a dismissive "yeah, yeah" but was unable to coax away the smile.

He nodded and gave a slight gesture towards the violin, "Yeah, just that. Thanks for coming out here." He recalled his own reaction to Asch's summons before; he had expected his brother to refuse outright or at least set some kind of condition, but he'd come without any complaints. Things seemed to be looking up in more ways than one.  

[BlackPidgeot]

Asch didn't say anything further and just left. No word of thanks or anything. After all, he hadn't asked look to bring him the violin, and his pride wouldn't allow it. But inwardly... he -was- grateful. It was like being reunited with a long lost and cherished friend.

He would take it back to base with him and it would get all the loving treatment and even be played from time to time.