Text, Once again backdated to 12/3

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[After several hours of adults being either incredibly angry or incredibly relieved, and several more hours of sticking to his paper thin story of 'we went exploring and some stuff fell on me', Luke finally has some time alone in his room. His handwriting is smaller and more subdued than it normally is.]

it's me Luke
I'm home and safe and stuff
just so you guys know

Comments

Actually next week in evening because reasons buT YES ACTION

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[Luke's Grandfather unfortunately rebuffs Phillip's first attempt at seeing Luke, saying he's still pretty rattled and needs more time to rest. This isn't entirely untrue, but Phillip's presence certainly wouldn't have hurt Luke's recovery. Being a kind man however, Declan invites Phillip to return later at a scheduled time for dinner.

So here they are. After dinner, in the backyard, playing fetch. Because nothing is more fun than watching an excited dog run. Luke's actually cheered up to the point that he's smiling now, not even minding how much slobber was getting on his hand from the tennis ball. After a lull in the conversation, Luke lets out a small relieved sigh.]

Thanks for coming over.

[darkhourdear]

[Gloria loves Luke. He throws the ball and pets her and yay!! Phillip is also happy to see that Luke seems more cheerful now.]

You're welcome. I'm glad you're feeling better.

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[The smile fades all to quickly however though, although that's not necessarily such a terrible thing. Luke's resting expression generally takes the form of a blank stare, and it's not the hollow eye'd horror from days previously. He's just...considering something. Between throws and pets he looks over at Phillip, almost studying him.]

...You didn't feel bad about any of it though.

[It's not a question. But it's a question.]

[darkhourdear]

[...oh. He's not sure if this is something they should really talk about, but... Luke asked.]

No. ...I guess I feel like he was going to die eventually anyway, so it didn't matter. [Is that too much for Luke right now? He hopes not. ;;]

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[Luke frowns, and looks down.]

I don't really...care that he died. Which is probably wrong. It was just so close, and loud and at the end when he sort of twitched it all just-

[Luke is visibly tensing up now, shoulders hunching, and his knuckles turning white on the yellow-green of the tennis ball. Luckily Gloria comes to the rescue, an encouraging bark and tail wag jolt Luke out of his downward spiraling thoughts and remind him to throw the ball again. He relaxes and lets out the breath he had been holding.]

I mean I didn't know him, and he wasn't a good person, so I don't care he died. It was just hard to do it I guess.

[darkhourdear]

Oh. [Well... that makes a little more sense. He doesn't entirely get it, but he probably should ask 'why' that part bothered Luke right now.] ...I guess I wasn't right next to him, so that helped. [But here no look at Gloria she has the ball and is nudging your hand for pets!]

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[Luke gives Phillip one last look over before he hm's in not quite agreement. He then turns his full attention back to Gloria. He drops the ball to the ground, patting her back as she ducks immediately to sniff at it, then sits down on the grass to pet her properly. He runs both his hands over her head, scritching at her ears and chin and making their way down her neck. At the shoulders he reaches a patch of fur that's much shorter than the rest. She'd been shaved her by the vet because she needed stitches. She's better now, but...]

I'd be sad if Gloria died though.

Re: video;

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[Luke takes a quick stabilizing breath then forces himself to talk. He knows if he lets himself go quiet for too long he'll just shut down and won't be able to say anything. He can feel his stutter creeping back with a vengeance, but he knows he has to just get through this.]

No, he was st-tealing stuff and I got m-mad at him when he wouldn't p-put it ba-ack. And I t-t-t-ack. I T-t.

[He takes a short sharp inhale, and a frustrated exhale through his nose, trying his best to push through.]

We fought-t and I used m-my fire th-i-ing on him. A c-couple t-times.

[He swallows and stops for the moment. His eyes dart up for just a moment, only barely managing to register Jamie's reaction before they settle back on a point on the floor.]

[darkhourdear]

[Phillip looks back at him, a little surprised, before back at Gloria. He's quite for a moment, not... entirely sure what to say to that. That was the first time this all had come up, wasn't it? And he still can't get upset by the idea of her dying. But...]

...I'd miss her. [that's all he can come up with.]

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[Luke is comforted by the fact that Phillip understands that much.]

Yeah. If she was dead I wouldn't get to pet her anymore ever again.

[Gloria of course takes this moment to flop over onto the ground, rolling onto her back in an obvious and clear plead for belly rubs. Luke obliges.]

I want her to stay around for as long as possible.

[darkhourdear]

[This takes a moment for Phillip to process, but he thinks he gets this.] So... people are sad when other people die because they miss them?

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[Luke kinda shrugs, looking back up over his shoulder at Phillip as he does.]

Yeah I guess? People always tell me they're so sorry my parents are dead, but I don't remember them at all, so...maybe it's supposed to be more than that. But I think it's mostly about missing people.

[Luke doesn't have all the answers either. Luke is pretty sure he doesn't have any of the answers actually.]

Or dogs.

[darkhourdear]

Oh. [So far, that makes way more sense than anything else he's heard. And he can kind of identify with it a little. Instead of saying anything else, he moves down to rub Gloria's belly too, smiling a little.]

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[Luke scoots over a bit, making room for Phillip. He smiles too. He can't help it. Gloria started doing the leg thing. No one can resist the leg thing. Scrtichscritchscritchscritchhhh.]

[darkhourdear]

[Awwww puppy. This continues for a little while before Phillip remembers something.]

Oh! Do you have that flute thing?

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

Wha- oh! Yeah!

[Luke pulls it out of a jacket pocket, holding it so that the triforce and the holes are facing out.]

It was a treasure of the royal family.

[His hold on it tightens just a bit. This thing is Important.]

[darkhourdear]

Wow... [Phillip had no idea what it was, but it looked cool.] And you know how to play it too?

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

Mhm.

[Luke raises the ocarina to his mouth. He plays Zelda's Lullaby first. He's played it more times, and knows it by heart from more than just a memory by now. When that's done he licks his lips and adjusts his fingers on the instrument. He glances at the sky.]

Well, it isn't raining now so I'm not sure if it'll do anything.

[But here goes. Luke plays the Sun's Song. On the last note he freezes, the pitch still carrying as a faint steady fweeeeeeeeee. Luke's eyes are closed, his body totally still.]

[darkhourdear]

[Gloria makes a slight whining noise at the sound, and Phillip waits a few seconds to see if Luke will stop. But he doesn't. And he's... not moving.

How does he still have air?]

Um... Luke?

[He tries to push his friend, which does... nothing. And the note is still going. And Phillip is starting to freak out. He tries to get Luke's attention a few other ways before making a post. He'll just... sit here with Luke until he figures out what to do, then.]

Text

[soulsborderline]

What happened? Were you out when the earthquake happened? Did that other kid do something weird?

Text

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

[Oh no oh no oh no. At least she's not on voice. If she was on voice Luke might cry. He doesn't think he could take any more yelling right now. But written down he can handle this.[

we left after to see what happened
and we got in a fight with a guy
no Phillip- [Well actually yes. He did do something weird but Luke doesn't want to blame him for anything. There's an abrupt and long pause before Luke continues writing.] - he didn't make anything worse.

Text

[soulsborderline]

Who was the guy?

You're actually okay right?

Re: Text

[songoftimeandtimeagain]

clinic doctor people said he was a probably a gang member
but i burned away the tattoo so they weren't tottally sure
I'm kind of hurt but we beat him

[This is how Luke is thinking about this. He's still shaken up, and thinking about it too much still makes him queasy and full of trembles and gasps, but everyone just wants to make sure he's okay. Because that's the important thing. That he made it through okay.]

Re: video;

[stagnantair]

[Oh. Well, that's a thing. Gavin looks perplexed a moment, before just nodding.]

Are you somewhere safe?

[honestopinion]

[Jamie knows how this feels, to be this scared and angry and maybe this city -- this new place, has taught him compassion. Maybe they are just echos of a person Jamie isn't or maybe he's simply growing up.]

It's okay, dude.. sounds like he was a pretty big jerk. What fire thing? From one of your echos?
The important thing is you're okay, do you know Gavin? He can take you to a network doctor that can patch you up, I know you can't tell your grandpa..