Just One Day…
By saichan1989

A/N : Originally a story i made for a contest in Deviantart, with a theme of "Taking One Day Off". I hope you guys enjoy this! And please review! I need to know what you think of this fanfic! Sorry for my bad grammar -__-"

If there's one wish that Asch the Bloody had wanted it to be granted, it would be a wish to get a day off. Saving the world isn't just a normal daily job everyone can (or, want to) do. It's a job that can take away your freedom, your free time—and even your life. If you know someone out there is trying to eliminate the entire world and replace it with replicas, you can't just sit down inside a warm room near the fireplace and drink hot chocolate milk.

Asch had been able to forget his dream of having a normal life as a teenager—or in this case, as Luke fon Fabre, the son of the famous Duke Fabre of Belkend—since seven years ago, when he was struck by the fact that someone, a replica of his own, had came to replace him, taking away all the precious things he endeared the most. But, no matter how hard he tried to repress the stupid memories of his pitiful childhood, he still couldn't forget how torn apart his 10 year old heart was when he saw his parents laughed and play with the replica, and was hurt even more when Natalia, the girl that was and will always be his love, the future queen of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear and his beloved fiancé, smiling gently to 'it' and put a handmade flower crown upon 'its' head.

Remembering the spoiled act of the replica to his parents—his family and his fiancé, disgusted him. But the fact that the fore mentioned replica knew nothing of what he had done and its impact to Asch—for 'it' just like a new born baby with no memories—had made it even more irritating, because Asch technically couldn't blame the replica fully. Even so he couldn't help but to despise the replica so much, to hate the replica who had stolen his identity.

But there's one person that he hates even more. All of the miserable things that happened in his life, it's all thanks to this man, Van Grants. He's the one who kidnapped him seven years ago and created his damn replica. He's the one who had been deceiving Asch all this time and using his obedience to the fullest. Yet he's the only person he admires the most in all Auldrant, because of all people, Van is the only one who realized his potential and mentors him.

-oOo-

Asch feels tired sometimes. Separating your private business and your work isn't a piece of cake. Even though he had managed to do it for seven years, nightmares could come and go to ruin the whole concentration. Lately, those nightmares came more often, terrorizing him in the night. The nightmare of his pitiful past…. And the fearful nightmare of his lonely death… With no one there beside him to mourn over his dead body.

Damn it!

Asch cursed himself deep down inside for his weakness. Maybe he's really tired after all. Too many things happened lately—the lowering of the Outer Lands, the miasma, the Tower of Rem incidents… As strong as Asch could be as the former member of Six God Generals of the Oracle Knight, he still felt his energy was drained till the last drop. Being the Scion of Lorelei—the former bearer of the title 'Light of the Sacred Flame'—does make Asch, the original Luke, a human form of a godly sentience, but that doesn't mean he lost his nature as a human being. He still can be hurt and sick. His body was still felt all weak, stiff, and ached everywhere. His hands were sore from swinging the Sword of Lorelei too much to defend himself and his exhausted mind was starting to mess with him, rewinding all of his pitiful childhood memories.

Another curse escaped Asch's lips. He clenched his fists tightly, gathered all of his mental strength that left and walked to the Albiore III where he stays for the night.

Inside his room in the plane after a tiring day in Radiation Gate, his tired mind was beginning to take over him. Bad thoughts that he managed to suppress during his journey all this time flooding his head like a dam break loose.

That traitor Spinoza said… He said that I'm gonna die soon? Is that true?

He turned to the side, buried his head to the pillows, closing his eyes. Hands clutching tightly to the bed sheet, trying his best to relax in his exhaustion. But his train of thoughts still running inside his head. The words he heard from Spinoza about the Big Bang, about the fact that he's growing weaker because he's dying, each and every single minute pass by…

Asch cracked his eyes open, turned to lie on his back again and reach a hand up. His hand looked incredibly solid right now under the moonlight. But if what the traitor said is true, then, his fonons are invisibly scattered and flying toward someone else, to his replica. Is it true? Is it true that now a phenomenon called the contamination or 'Big Bang' is occurring on him? Is it true that someday, he'd die because his replica grows stronger and taking the original's fonons away?
Damn… I really need to take one day off, at least… just to check whether I'm still gonna live up to next year or not…
-oOo-
Having trained as a soldier made Asch used to wake up so early in the morning, no matter how tired he is the day before. He got up from his bed and took a quick exercise before going out to take a bath in the forest and return fully-armored. He gave Ginji a short 'good morning' greeting and started to cook the breakfast he caught in the wood.

The blonde-haired pilot caught the unusual mood from his 'Master Asch'. There's something different about him today. Usually, the former God General would just come in, put his catch up for breakfast and yell at Ginji to cook for him while he's preparing his plan for that day. But today, Asch decided to cook for himself—and judging by the size of his cut on the meat, he cooked for the pilot too. So what's the matter with Master Asch today?

"Master Asch?" asked Ginji slowly.

"Hn?" came a short reply.

"Are… you okay?"

"Yeah."

"You don't look so well..." Ginji said carefully. "Maybe you should go see a doctor."

"…" Asch didn't reply. He boiled the oil on the pan and started frying the meat cuts. Ginji waited and waited patiently for the answer from the young redhead. But the afore mentioned boy just kept turning the beefs up and down, frying them quietly.

"Well… alright then," Ginji sighed, lost. Asch was still in his mood for keeping everything within himself apparently. So Ginji decided to just sit calmly in his cockpit and wait for another order today. If his master wants him to stay out from his business then he would. And finally, after the breakfast, the order came. Asch wanted Ginji to take him to the city of Fon Machines Belkend. Quietly asking for what brought the former God General to the city, Ginji started the Albiore's engine and flied the plane up to the blue sky.

-oOo-

The Albiore III with Asch and Ginji inside landed smoothly on an open field at the near Belkend. Ginji decided that he'd wait inside the Albiore, leaving Asch to do his business as always. In a way, Asch just felt thankful that his pilot knows how to be professional.

The City of Fon Machine was still as crowded as before with scientists and researchers, going outside and inside the Belkend Lab. Asch walked alone through the crowd straight to the lab. That morning he planned to meet with Spinoza, to ask him further about the Big Bang phenomenon. But suddenly, seeing all the machines on the lab that remind him of the replication, he decided to just take a general check up from Dr. Shu. Luckily, that day, there're no other patients beside him. It put him at ease a bit since that meant he could have his time alone discussing about what happened to his body these days.

The doctor smiled warmly when Asch came in. "Luke, what is it? …Ah no, Asch, right? I apologize for misidentifying you," Shu apologized and his expression changed a bit, but Asch didn't take notice. "Welcome. Come on in. What can I do for you?"

Asch sat a bit nervous on the chair where Shu pointed at, "I-I'd like to have a general medical checkup," his voice came out quite… unnatural. But that didn't matter right now.

"A medical checkup?" the doctor sounded interested on the case. "That's very rare of you. Are you hurt or something?"

Asch choked and tried to act as normal as he usually does. "No, I just need some regular check up to make sure I'm in top condition for any kinds of battle."

"Okay, let's see what I can do."

The doctor smiled again. Asch couldn't help but to reply his smile a bit. He got up from his chair and follow Dr. Shu to the examination table behind.

-oOo-

The examination took about an hour. Asch asked for full body checkup, so Asch had to put off his heavy armor and undo some buttons on his shirt. It's pretty embarrassing, though. Not because he had to put off his shirts and being half-naked in front of another guy. He's only embarrassed because the doctor would have seen the scars left on his body, signs of his hard life in the past seven years.

Waiting impatiently, Asch sat on the examination bed and look upon the doctor who's giving marks everywhere on a note that contained Asch's physical condition. He saw Shu walked to the front office of the clinic, seemed interested on some of the results but hid that and kept checking the note restlessly.

As Asch got up from the bed and took his armor on the chair nearby, his heart skipped a beat when he heard a sound of door opening and a familiar voice that followed.

"Good afternoon, Dr. Shu."

Oh hell. Of all people, why it had to be the dreck that came over?!

"Ah, good afternoon Luke," came the doctor's reply. Asch secretly prayed that Shu wouldn't tell that he was here. But… "What a coincidence, I just examined Asch. He's in the back room if you want to see him Luke," Asch cursed silently and he swore he could hear his replica screaming like a girl. He wouldn't have to have to wait too long then until the curtain that were in between the front desk and the examination bed opened and orange-red hair boy with identical green eyes like his popped in.

"Hi there Asch!" the replica greeted and smiled cheerfully. His hand waving in the air. Asch didn't reply. Instead he turned around, buttoned up his shirt without even looking to Luke, who seemed a little sad from the ignorance.

An uncomfortable silence fell between the two. Luke just waited there, looking at his original tidying his uniform and put on his tabard. He's still keeping his distance from Asch, knowing that it would irritate the former God General more if he came closer. As Asch finished and finally looked back to Luke, the younger redhead smiled warmly and waved his left hand again. Asch scowled at that.

"Why are you here?" Asch finally asked, the ends of his lips curved down. He put back his sheathed sword to his waist belt and walked to the replica.

"Well," said Luke, smile never left his lips. "What about you? Why are you here?" he grinned at that.

Asch had to hold the sudden urge to unsheathe his Oracle Sword and pointed it at his replica's neck in front of the doctor. "Didn't the doctor just say it to you?" Asch stated sharply. "Are you really stupid or just playing dumb?"

"Geez… You're still as harsh as always huh…" Luke sighed, rubbing the back of his head with his left hand. "I'm just trying to be polite…"

"You haven't answered my question."

Luke stuttered at the cut on his statement. He kicked his right foot anxiously and smiled nervously. "Umm… Let's see... How should I put this on… Well, I'm coming to take my medical examination I did three days ago," the replica replied. "I'll leave as soon as Dr. Shu gives me the result. There, happy now?" he waved his hand in the air lazily, as if to mock Asch.

Luckily, Dr. Shu barged in and he brought two thin stacks of papers now on his left hand. "Now now you two. Don't fight inside my office. You'll ruin all of my precious collection of my patients' data and experiments," he smiled, obviously tried to melt the situation with his lame joking (that, according to both Luke and Asch, sounded a lot like the 'rosy' God General they both happen to know). "Hey, I'm just kidding. Still, it's not polite to fight inside a doctor's office, am I correct?"

Both redheads inhaled deeply in almost the same manner and they focused on the stacks of papers on his hand. Luke is the first to break the silence. "Forgive us, Asch tends to get like this easily"—what the? Asch sharply stared at his replica—

"Anyway, can I ask for my result?"

"Sure. But let me explain something—" the doctor rectified his eyeglasses and Asch noticed the dreck's shouting 'nnoooo' silently and raised his hand to stop Shu.

"Looks like you catch a cold, Luke."

"What?"

"You said you feel dizzy and your stomach is sick lately. Judging from your condition and your tendency to wear those," he pointed at Luke's minimal clothing which reveals his well-shaped abs. "This is my conclusion."

"No way…"

"And you have to pay more attention to your weight Luke. You may be well-shaped and you do have a good muscle mass. But you're too thin for a boy of your age. I hope you eat more healthy foods along your journey."

Asch surprised at the result. He had thought of more… serious result and examination… Judging from the look from his replica he saw before. While he was wondering, he could see the replica's face turned into as red as his hair then. The younger boy looked so frustrated and scolded at the doctor for telling about his result in front of the God General. Asch thought it was a childish act his replica showed, but he couldn't help but to let out a smile…

There was a sound of faint laugh filled out the air. Luke and Shu stunned. They turned to the side, to the God General. Asch was leaning to the cupboard near him, both of his hands were folded in front of his chest. And he was laughing. "Heh… Even the result of your medical examination sounded as stupid as you are dreck. Well that's something I could expect from you…" Asch said, still laughing hard.

Luke blushed. He was embarrassed and he was expecting his counterpart would mock at the damn result. But he wasn't expecting Asch to laugh at him this hard. It was really a rare sight of his angsty original.

"Asch…"

"…What?"

"You… can laugh…" Luke said in awe. Even the doctor seemed amazed too. Asch realized that now both men had their attention on him and he quickly stopped laughing and cleared his throat. "Shut up," he said, folding both his hands in front of his chest, signaling the danger that might fall to them for bothering Asch the Bloody.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry. But you know, I'm really surprised to see you laughing like that. You were really sweet when you're smiling Asch!" Luke said happily. "I hope to see you laughing more like that. You looked so alive," Asch was surprised to hear that. So alive? He thought. How awfully ironic if he said I looked so alive when I might be dying now … And to consider that HE's the one who said it… Asch shook his head and sighed deeply. He tried to push away the thoughts and walked to the doctor.

"I'm sorry, but I'm in a hurry now. Could you please just give me the result? I'll read more later myself," he asked politely. The doctor nodded and raised a hand to hand over the documents. But just when Asch was about to reach it, a quick snap of Luke's hand took the papers away. Luke quickly ran from them to the back room again and raised the papers, "Gotcha!" he grinned. "I wanna know yours too. So we'll be even!"

Angry shouts and heavy footsteps soon filled up the air in the small clinic as Asch ran to Luke, trying to get back his result. Luke started to open the first paper and read the first sentence (which, of course, is Asch's name) when Asch's hand moved towards Luke and about to raid the papers but Luke is slightly quicker (since Asch's tabard was getting in the way) and dodged to the side.

Asch was very, very pissed off. But he needed to stay calm or he would take out his sword and kill the replica here. No, this is not the right place to do it even though he really wanted to. "Dreck," he called, holding out the anger. "Give. That. Back." he emphasized each word slowly. He walked closer to the younger redhead who now stood in front of the door to the lab. His right hand lifted up, reaching forward. His gaze was an absolute threat.

Luke stepped back, realizing the danger that might fall to him. But he still kept the documents close to his chest. Asch was really serious about taking back the result. At first, Luke thought it might be because his medical examination result was as ridiculous as his was. But his counterpart's look was a signal to him, there's something more important that Asch wanted to hide inside it. After all, when he was opening the paper before, he could see a glitch of the word 'fonon' in it. Could his original be…? No way…

Asch was getting closer to him and Luke caught a dark mood on his face. Asch was really angry now—and there's an expression Luke couldn't comprehend that was hidden inside it. Luke only stepped back more and the back of his shoe hit something hard—the door. Luke was trapped now. He should give up—no, there's a way to escape! His threw a quick glance to the left where the doctor's desk is. If he moved at the right time there, Asch wouldn't be able to catch him.

So Luke waited till Asch was really close—till he finally just a few steps away from him. With a quick step, Luke moved to the side, dodging Asch's hand, and ran to the desk. But Luke was surprised when Asch swiftly turned around and caught his right hand. Being in an unstable position (Luke's back was bent forward so he can move quicker) and suddenly got an impact from a caught like that made Luke's shoe slipped and he fell forward…

…right to the desk in front of him.

"LUKE!!"

And suddenly everything turned black.

-oOo-

The sun was already on its way to set when Luke's eyes finally opened. Luke found himself lying on the examination bed in the clinic. His head and left hand were bandaged firmly. When he tried to move it, he groaned as he could feel a stinging sensation down on his wrists and all over his bandaged arm.

"Ouch…"

"You finally wake up," said a voice, a voice that Luke recognized as his own—but not his, also. It was Asch's. He was standing near the curtain that was now pulled fully to cover the backroom. He folded his hands in front of his chest and he got a strange look crossing on his face. "I almost thought you're really dead back there," he continued as he walked closer to Luke's bed and sat on the chair near.

"Dead? What happen—" he didn't finish his sentence. With a quick snap, Luke suddenly remembered everything. Asch was chasing him around Dr. Shu's clinic to take his result from Luke. He tried to dodge but suddenly Asch caught him and Luke fell right to the doctor's desk. His head hit something hard and the desk was moving unstable. Then some of the pills bottles fell down to him and broke around him. And after that, everything went dark…

"You were covered in red, not moving at all… But the doctor said you just fell unconscious. You had lost lots of blood and some of the glass pieces stuck to your skin but he managed to take them out and then stitched the wounds. But he said the wound would get very stingy for about three days, more or less," Asch explained. "So… Maybe you should help yourself by staying out of trouble while your wounds recovering."

"What?! No way… I still have—ouch!" Luke tried to get up from his bed but he only ended up adding a burden to his left hand.

"Damn it! Are you dumb or what? Don't move too much now dreck!" Asch warned, holding Luke's shoulder and put him gently to the bed again. "Your body was still in shock from the impact and the stitches are still new, so your wounds might open up again if you act carelessly. So now just stay still!"

"Asch…" Luke couldn't help to feel really sad and he raised his good arm to his face, covering his teary eyes from his Gemini. "B-but… Tear and the others…" his voice was now trembling. He felt really, really – really idiot now. How could he get injured at a time like this? When everyone needs him now… and it's because of his childish act…

Asch sighed. He knew what his replica was thinking right now. Self-deprivation, again. He really hated if his replica started to do this. And somehow, even though it infuriates him, he felt sorry for his counterpart too. "Don't worry," Asch said finally. "I've told them what happen. They're surprised, of course. Especially that girl, Van's sister…" Asch replied, somehow he sounded so distant from the usual him. Asch choked then continued, "They decided to stay at the Belkend's inn for three days till your wounds recovered a bit. And now, Guy was looking for a clean shirt for you to wear. He'll come by later to give it to you."

"I… I see…" Luke said, managing to hold his tears from falling out. He then lowered his arm and looked back at his original, smiling weakly to him. "I guess… I've made everyone worried now… Maybe you're right… I am an idiot…"

Asch bit his lips. His replica looked so miserable now and he really wanted to shout at his replica for being that way. But then Asch's eyes wandered to Luke's forehead and then his left hand. The bandage on Luke's left wrist was a bit shade of crimson. The stitches were opened up a bit because of Luke's movement before. Suddenly a strange and unfamiliar feeling rose to his chest. He tried to suppress it but it grew even stronger than before. He surrendered and lifted his hand up to touch Luke's forehead and caress it.

"I thought I had lost you…"

"Huh? What did you say, Asch?"

Asch shook his head. "Nothing. Forget about it," he said softly and kept caressing the younger boy's forehead.

Luke felt his cheek burning in embarrassment when Asch's gloved hand gently touching his bandaged head and sometimes pushing away his loose red bangs. He knew he was still seven (based on the replica age) but it still felt humiliating if someone treated him like a baby, especially now it was Asch, his original, who did it. He was supposed to look Even so, Luke decided it was best to just enjoy the attention the older boy gave, since it wouldn't happen every day in his life.
Asch felt his replica relaxed under his touch and somehow, it eased him. Seeing his Gemini smiled peacefully and started to close his eyes, Asch smiled a bit and he reduced his caressing. The young replica sighed deeply and turned to the side where Asch was. He pulled his left hand gently and rested both his hands on the pillow, right in front of his face. Aware that Luke might have fallen asleep, Asch decided to stop and covered Luke with the blanket.

"Asch," suddenly Luke called.

"Hn? What is it? I thought you were asleep," replied Asch, surprised.

Luke cracked open his eyes a bit. "I did. But there's something I wanna ask…"

Asch choked and he knew where this was going. Still, he tried his best to keep calm and answered, "What do you wanna ask? I thought there's nothing more important than you to be recovered."

"Well," Luke asked carefully. "About your fonons… Are they…?"

"Nothing's gonna happen with my fonons replica. And if you are gonna ask more stupid questions like that, it'd be best I leave you to your rest now," Asch quickly cut him and stood up from his chair. "Now rest. Your friends will come later," he took his tabard (that Luke realized, he wasn't wearing it before) and put it on then checked the position of his sword, before turning around with his back to Luke. Asch realized that Luke would gonna be sad with the sudden harsh act, but he didn't want to talk about it now. It hurt him a lot just to think about that stupid contamination effect…

"Asch," Luke called again. But this time Asch didn't reply. He just stood still right where he was now.

The replica sighed nervously before asking, "Could you please… accompany me till Guy comes over? I don't wanna be left alone here…"

"You're gonna sleep as soon as I left."

"But I can't sleep when you're not here…"

"…." Asch turned around again and stared back at his Gemini. Their faces now looked as if they are mirror to each other, since both cheeks were now colored in a faint tint of pink.

"Whatever the hell do you mean dreck?" Asch asked, unable to hide his own nervousness.

"I just sort of feel safe… When you're around…" Luke smiled sheepishly. "After all, you have been waiting for me all over this noon right?" the grin returned to the replica's lips.

"Huh… How confident you are…"

"Well… It's just my feeling. Umm… then… is it right, that you've been here all along since I passed out?" Luke spoke the last sentence softly.

Asch didn't immediately reply. Instead he just put off his sword, placed it near the bed then sat back on the chair beside the bed. He closed his eyes and put his chin on his hands, as if he was waiting for something. Luke waited silently for the reply and looked at his original's calm face.

"Asch?"

"What now? I'll wait here till Guy comes. Go rest…"

Luke smiled and closed his eyes again, smiling happily. "Thank you."

"Just this one day okay…" Asch said, sighing. But Luke had fallen asleep. Well, nothing was left to say now. So Asch just sat there while the sun set down to the West.

Maybe it's not so bad to spend my time peacefully without hurrying like this… Without having to worry about anything right now. I know I'm dying right now. But I could care less about it. Right now, maybe... Just this one day, I'll leave my problem to the world outside and stay with my other half here… With that thought inside his mind, Asch leaned forward to the bed and rested his head beside the sleeping Luke.

-oOo-

Epilogue :
That afternoon after Luke passed out…

"So, what about my result Doctor?" asked Asch after he helped the doctor rested Luke on the bed. The doctor took the papers that hold Asch's medical examination result and look on each and every page of it.

"I've put all the data I found in this note. And I'll gladly say that nothing serious on your condition Asch. You're just tired from all the routines and you really need a good night sleep with those black circles around your eyes," Asch blushed on this. "But then, I need to tell you this. Your blood fonons and everything is in normal condition now. However, you noticed that I had these samples taken and checked many times. It's because, sometimes, your fonons are just flowing normally inside you but in the other time, they seems to flow so fast… So the results are always different every time I measured."

"Is that so?" Asch sighed sadly. He had known the result would turn into this. But somehow it still made him sad to think that he's truly dying right now…

"But Luke's fonons are the same too…"

Asch stunned. "What? What do you mean?"

"Well… Besides the result that I read before, there's something wrong with that boy's fonon too. His fonons are overflowing and reproduced very fast, but the cells that tied each of his fonons grew weaker… That boy… maybe he's dying each and every second right now… Asch?"

Asch stood silently and his eyes widen. Now everything's clear to Asch. The anxious look on his replica, the way he doesn't want Asch to know his result… His replica had been hiding his own problem too…

"Asch, are you okay?"

Asch smiled faintly and thanked Dr. Shu for the examination. The doctor gave the copy of the result to Asch and a small bottle of sleeping pills for him. He thanked him again before turning back to the room, where now his Gemini, his counterpart, his other half—himself, resting peacefully.