Today was the day. Luke, Emil, Natalia, and Marta were all finally going to have a picnic together and they had invited Asch and Richter but the two seemed to refuse to go, despite how hard they pleaded.
Aqua had informed Emil of the soon coming rain but the group decided to continue with the picnic anyway since today seemed perfect with no one having anything important to do, that and Marta and Natalia demand that it be done today. So the four of them all headed for Tataroo Valley and quickly set up the picnic blanket and soon began trading stories and munching away at the delicious food. Emil's food, in particular, was highly praised for its taste and even appearance, though Luke couldn't understand why Emil went through the trouble to shape everything so neatly.
"So I guess Richter isn't coming?" Natalia asked.
"Yeah...and I guess Asch isn't either" Emil replied.
"What jerks" Luke commented, and Marta agreed.
"Especially Rich-tard"
"M-Marta, don't call Richter-san that" Emil pleaded, wishing the girl wouldn't be so harsh towards the man.
"But why? He's always so rude and he's always picking on you, Emil!" Marta complained with her trademark pout and clung to the boy's arm, jerking him closer to her side from the sudden weight and would have knocked him down if it had not for him already sitting close to her already.
"I bet he isn't as rude as Asch. He's always calling me a Dreck and a failure replica" Luke added, crumbling a few more thoughts as he trailed off, very aware of the look Natalia was giving him.
"Luke, you know Asch isn't that bad of a guy!" She bellowed at the redhead.
"I-I know but still" Luke argued but to be honest...he mostly said those things just to keep him for hating himself, knowing he took Asch's life and name away, forcing him and Natalia apart for all those years...but thankfully he had Emil who understood him very well when it came to this. Emil understood what it was like to find out your life was a lie, to know you're a mere replica of another, taking their name and face for your own. Yes, Emil more then anyone knew how Luke felt and he was thankful to have him as a friend.
"I know Asch will come...I believe in him" Her eyes full of hope, revealing how much love and trust she held for the original. Marta eyed her with envy and became giddy and excited as she went on about her and Emil being like that someday while Emil ignored her and simply wished for Richter to be here. Luke, on the other hand, felt something strange well up inside his belly. Was it envy? Was he jealous of Natalia and Asch? And if so, was it because he liked Natalia? Or was it because maybe he wished he and Tear were more like that? No...it couldn't be, he already turned Tear's feelings down a month ago...The look on her face broke his heart but there was just something about being with Tear that didn't sit right with him and thinking about it, being with Natalia didn't feel right either.
"Luke?" Emil asked, snapping the redhead out of his thought, as he was worried about the intense look on his face.
"Are you okay?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm fine" Luke said, gaining a smile back on his face. Natalia and Marta both look over as well, a bit worried for the replica.
"Luke..." Natalia was still worried but all she could do was take his word for it.
"Alright, if you say so" Emil knew something was wrong but he wouldn't pry, at least for now.
"Come on, let's eat! I'm starving!" Marta whined and the rest chuckled and giggled before finally digging into the cake Emil had prepared for them.
Just when everyone was finally having fun, everyone turned to hear the approaching footsteps to see who or what it was. It was none other than Asch himself. Luke was about to stand up with excitement pulling in his belly when Natalia had already stood from her spot and hugged the young man.
"Asch! I'm so glad you made it" She smiled, loosely keeping her arms wrapped around his neck with a burning pink color grazing her cheeks.
"Don't hug me" Is what Asch said but from the slight coloring of his cheeks, he didn't really seem to dislike it all that much and the girl could tell as she chuckled to herself, pulling away from him. Of all the things in the world, she was just glad Asch was here, with her at this very moment.
"Asch..." Luke mumbled to himself, trying to hide his excitement for his original.
"Don't mistake my intentions. I'm not here for your stupid picnic" Asch said with his usual cold tone, eyeing Luke for a moment before looking back to Natalia.
"We know Asch" Emil chuckled a bit, trying to shrug off the cold words.
"Humph...Two replica's in the same group? How disgusting" Crossing his arms and heading towards a tree just a few inches from them. Luke growled at those words while Emil simply closed his eyes, remembering that he was no longer a replica, he was his own person...though his face never will be.
"Asch..." What was Natalia to do?
"That's enough out of you!"? Luke growled, standing up on his feet, and marched towards his original, grabbing the collar of his clothing. It was one thing to call him a replica but Emil too!? Asch opened his eyes with a glare and growled.
"You want to start something replica?" Asch threatened.
"And if I do?" Luke argued, not backing down as he brought his face closer.
"Replica, don't push me" And for some reason at these words, Luke realized how close they were and his heart began to quicken, pounding against his chest.
"Dreck?" A bit annoyed, Asch took notice of the red coloring over his replica's face.
"W-What the hell!?" Luke quickly pulled away and clenched his chest, feeling his heartbeat through the palm of his hand.
Luke? Are you feeling well?" Natalia asked with concern. Emil couldn't help but find something about Luke's behavior to be familiar. Marta joined Natalia and ran to Luke's side to aid him, worried he might be sick or something.
"Are you okay?" Marta asked.
"Y-Yeah I just..." Continuing to eye his feet, he thought (What the hell was that just now?)
"..." Asch eyed the replica with suspicion.
"Luke, do you want to head home and rest?" Natalia asked.
"No, I'm alright Natalia"
"Maybe you should you dreck, you wouldn't want to catch a cold" Asch mocked.
"Why you-" Before Luke could argue, someone else seemed to have had something to say.
"-Alright you Shit, I've heard enough out of you" Ratatosk growled with a sharp glare towards Asch with crimson eyes. Everyone gasped with jaws dropped. Asch's brow twitched as a vein had snapped, glaring down the summon spirit.
"R-Ratatosk!?" Was everyone's reply. Luke reached out to stop the summon spirit but he was quickly pushed away.
"Don't get in my way Luke, this guy is the dreck" Ratatosk growled once more.
"Why you...!" Asch was now more than ready to draw his blade. Their glaring contest was so heavy it could cut through gravity.
"Hey, that's enough you two!" Natalia and Marta both pleaded, trying to step in between them.
Just when all hell seemed like it was going to break loose, everyone's attention was turned towards the sudden droplets of water they were feeling. Rain suddenly began to fall, Natalia and Marta were the first to run to find shelter as they cried "Kyaa!, it's so cold!" Leaving the three boys soaking wet. Asch didn't really seem to mind and Ratatosk returned Emil's control to avoid the rain. Luke sneezed as only now did he start to regret revealing so much extra skin.
"H-Hurry, head for shelter!" Emil said. Luke nodded and they both headed for a tree. Despite how he felt, Asch followed. It didn't take long before the three of them were grouped together under a single tree with the rain coming down much harder than before.
"Huh? Where's Marta and Natalia?" Luke asked, looking at Emil who also seemed unsure.
"You dreck, you lost them!?"
"Hey, it's not like you know where they went right!?"
"Tch!"
"G-guys, don't fight" Emil didn't want any more fighting but he did have to admit, he was worried about the girl's even if they could take care of themselves.
"I'll go find them, so stay here you stupid Asch!" Luke complained before running off to find the others.
"L-Luke wait!" Emil quickly went after the redhead.
"..." Asch watched them both and for some reason couldn't help but find that Luke's short hair suited him...almsot...cute even.
"I must be losing it" He sighed. He too was worried for Natalia, so he went off as well but somehow the thought of that idiot replica getting into trouble was on his mind more then Natalia getting herself hurt.
"Marta! Luke! Natalia!?" Emil called out. He shuddered from the thunder that roared and held his arms in hopes to help block out the coldness of the rain that hit his skin, soaking through his clothes.
"Huh?" When Emil no longer felt the rain hit him, he looked up to see the shielding of a black umbrella protecting him and feeling something warm drape over him like a blanket. When he clutched it and got a better look at it, his cheeks flushed brightly as he turned around to see Richter standing behind him without his coat on, as it was the fabric draped over him.
"Richter-san!" He blushed brighter with excitement to see the man with a bright smile.
"Emil, I knew you would end up soaking wet" The older man sighed as he adjusted his glasses with a push of his finger.
"Y-Yeah" He chuckled, feeling a bit careless for not taking Aqua's warning seriously.
"Don't worry about Marta and Natalia, They found shelter already, so they're fine."
"Thank goodness...B-but what about Luke?"
"...I think he'll be fine, someone's watching out for him." Richter said before pulling Emil closer. Emil didn't exactly understand what he meant but he didn't bother asking and simply believed him and snuggled up against the man's warm and dry body, instantly feeling himself warm up. Richter's arms felt very warm and strong, as it almost made Emil sleepy with the sound of rain around them.
Not too far off from where Emil and Richter were, Luke was in the middle of the rain freezing his butt off as he looked for the two girls. He rubbed his arms and shivered as he continued to walk with a sneeze here and there...Footsteps followed behind.
"Dreck" Asch called from behind him as he followed. Luke ignored him and continued to walk, hoping Asch would leave.
"You dreck, don't ignore me! Or is it that your ears are broken?" He mocked, finally getting Luke's attention.
"Shut up you jerk!" He growled as he turned around to face Asch...Boy was that a mistake. Asch's hair was still a bit pulled back but he was definitely wet and something about that made Luke's heart pound against his chest as a heat began to pull in his lower abdomen. Asch raised a brow at Luke's current expression.
(I swear, I can never tell what this dreck is thinking) He thought as he continued to eye his replica.
"A...Asch..." He trembled, finding it hard to look his original in the eyes anymore.
"Speak properly you idiot replica" Asch barked.
"Y-Your...wet" He pointed out with a shaking finger.
"Are you truly that stupid? Of course, I'm wet, it's raining!" Asch couldn't believe his replica had gotten this dumb.
"N-No I mean..." What was Luke to say? (You look really sexy in the rain) He could never say that!
"..." Asch was losing what little patience he had for his replica before just stabbing him.
Luke lowered his head as a question began to float in his head and voiced it without really thinking about it. "Asch...do you really hate me?" His eyes stern and honest as they stared into his original's, hoping, wishing...praying that Asch didn't truly hate him. Asch was silent for a moment, only staring into his replica's eyes as he took his words seriously and took a moment to really think.
"...No"
"W-What? Really?" Luke's cheeks suddenly flushed a pink color and a smile began to play on his face.
"Don't make me repeat myself, dreck..." Asch sighed.
"S-Sorry..." Luke nervously rubbed the back of his head, feeling a bit embarrassed for feeling so excited.
"Replica...how is your body feeling?" Asch suddenly asked as it was his turn to ask a question.
"What...? Um...p-pretty cold"
"No you dreck!...I mean...has your body felt empty lately?" This took Luke a moment to think about.
"Actually, yeah...I can't seem to feel whole" Luke held a hand to his chest, feeling the now noticeable void inside of himself.
"You too huh?"
"Wait, what? You've been feeling like that too?" Something about that dumb face Luke had, made Asch feel something inside...
"Yes...but unlike you, I know what I'm missing." Asch then took a few steps closer to Luke, carefully watching his replica's movements to back away, watching every drop of water run down his face. He felt driven like something pulled him towards Luke...
"A-Asch?" Something about the way Asch was approaching him made Luke nervous and backed away until his back met the rough bark of a tree.
"You dreck...as annoying as you are... you're always on my mind these days"
"R-really?...Me too, you're always on my mind" Luke blushes at his own words and without thinking, his fingers curled and clutched his original's tunic and started to look at him weekly, begging, begging for something that he didn't know the answer to. Asch moved in closer, putting his hands over his replica's, feeling the faint warmth from them despite being cold and wet. He could feel the slight tremble of Luke's body, shivering from the cold. He then moved even closer. Despite being so cold, Luke's face heated up into a brighter red color and started to breath shaky breaths, feeling Asch's own breath ghost over his face, sending a chill down his spine.
"Asch...I think...I think I...need you" He finally managed.
"You dreck... you're so clingy..." And just like that, Asch sealed Luke's lips with his own. He watched Luke's eyes widen a bit in shock before closing them as well as his own, both of them slowly giving in to the odd sensation. It felt like that empty feeling inside was finally filled in, finally feeling whole, complete. Luke shivered at the new touch, feeling Asch's hands slowly hold his waist. Once Luke had his arms around Asch's neck, he gave entrance to his mouth and moaned a bit from the feeling of his entire mouth becoming Asch's property...and in a sense, he belonged to Asch...but he didn't mind, not at all.
"Asch..." He breathed through the kiss, curling his fingers in those thick red locks.
"...Luke" And until the rain stopped, the two stayed like this, feeling each other's warmth, embracing one another as the tension slowly began to raise and Asch couldn't hold back anymore and asked Luke for his consent before ramming into him but luckily for him, that was what Luke needed as well, what he wanted...Luke loved every moment, every touch, every slam and thrust Asch gave him, drowning in it, losing his senses. Luke wasn't sure...but did this mean he loved Asch? And if so, did Asch feel the same way? Or...was Asch just using him? He wasn't sure and at the moment he could hardly think, he could only feel. Luke did try to ask Asch before his mind was muddled but the only thing he could voice was "Asch!" and many moans and mewls, clinging to his original, never wanting to let go of him...