A/N: The next few chapters (1-3 chapters long possibly) will be mostly flashbacks before the current time. I would say it be like a background developing up to the present. In this chapter, it's seperated into two different views. First one is Luke, then Asch.
Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of the Abyss nor any Tales of games, they belong to Namco.
Pairing:
Main- AschxLuke, NataliaxGuy, IonxSync
One-sided LukexTear, AschxNatalia, and JadexGuy
Hinted GuyxTear
Warning: Yandere Asch, Language, Violence, AU, Character Deaths, Yaoi, OC's involved possibly and slight OCC.
Helpful Tips:
Lorelei- Present time.
"Lorelei" –Present time speaking
Lorelei- Flashback
"Lorelei" –Flashback talking/Present time thoughts
"Lorelei" –Flashback Thoughts.=
Lorelei- Titles/Setting/Dates/Emphasis/Diaries/Phone or Online talking
Lorelei- Chapter Titles/Newspaper Article/Posters
Chapter 2: Infatuation
Naturally, Luke heeds no mind to that news. He was a bit excited to see his classmate and friend through, if the other would hear the gossips and visit the shop. Through that was only a dream.
A wishful dream that became a reality shortly a reality that became a nightmare few months after the reunion.
At first when Asch visited Selena Flaelia, almost everyone including employees were shock to see the Ice Prince in a small flower store and gestured Luke to talk somewhere else. The amber haired man who stared at shock snapped out of it and nodded slowly. Handing the responsibilities temporarily to Guy, who probably didn't hear him and went outside with the blood haired man. Both redheads were in an alley to the right of the store, Luke sitting on the boxes while Asch was leaning against the wall with arms crossed. Glaring and frowning as usual.
The awkward silence between them with Asch glaring to the side without a word was beginning to grate Luke nerves. Deciding to break the silence, he spoke up clearly.
"…I heard you're working hard and rising up in your family company, Asch." The amber haired man began and stared at Asch.
The blood haired man snapped his head to Luke with a brow raised. In return, Luke smiled and fidgeted nervously.
"W-Well…" Luke stuttered, cannot help but feel that he had said something wrong. "Guy told me…That you were going to take the heir and- "
"I'm not, idiot." Asch cut off Luke stuttering words, narrowing his eyes slightly. Watching the confused expression on the other redhead face, he continued to speak.
"I rejected the offer of being the heir and it was moved to my older cousin, Cantabile." The blood haired man explained, staring at Luke and dared him to say something. Satisfied to hear none, he finished. "She'll be inheriting the family business in another few months."
"O-Oh…So how come you're here in Daath then?" The amber haired man asked dumbly, through when it comes to Asch there are many mysteries.
Asch became quiet, clicking his tongue and looked thoughtful. Thoughtful as in eyebrows are furrowed and frowning deeply that makes him more like he's glaring at someone than thinking. It seemed as if the blood haired man was coming up with a perfect reason instead of the actual.
"So, how come-"Luke was about to repeat his question, thinking Asch hadn't heard it the first time.
"I heard you the first time, dreck." Asch growled lowly at that, not amused at the idiot repeating stuff. He proceeded to answer Luke question. "I left the manor in Baticul after rejecting the offer to be the head of the family to live my own life here. This place is more…peaceful than back in the manor."
"That's because you spend most of your hectic life here." The amber haired man teased lightly with a grin, but dropped shortly to see the scowl etched on Asch expression.
"I take that back about the peaceful part. It's never going to be peaceful with you and your friends around." The blood haired man hissed, letting out a menacing aura and glared to the side.
He muttered something that sounded like "dreck" and "stupid" and "friends" on the line. Whatever Asch was mumbling about, Luke couldn't pick it up other than the fact Asch was insulting him.
How nice that was, the first time they meet again after a while and it turned out like this.
"Why did Asch even bother to visit the shop if he was going to be such an asshole?" Luke asked himself in his mind, running a hand through his bangs and sighed so loudly it caught Asch attention.
The amber haired man always wondered why Asch sometimes voluntarily chooses to hang out with him if it was just going to be insults. It usually is Luke that asked to hang out with the other redhead, even if rejected very harshly and glared to death. Heck, he even got punched in the stomach one time because he was "annoying".
There was no reason to take the insults that seriously, but Luke did. He kept thinking why it bothered him to take those words to heart.
At first, the blood haired man icy attitude left a deep impression on Luke as a "bastard". An ice he was slowly being attracted too. Those "doki-doki" sounds his heart drums so fast whenever he saw the other redhead or even talking to him. The ache in his heart from those insults and the punch hurt too. Luke wanted to be friends with Asch to figure out this feeling he had and had not much luck other than the blood haired man random mood swings. But it wasn't enough to figure out this feeling. This feeling he sees in girls' novels and gossips were slowly being unraveled. Then it hit him when he figured it out finally.
It was love.
Through it wasn't surprising considering the fact Asch dubbed the Ice Prince was the most popular guy in the school. Everyone loved him, wanted to be friends with him, or go out with him for their own means. Luke knows it since he heard it all the time.
Not surprising at all.
Asch had the looks, fame, intelligence, strength and one hell of a personality of not being swooned.
The perfect guy of every girl's dreams.
And this average guy, Luke had fallen in love with the so called "perfect" guy.
Luke had no intention to confess even if the feelings will bottle up inside him and explode. He be rejected at the spot. But, that didn't matter since Asch had family business to attend to at the last year of high school and would finish his education at home.
So, basically put he and Asch were somewhat close. If you exclude the insults and glaring all the time they meet each other either be it class or hallway.
Luke tried to get over his…love, but strangely he couldn't.
And that gave him a bad feeling about this love for Asch.
"I didn't visit." Asch put emphasis, reading Luke thoughts like an open book. "I stopped by because I happened to be walking by and saw your stupid friends there. Also, I even saw you're ever going cheery and stupid face there in what you call a store."
The blood haired man smirked slightly, speaking in a snobby tone and insulting Luke at the same time. He gave a taunting stare that spoke for the amber haired man to say something back.
Now it was Luke turn to frown, no, more like scowling and narrowed his eyes at Asch words. Luke wouldn't care if Asch insulted him, he would feel hurt by it, but that was just Asch. However, calling his friends stupid was one step closer to the border of no return.
"Well now…" Luke started too calmly much to Asch confusion.
The amber haired man stood up from his seat on the boxes and dusted his pants off. He walked up to Asch his face leaned very close to the other and smiled ever so politely. Luke never noticed the faint blush apparent on Asch cheeks.
"I hate to delay you on your busy day, sir. " He began politely, pulling away from the blood haired man and walked back to the store like a mature person would when insulted right in their face.
"You should carry on your business and forget about the peasant making a living. Good day, sir!"
A hand was raised to wave at Asch in the ally still, never looking back once. If Luke did turn around once to glance at Asch, he would saw predatory eyes staring at his very being.
Asch Fon Fabre could never believe it all when he walked into Daath.
Nothing had changed that's for sure, other than the crowding around and girls crying out how much they missed him. He paid no mind to those shallow women. But the blood haired man was more attracted to the growing people around a store called Selena Flaelia.
Peering closely, it was a store that sold flowers and other stuff. Nothing seemed to stand out other than a familiar amber hair and a cheerful smile.
"Wait…Amber hair…Smile…" Asch stopped to stare and think clearly, his sharp green eyes widen slightly in recognition of the amber haired man selling flowers to the customers with a smile.
Luke.
He was still here in Daath this entire time and making a living for himself.
The blood haired man stood where he was, only about ten feet away from walking into the store to greet the other redhead he desperately wanted to see. His sharp green eyes stared at the ever cheerful amber haired man, greeting customers indiscriminately with a smile, suggesting flowers for special occasions and making conversations with few of the employee's. Asch gulped slowly at the sight focused only on the oblivious other redhead.
Luke never changed. His Luke…
Yes, his Luke.
Asch declared Luke his even if the other did not know about it. He wasn't sure when falling in love exactly started, but he sure as hell he realized somewhere after leaving the Academy. Asch regretted so much; regretting that he insulted Luke in the face, hitting him because of envy, and rejecting the amber haired man offer for company. All of those times, he could've spent with Luke and knew the other more. Learn about Luke dislikes and likes, his fears, everything.
And doing everything to have Luke fall in love with him.
The blood haired man knew that it was too late. Luke could never love him now after leaving the Academy, a memory of only arguments and harsh words etched in Luke mind forever. He tried to move on, every night and day, every minute and every second he tried to forget about Luke.
But, Asch cannot forget about the other redhead. Luke wormed his way into Asch icy heart so deeply and melted it without much effort. Because of that, it was too painful that he could not live without Luke.
His mind only filled with Luke smile. Luke cheerfulness. Luke friendliness. Luke hurt face. Luke nervous face. Luke blushing face. Everything about Luke to the point of obsession.
Obsession to make Luke his and only his.
To not let anyone touch Luke.
To not let anyone take Luke attention away from him.
To not let anyone see Luke expressions only Asch could see.
To not let anyone even see Luke smiling face.
Asch fantasies run wild of him and Luke alone. From spending time in each other company together to innocent kisses and pecks to more heated, wild kisses and involving lots of undressing. The heat becoming too much and need to be released, a paradise only for the two of them only in their shared bedroom, sleeping and snuggling against each other after their session. The peace.
The blood haired man thoughts were interrupted when he snapped out of it to continue watching Luke. Watching just in time to see the female brunette, Tear Grants hand Luke an order of a bouquets of lilies to a customer. Luke accepted it with a smile and thanked the woman, taking the bouquets from Tear and to see their hand brushed against each other.
Asch saw red, his blood boiling at that small-major detail. That …bitch had the guts to touch Luke and smile softly at him.
His blood roared to walk over there, separate them both and showed that Luke only belonged to him! And only him! Even cold-blooded murder her if she makes any arguments!
But, he should not act like that. Not in front of Luke or any witnesses. Tear was still precious to Luke and he did not want to see Luke depressed over that bitch death. Slowly, he took a few deep breaths and calmed down. Watching with hawk eyes at Luke every movement and making sure no one else touched him that Asch deemed inappropriate.
If he remembered, Luke used to have a crush on Tear from the gossips. The amber haired man had confessed to Tear to be rejected, but they remain as friends for a while. Even a sibling relationship they had.
Still, that did not ease his worry one bit.
. . . .
He screwed up literally.
Asch walked over the store and gestured for Luke to come out to only talk to him. Most preferably alone. Not make insults, mostly on his fault.
Now, Luke treated him as a stranger now.
From the way he acted so calmly and smiled so politely.
Not the smile full of joy around people that make his day.
A fucking polite smile.
The blood haired man wanted to stop Luke, but stood where he was unable to move. His sharp green eyes only watched Luke walk back into the store and smiled as he usually does when greeting Guy.
Thundered rolled in the distance, gray clouds became darker as the rained fell down upon Asch, who is left defenseless against the merciless drums of water beating against the ground. He stared at the amber haired man talking to Guy and Tear so happily, like he never existed at all.
What did they have that he did not have?
A bond formed so long ago? Kindness? Something so opposite of him?
Asch didn't care, but he wouldn't give up just yet. Green with envy at those two having so much of Luke smiles and company, he turned around sharply to head to his new home.
His bangs falling flat on his face from being soaked in the rain just as his cloths were, making his appearance more appealing. He didn't care about the gasp he heard from others. If he was going to hear one, it is Luke only.
The blood haired man saw his home coming nearer and nearer. Smirking to himself as he thought about Luke.
His Luke.
HisLukeHisLukeHisLukeHisLukeHisLukeHisLukeHisLukeH isLukeHisLukeHisLukeHisLukeHisLukeHisLukeHisLukeHi sLukeHisLuke!
Asch Fon Fabre does not give up that easily. He will use any means to have Luke to himself, even getting rid of the obstacles to his and Luke happiness.
TBC