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 Posted: Sun Apr 14, 2024 10:50 pm
Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Luke had a terrible time with getting powered up, and after he did, the message that he received from Halle was…
Well. He knew his brother’s handwriting and this…was nothing but chaos. Other than the world ‘Stuck’. He stared at the note for the longest time, and then, after a terribly difficult time in powering down, he made his way back to the dorm, panting slightly and rubbing his face in worry.
Julian had spoken of strange things happening, and he was glad that he had at least been warned but…this…this bit was…
He drew in a breath and entered his room, closing the door softly behind him and giving a sigh. “Hey. I just…dealt with the issues you were telling me about. And I got a note from Jason…not really sure what it all says but.”
Luke held the paper out to Julian, hoping that maybe the other boy could decipher something other than Stuck. He didn’t have high hopes but…two heads were always better than one.
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Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2024 11:55 am
Julian looked up as soon as the door opened, as was always his habit. There was a split second where he always seemed surprised to see that it was Luke before a quick smile manifested on his face.
It faded quickly, replaced by a worrying frown.
“Oh, um.”
He accepted the paper and held it between both hands as he looked down at it.
The word ‘stuck’ was easy but he also wasn’t sure what the rest of the message was supposed to be.
“Stuck,” he repeated softly. “When was the last time you saw him?”
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Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2024 12:24 pm
Luke gave a soft sigh and nodded. “That was all I could really get from it too. He went up to his Wonder a few days ago? So I’m going to assume he’s stuck up there, which…isn’t a great place to be stuck. I know that he always has some food with him, and I’m going to have to do some serious backpedaling with the school…”
He wrinkled his nose, trying to think of all of the things he would have to do. Trick the administration that he was sick at home…let mom know that he was fine…
“...I hope that he can come back soon. You said that your friend wasn’t able to get back to her Wonder? It’s…”
Luke chewed his lip, thoughtful. “Well, I guess this is just another…something along those lines…”
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Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2024 1:40 pm
Julian blinked. Days? He’d been stuck for days? The thought was terrifying, in exactly the opposite way that it was for Brooklyn. At least she’d been preparing to live there, but he didn’t think that Jason had done that same level of preparation. Honestly, he didn’t know; Luke liked to talk so he had some information about everything, but he hadn’t ever met Jason to know him for himself.
“I hope he’s okay, that sounds scary…”
And with no way to get up there to try and look for him, it wasn’t like anyone could help. Well! No, that wasn’t quite true. Lysithea might be able to, maybe.
“I don’t understand, it’s like our Wonders just shut down? I mean, I understand keeping us out but if it’s trapping him up there…”
He tilted the paper a few times and tried to make out more but nothing was immediately clicking into place. “Have you been able to write to him at all?”
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Posted: Tue Apr 16, 2024 5:02 pm
“I hope he’s okay too…I’m…sure that he has to be? He’s always more prepared than I am, and he loves going up to his Wonder…I just…hope that this all gets figured out sooner rather than later…” Luke sighed and reached up, chewing on his thumbnail and tearing it off with his teeth, a nervous habit that he had worked so hard to break but.
Sometimes you just had to bite your nails. Especially when your brother was literally trapped in space.
“I tried to write back to him when I was out, but the paper wouldn’t…go? Like, I wrote it, and did what I always do with my ring but…it just stayed in my hand…which also worries me.”
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Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 12:42 pm
Julian winced when Luke pulled off his thumbnail and instinctively curled his fingers into the palms of his hand. He had a bad habit of chewing on his nails but he’d spent a lot of time worrying his sleeves instead.
“Well I know a few weird things are happening,” he said apologetically. “But so far I think everyone is fine? It’s just weird magic. It might be like bad wifi or something, like we just have to wait for service to reconnect?”
It sounded like such a ridiculous idea, he felt his face burning already. He was just trying to be reassuring, not sound silly.
“From what you’ve told me about him, it sounds like he’s really resilient…He seems like a quick thinker and someone who can handle himself. I’m sure he’s okay! You should keep trying to send him messages. I’m sure one of them will go through.”
He wished there was more he could do or say but nothing really came to mind so he had to just ask, “Is there anything I can do to help, Luke? Anything I can do for you?”
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Posted: Thu Apr 18, 2024 7:48 pm
“I just have to figure out how to lie to the school and mom and make it so they don’t…try to talk to one another…” It sounded so…bad, honestly. He didn’t like to lie. He didn’t want to lie but…he couldn’t let Jason get into trouble. Couldn’t…do that to his brother. He knew that Jason would do the same for him if their situations were reversed.
“I’ll try to write to him when I get all of that situated…but. I’m just glad that I can talk to you. Seriously, I just…the fact that I have you here. The fact that we’re both in this together it just…”
Luke let out a breath and rubbed his eye with his knuckle for a moment.
“I don’t know what I would do if I couldn’t talk to someone about this. If Jason was the only one I had…and if…if this was happening I just…I don’t know what I would do. So just…thank you for always being here for me.”
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Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 11:55 am
Julian was quiet for a moment and then rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry. I wish I could do more.”
But he always tried to support his friends as best he could. He never liked to be in the spotlight, he was afraid to take up too much space, he liked to blend in. Being in the background suited him. He didn’t have the heart or spine for being in the spotlight. Luke was louder, friendlier, more independent.
It was difficult to see him struggling like this.
“But you don’t have to do any of this alone. I’ll always be here if you need to talk.”
He chewed on his lip for a moment and then said, “Well, um. I mean. You’re twins, right? If you had to…couldn’t you just pose as him? I mean, if you had to…You must know him better than anyone else! I bet you could pass as him enough to fool them until he can come home!”
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Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 12:14 pm
“I know I’m not doing it alone. And honestly that’s why I can do anything at all….You didn’t cause this, Julian, and I know you’re having trouble too, and your poor friend…I’m going to try to lie first, I think…I think I have some good enough excuses to give, honestly…Jason and I haven’t ever swapped places before, it’s a neat thought, and one I absolutely wouldn’t have considered. If the excuses don’t work, I’ll work on that. It’s a place to start, at least.”
He sighed softly and rubbed his face. “I hope that this…can just get solved. I hope we can figure out what’s going on…I hope it turns out okay. Honestly…I’m really worried about what the cause of all of this might be…if it’s something really bad...what if it’s not something that can get fixed?” Luke drew in a breath. “...What if it was caused by people like me who just…haven't taken this seriously?”
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Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 2:01 pm
Julian was visibly surprised that they’d never tried to swap places before but he’d probably just seen too many movies about twins doing it all the time. He didn’t think his idea was particularly creative, it just seemed like it might work if he needed to buy some time.
“You’re not taking it seriously?”
What did ‘taking it seriously’ even mean?
Julian wasn’t the best Knight, he knew that, but he was trying. He’d always thought everyone else was, too. He’d seen people get stronger faster than he had, but he’d also seen people he cared about get hurt. He knew that everyone had to move at their own pace but he’d never thought that Luke wasn’t trying his best. He’d even thought that Luke was a better Knight than him–he even knew how to use his magic!
“Um, or…what I mean is…everyone is being affected by this, right? So I don’t know if it’s something anyone did. I’m sure we’ll figure it out, and things will go back to normal soon!”
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Posted: Fri Apr 19, 2024 5:14 pm
“Well, yeah…that’s what Jason thinks. He’s always training to be stronger and better and faster, and he goes to his Wonder like, all the time…and I went there to get my ring and never…went back. I know you and I are planning on it but like, he’s there as often as he can, and I’m just…”
He shrugged slightly. “I’m just excited to go camping up in space, and I want you to see all the flowers! They’re beautiful! But like…I’m not taking it…” Luke held up his hands and made air quotes. “Seriously.”
He felt a little reassured by Julian’s last statement and managed a smile. “I hope so. That’s what I’m holding on to.”
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Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2024 5:56 pm
Julian tried harder to exude an air of confidence and certainty but it looked fairly out of place on his features. His brows were still just slightly knitted together and there was hesitance, like he was holding something back.
But, he was smiling. He was trying to be supportive and encouraging.
“I’m excited to see your Wonder when we get the chance too. It’s all going to be okay. I can talk to Princess Lysithea too. I don’t know if she could check on him or something, but I know she wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to anyone up there.”
He put a lot of trust into Lysithea but he truly believed that she was capable of accompanying anything.
“If it makes you feel any better, um. I don’t go up to my Wonder like that, but I don’t think I’m not taking it seriously. I’m trying really hard. But everyone’s strengths are differences. You don’t have to compare yourself to him. As long as you’re doing your best and taking care of yourself, that’s enough. I think, at least.”
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Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2024 6:15 pm
Luke visibly relaxed at Julian’s words and he nodded slowly. “Honestly, that makes me feel a lot better…he always…it’s always felt like. If I’m not doing everything possible to get stronger and go up there and take this seriously.” There was a large use of air quotes for everything that came out of Luke’s mouth and he sighed. “Then I’m just absolutely not taking it seriously and should just. Not even bother powering up.”
He didn’t want to talk poorly about his brother. But…they had such a different way of doing things and…sometimes. It was nice. No. It was always nice to have someone involved in this to talk to who wasn’t Jason. Or. Family in general. He was sure he could talk to Lena, but sometimes…she was just so young...it just.
“Thank you, Julian. You always seem like you know what to say, and I really, truly appreciate you. More than I know how to really express. I know Jason will be fine up there, and I just have to keep him covered with the school, but. I got this…and maybe.”
Luke looked over at Julian and gave a smile that was almost shy. “Maybe after all of this stuff is taken care of, you and I can just go to our wonders to enjoy them. Nothing about fixing them or…whatever. Just…to love them…or…something.”
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Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2024 7:13 pm
Julian blinked once, a bit confused by how strict Jason seemed in this situation. Maybe it was good to be prepared and to want to be the strongest version of yourself possible, but Julian knew his limits. He was weak. He had no choice but to try to accomplish little things in small steps.
His face was warm from the compliments but he didn’t tell Luke that he thought he was maybe being too kind. He didn’t always know the right thing to say. If he did, everything would always be okay. He might not even be here. He could be home, with his family, and everyone could be living happily ever after already.
“You’ve got this,” he promised. “And if there’s anything I can help with, I will. But it’s okay to just do your best. Things aren’t so black and white. Jason sounds like he’s really hard on himself, that sounds like he puts himself under a lot of pressure. I hope he’s okay. But you don’t have to push yourself so hard, not like that. This whole thing can be fun, too. So I’d really like to go up to our Wonders and get to enjoy them soon. I hope.”
Julian wasn’t even sure what he had to ‘fix’ on his Wonder, but he knew he had work to do.
He just didn’t even know where to start.
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Posted: Mon Apr 22, 2024 7:16 pm
Luke smiled and nodded. “You’ve got this too, Julian. We’ve both got this.”
He hesitated and extended his hand slowly, pinky held up. “Pinky promise we’re going to enjoy our Wonders soon, and both be the best Knights that we can be?” It felt like a good promise, and honestly?
One that they both needed right now. With all the uncertainty…a pinky promise could help…though maybe that was only when you were six but…
Luke needed it right now.
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