// Fragile as a flower ❀

The male’s speech trailed off; blinking again. “Oh, how do you know my name, though?” The researcher’s green hues looked to the female. “…Also; can I know yours? It’s not very fair if I know you’re name but you don’t know mine.” 

The male smiles sheepishly. “I’m still sorry about that. I didn’t mean to shock you.” Aster assumed he was far too energetic around her, which was hard to control for him, sure- but he could get himself to tone it down.

“It’s okay,” Marta said quickly, “I just wasn’t expecting anyone to be there.” Especially someone who as far as she knew was supposed to be long dead. And while she might not’ve believed him when he claimed to be Aster, he had mentioned Richter.

She might be being a little too trusting right now but Marta couldn’t help it–Aster looked so much like Emil…

…Ah this is probably what Richter had felt isn’t it?

“Like I said, it’s okay.” Marta managed to smile faintly. Aster’s smile was infectious even with her bad mood. And it really wasn’t his fault–sure she’d been surprised by how much he could talk at one time but it had really been his appearance that had startled her.

Though now she was curious as to how he was here.

Aster realizes he’s getting a bit derailed from the main point, so tries to get back on topic. His face is flushed from speaking so much, so quickly. “So, uhm, anyway, I went to go get it, right? Well it slithered away really fast! So I figured I’d just stop here for today...” Aster is an avid protector of all living things, as you can tell.

Aster lets out a small gasp at the voice, turning from a bookshelf he was examining.

“Hello!” The researcher rushes over to the other. He’s a bit more energetic, because he’s never seen a place like this. It’s exciting to him. A chance to learn new things is always good in Aster’s opinion.

“Ah, Richter, good! You’re here just in time!” There goes Aster tugging the red-haired male over towards a table. Aster… Don’t be so pushy.

“Doesn’t this look good?” The boy asks excitedly, holding his arms out and grinning. He apparently made some food from the look of what’s on the table.

“We had some sausage and peppers as well as some buns so I made sandwiches!” The blond grins, seeming proud of himself. 

“I wasn’t sure if you liked red or green peppers better so I made both.”

      x. “ – … aster?”

      he had only just stepped inside before the sleeve of his coat was within the blond’s grasp and he was already transitioning into taking careful stride to where he was being led. his gaze slowly moves from his fellow researcher’s visage to the meager display on the table. what he gathers in that brief moment is that aster seems proud of his creation [ judging by his avid expression  & body language ] – no matter what it may have been.

“Occasion?” Aster questions, unsure, and slightly confused for a moment, before letting out a rather indecent squeak. “Eek! I totally didn’t think I needed an event to cook!” He looks a bit distraught. “I don’t know, what should we do Richter?!”

Thus the blond researcher totally misunderstands. He gets up to move towards the calender- thinking maybe he missed something- but then loses his balance, trips, and falls flat on his face.

Que whining from the younger male.

“Hello!” Aster had popped up in front of Marta from seemingly nowhere, although that wasn’t exactly the case. He had watched her from a distance, and came to greet her as she spoke up.

“Whatcha talkin’ to yourself about, miss?” Aster peered curiously at the girl. “You seem down, you should smile! I bet you’d look pretty with a smile on your face!” The blonde moved his fingers to the corners of her lips, pulling them upward. “Much better~!”

Aster laughed happily, before dropping his hands to his sides. “Sorry, I just… I was friends with someone who hardly smiles. I feel like everyone should show the world a smile, though! Don’t let anything get you down~! All that jazz, y’know?” The researcher’s labcoat swayed as he spoke, his laughter dying down.

Marta had not been expecting someone to pop up right in front of her like this man did. Because of that, she had almost attacked him, instincts from the journey taking over for all of 2 seconds. Because as soon as she clearly saw his face, she froze.

It wasn’t possible for him to be here. Emil was gone, trapped in a way-and the only other person who could have this face was dead.

So when the man made her ‘smile’, Marta didn’t do a thing to stop him. In fact the majority of what he was saying went completely over her head. It was only when he stopped speaking that she finally snapped back into attention.

“You’re…” Impossible? Dead? Not real? “…Aster, aren’t you?”

The male’s speech trailed off; blinking again. “Oh, how do you know my name, though?” The researcher’s green hues looked to the female. “...Also; can I know yours? It’s not very fair if I know you’re name but you don’t know mine.” 

The male smiles sheepishly. “I’m still sorry about that. I didn't mean to shock you.” Aster assumed he was far too energetic around her, which was hard to control for him, sure- but he could get himself to tone it down.

“There’s no need to be so on edge, alright? You look like scared little a puppy, and it doesn’t fit you well~.” The slightly older male withdrew his hand. “I don’t know what you’re going through, but I can at least try and help, so I’ll give you some advice!” doing a small twirl, his lab coat swaying with the motion, he did a small spin before turning to face the other again. “Repeat this after me, alright?”

Blinking at the head pat, his hand automatically touching his head afterwards. His gaze then softened when his appearance was mentioned, lowering his head. He knew he looked bad, weak, scared maybe. ( Sure it probably doesn’t look right to him, but to me, it’s normal… ) 

“Nothing will change if you don’t take initiative. No one wants to live scared, after all. It’s not a comfortable life style. Choose something you like; something you’d want to do. Something that’ll make you happy. And make it a reality.”

The male smiled more, holding his fingers up to his own lips, as through making a smile. It’s more of an example for Emil. “With courage, anything is possible! If you try, chances are you can succeed.” The researcher took his fingers away from his own lips, and held out his arms. 

Aster smiles a bit apologetically. Perhaps he scared this other who shares his appearance. “I, eheh… I’m Aster. Aster Laker. It’s a pleasure to meet you!” The researcher holds his hand out.

Hesitantly, Emil extended his hand to shake the other’s. “I’m… I’m Emil Castagnier,” he replied shyly. “I-It’s nice to meet you too..” Staring at this… Aster, the teen gave a look of concern as he felt rather unnerved by it all. Honestly, he felt sort of sick to see another of himself, and looking so… upbeat.

“There’s no need to be so on edge, alright? You look like scared little a puppy, and it doesn’t fit you well~.” The slightly older male withdrew his hand. “I don’t know what you’re going through, but I can at least try and help, so I’ll give you some advice!” doing a small twirl, his lab coat swaying with the motion, he did a small spin before turning to face the other again. “Repeat this after me, alright?”

Aster eyes the other, leaning his face towards the boy with the similar appearance. “You look like me.” Was Aster’s first statement, before a large grin crosses his lips.

“Wh-what?” Emil muttered in confusion, his eyes wide and puzzled. Clone? Doppelganger-? Emil furrowed his brows before he tilted his head. “I’m not… a clone? Um..” 

Aster smiles a bit apologetically. Perhaps he scared this other who shares his appearance. “I, eheh... I’m Aster. Aster Laker. It’s a pleasure to meet you!” The researcher holds his hand out.

Sitting by the staircase in front of his home, Emil sighed, burying his head in his hand. He could hear his aunt and uncle fighting inside, about, of course, him. The blond tried his hardest to shut them out, tears lining up his eyes. 

Aster eyes the other, leaning his face towards the boy with the similar appearance. “You look like me.” Was Aster’s first statement, before a large grin crosses his lips.

“No problem! People here already decided I’m as weird as they come. …That and I talk out problems to myself all the time, so it’s nothing new to them.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Edna!” He smiles wide. “And yeah; I’ve been here since I was young. I was considered a child prodigy, so they took me in when I was about… nine?”

“So it’ll look ‘normal’ to the others if they see you talk to me.Heh~”she chuckled slightly. At least this meant she could talk to him without him being looked strangely at and feeling “weird.”

“’Him’?” Aster questions, before blinking. “Ah, uhm... My curiosity gets the best of me a lot. If it’s something you don’t want to answer you don’t need to.”

The blond nods as she asks if she can stay. “Sure! Although it might be pretty boring. I just sit in the lab most of the day. ...Although I might go back to my study, I needed to grab some books and then I was going to read them and maybe do a paper-” Aster laughs awkwardly. 

“Oh, no, I wouldn’t dream of doing that!” Aster quickly replied, seeming visibly disgusted by the idea. “Just…. Some of the researchers here take their job a little too seriously. They might try and dissect you to like, see what makes you tick or something. A lot of them are really mean, though, to be honest.”

“So humans are still as horrible and cruel as back then..”she murmured to herself, sighing sadly. The seraph had hoped that humans had changed but it’s impossible.

“No problem! People here already decided I’m as weird as they come. ...That and I talk out problems to myself all the time, so it’s nothing new to them.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Edna!” He smiles wide. “And yeah; I’ve been here since I was young. I was considered a child prodigy, so they took me in when I was about... nine?”

Aster laughs. “I’ve been told that many times before. I suppose it’s true.” However the boy looked up at the other again, thoughtful for a moment. “Yes, I can see you. Can others not?” The male watches her curiously. Perhaps she should not have mentioned that. Aster IS a researcher after all.

“Oh, no, I wouldn’t dream of doing that!” Aster quickly replied, seeming visibly disgusted by the idea. “Just.... Some of the researchers here take their job a little too seriously. They might try and dissect you to like, see what makes you tick or something. A lot of them are really mean, though, to be honest.”

Aster gasped at that, realizing he didn’t think that through either. “We could! Wasn’t there one at Palmacosta?!” He heard some tourists talking about it a while ago, even though he didn’t really know where it was now, but nothing could stop him now, for his dos’s sake!