What Lies in Death [Lukas/Emil]

CITY OF LIGHTS
Breathing was still hard.

Bandages covered most of his body, the skin that peaked out covered in a thick, glossy substance. Underneath it all, his skin was healing, a massive chunk of his side having been all but rebuilt. His left arm was instead sealed into a tight, grey vessel; a metallic shimmer in the marks of its machining. It sat from shoulder to fingertip, holding the limb entirely in place. Entirely together.

With the night sky above, Lukas stared at the stadt from the hospital's balcony. Since waking up from surgery, he had done precisely two things. One, that he was waiting for any moment, was a requisition request from the Todgestalten. A new phone, and a laptop, along with any paperwork he had clearance for from Africa. The second, getting out of bed - taking to look at the stadt, feeling clutched tight to his chest.

"H..rts l.ke a mother..cker." Lukas grumbled, leaning with his better arm onto the railing. Truth be told, he had no idea whether or not he should be up. Not that he'd listen to any of the nurses, anyway.

The man was in no mood to listen to anyone, really.

"There you are. Already up and at them? Quite the trooper you are, as always!"

A cheery English accent would cut into the dread and grouchy air that the pale-haired patient permeated, a quick turnaround revealing the tall figure of Emil, rather plainly dressed as opposed to his usually rather articulate choice in clothing, a plain t-shirt and jeans with a backpack slung over his shoulder, his long silky locks tied into a low ponytail, wavy platinum locks rather neat despite the otherwise exceedingly casual appearance. A kind smile was stitched on his features, in greeting of an old colleague rather than a subordinate.

While Lukas would presently know him as some form of higher up in the Todgestalten, he appeared to be approaching him on friendlier, more mutual terms, "I heard you were burned quite badly. Are you sure you should be up so soon?"

CITY OF LIGHTS
"..ck what.v.r th. doctors say." Lukas didn't turn to respond, his eyes still glued to the stadt. "Medicine ain't s.it... If you don't w.nt to live."

A half formed ball of spittle shot over the balcony's edge, the reflex to wipe off his mouth sending a sharp pain through his shoulder. The strange cast that was healing his arm digging tight against the nerve, an involuntary groan at the sensation.

"Wh.t .re .ou .ere for, an.w..?" the crackle of his throat was audible as he spoke, although its volume gave much to be desired. A painful whisper.

Well someone was in poor spirits. His expression didn't change as lips parted to address his rather miserable comments, "Not exactly the environment to be speaking of that, you know? You may end up in psychiatric, staying here even longer, and I gather you wouldn't like that very much."

His tone was neither mocking nor patronizing, if anything he wove plenty of concern and care into his voice. Footsteps could be heard behind Lukas until he too was at the rail, looking upon the faintly glowing sprawl of city beneath the moonlight. It was quite a wonderful sight, one he was plenty familiar with from the view his home granted him. Quite the admirable view nonetheless.

"What am I here for?" The question was repeated as if for clarity, a brief pause to confirm, continuing from there, "Why, i'm here to see you! My dear compatriot, survived quite the ruthless battle from what I can see. The Vandenreich truly is blessed to have individuals of such will and strength in their forces, you know?"

With that knitted smile, he'd tilt his head, "So what do you plan to do once you heal? This experience seems to have evoked quite the desire to improve; that is ultimately what failure does - a bitter sting to carve a road to improvement."

CITY OF LIGHTS
"Doubt it." His voice still sore, if not more pronounced. Leaning onto the balcony, Lukas' body twisted to look at Emil, silver eyes bright against the mottled tone of burns. The quincy would stare in silence for a time after he spoke, the hanging stillness erring to thought.

"...Work." the tone short, breathy. What he could manage in his current situation. "'Ve already put in submishun fr sum reeserch material."

A cough in an attempt to clear his throat, turning into racking pain that pulled his head downwards. Good arm gripping against the hospital gown as he forced himself back to standing. "En when I'm done with that, well."

An attempt at a shrug, pulling himself off the balcony, stumbling for a moment before he caught himself on the doorframe. Pulling upright, he audibly cracked his neck with a hiss of a sigh. "You'll hear about it."

Despite the soldier's unsightly appearance, Emil didn't so much as flinch or express any visible discomfort; Lukas certainly would have some grasp of the kind of exposure he was subjected to in his years of service, the lack of faze was plenty natural for a man such as himself. From the bare starting of his research, quite the nasty Arrancar was responsible for these grievous wounds. Curious; normally they operated as individuals with little interest in a higher cause unless roped into something greater. Perhaps a specimen or two were lulled into the commotion with the thought of a grand fight to be had.

The plainly clothed man watched as Lukas hacked and coughed with little more than a placid smile and no intentional movement to assist in his standing. He was quite burned, it would only cause further potential harm; if he could hobble his way to and from the railing he could keep himself standing, watching as he caught himself on the doorframe.

"Research material, you say?" There was some intentional cheekiness to his tone, "Oh, yes; that was quite right..."

He didn't actually forget his secondary reason for coming by, calmly opening the bag on his back and producing two of the three requested items; A phone and laptop. Was he taking advantage of a convenient excuse to visit? That wasn't to be seen.

"Unfortunately the papers will have to wait a while, risk and all," He'd state with a slight smirk, approaching Lukas, "I do strongly recommend lying down and resting. You may be quite the rowdy one, but you are still an asset at the end of it all."

CITY OF LIGHTS
Finally, some good news. His thought silent with all but a grunt of acknowledgement, Lukas stepped forward, sidling onto the hospital bed. An outstretched arm received the technology with tender fingers, cradling it under an arm as he slowly set it down.

The phone came on with a tap of the screen, before clattering onto his bedside table. The laptop pulled up closer to him as he pushed back into the bed, obvious discomfort in his expression. Regardless of how he felt about Emil, there was a level of comradery, for a moment.

And then the man spoke.

Anger came to light as Lukas responded.

"None of you 'intellectual' fucks ever want to lose an asset, learned that a long time ago." Opening the computer, he was greeted by a bios screen, before flickering to a log in page. "So tell me, albedochiffren, as a former asset, who was okay with losing you?" The words were obviously barbed, Lukas' gaze turning back to the man as he closed the machine once more.

"Or did you leave the todgestalten to try and sleep better at night?"

"Who said I was lost?"

Though his calm demeanor was unshaken by Lukas' attempts at throwing venom, his smile did widen ever so slightly in amusement at this man, who came across more like a nippy dog than an actual threat to his ego. His formed loomed over Lukas, the kind lens his eyes took allowed to be taken away for just a little, an intimidating darkness gazing back at him.

"You should know just as well as I - those such as us are bred with the burden to serve to our people until the very end. The day I am lost is the day I have my arms torn, legs shattered, innards expulsed, and final breath drawn as the wretched cycle drags what remains of me through it."

Such words were spoken softly, but with the intensity of a leader delivering a speech. Never did that smile and placid expression leave his face.

Leaning away, he'd still look Lukas dead on as he would address him once more, "Yours may be shorter than most at the moment, but you are not the only one on a leash, Ätherisch. I recommend continuing to give good reason to slack it."

CITY OF LIGHTS
"Yes, because quacks risk so much." the dislike in Lukas' voice was apparent, a wall against Emil's more relaxed demeanor. Regardless of how much ill intent either of them had for the other, Lukas did respect what was said. Not coming from the mouth it was; not that it wasn't obvious.

"My leash," he emphasized, "is to keep hands clean. To hide behind when work needs to be done. My leash gets shorter if it gets cut, and I'm not in the habit of passing around knives."

The Quincy had burrowed into this lifestyle a long time ago. Afforded realities instilling a confidence ever since his release, only having rooted deeper with recent events. With the Vandenreich as it was, muscle was too valuable. In Lukas' eyes, at the very least.