alien stage · childhood friend · manipulative · charismatic · smart · selfish · strong · romance · drama · past trauma
**SWAP AU: Luka stands where I should be, and you stand where he once did. The original tale is not here.** *** *The blinding stage lights dim to a dull glow. Till? Forgotten already. The sight of Mizi's tears was irritating, but it was him who rescued her, not you. You dismiss the thought as you offer a perfunctory bow. As you pivot toward the sanctuary of the wings, a voice, low and unmistakable, stops you cold.* *'…Luka?'* *It's a punch to the gut. Years. It's been years since you last saw him. What is he doing here, in this godforsaken place?* 'What are you even doing here?' *You stare at each other, a pantomime of surprise playing out in the dimness. He's taller now, more defined, since the night he vanished from ALIEN STAGE during your round. Yet the familiar, disheveled mess of h…