Work Text:
Luca found himself working, his tongue poking out of the corner of his mouth as he did. He had tossed his jacket to the side at some point, finding it much easier to work without it. The expensive fabric felt heavy anyway, it wasn’t worth the trouble of working around.
He ignored the sleep in his eyes as he worked- between wanting to impress Mr. Lorenz to get more blueprints and notes, as well as his own drive to finish it, he didn’t want to stop.
Alva stood from the doorway and watched with a light expression, finding a sense of peace in having someone around. He hadn’t felt that since-
“Mr. Lorenz!” Luca turned to him with a small smile, a shine in his eyes. “Would you like to come look at what I’ve completed?”
Alva gave a slight nod and moved towards the desk, examining the machinery with a hum, “Wonderful work Luca,”
“Thank you! I’ve been working since early this morning!” Luca kept his gaze on Alva, watching for any more judgment or emotion.
Alva’s eyes snapped open and looked down at Luca, “It’s well past midnight.”
Luca blinked back at him, furrowing his eyebrows, “Yes, it is- is there a problem with that sir?”
“It’s unhealthy. I understand having a drive, but you must rest.”
Luca scoffed a little at that and turned back to his machine, “No thank you,”
Alva grabbed at his face and turned his head to face him, narrowing his eyes at Luca, “You need to rest.”
“What I need is to complete this,”
They sat glaring one another down before Alva softened slightly, moving a hand to rub at Luca’s chin.
Luca softened slightly and his eyes dropped, weakly keeping his glare towards Alva.
Alva sighed, his voice much softer than before, “You really must rest, Herman,”
Luca’s eyes snapped open and he moved back, bumping into the desk, “Herman?!”
Alva’s eyes widened slightly, “I apologize Luca, I lost myself in a memory,”
“...You think I look like him?” Luca narrowed his eyes. “How do you know-”
“You should go to bed.” Alva almost snapped, turning and heading towards the door. “It’s close to two in the morning. You’ve likely been up since six, knowing you.”
Luca stared in shock as Alva walked out of the room, turning to gather some of his notes. He lazily grabbed his jacket as he rushed out the door, stumbling after Alva.
“Mr. Lorenz, wait-!”
-
Luca shuffled through stacks of paper, his mind racing. His father was here- his father knew and worked with Alva. How could he be so blind? Alva Lorenz was so eager to take him in so he could dispose of him- just like he must’ve to his father.
Luca pulled out a blue print and held it up to a light, his eyes widening at the signature in the corner.
Herman B.
Luca narrows his eyes and moves the paper to the side of the desk, continuing to go through the stack. The machine he had been working on for months was sparking, acting up, failing, but he couldn’t care. He didn’t have the time to.
How could Lorenz do this to him!?
“What were you doing in my office, burning my work nonethe-!”
Luca whipped around to Alva and grabbed at his collar, “My father- what do you know about my father?! What did you do to him, Lorenz?! Do you think I'm a fool?!”
Alva shoved him back against the table and Luca cried out in shock, his knees faltering a little as he reached for the handle of his machine.
“Your father was part of an accident, how dare you assume-!”
“How am I to believe you when you hid knowing him for so long?!” Luca snapped.
Alva stepped towards him, “How am I supposed to believe you didn’t burn my work Balsa!? My notes- they’re all in ashes!”
“Because I only took my father’s work!” Luca gripped the handle, ignoring the sparks landing on his hand. “I only wanted what he left you after you murdered him!”
Alva lunged at him, a shake in his hand, “I never-!”
Luca’s eyes widened and he swung the handle at Alva’s head, clenching his eyes shut as shocks ran through him and Alva’s body.
Then a thud, Alva’s body.
And Luca was not far to follow.
-
Luca let out a soft chuckle as he connected a nearby cipher to the one he was currently decoding. Both were at least 50%, this match against the new hunter is going easy- or maybe Edgar was getting lucky, as he often did in matches like this.
As he often did, Luca found himself lost in the decoding of the cipher, the world around him becoming nothing but faint background noises.
Until he was struck over the head. Immediately he fell to the ground with a groan, grabbing at his head as he turned to the hunter, “Oh c-come on man, you d-don’t gotta hit my head-”
“Luca..?”
Luca’s eye snapped wide. That voice.
That voice.
Luca’s eye finally met the new hunter’s- the hermit’s. Staring back into his were blackened sclera and yellow iriss.
“..Wh-Who?”
“...Do you not recognize me boy?” The hermit knealed. “Surely I didn’t hit you that hard.”
“...I-If you’re so-someone I m-met outside of the m-manor I d-don’t,” Luca narrowed his eye a little. “B-But your voice reminds me o-of-”
The hermit reached forward and put a hand to Luca’s damaged eye. The prisoner tensed as the hermit seemed to soften.
“...You’re so damaged,” His voice was soft. So familiar, he didn’t know from where. “You don’t look like Herman anymore, Balsa.”
Luca jolted at that and scoot back, “How d-do you-!”
“It’s me, Luca,” He stayed in place, much to Luca’s ease. “It’s Alva. Alva Lorenz.”
Luca’s eye shot wide and he just stared, his mouth parting a little in shock.
“I’m surprised you're here, they put you to death, did they not?” Alva paused. “They sentenced you to hang.”
“Y-You’re s-s-supposed to be de-dead!” Luca snapped, moving himself against a wall. “I-I- Th-The accident-”
“Stranger things have happened, Luca,” Alva gave a sigh. He stood and looked around. “I feel pity towards you, and we have much to catch up on. I’ll leave you to your own devices.”
He turned and walked away as Luca held at his head. He let out a confused sob, curling into himself.
His mentor? Alive? And here nonetheless?
“Luca-!” Edgar ran up to him and skidded to a stop, kneeling down and looking over his head. “What happened?! He downed you and left?? What kind of douche-”
“It’s m-my m-m-mentor-” Luca sobbed, shakily moving his gaze to Edgar. “H-He’s here,”
Edgar’s eyes shot wide, “Alva? He was pronounced dead-!”
“I-I kn-know-” Luca hiccuped. “C-Can we ta-talk about this l-later? I-I need t-to decode-”
Edgar gave a nod and started to tend to Luca’s head.
Three ciphers later, they drew the game, Luca narrowly escaping with Norton at his side.
-