blue christmas
Who: bunnabee (mindgooshed) and YOU.
What: SOME GOOD OL' CHRISTMAS ANGST.
When: p much allll day of the 25th, until early evening.
Where: the town/forest
Summary: christmas is kind of an awful time for this guy, and he's missing out on a macabre tradition that he'll be recreating here in luceti. also, uh, dealing with some issues.
Rating: idk pg13? THIS SHIT ( Read more... )
What: SOME GOOD OL' CHRISTMAS ANGST.
When: p much allll day of the 25th, until early evening.
Where: the town/forest
Summary: christmas is kind of an awful time for this guy, and he's missing out on a macabre tradition that he'll be recreating here in luceti. also, uh, dealing with some issues.
Rating: idk pg13? THIS SHIT ( Read more... )
Scuse her, Barnaby. Just gonna lay here and groan for a second. And mutter something about roasted duck.]
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barnaby's head snaps up. normally he probably would have been quick enough on the uptake to catch her before she hit the ground, but today? he just sort of stares blankly, surprised, red-rimmed eyes wide and glassy and staring.
this is a habit of hers, isn't it? but barnaby can't even bring himself to cough up some snarky, charming response to this. ]
.. Are you all right?
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Anyway, after a couple of helpless blinks as Nami tries to process that this is kind of a habit and she's not sure whether that's hilarious or embarrassing, really. But she'll deal. Nami blows her hair out of her face and gives him a wry smile, not quite noticing that blotchy face just yet. Give her a second.]
Oh, I'm fine. I just broke my fall on a whole bunch of trees, after all.
Though I'm going to kill that duck! [Yelling that for the benefit of something else entirely. B| There's an answering and terrified-sounding kaa! somewhere up above and a heavy flapping sound as said duck takes off. Yeah, you better run.]
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.. but anyway while she's screaming at that duck, he's taking the time to recover, drawing his sleeve over his eyes and drawing in a deep breath and sitting back on his heels, straightening his glasses and schooling his features to neutrality. but there's no hiding the flushed cheeks and red-rimmed eyes - but that could just be the cold weather okay. ]
This is a habit of yours, isn't it?
[ is he going to have to give you his jacket and walk you home again. ]
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Maybe. I could just like dropping in on you unannounced.
[Also she does love that jacket, so maybe she's just angling for reasons to borrow it again.]
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What does one say when one suspects a man of having a crying jag out in the middle of nowhere?
...nothing, apparently. Every question she thinks of asking sounds like a really, really stupid and unwelcome one. Are you okay? But there's no hiding the sudden intentness of her gaze. Or the concern.]
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but yeah anyway. barnaby recognizes that stare for what it is, and her scrutiny makes him feel.. uncomfortable. for as much as he enjoys the spotlight, barnaby doesn't like being fussed over, and he certainly doesn't like to be pitied. it makes him feel weak, exposed, vulnerable -- and barnaby can't stand feeling vulnerable, it sets off every alarm bell along his self defense lines. so he pushes himself to his feet before she can ask any questions, chilled joints creaking and gosh he's really cold, how long has he been out here? he leans to brush snow and mud from his pants with stiff, gloved fingers. ]
You should be more careful; you might just break something next time.
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I might. Then I'd have to scream and cry and get you to carry me home. But as it is, it seems I got off lightly this time. [She is worried that something's gone wrong, so her words are a little faster than usual-- but she's trying to pretend everything's normal. She already knows Barnaby doesn't like to be touched. Stands to reason he'd rather she didn't pry here.
Your health is another matter, though :|] What about you? You look kinda half-frozen.
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barnaby tucks his hands under his arms and hunches his shoulders. minutes ago he had hardly felt the cold; now he feels chilled to the bone. ]
I lost track of time; I didn't mean to be out for so long.
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Hm. You should try talking to Eferin one day. He's the fire spirit - I know Sanji-kun uses that magic all the time to keep himself warm on days like this.
Buuut in the meantime, I can do something about the chill, if you like.
[Apparently it will also be habit for Nami to show off random tricks...]
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and sorry, no random tricks tonight, either. barnaby shakes his head, shifting his weight from foot to foot, squinting through the trees toward the horizon where the last of the day's light is fading. it's almost black above them, by now. ]
No, you don't have to. [ even though he can't feel his toes. ] I shouldn't stay out here any longer, anyway. I should head back.
[ even though he doesn't want to. he wants to linger here all night, and all day tomorrow, and the night after that. he doesn't want to leave at all. he wants to stay, and kneel in the snow, and talk to his parents and never have to deal with anything else at all. ]
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...and after a brief, awkward pause, she asks.]
...do you want me to clear off and leave you be?
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.. no. he doesn't have anything here, and it's stupid to linger. besides, christmas day has more or less passed, he's evaded the bullet and it's time he got home and crawled into bed and cried himself to sleep.
so after a moment of thought he shakes his head. ]
.. No. I shouldn't stay here. It won't help.
[ cryptic much? but it's true. it's good to vent, but he's on his own, and talking to two stones in a frozen clearing won't give him the insight to get through this. ]
Thank you, though. [ and you know what he actually means it. nami's sort of becoming a staple, and while he wouldn't go so far as to call her a friend he's definitely beginning to grow accustomed to her. she's easy to talk to. ]
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In that case, wanna walk me back to town? It's almost dark. Kind of easy to get lost out here.
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... All right.
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You've been here nearly two months now, right? You and Kotetsu both.
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