Newcomer Memorial Center - Grand Opening

[deservesabone]

Who: deservesabone & Open
When: 12/3, morning
Where: The Newcomer Memorial Center ( information & reference page here)
Summary: The Newcomer Memorial Center is now open to the public. Feel free to mingle.
Warnings: Please add any warnings to your subject header.
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Comments

[paysdelamour]

[As Ritsuka stands, someone passes slowly behind him, carrying a bouquet of white lilies. There seem to be many more bouquets stuffed into the side bag that is currently resting over one shoulder. Yes, Francis is there, slowly searching the names of the memorials to find the right one. And soon enough, he does, approaching it tentatively, glancing down at the incense burner left there before he gingerly places the bouquet at the foot of the marker. He stands in front of Liquid Snake's memorial for just a bit longer, reaching up to touch the image. He looks almost forlorn as his fingers go straight through it, but he isn't crying. Liquid wouldn't have wanted that.

He happens to glance over at a neighboring memorial, one that also has a glass incense burner placed on it. Curiously, he approaches it, and looks up at the face it projects.] ... so this was your father, Liquid...? [He mostly murmurs it to himself, but after a while of watching the two, he gently plucks out one lily from one of the spare bouquets, and places it down with the burner. He even bows his head slightly, out of respect, even though he never knew the man and probably never will.

Once that is complete, he happens to glance over at Ritsuka, and approaches him carefully. He'd heard part of his conversation with this person, though he's not sure who it is on the memorial. But he does at least want to comfort Ritsuka without embarrassing him - he can tell just by looking at him that he's been tearing up.]

Bonjour, Ritsuka. [He pauses, quietly contemplating what to say next. But he can't come up with anything. How does one grieving person go about comforting another grieving person? Well, with touch, of course. And Francis gently reaches out, to try and place his hand on Ritsuka's shoulder. In this case, actions probably would speak far louder than words.]

[little_bandages]

[Ritsuka startles from the touch, but doesn't shy away. Francis is pretty nice. Francis knew Liquid. Ritsuka swallows hard. Now he can't rub his eyes because it'll be that much more obvious that he's been crying, and he doesn't want that. He's fourteen now, damn it, he shouldn't be bawling like some little kid. It's not as if Soubi is even really dead, even if he's disappeared completely. Twice.

(But the others are probably dead in their lives. Gone forever now.)]

B... bonjour, Francis.

[paysdelamour]

[He gives a weak nod, to signify that he had heard Ritsuka's reply. Even for a man who promised to himself that he wouldn't cry, he seems awfully ready to. He even has to blink a little bit to try and remove the mistiness from his eyes. ]

... it was sweet of you, to bring incense. [He motions to the little glass incense holders.] I'm sure they will be appreciated.

[He pauses again, as he draws the hand away from Ritsuka's shoulder. Francis doesn't want to scare the poor thing away.] This man... is he from your world?

[little_bandages]

[It's only Ritsuka's vague sense of etiquette that keeps him from snapping it's not like the dead can appreciate incense. That would require him to admit he really brought it for himself and his own comfort, wouldn't it? And he always found it so strange back home...]

Soubi Agatsuma. He's from my world. We're linked there.

[Ritsuka swallows hard.]

He disappeared twice... [After promising he would never leave his side again, but Ritsuka can't bring himself to mention that.]

[paysdelamour]

[He hadn't meant it like that, but yes, the dead couldn't really appreciate it. Francis didn't really believe in spirits or ghosts, either.]

Is he the only one from your world? Or are there others that you've lost?

[He hesitates, then pulls out a white lily from one of the bouquets again, offering it to Ritsuka if he'd like to put it down near Soubi's marker.]

Twice is even harder than once.

[little_bandages]

He's the only one who's ever been here.

[Ritsuka does take the lily with a slight bow, setting the flower upright on the marker, not sure what else to do with it. He bows to the memorial, too, feeling his throat constrict again.]

[paysdelamour]

[He gives a nod in understanding. There's not much else to ask, even if it might be helping Ritsuka take his mind off whatever he's feeling. But, Francis tries anyway.]

What is this monsieur... Agatsuma, I believe you said?... What is he like?

[little_bandages]

[grumbling] He's an idiot. He has a terrible personality and always says embarrassing things. He can't make any decisions on his own and he smokes. [But his voice gradually loses its sourness.] He's a really good cook. And his painting are beautiful. In his own stupid way, he was always doing whatever he could for me...

[Ritsuka swallows hard, glad the tears are no longer flowing.] I'm glad people don't know we're gone, back home. He'd probably be acting really dumb right now, bumping into things and wandering around aimlessly.

[paysdelamour]

[Francis can't help the slightly amused hum that resounds in his throat. No wonder he and Ritsuka got off on the wrong foot, if he was so like this Soubi person. With the things he said that embarrassed Ritsuka on their first meeting, or the smoking... though, the cooking and the painting seemed to be a common thread between himself and this stranger as well. Hadn't he been painting a scene of the lighthouse just this morning? For a moment, he wondered how well he and Soubi would get along, had they met.]

... well, if he cares about you as much as I think he might, it would be hard not to wander aimlessly, if a person one cared about that much disappeared. We experience this feeling all the time, non? A feeling of being lost. Perhaps you feel the same way with Monsieur Agatsuma in your world. Perhaps not. [A pause.] I know I feel remarkably lost, without my friends here. I have... spent so long with them, that time without them is almost... eerie.

[He shuffles his feet a little, moving just a little closer to Soubi's marker, to examine it (and the holographic face) a little closer.] ... however, I suppose it is a comfort to know that, if those people did know we were gone, that they would care enough to feel lost without us.

omg i am so sorry about him

[little_bandages]

[Ritsuka is quiet for a long time. His ears flick a bit, and he thinks he smells rain coming. To Ritsuka, Francis is nothing like Soubi, who is connected to him, dependent on him, whose voice tilts velvet-warm when it speaks. To Ritsuka, Francis is just another adult who's poised to disappoint or abandon him, like he thought Soubi just might not do.]

You're a grown up. Don't whine to me about your problems. It's pathetic.

[With those bitter words, Ritsuka turns and begins to walk away.]