Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end [Open]

[sugarforteatime]

Characters: Everyone on the Way, ever
Content: The Way is closing, one last call for alcohol
Setting: All over the Winding Way, anywhere you'd like. Way is still in Licere
Time: All day and night
Warnings: Sadtimes
Notes: This is the Winding Way's closing log. Feel free to post here all through the hiatus. L and Vash are leaving and the crew knows

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[fallingjunkyard]

Despite everything, Joshua had never considered that the Way could... would, be decommissioned.

Despite everything, he'd grown fond of the theatre ship.

Even though Joshua was an advocate of remembering the good times and the memories he'd built upon this ship, he couldn't help but feel a little sad that it was coming to an end -- as all things did. Where would he go now? If this had been a year and a half ago, that answer would've easy.

He wanted to think, and even Gunsmoke and its noise wasn't the best of places, he didn't want to be away from the bar. It was the only reason he was seated at the bar instead of mingling, a drink on the table. Joshua hadn't taken any of his though, just traced the rim of the glass with a finger as he thought.

[eighthmelody]

The announcement that the Winding Way was going to be decommissioned was disorienting. Over the time he had been there, the Way was more than an airship where he worked. It was a home, and losing it made Ness feel like he was losing a part of himself as well.

He could go home, his real home in Melior, he supposed. However, he loved airship life and everything that came along with it. Perhaps he'd seek out another airship, but he knew it wouldn't be the same. The Way was special to him.

But maybe he could still be happy, even if it wasn't the same.

It was too much to think about now, and he had one last day here, and if he wasted it, he would regret it.

Ness got himself a drink and wandered through Gunsmoke, chatting and saying his goodbyes to various crew members before spotting Joshua at a table. He made his way over and took a seat.

"Hey."

[fallingjunkyard]

Joshua lifted his gaze from his glass at Ness' approach and leaned back in his seat, crossing his legs. Here was the reason he just couldn't get up and leave the Way so easily. The Joshua of a few years back would have cringed at the idea of being so attached, but the Joshua of now didn't mind it.

Resting his hands on his lap and smiling, Joshua opted to skip greetings. "What do you plan to do now?"

[eighthmelody]

The very subject Ness was trying to not think about. He still didn't have a definite plan, but he was pretty sure what he'd do for the time being. He remembered when Joshua asked him something similar. He had replied that he was going to stay with the Way as long as possible, and now he could no longer stay.

"I'm not completely sure," he admitted. "But I think I'll go back to Melior and stay with my family for a while."

It would be good to see them again.

[fallingjunkyard]

Joshua thought of that as a way of reminding Ness of the familiarity he still had, when he'd lost such a big part of his life. It wasn't a bad choice, and to be honest, if Ness hadn't any idea what to do now, Joshua was considering suggesting it.

Which brought him to the other reason he wanted to suggest it.

Feeling a ball of nervous energy form in the pit of his stomach but showing little outward sign of it, Joshua said, "I'm sure you wouldn't mind I come with you."

[eighthmelody]

Go...with him? For some reason, that surprised Ness. Perhaps he was all too used to Joshua leaving him and now that Joshua wanted to follow him, well, it was strange. But not unpleasant. A ray of sunshine during this gloomy time.

"Of course I don't mind!" he smiled. "Are you going back to your family too?"

[fallingjunkyard]

Joshua smiled, an honest one. Some of that nervous energy dissipated, but there was still some left. Grinning, he said, "I couldn't possibly let them worry I'm dead, could I?" A pause, hesitation, before he continued like he never stopped, "They might not like that I won't be continuing the family line, but I'm sure your charm will win them over."

[eighthmelody]

Wait, what? Did Joshua basically just say he wanted Ness to meet his family? Well...he supposed that it was to happen sometime, but it still sounded pretty overwhelming. However, as unexpected as that might have been, it actually made Ness a little excited. Nervous, but excited.

"You don't write them?" he asked. Ness wrote to his family twice a month to keep them updated on his life.

[fallingjunkyard]

Joshua shook his head. There wasn't really a good reason why he didn't. Maybe it was because there was so much he felt he couldn't tell them, especially after his ability to see ghosts manifested and they didn't believe him. For that matter, he hadn't even told them about Ness. He briefly wondered how they'd take it, especially when he'd shown absolutely no interest in getting involved with anyone. "I prefer to tell them things in person."

He noted that Ness hadn't directly answered his implied question, and right now, Joshua wanted an answer so that he knew -- maybe. He never knew anything when it came to this relationship -- that maybe he they were taking a step in right direction. Leaning an elbow on the table, Joshua grinned and asked, "Don't tell me you're planning on keeping me a secret from your family?"

[eighthmelody]

Ness laughed a little. "You're not a secret at all." He was not one for keeping secrets from his family. He didn't tell them everything, but just enough so they had an idea of what was going on in his life. "In fact, I think they really want to meet you."

And feed him, no doubt.

[fallingjunkyard]

What.

What.

Joshua shouldn't have been surprised by the revelation that he wasn't a secret to Ness' family, but he was nevertheless. Ness' openness about him with his family was in stark contrast with Joshua's refusal to tell his own family anything personal. Now that he'd suggested they meet each others' families and it seemed like they would be going through with it, a part of Joshua was screaming to slam on the brakes.

He stubbornly ignored it.

Joshua smiled. "Well, it'd be no good if I refused them, would it?" Uncrossing and recrossing his legs, Joshua continued, carefully neutral, "You're a secret to my parents, but there's one other who knows about you that I'd like you to meet."

[eighthmelody]

It was silly, but Ness felt like their relationship was progressing. To the "meet the parents" phase. It...made him happy. It really did. He didn't worry much about Joshua meeting his parents. Actually, he thought they'd actually get along pretty well. But Ness couldn't help but wonder what Joshua's parents were like, and if he would make a good impression on them.

And what was this about another person? "Who?" Ness asked. It must be someone Joshua respected very much to tell. Though...he did tell Isshin about him. Hmm.

[fallingjunkyard]

Joshua's thoughts on how the meeting with his parents was mostly that it would go... well, outside of the initial shock. Ness had all the qualities his parents would like (and he supposed that Ness coming from a rich background helped). But it was the initial shock that Joshua didn't really want to deal with, and having to explain things when he wasn't really sure how and why all this has happened. And he had no inclination of appearing confused and unsure before his parents.

Joshua leaned forward on the table, resting his chin on a hand. "You'll have to wait and see ♪~" Grinning he said, "I'm sure you'll like him." But he said more seriously, "And after that? Your plans?"

[eighthmelody]

He expected as much. Ness knew Joshua well enough by now to know that he wouldn't tell, but it was still worth a try. As for his plans...he could pretty much do anything he wanted. He could stay in Melior, or maybe move to another city. But Ness knew he wouldn't do either of those. He didn't want to do those two years ago, and he still didn't want to now.

He took his time in answering, deciding to take a sip out of his drink. "I think I'll go see if any airships have openings for doctors."

[fallingjunkyard]

Joshua breathed an internal sigh of relief. He still wanted to travel, and Ness' decision made his next one significantly easier.

"Then I'm sure a ship that will take a doctor like you wouldn't mind taking-" Taking what? A strategist? A passenger? Something else? He'd figure out what role he'd suit later, he supposed. "-my charming and intelligent self as well."

It was, hopefully, the last decision he'd have to make tonight about where they were going.

[eighthmelody]

As charming and intelligent as Ness himself found Joshua, he knew it was not a view shared by many other people. Still, he was happy to hear that Joshua would continue to stay with him.

"I'm sure they will." He didn't doubt that Joshua would find his way onto whatever ship they chose. "So...it's settled then?" Having a plan helped ease the sadness of leaving the Way. He at least didn't worry about what he was going to do next.