ledbythewind | [Accidental Voice/Action] (afternoon of the 21st)

[Richard didn't initially realize what day it was when he woke up. In fact, it didn't even occur to him until he checked the calendar, at which point it hit him like a ton of bricks.

A year.

He's been in Luceti for one whole year now. And how much has happened during that year... some of the happiest and saddest moments of his life have occurred here, in this little village. A part of him wonders how his kingdom is doing back at home, what will await him when he returns... and then his thoughts drift to the news he received from Asbel the other day, that Sophie and the others are now here as well. There's a lot to think about, most of which he's already spent days agonizing over. Right now, he just needs a break and the chance to clear his head, which means aimless wandering.

Said wandering takes him past the item shop; on a whim, he decides to enter it, just to take a look around. A violin on a shelf catches his eye-- that's not something he'd been expecting to see. How long has it been since he last played? More than a year, at least. Yet something urges him to pick it up, so he does, heading out of the store and to a place where he can be alone... or so he thinks.

He settles himself under Ammy's cherry tree and takes it out to practice, not realizing that the wind has blown his journal open and it's now picking up everything.

His playing is shaky at first as he readjusts to the feel of the instrument, but soon a lovely, sad melody will be issuing over the journals to anyone who may happen to be listening in.]

(OOC: Tags to come in the morning, and just as a warning, my notifs are still all wonky. 8|)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I dunno about "healing" them, but time certainly lessens the pain.

Asbel would probably say that the scars that remain make us stronger.

Now there's something I can agree with.

[He's quiet for a moment.]

I owe both of you my thanks for protecting me the way you did during the draft.

Hn. Don't mention it. Not like you wouldn't have done the same.

[Richard just strikes him as that type of guy]

Would I?

[He'd like to think he would, but he's not sure he could be that strong.]

[Arches a brow sharply]

You're saying there's a chance you'd really leave Asbel if he needed your help?

No, I'd never do something like that.

[He sighs.]

It isn't that at all.

Then what?

Asbel... is far stronger than I.

So you're saying there'd never be a time where you'd have to help him, because of that?

No! I just...

[He sighs again.]

... I'm sorry, I'm just burdening you with this.

If you don't wanna talk, that's fine.

But I'm the one who asked in the first place. [Stop apologizing, man]

[There's silence on his end for a moment as he just rests his head in his hand.]

[Sanji will take that as confirmation to the first part, then, and remains silent as well. It's fine with him - he doesn't want Richard stressing out more than he already is]

[He's afraid that he'd fail, that he'd be helpless again. If he did...]

... he shouldn't get hurt or even die for the sake of someone like me.

[... Richard, if he could, he'd kick you in the face right about now. His voice coils tightly]

Let me guess - you've done unspeakable shitty horrors, actions that can't ever be forgiven, and Asbel just doesn't get it.

[While the sound he makes in reply isn't a word, it's clearly a sound of assent.]

Don't you think that's undermining his faith in you?

[Frankly] I don't know what you've done, so I can't judge here. But if Asbel does and still treats you like a friend, that's his right.

Edited 2011-03-24 03:32 (UTC)

Asbel... Asbel is one of the kindest people I've ever known. Perhaps too kind sometimes.

[Unspoken: He's not as hard on me as he should be.]

And that bothers you.

Probably more than it should.

Would you feel better if he judged you by your own standards then?

[And condemn you, from the sounds of it]

In the end, he isn't the one whose judgment will truly matter. I have others I need to answer to as well.

[Like the people of all three countries.]

[If Richard truly did something that unforgivable...

Sanji can't deny that he's right. People are held accountable by their actions, and the people those actions affect. It's how the world works and turns.

Thus, a nod. Of agreement]

[voice]

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