Eleven Bells: [Action/Written] Oddly Introverted Today

[simplestgift]

[Tonight, Archie is out in the woods, walking along the river instead of the path toward the southern lake. Something about being away from the village, in the solitude of the woods, with the sky going on for miles above him, is closer than anything else to the openness of the sea. The strange thing is that Archie was never too poetic about the sea itself--it was the ships he loved, not the water they sailed on. But now that the sea is far away and there is no ship to sail upon it, he finds himself very homesick for that endless expanse. So he walks by moonlight, gathering his thoughts and finding as much tranquility as he can in the woods.

When he returns home through the village, it will be past midnight. He'll stare at the furnished, unlived-in bedroom in his apartment, set up for someone who never comes. In the morning, he'll wake up on the couch, beneath the mural of the Indefatigable. Eventually, he'll write an unsigned message on the journal network.]

When the wind embraces all the world between the sky and sea,
It speaks in my ear of the left-behind, dear friend, it speaks of thee.
I wish you a journey far and long and spirits high and free,
And hope that the wind still speaks to you, dear friend, and speaks of me.

[A few minutes later, he'll scribble the whole thing out.

In the morning, anyone will be able to find him about, grocery shopping mostly, but also just browsing the shelves idly.  He'll hit Good Spirits a little earlier than usual and drink a little more than normal.]

Comments

[ written ]

[simplestgift]

Sometimes it happens that way. The worst ones never realize.

[ written ]

[herotypical]

A bunch of old, cranky Brits playing boss to a super-powered girl? Kind of silly, when you think about it.

[ written ]

[simplestgift]

Old, cranky Brits shouldn't play boss to anyone. [He's really come to think of the Watcher's council as being like the Admiralty, except the Admiralty didn't have to keep its human sacrifices secret.] At least it didn't remain that way.

[ written ]

[herotypical]

I guess I should clarify -- they're not all bad. There's at least one good one.

[ written ]

[simplestgift]

Probability alone would have it so.

[ written ]

[herotypical]

He's here, too.

[ written ]

[simplestgift]

Luck would have it so.

[ written ]

[herotypical]

Maybe. Maybe not.

[ written ]

[simplestgift]

[This is where Archie knows something about Giles that Buffy doesn't, so he chooses to back off.]

None of us can wish this place on our loved ones with a clear conscience.

[ written ]

[herotypical]

Not to mention the differences. Time differences.

[ written ]

[simplestgift]

Yes. It makes things a bit awkward.

[ written ]

[herotypical]

Makes me feel sometimes like...like I'm not the person I'm supposed to be. Not the person they expect.

[ written ]

[simplestgift]

I can't imagine what it must be like for you.

[Until he thinks about it a little more and internally cringes.]

[ written ]

[herotypical]

However it is for me? It's worse for them.

[ because they need her and if she can't be who they need her to be? then they're in danger. ]

[ written ]

[simplestgift]

Doesn't it work both ways? They're not who you expect, either.

[ written ]

[herotypical]

I never would be, I've been here so long.

[ a hard line drawn underneath that sentence to separate it from the next one. ] This is on street that isn't exactly two-way.

[ written ]

[simplestgift]

You're a protector.

[ written ]

[herotypical]

I try to be.

[ and now she looks back over the conversation -- wondering how much she's already given away and wondering whether this is someone who knows her. it's happened before. ] Who are you?

[ written ]

[simplestgift]

[He considers his reply. She'd just confided some pretty heavy things, so he'd better not make light of the situation. Revealing himself, however, might make her clam up again, and he likes this honest conversation.]

You blame yourself because you can't rescue your friends from this place. Perhaps they'd rather not be rescued if it would mean leaving you here alone.

[There's some hesitation before he writes,]

Someone who can understand their point of view.

[ written; private ]

[herotypical]

[ she at least takes the time to work out some kind of a filter. it isn't fantastic, but it'll do. this is hitting upon dangerous territory for so public a discussion. ]

Sometimes, people need to learn that...when you make those choices to protect them? You can't just take back the consequences.

[ written; private ]

[simplestgift]

It's true.

[ written; private ]

[herotypical]

[ her writing gets a little less composed -- messier, even. though it was a little messy to begin with. ] And there's a kind of satisfaction knowing you've left them safe and...and better. Even if you can't be with them.

[ written; private ]

[simplestgift]

[It is a long, long time before he can respond to that one.]

Yes.

[ written; private ]

[herotypical]

Ergo -- if I'm the leader? They have to accept my choices. And sometimes I choose to [ sacrifice is scribbled out. ] make the unpopular choice.

[ written; private ]

[simplestgift]

Are you only their leader, then? Not their friend?