Twenty-four bells: [Action]

[simplestgift]

[Luceti. Even the name is beautiful.

It's quiet here, but not silent. No cannonfire, no stomping feet or shouting men. No bars or guards or grey stone walls. Everything is lovely and serene and everyone is pleasant. Well. Nearly everyone, but that's okay.

In Hornblower's company, Kennedy stops by the bakery and selects, for some reason, cheesecake. He's never had it--not that he can remember, at least--and it is absolutely the most beautiful thing he can imagine. Chocolate cheesecake, smooth and rich and flavorful with a drizzle of raspberry syrup. He tastes it and doesn't just eat it.

They visit the tea shop and he is floored. They visit the clothing shop and he finds a new linen shirt, already made. They visit the library and...

And...

O the glory of the library. It's as if this town was created for his rehabilitation.

Hours are spent in the library until he learns he can take books out. Even then, he very nearly doesn't leave.

On the way home, he asks to be alone for a moment. When given the chance, he walks the woods close to the village. At twilight, he sits at the fountain, staring into space with utter blankness because he knows the pleasantness of this day is going to end.

He doesn't realize it when the moon rises and he's still sitting alone in its pale light.

OOC: Kennedy's replies will come from babymid_archie. Meet him absolutely anywhere during the day or at night. Depending on when and where, Horatio will tag in as well, so remember to specify when/where in your tag. Share his rapture or cheer him up. Possible triggers--character is hella post-traumatic.]

Comments

[unneeded]

[Little kid. Archie glances down at his piece, then breaks off a section to hand to the child.]

Here! Try it.

[consultmybooks]

Really? [Rupert looks up at Archie before cautiously shaking his head.] N-No, it's all right. If you like it, I mean. Do you like it?

[captainhornblower]

[Horatio chuckles under his breath, silent for the moment but dark eyes watching Archie and the boy, whom he cannot place. But, then, it isn't surprising to him that there are children in Luceti he has never seen before.]

[unneeded]

Very much. But there's plenty more where it came from. [He still offered the chunk of the treat to the boy. Somehow, having enough to share was itself a pleasure.]

[consultmybooks]

[...eventually, however, Rupert will give into his baser instincts and take the piece of cheesecake to eat. The taste of it makes his eyes go wide before he grins broadly.] Mmmmmm! That's amazing! What's it called? Tell me!

[captainhornblower]

[There had not been nearly enough opportunities, Horatio decided as he concealed a smile, to watch Archie with young children. The powder monkeys had always escaped his own attention most of the time, for they rarely needed the supervision that the older men did. Children had the blissful talent for minding those in charge most of the time.]

Rupert -> Horatio -> Archie?

[unneeded]

[A smile creeps onto Kennedy's face at the child's joy.]

Be polite to me and I shall. You shouldn't make demands.

[But it's spoken so very gently that it's more like a fond caress than a reprimand.]

Re: Rupert -> Horatio -> Archie Right! Sorry, forgot to track the thread!

[consultmybooks]

[Several thoughts pass over Rupert's face in quick succession, chief among them being surprised. There's a brief moment where he weighs his chance of being able to bully Arche into letting him have his way, as is his habit with adults who aren't distant or cold.

...but, no. He settles slightly, and composes himself, and takes a breath to calm down the familiar mania.]

I'm sorry. Can you please tell me what this is? It tastes very good, and thank you for letting me try some.

[captainhornblower]

Good lad.

[It's... It borders on warm, though not quite. No reprimand from him, but a small support to Archie's gentle modifying of the boy's behaviour.]

[unneeded]

[A grin to echo Horatio's praise.] You're welcome. It's called cheesecake. I had to ask, myself.

[consultmybooks]

Cheesecake? It doesn't taste like cheese. Tastes a bit like custard.

[He settles himself next to Archie.]

[captainhornblower]

They do disguise the taste well, don't they? [...Forgive him. He's trying to joke.

He shouldn't be allowed to do that.]

[unneeded]

I don't know that it's anything to do with cheese at all, Horatio.

[consultmybooks]

Ooh! It could be! Like, what if someone's mum had a kid that wouldn't eat their cheese but really liked cake, so she mixed some cheese up with custard and made it into a cake and it was really good so she sold it to other people and called it cheesecake?

[Forced out...more or less all in one breath. Excuse him while he refills his lungs. And then goes bright red and occupies himself redoing his laces in mortified embarrassment.]

[captainhornblower]

[Horatio can't help but chuckle again, ducking his head for a moment.]

I suppose, without asking someone who has made it, we shall never know, gentlemen.

[unneeded]

A pity. I was wondering about the ratio of cheese to cake.

[consultmybooks]

[Rupert mumbles something in reply, but too softly for much more than "have to be more custard than cheese" to likely be audible.]

[captainhornblower]

[Horatio chuckles to himself.]

Perhaps we shall have to hunt up a recipe sometime. Just to satisfy ourselves.

[unneeded]

[Archie looks over his shoulder, distracted by the goings-on around them. Such very strange people here. Some don't even look human. Belatedly, he looks back at Horatio.]

Yes, of course. [Then he turns back to people-watching.]

[consultmybooks]

[Rupert promptly bursts out with:] We could go the library! I bet they've got a book there! Or... [he stares down at his feet again] I-I could go. I could go an' bring it back, if you want. I promise I won't get lost. I'm in libraries all the time!

[captainhornblower]

The library, hm? [He glanced over at his friend.] What do you say to that, Archie? [Gentle, a true question, not meant to prompt him one way or another.]

[unneeded]

Sounds like a fine idea, Horatio, though we'd best hurry before our young friend loses himself and takes off with wings on his heels.

[consultmybooks]

[He's already on his feet the second Archie gives agreement, and the boy's wings - still a bit stiff and sore - flutter anxiously with his nervous energy. However, almost as though chastised, he settles down into a stance slightly less manic.]

I spend lots of time in libraries so I bet I can find it really quick and, and then I can stop bothering you...i-if you want.

My name's Rupert. [Then, because the last day or so has already held its own surprises, he decides to risk:] Rupert Giles.

[captainhornblower]

[The name meant little to Horatio. If he'd heard it before, it didn't connect.

Then again, he still had not quite found himself able to understand how very, very strange Luceti could be.

He rose to his feet and nodded to the bow.]

Hornblower. [He glanced at Archie, giving him time to supply his preferred address, if he would.]

[unneeded]

Kennedy. [Just following suit. Archie has no memories of anything after his nineteenth year, so Giles' name rings no bells.]