simplestgift | Twenty-four bells: [Action]

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Twenty-four bells: [Action]

[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.]

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[Kennedy immediately tenses, seeing someone run towards him, but...

It's a small, slender woman in baggy clothes who knows his name. So he holds still and waits for her to arrive, staring blankly and wondering if he's about to disappoint her horribly.]

[it's the silence that stops her.

Every fiber of her being wants to pull him into a hug. The family she'd chosen. Having him missing from this place was as painful as having Geordie far from her side. Worse, even, because Geordie was safe back home, but in Malnosso hands Archie was far from that.

But he doesn't move to greet her. He doesn't raise a hand. He doesn't call back. And as she gets close, she can see that there's no smile. So she stumbles to a halt short of actually touching him and quickly takes in a breath as she works to place what has happened to him.]

You're back! Are you-

[she trails off as the tinier details, masked in shadow, begin to reveal themselves. She doesn't notice the missing inches. But observant eyes soon catch those signs of stolen years]

...wondering why I'm shouting at you....

[Pretty much that, exactly. But this isn't the first time this has happened tonight. He sounds weary when he speaks.]

I'm going to guess it's because we're friends.

Good guess. I'm late to the party, then. [it's gentle, a hint of laughter behind a smile, but she's already adjusting her stance. She steps back, replacing the space between them, letting her hands rest visibly at her sides and keeping her stance relaxed. Untensed.

She's quick enough to put pieces together, and she meets his gaze openly and easily.] And I'm going to guess that it's news to you, right?

[A sigh, and some of the tension goes out of his body. She seems okay to him, anyway. Girls usually are.]

Evidently I've never had so many friends in all my life. I don't know what's going on.

As far as surprises go, that seems like one of the better kinds.

[a pause] How long have you been sitting here?

[A long pause. His eyes widen at the very uncomfortable reminder.]

I don't know.

[she can tell she's mis-stepped, but she's unsure how. But she doesn't question. She knows enough about his past to realize that putting him on the spot runs a high risk of making things worse.

She keeps her smile steady as if she hasn't noticed his falter] Long enough to be recognized, anyway.

...Has anyone told you that you have a place here? A home? [did he already know Horatio was here? And would that be a good realization if he didn't?]

Horatio. [He reaches for the St. Michael pendant.]

[it's her turn for her eyes to widen in surprise] So you know.

[somehow she'd been sure that they would be inseparable once Horatio had found him.

Unless...unless he was from even further back than that. She didn't say anything more, for now, waiting to see if he gives any indication of how he feels about his captain's presence]

[He bobs his head, a wan smile flitting briefly over his mouth.] Yes. He tried to explain a few things. I confess it's all very difficult to learn.

[that smile is like a beacon, however dim. So he was past his imprisonment, then. Or at least, she felt she could breathe a bit easier about making that assumption. Her own echoes his, relieved]

It is, but it's not something you have to learn all at once. I've been here for ten months now, and I'm far from learning everything. No one is going to spring a pop quiz on you. I promise.

[there's a pause and then she offers her hand, shaking her head a bit at not thinking to do so earlier] If I know your name, it's only fair you know mine. I'm Jilly.

[Offering her Christian name strikes him as unusual, but he's far too overwhelmed by absolutely everything to make comment. Moreover, social rules haven't meant a thing for the past two years, so the chaos of it is only mixed in with the rest of the chaos. So he takes her hand and musters up a hearty shake.]

A pleasure, miss. Ten months, you say?

[her smile widens at the firmness of his grip. It's a relief, when she wasn't sure what to expect] Ten. It goes by faster than you'd think.

It always happens that way when you're enjoying yourself, or so they say.

And when the company is good.

[she nodded to the fountain, then, still careful not to approach without permission]

Do you mind if I join you?

[In answer, he scoots over to make room for her.]

[she takes a seat with a smile, looking up at him--missing two inches be damned--before fixing her gaze on the stars. Her fingers curl against the cement of the fountain ledge, feeling the rough scrape of stone against the pad of her hand.]

It'll be harder to do this for long, soon, what with the winter coming. But I like it here. I like being able to see the stars on a clear night. I didn't have that, back home.

[He takes a deep breath, in and out.]

What was it like there?

I'm from a city. Much bigger than this.

[she's already smiling, thinking of describing it to him now. To an 18th century boy only just starting to relearn what is possible, it would surely sound like magic.

...Not that she didn't have plenty of those stories, as well] I'm from a time that's much later than you or Horatio. So things are a little...different.

Have you been in any of the houses yet? Have you seen the electric lights?

Edited 2011-11-15 04:09 (UTC)

Yes. [A slight look of distaste. Where do you think he stayed last night, Jilly?]

[she can't help but laugh at that expression, a quiet, bubbling sound in the dark] Well, Newford is full of them. But not just inside the houses...outside too. They're like stars, except close. So close you could actually touch them, if you just had a high enough ladder. And they glow all through the night.

If you ever look at the city from a distance, the whole skyline shines. It's just specks of gold and silver light everywhere you look.

[she shakes her head, fondly watching the night sky] The only thing is...when you're surrounded by bright lights so close to the earth, it makes it so you can't see the natural ones that are shining so much further up. They just fade out of sight. So instead of having two skys, we've traded one for the other.

[But a look of rapture is crossing the boy's face as she describes it all.] One far away for one brought to earth.

Exactly.

[she smiled at him, the expression easy and bright, even in the shadows.]

I miss it, sometimes.

But then, if I was there, I wouldn't be able to see this. [she gestures at the night sky swept out before them]

[His eyes go up to the stars, then back to her, watching her glow with a light he couldn't remember seeing in anyone--except perhaps, in the times when it was only them, Abby.]

We were friends, weren't we? You and I? I don't know how, but...

[But he trusts her, as much as he's capable of trusting someone he just met. Or maybe it's just that Jilly puts everyone at ease.]

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