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]

"She spoke to you?"

[all7seas]

"Nah. I just know her, is all. It's the type of thing she'd do. Don't let it get to you, lad."

[unneeded]

"Any reason you both seem so terribly concerned about things getting to me?"

[all7seas]

"I think because we are both incorrigibly helpful, actually." A pause. "And because I don't like seeing you so twitchy and afraidish."

[simplestgift]

He looks sorry to disappoint you, Jack. But also, he's never sure what to do with a sentiment like that.

"What am I to do about it?" It's very evenly spoken. An utterly rhetorical question. A shrug. He knows everyone knows.

[all7seas]

"Not sure. What do you want to do about it?"

[unneeded]

"Does it offend you terribly?"

[all7seas]

"Do you know how much it takes to offend a filthy pirate, mate?"

Answer? Quite a bit, actually.

"Besides, that's not what I asked. You can't answer a question with a question. Not fair. Cheating!"

[unneeded]

"...It doesn't matter. I can't will it away. I'm very sorry I'm not who you think."

[all7seas]

Jack scratches the back of his neck in confusion. This is such a very different Kennedy, and frankly he is not certain if it is even the same one, now. How could Archie have gone from this fragile, trembling soul to the man he was in the present in such a short time?

"Probably I'm not the one you should be apologizing to, mate. But what would I know of it, eh? A filthy pirate in the end."

[unneeded]

Ask Horatio, Jack. Or rather, don't. He would be too modest. But now, Archie isn't trembling so much as weary of life, having already lived too long at the age of nineteen.

But he knows Jack isn't just a filthy pirate. Jack has been kind to him, and for that, Archie is showing a little more ease around him. More ease, in fact, than he sometimes feels around the pirate even when he's twenty-six.

"To whom should I apologize, then?"

[all7seas]

"Yourself, of course. Perhaps you should write yourself a letter. A Better Man in Seven Days suggests that in Chapter Twenty-Eight. Write yourself a heartfelt apology. 'Dear Self: Very sorry to have underestimated you in that way and can we allow bygones to get gone? Your Friend, Archie.'"

[unneeded]

"I haven't underestimated myself."

[all7seas]

"Yes you have. Archie Kennedy is not twitchy and afraid.







Right. Sometimes he twitches, but that might possibly be one of this 'things.' Like the nose scrunching thing."

[unneeded]

Even twenty-six-year-old Archie would disagree, Jack. Even older, he's twitchy and afraid, but he's gotten much better at hiding it. But to this talk of things, Kennedy finds himself doing the very thing Jack mentioned without even thinking.

"...What?"

[all7seas]

"There! Right----right there! Nose scrunching!"

[unneeded]

Now that he's been made aware of it, he stops. "You're making fun of me."

[all7seas]

"No I'm not! Haven't taken the piss out of you for ages, actually!" There had been far fewer jokes between the men since Hornblower had arrived, that was for certain. "Everyone's far too serious around this place," he grumbles.

[unneeded]

"Clearly I've come to liven things up, then." There's some of that familiar irony, Jack.

[all7seas]

"Really, mate? And what, exactly, was it you had in mind? Wine? Wenches? Song? Erm.....not wenches. Buffy...not wenches. Wine? Song?"

[unneeded]

"...Not one for good old facetious jesting, are we?" Kinda disappointed Jack missed the lovely self-deprecating joke. "Wine and song don't sound amiss, though."

[all7seas]

Oh, he hadn't missed it. He just wasn't tolerating it. "Ha! Excellent! You see? We've got some bits of Kennedy knocking around in there still. Wine and song, then! And possibly rum!"

[unneeded]

In some ways, Jack was making perfect sense. There was, even now, an old Archie and a new Archie. The old Archie had an irrepressible light and boyish energy, something the prison took from him. He wasn't convinced he would ever get it back.

"And whiskey, if it's to be found." His comfort drink, even now.

[all7seas]

"They have some of the very best whiskey in there, mate. Scotch what would knock your grandfather right off his sheep! I say we have our way with it and then let the rest of the night unfurl as it will!"

[unneeded]

"...Probably shouldn't be out too late. There's a sort of tavern, isn't there?"