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

rofl well at least i knew enough to cling to the kennedys reference.

[herotypical]

Exactly. A deck. Thanks.

You done good.

[unneeded]

That's simple enough, isn't it?

[herotypical]

Apparently not. Anything I know about ships? I learned it from sailors since showing up here. Maybe I'm still a little rusty.

[unneeded]

You probably know something else, though. Starboard and larboard, fore and aft, bow and stern, things like that?

[herotypical]

A few things. Only what y--Jack's taught me.

[ best not to confuse the poor lad further, she expects. ]

[unneeded]

...It isn't inborn knowledge.

[herotypical]

What? You don't got salty sea water in your veins just by default?

[unneeded]

That would make me a different sort of being entirely.

[herotypical]

And what sort of being is that?

[unneeded]

I dunno. A selkie, I suppose. Although I don't really know what they have for blood.

[herotypical]

If they're like any other creature I've met? Then they'll have blood for blood. Sure -- it might not be red. But it'll still be blood.

Except -- of course -- for when it's salt water.

[unneeded]

You've come across a creature with blood that isn't red.

[herotypical]

...A few of them.

[unneeded]

Then you are more traveled than I. [Which isn't saying a lot, not at this point.]

[herotypical]

California. A few other states. Scotland. England. Africa, briefly. Here and there. But it doesn't have much to do with traveling. Still -- I think a guy who sails probably sees more.

[unneeded]

England, Scotland, and Spain. And two of those were before I set foot on a ship. We patrolled the Channel a bit, on Justinian. I've seen France from a distance but never set foot on it.

[herotypical]

[ the justinian. she doesn't want to bring that subject up any further; buffy knows when it's immoral to dredge for information on an uneven footing. ]

France? I've only seen France in my dreams. Or on tele--[ hm ] or in pictures.

[unneeded]

We were on the Channel, and it was barely more than a shadow on the horizon.

[His tone has gone a bit flat again. A strange land full of strangers, and all of them wanted everyone on their ship dead or conquered. What a strange thing, when you think about it.]

take comfort, archie! helen maria williams doesn't want you dead!

[herotypical]

A shadow, huh?

[ what a word choice! ]

Are we doing a shopping log? XD

[unneeded]

A silhouette, I suppose.

WE ARE. LET'S DO IT. APPOINTMENTS? SHOULD I HIT ARCHIE'S?

[herotypical]

And a faint smell of crusty bread?

THAT WORKS. Or we could do a log, whichever.

[unneeded]

[Wonder of wonders, you got a laugh out of him.]

Yes, that as well.

OH WHY NOT A LOG. i'll put it up once i finish reading this chapter on robespierre hating letters.

[herotypical]

[ that laugh cheers her. ]

Not that I'm against croissants. Or baguettes. They make fine, yuppie-ish lunches. But there's just something fundamentally wrong about a culture that eats snails.

XD Yay! Today's date? /needs the Dawn thing to happen

[unneeded]

Now you understand why England is perpetually at war with them. The snails are simply one thing too much for Britain, I'm afraid.

yep! today!

[herotypical]

You might be interested to hear that it all becomes a whole lot less perpetual by my time.