paradisa | 2.2 ✞ dictated;

[maybe you remember this guy's voice, eh? cheerful and polite? he was a little... uh, confused over the Christmas vacation -- and while he sounds much the same, he's more sure of himself this time around! (is this a good thing? ...for you?)]

Good afternoon, Paradisa...! It's been a while, hasn't it? Well, I guess... not as long as it had been before, huh?

Um-- it's Father Abel, and I have to offer my sincerest, deepest, and most humblest of apologies for the long radio silence! Things have been a little... strange, since coming back from Paris. I thought it was probably a good idea to get my head in order before saying hello again, but-- well.

~HELLO~! My fairest Paradisians, you have no idea how nice it is to be back and... well, myself again! [that part is half-right, at least, he swears...!! he'll just gloss over the whole, had-a-fake-life thing like a boss.] I never thought I'd say this with such enthusiasm, but... here I am, and it's quite true! I'm very sorry for leaving without much notice, but I suppose the castle doesn't really give warning about these kinds of things, does it? I'm just grateful I was able to come back... exactly how I left. Which is to say, veritably able to recall... everything, from before August of last year. I'm not sure how it... happened, or why, but...

I'm beginning to think ignorance is bliss, at times like these. [no really.]

[...]

And, might I add, while I'm at it... a little note for those of you who saw fit to convince me that the journal was some sort of possessed demonic VOLUME OF DEATH while I was, ah. Aforementioned 'blissfully ignorant?'

[here, my dears, is quite the dramatic pause... before his voice goes lower and takes on a more MENACING TONE.]

I may forgive, but I will not forget. What goes around, COMES around, my friends, and you too shall know what it is to live in incorrigible horror one day. It may not be by my hand... but karma? Has an even longer memory than an elephant, so just watch yourself. Next thing you know, you'll be in a tutu, clucking like a chicken atop the roof and singing the blues to the wind on some horrible loss, alright?! These things ALWAYS happen.

[HUFF. --oh right, moving right along:]

--Ah, and... thank you! To everyone else with moral fiber and a conscience who so kindly attempted to explain that I was not, in fact, stark raving mad and actually... a part of the castle's ministrations. Really... I'm very grateful... It's been a long while since I've been on that end of things, and it's reminded me of how scary it can sometimes be. We should be a little gentler on our newest faces, shouldn't we? Maybe we forget how crazy the prospect of all of this could seem.

--Oh, but -- before I ramble forever... Lilith, Caterina and I will be up-keeping the church again -- it's in the Satis Tower, for those of you who might not be aware -- and, I'm living on the sixth floor with Lilith, now! So you can stop by and say hello if you want, okay? If you forgot, or, if this is the first time you've heard my doubtlessly charming and suave voice over the journals... those doors are always open to anyone at all, so don't hesitate to come any time you'd like. I mean it!

And...

[a little pause, and then something of a contented exhale. his voice is a little softer.]

...It's good to be home.

[and for those of you who feel like catching up -- or just feel like investigating the church, he'll be hanging out in there today cleaning things up and tidying a bit, humming pleasantly. feel free to harass the lanky priest sweepin' a sweep.]

[ooc: open... for ALL THE THINGS over the journal or in the church. oh my god so much tl;dr i am so sorry slkdjgsdf... and a note!!: my apologies to anyone that was still backtagging with me on lj; it's died a horrible death and won't function on my laptop sob. if there's anything you need to sort out, don't hesitate to drop me a line!!]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[...ah.

she's...

he finds himself tensed -- torn between action and inaction, not sure which would make this worse. but in the end, he recalls with sudden clarity how much his heart had always ached to see her in pain... and how she had grudgingly (and subtly) accepted his comfort the rare times she'd dissolved to tears in front of him.

so, engrossed as she is in her pain, she probably wouldn't notice that he had gotten up at all -- he can be a quiet man when he tries, but a moment later... he's leaned beside her chair, draping an arm softly around her shoulders.]

...He survives. You... saved his life.

You told me as much yourself, Miss Tomoe.

[there is no question of the afterlife, now, is there? only the definite.]

You saved him.

[Tomoe tensed only momentarily feeling the arm around her. If she hadn't been so overwhelmed perhaps she would have pulled away from it--but as it was, the contact grounded her to reality (if this could really be called 'reality' anyway).]

[Hearing his words she stopped trying to hide it, a sob escaping as the first real show of emotion since she'd woken in her bloodied and scarred state found its way out of her.]

[How? How had she saved him? When she was so weak? So stupid? So useless? She had led him directly into her hands... That hot sear of remembered pain ran down the length of her back. She couldn't fight--the results of her trying were pathetic--so what had she done? Another sob and she clamped her hand over her mouth to hold in the sound, her other hand still shielding her eyes so that he couldn't see her tears.]

[It didn't matter in the end. All that mattered was that she hadn't lead him to his death. And if he had survived, then maybe she could hope that Enishi had as well... She couldn't imagine that Kenshin would have left any of them standing--and if none of them were left then none could silence her brother...]

[he has a grimace at his lips as he rubs her shoulder softly, trying to offer her what meager comfort there was to give. he still doesn't understand-- not all of it... perhaps not even half the mess in her head; she had always been guarded, even when grudgingly learning to trust him, after all.]

...I'm sorry. [for her pain; that there's nothing he can do-- that she was cruelly stolen from someone who loved her... and much, much more.]

[Tomoe remained bent over her lap, doing her best to hold back any sound even if she couldn't hide the way her shoulders shook. It was several long minutes before the she was finally able to stop--or perhaps more accurately, several minutes until she was sufficiently numb. She breathed slowly, ensuring it was done and controlled again before she even thought of righting herself, hands wiping the tears from her face as best she could.]

[Finally she did sit up, even if she couldn't bring herself to look directly at him, there was too much embarrassment and even a note of shame that he'd seen the display to do so.]

...

I apologize... I was not expecting...

[Her lips pressed to a line, eyes closing again as she gave her head a small shake.]

Thank you... for that information...

Don't apologize. [it's soft, quiet... his hand hasn't lifted from her shoulder and nor has he moved from her side, yet. he still wants to give her a proper hug, but... he's afraid of being pushed away while she's gaining her composure. sob.]

...He was from ten years beyond you. And he was... healthy, whole. Mr. Himura was a good man, and he loved you. [maybe he didn't have all of the details, but... these... these were the most important ones.]

[Tomoe finally did look over to him, her eyes red.]

[Ten years...?]

[The concept was difficult to grasp--but that didn't matter. What mattered was the rest of the statement. She hadn't been given any reason to wonder on how he would be after her death. How he would have survived or what damage her actions would have done. She had been unable to fathom him surviving at all--and so the rest...]

You have no idea... what this means to me... Abel-san...

[Healthy and whole. It was more than she could possibly ask for...]

[there's a pause, as he lets her digest this...

the soft response that leaves her lips has a little bit of tension leaving the set of his shoulders. a moment or two later, a small smile that betrays his fondness for a friendship she can't recall finds his lips. he's glad that he can give her some peace of mind, however small... however bittersweet a consolation though it might be.]

No, but... at least, I have a little idea.

[he knows how much you two meant to one another, how much Kenshin meant to her. and while he might not know everything about them or their relationship, he can guess how much weight something like this holds.]

[She takes several more seconds to settle her thoughts, wondering if she should excuse herself to let it all completely sink in, but...]

Is there... anything else I should know about... Abel-san?

[She looked at him again, warm relief still showing in her eyes.]

[ahhh. he pauses, trying to wrack his brain over a reply -- is there anything else vitally important to her last... stay, or... Kenshin's that she should know...?]

...I think... anything else can wait. It's not quite as important as that, is it? [he can tell she needs some time to let it settle. anyone would, wouldn't they? she's got more than her fair share on her Paradisa-plate.]

If there's anything else I can do, or... questions I can answer, I'm here for you. Anytime, Miss Tomoe. [okay...?]

[She lifts a hand to her brow again. She felt exhausted for nothing more than a conversation, but still...]

I would not think so, but as I did not expect to hear even that...

[She focuses on him again and nods. Whatever anxiety and uncertainty she'd had entering this area it was unequivocally gone now, replaced so solidly with gratitude that she couldn't bare to allow her cynicism back in.]

Thank you.

...

For now I... believe I will take my leave... but... Perhaps I can offer to serve you tea myself soon...

[That was certainly the least she could do.]

[he gives a small nod-- to be honest... this ended much better than he suspected it would when she had walked in here. he's relieved... even if he's sorry she has to deal with this at all.

he'll finally take this as his cue to withdraw, and nudge at his glasses again compulsively. yes... it's-- going to be alright. she can only move forward; that's all that's left to people like them, right?]

That sounds perfect.

[She takes a long, slow, mildly shakey breath, straightening the rest of the way before moving to stand.]

[She nods again.]

Thank you again, Abel-san.

...Please take care, Miss Tomoe. Alright...?

[he's... here, for what it's worth. she's not alone.]

Yes...

[She gives him another nod... and then quietly exits the church to let all of this... settle.]

2.2 ✞ dictated;

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/latest late thing

/IS LATER!

hell yeah this is how we roll

lmao this tag just became so sad to me ;__; /HOLDS HIIIIIM

lol my heart... well they can bond over lost lovers again all my b'awwws ;(

gdit the dead spouse club cannot be escaped /)__(\

the one club you DON'T want free membership for life...

/sooooooooooooobs

/sobs with

/uguuuuuuu....