mikangirl | [Action/Voice] Forward dated to the 19th

[Nami comes back to Luceti with a bang.

...literally. Because the first indication of her arrival on the networks is her journal hitting a tree at high velocity. The journal window won't pick up more than a whole bunch of dizzily swirling forest scenery and then a bare, reddened foot as she kicks it afterwards for good measure. Then she just abandons it in the grass and stalks off. Incredibly useful contribution to the journals, isn't it? Sorry about that.

She's not really in any hurry to go home, and in no hurry to go announcing herself through town, but she is cold. So after some indecision, she heads for the Avatar house instead, knocking hesitantly on the door in her New Feather dress in search of warmth and other things.

A little while later, having borrowed a coat and some shoes and feeling a little more herself, she heads for home, letting herself in quietly and... sort of standing there and listening for voices, noise, anything. Then she'll come say hi. Sort of.

Whether she stays there or not after that, who knows? But she does eventually make a journal entry in the evening, borrowing someone else's. She's not cruel enough to pretend she's not here when there are friends in town.]

[Voice]

Shirahoshi, are you still here? I remember you, now. Just thought I’d let you know.

For everyone else... hi. I'm back. Again. All that. Business as usual, I guess.

[She sounds cheerful enough. Just tired.]

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Only a little. [She comes in gratefully, hunched against the cold, and sort of scoots behind Katara as if she's a barrier between Nami and the weather.]

...I guess this is pretty much the definition of 'unannounced', huh.

I've had worse surprises. Quick, have a seat. I'll get a blanket and set on some hot water.

...thanks, Katara. [She'll do that gratefully, sinking into a seat to bend down and rub her feet a little.]

[She quickly disappears down the hall and returns with blankets.]

Here, take this. I'll go put on the tea.

[Nami smiles her thanks this time, snuggling the blankets around her and slouching right down into the chair until she's little more than a red, tangled ponytail of hair vanishing into a pile of wool. She'll wait without comment.]

[Katara moves quickly to assemble the tea, the purposeful movements of her hands disguising how her brain and heart were racing to catch up with what had happened.

Nami was back. She was back.

Soon enough, she brings a cup of hot tea over to Nami and sits on the coffee table across from her.]

...I'm so sorry.

[I'm so sorry you're back.]

[...

The smile this time is painful. But she tries, lifting her chin above the blanket edge as she reaches for the tea.]

I guess they like me too much here.

It's okay. [The cup is blessedly warm, and she's content to hold it for a while, warming her fingers up.] But I appreciate the thought.

[She does. Amidst everyone who's going to say 'welcome back' or 'oh you're back', she's willing to bet she's not going to hear I'm sorry all that much.]

How long were you away, do you know? [She eyed Nami carefully.] You look about the same.

Uh...let's see. [She blows on the tea and takes a sip, closing her eyes again as she savours the heat.] A week or so. Just enough time to finish a visit at one island and move on to the next.

Aang was gone for about that long too - he's back now. He just - he was hardly gone for a day.

[She's still a little disturbed by this.]

[Whoa, seriously? That's...

...gotta mess with people on both sides. Her eyes flick to Katara's face. She doesn't quite have the heart to pry about things right now, though.]

That's pretty messed up.

[She smiled a little, eyes pained.]

Welcome back to Luceti.

[Nami's only reaction to that is a short, almost surprised-sounding laugh. She cuts it off very fast.]

[Katara smiled, the echoes of that pain in the corners of her lips, but she smiled all the same.]

You should drink more of your tea. The last thing you need is a cold on top of all of this.

...yeah. [Hah. One little laugh and she feels close to tears. Nami stares down into the tea for a long moment, then closes her eyes and drinks.]

...how have things been?

I don't know how much you remember, but... you actually haven't been gone too long.

[Katara does NOT want to bring Certain Things up if Nami doesn't remember. Some things, she thinks, it might be better to forget.]

...how long is not too long?

[...]

Is Zoro back?

[Katara swallowed hard.]

Yes, he's back.

[...]

I haven't... spoken to him, though. But from everything I've heard, he's doing well.

[He doesn't remember me.]

Edited 2012-12-02 05:27 (UTC)

Guess that's something. [Her reply sounds dull even to her own ears, and Nami stills a moment, staring down at her tea. Again. It'd be nice if her solution could be found at the bottom of a cup, couldn't it?

...]

I don't want to be here.

[What could she say to that? 'I know' was too small and so was 'I don't blame you.'

Katara was quiet a moment, and when she spoke her voice was equally quiet.]

I think there would be something wrong with you... if you did.

[That gets another small laugh.] I know. Stupid thing to say, right? And yet there are so many people who love this place.

I haven't told the crew I'm back yet.

[Now that was a surprise to her.]

Why not? Did something happen?

[She means at home, in the time when Nami was away.]

[Nami doesn't know which time Katara is referring to, but it's moot. She holds her silence for a few moments, choosing what to say. And how to say it. Or try to say it.]

I don't... want them to see. How--

I guess I don't want to go home until I feel more like myself.

[It's only half an explanation. She sort of skipped the middle part. She can hear the fragility to her voice, and she hates it.

...and then she realises how that sounds.] Sorry. I shouldn't expect you to-- I just know you won't hold it against me, that's all. [Not being happy.] I can leave any time.

[You know what, that sounds worse. She'll just shut up.]

[Katara reaches out to claim Nami's free hand, leaning forward, her eyes are intent.]

And you can stay as long as you want. I'll get the others to keep quiet until you're feeling up to going and seeing them.

[But even as she said this, the depth of 'That is just not right' is yawning out in front of her. This isn't normal for Nami, by a long stretch. She's hurting and Katara didn't know what it was that was causing this much pain, let alone how to help fix it.]

[Nami lets out a small breath, and her smile is both small and grateful.]

Thank you. I mean... only for a little bit. Probably once I'm warm and less kind of... blindsided.

[She just knows that if she goes home right now, there is no way she'll ever be able to pretend she's even remotely happy to see them. Not the way they are here.]

[ action ]

markofthebrave - 2012-12-09 19:35 (UTC) - Expand

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