mikangirl | [Voice]

Entry tags:

breaking hiatus for important things

[Voice]

[The announcement doesn't come until she's tracked down what's left of her crew and paid a visit to Ace and Sabo to inform them in person. She could wish Sanji and Zoro were here, because she winces at the idea of them finding out on the grapevine before they even return home. But it can't be helped.

Besides, maybe he'll be back before they return. He always has before.

She can hope he isn't.]

[Voice]

For those that knew him, Luffy has gone home. [She sounds perfectly calm, if a little distant.] He didn't leave anything, so... wish him well.

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[Unlike most other weeks of late, once Nami arrived home to give the news, she stayed put. She opens the door not too long after, to the tune of some melancholic violin music drifting down from Brook's music room upstairs.]

...Richard. Hey.

May I come in?

[He doesn't want to intrude if she wants to be alone, but at the same time, he'd like to give her the opportunity to have a listening ear if she needs it.]

...always. [She steps back, holding the door open wide with a faint smile. She can guess the meaning behind the visit-- not that hard, after all, given a loss. But it really is nice to have company turn up sometimes.]

[He nods and makes sure to knock the snow off his boots before he steps inside, reaching into his coat pocket as he does so.]

I found something called "Christmas tea" in the store the other day-- I thought I'd bring it along with me so we could give it a try. I have no idea what it tastes like or what makes it Christmas tea, but it seemed intriguing enough.

Mm, Christmas tea... wonder if it has anything to do with cinnamon? [It's a musing thught as she closes the door behind him, tapping at the rack by the door in case he wants to hang up his coat.] Well, let's give it a try. The kitchen could use some company.

Now that you mention it, it does smell like it has some spices in it. Perhaps that's why they gave it the special label.

[He'll hang up his coat when prompted after extracting the packet of tea sachets from the pocket, holding them up just in case Nami wants to smell them for herself.]

[She doens't need to; she can catch the whiff of spice from here. |D Nami pads into the kitchen.]

I'll put the kettle on. How've you been?

[Richard follows, grateful for the warmth of the house after the cold temperatures outside.]

About as well as can be hoped given this place. Isamu and I celebrated his birthday the other day, but aside from that, things have been quiet lately.

Really? How old is he?

[Small talk is go.]

[Small talk is fine by Richard, as he knows well its powers of distraction.]

Twenty now, as hard as that is to believe... though I can't say he always acts like it.

Heh, I'll say. [...which leads her to a question she doesn't believe she's ever asked.]

Out of curiosity, how old are you?

I turned twenty-two in August. But now that you mention it, I don't think I've ever asked you how old you are either.

Hard to say. Given I went home recently, I guess I'm twenty again. But I've celebrated three birthdays here.

I suppose you could consider the extra birthdays to be something of a perk...

All that attention and not a day older?

And more presents to go along with it.

Well, I can never say no to more presents.

[She blinks, and turns to put the kettle on. Easily distractable, it seems.] I'd offer you some cookies or something, but Sanji-kun's still away and I haven't been here in forever...if they did exist in the house, I wouldn't trust the person who baked them.

[Disaster-cooks all up in here. 8|]

[Even though it was meant to be a joke and he knows it, the mention of not trusting the baker hits right at one of Richard's paranoias, and his eyes darken slightly.]

That's quite all right-- I just ate lunch not long ago, so there's no need to worry about feeding me for the time being. Just tea will be enough for me.

[Nami doesn't make the connection. She's too weary and isn't paying terribly much attention, sorry Richard. ;; She just nods and gestures at the seats, turning back to the bench to investigate this so-called Christmas tea.

Besides he's right. They could very well be poisonous. *_*]

How have you been?

[Richard hesitates for a moment (he hates letting someone else do all the work, even if this is Nami's house), then at last takes a seat, though he's ready to stand up again at a moment's notice should she need a hand.]

Still in one piece, and without any sort of strange added appendages or mental alterations.

[Translation: pretty good, considering!]

Well, I guess we count our blessings where we can. I suppose I'm lucky in that the Malnosso have left me alone since I came back, too.

[Well, aside from a small endeavor with some gold and a desert, but psh.]

I'd say that could be considered a victory of sorts around here.

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