“hikaru” (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
mingling) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
riverviewlogs2017-06-17 09:50 am
mingling) wrote in riverviewlogs2017-06-17 09:50 am
Entry tags:
innocence was never lost, though it may have been insulted.
who: Takashi Natsume, Cain (currently Romulus)
what: A chance encounter could lead to better chances.
when: 6/17, late afternoon
where: Some charming little park.
warnings: There may be some exploration of abusive themes—slavery, a bad childhood, and the way those things shape a person.
[He hadn't meant to fall asleep. It's completely ridiculous that he has. It's just the sun is nice, dappled through gaps in tree leaves as it is, and he gets so sleepy when he's warm like this. The grass is soft, like the grass at home is soft. There are birds to be heard. You wouldn't think this is any sort of strange place, unless you do think about it, unless the details start nagging you...
But he's tired of being nagged by them, so they've been put on the back burner for now, while he lies underneath this tree, eyelashes fluttering—he opens his eyes, squints and tries to steel himself, before his eyelids are just too heavy for it and fall shut once again. Natsume could be called tenacious, but eventually he gives up. The manner of his breath and the relaxation of his open hands is just as soft as the rustling of tree leaves.
Until something spooks him and rips him out of his little doze. A few heads throughout the park, scattered about, turn his way when they hear a high, sharp yelp. They go back to their own business when they see it's just a floundering boy. He's wrenched himself upright, eyes flown wide open, blades of grass falling from his shoulders slowly as if to remind him to calm down. An open notebook had been resting on his chest during his almost-nap; it's fallen off to the side, now. Natsume scrambles, twisting until he can balance on his hands and knees. He looks like he's starting in on a frantic lecture... Maybe a stray cat or something like that has disturbed him? Whatever it is, it's on the hidden side of the tree trunk, obscured. The lecturing continues, and then once it's finished, Natsume still doesn't seem entirely satisfied, but he tilts his head back as if he's watching something run up the side of the tree trunk. Perhaps a squirrel, in that case...
Well! That nap is certainly ruined. He looks resigned to that as he pulls himself up so he's standing, dusting grass from his legs, his hands. He bends to retrieve his notebook and wayward pencil, but standing back up too quickly affects him, and when he tries to take a step, he veers off awkwardly to the side. He catches himself, at least, by settling a hand against the tree trunk, before instead resting against it with his shoulder so he can rub at his forehead with that hand.
He doesn't look upset, at least. Not concerned. More exasperated than anything else, notebook clutched like a lifeline, the face of a teenager who's tired of being nagged at. But he's also gone quite pale, and he's not sure he's ready to take a steady step.]
what: A chance encounter could lead to better chances.
when: 6/17, late afternoon
where: Some charming little park.
warnings: There may be some exploration of abusive themes—slavery, a bad childhood, and the way those things shape a person.
[He hadn't meant to fall asleep. It's completely ridiculous that he has. It's just the sun is nice, dappled through gaps in tree leaves as it is, and he gets so sleepy when he's warm like this. The grass is soft, like the grass at home is soft. There are birds to be heard. You wouldn't think this is any sort of strange place, unless you do think about it, unless the details start nagging you...
But he's tired of being nagged by them, so they've been put on the back burner for now, while he lies underneath this tree, eyelashes fluttering—he opens his eyes, squints and tries to steel himself, before his eyelids are just too heavy for it and fall shut once again. Natsume could be called tenacious, but eventually he gives up. The manner of his breath and the relaxation of his open hands is just as soft as the rustling of tree leaves.
Until something spooks him and rips him out of his little doze. A few heads throughout the park, scattered about, turn his way when they hear a high, sharp yelp. They go back to their own business when they see it's just a floundering boy. He's wrenched himself upright, eyes flown wide open, blades of grass falling from his shoulders slowly as if to remind him to calm down. An open notebook had been resting on his chest during his almost-nap; it's fallen off to the side, now. Natsume scrambles, twisting until he can balance on his hands and knees. He looks like he's starting in on a frantic lecture... Maybe a stray cat or something like that has disturbed him? Whatever it is, it's on the hidden side of the tree trunk, obscured. The lecturing continues, and then once it's finished, Natsume still doesn't seem entirely satisfied, but he tilts his head back as if he's watching something run up the side of the tree trunk. Perhaps a squirrel, in that case...
Well! That nap is certainly ruined. He looks resigned to that as he pulls himself up so he's standing, dusting grass from his legs, his hands. He bends to retrieve his notebook and wayward pencil, but standing back up too quickly affects him, and when he tries to take a step, he veers off awkwardly to the side. He catches himself, at least, by settling a hand against the tree trunk, before instead resting against it with his shoulder so he can rub at his forehead with that hand.
He doesn't look upset, at least. Not concerned. More exasperated than anything else, notebook clutched like a lifeline, the face of a teenager who's tired of being nagged at. But he's also gone quite pale, and he's not sure he's ready to take a steady step.]
no subject
[All that familiarity, again, in Romulus' face. Natsume knows he must have looked this way every time he was offered the barest scrap of hope from somebody who saw something strange. To say nothing of making friends who understood...
What he wanted most, when he looked like that, was for someone to tell him it was okay.]
I... I've met some people before, who would have seen it, too. Who see things like that often. For a long time, I thought it was just me. But, actually... [He opens his eyes again. If there's a worthwhile time to share his heart, it's now.] I see things like that a lot, you know. Even if I don't know how or why, I see them. But it means I see things you see, too. So it's okay.
no subject
My brother, too. He sees these things with me. [ He pauses, tentative. ] With us. It's usually just spirits but here... there's been more things.
no subject
For me, they've always been... They've always looked like all sorts of things. Animals, or things that are like animals... And some of them look like humans, too. Sometimes... [He breathes out, a little puff. It's almost a laugh, equally exasperated and self-conscious in quality.] Sometimes I'll think they are a human, and then... [And then no one else can see who he's talking to.
His fingers worry at the spiral of his notebook. He's quiet for a moment before pushing himself away from the tree to stand upright. He only sways very slightly, which in his opinion means he's fine.]
I'm Natsume. It's really nice to meet you. Even if your brother isn't here, you don't have to look at things alone.
[Back home, Natori did this for him. It had cowed Natsume at the time—he didn't want anyone else involved and he was mistrustful for some time. But here, being the one to reach outward... he's not guiding anyone else into his own mire. Hopefully, he can guide someone out, instead.]
no subject
[ He doesn't have to worry as much what it means when dead people start wandering through the estate or otherwise. When someone's died nearby and sometimes others follow quickly behind. It's special and scary and quite a lot of things. ]
Natsume... I'm Romulus. It's my honor to meet you, sir.
[ And that offer, that weird closeness with this person he shouldn't feel attached to but does because of this amazing coincidence, makes him smile. It's just too much like hope for him to not. ]
no subject
...Eventually, he's nodding along.]
It's nice to meet you, Romulus. It's really nice. I...
[He wonders if there's a better way to go about this. If he's the best he could be, for Romulus.]
Well, so, there's a place nearby, if you wanted to get tea... Would you mind?
no subject
No. [ His nose wrinkles up and he shakes his head, tries again because that doesn't sound right. ] Could we? Please?