stilldontgotit | 51 - voice/action;

[After two years, Riku thought that maybe things would turn out all right. Most people who disappear leave in a flash. A month, maybe three. When he woke up in the morning, he expected everything to fall back into its usual routine.

There's just one problem: his apartment's half-empty. At first he thought the absence of Ino was because she'd woken up earlier, maybe decided to do some training. She had a test coming up, after all, but as Riku zips through the apartment, he finds all her belongings have gone amiss.

Stunned silence overtakes him. It's about a half hour later that he addresses the journals.]

Ino's gone. I know she had a lot of friends from back home, so... just thought I'd let you know.

[His voice is strangely subdued, soft and weak. For a moment, he thinks about ending it there, but another thought creeps into his mind.]

How do you guys even handle it? I know some of you have gotten married here or plan to, but don't you realize it could end in a heartbeat? Luceti's just so unpredictable. When you're with someone it's bad enough, but to take the next big step in a place this unstable... I swear I'm not trying to bring anyone down. I just don't understand.

[...]

I'll be out by the lake if anyone needs me.

[With that, he snaps his journal shut, venturing out into the woods with his Komory Bat fluttering close behind. His destination is simple: the larger of Luceti's two lakes. Why there? Well, it has everything to do with a raft he's been keeping for the past five years. One of his first accomplishments.

He's had to replace pieces of it more times than he can count, and the sail's a bit tattered now, but anyone in the area may spot him leaning back against the mast and flicking stones into the water.

His bat perches on his shoulder, and he lets out an airy chuckle.]

Hey, relax. I'll sort this out. Just need a little time...

Threaded | Flat

[Mickey has no idea of the measure of this relationship, but this is important to Riku, so this is important to him. And that's why he shows up at the lake, calmly walking up to Riku's side.]

Nice throw.

... it's exactly why we chose to do it. Because Luceti is like that. [Getting married that is.] We found that we'd regret it more if we didn't go through with it, than if we decided to hold off because of this place's whims.

[..... Well.

Teddy's not sure which lake, but that doesn't mean he can't check both. He doesn't know him (okay, he does, what kind of geek doesn't know Riku, holy shit), but that doesn't mean he can't talk to him about this. Especially when he was obviously close to Ino (Ino?).

The larger lake happens to be the one he checks first - by flying, at that. Once he sees him there, though, he decides not to startle him by just flying on in. He lands first, his larger, shifted wings receding into his back as he makes his way to the spot where Riku's sitting. As the stones skip across the water, Teddy gives a faint smile.]

I never got the hang of that. I always threw them too hard.

I... Ino-san! Is she... Could she truly be gone?! [He remembers her being here since he first arrived. To have her gone now, it's jarring.

And knowing what awaits her at home... it's worrying. Ino had yet to experience the war. And her father's fate on top of that.]

Riku-kun! Are you absolutely certain?!

... because it was worth it when you did have them, even if it only lasted for a little while.

[Richter going back home had hurt more than anything else Emil has ever experienced in his life. He won't deny that. Yet at the same time, their relationship had made him happier than he'd ever been before. Even if it meant ending with that pain, he didn't want to give up that joy along with it.]

... Sorry.

[ Yeah, that's about as much as Kohan can really say. After all, there's not much else he can offer. He doesn't want to think on it, to think that Ion could go home just as suddenly on him as Namine ever did.

But he knows it has to hurt. So he can't just not say anything... even to Riku. ]

[It's on the way to work that he saw the message, journal cracked open in the elevator for a way to pass the quick ride.

Ino's gone.

His hand had shot out to hit the stop button, before he could even take in the impact of that statement. Stuck between floors, Shikamaru listened quietly to the rest of the journal entry before taking the elevator back up to his floor. Change of plans - he doesn't go into the store today.

Much later into the evening though, but before the sun has set, he does make it out to the lake. He has one hand in his pocket, and there's a large knapsack over his shoulder, contents clinking together with the tinny of glass.]

Fine vessel you got there.

Eeeh, are you sure you don't want to bring them down? I think I might, put into your shoes.

[ That's a sympathetic set of words, but it's said in a sort of airy but somber tone. Ino, huh. That hits him a little, but it'll hit both this guy and Shikamaru a lot ]

action

no subject

[action]

[Voice]

[Voice]

[voice]

[action]

[ voice ]