010 - Forward dated to the 15th [Voice]

[deathsdoctor]

[It finally came.

As they knew both it would. Had felt it coming in the wind for weeks.

They had been home together. And then something in the air turned bad, brushed against his senses, and he paused, going grey in the face. Put down the mug he was drying. And turned.

To see Bepo, looking just as unsettled. And suddenly… oh god… suddenly… Law felt himself in motion. Get to his nakama. Grab him. Keep him here. No. NOT YET.

NO! DON’T TAKE HIS NAKAMA FROM HIM!

“Captain! I’m sorry!”

And then… as his fingers touch fur. And feel the warmth of his closest nakama.

Then…

Gone.

Snatched away as he was reaching out.

And then the world went black and the next thing Trafalgar Law knew was the sensation of his knees crashing to hit floor. Everything was cold.

He doesn’t know how long he stayed there like that. Perhaps hours. Probably hours. And then he gets to his feet and begins a slow, methodical sweep of the house. Bepo’s presence has been wiped clean. Bed nest – gone. Clothes – gone. Bits of fur that always collected in the shower – gone.

Drink. He needs a -

There’s Romulan Ale in the liquor cabinet.

When he finally addresses the network, there’s no life left in his voice. It might as well be a dead man speaking. Dead and numbed and slightly slurred for those sharp enough to hear:]

For those who knew him, Bepo has been returned home.

[And he shuts the journal. He’ll reply later. He does not want to hear ‘I’m sorry’ right now.

‘I’m sorry’ will haunt him the rest of his days here.]

Comments

[voice]

[hiken_ace]

[He hears the voice over the journal, if it can be called that. Ace knows he should respond to say something, but what?]

...do you need some company right now? [He has no idea who this person is, but he's not gonna let them be like this when someone they know left.]

[voice]

[deathsdoctor]

[It's later when there's an reply, much later. He hasn't been doing much. Just sitting on the couch, barely tasting his drink by this point, and petting his cat - staring into space. He's sobered quite a bit but the numbness remains. It's finally when Sumire has had enough of being petted and rears up to bat at his face with a paw, he goes back to look at his journal.]

... think I could use a bar's worth of drinks, actually.

[Still dead sounding. But in other words, yes.

The house is too far big for him tonight.]

[voice]

[hiken_ace]

...I can't guarantee the drinks. But I can drop by wherever you are, if you need someone.

[He feels extremely uncomfortable leaving people alone like this.]

[voice]

[deathsdoctor]

Drink with me tomorrow. Good Spirits. Tonight... I just need time.

[Do you recognize his voice yet? Pirate. Rival pirate. Even though he needs the company, can you understand why he's hesitant to let another pirate see him like... this.]

[voice]

[hiken_ace]

--Law? [Oh shit. Shit. No way in hell is he waiting till tomorrow.]

I'll bring drinks and come over now if you want. [He'll probably come over anyway.]

[voice]

[deathsdoctor]

Do you know where I live?

[Voice]

[phantasmgap]

[She doesn't know the man. But she knows that voice. The emotion in it, or lack thereof. This is someone who lost something precious. Someone precious.

Yukari could relate, in her own way. Being brought here to Luceti, she lost the two things most valuable to her - her shikigami, and the land she called home. She knew what kind of pain he was going through. The voice, as of such, comes out even and calm.]

What will help you? To vent? To lash out? To simply let the shock wash over you?

If you are consenting, I will do what I can to assist.

[Voice]

[deathsdoctor]

[He doesn't know her. And his first impulse is silence.

He feels so very vulnerable and brittle. And he doesn't want to expose that in front of the village more than he has to. He is a pirate and weakness means death. To be weak invites attack. Betrayal is a common thing in the Grand Line and he... is alone. No nakama.

And she isn't one of his trusted ones. Not one of his friends (still not nakama but close enough) that he knows won't stab him in this time of grief and... weakness.

So. Silence.

But.

Later.

Much later.]

Thank you.

[The thought meant something all the same.]

[Voice]

[phantasmgap]

[Trust issues. She could understand that; when she comes from the same world as Yuuka, after all...]

It is the least I can do; banding together appears to be the only way to survive in this realm.

[Voice]

[generalflirt]

[ . . . . Hm]

Law-san?

[It's a familiar tone. He wonders if he sounded like that during the times he was around Saki... before... nnngh. What can he offer this man?]

Ah, Law-san, how about we go punch something?

[Voice]

[deathsdoctor]

[You don't know how tempting that is.

It is tempting beyond words. That sudden desire to hurt something runs thick through his veins... something to soothe the pain hidden underneath the numbness, shock, and alcohol.

And if he starts, he doesn't know when he'll stop.]

Battledome?

[Safest place for this. He knows better than to pick a fight with a real person right now. That would be... stupid.]

[Voice]

[generalflirt]

That seems like it would be the best idea, right?

[Voice]

[deathsdoctor]

Yeah.

[Punching something. Not cutting it to pieces.

In this case... more satisfying. Sometimes it's just better to be hands on.]

[Voice]

[generalflirt]

So... you're game?

[Voice]

[deathsdoctor]

I am.

[And for once, to avoid any mishaps, he's going to leave his weapons home.]

[Voice]

[endgames]

[...well damn. Shikamaru's been there before.]

Oi.

[Voice]

[deathsdoctor]

[After some time.]

... hey.

[Lifeless.]

[Voice]

[endgames]

Hey.

[He knows what he wants to say, but he thinks it might be too soon.]

When you've had your drinks and thrown your punches, lemme know.

[Voice]

[deathsdoctor]

[A heartbeat. Two. Three. Time for those words to sink in and make there way past the grief and the shock.]

Sure.

[Voice]

[endgames]

I'll wait for it. Any time, man.

[He needs time to indulge what hurts, and to vent - he gets that. And other people have already volunteered to sit with him through that so he's not going to throw his hat in just yet on top of that.

He'll keep his word though, and keep himself available for what comes after that.]

[ in which Katara breaks all the rules: action ]

[markofthebrave]

[...so when Katara finally gets this, she doesn't respond verbally.

It's been her experience that there's nothing that there's nothing you can say to this sort of thing.

But sometimes. There is something you can do.

Knock, knock.]

[ be a rebel, Katara!: action ]

[deathsdoctor]

[Shuffling footsteps and the door creaks open, and the first thing that peeks out is a tiny black kitten with orange eyes and a purple collar.]

Maow?

Sumire... come on. Back.

[The door creaks open and there's more shuffling and near tripping as the kitten scampers around.]

Katara...

[This is the look of quiet devastation. Of a man who needs to be strong, needs to be strong more than ever, but is finding the task of merely facing forward more of a burden than he ever thought in this very moment, much less going on.]

[ action ]

[markofthebrave]

Hey.

[Entering in, carefully blocking in the kitten as she shuts the door behind her...

Yeah. One Trafalgar Law is about to have to deal with being hugged. She wraps her arms around his waist, her head coming to about the middle of his chest and she rests it there for just a moment.]

[ action ]

[deathsdoctor]

[And that nearly undoes him.




And his knees buckle slightly, and his arms come around her and he doesn't know if he's trying to comfort her or soak in the comfort she's offering. Probably both.

It takes him a while to find his voice and it sounds crackly to his voice. Still numb, but... not as dead.]

... it's good to see you.

[ action ]

[markofthebrave]

[Katara hugs are the best hugs. Usually she's of a mind to keep them short but... right now she thinks they're both better off just if she just stays just there.

She is going to miss Bepo. And she doesn't even want to look to see what this is doing to Trafalgar.]

You too. I'm sorry this hurts so much.