... I'm not asking you to. [ well if he used the word earlier he doesn't remember because his cyoa effect is on forever but ] I just... want you to try. You deserve to be.
[ he's not sure it's something he knows how to explain, but he'll try. ]
There's no path you have to follow, no laws you have to listen to. Every day's different, because the ocean's never the same. The weather, the islands, the people... there's always something new to discover. And if you've got the right crew... that one's like here. They'd follow you anywhere. You fight together, sail together, have fun together.
[ ... ]
At night, the stars reflect on the ocean, so it looks like you're surrounded by it on all sides. Like it could go on forever.
no, she just listens, eyes closed. it sounds like a dream. it sounds like something so far out of reach, but something she wants anyway. she's quiet where she's curled up against the bars for just long enough that maybe she passed out, but.]
I want that. [...] I don't think I've ever wanted something so bad.
It's not any worse than where I'm from. [she never calls it home, her world. it doesn't feel like it. home is here, home is him. home is this crew, home is a penthouse in a city that seems hellbent on taking and taking and taking.]
I'd have you. [...] And Nico. And all of us. It'd be good. It'd be worth living for.
Nico'd be one scary pirate. [ commanding the dead at sea? intense. but he looks at her a little more seriously ] ... And you'd make a great one. I've thought so from the start.
You're a menace. [ FONDLY ] You do what you want, and you do it loud and proud. You don't care about laws or rules, you just follow your heart. What's more pirate than all of that? [ there's a pause ] And... everyone goes out to be a pirate because they want something. But only the good ones go out because they want something more than the world can give them. You always seemed like you'd be great, if you could really be free like that.
[the only reason she doesn't cry is because she's physically not capable of doing it anymore. she just squeezes his hand.]
That's what I want. [she mumbles.] I want freedom.
[she wants to see the stars like he described them. she wants to feel the wind on her face and she wants to swim in the ocean, and she wants to sit on the deck of a ship with people she loves, people who love her in return, and just... be. just be, without restriction.]
[ he sounds sure about that. he has to squish it, to get it past the bars, but after a pause he takes off his hat and puts it right on her head one last time. ]
... Yeah. I - yeah. [she says, miserably, bringing her hand up to it. she's small, so it's much bigger than normal. she runs her fingers along the brim.] I will. Nothing will happen to it.
[god you know the one piece like crying style is so accurate because she's just a mess like that, there's no pretty crying she just looks like her soul is being ripped out of her body. it almost didn't feel real until now. he gave her his hat, and he's so, so sure that she'll take care of it.
he's really going to be gone.
she's quiet, after that, but she refuses to let go of him. she'll be here all night.]
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 05:14 am (UTC)[there's no venom to it, though, and she looks like she is maybe eight years old so it's probably kind of just silly sounding.]
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Date: 2023-10-22 05:25 am (UTC)Sorry. I know it's pretty selfish of me.
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Date: 2023-10-22 05:33 am (UTC)[she agrees, but she doesn't move. and then, after a while:]
I can't promise anything, Ace.
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Date: 2023-10-22 05:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 05:57 am (UTC)she doesn't answer that. instead, she reaches to hold his hand.]
If you aren't gone forever - if you're somewhere else. Talk to me. Somehow. Okay? Tell me you're there.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 06:04 am (UTC)... I will. You'll get really annoyed with me.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 06:12 am (UTC)[she's too worn out to be a brat. she almost slurs the words.]
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Date: 2023-10-22 06:15 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 06:21 am (UTC)Sucks to suck. They owe me.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 06:24 am (UTC)Yeah. I think they owe all of us, at this point.
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Date: 2023-10-22 06:27 am (UTC)They owe you more than anybody else. [...] Tell me about being a pirate. I wanna hear about it. Tell me what it'd be like.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 06:34 am (UTC)[ he's not sure it's something he knows how to explain, but he'll try. ]
There's no path you have to follow, no laws you have to listen to. Every day's different, because the ocean's never the same. The weather, the islands, the people... there's always something new to discover. And if you've got the right crew... that one's like here. They'd follow you anywhere. You fight together, sail together, have fun together.
[ ... ]
At night, the stars reflect on the ocean, so it looks like you're surrounded by it on all sides. Like it could go on forever.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 06:51 am (UTC)no, she just listens, eyes closed. it sounds like a dream. it sounds like something so far out of reach, but something she wants anyway. she's quiet where she's curled up against the bars for just long enough that maybe she passed out, but.]
I want that. [...] I don't think I've ever wanted something so bad.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 07:01 am (UTC)... It's dangerous. But if you've got the right people with you... Every single moment's worth it. Even the bad ones.
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Date: 2023-10-22 07:07 am (UTC)I'd have you. [...] And Nico. And all of us. It'd be good. It'd be worth living for.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 07:10 am (UTC)Nico'd be one scary pirate. [ commanding the dead at sea? intense. but he looks at her a little more seriously ] ... And you'd make a great one. I've thought so from the start.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 02:13 pm (UTC)Why?
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 03:44 pm (UTC)You're a menace. [ FONDLY ] You do what you want, and you do it loud and proud. You don't care about laws or rules, you just follow your heart. What's more pirate than all of that? [ there's a pause ] And... everyone goes out to be a pirate because they want something. But only the good ones go out because they want something more than the world can give them. You always seemed like you'd be great, if you could really be free like that.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 04:18 pm (UTC)That's what I want. [she mumbles.] I want freedom.
[she wants to see the stars like he described them. she wants to feel the wind on her face and she wants to swim in the ocean, and she wants to sit on the deck of a ship with people she loves, people who love her in return, and just... be. just be, without restriction.]
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 04:28 pm (UTC)[ he sounds sure about that. he has to squish it, to get it past the bars, but after a pause he takes off his hat and puts it right on her head one last time. ]
Take care of that for me?
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 04:39 pm (UTC)she is going to die keeping this hat safe.]
... Yeah. I - yeah. [she says, miserably, bringing her hand up to it. she's small, so it's much bigger than normal. she runs her fingers along the brim.] I will. Nothing will happen to it.
no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 04:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-10-22 04:48 pm (UTC)he's really going to be gone.
she's quiet, after that, but she refuses to let go of him. she'll be here all night.]