Eighth Page - [Voice / Action for house #28]

[healedbythelight]

[For the longest time, Cheria didn't want to believe that it was true. That Asbel's disappearance from the house was just a temporary thing. His belongings were gone, but that didn't mean anything. He could've just been sent home for a brief while and would return soon enough. If it could happen to both herself and Richard, then why not Asbel? Though, now that four days have passed, she has to face the possibility that Asbel has followed the same route as Sophie, Hubert, Pascal and the Captain. That he may not return any time soon, and if he does, he may not remember what had transpired on Luceti.

People will have to know. Asbel had made so many friends here who would miss him... She can't leave this responsibility to King Richard- he's already been through so much. As much as he tries to hide it, Cheria can tell that Asbel's absence is hurting him as much as it's hurting her. No, possibly even more.

With a heavy feeling in her chest, she picks up her journal from the nightstand. She'd been hiding in her room for quite a few hours now, but she's getting restless. As she flips the book open, she starts to pace through the house.]

Ah... I'm sorry, everyone. This announcement will only take a moment. That is... To everyone who's met Asbel Lhant... [She chokes back a sob as she enters the living room. Having to announce it to the world only makes it that much more real.]

T-To everyone who may miss him... I'm afraid he's been s-sent home. I'm... I'm sure it's for the best, so please don't-

[Her voice cuts off abruptly as she takes a seat on the couch, only to realize she sat down on something. Or... someone. She tilts her head to the left curiously and breathes a sharp gasp when she realizes she's sitting in the lap of a boy who's lying sprawled out across the couch. Not just any boy, either.]

A-ASBEL!

[The journal slips from her hands in shock, though not before recording a bit of Asbel's response:] ... Huh? Cheria, what are- [There's a loud thud and the recording cuts off completely.]

Comments

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

[Cheria's scream was a true wake up call for Asbel. After all, he'd been sleeping peacefully on the couch. Except he didn't go to sleep on the couch. Sure, he remembered going to sleep, but it was in his own bed in the manor. But that wasn't something he was too concerned with. He was more concerned with why Cheria was trying to sit on him.]

... Huh? Cheria, what are you doing?

[Action]

[healedbythelight]

[Cheria can't even process the question. She barely notices her journal fell to the ground. All she knows is that Asbel is right here. He's shirtless and she's sitting in his lap, but he's here.]

A-Asbel... You're...!

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

[He's just staring at her like she's grown a second head.]

I'm... What?

[Action]

[healedbythelight]

[Why is he just staring at her like she's done something strange? Doesn't he get how worried she's been? Doesn't he get how relieved she is to see him?]

You... You idiot! [Without so much as a second's notice, she flings herself forward to pull him into an embrace, burying her face in the crook of his neck so he can't see just how flushed and upset she is.]

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

[He sits there dumbfounded for a moment, still confused by her behavior, but once the shock wears, slowly, he lifts his arms to place them on her back.]

Cheria... What's with you today?

[Action]

[healedbythelight]

[Nope, she's not breaking away. Not until she's sure she's not about to break down into tears.]

What's with me?! What's w-with you?! ...Where were you?

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

[He has no idea he's in Luceti right now.]

Did you hit your head or something? We went back to Lhant together, remember? ...I haven't been asleep that long, have I?

[Action]

[healedbythelight]

B-but that was.... [It couldn't be... Asbel didn't lose his memories of Luceti, did he?]

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

Cheria... [You're acting so weird...] Are you going to explain what's going on?

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

[While it's true that Richard has been trying to keep up a brave face for Cheria's sake, he's also been stoic for another reason as well. When he discovered that Asbel's belongings were gone and realized with a sinking heart what that had to mean... he didn't feel anything. It was like all of his emotions had been wrung dry until there was nothing left but an unsettling emptiness. He just couldn't bring himself to care - either about this or about anything else - anymore.

But that doesn't mean he's blind to how this is affecting Cheria, who obviously IS feeling something about this if the way she's been acting is any indication. So he's going to go check on her to make sure she's all right... that's the least he can do, after all.]

Cheria?

[Action] Ehhhh let's just make this pre-Asbel

[healedbythelight]

[Cheria's hidden away in her room, as she has been for the past few days. Mostly, she's just been lying on her bed, flipping through the journal or staring out the window. She isn't certain where Tiger Festival's gone- She might've left the house to hunt down mice, or perhaps she's curled up in the laundry basket again. ... Sigh. Laundry. Cheria will need to get to that today, too.

She looks up at the sound of Richard's voice.]

Ah... Yes?

[Action] works for me!

[ledbythewind]

[Truth be told, Richard has been doing much the same, and thus he can't really fault Cheria for it. Laundry? Who needs to do laundry when he hasn't really bothered to get out of pajamas except when he needs to? (He's fully-clothed right now, though, so Cheria doesn't have to worry about that much.)]

I was going to make some tea-- would you like some?

[Action]

[healedbythelight]

[She bows her head for a moment, thinking. She can't worry Richard too much. Having him worry would only make things worse, and then Cheria will feel worse in turn because he feels worse.]

Yes... I'd like that.

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

What kind would you prefer?

[He feels awkward, out of his element, though he does his best not to let that show in his voice. Asbel should be the one to comfort Cheria when she's sad, not him. But with Asbel gone, he'll just have to do his best to take Asbel's place for this.]

[Action]

[healedbythelight]

Oh... It doesn't matter to me. Whichever you would prefer, I suppose.

[Listless as she is, she'll push herself off the bed, now. If they're going to have tea, they should go have a seat in the kitchen or the living room.]

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

I think we still have some of that Earl Grey that I brought home a couple of weeks ago. I'll go put the teakettle on for the water and see if there's anything to eat as well.

[Not that he's hungry, but Cheria might very well be.]

[Action]

[healedbythelight]

Ah, yes... [Cheria honestly isn't that hungry either, but she won't stop Richard from getting something to eat. It's probably for the best if they both have some.

She'll follow him to the kitchen, then.]

voice

[ex_restoring6]

[At first, Naoki feels an unpleasant lurching sensation, but when the girl cuts off... And when he hears Asbel, he can't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Sure, he feels a teeny bit bad for being relieved he hasn't gone yet but not enough to say.]

...false alarm?

voice

[healedbythelight]

[It takes a while for Cheria to get back to the journal entry. First she had to spend five to ten minutes dealing with Asbel. Then, at last, she picks up the journal from the ground again.]

Ah, yes. I'm sorry. It seems the Malnosso have a very ironic sense of timing. [... It is the Malnosso who schedule these arrivals, isn't it?]

voice

[ex_restoring6]

Seems like. [But Naoki's just glad it's turned out despite the, uh, irony. Though he is curious:] How is he?

voice

[healedbythelight]

He's... still a bit disoriented, I suppose. He was home for over half a year.

voice

[ex_restoring6]

So long... [Hmm.] Does he remember this place, though?

Re: voice

[healedbythelight]

Yes, he does. It's such a relief. I don't know what I would've done if he'd... [She trails off awkwardly.]

voice

[ex_restoring6]

...Yeah. [HM to get on cheerier topics and because he's curious,] Would you happen to be Cheria?

voice

[healedbythelight]

Hah? Yes, I am. ... And you are?