(no subject)

[goldenglasses]

Who: Vash and you
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Three Twins, Space Bar, and Planet
When: July 21st

[The change in Vash over the past month or so is subtle. Only those who spend a lot of time around him or know him well will have probably noticed. As of late though the smile that’s normally on his face doesn’t quite reach his eyes anymore. It’s still big and there, but just lacking a small something. He’s not as loud and rambunctious as he is normally. Still full of pep and annoyance, but again there’s a slight undertone of simply going through the motions of what’s expected.

He still shows up where expected. Bakeries ordering mountains of donuts. On the beach enjoying the sounds of the ocean. Cooking at the Space Bar. Laughing and enjoying life as normal. Although, if he doesn’t notice someone around at times he can be caught staring off into the distances. The mask nearly breaking for a moment during these moments as a frown tries to break through. Then with a shake of his head it’s gone and the normal Vash is back.

Hopefully people ordering food during Vash’s shifts at the Space Bar like well done food. Whoops.

Then the day he hates every year arrives. July 21st. The anniversary of the destruction of the city of July. Or at least, as best as he can figure by the fleet’s calendar.

Today Vash sits quietly on the beach, uneaten donuts and bottle of whiskey sitting next to him, and he can’t muster the strength to even pretend to smile. Not today; even though he tried earlier.

It’s at this moment Vash’s communicator he had placed in the sand decides to turn on. Catching him just as he stands with the whiskey in his hand. He considers the bottle a moment, twisting it in his hand, before opening it and pouring it slowly out onto the sand.]

I’m sorry, that this is all I can do for now. I promise, I’ll find a way back one day. I’m not running away this time. I’ll make sure it won’t happen again. I’m so sorry.

Comments

Planetside

[killedwithlove]

[Cole just appears from nowhere, as he does, with a small entourage.

He seems to have acquired fluff slugs. There's four on the edge of his hat, peeking over the brim, and a couple on his shoulders, clinging on and making their soft sound of comfort.

He silently offers out another one that rests in his hands.]

I know it doesn't fix anything, but she'd like to try.

[goldenglasses]

[Vash visibly jumps as Cole does his Cole thing of suddenly showing up. More so as he had been spacing out and lost in his own mind.]

Ah. [Vash reaches out to let the slug crawl it's way from Cole to him. He has spent a bit of time with some of the slugs. They did actually help a little and while Vash isn't sure he deserves their comfort on a day like today it would be rude to deny a kind offer like this.

So he smiles for Cole and pets the slug almost without thinking. How could something called a slug be so soft?] Thanks, I'm sure she'll help out plenty.

[killedwithlove]

[Cole doesn't sit down, because he's not sure that Vash really wants him to stay. Another slug abandons ship, tumbling off the hat to fall onto Vash and start purring.]

You don't have to smile for me.

[goldenglasses]

[Vash sighs and doesn't stop the slug from falling onto him and purring as he continues to pet the slug in his hand. A sad smile on his face still.]

I know. I really can't hide anything from you, can I? I guess; it's just that I... well, I don't really know what I should do. So I just smile. You know?

[He's not really sure that he himself knows.]

[killedwithlove]

You can. But not hurts. I can go away if you prefer. But... I can't say anything to make it better, but I can understand how you feel and tell you that if I was there... I wouldn't blame you.

[It's all he has.]

Video

[spontaneouscombustion]

[Thaaaaat sounds like a humanoid trying to make themselves feel better with alcohol. How and why humanoids have that custom she'll never know.]

Vash?

Video

[goldenglasses]

[As much as Vash does enjoy losing himself in drink now and then at least he's not drinking this one. No, today he feels like he should feel the pain and not try to numb it.] Oh? [Although he stops pouring when he hears Pinkie's voice.] Pinkie, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that was on. [Walking over now to pick up the communicator.]

[spontaneouscombustion]

That's alright. Are you okay?

[goldenglasses]

Well; yes and no. [Today calls for a little honesty.]

I'm okay. It's just something really bad happened on my home on this day and it makes me sad to think about it.

[spontaneouscombustion]

Oh. .... Need some company?

video;

[thetruehistorian]

[There's something compelling about seeing your fellows in emotional pain. Even if it's a stranger, there's always a desire to reach out and wish them the best.

Robin is no different, deep down.]

A rather cryptic message, but I assume that's on purpose. Would it be too intrusive of me to ask what sort of condolences I ought to be giving?

video;

[goldenglasses]

Huh? [Vash turns towards the communicator as the whiskey finishes pouring into the sand.] Oh, sorry. [He walks up and picks it up off the sand.]

It wasn't meant to be cryptic the ah, people, I was talking to understand.

video;

[thetruehistorian]

I'm sure they do. How long has it been?

video;

[goldenglasses]

It has been over twenty years now. I like to remember it at least once a year. [By choice or not.] As painful as it is sometimes. A lot of people died and I don't want them to be forgotten.

video;

[thetruehistorian]

Ah. I understand that sentiment rather acutely. The island where I grew up was wiped from the map in a single day. Reports indicate that there was only one survivor.

[It seems statistically impossible to Robin, the older she gets and the more she sees how incredibly tenacious life can be. But as yet, she hasn't found anyone else like herself.]

Does company lift your spirits? Or is solace the way you cope better?

Video

[alwayscomeback]

[Well, this is deeply worrying. ]

...You want some company?

[It's not really an offer as a pre-warning. He's coming to find you, buddy.]

Video

[goldenglasses]

Huh? [Voice? Ah, stupid communicator.]

Ah, no! It's okay. I'm alright. [Also not hard to find. He's just a little ways out of town.]

Video

[alwayscomeback]

This is the sound of me not believing you.

I'm coming to find you, you can make this easier for me by telling me where you are.

Re: Video

[goldenglasses]

[Vash sighs and is quiet for a moment. A silent debate within.]

Alright, head out of the village to the East and I'm on the beach. With my red coat I shouldn't be too hard to spot.

But really, I'm alright. You don't have to come out here. [Alright as one can be with guilt that weighs several tons that can never be unloaded as one can be.]

Video

[alwayscomeback]

I know I don't have to come, but I'm coming anyway. So there.

[He's already out the door and on his way, buddy. No escape. ]

I'll be there soon. Don't go anywhere.

Planetside

[apurrstate]

[Anders saw the accidental post, but he doesn't comment on it. He can tell when something wasn't meant to be seen and he can only imagine how many people here won't care and will respond anyway. How annoying that would be if it were him in Vash's shoes.

Instead, he finds a bottle of something strong in town and a sweet pastry and comes to find the man he'd started thinking of as a friend.

It's Anders' kitten, Pounce, that greets Vash first however. The orange fluff runs past Vash to the ocean, bating at an abandoned shell, only to puff up and run away with an offended sound as the water boldly swept back to shore. That was a lot more water than the kitten was bargaining for. How dare it try to wet his paws.]

[goldenglasses]

[Vash was annoyed by the communicator he had set aside to avoid getting wet had turned on him. In the end he had been touched by the show of support from the Fleet. They were so kind and it made him feel a bit better even as he wondered if most would still feel the same if they knew what really happened.

He was sitting again now that the well wishes had stopped and watching the water. Usually so hyper aware of his surroundings he just doesn't care today and is letting his mind wander.

Which is partly why he's surprised by the cat running by him and first snickers at they way it plays with the water then slight worry.]

A-Ahhh! Ser, Pounce! Should you be out here on your own? [Losing a crew member's cat. Not a good day.]

[apurrstate]

[The cat mews and looks at Vash, but then looks past him at Anders who finally catches up with his wayward pet.]

He's not that alone. Although, if you ever find him out on his own, he's very easy to tempt with a bit of fish or cream.

[Anders plopped uninvited to the sand only a bit to Vash's side. He put the bottle he'd picked up between them and held the wrapped sweet bun out to his pilot.]

I'm insisting all my friends try these things, they're terribly delicious. It'll be a shame when we finally have to kick off from this place.

[goldenglasses]

Fish and creme. Got it. [He does feel a bit better seeing Anders. He's never been good at cat wrangling.]

I know, right? [Vash will happily take the offered bun without complaint. He can guess why Anders is out here, but he's not going to comment on it.] I was actually thinking of seeing if we could request another upgrade to our kitchen. As the food we have to deal with between stops is criminal!

[apurrstate]

[Anders smiles and takes up petting the kitten as soon as Pounce settles himself into Anders' lap.]

Good idea! It'd be nice to have real food available to us. Since it seems I'll be sticking around here a while, maybe I'll look into that sort of thing myself.

[How frightening: accepting he might have to stay in one place for an extended amount of time. He hadn't let himself think of it before, but it had been a couple months now. No point in pretending this whole space thing was only temporary.]

Nicer bedrooms would be a plus too.