14 [Voice]

[drawnbythesword]

[The journal clicks on, to show one depressed-looking Asbel.]

...To anyone who knew Malik Caesars or Pascal here... I'm sorry to say they've been sent home. [The less time he dwells on it, the better, right? Right, of course.]

First Sophie, and now those two...

Comments

[voice]

[trueknight]

[He may not know Asbel very well, but ...]

... Seems like a lot of people have been leaving lately.

[Voice]

[ledbythewind]

[He knows Asbel well enough by now to recognize that tone of voice, which means he's going to be concerned about you, BFF.]

... Asbel?

[voice]

[drawnbythesword]

Ahh... Yeah, guess so. Do you think something might've happened?

[Voice]

[drawnbythesword]

[There's a long pause, before he decides to answer.]

...Yeah?

[Voice]

[ledbythewind]

Are you in your room right now?

[The question that's going to follow this one should be obvious.]

[Action]

[healedbythelight]

[Much like Asbel, Cheria is trying to linger on these departures as little as possible. Trouble is, the entire house reminds her of Pascal and Malik. That's why she goes to sit outside on the porch, staring blankly at the ground. The fresh air isn't helping her much either.

Asbel is free to run into her whenever!]

[voice]

[trueknight]

Nah, not really ... Things like this just kind of happen on and off. I guess it just feels like a lot recently.

[voice]

[drawnbythesword]

Yeah, I guess you're right. I must've just never noticed before.

[Voice]

[drawnbythesword]

I'm... getting ready to head out, actually. [Because he wants to get out of this house for now.]

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

[Asbel had similar thoughts to Cheria, hoping that getting out of the house would help.

And so when he steps out, he spots Cheria already there, sitting.]

Cheria...

[voice]

[trueknight]

... Well, it's not as easily noticed when you're not the one affected by it. But when you are, it's a lot more obvious.

[Voice]

[ledbythewind]

Would you object to some company?

[Action]

[healedbythelight]

[She barely notices when the door opens behind her, but when Asbel speaks up, she's snapped right out of her thoughts with a start and turns her head to glance up at him.]

Oh... Asbel...

action;

[ozwell]

[Hubert reads the entry and doesn't reply, already having noticed Malik and Pascal's absence since they'd lived together. He doesn't react much at all, in fact, and spends the day reading literature in the living room. There is nothing different about today than any other day, save perhaps for the fact that it's quieter than usual.]

[voice]

[drawnbythesword]

...Yeah, that's true. Most of my friends remained here even when others went home. But now, just all at once...

[Voice]

[drawnbythesword]

[Asbel had planned on being by himself, for a while... But Richard was his friend. His friend that was trying to be concerned about him. Time to set a good example, then!]

Ahh... Well, I wouldn't be opposed to it.

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

You're... out here too, huh? [Well, this was kind of awkward.]

[Voice]

[ledbythewind]

Then I'll meet you at the front door in a few minutes.

[Examples are good! What is friendship and how does it work, Richard is still learning.]

action;

[drawnbythesword]

[By the time Asbel sees Hubert in the living room, he's already had time to go outside and get away from the house for a bit, so he's beginning to feel better.

However, he says nothing upon coming into the living room, instead just sitting in one of the empty chairs.]

[voice]

[trueknight]

[ ... ]

I guess it was just their time to go home. Everyone's got to hit that point eventually.

[Action]

[healedbythelight]

[Her gaze returns to the ground again as she speaks.] Yes, I just thought I'd... get some fresh air.

[voice]

[drawnbythesword]

Mmm... [He knows that they'll be better off home, and he's happy they got to go back, but...]

Yeah, I know... I'm glad they got the chance to go home, finally. [...But he still misses them. Does that make him selfish?]

[Voice]

[drawnbythesword]

...Right. I'll meet you there.

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

Ahh... Yeah, me too.

[He walks over to take a seat next to her.]

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

[And sure enough, when Asbel arrives at the front door, Richard will already be out on the porch, bundled up against the chilly weather and just watching the patterns his breath makes in the frozen air.]