The Deck | Afternoon | Monday | February 15

[therewaslife]

One of the easiest ways, Bod discovered, of dealing with leftover restless energy was to get himself out of his room. Finding it was warmer than it had been was even better. It meant he could go outside without feeling like he was going to turn into the human equivalent of an icicle.

With a walk into town on his mind, Bod decided he could wait awhile when he discovered the deck. It look little used (which made sense during the winter months) but it was warm enough today to get some use.

So, he clambered onto the deck and took a seat, making himself comfortable by stretching his leg out and tucking his arms behind his head. Of course, now that he was there, he didn't really have much to do. Staring at the sky worked for a few moments before he let his eyes slip closed.

It wasn't sleep so much as an easy way to take himself back to a different time in a different place with different people. He didn't do this often since it tended to make him maudlin but on a brisk Monday, he allowed himself the luxury.

[deck's an open place! just trying to keep myself awake!]

Comments

[therewaslife]

"Yes," he said, letting another laugh slip out. Two today. That was a large amount for him but she was just having that effect on him. "Yes, I'd like to. I promise, I won't end up with a confusing crush on you, either."

Well, he hoped not. Who knew, right?

[intraspective]

She grinned sunnily at him. Who knew, indeed!

"That'd be appreciated," Ino told him, wrinkling her nose cheerfully. "I don't know what I'd do if I had to deal with two confusing crushes all at once!"

Except part of her would feel warm and fuzzy and loved even while she flailed.

[therewaslife]

"I've never had a crush on anyone so, if I get one on you, I don't know if I'd know anyway," he confessed, shaking his head. "If I send you flowers, perhaps that would be an indicator?"

[intraspective]

"Unless you signed them 'from a friend'," she teased, smiling. "But that's totally fine--if it gets confusing, we can just talk, yeah?"

[therewaslife]

"I'm pretty good at talking," he assured her. "I almost wished I had sent flowers but I missed my chance to do it on the holiday. Perhaps late is better than never?"

[intraspective]

"Late is always better than never," she told him. "And flowers are one of those things that it's awesome to get just--whenever, too. They don't have to have a special occasion around them."

[therewaslife]

"Interesting." And good to know. "I'm still getting the hang of things here but I think all of mine would be signed with the friend label. I wouldn't want to unnecessarily confuse someone."

[intraspective]

Ino laughed easily.

"You can say things like 'from your friend' or 'thanks for...' whatever, you know? But if you go around not specifying, that's when it gets a bit confusing, you know?"

She glanced at him. "This here's a whole lot to adjust to, yeah? But I promise it's not all confusing."

Just most of it.

[therewaslife]

"I don't mind the adjustment, I just didn't think it'd be so different from where I was before." Of course, most places tended to differ from graveyards. "How long did it take you to adjust? If you have, that is."

[intraspective]

"Oh man," she said, making a face at that. "Adjusting to the basics of how things work here? That didn't take too long. Maybe a few months? But I've been here two and a half years now and I'm still adjusting to other things. It's very different here from my home in some important ways."

Ino blinked over at him. "What was your place before like?"

[therewaslife]

"I grew up in a graveyard," he said easily, making no attempt to hide or hesitate. He was proud of his home. "And I was raised by ghosts for almost the entirety of my life."

[intraspective]

Ino tilted her head at him curiously. A bit startled--but, well, two and a half years in Fandom said pretty much anything was possible and who was she to say anything about where someone had grown up?

"And you're not a ghost?"

She had to ask, come on.

[therewaslife]

"I'm not but you're free to poke me to check," he offered, stifling a grin and holding out a hand.

[intraspective]

She eyed him, amused and a bit dubious, but reached out to press her fingers against his hand.

Ino pinked up slightly. "Guess you're not."

[therewaslife]

"I'm not," he said, pulling his hand back. "I just had the ability to see ghosts because I lived in the graveyard. I haven't died. Not yet, at least."

[intraspective]

"Will you be a ghost when you die?" she asked curiously. "Though not dying is good. I support that. Can you still see ghosts now that you're not in the graveyard?"

Ino had questions.

"If you feel like answering, I mean."

[therewaslife]

"I'm not sure what I'll be when I die," he answered honestly. "I hope to be a ghost because their afterlives aren't so bad but I think different things happen to different people."

Really, as long as Bod didn't turn out to be a ghoul, he'd be content.

"And no, I can't," he added. "Being able to see them was tied to living where I did. It was called the Freedom of the Graveyard."

[intraspective]

"Freedom of the Graveyard," she echoed. "That sounds pretty useful if you're living there, I can totally see that. Do you miss the graveyard? The ghosts?"

[therewaslife]

"Everyday," he answered, nodding. "Some more than others. I can't go back though so I try not to think too much about it."

[intraspective]

"Guess I'm not helping, huh?" she looked apologetically at him over her hot chocolate. "Sorry 'bout that."

[therewaslife]

"It's fine," he said, waving that off. "There's no need to apologize. I like to think about them, I promise. I just wish I could go back to visit sometime."

[intraspective]

Ino gave that a quizzical little shrug and wondered if she ought to ask. It was a bit... forward to ask right away, right?

Probably.

"Can you write to them?" she asked, then flushed. "Though I guess asking if ghosts can get mail is a bit dumb..."

[therewaslife]

"I could write but I don't think it'd be received," he said, laughing a bit. "I think the caretaker might get mail but he wouldn't think to deliver any letters addressed to ghosts."

[intraspective]

"That's mean," she laughed. "He should bring them out to the graves, at least!"

[therewaslife]

"When I was there, I never saw mail delivered to the graves so I'm just assuming which I know can be wrong sometimes," he allowed. "There's no harm in trying, I suppose."