[When Lancer goes to his room, he'll find a sealed envelope on the floor, slid under the door. There are two pages, all written in Ginia's tidy handwriting.
The first page contains directions on how to run the washing machine and dryer with notes on when to adjust the water from hot to cold, detergent amounts, and other general laundry notes. There are also directions on how to cook scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast on the back of the page.
The second page is a letter.]
Lancer,
I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye. Maybe I was afraid you'd stop me, maybe I was afraid I'd change my mind, or maybe I didn't want to see you disappointed. I've always been afraid of disappointing you.
I'm leaving the temple. By the time you read this letter, Caster will have already removed my name and I'll be gone. It was nothing Caster did. I broke a promise to him and I'm leaving so I don't hurt him. I'll be okay, I have a place to go. You don't need to worry about me.
Did I ever tell you how much you meant to me? If I didn't, I'm sorry, let me make that clear now. You were always kind and polite to me. You have a great smile. Thank you for going easy on me in sparring but still giving me a challenge. I've always admired and respected you, and I think you must be having a brother is like. Someone I can count on and depend on and even if I'm sometimes exasperated with you, I still care. Thank you for that.
I don't need to tell you to take care of Caster or Archer, so please take care of yourself. Don't forget to take breaks when you train. Go explore the Near Shore on your own. Find a hobby to enjoy, do something for yourself, please.
If you still want to talk to me after this, I'd like that. I also understand if you don't.
[It's not long after this that he decides to send her a text message.]
Thank you for the kind letter. I do miss you, and I am worried about you, even as you tell me not to be. But that is the kind of person I suppose I am.
I always liked having you around. You are a joy to spend time with, and I would like to talk with you again soon.
Don't worry. I will still take care of them until they find me no longer in need of doing so. But I will find something else to do with my time as well.
[It's a few days before Ginia writes back, a little bit because she's busy, mostly because she's ignoring her feelings. It mostly feels like if she admits how much she misses them, she'll fall apart and never put herself back together. With two gods, she can't afford to be careless with her emotions.]
I left the nerf gun in my bedroom. It's in the top-most box next to the desk. Help yourself to it. There are also dog treats for Lucky in my nightstand. I meant to put them in the kitchen but I forgot.
[There is the feeling a few people in the office would find an ambush via nerf gun amusing. Yet at the same time, there's the vague sense it would be more upsetting for the jumpier of Ebisu's shinki. They're not a temple of warriors.
The gun can stay where it is. Maybe coming back to chase them around with foam darts is a reason to return one day. Maybe.]
Okay. I might be slower in replying these days, but you know how to reach me.
["How's everyone doing?" she writes before deleting the message. It feels too cruel to ask when she's the one who left. Maybe it's not her place to know anymore.]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
January 17th
2018-09-13 17:59 (UTC)The first page contains directions on how to run the washing machine and dryer with notes on when to adjust the water from hot to cold, detergent amounts, and other general laundry notes. There are also directions on how to cook scrambled eggs, sausage, and toast on the back of the page.
The second page is a letter.]
Lancer,
I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye. Maybe I was afraid you'd stop me, maybe I was afraid I'd change my mind, or maybe I didn't want to see you disappointed. I've always been afraid of disappointing you.
I'm leaving the temple. By the time you read this letter, Caster will have already removed my name and I'll be gone. It was nothing Caster did. I broke a promise to him and I'm leaving so I don't hurt him. I'll be okay, I have a place to go. You don't need to worry about me.
Did I ever tell you how much you meant to me? If I didn't, I'm sorry, let me make that clear now. You were always kind and polite to me. You have a great smile. Thank you for going easy on me in sparring but still giving me a challenge. I've always admired and respected you, and I think you must be having a brother is like. Someone I can count on and depend on and even if I'm sometimes exasperated with you, I still care. Thank you for that.
I don't need to tell you to take care of Caster or Archer, so please take care of yourself. Don't forget to take breaks when you train. Go explore the Near Shore on your own. Find a hobby to enjoy, do something for yourself, please.
If you still want to talk to me after this, I'd like that. I also understand if you don't.
Best wishes,
Ginia
no subject
2018-10-07 20:14 (UTC)Thank you for the kind letter. I do miss you, and I am worried about you, even as you tell me not to be. But that is the kind of person I suppose I am.
I always liked having you around. You are a joy to spend time with, and I would like to talk with you again soon.
Don't worry. I will still take care of them until they find me no longer in need of doing so. But I will find something else to do with my time as well.
Please, talk to me again soon, Ginia. I miss you.
no subject
2018-10-11 22:02 (UTC)I left the nerf gun in my bedroom. It's in the top-most box next to the desk. Help yourself to it. There are also dog treats for Lucky in my nightstand. I meant to put them in the kitchen but I forgot.
I'm doing okay. I'm well taken care of.
I miss you too.
no subject
2018-10-18 02:20 (UTC)I'm glad to hear it. Let's talk very soon, okay?
[He wants to see her in person, and make sure she's okay.]
no subject
2018-10-21 04:12 (UTC)The gun can stay where it is. Maybe coming back to chase them around with foam darts is a reason to return one day. Maybe.]
Okay. I might be slower in replying these days, but you know how to reach me.
["How's everyone doing?" she writes before deleting the message. It feels too cruel to ask when she's the one who left. Maybe it's not her place to know anymore.]
no subject
2018-10-22 02:06 (UTC)[He will make sure she knows where it is. But he doesn't want her to just leave it here when it could be fun anywhere she is.]