Harvest is Late Again.

[mikangirl]

Who: Nami (sort of) and anyone so inclined to help her out!
What: A harvest.
When: November 5th and 6th
Where: The mikan grove.
Summary: Nami didn't make the call for volunteers this year, despite already running late.  Luckily, Law did.
Rating: Rated PG just to be safe.


[So Nami didn't have a good time on the draft.  Which marks her up there with every other survivor of the damn thing, so nothing special there.  Events were rather shattering for both her and her crew, and she's been up here since her return, working to harvest the orchard on her own fifteen hours a day.  It's mindless and it's something to focus on, and she just didn't have the heart to make a public call out on the journals, let alone ask for help.  Aang and Marco came to help her out some earlier, for which she's silenty grateful.  But at this rate she'll be at least another week.

She hasn't heard Law's entry on the locked community (or anyone else's, for that matter), so when volunteers start arriving, she's surprised.  And not quite sure what to do except sort of...keep going. 

But.  Something tight within unwinds a little.  She might not be good at showing appreciation today, but it helps.  It really does.]

((ooc:  I've had a request for a harvest thread with Nami, so I figured putting this up is a good idea after all.  Nami herself isn't very sociable, though, so just warning ahead of time!  Backtaggable into forever.))

Comments

[corrinesbell]

[Well that went over like a brick. Great job, Sheena, it's worse now.

She stands, nudging her mikan basket aside with one foot and following Nami's path at a slower pace. Can't just leave her in there like that, even if she's only staying long enough to actually apologize.]

Nami?

[Just stop trying to help from now on.]

[mikangirl]

[She didn't go very far. Just-- just inside, away from prying eyes, back to the bedroom for privacy, but she didn't even close the door behind her. Just stumbled in before she has to hit the wall to keep her balance, And then crumples against it anyway, sucking in a breath. Holding it. Trying to hold everything.

She hears Sheena call her name. Figures she'll be here in a few seconds. Does it matter? They're sisters--

--no we're not.

She doesn't mean to make a sound. It just escapes between her fingers, high and half a sob and half wounded animal. This is so stupid.]

[corrinesbell]

[There- a sound. Sheena's trained ears pick it up and note the direction it comes from, but they didn't need to. There was only one real option for where Nami could have gone.

And her ninja not-sister follows. Slowly, afraid she's already done a lot of things wrong with just a few words. When she reaches the bedroom and its open door she knocks a knuckle against the frame, peeking inside.

Nami's up against the wall.

All hesitation lost, Sheena takes the few necessary steps in a hurry, careful hands reaching for the pirate's shoulders.]

Hey, are you- [Not okay.]

[mikangirl]

[Nami's first reaction is to pull forward, away from Sheena's hands. It's kneejerk and slight and it's just personal space and all the things Nami isn't sure how to cope with just now.

It only lasts a moment before she just...lets go. Or maybe just gives up, trembling violently, hands covering her face as if that will somehow hide the fact that she's crying, heels of her hands crushing into her cheekbones as she tries to curl into the tightest ball, voice muffled.]

I'm sorry!

[corrinesbell]

Hey- [No, what? She's sorry? Wary of making her jump again, Sheena tries once more to do something comforting - a hand on her shoulder or her arm, maybe.]

You don't have to be sorry for anything. Really.

[mikangirl]

[She's not even sure what she's sorry for. For turning into a wreck in public? For not being able to have a simple conversation? For--

--failing to be strong. Maybe. Failing at a lot of things. She doesn't pull away from Sheena this time, too caught up in trying to stop crying and find any words at all that would make sense and explain. She can't. It all catches in her chest, knotted and ugly and wrong.

Her fingers catch a little at the hand on her arm. It's not really clear whether she's trying to latch on or get rid of Sheena's touch.]

[corrinesbell]

[It's easy, she thinks, to comfort little kids and their little-kid problems with enough coaxing and solutions. If only it were that way with adults too.

Anyway Nami doesn't need the right words, not if Sheena gets enough time to think it through. This feeling is an old, familiar enemy.]

You didn't let anybody down, okay? I don't know what happened out there but that one I know already.

[mikangirl]

It's not the draft. [Well. It is and it isn't, but Nami shakes her head anyway. It's a straw and a camel's back.] It's not-- it's-- I can't--

I can't...

...do this anymore. [Nearly inaudible, muffled by her hands. It's also not true. But it's as close to explaining as she can get.]

[corrinesbell]

I bet you don't mean the harvest. [Her other arm reaches, tries to get around Nami's shoulders to stand her up and then sit her back down somewhere more comfortable.] And I know you're stronger than any of the other stuff.

[Hearing that wouldn't have helped her either, but she thinks it's worth a try.]

[mikangirl]

[Where Sheena encourages, Nami follows, sitting down on the edge of the bed instead. She's stil a mess, tears streaking down her cheeks, but the shuddering of her frame is easing, and she puts a hand over her eyes.]

I know. I'm always the strong one. [Always.] Things are just so... messed up.

{They're only going to get worse.]

[corrinesbell]

[Since they've already treaded the waters of whether or not anyone wants to talk about it, Sheena's reluctant to go there again.]

Yeah but being strong doesn't mean you're a rock, y'know? It's...okay to freak out a little bit. ['Messed up' isn't the half of it.]

[mikangirl]

[Nami isn't sure what to say to that, if she should say anything at all. She knows how bad she was when she came back from the draft. This is an echo of it, too many things gone haywire for her to be able to keep hold of it all.

But. She's already said enough as it is. Honestly, she feels ashamed. I can't do this anymore, indeed.

So she stays quiet, relieved that at least the urge for hysterical laughter is fading away. After a few more moments, it's clear she's getting a grip on her emotions.]

[corrinesbell]

[It feels awkward and like an invasion of space but she can't think of anything to do other than to pat Nami's back a little bit. The feeling of family is too personal for her to drive off now.]

[mikangirl]

[Eventually, Nami straightens up, wiping the back of her hand across her cheeks, and takes a deep breath.

Lets it out.]

I'm okay. [Or in control, anyway. She gives Sheena a wan smile.] Sorry. For uh...

...yeah.

[corrinesbell]

You don't have to be sorry. Really. I kinda get it. You wanna stay in here for a little while and take a break?

[mikangirl]

Probably a good idea. [At least while her face is resembling a melting tomato.]

[corrinesbell]

I think they can handle it by themselves for now. ...Can I get you anything?

[mikangirl]

Maybe some water from the kitchen...? There's glasses in the cupboard.

[corrinesbell]

I think I can probably figure it out.

[Up and into the kitchen with her. Her, Sheena, not her, Nami. All Nami needs to do is sit there.]

[mikangirl]

[And sit there she does. Sheena won't have any trouble finding a glass in there. Nami will stay sitting on the bed in that vaguely calm haze that usually comes after a crying jag.]

[corrinesbell]

[The ninja and the ice water return together.]

Here. [And also a hot damp towel for her face. Sheena's done enough crying to know what pretends to help.]

[mikangirl]

Thanks. [Her voice is steadier now, and Nami reaches out to take the towel, burying her face in its warmth for a moment before she glances up again and takes the glass.]

I'll be fine in a few minutes.

[Probably.]

[corrinesbell]

Yeah, I've heard that one before. I think I've even said that one before.

[mikangirl]

Well, I don't have many other choices other than to be fine.

[None she can think of that she'll accept.]

[corrinesbell]

Yeah you do. Anyway I don't think you're fine now, I think you're putting the fine mask back on instead. That's okay for a while, right?