Forty-Third Theory [Mostly Action]

[i_speak_softly]

((General post for the next two weeks or so. Preemptive tl;dr, find him anywhere, though suggestion of day/place/activity is appreciated.))

[As May begins, and as a fairly large percentage of May goes by, Donatello can be found doing the following things:

-Jogging through the woods, tracking down any signs of life detected by the departed Mr. Scott's not-really-new-and-not-exactly-improved-either tricorder. ((New Feathers, feel free to jump in here.))

-Hauling huge loads of books to and from the library.

-Studying these books - in and around House 55, at the library itself, by the fountain, at the coffee shop, alongside the river... pretty much anywhere.

-Copying diagrams from the books into his journal.

-Working at the smithy, trying to create physical equivalents of these diagrams.

-Digging through bins at the item shop.

-Practicing wind magic or good old-fashioned ninjutsu in various open areas around the edges of the village.

And a few more specific actions:]


[Don needs a few minutes of your time. If you don't dare to approach him while he's working, he'll come looking for you.]



[Some rainy evening, Don will show up at Robert's door with a duffel bag and a goofy grin. You owe him a nanocomputer demonstration - and he brought you a gift.]



Frederic, a question, if you have a minute...

Comments

[semper_cogitans]

... I most certainly didn't mean to - all I meant was that you deserve good things for a change.

So does the rest of your family, for that matter.

... [Robert slumps a little bit. Do you not want them, then? I just... w-want to make you happy, somehow...

[He's already failing at making Ami or Helios happy. Please don't say he fails at making Don happy.]

[i_speak_softly]

Nothing happens just because you deserve it. [He bends over to pick up his empty duffel bag.] Does anyone still follow Tao in your world?

[semper_cogitans]

Tao... I do not recognize the term, but I would not know personally.

[Chances are... most likely not. Tao, like many other practises and religions specific to regions, probably died out over time with the general sociocultural blending.

The rest of it just... bothers him. Basic rights should never have to be earned. They are as much inherent to ethics as anything else.]

[i_speak_softly]

I'll tell you about it some time. [He moves to the door.] See you soon?

[semper_cogitans]

[Robert doesn't want Don to go... but he can't bring himself to really stop him, so he just brushes his fingers against Don's with a small smile.]

Yes... I will see you soon, if at all possible.

... I love you, Don...

[Please visit again soon...]

[i_speak_softly]

[His fingers twitch a little, almost reaching back for his partner's.]

Aishiteru, Robert.

[And then he's gone, with the speed and grace that Robert may be beginning to recognize as part of his ninja training.]