singillatim | I am naked in the dark

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frodo baggins: tossino

I am naked in the dark

Who: Frodo Baggins and OTA!
What: Trying to cope with malfunctioning feats.
When: Month of February
Where: Milton

Community Hall - early February

It is barely noticeable at first, though Frodo does notice it. After all, it isn't the first time he has felt it. The sun doesn't rise, and he wakes one morning and his body feels so heavy, too heavy, to move. Then, even as he is surrounded by people, he feels disconnected from them, and he realises his mind is eerily quiet.

For a moment, he feels a cold dread spread through him, with the thought that Sauron must finally have found him. Even though he has long since concluded the risk of that is next to nil.

When he checks the Ring and notices that it's no heavier, that it hasn't started tugging at him once again, he concludes it couldn't be Sauron. Which means it must be the Darkwalker. It is absurd that such a terrible thing could be a comfort, but in a strange way, it is.

Even though the Darkwalker promises an end to the world.

The sun doesn't rise, and so, after that scare, Frodo starts preparing what fresh food is left. Without sun, there is no telling what will happen to the animals and the plants around, and the warmth of the greenhouse may no longer be enough either. The first half of February, he can be found in the Community Hall most of the time, drying meat and vegetables. As the days pass, he seems more and more tired.

Milton - Middle of February

The Interlopers of Milton are managing to keep the rot at bay somewhat, but the forests around it are faring worse, of course. Frodo is returning from an attempt to check his traps, and he's carrying two of them, looking worse for wear as he trudges back into town.

If he sees someone else who doesn't look too busy or too deep in thought, he stops to ask:

"Have you seen any rabbits this month?"

Community Hall and Milton - Late February

Anyone who has spent any significant amount of time in the Community Hall would know that Frodo has lived there ever since he arrived, except for the times he went to the coast and the Timberwolf Mountain. Even outside of Methuselah's feast, he would ensure there was often soup simmering at the hearth and hot drinks available.

Now, however, he appears to be moving out. Over a few days, he moves between the Hall and a nearby house on Blackrock Road, carrying clothes and supplies he's gathered over the months, as well as rations of food. He's moving quickly, keeping his head down, and seems to be intentionally avoiding anyone nearby.

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Nancy’s been in the Community Hall often enough to recognize people, even if she doesn’t know them. So she has definitely seen Frodo around. Which is why she notices him moving out. Or appearing to. He’s trying to keep his head down, looks like, trying to avoid people.

Sorry Frodo, you’re going to have a young woman with wild, curly hair who has a baseball bat on her back, stuck through the backpack she’s wearing fall into step beside you when you come back for another load. “Need a hand?” she asks. “It’ll go more quickly with another pair.”

It's easier to avoid people on the streets of Milton than inside the Hall, so Frodo isn't all too surprised that he fails this time. Despite not being surprised, and despite seeing her feet in the corner of his eye, he still starts when she speaks, almost stumbling when he comes to a halt and lifts his head.

His mind is almost torn in two. On one hand, the loneliness makes him desperate for any connection someone else could offer. On another, he can feel his mind slipping more and more as the days go by, which is why he has decided moving out must be best. Nancy clearly does not intend to stop him, but he still feels his temper flare even as he tells himself it makes absolutely no sense to lose it here. He has to take a deep breath, and then shakes his head.

"I'm all right. Thank you."

Nancy probably should let it go… but that’s not in her nature. “You don’t look all right. Something’s obviously driving you out of the Community Hall.” It’s a little hard to miss. Because if he was moving out just to move out, he wouldn’t be moving out like this. Quick. Keeping his head down. Trying not to be noticed or stopped. “Whatever it is, you get out of here quicker if you have help.”

Dorian has told her about gifts going haywire. Maybe it’s that. Maybe it’s just the stress of everything that’s happening. It seems like it’s been getting bad for a while, from what she’s heard. And he’s probably been here longer than she has. At least a little bit.

Keep it together. She's being kind, she doesn't deserve anger.

Not to mention she's right. It would be quicker with help. Frodo takes another deep breath, and looks out the window. He was supposed to not do this. Refuse help. He'd made a promise to Sam that he wouldn't, even if Sam doesn't know about it. If the Darkwalker is coming for them all, they need each other's help more than ever.

"Very well. I am moving the wood I gathered before the fog came in."

Another set of hands for that would be very useful.

Nancy nods. She’s relieved. She wants to help. She needs to. She’s not used to… not having something to deal with. Something to focus on. The Upside Down. Vecna. There’s always been something to figure out, something she needed answers to. There’s a LOT she needs answers to, here, but there’s not the straightforwardness (relatively speaking) of investigation that there is in Hawkins. Not that that’s ever stopped her, or ever would stop her. But it makes it a lot harder to keep busy, sometimes.

So she’s just going to go grab a large bundle of wood in her arms, ready to follow Frodo wherever he’s taking it.

When she grabs a bundle of wood and clearly waits to follow, all without a word, some of the tension runs out of Frodo's shoulders. He only notices he held it when it dissipates, and he manages a small, grateful smile as he grabs a bundle for himself, then starts leading them out of the Hall.

The silence helps his temper settle, and as he heads towards the turn down Blackrock Road, he offers:

"I'm Frodo Baggins."

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