[Even months into living in this place, real paper is a luxury Palamedes still goes a little crazy over - which is to say, he's bought a nonzero amount of nice stationery just to have it; it's this nice stationery that he writes Choso back on, thick cream-colored paper with wildly indulgent matching envelopes, and a gold sticker meant to emulate an actual wax seal. (He couldn't afford the seal.)
He's written Choso's name on the envelope and, in his very best efforts, copied over the Japanese characters as well, to remember them better. They're in a stiff and unpracticed hand, of course, but readable.]
Dear Choso,
Hi! I was delighted to get your letter, so you can consider that my answer to how I'm doing, anyway. Whenever you read this, just imagine I'll know and I'll be delighted all over again.
I'm not sure if you want an answer to your question, but you know me and you know I'm going to answer it anyway: forgiveness is a tricky thing. It's the same as letting someone care for you, in the most basic sense of not having any control over it. You can ask, and some people might appreciate that, but it doesn't guarantee a particular result, you know? You told me about the suffering you and your family were put through, and if I were you, honestly? I would never forgive the whole human race.
(This is the part where Camilla would call me extreme, but I would forgive her for that, ha.)
So, I don't know. Not really. We've all wronged people in our lives and none of them have to give us an ounce of grace ever again. It doesn't hurt to plead your case. Whatever you've done, though, you'll have grace from me. You can tell me anything and I'll be in your corner, so don't worry about that.
[Here he has drawn an arrow from the end of that paragraph up to the parenthetical about being extreme, for emphasis.]
It doesn't sit right with me when people don't listen, though. At best, it's unfair to not to at least try to meet a person in the middle. God knows I've given plenty of opportunities to people I couldn't stand, just in case. Just don't let anyone push you around out there, alright? And let me know if you need anything, even just a shoulder.
As for your other points... I'm moving into a new house too, soon, so I'll have to send you the address. Allegedly they're painting it fresh inside? I'm choosing to believe they're not just clearing out the neighborhood before the squid nautilus (<- I learned what these are! bizarre animal) person moves in. We'll see.
I miss you, too. I think about you a lot, things I want to tell you, things I'd like us to do together. I've been setting some books aside that I think you might like. No matter what else you've been through, I think you're lovely. You're kind and you're determined, you've been good to me. You can trust that I will only ever give you what I know you deserve. And I absolutely mean to be inappropriate about that, for the record. Appropriate, too; I'll talk to you for hours if you'll have me.
I want you to be happy, and selfishly, I want you to be happy with me. Just remember, anytime.
Yours,
Palamedes
P.S. I do like flowers. I'd like anything you grew for me. If I recall, you said something about oranges when we first met, are you growing any of those?
returned the next day
He's written Choso's name on the envelope and, in his very best efforts, copied over the Japanese characters as well, to remember them better. They're in a stiff and unpracticed hand, of course, but readable.]
Dear Choso,
Hi! I was delighted to get your letter, so you can consider that my answer to how I'm doing, anyway. Whenever you read this, just imagine I'll know and I'll be delighted all over again.
I'm not sure if you want an answer to your question, but you know me and you know I'm going to answer it anyway: forgiveness is a tricky thing. It's the same as letting someone care for you, in the most basic sense of not having any control over it. You can ask, and some people might appreciate that, but it doesn't guarantee a particular result, you know? You told me about the suffering you and your family were put through, and if I were you, honestly? I would never forgive the whole human race.
(This is the part where Camilla would call me extreme, but I would forgive her for that, ha.)
So, I don't know. Not really. We've all wronged people in our lives and none of them have to give us an ounce of grace ever again. It doesn't hurt to plead your case. Whatever you've done, though, you'll have grace from me. You can tell me anything and I'll be in your corner, so don't worry about that.
[Here he has drawn an arrow from the end of that paragraph up to the parenthetical about being extreme, for emphasis.]
It doesn't sit right with me when people don't listen, though. At best, it's unfair to not to at least try to meet a person in the middle. God knows I've given plenty of opportunities to people I couldn't stand, just in case. Just don't let anyone push you around out there, alright? And let me know if you need anything, even just a shoulder.
As for your other points... I'm moving into a new house too, soon, so I'll have to send you the address. Allegedly they're painting it fresh inside? I'm choosing to believe they're not just clearing out the neighborhood before the
squidnautilus (<- I learned what these are! bizarre animal) person moves in. We'll see.I miss you, too. I think about you a lot, things I want to tell you, things I'd like us to do together. I've been setting some books aside that I think you might like. No matter what else you've been through, I think you're lovely. You're kind and you're determined, you've been good to me. You can trust that I will only ever give you what I know you deserve. And I absolutely mean to be inappropriate about that, for the record. Appropriate, too; I'll talk to you for hours if you'll have me.
I want you to be happy, and selfishly, I want you to be happy with me. Just remember, anytime.
Yours,
Palamedes
P.S. I do like flowers. I'd like anything you grew for me. If I recall, you said something about oranges when we first met, are you growing any of those?