simplestgift | Thirty-Six Bells: [Written/Action]

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Thirty-Six Bells: [Written/Action]

[Written:]

In light of my new duties as first lieutenant of the LES Britannia, impending matrimony, and being bloody terrible at running a foodhouse, I shall soon retire as the owner of Cloud Nine. I'd like to continue to work a few shifts, of course, but the club will need new management. Which brave soul will shoulder the task?

-A. Kennedy

[Action only: He is enjoying the last night of the voyage, simply meditating upon the lovely roll of the ship beneath him. It's chilly out, and he can see his breath, but he doesn't mind, wrapped up tightly in his heavy wool greatcoat. Softly he sings a song swallowed by the night, evidenced mainly by the mist of it in the air around his lips.]

The maiden, oh, the maiden oh.
The sailor loves the maiden, oh!
So early in the morning,
The sailor loves the maiden, oh!
A maid that is young,
A maid that is fair,
A maid that is kind and pleasant, oh,
So early in the morning,
The sailor loves the maiden, oh!

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

As a dream, Captain. There is some roll, no pitch at all. The wind has been favorable to us today.

[Maybe Archie's being a tad manipulative when it comes to the wind, in supernatural ways. It's hard for him to help himself, sometimes.]

And soon enough too occupied with husbandly duties to chop it down at the Nine, eh? Wondered if that might happen.

Me, running a 1950's night club? I was only doing it because I hoped Ginia would come back.

I haven't heard any complaints about it.

Buffy's been a busy little slayer, you know. Helping your Elizabeth with the wedding plans.

Yes. [A deep breath.] I dunno what I'm supposed to be doing, with the women busy as bees.

I think you're doing it, really. Sailing about. Got your kilt ready, yet?

[Jack just assumes he'll be married in a kilt. Scottish and all.]

A dress uniform, Jack. While the Kennedy tartan is a fine one, a uniform is warmer in October.

Ah.

Have you any qualms about myself wearing a kilt?

So long as you know how to sit in one.

I promise, lad! I'll keep everything crossed! I swear it!

[There's a slight pause, then.]

Who's to give Elizabeth away?

No one, last I knew. She'd've liked it to be her father, but...

Mmmmmm.

Well, many a young lass gives herself a way before the altar of holy good marryingness. It'll be lovely either way.

[But he has a gift to give Elizabeth before then. And one for Archie, too.]

How're your feet?

Warm. She's the one making the mistake.

[That was rather.....a shocking admission on the part of the groom. Not what Jack expected at all. He thinks very highly of Kennedy, really. In fact, if Buffy would ever consent to marry him, it would be Archie Kennedy standing by him. That would be Jack's wish, at any rate -- as long as McCoy wasn't around to take that station of Best Mate.]

Erm..................what?

I made Dawn very unhappy. Who's to say Elizabeth won't wizen up after it's too late for her to break things off?

Dawn never seemed unhappy to me. [And therefore it cannot be true.] Was over the moon about you, you daft sailor!

Elizabeth, now -- she's a girl what knows what she wants. Knows it and grabs it.

And despite my best efforts to shake her off, never lets go. I'm the luckiest man alive. [A beat.] Alive-ish.

You're as alive as myself, Kennedy. Just not so lucky. Oi: did you know, mate, that on your wedding night, the number of times you belch equals the number of little Kennedys what will be running about someday?

Don't drink TOO much champagne, eh?

[Jack has entirely made up this tradition but has come to believe in it wholeheartedly.]

[Success. Jack gets a chuckle out of him.]

God, Jack. Children in this place.

Eh. Children, eh? A sort of immortality, right there.

[Lovely golden curls. Or were they dark curls? Sometimes they were.]

Yes. Doomed to go mad. And at any moment, orphaned.

[A gaggle of golden-haired children with big wings, capable of flight but incapable of escaping.]

Oi -- we don't know that for certain, mad! We don't know for certain! Sometimes children aren't mad! Sometimes they don't....

[End up like their parents.]

Do you really think it'd be a good idea? As badly as I want them, Jack...

Buffy doesn't. [That's a cagey answer.] She drinks a tea, you know. The tea keeps the babies away.

I suppose for yourself? It's not my business what sort of idea it is.

[And now he regrets bringing it up. Because, really, it's a lovely fantasy, but how tenable is it here?]

Has she...shared this tea with Elizabeth?

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