simplestgift | Four Bells: [Voice] Somewhat Unwell

[That makes him breathe out with a smile.] That's good. [He looks up at the ceiling again, then back to her, realizing that seeing her helps him hammer down the fact that she's as real as he is. This is one heck of a "true story."]

And I'm the first person you've told?

I kind of like being tangible and human, thanks. Not that I remember being anything else, it just seems like it would be boring.

[ she nods, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. ] It was this giant secret for a while, and then everyone around me knew and none of us really felt like discussing it. Then when I got to college... [ she shrugs. ] I mean, even with the people who knew about the Slayer stuff it just never really was something I felt like telling people.

[But she felt like telling him? He feels honored. He has secrets everyone knows, too--at least, ones everyone knew back home. But he'd only ever really told one person about them. Telling anyone else would have been dangerous. He wonders if being manufactured is how she got to be so lovely, but he has enough sense not to wonder it out loud. Instead, he chews over the fact that he now owes her an Important Fact about himself. He can't exactly drag a story like that out of her and expect to exchange for it a story about a girl from Falmouth, can he?]

I...I'm afraid I don't have any stories quite like that one, Dawn. No magic in my life. I must be dreadfully boring to you. [It's spoken playfully, but with a touch of self-deprecation.]

[ dawn looks up again, then rolls her eyes and reaches out to poke archie gently in the shoulder. she knows that tone all too well. ] I would have done that harder, but you're sick so you get a pass just this once.

[ one more poke, just because. ] You're not boring, dreadfully or otherwise. Seriously, don't think I won't poke a sick person repeatedly. I'm full of unfathomable depths and some of them involve cruelty to the bedridden.

[That gets a chuckle.] Then I shall mind my tongue.

[Her poking him only reinforces that she's flesh and bone. Now, a long sigh.] You asked for a true story about Archie Kennedy?

[ one more poke because it's an excuse to be a little bit closer-- dawn's aware she's pathetic, sigh-- and then she shifts back in her chair again, nodding victoriously. ] Good, because I learned poking from Buffy Summers and she's vicious.

Only if Archie Kennedy feels like it. [ the smile fades in favor of a serious expression. ] I didn't tell you about me because I wanted a serious story in return. I told you because I wanted to. And because I trust you. Friends generally don't expect exact returns just because.

But you're owed one. [A slight pause.] And I do want to. [Because he does trust her, and would rather she find out from him than, say, a drunken Jack Sparrow.]

I'm not owed anything, shut up. [ ...but she does want to know, so. ] If you want to tell me, that's different.

[He turns his head toward her, one hand resting softly on his chest.]

Back home, I've a friend I'd do anything for. We've served together his entire career. One day, we learned we were to be transferred to a ship under the command of one of the navy's finest captains. A hero. We thought it was the turning point in our careers. [He glances at her.] When we arrived, we found out he'd gone mad as a March hare in his old age and thought every one of his officers was conspiring against him.

[ dawn going to guess that friend is the mysterious mr. hornblower, but stopping archie to confirm seems like a bad idea at this point so she just nods, encouragingly, and continues listening. ]

Well. There wasn't much we could do, but as time went on, he became more and more of a danger to the entire crew, including himself. [He considers Mr. Wellard, barely more than a boy, with a pang of sorrow, but decides not to hold up the story with gruesome details.] One night, all the lieutenants held a meeting to think on what to do. Someone told the captain about us, and he sent out the marines to catch us. We scattered, and eventually I found the captain, standing alone, feet away from an open hatch. He was terrified, asking where his true men were. So I stepped into the light. [The story is getting too long and detailed. He clears his throat.] I don't think I quite knew what my intent was at first, but I tried to catch him. Horatio and Mr. Wellard arrived, and they startled him. He fell backward into the hold and nearly died.

Eventually the doctor would declare him unfit, but not before he ran the ship aground and nearly killed everyone. The first lieutenant was incompetent, and to make things brief, it all led up to a battle and I was wounded. But since someone had decided the captain had been pushed into the hold, we had to return to Kingston and face trial for mutiny. At least, Horatio did.

[ dawn listens carefully, trying to give archie's confidence the care it deserves, and listening to what he isn't saying just as closely as what he is. the last bit, though, only makes her pause for a second before realization slowly sinks in. ]

But you didn't.

Edited 2011-02-10 03:23 (UTC)

I was wounded, Dawn. Mr. Wellard had already been killed and...and there was nothing to be done for me. The only thing I could do was... [Here he stops, and looks up at the ceiling.] He didn't deserve to lose his future and good name for a man like Sawyer.

Oh. [ the judicial system in the british navy is not exactly something dawn knows a lot about, but she does know more than enough about sacrifice, and jumping off towers-- both literal and metaphorical-- to save people you love. ] So you... took the blame? Or you did something so he wouldn't lose any of that.

I took the blame. [And saying it without the context of his friendship with Horatio makes it sound misleading, so he continues.] I owed him that much at the very least. I was spared the hanging, though.

[ dawn mutters something about self-sacrifice and nobility that doesn't sound strictly complimentary and then sighs. ] Because you were sick.

[ but she's not an idiot, and it's pretty obvious she knows a better word would be dying. ]

[He shakes his head softly.] No. I wasn't even in any pain, by then.

[He sees how upset this is making her, and gives her an encouraging smile.] Now I'm sick, and come to think of it, it's a step up.

Oh. [ there are a million and a half better things to say, but dawn's never been very good at loss. she's good at sublimating and moving forward anyway because it seems like at one point or another she's lost everyone she cares about, but that doesn't mean she's ever gotten more zen about it.

...and she's not losing archie, so she's aware feeling like with another couple minutes and no distractions she might cry is stupid; but it still sucks to think about him dying. ]

Just wait until you get strep, you'll change your mind. [ she's still looking upset, but the smile-- and archie's obvious attempt to cheer her up when he's the one talking about his own death-- helps her get her head on straight again. ]

[His heart sinks at her disheartened face, and he reaches a hand out for hers. He looks directly into her eyes, as if he's about to say something important.] Dawn.

[ dawn looks down at his hand for a second before reaching out hers in return, squeezing it a little in lieu of saying 'i'm fine'. ] Archie?

[He tightens his grip on her hand just enough for it to feel solid.] I'm alive. I've got my good name back. Everything I couldn't have if I went back home, where I still could have died any moment of something unexpected. This is my second chance. That's something to be glad about.

[A tiny smile suggests he is actually starting to believe this.]

And your second chance comes with cheesecake, so I think you're going to be okay.

[ the second part is more important than the first; spend any amount of time with people from sunnydale and you find out they lead in with a joke and then comes the meaningful part. ]

I believe you're right. [He blinks slowly, a bit drained by the story exchange.] I'm glad I was able to meet you, lovely Dawn.

I'm right a lot. It's kind of my thing. [ this is probably where she should let go of his hand, but... okay, just a few more seconds. ] And I'm glad I got to meet you, Archie.

[He's in no hurry to let go, either, watching her face comfortably and trying to remember why he shouldn't bring up the possibility of courtship this very moment. Oh, that's right. Influenza. All the storytelling was distracting him from the miserable aches and fever, and they're not telling stories anymore. He closes his eyes against the light, resting his cheek against his pillow.]

Four Bells: [Voice] Somewhat Unwell

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]

[ action ]