Twenty-one Bells: [ACTION/VOICE]

[simplestgift]

[Archie has barely been around town lately, but he does appear in town this afternoon, dashing about to various shops and stores and picking up various one-use items and lots and lots of groceries. He seems to have one thing on his mind.

Later, he'll sit at the fountain and send out the voice message:]

This is Mr. Kennedy. If anyone is in need of me, I shall be at the beach house for most of the week. You can reach me there or on the journals.

Moreover, Mr. Hornblower and I are wondering if anyone would be interested in helping to build a ship. A sloop-of-war, to be specific, with room and ports enough for eighteen or twenty-two guns. I cannot claim we have a practical use for itm besides exploration, but it would be something to do. We have the plans drawn up, and all we need is enough hands to make it possible. We would be grateful for any help at all.

[After this, he'll be walking back to the beach house, where he's been babysitting Jack Sparrow since yesterday.]

Comments

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

And what is it you're thinking?

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

...About whether a tattoo hurts or not. Do you think it hurts? Do you have any, Archie?

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

I do not have any, no, but I've seen it done.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

It probably hurts.

[ not that she should care -- her pain tolerance is the stuff of legends. but she might be projecting a different kind of pain onto the situation. ]

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

[He doesn't pick up on the subtlety.] It does hurt, but most men are great children when it comes to such pain.

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[herotypical]

He has so many, already.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

I meant, they whimper about it at first, but only as a way of boasting about how much pain they can endure.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

Have you seen his? The new one -- not the one you...not the one the Shift. That's gone, now. I mean the one he redid.

Have you seen it?

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

The one on his...yes, it doesn't even look as if it's healed.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

It was different, before...Before he knew for sure it'd disappear. Before it disappeared.

[ tap tap tap. her fixation upon ink is not a non sequitur, in her mind. ]

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

What are you trying to say, Buffy?

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[herotypical]

I'm trying to say that I've got four days left to figure out if I really want a tattoo, too.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

I would argue you have quite a bit longer than that. Coming back to him doesn't mean getting a tattoo, you know.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

Let me fill in a few blanks. I'd already decided on the tattoo -- back when the Battle Dome went to wonksville. Now it's just a case of redeciding.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

But you will go back to him.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

I will. I don't know how much back -- like all-the-way-tattoo-back or provisionally-let-us-start-over-back. But I will. Go back. Absolutely.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

Good. That should make the rest of the week a bit easier.

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[herotypical]

Easier?

[ hah, she thinks. ]

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[simplestgift]

Speaking selfishly, Buffy.

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[herotypical]

[ oh.

guilt. ]

Being in the middle sucks. I remember that.

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[simplestgift]

It's worse to be on one of the ends, I should think.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

You get used to it. After the...oh, Hell. One, two three, four, fifth time. Maybe sixth. Depends on how you define time.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

I know little about it. Dawn and I only had trouble the once.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

It's what made you two shine.

Me, though. Men like to leave me. I've been on Jack's side all my life. This is my first time on this one.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

Well. If it doesn't get better, it isn't likely to get worse.