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]

Speaking selfishly, Buffy.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

[ oh.

guilt. ]

Being in the middle sucks. I remember that.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[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.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

You have no idea how worse things usually tend to get after someone says something like that.

[ ... ] On the plus side, it'd actually be a really pretty tattoo.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

No idea, do I? [He'd only been trying to cheer her up. But it's not the time to press that.] Well, what would it look like?

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

...It's just a way people say things, Archie.

A bird. It'd look like a bird. [ she doesn't need to identify the sort. ]

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

[That is met with silence, at first.]

Well. You have your distance, and perhaps by the end of it you'll know whether or not you want to wear a bird for the rest of your stay.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

When you put it like that...

[ it's almost funny. ]

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

Hm?

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

Makes it sound like a bad fashion choice, that's all.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

[That gets a smile.] You would know better than I.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

If Dawnie knew I was considering ink? She'd throw a fit. I've never let her get one.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

Afraid of infection?

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

Afraid she'd end up joining a girl gang.

[ she's joking. mostly. ]

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

[He looks a bit blank at that.]

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

Mostly, I was worried it wouldn't be what mom would've wanted.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

[That gets a nod of understanding.]

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

[ this is some major deflection, here. she wants to bait archie away from the subject of jack with talk about dawn.

never mind that she's keen to talk about dawn, too. ]

They tried to take her away from me, once. I didn't let that happen when Glory came and I wasn't going to let the government do it either.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

Your government can take away...why?

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[herotypical]

After mom -- they wanted to make sure I was fit to be her legal guardian. Social Services isn't exactly up and up on the whole 'being a Slayer' thing.

[ written; filtered 70% ]

[simplestgift]

Social serv--social workers! [It clicks in his head, that term Jilly had used.] But I thought they were for, well... ["Kids like us," Jilly had said.] ...for, ah, beaten children and the like.