"Listen, fuckers, I told you last week that if anyone got out of hand on account of drink again I'd ban it." Naturally, grog is the lifeblood of seafarers, so for Cap to even suggest this was laughable, and literally impossible to implement. They'd have cut him open and drained him before giving up their drink.
"Cap Vance, this bag of detritus has gotten into me personal private things and taken the only item that makes me look semi-decent." Seamus was losing confidence fast in the presence of the stern but reasonable captain.
"Seamus. Look at the boy. He's got one pair of trousers to his name and more fleas than teeth." Basically exactly what I said.
Just then, a violent hacking came from the Cap's hammock. The group, now dead silent and winding down from the adrenaline rush that comes from potential entertainment in the form of a maiming, turned in unison.
Fredrick. Poor, stupid Fredrick was coughing up something grey. I'm sure I don't need to explain where this is going, but I will anyway, because what's a protagonist if they can't be comic relief sometimes.
Seamus' face fell as he realised the implications of the soggy grey mass in the already-crusty hammock, and decided he'd rather just uncover some of the amphetamines he'd saved for a rainy day than have it out with a literal dog. He skulked away without looking at Gill.
Everyone let out a kind of injured sigh upon seeing one of Cap's only worldy possessions defiled by his most trusted confidante, but nobody really wanted to get involved, and so everyone filtered away grumbling about their day being wasted while Cap got to scrubbing and reassuring Fredrick that he wasn't angry, only a little shocked and sad.
Ari was on the opposite end of the dwindling crowd, and I realized she was stifling a laugh. The absurdity of it all clearly wasn't lost on either of us, as I was about ready to bite a hole in my thumb trying to hide my own amusement.
I caught her eye, and discreetly gestured to her to follow me.
We walked down the corridor to the kitchen and the second she closed the door behind her, we both erupted into fits of laughter so violent I almost pissed my pants, swear to Poseidon.
I'd never seen her laugh like this before. She has a kind of cackling laugh, a quick look into her mischievous side. I was still recovering when I noticed her looking at me. Almost...tenderly?
"Zahara, I- you have... Your smile is radiant, I never did tell you. But it reminds me of an eclipse, materializing slowly and occupying everyone's attention." I found myself not breathing. I was speechless. She was sitting across from me, creating poetry in the middle of the old gravy stain on the floor, just for me. For my ears alone.
