[015] OOM - Finding Port, Last Night on Perdita

[tristranthorn]

Life on the Perdita, Tristran finds, is very different from anything he's ever experienced in his life. For one, they are above the ground, many miles up, where the only thing they see is cloud. This is nothing like his stable-life in Wall, where everything is very much grounded -- literally.

The folk aboard the Perdita is also another thing. Every last one of Alberic's crew has their own unique quality or quirk. He's never met a bunch of men (and woman: Meggot) more colourful than them. Each one of them has a story to tell and throughout the two weeks of their journey with them, he's learned a lot -- about things he never could have imagined, about places he's never even dreamed of, and people he could never hope to meet.

Wall, Tristran decides, is a very closed, rather self-indulgent little place in comparison (not to say he doesn't love his home). Even with the likes of the fair as some pathetic attempt at being open-minded, it couldn't even begin to scratch the surface of the worlds upon worlds surrounding it.

In any case, Tristran has been enjoying his time on the pirate ship, but as a fortnight quickly passes (bar-time included), he expects this part of the journey is about to come to a close.

That evening during dinner, Alberic announces to his crew and the couple, that in less than twelve hours, they should be near a harbour tree -- a convenient enough landing port for Tristran and Yvaine to get off and continue their travels on foot back to Wall.

"We'll be needin' to replenish our supplies," Alberic booms, swishing his glass of wine around. "So we can let you off at the same time."

"Thank you," Tristran responds, politely. "We are very grateful for all you've done for us."

"Not to worry m'boy." Alberic grins. "You've but one thing to promise me though."

"What's that?"

"Keep practicin' with that sword of yours. You've a lot to learn yet, but you'll do fine."

Comments

[an_evening_star]

"A bit," she allows, nodding in a manner rather reminiscent of some royalty granting pardon and ignoring the - not quite so sudden, nor particularly surprising at this point - way the proximity makes her restless and comfortable all at once.

She raises one hand, turning it for examination.

"I'm not going to toss anything at you though," she says. "No cutlery hidden in my bodice, promise."

[tristranthorn]

The mention of 'bodice' makes Tristran blush unawares -- or, in any case, he wishes he was unaware. He gives her an awkward nod, turning his face to the opposite direction for a moment.

"That's -- that's good," he manages to say. "I'm glad."

[an_evening_star]

Her eyebrows furrow, eyes narrowing for a moment before she shrugs and lets them slide shut.

She didn't even do anything this time! In fact, she was decidedly not doing anything.

"Relax, Tristran," she replies. "I'm not precisely certain as to why you are - I -" Her eyes fly wide in realization, until she very promptly closes them once more, face rather red as well. "Oh! I - um - sorry."

[tristranthorn]

He shakes his head. "It's okay," he says quickly. "I'm fine -- I don't even know why I -- or why you -- never mind."

Clearing his throat, he shifts in his spot.

[an_evening_star]

"Tristran?" the star mumbles after a few minutes, eyes still resolutely shut.

And with every intention of remaining that way.

"Just lay down. Comfortably. There," she adds. "And we will forget that ever happened."

[tristranthorn]

He nods dumbly, mutters a quick, "Okay" and follows her advice, but getting 'comfortable' is hardly possible with thought after thought ricocheting inside his head, wanting to get out.

He sinks, lying flat on his back across the width of the bed by the end, looking up at the ceiling of the cabin, with its very roughly patched wood-work.

[an_evening_star]

Okay, this?

This is, quite possibly, even more unpleasant than standing outside in the middle of the storm.

"Well," she muses quietly, eyes slitting open just enough to blink vaguely upward. "At least no one will make us dance anymore."

[tristranthorn]

Yeeah...this is really, really weird, and probably shouldn't be happening in the first place. Tristran closes his eyes.

"Mm."

He laughs, despite himself. "If there is one thing I look forward to, it's never dancing ever again."

[an_evening_star]

She glances quickly to the side, then redirects her gaze back to the ceiling even more quickly.

A light breath of laughter, "I must admit that I can see the appeal."

[tristranthorn]

Dancing only really became a huge issue as soon as he was forced to do it with Yvaine. Its very odd.

"You danced finely with the captain tonight," he says, voice a little quiet.

[an_evening_star]

"I think that the Captain is possessed with an ability to make anything he does fine," she grins, eyes fluttering shut once more. "Or at least excessively grand."

The two often blend rather neatly - especially for people like Johannes Alberic.

The star yawns, "The Captain and Meggot dance well together. Like you are supposed to."

[tristranthorn]

"I am usually not this bad," he admits with a slightly deflated sigh.
He refuses to turn in Yvaine's direction so he keeps staring at the ceiling.

"I don't know what happened. Or...why it happened."

[an_evening_star]

"Your girl will teach you how to dance properly," she mumbles, words slurring slightly with sleep. "It's what they do."

She waves a hand above her head dismissively.

"'s why my sisters liked to practice."

[tristranthorn]

"My girl," he murmurs to himself. Which one? "I suppose," he says, voice a little louder.

"Did you practice with them?"

[an_evening_star]

"When they forced me," she turns slightly, onto her side, fingers pooling under her cheek.

A slow, quiet smile.

"Someone had to play prince for them."

[tristranthorn]

Tristran makes a 'hmm-ing' sort of sound.

"Perhaps you could teach me one day," he starts, his mind sort of on auto-pilot, hardly thinking the words through until it is too late. "I mean -- since I assume you'd be good at it. And -- well, that way I ... I won't make a fool of myself ... before Victoria."

...Phew.

[an_evening_star]

It's quiet and the star hums mildly in return - not really paying as much attention as she should be - and the hand not trapped beneath her cheek pats one of his blindly, curling there lazily.

"When you are not feeling whatever," she murmurs. "I suppose."

[tristranthorn]

"Yvaine," he starts, voice low, "are you..."

He is quite adamantly ignoring the tingling on his hand, and he lifts his head up a bit to look in her direction.

[an_evening_star]

Her hair falls messily over the sheets - the both of them still sprawled sideways across the bed, legs dangling over the sides and blankets abandoned.

Another light hum and her fingers curl a bit tighter - tingling pleasantly - no answer comes, breathing slow and even in sleep.

[tristranthorn]

"...asleep."

Tristran shifts a bit, slowly and carefully so not to wake his companion, until he is more or less sitting up.

He tilts his head, watching her with a strange sort of curiousity. She looks different when she's asleep -- peaceful, quiet, beautiful. Far different from how she is when she's awake, and yet unmistakably Yvaine.

A soft sort of smile crosses his features (unbeknown to him), and he lifts his right hand -- his non-scarred, perfectly normal hand -- towards her face, fingers hovering lightly over her cheek. He can almost feel the tingle against his fingertips.

Slowly, he withdraws his hand and lets out a sigh, leaning with his back to the wall, but so his hand -- the one beneath hers -- is still. His heart is pounding incessantly, and he forces his eyes closed.

Something's changed.

...And he isn't sure yet whether this is particularly a bad thing.