open-ish | the... sailor fight....

[castitas]

Who: Kate Marsh, Cornelius Hickey, Edward Little, Thomas Jopson, and basically everyone, eventually.
What: Edward Little told Kate Marsh if Cornelius Hickey ever spoke to her again, then she had to come tell him. WELL GUESS WHAT.
When: 21st February.
Where: Various, Milton.

Content Warnings: Discussions involving cannibalism and suicide, including method of suicide (wrist injuries). Major spoilers for AMC's The Terror. Also fighting.

Comments

[pacificator]

[ The grin she shoots his way as she leans onto the table is pure wickedness. ]

Dad I'd like to fu –

[ Stop her, Thomas! Or don't. Sailors have heard (and said) worse. ]

[lieutenantsteward]

[He doesn't stop her. He raises his eyebrows at her instead, laughing once she's finished.]

That - that cannot be real.

[pacificator]

[ Wynonna leans back, snagging a piece of fruit and popping it into her mouth as she slouches against the chair, lifts her hands in a shrug before she laughs, too. ]

The future is a weird and wonderful place, Tommy. What can I say, we like our acronyms. And our weirdly hot older men.

[lieutenantsteward]

Hot?

[He laughs, ducking his head. He also plucks fruit from the jar, marveling at how bright the cherry is.]

Is that attractive?

[pacificator]

Pretty much. Kind of a catchall term for 'that's someone I'd like to knock boots with.'

[ That probably doesn't help, but she's pretty sure he can pick it up from context. ]

But like you said, it's not just about the face. It's...

[ She gestures expansively, lifting a hand and moving it in a curve. ]

... the whole package. Whatever it is that makes you like somebody. Like... if they're good with their hands. Have a nice laugh. That kind of thing. You know?

[lieutenantsteward]

There is a man. [He lets out a breath.]

He is wise. Too clever, with a scientific mind that is keen to learn. He is the bravest man I have ever met.

[pacificator]

Sounds dreamy.

[ It could be sardonic, especially with the way she leans forward and props her chin on her hand, her elbow on the table, gazing at him, but it's not, even though there's a gleam of curiosity in her eyes.

He said is. Not was. Interesting. ]

Have any idea what he thinks about you?

[lieutenantsteward]

Nothing. I - simply exist for him. He has other loves, other worries, and I am a presence in his life.

[It's hard, even now, to think of himself as anything more to Crozier. When he stayed by him near the end, it was lovely. But when he wasn't there - that still stings. Even if Jopson knows now that it wasn't Crozier's fault.]

[pacificator]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's physically impossible for someone to think nothing about you, bud.

[ He'd stood out even when he was just sitting in a corner in the Community Center, fixing torn clothing and minding his own business. And there's so much to him once you look even a little closely: smart and sweet and sharp, stubborn and generous. Anybody who got the option to have him in their life ought to take it, shut up, and be grateful. ]

He's here?

[lieutenantsteward]

[He raises his head and looks at her, unable to tell her the truth and unwilling to tell her a lie. He chooses to look away instead.]

You're a friend, Wynonna. But my life has been in the corners of cabins, supporting officers and people of worth.

[pacificator]

I think that's bullshit, but I get it – different time. Steward stuff. Roles and ranks and everything else.

[ Little's been having some kind of crisis about it all, but that's neither here nor there right now. Wynonna shakes her head, still propping her chin on her hand, watching him. ]

You wanna stay in the corner?

[ Maybe he does, and that's– fine, if he does. It's not what she would do, but they're different people. At least he knows what gives him purpose. ]

I just think whoever it is should recognize you're a fucking catch and do something about it.

[lieutenantsteward]

No.

[He knows that now. Now that he has a choice to, after all.]

But that is where I am comfortable. That's where I can do the most good for people who need it.

[pacificator]

[ She lifts her eyebrows at him, mischievous. ]

Yeah, but if you stay in the corner, you probably won't get to punch Hickey again. And it's not like any of the others will do it... you think Little even knows how to throw a punch?

[lieutenantsteward]

[He shakes his head.]

I won't need to punch Hickey again. As for Edward, no. I don't know if he can effectively. We have led very different lives.

[pacificator]

You never know, Tommy. You might just want to, sometime. Don't wanna close that door for yourself.

[ But he gets her point, she thinks, so she leans back, one arm slung over the back of her chair. ]

I'm gonna guess the answer is a resounding no.

[ And even if he managed it, he'd probably apologize profusely after and ruin the whole thing. ]

[lieutenantsteward]

[He laughs.]

I am trying to be - neutral, Miss Earp! I have - not seen it.

[pacificator]

[ She laughs too, eyes crinkling up, pleased to have teased him out of his earlier wistfulness, and reaches for her tea for a sip. ]

Oh, now you're trying to be neutral? Please. You know it in your soul.

[lieutenantsteward]

What do I know? That these are scientists and explorers? They aren't Marines! [He laughs.] It isn't difficult to tell.

[pacificator]

I guess that's why they need people like you and me around.

[ They aren't Marines, either, but by all accounts Jopson had done just fine for himself, and she's more than confident in her ability to win a fight. ]

[lieutenantsteward]

Oh, do you fight, Miss Earp?

[Said with a bit of sarcastic playfulness.]

[pacificator]

I dabble.

[ She flutters her lashes at him, exaggeratedly guileless. ]

Mister Jopson.

[lieutenantsteward]

I am immune to your charms, Miss.

[He sits back. Way back.]

But perhaps our Edward isn't.

[pacificator]

[ She gives him an amused, triumphant look – that quickly turns into a grimace. ]

Yeah, because charming is the first word that comes to mind for me.

[lieutenantsteward]

[He reaches for the flask.]

What do you think it is? What do you think people see when they look at you?

[pacificator]

[ She tips the rest of her tea into her mouth and swallows, then puts the cup down. Shrugs. ]

Well, I don't want to brag, but the words 'crazy bitch' have been bandied about more than once.