Out By The Milliways Lake

[argyle_princess]

She's not dressed for it, and it's cold, and she ought to go back to history class, but some days, after some conversations, a girl just has to run. This is one of those days, and that was one of those conversations.

And so Hannah is running. She's running and she's not thinking about anything but running and that suits her just fine.

And if her eyes are watering, it's just from the cold air out around the lake.

Comments

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

He blinks, and shakes his head. "Not in my time, at least. That's the proper age to join, at least as an officer. Some of the boys were younger, but they would only be sailors."

Wellard takes a deep breath. "Just... that my uncle's place in Kent, that was his, and his children and grandchildren made it clear that I did not belong there. Then, I was on the Worthington, then the Renown- and then here."

[argyle_princess]

"It's hard, to not belong some place you ought to feel like you belong," she says quietly.

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

"The only place I remember belonging to, is long since gone, now." He sighs quietly.

[argyle_princess]

"Maybe you belong to here," she says. "To now."

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

"Its sort of odd to think of finding that sort of place after-"

He bites his lip.

"... Afterwards."

[argyle_princess]

"Yeah," she says. "But, I don't know, maybe that's why your afterwards is here. I mean, obviously everybody's isn't, or there'd be a lot more people here. So maybe that's why you here instead of, you know, pearly gates and harp lessons."

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

"... I didn't expect that, after I died." Quietly, with a wince.

"Milliways was a surprise, yes. I-"

("... Its not hell then, sir?")

"I certainly wasn't expecting some place like this."

[argyle_princess]

"This would be a hard place to expect, I think," she says.

That same sideways glance, and a moment of silence, and she doesn't ask what he was expecting. Because there are really only two options, and if you aren't expecting Pearly Gates . . .

No one should have to say that out loud.

"Anyway," she says, instead, "I'm glad you wound up here. I'm glad both did, or we wouldn't have met, and that would be . . . I'm glad we did."

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

He blinks, and manages a faint smile, glancing back over to Hannah.

"Given eveerything, I'm rather glad I ended up here as well."

[argyle_princess]

"I think we should do something, I don't know, silly," says Hannah, firmly.

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

Wellard blinks, and raises an eyebrow, looking at Hannah curiously.

"Silly?"

[argyle_princess]

"Silly," she says.

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

Wellard is british. He does not quite do 'silly'.

"Um. Like what?"

[argyle_princess]

"Well," says Hannah, thinking, "You could teach me the card game that sounds like a sneeze."

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

Wellard blinks, then laughs quietly. "Whist? There is that, and I do know quite a great deal more, if you'd like."

[argyle_princess]

"Yes, whist," she says.

It does sound like a sneeze.

"I think that'd be nice. Thank you."

[politestpirate.livejournal.com]

"I do believe I can certainly oblige, Miss Hannah."

Wellard smiles at her, and they head back to the bar for a game of cards.

Without Doom.