milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Blakeney sways as he steps through the door, keeping his feet through sheer stubbornness. He's been up in the rigging all day (and for the last few days, as the fresh smattering of freckles across his face shows), and the stillness of Milliways' floor is more dramatic than usual.

The boy grins once he gets his balance back though - this is the place with the best sandwiches, so he hustles to the bar to get some.

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And hey, look who's there, slugging his way through an ungodly thick engineering text. At least Shephard has the sense to glance up when a shadow crosses his line of sight. "Hey there," he calls. "Long time no see."

"Good afternoon, sir." Blakeney greets cheerfully, pausing in his hunt for delicious food. "Has it been really? I was just here a few days ago."

"Time 'round here gits funny like that," Shephard says. "Door's got a weird sense of humor. G'wan, git your food- I ain't about to interrupt a man in search of lunch."

He beams and casts off, heading for the bar with all the alacrity of a boy who's escaped ship's rations after a long day of work. He returns shortly with an order of the same roast beef sandwich Shephard introduced him to when he was so ill, and a canteen of clean water slung over his good shoulder.

"I trust you've been well, sir?" He asks politely as he gets himself arranged in a free chair.

"Been all right," says Shephard, settling himself back in his own chair with a beer from one of the rats. "Borealis had to head up north to Norwegian waters. It's still dark up where we were headed, most of the day. Weird as hell to get used to."

"I would imagine so, sir - but at least there's the stars to navigate." He points out helpfully. After all day in the tropical sun, he'd be just as happy to be somewhere cold for a bit.

"True 'nough, and it's the same stars you git in the States, or England for that matter," says Shephard. "It don't seem right to look up at night from Brazilian waters'n see the wrong constellations."

Blakeney nods fervently, his mouth full of food. Thus it's a moment before he answers, sounding a bit querulous (more than he did about having to learn to do everything left-handed, even).
"I'm having to learn the stars all over again - it is quite frustrating."

"Least once you do you won't have to learn any more new ones," Shephard says. "Stars're fairly easy that way, ain't they? They ain't about to up'n change on you."

Someone might be a little grumpy about all his knowledge of internal combustion engine technology being absolutely fucking useless for understanding how a nuclear-powered high latitude research vessel's innards work.

There is a boy at the bar eating ramen happily. He has only seen one other kid here, so he smiles at the other boy between bites.

Blakeney nods back politely, the climb up onto the barstool nothing after dealing with ship's rigging all day. Bar knows his standing order, so he's rewarded with a roast beef sandwich with real lettuce and horseradish, and a glass of clear, cool water.

This place has the best food.

Naruto would agree with that statement.

"Hi."

That earns a puzzled pause, his sandwich held mid-air as he tries to figure out what the word refers to. He would assume it's some commentary about the height of the bar-stools, but the tone was one of a greeting.

"Hello?" He hazards, giving it a go.

"I'm Uzamaki Naruto!" He said happily, "What is yours?"

Naruto is trying to be nice.

There's another pause while Blakeney tries to parse that - he's quite proud of himself for figuring out the greeting bit.

"I do have a book about Lord Nelson from the captain." This part, he doesn't guess quite as well.

Naruto looked at him, obviously confused.

"Lord wha...?"

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