Aye Aye Campfire, Friday Afternoon (After Morning Workshops)

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

Not wholly thrilled to be back at the cabins after a night in the dorms with Veronica, Archie was sitting outside at his cabin's campfire putting the rigging on his new model frigate.

Laid out on a piece of cardboard beside him was the carefully carved and painted binnacle that, per the odd superstition he'd developed, would be the last piece to get attached to the ship. As soon as the rigging was complete, the binnacle would get glued on and his miniature HMS Mars would be done.

He thought it might make a nice birthday present for Veronica.

[OOC: Here for several people particularly, but open!]

Comments

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

And because she didn't have anything better to do, Veronica was sitting watching him work.

"I'm not bothering you by watching, am I?"

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

"Do you ever bother me by being nearby?" asked Archie, looking over and smiling at her. "I'm surprised you find watching that interesting, really."

Swearing a little under his breath, he reached in with a pair of tweezers to disentangle a bit of rigging that had gotten snagged on a yardarm, then carefully re-rigged it and tied it off properly.

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica shrugged. "I don't have anywhere else to be. I'd rather spend time with you."

She tilted her head as she watched him. "I don't think I'd have the patience to do something that precise."

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

"And I don't have the patience to put them in bottles," Archie replied. "That takes far more care and patience than I'll ever have."

He set the ship down long enough to lean over and give her a kiss. "This time last week we were leaving for Washington, DC, weren't we?"

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"Yes we were," Veronica sighed wistfully. "Too bad we couldn't go back this weekend."

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

"What were our chances of getting that suite again, do you think?" Archie asked, running a tiny Union Jack up the mainmast of the ship.

[demonbelthazor]

On his way back from the Doctor's workshop, Bel passed by the Aye Aye cabin. Firmly believing that neither Veronica or Archie would try to kill him in broad daylight in front of the cabin, he paused to greet them. "Hey."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"I was going to look for you today," Veronica said.

[demonbelthazor]

"I hope the reason why doesn't involve a taser," Bel said warily.

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

"Nah, but remember how you agreed you owed me a favor?" Veronica asked.

[demonbelthazor]

"Yeah?" Bel said slowly, wondering what she had in mind.

[absolutesnark]

"Still hate me for the whole baking thing?" Piper asked, giving Bel her most innocent smile.

[demonbelthazor]

Bel narrowed his eyes at Piper. "You should have to eat everything I make," he said.

[absolutesnark]

"Is that how you plan on getting revenge?" Piper asked, snickering.

[demonbelthazor]

"Seems suitable to me," Bel grumbled.

[absolutesnark]

Piper happened to be wandering by the Aye Aye campfire, so she stopped by and waved. "Hi."

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

"Hello, Piper!" Archie greeted her warmly.

[absolutesnark]

Piper smiled. "Hey Archie. How are you today?"

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

"Busy," he replied, indicating the model ship. "But quite well, thank you. I hope all is well with you?"

[absolutesnark]

"I am well," Piper said. "I'm looking forward to going away this weekend."

She watched him work on the model ship. "Seems like that takes a lot of patience."

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

Now that every tiny belaying pin, halyard, and stay was in place, Archie picked up the miniature binnacle and prepared to glue it in place on the deck of the ship. He opened the bottle of glue and carefully spread a thin layer around the binnacle's bottom rim, then aligned it carefully with the pencil markings he'd made on the ship's deck before pressing down and holding it in place.

He didn't notice that some of the glue had oozed onto his finger . . . not until suddenly, the binnacle was life-sized.

So, for that matter, was the rest of the ship.

Archie had always wanted to be the captain of his own vessel. Just not like this.

"Oh, bloody hell."

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica stared at the spot where Archie had been standing a moment ago.

"Archie?" she called tentatively.

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

"Veronica!" called Archie, from where he was hanging onto a belaying pin in the port rail -- since the ship was on dry land, and therefore listing rather badly to starboard. He hoped she could hear him.

"Veronica?" he yelled again, waving one hand.

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

She almost thought she heard something, but she couldn't tell where it was coming from.

Until she looked down and saw someone waving from Archie's model ship.

She blinked furiously and carefully picked up the ship to stare at the miniature version of her boyfriend hanging on to it.

"Are you okay?"

Which, yeah, dumb question because he shrunk but her brain wasn't quite working at the moment.

[actingltcrumpet.livejournal.com]

"All seems to be present and accounted for," he shouted as the ship righted in her hands and he lurched upright again. Hell of a time to discover he'd lost his sea legs. "Just much smaller than usual."