Draft Log #3: During v. 2.0

[lucetimods]

Who: Everyone on the draft
What: Day 3-5
When: August 27th-August 29th
Where: ONCE MORE INTO THE-- ...BEACH
Summary: Like it says above. The draftees reach the beach.
Rating: V FOR VIOLENT BEHAVIOUR!!


Once again, That Handy Useful Information Link. Also a link to the previous draft log!

Comments

[captainhornblower]

[His voice drops low. He would not broach the subject himself, but it has been referred to.]

I... am sorry. For your loss. It means little, I am sure, but it is all I can offer.

[herotypical]

Save your sympathy for Archie. I'll see her again -- eventually. Some day.

[ with a quiver: ] Or she'll be back. She's been and gone before.

[captainhornblower]

I've offered it to Archie, and you deserve it just as much.

[herotypical]

...Did you have the chance to meet her, Captain?

[captainhornblower]

Not properly, no, and I regret that, certainly.

[herotypical]

Maybe next time, then.

[captainhornblower]

I would like that.

[herotypical]

[ and then the slayer seems to hesitate even more then before -- for what she's about to ask is awfully difficult for her. it isn't that she tries to deny her affection for archie or anything of the sort but...but ever since that luceti valley shift had them signed off as siblings, she feels troubled by her doubts over how much of it is genuine and how much isn't. ]

A-and how's he holding up? It's...God, it's so not easy losing someone you -- someone you care so much about and they're from a whole other time. World. [ she'd lost jack so recently and had thankfully gained him back so quickly. ]

[captainhornblower]

[It takes Horatio a moment to answer. He sorts through his thoughts and ducks his head.]

I... cannot speak for him, of course, but...

I would say he is doing... as well as could be expected. He... has lost someone dear. Whom he may never see again. He... has taken it better than most. [Better than I did, when I was in a similar position.

He could not shake his memories of Archie's death.] This...

I know this war is not popular, nor should it be. But I do believe that this battle is good for him. It's... familiar. And it's exhausting. [A good, hard battle... could wear one out enough to improve morale. He'd seen it before.]

[herotypical]

Mmhm. I told him as much. Better to exhaust himself like this than in other ways.

[captainhornblower]

The worst time to suffer such a loss is when one is idle.

[herotypical]

So -- thanks. For keeping him anything but idle. I should've...I mean, when I was in his shoes? He did a lot for me. But you're here. It's best left in your best friendly hands. I think.

He's a good man. [ man. normally, despite being younger than archie, she calls him a boy. ] I don't think he'll ever believe that I believe it, though.

[captainhornblower]

The best man I know. But... as you've said. [He allows himself to smile just a bit.] I don't think he'll ever believe it of himself.

[herotypical]

...And Dawn loves him. Loved him. I don't like having to choose a tense about it, really. But a sister could tell.

[captainhornblower]

I'm... very glad to hear that. He... I feel quite confident, so long as it remains between the two of us, that he loves her quite dearly.

[herotypical]

[ buffy believes she knew that as well; after all, a sister can always tell. hmm. ]

They were adorable together. So sweet you'd swear you'd get a cavity. But...hey, I don't mean to rain on this parade of obvious fun and happiness. [ sarcasm. ]

[captainhornblower]

Perhaps, as you said, she will return. This...

This place has done stranger things.

[herotypical]

After all, the man who's the epitome of strange -- Jack Sparrow -- went home and came back six days later.

[captainhornblower]

I remember hearing about that. [And this place has brought a dead man to life.]

Yes... I've heard much about Captain Sparrow from Archie...

[herotypical]

Oh? Better or worse than what he's said about me?

[ she tries to joke but, in the end, she's just too curious. ]

[captainhornblower]

He holds the man in rather high esteem, I'm given to believe.

[And Horatio Hornblower isn't quite sure how he feels about that.]

[herotypical]

...Jack takes some acclimatizing to, I won't even begin to deny that.

[captainhornblower]

I do not doubt that he and I have little chance of seeing eye-to-eye.

[herotypical]

[ buffy has a small hunch on why that might be -- at least from the pirate's side of the conflict.

but, ah well. ] I've known Jack for almost a year and a half, now. We've spent most of that year and a half not seeing eye-to-eye. I can sympathize.

[captainhornblower]

Still. [It's the best he can do.] I cannot wholly dislike a man Archie speaks well of.