[OPEN LOG/MINGLE] Teeth Lessons

[businessorlibation]

Fliers are hung in proper prominent spots on the ship by Thursday evening:



Johnny Summer spends most of Friday, Saturday and Sunday in Topy, with mannequins dressed in his suits from home, shoes and shine kits, his handkerchiefs made by Watson at a station to be folded into pocket squares. It's a casual sort of drop-in space, mostly him making himself available for talks of multiple kinds, using "gentleman lessons" as a nice wrapper to contain them.

But also, he absolutely will expound on the benefits of the Windsor knot for a necktie, show you how to do a bowtie, offer tips for shoe shining, and otherwise be your gay fashion friend.

Comments

[businessorlibation]

"Alright, then take this fucking opportunity you've been given and do better than her."

That's a dare, Daisy, not a threat.

[hadnoright]

"Haven't killed any of you since I got back, have I! Not even her, even though I'd have every damn right!"

That might be best footnoted with a 'yet', but it's true. She hasn't even tried to hunt Jenny so far. Or hurt Chase.

"You all say this shit like it's easy. You think I can just say 'alright, sure' and the sense of an ambush around every corner goes away? You think I can just decide to trust people like you can't bite me if I let my guard down? You. Didn't. Live. Like we did. I can— I have—"

The frustrated noise she cuts herself off with is more of a growl, too.

[businessorlibation]

"My existence on this ship is not my first time living under siege. I know more about what it means to never let your guard down than you realize."

He takes a deep breath, raking a hand over his hair, because he's not going to meet her on her level of bitterness. He's in this space for gentleman lessons and he's going to act like it.

[hadnoright]

Daisy actually tries, for a moment, to recall if any of the memories she dug into to act like Crabb give her any context for what he's saying... but the fact is she didn't dig all that deep. Nothing comes to mind.

So she just huffs. Bristles. And yet yells less. "Fine. Maybe you do. I don't know your life. But the boat wasn't my first time either, alright? Even here I can't— I can't shake the thing that owns me. Owns my damn— soul. I can't. I can't become prey. Not again."

[businessorlibation]

"Then don't become prey. Learn to be part of our pack, if you'll allow me to extend the metaphor. Or don't." He shrugs expressively. "You're a part of our voyage now, but what you make of that is going to be your decision."

[hadnoright]

Become part of the pack. She groans. "You and Erin really are friends aren't you? Same metaphors and everything."

She flicks her tongue over her own teeth and, feeling far too exposed now just stood in the open space, finally drags herself onto a stool a little ways away from him. Keeping an eye on him now seems to override the need to have her eye on an exit, though she's kept her path to it as clear as possible.

"I'm not—" A huff of air. "If I wanted to kill you all, turn on you again, I'd've torn Erin's throat out when she offered it. I had— I got memories. New memories. And... look at me." She plucks at her own shirt, even picked from the Tommy's it's too big for her. "I got like this for a reason. But I can't just roll over and trust you all either."