JUNE OPEN LOG

[sailmods]

[but, hey: you shouldn't be left out of the camping fun just because you didn't think to sign up, or you only got here yesterday, or actually you only got here today and you have no idea what's going on! because the camp can come to YOU!

meaning, shortly after seeing the others off, Friday returns to the atrium and begins setting up a few items she's brought from... somewhere, one assumes? a pup tent. two sleeping bags. a tent stove. s'mores accoutrements. there's a fake potted plant that she decided looked enough like a tree. all pushed together in the middle of the atrium.

at her spot behind the desk, she looks visibly pleased with herself. she's doing her best.]

Comments

4. Wildcard, Morning sometime before Pillowfort

[pineapplesalmon]

César's been full of nervous energy all morning, occasionally bouncing his leg or fiddling with his silent pen. They're waiting for the TV to come on and show them their fellow passengers being tortured in some way. He distracts himself with working on his interdimensional phone design, but even that can't keep his interest.

A couple of hours after it's still quiet. César stands and starts walking towards Johnny as he reaches into one of his belt bags. He pulls out a folded over sheet from the cruise notepads that's held closed with a piece of tape on either end, and he gently holds it out to Johnny with one hand.

"Johnny? I, ah. Should probably explain this more, but... here. This is from Rich." César's face is already mimicking an apologetic puppy because he can guess at the contents.

Hi Johnny,
If you're reading this, I'm guessing I've just left for the excursion a couple hours ago. I didn't tell anyone I had signed up because I didn't want you worrying about me. If that just made it worse, I'm sorry.
I'm really not used to people being concerned about me. To be completely honest, it usually pisses me off. Because I'm tough enough not to need it, or I feel like I don't deserve it, I don't know. It makes me feel like a child, so I was avoiding it. César was the only one who could get through to me, which is super annoying, but I guess it's why I'm writing you this.
Speaking of César, I'm guessing he's with you right now. Keep him close by. I think the both of you are going to need each other this week. And try not to worry, as impossible as that sounds. I'm going into this knowing what to expect, mostly thanks to you. I've made sure to brush up on my survival skills from Scouts, and I'm keeping in mind what kind of media I've seen that happens at camps. Sounds weird, I know, but from what you said about that murder competition, I think it'll keep me prepared.
I'm going to do everything I can to look out for Watson. I know it's not an excuse, but I did feel like I kind of had to sign up, after seeing his name there. After all you've done for me, I think I owe you all a favour, and this is what I could think of.
Anyways, take care of yourself. You've got a life to live, and I don't want you spending all of it freaking out over some kid who's got nothing to lose. Trust me, the whole 'journey to find myself' thing is probably what I need right now, even if it's a little life-threatening.
Rich

[businessorlibation]

Johnny's face closes like a fan as he reads. He doesn't seem to react at all, until he reaches the end and crumples the letter up in his hand, lifting his head and looking at César. His eyes are intense, burning, but the rest of his face is still so careful, as if he's not allowed to let his feelings show.

No, he's not sure what to say, the words caught in his throat like he's choking on a chicken bone.

[pineapplesalmon]

Watching Johnny's face close up is the hardest things he's done since those first moments that Watson came back from the dead. When Johnny crumples up the letter and looks up to him, César won't let himself look away from that gaze, as much as he wants to. I Johnny mad at him? A spike of anxiety. No, they'll work through this. Breathe.

Slowly, he sits down on the bed or couch–whichever is closest–so he doesn't loom over the other man.

César has to fight to start his own words, swallowing before he speaks quickly. "His mind was made up already. I-I did what I could to help him prepare."

[businessorlibation]

"You should have gone with them." That comes out calmly enough. Even, slow.

His voice doesn't stay like that for long, though.

"You should have gone with both of them--you know they're going to be going through some sort of hellish torment, and you just let them go and stayed here with me, instead. When I know. I know you're the daring, bold, brave sort of person who would be out there with them. I can't help them! You could! Look, I'm going to be fine, we're not even being treated to a jolly murder pantomime this time! They're out there, the two of them, and they'd be safer, better off if they had you, too."

[pineapplesalmon]

Johnny sure is angry but what he says sounds so entirely nonsensical to César that it blossoms into confusion instead of fear or anything else. César's voice stays even throughout. The logical fallacies he thinks he sees trap him into being calm.

"But I'm not Rex. I can't fight, Johnny, and I don't know if I could take lives if it was necessary. And we don't know if the boat is safe yet. My decision to stay... it's for both of us."

[businessorlibation]

He rubs his eyes with the heels of his hands, taking a huffy breath.

"You'd be able to do something. You're smart--brilliant, you'd figure out something. I can't do anything to help Watson, and now I can't even help Rich, either."

[pineapplesalmon]

... Oh, Johnny's not angry at him.

César aborts a gesture to touch Johnny, staying where he is.

His expression smoothing over as he expands his mind across possibilities, almost like a switch. "Thinking and reacting are two entirely separate thought processes. I'm good at the first. Not at the second. I can tell you from experience that I'd likely be the first casualty."

Of course, debating with someone logically who is clearly reacting is not the best choice, but it's also the only choice César feels he has.

[businessorlibation]

Johnny huffs, tossing the crumpled letter in a trash can and heading for the door. "At least you'd be there, that counts for something."

[pineapplesalmon]

César's thoughts are obliterated as one truth emerges from that statement, and he watches Johnny's back as he walk away, voice quiet. "You'd... prefer my death?"

To ease your guilty conscious? is what César manages to not ask aloud.

[businessorlibation]

"No, I..." The sentence trails off to a frustrated grunt. Johnny doesn't turn to look back at him, though. "...no."

[pineapplesalmon]

"Okay. ... Okay." César closes his eyes and clears his expression, voice still quiet. "... I'll talk to you later."

[businessorlibation]

It is actually only a few hours later that Johnny returns to the cabin--with a plate of food for César, all his favorite things from the Windjammer. He knocks on the door rather than letting himself in.

[pineapplesalmon]

There's no answer, but just visible is the corner of a sheet from the ship's memo pad. It's been tucked into the door at eye height–not César's. Johnny wasn't the only one that didn't stay after that upsetting conversation. The note is tucked in such a way that it's easy enough to pull out to read.

The note is pretty simple:
I'm in my room, and I have my cruise phone. Just didn't want to get locked out if I needed to leave in a hurry.

[businessorlibation]

So Johnny texts.

I got lunch for you. Also there's blanket forts and camping supplies in the atrium. Weirdly artificial marshmallows.

[pineapplesalmon]

The reply back is surprisingly quick.

Can we eat in a blanket fort?

César could use a fucking blanket fort, okay.

[businessorlibation]

Yes. Meet me in the atrium in 7 minutes?

[pineapplesalmon]

César's room door opens a moment later, with him trying to walk out the door, prop the door open, and get his second boot on at the same time. This does not work. He manages to get his boot on the rest of the way, yes. Except the door hip checks him, causing him to momentarily stumble sideways with a little 'ahhh!'

When he manages to catch his balance, César looks up and shrugs elaborately with a light smile on his face, as if to say seems silly to walk separate?

[businessorlibation]

Johnny offers César the plate quietly, before falling into step beside him.

"Friday had a single pup tent and two sleeping bags out. That hardly seemed enough, you know?"

[pineapplesalmon]

César will take the plate, nodding his agreement; on one belt is lacing he's jerry-rigged to carry a big bottle of water, and probably the offender of why his scramble was so messy. "Not even close. So where did the blanket forts–"

The food hits his nose, César looks down to take stock, and then he stops dead in his tracks, eyes widening a bit before a smile slowly spreads across his face. "These are all favorites of mine." He looks up to Johnny, clearly touched. "You took notice?"

He's never not going to appreciate it when people pay attention to him in little ways like this.

[businessorlibation]

“Food is important. Of course I noticed. You were upset, so I wasn’t sure if you’d stop to get yourself something.”

He looks off to one side. “As for the blanket forts, someone must have asked Friday for supplies to make them, or something...”

[pineapplesalmon]

César has things to say. Firstly, though, he needs to carefully bend over to kiss that cheek. When he straightens, he starts walking again.

"Mmm, you were right. I threw myself into designing things to forget and forgot to even drink water." Hence that big water bottle making another one of its occasional appearances, but usually just straight up science being the cause, not upset. "Ha, what a quick thinking person they were."

Is this an apology? Was it something apology worthy? César's not sure he cares, knowing that Johnny has gone to such lengths now.

[businessorlibation]

“Or maybe they just needed something to do with their hands because they didn’t like feeling useless.”

Who knows, it’s a mystery.

[pineapplesalmon]

César's going to focus on walking for a moment as they reach the elevator. "... Oh."

An air of why is my boyfriend cute and sweet in that little sound. "They should've asked me to help."

[businessorlibation]

“Maybe they weren’t sure you’d want to, after all that. But hey, you get to eat lunch in a blanket fort, so that’s cool. And maybe we pick a couple nights and sleep out in the atrium?”

He hopes César will agree to that.

[pineapplesalmon]

The little bit of modern(?) slang just keeps that smile going.

"I'll always prefer to work through the feelings upsetting me rather than hold onto them. Always. So you know next time." César won't make it difficult, and he walks into the elevator as it arrives. "Incredibly cool. And I would love to sleep out in the atrium. I used to sleep outside my family's hacienda in the early summer. My parents would kill most of the lights so we could see the entire sky."