Mingle - Emergency Potluck

[pumpkinhollow]

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WELCOME POTLUCK

Greetings, residents! Those more observant sorts among you may have noticed a large influx of very crowded ferries. In order to welcome our new residents en masse, Town Hall is holding a potluck in Town Square. Please bring a dish if you are able and make a new friend!

All of our newest arrivals need only bring themselves. We look forward to welcoming you all into our community, and may your lanterns always be lit.

This event is open to all! In light of our new influx of prospective players following the Great Sail Migration, we've decided to offer a small public event to tide everyone over until the TDM this weekend.

Comments

[notinflictthem]

"Have you considered retiring right here in sunny Pumpkin Hollow? The beaches are to die for!" he says in his best travel agent voice.

[lightconductor]

"You joke," Watson says, waving his fork at Hawkeye, "but that's a genuine thought I've had. There's nothing and no one for me in London anymore. This place is... grand. Demons aside, of course."

[notinflictthem]

"Really?" Hawkeye seems genuinely surprised by that.

"Strapping young duck like you doesn't have anyone waiting up in London going ach blimey where's my Watson?"

[lightconductor]

"Not anymore."

[notinflictthem]

"With that ominous tone you could do obituaries on the radio," he offers, a little weak.

"Sorry about that. I mean, once we fix the demons it'll be a nice place to live. Better to have somewhere you belong than not, right?"

[lightconductor]

Watson sighs, rubs the bridge of his nose.

"I had a wife, and a very dear friend, and I lost them both less than a year apart." There. At least that much explanation is owed. "There is something to be said for a place where the sense of community is strong, the social mores are comfortingly permissive, and it is never dull."

[notinflictthem]

"You don't-" he tries to start, but Watson explains anyway. He wilts a little, visibly.

"You didn't have to. I'm incapable of keeping my damn mouth shut. I'm sorry, like I said."

[lightconductor]

"It's all right," Watson says. He waves his hand dismissively. "You may as well know. If I seem to be throwing myself quite enthusiastically into life here, well, I know a fresh start when I see one. I'm not the first man to be widowed, and I won't be the last."

[notinflictthem]

Hawkeye nods, both eyebrows raised in an expression of 'fair enough'.

"You're doing a great job of it. And hey, maybe it will be nice without all the demons."

...

More quietly, "like how it was in that dream."

[lightconductor]

When he answers, after a moment's pause, it's a in a low murmur, "It was a rather appealing life, wasn't it?"

It had been peaceful in a way his life has rarely been, safe in a way he's not sure he's ever achieved. Watson, admittedly, muses often on these memories of being a seal with a husband and a novel-writing career.

"Though I could have gone without the memories of an entirely new war in my head."

[notinflictthem]

"Tell me about it. At least most of the time I can work out if a memory is from home or here by the number of pointy ears involved. Wouldn't go back though- I don't care if I was tall for my species, I haven't been under six feet since I was a toddler."

He huffs.

"Y'know I have the weirdest craving for fish now?"

[lightconductor]

Watson laughs, lightly. "I don't think I'd go back, either, but there was something rather enjoyable about being a seal. And Cerrit -- well, the two of us had been circling around each other awkwardly for some time already, not quite sure how to proceed. It was something of a catalyst for things between us."

He gives an embarrassed little shrug.

"It was quite an excellent smoked fish sandwich, wasn't it?"

[notinflictthem]

"Yeah, birds will tend to do the circling bit," sorry Watson.

He rubs at the stubble at his throat and raises an eyebrow, "you want to go see if we can dig up another one?"

[lightconductor]

Watson jabs Hawkeye in the ribs with his elbow, out of general principle. It's self-defense.

"Do you mean right now?" He laughs, because it's ridiculous in the most appealing way. "If you have an idea, I'm listening."

wrap around here?

[notinflictthem]

Hawkeye yelps and swats back at Watson, adding-

"Does it make it any better if I say I got bird jokes growing up too?"

You don't go by 'Hawkeye' and not get questioned about where your feathers are.

"And of course I mean right now. I mean- what are the odds of there not being any smoked fish or bread in this entire potluck? That's statistically impossible. C'mon- let's go see if we can Frankenstein ourselves together a decent sandwich-"

wrap sounds good!

[lightconductor]

"Ah, so you have a whole list of them ready to inflict upon me. Wonderful to know. I will try to bear it with dignity."

Honestly, there's something comforting about the well-meaning teasing, but also Watson needs to protest every step of the way. That's just how it goes.

"You're absolutely right. Fish sandwich it is. Please, lead the way."