No surrender.

Hazeem Siddiq. Ex Naval Captain for the United States Navy. Thirty-six.

[hazeemsiddiq-blog]

kyradeepika‌:

“I like someone who knows something of value when they see it,” Kyra said with a little grin, speaking of herself of course. A nod was given to him as she pulled her leg forward and kicked the chair back so he could sit down. “Maybe some shots to get the night going on the right foot.”

“I’m a humble man, Ma’am. But I do know something of great worth when I lay my eyes upon it.” Hazeem replied in a level voice as he watched the chair jerk. His smile turned to impressed as he sat himself down. “But the question then becomes shots of what? The choices are endless and some with end worse than others. Do we take that risk?”

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harlowthller‌:

“No,” she said almost immediately when the male seemed to give her the go ahead to say what she wanted, but she knew that she couldn’t do that. In fact, she shouldn’t have dropped her guard in the first place and done what she had. “I shouldn’t have said that and I’m the one that apologizes. I’m truly sorry.”

Hazeem was just looking at her with a confused expression. He understood that it was her job but people were allowed to vent their thoughts and possibly frustrations if they didn’t actually impact anyone and were based on genuine sources. He could only imagine how annoying and gross cleaning this place up could be. “How about we just forget about it and agree I’ll be cleaner in the future?”

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jaspercclt‌:

     “Just D.C., but I’m not sure you’d count that as Virginia.” Some people were quite particular about their territory. By now Jasper was mostly sat up on the lounge chair, a bit curious to see where the conversation might go. “Sounds… tough,” they commented. “Being somewhere and not really seeing it. Must be a nice break.”

“I mean there’s technicalities there but I’m not going to dismiss them. Given certain facts and statistics and too much to consider for the mere sake of saying that D.C. is certainly a very interesting place.” Hazeem said with a continuous smile, more than happy to engage in a conversation such a this with Jasper. “Oh it’s a very nice break. The consequences that led me here were not that pretty but it’s certainly been a redeeming experience. So I’ll consider it a break, yes. Do you make sure you take breaks though?”

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coriihere‌:

     With a playful roll of her eyes, Cori chuckled with a shake of her head. “All talk and nothing to back that up? I’d imagine that might get you into trouble every now and then. But I’ll let it slide. I’m in the mood for beer, actually.” It wasn’t her usual drink, but it had been quite a while. “Although if you’re offering, maybe I should get something a bit fancier.” She lifted her brows in question, predicting that he’d have a drink or two to recommend. 

“Oh I can assure you that I’m definitely not the type to ever get myself in to trouble. But if you’ll forgive me and let it slide then I would be ever so grateful.” Hazeem said with a wide smile as he looked across at her. Sometimes he was more than a little curious about the lives of other’s but that was because he’d spent so long getting to know so many different people over the years. “Something fancier? Like a liquor? An aged whiskey or perhaps a fine wine? Or even a cocktail. Dependent on what alcohol you enjoy because not many cocktails contain beer. Or I could just...get us beers? In fancy glasses?”

[hazeemsiddiq-blog]

thebrandonclark‌:

Brandon adjusted his shoulders and glanced at his watch. He had a couple of hours to spare before they left the dock so he decided he’d got out to shore again and have one last meal out on land. He was about to make his way down the gangway but he decided to do one last check of his belongings, touching around his pockets. He didn’t realize that there was someone else behind him who wanted to walk down to the dock as well and he finally stepped aside. “So sorry,” he said. “Didn’t see you there. Please, after you.”

What a strange life it was to remain bound to a ship? So many years of Hazeem’s life had been spent upon a boat during his active service and even now he still came back to the regularity of sailing and spending time at ports before leaving again. With only a few hours left of this particular stop over, he had decided to use it. He had noticed the man ascending the gangway but when he stopped rather abruptly, Hazeem scuffed his feet unintentionally on the floor. He soon recovered, smiling at the man. “It’s no problem. Have you lost something?” 

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harlowthller‌:

“They never clean up after themselves!” Harlow said with a groan as she pressed her forehead against the wall of the room she’d been cleaning up. Though the money was good, she was beginning to feel like the job was getting to know. Especially when she forgot to close the door and heard footsteps behind her, whirling around with a shocked expression. “I’m sorry, I haven’t realized I said that out loud.”

Hazeem was used to seeing members of staff everywhere on the boat. He couldn’t even begin to guess how many people the company hired and keeping track of the guests could be even harder. So when he saw the younger woman, he raised his eyebrows and offered his most bashful smile. “I can only express my apologies.” He said sincerely, hoping to reassure her clear flustered nature. “You can say whatever you like. I bet you’ve wanted to say a lot worse.”

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kyradeepika‌:

“You seem quite lonely,” Kyra said with a grin as she peered at the person who had passed by her table. Whether they were actually alone or not, she couldn’t care. All she cared about was that she was alone and wouldn’t mind a little company, plus they weren’t horrible to look at. “Why don’t you sit with me? First drink is on the house,” she grinned with a wiggle of her brow.

Hazeem stopped fairly promptly in his tracks when he was addressed, a slow and easy smile spreading across his cheeks when he set his eyes on her. “What an awfully sad way to seem.” He replied with an expression of gradual sadness before he eyed the spare seat at her table. “Sitting with you would indeed be a favour to me so let me get us the drinks. Does that sound fair?”

[hazeemsiddiq-blog]

jaspercclt‌:

     Jasper let out a surprised laugh at the ‘sometimes’ that accompanied the statement about rats. “I try to move around when it’s feasible,” they responded, noting the way he leaned in. They weren’t unappreciative of it, but Jasper wasn’t the type to let their guard down easily. “Most of my travelling has been in and around the Northeastern United States, but I’ve been abroad a couple times with family, if that counts. What about you?”

Hazeem listened with a calm focus, nodding along and noting the surprised laughter. A lot of people didn’t understand the conditions marines were subjected to sometimes but to Hazeem there were so many other ways to be that were far worse. “Northeastern? I’m from Virginia. Have you been there? It’s not quite up there but...” He paused and laced his fingers together. “All over really. Wherever we were stationed during service. Not much time for sightseeing. Not like this.”

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coriihere‌:

     “How do you figure?” Cori asked, genuinely curious as to how this man got to that point that he stated so matter-of-factly. She considered his offer for a moment, silently attempting to read his demeanour, to glean his intentions, before finally allowing a shrug. “I’d love a drink,” she admitted. “And if you’re willing to hear about my job, I’m sure I could go on for far too long.”

“Oh I don’t have any actual evidence to back up my claims but for just a moment you were completely convinced that it was the most sincere thing you had ever heard.” Hazeem said with a large smile and a light laugh. In general, he was just a man who reached out to others. Who saw their strife and longed to fix it. Or at least relieve it. “Great. Any requests? I have all the time on this ship so far too long doesn’t necessarily exist.”

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briarhqs‌:

briar has even managed to forget about their rehearsal until she was reminded when he asked if she had somewhere to be. “two hours ago, yeah–” she squeaked out as she reached for her phone just to find it missing. she must have left it in her room. a sigh fell from her lips as she raised her gaze to meet his. “but it’s probably over now, so this better really be a good excuse.” poe is so gonna kill her for missing rehearsals.

hazeem found himself laughing a little at the clearly confused younger woman. he was never late. all his life he had been instructed never to be late. he sometimes worried about being places on time even when he didn’t have anywhere to be. which was foolish but also just so heavily engrained in to his mind. “there’s the possibility that it has ended, yes. ok but this excuse has to be good and believable. so what’s something that would come up that would make you unable to attend? what would they believe?”

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coriihere‌:

     “Hey,” Cori greeted the man when she recognized the face. She shook her head in an attempt to clear it and then nodded. “Yeah, I’m okay. Sorry. I’m–It’s easier said than done,” she went on with a wry sort of chuckle. “Just work stuff. But it’s nothing I can’t handle.”

Hazeem looked at Cori for a long moment before furrowing his eyebrows. “Funnily enough a lot of things in life are more difficultly said than done. Something many people haven’t gathered and aren’t happy to admit.” He explained simply, maintaining his small yet slightly charming smile. Years of practice and formality. “How about I get us drinks and then you explain it to me and I’ll see if I can help?”

[hazeemsiddiq-blog]

jaspercclt‌:

     “On a shelf?” Jasper could understand sleeping in a room like that, growing familiar with the sound of the machinery enough for it to lull someone to sleep. But still– “That couldn’t have been comfortable,” they went on. At his words, Jasper shrugged. “Yeah, and the pay is all right, so I can’t complain. Not to mention being on a cruise ship and travelling is nice.” There was something so appealing about leaving one’s life behind; a big reason Jasper applied for the job in the first place.

“Yes it was a shelf. But as far as shelves go it was certainly a very comfortable one. It sometimes beat sharing beds with the mice that stowed away on board.” Hazeem explained with a small smile as he looked at them. When they spoke, he was attentive, leaning in to their words. “Had you travelled a lot before all of this? A cruise ship is very wonderful but there are better ways to see the world. Yet, I do not wish to sound ungrateful for this experience. Especially when your days must be much harder than mine.” 

[hazeemsiddiq-blog]

rowanzhang‌:

Rowan held onto her mug while the sound of morning seagulls gawked. To most, they were obnoxious or even scary. For her, it was easily her favorite sound in the world. There was something homely about it. It was almost enough to allow her to forget about her surroundings. Being on the water was everything to her and fortunately, most were still sleeping or only just going to bed. It left for less fuss for her. She didn’t need to force a smile while internally wanting to knife someone for even looking at her. Rowan wasn’t meant to be messed with before she headed to medical. Especially not before she finished her coffee. It was sort of an unspoken rule, one that was inadvertently broken. A tall and dark silhouette blocked her view of the sunrise. She sat there, gritting her teeth before her ceramic glass loudly hit the table. “Hey, sir, do you mind? Others want to enjoy this, too. ” @hazeemsiddiq

What could make a man feel more at home than the vastness of the ocean? Sure, one could never reach the horizon or know without assistance how deep beneath the Earth’s crust quietly slept but there was nothing like the immensity of the seas and oceans to remind someone that there was more to be done. Despite the fact he had retired from the Navy, Hazeem still woke every morning like there was an alarm ringing through the sleeping quarters. He still pressed and ironed his clothes until not a single crinkle could be seen. He still followed rituals to ensure everything was perfect and even at this early hour he wore a perfectly crisp shirt tucked in to his creaseless trousers. He had made himself a black coffee to start the day and had pulled a cigar from his case on the shelf in his bedroom. Nothing else would change Hazeem’s morning so he strolled on to the deck and sipped on the steaming coffee as he went. When he settled on a spot to watch the ocean surrounding them he placed his coffee aside and pulled a packet of matches from his pocket to light the cigar. But the voice got him. The familiar voice. The use of the word Sir with very specific connotations. It had been some time since he’d been forced to make a decision he’d loathed. A decision that broke his heart. “I don’t mind. But I believe a man once scorned should be allowed to enjoy what he wishes.” He stated cleanly as he turned his upper body and put the cigar between his teeth, swiping a match and raising it to the end. 

[hazeemsiddiq-blog]

gracelamurphy‌:

Grace could only shake her head at his response. He was definitely nice to look at, but he was a little stiff– and not at all in the ways she’d have wanted. “You mean you actually listen to what I say,” she countered, her lips dramatically parting. In truth, it was a rarity as most focused on what she did with her hips and the rest of her body. They couldn’t give two shits about what came out of her mouth. Grace was actually endeared. He definitely had this old-fashioned thing going on. “Something like that,” she smiled, one matching his. It was nothing like that, but she wasn’t going to make molehills into mountains. “So, are you going to take a shower now, Hazeem? This may or may not be another pickup line, but I’ve always been a fan of water conservation.”

“Yes? I have ears and therefore I should use them to listen. Although they are not as good as they once were. Foghorns and alarms on ships are exceptionally loud.” Hazeem mused idly, latching on to a simple comment with unnecessary amounts of nostalgic detail. After all, he considered himself a man of words. A charismatic talker. But a bit slow when it came to certain matters. So when Grace mentioned that his joke was something like that he took a lot of pride in it, instantaneously perking up. “Yes, I intended to take a shower. I can’t deal with not cooling off after exercise. And it’s good to hear you care about the conservation of water. I try to tell people that it’s an important matter but no one seems to-” He stopped and looked at her for a long moment. “I talk too much, don’t I? I should conserve conservation rather than water perhaps.”

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briarhqs‌:

looking around to find the owner of the voice, she hasn’t been aware that she has company. especially since she was pretty sure that she didn’t when she went out here. though when he announced what time it is, the brunette’s eyes widened comically as she mused out loud, “it is already seven?” that would mean she has been sleeping for around three hours already. letting out a groan as she rubbed her eyes to shake off that feeling of sleepiness she still has.

“yes, it is already seven.” he confirmed with a small smile as he kept his eyes on the younger woman. he wondered how it was possible to fall asleep so easily and remain asleep for so long. then again, he had learnt to perfect the art of falling asleep in moments in order to maximise resting time before he would be rudely woken again on the naval ships. “is there somewhere you needed to be? i can help you think of an excuse if so.”

[hazeemsiddiq-blog]

mciranicks‌:

“I’m not sure anyone knows what a table maximum is,” Moira said, relaxing into the bar, as though she was melting into part of it. “We’ve got so many high rollers that they wanna bet their life savings. I keep telling them… we cap out at fifty grand, but some people just have a hole and a blackjack strategy card in their pocket.” She couldn’t help herself from adding, “Must be nice,” though she applauded herself for not sounding bitter.

Hazeem listened carefully to what Moira had to say. He recognised her face and voice from his own nights at the tables. He’d always thought she had a nice smile. One that had maybe kept him at the table a round longer than he intended. “Those people are silly.” He said simply, completely agreeing with her. Sure, he was on this ship. Gambling and indulging but not stupidly. “Some people have too much and don’t know what to do with it. Especially if they never worked for it....”

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coriihere‌:

     “Some people. Swear to god…” Cori muttered, mostly to herself. She’d just gotten off the phone–a conference call that needed to be taken. She would’ve sworn she was on vacation, but even on a cruise ship in international waters, it somehow seemed to catch up to her. At least they’d paid for her membership, she conceded.      Rubbing at the tension building in her temples, the woman made her way over to the lounge area, hoping to let the sea breeze and ambience of people milling about calm her weary mind.

Hazeem was merely relaxing, winding down yet another day aboard the glorious ship he would now even consider a second home. Around him staff members went about their business and guests....fulfilled whatever vice or virtue currently compelled them. However, he was distracted from his own mind when a woman wandered by and Hazeem instantly recognised the face and the frustrated expression. “Is everything alright? You should try and relinquish the pressure in your forehead before you get a migraine...”