location: upper deck. time: the night the boatswain is brought onboard. with: @dawndusted
“you must be tired,” he began, if only because he knew her sort --- he was her sort, wasn’t he? --- and he was tired too. there was much to discuss, he did not doubt that this; he imagined they might find topics to unravel over hours, days even. ( she saw the dead man shift, and he saw the dead man ruined. a thread of blood between them both. ) instead, he approached her with no pressure and a wavering smile. “i swear to you i am not here to interrogate you any more, if only you’ll promise me the same relief.” he crossed his finger over his chest as if making a solemn vow.
“how are you doing? i heard you held him, on the way back to the ship. i thank you for that.”