One fish, two fish...

[theboogieman]

Who: Crew of the S.S. Bad At Feelings S.S. Red Fish and visitors!
Broadcast: Optional!
Action: All sorts!
When: Around the Drifting Week.

---

[if the worlds really are watching, they must just be chomping at the bit to find out what's going on aboard this ship full of misfits and sad-sacks! with one crewmate reportedly dead, another recently missing, and now this thing about a hacking device planted in the communications system--what could possibly happen next?

stay tuned, audience!]

Comments

A.

[theboogieman]

[unfortunately, Zhas is also in a less-than-ideal mood. the confinement never bothers him, but other problems have left him restless and irritable.

sleep is something that doesn't come to him easily. trying is kind of an ordeal. so when his attempted resting is interrupted over and over again by someone wandering through the hallway from room to room, he finally gets up, climbs the ladder out of his hatch, and slams the door open a little louder than entirely necessary.

so, hello. a menacing-looking guy with a skull painted on his face is glaring out into the hall, looking for the owner of the offending footsteps.]

[girlverine]

[Laura sensed him coming a moment before his door opened, but she made no attempt to stop, not until he was leaning out into the hallway enough to be in her way.]

[She stopped a foot or so away, and probably didn't look all that intimidating being a tiny teenage girl, if not for the way she held herself. And her green eyes meeting his as if to say 'well, move.']

[She didn't really know how to be intimidated.]

[theboogieman]

[and Zhas, in turn, finds himself face to face with a small person who doesn't look the slightest bit concerned, surprised, or unsettled by his presence.

which is... kind of astounding, to him. since he doesn't know how to back down from anything, he just tilts his head and looks at her, replying with his own wordless sort of, 'what do you mean, move?']

[girlverine]

[The benefit of being ridiculously hard to kill and intensely well trained meant you just weren't surprised or intimidated by much of anyone. Also one of her closest friends was a girl made of mercury. So weirdness didn't bother her either.]

[Still, after a minute or so of him not moving, she tilted her head to the side.]

Why are you standing there?

[theboogieman]

[yeah, that would make her pretty immune... and while Zhas is scary in his element or to "normal" people, standing here in the well-lit hallway, he's more of a resident Halloween decoration than anything.

he sighs first, shoulders hunching up as he starts to lean against the doorway. talking... is not his favorite, and it's already obvious that being menacing just won't cut it.]

Too loud.

[by the way, his voice holds all the warmth of a gravel driveway. everything's a creepy monotone, with this guy.]

[girlverine]

[Well, he was backing down, at least. And as he moved, there was almost enough space for him to slip past. But then he spoke, and she hesitated.]

[Laura was used to hearing everything on the ship, really, so it takes her a moment to figure out what he means. Oh. She was pacing.]

I did not realize anyone else could hear. I am sorry.

[She was, too!]

[theboogieman]

[the funny thing is that Zhas is very good at conflict, and very bad at... peacefully resolved situations. he's used to fights, arguments... even an exchange of growls would have been more his style. but an honest apology?

he tilts his head, narrowing his eyes... until something suddenly occurs to him.]

...Who are you, again...?

[girlverine]

Laura.

[A beat, just staring at him.]

You are Zhas.

[Well she did tend to stalk people on the ship oops...]

[theboogieman]

[he continues to stare at her too, for a beat, seemingly not surprised that she knows exactly who he is. he paints his face like a skull; he's used to kind of sticking out.

...eventually he nods once, grumbles in acknowledgement, and that's it. for several seconds. before he sighs, audibly, and takes a step backwards onto the top rung of his bunk's ladder.]

Thanks for apologizing.

[even though he sounds so flatly unexcited about it.]

[girlverine]

[She nodded at that, but wasn't entirely certain what to do. Pacing had been killing time, honestly.]

I will try to be quieter.

[Which probably meant she'd take off her boots and start crawling through the vents. Which was...better...maybe?]