[action/accidental voice] and foward bends his head

[abidinglaw]

[It is a lovely day and Admiral Norrington is sat out on the steps to his apartment building as befits such weather, bent forward as though scrutinizing his own knees. Laid out across his lap is his uniform's coat, ripped during the battle dome debacle. Why has he come outside? The daylight will help his eye to guide the needle. His fingers,

Comments

[action]

[seventeensir]

[Horatio Hornblower has taken to wandering Luceti, further familiarizing himself with the town.

The man on the apartment steps catches his eye... as does his task. And his apparent frustration with it.

Some slight distance away, he clears his throat, standing at attention. A captain, proud of his station but aware he is outranked. A mix of authority and deference.]

Pardon me, sir.

[action]

[abidinglaw]

[That man. Hornblower - from the card game and from Dawn Summers' party.]

Very well. I grant you your pardon.

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[seventeensir]

[Horatio made a small sound, almost like clearing his throat.]

Ha--h'm.

[He nodded politely again and gestured to the torn uniform.]

Would you like some help, sir? I have a decent hand with a needle and thread, sir.

[action]

[abidinglaw]

[Truly he is not used to this level of respect -- not in this place. It warms him, calms him, but he is not too trusting. This man consorts with Archie Kennedy, and the admiral has not been so blind that he has not witnessed the fondness that they have displayed for each-other in the past. Surely it would not be above Kennedy to exact some manner of ill-conceived revenge upon Norrington through this man. It is for this very reason that he accepts.]

I apologize for the imposition, but I find that my fingers lack their accustomed dexterity.

[It is his undershirt that he offers, plain and pristine white. He has begun the job of mending it, but he has made slow progress. For a skilled hand it would be a simple matter. Compared to what his coat had suffered, the damage here is minimal.]

[action]

[seventeensir]

It is not an imposition, sir.

[The words are sincere, and Horatio ducks his head again politely, taking the shirt. He sits, taking a moment to contemplate the tear, considering whether there is a way to better hide the new stitching. He decides against it, though, and continues where the man left off.

His long, thin fingers move the needle quickly but carefully, making small stitches, seeking to hide the new thread as much as possible.

It does not do for a captain to have a shirt with mending awfully visible... much less an admiral, so he does his best to make the repairs meet his own high level of acceptability.]

[action]

[abidinglaw]

[Norrington would only ever wear this under three or four different layers - only the neck and the ends of the sleeves would ever see sunlight. It would be enough, however, for Norrington to know that the glaring imperfection was there. The tear, or poor stitching.]

You spoke the truth.

[He is, indeed, a dab hand with a needle. That leaves Norrington with the question -- what should he do now to repay the young man? A cup of tea perhaps. But first,]

Archie Kennedy happened by here not minutes ago. Was it you who sent him?

[action]

[seventeensir]

I suggested to him that he might speak with you, sir, but I did not send him. No, sir.

[Even as he speaks, he is stitching carefully.]

[action]

[abidinglaw]

Strange. It seems he came with the specific intention not to speak with me.

[action]

[seventeensir]

Sir?

[action]

[abidinglaw]

He came, I attempted to speak with him, and he remained silent. He then left. It was most peculiar.

[action]

[seventeensir]

I have sometimes found, sir-- though your experiences may be far different than mine, sir-- that men sometimes have difficulty finding the words for a proper apology, sir.

Though, I grant you, I am only able to speculate, sir, on Mister Kennedy's intentions.

[action]

[abidinglaw]

[That many sirs in so short a time. Perhaps he is being mocked after all.]

You are close to the boy, yes? Perhaps you may know of the most prudent way to frame my own apology. I should not have raised my hand. Had I my sword--

You understand.

[action]

[seventeensir]

A simple, sincere apology will do well, I think, sir.

And, sir, if I may make a suggestion? The word "boy," sir... might make things worse. "Mister Kennedy" will suffice, if you would, sir.