On the Heart of Gold

[antarianmax]

The ship's been cleaned. Insanely. Every bit of it's shining brightly, even whiter than it normally is, and all is pristine and perfect for a trip that guarantees, considering time and the personages involved, that by the time they land, it'll be a mess

Comments

[thelastearthman]

And Arthur's there as well, looking an all-too-familiar shade of depressed.

He hates goodbyes. Even when they're temporary.

[mctrillian]

"You look awful. Tea?"

Trillian does try.

[thelastearthman]

"Only if you make it yourself."

He gives her a valiant attempt at a smile.

"I'll be alright once we get going."

[mctrillian]

"Oh, yeah, bloody hell, I have to remember never to offer you tea on the Heart of Gold ever again."

She laughs, tugging on his arm.

"No, I've got an old-fashioned hotplate in the kitchen. Zaphod nearly ate me."

[thelastearthman]

"That reminds me," he says with a genuine grin, "how are you newlyweds getting on?"

[mctrillian]

"Just fine! And, you know, Zaphod thinks it's hilarious? He doesn't mind at all."

Trillian hands him a cup of tea.

[thelastearthman]

"Thanks. I'm glad to hear that."

Pause.

"Does Ford know?"

[mctrillian]

"Yeah, why?"

[thelastearthman]

"Oh... just wondering."

Oh, for Zarquon's sake, Ford, just tell her already.

[mctrillian]

He sort of did, on Gwillanti Prime. Sort of. She was really busy laughing.

"... this doesn't have anything to do with the time Ford kissed me, right?"

[thelastearthman]

And thus, Arthur's mental processes are brought to a screeching halt.

"When he what?"

[mctrillian]

"He kissed me, on Gwillanti Prime, after I fell over in the grass, which was about ten minutes before he called me beautiful. There was something in the air, and I don't think his brain reacted well to it. Nice gesture, though."

[thelastearthman]

"Ah... I see."

He shakes his head and goes straight for the last refuge of the Socially Confused Englishman.

"Any more tea?"

[mctrillian]

"Mm, yeah. You go through it fast."

She passes him another cup.

"You look really, really confused."

[thelastearthman]

"Well I am," he admits. "My best friend's gone and gotten accidentally married to someone I barely know and also kissed by my other best friend. Neither of whom she's actually going out with."

Another pause.

"Anyone else I should know about?"

[mctrillian]

"Um."

Trillian thinks.

Really, really hard.

"... actually, no."