(Untitled)

[usethecompany]

The good news for the patrons of the Winchester was that Archie had gotten better with his cooking. The bad news was that for a space of time, he had had to sacrifice his eaters to the pursuit of learning. Nothing had ever been inedible, and certainly nothing had ever caused one harm, but a regular patron with middling intelligence would have

Comments

[dumbassbastards]

Karen's way too clever and mouthy for Rollie to preach about having a good breakfast before school without getting one for himself before going to work, even when he feels like he'd rather get by with just a cup of coffee. It's nice not to have to trek all the way out to the compound and back, at least.

"Sure, I'm not picky," says Rollie, reaching for the plate. "Just baked?"

[usethecompany]

"Granted only enough time in this world to cool down," Archie confirmed with a pleased nod. "And a lack of discernment makes you the perfect consumer of my cooking."

[dumbassbastards]

"You wouldn't believe some of the things I've stuck in my mouth over the years," says Rollie, breaking off a piece and popping it in his mouth. This is definitely not among the worst of them. "Any chance there's coffee to wash it down with?"

[usethecompany]

His eyebrows rose at the assertion, equal parts intrigued by the possibilities and amused by them. "You wouldn't happen to have been a sailor by any chance?" he mused as he went to fetch the coffee pot. As it sat only a few paces away, Kennedy could continue the conversation as he poured the man a cup. "That sounds like the opening to a hell of a story, and sailors have those in abundance, I know."

[dumbassbastards]

Rollie just chuckles. "No, definitely not a sailor," he says. He hasn't even really been on his share of boats. "Just a doctor who's worked in places more remote and difficult than this. Well, more difficult, anyway. I'm not sure it gets more remote than this."

[usethecompany]

"Indeed," Archie agreed as he served the man his drink, customary good cheer dampened for a moment. "Even stuck in the doldrums, not a spit of land in sight, there was more possibility of movement than here. Could drive a man mad if he's not careful and sociable."

[dumbassbastards]

"Plenty of ways to keep busy, at least," he says. He wouldn't've thought so, when he got here. He knows all about being stuck in places where the days are long and uncertain. But his life is pretty full now. "These are actually pretty good. Mind if I grab another?"

[usethecompany]

"If one chooses to take them," Archie replied. He knew of several who complained of boredom, which only proved to Kennedy that man was the most stubborn of creatures.

He nodded and waved an open hand at the plate. "They are there for the taking. By all means."

[dumbassbastards]

"Don't want to hog the whole plate," says Rollie. Actually, really, he doesn't care if he does. "My kid'll be happy I'm actually eating breakfast. This counts as breakfast, right?"

[usethecompany]

Archie balked openly, and playfully, at the insinuation that it wasn't. "Entirely. And I'll gladly vouch for you. Why, I'll even get you a rasher of bacon so there won't be any doubt."

[dumbassbastards]

"I never say no to bacon," says Rollie fervently. Too many months spent without it to ever complain. "You'd have to be crazy. Or vegetarian."

[usethecompany]

"One of those aspects of modernity that I fear I shall never understand," Archie said as he moved just far enough away from the bar to place some slices of bacon on the griddle to cook. "Man was not made to live on bread, and vegetables, alone."