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[risorto]

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[risorto]

Did you think he was really going to let you steal a piano for him?

If you'd stop sending me messages, I'd be done a lot faster.

[He cannot text and braid at the same time, my guy.]

[silvercrusader]

i thought we could do it together
a bonding exercise
actually i didn't think much at all i just kind of suggested it
i'll save that for christmas though

[See, this is why slicking up your hair is so much better. Or just tying it back. Either option gives you the freedom to text and also come downstairs quickly.]

[risorto]

[Okay, okay, Mr. Impatient. Bruno opts not to respond to the text and instead finish getting dressed so he can come downstairs. Bruno strolls around the house towards the back where the boat is.]

[silvercrusader]

[It's lucky they've kept the Boat in the backyard; he might have resorted to typing out Bruno's name in an increasing whine if he'd had to wait much longer.

The Boat looks good. It looks really good, actually, now that the final nail is hammered in and the paint has dried. It's a brilliant blue with golden trim; it's polished and waxed and looks just about ready to sail. They'd finished up last night, save for one essential addition. Polnareff had waved Bruno off for that, wanting to do it himself. You said you wanted me to name it, he'd said, and that had been that.

It's just a little past dawn. That ought to be symbolic, except the backyard is in the west and the sun rises in the east, so there's no actual light shining on the boat. But there ought to be, because it looks majestic, especially with the name that's painted carefully on the side.

FIS CODFATHER, their second child is named, and Polnareff's grin is somewhere between proud and utterly delighted.

(It was going to be FIS(h), but that likely would have been pushing it).]

[risorto]

[Bruno has no complaints about any of it, not even the name. Seeing it completed means, obviously, that it's come to an end, but it was nice being able to use skills and knowledge that Bruno hasn't used in nearly a decade again. And it let him get to know Polnareff a little better. Bruno smiles quietly.]

It looks good. [He tilts his head some to look up at Polnareff.] How does it feel to have built your very own boat?

[silvercrusader]

Our very own boat.

[An important distinction. They both did an equal share of the physical labor, but Bruno was the one who'd come up with the plans. Polnareff pushes his hands in his pockets and comes over, standing next to Bruno.]

And I think we ought to try sailing it before I say anything about how I feel. If I go off on how proud I am and how amazing it looks-- which I am, and which it does-- the damn thing'll sink the second it hits water.

[. . . and he can't leave it at that, he just can't, so:]

You aren't going to say anything about the name?

[risorto]

I'm trying to be polite, [he teases. But really, he doesn't dislike the name at all. Not that he'd have room to complain anyway since he was the one who let Polnareff name it. Bruno nudges Polnareff lightly.] It won't sink. Be proud of it. You worked hard.

[silvercrusader]

[He pulls a little face in response to that teasing. Maybe some other time he'd keep that joke going, but there's something a little more important he has to address.]

We worked hard. It's your boat too, you know. I'm not gonna take all the credit when it's you who knew how to do all this in the first place.

[risorto]

[It's the second time Polnareff's made that correction, but this time is more insistent and direct if he's willing to sacrifice joking around for it. There's a beat of silence with Bruno's smile flickering before he relents.]

Alright, alright. We worked hard.

[silvercrusader]

Yeah! Damn right, we worked hard--

[He throws an arm around Bruno, tugging him in close for a few seconds.]

So can you zipper the boat into something, or are we gonna lug it over by hand?

[risorto]

[Bruno's eyes go wide in momentary surprise and he tenses a little when that arm ends up around him. But after a second or two, he relaxes minutely.]

It'd be difficult to get it into something with unzipping it into smaller pieces. Unless you can find something that could be just as wide.

[silvercrusader]

[He might have let go if Bruno had stayed stiff-- but once he relaxes, well, why not keep his arm around him for a few seconds longer?]

Well, we could . . . unzip it into bits and rezip it all together, right? I mean, I don't mind carrying it, but the beach is a bit of a trip.

[risorto]

[Bruno folds his arms loosely in front of himself and nods.]

As long as the pieces were matched up correctly, it'd go back together just like it is now.

[silvercrusader]

So you wanna go now?

[He pulls his arm away from Bruno in favor of ducking down, trying to catch his eye.]

Unless you've got something to do today.

[risorto]

[He manages to catch Bruno's eye, Bruno tilting his head a little to look up at him. He quirks an eyebrow.]

Shouldn't I be asking you that question?

[Mr. 3001 hobbies.]

[silvercrusader]

Nothing I'd rather do than this.

[He turns, walking backwards, heading towards the boat while grinning at Bruno.]

Come on! I'll even carry the damn thing in me if you need me to.

[risorto]

[Bruno shakes his head a little, but oh, that still is a smile on his face. He follows Polnareff, manifesting Sticky Fingers and sending him ahead to the boat itself.]

It might be a little faster to use you, but you're free to run inside and find something else.

[silvercrusader]

[What a guy. Polnareff doesn't bother answering; just turns, heading inside. He'd picked up a backpack a few weeks ago when he was out shopping for Kakyoin, and it's that he grabs. It's the biggest thing he can think of that isn't too bulky to carry; if it's not big enough, he'll simply suffer as storage for a second time.

After a moment's thought, he shoves a few apples, some chips and a couple bottles of water in there. Who knows how long they'll be out there, after all? Yeah. Good idea, Polnareff, and he's pretty pleased as he heads back outside.]

How's this?

[risorto]

[By the time Polnareff gets back, Sticky Fingers has managed to unzip the boat down into smaller pieces that are easier to lift and carry, but not quite so small that it's like a 1000 piece 3D jigsaw. Sticky Fingers is waiting patiently beside Bruno for Polnareff to come back, but it's Bruno who takes a moment to look at the backpack Polnareff's brought.]

That should work, [he says, motioning for Polnareff to hand it over.]

[He's saved from being a storage container.]

[silvercrusader]

All right--

[He would have done it, but he wouldn't have been happy about it. Polnareff holds the backpack steady. Now that he's not the one being opened up, Sticky Fingers is actually fairly interesting to watch. Polnareff leans over, staring curiously as each piece slips into the void. There's no seam, of course, once Bruno zips it back up, and that's even better.]

So you still remember how to sail?

[risorto]

[Bruno dismisses Sticky Fingers once the backpack is packed. He makes a soft, amused noise.]

That's not a serious question, is it?

[silvercrusader]

I wouldn't turn down a little assurance.

[He shoves his hands in his pockets and sets off. The beach isn't too far from their home-- maybe an hour's walk at most, and that's if he's going real slow.]

I mean, what, is it like a bicycle, you never forget, or can you be rusty at sailing?

[risorto]

[Bruno walks alongside Polnareff. He's made this walk to the beach countless times by now, but it's rarely with company.]

I kept a boat in Napoli, Jean. [Granted, he didn't have much time to make use of it, but when the opportunity arose...] Even if it weren't something I could ever forget, it hasn't been that long.

[silvercrusader]

I didn't know that!

[It's not as if they're that intimate yet, but he's a little surprised he hasn't heard about it yet.]

What's it called?

[(What's it called, he says in the present tense, which is something he's very aware of around both Bruno and Kakyoin. But he doesn't take it back or switch tenses; he says it as if the boat is going to wait in Napoli for Bruno to get home).]

[risorto]

[Bruno shakes his head a little.]

It never had a name.

[He doesn't follow the change in tenses.]