The Foc'sle in the Sun - 4th June

De Guarde scowled, but seeing as he wanted to do it and there was no other way than to try. Threatening only: "To thump you good if you laugh." he turned to look at the sailors. Watched them for a few moments and made a tentative attempt at copying their movements.

He did not dare look at Oxley, for fear of seeing him chuckle or smirk, or look terribly amused by what he considered a certain failure. Only then did he think that maybe he should not have thought of trying to dance this way as some sort of means to prove himself. They were there to have fun. They were not evaluated on their skill!

Oxley assumed an angelically innocent expression at the threat before poking his tongue out. He grinned at de Guarde's attempt, which was pretty credible, in his opinion, for someone who'd never done it before.

"'S only a bit of fun," he pointed out. "Ain't nobody watchin' an' judgin' you, so you don't hafta worrit about it an' all."

Oxley echoed his thoughts and the boy thought to relax some more. Not everything went up for evaluation. He would not be winning promotions through this, nor escaping punishments , or earning points. It was for fun and goofing around. Chicken Dyer and Chase certainly did a good one at goofing. So did Button and Fingers. The two boys, and their names coming together somehow made De Guarde smile. All they needed now was someone whose last name was Shirt or Trousers.

With his thoughts elsewhere his dancing too has somehow improved, though whatever new he added to it at this time, he came up with, for bad or for worse.

"I guess you'um right." He spoke, his eyes halting on Oxley. " Though, can I still earn a mug o' grog if'n I was good enough?" This said in a light, playful tone uncharacteristic to the thoughts that have plagued him earlier. He glanced towards Thompson, smiled and turned about again.

"O' course I'm right!" Oxley said, chuckling. "Dunno about a mug o' grog though - seems t'me you's a bit fond of that. Give the rest of us a chance to drink our own ration, won'tcha?" He spoke lightly, laughing a little at de Guarde's efforts, though not in derision. "You's good at that, though, for someone who've never done it afore."

"I ain't fond o' that!" He exclaimed sharply, then relenting. "I need summat.. fer a bit o' .." He shrugged. "Jus' ter celebrate a bit. Nothing else." He didn't say more, but with a grin at the compliment he nodded.

He did stop then for a little, because as much as it was fun, it was also tireing and conversation was much more easily made without the thumping of one's feet. "Is fun.. this skylarking. Thanks fer draggin' me over, kickin' an' screamin' as I was."

"You wasn't kicking all that much, or screamin' all that loud." He giggled. "You do like your drink, don't you?"

It was a good day for a skylarking too... though it couldn't be as much fun for Fingers as the lad had hoped, not with an arm in a sling like that.

"How you findin' it, then, Buckles?"

"...No.. well, no more than any other on this ship." Perhaps not exactly true. "... only, is' good when you gets drunk...nice n'all...feels quite lovely, aye." He stuck his tongue out before he knew it, and then looked a bit embarrassed at the childish act.

"...I'm findin' it.... rather a'right n' fun. But why's you ask.. look at 'em others. 'fcourse it's fun. Look at Button, n' Fingers, dancin' like they'um meanin' it." he chuckled. " A sure competition.. dontcha think?"

"You c'n get in trouble for bein' drunk though," Oxley pointed out. "Ain't worth it, honest it ain't. Even if it feels good at the time." He looked at the two ship's boys and chuckled. "Didn't know there was a competition, neither," he added, looking back at the other boy.

"There'm times worth gettin' drunk over.. one o' em bein' t' time you was born..or t' time somethin' good 'appened.. like a promotion, or when's you feeling down too. Eases all worries.. don't it?" He shook his head.

"Now.. you're not lettin' them two win o'er yeself, are you?" He arched a brow , studied Oxley thoughtfully then smiled.

"Don't 'member when I was borned - don't reckon you 'member when you was, neither. And why'd anyone want to get drunk over a baby anyhow?" Oxley pointed out reasonably. "Ain't so likely to get a promotion, neither - though Corp'ral Thompson's a good sort. Reckon he was as surprised as the rest of us was when he got them stripes though."

The two ship's boys in question were dancing a hornpipe now and Oxley poked his tongue out at de Guarde. "That's more like it - ain't no competition 'bout dancin' hornpipes."

"I dun' remember when It happened, but m' folk does.. and I do thus. That's why I know..." He hesitated. "That aside... there's summat o' celebration.. I might soon need ..t' get a wee bit more o' grog. Could I hope for some help in that matter?" He was timid to say its reason, but wished no less to have means to celebrate it, atleast some.

"Geo....Corporal Thompson's a finest sort you can get." He was letting himself go a bit. Well, he was letting his tense, suspicious, unhappy go. He was still having enough control not to make a complete fool of himself. "Ought we join 'em over there... or better give em some space so they don't thread on our feets?"

"I dunno, depends why," Oxley replied. It seemed to him that the other boy was a sight too fond of grog. Or could get to be, if people let him. "Celebratin' what?" he asked, curious.

He glanced over his shoulder at the Corporal, who was now leaning on a carronade, watching the various merrymakers. "Thompson... um, Corporal Thompson's a good sort, right 'nough," he added. "He's better'n old Cross-Eyes, anyhow - though that ain't so hard, neither."

He turned his head to look at the two ship's boys. "Don't s'pose they'll mind - well, they'll likely say if they don't want us." He grinned. "I don't mind either way, me."

He liked to drink. Much as he would not admit it, he needed to. Wanted to. But the reason for his request was not that of the great desire for a many extra bottles to satisfy his needs. Not exactly. He flushed red and gazed at the floor, nearly having his feet tangle together as he considered what he would say. Should say. Truth, or be vague about it?

"S' jus'.. summat of an...an important day I'd be liking to.." He hesitated again nearly not hearing the second part of the boy's answer. They could go there, or could stay here for a little while longer. Maybe, they ought to stay. Not for too long, maybe, but just a few moments longer since they would indeed take some space if they scurried over to the other side.

"isn't not..nothin' much." He shuffled and again, looked embarrassed to ask. " Nothin' important." He added quickly negating himself in his previous request. "Well.. nothin' that jus'.. jus' happens once.. I'll skip an' mebbe next year. Mebbe.." He grew silent, frowning at himself for making so little sense with words and for backing on his earlier wish so easily and quickly.

"What sort of important day?" Oxley asked, mystified, before turning to look at the younger boy with a frown. His face cleared. "You ain't... It's your birthday, ain't it, you sly thing? Why didn'tcha say so in the first place?"

It was a bit late to save any grog now, of course. Though... if de Guarde got drunk, he'd get in trouble again - and he'd already been in so much trouble lately. "You oughta steer small, y'know - don't go gettin' drunk 'cause you'll get in trouble all over again. Try and stay out of trouble for a week, at least, do."

De Guarde looked embarrassed but after a moment he gave Oxley a slight nod of confirmation." Aye... only is'.." He hesitated a moment. "I've not got it tomorrow.. mind'. Is t' 13th." He hesitated again. "Jus' I only tole you that, a'right?"

He did not know how to go about sharing that bit of information. It was not something to worry about revealing too much about a man. After all, everybody was born once. Some actually knew when they were born, others could merely speculate or mention the season.

"I'm no' lookin' for trouble. N' yer knows it." He scowled when he felt he was slighted with such an accusation. "..an' I'um behavin'." Which meant, not drinking too. "Am' here nt causin' trouble, aren't I?"

"You don't have to tell me - but wouldn't you rather folks celebrated with you?" Oxley shrugged; it wasn't for him to go saying how someone else ought to celebrate their birthday.

"Didn't mean to upset you, like. Only, you don't want to go getting yourself drunk or anythin'."

"I .. would, but I'd save me the disappointment of near nobody attendin'.. were I to have the excuse that they did not know." He spoke with reason. "s' such days that you might feel most vulnerable ter company... and most easily in distress... I mean..." He hesitated again for he knew he sounded quite black with his thoughts. "..i surely can't make t' people come, but t' not have them there. 'least some." He shrugged and sighed. "I speak selfishly.. m' sorry."He had to remind himself now that it was a pleasant time they were having and that they ought to have danced more and he ought to have entertained Oxley, just as the boy did him.

"'s only ..."But there he gave Oxley a smile. He had to be gratetful to the other boy. Without his help he would not have been here dancing. "Thanks."

"Oh." Something about the sad tone in de Guarde's voice took Oxley by surprise. Nobody ought to ever feel like that about their birthday, ever. He had the first stirrings of an idea, and resolved to talk to the Shepherd twins as soon as he could.

"S'alright," he added. "You's havin' fun now, though, right?" He grinned at the other boy, though it was a slightly forced, artificial smile, "That's what friends're for, ain't it?"

De Guarde also forced a smile: "Aye. 't is fun. Dancin' and actin' a fool an' .. not mindin' it. Too much."He did hope he did not act too much of a fool though. He turned , and paused at what Oxley offered next. The smile almost reach his eyes then. "Friends? Aye. I guess you'um right." He tried to ignore that nagging thought in the back of his mind, worrying him that not all said was to be true and that much was played for just the sake of pretend and trickery.

"It's good fun. Everyone needs to have fun once in a while, arter all," Oxley pointed out. "I telled you before - we's friends, unless you don't want to be. Seems you do want it, though, else you wouldn't be here now, you'd be over with Corp'ral Thompson." He chuckled. "It's awful strange that, him bein' a Corp'ral, I mean. Though if anyone deserved them stripes, he done."

"He's deservin' of t' stripes." De Guarde agreed and on a whim took Oxley's hands and pulled him in a sort of hop and spin, that went very well to the music. He flushed and looked quite concerned that Oxley would find his sudden action offensive or somehow against his own wishes.

"Best catch the music till they tire and stop playing." He said, cheerful because Oxley did repeat the want of friendship and this, atleast for the moment, silenced those voices telling him that Oxley just wanted something from him. That everybody did. "Do you know to play an instrument yeself? I mean.. Other than t' drum 'fcourse!"