11 June, Getting Acquainted

When he heard the catch he expected a sort of request, a demand for something or perhaps a want for him to get something in turn for Burke. It was no surprise that he stared at the rifleman in bemusement when the catch was merely that the coat needed a thorough wash - of a blood stain even! - and needed a bit of patching up - which in comparison to his own coat felt minimal.

"Sure." He mouthed then finally managed a grin. " S' no trouble in that! Thought it was... Is right great, that!" He smiled. "Thank you." Which was followed by a more concerned. "Shot? " And a more detailed examination - merely with his eyes - of Burke followed.

"Aye. Shot in the shoulder, so I was. Frogs done it." Burke shrugged, then gestured towards Pye's hand. "What happened t'ye, then?"

"Got into a tussle with one from our side. Though 'twas more him tusslin' and me jus' standin'." Pye answered, flexing his fingers enough to see that they needed more mending. "with t' help of a bit o'..bindings 'fcourse." He studied Burke's shoulder. "That must've hurt there. You're mending alright, though?"

The attention to his shoulder made Burke flush slightly, feeling uncomfortable. It was not as though he were some soft lass who could not handle pain. Mentioning the wound had more been part of an attempt to lighten the serious look on Pye's face about the jacket.

"Right as th' rain soon enough," Burke said with a shrug. "Not a worry. Yer hand goin' t' be alright?"

"It will." Pye said with a firm nod, showing great confidence while really just hoping he was right. "Right enough I can fire again." And he would that, else he would be useless.

"Seems we're both in need of some mendin' there 'till we're ready.." We, is what he hoped would come from this. It looked promising. The coat that was to be exchanged, the relaxed atmosphere and the fact they both were hindered now, but would not be later. Neither could say anything to the other even if they had wanted to. Not that it appeared they did!

"Can we have our time spent at lessons then?" He inquired and with a grin uttered a rather confident:" Dia duit!" Followed by a chuckle. "An'.. riflemen's lessons 'fcourse."

"Hey, You zwei. Keep it down!" The retort was heavily accented, the owner of the voice certainly German. There was more muttering in German clearly suggesting the pair ought to shove off or, perhaps atleast one of them, the Frosch, while the other better find better company seeing as he was new.

"Sorry," Burke called back, grinning and winking at Pye unrepentantly.

Pye studied Burke's expression and a grin slowly spread across his own features. He'd been nervous at first at the sharp order but now, with that look the other lad was harbouring on his face, he was only feeling quite amused and oddly happy. "You'um not sorry at all, are ye?" He asked in whisper loud enough only for Burke to hear.

"Not really," Burke whispered back, chuckling. "But saves us a fair amount o' trouble, so it does."

Pye's expression brightened: "You'm a sneaky'un Burke, so you are." He whispered and chuckled. "Think we're best scampering off somewhere's where we's got peace from those sourfaces?" He asked quite eager to have a walk with his new partner and a conversation undisturbed.

"Hmm..." He considered something. "You're the sort who'd... do things for a laugh?" He whispered, though once the question was asked, he regretted it already. He knew what he wanted to ask, but if Burke was not the sort, the question would be a bad one!

"Scarpering sounds a right fair idea," Burke said. "Annoyin' 'em would be a bad way t' start off, so it would."

He shrugged at Pye's question.

"I guess so, dependin' what it was. Ain't like t' do sommat mean, but I enjoy a good joke."

"A joke, of course." The mean was reserved for the mean. In this case the mean had gotten what they deserved already and would not be needing a repeat any time soon. A good joke, just as a mean act however needed much thought and consideration, an idea upon which one could build and then realise.

"How'd you do a thing that would harm an' have a laugh out of it. That'd be somewhat..... cruel." He murmured as he pushed himself up to his feet. He waited for Burke to do the same, before thinking of making progress in any of the directions. He could not go far, not with Vickery's orders but he was in company and thus 'under a watchful eye of sorts.

"No problems with jokes," Burke said with a shrug. He followed the younger man's example, getting up off of the ground. "Had somewhere in mind t' head towards?"

"Not quite. We can't go far, an'.. I wouldn't recommend going ter t' river, unless you've got a mind ter fill your canteen there, or sumthing." He indicated that direction. "I'm open fer suggestions as of now. We could... hmm,we could go an' see your old coat? An see how big it is?" He said that quite sheepishly.

"Sounds alright," Burke nodded. "I'm sure we can make it fit ye with no problem at all." He gestured in the direction he'd left his things. "Right this way, then."

"If you're really a'right with me havin' it, that is." Pye murmured, though one could not miss that bright smile of someone who was as happy as pie about something. He followed in a light step, his injured hand at his side, relaxed, his other adjusting his breadbag.

"'S fine."

It really would be strange to part with it, but it was not as though Burke still had much use for it. Plus, it would be a little bit of weight out of his pack. So there was a bright side.

He gave Pye a smile. "Ye need it, aye?"

They reached where he had left his pack, and Burke knelt down to rummage through it.

"Have it for ye in just a tick."

"I do." The lad murmured. He stood still, peering at Burke and what he was doing, excited, happy and relieved. In a way he felt that by this exchange their partnership would certainly be more probable, as a man would not have been willing to give him a coat if he did not mean to remain with him.

He still could not believe his fortune at acquiring a partner to whom he would be as loyal as the man would be to him, and with whom he would very much share his fate. It was different than in the line regiment as there they were all together and yet not together at all. He shook his head as the more he tried to compare the more complicated his thoughts became. No need to confuse himself into something, was there?

"Here it is!" Certainly one good thing about having so few possessions - it was always easy to locate them. He scratched his thumb against the hardened blood stain at the shoulder. It would need washing and mending. Still, overall it was in fairly good repair after the wear of the past few years.

Burke hesitated for a moment. Giving the jacket up would be very permanently acknowledging that he was done with the 95th. Which was already a given. Might as well accept it.

Mentally shrugging, he turned to Pye and held out the coat.

"Should do."

Pye stepped forward. In an almost ceremonious manner he took the coat carefully and slowly from Burke. He noticed the hardened part where the other man had been injured. With a faint nod he took the weight of the coat in his hands and then carefully turned it. He studied the fabric and the unfamiliar black collar lined with white. It would be replaced by bits of red, making the coat have a transformation of its own just as its owner.

Touching the bloodied mark he ran his finger over the damaged area. This too would not need much repair and once done would be hardly visible.

"Thank you." He whispered, knowing how important this was. He smiled and looked up. "Thank you." He said again, meaning it just as the first time. "May... may I?" It was a simple question of whether he had the permission - as if needing such - to try it on.

Burke smiled at the younger man's heartfelt thanks.

"Ye're very welcome," he said. Then, with gentle teasing, added: "Let's hope it fares better 'n yer last one, aye?"

He nodded. "Go ahead - try it on."

It would probably fit fairly well, Burke thought. He was a little bit taller than his new partner, but it wasn't as though either of them were exactly giants.

"It will. I won't let it come to harm...well 'least not the sort of .. well like the old one." Which was not exactly old to begin with. "I'll take better care." He promised though, and after his own coat had been unbuttoned and placed into a small folded pile, he took the new coat and pulled it on.

He smiled and looked up, buttoning the jacket some and testing his sleeves. It could have been too big and he would still have been glad, but the fitting was much better and that made the lad near glow with happyness. "It'll do marveously. Look."

The lad's enthusiasm was infectious, and Burke's smile widened into a grin. The jacket did fit surprisingly well.

"'S not bad at all," he said approvingly. "Iff'n we can find some red cloth, ye should be fair set."

"Aye. Think I can pry some of it of me old coat." He felt daft not to have thought of it before. While a great portion of the coat was damaged, the collar had not been, and he needed to see the cuffs but perhaps even those could be saved and transferred. And he had been spending so much time thinking on where to get red cloth! He was wearing it right off. And he need worry about getting it only if the present supply was not enough! Silly lad.

"If not, we'll... no, I will look for a place or source. An' I think those camp followers would have a source or two.. them bein' picking of things that get left behind." Or left for dead. "It'll be done in no time an' then I won't look so unpresentable fer t' riflemen no more." And he will be able to call his garment a jacket again. The other had been mended , yes, but nothing could bring it into a state that would pass as undamaged.

"That's a good idea!" Burke felt a little silly for not having thought of it. They could certainly salvage at least some of the red from Pye's old jacket, and be fairly well off. That was half of the problem solved right there.