Happy Birthday, Sweet Fifteen (13 June)

" Mus' have a proper band too, you know!" It felt like they were sharing a little secret, and it delighted him as much as it amused. "Yer know what t' commodore wants yer ter do, when you see him?" He asked and rubbed his belly. "Oh, you may say so, but I bet I'll be in all sorts of aches and pains, won't even be able to smile, or what not!"

Thompson looked blank for a moment. "Oh, not singin'. Sinnin'... vices is sins, ain't they? Least, that's what folks allus seem to say, in church." He shrugged. "I dunno. I ain't never spoke to a commodore, only just stood to attention when they come aboard, me, as part of the side-party, presentin' arms."

"OH... Thought you .. oh never mind! " He might have thought vice somehow sounded like voice.... rally and singing.. well, he had to listen to Thompson's way of speech more carefully anyhow.

"Commodore wants you to.. .come adore'im!" It was a terrible pun. Really. But maybe Thompson would get it. He looked embarrassed and flushed.

Thompson blinked, looked at de Guarde, blinked and groaned. "That was... that was terrible. In a really good way. I should never have said anythin', should I?"

"Nope!" De Guarde burst into giggles, nearly toppling over. He was holding his belly. Thompson's expression was hilarious! While he did not plan it, it went pretty brilliant!

"You really should see your face now, you should!" He grinned. He laughed again and shook his head. "You started it, George!"

"You learn quick - I'm goin' to have to keep me eye on you if you do come into the Corps, ain't I?" Thompson replied. "You're like to give me the run-around, else."

"I wish. " De Guarde smiled warmly. "But If I was ever in yer corps, I'd behave, honest truth. " He held his hand up. "Though, 'um...could you still call me Buckles then? Couse that's me nickname now below decks. " He liked it and grew quite used and attached to it. Somehow it broke the formality and it did remind him of where he was coming from.

"Hey.." He leaned closer as if meaning to whisper something to Thompson.

Suddenly a voice came, from behind the pair, serious, formal, young. "What do I see here.." It said. "Conspiracy? Fraternizing? Nay..a talk for mutiny?" The voice made each word sound so much worse, so much more like an accusation, the owner's shadow falling upon the two.

"Ain't just my Corps... it's the Corps." He shrugged. "Dunno that I can explain that at all - it's worse'n tryin' to explain about bein' a Terpsy, though you got that in the end, didn't you?" He grinned. "Well, I call you Mathew, don't I? Though I could call you Buckles, 'cept when it's summat official, an' then it'd have to be de Guarde."

He looked at de Guarde as the boy leaned closer. "What?"

And then someone came up to them from behind. Thompson straightened and stood up. "No, sir, jus' a couple of friends havin' a laugh."

"It sure doesn't seem so." The boy answered, keeping his face dark yet professional. Then, there was a glimmer in his eyes that suggested something that.. no, it probably was just a reflection of light.

"Debauchery, they say in the navy..tsk tsk.." He began, but then, he could not hold it in any longer and his expression brightened, a large grin spreading where just a moment ago, was a rather condescending scowl. " What's the occasion? " He inquired and he was, friendly, all smiles, and finding it terribly amusing how De Guarde's mouth was now wide agape, bemused, stunned, and clearly not really getting what just happened.

Was that a gleam of amusement in the midshipman's eyes? Thompson thought so, but wasn't entirely sure. And then the young gentleman grinned, which brought an answering smile to the Marine's face.

"It's his birthday, sir," he replied, glancing at de Guarde out of the corner of his eye.

De Guarde was still stunned, staring at Bailey. For a moment he thought he was in terrible trouble and he would just about need to write his will, because that was going to be all that was left of him. But now as he had nearly gone and assembled his belongings and whom he was going to leave them to, and the midshipman was smiling.

THompson was also smiling.

De Guarde pinched himself because he thought he must have just died or fainted, and this was not the real world in which he was seeing all of this. "Uh.."He saluted, nearly knocking himself out with what was supposed to be a knuckle to the brow.

"Happy Birthday!" Tobias said cheerfully. Seeing that the boy was still speechless he looked almost apologetic, and then turned to Thompson. "How old is he?" It seemed that they knew when his birthday was and that meant they knew how old he was as well. He tried to recall the face. Oh, that was a former midshipman, wasn't he?

"Jus' turned fifteen, sir," Thompson said, and wondering if the joke would have worked better if Mister Bailey hadn't unintentionally done exactly what de Guarde himself had used to do as a midshipman.

"Well Congratulations on that." The boy nodded. Since De Guarde looked like he was only slowly getting around to himself, the midshipman remained in conversation with his more conversational friend.

"It gives reason for a celebration!" He smiled. "Pardon, but may I ask. I'm not of course speaking against it at all but, how come that a marine corporal is such a good friend with a .. seaman?" It was genuine curiosity and held no malice that could have changed the question so much, had this been Mister Hollow or Mister De Guarde of the past.

Thompson relaxed and grinned. "I dunno, exactly, sir. He had a hard time in his old ship, an' I got talkin' to him an' explainin' that Terpsy ain't like that, an', well... I wasn't a Corp'ral then, though, sir," he added.

"Ah. I see. Hasn't been a Jack Tar there, has he?" If he had not, he was just counting himself fortunate, probably, but judging by his reaction, perhaps he was not just as fortunate as one would like to think.

De Guarde had finally closed his mouth so no flies would dare enter it. He seemed to just be quietly observing. He had not made a protest at Thompson telling the other boy about him, exactly, but more gazed on in wonderment. He'd seen this middie, sure. A new one, come recently on board. Not exactly attentive to studies, but now it seemed, that he was actually a good sort. Judging by his uniform, he was of a rich family. Still, it looked fairly taken care of.

Thompson shook his head. "No, he warn't, sir." He wasn't sure what else, if anything, he could say before de Guarde objected to his giving the lad's entire life story away. "He didn't have such a good time aboard his last ship, though, sir."

"Well. Since I've given him half a fright, and it's his birthday today it's only fair, I make it up a little." He straightened. "So, can you hold him here for a short while longer. I promise not to take an age coming back." He grinned.

At final last, there was a faintest of smiles on De Guarde's face. Perhaps, he was not seeing things. He did hope so, because his arm was starting to hurt from the number of pinches he had given it.

"Course I can, sir," Thompson replied, grinning, wondering what the midshipman had in mind. When he looked at de Guarde, the young sailor appeared to be in a state of shock, as though he couldn't quite believe what was going on.

"Brilliant." Bailey grinned and was off at his own pace. It was clear that his earlier captain was a good one. The skip in his step, the sort of cheeky delight shown when he went about his business, it could not have come from a bad one.

It took not more than a few moments, and the two were again, alone.

"George.... did he just... did a..." De Guarde found his voice once the lad was gone and he was now looking up at Thompson incrediously. "What just happened? 'Couse, if it didn't I'll start askin' wot' sort of drink you marines get as your daily ration!"

"Yes, that was Mister Bailey, and yes he did," Thompson replied, sitting down again. "That's how middies're s'posed to be, well, sort of." He chuckled at de Guarde's expression. "You look like someone jus' clouted you acrost the head with a belayin' pin!"

"Does feel like it!You sure it ain't t' drink you gave me, couse honest truth, if it is. I would really like a regular supply of it!" He smiled sheepishly. "Do you think he was jokin' when he said he's comin' back?" He scooted closer.

"Do pinch me, I've done it meself, but maybe it don't work and i just want ter be absolutely sure. Please?" He asked pleadingly. "I'd like to know that ..well, really I don't want to wake up if this ain't true but a bit o' me.... I don't know. You givin' me a present fer me birthday n' congratulatin' me... a middie bein' nice.. this is jus' too unreal.. honest truth it is!"

"I'm pretty sure it ain't the drink, I'm as sober as can be," Thompson pointed out. "I'll pinch you if you like, but you'm awake an' it ain't a dream, I promise." He grinned and gave de Guarde's arm a firm pinch. "See?"