( 01 ) video ♧ and if we don’t live to be old and faint

[became]

[ oh hello, giant creepy spaceship. have a shiny, shiny smile directed your way. said shiny smile is attached to a freakishly put together looking gentleman. dapper, one might call him. ]

So... space, huh? [ neal adjusts his cuffs-- he's wearing a suit (a real suit: classic, 50's style devore, for any suit buffs) because fuck that jumpsuit crap right in the ear-- fussily, smile dropping wattage just a tiny bit. ] Does anyone want to catch me up a little more on that, out of curiosity? Because I have to admit, other than the bits and pieces I caught wandering around the first day I have no idea what's going on.

Anyway, come on. Help a new guy out, anybody? [ smile ratcheting up another few notches. aaaaaand HOLY CHARM BATMAN. doesn't everyone watching just want to drop everything and help? (yes. your answer is yes.) ] I'll owe you one.

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[became]

[ if neal were a litttttttle bit better at being a good guy, he might turn off the charm a little here, because he caught that hint. but he's wearing a goddamn devore and he's tired and frustrated and feeling trapped, so: instead, he runs an affectionately gentle hand over one sleeve. ]

It's a Devore. A friend's husband won it off Sy himself. [ NOT THAT NEAL WOULD EVER BRAG oh right. yes. yes he would. he takes a second look at ianto and cocks his head, some of the arrogance draining away to reveal someone a little too observant for his own good. ] But you already knew about it being a Devore, didn't you?

[coffeeking]

[...Oh. Oh. Fuck you, Neal. How dare you be both sexy and perceptive. You are intruding on all of Ianto's territory, and you're being a twat about it to boot. If you make good coffee too, God help you.]

Yes, I did. Bit of luck getting your hands on it like that. Your friend must be quite the generous lady.

[Not that he's implying anything.]

[became]

[ he makes awesome coffee. and brought some beans with him, actually. but he prefers wine, so ianto's place as coffee god is secure. ]

June's... June. She's great.

[ and this is as genuine and sweet as neal's smile gets, minus the addition of being heavily sedated. he's ignoring potential barbs, because there's being a smug ass and then there's making enemies your first day out. ]

[coffeeking]

[Ianto softens just a bit. He can't be a complete dick to someone who demonstrates genuine affection, so he drops the subject of June immediately. She goes into his mental "off limits" category.]

Right. So what did you want to know about the ship?

[became]

[ june is one of neal's soft spots. she's a lady, in the throwback style neal loves best. there might not be anything romantic between them-- although if she had been interested at the start, neal would have said yes; age is kind of a ridiculous reason not to sleep with a beautiful woman-- but she's one of his tiny, tiny list of people he would stick around and take consequences for no matter what, if it meant her life would be easier. that brings the list total to... four. and a half, possibly.

neal is emotionally stunted, news at eleven. ]

I'll start simple, now that I have more to work with. How does food work around here?

[coffeeking]

We have kitchens. We restock whenever we get to a spaceport and the captain takes requests. Theoretically.

[became]

What kind of supplies are we talking about?

[ ACTUALLY INTERESTED HERE. neal's a michelin chef in his spare time/for cons, okay. ]

[coffeeking]

Whatever kind you want to request and are readily available. Not just food, either. I assume the captain might say no to some things, but some idiot already stole away on the shuttle and got his hands on a chainsaw, so...

[became]

At least we won't starve, right?

[coffeeking]

All threats of chainsaw massacres aside, even if we go some time without a port, we have gardens.

[became]

...Gardens, huh? [ his attention sharpens at that, almost greedily. the tranquility's long on futuristic, clean lines, and there's beauty in that; but he missed being outside in person, so much so it ached. a way to stave that off is nothing but good news. ]

[coffeeking]

I hear they need some assistance, if it interests you. [Neal doesn't strike Ianto as a gardening kind of guy, but his interest doesn't go unnoticed. One never does know.]