greenjacketed | SHARPE'S MEAL ⚔ WRITTEN

[ after the public relations disaster of his last broadcast, sharpe has since kept his journal under a sort of imprisonment: tied shut with leather straps and stuffed in a cloth sack, that sack being knotted as well. but today he gingerly picks it from its incarceration and flicks through its pages until he settles upon one he likes. and then sharpe picks up his pencil.

he writes three messages. as ever, his handwriting is scrawlish, ill-practised, and riddled with errors. none are filtered, although only the first is intended for community consumption:]

LUCETI -- I need to speak with someone who can cook a ~~des--deec~~decent meal. [ ugh this is borderline humiliating someone shoot him and put him out of his misery. ] Frogs need not apply, beecuz I don't want the lot to taste like cheese and garlik.

KATNISS -- I'm coming by before 12. We have our wager to settle.

MISS FAITH LONG -- might a man call on you this afternoon?

-- R. SHARPE

[ OTHERWISE the man can be found staring disconsolately at grocery items. some of these things have never before been seen by eyes such as his. in fact, some of these things look barely edible. sharpe's been in luceti for a year, but he just about never goes to the grocery shop -- not when he has katniss looking after him with her stew. not when he can still shoot his own game. but today brings his boots squarely inside this devil's shop. as he browses, he mutters: ] Bloody hell...

[ LATER, sharpe has taken up a sentry position at the bar in good spirits. he's drinking watered down brandy because he can't afford to get drunk tonight. he's on the lookout for a certain fire-haired giant of a man. ganondorf. for it occurs to sharpe that he doesn't know where he lives, only that he's often seen at the bar. so he waits. ]

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That's her. [ a brief smile. ] She's chasing dreams, she is. I know it, but I haven't the heart to tell her. She'll learn for herself, soon enough.

Well, it might not be too farfetched. Tony and I have someone who helps around our house. [Someone Tony managed to charm, although Billy really isn’t just in it for the chance to polish Iron Man’s armor.] But those are sort of unique circumstances.

Unique?

[ he questions. interested. ]

He's a fan of Tony's. Well, of superheroes in general, but Tony has his armor--[Which Richard may not know a thing about, Pepper realizes partway through.] His suit that he wears when he's trying to save people. Billy agreed to do chores for Tony before I got here, in exchange for the chance to polish the armor.

...Is the boy daft?

[ to become a bodyman just for the chance to clean someone's breastplate and helmet? because, yes, armour is a word he knows. but not in the way pepper means it. ]

[Oh, poor Billy. Pepper hopes his ears aren't burning.]

No, no! [She laughs at Sharpe's skepticism, although it probably does sound a little extreme. Or a lot. She'd thought so to, when she'd first heard about the arrangement.] It's just--well. It's a little like you making dinner for Faith. She's someone you admire and want to spend time with, so you're stepping out of your comfort zone to do something nice for her. Billy's intentions aren't romantic like yours are, but it's similar.

[ inwardly, he understands the comparison. respects it, even. but outwardly, he continues to bat for his argument: ] Oi. Dinner's one thing, ain't it? I'm hardly signing on to be her bloody cook. This lad should learn to put a higher price on his labour.

[She feels a little bad for the impression she's giving. But the other reasons for Billy's choice are a bit more personal, and complicated.]

Well it's not like we have him scrub the house with a toothbrush or anything. He just helps with basic chores twice a week. I take care of a lot of it myself.

....Perhaps there's hope for Miss Long's maid-of-all-work yet, then. If this lad'll do that for so little.

I imagine there are people who do more work for less here. Think of all the volunteers at Seventh Heaven or Cloud Nine. Or the Welcome Center; I work there for free.

[Pepper shrugs a shoulder.] Although...do you know why she's specifically asking for a woman? She might have more luck if her request was a bit more gender-inclusive.

[ his lips twitch. almost as if he's daring to smile but not quite. and in the brief moment of that almost-smile, his facial scar stops giving him such a cruel and sardonic look. ]

It's the way of her kind, Pepper. [ her kind. sharpe is quick to exclude himself, though hardly on the grounds of being progressive. ] To hire a man for the job would be...awkward, at best. Uncomfortable. Improper. For some women? Downright frightening. A woman like her's been brought up expecting a chaperone. It's a wonder she allows me to drink tea with her, just the two of us. You...understand?

[Huh. So he has more than one facial expression. She thinks it's a shame he doesn't show it more; almost-smiling suits him.]

I understand. I didn't know if it was a societal thing or something else. [Thinking back on the entries she's seen, it's not too surprising, really. Faith's announcements have been very formal from what Pepper remembers, which is part of why they stood out.] Is she still okay even if she doesn't have the help?

She'll adapt. I daren't tell her so, but she'll adapt. Soon enough, she'll learn she cannot just ask for a maid but instead -- perhaps -- for a friend. I believe that's all she wants...someone who can sit with her and make the place a little less lonely.

[ and sharpe, now, can empathize. he's done living alone in that apartment. all it takes will be katniss's agreement to change his situation. ] Even better if it's someone who'll teach her a thing or two about fending for herself.

[ so many words! the man has opinions on the matter. opinions, clearly, that he doesn't dare share with the woman herself. it wouldn't be right, telling her how to live her life. ]

As I've already said, the woman is of the quality. She'll need time to grow accustomed to a life without servants and maids. Cooks and coachmen.

[She will adapt, right along with everyone else stuck there. Her smile turns sympathetic as Sharpe poses his theory, that it's not so much household help but companionship Faith is after.]

So you think she needs a roommate. That's definitely understandable. This place can get very quiet when you're living alone.

[It's sweet how Sharpe clearly cares, even if he won't say these things to Faith directly.]

She's off to a good start; it seems like she's got a good person looking out for her.

[ he rubs at the back of his neck: sheepish. ]

It's an officer's right and prerogative to offer protection to a woman in need. Anyone in need, I suppose, unless he is the enemy. And Miss Long was decent to me when she could have...ah, caused a scene.

[ a huff. ] She arrived here in my quarters, you see. Was a shock for both of us.

Major, you’re not going through all this effort just because you’re an officer. [He’s clearly stepping out of his comfort zone by means of this dinner, and they both know it. But he’s also nervous enough about it without Pepper giving him too much of a hard time, so she relents a moment later.] There’s nothing wrong about caring for someone—or people knowing you care about someone.

…Oh dear. [She stifles a laugh as a very clear picture of how that could have gone comes into mind, especially with what else Richard’s just told her.] Yes, I imagine so. It must have been very awkward.

...She were so frightened, Pepper. And I had so little to give her.

[ giant boots and a great coat. all of them mucked and tattered. nothing he owns deserves her. ] I trust she thought the worst of me.

Hey. You helped her, didn't you? [Pepper shakes her head, doubting Sharpe's conclusion even if she has no direct knowledge of the woman in question.] You were kind to her, and that can mean a lot when someone is afraid.

And she couldn't have thought too badly of you. She is having dinner with you tonight. [Which Pepper doubts would happen if Sharpe had left her with a bad impression.]

It's been a grand effort, but...aye. She's warmed to yours truly. [ perhaps that scares him more. ] And I suppose I ought to get to preparing the lot of it. And cease monopolizing your time. Not that I ain't grateful...

But you do have a lot of work to do. [Pepper shakes her head.] Don't worry; I understand. Good luck tonight, Major.

SHARPE'S MEAL ⚔ WRITTEN | ACTION

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