notjustaface | The Love Boat

The Love Boat - Day 1

It's supposed to be an easy mission, kick back - take a cruise, maybe work on their tans in the process. Baggage, check. Engagement rings, check. Wedding bands, check. Tuxedos, check.

Hannibal and BA boarded first thing in the morning as crew, giving them more than ample time to install some weaponry and a pair of clean cell phones in their cabin and start sweeping for suspicious signs of gun running.

The happy couple took the opportunity to sleep in and have a nice breakfast before heading down to the marina to board.

"It's a nice cabin," Face murmurs, depositing his suitcase on the large bed before heading to the closet to hang up their carefully wrapped formal wear.

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"Yeah, sure."

The old 'divide and conquer' strategy. Only they're not so much conquering as lightly questioning.

It's easier when he can get a girl alone, work a little bit of the charm angle. Attraction or no, he knows how to talk to women.

And how to get her talking about her partner - which is stopped abruptly when a couple of men in dressed down suits pull up chairs and dig into friendly small talk.

"Mel!" One grins wide, offering a warm handshake. "We cruised the Bahamas last summer, remember?"

"Right... right! Dan, right?" Mia shakes her head, trying to play it cool despite the fact that she looks a little shaken at the name. "You have had one too many umbrella drinks, sweetie... it's Mia."

"She's a kidder," the second man grins even wider; "My uncle's named Mel - I never forget a gal that reminds me of that old bastard."

"Anyway," Dan continues; "you are the woman of the hour! I met Charles on that fateful cruise..." he holds up a finger bearing an elaborate rainbow and diamond engagement band; "and now we're making it a lifetime."

After ordering two of the same fruity drinks as before (hey, they were tasty) he hangs back at the bar for a few moments, giving Face some time to do his thing.

Now what's this...

"That's, uh... that's interesting." He offers the pair a smile. "Love your rings... we went with silver."

Charles holds his up; "White gold for me, but Dan's a bit of a show-off..."

Mia cuts in; "You mean a flaming queen." She laughs a little louder than before, taking a large bite off her plate.

"That's cute. I bet my boy would love something like that." Face picks up their plates, offering a polite nod. "We've got some vows to work on still, so if you'll pardon me..."

"Oh, honey!" Dan pipes up; "They're writing their own vows - I told you we should write vows."

He raises an eyebrow as Face rejoins him, trading him the plate for his drink.

"What was that all about?"

"Real cute engagement ring - whole rainbow business thing going on. You'd like it."

He grins, sipping his drink and following it with a bite of prime rib.

He smiles, allowing himself to relax just a bit.

"Look at you, makin' new friends."

Chewing the bite slowly, letting himself savor it just a little before admitting; "Yeah, well... one of our lovely new friends is working under an alias."

He's pretty sure, at least, nobody 'jokes' about their name.

He scoots closer.

"Mia?"

It's always the nice ones...

"Or Mel, if you're the handsome soon-t-be-wed couple she set up on a Bahamas cruise."

He takes another bite and offers it to him.

"Could be nothing. Could be something."

"In my experience, people usually don't lie about their names without a reason."

He takes the offered bite. "Oh, that is good."

His smile spreads to a full grin and he can't help but lick his lips at the soft sound of Murdock's approval.

"Well, at least she's not going anywhere any time soon."

He nods.

"Can we postpone the shop talk a while? I'd kinda like to have a nice dinner with my fiance."

"You like that word, don't you babe?" He shakes his head slightly, his smile not dropping a bit.

"I just figure one of us should be able to say it without stuttering or turning red."

"I don't stutter." He takes another large bite, leaning back with one knee crossed over the other.

"You are my fiancee..." he grins; "for the time being, at least."

"Right. And a few days from now I'll be your husband."

That's definitely a word they've not used yet, and he's not quite sure how he'll react.

"Least as far as anyone knows."

"Well..." he leans forward as much as the slacks will allow, "I figure if I'm getting hitched, may as well be for love."

If the warm blue eyes convey anything, it's just that. He really means what he's saying.

Even if he follows it up with a joke; "Maybe it'll be good for me, settle me down a bit."

"There are definitely worse reasons."

He leans forward to meet him until their foreheads are nearly touching.

"Maybe... wouldn't want you too settled though."

He smiles fondly, uncrossing his legs to close the short distance between them with a soft kiss.

When he breaks away, it's with a whispered; "Maybe someday."

It's as good as a promise to him, just knowing he's thinking about it that way.

"Yeah... maybe."

The softness of his 'maybe' pulls at him, mingling with the stranger's certainty that he was a heart breaker.

Harder than before, he kisses him again - opening his mouth with a broad sweep of his tongue to taste the sweet drink and savory food. "You know I love you, man. We wouldn't be here if I didn't."

"Hey..."

He tilts his chin up, looking him in the eye.

"Of course I do. What's going on with you?"

He shakes his head slightly, sliding back in his chair to hide behind his drink as he flashes a gentle, easy smirk.

"Just thinking. Nothing, man. Nothing at all."

He watches as he slips back into that easy, practiced smile.

"Okay. Just... you know you can talk to me."

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