Right, Alfred was laughing. Of course he was laughing. He couldn’t believe he had so much as set foot on a boat and not expected it. Shrugging hopelessly as his brother continued to laugh, Evander stood, feet planted where he was, and pretended to inspect the rest of the vessel as if he knew anything beyond what Alfred had thus far explained.
Who knew. Maybe he was making it all up, anyway, and this was a lost cause.
But finally, finally, Alfred pulled himself together long enough to grant him a little hope for this endeavour. Nor did Evander pull out his pocketwatch to check the time accordingly, by which he expected Alfred would be utterly taken aback (although this was less because Evander didn’t want to make sure he got a full hour of no-fun Alfred, and more because he was worried one sudden tilt of the deck would see the pocketwatch flying overboard).
“Fine. Thank you,” Evander added, with what dignity he had left. Thank you for stopping laughing, primarily - but also, perhaps underneath, some actual gratitude that Alfred was actually humouring him with this now. It would have been remarkably easy for him to decline wasting his time with this.
Who knew. Maybe he was making it all up, anyway, and this was a lost cause.
But finally, finally, Alfred pulled himself together long enough to grant him a little hope for this endeavour. Nor did Evander pull out his pocketwatch to check the time accordingly, by which he expected Alfred would be utterly taken aback (although this was less because Evander didn’t want to make sure he got a full hour of no-fun Alfred, and more because he was worried one sudden tilt of the deck would see the pocketwatch flying overboard).
“Fine. Thank you,” Evander added, with what dignity he had left. Thank you for stopping laughing, primarily - but also, perhaps underneath, some actual gratitude that Alfred was actually humouring him with this now. It would have been remarkably easy for him to decline wasting his time with this.
