[for Teddy and Billy]

[learnfromthem]

You know how sometimes you just get one of those cravings? The kind that, no matter how much you try to shake it, you just can't?

That's been me and sushi for the past two days.

While I'm sure someone in the dwindling kitchen staff could accommodate my request, it's a lot more fun to just go out and do it myself. Thor -- yeah, that Thor -- was kind enough to lend me his fishing supplies, including a pretty sweet looking raft, and I managed to rope Billy and Teddy into coming with me for the adventure.

The raft's all packed up with gear, food, and water, and all that's left is to get us offshore.

"I'm just saying, how hard can it be, right?"

Comments

[wasafreak]

"Kate, I love you," Teddy says measuredly.

"And there is no one's opinion on the New York City sushi scene I trust more than yours. But... you remember how we went to Sushi Stop that one time, and it was good but you were really suspicious because it was so cheap, and then you bought us dinner at that place we wouldn't have been allowed into if you hadn't been with us?" He pauses long enough to give the raft and easy, fluid shove from the sand into the shallows, muscles working but not nearly at the standard they had been those weeks back when he'd been feeling a little meaner and greener, for a time.

"And you told us all about how the reason we were paying hundreds of dollars for ounces of fish was the skill of the chef? And that also that was how you didn't get salmonella and die? That's all I'm saying."

[halfscarlet]

Billy wades into the water beside Teddy, and once the raft is bobbing in the water he pulls himself up and onto it with only a minimal amount of splashing.

"I'm almost willing to risk food poisoning for the promise of good sushi. Or we can defy the sashimi gods and just make some tempura."

[learnfromthem]

"You both make good points," I say diplomatically, hauling myself into the raft just as the water gets high enough to reach my shorts. I give each leg a wiggle to shake myself dry, then take a seat.

"But if I spend one more day in a classroom or doing nothing on the beach, I'm going to go stir-crazy, so... Humor me. Besides: name me one skilled sushi chef on the island. We can't be any worse than anyone else."

[wasafreak]

"Food poisoning counts as 'worse'," Teddy points out gently, giving the raft one last good shove so they have some momentum, then pulling himself up into it and settling next to Billy. He pauses only to adjust where is glasses sit on his nose before grabbing up a paddle.

"All right, Captain Hawkeye, which way?"

[learnfromthem]

True confession time: I never thought this far ahead. We're on the ocean, fish have to be around here somewhere, but I'm not sure where the best location is or if we'll even catch anything.

But adventure!

...right?

I point out to horizon. "Full speed thataway."

I've seen people fishing over there before, there's gotta be something out there. Push comes to shove, we jump out and try to spear something.

[halfscarlet]

"Aye aye, captain," Billy says, and he's half tempted to spend the rest of their time on the water talking like a pirate, just to see how long it'd take for one of them to kick him off the raft. "Question: will I get the chance to spear a fish and pretend I'm a real man for two seconds?"