InsaneJournal

Who: Laurence and Isabela
What: Meeting at the pier
When: End of April
Where: The pier
Ratings/Warnings: Low/none
Status: Complete


Despite the fact that Laurence had always felt more at home on the sea than he had on land, he had never actually owned his own boat. Of course, he had never been landed for long enough for him to own one, or for owning one to even be practical. However, it sounded like it would be quite some time before he was sent off to sea again. He wasn’t sure if he would truly invest in a vessel, but there was no better way to decide than to go to the docks and see if there was anything that piqued his interest.

He stopped in front of a rather large yacht, back straight, broad shoulders straight, and his hands clasped behind his back, and frowned. While she surely must have been beautiful in the past, it had been obvious that her current owners had neglected her severely over the last several years. It really was a shame.

Further off, in deeper water, another Yacht was anchored. It was too big to dock in regular places, though its owner never minded. It was fun being the female Captain of something so impressive, especially since it took those 'compensating for something' jokes in an entirely different direction.

Isabela had pulled ashore in the boat she used to ferry passengers and supplies back and forth, intent on making a grocery run and a few other errands, when her eyes fell upon a handsome young stranger. One brow arched, she marched over to see what he was staring at. The yacht in question was definitely in need of attention. "It's a shame when such gorgeous vessels are left untouched like that."

“It truly is,” Laurence said, turning to look at the woman who’d approached him. It was always nice to meet another sailor, and he smiled at her. “I truly cannot understand those who would buy something so beautiful and then leave it to rot.” It wasn’t as though boats such as these were cheap either, which made the whole prospect even more baffling.

"Mmm, yes. If that boat was mine I'd treat her right. Get my hands all over her and make sure she felt appropriately taken care of," Isabela purred. Her words had double meaning, a way of flirting with people that she extremely enjoyed - most especially when the other person had no idea what was going on. And something about this man came across prim and proper and as if double entendres were going to go right over his head.

"What about you, then? Do you know how to properly handle a boat?" She asked, arching a brow at him. "Or are you just here to get a good ogling in? There are quite a few boats worth the looking at here at the Marina. I'm always getting distracted when I put in at the dock."

Laurence had been a military man long enough that he caught the double meaning beneath her words, though he chose not to comment on them. It would hardly be proper, especially not with a woman whom he had only just made acquaintance with.

“I should hope that I do,” Laurence said. “I have been thinking along the lines of purchasing one of my own, although I’m still uncertain on if I should. I move about frequently, and I wouldn’t not purchase a vessel only to have her fall to disrepair when I am called away.”

"A ship's a rather large commitment, I think," Isabela agreed, with a nod of her head. "I think mine's likely to be the only thing I ever actually pull the trigger on. I'm just not one to really settle down, I think that's why sailing suits me so much. Much better to come and go at will, with no one to really answer to. Open sea and all of that. I'm a free spirit, me."

She motioned back towards her own ship, which was large enough to be as big a commitment as she was letting on. "This one's going to be due for some heavy maintenance soon, actually. I expect I'll have to hire on some crew again for that, get it all ship shape and cleaned for the busy season. You're welcome aboard any time, if you like. It won't be the same as owning your own but it'll do in a pinch?"

Laurence had never considered himself a free spirit of any sort, and the idea of a life with minimal commitments and attachments was one that was distressing to him. And yet he found himself agreeing with Isabela and the draw of the sea. There had been so much more to it than a desire to be free - he had his country to fight for, to defend - but there had been something freeing when he had been a teenager of trading the rigidity of his father’s house for the rigidity of the Navy, and while he could scarcely admit it even to himself, for the prospect of sailing the wide open ocean and seeing the world as he never would have seen it had he followed his father’s plan.

He was surprised by her offer, but the pleasure of it shone on his face. People in the Orange County were far friendlier than he would have ever given them credit for before he had moved here. “I would be honoured,” Laurence said. “Has she been yours for long?”

"OHhhh..." Isabela held the 'oh' sound for a length of time as she thought about how long she'd had her now. Her brow scrunched up and she shrugged her shoulder. "A few years now. Maybe two? It was all a whirlwind at first, to be honest, and she wasn't quite ready. I spent a length of time just hanging out in Italy while I waited for the finishing touches. I was worried I was going to fall in love with some other Yachts while I waited and regret all of my life choices, but it worked out. No one can hold a candle to The Varuna."

She was glad that her offer seemed to brighten his day. There was no denying that his face had lit up at the prospect, and she pointed over at her speedboat. "I could take us aboard now if you like? I was just on my way to restock provisions but I think I've got some refreshments still." The most important thing on any Yacht was a well stocked bar.

Laurence had not been expected to be invited anywhere at the moment, and for a brief moment a look of distress crossed his face. He hadn’t brought anything with him, like the bottle of wine he normally liked to bring to show his appreciation as a guest, but it struck him that Isabela was likely expecting no such thing, given the spontaneity of the invitation.

“I would hardly like to distract you from your duties, though if it is no trouble then I would be delighted,” he said.

"Listen to you!" Isabela replied, amused at his worries and waving them away with a hand gesture. She scoffed, and shook her head at him, "Duties, pshh. I'm only really restocking the galley for myself. I've never really chartered her out so far this season so there's no real crew to worry about. Come on! It'll be fun, and I think you're someone who's desperately in need of it."

Isabela bounded over to her speed boat and waved him in, "Permission to board, Mister... did I get a name?"

Laurence could have interpreted that as an insult, but the woman wasn’t wrong; he could certainly use a bit more fun in his life. Despite not being at sea, work and the Orange Counties strangeness had kept him from more pleasurable pursuits, such as the visiting the opera or the theatre.

“Captain William Laurence,” Laurence said, gently correcting her mode of address. He stepped into the speedboat, and took his seat near where Isabela would be driving from so they could easily converse over the sound of the engine and the ocean. “I’m afraid I didn’t get your name either.”

"Well if we're going to be formal, then I'm Captain Isabela Rana." Bela replied, though she tilted her head to the side at the name, which seemed familiar. She could have sworn her father had mentioned the surname here and there. It was extremely possible that a Laurence or two had run in the same circles as the Ranas, which probably made sense.

She took the helm and turned the speedboat on, then flashed a grin at him. "Well, let’s cast off, shall we?"

Laurence hadn’t meant to sound so formal and he flushed a little. It was simply that as a captain, he no longer went by the title mister. “Well, it’s a pleasure, Captain,” he said, smiling. The name Rana was indeed familiar to Laurence; he wondered if she bore any relation to Karthik Rana. He would have to make a note to ask her about it during their cruise.

Laurence took a deep breath of the sea air, and looked off at the open water before them. “Nothing would bring me more pleasure.”