2024-12-11 - Small Talk

Earlier this week-- before the start of it really, Gabe finds themself on a ferry with all their worldly belongings shoved into two huge suitcases. Both items are loaded with luggage tags and stickers from various cities and national parks.

Gabriel's slouched back on a bench, long legs extended and crossed one over the other to rest atop a suitcase. They are warm and cozy in an oversized navy blue peacoat, black jeans, and black suede Chelsea boots as they idly doomscroll on their phone.

Being off duty makes passengers that are cluttering the walkways with luggage is other people's problems and not Kellin's. He has been spoken to before about dealing with passengers when a. he is off duty, and b. it's not his ferry. Needless to say he will let the captain and crew of the ferry they are on deal with, should they want to. As it is the ferry isn't exactly crowded with guests, that will be later in the morning.

With oversize travel mug in hand, tightly lidded so neither steam or heat escape, Kellin, dressed in the appropriate uniform for ferry crew, steps over Gabe's long legs as he heads to sit on what is probably a near by bench.

Somewhere within the mindless scrolling, Gabe seems to notice whoever is in their peripheral vision and quickly looks up just as Kellin steps over their legs.

"Oh, shit, sorry." They sit up properly and tug both rolling suitcases closer and out of the way. A glance goes Kellin's way, specifically at his ferry crew uniform. Gabe slips their phone into their pocket and points at the clothing. "So who's driving the ship if you're here?"

His stepping over the legs isn't the least graceful, probably would have been more so had he used the cane in his other hand, but it isn't clumsy nor did he look at risk of face planting. It's obvious why he has a cane, he has a limp, favoring his left leg, otherwise he doesn't look old enough to have it, barely looks 30, even with the facial scruff.

The question has Kellin pausing in the lifting of his mug for a drink to look at the genderly ambiguous person speaking to him, to the luggage, and then back to the person. The wheels are turning, sure there are some guests that bring that much luggage, but they are usually dressed in designer clothes, and have a toy designer dog wearing a diamond collar, in a designer bag with its name embroidered on the side. And Gabe doesn't fit that description "Funny of you to assume anyone is piloting this ship."

Funny of you to assume anyone is piloting this ship.

Gabe's brows lift. Overall their face holds a rather neutral expression, blue eyes somewhat piercing giving their pale hue, but a little tug at one corner of their lips hints at an oncoming tease.

They lift both hands and let out a surprisingly quiet, yet appropriately fake-panic sounding "AAHHHHHHhhhhhhhhhHHH!"

"One of these days I am going to say that and it will be true." the response from Gabe wasn't entirely unexpected "Hopefully not anytime soon though." or else he will be out of a job. Automation takes over everything sooner or later. He drops onto the bench at a comfortable distance before taking a sip from his mug.

"Either you are expecting a lot of wardrobe changes during your vacation, or you are moving in." its as much a statement as a question "I am guessing the second one. Which island you working on?"

"And that will be a very bad day for a lot of people," Gabriel agrees with a somber expression. "Is that what autopilot's for?" There's a glance over to the door that leads to the bridge. "AI takes over?"

Kellin infers correctly though and Gabe just drops their gaze to the suitcases with a little squint as they try to remember. There had been a lot of information during pre-orientation. "Uh, Crescent, I think? The one for the employees. I'm not doing anything special or anything. Just working at the diner." They look at Kellin's uniform again. "How long you been a captain?"

The autopilot comment has Kellin lifting a hand to wiggle in that sort of gesture. "It takes care of speed and throttle and some other minor tasks, but for disembarking and docking it's better to let people do that part." Says the man that is being paid for just that. "And AI can't always predict what that fishing boat or cargo ship is going to do when it gets to close for comfort." At least an experienced captain can do a better job at that.

He nods "Crescent." Kel confirms that. "Keeping all of us feed sounds special enough to me." Another drink from the mug "They promoted me to full captain when the park opened." Implying he was part of the crew before that.

"Speed and throttle...ah okay," Gabriel intones thoughtfully as they listen. There's a soft little quirk of their brows, intrigued by what Kellin says. "I guess you're right. It's not exactly a Tesla. Can't autopark or whatever it's called." That gets them glancing out to the rest of the ferry, as if trying to imagine it.

"I'm not a cook or anything," they offer. "Just a server. So...sorta keeping people fed? But you've been here a long time then, any advice? I'm a little overwhelmed already if I'm honest."

"Not yet anyway. At least not these ferries." For now Kel's job is safe from Ai. "I captain the Siren's Song. It's one of these ones that go between the park islands." Kel explains.

"Hey, the server is an important cog in that wheel." He makes a spinning hand motion to signify a wheel turning. "What's that saying about there not being small parts? It's like that."

Kel nods "Been here since early 2019." He is nearly OG staff. "Advice?" He quirks a brow as if surprised he is being asked for that "I guess while you are working in the park it's a good idea to suspend disbelief in things you thought we're not real." He lifts a shoulder "I'm Kellin, by the way."

Gabriel glances out towards the lake again when Kellin mentions the ferries that go between the park islands. "Oh yeah. I did wonder how that worked. So you must be piloting all day, huh? How do you like it?" They huff out a breath which is as near a laugh as any at no small parts. "Alright, sure. Yeah."

There's a slight lean towards one of the suitcases as they plant a hand atop it to stop it from rolling away with the movement of the boat. Kellin's advice has them looking somewhat confused. "Like...what?" But as for introductions, "I'm Gabe. Nice to meet you. Captain Kellin." That gets a tiny tug to one side of their lips.

"We have ferries between the main land and the islands, Crescent and the islands, and the ones that runs just between the park islands. It's not as confusing as it sounds." or maybe it is to the new comer and Kel is just used to it after working a Spellbound for five or so years. "Hope you aren't prone to sea sickness." there will be a lot of ferry rides in his future.

"Uhm," that's a hard one to answer and Kel looks thoughtful for a moment "The place is called Spellbound. People come here to believe in magic and things. It's easier to pull that off if you believe in it yourself." he lifts a shoulder with a shrug "Though you won't be dealing much with the tourists, so maybe not something you have to worry about as much."

Captain Kellin has a ghost of a possible dimple appearing and just as quickly disappearing as Kel's own mouth quirks into a stifled grin at the introduction.

"I'm not," Gabe says at the mention of sea sickness. "But I think it helps that this is a lake and not an ocean? Even if it's a very, very big lake."

Their expression turns thought yet somewhat hard to read with just how resolutely neutral their face can get. "I...sure?" Do they believe in the magic of Spellbound? "Why not. I guess. It's nice to believe in something? Even if it's just the coffee fairy to make sure I don't burn a pot on my first day."

Their eyes flick down to that ghost of a dimple on Kellin's face though they quickly look away and pretend not to notice.

"That does not help at all. Waves are waves, and they can get pretty big in the lakes. We are pretty lucky where we are though, we are kind of in a weather bubble, so we don't get hit with the worst of it." Kel tilts his head at Gabe "Where are you from?" the way the other phrased it makes him suspect that Gabe isn't from the Great Lakes area.

He makes a small moue with his lips as he nods in agreement "Start with the small things, like coffee fairies and then work your way up." a lot better advice than what Kel previously gave them. "And coffee is my life blood," there is a beat "well any beverage with caffeine really, burnt coffee would break my heart." he puts his empty hand to his chest.

Gabe's brows quirk up. "Really? Oh. Oops." They look out at the lake again as if expecting a rogue wave to appear. There's a soft exhale, amused almost. "New York City. Easy to tell, huh? This is my first time in this part of the country. And when you say weather bubble...is that like a meteorological term?"

"See." They gesture vaguely with a hand. "This is what I'm trying to avoid. Breaking people's hearts who I haven't even met." It's a joke. A real one. Even if it's delivered in a quiet sort of deadpan there's a distinct spark of something teasing. "It's true what they say I guess. America runs on Dunkin."

"There are people from all over the place that work here, so I try not to assume." Kel doesn't quite answer that probably rhetorical question. "Not specifically, not that I know about. Weather people probably have some long scientific name for it. I am pretty okay at forecasting the weather but not like that."

"You are off to a good start...at not breaking hearts, I mean." That ghostly dimple does its disappearing act again as he did recognize the jest. "More like Tim Hortons in this area. Be careful with that particular D word."

"For sure. I appreciate it." Gabe leans back into the bench comfortably and plops a boot onto the same suitcase that keeps threatening to roll away. "Is your forecasting like...you stare up into the cloudy sky and say looks like rain? Cause my dad's real good at that."

The reappearance of Kellin's ghostly spectre gets another tug to Gabe's lips. "Right. Tim Horton's. Just like in upstate. To be fair...their TimBits are pretty clutch. Are you from here originally?"

He seems good at not assuming a lot of things, where people come from isn't near the top of the list. "Mostly, but not quite. I have been sailing on the lakes most of my life. You learn through trial and error to look for the signs of what the weather is going to do." he waves a hand to gesture behind him, "Like the sailors did way back in pre-technology days." he gesture must have been an indication to the past he mentions.

He seems a least a bit relieved that there isn't going to be a your coffee is better than my coffee debate, that could get heated "That was my go to breakfast through college." Kel is in agreement about the TimBits. "Detroit, so close enough." it's the same state at least. "Though it doesn't compare to the donuts at the shop on Crescent Island. I swear that baker must have some form of baking magic." well magic yes, probably, but probably not baking magic.

Gabriel's brows quirk up in keen interest. "Ah so you're a lifelong sailor. That's cool. So looking at the stars and wind and...stuff? The most I know about sailing or boating is from Jaws...all those Quint monologues." Their eyes follow the gesture and they seem to get that it's towards a thing that's not really there, the past as it were. "Ever been on a pirate ship? Like the old refurbished ones they have in San Diego or wherever?"

Yeah there's definitely no coffee supremacy thing happening here. They're happy to let Kellin have it. "Ah, Detroit. Do you miss it?" As for these very good donuts, they huff out a sound of amusement. "I'll have to try them sometime."

In the near distance, the island comes into view. Gabe's pale eyes drift that way, looking out to their new home. "So that's Spellbound, huh?" Also probably a little bit of a rhetorical question. They're having a MOMENT here with the new job and life and everything.

"I guess that depends on your definition of sailor." there is a lifting of a shoulder in a non-committal fashion "Mostly for fun, until graduation then it became a living." he doesn't elaborate on how it became a living, letting Gabe for the moment jump to conclusions, "No never been on a touristy pirate ship." the way he says it strongly implies that he may have been on a real pirate ship.

Kel has a moment of thought at the question, "Not really. I miss my family of course. They all still live in that area, but I have always had looser roots than others." His gaze follows Gabe's out the windows as the islands become more than a smudge on the horizon. He only nods, giving the other a moment to gather themselves in whatever way is necessary.

Gabe easily assumes that for a living means this-- the ferrying. If not here, then somewhere else. They nod a little, smirk at the mention of it being a touristy pirate ship. "That's a good way of putting it I suppose." But they're not quick to pry after that surprising onslaught of curiosity.

"I get that. Loose roots. Guess that's why I'm here." Their face slips into a neutral expression as they watch the ferry pull into the terminal for a moment. Taking a deep inhale, they hold it, then let it go in a steady breath. "Guess this is actually happening." Ferry workers start to secure the boat to the dock as the gangway gets rolled into position. "Well..." Gabe looks back at Kellin. "If you come by the diner while I'm on shift, I'll try very hard not to burn your coffee." Another joke.

Not being a mind reader, Kel doesn't correct the assumption, though piloting ferries was a small part of his previous job, so it isn't entirely inaccurate. "Far cry better than the real thing." he rubs at his bad leg at the comment, as if one had to do with the other.

"A common enough story with a lot of the employees here." he gestures vaguely toward the island they are docking at. The one where a majority of those people live. "We have a lot of turnover because of it. Kel gives Gabe a look that borders on concern "You got this." oh look, an actual smile, small as it is and with a ghostly dimple. "I will definitely do that, and hold you to that promise, too." He leverages himself to his feet as the ferry gently rocks when it bumps into the dock "You need help with your luggage? I can get you a cart from the hold? And probably point you in the right direction of your apartment building."

Gabriel glances down at Kellin's leg when the man rubs at it. Their eyes then flick to the cane. Curiosity crinkles their brows but they don't pry. That doesn't seem to be polite conversation for a first meeting.

No, they'll just secretly panic about their first day instead. Kellin's you got this gets an actual half-smile in return. It flashes quickly then disappears as they get up to their feet. "Thanks. That's really nice of you. It'll be..." they scrunch their nose up a little, "fine. It'll be fine. And it's okay, they've got pretty good wheels." They kick lightly at the 360 degree degree wheel on their luggage. "But I could definitely use some directions."

With a little help of a new friend, Gabriel will make their way to their new life at Spellbound.