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It was a quiet night out on the river, water gently lapping at the side of the SS Scampy. Henry leaned back on the railing, looking up at the stars. The kids were both sleeping (or in Zirk’s case, had said he was going to sleep but was probably up making some kind of potion), leaving Henry alone with the silence of night.
Or, Henry sighed, feeling a presence materialize beside him, almost alone.
“Whatd’ya want, Shank.” Henry turned to face his shadow, who had to gall to look offended after he was the one who interrupted Henry’s solitude(it was not brooding).
“Geez, can’t a guy melt out of the darkness on his own dime every once in a while?” Shank groaned.
“I mean I guess so, but since when have you done that?” Not getting a response, Henry turned his face back to the sky.
The two stood in silence for a few minutes, watching the stars. Eventually, Shank sighed.
“So, we didn’t run this time huh?” Henry could feel his shadow’s gaze burning into him. He didn’t return it.
“No, I guess not.” Henry waited a beat, then finally turned to look at Shank, “Why? Do you think I should have?”
“No no,” Shank put his hands up, “I think it all worked out for the best. Kids all lived, stopped an execution, and we’re back on the water.”
“Then…” Henry trailed off, studying the shade in front of him. His first instinct had been that Shank wouldn’t have brought it up without some kind of ulterior motive, but it occurred to Henry he really didn’t know his shadow all that well. It’s not like they ever really talked, at least when they weren’t trying not to die. He might have been too hard on the guy.
Shank hesitated, then sighed. “I was just… wondering what’s so different this time. But I guess we both already know the answer to that.”
Henry opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off by the sound of a loud bang and glass shattering coming from below decks, followed by startled yelling from Fia and frantic apologies from Zirk. Looks like Henry was right to assume the young alchemist wasn’t actually sleeping.
Henry got up off of the railing with a chuckle, Shank falling in behind him.
“Yeah, I guess we do, huh?”