Pointdexter: A Swooning Over Stan-fiction

Chapter Forty-One: Sketches

Alice had gotten used to the feeling of the ocean rocking the ship under her feet, even if she still struggled to navigate walking. More often than not, Alice would take her sketchbook and pens to the bow of the ship and spend hours there. 

She'd draw anything that stayed in her path long enough for her to get a good look at it. Albatross landed on the railings as she sketched and swaddled in her thick coat, her hands gloved to avoid smudges she didn't want on the paper. If she was feeling adventurous, she'd sketch the landscape, trying to mimic the beautiful curves of the waves with her pen.

Despite the fear and anxiety that water and the ocean caused her, it was beautiful.

"Mind if I join you, Dove?" Ford's voice sounded from being her and Alice turned to find him with a cup of tea in his hands. She smiled, shifting to make room next to her.

"Please do," She said, her hands stilling over her sketchbook.

Ford sat next to her, careful not to jostle her or disrupt the book in her lap. Carefully, he handed her the cup of tea, the warm liquid swirling in the cup as he settled back, his shoulder brushing against hers.

"Thank you," Alice smiled, carefully setting down her pencil as she adjusted the cup in her hands. Chamomile filled her nose as she took a sip, relishing in the warmth.

"Have you been out here all morning?" He asked, a soft smile crossing his face.

"Only for an hour or so," Alice confessed, holding the cup close to her chest and letting the warmth settle into her bones. "I like the peace before Stan wakes up."

Ford chuckled, his arm gently settling around her shoulders and he pulled her to his side.

"Ah, yes, the peace before my twin's morning enthusiasm," He teased, a lopsided smile crossing his face.

"There are more birds in the morning too," Alice sighed, resting her head on the curve of his shoulder. Her eyes returned to the sun rising over the waterline, sending a glimmer of warm orange over the sparkling ocean. "More opportunity for ethical studies in the morning."

Ford's arm tightened around her shoulders, his chin coming to rest on the top of her head.

"Mmm, yes, the golden hour is quite favorable for bird watching," He agreed, his free hand casually gesturing out to the water. "Have you spotted anything interesting this morning?"

"Nothing more than the average gull," Alice smiled, unresisting to his pull. "I'm hoping when we get farther out we are found by Wandering Albatross. I would love to have some closer observation during the early nesting season."

"Wandering Albatross are truly fascinating creatures," He mused, his hand rubbing her arm through her coat sleeve. "I would love to observe their nesting behaviors. Perhaps we'll be fortunate enough to stumble upon their path."

"It's adorable how invested you are in my work," Alice chuckled, lifting her cup to take another sip. 

"What can I say? I find your career absolutely riveting," Ford chuckled, a slight tease in his voice. "Plus, it's an added bonus to see how excited you get when talking about it. Your passion is contagious."

"I'm glad you think so," Alice chuckled, straightening and setting her cup on the ground next to her. "I'm quite enthralled with birds, after all."

Hands flickering over her pens and sketchbook, Alice brought the mass of papers back to her lap, flipping open the cover. Detailed pictures of birds graced the pages, all sketches done by Alice to a scientific level of detail. Gulls with curious eyes, small finch with open mouths stuck in their morning songs, and the sharp eyes of an eagle stared back at her as she flicked through the pages.