I REALLY Don't Want to Know
…
At the end of the second month of their punishment, the office staff decided to be a little more lenient with Link and Line in light of the good work they had been doing. Well, Link's good work, at least. Line, still being Line, only ever seemed to work when someone directly told him. Otherwise, he would roam the office seemingly in search of some stupid way to get into trouble. The staff just wanted him to go expend his disruptive creativity somewhere else. Preferably in a place far from the port.
So, Link decided to use his free time to visit the Sail Tavern that evening. When he first arrived, Leeta, per her usual habit, engulfed him in a back-breaking hug. Then she berated him for starting a fight, revealing that she had been informed by Captain Alfonzo of his conduct. She switched between understanding and anger throughout the early evening as Link gave his side of the story. By the time the sun had disappeared below the roofs of the nearby buildings, the tavern was full enough for Link to duck into his and Line's usual spot at the end of the bar in the far corner. His conversation with Leeta having died when business picked up, he took on the mentality of some of the other patrons as he nursed a mug full of some juice he could not remember the name of.
He was mainly miserable about being assigned to shore work for three months straight when, at most, an airman was only supposed to be on a three-week rotation every few months. He had never lost his temper like that before, and he really could not be sure why. He did not remember what Airman Robert had said to set him off. In fact, he could not remember much of the fight around the time Robert had punched him in the head. It seemed like events had just jumped from Line and Robert arguing to Link being held back by another airman while the captain ordered Roberts off the ship. Alfonzo had not tried to talk to Line, instead getting the whole story from Link. It made him wonder if the captain had singled Link out for a reason.
Link had just begun contemplating his latest performance, wondering if maybe he had not been working hard enough, when he spotted a short form in the tavern's open doorway. It took him a moment to recognize Line. His tunic was missing, red hair on one side of his head was pushed up in defiance of gravity, and an unidentified brown mess had formed a diagonal streak over the white shirt he wore. He did not wear his trousers, instead wandering around in public with only his black body suit maintaining his dignity. Only one of his boots appeared to have been properly strapped; the snapping strap at the top of Line's left boot was free to smack against his opposite foot as he dashed across the floor toward Link.
"Link," he shouted.
"Line, watch what you're doing!" Gale, the large bartender who probably knew the boys as well as Leeta did, snapped at him after Line's left knee struck an empty bar stool.
Line skidded to a stop at the corner of the bar, one hand on the bar to keep him from falling over. "Link," he breathed out. He had to pause to catch his breath. Then he told Link, "Gimme your underwear."
Link narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "What." That was not a question. It had not been a question for two months. It had been a reflex ever since the Grand Sails had left them behind.
"Gimme your underwear or ten rupees," Line repeated. He held out a hand. "C'mon, c'mon."
"Line, I only have twelve rupees on me," Link told him. "Remember? We're only getting—"
"I know, half-pay," Line said, his tone urgent now that he had his wind back. "I'll pay you back, but I need it now. Or your underwear."
"You can't have my underwear, Line," Link said.
"C'mon, it's serious! Please?"
Link sighed and dug into his pocket. "Do you promise to leave me alone for the rest of the day and pay me back?" he asked as he removed two blue rupees.
"Yes! I promise! C'mon, c'mon!"
Link handed over the rupees, and Line immediately dashed to the door. "Li—watch it!" Gale shouted at him, barely dodging out of the way while trying not to spill the two mugs of beer in his hands.
Leeta approached Link from behind the bar and asked, "You're not going to ask why he needed that?"
Link gave an indifferent shrug. "After a while… you learn you just don't want to know."