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you asked for it - Jack - 07-08-2024
A date, the Queen of Torchline had whispered into his ear like a threat. One date, in return for an audience with their lady of the stars and an opportunity to get all the things he wants. It sounds simple - laughable, even, when considering Jack's skillset (that being the ability to literally lift the perfect date from Flora's mind and bring it to life). Quite why it takes him so long to put the plan into action, then, is between the captain and his own thoughts.
And it might not unravel quite as Flora expects.
He does give her warning, at least, in the form of a scroll of paper tucked into an empty bottle and left, half buried in the soft sand beside her doorstep the morning of.
Be at the docks at sunset.
He doesn't sign the letter - he merely ties the neck of the bottle with a bit of lace threaded through one of the rings that normally decorates his fingers.
Anyway - come sunset, should the Doubletake head down to the docks, she will find them startlingly, completely empty. Not just of people - workers, merchants, vagabonds and travellers - but of ships too.
Well. All but one ship - and hopefully Flora knows it well enough by now to head towards it.
RE: you asked for it - Flora - 07-08-2024
Yeah. A date.
Only neither she nor Jack had set a timeframe, and as LongNight came to an end and the sun began to shine again, Flora wondered if perhaps the captain had changed his mind. So when she finds a bottle just outside of her doorstep as she leaves to go for her morning run—one tied with one of the captain's rings no less—Flora can't help but feel a little relieved. Had she been rejected by yet another man, even if this was more or less just a business arrangement, she might have considered jumping off the upper end of Haulani.
Not to her death, but just to be suitably dramatic.
Instead, Flora spent a good portion of the day trying to pick out an outfit: it needed to be suitably alluring without appearing as though she'd put too much thought into it. Deciding on a pair of high-waisted jeans and a blousy lowcut white top, Flora adorned her fingers with her usual stacks of rings—as well as the one Jack had left with the note—before tying her hair into a loose ponytail and setting off toward the docks.
Of course what she saw there had her nearly pinching herself to see if she was dreaming.
Walking towards the Ark, her mind an excited jumble of what the fuck has he gone and done, paired with all sorts of what ifs for how their night might unfold, Flora paused before the gangway just incase she'd completely gotten this all wrong. [say]"Uh...Jack?"[/say]
RE: you asked for it - Jack - 07-08-2024
Come closer, Flora, and you might just see. Indeed, as the Doubletake comes into view, almost as if anticipating her arrival (because he has been, you see), the Ark begins to flicker with light; torches burst into illumination along the deck and in a few of the cannon hatches, turning the ship into a beacon that Flora can't possibly miss even if she'd wanted to.
Appearing at the top of the gangplank at the sound of his name, one might be mistaken for thinking that Jack wants to be on this date. Dressed almost like her shadow (dark shirt, dark vest, gold accents) and with the torchlight blazing in his blue eyes, he offers her a hand up onto the deck. [say]"Ever been whale watchin'?"[/say] he wants to know, nosing towards the spray of constellations above them.
Starwhale watching, of course.
RE: you asked for it - Flora - 07-08-2024
Now, ever since Flora received Jack's invitation she was careful to council herself against the things she might see or do while in the Captain's presence. He could literally read her thoughts and hadn't minced words about only agreeing to take her out on a date in order to get what he wanted. Yes it was all probably going to be wonderful and perfect, but it wouldn't mean anything.
Say that again to yourself Flora, it won't mean anything.
Had Flora ever seen Jack dressed in anything other than assorted smugglers garb, or at most, just a nice shirt? To see him actually put together had butterflies shifting in her stomach so much so that for a moment she could only offer him a girlish smile as she slid her hand into his.
[say]"Uhm...no?"[/say] Glancing up towards the sky, Flora shot the captain an uncomprehending look before understanding had her lips parting. [say]"No, you don't mean..? Up there??"[/say]
RE: you asked for it - Jack - 07-08-2024
Is Jack's devilish smile in response to the thoughts he knows are trilling through Flora's mind, or because he's admiring her outfit? Ask the captain later - he's busy for now, his calloused fingers closing around Flora's to draw her aboard The Ark, while one of the crew moves to tug away the gangplank and the rest prepare the ship to sail skywards.
Speaking of which, the captain can only raise his eyebrows in response to her question, but where a dry remark would have left his lips previously, today he merely gestures for her to step across to the railings with him. He doesn't let go of her hand.
[say]"They're rare, so if we don't find any I hope you won't hold it against me,"[/say] he says, even as around them The Ark unfurls her sails and showers them in stardust, courtesy of Safrin's magic. With hardly any effort at all, the crew begin to manoeuvre her into the air and Torchline becomes an iconic string of lights beneath them.
[say]"The view should be worth it either way, at least."[/say]
RE: you asked for it - Flora - 07-08-2024
Expecting his hand to fall away from hers as soon as she was aboard, that it remained had Flora doing a—you guessed it— doubletake as if expecting to see a fake hand curled around hers instead of Jack's. Quite what the Ark's crew are going to make of their captain's evening plans Flora can only guess at, though if they're smart, not only will they keep it to themselves, but they'll keep it 30ft away from Jack, as well.
[say]"We used to try and see them when I lived in the Greatwood.."[/say] Flora murmurs, already feeling fluttery with anticipation as if merely having the right tools (i.e,. a floating ship) would be enough to have one leaping through the stars above them right then and there. [say]"We never had any luck, though."[/say] Already she's mentally bracing for disappointment, both with regards to the whales and her expectations of how the rest of the night is going to go. Having low expectations seemed the most reasonable course of action, all things considered.
Leaning over the side of the Ark, Flora watches as Torchline's coastline and shimmering lights begin to blur together the higher they fly, until distance and hazy perspective makes their island look nothing more than a lazy cluster of fireflies.
Having expected, you know, dinner and drinks or some other predictable first date activity, Flora found herself wildly underdressed given the altitude they were flying at. Knowing it was useless to try and hide her thoughts, Flora turned towards Jack with a coy smile. [say]"Can I run to your cabin and grab a blanket real quick..?"[/say]
RE: you asked for it - Jack - 07-08-2024
[say]"Well, lucky for you, if we get even a whisper of one out there..."[/say] Jack gestures to his side, where his spyglass is already clipped to his belt and ready to go. As Torchline shrinks away, too, and they head out over the black expanse of the Arclight (in the opposite direction of Starfall, thank you), the world above them opens up even more. Through The Ark's starlit sails, shooting stars blink by in abundance, and the constellations that the captain knows well seem to burn in a kaleidoscope of colours, twinkling all the brighter for the lack of air pollution.
[say]"If a blanket is what you really want, you can go ahead,"[/say] he says, the knowing look on his face one that Flora will recognise all too well. If not, Jack turns to lean agains the railing, and though he doesn't actively roll his eyes, the roguish reluctance in the way he lifts his arm for her to step in against his side might almost be mistaken for charming in the right light.
RE: you asked for it - Flora - 07-08-2024
Biting at her lower lip to stop her grin from running away with her at the sight of the spyglass, Flora's thoughts would communicate what the small sounds of excitement she was trying so desperately to cage, could not: fireworks of excitement lit up her mind in dazzling arrays of colour, streaming across her mind's eye just as neatly as the constellations above them were.
Meeting Jack's gaze and watching the reluctant raising of his arm, Flora couldn't help but think that someone like Koa would have given her his jacket or stepped entirely outside of his own skin to keep her warm if that was all he had. But then, genuine affection had never been what was on the table with Jack, and at least with him, she knew (more or less) what it was she was bargaining for. That was the point of their little arrangement, wasn't it?
[say]"I'll get the blanket later."[/say] She murmurs before tucking herself neatly against his side as if the illusion of her effortlessly fitting there might somehow trick the captain into having feelings for her. [say]"I wouldn't want to miss anything."[/say] Peering up into the sky, Flora nearly reaches out a hand as if she might brush her fingertips against the stars that winked brightly as the Ark sailed past.
[say]"I know you didn't pluck this out of my mind."[/say] Glancing up at Jack, Flora raises an eyebrow as she leans against him. [say]"Let me guess, this is your standard get an accepted to channel for you power move, isn't it?"[/say]
RE: you asked for it - Jack - 07-08-2024
Scoffing at the bursts of colour that ricochet off his magic as if it's a show that Flora has decided to put on just for him, Jack does find himself raising an eyebrow down at her as she nestles against his side, the captain pausing before considering whether he wants to open the door to this potential conversation. [say]"Considerin' only one of us is able to read thoughts, you make a lot of assumptions,"[/say] he remarks, his gaze returning to the skies overhead as The Ark's sails fill and she begins to pick up speed.
Whether or not they run into any starwhales, there's no doubt that a ship cutting through a sea of stars is a sight worth seeing for anyone, and even the captain's shoulders relax as they travel. Then again, Jack has always been at his best (arguably, if such a thing could be said to exist) when aboard The Ark. [say]"Oh no, you've discovered my devious plot,"[/say] he drawls as Flora speaks again, turning slightly to block a particularly chill breeze - partially with his body but also with his magic. [say]"Would it surprise you to learn I've got thoughts of my own, love?"[/say]
RE: you asked for it - Flora - 07-08-2024
[say]"I mean.."[/say] Flushing, Flora hadn't forgotten Jack could read her thoughts (obviously), but she had, you know, not actively been thinking about it. Realizing belatedly what she'd thought about Koa—which of course led to more thoughts about her having to patch him up in the thieves guild after the bar fight and his offer of taking her on a date—the Doubletake can only shrug slightly. [say]"..you are still wearing your jacket."[/say] She points out, though, as he must have known, she did enjoy being tucked against his side.
When Flora's thoughts aren't jarred into a maroon flush when Jack moves against her, her mind nearly mimics the sky around them: Starbright bursts of excitement and joy that flicker and fade before moving on to the next.
Glancing up at him, Flora's aqua eyes drag slowly up the scruffy outline of his jaw before meeting his midnight blue stare with a slight raise of her eyebrows. [say]"Not at all, but I've never seen you be a man who puts in more effort than he needs to. Ergo—"[/say] A fancy word she'd picked up from Isla, shut up. [say]"—either you'd pick a date that I'd already thought up or you'd pick one that was tried and tested."[/say]
RE: you asked for it - Jack - 07-08-2024
[say]"Who said I was talkin' about Koa?"[/say] Jack raises his eyebrows; Flora's assumptions about him go far beyond her comparing him to some swooning excuse for a soldier likely to fall at the first hurdle of war - not that the captain does say that out loud, of course. Either way, they continue to carve a path through the sky, and if Flora dares to peep overboard, the world below will appear to have been swallowed away entirely in the ink black of night.
Glancing over at a sudden call from the crew, Jack tilts his head and shouts something back - an adjustment in course, perhaps a glimmer of movement to the west - before his attention returns to the Doubletake, and she'll be graced with an expression of honest surprise on the captain's face, fleeting as it is. [say]"I am a man who puts an extraordinary amount of effort into the things I consider worthwhile,"[/say] he tells her, before ushering her across to the other side of the deck.
[say]"Ergo,"[/say] he adds, [say]"shut up and look for starwhales."[/say] Unclipping the spyglass from his belt, he offers it out to her with a smirk.
RE: you asked for it - Flora - 07-08-2024
Blinking up at him, Flora scanned the captain's face for some hint as to what it was she was missing, or rather, what assumption of hers she'd wrongly made. Maybe it was a double-bluff, and he was just trying to make it seem like he wasn't talk about Koa, when actually he was, and..gods. This is why no one liked mindreaders, Jack. [say]"Well, like you said, only one of us can read thoughts."[/say]
Flora began to pull away, expecting whatever was being shouted at him to properly require his attention, only to find his gaze suddenly fixed solely upon her in a way that had her breath catching in her throat. The ship is the worthwhile thing, she reminds herself as she follows him across the deck. The Ark, and calling down Safrin.
Her thoughts are eclipsed by the spyglass he places into her hand, and though without being tucked against his side her arms are suddenly speckled with goosebumps, Flora pays her body little mind as she raises the spyglass to her eye. [say]"Where?"[/say] She whispers, moving too fast at first such that the entirety of the cosmos seems to race by, before slowing and trying to leapfrog from constellation to constellation to try and keep track of her place in the sky.
RE: you asked for it - Jack - 07-08-2024
[say]"Mm, both of us can ask questions, though. You just assume you won't get any answers,"[/say] Jack says off-handedly, his blue eyes narrowed out at the stars racing by overhead and all around them. [say]"Which, given how many cards of mine are in your hand, is somethin' of a surprise."[/say] Not that the captain is complaining, and if it weren't for the fact that he literally knows better (ding ding, mindreader), he'd think Flora was just being respectful.
She takes the spyglass and steps away, though, and as she peers through it, she might feel the warmth of the captain's jacket land over her shoulders a second or two later, followed by guiding hands against her fingers and a stubbled cheek pressed against her own as Jack tries to navigate. [say]"...Just there, I think,"[/say] he mutters, keeping the spyglass still as the sails drop somewhat to slow The Ark in her voyage.
It might take a few minutes, but perhaps Flora will see a few of the stars moving in ways that resemble the grace and buoyancy of starwhales; a small pod to be sure, but they dance through the cosmos just the same.
RE: you asked for it - Flora - 07-08-2024
[say]"Maybe I just don't like to play my cards until I have to."[/say] Flora counters, which is at least half true. Nothing quite says haha you're doing this because you have to like reminding the other person what's at stake if they don't do as you say.
Jack yousonovabitch.
Trying to smooth out the way the sudden press of his jacket around her shoulders has her breath growing shallow, Flora quietly clears her throat and does her best to focus on the stars that sparkle around her instead of the lurid thoughts that shiver in her mind. But then Jack's fingers are against hers and she can feel his words as easily as hear them, causing goosebumps to ripple up and down her arms for an entirely different than before [say]"..okay."[/say] Flora whispers breathlessly, before nudging her thoughts away from the warm sand-paper line of Jack's jaw against her cheek and onto the glass she holds.
[say]"I don't..."[/say] Frowning somewhat, whether it's an adjustment from Jack or just by chance, suddenly she sees them. Gasping, the Doubletake tenses, not wanting to move a muscle lest she lose the pod in the vastness of space. [say]"I see them!"[/say] Flora whispers excitedly as she leans forward like a few more inches might be enough to make them larger.