don't sell your heart

JACK

"That's very bold of you to assume," Jack informs her with a wicked grin; she might have all the rum, but he has the ability to make their ride as smooth or as bumpy as possible. And he knows she knows he's just spiteful and petty enough to make everyone's lives miserable as they head south if it means having the choice to drink on deck restored to him. As she continues, though, the captain's laughter becomes warmer and more genuinely - undoubtedly a sound Flora is starting to get used to.

"Oh, I remember, love," he purrs. "Good thing for you, you grew into it when you stopped carin' quite so much." Granted, that sort of experience had come about by having to weather grief and loss and war, but no one in Torchline can say that the queen of Torchline isn't cool these days, right?

Frowning if only briefly to feel her unbuttoning his coat to expose him to the cold air, Jack's arms slip around her more securely as her fingers press against his chest. He and his silver tongue are a little too busy to be bothered explaining the nuances of the phrase, not that he's complaining about the compliment, and when he does draw back it's to press his cold nose against Flora's cheek. "Can I interest you in fucking off back to the ship?" he asks, more than a little hopefully.

it's not your fault that you're always wrong
the weak ones are there to justify the strong

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!

your touch brought forth an incandescent glow, tarnished but so grand

While Flora assumed that thoughts of mutiny, even playfully orchestrated would not be well received by Jack, she couldn't help but think that if she really put her mind to it, she could probably get the crew to teach her how to fly the Ark back to Torchline if she had enough rum on offer. Regardless, she happily sinks against him, the sound of his laughter warming her as much as the few sips of coffee had.

"I still care." Flora corrects. Though he wouldn't know, the queen was a good deal more confident when she was in his presence than when she was without. Maybe it was simply in virtue of the fact that she couldn't hide her insecurities from him and so was forced to bluntly bear them when he was around, or maybe he was just a far more steadying presence for her than either of them gave him credit for. "It's just easier when you're around."

Knowing full well what the expression was but merely wanting to imply that the captain had intentionally put himself in second place as if to goad him into trying to do better (as if he could), Flora's fingers continue their wandering, slipping around his side to grasp at his shirt and tug him closer. There was no reason for Jack to have fire magic, not when they lived in Torchline, but gods she would have sold her soul to give him some now that they could remain on the beach. "You can interest me in fucking me back on the ship." Flora hums, her smile growing wicked as she nips at his lower lip. Even if he needed a nap beforehand, the queen supposed she could oblige him.

"Come on." With a groan the queen pulls away, stealing back one of the blankets she'd added around Jack's shoulders before gathering up her towel and basket.

~FIN