place your hant in mine

JACK

Raising his eyebrows, the words a lot of what? might as well be audible to Flora for all that Jack’s expression says it anyway. The captain, funnily enough, does not spend a lot of time in the minds of hairdressers or aestheticians, and so Flora’s knowledge in such an arena might be a valuable if not dangerous string to add to his bow. For now, at least, he shrugs to her and is willing to let her near him with scissors - which is a lot of trust, by the way - and thus considers the matter closed for now.

Instead, tilting his head at the unexpected slant of the Doubletake’s thoughts, Jack almost reaches for her, but instead contents himself with snorting out a laugh. ”You’ll see. It ain’t pretty,” is all he says, because somewhere deep inside himself, the captain doesn’t believe Flora would want to reduce him to a sorry mess in the same way Safrin does.

As for Maea, though, the captain tilts his head, and his response when it comes is both blunt and easy. ”I’d probably speak to her now, make sure she knows she owes you. Then when you’re ready to cash in the favour, make it clear that you can take make what you gave her if she ain’t inclined to play along.” What’s a casual death threat between acquaintances after all?

you're the last of a dying breed; write our names in the wet concrete
I wonder if your therapist knows everything about me

Code stolen from Queen Sky