[Training] you tell me I'm walkin' on water

JACK

"Not bad yourself," Jack remarks; the boy gets more slippery every time he sees him, he thinks; the captain has always known that Vesper would surpass him at some point, given the nature of his demigod blood, but it's something else entirely to see it start happening in real time. Reorienting himself to face Vesper in his new spot, Jack listens with casual indifference that the flicker of heat in his thoughts utterly betrays.

Still, the next barrage of flame comes in a condensed bolt, as if he's purposefully crushing it under his control - and this time if it misses, it'll sail harmlessly off the edge and towards the icy, open water. "Good for her, if she can stomach it," he mutters. Feelings, he's lived and learned, often make being ruthless a messy sort of business. Still, he can always hope Kaisel has a bad day whatever Caly's eventual plan.

"Oh, has it," the captain drawls as talk turns to the thieves' guild. "Well, y'know what they say. One man's tragedy is another's opportunity." Do they say that? He neither knows nor cares.

"I've heard a rumour here too," he adds, raising a pointed brow, "'bout a new guild in the makin'. One that trades in information, an' is damn good at keepin' it subtle."

---

2/4

when I look at something, I see it for what it could be
when I look at something, I see how it ends

Code stolen from Queen Sky