JACK
Jack watches their respective stars find their new homes with only mild interest once it's clear everyone has signed the proverbial contract, head tilting up to see Safrin leave their company. Her presence lingers like a dazzling afterimage behind his eyes when he blinks, and he's content to let it burn there as his gaze drops back to the happy couple, to Kai looking sullen and mildly constipated, to Flora and her middle finger held up like a carnival prize. "Sure is," he says. "'Fore we kiss and say goodbye, though, I've really gotta know."
Shifting on the rail to lean his elbows on his knees, when Jack lets his attention settle on Flora again this time, the swagger has dropped entirely from his expression like the facade it always was. There's hurt and bemusement and a strange sort of victory swimming in the ocean of his eyes, - because this is still a win in his book - but mainly, he just seems tired. "What'd he say to you," he asks, nodding towards Kaisel, "to turn me to poison in your mind? 'Cause I don't believe you came up with it all on your own." Glancing up and over his shoulder, Jack gestures to the sails and masts and rigging.
"The crew worked for days up in Stormbreak braidin' flowers across this ship while I waited for you," he says. "You wouldn't know, 'cause you never came back to see 'em. You just sent a letter. And what'd I do in retaliation, Flora?" The question isn't harsh or bitter; the Captain's voice stays steady, almost conversational. "I left my home behind. I cut ties with all my businesses. I avoided you, best I could in any case. And when I couldn't - which wasn't planned, by the way, up at the Draig - all I tell you is that I don't accept your apology and suddenly all this?"
Jack's laughter suggests that if there's something genuinely funny at play, he doesn't know what it is. "If I were gonna do anythin' to you 'cause you knew 'bout me - to you or to your beau - do I seem like the kinda guy to wait for a bad situation to get worse? Step up here if none of this feels true - I'd love to see how your ring reacts to it."
Sitting back up now, Jack slips off the rail back onto the deck to start hauling up the rope ladder. "I think I get it now, though, after all these theatrics in your head and on your boat," he adds. "You need to hate me, or for me to hate you. 'Cause if there's hate, there's still somethin' between us that ain't over for you." He tilts his head towards Kai.
"And ain't that a bitch?"
Shifting on the rail to lean his elbows on his knees, when Jack lets his attention settle on Flora again this time, the swagger has dropped entirely from his expression like the facade it always was. There's hurt and bemusement and a strange sort of victory swimming in the ocean of his eyes, - because this is still a win in his book - but mainly, he just seems tired. "What'd he say to you," he asks, nodding towards Kaisel, "to turn me to poison in your mind? 'Cause I don't believe you came up with it all on your own." Glancing up and over his shoulder, Jack gestures to the sails and masts and rigging.
"The crew worked for days up in Stormbreak braidin' flowers across this ship while I waited for you," he says. "You wouldn't know, 'cause you never came back to see 'em. You just sent a letter. And what'd I do in retaliation, Flora?" The question isn't harsh or bitter; the Captain's voice stays steady, almost conversational. "I left my home behind. I cut ties with all my businesses. I avoided you, best I could in any case. And when I couldn't - which wasn't planned, by the way, up at the Draig - all I tell you is that I don't accept your apology and suddenly all this?"
Jack's laughter suggests that if there's something genuinely funny at play, he doesn't know what it is. "If I were gonna do anythin' to you 'cause you knew 'bout me - to you or to your beau - do I seem like the kinda guy to wait for a bad situation to get worse? Step up here if none of this feels true - I'd love to see how your ring reacts to it."
Sitting back up now, Jack slips off the rail back onto the deck to start hauling up the rope ladder. "I think I get it now, though, after all these theatrics in your head and on your boat," he adds. "You need to hate me, or for me to hate you. 'Cause if there's hate, there's still somethin' between us that ain't over for you." He tilts his head towards Kai.
"And ain't that a bitch?"
we've gone way too fast for way too long
and we were never supposed to make it half this far
and we were never supposed to make it half this far
- Secret Telepath
- Functionally Immortal (Forever 35)
- Two small star tattoos beneath his left eye
- Click for The Ark!
