you play the victim with your finger on the trigger

JACK

Jack lets Vesper take his time chewing over what he's said, the Captain drumming out a slow beat on the edge of the table with his finger. His gaze casts a line across the tavern again as if to make a show of checking they haven't gotten more attention than intended, even if he already knows the truth of it from his magic. They are flying just as under the radar as every other suspicious type here, and the fact that it's so early means most of the troublemakers are still sleeping off last night's bad decisions.

Only when Vesper sets down his empty glass and leans forward a bit does Jack bring his attention back, his fingers ending their steady rhythm to give space for words, however unspoken they are. It was worth it when I did it, he says, able to say as much now when he'd been unable to the last time they spoke. Else I wouldn't have kept on chasin' it. Wouldn't have been the one left waitin' up in Stormbreak for somethin' that wasn't comin' back. Wouldn't have gone to Rae about The Ark.

But again, Vesper isn't Jack. It's with that in mind that he inhales a slow breath and lets it out again, leaning back in his chair.

Want me to do it for you? he offers. I ain't gonna promise it'll go well, but at least it won't be you holdin' a lit firework for that knee-jerk reaction.

you are a quiet god
and your hunger is cavernous

Code blatently stolen from queen of codes, Sky!