second star to the right

it's not your fault that you're always wrong

It was no secret that Jack had itchy feet, and whilst he and Eloise no longer wanted to murder each other quite so actively, that didn't mean he didn't long to set sail again, and one could only spend so many nights in the Hanged Man or roaming the streets. So his feet had taken him up to the lighthouse, the captain standing at the edge of the cliffs to gaze out into the black waters, the tip of his cigarette a miniature beacon in itself.

Exhaling smoke into the sky, he gazed up at the impressive blanket of stars, seeing in them something more than mythical; constellations, directions, the position of the lights as much a map to him as anything on parchment. "Don't you start movin' them around too much, now," he murmured, as if speaking to the lady of the stars herself. One star had blinked out after just appearing (later found out to be a fucking demigod, wouldn't you know), and he wasn't keen for them all to start doing it.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

Honestly, he’s used to seeing Jack around Haulani now. Up here, however? In the bluffs by the lighthouse, by his home? Not so much. Regardless, it’s dark out and the scarred panther trots through the grasses, steel eyes pinpointed on Jack as he looks over the bluffs. He comes at him from the side, making the other man well aware of his presence, before shifting into himself, striding over with a nod of hello, one hand ghosting over the wound that remains, attempting to heal in his gut.

“Didn’t expect to find you up here.” He rumbles, a bit breathless from the hunt he’d just postponed in order to talk to the smuggler. His gaze flickers toward the stars briefly before back to Jack, an easy smirk crossing his face. “Come to visit the shrine? Or just admiring the view?”

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

it's not your fault that you're always wrong

It was only the fact that a panther in Torchline was so unlikely that let Jack keep his head. He watched the creature with a sharp gaze for a few moments, until Sunjata entered the range of his telepathy and he relaxed. Waiting for the Arbiter to appear properly, he took a pull on his cigarette and didn't bother to hide the way he noticed the other man favour his wound.

"Still healin'?" he guessed, for it was well-known that Sunjata had had an altercation with some of the coast's rougher inhabitants. "Sounded like quite the fight. Need anythin' taken care of, for that matter?" The implication was clear - he and Jata had an agreement, and if it was under Jack's radar, he'd help deal with it.

Then the Attuned had questions of his own, and the captain snorted. "I'm not much of a prayin' man, if you couldn't tell," he quipped. "Not in a shrine, anyway. I give Safrin my regards when they're needed most. How about you?"

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

“Stiiiiill healing.” He replies with a quiet sigh, a roll of a shoulder toward Jack. “I think they learned their lesson.” He offers, a bit more of a serious tone crossing the air with that. “Besides, didn’t cover their faces so I know who they are. Told them if I caught them again I’d cut their hands off.” Whether or not he reinforced that thought with the daggers to the hand of said thief to get his point across. But he’s warned them, and intends to follow through if he does catch them again.

He’s almost thankful when the subject shifts, and Sunjata’s gaze flickers toward the skyline once more, arms coming to fold across his chest. “I attuned here through Safrin.” He offers with a slight nostalgic smirk. “She kissed me and suddenly I was a bird.” He tilts his head toward Jack with that same easy grin. “She’s the one I’m devoted to.” Honestly, he hasn’t met Ludo, but when it came to Frey he certainly didn’t want to get anywhere near them for the foreseeable future. He’s had his fill of them, and Safrin was so much more than anything else Sunjata could’ve imagined getting involved with. “She gave me the daggers I use, actually.” To become something for her, a dagger, a blade.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

it's not your fault that you're always wrong

"If they did, maybe you ought to as well," Jack remarked, flashing a grin to the other man. "Gettin' stabbed is awful inconvenient. I do my best not to, a lot of the time." With varying degrees of success, it was true, but he was better at it than in his younger years. Gazing back out across the ocean alongside Sunjata, he raised an eyebrow as he spoke about his relationship with Safrin. Jack had heard that people had relationships with gods, of course, the Governor and his starfallen husband was evidence of that, but hells, it seemed common compared to his own experiences.

"A kiss from a goddess, huh? Someone's popular," he said. "And gifts, too? I've been prayin' at the wrong shrines." Which would be true, if he prayed at any shrines at all. "What's she like?"

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

There’s a louder huff of laughter that leaves him with Jack’s initial comment, shaking his head slightly. “Not my first time being stabbed, probably won’t be the last.” He muses, though it wasn’t something he looked forward to by any means. He simply just had a habit of getting on the wrong side of people. Which, fine, fair enough. He knows what he’s done.

Instead, talk of Safrin was somehow easier — somehow a bit more terrifying as well with the realization of what his chosen goddess was capable of. There’s a smirk hinting on his lips, however, masking whatever internal war raged on. “I came to Caido as an Accepted, asked to attune and there she was.” He extends his hands out as if he’s explaining the stars in the sky, but standing before him. “She’s the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen.” He offers, shooting a grin toward Jack before settling a bit. “There’s… I don’t know, a lot of morality she shows? Likes to be talked about, thought of. But underneath it you can tell she’s powerful and strong.” He hums, taming the daggers from his belt, the hilt inlaid with splattering of stars, offering to show the blade to the smugger with his left hand — where his sleeve of a tattoo sat that looked remarkably like the hilt. “Long story short, I’d rather stay on her good side.” He’s not sure how to delve deeper unless Jack asks, not sure if the man wants to hear more or not.

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

it's not your fault that you're always wrong

"That's hardly the attitude to take," Jack said, barking out a laugh and flashing a grin at Sunjata. "Maybe invest in a bit of armour, stop yourself gettin' used as a pin cushion quite so often." But then again, maybe Jata enjoyed it. Some guys liked to show off their scars, after all. Jack, on the other hand, enjoyed showing off how alive he still was.

But then they were speaking of Safrin - of a personal, actual experience with a goddess - and Jack shut up to listen. He could envisage the lady of the stars like something out of the finest paintings, all big bosomed and milky skinned, the captain gazing up at the stars like he'd be able to see her reflected in them. "That makes sense," he said eventually. "Pretty she might be, but anyone who likes to be talked about has the potential to take issue with what you've been sayin' about her. Wise to stay on that good side."

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

Armor would be a good idea, if it wasn’t what he imagines the people here would make. Armor like that of Korofi, with kevlar vests all the extra protection in the soft spaces from being stabbed were something that Sunjata did find that he missed. But the technology wasn’t there here yet, as far as he was aware, and he just needed to be smarter about the battles he picked. Still, he snorts and nods to Jack in agreement of it, before moving on to talk about Safrin.

“Exactly.” Sunjata responds, flashing him a small grin. “But I imagine she hears a lot of talk when it comes to people wanting to worship her and work for her. So long as you put in the effort for it, I imagine you make quite the good impression.” He offers somewhat thoughtfully – thinking of the shrine momentarily, of what it had taken to get there, of the bat shift she’d given him for it. And this task now, to become something more for her, unsure if it would backfire.

“Either way she’s the one I’ve chosen. I’d have it no other way.” He shrugs, flashing a small grin toward Jack then. “I’ve… Had more than enough interactions with Frey.” And an ex-wife that only ruined any other thoughts of interacting with that herald. "Never met Ludo aside from seeing it here in Torchline."

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth

it's not your fault that you're always wrong

"Well, keep puttin' that effort in. I like you, Arbiter. Wouldn't want to see you smited off the face of Caido for fuckin' off a goddess," Jack said easily, breathing in the ocean air deep and letting his eyes flicker up towards the lighthouse, briefly. He raised his eyebrows at hearing the other man had met Frey as well, snorting in disbelief. "Twenty eight years in Torchline and I've never seen a whisper of a god, and here you are," he said, though his tone was lighthearted.

"There's room for all three, when you're out on the water. We make sure to give each their dues. Don't want to die out there for one of 'em takin' offence," he said, rolling his shoulders and turning back towards the port. "I won't keep you, Arbiter. Enjoy your walk - and be careful with climbin' too far up Safrin's skirts, yeah?" He chuckled.

now take what i offer, straight up the nose, down the throat

it's a bearable bruise on your conscious

“Me neither.” Comes the easy reply, a hum of a laugh slipping from his throat as he regards the stars once more. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t have any worries when it came to his goddess, seeing how close he was with Nate and all of those particulars, but the Arbiter tries to ignore all of those in favor for the next comment. “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment.” He offers, flashing a small grin Jack’s way before he sighs internally.

He wasn’t lucky, stupid perhaps to get wrapped up in it all when you were just fine on your own. But that was beside the point.

“A wise plan.” He offers instead, to worship all three old gods when seafaring, when nothing else was around to help save you if things went awry. But he watches as Jack turns back toward the port, dipping his head a small amount on agreement and giving the other man a small little wave before he’s shifting again into that panther form and slinking through the grasses toward home.

— fin!

but don't it feel good? don't you feel calmer?

i am the way and the life in the best looking truth