Jackson gently laid Faith across his bed, drawing the blankets up around her. Poor, silly woman. She'd drunk herself to sleep; though why, he couldn't fathom. Quietly, he crept back out into the galley of his ship. First Mate Callahan wasn't going anywhere.
After feeding the stray cat that followed him back, Jack retired to his room for the night. He looked over the rolls of paper and wells of ink on his desk with a sigh. So much to do, and he just didn't have his heart in it fully.
Well, better to call it "distracted".
Creeping to the wardrobe, Jackson slipped out of his day-clothes and into a simple, woolen shift. His fingers played with the strings at his neck. His old crew used to laugh at him for wearing it. He wondered what Faith would think.
Still being quiet, though it didn't seem necessary, Jackson tugged Faith's boots off, placing them next to his at the foot of the bed. He unlocked his trunk, pulling out a ragged quilt for himself. It still smelled of cedar and home. With all the grace of a lazy dog, Jackson flopped onto the bed next to Faith.
Gulls cried to each other in the night. The soothing ebb and flow of the harbor rocked the Wobbly Compass gently. A smile crept on to Jackson's lips as he tenderly brushed the hair from his First Mate's brow.
Fiesty and beautiful. Definitely a keeper.
~~~
Something crashed below decks in the middle of the night. Jackson sat up, a small dagger in his hand, soaked with sweat. Faith was still sounds asleep beside him. Now this, he thought, is something I can get used to.
Throwing himself out of bed, Jack lurched out into the galley. Someone had tidied up since he'd shut himself in his room. Probably the cook...
"Damn it, ye tow headed lubbers! Who riled th' gnolls?!"
Jack swung around the galley door, hurtling down the stairs two at a time. He dashed across the hold and cargo, falling down a short ladder to the brig. Six gnolls scrambled about, fighting, knocking into crates and empty barrels.
"Oi!"
Six hairy faces turned as one, blinking at the Captain in his shift.
"Now lissen 'ere you mangy, flea-bitten castaways! I dinnae how ye got out, again, but ye best be gettin' yer fluffy arses BACK. IN. YOUR. CELL!"
Well, that did it.
Gutsy, Norween, Bess, Haggerd, Spotty and Nipper launched themselves at Jack. He bellowed something truly foul, buried under the fur and teeth and stink. Jackson's temper rose, and he lost control, the Wolf taking over.
Fur and claws flew, muzzles gnashed, but by the end of it no one was (seriously) hurt. Captain Jackson Brassbuckle flung himself back into bed beside his blissfully oblivious First Mate.
((Special thanks to Linky the Fire Kitty and Kel, for sparking this in my brain!))
After feeding the stray cat that followed him back, Jack retired to his room for the night. He looked over the rolls of paper and wells of ink on his desk with a sigh. So much to do, and he just didn't have his heart in it fully.
Well, better to call it "distracted".
Creeping to the wardrobe, Jackson slipped out of his day-clothes and into a simple, woolen shift. His fingers played with the strings at his neck. His old crew used to laugh at him for wearing it. He wondered what Faith would think.
Still being quiet, though it didn't seem necessary, Jackson tugged Faith's boots off, placing them next to his at the foot of the bed. He unlocked his trunk, pulling out a ragged quilt for himself. It still smelled of cedar and home. With all the grace of a lazy dog, Jackson flopped onto the bed next to Faith.
Gulls cried to each other in the night. The soothing ebb and flow of the harbor rocked the Wobbly Compass gently. A smile crept on to Jackson's lips as he tenderly brushed the hair from his First Mate's brow.
Fiesty and beautiful. Definitely a keeper.
~~~
Something crashed below decks in the middle of the night. Jackson sat up, a small dagger in his hand, soaked with sweat. Faith was still sounds asleep beside him. Now this, he thought, is something I can get used to.
Throwing himself out of bed, Jack lurched out into the galley. Someone had tidied up since he'd shut himself in his room. Probably the cook...
"Damn it, ye tow headed lubbers! Who riled th' gnolls?!"
Jack swung around the galley door, hurtling down the stairs two at a time. He dashed across the hold and cargo, falling down a short ladder to the brig. Six gnolls scrambled about, fighting, knocking into crates and empty barrels.
"Oi!"
Six hairy faces turned as one, blinking at the Captain in his shift.
"Now lissen 'ere you mangy, flea-bitten castaways! I dinnae how ye got out, again, but ye best be gettin' yer fluffy arses BACK. IN. YOUR. CELL!"
Well, that did it.
Gutsy, Norween, Bess, Haggerd, Spotty and Nipper launched themselves at Jack. He bellowed something truly foul, buried under the fur and teeth and stink. Jackson's temper rose, and he lost control, the Wolf taking over.
Fur and claws flew, muzzles gnashed, but by the end of it no one was (seriously) hurt. Captain Jackson Brassbuckle flung himself back into bed beside his blissfully oblivious First Mate.
((Special thanks to Linky the Fire Kitty and Kel, for sparking this in my brain!))
