From here to there and back again: somewhere in between.

[pirate_jack]

The dinghy's leaking again, and it's a ways yet to the nearest shore.

Between the bailing and the cursing, Jack's gotten a steady rhythm going.

Comments

[touch-destiny.livejournal.com]

The water laps in little wavelets against the hull.

Slap-slap.

And then, suddenly, laughter. Girlish and joyful, bright as the sun on the water.

It floats away with the breeze.

[pirate_jack]

He stops moving and cocks his head.

"I know that laugh."

Seawater drips steadily from the hat in his hand, which he'd been using to bail.

[touch-destiny.livejournal.com]

The wind coos, dropping down to a mere brush. It slips like fingers over his cheek.


The laughter bubbles up again.

"Ay..." it's a sigh on the wind and water. "So far from yer nest, magpie."

[pirate_jack]

Jack smiles, looking out over the water.

"Nature of a bird to fly, luv."

[touch-destiny.livejournal.com]

"Not to fly from me."

There's an inexpicable weight in the dinghy--it rocks back and forth, and then she's there, black eyes glittering, mouth laughing.

She lifts a hand to study it, fingers loose and graceful, pretending not to notice Jack, though she's invited herself onto his little craft.

[pirate_jack]

He returns his sopping hat to his head, evidently unconcerned at the dampness, and spreads his hands wide -- presenting himself to her with a wicked grin.

"And would you look at that; right you are, and here I am. Marvelous, isn't it?"

[touch-destiny.livejournal.com]

The dinghy rocks, and yet, despite being lower in the water, doesn't seem to be leaking nearly as much.

Or at all, for that matter.

She lifts a slim brown foot, dips her toes into the water that is still at the dinghy's bottom. Humor ripples under her voice. "Did I not come to you dis time, Jack Sparrow?"

[pirate_jack]

"So you did," he agrees.

A beat.

"One might wonder why."

[touch-destiny.livejournal.com]

She looks hurt.

"Ye'd rather be alone? Left in peace?"

Lazily, she leans down and plucks a piece of parchment from the dinghy's seat--a map. She plays with it, folding and unfolding experimentally.

[pirate_jack]

Jack grins.

"Ah, now, luv -- you know me better than that."

Black eyes are sharp and bright with interest as he watches her with the map.