smallestopener | (no subject)

(no subject)

Ingress, as most small children do, has intense phases in which she finds out all she can about a certain subject. She's gone on pirate binges in which she read nothing but pirate stories, drew nothing but pirate pictures, and played nothing but pirate games. She's done this with horses, dinosaurs, princesses (of course), and squids.

Sometimes she runs across a picture or a story, and her memory is jogged. So it is that she and Tom walk out to the lake, to see if Ingress can catch sight of Sunshine Dust, the glitter squid.

And who knows, maybe one day Mr. Julia Fruitnugget will return.

"I hope she's there still," she says, running ahead of Tom into the cool fall-like day. "I haven't looked in a long time."

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"Tell me about it," Tom says with a sly grin. "Jack, are you and your ship here for a while, do you think?"

An odd look flickers over his face as he glances around the deck, his gaze lingering on a damaged section of the rail.

"Looks that way."

Ingress dances up to the prow to look over the railing and watch for sparkling squid. She's out of earshot, for the time being.

"I say, is everything quite alright? Are you going to have to winter here?"

He glances sideways, checking on Ingress's location, and then looks back at Tom.

"Don't know quite how long I'll be staying, mate."

A beat.

"Not sure how it works when you're dead, savvy?"

"Oh, I see."

Tom goes quiet a moment. What does one say to the newly dead?

"Well, if you're going to winter here, we ought to do something about heat. The lake will ice over soon enough, and Scotland in winter is never mild. Do you plan on staying here, or staying in the bar?"

Apparently one sticks to the topic at hand.

Jack gives him a sharp look, at this.

"She's me ship," he points out. "I've lived in me cabin here for years now, and I don't see any reason to be changing that just because I'm forced into port."

"Of course not," he says, nodding. "I don't suppose you have a heat source of your own. Not with all this wood. I don't reckon the ice would be good for the hull either. Jack, how do you feel about having a magical source of heat?"

He looks suddenly, vitally interested in this idea.

"You can keep the ice from her keel?"

"I can. A self-renewing warming charm ought to do the trick. As for your cabin, I can create a non-burning heat source. You have to take care of yourself, as well as your ship, and you're not used to cold climates any longer."

"And it'd not be any danger of setting her afire?"

Something flashes in the depth of his glance.

"Not willing to see that happen, savvy?"

"You needn't worry. Magical fire doesn't burn, unless you want it to do so. I'll make sure whatever charm I use suits both your ship and yourself."

Tom does remember to put the Black Pearl first this time.

There is a cry of glee from the starboard side. "I saw her! I saw her! I saw her tentacle!"

Ingress bounds back to where Tom and Jack stand talking. "I saw Sunshine Dust!"

"Then we've an accord, mate, and I'm obliged to you for it," Jack says quietly, then turns a brilliant grin on Ingress.

"Did you, lass?"

It's probably not notable that he makes no move toward the starboard rail.

"I did! Jack, if you're going to be here with your ship, we can visit you more. We'll have fun! Will you stay for Hallowe'en? And Christmas?"

"I think we'll be visiting Jack a great deal more, if he'll have us. Captain, since you've invited us onboard, you must know that you're welcome in our house, anytime you might wish to come. People have always been able to visit the House of Arch, even those who were Bound or otherwise inconvenienced."

"I've no plans to sail on just yet, lass," he says, flicking a glance at Tom. "Have to find a new route to take the Pearl through first, savvy?"

He nods to Tom, then, adding,

"Now that's a princely invitation, mate, and I'll thank you for it."

Ingress takes Jack's hand. "I'm glad you're going to stay. Things are funner with you around."

"Indeed they are." He answers Jack's glance with one of his own. The dead at Milliways are a unique group of people, but Tom has never had a problem with dealing with them.

"Ingress, love, I think it's time for us to be heading back. Jack, thank you for the tour. It's terribly good to see you again."

Touched, Jack looks down at Ingress and squeezes her hand with strong brown fingers before letting go.

"Good to see the both of you again as well."

A beat.

"Next time we'll have to put beads in your hair, lass." A wicked grin. "I'll teach you how, and then you can do the same for your father here."

Ingress giggles a decidedly wicked giggle, and then she gives Jack a big hug.

"Okay! Bye, Jack!"

"Alas, my hair is not long enough for beads, but perhaps Door would like to try it out."

Tom picks Ingress up. "I'll come back soon, and you'll be all set for the cold weather. Ready, Ingress?"

She nods and closes her eyes tightly. With a 'pop!' they disappear.

Back on shore two figures wave to Jack before walking back into the bar.

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