Author's not: yeah yeah short chapter, I know. More comin soon.
Kris absent-mindedly flicked one of the many coins in front of her into the nearly-full bottle of rum resting on the wooden table between her and Jack, effortlessly sending it sinking to the bottom of the bottle. Judging by the way she was sprawled across the two chairs at her end of the table, with one arm carelessly draped across the back of one chair and one of her legs resting on the other, it really was an easy thing for her to do. Jack, on the other hand, was hunched over his pile of coins, concentrating endlessly on the place his coin was supposed to go. Finally, and with much effort, he flicked the coin at the bottle. It bounced off the bottom of the bottle and landed on the floor, along with most of his other coins.
"You're even worse at this when you're sober." Kris commented, grinning as she swirled some of the drink that had leaked from the bottle (most probably due to one of Jack's wayward coins) and laughed softly.
"Not everyone has spent hours on end doing this, and if I can recall correctly, it is by winning that you lose your sober state." Jack replied, scowling as Kris sank another coin to the bottom of the bottle. "Or have you forgotten to tell me about another one of your rule changes?"
Will shook his head as he watched all of this, interested in how they carried on so. Though he could easily picture Jack seated at a table flinging things into a bottle of cinnamon rum, he had been surprised to find him and Kris doing this alone and sober, acting as if this were some sort of tradition that must be upheld. But it had been Kris herself that had surprised him the most. He had expected her to be more feminine, prissier, or at least more like the Tortunga women Jack so shamelessly chased after.
Kris grinned again and waited patiently for Jack to take his next shot. An air of coolness surrounded her every move, but Will could see a glint of excitement in her blueish-grey eyes. He had no doubt that she was enjoying this to the full extent that she could.
Jack flicked one of his coins again, and came dangerously close to hitting the bottle. But instead, it flew across the table and narrowly missed Kris's face.
"Sorry luv." Jack said, not looking up from the coin he was concentrating on shooting.
Kris laughed shakily and shook her head. "At least you didn't hit me this time. Remember that time in Mexico? You nearly took my eye out." She waited patiently for Jack to take his next shot.
"You've never seen anyone do this before, have you Will?" She said passively, not bothering to look up from their game.
"Well, uh, no." Will replied, surprised that they were finally giving notice to him. Neither of them had looked up when he walked in almost fifteen minutes ago, so he had just assumed they hadn't noticed him. "I don't even know what it is."
"Just a game." Kris replied as Jack finally got a coin in.
"A bloody frustrating game at that." Jack added, though he was smiling. "How's that for form?"
"I've seen better." Kris replied. "You sure you won't be joining us, Will?"
"No, thanks." Will said, smoothing a few stray strands of his hair away from his face nervously. "Just watching."
"Ok." Kris replied, before flicking another coin into the bottle. "Twenty! That's game, Sparrow."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Jack said, but continued smiling none the less as Kris grabbed the rum and held it up triumphantly. She shoved the rest of the coins over to Jack and began to try and fish out the coins from the bottle.
"I thought you won?" Will asked, eyeing Jack as he scooped up the money and shoved it in his pockets.
Kris waved the bottle around in the air. "I did."
Will nodded, still slightly confused, and sat down at the table also. Though Kris acted like she had just beat Jack to a pulp and Jack acted like his ego was substantially bruised, Will couldn't help notice the way they smiled at each other. Sweet, really.
"Anyway." Jack said, standing up and stretching, "I should be going now. It's getting late."
"It's ten o clock." Kris replied, glancing at the clock hanging on the wall. "Since when do you go to bed this early?"
"You've tired me out." Jack replied, kissing her lightly on the cheek and heading towards the door. "And you know me. Gotta get up early to catch the worm."
"Goodnight." Kris said as he walked out the door. Will noticed she toyed with her single gold hoop earring as she watched him walk out.
"Why do you always do that?" he asked finally, apparently jarring Kris away from her thoughts.
"Do what?"
"Never mind." Will replied. "Goodnight." And he walked out also, leaving Kris still sprawled out over the two chairs, fidgeting nervously with her earring.
* * *
A knock came from the door to the room Mia was locked in, jarring her from her thoughts. "You decent?" Jack's voice came from behind the door. He knocked again, louder this time.
"Depends on what you mean by decent." Mia replied sulkily. It had been bad enough cooped up in this room all day, but Mia had a feeling that the night wouldn't be any better. Bloody pirate.
"Ready or not." Jack replied, opening the door and stepping in. "You're mood hasn't improved much, has it?"
"Are you trying to make me hate you?" Mia commented, eyeing him as he barged in. "Or does it just come naturally?"
"I'd say a bit of both, Luv." Jack said cheerfully, shoving a pile of clothes into her arms.
"You're not going to make me wash these?" Mia said, eyeing the pile in her arms. "Because I'd rather plunge myself over the side of this ship than be caught doing your laundry."
"Don't worry, there's no need for drowning yourself. They're for you to wear, Mia dear. I'd rather you complain about being held captive by me than complain about that damn dress all the time. Besides, that rag you're wearing has pretty much rotted away from being inside that rower."
Mia was too surprised to answer. She unfolded the crumpled shirt, a plain brown thing with ruffled cuffs and a lace-up front, studying it. The pants were of plain black and made of a material unknown to her, and surprisingly, they both seemed to be her size.
"I daresay they'd fit." Jack said as he watched Mia inspect the clothing.
"Where did you get these?" Mia demanded finally.
"Don't worry, luv, they won't be missed."
"You stole them?" Mia said, feeling her face flush with anger. "You stole them! From who?!"
"Er." Jack grinned slyly.
"You stole them." Mia said simply. "From Kris. God Jack, I don't even want to know how you got these!"
"Seems you've figured out as much, Mi."
"MIA!!!!" Mia screamed at him. "I demand you take me out of this room THIS INSTANT!!! You can't keep me cooped up in here forever, Sparrow! I swear if I EVER-"
Mia's words were cut off by Jack promptly leaving the room, slamming the door behind him. The grinding of the key turning inside the lock was the only noise she could hear.
"JACK!!!" she yelled, pounding on the door. "Let-me-OUT!!"
"Sorry luv!" Jack's voice came, muffled from the door between them. "It's for your own good, I swear! No hard feelings?"
"Like hell!" Mia screamed, but the only answer she got was the sound of Jack's boots thumping away from her.
Defeated, Mia slumped to the floor, leaning against the door with her head in her hands. Bloody no good dirty pirate.
She looked up to see the clothes lying in a pile on the floor, right where Mia had dropped them. She stared at them for a moment, before picking them up. Weather they were Kris's clothes or not, anything was better than a corset.