"Here ye go, Jimbo. Now ye'd better eat tha' whole plateful or there'll be Hell te pay," Silver shot a playful glare at the human, who rolled his eyes.

"Yes, sir," He snapped back before sticking out his tongue. Silver flicked the man's ear, "None o' yer sass, boy. Yer too damn skinny an' I ain't lettin' ye stay like tha' anymore."

"Balaav'a," Timetra warned quietly as she came up to collect her own plate. She put herself strategically between Jim and Brigit and kept a sharp gaze locked on the boy - Man, Jimbo's a man now - as he moved to take a seat at one of the tables. That simple thought reminded Silver with a jolt that it really had been nearly nineteen years since he and Jim had first met. A wistful, bittersweet sort of feeling rushed his chest suddenly at all the time they'd been apart.

Silver put his hands up in defense as Timetra turned her gaze on him, "Come now, Safflina. 'Damn' ain't a swear word."

"Don't push it," She warned again, one eyebrow raising to accentuate her point.

"Aye, ma'am," He saluted her. Timetra rolled her eyes with a groan and Brigit giggled. It never failed to draw those exact responses from both of them when he did that, so he'd just keep it up until one of them finally had enough of his antics.

He saw a pink blur wizzing across the room out of the corner of his eye. Morph danced excitedly around Brigit's head, chirping several times before getting close to her ear and seemingly whispering to her. She giggled again, a mischievous look going over her face, and she spoke to Morph behind her hand. The blob shot off like a bullet and he smacked right into Jim's cheek.

"Ah! What was that for?" Jim muttered with a grin, his eyes quickly cutting over to Brigit. Morph 'whispered' to him next and then he murmured something back and the blob was sent back over to Brigit.

You sneaky little rascals.

Silver couldn't help the smile that went over his face. Of course they'd found a way around Timetra's vigil in keeping them apart. Though he was a little surprised that she hadn't noticed the blob flitting between the two of them- As if on cue, the Gerudo's hand clamped around Morph and she sent a dark look in Jim's direction, which he feigned ignorance to. Morph allowed himself to be caught for only a moment before he slipped from her fingers and plopped his little blobby self to Brigit's shoulder like he had many times done to both Jim and Silver himself.

So much for that loophole.

He set his plate down before sliding onto the bench next to Timetra. She slapped at Morph in an attempt to dislodge him from Brigit's shoulder, which their girl immediately blocked with her own hand, "Mama, don't hit Morph!"

"Send it away," She pursed her lips and glowered at the blob.

"Come now, Safflina, Morphy didn't do nothin'," Silver gave the little creature a scratch. He chattered excitedly as he first nuzzled Brigit and then Silver. The blob flew back to Jim and away from Timetra's swiping hand, transformed into a tricorn hat, and plopped himself on Jim's head like he had presumably countless times before. The faintest ghost of a smile touched Jim's lips.

Captain Sidon came down the stairs into the mess hall and smiled politely at the rest of the crew before moving toward the galley to collect a serving of the meal Silver and Brigit had prepared.

Silver paused. It wasn't often that Sidon joined the crew for meals, and generally when he did there was an announcement to be made. So he waited for the shoe to drop and for Sidon to call attention to himself, but the Zora continued his task without a word. He could feel the apprehension from the rest of the crew and saw the darting glances and could tell they were waiting as well.

"Care to join me, captain? " Jim spoke softly. He slid over on the bench to make space for Sidon.

The Zora's face flushed a tiny bit, his jaw tightened, and his eyes flashed, but he didn't say anything as he carefully sat down beside Jim.

Now the atmosphere in the galley was one of utter confusion as more looks were shared and some of the crew started to whisper. Jim on the other hand looked incredibly pleased with himself. Silver would almost describe his behavior as 'preening'; Jim sat up straighter with his chin cocked out and a subtle smug grin on his lips.

"Any particular reason you've decided to grace us with your presence, captain?" Jim's eyes flicked in Sidon's direction and he tilted his head to gaze out from under the brim of hat-Morph.

Sidon visibly swallowed before answering in a strained 'calm' voice, "It has been a while since I enjoyed down-time with the crew."

"How companionable of you, captain."

Why're you putting that inflection on the word 'captain', Jimbo?

It looked as if Jim deliberately dropped the fork he'd been toying with instead of using so it fell next to Sidon's hand. He reached over and picked it up, again looking as if he deliberately brushed his knuckles against Sidon's, "Sorry, let me get that."

The Zora had gone still as stone and kept his eyes locked on his plate, though it looked as if he weren't seeing what was on it.

Everyone had gone almost deathly silent as they too watched the captain and Jim interacting. The meal forgotten, their hunger forgotten, all consumed by curiosity and shock at the odd behavior the captain exhibited when he was around Jim.

The little human looked absolutely tickled. He was fighting a smile, his eyes sparkling with more mischief and life than Silver had seen in a while, his own cheeks alight with a dusting of pink. Silver couldn't help but grin.

Maybe there's more between them than Jimbo thought there would be.

Everyone seemed to slowly adjust to the newness of their captain sitting with them by going back to their dinner, but they still sent darting looks over at the Zora and human alike. Sidon too had relaxed from his customary stiff-backed posture and leaned forward on the table on his forearms as he and Jim sat together. They didn't speak at all and seemed to just enjoy each other's company.

"I should do one more check on the navigation system and then get to my watch," Jim stood, climbing out from his spot on the bench so his body was angled toward Sidon. He was purposeful in his motions again; walking right behind Sidon, brushing his arm against his, leaning in close to speak quietly, "Have a good night, captain."

He dropped his dishes off in the galley before making his way toward the stairs to the deck. Sidon almost let him completely pass by before he turned and caught his arm. Jim looked at him expectantly.

"Come to my cabin when your shift is done."

The words were whispered, almost indistinguishable from how quietly the captain had said them, but the room was so quiet as the crew watched that for anyone to have missed them they would have had to have been lost in their own thoughts. Jim grinned, "Is there something you'd like to discuss, captain? "

Sidon purred.

If anyone hadn't been paying attention to the two of them, they certainly were now. Silver's hand hurt from how tightly Timetra was gripping it. He glanced at her. His normally calm wife was the opposite of calm; mouth a thin line, skin pinched around her lovely emerald eyes, other hand tapping her fingers rapidly as she tried to bite her tongue. His eyes moved past her to where Brigit sat, watching the goings-on between Jim and Sidon with a curious expression.

"Get to your watch, spacer," Timetra finally snapped.

Jim stiffened. His soft, warm expression was gone in an instant, replaced with a blank, emotionless mask that broke Silver's heart. He could see that Jim wanted to say something, but he didn't, and quickly pulled free of Sidon's hand and disappeared up the stairs. The spell on the crew was broken the minute Jim was gone, and everyone's attention snapped back to their plates as Timetra shot a glare around the room. Sidon regarded her quietly before also rising from his seat and leaving the mess hall.

Silver stood quickly and patted his daughter's shoulders, "C'mon me girl, ye gots dishes te attend te."

She made a soft whine of protest, but ultimately stood up and trotted toward the galley to get to the last chore of the night.

Once she was engrossed in her task, Silver turned his attention to his wife. He didn't get annoyed with her often - she very rarely gave him a reason to - but this was getting to be ridiculous. She either didn't see him scowling at her or she was ignoring him, which was utterly childish.

"Safflina-"

"Not here, John," She spoke back quickly.

A flash of anger rushed through his chest, "Don' 'not 'ere' me, ye haven't listened te me once when it comes te Jimbo since the two o' ye had yer little incident an' ye ain't bein' fair."

"I said 'not here'," Her eyes flashed threateningly.

Fine.

Silver made a small 'hm' noise in his throat, caught her wrist, and led her swiftly down the hall to their cabin. She didn't protest, but she also didn't come with him especially willingly either and he had to almost drag her into their private chambers.

"Unhand me-"

He did as she requested instantly, but stood in her way so she couldn't go back through the door and avoid this conversation again. He cut off any argument by speaking first, "Now, ye listen te me. Yer bein' cruel an' ye know it. It ain't like ye an' I hate seein' ye treatin' Jimbo tha' way when 'e's tried te atone fer wha' 'e did."

Her mouth pulled into a frown, arms went over her chest defensively, "So you're condoning his behavior. You're condoning him hitting me?"

"Ye know I ain't. I jest ain't condonin' yers neither. Ye told me once tha' everyone deserves a second chance, don' ye remember tha'? After I told ye everythin' I'd done in me life up until we'd met? An' I know fer a fact ye been hit harder'n Jim got ye," Silver mimicked her posture. "Why're ye so dead set on hatin' Jim? Ye know it kills me te see the two o' ye at odds."

He wasn't exaggerating. Jim's personality, which he remembered being so fiery and defiant when he was a boy, was clearly muted and he hadn't been able to figure out exactly why. From articles he'd read while Jim was in the Navy, not even the rigorous and strict training had been able to stifle his spirit. The loss of his mother and most likely his lover had certainly wounded him deeply, but the last few weeks of traveling had brought out glimmers of his previous feisty self. But every time he saw Timetra shout at Jim those glimmers quickly faded and he became reserved and wholly unlike himself again. There was something he was hiding and he didn't seem to trust anyone - not even Silver himself - enough to talk about it.

Timetra sighed deeply. She finally dropped her arms from in front of her and softened her expression, "I'm not dead set on hating him. He just hasn't given me a reason to like him."

Silver was about to respond again that that statement wasn't fair, but she continued.

"You heard him and the captain when they returned from the port at Berophan," She lowered her voice as if there was anyone who would overhear them speaking. Silver grimaced a little. Yes. He and everyone else on the damn ship had heard them. It would have been impossible to NOT hear them. It had been an awkward and difficult conversation to navigate with Brigit and all her questions. He'd finally had to just tell her straight up that Jim and Sidon had been having an intimate encounter and she'd mercifully dropped the subject.

He'd given Jim a stern talking to about taking care of his…needs…in a more private setting, to which the man had promptly smirked and told him to "save his lecture for the captain; he's the one who couldn't wait". At least Sidon had been embarrassed at his own behavior and immediately apologized.

"And what about his blatant flirting with the captain in front of Brigit?"

Silver raised an eyebrow, "Then ye'd best get ready te scold me, 'cause I flirt with ye constantly whether Brigit's 'round or not."

"That's different," Timetra fought a smile and turned her face away so he couldn't see, but she wasn't fast enough. He relaxed his own stance and moved toward her, taking her hands in his, "An' plenty o' the other crew flirt with each other. If yer gonna be so strict with Jimbo, ye should be strict with ev'ryone, Safflina."

She sighed again, pursing her lips and visibly debating with herself. Her eyes darted toward him and she groaned softly at the animated smile he gave her, rolling her eyes finally, "Fine! Fine, I get it. I'll give him a second chance…but I'm not promising I'll like him."

"I ain't askin' ye te…well, I am, but I ain't gonna force ye te love 'im. Jest give 'im time an' ye'll love 'im on yer own."

Timetra gave him a disbelieving look. He smiled right back at her, "I swear on me life tha' I wanted te hate the kid meself when I first met 'im. An' well…ye can see how tha' turned out fer me."

"Alright," Timetra sighed for the umpteenth time and pulled her hands free of his grasp, "I have duties to attend to before bed, and you have a galley to clean up."

Silver nuzzled her forehead, which she leaned into, before they slipped back out into the hall and made their way toward the galley. The crew that didn't have watch huddled in the mess hall with cups of weak coffee to keep them warm as they wound down for bed. Brigit had crowded in with the men, nuzzled up against Askeladd's side and under his arm. She was listening intently to the conversation, her chore left half finished, eyes wide and expression filled with wonder.

There was a yelp of something close to fear from one of the crew when their eyes darted up and caught Silver's gaze. The group went silent and Brigit was ushered back toward the dishes. She squeaked when she saw the both of them coming back into the mess hall and raced back to the bucket of sudsy water.

Can you get any guiltier than that?

"What were you talking about?" Timetra looked pointedly at the Canid, who avoided her gaze. Everyone ducked their heads and looked into their cups whether they had anything in them or not and clamped their mouths firmly shut. Silver came up and clapped Askeladd on the shoulder with his mechanical hand, "She asked ye a question, boyo."

"We were having a…discussion about the captain and Mr. Hawkins' relationship," He whimpered out timidly.

Timetra's expression was strained as she leaned in between two of the crew and pressed her hands on the table, "What sort of discussion?"

"The nature of it…"

She narrowed her eyes in silent warning. One of the crew, one of the younger ones, cracked under the pressure of hers and Silver's combined presence, "Whether it is simply physical or if there is anything else!"

"You were…in front of…" Timetra's eyes cut toward Brigit, who was trying very hard to look fully engrossed by the dishes. Silver clamped down harder on Ash's shoulder, making the man wince and bark out a quick disclaimer, "We weren't being explicit!"

"Oh, thank the Heavens," Silver growled, sarcasm dripping from every word. The crew dropped their heads as he shot a quickly glare from face to face, "Tha' ain't none o' yer business wha' either o' 'em got goin' on, an' it ain't yer place te talk 'bout it in the presence o' a child."

"Come on, Silver, she knows what sex is. It's not like it's unnatural-"

You poor son of a bitch. Silver would have handled him, but he saw the look on Timetra's face and knew that she would take care of the situation. He was content to let her verbally eviscerate the crewman as Silver finished his nightly chores, though he could also see from the glint in her eye that the 'second chance' she'd promised to give Jim might just have been pushed off a little longer…again.

Can't catch a break, can you, Jimbo?

Silver let out a heavy breath as the crew scattered and Timetra dragged the poor man who'd opened his mouth away to berate him.

"Brigit, me girl," He saw her go rigid when he called out to her. She looked up after a moment of silence, wide-eyed and sheepish, "Yes, papa?"

"Wha' were the men talkin' 'bout? Wha' all did they say in front o' ye?" Silver sat across from her on a bench.

Her face twisted up, "Oh…um…well, I was just…I heard them talking about Jim and I got curious is all…I-I didn't really hear anything else…"

Silver nodded slowly, tenting his fingers together as he leaned on his knees with his elbows, "I see…"

She swallowed hard. He knew she wasn't being fully truthful. It was adorable how bad a liar she was considering who he used to be, but ultimately he was glad that his previous skills hadn't worn off on her. Especially since he'd worked so hard to leave that part of his life behind.

"Well…I heard a little…but just a little!" Brigit fidgeted with the scrub brush. Silver nodded again, this time only humming in his throat in response. She finally couldn't handle his silence and steady gaze and broke, her eyes darting away from him.

"They were placing bets on whether Captain Sidon and Jim's relationship would stay as casual lovers or if they would become more like you and mama."

Silver felt his muscles relaxing. They'd used far tamer language than he'd expected, but honestly he should have known they would keep it 'safe' while she was around. He and Timetra had knocked enough heads together - with Sidon's permission, of course - for the crew to get the picture and clean out their mouths. This ship probably had the politest damn crew outside a Navy Admiral's in the galaxy.

"Papa?"

He looked at Brigit again, who had returned to scrubbing the stack of plates clean, "Aye?"

"Do you think Jim and Captain Sidon will stay together like you and mama?"

He couldn't stop the sigh that had built up in his chest, and he pursed his lips before speaking again, slowly, "I'm not sure."

She seemed disappointed, her ears drooping along with her shoulders, "If they don't…will Jim leave when we've gotten Captain Sidon's birthright?"

Silver let out another long breath. This was a niggling fear of his too. It had been so long since he'd seen Jim, and the man had clearly not taken very good care of himself in that time. If he left who know if they'd ever see each other again, whether from their paths simply not crossing or from something much worse. Silver couldn't bear the idea of outliving Jim because he neglected his own needs. He looked back at Brigit, who was watching him with a sad and semi-hopeful expression.

"Well, the good captain won' have a navigator if Jimbo leaves, an' I don' think anyone wants Ash te take tha' job again," he grinned at Brigit and she giggled softly.

"We'll be lost forever if he's the navigator again!"

"We might have te do some coaxin' but I think we can convince Jimbo te stay," Silver heaved himself up and gently petted her hair. She leaned into his hand with a happy hum and he whispered quickly, glancing around in case Timetra was close enough to overhear him, "Ye'll jest have te be sneaky when ye talk te him. An' ye didn' hear tha' from me!"

Her eyes sparkled brightly as she peeked around and whispered back, "You got it papa!"

"A'right little lady, tha's 'nough chit-chat! Finish them dishes an' get yerself te bed!" Silver set to the task of finishing his own chores, trying desperately to push down the growing feeling of dread - that he couldn't pinpoint a reason for - in his gut.