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The metal of the cuffs cut into the skin of Jack’s wrists. The connecting links keeping him down and anchored, to the chair, that some of Pitch’s men had wrestled him into. The pirate captain of the black pearl - the biggest rival of Jack’s own, somewhat-more-legal-but-not-really captain - now seated at his table in front. A fist pressed to his high cheek as he stared. Expression as perplexed as it was annoyed.
‘’Why were you in my lane?’’ Pitch rasped. The sound betraying how little patience he had left for this whole thing. The tic in his brow showing itself once more.
Jack didn't reply. Instead, he offered up a shit-eating grin.
Pitch sighed. Pinching the bridge of his nose before willing himself a deep breath. ‘’This is the third time we do this,’’ he roughed, before the hand, that had attempted to alleviate his growing headache, found the surface of the table once more. ‘’Must it come to violence, or can we please just talk?’’
‘’-If by violence, you mean force-feeding me cake and sending me off with a pat on the head, then sure.’’
Pitch glared. The thinning of his lip highly unamused. ‘’That has never happened,’’ he countered, to which Jack just shrugged.
‘’Not in that way, no. But it could,’’ he challenged. ‘’If you weren’t such a coward.’’
Pitch sighed. For the second time in what felt as many minutes. The hand pressed to his cheek curling into a loose fist. ‘’You realize that I have practically just slaughtered your quartermaster?’’
Jack just shrugged. ‘’Being brave with your body and sword don't mean you're brave with your mind. Or emotions. It's mostly the emotions you kinda suck at.’’
‘’How,’’ the tone was more tired than anything. Pitch aware that they were having two different conversations at once. ‘’-How, does Manny put up with you?’’ he asked, though it wasn’t really a question. Still, Jack answered it.
‘’He kinda don’t,’’ Jack shrugged. ‘’I guess that’s why I’m here.’’
Pitch stared. Then stared even harder. ‘’Is he hoping that I’ll just flat out kill you as well?’’ he suggested, to which Jack just huffed. The sound far too airy and at ease with his current position in mind.
‘’Nah,’’ Jack assured. ‘’-Think he likes me too much for that. He’s just sorta… well, in general at least, trying to gain more ground?’’ Jack smiled at him. Brightly. As though that very statement hadn’t just been a declaration of war. ‘’Like we all are?’’ he had the nerve to go on, and Pitch fumed. Not so much at Jack, but more at Manny.
Pitch grit his teeth, as he willed himself to stay calm, and instead glare over at one of his paintings. The one that depicted a decapitated frog. French in making, if he wasn’t too far off - Not that it mattered, or that he cared for this specific piece at all. But it was a nice touch, to the rest of his growing collection of weird shit that he’d managed to steal before Manny could. The wanted items - from the list of the opposing captain that Pitch had personally confiscated last he captured Jack - slowly piling up in Pitch’s storage to be sold at a later point, and it was infuriating the other. And so, just to spite him, just to piss Manny off as much as possible, Pitch kept doing it. Kept beating him to it…
And now Jack was here. Interfering with his work again. Sailing, in his very waters, with no cannons or hostile flags raised at all. Unwilling to tell him why.
But he still represented Manny. And Jack didn’t go anywhere, unless Manny had ordered it. So why? Why was he here? Forcing Pitch to hold his entire crew - sans Manny, hiding back at Hawthorne as the bastard often did - hostage while Jack himself got interrogated?
Again?
‘’Our lanes have been divided for a reason,’’ Pitch knew he was grasping at straws, but he had to try. Especially so, when Jack's crew hadn't even fought back. Only the quartermaster, and he had already been dealt with. ‘’If Manny truly is planning to invade, then I need to know. Especially if he is planning to team up with the sad excuse of weirdoes that makes up the-’’
‘’-You know I won't answer you any further on that,’’ Jack crisply interrupted. ‘’Not now,’’ he stressed with a firm tone that betrayed just how not scared of Pitch he was. ‘’Not ever.’’
Pitch willed himself to breathe. Fully aware that any true violence or force really never was the way to go with Jack.
Not that he ever had been violent with Jack.
‘’And while the-’’
With no warning, Jack kicked the table hard enough to send a jar of ink wobbling, and Pitch just stared at him. Clearly startled. ‘’This-’’
Jack kicked the table again, toppling the ink, and Pitch was up in a flash. Managing to knock the spilling ink onto the floor instead before he went around the table, to the chair, and then both of his hands clenched hard into the back of it. The legs of it whining in protest, as Pitch forced it backwards. Jack now sat in the middle of the room, far out of reach of anything kickable.
Pitch’s hands curled into the meat of Jack’s shoulders. Into hidden, already existing bruises, and Jack whined low in his throat.
That settled it, though. Something had indeed happened. Pitch's tone bordering on threatening, as he immediately relented and dug his nails into the wood of the chair instead .
‘’I owe you,’’ Pitch hissed, as the lingering ink seeped into Jack’s dirty shirt, and subsequently, skin, ‘’-for warning me of Manny’s slow descend into meddling with the crowned bastards. But that does not mean that I will stand for this childish behavior,’’ he warned. ‘’Be still, or I will have you thrown overboard with the rest.’’
‘’At least do it yourself you fucking coward,’’ Jack clipped. ‘’-And besides, you haven't thrown anyone in the water at all except for one, so quit your stupid threats.’’
Pitch roughed a harsh breath. Genuine frustration starting to radiate through. ‘’Is this a game to you, Overland?’’
‘’Yes, actually.’’
The cabin went quiet. Awfully so.
Then, Pitch sighed. ‘’Why are you trying to provoke me?’’ he asked, as his palms glided back up. Out, over Jack's offended skin. ‘’What is this? What has happened?’’
Jack didn’t answer. Pitch knew he wouldn’t. Still, he had to try. His hands flattened themselves out. The touch almost soft enough to be mistaken for friendly, if not for their current position.
‘’You're agitated,’’ Pitch tried. ‘’I'm not blind. I know you. So what gives? What's caused this?’’
Jack still didn't answer. The cabin dead quiet, and Pitch, not willing to back down even a bit, took yet another deep breath. Forcing his tone to remain calm. ‘’Suit yourself, then,’’ he sighed. Another breath roughed down, sharper this time. And then, ‘’How have you been, Overland?’’ he tried, and in turn, Jack gruffed a low, complaining sound.
‘’Use my actual name and I might answer that, yeah?’’ he challenged, to which Pitch just hummed. Knowing fully what the other meant.
‘’Why should I?’’ he still pressed, and in turn, Jack didn’t miss a beat.
‘’-Cause I’ve personally fished you out of that shitty dungeon back in Lunanoff, and I think that warrants us to be on a first-name basis right around now. Different tyrant on my end or not.’’
Pitch’s thumbs pressed into the skin on the sides of Jack’s neck. Feeling the tense muscle underneath. ‘’You call him a tyrant,’’ he pointed out as he gently peeled the fabric of Jack's shirt aside as much as he could without choking the other. Pitch feeling a stab in his stomach at the healing echo of the deep, angry lacerations that greeted him. ‘’You hate him. I know you do, so why stay by his side?’’
Jack just hummed. The tune thin and bothered. ‘’You know why,’’ he pressed right back, to which Pitch hummed as well. Eyes still locked to the clear signs of brutality.
It had to hurt. Terribly so.
‘’He will not ever let you know the whereabouts of your sister,’’ Pitch settled. ‘’You know that.’’
It got quiet for a while. Too Quiet. Then, ‘’I have to try,’’ Jack’s voice was barely audible. The core of it reeking of grief, while something in his posture just… fell. ‘’I gotta,’’ Jack insisted. ‘’So just-… On this one thing,’’ he went on, as his shoulders wound a little too tight once more. ‘’-Don’t press me.’’
Pitch went still as well. Considering it. Considering if now was the time to share…
Then, he nodded. ‘’I won’t,’’ he vowed, and in turn, he felt Jack’s shoulders relax by a margin.
‘’Thank you.’’
Jack shouldn’t have to thank him. Not on something like this. Still,
‘’I’ve asked you how you’ve been,’’ Pitch went on, on a far more casual note. ‘’Tell me, Jack,’’ he insisted, as he carefully let the fabric, still stuck under his thumbs, go. ‘’I want to help you if I can.’’
Jack’s head lolled back against the lower parts of Pitch’s sternum. ‘’Pretty bored, not gonna lie,’’ he finally answered. ‘’There's not a whole lot of fun to be had while chasing tax-offenders.’’
Pitch hummed. ‘’First off, those people have never paid taxes to begin with-’’
‘’-They do to Manny.’’
‘’And second of, I cannot even begin to phantom why you think having your ship invaded on the regular is boring-’’
‘’-Aight fair, that is entertaining enough-’’
‘’And third, you could always join me instead.’’
‘’-For the fifth time, Spook-lord, I can't.’’
Pitch’s hands slowly slipped from him. The tips of his fingers drawing down at a near caress that Jack undeniably felt. ‘’I know,’’ Pitch said on a tired note as he went back and sat down. The captain righting a few of the items on the table before taking stock of the inky damage.
It wasn’t too terribly bad. Most of it having indeed gone over the edge as he had hoped, and seeing as that wasn’t the first time around that it had happened-
‘’Out of curiosity,’’ Pitch's eyes snapped to as Jack spoke up. The latter lifting his left leg enough to settle his naked foot against the edge of the chair.
‘’Yes?’’
‘’Are you just keeping me tied up so I won't try to cuddle you?’’
Pitch glared. Hard and true. ‘’Your behavior is weird enough that I'm not taking chances,’’ he snapped. ‘’There's nothing more to it than that.’’
Jack just smiled. ‘’You love me,’’ he grinned. ‘’-No point in denying that, Pitchu. You wouldn't have let me rest up at your little hideout near the Ganderly if you didn't,’’ Jack inclined his head at him. Something soft in his eye. ‘’Thanks for that, by the way. It was much appreciated.’’
Pitch hummed. The sound thoughtful. ‘’How hurt are you right now?’’ he pressed on a tone that came just a bit too close to worried, and in turn, Jack's eyes softened further.
‘’A lot,’’ Jack admitted. ‘’But it ain't bad enough that you gotta fuss about it.’’
Pitch just nodded. Trusting the other to be truthful on that.
If Jack truly needed him, Pitch knew - he'd tell him. Still,
‘’What did he do to you?’’ Pitch knew he sounded angry. Could see it in the way that the corner of Jack's mouth quirked up.
‘’-Didn't do anything that I didn't start,’’ came the reply on a slight shrug. His left leg settling back down. ‘’And it's nothing that won't happen again, given the fact that he's a stupid idiot and can't handle having it said to his face.’’
Pitch frowned. Aware that he couldn't do anything when Jack didn't let him.
But perhaps, he allowed himself to think - The reports that he had finally managed to gather would help on that.
‘’Now,’’ Pitch started up again. Hand a tad too stiff as he grabbed a pristinely white handkerchief and set to at least attempt to clean his hand of ink. Something seethingly hot churning in his stomach but there was nothing that he could do. Nothing he could avenge, if Jack wouldn't let him. And so, ‘’Tell me. Why were you in my lane?’’
‘’Pitch-’’ Jack whined his name on a drawn-out groan. ‘’Stop it,’’ he complained. ‘’You're so annoying when you're like this, just stop. Stop that-’’
Pitch slammed a hand down across the table. Hard enough to cause several items to rattle. ‘’Please,’’ Pitch rasped. ‘’Tell me,’’ he roughed. ‘’Why are you here? Why. Why are you in my lane. Why are you ordered to be here? ’’
‘’-Wasn't yours I got ordered for. I'm not supposed to be here at all.’’
Pitch blinked. Sensing a hint of triumph that he immediately forced down. Not yet willing to celebrate. ‘’Whose, then?’’ he pressed and in turn, Jack's chest slowly rose. Breath held at the top before it fizzled out, and whatever had happened, Pitch knew - Whatever Manny had done, it had been bad. Bad enough to shake Jack's unwavering obedience.
If that obedience only ever covered where he was supposed to go, and nothing else.
Jack met his eye. Shoulders too tense as he shrugged. ‘’Bunny's,’’ he simply offered on a tone that didn't betray just how huge this small rebellion was, and abruptly, Pitch glanced at the rather generous map on the wall beside them. At the neat little lines of red that marked the lanes out, but really, he didn't have to. The point of it all crystal clear from the second that Jack had even said it,
‘’This is quite the detour,’’ he pointed out.
‘’Yeah well, I wanted to do a bit of sightseeing-’’
‘’-By traveling along Sanderson's lane, then cutting through Toothiana's, then straight into mine, to then loop all the way around again?’’
There was no other path he could have taken to get to where he currently was. No other path, that would lead him safely onto Bunnymund's from there, and as Jack shrugged once more, with something impressed crammed tightly in his eye, Pitch was proven correct.
‘’Sightseeing,’’ Jack chimed again with a provocative wiggle of his brows. ‘’-Whole point is to go about and see, yeah?’’
Pitch pressed the tip of a single finger into the table. The thin layer of dried ink crackling gently. ‘’This means that you've ignored your own official traveling route,’’ he said. ‘’You should have gone directly to Bunny but you didn't. Coming here was a deliberate choice.’’
Jack grinned at him. Infuriatingly secretive. ‘’Correct.’’
‘’Why?’’ Pitch immediately demanded. ‘’Why, Jack?’’
What has happened?
Jack just shrugged. The grin growing playful. ‘’-Bit of sightseeing on the way. That's all, I swear. ’’
Pitch briefly closed his eyes. Aware that he was being lied to. ‘’If all you need is a safe place to hunker down for a bit- if you're stalling for time, then simply say as much,’’ he tried instead. ‘’If you're in trouble with the crown, with Manny, with any of the guardians, just tell me. I'll gladly help.’’
Jack just shrugged. And then remained silent.
He'd hit the nail on its head though, Pitch knew - Cause seeing as Jack most certainly hadn't just come for a bit of chatter, and the cake that he knew Pitch would eventually offer, then something else laid behind. Something, that had caused Jack to outright flee. Something, that had caused his crew to allow it as well.
How long did it take for the crew to realize that they were going in the wrong direction? Pitch thought, as Jack kept his gaze with a self-assured smirk that screamed just how safe he felt, right here, at Pitch's mercy - How long, until the quartermaster had started causing trouble and the rest of the crew had banded together to tie him up?
Cause the robe burns had been deep, on the quartermaster's wrists and ankles. The hints of missing sunlight marring his skin, as Pitch had jumped on board their unnervingly silent ship and ordered the idle crew, with weaponless hands, to drag him up onto the deck.
They had done it. Gladly. A bit too much enthusiasm behind the act as they'd practically shoved their own, tied up quartermaster onto the bloodless boards at Pitch's feet.
And Manny had been missing, Pitch had soon come to know, as he demanded the mutinous crew to present their captain as well - hiding, in Hawthorne, with the blasted blue bloods.
Jack couldn't have done it if Manny hadn't been a coward, though. And so Pitch couldn't be too upset, despite still not knowing why this was happening at all.
And he wasn't going to make any further headway on it. Not now, at least. Jack clamped up so tightly that it tickled something irked in Pitch, and so-
‘’Well, if you must be difficult,’’ Pitch finally gave up on the handkerchief. Most of the ink having already dried fully up, and so, he instead reached out to fish up a very specific stack of papers. ‘’I suppose I have some news to share with you, then. Regarding the reports from Hawthorne.’’
Jack blinked as he went stock-still, and Pitch could see it, in the narrowing of the other’s eyes.
He wanted to know. But asking for it would be treason. Not that Jack would care. Especially not, when it came to anything regarding his sister.
‘’You actually found-’’ Jack cut himself off as his eyes directed up at the ceiling. Lips pinched flat, before he let out a slowed sigh that descended into a deep-felt groan. ‘’I'm guessing that there's a reason you didn't tell me right away,’’ he roughed. ‘’That's still rather awful of you, but I’m not… Hah, I'm not gonna like any of this, am I?’’
Pitch’s thumb and pointer squeezed the corner of the uppermost paper. The one stamped with the official seal of Hawthorne. ‘’I suppose that depends on how this whole thing is received on your end.’’
Jack met his gaze. Something wicked in his eye that, in truth, just looked tired. ‘’Just tell me,’’ that had sounded like a plea. ‘’Is she dead?’’
‘’She lives,’’ Pitch swiftly reassured, and before him, Jack’s eyes lit up with hope. Clearly trusting, in that Pitch would never lie on this.
‘’Where is she?’’ Jack pressed, as he strained forwards in his chair. ‘’Pitch, where?’’
‘’-In Hawthorne,’’ Pitch relayed. ‘’Right under the claws of the crown.’’
Jack stared. Somehow, he didn’t seem one bit surprised, but still devastated.
‘’He used you, Jack,’’ Pitch kept his tone as gentle as he could. ‘’You know he did. You know he does-’’
‘’-How do you know it’s her?’’
‘’-There are several reports stating her by first-name and family-name before Manny got that part censored out,’’ Pitch said. ‘’She’s been made part of the court, though her position is one of the lowest,’’ he explained. ‘’But she lives, Jack. And to some extent, she is safe. However,’’ he added. ‘’-Manny has managed to feed her quite a few damnable lies about you. She might not think you safe when you get to her.’’
Jack closed his eyes. Tightly. A furrow weaving itself between his brows.
Pitch let him take his time. Let him just take it all in for a moment, and eventually, Jack drew a sharp inhale through his nose and gruffed something low. ‘’I gotta get her outta there.’’
Pitch nodded, despite Jack not being able to see the gesture. ‘’Agreed,’’ he said, and in turn, Jack hummed. The sound rough and growly.
‘’Help me with it,’’ Jack hissed. ‘’She’s the only reason why I gotta stay right where I am, I’m trapped, Pitch- He’s got her, I’ve always known as much, but he wouldn’t tell me anything-’’
Pitch ticked his ink-stained nails to the table. ‘’Already working on it,’’ he reassured. ‘’Djinni is thoroughly compromised and has been for years. He’s close to North’s side at all times, but with the right amount of coin, I could convince him to snatch her away. Or at least, to get her to the borders, so she can be collected without any of my own,’’ Pitch circled a hand, ‘’-or yourself for that matter, having to get too far into enemy territory.’’
Jack’s eyes squeezed tighter together. Clearly fighting back tears.
If it was from rage or grief or both, however, Pitch did not know. Did not pressure him on it, either.
‘’Do it,’’ Jack eventually hissed out, and oh, Pitch would. He would.
Sternly, Pitch nodded again. ‘’Consider it done.’’
A moment of additional quiet passed. Then, Jack flexed his shoulders. Fidgeting in his chair for a moment. The sound of the binding metal shifting, as he seemed to think something over.
Whatever it was, he seemed to think on it hard.
Still, Pitch let him take his time. Then,
‘’You know,’’ Jack started on a tone that held a certain type of crisp, slow-building anger, that made something deep, something downright primal, clench in Pitch’s stomach. The press of it instantly drawing forth a wish in him, to eradicate anything and anyone, that could ever bring such a dire string of distress into the darling menace before him. ‘’-Sometimes they say that the sixth time is the charm.’’
Pitch inclined his head a tad. Not yet following, though he had a sneaking suspicion. At least, Jack's crew - cause it was Jack's crew, despite him not having the rank of captain or quartermaster, and rather that of a sailing master - was loyal to him. And if anyone showed out not to be, then they could indeed be thrown to the sharks. Pitch had no qualms with that.
‘’Come again?’’ Pitch prodded, just in case, and in turn, Jack’s head righted itself before he pinned Pitch with a harsh, burning stare. His eyes glazed, but his cheeks dry.
‘’Ask me again,’’ Jack insisted. Gaze still fixed on Pitch’s, and easily, Pitch held it, as really - that could only mean one thing.
Pitch pressed his fist back to his cheek. Hope in his heart, as Jack’s gaze bore into his. A long-felt moment drawn out. ‘’How about you join me?’’
Jack blinked. Pretending to be surprised by the offer. ‘’What?’’ he laughed on a tune that should have been light, but his lingering anger betrayed him- Jack was still very much furious, and so, Pitch briefly lifted his fingers from the surface of his ink-stained table.
‘’Join me,’’ he repeated, as he opted to humor the other. ‘’Join my crew, dear Jack. Or stay,’’ he offered. ‘’You could just simply stay.’’
Jack inclined his head at him. The playful smile on his lip a tad too dour for it to seem light. ‘’You mean with you,’’ he deadpanned.
Pitch kept his gaze. ‘’Would that be so terrible?’’ he pressed, and in turn, Jack’s grin slowly spread. The core of it yet filled with a deep sense of wrath that really wasn’t directed at Pitch at all, but it made him glow. Deep and hard and true and Pitch ached to keep him safe. To get him out of whatever mess he had no doubt gotten himself into with Manny, or the royals, or the guardians, or hell- with whatever deity he’d probably managed to piss off by just being himself.
‘’You need a sailing master?’’ Jack pressed. His smirk knowing, with how Pitch sincerely looked to him with just a bit too much tenderness. The latter’s mask of impassivity towards the other rapidly slipping.
‘’Already got one,’’ Pitch said to save himself some ground, and to save himself from begging Jack to stay for his sake. For Pitch’s sake. ‘’But I could use a co-captain. Doubled in men as I'll be, if your crew joins mine,’’ he said. ‘’They're loyal to you. And with two ships on my hands, I'll need another to pass the orders out on the second, or at least until we reach port. After that, we can choose another role for you. Or you could stay as my co-captain, if all goes well.’’
Jack huffed an amused sound. The other seeming genuinely surprised this time around, as he let out a breathy laugh. ‘’Oh,’’ his tone was deliciously elated. ‘’Oh, okay. You're serious.’’
Pitch wasn’t going to deny it. Wasn’t going to deny anything at all. The offer having been thought about for nights and days and months on end. ‘’I am.’’
Jack blinked. Delightfully still surprised but not overly perplexed. ‘’Do we got terms?’’ he pressed, to which Pitch nodded.
‘’We do,’’ Pitch settled as he lowered his head and pinned Jack with a stare. ‘’While you are on my ship, in my lane, you behave. That means no setting fire to the sails. No releasing chickens because you ‘want to watch them race the rats’. No slicking up the sleeping quarters with soap because you think it’s hilarious to watch my crew slide around like a ‘bunch of burly pebbles on a frozen pond’.’’
Jack chuckled. ‘’I haven’t done any of that here,’’ he pointed out, to which Pitch merely hummed.
‘’But you’ve done it on Manny’s turf.’’
Jack just shrugged. ‘’Different ship, different me.’’
Pitch raised a brow. ‘’Can you promise me that?’’ he challenged, and in turn, Jack just chuckled all the harder. The sound far too amused.
‘’No,’’ he settled, and Pitch’s blackened nails drummed to the table. Clearly challenging him to press the issue further.
Finally, Jack relented. ‘’Aight look, I’ll try,’’ Jack vowed. ‘’If you promise on your life- on everything you think is worth the time of day, that you’ll help get her back. I need this, Pitch, I need to know she’s safe.’’
Pitch kept his gaze for a prolonged beat. Holding it still, as he offered up a solemn nod. ‘’On my center,’’ Pitch began, as he pressed a hand directly above his heart. ‘’On my life- I swear it.’’
Jack smiled at him. Bright and wide and true. ‘’Alright,’’ Jack said, and then, he shrugged his shoulders once more. The sound of cuffs and chains falling in the seconds that followed, and then, Jack leaned forwards. Elbows casually settling on his knees, as he kept Pitch’s startled stare. His smile growing playful, as though he hadn't just escaped unbreakable binds, and Pitch just... stopped for a moment. To marvel, at just how deadly the greatest love of his life could be. How deadly he really already was .
Jack’s fingers interlaced at something lazy between his knees. Smirk carefree and knowing, as he inclined his head. Tone as resolute as it was trusting,
‘’I'm in.’’