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The Spitfire glided across the summer sea, the sails taut and ropes creaking in rhythm with the waves. The air shimmered with heat, heavy with salt and the faint sting of tar on sun-warmed wood. Seagulls drifted overhead, their cries distant against the hum of ocean spray.
Captain Scurvy stood at the helm, shirt unlaced at the chest and hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. The sunlight caught on the copper strands, making his long red hair glow like fire. He squinted against the brightness, his good eye scanning the horizon while his other hid beneath his signature eyepatch. Despite the heat, he looked steady as ever, but his attention wasn't entirely on the waves.
“Phineas!” His voice boomed across the deck. “Get down from there before you break your neck!
Down on the main deck, Finn was barefoot, shirtless, and dripping from his latest stunt of climbing the rigging and leaping halfway into the ocean. His blond hair clung to his forehead in messy waves, water glinting off the fin at his back and the curve of his tail.
“I’m fine, Papa!” Finn shouted as his tail flicked, ready to jump again. “I’ll dive!”
Ruari huffed, muttering under his breath, “You’ll dive yourself straight into a concussion…”
Kelly made her way to lean against the railing beside Ruari, having been watching the encounter. Her braids were tied back, and her shirt sleeves were rolled up to match the heat. “You know he’s not listening, right?” she said with a smile.
Ruari just glared at her as he moved from the helm.
This would be the third time today Finn had plunged into the sea while they were on the move.
Below, Finn had already swung himself onto a lower mast and was balancing with outstretched arms, tail swaying for balance. “Watch me!” he called.
“Finn, no!” Ruari barked, reaching out a hand, but it was too late. The boy leapt, diving clean off the mast and plunging into the water below.
A moment passed.
Ruari leaned over the railing now, looking down into the water Finn disappeared in. His jaw tensed after a few seconds. “...He’s been down too long.”
Kelly sighed, shielding her eyes from the glare. “You know he’s fine-”
Before she could finish, Finn broke the surface with a triumphant splash, spraying water everywhere. “Did you see that?!” he hollered, tail flicking the waves.
Ruari exhaled through his nose, his lips pressed together in an unamused stare. “Yes, Phineas, I saw it.” Finn laughed and started to climb back up the rope ladder, droplets glittering off him.
As soon as Finn hauled himself back aboard, Ruari was there—hands on his hips, his shoe tapping against the ground. “What did I tell you about jumping from the ship when we're moving?”
Finn’s grin faltered slightly. “Uh… not to?”
“And what did you just do?”
“...Jump from the ship?”
“Exactly.” He lowered his voice to a gentler tone, “You can’t keep doing that right now, Finn. Wait until we're docked.”
Finn’s shoulders dipped, his tail drooping a little. “Sorry, Papa… it's hot.”
“I know,” Ruari sighed, giving Finn a quick pat on his back. “But I don't want you hurting yourself. When we're docked, then you can go swimming. But not out here.”
Finn nodded, his lips pulled into a small pout. “Okay.”
“Good,” Ruari replied, running his calloused hand through Finn's soaked hair. He pulled away to grab a bucket with a sponge inside, handing it to Finn. “Now, scrub down the side of the deck you got water on. Careful around the ropes.”
Finn looked shocked as Ruari spoke, his ears drooping subtly. He glanced over his shoulder. There was a long trail of water coming from behind him.
His tail thumped along his leg as he whined. “But-”