Trial of the Spades

[hiken]

Who: The Spades Crew + Anyone wandering by or onto their ship.
Where: Isla Empieza, The Sun
When: 12/15 - 12/21
What: Shenanigans! The Cold Curse, Sailing, Etc
Warnings: None so far. Possibly violence, given this crew.
Style: Prose/Action. Either or!
Status: OPEN

Threads below! Feel free to drop in your own, just remember to date them. More 'general' threads will come up after the crew sets sail.

Comments

any day B|

[thatched]

[yes, in fact he'll pick you up and wrap you around him] Ahhh. Knew that would do the trick. [have a nuzzle. Thatch really does adore you, you conveniently warm chicken]

<3

[fierybluebird]

[Baka. It's not like you're his best friend or anything.]

[Have some fiery chicken nuzzles right back.]

[thatched]

Maybe I'll steal you forever. [warms hands in your delicious sparkly feathers] Just the two of us on an eternal crew of love. What say you?

[fierybluebird]

[Chirps aye.]

[Of course Marco assumes Thatch is just playing around not serious.]

[thatched]

[there is a ship to shore boat nearby and Thatch stares at it a teensy bit too long before abruptly turning on his heel and starting for the galley, intent on kicking out whatever unfortunate soul is in there to spend time with his captain mate]

[fierybluebird]

[Whistles cheerfully and sings him a phoenix song.]

[thatched]

[stop being so damn cheerful. That's an order]

Want some spiced rum, chickadee? Anything to eat? [better say something while he's standing]

[fierybluebird]

[NEVER.]

[Another chirp for no and he puffs up his feathers to keep Thatch warm.]

[thatched]

[what's there to be cheerful about anyway? He rubs his cheek against the fluffs feeling slightly better in spite of himself and pours himself some spiced rum before sitting himself at the table and stroking Marco's feathers with his free hand]

What's our crew count up to now? How many more clowns to the idiot brigade?

[wait...he meant that to sound more teasing than it was]

[fierybluebird]

[That's okay, Marco knew what he meant, and nips the top of Thatch's ear for it.]

I like it. It's nothing close to even one division, yoi.

Are you just sad that none of them have good hair for your to steal?

[thatched]

[yeah tell him about it. Grumble grumble. No one has good hair period. Well, Riku's isn't bad. Sora's is kind of predictable but okay. He really likes Korra's style but...]

I wanna go home. [not pouting or any Thatchie feetie flails.] Let me go back to my boys. You don't need me around.

[Not with Namur. He could handle it all, really]

[fierybluebird]

[Okay.]

[Time has come.]

[Marco switches reluctantly back to human and keeps both his arms wrapped tightly around Thatch's shoulders.]

If you do, I will never see you again. You know my worst fear is seeing you all die mate, well I've done that. You have many days ahead of you, but if you don't share them with me here, then for me they'll be lost forever, understood?

Do not leave, and that is an order I will never rescind. I cannot help but be selfish on it. Perhaps it is unfair you did not get to have a younger me by your side here, but for me, it means the world.

[thatched]

Don't tell such morbid jokes with such a straight face. [and turn back into a phoenix right now. It's too serious with Marco like this]

Maybe I'll just stage a mutiny and go back anyway, eh? I'll hide behind Pops and you can't get me. [so what if he's acting like a kid. He is compared to Marco anyway.]

[fierybluebird]

[Punches Thatch in the face and holds him down by the throat.]

Do you think I would say this if my sanity did not depend on it?

Do you think I have been depressed simply because of being here?

Do not be such a coward brother! I need your strength right now!

[thatched]

[Ow! Son of a-- He hated when Marco did shit like this and the hand around his throat was not appreciated]

You cut my lip, bastard. [he can taste blood. Not that it's a big deal but it's the principle of the thing. Anyway it was only a little streak of rebellion before he says what Marco was really after]

Aye, sir.

[but he'll still glower at you, damnit. He's not cowed at all. He just cares for your sparkly ass]

[fierybluebird]

[Oh good. They done now?]

[Marco switches back into a phoenix and curls up in Thatch's lap. You don't even know man. You don't even know.]

I'm still strong, Thatch. But I've missed you a long time. Even Ace is gone. How can I let you leave so easily? [Hides his head in Thatch's shirt, he doesn't want to talk anymore.]

[thatched]

[oh no he doesn't. He lifts Marco up onto the table so he can wrap his arms around him but also bury his face against the feathers. If the peabrain gets to hide so does he]

Well stop living so long, damnit.

[if he sounds a little choked up it's only because he is. He doesn't want to think about Marco spending all that time alone. Stupid phoenix didn't even know how to die. Still he nuzzles the feathers in appreciation and apology and pulls Marco against his chest, buttoning his coat around him so he's warm all over and burying his face against the flamey neck]

But you can't make me like it. [grumbled. But he'd find a way he supposed. If he had to. But he didn't have to like liking it. So there]

[fierybluebird]

I can and I will!

[Nuzzles and gently preens Thatch wherever he can, all the phoenix snuggles ever.]

So be nicer to the hatchlings, they will grow on you and you have to be the one to keep me from slipping into bad habits, got it?

[Yeaaaah don't mind Marco if he still wants to cry damn it. It's been a rough rough time.]

[thatched]

[You are the only one he will ever let preen his hair, you ass. Stop making him feel better. It's not allowed. Stop making him do this. Let him go home. He doesn't want to.

But he will. Because Marco needs him and Ace needs him and Namur--needs him and thank god for the Fishman, too. And so do the rest of these idiots]

I will...bastard.

[he hesitates and then]

Teach me how to trust Ace. [he mutters this and feels seditious even as he says it but it's not if he's trying to learn, is it? He's always believed in Ace as Pirate King but as Captain... as Captain it's so hard...]

[fierybluebird]

[Slowly preens those strands into pretty placements. BRB bird-braiding your hair. Now be grateful and like it you ass.]

Give him time. We avenged Sora, got him back, avenged and rescued everyone else and no one has died since. We won't let it happen again. He is already proving himself, mate, you just have to be willing to open your eyes to take peeks enough to see it.

And do not expect him to be Pops. Even Pops wasn't Pops at first. Just let Ace be Ace and help him.

Mah... it's not easy for me either, eh? But we'll get there together, because we're family.

[Congratulations Thatch, you now have the manliest hair ever.]

[thatched]

[he is grateful because he likes the attention and the fact that Marco's doing it makes it special. He's not at all soothed, though, damnit. Even by his words. It is true what he said but...but... he sighs and strokes under Marco's wings, giving him a birdie massage]

Aye... [he will open his eyes more. See what's really going on. Try to...become part of this crew for his nakama's sake but...] Is it...I ... want it to be Pops. I love Ace. You know I do but... I miss the old man...

[it was just hard not to hear the deep grumbling Gurarara at least once a day or see him drinking or trying to drink as the nurses or Marco scolded him...and speaking of which...]

Can we at least get cute nurses?

[fierybluebird]

[He won't cry damn it. He just won't.]

[But he nods and whistles cheerfully enough that not even Thatch could tell otherwise.] Of course, idiot. And just because he's Captain doesn't mean he's not our little brother. I'm still going to prank him and stuff him into things, yoi.

[thatched]

Promise? [not going to lie but pranking Ace would be really good right now. He'd been...sort of avoiding him and...pretty much everyone lately. And it would be great to get back to normal. Though it would be hard to admit... how things had changed.

He took a deep breath that shook only a little. So he just buries his face against the side of Marco's neck]

What kind of prank should I plan? Hmm? Where shall we stuff him?

[fierybluebird]

Aye.

Let's just dress him up pretty and stick him in various beds, eh?

[There's a brief hesitation. And Marco quietly nestles into Thatch's hair.]

He is worried you are disappointed in him. Even if he never shows it. He has been through a lot. That is why his tattoo from Pops is messed up. I think he's hurting a lot Thatch, and I'm proud of how well he's doing, but there are some places I know only you can reach.

[It's a lot of pressure though, so he tightens his hug on the man.] Sorry yoi. I didn't want you to do it, but I do not think I can do it myself.

[thatched]

[and now he's imagining cross-dressing Ace in Logan's bed. Why do you put these ideas in his head? He let's Marco nestle where he will but pulls one of those long long tailfeathers over his shoulder to stroke it and tug a little and mess with Marco's head as he sips his rum. He's surprised at what he says]

Why the hell would I be? [he cam't believe the tattoo is messed up just because of him. Though he knows what Ace has been through. At least here.] I'm sure you do a lot. Don't undersell yourself...

But it's true I haven't been paying him much attention. [faint sigh...] Sorry, yoi. [another little tail tug]