The Black Market

The heat of the boy's skin was so evident and wonderful to the touch. Nika could feel the trembles and shudders traversing the lengths of Inkie's body, and that made Nika grin even wider in delight. He seemed to keep searching for whatever it was that he was searching for while ignoring her, granted she wasn't expecting a spoken response anyway. Regardless, it was kind of disappointing. She kept her position until he finally stood up, and she slid off her back, standing up nice and tall, starting to tap her foot against the floor until her eyes widened and she was suddenly in Inkie's arms. She had to have been twice as surprised as when he had took hold of her wrist back up on deck. This guy was just about full of surprises she figured. Regardless, he walked her to the bed where he dumped her, leaning over her. She gazed right into his eyes as he looked down at her--right into his beautiful eyes. Not for a second did she cease her passionate stare.

Holy shit...he's actually going to do me. Did NOT see that coming, mwahahahahaha!! she exclaimed somewhat triumphantly in her mind. She couldn't believe how aroused she was. Her eyes traveled to his crotch, but in that instant, he seemed to turn away, distracted by something maybe? In a matter of seconds, he was out the door and running down the hallway presumably. A grimace situated itself on Nika's face and she sat up, clearly disappointed. "Well now." Her eyes drifted to the floor near Inkie's coat where there appeared to be a piece of paper. Tilting her head in curiosity, she hopped off the bed feeling a certain feeling in her undergarments that caused her to grimace once more. Strutting over to the paper, she crouched down and picked it up only to realize that it was the notice that used to be on the bulletin board. The part about the black market was circled. Was this what he was trying to show her? The grimace was replaced with a smirk in an instant and she made her way to the doorway.

Outside in the hall, from one of the nearby rooms to Inkie, a slender figure peered out down the corridor. The figure belonged to none other than Swift, his short blond hair a complete mess from sleeping. His clothes were wrinkled, but he didn't care about his appearance much at the moment, for after adjusting his spectacles, he made his way down the hall where he found a person lying curled up in a ball on the floor. "Oh no," Swift said to himself, clucking his tongue. "It's one of the new crew members. Nika must have gotten to him." Just as he was about to nudge the fellow with a foot, a somewhat amused look on his face, he heard the trademark clicking of heels approach and he turned to see Nika stop in front of him. She seized Swift's hand and put the notice inside of it.

"Please see to it that this is put back in its proper place, hm?" Nika ordered Swift who just gave her a smile and a lighthearted salute as she began to pace off slowly in the direction of the stairs heading up only to stop short. "Be expecting an invitation soon, my silent friend," she spoke ominously in an unreadable voice which was directed to none other than Inkie. "Shame on you for getting a girl all wet and not following through. Now what am I going to do with myself?" she stated, shaking her head before taking off for good leaving Swift to gaze down confusedly at the curled up Inkie.

Raiden found himself wandering again, completely passing the lounge and heading around back around towards the crew cabins. He saw Swift staring down at Inkie’s curled up figure (poor kid) and decided to take a detour, deciding that he didn’t want to deal with upset children. He ended up bumping into Nika, who looked awfully disappointed for whatever reason (Raiden could only imagine).

“‘cuse me,” he said before realizing it was Nika. “Oh. Mornin’, Captain.” It felt strange, having to look down (literally) at his superior. She wasn’t as tiny as Sam, but she still only came up to his chest. Raiden was a tall guy, he was used to it. He was about to go on his merry way, but they he remembered that he had to ask her about the Black Market. “Oh, yeah. Got a minute?”

Sitting up on deck alone, Sam started to get rather bored. There was only so much time she could spend staring at the sky. She got to her feet, dusting herself off as she walked inside. Maybe she'd go find the ship's engineer, Swift, since she was supposed to be learning from him. She decided to go track him down.
She skipped through the halls, dodging past people and trying not to disturb any conversations. She eventually ended up in the cabins, next to a curled up Inkie, the captain, and Raiden. She stopped and looked at everybody for a few seconds, smiled and waved, then skipped off once more.

Sam was beginning to give up on finding the engineer when she bumped into somebody. He was tall and blonde, with silver-rimmed glasses. She hadn't necessarily been properly introduced, but she was fairly sure that it was Swift. "Hey," she said with a smile. "I'm Sam. Sam Vulpina. 'Sposed to be learning how to be an engineer from you." He seemed like a nice enough person. Perhaps he'd be delighted to have a pupil. But then again, maybe not. Apprehension twisted in Sam's stomach like a pile of snakes.

It had not been long at all, maybe a few seconds, since Nika had departed the scene of Inkie curled up on the floor with Swift just gazing on with a mixture of knowing and still yet, surprise. Before she could make it onto the deck, she ran into Raiden which irked her. She was at the point where all she wanted to do was get back to her quarters and pleasure herself in peace, but these new crew members were so needy. That's right. I told them to ask me questions if they had them, she sighed mentally, halting before the eyepatch guy, even though he wasn't wearing it at the moment. She let her foot tap against the wooden floor signifying her obvious impatience, though the discontent was completely readable through her expression, the corners of her mouth turned downwards in a slight frown.

"Well, I suppose I have a minute, but make it quick," the captain stated firmly, placing her hands on her hips, glad that her arousal wasn't able to be seen. Oh how close she had been to having Inkie's length inside of her. A shiver wracked her body for a mere moment, and her eyes gleamed in anticipation of getting this encounter with Raiden over and done with. Hopefully his question was a simple one.

Farther down the hall, Swift had taken the message that the captain had handed him back to the bulletin board at the end of the hall, leaving the distraught Inkie behind. It had been tacked up again, but he remained in place, still observing the diagram of the ship. Oh, how it's crudeness always succeeded in bringing a smile to his face. He thought about the person who had drawn it, but instantly destroyed that particularly dangerous train of thought. It took him a moment to realize that he had company, the young redhead who happened to actually bump into him. Looking down, he gave the girl, Sam, a warm smile before running a hand through his messy, blond hair. "That name sounds familiar," Swift replied, rubbing his smooth chin in thought. "I think I remember Captain Heaven mentioning a new apprentice. My name is Swift, a pleasure to meet you, young miss." He bowed his head to her before straightening his glasses. "A bit young to be interested in engineering, aren't we?" he mused. "Why so intrigued about this field of study, if you don't mind me asking?"

Raiden took note of Nika’s irritation. Did it have something to do with Inkie…? It must’ve had to do something with Inkie. For fuck’s sake, what happened? Raiden curious side was getting to him. The mature, adult side of him was thinking one thing, and the idiotic and perverted side of him had another idea...

He mentally slapped himself. Now Raiden, don’t poke your nose into other people’s business, last time you did that, you almost lost your other eye. “I wish to accompany you to the Black Market, that’s all,” he said with a shrug. He did a slight turn, as if he was about to walk away, but then he just stood there, waiting for the captain’s reply.

....
.........
.................
......

A heap of time and a plethora of shudders later, Inkie dragged some air in through his nose, lips parting ever so slightly to let it back out. His blood had long since stopped roaring in his head (as well as in certain other places, huehuehue) but he lay there regardless, shamelessly curled up on the floor of the hallway. Or perhaps he would've been ashamed if he knew that most people didn't curl up on the floor and stay there. Locking himself into that study for all that time had deprived him of much social interaction, thus leaving his own habits and quirks to flourish.
No shame felt in this circumstance.

And apparently no shame felt by Nika.

Nika...

Inkie relaxed his fingers and allowed his knees to leave their pressed position against his bare chest. What had she been doing? If he hadn't known any better he'd say that she'd atttempted ( and nearly succeeded) in seducing him. Or, or teasing him. But she couldn't have possibly, right? They barely knew each other. Maybe she was just an affectionate friend and he'd completely over-reacted?

The boy re-positioned his scarf over the smooth skin of his face, the tops of it coming again to gently hide the bottom splash of his freckles. Apparently it had sagged in his flight. Nimble, slender fingers made countless tiny readjustments and then found their way to the ground. Was Nika his friend? Or just his captain? Maybe she was quick to consider somebody a friend, like he was. Or maybe he was being quick now. Inkie heaved himself up and kicked around a little, trying to pump the blood back through his veins before he got pins and needles. His hair was a hot mess, ruffled by who knows what and then left to hang haphazardly in front of his eyes and the like. He nonchalantly tried to blow it away, succeeding minimally.
He wouldn't mind being Nika's friend. Maybe he should get to know her better.
If she was just an affectionate friend he'd completely over-reacted and such...it was just a hug...but the fingers, and her chest pressed up against the skin of his back, and the warmth of her breath running over his ear...
A slight shudder shot down the boy's spine, light pink coming to his cheeks. Didn't seem like just a hug.

He wouldn't think about it anymore though. Had she understood that he wanted to go to the Black Market? The circled position on the note had seemed fairly obvious to him, but a lot of things did and then weren't so to other people.
The boy huffed, shook his head, and started back towards the deck. He'd just find something to do up there. On the way he stopped back in his room and threw his coat on.
Part of him was telling him it was the best thing to do, but his other half was just sad he wouldn't be able to feel the sun on his skin.

Inkie bit one of his lips carefully, long-lashes curiously lowered over his azure blue eyes. As an afterthought he unzipped the coat, gladly letting the cloth fall away from his chest and his torso, the contours of his body hidden but largely hinted at by the way the coat fell against him. At least his back was safe this way.
Compromise.

Sam attempted to be as professional as possible, wanting to impress who would become her teacher. He seemed nice enough, and was alright with having an apprentice. However, she couldn't help but cross her arms and pout a little when he mentioned she looked a little young. "I'm not young. I'm fifteen!" she protested, before answering his next question. "Y'see, my dad, he was an engineer. Used t'work on the airships a lot. I liked to follow him, and watch him work. Picked up a few things, too. Then, when he passed, I went back to the airfields and swabbed decks for some money. A couple time, dad's ol' pals used ta let me go to the engines with 'em. They taught me a few things, too. It's in my blood, I guess. Just didn't have the money to further my eduction. I wanted ta come here an' learn, so Vulka came with me, said she couldn't leave me alone with alla' you pirates."

She smiled back up at Swift at the end of her little speech. Her arms dropped back to her side at some point, and as she finished, she clasped her hands behind her back. "So...Will ya take me in? I really really really really wanna learn, Mister Swift!" She did her best imitation of a puppy look, obviously trying to corner the man into taking her in, not realizing that he'd probably have to anyways. Regardless, Sam tried to use her cuteness in every situation.

Djinn couldn't help but observe her as she reached for the jar. It was the first time the man had been able to actually get a good look of the woman.

"Nope. I think you've heard enough if you paid attention the other night when our dear Captain asked me." With a sour touch to the utter of 'Captain' and a shake of her head, it was obvious she would not let Djinn delve into any other information. But she did give him her opinion over the captain. Not that he was in defiance of said opinion, and he had to give her props for doing so in a proper manner rather than just spew distaste in ugly words about their superior. It's unprofessional, after all, plus the words from her mouth had made the old pirate snap back into attention. This woman was quite young, appearing probably ten years under his own, but she also came off as a mature woman. Having a child must have made her grow up quicker than she may have anticipated, but that is only his own guess.

"If you were that desperate for money, the clockwork factories usually take in women," he turned back to his rub ingredients and placed salt, pepper and lemon in the bowl. Djinn began to peal the garlic, only one head of it mind you, and then put the cloves on the work surface. Lining up the root ends of each clove to his blade with proficient accuracy, the man severed the unwanted bit of the product and put them aside. When the cloves were completely prepared to be properly utilized, he cut them into small slices width-wise. "But the pay is cr--" a child is in the room, manners you hag, "--awful. It'd be good enough to keep a family of two on their feet nonetheless. Which still leaves the question: Why? And that, dear, you do not seem to want to answer, that ax seems to scream something to me. I don't know what. It does. In Planaya, better weapons are easily found. Even far better than my cutlass, but I hold onto my blade due to an emotional attachment. It means quite a bit to me, and I use it even if it's older than myself." Djinn grabbed the olive oil and poured it onto the meat, but not all of the oil. Just enough. He rubbed the ribs with it to coat them. That way there was an adhesive for the seasoning.

Grabbing his salt, pepper and lemon paste her rubbed them in also. Finally strategically placing the slices of garlic around the product, and pushing them inside of it. "But I could be wrong, I've been before. There are stories better left unsaid in the opinions of those that keep them. I do the same, but only because I've yet met anyone worth mentioning what I've done to. Most can't comprehend the struggle." He opened the oven which he had preheated much earlier and placing the ribs on a cast-iron pan slamming, the door shut. "I agree with you regarding the Captain. Keep that between us."

"Well you're welcome to the last spot," Nika replied tersely, feeling herself becoming less tense since that was all that he wanted. "When we arrive in Carginy you are to accompany myself, Sirius, Vulka, and Inkie to the black market. Now, I must be on my way," she concluded airily taking care that the man knew exactly who he'd be teamed up with on this little excursion. But that matter was handled now and Nika briskly walked past him like a woman on a mission. She ascended the stairs to be embraced by the sun and wind as she reached the deck, but not a moment did she spare to revel in it. Instead, she walked to the top deck cabin and entered the dining parlor within, passing through it to reach her chambers. The door was shut promptly and locked at the moment. What would take place within was something she didn't want others to see, at least at the moment.

Back in the hallway, Swift gave the young Sam another once over. Fifteen was still young whether she thought as much or not, but it seemed Nika had let her on with the intent of having her learn more about engineering, and since Swift was the sharpest engineer on the airship, he had to be the one to teach her. Besides, at least she would enjoy it; it wasn't like she was being forced against her will to learn this stuff. Sam was definitely an intriguing girl. "I really don't have much of a choice but to take you on as my apprentice," he said ominously. "But, I'm more than happy to do so." He smiled at her warmly and adjusted his glasses once more. "But let's save your starting lessons for tomorrow; I have stuff to take care of today." Really, he needed to get his lazy ass out of bed, but he hadn't gotten a lot of sleep since he spent most of the previous night in the control room. Oh, the life of a pirate. Besides that, apparently he had lessons to construct and the such. Oh where even to begin?

"Yeah, definitely just take today to relax. I don't plan on going easy on you since you're so easy," he affirmed slyly, turning his back to the young girl and taking a few steps down the hall in the direction of his room. "Meet me on the deck tomorrow morning around 8. Don't be late, mmkay?" he mused and offered her a wave before taking off. That Sam certainly poured it on a little thick there. Was she trying to make herself a victim on this ship? Or maybe she didn't realize just how in danger of losing that precious innocence she was? Swift merely pushed the thoughts to the back of his head and proceeded to his room to fix himself up and get ready for the day ahead, cursing Bulwark for being able to sleep like a log even through the heaviest of chaos.

Marie rolled her eyes about the comment regarding the clockwork factories. She loved how he thought she was in it for the money. If she was that desperate, she could have become a prostitute. That would make more than any clockwork factory. Speaking of which... "The pay is cr- awful." he had said. That made her smile. He acknowledged Max was in the room and stopped himself. Djinn seemed pretty good with children and not infuriating their mothers. Did he ever have kids of his own? She may find out eventually. And he agreed with her about the Captain, not that they said much.

"So you think people can't comprehend the struggle, eh? Try me. Maybe I'll reward you with mine." She sat down on the table near where Max was polishing off his bread with a slightly cocky smile. Lovingly, she scooped him up and pulled him onto her lap, tickling him a little and kissing his slightly pudgy cheek. Then she calmed him down and he settled into her lap, leaning his head on her chest. Marie looked up more attentively this time to Djinn, hoping to hear what she wanted.

Djinn noticed a smile on the woman's face when he turned around from closing the oven door as she spoke, "So you think people can't comprehend the struggle, eh? Try me. Maybe I'll reward you with mine." He watched her sit at the table with her boy, picking the child up onto her lap to hold him close. But she looked at Djinn in the eyes. She wanted him to tell her.

"Ma'am, so as long as he is in the room I'm afraid I cannot spin a yarn for you just yet. Some of us have our marks..some physical and some buried in the depths of our minds." He grabbed an apple from the adjacent bowl on the counter and took a bite into it. Being sure to not speak with a full mouth, he waited to speak only after chewing and swallowing his food. Looking at the apple and at the woman again. He didn't want to make his appeal for her obvious. Looking at the apple made him seem focused on the conversation but also his hunger, and gave a lack of eye contact to avoid the observation of dilated pupils.

"You saw only cracks on a dusty, unpolished gem. My physical scars are nothing. There's a star-scatter pattern of dents on my interior, which are to be more concerned over." Djinn leaned against the counter, "I'd be more than happy to discuss my end with you perhaps over a drink? Not necessarily alcohol. Whatever you'd find more suitable."

"Ma'am, so as long as he is in the room I'm afraid I cannot spin a yarn for you just yet. Some of us have our marks..some physical and some buried in the depths of our minds." Hm. Understandable. Her story wasn't necessarily appropriate for Max also. Too much blood. Max was a pure soul for now, but being on the Dimension's Gate may change that. Most likely, in the event of a battle, she'd stash him somewhere safe, like a closet or something. She should go poking around the ship later and find a nice nook or cranny. It was a good thing the little boy was small, so it really wasn't necessary to find a huge place.

"You saw only cracks on a dusty, unpolished gem. My physical scars are nothing. There's a star-scatter pattern of dents on my interior, which are to be more concerned over. I'd be more than happy to discuss my end with you perhaps over a drink? Not necessarily alcohol. Whatever you'd find more suitable." He seemed to take a liking to her, or so Marie observed. She wasn't sure why. She wasn't even sure she wanted something like that just yet. Look how the last one ended. Jacob dead, and her and Max on the run. It wasn't necessarily a good track re}"cord with guys for her. He may end up dead or worse just for getting this drink with her. Oh well.

"Oh why not? How about after I put him to bed tonight?" she asked Djinn finally with a light shrug. "And alcohol is fine with me. We'll both need it after sharing our sob stories." Marie was half joking half serious. They probably would. She certainly would.

Sam's face broke into a wide grin. "Thanks, Mr. Swift!" she chirped, barely containing her excitement. "I'll make sure to be there right one time!"
The redhead waited until her future instructor had walked away before letting all of her pent-up energy out in the form of squealing and jumping up and down at high speeds. She took off running the opposite direction, hoping she'd be able to find Vulka. Sure enough, after several minutes of skipping happily through the halls, Sam collided with the slim figure of a woman that was over a foot taller.

"You should take care not to run into people so much, Sam," the woman reprimanded. The redhead huffed and crossed her arms. "But..."
"No but's, Sam. You're going to run into the captain one day, and she won't be very happy with you. I'm not asking you to do much, just to watch where you run with more care."
Vulka's expression softened, and she sat a hand on her friend's head. "Now, do you mind explaining the source of your happiness?"

Sam started hopping again. "The ship's engineer, Swift, said he would teach me, Vulka!" she exclaimed, wrapping her arms around the grey-eyed woman's stomach. Vulka chuckled, ruffling her friend's hair and returning the hug. "Well, congratulations. I am assuming you will start with your lessons tomorrow?" she asked. Sam nodded. "Yep! Mr. Swift said to show up at 8!" Vulka laughed. "Are you sure that you will be able to get up that early?"
Sam stuck her tongue out at her friend, then waltzed off. "Whatever. I'll see ya later, Vulka!" she called out as she ran.

Vulka shook her head. She'd just let Sam do whatever she was going to do for now. It wasn't like today had anything super important in store. The woman sighed, turning about on her heel. Perhaps she'd go track down the captain and get to know her. Learning about a person could often say a lot about a person's actions during the course of battle, and whether or not they'd watch their comrades' backs or just ignore them and fight alone. Such observations could save a life, Vulka had learned.

Now to find her...

"Oh why not? How about after I put him to bed tonight? And alcohol is fine with me. We'll both need it after sharing our sob stories." she shrugged after the question, and the following statement had slight sarcasm. She had a sense of humor.

At this point the scent of the meat cooking in the oven was filling the room, making Djinn's mouth water. If this ship had vents, that would mean the smell would be travelling all around. Djinn made a checklist of the things he had prepared. The ribs were in the oven, and much earlier he had made a corn chowder that has been on low heat to prevent it from burning (but also stay warm) aside from three loaves of baguettes which had to be proofed via steaming considering it would take a fairly long time for them to have done so with a wet rag over them instead. Should all be enough for the people aboard, without using up too much of the crap available. Even though he was hungry for it all, he would have to wait a few hours for the rack to cook. It's being slow cooked.

Djinn looked at the woman, giving her a thumbs up and a grin, "Whatever suites your fancy then, ma'am. Leave a note for your spirit of choice and I'll pull out a bottle to share."

Due to the unfortunate circumstances of the earlier encounter with the strange, yet still unbelievably cute Inkie, Nika wound up spending most of the day in her room. After offering herself some...release...she wound up poring over the rules and regulations of trade in Carginy, gazing over maps of the town and the surrounding areas. Although it wasn't the most interesting thing in the world, it was part of her job. Oh, how easy it would be to rush recklessly into a situation, but getting caught and thrown into jail wasn't exactly on her to-do list anytime soon. As such, minimal planning had to be a priority. After all, there could always be some improvisation later on that led to destruction, bloodshed, and maybe even some treasure. Those particular achievements probably would have to be attained at a later date, for this mission was fairly routine. A visit to the black market was pretty standard, and had become a weekly thing for the most part, as long as the airship was in the area. Shopping at normal places without being recognized was tough enough as it was, so the black market was a much easier place to do business, not to mention all the illegal and rare items that could be found. And Nika had plenty of booty to dish out for said goods.

Gazing over the finances which were starting to give her a headache, she remembered that she commanded Swift to leave a note on Inkie's door--an invitation to her own personal dining parlor for dinner that very night. The fellow intrigued her, and as such, she was bound and determined to learn more about him and his silent predicament. Typically, the dining parlor was restricted to only her access, along with Sirius, Swift, and Bulwark's. Only those invited could step foot inside without getting flogged. "It does well to keep these fools in line, hmhmhm," Nika purred, scribbling something down in her ledger, doing a few speedy calculations, trying to conclude a budget for her spending in Carginy. "I'd certainly love to ravage that Inkie's body regardless of whether or not he was truly in trouble, but alas, that seems to be something I might have to wait for," she sighed whimsically, closing the book and setting her quill aside. Usually when she wanted something, she just got it because she wouldn't stand idly by--she would seize it for herself. She wondered if she would have to do the same.

Scenes from the earlier encounter flashed through her mind, the way he had carried her to the bed and dropped her upon it, leaning over her as if he were about to have his way with her right then and there. Nika cringed as she started to feel the tingling sensation she had felt before. Rolling her eyes, she stood up, the sound of her wooden chair scraping against the floor echoing through her chambers. The command room was supposedly empty, for Bulwark offered to cook up supper tonight. She recalled Djinn's cooking earlier--probably some of the best ribs she had ever tasted. His worth was showing quite early, not like she had any doubts of his prowess both on and off the field. Mouth watering, Nika went to stand in front of her full-body mirror, admiring how beautiful she looked, her lustrous pink hair and curvy figure--she was stunning.

"Guess I should pull myself together," she purred as she promptly turned on her heel. "I told him to be here at 8 sharp. Surely it's half past 7 by now."

Outside, night had overtaken the sky as the Dimension's Gate slowly made it's way through, aiming to reach Carginy. A few sparse crew members were keeping an eye on the upkeep of the deck, swabbing it, checking weapons, and checking the sails. Standing at the edge of the ship near the cabin that housed the dining room and Nika's chambers, Sirius could be found. He had been ordered by Nika herself to keep watch and to make Inkie show the invitation he had been given even though such a thing seemed so pointless. She knew she invited him, so what was the point of showing the invitation? Sirius suppressed a sigh as he gazed up at the stars. They were always so beautiful. Every night. He would never get tired of seeing them or the beautiful moon showering the ship in its ghostly light.

"I wonder how much longer it will be..."

"You're cordially invited to join the illustrious Captain Heaven for dinner in her personal dining parlor. Attendance is mandatory. Arrive at 8pm sharp; dinner will be served shortly after. Thank you. Be prepared and have your invitation ready at the door."

Nika?

Inkie had been coming down the hallway so that he could pop into his room. He'd sat at dinner for a while, but there was really no point in staying, since he didn't intend to eat anything. Not in front of other people, at least. Not if he had to take his scarf off. It was very nice being at the table with everyone and listening to the conversation, but that had gotten old; he couldn't join in, and it made him feel much like he might as well be a phantom of some sort.

Apparently not. He must've stood out in some way to get such an invitation. The boy tilted his head, dream-like blue eyes curious, and maybe sightly amused. Inkie's black hair fell around his feminine face, tickling his skin.

Oh god...

"Be expecting an invitation soon, my silent friend..."

Captain Heaven's words rang through his mind as a recollection of what had happened before, sending a tingle down his spine and bringing forth a shy, pink blush to his cheeks. What was she going to do to him? Or maybe he was just overreacting again? He should be stronger; braver, bolder, or something. In any case, he'd wanted to get to know Nika a bit better, and this was a nice chance.

He was a pirate. He could do this.
Arrrrrrrrr.

Inkie shoved the note in his coat pocket and started to make his way up the stairs. It wasn't time for him to be there yet, but he had nothing to do, so he might as well. The boy's pink kissed cheeks turned up into something that hinted at a meek smile underneath his scarf, blue eyes bright. The recognition made him feel...noticed, regardless of the reason. He smiled wider.

It was a nice feeling.
~~~~

It didn't take long to get to the doors of the Captain's room. He was early, too. Inkie shuffled his feet, either shyly or anxiously (but in no way pirately) and shook some of his hair out of his face, suddenly aware of how disheveled it was. Hopefully he wasn't 'sposed to be all nice and proper looking. He hadn't done something like that in ages, and it didn't seem fit on a pirate's ship anywho.

Nervous blue eyes looked down to scan his person. He was, again, shirtless, though he did have on his duffle coat. His pants were black, baggy cargos. Still dressed for comfort....hopefully she wouldn't care...she seemed to have quite the taste in clothes. Or, at least, he thought she did.

Inkie shuffled his feet again, definatley nervous now, and took a seat on the floor. After a few seconds he laid out on his back, hair and coat spread elegantly out around his curved form and cream colored skin. Might as well star gaze while he waited....
The moonlight glinted off of his long lashes, eyes now focused fondly upon the beauty that was the night sky. Its simple, near melodic visage calmed him down in no time, breath slowing to a gentle rise and fall of the chest.

"?"

Sirius had been lost in his thoughts, enraptured by the beauty of the night such that he almost missed the sound of a new presence nearby, one pretty close to the cabin. Turning, he noticed that Inkie, Nika's dinner guest for the night, was sprawled back on the deck, gazing up at the stars. Deep within there was an urge--an urge to join this fellow, for stargazing was one of his favorite activities when stuck on the ship for a long time. He knew that he, for one, could get so lost in the night sky that hours would pass before he noticed anything going on around him. Regardless, he had a task to perform, and it wouldn't be good for him to have Nika upset. People tended to get hurt when Nika was upset.

Walking over to Inkie, Sirius gazed down at him, red scope nearly boring into the fellow's soul. Ever since he had started dressing as he did, he came to realize how amazing it was to be able to look someone in the face without them being able to look into his own. It gave him power over them. They would never be able to know what he was thinking in that way. "Admiring the stars, are you? You're a bit early. The captain is probably still getting ready," Sirius stated in his monotone voice, crouching down before taking a seat next to Inkie on the deck. The wood was a bit chill, almost soothing to the touch. The crew did such a good job of maintaining it, and the nights were always cool, at least when they were traveling inland. It was...pleasant.

"If you are, then it is nice to know we share that in common." Again, an empty statement for there was no emotion in his voice. But he knew. He always knew. It was hard to make friends in his case, but then again, there was no place for friendship in his new line of work. There wasn't really room for it in his old, either. Just fragile bonds created that could be sheared at any moment. That was the way it had to be. There was no other way. Strong bonds always made things get tangled up in the end so that there is no escape. Escape from what? Sirius could not say. Torture. Tragedy. Death.

Anything.

Inkie’s bright, fiery cobalt eyes were an endless sea of dreams and emotions; hopes and desires; melody and faint melancholy. The stars now swam in them, as did the moon, as did the beautiful night sky. There was nothing that escaped their gentle, loving caress. His soft gaze seemed to kiss with gossamer wonder and barrage with emotional multitude all which it lighted upon. Sirius’s red and black form looming over him was no exception, even if he did meet the glowing red scope with a look of obvious, potent surprise. He had been so caught up in his silent conversation with the expanse above that he hadn't noticed the elusive guy until he spoke.

The surprise was not around all too long, and even when it was, it wasn't bad. Sirius seemed like he could be a nice whatever he was. Inkie was completely open to this; in fact, the boy assumed that he was just like all the rest of them. Clothing did not define a person, nor did their secrecy. He knew that well enough by his own scarf.

"Admiring the stars, are you? You're a bit early. The captain is probably still getting ready,"
"If you are, then it is nice to know we share that in common."

Inkie would have liked very much to tell Sirius how elated he was to have some company, but the action was out of the question. Instead he simply waved a meek hand, eyes bright with joy and pleasant surprise, shining up at Sirius from under fine black hair. His new friend seemed to be rather monotonous, but no fucks were given. Any voice of any sort was something cherished and wonderful to Inkie. Beautiful even. Especially when his synesthesia kicked in.

With a small tug on his scarf and another suggested smile at Sirius, Inkie turned his eyes back to the sky. What a nice night. And an interesting one too. Would Sirius be joining them for dinner, maybe? Nika…
He could picture her up in the Crow’s nest again…just…
Inkie allowed his feelings of simultaneous shyness, nervousness, and delight to filter out into the air, eyes letting off an azure glow as he did so.

It was a mistake. Sirius seemed to have a brief lapse in judgment, or perhaps it was his memory. What had he hoped to achieve in starting a conversation with this character in particular? He didn't talk. And by the looks of it, he seemed pleased enough with the company, but other than that, Sirius couldn't tell what he was thinking. How was he supposed to respond to nothing? It would be like talking to a brick wall, granted he was the one that was usually considered the brick wall with his monotonous nature. At least he responded to people who spoke to him. "..." Silence permeated the air...well, at least in their immediate vicinity. Sirius just sat there in thought while Inkie continued stargazing. Maybe joining him in that really wasn't that bad of an idea. In mere seconds, Sirius found himself lying next to Inkie, gazing up at the stars. He never just relaxed like this when he stargazed. He was usually multitasking, but for now, he was getting his job done...supposedly.

"It is on a night like this that one can truly understand why the Planayans want to reach the sky so much," Sirius stated rather ominously, his entire being unreadable as it typically was. "It might be also why Nika decided to take to the skies. There is something liberating about being up here, I will admit. Free to come and go as we wish." Why was he babbling on as such? Was he really hoping for a response from Inkie? It wasn't like he was desperate for someone to just listen to him. He could care less about that. Guess I'm just trying to be polite. Nika seems interested enough in him. Maybe she can see something that I can't? He suppressed a laugh. The mere notion that Nika could perceive more than he was hysterical. She was sharp, but Sirius....well...

"Perhaps I should cease my ramblings while we wait and enjoy the stars in silence." He said at last in the case that was what Inkie preferred. Bursting into the dining parlor was far from a good idea at the moment. There was no telling what Nika was doing in there, or in her chambers for that matter. She had told him to make sure not to let anyone in until around the time they were supposed to be there, so they were stuck like this. Just him and Inkie. Lying down side-by-side, gazing at the stars.

Apparently emotional reach wasn't going to have much of an effect with his new cloaked friend. Inkie glanced over at Sirius, watching him attentively as he watched the sky, hoping to at least let the guy know that he was listening to him. He made a lot of sense, what he said. About the sky and all. It was a beautiful place, and it made beautiful all that it touched; if already beautiful then it enhanced any innate attraction. The Crow's Nest... The boy let a sigh out of his nose, a sad but genuine smile on his face.
He did love talking with people. He really did. And there was so much he wanted to share, but....
Well....
The obvious.....

Inkie turned his head back to the sky and withdrew his emotions from the air, glow of his eyes fading to a fainter sheen. All of your hopes and aspirations, dreams and wishes, curses and blessings, loves and hates, passions and drudgery; all of your terrors and demons, sorrows and screams, angers and regrets; all of everything you'd ever been and ever would be locked inside of the prison of your own mind and mouth forevermore. It was a rather undesired fate. The boy tugged on his scarf again, squirming restlessly on the ground. Words always welled up and made him miserable when he spent too much thought on the topic of his disablement. Best not to think about it. Best to just lay in silence and enjoy his time with Sirius, mayhap. The boy glanced over at the black-clad man curiously once more, and then back at the sky.

He placed a hand on Sirius' chest and then pointed up at the moon.

And so the silence permeated the air. Sirius forgot how tranquil it could be, for he was always so enveloped by the sounds of the ship. Granted he had spent plenty of silent nights in the control room, but that wasn't the same for some reason. Was it because he actually had some company on this night that things were able to seem so serene, even if that were naught but a feeble facade? There came a light pressure on his chest--Inkie had rested his hand upon it. Such a questionable action, but for a guy who did not talk, perhaps this was the easiest way to communicate. He was gesturing towards the moon, so Sirius focused his scope upon the large astral body. It was definitely beautiful on this night--probably the most beautiful thing in the sky for now, unobstructed by the fleeting gray clouds that drifted through the night. So close they seemed to it....

"The moon." Sirius stated it with his typical monotony, but the words themselves seemed to be tinged with something ominous. For a few moments, he merely stared down the moon as if they were about to duel or something, granted no one could tell what his expression was beneath the myriad cloth that completely surrounded his head. Even when next he spoke, he didn't not break his gaze. "What about it?" Yes, the moon was nice, but was there something that he might be missing that Inkie wished to express? Or perhaps it really was just that simple. It felt like a guessing game, and Sirius was more adept at putting what true knowledge he held to use rather than offering up silly hypotheses.

Inkie tilted his head to look at Sirius, apology and longing plain upon the emotion-painted smooth of his face. What about the moon? Why, there was so much...
His cheeks rose, though his expression stayed the same. Despite his scarf hiding his lips and mouth, he was the perfect portrait of a sad smile.
Well.
What about the moon?
Inkie shrugged, though he certainly had a lot more to say than that. Open ended questions had never been his forte; hopefully Sirius would understand.
The boy rested his hand upon his bare chest, arm against the open folds of his duffle coat. Beneath the two the floor of the deck was hard but welcoming; or at least, that was how Inkie viewed it. Presently he turned to look back at Sirius, momentarily wondering how long it had been since the guy had laid down upon the deck to look at the moon, and then turned his attentions back on the sky.

He could envision Nika up there and all, if that wasn't weird. Perhaps it was his anxiety concerning the upcoming event, but if he tried, he was pretty sure he could make out a trendy high-heel amongst the constellations.

The door to the cabin suddenly opened, and out into the night stepped a rather ravishing figure. It was none other than Captain Heaven herself, looking like she was one to have fallen from her namesake. Instead of her normal garb, she wore a very elegant magenta gown with sparkles upon it that made it seem to glimmer. The cloth must have been expensive--silk, or something of that sort. The garment flowed so smoothly and clung to her form, showing off nearly every curve of her body. It trailed down her legs and lightly danced over the floor as she took a few more steps towards the two guys lying on the deck observing the stars. The cool breeze of the night tousled Nika's hair which was let down completely from its standard ponytail, brushed, washed, and nearly glowing with a luster previously unknown to those who had seen her. It cascaded over her shoulders and down her back, the ends of it swaying in the night. She still wore heels, and they were the same color as her gown--very fashionable and rightfully so. Several rings adorned her fingers along with a small golden necklace resting around her neck. Surprisingly enough, her blade was not on her person.

"Trying to strike up a conversation with my dinner guest, Sirius? You know how pointless that is," Nika said drolly, waving a hand nonchalantly in the air as if to dismiss her first mate's efforts. Her eyes found themselves nestled on Inkie's slender form, drinking in the sight of him as if he could disappear any moment. Her gaze eventually met his dead on and she gave him a mischievous half-smile. "Anyway, just wanted to let you know I was ready if you'd like to come inside. Dinner should be served shortly, hmhmhm," she stated with a laugh, that sinister tone creeping in and mixing with the mock formality she spoke with. Turning on her heel, she marched back inside, leaving the door open for the others to follow.

Sirius nearly sighed, but managed to contain himself. It wasn't often Nika dressed up, but just because she did didn't mean it was a special occasion. That made it difficult to understand her intentions. Without a sound, Sirius rose until he was standing, gazing at the open entryway to the cabin where the dining parlor awaited along with the beautiful captain. "Since she went to the trouble of telling us she was ready, we'd best not linger," Sirius advised his new silent friend, if Inkie could even be called that. His company was pleasurable enough. With a shrug of his shoulders, mostly to himself, he paced away after Nika, hoping Inkie would not ignore his words of caution.

Inkie was about to bring Sirius’s attention to a rather curious star, but before he could so much as raise a finger, his attention was quickly stolen from the sky. The doorknob turned. He felt his heart start to pound, a million worries and wishes flooding his mind; and still his attention was stolen before he could grasp a single one.

From out of the cabin emerged an elegant, magenta silhouette. Its outer form was like a feminine fog, gracefully skimming over the deck of the ship. Folds of a thin cloth hung off of a more solid, shapely form, silk hair billowing behind it as it moved, a rhythmic clicking sound synonymous to its gait. The glitters of the dress and brilliance of the one in it seemed to catch the starlight, cradle the moonlight, and then throw it off in dazzling rays. The boy with the deep blue eyes was mesmerized. Not a single thing he’d seen had ever contained as much beauty as this; not the moon or the sky itself. There was such longing for him to embrace the figure that the urge surprised even him, but he managed to force it down; down into the small, silent room in which his heart now fluttered.

Inkie swallowed as Nika drew nearer, struggling to avoid her gaze. There was this small, sinking feeling that if he was to meet it, he’d be stuck there for the rest of the night. Black hair framed his fair face, just barely hiding the pink which now lighted upon his cheeks. His eyes, glowing azure, seemed to be even deeper now than they had ever been. His mind was blank with emotion. He wasn't completely sure when he got up, nor was her sure when he dusted himself off. There was no recollection of having run his fingers nervously through his hair, or swaying slightly outside of the cabin door. By some miracle, however, he managed to wander inside of the dinner hall without losing his consciousness.

Sirius shut the door behind Inkie as he managed to seemingly stumble into the parlor. There was no telling what was wrong with him. The dining parlor itself was rather cozy, and much warmer than it was on the outside with a fireplace on the far wall. It was lit and the flames filled the room with their crackling while filling the space with warmth. In the center of the dining parlor was a table that seated six people, made of some polished wood and very finely crafted. It was obvious to tell that it was an expensive piece of furniture. The wooden chairs were carved to match and kept in just as good a shape. Silverware and fine dishes had been set out, and several floral centerpieces rested upon the surface. The whole area was rather intimate with other fine pieces of furniture about--small stands and dressers bordering the walls. There was even a rather comfortable looking armchair near the fireplace. The walls were laden with plaques and posters, mirrors and candle-holders. In one corner rested a large, well-kept piano whose surface seemed to gleam. There was no telling if anyone had actually played it, but it was in wondrous condition.

Nika stood near the dining table and twirled about, taking it all in before finding her seat on one of the sides. Typically she sat at the head of the table, but she wanted a certain someone to sit next to her tonight. "Well, well, Inkie. What do you think of my lovely dining parlor? You know this is a restricted area, ne? To be granted access is a privilege, hmhmhm," Nika crooned as her eyes settled upon the silent boy's form once more, looking him up and down. She wasn't typically one to care what others thought, but she wanted to impress upon this silent simpleton that it wasn't everyday someone who wasn't particularly close to her like Sirius and Swift were allowed into the parlor.

"Such falsehood, Nika. It is unbecoming of a captain," Sirius stated nonchalantly as he took a seat across from the empty chair next to the sky pirate captain. He gazed straight ahead as if someone were already sitting there. "It's not that special of an occasion, no matter how regally you dress." It was at times like these where being able to see Sirius's facial expressions would be so valuable. His voice was monotonous and there was no telling what he had meant by his statement. He turned his head slowly until the red scope lens was focused on Nika. She seemed very displeased...as expected?

"Hmph. I beg to differ," Nika replied flatly, her grief evident on her face. Having no weapon on her person made her feel naked despite her formal attire. And oh how she would have loved to cut Sirius up at that very moment. "Instead of pointing out a seeming fallacy, perhaps you would do well to comment on my hospitality instead?" Her tone seemed sweet, but there was that typical venom lying just beneath the surface. It irked her that even with that in mind, Sirius didn't flinch or cringe or anything. It had always been a trouble with this fellow. That's why she never seemed to initiate a direct conflict with him. If there was one person in all the world that she was even remotely afraid of in the slightest bit...

...it was Sirius.