MEMENTO MORI ✶ our flag means death

⠀⠀⠀𝒗𝒊. out of sight

⠀⠀⠀Now, Nikita was sitting with him, sewing the wound closed before Blackbeard bled out all over the ship. She pulled the string taut, enough to make her father wince, before continuing.

⠀⠀⠀"Takes one to know one," Blackbeard muttered between his feet, glancing at the needle and her face. "Do you always have to be so mean when you sew?"

⠀⠀⠀"Maybe it'll teach you not to get stabbed for fun," Nikita retorted, raising her brows while a scowl crested her face.

⠀⠀⠀"It wasn't for fun," Blackbeard corrected her, scoffing. "I was only teaching Stede how to stay alive."

⠀⠀⠀"Surely you couldn't have just told him," Nikita muttered in annoyance.

⠀⠀⠀"Are you upset with me?" Blackbeard asked suddenly, raising himself to his elbows so he could look down at her better. She pulled the thread sharply. "Fuck, ow!"

⠀⠀⠀Nikita didn't answer him, finished with stitching his wound, and tied it off. She snapped the thread with her teeth and then turned away to put her sewing supplies into their box.

⠀⠀⠀"Nikita," Blackbeard demanded sternly.

⠀⠀⠀"No, I'm not mad," Nikita said, turning to him with a thin, unconvincing smile.

⠀⠀⠀"You've hardly spoken to me since the party," Blackbeard insisted, frowning as she turned away. "What have I done?"

⠀⠀⠀"Nothing," Nikita said quickly, waving her hand. She kept herself busy reorganizing the sewing box so she wouldn't have to look at him.

⠀⠀⠀"Nothing," Blackbeard repeated, rolling his eyes. "C'mon, Nikita. You're never mad at me."

⠀⠀⠀"Then how do you know I'm mad at you?" Nikita asked.

⠀⠀⠀"It's obvious. You'll hardly look at me," Blackbeard exclaimed dramatically, raising his hands and flopping onto his back.

⠀⠀⠀"Nikita!" Bash exclaimed, running across the deck to greet her. He noticed Blackbeard beside her, scowling as he approached with a sharp glare pinned to him. Bash realized where Nikita had learned that glare. "Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt."

⠀⠀⠀"No, it's alright. I've finished patching him up," Nikita told Bash, standing to her feet and dusting off her pants. "It's time?"

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, Sun's just about to set," Bash told her with a wide smile.

⠀⠀⠀"Didn't you two watch the sunset yesterday?" Blackbeard asked accusingly, staring at Nikita and acting as if Bash weren't even there.

⠀⠀⠀"You noticed?" Nikita asked, raising her brows as she looked down at him. Blackbeard mimicked her expression, surprised by the question. She rolled her eyes and then nodded for Bash to follow her. "C'mon, I think we should try watching from the crow's nest tonight."

⠀⠀⠀"Ooh, interesting idea. A whole different view," Bash said, then the two ran across the deck and up the mast.

⠀⠀⠀Blackbeard sat up, wincing as he did with his hand hovering over the fresh wound. He scowled, watching as the kids climbed up the mast and stood in the crow's nest. They were awfully close, and he noticed how Bash's hand rested across Nikita's shoulder. She didn't flinch like Blackbeard expected her to. Rather, she allowed his hand to stay.

⠀⠀⠀"Everything alright?" Stede asked, his dainty footsteps appearing from behind the glowering man. Blackbeard didn't respond but kept his eyes pinned on the two. Stede followed his line of sight and let out a sigh of understanding. "I see."

⠀⠀⠀"See what?" Blackbeard grumbled, readjusting himself and fixed his gaze straight ahead rather than on his daughter.

⠀⠀⠀"Bash is a good man. Been the most honest of the crew, I would say. Always worked hard," Stede assured Blackbeard as he sat down beside him.