MEMENTO MORI ✶ our flag means death

⠀⠀⠀𝒗𝒊𝒊. run a rig

⠀⠀⠀Nikita curled into the chair in the bathroom, dazing in and out of sleep with nothing else to do. Her thoughts kept her up, but she tried to push them away so she could plunge into darkness. However, her attempts were squashed when terrified gasps crawled down the hall toward the bathroom.

⠀⠀⠀Scowling, Nikita stood. She knew it was her father, but she also knew that they wouldn't be leading the Dutch to come screaming through such a small space. Nikita opened the door to find her father on the floor, lying on his side. She'd only seen him like this once or twice before, and it set a wildfire in her veins.

⠀⠀⠀"Dad? Dad, what's wrong?" Nikita asked, panic settling in her words as her eyes darted everywhere. She looked for a wound or a body or blood trailing after, but there was nothing.

⠀⠀⠀Blackbeard stood, bending at the waist, and hobbled into the bathroom. He crawled into the bathtub, which seemed to calm him down immediately. His breathing returned to normal, and he was able to find her before staring blankly at the faucet.

⠀⠀⠀Nikita left the room but returned with a blanket hidden in one of the closets. Despite the tub being much bigger than any Nikita had seen, it still looked too small for Blackbeard. Nikita didn't care, forcing him to scoot over to let her in. She sat down, the porcelain hurting her bones and her arms pinned to her chest.

⠀⠀⠀Blackbeard was stiff. Their earlier conversation left some bitterness between them. Nikita rested her head on his shoulder, and he relaxed enough to bring his arm around her.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm sorry," Nikita whispered.

⠀⠀⠀"For what?" Blackbeard asked. His hand stroked her hair comfortingly.

⠀⠀⠀"Being mad at you," Nikita replied.

⠀⠀⠀"Ah-ha! I knew it," he forced himself to laugh, but it was strained. "Why?"

⠀⠀⠀"It's stupid," she said, feeling childish.

⠀⠀⠀"Never," he assured her.

⠀⠀⠀"It's just—" Nikita began, looking down at her hands and swirling her thumbs nervously. "You've become quite good friends with Stede. I feel... like you haven't wanted me around as much."

⠀⠀⠀"Nonsense!" Blackbeard exclaimed, readjusting his weight in the tub, then frowned. "I suppose I haven't been giving him more of my attention. It's just—"

⠀⠀⠀"You've felt bored," Nikita finished for him, nodding her head. "I understand. I know my feelings are stupid."

⠀⠀⠀"Nikita, you have every reason to feel how you are," Blackbeard assured her, kissing her head lovingly. "I'm sorry for ever making you feel less than."

⠀⠀⠀Nikita craned her neck to look at his face, finding the words strange for him. Before this, Blackbeard would never apologize. He might try to be better for a time, but he was still Blackbeard. Heartless, cruel, untouchable.

⠀⠀⠀Whatever Blackbeard had found here, it was already changing him.

⠀⠀⠀"Are you alright?" Nikita finally asked. Her worries for her father and that look that had been on his face, completely terrified, were eating away at her.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm fine, darling," Blackbeard assured her with a smile.

⠀⠀⠀"Back to lying about our feelings," Nikita chuckled. The day wearing down on her as her eyes fluttered closed. "Just like the good old days."

⠀⠀⠀Nikita's attempt to fall asleep earlier struck her, and her body relaxed as she lay with her father. Her eyes closed, and her mind shut down to a limbo between dreaming and wakefulness. She was nearly out when Stede's voice ruptured the silence in the room.