Butter Rum 2, Pineapple 10 & Sea Salt 12
Author: Casey
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy (NIEE) universe, Post NIEE
Challenges: Butter Rum 2 (walk the plank), Pineapple 10 (well, when you put it that way) & Sea Salt 12 (spray/mist)
Toppings & Extras: Caramel
Word Count: 629
Rating: PG
Summary: “You really have a plank?”
Notes: Fairly early on in last year’s NaNo. This is more the usual Nate than here where he comes off as a jerk.
Sage watched Nate as he grabbed the lines and leaned way out over the water, smirking at Ian. “Betcha can’t do this,” Nate said cheerfully.
She rolled her eyes. “Nathan, you’re not supposed to try and goad the second in line for the throne into doing things that could end up in his death.”
“I’m good at swimming,” Ian said crossly, bounding over to join Nate.
Sage shook her head at Nate’s wide and all too charming grin and came over to lean against the railing by their feet as Ian scrambled up and instantly made a face.
“Ew, it’s wet.”
“Are you sure you’re not a five year old in disguise, Ian?” Nate asked in amusement. “It’s just a little salt water.”
“Still,” Ian complained but leaned further out over the water.
Sage half perched on the railing, getting comfortable. “You’re one to talk, Nathan, about being a five year old in disguise.”
He winked, letting go so he was only holding on with one hand, letting out a joyous shout into the light wind.
“I’m going to pretend I’m Elizabeth and tell you don’t even think about it, Ian,” Sage said dryly.
It was no surprise when the seventeen-year-old entirely ignored her, mimicking Nate’s every move. Seeking to stop give the boys the satisfaction of her annoyance, Sage cast about for a suitable distraction and her gaze settled on the plank. “What in the name of the gods is that?” she asked, surprised despite herself.
“What is what?” Nate asked, swinging himself back in and grabbing the rigging to peer in the same direction.
“You really have a plank?”
“Of course we do.”
“Why?”
“So people can walk it.”
Now even Ian was giving him a weird look. “You actually do that?”
“Sure! It’s a great punishment!”
“Seems sort of…barbaric to me,” Ian said thoughtfully. “Drowning would not be a pleasant way to go.”
“That answer shows very little imagination, Ian. I’m disappointed in you.”
“How many people have you seen walk the plank?”
“Thirty-five,” Nate said, the number flowing off his tongue a little too easily.
“I call bullshit,” Sage told him.
“Maybe I just keep careful track.”
“And I’d get the same answer if I asked Corinne?”
He paused. “Okay, maybe not quite that many.”
“How many?” Ian asked interestedly.
“Only two, but that’s because we’re so loyal to Corinne that she doesn’t need to do it,” he added stoutly, and quickly.
“Then what’s the point of the brig?” Ian asked.
“You’re supposed to be on my side, Ian.”
“Since when did we have sides?” Sage asked, highly amused by his sulky tone.
“Since now,” he said childishly.
“Just admit that the plank is an antiquated scare tactic and we can move on with our lives without sides,” she said airily.
“Some ships still use them a lot,” he muttered.
Ian sobered a bit, eyes wide. “Does Roderick?”
“Oh, um, no, of course not,” Nate said, but Sage, at least, caught the hesitation.
“Dean can’t swim,” she said quietly.
“They’ll be fine, I promise,” he said, reaching through the rigging to gently pat her shoulder.
“Elizabeth can,” Ian said, forcing a levity to his tone that they could all hear. “So she’ll keep an eye on Dean, I’m sure.”
Sage nodded and then decided to follow Ian’s example. “Are you two going to get down from there any time soon or should I ask Corinne to throw you off the plank, Nathan, since you seem to like the concept so much?”
“Getting down!” Nate said, quickly scrambling down and back to the deck. “And it’s walk the plank, not throw off the plank. You really need to work on your lingo.”
Squashing a grin, she calmly flipped him off and then sauntered for the hatch.
Story: Nothing is Ever Easy (NIEE) universe, Post NIEE
Challenges: Butter Rum 2 (walk the plank), Pineapple 10 (well, when you put it that way) & Sea Salt 12 (spray/mist)
Toppings & Extras: Caramel
Word Count: 629
Rating: PG
Summary: “You really have a plank?”
Notes: Fairly early on in last year’s NaNo. This is more the usual Nate than here where he comes off as a jerk.
Sage watched Nate as he grabbed the lines and leaned way out over the water, smirking at Ian. “Betcha can’t do this,” Nate said cheerfully.
She rolled her eyes. “Nathan, you’re not supposed to try and goad the second in line for the throne into doing things that could end up in his death.”
“I’m good at swimming,” Ian said crossly, bounding over to join Nate.
Sage shook her head at Nate’s wide and all too charming grin and came over to lean against the railing by their feet as Ian scrambled up and instantly made a face.
“Ew, it’s wet.”
“Are you sure you’re not a five year old in disguise, Ian?” Nate asked in amusement. “It’s just a little salt water.”
“Still,” Ian complained but leaned further out over the water.
Sage half perched on the railing, getting comfortable. “You’re one to talk, Nathan, about being a five year old in disguise.”
He winked, letting go so he was only holding on with one hand, letting out a joyous shout into the light wind.
“I’m going to pretend I’m Elizabeth and tell you don’t even think about it, Ian,” Sage said dryly.
It was no surprise when the seventeen-year-old entirely ignored her, mimicking Nate’s every move. Seeking to stop give the boys the satisfaction of her annoyance, Sage cast about for a suitable distraction and her gaze settled on the plank. “What in the name of the gods is that?” she asked, surprised despite herself.
“What is what?” Nate asked, swinging himself back in and grabbing the rigging to peer in the same direction.
“You really have a plank?”
“Of course we do.”
“Why?”
“So people can walk it.”
Now even Ian was giving him a weird look. “You actually do that?”
“Sure! It’s a great punishment!”
“Seems sort of…barbaric to me,” Ian said thoughtfully. “Drowning would not be a pleasant way to go.”
“That answer shows very little imagination, Ian. I’m disappointed in you.”
“How many people have you seen walk the plank?”
“Thirty-five,” Nate said, the number flowing off his tongue a little too easily.
“I call bullshit,” Sage told him.
“Maybe I just keep careful track.”
“And I’d get the same answer if I asked Corinne?”
He paused. “Okay, maybe not quite that many.”
“How many?” Ian asked interestedly.
“Only two, but that’s because we’re so loyal to Corinne that she doesn’t need to do it,” he added stoutly, and quickly.
“Then what’s the point of the brig?” Ian asked.
“You’re supposed to be on my side, Ian.”
“Since when did we have sides?” Sage asked, highly amused by his sulky tone.
“Since now,” he said childishly.
“Just admit that the plank is an antiquated scare tactic and we can move on with our lives without sides,” she said airily.
“Some ships still use them a lot,” he muttered.
Ian sobered a bit, eyes wide. “Does Roderick?”
“Oh, um, no, of course not,” Nate said, but Sage, at least, caught the hesitation.
“Dean can’t swim,” she said quietly.
“They’ll be fine, I promise,” he said, reaching through the rigging to gently pat her shoulder.
“Elizabeth can,” Ian said, forcing a levity to his tone that they could all hear. “So she’ll keep an eye on Dean, I’m sure.”
Sage nodded and then decided to follow Ian’s example. “Are you two going to get down from there any time soon or should I ask Corinne to throw you off the plank, Nathan, since you seem to like the concept so much?”
“Getting down!” Nate said, quickly scrambling down and back to the deck. “And it’s walk the plank, not throw off the plank. You really need to work on your lingo.”
Squashing a grin, she calmly flipped him off and then sauntered for the hatch.