#part two!

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Despite Jeremey’s wariness & relative dislike of the former Fox captain he would never criticize Jean's relationship with Neil.

It was no secret to anyone in Jean's life that his relationship with Neil was as complicated as it was close.

Their bond, the one based on the knowledge that, in another lifetime, they had been each other's partners, a built in lifeline, was one like no other.

Cat had once called them misplaced forever partners. The phrase, however accurate, put a jealous heat in Jeremy’s stomach.

Jean was his partner, both off and on the court. And though he knew that Jean loved him and would never abandon him, and Neil seemed similarly devoted to his goalie, Neil & Jean’s particular brand of closeness was… interesting to say the least.

Jean, even after years of sporadic visits, spending pre and post game time together, phone calls and not infrequent text messages, and now moving in together, insisted he and Neil were not friends.

Jeremy had never quite believed him.

But despite Neil having lived with Jean for the better part of a year at this point, Jeremy rarely had opportunity to interact with Jean's prickly roommate.

During breaks Neil tended to go to Kevin or Andrew, taking advantage of time away from his team to spend with his partner, or take advantage of Kevin’s exy obsessed nature to procure extra court time during mandatory rest periods.

Jeremy assumed this time would be the same as all the others.

He had told Jean he’d be taking a late post-game flight, encouraging Jean to sleep after getting home from his own game. They could wait a few hours to talk, they both needed the rest.

It had been months of traveling to see each other between games whenever their incredibly busy schedules lined up and Jeremy felt the vice of stress and soreness that had been encasing his limbs loosen, as the cab dropped him at the front door of Jean’s building.

It felt like coming home.

He expected to be met with a quiet dark apartment as it was nearing the witching hour, Jean having no doubt fallen asleep after his brutal game. But the TV was shining, light flickering over the unit, low volume commentary cutting the quiet of the early morning hour.

As Jeremy dropped his bag by the door he frowned. Next to the door, where Jean usually kept his sneakers and Jeremy's stupid bright-yellow smiley face slippers, was a disgusting pair of beat up running shoes.

They were bright orange under a layer of grime and clearly left to dry from their still damp state. He surveyed the rest of the entryway in the dim light. An extra Olympians jacket by the door, an extra set of keys in the catchall dish Jean had made in their college pottery class.

Neil was home.

As Jeremy rounded the island into the living room he was met with a sight he could've never prepared himself for.

Laying on the ridiculously large couch was his boyfriend and Neil Josten. The two were fast asleep, perfectly curled together like nesting dolls, Neil’s head tucked just under Jean’s chin, his fluffy curls fluttering on the exhale of Jean’s breath.

Asports station running highlights on the pro games played that day murmuring in the background, mixing with light snores.

Jeremy was familiar with the calm that settled over Jean's face when he slept well. Lips parted slightly, a gentleness smoothing his usual frown, light snores puffing out every now and then as a result of a nose broken too many times.

Neil on the other hand was unfamiliar territory.

Jeremy had met the man on a few occasions and had seen him in media appearances often spouting off at the interviewers. He was always struck but the pure chaos and sharp edge of the man, his piercing blue eyes unsettling.

But here in the dark living room of his boyfriend's apartment the striker's scarred face was calmed by sleep. He looked younger than Jeremy had ever seen him, and for a moment his heart ached.

Neil and Jean were the same age.

Knowing that Jean had someone here to comfort him, who knew everything he'd been through and would not shy away, when Jeremy was out of reach, was a balm on what would have once been jealousy.

Jeremy watched the two for a few minutes, cataloging details of the apartment around him.

The pair was covered with a blindingly orange blanket covered in fox paws, no doubt a remnant of Neil's alma mater. Silhouetted on the TB stand was a crocheted fox with a Trojan helmet, no doubt a gift from Renee.

Abandoned on the coffee table in front of them were notes in french and english, exy plays sketched out in two different color pens. Wrappers for the brand of protein bar Kevin swore by littered their notes.

Before moving down the hall to the bedroom he risked one more glance at the two men.

They looked so comfortable, and from what Jeremy knew of Neil, and knew of his partner, the fact that neither had woken at his arrival was a testament to how comfortable and truly asleep they were.

He snagged a quick picture and made his way to the bedroom, a smile pulling at his mouth.

"Pretty sure studying spells is also Alt's idea of romance," Jackieboy snickers. 

"Wrong- I wouldn't make Oli look at my spellbooks-" Alt suddenly says from behind Jackieboy. 

Jackieboy jumps and yelps in surprise, then whirls on Alt. "Fucking! Alt! How do you do that?!”

“Skill," Alt says with a smug grin. 

Oliver laughs behind him and finishes coming up the stairs. "Did you all have a good rest?" He asks. 

Marvin stretches, arching his back. "Oh, aye. It was a great nap. I didn't sleep at all on that ghost ship. Jameson says that's normal, though--the longer you spend on there, the less you need to sleep.”

“Hmm... damn. I enjoy a good nap." Jackie finishes with the rope, pulling it to make sure that it's secure. 

"Aye, we slept grand too~!" Jackieboy grins. 

Zara shakes her head, "You're starting to sound like the others- since when do you use 'aye'?" 

Jackieboy blinks- then looks like he's stuck on a loading screen. "...I didn't even realize I was doing it!" 

Marvin laughs. "It's easy to repeat what you hear, isn't it? The longer you're on a ship in a small space with a lot of people, the more you start to sound like them." He hops off the helm deck, landing on the main. 

"Ooo! Jumping down instead of taking the stairs, you are full of energy today!" Jackie says, impressed." 

"Good to hear!" Oliver smiles. "We had a good rest too- huh, Alt?”

“Yup! I think after another good meal I should be mostly better!" Alt grins. 

Jackie grins. "Let's go get some dinner, then!" He heads towards the stairs. 

Alt grins, "Whoo! ...back down we gooo~" Oliver laughs and follows after Alt and Jackie, Jackieboy and Zara right behind them. 

"Where's everyone else?” Jackie asks.

“Still downstairs, I think," Marvin says. "Henrik is definitely with Bro in the office." 

Indeed, Henrik is busy tidying things up in the doctor's office. Chase knocks on the door, then slides it open and pokes his head inside. "How're things going in here, Schneep and other me?" 

Bro perks up and sits up on the bed, stretching a bit. "Hi other me!! Mmmm... I'm feeling a lot better! Still kinda sore but not as bad!" 

Henrik nods. "He is doing well. Incredibly quickly, too." He shakes his head fondly. "I wish everyone healed so fast, it would make my job much easier.”

“Good to hear!" Chase grins. "Is the doctor letting you leave the room now?" 

Henrik sighs. "If he is careful, yes." 

Bro lifts up his arms in celebration, "Yippie!" He almost springs to his feet- then decides to be more careful and gently pushes himself up. He gives Henrik a thumbs up. 

Henrik gives Bro a thumbs-up back. 

"Hmm? Come on, Schneep, you too," Chase says. "You've been sitting in here all day. Come get some food!”

“Hmm... aye, I suppose that I must practice what I suggest." Henrik stands up, his spine creaking with the movement. "Do you need help, Bro?”

Bro tests out walking then shakes his head, "Nah i think i'm okay- just might be a bit slow," He says with a sheepish smile. 

“Ahoy you all!" Jackie gives Chase, Henrik, and Bro a salute as he walks down the staircase. "To the galley?”

“To the galley!" Chase agrees. 

Bro waves as he exits the office. "Hey! Yes, dinner time!" 

Jackieboy turns back to throw his fists in the air and whoop. Bro laughs. 

"Whoop!" Jackie circles around and continues going down the stairs. The others follow. 

The galley is already filled with the smell of dinner. Cook has prepared steak, along with peas and carrots and more of the ship's biscuits. Some crew is already there, breaking out the rum. 

Once they're all downstairs, Bro and Jackieboy inhale deeply. "Ohh that smells so good!" Bro says and hurries over to grab a plate. Jackieboy chuckles and leaves Zara to get a seat and gets their plates. Alt and Oliver hang back for a second. 

Alt is petting Glitches's head and humming, "mmm... I dunno how much she's been eating- has she been eating okay?”

“She gets treats from the others- and well she did track down that mouse this morning." Oliver says. 

"ughhh I hope she doesn't get fat..." Alt mumbles. Glitches mewls and baps at his face. 

"Unfortunately we do have some rats on board," Chase says. "So I'm sure she's been getting her fill of things.”

Glitches meows, as if to confirm Chase's assumption. Alt makes a face at her and she just baps him again. 

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Alt," Oliver giggles. 

“Hmmm? Reason to have a cat on board, hmmm?" Marvin leans over to Chase, bumping his shoulder against his. 

Chase chuckles. "Aye, aye, we'll try to find a good one. They'll need to get along with--" 

Squawk! Sam flies over, landing on top of a lantern. Jameson follows after him. Avast, all! Jameson grins. 

"Avast!" Jackie gives Jameson a side-hug. "Getting an early start, hmm?" 

What do you mean? Jackie nods down at Jameson's belt, where he's shoved a bottle through a loop there. 

"Not often we see you with a bottle on hand." 

Jameson chuckles. I'm just happy that we've pulled one over on that ghost ship. 

"Ahoy Jameson!" Bro says as he joins the others with food. "Oh hell yeah, we already drinkin?!”

“You can't get drunk, Chase," Zara reminds him with a laugh. 

"Still tastes good though! And hey! Maybe with all this ghost nonsense in me, it could actually work for once!" Bro laughs. 

Jameson chuckles. I only drink for the sensation, really. And since that's not always useful, that's why I'm usually one of the ones who stays sober.

"Ohh... how did I never put that together?" Chase says, looking thoughtful. "With the--ohhh.”

“But today you're ready, huh?" Jackie grins. He squeezes him tighter. "Good on ye, mate!" Then he heads over to get some food. Henrik and Marvin have already gotten plates of their own. 

"Now, we are in the middle of the sea so we need a skeleton crew to run the ship," Chase says. "But I've already found the volunteers for that, so we're all free! Look, I think even Cook is having a celebration." He nods towards where Cook is standing, leaning up against a counter with his own food and a bottle. 

Chase picks up a bottle of rum from the nearest table and holds it into the air. "A toast! To the crew of the Septic Eye, the finest crew on the seven seas! Cheers!”

“Aye!" Almost all of the other crew members in the galley raise bottles and cups in turn, clinking them against each other. 

The swaps all look ecstatic to have the whole gang together. Bro, Alt and Oliver all scramble to get bottles of their own while Jackieboy brings two over for him and Zara, as well as their food. They all cheer loudly with the crew and join in with the toast. 

"We'd better not drain our stores dry with all these celebrations recently," Marvin says. "Celebrate them getting here, celebrate the rescue--”

“I would say both those are worth the celebrating," Henrik chuckles. 

"Besides, we have more rum than water, anyway!" Chase says. 

"I'm sure we won't drain you," Oliver giggles then goes to get food and Alt follows after him. 

"No promises from me!" Bro grins and downs some of his bottle. 

"Oh boy," Jackieboy laughs, sitting down with Zara as the two of them dig into their food. 

Why DO we have more rum than water, anyway? Jameson asks. I never understood that. 

"It's because mold grows in barrels of water but not in barrels of rum and other liquor," Chase explains. "Which is why there's a bit of rum in punch.”

“Aye, well said, captain!" Jackie says, grinning and then digging into his food. 

"Aye- that makes sense," Jackieboy says. 

"And it's delicious!" Bro grins, digging into his food too. 

Meanwhile, over to the side, Marvin has taken a seat at one of the benches and is full-on chugging the rum. 

Alt and Oliver go to approach Marvin. "Getting right into it huh, Marv?" Alt asks as they sit around to join him. 

Marvin lowers the bottle again. "Gah!" He lets out a breath. 

Jameson bursts into laughter. 

"That is not usually like you, Marvin!" Henrik says, chuckling. 

"I was a cat until recently! Cats can't drink rum!" Marvin says. "I have to appreciate it!" 

"Is that why?" Alt laughs, "I guess I can respect that!”

“Don't act like you weren't the same, Alt," Bro chuckles. 

"Yeah well... being stuck as a... cat- will do that to you," Alt mumbles, now going to take a large swig of his bottle. 

Marvin looks at Alt curiously. "So... it has happened to you before," he says. 

Alt stiffens and then he pulls the bottle away to cough for a second. He glares over at Bro who just blinks innocently with a mouth full of food.

"Marvin!" Jackie gasps. "You can't just say that! It's clearly a tough subject.”

“I-I just--I just thought that--h-he's said some things that uh--" Marvin stammers. "I'm... sorry. It's just... good to know... that someone else went through it." 

Alt is quiet for a second, “um… I… but I… wasn’t just a cat… and it was… complicated.” He says, leaning on his knees and squeezing the bottle between both of his hands.  

Marvin looks away from him. "I'll... stop asking, if you want," he says quietly. "I know that... some things can be difficult." He chuckles. "Locker, I-I just felt that earlier today, when they told me about the twins." He glances back at him. "Just... know that you're not... you're not the only one who's been through something." 

Alt takes a deep breath before sighing out, “…I won’t tell you to get any sympathy or anything… but just because I know my brother can’t control his mouth…”

“Hey…!” Bro whines. 

“…he’s right you know-“ Jackieboy points out.

 Bro takes a sulking sip of his drink. 

“And,.. because yeah… I-I can relate. So… you won’t have to feel alone either. It’s a… a strange thing to have happen to you… to lose your mind… think you’re actually an animal…” Alt says, trailing off for a second. He eventually looks back at Marvin, “…if you’ve noticed in the dark how my eyes sometimes reflect the light like Glitches does… that’s because I was trapped… as a tiger for about a month… by the same guy who made me work for him.” He gestures at his eyes, “I found out that’s uh… a side effect of… long term animal transformation…”  

Marvin blinks. "Oh. That explains something you said earlier. I..." He goes silent. 

The other guys nearby also stay quiet, sensing the seriousness of the moment, even though they're surrounded by merriment. 

"I'm... sorry." Marvin shakes his head. "I-I thought that your eyes were, uh... 'cool.' If I'd known the story behind them, I wouldn't've thought that.”

Alt is quiet for a second before he laughs, "I-It is really cool. It's a neat party trick." He looks back at Marvin and smiles, "It can also happen just from transforming a lot so... its not always a sign a magician was fucked over like I was. Just that they can shift into animals pretty regularly."

“You can't control what you think, Marvin," Jackie says. 

"But the point is, if I knew the reason, it would have..." He sighs. "I'm sorry, Alt. But..." He reaches over, putting a hand on Alt's hand. "Thank you. It does mean a lot to know that we're alike in that way." He smiles. "And to know that there's a way back from it. Because you're... so 'cool'.”

“Very 'cool,'" Chase agrees. 

"You can do amazing things, Alt," Marvin continues. "And ye look out for people. You're a man to admire, you know. That you've gone through something like that and you're here now... it's good to know." 

Alt blinks at their sincerity and feels himself blushing, rubbing at his head. "Ah well... I-I couldn't have gotten here if it wasn't for my friends... i-if it wasn't for them i... I would have..." He gets a far off look in his eyes again, shuddering slightly. "But uh... d-don't gotta worry about that now!" He tries to smile, though it comes off a bit nervous. 

Chase pats his shoulder. "It's amazing what others can do for ye, isn't it?”

Alt smiles and nods, "Aye.”

“Aye." Henrik nods too. "Chase would know.”

“Hah." Chase smiles faintly. "The, ah, the Septic Eye wasn't the first pirate crew I joined. The first one... well, let's just say I'm... I'm grateful that Captain Jack asked me to join his instead. I might've become the sort of person my wife thought I was, when she found out about the piracy." 

“Oh yeah!! We never heard your origin story, other me!" Bro grins and points his fork at Chase, "Let's hear how you met Jack and joined the Septic Eye!" 

Alt chuckles, "Alright- yeah, I'm okay with changing the subject." Oliver pats his knee and tips his plate slightly to get him to eat. 

"Heh. Well, it's not too exciting." Chase took a swig from his bottle. "I was a sailor. I've always been one, ever since I was a wee lad, starting out as a cabin boy on this merchant ship called the Valiant Cutter. But soon after I met Stacia, the ship I was on decided to let me go. The Gem of the Sea… An officer lied, accusing me of taking more shares than I was supposed to.”

“Boooo!" Jackie says, adding his helpful commentary. 

"And with that on me name, most other ships didn't want to take me on," Chase says. "I got desperate and joined up with a shady crew on this boat called the Dark Waves. Turns out, they were pirates. Pirates who had an ongoing rivalry with another crew: the Septic Eye." 

"Oh!! The Dark Waves I remember when I first met you and Jackie you were fightin' some of those punks! They threw you out the pub window!" Bro says. 

Jameson chuckles. Imagine if you'd joined another pirate crew! 

"I never would've met ye all," Chase says. "In my first scuffle with the Septic Eye, I ran into Captain Jack. He could tell I had some reservations about the Dark Waves. And he seemed... nice. So I let my guard down. Several run-ins later, I told him my whole story, and he said I could join up with him instead. Took me a while to make that decision for sure, but it was the best decision I've ever made." 

"I can't believe you were with that other crew for a bit!" Alt adds. 

"Oh aye, I can hardly believe it meself," Chase agrees. 

"The captain of the Dark Waves, Captain Derren, loves to recruit sailors who don't know any better," Marvin says. "New pirates and such. They usually leave, if they're any good.”

"Thank god for Captain Jack! I think everyone here is better off having met ya, Chase," Jackieboy smiles. 

Zara and Oliver grin and lift their bottles, "Hear, Hear!" 

“Aye, Chase is the best captain!" Henrik agrees. 

Chase blushes. "What about Jack?”

“He was also the best captain! There can be two best captains!" 

And before you were the best captain, you were the best first mate, Jameson says.

 "And before you were the best first mate, you were the best second mate!" Marvin adds. 

"Ah, come on, ye bastards." Chase pulls his hat over his head, ducking down. 

"It's all true other me! Never met a finer captain!" Bro grins and raises his bottle towards him. 

"You don't get a lot of chances to met other captains, Chase," Zara giggles. 

"Oh yeah and what about Vsevna? Isn't he captain of the Wake?" Jackieboy grins. 

Bro makes a face to think then shakes his head rapidly, "Vsevna is great but I still think other me is the best captain!”

“Aye, I can drink to that!" Jackieboy laughs and the two of them knock their bottles together. 

"I still need to meet that guy..." Alt mumbles between bites of food. 

Henrik gasps. "Y-you know Vsevna?!" 

Calm down, Henrik, I'm sure this is a Zara Zara situation, Jameson says. Or a Chase Chase situation. Or a Jackie Jackie situation. 

"Just repeating the names doesn't mean anything," Henrik says. 

But do you understand what I mean? 

"...somehow I do," Henrik mutters. 

Chase laughs. "The Vsevna we know, Captain Nikitin of the Kraken's Wake, is a very good captain himself.”

“Ah, you're still better than him," Jackie says. 

"Ah, well ah--" Henrik stammers. 

"Don't listen to Schneep, he has a clear preference," Marvin smirks. 

"Ha! There's a Vsevna here too! I should have figured!" Bro grins. "Our point is proven! Captain me is the best captain!" 

"Oh, of course there's a Vsevna here." Marvin grins. "Henrik is very fond of him.”

“Constantly torn between him and that Trisha woman." Jackie nudges him. "Ye can just court both of them, you know, if they're both fine with it." 

Henrik turns to the side, hiding his red face, and takes a big swig of his bottle. 

"ohhh two loves for Heni~" Jackieboy grins, "Tell us about this Trisha then~! Spill the tea!”

“You are more gossip-y then all the women at my work, Jackie," Zara laughs. 

"Sh-she is--" Henrik still doesn't look directly at anyone. "She lives in Cutlass Cove, wh-where she is a very--very smart shipwright f-from Deutsreich--a-and that's it." 

Jackie chuckles. "Once, me and Schneep had gone to her shipyard to ask for repairs, and she was being threatened by a crew for free repairs. She pulled out this massive gun--" He mimes lifting something up with two hands, holding it under one arm. "--practically a hand cannon, really, and threatened them right back. I have never seen Henrik's face so red.”

“Oh I have," Chase says. "That time Captain Nikitin--Vsevna--swung across the gap between two ships and kicked a Rosstvo naval officer to the side." 

Jackieboy nods in understanding. "I sooo get it. Seeing Zara cut down those ghost pirates with her sword? I considered asking her to marry me again-”

“Oh shove off!" Zara laughs and pushes him slightly.

 Alt looks over at Oliver at this and remembers seeing him with his sword too- and finds himself blushing but trying to hide it behind his mask. 

"She sounds super badass, Schneep! Both of them do! I'm with Jackie- date them both!" Bro grins. 

"I-I cannot just--I-I do not know if they--" Henrik stammers. 

Jackie puts his arms around his shoulders. "What if I ask them for you?”

“You are not courting either of them!" Henrik says, suddenly defensive. 

"Whoa, hey! I just meant I'd ask them if they were open to you and that arrangement!" Jackie says. Then he grins. "But your ferocity. Really says some things." 

Henrik glares at him. "I should have known you didn't mean that, anyway," he grumbles. "You like people with dark hair who are usually taller than you.”

“I--wha--huh?" Jackie blinks. 

Chase laughs. "Oh, I never noticed that! That's true, most of your sweethearts are like that! Our Zara is shorter but she's the only one!”

“I...uhhhh..." Jackie quickly stops talking and starts drinking rum. 

The swaps all laugh while Zara laughs a bit more than the rest and shakes her head. “Man, Jackie, do you have a type like that?” She asks her husband. 

Jackieboy leans in and grins dopily at her, “My only type is you, my ocean~!”

“Sap alert,” Zara laughs but then gives him a quick kiss. “You’re so sweet~” she baby talks him, squishing his cheeks. Jackieboy just keeps grinning, going to rub his nose against hers. 

Bro watches then nudges Henrik. “Yo- that could be you if you talk to Trisha or Vsevna-“ He teases lightheartedly, nudging Henrik some. 

Henrik slumps downwards. "I get the point," he mutters. "I... will... consider it. I-I can explain the whole situation to the both of them. We will probably see Trisha before Vsevna." He pauses, taking a sip. "What about you, other Chase? Our Chase has his Stacia, do you have someone?" 

Bro blinks, halfway through taking a sip before he grins, “Yeah! I got a girlfriend! Her name is, predictably, Stacy. I was actually gonna try to bring her but uh… she gets really really sea sick… plus I dunno if she’s like… ready for journeys like this. If she knew what I went through on the Antithesis…” he trails off, looking down. 

Chase looks over at Bro, raising an eyebrow. "Stacy as well, huh? I suppose that makes sense." He laughs a bit, then becomes serious again. "This is a dangerous line of work. I'm assuming being a hero is the same. It's... hard to tell them, isn't it?" 

You didn't even tell your wife--she found out, Jameson says. 

Chase nods. "She was... angry, at first. But I spoke to her again, shortly after your last visit. We talked well into the night." He looks at Bro. "You don't want to worry her, do you? But it's better to let her know about things. Or else... things might go poorly. Course, I understand if you're not ready to share about the Antithesis yourself. That was... It must have been brutal. But she might find out on her own one day. Just... keep that in mind." 

Bro nods, “…I’m trying to tell her stuff… she actually found I was a hero before I told her directly… but she kept it from me for a while.” He laughs, shaking his head. “…hero stuff might be enough for her to understand but all this universe hopping and supernatural threats…? I dunno… she’s just a normal girl… I-I’m so happy I found her… she’s sweet and caring and great with kids but I… I also don’t get… why she’s still…” He grips his bottle and chuckles, “…I dunno why she didn’t run away the second she found out I was a hero.” 

"Hmm. Who knows?" Chase shrugs. "My Stacia... she was so willing to work with me being at sea for so long. Up until she figured out the piracy. Maybe... maybe we're worth the trouble.”

“I'm not really all that romantic," Marvin says. "Takes a lot for me to find interest. But I've always thought that love was about being worth the trouble. Which both of you are, by the way.”

“Aye!" Jackie says. "Don't say ye aren't!" 

Bro looks over at Chase the Marvin and he smiles. “Thanks guys…”

“Bro is a little too hard on himself sometimes too,” Jackieboy says with a sigh. “You should have seen him right after we became friends- came to my office one day, plastered out of his mind, crying about how he was a terrible hero.” 

Bro blushes, “J-Jackie! What the hell man?!” 

"H-hah... ye shouldn't share your friend's laundry like that," Chase says, smiling awkwardly. His eyes flick over to Jackie and Oli. "But, ah, it's fine, other me! Everyone has concerns like that." 

Jackieboy blinks, then looks apologetic, “ah… sorry. Thought it was a good example…” 

Oliver gives a quiet smile to Chase and nods.

Jackie quickly picks up on what Chase is thinking about. "Ah, enough about this emotional business," he says. "We're celebrating your freedom!" He raises his bottle in the air. "To freedom!" 

Marvin grins. "Freedom!" He hits Jackie's bottle with his. 

The distraction works as Bro grins and goes to hit their bottles too. “Hell yeah! Freedom! I don’t care how many bottles I go through- I’m gonna feel this shit tonight!”

“If you die of alcohol poisoning I’ll be very cross, Chase,” Alt deadpans. 

Henrik chuckles. "I'm sure that I will be able to keep that from happening, even if I am drunk myself.”

“Oh? I'd almost like to take that as a challenge!" Jackie says. 

Henrik swats his arm. 

I know how you are, Chase, Jameson says. Hard for me to feel it, too, but I'm going to see how many it takes! 

Bro grins at Jameson and taps his bottle against his. “Aye! Let’s see how far we can go!”

"Tonight, let's swap stories of all sorts and have a grand old time!" Chase says. "We're the Septic Eye! We've beaten a ghost ship for the third time, and escaped an Armada trap! We're at the top of the world now! So we deserve tonight!" He takes a large drink, and the crew all cheers around him. The Swaps join up in the cheers, raising up their bottles. 

Someone starts playing some sort of string instrument--a fiddle, maybe--and the atmosphere immediately lightens. 

The night passes with song, stories, and drink for all. Even Jameson and Henrik, who would normally hold back, go all out. After a while, Marvin gets the great idea of playing dice games with his magical dice, which starts up a string of non-magical dice and card games. Non-magical, but still fairly ridiculous, as everyone gets drunk. Jackie and Henrik try to play some game with cards that involve getting higher numbers, but after a bit it devolves into the two of them seeing who can slap cards down faster. 

Zara and Jackieboy go back and forth between dancing and drinking- until Jackieboy is leaning heavily on Zara and mumbling about how pretty she is. Alt and Oliver get into playing cards too but once Jackie and Henrik start their slap fight they start to drift off. Oliver is feeling the drink a lot more tonight and is now drunkenly leaning on Alt’s shoulder and talking his ear off about everything he can think of while Alt happily listens. 

"Heyyyy other me." Chase leans on Bro's side. "I keep thinking. What's that... that song you were goin' t'share the first night? Something about... pirate's life? IIIII think?" 

Bro’s cheeks are flushed as he takes another long sip of rum and lets out a breathy exhale. He sways a bit as Chase leans on him and then he grins. “Oh s’that song? Is from a movie! ‘Bout pirates~! Watched sooo many bef’re we came! Lemmeee see…. It goes,” He starts to drunkenly sing, rocking back and forth, “Yo-Ho, Yo-Ho! A pirate’s life for me! We pillage n’ plunder, we rifle n’ loot, Drink up me hearties, yo ho! Weee…” then he trails off and whines, leaning on Chase’s shoulder, “I dun ‘member the resttt… there’s lots of words…”  

"Yo-ho, Yo-ho! A pirate's life for me!" Chase copies. "We puhduh and puhduh we rufuh 'n' loot, drink up me hearties you-ho!" He starts giggling. "It has a good shanty tune!”

“S’why is fun to sing! I think S’why it has so many lyrics I can’t r’member-“ Bro giggles. “We could make up our own!” He makes a thinking face then slurs out, “We beat that ghost ship and kicked Iris’s ass! Drink up me hearties, yo-ho!” 

Chase laughs. "Aye! We can do that! We... uh..." His face also scrunches up. 

Marvin looks up at the two of them and laughs. "Ye look more like twins than ever right now.”

“Marv! D'you know lyrics?" Chase asks. 

"Um..." Marvin hums the tune for a bit. "We take all the treasure you really don't need! Drink up me hearties, yo-ho!" 

Bro points at Marvin and grins wildly, “yes! Solid!” 

Chase laughs. "What is a 'hearty' anyway? I've heard Jack use it before..."

Bro hums and makes another face. “…we all have hearties- are we the hearties??”

Chase gasps. “We’re the hearties.”

“The hearties are the friends we made on the way!” Marvin giggles. 

Bro bursts into delirious giggling and leans on Chase’s shoulder more. 

Bro's laughing causes Chase to laugh as well, and the two of them lean on each other. "Ah, it's good to have ye on here," Chase says, grinning. 

Bro blinks then grins back at Chase and loops an arm around him, “s’good t’be here!”

“Schneeeeep stahp it!" Jackie whines. Henrik keeps slapping his hand instead of the deck. 

"Stop was?" Henrik says, grinning. 

"Ye get so impish like this!" Jackie lightly smacks Henrik's hand. Henrik smacks his hand back. And the two of them quickly devolve even further into a light slap fight. 

Jameson gets up and, without a word, wraps his arms around Jackie and drags him back. Then he falls over, taking Jackie with him. Luckily, no one seems hurt by this exchange. 

Oliver and Alt watch their fight and they both burst into drunken giggles. “They both fell over! Like- whoop! On the grounddd~!” Oliver laughs. 

Glitches bounds over and lightly smacks Jackie in the face. 

Jackie splutters. "Oh ye little trouble fur man! I mean--lady!" 

Jameson laughs. 

Henrik gets up and leans over, scooping Glitches into his arms. He hums something soft, something that sounds like a lullaby, maybe? 

Glitches mrrphs and tries to smack at him again before she’s picked up. She flicks her tail and looks up at Henrik and purrs. 

“Don’t take offense, Jackie~ she likes to hit things a lot. Especially people on the floor,” Alt giggles. 

“We gotta get a cat that doesn’ do that then,” Jackie says. 

Jameson giggles. I don’t think we can, he says, his signs wide and slow. 

Henrik nods. “Cats love to smack things.” He continues to hum. 

Jackie squints. “Wassat song again?”

“Nursery song,” Henrik says. “Deutz song. My nurse sang it to me when I was little little.” He bounces Glitches idly. “I could sing it to a little one… little tiny one… little tiny baby one…” 

Glitches looks up at Henrik and gives him a long meow. 

“Are you talkin’bout yer future boat cat? Or a future kid wit’yer crushes?” Oliver giggles wildly, looking at Henrik. 

"Hmmm... I could be a good papa," Henrik says slowly. "I would not be a bad one I think, at least.”

“You’d make a wonderful dad, Henrik!” Oliver smiles, “you took such good care of Alt and Chase and alll the crew!”

Henrik smiles back at Oliver. "Danke, Oli. I do worry... my family history is..." He trails off, bouncing Glitches some more. "I think I could be good, though." 

“Who'd be the other one, then?" Jackie grins. 

"Eh, I dunno... I am not sure if... either of them want a little Kinder..." Henrik shrugs. "And both the papas or mamas need to want a little Kinder. Ja? They want to love them and care for them and never hurt them... Mmm... Jamie, you have a lot of family, ja? Your papa and mama must have really wanted them." 

Jameson smiles. It's me and Dahlia and Emer and Orla and Mairead... and Abagail. He frowns at her name. 

"Oh! Oh Dahlia's the--the one with the sword!" Jackie says excitedly. "We've met her! She's amazing!" 

“Oh we met a Dahila Jackson is another world!” Alt says excitedly, “She’s a hero like Chase, but everyone in that world has powers. Or.. most of them-“ 

Jameson's eyes light up. Dahlia is so brave and so great! She's a hero too! She's so great and good and she protects people! 

Jackie laughs. "She protects people?" 

She protects people! Jameson repeats. She was in the Anglish navy before she realized they bite and so she decided to protect people on passenger ships! She's so great and tough! 

 Alt and Oliver’s eyes sparkle. “She sounds so cool!” Alt grins. 

"They're twins, these two." Jackie pokes Jameson's cheek. "So he's real happy for her." 

I told her first when I could hold pencils again, Jameson says. 

Henrik giggles. "They kept falling out of your hand... It was not funny to see you be ghostly at the time but..." He giggles again. "But now... with looking back..." More giggling. 

Oliver starts to giggle even more and rolls over onto Alt’s leg to hide his face.  

"Damn... why do Chase and Jackie get fun other selves but we don't?" Marvin says. He takes a sip of rum, finishing off the bottle, and puts his head down on the table. 

“ ‘m sorry Marvin- I wish mag wasn’ a dick and annnthony wasn’ a massive prick so you an’ Alt could have fun other selves too…” Bro slurs sadly. 

"Huh what?" Marvin blinks. "Ohhhh... Alt does look like the Antithehsh Captain.”

“Mate, that really bites it," Chase says. "I think maybe we all have other others who are bad... somewhere. I think that that's what happens when ye have lotsa worlds, aye aye?”

“Mmm." Marvin closes his eyes. 

Bro nods, “mmm we had… one that was kinda but he’sbetta, and one that’s a weird gray fucker-“ 

"Gray?" Chase looks down at his hands with wide eyes, as if expecting them to change color. "Whoa... worlds are strange..." 

Bro laughs, “they are! So strange… but so fun!” 

Chase looks over at Marvin. "Right, Marv?" 

Marvin doesn't say anything. 

"Marvin?" Chase pauses. He giggles slightly. "I think he fell asleep." He gets up and leans over, poking Marvin's shoulder. 

"Mm." Marvin cracks open an eye. "No. But... soon.”

“Get t'bed, Marv," Chase says, grinning.

Bro blinks at Marvin then tries to get to his feet, swaying some. “D’ye need help, Marvi?” 

Marvin looks up at Bro and chuckles slightly. “Do you need help? Yer swayin’.” 

“‘M not swaying… s’the ship,” Bro mumbles. 

Chase also gets up. “I’ll help then!” He is also swaying. 

“Nah nah, I gottit.” Marvin gets up, pausing for a moment. He thinks he seems stable, so he takes a step forward—and then immediately falls forward, catching himself on his hands and knees. “Whoa!”

Bro startles as Marvin falls and tries to get down to help him- after setting down his bottle of course.

“Oh.” Marvin blinks in surprise as he’s helped up. “Thanks Chase. I… uh… think… I should… stop for tonight.”

“Water!” Chase shouts. 

“I know!” Marvin reaches to the side and grabs a bottle of water. He shakes it. “I’m taking this with me!” he announces to the deck at large. 

Bro stumbles on his feet once they’re both up and gives Marvin a thumbs up. “Yes water! Oh I should get some…” he staggers to go try to find a bottle. 

"Here we are!" Chase picks up another bottle and hands it out to Bro. "Oh, and another!" He picks up a second one. "For meeeee." 

Bro blinks then grins as he’s handed the bottle and downs some. He lets out a breathy exhale and then waves after Marvin, “Bye Marvin!” 

Marvin laughs. "I'll see you all tomorrow." He gives a thumbs up and slowly walks over to the upwards stairs. There's no railing, so he pauses for a moment, trying to figure out how to climb up without support. He settles on climbing up with his arms, too, like some sort of stair gremlin. 

Bro bursts into laughter at seeing him climb the stairs. His laughter causes him to float off the ground a bit.

"Whoaaa, careful!" Chase grabs Bro and pulls him back down. He giggles a bit. "'F it wasn' for the ceiling I'd worry you'd float away.”

“T’at s’fair honestly,” Bro giggles and leans back on Chase, “t’ink that happened a lot when I f’rst got ‘em-“

"I'd float away if I was you," Chase says, leaning back on him. "Badada badada badada bada, drink up, me hearties, yo-ho--" He sings a bit, then laughs. "That's really catchy.”

“Isn’t it?” Bro laughs, “weee drink through the night with nary a care! Drink up me hearties, yo ho! A pirate’s life for me~!” He sings, swaying Chase left to right with him. 

Chase laughs. "Yadada yadada buhduh buh duh, yo-ho, yo-ho! A pirate's life for me!" Other crew members start to sing along nearby.

Bro brightens up at hearing others sing and keeps up on it with Chase, rocking them both back and forth as he holds his bottle up high. The two other selves really do look like twins, drunkenly singing together. 

Speaking of other selves, Jackieboy seems to be leading Zara away and looking for something… a quiet space maybe? 

Jackie notices his other self and Zara trying to sneak off. He grins, and gets up off the ground, staggering a bit, then walks over to them. "Ahoy," he whispers. "Looking for something? Hmmm?" 

Zara and Jackieboy startle. Jackieboy whips on his other self, staggering a bit as he points. “Nooo! ‘M not- lookin for a place for us to doooo the do… cuz we dun even have protection-”

“Jackie…!” Zara hisses, her face turning bright red. 

“Wat- do you want another Penny? I dun wanna’nother penny right now… maybe later…” Jackieboy slurs, leaning back on Zara. “Anyways. Ofter me- ya got anywhere t’do the snoggin’?” 

Jackie's grin widens. "Ye wanna use my office?" He points upwards, towards the vague location of where the office is. "I'm fine with not usin' it tonight. Kinda boring in there anyway. Pretty quiet." 

Jackieboy’s eyes sparkle and he grins, “yer a real one, other me! Promise not t’make a mess o’it-“ 

Zara looks embarrassed but she does smile and nod at Jackie before Jackieboy grabs her hand and whisks her off. She giggles and hurries after him to Jackie’s office. 

Oliver watches them go then looks up at Alt from his lap, “should we go do’tat? Find a quiet place t’snog?” 

Alt spits out the sip he was taking of his bottle, “O-Oli!”

“Wha? I wanna!” Oliver grins. He then grabs Alt’s cheeks and pulls him down to his face and nuzzles his nose. “I could do t’right here!” 

Alt’s face is as red as a tomato. 

Upon seeing Oli and Alt getting close, Henrik gets up, walks over, and promptly deposits Glitches in between them, giggling. “

Oh boooo!” Jackie says. “Don’t ruin their fun!” 

Alt and Oliver startle away- Alt way too red and Oliver immediately bursts into giggles. 

Glitches mrowars in surprise as she’s dumped. She turns to Schneep and chirps at him in annoyance. Oliver scoops her up and gives her many drunken kisses on her head. 

Jameson looks over at Marvin and the Chases. Then back to Henrik. Looks like Marvin’s heading to bed. You should too. 

“Whaaaat? I’m fine. Pssshh.” Henrik leans against a table, trying to look normal and casual. Jackie gives him a light push. He immediately stumbles. “That doesn’t count! There was a wave!” 

Alt and Oliver giggle, “I think a proper doctor should know when he’s done, Schneep,” Alt snickers. 

"I have it. I swear I have it," Henrik insists. 

Jackie chuckles. "You know you have a... a low... uh, a..." He snaps his fingers idly, searching for the word. "A small bilge.”

“PffffthahaHAHA!" Jameson bursts into laughter. 

"Huh? Wha?" Jackie blinks. "Like the bilge on the ship. Where all the water goes. Small ones can't hold a lot of water. It's a...comparison!" 

Alt and Oliver blink in confusion- then can’t help laughing as Jameson bursts into laughter. His laughter is infectious! “Billlge!” Oliver repeats through laughter, “ts’such a funny word! Bilge bilge bilge bigle-“ 

“It'sa part of the ship!" Jackie says. "It's down... there-ish!" He points downwards. He blinks. "What's so funny? James, what's so funny?" 

Jameson snorts, stopping himself from laughing for a second. The way you said it--a small bilge--sounds like you were trying to say something else. 

Jackie blinks slowly. Henrik also seems to not get it. 

Alt bursts into even more uproarious laughter and Oliver giggles along with him though he doesn’t seem to get it either. He just likes laughing. 

“J-Jems thought you were callin’ his bulge small-!” Alt wheezes, “like like- his dick-!” He falls over more with laughter, gripping at his stomach. 

“Oh." Jackie's eyes widen, and then he also bursts into laughter. "I didn't--oh gods I didn't realize it sounded like--" 

Henrik gasps in mock-offense. "I do not have to stand here and take this, IIIII can go upstairs if I want!" 

I didn't mean it, Hen! Jameson says, grinning as he leaned back against the wall. 

"Damn, James, I forget you also have those jokes in ye!" Jackie says, grabbing onto Jameson's shoulder and squeezing. "Ye don't use them that much!" 

“I know! If we made that joke around Dr. J he’d give us such a disapproving look!” Alt snickers. 

“It doesn look small t’me Henrik,” Oliver says bluntly, looking at Henrik with his head upside down on Alt’s lap. 

Henrik gasps again--then coughs since he inhaled air so quickly. He recovers fast, though. "I don't have to stay here to take this! I willl... will go upstairs!" 

“He was complimenting you, Hen!” Alt giggles.

Be a good sport, Henrik! Jameson says, giggling. 

"Like you're above these jokes," Jackie adds. 

"I'm above nothing! Dick! See?" Henrik shoves him lightly. 

Keep needling him, he'll go to bed eventually! Jameson says. 

Henrik rolls his eyes. 

“Yeah! F’ye can’t be nice youuu should sleep!” Oliver says, gesturing lazily at Schneep then taking another sip of his bottle. 

Henrik sticks his tongue out. "Fine then! Gooodbyeeee!" He spins around and disappears behind a column, pretending to leave. 

"Alright finally he's gone, now let's talk bad about him," Jackie says. "He's so uptight, isn't he?" 

Oliver and Alt giggle. “Yeah yeah just the worsttt-!” Alt agrees.

Henrik pokes his head back around, glaring at Jackie. 

Jackie stares back with a shit-eating grin, and Alt joins him with a similar grin. Henrik slowly slides out of view again. This time he actually heads up to the stairs, slowly walking upwards. 

Jameson grabs a bottle of water and takes a swig. Then he signs while still holding the bottle, making it hard to tell what he's saying. 

Jackie squints at him. "Drink water? Aye we know." 

Alt grabs a bottle of water too and takes a swig before handing it to Oliver. 

Oliver gleefully takes it and drinks some then sticks out his tongue. “Tis’isnt rum!” 

Alt giggles. “You know you gotta drink water too, Ols.” 

Jameson shrugs. He signs something more, and Jackie reaches out to take the bottle from him. He blinks and starts over. Clearly it's going to be a long night and we might not have headache stuff. 

"Mmm true." Jackie nods. “I don't think Henrik's going to be in the shape to hand out headache stuff," Jackie says. 

That's what I said! Jameson says. 

"You said we might not have it! That's different!" 

Both! Jameson grabs his water from Jackie's hand again and takes a deep drink. 

Jackie laughs. "C'mon, let's see how much longer we can go!" 

Not much longer, turns out to be the answer. Jackie and Chase end up sprawled on the ground after a while, and Jameson is just barely able to take Chase up to the captain's cabin to rest. 

Bro is hanging off of a bench and still humming the pirate song. 

Oliver and Alt are still cuddled up together. 

Oliver eventually grabs Alt’s cheeks again and pulls him down, slurring out, “Alt… I dun wanna go back to work… I wanna just go on adventures wit’you…. Fereverrr-“ 

Alt blinks rapidly and looks down at Oliver with wide eyes. “…do you… you really mean that?”

“Yeah! I kicked ghost asss and then I could… could make sure you dun get hurt and prot’ct you like you pr’t’ct me! I could be- b-badass too…! I could…” His head starts to lull, sleep pulling at his eyes. 

Alt chuckles and grabs Oliver’s hands and then leans down to kiss him. “We can talk about it in the morning, Oliver… let’s get some sleep for now, okay?”

“Mmm…mkay…” Oliver says, turning over like he’s ready to sleep on the floor and grabbing a sleeping Glitches to cuddle. She merowrs in surprise and lightly baps at Oliver’s face. 

“Glitches noo…” Oliver whines, “s’sleeby times…” 

Alt can’t help but laugh. 

"Glitches how dare ye," Jackie says, rolling over to look at the two of them. "Sleeeeby." 

Jameson stumbles back down the stairs. He looks at the three people lying on the floor and frowns. He makes an "up" gesture. 

"Jameson how day yeh too..." Jackie mumbles. He closes his eyes slowly. Sighing--knowing that he doesn't want to do this but is gonna have to--Jameson walks over and drags Jackie upright by wrapping his arms around his torso under his armpits. 

Jackie doesn't get up, allowing Jameson to drag him to the staircase. He waves goodbye to Oli and Alt. "Nighty! Niiiight. Night night night." 

With Jackie giggling, the two of them disappear.

Alt laughs more and waves after Jackie. He carefully gets Oliver to his feet and tries to shuffle him to get his arm around his shoulder. Glitches goes to jump onto his head. While trying to maneuver he looks out and sees Bro still on the bench. “Chase! Everyone else is going to bed! Get up and go get some sleep-“ 

Bro blinks out at Alt and clumsily tries to get to his feet. “Yeah yeah m’-“ then he face plants onto the ground. 

Alt winces. He lugs Oliver over then lightly tries to lift up Bro’s head with his foot. Oh- he’s asleep now. Welp… he’s definitely too heavy for Alt to carry- he can barely carry Oli right now. He staggers towards the stairs, trying to figure out how he’s gonna get Oliver and him up. 

Then, “oh- duh… I can glitch-!” In a zip of light, he, Glitches and Oliver glitch upstairs. Alt gets Oliver and Glitches into a hammock. Then, he glitches back down to get Bro too- can’t just leave him on the floor… even if it would be really funny.