👌 Push my muse down and give them a massage | TF’s Joji to Charles.

Anyone else, and this would have ended in a very different fashion. Charles remained wary in spite of his present compliance, and with the rather grim awareness that it was counterproductive to the other man’s efforts.

On the one hand, he knew what Joji was capable of – and frankly after the fuck of a day he’d had, he could use the attention. On the other hand, there was still a great deal outside of this cabin that was not yet managed in a way he felt wholly comfortable with, and as long as there was a threat the concept of relaxing was as foreign as the man working his muscles into something vaguely resembling suppleness.

He knew the crew could manage it. Fuck, Anne could manage a good sixty percent of this island by herself if she was of a mind to – of that, he had no doubt. More than enough corpses piled up at her feet to make that irrefutable, and if it meant she had to work with someone to achieve a bigger body count from time to time, he knew there were people who’d rather follow her than stand against her.

Rackham might not have been able to fight his way out of a sandcastle, but he was smart enough to keep the crew maneuverable, and ensure that nothing would get to fucked up if Charles let himself indulge for a few hours – not to mention Joji himself, if everything went straight to shit, was plenty capable of shifting from calm to untouchable force of nature if it called for it.

Yet despite knowing all of this, relaxation just wasn’t coming. And after a good five or so minutes of letting the man work, he twisted himself back up and moved away, shaking his head. He didn’t need to explain shit to Joji – one of the great things about the man’s silence was it meant he could keep his own, and still make shit perfectly clear.

Until the fires died down, nobody on the Ranger would rest. And if they kept burning, then the crew might well have to prepare to go and put them out.

Permanently.

😴 Stand by the bed to see if my muse will let you under the covers with them | Joji to Abigail

{ Nonverbal Starters }

She had just settled in when the tall shadow of him had loomed from the corner of her eye, drawing her gaze up from the book of poems she intended to pick through before sleeping this evening. Tucking her hair behind her ear so she could see his expression better rather than try and gauge it through a curtain, she realized rather quickly what he was asking, and smiled softly.

Reaching out, she flipped the cover back by way of silent invitation, not feeling the need to verbalize that he was more than welcome. It was something she felt he ought to know, though she supposed some things might be harder to read.

Waiting until after the bed had dipped with the weight of him, and his warmth had aligned to her side, she reached over and set his arm around her, tucking up close and opening the book to the last poem they had read together, flipping forward to the next and began to recite, familiar with this one enough to not need to trace the lines as she spoke, but doing so anyway so he could follow along.

💪 Pick my muse up | Joji to Abigail

{ Nonverbal Starters }

“Oop!” A laugh followed her exclamation as she adjusted herself slightly in a hold that was now quite familiar. Har arms came up without hesitation to wrap around his neck, wondering just what had prompted this and looking around at the ground curiously as though it might hold the answers. ( And considering he had rescued her from snakes in the past well before she even noted the danger, it was a logical place to look first! )

Noting no danger, she could only conclude that it was today’s hello. There were times when she wished he would speak more – even understanding as she did why he didn’t – but moments like these, she rather didn’t mind his silent and physical approach to life. As ever, it tended to be so much more honest than other things.

“And where will you be whisking me off to now?” She asked, smiling a little, “Wait – don’t tell me,” He wouldn’t have, but it was perfectly fine to pretend otherwise, “I’m sure I will understand when we get there.”

🚪 Tap on a table/door/wall/chair to get my muse’s attention without speaking | William to Abigial

{ Nonverbal Starters }

“Yes, yes, I see you!” Abigail assured, harried enough to be quite done with politeness, “I’ll be with you in a moment – “ She eyed him up and down quickly, registering his uniform, and concluding briskly, “Officer,” before rushing off to tend to the rowdy lads at the back of the bar who were giving Georgina a hard time.

“Honestly,” She breathed to the blonde woman, stepping back just in time to avoid being splashed when the man her friend was managing suddenly tipped over on his bench and crashed to the ground to an uproar of laughter. Georgina looked at her innocently, but Abigail had seen her yank one too many men down to fall for it, “Well seeing as you’ve got this handled,” She shoved the tray she’d been carrying into the other woman’s arms, earning an unrepentant grin, “I’ll take care of the others shall I?”

“Give em hell love,” Georgina agreed, lifting the tray above her head in time to keep mead from being snatched by a man who had already clearly had too many. Shaking her head, Abigail hiked her skirt and stepped over the still dazed sailor to make her way back to the officer she’d brushed off – honestly, but she could do without the big ships coming into town! Frigates brought with them a ton of business – but that certainly meant a great deal of devilry as well, particularly when officers did not see fit to control their men!

“Now then,” She huffed, painting on a smile for – from what she could tell – just such an officer. “What can I do for you today Mister….?”

🤭 Tickle my muse | Joji to Abigail!!

{ Nonverbal Starters }

Though she had seen his hands coming for her, she had not thought to defend herself from them – thinking, erroneously it appeared, that he had been about to adjust her stance again. She was having some dreadful trouble getting this one just right – and perhaps she had been focusing too hard, or maybe he was just in a mood to keep her on her toes, but when those skillful fingers of his danced along her sides it was all she could do not to buckle in shock!

“Joji!” It was partly a cry of indignation, as much as it was a yelp of surprise, laughter bubbling up in it’s wake as she bowed forward and tried to escape him. To her dismay, he was of course much quicker, and only too easily maneuvered her close, fingers moving dexterously across her in ways that made her wriggle like a worm on a hook – and were she not so busy laughing at the sensations, she’d surely have been utterly mortified!

By the end of it, she was half bowed over his arm, clutching to him for support as she caught her breath. Whatever it was that had been bothering her before, she’d certainly forgotten about it now!

Huffing, she papped his arm, and when his grip loosened she turned about so she could give his chest a smack for good measure. “That was a dirty trick!” Though her tone was scolding, it was rather undermined by the fact she was grinning almost as broadly as he was.

‘there’s a strange kind of ambiance – it’s surrounding you.’ | TF’s Cutler to Theodore

{ Within Temptation’s Enter Starters }

“And is that – a good thing or a bad thing, by your estimation?” Perhaps it was a bold inquiry – if the look on the guard’s face was any indication, at least. Theodore saw no reason to restrain his curiosity simply because Lord Beckett was his superior and employer – a question was not a crime, and no man was so unreasonable as to make a remark like that and not anticipate some form of response! Besides – he was curious as to what the man meant by it, but more importantly, about whether or not it was an assessment worth remembering.

🥪 Set a plate/tray/bowl of food down for my muse | TF’s Cutler to Theo- you know he’s come a long way when he’ll run small errands for Adella like this.

{ Nonverbal Starters }

It was becoming more and more familiar to notice his guest in the corner of his eye, going about some menial task with an odd sort of focus. Adella had spoken with him about it at length, feeling as though Cutler was learning to find some sort of meaning in life and that providing him tasks would help him to settle better.

Theodore had not been so certain at first, thinking as he did of the man who had not too long ago commanded the seas with an untouchable aura about him – but he supposed with all that stripped away, Cutler Beckett was no more than a man who had lost track of his purpose.

There were times when he could see a hint of the old Lord Beckett – but in moments like this, he was simply Cutler. A man welcomed by his sisters, and even accepted by the most discerning member of the Groves family – their admittedly very fat cat, Bumble.

He had long since stopped doubting in his eldest sister’s wisdom on the topic of tasks, though he found himself amused to note that this one was very much a silent scolding. “I did say I would be down when I was done my correspondence,” He remarked, leaning back to smile at the man, “I had not meant to make her so impatient.”

😉 Pull my muse in by the hips | TF’s Joji to Tom P cause apparently we’re here right off the bat jfc

{ Nonverbal Starters }

He’d fallen away again – lost in the memories of a life that was no longer his own. It was the sensation of a firm – and now familiar – grip upon his hips that dragged him back as surely as he was drawn forward. The ghosts of long ago fell away for a time as he looped his arms around Joji’s middle, leaning forward to press his forehead against the other’s shoulder.

“Was I gone so long?” He wondered, worried that he had allowed himself to wither in a dangerous way – he liked to think he had not drifted to a point he could be caught unawares when he found himself torn between what he used to be, and who he had become, but something told him Joji would have something else to say about that – without saying anything at all. And wasn’t that a gift?

🤙 Bump into my muse | Joji to witch!Horatio?

{ Nonverbal Starters }

He shifts aside without much thought, gaze flicking down to mind the man’s hands – all to familiar with how thrifty the locals in this region can be. There is no need to make a scene about the situation as far as he is concerned – and indeed, were it a man of less distinction Horatio might not have said anything at all.

As it was, he did step back a bit so that he would not need to crane his neck too much to meet the man’s eyes, curiosity driving him. He recognized the blade well before he caught sight of the owner, and a small incline of his head showed his respect for the bearer despite not being the cause of the collision.

Of the Brethren, Mistress Ching was perhaps his favored – not that Tia Dalma was particularly fond of any of them. Regardless, he knew enough to show he had no desire for a fight, and that would simply have to do.

👕 Tug on my muse’s sleeve/shirt/skirt | Cutler to Theodore in the Willing Home verse

{ Nonverbal Starters }

The gentle tugging drew his attention as he straightened from putting on his boots, expecting Eudora and her imploring looks for him to stave off his adventures for one more day ( never understanding the difference between the ones he went on by choice and the ones dictated to him as a man who had sworn to the crown to serve! ) and found himself surprised to see it was his guest.

“Ah, Cutler – I was actually about to come and look for you,” He smiled warmly, “Everything is alright, I trust?”