Whao! It was the speed and the surprise that made Jax catch his breath. She wasn’t that strong but damn if she couldn’t make her point. She had him against the door. Pushed tight for a few minutes. He didn’t even think to swing back because he was stopping himself from wrapping both arms around her and keeping her right where she pushed herself, against him. Frisky little sea witch, this one. His shocked eyes slipped quickly to lustful delight. And he smiled.

When First Mate Nicolette Beauchamp pulled back and blushed his grin widen and his eyes did not hide his pleasure in the whole thing. She spoke and for the first time he heard the sweetness of that commanding guarded tone. Ah, how the words he did not understand slip from that blushed face with an alluring sound. Jax at least had the sense to cover his enjoyment slightly. He kept his eyes on her as she offered drink. He didn’t trust himself just yet to say much of anything but his smile must have given away his enjoyment; he caught her off guard and that in his book was his first success. 

Besides she offered rum. He nodded and very carefully gestured of her to enter the Inn before him. She might have taken offense to that but a voice from inside gave her little time to show it. Her Captain called. Jax knew she would answer. Of course so would he. 

Once inside and adjusted to the casting light, hefty smell, and smoky hazy Jax saw the cards on the table and Captain Thomas calling for them to join him. Cards and rum? Now this was the right Inn he was sure. He found a chair almost tempted to pull the other out for the red faced first mate but he was not a fool and he knew not to press his luck. Beside he should save it, luck that is, for cards. 

Just as he was sitting down, noticing the weaving nature of his admired commander - now how is it he is so nicely sauced and Jax was not? - when a few other wharf rats seemed to close in. 

Then as quick as that, cards and rum dimmed and the feel of a splintered chair in his hands was brought back by the eyes of his Captain more than the words. Jax was sure he liked this man. 

When the pistol fired Jax jumped up quickly and sprang onto the man that had accompanied the now faceless fool who had accused one of their crew, the Captain no less, of something dishonorable. Take that! His knuckles found the man’s face before the rat could even show surprise at the fate of his mate. 

He had a piece secured on his side but Jax liked the feel of a fight, at least in a tavern. He would rather beat and punch when he could. Something about the real physical taste of fist to face and hand to gut. Jax was a bit scrappy. In close quarters like this is was a brawl he wanted not bullets. 

“Get your hands dirty there Captn’.” Jax cried over the beginnings of battle noise. “Save the balls.” Jax laughed as he pushed a second man over the table beside theirs. “Yours and the bullets!” He managed to yell as he tumbled over on top of the man. He held the fools hand high over his head with a dagger clutched tight that Jax was pounding against the wood trying to release. No knives just yet. Jax had to teach these fools how to enjoy a fight. Battered faces and sore guts better than dead bodies. Save death for times needed, was Jax thought. Not that he wouldn’t slice a throat when appropriate. Still smashing a chair, a table or a face or two always felt better to Jax.