She bounced after Jack through the thick underbrush towards the coast, having needed the distraction he had given her with taking her out exploring.
"I have a surprise for you," Jack announced with a warm smile as they emerged from the edge of the forest. He extended his hand toward her, and she accepted it with a mixture of curiosity and excitement. In a matter of seconds, they found themselves standing on the same little beach where Jack had brought her as an apology weeks ago. Her gasp of surprise escaped before she could stifle it, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of a blanket spread out on the sand, accompanied by a picnic basket and Jack's violin case."I thought you could use some distraction today."
"And here I thought you didn't like me," Willow quipped, a playful glint in her eyes as he led her toward the setup.
"Keep thinking that sunshine." Jack retorted with a grin, allowing her to remove her shoes before they both settled down on the blanket. He rummaged through the picnic basket, revealing an assortment of treats. "I heard a little bird say you're not the biggest fan of peanut butter so instead I made this." He pulled out what clearly was a Nusspli sandwich, a delicious chocolate nougat cream. "I still don't get why you think it's better than Nutella."
Willow's eyes lit up as she nearly snatched the sandwich from his hand.
"I grew up on this brand," she explained. She took a bite and almost moaned with delight as the familia taste enveloped her taste buds. "I can't believe you went all the way to Germany to get it!" It was almost scary how nice he was.
Jack leaned back on his hand, observing Willow with a hint of satisfaction as she sat there, devouring her sandwich like a child.
"I knew today probably would be hard on you, so wanted to do something." His gaze softening as he looked at her. Her mood dropped slightly when she remembered why he was so nice to her. It was Peters birthday. Jack pulled out a Cocio and leaned slightly forward, curiously."What did you guys do on birthdays?"
She took a sip of the cocio.
"Peter loved go-carts, so my mom used to take him and a few of his friends out to drive and then home for cake and gifts." Willow snickered when a memory hit her. "Once my mom decided to join in and she almost drove of the track, showing why she couldn't for the life of her get a driving license."
"Sounds fun, what about yours?"
"Mom usually do a thing with me and my brother and then held a party for me and my friends, but honestly? I like it small, I'm not that fond of being the center of attention." She shrugged, pulling her knees up to her chest. "What about you? What did you guys do?"
"We held a huge party with family and friends, and as I got older, I used to hang out with my family in the evening and then me and my friends would hold a party at night," he said reminiscing, before laughing. "Emily on my last birthday had gotten her brother to buy so much liquor, I don't remember half of it."
"Sounds fun," Willow smiled, before curiously ask. "Who was Emily, your girlfriend?" She wiggled her brows, interested since it was so rare he shared anything, ignoring the feeling in her stomach.
"Death no, she was more like a sister. We went to to the same kindergarten and school together. We ate glue together that was it." He gave her a smirk. "Why? You jealous?"
Willow scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. "Please," she retorted, her tone feigning indifference. But deep down, she couldn't deny that she felt a strange sense of relief at his response, despite herself, she didn't quite understand.
"What about you? Any boy or girl back home you like? Maybe Lucas?"
Willow chuckled at the question, shaking her head.
"By Death no, I honestly never been in love before, nobody back home really caught my eye like that if we don't talk about my unhealthy obsession with Jack Sparrow as a kid." She shrugged. "And Lucas? Same as Emily though I don't think we ever eaten glue together. Know of one mud cake he dared me to eat though." she added, her laughter mingling with his. When they laughter died out she tightened her grip around her legs. "Is it weird when I woke up my first thought was that I forgot to buy a present and I better hurry to find one?"
Jack's gaze softened as he looked at her.
"No, no it isn't," he replied, his fingers trailing through the sand as he sighed. " I wish I could take you back, but-"
"We both know you can't," Willow finished his thought, her voice tinged with a hint of sadness. She offered him a genuine smile. "But thank you, truly." She waved around. "Death, thank you for all this. It means a lot."
"Don't go falling in love with me now," he winked, making her snort and roll her eyes as she reached for a strawberry.
They sat in silence, watching the waves and the changing colors of the sky.
In that moment Willow could forget about the choices that had led her to this. It was as if, for a brief moment, they were just two people sharing the beauty of a sunset on a quiet beach, not brought together by death.
As the sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm, golden glow across the water, Jack got up, holding his violin in hand, and gave Willow a playful warning. "This is a one-time concert."
Willow watched with curiosity as Jack skillfully tuned the violin, the soothing sound of the ocean providing a natural backdrop to the impromptu concert.
He began to play a beautiful melody, the notes dancing in the air. The piece was unfamiliar to her, but she closed her eyes and let the enchanting music wash over her. Jack's violin sang, each note filling the air with emotion and beauty.
Willow didn't know the piece he so beautifully played, but she closed her eyes and let the music take her away with a happy smile and a warm feeling in her stomach.
As Jack continued to play, Willow couldn't help but be captivated by the raw emotion he poured into the music as she understood why his mother had loved when he played for her. It was calming, like the lullaby's he sometimes played do her to lull her to sleep.
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a tranquil twilight over the beach. The gentle waves echoed the rhythm of the violin, creating a harmonious blend of nature and melody.
When Jack finally lowered the violin, a serene silence settled between them. Willow opened her eyes, a soft smile playing on her lips.
"Thank you," she whispered, her gaze meeting Jack's.
"Anytime," he smiled warmly, reaching his hand towards her to bring her back to the mansion.