Coal barely spared the harpy a glance. Coal was a bit irritated by the interruption, quickly forgetting that he had interrupted in much the same way. His gaze was transfixed on Vanya. Already, she had become a worshipful figure to him. She was unbeautiful, with a rather masculine face, but he didn’t see her like the phoenix ladies he tried to tease and woo (usually without great success.) No, he didn’t see her as a lady to romance. He saw her as a great, lethal, and powerful captain, deadly, but holding the keys to mercy. It would be a mercy to him if she would condescend to allow him into her crew, and let him have the adventure he had hungered for all his life. She was the Mythic that would decide his fate.
He wanted to join her crew immediately. In fact, he was just about to make that bid, before the harpy had arrived. Now he supposed the interruption had to be dealt with, first.
Before Vanya’s awesome presence, he felt suddenly inadequate. Clearly, he must put forth his best impression. And here he was, without a shirt! This never mattered to him, no matter his company, but it might matter to Vanya. He didn’t know her prudence. He stepped gingerly across the deck as if stepping around landmines (afraid that even these timid movements would once again train a gun to his forehead) and plucked up his cloak, putting it back over his shoulders and concealing his double pecs.