Tainted Tides

Chapter 4

*Ant's POV*

The lifeboat drifted away from the border between the lively ocean and the tainted tides. The massacre shrunk into the horizon, but it's presence commanded our attention as long as we could see it.

Not a word was spoken as we watched the floating remains of our sunken ship sink into the horizon, along with the torsos of our crew. I turned my attention to the boy accompanying me and let the situation set in.

Fuck.

Why did I save him??

All his presence did for me was make my life complicated. If looks could cause pain, he would be feeling like he'd been hit with a bat on the back of his head based on my glare.  I watched him as he stared out into the vast ocean in complete silence, my annoyance with his presence growing constantly. Just as I was about to express my annoyance, Dec turned to look at me.

I saw tears streaming down from his glistening green eyes and I felt my heart break and my annoyance slip away.

Why do I care???

As our eyes met, I noticed a look of desperation and determination, intertwined in his irises.

"Are you okay, Dec?" I asked.

Dec's face hardened into a glare, his emotion still clear in his eyes.

"How-how did you do that. How did you know?!" He asked, attempting to mask his broken tone. "How does the kid who didn't know what the Sverdhvalur was two nights ago suddenly know how to escape it?!"

I sighed and dragged my vision away from his. "It's not important Dec. I asked if you were okay."

Dec looked down at his hands, which were red and likely in pain from the forceful rowing and whispered, "I- I'm okay.... How.... How am I okay..." Tears began spilling from his eyes, once again shattering my heart inexplicably. I acted on the urge to pull Dec into a hug, letting him nestle his face into my chest and cry. I expected the sobs to die down within a few minutes but they continued for the better part of an hour. Something was wrong with Dec and it felt like my responsibility to figure out what.

When the sobs eventually subsided, Dec pulled away slowly, wiped his tears on his sleeve, and lightly pulled his cap down to hide his eyes before whispering, "Thank you. Thank you for everything"

I released him for my hold and let him sit beside as he fell asleep on my shoulder.

The shock of the situation would have to wear out eventually.

*Dec's POV*

I woke up to the gentle sway of the ship with the vivid dream of my ship being massacred engrained into my brain. I was exhausted and, for the life of me, could not remember why. Without opening my eyes, I nuzzled into my warm pillow, letting the hypnotic rocking of my ship lull me back to sleep.

It was all just a dream...

Slowly, my pillow moved. I felt an arm wrap around me into a comforting hold. My exhausted mind urged me to snuggle deeper into the warmth before it brought my attention back to reality.

Pillows. Don't. Move.

Pillows. Don't. Have. Arms.

Fuck.

My mind swam with the idea that I'd slept with a subordinate. Even worse, I'd slept with a subordinate In an ALL MALE CREW.

FUCK.