Lost boy || Prince Caspian

11

Otto jerked awake with a muffled gasp. He flinched, almost falling out of the hammock if it weren't for the arms wrapped around his waist. They tightened and pulled him closer. A voice shushing him gently as his head nuzzled into a shoulder. Otto took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, trying to calm his pulsing heart. He breathed slowly for several minutes. Until his jittery pulse slowed and he was limp in the warm arms. Caspian's arms kept their reassuring hold round his waist as Otto gripped his shirt. Around them the sounds of snoring from the rest of the crew echoed round the ship. The darkness a solid comforting blanket around them.

"Sorry for waking you", Otto muttered in a whisper. He felt the vibration of Caspian's answering hum.

"You talk in your sleep when you have a nightmare".

"Do I?" Otto grimaced. "Sorry".

"No. It's cute. But it sounded like quite a bad nightmare". Caspian reached out and placed a soothing hand on Otto's cheek, fingers rubbing the floppy hair out of his face. Otto closed his eyes at the touch. His own hands snaking around the other man's waist and hugging him closer. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No". The nightmare was too fresh in his mind. "Just keep holding me". Caspian's arms tightened and they spent a moment in silence. Their hammock rocking in time with the ship bobbing along the sea. "How did I wake you?" He asked curiously.

"You were muttering about a thing called sirens in my ear". Otto could head Caspian's confused tone and practically picture the frown. "Air raid sirens? Things called bombs. I guess it was something from your world".

Otto winced and felt Caspian's thumb trace over his cheek bone, noting the change in expression. "Yeah. Unpleasant memories from my world". Caspian hummed softly and began rubbing circles into his scalp. Otto whined at the touch and sighed deeply. His fingers gently playing with the long strands of Caspian's hair as they took a moment of quiet.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The question was soft and hesitant. Caspian watching him in the dark for any more signs of distress.

Otto shook his head. "Not yet. Maybe someday I will be able to talk about it more. It's the same reason why you don't talk about your parents often. It hurts".

Caspian nodded in acceptance and shifted up to press a kiss to Otto's forehead. "Go back to sleep", he muttered, accent thick and as comforting as a blanket. Otto pressed closer and closed his eyes. The ship rocking gently and Caspian's weight in his arms pulling him back down to Morpheus' land.

——

Otto squinted out over the blue expanse of sea. The steady wood of the crows nest under his feet as the breeze rippled through his hair and tugged on his (Caspian's) shirt. Ahead in the distance was the thin stretch of green. An island ahead with smaller ones dotted out in front of it to form a small enclosed cove. Almost like a harbour. He leaned out over the rail to peer down at the small figures of the crew below. Caspian's long dark hair was obvious from where he was stood at the wheel with Drinian. The king and the captain talking about something as the crew worked around them. Edmund was in his usual seat. The sword on his lap and the newly polished metal glinted in the golden light of sunset.

Up ahead the island looked peaceful as they drew near. Green and lush with golden Sandy beaches. Even the sea was calm and still around it. "Land ahead!!" Otto's voice echoed down as he tipped forwards over the wooden rail. Caspian looked up to see him leaning down, feet on their tip toes in the basket and hands gripping the wood. Otto's face split in a cheeky grin as their eyes met. Caspian visibly sighed and shook his head at the reckless behaviour before taking out a eyeglass and turning towards the direction of the island. Otto chuckled before planting his feet firmly on the wood again and turning to climb down the rigging.

When he reached the quarter deck Edmund was already at Caspian's side. "It looks uninhabited", the king remarked, still peering through the eyeglass. They had sailed nearer during the time it had taken Otto to climb down. Now the island was only a few miles away. Close enough for the long strip of black to be visible through the glass. "But if the lords followed the mist east, they would have stopped here".

"Could be a trap", Drinian voiced.

"Or it could hold some answers", Edmund added. The boy turned. "Caspian?"

Caspian shut the eyeglass and handed it to Drinian. "We'll spend the night on shore, scour the island in the morning", he decided.

"Yes your majesty".

Caspian then turned to Otto. "And you", he smirked, pointing with a finger. "Stop making me think that you're going to fall. I have half a mind to ban you from the crows nest before you actually fall".

Otto rolled his eyes at the gentle chastisement but couldn't stop the smile from pulling at his lips. "Yes your majesty sir", he drawled and bowed with a wave of his hand. Caspian laughed and reached towards him to ruffle his hair. Otto ducked under the hand and reached up to ruffle Caspian's hair instead. The king huffed in annoyance and redoubled his attack. Otto laughing as he batted the hands away and fled down the steps.

"Otto!" Caspian called as he gave case. Up on the quarter deck, Edmund snorted as he watched the two men grab at each other. His snort them turned into laughter as Otto's foot caught on a coil of rope and the Sandy haired man went down. Caspian unable to avoid him, also went sprawling. Their playful fight dissolving into ridiculous wrestling match of flailing limbs. Various crew members had stopped to watch as the two men flailed at each other. Both of them wearing silly grins and letting out yelps whenever the other gained the upper hand.

After a few minutes Caspian succeeded in getting Otto into a headlock and was aggressively ruffling his hair. "Uncle! Uncle!" Otto giggled. "I yield! Caspian! I yield".

"Ha!" Caspian beamed with victory as he stood up and let Otto go. The boy held up and hand and Caspian pulled him to his feet. Both flushed and panting.

"Your majesty's", Drinian called pointedly, one eyebrow raised. Caspian and Otto turned to him guiltily. "If you are quite finished".

"Ah right. My apologies Drinian", Caspian nodded. Otto chuckled behind him, face a mask of innocence. Caspian shot him a look and the Sandy haired boy beamed.

Drinian sighed fondly. "Alright men!" He called out. "Get ready to spend the night on shore". The crew began moving again. As Edmund descended the steps, he spotted Caspian hissing something to Otto. The boy bared his teeth in return and tugged on Caspian's sleeve. Caspian laughed and pulled Otto closer to press a peck to his lips. Otto's playful fighting melting at the touch and his smile turned soft.

Unedited

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