𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 ; the sea beast

chapter 𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭.

ᵗʰᵃˡᵃˢˢᵒᵖʰⁱˡᵉ

🪼⋆.ೃ࿔*:･

[ battle of crow and red ]

𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐉𝐚𝐜𝐨𝐛'𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫, 𝐭𝐨𝐨 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐟𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐲-𝐭𝐰𝐨.

Behind you, the girl held the telescope to her eye. She glanced down at him and frowned. She hopped down, clasping her hands behind her back. 

"That ain't you no more," she stated, and he looked up at her, as you lifted your head. "You're not Jacob Holland who killed four of them beasts in a span of two days."

"It was five," he murmured.

"You're Jacob Holland who befriended a beast, saved me life, hasn't confessed his feelings to his best friend-."

"Pardon me?" you spoke up, eyes going wide.

Jacob sprung up, frantically looking between you and Maisie, as you tilted your head to him. "It's uh-,"

"-and led us all the way to Rum Pepper Island," Maisie finished as she glanced up with a cheeky smile, holding out her arm. The girl giggled as she ran off to the front of Red, and you were quick to follow, cheeks heating up as if they had been kissed by the sun, even though it was overcast. 

Jacob stood, mumbling, "We made it." He followed your path, dodging to stand on the other side of Maisie, seeing your blushing state. He knew you were not one to mess with when flustered. "This is as far as Red goes. Won't be safe for her beyond the Dregmorr, but we can flag a passing ship."

Maisie gripped the telescope in her small fingers, "And then what?"

He looked away, gesturing lightly. "Well, then we'll, uh, take you to Guelston, won't we?" Jacob watched as your face dropped, staring down at a saddened Maisie beside you.

"And... what about you? And you?" You exhaled softly as she looked at you. Jacob sighed, and Maisie turned, slowly walking off. She sat down on Red's hide, her legs swaying. "Guelston is a place. It ain't a family. I ain't going back there, and you two ain't going back on that ship. So, all you have is me. And all I have is you. And that don't sound so bad." You and Jacob moved, sitting on either side of her as she folded her knees, resting her chin against them. "So, what do you say? Should we give it a go?"

"You mean, uh..." Jacob trailed off. "You mean, like a family?"

"Sure." She glanced away. "I-I don't know. Maybe if we pretend long enough, it could feel real?"
When neither of you responded, she snapped her head forward, brows furrowing in anger. "Never mind. It's stupid."

"Maisie, it's not stupid," you sighed.

Jacob propped his hand on his thigh as he looked down at her. "What, are you picturing us on a farm or something?"