my darling, pirate // fish and chips fanfic

chapter three - a pirate

"And now you take this rope and you pull it", Chip said and watched as Gill pulled on it, unfurling the main sail, as they took off to Allport this morning.
Gillions eyes sparked with something like excitement when he felt the sail catch wind and pull the ship forward.
"Good job", Chip said and nudged his arm, before taking the rope from him, "Now watch this"

Slowly he wrapped the rope around a metal ring before tying a knot, making sure it wouldn't come loose.
"And now you try with-", he pulled on another rope unfurling another sail, "This one"
Unsure Gillion took it, wrapped it around another metal hook on the railing, but he couldn't get the knot right, hands shaking more with every failed attempt.
"Hey, it's okay", Chip said, when he noticed and took Gill's hands into his, "Let's do it together" "I'm sorry", Gill mumbled, tears in his eyes. "No worries, it's all good. No need to panic.", Chip said and took the rope in one hand before hugging Gill with the free arm, "We'll just do it together, it's a hard knot."
"Okay", Gill said, quickly wiping off a tear that had slowly rolled down his cheek.

Together they tied it, step by step and after Chip undid it and asked Gill to try again.
Very slowly and shaky he did it and as he turned to Chip he didn't look into disappointed eyes, that still didn't deem him good enough, he looked into eyes that sparked with excitement and pride.
"See? I told you, you could do it", Chip said and Gill smiled, felt more tears in his eyes. This felt nice. It felt so incredibly nice.
"What's wrong?", Chip then asked, hand reached for his cheek and wiping the tears.
"It's just nice to be good enough", Gill said and smiled despite the tears.

On the other side of the deck Elizabeth woke up, by getting kicked down the helm onto the main deck. "Fuck!", she cussed and rubbed her arm before looking up.
"Good morning, sunshine", Jay said smug and smirked. "Who the fuck let you out of that cell?", Elizabeth asked and Jay shrugged. "My uncle", she replied as she loaded a new magazine into her gun.
"Uncle?", Lizzie asked and Jay nodded towards Drey. "Saw his pin yesterday when he brought me into the cell, remembered my uncle Drey who taught me how to shoot when I was a kid", she said, "Turns out he didn't die like my dad said"

"So you're trained by sure shot too?", Lizzie asked and watched Jay come down to the deck. "It's been a bit, but yes", Jay replied and then she helped Lizzie up from the ground, "And I wanted to ask if I could get some of your clothes till I can get some in Allport." "You plan on staying for longer?"
"Maybe", Jay said and Lizzie looked down at her. "You don't wanna go straight back?"
"I kind of enjoyed the festivities yesterday.", she replied, "And the freedom you have seems amazing"

"It is, now come on. I'll get you some stuff you can move and breath in, that dress looks uncomfortable.", Elizabeth mumbled while looking her up and down. The red and gold fabric was floating over the deck as Jay moved, made a soft noise as she ruffled her skirt up to holster the gun.
"Thank you", she said and followed Liz into the quarters, "Could you help me undo the corset, it's so tight"
Lizzie quickly undid the ribbons and stopped for a second. "Who tied this? This seems like an attempt on your life"
"My handmaid", she said and sighed as she finally took it off, "Oh thank the gods"

"You should've said something earlier, I could've helped you yesterday", Lizzie mumbled and Jay put the corset aside.
"Yesterday I was scared for my life", Jay said and Lizzie chuckled. "With a corset that tight I'd be scared for my life too"
"You're an idiot", Jay replied and the brunette shook her head smiling, as she tossed the redhead a pair of formfitting pants and a loose cotton shirt.

"I have a spare pair of boots over there at the door, you can't properly move in high heels", she said and Jay nodded. "Thank you"
"No problem", Liz replied and just as she did Jay started to undress. She was used to maidens seeing her undress, so she was unbothered and didn't even notice the deep red blush on Elizabeths face.
She quickly got dressed again, tied her gun holster around her thigh and then looked up at Lizzie as she tied her hair up into a ponytail. "What?"
Elizabeth panicked and looked away.
"Nothing", she quickly said and opened the door, "Let's go on deck, I don't believe that you shoot good like Drey"

Jay smirked and walked past her.
"I'll teach you a little something", she said and up on the deck Elizabeth put up an apple on the tip of the bow.
"Try hitting that", she shouted over half the deck and Jay at the center mast pulled the gun out, loaded it and within a second she took aim and fired two shots.
The first one hit the apple dead on and the other one shot hit the next target Lizzie held in her hand and made it fly over board.
She smiled and holstered the gun.
"Try replicating that", she replied just as loudly and laughed at Lizzies stunned look.

Drey walked up to Jay and ruffled her hair.
"Good job, little niece", he said and she smiled almost proud. "Learned from the best", she replied and hugged him, "I'm glad you're still alive. I missed you" "I missed you too, kid", he said and held her for a moment, "But I couldn't deal with the corruption our family puts on the world." "Corruption?" "The Navy spreads like the plague, they're looking to reign over the world", Drey said, "I couldn't stand by and watch, that's why I left. That and the freedom. Ferins have the eagle as a symbol, but don't you dare spread your wings and reach for the sky."

Jay slowly let go of him, remembered the etiquette training, the lessons for behavior like flashes in her minds eye.
"You're right. I didn't enjoy that either.", she said and looked up at him, "Glad to be here"
"Do I smell a princess turning pirate?", Lizzie suddenly asked from behind her und Jay let out an almost overwhelmed chuckle and sighed. "I don't know yet, but... I see it as a possibility", she said, "We'll see"