Cresting Waves

The Merrow

The seasickness is better now that Zayn's not locked away in a dark cell, but it hasn't gone away completely. He keeps close to the side of the ship, clinging to the railing in fear of going overboard with every swell. At least he's not on his knees over a bucket any longer.

"Still sick, are ya?" Tommo leans up against the rail beside him, his posture open and inviting.

Zayn hums, letting his forehead fall against the smooth wood. His stomach swoops when the ship bobs rather heavily, holding his breath to stamp out the urge to vomit. He taps his foot against the deck for a distraction, and when the feeling passes he lets out a frustrated sigh.

"I'll let you in on a sailor secret. Here, stand up straight," Tommo urges, turning himself to face the open water. Zayn does as he suggests, suppressing a groan at the action.

Tommo doesn't touch him, but he does stand very close beside Zayn. "When you struggle with sea sickness, the best thing you can do for immediate relief is find a steady point to focus on. Keep your eyes on the horizon. It will always be constant."

Zayn follows Tommo's sweeping finger, slowly tracing the line where the sky meets the sea. Looking out across it is actually rather beautiful-the water glittering like waves of sapphires. He takes a deep breath, feeling his whole body relax as the tension seeps out of him. The nausea slowly ebbs away the longer he keeps his gaze across the horizon.

"Wow, uh, thanks. That's actually really helpful."

"Course it is. I am an expert, after all." Tommo steps away from Zayn's side, but only enough to put a respectable distance between them. Zayn watches him from the corner of his eye.

When the captain doesn't leave, Zayn feels as if he's expected to say something. "What are you planning to do with me?"

Tommo looks at him with eyes that match the blue of the ocean, unsettling but familiar. "Hmmm, I haven't decided yet. Our current quest is weighing on my mind a bit more presently."

"And what quest would that be?"

At this, Tommo laughs, brushing his clothes off and shaking his hair out before smoothing it back. "Unfortunately Mr. Malik, I can't let you be privy to that information just yet. I wish you best of luck with your seasickness. Remember my tip." The pirate winks, and walks away before Zayn can say a word.

It's still early in the day, and the crew stay busy around him. There's not much for Zayn to do-he'd left the book Liam had given him in his cell, and he's not very keen to go down there and retrieve it. Speaking of Liam, Zayn hasn't caught a glimpse of the man since the night before.

He looks around the deck, standing on his tiptoes and searching for Liam's bronze curls or his broad shoulders. Feeling oddly disappointed when he doesn't see the pirate, Zayn runs his fingers through his dark hair, sweeping it away from where it's fallen into his eyes. His gaze lands on a crate near the other end of the ship. Well, I guess I could sit there.

Zayn pushes it closer to the railing, in case he needs to throw up again. Settling on top of it, he tucks his hair away again and rests his head on his folded arms atop the railing. He watches the horizon for a while, trying to imagine just how far he is from home. The thought makes him tear up, so he pushes it away quickly before he becomes a blubbering mess in front of the crew of pirates. As he leans back to brush a stray tear away, something catches his eye.

There's a shadow in the water, keeping exact pace with the ship. Zayn squints, leaning forward as far as he dares to try to get a better look. Whatever it is is long, and it looks almost like-

"Thinking about diving in?"

"Christ!" Zayn jumps back, clutching his chest. "Mr. Payne. You scared me!"