Assassin's Creed Oneshots

Nothing Less

Adéwalé's voice rang out into the crew's ears as they scurried around the newly stolen ship.

Edward laid his hands onto the wheel of the ship as Adéwalé stepped up onto the main deck, "I've made my choice Adé. I'm calling her the Jackdaw. A sly bird I loved as a child back in Swansea." His eyes glazed over the horizon of water in front of the ship as its name rang out in Adé's ears.

"A dark little creature, no?" Edward looked at the man now, one hand still clung onto the wheel, "It didn't rub you wrong when I took this brig as mine own?" Adé chuckled as he approached the adventurous pirate, "It was a sort of rub I have learned to enjoy. Sailing among faces of such...fairness." His head tilting with some snark, implying a dark story behind the man.

Edward dipped his head down, turning away to look at the crew, "It's true. Most of these men wouldn't accept you as a Captain." Adé watched the crew as well when Edward paused, "So what fair role would compliment such...unfairness?" His tone mimicking the same as Adéwalé's. Adé paused and stepped further away from Edward to lean against the railings, "I'll be your quartermaster, nothing less."

Edward furrowed his brow, squeezing his hand to the wheel still, "Being anything more wouldn't fancy you, would it?" Adé shifted against the rails, smirking at the comment, "Experience is important I suppose." Edward turned away, regretting his odd push for flirtatious comments, "But, you seem to be a fair captain. I'll be your quartermaster aye, perhaps more, if you'll have me." Edward smiled and grasped the wheel with both hands now, "Alright. And as quartermaster, have you any immediate counsel for this tyro-captain?" Adé turned and placed his rough hands against the railings, "Rest and repast would do us good before Nassau." Edward nodded to himself as he watched Adé's movements, "Water for drinking, hunting for food and repairs." Edward mused, watching the spray of the sea, "A break from the adventures would help. Let's find somewhere to drop anchor."

Adé kept his word, the counsel he requested of Edward was fair. They rested silently in the warm night of Nassau after picking up resources and repairing certain inconsistencies on the Jackdaw.
In Edward's eyes, their choice of rest and leisure was always to be the tavern their mates flaunted and threw away all their money away at. Only for rum and women, of course. Perfect for a nice night of relaxation.

As the crew drank and sang shanties on the deck just in range of the inn, Edward and Adé reminisced on their recent adventures. The Captain swirled his shot glass in his hand as he watched the tight nit crew sing and dance on the tavern deck, "Ruffians they are, hm?" Adéwalé's voice rolled thickly off his tongue as Edward stared down at him. Adé had plopped himself into a rickety white chair with a map laying in front of him on a small round table. Edward leaned back against the inn's outer walls, tipping his head back as he finished his shot, "Aye, they are a wild lot, but useful none the less..." He paused and looked out to the sea that kissed the horizon closely, "...and crazy to the boot." Adéwalé chuckled, turning his head to gaze at Edward's face, studying its fairness and the blue eyes that nearly gleamed in the darkness, "I'd trust you to take care of the crew after their drunken adventures." Edward nodded, he'd be responsible for some of the crew getting into fights if not housed due to their troublesome addictions.

Adéwalé stood and gathered his things, approaching the inn silently, "Take care of yourself Edward." He nodded and watched Adé retract into the inn for rest. Edward wanted to sleep but couldn't shake the odd rush of wanting for alcohol, speeding up the tavern stairs before it closed out for the night. Nassau wasn't famous for closing their taverns with how many drunks would come and go for drinks and a night out. So Edward of course, drank. He drank until he couldn't feel the dizziness in his head and the slight squeeze of his armaments around his body.

He couldn't remember the feeling after that, waking up in a bent-over tree and bottles of hard liquor beneath him. Adé stood next to the man, shaking his head at the sight, "I take it you didn't fully understand my words last night?" Edward lifted off of the tree, slamming his boots onto the ground and squeezing his eyes shut as the hangover set in. He quickly stumbled, leaning onto Adé for support, almost being rejected and left on the grass until he made some sense of himself. But Adé wasn't a cruel man.

The quartermaster carried him through the crowds of people in Nassau, his front half hanging over Adé's shoulder and legs swinging behind his back. Edward fluttered his eyes open and became slightly aware of his current situation, head pounding from the blood rushing to it in his upside down position. He groaned and fiddled with his sleeves which were pulled past his elbows uncomfortably, "Don't worry Captain, the ship isn't far." Adé grasped Edward upward, his grip almost loosening when Edward's would wiggle his body in discomfort. He continued towards the Jackdaw anyway.

Adé reached the ship and, sadly, struggled to push open the Captain's cabin doors with the hungover man between one of his arms. Once he got in he gently put Edward down into the cushioned chair at his desk, ready to leave the man and retrieve the rest of the crew, with less care of course. Edward mumbled again, opening his eyes to Adéwalé hovering over him as he placed him down, "Are you leavin' me now?" Adé just smiled and shook his head as he left the drunken Captain to his quarters, turning to the doors to retrieve the rest of the crew, "I'll be back captain." And that's all he left the hungover man with, cramming his head into his arms as his headache set in further with red tinting his cheeks.