Fathomless Fortunes [slash]

Chapter 7 - Secret meetings

Nicolas still couldn't believe it. There he had made such efforts to get to this infamous Captain Blake, and did already have him in his arms unknowingly.

Evan, no, Captain Blake still looked at him with that unnerving smile. "I thought you'd like to see me again? You were eager enough back in that tavern. So it's a rather convenient thing that you ended up being my cabin boy now."

"I'm sorry, Sir, erm, Captain." Nicolas finally found his voice, albeit half an octave higher than usual. "I meant no disrespect. But I would have never thought..."

"No, no one does. And I want to keep it that way." Those blue eyes turned icy. "You're part of my crew now and sworn to secrecy. If you ever breathe a word to anyone what happened in Calez - or what might happen in here - I'll have you walk the plank."

"Understood, Captain." Nicolas straightened up like he was standing in front of his admiral. Then he realized what the sentence implied. "Does that mean..."

"Talking really isn't your forte." Alastair turned around and started to unfasten his breeches. His shirt was long enough to fall down to his upper legs. When he faced Nicolas again, he held out his right arm. "What about obeying orders? I told you to help me get undressed."

Nicolas was sure that he was blushing for the first time in his life. As he was told, he started to unfasten the right cuff, fumbling a bit under the impatient gaze. Strangely, Captain Blake didn't offer him the left arm to continue, but pointed to his collar. Nicolas felt his hands get sweaty, and cursed himself silently. There he was, the Empire's decorated officer and secret agent, not even able to properly unbutton a damn pirate's shirt without flushing like a schoolboy. He took a deep breath, and finally, the layers of fabric parted under his hands. Nicolas remembered the creamy white skin, unmarred by the sun, but covered with various scars betraying a life of fighting. Back in Calez, he hadn't really noticed them, but now he felt the slight uneveness of a scar under the collarbone, dangerously close to the heart. He bent down and kissed it.

A little hitch in the even breathing told him that he should continue.

* * *

Far too early the next morning, Nicolas was woken by a rough shake. He blinked and saw Captain Blake, already fulled dressed and made up in his ghost costume.

"We've just reached our destination. You'll help John and Lucky to get fresh supplies. Clean up in here and see to it that no one sees you leaving my cabin. You may serve me tea again tonight."
Without another word, he left the cabin.

Nicolas jumped out of bed as soon as the door was closed. Although he knew that the charts were locked up in the war room, he quickly searched the room for anything remotely interesting to his mission. But there were just various clothes inside the chest. The jewellery and utensils on the desk turned out to be rather precious little pieces from all four corners of the world, but held no immediate use for Nicolas' mission. He took a deep breath. Captain Blake wasn't stupid. Of course he wouldn't have left a brand new crew member alone in here with delicate information. And if even the tiniest of golden earrings went missing from the desk, he would know for sure who had taken it. But since pirates did not steal from each other, he could leave his treasures lying around in the open.

It was no use. Nicolas looked for his own clothing and quickly put it on, then he did as he had been told and started cleaning up. There was not much to do, completing the picture of Captain Blake being a meticulous and organized person in every part of his life. Even after this night, Nicolas couldn't even think of him as anything different than "the captain", like any other crew member did. This was the perfect postion to win his trust and get on with the mission as planned, but somehow, Alastair Blake seemed to be even more out of reach than before. Under different circumstances, Nicolas might have felt being used. Captain Blake clearly had no other motivation than having a convenient bed fellow at hand who was in no position to have any further use from it. And he had realized very quickly what kind of strange effect he was having on Nicolas that made him play along willingly.