Sham of the Sea

Chapter 37

Y/N's mother had easily let them go, providing them with the maximum of provisions she could spare and calmly waved her hand after their retreating bodies until they were out of sight. Tikki had been a bit more sassy, telling Jennie to bring some fancy souvenirs and take good care of Y/N or so help her. The little girl was adorable. Jennie had told her she was glad such a strong little dwarf protected Y/N.

So it was only a few hours later that Jennie found herself walking next to Y/N on her useless land legs, looking out over the flat meadows with the little houses strewn all about. Further down the way, some forest was showing, the trees looking old and menacing. Jennie was not used to trees.

The captain always wondered if her crew was here somewhere or if some of them had managed to be captured somehow. If they had luck, they also may have found someone who was not out for their heads, instead taking mercy on their stranded souls. Jennie for sure hoped nobody uselessly drew attention to herself.

"Tell me what happened?"

Jennie looked up at Y/N, completely detesting the height the other had on her and just sighed deeply, thinking back to that day a week ago. "We got into that storm. It's nothing unusual; there are often storms out at sea. Minji normally takes us around them, but somehow, we managed to get caught up in it. We were being followed already." she lifted one arm to settle around Y/N's waist, enjoying its tiny size underneath her fingers. Y/N got the invitation, leaning more into the other's side while they were walking.

"We sailed right in with the hopes of losing them there. Well, we did not. Instead, there was basically another pirate ship doing the same, and everything came together and we sunk. It's not the first time it happened to me, so it's not that tragic, buta specific we need a new ship now and my hands are all over the place."

Y/N nodded slowly, and Jennie could see the gears working behind her pretty face, her eyes unsure. "Are you even sure everybody survived? I don't seek to worry you, but..."

Jennie playfully squeezed Y/N's waist, seeing the woman blush all over again. How was she so shy as if they had just met yet? She was literally taking care of Jennie's kid for her by now!

"They got an ace up their sleeves, remember? Speaking of that, how did you deal with your shadow? I will search for another poison if she annoys you." Jenne was quite sure that her incompetent crew had managed. They were much too stubborn to die of being sunken.

Y/N straightened up a bit, a peculiar glint appearing in her eyes. Jennie slowed her steps a bit to better watch Y/N grin manically to herself, feeling a gleeful grin spread on her own lips. Jennie's hand slipped down lower to settle on the hilt of the sword the other woman was wearing quite comfortably around her hip. It suited her.

"I discovered a few things about them. I'll be happy to teach them to you." Y/N giggled to herself just a bit evilly, and Jennie had to laugh too, pulling her in close. Y/N had always had these weird little habits.

"Sure, teach me anythin'. I can teach ye some new things too." Jennie made sure to drop her voice a bit in order to see Y/N shudder, have an excuse to pull her even closer. The woman was pliant under her touch, oh so trusting, and Jennie again asked herself how she did not die of boredom in these past two years. "What did you do all this time? Swabbing the whole town?"

Y/N merely rolled her eyes at the pirate, kicking some pebbles away in that badass way of hers. And right after she looked as if she wanted to apologise to the grass, they had landed on. "Doing what I always do. Baking bread, caring for mom. Now also caring for Tikki. Meeting with mom's new lover, reading some books she lent me... Practicing how to fight- Actually, I did a lot of things I normally don't do."