Better than We've Had (boyxboy)

Chapter Three

Sometime during my sleep I remember having the distinct thought that beds were a wonderful thing. I wouldn't have been able to have a night like that with Sebastian if I had a hammock. The first part with all the kissing and petting could have happened in, less than conventional ways, but not the second part. Have you ever tried to snuggle with someone in one of those tiny crew hammocks?

I witnessed sailors attempting just that many times.

My advice to them: don't.

It's not comfortable.

I woke up the next morning alone in my bed. This didn't surprise me. I knew Sebastian had to be busy as the quartermaster of this vessel. In fact, I should probably be busy too as the sailing master.

I scrambled to get dressed and then made my way to the wheel of the ship. My main duty was to steer and make sure we stayed on course to our destination. Which I still didn't know. Problem? Maybe. Hopefully they'd tell me before entrusting the wheel to me.

The boatswain was manning my position behind the wheel when I arrived. I expected him to tell me where we were headed and throw a map in my face before making a hasty retreat. And I was almost correct with my assumption.

He stepped back from the wheel allowing me to take over. "We're heading north south," he grunted out before going to leave.

"Wait," I called out just before his foot hit the steps to head down to the main deck, "tell me the real direction."

It wasn't possible to go north south. We would essentially be going in circles. "Ahh, caught that, did you?" he gave me a genuine smile and gruffly parked, "You passed the test. Real way is north north west." As far as tests went it was pretty lame. I didn't know if I should feel insulted that he even thought there was a possibility of me not knowing that he wasn't being serious with the first spoken directions. But, I guess there were all sorts that sailed with pirates, just look at me, and the needed to make sure people knew what they were dong somehow.

I was left alone to do my job. I wasn't bothered at all by them not giving me a map or disclosing a location. As long as someone continued to tell me when we needed to change course, it was fine. I understood why they were leery to trust me. They knew my history, after all. Twelve years a law-abiding sailor did not a pirate make. They didn't trust my sudden decent into piracy. Not one bit.

And I couldn't blame them.

The day passed slowly. As I steered the ship I listened to the commotion of sailors below. The grunts of labor. The barks of orders. All too soon the lunch shift rolled around.

During this time the man power on deck was cut in half as the crew took turns getting their half hour for food. After all the crew was fed, sans me, I heard someone making their way toward me. My breath caught in my throat as I saw Sebastian standing there. His hair was blowing with the wind off the sea and he gleamed with a light sweat that was testament to the hard labor he'd been doing all morning.

I gave him a tentative smile, one that also asked what he was doing up here.

He made his way over behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. My heart started beating faster both from the close contact and the fear of being spotted by a member of the crew, but I made no move to escape his embrace. Snuggling his head down into the crook of my neck he spoke, "You can go to lunch now," Sebastian all but pouted.

"I seem to be ahh," the devilish man licked my neck! "I seem to be unable to move hss at the current mo-ahh-ment."

I felt the vibrations of his deep chuckle more than I heard it. "Really?" he asked innocently like he had absolutely no idea why I couldn't move.

"Really," I echoed a tad breathless.

He gently removed my hands from the wheel and turned me around pulling me into a tight embrace. We stayed like that in each other's arms until he decided we really had to get back to our intended stations.

I mourned the loss of contact as we parted, but knew it was obviously necessary. "Go eat, I'll be here when you get back," Sebastian promised with a wink, no doubt seeing the slight frown on my face at the mere thought of leaving him.

I made my way to the little makeshift canteen where all of Intrepid's sailors ate. Immediately I was greeted by an angry little man. "'Bout time ya got here. I been waiting to scrub the pots. Get yer food an' eat."

He practically threw a bowl of sloshy looking stew in my direction. When I was nearly to one of the empty tables he lobbed a roll at my head to soak up extra broth. I drank the soup out of my bowl and went to give the emptied dish back to the cook. Also wanted to find out if there was anything to drink. He pointed me in the direction of a barrel. "Tha' has cheap wine in it. 'S'all we get."

I scrunched up my face in disgust never being the biggest fan of wine.

The cook burst out laughing. 'Better get used to it kid."

Begrudgingly I made my way over to the wine and filled my cup. I drank it slowly, holding my breath in hopes of not tasting it. But nothing could stop me from experiencing the burning sensation as it went down my throat. Still I ended up making a face of displeasure over the aftertaste.

The cook was in stitches laughing so hard. "Hey man, I like ya. What's yer name?"

"William."

"The name's Cookie." A cook named Cookie, how utterly predictable.

He took my cup and went back to washing the alarming amount of dishes the crew accrued. I headed for the door ready to get back to my navigational duties.

"Oh, an' William?" Cookie called, tone darker than any I'd heard from him thus far.

I turned to show I was listening to whatever he wanted to tell me.

"Now, I don't care who ya bugger with that oversized pecker of yours," my face immediately heated up and I had to fight my natural reaction to shield my clothed privates from his view. Then dred started to pool in my stomach from the words he had spoken. He'd heard us last night. "But if the captain finds out about ya an' him someone's gonna pay. An' you can bet yer life it ain't gonna be his brother."

I nodded my head understanding his sobering words.

"This crew has no problem in killin' a new member, especially a Molly."