The Merman and the Prince

Chapter 8

Kuroko's Pov

I adapted to life on the Red Emperor quickly and before too long it really began to feel like home. I drifted from one job to the next, learning the ropes and what was expected of me. I had a good head for heights and was able to climb up the netting and dance across the poles with ease so Akashi set me in charge of the crow's nest and sails with Takao. Aomine and Kise took charge of training me in sword fighting, which was another thing I picked up easily. Throwing knives was my speciality but they also taught me to fight with two small swords, more the size of long daggers then anything. I had been unable to heft the heavy weight of a normal sword so they had adapted my fighting style. I had no illusions that being on a pirate ship I would see fighting however Aomine and Kise told me that I would not be in the main fighting force, they wanted me safe until I was comfortable. Akashi wouldn't want to force anything on me that I wasn't ready to do.

Midorima took charge of teaching me how to navigate through the use of the night stars or a small metal disk with a needle called a compass. He was going to teach me about telling the weather but my senses as a merman were attuned to the smallest changes in the wind and sea and I could feel the currents as if they were my own blood. It was not uncommon to see me standing on the railing, feet bare, face to the wind and calling a small course correction to run through the faster sea currents.

The biggest change was that Akashi seemed to be avoiding me. On a ship it was a difficult task to accomplish but after two weeks I realised we had only exchanged greetings or giving me orders. We had not really spoken since that night I had agreed to join his crew. I mentioned this in passing as I was helping Murasakibara dish out the dinner for the night.

"Don't worry about Akachin, he gets like that sometimes. He has a lot to think about. Our next plunder, our next port, what to do with the bounty. He has to move 'specially careful with you on board now. We don't want the hunters knowing who you are and not all pirates are as morally north as our dear captain."

I made a non-committal noise as I continued to dish out the soup. The lavender haired chef might be right but it still felt like he was avoiding me. I thought back to what had been said that night on the island and I didn't think I had done anything to make him uncomfortable. If anything, his words to me were what kept me up at night. He had said he wanted me to stay by his side. His side, not as part of the crew. I felt my cheeks warm as the person taking up my thoughts chose that minute to appear in the galley. His eyes slid over me and then straight back to Murasakibara.

"I will take my meal in my cabin. Tell Shin he is taking the first shift and I will take over after midnight."

He grabbed a bowl and I handed him a piece of bread. He mumbled his thanks without looking at me before heading back up the stairs. My stomach felt empty as I watched him walk away and a dull pain spread through my body. A flour covered hand landed on my shoulder and I looked up into a pair of kind violet eyes.

"He is just having a moment, here."

He fished out another piece of candy form one of his many pockets and handed it to me before turning back to his work. I popped the sweet into my mouth but it couldn't drive away the sour taste that Akashi's silent treatment had left.

I woke up that night, well after midnight, a bladder full of ale from dinner and went to do my business. When I returned to the pile of blankets that made up my bed under the table in the galley I found I couldn't fall asleep. The ship rocked in the waves but this time it didn't settle me. Deciding I could do with some fresh air I headed up to the deck. I shivered as the cold win hit me and pulled my jacket on. I stood in the doorway, staring up at the moon when a voice pulled me from my musings.