I'll admit, this was a bit of a struggle to write but fun to play around with nonetheless. I hope I did justice to the prompt
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"How long is it going to take?" I asked. It'd been two weeks since we'd boarded the air ship and I was starting to think that we were lost or something.
If only that aristocrat, Rafes, hadn't tricked us, we wouldn't have to leave our homeland in search of friendly territory.
He'd posed as a ragamuffin, gained our trust and then portrayed our intentions in a twisted way to the masses only to have them wanting to hunt us down.
Little did they know that Rafes himself was the one with the vile intentions.
"Just a few more minutes," Marz grumbled for the umpteenth time, studying the map closely. He walked over to the stern and stood next to Maria tracing a path across the map with his finger.
"Change course to 15 degrees North," Maria shouted after her discussion with Marz ended.
I snickered as men twice her size scampered about trying to fulfill her orders.
Wrong move. Maria raised her eyebrow at me and left the stern coming to stand by my side.
Avoiding her penetrating gaze I leaned against the railing staring out as the ship streamlined through the clouds, full speed ahead. She mimicked my actions, her slightly torn coat sleeves picking up the rhythm of the wind.
"And what are you laughing over lover boy?" she said, a smirk gracing her lips as she used the nickname that she knew I wasn't very fond of.
I groaned. Not this again.
"The nickname isn't valid. You flirted with me, not the other way around."
"And you reciprocated remember?"
"You threatened to cut my private parts off if I didn't!" I shot back, referring to the first time we met.
I'd been shocked by her apparel at the time, not used to seeing a woman dressed in trench coats and boots which concealed knives and guns that I'd been well acquainted with over the time we'd spent together. Combined with a hat and pendant with an undecipherable symbol, her attire certainly wasn't very modest, but had a rugged appeal to it nontheless.
Now the fashion seemed common enough given the recent company we'd had. In fact, Maria's outfit had looked classier than most of those who'd been in attendance.
"Hm, true, but that's not the only reason behind your nickname," she winked, leaning her back against the railing and glancing towards the cabin.
I turned around following her gaze only to find myself looking at Serena, my cheeks colouring against my will.
"Are you implying something?" I all but stuttered averting my eyes from her.
"The blush tells me you know what I'm talking about," Maria grinned impishly.
"It's not a blush! It's just t-too chilly up here," I rubbed my shoulders to add emphasis.
"Well Lover boy-"
"Adrian, the name's Adrian for heaven's sake."
"Fine Adrian," she enunciated each syllable of my name, "You better go talk to Serena before she slips right out of your hands. You're not the only one on this ship who's been eyeing her," she nodded towards someone at the far corner of the vessel with a look of disgust on her face.
