Narrator's POV
Nicholas, awkwardly clutched Joseph by whatever he could get a grip on. He gets Joe over the railing and the fall down together onto the deck in a tangled heap, spinning in such a way that Nick winds up slightly ontop of Joe.
The Quartermaster slides down the ladder from the docking bridge and sprints cross the fantail like it's a fire drill.
"Here, what's all this?" The Quartermaster asked as he pulled Nick off Joe, revealing him sobbing on the deck with his suit ripped and his dress shirt torn. He looks at Nick who had his jacket off. He starts drawing conclusions.
Two seamen jog across the deck to join them.
The Quartermaster turned to Nick "Here you! Don't you move an inch"
He turned to the seamen "Fetch the master of arms" (Master of Arms is basically a cop on a ship)
A few minutes later, Nick is being detained by the burly Master Of Arms. He handcuffed Nick and Zachary was infront of Nick obviously just rushed out to see the commotion.
Joe is hunched over crying on a bench nearby but Zac is more concerned about Nick. Zac grabs Nick by his lapels.
"What made you think that you could put your hands on my fiancé?" Nick was looking over at Joe "Look at me you filth! What did you think you were doing?" Zac said angrily.
"Zac! Stop! It was an accident!" Joe said, his voice cracking a little.
"An accident?!" Zac scoffed.
"It was stupid really I was.... leaning over and I slipped" Joe made up.
Zac raised an eyebrow.
"I was leaning over to see the.... ah! propellers but then I slipped and I would've gone overboard.... and Mr. Jonas saved me and he almost went overboard herself" Joe said.
"You wanted to see the propellers?" Zac asked rhetorically.
The master of arms turned to Nick "Is this true?"
Joe looked at Nick, pleading him with his eyes, not to say the truth.
"Uhm. Yeah. Pretty much" Nick lied. Nick looked at Joe. They now have a secret together.
"Well the boy is a hero!" The Master of Arms said as he uncuffed Nick.
Zac sees Joe shivering. "You're freezing, lets get you inside."
"Ah... maybe a little something for the boy" one of Zac's friends whispered to him.
"Ah! Right! How does a twenty sound?" Zac said to Nick
"20 pounds? Is that the going rate for saving the man you love?" Joe said in disbelief.
Zac looked at Nick "Perhaps you could join us for dinner tomorrow... to regale our group with your heroic tale?"
"Sure, count me in" Nick said.
Zac leaves, putting a protective arm around Joe and whispered "This ought to be interesting"
One of Zac's friends come up to Nick though.
"You better tie those shoes" he said.
Nick looked at his shoes.
"Interesting that the young man slipped so mighty all of a sudden but you still had time to take off your jacket and shoes. Mmm?"
His expression was bland but his eyes were cold. He turns away to catch up to his friends.
