An Awfully Big Adventure

Chapter 11: A Straight Red Feather

About a week had passed since the night in the pixie clearing and Louis had been occasionally showing up on the ship, usually in Harry's quarters just to give him a kiss and leave. One night, he had returned Harry's sash and decided to sleep over, squishing himself into the spare space in Harry's hammock. The next morning, Harry woke up confused at the lack of Louis in his cabin or anywhere on the ship. He spent the morning moping around until sometime in the late afternoon.

As he steered the ship aimlessly across the waters, a blur of green moved through his line of vision and he felt something lightly perch on his shoulders. He looked up to see Louis' grinning face leaning over him as he sat on his knees atop Harry's shoulders. He leaned down to kiss the captain upside down and then flipped over his head to float in front of him as if he were laying on his side.

"Hello captain, how goes it?" he winked exaggeratedly.

Harry laughed and reached for Louis' cap, plucking it quickly off of his head to examine.

"What's this?" he asked, toying with the straight red feather now stuck in the cap.

Louis shrugged.

"Thought I should show a little representation. After all, your eyes match my outfit, I ought to give a little leeway," he responded.

"Why did you leave early this morning?"

"Woke up early and had an idea. Had to find the right bird. It takes a while, you know, especially to find a nice one that doesn't mind you taking a feather."

Harry caught him about the waist and turned him upright so he could kiss him. Louis wrapped his legs tightly about Harry's waist and leaned into the kiss. Harry walked backward until they were leaning back against the ship railing, and was pulling Louis closer when he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye and looked over to see Smee trying to discreetly back away belowdecks from what he'd walked into. Harry sighed and rested his head on Louis' shoulder.

"What?" Louis asked.

He just shook his head gently, but Louis was persistent.

"Harry. What?"

"Just gotta figure out what to tell Smee. He was just up here."

Louis uncoiled his legs from Harry's waist and moved back slightly.

"Is that a problem?"

"No...I just hadn't thought about Smee and Horace. I don't really know what to say...and how can I stop being Hook? Doesn't there need to be one?"

"Maybe just don't say anything. I'm not gonna talk to the Lost Boys. As for the Hook thing, I'm sure Neverland'll figure that out. It's smart."

Harry sighed.

"I guess."

~*~

"So how is it that you can understand Tink? No one else can, as far as I know," Harry asked speculatively as he ran his fingers through Louis's hair.

"I don't know. I never really thought about it. Does she even try to talk to you? She just talks to me," he shrugged and Harry grimaced as Louis's shoulder dug into his ribs.

"But she doesn't even appear to⁠—"

"Let's go for a walk."

Harry was briefly taken aback by the abrupt interruption, but he let it go and nodded.

"We're a little far away from the island right now, so it might be a bit."

"Pssh," Louis scoffed, "it's like you forget about flying."