Across the Universe

Run a Shot Across the Bow Pt. 2

We were victorious. Technically. But victorious, nonetheless. Myself and my crew laid about the freshly clean deck and drank the night away in celebration. Music was played as was friendly fights and skits. We danced and sang as we drank our ale and rum, enjoying the light attitude that came after the Iron Legion departed.

Wanda sat alone on a barrel that was leaned up against the side of the ship, holding her cup with both hands and looking forlornly out at the darkened empty sea. I looked over at her and drunkenly stood up from my seat amongst the other girls and walked over to her, taking a seat on another barrel next to her. She looked over at me briefly, acknowledging my presence, and turned back to the water.

"So...you really are a witch," I said, my voice speaking slow and the words coming out slurred. Wanda chuckled and took a small sip of her drink, a little smile gracing her lips.

"Told you so," she muttered, looking down.

"What's the matter?"

"Everyone's scared of me now. After seeing what I did to Captain Stark, they're afraid of me. Of what I can do."

I looked over to the group of girls that sat a little ways away from us. They were laughing and were completely oblivious to Wanda's feelings.

"Wanda, no one here is scared of you. You helped to save us. We'd..." I paused as I hiccupped, "be dead without you."

She didn't answer me and stared out at the ocean again. I didn't miss the tear that rolled down her face as she looked out and away from me. Without thinking, I blurted out, "I'm not scared of you."

She snapped her head back at me as another tear slid down.

"What?" she asked quietly.

"I am not scared of you, Wanda," I repeated slowly. She stared at me, confusion in her eyes, and again without thinking, I reached out and touched her face, pulling it closer to me, and pressed my lips against hers. I felt her hesitate and resist a bit, her hands coming up to gently push against my chest, but right before I was about to pull away and give her some space, she leaned into it more. Her arms wrapped around the back of my neck and mine wandered lower, cupping her breasts and coming around her waist. She hummed softly and I scooped her into my arms and carried her back to my quarters.

○○○

I woke the next morning with a start. The morning light exacerbated my alcohol induced headache and seeing Wanda's naked body next to me sent my heart on a downward spiral into my stomach. She laid on her side face me, her hands balled in little fists that gripped the sheet of my bed, dark red indents circled her wrists where the cuffs were. Her long brown hair fell loosely over her shoulder, framing her pale face and lightly brushing against her red swollen lips. Right below the tips of her hair, against the light skin of her neck, sat a dark red circle; the unmistakable mark of a hickey.

She snored softly next to me, her lips parted slightly, the golden sunlight shined against her bare skin, illuminating it in a beautiful warm glow. She stirred a bit, groaning in her sleep, and pulled the covers over her more. I released a shaky breath and jumped out of bed, stumbling and falling onto the floor as I tripped over our clothes that were strewn across the floor. Wanda quickly sat up, eyes wide with fear, and looked over at me.

"What happened?" she asked, her voice groggy and hoarse with sleep. She rubbed her eyes and gathered the sheets close to her to cover her.

"I uh...just tripped."

"Oh. Are you alright? You look...really flushed?" she asked, sitting up in the bed more on her knees and crawling towards me, stopping at the end of my side of the bed.