Asleep // Reddie

one.

A lone figure stood on the ship deck. The beginnings of some sort of storm were stirring in the air, but this didn't seem to deter him. The figure wore a long black coat that blew in the wind, and a white shirt that he left open. He liked the way the wind could flow through him, it made him feel awake.

The salty spray of the ocean cast a fine mist over his face, his clothes, and his hair. The ocean air had a way of working its way into every crevice it could find, and it almost clung to the young man that stood silently on the edge. It made him feel like he was part of it, like the ocean was smothering him and claiming him as its own. While some may be deterred, he craved the feeling.

Richard Tozier, or Richie to his friends and crew mates, loved moments like these. Several years ago, he'd traded a life of a beggar for that of a pirate. And today, as he stood on the deck of the Queen Penny, he'd never been more certain he'd made the right decision. The streets of his "home" town had been smelly and cramped, you couldn't turn around without bumping into several other people. The sun had beat down on his head relentlessly, causing an eternal sunburn on his forehead. Richie had made a living by performing various crimes that he still didn't like talking about. Needless to say, his younger self had been itching to break out of that town.

Upon joining the ship, Richie had known it was a risk. But he'd really lucked out with this crew, and he really didn't know what he'd do without them. He was going on his, what, seventh year with the ship? And each day was an entirely new adventure.

Bill, the captain of the ship, had been with his first mate Stan when they first approached him. Richie had built a reputation on the mainland for being an expert shot and swordsman, and the crew of the Penny needed as many of those as they could get. Recently, they'd made enemies of another ship- one captained by the notorious Captain Bowers. They had hoped that Richie could help keep the ship safe. Then he'd met Bevvy, the only woman- no, person, who'd ever been able to hold their own (and beat him) in a sword match.

Along with those three, he'd met the Quartermaster, Ben. Soon after their meeting, he'd learned that Ben also doubled as Bev's sweetheart. Richie had promised Ben that his interest in Bev didn't go beyond her friendship and sword skills. His worries no longer an issue, Ben then also began a chummy relationship with Richie. Then there was Mike, the Sailing Master. Mike truly was a master at his craft- Richie had never met someone who knew their way around a compass and map quite as well as Mike. It was amazing that Bill had been able to recruit such an exceptional crew. Almost as if fate had brought them all together.

And how could he forget Eddie. The Surgeon.

Richie didn't know much about his past. He figured that Eddie came from a good family- only rich people were named "Edward". He knew that he'd been training to become a doctor, like his father. But, in their many years of friendship, Eddie had never elaborated on anything beyond that. Richie had asked once, but it had caused an outburst that Richie would rather just forget (this had been one of their only genuine arguments). So, he learned to stop prying. Although, Richie had always wondered what Eddie was running from, or if he was even running from anything.

The man was a firecracker. Their first meeting had been short, but sweet- Richie had taken his first steps on board, and had immediately crashed into the (much shorter) man. Eddie had immediately sqwaked, "watch it, asshole!", and the rest had been history. Their endless bickering led to some complaints from the rest of the crew, but it was simply how the two of them worked.

In the beginning, the two of them had been essentially forced to spend almost everyday together, whether they'd liked it or not. Richie had a habit of hurting himself, and it was Eddie's job to patch him up in the infirmary. They'd been relatively fast friends, despite Eddie's initial show of "hatred". They were the only ones who could keep up with each other's constant stream of wisecracks and insults (besides maybe Bev, but with Eddie, it was different). Eventually, they continued to spend each day together. But this time, it was by choice. And if Richie couldn't breathe when the light hit Eddie just right, or when his hair was perfectly tousled by the wind, then that was his business. He didn't want to mess this up.