Mud Puddles [Jim Hawkins x Reader]

Epilogue

Even after leaving the Royal Naval Academy, (Y/N) and Jim continued keep in touch. Being from two different planets made things tough. Corona V and Montressor, though both fortunately part of the Terran Empire, weren't exactly close. But they made it work.

Six months had passed since graduating the academy, and already Jim had been assigned to several missions out on the front line. His success was greatly celebrated, and it was rumoured that soon he may captain a crew. Though (Y/N) was quietly envious of all the action he had been catching, she was genuinely happy for his success.

Jim had been washing dishes when he heard the telltale sound of the letterbox shutting. Drying his hands, he rushed out the front door and opened the mailbox to find a letter. She was early.

But his heart slightly dropped when it wasn't (Y/N)'s name on the letter, instead the navy's insignia. He jumped up the stairs to his room and tore the seal.

.

James Hawkins

You have been assigned to the S.S. ANGEL as CAPTAIN on an INVESTIGATIVE mission in EMPIRE territory.

Report to the S.S. ANGEL at MONTRESSOR SPACE PORT on the 20TH of THIS MONTH, 0900.

ROYAL NAVY of the TERRAN EMPIRE

.

After reading the letter, Jim folded the paper and dropped it on his bedside table. The 20th was tomorrow. He sighed and thumbed through the letters sent by (Y/N). A smile tugged at his lips as he re-read her words and heard her voice in his head as if she were reading to him.

He sat down at his desk and looked through his drawers for a spare piece of parchment. Though a letter generally took just under a week to send across planets, (Y/N) would want to know about his absence just in case her letters went unanswered.

Carefully penning a letter in his best handwriting, he thought about the journey to come. The navy was unsurprisingly vague in their instructions.

The next day started far later than planned. A particularly enjoyable dream made it very difficult to wake up, and by the time Jim had regained consciousness, it was almost eleven o'clock.

Half walking, half stumbling down the stairs of the Benbow Inn as he pulled his uniform pants on, Jim quickly kissed his mother on the cheek and disappearing through the door.

"JAMES PLEIADES HAWKINS!" He heard his mother shout. Jim froze.

"Yeah, Mom?" He replied, checking his watch. Cautiously peeking his head back through the door, he met his mother's stern gaze from across the inn.

"You were about to leave for a mission without saying goodbye." Sarah put her hands on her hips. The customer she was serving, Mrs Dunwiddie, made a noise of disapproval.

Sighing, Jim walked back through the door and hugged her tightly.

"Sorry, Mom. Love you." Jim said.

"I love you too. Now go, you're already late as it is, Captain Hawkins!"

Jim let her go and sped out the door, a small rucksack slung over his shoulder. Silently, she noted how cleaner he looked in uniform. The unshaved scruff dusting his jaw didn't even look half bad -- he looked like a true spacer. Just like his father. Before she could blink he was in a longboat bound for the Montressor Spaceport.

"Tut tut. The boy's twenty and still at home? Why, all of my boy's were off and married by eighteen!" Mrs Dunwiddie reprimanded. But Sarah was quick to defend her son.

"He's been busy. I'm giving him a bit of time." Sarah replied simply. She was tempted to talk about the girl that had been over a few times, but decided against it. Mrs Dunwiddie wasn't a very patient -- or understanding -- woman.

~~~

The S.S. Angel was a magnificent ship. It took Jim a few seconds to gawk at the man o'war's sheer awesomeness.

He was going to captain that?

The fact still amazes him.

Luckily, the gangplank was still up. They weren't leaving yet. The wooden plank creaked slightly as Jim hastily ascended.

The deck was teeming with crew members, all donning the classic Royal Navy uniform. The uniformity was a stark contrast to his first experience on a fully-manned vessel, during the voyage to Treasure Planet.
Everyone was doing something: the sails were being unfurled, the deck swabbed, the supplies loaded, and so much more. It was almost overwhelming.

"Captain on deck!" A crewmate near him saluted. The rest dropped what they were doing and saluted as well.

"At ease." Jim said. Though the amount of eyes on him was mildly disconcerting, it felt right. Once they all turned back to their duties, the crewmate from before started talking to him.

"We've made sure the ropes are all secure and, since you've arrived, everyone's accounted for." The man said gruffly. He began to walk with Jim, gesturing vaguely toward the crates being pulled aboard. "At the moment the last provisions are being loaded, so we're set to depart in ten minutes."

He stopped and looked Jim in the eye.

"Do you have any questions, Captain?" The crewman asked in a clipped tone.

"Yeah, I do. Are you first mate by any chance?" Jim asked. The man looked taken aback, then amused.

"Me? No. She's up there." He pointed to the upper deck at a woman with her back to them. She was addressing a group of crew members. The woman seemed very familiar, but he had difficulty placing her features.

"Thanks." Jim said. He confidently strode up the steps.

As he approached the woman, he heard her bark orders at the men. The crew, upon seeing the captain, straightened their posture and saluted.

"At ease, gentlemen." Jim said again. How many times did he need to tell them?

The woman smiled to herself at the sound. It had been, what, two months since she had heard his voice?

Jim watched as the (H/C) turned around, and could barely suppress his grin upon seeing her familiar face. Warmth spread across his chest as (Y/N)'s bright eyes met his.

"You're finally here, Captain Hawkins. There is much to discuss."