Drifting (Larry au)

Part II

Louis awakes to a loud banging on his cabin door, he reckons immediately that he has overslept, but whoever is doing the banging doesn't give him the decency of even pulling on his trousers.

''Tomlinson you'r late again...I uh... Saw you at the cellar last night with that prince '' Liam's voice stops still in it's tracks ''Er sorry Tommo, didn't realise you were making the most of the spoils, didn't take you for that sort.. but..'' Liam shrugs although he looks slightly uneasy.

"Hey shut it, I wasn't like.. "

Louis groans in a dramatic tone, he is actually quite annoyed at the insinuation that he would take advantage of the young prince, or worse outright assault him.

'Harry needed somewhere to sleep, I couldn't very well leave him up on deck could I... You said he couldnt stay at the quaters so.. and I wasn't sure he should be left with the crew, I mean... ''

he stops unsure if the Captain gives two fucks seeing as he intends to sell Harry to the highest bidder nevertheless, not that Louis really imagines any of Liam's crew would go as far as assault,  but then again he wouldn't want to pin Harry's safety on it, the men don't seem that barbaric but they are only human and at sea for great lengths without sexual release, he doesn't want to put temptation in their way, Harry after all is quite uniquely innocent for a wealthy royal that privileged, minus the part where he ruined Louis' trust in anything so pure .

Louis Joins Liam up on deck leaving Harry bound in the cellar,  he'll be back soon with breakfast and he imagines that Harry could do with all the rest he can get.

''So, we're headed for tortuga I believe it'll be the best bet for ridding ourselves of the Royal and making a pretty Penny'' Louis turns away from Liam at the mention of traficcking Harry, the more he ponders on it the more disturbing it  becomes, Louis puts it down to not having always being a pirate, that one day not too far into his past he was just a normal person in the crowd, and selling people was simply a terrifying disgusting notion.

''How long have you been a pirate Liam?''

Louis isn't sure where the confidence to ask that question came from. He knows Liam well enough but it's still an intrusive question into his firends past that he has never pryed into previously.

''All of my life'' Liam answers him almost instantaneously, not hesitating once before answering, quite to Louis' surprise.

''I started out as a cabin boy on a ship my father was on. He got scurvy and passed away when I was 12, I got lucky, the Captain kept me on, said I was a good strong lad and that I would make every bit a very capable pirate. He was shot when I was 16 in the middle of a raid, I was always a favorite of his he never had kids of his own so I figure maybe...maybe he kinda saw himself as my mentor, ya know what with me having no dad and him having no kids."

Liam sighed, closing his eyes and messaging his temple, before continuing.

" Anyway, after he was shot I ended up being second in command, not even sure how it hapened really. I just kind of assisted the new Captiain until his own untimely death.... malaria... terrible but he never had a very strong consitution.... anyway because he never made anyone else second.. I guess I became Captain by default... and I'm still alive and thus far my crew haven't mutinied so I'm still Captain.''

Louis is slightly shocked by the in depth revelation, He guesses he never asked before so why should Liam divulge, but it doesn't seem like he views his past as any great secret and heaven knows Louis has revealed a great deal about himself whilst he has been aboard... too much actually... hence poor Harry's current predicament.