the only solution was to stand and fight

The name's Sebastian. I'm nineteen years old and part of the crew of Andromeda's Curse, mightiest ship on the sea.

[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

Fighting Lessons | Christophe/Sebastian

[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

Christophe watched the teen pick up a blade. He could tell just by his stance that Sebastian was unsure of himself. “I haven’t the faintest idea how to go about this,” the brunette laughed nervously as he placed the sword back down.

"Most of the crew doesn’t know how to pick a blade." The Frenchman reassured. He stepped closed to Sebastian, turning toward the mattress to get a better look at the weapons. "They take the first sword they see and throw it around. It’s a wonder we didn’t lose anyone in the last battle." He sighed deeply. "No one respects the art of swordsmanship."

He chewed the inside of his lip. Christophe would brush his fingers over a weapon, glance over at Sebastian, then decide on another. It was of utmost importance that the teen left the room with a sturdy blade and the knowledge of how to use it. The blonde had seen plenty of gory deaths, but seeing his companion wounded was enough to make him sick. He’d sometimes recall the sight of the teen holding his side, hot, thick crimson bubbling through his fingers. Christophe swore to himself that he would never allow the boy to be so severely injured again. 

After a minute or so, the Frenchman picked up a cutlass. He’d stolen it from a Navy ship a few years back. It was strong and its’ blade was sharpened to a lethal edge. The bell guard was polished gold. “Try this.” He said, handing the blade to Sebastian. His fingers brushed the boy’s. He hand to snatch his hand back to keep from blushing.  

[sebastianonthesea]

Sebastian watched as Christophe surveyed each blade spread across the bed and his nerves seemed to ease. He'd thought the rest of the crew must be experts by now, him being the one miserable exception. Well, despite what Christophe said almost everyone else had been able to hold their own during the last battle while Sebastian ended up out of commission for weeks. The art of swordsmanship was one he decided he needed to become very intimate with.

He took the cutlass from Christophe and measured the weight in his hand. It felt oddly comfortable, he thought, as he curled his long fingers around the handle. It was certainly a better fit than the weapon he'd grabbed at random just as the battle had begun. "Now what?" Sebastian asked, giving the blade a playful swish. He had no knowledge of stance or etiquette. In fact his knowledge ended just about at which end to stick the enemy with.

Sebastian's comfort with Christophe was growing at an alarming rate and his level of trust was raising as well. He had no concerns about these lessons, knowing without a doubt that Christophe would not lead him astray. He even thought that perhaps they could put all awkwardness firmly behind them and continue in a sort of mentorship instead. Still, thoughts lingered in the back of his mind, of what their relationship might be like had circumstances been different and the thoughts lead a blush to his cheeks.

[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

Fighting Lessons | Christophe/Sebastian

[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

Christophe pulled open the door to reveal a familiar face framed by curling, chocolate locks.

"Sebastian!" He smiled brightly. He slipped an arm around the boy’s shoulders and walked him in. Almost immediately, he wished to pull his hand back, but if he did, the teen might suspect something. Suspect that the Frenchman craved more contact. "I hope you’re ready, lad. We’ve many things to go over."

Before their meeting, Christophe had had a few drinks. Not enough to send him over the edge. He just needed a slight buzz to keep his temper at bay. He’d struggled with his alcohol abuse for years. Since he first joined Andromeda’s Curse.

He stopped beside the bed. “First things first, you need to pick a sword.”

[sebastianonthesea]

Sebastian was taken by surprise by the immediate contact and enthusiasm but decided to simply roll with it as Christophe walked him into the room. Chrisophe's quarters were in much better condition than he'd ever seen them, even the first night. There weren't even any gold coins strewn across the desk and loose maps and papers had been tucked away as well.

They walked towards the bed where a selection of swords was laid out neatly. Sebastian walked towards them and furrowed his brow. He had absolutely no idea how to go about this. He picked up the one closest to him and tested the weight in his hand for a start. After holding it awkwardly for a few moments he let out a laugh and turned to Christophe. "I haven't the faintest idea how to go about this."

Sebastian set the sword back down very carefully and hoped Christophe would continue to take pity on his lack of experience rather than decide enough was enough and throw him overboard for being awful pirate material. Though their friendship had grown, Sebastian still felt quite nervous around the first mate.

[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

Fighting Lessons | Christophe/Sebastian

Christophe had been busy preparing for the past few hours. His room had been scrubbed down multiple times since his sobriety incident, but he’d tidied it up extensively himself. The bottles were pushed back on their shelves and the loose coins were tucked away in drawers. Placed thoughtfully on his bed was his collection of swords.

Rapiers, smallswords, and cutlasses littered the mattress. His blade of choice was a saber. When he was still living in France, his parents had had a custom sword smithed for his thirteenth birthday. It’s hilt was ornate and golden leafed, the blade long and sharp. Whenever Andromeda’s Curse ported Christophe would make a point to have the saber sharpened and shined.

The first mate had arranged for Sebastian’s fighting lesson to be tonight. He spoke with the quarter master and had the teen’s look out shift be given to another crew member. 

A few weeks had passed since their conversation in the crow’s nest. Christophe had made a point of talking to the boy whenever he had time. It was all part of his weak attempt to sort through his emotions. He’d finally come to the conclusion that he had in fact been attracted to the Englishman. Because of the alcohol.

Only because of the alcohol. 

It wasn’t like he’d laid in in bed thinking of Sebastian’s slender frame and warm hands. He surely didn’t devote his few and far between dreams to fantasies of the two of them enveloped by passion. And he most certainly wasn’t looking forward to spending some time alone with the teen.

Before his mind was allowed to wander, there was a knock. With a deep breath, nervous breath, Christophe walked over and opened the door.

[sebastianonthesea]

Sebastian had been oddly nervous in the time leading up to his private lesson with Christophe. Though the two had been spending quite some time together, they'd rarely been alone. Andromeda's Curse could feel awfully crowded at times, though it seemed to be completely empty as Sebastian made his way to Christophe's quarters. He'd so far only gained foul memories of the place. He hoped tonight would change the trend.

Christophe had been proving to be a valuable friend. He seemed to have an answer prepared for all of Sebastian's seemingly stupid questions about life at sea. His presence put Sebastian at ease, even if he was across the room and not interacting with him at all. As each week past Sebastian felt more and more like he was finding his footing on board the ship and any doubts and regrets he had were slowly but surely fading away.

Though Sebastian had been put to task with simpler work due to his wounds, he'd made the best of his down time and explored the ship thoroughly. There was no confusion as to the location of Christophe's room and he trekked there on steady feet, though that was about the only part of him that felt steady. He thought back to their very first night, the first time Sebastian had made this journey, though he'd been much less sober. His only regret in the happenings of that night came in the form of the disgust he was faced with in the aftermath. He wondered what it would be like if things were different, if Christophe had enjoyed himself as much as he had. Sebastian was used to arrangements of the temporary sort, but that had been back home where it was easy to avoid people if needed. Would they have let the one night stand or would they have continued on, out of want or close quarters?

Sebastian shook the thoughts from his head. It didn't do him well do dwell on impossibilities. Christophe's feelings had been made quite clear and as far as anyone was to know, Sebastian felt the same level of disgust at their entanglement. Tonight would be nothing but innocent. Just the first mate doing his job. With this in mind, Sebastian knocked on the door.

[sebastianonthesea]

Night Watch | Christophe/ Sebastian

[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

Though he chuckled when Sebastian pantomimed a sword fight, Christophe couldn’t believe that the teen had never handled a weapon before. The Frenchman was practically born with a sword in his hand. He took lessons throughout his entire childhood and practiced his strikes everyday. Being good with a blade was essential to surviving on a pirate’s ship, and Christophe was know as a savant.

"Never?" He gasped, genuinely intrigued. Pushing himself closer to the boy, he looked into his icy blue eyes to see if he was joking. Sebastian wasn’t, to the blonde’s horror. "That won’t do. You can’t call yourself a pirate without knowing your way about a sword."

Christophe was much more relaxed now. He was talking about something he knew more than his fair share of. He was passionate about the art of the dual, and he liked nothing more than having a good drink whilst sparing.

"Once your side has healed enough," the Frenchman continued, settling back down so he wasn’t so close to his companion. "I shall teach you to fight."

[sebastianonthesea]

"There was never any reason for it back home. Not much of a need for a sword when you're dancing or working for your father." Sebastian explained with a shrug. But Christophe was right, he couldn't call himself a pirate.

"Would you?" He smiled at the offer. "You'll have to promise not to laugh at me. I'm sure I'm awful to someone who actually knows what they're doing." He felt strangely at ease in the presence of someone who only too recently had been shoving and yelling at him. The air between them was...friendly and that made Sebastian feel warm. He was almost excited to learn to fight with Christophe's help, though he wondered how long it would take for him to be comfortable with intentionally hurting another human.

[sebastianonthesea]

Night Watch | Christophe/ Sebastian

[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

Christophe chuckled, not so much because he found the comment funny but more as an attempt to lift the mood.

"It is lovely. I love the stars. They are like paintings in the sky." He rested the back of his skull against the mast, peering up at the celestial art above him. The Frenchman wanted to focus on anything but the teen beside him. They were so close he could feel the heat radiating off his warm body.

Something occurred to him suddenly. He turned to face Sebastian, blonde hair blowing gently in the wind. “That was your first battle, mon ami. How did you fair?” 

Swordplay was always one of Christophe’s passions. He loved to learn and teach the ways of the blade. He saw it like a dance; a pouncing tiger and a fleeting swan. “Are you fast with your cutlass? Or do you prefer slower, more powerful blows?”

He could feel himself becoming excited. He wanted to hear how his new “friend” (He wasn’t sure what his relationship with the teen was) worked with his blade.

[sebastianonthesea]

Sebastian agreed, the sky was beautiful. The sky was beautiful at home too but even more so stretched over the open water. Sebastian too had his head against the mast, eyes up at the stars.

"I'm not entirely certain what any of the words you're saying mean." Sebastian laughed fully now, mostly at himself. "I'd never handled a weapon before. To be quite honest, I sort us just...swung a bit and stabbed a bit." At his he tried to recreate the motion with his hand, stabbing sloppily through the air.

"I took a few men down but my swordsmanship is definitely not refined by any means. Perhaps I am an invalid after all." Sebastian shook his head and looked to his feet. Just as he was beginning to feel at home, it was hitting him just how much he didn't truly fit. He'd never hurt another human physically, never even wielded the tools to do so, never looted, never even been to a brothel. He wasn't a pirate. He was a boy from a small town with no useful experience and an apparent lack of self control.

His head was swimming with doubt but he supposed such feelings didn't matter when they were so far from shore. His only other choice would be to dive into the sea and he's not sure what problems that would solve. Although, it certainly would eliminate the tension between him and Christophe.

[sebastianonthesea]

Night Watch | Christophe/ Sebastian

[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

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[sebastianonthesea]

"Is that such a good idea?" Sebastian questioned, now allowing himself to turn slightly and really look at Christophe. He regretted it almost immediately and he could feel his cheeks redden. Sebastian reached cautiously toward the bottle then out of embarrassment and took just a sip. He wasn't about to lose himself in front of Christophe again. He wasn't sure how many times they could blame alcohol before Sebastian simply found himself thrown to the sharks.

Just one sip and Sebastian actually found himself more at ease, his entire posture softening. It was a clear and beautiful night, bountiful stars peppering the sky above them and he might as well enjoy himself, though definitely not to the extent of the first night.

He knew they'd agreed to forget about it, pretend it had never happened at all, yet he could feel it hanging between them. It was all his fault, such an avoidable mistake. He should never have even thought he could get away with such behavior on a ship such as this. Sebastian knew that it wasn't just the alcohol, but still he desperately searched for a cause for his recklessness and that seemed to be the easiest to blame.

"It's quite nice up here. I almost can't believe this is considered work. I haven't become a complete invalid, you know?" Sebastian chuckled softly and glanced at Christophe again, hoping that maybe if he joked around they could continue the charade that nothing at all had ever happened between them.

[sebastianonthesea]

Night Watch | Christophe/ Sebastian

[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

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[sebastianonthesea]

Sebastian leaned against against the mast, one leg outstretched and his arm draped over the other knee. For the first time since boarding Andromeda's Curse, he felt completely relaxed. On a calm evening the pressure was low and this was a time for him to simply be.

An hour or so passed of Sebastian sitting by himself before a plate and bottle were pushed over the edge of the crow's nest....followed by Christophe of all people. Sebastian wasn't as nervous around the man as he had been before he had helped patch his wound, but he still couldn't help but feel that jolt of fear and instantly worried he'd somehow already messed up his simple job of look out. Maybe Christophe was here to accuse him of being a filthy queer again, a title he internally took proudly but externally it was a luxury he could not afford especially in his current location.

Christophe plopped down beside him and Sebastian tried not to seem nervous and by that he stayed rigidly in his position and pretended to be casual.

"It's been much better." Sebastian lied, though only slightly. "It would've been a lot worse had you not been there to help. I would've right messed it up, probably bled out or something." He smiled and allowed himself a quick glance at Christophe before looking back out over the sea. Sebastian almost made a joke about the drink Christophe had brought with him but immediately thought better of it. He didn't need to see the violent side of Christophe again.

[sebastianonthesea]

Night Watch | Christophe/ Sebastian

Sebastian had very much wanted to fight the idea of lesser work, to prove himself fully, but deep down he knew it was of no use. Christophe was not the type of man to budge and it truly was in his best interest to not worsen the wound. Several days had passed since they'd last spoken and as night began to fall, Sebastian prepared to take on his shift as look out.

Climbing up to the crow's nest became and embarrassingly slow process, as reaching too for up the rope ladder caused him pain yet to he refused to show weakness in front of the others and would go to fast and simply pause and grimace. He reached his perch and after a brief interaction with the crewman with the shift before him, stood alone atop the crow's nest. The view was breathtaking, a setting sun heading to rest beneath softly crashing waves.

Sebastian took a deep breath of the cool, salty air and for the first time in his life felt deeply comforted by the solitude. He looked to the ship beneath him, as crew members wrapped up their tasks for the day and headed inside to drink or sleep. He knew he'd found his place, even if he hadn't quite gotten his footing right. This is where he belonged or at least where he needed to be at the moment.

He had to admit he missed certain things about home, his mother's cooking was one. Another would of course be the high class parties and the high class boys who frequented them and the warm beds of said boys. He missed having clean clothing, as opposed to his one shirt which still had a stain from where he'd bled into it. He missed not having a lurking fear of being killed. Yet, with all that, he still would not return home if he had the choice.

Sebastian sat cross-legged in the cramped space of the crow's nest, and looked out into the sea. Since the battle things had been quiet, not another ship in sight and that made his job particularly easy. Still, he remained alert just in case, his eyes on the horizon line ready to catch any ship or threat that dare approach.

[sebastianonthesea]

Battle Wounds | Christophe/Sebastian

[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

"That’s good to hear." Christophe nodded awkwardly. He was disappointed to see Sebastian pull his shirt back on (A thought he immediately shoved into the darkest part of his mind), but that quickly dissipated when he saw the teen wince in pain.

Instinctively, he shot a hand forward, holding the other’s arm to stop any further injury. He was also closer now. His chest nearly brushed his companion’s. His face turned scarlet and he quickly backed away, though not as far as he had before. “Careful now. Just because it’ll heal doesn’t mean you should ignore it.” 

Christophe coughed into his fist. He noticed Sebastian’s blood on his hand and immediately wiped it on his trousers. “You’ll do lighter work. No way around it. Maybe kitchen duty. Or a look out.” 

[sebastianonthesea]

Sebastian hadn't been expecting the sudden contact with Christophe and he nearly gasped. He looked at Christophe's hand on his arm and hardly had time to react before the man stepped back. Sebastian wasn't sure what to make of any of this. He figured it was perhaps in his best interest to remain confused and not read into anything for the time being. Still, the swiftness of the interaction left him feeling awkward and wanting.

"If you insist." He said simply, staring more at Christophe than he knew he should. "I've been told I'm not a very good cook, but I've got a keen eye I think." Sebastian said with a bit of a laugh, trying to break any tension that'd developed.

[sebastianonthesea]

Battle Wounds | Christophe/Sebastian

[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

"In this line of work, you get used to it." Christophe murmured, wrapping the bandages around Sebastian’s waist. The blonde’s fingers had to trace the teen’s skin to dress his wound properly. His wrists and palms brushed against the brunette’s torso more than he would have liked.

Once he finished, he leaned forward and tore the bandage with his teeth, tucking in the end so it wouldn’t move. His cheek brushed warm, smooth skin in the process, causing his head to swim in even more confusing thoughts. 

Christophe practically jumped away from his patient once he’d finished covering the injury. “There. Good as new. I’ll be sure to tell the quarter master not to give you strenuous work for the next few weeks.” He paused, not knowing what to say. He wanted to run off but his feet wouldn’t budge. Instead, he stayed in his spot, looking into Sebastian’s deep, blue eyes. There were so many things he wanted to say, things that were fighting to fall past his lips, but he managed to compose himself and simply ask, “How you holding up?”

[sebastianonthesea]

Sebastian ignored the way Christophe's hands brushed against his bare skin and tried not to feel self conscious of how little he was currently wearing compared to most everyone else in the room with Christophe's attention so focused on him.

"You don't have to do that." Christophe tried shyly. "I came here to do work, I'll never be good at this if I slack off now." He paused, bringing a hand gently to the fresh bandages adorning his skin and realized there was no reason for his shirt to remain in a crumpled heap on the floor. He leaned down to reach it and unintentionally grimaced in the process. He redressed quickly and recollected himself. "I'm holding up well...I think. It hasn't been long enough for me to tell, but I have no regrets in coming aboard and I think that's a sign of something."

[sebastianonthesea]

Battle Wounds | Christophe/Sebastian

[sebastianonthesea]

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[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

Christophe poured the last of the liquor onto Sebastian’s wound. He lightly pulled at the skin surrounding the opening to ensure there was no dirt left inside. “More often than you’d think.” He looked up at the teen’s face. “I’ve got to keep the crew alive. That’s my job.”

Once satisfied that the cut was thoroughly cleaned, Christophe took the roll of bandages and began to pull at the fabric. “Hold this.” He said, placing the end of the dress over the wound so he could wrap the wrest around the man’s torso.

[sebastianonthesea]

"That's a very noble job. You must be quite used to the blood then." He really did admire Christophe as it seemed he was good at his job, though he had a temper and perhaps a drinking problem. Sebastian winced again as the rest of the alcohol was emptied onto his wound. "I suppose I'll have to get used to it too." He added with a slight grimace.

Sebastian did as he was told and held the bandage in place, though he was still feeling a little squeamish over the whole ordeal.

[sebastianonthesea]

Battle Wounds | Christophe/Sebastian

[sebastianonthesea]

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[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

Christophe took the bottle of liquor, turning his attention fully to Sebastian. The teen was now bare chested, and the Frenchman felt strangely inclined to stroke the exposed, pale skin. He bit the inside of his lip. He couldn’t blame the boy for these thoughts. He was completely aware of his surroundings, of his actions, and he couldn’t stop fantasizing about the Englishman. He’d need a few drinks later.

"No, it’s not bad." He comforted. He stepped closer, running a finger around the clean edge of the cut. The self control it took to keep his thoughts medical was almost absurd. "I’m going to clean it now, alright? It will hurt, mon ami. Brace yourself."

Without any hesitation, Christophe began to pour the clear alcohol over the wound, watching as the thinning blood dripped to the wood planks below.

[sebastianonthesea]

Sebastian winced as the alcohol hit his open wound, a low hiss escaping from his clenched teeth. He took a strange comfort in Christophe's presence, truly believed his words though his own lack of medical experience gave him no basis on which to make that judgement. It had nothing to do with their night together, nothing. That was behind him now and he refused to have any lingering feelings.

"Do you have to do this often?" Sebastian asked, trying to keep the conversation off of himself specifically. He felt like a child with his lack of knowledge on seemingly everything he'd need to survive on this ship. Sebastian watched as his blood hit the floor mixed with the stream of burning alcohol and forced himself not to react, though he was sure his discomfort still read on his face.

[sebastianonthesea]

Battle Wounds | Christophe/Sebastian

[sebastianonthesea]

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[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

"I suppose it does."

Christophe didn’t flinch at the blood. He had tended to wounds much worse than this and he had long since lost any unsettling feelings toward injuries. The cut wasn’t as deep as it looked. It wouldn’t take too long to heal.

The frenchman, however, wasn’t maying much attention to crimson gash. His eyes were focused on the pale skin around the slice. On the smooth, porcelain flesh that was smeared ruby. He had to suck in air through his teeth to keep from doing something he’d regret.

He wasn’t sure why these thoughts kept occurring to him.

"We should disinfect that," Christophe whispered, now fully assessing the injury before him. "Then wrap it up." 

He called over another crew member to get him a bottle of liquor. “Anything strong.” The blonde requested. He then turned back to Sebastian, sighed, then spoke again. “You’ll need to take your shirt off.”

[sebastianonthesea]

Sebastian couldn't look at the wound for too long without feeling faint. He knew it wasn't the worst suffered on their end, but he also had never seen one so awful up close before and certainly not on himself.

As the crew member returned with a bottle of alcohol, Sebastian nervously fumbled with the buttons of his shirt. His thoughts were taken back to his first night aboard the ship, how he could have been undressing in front of Christophe without the wound had a noise not disturbed them. He brushed the thoughts away as he shrugged off his shirt with shaky hands. He'd gotten in enough trouble already and there were things more pressing now than his love life, namely the amount of blood he was currently losing. 

"This isn't too bad, is it?" He asked, trying to feign a lack of worry.

[sebastianonthesea]

Battle Wounds | Christophe/Sebastian

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[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

Christophe smirked. He’d needed a good bloodbath to rid his sober body of its’ violent urges. His body felt lighter than it had in months. He felt good.

Sword sheathed and hair tied back in a loose ribbon, the first mate began his duties in helping with the aftermath. Most of the men had begun to gather in the mess hall, so the Frenchman descended to the cavernous room. He was instantly greeted by a chorus of cheers. People clasped his shoulders and congratulated him on his swordsmanship. It was only after a battle that his men felt no fear in approaching the sober man. It was the only time his liquor free mind was devoid of rage.

He walked to where a group of injured men sat. Christophe looked over their wounds, bandaging them, consoling them. He was about to grab himself a pint of ale when he saw a lone boy leaning against the far wall.

Sebastian.

Christophe hadn’t had much contact with the teen since their argument, but from across the room he could see a crimson stain seeping through his shirt. The Frenchman took a roll of dressings and approached the brunette.

His heart began to flutter and his stomach tightened. Dangerous thoughts began to flood his mind, but he pushed them away. He was sober. Those thoughts weren’t allowed to entice him. He was just going to do his job, then leave. Nothing odd. Nothing heated.

His heart skipped a beat.

"You survived your first battled." Christophe’s voice was soft, gentle, careful. "You’re hurt, though. Let me help." He tired to separate his past with the boy from the current situation, but he couldn’t help the overwhelming feeling of excitement from being in Sebastian’s presence once again. 

[sebastianonthesea]

Sebastian's whole body tensed as he noticed Christophe approaching him. Though they'd ended in agreement, Sebastian still held a slight fear that the other man may change his mind and beat him after all. Instead the words that came out of his mouth were gentle, which was simply confusing. He was right though, Sebastian was wounded. He looked down to the red pooling through his previously white shirt.

"Oh, uh, so I am." Sebastian wasn't sure how to proceed, what to do with his arms or his sword. He dropped his sword to the ground unceremoniously and lifted the edge of his shirt enough to reveal the wound. Thick, red blood was flowing down his side from where he'd been sliced into and he flinched at the sight of it. "Guess this makes me a real pirate now, huh?" He tried to joke, but he wasn't feeling very light anymore.

[sebastianonthesea]

Battle Wounds | Christophe/Sebastian

They'd been hit unexpectedly, not more than a few days off shore. Another ship came out of nowhere, but as they'd just restocked they were more than prepared to handle it. The battle was over as quick as it'd started with no fatalities on their end. However, there were many wounded.

Sebastian hadn't been very prepared, never having held a sword before in his life. He'd managed to get a few jabs in, do his duty to the ship, but his technique was weak and his defense strategy relied entirely upon luck. He'd stumbled down to the dining cabin as soon as the battle cleared to catch his breath. He leaned against a wall, his breath coming in shallow gasps. He could feel the soot covering his face from the canon and gun fire around him and a sharp pain in his side told him he hadn't made it out entirely unscathed.

His adrenaline levels were high though and he felt more joy at the ships success than pain. A crew mate let out a cry of victory and everyone yelled along, pumping there fists, some still carrying weapons, into the air. Sebastian too raised his arm but this only increased the pain in his side.

[sebastianonthesea]

Shoving Off | Christophe/Sebastian

[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

"A drunken mistake?" Christophe could feel every syllable on his tongue. He wanted to refuse the excuse. The first mate lived most of his life drunk, and he had never done anything like that before. But he didn’t want to think too hard about the previous night. He just needed an excuse. "Yes. Yes, that’s exactly what it was."

Christophe looked at the floor, pulling nervously at his shirt. “We were just drunk. Drunk and out of sorts.” He looked up at Sebastian. He nodded quickly as he ran his fingers through his hair. “Last night was just one big mistake.”

[sebastianonthesea]

Sebastian felt as if he could breathe again as he heard his weak excuse echoed back to him. He stood back to his full height and fixed his shirt nervously. "A mistake perhaps we should never acknowledge again?" Sebastian tested, unsure of where to go from there. He'd gone from fearing for his life to feeling such overwhelming relief he could sing but he knew now was not the time for such lightness.

[sebastianonthesea]

Shoving Off | Christophe/Sebastian

[sebastianonthesea]

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[cocaptainchristophe-blog]

Christophe shook the younger man by the fabric of his shirt. His hazel eyes were narrowed in distain, his lips pulled back in a venomous snarl. “You’re lying.”

The first mate pushed the teen away. He squeezed his hands into fists, his nails nearly breaking the skin of his calloused palms. “I’m not like you.” He growled, jabbing a finger into Sebastian’s chest. “You did something to me. You had to have done something to me! C’est des conneries!”

[sebastianonthesea]

Sebastian cowered as Chrisophe's words hit him. He didn't need this, he didn't mean to make such a mistake so fast. And it hadn't been just him if Sebastian's memory served him correctly, he'd maybe initiated but Christophe had been more than a willing partner.

"Like me? I don't know what you're talking about." Sebastian lied through his teeth. "I did nothing to you. It was a drunken mistake. I did nothing." He could hear the fear in his voice but there was only so much control he could exercise when worried about he was about to be murdered.