To Be Honest (MxM) (18+)

Chapter 1: Captain

CW: Implied/Referenced Homophobia. References to rough sex.

"Simone! SIMONE!"

Smoke. Thick, overbearing...suffocating. Blistering heat. Creaking and cracking and snapping wood.

Scrabbling about in the dark, choking and teary-eyed and disoriented. Too many sounds to find the voice's direction.

Louder creaking now. More snapping wood. Chunks falling in a shower of sparks, sending me in different directions every few moments.

"Simone! SIMONE! Si-"

I'm sweating when I wake up, the crackling flames still fresh in my mind. Someone is beating at my cabin door, making me groan as I get out of bed and yank my pants on. I'm partially grateful for the distraction, though I can't very well show that. That would be pathetic.

"What?!"

"We have to leave," Sally says bluntly.

"Why?"

"There are guards patrolling this town. Goddess knows why. Better if we left. Murphy gave us orders to leave port."

"Murphy isn't in charge of the ship anymore. I am. Are they coming near the dock? Are they canvassing the town? I hadn't planned on leaving today and you know how I feel about changing plans on a whim."

Sally shrugs. "Take it up with Murphy. Go and see for yourself...Captain." She continues walking past my cabin, boots making loud taps on the wood.

I sigh and pull on a dark shirt I'd stolen ages ago before I head up onto the deck, joining Murphy at the side as he stares off at the town with a scowl. "There are guards, Simone."

"They aren't kingdom guards," I murmur. "They seem to be private guards. Probably for some wealthy prick that lives in this shit town. We don't have to leave. We'll leave tomorrow, as planned originally."

"Simone," Murphy hisses, glowering at me. "It doesn't matter if they're kingdom guards or not. They're guards."

"And they aren't even canvassing. They're just shopping. Look, just don't raise the flag. Put up the trade ship flag instead of ours. It's fine. I'm heading out to purchase more rope and food."

Murphy rolls his eyes at me, arms crossed. "Take one of the twins with you."

"I'm fine going alone, Murphy. I'm not a child anymore. Besides...I'd rather leave everyone here with you so they can finish preparations for our departure tomorrow. You can keep them in line and on task while I'm out." I walk away before he can protest, though I can feel him glaring at my back. But that's fine. He can glare all he likes. I pull on the simplest of my coats and buckle my belt, making sure my coin purse is fastened to it, as well as my sword. I tuck a spare knife into my boot, then set off into the town.

It's not a very busy town; even the market only has four or five people wandering about it's worn-down stalls and shops. I pass a small alleyway on my way to the small shop with rope displayed in its filthy windows. There's a small group of people huddling together against the wall, talking softly amongst themselves.

There's a child in between them, quite clearly ill.

I frown, pausing in my tracks as I shed my coat-after checking that there's a few silver and copper coins in the pockets. "Here. For the child."

The person closest to me looks up at me, hesitant, eyes wary. "Are...you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." I lay the coat over her arm and continue on my way into the shop. As I'm perusing different types of rope, I can't help but overhear the shopkeep conversing with someone.