The moon hung high in the midnight sky, casting an ethereal glow over Blackwater Bay. The village was silent, the only sounds were the gentle lapping of waves against the shore and the distant cry of a seabird. But in one small cottage at the edge of town, a lone candle flickered in the window, its flame reflecting in the blue eyes of the girl who watched the sea.
Kiki sat on the edge of her bed, staring out at the dark water. She hadn't been able to sleep, her mind consumed by thoughts of Gonner. She had spent the entire day replaying their encounter in her head, trying to make sense of it. But no matter how many times she went over it, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more between them, something that defied logic and reason.
It was crazy, she knew that. Gonner was a pirate—a dead pirate, no less—and yet she couldn't stop thinking about him. His fiery red hair, his piercing yellow eyes, the way he had looked at her as if she were the only thing in the world that mattered. She had never felt anything like it before, this strange, inexplicable connection.
Before she knew it, Kiki was on her feet, pulling on a light shawl over her white nightgown. She didn't bother with shoes, her bare feet silent on the wooden floor as she slipped out of the cottage. The night air was cool against her skin as she made her way through the village, careful not to wake anyone. The streets were empty, the village asleep, but Kiki was wide awake, her heart racing with anticipation.
The closer she got to the pier, the stronger the pull became. It was as if something—someone—was calling to her, drawing her to the water's edge. She couldn't explain it, but she knew that she had to see him again, to understand what was happening between them.
When she reached the dock, the sight that greeted her was both familiar and unsettling. The *Revenant* was there, its tattered sails billowing in the wind, just as it had been the night before. The ship seemed to glow in the moonlight, its rotting wood almost luminous against the dark sea. And there, standing at the end of the pier, was Gonner.
He was leaning against one of the wooden posts, his arms crossed over his chest, a smirk playing on his lips as he watched her approach. His red hair, wild and untamed, caught the moonlight, and his yellow eyes glowed with a mischievous light. Kiki's breath caught in her throat as she met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Well, well," Gonner drawled, his voice low and teasing. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon, love. Couldn't stay away, could you?"
Kiki's cheeks flushed, and she wrapped her shawl tighter around herself, suddenly self-conscious in her thin nightgown. "I... I couldn't sleep," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "I kept thinking about... about you."
Gonner pushed off the post and took a step closer, his smirk softening into something warmer, more genuine. "Is that so?" he murmured, his voice laced with amusement. "I'm flattered, Kiki. Truly, I am."
Kiki looked away, her face burning with embarrassment. "I don't know what's happening," she confessed, her voice trembling. "This isn't... it doesn't make sense."
Gonner reached out and gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "Sometimes, love," he said softly, "things don't have to make sense. Sometimes, they just are."
Kiki searched his eyes, looking for some sign that this was all a dream, that she hadn't gone completely mad. But all she saw was sincerity—and something else, something that made her heart ache with a strange mix of longing and fear.
Gonner's gaze traveled over her, lingering on her nightgown, and his smirk returned, this time with a flirtatious edge. "You're a brave one, coming out here in nothing but a nightgown," he teased, his eyes glinting with mischief. "I have to say, I like your style."
