#ds!ink

The mental list he had for all the things he had to do before nighttime was long, and it was a miracle that he remembered to do it all. He had already completed a few of the things he had to do, which helped ease his anxiety a tad, since it lessened the load he had on his shoulders. For now, at least. He’d have to do it all again tomorrow, but that was the life of a captain and he accepted full responsibilities for it. He had made sure everything was in working order, sails were catching air, Champion was fed (he usually got the scraps of last night’s dinner for his morning meal), and everyone was where they were supposed to be. He also made sure to take a good look at every member of his crew for signs of sickness. Two people had already been sent to the infirmary on the ship for scurvy and were currently being treated. Dream mentally cursed himself, how could he let that happen?! Scurvy was treatable, and there was a likely chance that the members that got sick would survive, but Dream couldn’t believe he missed it.

Never again. Dream would make sure of it. 

He would never allow another member of his crew to get this sick again. Which is why he went around, taking a good look at everyone. He was looking for flushed cheeks, excessive sweating, signs of fatigue, anything that alluded to his crew being under the weather. Much to his relief, no one seemed sick, he couldn’t lose any more sailors. That allowed him to mentally check that box off. The next step was to check the cargo, to make sure he had enough food to make it to the next port without needing to make an emergency pitstop or catch fish. He had the means to do those things, but that took a lot more work, and sometimes they would have to go off course to do so. And without a good navigator, it was counterproductive to Dream’s mission and his goals.

He walked down into the hull of the ship, where everything was stored. It was dark down there, so he stopped at his quarters and grabbed a lamp before walking down. The hull of the ship was dark and cold, it was slightly moist and smelt of salt water. He walked down into the hull, holding the lantern in front of his face, his other hand resting on his sword, in case any animals decided to go on a joyride in the middle of the ocean.

Every crate was carefully examined by him. He made sure that all of the crates holding the gunpowder, cannonballs, and other tools used in weaponry were secure and tightly shut. Bad things would happen if they weren’t. He then checked the spare clothes and miscellaneous fabrics crates, making sure no rats or large infestations of bugs got in them. No point in keeping spare clothes if you had to beat bugs out of them. They were used in case of torn clothes from either working or combat, as well as a last resort to keep wounds closed. It had been opened, but he made sure to tightly shut it. He was certain that Ink was the one who snuck down here in the middle of the night to grab something. The guy was erratic like that. He then went over to where all of the medical supplies were. There wasn’t a lot of it, and that made Dream’s stomach drop.

Dream hoped that there were no pirates or navy on their path, as he wasn’t sure if he could patch everyone up if they lost. Dream shut it tight, making a mental note to buy more at the next stop. They wouldn’t have to make an emergency stop, not at the moment, so they could keep on their current course. He exhaled, feeling his eyelids droop. He shook his head and made another mental note to make himself some coffee. Assuming there was some left, he didn’t want to drink-

As the ship moved, the rum bottles shook in their crates, a reminder of what was drunk most on this ship. Dream exhaled as he walked over to it, swaying with the waves. There were about five crates, full of various sizes of containers with rum inside them. Rum was used for just about everything out here. Drinking, cleaning out wounds, you name it. Dream would never touch the stuff, unless necessary. His crew needed a leader, someone to follow. Not some drunkard captain.

He checked it, made sure it was secure, just as he did with the others. He was hesitant, a small voice in his head telling him to leave it loose. If it got loose then the glasses would break, and there wouldn’t be rum to drink. But he couldn’t do that, he wouldn’t impose his values on his crew. If they wanted to drink rum, then they could do that. The last thing he needed was a mutiny. 

One last set of crates then he was done. He did this biweekly, sometimes weekly if there had been more action than usual. Once he finished, he would be able to go back up top and keep the crew on track. Maybe even make himself and Finch a cup of coffee if everything seemed in order. He walked over to their food supply, taking extra care to check the crates containing their food. There was a variety of meat, fresh fruits, a couple of vegetables still left over, some herbs, it was fit for a lord. If a lord were on the sea, that is.

He rummaged through it, he knew Ink sometimes snuck midnight, sometimes midday, snacks. That was against what Dream had said before, but he knew Ink’s situation and, well, Dream couldn’t blame her for snacking. But…someone else must have been down here too. Too much was missing, entire meals worth. Ink would never have eaten that much, not on her own. Dream was certain that Ink wouldn’t share either. His lips pulled back into a snarl, something was on his ship that he did not allow. He made sure to thoroughly check and secure whatever he had left before going to find the thing that was staying on his ship.

Dream drew his sword, his fingers gripped onto the leather. He was quiet, keeping his breathing to a minimum to hear for any sort of sign. The hatch that led here was kept shut if no one was in it, so whatever was eating his food couldn’t have left. He stepped carefully, making sure the boards wouldn’t creak under his weight. His eyes flashed about the hull, desperately looking for movements in the dark. He cursed under his breath, watching his step as he moved around the edges of the hull. His eyes and ears were open, waiting, watching.

There was a sharp inhale that wasn’t his, clearly whatever was on board was holding its breath. What a clever animal. Dream lunged and the thing scrambled away from Dream and his sword. Dream chased it throughout the hull. He left his lamp on a crate, not needing it at the moment. He drew his cutlass from the other side of his belt, keeping his sword drawn as well. Right as the thing he was chasing went to make a sharp turn to his left, and he tossed his cutlass in that direction. The thing squealed, scrambling to get away. The cutlass had landed square into a crate, going through and smashing into a rum bottle that was on the inside. 

Then the boat rocked, sending him and the thing he was chasing starboard. What was going on up there?! He glanced at where the thing possibly was before making the decision to leave it be, for now, at least. Dream lepted to his feet and made his way over to his lanturn. He grabbed it and got back to the ladder with the hatch and climbed up. The moment he got atop the ladder his head was doused with sea water. He scrambled to his feet, slamming the hatch behind him and spitting up salt water. It dripped down his face, the salt forcing tears out of his eyes. He slicked his golden hair back, wiping the salt water out of his eyes.

The bright flash in the sky and the booming of thunder told Dream exactly what he needed to do.

“Furl the sails!” He shouted, his voice echoing and just going above the storm. Members of his crew who were previously stuck in their own fear were brought back and immediately got to work. Other members were already in action, tying down barrels, canons, and other things on the deck.

“Finch!” He shouted and despite him being unable to see Finch, he knew that he had been heard, “Get Champion and yourself into my office!”

Dream knew that he needed as many people alive as he could, and even though he knew Finch wanted and could help him, he needed everyone safe and accounted for. He could handle this himself. He didn’t need anyone else to factor in right now. Besides, he didn’t want to account for the scary possibility that someone could go overboard. If someone went overboard in a storm this bad, then they would be taken by the sea.

On a nearby tied down barrel there was some access rope slipped under the rope keeping it down. Dream grabbed it and ran across the ship, his free hand up and keeping rain and salt water out of his face. The wind was howling and he knew his voice wouldn’t be heard. There wasn’t any time to get everyone down below deck or to his quarters, the storm was getting worse and even he was having a hard time staying on two feet. There was a small group of people still on the deck, holding on to the ship for dear life. Dream planted his feet and leaned against the staircase leading to the helm. He worked quickly and efficiently, slicing the rope into five pieces. He couldn’t be heard, but one of the people knew what was being asked of them and took a piece of the rope and tied themselves down. Dream nodded, and the others followed.

The rope wasn’t the most comfortable thing, but as long as they were tied down to something that wouldn’t go flying off of the ship, then they would live. At least Dream hoped they would. Before he could even think about himself, a large wave hit the ship sending him barreling to the other side of the ship. He slammed against the thick, wooden railing that was on the sides of his ship, knocking the wind out of him. He struggled to stand, his body gasping for air. There was another strike of thunder and he saw the wave coming at him. There was no time to move, no time to react.

The ship lurched and he was plunged into the wave. It was dark and all he could feel was the water surrounding him and the lack of stability under his feet. He landed square on his back on the other end of the ship. His eyes flashed open and he gasped for air. His ears were full of water and his clothes were sticking to him. He flipped himself around, and attempted to stumble to his feet when the ship rocked again. This wave was bigger, stronger. There was no way he would stay on the ship. He was shoved under water again, his lungs flaring and desperate for air. He tried to cling to anything, but everything was wet and he couldn’t grab onto anything. His nails refused to stay gripped onto the floorboards and he went tumbling across the ship again.

This would be the end. There were worse ways to go, he supposed. But dying was not something he wanted, not yet. He had so many goals, ambitions that he had yet to complete. He wasn’t going to be taken so early into his life!

Dream tumbled down the ladder that led to the hull. His head was pounding and his ears were ringing. He had throbbing pains all over his body, he would certainly be bruised by tomorrow. He choked up water, almost throwing up what he had eaten earlier in the day.

The slamming of the hatch door got his attention, a quiet, panicked muttering was heard.

“Oh my god, what am I going to do, this is bad, oh my god-!” It continued as Dream staggered to his feet, holding his head as it continued to pound. It was a voice he didn’t recognize. Was…was this person the thing he was chasing not even an hour earlier? He turned around, his eyes trying to adjust to the pitch blackness that surrounded him. The person had a small lantern attached to their belt. The candle was small, and Dream was a little impressed that they had managed to light it at all. The flame was flickering and doing its best to stay alive. It wasn’t much but it was enough.

Dream drew his sword as the person was off the ladder, and they raised their arms up in defense, squeaking slightly, as they had done earlier.

“Oh goodness- Please! You don’t have to draw your sword! I assure you, I am no threat to you, or anyone on this ship really.”

“Why are you on my ship?” Dream hissed out, keeping his sword out and at the person’s neck. Or at least what Dream assumed to be their neck. That large scarf made it difficult to tell. Dream assumed it was navy blue, but in this darkness he couldn’t really tell.

“My name is Blue Lebeau, and I mean you and your crew no harm, truly! I happened to be at Mirstone when those nasty pirates arrived. As you know, they nearly burned down the whole place, until you and your crew arrived and stopped them! Which, might I add, was incredibly impressive, considering the size of your crew versus the pirates, that you managed to arrest and defeat all of them! Not to mention your own fighting prowess, Captain, I didn’t see much of it, unfortunately but you appeared to be unbothered and unscathed after the whole…altercation, it was absolutely breathtaking! You must’ve been fighting multiple people at once! Now I will admit I am not one for violence, despise it, actually, but even I can admit that is not something to gawk at and-”

“Will you get to the point?” Dream said sharply, taking a step towards Blue, sword at his neck.

“AH! Of course! My apologies Captain, I tend to ramble when I am nervous,” His laughter was shrill, his eyes not moving from the sword, “When the fires started,and I feel guilty to admit this, but I retreated to your ship for safety. I am not much of a fighter, so after I assisted the family I was working for out of the building, I simply ran to the first place that seemed safe. And that place happened to be your ship.”

Dream was suspicious, but he lowered his sword. He wasn’t putting it away just yet. He eyed Blue, the man seemed truthful enough. He took a deep breath, regaining his composure and posture. He kept his sword unsheathed but at his side. He opened his mouth to speak but the boat lurched again, Dream had almost forgotten about the storm. He and Blue were thrown to the side, and his side was slammed into the corner of a crate and he bit back a cry of pain.

Blue struggled to his feet, “How much longer do you think the storm will last?”

“I highly doubt this level of storming will last longer. It will most likely rain sporadically for the next couple of days, depending on how fast we are able to navigate out of it.”

“Oh! I believe I can assist with-”

Dream cut him off sharply, “I do not need assistance from a stowaway. You may not be a threat to me or my crew, but you are still on my boat, using up supplies that are not meant for you, and you are one extra liability that I now have to worry about. Even if I were to allow you to assist with navigating, I’m not even sure if I could trust you with that, considering you snuck onto my ship.”

Blue staggered back, holding his hands up. Dream took in a deep breath, “We will be dropping you off at the next port. You may stay on my ship until then.”

“I…appreciate you not throwing me overboard.”

“I would never harm an innocent person. I am not a pirate.”

“Of course you’re not! But if I may know, what exactly is it that you do, Captain?” He queried, sitting up on one of the crates. “I mean, you aren’t a navy officer, and your crew isn’t military, but you aren’t a pirate.”

“I wish to do good in this world. Pirates are menaces who need to be stopped, but I believe that the navy is doing it wrong. They aren’t assisting the people who have been harmed by piracy, and I believe that is the most important part when helping people. How can you say that you’ve assisted to stop piracy when there are people still suffering from the consequences from it? I am going against the navy because I feel they aren’t doing enough, and what they are doing is ineffective and wrong. And I believe that I am correct. When my crew and I encounter pirates on ports and stop them from doing harm, I have been told by locals that us aiding to mitigate the effects of piracy has been more helpful than whatever the navy is doing right now. I respect and understand the navy’s orders, but I dislike how they are doing about it all. I hope to expand my fleet, into dozens and dozens of ships, and have influence across the sea.”

Blue nodded, listening intently as Dream spoke. Dream leaned against a crate, sword slipped back into its sheath. Despite the aggressive rocking of the boat, Dream didn’t stop talking. He spoke more about his ambitions, long-term and short-term goals, and everything in between. He couldn’t remember the last time he was able to speak in detail about his aspirations. Blue seemed to be taking it all in.

“That sounds absolutely wondrous! I’m not the biggest fan of the navy either, and what you’ve described sounds like the perfect solution to the pirate problem! Why do this though? It seems like a large task to tackle for only one man.”

“An old…companion of mine became a pirate. A long while ago, probably a few years. We were both drafted into the navy and he deserted. Turned to piracy. I never knew his motivations, I doubt I’ll ever know, but I swore to myself that even though I disliked the navy as much as he did, I would never allow myself to go down that path.”

Blue gasped, holding his hands in front of his mouth, he lowered them slowly, face darkening, “I had a friend who deserted to piracy as well.” He twiddled his thumbs, “Not sure what became of her to be honest…I think of her sometimes.”

“I understand the feeling.”

Blue opened his mouth to speak but the shouting above deck interrupted him. The ship had stopped lurching from side to side, and the soft sound that was rain pounding on the outside of the ship had ceased. He didn’t know how long ago, but it was clear that someone, Finch most likely, deemed it safe to come out. They were probably looking for him.

“You should head up there!” Blue told him, going to his side. Blue was very close to him. “I bet they’re worried about you. You did almost get thrown overboard.”

“I- yes. They are probably worried.” Dream walked over to the ladder and climbed up it. He slammed open the hatch and crawled his way up, getting hit with the smell of the sea.

“Captain!” Finch shouted, helping him up and out of the hull. Dream thanked him before glancing back down into the hull. His crew were standing around, watching him intently. They were all in different mental and physical shapes. Some were soaking wet, clothes pressed against their bodies. Others were more dry, but definitely freaked out. Dream would have to up morale soon, and quickly. They all watched as he nodded to Blue to come up. Blue pointed at himself, completely taken aback at the fact that Dream wanted him up there with the rest of the crew.

“Come on.” Dream urged gently and Blue made his way up the ladder, shutting the hatch door shut as he arrived. The sun wasn’t exactly out, but despite the clouds, he could see Blue quite clearly. His guess had been right, the large scarf he wore was a navy blue, and it sat comfortable around his neck and shoulders. Blue was pale, and had rosy cheeks. He had light brown hair that wasn’t styled but still looked good anyway. He was a tad shorter than Dream, and was significantly skinnier. He had a black cloth wrapped around his left eye, and Dream assumed it was because he was missing it.

Dream had dealt with missing eyes before, and had even made Finch a false eye out of metal to replace his heavily damaged one. Perhaps Dream could do the same for Blue before dropping him off at the next port.

“This is Blue Lebeau.” Dream stated flatly, “He will be on board with us until we reach the next port.”

The crew murmured amongst themselves as Blue waved, smiling. “I will be in my quarters. Those who are soaked, please change into dry clothing. We will be having a warm dinner tonight. Finch, I trust you to make the preparations for that.”

The wind howled, but the storm clouds were far away, and the boat rocked gently. Dream glanced around, his heart racing slightly. Everyone was accounted for, he had counted about three times. But where was…

“Has anyone seen Ink?”

The glancing around and shrugging was not comforting. Dream felt his heart begin to pound. His mind whirling, but he kept his face straight. He couldn’t let his crew know he was worried, it would only elevate the situation. Before he could order his crew to stay where they are so he could look for Ink, Champion began barking at the crows nest. Dream walked over to him, petting in between his ears.

“Ink?” He called up. Champion barked again.

After a moment, a groan echoed from the top of the crows nest. A blonde head of hair got into Dream’s view, and relief rushed over him. He called Ink down, and within a few moments, Ink was down on the mast in moments, landing less than gracefully on the balls of her feet. Ink looked, tired? Dream guessed?

“What.”

“Are you alright, Ink?”

“Sure? Why wouldn’t I be?” Ink made sure to accent the statement with an eye roll.

“The storm?” Finch asked, coming over to the two of them, “The massive thunder storm that nearly killed all of us?!”

Ink stared at him and shrugged. Dream sighed but smiled at her anyway. “I am just glad that you are alive and safe, Ink.”

She just rolled her eyes and walked off, most likely to get away from the group of people and to get a bite to eat. She made her way over to the hull and did a brief double take a Blue, her lip curling up into a slight sneer. She opened the trapdoor to the hull and disappeared inside, dropping the trapdoor behind her.

Dream felt his body begin to grow tired. He was sore and cold and now he was starting to feel it. He waited for his crew to start moving before making his way over to his own quarters. He was followed by Champion who licked at his hands. He entered his quarters and collapsed on the ground. He could barely move, the storm and lack of sleep had started to catch up to him. Champion whined and attempted to lift his head from the pillow, licking his face. He chuckled and petted between his dog’s ears. He staggered to his feet and quickly changed out of his soaking clothes and hung them up in the corner of his room, making sure that water wouldn’t drip onto anything. He quickly got into his civvies and collapsed on his bed. It was around evening time, the storm must’ve lasted a few hours. He hadn’t fully slept in a week, and even though he still had duties to do, the adrenaline had worn off and his body hurt. He was so sore and even though he intended just to rest for a moment, the moment his head hit his pillow he passed out.

The sun shined down on his face and there was a pungent smell of coffee. Dream turned over and his face was bombarded with dog slobber. He was jolted awake and in his attempt to back away, Champion jumped onto him. Dream gently shoved Champion off of him, laughing quietly. He wiped the drool off of his face and stood up. He hurried into his clothes, he had wasted enough time as it did. He couldn’t believe that he had fallen asleep. In between clothing pieces, he took small sips of the coffee that was made for him. It was hot, freshly made, and burned his mouth. He had no time to waste.

The gears in his mind started turning, he needed to make sure that everything was running smoothly and that everyone was doing alright. He was sure that Finch was working on navigation. He opened the door and stepped outside. The water was flat and the sails seemed in decent condition. No one was at the wheel, but that was okay. Neither him nor Finch knew where they were. People seemed to be in decent condition, none of them seemed like they caught colds. He would have to double check with the small group that were cut out for the brunt of the storm, to make sure none of them had fevers.

Although that was not his biggest concern at the moment. While the health and safety of his crew was one of the most important things, knowing where they were was taking more of his concern. He wouldn’t call himself anxious about it, but he needed to figure out where they were and get them into a port as soon as possible. He made his way across the deck of the boat, finishing off his coffee. Champion’s attention had drifted and he was now rolling around in the sun. Ink was sitting on a barrel off to the side, staring off into space. She didn’t look hot or feverish, which was good. He would have to make sure later, but he suspected that she didn’t want to be bothered right now. He walked to the opposite side of the boat from his quarters and made his way into the navigation room, where he knew that Finch would be. As he approached the room, there was more than one voice coming from it.

The door was stuck for a brief moment, due to the humidity, but he got it open within a moment. When he entered the room, Finch was hunched over the desk, which had a variety of maps, a compass or two, and some other cartography equipment that Dream was not completely confident in using. He was also shocked to see Blue hunched over the table as well.

“What are you doing in here?” Dream asked, crossing his arms. He wasn’t going to get angry, not yet. He hadn’t told Finch that he didn’t want Blue assisting with navigation. Blue had been amical towards everyone, he would admit, but Dream couldn’t tell his motives. Was he simply playing nice to not be locked in the brig or tossed overboard? Although he seemed interested enough in Dream’s goals; Dream wasn’t sure that was enough to trust him just yet.

“He’s-”

“I’m assisting with navigation!” Blue said happily, wrapping one arm around Finch’s neck and pulling him into a half hug. 

“He’s uh, surprisingly good at it. We’ve managed to find out where we are, since Blue…read the stars? Last night?”

“The stars are one of the best ways to tell you where you are! Especially at sea.”

“You’ve been at sea before?” Dream asked skeptically, arms crossed.

“Mhm! I’ve been all over the place. I’ve attempted to settle down a couple of times, but ah..y'know, I can’t really get away!” Blue laughed and then got back to analyzing the map.

“Yeah, right, okay. And you know where we are?”

“Of course! Currently we are about a two days trip away from Lellin’s port! Finch told me that is where you are headed.”

“It is.”

The gears in his mind were turning at an incredible speed. Dream couldn’t help but be suspicious. Before he could properly gather his thoughts into a proper sentence, Blue started speaking again.

“I know you said not to assist with anything, and I know that you do not trust me, which is completely understandable! Might I add! But since you didn’t toss me into the open ocean, or into this ship's brig, have a little faith! I wouldn’t lead you astray. That would be stupid, and I try my best to not be.”

Dream watched his movements, and paid close attention to any inflection in Blue’s voice. There weren't any signs that he was lying. Dream thought for a moment longer. Blue seemed interested in what his goals were, he was very attentive in the hull when Dream was talking to him. Caution was important, especially on sea, but perhaps Dream was tiptoeing around an issue that didn’t exist.

Normally, Dream wouldn’t be so keen on inviting someone onto his ship, especially not having what is basically a stranger assist with something as important as navigating. However, he had been from port to port for almost a year now, and he hadn’t found someone with decent map reading and navigation experience. The only reason Dream lacked that sort of ability is because that was Nightmare’s area of expertise, but the bastard deserted to piracy and Dream started his own ambitions before he had the opportunity to learn. But the guy couldn’t lead a crew to save his life, and that was probably why he had a solid three people, including himself, on that ship of his.

If Blue took Dream and his crew to Lellin’s port, then maybe he would reconsider his original plan of leaving Blue at Lellin.

“Alright listen.” Blue looked at him attentively, much like he did when Dream was explaining his goals down in the hull, “I understand that you, since you snuck upon on my ship, most likely do not have anywhere else to go. I think it would be wrong to leave you in Lellin, especially without knowing anyone or without any currency.”

Blue tucked his hands underneath his chin, turning his head to the side ever so slightly. “If you are able to take us to Lellin, I am willing to allow you a spot on my ship. Assuming you want it, of course.”

“I would normally be all over that sort of thing, being with you and the rest of the crew would be fantastic! But, I am afraid I can’t accept your offer. It isn’t that I don’t believe in your goals or ambitions! It is that you work against pirates and I’m particularly…adverse to violence? Meaning that, I’m not very good with weapons nor do I have much battle knowledge! I am afraid that I would be very unhelpful. Although! I can take you to Lellin, and teach you some of the stuff I know!”

“Well, I suppose I can’t convince you otherwise.”

“Oh! Finch!” Blue turned from Dream to look at Finch who had just been standing there, “To get to Lellin, we need to start heading Northeast! It should be straight in that direction! I’m assuming you know how to use a compass?”

Finch glanced at Dream who gave him the go ahead to go captain the ship. Finch grabbed one of many compasses and exited the room, struggling to shut the door for a moment. The humidity was one of the worst things about being at sea. Normally that would be his job, but Blue had already pulled him aside to the table with maps sprawled all over it. Blue had nearly redecorated the room, with maps and books and other tools Dream had forgotten about. One of the biggest changes was the globe that was once catching dust in the door had been brought out.

“Okay! I’m assuming you have at least some knowledge on map reading, yes? I’d be very impressed that you’re still alive if you didn’t!”

Dream nodded. He was standing straight up with his arms folded across his chest. He wasn’t being aggressive towards Blue through his posture. Blue was hovering over the table, his body nearly at a ninety degree angle, elbows pressed down into the wood and his head resting in his palms.

“I know about the basics, my…old companion was much more prolific in navigation than I ever was, and I’ve never had the chance to learn. Piracy doesn’t stop and neither have I. The thing Finch and I both struggle with is keeping track of where we are when at sea. We usually end up getting to our destinations fine, but we’re usually a few miles short of port, or even just one port away. That isn’t usually an issue, but when you’re chasing pirates, accuracy is important.”

“I bet you don’t like ending up at the wrong place either. I know I wouldn’t!” “I- Yes. I do not particularly enjoy being at the wrong place. No one does. Now, if you could share the information about map reading that would be great.”

“Okay okay! Goodness. I’ll teach you what I can now, and then tonight I can show you some of the stars!”

“The stars.”

“Yes! After a storm or battle, where you aren’t one hundred percent sure where you are, they are one of the best ways to guarantee where you are! They are always in the sky, unless it’s cloudy, and stay consistent!”

“I suppose. Shall we get started now?”

Blue clasped his hands together, “Right! Of course! Let us begin!”

The day felt like it flew by. Dream and Blue spent most of their time within the room, studying and reading maps, the globe, and all the things that Blue felt like he needed to teach Dream. Champion came in a few times to say hi, which Dream enjoyed. He worried for his poor dog sometimes, life on the sea wasn’t always kind to animals. But Champion seemed to be content, his body loose, tail swinging happily, belly full of food and treats. Even when Blue was in the room. Champion didn’t seem to take a liking to him. They had to take a pause or two for Dream to make sure everything was in order, he trusted Finch but he couldn’t help but double check. Perhaps it was paranoia, or anxiety, but he just had to do it. Blue trailed him as he did so, observing how he went about his day.

They spoke on occasion, when Dream was able to respond. Blue asked questions, mainly why he did certain things on his ship. It was slightly invasive, if Dream had to be honest, but he didn’t really mind. Nor did he have the energy to mind. It was nice to have someone to talk about his ideas after so long. The last time he had someone to talk to in length was… “Before we get started, and if I am allowed to know, where did you get that pendent from? I haven’t seen anything like it.”

Dream’s face twisted into a mixture of anger, sadness, and surprise. Blue regretted asking the question the moment he asked. It took Dream just a second to compose himself, once again retaining his poker face. Despite this, his right hand clung to the pendant.

“It was,” He took a breath, “It was given to me by an old friend of mine.”

A knot twisted itself in Blue’s stomach. Dream was being vague, painfully so. The urge to open Dream like a clam and see what darkened secrets hid beneath the surface was strong. But he couldn’t do that. That would probably either end up with him being thrown overboard or with never seeing Dream again. He wanted to understand people, and he wasn’t very good at doing that ‘normally’. He decided that it would be for the best if he kept his mouth shut this time. He had to wonder though, what had happened to this old friend of Dream’s? Death? Illness? Some other terrible fate?  It wasn’t Dream’s old companion, that was for sure. The pirate was still around and kicking, and by the way Dream grew salty just by talking about him, told Blue all he needed to know. Dream’s past was almost like the sea itself, dark, mysterious. How many people did Dream know before going deserting the military? How many times had he seen people turn to piracy? Thoughts swarmed his head, and he wasn’t sure where to start. 

“It’s beautiful.” He said, placing a hand on Dream’s shoulder. Dream didn’t shove him off, instead making circles around the red gem in the center of it, staring off into the sunset.

“Yes. They made it themself. They had quite the eye for this sort of thing. Always creating, always doing something for other people…”

“They sound incredible.” Dream smiled softly for a moment, “I suppose they do.”

There was a pause before Dream waved him off. Blue placed his hands back down on the barrel he was sitting on and looked out into the water, which reflected the bright colors beautifully. The shimmering of yellows and oranges was a marvelous sight to see. 

“It’s a beautiful sunset tonight.” Dream commented, now leaning against the ship's railing. Blue hopped off of what he was sitting on and joined Dream at the railing. “I see something even more beautiful standing next to me.”

There was a faint blush, it didn't last very long but it was there! Dream scoffed, “Do not.”

“Sorry.” He wasn’t.

“When will we be doing the other half of your navigation teachings? With the…stars?” Dream sounded skeptical, but his face didn’t show any signs of him being uninterested or like he didn’t want to learn.

Blue clasped his hands together, “Yes! I don’t get to talk about this often, which is a shame because I do think it’s fascinating, I mean, not many people use the stars for navigation which I think is odd because besides the sun rising and setting everyday, they are one of the most consistent things on our planet! And while, yes, they do shift from season to season, and place to place, but when you know what you’re looking for then it’s easy!”

“I see.”

“Here, come closer to me. I don’t bite.” Blue teased, a playful inflection to his voice. Dream rolled his eyes but complied anyway. When Dream stepped closer, so did Blue, their shoulders touching. Dream didn’t recoil, but he did raise his eyebrows at the action. They had to be close, Dream assumed, since Blue was to show him the stars. He had to accurately point out the stars, and they had to be close for that to work accurately.

Dream attempted to ignore how it felt to be so close to another person, to be touching another person and failed spectacularly. How long has it been? Too long, perhaps. He watched Blue’s face as he spoke. Blue spoke with his hands and was very expressive, a large change in pace from Ink and Finch. Both of whom spoke very still, only using their hands or arms for small gestures, if at all. 

Full attention was on Blue and his finger pointing up at the sky. Dream had to admit it didn’t make much sense, but he could make out the shapes that Blue was showing off to him. He had a vague understanding of how to correlate the placement of the constellations with direction but it was somewhat unclear. Blue’s voice held so much emotion in it as well. It wasn’t difficult to tell what he was feeling at any given time. What Blue was thinking, however, was a whole other debacle. The man was a bit of a mystery, but then again so was Dream.

“And this will help you as well, I can tell this is a little foreign you hehe!” Blue said before gently unfolding something from his pockets. Dream took the paper, which was a map, he could tell by the texture alone, and observed it.

“A star map?”

“Mhm! Once you find out where you are via the stars, you can use this and a compass to figure out what direction you need to go in!”

“Fascinating.”

“Isn’t it? I quite enjoy stargazing. It’s really relaxing.”

Dream hummed in agreement, following Blue’s eyes with his own. The stars were so bright that night. Not a single cloud in the sky. Dream wondered how far out into the galaxy he could see.

“It makes me feel small.” Dream said, the words slipping out of his mouth.

“I suppose that’s true. But so does the ocean. It’s kinda crazy; how we’re surrounded by large bodies of unexplored territory. A little scary too hah…” Blue was leaning against the railing of the boat, his back facing the sea. Dream was facing towards it, standing up straight, arms loosely folded over his chest.

“It really makes you think about what is important in life, you know?” Blue said, looking up at the sky, his hand reaching over and touching Dream’s arm. “What really matters. We may be small but the impact whe have on others is big, and it’s important to know what to really focus on.”

Dream eyed the hand on his forearm but didn’t shake Blue off. “You seem to know what you want to do with your life, Dream.”

“You don’t?”

“Not really. I’m pretty good with navigating, and map making too but…I dunno. I like having everything planned in advance but I feel like doing the same thing over and over again would drive me bonkers! I’d like to teach people, I think. Might be fun. But I quite like how my life is now. I can plan things but there’s also a spontaneous aspect to it! I go where the world takes me, like a fish being taken by the current, hehe.”

“That’s not a bad way to live.” Dream commented, “Life on the sea has that spontaneous nature. You need to adapt, change as it does. I…would prefer operating on land, to be honest with you. There’s structure there, no chances of storms ripping your ship apart or anything like that. But I am to stop pirates, so the sealife will be my life. No changing that. I wouldn’t ever send people off to fight without being there with them. I need to help people, not just command from a castle on the land. The navy does that.”

The venom was seeping from Dream’s mouth as he spoke about the navy. Once again Blue found himself wondering how deep that rabbit hole went (or, how deep that underwater trench went). Blue found himself wondering a lot about Dream. He had to admit, the captain was awfully handsome. And he couldn’t be the only one to see it right?! He would be very surprised if that was the case. He had only been with Dream for around twenty-four hours, so he didn’t know everything about Dream, but what he did see was something, someone, he really liked. The two of them were close, only a few centimeters of space between their arms. 

“Dream?

“Hm?”

“How would you react if I told you that I think the next place that the current is taking me is with you?” Blue asked, moving his hands to gently caress Dream’s jacket. He was surprised to learn that it was leather. He wondered how Dream even got leather to be that color of yellow. Dream watched Blue’s hand move across the seams of his jacket. Was Blue flirting with him? He wasn’t sure how against that he was. He took in a deep breath and focused back onto the ocean.

“My offer still stands. I won’t turn away anyone who wants to join my cause.”

“I’ll think about it.” Blue said with a sing-song voice. He turned toward Dream, getting even closer. 

“It,” Dream took a moment to regain his senses, he and Blue were so close. He could feel Blue’s breath on his face as he breathed through his nose. Blue was looking up at him, expectantly. He wondered if Blue knew how he was going to respond. What kind of response was he looking for in the first place? Blue wasn’t malicious, Dream knew that. He craved information and knowledge. When he would ask Dream questions, they were about himself, his motivations, and eventually the questions were aimed at the other members of the crew. What about them made them join Dream? Did Dream choose them or did they come aboard on their own? He couldn’t tell what Blue wanted.

“It would be good to have you aboard, especially with your abilities in navigation.” Blue could cook too, Dream had learned. They didn’t need more cooks on board, there were already enough but if Blue wanted to help out then Dream wouldn’t forbid him not too.

“Can I ask you another question?” Blue asked, a coy smile on his face. He turned his head away, looking at Dream from the side.

“You’ve been asking me questions all day but yes, go ahead.”

“Do you want me here?”

“Pardon-?” Dream turned his head and nearly smacked Blue in the face with his own. It was so dark, he could barely see Blue’s face. The reflection of the moon was in Blue’s eye, and the ship was rocking slightly as they sailed.

“Would you miss me if I left at Lellin? Would you yearn for me once I left?”

“I-What-?”

“Haha! I’m just teasing you,” Blue booped his nose, sticking out his tongue playfully. “I do mean it though. Would you?

“Would I what?” Dream asked incredulously, still somewhat flustered at Blue being so close. 

“Let me reword my question.” Blue scooted back slightly, giving Dream a bit more breathing room. Dream was silently relieved. Blue being so close was making him nervous. “Do you, personally, want me here? I understand my abilities would be handy for your cause, but I’m curious about what you think of me.”

“We’ve only known each other for a day, how could I form an opinion on you in just twenty-four hours?”

“First impressions are pretty important! I mean, I haven’t known Ink very long but something tells me that she doesn’t like me very much…”

“She doesn’t really like anyone.”

“Even you?”

Dream shrugged. He wasn’t sure. Ink was elusive in just about everything she did. 

“What! How could anyone not like you?! I think that you’re pretty incredible.”

“Ah well. I’m just doing what I think is right. Doing what is best for the world. Thank you.” “You’re pretty handsome too.”

“What?”

“Hm?” Blue cocked his head to the side. Blue showed no signs of saying anything at all, but under the cover of night it was hard to tell. He could be blushing his face off and Dream would have no idea. He supposed it was a good thing, since Blue couldn’t tell what he was emoting either. Although he didn’t really do that in the first place. The poker face Dream wore was just his default expression. As the captain of a ship, keeping up appearances and making sure that he was someone his crew could be someone to depend on at a crisis.

“I think that you’ve definitely left an impression on me, Blue.” He glanced back down at the water, thinking over his words, “I wouldn’t miss you, when you leave, per se. But I will remember you for a long time. You’re very interesting.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment!” Blue grinned at him. Proud, almost.

The water splashed against the boat, it was quiet and the smell of the sea was comforting. The two sat in silence, it wasn’t awkward, just a peaceful quiet.

“So?”

“So what, Captain?”

“You don’t have to call me that.”

Blue placed a finger to his chin, “How about lord?”

“I- lord?” Dream was slightly taken aback.

“Well sure. You’re not a pirate captain, nor are you a navy officer. You’re commanding a crew though. And a lord is someone who has authority and influence.”

“I…appreciate the thought but I highly doubt anyone would actually call me a lord. Dream works just fine.”

“We’ll see then I suppose! What were you going to ask me?”

“If you were planning on staying. Are you?”

“Hmmm…” Blue glanced away for a moment, gears moving together in his mind. “I’m definitely thinking about it. I do have a great dislike for violence, but I’ve learned that not everyone on your ship goes out and fights.”

“Yes, that is the case.”

“But I’ll think about it. We have a few more days before we reach Lellin.” “I always forget how far away it is…” Dream murmured to himself, “What happens if we get there and you haven’t decided yet?”

“I think I would get off at Lellin. I’m sure our paths will cross again if I do end up staying.” Blue pushed himself off of the fence and stood straight with his hand on the railing. Dream paralleled him, his arms folded loosely across his chest.

“And you're certain of that?”

“Cross paths with you again?” Blue took a step toward Dream and used the back of his hand to gently caressed Dream’s jaw. Dream was stunned, people had been forward before but not like that. “I sure hope so. I’d love to see you again. You intrigue me, Lord Dream.”

“It’s getting late, we ought to be getting to bed now. It’s quite late, I’d hate to decrease your productivity during the day.” Blue turned away and took a step away from Dream and towards the crew’s quarters. In the cover of darkness, Dream touched his cheek, the phantom feeling of Blue’s hand still remaining.

“I’ve stayed up later than this. Do not worry about my productivity.” Flustered wasn’t what he was feeling. He didn’t get flustered, not really, anyway. But he felt a little…ruffled. He hadn’t met anyone quite like Blue before, Blue had made a crack into his carefully crafted defenses. Intentionally or not, Blue made his presence known. Would Dream miss him if he left?

“Well if you say so! Good night.”

And with that, Blue walked across the Radiance and down into the crew's quarters. Dream slowly removed his hand from his cheek, drawing out the touch. He was left alone on the ship, the boat rocking gently. It was dark, and he could only see the vague outlines of things. His crew were all sleeping underneath him in their quarters, apart from Ink, who was probably snacking away right now, and Finch, who was up at the wheel, steering them to their destination. He had a small lantern that Dream could see from across the boat. His heart was pounding, and he leaned against the fence.

“Good night.” Dream murmured to no one in the darkness.