Chapter Text
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James didn’t know what Regulus meant by: “Your worst nightmare,” but he didn’t exactly want to find out.
He laid back onto the black pillow, staring anywhere but at the door where Regulus has just disappeared through, and tapped his fingers on his chest.
His head pounded a little still, and his bicep every time it was strained, but he still managed to jerk his whole body up at the sound of someone slamming open the door.
James jumped, and whipped his head around to see another man, with the same dark hair as Regulus, however this guy had two green streaks at the front of his head.
He wore a black shirt, like regulus, and what seemed to be a very dirty waistcoat. James noticed a dark green bandana wrapped around his head, and a heavy brown belt draped around his torso.
He wasn’t too muscular, and was more like Regulus in that department - lean, and skinny. That didn’t mean to say that he wouldn’t have a good punch on him. The overlaying bruises gathered on his knuckles cleared a couple things up.
Right so this had to be Barty.
“Hola.” James muttered, still not tearing his eyes away in pure fear that one look away would cost him his life- currently bed bound and not in the mood to attempt murder. Barty looked somewhat otherwise.
“Bonjour, Potter.” Barty smirked, and he stepped closer. “How’s Salazar treating you?”
“Just fine, thank you.” He replied. “Are you supposed to be my worst nightmare?”
And Barty just laughed, and reached inside his pocket for a lighter and a joint. “Trust little Black to speak so highly of me.” He lit the joint and held it up to his mouth.
James furrowed his eyebrows. Little Black?
“Little Black?” He asked voicing his thoughts. Barty smiled a mocking grin, and took the cigarette away from his lips.
“Ah, little Reggie of course. You’ve met him, haven’t you?”
“I’ve met him alright,” James murmured, and looked away from Barty. “Doesn’t he hate being associated with his family?”
Barty laughed again, taking another drag before replying: “What do you think, Potter?” Then scoffed when James sent him a questioning look. “I do it to annoy him, we all do.”
“Ah.”
“Well, James, you obviously made quite an impression on our little star, he came out with smoke pouring out of his ears.”
“I have that impression on people,” Said James. “Didn’t know what had hit him.” And they both shared a laugh.
“I’m not here to kill you, Potter. I just want to know why you’re here, and how you managed this.” Barty became suddenly serious. “Because Godric already has enough on their own deck, and we’re barely getting by.”
James became a bit more nervous, and told the truth straight away. “When Godric attacked, and the ships collided, I lost balance, fell off the side and that’s all I remember.”
Barty surveyed him closely. “And you’re not lying, you’re not here for anything?”
“I’m not lying, besides, what is there here that Godric hasn’t got?” He joked, not knowing if Barty would have a good laugh, or end him.
To his surprise, he did laugh. A small laugh, but a laugh all the same.
“You’re alright, Potter.” Barty concluded, and patted him on the shoulder. It burnt, but at that point it didn’t matter. “A lot more talkative than I would’ve expected, but that’s not to say it wasn’t enjoyable.”
“Why thank you, good sir.”
“Pas de problème, Potter.” And he rose from the bed, and smiled as he went through the door as Regulus had done only ten minutes before.
—
Later on, James had enough strength to gather himself out of Regulus’ bed and make his way out of the room. He still held onto the wooden walls as he passed, as his side was still aching, peep the obvious scarring his wound had given him.
He wore his own washed out white shirt, and breeches but no shoes. No health hazard there!
The blinding of the morning sun made his eyes squint, and he brought a hand over to shield his face. Noises suddenly filled his ears of frustration, and he opened his eyes blinking twice to see a flurry of men and women fluttering all about the deck, pulling ropes and pushing barrels.
There was still a lot of sea water practically up to their ankles.
“Ah, Potter!” Barty called out, grabbing James’ upper arm and dragging him outwards. As he looked up to the top deck, a blonde boy with tanned skin eyed him up suspiciously. “We have work for you!”
And this time James switched his line of vision to Barty, brows knitting together in mild confusion.
“Work?” He asked, half leaning on him for support.
Barty laughed. “What, you didn’t think you were getting away without fixing the damage you created, did you?” And he gestured around to the wreckage.
“Look that wasn’t me, okay? I was already off the boat by the time you got hit.”
Barty just gave him a look, and kept dragging on. “Still got to pay the debt, pretty boy.”
James nodded grimly, and his eyes moved from Barty to Regulus, who was standing next to the blonde guy at the wheel.
Barty pushed him up the stairs to the helm, and kicked the back of his knees to he tripped on the last step and landed on his face right in front of Regulus.
He groaned and rolled onto his non-injured side, curling into himself.
“Get up, Potter.” Regulus spat, and lightly kicked him with the toe of his boot.
He did get up, slowly, and held onto the side for strength.
“This, is Evan,” Barty explained, motioning to the blonde boy, and giving him a quick closed lip smile before continuing. “He’s our helmsman, he steers the ship.”
He said it with slight admiration, James must admit.
“Got it.” James nodded.
“That’s Dorcas,” And he pointed to the main deck where a dark skinned girl was throwing water out of buckets over the edge of the ship.
Her braids had specks of silver jewellery in them. She was admittedly very pretty. “Don’t mess with her, she’ll give you a reason to jump off the boat. Doesn’t look like it, but get on her nerves…” Barty whistled. “Down you go.”
“Okay…” James straightened out nervously, and Barty let out a laugh.
“Don’t worry, I’m not dead yet.” He said.
“And he irritates her more than anyone.” Came a sweeter voice. James turned around to see a small blonde girl with tiny plaits adorning her hair.
She wore a black hat, and a green scarf around her waist, with loads of silver jewellery around her neck.
She looked important.
“Pandora.” She spoke, holding out her hand for James to shake. “Captain of Salazar.”
“Ah!” James grabbed her hand and shook it with caution. She didn’t hesitate to break out into a small grin.
“Good morning, James.” She spoke, and James smiled back.
“Ignore my crew, they haven’t had their lunch yet.”
James’ eyes flitted to Regulus, who was leaning casually on the sides, he was fiddling with a silver chain. He scoffed, and met the hazel eyes that were staring intently at him. James reluctantly pulled his eyes away from the boy and laughed to Pandora.
“I see.” He muttered.
“But we do have work for you, I’m afraid.” And she handed him a small carving knife, and gestured to Regulus, who looked up in exasperation.
“Again?!” He asked unbelievingly. “Why’s it always me?”
Pandora ignored him and turned back to James. “You’ll help regulus down below deck to fix the rotors. We’re stationary at the moment, so until those are working- we’re stuck here.”
“So what do I do with the knife?”
“Regulus will tell you.”
And he ushered them away.
“Unbelievable.” Regulus muttered coldly as he barged past James, and stomped down the stairs.
—
“Hey,” James spoke as they climbed down the ladder to below deck. “So what are we doing?”
Regulus didn’t answer, but James could hear his boots scuffling around.
It was pitch black down there.
“Regulus? Hello? Regulus where did you g-“ And he missed a wrung on the ladder, slipped off and came hurtling to the ground.
The sound made flinch and swivel around so fast his neck cracked.
“Jesus James, what the fuck?!” He grabbed the nearest lantern and lit the flame, shone it down on James’ wrangled body on the floor and burst into laughter.
James groaned from the wood planks.
“Quit laughing, maniac.” He pressed, heaving himself onto his knees.
For the first time, Regulus was actually smiling. Although it was at him, and not with him.
Still a laugh all the same.
“Help me up then!” James called into the one source of light. “Regulus.”
Regulus stopped laughing so hard, and held out his pale hand. James grabbed onto it and hoisted himself further than intended, and tripped over Regulus, bringing them both tumbling to the ground.
“Shit-“
“Fuck-“
They exclaimed at the same time.
James felt the smaller boy squirm underneath him as he pushed himself off the ground.
“Get off of me!” He grumbled, and whacked at James’ chest. James didn’t move, he was too distracted by the fierce grey stormy eyes staring at him, and the ghostly skin that was very close to his. “James!”
The small moment blurred, and James only realised it was still happening when Barty’s voice came tumbling down the passage.
“What was that bang, I swear I head something. Regulu-“
He took quick notice of their state and grinned.
“Looking cosy.”
And Regulus instantly drew a knife from his waistcoat, and slashed, (with no intention of killing him) at James’ cheek.
“Mierda.” James flinched and rolled off of Regulus onto the floor again.
Barty just chuckled and turned on his heel.
“Je t'ai dit d'attendre d'être de retour dans tes appartements, Regulus.” He mocked over his shoulder.
“Tais-toi, Barty. Tu sais, ce n'est pas comme ça.” The younger boy spat, and he scrambled off the floor, grabbing the lantern again. He strode down the hall into another room, and James followed suite almost immediately.
“Like a dog that one.” Barty scoffed, and he climbed back up the ladder.
—
TRANSLATIONS:
“Pas de problème, Potter.”- “No problem, Potter.”
—
“Mierda.”- “Fuck.”
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“Je t'ai dit d'attendre d'être de retour dans tes appartements, Regulus.”- “I told you to wait until you got back to your chambers, Regulus.”
—
“Tais-toi, Barty. Tu sais, ce n'est pas comme ça.”- “ Shut up, Barty. You know, it’s not like that.”