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“Here’s your food, sir.” the vender handed over a small bag containing his weird order of two breads with lettuce, cheese, and a huge piece of meat. Oh, and tomatoes and pickles. It’s the weirdest thing the vender had ever been requested, but not as weird as the man standing in front of him.
The man’s been staring at the pirate ship just outside the harbor for quite some time now. He was chatting with him after placing his order, pointing at his outfit and telling him where he’s been and how he got that set of “sun glasses”, as he called the dark lenses hiding his eyes. And then his eyes drifted to the ship slowing coming to a halt, and he just…stopped. A smile slowly found its way onto the man’s handsome tanned face.
“So the Impolite Murderer’s here.” he said, taking the bag from the vender.
“Well, if they’re going to be here for a few days, you might not want to go out after sunset, sir.” the vender didn’t even dare to look at the flag flying proudly in the air. Some rumors said that you would die if you see the flag, and he wouldn’t want to risk it. It was the most vicious pirate ship after all.
“Oh, I will be fine.” the man waved him off, tossing him a few coins before going back to his inn a few blocks down the road, his whistles echoing in the brick houses.
It’s a couple of hours later, the night’s down, and most people had gone home. The street was desert saved for a few old drunks shouting just outside the bar. The news of Impolite Murderer traveled fast, and the town people just wanted to stay out of any trouble related to pirates.
The inn owner was pouring the regular customers another drink, when they heard the footsteps coming down the stairs. A tall man dressed in a weird brown jacket with dark fur covering the collar came down.
“You shouldn’t head out this late.” the owner warned him, “it’s not safe outside tonight.”
The man let out an unique loud laugh, “don’t you worry.” he said, flashing him a white toothy smile, “I know what I’m doing.”
They watched as the man pulled open the front door and disappeared into the pitch black night. One of the customers snorted.
“Young fart.” he laughed, “he’s going to be slaughter alive by those pirates.”
“I think it’s Jones, isn’t it?” another one mused, “the treasure hunter? Heard he’s making a some money out of it.”
“Money? Sold those ancient craps to the royalty can’t be a bad business, can it?”
The inn owner topped their glasses, “I heard that he sometimes steals from the palace and then pretended to find and return the stolen goods to get bounty.”
“What a foxy man! I wonder what he’s doing outside…”
The other customer snorted, “stealing? Hunting? Those black business? Who cares?”
The sea was not peaceful tonight.
Captain Kirkland examined the waves with furrowed eyebrows, two bush-like thick brows didn’t make his face any less handsome than it would to other people. He scratched his messy, sand blond hair with one gloved hand, the other holding a compass that pointed to the north with a crooked hand. It’s too foggy to make out what’s going on at far. The air was salty and slightly chill for an early September night. He could see the blurred lights coming from the harbor, and he could only hope that his crew members can behave and not cause him any trouble.
He’s sent most of his crew into the town to have a night off. Only few of them stay to guard the ship, but none would come to the captain’s deck.
None except for one.
He heard him before seeing him.
“Arthur.”
With the words came two strong arms wrapped themselves around Captain Arthur Kirkland’s neck to bring him backward into the man’s embrace. Arthur felt as the man buried his head in the place where his shoulder and neck connected, the hot breath on his skin sent tingle down his body.
Arthur sighed, “Alfred. What are you doing?”
The man, Alfred, lifted his head and gave him a wicked smile, “I missed you.”
Arthur tug on his arms and got out of his hug, turning around so he’s properly facing him, his face unimpressed, “sure.”
Alfred shrugged, “can’t stay away from you for long. You know me.”
“No, I don’t. You are just a brat who abandoned this ship to become whatever you do. And to think I raised you for ten fucking years!”
“Seriously Artie, do we have to go through this every single time? You accusing me for something I didn’t do, and I yelled back because you were the one who raid my parents and killed them on that merchant ship in the first place.”
“How dare you!”
They glared at each other, the wind ruffled through their hair, and from not far away they heard the sound of beer bottles clicking together.
“Think your guards are having a small party.” Alfred tilt his head toward the crew cabin, “stupid people. Didn’t even notice that I’m here. What kind of guards are they?”
Arthur scoffed, “as if they can stop you.”
“No, they can’t. Not really.” Alfred’s eyes was piercing blue, staring directly at Arthur, “so are we done playing?” He held out his arm into an invitation for hugs, his brows raised in a suggestive manner.
Arthur took three huge strides and collided into Alfred’s chest, smashing their lips together. Their teeth knocked together, but neither of them cared. All they did was lick into each other’s mouth, trying to remember when was the last time they’ve done this.
“Tell me you came to see me.” Alfred whispered against his lips, “you came to see me, didn’t you?”
Arthur bit his jaw, lick a stripe up to the corner of his mouth, “so what if I do?”
“Knew it.”
“You are the one who sent me that message saying you’d be staying in here for one whole week. You basically asked me to come.”
Alfred pushed Arthur’s coat off his shoulders, “I did have something for you, though.”
Arthur hummed, “yes you do.”
“That treasure map, remember? You mentioned it’s the legacy of the great pirate Rome?”
Arthur’s hands tightened their grips on Alfred’s hair, “you got it?”
“Took some effort and tracking, but yes. I’ve got it for you.” gently stepping back, Alfred reached into his jacket and took out a scroll, “ta-da!”
“Where did you find it? The last time I heard it’s in Fernandez Carriedo that scallywag’s hand.” Arthur took over the scroll and opened it, “did you raid his ship?”
“What, no! Unlike you, I’m actually on quite a good term with Antonio. That one’s a hoot!” Alfred shook his head as his lover shot him a death glare, “alright, alright. I only got it after he went missing.”
“Missing?” Arthur’s head whipped up.
“Heard he went overboard in one storm.”
“That’s not going to kill him.”
“I know, his crew searched through the region, but they didn’t find him.” Alfred sighed, pushed his hair back with his hand, “so I got the scroll from Antonio’s cabin. I like him, but not enough to leave something so important to his crews.”
Arthur bit his bottom lips, his eyes back to the scroll. It was a old map, and rumored has it that it hid the secret of where the greatest pirate of all time, Rome’s treasure.
“I still don’t believe he’s dead, though. I’ve come across that man for quite a few times, and he’s not that easy to end.”
“I’m pretty sure in the first few years you ended up in his bed, or vice versa.”
“Are you jealous, Jones?”
“No, I was barely thirteen back then. Wouldn’t know what jealousy mean. Besides,” Alfred took the scroll out of Arthur’s grip, his other hand traveled south and cupped his bottom, “look who’s in your bed tonight?”
“Shall we discuss the business tomorrow, then?” Arthur licked his lips, one hand on Alfred’s chest and pushed him backward to where his private cabin is.
“Tomorrow it’s a new adventure. It’d be great to sail with you after so long.”
“Say that to your eighteen-year-old self and see if he cares. You were practically running away from this ship.”
“I was in an angsty unrequested love.” Alfred pushed open the cabin door, his clothes half undone thanks to Arthur, “which turned out to be not so unrequested when we saw each other one year later, huh?”
“Shut up.” Arthur threw him onto his bed before climbing on him, their crotches aligned.
And what happened after that was permanently forbidden to bring up by the members of the Impolite Murderer for the years to come, as they sailed through the sea with a cunning treasure hunter who’s apparently the only one who can satisfy their beloved captain, if what they heard that night was anything to go by.