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Fog hangs heavy in the air as the ship sways back and forth beneath his feet.
Sid takes a deep breath, salt filling his lungs and sea spray clinging to his hair as he looks out over the sea.
They have the cliffs to their backs, protection from the storm that rolled through last night, but in front of them there is nothing but open water and freedom.
“Can leave as soon as fog lifts,” Zhenya says, coming up behind Sid and dragging his left hand over the curve of Sid’s shoulder and down to his waist. Zhenya settles in beside him, left hand still on Sid’s hip and right hand holding a mug of tea, steaming hot and heavy on the lemon and honey. “You leave bed too early,” he says from behind the rim of the mug. He blows across the tea to cool it off then takes a sip. “Got cold without you.”
“I wanted to get up early to help,” Sid says as he turns his body toward Zhenya, leaning into him to make up for leaving him to wake up alone. “But everyone is still asleep.”
“Yes, they know about fog, know not to rush. Enjoy sleeping late.”
Sid rolls his eyes. “When have I ever enjoyed sleeping late?”
Zhenya grins and sets the mug down then hooks his fingers in the waist of Sid’s trousers and tugs. He presses his face into the crook of Sid’s neck and places an open mouthed kiss to the patch of skin just above his collar bone.
“Don’t know,” Zhenya says, kissing his way up Sid’s neck to his jaw, “think I can remember few times.”
It’s been nearly ten years since Sidney first step foot on The Dixie, an event that forever changed his life that wasn’t even supposed to happen.
It was a mistake. Zhenya and his crew had stormed the kingdom looking to kidnap the Prince and hold him for ransom as a sign of protest for the lavish life the royalty lived while their people went hungry on the streets.
It was storming that night, lightning flashing in the sky and thunder rolling. The crew was wholly unprepared for how large and sprawling the castle was and in their confusion and panic two of the crew members grabbed the wrong man.
Instead of kidnapping the Prince they kidnapped a lowly kitchen boy who had taken to roaming the halls at night when he couldn’t sleep, staring up at paintings and statues and thinking about the lavish life he’d never have.
He had no family, no one to miss him. Certainly no one to pay a ransom. He was useless to the pirates but he plead his case to Captain Malkin, a man whose ruthlessness and cruelty preceded him.
“Take me with you,” Sidney had begged, “I have nothing to go back to, make your mistake useful.”
“Was not my mistake,” Malkin had sneered. “I already take care of the ones who make it. Now I take care of you.” With a wave of his hand Sidney was being pulled back toward the stairs that led up to the deck from the Captain’s quarters but Sid fought back, wrenching his arms out of their grasp and throwing himself across the desk, reaching for Malkin’s hands.
“Please,” he cried, “I’m strong and a hard worker. I’ll make up for the men you’ve lost.”
“You’ll make up for two men?”
“Let me try, give me a chance. If you’re not happy you can get rid of me. I’ll walk the plank myself.”
Captain Malkin had tipped his head back and laughed. “Plank. Plank is little kid stuff. It would be much worse than that. Take him,” he had said with another wave of his hand. “Show him what to do.”
Sid had let himself be pulled out of the cabin and up the stairs. Taking up with a group of pirates was never where he imagined his life going but then again, he did always love the sea.
Sidney was a fast learner. He fit in the crew, sharing meals and stories. Sid almost felt inadequate beside them and their tales from the high seas. He was an orphan with no past and they had such rich lives.
“Everyone has own story,” Captain Malkin had said gruffly over dinner one night, “can always change it.”
Sidney learned that pirates, or at least this group of them, didn’t deserve the bad wrap they got.
The crew didn’t keep much of what they took, giving it to those who truly needed it instead. They only took from those who had too much, robbing crooked businessmen and politicians who stole from their people.
He also learned that Malkin’s reputation was unfounded.
Sid quickly found was sweet and kind, giving candy to children and making friends with the cats who came aboard to catch the rats, naming them and giving them scraps off his plate.
“You know, you’re not so scary,” Sidney said, hanging halfway in and halfway out of Malkin’s quarters.
Malkin frowned, a mother cat and her four fluffy babies curled up on his chest as he laid in bed.
“You tell anyone I make you walk the plank,” Malkin spat but his grin matched Sidney’s perfectly.
Sid started watching him, more than a crewman should watch his captain.
He watched the way his open shirt would billow in the wind when he was standing on the deck and the way the sweat would collect on his brow when they’d spar; the glint of the sun on the sword was no more blinding than the light in his eyes.
Captain Malkin turned into Evgeni and finally, after a night of dancing in a friendly port, Zhenya, where Sidney traced the letters with the tip of his finger onto Zhenya’s bare back as they were told to him.
None of the crew seemed surprised to find Sid stepping out of Zhenya’s cabin in the morning, they just ducked their heads and exchanged coins behind their Captain’s back.
Apparently Zhenya hid his feelings just as well as Sidney did.
They went on, sailing and stealing and sleeping together, saving each other’s lives once or twice along the way.
There were a few close calls but none closer than the bullet that found its way to Sid’s chest, far too close to his heart.
Zhenya held vigil beside his bed, hand clasped around Sid’s, pressing kisses to his knuckles.
“I’m going to be okay,” Sidney told him over and over again but Zhenya just closed his eyes, pressed another kiss to the back of his hand and held on more tightly.
Zhenya changed after that. He took fewer risks, which brought in fewer treasures.
Some of the crew left looking for more wealth but the loyal ones stayed. Flower and Tanger and the women they met, married, and had babies with were thankful for the close stays to home.
“We’re not making as much as we used to,” Sid said, fully healed but still being held with careful hands by Zhenya.
Zhenya’s answer was a simple “don’t need as much,” and kissed Sid quiet.
Now, standing all wrapped up together on the deck of the ship, Sidney feels Zhenya take a deep breath before he says “thinking about stopping.”
Sid turns in Zhenya’s arms. “What do you mean?”
Zhenya shrugs. “Think about maybe a house. Nice piece of land, some sheep...maybe a quick little dog to herd them.”
“Land?” Sid took a step back to look up at him. “Sheep?”
“Just think.”
“What about the ship?”
Zhenya shrugs again. “Can’t keep forever. Think someone else take over. Maybe Jake. He young.”
“You love this ship.”
Zhenya tucks Sid back into his arms. “Love what I got from it.” He kisses the side of Sid’s neck. “What I found. Getting older. Can’t do forever. Think we deserve quiet, yes?”
“You won’t get bored?”
“Of this?” Zhenya kisses Sid’s mouth. “Never.”