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Second star to the right, straight on til morning.
Second star to the right, straight on til morning.
Second star to the right, straight on til morning.
Sebek repeated the motto to himself so he had a constant reminder of where home was. Home for him at the very least. As he stood in solitude on the deck of Captain Draconia’s ship letting the salty air blow through his mint locks, his eyes wandered to the dark waters below. The full moon’s yellow light brightened his pale skin, almost complimenting it. Nearly making him glow under all the black and green he wore as part of his uniform. Nothing special or flashy; a black poet’s shirt, a green vest, black pants and black boots. He even carried a sword on his hip with a brown belt. Just another pirate in the crew. Another lost boy on the ship. Just another night drifting along the tide.
Captain Draconia wasn’t an awful man, quite the opposite; a charming fae. Once just a young boy who inherited the ship from his grandmother, he wanted to make a name for himself having only his wit and kindness about him. Of course like a traditional pirate, he plundered other ships and stole riches but it was only to give them all to the lost boys of Neverland. The boys he swore he would play with on the first Saturday of every month. Their fake battles would be filled with laughter, rumbling, tumbling and swords of all kinds. He’d abandoned his ship just to make sure they had a good time while he was there and it was something Sebek rather admired. It didn’t make much sense to him, when he was a boy, he remembered Malleus to be much more terrifying. He’d had to change his sheets after such an encounter. Even now the fae sent shivers down his back when he merely walked across the deck to the helm.
Waves crashed against the bottom of the ship yet Sebek didn’t care to look away. Giving in to the waters hypnotizing motions and salty scent that grew stronger with every breath he breathed.
“Second star to the right,” he recited, “straight on til morning.” his voice normally so loud and brash, stayed quiet to not wake up the others who slept underneath the deck.
“Second star to the right,” he repeated, “straight on til morning.”
He doesn’t know why he said it in such a manner. Why his heart yearned for the moon to turn into the sun and for them to return to Neverland. He knew he would be away for quite a while. Of course he knew. Of course, of course, of course.
He finally raised his head and faced the sky. The moon and the two brightest stars, named Trey and Deuce by the pirates, greeted him. Deuce especially, the second star on the right of Trey shining the brightest he could. Always so eager and full of life. Sometimes Sebek could swear he heard little whispers come from the star. He’d whisper right back.
“How’s Trey? How’s Neverland? How are the faeries?” a bundle of questions every nightfall to keep himself entertained. Sometimes Deuce would answer with a brighter shine, twinkling more in response. Sometimes he wouldn’t say anything at all.
“How’s Jack?” was a question Sebek didn’t consult the stars about. He didn’t want to hear about how his lover would sit and pout awaiting his return. He didn’t want to hear about how Jack had almost forgotten what he looked like yet again in the time he stayed aboard.
Sebek couldn’t forget him even if he wanted to. A young man strongly built but just a few inches taller than the pirate himself. Despite his intimidating energy, his features were rather…soft. Bright yellow eyes that were often filled with determination and kindness. White hair, fluffy and unkempt to blend in the wolf ears on top. Warm, caramel skin as sweet as he was tough, making his eyes even brighter. All wrapped in white silken fabric and silver flowers, common wear for the faeries of Neverland. A uniform in their colonies. Unlike most fae on the island, Jack was never the type to cause mischief or put anyone in harm’s way. Not intentionally. Out of most of his colony he is considered to be the most kind. The most lovely. A bit of an outcast in his own right when he doesn’t want any of the Lost Boys to be in danger because of them. Didn’t sit right for him.
When the two first encountered one another, Sebek spent another night alone on the beach. The cool sand acted in place of a soft bed, the ocean’s gentle sounds played a delicate lullaby, and the stars above in a blackened night provided a thin blanket. Crickets chirped in the sand, birds gave small chirps and squawks but nothing more because they were getting ready for bed. Yellow lights of fireflies fluttered in front of him so he counted them to try and fall asleep.
“One…two…three…”
The jingling of a bell followed one glittering light.
“Four…” Sebek continued but the jingling grew louder.
“Four..” he tried to regain focus but the jingling kept on. The little ball of light had a trail of sparkling dust falling gracefully behind it. Just a faerie, nothing more. It danced around him, almost covering him in its glittering dust. He amused the fae by giving it a tiny chuckle out of tiredness. “Faerie…” His eyelids grew heavy. “Faerie…” they slowly closed and let Sebek finally rest.
His mind wondered why the fae danced around him in the way it did. It weighed on him. Quite literally too as his chest felt heavy the next morning.
Well, what he found was a pleasant surprise.
When he opened his eyes, he found the source of the…say, additional weight.
A wolf faerie lying on top of him, slightly curled up like he tried to save some space. Sebek’s eyes went wide upon seeing such a sight. He remained silent and still just hoping he’d wake up soon so he didn’t get crushed under his weight. It wasn’t too bad to look at so Sebek found a bit of entertainment in just…looking at him. His white hair fluffed in a special way, almost irresistible. How it gently moved to the salty breeze…how shiny and bright it looked in the sun just like precious snow…Sebek raised his hand a little, just a little, just to get a pet in.
“You could…ask..” mumbled the fae.
“Sorry..” the Lost Boy apologized.
“No, no, it’s alright…I was a little rude just..” he pushed up to face him. The fae paused for a moment, simply staring into the Lost Boy’s eyes. A smile made his lips curl, his yellow eyes softened. “Falling asleep on you…” he finished his thought.
“I’m Jack.”
“Sebek.”
“Sebek…” his wolf ears wiggled to the name, “I like that quite a bit.”
“My name? I like yours too…” his response, awkward and a little bit flustered. “Um, if I can ask…why did you-”
“Fall asleep on you?”
Jack finally moved off and seated himself next to Sebek. “I didn’t mean to, honestly. I struggled to sleep last night so I tried flying around here to tire myself out and I guess I fell on you.”
“You were that little faerie?”
“Mmhm. Uh, sorry for keeping you up if I ever did…”
“You actually kinda helped me sleep, so I appreciate your company.”
“Do you…normally sleep on the beach?”
“No, do you normally fly around frantically on the beach?”
“No.”
“Do you normally ask so many questions?”
“No.”
“Um…”
“You are the first faerie I’ve met on this island.” noted the Lost Boy.
“Either I’m incredibly lucky or you’re incredibly good at hiding.”
“Hiding?” Sebek didn’t think he was doing such a thing. At least not that often. Jack nodded his head. “Sorry then.”
“No need to apologize. I should be getting back to my colony anyway but I did enjoy this, Sebek.”
Jack got on his feet, dusted himself off and raised his arms up to stretch. He pushed his back in and everything too for a proper stretch and woke up. “Hey, when it’s dark, can we meet up here again?” he offered to the Lost Boy who kept his eyes on him. Dark golden eyes full of wonder at such a figure. “That is…if you’re not busy or anything later today..”
Sebek shook his head, “No! No! Not at all! Sunset, right?”
“Sunset…yeah.”
Sunset…that was the time they met. Sunset.
As the sun turned the sky into a rush of orange and red, the two would recount their adventures on the island. Sebek wouldn’t have much to say compared to Jack’s time working in his small home. Wrangling squirrels that looked like giants, creating teapots and cups from acorns, painting leaves for the seasons. Things all mundane to Jack but magical to Sebek. He’d sometimes wish he had more exciting things to tell him. Being a Lost Boy, there isn’t much to do other than just sitting around and hoping a pirate doesn't attack. There would be little things he found and he’d show those to him instead. Little bottle caps, watches, keys, trinkets. Tiny trinkets that made Jack’s eyes glitter with wonder. The old golden keys and watches he would ask Sebek about constantly; “What does it do?” he asked, “How does it work?” Sometimes Sebek knew and sometimes he didn’t.
Sebek thought nothing special of himself until he met such a curious spirit. He wished to have adventures like him, have stories to tell, things to do.
Jack didn’t care if Sebek was just a guy holding a bunch of keys and watches in his hands. He enjoyed the company, the conversations, the joy that sparked from every word coming from his mouth.
They kept on like this, following their routine; sleeping on the beach at night, working during the day and meeting up at sunset. They did this for weeks, months, even years.
Sebek wonders now if Jack ever returned to that same beach at sunset. Maybe talked to the clouds or ocean for company. Or maybe he looked for trinkets of his own as reminders of him. Maybe he didn’t miss him at all. That would be just as fine. The beach became the loving desert it always knew it could be when no one took up its space on the shores.
His eyelids grew heavy once more from merely standing on deck to avoid sleeping alone. Eyes remaining on the skies and stars for any guidance they could offer the young pirate. Deuce seemingly growing brighter and brighter, radiating contagious joy Sebek couldn’t pick up on. Deuce’s joy started to grow so bold that his normal pale blue-white coloring turned to gold in the sky, matching the moon. Suddenly the weight on the pirate’s eyelids let up upon seeing the color shift, his eyebrow raised in confusion. The star seemed to get…closer? It definitely had gotten larger but not in…actual size. Sebek’s mind had to be playing tricks on him, his lack of sleep finally getting to him. It wasn’t Deuce, when he looked back the star had returned to its small, blue self. Yet there was something in the air.
A small, yellow, jingling ball of light. Close to a star but not quite.
It fluttered in front of his nose and eyes, trailing dust behind itself. He blinked twice hoping for it to just be a dream but to no avail. The golden ball grew into a more visible form; a large wolf faerie dressed entirely in white with silver flowers. Golden eyes full of determination and kindness appear to glitter with wonder. Sun-kissed skin, warm and fulfilled by the surrounding yellow light. Fluffy white hair, bright and pure like snow, topped with wolf ears. Sebek had lost himself in the awe. His lips quivered trying to get the thoughts out because they did no good racing through his mind.
However Jack spoke first; “I found you…” tears flooded his eyes, “I finally found you..” a smile caused the tears to stream.
“Jack…” The pirate answered, tears filling up his eyes. “H-How-”
“I finally found you.” he wrapped his arms around him for a hug. He lowered onto the deck of the ship, the yellow glow surrounding him beginning to disappear. His ears lowered comfortably, his arms continuing to squeeze his lover, his nose nuzzling into his cheek.
“How?”
“Hm?”
Sebek pulled away from the hug as Jack let him go yet he held onto his hands. His thumbs gently rubbing the back of his hands.
“How did you find me?”
“Second star to the right, straight on til morning. That’s how I found you.”
“Jack, that’s…that’s how you find Neverland.”
“No Sebek,” he happily sniffled, “that’s how you find home.” one of his hands raised to Sebek’s cheek so he could caress it.
Sebek leaned into his loving touch, a heavy but relaxed sigh left his lips. He made sure his hand didn’t move. “Jack…darling…I’ve missed you so much…”
“And I missed you too…come back to Neverland.”
The offer made the pirate’s eyes go wide. “Jack…I can’t. I belong to the seas.” he delicately pushed Jack’s hand away from his cheek.
“You belong in my heart…with me, away from his ship…”
“I know you long for those days when we were young…”
“I long for you, and only you.”
“Jack…”
“Sebek…I love you. I’m tired of waiting for every first Saturday just to see your face, to hear your voice, to hold you once more…” Jack pressed his forehead against his lover’s, eyes on him. “It doesn’t have to be this way…we can go back, lay on the beach, share kisses under the stars.”
“I know it doesn’t have to be this way, but I chose this life.” Sebek replied, “I chose the life of a pirate, because you were the one who gave me the courage and strength to pursue adventure.”
He gave a weak smile to the pirate. “I wouldn’t have done such a thing if it meant you were going to leave me.”
“I never left, my darling. You managed to find me after all, if I had left I would be most definitely lost.” Sebek’s hands moved up Jack’s wrists and forearms until they settled upon his shoulders. Jack’s hands properly moved to Sebek’s waist, one having to move around the sword on his hip. Their gaze remained unbroken, the silence consumed them. The faerie’s smile slowly turned something genuine, no longer weak because of solitude and sadness. Bodies pressing against one another, rocking gently, almost similar to calm dancing motions. Sebek laid his head on his lover’s warm chest, his heartbeat becoming the only sound he wanted to hear. Waves quietly crashing under the ship, the soft breeze howling in the air, the twinkling stars and moon in the dark blanket above all blended together to him.
“Will you remember how to find me?” Jack hummed to himself.
Sebek answered, “Of course. Second star to the right, straight on until morning, I shall follow it as my heart yearns to be in your arms once more.” He looked at him again. “Only when I see you once more I will know that I am home.”
“Good, good…and don’t you dare leave for the seas again without a kiss to carry you on. Promise me that.”
“I promise. I will come home, find you, and tell you my tales as we lay on the beach under the stars. And the day after when I must go, I will give you a kiss to carry me on.”
Jack’s ear flicked joyfully, his arms beginning to squeeze the pirate a bit. His head turned to the moon, “Ah…I feel it is time for me to go.”
“Are you going to give me a kiss?”
“But of course.”
Jack’s hand trailed up his love’s body, making its way under his chin to hold it. He pushed his head back slightly, his head lowered, his eyes closed slowly. Their lips delicately touched under a newly born set of stars scattering across the sky. Sebek almost went back for one more kiss however he didn’t want to keep Jack any longer. In almost a blink of his eye, the faerie returned to his small glowing form and took off to the skies. A golden star against the black, trailing dust behind. The pirate looked longingly until the dust disappeared and the only stars he could see were silver.
“Second star to the right…straight on until morning,” he reminded himself. “Only when I see you again, will I be home.”