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“I do not understand how someone could be so beautiful.” Shay murmured to Gist, his eyes turn back on you. He stood at steering wheel of the Morrigan, steering the ship as he ginned ear to ear, as he felt his face flush.
You sat on the steps to the quarterdeck of the ship, using another step as a table to finish your map. A thick coat wrapped around your body, your fingertips red as you refused gloves from him, and sniffed every couple of minutes.
Your hair was tied up and pins used to keep the strands away from your face. You held a compass in your other hand. You sat your quill, lifting your map to look at the map given to you by Shay. Someone named Chevalier.
Whoever he was, his maps were amazing.
“Captain!” Gist shouted, grabbing the wheel and Shay’s attention.
He gasped as he quickly steered the ship away from the upcoming iceberg. It was a sharp turn, knocking the crew off their feet and making you yelp and colliding into the railing.
You winced, rubbing your freezing nose with the back of your hand. “Have you lost your mind, Cormac?” You huffed, looking down at your map. You sighed, the ink left a trail across your map.
“Apologies, lass.” Shay chuckled, returning the wheel to its original position. “How's the map?”
“Ruined.” You replied, crumbling the paper in your hands and snatched your quill along with its ink and compass. “But I can redraw it, I’ll just need a moment.”
“Go into the cabin, I should have paper for you.”
You nodded. “Thank you, captain.”
“And wear some gloves.” Shay added. “I don’t need my navigator to lose her fingers.”
“You worry too much.” You head down into his cabin, looking for said papers at his desk. You push aside papers as you stand by a candle for some kind of warmth.
“As you were saying, captain?” Gist sneered, earning a glare from Shay. He laughed, arms crossed together. “Have you tried to court the lady?”
Shay grumbled to himself, giving Gist the answer.
You joined the crew when Shay and Haytham spoke back at Fort Arsenal, he happily welcomed you to his crew, ignoring the warnings from his crew. Their tunes changed when you sang along with them.
“I do not deserve her.” Shay stated, gripping the wheel tighter. “After what I’ve done.”
“The lady wants you, captain.” Gist commented, pushing Shay away from the wheel and taking over. “Believe it or not, she too has blood on her hands. We all do.”
“Gist-”
“You’re avoiding the problem. It will eat away at you, and it will become uncontrollable.”
“Alright... Alright, I’ll talk to her.”
Shay entered the captain’s cabin, the warmth welcoming him, letting him sigh in relief. He noted that a few more candles were lit, most of them at his desk, and at his desk was you.
You were hunched over his desk, head resting on one of your arms as the other loosely held the quill. He was right, not only did you not care about freezing to death, but you were exhausted.
Your expression was relaxed, your breathing slowed... It made him smile.
Shay draped his coat over you, careful as to not wake you from your much needed sleep. He then made his way to the edge of his bed and sat down, looking at you with a smile.
Leaning forward, Shay whispered. “I... I love you, (Y/n). Truly, you’ve become important to me, I find myself lost yet when I think back to you, I’m at peace.” He whispered. “Sleep well, love.”
Shay rose from his bed, knowing he was going to receive slack from Gist because you were not awake to hear it, but Shay was happy, he could at least say it to you, even if you couldn’t hear him.
“You’re such a sap, captain.” You murmured, your voice teasing but affectionate.
He froze, his heart skipping a beat as he turned to see you awake and watching him. You caught him off guard as he could only stare in response, his cheeks becoming red with embarrassment.
Yet your laughter filled the cabin and Shay joined in, the tension disappearing as it was just the two of you. And has the laughter faded, now replaced with a comforting silence, Shay knew that there was nowhere else he’d rather be than here, with you.