As you've seen from the description this is a navy AU. Disclaimer- I have never been in the navy and have the upmost respect for anyone who has or plans to- that said, I am trying my hardest to make this entertaining and it is going to be far fetched. You have been warned. All constructive criticism is welcome and I hope you enjoy!
The warm sea breeze tussles my pulled up hair as the ship propels through the coastal waters. The separation between sea and sky are almost nonexistent, all just looking an endless blue.
This is not my first time at sea. Not for a long shot. I grew up by it and I've always known i'd join the navy once of age.
Something about it has always fascinated me. It's wild and unpredictable pulling some under with the tides and others drifting on top. The ocean is a wild mistress that has had me in her grasp since she took my cousin.
He was one of those that was pulled under and since then all I've wanted to do was tame her. Now that I'm on a ship I've realized it's harder that's thought initially.
I don't have as much privacy while changing and everything I bring is sifted through so all feminine hygiene items are a no go.
We never had enough money to take me to a doctor when I was younger and as far as they all knew I was just James. When I first joined I spend a lot of time avoiding physicals but I met a nurse their who I'd known for a time when I was little. Lauren is her name, with a poker face that can trick any man or woman, forged my papers.
Legally I've been named James Kidd after taking his place when my aunt had to have a child to pass off as her own to her deceased husbands mother. My mother died long ago and my father was nowhere to be found. I was just another child of the state.
I've moved on. Grew up and found a purpose.
Our ship is small compared to the others but that's just because it is only for protecting other ships in the convoy coming out around the Caribbean.
"Check the sonars Kidd," a gruff man say to me pulling me away from my work of calibrating our location. "Captains orders. Have fun putting up with Kenway."
He's a tall man, with a ruff gravelly voice. His name is Vane. Charles, I think, but it's not the most professional thing to call them by their first name. He is a lower rank than I but he likes to pretend he's above everyone.
I walk away with just a nod of understanding, moving down the stairs into the metal hull. I walk past groups of men and women alike down another flight of stairs, to a locked door.
I knock against the cold gray metal and hear footsteps approach from the other side. The door sings open towards the man and I'm greeted by the young blond officer that I've taken under my wing for the past four months.
"Hey Kidd. Couldn't stay away could you?" He laughs.
"Hardly Kenway," I roll my eyes as I push past him taking the place in front of the radar system.
"So I heard you and Bonny are close. Anything to add?" He smirks at me as he leans against the side wall with his arms across his chest.
"She's a nice lass," I say passively trying not to discuss this topic. Anne knows about me. She's been kind enough to help me keep my tracks covered and it seems others are taking notice of our closeness.
He rolls his eyes and walk closer to stand beside me. "The others think it's something more. Admit it James you have a crush on the redhead."
"I will admit that you're poking your nose in places it don't belong." I continue scanning the water below checking for debris or rogue submarines.
"Don't worry I won't meddle in your love life. You're a lucky man." He takes the place beside me continuing his assigned job. "Isn't she still with Rackham?"
"Aye, she is."
"What ever happened to him?"
"He got caught sneaking liquor aboard and won himself a dishonorable discharge," I say slyly. I never liked the man and Anne could find so much better.
He laughs under his breath shaking his head. "When we get back on land first thing we're doing is getting something to drink and finding some women."
Finding a woman is the last thing I want to do but these guys are the only friends I have. "A drink it is, just as long as I don't have to carry you home," I raise an eyebrow glancing at him briefly. "Or find you naked in my bed with some woman."
"It won't happen," he laughs. "Well at least not again."
'Beep Beep Beep' my watch sounds off declaring the shift change for dinner.
There's a knock on the door and two men step in as me and Edward walk out. We take up the stairs joining half of the crew in the mess hall. We collect out food and move to sit with our group of bunk mates.
I sit beside Edward with Anne to my left and Vane, Hornigold, and Thatch across from us. Hornigold and Thatch outrank all of us as lieutenants. Anne, Edward and I are all Chief Petty Officers but Vane is just a Petty Officer. It's not because a lack of skill but a lack of trying.
"Kenway, Kidd almost didn't think you'd make it," Hornigold drawls sarcastically. "I'd think you were too busy with other things."
"Is that envy I hear?" Kenway asks "because mines bigger than yours? Tell him Anne."
Her jaw drops a bit before she scowls at him. "Like I would know. I'd rather die than lay with you."
Everyone laughs, Edward included, even though that should have hurt his pride it must be too big to even scratch it.
"I forgot," Edward says slyly. "That it's only Kidd you'd lay with."
Her face flushes a deep red color and I try not to look at her knowing it's only going to make it worse.
"Don't be shy," Thatch bellows. "No one blames you."
"Sod off. The lot of ya," I warn. "Can't you keep your traps closed?"
Vane rolls his eyes. "Sorry James. We won't mess with your woman again."
Anne is on her feet before I can catch her and lands a punch squarely to his jaw. I pull her back with me, kicking the chairs away to keep her out of reach before she kills him for calling her anyone's woman but her own.
Thatch and Hornigold have Vane's hands behind his back before he can even stand. Others are looking around taking notice, some with worry and confusion on their faces and others have small sadistic smile for seeing Anne lay into him.
"Calm down he's not worth it," I say into her ear and she calms but stays standing stiff.
"That's quite enough," a calm gruff voice say from behind us.
The entire room goes silent and we turn to face our captain, a native man who has more experience than all of us combined.
"Ah Tabai, captain, sir," Anne says quietly.
"You all know I can't condone this activity. Petty Officer Vane, do you wish to file a report," he sighs. In every talk I've ever had with him he has been one for honor and living to the full extent but he still has his duties.
Vane shoots me and Anne a glare as he wipes the blood off his busted lip. "No, sir. She has a good hook," he says cockily. "Maybe next time."
Ah Tabai nods and turns towards me and Anne. "Bonny, Kidd, join me in my quarters. I'll call you up later Vane."
He turns and exits leaving the room to slowly fill with voice once again. Most of them taking about what will happen when me and Anne get in his office.
Anne steps out of my grasp realizing I've been holding her protectively to my chest. If she wouldn't have already known about me she would have just found out by the outline of my binding.
We turn down the hall keeping our heads up as they watch us walk out, murmuring under their breaths. Thatch and Hornigold drag Vane off to the restrooms but Edward sits giving both me and Anne a sympathetic look.
We follow him down the hall and up a fight of stairs to the private side of the ship. He opens the door leading us in and closes the door behind us.
The room is small but compared the the rooms we sleep in it could be mistaken for a ballroom. A desk sits in the center carved out of wood, looking old and weathered as it always has. A small bunk is set off to the side for him to sleep but the rest of the room has the same flooring and paint that every other room in this ship does.
Me and Anne take the seats facing him behind his desk. He is silent for a moment as I assessing the situation in his head thinking of something suitable to say.
"It was my fault sir," I say confidently. "I instigated it and..."
"It's not your fault Mary," he sighs. "I've heard many complaints from the other women about his demeaning comments and I am taking care of that. Even with that said this still has to go one file."
Anne gives me a shocked look at him using my given name and I nod in a silent promise to explain later.
"All I ask is you two keep an eye on each other. I need you to just stay quiet through these last few days before me meet port." He looks up at us and despite his soft words his face is just as stern as ever.
"We can do that sir," Anne confirms. "And thank you."
He nods and motions us to leave.
"Sir," Anne says with a new found confidence. "Can I stay in James's bunk for the last two nights. Just in case."
"If you think it's best," he nods and he walk out of his office.
"Damned men!" she curses as soon as the door is shut. "I'd gut all of them if I had the chance!"
"Don't worry Anne. If anyone would want to hurt you they would have to kill me first then if they kill me, you'll kill them anyway," I laugh.
She punches my shoulder lightly and laughs. "This means we have to sleep in the same bed or will you force one of the men into bed with you?" She pokes my side, a devious smile lighting up her face.
"For all they know I'm just a young boy and I could probably convince Kenway into giving up his bed and sharing mine." Her smile only gets bigger and I glare at her. "Don't look at me like that. It's just a bed. If be and ii slept side my side it wouldn't mean anything."
We walk down stairs once again and down to my bunking room. On any other circumstance Anne would never be allowed to sleep here but we have captains permission.
I open the door that no one ever bothers to lock. My room houses four. Thatch, Edward, a man I've come to know as Adewale, and I.
I sleep to the left of the room with Edward in the bunk above me and Adewale across from him with Thatch under him.
Adewale is reading something in his bunk with Thatch and Edward sitting on the bed below laughing about something.
When we walk in they all glance up, silently questioning why Anne is in our room.
"Anne is staying with us for the remainder of our journey. If one of you lay one greasy finger on her I'll gut you. Ya got that?" I question with a dark look in my eyes.
They nod and Thatch stands pulling her into a hug. "Great job out their lassie. You got him better than most men could." He lets her go plopping back down beside Edward.
Speaking of him... "Edward can Anne have your bed?"
"Yeah," he says then smirks up at me. "If you don't mind sharing with me."
"Just as long as you don't try any shit Kenway," I say with a smile.
Anne climbs to the upper bunk with no trouble settling into Edwards bed. "If you've been jacking off in these sheets I'm going to ring your neck," she laughs but none of us take the threat too lightly.
"Don't worry Annie dear. It's James here you have to worry about," he says slyly.
"Like hell I do!" I say as I lay down in the small cot facing the wall. Edward climbs in after me pressing his bare back against my clothed one.
It's a tight fit to say the least and my stomach in pressed flat against the wall.
Thatch laughs under his breath at the awkward predicament we're in but says no more as he flips off the light by the door without even having to stand up.
I can't get very comfortable. His arse is pressed against mine and for a man his is quite round. What the hell am I thinking?
I force my eyes closed and slowly drift off.
I wake up early because the heat is becoming too much. I'm laying on something that is not a mattress.
My eyes open slowly and I realize where I am. I'm laying on Edwards bare chest with my head tucked in between his neck and shoulder. He is silently drawing small circles on my back with a single finger causing chills to run up and down my spine and heat to well up in a place that it shouldn't at a moment like this. Damn it's been too long.
I push up off of him quickly almost knocking him off with me and pace to the far side of the room which isn't far. "Edward! What the hell!" I hiss quietly, not wanting to wake the others up but unable to contain my exasperation.
"I didn't do anything. I woke up with you sprawled across me," he whispers innocently.
"Then why the fuck didn't you wake me up!"
"You looked tired. It's okay Kidd I really don't mind," he pauses just looking at me before lifting the blanket up. "We still have a half an hour."
I sigh and climb back in beside him. It's uncomfortable laying side by side and I reluctantly throw my leg over his waist and drape my arm across his chest. My head fits perfectly in the crook of his neck with his right arm folded under me placed on my waist.
This probably isn't a smart thing to do. I'm treading on thin ice and I can feel it cracking under the weight. I can't help but to look up at his gorgeous face. Gorgeous? Where the hell did that come from?
He looks down at me and our eyes catch each others as we stare at one another not knowing what to say. I look away as the air is becoming too tense for two friends.
I close my eyes willing myself to drift in and out of sleep, catching small glimpses of things that come to mind in a sort of daydream. I see Edward and I sitting on a small beach just laying under the stars. He looks over at me and smiles, as he pulls me closer and kisses my lips.
My eyes snap open as my watch goes off. I peal myself off of him before the others start to stir awake.
What the hell is happening to me?