between the devil and the deep blue sea;
darcy/connor
He was alone, or so he thought, until the air filled with a bizarre cracking sound like shattering bones. And then a splash, like a body slipping sullenly overboard and hitting the water. The sounds echoed around the ghost ship like spirits but no one came to investigate. The noise invaded his thoughts and banished his heartache, replacing it with cold fear and buzzing curiosity.
He stood up and stealthily stepped back into the shadows. A figure appeared over the edge of the deck, climbing on board. Connor's hand instinctively reached for his sword but did not remove it from his belt just yet.
The figure was unrecognizable silhouetted against the fading blaze of the sunset and the sleepy twinkling of the slowly emerging stars. Connor was certain it was female by the swing of it's hips and the curves of it's slim body against the setting sun.
Connor blushed slightly and averted his eyes for a moment as he realised the girl, whoever she was, was naked. But instinct for the safety of himself and his sister forced him to watch the woman's every move.
He was not yet sure is she was a threat but he reasoned, it would be difficult to conceal a weapon on a bare body.
The woman was shaking her cropped hair, water flying over the deck and specking Connor's face. She sauntered over to the bow of the ship, retrieved a canister of oil and some matches, then proceeded directly in Connor's direction. His heart skipped a beat.
She was mere steps away when he was discovered lurking in the shadows. At first they stood, silently, staring at each other with shocked and frightened expressions. Then realisation dawned on them both. Darcy gasped and dropped the matches and oil on the deck.
Connor resembled a puppy caught chewing expensive designer shoes. He mouthed wordlessly like a fish out of water for a moment, heart racing, his hands firmly clamped to his sides.
Darcy raced like a hare to a towel waiting for her on the bow of the ship and covered herself, then spun to face Connor, wrath clearly etched on her face in the twilight.
The figurehead swallowed and cocked her head to the side sharply. "I'm begging your pardon, Mister Tempest, for catching me so... so..."
"Naked?" Connor offered helpfully.
Darcy blinked. "Yes."
There was a slight silence as Darcy waited for a reply and Connor fumbled desperately for something to say.
"I never saw... anything. It... it was dark so I didn't... Not that I'd be looking or..." he mumbled uncertainly after a while.
Darcy took some steps towards him and he flinched at her sudden movement. Her bare feet padded swiftly and silently, closer and closer and Connor couldn't help but feel cornered in his shady hiding place. With each step, he braced himself for the slap or scream that would inevitably follow, wishing he'd escaped when he had a chance.
The figurehead stopped walking, her face inches away from his, her hair dripping steadily onto his boots. "Well," she murmured eventually. "Ain't you gonna help me pick up these matches?"
Connor blinked and stuttered a strangled, "Y-yes."
Nervously, he bent down and gathered the scattered wooden sticks while Darcy muttered to herself or to him, he wasn't sure.
"I'll never get these lamps all lit in time... it'll be morning before I'm finished... I'll have to put them all out again..." Her husky voice mumbled close to his ears.
He stood up slowly, handed her the matches and excused himself before he could do any more damage to their already fragile relationship.
"Y'know, Mister Tempest," Darcy called sweetly, smirking as he turned to leave. "I think we're bonding."
Connor laughed nervously without looking at the figurehead and hurried to his cabin to splash his face with icy water.
~ the end.
an; This pairing isn't crack to me. Is that bad? Not expecting many reviews but if you do read, please let me know what you think. Aloha! xo
