Comfort

Her Side: The Ship

Summary: Ursula wasn't usually afraid of anything but… Sea Lice…? She was.

Just my imagination and love for Cray/Ursula!

Being a Captain of a squad, you're not aloud to be afraid. You're a leader. You're strong and dependable and you can't let your men see your fear, or else they'll be afraid too. But when Nina and I were trapped in the cellar of that ship… and those… things fell down on us… I shrieked.

Nothing, not even Sea Lice, would ruin my precious fur of my tail! Apparently my fear showed upon my face when Nina and I resurfaced because Cray—or as I like to call him, 'Cat Boy'—pointed out how pale I was. "You ok, Captain?" Cat boy said with a hint of concern. "You're a little pale." He added mockingly.

I turned the other cheek and scoffed. "I'm fine, Cat boy."

The six of us boarded the ship and settled in. Nina took immediately took to the crow's nest, seeing as she loved high places. Ershin simply sat on the deck, kicking her legs, probably talking to Deis. Ryu was wandering around the ship aimlessly. Scias was inside the ship, resting on one of the bunk-bed's, and Cat boy was inside the ship as well, relaxing in the captain's quarters.

I moved to the inside part of the ship as well, feeling quite sick now. I've always hated the water, it made me sick and I couldn't stand it. I wavered a little and Cray looked over at me. A panicked look shadowed his face as he sprinted slightly for me, like I was going to faint. I fell to my knees, and he grabbed my elbows to steady me. "Ursula!" He exclaimed in concern. "What's wrong?!"

I gagged slightly, feeling a vomit-type feeling run through me. "I-I don't lik-like the s-sea." I managed out, stuttering like Scias. For some reason I felt girly embarrassment run through me at the contact we currently shared, and it turned me from ghostly pale to flaming red.

Cray took immediate notice. (Since when was he no longer cat boy?) His large, manly hands moved to my waist and he lifted me up into his arms. I blushed deeper, if possible. "C'mon, I know what'll help." He flashed me a brief and rare smile as he carried me into the back, past Scias (who stared curiously, but said nothing) and moved to the back where the ladder to the cellar was.

"Can you walk?" He set me down gently, keeping his hands at my elbows. For some reason, I could've said something sarcastic and ruined the moment, but some voice inside of me liked this nice side of Cray, so I simply nodded. He began to move down the ladder and paused when I didn't follow him right away.

"…Coming?" He asked hesitantly, almost like I would snap at him or be rude. …Which I should've… cause that's how we usually were with each other but… I nodded.

I followed him into the cellar, remembering that this was where the Sea Lice dwelled, and I shivered a little. Once on flat wood again I felt better. I collapsed against the wood wall and closed my eyes, slightly clammy with sweat.

I felt Cray sit down beside me and chuckle slightly. "Sea-sickness. My friend had it before… and being at the cellar of the ship helped her too…" He smiled again and his brown eyes drifted to the ceiling, like he was lost in a memory.

After I had regained my normal self I sighed once and looked at Cray. "Thanks." He nodded and smiled, I smiled briefly back. Then I closed my eyes again and leaned against Cray's shoulder, feeling light-headed.

He stiffened at first, but then relaxed and I could feel his smile somehow. "Why're you always so defensive anyway, Ursula?" He asked suddenly.

I opened my eyes and blinked a couple times, not moving away from him. "I'm a Captain in the war, Cray. We are expected to be strong and defensive. I would think you could understand yourself, being Captain of the Worens."

He nodded once and sighed. "I guess I understand… but… I don't know. You don't have to be so mean and assertive."

My head snapped up from his shoulder and my eyes narrowed in a glare. "You know what, Cat boy, you're not always so nice either!" The need to defend myself over-powered my slightly-budding feelings for Cray.

His eyes widened in amazement, then lowered and his arm slung around my waist and pulled my head back on his shoulder. I growled and moved to shove him, then he moved to straddle me.

This… was… AWKWARD. Cray's hips were pressing against mine… as were other things… and his breath was hot on my face as he struggled to keep me in place. "Dammit woman!" He cursed, brows narrowing. "I'm trying to make peace with you!"

"Make peace with me?!" I cried indignantly. "You're insulting me!" I wiggled against him unsuccessfully (I HAD noticed those rippling muscles that adorned his chest) and noticed his face turn a little red… and something pulsed against my leg. I gasped slightly and blushed a deep red. I'm not stupid…

Cray's eyes were closed and his forehead was pressed against mine. "Stop… moving…" He whispered huskily, in an even deeper voice than usual. And his usual voice was already deep enough.

Then his lips moved quickly to capture mine in a searing kiss. My eyes widened at the invasion and then closed as I responded. His tongue didn't take long to trace my bottom lip and his hands didn't take long to start exploring my body. I opened my mouth slightly to allow his tongue entry, and moaned at the ferocity of his kisses. I responded shyly… I wasn't used to kissing… so I probably wasn't the good.

His big hands roamed across my stomach and I arched back and giggled into the kiss. He pulled away from my lips and moved to trail licking and sucking kisses to my neck. "Ticklish-!" I warned him in a gasp as he kept touching my stomach underneath my uniform. I heard him growl sexily as he nipped my neck. I gasped and wiggled against his frame again.

He growled again and pressed his forehead against my neck. "Ursula… stop that…" He moaned hoarsely as I did it again. I smirked up at him as he moved to capture my lips again. This time I was more comfortable with kissing and I opened my mouth right away as our tongues battled for dominance. His hands were trailing up under my uniform to my breasts and I moaned…

Then the door opened and there stood Ryu. His eyes widened momentarily and he backed out of the room quickly, soon running. Cray and I had obviously stopped kissing and touching and we froze to look at each other.

REALLY awkward. "Cray…" I began and he let me continue. "I liked it." I smiled once and placed my hands against his chest.

He smiled back at me and took my pointed earlobe into his mouth and sucked on it. I moaned and let my eyes slip shut. "Who said we were done?" He whispered against my sensitive ear and I shivered.

At a bad time, the sea-sickness resurfaced and I pushed him back with all my might and moved to the corner of the ship. Cray ran after me and loomed behind me, arms around my waist as I trembled. "It's back?" He whispered and I nodded worriedly. I didn't want him to see me vomit! Ew!

He gently held me back against him and I relaxed for a moment and my stomach stopped churning. "I don't like this ship…" I moaned weakly, hating my pathetic tone of voice.

"I know…" He whispered back and rocked me from side to side slowly, lips moving soothingly against my neck. I moaned quietly, glad my sea-sickness was going away. Then, the ship shook and those Sea Lice fell from the ceiling…

… And I went screaming out of the room.

Later that night, after myself, Cray and Ryu had taken out the 'sea dragon' in the abandoned ship, I was resting in the cellar, hoping those damn Sea Lice wouldn't fall again.

The ship wasn't rocking so nothing would probably happen…

I was currently trying to sleep… and partially hoping Cray would come in. But he didn't. And after about 2 hours of trying to sleep I gave up and moved up a level and into the room with the bunk-beds. Nina and Ryu were sharing a mattress, cuddled against each other, and Scias was below them, dead asleep.

I assumed Ershin didn't sleep… cause there was an empty bunk. I moved into the captain's cabin… hoping to find Cray. But I only found Captain Zig asleep on his desk. I snorted at the sight as he drooled on his papers.

As much as I didn't want to go on deck, I was determined to find Cray and talk to him about what had happened. I resurfaced to the deck and found Cray at the front of the ship by the mast. He looked over at me and initiated conversation first. "Ursula…" He said my name with a slight smile. "Couldn't sleep either?"

I shook my head and smirked at him. "Sea Lice nightmares have been plaguing me." I actually attempted a joke and received a slight chuckle in reply. Then I looked into his eyes and noticed dark rings around them. "You haven't been sleeping for a while… huh?"

Cray gave me a once-over before slowly nodding. "Nightmares also." He explained shortly. I imagined he didn't want to talk about it… or… he did. But he didn't want to show it. His eyes moved away from me and out to the open sea. Mine drifted there too and my stomach churned a bit as I swallowed my queasiness.

After a moment, I worked up the courage to speak again. "Want to tell me about it…?" I moved to sit on the deck and Cray sat down beside me, letting my head rest on his shoulder.

He let out a long sigh, and let out one yawn, closing his eyes briefly. Then he shrugged slightly (as to not hit my head on his shoulder) "Why not?"

"You see… there's this girl we—me and Nina—were searching for before we met Ryu. She's the friend I told you about earlier. Her name's Elina. Anyway… she went missing… and we'd been childhood friends since… forever, it seems." I noticed the glistening in Cray's brown eyes. It was love. And my heart clenched in jealousy. "She went missing one day… and Nina and I have been looking for her ever since…

It's been about 8 months now since we'd crashed our sand-flyer and met Ryu. He kind of… pulled us off course. Now our destinies revolves around his… but he's an ok guy. Doesn't say much… but he's cool.

Anyway, so I guess I've just been thinking about her… wondering if she's still alive… and my nightmares always consist of me finding her… dead…"

His eyes looked away from the top of my head and down to the wood of the deck. My eyebrows went up in sadness and sympathy for Cray. "I'm sorry, Cray…" I said like she really was dead.

After a long silence ensued, I spoke again. "…Cray… did… do you love her…?" I asked slowly, correcting myself. I moved my head off his shoulder to look him in the eyes, he stared right back.

"…I don't know…" He mumbled, eyes squinting slightly. "I've been trying to figure that out. I know she's my best friend… but do I love her?" He looked up at the stars as I kept gazing at him. "I mean, what is love? I don't think I'm allowed to show that…"

He sounded SO much like me. The things we had in common… were immense. To leaders of millions of people, not aloud to love for when people are gone… they don't come back. I looked down to the deck again and let out a shaky sigh, followed by one single tear.

Cray looked over at me and his eyes widened. "Ursula…"

As the tear fell I mumbled; "I understand. I understand completely."

Cray's hand moved up to my face and his thumb brushed my tear away as he gazed into my eyes. "Ursula…" He couldn't apologize, so he just leaned in and kissed me. This kiss was gentle, with only light tongue, no wrestling for dominance. I sighed as we parted and I leaned over to hug Cray.

"If it helps… I think I love you…" He didn't say anything and gently let my head fall into his lap. I wanted to talk more, but I was emotionally and physically exhausted… and darkness overcame me…

TBC