It was a long day. Alfred was ready to just flop onto the hammock, but it was really difficult, considering it was about 5 feet off the ground. Alfred still wasn't that good with his legs yet, so this was a challenge.
"Are you scared of heights or something?" Arthur laughed at Alfred staring up at the upper hammock.
"No!" Alfred retaliated quickly. "I-I'm not scared of anything!"
"Right," Arthur chuckled. "That's why you've been staring at it for the past 5 minutes."
"Shut up," Alfred lightly hit him in the shoulder.
"If you want, I could sleep up there," Arthur offered and Alfred sighed inwardly with relief.
"Really?" Alfred said excitedly. He didn't care how stupid he sounded.
Arthur laughed. It was a pretty laugh… "Yes, I will sleep up there for you," his smile was a bright white, Alfred noticed. No other pirates on this ship took care of their teeth, obviously. But Arthur's teeth were perfect…
Arthur stepped up onto the bottom hammock, holding onto the upper one. He swung his left foot up so that it laid on top of the cot. And then he launched himself up and rolled himself onto his back, letting the hammock swing.
"Nice," Alfred commented.
"Thank you," Arthur said as Alfred sat down on the bottom hammock and swung it. "You know, you're lucky that I'm the one you're sharing hammocks with."
"Why is that?" Alfred looked up, though all he could see was the hammock in the light lit by just a couple lanterns. The other members of the crew were talking, but Alfred didn't really care to listen.
"Anyone else would have forced you up here," Arthur laughed. It sounded like magic and Alfred closed his eyes.
"Well, thanks," Alfred opened his eyes back up. The candles were being put out and almost everyone was in their hammocks by now.
"Good night," Arthur said.
"Good night," Alfred hummed, leaning down on the strange hammock. He had never slept on anything quite like it before. It was weird how it swung back and forth with his every move.
It didn't take long for all of the candles to be put out, so the world was pitch black to Alfred. He wanted to go to sleep, but every time he closed his eyes, all he could think about was Mathew. He must be worried sick by now. He'd been gone for…what? 3 days? It had been 3 days since he made that deal. 4 more days and a kiss later, he would get to say goodbye to Mathew. He probably wouldn't say goodbye to his father, though. They left off on a bad note, and Alfred didn't even want to see him, to be honest. But Mathew was worth going back and risking making eye contact with him.
Alfred sat there restless for a while. He had a lot on his mind. If only he hadn't wasted these past 3 days trying to find him, then he would have more time. 4 days was not enough to get someone to fall in love with you… Arthur didn't even look interested. He kept on looking away all the time. Like when they were alone and Alfred was changing. He just kept dozing off into the chest. Alfred didn't know what to do! What if he didn't get Arthur to kiss him within the next four days? He wouldn't be able to handle it if that happened. He only made the deal because he thought for sure he could get this done. But it was so hard!
Alfred eventually gave up trying to think and sat up quietly. He swiftly made his way through the room and into that hallway. He hated having to walk in this ship. Walking was hard enough as it is, but when the ground was rocking back and forth, it was nearly impossible. He stalked quickly and quietly through the maze of hallways that he somehow memorized and up the stairs to the deck. It was dark, but he could tell that no one was up there, they were all asleep down below. Alfred sauntered over to the left side…wasn't that called port or something?
He sighed, leaning against the railing. In times like this, there was only one thing that calmed Alfred down. He went over to the stairs, where the railing slanted up slightly and hopped onto the railing just at the foot of the stairs. He leaned against the railing that slanted up. He propped his left foot on the railing, and dangled his right foot off the ship, over the sea. He still wasn't quite used to moving them at different times. He looked down at his hands and watched as he intertwined his fingers, slightly missing the webbing that used to reside there. Then he moved his right hand to stroke his neck, where the gills were. He wondered if merpeople who came up on land still had their gills, but they were hidden… It felt so weird being human…
He looked out over the dark sea and sighed. Whether he liked it or not, he was homesick. It didn't help that he was stuck on the sea. He looked forward , seeing that town that everyone was talking about earlier that day… Supposedly they were going to restock there. Alfred really hoped that didn't mean pillaging like madmen…
Alfred took a deep breath and slowly let it out. He looked up at the moon, it was only half full…
"Upon one summer's morning, I carelessly did stray,"
He started singing, the only thing that would calm him down. His voice sounded different without his magic. It wasn't perfect, like when he would sing as a merman, but it wasn't bad. So that was good.
"Down by the Walls of Wapping, where I met a sailor gay,
Conversing with a bouncing lass, who seem'd to be in pain,
Saying, William, when you go, I fear you will ne'er return again.
His hair it does in ringlets hang, his eyes as black as sloes,
May happiness attend him wherever he goes,
From Tower Hill, down to Blackwall, I will wander, weep, and moan,
All for my jolly sailor bold, until he does return.
Come all ye pretty fair maids, whoever ye may be
Who love a jolly sailor bold that ploughs the raging sea,
While up aloft, in storm or gale, from me his absence mourn,
And firmly pray arrive the day, he home will safe return.
My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,
There is nothing can console me but my jolly sailor bold.
My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold,
There is nothing can console me but my jolly sailor bold."
He didn't know why he sang the last bit twice, it just felt right…
"I didn't know you could sing, lad," Arthur's voice startled Alfred so bad that he nearly fell off the side of the railing.
"I, um.. not that…not that well," Alfred stuttered nervously.
"Are you shy about it?" Arthur finally came up close to Alfred, leaning against the railing, just past Alfred's feet.
"N-No," Alfred shook his head quickly. "How did you know I was up here?"
"I could hear you turning back and forth in your hammock," Arthur smiled. "When I couldn't hear you anymore, I checked to see if you were asleep and you weren't there. I came looking for you, but I didn't expect to hear you singing."
"Yeah, I'm, um, I'm usually better," Alfred rubbed the back of his head nervously.
"That song sounds familiar," Arthur sighed, obviously to himself. "I feel like I've heard someone else sing it."
That's because they have… Alfred thought to himself before replying, "Did it sound anything like that?"
"Yes and no," Arthur sighed, looking up at the sky. "All I can remember about it was that the voice sounded like an angel. I didn't even get to see his face after he rescued me…"
"Rescued?" Alfred asked. He knew just what Arthur was talking about, but he acted dumb just to act normal. "Why were you being rescued?"
"It's a long story," Arthur said. "But there was a fire on deck of the last ship I was on. I disgrace myself by saying that I fled the ship. I was nearly about to drown, but someone came in and saved me. He stowed me on some random shore and just left. The only thing I got from him was that song… It was at that town this ship picked me up…Normally, I would have hated just being a crew hand, but I had to get back to the sea. I missed it too much."
"I know how that feels," Alfred sighed. "I grew up in the sea…" He mentally hit himself for saying that. Shit, how was he supposed to play that one off?
"I know how that feels," Arthur laughed. "My parents took me sailing all the time when I was little."
Alfred inwardly sighed with relief. "Do you sing?" Alfred asked, trying to change the subject.
"N-no, not really," even in the darkness, Alfred could see Arthur's face blush. He was just too cute…
"Come on, you heard me sing," Alfred laughed. "The least you could do is sing to me, too."
"Fine," Arthur admitted. "Just…don't tell Francis I know this song, he would never let me hear the end of it."
"Alright," Alfred nodded.
Arthur sighed.
"In sleep he sang to me,
In dreams he came,
That voice which calls to me,
And speaks my name.
And do I dream again,
For now I find,
The Phantom of the Opera is there,
Inside my mind."
Arthur stopped there and Alfred was almost sad that he did. Alfred had to admit, Arthur's voice wasn't bad, it was actually very pretty… Alfred had never heard the song before, but it was pretty. Arthur sang it a little high, though, like it was meant to be sung by a girl.
"That's all I'm doing," Arthur said shyly.
"Aw, why?" Alfred said playfully. "You're actually not that bad."
"Thank you," Arthur sighed. "But if Francis found out I sang that, especially that part, he would pester me for months."
"It's okay, Alfred smiled, "I can respect that."
"Come on," Arthur said, motioning Alfred to get down, which he did. "We should probably get some sleep. If we get in that town tomorrow, it's going to be a long day."
"Alright," Alfred smiled. He might get to sleep now, if he ran that song through his head like a lullaby…
Taking Mathew through a town at night had been a huge mistake, Gilbert had found. Before he knew it, the sun had been setting and Mathew wanted to explore the world on land. Gilbert still had to go about on his mission as quickly as possible, so he had to take Mathew with him. Luckily, he had gotten the hang of walking quickly and was even starting to run around.
Gilbert sighed, looking at the building in front of him. From experience, he knew this was the only place he could get the information he wanted. But he definitely did not want to bring Mathew, a prince, into a…a bar.
"Mathew," Gilbert said solemnly, grabbing hold of Mathew's wrist to get him to stop wandering around. He made sure to make eye contact with him. "I want you to stay as close to me as possible. Do not let anyone or anything touch you. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Mathew nodded.
"And don't…talk," Gilbert said. "You'll be a prime target in there."
"What exactly is 'in there?'" Mathew asked.
"That," Gilbert gestured at the bar, "is not a place we are going to be staying in for long. If we could skip it, I would. Remember," he started walking towards it, "stay close."
Normally, Gilbert would blend right into this place. He had done it several times before, but now he was acting like a parent, and it just didn't fit quite right. Normally, he would take a drink or two and go ahead and get drunk with the others, but Mathew was still just a kid, so he couldn't do that. It was a Saturday night, so he knew that his regular person he would talk to would be there. She was always handy with getting information. He didn't have to look far to find her sitting on a stool, surrounded by the usual horny drunkards. She looked like she hadn't changed at all since the last time Gilbert saw her. Her light brown hair cascaded down her shoulders in curls and her pretty, light green eyes were eyeing the men surrounding her flirtatiously. She wore her usual dark green, frilly dress that accented all of her curves perfectly.
Gilbert silently prayed that Mathew would remember to stay close and not talk as he approached her.
"Liza!" Gilbert announced happily, shoving away the drunkard that was sitting right next to her and sitting in his spot. Gilbert knew Elizaveta, he had known her for a while now. She most certainly was not the whore she put herself out to be, she just acted like that to get money that she needed.
"Oh, hello, Gilbert!" she said happily to him. She glanced behind Gilbert for a second and he knew she was looking at Mathew. "Who is this cutie?"
"His name is Mathew Williams," Gilbert said with a wave of his hand. He knew it would have sounde weird if he didn't give him a last name, so he gave him the first one that came to his mind. "He's nowhere near as awesome as me, but I've been taking care of him for a while."
"Oh, he's so cute!" she said excitedly.
"I have a question for you, Liza," Gilbert said quickly, hoping to distract her for even just a second. "To be honest, I'm looking for someone. Could you help me?"
"Gilbert, you're always asking me for help," Elizaveta shook her head. "I'm afraid I don't think I can help you this time."
"Please, miss?" Mathew's voice pleaded and Gilbert nearly told him to shut up, when he saw Elizaveta's eyes soften towards him. Maybe this kid would be a lot more useful than he figured. "W-we're looking for my brother."
"Oh, dear, I'm sorry," she said sadly. Gilbert looked behind himself to see Mathew and he had on the cutest kicked puppy face he had ever seen.
"We're just trying to find him," Mathew looked down at his feet and started twiddling his fingers. "And we thought you might be able to help."
Gilbert was impressed. Mathew's broken English actually made him sound more believable.
"I would love to help, dear," Elizaveta said and Gilbert almost laughed, this was going along so well. He didn't talk though, just in case that might ruin everything.
"Well, he…he looks a lot like me…" Mathew muttered. "Except a lot more…out there… A-And we think he's joined the Navy."
"Oh, don't tell me he was on the navy ship that just left a day ago," Elizaveta said, her eyes widening.
"Why?" Gilbert cut in. "What happened to it?"
"I heard it was sunk by pirates," she informed.
"What?" Mathew squeaked.
"Did you hear which ship?" Gilbert asked. Now he had to rely on the possibility of Alfred being on that ship.
"I didn't hear the name," Elizaveta shook her head. "But I heard that it was supposed to dock at a nearby town soon."
"Well, I guess that better be where we look," Gilbert stood up.
"You're going to check a pirate ship?" Elizaveta asked as Gilbert started leading Mathew out of the bar.
"Either that or the bottom of the ocean," Gilbert said and couldn't help but think Which is still an option…
Far away, in a dark, underwater cave, a dark figure watched in his crystal ball as his plan was slowly being undone. He had sent his minions out to watch Alfred and, if necessary, prevent him from accomplishing his goal. And he was currently looking through their combined magic eyes. He couldn't believe Alfred had found his Arthur so fast.
When the ship he was on sunk, he nearly sent his minions to try to drown the kid so he wouldn't find the man. And now he had to watch as the two sang to each other on the side of the boat. Something had to be done soon, before something bad happened.
"We should probably get some sleep. If we get in that town tomorrow, it's going to be a long day," Arthur spoke and the figure smiled.
That would be how he would save his plan.
Alfred, you're not safe yet, he thought to himself. I will make sure you are mine. Even if that means I have to go there myself and take him from you.
Alright! I didn't want to give away who is taking the place of Ursula quite yet, so we're just leaving suspense for right now. And the excuse I have in here for Alfred and Mathew to have different last names is that two different people came up with them at different times. Yeah...
Also, I got a major amount of alerts and favorites for this story last chapter, but I'm petty and I prefer reviews like a loser... So, please review so I can feel better about myself. I'm on summer break, so I'm litteraly checking this thing every second... Because I'm a loser with no life over summer vacation...
And I do not own Hetalia, The Little Mermaid, "The Phantom of the Opera," or "My Jolly Sailor Bold." All rights go to their respectful owners.