Chantey I: The Songs of the Sea
Pirates of the Caribbean
-X-
Summary: For as long as Nim could remember she and her parents had lived a life full of adventures, but despite this, she felt as if there was something that she just hadn't explored. When she and her parents go to document the myths of the Bermuda Triangle they are caught in the myth themselves and Nim is thrown into a world she could have only dreamed about. But can Nim exist in a world where there is a delicate universal balance?
Disclaimer: I do not own Pirates of the Caribbean, as much as I wish I did, it belongs to ©Disney and it's wonderful writers, directors and screenwriters. I am a poor college student; I wouldn't be poor or a college student if I had made Pirates of the Caribbean…trust me on that one. I do, however, own Nimphadora, Lynette and James Puget as well as any other unrecognizable characters that will be found throughout the plot.
Story Type: AU/OC inserts
Paring: Will T./OFC
Other Pairings: N/A
Rating: E-T
Warnings: Heavy spoilers, alcoholism and violence…and of course, pirates ;) Arrgghhh!
-X-
Author's note: I am so sorry again everyone! Midterms have literally been kicking my ass heavy duty ); I haven't had more than five minutes to write and so I have for you a filler chapter – yes I had to write a filler. Reason is I need to develop Will and Nim a little more and I left you with some really evil plot drops last chapter (wink, wink, nudge, nudge) and I think I can explain a little bit without giving it all away haha :) Now – Spring break is here for me, but that doesn't mean I get to update, why? Well, I'm so happy you asked ;) I will be in Phoenix, Arizona working for Habitat for Humanity with a few other members from my college :) So I will not be able to update until I get back which will probably be St. Patty's Day (AKA mine and Nim's national holiday!) So I will have that for you – Elizabeth WILL be introduced in the next chapter. I know I promised her for this chapter, but tension never made too many enemies (; lol!
With that said, I'd like to thank my three reviewers for Chapter 6: Why Fireflies Flash, w8ing4rain, orderofphoniex, Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967 and Hufflepuff Hex.
Why Fireflies Flash – HAHAHA I seriously laughed out loud reading your review! But thank you for all the lovely things said. Will's character is both difficult and not so difficult to write actually – I had to do a lot of research into his background and especially had to watch the movies a good five times before figuring out how his mind works. He's kind of like a little kid – he has a huge honor streak and is insanely passionate, but he has the tendency to be spoiled (or at least act spoiled) and say things he doesn't mean to – Curse of the Black Pearl this is insanely apparent. And I also noticed that when he has an idea in his head he sticks with it, hence him going cold on out poor Nim :(
And, ahh yes…Her parents name's are thrown around quite a bit – You'll know the whole story when I introduced Tia Dalma ;) But I've added so many twists and turns into the original plot I wrote that I'm thoroughly convinced that NO ONE has thought of doing half of these things with an AU OC :D I'm excited to expose that here…and Elizabeth – I loved her character to be honest, which is why it's so easy to write about hating her too haha! But in all seriousness – the only movie(s) I didn't care for her in was the middle of Dead Man's Chest and the beginning/middle of At World's End…she just seriously didn't appeal to me which I will be expressing through my writings which is why I'm so excited haha!
And yes, Nim is a multi-linguist. I actually base a lot of Nim off of my younger sister – of whom is a multi-linguist, keeps a tight lid on expressing herself and is private. So a lot of Nim is her and a few parts of me thrown in there…the getting beat up was actually an extreme exaggeration of what happened to me in grade school – the only difference was they didn't kill me or anyone else and they didn't brand me – it was more pushing around with a few fists thrown. I really went all out with that scene lol. And you'll see that Nim does speak in other languages when she doesn't want any one to know what she's saying.
((Sighs)) Long statement lol, but definitely in accordance with your long review :) Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy this chapter as well ;)
wing4rain – Haha your wait is officially over! Here is chapter 8 for you :) I hope you enjoy this just as more and I did a little Elizabeth bashing for you ;) haha. Thanks for your review!
orderofphoniex – No worries, here you are :) Thanks so much for your review!
Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967 – Haha! I'm really happy you're enjoying the story so far! Here for you, is chapter 8 :) Enjoy! Thanks for your review!
Hufflepuff Hex – I personally love Anamaria haha, she was probably the most badass out of that entire crew :) So I defiantly plan on using her more often within the dialogue and especially within the plot itself! Thanks so much for your review and for it, here is another chapter :D
And thanks to all who have subscribed and favorited both this story as well as myself, I wouldn't write if you all didn't read :)
Your Loving Authoress,
timexgone23
P.S. Ignore all spelling and or grammatical mistakes - it's 2am here and I have no desire to go through this chapter another three times and attempt to fix everything. If you catch something PM me and I'll go back through and fix it :) Thanks~!
NOW ON WITH THE FIC ;))
Pirates of the Caribbean:
The Curse of the Black Pearl
VIII
Nim stood at the bow for most of the night – it was the fourth day of their chase after the Black Pearl and the brunette had resigned herself to solitude. She hadn't spoken much to Will since Tortuga, the blacksmith avoiding her seemingly whenever possible; Gibbs also avoided speaking to her and whenever they did hold conversation it was about trivial things – Nim could not find the courage to bring up the subject of his familiarity with her – and Jack was constantly held in either his quarters or at the helm with his compass in hand.
Her green optics stared out at the ocean with a quiet and eerie calm, the water even sounded silent as it washed over the bow and rolled over itself against the side of the haul. Her brows furrowed deeply and she caught her charm between her fingers once more, her mind working and twisting uncomfortably in the silence of the night. Her thoughts, she found, lingered particularly long on William Turner and every time her mind would weave a fabrication of him she would immediately shake her head as if to dislodge it from taking hold for too long.
With a heavy sigh, she turned in an about face and began to walk along the starboard side of the ship – walking the length of the ship and then back again on the other side. Her eyes followed the edges of the water from where it washed against the sides of the ship to the calm waters upon the horizon. She almost hoped something interesting would happen if only to save her from boredom and she shook her head to dislodge the thought of their good fortune. The waters, ever since the storm four nights before, had been eerily quiet and Nim found herself thinking of her parents again.
A shuddering sigh passed her lips and she once again shook her head to dislodge the thoughts. You're a big girl now Nim…you can get through this without Mom and Dad. She paused this thought for a moment and allowed her chest to release the breath she had not realized she had been holding. I feel like you're still out there somewhere…
"Ya alright lass?"
Nim turned sharply and sighed in relief through her nose. "Gibbs…! You scared me."
"Sorry lass…I thought ye heard me comin'." Nim shook her head and smiled at him, albeit half-heartedly.
"It seems as if my thoughts were louder than your footsteps." She shrugged sheepishly and sighed. "They have been plaguing me for a while now."
"How so?" Nim turned her eyes to the older man and found solace within his kind gaze. She had immediately connected with him in Tortuga, finding him to be similar to a father figure to her since she had seemingly lost her own. The thought of his avoidance of her bristled anger in her stomach, but finding it unnecessary to bring it up at the moment she only sighed.
"My parents particularly…" She answered, "I awoke in Port Royal after our boat had been caught in a maelstrom and I was alone." A frown twitched at her lips giving way to a thoughtful and almost resentful scowl. "If my parents survived, I do not know, but I feel as if they are here somewhere." Nim sighed heavily as if exhausted by carrying a weight or as if she had run a marathon and leaned against the railing of the ship, allowing her green optics to stare down into the dark Caribbean waters below. "As soon as I had woken I was being chased down for piracy because Jack claimed my name as his own – whether by a remarkable streak of stupidity or intelligence I will never know – but I have not yet been able to truly think about my predicament or about my parents until now."
Gibbs was silent as she explained her thoughts, each word slurring into the next as her vexation became apparent in her speech. His stormy blue eyes watched her carefully, taking in her small, hunched form and finding sympathy bubbling in his gut for her. He had watched her the last week of their sailing and he had noticed the tense distance she and the brown haired male had settled between each other and he noticed that, albeit exhausted, Nim carried her own burdens and thoughts flawlessly – He had not known until now that things were pressing upon her shoulders and he almost cursed himself for not noticing sooner. "That isn't all is it?"
"No," Nim answered. "It is not." She turned her head to glance at him over her shoulder, her eyes begging for him to appease the thirst of her inquires. "I find it very strange that you seem so familiar with me…whether it is me personally or my name I cannot tell which, but regardless it is stroking at me and I cannot put these thoughts to rest without knowing why." Her eyes then turned sad as she gazed at him. "Please…how do you know me Gibbs?"
Gibbs was silent for a long while, taking in her form and noticing that her stance was ridden with anxiety and she looked much younger than her twenty years, appearing as if a child and it almost broke his heart. He sighed softly through his nose before stepping to stand next to her at the railing of the ship, his stormy blue eyes staring out into the distance. "I knew your pa…" He began slowly. "Served as a boatswain with me early on in our sea-faring days; he was a good man – honest." Nim watched him carefully, her brows furrowing as she allowed the information to sink in. "James Puget – called him Jim back then – had gotten into the Navy because of some bet he made with a relative, I assume a cousin, when it happened."
"Wait a second." Nim frowned. "You mean to tell me that my father was of the British Royal Navy!"
"Aye." Gibbs nodded. "Odd even for an Irishman…he wasn't exactly everyone's favorite – constantly getting himself into trouble he did." He nodded to himself, a small smile breaking his lips as the memories seemed to pass before his eyes, but Nim was not impressed.
"I don't understand…" She frowned, looking at the older man closely. "My father manned a farm in Ireland. How then was he press ganged into becoming one of the sea!
"Your father was honest, like I said before, he took any bet that someone threw his way in order to prove them wrong…he always answered them with a mantra o' his whenever they asked him why." Gibbs nodded his head with the information, his eyes still turned to the distance. "Adventure always comes with a sense of danger, and pleasure always –"
"– comes at a price. Love can be implemented in everything you do as long as you have the will and the courage to go through with it."
Gibbs tore his gaze from the distance to look at the younger woman standing next to him and noticed that her eyes were no longer on him, but out across the waters. Her fingers wove the charm of her necklace in and out of each other and his eyes followed the flashing of the silver charm and he quickly cleared his throat and shook his head. "So he taught you that did he?"
"He did." Nim answered softly. "I don't think there was ever a time when he didn't say it." She drawled off and sighed through her nose, her chest heaving with the movement.
"There was one time we were separated." Nim listened closely as he spoke, never once finding herself distracted in hopes of hearing how he was seemingly so connected to her. "He was sent off on another ship to deliver goods to England. When he came back…he was changed."
"How so?"
"He was more secretive, tentative almost to the point of being crazy." Gibbs answered, his voice turning grave. "He wore that very same charm around his neck then and never took it off. We thought he was bewitched by some sort of spell when we finally got it out of him what was bugging him." Nim's brows pinched as her hand fell, releasing the charm on her neck and allowing it to rest against her neck. "He spoke animatedly and hushed as if there be someone watching him – he spoke of a woman, Lynette Thynne was her name…" He leaned closer to her ear and Nim frowned as her mother's name passed his lips. "Said he and her were gonna make a deal with some ol' soothsayer down in the bayou so that they could be together free from the oppression of society – where it was normal for two people to marry of different culture and of different status."
"What happened after that?" Nim questioned, her curiosity peeked and her desperation apparent. Gibbs leaned away from her and sighed deeply.
"Never saw 'im after that." The brunette sighed heavily in disappointment.
"That's a wonderful story Gibbs, but I believe that you may have my father confused with someone else."
"No I don't think I do."
Nim's brows furrowed deeply as she turned in the older man's direction to find that he was no longer standing next to her, the top of his head disappearing as he went below deck once more. The brunette turned her attention back over the open water and sighed heavily, shaking her head. This couldn't be right, it was simply a coincidence – that's all it could have possibly been. A deep scowl twitched at her lips and she turned sharply away from the water, her eyes finding the mast and tracing the dark figure. Sucking in a breath she placed her hand on the bottom rung, looking back up at the long distance from the deck to the crows nest far above.
With her mind turned from the situation with her parents her mind turned to Will. She didn't understand why he had suddenly withdrawn once more, and she was hurt by the coldness he now dealt towards her. Her mind began to swirl with images of her with the blacksmith and they were immediately cast away with a violent shake of her head. Nim looked back up towards the crows nest, images of Will helping her up to the top surfaced to her mind and she allowed the memory to play. She could still remember his encouraging words, the feeling of his hands on her waist and the uncanny romance that had seemed to flow between the two.
The twenty year old could not deny that she found the blacksmith attractive, but knowing that Elizabeth existed vividly within her accomplice's mind had forced her to suppress her feelings. She found it unjust to rob Elizabeth the chance to be with who she seemed to be destined for by fate of a plotline and knew that if anything were to become of her and the blacksmith it would be short lived. She did not know how long her time within the Pirates of the Caribbean world would last and so she had refused her feelings of attraction for the sake of what she believed the plot to be. She could see the passion within Will's eyes and she almost felt as if it was directed towards her, but the thought of him imaging her as Elizabeth surfaced to her mind and she felt a pang fill her chest, the feeling of her heart dropping uncomfortably to her stomach and washing her entire form with the ice water that she knew to be dread. Shaking her head she looked back up at the distance and with a renewed vigor she grasped the rung and slowly began her accent.
As she climbed she felt gravity pull down on her as if it was beckoning her to return to the safety of the deck and to suppress the spite that had grown in the wake of despair and she ignored this, instead returning her eyes to her goal. After a few long and painful moments of feeling as if she was going to fall, Nim made it to the bottom of the nest and pushed open the hatch before pulling her body up to the ledge and sliding into the safety that the floor of the crows nest provided her away from the deck. Closing the hatch she sighed, taking a few moments to gather the breath she lost before pushing herself up against the mast with her knees tucked into her chest and her arms hugging them closer to her body.
In this position she stayed with her thoughts to keep her company. The memories of her and Will surfaced and she allowed them to flash before her eyes unbidden and unchecked. Yes, the two of them had gotten off to a rocky start and yes, the two of them did argue, but when they didn't consider either of those two things they got along amazingly and no matter how hard Nim tried she could not forsake any of his actions as being friendly. Of everything she knew about the male anatomy and the male psyche she did not have an answer for the way he touched her, or the way he spoke to her or even the way he regarded her. Nim could not, for the life of her, figure him out and she could not decipher his movements towards her – it very much left her with an unbridled confusion and a nagging at the corners of her heart and the twinges both hurt and excited her.
When she was upset he always seemed to want to comfort her and make her smile, and when she was happy, he seemed to be happier himself. Despite this thought, the darkness at the corners of her mind regarding his relationship with Elizabeth began to once again creep up making her heart plummet into the depths of her stomach and leaving her wanting to wretch and cry out for fate to stop being fickle as his words in Port Royal rang around her mind as if omniscient church bells at a funeral.
"I'd die for her!"
Racking a hand through her loose bangs she released an irritable sigh and shook her head quickly to dispel her thoughts.
"This spot taken?"
Nim, for the second time that night was caught off guard and nearly jumped out of her skin. Turning sharply to the new voice she noticed the solemn eyes of William Turner and she mentally cursed to herself about how he always seemed to find her when she didn't want to see him. Turning her head away from him and turning her eyes to the sky she frowned deeply. I never thought I'd say this to you fate…but screw off!
Will watched her tentatively and sighed softly, finding that she wasn't going to answer and for that he couldn't exactly blame her. He had been relatively cold to her as of late – avoiding her whenever possible and whenever he did have to talk to her his words were curt and short. Climbing into the crows nest he closed the hatch behind him and leaned himself against the mast and mirroring her pose.
"I thought you'd be asleep." Nim grunted without looking at him. Despite the words that had left her mouth she was paying little attention to the unwanted presence off to her left and was having a rather interesting conversation with fate – or rather what conversation she would imagine she would have with fate if fate was an actual being rather than a seemingly supernatural entity.
"I was to relieve you of night shift." Will answered softly. "You haven't been sleeping."
"Congratulations Sherlock did you need Watson to come to that conclusion?" Will recoiled slightly from the sarcasm of her tone and frowned deeply, I deserved that…
"Who are –?"
"Nothing, never mind."
Silence fell between the two of them and Nim turned her eyes to the star dotted sky once more and sighed softly, her brows furrowing. Playing the silent game had never bothered her before now, being that after Faye had died she had relatively excluded herself from society – only speaking to her teachers, professors and other business owners, not including her parents – but now the silence seemed to create an uncomfortable feeling within her stomach and within the very pit of her heart and it seemed to affect the functioning of her throat. Noting this dully she ignored the growing tension between the two of them and sighed softly, her fingers finding their way to her charm and weaving it once more.
"What," Will began slowly and tentatively, understanding that her forgiveness would be harder to achieve than it was before. "What seems to have your mind so occupied?" He winced at his own question. He understood her reluctance to acknowledge him and he knew that unlike before this time he would defiantly have to fight harder because unlike last time, she had done nothing wrong. Nim's snort was enough to tell him that it was a question that hadn't needed to be asked and he winced to himself once more – keeping note to keep his face carefully trained as to not give away his inner thoughts.
"How very kind of you to ask, but I am further disinclined to acquiesce to your inquiry."
"Nim don't be difficult…"
Nim turned to look at him sharply, her eyes set in a venomous glare and the irises turning an acidic green as her vexation to the statement became prominent. "You dare come up here when I'm obviously keeping my distance from you because you, once again, appear to have an issue with me and so boldly inquire what is on my mind and because I, once again, decide not to tell you I am the one being difficult! Have you gone mad!" Her voice had cracked with the pitch of her voice rising and she watched as his once calm and nonchalant disposition changed into one of alertness and surprise. "I have nothing to say to you William, as far as I am concerned all you care about here is Elizabeth so by all means worry about her and leave me be."
"That's not true whatsoever!" Will rebuttled, absolutely aghast at her statement, his own eyes beginning to darken into a more concentrated brown rather than the pleasant chocolate color they normally were. "I care about you just as much as I do anyone else on this ship –!"
"Naturally." Nim snorted obnoxiously. "Because ignoring someone and regarding them as if they too are filth is treating someone as if you care." She rolled her eyes, turning her body so she was now facing the blacksmith. "All you do is look at this crew as if they are all filthy pirates. News flash for you Will, you asked for a pirate's help! They're all pirates and you're just going to have to suck up the fact that this is what you're stuck with until you find Elizabeth and return to your wonderfully melancholy life of watching her from afar as she's swept off her feet by the higher class." Her eyes narrowed on him dangerously. "Because of my mother's choice, Will, my parents had to constantly move around to avoid stepping on either family's toes. There is no happy ending for someone in a different class…it's like looking at the perfect fruit and not being able to touch or eat it."
"You would know wouldn't you." Nim sat back with her own recoil as he regarded her coldly once again. "You're a bastard child so why would you want anyone else to be happy?"
The words struck her harder than any hit she had ever received and pierced through her heart as if a bullet or sword. An icy feeling began to fill her limbs and she stared at him in both shock and abhorring. Words could not form from her lips and anything that was moderately coherent died in her throat and refused to move forth from her mouth. Finally collecting herself around the tightening in her throat she turned her watery gaze to Will's form and hope he felt remorse and pain for what he had just said.
"Well William, I certainly hope you're happy." She breathed, her eyes narrowing. "Must feel nice to make others feel like the ground you walk upon – it seems to be the only thing you actually are good at." Though tears passed Nim's eyes she refused to show that despite the large trails forming along her cheeks that she was unaffected by his words. "And for the record – you will never be my parents, you and Elizabeth, I can tell you right now from me meeting her before that she will throw you aside if the situation benefits her…until that time comes – I wish you well because I will no longer be helping you on this quest." With the said she stood, turning her back to him and turning her eyes back along the sea.
Will was silent behind her, still seated and in shock of what had just occurred. He had never anticipated those words coming from his mouth as it was something that she had trusted him with, and he found himself staring up at her with apology written all over his face. Finding the resolve he needed he decided he would not leave the crows nest until he got her talking once more.
For hours he attempted at a conversation, but Nim refused to speak, only keeping her eyes trained on the horizon at something unseen. Her hands wove her charm desperately and clumsily through her fingers often times catching on the clasp of the chain and forcing her to fix it before continuing her original habit. Finally Will sighed, giving up at all attempts of a conversation and sat silently in his thoughts.
"Over in Killarney, many years ago, me mother sang a song to me in tones so sweet and low. Just a simple little ditty in her good 'ol Irish way, and I'd give the world if she could sing that song to me this day." Nim sang quietly to herself as she played with her necklace, her eyes unseeing and her mind trapped in the memories of her childhood. Nights spent with her mother and father reading books of adventures to distant lands, days of wandering the countries with both of her parents and getting to experience the different cultures. She could vividly remember her father's brogue wash over her as the lullaby passed her lips unbidden. "Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li, too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry. Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li, too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby…"
Will's eyes turned from staring blankly at the wood before him to stare as Nim sang quietly to herself. It wasn't until now that he picked up on her accent as her native language tumbled passed her lips and he could feel the comfort that the words brought to her and it relaxed him.
"Oft in dreams I wander to that cot again, I feel her arms a-huggin' me as when she held me then. And I hear her voice a -hummin' to me as in days of yore, when she used to rock me fast asleep outside the cabin door…Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li, too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush now, don't you cry. Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li, too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, that's an Irish lullaby."
"That was beautiful."
Nim turned to see Will staring up at her from where he sat against the side of the crows nest facing her and she frowned, turning her face away from him to break the eye contact that they had established for a moment.
"Thanks." She supplied shortly and she heard the blacksmith sigh heavily.
"Nim I didn't mean what I said…before."
"What do you mean to say then Will?" She inquired, her voice giving way to her inner emotions albeit soft and controlled. She turned to look at him, her eyes begging for some sort of security within someone. "Do you ever say what you actually mean?"
Will was caught off guard by the question before sighing. "I do not normally speak without thinking and of late I feel as if things run away from me too easily."
"That's not answering me." She frowned. "Stop dancing around the subject and just tell me what you're actually thinking." She sighed. "I know the stress you're feeling for Elizabeth's well being, but I can assure you that they're not going to hurt her?"
"How would you know?"
"If they had planned on killing her they would have left her dead in Port Royal now wouldn't they?" Will thought about this for a moment and frowned. "They want something from her. Pirates, as you know, do not take hostages – the ones that we're dealing with especially – simply rape and pillage and destroy places and ships after receiving their spoils. For whatever reason, they did not simply leave her in Port Royal and so, by general logic and deduction, they want her or need her for some reason."
"Why didn't you share this with me before?"
Nim snorted lightly and turned her head away from him once more. "You never took the time to ask."
Will stood after a pregnant pause and made to move next to her, but stopped himself. "Nim…I – I really am sorry and you don't have to forgive me for what I said for it was strictly out of line, but I still need you here."
"Is that what you really want?" Nim questioned softly without looking at him. Will sighed softly.
"More than you realize…" With a frown the brunette turned to look at him, her eyes filled with questioning. The two stared at each other for a moment and Nim quickly turned away, a light flush blanketing her cheeks despite her attempts at forcing the heat back. "Nim…I have something I want to ask you about…" Nim turned her eyes to him once more, her brow arching underneath the curtain of her bangs. "Back in Tortuga, when we shared the room…" Will stumbled on his words as he tried to phrase his question. "Your shirt moved and I noticed…the burn."
Nim nodded her head slowly, raising her hand to stop him. "The group back in Ireland literally branded me – their hopes were that if I were ever to be intimate with anyone it would scare them away…it's also to remind me that I failed at saving someone that I cared about as if they were family." She frowned, her brows pinching. "Back in Tortuga I could have sworn that I saw her again though…"
"Saw who?"
She turned her eyes to the blacksmith and sighed through her nose. "Faye…she was a very close friend of mine when I lived in England…"
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault – we have a tight schedule we need to keep." Nim shrugged. "I know that if it's actually her then I'll see her again."
Silence came between them once more and the two shared identical sighs before looking at one another awkwardly. Will rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and Nim tucked a loose strand of hair away from her face. "So what have you been thinking about lately?" Will inquired finally, breaking the tense atmosphere that had befallen the two twenty year olds.
"My parents mostly." She shrugged. "Gibbs seems to know them so I've been trying to figure it out – seems as if it was just a coincidence…"
"Oh."
The silence returned, Will feeling awkward because though he apologized and Nim was acting civilized he knew that he was not yet forgiven. Nim finally sighed once more and pushed away from the ledge of the crows nest before moving towards him. For a moment Will thought she was stepping closer on purpose and for a fleeting moment he wished that their lips could connect once more, but the clearing of her throat signified something rather different.
"Well if you're to take over night watch then I'll be turning in for the remainder of the night." She stated softly. When Will seemed to not have heard her she frowned. "Will…you're blocking the hatch." His next movements threw her off as he stepped closer to her and she took an instinctive step back. "Will?"
He obviously didn't hear or was politely ignoring her for he moved forward, and she backward, until her back rested against the mast. With a questioning look, Nim eyed him carefully not knowing whether she necessarily liked the look in his eyes and it began to churn anxiety within her gut. Her breathing shortened and Nim found her heart running in circles, both fluttering and pumping as if she had just finished running a marathon race – her stomach forming into knots that were both uncomfortable and pleasurable, the feelings throwing her completely off guard especially as he placed both of his hands on either side of the mast next to her head and as he rested his brow against hers.
Her mouth opened to question him once more, but found that she could not form words. Immediately her heart swelled with the intimacy of his proximity and she felt as if she had fallen into her own version of a romance novel. She could feel his breath slow and slightly shaky hitting her lips and she realized with a fogging mind that if she were to turn her head ever so slightly their lips would connect, but she was quickly distracted with the need to wet her lips as she found her mouth running seemingly dry. Opening her eyes she looked into his chocolate colored orbs and found herself once again swimming and she was suddenly thankful for the support of the mast holding her up as well as the strong arms on either side of her head, just above her shoulders that effectively pinned her in place.
Nim felt his brow move from hers, the breath on her lips becoming more concentrated and closer and she felt her heart doing flips. Her eyes fell closed and she waited, only for a loud squawk sounded next to them, effectively separating the two of them, noticing the bird to simply be a sea gull that stared at them awkwardly. Nim folded her arms over her chest, her right hand coming out of the fold to rub the side of her neck sheepishly, her cheeks and ears red with both embarrassment and fluster. She cleared her throat, seeing the moment ruined and smiled at Will awkwardly. "I-I really should be getting some sleep…we'll be coming up to the Isle de Muerta by mid-afternoon tomorrow…who knows what strength we're gonna need right?"
Will only nodded in response also seeing that the moment was gone, he felt his own heart thudding loudly in his chest, especially as he watched her climb back down the mast, offering another smile and a goodnight. Part of him hated the gull for interrupting his experiment and part of him was thankful for the distraction. He was scared that if he had actually went through with kissing Nim that he would find that he didn't love Elizabeth anymore and the whole point of him risking his reputation as an upstanding citizen was to save the woman he loved. But that part that was angry at the bird found Nim to be exotic in a way. He had never before seen eyes quite like hers, and though she was petite and had a humorous lack of a feminine figure he found that she was one of the most beautiful women he had ever laid eyes upon.
He sighed, racking a large hand through his loose hair and cursing fate for his bad luck. He would figure out his feelings, if it was the last thing he did.
