Please excuse any errors. I'll fix them tomorrow.

Lovino sat in the shade, hugging his knees as he watched Arthur doing some summoning thing he always did. Arthur had come from a village that was heavily rooted in the use of magic and spirits. Lovino didn't quite understand it, but the captain swore by it. Francis would draw a sword to anyone who dared to even question him, though he would make fun of the man constantly. The boy found their relationship quite odd. They seemed almost always at each other's throats and mocking one another or bickering over the slightest thing, but if you so much as spoke one word against the other you'd be begging for your life.

His first week of he'd been on this ship, Antonio had made a point that Lovino was with him. Nobody was to touch the boy. An elder on the ship, Gilbert, had taken a fondness to him. Lovino reminded him of his younger brother who had perished in battle as a child. He had been about Lovino's age when he'd died. It had been after that Gilbert had left home. He felt responsible for his brother's death. He knew he had been too young, but he allowed him to fight anyway. The very thought of anyone touching Lovino with perversion against the boy's consent disgusted him. He became extremely protective of the child.

Life on the sea was peaceful. With Antonio and Gilbert, he didn't worry. He liked Francis and Arthur despite how odd he found them. He smiled and sipped on the wine he had been given. Antonio and Gilbert were suddenly in front of him.

The two had become fast friends since they stopped Lovino from being used by one of the men on the crew. He apparently wasn't on the good side of Arthur or Francis considering how they threw him off the first port they got to. Gilbert had been close to Francis, so when Antonio was brought in the three became fast friends much to Arthur's discontent. He found them obnoxious as a group and Lovino couldn't say he disagreed, but it was entertaining.

"Hey, Lovi!" Antonio smiled, leaning over to peck him on the cheek.

Lovino moved over to sit in Antonio's lap and lean against his chest. It was so much comfortable and warm than sitting on the cold, damp wood of the ship. There was the familiar security as Antonio wrapped his arms around the boy. Gilbert smiled at them.

"You two are cuter than kittens. How are you enjoying your days, kid?" he asked with a smirk.

"They're okay. Sort of boring," Lovino muttered playing with his shirt.

"Well it's a good thing I showed up! I have so many stories to tell you. See, I tell stories to the crew. It gives the morale and I'm awesome, so naturally so is my life."

"Please tell me one!" Lovino smiled.

"Okay! So I was probably about twenty years old and new to the ragabond life. I was living life on a ship full of roughards. We drank a lot, almost always drunk and feeling. Well one night, I am woken to the sound of the waves crashing against the sides of the ship and the thunder and lightning. The rain's pouring down hard, but something is off. I go up to the deck and find a ship as come up right along side us. It's hard to see in the storm, so I'm using the side of the ship to guide me. My foot hits something and I'm horrified to see the captain has already been slaughtered, his throat cut. I like ther err on the side of caution in these situations. I'm determined to save my crew. I pull out a sword in one and a dagger in the other. I see more men including the first mate, dead. I realized I was all that was left of the crew. That's when it happened. I heard a sound to my left and lunged, stabbing a man. I fight off this entire ship and gained myself a lovely ship all my own, well two in fact! I ditch the old one. Blood has a nasty smell and stains the wood. I lost that ship, but that's a story for another day," Gil smiled leaning back.

"You're a strong fighter, Gilbert. I'd like to fence with you one day," Toni smiled.

"Any time. Don't worry, I'll go easy on you!"

Toni laughed and was called to help swab the decks. Lovino sighed and watched the man leave. Gil sat next to him and nudged him.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. Gil, did you really fight off all those men?" Lovino asked, eyes wide.

"Sure did! See this scar here on my cheek? Fella got me good, but I pulled his bowels out on my sword. The bastard would of killed me had I not acted," Gil winked at the boy.

"I wouldn't have known what to do. I've never been trained with swords," Lovino picked at the wood.

"Are you serious? You can't be serious!" Gil asked, shocked.

"I am. I...I have been a sex slave since I was eight or nine. I don't even remember anymore. I never learned." Lovino blinked back the tears of embarrassment. Every self respecting man should know how to wield a sword.

"An the bronze prince boyfriend of yours never taught you?" Gilbert glanced over to where Antonio was laughing as he cleaned.

"No. Slaves weren't allowed weapons."

"I'll teach you. Franny and I have sword duels often as you've seen to keep up our practice. It's fun and it's important. A man needs to know these things. Men...boys who aren't skilled wind up dead."

"I'd like for you to teach me!" Lovino smiled and looked up to see Gil wiping tears out of his eyes.

"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?" Lovino felt a panic rise in him. He was so used to being struck.

"Nah, kid, you're fine. I, uh, I got some salt water in my eye. Stings like a bitch," Gilbert laughed.

"Gilbert, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course! The awesome me has plenty of awesome knowledge to spread."

"What happened to your brother? You said he died at my age, but a I am not yet a man. You said that's how you wound up here."

Gilbert tensed and stood up. He stared into the ocean, his jaw clenched. The usual smile had fallen from his face making the man's true age more apparent as well as the hard lifestyle he'd lived. He glanced back at Lovino.

"You've told me your story, so I suppose it's only right for me to do the same." Gilbert sat down. "My kid brother was about six years younger than I and he was annoying as hell. The little bastard followed me around like a lost puppy, but of course I felt too old to be around a child. I wasn't as nice as Toni. I pushed him aside. I refused to play with him and teach him the art of swords. Rome was attacking Germania and I was expected to fight. I didn't realize the boy was running behind me in his is armor that was too big for his body. We were on the battlefield and, um, I hear his voice scream my name. I turn just in time to see his throat be gashed open by a Roman soldier while another slashed his back. His legs gave out so suddenly. The one who slashed his throat stabbed him hard in the stomach with his sword and ripped out his intestines."

Gilbert closed his eyes and took a few shaking breaths, tears falling down his cheeks. Lovino took his hand and squeezed it. Gilbert hugged him.

"I run over and kill both soldiers were they stood over him, pulling his innards out showing him as he lay unable to stop it. The Romans are evil, Lovino. I know you're a Roman, but…" the man shook his head. "He was only fourteen. He wasn't a man. He wasn't old enough to fight, but he followed me! I didn't notice! I should have protected him!" Gilbert shook. "And I kneeled down beside him. His eyes...Lovi, his eyes were full of tears. He was so scared. I didn't know if there was a way to save him. I hoped, but as I assessed him, I knew he was gone. Blood shot out of his throat with each beat of his heart. He tried to speak, but there was no sound. Blood poured out of his mouth and he was choking on it! His hands were holding his intines. He was crying and his eyes were begging me to save him. He was scared and in pain and I couldn't do anything. I remember placing my hand on his throat hoping to keep the blood in him, but it was no use. I told him I was sorry, that I loved him. He took two last gasping breaths before he was still, so still. His eyes stared up at the sky and I...I noticed they weren't scared anymore. There was nothing their. I moved my hand and there was no more blood pulsing out of his body. I sobbed over my baby brother. I begged to be killed by the Romans, to be captured and tortured. They love torture. Nothing. I sobbed over my dead brother and knew I couldn't face my mother. It was my job to make sure he knew how to use a sword and I didn't want to be around him. He was too young, I thought. The Romans had easily disarmed him. He was obviously clumsy with the sword, didn't know how to hold it properly. That's when he had screamed for me. I ran away."

Gilbert shook next to him as he gripped his elbows. Lovino had never seen the man so distraught. The story brought a lump in his throat. He couldn't imagine his brother dying before his eyes. It must have been traumatic. He laid his head against the German and closed his eyes. Imagines flashed through his mind, causing him to be sick.

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