"James?" Kendall mumbled when he found himself down in the cabin with the captain. James turned to him and waited for him to continue. "Have you ever seen a siren?" he asked curiously and tilted his head a bit. "A real one?"
"Why, yes." James replied, looking rather troubled.
Kendall nodded his head slowly and looked thoughtful. "Carlos said that we're passing a Siren's lair." He said. "I got curious, I've never seen one before." He said and James let out a dark chuckle.
"That means you're lucky." He said. "I'd prefer it if you didn't see one." He confessed and shuffled some things around on the table. "Siren's are immortal, much like me." He said.
"Are they as beautiful?" Kendall asked.
James turned his head and smirked at him. "They're out of this world." He then said and straightened up a bit. "You just... when you see one it's like everything you know, everything you feel goes into the back of your mind and everything you see and feel are they." He explained. "They're beautiful like nothing else, they appear to glow and they sing beautifully."
"Really?" The young prince asked breathlessly. "Are they really?" He asked and the pirate captain nodded.
"Oh, yes." He said. "Very devious creatures. They're natural born killers, love." He said silently and ran his hand over the prince's shoulder. "They lure you into the ocean, sing to you and offer you themselves... but follow a siren and your corpse will surely be forever lost in the ocean." Kendall's eyes widened and he let out a shaky breath. James smiled at him and pulled him into an embrace and kissed the top of his head.
"Oh, James." Kendall sighed and tilted his head backwards and let the pirate nuzzle his nose against the prince's neck. "I will be brave for you."
"That strengthens me." James said softly. "I wouldn't know what to do if something happened to you." He mumbled and kissed the blond's hair. "I'd be miserable for the rest of time." He sighed and Kendall frowned looking up at the brunet with sad eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere without you, James." He said. "I swear to you that I will never go where you are not." Kendall said and reached up to caress the brunet's cheek. "I will be with you always." He said and James smiled at him, taking Kendall's hands in his and eying them. Kendall smiled lovingly up at him and brought James' hands to his lips and kissed them. One time for each finger. "I love you."
"And I you." James replied and smiled softly.
Linelineline
"Out of the way, pretty boy." One of the sailors muttered and Logan jumped out of the way and glared at the pirate walking by. Logan had a relatively hard time adjusting to the life on the ship. Not only did the constant waves make him dizzy, the stench from various sailors made his stomach turn and he always wore a big frown on his face.
"Don't let them walk all over you." A softer voice said and Logan looked up, spotting the young latino that smiled at him. "If they give you too much trouble, swing at them and they'll learn that you're not someone you mess with." He said.
Logan scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest. "And don't eat the eggs, they're kinda bad when it comes to keeping it down." Carlos continued. "But you don't seem completely helpless."
"I'm not." The former servant hissed. Carlos shrugged and Logan climbed up into his hammock. The latino climbed up in the one next to him. "What do you want from me?" Logan growled at him and Carlos eyed him before shrugging again.
"Nothing. I just know what it's like." He mumbled. "Being new on a ship. A pirate ship on top of that." He said with a chuckle. Logan pouted and rolled over to lie on his back. "It's not that bad... actually. I'm much happier now, hell I don't think I knew what happiness was before I stepped on this ship."
"I'm not seeking happiness." Logan stated bluntly. "I'm seeking forgiveness."
"For what?" Carlos asked and Logan turned his head and looked at him.
"For lying to and betraying the only one who's ever cared." He replied and Carlos frowned a bit, looking curious but not being brave enough – or simply just being smart enough – not to ask. "I don't know what you are trying to do. Lure my tragic life story out of me? Find someone more pathetic and less worth?" He gritted out.
"I was actually just looking for a friend." Carlos mumbled. "Maybe I should look elsewhere..."
Logan hesitated a bit and sighed. "Wait." he said. "I'm sorry, this isn't like me. It's just... I don't even know what I'm doing here." he said. "I'm betraying my kingdom, running off with pirates... I'm split." he confessed and Carlos chuckled.
"I can imagine." He said. "I felt pretty off when I first got here." Carlos explained. "I was in a pretty bad shape before I got here. I was lucky that Captain Diamond found me when he did." The raven haired man eyed Carlos for a moment.
"He found you?" Logan asked silently. Carlos smiled happily and nodded.
"He sure did." Carlos murmured. "Found me in an alley and took me straight to the closest tavern and made sure I got a hot meal, then he offered me work and here I am. Ten years later. Alive, happy and free."
"You were living on the street?" Logan asked. "That's horrible."
"It might have been. But I wouldn't change my life for anything. I love the sea and I'm very grateful for the second chance." Carlos explained. "Don't worry, buddy. I'm sure you'll like it better soon." Logan nodded silently.
"Tell me about yourself some more." Logan begged silently. Carlos chuckled.
"What's there to know about me?" he asked. Logan shrugged. "Well, you asked for it." Carlos sighed. "Um... I was born in a whorehouse, my ma was a whore and my pa was a soldier of some kind, I don't know for sure. He could have been anybody really." He mumbled and put his hands behind his head and looked up at the ceiling. "I was raised by my mother but by the time I was eight I was thrown out on my ass and had to take care of myself from there. As I said, I didn't do very well and the Captain found me four days after my fourteenth birthday."
"Some life story." Logan mumbled and the latino chuckled lowly.
"How about yourself?" He asked. "You lived in a castle, serving the prince. You've probably had it better than me." Carlos said and the former servant snorted. "What?" Carlos asked and turned to Logan who shook his head.
"I wouldn't hesitate to live the live you've lived." Logan said. Carlos frowned a bit and looked at the guy in the hammock next to his own. "Good night." Logan muttered and turned his back against the latino. Carlos opened his mouth to speak but closed it again and nodded his head.
"G'night."
linelineline
"What are you doing up?" Carlos asked and chuckled a bit, seeing the young prince sitting flown up on the mast with his feet dangling a bit. Kendall turned to look at him over his shoulder and smiled sheepishly.
"Oh, good morning, Carlos." He greeted softly. "I was trying to catch the sunrise." he said. "But... yet again I seem to be too late." The blond sighed and pouted his lips. "Do you think will ever catch it?" he asked.
"Oh, yes." Carlos said. "You could try not going to sleep at all that way you can catch sunset and sunrise in one." He said and Kendall laughed softly. "It's true." Carlos said. Kendall nodded.
"I believe you." He said. "Though I do not think my dearest would want me wasting precious sleep over something as silly as racing stars and suns." He mumbled and blushed a bit but tried to hide it by looking away.
When he got no answer his blush grew deeper and he let out a shaky breath. "Who said he wouldn't approve?" A darker, huskier voice murmured and Kendall turned around. James smiled down at him. "Is that all you want?" He asked and sat down next to the prince. "To catch the sun?"
"The very first rays of the day." Kendall said with a smile. James chuckled and wrapped an arm around him.
"I've chased ships, men, treasures and beasts around the world." James said. "I've never chased the sun before." He said and looked out over the ocean and watched the sun slowly rise. Kendall leaned his head against the captain's shoulder.
Then he suddenly shot up on his feet and grabbed the rope attached to the top of the mast and leaned forwards. "What's that?" He asked and pointed. "Over there? Those rocky cliffs?" He asked and turned to James who got up.
"That, love..." James sighed and looked troubled. "That is a siren's lair." He explained. Kendall's eyes widened.
"Are we going through it?" he asked. James nodded. "Oh, holy lord." Kendall breathed and stared at the chains of spiky mountains lining the horizon. "It is enormous." He said and shook his head. "I've never seen anything like it." He whispered.
"Stay close, Kendall." James whispered back. "Don't listen to a word they'll be trying to tell you. Don't let them fool you." He warned. Kendall nodded.
"Captain!" Someone called from down below and James sighed.
"Remember what I said." He said and kissed the blond's forehead before swiftly climbing down the mast, leaving Kendall alone up on the mast with a worried expression. He was going to be really careful. This was not going to be like with the sea witch all over again. Kendall was going to stay out of trouble.
Hey, guys! How are you doing? I hope you all had an amazing Christmas! I had a great one with friends and family! The way it's supposed to be :)
So I'm finally updating this and yeah... it's kind of a filler chapter and all that but we get a little more of Carlos and Logan. Isn't that great? Also I've for some reason started reading through my old fics and I recently (and with that I mean today) started to rewrite Alive. Why? Because I don't like how it turned out so I'm rewriting it and reuploading it eventually. The original will still be there but you know... I'll update a cleaner version of it. Or something. I haven'r changed much. The POV I changed but otherwise... nothing much. It's the same story but feel free to read it if you'd like :)
Thank you all for reading and I hope that you have a great day/night/morning! Take care! :)