Kris was in the kitchen with Nathan later that evening, helping him to prepare dinner for the large crowd waiting in the other room. Having twice as many mouths to feed now, Nathan hadn't fussed at her for coming in to help him, as he usually did. Even asked her to prepare the stew for everyone while he worked on the rest of the meal. An extremely unusual request for the stern cook.
"How do we know that it's really slave traders after Morgan?" Kris asked, chopping up some vegetables and throwing them into a pot.
Nathan shrugged. "That's what Morgan was told by another captain buddy of his."
"Well I mean, how do we know that it's not Sterling and his men? They don't seem to particularly care for us."
"Considering that Sterling's ship was the third one taken over, I think we can rule him out." Nathan answered over his shoulder, checking the oven.
"You really think having the Rika crew is really going to help us?" She asked.
"I don't know. I hope so. With as many ships that have been taken over, I don't think it would hurt having the extra hands on deck. And I don't know about you, but I don't want to take any chances either."
"I guess not. It's just weird having so many people around."
"I can agree with you on that one. But it's Captain's orders, so we're just going to have to get used to it." He said simply.
"Even with Alan aboard?"
"Yes, even with him aboard. Granted I'll have to watch him like a hawk, but yeah, I could get used to having him around."
Kris giggled. "I doubt he'll keep trying anything. He's not that stupid."
"You don't know Alan like I do. Trust me, he is that stupid."
She laughed again. "Well if he is as stupid and persistent as you guys say he is, I'll take care of him myself."
"I think I can speak for the entire crew when saying that I would pay money to see that."
"… I'm not sure yet how I feel about that Fuzzy girl though."
Nathan laughed. "She is quite a character, I'll give her that much."
"Have you known her long?"
"About as long as I've known Alan. She seems to have taken a particular liking to Eduardo and Russell though."
"I'm sure they're both thrilled to pieces about it."
"Eduardo just ignores her. It's Russell that she gets any reaction out of. I half think she messes with him to amuse herself."
Kris smiled. "I'll have to see them in action then. Sounds like quite the comedy duo."
"Oh you have no idea. I think you two will get along just fine though."
Kris raised an eyebrow at him. "What makes you say that?"
"Because despite that tough girl attitude you just love to project, you're a sweetheart. It's hard not to love ya." He replied, giving her his signature smile.
She laughed despite herself and rolled her eyes. "Snake charmer."
With another laugh from him, the two of them went back to work. Scrambling about in the kitchen trying to throw together as much food as they could for the increasingly loud group in the other room. Nathan had decided on a chicken dish that was easy to make and provided plenty of food, but it was taking longer to cook than usual. Kris began losing herself in thought as she prepared the stew, thinking of her time on the Sirius. She had gotten so used to helping Nathan prepare the meals for the crew that it had started to just become second nature to her. Something she had never thought would happen, considering how terrible she was at it when she first joined the Sirius. She knew she would probably never be as good as Nathan was, but everyone on board had commented on how the dishes she had prepared were steadily getting better. Nathan was a good teacher. Always patient and kind, telling her just what ingredients to add and how much. A few moments later, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Nathan was staring at her with a smile on his face.
"What's so amusing?" She asked, continuing to busy her hands. He didn't answer at first, but she heard him walk up behind her. Feeling his arms wrap around her from behind.
"Nothing, just you. Humming again." He said, pressing a kiss against the exposed part of her shoulder.
Her body shivered in delight. "What's that?"
"Just now, you were humming."
Kris scrunched up her nose and stopped chopping, turning to face Nathan in his arms. "Was I?"
"Yep. You've been doing it a lot more recently."
"Must be just because I've been so happy lately."
"Have you now?"
Kris nodded her head and smiled. "I have."
"Have I had something to do with that?"
"You've had everything to do with that." She answered honestly, wrapping her arms around his neck.
Nathan smirked at her. "Well, well. Even you can say cute things every now and again."
"Don't pat yourself on the shoulder just yet princess. You're not the only one who can charm the pants off someone."
He chuckled and raised an eyebrow at her. "I can remember a time not too terribly long ago when you saying something like that would have caused you to turn into a flustered mess."
Kris laughed at the memory and sighed, shrugging her shoulders. "It's probably just all the mind-blowing sex I've been having recently. Must've cured it right up."
"Mind-blowing, huh?" Nathan replied, his voice dipping to a seductively dangerous lower octave.
"Definitely. I can demonstrate for you later if you'd like." She answered, pressing her body up against his and giving him a seductive look. Nathan chuckled low in his throat and leaned forward, pressing feather-like kisses across the base of her neck. Kris absolutely adored teasing him in such a manner, seeing the way his nostrils flared and his pupils dilate always caused her blood to boil. Knowing that he wanted her just as much as she wanted him, and that just the simplest of statements could turn her sweet and gentle pirate into a cave-man like creature who could throw her over his shoulder and take her someplace so that that he could have his way with her. The mere thought sent a tingle of anticipation through her body.
But before she could further explore Nathan's stirred interest on the sensitive spot his lips were currently grazing, a knock on the other side of the kitchen door. They both pulled apart quickly in surprise, glancing over to see a rather annoyed looking Eduardo glaring at them.
"Could you two please restrain yourselves long enough to fix dinner? It's getting rather boisterous out here and I'm pretty sure Fuzzy might start eating someone if you don't bring something out soon."
Kris laughed and winked at Nathan, grabbing some of food she had finished preparing. "Alright keep your shirt on Cyclops. They can munch on this until Nathan's chicken finishes cooking."
Stepping past the searing look Eduardo was now giving her for her statement, Kris walked into the next room, loud chatter and laughter practically bursting her eardrums. The room was too crowded, too loud, and was starting to smell. Men overflowed the cramp space and forced many to sit and stand in awkward places, making it hard for her to maneuver her way through. Kris inwardly groaned, hoping all this drama would be over with soon so that the Rika crew would leave the Sirius in one piece. Men moved out of her way as soon as their eyes greeted the plate in her hands, with Kris batting away the occasional stray hand.
As she stepped further into the room, Kris noticed the obvious differences between the two pirate crews. The Sirius crew were moderately well behaved, giving some of the other rowdy crew member's odd glances every now and again. The Rika crew, on the other hand, was what Kris was guessing was the source of most of the noise. They were supposed to be pirates, not little kids in a candy store. But you'd have never known the difference by the way these guys were acting. Shouting at one another, laughing loudly at heaven knows what, pushing and shoving one another about. Granted that the Sirius crew could be just as loud and rowdy, these men were completely out of hand.
The second the plate in her hand hit the table, greedy hands reached forward and snatched away its contents. Leaving the plate empty in mere seconds. It was like trying to feed a group of ravenous wolves. She started heading back into the kitchen when someone bumped into her from one side, causing her to fall to the side, catching herself on the door frame. She gave the man a stabbing look and tried to push her way back into the kitchen. The crowd much less accommodating to her now that she possessed no food. She kept repeating to herself that she was going to try and be a nice person and that she wasn't going to crack any skulls, as she tried to squeeze her way through. It was when she was bumped again, almost knocking to the floor when she felt her temper boiling over.
"Alright, that's it." Kris grumbled to herself, standing up straight and holding her ground, balling her hands into fists at her sides.
"Sit your asses down and shut the hell up!" Kris shouted, causing the men around her to jump in surprise. The crowd silenced almost instantly and men ran to grab seats, fleeing from the angry expression on her face. While the Rika crew looked positively terrified, the Sirius crew looked as if they were trying desperately not to laugh. Fuzzy was the only one amongst the Rika crowd that looked as amused as Morgan did, leaning back and smiling widely at Kris.
"And she can command the attention of a room full of rowdy pirates. Tell me Kris, where do you hide your kryptonite?" Fuzzy asked.
"Same place some of your men hide their manners." Kris replied curtly, heading back into the kitchen and closing the door behind her.