I'm so happy that this is going so well. Please enjoy and leave any comments you have for me. I know this chapter is a little short, but I couldn't bring myself to add to it.

Chapter 6

It had been a little over a week since the ambush, but Lovino still felt guilty. He had choked up when he was needed. Antonio had barely spoken to him and the stares that he received didn't go unnoticed. Everyone thought he was a failure and he knew it.

With a sigh, he looked up at the clear night sky, hugging his legs close to his chest. Even on the busy ship, there were times of peace and quiet. Most of the crew had turned in for the night, leaving just a few men to run the ship. None of them really talked, except for the occasionally status check. It was the perfect time to just sit and think.

Lovino looked up as someone approached him. To his surprise, it was the captain. It was that last person he had expected to see. At least, after he had so royally screwed up.

"What do you want?" he asked Antonio just a little too harshly.

Antonio didn't say anything, just sat down next to him with a gentle smile on his face. He looked up at the stars and put his hands behind his head. The peaceful silence seemed to last forever before it was broken by Antonio's soft Spanish. "Hermosas, ¿no?"

Lovino nodded in agreement. He may not have been able to speak Spanish, but he could understand it fairly well. If nothing else, a year on the ship had taught him that much. He let out a sigh before speaking. "I'm so fucking useless."

The Spaniard let out a laugh that only served to infuriate him. "Oh, Lovi, don't say that." The nickname caused Lovino's face to grow warm, but before he could protest, Antonio continued. "I'd lean more towards… under appreciated. I can think of lots of uses for a handsome, young Italian like yourself."

Lovino's eyes widened and his face lit up. The man thought he was handsome. He couldn't decide whether he should be happy or ashamed by how his heart soared and his stomach flipped.

"Pervert," was all he could manage as he hid his face in his legs. There was no way he was going to let him see the blush that was spreading to his ears.

"Should I tell you about my first ambush? It was un desastre. Gilbert didn't stop laughing at me for a week." Lovino looked up just in time to see a smile spread across the man's face. He didn't say anything and Antonio took that as a sign to continue.

"I was probably about your age at the time, but I can still remember it clearly. I had fired some of the small cannons before, but I had never even touched one of the big ones. In fact, looking back on things, I'm not sure why the captain had decided it would be a good idea for me to man one. I was told to work with Gilbert and three of the more experienced men to take down the masts."

"When the time came, we all got into our places and waited for the command to fire. I was placed at the very back of the gun and I had one easy job. I just had to light it. However, when the time came I froze. I couldn't move and I was stuck staring at the cold black metal."

"Their yelling finally got through to me, it seemed, as I subconsciously moved. The backfire was enough to cause a small sack of flour to fall off the shelf above us. It burst open and I was consumed by a cloud of the stuff. I was so embarrassed that I ran as far as I could, which wasn't very far as I was on a ship, and hide for the next day. The only reason I came out of my hiding spot, was because Francis found me and convinced me that it wasn't as big of deal as I thought it was. I can still hear their laughing to this day. Not that I blame them, I can only imagine to look of horror on my face."

Lovino couldn't help but laugh at the man's story. It made him feel better to now that even the experienced captain made mistakes and got embarrassed. He found himself wrapping his arms around a very surprised Antonio. "Um," he started as his blush returned, "thanks."

Lovino stood up quickly and left for his quarters before Antonio could say anything. He laid down in his bed and closed his eyes with a smile on his face.

Hermosas, ¿no? (Spanish)- Beautiful, aren't they?

Un desastre (Spanish)- a disaster