After washing my hands, I arrived in the officer's dining hall.

Immediately, I registered an empty spot next to Jasper. He looked back at me then down at the spot uncertainly. He then slowly shifted to leave more space.

I smiled, then started toward the spot.

"Cal! I saved you a spot!"

Past Jasper, I spotted Raven a glowering smirk on his mug as he pat the spot next to him.

I hesitated.

He threw me an eyebrow and mouthed the two words that would become the embodiment of all my regret: "the deal".

I bit my lip and simply continued past Jasper, giving him an apologetic glance, but he didn't see it. He was busy glaring at Raven who couldn't pay him less mind.

I slipped between chairs and plopped down into my seat.

I sat between Raven and the current carpenter who was busy chatting with the Master Gunner to the other side of him. Next to Raven, at the head of the table, was Captain Gryphon. At Gryphon's right hand was Howler and across from me was the navigator. Those three seemed to be patiently waiting for the food.

I couldn't help but notice how much tenser Gryphon seemed at this meal. Then my concern was skewed.

Raven put his hand on my thigh.

"What are you doing?" I hissed, pushing his hand away.

"Sh, no one will notice." His hand and my thigh were under the table, but that only made me more uncomfortable.

I felt his hand squeeze just before the food arrived.

As soon as the cooks' platters grazed the table, I shot up knocking his hand away. I grabbed a banana, some beef jerky, and a small biscuit. At this point in our trip, I couldn't trust the oddly colored, quite stinky pig leftovers.

Once I sat back down, I sighed in relief to know Raven's hands were too full to try anything.

He gave me a frustrated glare before reaching for some food himself. I shrugged, satisfied.

He came back with a similar assortment very different portion size.

Further into the meal, the noise levels began to increase as officers congratulated junior officers but there one bit of chatter I found particularly interesting.

I noticed the earlier silent trio huddled fairly close around their corner of the table speaking in hushed voices I could only catch snippets from my spot.

"Tomorrow is the day," The navigator reported.

"-not ready yet." The Captain muttered.

I realized I was staring when Howler made eye contact. He didn't say anything or do anything for a moment. Then he glanced at Raven and went back to listening.

I looked to Raven and realized I could ask.

"Hey Raven-"

"Captain" he interrupted, swallowing the last of his jerky and looking up at me. "What's up?"

To my surprise he actually used his napkin to wipe his mouth.

"I was wondering, do you know what they're talking about?" I whispered and glanced at the suspicious trio.

Raven followed my glanced.

"Ah, that." He smiled and leaned close. For a moment, I worried he'd kiss me in front of everyone but he didn't. "You want to know what they're talkin' 'bout?"

I nodded slightly.

"Do you know?"

"I always saw those three hovering over some paper with a red 'X' on it. I eventually asked the old man and he only told me it leads to his greatest treasure." Raven's eyes were glowing as he spoke.

"It's been about a year since we've set on this course and it feels like we've travelled halfway around the world. My guess is there's a whole city of gold at that 'X'." He leaned back and watched the trio with awe. "God, I can't wait."

I too found myself watching the intense discussion, thinking back to the map the others and I saved from the albatross. As I watched their lips move, I begins daydreaming about the possibilities for what the treasure might be and realized I heard them say tomorrow.

"-not ready yet." The line played in my head, pumping adrenaline into my system. I didn't even notice Raven put his hand back on my thigh.

There must be a huge battle to claim the treasure, a battle we aren't quite prepared for yet.

I faintly registered Raven whispered something in my ear.

"Yeah, sure," my automatic messaging system spoke for me as my senses zoomed on the Captain, his First Mate, and the navigator.

"Really? Cool," Raven remarked in surprise.

The trio was discussing so quietly I couldn't hear anything now.

"Wait what?" I turned back to Raven whose I just noticed was moving up my thigh. "Woah there." I stopped his hand slamming my hands onto his.

He pouted jokingly and chuckled taking his hand back to devour the last grape off his plate.

"Don't forget, okay?" He spoke out of the corner of his mouth as he chewed.

"Uhm… kay?" I had no clue what he was talking about but decided to roll with it.

I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see Fay.

"Cover me?"

"'Course!" I jumped up happy to put some distance between my thigh and Raven's raging hormones.

Fay glanced at Raven who waved an unrealistically polite hand as I left.

I peeked over my shoulder at Jasper as we passed him. He happened to be peeking back at me at the same time.

I threw an awkward wave at him and he returned an even more awkward wave.

As I turned back to face forward, I felt my face flush.

"You okay?" Fay whispered.

"Hm? Uh, yeah." I smiled, which only seemed to worry Fay more.

*Author's Note*

(or lack of note)

Yeah, this was a short one but they'll get really long really soon... Look forward to what tomorrow brings!