Morg: Heyo!

Ikuto: I don't want to hear it.

Amu: Oh, great. He's still mad.

Morg: Hear what?

Ikuto: Building up to it. What kind of bullshit?

Amu: He's mad you haven't made us fuck yet.

Morg: Wow. I thought I was the one that cared about these stories.

Ikuto: I care about certain parts of your stories.

Amu: I don't.

Morg: Well, I'm still the one writing it so you'll just have to deal.

~The Eighth Sea~

Amu dusted her hands as she stood up. The wind whipped her hair around her face as she studied the deck of the ship. "Well, it won't sink."

Ikuto laughed as he wrapped his arm around Amu's shoulders and pulled her against his chest. "We don't need it to be much. We just need it to sail. Besides, Kiseki won't look twice at a ship like this. He won't expect me to debase myself by captaining a ship that isn't my own, let alone one in such bad shape."

"The ship has potential," Amu argued half-heartedly. "I know it needs a lot of work but I could get it back to its full glory if I had the time."

"Then maybe," Ikuto said as he leaned down to brush his words against the shell of her ear. "When we're done and my father is rescued you and I should take it somewhere so you can do that."

Amu shuddered as she tightened her grip on Ikuto. "It's a small ship."

"Yes."

"You and I could probably handle sailing it on our own."

Ikuto smirked as he bent just a little further to press a kiss on Amu's cheek. "I look forward to it."

"Oi! Stop canoodling and get back to work!"

Amu jerked within Ikuto's arms but didn't pull away. She buried her face in Ikuto's chest as she laughed.

Ikuto grumbled as he glared over his shoulder at his first mate. "I might actually try to shoot him."

"Don't," Amu said as she pulled back to grin up at Ikuto. "At least, not until we get back."

Ikuto shook his head but let Amu go when she moved to step out of his arms. "Fine, but only because you said not to."

Still laughing, Amu left her captain to grumble as she moved on to the next project she needed to get done before they could set sail. There wasn't much left to do before they left the island but they'd already lingered long enough.

XXX

Utau sank into her brother's embrace. She pressed her face against his chest as she hugged him back. "This is the longest we'll be apart since you taught me how to sail."

Ikuto smiled as he hugged his sister. "I'll miss you, too. Take care of my ship."

"Oh, Ikuto," Utau said as she pulled back from him. "It's always been our ship."

Ikuto nodded as he looked around at the rest of the crew. "It has, hasn't it? The Lynx belongs to all of us. That's why I know I have nothing to worry about while I'm gone."

"You're the one that has to be careful, Captain," Ran said with a shrug and smile.

"Yeah," Pepe said with a grin. "We won't be there to keep you out of trouble."

Miki scoffed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "He gets in plenty of trouble no matter what we do. Having less crew around won't change that."

Ikuto groaned as his crew agreed with each other around him. He fought back his grin when he noticed Amu smiling off to the side. "All right, all right. Knock it off. Listen to Kukai and Utau. I don't like abandoning you to a potential fight. So listen to their orders and they'll keep you safe."

Su stepped forward to hand Ikuto a large bag. "We'll be just fine, dear. You'll see. We'll stay one step ahead of them the whole time. They'll be chasing our sails."

Taking the bag, Ikuto opened it to see quite a few rations inside. "Su, I already loaded the second ship with supplies."

"Yes, well," Su said as she fluffed her skirts without meeting her captain's gaze. "I know how you like food a certain way."

"Thank you, Su." Ikuto smiled before pulling her into a quick hug. She hugged him back for a second before pushing away from him and retreating to the back of the group surrounding him. "All right. Does anyone else need a hug before we go?"

Amu laughed as just about every member of the crew jumped forward to hug their captain. He should have known better than to ask like that if he didn't want to get mobbed.

XXX

"How much work do you have left to do?"

Amu looked up to find Ikuto looking down over the deck railing at her. "Tonight or in general?"

"Tonight," Ikuto said with a sigh. "I know better than to assume you're almost done in general."

Laughing, Amu finished securing the board she'd been working on in place. "This piece of the deck was loose. I didn't want anyone to trip while in a hurry."

Smiling, Ikuto watched as Amu packed up her tools. "I appreciate you taking care of the hazards first. However, it is getting dark and we do set sail tomorrow. Let's get a good night's sleep."

Amu let out her own sigh as she looked back over her shoulder at the dark ship. There was so much more work that she knew needed to be done. "Fine. The other things can wait until tomorrow. I can work around the rest of you as we set sail."

"Good," Ikuto said as he held out his hand for Amu to take once she approached the stairs that led to the upper deck where he stood waiting. "I know you have your own bed but would you consider sleeping with me in mine?"

Amu eyed the hand before she looked up at Ikuto. "Why are you asking like this is the first time we'll share a bed?"

Ikuto sighed again. "I was trying to be polite. I didn't want to assume that you'd just come crawl in with me."

Amu shook her head as she smiled. "Let me put my things away and wash my face. I'll come join you when I'm done."

Ikuto nodded as he watched her turn and walk away from him. He let out another sigh before he turned to make his way to the small captain's cabin. The ship was significantly smaller than he was used to, but it was perfect for their needs.

True to her word, Amu joined him as soon as she'd put her stuff away and washed the sweat from her face. Ikuto grinned at her from the bed as soon as she came through the door. "All set?"

Amu returned his smile as she made her way to him. "This bed is smaller than the one we usually share."

"It is."

"I hope you don't mind."

"Holding you closer to me all through the night? Not at all."

Amu was thankful that it was dark enough that he couldn't see her blush. "Scoot over a bit."

Ikuto did as she asked with a smirk on his face as his scooting really was only a little bit. "Come here and snuggle with me."

Amu let out a gust of air as Ikuto pulled her down onto the bed. "You are ridiculous."

"I'm glad you know that already. Saves us from the awkwardness of you finding out later."

Amu laughed as Ikuto wrapped his arms around her. "Yes, yes. I love you even though you're ridiculous. I won't change my mind later."

Ikuto grinned as Amu settled against his chest. "Good, because I don't think I could let you go if you asked me to."

"I won't ask you to," Amu said softly. "I like being held by you."

Ikuto muttered his agreement as he relaxed into the bed. "Love you."

Amu hummed as she let her eyes fall closed. "I love you, too."

XXX

"Sir, please. I'm telling you everything they said. The captain was injured during a duel. He isn't dead. They think he'll get better but they're going to keep moving so none of their enemies catch up to them. That's all they said!"

Kiseki sneered as he stepped away from the shopkeeper. The man was far too stupid to withhold information from him. He nodded to his soldier and had the man released. "If I find out you are lying to me, you and your entire family will be arrested for treason."

"They bought bandages and needles! There wasn't anything else!"

"And you swear," Tadase said from where he was leaning against one of the shelves while his cousin and his men roughed the owner up. "That one of the girls had pink hair."

"Yes! One had long blonde hair and the other had pink!"

Tadase nodded at Kiseki when he noticed his cousin looking at him. "That's got to be Amu."

"The blonde would be Utau, she's Ikuto's sister."

"I didn't hear any names," the shopkeeper said as soon as the two men looked at him. "I can only tell you what they bought!"

Kiseki looked around the shop before nodding back at Tadase. "Let's go. I'm sure there are other people in this port that saw or heard something."

Tadase followed after his cousin as the soldiers they brought with them let the man go. Their small group made their way out of the shop and onto the busy street. "We know that the first mate bought a second ship with some members of the crew."

"Yes, but he will be our second priority. Catching Ikuto and finding your bride comes first. But don't worry. I'll get all these bloody pirates. I'll watch as they hang."

XXX

Utau squared her shoulders as she nodded at Kukai. "Get into the captain's cabin. We'll be pulling in too close soon. We can't risk someone seeing you and spreading new rumors."

Kukai returned the nod before stepping up to press a quick kiss on Utau's cheek. "I like it when you get bossy."

"Go."

Laughing, Kukai winked despite Utau's glare and made his way into Ikuto's cabin. "Yoru, how is the course-plotting?"

Yoru looked up from the large map on Ikuto's table to meet Kukai's gaze. "You said to keep our route confusing and without pattern."

"Yes."

"Then it's been pretty easy. I don't have us returning or doubling back to anywhere that could put any potential tail too close to us."

"Good," Kukai said as he approached the table. "Walk me through your plan."

"All right," Yoru said as he pulled his paper toward him. "We'll do it like this."

XXX

"She moves better through the water than I thought she would."

Amu sighed as she looked up from her task to meet Ikuto's gaze. He was at the wheel but took to calling out comments to her whenever he realized that she was close enough to hear him. "Oh, good. I was worried you'd be dissatisfied with my work."

Ikuto's bark of laughter was almost lost on the wind. "Never! I have the utmost respect for you and your work."

"Then stop being so surprised that this ship that I have put my sweat into over the last few days sails well!"

Chuckling, Ikuto held the helm steady as a large wave tried to push them off course. "I'll never cease to be amazed by you, Amu. You're just going to have to accept that!"

Amu grumbled as she finished her task. Then she set her tools and extra wood to the side where they wouldn't be in anyone's way and stalked up the stairs. She crossed the deck to the helm and came to a stop at Ikuto's side.

Ikuto quirked an eyebrow as he looked down at Amu. He wasn't ready for the way she stepped between him and the helm and pulled him down into a searing kiss.

Amu let Ikuto go and couldn't help but smile when he seemed dazed. "Do I make myself clear?"

Ikuto swallowed hard. He moved to slide one of his hands into Amu's hair to bring their lips together again.

"Captain! Do you want me to steer?"

Ikuto jerked up and grabbed the helm as Amu slipped away from him. He frowned up at Yaya in the Crow's Nest. "No! I've got it."

"Just checking! I don't mind!"

Ikuto shook his head as he corrected their course. Then he looked around to see if he could spot Amu. She was gone from the deck, but he wasn't surprised. She took her job of fixing up their ship very seriously.

If he wasn't in charge of keeping them on course to the dragons then he would have followed her to wherever she was going to pull her into his arms and press kisses all over her face. He would have made sure to kiss her until she was as dazed as he felt from her putting herself between him and the helm.

But he was in charge of steering, so he gazed out at the waves and smiled. They'd make it to the dragons, get the last piece of the map, and open the portal to save his father.

Then he'd take her into his arms and make sure she knew how much he loved her.

.

Morg: Just gonna keep things moving right along.

Ikuto: I know exactly how I'm going to show my love.

Amu: Please don't.

Morg: We'll see.

Ikuto: Oh, no. I already know.

Amu: Stay away from me!