God, whatdreamshe’d had.
Hawk wet his lips before he could stop himself, memories of the dream blooming vivid. An angel of a man, strong and beautiful, lifting him from the water. Gazing at him with eyes full of moonlight, murmuring something unbearably sweet. In the dream, the man had kissed him; tentative at first then with unmistakable yearning. His body, arching close to Hawk's, had felt incredible, awakening the kind of desire Hawk hadn't felt for a long time. All Hawk had been able to think about was that mouth on his, pulling the man close, tasting him, kissing him until he couldn't breathe for want. Taking and taking of those lips, that body, never letting go!
Fantastical, phantasmagoric.
Jesus, it had been far too long since he'd gotten laid.
No, no, it was a dream. The water, the rescue, the kisses. All of it. He'd been very drunk the night before. The pounding inside his skull was more than proof of that. He must have fallen asleep and stumbled out onto the docks. He must have missed the disembarking of the Orca. It was the only possible explanation.
“Miss Barnes,” he muttered, his mouth salty and dry, as if he had attempted to drink the ocean. He tried to pick himself up, crawling in a very undignified fashion onto all fours, only to immediately begin retching into the water from the dock.
“Dear God, Hawk. We can’t let anyone see you in this state.” Elizabeth’s hands around his shoulders, pressed against his clammy forehead. This was unbearable. He did not deserve her pity. “Let’s get you inside, Captain.”
Her body shielded him. From what, he was not sure. Why wasn’t he dead? And now, he was barely able to walk straight and being rescued by Elizabeth Barnes. Unbearable.
“Where is Ruiz?” he finally managed. His quartermaster, at least, wouldn't have left him. Right?
“Aboard your ship, I would imagine.”
She had ushered him past the brothel and into the back door of her tavern. One of the whores was leaning against the balustrade. Hawk had recognized her – the girl who had once been Elizabeth’s favorite. Moira or Myra? Mara. Whores talked. Now everyone would know.
“I need to...” The truth was, he had no idea what he needed.
“Sleep it off, Hawk.” Elizabeth’s voice had been soft and kind.
“What will they say?” he uttered, eyes widening in horror.
“Fuckthem.”
For the time being, this seemed like the most reasonable of plans.
The question of whether or not the beautiful man with the moonlight eyes would return to his dreams had nothing to do with his decision.
Despite all of her advice and admonitions, Mara wasn't entirely surprised to see her brother striding up the streets of Port Royal, the early morning sun bright on his drenched hair and clothing. He gave her a wide grin as he caught her eye, motioning towards his trouser-clad legs. He'd taken to them far more quickly than she, she couldn't help but notice with a frown. Idiot.
"This thing between my legs is terrible," he leaned in to whisper as he reached her.
“Well, the thing between your ears is shit, too!” she snapped with a sweeping eye-roll.
“Now, Maraxilla! Is this any way to greet your brother, who has given up so much to be reunited with you?” He twirled. “Is it awful? Be honest!”
The long, flowing locks that had for so long been Silverfin's pride and joy were cut short to his jaw, and just beginning to curl and frizz in the heat of the sun as they dried. A good thing; he never could have passed as human with such a head of hair. "Is that what she asked of you, then? Your vanity? You clearly haven't given that up."
"I'm hurt. I'm a mere shade of my former, glorious self." Silverfin pouted as he touched his hair, frowning at the curly texture.
“You look like a poodle,” she taunted. “A sea poodle!”
“What is a poodle, pray tell?”
“It’s a little dog that highfalutin ladies carry in their laps and run their fingers through their curls. The dog’s curls, that is. It is a very curly dog.”
“And what is a dog?” Silverfin wrinkled his nose. It didn’t sound very dignified.
“It is like a land dolphin.”
“Oh,” Silverfin pondered this. “I’m fine with being compared to a land dolphin.”
“Shit for brains,” Mara muttered and waved him to follow her indoors.
