Chapter Text
It was still very new; the smell of the salt in the air, the sound of the waves crashing against the ship's hull in the quiet of the night, the swaying ground he stood on. Still very odd.
Charlie was helping him get accustomed to sea life, promising that he'll be finding his sea legs sooner or later. Out of everyone in the crew, Charlie was the only one not bothered by this man who suddenly showed up on the admiral's ship out of seemingly thin air.
Even after bringing out the rum and sharing the drinks and listening to the sea shanties that the crew sung together, everyone was skeptical of him. He didn't really blame them, he would be weary of himself too.
Still, the odd stares and the low whispers he heard when his back was turned were not pleasant.
Robert was the person on the ship that mostly hated his guts. Peter couldn't guess why. But this was a problem. If Robert keeps at it then Peter is going to be disposed of, and the brunet did not know if being thrown overboard would be better or wore than being stranded on some island.
Fortunately for Peter, Edward would not have any of what Robert was saying.
"A witch?" Kendrick snorts after Robert storms off, steaming with rage.
Next to him, Peter's shoulders stiffen, fearing what problems the other's rage will bring him.
"He's lost it," Maggie tells him. Peter turns to her, seeing a grin at her lips. Another person who warmed up to him even after his weird arrival was Maggie. "Pay'em no mind, lad. If ye were a witch Henry would know." She points her thumb back at her friend.
Henry turns around at the mention of his name. "Oi? How'd I know?!"
Maggie begins to snicker even before she answered and Henry, already knowing she was going to mock him, scowled in her direction.
"Tis cause his cooking looks more like potion work than actual cooking!" She bursts out laughing, leaning over onto Peter. Her hand reaches above her head to grab his shoulder as she almost loses her balance, clutching her stomach. Henry grumbles, most probably cursing her, but the heat in his scowl is soft and not exactly hateful.
Peter himself smiles, Robert and his negative energy gone and forgotten for the moment.
Edward's voice calls for the crew's attention and Maggie leans off Peter as she turns to look at her captain. Edward is stood on the deck, his sword hanging in a sheath around his waist, his coat pushed back with hands on his own hips. He's smiling at the eyes that turn to him.
"No time to be laying about, we've got a ship to sail and an admiral to best. So let's get back to our stations," Edward said.
The crew all went around doing as they were ordered. All but Peter who was still out of place in the crew despite being on the ship with them for a week now.
He stood still, frowning and looking around, utterly lost and anxious. Edward noticed this and decided to make a beeline for the poor lad when Charlie swung before the taller brunet. Peter almost jumped out of his fake leather boots at the sight of the gorgeous woman. She was grinning at him, amusement swimming around in her green irises. Her hat low over her head but long brown locks still poked out and cascaded down her shoulders.
"Hey there, little lad," she told the man who stood a head taller than her.
Peter flushed a dark colour but smiled at the overly confident quartermaster. "Charlie, hi! How can I help you?"
Her grin turned into a sultry smirk, leaning a little closer into his personal space. So close to her Peter felt his heart about to beat right out of his chest. This woman who mostly smelled of leather and rum and something spicy made him so happy. It was little over a week, he knew this couldn't be love... yet.
Noticing his eyes looking at her but seeing through her, Charlie's voice lowered an octave as she spoke, bringing his attention back to her, "by keeping me company while I go down below deck and sort out some of our stock?"
Peter almost choked. He remembered the last time he went below deck with her, the heat of her slender body against his in the dim light. He shivered involuntarily at the memory. His tongue twisted and his throat restricted. He swallowed, knowing his voice is going to fail him. Hilarious how he was called a witch when Charlie was the one who was doing the enchantments.
"Well?" She prompted for an answer that came in the form of fast, jerky head shakes.
She hummed at him, her smirk growing wider as her hand reached for his. She didn't grab his hand though, instead she grabbed his wrist. She pulled away and Peter was ready to fall after her, but the caught himself, heat from shame he felt flooding his cheeks.
Charlie, of course, chuckled at him. "Come on, then." She turned, her wavy hair wiping behind her, and lead him by the wrist below deck.
Behind them, Edward stood in shock. He had not meant to keep looking, watching something he felt like he shouldn't have, but he was intrigued and also surprised. This was the first time he's seen Charlie trying to woo someone because she liked them. Usually she used her looks and charms on men to get what she wanted from them, which occasionally was stealing some of their jewellery or money or even distracting them. This was a surprise, although he hoped it would be pleasant.