SEASICK

48- Do Not Touch

[[I am sorry for the delay! Please remember to vote. And like always, I do NOT own the music used in this chapter!]]

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The group of five sat tucked away in a wooden booth, this time at the very back so Alana would not get elbowed in the back of her head again. It did not take them long to find the new Tavern; it held the same atmosphere as the hideout tavern, but differed with the cliental.

Instead of rough and haggard pirates, the surrounding people looked to come from all walks of life. Alana sipped her water, listening to the pirates bicker back and forth, save for Kazumi who remained quiet, with a gentle smile.

She was enjoying herself overall, yet still reeling from seeing her brother pretending to be a simple rebellion leader. The pirates seemed to ignore the bizarre encounter, other than Leven, who did not drop it until he got his ale replacement.

It worried her they would not let it go, but she figured in the life of these rowdy pirates it was just another day.

They did not flinch when two men were mauled to death. So why pause after a chance meeting with her brother?

"Brother, you know you screamed bloody murder, do not deny it." Leopoldo laughed.

"I did not!" Leven snapped. "Even if I did, wouldn't you if you woke up to a python on your chest?"

"I truly believed a frightened woman was in our tent." Ivo teased.

"Shut it!" Leven slammed his fist on the table, causing Alana to jolt but the two jokesters just chuckled harder.

"It was quite loud..." Kazumi finally entered the conversation.

"Yeah, right," Leven grumbled.

As he raised his glass mug to take a swig it was like a light bulb went off in his head and an evil smirk pulled at the corner of his pale lips.

"Then let's talk about the time Leo almost had a heart attack and hid behind Captain when a stray dog came running up to us in Goonip?" Leven finally took a proud sip of his drink.

Ivo snorted out his drink, rapidly wiping his face before Alana could see the mess.

Leopoldo scoffed, trying to laugh off the embarrassing memory.

"I did no such thing."

"You did," Kazumi corrected. "You even bruised my arms from holding onto me so tightly."

Alana giggled at the thought of what it would look like to see that.

So, they do get scared? They always seem so cool and collected, invincible really. It is comforting to know that I am not the only one of us with fears.

"Oh, but we cannot forget Captain and Ivo's fear of the old woman in Oldkeep," Leopoldo quickly averted the shame to the last two.

"An old woman?" Alana blurted with a chuckle and furrowed brows.

"A one-eyed, one-armed old woman who is always soaking wet," Ivo remarked as if that was enough of a justification.

Leopoldo shook his head.

"They walk to the other side of the street whenever she is out, it is as if she had the plague."

"She is unsettling..." Kazumi defended monotonously, causing Alana to giggle again.