Hooked

6.

When Ash set out onto the deck of the ship the next morning, Pierre wasn't anywhere in sight.

"How unusual," she told herself under her breath, before Kyra sauntered up beside her.

"You shouldn't be out by yourself," she smiled, far too sweetly. "You- ow!"

"Shut up, and get your ass in the cabin," Miss Erena towered over her, grabbing Kyra's ear and smoke practically coming out of her own.

Once her granddaughter left with a "humph", Miss Erena sighed. "I can't believe she's done something like this..."

"Done what?" Ash asked, boggled. "What's happened?" Wait no- first things first. "Where's Pierre?"

"He hasn't been out all morning."

"Is he ill?"

Erena hesitated. "The first mate cabin is 2 doors to the left down the hall."

"A-alright, thank you."

Ash went as quickly as she could to find Pierre's cabin, and when she did, knocked on the door a few times. Answered with silence, she went in.

Pierre sat in a hammock that was used for his bed, staring out of a porthole.

"Pierre?" She asked. As she ventured closer, she saw the tear stains on his cheeks. "Are you alright?"

"You have to be escorted by me again. The captain found out," he said, eyes not moving.

"Well, that's alright. I don't mind being with you," she said in a questioning tone.

She saw his eyes gloss over.

"Well, dammit, Pierre, it's not worth getting that worked up over."

"It's- it's not that..." His voice shook.

"Oh...then what is it?"

Fucking idiot, she told herself as she sat in the hammock beside him.

He licked his lips and tried to hold back his tears. He couldn't deal with anymore crying. But when he finally looked at her, it happened anyway.

"They- they were going to hurt me, Ash," he sobbed. "I could see it in their eyes."

Ash had so many more questions, but instead she pulled Pierre into her arms and let him cry for however long he needed, his tears soaking through her shirt.

~~~

Once Pierre had told her the whole story of what happened, Ash only knew one thing: Pierre had done nothing wrong, but Asterin had treated him like dirt anyway. Parents dead or not, she wouldn't let this slide.

Ash leapt up from the hammock and snatched the knife from her boot, storming towards the door.

"Ash Crawley, don't do you dare!" Pierre yelled after her.

She ignored him.

She would slice their throat. Or no, make their death torturous...yes, she would cut them up all over, pour salty sea water into the cuts, then-

"Ash!" Pierre grabbed her arm as she was halfway out of the door. "Please. I can't lose you."

"It's bold of you too assume I'd lose."

But when she saw the pleading look in his eyes, she softened. Fine. She wouldn't do it. But she would have won.

"How about we just get breakfast?" She asked.

"How about you put the knife away first and- how did you get it, anyway?"

"Stole it."

She slid it back into her boot, went back into his cabin and picked up a bowl of water from the floor, a piece of cloth hanging over the side of it. "Sit."