Sea (Love)Sick (on hold ish)

Chapter 13

Red was rather protective from then on. She was almost always with her crew, and when she wasn't, she always made sure to check up on them every so often. She also never left the island after that, always glancing at the horizon line to see if there were any other ships coming torwards them.
"I'm sorry, Captain, I really am," Barry said one day, repeating himself for the millionth time as Red sat in her office, going through papers. Barry had developed a mindset that he was responsible for the incident. "I should've never-"
"Barry Kramer, it is not your fault. If you apologize one more time I'm gonna.. do.. something." Red said, pointing a finger at the man. Barry blushed and nodded, looking down and keeping his mouth shut.
The two were enjoying their comfortable silence when an unusual noise came from somewhere.
"Barry.."
"That was not me."
"Then what was it?"
"I don't know! You wanna go look?" Barry asked, motioning towards the door. Red sighed and got up, opening the door and walking out of her office, Barry following close behind.
Walking out onto starboard, Red looked around the whole deck to find nothing. "Barry, there's nothing here," she stated, crossing her arms. Barry huffed and put his hands on his hips. There was another noise, one that was not human.
Barry and Red looked at each other and mentally agreed it was not him, and began to look further. After a bit of searching, Barry spoke up. "Red, look at this."
The Captain climbed down from the ship and stepped out onto the boardwalk to meet side by side with Barry, and face to face with a cat. "Huh."
"Well," Barry began. "What do we do with it?"
Red looked the cat over. It was grey with dark grey stripes on its back, and a white underbelly, muzzle, and paws. It's eyes were a bright yellow-green, with pupils formed in slits. When Red crouched down to look it over better, the cat walked forward her and sniffed her hand, purring and rubbing against her. "I think it likes you," Barry mumbled, smiling.
Red sat on her knees and petted the cat, scratching it's head and the back of its neck. With her other hand, she cautiously reached for the cats dark red collar, it's tag having the same engraving as Izzys ship. When she turned the tag over, it spelled out in small letters: FLUFFY.
"It belongs to Izzy. We should give him back," Red said plainly. Barry took a step back. "Are you kidding? We can't leave the cat with her, she's merciless! Let's just look after him," he said, arms crossing. Red shook her head and stood. "We can't leave a cat out by the water. And besides, looking at the weight on this cat, I'm sure Izzy is far from merciless with him." Red paused, looking at the cat and smiling. "Come along, Fluffy, we have an owner to give you to."

~

"Isabel Saffioti, you have visitors," the officer said, unlocking her cell door and letting the pirate out. The girl stood and let the officer hold her elbow as he guided her outside.
He led Izzy passed the cells of her own crew mates, prisoners who had scars on their faces, missing teeth, and many other flaws. The two walked just outside of the building and stopped in front of a Captain in red, and a nicely suited man accompanying her. "What do you want?" The pirate spat at her.
"We have something you may want." Red replied calmly, watching as if on que, Fluffy walked over to his owner. Izzy squealed and knelt down to pet him and snuggle her pet, babying him and booping his nose. "We found him wandering by your abandoned ship. We were able to negotiate and they will let you keep him," Red added. Izzy smiled at her cat for a moment before squinting up at the two. "Why would you do this?"
"Pardon?"
"I almost killed your first mate. I held your crew hostage. Why do such a thing when I don't deserve it?" Izzy asked. Red smiled at the girl. "Sometimes you must be kind to those who do not know of kindness, so that they can learn to be kind in due time."

~

Red and Barry walked back in comfortable silence, relieved to get to their cabin and settle in for the might. After the stripping and changing of clothes, and curling up and changing positions, the two finally managed to find a comfortable spot to fall asleep. Red was about to drift off when she felt Barry fiddling with her fingers, hands held together in the middle of them.
"You alright?" Red mumbled, looking at the man. Barry sighed. "It's- it's nothing, sorry.." He replied, trailing off. Red squinted at him and broke out of their grasp, pulling him closer with a wrap of an arm around his waist. "Tell me what's wrong, bear." She pleaded.
Barry hesitated to speak. He finally inhaled, sighed, and spoke up. "Izzy said that I'm your first mate, but we never really, yknow, discussed that sort of thing."
Red nodded and thought for a moment. They really never have gone over if he was her first mate or not. Though, with some thorough thought and deciding, the Captain spoke. "Barry, sit up," she said, climbing out of bed and turning on the light. The man squinted and sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Red kneeled at his side and held his hand, putting on her coat and hat. "Barry," she began, smiling. "I have a proposition for you."
The man practically beamed as he listened to her words.