And there was something about him that intrigued me, that had kept my thoughts on him since that day.
And now he was convinced that I was gay. Which...I was. I hadn't told anyone, of course, and it had taken me the longest time to come to terms with my sexuality and just accept myself for it. I couldn't tell anyone or I'd be dead, that was the scary part. So it was daunting for Theo to have found me out like that. Even worse that I was lying awake at night praying that he was, too.
“Oi, Matt!” Jack nudged me with a grin, snapping me out of my reverie. “You with us? We’ll be boarding soon. You zoned out.”
I nodded, forcing a smile despite the knot in my stomach. “Sorry.”
"I especially asked for a bucket." He informed me.
I winced "thanks," I grumbled, not feeling much better about it at all.
Together we approached the gangplank of a sturdy ship with a tall mast and billowing sails. Its wooden hull was painted a deep blue, adorned with colourful flags that flapped in the breeze. I could see the crew with sun-kissed skin and rugged attire-busy preparing the ship for departure. I shuddered, swallowing convulsively.
The salty breeze whipped through the air and the scent of fish mingled with that of tar.
I watched as the military units -veterans clad in their armour- milled about.
“Hey, Matt, you ready?” called out a burly soldier who I recognised as Todd, clapping me on the back with enough force to nearly knock the wind from my lungs. I managed a nod, though my throat felt tight.
"I'll rub your back." Jack whispered in a terrible attempt at lightening the atmosphere, reading the look that must have been plastered onto my face.
I limited myself to giving an exasperated sigh.
“Come on, lad! No time to dawdle!” commander Roberts' voice interrupted. With a deep breath, I stepped onto the gangplank, the wood creaking beneath my feet.
I could feel my heart pounding in my chest, a drumbeat of anxiety as I took in the sight of the open sea beyond the ship's railing. The water glimmered under the sun, but all I could think about was how I'd be spending the rest of this trip.
“Secure the sails!” shouted the captain, a tall figure with a weathered face and a commanding presence.
I watched as the crew fumbled to follow the orders, grasping the thick ropes.
As the sails caught the wind and the ship lurched forward, I fought the urge to retreat to the safety of the dock. The saltyspray of the sea splashed against my face as the ship sliced through the waves and the nausea already began rolling in my gut.
Jack cleared his throat from beside me “we can go below deck soon. We have rooms, I think.”His voice was tinged with sympathy.
I nodded slowly “are we all on different ships?” I asked.
Jack shrugged “probably. There’s too many of us for just one and we all have two different tasks to deal with.”
“Right. True.”
Jack hummed“you’ll be fine. Come on, I think we’re room 28.”
We descended the stairs that lead below deck and Jack began searching amongst the numbers painted onto the wooden doors for ours, me following behind him.
“Here it is.” Jack announced, pushing open the creaky door to the cabin and stepping inside. I cringed slightly as my eyes scanned the cramped space which didn't make me feel any better. There were two narrow bunks stacked against one wall, a small wooden chest and a lantern squeezed in between. The air was thick with the smell of saltwater, wood and tar. The wooden hull creaked and groaned as the ship rocked gently on waves. I swallowed hard, trying to distract myself and take in the wooden beams and the rustic furnishings.
Jack stripped off his armour and flopped down on his bunk.
I grimaced “I think it was better up on deck.”
“Probably, yeah.” Jack smiled, evidently with no intention of getting up. I stayed standing.
His smile faded. “go up there if you want. I’m probably gonna stay and have a nap. Headache."
I knew whatthatmeant. All we needed was one of Jack's migraines.
"No, I..." I pulled myself up onto my own bunk and sat on the edge of it.
