Takir happily hummed a soft tune to himself as he held his line out over the ship’s railing, enjoying the peace of the rolling waves and the softness of the salty sea breeze. A wooden bucket sat beside him, filled with a respectable treasure of fresh fish that he’d caught for himself, but a line that wasn’t his own tugged, and a grin found a sea-man’s lips.

“Watch out, Takir!” Ghal laughed as he reeled in his line, “I’m catching up!”

“You are learning to fish well,” Takir smiled at Ghal, who gave an amused huff, “It is so much more fair when you fish from the deck.”

“Next I’ll teach you to fish like an undarian!” Ghal boasted, patting Takir’s back, “With nothin’ but your teeth!”

“That would be quite a feat,” Takir smiled, and he glanced to his sister who was content at the helm, “She’s finally smiling. I like that,” he hummed, and Ghal glanced as well.

“She’s fittin’ in pretty good,” Ghal smirked, “The captains made the right choice.”

“So it would seem,” Takir hummed, and his line started to tug. “Oh, looks like you’ll have to catch up again.”

“Oh no you don’t!” Ghal huffed as he reeled in faster, and Takir did the same, but they both found heavy resistance as their lines emerged, tangled with each other with empty hooks, “Awww, damnit.”

“Ah, well,” Takir shrugged, “We’ll catch the next ones.”

“Need a break?” Arya asked as she stepped over to Cheri, but she simply shook her head, “You’ve been at the wheel for a few hours, killer.”

“I can do this all day,” Cheri smiled at Arya, and Arya couldn’t help but return it, “Thanks, this really means a lot.”

“Eh,” Arya waved her off, leaning against the rail beside the helm, “I overheard you at the bar. You wanted a job that was worth somethin’. I like your spunk.”

“Didn’t like it enough to jump in before we got our asses handed to us,” Cheri remarked a bit dryly.

“I wanted to finish my drink,” Arya shrugged, “Besides, you didn’t die.”

“I feel so assured,” Cheri rolled her eyes, and Arya ruffled her hair.

“You’ll be fine, killer,” Arya gave an amused huff, “Just yell for me when you need a break.”

“Will do,” Cheri hummed, and Arya stepped away, leaving Cheri alone with her comfort.

Cheri looked out to the sea ahead, smiling softly at the calmness of the waves. They sailed towards the sun, bobbing along as the cool breeze gently brushed against cherry-red locks, that streak of pink now resting comfortably just out of her eyes. As a contented sigh escaped Cheri’s lips, she thought of the day that led her to the crew. Cheri had set out to find work, but what she found instead was something that long eluded her, something she never really understood until that moment.

Home.