A day had passed since I had been left alone with the false royal, having returned to my chambers at night when the man in question was already asleep, leaning over my desk. I had not bothered waking him up, and as such I had simply derobed before going to sleep. I now awoke to the sun reflecting off of the lamps hung along the walls across from my bed, and as my eyes opened I was greeted with the sight of a small silhouette in the corner of one of the large windows along the back of my ship, a curled up form tucked away on the wide window sill. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I began to see the details of his appearance. His head was leaning onto the cold glass of the window, arms circled around his knees that had been drawn up against his chest. In such a vulnerable position he seemed so much less troublesome, perhaps it was the sunlight on his face that made him seem softer, his expression a little less sharp from what I could remember, eyes not as piercing, not as dark. 

It was moments like these that one could wish to read the thoughts of others, as his mind seemed heavy, eyes once more stuck somewhere far beyond the horizon. Yet unmoving to the point one could think he was watching something out of any mere mortal’s eyes. As if he himself could hear my mind, his eyes turned away from the window to find me already watching him. I didn’t let myself linger, and quickly averted my gaze to get up out of bed. I didn’t let myself look over towards the window, though I could feel his eyes lingering on me as I moved around the room in complete silence, walking over to my desk and collecting a few papers, strapping on my leather boots and without a single word I left my cabin, closing the door behind me, still not acknowledging his presence. 

Though as I tended to my ship and crew, I could not help but feel as if his cold lavender eyes were somehow still following me around as I moved across the ship throughout the day. As the sun began to once again dip into the waters along the horizon, I walked back through the doors of my cabin, letting my eyes land on the curled up form by the window, in the exact spot I had left him this morning. He was still facing the horizon on the other side of the large window, but he knew I had entered the cabin once again, as he suddenly addressed me directly.

- What is your name?

A question I had not expected to be asked, much less from him, much less in this very moment. I let myself watch him for a few beats, his eyes still locked onto the spot where the sky met the very edge of the world, before walking further into the room as I shut the doors behind me. Once again the silence of the room hung between us, though this time there was a tension in the air, a question waiting to be answered. I slowly moved across the room towards my desk, putting down some things before leaning against the desk, hands splayed out across the wooden surface. 

- Icarus.

- Is that your name?

- It is what I am called. So I assume so.

His eyes finally met my own, head still leaning onto the cold glass of the window, eyes soft in the fiery light of the late sun. I couldn’t help but let myself watch his features almost soften in the orange glow, sharp edges seemingly worn down, a lot more blurry. Perhaps that is why my lips decided to follow up on his question.

- What is yours?

I could not tell if it was the light playing tricks or my own imagination, but I could almost see a soft smile creeping onto his lips, if only for a moment. 

- Crow.

- Is that your name?

- It is what I’m called, so I suppose it is.

I couldn’t help but let my own lips curve upwards slightly at that. As if the late hour and long day had smoothed out any edges, a softness that did not come naturally with the bright morning light, was now present. A gentle honesty as the intimacy of night began to fall across the sky, like an all encompassing cover embracing the world around us. Making everything less apparent, not as real. My cabin was now suddenly our entire world with its wooden walls and soft glow of the lamps being all we could see, as the sun was slowly swallowed whole by the sea.

- Are you not cold?

Crow looked at me, his head slightly tilted away from the window, eyes intrigued as he watched me leaning over my desk. His arms no longer hugging as tightly around his knees, almost as if he was slowly unwrapping himself, becoming more open. 

- Not very, mostly just stiff.

- If you’d like, you could sleep in my bed.

There was a small smile playing at the corner of his lips, one of his eyebrows quirking up momentarily.

- With you I suppose?

- It’s a big bed.

As if to make sure I was telling the truth, though he knew very well having spent many days alone in my cabin, he looked over towards my bed. His eyes almost calculating as they ran across the length of the old piece of furniture. 

- It’s either sleeping in my bed with me, or on the floor.

- I am aware.

- Suit yourself.

With that I straightened up from my desk, letting my hands take a hold of the hem of my shirt before pulling it over my head. I quickly folded the piece of clothing laying it onto a chair, before looking over towards Crow, who was still watching me intently. I quickly looked away from him, as I walked over towards the few lamps that were still lit, extinguishing them by licking between my thumb and pointer, before pinchin the wick. The room was now engulfed in complete darkness, except for the faint light of the moon, I lay down underneath the cover, listening to the soft sound of Crow leaving his spot by the window, to pace across the floor. The sound of his naked feet across the floor momentarily growing louder as he came closer, and for a moment I could almost feel my heart in my throat, before hearing him move further away. Not wanting to let my thoughts linger on him, I let my mind be slowly lulled to sleep by the sound of his naked feet quietly wandering back and forth across the room, along with the faint sound of his chain being pulled slightly by his slow and repetitive movements.

I awoke much like the morning before, by the bright light of the morning sun, reflecting off of the lamps hung along the walls of my cabin. In the stark light of the early hours, I felt the warm presence of another body by my side, not touching me, but close enough to feel the heat radiating off of his skin. I let my head turn towards him, and was met with the same face from last night, but now in the light of dawn, he seemed much more real, not as soft and blurred around the edges as last night. There were dark circles under his eyes, his lashes fanned out across the darkened skin like feathers. In the complete silence of the room I could hear his soft breathing coming out in slow deep breaths. In the light of day, I couldn't help but long for the worn down and soft memory of him. A man that had seemed almost unreal in the warm intimacy of the night, all his sharp edges and words worn down. It almost felt like it had all been a lucid dream, a small figment of my own imagination. 

Perhaps it was best to let it stay as such.