𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒍𝒂𝒅𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑩𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒅 || 𝐊𝐚𝐳 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐤𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐗 𝐎𝐂

𝑨𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅

⚠️TW⚠️ drinking and drunken actions

The next few days go by in a routine blur. Happily, I am drunk most of them. I take my first sip of kvas in the crow's nest when I see a certain Suli girl hobble into the daylight. Nina embraces her and I quickly slide down the rope to meet her. I swing over the water and my heart skips a beat. I swing safely back on deck when I embrace Inej.

"I'm so glad you're awake. And with a new scar no less." I see the tear in Inej's shirt where she was stabbed. "Twins." I lift my shirt a bit and chuckle. Inej gives me a warm smile.

"Awe now I've gotta get stabbed." Nina jokes. We all laugh and go to stand at the railing.

The days go by and I have few conversations. Soon my crow's nest is littered with empty kvas bottles. When night falls I throw them into the ocean.

"That's not very nice to the sea life," Rotty complains.

"If you haven't noticed, I'm not a very nice person, Rotty," I yell down the mast.

I sit and watch as the sky turns from black to orange to blue then back again. It is an endless cycle, I only get out of the nest to listen in on meetings or fetch more kvas. Sometimes I guilt trip Wylan into stealing me some more. I'm sure Nina has noticed my drinking. If she hadn't she a blind fool. Being on the ocean again has taken a toll on me. My stomach no longer growls and my only want is kvas. I ignore their pleas to come down unless Kaz threatens to dump the kvas. It works every time.

"Emris, get your ass down here," Kaz yells.

"Or what?" I say, drunk as a skunk.

"Or I'll dump all your kvas." 

I roll my eyes and swing down the rope. A laugh bubbles from my throat as I wobble on my feet. Kaz ignores my humor and pushes me toward the meeting table.

"I can find my way, Brekker," I say, taking a sip from the kvas bottle in my hands. Kaz takes the bottle and throws it in the ocean "Hey. Hell is that for?" My words slur together.

"You're trashed. And we're almost to fyerda." Kaz says angrily.

"I don't care. Go get me another one." I demand.

"There is no more."

"Of course, there's more. There's always more."

"No that was the last bottle."

"Well, that was my last reason." I move to slap him but he grabs my wrist and pulls me close.

"Stop this, Emris."

"It's Blade to you Brekker." I rip my hand away. "I didn't even want to be on this Saints forsaken ocean in the first place," I yell.

"Get to the meeting." I raise my eyebrows and plant my feet. "Please." He mumbles.

"Please, what?"

"Will you please attend this meeting, Emris?" Inej asks me, coming up behind Kaz.

"No, I want him to say it."

"Come on, Emris." She tries to pull me away but I hold my ground. Selfish bastard can't say it. "He's not going to say it, come on."

"Please Emris, will you attend this meeting. It is very important." I hum and take pleasure in seeing the vein in his neck stand out.

"Sure, why not? It could be fun to watch Brekker fume." I cackle a laugh as Inej leads me toward the table. "Did you see the vein in his neck stand out? Oh." I trip and burst into a fit of laughter.