SEASICK

45- Familiar Faces

Alana glanced around the establishment looking for the raven-haired woman she placed bets with last time, She could not see her striking jet black hair amongst the crowd, nor sulking men who looked as if they lost all their savings, so she figured the female Captain was not here.

Instead, she saw other women who were not here the last time, but they did not look to be female pirates, more so... entertainment.

It did not take long before the short man returned with their drinks. Alana of course, having the water she sipped on carefully.

"Cheers to being twenty-five and absolutely gorgeous." Ivo smiled raising his glass. Leopoldo chuckled, Kazumi rolled his eyes, and Leven grimaced, but they still cheered for him.

"You are getting so old; I wonder how long you will remain gorgeous." Leopoldo teased him.

"You know I will always be gorgeous, dear Leo." Ivo mocked the nickname he gave to Alana and Leven.

"I am not so sure, little Ivo, I think I see a gray hair." Leopoldo took a sip of his ale.

Ivo smiled but it was rigid. "Do not make such hurtful jokes, Leo." Ivo truly sounded hurt and that made Alana giggle.

"You know full well that I am joking, don't you?" Leopoldo leaned close to Ivo who did the same back.

"I will always find you magical, Ivo."

What?

"Oh, Leo, you make my heartthrob." Ivo cooed back, looking at Leopoldo with desire. "Though, I wish it was something else."

What?!

"I am sure that can be arranged, especially on your special day." Leopoldo seductively placed his fingers beneath Ivo's chin beckoning him closer.

Alana's face was bright red and her brain was shutting down at the scene before her.

She flickered her eyes to Kazumi who just sat drinking his ale as if he did not hear a thing, they were saying to each other.

"Quit it, creeps," Leven grumbled.

Thank goodness, Leven, I thought I was fantasizing the whole thing.

Ivo turned his attention to the younger white-haired male with a devilish smirk.

"Aw, are you jealous, Levy?"

"In your dreams, you're not my type old man." Leven scoffed throwing back some of his ale.

"What is your type brother? The robust woman who you always go home with while in Bizia?" Leopoldo called Leven out, causing him to choke on his alcohol a little.

Alana's cheeks turned a deeper red imagining Leven going home with the woman in the green dress, and her heart wavered.

"I don't know, what is your type brother? The three bimbos you service like a three for one sale in a single night?" Leven retorted back.

Leven's comment caused Leopoldo's eyes to go wide and shoot to Alana who was looking on in secondhand embarrassment.

Ivo snorted, trying to stifle a laugh.

"Surely, you are not laughing, Ivo." Kazumi's deep voice finally cut in. "You go through women like they are napkins, your type must be trash if they are so disposable."

"Now, now," Ivo smiled. "Captain, your type is just as vulgar, I hear them begging to be tied up and spanked."

WHAT IS HAPPENING!? Alana was dizzy with all the information, or rather insults, being passed around.

By this point, not even thirty minutes of being in the tavern, they were glaring at each other. Alana was hot with embarrassment, feeling ashamed she heard their intimate secrets, and because it was Ivo's birthday. She did not want everyone to be in a bad mood, but she had no idea how to follow up that conversation.

"What is your type, dear?" Leopoldo suddenly asked, turning to Alana.

HUH!? Like I would say after I watched that information be used as insults. She looked around to all the eyes that landed on her.

"U-uh..." Alana stammered. "I don't... think I have one." She nervously giggled.

"Everybody has a type, little dove." Ivo corrected.

"Oh..." Alana thought to herself more about it.

This is so embarrassing; I do not want to have this conversation.

"Have you ever even been on a date?" Leven scoffed.

Alana scoffed back, "Of course, I have."

Maybe I should not sound so offended by that question. I just do not want to seem like an inexperienced little girl to them.

"And so, who do you go on dates with? That is your type."

Rich and powerful or someone to be a steppingstone for Taycia.

"Just regular men... Though, it was never my choice who." Alana decided to confess.

"What do you mean?" Leopoldo asked suspiciously.

Alana gulped, fearing she said too much.

"My parents would set up dates like business deals." She nervously giggled. "So, I never got to choose who I courted, but I have courted before."

"'Courted'? Are you the daughter of a noble or something?" Leven half-joked.

Alana opened her mouth to reply but a figure moving behind Leven caught her attention and her whole nervous system seemed to freeze as she watched the man speak with the small bar owner.

Leven furrowed his brows, possessive envy settling in the slight wrinkles of his brow.

"What are ya looking at?" He snapped, turning around to try and follow her eye line.

The others did as well, curious at what seemed to shock her to her core.

"Oh, is that your type, little dove?" Ivo coldly spoke with a sweet smile.

"How unlucky for him." Leopoldo cryptically added and ruffled her hair- debating whether or not to kill the man merely for catching her eye.

"Anubis," Leven grumbled. "The rebellion leader here; he is who we came to visit last time."

That man's name is not Anubis... it is Amun, my brother.