Forging Ties (Ties, Book 3) | ✓

Chapter 22

Skye peeked over the edge of the crowsnest and watched as Perry laid out a blanket at its base. It was night time and everyone else had already gone to bed.

"What are you doing, skull man?" Skye asked.

"Perry," Perry reminded him. "I'm sleeping out here tonight. You shouldn't have to be alone."

"Maybe I want to be alone."

Perry paused his bed making. "Do you want to be alone?"

Skye shrugged. "I don't know. I'm not going to talk about it, though."

"Okay. I won't make you talk about whatever upset you."

"You couldn't make me."

"That's true. I meant that I won't try."

"Mm," Skye said. "People are always saying things they don't mean."

"Is that why you're upset? Did someone mislead you?"

"No. Why would it be that?"

"I don't know. The way you said it."

"Oh," Skye said. "People are always reading meaning into the things that I say and the way that I say them that isn't there."

"Why don't you come down?" Perry suggested. "It's too late to be raising our voices to talk, and this bed I made is big enough for two."

Skye twisted his lips together. "You're not going to grope me, are you? I am not in the mood for being groped."

"And I am not attracted to men. I'm just trying to be kind, Skye."

"Why?"

"Hm," Perry mused as he fluffed up one of the pillows he'd brought out with him. "I suppose, having seen precious little of it for a long time, I've come to realise the value of kindness. The difference it can make, and often at no real cost to offer it. I don't know if my being here is of any comfort to you, but I wanted to try."

"Oh, no, I mean why aren't you attracted to men?" Skye asked, chin perched on the edge of the crowsnest. "Men are pretty attractive."

"Well, why aren't you attracted to women?"

"I never said I wasn't attracted to women."

"That's true," Perry said. "Well, I don't know. It's just the way that I've always been."

"Yeah, I'm bad at things too sometimes," Skye said. "Okay. I will share the bed."

Skye climbed down from the crowsnest and settled in on the blanket while Perry finished making up the bed. Perry looked like he should smell, but he didn't.

"When you brush your teeth, where do you stop?" Skye asked.

"Ah, well, my whole cleaning process looks a little different from most people's," Perry said. "You're very candid, aren't you?"

"Does that mean rude?"

"No. I didn't think that was your intention. It just means you say what's on your mind."

"Oh," Skye said. He wasn't sure if that was true. Sometimes he said very little and he often struggled with putting things into words. Or at least words that other people understood. A lot of the time, he just couldn't be bothered trying. Even when he said exactly what he meant in the simplest way he could think of, people often still seemed confused by him.

Perry lay down next to Skye on the blanket and let out a satisfied sigh. "It's a nice night. I quite like sailing."

"Oh," Skye said. "I drowned once, but it's okay I guess."