Safe

Favors

Maybe you're just overstressing about the dangers of the voyage and the fear of discovering some things about yourself that you will not want to know?

Jim noticed you spacing out on his face and called your name. You blinked back the dazed feeling and met your eyes with his. "Huh?"

Jim smirked. "Look who's ogling who now?"

You felt your cheeks grow hot and you stammered. "O-oh. No, I was just--your scar. I never noticed it-- I mean, I have, I just...never wondered how you got it?"

Jim's face fell at the mention of his scar and he looked downcast. You leaned against your mop and frowned. "Hey, Jim. I-I didn't mean to provoke anything. I just wanted to know."

"No, it's--I know you were. I just." He sighed heavily and closed his eyes momentarily. He didn't hesitate at all when he spoke as if he wanted to rush the story so the bad memory behind it wouldn't haunt him again. "The reason I got this scar was when I was eight tried remodeling my solar surfer and I was handling a metal sheet and it scratched my face, leaving a scar."

"Oh, is that all? Then...why did you hesitate when I asked you?" You said carefully. Something about the backstory of this simple scar rendered Jim angry and depressed that you didn't want him to suffer from his past like his mother had when you asked about Jim's father. It seems as if grief follows you wherever you go, affecting those around you.

Jim sighed and took his mop and mopped haphazardly as if continuing his chores would help him clear his head, but it was too late and he had already begun his story.

Jim leaned on his mop and stared intensely at the wooden handle as if imagining it was his monster and he was mentally telling it. You saw the hurt in his eyes when he finally looked at you. "Because...because it was the first time my dad cared for me--like really cared for me. They had to stitch my scar and for a while, he cared for my well-being until he lost interest again." Jim took the mop in his hands and resumed mopping as if the conversation never happened.

You sucked in your breath and shared a glance with Morph who had a sympathetic look on his little face. It seems he understands the emotions of others. You furrowed your brows and knew Jim too well to know words couldn't comfort him in this situation. You could have asked him who his father was to seem like you were clueless, but you didn't want to bring the subject up again. Instead, you silently picked up your mop and bucket and went to refill it. You stopped halfway to the stairs when you saw Silver hobbling up the other stairs with a big pot filled with the leftover waste of food. His voice broke the tense silence you, yourself, couldn't break.

"Well thank heavens for little miracles. Up here for an hour and the deck's still in one piece." He smiled friendly as he dumped the contents of the pot over the ship rail. Stygian and Morph flew over and under the ship to catch the contents in their mouths.

You suddenly recalled he had prevented Scroop from almost killing you and Jim. You didn't know what to say but Jim spoke for the both of you.

Jim absently mopped the floor as soon as Silver appeared so was he would not get itrouble, but upon seeing the friendly look in Silver's face, he slowed down. He refused to look at Silver's face as he stumbled his words to say thanks to him. "Um, look--I, uh. What you did for us...thanks."

Silver gave him a sympathetic look. "It was mostly this gal that you made it out fine. Besides, didn't your paps ever tell you to pick your fights a bit more carefully?"

You suddenly weren't the only one to inquire a subject connecting to Jim's father. You looked at Jim and saw his face pull away from the conversation and mopped the floor.

"Your father not the teachin' sort," Silver assumed about Jim.

"No," Jim answered bitterly and mopped his way over to the rail. "He was more the taking-off-and-never-coming-back sort."

Silver glanced at your direction for confirmation as if he suspected Jim had already told you about his father from the moments you and Jim shared together. You tried not to look embarrassed and kept your emotions hidden with a solemn nod.

"I never knew my father," you said suddenly and swallowing painfully before looking away.

Silver glanced between the two of you. "Oh. Sorry."

Jim chuckled morosely and abandoned his mop on the rail and leaned on his elbows. He shrugged and said, "Hey, no big deal. I'm doing just fine."

You looked at Silver. "I-I lost my parents when I was young. Don't even remember a single thing."

You slowly dropped your mop and went over to Jim and lay a gently hand on his shoulder. He looked at you with a brooding expression but he tried to smile to say he really was fine. He wasn't fooling anyone. You glanced over to Silver as leaned against the rail on the other side of Jim.

He rubbed his chin and said, "Is that so, then? You're both fine?" Something about his tone sounded mysterious. He straightened and pointed a thumb to his chest. "Well, since the captain has put you in my charge, like it or not, l'll be pounding a few skills into that those thick heads of yours to keep ye out of trouble." He roughly dug his finger on Jim's hair.

"What are you on about?" you asked, not liking where this was going.

"-From now on, I'm not letting ye both out of me sight." He grinned maliciously.

"You can't do-" Jim began but Silver was talked over you both.

Silver counted with his metal fingers when he spoke. "You won't so much eat, sleep, be lovey dovey to each other or scratch your bum without my say-so!" He slammed his fist on the rail at the last word.

You widened your eyes in shock and anger at the notion of being ordered around the entire voyage.

"Don't do me any favors!" Jim spat angrily in his face.

Silver only chuckled and stood in between and wrapped his arm around you both.He smelled like old seafood and sweat and you made an expression to yourself and covered your nose. To make it worse, no one would be showering in this voyage unless it rains or you all paused at a nearby planet to replenish provisions. "You can be sure of that., Jimbo." Silver chuckled, his gold eye glinting in the moonlight. "You can be sure of that."

* * * *