A Sea Without Water, A Compass Without Direction

Chapter 23

If Louis would be recognised, the news would get out that the Crown Prince of England was alive and well, and a pirate. His father would either be dethroned, or he would be able to come up with a good story in time to keep his title, something about Louis being a runaway, that he fell in love with the most dangerous pirate in the world and chose to become a pirate over his own family.

Something like that. Either way, the life Louis loved would be destroyed within an instant. He couldn't allow that to happen.

So, every day, after supper, when he and Harry would be in the cabin, Louis would ask whether Harry was finally done with whatever business he was taking care off.

Tonight was no different. Harry was sat behind his desk, reading a newspaper Louis had bought for him while he was gone. Louis was watching him from where he was sat at the table, absentmindedly rubbing his hand over his stomach as he silently worried about their safety.

He could tell that Harry wasn't focused on what he was reading. The captain wasn't a fast reader, nor were any of his men, but Louis knew that it had nearly been half an hour and Harry had only flipped the page once.

After allowing Harry one more moment of peace, Louis stood up and walked over to his husband, hugging him from behind and resting his chin on Harry's shoulder. Harry instinctively reached up and held one of Louis' hands, linking their fingers together while he was focused on whatever article he was reading.

"Are you okay?" Louis asked softly, twisting his head just a little so that he could admire Harry's profile.

"'M'fine, darling," Harry said. "Just a bit tired, 's'all."

Louis knew he wasn't lying; at least, not entirely. He could sense Harry's fatigue, just like he could sense his stress and undefinable worry for something.

"How much longer?" he asked, referring to both their docking and Harry's silence on his personal matters.

"Few more days," Harry said, squeezing Louis' hand. "Patience, yeah?"

Louis nodded obediently, pressing a kiss to Harry's jaw afterwards. There was something so incredibly off, but he couldn't put his finger on it. He knew he had to trust Harry to eventually come clean about it, but there was simply something inside of Louis that was trying to warn him for whatever was in the shadows.

"I love you," he whispered, kissing Harry's jaw again. "A lot."

After a small moment, Harry let go of the newspaper and spun around so that he could face Louis, who straightened up to give Harry some space to move. He put his hands on Louis' waist, staring up at him with a soft expression that Louis knew was only for him. "I love you more," Harry murmured. "So much more."

Louis smiled, his cheeks tinting a light pink. Harry sounded so convinced of it, it was almost heart-wrenching. "Do you, then?" he said, running his hand through Harry's long curls. "Sound pretty confident of yourself."

"'Cause I know it's the truth," Harry said. He started rubbing his hands up and down Louis' sides, his gaze wandering over Louis' body. For a moment, they paused on Louis' stomach, and Louis' heartbeat picked up a bit. He immediately wondered if Harry knew, if he could sense it. But then his eyes returned to Louis' face and the flicker in them, that flicker of something, was gone. "Remember when we first met? When you told me you were just Louis?"

"Of course," Louis said, climbing on top of Harry's lap with his legs on one side. He leaned his forehead against Harry's, nudging their noses together. "Feels like a lifetime ago."

Harry smiled tenderly. "Look how far we've come."

Louis held up his hand, studying the ring on his ring finger. "Look how far," he quietly said, part of him back at the concern he felt whenever he thought of Harry.