Perimedes leaned against the mast, arms crossed, eyes fixed on the horizon. The crew was loud tonight, drinking, laughing...getting comfortable. He should have been ignoring them, like always. Should’ve been sharpening his blade, counting rations, anything but this.

And yet, his gaze kept drifting.

There they were again. That particular someone, caught mid-laugh, something bright in their eyes that made his stomach twist. He forced himself to look away, jaw tightening.

Doesn’t matter. They don’t matter.

But then, without thinking, his eyes flicked back. Just for a second. Just long enough to catch the way the lantern light flickered against their skin, the way they glanced his way... Oh crap! Their eyes met!

He quickly snapped his gaze back to the waves like he hadn’t been looking at all. Even stepped away from the mast as if he wasn't just standing around there, heading to the railing as he leaned onto it with his arms, pretending he was looking for island's in sight. No way he was caught, right??

He exhaled sharply. "This is a mistake.."

So why couldn’t he stop?