Where parallely with the mission, it is shown what the pirates are doing and a conversation is made between Captain Reaper and Ramirez.

No one's POV:
-

It has been already 2 days. Just 2 days.

And the pirates were already agitated, thrilled and impatient.

From the first day Geno and Alter left they were putting bets, many of them saying the siren wouldn't survive, less supporting Geno that he would make it. Even less pirates were not being part of these bets because they whether weren't caring enough if Geno was making it or not, or they preferred keep their thoughts to themselves.

Or they didn't want to loose money. But someone, had other thoughts, much irrelevant about if the siren was making it or not. Another, much more phenomenally perhaps silly but actually serious matter. Thinking about it so deeply, they weren't even realising they were loosing at chess.

"Checkmate." Aldo cornered Ramirez' King with his black queen, both his bishops and a pawn. But the dog still seemed really lost in thought to admit defeat, see he was indeed cornered or even see Aldo gesturing. The cook looked at him confused and a little annoyed Ramirez wasn't functioning normally today.

He stood up, went next to him and crossed his arms, still staring at him for a few seconds. Ramirez didn't seem to realise Aldo had moved from his seat. The beaver sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder. Finally the doctor flinched and turned to look at him. Then he stared at the chess board for a few seconds before finally standing up.

"Ah, so you won. Alright." He said bluntly and was ready to close the chess board. But Aldo stopped him again, his eyes turned to daggers.

"I know you well enough Ramirez and you never let anyone win so easily! What's wrong? You are really lost in thought since the day Alter and Geno left..." He said, softening a little at the end. First Ramirez had stopped being so grumpy and expressing it. Then his insults started becoming more soft. And now loosing at chess so easily?!

Aldo was actually a very strong chess player, the only worth opponent -after Captain- against Ramirez, but still loosing to him a little more often than winning. Today he was sure, Ramirez was critically distracted and concerned about something. He wouldn't let him step foot out of the kitchen until he was hearing what was bothering him. Annoyed, Ramirez rolled his eyes and looked away crossing his arms.

"... Something about Sir Reaper. I can't even believe myself I'm concerned! But the worst is that some idiots are saying... really stupid things that confirms my thoughts. That something is going on between Sir and the fish." He suddenly turned his head sharply at Aldo and stared at him. "Do you hear the bullsh*t too?"

Aldo looked at him surprised. But he understood what Ramirez meant. He was hearing accurate things from Adrian and Yalin, since he was hanging out with them often. These 2. Oh, they could understand something interesting is going on before anyone else, they could 'smell' the situation before it could even grow enough.

Since the day Geno step foot on the ship they had said it, something interesting is in the air. And the next days their words were confirmed. Indeed something was going on as Aldo observed later better, Captain wasn't just excited for finding the one who would break the curse for him.

He had something on his expression Adrian and Yalin had never seen all the years they were in his crew. Aldo sighed and pat Ramirez' shoulder. The dog turned to look at him again.

"You mean Adrian and Yalin as the 'idiots' that are saying about these things right?" The beaver gestured. "Oh you know them, they are 'experts' knowing what's going on, about if there's love or hate in the air, when the atmosphere is and will get electrified. They confirm that they know what Captain feels, well I mean, when he speaks greca, he does when he doesn't want to be understood easily. And since the day Geno arrived, he always refers to him..." He shrugged his shoulders. "They usually aren't wrong, so..." He didn't finish his sentence.

He just turned his back and headed towards a shelf to grab something. Suddenly he heard Ramirez' steps, but before he could even turn, he felt a hand shoving him abruptly towards the wall. Aldo turned shocked and then he saw Ramirez' right hand slamming the wall very close to his head. He gulped and looked up, only to meet with the doctor's furious expression.

"So you agree with their nonsensical bullsh*t?!" Ramirez asked, then started quietly growling, but in such angry and threatening way, Aldo felt his blood stop running. He didn't have enough freedom and space to gesture an answer, the dog was really close. "For f*ck's sake Aldo, THIS IS SERIOUS! There's no time to 'catch feelings'! Only I am clever enough to realise that this is no game but danger?! Do you realise what can these feelings do, if they actually even exist, if they get in the way completely?! Pretty much Sir will end up DEAD! If he's already too attached to that sickly fish we are doomed! Most of all HE'S doomed! Oh no. I'm not sarcastic, grumpy and just disgusted about feelings, I'm speaking some raw facts here! And do you also know these feelings can be exploited?! What if the garfish is clever enough to manipulate Sir, if he knew what he feels?! But no, these 2 dumbassess friends of yours whisper 'sweet' little gross nonsense and doesn't take it seriously! Instead, they encourage the situation, they encourage Sir to keep going. Oh yes! It seems like a very good idea, let Sir pair up with the fish and live happily ever after! No!" The dog's face approached closer to the beaver's making himself in Aldo's eyes creepier. "Nothing is going on. It shouldn't be. Tell your friends they better stop with their sh*t. If they respect Sir Reaper even a little they better stop. Because if I start telling them myself to stop, they won't like the continuation..." Aldo had literally froze in fear from Ramirez' outburst and wasn't daring to even breath loudly in case he was making it worse. At the same time he was pitying him.

"He's panicked and really worried about Captain." He thought. Suddenly Ramirez placed his hands on Aldo's shoulders with a less threatening and scary expression.

"We say nothing. This mission has to go perfect, until it's all over, Adrian and Yalin never saw anything, there are no feelings, Sir doesn't get exposed, the fish doesn't realise anything! No one else will know, just act normal, no one. has. to know." He said.

"Um..."

Both the dog and the beaver turned their heads towards the kitchen's door slowly. Michael was standing to the opening with a hesitant expression.

"Oh, you must be playing with my pain life!" The dog thought.

"I know." Micheal said.

Without warning Ramirez pounced towards the young human and grabbed him from his hair. Michael started trying to break free, in vain. Ramirez glared at him with a murderous expression.

"Just great. You damn human have to stick your nose where you're not welcomed!"

"I-I didn't mean to eavesdrop!" Michael said only to whimper in pain as Ramirez had clenched tighter.

"In all serious private conversations you 'don't mean to eavesdrop' huh? Your indiscrimination can't f*cking keep you away. Like always. What do you want?" He asked snarling.

"N-Nothing. I just heard you screaming. And got worried. I swear, I didn't-!"

"Das glaub ich nicht!" Ramirez barked. "Curious, just curious like always!"

"Just worried! Please, let me go Doctor!" Michael begged. Ramirez pinched the base of his nose with his free hand and shook head left and right.

"How much did you hear exactly you snot?" He asked.

"U-Um... from when you yelled at Aldo about there's no time to catch feelings?" Michael said hesitant, only for Ramirez to grip his hair tighter.

"WHICH IS ALMOST EVERYTHING FROM THE CONVERSATION!" The dog yelled. Michael started whimpering from both fear and pain. "Damn human race! Like always sticking your nose where it's none of your f*cking business! Listen shrimp, because I won't repeat myself: if whatever you heard goes further to any other from the crew, I'll slash your throat, put Aldo cook you and then serve you to Dave without telling him anything! 你明白吗?!" He seemed to ask in the end.

"Y-Yes Doctor, I promise Doctor!" Michael said quickly. Ramirez let his hair and the boy 'ate' the floor as he had fall prone. But he quickly stood and literally ran away.

"Yeah, that's right, I better not see you in front of me for at least an hour!" Ramirez said snarling. But feeling a hand tapping his shoulder blade he turned to face Aldo.

"That was cruel even for you Ramirez. When will you stop treating him like an enemy? He's not a little boy anymore, he's at adult age." He gestured.

"If he acts like a damn baby that seems like he has his pants sh*tted constantly I can't see him like anything else. His useless 'cousin' should have taught him be a man." Ramirez snarled crossing his arms.

"He didn't have normal childhood and has been through a lot from young age."

"What about it? I've been through same and worse and managed on my own mostly."

"Except you were raised for much longer in a more comfortable environment with more chances at least for you-"

"Leave it Aldo. Just... leave it." Ramirez cutted Aldo pinching the base of his nose and sighing. He was about to turn, ready to walk out when he felt the beaver holding him from his arm. He turned to look at him.

"Where are you going now?"

"Have a word with Sir. Why?" He asked. Aldo looked away as he stepped back a little.

"... I will make tea for Captain. Do you want tea later too?" He gestured. Ramirez stayed silent for a few seconds.

"... Valeriana and luisa. No sugar. A few drops of lemon." He said quickly and walked away.

Aldo stared at where the doctor was standing a few seconds ago and then sighed. He turned his back and mechanically started cleaning the counter.

"Poor Ramirez. He's yelling like a while ago when he's extremely concerned. He worries about Captain Reaper. I mean, he knows him from when he was 10. Even if he doesn't want to, he worries. He always yells at everyone except Captain to put logic. Nothing I'm not familiar with..." He thought shaking head left and right.

Ramirez' POV:
-

No.

I'm not going to believe sh*t anyone around says immediately.

That toro bastardo Cretense. That gusano sucio Turco! These fools are most likely exaggerating again. They better not spread rumors!

But I'll confirm this myself if everything's truth or not. And if it's indeed like how they say, Sir Renrink is in trouble! I know well that he most likely won't listen to me and will do whatever he wants in the end. Pretty sure he got that habit play it deaf by that Athenian, his mother!

*sigh*

Still, one or two things might get stuck in his numbskull and take account of my warnings. Around that time, Sir is in his office. I'm already outside and ready knock on the door.

"Puedes entrar Andrés." I hold back at the very last moment to snarl annoyed and enter. Sir is sitting behind his desk and holds a pencil. A paper is in front of him but before I can see what he does he stands up and looks at me grinning. For f*ck's sake, why did he have to inherit his madre's grin?!

"Buenas... tardes Señor." I look away. He walks and stops at the side of his desk, leaning a little towards it with crossed arms.

"Is there something you wanna announce Doc?" He asks. Alright. Here goes nothing. He's probably going to kill me, but I must make sure... that whole 'feelings' -Brrr! I can't even say it without getting nauseus!- thing is true. And how serious it is. But I must lie a little at first, even if I don't like it. I exhale and cross my arms too.

"Since the day Alter and the siren left for the mission, everyone on the ship is nonstopping whispering more freely some really weird stuff about these 2. Rumors are spreading and... they've been giving me thoughts. Have you heard anything?" I ask. There goes the first lies. Captain looks at me now with a confused expression.

"Rumors? And what are the things they say?" He asks. I don't believe myself I'm going to say out loud what I'm about to say, but... like I said I must make sure. The moment he turns his back to organise some papers on his desk, but never stop showing confusion, I spit it out.

"Most of them say that something's happening between the priest and the garfish and it doesn't seem like simple friendsh-."

The temperature in the office suddenly drops and I feel a shiver running down my spine. But I'm not more scared than disappointed. Sir Reaper clearly shows that he already doesn't like the news, otherwise he wouldn't give a damn.

"Whæt?" I hear his voice slightly cracking. I know I'm in grave danger right now, but I'll just keep going.

"They say the priest is really overprotective of the fish, since the time he came, he hasn't leave his side for long periods of time. And it's not just because he's his guardian. And when we stopped at that island to fix the ship, they were hanging out constantly, I found them on a little beach they went and even slept there cuddling -giving emphasis to the last word-. Alter told me. Also now that I think about it, he was really eager accompany the siren to the Capital even if he despises it there. Do you think something is going on between him and-?"

"¡¿Dī§cúłpæmə?!" Sir says as his head literally tilts abruptly to the left, in a way that you could think for a moment he broke his neck. His eyesockets are empty, his teeth and fists clenched. Mhm. This is just disappointing. I'm not expert with feelings but I'm pretty certain that is jealousy Sir can't even hide. I can't even believe it was so easy to expose his thoughts like that. He doesn't even try to hide it. Sometimes I really regret the oath I gave. I sigh and pinch my nose.

"And I didn't want to believe that something is actually going on..." I say shaking my head left and right. I soon look again at Sir who still seems angry but with a combination of confusion. "First, I want to apologise for lying. I urgently needed to see if my observations were true. There are no rumors spreading across the ship about Alter and the garfish. Second, really now Sir?! Get jealous of them be close? I thought we both knew the priest wouldn't be interested like this. Do you... honestly, you like the garfish?"

"So you tested me!" Sir says now surprised. He facepalms and sighs, all of a sudden relieved. Oh, just GREAT. Still,

"That doesn't answer my question. Say it clearly. Do you like the garfish?" I insist more and more dissapointed. He keeps his feelings under control most of times but there, oh there he slipped! He keeps staring at me surprised. But instead of saying anything he looks away and keeps organizing papers on his desk. "Silence is your answer huh?"

"... He's... interesting." He says. It's not the time to vomit yet.

"Interesting. Oh really? Then I guess Adrian and Yalin were totally right when they said something indeed is going on between you and the siren." I say bluntly, only to soon snort annoyed. "Be more cautious around them Sir, they can still understand you and they're not the monsters that keep a secret for long. They can spread news faster than pestilence. But luckily they still didn't do it. If I were you I would have a serious word with them to shut up. But right now I'm going to have one with you..." I say.

No one's POV:
-

Captain waited to hear, staring at Ramirez. Finally the doctor started talking again.

"I'll speak to you like I do many times when I sense something is going wrong: be careful. And no, you will not laugh it off like always and excuse yourself you're careful. Feelings shouldn't be involved in missions. Or any of these gross little things related. If they get in the way it will be complicated. You can't be attached to the fish in any way, no matter what it is. He's the key to lift your curse and finish the job once and for all. Just this. Nothing. Else. Do not let even any sympathy get in the way, it will be more difficult. Also think, what would happen if the fish manipulate and exploit you? Don't you see he wants to leave? Anything can help him if he wants. But you must not give him the chance. Keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself and focus, you don't have much time." Ramirez inhaled and exhaled quietly and turned his back. But he didn't head out yet. "If you will most likely don't listen to my word of advice, do not complain when it'll be too late. But again, be careful... That's all. I'll let you keep going with your work." He completed.

Captain looked down thoughtful and silent, staring at his hands. Ramirez decided to walk away. But before he could take 2 steps Captain raised his head sharply hearing him leaving.

"Ramirez." He called calmly. The doctor stopped.

"... Yes Sir?"

"Even if I do not seem following many times your assistance or advices, I still keep them. Even the smallest of them truly helped in later situations I didn't know how to handle. You're valuable being by my side and I appreciate you're following me."

"... That is the oath I gave to both your parents and I can never defy it. Nor I want. So what?" Ramirez asked in a confused tone. Captain smiled wider.

"I know myself the consequences. No, I will not complain if something goes wrong. I have clear mind of my actions. I'll still keep your advice. But I'll ask you, as friend towards friend to lemme give you an advice too." He said and suddenly got a little more serious.

"... What advice Sir?" Ramirez asked. Reaper sighed.

"If someone doesn't know you well for many years, the truth is it's difficult cooexisting. You're a difficult character. But just because you have nerves, this doesn't mean Aldo should be facing them. Appreciate the one crewmember that doesn't care much about how you are, don't use them as your mental punching bag. I could hear you yelling again, before you come find me, not well enough to understand words, but Aldo was clearly facing your nerves." He said. Ramirez stayed silent for a few seconds. He rolled his eyes.

"He doesn't care. He doesn't mind." He bluntly said. Captain sighed.

"Not everyone is like you. He, is not you Ramirez. He's patient, but what if he's just bottling up his thoughts and feelings for everytime he faces you? After all he can't argue back. It's like you exploit his state." He said. The doctor didn't reply, just lowered his head and started rubbing his nape. Sign of awkwardness when he couldn't find a fair argument. And only Captain could bring him to that point. "Try be softer with Michael too. He hasn't done anything to you either. He hears it way worse from you. Hopefully that doesn't turn against you someday, I really don't want that to happen... This is a conversation I should have done long ago with you... Te puedes ir." Reaper completed. Ramirez looked ahead and walked out silent.

When minutes later after his conversation with Captain he was about to enter the kitchen, he stopped hearing a soft hum from inside. He entered and saw Aldo sitting alone on the counter holding a cup of tea. He had eyes closed and his legs swinging were showing he was cheerful.

Ramirez approached the table in the middle of the kitchen and saw a cup of tea, steam was coming out of it. He held it and looked inside as if he had observed something interesting. He took a sip, confirming 100% that the tea was exactly like how he had ask Aldo to make it. He sighed quietly and looked up. Now Aldo had realised his existence and waved at him smiling. He got off the counter and stood in front of him.

"In a few minutes I'll serve the Captain his tea. Everything ok with yours doctor?" He gestured temporarily leaving his cup. Ramirez didn't reply, just took another sip and nodded looking away.

"Grazie..." He whispered. Aldo raised eyebrows, did he hear well?

It was rare for anyone hear Ramirez thanking. However he decided 'not to make a fuss'. Everytime Ramirez was trying to be nice to someone, he hated it when the other was getting 'surprised' or acting like some divine miracle happened. And so, Aldo just smiled wider and returned on drinking tea with the dog in a peaceful silence.

3620 words.

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