After waiting until long after Nabasu had gone to bed, Kaida snuck out of her room and onto the quiet deck; a sleepy helmsman stood at the wheel, but paid her no attention as she made her way to the mast and began to climb it. She hated seeing someone else at the helm, looking back at him made her angry. He’d still be here if it weren’t because of you. She bit the inside of her cheek and turned away, focusing on climbing up to the crow’s nest. I shouldn’t think that… she reprimanded herself. … he’d still be here if it weren’t because of me.

Once she was up, she settled down and looked up at the clear night sky, her eyes already blurring with tears. It had been over a week since Click had disappeared; over a week without her best friend. If I had told you before, would you still be here? With the back of her hand, Kaida wiped her eyes and sought out the faint outline of stars. “Draco,” she whispered. The silvery stars continued to twinkle down at her, always beautiful and always mocking in their distant happiness. “Everyone misses you, Click,” She said softly. “ I can even tell with Nabasu that he misses you, he-” she paused to wipe her face again. “He’s been.... Different since…” She breathed out a long sigh. “I miss you.”

Her eyes stared up at the stars, pleading that someone, somewhere could hear her. Praying to her gods and his that her message would reach him somehow, if anyone cared enough to relay it.

“I’m so sorry Click.”

***

Dobson found himself outside of Kaida’s quarters, like many nights, coming to get patched up after their captain had his fill of beating the boy. The ship’s doctor was usually ordered not to see him, only to make his suffering last longer, but Kaida had a soft spot for him, and she hated seeing him beaten for no reason than beyond the captain’s own entertainment.

He sat down in a chair in Kaida’s quarters as soon as she had opened the door and bashfully looked to the floor as she searched for a clean cloth; the left side of his face was bloodied and scraped up and he was shaking slightly.

“What happened this time?” Kaida asked as she poured some alcohol onto the cloth and gently began dabbing his face with it. Dobson winced but looked back to her, forcing a small smile on his face.

“Captain didn’t like my cleaning job on deck, made me clean it again.”

“So I’m to assume the bloodied face is from you working so hard?” Kaida raised an eyebrow at him.

“No… well, ‘e… beat me to the ground then ‘eld me face to the deck, dragged it against the wood til I bled. Then ‘ad me clean it again…”

Kaida's heart sunk a bit. Dobson was young and had a bit of a mouth, but he never spoke around the captain unless spoken to; he did his jobs well and quietly. She knew he never stepped out of line because he genuinely feared the man, she could see it in his eyes everytime he spoke about him. She just wasn’t sure what more she could do to relieve his pain; they were each living their own kind of hell.

Pulling a tin of ointment out of a chest near her bed, she smoothed it over his cheek. Dobson’s eyes fell to the floor again as she did so. “You’re a good worker, Dobson,” Kaida said. “Just keep your head up, hmm?”

Dobson gave her a more genuine smile and nodded slightly. “Thank you, Yasashi.”

Kaida returned the smile and put the ointment away. “Try and get some rest… and I’m sorry about what happened,” she said quietly. Dobson remained quiet, but he nodded again before standing and making his way back to the door.

“Goodnight, sir,” he said to Kaida and carefully made his way across the deck. She watched him until he was out of sight and safe below deck, then looked up to the clear night sky. It had rained earlier that day and the stars were finally out to play. Her heart ached to look back at them, but they gave her a distant sense of comfort anytime she saw them. Her mind wandered back to the night when she and Click looked up at the stars and a bitter though rose to the front of her mind.

I Was jealous then… I still am, I suppose, She thought to the twinkling stars. I hope you’re keeping him safe and happy. He deserves it.