A/N - long time no writing! Sorry for the wait everyone, and sorry if you're disappointed with me :(

---
Vane did not talk to you much anymore

In fact you gathered the feeling that the Captain wanted to erase your existence from his life, which further provoked your curiosity as to how far his 'feelings' did run for you.

"He's just not been the same." Hornigold stated obviously one day as everyone was sipping ale in the baking hot sun. "He's gotten even colder than before." He whispered to you as you observed your once brother like figure hunched over at the bar, his high collared leather coat further adding a literal impression to his behavioural facade of him building a wall to block himself from talking to anyone else in Nassau.

Vane had remained this way for weeks, and every time you went to get close he would skulk off on 'private matters' and disappear off to some whore house somewhere to compensate for his frustrations. You just couldn't understand why if he did 'care' about you, that he was making himself so distant? It made you feel angry with yourself that you had let him find things about you to 'care' about.

But while your relationship with Vane seemed to be withering like a summer rose in the first throes of autumn, your friendship with Edward was kindling more and more each day.

You often went out of Nassau with Edward, travelling to the near islands in search of cargo to sell and ships to plunder. Although you never got too involved with these activities yourself, you enjoyed the quiet sailing with the Captain, the type where there was nothing but the open aquamarine waters around you, the wind in your (hair colour) hair and the merry sounds of the crew singing around you.

"You'll make a right little quartermaster." Edward had chuckled one day, and those words had plastered a smile on your face and stuck with you from then on.

----

The waters around the small island were calmed, gentle foaming waves lapped at the golden sandy shores, as the hues of the flame coloured skies illuminated the place in an oozy golden glow.

With some of crew making the necessary repairs to the ship that was anchored just a safe distance out from the shallows, yourself and Edward were relaxing on the beach while the remainder of the lads searched the island for any goods that may be useful aboard.

As you were sipping at the bottle of rum in your hand you noted again that thoughts of Vane had crossed your mind, despite the fact you were trying to distance from him like he was to you, you couldn't help but keep thinking of him in opportune moments of the day. It had also occurred to you that yourself and Edward had yet to talk of this evidently obvious matter.

"What do you take to Vane at the moment?" you asked Edward suddenly, taking a sip as your eyes looked out to the sun soaked bay of water.

"Vane? What of him, lass?" Edward asked, and you turned your gaze to loo at him now, noting the way the light illuminated the firm structure and lines of his face, his chiselled cheekbones and square jaw. A sharp feeling tugged at the base of your stomach that made your heart feel like it leapt, and then the guilt came to brush those feelings off quickly. Edward would not think highly of you looking at him as anything more of a companion...

Not to mention you also felt like a bit of a hypocrite, angry at Vane for looking at you with affections when you were doing just that to Edward.

"Well, it's no hidden fact that he's been avoiding almost everyone in Nassau." you exclaimed, and Edward cracked a little smirk.

"He's a funny bloke, lass. Takes turns and that, he's unpredictable, just like these waters he sails on." Edward replied, his accent thick and husked. You let your (eye colour) gaze drop down to the sand beneath you... you had to tell someone about what had happened that night after you rescued Edward from the fort. It was practically killing you.

"Edward... Can I tell you something?" you asked him, looking at him now as he looked at you with quizzical interest that was confirmation in itself. Deep breaths ensued.

"On the night after I rescued you from the fort... and we went to the tavern... Vane approached me not long after you left." you whispered, as you watched Edward's eyes searching yours, they were so piercing blue, and you found yourself more captivated to open up the more you looked into them.

"He was being so cold, after he saw that I'd been tending to the cuts on your face." you detailed, "Before that encounter he was fine with me... He just seemed, it may seem foolish to say, but ... jealous? Like he suspected you and I were..." you swallowed hard, before Edward chuckled softly.

"Oh lass," he smirked as he shook his head at you. This left you puzzled. "Why do you talk like it was such a secret? It's been obvious since day one that the bloke has a thing for you... perhaps even beyond wanting to look what's between your thighs." he said, making your cheeks burn with a blush.

"B-but- I don't feel that way about him! I always felt like he was a guardian to me, an older brother!" you stressed, and you fluster only made Edward laugh even more.

"Well whatever is wrong with the bloke he's lost a very important lady." Edward said, his smile disappearing now as he looked more serious, and your heart kicked up a pace. Oh gosh.. was he saying any of this with meaning?

"He likes you still, (name)." Edward added after a few moments, looking at you with a heartfelt gaze. "Despite the temperamental phase he's encountering... He still cares for you immensely. Unfortunately, with you not feeling the same way, he needs to figure that he can't make you his."

"But Edward, it makes it so much more complicated because he stills things that there's something between you and I!" you exclaimed, "I don't want him out of my life completely because he thinks he can't approach..."

Edward didn't respond to you, just looking straight into your eyes for a moment which made your heart falter and rush like a rabbit stopped by headlights. He then wedged his bottle into the sand and stood up off of the crate he was using a seat, his hand gently passing over your back as he headed back to the ship. You followed, your heart and head in confusion alike.

---

The stars were glittering in the deep blue canvas sky by the time you were sailing back over the waters to Nassau. You leaned on the railings of the ship and watched the onyx coloured waters churn like tar beneath the ships as it cut through the black waves like a knife through butter. 

You and Edward didn't really talk, but you would look over your shoulder occasionally at the way he looked.

You couldn't keep denying your attraction over you fear of Vane's reaction. Edward carried such a bearing about him that you admired, he was bold and confident, caring and passionate about the things he loved. You wanted to be a part of his world.

Feelings of desperate defeat made you sigh as your (eye colour) gaze once again moved to the edge of the ship and the seas beyond.

----

Once docked at Nassau, everyone naturally headed to the Tavern. Tonight was clearly going to be a late one.

As you walked up the sandy trail to the porch, the band was playing and the alcohol was flowing freely. There was laughter and music and all round joy in the night air.

"(name)!" Anne shouted, waving you over as she got you a drink straight away.

Suddenly you thought, why should I be miserable? Why should I feel bad?

You just wanted to forget everything for one night and just have some good old fun- and a smile formed on your face as you thanked her and necked back a large gulp of this drink.

Edward arrived a couple of minutes after you, and he was handed a drink instantly by Anne as he came and sat at the same table as yourself, Thatch and Hornigold.

"Good day, Kenway?" Thatch asked, passively occupying his time by setting the ends of his beard alight with the candle on the table like it was nothing.

"Aye... We've found a few goods of worth." he smiled shortly as he took a few sips and then looked over at you.

"Alright lass?" he asked, and the glow of alcohol in your stomach had sent good feelings across your body, along with the party atmosphere- and so you were smiling.

"Good thank you, Edward." you replied, having a few more sips as you swayed a little in your seat to the upbeat tune of the song.

---

Countless bottles later and you were almost at Rackham level of drunk, disorderly but you didn't care - it just made everything more fun.

You had kicked off your boots and had started dancing across the porch with just about anyone who would take up your hand, sloshing the remainder of your drink everywhere as your laughter filled the air. You were uncertain as to how your feet were still moving fast enough to keep you standing.

Everyone around the circle was clapping you on as your last dance partner collapsed onto a seat, tired out by the jig.

"Edward!" You laughed, grabbing his hands as you pulled him up, the pair of you laughing like kids, drunk out of your minds.

It would've been funnier to see him dancing if you were sober, but both being drunk it seemed totally normal. You danced together, providing good entertainment for everyone else. It was like a rehearsed routine, and despite the alcoholic factor, it was a fairly polished little dance.

It was nice to see Edward smiling away as he looked into your eyes, you gazing back at him with a worldly smile which pretty much summed up every way you felt about him, he reciprocated a grin much the same.

And like no one else was watching, the pair of you leaned in, slow but not at all clumsy- lips meeting at last. He wasn't all brash or quick, but taking time to savour the gentle cotact of your lips to his own. The cheers around you suddenly got louder, the whole tavern seemingly erupting in delight at the sign of affection.

All apart from one body, who left the scene in a hurry, heart seemingly wrenched in two and eyes stinging with bitter tears- he never cried.

Charles Vane never cried.

Until that night.