Sean raised his hands to touch both Nate and Mark's shoulders. He could almost feel the heat between them. He didn't get a chance to say anything, before Mark snatched Nate's black jacket and yanked him back into the cabin. Sean glanced at the perplexed onlooking crew, letting out a nervous chuckle.  Feeling suddenly awkward, Sean bit his lip and quickly crept inside the cabin after them.  Closing the door very carefully behind him, Sean turned around to see Mark shove Nate away from him, yelling out bitterly. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Nate rolled his shoulders, adjusting his jacket. Once it was straightened, Nate casually looked over at Sean to say. "I know that wasn't the plan, but I had to do it." Mark glanced between them, snapping out in a heated tone. "What plan? Nate, what did you do?!" Nate turned to face Mark, giving him a disgruntled sigh. Sean turned his glaze to the floor feeling guilty. While Nate piped up to state out bluntly. "Sean pointed out some good points. We need each other to get what we want. It wasn't supposed to go this way, but I have my reasons." Sean snuck a glance at Mark to see him staring at him with betrayed eyes.

Sean immediately lowered his eyes to the floor, telling him nervously. "Mark, just hear me out please?" Mark huffed loudly, spitting out distastefully. "Why? Right now, I feel like you two lead a mutiny against me!" Nate rolled his eyes, muttering out spitefully. "I had to take my ship back. It has more value than you could ever imagine, and you ruined her by painting her in filth!" Mark started talking over Nate halfway through, snapping out louder. "Don't pretend you did it for anyone, except yourself! You only wanted to humiliate me in front of my crew!" Nate took a step toward Mark, his voice growing even louder as he yelled back. "Damn it, Mark! Will you shut up and listen for five fucking seconds! I'm trying to explain!" Mark pointed a stern finger at Nate's face, bellowing out even louder than Nate. "NO! Before you hypnotize the whole crew, I want to get my say in! So, you will shut up and listen!" Sean shook his head, then jerked his head up to let out a sharp quick scream that made them both cover their ears in pain.

Taking advantage of the silence, Sean quickly rushed out. "Mark, Nate can give you a legitimate claim to be a Pirate King. BUT he wanted his ring and ship. We BOTH will need him because he can read Atlantean. If the vault lock has any Atlantean writing... We'll need him." Nate gestured to Sean, stating out seriously. "There you go. Satisfied?" Mark lowered his hands from his ears, mumbling out. "It doesn't change the fact that you took everything without even negotiating in the first place!" Nate tossed his hands in the air, retorting back sternly. "You never would have agreed in the first place! You never do! I did us all a favor. Now we can learn to trust each other the old-fashioned way." Mark shook his head defiantly, causing Nate to quickly defend himself by telling them both. "Look. Robin said that everyone was afraid I'd kill them if I got my ring back, right? Well, you're all still alive! I should've talked about the ship... but what was the point? It only works for ME anyway and we can't go into Atlantean waters without it activated! So, you can consider this an investment. My way of upholding my end of the deal. Savy?"

Sean gestured toward the door, asking perplexed. "Wait a minute... Are you saying that this ship... is Atlantean?" Nate nodded, answering coolly. "Yes. My father was a ship builder. He built all the ships for Atlantis. It's why no war ships ever got passed our borders. There are wards protecting it. Only an Atlantean ship can pass through. And currently... The only Atlantean ship still floating is MINE! Even if you painted over all my father's carvings!" Mark waved a dismissive hand at Nate, moving to take a seat at his desk. Sean moved to stand where Mark had been to be closer to them, asking excitedly. "The Battle Ballad? It all makes since now... The ship is activated by song isn't it?!" Nate nodded with a smirk, informing him lightly. "Every Atlantean vessel my dad built was built to listen to a Jellymaid song. Think of it like charming the ship. The runes allow me to control every feature of the ship. That way the crew can help defend and care for the ship during a battle. It's why we were undefeated. Our crews could board and fire upon the ships without having to worry about who was driving."

Sean smiled brightly, taking in the details of the cabin with new eyes. He glanced at Mark to see if he was just as excited, but he wasn't. Mark poured himself a glass of rum, muttering out to Nate sourly. "So, what...? You're Captain now? You plan to sing us all into submission for some sweet revenge? I don't see what I get out of all this." Nate slowly put his hands on the desk, leaning on it as he told Mark seriously. "I can renounce my claim as a pirate lord and give the honor to you. With the treasure you get. You can become king and get a grander ship. Everything you want. As for you being Captain... Keep it. The crew knows you better and I don't have the ties to them that you do. All I want is control of my ship." Mark downed his glass in one go, then set the glass down to say coldly. "What I'm I suppose to tell the crew? You think you can take most of their jobs and just... get away with it. After all you've done to them and me over the years." Nate's nails clawed the wood of the desk, but he didn't flinch as he asked in a numb voice. "What are you suggesting?"

Mark slowly sat up in his seat, telling him with a wicked smirk. "I'll give you complete control over the ship... but you belong to the crew. We'll be at sea for a long time..." Nate was expressionless. Sean had to take a minute to think over what he was telling Nate. When it finally sank in, Sean gasped and snapping at Mark disgustedly. "MARK! You can't be serious! You can't do that to him!" Mark refilled his glass, smugly answering as he glared at Nate. "I think it's fair. He's fucked with their friends and family... They should be able to fuck him in return. Especially, now that he wants to take over half their jobs. They'll need something to do with all that free time." Sean rubbed his arm nervously, timidly mumbling. "Would you ask that of me? I've killed people on this ship... I threaten their jobs..." Mark stopped himself from taking a drink, telling Sean seriously. "No! Of course not! I've made you apart of the crew. Besides, you have more value to me than HE does." Nate suddenly grabbed the glass from Mark's hand and downed it. Finishing it, Nate slammed the glass down on the desk and told him with a straight face. "Deal."

Sean grabbed Nate's arm, telling him desperately. "No! It's not right! You don't have to put up with this. We can work this out." Nate straightened up, looking Sean in the eyes as he stated in a soft whisper. "Don't worry. I can take care of myself. Besides... I'm going to make him eat his words." Mark huffed loudly, climbing to his feet as he smugly purred out. "I highly doubt that, Nate. Now if you don't mind. I'm going to inform the crew that you are... available." Sean tried to grab Mark's arm to stop him, but Nate grabbed his arm to keep him from succeeding. Sean turned to give Nate uneasy eyes, noticing now that Nate was smirking just as smugly. What did Nate plan to do? Touching Nate's shoulder, Sean desperately asked him in a worried voice. "Why are you smiling? What are you planning?" Nate shook his head, his smile fading as he replied calmly. "You really don't have to worry. I know how to handle a bunch of ignorant pirates." Nate ruffled Sean's green bangs, then headed for the open cabin door.

Mark was addressing the crew and informing them about the changes to the ship. One was the fact that Sean had been titled as his first mate. The other was their job changes to accommodate Nate's new position. This caused the pirates to glare at Sean and Nate with angry eyes. Mark cooled them down by telling them with a little too much excitement in his voice, just how Nate would pay for his place on the ship. A few crew members developed evil smirks and looked Nate up and down. The stares made Sean very uncomfortable. While Nate seemed completely calm about it. A man strolled up to Nate, shouting out suddenly playful to the others. "I remember how this one used to moan... I wonder if I can get you to moan like that beneath me." Sean shivered, but Nate simply smirked back at the man, telling him smugly. "You mean, you remember how I faked it?" The crew all bit their lips and tongues as Nate glanced directly over at Mark with a wicked grin spreading across his face. Mark clenched his jaw, glaring back at Nate. The man grabbed Nate by the jaw, sneering over his lips. "You certainly won't fake it with me."

Nate blinked, reaching his hand up to touch the man's face. Sean swallowed watching Nate's eyes turn a solid purple. The man suddenly yelped away from Nate, clutching his face in pain. Nate casually chuckled to himself, telling the crew in a clear playful voice. "I'm not nearly drunk enough to deal with your ugly asses. However..." Nate winked at Mark, then turned to face Sean. Sean backed up into the cabin wall a bit startled by Nate. He didn't understand what was happening. Nate's hands carefully cupped Sean's face and Sean let out a nervous whine. He didn't want to be zapped by him. Closing his eyes, he tried to back up more when Nate's gentle lips found his. Sean firmly braced his hands on Nate's chest as some of the crew whistled and others let out nervous chuckles. Sean relaxed after a few seconds into the kiss. He was simply relieved that Nate wasn't shocking him. Then the kiss seemed to send a pleasant tingle through his veins, causing the kiss to turn intense. He had never kissed another merman in his life... but he finally saw the appeal. Something about the kiss was spiraling him into a desire fueled frenzy.

Sean's slid his hands up Nate's chest to unconsciously rub his shoulders beneath his heavy jacket. He couldn't help himself. He wanted more, and Nate gave it to him passionately. The way Nate's lips molded with his was absolutely breathtaking. His kisses with Mark were good, but Nate's kisses were inhuman. There was a lust behind it that his own body responded to without hesitation. The only thing that snapped him back was Mark's cold voice shouting out. "NATHAN!" Nate pried his lips off Sean's, glancing over at Mark with slightly glazed eyes as he told him smugly. "What? He's part of the crew, isn't he? He has just as much claim to me as they do." Mark stormed over to them, growling out under his breath. "Stay away from him. He's mine." Nate licked his lips suggestively, teasing out to Mark. "Oooo, someone's jealous. I don't recall you being such a fan of monogamy when you spent long nights at the tavern." Sean felt a deep red blush heat his cheeks and he slumped against the wall embarrassed. The whole crew was watching them with judgmental eyes, and it was making him very anxious.

Unable to bare the tension between them, Sean hesitantly mumbled out weakly. "Guys... Can we not do this here?" Nate stepped back from Sean, choosing to face Mark as he told Mark bluntly. "I guess, I should bring this up... Weren't you ever curious why your flings never bothered me?" Mark didn't respond, he just stood defensively in place. Nate brushed his own bangs back, answering with a sudden smug smile. "Merpeople are known for having multiple partners. Ones we love, ones we fuck, and ones we breed with. The difference is we're better at communicating with our partners." Nate's eyes turned to Sean, extending out a hand as he told him with a warm smile. "I need a drink. Care to join me?" Sean cleared his throat, looking to Mark to say something. He had never been in this situation before. It was overwhelming to feel torn between two people. He loved Mark, but Nate was quickly becoming a friend that he could relate too. Mark exhaled heavily through his nose, before turning away.

Mark headed for his cabin door, slamming it so hard that Sean felt the gust of wind from it. Nate put his hand on Sean's shoulder, telling him softly. "Come on. He's gonna brood for a while." Sean gestured to the door, telling Nate a little hurt. "Why did you say that... You deliberately hurt him." Nate touched Sean's cheek, replying coolly. "He's pissed. He's not hurt. Believe me, I know the difference. He does this a lot. He's slept around on me for years. This is just the first time that I've ever told him that I was... tempted to do the same." Nate dropped his hand and started walking toward the steps. The crew was starting to disperse as Sean ran up beside Nate to ask shocked. "Wait a minute! You mean you NEVER were with anyone else? But you just told him-" Nate raised a hand to stop him, cutting in lightly. "You forget that I was a prince at the time. I can't breed with Mark, now can I? I'm not a seahorse. My dad was arranging a pairing for me. I met up with her a few times to make out... It never went any farther than that." Sean wanted to ask why... but from the way Nate looked, he guessed that Mark must have killed her in his mutiny.

Nate brought the mood back up though as he told him with a bright smile. "Tell me, Sean. That was your first kiss with someone like me, right?" Sean blushed, looking behind them to see some of the crew coming down the steps. When he nodded, Nate hopped up onto a bench table and chuckled out sweetly. "I thought so. I'm guessing your daddy didn't teach you how to do that?" Sean cleared his throat shuffling his feet embarrassed. Nate pulled his jacket off to reveal his muscular bare arms and deep purple vest much more clearly. Nate leaned his elbows on his knees, smiling innocently back at him, upon adding lightly. "Ya. I thought so. So, this is probably going to blow your mind. Do you know that ninety percent of the time, A mermaid's kiss is actually a merman using an illusion?" Sean's eyes widened in shock, but not as much as one of the crew members that had been eavesdropping. Sean turned to see the man rush up the steps to throw up over the side and Nate chuckled loudly.

Nate gave him a playfully shrug, admitting honestly. "It's true. Most mermaids are afraid of getting captured and the other half don't actually have the strength to drag a struggling burly sailor to the ocean depths. Some do, but for the most part... it's men. Hell, half of us could pass as a woman without the need for an illusion.Turns out that our kisses are powerful... but even more so when used on each other. Which is why you don't see a lot of us sleeping around with humans. If your dad didn't teach you how to do it... Then he must have been trying to keep you pure. Sucks being a prince sometimes. My dad on the other hand was much more interested in showing me how to defend myself at an early age." Some of the crew filed into the room to fill up drinks. Each one eyeing Nate with guarded features. Robin walked over to hand a cup to Nate, saying dryly. "Don't talk down to him." Nate accepted the cup, retorting to Robin in a casual voice. "I'm not. I'm teaching him the hard truth. If you want something. You've got to be willing to fight for it. Which he can't do... If I don't teach him how." To Be Continued...