Estella's eyes flickered up to you with a confused look as if confused at your presence. She held her coy smile. 

"Katsu...."She almost moaned out to him, completely disregarding you. 

The smell of different incenses was overwhelming to the point where it made you back away and your face contort.

You were in shock at the situation. How had she even gotten aboard the ship without anyone noticing? How did she manage to escape the chaos back at the Bandit's Bar?

You were frozen with the unanswered questions circling your head.

"Here I was waiting, and you bring your royal prisoner into your chambers at night. Have you replaced me already?" She pouted playfully. 

Katsu didn't move, which made Estella seem slightly taken aback before clearing her throat.

Katsu walked past her, picking up a candle and placing it by his bedside. 

He froze suddenly as Estella hugged him from behind. Her fingers traced down his muscular back, causing him to tense up slightly. She took this as a good sign.

"You've been travelling a while, one night should have you feeling...replenished."

She continued to test the waters, her eyes glancing back at you. "We could have the girl join if you lik-?"

Before she could finish her sentence, he turned and roughly grabbed ahold of her wrist. "How did you know (y/n) is a prisoner?"

"Or royal at that." Shayato added. 

Vincent had made his way over to your side. 

Estella ripped her wrist away and rubbed it. "You're always so mean to me, I bet (y/n) hasn't seen that side to you yet." She plopped down on the bed and crossed her legs. 

"News travels fast, and I have my own connections. Everyone knows you're carrying precious cargo, but these foolish men don't know that it's a person... let alone a princess."

The confused look on your face made her laugh. "Oh please, you carry yourself just like a highborn. Your posture is telling enough." She looked up to Katsu expectantly as his eyes narrowed with intensity. You hadn't seem him with such a look of detest before.

"Ha. What makes you think we'll allow you to leave now that you've told us." 

"Because I was sent here dear Katsu, by the one that wants to buy the girl." She tapped her slender finger on the desk beside her where a fancy letter was sitting.

You felt dread fill your body at the revelation. Was this person keeping tabs on your journey to them?

Just who was this person? You had been racking your brain and just felt that it had to be related to the Alliance. Someone who wanted to prevent it. The timing was too convenient.

Estella caught your expression and pressed a finger to her lips. She clearly wasn't going to reveal anything. 

You quickly searched for the letter again to steal a glance at the seal, but Katsu had already handed it to Shayato.

"As you can see, I already have company for tonight." 

Estella gasped and popped a hand over her mouth.

"Oh! I'm sorry Katsu! I didn't think you and the other Raiders had that relationship! Oh dear...this is awkward."

Katsu groaned loudly at the implication. "Estella. It's simply a work relationship, you know that. You've had your fun now leave while you still can." His voice was stern.

"Well...this was a work trip anyway. I finished the job of delivering you the message."

She slipped on an oversized jacket. "For being so rude on this ocassion, I'll be stealing this jacket Katsu." She blew him a kiss. "Come visit when you wanna have some fun again~"

With that, she waltzed out of the room, passing you a final smirk. Your attention turned to Vincent and Shayato, the two were quietly muttering the contents of the letter. Their expressions turned sour, and they quickly departed the room.

You were finally alone. 

You turned to Katsu and almost felt bad to see him struggle to dust the petals from his bed. 

"Sorry for that. I didn't expect her to show up. Then again, it's Estella." The clear disgust in his voice hadn't left with Estella's departure.

It was refreshing to hear him be so genuinely negative.

"...By the looks of it, no one expected her to show up." 

He looked surprised. "You're finally being nice to me? I should make note of this occasion."

But his sour expression quickly returned as his nose crinkled. "Her perfume is too strong." He muttered as he began removing his shirt for bed.

His entire body was covered in scars, the majority looked old, and the newer seemed to be caused by the ship's attack. You caught him biting his lip as he slipped the shirt gently over the newly bandaged shoulder.

He glanced back at you with a half smile.

"You staring?"

"Nope." You answered immediately. 

"Hmm."

He took the time to switch the bedsheets that stunk of perfume, and you shuffled your feet anxiously as you waited.

He plopped onto the large bed with a relieved sigh and turned to you inquisitively.

"Well? What are you waiting for?"

"Excuse me?"

"Come get some rest. You must be tired."

Of course you were tired, but still. 

"On your bed?"

He raised a brow. "Would you rather sleep on the floor?"

You grimaced at the thought. "I guess not."

"It's good to be honest (y/n)."

His brows furrowed. "If you're worried about me doing anything, you don't need to. The only time I would is if the other person wanted me to."

Well, at least he seemed to have a grasp of consent. 

And you weren't sure how much more your back could take of the wooden floorboards.

The king-sized bed meant you didn't bump any limbs, which made slipping into bed easily. 

You found a comfortable position on the bed and faced the other way. The softness of the bed was heavenly, and you let yourself sink further into the sheets.

There was a solid amount of time that passed between you two in silence, with the occasional shifting in the bed. You should have fallen asleep if it wasn't for the cold air. 

"If you're cold, you can come closer to me if you want."

You hesitated before turning over. His head was facing in your direction, resting against his pillow. The sheets exposed his shoulders, and his arm was outstretched to you. His messy hair gently fell over his eyes, but you still met his soft gaze.

You wouldn't have considered it if it wasn't for your desperation to finally get some sleep. His cheeks and shoulders were flushed, showing signs of warmth.

"I'm really warm, see?"  

You took a moment before also stretching your hand out to meet his.  You allowed your fingertips to brush against his. You felt a pleasent, tingling sensation across your hand as he ran his digits across your palm and in between your fingers. He had touched you before casually, like putting his arm around your shoulders or grabbing your hand to lead you places. But it hadn't felt like this, but this position felt more...intimate. 

You noticed how his slender fingers felt oddly delicate as they intertwined with yours. They were unlike Shayato's calloused ones.

He radiated with warmth. 

He smiled, and despite your tiredness, you felt your heart thumping loudly. As a princess, you could only imagine people would react to you being in bed with a criminal, let alone a Raider. 

You hadn't exactly had experience sleeping in bed with someone else, unlike the man in front of you who was seemingly experienced with women. You didn't need to do much deducting after his interaction with Estella. 

You just hoped he couldn't read your face in the darkness. 

"Ask me something, I'm told my voice is very relaxing." He wasn't wrong. His voice was soft and sleepy. It was a nice change from his usual excitable one. 

"...Could you tell me why you joined the Raiders?" It was an obvious question, but one you were still curious of. 

"Well, I was skilled with daggers and Rei saw potential. But it was really the best option for someone of my low status."

A short answer.

You decided not to pry. You continued intertwining your fingertips. You felt the warmth of his body travelling through his fingers to yours, or perhaps you simply grew warm from the intimacy.

The warmth was helping you sleep.

It was a valid excuse.

You continued. "You and Estella...are you-?"

Reluctant to phrase it badly, you allowed him to fill in the gaps. But he let out a soft exhale that made you wonder  if you shouldn't have said anything. 

"You're curious after earlier, huh? Our past isn't that complicated. Just two lonely people who would give each other with company whenever the ship would dock in this town. Nothing more."

His fingers tightened ever so slightly. "But I'm not interested in doing so anymore. I haven't...for a long time."

You were confused by his sudden earnest voice. It wasn't like it mattered to you who he saw.

You began to feel your eyes begin to grow heavy and yourself drift off.

Unbeknownst to you, you had moved closer to the middle of the bed where your hands met, forgetting to let go. 

Katsu was simply observing you, his hand also tingling. He was conflicted as to why he was so drawn to you. He had chalked it up to be the amusement by having a princess on board.

But it hadn't subsided. He didn't care for human life, not even as a child after killing his abusive father.

He felt nothing. 

But after watching you almost be killed in the Bandit's Bar, he felt a twinge of something he couldn't describe. 

"You're so interesting (y/n)..."

...

As you slept, you heard a voice.

Not Katsu...

Not the Raiders...

It was a stranger.

It whispered to you gently.

'I hope you'll accept me for what I am (y/n), all those after you are enemies to me. I won't let him have you just yet...'