Chase the Stars

"Is that a gift for your cabin boy?"

Mila spun around, scowling when she saw Cato standing there with his usual smirk in place. He was tossing a silver watch from one hand to the other.

"It's none of your business what I buy or who I buy it for, Cato. Now go away, I'm busy."

"It must be a very special occasion. You're actually buying something instead of stealing it," Cato chuckled. Mila clutched the pocket watch in her hand almost protectively and glared.

"I buy a lot of my things," she informed him.

"So the watch is for you, then, is it?"

"As a matter of fact it is," Mila snapped. "Although again, and I can't stress this enough, it's none of your business." She pushed past him and stomped to the watchmaker's counter to pay for it. The one she had chosen was real gold polished to a fine sheen, the clock face inlaid with abalone shell. Even the hands were made with fine, glossy gold. And of course it actually worked, making a merry ticking sound when you opened it. Mila felt suddenly self-conscious as she paid for it and shoved past Cato to get out of the shop.

"Maybe he's not actually your cabin boy," Cato said slyly, following her. "Maybe he's something else?"

"Go away," Mila said irritably. "Don't you have anything better to do than bother me?"

"Have I struck a nerve?" Cato asked, laughing. "I don't think I've ever seen the fierce, great Mila flustered before."

"I'm not flustered, you great stupid baboon. Now kick rocks before I smash your face in."

Cato held his hands up in surrender, backing away but still laughing to himself. He blew her a kiss before turning and disappearing into the crowd. She realized she hadn't seen him pay for the watch he'd been holding nor had he put it back. Mila rolled her eyes. No doubt he'd been antagonizing her as a distraction while he stole it. She put Charlie's watch inside one of her coat pockets and hurried up the street to where she had left him waiting for their water barrels. Even though she had told him she'd buy another watch, she wanted it to be a surprise.

As she rounded the corner she saw him standing just where she'd left him, but now he had company. The barrel maker's pretty blonde daughter was laughing at something he'd just said. Mila had met her before; she was pretty sure the girl's name was Tess; and had never given her a second thought, but now she felt an irrational and unexpected surge of annoyance at the sight of her. She said something to Charlie that Mila couldn't hear and he chuckled and nodded slightly. Mila finally drew close enough to catch their attention.

"There you are!" Charlie said. "I was starting to wonder where you'd gotten off to."

"Well. Here I am," Mila said slowly.

"Mila, you didn't tell me you were putting together a handsome crew," Tess said, lightly nudging Charlie and winking.

"Are my barrels ready?" Mila asked stiffly.

"Oh, yes, of course. Lucky thing you have a strapping young man to help you carry them to the ship, hm?"

"Yes. Lucky." Mila stared coldly at Tess but the girl didn't seem to notice. She fetched the two small barrels and turned them over to Charlie.

"So nice to meet you," she said sweetly. "I hope I get to see you again before you leave."

"Nice to meet you too," Charlie replied. Mila snatched up one of the barrels.

"Well we'd best be going," she said sharply. She fairly pushed Charlie off the stoop with her barrel and he almost dropped his.

"She seems quite nice," Charlie remarked as they walked.

"She's a twit," Mila said. "I've known people with more sense in their pinky toe than that girl has in her whole head."

"She didn't seem all that bad," he said with a laugh and Mila shoved him with her barrel again.

"We're not here to make new friends, Charlie. We're here to get supplies and get the hell out of here because in case you'd forgotten, we have a price on our heads."

"Okay, okay. What's got you so crabby today, anyway?"

"I am not crabby," Mila replied crabbily. Charlie arched an eyebrow and bumped her shoulder lightly. Mila took a breath and tried to calm her inexplicable irritation.

"So where did you go?" Charlie asked. "You were gone for quite a while."

"I'll tell you later," Mila said, feeling slightly deflated now. She'd spent nearly an hour poring over every pocket watch in the shop trying to find the perfect one. Now she felt silly and self-conscious again. They dropped the barrels off at the Peregrine and Mila couldn't stop her gaze from flitting to the strip of land in the distance, beyond and above Maryport. Curis was so close she could practically smell the ladies' fine perfume and taste the strong tea her father used to make her drink.

She pulled her eyes away from the edges of Curis and looked at Charlie. "Let's go have some lunch?" she suggested. She scuffed the toe of her boot against the wood of the deck. "I know of a little cafe that makes amazing crepes."

"You know where everything is everywhere," Charlie chuckled.

"I've traveled around a lot," Mila mumbled. "I don't stay in any one place for very long."

"You're kind of the opposite of me then." He threw her a crooked smile and Mila was startled to feel her stomach somersault. She chalked it up to being hungry.

"Do you ever get lonely?" he asked. Mila shrugged.

"I never really thought about it, I guess. I like seeing the world and staying on the move. Kind of hard to make lasting friendships when you're a professional thief."

"Or a less professional thief," he joked. Mila cracked a small smile.

"Somehow I doubt that it has anything to do with the thieving in your case, you pain in the ass," she said. He laughed and her stomach flipped again. They found the tiny cafe and paid for some crepes before wandering down closer to the shore to eat them.

"You're right, these are amazing," Charlie said. Mila bit her lip nervously before reaching into her coat pocket.

"So, about where I was earlier, I went to get you this." She pulled out the little round box and handed it to him. Charlie opened it and his eyes widened slightly as he pulled the pocket watch out.

"This is a beautiful watch. It must have cost you a small fortune."

"It's not a big deal," Mila said, face flushing. "I told you I'd get you a new one."

"Yeah but this is incredible." He held it up and admired it as it sparkled cheerily in the sunlight. "This is nicer than a lot of the things I've stolen."

"So...you like it, then?"

He placed a hand over his heart. "I shall cherish it all my days," he said, eyes crinkling as he smiled. Mila smiled shyly back, her cheeks going even pinker. Cato's teasing voice floated across her mind, asking her what exactly Charlie was to her. Mila realized she had been developing affection for Charlie at an alarming rate and she felt torn between panic and the warm fluttery feeling in her chest. She tried to smother it. She and Charlie were stuck together just until they could get to South Plymm. Then they'd be parting ways and he would probably forget all about her.

She tried to tell herself that that was for the best anyway but all her sound logic about needing to keep her distance from other people rang hollow this time. She glanced up and saw Charlie frowning at something in the distance.

"What's the matter?"

He shook himself. "Nothing. We're leaving tomorrow, right?"

Mila nodded slowly. "Eager to leave?" she asked quietly.

"I'm just not too crazy about this place," he said. "I'm kind of worried I'll run into my...Lewis, again."

"I understand." She stood there awkwardly, not knowing what else to say.

"Let's walk around a little more though, before we head back."

"Okay," she agreed. Her face went scarlet as he suddenly reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"Your hair is as stubborn as you are," he said. "And thank you again, for the watch."

"You're welcome."