Chapter Text
"Where do you want this Djeeta?" Gran awkwardly lifted up the extremely be-ribboned and candy-festooned staff to show his co-captain.
They were in one of the storerooms in the depths of the Grandcypher that Djeeta had commandeered as her own weapons stash. A minor panic the day before involving a stuffed shark gone lost had them finally dedicating one whole day to organize the room once and for all.
"Oh," Djeeta visibly winced when she turned to look at the excessively decorated weapon in his hand, "Really, Cagliostro has such a unique sense of fashion. Um," she looked around and pointed to the far corner, "Let's put the decorative ones here for now."
Gran nodded and moved the relevant weapons there. He sighed and stretched as he surveyed their work. One wall of shelves dedicated to swords and other blades, polished to wicked gleams, opposite another rack of shelves filled with axes and blunt instruments. All that were left were magical tools, various types of firearms, polearms, the weirdly shaped swords-but-not-actually, and other weapons that were actually axes/spears/staves-but-actually-swords. He didn't get it either, but Djeeta had a way to tell them apart.
The pile didn't seem to grow any less daunting after their toil. "I heard it's turning into a competition among the crew members at this point, to see who can find you the most unusual weapon for your collection."
"It's sweet of them," Djeeta replied absent-mindedly as she twirled one of the spears in her hand and a guitar in another, testing their balance.
Gran watched the exercise warily, "Are you supposed to use that guitar like that?"
"Aoidos said it was a spear," Djeeta grinned at him, putting the two weapons on the appropriate holder on the wall.
"I...see? Well, no, actually, I don't see, but I'll leave the categorizing to you."
She giggled at his dry tone, "Thanks for helping me out."
"I'm getting you to help me organize my alchemist's study after this, so all's good," Gran grinned as Djeeta sighed in turn.
"You really need to dust in there more often. I always ended up sneezing at your precious herbs."
"Better late than never," Gran grinned wider.
Djeeta opened her mouth to retort but instead stumbled as the airship hit a rough spot of turbulence. The two captains braced each other and checked if any weapons were about to go flying off the hooks. The rough patch was over quickly and thankfully the mountings all held their respective items securely. Unfortunately, the sorted piles on the floor were now mixed up again and scattered willy-nilly.
They looked at each other, Gran's raised brows met Djeeta's crooked smile, and sighed simultaneously.
"You cover this corner?" Djeeta let go of Gran's waist and pointed left when she was sure the Grandcypher would be stable for awhile yet.
"Hm," but instead of letting her go too, he pulled her closer against his chest.
Djeeta looked up into his eyes. Since when had he been that much taller than her? She couldn't remember.
"What is it?" She asked softly.
"Nothing," he said but his head lowered until he was nuzzling against her neck, his fluffy hair tickling her earlobe.
Djeeta's arms instinctively went around his neck, one hand absently patting his back, "Gran? You're worrying me."
"It's really nothing," he muffled, "I just-"
"Hm?"
"It's not rational-" he stood straight and looked past her to the pile of things given to her with love of all kinds. He was loved in the same way, he knew it, but for now he wanted Djeeta to be his alone. Just for a little while.
"-And I lost my train of thought. I like you," he ended up saying simply as he gazed into her eyes.
Djeeta felt her cheeks reddened, "Oh. I knew that."
"Do you?" He asked, hands pulling her closer until she was nose-to-nose with him
"I do," she managed to say as she felt her heartbeat sped up and the heat between them rose. The world had narrowed until his clear regard was the only thing she was conscious of. She leaned into him as his hold tightened until there was no space left between them.
It was a proper kiss this time, they were both aware of that much. However, they didn't know how much time had passed in the meanwhile. That their absence had been noted and commented on by some of the crew, quickly handwaved with knowing looks by the older members. That the two captains had been independently appointed sentries to ward against interruptions of all kinds, harvins or otherwise.
Jamil coughed and pulled his hood lower to hide his awkward expression as he stood at the entrance to the storage corridor. He stoically endured the good natured teasing of passing crewmates and wished Gran would picked a better time than just before a rough landing into port.