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At first, the soft whining that Jason kept hearing was lost amongst his half awake and half asleep state. It wasn't until the fuzzy little wolf he was cuddling jolted in his sleep and whined a little louder that Jason blinked his sleepy eyes open and took a moment to regain his bearings before realizing that Nick was having a bad dream. The soft moonlight glowing from the window indicated to the panther that it was still night. Though he couldn't see the little wolf very well, Jason could feel him moving erratically in his sleep and his pointed ears twitching and tickling his whiskers a little.

"Uhhnnnn.. mmmm.." Nick's moaning ends again with a pitiful whine.

Not wanting to wake the poor wolf yet, Jason nuzzles his friend's headfur again and holds him tighter. This seems to calm the wolf a little and he settles down in Jason's arms, whining less as he buries his face in the panther's chest and breathes in the panther's scent. Something about this moment stirrs up a familiar feeling as Jason closes his eyes. He pictures the wolf again how he saw him earlier that day on the top deck drawing and watching the water. The more recent memory of them kissing on the beach suddenly flashes and Jason opens his eyes again.

'I hope I'm not taking advantage of him. He seems so innocent but comfortable with me.' The panther thinks to himself as he scoots his head back enough to look down at the little wolf's fuzzy grey headfur and twitchy ears.

'I wish I knew how he really felt..'

Jason had never considered his sexuality. School, sports and helping his parents took up most of his time and never really allowed for much else. It was only when he started hanging out with Nick and getting to know him that he began to develop feelings deeper than friendship. For a while he never really understood what it meant and just thought that's what 'best friends' were. After tonight's events, the feline began re-evaluating his feelings.

Another jolting fit and whine prompts the panther's slowly closing eyes back open and he gently shakes Nick's shoulders.

"Hey... Hey, Nick. Wake up.." The dreaming wolf jolts again and takes a short, sharp breath before opening his eyes and struggling for a moment until he realizes that it's Jason holding him. He immediately clings to the feline who returns the hug.

"It's ok, you were just dreaming... Hey." Jason pushes Nick away enough to tilt his head and look at him. The wolf's tired, bloodshot eyes are outlined in the beginnings of tears. Jason sits up and pulls his friend up with him, setting him in his lap.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Jason asks as he leans back a little to give the wolf some breathing room. It takes a minute for Nick to gather himself as he sniffles and wipes his eyes and leaking nose on his shirt. He looks at his sleeves afterwards and frowns at the goo he left behind.

"Here.. let's take that off... if that's ok with you." Jason says as he sits back up and grabs the hem of Nick's shirt. Nick sniffles again and nods as he lifts his arms up a little and Jason helps him remove the shirt carefully, tossing it aside on the floor. Nick shivers a little afterwards at the cold air in the room which prompts Jason to wrap the thick blanket around him.

"Was it the burglar?" Jason asks as he leans back a little again on his arms. Nick shrugs and looks down at his tail poking out of the blanket a little.

"Look, whatever it is I want to help. I want you to have a good time while we're here."

Nick sniffles again and readjusts himself in Jason's lap as the panther speaks.

"I... I'm just confused. I don't know..." Nick says, shrugging. He felt he wasn't ready to say what he feels mostly because he isn't sure himself.

"Is it about the kiss?"

Nick wraps the blanket tighter around himself at Jason's question. The little wolf's silence was enough to convince the feline.

"I'm not mad... if that's what you're worried about." Jason says with a smile. "I... I enjoyed it."

Nick's eyes dart over to the feline as if to say, 'Really?' though he stays quiet. The wolf wasn't ready to admit it, but he really liked Jason. Looking back down at his tail, Nick buries his nose in the blanket to hide his blush and tries to play it off as being cold. Jason's ears fold back a little and his smile fades.

"Well, when you are ready to talk about it I'll be here for you. Ok?" Nick nods in response then swivels his ears at the sound of the wind picking up and howling outside. He shivers and looks up at the dull glow coming from the window as the boat begins rocking a little more.

"Don't worry, we're anchored pretty good right now." Jason reassures his friend.

"We're just getting the outskirts of the storm so it'll be a little windy tonight." The panther says as he watches the poor little wolf shiver at the sound more than the cold.

"Come on, we should get to sleep." Jason says as he tugs on the blanket a little. Nick looks over at him and nods as he slips off of the feline's lap and curls up on the bed again. The mattress felt cold even from the short time they had been sitting up and Nick shivers again a little. As soon as Jason laid behind him, the wolf cuddled up his back to the feline who gladly snuggled up to his friend and nuzzled the wolf's headfur. The two slowly fell asleep, lulled by each other's warmth and the slow rocking of the boat.

---

Both Nick and Jason watch as the dock slowly shrinks away and the large dock attendant bear slowly turns into nothing but a fuzzy brown spot against the white fishing boats as their vessel makes it's way out of the inlet and back out to sea.

Richard, as the dock attendant had revealed his name was when Jason's parents thanked him again and asked his name, had given Nick a necklace with a silver pendant of a ship's helm. The cord was some kind of strong lacing Nick assumed was some kind of boat rigging line and the pendant seemed solid and worn with age.

"My father gave this to me when I was a cub. He said he earned it on the sea and wanted to give me some of his bravery... I think you should have it. Not much of a sailor myself!" The gruff bear laughed out as he had handed Nick the treasure before they boarded and left.

Nick clutches the pendant around his neck as he waves at the bear with Jason and his parents.

The small crew busy themselves with preparing the ship for the day ahead and getting it on course. Slowly the shore begins to become more of a blurry slit between the sparkling water and the blue sky that had emerged from the night's storm; the winds having blown the heavy clouds farther north. After some time of hauling rope around and fumbling with knots he is still trying to learn how to manifest out of the strong cording, Nick finally takes a break and retires to his box on the deck again with his drawing pad and a blanket he had retrieved from the room below deck.

Finally noticing his friend was no longer next to him by one of the sail-line anchor racks, Jason looks around deck and spots him again on the box. With a sly smile, he finishes the knot he was tying and peeks over at his father who was busy with a map in front of him while holding the wheel.

The stealthy panther sneaks closer to his friend, making sure once again to stay downwind, and finally gets up just behind him. Taking one last look behind him to make sure he wasn't going to be foiled again, Jason smiles at seeing his father still engrossed by the map and looks back at the little wolf in front of him wrapped up in the heavy brown blanket and quietly scribbling on his drawing pad.

"Hey! Watcha drawing?!" The sudden shattering of his peaceful silence and the slick feline hopping up next to him on the box make Nick jolt and quickly cover up the page he was working on before the panther could gather a glance at it.

"Nothing! I mean.. It's not ready yet. I... I don't want you to see it yet." Nick says, finally covering his lap with the blanket and playfully glaring at Jason.

Raising an eyebrow, Jason sits back and smirks.

"Oookay. Well, I'm going to go hang out in the crow's nest if you want to come."

"I'm fine... I like being this close to the deck." Nick says, eyeing the small lookout perch about the size of a large barrel atop the highest mast of the boat. Jason chuckles and pokes the wolf's nose before hopping off the box and heading towards the rope ladder. Nick's nose twitches at the scent left behind by the feline.

"Ok, suit yourself. I'm going to go have fun!"

Nick watches the feline ascend the ladder with ease and feels a sudden pang of guilt and envy. He wanted to go with him. Even with his problem with heights, the wolf wanted to be part of this adventure with his friend. Something was holding him back, however. He looks down at the picture he had been working on. Rough pencil marks outline a slowly emerging scene of a couple sitting on a beach and kissing.

'I feel so stupid...' Nick thinks to himself as his ears fold back and his shoulders droop. Once again, he looks up at his friend who had just made it to the lookout.

As the panther pulls himself up into the sturdy lookout structure, he grips the handles tighter while the boat rocks from a wave going under it.

"Phew.. maybe Nick was right.. this is a bit scary."

Despite the nagging fear of falling all the way to the deck, Jason firmly grips the edge of the barrel shaped crow's nest and looks out at the sea. The sight was simply breathtaking. The sun, still working it's way up in the sky, cast it's light along the dotted clouds and streams high in the atmosphere. Rich colors reflect off of the clouds and contrast with the darker colors of a far off storm system behind them. The crisp blue sky above them seems to have a lighter hue as it cascades farther to the horizon all around them. The vast canvass of the ocean, spreading out before them in all directions, sparkles with the sun's light and makes the feline squint a little and hold a hand to his brow.

Jason stood there and just soaked in the view for some time before snapping out of it and looking down at the deck.

"I wish Nick could see this..." The panther says as he tries to see the wolf on the deck. Nick wasn't on the box anymore though the blanket and drawing pad remain atop it. In fact, Jason couldn't see him anywhere on deck.

"Hmm.. must have gone dow-"

The feline almost jumps out of his own fur as somebody embraces him from behind and holds tight. He turns to see the little wolf, eyes closed tight and shivering a little, holding on to him for dear life. He smiles, trying hard to stifle a chuckle, and turns around in the wolf's arms.

"Hey bud, you didn't have to come all the way up here! Here, hold on to this." Jason says as he takes the wolf's hands from around him and places them on the sturdy railing going almost all the way around the top of the lookout nest. Nick struggles at first but relaxes as the feline stands behind him and holds onto the railing as well, his musky scent from sweating all morning finally enveloping the wolf.

"Open your eyes, you've gotta see this!"

Nick takes a couple deep breaths and opens his eyes.

"Just don't look down at the boat and you'll be fine." Says the feline as he holds onto the railing tight with his arms encircling around the little wolf to make him feel more secure.

Nick looks out across the water and just stares for the longest time along with Jason. The panther's ears perk up at Nick suddenly giggling and leaning closer to the railing.

"This is fun!" Nick says, bouncing a little. Jason laughs as he watches the excited wolf swivel his head around as he dares to look farther down towards the ship.

"Oooh! We are WAY up here!" Nick says, carefully peeking over the railing at the deck below.

"Yeah! Wouldn't it be cool to dive into the water from here?" Jason chuckles. The wolf glares back at him.

"Funny." Nick mutters as Jason sticks his tongue out at him.

"What? I'd do it."

"Right, I'd like to see that." Jason shrugs at Nick's challenge.

"Ok." Says the feline before he lets go of the railing and starts to pull himself up onto it. Nick's unimpressed expression turns to horror and disbelief as he frantically claws at Jason to pull him down and off the railing while the boat rocks a little again from another wave. The panther hops back down and holds onto the railing again as well as the little wolf who is on the verge of hyperventillating again.

"Don-don't d-do that ag-g-gain!" Nick stutters as he holds his chest while the panther tries to stifle his laughter.

"I wasn't going to REALLY do it! I'm just messin' with you." Jason says and is met with an angry swat from his friend.

"You scared the breath out of me!" Nick growls at him. This makes the feline stop his giggling and flatten his ears as he looks away and at a random spot on the side of the lookout barrel.

"Sorry.. I didn't mean to scare you so much."

Finally catching his breath, Nick giggles a little and playfully punches Jason's arm.

"I thought you were gonna go all 'Pirate' on me and dive into the water with a knife in your mouth to hunt for treasure or something." Jason perks up and laughs at his friend's comment.

"No way! That sounds terrifying! Diving with a knife in my mouth?! Uh-Uh, not me!"

The two laugh and settle back in to watching the water for a bit and pointing out various things they see in the distance or an occasional dolphin or whale popping out of the water for some air.

Eventually, the two are discovered by Jason's parents who, very sternly, recommended that they don't go up there again without telling them.

"You guys could have fallen into the water and we wouldn't know until miles and miles later!" Jason's mother lectures both of them as they stand before her and her husband on the deck, both with their ears flattened and looking down at the deck.

"It's not his fault, I took him with me." Jason says, trying to defend his friend.

Nick looks over at the feline and quirks an eyebrow a little at the fib.

'He's willing to get in trouble for me?' The little wolf thinks to himself as he watches the panther's ears burn harder from both of his parents' combined death stares. He shakes his head and was about to admit to them that he actually went up there on his own accord when Jason's mom spoke up again.

"Well just don't do it again. His mother would kill me if anything happened to her son. Now go on you two and get ready for dinner. We're going to have fish tonight and your father wants to eat early so he can stay at the helm for a bit longer tonight and make up for lost time."

Jason nods at his mother's demands and takes Nick's hand and pulls him along with him down below deck as the two adults watch them go. As soon as they get below deck and out of earshot, Jason bursts into laughter.

"Oooh-hoo! We got so busted!" He chuckles as they get to their room. Nick holds his blanket and sketch book in his arms as he waits for his friend to open the door.

"You mean YOU got busted. You didn't have to do that you know... I can take responsibility for my actions... I'm not a baby."

Jason opens the door and they both step into the room before he closes and latches it again and turns back to his friend.

"I know, I know... but I didn't want to see you get in trouble... and it felt kind of... cool, I guess, to get into trouble." The panther shrugs as he sits down on the bottom bunk while Nick sets the blanket and sketch book down and opens the wardrobe and looks through it for some cleaner clothes to replace the ones he had sweat in all day.

"Cool?" Nick says in almost disbelief. Jason nods, giggling.

"I just.. I've never really done anything bad or gotten in trouble with my parents before. I'm not saying that I'd go and steal or break something but..."

The panther trails off as he watches the little wolf's tail sway back and forth while he pokes through the wardrobe with his back turned to the feline. Jason momentarily loses himself in admiring his friends lithe figure and is only brought back to the moment by the sudden realization that there was a tent forming in his lap. Quickly, he grabs Nick's pillow and stuffs it onto his lap and holds it there as casually as he could.

"But?" Nick says as he turns back to Jason with a couple shirts in his paws. Jason beams.

"But I almost felt like a pirate!" Nick burst into laughter at that and dropped both of the shirts as he held his stomach and almost toppled over. Jason blushed at this and flattened his ears in embarrassment for more than one reason.

"What!? I did!"

"You call getting scolded by your mother being a pirate!?" Nick laughs as he picks his shirts back up.

"Hey! That's a big step for me! I've always been the 'good kid'."

"Then you've got A LOT to learn about being a pirate." Nick says as he looks at both of the shirts to figure out which one to wear. Jason crosses his arms over Nick's pillow that is still in his lap and smirks at Nick.

"Oh, and you are an expert on pirates?" The feline retorts.

"Well.. maybe not 'expert', but I've read my fair share of pirate stories and have seen enough movies to get an idea of what a 'pirate' is." Says Nick as he picks one of the two shirts that Jason just now notices are exactly the same. He quirks an eyebrow at both this and the wolf's response.

"Fine! It's a deal." Jason finally concludes, giving no context to the wolf yet. Nick looks up at him quizzically.

"Huh?"

"It's a deal. You teach me how to be a proper pirate, and I'll teach you how to sail."

Nick giggles as he removes his dirty shirt, struggling a little with getting the collar past his snout and giving Jason a good few seconds to admire the little wolf's bare tummy without being caught. Finally the wolf gets the shirt off and tosses it on the floor next to the bed.

"Lesson number one: Pirates don't make deals." Nick smirks at the feline as he stands, shirtless, in front of him with his hands on his slender hips.