LJ-SEC: (ORIGINALLY POSTED BY adrift)

From the railing of his modest cruise ship the ocean looked beautiful. It was truly something in this day and age to make a living at what you liked and to be able to do it surrounded by people you chose. Sven counted that among his many blessings, another of which was standing beside him at the deck railing.

"Beautiful sailing today," Colter commented, his elbow brushing against that of his captain. They didn't bother to hide their relationship anymore. Most of the men working on board were in this for money or pleasure; they didn't care much about the orientation and involvements of their captain and first mate. Still, the men maintained a demure distance. Neither captain nor first mate was much into public displays of affection.

Sven nodded in agreement. "Lovely seas."

"We make port soon, yes?"

"Should be within the hour. Depending on disembarkment we might have four days leave in Manhattan."

Colter inhaled a deep, fresh lungful. If they spent their entire leave in Manhattan he wouldn't smell fresh, clean air again until they left port again on Friday. Not that he minded the summertime stink of the city; it was the change of pace that was nice and made the scent a non-issue. "Did you have plans this week?"

"None in particular." He turned to take in the form of his lover. "Was there something you planned to do?"

Always vague politeness on the open deck, never detailed discussion of their plans. They had already decided to wing their week in the city, live on the fly and do whatever pleased them. It was more that they hadn't told each other this decision, even as it was entirely mutual. "Maybe a show."

Sven smiled, more of a piratey smirk. "I pray not a musical," not a hitch of flamboyance in his tone. He knew that Colter had a serious soft side for old musicals and loved to catch the revivals on Broadway (or any other port of call that had a booming theatre district).

Colter shook his head quietly and leaned into his captain a little closer. "Maybe just a few days of well deserved rest in a decadently overpriced hotel."

"I think that sounds perfect just about now."

"Shall I ready the crew for docking, sir," he asked quietly, almost romantically.

"Leave them be for a bit more. They know how to prepare."

"Of course, sir," Colter replied. He liked to hail his captain as sir. It was a title befitting the man he loved, and more than that; Colter knew Sven found it hard to resist. He could ask for anything he wanted, so long as he used sir somewhere in the request. "A bit more then," he added, his hips sliding along the rail and gingerly brushing against Sven's.