Dawn looked at him as he started to speak of his brother and set her knife down. Her hand went to his back as she rested her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "Sirus...everyone has weaknesses. They can be our downfall, but they remind us that we are not perfect, not matter how much we try." She said softly before picking up her knife and cutting off another piece of fruit before smiling at him as she popped another piece of fruit in her mouth. "See it that time?" The princess giggled as she tried to lighten the mood for him. Dawn started to hum as she helped him cut up the fruit in the sink and started to wonder what she could do to help him with the thoughts of his brother. She knew grieving was a process but he seemed to bring him up every time they were near each other. It was bad enough that since she was here, that his brother is not here. Maybe if they started her training he would be distracted by the fact he was not here anymore. But it was best that she just remained quiet and popped another piece into her mouth, feeling some juice dribble from the corner of her mouth.

- Sorry, less time on the computer, doing interviews for another job. -

He just ignored her touch when she tried to comfort him upon speaking of his brother. Sirus however just shook his head, "Weakness is not allowed in this profession, Dawn." He told her kind of bluntly. His former captain, the original one never seem to have a weakness, it was a form he so desired. He finished chopping his fruit before looking at her, he just watched her eat more of the fruit. He weakly smiled as he watched her chopped fruit. She didn't know how to really cut it but she was trying to. He closed his eyes and shook his head once more, "Nothing." He simply told her softly, he wasn't sure about it but he rather just say quiet. It seemed she tried to lighten the mood but it wasn't that easy for him, he missed his brother a great deal, after all it was the only family he had. Now he was all alone in the world, the last of his line. He just watched at her, she had placed another piece into her mouth and once again the juice ran down her pale face. He lightly lifted his hand to wipe it away with his thumb, he left his hand to linger a small bit. It was obvious it was there longer then needed but he didn't care if she notice.

((No problem.))

She looked at him as he spoke to her bluntly before looking down and nodding. Dawn thought of his words as she finished cutting up a fruit and peeled another one. 'I am the weakest person on the ship. But I don't know if I can be the pirate he wants me to be if I will lose myself in the process.' Her humming stopped as she grew sad at her thoughts and just cut up another fruit as he placed his hand on her face to wipe away the juice. The princess looked up at him with a bit of surprise and blushed under his fingers as she held onto the sink. She slowly closed her eyes and covered his hand with hers as she savored the moments were he was tender with her because it was unknown how long these moments would last. Her troubled thoughts returned as she just stood there and wondered what she should do in this situation. If she stayed, she would still be his weakness. If she left, he'd be devastated again and she doubt he would take her back a second time. Dawn just didn't know if she was cut out to be a pirate or not. And if she wasn't a pirate, what right did she have to be on the ship?

Sirus felt slightly bad but his pride would never allow him to show it, it was a habit he couldn't seem to break. Not that he wanted too, however. It was so long since he let out his real personality, he wasn't sure if it was still there or if his mask he hid behind had destroyed it years ago. He turned his head from her and looked down at the fruit, his appetite had disappeared. He had lost his true self and here he was going to turn her into what he had become. He had listened to Dawn growing quiet while her humming had slowly faded, he was brought back to her while he felt her hand on his. "Dawn..." Her name was all he could say, his throat felt dry for he wanted nothing more then to kiss her and hold her; however his hand would not move from a mixture of emotions. He sighed lightly, he hated feeling fear and be nervous at once but the princess was the only one that could do that to him. "You're not a pirate, you will never be one." He told her quietly, he knew she would have trouble with becoming one, cruelty was something she didn't seem to have. it was one of the things that attracted him to her, that and she was very girl like in behavior. Sirus swallowed hard, he couldn't even find his voice for that sentence yet he forced it out without yelling. "I want you with me but I don't want you to become like me or hung for a crime you can't commit." He said looking at her, "You need a home... then take mine." He said sweetly to her. "I will return if you would be willing to allow it." He asked her quietly, it came out for as a whisper but he waited for a reply for the woman he was falling for. He knew she was asking herself the questions about herself deep down, he figured he would be willing to get her the chance to stay and end the questions.

Her eyes stayed on him as she could see his conflicting feelings in his eyes. Dawn stopped breathing as he said her name and kept looking into his eyes as she waited for him to say something besides her name. As he sighed, she took a small breath and felt bad for him since she was causing him so much emotional strain. The brunette was kind of shocked as he spoke but nodded and held onto his hand as she looked down. "You're right. I'm sorry, Sirus." She wondered what he would do with her now and listened as he swallowed hard. Her eyes went to him as she listened to his words and felt her heart clench as he spoke to her. "Your home?" Dawn said nothing as he spoke sweetly to her and listened as he basically asked her to live here. "I would like that. I just don't want to be a burden to you." Her eyes went to him with tears of joy because she knew what he was doing was for her. Even though she wanted to be with him all the time and share in the adventures, Dawn knew that being a pirate was not for her.

Slowly Sirus looked over her face, as if trying to memorize it. He wanted her to share in with his life but he knew she still could even staying here; even in this small house she would have more freedom then she ever did. He didn't know why she was apologizing, he was speaking the truth about her not being a pirate. He lowered his hand under hers but made it so he could hold her's. "Please don't apologize." He told her as he looked at her hand that rested in his, he knew that even living here where it was forbidden for most to sail that she would still need to learn how to protect herself. "This will be your house, not mine, only for the simple fact that being unmarried you will be classed as a fishwife for living with me." He didn't want her to be branded that, he felt horrible after getting to know her and developing feelings for her. It was his fault she was without a home, most likely branded a pirate by her father and more. Marriage was something he wasn't willing to do at this point in time but it was a step he was more afraid of taking then anything. "Even though this island is forbidden to travelers, you will have to learn to shoot and garden for food." He told her softly, he was still planning on training her but atleast here she couldn't see his cruel heart and decide to find a better man then him. Another unspoken fear he was starting to gain and like the rest it would stay hidden, but he would let her go if she wanted.

Dawn watched his eyes as he looked over her face and did the same for him. She noticed his hand move and held onto his hand as he told her not to apologize as she nodded. "I will accept this as my house but I will not change anything about your home." Her eyes stayed on him as Dawn felt his love for her even though he did not say it. This was all new to both of them but she understood that this would take some getting used to for him and knew not to rush him into this. "I won't mind the gardening. The shooting might be hard for me." The brunette said to him as she smiled at him and stood there with him. Just spending time with him was enough for her even though it will probably be harder for her without him here with her. For Dawn, being alone was nothing new to her but she knew he'd come back for her.

He gently let go of her hand, before before ruffling up his hair in a nervous habit; granted it made him look more boyish then a blood lusting pirate. He grinned boyishly at her, "You should eat breakfast, I'm not hungry. I will be outside setting up shooting targets for you." He told her, he felt awkward showing emotions to a woman; well besides a cold scowl. He took a few steps back, he was happy she accepted and didn't want to change a thing about his former house. However he still wanted to ad too it and he was sure she wouldn't mind. "I'll be in the barn." He told her before leaving her alone in the house.

Sirus ignored the muddy ground as he went into the barn, he was gathering up empty bottles for her to shoot at, there wasn't much but there was enough for a little practice. He would have to make some more targets for her to shoot at later. He set a row of them up upside on the stone fence he made a long time ago before going inside and getting a gun ready for her to learn to shoot. It was pretty heavy he would have to make one for her, with that in mind he took off his shirt and started a fire in the pit to start heating up metal. He would often get hot during smithing so he never worked with a shirt. All his work hung around or was propped against the wall, it made the barn look more like a smith's then his.

A little sadness filled her heart as he let go of her hand. She giggled while watching as he ruffled his hair and returned his smile as she nodded. "Okay. I'll be quick." Dawn said as he stepped back from her. "I'll come look for you." Her eyes stayed on him until he left her standing there in the empty house. The brunette sighed a little but quickly turned her attention to the cut fruit they had prepared together. Of course his was better but she ate most of the cut pieces and set the rest in a bowl near the sink so they could have it later. She cleaned up and looked at all the scraps of fruit peel and wondered what to do with them. Maybe Sirus knew what to do with them.

Dawn walked over to the door and opened it before looking outside at the wet scenery from the rainstorm. She walked over to the barn and looked at the row of bottles before peeking into the barn. Her eyes looked around at everything he made and touched a few of the pieces. Then she noticed him working without his shirt on and blushed before bumping into the fence he started to work on. "Ow..." She got nervous as her eyes went to him and hoped he would not be mad at her.

Sirus had barely begun to work on melting the mixtures of metal for her gun, in his travels as a pirate he learnt multiple ways of making strong but light weapons; including guns. He had a mold ready for the boiling liquid so he could make the hardest part in his view first, the trigger. The metals were still slowly melting as he turned to the sound of Dawn hurting herself. He smiled at her and shook his head. "Careful, the barn is full of things that can hurt you." He told her softly as he got the mold ready for her gun's trigger. "What's you're favorite flower?" He asked her out of nowhere, he was going to be working on his new project for a while and decided to make it very detailed just for her. However he planned not to tell her what he was making, it was going to be a surprised gift, one he truly rarely gave out.

Once the metal was fully melted and was right in temperature, he mixed it with a cast iron bar and a wet cloth covering his hand to stop from getting burnt. He dropped the bar into a barrel of water and grabbed the tongs so he could pour the boiling liquid into the mold. He set the empty bowl down and looked at her while it slowly began to cool. He adjusted his bandage that had loosened up as he moved around his smithing space. He looked at the blushing woman, he didn't notice she was blushing earlier since he was busy. He walked over to her and moved the fence over into a space where she couldn't hurt herself on it anymore. He turned his attention back to her, waiting for her to say anything.


\

Her eyes stayed on him as she watched him start to make something but could not tell what it was yet. Dawn looked at him as he spoke to her and nodded as she listened to him. She tried to move out of the way but stopped at the sound of his question to her. "Well...I like all sorts of flowers but my favorite...I'd have to say a water lily." The brunette said as she looked over at him as he poured some metal into a bar and wondered what he was making. But her thoughts changed to him as he walked towards her and moved the fence so she would not get hurt on it again. Dawn looked at him as she stood there near him and blushed a little more. She barely remembered to breathe while standing so close to him. They had stood close before but it seemed that Dawn's eyes always found him when he had his shirt off on the deck. Her heart raced more when his shirt was off and she felt embarrassed for looking at him in such a way.

"Can I ask what you're working on?" Dawn looked over at the mold that was cooling down. He had a lot of projects in the barn and she wondered if he made them all. The brunette had never been in a place like this even thought there was one at the castle. But she was not allowed to go there at anytime. Seeing how dangerous it was, she sort of understood.

He walked over to the mold after moving the fence, the metal was still cooling but he wasn't in a rush after all he needed to teach her how to shoot. "Water-lilies, okay." He smiled at the choice she made without knowing, he was a regular renaissance man but he wasn't going to let her know that; Dawn would have to find out on her own. He just smiled at her question to discover what he was making. "The gun is ready for you if you want to try to shoot the bottles outside." He told her plainly obvious that he was ignoring her question. He forgotten he was shirtless, after all he really didn't like shirts rather it be when he was smithing or just sailing. He looked at her blushing face and smiled at her, "Why are you blushing?" He knew why but he just wanted to pick on her, too much sappiness was disturbing in his view.

He walked over to the table where the gun was and flipped it for her to grab the handle, "The thing to remember is simple about shooting. You only need to place your fingertip on the trigger and lightly pull it." He told her plainly, "The recoil will bruise you if you don't hold it steady and if you fight it, let your elbow bend with it lightly." He told her sweetly, he waited for her to grab it so they could head outside. "Targeting is more the mental aspect of the process." He told her as he waited for her to take the gun.

She looked at him as he went back to what he was working on and let out her breathe she did not know she was holding. Dawn listened as he repeated her answer and grew more curious about what he was making. Was it for her? Was it something legal? Was it something dangerous? But left those thoughts as he said something about a gun for her to use outside. "Oh, okay." The brunette looked back at him as he asked why she was blushing. "Just admiring your work." Dawn said with a quiver in her voice that told him how nervous she was.

But as he grabbed the gun and offered her the handle, she grew more nervous. Especially after she had been at the other end of one. A scar had formed on her ankle from being hit by the shrapnel of the cuff he used on her. Dawn looked up at him with scared eyes as he spoke to her and she felt her hands starting to shake. "I don't think I can do this." Her voice said softly to him as she did not even reach out to take the gun.

Sirus could hear her let out her breath she had been holding in, he just weakly smiled at her words about his work. He liked picking on her but he knew why she was acting that way she was. He lowered his hand after spinning the gun within his hand so the handle was firmly in his hand, he knew why she didn't want to touch it and frankly he he didn't blame her. He looked at the ground before setting it back on the table, he took a deep breath before walking over to his work bench. He took out his detailing tools and set them down gently. "I won't force it on you to learn to shoot, however I can't leave you if I know you can't protect yourself." He told her plainly. All he would do when he was at sea was worry about her and that could end deadly for him, and for her.

He looked at her then to the mold with the cooling metal, he was waiting for it to be cool enough for him to work on it and for it not to bend so easily. He took a deep breath, before he took the the tongs and another mold. He took more metal and placed them into the bowl to get it melted for the other mold. He needed to make two of that kind of molds. He finally was able to work on the trigger, which he began with taking it out of the mold while be very careful not to burn himself on.

Dawn watched as he spun the gun around so he had the handle in his hand before setting it down on the table. The brunette looked at him as he walked back over to his work bench and got out some tools. Her eyes went to the floor as he spoke and held herself as she grew more disappointed in herself and felt bad for disappointing him. She nodded and walked over to the table before placing her hand on the gun and tentatively wrapped her hand around the handle so she was not touching the trigger. The scar by her ankle seemed to throb but the adventurous side started to stir inside her as she held the weapon in her hand.

As he worked, Dawn stood there holding it to get used to it. Even though she was shaking a little bit, by facing something that hurt her, was a big accomplishment to her. "Sirus..." She held it so it was pointing away from him and away from herself. "I'm going to try. For you." The brunette said softly as she started to walk with it towards the door.

(Merry Christmas.)

Sirus just watched as Dawn walked over to the table, he watched as she took the gun into hand before looking at her eyes. "Dawn, you don't have to if you don't want to. I understand why you don't, I can't blame you." He told her, hoping she wasn't doing it just for him. He wanted her to learn but at her own pace, not before hand. He left the metals in the mold to cool so more before walking over to her, he held his right hand out for the gun. "If you aren't ready to learn, then hand me the gun." He told her softly, he really didn't want to force it on her.. Granted she said she was going to try for him, Sirus on the other hand wanted her to do it for herself not him.

The metal in the trigger mold was ready to be formed more correctly but he could always do that later. He was more worried about Dawn, he saw how she reacted to the gun. He was trying to do something he never done before, he tried to show that he cared about her and that he wasn't a monster like he pretended to be. However how fun it was to be.

(Sorry, I couldn't think of anything.)

((Merry Christmas.))

Her eyes went to Sirus as he looked at her and spoke. "But...I don't want to keep you here if you don't want to be here." Dawn said looking down as she tried not to let her eyes water even though they tried to. She did not want him to feel like he was trapped here because she knew he'd be worried about her if he was not here to protect her. The brunette looked up at him as he walked towards her and held out his hand for the gun. As she looked in his eyes, Dawn put the gun in his hands as she trembled letting her fear to him. "I'm sorry...I can't..." Her tears flowed as she turned to leave the barn.

Being with Sirus is what she wanted but wondered if she was right for him. He had once said she was not his type and started to think that he was right. Dawn was a princess, not a pirate. She had been told to run from a fight instead of joining one. But where had her adventure gone? The little girl who wore pants and played swords with the servant boys was lost under years of princess studies.

((I hope mine is okay.))