Virgil woke up somewhat collapsed on top of his bedsheets. Which was strange, because he didn't remember going to bed. He didn't even remember leaving the wheel.

Panic stabbed through his chest and he sat up sharply. He regretted it when the whole room seemed to turn sideways and the dull throbbing in his head became more apparent.

With a groan, he clutched his head. Lord, who had hit him over the head with what blunt instrument?

"Pat," Virgil groaned through teeth gritted in pain. He stood up and then stumbled back against the wall. Patton had definitely gone too far this time.

Sucking in a deep breath, Virgil pushed himself away from the wall and over to his mirror.

His boots had been removed and chucked into a corner. His waistcoat and coat were gone too. Lord knows where he'd find those.

Really, all he was down to were his trousers. Not even his socks had survived Patton's (ultimately well-meaning but irritating) crusade to get Virgil to sleep. With another annoyed groan, Virgil started to pad around his cabin in bare feet, trying to find any of his other clothes.

Patton was absolutely the sweetest parent anyone could want but he wasn't Virgil's dad. Virgil was older than him, for God's sakes! He didn't need a damn... babysitter!

Virgil threw the doors to his wardrobe open. At least Patton had respected the way he ordered clothes and had shoved his waistcoat from yesterday in with all the others and not with his shirts. Or trousers. No, Virgil had scolded Patton's ear off last time that had happened.

Virgil pulled out a black shirt and pulled it on roughly. He did half the buttons up and then started hunting around for his coat. If they caught up to the King's Loyalty today, he wouldn't want to be wearing a waistcoat. He couldn't fight in those.

Where was his coat?!

It wasn't there.

Oh, Patton was in for it now.

"Pat!" Virgil yelled, opening his door with a slam. He ignored the positively terrified looks from some of the Dead Ones still above deck and took the stairs two at a time down to the sleeping decks.

"Patton fucking Picani, what have you done with my coat?!" Virgil yelled, storming past the crew's sleeping quarters and banging on Patton's door with the side of his fist.

No reply.

Virgil knocked even harder. "Pat, if you don't open this door in three seconds and explain to me why you've once again knocked me out and put me to sleep and what in the good Lord's name you've done with my coat, I will kill you. Lord help me, I don't care that you're my oldest friend, you'll have a bullet in your chest before you can apologise."

Nothing.

Virgil sighed and rolled up his shirt sleeves. He took a step back and kicked the door in.

The old lock gave with a crack and the door swung open uselessly.

"Pat, wake up!"

Patton lifted a pillow off the bed and shoved it over his head. He let out a sleepy groan and rolled around in bed.

Virgil marched over and snatched the pillow off Patton's head. Patton raised two fingers towards Virgil without even opening his eyes.

"You're so amicable in the mornings, aren't you?" Patton asked.

Virgil hit Patton aggressively with the pillow. "Where's my coat, you bastard?"

Patton rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and crossed his arms, looking at Virgil. "Virge, have you tried even looking around my room?" He turned onto his side and snuggled back into a pillow. "Or did you just come here to attack me?"

Virgil slammed the pillow back down on Patton's face and let it sit there. He did actually take a look around Patton's room.

His coat was draped haphazardly over a chair, the only dark thing in the very bright room. He ran over and snatched it up, pulling it on quickly.

"What have I said about stealing my stuff?" He asked, running a hand through his hair. "And putting me to sleep?"

Patton sighed and sat up, the pillow falling into his lap. He grabbed his glasses and pushed them up his nose.

"Kiddo," he rubbed his eyes under his glasses, "I know for a fact you haven't been getting enough sleep since Aaron got kidnapped. You never sleep well when you're worried. And all that make-up isn't going to fool me."

Virgil's hand flew to his eye. In all his irritation, he'd forgotten to put his make-up on. That might've explained why he crew had been staring at him.

"So if you thought I was going to let you take another night shift, you're an idiot," Patton continued conversationally. "So you can either thank me for getting you to actually sleep and rest that stupidly clever brain of yours or you can go back to your room and let me catch another damn hour of sleep." Patton flopped back down with a slight flump. "Please."

Virgil opened his mouth to retort but footsteps cut him off.

Eric appeared in the doorway, out of breath and bright-eyed. He glanced at Patton still lying in bed for a second before turning to Virgil.

"Captain, Captain!" He said. He broke off and took a deep breath. "Captain, we've got them, we're on their tail! We've caught sight of the King's Loyalty."

Virgil's eyes widened and his (already fizzling) anger at Patton dissolved completely. "Wake Janus," he ordered. "And report above deck with the entire crew in an hour. Everyone's going aboard."

Are the next 6 chapters going to be a battle?
*long sigh* Sadly, yes. I can't write action, though, ahhhhh
Also, yes, I am suggesting Patton regularly clubs Virgil over the head to get him to sleep
Bye,
Blaize