Page 11 of Suffer No Fools
"You like the books I brought you." Klaus spoke slowly, as though Hugo was a child.
Hugo was too confused to be annoyed. "Yes?"
"You've become aroused while reading them?"
"No." Whenever he got to those scenes, he skipped them.
"You poor sweet child," Klaus muttered. "Stan told us Coryn either chemically or magically castrated you. Maybe it was the metal in your body. You should have learned everything your body has to offer before now."
"Oh, trust me, I wasn't always like this." Hugo's face flared hot as he realized what he'd just admitted.
"Good," Klaus said. "Healing is more Yvette's specialty, but do you get morning erections?"
"Yes?"
"You haven't acted on them?"
Hugo pointed toward the partition, and to his ear. Klaus nodded his understanding. They were back to the privacy issue again. "I get out of bed for the day, and they go away."
Klaus snorted. "Next time, use the oil and see how it feels. If they overhear, it serves them right for thinking they need to listen so closely." He laughed. "Believe me, the entire crew has heard more than their fair share of ... everyone. You won't stand out."
Even so, Hugo's face was still on fire long after Klaus left for other parts of the ship, taking the empty snack platter and the kitten with him.
#
Stan
When Stan woke for the afternoon, he headed to the galley for the fish stew leftover from the rest of the crew's lunch.
Tim dished it up with a bit of hard tack and a winter pear Niall must have snagged off an island as they'd passed.
"Did Hugo eat?" he asked.
"Aye, but it's time for his snack."
Tim nodded in greeting as Tovey joined them, still bleary-eyed from sleep.
Instead of sitting across from him, Tovey sat beside him, leaning against his arm.
"Are you all right?"
"Nightmares," he said. "You sleep like a fucking rock."
"You tried to wake me?"
"No." Tovey snorted. "I wouldn't dare."
"I miss sharing a sail with you." It was barely a whisper between bites, but Tovey jerked his head up and glared at him.
"I don't miss sharing with a snoring octopus." He sighed and sank his head back to Stan's shoulder. "Would have been nice to have a few octopus arms wrapped around me, though."
"I'm sorry," Stan mumbled. He didn't know what he was apologizing for, exactly. He and Tovey had been at odds for so long. He could be apologizing for the statement about missing him, or maybe for a slight two years ago. Only Tovey knew what had irritated him this time.
They ate in silence, and then it was time to relieve Frost and Jermain of their watch. He carried the snack plate, and Tovey followed, grumbling a dismissal at Frost and Jermain. They stopped him to discuss events of the day.
"I'll be right back," Stan said, motioning to the platter in his hand. He knocked on the side of the partition. "It's snack time, Your Majesty."
Hugo clapped his book shut, shoving it under the pillows beside him. "Oh. Good afternoon. Or morning, in your case."
