Fruit Bread Is Better Than Scurvy

The second time they met was fairly similar to the first.

“Good evening” Gerard whispered in Frank’s ear, causing him to jump a foot in the air as he spun around.

Frank had almost completely forgotten about the pirate captain, it would be extremely difficult for him to actually forget. It wasn’t exactly a normal occurrence in Frank’s daily life. He had, again, been preparing the fruit bread when suddenly his vision was taken away by a pair of hands over his eyes. Gerard’s greeting had scared him a lot.

“C-captain Way”, Frank stammered. “What brings you back here?”

Frank was trying to figure out why the pirate was there. He hadn’t told anyone about their run-in and wasn’t planning to. The only reason for the visit that Frank could come up with was that Gerard was there to kill him to ensure that he would never talk. Great, he was going to get blood in his dough. That must be a new spin on “pouring sweat and blood into your food”.

“Actually, you’re the reason I’m here”, Gerard said causing Frank to gulp. “Last time I was here”, he began. “I noticed the amazing smells coming from these ovens here”, he said gesturing to the ovens. “And I was wondering what they were.”

Frank was confused. It must have shown on his face because Gerard smirked and stepped forward.

“What? The little baker is scared of the big bad pirate?” Gerard cooed at Frank in a baby voice.

“Don’t call me little”, Frank snapped at him.

Gerard’s ever present smirk seemed to stretch impossibly wider.

“Awww, the baker’s got spirit”, Gerard cheered. “Not many people would’ve even dreamed of speaking to me in that tone”, he said in a low voice as he stepped even closer to Frank. “What makes you think I won’t kill you for it?”

Frank swallowed before replying, “I’m sure that if you wanted me dead then I already would be.”

Gerard seemed pleased with the response because he stepped backwards, removing himself from Frank’s space. Frank watched the pirate slink around the small work room, taking in every small detail of the area. Frank was doing the same thing, but checking out the pirate instead of the room. He watched Gerard as he picked up a sweet bun from the basket that was still hot from the oven.

“You know Frankie, this bread is pretty good”, Gerard said.

Frank stood up straight and narrowed his eyes at Gerard. It wasn’t just bread! His creations were works of art! He could make loaves that were crispy on the outside and fluffy as a cloud on the inside, sticky buns that were as sweet as any candy, and even bread that would keep for weeks or even months. He said as much to Gerard making him chuckle and shake his head.

“I’ll have to take your word for that”, Gerard said.

“Why don’t we test it?” Frank suggested.

Gerard looked at him with a confused expression.

“I bet you that my bread will last you until you return here again”, Frank proposed confidently.

Gerard stared at Frank before stepping closer and holding his hand out for a handshake.

“Fine. I bet that it won’t last until I return here in two months time. And if it doesn’t, then…… You have to do something for me”, Gerard said with a smirk.

“Deal. But if it does, then you have to do something for me.”

“Deal.”

The two of them finally settled on fruit bread because Gerard had mentioned that his crew were having trouble with scurvy. They talked for hours as Frank prepared and baked the loaves, learning a lot about the other. Frank learned that Gerard was from the same town on the coast as Frank and was only two years older. He began stealing at a young age to take care of his younger brother when their parents died and turned to piracy when he “started to feel bad about robbing the poor” and decided to rob the rich instead.

Gerard learned that Frank had been taught to bake by his mother, who was a cook for a wealthy family. He had moved to the Capital after his mother died and opened his bakery in memory of her. He also learned that most of Frank’s recipes had come from accidentally dropping things into the wrong bowls. Gerard had laughed for a few minutes after he heard that.

When the bread was done, they both loaded the loaves into a few small crates.

“How are you going to carry these?” Frank asked Gerard.

Gerard smirked at him.

“Why we’ll have to take my carriage then won’t we?”

Frank followed Gerard out the back door of the bakery and was shocked to see a horse attached to a small cart. Gerard laughed at his shocked face and finally admitted that he had ‘borrowed’ it from outside some bar at the docks.

“The owner will be so drunk, he’ll forget he even had a horse Frankie,” Gerard assured him.

Frank was, again, surprised when Gerard dragged him up onto the cart by the arm. He insisted that Frank had to come and see his ship, even if only from a distance (even though Gerard had tried to get Frank to come aboard). The bread was collected by Gerard’s brother Mikey and several others, happy that they had a potential solution for their scurvy problem, leaving Gerard and Frank to say their goodbyes beneath a lamppost.

“You could always come with me Frankie”, Gerard insisted. “We have an excellent kitchen aboard. You’d love it.”

Frank smiled softly, deciding not to question how Gerard had managed to install a kitchen “with a fully functioning oven Frank”. But no matter what, Frank couldn’t leave. He had a life in this city and he never saw moving as a worthwhile venture.

“Maybe next time”, Frank replied.

Frank was too busy admiring how the lamp light illuminated Gerard’s features to notice the pirate leaning in. Before he knew it, Gerard’s lips were pressed softly against Frank’s. He inhaled sharply at the contact but quickly relaxed into it, moving his lips against Gerard’s, tasting salt and what he thought must be rum. They both pulled away after a few minutes, Gerard smiling down at Frank before turning wordlessly and walking down the dock towards the ship. Frank turned to leave, smile on his lips, not noticing the movement in the shadows of the buildings lining the path.

Frank couldn’t wait for the two months to be over, just to see Gerard again. He went home and fell asleep to the memory of cold lips against his own.

Notes

There are maybe two chapters left to this.....