#darling princess and captain of the pirate ship

[philiponmycracker]

"Kroger, your Delta Tau Chi name is Pinto." "Why Pinto?" "Why not?!"

Pinto and Bluto, National Lampoon's Animal House (dir. John Landis, 1978)

These two in the same scene is so hilarious to me like they are two extreme opposite ends of the spectrum Idk just looking at Tom Hulce and John Belushi standing next to each other amuses me to no end, it's wild

[shoyoist]

── 𝐂𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐀𝐈𝐍'𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐕𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐄 : monkey d. luffy.

content: fem!reader. unprotected sεx, praise, implied virgin! luffy, inexperienced! reader, possessive behavior, a little manipulation at the beginning (reader to luffy). lots of cum. overstimulation. a mention of being used. confession at the end. note: my first one piece work! kinda nervous honestly v_v

— . ｡˚ ♡ you're hellbent on making the straw hats' captain yours.

thinking about how easy it is to just cry and sweet-talk your way into sitting on luffy's dick <3

he's already crushing on you to begin with. head over heels, almost. the moment he allowed you onto his ship, welcoming you into the crew so easily and ordering everyone to make you feel right at home — it had made his feelings obvious enough.

luffy has space for only two thoughts in that cute little head of his, and it just makes things easier for you to know that one of them is consisted of you. the other being to become the king of pirates, of course.

“how does it feel to be the captain's favourite?" zoro often remarks all sarcastic, and when you simply laugh and wave his comment away, luffy laughs right along with you. he's absolutely clueless.

to luffy, you look so innocent, and you've been so nice to him — you're just so sweet! helping him around, humouring all his jokes and stupid ideas, explaining things to him over and over with such patience when he just doesn't get it. and you even call him captain! you're just so lovely, and so pretty to look at on top of it<3

he trusts you so easily when you give him a pout, letting the tears glitter at your lashline as you ask him, “captain luffy, please?” you tell him you've never been touched like this before, that you need it, you need it so desperately — and you need it from him — to have his hands on you and to feel all full on him.

he agrees so easily, it's adorable. he's so giggly and giddy as he sits you on his lap up in his room at some nameless inn at the next island you stopped at. you'd fallen onto the rickety little couch backed up against the wall, too needy for eachother and too full of excitement to even make it to the bed.

he's so cute as he grits his teeth and groans, fingers digging into your hips as he slows the way you sink into his cock— unable to handle the way your warm, velvet walls wrap around him so well.

and once you're on his dick, it's even easier to get him addicted to having you on it.

“w—wait, wait wait wait—” his jaw hangs slack, allowing all his little gasps and whines and every little curse and word of praise that forms at his throat to freely pour out into your skin where he's latched his mouth onto.

he tries to kiss you, but he just can't focus on one thing enough when you feel so good around him, your thighs straddling his hips so well, your hands holding onto his shoulders so hard as you move up and down— so warm, so wet and so lovely, and suddenly not enough.

he needs more. he wants you to go faster. “more,” he whines, so good at telling you exactly what he wants. he's quite sure by now that you've done this before—and if you haven't, then you're damn good at it despite this being your first time— so he's unabashed. “more, faster. wanna cum.”

“mhm,” you sigh, giving him a heart-eyed look as you wrap your arms around his neck, kissing him sweetly and hugging him to you, giggling into the crook of his neck. “anything for my—ngh—my darling captain.”

at this point, he's in love with you.

he wraps his arms around you then, sliding his body lower in his seat, into a more comfortable position where he can set the pace himself. “careful,” he warns between clenched teeth when your hand slips from his shoulders.

letting you adjust, he grabs your waist, holding you tight in place — gives you a little “hang on, princess.” before he starts fucking up into you his own way.

it's slow at first, but you can feel the way the slap of his thighs against your ass gets harder with each thrust, how the slow, deep strokes get faster and shallower with each hit—and then he's got the tables turned on you, forcing you to grab at his nape, his hair, his arms, anything to retain your balance while he hits it as hard and deep as he likes.

“ah—ah, luffy!”

“captain luffy, princess.” he groans, voice barely there, grabbing your ass and giving it a squeeze, loving how pliable you are in his hands. his pace stutters every now and then, dick slipping out to smack at your clit before he's putting it back in with a groan.

and oh, you know he's likely never done this before, but god he's making you feel so good. he's so desperate, shamelessly using you like a toy to fuck into, eyes hazy and body tensing up with each thrust. “aaah, fuck, so good … so good, so goodsogoodsogood—”

and just like that, with one last thrust into you that goes in balls deep and throws stars into your eyes, he cums into you. he cums so hard.

hot, thick ropes of milky white fill you up and drool out of you, dripping onto luffy's thighs and staining the seat below, his cute little ah—ahh!’s of uncontrollable bliss drowning out the wet sounds your body makes as his cock gets milked all up by your messy cunt.

it's enough to make you cum along with him, your walls squeezing him so impossibly tight, fluttering warm and wet around his sensitive tip as he ruts into you, so sloppy now yet still insatiable.

he has all the stamina you knew he'd have and more, fucking you through your orgasm just the way you like. just the way you wanted him to.

sitting on luffy's dick is a task easy enough to do, but getting off proves to be difficult.

“fuuuuck,” he sighs, voice going just a bit pitchier than usual as he sinks into the seat, taking your hips in his hands and nudging you back and forth on his cock, using you to carry himself through his high. the way his base drags at your clit is electrifying, and you can't help but throw your head back and moan.

the post-orgasm high is delicious.

“hah, y’like that? mhm?” he smiles up at you, giddy and dazed. “felt so good, princess. you never done this before, huh?”

“mmm,” you mumble, slumping into him and feeling the way he drinks up your scent, not really confirming or denying his statement.

“hah,” he laughs, tightening his arms around you. “can only do it with me from now on though, mkay? you okay with that?”

after that fucking? hell yes. you're so happy, so full, so warm and so content right now, with his arms around you, his lips on your skin and his dick still throbbing inside you.

you'd known luffy would be good. it's why you'd worked your way to this moment in the first place — but you didn't think he'd be this fucking good.

he'd been a little shy and unsure of himself at first, but god, when he'd finally gotten the hang of it, when he'd finally snapped, he'd fucked you so good.

”heyy,” luffy taps your head gently. “you alright? can you hear me, hm?”

“mhm.” you respond, turning your head to rest your cheek on his shoulder, giving the lobe of his ear a little nibble and making him laugh. “i can hear you, captain.”

“asked you somethin'.” he kisses the side of your head and presses a palm to your back, rubbing the expanse of skin gently for you. oh, he's so in love. “only me, mkay?”

“mkay.” you agree, a giggle slipping from you when he gives you a dopey grin and wraps his arms tighter around you, pulling you right against his warm, sticky body and going right to sleep with you in his lap. the couch is old and creaky — but luffy makes a comfortable bed, you think. you can take it, for a night at least.

because after this, you think you might be in love with him, too. and either way, you definitely don't want to get off his dick just yet.

[assortedvillainvault]

Idk if you having writing requests open or anything but is there a chance you could write headcanons for Captain Hook and Y/N who is royalty (Prince/princess/king/queen/monarch/etc)? tia!!

You can always see if requests are open in my blog description! And, y’know, the few times they haven’t been I’ve just turned off asks to be frank, so you’re golden don’t worry.

Captain Hook x Royal!Reader

I’m seeing this as a political runaway situation.

You have no interest in adhering to the strangling confines of your birth role – but a kidnapping gone wrong wasn’t exactly your preferred exit plan.

Captain James Hook blasts his way aboard your vessel with smoke and cannon, and while the cries of your officers make you wince, you know the only reason he was able to get within 1000 yards of your vessel is because the council had surreptitiously rendered your support ships as ‘needed elsewhere’.

Hook likely wasn't a paid assassin in the traditional sense, but he was a convenient excuse for your enemies to place a puppet on the throne faster than one could register you were missing.

You gather your courage and march towards the pirate, head held high amongst the blades of his men. You try not to look at the bodies of your crew as you step in their blood.

“Captain James Hook, I take it?”

He bows and sweeps his ridiculously large hat off with a smirk that you tried very hard not to be at least a little taken by. “Your Royal Highness~” You whip your hand away as he moves to kiss it, and you catch his eye twitch a little before he smooths his face back out. He gestures back to his ship. “Care to join us?”

Though phrased nicely, it wasn’t a suggestion.

Your hostage situation turns out to be the kind of blessing you only mildly regret. True, you can’t leave the ship. But the open sea? The chance to finally use your arms and legs for more than bland ballroom dances? The fact no-one will slap your hand down if you flip Mr. Starkey the bird?

Bliss.

Hook always uses your title, playing up his gentleman tendencies even as you roll your eyes and grow more comfortable aboard ship. He’ll take even the slightest chance to have you on his arm, and makes sure that you have ways to keep clean and eat better than the rest of the crew.

You’re almost unrecognisable. Hair loose, clothes simple, hands rough from work as you learn the ropes aboard ship just for something to do. But even as far from grace as you’ve fallen, you know the price on your head must be in the thousands, and even if your old kingdom doesn’t want you, there are plenty of others who would pay.

“Captain.”

“Hmm?” Hook idly plays his good hand over the piano keys. You’re in his cabin, the night outside dark.

You draw a deep breath in. And out. “When are you going to ransom me?” Your voice only shook a little, and you allow yourself a little bit of pride for that.

Silence. Hook spins to face you, eyes soft. “Darling...” He begins. He rises, hook glinting, and comes to cup your cheek.

“...I abandoned any thought of your ransom the moment you came aboard, love."

[luna0713hunter]

kisses ""just follow my lead"" with shanks please

Author's note : sure thing darling! Enjoy!

"Follow my lead"

Based on this prompt

Shanks x reader

Warnings : slightly suggestive,pet names, reader referred to 'baby girl' and other pet names,age gap relationship

*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘

When you and Shanks finally got together after so so many years of mutual pinning,there was only one thing on your mind :

I have no idea how kissing works.

It was a simple thought, followed by nights and nights of overthinking and panicking, because;Shanks surely knew alot about kissing right?

And you, who've been hopelessly in love with him since you were young,had never,not even once kissed anyone in your whole damn life.

Now,you never regretted the decision;for you, it was always Shanks or nobody else.

You never regretted it,not even once.

Until now.

Now that after a long day of fighting pirates and after that,having to deal with your drunk and alcoholic crewmates,your find yourself in your Captain's lap.

As odd as it sounds,it was a pretty common thing for the both of you; Shanks loved to have you close,and you..just loved him. So you came up with a way to relax and at the same time,bask in each other's presence. And that was sitting in Shank's lap each night to find the solace you've been yearning for all day long.

And it was an accident the first time; when the ship rocked a little too harshly and you found yourself stumbling. Shanks not wanting you to fall down, stretched his arm to catch you,only for you to fall directly in his lap. And years after years of unspoken feelings,had Shanks wrapping his arm around your waist to keep you from getting up.

Now after a whole night of confession and gentle touches, you're here again;with your hands caressing his stubbled face and then carding your fingers through his red locks,Shanks looks up at you with so much adoration as his hand rests on your hip and draws soothing circles with his thumb on it. You smile warmly at him,and when his eyes glance at your lips,the familiar nervousness bubbles up inside your chest and twists your stomach.

And true to Shank's fashion,he immediately notices the change in your mood.

"Princess," his hand never stops his caressings, "whats the matter?"

You smile nervously as you try to avoid looking at his eyes.

"nothing?"

"darling," his hand rests on your cheek this time to make you look at him directly again, "i know you. Something's bothering you isn't it?"

And you knew you cant fool him. He's your captain after all. So you let out a heavy sigh and try to meet his eyes nervously.

"you know uh.... I've actually,never been in a relationship with anyone?"

Shanks tilts his head and nods cautiously.

"yeah i know. What about it,my love?"

Your cheeks burn with embarrassment as you try to speak next without running away.

"so... I've never...kissed anyone before?"

Shanks blinks,and suddenly after a moment he leans forward to kiss your forehead so softly,it has your eyes fluttering shut.

"baby girl,thats nothing for you to be embarrassed about." He eyes your lips once more before closing the distance between the two of you slowly, "we can always practice together. To be fair, I am off my game as well."

Then his lips are on yours. The mere press of his lips against yours,has your hands trembling as you try to do something with them,so you settle them on his shoulders.

"just follow my lead, love."

And when he starts moving his lips with yours, you follow his every movement.

You'll learn in no time,after all,you have the best teacher in the whole world to teach you

[intoxfolklorex]

open to males 25+ (historical au. please read my rules before replying. please do not like my starters. princess who seeks help from a pirate but it’s bad luck for her to just be on the ship so they pull the #fakemarried card and it’s just tropey and fun.)

The weeks had been long and arduous and Endora was sure that things were never going to end. She’d been pulled out of the castle the night before the coup and had been moving ever since. It had seemed okay but the last fortnight she had been on her own, her travelling companion had been killed in an attack by bandits and now she just had to figure out how to do this. She had heard the whispers that there were pirates in town and she needed to cross lands. There were rumours that another King would be willing to fight against her cousin and it would be somewhere safe for her.

The problem now was finding someone willing to take her across the seas. A problem that she might be able to work with, catching sight of the man as soon as she entered the inn. It was clear that he was someone that she was looking for and the air about him meant that he couldn’t be mistaken for less than the captain. Still he was arguing with the innkeeper who was saying something about his kind not being welcome to stay there. And so she decided to help in some way, sliding alongside him and speaking. “Darling, do you have the room yet?” Someone who looked like her wouldn’t be with a pirate meaning that he couldn’t have been one and she smiled softly as the innkeeper looked between them both before grumbling something and giving them two keys to a room and directing them upstairs. As soon as they were out of earshot Endora turned to the man and smiled, “You’re welcome.”

[pinksugarscrub]

Home

Pirate! Hobie x fem! reader

In the famous words of Luffy (Iñaki) future pirate king, "A ship is also a home".

Inspired by Between the Devil and the Sea by @the-kr8tor

(Tossed draft for The Pirate Princess)

The piano echoes in your mind like an endless melody. Tapping your fingers against the edge of the crow’s nest like you would the ivory keys. You can remember the gold encrusted stars in the ceiling. The walls darker than the depths of the sea. How your heels clicked across a tiled floor that was so iridescent it was like you were dancing on glass.

Although you breathe in the salt from the body of water below, you taste something sweet on your tongue as you reminisce. It isn’t sad, just bittersweet.

“Interupting you am I?”

Laughter bubbles out of your lips as you feel a familiar set of arms wrap around your waist. Hobie burying his nose into the crook of your neck. You never grow tired of the warm fuzzy feeling his presence brings you and you can’t help but try to pull him closer so he’s flush against your back. 

“Woah!” Hobie chuckles,“a bit early for that isn’t it love?”

You click your tongue. Rolling your eyes as you try to jab his side with your elbow. “Oh hush! You’ve officially ruined the moment.”

He snickers, easily catching your arm before twisting you around to face him. “Officially? What are we, bloody marines?”

The chatter from the crew below helps bring you back to reality. Your new reality. One you wouldn’t trade for the world.

Crossing your arms across your chest you lean against the wall of the crow’s nest. Arching a brow at him as you decide to play along. “At least the marines know what to do when a beautiful woman falls into their lap.” 

His grin widens into a smirk you know all to well and you’re already dreading he’ll say next.

“But do they know how to keep their woman satisfied? Hm?” He leans forward. Eyes flicking between your lips and gaze. “Like I do?” 

Of course, like the gullible woman you are, you let your eyes flutter shut. You’re confused until you hear him giggle and you know you’ve been duped because when you open your eyes he’s looking down at you with that cheeky look on his face. It’s so infuriating but it apparently still has an affect on you anyway because you feel heat crawl up your cheeks.

You take this moment of loss to your self-esteem to admire his attire. A newly mended white blouse that’s cut to expose some of his chest. (You’ll have to thank Kamala for that later). Signature holster around his waist. Very casual compared to the thick leather coat he adorns when you go into battle. 

Personally, you believe your crew has more style than a bird of paradise with how many trinkets and accessories they seem to find each time you dock the Mary Jane. 

“Aww darling, c’mere,”he coos. ”You’re so cute when you get all pouty with me.”

You huff in annoyance as you try to keep him away. It’s obvious he’s pretending to struggle but you can’t bring yourself to care. He’s making loud kissy noises while you whine and push your palms against his chest. One on his exposed skin (Were you about to pass up that opportunity? I think not!) and the other on the cotton of his sleeve.

“No! What kind of Captain denies his navigator a kiss!?

He grunts,“The kind that will make up for it later! Now come here-” 

You struggle for a moment longer before you hear someone call out to you. The two of you stop. Blinking at each other before Hobie let’s you slip out of his grasp. His hand on your lower back to keep you from leaning to far over the edge.

“Oh Robbie!” You cheerfully wave down. He’s nothing more than a speck of green but you always manage to hear him clearly.

“Mate,” Hobie yells,“we were kind of in the middle of something important.”

Said first mate scoffs at him before rolling his eyes. Not that you see any of this happen. You just know the man well enough. “Oh yes, so important…” He clears his throat before yelling back,“Riri’s messed with the gear again and I’m pretty sure we’re headed in the opposite direction.”

You can only watch as a tool is chucked in his direction. You’re assuming from inside Riri’s makeshift workshop. Wincing as it successful bonks him in the head. “It’s called renovating!” 

You don’t know whether to laugh or cry. 

“I’ll be right down!” Your boots scuffing against the wood as you make your way past Hobie to the ladder. 

“Pray tell, where-” You squeak as you feel him tug you back into his chest. Stumbling not so gracefully after craning your neck up to see him. “-do you think, you’re going, without giving me my kiss?”

“I’m sorry,” you laugh,”but I have duties, Captain.” He preens at the title. Shifting you around in his arms like you would a rowdy pup. “If we want to reach port in the next six hours and you know, not die of starvation on this ship. I need to go.”

“I never told you not to.” He answers. Grinning as he tightens his hold on you. “But you have at least a minute to spare for your beloved, yes?”

You scrunch you nose, gently shaking your head as if scolding a child. A very greedy child that always seems to attach himself to you. It’s a wonder the crew hasn’t named him the ocean’s clingest sea urchin. “My beloved, yes, my captain…no,” you chuckle. “Come on Hobie, I promise you a kiss after supper and after I help Riri.”

He sighs dramatically before releasing you. His hands up in surrender as he backs away. “Fine fine. But I’m holding you to it eh? The second you’re done you come find me.”

“Aye Captain.” You salute. He watches as you hop down the ladder and after two or three steps you disappear. Once you’re out of earshot he lets out a dreamy sigh, slumps against the walls of the crow’s nest, and cranes his neck up to the sky. 

“Oi, that means you too Hobart!” Robbie hisses. “Stop daydreaming a get down ere’!”

Hobie snorts, fixing his hat. “Alright, I’m comin’!”

[uglypastels]

Not Wholly Evil |III| Pirate!Eddie au

summary: as the daughter of the Governor, there is quite a heavy prize set on your safe return home, and the captain will not let anything come between him and his bounty.

Series Masterlist

word count: 9.7k

"semi dark fic" - READ the warnings:. (gun/sword)violence. blood. mention of severe wounds. minor character death. allusions to suicide. kidnapping. imprisonment. alcohol. open and deep sea. pirates are pigs: mentions of non-con, but it does not actually occur. malnourishment and weight loss. paranoia. mention of poisoning. abuse. manhandling. lying.

There might be a mention of other ST characters, and for plot sake, everyone is an adult here, just coz I don't want fetus pirates running around, but they are not really relevant to the plot.

Chapter 3: An Affair of Honor

“They say cowardice is infectious; but then argument is, on the other hand, a great emboldener” ― R.L. Stevenson, Treasure Island

‘See me in my quarters tonight, darling.’ He looked at you in this way, you couldn’t quite explain it or decode what the intentions behind his gaze, or words, were, but you did not enjoy it. 

‘I hope you do not mind if I decline the offer.’ You could not let him get through to you; show complete indifference. At the end of the day, all he was doing was just intimidation tactics, and you were better than that.

‘I don’t think you understand, princess,’ his words came out sour but remained calm. As he spoke, he let the blade of the dagger he was toying with graze the edge of  the ship, leaving behind a thin line in the wood, ‘this is not an invitation,’ he kept going, and the blade came closer and closer, digging deeper, the scraping becoming louder. ‘or a request.’ Then, in the next second, he moved quickly, and the blade struck the wood, much like the sword. Except for this time, with actual intent, deep into it, only an inch away from your hand, you almost felt the cold metal against you.

‘It is an order.’

You did your best not to flinch, eyes locked in on his. Could he tell you were terrified, or was your act working?

‘What if I do not want to follow your orders?’ Each word you spoke could very well certify your death sentence, but you could not just stand by as he taunted you.

‘I don’t think you want to find out.’ He spoke again with that usual casual grimace, leaning in, and your head spun from his proximity to you. All his words bounced around in your head, hitting your nerves like ricocheting bullets. Then, at last, you got a grip back on your tongue: 

‘Get away from me.’

Immediately, he stepped away, hands up in the air as if targeted with a pistol instead of words; the smirk on his face everlasting. Then, he pulled the blade out of the railing. It had been pushed in even more profoundly than you expected, but the wood did not split from the damage. Instead, a neat, thin line cut right through it. You could easily imagine that same cut now being in you. In— you blinked quickly at the memories of that one dark day. Then, a succession of quick breaths pulled you back to the here and now.

Taking small steps back slowly, his grin grew wider, and his eyes burned with higher mischief as he bent lower and lower in farewell. Hit boots shook the ground around you as he walked away, not saying another word. But no more words were needed. 

The Captain had his ways.

He would see you tonight, whether you wanted to or not. 

And the night was creeping in faster and faster. The sky’s pink glow was darkening, losing that warmth by the minute. You contemplated on what to do next. The crew was roaming every inch of the vessel, doing their tasks. It was your first time out in the fresh air while they were there, so you did not know if this was the usual speed at which they performed. The only frame of reference you had were the men of your old ship, and it seemed similar enough. Orders were being shouted across the boards from one man to another to help with the ropes of the sails, tying them accordingly, moving the wheel… everyone was rushing around you, and it was hard to keep track of what exactly was going on. 

You thought standing by the edge of the ship would give everyone enough space, but men were still bumping you around, apologising with grunts which were more than you expected them to do. They kept their head down as they walked on. After the fourth time it happened, you decided to get out of the way completely, but it wasn’t as simple as it sounded. Wherever you tried to stand, it seemed like someone had some business to do there to keep the ship going. With glances down at your trapdoor, you saw no option to return to your “room” as some empty wooden cargo containers had blocked it off. 

Another grumble came as you nearly lost your head by a plank. Why would they even need to be carrying it around at this time? 

With no more options left, you climbed the stairs towards the quarter deck, where the wheel was being stirred by one of the captain’s more trusted crew members. You didn’t know any of their names, with no intention to learn them, but you had sometimes recognised him as by Munson’s side. The man glanced your way but did no more than that and focused back on the waters ahead. 

Behind him was a stained-glass door, its panels shimmering with the warm glow of the inside candlelight. Besides that, it was too thick to look through, but you didn’t need to know what was hidden from you. You had been lured towards the captain’s quarters like a helpless animal is drawn into a trap by its hunter. Mindlessly, you walked up to it. 

Could you turn around now? Run away? The need was not for self-preservation but primarily due to your embarrassment; you managed to get tricked into this mess. 

‘Go on then,’ the man at the wheel said. ‘Captain doesn’t like waiting.’ 

‘If he’s so desperate to see me, he’ll wait for as long as I’ll make him.’ You crossed your arms and leaned against the railing of the quarter deck. The man glanced over at you, either impressed or frustrated. Were you pushing your luck?

Ever since you set foot on the bridge between the Hellfire and the sinking Red Tail, this little attempt at rebellion could not have been anything new to them compared to your endless tries at starvation and threats of hanging and punching the captain. 

Right, that happened. Whatever was inside must have to do with that. 

You nervously looked over at the door. The soft, warm light flickered as the fire moved about. But you were quick to turn your head again. 

The sun had now submerged itself under the water, leaving the stars and moon to rule over the sky. You occupied the next few minutes trying to decipher your positioning under the constellations, craning your neck from side to side while identifying the silver lights. Finally, under an unobstructed sky, barely any clouds to obscure it or light to take away the brightness of what was above you, you were met with a million new stars. You could easily spend the rest of the night there, just like that. 

And it was about when you decided to make yourself a bit more comfortable, sitting on the ground, when the door in front of you burst open. The Captain stepped through the threshold but not over it, leaning against the door. He first looked at his man, who nodded down to you. 

‘Glad you could make it, princess.’ 

‘Make it where?’

‘To my humble abode, of course,’ he stretched his arm out, welcoming you in, ‘please. Do come in.’ His voice sounded unfamiliarly sweet like honey trickling down his throat with every syllable. 

You didn’t trust any of it. And, therefore, stood your ground, not moving a muscle. 

The Captain waited about 10 seconds, staring you down in complete silence, before walking back inside. It had all been planned and prepared,  for the moment he left, the man at the wheel came alive and made his way to you. It happened so quickly, and he had such strength that you could not fight back. Before you knew it, you were being dragged into the quarters. You had had enough time to elbow him in the stomach before he let you go and shut the door behind him. 

It was now just you and the captain. 

You spent the first moment inside taking everything in. It was spacious, once perhaps used as a navigation room, but changed into the captain’s chambers. You had deducted that what was initially designed to be the captain’s sleeping quarters aboard this ship had been made into a place for the rest of the crew to sleep. Much more spacious than the lower decks, which were now yours to call home… lucky you.

At the back of the room you stood in, large panelled windows spread out into a view of the sea that the ship had just passed. The water and sky merged into the nothingness of dark navy, only lit in the slightest sense by the stars. 

In front of the windows stood an impressive oak desk covered in aged and weathered scrolls. A large stain was running down one side of the furniture as if someone had spilt their ink container. Behind it stood a majestic chair— a throne, one would most likely call it. Worthy of a king, yet rotting on this cursed ship.

At the left side of the cabin was a bed. It was quite plain, with a thin mattress and, to your surprise, a blanket just a little bigger than the fleece you had been given. Yet, it still looked heavenly compared to your current sleeping arrangement. Opposite the bed, on the right side of the room, stood a large dresser and commode, like the chair, beautifully engraved and carved. Compared to the old bookcase next to it, it looked like it belonged to a king… maybe it once did. Who knew when it came to these people?

The walls were adorned with decorations, the centrepiece being two large swords crossed with each other. There were also golden and silver chains hanging off of sticking-out nails and drapery made of the finest materials yet used like the commonest of cloths. It was clear that whoever these items belonged to them now had no knowledge or care for their value in the world. They were just objects to him that he could use as he liked in his room. This idea terrified you.

You followed the captain with your eyes as he walked by, only taking a second to look at the large map nailed to the wall opposite you. The floorboards creaked beneath your feet as you walked. Not sure where to go, you just made your way to the smaller chair in front of the desk. Now closer, you got a small glimpse of everything on it. They were indeed mostly parchment scrolls and stacks of paper. Some letters, notes and drawings, but before you could get a better look, Munson shoved everything into a drawer on the desk’s side and kicked his feet up onto the furniture top. Without permission, you sat down too, trying to look casual, but you could not, for the love of god, make yourself feel at ease with his gaze piercing right through you. But you could at least try.

‘I would like to apologise.’ As you had hoped, your words burst through him like a bullet, leaving him wide-eyed and lost for words, but he quickly and smoothly recomposed himself as each time before. 

‘How so?’ He raised a brow inquisitively. He was studying you, analysing your words and movements, and you could feel it; just did your best to ignore it.

‘I want to apologise for my behaviour out on the deck. It had not been my intention to act out so irrationally or to hurt you or cause any tension among your crew, who I know deeply respect you so.’ What followed was silence as he let his words soak into himself. That lasted approximately a quarter of a minute before he nodded shortly. 

‘Your daddy has tought you well, hasn’t he, princess?’

‘Excuse me?’ You blinked slowly, not receiving the response you had expected.

‘Don’t try to fool me with the pleasantries, sweetheart. No one taught you to fight but, instead, told you you could get away with your pretty smile, I understand.’ 

‘I…’ you stuttered momentarily, trying to comprehend what the captain had said, most notably the new nickname he had slipped past his lips. It was strange to get hung up on a thing like that among everything else that had happened, yet… ‘Do you think I need a man to tell me how to survive?’ you let your mind realign correctly again. ‘That’s quite a rude assumption to make of you.’

‘Oh, please, princess, on the contrary.’ He had you completely speechless, which might have been best for him as he had plenty more to say. ‘Feel offended if I actually start believing that is all you can do. You are much too smart to just play this naive act. I’ve seen it. I’ve felt it. You are  too smart to think that a little slap would be enough for me to lose all of my crew’s respect– I should feel offended by that kind of assumption, as a matter of fact, or that I was supposed to get fooled by your submission now. If you think a few kind words would be enough to make me melt for you….’

‘I don't think even the flames from the deepest pits of hell could do that.’ 

‘And there you go again, sweetheart,’ he chuckled.

‘I didn’t mean–’

‘No, I know what you mean, princess.’ His mannerisms and voice constantly wavered between calm and raging, too quick in the changes to pinpoint precisely. Nevertheless, it kept you on your toes and your heartbeat skipping. ‘And I think you know that if I really wanted to punish you, I wouldn’t do it here, but out there,’ he cocked his head toward the door, ‘where everyone could see what exactly happens when you disobey the captain.’ He looked at you; it was enough to make your whole body freeze. Who would have thought this warm honey colour would have such a cold effect on you? 

‘So if you are not to punish me,’ you sat up straight, cleared your throat, ‘Why am I here?’ You let your back hit the chair's backrest, allowing one of your arms lazily hang over the armrests, but it didn’t feel right, so you quickly shifted sides. 

‘Must there be a reason?’ he asked, which you thought was ridiculous. But, of course, there had to be a reason for him to bring you into his cabin after days of being on his ship. Besides altercations and confrontations, the two of you had barely shared a word, and now you were sitting six feet away from him, talking, almost civil-like.

You forgot he had asked you a question or what your answer was supposed to be. 

‘You are right,’ he sighed, despite you not saying a word. ‘I don’t let just anyone in here.’

‘Is that meant to be flattering?’ You raised a brow, still unsure where this situation was leading to. He seemed to think your question through momentarily before smiling with his head down. 

‘No, I suppose not particularly.’ There was another long silence that followed. You looked around more at the chair you were sitting on, it seemed to be a plain and straightforward chair, and nothing else in the room gave you any sense that something was wrong… then why did you feel like there was? And why had he not stopped grinning? 

You turned toward the door, wondering if you could outrun him and leave the room. But… would there be a point to it? The ship was only so big; you could not hide on it forever.

‘I have my man Henderson waiting outside, so don’t worry, he’ll catch you.’ Munson said as if he could read your thoughts. ‘Is this really so bad? I’m quite enjoying the silence.’

‘Perhaps you enjoy it because you have the privilege of understanding the circumstances of it.’ 

‘See, you are too clever for all that pretty princess nonsense. Truly unflattering.’ Yet it is what he remained calling you constantly. Princess. Your jaw clenched as you made your body sit as still as possible.

‘Unlike your brutish decorum,’ you quipped, unsure if your intentions had been humorous or insulting. Either way, you got him to laugh. That small chuckle, but he tilted his head back slightly this time. It was just enough for you to catch a glimpse of his neck and the scar that ran right across it as if someone had tried their hardest to put him down a long time ago, their failure now permanently stitched into his skin. It seemed like the type of thing the Captain would take the joy out of. 

The candles flickered all around you, enveloping you in the amber light. Compared to the dark wood of the cabin, and the darkening sky outside the windows, the room felt like it was trapping you within its flames. And they seemed to be growing. Like in your dreams, except it was not the darkness, but this devilish light that was taking over. The glow burned more and more, like a halo around the Captain. Brighter as his grin grew wider, tugging at the corners of his mouth like a string. To see Munson smile like that chilled you to your core and distracted you from realising what it truly was that lit up the sky. 

At first, you considered it to be the glow of the sunset, but that could not be. It had set long ago. The sky had already turned into a black abyss that no sun could come close to. Millions of stars were looking over you, the moon was at its smallest form, but the sun was not giving off a warm glow. That burning globe was nowhere to be seen. 

Thus, upon closer inspection, you realised what the source of light was.

Fire.

Real, warm, man-made fire.

Your body moved on its own, with no thoughts behind your actions; you got off the chair, which fell back to the ground with a thud as you ran to the window.

It looked surreal, the small island in the short distance—It was hard to see, but from the far right side, you could make out the shape of a harbour town, at the foot of a mountain, with houses surrounded by deep shrubbery and trees, coloured by the warm yellow and orange light of the torches on the street. You could almost hear the people on the coast talking and singing in the tavern. As much joy as it was to see a landscape with more than the blue horizon, none of it felt familiar to you. It was as much of a hopeful as it was a sad reminder of your state. Because it was too good to be true for it to be your home, you recognised the differences immediately, but you would take anything over this ship. In addition, you saw the ships anchored at the small harbour: militia. Someone out there could save you.

You let your hand touch the cold glass. The candles in the room formed a soft glow on everything, reflecting in the windows. Therefore, you could see him get up from his throne and walk over to you, hovering over you only inches away. He had not said a word since your small comment, had barely reacted besides that grin, and you were awaiting his next move. 

‘What are you doing?’ you asked in fear. He, however, did not answer. You had to make out from the reflection what was happening. The reflection, as well as your own body. His breath on your neck, his lips ghosting that part of you. One of his hands reached for yours, which you quickly pulled away.

‘I just remembered,’ he said, his voice like you had never heard it before. It was indescribable as, like most of his actions, you could not pin them on an intent. 

Your breath shook as you repeated one word. ‘What?’ 

‘Why I wanted you here, darling.’ His voice was merely a whisper, and you could have felt it on you from anywhere in the world. Like nothing you had felt before and preferably never would again. It followed you around and covered your entire body. Maybe because of that, you had not realised he had left you at that window. So focused on ignoring all the signs he left on you and too enamoured by the island that crept closer and closer to you, you did not know that Munson had moved away from you. That he, in fact, had walked all the way across the room.

Until it was too late.

You could not manage a syllable before he explained himself, already standing at the door. 

‘I make for a lovely distraction, don’t I?’ With that, he opened the door and stepped out, shutting it loudly behind him. So loud you nearly missed the lock being turned on the other side, but that kind of sound does not escape one. 

You were about to protest, already taking your first steps towards the door, cursing the captain and his moronic jests when, almost simultaneously, the ship bucked. Like something heavy had fallen off it and was keeping it from moving. The anchor. The ship was settling. They were planning to go on land to the town ahead of you.

And you have now locked away, once again, in the captain’s cabin. 

After a scream that made your throat burn, the room fell into silence. It was so quiet in the room you could hear what was happening outside. The crew was noisy, bustling around, and excited. Slowly, the puzzle pieces were coming together. 

The active crew. The harbour town. The mischievous smile on Munson’s face. 

You had not expected anything less than filthy trickery from the captain, and here it was. He locked you up in his cabin to prevent you from escaping onto the land. Having gained freedom from your cage, it would have been too easy to lock you in again. Instead, he played you. He lured you forcefully into his quarters to chain you up so you could not run away. 

Well, not exactly chain you up, but as you stood in the middle of his large room, you felt as if you had been shackled to the ground. Though you could move your entire body freely, each move felt heavy, like the solemn act of locking that door not only restrained you but was actually sucking the energy out of your limbs. 

That is what he did to you. This impossible man exhausted you every waking minute of the day that you were near him. 

You reached for the door once you regained some movement in your legs, despite knowing how it would end up. Pulling it made it only budge slightly in its hinges, but it would go no further. It was locked. No matter how hard you pulled and pull, you did. It was as if you would be strong enough to break whatever lock held the hinges closed. Before you knew it, your fists slammed on the wood panels, and tears began to prick at the corners of your eyes. You would have screamed if you had any hope left.

Why was this your breaking point? Was it that you always ended up in the same place, no matter how much time passed? Locked up in a dark corner. Powerless and afraid–the thing you were fighting so hard from becoming. That might have perhaps been even more infuriating. Not what he had done to you, but what he made you become. The poor girl pleading to no one to let her out of the room she walked into alone. 

You hit the door until your hands hurt, but no one came. Of course, not. No one was aboard to hear it. They were all threading the land… You didn’t even want to think about what would happen to those poor people. Those unsuspecting civilians just living their lives in a small harbour town. You could see the building through the large window now clearly. They looked to have been built with no wealth. It is where fishermen lived with their families. They would have nothing to offer those storming into pillage, burn, and murder. Because that is what those monsters of the Hellfire did. And soon, they would return from the island with their “treasures”, just like they had from your ship. 

But… would they come back with more women? Had you been just one of their trophies? What would have happened if you were not the daughter of a rich man who could pay them for your return? More tears streamed out. At this point, it was unstoppable. No matter how often you told yourself to stand up and pull yourself together, it would all crumble down as fast. 

Deep breaths. Just for a few seconds.

All you could do now was remind yourself that you could do better. That you were better than Munson and all his men. That when he came back, he could not see you like this. You had to stand up and show who he was trying to break down. He showed off his battle scars proudly? Well, so could you. You would ensure he would see those reminders before your tears, which you now wiped off your cheeks.

The candlelight flickered, but they had been on for a long time, the wax melting with each passing second. How long until you were in complete darkness? Would they come back by then? It must have been a quarter of an hour since Munson locked you in his room. How much longer would they need to destroy a town like that? A few more minutes at best. It would be pointless to keep banging at the door, so what could you do but sit it out until you were released. 

You considered sitting in his chair— no, it was definitely a throne. Even from across the room in the dimming light, you could make out the pictures placed upon it with a knife’s blade. Craftsmanship you could have imagined placed in your father’s study. As well as most of the furniture around you, actually. But to sit in it felt wrong, and in fact, the bed posed along one of the walls looked much more inviting. 

However, it was nothing of the luxury you had expected from looking at it. It creaked as you sat down, and the unevenness was imminent when your back touched it. Whatever way you lay or rolled, it felt like ten thousand tiny pin pricks to your spine. Could it be worse than the floor you had been prompted to in the cargo den? And this was the captain’s lodge… It did not make sense. 

The pillow, however, felt heavenly. With a softness which only the finest goose could provide, suddenly all the other pain went away, and with the warm fleece thrown over you, you could fall asleep in moments. If it only wasn’t for everything else in the room, and your confined state, that pulled you away from your slumber. 

You remained on the bed, unsure how long, which troubled your mind. Surely, by now, they should have returned with their harvested bounty. Instead, Hellfire remained uncharacteristically peacefully quiet, and the town mirrored that ambience from what you could make out through the window. The only fire that burned lit the night and felt welcoming to all.

And for a long time, nothing changed. 

So, locked in a room alone, with no option of serene slumber, you began to roam around practically. What else could you do? The captain had doomed you to hours of boredom. Therefore, you could not expect him to think you would do anything else. Or did he believe you would curl up in a corner and cry until his return? It was not hard to imagine that a sight like that would be appreciated by a man like him, and well, you were not ready to give him that. Besides, the idea of being able to look through the things in Munson’s seemingly, private quarters felt like an opportunity only a fool would not take. 

Once the idea had bubbled up in your mind, your eyes immediately hit a target. The large wardrobe right opposite the bed practically called to you. With its uneven doors that stood ajar by simply being put together wrong, it felt like an invitation. The hinges creaked like any other on the ship and opened to a rack of coats, shirts, pants, and boots. They were all distinct but similar enough to know one person had put them there. Who once may have owned them would remain a mystery until the end of time. 

You let your fingers trace over the material hanging in front of you. It was silken but old and moth-eaten, fragile from its use. Most of the shirts were, but it would do. So you grabbed the cleanest looking one and a pair of trousers, and that was that. 

With no idea when anyone decided to come back, you had to move swiftly, putting an item on as soon as one had taken another off. It was easier said than done. While you had removed most layers of your dress to make it more comfortable, it was still a hassle to remove in its entirety, and then the amount of material flooded over you as you tried to keep it together while simultaneously pulling this new shirt over your head.

It was quite large; the sleeves had to be rolled several times to reach your wrists. The collar was practically slipping down your shoulder, but it was decent. Only now did you realise how much weight you must have lost on board, not having had a decent meal in so long—even longer. Because the conditions on the Red Tail might have been idyllic compared to now, they still were not the best. Food was not scarce but was no feast either. Not wanting to remind your body of it, you pushed the thought of a meal away and went back to your clothes. 

The dark brown, or nearly black, trousers were a loose fit, sagging down your hips as you let go of them. Luckily, there were a few belts in a drawer of the wardrobe, and you picked one that felt the least flamboyant–the one that would cause the least damage as “stolen property of the captain”. It was your strategy on all pieces of clothing. Besides comfort and cleanliness, you did not want to stand out. Having seen how the rest of the crew dresses, your thought of dark trousers and a white shirt seemed safe enough. To ruin this with a large silver belt buckle was counter-effective. Though your eye did momentarily linger on one belt, embellished with a golden clip formed to look like a snake with a ruby eye.

There was no mirror in the room, or any suitably reflective surfaces, besides the window, which gave you an impression by opposing the dark night sky and waters with the lights inside the cabin. Seeing yourself after so long was not the most pleasant sight, but you could also witness one strength. Your smile. It was still there. Weak, but holding on and pushing yourself to go on.

You would get through this.

And the new clothes certainly helped. Ignoring how wrong it felt to wear something that belonged to Munson and that he has worn countless times, no doubt. Could you remember him wearing this specific shirt? You couldn’t be sure when all the items look so similar. But the chances were high for that to have happened, and you weren’t enjoying it. It was like a cruel joke that Munson took out on you once again. You felt his influence and the ghost of his presence without being near you. Even the things you wanted and did on your own accord, planned to rebel against his oppressive position over you, he still managed to get his hands on it and poison everything.

Could he poison you? Corrupt, whatever piece of you was left unbroken? If this was considered theft, which he most likely did, would it mean you had stooped down to the level of the sea criminals? The idea made you feel like the boat had suddenly rocked heavily, tossing your head and stomach around until you saw double. But only momentarily, because then another somewhat comforting thought came to you. If you were already in the darkness, you could settle, and there was little you could do to make your matters worse. 

You grabbed the ruby-eyed snake belt off the shelf and wrapped it around your waste. Munson be damned.

Once dressed and fitted, you folded your old dress and put it onto the bed. Of course, with so much material, it could be repurposed in a handful of things, but most likely, you saw it take up the function of a new pillow for yourself. 

After that, you looked at what else there was to see and to find out about your dearest captain Eddie Munson. Next to the wardrobe which you had just ambushed, in the corner of the room, stood a large bookshelf. It was uneven, seeming to be bucking under its weight and all the heavy volumes stacked inside it. How the books were placed looked like an intricate puzzle, highly sensitive. As if it would all topple down if you simply touched it. 

You were hesitant to walk over to it, to open its glass doors and peek at the titles carved along the leather-bound spines. Unsure why you had expected to books to have formed a coat of grey on them. Dust from years of neglect like most things and men aboard. You were proven wrong, however, when no dust cleared as you opened the shelves. Whatever information they held inside has been read on several occasions. At least a more significant part of them.

Some books, the ones on the lower shelf, were less disturbed, with that thin layer of grey topping them, a topic that must be less appealing to the reader but interesting enough to have rubbed off the gold of the spine. Not being able to read what was said on it, you picked the book up. 

Though you recognised the words, you could not believe what you were reading. Not in this room, on this ship. The two did not connect in your brain. 

Milton’s words seemed foreign in this context, but you knew them well. It was the first that caught your eye of the pages marked with a red ribbon in the middle:

Of fellowship I speak Such as I seek, fit to participate All rational delight, wherein the brute It cannot be human consort.

After a moment, it made sense–perfect sense, in fact–for Munson to have obtained such a story. The temptations of the fallen angel to corrupt the world, calling war upon the heavens. It had never spoken to you before, but suddenly, rereading the verses, you felt a cold chill run down your spine.

A page was enough for you to put the book back in its place. Next to it were the other volumes of Paradise Lost and works by other poets; Swift, Blake, Wordsworth and Pope were some of the few you could make out in the worn-out binds. On the shelves above were books on astronomy and bundles of maps, although these felt unnecessary when glancing at the large map that covered most of the wall. As you had looked at it for the first time, seeing the amount of ink poured over it in annotations and markings, it had felt entirely unusable, but now you saw a logic to the madness. The arrows and dotted lines. The crosses over certain islands, marking past victories presumably, or future ones. Where could you be finding yourself on this mural? You tried to look for a while but, in reality, had no possibility of knowing where the Hellfire was in the world. But you did find another place instead. Seeing it on his map, the original, by now slightly faded, ink showing the city name tauntingly, pained you. Knowing you were so close to finally being free again made you want to scream all your feelings out at once. Your home remained in its place, calling to you, and there was nothing you could do but stare at it blankly, trace your finger over the letters, and ignore the fresh ink circling it like a dooming curse. 

But besides this enlarged edition and the atlases in the bookcase, there were even more maps to be found on the desk among navigational instruments. A compass lay discarded, broken and turning in its place like a tornado. The loose pieces of paper were ready to be blown away to the world's four corners: reports, diary logs, and letters. Unfortunately, the writing was not discernible enough to read, and something within you told you there was not enough time to decypher the code-like signature. What you did still try to look at was the drawers of the desk. There had been three in total, and the first two opened up to reveal more paper and a gun. Barrell blackened from frequent use. It certainly was good to know of this item’s existence and location. 

The third drawer, you were ready to pull out, but it seemed jammed in—nay, locked. You tried to pull it a few more times to be safe, but whatever contents were inside it were not intended for your, or anyone else’s, eyes. You glanced at the table to see if anything could help you pick the lock but soon gave up on the idea.

And probably for the better, too, as you heard it precisely as you opened the first browned pages. Voices and footsteps. The men had returned. You couldn't be sure how much time exactly had gone by that you were alone, but enough to become startled at the burst of sound. And it all happened so quickly that you had no time to figure out what their chorused voices meant. There were no signs to explain what happened on shore. The only thing that felt right to conclude was that they were… happy. Satisfied with whatever venture went on in your absence. 

The door flung open. 

You were not sure what made you do it, but the second the door moved, you were up on your feet with the old gun in your hand, pointing it directly at the head that appeared. The brown eyes in front of you gawked open in shock and confusion, and it made you smile your first earnest smirk in a long time.

‘You’ll have to excuse me, I tried to make myself a bit more comfortable while you were away,’ you tried to sound as confident as possible, as these few hours by yourself had given you the encouragement to do so, hoping that the tremor in your hand was not visible from the distance between you.

‘I can see that, princess.’ Slowly, the shock in your visitor’s eye subdued. ‘Please, be my guest.’ Munson extended his arm toward the thrown behind you, offering you the seat. You looked at it, unsure. All you could think in that second was that he would expect you to be too scared to take up the proposal, so you sat down. Legs wide to take up as much space as you could. When you looked back up at the captain, he seemed composed at first glance, and his words spoke in a relaxed tone, but you felt something was not quite right. His secure posture was overshadowed by the flicks of his eyes, from you to the desk, the bed, the books, and the gun in your hand. Your chest still rose heavily with each breath as you tried to calm down when he stepped closer.

‘You can put the gun down now, darling.’ He smiled and came forward to the chair you had sat in previously. The roles were now reversed, yet wholly not, for you knew he still had the upper hand. He had the ship and the crew in the palm of his hand. All you had in yours was a gun… with no bullets. 

The trigger clicked, and nothing happened. 

 Munson made himself comfortable, and in the meantime, a crewmate walked into the room behind him. You had seen him around the ship but had not heard his name. He was one of the better-looking ones around the vessel, but it did not say much in your circumstances. They were as ugly as the others on the inside. 

But you were not occupied with the man, or his appearance, as much as with what he was carrying. A large tankard, which sloshed around a dark liquid as he walked, and an even bigger plate. Its aromas hit your nostrils, and you immediately felt yourself drooling at the thought of a decent, warm meal. 

The captain had let his crew member pass, placing the food on the desk, and when his eyes caught you, he froze. You must have drastically changed your appearance by dressing in the captain’s clothes, and the gun was still lazily hung between your fingers. Nevertheless, his eyes stayed on you until he left the room. It was once more only you and Munson now. In between you, the plate of food. 

‘You must have enjoyed yourself quite a bit in here, didn’t you?’

‘Well, there is only so much a person can do when locked up alone.’ 

‘Next time, I’ll be sure to leave you some company then, shall I?’ He watched you intently, but he had not touched the food or drink. Were they possibly for you? The idea alone sounded silly. It must be another torture plan of his? Let you close to a proper meal, give you hope, just to take it away and make you watch as he indulged in the feast himself. Your body screamed with hunger, the days of eating so poorly finally catching up on you, but you pulled back. Your eyes found his directly as you stared silently, expecting his next move. 

What happened next was not that.

‘We figured you must be starving.’ The captain’s words sounded sincere, and it was your turn to gaze up at him in shock and confusion. What was this supposed to mean? You looked down at the plate once more but did not move.

‘Is this poisoned?’ Better to ask and possibly catch him off-guard.

‘No, it is not poisoned.’ His features softened. ‘Why would we do that?’ He pushed the tankard and plate closer to you.

‘I’m not sure. You seem to constantly want to punish me with no rhyme or reason.’

‘Even if it was poisoned, it would not be effective of me to tell you the truth, now, would it?’

‘As if whatever you do or say only has one intention?’ You retorted, knowing fully well that the man was full of deceiving trickery. His words were layered, his actions calculated. He would manage to play you like a fiddle either way. You knew it, and he knew it too. 

‘Here then,’ exasperated, Munson grabbed the turkey leg on the plate, took a rough bite out of it, and followed it with a big chug from the tankard. ‘Sufficient proof for you, princess?’ he asked, still chewing. But, of course, your mind immediately swerved to the fact that if the meal was indeed poisoned, the toxins would need time before taking effect. And in that time, which he would know how much that was, he could probably find a needed antidote. But he did not seem the man to take such a risk. He wouldn’t perform such an act if it was not safe. Not for your sake. He may seem caring now, but he did not give a damn. Why should he? There was nothing for him to gain out of it.

But he ate the meat with enough ease to make you immediately regret letting him eat your food. 

‘Please,’ he said once he put the food down, ‘it would be a shame for it to get cold.’ 

You gave him an unsure look before hunger took over your mind. The second you reached for the food, there was nothing else anyone could do to stop you from eating everything on that plate. 

It could have been your starving status, but you could have sworn that it was the most delicious meal you had ever consumed, so rich in flavour it was bringing your energy back to you simply by its taste. You couldn’t help the ecstatic moan that escaped you. 

Munson chuckled, ‘yeah, it’s good, isn’t it, princess?’ You did not respond, too occupied by drinking the ale. Never before had you enjoyed the drink's flavour, but it was like ambrosia, coming directly from the gods to you. 

Nothing was said until you finished your plate, coming close to licking it clean. All this time, the captain watched you. Eyes like that of a hawk pinned in on you, catching all your movements, surely analysing them to take advantage of in the future. All you could hope for was that something by your new appearance could throw all that off by just a twinge.

‘Will you keep staring at me like that?’ You felt bold and so let your words out as they came. See how far you could take it. 

‘Can’t blame me with such a sight before me.’ He leaned back in the chair. ‘But no matter how you dress, you’ll always be my princess.’ 

You gagged at his comment. ‘I had to get out of that disgusting dress.’ 

The captain glanced over at the discarded material on his bed. ‘Yes, I can only assume that must have gotten uncomfortable, but you could have just said so. I’m sure we could have found you something else to wear.’ Yes, say this now, why don’t you. Of course, that makes it all sound so reasonable. You were growing increasingly impatient with this man, if that was even possible. 

‘Yes, well, if you didn’t want me taking your clothes, you didn’t have to keep me in here–’

 ‘I have no problems with you wearing that.’ Munson glanced over your body again, and that cold chill that became almost synonymous with the captain to you ran down your spine.

‘Was there a specific reason that I had to be here?’

‘I couldn’t have you running off, could I?’ He checked the tankard, just to find it, much to his disappointment, to be empty, but he still smiled as he put it back on the desk.

‘You could have locked me in my own cell.’ 

‘Thought you would have preferred a bit of comfort for once.’ He said, still looking at the cup. 

‘I do not need comfort,’ you have slept on the ground for weeks, or so it felt, at least, and you could barely remember what it was like to sleep in a soft bed. ‘Besides, your bed feels worse than the floor.’ 

‘You know how to insult a man, don’t you.’ Clearly, by his bemused face, you did not. Whatever you did, the captain was unphased. ‘And after I gave you a nice warm meal, let you wear my clothes.’ He clicked his tongue in disappointment, which was a few steps too far for you. 

‘No– but… I can tell what you are doing. So you can stop this whole charade, because I can see right through it.’

‘Oh, can you now?’ He leaned closer, with his whole body over the flat top of the desk, ‘enlighten me, then.’ 

You quickly searched his eyes for an escape as your mind reached for something to say, but no words were coming out. Munson gave you a few seconds before he smiled and leaned his forearms on the desk.

‘Do you think so little of me? That I am incapable of kindness or decency? There isn’t always a snake hiding in the grass, my dearest.’ It was hard to tell when he wouldn’t stop smiling his wicked and mischievous grin. How could you not think he had schemes up his sleeve when he looked like that. 

‘I think we are both aware of how much you are capable of. And I do not want to have anything to do with it any longer.’ It had been a long day, one after many of such kind, and you did not want to have more to deal with when it came to the captain’s antics. Whatever he was brewing, it could not be good.

‘Are you saying you did not enjoy tonight?’ his eyes toned disappointment, which felt like a mocking stab directed at you. ‘I really would have imagined you to be more thankful, darling, and yet, here you are accusing me of poisoning your delicious food, then questioning my intentions, assuming I am taking advantage of you... While I’ve done is keep you and my crew safe. I couldn’t have you roam around free on the ship, possibly damaging it, or, even worse, yourself.’ Liar, you thought, you were scared I would try and escape.

You glanced at the bone that remained from your dinner. It wasn’t sharp enough to stab with, but maybe if you swung hard enough, it could do some damage. 

‘Do not act like you suddenly care about me or anyone else. Do not mess with my mind because, in all fairness, you cannot.’ Not anymore.

‘I was doing nothing of such kind. But even if—’ Munson got up back, placing his hands behind his back. ‘I will be honest with you, darling, so do not take this as an insult, how could you, if I agree with you– I do not care what happens to you. Not personally. As much as you do not care for me, I assume, at least.

‘But to keep you here for the amount of time it will take me to get you home and get my reward, I sure as hell hope it will be worth it.’ The way he emphasised “hell” made you flinch. ‘And I don’t think your dear daddy would like it if his princess returned home harmed. That could cost me– you understand this, don’t you?’

‘And keeping me locked in a cage, underfed, dirty and miserable– that is how you think I should be treated?’ 

‘You get to live in more luxury than my men, dearest. Or would you like to scrub the deck too?´ He was quick in his responses. But your mind was stuck on what he had really meant in his earlier confession.

‘So, what, I’m an investment now?’ you were worth plenty to him, just not in the same way a human should appraise another human’s life.

He smiled, clicking his tongue again. ‘Isn’t that what a tradesman would call it?’ 

‘A tradesman?’ you scoffed at the idea. ‘Is that what you think this is? A trade?’ Your father was a tradesman. Never could you imagine him acting in such heinous ways to keep his business running. 

‘Is it not?’ He looked around as if the surroundings were a clear answer. And perhaps they were but for different reasons. 

‘Yes, of course. You rampage and kill and torture and destroy. Arrive anywhere and steal whatever you can handle without mercy.’ You remembered how you were dragged out from underneath the table on the Red Tail, right across the ship and the bridge onto the Hellfire. ‘How is that not pure and earnest trade?’ You mocked with a roll of your eyes.

‘I know it must be hard for you to understand, but business at sea is no easy feat. It is a game of survival above anything else. The decision of sailing out to sea may as well be a death wish.’ He kept his tone calm, steady, and yet filled with condescension. He was speaking to you as if to a child and, even worse, trying to feed you a false narrative of heroism and bravery– the exact opposite of what he was.

‘You’re disgusting,’ you wanted to spit the words at him, but your throat was too dry. ‘If you think you can trick me into thinking that you are some kind of hero or that you saved me–’ was this really the narrative he believed to be leading? And was he trying to convince you of such tales? It felt ridiculous and, in all fairness, disrespectful.

‘That is what you don’t seem to grasp, princess,’ his voice suddenly turned softer, intimate. As if he was about to let you in on the deep secrets of the universe. But simultaneously, something was brewing underneath it. ‘There is no such thing as good or bad. No heroes or villains. Some fight for their beliefs while others fight because they are told to.’ His voice grew stronger, sterner. ‘And when you come across the second type, you may try and reason with either side, but you will find that to be impossible. They are simply pawns fighting a bigger man’s game. If you’re lucky, you might get through to some, but in most cases, it is easier to fight it out, much more reasonable, actually— violence is the only universal language. If you sit and think about it, we are all the same on either side of a war. There is nothing to be scared of in one man. It is everything around him, what he stands for, and the aftermath of the battle that scares most.’ His final words were emphasised with a violent tone, but he still held back on how he truly felt. 

‘I–’ you had no words to respond to his little speech. Not when his golden brown eyes were still soaking in your colour. ‘This is no war,’ you finally said, ‘You demolished my vessel and abducted me like a feral monster!’ 

No insult would penetrate his tough skin, however. His eyes were just as deep and cold as any other moment of the day. ‘You can call us devils, or whatever you’d like, darling, but the truth is…the real monsters– the ones you should really be scared of– do not show their true colours. You will never know you’re in danger until it is too late.’ 

You had no words to respond to what he had just proclaimed. The room was filled with the dying flickering of candles and heavy breathing from both of you as you tried to regain your stable heartbeat. The captain glanced over at the map on the wall and spoke his next question still looking at it. 

‘Do you hate me?’ Was his expression sombre or fatigued? And yet you felt like he was hoping for the answer you gave. 

‘Yes,’ you responded without hesitation or stumbling. ‘“Despise” would be a better word for it, in fact.’ 

Despite most likely already having several replies ready, he wondered,  giving you a moment to collect yourself. With one of his hands, he rubbed his stubbled chin in thought. That stubble had been a new addition to his look. As you had noticed, he was usually a man to regularly shave, but something must have kept him away from the blade.

He turned around, his back facing you. He had broad shoulders, which you could see rise with each breath he took, even with the layers of clothing over them. He seemed to be encapsulated in the ocean’s silence, too deep in his thoughts. You were almost comforted by it until he quickly turned back to face you.

‘Splendid.’ For a sober man, he had the stature of a village drunk, a short attention span, and an erratic nature to his words and actions,  ‘And tell me, if you wouldn’t mind—’

‘Why do I get the feeling that I will.’

‘Now, now, let me finish.’ he held his hand up for anticipation and halted for a second before announcing his question: ‘Why do you despise me so?’ 

‘Why?’ you scoffed, feeling as if you had made your reasons loud and clear any moment you had spent with the man, ‘It is not like you have given me a reason to feel anything else but severe distaste for you. Let it just be the fact that I have been held prisoner on your ship for days.’

‘Yes, dragged you from underneath the desk, you poor thing,’ he said with distance. ‘But it was not me, however, who performed said dragging. So, again, please, princess, why do you hate me?’ 

 ‘It is not like you have given me a reason to feel anything else but severe distaste for you. You are a vile and mannerless man, with no morals or— are you even listening?’ As you talked, he kept looking at the map, walking across the room, seeming to have no interest in you as you sat on his thrown answering the question he himself had asked.

‘Yes, yes, do not let my vile mannered and moralless existence disturb you.’ One of his brows furrowed, but you doubted it had anything to do with you or what you said. ‘I still find no reason in this for your personal hatred towards me.’ He could not be serious. You refused to believe so. And his large interest in the mural was beginning to bring you on edge. 

‘Is there something wrong? Because I can tell you that I had not touched your precious little map of yours—’

‘Oh no, that’s not it. Don’t you worry you're pretty little head, there will be no cruel punishment for you… just yet.’ He smiled, stepping closer towards the map, letting his head hang from side to side. ‘Yes… I see.’

The curiosity was eating you alive, but would he tell you if you asked? There was only one way to find out. 

‘What is it?’ 

Captain Munson did not answer, and you assumed he, once again, was simply ignoring you when he suddenly clapped his hands with an exclamation and turned to you. ‘I had my suspicions when the island we just visited felt unfamiliar, but well, it’s making sense now.’ 

‘That what?’ 

‘It seems we have sailed terribly off-course for the past two days.’ 

In other words, you were lost. 

Chapter 4...

thank you so much for reading!! if you want more of where this came from, check out my masterlist.

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[dimwitted-roseu]

HELLOOOO

another killian fic. you know it. this one was requested by one of my sweet anons 🫶🏻 so of course i had to make it reality.

reader is a princess stuck in the early stages of an arranged marriage when she meets our sweet pirate and confides in him of her sorrows.

pairing :- killian jones x fem!reader

warnings :- none

song :- love story by taylor swift (just a few lyrics are used)

"heart's desire."

"we were both young when i first saw you."

"(first name), darling; keep up would you?" King Cyril demanded as he strode over to a large ship. The Jolly Roger. It's captain and crew were allied with their kingdom and the king insisted on his precious daughter meeting their on-seas informer.

"Captain Jones, my daughter; (first name)."

The king smiled, introducing her to the pirate who looked slightly surprised at the somewhat frustrated looking woman in front of him.

A small smirk played at Killian's lips as he sized the young woman up. She was beautiful he'd admit, but a spoiled brat; he was sure.

"Your highness," he greeted, a hint of mockery in his voice as he took her hand and brought it to his lips. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

(first name) glared at him for a moment before nodding.

"And I, you. It's not everyday I get the honour of meeting our most prized ally."

With her words, King Cyril just about ran off to attend to some other duty, leaving the two to a very awkward first conversation.

Killian watched the King hurry off, a knowing smirk making it's way onto his lips as he looked back to the princess in front of him. His gaze now curious as he looked her over again. She was young. It was a surprise she hadn't been married off yet. Or maybe she had.

"Is that right? You know, you could've atleast attempted to sound happy about it, love."

He replied, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

(first name) folded her arms across her chest.

"Oh, I'm thrilled."

She replied snarkily as she looked around at the pirates milling about. Eyeing them, her gaze flickered back to Killian; her tone slightly curious.

"What exactly do you do, Captain Jones? For the kingdom, I mean."

He laughed in reply as he leaned against the railing of the ship.

"Oh, I provide...services," he said vaguely. "Information gathering, escort duties, the occasional raid to keep our enemies on their toes."

His grin widened, revealing a hint of mischief.

"But let's be honest, love. I'm here because your dear father thinks I can charm the information out of the enemy's leaders."

Though, his expression sobered up slightly after seeing how distracted she was while listening to him talk.

"But enough about me, what's got you so distressed? He asked somewhat gently.

(first name) blinked, taken aback by the sudden change in tone. She considered whether to open up to this stranger. But something about his genuine curiosity put her at ease.

"It's just..." she sighed, looking out at the horizon. "I feel trapped, like there's no room for me to breathe in that castle. Everyone expects me to be this perfect princess, but I don't want that life. And to top it all off, my father's getting me married to a right pompous fool."

She turned back to him, her eyes searching his face.

"Do you ever feel like you're living someone else's dream?"

Killian listened intently as (first name) spoke, his expression softening. He could relate to feeling trapped, especially given his own troubled past. When she finished, he pushed himself off the railing and stepped closer to her, placing a tentative but comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Aye. I know exactly what you mean," he said quietly. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm just playing at being a pirate captain, if it's really what I'm meant to be doing."

He shook his head, a wry smile tugging at his lips.

"But then I look at my crew; moronic as they are, at the freedom we have out here on the sea...and I know this is where I belong. Even if it's not always easy."

His gaze met hers, a small smile on his lips.

"As for marriage, well...I wouldn't know anything about that."

"Thank you, that was...strangely comforting. I'll get going now. I'm sure my father will be expecting me."

She replied giving him a side smile, nodding as she took her leave.

-3 months later-

"Look straight!"

"Shoulders back!"

"Stand up tall!"

It was time for Juliet's wedding dress fitting. The old seamstress kept barking orders to the poor woman, so she closed her eyes, thoroughly annoyed by the whole ordeal.

"I closed my eyes and the flashback starts I'm standing there..."

She tried to distract herself by thinking of her husband-to-be and their lavish wedding which was planned but only images of the charming pirate filled her thoughts. She had grown closer to the man over the months as she remembered all the enticing things he had done for her.

flashback

"...on a balcony in summer air."

(first name) crossed her arms as she looked down at the pirate standing below her high window as the wind blew in.

"Are you going to come here, or do I have to drag you down myself?"

"That you were Romeo, you were throwin pebbles..."

Killian said in a raised voice with a grin, as he continued throwing small rocks at Juliet's window pane to get her attention.

"I'll have you know, that is a most inappropriate way of talking to your future Queen."

(first name) yelled back haughtily, but couldn't help the smile that made it's way onto her lips as she continued in a lighter tone.

"I'll be right down, just give me a minute."

Killian's grin widened at her response, clearly pleased with himself. He leaned casually against a tree, waiting for her to come downstairs.

"Well, make it quick, love. I haven't got all night."

His eyes sparkled with mischief as he watched the window, eager to see his 'future queen' again.

present time

(first name) snapped back to reality as the seamstress tightened the corset strings around her waist

"Okay, I cannot breathe."

She complained, looking at the elderly woman with a pout.

The seamstress huffed and loosened the laces a bit before stepping back to survey her work. (first name) exhaled sharply, relief washing over her as she could finally take a full breath again.

"There, that should do. Now, shall we try the skirt on?"

The old woman bustled off to retrieve the heavy silk garment, as (first name) sighed, rolling her eyes.

-fin

AN :- what do we think? is it too long tho 😔 ok bye leave comments 🫶🏻

°alo°

masterlist - next

[teddybeartoji]

MICKEY'S SELFSHIP STATISTICS: ALTERNATE WORLDS

▹ miji - detective au; he's the grumpy and older, more experienced one and i am the weird new guy who manages to surprise everybody with my skills (i am autistic)

▹ mitoru - con-artists au; aka idiots in crime. we keep fucking each other over but there are no hard feelings other than the lovesick ones. i hate to admit that we do work really well together though......... but we're not partners. we are not. we're not. (he disagrees)

▹ mizai - office au; he doesn't seem to be working ever, just constantly bugging his coworkers instead of actually sitting down to do anything. he's also blatantly following me around the building; if i go to the cafe, he's in the cafe. if i go to the printer room, he's suddenly now in the printer room. he's really annoying and when i realized that i might have a crush on him i actually just slapped myself.

▹ misu - apocalypse au; please don't make me go into detail abt this i don't think it'll end well.

▹ mikuna - pirate au; he's the captain and i sneak on board his ship and just pretend that i've been there the whole time. of course he notices right away, but he doesn't say anything bc he's a little shit like that. gives me some gnarly tasks just to try and push my buttons, he wants to see for how long i'll keep this up before trying to just jump ship the next time we board but i never do. he has an eyepatch. i fear that i am his main entertainment there.

▹ michuu - bodyguard au; he's just trying to do his job but ever since i found out that he blushes kind of easily, i haven't stopped trying to make it happen over and over again. he's really sweet though. i think he likes me<3

▹ mihime - royalty au; the princess and her devoted knight. a brat and her loyal dog. but she's very easy to tease and she gets really easily flustered aswell and i just love love love her cute little angry face. it's very obvious that she has a crush on me:333

▹ misho - partners in crime au; but the crimes are way more serious than mitoru's theft and robbery:33333 let's just say we get our hands dirty a lot, yeah? (something ghostface duo something something)

▹ miwa - volleyball rivals to lovers au; he underestimates my darling smile and gets his ass beat in a match and he's not the same after that. plans for a death rematch but then finds himself getting pushed against the wall in between games with me inches away from his flushed face. (he is a loser)(i will make him my boyfriend)

▹ miten - strangers stuck in a lift together au; this is not an actual au i realize but i am still going to call it that nonetheless. it's only the two of us in there and we're both trying to act very cool bc the other person is so good-looking and so neither of us want to embarrass ourselves. but we are in there for like literal hours and so by the end of it we're making jokes about dying then and there and it's just the perfect way for us to bond, yk? he asks for my number when we finally get out (he stutters just a little).

▹ miromi - meet-ugly au; another one that's not really an au but just a trope buuut fuck it we ball. we run into each other at the grocery store and he drops his carton of eggs all over the floor (and me). and this happens more than once. one time i dropped a can of soda and it just exploded fucking all over the place. oh and btw we both always clean it up ourselves, so now just imagine this tired looking guy in a full suit mopping up soda alongside with a tired looking guy in hello kitty pants. it's uhh.. very romantic<3

[ginevrastilinski-ocs]

EAH OCs Finally!

After my fancast (so so proud of it!), finally here to introduce my Ever After High ocs! Gonna tag @manyfandomocs my boy bc it's totally his fault. 🥺💚

Albert "Albie" White - future White King; while the White Queen and his sister Chessie escaped Wonderland, he was left behind and trapped in his world Goes to Wonderland High; Chase Redford ship FC: Archie Renaux

Raya Genie - the future Genie In The Lamp; a Rebel because they don't want to live most of their life trapped in a lamp Her roommate is Meeshell Mermaid; TBD ship FC: Nora Dari

Mayura Peacock - future Peacock Princess; absolutely Royal baby; has so many different names in different languages so simply goes by Peacock lol Her roommate is Farrah Goodfairy; TBD ship FC: Natasha Liu Bordizzo

Fauve Pan - future Peter Pan; refused to pick a side until Poppy came out with the "Roybel" thing and she simply loved it lol Her roommate and ship is Wisteria Darling (and they were roommates lmao) FC: Madelyn Cline

Wisteria Darling - future Wendy Darling; former Royal, becomes a Rebel because she wants to have her happy ending with her love and not grow up and marrying someone else like her mother Her roommate and ship is Fauve Pan (and they were roommates!) FC: Bailee Madison

Eileen Hook - future Captain Hook; Royal bc she can't wait to have her own ship, crew and generally being a pirate (well, she would prefer not give up her hand, but is ready to do it if she needs to) Her roommate is Melody Piper; Cerise Hood ship FC: Melissa Barrera

Clarion Nutcracker - future Nutcracker; Rebel just out of spite bc she actually likes her future, but wants to be a nightmare for Milton that bitch; absolutely not named after Clara idk what you're talking about Her roommate is Duchess Swan; TBD ship FC: Sadie Soverall

Janice Grimm - future Milton Grimm aka keeper of the stories; acts like she stands for her father's rules, actually wants just to burn down the Storybook Of Legends bc she doesn't want to curse and lock up her baby brother for years and years duh (also, she wants her friends to be free to choose their own stories and not be their parents); Her roommate is Darling Charming; TBD ship FC: Kaylee Bryant

Wallace Grimm - future Giles Grimm; he's sure to be adopted so he doesn't actually worry too much about his destiny since he thinks he can break the rules by being not related by blood; also, everyone else at first think he doesn't have a destiny bc they don't know about Giles existence; follows mostly Royal subjects so... technically a royal? But after Poppy he's way more a Roybel His roommate is Sparrow Hood; Hunter & Ashlynn ship FC: Hunter Doohan

Damita Danish - future Princess On The Pea; Royal baby; mainly lives on vibes; only thing that I know for sure that she has so many troubles with sleeping and she hates that Her roommate is Rosabella Beauty; TBD ship FC: Millie Bobby Brown (might get recasted ngl)

Devon Gale - future Dorothy Gale; 100% Royal since he can't wait to visit Oz (but he understands why some of his friends want to have a different destiny) His roommate is Alistair Wonderland; TBD ship FC: Joshua Bassett

[queen-rainy-love]

Trying this again because this was posted too early and I might as well get it done before Thanksgiving Break.

Again, thanks to @nightmyst14-blog for this inspiration. Let's try this again.

Set in my AU verse.

To Oyster: Mother taught me everything I know about the family business.

From Oyster: My darling pearl. One day, this House will be yours.

To Captain Caviar: Thank you so much for taking care of my mother and I. Better than my jam father.

From Captain Caviar: Even if we ain't jam related, you are my daughter.

To Black Pearl: While I'm looking for your pearl, stop threatening father and innocent Cookies!

From Black Pearl: My little pearl, you are the princess of the Duskgloom Sea.

To Abyss Monarch: There's underwater cities!? What is it like?

From Abyss Monarch: I'm proud to call you as my step-granddaughter. I also apologize for Electric Eel.

To Peppermint: I love your stories. It's like I'm there.

From Peppermint: Thank you for giving me a new home. Let's talk with the sea again.

To Squid Ink: I think I found some shines you might like. Which one do you like the most?

From Squid Ink: Kind...like sister...

To Puffer: You're such a ball of energy that you could give the Pearl Soldiers a run for their money.

From Puffer: You have to teach me how to climb up to the chandelier!!

To Sorbet Shark: No more pirate ships! They're nothing but trouble!

From Sorbet Shark: Ooooo Ooooo!

To Clotted Cream: We made some promises as children that need to come true!

From Clotted Cream: My dear childhood friend. We have a list that we need to get through.

To Wildberry: You better take care of Clotted for me!

From Wildberry: I've heard stories about you from Clotted Cream. Are you sure you're not a paladin?

To Red Velvet: You had a rough start with Clotted but you really are like a Cake Hound. Sweet.

From Red Velvet: I've heard you're good with a blade. Let me know if you ever want to train.

To Pastry: It's nice to see you doing well.

From Pastry: You...look familiar...

To Financier: You know it's fun to let lose every now and then.

From Financier: How you haven't got thrown in jail is beyond me.

To Candy Diver: Thanks for helping father during the Duskgloom Sea. But why are you completely covered?

From Candy Diver: *happy sounds*

To Crunchy Chip: I don't think I've met a Cookie who made me feel like this before.

From Crunchy Chip: You're strong like Cream Wolf. My equal.

To Braised Abalone: We're not our grandfathers. We don't need to go down this path.

From Braised Abalone: You and your family are cowards for what you did to my family.

I hope you guys enjoyed this super early relationship chart post about Bubble Pearl.

[akagami-no-laney]

To live up to him

“Did I scare you?” Shanks sat next to his daughter, who was reading a book in the shade of a large palm tree.

Laney looked up at him confused: “No, why? I heard you coming” she asked.

The girl noticed her dad’s weird face: he was smiling, but it wasn’t the usual happy one. He looked… concerned? As if he had done something to be ashamed of and feared her judgement.

“No I mean… the other day when Kidd Pirates came to fight”

“Oh, I see… well, I was concentrate on my book and I didn’t expect you to fly over me, but there’s nothing more than that” she told him. She was with his uncle when her father fought with that pirate and she asked the man where her father was going. Benn simply lightened a cigarette and answered: “It looks like he saw something bad”

“Are you sure?”asked again the Captain.

“Yes daddy, why do you ask?”

“I don’t know…. You avoided me since it happened. I thought that maybe you didn’t like what I did” he explained.

Laney didn’t answer for a moment: she had no reason to be scared or judge her father’s action. She wasn’t stupid, she knew what could happen in a fight and later the man explained her what world have happened if Kidd managed to attack the other ships, her father did the right thing.

“Dad…. Do you really mean that? Or someone else suggested it?” She asked, upset.

“Well, Uta talked me about that” he confessed.

Laney sighed: “Who would have thought… You can tell to your little princess that I’m not a coward. And I remind you that you’ve done worse the day mom died”

Shanks was about to respond, but he stopped: how could he be such an idiot? How could he not remember what his little girl had seen that day?

“Laney, darling… You’re right, I’m really sorry” he apologized.

“Maybe next time think about it first” she suggested. She didn’t care if her words were disrespectful, both to her father and her captain.

Shanks was speechless: he closed his eyes for a moment, cursing himself for not being able to be the dad his daughter deserve. Why? Why it had to be such a struggle? It was so easy with Uta!

He stared at the blue sky, asking himself what could he do to fix this situation.

Next to him, Laney was to mad to focus again on her book and his presence didn’t help much.

“What you’re looking at?” She asked after a while.

“I wish your mom could send a little help… Although she’d ask to a seagull to poop on my head, as a punishment for what I said” he answered with a sad smile.

And here we are again! Laney thought: no matter what, she couldn’t stay angry with him. She loved him too much and she desperately wanted him to love her.

“Dad, this is not the problem! It sounds like you have a good opinion of me when you talk with your friends. So please, explain me why every time your other daughter implies that I’m weak, I’m a coward or I’m not ready for a pirate life your opinion changes!”

“Wait, wait, wait babygirl, that’s not true! It’s just… till now you have only seen me as a chill pirate, but sometimes things are different and she thought you might be scared. This time she seemed to be concerned, she had no intention to diminish you. I should have told her about that day, she doesn’t know the full story”

“Yeah, you should have thought about that. And I kinda did the same thing when someone tried to bully my friends. But you should know that, since there always was a fleet ship nera home ready to inform you about everything”

Shanks laughed: “You’re right darling! You’re partially responsible for your uncle’s grey hair!”

Laney smiled: “It’s 80% your fault. Anyway dad.... I would have done the same thing, had I been able to” she said, lowering her gaze.

Her words hit Shanks like a wave: again, how could he be so dumb? Laney knew everything about his life sa a pirate, both the good and the bad side, he had never sugarcoat his adventures. He gave her the instruments to understand that world, but he never taught her how to face it, and she could’t learn it by herself: she needed his help, just as he had needed Roger and Rayleigh's help in the past.

He stood un and held out his hand: “Put that book down and come with me princess”

“If you keep calling me like that I’m not going anywhere. And where should we go anyway?” She asked.

“Let’s say there are a couple of things I’d like to teach you”

[nightwolf-525]

Oh, heck yeah. Someone please write this!

I’m no good with Pirates, plus my better half says I’m not allowed to start another project until i finish the ones I’m on. I swear guys they are my entire impulse control.

Anyway, just imagine it!

Red is a pirate captain because instead of growing up with Bridget she grew up with Hook for a father. She sails the sea with her crew robing trading ships and stealing gold and jewelry from any royals they happen to catch.

Then, one day, they board a ship that is taking Chloe, the princess of Cinderellasburg, off to a different kingdom for an arranged marriage. Chloe is of course not happy about this, but she definitely not happy about her ship being overrun by pirates either.

She puts up so much of a fight(by which I mean she’s trying to fight against the men that have her and keeps telling about how they will all pay for this) that they take her to Red.

Chloe is dropped in front of the most gorgeous woman she’s ever seen with long flaming red hair and eyes as dark as the sea. “My parents will have your head for this!” She spits out.

The woman, or Captain as Chloe can guess leans down eyeing Chloe from head to foot. Chloe hates the way it makes her shiver.

“Tienes una boca enorme, princesa. tal vez debería darle un mejor uso.”

Chloe doesn’t know what the Captain says, but the crew around her is laughing and jeering and she hates it. She tries to stand and is roughly shoved back down to the ground, her dress tares slightly at the knee and she can feel her skin bleeding.

“Careful!” The Captain barks, “We don’t want any damaged goods.”

Chloe is equal parts grateful for the captains order and disgusted. Is that all she is? Damaged goods?

“Chester, take her to my cabin.” The Captain orders. Dark eyes locked onto Chloe’s.

Chloe is lifted, thrown over the shoulder of some ridiculously muscular man and carried away. She doesn’t bother fighting.

Chloe finds herself left in a room that’s surprisingly comfortable. There are heavy red drapes hanging on the windows and dark furs covering most of the room. There’s a table with several maps spread out and many other tools Chloe assumes are to help with navigation. There are also many small chests, no doubt filled with stolen goods sitting in all corners of the room. Chloe freezes when she sees the bed. It looks warm and soft, covered in a bright red quilt and dark furs.

Chloe glances at the door, it was locked from the outside she was well acquainted with the sound of doors locking. The captain likely wouldn’t be back for awhile, right?

Chloe decided to screw it. If the captain doesn’t want damaged goods then they may as well suffer Chloe to sleep in their bed.

Red returns to her cabin to find the princess sound asleep in her bed. She laughs quietly at the princess’s audacity, but leaves the girl to rest. After all, she has no intention of actually harming the innocent girl.

When Chloe wakes up the Captain is in the room. Sitting in a red plush chair, just watching her. Chloe scowls, “are you just going to stare all day?” She demands, “like I’m one of your stolen goods you have to watch and make sure it doesn’t get damaged?”

The Captain says nothing for a long while, just watching her. Chloe can feel their eyes running over her body like fire and she fights not to shiver again

“Me pregunto si productos dañados es lo que preferirías ser, princesa.” The Captain says, voice low and gravely. It does things to Chloe’s body she would very much rather ignore. The princess squeezes her thighs together and glares at the Captain. 

Red takes note of the way the princess in her bed reacts to her voice and grins. But the princess is clearly still mad “if you’re going to speak do it in a language I understand, Pirate!” She seethes. And Red really likes how fisty this princess is.

“I was simply wondering why you felt the need to claim my bed, princesa.” Red says

The princess’s scowl remains in place. “If you are so worried about damaged goods that you insist on keeping me here then you will suffer me lying wherever I please.”

Red hums, “I will get a ransom for you either way, princess. I could just as easily throw you in the brig or let my men have you.”

She sees the fear her words bring to the princess, though the girl makes a valiant effort to hide behind square shoulder and tilted chin.

Red sighs and stands, walking over to her table and grabbing a piece of parchment and a quill. “I will write to your betrothed,” she says “and if he still wants you, he will pay. What condition you arrive to him in is up to you. If you behave, princesa, no harm will come to you.”

“Behave?” The princess asks

Red nods, “listen to what I say, do as I tell you, don’t make a fuss. This will all be over quickly and you can return to you disgustingly handsome prince with his wondering eyes and hands.”

By the way the princess doesn’t react Red can only assume she knows of her betrothed’s habits. The Captain feels sorry for the girl honestly. Unfaithful partners were a horrible poison that plagued this world.

It turns out that ‘behaving’ was not as horrible as Chloe expected. The Captain seemed to really only order her about when they were both out of the cabin, and even then it was only “stay put princess, I don’t want you getting caught underfoot” or “princess, put that down. I don’t want you hurting yourself.”

Of course, none of that accounted for the way the Captain looked at her when they were alone, and sometimes even when they weren’t, or the way the Captain still spoke to her in other languages at times. Chloe could tell the Captain knew exactly what they were doing. Standing a little too close and whispering things into Chloe’s ear that made her body burn even if she didn’t understand the words.

The worst part? Chloe didn’t want the woman to stop. She had never felt more alive then she did now with the Captain’s body hovering right behind her, hot breath on her neck. Chloe had been trying to reach a book, but the shelf was too tall for her, she tried jumping but that only survived to create enough disturbance that the Captain, who had been busy studying their sea chart, took notice.

With a large warm hand holding firmly onto Chloe’s hip, the Captain reaches up, pulling the book from the case with little effort. Chloe shivers at the contact. She gave up hiding how the woman affected her days ago.

The Captain sighs behind her, grip still firm “Podría arruinarte por el príncipe. Arruinarte por cualquiera menos por mí-“ she says, and Chloe doesn’t understand, but she grasps the meaning well enough. She leans back, body falling into the Captain’s much firmer one. The hand on her hip moves up, spreading wide across her stomach. The only thing between her skin and the pirate’s hand is the cotton of the shirt she’s borrowed.

Chloe gasps when her hair is swept to the side and the Captain’s voice is hot right against her ear “Prueba mi control más que ningún otro, princesa.”

And Chloe burns. She burns so much she can’t take it. She’s never had the freedom being with this Captain makes her feel and she knows her betrothed won’t touch her like this. She needs to know what it feels like.

“Please,” she whispers and the Captain’s body goes still against hers. “Please what, princess?” And Chloe finds herself being turned before she can answer. Her back hitting the bookcase and the book in her hands falling to the ground forgotten. “Haven’t I given you enough?” The Captain asks. Something in her dark eyes Chloe doesn’t recognize. “I’ve given you my bed, my clothes, my food, mi corazón, ¿Quieres mi barco también, princesa?” And Chloe doesn’t know what the Captain is saying anymore, but she’s so close and the way she sounds with this other language falling from her red painted lips, Chloe can’t help herself. She reaches out, grabbing onto the Captain’s red hair and pulling her down, crashing their mouths together.

And Chloe doesn’t know what she’s doing, but the Captain sure does. She presses up against Chloe, further trapping her against the bookcase. One large hand on Chloe’s back and the other reaching up to tangle in her blue curls. The Captain tugs, a little too hard, but Chloe can’t bring herself to care. The Captain forces her head into a perfectly tilted position, changing the angle of the kiss and Chloe gasps. The Captain takes the opportunity to absolutely plunder the princess’s mouth, much like she would any merchant ship.

Chloe is panting, chest burning from lack of air and other places burning from lack of the Captain’s touch. “Please,” she pants when the Captain moves her mouth to Chloe’s neck, sucking on the soft skin.

“Say my name,” The Captain demands, words harsh but her hands are gentle as she cups Chloe face. “Say my name and I’ll take you away. Anywhere you want to go. You’ll be mine and never have to go back to that Prince.”

Chloe stares at the Captain. That’s everything she wanted. Freedom. Freedom to see the world. To not be forced to be some wretched princes bride. “I don’t know your name-“ Chloe breathes, hands clutching at the Captain’s red cotton shirt.

“Red-“ the Captain murmurs against Chloe’s lips. “Say my name and you’re free, princesa.”

“Red.” The Captain kisses her again. “Red, Red, Red.” Chloe repeats, over and over as the Captain, Her Captain pulls at her shirt.

Ima end it there. You get the idea

Chloe and Red but they're pirates

[wellfell]

  ──  𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐒.   : 014. one piece

I. PRE-MARINES.

 akina's father was a powerful man in the town , the marines and government relied on him partly to make their connections and pour money in their throats for the operations . he had a ship , and an attic room in their mansion full of unique treasures brought from the seas , gifted to him either by marines or pirates he'd been secretly working with . and one day , when akina was around five or six , she found a devil's fruit in one of the chests . ate it , yet nothing bizarre happened . nobody even knew what was inside the chest .

 growing up , she learned self defense with twin blades . a traditional war weapon of her ancestors that had to be taught how to handle and respected . marines would come and go to their mansion , for dinner , for meetings , and she's never been interested in one single one of them . nor lingered to chit chat for more than five minutes .

 it happened long years after the pirate king's treasure was free to be taken by anyone who's lucky , it fascinated akina and she couldn't think of anything else . her father didn't sail to the seas to find the treasure per say , it was a trip , a short circle around the island and they'd come back to that boring city . but the weather didn't seem to agree , it dragged them further from their home , and toward the heart of the sea . someone had pushed akina off the railing when the ship was waving like a mad man , caught in the wild tides and sharp roars of the lightning .

 the water was pure black , silent , and akina didn't know how to swim . she resurfaced a few times , screaming for help , the captain tried to throw a rope . her family was inside their cabins , safe and sound , yet it was akina who came out to enjoy the glory of the storm . no matter how the captain tried to order her to go back , she jumped on a railing with a grip on a rope and stuck her tongue out at him . she regrets it now , drowning in the cruelty of the ocean . . . yet something else happens . when akina was almost unconscious , the gift of the devil's fruit ; a whirlwind , waterspout and in the middle of it all akina's unconscious body floating on the air .

 when she opened her eyes , she was laying on the warm sand , sun grinning down upon her and a piece of thick wood under her . the marines found her , not knowing what happened to the ship and her family . and akina didn't tell them , she lied , as a talent she's learned from young age . ' a sea monster caught us , only i survived . ' and they had no choice but to believe the sole survivor of that tragedy . her family's funeral was almost as great as the death of the pirate king , everyone from everywhere came to give their condolences to akina mori , the one who had apparently tamed a sea monster — how ridiculous .

nicknames : little sparrow , my little angel ( by her father , until she was older than five perhaps ) , dove , darling girl .

II. WITH THE MARINES

 the marines commander gave her a few weeks to mourn her family , to adjust to the solitude of her new lifestyle . in a house , big enough to devour her , all alone with a gardener and a cook .

 but after a while , he was suggesting ( – it was a command , akina couldn't see another option than saying yes to it ) , that she'd come with them to the sea . to protect the ship , from sea monsters . perhaps because he didn't believe her lie , or he was simply trying to punish her for surviving and not letting their wealth pass over to him . the commander would be more than happy to accidentally throw her in the sea again to have all the wealth and riches to himself as her father's will mentioned . first anita , then akina , and then , the commander himself .

 she'd aimlessly wander around the ship , stare at the water at nights , hope to see a siren . she'd try not to come close to any of them , she'd miss home and hate being ordered around so casually .

nicknames : princess , little girl , monster-tamer , miss mori , witch .

III. POST MARINES ; THE RED PIRATE .

 she's grown tired of their rashness , of their attitude . of their violence . the plan to leave them was much different in her head , than what really happened .

a pirate attacked them one day in the heart of the sea . a red rose on the front of a very pale ship , their flags deep red , their captain as handsome as an angel . andro was his name , or the name he gave akina when he introduced himself . she was hiding under a few corpses , she has no idea how he found her , but he told her he'd celebrate his victory against the marines by taking the infamous monster tamer to his own ship , as a trophy , as protection better than anything he'd ask for .

 the man's heart was easier to pierce than his ship , akina was more fascinated by his words and the beauty of his ship , rather than anything . he was free , he was telling stories about freedom . the way to his bedroom was a little troublesome , but the crew learned to respect her too after she killed their captain in his sleep and declared leadership ; as a ' witch ' , as a ' monster tamer ' , who had more chance against three men left alive than a whole crew .

 later she learned the ways of the piracy from the young navigator , all other men killed and thrown to the sea thanks to her dead captain's guns . now she roams in the seas with the kid , bas , who learned to care for her like his older sister . the first and only crewman akina ever got .

nicknames : red pirate , siren , snake tongue , double trouble ( her twin blades ) , oi cap cap ( bas )

 the second revelation of her powers happen when her navigator is killed . on a small island where they stopped to resupply , by a drunk man who keeps spouting poison . ' a woman can't lead shit ! ' akina's rage was silent , but her powers didn't accept it ; the ground shook . she held the boy in her arms , remembered what he told her one evening when akina spoke about why she was called a monster tamer in the first place . the real story . ' captain , please don't do it again . ' but now she could , now she was allowed to kill everyone in that town , destroy the ground . let it swallow them all before closing again . that was when akina realized , her powers were still there . just waiting for an opportunity to come out and cause chaos and surprisingly , it didn't please her at all .

 all alone on the sea , she was easier to be caught .

IV. MONKEY LUFFY

 luffy finds her binded to a tall stick in the middle of the town . the marines were less kind with her , and the commander had successfully gathered her father's wealth and power . no one would nor could stop him from executing akina mori , and he probably had every right to do so after hearing about her crimes .

 it was luffy's kindness that saved her , and a little bit of recklessness . akina didn't let a marine touch him when she was free , but didn't hesitate to call him an idiot for doing such a dangerous thing . ' some people are worth being a little stupid for . ' was what he responded with , that stuck with akina forever it seems .

 unlike the other two , akina was less opposed to the idea of being part of his crew , and calling him her captain .

nicknames : mori mori , siren eyes , just akina .

      LONG STORY SHORT ; she accidentally killed her family during a thunderstorm in the sea because of her powers , after eating the devil's fruit . and later became the ' protector ' of marines against sea monsters because she lied about her survival from the thunderstorm and told them a sea monster caught them . a pirate attacked the marines and took her to his ship , which she manipulated and killed in his sleep . taking over the ship w little to no crew and once again getting caught by the marines after years because she lost the only crewmate she got .

so they bound her and wanted to hang her the day after luffy came and saved her . now she's in his ship , and she's loving the fact that she's not the boss .

      additional information ;

akina's pirates were called red pirates when she was a captain .

her powers are unknown , to her and everyone else . they only appear when she's experiencing extreme emotions of rage and fear ; otherwise she's just as normal as i am . honestly .

it's usually destruction , nothing small , so it probably hurts or kills the ones she actually cares for too .

she has twin blades .

after the incident with bas , she tries to stay away from deeper connections in case something happens to them and she unknowingly causes such mass destruction again .

there's a scar on her left brow .

she has a snake tattoo on the small of her back , and a pretty ' A ' under her left eye .

loves wearing tiny rings .

THE FRUIT SHE ATE : boom boom fruit . / WEAPON : twin blades , twin guns she stole from her dead pirate lover . / COLOR ; red . / LOYALTY ; marines ( formerly ) , andro ( formerly ) , luffy . / PIRATE NICKNAME ; the red pirate .

[luna0713hunter]

Please more writing for shanks! It's so good

Author's note : I've come back from the death!!!i just had one of my final terms today and saying im exhausted to bone is a misunderstanding. Anyways!!!i hope u enjoy this!!

A safe place to rest

Shanks x reader

Summary : being a pirate,may seem like an easy job. But after fighting marines and looking after your crewmates,you cant help but to feel exhausted.

Warnings : none,hurt/comfort,overworked reader,pet names such as "princess,darling and etc", gender neutral ,metion of blood

*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘˚˳°*.✧∘

Peeling the bloody shirt off of your body and throwing it on the wooden floor of the ship,you sit heavily on your bed and heave a heavy sigh; today was exhausting.

It started out like any other day;with you waking up to your crewmates loud banter and getting dressed as you made your way over to the kitchen to have a simple breakfast. Soon,a small land was found,and it was time for reloading the stuff you needed to sail off again.

Helping everyone was as always,a challenge. As you tried to stop your crewmates from making any mess,and at the same time remembering every single item on the list. And simply putting them in the storage had took all your afternoon rest. And if that wasnt enough,everyone on the ship had agreed to go out and drink because it's been a while since you had hit the land.

And if your day wasnt exhausting enough,all hell broke loose as you stepped inside the bar.

Everything was good for the first thirty minutes. That is,until a group of young marines had barged in; seemingly have heard from the locals about the pirates luring around.

The fight was ugly.

You take your head in your hands as the images of the fight flashes across your eyes;the sickly smell of blood still lingering in your nose.

Gods above,you were beyond tired. You were ready to crawl under your blanket and never get out,when a gentle knock broke you out of your trace.

You hastily throw a clean shirt on,and slowly open the door only to be greeted by a flash of red.

Shanks,your captain, gives you a small smirk as he takes in your appearance and leans against the door frame.

"comfortable there, princess?"

You give him a confused look before taking a good look at what you're wearing and then your cheeks are burning bright red. You swallow down your embarrassment and fold your arms against your chest with a slight pout.

"your fault for leaving it in my room,Cap."

Shanks lets out a free laugh and raises his single arm up in mock surrounder.

"dont get me wrong. I love to see you in my clothes more than anything."

You hum,a slight comfort taking place in your weary bones as you lean against the door as well.

"more than wine?"

Shanks leans slightly closer,and tucks a strand of hair behind your ear,and you try to look away when he gives you the softest smile.

"more than air itself,my dear."

You lean in his touch shyly and look up at him from under your lashes.

"would you like to come in then, captain?"

Shanks nods and closes the door behind himself.

Its not his first time in your room;after all,its been a while since the two of you started dating. But it still made you slightly awkward having him in your messy room.

A slight tug at your hand and warm fingers interwining with yours,makes you look at the red haired man standing in front of you.

"what're you thinking about,doll?"

And just seeing him there;in the comfort of your own room and under the soft glow of the candles;in his cloths,has you letting out a soft sigh and leaning your forehead against his shoulder.

"I'm just... exhausted,Shanks. Today was alot. Everything is alot."

A strong arm wraps itself around your shoulders and pulls you flush against his chest. You feel Shanks' lips press firmly against the crown of your hair and you close your eyes upon the feeling.

"Take the day off tomorrow. No,take a week off;a month if you need,my dear. It kills me to see you wear yourself thin,and I've been meaning to ask you to take a break. Lets just,rest until you feel better yeah?" You raise you head up and look at him,only to see him smiling softly;his hand caressing your hair, "no need to push yourself. My princess deserves the best."

You blink rapidly;only to get rid of the stray tears stinging your eyes. A small smile tugs at the corner of your lips before you're pulling yourself up on your tiptoes,and pressing your lips to his stubbled cheek.

"i appreciate it,Cap."

A horse chuckle escapes his lips,and before you know it, you're being lead to your bed.

"then how about we start from sleeping this awful night off. What do you say?"

And when you pull him down along with you and let out a relaxed sigh as you lay your head on his chest,a genuine smile finally blooms on your lips.

"sounds just wonderful,my love."

And you let the sound of Shanks' soft breathing and waves,lull you to sleep.

[tabibitto]

Hey sweets<3 can I request hcs of Beidou (and Arlecchino if you write for her) finding out her s/o is the lost Princess of Khaenri'ah?

Hey Darling <3 Such a unique request I hadn’t expected myself to write about two of my favorite lesbians (fanon) yet BUT thank you for bringing me the opportunity to. I hope you like it :)

[ request ]

m.list

Ship: Beidou x Feminine Reader, Arlecchino x Fem Reader

CW: angst, comfort, fluff, mentions of death, slight Yandere in Arlecchino's

Notes: Dude ngl my dumbass misread and thought it said oneshots not hcs and i was balls deep into a story when i went back up and was like welp. Shit. LMAODNEKENE

Beidou:

Although the Captain of the Crux Fleet is one of the most accepting and understanding people you know, telling her was giving you so much fucking anxiety

You’d lied to her about your origins, contradicting your promise to be Honest to her

You loved the cute nicknames she had for you, but you couldn’t stand being called her princess anymore with all the conflicting feelings in your heart, plaguing your mind when she used it at night

The time of day that allowed your mind to wander too far from your sanity

It wasn’t a surprise, but a huge weight off your shoulders when you told her your past

Crumbling to the ground of your shared bedroom as she followed suit, cradling your sobbing form in her arms as you babbled incoherently about your trauma

How you were meant to protect your people as Beidou did hers, yet could do nothing but see everyone and everything you knew burn to the ground

you were powerless against the divine holiness of Gods

And you hated yourself every day for it

Constant reminders of your responsibilities as Monarch, the random surges and lust for power and righteousness when you gave orders

Anything from how to deck the ship or the pirate’s positions on the battlefield. You felt that power, it made you feel good. For that short moment you were the Princess of Khaenri’ah, rightful heir to the Khaenri’ahn Throne. Rightful queen of the godless humans and protector of your realm

Yet looking around you..

Ah, right, you were any other person now. Simple and common as the people you protected

Once, at least

Beidou listened to every word, and when you were done, wiping tears away to look at her carefully, you could see the sadness and tears in her own eyes

She understood you, she felt your pain and it made you cry more

From that day forward, she was more gentle and patient with you when out and about in Liyue or Inazuma

Beidou paid more attention and realized the way you looked longingly and sadly from a high point on land downwards into civilization and realized you were reminiscing

And you were eternally grateful to her for all the times she brought you back to the here and now, with her. Not the fire and blood of 500 years ago to a people you could only remember, and nothing more.

She would make your days special and happy, nothing had to be grandiose or fancy, simple things like giving you a massage, breakfast in bed etc

She always did, though the captain made an effort to show you how smitten she was every chance she got

Because unknowingly, that night as she held you protectively as if you would too burn away, she made a promise

That she would do everything in her power to ensure you wouldn’t loose her, and the people you loved

She would protect your kin and take extra precautions when on land

Beidou could not handle to see you so destroyed

She wouldn’t allow it. It would be too much for you

So for as long as you gave her with your heart, she would nurture it until one day she would be too old in comparison to your eternally cursed, young and unwithering complexion to take care of you

Arlecchino:

You were number 2 of the Fatui Harbingers. Quite a High rank, and somehow higher then that of The Knave.

Even when you two began dating, you hadn’t revealed to her why

She, by strength believed to be stronger then you and depending on who you asked, would tell you who was more cunning

The only person who knew of your origins was Her Majesty The Tsarista and Pierro, Number 1 of the Harbingers

It wasn't like you had to tell Pierro, he just kind of already knew

How could The Jester forget the Harlequin who ruined his original plans for Khaenri'ah

Who he had blamed on bad days for the destruction of his nation

You only silently took his anger, you understood it

But Pierro Also knew that you only had so much say in political power

This unspoken beef between the old man and her girlfriend was... unfathomable to her

I mean sure she was not one to like him to begin with but to witness firsthand his distaste for you was...fucking weird

Weather it be lack of skill in digging into your past or because she didn't have the balls to do that to one human she cared about you would never know

Arlecchino decided to put it aside and ignore it, you hadn't told her the truth because ain't no fucking way Pierro just has a bone to pick with the Harbinger a rank below his for no reason

In all Honesty, sometimes she wishes she never found out

It didn't make her love you any less

But it made her weaker

A word that hadn't been in her vocabulary since her joining of the Fatui

She was known and disliked by Childe to have no permanent loyalty to anyone. Her promises and honesty wavered towards whoever benefited her more

Yet when it came to you, she would be the one to act a clown to make you happy, and keep you safe

So when You pulled Arlecchino aside one day after an argument with Pierro who was across the coffin of your fallen friend, La Signora, the fair lady

Arlecchino could not stand it and demanded you he honest with her

To which you responded, more like screamed for her to get out of the cathedral. Though your face was hidden from the rest, she saw your look that meant for her to go somewhere else in order to get her answers

You spoke quietly but with determination

"I am The Lost Princess of Khaenri'ah. I was first in line to my family's throne. I both failed in my duty as monarch and protector of my nation."

She stared at you with wide eyes, her hands curling into tight fists.

"Pierro dislikes me because he believes it is my fault for the loss of our people, i won't blame him. But he too, did not succeed in convincing my father to change the order of things in order to survive. He can't blame me for everything. If I, his daughter and first heir got neglected what did HE think he was gonna do?!" You yelled angrily

Taking a deep breath you apologized and Arlecchino pulled you close after ensuring no one could see you

Oh yeah, your fruity relationship was a secret

not because of homophobia, the fatui could care less who was the Fuckee of choice was to Arlecchino

She just knew that someone would pull some dumb shit in order to either piss her off or for personal gain

The only collective thing anyone in this damn group agreed on was disliking The Balladeer, besides that it was a free for all deal

which meant someone here could harm you to gain acess to Arlecchino's secrets and weaknesses and have no repercussion

a curse and a blessing as a result of absolute authority from the Tsarista to The Fatui

From then on and like never before, Arlecchino would make sure you would not be in danger

Like ever

She held your hands more tightly when you walked down the hall or in public

The Knave pulled your hood closer to your cold-bitten pink cheeks to disguise your beauty

Arlecchino was more on the defensive side when Pierro even dared to look at you the wrong way

You were untouchable and precious

only for her to have and love

Her pretty princess, her only true queen as much as she would have to say otherwise in the presence of the Cryo Archon

You were hers and she was yours

Everyone and everything else could burn to the ground

A thousand more nations could be smothered into dust and Arlecchino would not care as long as you were by her side

and no matter which you were promised to, she would whisper in your ear sweet reassurences that it wasn't your fault. Nor your intention

weather you were the sweet and caring type or as cunning and ruthless as her, she looked at you with a set of wings and a halo upon your pretty head

Hypocritical yes

But as long as your smile warmed her cold days and your safety was most ensured

The world itself could burn down, she held her own in the palm of her hands each night she held your face to her own

As long as her world was safe, nothing else mattered

No one else mattered