#one third sea shanties

[possibly-a-table-or-just-gay]

i made a playlist because.

[strangelittlestories]

Captain Hook was in the process of making a third pirate walk the plank, when his first mate came up to the deck.

“Where is it?” Hook snarled at the pirate, brandishing a cutlass at his chest. “I know one of you must have taken it!”

“Uh, Captain Hook, sir?” The first mate piped up, nervously. “What are the crew walking the plank about this time?”

“Someone’s taken my Taylor Swift CDs! And they’ll pay for it.”

The first mate groaned. There was nothing more sure to upset Hook than someone messing with his playlist.

“Now, now, Captain.” cajoled the first mate. “Maybe we can listen to some Ke$ha instead?”

“I can’t listen to TiK-ToK! It reminds me of that damned crocodile. And you salty dogs should all know that!” In a rage, Hook advanced down the plank, forcing the poor pirate another step back towards the brink. “Well, I’ll show you what happens to thieves on my ship. There’s a blank space in the ocean, baby, and guess what?”

“You’ll write his name?”

“At the very least, I’ll put an ‘X’ there!”

“Captain! Perhaps we could just … download the music? You know, illegally?”

“That’s piracy, you foul cur!” Hook turned to his first mate with murder in his eyes. “What, would you download a flintlock? A dinghy? Would you download a mermaid, you foul tempest-botherer? Would you split her into bytes and force her through the sieve of our terrible wi-fi? Would you use all our data to torrent a whole-ass mermaid?!?”

“Well, we are *pirates*, sir?”

“But what about the record labels’ profits, you shucked oyster of a man? What about their projected turnover? Did you think about the turnover??”

“Okay, no downloads, sir.” The first mate held up his hands in surrender. “How about a sing song? We could do a shanty?”

“I’m sick of shanties!” Hook turned back to the pirate on the plank, cast the cutlass aside and dropkicked him straight into the sea. “The plankings will continue until the music improves!”

“Right you are, Captain. Sorry, Captain!”

The first mate fled back below decks. As he reached his hammock, the dismayed look on his face was replaced with a devious smile.

He took the walkman out of its hiding place and inserted a CD, then popped on the earphones. He began to quietly sing along:

“It’s Smee. Hi. I’m the problem, it’s Smee.”

[hey-august]

WC: ~750

Warnings: Nothing explicit, just implied / suggestive. Buggy x GN!reader, fluffy af

Buggy needs his nighttime routine. It’s when he winds down and pampers himself. And now, you.

Particularly stressful days will end with Buggy stomping around the kitchen and waiting for the kettle to come to a boil. He’ll fill three mugs with the scalding water - one with dried chamomile buds for you, another with fresh ginger and lemon for him, and the final one holding a small container of rosemary hair oil.

By the time he pads back to your shared room, the chamomile flowers have unrolled. The tea is still too hot for either of you to drink, but you both continue to repeat the same mistake night after night. Slurping sips followed by belated hisses trying to cool the offending liquid. Then the drinks are set aside and forgotten.

Buggy picks out the rosemary oil container and spreads the warm oil on his hands with some added castor oil. While he runs the mixture through his hair, aqua eyes peer back at you. Any chance he can, the pirate peeks over his shoulder with a silent but insistent request. Sometimes you speak up sooner, but other times you wait until Buggy’s slouched over the edge of the bed, rubbing oil into the ends of his hair, and giving off morose sighs. When that happens, you settle yourself behind the sad clown and massage his scalp, rubbing in the remaining oil.

You wrap your legs around his waist like a belt. Buggy rests a hand on an ankle and caresses the soft skin with his thumb. The absentminded shapes he traces follow a composition that eventually slips from his mouth in a low hum. Sea shanties, popular ditties, bar tunes, melodies from years gone by, all soothing soundtracks backed by the creak of his ship and the sound of surf.

Buggy’s oiled hair is braided neatly for the night and then comes the next part of his routine. A part that you’re no longer allowed to help with.

He scrubs himself clean with a rough towel and the water in his water basin. This is a practice that he’s carried through his life. A vigorous scour with water that is a little too chilly for comfort leaves Buggy feeling refreshed. You can’t achieve the level of exfoliation that leaves his skin pink, so you use this time for your own washing routine. The still-hot water from the third mug and a softer towel are more your style, anyways.

Once clean, it’s time to moisturize. Honestly, this was surprising to you the first few times you spent the night with the captain. He was just as particular with his evening products as he was with his face paint.

A few drops of castor oil are rubbed on his face. You bite back a smile, thinking that must be why he has such wonderfully bushy brows, jealousy-inducing eyelashes, and his oceanic stubble always peeks through partway through the day.

Then comes lotion. You always think Buggy squeezes out too much of the cottony-white lotion, but it ends up being the perfect amount. The smell of menthol fills the room as covers his body. Floating hands work to rub the soothing ointment into aching muscles and tender joints. The hard work is rewarded with sighs and groans.

You wanted those rewards for yourself and had offered to help previously. The first attempt ended with the tingling lotion rubbed somewhere too sensitive to continue any type of massage. With the second attempt, you subverted the situation before squirting out the minty lotion and reached for a different container instead.

Buggy learned his lesson and you weren’t allowed to assist anymore. After he seals in the lotion with a layer of cocoa butter, the pirate turns his attention to you. Although he wouldn’t let you run your hands on his body, he was still allowed to touch yours.

Instead of using Buggy’s special ointment, you had your own. It was a little runnier and smelled earthy and floral. Large calloused hands spread the lotion across your skin. His touch glides along your body with tenderness and purpose.

For Buggy, the intimacy in these moments is more than enough. Although his body reacts to the feel of yours, he doesn’t do anything more than press kisses to your forehead and temples.

Once you are both properly moisturized and your bodies are weary from the routine, it’s time to gulp down the forgotten tea and curl up under the sheets to sleep.

The bed smells like a garden - loamy soil with happy flowers and herbs. It also smells like comfort, bedtime, and love.

[lookninjas]

Anyway, pick a song based on one of my bad descriptions. You do not need to recognize any of these songs (although there are, as always, band names and random lyrics and breadcrumbs mixed in). Just pick whichever description sounds most appealing, or funniest, or anagrams out to something clever, or however you make your random decisions. At the end of the poll, I will put the songs into a playlist, from the song with the lowest number of votes to the song with the highest number of votes, and share the playlist (plus links to each individual song).

If you would like me to tag you when the playlist is done, leave a comment or put it in your reblog somewhere, and I’ll make sure to tag you. If you desperately want to know what one particular song is and don’t want to wait a week, shoot me an ask and I will answer.

And please reblog! More reblogs = more votes = a more interesting playlist.

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

Here’s Why Everyone Is Talking About A Pirate Drama That Ended In 2017

Black Sails has been described as Game of Thrones with pirates

If Black Sails kicked off in 2020 instead of 2014, it certainly would have thrown fuel on the raging fire that was TikTok’s sea shanty obsession. The reality is that this TV series aired on Starz from 2014 for four seasons, coming to a close in 2017. So why is everyone talking about it now, a decade after it began?

Black Sails is coming to Netflix very soon, triggering its fans to emerge from the woodwork and promote the show online. ‘I am SO excited for people who’ll be watching this show for the first time,’ one user wrote, with many others recommending the series to fans of Game of Thrones. With House of the Dragon still a few months away, here’s why you should tune into Black Sails this month.

New To Netflix: Black Sails

What Is Black Sails About?

Black Sails transports us back to 1715 – aka the Golden Age of Piracy. Set in New Providence, an island in the Bahamas, we meet the feared Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) who brings a new younger crew member into the fold (‘Long’ John Silver, played by Luke Arnold) as his crew continues to fight for survival and negotiate their space on the island.

Is Black Sails Based On A Book?

Black Sails was written as a prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic novel, Treasure Island (1883).

Is It Based On A True Story?

While Black Sails isn’t based on a true story, it does trace real events. The first season focuses on the hunt for the Spanish treasure galleon Urca de Lima, a real ship that sank in 1715 near Fort Pierce in Florida (where it still lies). Season two traces the fallout of Urca de Lima’s treasure being stranded in Florida, strictly guarded by Spanish soldiers while pirates prowl the shores. The subsequent third and fourth seasons then look at the war for the control of New Providence between the pirates and the British Empire – a la Pirates of the Caribbean.

Likewise, some of the characters are based on real people. Real pirates fictionalised in the show include:

Blackbeard (Ray Stevenson)

Anne Bonny (Clara Paget)

Benjamin Hornigold (Hakeem Kae-Kazim)

Jack Rackham (Toby Schmitz)

Charles Vane (Zach McGowan)

Ned Low (Tadhg Murphy)

Israel Hands (David Wilmot)

Meanwhile, Captain Woodes Rogers (Luke Roberts) – who represents the British Empire in seasons three and four – is based on a real English sea captain and slave trader, and subsequently the first Royal Governor of the Bahamas.

Was Captain Flint A Real Pirate?

Captain Flint is a fictional character who was first created by Robert Louis Stevenson in Treasure Island. He has since appeared in multiple works of fiction, including A. D. Howden Smith’s Porto Bello Gold (1924), John Drake’s Flint and Silver (2008), Pieces of Eight (2009) and Skull and Bones (2010), and J. M. Barrie’s Peter and Wendy (1904).

Where Was Black Sails Filmed?

Black Sails was filmed in Cape Town, South Africa, mainly inside at Cape Town Film Studio. Because the real city is so different today than it was in the 1700s, Nassau – the capital of the Bahamas, located on New Providence island – was built from scratch in a studio over a period of four months, as were two large water tanks to house the series’ two ships. Some scenes were filmed outside in and around Cape Town when new terrain was required, but most of the series was filmed on set.

The Cast

The cast of Black Sails is incredibly large, but key characters to know include:

Toby Stephens as James McGraw/Captain Flint

Hannah New as Eleanor Guthrie

Luke Arnold as ‘Long’ John Silver

Jessica Parker Kennedy as Max

Tom Hopper as William ‘Billy Bones’ Manderly

Zach McGowan as Charles Vane

Toby Schmitz as Jack Rackham

Clara Paget as Anne Bonny

Mark Ryan as Hal Gates

Hakeem Kae-Kazim as Mr. Scott

Sean Cameron Michael as Richard Guthrie

Louise Barnes as Miranda Hamilton/Barlow

Rupert Penry-Jones as Thomas Hamilton

Luke Roberts as Woodes Rogers

Ray Stevenson as Edward Teach

David Wilmot as Israel Hands

Harriet Walter as Marion Guthrie

The Trailer

Interested? Here’s the trailer for a taste of the action.

WATCH

All episodes of Black Sails are streaming on Netflix from 17 April 2024.

Source: Country & Town House

[universallydestinytaco]

The Little Smiling Mermaid (Chapter 1)

‘Twas a misty aftermoon when the sky was crowded with dark grey clouds and the airborne foul soared above the sparkling sapphire waves dancing with the gusty breeze guiding the sails of many a sailing ship, one particularly rowdy vessel was celebrating the successful aftermath of their latest battle with an infamous pirate crew. The leader of this unruly crew was the scrappy, rugged and sharp-witted Prince Charlie of the Dompler family. You’d be forgiven for assuming he was a mere swashbuckler than a Royal. Despite being the heir to the throne of his kingdom he was looked down upon his fellow Nobles for coming off as awkward, bumbling and unattractive. Charlie didn’t give two shits what the overglorified snobs thought about him because he’d rather prefer going on high-spirited adventures beyond the sea with his motley crew of sailors than waste his precious time on some boring luncheon just to get judged for merely being there.

“Damn son, you showed Salty who’s-who THIS time!” Chris cracked up as he raised his stubby hand to initiate a high five from Charlie, who happily accepted the offer. Tomar piped up: “Don’t forget how his little toadie Ketchup immediately ran and cried for his Captain for it once he saw you jump into the crow’s nest with the dagger in your mouth.” Lyle let out a chuckle when adding: “What a wimp.” The gang shared their own retrospective of the event with gleeful laughs. “Oh, I almost forgot-“ Charlie uttered, while revealing a bottle of high quality rum: “I swiped this before I left!” The sailors howled in delight at the treat their friend unveiled. “Charlie you sunovabitch, we love you!” cried Chris who already felt intoxicated by the strong smell reeking from the bottle. Charlie replied with a wink and a cheeky “finger gun” gesture before opening up the bottle and shouting: “Bring out yer flasks, maties!”

On the other corner steering the ship was it’s Captain whom they jokingly called “Mr. Boss”, he was also the closest thing Charlie had to a father since his own parents passed away sometime when the land critter was a merely a homunculi. Mr. Boss’ ears observed the rowdy party singing off-key in unison to a familiar sea shanty, a side effect of hitting the sauce. Mr. Boss chuckled and sang along with the crew as he navigated them back to their kingdom of Gremblonia.

“I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue And it's hey to the starboard, heave hoooooooo!!!! Look out, lad, a mermaid be waitin' for you-“

Charlie, who was a top the ship where the sails where draped, belted out with great gusto: “DOWN MYSTERIOUS FATHOMS BELOOOOOOOOW!!!”

~

Meanwhile, another kingdom below the surface, Meeplantica, the royal family was hosting a special concert in the Palace, peformed by the children of King Steven and Queen Bertha. Who was especially excited for this event was Alan Red, a lobster who was the designated royal composer and King Steven’s right hand man, who stayed up many moons writing new symphonies exclusive to the concert. “At last, I finally get to bestow my magnum opus.”

The anticipating crowd where greeted to the stage opening up revealing three large clamshells, with Alan raising his wand and the band began to play as two clamshells revealed the two eldest siblings, Damien and Amy, who harmonized: “Ah, we are the children of Bertha and Steven, great mother and father who raised us well!"

The third clamshell opened to reveal the youngest sibling…or at least it was meant to. The crowd gasped in shock as Alan has to do a double take in disbelief, Amy was holding back her urge to throw one of her classic primadonna tantrums in front of the crowd and Damien rolled his eyes knowing this concert was gonna hit a snag. Queen Bertha flipped out screeching hysterically while agonizing over where her youngest could be and King Pimling raised his fist and his trident to the sky shouting the name of his youngest in rage: “WHY THAT LITTLE-!!!!”

~

Within the outskirts of Meeplantica lay a shipwreck from long ago which would be collecting a lot of dust if it wasn’t literally underwater. Visiting this once bustling vessel was a cloaked sea critter carrying a tote weaved in kelp accompanied by a green guppy with a protruding snout, The critter wiggled his tail in excitement. “There it is, Glep! Isn’t it fantastic!?” As Glep finally caught up to his energetic and spontaneous friend, he got a good gander at the decaying exterior of the destination his friend had been hyping up all day…and he was disappointed to say the least. In a high pitched nasally gibberish he asked: “Eskewafibbyjibbywo! Jazazebayowozoio? (What a dump! Pim, you brought me all the way here for this?) Pim reassured: “It’s what’s on the inside that counts! Think of all the amazing things land critters have made that are just lying around under appreciated and unused…” he monologued whistfully while gazing through the window as some of his dark pink hair curls spilled through his hood. “I hope you’re not getting cold fins…but if you are I can stash you in my satchel for safe keeping.” Glep wasn’t scared as he was unimpressed, but he couldn’t leave Pim behind since he liked the guy. “Jazazewabozoyoboio. (Thanks, but I’ll stay here and watch out for sharks)” “Alright, this will be quick, I promise!” said Pim as he swam through the window and did a graceful twirl and a soft hum as he browsed through room-by-room. After acquiring some odds and ends like a pair of golden cuff links, opera glasses, a high heel and tons of silver wear, Pim finally came across an orient box gilded in gold. The ever curious mercritter popped the box open to reveal strands of stone beads and chains as well as a figurine of a couple holding hands almost as if they where dancing, just then Pim noticed the key on the back and wound it up, out came “twinkly” music and the couple finally started “dancing”. Pim was so mesmerized he fell into a dreamlike state with a tinge of envy over how both dancers had feet, humming to the ethereal tune. Once the tune stopped and Pim was about to wind the key up again, he heard Glep squealing in terror and immediately looked around crying out: “Glep! Where are you little buddy?!” He swam closer to where the sound was coming from and when swimming to the next sector of the shipwreck, he was greeted to Glep frantically swimming away from what wasn’t a shark but what could only be described as a “abyss demon”. Tall and spindly with what appeared to be a head with horns resembling coral branches and piercingly cold ocean-blue eyes staring into one’s soul. Pim grabbed Glep and swam for a way out of the abyss demon’s sight. Pim forgot the crucial advice from his grandfather from when he was just a little tadpole: “Don’t dive too deep into the abyss…you’ll get lost!” Oh if only he didn’t have a hard time remembering little things like that AND an addiction to thrills. He could hear the voice of his stubborn father nagging at him that he just doesn’t learn or listen. Pim slipped out another window and as the demon followed, only for Glep to slam it shut in his face and blow a raspberry at its squished face as he followed Pim away from the scene.

On an island surrounded with a collection of various discarded “human and land critter stuff”, another pink mercritter was casually chilling out while marveling at a crystal sphere slowly whispered in awe: “Nooooo waaaaaay…” He then heard two familiar voices coming closer to his ol’ swimming grounds. Looking into his scratched-up telescope, his smile turned into a grin as he jokingly shouted: “Yoooo mercritter on the looooose!” While waving his hand to signal his youngest cousin and his friend. Pim squealed back and frantically waved: “Hello Graham Nelly!!” Glep followed suit with a cheery: “Skawabezewayo (S’up bruh)?!” While the green guppy never liked how cold, conceited and haughty the rest of Pim’s family was, he did take a liking in his out-there cousin. He opined in his head: “If only the rest of the royal family where as cool as Pim and Graham”. Pim swam towards the sandy shore of the island where his cousin sat, going off: “You wouldn’t believe the adventure me and Glep had today!” as he opened his satchel and took out each item from the haul.

…

Graham laughed at Glep explaining his POV of the morning recap while he closely analyzed the treasures Pim unearthed, he observed a particularly fancy dinner fork engraved with the initials “M.P.” and declared: “Congratulations, my lucky friends, for you have found a dinglehopper! Actually there are a lot in this bag but this particular one is a certified righteous find.” The ever curious Pim of course asked: “What’s a dinglehopper?” “Dinglehoppers are what land folk use to comb their hair, I’ve seen fancy ones like this used by rich folk, but usually they’re more enlongated than this. It’s perfect to carry around and show off at events like parties and concerts!”

The last word had Pim remember something he was supposed to attend to earlier…but completely forgot which day it was. The small mercritter panicked: “Oh no the concert is supposed to be today! I think….Daddy’s gonna kill me!!” as he grabbed all his stuff and added: “I’ll see you later, thank you!!” Pim swam off in a hurry with Glep tagging along. “Catch you by the tide, kiddo!”

~ Back in the Abyss, the skeletal remains of a whale was permanently beached to the ground, inside was the dingy lair of one such infamous sea warlock who was as short-and-stout as he was also, to put it mildly, kind of a stinky little shitbag. He gazed upon his crystal ball watching Pim and Glep on their way back to the palace while grabbing a bowl of tiny crustaceans and crunching them between his teeth as he waited for the fireworks to light up. “Yeeeees…it’s all coming along nicely….one more piece to fall into place until I strike-“ his slow-witted henchman interrupted with a smartassed remark: “Say Grim, what are we gonna do tonight?” Grim gritted his teeth in frustration and replied: “The same thing we do every night, Gnarly: plot to snatch my deadbeat uncle’s trident so we can try and take over the seven seas!!!”

CHAPTER TWO DROPS NEXT WEEK

[greeenchrysanthemums]

A Friend

Gem brings her new friend to meet an old friend

I could not get this post out of my head. It was distracting me from writing my au, so I had to write it, or else I would never get anything done.

CW: past injury, implied torture, implied murder/death

Words: 3,444

❀ ❀ ❀ ❀ ❀

Pearl sighed from where she was leaning against the boat's railing with her head pillowed under her crossed arms, knees knocking together as she tapped one foot against the deck.

Who knew being out on sea would actually be so boring. It wasn't nearly as fun or lively as the stories of pirates and navy battles made it out to be. They hadn’t even sung a single shanty this entire time! She would have taken swimming alone for hours over this any day.

She was bored out of her mind; resorting to passing her time by watching the same cloud slowly shrink and crawl across the sky at the pace of a sea slug. It didn’t help that the same annoying seagull had been circling their boat for at least 5 miles at this point, squawking up a storm the whole time, as if to mock her personally. It was driving her absolutely nutty.

"I'm bored, Gem." She whined.

"No one told you to sneak onto my ship, Pearl." Gem said, amused. The other woman was sitting on a crate, whittling away at a small hunk of wood. It was too early to tell what she was making, but Pearl had seen many of her other carvings sitting in various place around the boat, and they were all animals, so if she had to guess, this one was probably another animal of some kind. She kind of hoped it was a wolf. They were her favorite land creatures so far.

"Well, no… but you let me stay, and I'm here now!" Pearl argued, "You should entertain me!"

Gem laughed. She put her knife back into the sheath on her thigh and shoved the chunk of wood into one of the many pouches around her waist. She walked over to the mast and lowered the sail, tying off the rope with practiced ease.

"If you're bored, then you're in luck, actually. We're just about in the right spot now anyway." Gem said, walking over to where Pearl was, which also happened to be where the anchor was bundled up on the deck. She raised a hand over her eyes to block out the sun as she squinted out over the sea, a hand planted firmly on her hip.

Pearl stood up straight and followed her gaze out over the water, expecting to find something there. She didn't see any landmarks of any sort, though. No islands, no other ships, nothing like that. The only thing she could note was maybe the birds circling over a particular part of the water. Maybe there was a school of fish in that area that Gem knew about?

"Are we stopping to catch some more fish?" Pearl asked, peering over the side of the boat to try and catch sight of some.

This would be the third time they've stopped to fish during their journey to the next town. She still didn’t understand fully why Gem couldn’t just get all of her fish from one area and be done with it. Something about different species and maintaining the ecosystem, or something like that. She hadn’t paid much attention; fish was fish to her.

"Mmm, no, more like a delivery this time." Gem said, tossing the anchor overboard.

Before Pearl had the chance to ask what she meant, something big moved underneath the waves. Pearl jumped away from the rail, her back hitting a barrel, which she latched onto to stabilize herself.

"What was that!?" She exclaimed. There were only a few things that large that came to mind at the sight, and none of them were good.

Gem laughed at the display as she rolled one of the barrels of fish over towards the side of the boat.

"That," She hefted it onto her shoulder with a grunt, the bells hanging from her headband twinkling with the movement as she planted one foot up onto the rail and tossed the barrel right over the side. It hit the water with a loud splash. "Was a good friend."

There was a moment of silence before something erupted from the sea, sending water flying in every direction. Pearl ducked behind the barrel with a shout as she was doused head to toe with salty water.

"Oh, come one!" Gem shouted with a bit of a laugh. What followed was an inhuman giggle, high pitched and almost similar to that of a dolphin's call. Pearl peaked around the barrel and her heart stopped cold when she was met with the familiar sight of what was unmistakably a siren.

Their webbed, clawed hands gripped onto the railing, holding their upper body out of the water. Pink and white scars covered most of their visible, pale skin, overlapping and criss-crossing each other in ways that suggested the healed over wounds were more likely than not intentional. Green scales the same shade as kelp started at their just barely visible hips and descended down towards what Pearl would assume was a tail of the same colour. There were fins on their elbows, and twitching gills along the sides of their neck.

Her gaze traveled further up towards a cheerful face covered in scars and a smile full of teeth sharp enough to tear her apart. The most noticeable one, and the one Pearl rudely could not tear her eyes away from, was a long scar that split the left side of their face. It was thick, jagged scar tissue that started at the corner of their mouth, cut through an empty eye socket, and went out of sight into their white hair, which was cropped down almost right to the scalp and messy.

"Did you have to splash me, too!?" Gem asked incredulously, wringing out her sopping wet braid.

"Of course not, but it was funnier." The siren answered in a voice far deeper than Pearl would have imagined coming from them.

"You've got to stop doing that when I bring new people around. You're such a pain!" Gem said, voice pitching higher as she ended her sentence off with a giggle.

"But you love me." The siren said, drawing out the 'e'.

Gem sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Unfortunately, yes I do." Gem said. She then marched over to Pearl and grabbed her by the shoulders.

Pearl let out an 'eep!' as she was pulled out from behind the barrel and presented to the siren. Was this Gem's plan all along? To feed her to a sea beast? To think that she came all this way only to end up right back where she started. She stood there stiffly as Gem threw an arm around her shoulders, pointed a finger up at Pearl's face, and said, "This is my new buddy, Pearl. Pearl, this is Etho. He's one of my oldest friends."

Etho raised a clawed hand and gave her a wiggly fingered wave, his eyes crinkling at the corners from the wide, toothy smile on his face. Pearl chuckled nervously and waved back, less enthusiastically. She wasn't scared of many other magical species, but sirens were one of her exceptions. She had a not so good past with them and their territorial tendencies. The scars on her legs and stomach pulsed with phantom pains just thinking about it.

"Anyway, with introductions out of the way, where're my goods Etho?" Gem said, releasing Pearl from her hold. Pearl immediately took the chance to step back and put the barrel between herself and the siren.

Etho's mouth made an 'O'.

"Oh, right! I'll be back in a sec." He pushed himself away from the small boat and dove back into the water.

"This guy," Gem said, shaking her head with a sigh. “He’s never prepared.”

"So, uh, why are we making a pit stop to bring a dangerous sea creature a barrel of fish?" Pearl asked, suspiciously eyeing the water that the siren had disappeared into. Gem turned to her and raised an eyebrow.

"Dangerous? Oh, please, Etho wouldn't hurt a fly," She said, and then paused, putting a hand over her mouth with a squint-eyed, thoughtful look, "Unless he had to."

"That doesn't make me feel better." Pearl said with a nervous chuckle. Gem's eyes widened and then her face split into a cheeky grin.

"Wait, are you scared of Etho?" She asked with a giggle.

"Who wouldn't I be?! He could eat me in a second flat with those big teeth!" Pearl defended, crossing her arms as her cheeks burned bright red.

"Nah, it takes sirens at least three days to eat a whole human being." Gem said, waving a hand dismissively.

"Gem!?" Pearl questioned, alarmed.

"I'm just messing with you!" Gem laughed, "But seriously, Etho won't hurt you, I promise."

As if summoned by his name, Etho surfaced not even a second later, sending another splash of water that just barely missed them onto the deck. Etho peeked over the railing with an excited look on his face, which fell into a pout when he saw that he hit neither of them with the water.

"Quite messing around, would you? Get up here and show me what you got me already, you big oaf." Gem said.

"i'm not an oaf" Etho said as he tossed a thick net full of junk onto the deck and heaved himself up over the railing. Pearl gasped and ducked behind the barrel again as the siren's lanky body hit the deck with a loud thump.

Pearl’s eyes widened when she saw that the scars weren't reserved for only his upper body. The scales all along his tail were patchy in places, thick scar showing through the gaps, and his tail fin was ripped in several spots. She couldn’t help but admit that she was curious what could have caused such extensive injuries to something as dangerous as a siren, a being capable of charming their way out of just about any situation.

Gem went to sit cross legged by Etho's side as he pulled the net bag into his lap, his tail folded to the side and out of the way. Perhaps getting the deck all wet wasn’t just to be a menace, but also to make sure he could sit up here without drying out too fast, she noted as her foot splashed in the half inch of water that had accumulated on the deck…How were they going to get rid of the water when he left?

Pearl stood awkwardly off to the side, not behind the barrels anymore but not far away from them either. She could hide if she wanted to. Not that it would help her escape from a siren song, but it was the thought that counted. 

"Find anything good this month?" Gem asked.

"Meh, not really." Etho replied before pulling out a few beautiful shells from the net and handing them over to Gem, who took them with a noise of excitement. "I'll have to start going further out soon. I've just about picked all the wrecks from here to Sirens' Cove clean of anything worth something."

"Hm, don't go too far. I don't need treasure so badly that you need to risk your safety..." Gem muttered, holding the shells up to the waning sun in order to inspect them. "Gods these are beautiful. Pearl, come look at these."

"Uh, um," Pearl stuttered. She would really rather not go over there. In fact, it was the last thing she wanted, but then Gem looked up at her with the most innocent and expecting smile, and she just couldn't say no. There went her plan of hiding among the barrels until Etho left. 

She hesitantly went over and sat on Gem's other side, folding her legs under her in such a way that it would be easy for her to dive to the side. Gem handed her one of the shells and she took it, turning it over in her hands. It was a pretty shade of rose pink and about the size of her palm. She didn't know what animal it came from, but it was beautiful.

She jumped backward when a clawed hand suddenly shoved itself into her face without warning. Her back hit the railing and her head knocked against the wood. She hissed through her teeth and rubbed the surely forming bruise as she looked up to see Etho holding a chain out to her. She looked back and forth between him and the salt water rusted chain before gingerly taking it from his hold.

It was a necklace with a rusty silver chain and a small clam shaped locket at the end. The hinges of the locket were definitely too rusted to get open, and the whole thing looked like it would fall apart in her hands at any moment. Despite this, she could tell that it used to be a beautiful piece of jewelry. Maybe someone on land would be able to restore it to its previous glory?

"For you. Because your name is Pearl," Etho said, looking proud of himself. Pearl raised an eyebrow. His face fell into a frown and he elaborated, "Clams make pearls?"

"Oh, thank you." She said, closing her fist around the trinket.

"Hey, I thought this was supposed to be my payment!" Gem exclaimed.

"It's still my stuff! You don't even take everything half the time, I can give away whatever I want." Etho defended.

The two of them glared at each other, clearly having some sort of a silent conversation, and Pearl felt incredibly awkward watching it. She was just about to try and mediate whatever fight they had going on, unwillingly to be put between an angry Gem and an angry siren, when the two of them poorly held back chuckles before bursting out in laughter. Pearl blew out a relieved breath and let out a chuckle of her own.

"I don’t want to cause any fighting," Pearl hesitantly said, holding the locket out to Gem. 

"You can keep that, Pearl, we were just joking around." Gem said, holding her hands up and refusing to take the locket.

Pearl looked down at the piece of jewelry and then shoved it into her blouse without needing to be told twice. She wasn't going to say no to free valuables. She would likely sell it once they reached land. She would need as much money as she could if she wanted to start a new life, after all. Maybe she could get more for it by spinning an elaborate tale of how she stole it from a siren.

Slowly they went through the entire contents of the bag, trying to determine what was actually of worth and what was just visually appealing. Pearl wasn’t really doing much, to be honest; only taking what Gem handed to her and giving it a once over before handing it back. It seemed to satisfy the younger woman though.

Pearl would occasionally flicker her eyes over towards the siren sitting across Gem from her, still somewhat convinced until halfway through their sorting that he was going to eat her. Her worries were quickly dispelled, however, much to her surprise. He was almost childlike with his excitement to show off certain goods to them, his enthusiasm and mannerisms actually quite endearing.

She also saw how close he and Gem seemed, an almost familial bond between the two of them. They talked and interacted with such familiarity that Pearl was led to believe that this really was a regular occurrence for them, and they seemed more than happy to include her.

She felt her heart warm in her chest the more she watched them alternate between play fighting and gushing over pretty knick knacks together. Her lips quirked into a smile as she examined another pink shell. She wondered how she had ever been afraid of him.

In the end, they split the contents of the net bag into two piles that Gem had dubbed "Goods for Gem" and "Etho's junk", which he gladly scooped back up once they were finished.

Gem stretched her arms above her head and arched her back until it popped, and Etho yawned wide, his clawed hand itching one of the patchy spots on his tail. Pearl yawned as well, and then her stomach grumbled embarrassingly loud. Etho looked over at her and giggled, causing Pearl's face to light up red once again.

"I think that's my signal to get something going dinner wise." Gem said, pushing off of the ground to climb to her feet.

"I'm getting hungry too," Etho said. He pulled part of the net bag over his shoulder, turned halfway around, grabbed onto the railing, and expertly flipped himself over the side of the boat, landing in the water with a slap that once again dowsed Pearl from head to toe.

She sighed. She had just been drying off from the first time. She pushed herself up onto her knees, shook water off of her hands, and turned around to peer over the side of the boat into the dark water. There wasn't much light to be provided by the setting sun, but there was just enough to see the general shape of Etho's head poking out of the water, bobbing along with the gentle waves.

"Are you heading out, Etho?" Gem's voice asked from beside her.

"Yeah, I've left those fish down there long enough. I have to get them home, or something will eat them before I get the chance to." Etho called back up to her.

"Alright, then, take care. Don't be a stranger." Gem said, giving him a broad wave.

"Bye Gem. Bye Pearl. It was nice meeting you. Safe travels!" Etho said before diving below the waves. Pearl gave a tiny wave goodbye; not even sure he had seen the farewell.

"Still scared of the big bad siren?" Gem asked in a teasing manner. She was busying herself with lighting the lanterns hanging outside of the cabin.

"Not really," Pearl admitted, "He seemed really sweet."

"He is a sweetheart," Gem said, "We've been friends for years now, and I've been supplying him fish just as long. It's a heavy blow to my profit, but honestly, I don't mind doing it for him."

"You never did answer my question," Pearl said, "Why do you supply him with fish?"

Gem looked hesitant at that.

"He hasn't been able to hunt very well since the...accident that caused all of his scars." She said after a moment, blowing out a breath. "His sense of direction isn't the greatest, nor is his vision, both a result of that injury to his eye that you saw. He's also not the strongest swimmer, so he has trouble keeping up with most prey long enough to catch anything. Things like sea berries, kelp, clams and crab aren't hard for him to catch, so it's not like he *needs* me to hunt for him, but he's always had a liking for the fish in this part of the sea."

She crossed her arms and set them on the railing, assuming a position similar to what Pearl had been in earlier before Etho showed up. She looked down at the rippling water with a pensive look on her face.

"When he told me he couldn't catch them anymore, I offered to bring them to him every few months in exchange for some treasure." She continued, "Like he said, though, I don't really need any of the stuff he brings me. I just know that he wouldn't take the fish unless he thought it was mutually beneficial to the both of us. He has a lot of pride like that, can't even let me do something nice for him just because I want to."

She shook her head and chuckled sadly. Pearl was silent, studying Gem's grim expression. She was beginning to realize just how big the other woman's heart truly was. Really, she should have realized it right from the very start. Not very many seasoned fishermen with Gem's kind of reputation would just accept a stowaway with open arms, let alone feed and clothe them on top of letting them stay in the same cabin as them. She was one in a million.

"Enough of that," Gem said, pushing herself away from the railing, "It's time to eat. I'm starving!"

Pearl followed Gem into the small cabin without another word, throwing one last glance at the now pitch-black waves, almost expecting to see a pair of eyes watching her. The locket felt heavy where it rested against her breast.

A friendly siren; who would have thought it. Only the gods above knew what else Gem had in store for her.

[spookshollow]

Hey! I love your writing! 💕

Could you please write something Shanks x Reader?

I love him! 😍

Thanks!

A/N: Thank you so much for loving my stories @commanderfreethatdust , I always wanted to write for Shanks ever since I've seen him in the OPLA and my god🥰, it did took a while to think of a idea, cause there was so many ideas and it was hard to pick one! But for this one I've been listening to like sea shanty music and quite like pirate vibe music so I hope you enjoy this story🥰🥰

A Drink For The Lady

Some things I go over quickly in the story as it mainly focus on the story between Shanks and the reader, but it is based during the foosha village, and there reader is a bartender

Shanks X Reader

All was lively in Foosha village, the red hair pirates had arrived and were celebrating, and it's Leader Shanks was having the most fun of all,

You smiled as you served Shanks his third drink of the night, everyone began to dance around and singing out songs they love so much, Shanks thanked you giving you a few coins but you shook your head no, he tilted his head in confusion,

"The drink is on the house, you don't need to pay" he put back the coins in his pocket, taking a sip of his drink, it had been since a week ago when the red hair pirates came to stay over at our village and you enjoy every bit of their time here, especially being near Shanks.

Shanks is quite an attractive man, a messy dirty attractive man to say, and for a pirate he was a gentleman, the most respectable pirate you have ever met,

Shanks enjoys your company as well the most, he told you stories of his adventures he love seeing you're eyes sparkled in excitement and wonder, he couldn't get enough of your smile, even little Luffy notice how Shanks looks at the bartender, little Luffy always visit the bar since Shanks had arrived in the village hoping to join Shanks crew, but countless of times you and even Shanks always try to tell him he is far too young to join the crew, but Luffy is always persistent.

You were busy with cleaning up the Bar when Luffy called out Shanks, you looked up and gasp, Luffy was holding a knife before he quickly stab it on his cheek.

"Luffy what were you thinking?" I scolded, as Shanks began to stitch up Luffy wound, "I wanted to show that I am strong enough to become a pirate" he hissed out in pain when Shanks did the last stitch in before sighing "my boy, you are too young to join my crew, maybe when your older and stronger you can join my crew" Shanks pat his head gently before getting up, walking over to the bar with you following him.

"Mind handing me a bottle of rum dear?" He said with a smile you couldn't help but blush with how he smiled at you, "coming right up, and it's on the house" just then you heard unfamiliar footsteps walking into the bar, "oh well look who it is, the great pirate Shanks right here in the flesh" you rolled your eyes when you realise how it was that came into your bar

"How many times have I told you Higuma, don't come in here if all you want to do is fight"

Higuma had been going into your bar for the last while just to pick a fight and it has to be one of those days when you didn't want any of it, "don't worry dear, I'm sure he's here for a drink? But I'm sorry to say but we drank everything" Shanks chuckled before lifting a bottle in eye view of Higuma, "all except for this I'm afraid" he turned his attention back to the bar again as Higuma came up besides him.

Higuma got the bottle and dropped it on the ground making all the liquid from the bottle splashed all over the floor, he laughed as he looked over towards you in mockery, "come on now, clean the floor like a good girl" you grabbed the mop and went to clean up but Shanks took the mop out of you're hands,

"You don't have to dear, here let me" you stood in shock as Shanks started cleaning up the mess Higuma had made, he laughed before walking off

"well look at here the great pirate Shanks is now nothing but a cleaning boy" finally leaving the bar, Shanks finished cleaning the floor giving you back the mop,

"Here you go all clean" you bow gently, putting away the mop, you started to laugh as you began to remember something, he asked why were you laughing, you walked at the back of the bar and opened a cabinet taking out a bottle and passing it to him,

"I have realised I've actually had more rum" Shanks and his crew all began to laugh wholeheartedly with you joining him, Luffy ran up wondering why they hadn't fought the pirate but all Shanks could just say, "because I didn't want my dear bartender's place destroyed" you rolled your eyes at the response before Luffy just couldn't take it anymore

"why don't you just admit your feelings for each other" you stood there frozen in shock as Luffy realised what he said, Shanks looked over at his crew but they stayed quiet leaving him alone in this predicament,

"Um, what?....Shanks" you were at lost of words, looking at Shanks who was blushing, rubbing the back of his neck, "Shanks likes you very much, the way he looks at you is enough to know he has feelings for you" Yasopp finally spoke up and everyone agreed to what he said,

You smiled softly looking down upon your hands, before Yasopp decided to get up from his seat, "how about we leave here for a bit, let the lovebirds be alone for a bit, Come on Luffy" as the crew walked out of the bar with Luffy followed behind leaving you with just Shanks and yourself.

You stand there in silence for a while, leaving Shanks sitting there awkwardly wondering what to say but couldn't so he stayed there in silence, you slowly walked around the bar as Shanks stood up, you were stood close to him, looking up at Shanks with wonder and hope that what Luffy said is true that maybe he harbor feelings for you just as you have feelings for him.

"So you like me for a while?" Was all you could say at that moment looking at Shanks as he try to think of what to say next, "I was mesmerised by your beauty ever since I've first saw you" you held your breath for a moment, You place you hand on his cheek, lightly tracing the scar he has,

"So is that your way of saying your in love with me?" He could only nod, closing his eyes and leaning into you touch, "well, I am in love with you too, my red hair pirate" he opened his eyes and smiled in joy, he lifted you up and began to spin you around, you giggled in his arms,

He slowly place you back down leaning his head against yours looking into your eyes and then to your lips, "may I have the pleasure of kissing you?" You whispered a yes, and he quickly press his lips against yours as you relish in the feeling that you always have dreamed of, the kiss was full of love and passion, he pulled back for a moment, he weave his hand through your hair noticing how soft it was.

"Might we have a drink to celebrate this moment my dear?" He smirked holding you gently by your waist, "Why of course, my love" you slowly leaned back in to a kiss but was interrupted by his crew crashing into your bar once more, "I'm sorry to break this sweet moment, by we must have more rum!!" They cheered out,

You shook you're head in amusement before going back behind the bar with Shanks following you, "lucky for you lads, the drinks are on the house" Shanks called as his crew lift there glasses in the air, Shanks got all the bottles out of the cabinet passing it to his crew before grabbing one for himself and you,

"A drink for the lady?" You passed your glass to him, he poured out the rum into yours and his glass before handing it to you, "to us?" Shanks smiled before giving your cheek a quick kiss tapping in glass against yours,

"may we have happy and wonderful moments together my dear"

[stone-stars]

Transcript:

Zirk: But I know this much, Mom, I-- I'm gonna make it. I'm gonna make it real. I've got a couple leads, I've got more knowledge than I've ever had, I learned a lot while I was away. I think I know how to make the All-Cure Elixir. It's gonna take a lot of work, like you said, and… I don't know if I can do it on my own, but I also don't know if I can trust you to help me. Caldwell: Um, while I'm working on this, I think that the way that this kind of-- the way that this looks visually is I'm… basically crafting like a metal music cylinder. [Murph: Mm!] 'Cause I feel like one of the things that this needs in addition to like, the complex spell work to cure wounds but also hold a body in stasis, kind of using some of Fia's time magic, is some sort of like… beacon. And I think that, as opposed to like the single chime of a bell, it needs almost like-- a song. And as I'm like tinkering with this I turn to Hank and I say-- Zirk: Hank, that song you sang about Ill Luck Henry. That-- that was like a sea shanty, right? Henry: Yeah, yeah that's right. Zirk: Do you know any other sea shanties? I just need something that could maybe… help a soul find its way back. Caldwell: Zirk reaches into his pocket. And he pulls out a golden cylinder with little notches on it. And around that cylinder is wrapped a scroll with the instructions on it for how to replicate the Revivify spell. He presses it into Henry's hands, and then puts Fia's hands on top of that. Henry: Hey. You're the doctor, buddy. What are ya-- What are we gonna do with this? This-- Fia: Mister Zirk-- Zirk: Sometimes-- Fia: Mister Zirk we can handle her. We really can. Zirk: Sometimes you think that you're the ending of the equation, but in reality you're just the messenger. You're just there to get it to the right hands. It's been an honor being a Third Mate. Murph: So, Fia, Zirk gave you the stuff for Revivify. This is a near impossible task, the spell has not been cast in forever, normally this would be a DC 30, the DC for something that's near impossible, but since Zirk took it down 5 levels from level 9 to level 4, we'll take 5 off of it and make it a DC 25 arcana check. Emily: I got a fucking 27 right off the fucking bat. [Everyone laughs in relief.] Emily: Oh I didn't even [rolls] technically a 28. Murph: A 28. Caldwell: Oh, yeah. [Sighs in relief] Okay. Okay. Murph: Um, you see Fia goes over, reads-- reads the um, spell that Zirk has put together. Um, and for the first time since Old Zelbuldar was banished, a Revivify spell is cast. Um, you guys see Zirk on the ground, whose body has frozen… Zirk as you died, you felt like-- as if you had like hypothermia. You felt like, a warmth, and you just went to sleep, and then all of a sudden [gasps] you come back. [Zirk coughs. He continues gasping and coughing as Fia talks.] Emily: You wake up to me crying just being like-- Fia, distraught: It should've been you casting this spell. Why is it me? It should've been you, you did all this fucking work, for what? Me to waltz in and fucking do it? Henry: It works! Hey, it works! Fia: It should have been fucking you! It should have been fucking you! Henry: Hey-- Open you-- Open your eyes, Fia. Fia: What? Henry: It-- you did it Zirk. The All-Cure. [Fia breathes heavily, relieved.] Zirk, weakly: They should call you… Doctor Fia. [Henry and Fia laugh.] Fia: I am not accredited. [Caldwell and Murph laugh.]

[holdupjack]

The Captains Princess Pt.2

——————

Part 1

Pairing: Hermione Granger x Fem!Reader

AU: Pirates and Royalty

WARNING: SMUT 18+/MINORS DNI

——————

Third Person P.O.V:

November 24th, 1655

Hermione sat at her desk as sea shanties were muffled by the closed doors behind her. Her eyes darted around the map she was given by her captain earlier today.

They had stopped at one of the fishing towns in the American Colonies to resupply and trade for various items the crew needed. Y/n said they had been here multiple times before, and decided to wake Hermione in the early morning when they arrived.

Hermione had to keep her head down for the most part during their journey around the world. It quickly spread about what had happened in her home country, and an enormous bounty had been set on Y/n's head.

Well, a bigger bounty at least.

It had been barely three in the morning when she was awoken, Y/n smiling as she whispered about taking her around the town before anyone competent was awake.

Hermione was out the door when she was given the 'go ahead' by the Captain to see the foreign land she dreamed of.

Y/n chuckled as she grabbed her bag of coins from the shelf near the door, and jogged after her.

"Are you sure? Do you think it's safe for me to go off ship?" Hermione asks as she slips on her coat, looking over the sleeping town. Y/n hummed as she greeted Draco and switched head apparel with him, much to his dismay.

The Captain's hat was smaller on him, but he knew Y/n couldn't go out looking like her description. So, he begrudgingly gave up his dark grey bandanna.

"As long as we don't bring any attention to ourselves, then we'll be fine." Y/n hummed as she watched Hermione put her hair into a tight bun.

"Are you warning yourself or me?" Hermione asks with a smirk of teasing as she watches the seasoned leader walk onto the board and hold out her hand.

"Depends, do you plan to join me in some hijinks?" Y/n asks as Hermione takes her hand and travels onto the dock with the Captain.

"What kind of hijinks, Cap?" Hermione asks as their hands drop, but Y/n is quick to hold out her arm for her to take.

"Might pickpocket the wealthy, charm a few women...who knows what this night will entail?" Y/n says as Hermione takes her arm as they walk down the dock. The young former Princess hummed softly as the lanterns guided their way onto the mainland.

"Can we explore a little before we are run out?" Hermione asks with a chuckle as she let her eyes roam the buildings that stood near the bay.

"For you, Princess? I'll be on my best behavior" Y/n says as they walk further into town, the road seems to be deserted, but the houses have soft lighting shining out the window.

"I know you said you wanted a life with adventure, but do you ever think about settling down in the future?" Y/n asks as their eyes peered into the home to their left, a man and woman were asleep on the couch as their child lay between them.

"Maybe, depends if I find someone worth settling with," Hermione says as they walk by, before looking back at the emptiness of the street in front of them.

It was silent for a block before Hermione retorted with the same question.

"What about you, do you ever see yourself giving up the helm?" She asks to which Y/n gives her a flirtatious smirk and pulls her closer.

"Only for you" she states to which Hermione rolled her eyes and looked back in front of her. Their 'relationship' had been changing slowly but surely, both of them getting more comfortable as time went on.

"You are saying that just to get a rise out of me" Hermione chuckles softly as they walk down an empty alleyway when a couple begins to approach them.

"Is it working?" Y/n asks as they walk out onto another sidewalk, Hermione just pats her stomach.

"If that helps you sleep at night" she responds as they watch a horse-drawn wagon go by with a young boy sleeping in the back, newspapers all around him.

(A/N: Newspapers were invented in 1605)

"What about kids?" Y/n asks as they start walking toward the town square. The sky was getting brighter, but the sun had yet to show itself. The black sky was turning to blue above them.

"Kids? I never gave it much thought until marriage was being put upon me" Hermione mutters as her fingertips brush the Captain's wrist.

"Not one Prince piqued your interest? Made you wonder how pretty your kids would be with them?" Y/n asks with a grin as the former Princess huffs in annoyance, pinching her forearm in silent protest.

"No! I was sixteen when they started spewing about marriage and 'carrying on the lineage'." she states as they walk past a big courthouse, they have announcements posted for weddings this weekend. Ironic.

"Ah, you were thinking about what to name your new pony and what kind of dessert you wanted for your birthday party" Y/n teased as Hermione reached up and smacked her forehead.

"I said sixteen, not six" Hermione says with a roll of her eyes as Y/n snickered as they stopped in front of a library across the street. The Captain would see the intrigue in her eyes, and couldn't help but bump her shoulder.

"Want to explore inside? It says it's open" Y/n says as she begins to pull Hermione with her, who was trying to put her feet on the ground at this point.

"Are you crazy?! What if someone recognizes us?" she whispers as the stronger girl pulls her towards the library. Their hands interlocked as Hermione was tugged across the street, Y/n had a grin on her face.

"You know how to run, don't you?" she replies with a grin as they slip through the front door, Hermione grasped the back of Y/n's shirt with her other hand in pure nervousness.

The librarian didn't even bother looking up as she wrote down something in a journal, the two quietly walked down the aisles, Hermione's eyes sparkled as she let go of Y/n's hand. Yet she kept a hand on her though, not letting the sneaky captain out of her orbit.

"Too bad I can't take them all with me" Hermione whispers as her free hand skims along the spines of the books.

"Steal one" Y/n whispers with a smirk and Hermione rolls her eyes, a smile of her own being revealed.

"You haven't rubbed off on me yet" she chuckled as she pulled Y/n with her down the row.

"You haven't let me yet do that yet..." Y/n grumbled as Hermione smacked her stomach again.

"Rubbed off, not on" Hermione flushed with a harsh whisper as Y/n snicked again, enjoying making the well-mannered girl blush.

Hermione mumbled small curses as she pulled Y/n down the row, feeling the sensation of the Captain staring at the back of her head.

"Stop staring" Hermione states as her face fights the redness away from her cheeks. Y/n quietly snickered as she ran into the back of the Princess when she wasn't looking.

They stumble slightly as Hermione places a hand on her chest as she peeks around the corner.

The sheriff stood near a bulletin board, nailing a wanted and missing persons poster on it.

WANTED:

Y/N Y/L/N

WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE

REWARD:

$50,000

"Dammit, the news made it here too" Hermione whispered as Y/n wrapped her arms around the girl's waist.

MISSING PERSONS:

HERMIONE GRANGER

PRINCESS OF ICELANDIA

BROWN HAIR

BROWN EYES

5'5

145 POUNDS

REWARD:

$5,000

"Why are you worth more than me? I'm the Princess!" Hermione grumbled as Y/n rested her chin on the brunette's shoulder and peeked around the corner.

"It was added on, it was forty-five thousand before" Y/n whispers as the Sheriff walks away, they can hear the opening and closing of the front doors.

"We need to get back to the ship, this is bad" Hermione mumbles back as she slips from Y/n's grasp and carefully steps down the small walkway on the other side of the shelves, out of the librarian's sight.

"You worry too much" Y/n whispers as she follows nonchalantly, while Hermione tries to be as inconspicuous as possible. Which just made her stand out more.

"You need to worry more!" Hermione whispers back as she hides around corners, while Y/n simply walks past her and toward the bulletin board.

"Y/n!" She called out softly as the Captain simply walked up and quietly ripped off the posters. The Librarian didn't even bother to look up again, she wasn't paid enough to care.

Y/n threw out the posters, but when she turned around, Hermione grabbed the front of her shirt and yanked her out of sight.

A little too hard actually, because Y/n ended up slamming into her, knocking them both to the ground. They land with a loud thud, Y/n landing on top of Hermione with a soft 'huff'.

"Is everything alright?" The librarian calls out, but from the sound of her voice, she still didn't give a rat's ass.

"Yes, just dropped a book!" The Captain replies as the librarian just hums in response. Hermione covered her mouth as she fought back some laughter, Y/n looked at her with a smile as she loomed over her.

"Are you alright Princess?" She whispers as Hermione buries her face in Y/n's shirt to muffle her embarrassed giggles.

"I hate you sometimes, you make me do the most idiotic things" Hermione whispered against her neck when she turned to unmute herself. A shiver ran across Y/n's spine as her breath wafted over her skin.

"That 'hate' of yours isn't strong enough to make you walk away" Y/n replied as she mumbled against her ear, she felt Hermione's grasp tighten on her shirt.

"Yet" she whispers back, but that only makes the Captain chuckle softly.

"Don't lie. Princesses don't lie" the Captain says as she hears the soft hitch of a gasp from Hermione's throat. Y/n pressed her nails into the wood of the floor next to the girl's head, fighting the urge to do something...'impolite' as the former royal would call it.

They stared at one another, the threat of getting caught growing more and more by the second.

"Hermione..." Y/n whispers as their lips brush, and a chill runs down the brunette's spine, her own nails digging into the captain's shoulders when she trailed her hands up to them.

"Sometimes I ask myself if you're a Siren in disguise... controlling my very self with your beauty and song" Y/n mumbled at her eyes hooded, teasing another kiss. Hermione bit back a gasp as her body began to burn.

To burn for her Captain.

They soon heard the front doors open again and more voices. It looks like their moment has to end. For now.

"Come on my lovely Siren, it's time to leave" Y/n whispers as she stands up and helps Hermione to her feet, who looked like she was ready to burst with flames from her cheeks.

Their hands intertwined as Y/n quickly zigzagged them through shelves upon shelves of literature. They eventually made it to an unlocked back door, they slipped through without anyone at the wiser.

There was a stairway that led back down to the town, their feet tumbled into a back alley. Hermione looked at Y/n as she looked up and down the small back street.

Hermione could feel her pulse point thumping against the skin of her neck. Her body felt like it was on fire. Her mind was screaming for something they couldn't do here.

Kisses. Touches. Love.

"Y/n" Hermione whispers desperately as the captain pulls her down to the crossroads, their hands squeeze for a moment.

"Yes?" Y/n replies as they look up and down the street, it is still pretty empty, but it won't be for long now that the sun is beginning to peak over the horizon.

"We have to get back to the ship" Hermione says as Y/n pulls her quickly down the street, they could see the crow's nest of the Morrigan, its black flag waved them home over the rooftops.

"Don't worry Princess, I'll get us to safety" Y/n chuckled as they sped through the alleyways and behind businesses.

Suddenly Hermione yanked her back, and Y/n stumbled backward, running into the brick wall behind a barber shop. The sun now peaked out enough to shine a sharp shadow just under Hermione's eyes.

Her irises shined like cinnamon under a lantern.

The Captain's breath got caught in her throat, their eyes caught in a gaze that was just pure yearning.

"My captain...you've done it" Hermione whispers as she kisses the corner of the sailor's mouth, sending a shiver down her spine.

"Done what?"

Hermione let her lips trail down Y/n's jaw, her teeth nipped and brushed against the sensitive skin, she seemed to be fighting back to urge to bite.

"You've finally broken my stance. My feet are no longer dug in the ground. I want you. I need you.

Y/n grasped the royals hips, nails digging slightly into her skin, but she didn't mind. She liked it.

"Siren..."

That nickname again. Why did it sound so good coming from her? Where is the 'my' in front of it?

"Yours. If you're going to call me that, at least stake your claim" Hermione whispers as her kisses trail down to the leader's neck. The sun was getting higher in the sky, and the alleyway wasn't going to hide their activities for much longer. They could hear horses, people, and wagons starting to fill the streets.

"Apologies, my siren" Y/n chuckled as she brushed her nose against the princess's cheek, capturing her attention.

A small kiss was shared. It had been their first kiss in months ever since the night they met. Life was going by too quickly already.

Hermione can't let herself live this new adventurous life without taking a chance on the flirty seawoman.

Their eyes met, staring intently at one another as if they could read what the other was thinking.

A loud pop echoed from the docks, causing the girls to widen their eyes. A gunshot. It could be nothing, or their ship is currently a sitting duck.

"We have to go" Y/n says as she grasped Hermione's hand and dashed down to the bay. Another gunshot was heard, their hands squeezed, and nervousness racked through their bodies.

They ran for a few more blocks until they reached the harbor, a large group of civilians stood at the seam between the wood and earth. They murmured to themselves as yelling was heard from one of the Weasley twins.

"You sir, are as attractive as the underside of my sack!"

"That's rude. Are you saying my sack is ugly too?"

"We're not that identical Freddie"

Y/n squeezes through the crowd, and Hermione follows suit as their hands drop from one another's.

The whole police force was standing guard around the ship. Their own vessels making their way towards the Morrigan.

They didn't have much time. Soon they would be surrounded. Y/n turned to Hermione and leaned down to whisper her in ear.

"Swim to the other side of the ship and climb up the ladder. Hide in our living quarters." she says in such hushed tones, that Hermione almost missed it.

"What? No-"

"Hermione. This isn't the time to argue. Please."

The Princess looked at her, forgetting for a moment that they were surrounded by more danger that she wouldn't truly realize until later.

"Alright"

Y/n pushed her back into the crowd and turned toward the swarm of officials, a drip of anxiousness fell into her stomach, but she just flexed and loosened her hand before walking towards them.

Hermione sped toward another strip of dock and climbed down the ladder that sunk into the cold water.

"Fuck!" she whisper as goosebumps raised over her skin, her clothes moved within the water as she swam to the other side of the ship. Pansy was already waiting for her, almost like she expected her to come this way.

Did Y/n already get back on the ship?

As her hands grabbed the ladder that was carved into the side of the ship, another gunshot went off, causing Pansy to look over her shoulder.

Yelling and clanks of swords started to grow, Pansy looked back at Hermione and widened her eyes.

"Come on!" she yells as she holds out her hand.

Hermione climbed quickly as she grasped the raven-haired girl's hand, getting yanked onto the deck of the ship.

Water dripped onto the wood as she watched as a few of the boys blocked the boardwalk from letting law enforcement get on the ship.

Pansy grasped Hermione's forearm and pulled her into the captain's quarters, she could hear a few Colony men calling her name. They asked if she was 'okay'.

Okay?

She'll be 'okay' once her Captain is in her view again.

Hermione was left in the room, the door locked behind her as the sound of fighting got even louder.

Water continued to fall from her clothes, her body shivered from the cool air. She listened intently as she grabbed the sword mounted above Y/n's cot.

Hermione pointed it at the door, her breath steady as she leaned against the captain's desk. Y/n had taught her how to fight, how to fire a gun, how to sword fight.

But, Y/n swore to her that she wouldn't let those skills ever be used by her while she was still breathing.

Now, Hermione had no idea if her protector was even alive. She looked over her shoulder a moment, they were moving.

She scrambled to the window in front of her desk, watching as bodies lay in the water and dock. None she recognized, but she couldn't see past the lawmen who still stood on the wooden pathway.

Fighting was still ongoing out on the deck, she turned back towards the door, almost like she thought someone would have snuck into the room without alerting her.

There was no one.

Her eyes flew back to the window, there were two Brigantine ships from the Continental Army following after them at full mast.

Hermione crumbled. She hides under her superior's desk. Tears clouded her eyes as she kept the sword at her side.

She felt herself go back to being a scared little girl. The one she hated. The one that almost made her stay back to live a miserable life.

Cannon fire started to fly past the ship, making her cry harder as she hugged her knees.

The princess felt like the little girl who cried when she thought her life would never be the same when the volcano had killed more than half her kingdom.

What a sorry excuse for a 'pirate'.

——————

Hours had passed. Y/n stood on the deck as they escaped through the dense patch of fog that headed out further into the ocean.

They were safe. No one was lost or injured. The Captain let out a sigh of relief as she stood next to Draco at the wheel.

"Once we're out of this fog, head east" she mumbles as she placed his grey bandanna back on his head and held her hat in her hand.

"Aye-Aye" he replied as Y/n walked back onto the main deck and watched as Ron and Harry tossed the dead bodies overboard, praying for forgiveness quietly.

Y/n sighed again as she walked towards her quarters, Pansy unlocked it for her and handed the key back.

The Captain thanked her softly as she walked in and closed the door. She looked around for her royal passenger but didn't find her. Panic.

"Hermione?" Y/n called out as she started to check every corner. Did someone take her?

Impossible! The door was locked-

"Here"

Her voice was soft, too soft for Y/n's liking. She walked around her desk and noticed the sword next to a curled-up Hermione.

Y/n slowly moved her chair and sat down on the floor, looking at her with a soft smile. She noticed the red dryness in her eyes, and a part of the Captain's heart chipped because of it, she pushed away the sword.

"Are you okay?" Y/n asks as Hermione looks over at her, resting her head against her knees.

"Yes"

Y/n sighed softly as she scooted under the desk, forcing Hermione to laugh softly as she was smooshed against the wood.

"We're nothing not both going to fit!" She says as Y/n is still halfway peeking out from the small space.

"You're right" the Captain hums as she thinks for a moment before pulling Hermione onto her lap and scooting completely under the desk.

"Y/n!" Hermione whispers with a laugh as she grasps the front of her superior's shirt, her face going back into the girl's shoulder like it did in the library.

"There! We can be gloomy together!" She chuckled as Hermione relaxed against her, feeling her hands travel up and down her back.

It's quiet for a while, only the creaking of the ship is heard as they sit under that desk. Hermione's hand landed on the space below Y/n's ear, her fingernails gently scratching the baby hairs on the back of her neck.

"I'm sorry" she whispers as her nose brushed against the other side of Y/n's neck.

"Sorry? For what?"

"Hiding"

Y/n pinched her brows in confusion. This was a common response when something like this happened. Also, this was Hermione's first real brush with death. They hadn't been in any danger while Hermione had been with them.

The crew called her a good luck charm. Y/n had to now agree after seeing how they escaped by the skin of their teeth.

"I told you to hide" Y/n whispers as the ship rocks back and forth. She placed her foot on the side of the desk to stop them from moving too much, but that only seemed to press Hermione against her even more as Y/n's knee took up more of the limited space.

"I'm part of this crew-" Hermione started as her legs straddled the sides of Y/n's waist.

"And I'm the captain. I gave you an order and you did exactly what I asked" she replied as they looked at one another.

"Y/n-"

"Siren"

Hermione sighed and laid her forehead against hers, she knew there was no use fighting the stubborn girl. That stupid nickname also quieted her down fairly easily as well.

"Why won't you just let me wallow in self-pity and hatred" Hermione sighed as Y/n just chuckled softly and kissed her cheek.

"Because you're not a pirate, you're an adventurer! There's a difference" Y/n explains as Hermione kisses her cheek back, and just hums in dissatisfaction.

"There really isn't," she says as Y/n presses her lips against the girl's jaw, causing a shiver to run down her spine again.

"Just listen to your dear old Cap, okay?" Y/n hums as Hermione sighs, but nods anyways. There was really no use in arguing.

"Fine...but I'm going to wallow for a bit more" Hermione says as she tries to get out from under the desk, but Y/n quickly pulls her back.

"No, no, no, no" she whines as she buries her face against the princess's neck. Hermione flushed as she was (happily) held captive by her leader.

This was the ruthless Captain that took a princess and stole more money than she would ever need...

That same Captain was now begging the said Princess to stay cuddled up under her desk...it was like night and day.

"I have to figure out where we are, and where we should go next," Hermione says as Y/n groans unhappily and hugs her once last time.

"Fine, fine...how about a kiss for the road since we were so rudely interrupted earlier" she says with a devilish grin, but Hermione just rolls her eyes as she pulls away from her leader's grasp and stands up.

"The moment is gone, but nice try Captain" Hermione chuckled as she grabbed the map from her desk and walked away.

"Siren!"

Y/n was left alone as she sat under her desk with an unhappy huff.

——————

It was now late into the night, the ship groaned softly as they sailed through a small rainstorm. Y/n lay on her cot as Hermione slept on her own in the corner on the other side of the room.

Y/n's eyes burned into the ceiling as she thought about what had happened this morning. So close. So close to showing her favorite Royal how much she'd crumble without her.

Hermione was also awake. Her own gaze locked on the wall in front of her as she kept her back towards Y/n, afraid to somehow show how much she had been replaying their encounter from this morning.

Her thighs squeezed together for a moment as a certain fantasy flashed through her mind. Dammit. Dammit. Dammit.

Damn, that sultry captain!

Hermione slowly sat up, turning her body towards Y/n, who was still staring at the ceiling.

"Y/n" Hermione whispers, to which the Captain immediately looks at her with a raised eyebrow. The Princess had to grasp the bedsheets to stop herself from entirely running over to her in a pathetic, desperate, needy nature.

She was better than that.

"You...you are the Devil in disguise, aren't you?" Hermione asks as Y/n smirks and sits up in her own cot, her arms placed behind her to hold up the top half of her body.

"The Devil? That's high praise coming from you" the Captain replied as her eyes dragged around Hermione's body, causing the brunette to puff her chest out of nervousness.

"Most consider that an insult"

"Are you saying it with disdain?"

"...no"

Y/n chuckled softly as Hermione stood up and hid her flushed face in the darkness of the room, but she knew Y/n could sense her anxiousness.

"Why with the sudden compliment, my Siren?" Y/n asks as her gaze follows the girl's silhouette as it moves around their desks and stops only a few feet away. Fucking nickname.

"You know why" Hermione replies as she sits down on Y/n's desk, her legs crossed over the other.

Y/n stood up from her cot and slowly walked toward Hermione, her footsteps were quiet, but it still made an impact between them.

Hermione felt her heart begin to pound against her ribcage, the twilight of the night hiding the passion both of them stared at one another with. The navigator made the first move, her hand reaching out as her legs uncrossed.

Y/n felt herself be guided by a gentle tug of the front of her shirt, her hands landing on the wood on either side of Hermione's thighs.

"If we do this, it won't be just a forgotten night to me" Y/n whispers as her hips spread Hermione's legs apart, a soft breath was taken by the brunette. Their faces were a few inches apart, and a moonlight-filled backdrop spilled through the window behind Hermione.

Enough light came through for the Princess to see Y/n's eyes. They were filled with something she used to think was just flirtation. What she thought was simple teasing from her leader.

No. It was devotion.

Y/n didn't just want her for a night of passion, she wanted her for every moment they could have together.

"I know" Hermione whispers back as her hands grasp the side of Y/n's face and pull her in for a kiss.

When their lips touched once again since earlier in the morning, a burning warmth filled their chests. Y/n's hands grasped Hermione's waist, her fingertips pressing down enough to hold her still.

Their bodies pressed closer as they chased after kisses, both not wanting to give up the heaven-like feeling that their emotions poured out silently.

Hermione nightgown was making her feel confined. It was an obstacle she hadn't thought was going to annoy her so much.

Off. It needed to be off. Now.

"Y/n" Hermione whispered as she felt the euphoric kisses start to trail down her jaw, then to her neck.

"Shhhh..." Y/n hushed against her skin as she moved careful hands down Hermione's nightgown, they landed on the space between her knees and the hem of her clothing.

The brunette gave a ragged breath again, her head bobbing back as she placed her elbows down on the desk below her. Y/n leaned down with her as she softly teased the skin of Hermione's neck with a playful bite.

Y/n's hands slowly grazed up her thighs, slipping under the nightgown as once again, another sharp breath was taken by Hermione.

It sounded as if she was having the wind knocked out of her by her sailor's simple touch. A moan escaped her lips as she felt Y/n massage her thighs tenderly.

Hermione took one of her hands and brought Y/n's face up to hers, sharing a kiss that had her heart squeezing and punching out of her chest.

Slowly her undergarments were pulled away from her hips, falling to her ankles. This was it. She was giving herself to the woman who took her away from her miserable life.

But Y/n suddenly stopped, looking at Hermione with a small bit of hesitance laced in her stare. The brunette grasped her face and furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"What is it?" she whispers, a pang of anxiety shot through her stomach. Did she read this wrong? Did she read everything wrong?

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Y/n asks quietly, to which Hermione's eyes widen as she immediately nods her head.

"Yes. Yes, please say you want the same" Hermione whispers as she kisses Y/n's nose, feeling the girl's head vibrate as she chuckles.

Hermione didn't like how desperate she sounded, but then again, she didn't think she could explain her want any better.

"I do" Y/n replied as their lips touched again.

The former royalty couldn't take it anymore. She needed to feel Y/n on her skin. The heat from her nightgown was suffocating. Maybe it was just in her head, but she didn't care.

"Darling, please" Hermione begged softly when their lips parted, she felt Y/n's fingertips trailing up and down the paths between her thighs and stomach.

Y/n smirked as she helped Hermione out of the thin fabric, watching as the girl's body seemed to relax as the cold air hit it. Her back arched as her ribs showed from under her skin, every deep breath protruded her breasts for Y/n.

Hermione felt Y/n kiss her collarbone as she shredded her own clothes, kicking them somewhere behind her.

Their skin touched like fire to ice, if Hermione could see better in the dark, she wouldn't be surprised to find steam clouding up the room.

"Hermione" Y/n whispered as her forehead rested on the brunette, capturing her attention immediately.

"You're more than a navigator to me" she says.

Hermione knew what this truly meant. Y/n has never been good at showing her feelings in a detailed way, but that just meant Hermione learned the secrets behind every sentence she uttered.

"You've always been more than a Captain" she replies quietly as her arms wrap around Y/n's neck, pulling her down for another kiss.

She could feel Y/n's hands run along the insides of her thighs, causing her to shiver as a result. This was heaven on earth. There can't be anything better than this, and if there is, then it has to be because Y/n is in that moment too.

Y/n's hand crept closer and teased Hermione's folds, tracing them with her fingertips as the poor brunette shivered with every touch.

Hermione's lips found solace on Y/n's chest, letting her touch slowly glide over her lover's sensitive bud. To hear a soft moan leave the Captain's throat was like listening to a holy choir, and Hermione couldn't get enough.

Her breath hitched as Y/n's two slender fingers sunk into her slowly, sending waves of pleasure coursing through her body. She arched her back, silently begging for more. Y/n's fingers moved skillfully, her every movement producing a dirty groan from Hermione's mouth.

"Yes" she breathed as she kissed Y/n's neck, feeling her pulse point bumping against her tongue.

As their bodies moved with a rhythm only they could create, Hermione couldn't help but marvel at the way Y/n's touch ignited her body. Every brush of their skin sent waves of pleasure coursing through her veins, leaving her breathless and craving for more.

She could feel Y/n's fingers slowly pumping within her, spreading her deliciously and methodically.

Y/n's lips explored every inch of Hermione's body, leaving a trail of wet kisses along her neck, collarbone, and down to her chest. The gentle graze of Y/n's teeth on her sensitive skin made Hermione gasp, her nails digging into Y/n's back as she arched with pleasure.

"My Captain, please-" Hermione begged, wanting the agonizingly slow pace to end. Her legs spread more silently submitting to anything she had to offer her body.

Y/n kissed farther down her body, leaving a few marks in her wake as she went down further. She felt Hermione's hands grasp her hair, pushing her closer to the neglected bud that was waiting to be touched.

Hermione stared at the ceiling as she felt her lover's slick tongue glide against her clit, making her back arch and her head hand off the other edge of the desk.

"Oh fuck" she moans as her hands held Y/n's head in place. Her eyes were blurry as she looked out the window, watching as the moonlit water was now upside down from her position.

Their passion intensified, creating an undeniable chemistry that seemed to consume the room. Y/n's fingers moved slightly faster, causing the dirty sounds of Hermione's entrance to get louder in their shared room.

The brunette felt her body tremble for a split second as Y/n began to suck on her sensitive nerve. Her moans got more frequent as she felt Y/n's other hand reach up and play with her chest. Light pulling and flicking.

"This...this can't be...possible" Hermione gasped out as her mind tried to wrap around the indescribable pleaser three parts of her body were experiencing simultaneously.

Every touch, every whisper, brought her closer to a blissful climax that only Y/n could make her reach. Her body started to shake as she tried to raise her head to look at her Captain, but it was no use.

"So close" Hermione moaned as her nails dug into Y/n's scalp, but the sailor paid it no mind as her mouth nibbled on the bundle in front of her. They melted into each other, becoming one entity in the darkness as their bodies quivered in unison.

Y/n's fingers quickened again, sending more pleasure through Hermione's body. She could feel her peak getting closer with every thrust.

Hermione's mind was consumed by a whirlwind sensation as Y/n's skilled fingers continued their rhythmic dance against her body. Every touch, every stroke, sent waves of pleasure cascading through her. Her skin burned with an electrifying heat that seemed to ignite every nerve ending.

As Y/n's mouth expertly explored the most sensitive part of her, Hermione's breath hitched in her throat. The sailor's lips were like velvet against her skin, teasing and tantalizing her with every flick of the tongue. It was as if Y/n possessed an innate understanding of Hermione's desires, knowing exactly how to push her to the edge of ecstasy and back again.

In the darkness surrounding them, time seemed to stand still. Their bodies moved in perfect harmony, synchronized in a dance of passion and desire. Their moans mingled together, creating a symphony of pleasure that echoed through the room.

Hermione's grip on Y/n's hair tightened, her nails leaving faint crescent marks on the sailor's scalp. The pain mixed with pleasure, heightening the intensity of their connection. They were lost in each other, their identities merging into one as they reveled in the raw, unfiltered pleasure they shared.

Y/n's fingers quickened their pace, driving Hermione closer to the edge. Every thrust brought her closer to that blissful climax she yearned for. Her body trembled under the weight of her mounting desire, aching for release.

The world outside their bubble of pleasure ceased to exist. There was only Hermione and Y/n, two souls entwined in a passionate embrace. The rest of the world faded away, leaving them to bask in the intense pleasure that consumed them.

And then, with one final surge of sensation, Hermione's body shattered like glass, her release crashing over her in a tidal wave of pure bliss. Wave after wave of pleasure coursed through her, leaving her gasping for breath as she rode the waves of ecstasy.

Her body trembled and jolted as he bit back a scream of pleasure, a part of her didn't need the relentless teasing from Pansy the following morning.

But, that was quickly thrown out the window when Y/n kept up her attack. Hermione felt her lover's hand leave her chest and pin her stomach down.

Hermione was squirming from the overstimulation, her body instinctively trying to release herself from Y/n's mouth and fingers.

Yet, the Captain wasn't letting her escape that easily.

Gasps and moans slipped from Hermione's mouth as her nails dug into the forearm that was pinning her down around her stomach.

"Ah!" she hissed out as her thighs continued to shake. This was Y/n's ruthless side coming out, her selfishness that only happened during intense moments.

She wanted more from Hermione and the brunette could do nothing but happily oblige.

Her fingers disappeared, causing the Princess to finally raise her head, their eyes met as Y/n placed her other hand onto the girl's hip to keep her in place.

"What are you-"

As soon as Y/n's tongue slipped past her entrance, she crumbled back into a moaning mess. Her arms shook as she held up the top half of her body, her chest rose and fell rapidly with every brush within her.

It wouldn't be long until she peaked again.

"My love, please" Hermione begged as she ran her fingers through Y/n's hair, their eyes never breaking contact.

The night went on like this, climax after climax was given to the princess with barely any breaks in between.

The morning began to break when Y/n was finally satisfied with her work and took Hermione to her cot. They lay together as Y/n held her tightly in her arms, kissing the back of her neck comfortingly as Hermione tried to calm down.

As they lay tangled in each other's arms, their bodies glistening with a fine sheen of sweat, Hermione turned in her embrace and looked up at Y/n, whispering softly.

"You've become my anchor, my safe haven."

Y/n smiled, tracing patterns on Hermione's bare skin.

"And you're the compass that guides me, Hermione. With you, I've found a love that transcends any better pleasure out there."

They shared a soft smile as another kiss was shared. Then another. And another.

In that moment, there was no doubt that their love would navigate any storm, no matter how fierce. Together, they were unstoppable, destined for a lifetime of passion, adventure, and unending love.

[ch0wen]

༝ ˚ ༝ My Lady is the Sea ｡ ˚ ༝ - Prince Eric x Fem!Reader | NSFW

𖠳 ᐝ warnings: brief smut, 18+ (minors dni), unprotected sex & cursing

Sea salt tickles your nostrils as you step out onto the wooden dock. Nose twitching like a bunny to rid the salty air from your sensitive nerves. You glide forward only a few feet, and your left shin knocks into a wooden pole. A barricade lined the perimeter of the landing. Fencing that stops you from falling into the unknown below. An oil lantern illuminates a portion of the dock and the gradually darkening surface of the deep. The expansive waters lurk just beyond the fading arc of light. Your body gently sways with the sounds of the waves stirring.

Instinctively, you flex your hold on a roped handle. A heavy, disgusting mixture of beer and spit sloshes in the bucket that you have been entrusted to dump out. Polluting the ocean, you think. An unfortunately common attribute of living in a coastal town. It's second nature to dump and forget. Water appears to be along every horizon you look to. It surrounds you, yet it's ever-moving. Continuous. Traveling away.

How you wish you could be out there now. Just like your father had moons ago. Oh, the precious things he gifted you with when he returned to the marina! The carefully selected treasures. He always seemed to know which new object would earn an excited squeal from you because of its sparkles or funky shape. Whispers at bedtime of now fictitious-sounding tales on how he acquired them. To you, his trips were like storybooks. Too embarrassing to admit, you used to go to sleep late into your teens with visions of exploration dancing in your head. Dreaming of the uncharted waters and cloudy faces of the friends you'd make. He'd promise to you, that you would soon be old enough to explore the world with him.

But you couldn't truly treasure the last retelling of his adventures because no one foresaw he would leave it on a cliffhanger. He never came back. Your mother forbade you from speaking of his expeditions as time passed. "Don't go towards the beyond." "This is your home." "You're safe here." she chided. Here, on land. The hope soon ended with the stories. You grew accustomed to the familiar. You were raised here. It's all you have known. Is it worth it to leave at this point?

However, there are instances when you fall back into childlike wonder. In the quiet lulls, similar to the brink of falling asleep, you can't help but contemplate what else the waters hold past their horizons.

༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𓇼 ⋆｡ ˚ ༝

A faint, muffled tune begins inside and wafts out into the silence. The merry-sounding song envelops you. You blink out of the reverie to adjust your vision in the darkness.

You can hear the pub's piano, in desperate need of a tuning, as you push open the door. A gaggle of men are singing a sea shanty in the dining space. They look disheveled but have dancing smiles. You can't help grinning as you watch these men celebrate life.

“Just docked," Gwen, your co-worker, calls from over her shoulder. She fills up two cups and then slides them over the bar top towards one of the waiting men. He slaps a few coins down and moves back to the crowd, like rejoining a school of fish.

Gwen wipes up the liquid he left, “I heard one of them holler that they came in from the Carribean.”

“I feel like that's only the third ship from around there this season."

"How do you manage to even keep track? There have to have been hundreds of vessels that have passed through here."

You blushingly shrug at her knowing smirk. Teasingly, her fingers reach out to flick at your slightly tarnished necklace. A chain made from Spanish silver with a locket bearing some type of ruby gem.

Leonardo was the one who had graced you with this last year. He was a buccaneer. He and his crew docked in town for a fortnight. He was charming and proud. In the tavern, he was always drunkenly boasting about the treasures he had found. The people he'd fought. The Lords he'd impressed. The people he'd fucked. He was so fun.

When your birthday happened around the time he was in town, he came stumbling into the bar with this necklace. He said it was nothing and that he had dozens of more valuable findings in a chest on board his ship. But he never showed you to prove that to be true. However, you did thank him ever so graciously that night.

He sailed out a day later. No harbor was his home. You're used to this life working as a bartender in a popular trading port. You see hundreds of thousands of faces. All of these handsome men ranged from sailors to buccaneers. They all share with you the amazing stories of their lives. They fascinated you. Inspired you. Seduced you. - You can't help but be attracted to the rugged, good-looking, and ambitious type.

A man unexpectedly calls out from the crowd towards the pair of you. His voice grabs your attention like a Siren's song. There were too many bodies to place where it was coming from in the mass of people, but you swear you briefly saw a hand in the air on the left side of the room.

“My lovely bar maidens, a round of your finest ale, please, yeah?"

“Right away, sir,” you nod curtly while pivoting obediently to fill the dregs.

༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𓇼 ⋆｡ ˚ ༝

The rosy-cheeked, rowdy men cheer even louder as you approach with their fifth round of booze. Their attention has been won, not by the promise of refreshments, but by the beer sloshing over the rims and onto the pair of bouncing breasts carrying it all.

Low whistles scatter around the table at your cleavage while you lean over to set down the ale. Mucky hands grabbing for the foaming tankards. You catch a handsome man staring through the limbs. He gives you a dimpled smirk. His eyes betray him as they glimpse down to what you can assume is your chest. Well, he's no better than any man.

Your retreating form hears the same voice from before exclaim, “Here is to another voyage through uncharted waters! I am grateful for all your hard work, boys. And thanks to Grimsby for laying off the scolding because we're three days past schedule."

You're back at the bar. A crewmate, with a red kerchief pushing back his straw-yellow hair, heaves an overfilled mug in the air toward the handsome man,

"And a special thanks to our Captain, whose mother would keel over from learning the adventures her dear boy has taken us on. Prince Eric!"

"Prince Eric," they unanimously cheer!

Together, as they collide their drinks, fat drops of the golden liquid splash onto Prince Eric's tunic and wet his chest. The strings of his shirt are untied. Making the neck loosely hang open with his chest hair on full display. Your eyes are drawn to it. Tracing the outline of his defined pecs through the thin fabric. You're no better than a man. Worst yet, he notices you staring. His stare seems to darken, and he motions his mug towards you as a 'cheers' gesture before returning focus to his companions.

Clearing your throat and dirty mind, you turn back to tend to one of your regulars, a local fisherman slumped over on a stool at the end of the bar.

༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𓇼 ⋆｡ ˚ ༝

Eric strides over as you scrub up the beer rings on the bar, left by the patrons who previously occupied the empty stools. He fluidly pulls one out to sit and drums his fingers along the wood. Blue eyes staring you down for a third time tonight,

"Can I get you anything?”

“I think I should take a breather. My crew is too enthusiastic to get me drunk.”

“Sounds like you're having a bad night." He threw back his head and let out a loud laugh. Admittedly, it was too big of a reaction to that poor joke attempt. You wring out your rag into a nearby bucket to hide your smile.

You wait for a beat before sparing him another glimpse. He’s staring at your chest again. You feel the exposed skin warm under his look. You’re tempted to peek down to see how much this corset is causing you to spill out.

“Did you get it locally?

“Sorry?”

"The necklace," he half-gestures towards you.

You clasp at the pendant, "Oh, this."

He nods with his eyes fixed on your chest a moment longer before moving up to your face. His cheeks are flushed and eyes hooded, assumedly, from the pints he and his crew have slung back. You're moving toward him, holding out the chain to let him get a closer look.

“I think it’s from the Spanish Islands. A pirate passing through last season gave it to me.”

His large hand reaches out to replace yours. “It’s beautiful. I have an eye for treasures like this.”

He's so close like this. You watch his eyes flick around the locket, his fingers tracing over the gems, and the way his dark curls fall as he tilts his head to examine.

“Silly me to think anything else. Here I thought you were just checking out my chest.”

“Well, you do have wonderful tits," he absentmindedly states. He leaves you gaping as he pulls back.

"Thank you for letting me have a look. I'd be rather fond of that if I were you. That's a special gift."

"Y-yeah, but given to me by a not-so-special guy," you shrug.

You sense an awkward pause, but he watches you with a soft, dimpled smile. You motion towards the window out to the harbor, “Which one is yours?”

“The biggest one. Naturally.”

You stifle your giggle and notice a boat at the end of the port. Beautiful and massive.

“Wow, you weren't kidding. What's it like up there?"

"On the boat? You work in a marina. Have you ever been on one?”

“Oddly, no.”

He didn't hide his shock.

“I'm sorry. Are you telling me that summer lover could give you a necklace but decided not to show you his deck?”

“Something like that," you lean onto the bar, "How unfortunate for me, right?"

His hand strikes the top of the bar as he rises from the stool, causing you to flinch.

“Well, that simply just won't do! Do you want to come see mine?"

The lamplight and mischievousness dance in his eyes, "I can give you the grand tour.”

“Will you let me spin the wheel?”

"Only the most skilled helmsmen are allowed to touch," he pouts, then that damned smile graces his lips again, "but I think I may be able to bend the rules for you."

“I’m going on break,” you call to Gwen before following the handsome voyager outside.

༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𓇼 ⋆｡ ˚ ༝

"And, this would be the Captain's quarters."

"Oh, Captain Eric?"

He sheepishly rubs at the back of his neck, "I don't particularly like going by titles. Makes me feel like I'm trying to say I'm more important than others. I swear by my men. We venture out for fun, but I'd be stuck at port without them."

"That is a very noble thing to say, Prince Eric."

"Come off it," he laughs while moving over to a table against one of the walls. Eric picks up what appears to be a rock. He turns the object in his hands before showing you.

"Fossilized sea stone. Found it off the coast of my home island."

He places the textured stone in your open palms. The unexpected weight of it doubles you over, but Eric catches you. His hand lingers on your hip.

He proceeds to tell you about the rest of his findings laid out on the surface. You love the way his face lit up. Making himself exhilarated with his own stories. You listen intently and let yourself live vicariously through his retellings.

༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𓇼 ⋆｡ ˚ ༝

Eric locks an ornate chest up as you watch. Sitting on the table now cleared of his glories. “So, are you considered a sailor, explorer, or just a guy with a boat and a lot of time on his hands?”

Eric laughs, "The last one, for sure. Once I turned nineteen, my mother allowed me to venture out and sail with the crew. I've always loved the idea of discovering something new on my voyages. Whether it be places, possessions, or people."

He's moving into your space, "I am happy to have met you, Y/N."

"And I, you, Prince Eric."

"No titles here." He leans in with a hint of a grin in his whisper, "I forbid it."

"Oh, that sounds like a command, and I shall obey, Your Majesty."

He chuffs as you see his eyes drop to your necklace again. His fingers dance along the silver chain before exploring further and grazing over the top of your chest. He makes sure to peek up at you for some sort of permission. Silently, you put your hand over his own to guide him to grab a handful of your breast. Eric takes the cue and squeezes while closing the gap between you with a kiss that immediately heats up. Hands knead your breasts over your camisole-corset top.

"And here I thought you've been admiring my necklace all night. I feel scandalized," you tease while he kisses your neck.

"No, no, it is beautiful! But, these," His calloused hands give a reassuring squeeze, "are really lovely."

Hands quickly work to pull down your blouse to expose your tits. Eric rolls a nipple between his forefinger and thumb. Gasping, you arch up into his touch. Legs instinctively spread wider to allow him in. You feel his dick twitch the moment he presses closer.

A moan growls in the back of his throat as he rolls his hips. Grinding his hard-on into your wetting core while you kiss. Your skin grows hot, his breaths come heavy, and the heat is building between your legs. 

Eric put his mouth to your breast, sucking at your skin in obscene, open-mouthed kisses. Eliciting a low keening sound from you. He withdrew just enough to lave at your nipple, back and forth, over and over, until your pussy thrummed to the same beat.

"Is it very unprincely of me to tell you that I would very much like to fuck you right here, now, in my chambers?"

"You are but a man, my Prince."

༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𓇼 ⋆｡ ˚ ༝

Your body was thrown across the desk. You don’t know where to put your hands, so they grip and scrape at the wooden surface while Eric fucks into you.

He has a firm hold on your naked waist. Keeping your long skirt hiked up to your stomach so he could watch himself penetrate you. He has a brutally harsh pace going. The delicious feel of the drag and pull of his cock.

Eric braces himself on the desk. A toned arm flexes next to your head. His face is now closer to yours as he changes the angle of his hips. With the newfound support, you feel him speed up his thrusting. He groans into your chest. Playfully biting a nipple before kissing up to your neck. His movements were enough to bring you dangerously close to reaching your high in only a few minutes.

"Oh, Prince Eric," you whine.

"Fuck." His hips stutter. "What's my name?"

"Captain Eric. Eric. Eric. "

A wave of bliss hits you and you screw your eyes shut. It doesn’t take long before both of you reach your orgasms. You hold onto Eric's biceps with all your might, as you scream his name. No doubt loud enough for everyone in the tavern to hear.

༝ ˚ ｡⋆ 𓇼 ⋆｡ ˚ ༝

At dawn, you're re-dressed and carefully creeping over the creaky floorboards. Trying not to wake any of the still-drunk crewmates who had found their way back onto the ship.

Catching your eye, the silver locket, sat on the once-empty desk, glints in the daybreak. Eric's back rises and falls. The rest of his bare body is covered by the messy bedsheets. Blissfully oblivious of your exit.

You let that sleeping form be your final image of the handsome Prince and disembark the Royal ship.

[the-golden-comet]

✨🏴‍☠️OC Deep Dive Tag🏴‍☠️✨

Thank you for tagging me here, @mysticstarlightduck ! I’m gonna lightning round for Peter from Peter Hart

Phobias: None known

Other fears: Losing Benjamin and crew members/found family

Pet peeves: Smokers/Any smoking

3 items you can find in his bedroom: sword, rum, Benjamin storage chest

What does he notice first in a person? How much wealth they’re carrying

On a scale of 1 to 10, how high is his pain tolerance? With 10 being the highest pain tolerance: 9.5

Does he go into fight or flight mode when under pressure? Fight mode, usually with a flintlock if available, or his scimitar.

Does he come from a big family/are they a family person? Peter is an only child to his biological parents, but his found family is his crew, who he inherited after Captain Johnathan Hart’s death. His gang is his everything, and he loves his large crew of dads (and Benjamin) very much.

What animal represents him best? A hart :)

What is a smell that he dislikes? Cigar/carcinogen smoke

Has he broken any bones? He’s dislocated his shoulder several times, but other than that no.

How would a stranger likely describe him? “Peter the Golden”….that notorious pirate with the golden hair? The one that robs ports and is wanted in more provinces that I can count on my fingers and toes? Would do anything to accumulate wealth and fortune, even if that means holding people at ransom? That guy?

Is he a night owl or a morning bird? More of a morning bird, but he has taken helm rotations at night when needed.

What is a flavor he hates and a flavor he loves? Hates the taste of blood, loves the taste of Benjamin rum.

Does he have any hobbies? Shooting contests, knife throwing at a target, singing sea shanties, dancing, fishing, frequenting taverns, sparring, free-climbing up cliffs.

Boom, surprise birthday party! How does he react to surprises? Bad idea. Peter has a gun and a happy trigger finger. If you’re lucky to not get shot, he’d have you in a headlock until you can explain yourself/tell him that you mean no harm.

Does he like to wear jewelry? Yes! Peter wears rings on all his fingers. They also double as pairs of “brass knuckles”

Does he have neat or messy handwriting? Messy. Very messy.

What are the two emotions he feels the most? Confident glee, and insanely romantic love for Benjamin (and psychopathy as a not-so-hidden third state of being)

Does he have a favorite fabric? Whatever his father’s clothes are. So….cotton?

What kind of accent does he have? British (voice headcanon below)

Thank you for these deep dive questions! I’m going to leave this tag +open for anyone else who wishes to take the OC deep dive as well! ✨

[kelliealtogether]

I'm hoping to have one last fic typed up, edited, and posted by the end of 2024, but as the year is winding down, I figured I'd post a wrap-up of the works I've completed this year. So here they are, from longest to shortest. 😌

In Comes the Tide - 45k - Rated T

Performing a simple, polite gesture should not result in a marriage, but—Adam Parrish learned—this did not apply to selkies. The summer before his senior year at Harvard, Adam returns to the same small coastal town where he's spent the past two summers. Bussing tables isn't what he wants to do with his life, but the dockside seafood shack where he works is popular, and the tips the employees split pad his bank account enough to afford a more leisurely fall when he gets back to Cambridge. Little does Adam know he's in for a very surprising summer when a selkie shows up at The Sea Shanty and Adam saves his coat...

While There's Breath in My Body - 11k - Rated E

Adam Parrish had lived in Port Royal for twenty years. He’d been around ships for almost two thirds of his life. In all that time, only one ship ever raised the hair on his arms each time it came to port, and it was not the ship itself, but the man who stood at its helm. A skirmish could put a ship’s fate in someone else’s hands. A storm or a cannon ball could put it at the bottom of the sea. A rampant illness could leave it crewless and adrift, waiting for the next enterprising group of sailors to come on board. But a particular flag, a particular captain… Those raised Adam’s hair far more than any combination of masts, sails, and anchors ever would.

A Pirate AU

Hello, I'm in Delaware - 7k - Rated G

Has anyone ever told you that you look like a fed?” “I am a fed.” “And it’s disgusting how much you don’t hide it.” Adam Parrish travels the country covering up sightings of dreamt cryptids. When he gets called to Delaware to investigate a creature caught on home security footage, he asks for some help from a dreamer. His fiancé, Ronan Lynch.

The Magician Entertainment - 5k - Rated G

When Adam Parrish reveals he knows sleight of hand at a company team building event, he doesn't realize how big of a mistake he's made until one of his colleagues corners him a few days later in the office kitchen. The entertainment Declan Lynch hired for his daughter's birthday party bailed, and Declan has ideas about who can fill that void: Adam. Adam agrees — simply because Declan offers him the easiest $500 Adam will ever earn — though Adam's not happy about it. It's only when he arrives at the party that he realizes he might be able to perform some actual magic. With Declan's younger brother, Ronan.

Just Coffee - 4k - Rated G

The new barista at Fox Way Cafe was hot as shit. Or Ronan Lynch hoped he was new. That was the only reasonable excuse why the barista sucked at barista-ing and seemed to provide the fucking worst customer service known to man. The way the guy’s thin smile faltered when he asked someone how he could help them said he’d rather throw himself into an active volcano — or possibly a tiny metal pitcher of freshly steamed milk, given the setting — than take another order for a nonfat pumpkin spice peppermint patty latte with almond milk or whatever, but damn, Ronan would stand in line all day if it meant watching the new guy epically fail at providing a good customer experience. Ronan Lynch doesn't mean to become a regular at Fox Way Cafe, but when he sees the cafe's newest employee for the first time, he decides to keep going back again, and again, and again. At least until the new barista learns how to spell his name...

Rock Beats Scissors - 2k - Rated M

Really, if they wanted to keep things fair and equitable, they could have found some impartial way to make the decision. Flipping a coin. Drawing straws. Rolling a die. But being distractingly hard didn’t always allow for rational thinking, and for two eighteen-year-old boys who appreciated the more physical aspects of life, neither of them would have been willing to hit the pause button to scramble out of bed and find a quarter or an old board game. They just kept going until someone gave in, and no matter who put what where, they both ended up exceedingly happy with the results. Which worked. Until the first time neither of them wanted to give in. When Adam and Ronan can't agree on who's going to top, they solve their problem the old fashioned way: rock paper scissors.

The Singular Formula - 2k - Rated G

It was because he spent his nights on Adam’s floor awake that Ronan heard Adam talk in his sleep in the first place, and though he might not have remembered when he first heard Adam sleep talking, Ronan would never forget what Adam said. Seal off the wall. Don’t let the submarines in. When Ronan starts sleeping over at Adam's tiny apartment above St. Agnes, he learns something about Adam he hadn't known before: Adam talks in his sleep.

Safe Bet - 1k - Rated G

The guy tilted his head slightly as if to say fair, and he lifted a long, lovely hand to push a lock of dusty hair back off his forehead as he looked at Ronan. “I might be, but I hope not.” One corner of his thin lips twitched, then he said, “Because I have a proposition.” Ronan stared. Blinked. He had not anticipated his evening taking this kind of turn when he’d needed to get out of his older brother’s apartment. Ronan loved his brothers Declan and Matthew — who he’d come to stay with while he tried to make his life less directionless — but sometimes three Lynches under one roof was too much. Evenly, he said, “A proposition.” When Ronan Lynch is approached by a hot stranger at a bar, the last thing he expects is that he'll be drawn into the guy's scheme to win a bet against his coworkers.

I've got tons of pots simmering on my stove going into 2025, so here's to another year of writing about these two idiot assholes falling in love over and over again. 🥰

[shyrose57]

I was INSPIRED by this gorgeous piece of drowned Pearl fan art by @dailypearldoodles.

--------------

If there was one thing anyone could tell you about Kestrel Scar Goodtimes, it was that he was a liar. And a very good one at that.

The second thing was that, like any doomed man, he had ghosts snapping at his heels, and the seas were not his friend.

(There are five rules for anything to do with the things beneath Scar’s boat)

The water is dark where his ship lays docked, shadows rolling beneath the waves that follow it wherever it sails. 

Captain Sausage comments on it, only once. But the shrieking laughter that erupts from the dark mass follows him into his nightmares for days after, and he learns to avert his eyes, lest he dream of something like screaming again.

(The first rule you need to know is that if you speak of them, then they’ll visit)

Whatever haunts him sends his boat rocking at every move, lurching wildly to both sides. They cannot overturn it. Not yet. They’re young still, in death. His days are counting down, but for now, he simply learns to work with it, and politely smiles when others decline to come aboard, eyeing the things below.

(The second rule is that they’re only here to haunt one man, but if you get in the way, they’ll happily take you overboard too)

Scott Denholm dips his feet into the sea, decidely drunk. A hand settles against his leg, light and curious. It feels like a hello. A pair of eyes in the water, shining blue, blink up at him in greeting. There’s a name on the tip of his tongue, as he dips his fingers into the waves to clasp someone else’s. It feels like running into an old friend. 

And then he’s hauled back into someone’s chest, looking up at a pale face as Martyn shouts at him. The thing in the water is gone, and Scar’s ship sways beside them, waiting for the realization to cut through the alcohol’s pleasant fuzz.

(The third is that they remember things you don’t, and are all the more bitter for it. Sometimes though, it means they’ll play favorites)

Oli tries to sing to them sometimes, usually in boredom than any real desire to soothe the things in the water. Most days they seem to delight in it, muffled calls rising up to join his half-strung shanties, distracted from rocking Scar’s ship as much as usual. 

Some days though, it seems to do nothing but grate on their ears and nerves, if they possess them in any sense, and instead shrieking loud enough to make ears bleed while they turn their violent attention towards whoever’s ship he’s on, be it his own or others.

(The fourth rule is that while they can be appeased, they can just as easily be angered, often in the same method. Dead things do not care for predictability)

There are good days and bad days, for Scar Goodtimes’ trips at sea. The good ones are more usual lately, plently of things in his new area distracting his phantoms and drawing them from their usual destructive habits. Of course, then comes the days they make up for it tenfold.

Those days, even the ocean bends to their wrath. The sky darkens and pours, as it did so many years ago when they toppled overboard with gaping wounds that bled the water red. The thunder screams in tandem with a past long gone and hidden, behind deceptive smiles and tongues lost to landfolk’s ears. 

The tide pushes with them, putting it’s strength behind their clawing hands to try and bring the ship beneath the waves where it has belonged since the moment he put them all down there. The scent of blood in the water brings all sorts of deadly things about, waiting for the stronger predators to reach their prey, hoping for the scraps their messy kill will surely leave behind.

Those days, Scar docks his ship wherever he can, and makes his way towards whoever he can. Sausage is easiest, an arm tossed over his shoulder and a look directed at the water has it writhing in anger even as his captain guides him away.

Martyn too, works, though not quite to the same extent. He’s of similar nature to Scar, after all. He looks out for himself before anyone else.

If he’s feeling particularly bold(or as some might put, cruel), he invites his two favorite Herons out to talk about interesting new discoveries by the ship. Scott and Cleo always keep one wary eye on him, which works just fine, because it means they don’t look too hard at the sudden, furious stillness of the water, or the hand settled where he keeps his blade in a familiar threat-to his ghosts, of course. The two Herons would just be the unfortunate collateral his warning requires.

Scar is a dead man walking. He’s not too concerned-he’s very good at stretching both the truth, and his time.

(The fifth rule is that they are going to win, in this battle of patience. That no matter what he does, they’ll still be there, waiting for any slip.

But they can be held back. If you’re clever, and you know what to look for.

If you know what to hold over their heads)

[savethegrishaverse]

We’re back with our next round of prompts Third Army! This week (January 21st to January 27th) we want to talk all about “journeys”. Not just the journey to the Ice Court or the journey through the Fold, but our own journey as the Third Army! The billboards go up in LA and London on the 22nd, and that’s just one of the major milestones we have reached as a fandom.

Let’s take a moment to talk about the road so far, and celebrate all the journeys the Grishaverse offers - real and fantasy. To aid with that, we are going to give out prompts and boost content about our Grishaverse. Come join us, send us your fanfics, post your art, and make sure to use hashtag #Third Army so we can see each post!

Writing prompt: The Six of Crows duology ended, but we know that’s not the end of the Crows’ stories. Tell us the next adventures you imagine the Crows would go on!

Writing prompt: Let’s tell a sea-shanty inspired story, sailing off to the great unknown. Come up with a Pirate x Mermaid AU with your favorite ship!

Writing prompt: Write an essay on a niche Grishaverse topic that you are obsessed with but no one else seems to talk about.

Art prompt: Draw yourself as a Grisha on a journey to (or even through) the Fold!

Art Prompt: Though we got to see the Komedie Brute costumes onscreen in season two of Shadow and Bone, we didn’t get to quite see the Crows in their designated costumes. Draw the Crows, or even Alina and her companions, in your idea of the Komedie Brute costumes!

Photoshop challenge: There have been many a journey taken over the course of human history, from the Greek Odyssey to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings. There’s even more modern journeys like road trips and sightseeing. Photoshop the Grishaverse characters on one of these journeys, or any other journey you can think of!

Photoshop challenge: The Ice Court heist was dangerous and brilliant - but what other heists do you think the Crows could pull off? Photoshop them into other popular heists!

Mixed Media challenge: Nikolai becomes king at the end of season two of Shadow and Bone, but we all know that’s not where his story (or Zoya’s) ends. Let’s try to tell more of his story through whatever media you like (writing, video, photoshop, art).

Video edit prompt: Let’s compile all that we have done so far, and make a tribute to all the work we have been doing together during this campaign to renew the show and greenlight the spinoff. 

Question/Answer prompts: Though it feels like years have passed, it’s only been a few months since Shadow and Bone was officially canceled and the Six of Crows spinoff scrapped. In that time we have accomplished so much! What was the moment for you where you realized just how far we have reached? The billboard going up maybe, or how about reaching 195k on the petition? Or maybe it was early on, when we all scrambled together to get the campaign rolling?

Every week I want to ask people to share happy/hopeful stories about Grishaverse and the campaign. Let’s talk about the friends we’ve made, the kindness in the fandom, and any moments of hope we can share to keep our spirits strong!

[teecupangel]

What are your favorite 3-5 things about each Assassin's Creed game (can be anything from design, graphics, story, characters etc.) and some things you hate about each? (And tag some friends to share as well!)

I will try to keep these as short as possible.

Assassin’s Creed

What I love:

Altaïr Ibn-La'Ahad

The atmosphere and setting

The focus on the mystery for both the Third Crusades and the Modern Day

Everything the Rafiq of Damascus says

What I hate:

THERE IS NO SUBTITLE. Who in Ubisoft thought that would be a fucking good idea???

Altaïr can’t swim and I have accidentally made him jump into the waters more times than I can count.

At least tell me which part of the map I haven’t gotten the goddamn flag is.

Assassin’s Creed 2

What I love:

The prologue with the Auditores. It really makes the tragedy all the more impactful.

Armor of Altaïr!

That one trick where you can snipe your target from the rooftops by killing other guards and making him go to that specific location. XD

Punch out with the pope in Vatican.

Desmond kicking ass in the ending.

What I hate:

Fuck you Thieves’ Guild Challenges and your fucking time limits.

Actually, fuck all time limit based challenges, I’m talking to you, yeah, you, Assassin Tombs challenges. If it wasn’t for my desire to have the Armor of Altaïr and getting the plat I would have had the strength to ignore you.

Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood

What I love:

Assassin recruits and how they can do your job for you.

I will forever love how my friend tried to get me to play AC Brotherhood by showing me how I can whack people using a broom XD

Claudia becoming an Assassin <3

What I hate:

The fall of Monteriggioni TTATT

The loss of the Armor of Altaïr TTATT

Fuck you, Cesare.

Assassin’s Creed Revelations

What I love:

Altaïr.

Darim.

Altaïr being an old man going for a walk while Masyaf is under attack and just summoning ghost Assassins to take care of the Mongols XD

All of Altaïr’s memory seals in general.

Ezio’s new outfit. Fuuurrrr.

That CGI opening. Say what you want about Ubisoft, they’re one of video game companies who make the best CGI videos and trailers.

Ezio singing in that minstrel outfit XD

Ezio finally seeing Desmond’s ‘picture’

What I hate:

Yusuf’s death TTATT

Sofia ending up as a damsel in distress in the final act. At least she got to drive the getaway wagon.

Altaïr dying all alone in an empty library TTATT

Assassin’s Creed 3

What I love:

Ratonhnhaké:ton, precious boi

Ratonhnhaké:ton and Haytham having different counters and finishers. It really shows how different they move and fight.

Being able to play as Desmond!

Desmond using the Apple to force the guards to kill Vidic then using it on anyone who tries to attack him.

What I hate:

That board game. I never understood how to play it.

The unchangeable end of Ratonhnhaké:ton’s people.

William Miles in general.

Juno in general.

The ending TTATT

Assassin’s Creed Black Flag

What I love:

100% sync means Edward must pickpocket the Templars while they were talking about their plans which meant he canonically pickpocket’ed them.

Sea shanties.

The sailing gameplay in general.

Freedom Cry!

What I hate:

Blackbeard’s and Mary’s death.

I love how this shows the end of the Pirates’ Golden Age but goddamn, I hate how most of them died. I cried at the ending when Anne was singing and it shows all the friends they lost.

The reminder that even that hopeful ending of Edward and Jenny sailing back to England and the epilogue with young Haytham is nothing but a prologue to the tragedy that would soon follow Haytham’s childhood.

Assassin’s Creed Rogue

What I love:

Mortars. Rain of fire! Just keep firing mortars while strafing even if Morrigan is underleveled!

Grenade launcher and just berserking everyone and letting them take care of everything.

Hope Jensen and her Assassin robes.

What I hate:

How Shay wouldn’t have defected if they had just all sat down and fucking talked to one another.

Fucking pigeons.

Hope’s death TTATT

Adéwalé’s death TTATT

Learning my PS4 controller cannot fully tilt so Shay was never sprinting after I almost gave up on the final mission because I couldn’t catch up to Liam and I only knew about it after switching to the controller that never recognize me pressing the ‘down’ button ever and finally seeing Shay sprint for the first time.

Assassin’s Creed Unity

What I love:

Arno, the poor wet silly man.

How it shows a different kind of Assassins and Templars with the Assassins actually trying to stop the revolution while the Templars are off having a civil war with the moderates and the radicals.

The detective sidequests.

How Paris changes as the main story is progressed and the Revolution starts in full swing.

Getting the Eagle of Suger before finishing the main game and dlc and using it to make open combat easier (and one I usually wrongly write as Sugar)

What I hate:

Germaine as the final antagonist felt meh for me.

The cliché love interest dies in his arms that Ubisoft is very fond of.

Being unable to see the most horrifying glitches first hand XD

Okay, in all seriousness, how the whole trailer of Arno and the three Assassins was just a promotion for the multiplayer aspect. It would have been nice if they were part of the storyline as well.

Chevalier de Leon being a sidequest character only :(

Assassin’s Creed Syndicate

What I love:

Evie and her chameleon stealth skill XD

Jack the Ripper DLC

Everything about the Kenway manor.

Desmond the Dog <3

Lydia’s missions and the map.

What I hate:

Having to get 1st place on the carriage horses to get the platinum

The ending of the modern day where Rebecca gets shot and it's just… taken care of in the background later on.

This being the final game we see Juno being a threat and then she gets off’ed in the comics.

Assassin’s Creed Origins

What I love:

Bayek in general

Bayek using the Apple to bash a man’s head repeatedly

The cat sidequest XD

The fact that you can do the loot boxes using ingame currencies that they never implemented in Odyssey or Valhalla.

Discovery Mode.

Unicamel

What I hate:

Khemu’s death :(

Cleopatra betraying them. I knew it was going to happen, I still hated it though.

Ubisoft deciding to change how Amunet killed Cleopatra from actively killing her to just handing her the poison so she could kill herself.

Not being able to change Aya’s gear in her missions. I’d even be okay to locking it so I can only pick the so many twin daggers I have in my inventory!

Assassin’s Creed Odyssey

What I love:

Kassandra shoving the cyclop’s eye in a goat’s ass and having a trophy pop up if you kill the actual goat and get the eye back.

Barnabas

The fire armor and weapon set that lets me kill enemies 10+ levels above me by just watching them burn.

The 'you fucked my padre and killed my madre' sidequest

What I hate:

Brasidas’ death TTATT

Phoebe’s death TTATT

I am so tired of the portrayal of Hades and Persephone’s relationship as being toxic and abusive.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

What I love:

Hytham

Being able to upgrade Ravensthorpe.

Orlog… I don’t know why but I enjoyed it.

France DLC with the semi-sandbox way you can assassinate targets.

What I hate:

Fuck the rock physics of this game.

The reason they decided to give Eivor so she would leave Ravensthorpe in the final chapter.

Actually, Final Chapter in general. The only thing I enjoyed in that one is learning Hytham is now teaching his own recruits.

Ragnarok DLC being a separate DLC that isn’t covered by the Season Pass.

(I haven’t finished Mirage yet so I can’t add it here, sorry)

uuuhhh, I guess I'll tag... @saberamane, and @thedragonqueen1998?