#seaside village shipping

[goldenroseeon]

I think that "Flower Courts" is stupid. /J

...Kidding! I just think that the name does not fit them that well! It's still a cute ship, in my opinion!

For Context, "Flower Courts" is the ship name for Tango, Scott, Jimmy, and Martyn.

I'm guessing that the name comes from Flower Husbands/Flower Ranchers, replacing the last word with the addition of Martyn. However, while the addition of Martyn making it a court makes sense, I think it completely disregards Tango in all of this, seeing as he hasn't been super strongly associated with royalty at all.

So I suggest any of the four (admittedly very similar) names for the 4 of them!

There are 2 main aesthetics for the ships involved, those being a farmer/rural aesthetic and a strong aquatic theme. Even the ships that seem to not fit into that aesthetic can be fiddled into that aesthetic.

So! Having a seaside farming village seems like a logical conclusion for the four of them!

I get that having 4 very similar names for a ship can be confusing, so I'll put a poll to see which one is the best name for the ship! And any other suggestions are free here, too!

Or maybe I'm just thinking too deep into it. It is a sort of rarer pair, after all.

[pipartuuli]

making this the official introductory post for all my future doodles and ramblings about the

Metalocalypse Vikings AU

I don't know how much effort I'll put into this, but musings below the cut! (And don't expect total historic accuracy - it's just for funsies, not a research project.)

All my future posts in this setting will be tagged with #MtlVikingsAU for ease of keeping tabs on them.

my co-conspirator, as always, is @aidoneira 💛

Setting:

Circa 840 c.e. near what will become modern day Göteborg, Sweden. The Viking Age is in full swing in Scandinavia. Seafaring Norsemen have begun to launch raids across Northern Europe and elsewhere.

Skwisgaar:

Skwisgaar is the Jarl (Chieftain) of a sprawling seaside town near modern-day Göteborg, having amassed a large army and in possession of an entire fleet of ships. An incredibly skilled swordsman rumored to be sired by a god, he is a formidable raider and has seen great success pillaging and plundering, folding smaller nearby villages into his own and going abroad for more exotic spoils. While charming, he has a cruel streak and a propensity for violence; success like his does not often come peacefully, and defending that which he and his forefathers built - what the gods have bestowed upon him - is his top priority. Lately, he's taken an interest in taming (or perhaps breaking completely) the wild spirit of his recent captive, Toki. For his thunderous nature and strength, he's earned the epithet "Þórshestr" - Thor's-Horse, or Thunder-Horse.

Toki:

Toki hails from a small village nestled deep in a fjord near what is today Stavanger, Norway. Trained as a strong warrior, he was the only survivor of a raid on his home by Skwisgaar’s army, having been barely subdued, captured, and brought back to Skwisgaar’s domain as a prize. While normally quiet and gentle, the fury with which he's able to fight as a Berserker is frightening. His skills with a blade (his preferred weapon being his seax) are second only to Skwisgaar’s. Some in the village whisper that he may even be more powerful than Jarl Skwisgaar himself... Toki finds companionship in the other captives pressed into Skwisgaar’s service. His speed and ferocity in battle have earned him the epithet "Snæfalk" - Snow-Falcon.

Runke:

Also a Norwegian captive brought to Skwisgaar’s village several years ago, Runke's jobs are many - he's able to carve and read runes, decipher omens, maintain a knowledge of various medicinal herbs and plants, and treat battlefield injuries. While some of these duties are typically seen as women's work - belonging to the class of the siðasveinn or völva - no one can deny his skill. For his wisdom (and beak-like profile), he's often called "Huginn" after Odin's own raven. He's made a begrudging sort of peace with his new lot in life and accepts his fate, even developing a soft spot for Toki who has become like a(n annoying) younger brother.

Týr:

A local of Skwisgaar’s village, Týr is a career soldier and Skwisgaar’s long-time guard and combat tutor - and the closest thing Skwisgaar has to an earthly father. In his younger years, Týr spent time going a-viking with his fellow warriors, but in recent times, he's been enjoying a slower state of semi-retirement, woodworking instead of sparring. He taught Skwisgaar everything he knows about wielding a blade. Despite his acuity with a sword, he is a kind and fair man, and has done his best to impart the same values to Skwisgaar (with limited success...) "Týr" is not his birth name, but a name he's earned after the god of war and justice himself. His birth name has been lost to time.

[writingquestionsanswered]

Describing Scene Locations

Anonymous asked: I've been writing for a decade, mostly short stories, and have recently started writing a fantasy set in the 17th century. My setting is a world pretty much like ours, but with made-up names for specific towns and whatnot. The characters are pirates, and a few are non-human. I'm finding it difficult to figure out where certain plot points take place when the story is mostly character-driven. There are parts where they need to be on land, but apart from 'vague port/island', I don't know what else to do with it. (Am I overthinking this?) I suppose my question is: How specific do secondary locations have to be for it to be immersive and realistic (for their world) without it being lackluster or overdone? I don't want it all be "it's a beach with a village," but adding a giant seaside kingdom seems overkill if it's only mentioned in passing once or twice. Thank you so much for taking the time to answer these - this whole blog is a gift, really.

[Ask edited for length]

First, thank you... that is very kind of you to say! ♥

So, I think it really helps to think of your story in terms of scenes, and to think of each scene almost like a scene in a play. Your scene's setting is like the stage in the play, and the amount of description is the amount of scenery and props on the stage.

If you've been to plays, you've probably noticed that the scenery can be very minimal or very elaborate, depending on the needs of the show:

With fiction, it works the same way. How little or how much you describe the scenery (setting) depends on the needs of the scene, but you do need to make sure to give the reader a sense of place. Looking at the first image, just with the little bit of scenery that's there, we know this scene is taking place in a home, perhaps a living room. If the two men were just sitting on chairs with no other scenery, we wouldn't have that sense of place.

However, that doesn't mean that any of your scenes need to be set in sprawling seaside kingdoms. There are all sorts of land-based settings for pirates:

-- bustling port town like Port Royal or Tortuga -- coastal village, town, or city -- isolated island or cove -- small fishing village -- seaside castles or estates -- pirate's stronghold on a hidden island/cove/cave/bay -- tropical jungle or rainforest -- remote island -- colonial outpost -- swamps and marshlands -- rural countryside -- ancient ruins

There are all sorts of reasons pirates might go ashore in these places:

-- to resupply (food, water, liquor, gunpowder, ammunition) -- to buy specific items (weapons, clothing, equipment for ship) -- to sell, trade, deliver, hide, or bury loot -- to hunt and gather resources -- to recruit crew -- to maintenance, repair, or refit the ship -- to meet with allies, informants, business partners, etc. -- to visit friends/acquaintances -- to avail themselves of various goods and services -- to drink in a bar, gamble and carouse with friends -- to enjoy some much needed rest and recreation -- to learn or exchange information -- to seek medical treatment/medicine/remedies -- to seek legal assistance or meet to discuss legal matters -- to "case" a potential target for a raid -- to visit family and love interests

Within these settings and potential errands, there are many specific settings you could use:

-- the docks of a bustling port -- the tavern of a coastal village -- a quiet moonlit cove where pirates are laying low -- the great hall of a seaside castle -- a masquerade ball at a country estate -- the crumbled ruins of an ancient civilization in an isolated jungle -- at a freshwater lagoon on a remote island during resource stop -- busy market at a colonial outpost -- fisherman's shanty in a quiet bayou -- an official's luxury town home in a big city -- the coastal farm belonging to a family member

So... having the different locations in mind, how much or how little do you describe them? Once again, all you have to do is create a sense of place for the reader. If your pirates are having a heated argument on the docks of a busy port town, you may at least want to give a vague description of the docks, whether it's night or day, what the weather's like, how crowded it is, and maybe a brief sampling of what the crowd is doing, notable sensory details (sounds, smells, visuals) etc. You can also weave those details into the narrative in a way that serves a dual purpose. For example, maybe in the argument, one pirate gestures to a toothless fish monger and uses them as an example in a point they're trying to make. Not only is this a necessary part of the dialogue, but it also fills in some of the scenery detail. Or, maybe instead, they're perusing spices in a bustling seaside market while they talk/argue quietly. Here are some posts from my description master list that will hopefully help further:

The Right Amount of Description (5 Tips!) The 3 Fundamental Truths of Description Description: Style vs Excess/Deficiency How to Make Your Description More Vivid Adding Description to Your WritingWeaving Details into the Story Guide: Showing vs Telling When “Telling” is Okay

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

I’ve been writing seriously for over 30 years and love to share what I’ve learned. Have a writing question? My inbox is always open!

♦ Questions that violate my ask policies will be deleted! ♦ Please see my master list of top posts before asking ♦ Learn more about WQA here

[croissantberry]

*cutely shoves AU up your face*

🌽👩🏻‍🌾🐓!The Amazing Digital Farmstead MASTERPOST!🐓👩🏻‍🌾🌽

Welcome to the beautiful land of Pixel Carnivalley! A vivacious seaside mountain range full of magic and wonder! In the heart of it rests Digit Town, a quaint little village full of wondrous townspeople from all over! Come along and uncover the mysteries and unleash the enchantment within this cozy farm sim game!

Croissantberry is proud to present a TADC AU loosely inspired by Stardew Valley with a few elements from Harvest Moon and Harvest Town!! But don't be fooled by the cute and cozy aesthetics, every Tudor Rose has it's thorns after all...

QnA

Q: Are there any ships? A: Yes. FunnyBunny (Jax x Pomni) and Abstragedy (Zooble x Gangle) are the main pairings! Q: Can I ship anything else? A: Of course you can!! Q: Can I make NSFW of your AU? A: Fine. Please just don't force it onto me. Q: Can I write fanfics? A: YES GO FOR IT!!! Q: Will abstracted characters like Kaufmo and Queenie appear in this AU? A: Yep! They will have their designs added soon! Q: Are OCs allowed? A: Yes of course pookie <3 Q: Is OC x Canon/Self shipping okay? A: Ha simps /j /lh Go ahead and be happy!!

LIST OF LINKS:

Notable Information

Farmstead Calendar [TBA]

Farmstead Abstracast Info Cards [TBA]

Pixel Carnivalley Map [TBA]

Farmstead Facts!

[TBA]

Miscellaneous

It's Pride Month Pomni!!

!! use the hashtags: #the amazing digital farmstead, #farmstead au, & #tadc farmstead au !!

[dailyadventureprompts]

Plane: The Abyssal Unknown

Artsource

Deeper than deep, this sunken dimension exists beyond the bounds of all seas be they watery, hellish, or astral. A surreal and lightless landscape decorated with the remnants of sunken cities and vessels lost across time.

Known by some mariners and mystics simply as "The Below", this dimension was once simply an afterlife for those claimed by fathomless waters, whether they be stormtossed sailors or the inhabitants of civilizations washed away by floods. Where once it graciously accepted such lost souls, In the past century though the Unknown has become somehow covetous, reaching out to grasp at whatever prize strikes its fancy.

Adventure Hooks:

Those sailors that come too close to drowning may be marked by the Unknown, which will stop at nothing to claim their bodies and souls. Such is the case for the revenant the party is hired to deal with, an old sailor who dug her way out of her grave and walked several miles towards the sea before tying herself to the sign at the crossroads outside of town. She claims that no matter how she might want to rest in death, the "sea" will not give her peace. It will be up to the party to decide what to do with her, whether delivering her to a watery grave or seeking the aid of some other divinity.

After recovering a fortune from a wrecked treasure ship, a salvage crew is being picked off one by one, with a few of them hiring the party for protection against what they think is an attempt by their jealous coworkers to cut them out of the deal. Infact they are being haunted by a horrid half-real beast known as "the Scuttler", part crab part ghost haunted hulk, which guards the doors of the Abyssal Unkown (and objects it lays claim to) the way Cerberus guards Hades.

A series of storms washes up wreckage and strange valuables near a seaside town, bringing beachcombers and treasurehunters of all kinds. A dreaming compulsion settles over those that take things from the shore, driving them to gather driftwood and other materials from the brine, and begin the construction of a vessel there on the beach. When questioned in their half lucid state, they claim that the ship they build will "take them home, and further still", an odd claim made even by those who'd lived in the village all their lives.

Sink deep enough into the trenches of the Below and you will find the tombs of the first oceanic gods, bleached coral monuments and epitaphs carved around the vigil-fire of thermal vents. The Abyssal Unknown was once their mausoleum, a place where their descendants and adherents could pay their respect, preserved forever in the crushing embrace of the depths.

That was before the Collector came, a malign spirit of the depths not quite demon or outer god. Driven by an insatiable desire to know and possess, it usurped the Below's guardians and remade the realm in its own image, bending the Unkown's ancient magics to it's purpose of acquisition and scraping the dead gods' skulls for knowledge like the lowest of scavengers at whalefall.

So much knowledge has been lost to the sea over the course of history, and it is only a matter of time before the collector archives it's aim of ascending to true divine status. Already it's power grows, gathering agents and seeding the idea of its ascension into the minds of receptive followers.

[fixyourwritinghabits]

Hello! Your blog is great, long time follower first time asker. Im about to start outlining my first novel (short, 30k words), and its like, sci fi noir detective? But I wanted to ask what you think the best way to world build for a novel is bc I'm famously not, great at that. Thanks ! yall have a great day !

World-building is not my strength, and as much as I admire the DnD approach of creating an entire world before you even have a plot for it, I cannot do that. My approach, therefore, is to lean on the technique of all world-building should be in service to the story. Getting too attached to a thousand details that will be left on the cutting floor is a hard no for me.

A common complaint about fantasy books is that they don't often lay out how the world works, but that doesn't bother me too much. You could spend twenty pages on trading deals and agricultural practices (and should if they interest you!), but none of that may make it to the final draft. You may be better served by trying the following:

Start With Your Premise

Let's keep it real simple. Magical abilities are sorted by color. Minerals mined from Mars start creating hallucinations that seem to predict the future. Sharks sprout legs and start terrorizing seaside towns, etc. Even if you only have an inkling of how the surrounding world will be, you probably have an idea of what you want the plot to be like.

Where is your character in regards to your concept? If there's magic in your book, what is theirs like or what do they know about it? Could they have some hidden insight on those hallucinations (actually warnings from long-dead Martians!)? Are they are shark scientist who's pretty damn sure land sharks aren't real?

Establish the baseline of your character's everyday life in the world they're in will help you figure out how to expand from there.

Establish Your Rules

Before you get off and running, sit down and figure out what's doable and what isn't. If the magic/phenomena/walking sharks manifest in a particular way, what can't it/they do? Setting your rules down ahead of time will keep yourself from writing yourself into a corner, but it also helps you justify breaking them later, if need be.

Don't, however, stick too rigidly to these rules as you go along. You might figure out a brilliant plot twist that requires going back and realigning your world to make it work! Making them up as you go along, however, may give you a much harder job when editing. Believe me, I've learned that the hard way.

Expand Your World With Your Plot/Character

Again, this is mainly to spare you tossing out pages and pages of scenes and settings you can't justify keeping in the final product. Keeping the narrow focus of your world-building on your character, starting with their normal state of things (their village, their daily life, etc), expanding when the inciting event launches them beyond what they know (holy shit, sharks with legs!), and each new problem or challenge will give you opportunity to expand your world-building in service of your story.

You don't have to do this as you go along - if you know the climax or a critical moment in your book requires establishing something specific about your world, you can weave that into your story long before it becomes important.

For example, your character may have an argument with the lead engineer of the spaceship's engines, who makes a fool of them by pointing out something they don't know. This gives a scene to establish characterization (revealing insecurities and flaws, establish relationships (rivalries, love interests, etc), and gives you a moment to establish key facts about your world by showing off the impressive engine room ahead of time. Later, when your character scrambles through it dodging bad guys to prevent the ship from crashing, the reader will already be familiar with the importance of what the character is trying to accomplish.

Be Open to Change

I recently went back to a project I haven't touched in years and was astonished to find that I ripped out huge chunks of my previous world-building, revamped the premise, changed entire conflicts and characters, and... it works so much better than what I was struggling to accomplish before.

Now don't get me wrong! This process was so emotionally devastating at the time that I put the entire thing away for years, convinced it wasn't savable. In hindsight, it was worth it, but I don't recommend this approach at all. Some concepts may be better for DnD campaigns or personal projects, and not novels. Some may be better in a different medium, like a comic or an indie game. You never have to throw anything out - unused ideas can be reworked into other stories. Maybe even a sequel!

Give yourself space to hit some storytelling walls, change up your ideas that aren't working, and experiment. All work is good work, even if some of it never ends up on the page. You'll get there.

[scarletttries]

Roronoa Zoro Falling In Love Headcanons (One Piece)

Pairing: Roronoa Zoro (Live Action One Piece) x Reader

Rating: Fluff

Word Count: 1.6k

Author's Note: After lacking a bit of inspiration recently I just finished watching the live action One PIece on Netflix and am completely obsessed, especially with Zoro! So here a few little headcanons for him, and I might do a part two of relationship headcanons too. Also requests are now open for any of the one piece characters so send them in! 💗☺️

- Oh Zoro. Truly the epitome of a heart of gold hiding behind a sarcastic, borderline cold, facade. A man who pretends to be affected by nothing, despite having so much space inside him for friendship and devotion.

- Chances are he'd first come across you when he and Luffy are docked in another new town. Maybe you're a pirate whose name he's heard in passing and considers trying to capture for the bounty. Maybe you're someone who just loves and helps out the small seaside village you live in, trying to make a few Berry from the ships passing through. Maybe you're the next key step to reaching Monkey's dream of finding the piece. Whatever he expects to find when your paths cross, it certainly isn't you.

- Before he even knows you're the person he's looking for, one look at you and he knows you're important. Like you exist in a slightly brighter light than everyone else he's ever met before, and he's not sure if he should shield his eyes or if he can't bear to look away. He stops dead in his tracks at the sight of you, the first glimpse enough to have his heart pounding in his chest like it never has before. Luffy watches his usually stern friend let his mouth fall open in silence, baffled by his actions until Nami leans over and whispers to him. Zoro can't hear exactly what she says but he hears the word 'crush' and feels his stomach churn at the thought. He wants to run, but he's unsure whether he wants to go towards or away from you. He grips his white katana as a panicked instinct when finally you glance up and send a friendly smile to the eclectic group of pirates standing, staring at you.

- Luffy can tell before you ever say a word that you're good and kind, and destined to be aboard the Merry as a part of his crew. Zoro can't bring himself to do anything but loom over his captain as he makes a sales pitch. The part of his brain that likes to be in control hopes that you're busy and tied down, that you'll reject Luffy's offer and he'll never feel as shaken and desperate as he does in this moment again. A much bigger part of him knows that he won't survive if you say 'no'. Like without you he might never dream again, doomed to spend the rest of his days sailing aimlessly, searching for the same rush he feels every time you look up at him over his friends straw hat. Thankfully Monkey rarely asks someone to join his crew that he isn't certain will eventually say yes. And so you do, accepting it's time to try a new path and join this strange group of good-hearted sailors, hoping for a new shot at your dreams.

- Monkey, Sanji and Usopp are all friendly from the get-go. They can't wait to share stories of their journey so far, and make sure you feel as safe and at home on the ship as they do. Nami takes a bit longer to open up to you, but when she does you can understand why, and while her friendship is harder to earn, it feels all the more solid for it. And then there's Zoro.

- You notice that whenever you all walk into a room, he'll always take the position or chair next to you, awkwardly stepping in front of Sanji on more than one occasion, or forcing himself into a tight spot rather than create distance between the two of you. He doesn't often strike up conversation first, but when you ask him something about himself he always looks very relieved and happy to have something to talk to you about. If the group has to split up he'll always stick by your side, taking the role of keeping you safe to heart. Your unspoken bodyguard. It gets to the point that the crew adjust to leaving a spot next to you for him to settle into, and never asking him to go out without you. All the while Nami takes great joy in speculating on his behaviour with you, and teasing Zoro for his complete inability to act like a normal human being. Sanji has to lay off his harmless flirting with you after he notices the daggers Zoro's shooting at him, and he's sure one night at a bar he heard him start to draw his sword when he put a hand on your leg.

- It doesn't take many conversations with Zoro, or many chats with Luffy who spends a lot of his time telling you about how wonderful and impressive Zoro is, for you to start finding his strange behavior more than a little flattering. The tall, talented swordsman can't help but soften under your gaze, and you feel yourself slowly leaning closer to him every time he settles at your side, before long finding yourself practically draped against him when the group find themselves at some gaudy bar on the outskirts of a marine base, failing to keep a low profile. Usopp insists on dragging you onto the dancefloor, and thankfully Nami asks Zoro to come dance with her before he has to either sit without you, or volunteer to dance of his own volition. Despite his athleticism, of course he's a terrible dancer, all uncoordinated movements and awkward energy as he fails to copy Usopp's charismatic moves. Taking pity on him, you take his hand in yours, letting him hold you closer as the rest of the group seem to fade in the crowd behind you having seen more than enough of his desperate longing to stick around for this. As Sanji and Usopp slink off to find another drink, Nami and Luffy can't resist keeping just in view so they can watch on as they finally see Zoro smile widely and let his guard down, relaxing against you as the pair of you sway. Nami wants to make a bet on if Zoro finally gets the nerve to say something about his feelings, but after a few months of being her closest friend she decides to just root for you both instead, trying to pull Luffy just far enough away to give you two some much needed privacy.

- As you feel his arms encircle you, a soft sway in his hips that matches yours, his mouth drops open and closed a few times over. It's always hard for him to find the right thing to say to you, but when he has you this close, with your eyes sparkling up at him, it's almost impossible to even think. It's all consuming living on the same ship, his heart jumping in his chest every time someone enters his cabin in case it's you, his feet taking him to stand outside your quarters almost every day just willing himself to knock on the door and finally put words to his devoted actions. He couldn't fight his longing to be near you for even a day, and watching you open up to him and start to inch closer yourself, he can't help but hope that you might be feeling just a drop of the ocean of affection he navigates for you. His eyes focus intensely on yours as he tries again to speak, stumbling over the word 'I' a few times before resigning himself to silence for another night.

- You could see the conflict of fear and hope in his eyes, the man of few words clearly straining to explain things his training had never left room for. He was trying, and you were sure you knew what he was going to say, but you didn't think you could be the one to articulate it for him. That didn't mean you couldn't give him a bit of encouragement.

- Trailing your hands over his arms to settle on his shoulders, you stepped flush with his body, the extra contact enough to stop his gentle sway and turn his whole frame rigid. With the softest smile you could muster you leaned up onto your tiptoes, giving him a moment to pull away before letting your lips press softly to his. It was just for a second. A mere moment of soft, sweet, contact. The kind Zoro had never even let himself imagine because it felt so far out of reach for him. But it happened, and it was perfect. A wide grin spread over his face at your action, finally feeling like he might be able to share his life with someone other than the ghost he carried with him on his hip.

"WAHHOOOOOO!YES YES YES!"" A deafening cheer echoed through the bar, shaking the light fixtures and turning every single head towards your ecstatic captain. Nami looked mortified as Luffy continued to punch the air in celebration of his first mate finally achieving a dream a little less violent than he'd first set out for, his joy for his friend all consuming and without an ounce of tact.

"Luffy! Stop it! We'll leave you to it." Nami had to physically drag him away as you heard the unfamiliar sound of Zoro laughing to himself, the grin across his cheeks only spreading as his focus returned to you. Leaning back in to find your lips again, he whispered,

"What Luffy said."

[writtenbyjeanofarc]

‎ ‎‎Honor Among Thieves

Captain Hook x Fem! Reader | 2.5k

⎯⎯ summary ‣‣‣ “On an ordinary summer day my friends and I are having fun at the beach when suddenly Captain Hook and his pirates come seemingly out of nowhere and attack, causing chaos. I try to escape, even so much as to reach the car my friends and I used to get there, but I get caught and by one of the pirates and taken.”

⎯⎯ content warnings & tags ‣‣‣ dubcon, penis in vagina sex, creampie, fem! oral receiving, dom! Hook, body worship, fingering, breast kink, praise, dirty talk and pet names.

⎯⎯ requested by ‣‣‣ the wonderful @disney-girl67.

⎯⎯ banner credits ‣‣‣ the lovely @cafekitsune.

The intensifying heat of the sun today was rather unbearable for my liking—I had to make sure the amount of sunscreen I applied was just right for my skin in regards to basking in the summer heat. Thankfully, my best friends had some spare bottles of lotion perfect for our trip to the beach. We’ve packed just the best meals suitable for our picnic date; it’s been a while since we’ve taken a week off of an exhausting day of work, and an opportunity arose when we were given a discount to a beach getaway!

I drew a satisfying breath, taking in the fresh breeze that blew from the east side of the coast. Apart from the overwhelming heat of the sun, it was quite refreshing to take a time off of the monotonous city where industries and businesses collided in chaos. The palm trees danced lively by the breathtaking view, the birds chirping happily as we booked a stay at the chalet nearby.

“So, Ashley, what do you think of this spot so far?” I asked.

“It’s perfect,” my friend smiled. “Summer is a godsend, especially these days. The weather may be humid, but other than that their services are properly managed. I can’t stand always having to work under our boss lately. So I’ve decided to take a leave!”

“May I add that this particular sea stands out because there’s lots of treasure underneath.” my other friend commended. “Rumors say there used to be pirates here, but I believe they’re long dead after getting shipwrecked.”

“Pirates?” I asked, sitting upright, fixing my bikini. “Wait, are you saying, this place isn’t safe for visitors like us?”

“Relax, friend,” my other friend spoke, laughing. “It’s just a scary story spread all across this village. I’m sure that with all the legal authorities becoming more aware of the troubles they cause, they're probably thrown into prison by now.”

“Good, good.” I replied. 

“Anyways, I think now is the right time to go in for a dive! The deeper, the better!” 

“Wait, guys, but-“ 

My friends ignored me this time. They left me without any explanation to stay, leaving me to rot in my own thoughts of whether there were potential thieves roaming around the place. But I’ve decided I won’t back down. I left the patio, without any other reason to make excuses for why I refused to go in for a swim. Out of guilt, I just kept on going, leaving all my worries behind.

My friends and I ran towards the seaside, happy and carefree of the world’s stressors. We even threw some handfuls of sand at each other and splashed some seawater the moment we went for a swim. 

I found it difficult to keep up with my friends this time, the way they swam around the beach and took pictures of the glittering waters. But I dared not to be a killjoy as of this moment, I complied with their requests to have fun regardless.

As we swam recklessly by the sea, I noticed the sight of a large, wooden ship approaching from a distance, seemingly approaching towards us. I felt all along that my gut instinct was right. I tried my best to not falter at first, but knowing they could kill if we didn’t surrender our belongings was something I was truly terrified of. 

“Ashley! Lottie! Mary!” I called out. “There’s a ship approaching! Let’s gather around and leave!”

“[Name], you’re being incredibly ridiculous.” my friend Mary laughed. “Those can’t be pirates! It looks like a normal ship!”

“But-“

My friends ignored my pleas, so I had no other choice but to leave the seaside. I was deathly worried about their wellbeing since pirates aren’t to be trusted regardless, but I started to give less fucks about others and focus on my own needs. This is it. I left my friends and made my way back to the beach house, running half naked and sweaty from the intense blanket of heat that filled the air.

“Take a closer look, Murphy,” scoffed a pirate from the ship as he used his binoculars to zoom into the sight of my friends swimming. “We eating good tonight, aren’t we?”

“Damn right. Nothing more than a bunch of bombshells worth taking in for the night.” Black Murphy laughed loudly. “James will surely be having fun by the end of the day. From what I understand, he’s already by the shore holding some random bitch hostage.”

“Right! Hah. The Captain should consider himself lucky.”

And there I was. I finally arrived at the beach house, surprised to find the door to our room locked. Pleas of someone could be heard from inside, and I didn’t know what to do other than bang the door from outside. The voice was muffled, which made me realize that whoever the captor was turned out to be someone not to be messed with.

My heart raced upon this discovery. Who could have possibly thought there was someone else inside the compound? I tried using all of my strength to open the door. I tried, and tried, and tried…..

And with all my brute force, I managed to successfully pry the door open. I was then met with an unexpected scene.

There in the corner of the room stood a tall, dark figure dressed in red, while his other hand was replaced with some sort of hook. He apparently was holding some sort of knife with his other hand, and it turned out that the identity of who he just killed was the manager of the beach house me and my friends stayed in. The figure took a step forward, revealing himself to be none other than a pirate captain.

I tried to leave, but another one of his pirates grabbed me by the wrists from behind, pushing me to the ground and swiftly locking the door from outside. It was unknown as to how this happened, but I knew from the bottom of my heart that this was coming. 

“Looking as gorgeous as you always were, lovely stranger.” the pirate spoke softly. “Say, are you perhaps here for a trip?”

“Um, yes?” I hesitantly replied. “Who could you be?”

“That doesn’t matter, my dear. In fact, your name doesn’t matter to me either. Say, what are your thoughts about a relationship of give and take? Worry not, for I won’t harm you, as long as you do exactly as I say.”

“Huh????”

“I came here to claim five million bucks from this entire resort. Provided you and your friends do exactly as we please, your lives shall be spared.”

“What???!!!” I protested, attempting to get up and reach for the door behind me. “No, I must have known…!! You-you must be the captain!!! Please, captain, spare our lives!!!”

“Why, if it isn’t the right answer, hm? My name is Captain Hook, I also go by the name James. Though this info won’t matter by the time I’m done with you.”

I froze, unsure of how to react in the face of such a threat. I attempted to stand up, only for the captain to kneel on one knee and unfasten my bikini straps. 

“Please…..” I begged. “Let me go! I’ll do anything!!!”

“Is that so? Why then, don’t resist.” Captain Hook smirked.

I frankly hated how this was turning me on.

He moved his hook down my breasts, groping it with the thin piece of metal while his other hand caressed my cheek. 

“Such a beautiful, sensitive little thing.” he cooed. “Gods must have sent you to serve as my personal pet.”

Tears formed in my eyes as I disobeyed his request and resisted the captain’s touch, only for him to pull me inward. He kneaded on my breasts gently and leaned closer to suckle on my nipples, which was already hard at the sight of his tall stature. He swirled his tongue around it, moaning gently as the sounds of sloppy slurps filled the room.

I hated how good it made me feel. I shivered at the thought of a random stranger’s face up my breasts, but there was no denying that he was extremely good at it. A part of my mind wandered on the scenario where he claimed a number of bodies. From the charm of his facial hair surrounding his features, to his enigmatic smile, it left me with chills—and they weren’t exactly that of the bad type.

He didn’t stop, oh, he didn’t. The more I held back a moan, he just kept sucking in long slurps that left me soaking in my arousal. My breath hitched at the sight of his unshaved face lapping and salivating against my breasts, carefully caressing it as he pulled away.

“Mmmmmhhhh~”, I groaned in frustration.

“What a cute, desperate pet.” Captain Hook whispered. “If all it takes for you to grow wet is to have someone suckle on those stress balls, then you must be a really needy whore after all.”

“Please……I need it….I need it so bad!!!” I protested, desperate for release.

“Eager for my cock?” Captain Hook asked. “Well, you might want to exercise a little patience, my dear. Good things don’t always come in easy packages. Now, let’s take this off from you, shall we?”

With that, he tore my panties off with a clenched fist, leaving my naked form to sulk in hopelessness and frustration. He wasn’t the type to give warnings, for he was quite straight up with what he wanted to do. He was all powerful. That only gave way for me to feel worthless and pathetically needy for his touch.

“Mmmmmm……already this wet? Hah. How pathetic.”

He didn’t give warnings, indeed. I knew he had it in him when he dove into my cunt, kissing the nub gently as he rubbed his finger against it. I felt as if I was about to squirt too early, but I held it in. Then comes the hard part. The fingers. He stuck two fingers in me, forcing his way in without any form of lube or prep. With the burning pain slowly melting away into pleasure, I let him swirl his tongue around my clit without any form of inhibitions after all. The captain yapped and lapped at my vaginal fluids, overflowing to an extent of it streaming down my cunt. It felt warm, pleasurable, and on top of all that, I felt like I was about to catch feelings for the man.

His digits began curling upward, making me wince at the length of his fingers, yet still aroused. The slight curve didn’t bother me in the slightest. It felt so good, and I for once didn’t mind squirting and cumming all over his face for all I cared.

“Ahhhh, I’m close,” I moaned. Captain Hook drove his mouth deeper, giving my clit a rough suck before pulling away. Leaving my entrance gaping with fluid, he chuckled smugly.

“You taste divine, pet. Hmmm….I think you’re ready to take all of me now. Just relax.”

Captain Hook let go of my figure, turning to his pants as he pulled the upper section down. I wasn’t expecting the sight of at least ten inches of trouser action, and I grew hopelessly frustrated by the fact that it still wasn’t shoved deep in me. 

“Now, now, dear.” Captain Hook spoke. “This won’t be lasting quite long. After all, you’re already this close.”

Spreading my legs wider, the captain rubbed my clit with his cock, enabling me to make use of my energy in humping right back. I held the throbbing length, and felt its texture before he slipped it right inside me with force.

”AGH!!” I squealed.

“What, don’t you like it?” Captain Hook asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Keep going….It burns, but, keep….going!”

“I see. Well, then who am I to deny you what you want.” 

With one thrust, he drove his cock inside me and started to slowly rock in and out of my cunt. It felt euphoric, really, the way he handled me roughly and recklessly without any filter. To compensate for his efforts of ramming through my walls, I fucked him back.

My breasts wobbled as my body grew used to the pleasure judging from the growing speed of his thrusts. He was brutal, violent, just like any other pirate would be when faced with an incoming threat. Gripping my cheeks tightly, Captain Hook used his superior strength to lift my limbs upward to gain a better access towards my core. He kept hitting, and hitting the spot, so much that I could feel myself cumming in less than five whole minutes. I arched and mewled against his grasp, the sounds of skin slapping against skin becoming more apparent. I began to develop no care for whoever overheard our little affair going on. All I needed was to reach completion at the hands of this charming stranger.

Captain Hook was also growing desperate over time. His moans grew more animalistic, muttering a ‘yes’ repeatedly as he was about to lose composure. When I felt a tinge of pleasure spark from within my heated core, that was when he chose to pick up speed. He then leaned closer to feel my neck with his face, leaving hickeys all over as he continued to bite down the layers of thin skin. I yelped in pain for a moment as the sensation slowly turned into pleasure the way he bit on the right spots. 

If only he could see my face right then and there, I would have been humiliated from that point onward. Then he did.

“Ah, ah, ah, no looking elsewhere.” Captain Hook muttered under his breath, panting hard. “Eyes on me. Show me how much you crave this feeling.”

“I—Mmmmmmhhhh….!!! Please, I’m….I’m gonna…..”

“Hold it off, little one. Have your master do all the work.”

With all his strength, Captain Hook grabbed my hips tightly, the hilt of his cock ramming in and out of my heat. The slaps against my ass were wet and loud, our moans matching each other like a symphony. 

“Agh!!!! Captain!!!” I trembled in excitement. “Ahhhhh~”

I wailed his name (James) as Captain Hook thrusted so deep into my core. My walls fluttered and throbbed hard that it was almost a crime for him to pull out of me. I shook against him, crying like a bitch in heat as I felt like the whole world had just shattered before my eyes. Captain Hook spurted his seed balls deep in me, his cum surrounding itself all over my dripping cunt. I let out a deep sigh, realizing the whole mess I’ve been engaging with in the company of a complete stranger.

“Hah……Hahhhhh……..”

Captain Hook didn’t even budge, his cock already retreating from my walls in a slow, yet steady fashion. 

“Such a filthy, disgusting little mutt.” he said, putting his cock back in and leaving me to sulk by the edge of the doorstep. “Get up.”

Captain Hook grabbed my cute, pink bikini, tossing it before my face.

“What is your name?”

“[Name].”

“You did well, [Name],” he said. “Judging by the looks of it, you owe me several nights of complete entertainment. Come outside when you’re ready. I’m more than willing to bring you into my ship.”

[scribble-dribble-writes]

Hello! Would you do a mild angst Buggy x Reader fic? With some fluff at the end? Where Buggy and Reader where a fling back in the day when she suddently disapeared. When raiding a village one day years later he meets a boy that looks like the perfect mix of him and his former lover- finding out that he's his son and she died long ago? Her only legacy was this boy.

Buggy as a father omg AHHHHHHHH 😭😭😭

---

One Night

It wasn't enough searching the seas on his own, he wanted to deploy every ship possible. He wanted to dive into the depths of the ocean even if it paralysed him just so he could find the truth about your disappearance. It pulled apart his mind like no other trauma he had ever faced. He drank till he could see the stars or if he was lucky, your face. As a pirate captain, he had been with endless women. Faces he never recognized, voices that never mattered because all they ever did was hold him for the night but you.

He pushed away from the railing, he wanted to scream, to throw this bottle in his hands and break it into shards. His tears weren't enough, he tugged on those gloves as if they were his armour, preventing his fingers from yearning for your warmth. You were the one that slipped away.

A young merchant by a seaside port he had docked once. He had come by your stall demanding you hand over your wages when you stood your ground, looked him in the eye and said no. His henchmen cracked their knuckles behind him as they edged closer but he remembered his hand shooting up, telling them to stop because something within him had shifted.

Noticing his intrigue you had brokered a deal with him instead. To trade all your hand made lanterns instead of the money because no one was buying them and there was no room for you to stock them anymore.

He tilted his head, all the signs pointing towards the fact that you were closing down your shop.

"I have no need for your lanterns.", He scoffed but you shrugged your shoulders, continuing to wipe the glass in your hands.

His crew began to murmur and laugh behind you at your audacity.

"I have a need for the money I've earned. You seem to be doing well for yourself.", you responded looking behind him at his ship and his crew.

He couldn't understand you. You were at his mercy but why was he feeling like he was at yours?

You were an enigma, a map he couldn't read and that was enough of a challenge for him to concoct a plan. Although a pirate, his life was mundane. The same raids, the same celebrations but you were a spark. A different colour he had never seen.

"That is true.", he rolled back on his heels as a smile threatened to spread across his face.

"You can keep your money.", he said turning to catch your eyes again, he heard the silent gasp amongst his crew mates. He had never been this generous before.

"But I would like to hire your services.", he spoke picking up one of your glass lanterns. It puzzled you, you stopped what you were doing as you focused on him, your nervousness now turning into confusion.

"What for?", you asked.

"My circus lights are in need of an upgrade and the quality of your glass is spectacular, along with it's workmanship.", he held the glass up to the light to inspect it.

"I need you to replace all the lights on the ship.", he looked at you and you gasped.

All the lights on the ship, that was two months of work plus the wages. You didn't have to go to bed hungry. Pirate or not, it was honest work and you needed it. So without making him wait for long, you took up the offer.

"When do I start?", you asked.

"The sooner the better.", he hummed flashing you a smile and for second you forgot who he was.

The beauty about the circus was the magic and he embodied it. Never letting you know who he was, elusive like a rabbit in a hat, here one moment, gone the next.

But with every day you boarded the gaudy vessel by the docks, you grew to understand there was more to him. The quiet nights you spent when the town and crew were asleep, to screw on the bulbs and fuse the glass pieces. He kept you company. He wouldn't talk much, but he snuck glances at you and you did the same.

The distance between you, lessened as the days went by and soon he was seated by your side holding up the tools you needed. His soft eyes gazing into yours before looking away. This was a side no one could witness cause he had it sealed. This version of him wasn't up for display.

The nights had become his favourite now, he didn't have to utter a word, make up a joke, exert his authority, he could just sit by your side and listen to sound of the waves. Watch you mix the colours and bring to life the ideas in your head just like he did with his shows and strategies. He didn't have to peel away his clothes to feel seen, your knowing smile after he pulled a stunt or threw a tantrum was enough.

But it was when you had told him it wasn't his fault for all the hurt he carried, after a night he had a little too much to drink and began to writhe in his self hatred, you were there. To hold him up, to quiten these thoughts that were loud in his head and though his vision was blurry, he could never forget the moment you had kissed him then.

You did in the hopes that when he woke up the next morning he would have forgotten about it, but the days after that he looked at you like he had remembered all of it.

It was the final night, the ship rocked gently but the deck was alive. Your lights brought a new life to this ship, it's crew smiling for the first time since you've been here and while you stood in the middle admiring your work, yours eyes found his. There up by the helm, his head resting in his hands with his eyes set only on you.

That was the night, you could never forget. The truth behind you shutting down your shop was not because of poor sales but because you were sick. Only you knew, and you were set to spend the money you had travelling or doing good of some kind, to leave a mark before your time had come.

So this was perfect. Your lanterns would adorn this ship always. You didn't want to bring down the mood of everyone around, so you held this moment to yourself. Nothing could top this feeling of satisfaction.

You stood by the railing, looking out at the sea, the waters dancing under the moonlight and the soft colourful glow from the ship, when he bumped his shoulder gently into yours.

"I feel like we've become friends after all this time.", he said sweetly and you smiled. It was true, he had become your friend. The only man who made you laugh.

But the moment his eyes lingered on yours it was as if he could read your sadness, he jutted his chin towards you in a manner of asking you what was wrong but you shook your head to put him at ease.

"Just that this is my last day on this beautiful ship.", you pushed away to spin around as soft music played. When you came to a halt, your smile so full on your face that when you saw him looking at you, you were certain he was in love. In love with you.

Your tried to hide the sinking feeling but he only made it worse by walking towards you to catch your hands in his, guiding you into a dance that the warmth in his gloves felt soothing from the cold of the night.

"You've made it beautiful.", he said confidently and it stung you. The truth you knew, that you didn't have all the time to offer him.

"You'll always be welcome here.", he continued and you could gauge where this was going.

"Buggy.", you whispered his name, trying to interrupt him but your heart didn't. When would be the next time you would feel loved? You didn't know. So you stayed, documenting his words so that you carry it with you till the end.

"In fact I feel it's time I come clean about about our deal.", He said and his eyes reflected the colour of the lights.

"Somewhere in between these two months, from the first moment I saw you, I've fallen in love with you.", he said, the rhythm picking up in the song that he twirled you around as though you were a star and he was your admirer.

You forgot about the pain in your life and let your heart roam free. Just for this night. When morning came you will cage it and disappear.

You danced around him, escaping from his hold because you couldn't tell him you had fallen for him too. Because that would break him. But he reached for you again, his hands pulling your arms to him that now you couldn't evade him any longer. A vacuum settling over him and you drowning out the music as you gazed into his eyes.

"Say something.", he laughed nervously as though he had put his entire life on the line.

"I cannot offer you an eternity.", you spoke, your smile dying away.

"but I can give you one night.", you let your fingers hold the sides of his face and watched him unravel.

"One night of your love?", he questioned and you nodded your head, sure that he was going to laugh at you.

"That is more love than I've ever received in my life.", he flashed smile just like yours, one mixed with peace and melancholy.

With that he pulled you in, his lips kissing you where he pleased as he stubbled along with you into his quarters, kicking his boots off like he was a drunken sailor, taking you with him as he fell into the bed.

One night, that changed the course of your lives.

Now those memories won't die, in fact they insisted on pestering him, drowning him in the frustration that your words were something he could never hear again.

"Captain, land up ahead.", his crewmate approached him.

"What do you want me to do with that information?", he barked back angrily.

"Do we put down our anchor or pass it by?", the boy answered nervously.

Buggy looked at the island, the lights near the docks reminding him of you again. He groaned.

"Raid it, you fools!", he ordered, stomping away to the helm.

--

The citizens were wary of his arrival. They scattered away from him as he walked down the streets. Everyone left, except for a little boy. He was by the street corner, juggling glass lanterns as he balanced himself on a unicycle. Buggy stopped in his tracks, the boy's face resembling yours and his dark blue hair looking a lot like his.

"Do we burn down the town?", a deckhand asked him.

"Go back to the ship.", Buggy ordered leaving his crew in confusion. They were reluctant to act on his word that he turned back to yell at them. Telling them to leave.

As they went away, he approached the boy.

"Good day to you, sir. Would you like to see a magic trick?", the boy beamed at him.

Buggy fought back tears, as he crouched down.

"I would.", he said softly and watched as the boy pulled out a card, he tried to hide the card within his tiny fingers to then flip it around quickly to hold up a golden coin instead.

Buggy's heart stopped. The gold coin wasn't an ordinary coin. It carried the seal of his Jolly Roger. One given to crew mates and friends as a means to let people know that they were under his protection.

He tried to take it from the kid but the boy closed his fists on it and drew it back.

"I can't give it to you, sir. It was my mother's.", he stared Buggy down. His eyes the same as yours that Buggy couldn't help but let out a knowing laugh.

"Do you know that coin could fetch you a lot of berry, boy?", he asked to which the boy grew silent, his eyes falling to the floor as sadness seeped into his tiny face.

"I know. But my mother said if I kept it safe, my father will come in search for me.", his sweet words broke through Buggy's facade.

"Where is she?", he asked instantly, wanting to take you and your son home with him. He looked around the market, his heart picking up it's pace in the hopes that he could see you once again.

"She's not here. She's gone home to the clouds, that's what the doctor told me. She can't come back from there.", he heard the boy say and understood what it meant that he broke down to sit on the dirt road. The innocence in the boy's face now replaced with a grief he was too young to understand.

Buggy reached for the lanterns the boy owned, it looked similar to the ones you had made.

"Would you like to buy them? I know how to make more of those.", the boy chirped, his eyes looking up at Buggy with the expectation of making money.

Now that made him feel like he was looking straight into a mirror, he smiled.

"Did your mother tell you about your father?", he asked only for the boy to jump up.

"Oh yes. He owned a huge ship. Travelled across all the seas, fought bad guys and sea monsters. He also had blue hair just like me.", The kid said with evident excitement.

Buggy reminisced your presence, that you left your mark in everything and everyone. That even now, you had made sure the boy knew him as someone good and that was how you had seen him. Buggy met the expectant eyes of the boy and slowly removed his captain's hat.

"Blue hair like mine?", he asked and watch the gears turn in his head.

The kid reached for his hat to run his finger over the crest. Placing the coin next to it, he drew in a gasp. It was a match. The crest was the same as the one on the coin. Buggy prepared himself to explain more, but all he felt was the sudden force with which the child ran into his arms. He wrapped his hands around him and Buggy knew he was never going to be the same again.

"You came. You came for me.", the boy cried and Buggy couldn't help but let the tears he held back roll down his cheek.

He had found you, a part of you and that was all he could ask for.

He wiped away the tears as he carried the boy.

"Now come on, I've got to show you my ship.", he said with a dramatic flair as he walked down the street with his son in his arms.

[lazyjellyfish300]

˚☁︎ ⋅♡𓂃 𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒚༘♡

˚𖤣 ݁ ˖⚘ ༘ ♡｡𖥧˚ "𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆 ��𝒐𝒖 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒚 𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒔, 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒊 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒔𝒕. 𝒏𝒐 𝒍𝒂𝒘𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒑𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒌𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒓 𝒊 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝒅𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒆." 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔.

"𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒊𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉. 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍. 𝒊 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒊𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚, 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈."

˚𖤣 ݁ ˖⚘ ༘ ♡｡𖥧˚

˚☁︎ ⋅♡𓂃 our anniversary: 3/7

˚☁︎ ⋅♡𓂃 our story: soulmates, star-crossed lovers, proximity, one bed, strangers to lovers, seeing behind outward appearances, finding healing & solace in one another. in other universes: childhood sweethearts temporarily displaced by time that fate delivers again eventually, eyes starstruck as they make contact with one another one fateful day in a coffee shop, a transcendental connection that recognizes one another in different lifetimes. ♡

˚☁︎ ⋅♡𓂃 our main self-ship au takes place in our rainy slice of eternity in the countryside in a humble farmhouse, just an hour's journey from the sea in japan.

˚☁︎ ⋅♡𓂃 how we met & fell in love.

˚☁︎ ⋅♡𓂃our love is: one that resembles comfort that conjures not butterflies, but a soothing warmth that lulled even the most relentless worries in their souls. The look of home. Being able to speak openly and honestly with no rhyme or predisposition about where the thoughts they exchanged would take them. A resolute love that flares in peaceful mornings just like the earth before a shower, contentedly tangled inside a cozy bed and blissfully scored away in lemon, lavender, and honeysuckle. A love that takes the form of unhurried intimacy with chuckles and pleasure-ridden sighs into necks and mouths until they're both fully acquainted with every valley, ridge, dip, mole, scar, muscle, and blemish of the other's body. A determined squeeze of each other's hand in a quaint chapel by the sea on a march morning that carried a million memories that led them to that very moment. A sequence of seemingly mindless choices that were actually the cosmic strings of fate falling like dominoes until it spelled the other's name.

˚☁︎ ⋅♡𓂃 our essence: wrinkled sheets, listening to the thunder, slow morning cuddles, swaying together on the porch, enjoying the after smell of rain, day trips to the seaside village in our vintage car, feeding our animals, skinny dipping, brewing coffee, picking wildflowers, lavender, lily of the valley, hydrangeas, tulips, listening to vinyl, neck kisses, riding bikes, harvesting fruit, canning peaches & jams, laying on the riverbanks, baking bread, cooking breakfast, quiet i love yous, pushing each other on the swing, wearing his shirts, late night talks, walking barefoot, afternoon showers together. napping with the windows open, whispering in my ear in bed, honeysuckle, lemongrass & rose scent in our kitchen & bathrooms, he reads while I write, morning dew on grass, pulling me in for kisses behind the barn door & laying me down on the bed of straw, wading in the creek, watching raindrops on the windowpanes, hosting guests for the weekend, fresh squeezed lemonade, lighting candles, waking up at the same time, sweet nothings moaned in each other's mouths before dawn, putting dandelions in his hair, making soups with vegetables & herbs from our garden with a glass of chardonnay, humming as I feed our chickens while he pets the barn cat & chops wood, drinking moonshine, collecting rainwater, listening to the crickets at night, sleeping in the field under the stars, laying on a blanket in the shade, tracing shapes on his shoulder blades, massaging the nape of my neck until i fall asleep, cloud watching, nude sunbathing, rowboat rides, eating warm treats in bed, lavender, lemon, and rosemary potpourri simmering on the stove, pressing all the flowers he's picked for me and putting them in frames, quick pecks as we pass each other in the hallway, feeding the ducks and koi at the pond, sewing his shirts, painting, lying on pillows and blankets by the fireplace, skipping rocks, watching the rain through our attic windows, bringing fruit from our fruit trees to the farmer's market at the nearby seaside village on the weekends, holding hands while he drives, picnics by the creek, homemade sandwiches, kissing each other's fingertips, playing with my hair, reading and writing letters from friends and family, smell of pine, vetiver mixed with wet soil as the fog rolls in on stormy afternoons, our animals tucked safely in the barn as we sway under a blanket together to one of our records playing while our coffee brews in the kitchen.

˚☁︎ ⋅♡𓂃 our playlist: "come away with me" by norah jones, "songbird" by fleetwood mac, "look after you" by the fray , "marry me" by train , "i get to love you" by ruelle, "all my heart" by sleeping with sirens, "little motel" by modest mouse, "rain falls down" by we the kings, "stolen" by dashboard confessional, "nobody but you" by the black keys, "vanilla twilight" by owl city, "never stop" by safety suit, "she lit a fire" by lord huron, "by your side" by beachwood sparks, "come on get higher" by matt nathanson, "beach house" by the chainsmokers, "kingston" by faye webster, "obvious" by chptrs, "northern lights" by cider sky, "the first day of my life" by bright eyes

˚𖤣 ݁ ˖⚘ ༘ ♡｡𖥧˚ 𝒊 𝒑𝒓𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒊 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅𝒍𝒚. 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒅𝒂𝒚 𝒊 𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆. 𝒎𝒚 𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉���� 𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆. 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒓𝒊𝒃𝒄𝒂𝒈𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒔𝒆𝒆𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒘 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒆𝒏𝒗𝒚. 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒊 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆.

art comms by @aliasnnmknt. swan dividers by @/fairytopea . sparkle dividers by @/anitalenia. writing by me.

[rearranged-fanfic]

Seaside (Original Draft)

Summary: When Reader-chan returns to her seaside hometown for the summer, she catches the eye of a mysterious suitor. Of course, she's not aware that she even has a suitor, let alone one as unusual as this... Merman!Gojo AU. Pairing: Gojo Satoru/Female Reader Rating: E for the fun stuff. A/N: This is the original version of the story - a first draft . A bigger, better iteration of it exists here. This version is incomplete. I decided to host it on Tumblr, rather than deleting it altogether. That way people who originally enjoyed it can keep reading it.

The cab door closes behind me, and I wait as the driver hauls my oversized suitcase out of his trunk.

My sundress billows against my legs as I walk out past the cover of the village welcome center.  The covered awning opens up into a boundless blue sky above.  Tarmac underfoot gives way to soft grass that’s started to turn gold in the summer heat.  The sea wind blows, nearly sending my hat into the sky above.  It smells like salt and surf and nostalgia.

And the tiniest bit like fish, I admit to myself with a hint of humor.

The teeny tiny seaside town below me is just as quaint and quiet as it’s ever been.  From above, I can see the people wandering the cobblestone streets.  In the distance, ships pull in and out of the harbor.  Seagulls scream from behind the fluffy clouds above.  My little corner of paradise, away from the faceless mobs in the big city.  There’s something so incredibly reaffirming about coming back home after months and months away.  I feel closer to my heart, in a way.

It’s still the same, I think to myself.  Every summer, I return, and it’s like I never left.

I’d grown up in the village below.  It’d been my home for most of my life—up until I’d moved away to go to college.

Not that school is going well, to be honest.  But that’s something to worry about when I’m not on my own personal holiday.

“Sis!”

Still holding my hat against my head, I turn around.  Just in time to get tackled by a brown-haired blur.  Takuma Ino sweeps me up into one of his patented hugs.  I giggle as I’m lifted off of my own two feet and hoisted into his arms, made strong from years of working a fishing craft.  He spins the two of us around until the world devolves into splotches of color and light.

“Put me down, put me down!” I shriek in between my laughter, still trying in vain to keep my hat from joining the clouds.  “Takkun, I’m going to throw up if you don’t stop spinning,” comes my pointed threat.  And I’m suddenly back on my own two feet.

“I’m just so happy to see you again!” he exclaims.  “It feels like it’s been years!”

“Takuma, you saw her last summer.  Give her some room to breathe, you big dork,” comes an admonishment from nearby.

Takuma’s longtime girlfriend, Akari Nitta, has come to greet me as well.  She hasn’t changed too much over the years, though she’s letting her roots grow out.  Dark brown natural hair fades into the golden blonde that she’d once favored.  She’s in a mechanic’s jumpsuit, I notice.  The suit is unzipped and rolled down at the top, revealing her toned arms from years of fixing up boats and the like.  She looks healthy.  Good.  The last time I’d visited, she’d been battling a pretty nasty sickness that’d left her weak and frail.

“Akari!”  She smiles warmly and pulls me into a hug as well, sans lifting and spinning.  “It’s good to see you again!”

“Good to see you, too.  Seems like big city life is treating you fine, huh?”

“Can’t complain,” I demure, shrugging.  “You seem to be doing better than the last time I saw you.”

“I spent some time in the hospital in the next town over.  Takuma fussed over me so much that I had the choice of being smothered to death or getting better; I chose getting better.”  She jokes.

“I wasn’t trying to smother you,” Takuma pouts.

“Didn’t have to try to succeed, Babe.”

I roll my eyes good-naturedly.  They’re still sickeningly sweet, I see.  And practically joined at the hip, just like I can remember them always being.  Akari and Takuma are both two years younger than I am.  I’d grown up alongside them, having been practically raised by the Ino family after my parents had passed.

“No baby sister this time around?” Akari pries.  “You guys fighting again?”

I wave her off.  “Nah.  She’s busy travelling the world with her new fling.  You know how she is.”

Takuma snorts out a laugh.  My sister can never stay still for too long.  She’s always been a bit too wild to put down roots or make commitments.

Ever the gentleman, Takuma takes my heavy suitcase so I don’t have to carry it all the way.  The two walk me into town, updating me on the comings and goings of the village in the intervening months since I’d last been here.

Takuma’s older sister, Akemi, is at university.  She’s working hard to become a child psychologist, living in the same city that I do.  We meet up for lunch occasionally, when she can catch a break from her mountain of schoolwork and her tedious part-time job.  Takuma still fills me in on her, though, boasting about her academic accomplishments with brotherly pride.  She’s set to move into an internship at a reputable company, which is one step closer to realizing her dream.

Mayu, the Ino family matriarch, retired last year.  Well, she’d quit formally working to pursue a hobby making jewelry from the seashells that wash up on the beach.  Her online store has taken off, given how busy Takuma says the woman is fulfilling orders.

And Takuma and Akari are the same as they’ve always been.  He goes out on his dad’s fishing boat nearly every day while she keeps the old motor up and running like clockwork.  And, in their free time, the two go surfing in the large waves that break just off shore.  They’re planning on entering a competition this year in the hopes of getting a piece of that sweet, sweet cash reward.  They’d had to forgo last year’s surf-off because of Akari’s illness.

“But this year,” she states, “we’re bringing home that trophy!”

Takuma snorts at his girlfriend’s enthusiasm but wholeheartedly agrees.  “They got lucky that we weren’t there to destroy the competition last summer.  But we’re back and better than ever, baby!”  The two whoop and high five.

Yep.  They’re still the same as always.

It’s nice, I think, how this place seems almost frozen in time.  It’s always the same: peaceful, idyllic, sheltered from the rest of the world’s chaos.

Takuma walks me through town and out to my parents’ old house—my summer home.  Akari breaks off to go back to her shop along the way, and I’m left alone with my adopted cousin.  He chatters on about his career, and how things have changed since the last time I was in town.  He goes on and on about how Aoi Todo can’t help him on the boat anymore because he’d left to be a bassist for some up-and-coming pop idol.

“Yikes.  You go out to sea alone?”

“Yeah.  It’s a real bummer, y’know?  I get bored out there with nobody to talk to.”

Forget about the boredom.  That doesn’t sound safe at all.  And when I lecture him about how dangerous fishing alone is, he just pats my head and tells me not to worry.  Yeah, right.  I’ll always worry about him.  He’s family.  And more than a little scatterbrained.

On the way through the village, we get stopped by the vast majority of people we pass.  I’ve known most of these people since I was very small.  And some of them I’ve known since they were small.  We pass by the troublesome trio: Yuji Itadori, Nobara Kugisaki, and Megumi Fushiguro.  So named because they’re always getting into some form of mischief.

Last year, they’d put the mayor’s underwear in the summer hotpot.

And the year before that, the photocopier in town hall had mysteriously printed out a series of butts that were, allegedly, Yuji’s.  They’d never admitted to it, preferring to turn the other cheek.  But those of us in the community knew that it was either one of them or all three conspiring to moon the whole town.

Megumi, ever quiet and taciturn, offers me a nonchalant wave.  The other two are varying levels of loud and touch-feely, but a flying tackle or two are always welcomed.  I laugh out loud as Yuji lifts me up and spins me like Takuma had done earlier.

“You’re back!  Tell me all about the city!  I wanna know about the new subway system; is it as cool as I think it is?!”  His words come out so fast that I can barely hear them, let alone answer.

“Let her speak, you dolt!”  Nobara exclaims. Beaning the pink-haired teen in the back of his head with a wadded up food wrapper.  “And besides, she’s going to answer my questions first.  Ladies always go first!”

“What lady?” Yuji deadpans.

And chaos ensues.

I sidle up to Megumi while the other two bicker and banter.  “How’s Tsumiki doing?” I ask him quietly, and the boy barely gives me a side glance before turning his attention to the phone in his hand.

“She’s better,” he finally answers, voice quiet.  “The doctors think this treatment will work.  But you know her, she’s hopeful.  Like she always is.”

I offer him a smile and nod.  That’s good to hear.  Tsumiki always was a ray of sunshine, even when she’s been a kid.  She’s definitely the responsible one out of all these younger kids.

After a few minutes of updating all of the kids and hearing all of their wacky adventures—nor pranks, definitely not—Takuma and I finally managed to break away.  I turn around and blow Nobara aplayful kiss as we make our escape.  But before she can catch it, Yuji snags the invisible gesture of affection out of the air.

And that sparks a whole new conflict between the two hotheads.  I catch a brief glimpse of a hand fisted in Nobara’s brilliant auburn hair just before somebody is suplexed into the ground.

My home is a little way from the village.  It’s a fifteen-minute walk outside of town, which is spent going over new things I’d discovered of the last few months: artists, songs, movies.  I talk with my hands excitedly while Takuma wheels my suitcase behind him, occasionally hitting a rut in the gravel pathway.

He shares, too.  Apparently, Akari has taken a particular liking to Ska and Rockabilly music.  Takuma is… less enthusiastic about it, and has effectively banned it in the house.  This is, from how he describes it, their first real fight as a couple.

I’m so proud of them!  Another milestone reached!

“Ma’s been keeping the place clean, so it shouldn’t be dusty or have any spiders.  But she says you’ll have to take the plastic covers off the furniture.  She was worried about moths.”

Honestly, Mayu is such a saint.  I love that woman!

“When is she going to let me pay her for her housekeeping work?”

Takuma lets out a doubtful puff.  “Like she’d ever ask for payment.  She’d be offended if you brough it up, honestly.  You’re family, and that’s what family does.”

“I’ll pay her back someday.”

“Ah.  Almost there,” he says, changing the subject, then picks up the pace.

My summer home rests along the shore, as it always does.  The dock attached to it reaches out over the ocean in a long arm, visible from far away.  Only the tip of the wooden structure is in sight right now.  As we turn into the little inlet and crest the hill, the whole place is revealed.  It looks as homely as ever, with its bright yellow siding and white trim.

When we reach the porch steps, I turn to him.

“Well, we’re here,” I announce redundantly.  “Thanks for walking me to my door.  You’re grown into such a gentleman.”  Takuma blushes lightly under my teasing and dodges an obnoxious cheek pinch.

He’s almost too tall to harass now.  I wonder when he’ll stop growing.

“Any plans tonight, Sis?”

“Let’s see…,” I pretend to think it over, pointer finger tapping against my chin.  “I had planned on a ritual sacrifice to Cthulu later.  Followed by an hour or two of potatoing the couch.  Then a mini coma, because travelling so far is draining.”

He laughs at my dramatics.

“Well, Ma wants to have you over for dinner tonight, if you’re able to find time in your busy schedule.  Think you’re up for it?” Takuma asks.  “She’s missed you, y’know?”

Mayu had practically taken my sister and I in after our parents had passed away.  I love the woman like my second mom, even though we aren’t blood related.  She’s one of the people that I’d missed the most, to be honest.  Things in the city weren’t the same—not without the patented bone-crushing Ino hugs and piles of homecooked foods.

I offer Takuma a sweet smile.  “Of course!  Just let me know when you guys want me to show up.”

“Ah, just whenever.  You know Ma; she’d say you’re welcome to come over any time.  We usually eat a little earlier on days that I’m out to sea.  But I’d imagine tonight’s food’ll be on the table around six.”

“Five-thirty it is, then!  Sounds like a blast!”

He leaves me, too.  And I wave at his figure long after he’s disappeared around the bend.

And I turn back to look up at my familiar retreat.  God, I missed this place.  I do every time I leave.  Maybe this is the year that I call college quits and return to the village for good?  Maybe I would, if I had a future here.  I’d like to stay.

This is my home.

The house had once belonged to my parents.  When they’d passed, I’d inherited it and the land that it sits on.  It’s not a magnificent coastal chateau by any means, but it’s cozy and warm.  The little beachfront home is two bedrooms and a shared living area.  When I stay, I usually take Mom and Dad’s old bedroom.  It has the sliding door that goes directly out onto the deck.

My sister usually takes our old room when she’s here… unless she’s too busy falling asleep on the plush couch in the living room.

I peek into my old bedroom for a moment, lamenting the fact that I’m staying here alone this time around.

The room is so small.  It’s crazy to think that I’d once shared this space with another person.  Now, it hardly feels large enough to accommodate just myself.  Of course, I’d been a lot smaller when my sister and I had to room together.  Now that it’s just me, I can’t help but wonder how neither of us managed to kill each other.

So many toes stepped on and so, so much privacy invaded.

That reminds me…  I open my phone and send her a text.

[The Gremlin] Me: Big Bird has landed in the nest.  Hope everything is going well on your end! Gremlin: Big bird?  Oof cringe Gremlin: Lololol miss you lots cringe and all Gremlin: The shack still standing? praise cthulu

I roll my eyes at her weirdness.  We usually meet up for Summer break, but she’s backpacking across some foreign country with her new man.  Apparently, this one has money.  I’d admonish her for being a gold digger, but I admire her grind.

Still, it feels odd.  This is my first year back without her in tow.

[The Gremlin] Me: Shack still standing.  It feels empty without you here.  We need to meet up next year!  Don’t ditch me again, I don’t care how cute your new boyfriend is! Gremlin: But hes very very cute :3 Me: Don’t care.  You can ditch him for your favorite big sister. Gremlin: Only big sister :P

I smile at the screen and leave our old room behind.

With my arrival out of the way, I can finally unpack.  There’s not much in my suitcase: some clothes, necessities, and a sketchpad for when my muse appears.  It’s a snap to out it all in its proper place, especially given that I’ve been doing this same song and dance for years.

I know where everything goes, and could unpack in my sleep.

There are indeed plastic covers all over the furniture, and I take great glee in pulling them off as they rattle like cellophane ghosts.  The covers get crammed into the front closet, where I can forget about them until I leave.

Despite the lack of dust and cobwebs—again, I mentally praise Mayu—there’s a stuffiness in the air that no amount of cleaning can remove.  It’s the sort of heavy air that accumulates where nobody has lived for a while.

To combat it, I throw open all of the windows and doors.  The sea breeze will chase it all away, I think.

And while I give the house time to air out, I pull a granola bar from my suitcase and go out to the deck.

The deck has been updated since the summer before.  It was probably getting to be a safety hazard, I think to myself abashedly.

The problem boards had been replaced at some point.  Old formerly rotten parts of the deck are now a much lighter, newer wood that’s been sealed against the elements.  The bits that’d once been soft underfoot are firm once more.  I no longer feel like I’m traversing a field of land mines, waiting for the inevitable misstep that causes my foot to go through a particularly bad spot.

The long reach of the dock is less intimidating than it’d been when I was a child.  It’d once felt like it stretched a mile into the sea.  Now, it’s just a short walk until I reach the end.  Shuffling off my sandals and rubbing my sore heels, I plonk down at the very edge.  The coolness of the water caresses the red-hot soles of my feet.  My sterling silver ankle bracelets reflect the light of the sun like fish scales.

It’d been a bad idea to wear new shoes, I admonish myself.

I kick out absentmindedly, sending ripples of water out to sea.  The ocean is calm right now, but I know that it can get rough.  I sigh and tilt my head back, basking in the midday sun.  I’d jump in to cool off, if I didn’t know any better.

The water around the village isn’t good for swimming.  The surf and spray are rough at the best of time.  It’s good for sports and the like, but human bodies are too likely to get tossed around or pulled out to sea in a riptide.

The cove that my little home rests on is one of the more dangerous areas, with the tidal pools that have formed here creating all manner of crazy currents when the tide changes.  I’d been scared away from taking a dip here time and time again when I was just a kid.

Now, I know better.  Only my feet in the water, or Dad will claw himself out of his grave just to berate me.

It’s so quiet out here, with only the waves to keep me company.  I let out a low hum—a song from very, very far in the past.  It’s what Mom used to sing to my sister and I when we were small.  I only remember parts of the words now, but the tune is forever ingrained into my soul.

Then another sound joins my lament: a low, haunting wail.

“A dolphin?” I ask under my breath.  Whatever it is, it sounds close.  Or it’s very, very loud.

And as its beautiful cry dies off, I sing back to it a little louder.

Again, it calls to me.  And this time, we harmonize.  The mysterious sea creature and I engage in a duet that nobody will ever believe.  My low, out-of-key vocalizations are bolstered and uplifted by the incredible cry that it accompanies.  It sounds… good.  I open my mouth wider and sing the little bits of Mom’s lullaby that I can remember, and I’m matched word for word by a song so heartbreakingly lovely that it gives me chills.

It sounds so lonely.

I wonder if it’s an orca that lost its pod?

The song eventually falls silent, and I’m left gaping at the serene indigo waters in front of me.

In a fit of spontaneity, I stand up and cup my hand to the sides of my mouth to call out to the poor beast.  “That was beautiful!” I praise.  And I think I might hear a faint chirp in the distance.

Wow, I think.  I need to tell somebody about this!  This is so cool!  Of course, nobody would ever believe me… unless I record it!

But I didn’t bring my phone out here with me, I note with a huff.

Guess the once-in-a-lifetime moment will remain little more than a memory.

I sigh, humming under my breath once more.  My companion doesn’t join in.  They’ve probably gone away, scared by my human calls.  Oh well.  It’s still a beautiful day.

“I’ll have to bring my sketchpad out,” I tell myself.  “Maybe I’ll find something to paint while I’m here?”

Maybe my sea friend will come back and show itself?  I tingle with excitement at the thought.  I hope they come back, just so I can see them.  I bet they’re just as breathtaking as their song had been.

When I look down, I notice that one of my ankle bracelets has slipped off.  The cheap clasp probably broke on it.  Oh well, I think.  It’s not the first thing that the ocean has stolen from me, and it won’t be the last.

Then I jolt when I remember something important.

“Oh, crap!  I need to get ready for dinner!”

My first night is tranquil.  For once, I don’t fall asleep to the buzzing of cars outside of an apartment window.  There are no noisy neighbors banging on walls, no sounds of music played far too loud in the wee hours of the morning.  There’s only the soft sound of the ocean to lull me into a deep, restful slumber.

The morning dawn filters through my curtains, lighting up my room with hues of fire red and golden yellow.  It’s early, I think blearily.  Much earlier than I’d have gotten up in the city.  But things are different here in my hometown.

It makes me wonder why I go back to the city, honestly.

I pull myself out of bed with the promise of coffee, and tug on an old oversize t-shirt of Dad’s.  It’s one of the few mementos that I keep from him that I actually use.  The threadbare fabric is soft against my sleep-sensitive skin.  It’s like being wrapped up in a familiar hug.  Sometimes, I like to imagine that it still smells like him.

And then I wonder if I’m not a creep because of it.  But, hey, different people grieve in different ways.

My morning routine starts with a breakfast of slightly-burned toast and ends with a blissfully hot shower.  I spend extra time washing away the salt that sticks to everything by the ocean.  If I go too long without shampooing, my hair starts to lose its sheen, getting rough and dying out.

One of the downsides of oceanfront property—not that there are many.

When I’m clean and fed, I slide open the door to my bedroom and step out onto my deck.  Steam swirls above the mug of coffee in my hand.  I plop down into one of the wicker chairs that are perched on the deck.  Years of exposure to the sun and surf have left them more than a little washed out, but it just makes them all the cozier.

They have character, awkward lumps and all.  I bring my cup up to blow away some of the heat, eyes scanning the ocean in front of me.  It’s ruby red with the light of the sky above, except for the thin sliver of golden where the horizon and great body of water meet.  I’ll need to take a picture so I can paint it later.  Watercolors, maybe?  With gold leaf for the accents in the clouds?

That’d be pretty.

I guess majoring in art is useful after all.  Sometimes.

Mayhaps.

Laughing at myself, I look over the water again, trying to see if maybe my friend from the day before has returned.  I’d hadn’t told the Ino family about my encounter earlier, worried that Mayu and Takuma would insist on coming over to see my new friend.  But I want to keep them to myself for just a little bit longer.  I look and I look, then I sigh in disappointment.  Alas, no creatures are lurking in the surf that I can spot.  Of course, the water is deceptively deep, even close to my dock.  It’d be hard to see anything in six or more feet of water.

And speaking of dock… something catches my eye, and I squint trying to see.

Is that…?  I can’t quite make it out.

Placing my coffee down on the glass table nearby, I haul myself up to go take a closer look.

“Seashells?” I whisper when I reach the edge, where the wood disappears into water.

Five innocuous shells sit perfectly in a row.  They hadn’t been washed up naturally, by the looks of things.  No, they were placed far too deliberately.  And they’re perfect, I note.  They’re the right shape, size, and color to be considered pretty.  Not a single flaw mars their delicate edges.

“Wow,” I breathe.  I’d used to collect shells when I was younger, I remember.  But they’d always been pummeled into the rocks by the waves, covered in chips and scrapes.  These look like they were plucked right off of the seabed.

Of course, the next logical line of questioning is who the hell left these here in the first place?

My mind immediately goes to Takuma and his early-morning shell collecting for his mom.  Had he left these here for me before going to work?  A smile pulls at my lips.  That’s so damn thoughtful of him.  Of course, he’s always been a softie with a considerate streak a mile wide.

I’ll have to thank him later, I think to myself.

My phone buzzes in my pocket and I pull it out to check the notifications.

Clicking open my social media tab, I unlock the picture that was sent.  My sister.  She’s the centerpiece of a selfie, with a massive mountain in the background.  Ah.  She must be rock climbing right now.  That sounds… cold.  She certainly looks bundled up in a thick winter parka with fur trim.

She looks so happy.  God… I miss her so much.  There’s a pang in my chest.

In response, I send her a picture of myself, glorious sunrise my backdrop.  And when I click back onto the photo, I notice something behind me.  I squint.

There, in the distance, is a tail breaking through the water.

The next day, I receive more shells.

And again, the day after that.

I get them every morning, before the sun rises.  It’s nice.  If not a bit much.

Takuma is out on his boat by the time I get up, so I don’t have time to ask him about it.  And, honestly, I keep forgetting anyway.  It’s not like it’s a big deal or anything.  It’s just… odd.  Then again, Takuma has always been a bit odd.  Pretty much everybody in the village is, if I’m being honest.

Sometimes, I hear my friend singing in the cove.  Their vocals are just as beautiful as I remember them being.  I sit on the end of the dock and hum along with them, harmonizing and enjoying the peace that the presence brings.

It feels like a call that I’m answering, like I’m talking to them.  It’s amazing!

I consider putting the singing on video, but there’s something about the experience that I want to keep to myself.  It’s strange, being so possessive of a dolphin—or whatever they are—but I feel like if I share them, then some sort of powerful spell will be broken.  What if they leave and never return?

So, it’s our little secret.

The trip into town is a hop and a skip compared to my commute in the city had been. 

I wave by people as I pass them, elbowing my way through the afternoon crowd.  The village might not be populated heavily, but there’s always a large congregation when the fishing vessels start returning.  Most come by to help unload the large catches and put them on ice until they can be shipped off.  Of course, there is a good portion of older folk that just enjoy being voyers to the whole process, watching rather than lending a hand.

By the time I arrive, most of the fuss has already gone down.  Takuma’s boat is smaller, so it holds less than the others he goes out to sea with.  And that means that he's usually unloaded much faster.

I find him sitting with Akari at one of the smaller, more secluded docks.  They’re in the middle of discussing something about boat engines with their usual enthusiasm.  Takuma has a wet towel slung over the back of his neck, probably to suck up the heat of a sunburn.  He never wears sunscreen, no matter how many times his mother and sister verbally batter him.

It’s a wonder he hasn’t turned into bacon yet.

“Good evening, Takkun!” I chirp and offer him a bottle of water from my sack of goodies.  Looks like stopping off at the convenience store had been a good idea after all.  “Thirsty?”  I shake the bottle in invitation, only to have it snatched from me.

“You’re a lifesaver, Sis!  I swear, you’re too good to me!”  I think he’s actually crying as he slams the water back like it’s a shot of whiskey.

“Heya,” I offer to Akari.  “Busy day, you two?”

Takuma shakes his head.  “No, actually.  The fish aren’t wanting to come, I guess.”  His brown eyebrows furrow into a frustrated line.  “I came away with a pretty small haul.  But that’s not just my luck; everybody had the same problem.”

“It’s been a problem for a few days now, actually,” Akari chimes in.  “Some of the others were talking about it while I was fixing up their rig.”

“it happens from time to time,” Takuma says wearily.  “There’s probably something in the water scarin’ em.  I’m guessing it’s a shark.  Or there’s something messed up about the chemical balance around here.  They’re sensitive to that sort of thing.”

At ‘shark’, I feel my palms start to sweat.  My friend could be the culprit.  Oops.  “O-or maybe it’s a dolphin?” I suggest, though it sounds more like a question.

But I get waved off immediately.  “Nah.  It’d be a bigger predator.  Something meaner.  Besides, dolphins rarely travel alone.  We’d have noticed a whole pod of them.”

“What if one is alone?”

Takuma shrugs and goes back to chugging like his life depends on it.

“In the meantime, this could be a good opportunity to do some work on the old girl,” Akari says, pointing down the line at Takuma’s vessel.  “She needs a tune up.  Bad.  The engine sounds terrible.  If everybody else wasn’t having trouble, I’d blame the sound for your bad luck.”  She eyes him pointedly.

“There are some barnacle shells that I still have to scrape off—”  I completely miss what he says next as I zone out.  But the word sparked something in my memory.

Shells… shells.  Oh, right!  Shells!

I linger on that line of conversation, letting their words wash over me as they go over the logistics of boat maintenance—a topic which I am very sorely lacking experience with.  I sit in silence and share some of the buns I’d picked up at the convenience store.  They aren’t Mayu’s home cooking, but Takuma tears into his like a ravenous monster.  We chat about other things here and there, mostly debating the existence of sea monsters.  And when they take an extended break to enjoy the encroaching sunset, I pipe up.

“Hey, Takkun!  I was wondering where you found those all those seashells this morning.”

The young man turns to look at me with confusion in his whiskey brown eyes.  “What shells?” He asks.

The ones he’d left on the end of my dock before I’d gotten up?  The ones that I’d been receiving for nearly a week straight?  Those shells.  But, looking at the way his face scrunches like he just licked a lemon, he has no clue what I’m talking about

Huh.  Weird.

“I just figured they were from you, since you go out and beachcomb for your mom’s jewelry.  But if it’s not you, it must be somebody else in the village.  They’re always there first thing in the morning, though, so it’s an early riser leaving them.”

Takuma lets out a hum of thought.  “It could be Yuji or Nobara.  They’re always going for morning runs along the water.  Strange, though.  They usually go past our house.”

On the other side of town.  That’s quite the deviation from their usual run, if so.  Maybe they changed things up since I’m back for the summer?  They never had in previous years, if I remember correctly.  Yuji is pretty habit-driven, since he tends to hyperfixate to an extreme degree.  I doubt he’d want to shake up his routine too much.

Even then, the rambunctious teens don’t really seem like the type to spend time looking for delicate seashells, just to leave them as gifts on my property.  They’d probably break them in their excitement.  Maybe Megumi would have a gentle enough touch, but he’s a notoriously late riser.

“I dunno…” I murmur, unsure.  “Does that seem like Nobara or a Yuji thing to do?”

“No, but they’re wildly unpredictable on the best of days.”

That… is an understatement.

“Or maybe you have a secret admirer,” Akari suggests, turning the line of questioning away form the unruly teens.  “Maybe he’s shy and doesn’t want anybody to know he’s interested, so he sneaks in to leave you gifts just before dawn.”  She lets out a sigh.  “That’d be so romantic!”

I roll my eyes.  “Yeah.  Right.  It’s probably one of the retirees with too much time on their hands.  I bet it’s that old man who used to run the bakery—what’s his name?  He was always down by the water when I saw him.”

“Old Man Gakuganji?  Nah.  He passed away last year.”

I wince at my blunder.  “Oof,” I state.

“Yeah.  Big oof,” Akari agrees sagely.  “No, but seriously, you might have somebody crushing on you.  I think Kento was sweet on you for a bit.”

“Nanami?” Kento Nanami’s parents had been friends with mine.  Our dads had gone out fishing together.  He’s a bit older than I am, but a pretty nice guy… if not a bit emotionally constipated.  “I thought he moved to the big city.  He’s a businessman or something, right?”

He hadn’t wanted to keep fishing in what he considered to be a dying town.  Not that I blame him; this life isn’t for everybody.  That’s why I’d moved, too.

Akari nods.  “Yuu Haibara is still here, though.  And Kiyotaka Ichiji.  Let’s see…”  She places a finger up to her lips in thought.  “There’s also Shoko Ieiri.  She runs the clinic now, but she’s still single and ready to mingle.”

I raise my eyebrow at her.  “Why is everybody you’re suggesting so much older than I am?” I ask dryly.

Takuma pipes up.  “Because we know you,” he answers blithely.

And, yeah… they’re not wrong.

“Daddy Kink,” Akari jokes, waggling her brows in my direction.  And I let out a faux outraged cry as I shove my hand over her mouth.

“Be silent, wench,” I growl in my most threatening voice—only slightly broken by the giggles threatening to burst from my chest.  She starts laughing behind her impromptu gag, clearly not intimidated by my show in the slightest.  And she tries to pry me off of her, but she’s giggling too hard to make any proper moves.  Not that I’m any better, cackling like a witch and falling over myself in an effort to wrangle her into submission.

Takuma tries to break us up as we start wrestling. 

In the heat of the moment, I almost forget that I have no idea where the seashells came from.

Almost.

My friend calls to me again in the morning.

And I… I can’t quite bring myself to call back.  After all, what if this creature is the reason the fish are gone?  I might be the thing keeping it here.  It seems silly to think about, but it’d returned day after day to sing with me.  And now I can’t help but wonder if it’d formed some sort of attachment.  At the end of the day, it’s a wild animal.  I can’t keep it for myself, no matter how much I enjoy its presence.

It hurts my heart to hear the lonely creature cry out with no response.  I sit in bed, hands over my hears, and stare down at my bedspread.  It calls for hours, far after the sun has risen high in the sky.

If it’s a dolphin without its pod, I hope it finds them soon.

But I’m not a dolphin, so it needs to leave.  It needs to be with its own kind.

To escape the desolate wailing, I walk up to the hill overlooking town.  And I spend hours with my sketchbook perched in my lap, drawing the faint outlines of the buildings that dot the landscape.  I jot in the shadows of boats on the water.

Maybe I’ll bring a full-size canvas next time and really go all out with my acrylic paints.  But, for now, the distraction of putting a pen to paper is enough.  I hope that by the time I go back, the poor creature will have moved on.  Maybe without me there to confuse it, it’ll realize that it’s in the wrong place and go looking for its family somewhere else?

I stay up on that hill for hours.  Up until the sun starts to set.  I’ve filled out four pages of doodles y the time that my phone interrupts my daze.  I light up when I see that it’s Akemi calling.  She’s always so busy with her schoolwork that it’s a rare treat to talk with her.

If course, she’s probably using me to check up on her brother.

Not that I mind too much.  I love the Ino family to the moon and back.

I answer the call with a smile on my face.

Night’s darkness is a blanket cast over the tiny village.  It swathes everything, diluted only by the gentle light of the half-swollen moon, which drifts in a lazy arc overhead.  The stars twinkle vibrantly against their deep indigo backdrop.

It’s peaceful, soothing.

Like something out of a dream.

I’d dusted off the cover of my hot tub, deciding to break it out to help me relax.  Turns out that the idea had been amazing.  I give myself a mental pat on my back.  The water isn’t turned up to full temp, but it’s warm enough to wring the tension right out of my muscles.  I hadn’t soaked in this in close to four years.  If anything, this is my sister’s favorite part of the house.

I’d never really been a fan, preferring the end of the dock and the cool water of the cove.  But now I see what she’s so crazy about.

The tub has a picture-perfect view of the sky above and the ocean stretching past the horizon.  I watch, content, as the silver moonlight caresses the ripples of the waves as they rush ashore.  The heat brings a heady rush to my head, heating my cheeks better than any alcohol ever could.  Steam rises above the surface, condensing on my eyelashes and the fine peach fuzz that decorates my skin.

I wiggle my toes and let out a delighted sigh.  Sink further into the welcome embrace of the water.

Perfection, I think as I let my eyelids drift closed.  The back of my head knocks against the pillow behind me.

The sigh morphs into a hum—Mom’s lullaby.  I hum the disjointed tune, letting it ebb and flow with the waves on the beach.  My hands come up to grasp at the edges of the tub, sloshing water over the edges.  The drip, drip, drip of the droplets hitting the ground is rhythmic.  It becomes part of my little song.

Below me, it almost sounds like the ocean is humming back.  The sound vibrates in my ears at a frequency that I almost can’t hear.  It throbs in my chest, along with the sluggish beat of my heart.  The water of the tub laps at my body like the waves at the shore below.

The ocean’s song grows louder in my peripheral senses until it eclipses everything else.

I don’t even notice when I start drifting off.

Deeper and deeper I sink into relaxation.

Until I’m on the cusp of sleep.

Or maybe I’m already teetering over the edge of a dream.

There’s a series of sensations that make my eyes clench tighter: the brushing of something against my forehead, a tickling against the tip of my nose, the puffing of cool air against the bow of my lips.  I stir in my sleep, perturbed by the disturbance.

I let out a low whine and try to fall back into oblivion.

The sensations draw back until I settle once more.  Then they return more firmly.  Cool skin presses against my own as a cheek brushes along mine, gently, reverently.  Shuddering breaths taunt the sensitive skin behind my ear and along my jawline.

It feels hazy—like experiencing everything through a gaussian blur.  I can’t quite focus on any one thing.  It’s too hard to lift my heavy body.  Sleep paralysis, I think.

This must be a dream.   It has to be.

Then there’s a smooth voice murmuring into my ear.  The vibrations almost tingle.  I feel it down to the tips of my toes. It’s a man, I think.  One that I’ve never heard before—that’s a voice I’d recognize no matter what.  It’s so incredibly beautiful.

“You didn’t come when I called.  I was worried,” the presence seems to almost be scolding me.  I’d laugh at this weird dream manifestation if I could move.

There’s a beat.

“You shouldn’t sleep like this, you know; you could drown.  You humans are terrifyingly fragile.”  A chuckle follows the statement, trails off and fades into the sounds of the waves from below.

A dream.

Just a dream.

I sigh, leaning into the sweet touch.  My dreamlike phantom nuzzles at the place where my shoulder and neck meet.  The soft tickling comes again.  It lingers against my chin, leaving moisture in its wake.  Hair, I think.  Wet.  Cold.

It’s such a contrast from the heat of my bath that I shiver.

What I think are fingers trace the immodest lines of my naked form.  They start at the just of my collarbones, then move with curious slowness down the valley of my breasts.  Are they really fingers, though, when they feel so sharp-tipped and rough?  My dreamy visitor circles around my bellybutton, retracting when I tense.  Then he presses his palm against the curve of my stomach, just below my navel.  I feel him shiver.

“You’re so warm, so soft,” he remarks lightly.  It sounds fond.  His nose nudges against me more insistently, and I unconsciously lean back to give him more space.  There’s a pleased rumble, not unlike the purr of a big cat.  Then my visitor’s breath centers on my sluggish pulse point, his mouth yawning wide and something jagged and dangerous pressing against the most vulnerable part of me.

Predator, my mind screams behind the wall of dreamy incoherence.

I want to wake up now, I think.  But I can’t.  I’m like a diving bell at the bottom of the ocean.  There’s only darkness around me, only weight holding me down.

Then he pulls back.

The scratchy pads of his fingers linger on my tummy for a moment before they too retreat.

“You should wake up now,” the phantom advises as he plants a lingering kiss to the place he’d just had between his jaws.  “It’s dangerous out here.”

The mystery man’s presence pulls away, but doesn’t entirely leave.  I still feel him nearby.  That rough hand of his reaches out to cup my cheek.  He’s so very, very tender as his thumb wipes away the condensation from my skin.

Just like that, he’s gone.

The haze in my mind vanishes at the abrupt splash nearby, and I jolt back awake.  All of my senses return to me in a thunderous clap of sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.  Whatever fog had descended is lifted.  Pressing a hand against my heaving chest, I push to sit up in the hot tub.

That… didn’t feel like a dream.

That felt so terribly real.

Gasping, choking, shaking, I peer over the rim of the tub, searching for evidence that my nighttime visitor had really come and gone.

There are wet footprints leading in a neat trail across the dock.  Until they disappear at the edge of the ocean.

There’s only the sound of the waves—ever ebbing and flowing—and my panicked breaths.

My dolphin friend is completely silent today.  It’s a detail that I barely notice as I book it for the harbor.

It’s still early enough that I can catch Takuma before he goes out to sea!

The youngest Ino sibling has waders on—colored bright orange for visibility—and his signature bandana covering his brown hair in preparation for work today.  I’ve caught him in the middle of loading up his gear, which takes even longer now that he’s a one-man crew.  Thankfully, his vessel is small enough to run with just a single person.  But that means he’s strapped for time and raring to get out to sea as early as possible.

He needs to get out and start casting his net before everybody else leaved the harbor and makes off with his money.  Especially with the fish seemingly becoming scarcer and scarcer.

Unfortunately, I have bigger worries.  Namely: my sanity.  I follow behind as he carts boxes onto his boat, trying to keep step as I tell him about what happened last night.  It feels ridiculous, telling him about the trancelike state I’d been in and the mysterious phantom who’d ghosted his way in and out of my life.

Of course, he doesn’t believe me at all.  Not that I blame him.  The story is pretty wild.

“I’m not lying, Takkun!”  I call out to my cousin’s retreating back.

The dock is busy this morning, awash with the hustle and bustle of people getting ready for a day at sea.  We have to bob and weave between the milling crowd.  I almost trip a couple of times in the dimness of the pre-morning light.  The sun is just barely peaking over the horizon as the final fleeting hours of twilight come to a close.  With perfectly clear skies on the radar, the fishing bodes to be fruitful.

It’d be the perfect start to a day, had I slept at all the night before.

“There was somebody on my dock last night!” I exclaim.  Then I realize just how public this conversation is and lower my voice, trying not to alert all the others nearby.  “Please believe me!  I’m freaking out, here!”

Takuma stops abruptly, and I almost collide with his back.  The younger man turns around to look at me, his brown eyes skeptical.  He sighs, runs a hand through his unruly hair.  It’s getting long, I notice.  The strands almost touch his shoulders.  I should cut it soon.

“It’s not that I think you’re lying, Sis.  I’m sure you think you saw something.  But you said it felt like a dream.  Let me get this straight…  So, this random guy—whose voice you don’t recognize, despite living in a village with less than a hundred people—just waltzes up to your house, talks to you for a bit, then jumps into the ocean?  And you couldn’t move the whole time?  I dunno.  Sounds like a dream to me.”

“There were footprints leading down the dock,” I hiss.

“Maybe you were sleepwalking again and they were yours.”

I growl at him in frustration.  “That was one time, and I was five, Takkun!  I haven’t sleepwalked in years.  There was really somebody creeping around the house!”  I hold his gaze.  “It really freaked me out, okay?  So, can you please come by and check it out when you get off work?”

“You know I have a date tonight, Sis.  I can’t just blow her off to go looking for monsters under your porch.  I mean, it’s our two-year anniversary.”

Right.  His date with Akari.  I completely forgot.

“Please, Takkun?  Please, just come over for a few minutes.  Then you can leave, okay?”

His demeanor softens at my sincerity.  And he rubs the back of his neck, where days spent working outside in the sun have tanned his skin.

“Fine, fine,” he agrees resignedly.  “I’ll swing by and see if I can’t catch your sea monster.”  My shoulders lift as weight disappears from them.  “But you have to take me out to dinner tomorrow as repayment.”

“That’s totally okay with me!  You’re the best!  Thank you, Takkun!” I chirp, planting a kiss on his cheek, which he frantically tries to rub off like we’re children again and I have cooties.

It’s not four hours later that my cousin keeps his promise to investigate my home.  He arrives windblown from operating a boat, and covered head to toe in dried sweat and ocean spray.  I greet him at my front door, then lead him to my private dock.

While I recount what’d happened the night before, he kneels down and looks at the tub like he’s trying to put an image to my words.  The footprints have long since dried, but I remember exactly where they were.  I point out the path that my mysterious visitor had taken, right up to where he’d jumped into the water.

“And you didn’t see a boat last night?” Takuma asks, peering into the water.

I shake my head.

He frowns.  “Well, you’re too far outside of town for somebody to swim to the dock.  Not to mention how dangerous it would’ve been with the tides coming in.  I doubt anybody would want to risk it just for a prank.  You have a pretty clear view of the ocean, too, so it’s unlikely that they escaped into the water without being seen.  They would’ve had to come up for air at some point.  Unless they had gills,” he adds sarcastically.

“The footprints led to and from the water, Takkun.  Whoever he was, he came and went by way of water.  Like the Creature from the Black Lagoon.”

Takuma nods like he’s taking in all the information and analyzing it.

“Okay, so we know it’s a he.  You said you didn’t recognize the voice, right?  Then it’s unlikely it was somebody from the village.  And there are no strange visitors staying at the inn.”  The young fisherman crosses his arms as he stares me down.  “So, who could it have been?”

“I have no idea,” I confess, throat tight.

He sighs, scratching the short stubble at his chin.  “I can stay the night tonight, if that’ll make you feel better.  But I really think that you need to consider that this was just a dream.”

Maybe he’s right.  I mean, nothing about the whole situation makes any sense.  A mysterious stalker climbing out of the ocean and putting me under some sort of spell—what am I?  Eight?

God, I feel stupid, letting my imagination run wild with me.  I called him away from his date prep for this.  The heels of my palms dig into my eyes like I’m trying to rub away the afterimages of my wild nightmare last night.

“I’m sorry, Takkun,” I mutter.  “I don’t mean to be a pain.  Honest.”

“You’re not a pain, Sis.  I get that you were freaked out, but it was just a dream.”  He walks over to me, places his hands on my shoulders.  Takuma’s warmth and weight are reassuring.  He gives me a comforting squeeze, offering me a smile.  “Hey, I know you were scared, but it’s okay.  I can come over after the date, maybe stay the night?  No boogeymen will try anything with me guarding you!”

I shake my head, reaching up to pat one of his large hands.  “No.  I’m fine now.  I’d hate to take you away from Akari.  Especially on such an important night.”

“If you’re sure…”

“I am.  Now go get ready.  Take a shower, Takkun.  You smell like fish, and that won’t get you laid tonight.”

My cousin sputters, turning several different shades of red at once.  He jerks away like I’ve burned him all while I cackle like a madwoman at his discomfort.  Oh, he’s too easy to fluster.

Takuma leaves after trying to rearrange my ribs with the force of his bear hug.

And he returns in the middle of the night with some of his mother’s homemade fried chicken and an arm full of movies, still wearing some of his nicer clothes.  I ask him how his date went, and he tells me about going out to eat with Akari at some fancy place an hour away.  The two lovebirds had followed up dinner with a tour of the botanical gardens.  He uses his whole body to illustrate just how big and beautiful some of the plants were, and brings out his phone to show me when words won’t do it justice.

I feel so very, very bad for pulling him away from his night out.

But when I apologize, he waves me off.  “Akari understands.  She sends her love,” is all he has to say before I pull him into a hug that’s almost strong enough to compete with his.

He and his girlfriend are so unwaveringly good that it hurts sometimes.

My adopted cousin and I spend the rest of the evening in contented silence, watching some endearingly bad sci-fi B-movie from the sixties.  He lets my head rest against his shoulder, keeping a strong arm hooked over me.  And when he starts to drift off, his cheek comes to rest against my temple.

I wake up the next morning with a crick in my neck and Takuma gone.  But I feel a lot better than I had.

Takuma left a note on my fridge, I realize when I get up to reheat the leftover chicken.

‘Lock your door tonight.  I’ll come by later to check on you.  P.S. Give Micchan a call.  She’s being a freak.’  Eyeing the sloppy words on the ruled paper, I let out a little chuckle.  ‘Micchan’ and ‘Takkun’ are both freaks.  Akemi and Takuma are both such worrywarts.

Though, in this case, it seems pretty justified.

Maybe the other night was really just a dream, I think.  Maybe I’m just working myself up over nothing.

But I’m not so sure.

The next day, I treat Takuma to dinner, as agreed upon by our terms for him staying the night.  Of course, ‘dinner’ is a whole sack of pork buns brought from the convenience store.  Not a bad meal, considering that the young man scarfs it down like it’s a king’s feast.

We’re on the roof of Mayu’s house, a place that I’d often found myself after the Ino family had taken my sister and I in.  Of course, that’d been years and years ago.  And now I feel like a dumb teenager again, hiding away from my problems where I feel they can’t find me.

“Akari isn’t missing you?” I ask my companion when he’s done cramming his mouth full of pork bun.  “I don’t want to keep you away from her two nights in a row.”

He shakes his head.  “Nah.  She had a late-night repair.  Besides, I said I’d come visit Ma, anyway.  You were just another addition, and the more the merrier!”

I snort at his upbeat nature.

Takuma stares up at the sky, planting his hands on the roof’s incline behind him and leaning back.  “You aren’t lonely, are you, Sis?  I mean, this is the first time you’re staying in that house without anybody else, and—”

“I’m fine,” comes my automatic response.  And I wince at how not fine I sound.  “Okay, I’m a little lonely.  But I’ll get used to it.”

“The nightmare says otherwise.  It was bad enough that you though it was real, and that’s concerning,” he points out, fixing a pretty stern look on me.  “Y’know, you can always stay with Ma.  Or there’s room with me and Akari.  You’re always welcome.”

“I know.  Thank you, Takkun.”

There’s a moment of silence.

“Do you think that’s why I had that bad dream?  Because I’m alone in the house for the first time?”

“Maybe.”  He shrugs.  “You can always ask Akemi about it; you know she’d love to shrink your head—tries to do it to me all the time.”

Benefits of having a psychologist-in-training big sister, I guess.  Maybe I’ll ask her what she thinks of it, just to see if she has any insight.  She’s always been smart and perceptive.  There might be something to all of this that I’m not seeing.

Maybe it was really all a dream…

Huh…

“Maybe I feel unsafe…”

“You could always try locking the door?”  he suggests.  “Might bring you some peace of mind.”

“Are you two done being moody?”  Comes a strong voice from the second floor balcony.  “If so, I could use your help moving the couch so I can vacuum beneath it.”

At that interruption, both of us turn to each other and let out a shared snicker.  Mayu, never change, I mentally beg her.  Her bluntness is exactly what I need right now.

“Got it, Ma!” Takuma calls back down to his mother.  “Be inside in a bit!”

“I guess we’re being summoned?”

“Seems like it.”

And cue the laughter a second time.

Takuma stands up and places his hand sin his pockets.  But he makes no move to climb down to the balcony below.  Instead, he gazes out at the dark water of the ocean.  His face is oddly solemn.  It’s so jarring, seeing him so melancholy.

I let the silence stretch between us, afraid of worrying him further.

Then he lets out a huff. “Y’know, it’s always nice when you come visit.  But if it’s too much then you can always go back to the city.  I know that’s where you want to be, anyway.”

I jolt.  “Wh-what gave you that idea?”

He shrugs.  “S’why you always go back, right?  I mean, I get it.  This town isn’t exactly the most lively.  And it’s got bad memories for you.  I understand if you wanna bail on this trip, especially since your sister isn’t here this time.”

I shake my head at his concern and reach out to tug on his shirt.  “I love this place, Takkun.  I only go back to the city because of school.”  Then I almost whisper the next part.  “But, honestly, I’m starting to reconsider if I want to go back again.  Maybe I should just drop out of college and come back.  Maybe I can work at the convenience store with Yuji and Nobara?  That’d be fun, right?”

I offer him a smile.  “There aren’t any painful memories here for me, Takkun, only good ones.”

“I want you to stay,” he says frankly.  And it’s enough to make me laugh.

“I want to stay here too, you goofball!  This is my home.  It will always be my home, no matter what.”

“Then why go back at all?”

Why, indeed?  I’d wondered that for years now.  I’d originally left because my sister was leaving the nest and I didn’t want to be in our parents’ house alone.  Not with the ghosts that’d haunted me during the early years without Mom and Dad.  Sure, we’d been staying with the Ino family during that time, but it was almost assured that I’d go back to the little yellow house in the cove eventually.

I’d left to grieve and learn to accept their deaths.  And maybe somewhere along the way, I’d convinced myself that I was better off in the city, where there was more opportunity.  Which is funny, come to think of it, because I’d never been the ambitious sort.  The truth is that I was running away.  And now that I’m not running, I have no clue why I’m still moving in that direction.

I miss this place so much when I’m away.

“I guess that I was just trying to prove something to myself, that I could finish school and become something more than I’ll ever be here.  But more and more, I’m looking for a reason to stay here.”  I look up at the sky above and ponder the stars.  “Maybe I just need to find contentment here.”

When I look over, the big crybaby had tears rolling down his cheeks and an adorable pout on his lips.  I pull him into a hug, patting his back as he sniffles into my hair.

“Takkun… you’re getting your boogers on me.”

He only cries harder.  I pat his back, burying my face into his shoulder.

He’s such a goober.

But he’s my goober.  My wonderful, thoughtful cousin.

Away from the warmth of Mayu’s home, I feel a little less at ease.

The lock to my door latches shut with a final click.  It’s the first time that I’ve ever locked it, the first time I’ve ever felt unsafe enough in my childhood home to really be afraid.  Outside, I can see the silvery light of the moon caressing the waves as they roll in.  Nobody’s out there.

At least, not that I can see.

Sleep comes to me in fitful bursts punctuated by my paranoid jumping at every little sound.  I don’t dream about mysterious men from the sea.

But I think I can hear a sad, sad song coming from the depths of the dark water.

When I wake up, there are no footprints outside of my door, but there are seashells scattered along my windowsills.  And I don’t think they’re form Nobara.  They’re an offering, I think.

The sight of them leaves me cold.  Because whatever thing has set its sights on me is still watching, still waiting.  I clutch my blanket around my shoulders to keep the shivers at bay and draw my curtains.  I’ll hide away inside, I think.

And I start packing my things to return home to my apartment in the city.

Maybe Takuma’s right.  Maybe I need to get away.  Just for a bit.

But something makes me reconsider.  I’m not sure what it is.  But it’s a feeling brewing deep in my gut, an instinctive feeling telling me that if I leave now, I’ll miss out on something important.  My suitcase sits in the corner, half-full but not zipped up.

I’ll stay.  Just for a bit, I think.  And, boy, do I feel like an idiot.

It takes another week for the paranoia to die down.

I’m always, always busy.

I’m rarely home, except to sleep.

During most of that time, I bounce between Takuma’s home with Akemi and Mayu’s house.  When I’m not bugging them, I find myself up on the hill working my way through my sketchbook.  It’s soothing for my frazzled nerves.  I distract myself with phone calls to Akemi, who uses the opportunity to deep dive into a lesson about trauma response with just a little too much enthusiasm.

When I’m not chatting with her, I exchange photos with my sister over private messaging.  She’s in a new place every day, it seems.  It’s nice seeing her have so much fun and go on adventures.  I’d be jealous if I weren’t such a homebody… or if I didn’t get airsick… or seasick.

I’ll forever be tormented with the fact that I was raised by the seashore and still get sick when on a boat.

Nobara occasionally stops in to bother me, usually tugging one of her boys along by the collar of their shirt.  She denies bringing me the shells, which makes me a bit uneasy.  But there still has to be an explanation, right?

I pull myself into knots trying to think about it rationally.

But the longer I spend without nightmares about strange men coming from the ocean, the more confident I get that it was a one-off.  It’s crazy to worry about that kind of stuff, right?  Like, there’s no way some bozo decided to brave the rocks just to mess with me.  That’s actually stupid.

Right?

I’m second guessing myself more and more, I find.

The shells stop appearing on my dock, and I don’t know whether to be relieved or scared.  So, I choose not to think about it at all.  After all, it’s probably not that big of a deal.  They’re just shells.  Nothing to be scared of.   I know every person in this village; none of them would ever hurt me.

Full stop.

It’s just a sweet gesture.  The person leaving them didn’t know that I’m currently in a downward spiral.

I also notice that my dolphin friend has finally stopped calling out to me, and I find that I’m more hopeful than sad at the development.  I hope that wherever they are, they aren’t alone anymore.  I sincerely hope that they’re found their family again, and are happy and safe.

It’s the one bright spot in my existential crisis.

But I’ll take what I can get.

I toss and turn, throwing off my blankets as the summer heat seems to get to me even past my air conditioner.  I feel… overly hot.

Clenching my eyes closed, I try to will myself into peaceful slumber.  And I hear it: a low, mournful wail.  A sad, sad sound that I know too well.

“Come to me”, I hear on the winds.  There’s a familiar hum thrumming in my chest.  It’s like the other night, I realize.  It’s like when I’d been in the hot tub.  The same gauzy, hazy feeling creeps over my senses like sweet-smelling smoke.

I drift somewhere, halfway between awake and asleep.

Getting up, I unlock my door, despite everything inside of me screaming that it’s a bad idea.  I open it with a slow glide.

And I walk.

My feet move of their own accord, led by some unknown compulsion.  Where they’re taking me, I have no clue—my eyes are closed.  I wander out the back door of my little home and down the dock.  Towards the ocean, I almost float.  Sand buckles beneath me as I hit the beach.  It scrunches between my bare toes, sticks to the places it touches like glue.

There are large rocks, too, digging in to the soft pads of my feet.  The momentary discomfort helps gound me.

Then the sand is washed away by water, waves lapping at the grains with each ebb and flow.

The ocean.

I’m in the ocean.

I must be dreaming, right?  I’m sleepwalking!

I tell myself to wake up, try everything to jolt myself into consciousness again.

I want to panic, want to scream and run away.  But my body, dancing to the tune of my own personal Pied Piper, doesn’t so much as twitch.  The underlying fear that I can’t swim is shoved aside for the greater terror that I can’t control myself.  I’m at some strange supernatural force’s mercy.

“Come to me,” I hear again, echoing on the tail end of a sad, sad sounding croon.

I hear splashing in front of me, like a great deal of water is being displaced.  My breath hitches, and I feel a scream clawing its way out of my chest.  There’s more splashing, like something is moving towards me.  It’s getting closer and closer.

This isn’t a dream.

This is real.

This is real, and there’s something coming for me.

I’m going to get eaten!

But before I can become overwhelmed by everything, I’m grounded by a warm, gentle touch.  A large hand, rough and a bit wet, settles on my cheek.  The presence in front of me lets out a soothing croon.

An inhuman sound, I think distantly.

There’s a sense of relief as I’m not immediately eaten by whatever the hell this creature is.

Then there’s a greater sense of surprise as a hot puff of air buffets my chin.  “My pretty mate,” a familiar masculine voice whispers with reverence. 

And then I’m being kissed.

Warm lips mold against mine.  They’re hungry, demanding, devouring.  My unseen lover is frantic, like he’s never been touched before and never will be again.  Hands grip my hips, pulling me against a strong body.  The fingers against my bare skin are rough, and the nails sharp like talons.  They brand my skin with their incredible heat.  Needing air, I arch away from the kiss.  Our lips disconnect, leaving a thing trail of saliva connecting us.  It’s messy.  Hot.  It feels like I’m burning up.

I’m getting dizzy.

Spiraling.

Down.

Down..

Down…

It’s too much.

There’s no air.  Or maybe I’m just not breathing anymore.

A hand tangles in my hair, pulls me into another all-consuming liplock.  The gasp that I let out is swallowed.  And in return, my lover lets out a rumble of satisfaction.  His mouth coaxes mine open.  The plushness of his pout parts to reveal a set of wickedly sharp teeth.

This is strange, right?  Teeth aren’t supposed to be sharp.  They’re supposed to be blunt and straight.  I run the tip of my tongue along them carefully, afraid of cutting myself on their jagged edges.

Nothing about this is normal, though.  I’m in the ocean, kissing some unknown man with passion I’ve never felt before.  Things are slowly clicking into place as the dreamlike fuzziness in my head clears a bit.  I pull away again, just in time to be swept away in another wave of kisses.  I’m gaining control over my body again, I think.  The tips of my fingers give an almost imperceptible twitch.

“Open your eyes for me,” comes the gentle command.  I oblige, blinking up at the moon overhead.  I crane my neck back down, taking in the man before me.  “There she is.  My good girl,” he praises me, and I tremble.

I can see him, now, the person that’s haunted these last few nights.  He’s… well… I wish I could say that he’s monstrous.  If anything, he’s so incredibly beautiful that I ache just looking at him.  The tone of his skin is pale as porcelain and flawless as far as I can see.  His hair is white, I note.  Like snow or clouds.  It’s slicked to the crown of his head from the water.  It’s long, like he’s never had a haircut in his life.  I note that it’s tied back with some sort of twine and threated through with shells and sea glass.

It’s his eyes that are the real centerpiece, though.  They’re so incredibly blue that they almost glow under the moonlight.

I shiver when they rake over my figure, taking in my sheer nightgown and bare legs.

He looks like any other athletic man from his head to his waist, I note.  But below that is where it becomes obvious that he’s not human.  I start to hyperventilate, gaze fixated on legs that are covered in patterned scales.  It’s too dark to see the color of them, but the swirling scales that twine up his waist are intricate.  He has a tail, too, my inner panic chimes in.  Like something halfway between a frog and a tadpole.

It’s an unflattering description for somebody so breathtaking.

But still…

Monster.

The dreamlike haze is swept away in the stormy winds of my mounting heartbeat.  He must sense my unease, because he’s quick to try to pacify me.

“It’s okay.  You’re safe.  I have you,” the man tries to cajole me.  He places his thumb under my chin, redirecting my attention back to his face.  “I won’t hurt you.  Never.”

I shake my head with a quick jerk.  I don’t believe him.  Not for a second.  Not when those teeth of his are meant for ripping and tearing, and not when I remember those same teeth clasped around the meat of my shoulder only a few nights prior.

Then I realize that I moved.  My body finally obeyed me.  To test it again, I will my fingers to twitch.  Whatever spell I’m under is rapidly fading.  That strange, syrupy feeling is rapidly being replaced by not fear, but anger.

Because how dare this fucking guy?!  How dare he stalk me?  How dare he invade the sanctity of my home and make me feel uneasy?  How dare he use some sort of messed up mind control to put the moves on me?

I’m suddenly wide awake and very much in control.

I boil over.  Pulling away out of his grasp, I put an arm’s length between us.  And the beautiful bastard watches with an awed look in those surreal blue eyes of his as I break free from his influence.  I want to slap him, I think, to knock that smitten look right off of his face.

So, I do.

It only takes an instant.

With my body finally obeying me, I reel back.  And I slap the strange fishman across the face.  The sound is sharp and vicious, given that our skin is wet.  Good.  I hope I leave a mark!

“What the hell do you want from me, you creep?!” my shriek echoes into the night.

[bvidzsoo]

Irrevocable Love

Author: bvidzsoo

Warnings: swearing, mentions of human trafficking, slight sexism and misogyny, blood

Pairing: Jeong Yunho x female reader

Word count: 28,6k

Summary: Jeong Yunho was always protective of what was his. After his mother's death he stopped living a happy life, his father an alcoholic, his best friend was his only hope. The two of you had grown up together and you couldn't imagine living your life without Yunho, so when he tried to sneak onto the Pirate ship and leave without you, you were beyond hurt. Yunho only wanted to protect you, but he wasn't going anywhere without you. And so, the two of you joined Ateez on their adventures, starting your own love story at the same time. (Reader is called Bae Taeri in the following oneshots.)

A/N: Y'all, this one is a beast of a oneshot, lol. It's really long but I say it's worth it. Yunho's part is one of my favorites, so I hope you all enjoy it as much as I had fun writing it. I strongly advise you read the previous parts (especially Jongho, Seonghwa, and San's) since there are many refrences from them (again, especially from San's). If you want to be added to the taglist, let me know, we have three more oneshots left *whew*. And share your thoughts! Enjoy now!

Taglist: @pingyu-in-wonderland @marievllr-abg @lelaleleb @loveforred @horanghae8 @jeonghanscarat7 @orshii @mundayoonimnida @m3tavita @silentcry329 @icarusignite

Series Masterlist ↭ Previous Part

            10 years ago

            Our poor seaside village had always been overlooked by everyone. Nobody ever came here, nobody ever brought anything here to help our living situation. So, that forced us to fend for ourselves, to find ways to survive. Families who were a little bit luckier had a small garden where they could cultivate various vegetables and fruits, and to everyone else’s luck, they were generous enough to hand some out to the rest of the village. Most of us, however, were forced to go out on the sea and fish, which wasn’t always the easiest as the sea wasn’t always serene and gentle to the sailors. Everyone seemed to struggle, but you never heard anyone vocalize their struggles, always sucking it up and greeting the day with a smile on their faces, always so nice to their neighbours and people at the market. Nobody wanted their neighbour to know that they haven’t eaten in two days despite the other person being in the same situation, it was shameful. And so, it didn’t come as a surprise that Yunho never said anything about his own struggles at home. Despite being friends for six years now, we’ve never discussed anything that went down at home between our parents or the hardships we had to face daily. If one of us had even a little bit in plus to share, it could be anything, we’d bring it with ourselves when we met up and shared it, as good friends do.

After Yunho’s mother’s death he rarely had anything to bring with himself, his mother used to make very delicious pastry, but I never complained. I understood. Yunho and his father were struggling, it was very clear. His father was a blacksmith and their business hadn’t been doing well for the past two years now, it was his mother’s bakery which brought most of their money to the house and with her gone…I couldn’t help but worry for my best friend’s fate. He was becoming thinner and thinner as days went by, his eyes lacking the light he previously always had in them, and the bags under his eyes were darker than ever. It didn’t take long to figure out that he was struggling, but I knew by now, that trying to pry it out of him did nothing. It only made him close off even more, so I stayed silent. I allowed him space and time; he'd come to me when he felt ready. And, so, it came as a big surprise when I found him sneaking by my house one night, close to midnight. He had a black cloth thrown over his head, as if to hide his identity, and my eyebrows furrowed as I watched him through the window of my room. His steps were hurried and his tall frame was slightly hunched, as if to hide his height, and he kept glancing over his shoulder. Was he running from someone? Did he do something forbidden? My head spun with endless possibilities as I quickly grabbed my wool coat and threw it over my frame clumsily, eyes still on Yunho as he got further and further away from my house. He lived just up the hill, a five-minute trek away from my own house. I’ve known him my whole life. He said nothing about going somewhere tonight, so seeing him acting like that gave me a sinking feeling in my stomach. Something didn’t feel right about his demeanour, and I quickly left the house freely, not having to sneak out tonight. Three days ago, a pirate ship decked down, and since our town was quite generous with them, they paid us back with gold and many coins. Four days in a row now, they’ve been drinking away their money at the run-down pub by the old mill, all grown-ups gathering there, men and women alike. Children weren’t allowed to enter the pub, my parents forbidding myself from doing so as well, but that meant we were free to do whatever, while they drank away the night. The wind was harsher tonight as I ran down the hill, trying to catch up with Yunho, who was almost at the end of the dark street, pace quickening as he noticed me, seemingly refusing to wait for me. I wanted to cry out, but couldn’t risk someone catching us, we were supposed to be inside our homes, sleeping. Yunho was headed to the beach, towards the little gulf where the pirates had decked down. My breathing came out in ragged puffs as I sprinted towards him, the sand making it harder to keep a steady rhythm. I had grown up here, yet I never learned to enjoy the sand.

“Yunho!” I called out quietly, the wind carrying my voice over the little waves as I was getting closer to my best friend. He stopped looking over his shoulder, yet seemed to be ignoring me as I called out his name again. I knew he could hear me, so why was he ignoring me? My feet sunk deep into the sand as I tried keeping my curly hair out of my eyes, but the wind was strong down here at the beach, and it left me huffing and puffing as I watched Yunho’s body fall to the ground. I yelped and forgot about how much I hated the sand, sprinting towards him, finally reaching his side. But as I tried to help him up, he yanked his arm out of my hold, standing up on his own, head whipping around. I stared at my best friend wide eyed, confused by his reaction. It was just me, why was he acting like that?

“Yunho—”

“What are you doing here?!” His voice was snappy and I stepped back in shock; he has never spoken to me like that before. His eyes were hard and his eyebrows pulled into a frown. What was happening?

“I’m—I—” I stuttered as Yunho glared at me; his demeanour scary. I’ve never seen him like this, he’s never acted like this towards me, “I saw you through my window and I followed you—”

“You should’ve stayed at home.” Yunho snapped and then turned around, taking off again. His long strides made it hard for me to keep up with him and I kept stumbling forward as my legs tangled together due to the sand, eyes trying to fall on his face, but Yunho kept his head turned away from me.

“You should be at home too—” I huffed, still trying to figure out what the issue at hand was, “What are you even doing out here, Yunho?”

My voice raised and I gripped his wrist tightly, hauling him back, and he hissed, suddenly all up in my face. My heart was hammering as I looked up at my best friend, despite being fifteen, he was already a head taller than me. My hands trembled as he was breathing hard, but I refused to let go of him, I refused to cover under his intimidating gaze. He was always smiling, he was always happy, there was always a glint in his eyes. He always made jokes, and he’d tickle me when I was sad or ignoring him. Yunho was warm and the nicest person I have ever met. He is understanding and considerate. But I could find none of those qualities in the boy standing in front of me, glaring down at me.

“Go back home, Y/N.” He snapped, eyebrows furrowing more as I shook my head, biting my lower lip nervously, “Y/N, go back home.”

Each one of his words was emphasized, but I just shook my head again, breath stuttering when he suddenly shouted, “Go home!”

I wasn’t scared of him; I could never be. I was just confused. I started trembling as I shook my head vigorously, biting my lower lip, Yunho’s starting to tremble the longer I defied his wish.

“Y/N, please—” His voice slightly broke and my eyes widened when I noticed the tears in his eyes, “go back home, I can’t—I can’t leave if you’re here—”

“Leave?!” My voice sounded panicked as my heartbeat picked up again as I gripped his other wrist as well, scared he’d run away again. Yunho nodded, averting his eyes as I yanked on his wrists, pulling him almost into myself, “What are you saying?”

“I—” He gulped as he still avoided eye contact, voice barely a whisper, “I’m leaving with the pirates.”

The crash of the waves against the shore filled the void silence engulfing us, the stars shinning down us brightly, darkness around no matter where you looked. Yunho’s eyes shone as the first tears fell, head fallen forward as he let it rest against the top of my own head, shattering my heart into a million of pieces. Yunho wanted to leave. He wanted to leave me alone. He planned to live a life without me. I couldn’t live without him.

“You’re not going anywhere.” My lips trembled as I managed to say out loud those words, my own tears falling, “You won’t leave me here. Alone.”

“I have to.” Yunho sniffed and suddenly he flipped his hands, grabbing mine as I was still holding onto his wrists, “I have decided, Y/N. I must go—”

“No!” I screamed, raising my head and making Yunho take a step back, eyes wide as he gazed at me surprised, “You can’t leave me here! Do you understand that?! I can’t live without you!”

“Y/N,” He seemed to be in pain as he sniffed again, cupping my cheek with one hand, but I slapped it away, gazing at him with fury, “I promise to visit. I will come back every now and then.”

“You mean to say you’ll come back in ten years?” I snapped, voice hardening as I glared at him, “When I might not even be here? When I might be dead?! You mean to say I will have to live the rest of my life without you? Without knowing whether you’re still alive or not? Whether you’ll ever return to me? Whether you still—still remember me?!”

“How could I forget you?” Yunho’s voice was high pitched as he cupped my cheek, closing the distance between us as I craned my neck up to look at him, new tears falling from his eyes, “You’re my light, Y/N. The beacon in my darkness. I could never forget you—”

“Why are you leaving?” I cut him off, needing a reason. He had to have a good one if he was this desperate to go. Yunho gulped and looked away, almost ashamed, his grip on my cheek loosening, but I quickly placed my own hand over his and squeezed his fingers, his eyes falling back on me.

“I just can’t live here anymore.”

“Not a good enough reason.” I snapped, making Yunho’s eyebrows furrow.

“I just hate this life.” I shook my head again, the reason not good enough. I wouldn’t accept such mediocre issues. I didn’t like my life either, but I didn’t plan on running away with pirates. Who could kill me any second.

“Y/N, what does it matter—”

“Because you plan on leaving me behind and I can’t let you go without a good enough reason!” I snapped, more tears falling from my eyes as Yunho shook his head, the wind blowing his bangs away from his forehead.

“I hate my father.” His voice was quiet as he spoke up with a sigh, eyes falling on the sand between our feet, “He’s always been bad, but ever since mother died…I just can’t deal with him anymore. He’s drunk all day and all night and blames everything on me. He expects me to bring money to the house like my mother did, but I can’t even bake one chocolate chip cookie, Y/N. He’s never taught me his job and I can’t help out at the workshop…give it a few more months and we’ll die from hunger.”

The weight of his words settled between us as I took in a deep breath before exhaling slowly, pulling him into my body, my arms wrapping around his torso tightly. I knew Yunho hated pity, but my heart broke for him. I couldn’t stand seeing him cry, chewing his lower lip as his body trembled from the cold.

“I would never let you die like that, you idiot.” I whispered against his neck and Yunho’s body shook as he laughed quietly, before he started crying hard, “You should’ve told me sooner, Yunho. You know I would’ve helped you. You know my parents would’ve helped.”

“I don’t want anyone’s help, I’m a man—”

“You’re a boy.” I reminded him as Yunho squeezed me against his body, holding the back of my head against his neck, his body cold compared to mine. I had just noticed how thinly he was dressed and it broke my heart. His father never bothered getting him new clothes as winter was approaching.

“Boy or man, I have to fend for myself.” Yunho whispered and slowly pulled back, removing his body from mine, “And if I want to live, I have to leave right now. Without you, Y/N. But I promise you that I will return. And when I do, I promise to be rich, and then we’ll both leave this good for nothing town.”

I shook my head, about to complain as Yunho pressed his lips against my forehead, burning my skin as my eyes blurred with tears. As I reached out for him, he stepped back, and he was gone. He turned his body and started walking away, leaving me in disbelief as my body shook from anger and fear of being abandoned by the only person I loved wholeheartedly.

He was already a few good steps away when my next words bubbled out of me, “I will kill myself!”

I was fifteen. I didn’t know better back at that time, but it felt like my whole world was disappearing the further Yunho walked from me. The purpose to live seemed to dim in me as he sauntered off in the darkness. I felt powerless as he walked away from me.

“I will jump off the cliff tonight if you leave me here, Yunho!” I screamed, body shaking violently as Yunho stopped, body going rigid. It looked as if he wasn’t even breathing anymore, so I continued, “I can’t live without you, and if you leave me here, I will kill myself. I will walk up the hill, past my house and yours, and go to the edge, and jump. I will do it; you know I will. It’s a promise, Yunho. And then you won’t have anyone to return to—”

“Stop!” He screamed back and wheeled around, face ablaze as he stormed up to me, breathing quickly, “Stop this non-sense right now!”

“You know I will do it.” I challenged him, glaring up at my best friend.

“You’re crazy.” Yunho whispered speechless, searching my face for a tell-sign that I was joking. But I wasn’t. I meant every word I have just said.

“I can’t live without you.” I repeated for the nth time tonight, making Yunho shake his head in despair as he suddenly gripped my arm, hold careful, and started walking, pulling me after him. I said nothing as I kept up with him, ignoring the way the sand still made me stumble, eyes never leaving the side of Yunho’s face as he gazed ahead determined, grip slightly tightening as if he was afraid I’d rip myself away from him. But I would never do that. My heart was beating fast as I realized we were walking towards the water, towards the pirate ship. Yunho remained quiet as he gave me one final glance, a silent question in his eyes if I truly wanted this. Wherever he went, I followed. Whatever he did, I followed. So, I nodded my head firmly, and we walked inside the water, taking our unsure future in our hands for the first time.

Our fifteen-year-old selves remained clueless as to when the ship sailed off, hidden away behind some barrels in a chamber which looked like a kitchen, Yunho and I had assumed it was one since it had a stove. Our small and lanky bodies huddled close together, Yunho’s hand holding onto my arm the whole night, as if he was scared someone would snatch me away from him. But nobody did. Despite being on an unknown ship with pirates, we slept through the night smoothly, the clanking of loud dishes the only thing which woke us up. My eyes were wide as I stared at Yunho, who’s face held no emotion as he carefully peeked out from behind the barrel, surveying our surroundings. By the sound of it, there was only one man in the kitchen beside us, and I relaxed when Yunho nodded at me reassuringly, leaning down to whisper something in my ear. But our false security was quickly gone as a strong grip on my arm yanked me to my feet, away from Yunho, who sprung up after me, taking a hold of my other arm. I stared up at the scary looking old man, who’s grip was very painful, scared for my life. Perhaps this was the day we’d die.

“Let go of her.” Yunho’s voice held no fear as he stared the old man down, eyes ablaze as he tried tugging me close to himself. The old man just chuckled and looked behind him, where the man who was washing the dishes watched us amused.

“Two children,” The old man chuckled, “what are you doing on my ship?”

“Are you the Captain?” Yunho asked, eyebrows raising. The old man said nothing as he nodded, a curious glint in his eyes as he looked at me before looking back at Yunho.

“I’ll only ask once more before I throw you to the sharks, what are you doing on my ship, children?” I gulped, heart in my throat as I looked at Yunho panicked, trying to tug my arm free from the painful grip of the Captain, but it did nothing. Yunho noticed the discomfort on my face and stepped closer to me, squaring up to the Captain as he pulled his shoulders back, wanting to seem taller and stronger than he was.

“We got bored of our old lives, Captain,” He spoke with determination, the glint I have missed back in his eyes, “And we wanted to start anew. What better way than a pirate ship?”

“If you think I’m going to take you on the adventure of your lifetime, kid, you’re very wrong.” The Captain rolled his eyes and released my arm, pushing me, making me fall into Yunho. He caught me easily and glared at the Captain as he cradled me against his chest, shielding my view of the scary man as he buried my face in his chest. My heart skipped a beat.

“We’re not here for the adventure, Captain, we’re here to work. To do something with our lives. Anything’s better than living in that God forsaken town,” Yunho sighed, his confidence still shining through, “You have seen it with your own eyes.”

The Captain hummed and after a beat of silence, I heard him speak up, “So, you want to work?”

Yunho nodded eagerly and I managed to nod as well, forcefully pulling my head away from Yunho’s chest as he tried to keep me still, “We don’t want to be a burden. You can teach us anything and we’ll do as you say, Captain.”

The Captain chuckled, but I could see his eyes softening a bit. Yunho has always had charm, all the elders loved him back in our town. Every kid wanted to be his friend. I shrunk a bit against Yunho as the Captain’s black eyes fell on me this time, eyebrows furrowing, “You’re a girl.”

I nodded, scared of what would happen next to me. I knew I was at a disadvantage here, but I also knew Yunho would never let anyone touch me or harm me. I was safe with him. The Captain’s eyebrows furrowed even more, and suddenly, he raised his fingers to his mouth and whistled loudly, making my ears ring. The other pirate who had been washing the dishes quickly left the room and suddenly we heard two pairs of footsteps thudding down the hallway loudly. I felt my heart pick up again and bit my lower lip as I held onto Yunho’s arm so tightly it was probably restricting his blood flow, but he said nothing as he held me back just as tightly. Suddenly, the door was thrown open and two boys walked in. They were young, perhaps around our age, both shorter than Yunho as they walked to each side of the Captain. They looked nothing alike, yet the one with cat-like eyes resembled the Captain an awfully lot. Yunho and I glanced at each other as the Captain ruffled the two boys’ hair and then looked at us with a big smile, suddenly looking friendly, the scary man gone.

“These are Hongjoong and Seonghwa,” The Captain said cheerfully as my eyes fell on the boy to his left, who’s eyes were big and his plump lips were pulled into a warm smile, “You two look to be the same age as my boys.”

“Your boys…” Yunho repeated quietly, slightly relaxing against me, my grip leaving his arm as I detached myself from Yunho, suddenly embarrassed, and stood straight up next to him.

“My sons.” The Captain clarified and then looked at me again, “If you truly want to stay on the ship with us, you won’t have an easy life as a girl.”

I sucked in a harsh breath, finally being hit with the harsh truth. A ship. Full of pirates. Of men. And I was a girl. I shuddered and circled my arms around my torso, feeling very uneasy as I saw the two sons glance at each other before their eyes fell on me. Yunho’s eyebrows furrowed and he stepped in front of me, glowering at the Captain’s son whose eyes were cat-like as his eyes seemed to remain on me for longer, “I will kill anyone who dares touch her.”

The Captain’s laughter was loud as it echoed around us and his son cracked a smile, meanwhile the other one looked concerned for a second as his eyes found mine. He looked very nice, and soft; it was weird that he made me feel safe so fast.

“You can’t even lift a sword, son.” The Captain said once he was done laughing, and then grabbed his son’s shoulder, the one that looked nothing like him, and nudged him forward. He glanced back at his father before his eyes fell on me again and he smiled at Yunho warmly as he stepped closer, extending his hand for me.

“I’m Seonghwa, nice to meet you.” His voice was velvety and he was very polite, if we met in any other circumstance, I would’ve never said he was a pirate.

“My name is Y/N.” I said as I shook his hand, lightly pushing Yunho out of the way. He didn’t like it as he watched us closely, but said nothing.

“Seonghwa will take care of you, Y/N,” The Captain said and Seonghwa nodded obediently, “he’ll give you some clothes and help you figure out how to make you look like a man. I don’t mind having you on my ship at all, but you should keep your true identity a secret if you want to be safe. I can’t promise you anything if you decide to stay.”

I looked at Yunho upon hearing the Captain’s words and he turned his head to look at me, determination coating his gaze. I nodded at him and he sighed, jaw clenching, and I knew he was worried about me. About how we were going to pull this off.

“Your hair is really pretty.” Seonghwa suddenly spoke up and as he extended a hand to touch one of my copper curls, Yunho’s hand shot out and gripped his wrist, the other son, Hongjoong, jumping forward and holding a small dagger to Yunho’s neck. I gasped as I looked at the three boys, feeling helpless as I was the cause of it.

“Stop it, Yunho.” I whispered as I stared at the dagger at his neck, heart beating fast as Hongjoong glared at my best friend. The Captain started laughing again and shook his head, pulling Hongjoong back by the arm, Seonghwa stepping back embarrassed as well.

“I see you’ll get along just well,” The Captain said joyfully and looked down at Hongjoong, “You can teach Yunho whatever you feel like, he’s all yours.”

A dangerous glint appeared in Hongjoong’s eyes as he looked back at Yunho, and suddenly I was concerned for him, scared that the pirate would put him through torture.

“We only have one free room and one bed.” The Captain said as he turned around, walking towards the exit, “You’ll have to figure it out yourselves.”

Yunho and I nodded, not foreign to the feeling of sleeping in the same bed. After his mother’s death he slept over at my house quite often, never truly explaining why; but it’s not like it bothered me. His mother really liked me and while she was alive, she’d organize plenty sleepovers for the two of us, baking and cooking her specialties to make our night even better. I missed her.

“Like I said, your hair is really pretty,” Seonghwa spoke up again as the Captain was out of the kitchen, “But it’s too long for a boy…”

I gulped, gripping the ends of my copper hair. I really loved my hair. It was special, nobody else’s in my town was like the colour of mine. It reached the middle of my back, my curls tight. I didn’t want to cut it.

“I don’t want to cut it.” I said quietly and looked at the floor as Seonghwa hummed, rubbing his chin.

“I’ll try to figure something out, then, about clothes you don’t have to worry about, Hongjoong and I have plenty of those to lend over until we deck down in a town and buy some for you two.” I smiled at him thankfully and Yunho nodded his head, looking around the room.

“Will you teach us what pirates do?” I asked quietly, starting to feel excited about the future. Hongjoong chuckled as he played around with his dagger, pointing it at Yunho.

“We aren’t on a playground here, so you better forget you’re just kids.” He said with a scowl, eyes narrowed at Yunho, “And don’t try to play the tough guy either, unless you want to be shark food. Touch Seonghwa again and I’ll cut your hand off—”

“Hongjoong.” Seonghwa sighed with a pointed look at his brother, “He didn’t know what I wanted to do, he was just protecting her—”

“I do not care.” Hongjoong snaped, shooting a silencing look at Seonghwa, “There are ranks on this ship, and you’re at the bottom of it right now.”

Yunho glared at Hongjoong as he raised his chin, staring at him challengingly, “We’ll see for how long, pirate boy.”

Hongjoong chuckled as Seonghwa shook his head and looked at me sadly, motioning with his head for me to follow him, “You should get changed, Y/N, the longer you look like that the longer you’re in danger.”

“Promise you’ll never tell anyone.” Yunho suddenly spoke up, looking at Hongjoong and Seonghwa. The two glanced at each other before they nodded their heads, Seonghwa gently offering his palm for me to take.

“We promise.” Hongjoong said firmly, extending his hand for Yunho, who shook it firmly, “Let me show you your room then.”

            5 years ago

            A while had passed since the pirate ship became my new home. Yunho’s new home. Captain Kim was kind to the two of us, allowed us time to learn what we were best at, and never beat us down with his words like some other pirates, who didn’t try to hide their disdain for us. I did not understand where such hatred came from, but I didn’t dwell too much on it. Yunho was quick on his feet and too smart for his own good, he learned something new every day and mastered it in only a few more days. It was impressive, the Captain became keen of him quite fast and promised to give him a high rank once the right time came. I was scared at first, not truly understanding how I could help out on a ship full of men as my strength was quite questionable and my cooking skills were nowhere to be found, that is, until one day, Seonghwa and I were cleaning up his father’s office, only to find drawings of some old ships and boats. The designs caught my attention and after asking for permission, I took them to my room and started studying them, finding similarities with our own ship. I knew I might’ve been very wrong, but I wanted to have significance and contribute with something, so one evening, when the Captain was gazing out at the dark sea, I walked up to him and whispered to him that I might have some suggestions as to how we could make our ship faster. He listened to me with a smile on his face and the next day I found myself in charge of making the ship faster. And after that, whenever something happened to the ship, I seemed to be one of the few who knew how to fix it. I could feel the heated gazes of the other pirates, those who had been on this ship for too long, throwing insults at me behind my back, cursing me for doing more than they ever could. I had been cornered a few times too, threatened with a beating and becoming shark food, but Yunho somehow was always there at the right time, scaring those pirates off as he glared at them with the scariest look in his eyes. And once they were gone, he’d turn around and cradle me against his chest, promising to always protect me. Captain Kim was also good at keeping me safe, often warning his pirates to keep their slurs to themselves if he heard them sprouting non-sense about my physical appearance, about how weak and frail I looked. Nobody besides a select few people on the ship knew I was a woman, and I intended to keep it that way. The Captain was a great help when it came to it, always shutting down the rumours, but after just six months of having been on his ship, he was killed by a rival pirate crew while we were decked down for supplies. We had a few rough weeks, especially Hongjoong and Seonghwa, but a new order was soon instilled. Kim Hongjoong, the Captain’s only blood related son, was to be the next Captain. He chose Seonghwa to be his Quartermaster and at the late request of his father, Yunho became the Master boatswain. I was assigned the position of Carpenter and Yunho’s deputy if he ever needed help, meanwhile many of the older pirates were disregarded of their positions. Hongjoong wanted to make his own reputation, he became The Slayer, making Ateez one of the most feared pirates in the four seas and four kingdoms. Our crew grew significantly throughout the years and we became a tight circle of nine, Hongjoong’s most trusted people…and friends. Everyone was special to him, and despite not being on the best of terms with everyone myself, I knew they were my family. I knew I could trust them with my life. If Yunho wasn’t there, they always were, all of them being very protective of my gender as the older pirates were quite vile, not liking the changes Hongjoong was making.

I usually stayed up late when I wanted to wash up, preferring to wait until everyone else fell asleep, that way I knew nobody would barge in on me. The little room we used as a washroom was truly small, a few utensils thrown in the corner as we used a larger barrel as a bathtub, luxuries like that weren’t made for ships. The water was almost hot as I dipped my hand in it to check the temperature, and it brought a smile on my face, knowing that Yunho was the one who washed up before me. He knew how I liked being last, so if he could, he always heated the water for me beforehand as carrying buckets filled with water was strenuous for my muscles. I waited a few more minutes, checking again if nobody was roaming the halls of the ship, and upon hearing no movement I started undressing. I took off the scarf from my hair, unwrapping it before pulling off the bandana as well, massaging my scalp and sighing at the relief of pressure from my head. My hair had to be cut every now and then, but Seonghwa was nice enough and never cut it above my shoulders, knowing how much I loved my curls and the colour of it. I unbuttoned my black shirt, but didn’t take it off as I had to first unwrap the tight cloth from around my body, which restricted my breasts from showing too much, also concealing the form of my body. My skin itched as I undid the clasps and quickly unravelled it from around my torso, groaning at the soreness of my breasts. Ever since going through puberty my breasts had gotten bigger, and having to restrict them daily made them very sensitive and sore, on some days I could barely touch them, the pain traveling through my entire torso at the smallest contact. I unlaced my trousers and quickly pushed them off, shivering as the cold wrapped around my body. As I went to pull down my undergarment, I heard footsteps barrelling down the stairs and loudly headed towards the washroom. My eyes widened as I froze for a second, listening to the sounds, trying to recognize the person, but to my horror, it wasn’t anyone whom I was close to. Yunho only needed to take one step before I recognized him, Seonghwa’s steps were light and he was usually whistling a tune stuck in his head, meanwhile Wooyoung was always screaming my name if he was searching for me. This wasn’t anyone I knew, not someone I was close to. Snapping out of my shock, I looked around panicked, not knowing what to throw on first to conceal my identity, but by the time I grabbed the bandana to wrap it around my head, the door was thrown open. I froze, my back facing the door. Nobody said anything despite the burning gaze I could feel on the back of my head and I stiffened as I subtly tried to button up my shirt. If it was anyone, I was close with, they would’ve already apologized and closed the door behind them, even San.

“Taemin?” Fuck. I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, chewing my bottom lip as I realized it was one of the older pirates, who’s voice was too raspy from smoking so much. He was one of the few remaining from Captain Kim’s crew, the old crew, and he hated my guts the most.

“Yeah?” The timber of my voice dropped, like I usually spoke to the crew. My heart was beating fast as I pulled my shoulders back, closing the last button of my shirt, bracing myself to turn around. But before I could do so, a sticky hand grabbed my arm and whirled me around.

“You’re not Taemin.” The old man’s face came in view, he was sneering at me, his breath bad as it smelled like cheap rum, he looked tipsy. I gulped before rolling my eyes, my expression steeling.

“Let go of me, you old fool.” I hissed, trying to tug my arm out of his grip, but the old man narrowed his eyes at me.

“Watch your language, pirate.” The old man snapped back, yanking me closer to himself. I tensed even more, conscious of how exposed I was. I could only pray his vision was blurry enough that he wouldn’t realize my gender.

“Release my arm, now.” I demanded, glaring at him, but suddenly, his eyes widened and his mouth fell open as his eyes travelled over my body. Fuck. I went to pull away, about to curse him out like a sailor and send him away, but the old fool was walking out the room, hauling me after himself. I struggled against him, but his strong grip wasn’t relenting.

“What are you doing?!” I yelped as I tried to hold onto the wall when he started walking us up the stairs, heart hammering in my chest.

“Shut up, wench!” He snarled as he looked back with a glare and my heart dropped to my stomach, realizing that everything was about to change. I started to trash against him, trying to free myself, but he just hissed and turned around, landing a hard slap against my cheek, making me fall into the wall. I was breathing hard, shock rippling through my body as he grabbed me by my hair and yanked hard, making me cry out, pulling me up the stairs, headed to the deck.

“Get up, everyone!” He started screaming at the top of his lungs, his harsh grip bringing tears to my eyes, “Fucking wake up! Get on deck!”

No, no, no. My lower lip trembled as I tried to turn in his grip and punch him, I knew how to fight, but this greasy man was strong and furious as he threw me against the hard wooden floor of the deck, my breathing ragged and loud as my head almost smacked against the floor. Pain shut through my knees, palms burning from taking the impact.

“You, wench!” The old pirate howled at the top of his lungs, spit flying from his mouth, “You thought we wouldn’t find out? You thought you could fool us?!”

I bit my lower lip, trying to gather myself as I heard the multiple footsteps of the rest of the pirates, then felt their eyes on me. I knew everyone would be watching, judging, and laughing. I was surrounded by men, after all, and they loved humiliating a woman. Especially the one most of them had been suspicious of for five years now.

“I am no fool!” The pirate screamed and suddenly grabbed me by my hair, yanking my head up. My body trembled from the cold and anger cursing through my veins as I glared up in his eyes with spite, “You might’ve fooled the old Captain, but not me!”

“And who are you?! You scum!” I snapped, baring my teeth at him before the back of his hand made contact with my cheek, again, sending my head flying to the side. My cheek stung from the slap, tears instantly in my eyes as I heard commotion close to us.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Yunho’s voice was deep as he screamed at the top of his lungs, voice almost cracking from the anger I could hear in it. As I looked up, cheek burning, my eyes fell on Yunho. He looked livid. His chest was falling and rising rapidly, and when we made eye contact, his jaw clenched as he took off towards the old pirate, only to be held back by Mingi and San. Wooyoung’s gaze could murder anyone as he watched the old pirate, hand gripping the handle of his sword as I saw the conflict in his eyes, not knowing whether he was allowed to help me or not as the crowd of pirates parted for Hongjoong, who’s hair stuck in odd places, his nightgown thrown over his built frame.

“What is happening?” He asked, voice tense, as he stopped in front of Yunho, keeping a safe distance between me and the old fool. I looked at Hongjoong, and when he saw me, his eyes hardened before he looked back at the old pirate. Everyone knew the old pirate has always tried sabotaging Yunho and I, even tried to throw us in the water once when we were working on deck, thankfully Hongjoong saw everything and reported it to his father instantly, as he was still alive back then. Hongjoong hated this old pirate as well, having been bullied by him his whole childhood, but he needed a good reason before getting rid of him. It seems like them moment has just come. Old fool.

“This man—no, woman!” The old pirate spat as he pointed his finger at me accusingly, “Has lied to us for years, Hongjoong—”

“It’s Captain Hongjoong to you, pirate.” Seonghwa snapped, standing behind Hongjoong tensely, keeping his eyes off me as I could see his strong front breaking each time he dared glance my way even from the corner of his eyes.  

“Captain Hongjoong,” The old man said it with difficulty, hating Hongjoong just as much as he hated the rest of us, “this woman had been hiding on our ship for five years. Calling herself Taemin, exploiting our generosity, using up our resources!”

“And? Where’s the problem with that?” Hongjoong chuckled and walked closer, taking his nightgown off as he stopped in front of me.

“Where’ the problem—she’s a wench!” The old pirate screamed at the top of his lungs as Hongjoong crouched down and placed the nightgown around my shoulders, sharing a look of understanding with me, calming my crazy heartrate for a second, “This slut thought she could outsmart us! Sneaked on the ship with that boy only to be his whore—”

I closed my eyes tightly at the vile things which kept leaving his mouth, calling me names and any slur he could remember. Yunho and I made eye contact, and I noticed how Wooyoung was gone, probably unable to remain calm, meanwhile Seonghwa had to move to keep his hand against Yunho’s chest as he trembled with fury, trying to fight off Mingi and San, who were trying to calm him down. My eyes looked up at Hongjoong when suddenly a sword was handed to me, Hongjoong’s hand extended for me. I took it and stood up, wrapping his nightgown around my exposed body, grabbing the handle of the sword.

“That’s my sword you’re holding you ugly slut!” The pirate spat and I looked him in the eye, slowly, a smirk pulling onto my lips. Hongjoong chuckled and crossed his arms in front of his chest as he stood next to me.

“You’re free to do whatever you want with him, Y/N.” He emphasized my name as we both stared down the old pirate, who seemed shocked to hear my real name.

“You—you knew!” He said bewildered, his eyes falling on the crew as he realized Mingi and San were barely able to hold Yunho back at this point, Seonghwa having to stand right in front of his face and continuously demand him to stop, “You knew all along what this stupid wench was and—”

The pirate’s words stuttered as his eyes widened, looking down at his chest. I gripped the handle of the sword with both hands as I pressed it deeper inside his heart, watching with satisfaction as the old fool seemed to realize a wench was the one to end his life.

“How pathetic,” I chuckled, smirking at the man arrogantly, “killed by your own sword. By a woman.”

The man tried to say something, but I yanked the sword out of his chest, watching him as he fell to his knees, clutching at his chest as blood poured out, coating his clothes and the floor. I kept my eyes on him, watching as the life faded slowly from his eyes until he fell limply against the floor. The silence behind us was deadly, and Hongjoong shook his head, looking irritated, as he turned to face his crew.

“Well, now that this is out of the way…” He said with an eerie smile, clapping his hands together, “Taemin isn’t actually a man, as you can see. Her name is Y/N and if anyone’s got a problem with having a woman in our crew, don’t be intimidated, tell us now. I’ll let her take care of it.”

Nobody said anything, their eyes averted as they shook their heads ‘no’, shuffling around uncomfortably. I released the sword and let it clatter to the ground, eyes connecting with Yunho’s as he was finally allowed to do whatever he pleased, not even two seconds later his body crashed into mine, his whole being shaking. I chuckled into his chest, trembling as well and gulping down the tears as he turned us around, his arms wrapped around me protectively, and snarled at anyone who was still gawking at me. Hongjoong nodded at us, and Yunho grabbed my arm instead, making me yearn for the comfort of what being in his arms felt like, as he pulled me after him making the crowd part for us as I stumbled down the stairs after him. He said nothing, and I remained quiet, trying to swallow the tears which threatened to spill down my cheeks. I tried to stay strong, up on the deck, but I was terrified of what would happen to me now. Of how the rest of the crew which didn’t know about me until now would act towards me.

Yunho’s tall body was tense as he kicked the door of our room open, and I gasped as he yanked me inside, slamming me against the wall before he kicked the door closed with his foot. Yunho had gotten taller over the years, something which seemed impossible since he’s always been so much taller than me. His face had gotten sharper too and eyes steelier than they used to be, the glint in them only appearing when it was just the two of us or if he was with Mingi, who had become like his brother quickly. My heart was hammering in my chest as I looked up at Yunho, his hands coming up to cup my cheeks. He was breathing hard and the way his jaw would clench and then unclench was an obvious sign of his anger, of how much he was seething.

“Did he touch you?” His voice was barely a whisper, it shook in the quietness of our small room. We weren’t fifteen anymore, sometimes it felt stuffy inside here, but it was the best this ship could offer, and we had to live with it. Yunho’s voice had always been so soft, but over the years, it has gotten deeper and whenever he was angry, it would shake his whole chest as his voice boomed over everyone else’s. You rarely saw him mad, but when it happened, it silenced the whole crew as everyone covered away from his wrath.

“No—”

“Y/N, did he touch you?” He repeated his question, eyes ablaze as I sniffed, two tears rolling down my cheeks. I tried to keep it together, to look strong in front of him, but nobody has ever touched me like that old man has. Nobody has ever called me so many ugly things before. I regarded myself as a mentally strong person, but I felt violated. I didn’t want my gender revealed just yet, I was scared of what would happen to me next. Men were vile and they viewed us, women, as a piece of meat, good for nothing else than bringing them satisfaction. I could see it in the eyes of a few pirates up on the deck, their eyes running hungrily across my exposed body. I didn’t ask for this. I didn’t want this.

“Just—” I gulped, shaking my head, “No, not like that—just slapped me, really—”

“Did he slap you before you got to the deck?” Yunho’s voice was too levelled, it meant nothing good. I was scared he’d throw someone overboard; he surely had seen the few pirates looking my way for too long when we passed by them.

“Yunho, he’s dead.” I forced a soft smile on my lips, grabbing his wrists in a reassuring manner, “It doesn’t matter—”

“It matters!” Yunho snapped, voice raising, “It matters because you’re no longer safe with us! Because I failed to keep you away from danger when I promised I’d never let that happen! I should’ve never allowed you to come with me—”

“Yunho, it’s not your fault.” I said with a sigh, watching his eyebrows furrow in disappointment, “I should’ve waited for longer, really. And you’ve always kept me safe, stop saying such nonsense.”

He chuckled, his voice coated with irony, “If that were the case, nothing would’ve happened tonight.”

“Yunho.” I snapped, eyebrows furrowing as I pulled his hands off my cheeks, lightly pushing him back, “I am fine. I am safe. I am alive, standing with you in the security of our room. There’s nothing to blame you for, so please, stop it.”

Yunho looked at the floor, shaking his head as he racked one hand through his hair, long fingers tangling in the messy strands of his locks. My eyes followed the motion, eyes lingering on his hand for a second too long, before my attention was back on his face as I felt him looking at me. I raised my eyebrows, a question on the tip of my tongue, when suddenly, Yunho closed the distance between us. My heart started thumping crazily as I looked up at him wide eyed, our chest pressing together, his breathing escalated as well. He paused for a second, almost looking afraid, before bending down and grabbing the backs of my thighs, hauling me up against him. My arms wrapped around his neck instinctively and so did my legs around his hips, body shivering from the warmth his own body emanated against my cold one. Hongjoong’s nightgown slipped off my shoulders as Yunho lightly pushed it off, walking us towards the bed, leaning down and laying me down carefully. I stared up at him wordlessly, heart in my throat as he leaned down suddenly, staring intently into my eyes before he dipped his head down, lips pressing against my collarbones. My eyes widened and I gasped quietly, laying on the mattress unmoving, body tense from the strangeness of the feeling of Yunho’s soft lips brushing against my skin.

“You’re not a wench.” Yunho’s voice was deep as he pressed a kiss in the juncture between my neck and collarbones, my breath hitching for a second, “You’re not a slut.”

“Yunho—” I whispered confused, trying to find his gaze, but he wasn’t looking at me as he kissed the side of my neck so softly, I barely felt it. My skin was covered in goosebumps and I bit my lower lip as I started up at the ceiling.

“You’re not anyone’s whore—you’re not stupid.” Yunho’s voice was tense as he kissed up my neck, one hand suddenly holding my hips as I felt my body flush at his words. I didn’t think too deeply of what being his whore implied, he was my best friend after all. We had never touched each other inappropriately.

“You’re beautiful, so beautiful.” Yunho suddenly whispered in my ear and I let out a quiet breath, hand unconsciously coming up to hold on to his nape as he pulled back slightly, staring into my own eyes. His pupils were slightly dilated, but he looked so serious, “You’re gorgeous and you’re smart. We would’ve long died without your skills. Nobody patches up this ship like you can. Nobody can do what you can, you’re irreplaceable. That old fool didn’t know what he was saying, he was just jealous that a woman is better than he’ll ever be.”

I nodded wordlessly, drinking in his words, staring up in his endless eyes, the glint in them pulling me in, the world disappearing around us. It was just the two of us in this room, nobody and nothing could disturb our peaceful moment. He felt like heaven. Warm and soft. So protective, so careful. Yunho’s eyes, for a second, fell to my lips which had parted just seconds ago, but I wasn’t able to say anything as he leaned down, wetting his own lips with his tongue. I didn’t know what I wanted or why I felt this desperate need to feel his lips against mine, but suddenly, I felt very thankful when he kissed the side of my mouth, so close yet so far from where I yearned to feel his. We were best friends. Certainly not lovers; and a kiss on the lips…that opened up new doors, something more than friendship. And yes, we loved each other, but not like lovers do.

“Thank you.” I found myself whispering as my hand slipped up, fingers tangling in his hair as Yunho sighed, pressing his forehead against mine. He closed his eyes and finally, I felt his body relaxing, anger having dissipated. He looked serene as I studied his face and I smiled softly, wrapping my arms around his torso and pulling his body down, against mine. Yunho moved us up on the bed and cradled my head against his neck, his body weight never crushing me as he turned us to the side.

“I promise you’re safe with me.” He whispered in my ear and I nodded, burying my head in his neck, nose nuzzling against his flushed skin.

“I know.” I whispered back, gulping, pausing for a second, “I love you, Yunho.”

Silence wrapped around us, the waves crashing against the ship rocking it softly. The moon was high up in the clear sky, stars illuminating our route. Yunho stroked my hair, and I felt the smile on his face, in his words, “I love you too, Y/N.”

            Present time

            Sword clashing against sword rung out in the air loudly, metal scraping metal, a sound I was familiar with. My younger self would’ve winced at the strain it exerted on my left wrist as I pushed against my opponent’s sword, but I had years and years of training, unless I strained it in some odd way, no pain would usually follow after a sparring session. I felt a grin creeping up on my face as I pushed harder against Yunho’s own sword, his eyebrows furrowed, as I managed to throw him off balance. I stepped closer, invading his personal space as the both of us were panting, the beaming sun taking a tool on us as we’ve been sparing for hours now up on the deck. The waves were loud as they crashed offshore, some bigger and more menacing looking that the others. The wind was strong, but not harsh, sailing our ship smoothly as Jongho stood in the crow’s nest, binocular in his hands and maps splayed out around him. Wooyoung clung tightly against the shrouds, the muscles of his arms bulging, as he listened closely to whatever information Jongho shouted his way, Wooyoung quickly adjusting the sails according to whatever Jongho has said to him. Whenever Wooyoung and I would make eye contact he’d grin my way, sticking his tongue out, taking my attention off Yunho and making me accidentally lose a few rounds. No matter how much I complained to Yunho that it wasn’t fair as Wooyoung had distracted me, again, he paid no mind and claimed his victory, making Seonghwa shake his head at us in amusement as he stood leaning against the railing of the quarterdeck, looking down on the lively crew. There was something different in the air today, everyone’s mood seemed to be lighter, happier than usually. Despite Hongjoong being promised a lifetime of lavish when Siwon asked to meet with him and Hongjoong coming back empty handed, but littered with a few purple-coloured small bruises on his neck, the whole deal didn’t seem to bother him so much. It was new, Hongjoong could get very stressed and mad when a deal didn’t go his way, but there was something different about him this time, I could feel it radiating off him. He was steering the wheel, taking his position as Captain, as Seonghwa and him would convers from time to time.

Yunho’s chocolate brown eyes bore into mine as we paused for a second, my eyes watching the stray sweat drop roll down from his temple to his cheek and then jawline, Yunho’s eyes watching me closely when I looked back up his, fastening my heartbeat. There was something so different about the Yunho I grew up with and the Yunho standing in front of me right now. He wasn’t a boy anymore; he was a man. A tall, well-built, and ambitious man. He looked any challenge in the eyes and conquered them without a problem, always quick on his feet. His soft eyes would glaze over with determination whenever he set his eyes on something, always the last to back off if something wasn’t going his way. He was charming, and he always used it to his advantage, features soft and friendly, almost always smiling, a warm twinkle in his eyes. It was one of the few things which signalled that this Yunho, who’s leg I just kicked out of underneath him, was the same Yunho I had grown up with. He was still the little boy whom everyone loved from our village, he was still the little boy who’d share everything with me, even if he had little of it. He was still my best friend. Albeit a bit changed, but deep down it was still him. Yunho groaned as he lost balance and with a small push, he landed on his ass, throwing his sword down in frustration as I started giggling, lowering my own sword.

“Oh, don’t be such a cry-baby,” I mocked, pursing my lips at him, “You’ve been spending too much time with Mingi lately, it’s starting to rub off.”

It was good Mingi wasn’t around to hear us, because I wouldn’t hear the end of the fact that I dared call him a cry-baby. He could be quite dramatic at times, more demanding of attention than anyone else I have met so far.

“You wish,” Yunho rolled his eyes as he sighed loudly, his breathing ragged, “I’m not a cry-baby.”

“Then explain why you’ve been whining ever since we’ve started sparing.” I raised my eyebrows and placed my sword back in its holder, the weight of it familiar around my hips.

“I wasn’t!” Yunho quickly defended himself, crossing his arms in front of his chest looking like a child, “I told you I had to carry heavy barrels two days ago, my arms are still sore from them.”

“I don’t hear Yeosang and Jongho complaining, though.” I muttered playfully, earning a frustrated groan from Yunho. He narrowed his eyes at me in a fake glare and I chuckled as I extended my hand for him, to help him up. Yunho eyed it for a second before looking me in the eyes, beaming up at me. His smile took me off guard, heartbeat stuttering for a second, but before I could have much of a reaction, the wind was knocked out of my lungs. I yelped as I gripped Yunho’s biceps tightly, back colliding with the wooden floorboards loudly. I gaped up at Yunho, taken off by his actions, as he quickly straddled my hips and grabbed a hold of my neck, long fingers curling around my blazing skin. I was left speechless as my lips parted in a quiet gasp, wide eyes staring up at my best friend, who had a triumphant smirk on his lips. He leaned closer, his golden chain necklace with a big trident charm dangling in my face, as he chuckled. His second necklace, which I have gifted him a long time ago, was wrapped snuggly around his neck, the pink shell shinning in the sunlight.

“Never let your guard down,” He muttered, voice dropped to a low mumble, making me gulp as I finally closed my mouth. I felt warmth flush over my whole body, my cheeks probably burning from embarrassment, as I took in the way Yunho looked on top of me, white shirt clinging to his sweaty torso, the top few buttons undone, tan skin glistening underneath. Veins, very visible, travelled up his exposed forearms, and the ring all of Ateez members wore, dug into the flushed skin of my neck, a screaming reminder of the firm hold he had of it, but not restricting my airflow. He was just holding me in place. His dark brown hair was messy as the wind blew it in all directions, slightly wavy from the salty breeze, and it fell on his forehead, clinging to the sweaty skin in some places. His cheeks were flushed as he looked lost in my own eyes, before he quickly cleared his throat, “The fight is never over until one is knocked out.”

By some miracle, my voice came out steady and strong, “Is that what you’re trying to do right now?”

Yunho didn’t answer, a lopsided smirk appearing on his lips as he slightly sat back, pressure taken off my hips as if he knew I would make no move to try and fight him off, “You’ll have to squeeze if you want to knock me out—”

“Mate, seriously?!” Wooyoung’s shrill voice cut my words off as a loud thud landed not far from us, “Stop being so inappropriate in front of everyone!”

Before Yunho or I could say anything back to Wooyoung, he was by our side, grabbing Yunho’s bicep and yanking him off me, up to his feet. My body finally relaxed and I closed my eyes, taking a second to calm my racing heart, knowing that it would work now that Yunho wasn’t so close anymore.

“We were just sparing—” Yunho started saying when Wooyoung made a loud noise with his mouth, lips smacking together in a way it said he did not want to hear an explanation.

“You two do this almost daily, Yunho,” Wooyoung said accusingly, making me smile as I sat up, watching my two best friends throw irritated looks at each other, “And it’s disgusting and sickening to have to watch—”

“To have to watch two pirates train?” Yunho cut Wooyoung off, making the younger one sigh with a frown.

“That’s not training—” Wooyoung almost exclaimed, but cut himself off with an annoyed groan, looking down at me with an accusatory look, “Don’t just sit there and act innocent, missy.”

I laughed as I got up, dusting off my leather pants before placing my hands on my hips, “I didn’t do anything wrong, Mr. Prude, stop yapping our ears off.”

“Yapping your ears off?!” Wooyoung sounded offended as he released his hold on Yunho and instead jumped towards me, his arms going around my neck as he bent me down, holding me in a headlock, loud laughter was leaving my lips as Wooyoung pretended to choke me.

“Somebody needs to do some damage control if—” Wooyoung glanced behind us, throwing a nod towards where Seonghwa and Hongjoong were standing, watching the scene unfold in amusement, “If the two authoritative figures just sit back and enjoy the show their fools put on for them!”

“I’m not a fool!” I said with laughter, grabbing Wooyoung’s arm to yank myself free. Wooyoung just stuck his tongue out before he loosened his hold and I pulled my head away, straightening up and holding my fists up in front of me in a challenge, “Come fight me, you fool.”

A dangerous glint appeared in Wooyoung’s eyes as he squared his shoulders back, taking up a fighting stance, fists in front of his face as I smirked at him, taking a step towards him. But before we could start a hand-to-hand combat, Yunho stepped in, pulling Wooyoung back by the shoulder, “Don’t you have something more useful to do? Jongho’s been glaring at you ever since you got off from your post so go do your job, pirate.”

Wooyoung scoffed but shook off Yunho’s hand from his shoulder, straightening his light jacket, before he looked at my best friend with disdain written over his features, “You can never take a joke, Yunho, hounding Y/N as if any of us would dare touch her inappropriately—”

“Get lost.” Yunho snapped before Wooyoung could finish his sentence and I tsked, walking up to Yunho and grabbing his hand. His fingers instantly intertwined with mine, a habit by now, as I wrapped my other hand around his bicep, slightly squeezing it.

“Be nice, Yunho,” I muttered as I jutted my lower lip out, looking at Wooyoung with an apologizing smile, “We were just playing around.”

“I know.” Yunho’s answer was quick, eyes meeting mine as I smiled at him sweetly.

“You know, my ass.” We heard Wooyoung mutter to himself as he stalked towards the shroud he was climbed up on previously, waving his hand at Jongho, who even high up in the sky, could be seen glaring at Wooyoung. I chuckled, knowing well that he was going to get an earful later for abandoning his post when they were navigating, setting the ship on the right track. My eyes left Wooyoung as I looked back at Yunho, who was already watching me, eyes soft and lips pulled in a small smile, his thumb suddenly caressing my knuckle. The action made me blush and I cleared my throat, looking away embarrassed.

“I have to start my own duties,” Yunho said as he leaned down slightly, to be eye level with me, throughout the years he continued growing meanwhile I stopped, the height difference between us quite big in the present, “Want to join me?”

I would’ve said yes, like I normally do, but my eyes fell on a body as she timidly made her way on the deck, eyes squinting at the harsh sunlight compared to how dim the lights were downstairs. The girl’s dress was relatively clean, but worn out a little, and her short hair was pulled in a low ponytail.

“I think I’ll stay here today, if you don’t mind.” I answered Yunho and he followed my line of sight, instantly understanding why I turned him down. He nodded and squeezed my hand before letting go, his body disappearing from mine as he walked away, headed underneath the deck. I missed the proximity of his body, his familiar scent which was comforting, but I pushed those thoughts aside as I approached the only other female on the ship with us. The pirates were watching her closely, curiously, however, Hongjoong didn’t look very pleased at the sight of her. He was against the idea of San keeping her, but he couldn’t do much when his Master-at-arms threatened to leave the crew behind if the presence of Ara was denied on Hongjoong’s ship. San was somebody I wasn’t very fond of, nor on good terms with. We were cordial to each other, could hold a pleasant conversation if in the mood, but we stayed out of each other’s business. Mainly because I knew what his business consisted of. I couldn’t do anything about the trafficking that went down, and I hated it. I hated seeing women imprisoned on our ship, getting sold off to heaven knows what types of horrible men. Hongjoong, San, and I have had many arguments about it, but in the end, I had to understand and learn that it was none of my concerns, that I just had to pretend that I knew nothing about it if I wanted to stay on this ship with Yunho. And for Yunho, I’d do anything.

“Hello.” I said softly, walking up to the petite girl, who jumped when she heard my voice, “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

She looked at me, her big, round eyes, staring at me with shock in them, before her eyebrows furrowed, “You’re a woman.”

I chuckled and nodded my head, “But you’re dressed in pirate clothes.”

I said nothing as I watched her connect the dots herself, a slightly hostile expression overtaking her face. I knew what she was thinking and I looked away, gulping, hoping she’d understand, “I’m a pirate, yeah. And I’m a woman, yes. I—”

I felt the need to tell her, to let her know that I hated what San did to her, and many more women, just as much as she did, “I couldn’t help—no, I’m not allowed to interfere with anyone else’s business on this ship, so I am sorry.”

Disappointment coated her expression before understanding washed over her. This girl was an open book, her expressions so telling of her feelings. Her big eyes shone with emotion and it felt like you stared into her soul each time you looked her in the eyes. She was beautiful, and her energy was fiery, simmering, and if challenged, it would burst. I have heard about how she tried to run away, save herself from getting sold and Mingi would’ve lost a few limbs if Yunho didn’t step in and tell San to back off when they made it back to the ship, yet this girl, she stood proud and stared San down with spite, promising to rain hell on him in front of the whole crew. That night, Yunho has held me tightly against his chest, when we went to bed, and promised to only treat me with respect and adoration. I knew that already, but I knew how much he hated San for what he did, so I just kissed his forehead and reassured him that I knew I was safe with him.

“My name is Im Ara.” The girl, Ara, introduced herself and extended her hand for me. I shook it instantly, smiling at her, glad that she accepted me.

“I’m Bae Y/N.” I introduced myself and Ara hummed, letting go of my hand as hers clasped behind her back, shoulders pulled back, “We don’t often see you on deck…”

Ara looked off in the distance, eyes lost on the sea as she nodded. She’s been here for two weeks already, and this was the second time I have seen her. I was worried for her, but I knew asking San about anything would result in an argument, so I just let the thought go, “It’s nice to get fresh air, even if it’s salty and the wind is cold.”

“Are you cold?” I asked with furrowed eyebrows, about to take off to grab my jacket from Seonghwa’s side, but Ara shook her head with a smile.

“No, it feels nice. It gets too hot in San—” She gulped, as if disgusted by having to say his name, “In San’s room. It’s small for two people and you can’t really open the window, or at least San won’t let me.”

I hummed, listening to her, sensing that she needed someone to talk to. I could feel eyes on us, and when I glanced up, Seonghwa was watching us with a sad look on his face. He tried to convince San to let her go the day they returned, but San was having none of it, pockets and a bag filled with coins and gold, “I’m not supposed to be here, actually, but I snuck out.”

A mischievous smile appeared on Ara’s lips as she chuckled, turning her head to look at me, “He fell asleep while I was glaring at him. He thought I was curious about his childhood just because I bandaged him up after he kept hissing and getting frustrated at himself for not being able to do it himself.”

Yes, that did sound like San. He rarely asked for help, usually closing himself inside his room, only when things were getting too hard or serious would he ask for help. And it was usually Yeosang the one he sought out, or Hongjoong, who seemed the most willing to form any kind of bond with the mercenary.

“Just be careful with San,” I couldn’t help but warn her, afraid for her safety next to that unpredictable man, “He’s ruthless.”

“I know.” Ara said, suddenly a smile creeping up on her lips, “But I can also be scary, he should’ve just sold me off when he had the chance.”

There it was, the little simmer turning into a fire in her eyes as she looked determined, a secret promise probably to herself glimmering in her eyes before it was all gone, blinking around curiously, taking in what was happening around her for the first time, “I could never climb up there.”

She said as she watched Jongho, then Wooyoung, who was dangling upside down from the shroud as of now, laughing loudly as Hongjoong noticed and took off from his post, eyebrows pulled in a frown, expression tired but angry as he stormed towards the younger one, who was getting yelled at by Jongho too. I couldn’t help but laugh as I heard Seonghwa sigh loudly from above, going to the wheel, taking Hongjoong’s place as Ara hid her mouth behind her palms as Wooyoung tried to climb up higher when Hongjoong drew his sword out in a warning manner, making me laugh as Ara started giggling as well.

“They might be men, but at the heart, they are still just a bunch of children.” I said with a shake of my head and Ara seemed amused as she looked at me, nodding in agreement.

“What’s your job on this ship?” She asked curiously.

“I fix up the ship if it’s damaged and improve it whenever I have new ideas, Yeosang usually helps out. And I also stay by Yunho’s side, mostly helping with whatever he needs or can’t do.” I answered Ara and she hummed, suddenly a look of sadness crossing her features.

“I’m only here to rot away, my beautiful future stolen away.” She muttered, mostly to herself, before looking past me, “I was supposed to become a famous singer. I’m good for nothing else, I can’t cook well, and I’m clumsy too, I often disassociate from the real world, especially when it gets too much or I’m feeling bored. It keeps me going, but here…not even those are helping. I feel useless and helpless. San won’t let me do anything either, he just locks me up in his room when he leaves, and if he’s there, he just antagonizes me with his presence.”

I felt bad for her as I watched her eyes glass over with tears, making me feel useless too in the moment. That is, until I realized I could help her out with something little. Something that would come in handy too one day, “Do you want to learn how to fight?”

Ara’s eyes quickly fell on me, wide as she looked surprised by the question, “That’s not very ladylike.”

I nodded, agreeing with her, “It’s not very ladylike, but you’ll be able to protect yourself from anyone.”

From San. But I didn’t dare say that, even the walls had ears here, I didn’t want to start unnecessary drama. However, as if Ara read my mind, a small understanding look crossed her eyes and she nodded, looking very excited, “I should be able to do that, at least. Can you teach me?”

I smiled widely, motioning for her to follow me towards the centre of the deck, where we had more space, “Of course, I can. We’ll start with something simple today and I’ll teach you more once you master the new skills.”

“Alright, let’s do that.” Ara nodded as I took my sword off, not wanting it to get in the way of our training. We’d focus on simple self-defence today, and if she was good, then perhaps I’ll show her how to handle a dagger.

            Moreover, Ara proved herself to be quite good, catching onto things fast as she copied my moves quickly, and only struggled a few times here and there. She could easily free herself from a chokehold now, whether the attacker was holding her from the back or was keeping her in a headlock. Ara seemed to enjoy our little training session, giggling whenever my fingers accidentally brushed against her neck, ticklish. Yunho, once done with his duties in the supply room, had come up on deck and watched as I trained Ara. He’d throw in tips for her, guide her when she seemed lost by the way I was holding her, not knowing how to free herself. She asked if we could have a duel, with swords, but I told her she needed more training for that to happen as she was already tired from just an hour of learning self-defence. But she kept insisting, so I gave in at last, handing her Yunho’s dagger as I held my own in my hand. Yunho had gone off, discussing the sailing plans with Hongjoong and Jongho, Wooyoung probably gone to cook us dinner, with the help of Yeosang and Mingi. Seonghwa was sailing the boat, eyes lost as he gazed at the dark sea, clutching his compass tightly in his free hand. If I wouldn’t have been busy with Ara, I would have approached him and comforted him, knowing what type of thoughts clouded his mind when he looked so unfocused.

“Hold it like this,” I said as Ara and I stood side by side, holding the handle of the dagger in my open palm, “and then…flip it.”

Ara watched as I flipped the dagger with my middle, and ring finger, and pinkie, gripping it firmly in a stabbing hold. Ara’s eyes widened slightly before she quickly got to work, slowly trying to do what I did a second ago, the dagger almost falling out of her hand. I watched as she tried again, clumsily flipping it before she puffed frustrated, and then did it again and again, the action getting smoother with each try.

“You’re quite good at this, Ara.” I praised with an excited chuckle, her eyes shining with joy at my compliment, raising her hand and doing it again flawlessly, ready to stab anyone.

“Will you teach me how to stab someone?” She sounded too excited in spite of having asked something so dark, and her demeanour slightly faltered when she realized, grimacing at me, but I just chuckled and shook my head at her. I wasn’t new to violence nor, unfortunately, having to kill someone.

“I think it’s too soon, you barely got to hold a dagger.” I winked at her but grabbed her wrist still, standing behind her, and guiding her hand how to slash someone without killing them, “If you do it like that, you won’t kill them, but you certainly will leave a nasty gash on their skin.”

“Good.” Ara whispered to herself, eyebrows slightly furrowed, probably forgetting that I could hear her since I was leaning over her. I released her wrist and stepped back, opening my mouth to tell her that we were done for today, how I should check if Yunho needs me for anything before going to the kitchen to help Wooyoung, another helping hand always needed down there. But before any sound could leave my lips, someone’s shout halted what everyone was previously doing.

“Ara!” It was San, his deep voice unmistakable, as I turned around to see him storming towards us. Ara tensed, grip tightening around the dagger, as she whirled around, hiding her hand behind her back, “What are you doing?!”

San’s eyebrows were deeply furrowed and he looked furious as he stopped just an inch away from her, glaring down at Ara. I expected her to shrink back underneath his intimidating gaze, but Ara just straightened her back and raised her head so that she could look into his eyes.

“None of your business—”

“It is my business.” San cut her off and his eyes momentarily glanced my way before he looked back at Ara. Yunho was watching us closely, but when I shook my head at him subtly, he returned his attention onto the conversation he was having with Hongjoong and Jongho, knowing very well that I could handle myself. And that San wasn’t actually a threat to me, he wouldn’t explicitly hurt me. He couldn’t. Unless he wanted to die.

“I’ll only ask once more, Ara, what are you doing?” San’s voice dropped an octave, face going blank as his sharp eyes bore into Ara’s, who just smirked back at him and slowly revealed her hand holding the dagger.

“I was learning how to defend myself while you were sleeping, San.” She said his name with spite, lips stretching into a wide smirk when San’s jaw clenched, hands balling up into fists. He was fuming, it was very obvious as his mask slipped for a second. He glanced down at the dagger Ara was holding in her hand and suddenly his head snapped in my direction, and if his glare could kill, I would be dead right now. I stood my ground and raised my eyebrows at him nonchalantly.

“What the fuck do you think you are doing?” San’s voice was levelled, but the way his jaw kept clenching and unclenching was a tell-tale sign he was on the verge of bursting from his anger.

“Considering the fact that she’s on a ship full of men, I deemed it necessary she learns how to defend herself,” I answered San, taking a step towards him, but still keeping a respectful distance between us, “in case someone tries doing something to her.”

In case you try doing something to her, San. But I didn’t have to say that out loud, the implication hanging heavily in the air between us as Ara’s lip trembled for a second before she quickly composed herself as San’s gaze snapped back to her. He grabbed her wrist harshly and my hands twitched, wanting to yank his hold off her, but knew better to not touch San unless I wanted to lose my fingers.

“Don’t think you can use any of the shit Y/N taught you against me, Ara,” San sneered, Ara hissing as she abruptly released the dagger, San’s fingers digging into her skin, “You’ll be dead before you can even grab a weapon.”

“I’d rather try and die than continue living with you.” Ara spat back and whined as her free hand went to grip San’s wrist, which was squeezing her too hard. My eyebrows furrowed and I decided that I couldn’t just stand there and watch him hurt her.

“Let go of her, San.” My voice was stern, eyes steely as they bore into the side of his head, making San scoff as his blazing eyes set on me.

“Shut up, Y/N,” He hissed, releasing Ara as he closed in on me, I wasn’t scared of him, “You know she wishes for nothing more than my death and yet you teach her how to fight?! How to yield a dagger?!”

I chuckled and nodded, “Yes, because her life was taken away by you. Because you never gave her a chance…or any of the other women you sold. Because you think you can get away with everything, thinking your sins will be forgiven, but San—they will never be, not by me, and not by the gods watching over us.”

“There’s no such thing as gods and sins, Y/N,” San chuckled, watching me arrogantly, “So you can keep on wishing for my demise, praying, because it will never happen.”

“Why are you so sure?” I raised one eyebrow, glancing behind him to watch Ara for a second, who was slightly shaking, but looked grateful that I was taking her side, “I wouldn’t have so much fate in myself if I were you, you’re human, and you are vincible.”

“Ara isn’t strong enough to hurt me—”

“Don’t underestimate her because she’s a woman.” I snapped, voice slightly raising as I got triggered, knowing very well how San viewed women, “She’ll be your doom, San, you should’ve let her go when you had the chance.”

“And you should mind your own fucking business,” San hissed, getting all up in my face, his breath hitting my cheeks as we stared each other down, “How many times did Hongjoong tell you to leave me alone?”

I scoffed, irritated, “You think I can ignore the fact that you traffic women when I’m a woman myself?!”

I knew I was getting louder, but so was San, attracting some looks from the pirates who were lounging around on the deck, probably waiting for dinnertime, “You, a woman…perhaps you should act more like it—oh, well, you are getting quite emotional over nothing—”

“Your insults mean nothing.” I cut him off, glaring at him viciously, teeth grinding against each other, “I have zero care about how you view me, your opinion is not important.”

“Exactly,” San chuckled, “your opinion means nothing to me either, so I don’t see why you’re always all up in my business, trying to sabotage me.”

I could see movement from where Hongjoong, Jongho, and Yunho were huddled together, but I didn’t take my eyes off San, breaking eye contact right now would mean defeat.

“I think you sabotaged yourself this time, San,” I said with a chuckle and grabbed his shoulder, “I’ll make sure to teach Ara all the important arteries and how to cut them—”

“Do just that,” His voice was daring, bearing a promise, a threat, “And I’ll snap your neck in half.”

But his threat meant nothing to me, knowing very well the second he touched me, despite being a precious asset to Hongjoong, San would be dead in seconds. Yunho would never allow him to breathe for a second longer if he took my life. But Ara didn’t know all that and she quickly shook her head, taking a few steps towards us, hesitant, but determined to get San to calm down, to forget all about it. And just as I wanted to reassure her and push San away since his hand was raising to grab me by the neck, he was gone from in front of me, my own grip disappearing from his shoulder.

“What did you just say?” Yunho seethed as he held San by the collar, their noses almost touching as San rolled his eyes dramatically, acting nonchalant all of a second just to piss off Yunho more.

“Oh, no, are you going to snap my neck in half now?” He taunted, jutting his lips out as he glanced at me with a smirk before looking back at Yunho, “How sickening. I suppose this happens when a bitch has you wrapped around her fingers—”

San couldn’t finish his sentence as Yunho punched his jaw so hard the shorter one lost balance as his body was thrown to the right. My eyes widened, Ara gasping next to me, as Hongjoong was by our side in a second, mouth opened to yell at them to stop, but Yunho grabbed San by the collar again and suddenly started dragging him, San having not quite recovered from the punch yet. What was Yunho doing?! My heart picked up as I watched him bend San over the railing, pushing him just enough that if San even as much as flinched, he’d fall overboard. Into the cold sea. Swallowed by the deadly waves.

“Jeong Yunho!” Hongjoong’s harsh voice rung out loudly, everyone by now watching the scene unfold. Ara grabbed my wrist and I brushed her grip off, not meaning to, but I didn’t know how to react. Yunho has never punched any of the crewmates. Despite our differences, everyone was always cordial, nice, to the others, accepting them the way they were. I’ve seen Yunho angry before, but never with eyes that could kill. His body wasn’t shaking, but his anger was so strong you could see it radiating off him. Hongjoong shouted his name again, but it fell to deaf ears as Yunho bared his teeth at San, who was gripping the railing so hard his knuckled had turned white.

“If you threaten my woman ever again or dare touch her, I won’t hesitate to kill you, Choi San.” Yunho’s deep voice boomed as he hissed at San, “Know your place, pirate.”

Despite being in such a vulnerable position, where just a light push from Yunho could end his life, San started laughing loudly, maniacally, as if what Yunho had just said was the funniest thing in the four seas and four kingdoms, “Your woman!”

His voice travelled over the water, ringing loudly, and I bit my lower lip as I felt the eyes of the other pirates on me. Seonghwa had come down from the quarterdeck and was walking very slowly towards Yunho, prepared to haul him and San away from the railing as Hongjoong silently nodded at him approvingly. My heart was thundering in my chest by now, a bile rising to my throat as I felt sick as San continued taunting Yunho for no reason, “You call her your woman, Yunho, yet you aren’t even man enough to make her yours, you fucking pathetic idiot!”

San’s words felt like a dagger thrown into my own heart and I let out a shuddered breath, face flaming at his words, hating that such topic was being discussed in front of so many people. It was nobody’s business what Yunho and I did in private, especially when we’ve been friends for over fifteen years now, not even one inappropriate touch from him. Perhaps I wished for him to just finally give in and act upon his desires, perhaps I wished San was wrong with his insinuation, perhaps I wished I wasn’t so irrevocably in love with Yunho. Perhaps I wished it wasn’t so obvious to everyone around us as we remained so oblivious of the other’s true feelings. Sometimes it hurt, but sometimes it felt so good. So warm and safe. So stable and comforting. But sometimes it was so scary, it felt like I was drowning. The thought of there being the possibility of losing him one day, of losing a part of myself, creating a void in my heart never to be filled again by anything. So, when I saw Seonghwa almost by Yunho’s side, who’s whole body started shaking as he was on the verge of breaking, I screamed.

“Yunho!” My voice was shrill, panicked, scared, “Stop! Please.”

His whole body froze, as if he was reminded that I was still there, seeing everything, hearing everything. Seonghwa flinched away as San was hauled backwards, sent to the floor roughly as Yunho yanked him away from the railing, hands fisting at his sides as he didn’t glance my way. He stared at the ground, shaking his head in probably shame and disappointment, before he stormed off, feet hitting the floorboards heavily. Hongjoong sighed loudly and long next to me, jaw clenched as he glared down at San, who just sprawled out on the floor, chuckling to himself quietly. I couldn’t help but stare at him with hatred, my body burning, wishing I could throw him overboard too.

“You’re a fucking asshole, San,” Hongjoong hissed at him as he went and grabbed the man’s collar, hauling him up from the floor, “Stay out of my sight today and tomorrow if you want to live.”

“Ai, Captain, ai!” San saluted mockingly, even bowing his head as he started laughing, before he straightened back up and took off towards the stairs leading under the deck, towards our private quarters.

“Don’t make me come and get you, Ara.” He singsonged, glancing at the girl from the corner of his eyes, his expression scaring me for the first time. He was laughing, but his eyes were filled with a burning want to kill, so easy to read them. My heart clenched as Ara suck in a harsh breath next to me before very slowly she started walking towards him, hiding her trembling hands behind her. If anything happens to her today, it’s my fault. I did all of this. I started it. I shouldn’t have meddled with her, what if she dies? What if she dies because I was stupid—

“Y/N,” Seonghwa’s soft voice invaded my ears, interrupting my thoughts, “Look at me.”

I looked away from San and Ara just as she got to his side, and he grabbed her by the nape as he veered her down the stairs, “It’s not your fault. Stop thinking, I can see it in your eyes. Nothing happened.”

I shook my head and bit my lower lip as I felt tears in my eyes, “I fucked everything up.”

“You didn’t,” Seonghwa whispered and he pulled me into a tight hug, hiding my face in his chest as I started crying, “You did nothing wrong. San won’t touch Ara, trust me, she’s safe for now. He’ll calm down and act a little hostile towards you and Yunho, but that’s nothing new. And Yunho will be fine, you know he always is, he just needs time to clear his thoughts and analyse his actions. Trust him and your bond, alright?”

I didn’t want to answer him verbally, so I just nodded my head, sniffing as Seonghwa patted my head, Hongjoong passing by us with a loud sigh, shouting at the rest of the pirates to get back to their duties, the freakshow over. Yunho will come around, he always does. He needs to.

            Up until dinner I haven’t seen Yunho again, he had seemed to disappear without a trace, and I knew trying to find him would put him on edge, so I sucked it up, and helped Wooyoung with cooking dinner instead. I wasn’t as talkative as usually and Mingi noticed, so he brought it up with a curious glance which made Yeosang mutter something to him that made the taller one shut up. I shouldn’t have been surprised that what happened up on the deck was already spreading around like wildfire, gossiping, was a vicious thing the pirates on this ship seemed to love doing. Yeosang didn’t pry as he looked at me with a comforting gaze, and I nodded wordlessly, glad that Wooyoung seemed oblivious to what’s happened only a few good minutes ago. He either didn’t know or he didn’t care, making me feel slightly better as he gave me a side hug, and then instructed me to cut up some carrots as Mingi kept messing it up, cutting them very uneven, making Wooyoung scold him multiple times. Yeosang remained quiet as he stirred the stew, asking questions here and there when he noticed I started losing focus, thoughts whirling in my head. My body was there with them, but my mind wasn’t thoroughly present, straying to thoughts about Yunho and where he could possibly be at. There weren’t many places he could hide away on this ship, but he somehow had found one spot where I could never find him. I had no idea where it was, I had tried to find him one time when we had a big argument and he disappeared for the day, but he was nowhere. I had the worst panic attack that evening and if it weren’t for Seonghwa and Yeosang, I might’ve choked from the lack of air. The boys chatting brought me back to the present and Wooyoung’s eyebrows furrowed as he noticed the uncut carrot, raising his eyebrows at me questioningly. I just avoided his gaze and continued cutting, trying to stay present as the hungry pirates came down complaining, asking Wooyoung when dinner would be ready. It didn’t take too long after that for the kitchen to fill up with the crew, Wooyoung’s tasty stew’s scent wafting in the air as Mingi helped him take down the big cauldron from the stove, Wooyoung shouting loudly for everyone to take their seats. The crew dug into their dinner like some hungry sea creatures, a satisfied smile on Wooyoung’s face as he sat down to my left, bumping his shoulder with mine in a small thanking gesture. I flashed him a smile, which I knew didn’t look very genuine, but he ignored it as he ate his own portion. My appetite was gone and the empty seat to my left was a screaming reminder of today’s happenings. I sighed loudly as my head hung low, gaining Seonghwa’s attention from across me.

“Hey,” He called out softly, the loud chatter of the pirates almost drowning his voice out. I looked up, tired, as I tried to swallow the stew in my mouth. It tasted better than anything I have eaten in any of the four kingdoms, yet my stomach just refused to take it in. My throat slightly closed up on me and I almost choked as my eyes slightly widened, “Don’t push yourself, Y/N.”

I grabbed my cup filled with water and quickly washed down the stew with it, it slightly helped, “I’ll put aside your and Yunho’s portion for tomorrow, you can go to sleep if you want to.”

My eyes filled with tears a bit as I nodded, Wooyoung’s eyes on me as he looked at us confused, “Where’s Yunho? And why are you not eating? Something happened?”

Seonghwa nodded and with a scrutinizing look, and Wooyoung got the memo to shut up for now, “Yunho’s in your room, Y/N, I saw him entering when I came down for dinner.”

My heart halted for a second before it sped up and I nodded, wiping my mouth with a handkerchief, “Thank you, Seonghwa. Dinner is very tasty, Wooyoung, I just don’t have an appetite right now.”

Wooyoung eyed me for a second before he nodded, watching me get to my feet as I waved at Seonghwa and him, scurrying away to my room. To Yunho’s room. To our room. I was nervous, I didn’t know if Yunho wanted to see me or if he wanted to talk to me, but I couldn’t go on ignoring him, pretending that my thoughts weren’t eating me up whole. I felt horrible for what happened earlier and I knew Yunho blamed himself for it, beating himself up for something he wasn’t guilty of. Given it more thought, it was San’s fault. All of it. He shouldn’t have overreacted and created a scene. Ara had the right to know how to defend herself, and like he said, she wouldn’t be able to take him down just yet, so I truly couldn’t wrap my mind around San’s desperate anger. Perhaps I gave Ara a flicker of hope, and that was dangerous, but I saw how badly she needed it.

I knocked on the door as I arrived to our room, sucking in a deep breath when Yunho said nothing, knowing it was me. I pushed the door open slowly, peering inside before walking in. Yunho was standing before our desk, a few parchments of paper unruled as he read over the words jutted down with ink. His body tensed when I greeted quietly, walking further inside and shutting the door behind myself. Yunho said nothing, just threw a small glance my way, before going back to his lists. He was writing down what we needed to get once we hit land, our ammunition running low as well as our fresh water. I walked to our closet and opened it, divided equally so that we’d both have space for our clothes. The left side was mine and the right was his. Our clothes neatly folded and organized carefully. I had a tendency to over organize things, it was probably one of the few reasons why Yunho didn’t take me down to the supply room when I was feeling antsy. On those days, I’d clean the whole deck and everyone’s room as it was the only thing which helped me calm down. I grabbed my nightgown and quickly undressed myself, struggling with the straps of the cloth wrapped around my torso. I had to reach around my middle to undo it, which was straining my shoulder, and if it were any other day, I would’ve asked for Yunho’s help, but I knew he was keeping his distance. We always offered privacy to the other when we were changing, our backs to each other, but Yunho’s body was too stiff, shoulders pulled back and head hung low as he didn’t sit down in the chair. I successfully unclasped the strap and unwrapped the fabric from my body, letting a content sigh out loudly, my muscles finally relaxing. I have never gotten quite used to the way it tightly hung around my torso, pulling on the skin, barely showing anything off to the prying eyes. The crew might know that I am a woman, but I do not want them to fix their hungry gazes on me, eating me up with their eyes as I were a meal. I hated it with my whole soul. I hated how San had looked at me the first time he had realized I was a woman, wheels turning in his head, eyebrows raising subtly as he took in my body, probably calculating how much I was worth if he were to sell me off. Yunho had stepped between us, sensing my discomfort and knowing San well enough, so with a nudge of his head he sent San away, the younger man smirking to himself before he made eye contact with me again, tauntingly. I shook my head at the memory and quickly pulled the nightgown over my head, pushing my leather pants off and taking my socks off too. Yunho was still silent, too silent.

I cleared my throat as I folded my pants, glancing behind me, “Are you writing the supply list?”

It was a dumb question, we both knew he was doing just that, but I needed him to speak to me. The quiet stretched between us as my body tensed, desperate for Yunho to just talk to me.

“Yes.” His answer was curt, but at least he answered. His voice held no emotion and I closed my eyes for a second before I placed my pants in the wardrobe, closing the door of it. I didn’t know what to say next. Usually, we’d talk about whatever that has happened during our day, random thoughts which came to our mind and whatever crazy things we did while we were younger, reminiscing on the past. But tonight, I didn’t know what to bring up. I wanted us to talk about what has happened, but I knew it would send Yunho away. I couldn’t fall asleep if I knew he was angry because of me.

“You didn’t come down for dinner.” I opted to say, walking next to him, stopping a respectable distance away. Yet, it made Yunho stiffen as he clumsily grabbed a parchment and walked away, towards where the small window was. The single candle burning on the desk didn’t provide enough light to lit up the whole room, Yunho couldn’t see anything on his parchment there.

“I wasn’t hungry.” Yunho answered, eyebrows furrowing as he brought the parchment closer to his face.

“You can’t see anything over there, Yunho.” I sighed out, leaning against the desk. His jaw clenched and he hummed, before very reluctantly, he walked back beside me, but kept a huge distance between us, even bringing out the chair, but not sitting down on it. I wanted to scoff and roll my eyes, but I bit my tongue and just watched him, eyebrows slightly furrowing.

“You didn’t stay for too long at dinner.” Yunho pointed out absentmindedly, eyes never leaving the parchment as he picked up his pen and scribbled something down on the parchment. I was half convinced he was just doodling nonsense down on it at this point.

“I didn’t have an appetite.” I answered quietly, looking down at the floor, when suddenly his eyes raised and stopped on me. I felt small under Yunho’s scrutinizing gaze, eyes drinking me in before he shook his head and he averted his gaze, slamming the parchment down on the desk. I flinched and looked at him wide eyed, noticing the way his eyebrows were pulled together. He turned around and walked to the closet, his steps harsh, and threw the door open. He pulled out a clean shirt and some short pants, which I had cut for him, and started undressing himself. I quickly turned around and gulped as I walked to the bed, sitting down on the edge of it, gripping the sheets tightly. Something angered him, but I didn’t know what. I hated it when he didn’t talk to me, when he didn’t tell me what the problem was. I somewhat knew what it was, but I wanted him to say it out loud. I wanted us to discuss it.

“You shouldn’t starve yourself, Y/N—” I looked up sharply at him, eyebrows furrowed as I opened my mouth to shut down his assumption, but Yunho was turned towards me, shirtless, and his pants hanging low on his hips. In the golden glow of the candlelight, his tan skin was glowing, his dark wavy hair falling over his forehead messily and his veins bulged as they travelled up from his hands to his arms. His body was toned, muscles well-defined from having to carry so many barrels almost daily and the continuous sparing sessions. I knew I wasn’t supposed to look, to stare at him so shamelessly, but I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Yunho looked radiant. I was breathless, but quickly realized what I was doing, and tore my eyes off him as I stared at the wall to my right. Yunho remained frozen for a few minutes as I gathered my thoughts, embarrassed.

“I’m not starving myself, Yunho,” I mumbled with a sigh, cheeks flushed, “I just wasn’t able to eat anything tonight.” Because I didn’t know where you were. Because I didn’t know what you were doing, what you were thinking. Because I didn’t know when you’d open up yourself again to me. There were so many things I wished to say to him, but I knew it would only drive him away even more.

“You let your mood influence you too much.” His words were sharp, as if he was lecturing me. That was rich coming from him.

“You are the one to talk,” I didn’t mean to snap at him, but I couldn’t help it as I raised my eyebrows at him, “when you run off hiding at the smallest inconvenience.”

Why was I bringing this up? Why was I starting a fight? This is not what I wanted. I just wanted Yunho to smile again and forget everything San has said to him.

“I don’t run off.” Yunho snapped, nose flaring as he threw the shirt around his shoulders, “I don’t hide, I just—I need time. To cool off. To sort out my thoughts.”

“And you leave me standing there like an idiot each time you do that, worrying—” My throat closed in on me as Yunho’s eyes watched me sharply, the fire in them burning me up against my own will, “Worrying when you’ll acknowledge me again. Worrying whether you’ll push me away for good this time. You’re always doing this, Yunho, always.”

“Because I don’t want to hurt you!” His answer came quickly as his eyebrows furrowed and I chuckled humourlessly, licking my lips annoyed.

“Yet you always hurt me when you do that.” My response was quick, quiet, but I knew it was sharp. I knew it was the last thing Yunho intended to do, and I knew he hated it when he made me feel like that. His cold façade crumbled for a second, and I saw it in his eyes, the guilt eating him up alive, the helplessness he felt; but it was quickly gone, face morphing into a frown. I scoffed and stood up.

“What are you afraid of, Yunho?” I asked, raising my eyebrows. There was an edge to my voice, a challenge, “Why do you always run off? Why do you always push me away?”

Yunho shook his head, face pulling into a grimace as I walked closer to him, his eyes falling on the floor. His body was tense, defensive, as he tried to button up his shirt, jaw clenched, “Why do you never let me see you?”

“Because—” Yunho’s voice rose an octave before he steadied himself, shaking his head, trying to compose himself, “Because I will say things I will regret. Because I will do things I will regret. I don’t think straight when I’m angry, Y/N, I’m—I’m impulsive and I don’t want to do something that I will hurt you with. I care—I care for you deeply and I want to keep you safe, and I want to protect you, but sometimes—sometimes I’m the one who you need to stay away from.”

“Bullshit.” I spat, eyebrows furrowing as I stalked close to him stopping merely inches from his body, shaking my head disapprovingly, “You would never hurt me willingly, Yunho. If only you stopped running away, we could talk things out. I don’t want to constantly wonder where you are and what you are doing, it’s draining.”

“I am hurting you right now by not being honest!” Yunho snapped, wide eyes staring at me, more to his words, as he bit his lower lip. His eyes strayed from my face, down to my lips, my neck, and collarbones peeking out from underneath my nightgown, stopping on the mess of curls on top of my head. There was something dark in his gaze, surfacing like he’s been suppressing it for long, hidden somewhere deep inside his mind, never to see the light of day. His body was warm, drawing me in, pulling me closer. My breath hitched as he licked his lips again, his eyes on my own lips, breathing irregular. My heart pounded against my ribcage, palms sweaty as I gripped my nightgown, a yearning so grave overtaking my sense I could barely stay rooted to my place.

“You just have to say it, Yunho, you know that,” I whispered, eyelids fluttering as he let out a harsh breath, hitting my face, “I won’t say no.”

“That’s the problem.” His voice was deep as he muttered, jaw clenched as his fingers twitched beside him.

“If we both want it—” I gulped, hesitant but daring as my hand reached out, finger hooking with his, the touch sending an electric shock through my body, “There’s no problem at hand, Yunho, if we both want it. San—” It was disgusting to utter his name in such scenario, but for once in his life that man had said something true, something right, “San was right about one thing. You could—you could make me your woman, and I would want that, Yunho, I really do.”

I was conscious of what I had just confessed to. The love I harboured for Yunho has for long not been platonic. I pushed it to the deepest darkest place in my mind, scared of Yunho’s reaction if he ever were to know, but I just couldn’t help it. Not when he was looking back at me with the same look in his eyes as mine, burning anything in its way, yearning for something more we could so easily have. Yunho’s breath hitched as my words sunk deeper in his mind, mouth falling slightly open as his finger squeezed mine harshly as he intertwined our fingers, palm pressed against palm. This simple touch said so much, it wanted so much more, it was pleading for more. But Yunho’s next words just left my heart sinking into my stomach, trying to convey the disappointment from my eyes.

“I can’t, Y/N, I just can’t.” He whispered, hanging his head low as he sucked in a deep breath, “You are so precious to me, I could—I could never lay a finger on you and taint you. I just—I can’t allow myself to ruin you. Not when I can have you like this next to me for the rest of my life. When I know I love you and you love me back just as much. When I know you’re my best friend, the only person I can wholeheartedly trust and cherish. I don’t want to lose what we have now.”

His words felt like a knife was pushed down my chest, ripping my skin apart, leaving an open wound. The rocking of the ship knocked me off balance as my legs momentarily seemed to lose force, but before Yunho could catch me, I pulled my hand from his and stumbled back, needing the distance. He didn’t want me the same way I wanted him. He would never love me the way I wanted him to love me. He was too good to use me for his own selfish needs. If he wanted to, he would’ve already. My body trembled from the sudden drop of temperature as I walked to our bed, sitting down and pulling the covers back. The dreaded void was back in my chest, I had to swallow multiple times to fight the tears back from my eyes. It was alright. I could live with having Yunho the way I always had him. I could live with loving him like a best friend should. I could live on like I always had up until tonight. It was fine. I pulled the covers over my body as I shifted closer to the wooden wall, turning my back to Yunho as I curled up in a ball, squeezing my eyes shut and willing my brain to shut up, the voices going away in just mere seconds. I didn’t want to think. I didn’t want to hear. I didn’t want to speak. And as I heard Yunho shuffle around in the room for a few more seconds, I succumbed to nothingness, allowing the darkness to pull me in.

            Some mornings were easier than others, some gloomier, and some more energetic. Sometimes the bed was too comfortable to get out, too warm and smelling like your favourite person in the world, but still, duty called. It waited for you and you had no other choice. My eyes were closed as I shifted slightly around, stretching my left arm over my head as I mumbled mindlessly, brain foggy with sleep as I wasn’t quite awake yet. Today was a gloomier morning, when sleep didn’t quite want to let me go, dreams painting my mind. And a feather like brush against my shoulder made it even harder to open my eyes. The sensation kept going as it brushed against my collarbone, lightly nipping at the skin as I felt the hotness of another human looming over me, so close, but not entirely touching me. A shuddered breath left my lips as a kiss was pressed between the juncture of my neck and shoulder, body tingling with a sensation so familiar yet so unknown. I hummed as the lips pressed firmer against my skin, on the side of my neck as I turned my head to the left to leave more space for the attacker, left hand coming down and tangling into soft waves of kinky hair. The fog had started slowly lifting from my mind, eyebrows softly furrowing at the flush overtaking my whole body as a soft moan left my lips, when a pair of lips pressed against a particular spot harder, fingers gripping onto hair harder. My eyes fluttered open at last, staring at the wooden wall, breathing hitched as my body reacted to the ministrations done to it, until the fog completely disappeared. Until I froze, until I felt lips nipping against my jawline. My fingers untangled from Yunho’s wavy hair and I scrambled to sit up, eyes wide and breathing uneven as Yunho and I’s heads almost knocked together. He stared at me surprised, as if he didn’t understand why I reacted the way I did, as if waking up to your best friend kissing all over your body was normal. As if he didn’t just confess last night that he only saw me as his best friend, forever.

“Stop.” I croaked out, voice hoarse and heavy with sleep as my lips slightly trembled, “You can’t do that, Yunho.”

He looked hurt as he scooted away slightly, warmth disappearing with him as I threw the covers off myself, clumsily getting out of bed, “We’re friends.”

Yunho looked offended hearing that, I didn’t understand why, “Friends don’t kiss each other like that, Yunho. We need to set new boundaries, because this isn’t working anymore. You’re a man and I’m a woman. Our minds, and bodies, aren’t that of children anymore.”

Yunho’s eyes flashed with hurt at my words, but what he didn’t know was that I felt the same way when he told me those things last night. That I still felt like my heart was stomped into nothing last night. I turned my back to him, something I hated doing, as I walked to the wardrobe and took my clothes out for the day, “From now on, I’ll change in the washroom. You can do it in here while I’m gone.”

Before Yunho could say anything, I stormed off, blinking away the tears in my eyes, ignoring the yearning and the suffocating feeling in my throat, the harsh pounding of my heart. If he wanted us to be best friends, we needed a new set of boundaries established.

After having changed into presentable clothes for the day, I walked to the kitchen, having been to my room previously, but Yunho was gone by then. I pushed the anxiety of not knowing where he was down as I opened the door to the kitchen, surprised to see Ara standing by the stove, frowning deeply at it. I approached her and cleared my throat, not wanting to startle her. She glanced behind her and relaxed when she saw it was just me.

“Good morning.” I greeted her and stopped by the sink, watching her.

“Morning.” She muttered quietly, eyes still on the stove as if she was having a silent battle with it, “I give up!”

My eyebrows rose as I watched her confused, a bowl of scrambled eggs sitting on the unlit stove. Putting two and two together, I chuckled and approached her, lightly pushing her out of the way. I grabbed a match and lit it, lighting up the fireplace for Ara.

“That’s how you do it…” She muttered to herself and nodded at me in thanks, placing her eggs on the stove. As she wasn’t paying attention to me, I allowed myself to take in the other woman, eyes running over her face and any exposed skin carefully, looking for signs of any abuse or manhandling from San. But her skin was flawless, looked untouched. Perhaps I wasn’t as subtle as I thought I was, because Ara glanced at me from the corner of her eyes.

“He didn’t touch me,” She muttered, focusing on cooking her breakfast, “if that’s what you’re looking for. San hasn’t—he hasn’t even looked my way since yesterday. When I woke up, he was gone and the door was wide open. I don’t know what that means, but I took my chance and came here to cook myself some breakfast. I didn’t eat dinner last night.”

“Do you want my portion of stew?” I asked as Ara looked at me surprised, her eyes filling with tears.

“No, no!” She quickly shut down my offer, stirring her eggs, “It’s fine, this will do.”

“But aren’t you hungry?” I asked confused, Ara smiled at me.

“Not that much, don’t worry.” She reassured me, chuckling, “I’m used to not eating much.”

“Why?” I asked curiously as I watched her turn off the stove. She took her eggs and walked to the long table, sitting down close to the end of it. I only came here to drink a cup of tea and see if Wooyoung had already woken up, I didn’t expect to see Ara here. Didn’t expect San to let her off so easily.

“I always tried to stay fit, not gain any weight.” Ara explained and my eyebrows furrowed as I went to take the kettle, then filled it with water.

“Why would you do that?” I asked genuinely confused and Ara chuckled as she glanced back at me.

“Because I was supposed to look pleasing to the eyes. Be pretty and well-kept.” Ara explained, voice heavy with melancholy, “I worked at an Inn, which barely paid me enough to keep a roof above my head, but perhaps it was my fault too for wishing for things I couldn’t afford. I realized early on in my childhood that sometimes I can’t tell what’s real and what’s not, getting lost in a world which is only in my head. And sometimes, I would think I could project that world into my reality, screwing myself over. To be honest, if San wouldn’t have kidnapped me, I would’ve probably been evicted sooner than latter from my little cottage.”

“Is that how you try to reassure yourself that you’re in a good place?” I asked accusingly, making Ara chuckle as I placed the kettle on the lit stove.

“God, no,�� Ara shook her head, taking a bite of her breakfast, “I hate this place as much as I hate San. It’s grim, dirty, and full of smelly men—and rats! I saw one a few days ago, I wished to drop dead that exact second. I don’t deserve to be here surrounded by these people, no offense to you Y/N, you’re quite lovely, actually. But I know I was made for bigger things. Created to stand on a scene. Designed to be a star one day.”

I watched Ara a little confused, her eyes focusing on nothing as she seemed far away, lost in her own thoughts, “I always wanted to become a singer for the wealthy. To be known all around the four seas and four kingdoms, but then—then San took me, and it all shattered, a future slipped right through my fingers. I’ll never be known, nor a star. I will never sing for the Queen or the aristocrats. I will rot away on this ship surrounded by lowlifes and—rats.”

Ara’s voice choked up as suddenly tears started streaming down her face and she slightly choked on her food, making my heart clench in sadness for her. I sighed and walked over, sitting down next to her and placing an arm around her shoulders. She turned into me, crying into my neck as I rubbed her back soothingly, allowing her to feel safe, to let it all out.

“Do you miss singing?” I asked in a whisper when Ara slightly calmed down. She nodded wordlessly against my neck and I smiled, patting her brown hair down, “Would you like to sing tonight? We have an important mission tomorrow and I’m sure these pirates would enjoy a little show and let loose of their nerves.”

The kettle started whistling behind us and Ara pulled away, wiping her tears off her face, “And I have a pretty dress I never wore.”

“Really?” Ara’s eyes widened, watching me intrigued as I got up and walked back to the stove, turning it off.

“It’s royal blue.” Ara’s eyes sparkled with joy, something I haven’t seen until now, her lips pulling into a wide smile.

“After dinner?” She asked and I nodded, smiling back at her. It made Ara giggle as she went back to eating her scrambled eggs, humming a happy tune to herself as if she didn’t have a small breakdown just a few seconds ago. I watched the girl for a few more second before shaking my head as I walked to the sink, grabbing a clean cup. Such a young soul with such intangible dreams.

            The chatter invaded the vast expanse of the kitchen, the pirates talking animatedly as they finished their last spoonful of yesterday’s stew, jugs filled with expensive rum and others with beer from the North, which Jongho and his father managed to snuggle on the ship on one of our missions a month ago. The room was lively as everyone enjoyed their last night before we’d go on the mainland, having docked down close to the coastline of one of the South Kingdom’s northwestern islands. We had run out of many important supplies, so tomorrow majority of the crew would go and retrieve whatever was necessary, with a side mission only few knew about, more specifically, Hongjoong’s close circle of friends. I didn’t necessarily like these missions, because they were dangerous and usually illegal, but I trusted the boys to come back unharmed, after all, they could handle themselves. Wooyoung was going on and on about how Jongho won’t let him draw his own map, as the younger from the two thinks Wooyoung’s drawing skills aren’t good enough yet, but all I could focus on was the empty seat to my right. Yunho had come down to have dinner with everyone, but instead of sitting next to me, he was sitting across the table, between Hongjoong and Mingi. That hasn’t happened before, and I could feel the questioning gazes of the others as we started eating, but I ignored them and snuggled into Wooyoung’s side, who was warm and kept me busy from thinking too much. Seonghwa was the most persistent as his eyes didn’t leave me for a good half an hour, but once he realized I wasn’t going to meet his eyes and talk about this new seating plan, he just sighed, and finally turned his attention onto Jongho, who instead of eating was drawing frantically in his little, secret, notebook. It was his diary, actually, but he never confessed that he really was keeping a diary, embarrassed when the older pirates started teasing him about it. I found it endearing, not that my opinion would’ve changed much.

Noticing that everyone by now was pretty much done eating, I abruptly stood, alerting Wooyoung as he had been complaining about Jongho, making Seonghwa jump too, as he seemed lost in his thoughts. A few pirates glanced at me before they continued their previous conversations, but Hongjoong raised a questioning brow as I grinned from ear to ear, walking away from my seat, towards the closed door. I clapped my hands three times, trying to get everyone’s attention as I smiled brightly, lightly pulling on the bottom of my burgundy shirt. Ara had insisted that if she were to be dolled up for tonight’s performance, then I should also make myself presentable. I invited her in my room shared with Yunho, and she was quick to pull my hair in intricated braids, without being too harsh. It was surprising, not many could tame a curly hair. She kept complimenting my copper curls and I was slightly embarrassed from the constant attention and praises, not used to them, having been surrounded by men for a very long time now. I’d lie if I say I didn’t enjoy my time with Ara. We giggled about everything, even talked about her previous crushes from her little town, and whispered about who she thought was the handsomest pirate on the ship. When she asked what I thought, I flushed a deep shade of pink, but skilfully dodged the subject, a knowing look appearing on Ara’s face. She insisted that I get rid of the cloth wrapped around my body and instead wear one of my corset’s, which I had never worn before but Wooyoung insisted I buy it when he saw it through the glass of the boutique. It was new, allowing my curves to show through my clothes, the bumps of my breasts foreign as I could see them and even feel them. I was scared what the pirates would think and said, but nobody threw me a second glance once they saw me at dinner, besides the quiet compliments that I had arranged my hair nicely and that the burgundy colour complimented my complexion well. It was rather comforting to see how much they didn’t care about how I presented myself, of course, Wooyoung excluded. Because he let out a shrill gasp when he saw me and pulled me up from my seat, twirling me around as I felt Yunho’s burning gaze on us. We hadn’t talked all day, it seemed like he was avoiding me. It didn’t surprise me, but I feared our friendship would never be the same again. Wooyoung kept going on and on about how beautiful I looked and that he knew that corset would look splendid on me, accentuating my beautiful form. Yeosang’s compliment also made me blush, but I turned my head in time and nobody saw it, or so I thought, because Yunho’s glare bore into the side of Yeosang’s head. I thought San would come and drag Ara away from me at any given moment, but he never showed up. Ara noticed how tense I was and just sighed, mumbling that she hadn’t seen San since the morning and something told her he was giving her some space, keeping away. It was weird. San has never done that before, to anyone. I didn’t say anything to Ara, though, just allowed her to have this moment of peace and joy as she applied something she called blush on my cheeks. Then I helped her get dressed and she clipped two strands of hair from the front to the back of her head, and then smiled at me, twirling around in my dress. It looked amazing on her, brought the colour of her skin out, matching her eyes. She truly looked majestic, and I understood now why she had high hopes of becoming famous one day. Her looks would’ve definitely helped her getting that, and if her voice was good, she truly had the whole package. Pity she had to rot away on a pirate ship, like she has said. I didn’t mind rotting away here, not as long as it was what Yunho wanted.

“May I have your attention, please?” I asked loudly, the pirates looked at me confused as I chuckled, “I know everybody is tense tonight, so, Ara and I thought we could diffuse the tension a little bit and…have some fun. Thus, I present you Im Ara, our entertainer for the night!”

The pirates seemed to grow even more confused as I opened the door and then stepped aside, allowing Ara to walk inside. She held her head high and smiled softly, waving delicately as she walked towards the stove, where she had a lot of space. Everyone watched her shocked, gaping at the beauty of her, and I just smiled as I went and took my place next to Wooyoung, grinning at him as he looked at me surprised. When I glanced towards Yunho, curious of his reaction, I was slightly taken aback by the intensity of his gaze on me, his eyes boring into mine. My smile slightly disappeared as I stared back, wishing he’d just stop being stubborn and would come and sit next to me, missing his familiar scent and warmth.

“Good evening, gentlemen, and Y/N.” Ara spoke up, voice velvety as she placed her hands in front of her. The pirates cackled at her use of words and I shook my head, showing Ara an encouraging thumbs up to continue, “I deemed it necessary to lighten your mood tonight, therefore, I shall sing to you.”

A few of the pirates grew tense, the Siren’s luring and hypnotizing song still fresh in their minds, even mine. The Siren had been a scary creature, but seeing how she didn’t really hurt anyone, even went as far as saving Jongho, I found some respect for her and set aside my judgement. I started clapping, realizing the silence was slowly becoming awkward, and Yeosang and Seonghwa quickly followed, slowly each and every pirate clapping for Ara. It seemed to encourage her as she slightly bowed her head and then cleared her throat, closing her eyes. Her mouth opened and she started singing, her soft voice carrying through the room as she started out slow and soft, the notes cradling you, comforting you almost. Ara’s voice was beautiful, just like her, and it was powerful and conveyed every emotion she felt during the song she sung. It was about a little girl lost in the world, lost in her own dreams, scared of what the real world had to offer for her. She didn’t know which path to choose, she didn’t know what was right and what was wrong. She was scared of falling, of the darkness, of the monsters hiding and waiting for her to walk into their trap. But then, just like a fairy, a kind lady, not older than her had appeared, and guided her through the ups and downs handed to her by fate, the little girl growing up into a refined and confident woman, ready to take on any hardships thrown her way. She never truly figured if the helping lady was real or a fairy, or just a fragment of her imagination, but she remained forever grateful as she lived long enough to tell her grandchildren all about it.

When Ara was done singing, she opened her eyes, and after a second of silence, the table erupted in loud claps, a few pirates even standing up and shouting encouraging words at her. Ara suddenly flushed and turned around, patting her chest down, and when she turned back around, her eyes were rimmed with tears. When was the last time she had sung? When she had an audience? My heart broke for her as I clapped, smiling proudly when we made eye contact.

As the table started quieting down, one already drunken pirate spoke up, “Do you know any sailor songs?”

“Name any!” Ara said excitedly and the table erupted into cheers again, the pirates slamming their fists against the table in excitement. I started laughing, never having seen the crew quite like this, never so carefree and happy.

“The coiled fishnet!”

“Blackbeard’s treasure!”

“The Serpent and The Pearl!”

“Deep under!”

“Cator’s last sail!”

“Lost on Sea!”

“Kings never die!”

“Remember me when I sink down under!”

Various sailor songs were screamed at Ara and she held a hand over her mouth, seemingly overwhelmed for a second, before she clapped her hands, and grinned mischievously, “That is a lot you want to hear, but the night is still young, isn’t it? I shall then start with The coiled fishnet!” Everyone started cheering loudly and Ara laughed before clearing her throat and starting to sing the quite sad song, the pirates humming along.

And just like Ara has said, the night was young, but when you were having a good time, it flew past you, making it seem like it was mere minutes. As the night progressed, the pirates got drunker and drunker, to the point that the kitchen was filled with loud singing as they had joined Ara, slurring their words and over shouting Ara’s majestic voice. I had been asked to dance by Wooyoung when one of the happier songs was being sung and I couldn’t refuse him, so we went and danced. Ara seemed to sparkle in the dim lights of the kitchen, radiating happiness as she clapped as Wooyoung and I danced around her. It only encouraged the other pirates to dance along and soon, I found myself in a big circle, getting twirled around and singing along with Ara. Even she was asked to dance during one of the more pacific songs, and she accepted gladly, blushing a little when Mingi held eye contact with her. She said that after Seonghwa, Mingi was the handsomest on the ship. Hongjoong had gone to sleep half an hour ago, whispering something to Yunho, and then excusing himself, saying that he needed to be well rested for the mission tomorrow. Yeosang followed soon after, but the others remained. Jongho was talking loudly and animatedly to a circle of five men from the crew, telling them everything he knew about sirens. It had been a touchy subject after his siren got away, but lately he seemed to be happier, especially when we were sailing through the Raging Sea. I didn’t think he’d see the Siren ever again, but perhaps I was wrong. Wooyoung was constantly dancing and singing, more like shouting, as he had started stealing Jongho’s own drink up until they younger’s father caught him, and tried to stop Wooyoung from getting wasted, to no avail. It felt good seeing my friends so free of worry finally.

Yunho never joined in on the singing nor the dancing, he just sat at the table, and watched everyone carefully, his eyes rarely on someone else other than me. It felt uncomfortable at the beginning, but I knew he just didn’t know how to approach me, so I let it slide. If he didn’t want to have fun, I wouldn’t try and haggle him like Mingi had been doing until he got almost punched. San was nowhere to be seen, until I spotted him in the doorway, hiding away in the shadows, eyes fixed on Ara, and only on her. His stoic expression was slowly slipping as Ara sung about a love so strong it would transpire into the lovers next lifetime, the two bound to always find each other. His hands were balled into fists and he gulped hard, and his eyes slightly closed, drinking in Ara’s soothing voice. Two lovers bound to face challenges in their next life, some so severe even the universe thought their bond would be broken, but it never did. Because unknowingly, fate had strung them together a long time ago, sealing their love as a testament against anything evil trying to break them apart. I watched as San crumbled for a second, it almost looked like a tear slipped down his cheek, before he made eye contact with me, and stormed off, my heart clenching for him. Despite the evil deeds he did, I knew he was only human. But not all sins could be forgiven, no matter how human one was.

I tapped Wooyoung’s arm as I pulled away and stepped out of the circle, him following closely behind. His cheeks were flushed and he was constantly giggling, the alcohol having clearly gotten to his head, “I think I’m going to sleep, Woo.”

His pout was almost adorable, “So soon?”

“It’s quite late, actually.” I answered with a chuckle as suddenly Wooyoung engulfed me in a big hug, his head resting against my neck. His chest fell and rose quickly from dancing around, a sheer layer of sweat coating his forehead.

“But we’re having so much fun!” He whined, and I shook my head as I petted his hair.

“I know, but Ara will perform for us again, and we’ll have even more fun.” Drunk Wooyoung was like a child, he needed to be coerced into doing things, softly spoken to, and a lot of patience. I felt eyes on us, but I didn’t turn around, assuming that it was most probably Yunho watching us.

“Will she, really?” Wooyoung asked dazed and pulled his head back, looking at me with a drunken grin.

“Of course, she will, Wooyoung.” I said with a chuckle, “I don’t think she has anything better to do and it actually makes her happy.”

“Like cooking makes me happy—” He hiccupped and I rolled my eyes, “and, well, stealing from the royal court.”

“You’re so reckless.” I shook my head at him and carefully pulled myself out of his tight hold, knowing his clinginess got worse when drunk. Wooyoung pouted and his eyes were halfway closed, suddenly the tenacious Sailing master disappearing as all I could see was the little prince who stumbled on our ship so many years ago. His skin polished, clothes posh, well-mannered and words carefully pronounced, accent absent. He was so different from us, yet he stayed. Something about the crew attracted him to the life of a pirate and he stuck with us, his Prince title long forgotten, his once King supposed duties long left in the past.

“I’m just a pirate.” Wooyoung lowered his voice and mockingly saluted, making me shake my head at him. He just chuckled and then hiccupped, swaying on his legs, the rocking off the ship slightly making it worse.

“Let’s get you to bed—” I started saying, gripping his arm, but Wooyoung groaned loudly, pushing me away with a frown.

“No!” He whined, glaring at me, “I’ll stay and celebrate for more, you go to sleep, Y/N. Jongho’s room is closest to mine, when he goes to sleep, I’ll go with him.”

“Pinky promise?” I extended my pinkie to him, and Wooyoung giggled.

“Pinky promise.” He nodded his head and hooked his pinkie with mine, sealing it with our thumbs. He waved goodbye as I bid him goodnight and started towards the kitchen door, eyes falling on Jongho, who didn’t seem too tired or drunk enough yet, holding a pirate by the collar as his eyes shone in excitement, talking loudly and explaining something to the poor pirates, who looked slightly frightened by Jongho’s passion. He was a stoic man, rarely showing any emotions, but I guess the liquor loosened up him enough to let his secret obsessive side shine through. Jongho was a precious person, I have always been fond of him, but perhaps that was also because he was the youngest amongst our close circle, and just a little boy when him and his father joined our crew.

I left the kitchen and walked down the dark hallways, knowing them like the back of my palm, in a cheery mood as the night had gone better than Ara and I had expected it. It was good for the pirates, but it was also good for Ara. They would warm up to her easier now, something so small as songs bringing us together. Ara was talented, I couldn’t help but pity her for her ruined dreams. She did deserve more, and perhaps, one day, San would let her go. Perhaps.

I pushed open the door of my room and walked inside, the moonlight casting the room in a soft glow, not strong but just enough to see the outline of things. It’s not like I needed light, I’ve been living in this small quarter for ten years now with Yunho. I stepped inside, letting the door shut behind me on its own, but I was barely two steps in, when the door was roughly pushed open, slamming against the wall. I jumped and whirled around tense, ready to fight if anyone was here to provoke me, but instead I was met with Yunho’s tall frame standing in the doorframe. My eyebrows furrowed and suddenly, he sprung forward, the door closing behind him forcefully, closing the distance between us until his lips were pressing against mine. Yunho’s lips. Pressing against mine. My mind reeled as my eyes widened so much, I thought they’d pop out of their sockets, Yunho’s soft lips pressing painfully against mine. When I didn’t respond, he pulled back just slightly, lips brushing against mine, eyes boring into mine. His breathing was uneven as I tried to understand the situation, guess his thoughts, but his eyes gave away nothing. I didn’t understand, I just couldn’t. It was so sudden. Out of nowhere. After yesterday’s outburst, it was unexpected. I was taken-aback, but slowly, I found myself wanting to feel the press of his lips against mine. I wanted to taste him. To feel him against my body. It was Yunho, my best friend, the man I loved. I was ready to give him everything he wanted. Words wouldn’t leave my lips, all that left them, was a whine and Yunho was suddenly pressing his lips against mine again, grabbing my cheeks painfully, squeezing the air out of me. I couldn’t help but reciprocate the kiss just as fiercely, standing up on my tiptoes so that he didn’t have to lean down so much, clinging onto him as I grabbed the collar of his shirt. Our lips started moving in sink, hungrily devouring the other, tasting them, curious of the other. They seemed to fit perfectly against each other as Yunho tasted of the rum he’s been consuming throughout the night, and despite being sober, suddenly, I felt like I was intoxicated myself. His hands slowly released my cheeks and I felt them on my arms as they slowly dragged down my body, hold tightening when his calloused hands and long fingers made contact with my corset. I shivered slightly at the firm grip, goosebumps erupting on my skin as he dragged his hands lower, following the curve of the fabric, of my body, as a sound left the back of his throat, pressed into my mouth, making my breath hitch. Yunho grabbed my waist and before I could react much, I was hoisted up, legs wrapping around his hips instinctually, as did my arms around his neck. Our noses pressed into each other’s cheek and I breathed in deeply, his scent so familiar that it sent chills down my spine. I couldn’t help but moan when he bit my lower lip, a sound I repressed so many times when he lazily kissed all over my body in the mornings, trying to hide the flush and the want trying to show on my face. Yunho hugged me close to his body as he walked to our bed, sitting down on it, letting me straddle his lap as I quickly pressed my lips against his again, opening my mouth up for him, desperate to feel more of him. His sweet tongue pressed against mine, and I felt like I could reach the stars any moment, as I moaned, licking at his, letting him do the same as his grip became bruising on my hips as he allowed his hands to wander underneath my shirt and corset, cold hands pressing against my heated skin. My breath stuttered for a second and Yunho must’ve felt it as he pulled back, his chest falling and rising quickly, just as breathless as I was.

I pecked his lips again, my body burning with a yearning I’ve never felt before in my life, the familiar glint back in his eyes. It felt like I was staring at the stars on a clear night, no clouds in sight. His gaze was so warm, filled with adoration and lust, as he dove down and pressed his open mouth against my neck, licking at the skin, my body reacting instantly as my hips slightly moved, shivers traveling down my spine. Yunho groaned against my skin, the vibration travelling through me, and I couldn’t help but move my hips against him again, as he pulled our bodies close by the strong grip he had on my hips. I was feeling so many new sensations at the same time, mind foggy and clouded with thoughts of Yunho. The familiarity of his scent and his warmth and his body. It felt like I’ve known him like this my whole life. My fingers tangled into the grown hair on his nape as he suddenly sucked down on the skin around my collarbones, making me grind against him slowly, biting down on my lower lip to stop a moan from escaping. Yunho licked at the abused skin and raised his head, looking me in the eyes before crashing his lips against mine again. I was hungry, wanting more and more as Yunho guided my hips against his growing member, moaning into the kiss when I gyrated my hips, long fingers bruising the skin of my hips. Our teeth clanked against each other, the sweet taste of Yunho mixed with the rum he’s been drinking all night and it was hard, too difficult, to pull away and steel my hips, when all I wanted to do was undress him and let him take me, give all of myself to him.

“Yunho,” I whispered, kissing his cheek instead when he tried to kiss me again, “You’re drunk.”

“I want you.” His voice was gravely as he whined against my cheek, “So badly, Y/N, please, I love you.”

My heart stuttered and I bit my lower lip, kissing his forehead, “I love you too, and I want you too, but not—not like this.”

Yunho sucked in a harsh breath, “I’m lucid enough to tell you that I want this.”

“Not tonight, please.” I mumbled against his skin, wanting him to be sober, not an ounce of alcohol influencing his wants and thoughts.

“I love you so much.” Yunho whispered and pressed his lips against mine, but didn’t deepen the kiss.

“And I love you just as much back.” I said with a smile and Yunho chuckled, his firm grip gone from my hips as he took a deep breath, running his hands through his hair. His cheeks were flushed and I knew mine were too. My heart finally felt complete, the usual void nowhere to be found as Yunho helped me off himself, smiling and giggling as he ripped his shirt open and threw it onto the floor. Before I could stop him, he got rid of his pants too and climbed into bed, pouting and motioning for me to follow him. I chuckled and shook my head, collecting his clothes and placing them on the chair. I untied my corset and took off my pants too, but left on the shirt, as I climbed in next to Yunho. He pulled me against his body instantly, nuzzling his head against my hair and inhaling deeply as I lay on top of him, placing a hand against his cheek. Sleep stole us away way too quick tonight.

            I woke with a start, the bedsheets cold beside me, Yunho’s body missing. I shot up, instantly regretting it as my head spun, still foggy with sleep, as I rubbed my eyes and squinted. The sunshine was harsh as it shone inside through the little window and I noticed Yunho’s clothes were gone from the chair and a little piece of paper sat on top of our desk. I threw the covers off and got out of bed, walking up to the desk and grabbing the paper, reading Yunho’s neat handwritten note.

‘We had to leave at dawn, sorry I wasn’t with you when you woke up. Today’s mission is long and I don’t think I can go on without saying this, so Y/N, everything that I said and did last night, I meant it. When I return tonight, we shall talk about it.’

My heart skipped a few beats as I read the letter again, lips pulling into a small smile, cheeks flushing. The alcohol then didn’t give or take to Yunho’s actions last night, he wanted that. My heart swelled at the thought and I giggled as I shook my head, placing the paper back on the desk as I went to dress myself. I felt like abandoning the tight fabric for my torso today, and instead, grabbed the corset Wooyoung had gifted me and picked out one of my clean white shirts.

The sun was high up in the sky by the time I walked up on the deck, grabbing my binoculars in the process, taking in the few pirates standing on watch, making sure nobody tried to sneak up on our ship while we were decked down so close to the shore. Seonghwa stood on the quarterdeck, shoulders pulled back and one hand on his hip as the other held the binocular up to his eyes, looking towards land. When Hongjoong, our Captain, lead the mission, Seonghwa, his Quartermaster, stayed back to watch the ship. When Seonghwa led a mission, Hongjoong stayed with his crew. Despite my steps being light and quiet, Seonghwa heard me and turned with a smile, greeting me quietly. His long hair was pulled in a half up ponytail, sun beaming down on his tan complexion. His lips were shiny, and I just had a feeling that it was probably a gift from Bora, a sort of cream, which would hydrate his chapped lips. I chuckled at the thought as I stood next to him, looking towards the mainland, able to make out the people walking on the beach and coastline.

“Good morning.” I greeted cheerily, and Seonghwa chuckled, throwing me a questioning glance.

“Slept well?” He asked and I hummed, not saying anything more as Yeosang had walked on deck and waved our way. I waved back and Seonghwa nodded, watching as Yeosang went and climbed up on one of the shrouds. Seonghwa touched his compass, and I watched as he gripped it tightly before letting go of it, a quiet sigh leaving his lips. He had been a wreck for the six months it was missing. We hadn’t stopped until he finally found the person who had stolen it, and I couldn’t have been happier seeing Seonghwa finally regain himself. I could understand him. That compass was the only thing which reminded him that he did have a blood related family, even if they didn’t want him.

“How’s Bora doing?” I asked casually and watched as Seonghwa’s cheek caught a slight tint of pink. He shrugged, trying to act nonchalant.

“She was doing just fine last time we met.” He answered and I smiled at him, leaning closer.

“So, I suppose you forgave her?” My tone was light, teasing. Of course, he forgave her, I knew that. But it was always entertaining seeing Seonghwa blush. He rolled his eyes, and turned to face me.

“She proved herself to be useful, so, I decided to let it slide this time.” Seonghwa answered, and I hummed, a knowing smile appearing on my lips. Nobody who touched Seonghwa’s compass lived another day, yet this girl stole it from him and kept it for six months, and still walked away unscathed. If she wasn’t special, she’d be long dead. Seonghwa could try and play it off as nothing, but I knew it ran deeper than that. It was obvious how fond he was of her.

“Did she find any leads, then?” I asked, genuinely curious, as Seonghwa hummed.

“She found a merchant who seemed to know of a Bu family whose son disappeared twenty-five years ago.” There was a flicker of hope in Seonghwa’s voice, but it was quickly gone as he continued, “It could be anyone, however, I don’t have high hopes. I’ve been searching since I was a little boy for Bu Seolhwa and never found her…”

I felt sadness wash over me as Seonghwa’s shoulders slightly slouched, “Maybe you just didn’t have the right connections, Seonghwa, maybe Bora is close this time. Do you trust her?”

“With my life,” His voice was barely a whisper as a look of yearning crossed his face, “This Bu family seems to be from the Sun Rise Kingdom.”

“Where Hongjoong’s father found you.” I said with an encouraging smile and Seonghwa nodded, looking at me with a small smile.

“I’ll be visiting Bora and Nari next week; I’ll find out more then.”

“Good,” I hummed, my eyes widening as I remembered the delicate pearl necklace I placed aside for Bora’s sister, “Hey, I just remembered. Yunho brought back a pearl necklace a few weeks ago from one of his missions and I wanted to give it to Nari as I don’t need it…Jongho’s gifted me too many pearls by now.”

Seonghwa chuckled and looked down at his own pearl necklace from Jongho, “I’ll give it to her, she’ll be really happy.”

“Thank you.” I smiled and then allowed the comfortable silence to settle between us, as both Seonghwa and I raised our binoculars to look towards the mainland, survey the waters. Just as I was about to lower it, I noticed a boat headed our way. My eyebrows furrowed as I lowered my binocular and walked down from the quarterdeck and headed to the railing of the deck. Yeosang was climbed up high by now, the wind ruffling his fluffy hair. I raised my binocular again, about to shout at the pirates to load their guns, but it was Wooyoung. He was rowing towards our ship frantically, a body laying by his feet. My eyebrows furrowed and heartbeat slightly picked up, wondering who that was. If they were coming back, it meant that it was serious.

“Seonghwa!” I called back, turning to look up at him, “Are you seeing this?”

“Yes!” Seonghwa called down as he took off from his position, and approached me quickly. The boat has almost reached us. Seonghwa looked into his binoculars again and sucked in a sharp breath, but before I could look too, he gripped my arm and turned to me, face gravely, “Lower the ladder, now.”

Yeosang and I had designed a wooden ladder, without stairs, which we threw over the side of the ship to make it easier to travel up and down from it. It was optimal when we decked down in a port or close to the beach, where we didn’t need to us a boat to get closer to the shore. The water wasn’t too deep here, but the wooden ladder couldn’t be usable, so I threw Seonghwa a confused glance until I saw the seriousness on his face.

“Seonghwa!” I could hear Wooyoung shouting over the sounds of the waves crashing and wind blowing as his boat was closer, “I need help!”

Yeosang noticed that I was struggling with lifting the wooden ladder, so he came over and helped me, throwing it overboard as it slammed against the water loudly.

“I need Yeosang!” I could hear Wooyoung still shouting, “Yunho’s been injured, he can’t stand—he’s not responding!”

My world seemed to pause for a few seconds as I watched Seonghwa run past me and jump over the railing, sliding down the wooden ladder to get to Wooyoung and Yunho. Yunho. He was injured. He wasn’t responding—as if I had just resurfaced from underneath cold water, my body flinched and tensed up, and I was running to the wooden ladder, Yeosang’s firm grip pulling me away from the railing as he stared softly into my eyes.

“Let Wooyoung and Seonghwa take him up, Y/N, you can’t help.”

“I have to!” I screamed, trying to fight away Yeosang’s grip, but he wasn’t budging, “Yeosang, please!”

He sighed, but shook his head as I heard Seonghwa and Wooyoung struggling just a few feet away from us, “You know you can’t help them.”

He was right, I really couldn’t. The ladder couldn’t hold four people at once, it was me who designed it, I was supposed to know. But Yunho was there, injured. I couldn’t just stand and do nothing—my eyes snapped to the railing as Seonghwa’s head showed.

“Yeosang, come help.” He instructed and Yeosang was gone in a flash, leaning over the railing and pulling over Yunho’s limp body, my feet rooted in one place. I stared wide eyed at Yunho’s unconscious body, lips parted and hair sticking to his forehead. His white shirt had turned red at the front, cut across his chest, a wide gash gapping at anyone who looked at it. My hands pressed against my mouth as I felt my eyes fill with tears, Yeosang kneeled next to Yunho, two fingers pressed against his artery, checking for a pulse. He cursed, Yeosang never does that. Wooyoung hopped over the railing, hands and vest bloody, as his panicked eyes fell on me and he sucked in a harsh breath, instantly approaching me.

“Seonghwa, we need to take him to his room, right now.” Yeosang’s deep voice was frantic and Seonghwa was by his side, grabbing Yunho’s shoulders as Yeosang lifted him by the legs, and they started walking away, headed towards our room. I didn’t realize I was trembling until Wooyoung pulled me into a tight hug, something wet hitting my neck, snapping me out of my frozen state. My heart was hammering against my chest, and despite not meaning to be so harsh, I pushed Wooyoung off of me, staring at him with wide eyes as he started crying.

“I’m so sorry, Y/N, I was supposed to be on look out and kill anyone who approached the warehouse—I didn’t know they had sneaked in through the back until I heard Yunho screaming—” No. I couldn’t listen to that right now. No, not when the love of my life was possibly dying in our bed. I didn’t think or wait for Wooyoung as I took off, running past the pirates who tried to stop me and hold me back, shouting after me that I needed to let Yeosang work in peace and silence, but I couldn’t hear them. I had to get to Yunho. So, I raced down the stairs and crashed into the wall painfully, but I didn’t care as I ran down the long hallway, heart beating frantically as I arrived to our shared room, just as Seonghwa closed the door in my face.

“No! Let me in!” I screamed at the top of my lungs and tried to open the door, but the knob wouldn’t turn. They had locked the door. Locked me outside, with Yunho inside, separated us at such a crucial time. What if he didn’t get to live? What if he wanted to see me? What if I never got to see the glint in his eyes again? The smile on his face? What if I never got to feel his warm body against mine, his warmth engulfing my whole being? I started sobbing loudly and banging my fists against the door, screaming at Seonghwa and Yeosang to let me inside, to let me see Yunho. Before I could start kicking too, arms wrapped tightly around me from behind, and I was hauled back.

“No! Stop!” I screamed, trying to free myself, but the person was strong, “Yunho!”

My voice broke at the scream of his name and suddenly, I was turned around and my head was pressed against Wooyoung’s chest as he shushed me, petting my head, hugging me tightly against himself.

“You need to let them work in silence, Y/N.” He whispered against my ear, “Yeosang has to concentrate. You know he can save him; he’s saved so many others so many times, but he needs the quiet, Y/N.”

“I have to be in there, next to him—”

“You’d just distract them, Y/N,” Wooyoung cut my words off, “Please, have faith in him and Yunho. He’s strong, he’s a fighter.”

“I know.” I mumbled with a sob as I allowed my body to go numb in Wooyoung’s hold, tears streaming down my face without stopping. I couldn’t let my thoughts swallow me whole as horrible scenarios of Yunho’s death kept coming to the front of my mind, taunting me, making me cry harder. I couldn’t lose my best friend. I couldn’t lose the love of my life. Not yet. Not when we had finally given in to each other. Wooyoung’s grip tightened as he lowered us to the ground, pulling me into his lap and petting my hair, humming a tune only he seemed to know, his body warmth so comforting right now. I would’ve crumbled without him being here, without someone anchoring me. Yunho was my everything. Without him, life wasn’t worth living anymore.

Sometime ago Seonghwa had left the room, but with a sharp look, I knew I wasn’t allowed inside yet. He said nothing, just shook his head at Wooyoung, and walked off to clean himself up. I had stopped crying, only to start again when Yunho’s painful screams ricocheted off the walls, traveling through the wooden door separating the two of us. I was so close to him, yet not allowed to offer him any support from up close. I hated it. I wanted to barge in and just hold him, cradle his head to my chest while Yeosang fixed him up. But if he was screaming, he was still breathing, and as painful as it was, I couldn’t help but let out a breath each time I heard it, thanking the Gods that he was still among us, still feeling, still living. I had moved out of Wooyoung’s lap as I sat against the wall, head fallen back against it, hand holding Wooyoung’s as he rubbed my knuckles in a calming manner, my nerves slightly loosening before my muscles tensed back up. I felt bad for him, but nothing could truly comfort me right now. I only needed Yunho. To know that he was safe, far away from death’s grasp. It felt like hours had passed as I sat in the hallway, the chatter of the pirates on deck traveling all the way down here, Yunho’s occasional screams interrupting the peace, and Wooyoung’s humming when I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, body trembling in fear and empathy for Yunho. And then finally, somehow, that cursed wooden door opened just slightly for Yeosang to step through. I didn’t think I had enough power in me, but I sprung up to my feet, ready to bounce inside, but Yeosang’s dishevelled appearance made me pause, eyes taking in his bloody clothes and hands. Even his cheeks were smudged with blood, and suddenly, I felt nauseous. What if Yunho didn’t make it? What if all that blood…was because Yeosang couldn’t save him?

“I stitched him up, the wound was very deep.” Yeosang’s deep voice was tired as he sighed loudly, “He fell unconscious, but he’s still breathing. And his pulse had gotten a lot more stable, I’m confident he’s out of harms way, he will survive, Y/N, he’s as fine as he can be.”

A weight was taken off my shoulders as my body shuddered and I bit my lower lip to stop myself from sobbing again. Yeosang stepped aside and lightly pushed the door open to me, “You can go see him, I’m done.”

“Thank you, Yeosang.” I didn’t care of the blood as I hugged the doctor tightly, conveying my emotions into that one hug, so grateful for him. Yeosang mumbled a simple ‘I would’ve never let him die’, before I released him and entered the room, instantly hit by the iron smell of Yunho’s blood. It was strong, but I noticed the small window was opened to allow fresh air inside. My steps faltered for a second as I noticed all the bloody rags on the floor next to our bed, and I gulped, eyes slowly falling on Yunho. He was sprawled out on our bed, sheets bloody too, and torso naked as his chest fell and rose rhythmically, lips slightly parted. There was a wide gash going from his left shoulder down to his ribs on his right side of the torso, skin red and raw, stitches carefully and neatly done. Yunho’s eyebrows were furrowed, but his face seemed relaxed as his fingers kept flexing and then unflexing. I approached him carefully, scared that I would wake him up, as I kneeled down next to our bed, eyes piercing his face. I counted the seconds as he breathed, reassuring myself that he was alright. I wiped the tears off my cheeks as they started falling again, but I couldn’t help it, not when the love of my life was so close to death. So close to being taken away from me. I hated these bloody missions he had to go on.

“I know you’re here.” Yunho croaked out and my heartbeat stuttered as he reached his long fingers out towards me, the ring with the letter A glinting on his forefinger. I bit my lower lip and quickly intertwined our fingers, the warmth of his hand another reminder that Yunho was alive. Breathing. Blood flowing through his veins.

“Yunho—” My voice broke as I started crying again, trying to not sob as a serene smile appeared on his lips, “Yunho, I was so scared.”

“I know, baby, I was too.” He whispered, lazily opening one eye before the other. He looked tired, eyelids threatening to drop any minute. I squeezed our hands tighter together, our similar rings digging into each other’s skins.

“You can never again do this to me, do you understand?” I demanded, eyebrows furrowing as Yunho nodded slowly, eyes boring into mine with adoration and sorry.

“I promise I won’t, Y/N.” I sniffed, wiping my tears off with my other hand.

“Good.” I whispered and raised his hand, pressing my lips against his palm. Yunho hummed deeply and smiled, closing his eyes, looking like he was in haven. He was quite close to getting there, actually.

“I love you.” Yunho whispered suddenly, “More than a friend, Y/N. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, the only woman in my life. I don’t need anyone else, just you. You make me happy and feel like the luckiest man in the four seas and four kingdoms, Y/N, I love you so much.”

I bit my lower lip as a wide smile stretched on my lips, my cheeks flushing, my heart swelling. Could you truly love someone else this much? I found myself nodding at my own question, “I love you too so much, Yunho, I cannot imagine my life without you by my side. Please stay with me forever.”

“I will.” Yunho opened his eyes and looked deeply into mine, glint back in his gaze. It took me a second to realize what that was. It was love. Passionate and irrevocable. Burning me up and making me yearn for more and more as I leaned over the bed, towards Yunho’s face, and pressed my lips daintily against his. Yunho kissed me back and we both smiled into the kiss as the door opened, a deep chuckle echoing behind me.

“A few more kisses might just heal him faster, Y/N.” Yeosang said teasingly as he came back to gather the bloody rags, staring down at us happily as I pulled away from Yunho, flustered that someone caught us kissing.

“They might just.” I heard Yunho mutter to himself as he allowed his body to relax, eyelids fluttering shut, growing heavy against the sheets which smelled like us. I held Yunho’s hand as I continued kneeling on the floor, watching him sleep and thank the Gods for letting him see the sunset and sunrise once again.

I never knew you could love someone so ardently, that it ate you up, burned your whole being. I never dared imagine what it felt like when the person you love loved you back just as passionately, their whole world revolving only around you. But I knew now that it all would be fine. That nothing could break us apart, having sealed our bond for a lifetime. And staring at Yunho, I knew that I had found my soulmate, the only person in the whole world who understood me and would never abandon me.

Sneaking on this ship with him ten years ago was the smartest decision I have ever taken.

Next part (divider)

[justsomerandomfanfic]

Wild Uncharted Waters - Prince Eric X Female Reader

Title: Wild Uncharted Waters

Prince Eric X Female Reader

Additional Characters: Sir Grimsby, Eric's mother (Mentioned), Reader's mother (Mentioned), Reader's grandmother (Mentioned), Max the dog, crewmates (Mentioned), and Royal palace people (Mentioned)

Requested by: Anon!

WC: 4,651

Warnings: Reader has a mother, Reader has a grandmother, childhood friends to lovers, I have not seen the movie, maybe slight changes in storyline?, mentions of illness, teasing, taunting, flirting?, pinning, fire mentioned, Eric almost drowns, fireworks mentioned, confessions, anxiety, nervousness, embarrassment, wounds mentioned, a few song references, even though he had almost drowned Eric is always down for a race, slight angst, death mentioned very briefly, and a lot of fluff

The ocean waves crashed against the side of the small ship, erupting in white seafoam and bubbles as the vessel journeys through the dark, deep waters to the newest destination. You held onto the thick, coarse rope, leaning off the edge, and letting the fresh, salty sea air blow through your hair as your booted feet planted firmly against the wooden beam of the ship's railing. You were coursing through wild uncharted waters, on the day of the Prince's birthday: your best friend, Eric. Eric had been your friend ever since you were both little children. You lived in the village near the castle and met Eric after he was adopted into the royal family. 

You first met at the seaside, you remembered that day well and looked back upon it fondly; even after all these years. Your tiny feet in the wet, squishy sand, the surprisingly warm water lapping at your ankles, and the sound of a young boy laughing; giggling away, had gained your attention. You remembered turning, and seeing a small boy, no older than you at the time, with a flurry of raven black curls, barreling down the beach; a bright smile on his face. As a young child, you had never seen someone so excited to be at the beach. Then again, you guessed that the people in the village were used to the sights and beautiful smells of the seashore; you wondered if this boy had never seen the ocean before. Overall, it was nice. Seeing someone love the beach just as much as you.

Seeing that you were the only two children there, you both introduced yourselves and began playing with one another. And over the days and months, you two became great friends. Tossing rocks into the water to see who had the biggest splash, building lop-sided sand castles, and racing to the castle's kitchen; little Prince Eric always let you win. Even when Eric got his pup, Max, you both played with the dog, playing fetch until both you and the Prince were called home. And, as the years went on and on, the two of you got even closer.

No longer were you friends, but the most inseparable pair anyone had ever laid their eyes on. As young adults, when Eric was free to visit the village, he'd join you at the market, looking at fabrics, jewelry, and even homemade quilts. But, most of the time, just as you did as children, you would both spend time at the beach. You spent a lot of time there since it was both a place you and the Prince held so close to your hearts. The ocean breeze was calming, as were the sounds of the crashing waters against the harsh rocks. There, you both spoke of your day, life in general, and your dreams. There was hardly a time when you and Eric weren't by each other's side. Only when Eric was needed at the castle, his home away from the shore, for whatever princely duties, did you part.

And although both of your lives seemed to be full of sunshine and rainbows, that was far from the fact. You and Eric both had your fair share of hardships. He, Eric, wanted to be free of life inside the castle walls. Eric longed for adventure, sailing the beautiful seven seas, and filling his office with more treasure he had found along the way. And you, you wanted to get away from the village, similar to Eric. And like Eric, you wanted to go on daring adventures, go away to far-off places, and see the world. But, it was hard when you had to stay and take care of your ill grandmother. She was old and frail, and you had to watch over her when your mother had to go off to work. You loved your family deeply, but you wanted to chase that freedom that blew swiftly and sweetly in the salty sea air.

But, to add salt to the wound, you had a secret. You were in love. You were in love with your best friend. Originally, you were overjoyed. The amazing feeling of love overflowed throughout your entire body and soul as you realized that you were indeed in love with Eric. You loved when he ran a hand through his hair, trying to fix it when the wind blew against it, getting into his vision. You loved the ways his eyes lit up with deep fondness as he stared off at the sea or spoke about the newest treasure he had found. You loved his voice, beautiful and soft when he would hum or sing a song under his breath. He was entirely perfect.

Though, you had an inkling that the love you had for him was always there, simmering and sizzling below the surface. Though, as some time went on, you realized that your love could never be. He was a Prince, and you were just the daughter of a seamstress. It deeply saddened you, knowing that there was no chance that you could spend the rest of your days with the man you loved. But, you dreamed and you wished upon the great, shining stars in the sky that one day you and Eric could live happily ever after. Or at least, you could be in his life in any way, just being by his side is all you could ask for. But, you were selfish, and you often let your daydreams wander and think about the ‘what ifs.’ What if Eric felt the same about you? Maybe it was all your insecurities talking.

"Beautiful day, huh?" You heard the familiar soft voice, instantly allowing a smile to grace your features. 

Turning your gaze away from the blue sea, your eyes landed on the soft brown eyes of your Eric, "Yes," You sighed softly, "The perfect day for someone's birthday..." You lightly teased, watching with a certain admiration as the dimples of Eric's cheeks deepened and his smile grew.

The man before you nodded, looking briefly at the wooden floorboards of the ship before looking back up at you. He, too, had a dilemma. It wasn't the fact that his mother was probably worried that he went off sailing again when she begged him not to, nor was it the seemingly gray and gloomy-looking clouds that speckled the sky. No... Eric was completely enchanted by you. 

Looking up at you as you held on tightly to the rope, staring off at the sea; Eric stood simply in awe as the slowly setting sun gleamed against your soft skin. You looked stunningly beautiful, as always, the carefree smile that he adored on your face making him grin. You were truly breathtaking, a goddess among men; he could just stare at you forever. 

Really, it was only a matter of time before the two of you fell in love with one another, as said in the words of your mother. But, somehow, no matter how long you've known each other, you both were incredibly oblivious to each other's feelings. Even though you had a knack for telling what Eric was thinking, and Eric had a few tricks in finding out when you were lying, you both were totally clueless about each other's feelings. 

As if sensing the intensity of Eric's gaze, you turned your head once more. Tilting your head slightly to the side, you stared down at Eric, a small smile growing on your face. You couldn't help but admire the man before you, your eyes raking across his lean and sturdy figure; from his brown leather boots to the dark ruffled curls upon his head. He was truly a handsome sight.

"Well," Eric began, voice slightly breathless before he cleared his throat, his eyes shifting slightly from the tingling of nerves that flowed through him, "I came to see if you'd be joining in the festivities, or staying up there?" He asked, only to watch as you hopped down from the railing, your boots landing on the wooden floorboards with a thud. 

Smiling up at him, you shrugged your shoulders, "I wouldn't dare miss out on it, Eric. After all, I heard there was going to be fireworks." You answered, following Eric as you headed to the other side of the ship where most of the crew were setting up for the party.

Eric mirrored your smile, looking down at you as he gently took your hand in his, "Thank you for being here beside me." His voice was gentle, yet sincere as his eyes locked with yours. You felt your cheeks heat up, your heart fluttering wildly in your chest, and your stomach twisting into knots as he gazed at you.

Shrugging your shoulders once again, you smiled sheepishly up at him, "Absolutely, Eric. Anything for you."

~~~

The fireworks lit up the sky in purples, reds, and blues, creating a brilliant display of bright colors. The loud booms of the explosions echoed throughout the sea and air, almost drowning out the cheers of the crowd on the deck. However, you were not paying any mind to the beautiful lights above, your eyes and mind were on the Prince on the deck, laughing and fooling around with his crewmates and friends. You watched as they hoisted Eric into the air, some singing a bright, cheerful tune as others drank away on their mead. You admired your best friend from above, his dog Max beside you, keeping you company; his warm fur grounding you. 

The sky was a dark blue, the sun had long since set and as the night continued, the sky slowly littered with stars. It had been a long, lovely day. Pushing off the railing, you wandered over to the side of the ship, taking your time to stare up at the sky, gazing at the twinkling stars as the firework show finally ended. The moon shone brightly, illuminating the waves below. You breathed in deeply, sighing contently before you heard the sound of boots against the stairs of the ship, not even bothering to turn; you knew who now stood beside you.

It was calming, looking up at the night sky with Eric. He said nothing, falling into the peaceful silence with you. Though, you began to feel jittery, almost nervous as you glanced over at him. The moonlight shone down upon him with white angelic rays, highlighting his beautiful side profile. Your heart swelled, loving every single aspect of him, whether it was the curve of his lips, or his dark eyelashes that fluttered against his cheekbones every time he blinked. 

"What did you wish for?" You asked abruptly, but yet softly, gaining the Prince's attention as he raised an eyebrow your way.

"What did I wish for?" He asked in return, only for you to nod your head before looking back at the sky before you. Eric took a moment to gaze at you, watching as the light of the lanterns on the ship cast soft shadows upon your form, giving you a certain glow. He let out a small breath, eyes and mind taking in the woman before him. Oh, how beautiful you looked in the moonlight. As if hearing his thoughts, you turned once more, meeting his gaze. You offered him a small smile, which he returned almost nervously. Placing one of his hands over yours, holding onto it, your touch anchored him. Caressing it gently with the soft pad of his thumb, he turned back to the sky, "I wish that tonight could last forever." He muttered softly, thoughtfully before turning to look down at you. "But I don't think I should've told you. Hearing that voicing your wishes out loud can cause them to never come true." He gave you a small charming smile, one that never failed to make your heart race.

You smiled, nodding as you slid a bit closer to the Prince, your shoulder brushing up against his arm. "Either way, your wish sounds wonderful."

Eric turned down to look at you once more, his eyes meeting yours, causing him to lose focus momentarily. His Adam's apple bobbing slightly as he swallowed thickly. He inhaled sharply through his nose as his eyes scanned your features, noting how you had gotten a new freckle upon the apple of your left cheek; probably from the almost constant sun no doubt, and the way that you slowly turned your hand you intertwined your fingers with his sent tingles throughout his arm. If Eric hadn't known any better, he would've thought he was about to confess his feelings for you. And maybe he was. Opening his mouth, Eric was just about to say your name, when there was a loud shout from the deck. 

"Fire!" A voice called from the deck, "Fire!"

Eric's eyes widened as he quickly made his way down the stairs, almost tripping over his feet. Some of the crew members were trying to put out the flames, but they weren't quick enough and before Eric knew it, the whole ship was engulfed in flames, burning the wooden deck and burning down to the bottom of the ship to the top of the masts. People screamed, shouted, and ran for the lifeboats, dropping them down into the dark depths of the ocean below. Eric cursed silently as he jumped into action; he quickly ran to the edge of the railing, ready to jump in when he heard a bark. 

Looking up and over to where he had previously been, he watched as Max became trapped, fire flickering and flaming around him. Eric rushed around fallen beams, climbing up the stairs and grabbing Max before tossing him into the water; carefully watching as Max made it to one of the lifeboats. Panic filled him just as the smoke filled his lungs, Eric looked around the burning ship, his eyes tearing up slightly as the flames grew higher and higher; where were you? 

"Eric!" He heard your voice, turning abruptly and tightly clutching the side of the ship to see you in one of the lifeboats. Eric felt the tightness in his chest lessen slightly, seeing you safe, but, before he could try and do anything, a loud explosion knocked him against the beam; causing him to fall back into the water below. 

You leaned forward, the lifeboat wobbling slightly as you watched as Eric fell from the ship and into the water. Not seeing him rise to the surface, you threw yourself into the ocean, ignoring the cries from the crewmates. Holding your breath, the salt water burned your eyes as you swam further down, finally spotting Eric's silhouette. Pushing yourself further down, your legs and arms ached as you finally reached the unconscious Eric. Wrapping your arms around his waist, you used all of the rest of your strength to swim back up to the surface, your lungs begging and crying out for fresh air as you swam up and finally broke through the surface. 

You let out a large breath, coughing as you readjusted your hold on Eric, making sure his head was above the water as you looked around, the ship was far behind you and there were no lifeboats in sight. Trying not to panic, you could see the faint streetlights from the island only a bit away from you. Swimming with all your might, your body ran on the adrenaline that flowed through your blood, pushing the fear and anxiety away as you slowly but surely got to land.

The rising sun began to shine over you, warming your chilled skin as you dragged Eric towards the nearest beach. You stumbled upon the sand first, pulling Eric with you as you crawled onto the ground. Chest heaving with heavy breaths, you laid Eric onto the warm sand, raising your hand up to brush his wet curls from his face before checking his neck for a pulse. You let out a sigh of relief as you felt the soft thump beneath your fingertips, finally letting yourself rest and calm, knowing that Eric was alive and safe. 

Raising your hand, you placed it on Eric's cheek, wiping off the sand before you lightly tapped him, "Eric, Eric, can you hear me?" You asked, trying to wake him, watching in anticipation as his eyelids flickered and he lightly groaned. 

Slowly opening his eyes, he squinted them, taking in his surroundings before focusing them on the silhouette above him, "Y/N?" He asked, voice deep and hoarse as he blinked a few times before finally getting his vision back into focus; his brown eyes looking up into yours. 

You let out a breathy sigh, your hand still resting on his cheek, "Thank God you're okay. Well, minus the small cut on your head there, do you have a concussion?” You abruptly asked, seeing as his eyes seemed fine, you let out a sigh, “I… I don’t know what I - I thought I lost..." You stuttered and then trailed off, you couldn't finish that sentence, closing your eyes briefly and taking another breath, "I'm so glad that you're alright." You finished weakly, the front of your teeth coming out to pull at the corner of your bottom lip. Eric blinked again, trying to calm his soaring heart; he didn't know if his almost drowning was the cause of his racing heart, or you above him, your voice and touch so soothing and calming. 

His own lips parted slightly, his mouth dry as he tried to speak, "You saved me," He murmured, not caring about the slight twinge of pain that burned his throat, and how tired he felt, "Thank you, Y/N," His lips curved upward, his voice gentle as he spoke.

Your eyes closed, a soft smile crossing your lips as he moved his hand up to your cheek, the tips of his fingers brushing through your wet hair. "It's no problem, Your Highness," You lightly teased before your voice softened, "I don't know what I'd do without you." Your words caused his heart to soar, a surge of emotions running through his veins like electricity.

"You're not hurt, are you?" Eric asked, his eyebrows raising slightly with concern as his eyes raked over your face for any cuts or bruises, but you just shook your head.

Opening your eyes, you could only smile, "No, no, I'm fine, Eric. Just a bit out of breath is all." A laugh escaped your lips, shaking your head lightly as you watched him, admiring the man in front of you.

He seemed almost relieved as he nodded, relaxing. "Good." He said before moving his hand, the backs of his fingers brushing against your cheek. "When I was on that ship, and I couldn't find you... I was scared," He added after a minute, his thumb rubbing against your cheekbone gently. Your eyes drifted shut at the feeling of his touch, unable to stop yourself from leaning into his hand. His touch was so tender, so sweet. It sent shivers throughout your entire body as his hand continued to rub up and down your cheek; his touch sending little jolts through every cell in your body. "I was worried I'd never get to tell you how I feel." 

Eric felt his chest tighten again as he watched your eyes open, the same curiosity held in them that Eric admired, "What do you mean?" You then asked, voice no louder than a mutter as Eric moved to sit up before speaking; one hand propping himself up and the other falling from your cheek and onto his lap.

"I don't know how to explain this... Well... I don't really have a word for it... I just... Know that my feelings for you go beyond friendship. I've never felt this strongly for anyone in my life. All I ever think about is you..." Eric replied quietly, his hand holding himself up digging into the rough sand below him.

You blinked, your stomach erupting into butterflies at his confession, "Really? Are you sure you're not concussed?" You breathed out, your mind racing as the ocean waves crashed gently upon the shore behind you, merely inches from touching you; but at Eric nod, you let out a shallow breath, "That’s… Nice…" You began, swallowing thickly, "Because, uhm, I- I feel the same, ever since we were children," You whispered, flushing lightly as Eric's eyes instantly snapped up to meet yours. "I cannot get over you."

"Wait, what? Really?" Eric questioned, completely shocked that you felt the exact same way as he did. The surprise and absolute joy he was feeling seemed to distract him from his fatigue and possible pain. His eyes widening similar to yours as you nodded, feeling your cheeks burning; both your hearts pounding and racing.

"Yes, of course," You said softly, smiling sheepishly as you looked down, "But I wanted to make sure that I wasn't reading too much into things because I'm not an expert in romance or anything. But I'm pretty sure that you're the love of my life," You chuckled lightly, cringing lightly from your chosen words, your eyes glimmering. "No matter how sappy or cliche that sounds now that I've said it," You continued, feeling a bit nervous as you took in the expression on Eric's face.

Eric smiled widely, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and those adorable dimples on full show as his hands rested on his knees, "Oh no, that was very cheesy." He chuckled lightly before leaning forward a bit, his fingers coming up to brush the stray speckles of sand from your cheek and temple, your cheek tingling at the simple touch. "And I think you're right about the whole 'too sappy' thing too." His eyes flashed with amusement, his thumb running along your jawline, and leaving behind a trail of goosebumps in its place.

"You just love to tease me," You muttered, rolling your eyes slightly before shifting your gaze, a light flush appearing on your cheeks as you leaned into his touch once more.

"Maybe," Eric replied softly, reaching out to tuck your damp hair behind your ear. "May I... May I kiss you?" He asked, his eyes holding a hint of uncertainty and worry.

You looked back up at him, your hand slowly clenched around the sand at your fingertips, the course and dry sand softly scratching at your palm. Eric's brown eyes drew you in, the small specks of gold shining under the bright morning sun. You slowly nodded your head, your eyes flickering between his brown ones before they closed as you felt Eric lean closer toward you. Your heart pounded hard against your chest as you felt his warm breath fan across your face, his hand cupping your cheek once more as his lips brushed against yours in a sweet, fleeting kiss before going in and claiming your mouth with his in a passionate kiss.

Your lips parted slightly at the sensation, your hands quickly reaching up to tangle themselves into Eric's soft, black curls. The taste of salt lingered on your lips, causing his heart to race even faster as he held you in his arms. The two sat in bliss before you both pulled away, both your faces flushed as you looked at each other. Your heart goes a million miles a minute as you let out a carefree and joyful laugh, making Eric smile at the pure sound of it.

Eric couldn't help but sigh softly, his eyes narrowing lazily as he gazed at you, goosebumps rising on the back of his neck as your fingers gently raked through the hair there, sending chills down his spine and a warm feeling flowing through his veins. The warmth he felt was nothing compared to the one he felt when he was near you; the warmth you gave him made him feel safe and secure; you had such a calming effect on him. Like the open sea, you always had the ability to wash away the worries in his mind, to bring him peace and tranquility. 

Eric watched in a sort of awe, watching as the sun shined over you, lighting up your skin in a golden glow; the blue sky reflecting beautifully within your eyes as your long lashes fluttered against your cheeks. He knew that he loved you since the day he met you, that's for sure.

"Eric," You called to him, gaining his attention as you gestured to a few of the members of the castle coming down the stone and grassy walkway, all looking panicked as they rushed toward the beach where the two of you were sitting. Eric furrowed his brows in confusion, his eyes widening when he saw Sir Grimsby approaching, Max the dog in tow. He glanced between you and the others, noticing that they were all looking at the both of you, worry written across their features. 

"Your Highness! What happened?" Sir Grimsby asked, coming over to help the Prince up, "You've been gone all night, we heard about the ship sinking!"

Eric just smiled, albeit a bit bashfully as he turned and offered you his hand, helping you up from the sandy beach, your feet sinking slightly into the wet sand as he pulled you close to him, his hand intertwining with yours as he spoke, "Yes, well, Y/N saved me... So, we're all good." He spoke, giving you a glance as Max came bounding over, his sandy paws landing on your legs as you ran your fingers through his fur with a smile.

Sir Grimsby sighed deeply, running a hand down his face in exhaustion as he gestured for you and the Prince to follow, muttering to himself, "I swear, if he keeps being reckless like this-" He cut himself off as he realized that Eric was holding onto your hand. He cleared his throat and pointedly ignored Eric's gaze, as he led the two of you towards the castle.

"I don't think your mother's going to be too happy to hear about this." You whispered to him, causing Eric to chuckle softly as he squeezed your hand comfortingly.

"Probably not, but she'll get over it..." He answered with a slight shrug, "She can't keep me away from the ocean forever."

You nodded, slightly swinging your arms together as you spotted the castle before you, "We may have to take a break from sailing for a little while," You told him, a small teasing lilt to your tone.

Eric grinned playfully at the thought, "I wouldn't mind," He replied, "As long as I am with you," He trailed off, turning his head slightly toward you.

Your heart melted at his words, his gaze lingering on you as his lips curved into a gentle smile. "I'll be here beside you." You mumbled quietly, your own lips tugging into a smile as you squeezed his hand tightly in return.

Eric matched your smile, his eyes gazing down into yours as he raised your hand, pressing his lips gently to your knuckles as the world around you both slowly floated away, disappearing beneath the calm waves.

"Your Highness!" A voice yelled, pulling you and Eric out of your own little bubble, the Prince before you turned to the voice that called down to the both of you.

"Coming, Grimsby!" Eric called up to him before he turned to look back down at you. 

A small mischievous smirk graced your beautiful face, raising your other hand, gently pressing your finger upon his nose before letting go of his hand and walking backward towards the castle, "Last one to the kitchens is a rotten egg!"

Eric let out an amused huff, his own lips curling into a smirk before he ran up alongside you, unable to stop the laughter from flowing out of him as he let you win, just as he did when you were both children.

[dstryvampres]

okay so...one shot inspired by song "my oh my" (by aqua) (or just a pirate au) with neil lewis?

I do not write pirates well(I have no knowledge of them sorry anon) so I'm so so sorry that this is not very well written or long !! forgive me pleasee. this is more dnd based than realistic.

Pairing: knight!Neil Lewis x pirate!reader

Warnings: no smut this time sorry gang, mentions of violence, sword fighting, Neil is so so so ooc

Word Count: 911

Neil fucking Lewis, if there was ever a man you hated it was him. It was him and his stupid little band of knights that seemed hellbent on following you and your crew around the continent to stop you from stealing anything. This would’ve been fine for anybody else, a lowly rogue or a petty assassin. You had a name to uphold, a ship to upkeep, and a crew to feed.

“So, we meet once again,” Neil grins, atop of his steed on the port you were just about to dock.

“How the fuck did you find me Lewis?” you hiss, looking down at him from the deck of your ship.

“Followed my heart,” Neil sighed dramatically, covering his heart with his hand.

“I’ll fucking kill you,” it’s an empty threat, you and Neil have been playing this game for years if either have you wanted you could’ve a long time ago.

“I’d like to see you try,” Neil teases, before turning around a riding away.

You hear a snicker behind you. One of your own men is laughing at you? When you get your hands on that conniving bastard– There’s more than one. Fuck. Your whole crew? You turn around, trying to shoot each member of your crew a hostile look. Like you havent raised and nurtured every single one of them, like you didn’t give them the clothes on their back, and the food on their plates.

“When are you two just going to fuck?” your right-hand man chuckles, walking up and slapping a hand on your shoulder.

What? God, you don’t have time to deal with this.

“Dock the boat, someone! Anyone! Then we try to pillage this town and leave, I don’t care if Lewis is here!” You shout, waving off the hand on your shoulder and walking off.

What does your crew even know about a good old fashioned rivalry? It’s like no one can appreciate when two people just hate eachother any more. Technically you’re a little sexually pent up, it’s hard to get any action as a constantly thwarted pirate, but that doesn’t play much into your relationship with Neil. Nope, not one bit. Just because the knight is attractive doesn’t mean you want to have anything more than a passionate rivalry with him. Sometimes you think of Neil when you get off at night, but everyone feels that way about their rival. Totally…

Before you were able to start questioning yourself on this relationship the ship was docked, and you had to lead your crew into raiding the seaside village you just docked in. You motioned and yelled for everyone to go and get off the ship, the slam of feet landing onto the dock and the running into the town mixed with the slash of swords being grabbed. Soon enough you too were running up the dock, sword in hand. 

You wouldn’t be doing any of the dirty business, merely just watching over your crew and directing your side of the chaos. Neil and his men were waiting out somewhere near, so you had to be alert to where he could be. It’s hard to see anything between the chaos in the town; homes being lit on fire, the clashing of swords with one another and possibly civilians, groans of pain, and you shouting out instructions. Through all of this it would’ve been nearly impossible for the average man to react to the slash of Neil’s blade towards you, but you managed to dodge his attack. Retrieving your own sword and retaliating.

“You’re much sharper than I thought,” Neil teases, offering a cocky smile.

“We’ve fought almost everyday for the past two years, why are you so surprised?” you bite back, aiming for his leg with your next slash. Only to be blocked by Neil’s own sword.

“Thought I did,” Neil ducks down to avoid another slash from you, “more damage last time.”

“You barely scratched me,” you say, it’s cocky despite the fact that Neil is pushing you back onto the dock with his own moves.

“I swore you keeled over,” Neil swings his own sword over his head, which you can barely block with your own force.

Neil starts to falter, allowing you to push back enough so that you and Neil are essentially face to face, breathing each other in. Only thing between you two being the metal of your own swords. Here, when you’re breathing down eachother’s necks, in the midst of battle, is the time when it starts to dawn on you that Neil is probably the only person you know who can fully understand you and your own personal struggles.

“You’re beautiful,” Neil whispers, just loud enough for you to hear. Maybe he never meant for you to hear that at all, you just did.

Those words alone almost make you lose your stance against Neil, but if you fall now you fall back into the depths of the sea. You push back against him, none of you moving from your oddly close positions in front of one another. The cycle continues as you get back onto solid land with Neil, both of you falling to the floor heaving. Neil is so far from you, but he’s always right where you are. Somehow he get every part about you, but he fucking hates you. There’s a part of you that hopes that one day you can fling yourself and Neil to the bottom of the ocean.

Taglist: @paradiseprincesss @luluartpop @xanaxiii @galactict3a

[miusmusings]

I'm still curious and as far as I can see no one else has asked about these yet, so please tell me more about the Woordlands Hybrid AU and the Mermaid AU?? *big pleading eyes*

Hellooooo!!

I so sorry, this is an awfully late answer! I got too busy with too many stuff anf time ran away without telling me >:(

So the Woodlands hybrid au!

It's a Pit Babe au focusing on AlanJeff (with occasional cameo of other pairings) where Jeff is a bunny hybrid living all alone at the edge of the forest and Alan is a wolf hybrid living with a pack in the forest. With Winter approaching, Jeff goes into the forest to forage the last of whatever nuts and berries he can find ton top off his winter stores, and stumbles across Alan.

Now hybrids don't prey on each other if they can help it, but wolf hybrids make others nervous just with their presence. Alan, who is one of the gentlest creatures in the entre forest, tries to make himself small and harmless looking when he suddenly sees the bun hybrid to not frighten them.

Except Jeff's lived alone for a long, long time and is accustomed to taking care of himself. And he's stumbled across plenty of big bad wolves over the years. He snarls and attacks Alan with his knife, injuring him and running away himself.

Alan nurses his injury over the winter, and come spring Jeff learns that his adopted brother Charlie has mated a wolf called Babe from the forest pack and will be holding the ceremony soon.

Jeff is sure Charlie's gone mad, but he has to there to support his brother, and help him escape if he comes to his senses at the last minute. And when he goes there for helping out at the ceremony, well, guess who's the pack leader of the wolf pack?

Mermaid AU

This is a KimKenta cetric fic with NorthSonic as side couple.

It's got quite a complicated plot to explain (and my hands are in pain from how much I've typed today T^T), but basically, Kenta's the (neglected) son of Tony, the village head of a seaside village.

The village has fallen on hard times, and Tony, to keep the support of villagers on him despite failed harvests and sea storms, proposes the wonderful idea to sacrfice his own son to the sea to appease the sea spirit (a la andromeda).

So they tie Kenta to a rock by the sea and leave him there for the sea to take him.

Kenta's sure he's gonna die, but then a siren, the one who lures sailors to death and eats their flesh, takes him away. Kenta's sure that he's still dying, but the siren, Kim, gives him fish to eat and takes him to a small cove in a tiny island and basically lets him be.

Anyway they fall for each other and upon advice of the neighbouring siren couple (aka northsonic), kim decides to court kenta.

But siren courting rituals are complicated, and just gitfs won't do (tho Kim gifts plenty of seashells and pearls and treasures from ships he's suck to Kenta)—there's a final gift, an eternal declaration of love that makes up the final step of siren courting rituals—the gift of a human heart.

Now, Kim has heard how harshly Kenta's father has treated him over the years, and decides the best gift for Kenta would be Tony's heart.

It ends with Kenta embracing the siren life (tho how a human becomes a siren is quite uhhhh.... let's say it'll have dead dove tags in ao3 so i'll not elaborate it here, th you're welcome to send me an ask or dm me about it if you want. be warned that it might be triggering-it involves cannibalism)

That's it for the aus! They are all over the place but I love them still XD

[baldurs-writers-3]

Hidden Gems 1: A Baldur's Gate 3 Fanfiction Rec List

This week, we have Hidden Gems! Check under the cut for 17 fics that haven’t gotten nearly enough love, and as always, comment and kudos if you like them!

sating appetites by mallowspace (1599, Mature) Content Notes: None Pairings: Gale/Tav

Tav forces Gale to beg for a magical artifact.

Reccer says: this is so mean and cruel, i just love pleading desperate gale so much

A Word by Irken (4915, Teen) Content Notes: Hurt/Comfort Pairings: The Emperor/Illithid Tav

This is a one-shot about the Emperor giving a fresh illithid Tav get used to their new biology and methods of communication.

Reccer says: It's short and sweet and thoughtful and fluffy enough to cheer me up after a bad day :) and the author's descriptions of mind flayer communication are so evocative!

Notes from the Ceremorphosis Unit by narla_hotep (11942, General) Content Notes: Body Horror Pairings: N/A

A series of letters, memos, and other documents translated from Qualith tablets found in Oryndoll; the largest illithid colony in the Underdark. In the Ceremorphosis Unit, they transform prisoners and thralls into new mind flayers to serve the colony's Elder Brain and further the Grand Design. But even in this cruel and alien culture, there is still typical workplace drama and passive-aggression...

Reccer says: I love fics that explore the world of BG3 in some way, and this is a great (and often humorous) look at the world of the illithid hiveminds. Fun read!

You know what they say about monsters by Snailpals (25770, Explicit) Content Notes: Graphic Depictions Of Violence Pairings: Astarion/Dark Urge

Some durges are more put together than others at the start of tadpole times. Echo is a durge that is very much /not/ together, not even remembering what race they are! Astarion slowly falls head over heels for someone even more pathetic than he is. How could he not?!

Reccer says: Two sad wet cats fall in love

Crisis of Faith by The_Dancing_Walrus (4152, Explicit) Content Notes: Cult Pairings: Shadowheart & Astarion

There's a new God of Murder, and Shadowheart can't remember who it is she wants to kill.

Reccer says: a lovely, vicious exploration of Shadowheart fighting past and through and beyond Shar's worship, with some help from a fanged God of Murder

A Night Ashore by Tynithia (3981, Teen) Content Notes: N/A Pairings: Balduran/Tav, The Emperor/Tav

Before Balduran became a legend, a dragon rider, and the founder of Baldur's Gate, he was a ship's Captain. When his ship takes shelter at a seaside village near Illusk, Balduran wakes from a vivid dream about a beautiful elf, or was it a dream?

Reccer says: This is the start of multiple unique stories by the author. I loved the idea of an elf!Tav who knew Balduran before he became a Mind Flayer and I was not disappointed! The author touches on Balduran's life as a sailor before the events of BG3.

On Waxen Wings We Soar, In Spite of Inevitable Ends by Pokimoko (15613, Teen) Content Notes: Terminal Injury, Suicidal Ideation Pairings: Astarion & Karlach

Karlach's engine is about to go - but not quite yet. She's got time enough for a road trip, and maybe a companion on this last adventure.

Reccer says: utterly gorgeous and heartbreaking exploration of a terminal Karlach, directionless Astarion, and the inherent question of who do you want to be when the curtains close.

Strange Highways by NoCryptoGrapher (28939, Mature) Content Notes: None Pairings: Cazador / female OC, Cazador & male OCs, Cazador&Petras, Cazador&Astarion

Cazador gets Isekai'd to 1980s and ends up joining a heavy metal band.

Reccer says: Hilarious, addictive and tight plotted. Couldn't stop reading. Loved the soundtrack too.

a decade starved by ballofbitter (4906, Mature) Content Notes: nope Pairings: Karlach/Tav

Karlach and Eos have some good cuddle time, talking about Karlach's dream for the future. Tinged with sadness as well, at this point, Karlach has just recently been told she will die if she doesn't return to Avernus. BUT SHE CAN CUDDLE NOW SO THATS GOOD.

Reccer says: Tails! Both Karlach and Eos feel like real characters, they both are explored a bit, in under 5k words! One doesn't feel just like a prop for the other. ALSO TAILS.

What You Made Me by Denesmera (20176, Explicit) Content Notes: None Pairings: Astarion/Tav

Six months since the defeat of Elderbrain, Maeve is at a crossroads in her life.

Reccer says: I enjoy how the story focuses on growth, indecision, and hidden desire between the two main characters along with an entire plot. The story plays on the aftermath of decisions that were made during the game and the writer did a great job at exploring the 'now what'. The writing and dialogue has this beauty and flow to it that must not be missed. Worth a read! A hidden gem!

a story better than the real thing by not_whelmed_yet (1100, General) Content Notes: N/A Pairings: N/A

Wyll is alone in the woods, in the wilderness, and the heroes of his youth spoke only of victory so maybe he can convince himself of it, too.

Reccer says: a wonderful character study of Wyll as the Blade of Frontiers - creating a storybook persona so he can try and distract himself from the miserable realities of his current situation. very sad. very fascinating.

Hero of the Hour by Aeona (7779, Explicit) Content Notes: None Pairings: Karlach / Wyll

It's Wyll's birthday. He tries to make it about everyone else. Karlach won't let it be about anyone but him.

Reccer says: this is so precious and pours so much love into their interaction

The Contract by This_One_Bites (3899, General) Content Notes: No Archive Warnings Apply Pairings: Astarion & Mizora (Baldur's Gate)

Post game story where Astarion is in the Underdark taking care of the spawn while Tav has to deal with some other things and Mizora comes along and makes an offer he can't refuse.

Reccer says: The tension in this was amazing. The author went through all of Astarion's fears, wants and needs and wrapped them all into a perfect contract. The ending just left me wanting to pull my hair out! It might be one of the best stories I ever read and I can't believe it doesn't have more hits!

Under the Sussur Tree by bravelikealady (3160, Teen) Content Notes: None Pairings: Wyll / Gale

The Wizard of Waterdeep and the Blade of Frontiers find themselves rendered merely Gale Dekarios and Wyll Ravengard under the neutralizing affects of the Sussur tree. Without the bite of the Weave or the call of Mystra, Gale finds something fighting for space with the orb in his chest.

Reccer says: this is so romantic and soft and poignant, beautifully written!

Deep Haven: An Archive of Historical Records by Our very own Professor_Rye (3676, General) Content Notes: N/A Pairings: N/A

Centuries after The Absolute Crisis, a historian works tirelessly to hunt down and gather any and all documents relating to Deep Haven, The Under Gate, and The Shade Way that connects them. Or: How the Tad-fools and friends help a little under 7000 vampire spawn start a new life

Reccer says: Gap filler and world building documents are always fun to me, but this fic takes it to a new level with a custom work skin: scrolls, letters, and all manner of documents help craft an immersive look at what the characters might've gotten up to post-quest in BG3. :)

In Time by Fartastic durge (27784, Explicit) Content Notes: Graphic depictions of violence Pairings: Astarion/Tav, Astarion & Gale

Taking place 19 years after the original events of Fated, Astarion finds himself in a place that could be close to acceptance of the events that transpired that day when they defeated the Netherbrain. In the hopes of finding his happy ending, he takes one last chance to seek answers to lingering questions that prevent him from moving on entirely when Gale suggests a trip to Candlekeep.

Reccer says: I binge read this once I started it! It's a follow on to a previous work, but easy to get the gist if you haven't read that. Love the relationship between Astarion and Gale, and the Tav complications! Sinister with a dark humour.

And two recs for: Cutlass Tavern by Tynithia (33395, Explicit) Content Notes: None Pairings: Balduran/Ansur, Balduran/Tav

Balduran and Ansur's relationship was already on the rocks when Balduran makes it worse by spending the night with someone else.

Reccer #1 says: I enjoyed how the writer created an original story from two characters who only had a letter and one scene together in the entire game. Their original characters were woven in so easily into their story, I went to the Forgotten Realms wiki to see if they were real characters. I also enjoyed the point of view chapters from each of the characters, it really gave the story more insight to how each were thinking. It's a great emotional roller coaster and worth a read. I laughed, cried, and rooted for all the characters - a hidden gem indeed! Reccer #2 says: Like with many long established relationships, there are ups and downs, no matter how much you love each other. Balduran and Ansur were no exception, especially when one is an elf and the other is a dragon.The story is told from the perspective of the three main characters Balduran, Ansur, and Ellandra (Tav/OC) with Gaius Dekarios (Gale’s great-grandfather/OC) in a supporting role. Really enjoyed this glimpse into Balduran's past life and loves. A great read with lots of angst, laughs, romance, battles and sea tales around the past lives of the characters.

Hidden Gems are any fics with less than 150 kudos! We want to uplift authors in our community, and sometimes all a fic needs is that little push. The above fanfic recommendations were pulled from our community for this weekly event. Have any questions about what this is? Check out the FAQ! Next week, we’ll be coming in with our first instance of a recurring theme, with Extraplanar Travel!

From the House of Hope to the Astral Prism, this theme has range! So tune in next week!