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lokiandracoon · 2 years

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Pairing ; Loki & fem!reader

Summary ; You sinked his boat, and you may sink his heart, but until then he’ll follow your lead through the seven seas.

Content Note ; Pirate AU, pirate!reader, prince!loki, angst, fluff

Sorry for grammar/spelling mistakes or misused words, English isn’t my first language (｡>﹏<｡)

AO3 link || Loki masterlist || join taglists || series masterlist

Next chapter; II. Sapphire

˗ˏˋ A SMOOTH SEA NEVER MADE A SKILFUL SAILOR — CHAPTER I ; RUNAWAY PRINCE

You watched with a blank expression as the water engulfed the lavish ship, next to it a small boat carrying its crew did the same as you.

You didn’t hurt a single one of them (well, maybe you did hit a couple in the head, but it wasn’t anything major), they weren’t your main goal. The ship also didn’t matter anymore, they could build more.

You wanted the gold, the riches they carried. Yet, you got a big surprise when you realised that they carried very much less than what you expected.

It just didn’t make sense to you. The ship was supposed to be of royal property, but even if it was fancier than many others, it didn’t seem as expensive as the ones the royal family usually traveled in.

They were making a trip to a neighbouring kingdom, to visit you guessed. Normally, they would carry exceeding amounts of goods to gift; yet, this vessel seemed to carry way to little. Only 3 middle-sized chests of jewellery, 5 of fabrics, and some furniture. And also a prince.

You just hoped your last minute plan would work.

A frown adorned your face as you turned around from the scene. On your own boat your crew was running around, preparing to follow another route.

Natasha, your right hand, approached you until she was standing next to you, watching over the people working.

“The prisoner wants to talk with you” you scoffed and turned your gaze to her, “Well then tell him to keep his pretty mouth shut, ‘cause I don’t want to talk with him” Natasha rolled her eyes and continued, “I can’t” she shrugged.

You frowned in confusion, “What do you mean you can’t?” “He asked for a parlay”.

You laughed at that, “And what else does our precious prince want?” you asked sarcastically, throwing your hands in the air. Natasha smirked as she lightly shook her head, “Just go and talk with him, he seemed like he knew something”

“Yeah, well I hope he knows that I’m gonna throw him to the sharks if he wastes my time” you sighed as you made your way down to the only occupied cell in the ship.

You walked until you were in front of the cell, carefully eyeing the prince you had kidnapped.

“Well, parlay then” you stated which made him get up from his uncomfortable seat and walk to the bars.

You had expected he would be yelling in indignation, demanding for you to let him go. Yet he was calm, he almost seemed peaceful.

You had heard stories about him, he wasn’t the best fighter although he was pretty skilled with knives. But he didn’t look like he wanted to fight; he hadn’t even resisted much when he was dragged out of the cabin of his royal boat and into the cell of yours.

“You’re committing a mistake” his statement made you want to laugh, he really just wanted to waste your time “Well, what’s new, right? If that is all, I’m going to leave” you started walking away when he called again.

“Captain, you’ll get nothing from the king” you turned to look at him the best that the metal bars let you, you could see his green eyes devoid of any emotion— did he not understand the situation he was in? “And then what? He’ll let you stay imprisoned by the dirty pirates he so much loathes? Or will he let me kill you?”

You didn’t let him answer as you made your way up to the deck.

You had given a message and a chest to the crew of the royal ship once they were settled in their small boat, and you hoped they would deliver them before you lost your patience and made the emerald prince walk the plank.

“Tell his majesty king Odin” you made a bow as you named him, which made Natasha chuckle slightly as she took her place next to you, “That I have his prince” with a devilish smirk you pointed to the raven haired man next to you, held by two of you swordsmen, “And I want that chest filled with those shiny golden coins of your king, or else I’ll make dinner for sharks and the main course will be his son” some of the men on the small boat shivered slightly at the tone of your voice, “I’ll be arriving on Bone Island in seven days and I expect my gold by then, you better not bring a fleet or anything like that. I’ll give him to you unharmed unless I have to pull out my sword; because then I’ll hand him to you in pieces” you gestured for everyone to move, ignoring the protests from the men below.

You didn’t want it to come to that, it really wasn’t in your agenda to kidnap a prince. But you had gotten desperate. You had spent weeks waiting to raid that vessel, expecting to find vast amounts of goods; yet you found almost nothing.

You slammed shut the door of your cabin as you entered, walking directly to the bed. Letting yourself fall into the sheets as you sighed.

This was a disaster. If it ends bad, you’ll be putting everyone in unnecessary danger.

It was a spontaneous decision; you saw the raven haired man and quickly recognised him as Prince Loki, you saw an opportunity and you took it. But if the king decides to arrive ready for battle, regardless of your condition, you may have little chances of getting out alive.

On the other hand, if this ends well; you’ll be getting a great sum of gold, the chest that you gave them was quite big.

“Captain” Natasha barged through the door, you sighed in annoyance and supported yourself in your elbows to look at her, “What?” you questioned irritated, “What did you get out of the prisoner?” you rolled your eyes and let yourself fall back on the bed.

“Nothing, he just wasted my time” you replied putting your arm over your eyes, then you realised the room was actually dark. It was nighttime already.

Natasha seemed to notice too as she moved to light the various candles around the cabin, “Did you actually talk with him or did you just make him shut up and then left?”

“Natasha, just let me be please” you whispered as you turned on your side to face away from the redhead, she sighed heavily, “Y/n, please, go talk to him” “Why do you want me to talk with him so badly?” you once again turned to look at your right hand, irritated by her pressing.

Natasha and you had been friends for a long time, bonding over your passion for the deep waters and the gushing wind. If there was someone who could read you, it was her. She knew you were worried of the outcome of your decision, and she wanted to help.

The redhead walked until she sat next to you on the sheets, “When you were talking with the people in his boat, he almost looked amused” she started, pulling your arm away from your face with her hands, “And then you started giving orders around, he seemed curious” you arched an eyebrow in question, “Where are you going with all of this?” you asked and she took a moment to look to the side and then back at you.

“He looks calm regarding the whole situation, it’s like he didn’t want to be there” you frowned in confusion. You hadn’t had time to carefully asses your prisoner in the moment, you hadn’t noticed any of what she said; yet again, maybe you wouldn’t have anyways, Natasha had always been the more observant to details.

You moved to sit next to her on the edge, “So you’re implying he wants to be here?” you asked and Natasha nodded, “Maybe he wants something, we could come to a deal” her answer got you thinking.

What could Loki want that pirates could get? Did he have a treasure he wanted to look for? Why was he on the ship and if he didn’t want to be there? Looking back you did notice he had put little to no resistance when being dragged to your boat. He hadn’t yelled, thrashed or fought, even though he was capable of doing so.

You got up from the bed and walked to the desk where a map was displayed, you leaned on the edge and crossed your arms. Natasha raised an eyebrow, waiting for your answer, “Is dinner ready?” you asked which made the redhead frown, nevertheless she nodded, “Last time I checked Wanda was about to finish” you hummed, “Maybe we should give our prince a welcoming dinner”

ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮

Loki moved his head when he heard the jingling of keys approach. He got up from the uncomfortable wooden plank he was laying in when the redhead came into view.

He observed her carefully as she opened the door of the cell with the key in her right hand, “You’re having dinner with the captain” she stated leaving the door open for the prince to move out, “Why?” Loki ventured to ask.

He knew he shouldn’t. He had read enough about life at sea to know he shouldn’t oppose a direct order from the captain, especially now that he’s a prisoner. Natasha raised her eyebrow and looked at him sternly, “Because the captain said so, now move” she demanded harshly.

He inferred the redhead was your right hand from how she gave orders after you had retired somewhere else when you had raided his ship, so he shouldn’t oppose her either.

Loki walked until he was out of the cell and next to Natasha, she threw him a final stern look before closing the cell and grabbing him by the arm.

As they walked out to the main deck, Loki scanned his surroundings. Everyone they passed was immersed on their own work, whether it was cleaning the wooden floor or polishing weapons.

He noticed how the majority of your crew was made out of men, he had barely seen any other women apart from you and Natasha. Loki thought it was peculiar, female pirates weren’t unheard of but there weren’t many.

Natasha guided him through the deck and towards your cabin. The candles could be seen lighting the room through the blurry glass of the small windows. The redhead opened the door for Loki and shoved him inside. He turned to her, not having appreciated the push but she had already closed the door on his face.

“You can take a seat” your calm voice spoke from behind him. Loki turned to look at your sitting form behind the table where dinner was set, he scanned the various plates of meats and vegetables and moved to take a seat opposite of you.

He watched intently as you poured what seemed to be wine in a golden goblet and extended it for him to grab. He moved his eyes between the goblet and your face, pondering if he should take it, but a raise from your eyebrow had him quickly reaching out for it.

As Loki took the goblet closer to his lips you reached to grab some grapes from the fruit platter to then sit more comfortably on the chair; looking back at the prince, you noticed he wasn’t eating anything, “Go on, you can eat” your soft encouragement had him reaching to put small portions of food in his plate and start eating, even if he didn’t really have the appetite.

“You know, I had eyes on your ship for some time before it sailed” you started making him raise his eyes from his plate to you, “One would think a royal ship is full of riches, but yours wasn’t” you paused to put a grape in your mouth, you didn’t move your gaze from the prince as you chewed and swallowed the small fruit, “Why” you didn’t ask him, you demanded an answer, and that was clear to Loki in the stern tone of your voice.

Your presence was imposing since the moment he entered the cabin. Loki didn’t forget how your aura was threatening and authoritarian when you raided his ship, you carried yourself with a confidence that overpowered everyone’s bravery, and that sheer action made it seem impossible to fight you and come out victorious. You were calm in front of him, no matter how trained he was, you had the control.

Now the stories about you made sense to the prince. You didn’t need a whole fleet to dominate the waters, just your presence was enough to make everyone succumb to your rule.

You were just what he needed in the moment.

“My father, the king, didn’t deem it necessary to carry so many things” he answered and you nodded lightly, “Why the furniture” your question made him frown, “I beg your pardon?” you shrugged, “The furniture, why where you carrying furniture” you explained, “As gift to the neighbouring kingdom” he replied and you tilted your head for a moment.

“That’s not true” he scoffed, “Are you calling me a liar” you smiled innocently, “Not necessarily, but you’re in my ship, you should know better than to lie to the captain” he rolled his eyes and dropped the silver fork in his hand, “I don’t know about pirate etiquette”

You rose from your seat with a dark look, grabbing the silver knife set next to your own plate, “I’m sure we could fix that” you replied walking around the table and closer to the prince.

Loki felt the danger in each step you took closer to him. But he masked it and refused to move his eyes from yours as you approached him. Once next to him, you harshly grabbed his jaw with a hand and planted the knife against his throat with the other. Loki couldn’t help but hiss at the contact of the cold metal with his skin.

You looked directly into his eyes with a somber expression, “Listen well your highness. I don’t like playing games, I have no issue cutting your throat right now, it wouldn’t be the first time a kill a member of high society” you whispered dangerously as you leaned in to talk closer to his ear, “So don’t lie to me again or I will give you a final you may not really like”

The tension only increased as you gripped his jaw tighter, which in return made Loki harden his hold on the chair he was sitting on. He could feel your breath in his neck and he found himself unconsciously wishing for you to plant your lips there.

Even in the situation that you were, even if you could cut his throat any second. He wasn’t going to deny your beauty, you were a gem of the sea and no one could oppose that fact, but he definitely could try to deny the attraction he felt when he first put his eyes on you.

On the other hand, you found yourself enjoying the moment. You always liked playing with men like this, it was amusing to you when they lost the control they so much liked. It had been a long time since you involved yourself romantically with anyone, and the pale skin of the prince seemed to call for your touch, your brain demanding of you to respond. He was extremely good looking, he was a prince at the end of the day; but you held back.

“Have I made my self clear?” you asked in a whisper maybe a little more closer to his earlobe than you should have, Loki nodded slowly and you pulled away.

You gave his eyes a last look before turning back and going to your seat. You noticed his pupils, darker than before, but you said nothing because you guessed yours were the same.

“Then talk, why the furniture” you said after making yourself comfortable once again in your chair, Loki coughed lightly which had you smirking, “For my stay” his answer made you raise an eyebrow in question, “Why would you need furniture for your stay?” you asked curiously, “Because I wasn’t going to come back” this just confused you even more, “Explain yourself”

Loki sighed and looked back at you, “I’m supposed to get married to the princess of the neighbouring kingdom” you nodded slowly in reply, that explained the furniture, “But you don’t want to” you replied, “It’s a marriage of convenience, it’s common” “Doesn’t mean that you want it”

He looked aside. It’s true, he didn’t want to get married, but Odin was aching to get rid of him so he didn’t have a chance at protest. He didn’t hold resentment against the princess, she was everything anyone would want; intelligent and beautiful, but he didn’t find it in his heart to love her more than just a friend.

He desperately found himself wishing for a sea storm to drown the ship and him in it, no longer being able to put up with his father’s mistreatment. If he died would Odin even hold a funeral for him?

You sighed when he averted his eyes from you. Now you felt bad for him, having to marry an unknown person that he may not even love just because his title said so, you couldn’t even imagine how depressing of a live that would be.

“I could offer you a deal” your words made him perk up to listen attentively, he nodded for you to continue “Raiding your ship and finding nothing in it cost me a lot” you started and he listened carefully, “You know the royal ships that carry the most expensive goods always take hidden routes” Loki nodded at this information.

It was to make sure they wouldn’t get raided. Not only did they take unusual and different routes every time, they were also camouflaged, swapped for cheap-looking boats to avoid suspicions.

“I want to know the routes and the ships” you said. Loki knew of a few vessels set to sail during the next few months but he wasn’t going to disclose that information now.

He had to prove himself useful to you, if he had just given you everything he knew you would have no problem throwing him off the deck and into the shark infested waters, “What will I get in return” he leaned in placing his elbows in the table to prop his chin in his intertwined hands, you smirked, “Going back to your very loving father” Loki cringed at his mention making you chuckle, “Well what could you want?” you asked.

Loki pondered. He didn’t want to go back to Odin, he would only send him again to marry. Leaving him somewhere along the way wasn’t an option either, they would be looking for him. After some minutes of thinking he finally opened his mouth to answer.

“I want to stay here in your ship, I want a place in your crew”

ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮

Loki woke up as someone abruptly entered the room he was assigned, “Come on! Get up, the sun’s about to rise!” an unknown female voice screamed next to his bed.

Loki turned to see a redhead woman looking extremely pissed. It wasn’t Natasha, no, he hadn’t seen this one yesterday.

“Move! What are you looking at?!” she yelled when Loki made no movement to get out of bed.

“Sorry” he said getting up finally, she scoffed, “There’s a lot to do, follow me”

As they both walked through the vessel, Loki reminisced on the night before. You had agreed to him staying in your boat, and called Natasha to assign him a spare room.

“You… want to stay here?” you asked incredulously as you looked at him with narrowed eyes. Loki almost felt embarrassed at his request. But it was what he wanted, and he wasn’t going to back down now.

“Yes” he replied and you laughed, Loki frowned at your response, “Oh my! Our gracious prince wants to be a pirate!” You giggled and mocked him a little more, you really enjoyed yourself, “Fine, but do you even know anything about life at sea?” you asked seeming like you were back at mocking him, but Loki could see something genuine in your eyes.

“I haven’t spent much time at sea. I know the basics but I am quick to learn” you nodded at his response, no more giggles or smiles.

You got up from your chair and made your way to him. Loki thought you would put another knife to his throat and for a moment he almost flinched, but he was surprised to feel a soft touch in his cheek instead. You had put your hand on the side of his face and gently guided him to look up at you, “You’re not made for this life, but you could try and we’ll see how much you last”

As your hand dropped from his cheek and you made your way to the door Loki could only turn slightly to look at you, “You can finish dinner, I’ll talk with Natasha about settling you”

Loki observed the horizon through the small window of the kitchen, the sun was just rising.

He was too caught up in his haze when he felt something impact with the back of his head, turning he was a potato in the floor and the redheaded woman fuming behind him, “I’ve called you three times!” she seethed at him and Loki looked down apologetically.

She sighed heavily and gestured for him to take a seat in front of her. Loki took a seat in the small stool as the woman handed him a knife and gestured to the barrel full of potatoes next to him, “Get to it” she said, “Throw the peels in this bucket then clean the potatoes in the water and throw them in that plate”

Not wanting to piss her off more, Loki grabbed one of the vegetables and started peeling it. It couldn’t be that difficult, he had peeled apples before, this should be the same.

“You’re doing it wrong” her voice made him stop suddenly and look at her confused. The redhead sighed and took the potato and the knife from him, “You’re peeling it but your taking too much of the potato in the process, you have to do it like this to not waste the food” she proceeded to peel it rapidly, showing him how the peel was thin and didn’t have too much traces of the vegetable on it.

Loki nodded, “Okay” he then proceeded to grab another potato and do the same she showed him, this time she didn’t stop him and he took it as a cue to continue, “My name is Wanda” she finally said making Loki look up at her, “I’m Loki” he answered and she nodded with a soft smile, “Keep peeling those” she got up from the chair and made her way out of the kitchen, leaving him alone.

Were all the women in this ship scary like this? As Loki peeled the potatoes he couldn’t help but recall his time in the castle, he used to play around the kitchen with his brother when he was young, yet never did he think he’ll end up working in one. It was an oddly calm activity, even if his hands were numbing because of the cold water.

Wanda came back into the kitchen and got to peel potatoes in front of Loki, “Can I ask where the ship is headed?” Loki asked while still peeling, Wanda raised her gaze to him and then returned it to the vegetable in her hand, “We’re going back to Sapphire” she replied softly, “Sapphire? Where’s that?” he was a curious person by nature, now he needed to know, “Hidden, so nobody goes there. It’s an island” “Your home?” Wanda nodded with a smile, “Yes, our home, It’s a beautiful place, you’ll love it” the twinkle in her eyes as she moved her gaze to the prince told him that she wasn’t lying, she seemed so happy to go back.

“Well, if it isn’t our local prince cutting potatoes” your voice sounded through the room as you leaned on the door frame, “Is it like a new royal activity?” the smirk on your face made it clear you were just joking, “Don’t listen to her, she’s like that” Wanda muttered to Loki who smiled back at her, “Oh wow! My own crew against me!” you feigned offence bringing a hand to your chest, Wanda rolled her eyes, “Could I have my tea please?” you asked taking a seat in a nearby chair, “Right now” Wanda got up making her way around the kitchen to prepare your tea.

“So, are you having fun?” you asked, this time genuinely so Wanda didn’t scold you, “It’s fine” Loki answered and you nodded.

Suddenly the image from yesterday flashed through your mind and had you averting your eyes to the side. Today he wasn’t wearing the full prince attire, opting for removing the heavy stuff. You could see the skin of his neck thanks to the unbuttoned shirt and you couldn’t help but remember how you wanted to kiss it the night before.

“There, done” Wanda handed you a cup of tea, making you snap out of your daze. “Thanks” you answered grabbing it and making your way to the deck.

It was early morning, the sun in the process of lighting the way. You walked the stairs of the quarterdeck and took your place behind the helm. You observed the waters in front of you as you reached in your pocket for your compass. You were headed the right way.

You sipped your tea as you took control of the wheel in front of you. This is the time of day that you loved most, when the sun just woke up and is slowly lighting up the world, it gave the water a mystical look. You basked in the peaceful silence as everyone was yet to come up and carry on their work on the main deck.

But your silence was quickly interrupted by your right hand as she walked the stairs and moved to stand neat to you, “How’s the prince doing?” she asked and you shrugged, “He’s cutting potatoes with Wanda” Natasha stifled a laugh, “Well that must have been a sight to see” “Yeah” you giggled with her.

“He’s handsome, isn’t he” she questioned moving to lean on the wooden handrail in front of you, “What?” you asked incredulously. Natasha only smirked, “I mean he is, isn’t he?” her pressing made your eye twitch slightly, something that always happened when you got annoyed.

“What are you talking about?” you asked, “Oh come on! Haven’t you though of… you know, with him” she gestured towards the side with her face, and you’re eye twitched again, “Like you and Steve do in every corner of my ship?”

Your question had Natasha’s face heating up, you laughed at her reaction as she came closer to slap you in the shoulder, “We don’t!” she was quick to deny but you only hummed mockingly, “No need to lie Tasha, I heard you. In fact, everyone on the boat probably heard too” you giggled and she turned redder than she already was.

“It’s a great way to blow off some steam, you should try” she said once she had regained her composure, you scoffed, “Yeah? With who? Sam? Bruce?” you asked sarcastically and Natasha rolled her eyes, “Loki’s pretty decent” “He’s a prince” “So what?” “He’s also my prisoner” “Not anymore” “Well, now he’s my worker” “And which rule says you can’t have sex with your worker who used to be your prisoner and also happens to be a runaway prince?”

You looked at her stoically, “Tasha, no” she sighed heavily, “Come on, I know you like him” she whispered coming coming to stand in front of you with the wheel separating both of you “I don’t” you were quick to deny, “You do” she finished with a smile and you rolled your eyes, there was no arguing with her.

“You can just do it to blow off some steam, cause you need a lot of that” she said making her way to the stairs slowly, “Someday I might just throw Steve off the deck and see how you manage yourself without your daily steam blower” the redhead grinned looking back, “You wouldn’t because then I would be insufferable and you have little to no patience” you nodded with a smirk, “See Tasha, this is why you’re my right hand and not one of those brainless idiots” Natasha laughed at that and made her way down just as Clint was walking up.

“Who’s a brainless idiot?” He asked and you shrugged, “Probably you” he rolled his eyes at your answer.

ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮ ྀ⏝ ི⋮

The sun was setting as you moved down to the larder in search of some much needed rum. Your day was boring, just like the majority of times that you made your way back to Sapphire, the crossing wasn’t very eventful to say the least.

You grabbed the glass bottle and turned to make your way out when you noticed an unknown moving thing from the corner of your eye. You moved closer to the wooden boxes and behind them you saw something moving, or more like someone.

“Loki?” you asked softly, watching how the emerald prince assembled vegetables in a big plate.

He turned to look at you, “Hello Captain, it’s for dinner” he said pointing to the vegetables, you hummed, “Really, what are you making?” he got up from his crouching position and placed the plate on top of a pile of crates, “Wanda said she was making soup” he answered and you nodded, he seemed to adapt well.

You noticed how his hair sticked to his forehead from the sweat, you guessed it was probably very uncomfortable. So you reached in your pocket and pulled up a cloth you used to use to tie your hair, “Let me help you with that” you gestured for him to get closer and he did, confusion written in his face.

You reached putting your hands softly in his cheeks and pulled his head down slightly. You started arranging the cloth so it held back his hair to stop it from getting in his face. You felt his eyes on your form as you carried on, but you didn’t dare look back at him. Since yesterday you had this desire to kiss him and if you looked at him in this position you risked giving in.

Finally you got a step closer to tie it behind his neck, close enough that if you tilted his face slightly you could place your lips on his. Once done you pulled your hands back although they seemed to linger a little longer than they should.

“There you go” you whispered and he hummed, “Now you look like a real pirate” you said with smirk that made him give you another one in return.

“Loki!” you heard Wanda’s voice echo from upstairs, yet you didn’t cut eye contact with the prince, “You should go before she comes down” the whisper that escaped your lips had Loki’s gaze moving rapidly to them, before he snapped back to your eyes, “Yeah” his gaze lingered for a couple more seconds before he grabbed the plate and left.

Loki walked back to the kitchen where Wanda was getting ready to preparer dinner, “You can wash them over there” she pointed to a bucket with clean water and Loki didn’t waste time to carry on his task.

As he washed the vegetables Loki replayed your encounter. He was already wishing for your touch after the dinner on the first night, and this occurrence only made him desire it more. He liked how your hands felt on him, he liked the way you looked at him. He really liked everything about you.

The whole time you were fixing his hair he found himself wanting to pull you closer. He had to put all his strength into holding his hands back, which itched to grab you by the waist and slam you to him.

“You done?” Wanda asked from behind him, “Huh? Oh, yeah I am” he got up with the plate and made his way to plant it next to Wanda.

“Is that the captain’s?” she asked gesturing to his head, Loki found himself running his hand softly over the cloth you had assembled in his head, “Uh—yeah, she gave it to me” he answered.

Wanda smiled knowingly, she hummed and turned to cut the vegetables, “What?” Loki asked puzzled, “Nothing, nothing” the redhead continued her task, “What do I do now?” Wanda looked around for a moment and then back at Loki, “There’s not much to do, you can take a small break until dinner” Loki nodded with a smile and made his way to sit on the spare chair you had used that morning.

The prince drowned in his thoughts while waiting for the redhead to give him instructions.

He was still pondering if this was the right decision to make. At least Odin wouldn’t find him for a while, so that was a good thing. And the fact that the ship was in constant moving would help him easily dodge anyone who was looking for him.

But was it the life he wanted? He just sold himself to work with pirates. You were right to some extent, he wasn’t made for this life. Although he liked the feeling of the swaying ship over the tides, the smell of the saltiness of the sea, and the fresh air.

And he liked you. But was it enough?

“Dinner time!” the new masculine voice got Loki out of his head, he hadn’t realised when the crew entered the room for dinner.

“Come eat Loki” Wanda encouraged, patting a seat next to her and a tall blonde man. Loki nodded and moved to sit next to the redhead as she passed him a bowl of soup.

That night he got to meet your crew closely. He was entertained by their charisma. To be fearsome pirates they still emanated a familiar warmth. They treated each other like family.

He listened closely to Tony and Bruce as they talked about how they needed to fix some planks, and Steve when he pointed out that they needed more gunpowder, and Clint as he recalled how he couldn’t wait to be back on Sapphire and see his wife and kids.

Later at night, with a full stomach and warmth in his heart, Loki laid in the not-so-comfortable bed and strangely felt at home. Maybe he wasn’t made for the life, but he could adapt to it.

Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it <3

Taglist (click here to be added) ; @moonlightreader649 @misswimberly

#loki fanfic #loki laufesyon x reader #loki x reader #loki x y/n #loki fluff #loki smut #pirates #pirate au #pirate reader #AU #loki x you #mcu imagine #loki imagine #A SMOOTH SEA NEVER MADE A SKILFUL SAILOR — lar #loki x female reader #loki series #loki au

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animatorweirdo · 2 years

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The tale of the flying horseman

(I might have re watched some pirates of the Caribbean movies and got inspired. Even listened some theme songs then came up with this idea, and as you can see this is inspired by Davy jones and the flying dutchman, Hope you enjoy,)

Warnings; None really, this is more like tale. Mentions of avoiding death and heartbreak.

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Once upon a time, a ship roamed the seas, seeking treasures and lands to discover. Its name was The flying horseman, and its captain was good and noble by heart. Even though; many regarded the captain as a ruthless pirate.

The captain never stole from ships other than pirates. The captain and the crew willingly defended those who could not protect themselves and returned stolen riches, earning many grand rewards for their deeds. The captain gained a title of a righteous pirate, and many considered them pure-hearted.

The good deeds of the mortal man and The flying horseman’s crew gained the attention of the lord of the seas, Ulmo, who was impressed and touched by the humility of the captain, who praised his name in great honor.

The valar taught the captain and the band of humans many things and shared knowledge of the sea. He condemned the mortal man worthy, heart purer than any mortal upon the land and the sea.

A great friendship was born, and Ulmo trusted the captain with many tasks to protect those living by the sea and the captain gladly accepted.

The captain had a great love for the sea and its waves. They often sang along the tides with beautiful tones like Ulmo himself was singing along, but there was someone who held the captain’s heart from the lands.

It was a misty day when the captain of The flying horseman visited the land. Upon the shores was an elf, singing with great sorrow and laments of things long past. The saddened tones touched the captain’s heart deeply, and their voices joined together in a song that made all those who heard it fall in tears.

Their voices conjoined whenever the captain returned to the shore, hoping to see the saddened soul. The name of the mysterious being remained a mystery until, one day, they were freed from their sorrowful spell and revealed their name to the captain.

The pair had fallen in love. For many years they met on the same shore to bask in each other’s warmth and join their voices into heart-filled songs.

Their love was deep, but as time passed. The mortal captain was losing their strength and years to live, which devastated their elven beloved.

The separations frightened the captain, so the mortal man called upon the lord of the seas and begged for a way to avoid death.

The captain pleaded for a chance to stay by their immortal beloved’s side, and in return, he will gain their eternal alliance. They were willing to gift him their ship, their soul, and even their heart if the gods gave them the chance of prolonged life.

Touched by the love the captain felt for the elf, Ulmo felt conflicted at the thought of separation and the end of a great friendship he shared with the mortal man. The captain of the flying horseman had served him and selflessly protected those in the sea, so the valar decided to find a way and talk to Mandos himself.

Never have the heavens heard such a thing as a valar pleading for a mortal man, but as Ulmo persuaded the dooms man, the valar of the dead came up with an offer.

The captain will watch over those who have passed away on the seas and ensure the lost souls sail beyond the world between life and death. However, if they accept the offer, they need to give away something important to be freed from their mortal shackles, their heart.

And since they will be bound to the sea, they can visit the land only for one day every ten years.

Ulmo came to the captain with the offer but warned them to choose carefully. Once they took the offer, there was no turning back.

Driven by love, the captain accepted the offer without hesitation, and thus their heart was taken and stored in an unbreakable chest for safekeeping.

The captain was now bound to the sea, and they watched over the dead. They sailed between life and death, returning to the shore every ten years to be with their beloved on the same day.

Everything was well until the captain’s beloved vanished one day.

The captain waited and even searched when they got the chance, but nothing. When the time passed, they sang mournfully and waited for their lover’s return, but they never came back to the shore.

Eventually, the captain stopped visiting the land but sailed by the shore, singing and hoping to catch a glimpse of their beloved, but as the years passed, the captain and The flying horseman became a tale of legends, a mere ghost story.

No one had seen the ship for ages, and if someone did, they claimed they saw colorless sails and heard the sounds of a horse. People mostly took it as a sign of a bad omen and believed the captain and The flying horseman were coming to punish and claim the souls of the evildoers. They were known for that as the devils of the sea.

However, sometimes people say they saw the ship and heard mournful singing while passing the misty shore. They believed the captain still waited for the beloved at the place they first met, singing and hoping their beloved would return and return their song.

#silmarillion #the silmarillion x reader #silm fic #pirate #tolkien #middle earth x reader #middle earth #pirate reader #ulmo #ocean #silmarillion x pirate reader #lotr x reader

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words-etched-in-her-skin · 2 years

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Hello, lovelies! This fic has no ask as it was written as a Birthday gift for my sweet love 🥰💕 It's just under 4,000 words, so most of it will be under a cut! And I do hope some of you will like it! 👀 (Also, this makes chapter 29 for my A03 series, and I can't believe we're almost at the 30 chapter mark 😳) So, without further ado! My Merwitch Genderbent Sal AU with a pirate enby Reader 😏😁

***

A strike of lightning so strong the electricity rattled across your bones. The sky darkening quicker than you had ever seen in all your years as a pirate, pulling a prompt curse from under your breath as soon as the winds began to pick up speed.

Granted in pirate years, you were still considered a ‘fresh fish’. With only five years spent on the sea under your belt - or in your case, sash - the last two aboard the famed Bloody Maiden under the command of the illustrious Captain Alcina Dimitrescu. The same woman who had warned you not to stand too close to the edge of ship, especially when a storm was due.

… And had you listened? No.. because you never listened.

But, fuck, did you promise whatever Gods you had angered that you'd start doing so immediately if you somehow survived after you lost your footing, your body plunging into the cold waters of the Vatore Sea. Pure black completely engulfing you as the tide mercilessly pulled you under.

Now, most people would say that before you die your whole life flashes before your eyes. That all of your greatest life moments are laid out in perfect order. And maybe for them, this was a comforting thing to know.. but as for you - your life was the last thing you wanted to see before you died.

Not to say that all of it was bad, but you had spent a large chunk of it being known as an outsider - as the ‘weird’ kid or just.. not normal. I mean, you had always known you weren’t like everyone else, that when you looked into the mirror you saw neither a woman or a man. But you never even thought of it as anything out of the ordinary until the people in your village started to whisper about it.

It was the reason you inevitably left home, honestly. To save your family the trouble and heartache more than anything else. At least they had always accepted you.

You could still remember how hard your Mother had cried when you told her you were leaving to pursue your dream of a life on the sea. And that you’d spend no less than ten years exploring before you returned for a visit.

And now here it was only five and you’d never be able to tell her about a single thing. To sit across from her at your worn kitchen table and tell her about all the adventures you had. Like how you’d battled sea monsters bigger than your childhood home, and finally found your peers among a ship of disbanded misfits.

Maybe she wouldn’t cry so much this time. When word of your washed up body eventually made it back to her… though, you knew she would.

Those were the thoughts that swam hazily through your mind when everything started to slip away. When the world around you turned black and your body cold. Not the sunny days of a childhood long past, but the struggle in between.

Sorry, Ma.

Though you swore for just a moment that you could feel her arms wrapping around you… or.. someone's arms, for that matter. Arms a little stronger than your Mother's, and a firm body pressed close to your own as you sunk even lower into the water. After that, your mind went completely blank.. drifting further and further away from the reality you knew and closer to the infinite darkness that waited for you.

Only the darkness never came.

The next thing you knew, air was being rushed into your lungs, forcing you to expel about a liter's worth of sea water from your body.

“What the fu-”

More gargled noises than actual words, you spent the next minute or so coughing up the last remnants of sea water before your surroundings finally started to become clearer - an inky black slowly faded from your vision.

Expecting to see the inside of the Bloody Maiden’s infirmary, you were rather surprised when several levels of shimmering limestone slowly came into focus instead.

Of course the majority of pirates had heard rumors about underwater caves - ones filled with mythical creatures and treasures of vast fortune - but most everyone assumed them to be a myth. Though, much like the legend's described, you found yourself surrounded by some of the most magnificent stalactites to ever exist.. so much so that the whole place almost seemed otherworldly.

“Okay... maybe I am dead.”

“Nah.. saved yer jus’ in time.”

You jumped at the unexpected voice, promptly pushing your body up from where you had been resting - a soft bed made of what seemed to be some sort of species of seaweed. For a minute, you couldn't see anything but the dark waters that surrounding the first level of rock where you resided.

That was until ripples moved eerily across the murky black below you.

You swallowed hard, trying your best to make out the figure you could vaguely see staring back at you - golden eyes glowing with curiosity.

"I.. uh.. thank you?"

"Heh.. yer welcome."

Extremely sharp teeth making themself known in a rouge ray of light, sending a prompt panic through your body. Your heart beating so loud in your chest you were certain the creature in front of you could hear it. A tall, muscular frame moving slowly through the water until it reached the edge of the rock. A very stunning woman looking up at you with a smirk.

"Name's Sal."

She chuckled when your mouth fell agape, a beautifully shaped fluke splashing behind her in the water.

... a fucking mermaid??

You nervously gave her your name, voice squeaking slightly as you did. Which, of course, only made her chuckle louder. Though you were sure your eyes had deceived you when she began to ascend from the waters edge. The tail you were so sure you just saw magically replaced by a pair of muscular legs as an impeccably gorgeous - and very nude - human-like body began to rise from the water.

"I.. ahem.. I must be hallucinating.. you.. I-"

The woman named Sal gave you a smirk, her extremely strong arms lifting her onto the limestone platform. The length of her exposed to you - her ample womanhood hanging low between her legs.

Oh.. oh, fuck.

"Heh.. appreciate the compliment, luv, but nah.. yer not."

You swallowed back the arousal already building in your throat, almost pouting when she covered herself with a pair of pants that looked like they had been scrounged from the bottom of a sunken ship.. which let's be honest, they probably had.

She was utterly gorgeous - there was no denying that. Her beautifully ashen skin shimmering in wetness and long dark hair that almost rivaled the inky waters which she called home.

"But.. you were just.. how-?"

Sal chuckled again. "Aye? Ne'er seen a merwitch before?"

You only shook your head in response, shivering slightly as it became more and more noticeable that you were still very much soaked - the temperature of the cave not helping very much.

"'Ere, drink this."

Sal handed you a small vial from a makeshift apothecary - a glistening gold liquid inside that almost seemed to swirl on it's own. You probably should have asked her what was in it before drinking it - but for some reason, you trusted her without question. A semi sweet flavor reminiscent of warmed vanilla immediately coating your tongue and instantly warming you.

"Yer welcome ter undress while yer clothes dry if yeh like. Got a big shirt yer cud wear… if yer don' mind me stayin' topless, tha' is."

You couldn't have stopped your eyes from raking over her exquisite body when she said that if you tried, cheeks immediately filling with heat.

"Fuck, no I-!" You paused, slightly embarrassed as you took a steadying breath before clearing your throat. "Ah, sorry.. I mean... no, of course not. Thanks."

Sal chuckled, waving her hand dismissively before tossing a large white shirt in your direction - muscles flexing deliciously as she did.

"And… thanks for saving me, seriously." You added as you started to pull the wet clothes from your body.

"Heh, think nothin' of it, luv." She replied, her eyes unashamedly watching you as you stripped. "Not of'en I get company as good lookin' as yerself down 'ere."

You felt yourself blush entirely too quickly at her compliment, forcing a bite to your bottom lip.

"I- .. thank you. You ain't so bad yourself, though."

You couldn't help but smirk when Sal blushed in turn.

"Heh.. thanks, sweetheart."

You nodded in response. Though, to be honest, it was a vast understatement. You couldn't remember coming across anyone in your travels as gorgeous as she was. Sure, you'd had your fair share of flings among your adventures on the sea. One time even with a beautiful woman who was almost as well endowed as Sal was - but needless to say, people who were similar to the two of you were far and few between. Even aboard an almost entirely queer ship like Captain Dimitrescu's.

"Ah, I should probably mention that.. well, I'm not.. a woman, you see. I don't really identify with either gender. Hope that's not an uncomfortable thing for you."

You honestly weren't even sure why you were telling her, maybe you were getting ahead of yourself. But seeing how she'd been kind enough to rescue you - and considering all the lingering glances you'd caught from her so far - you felt she had the right to know.

Sal gave you a reassuring smile as she walked a little closer to the where you stood.

"Appreciate yer tellin' me, but I don' care nothin' about tha', luv." Her eyes tracing over the large shirt that hung teasingly from your otherwise bare body, giving her a perfect view of your neck and collar bone. "Shirt looks good on yeh, by the way."

"I… thanks."

You took a moment to straighten out the slightly worn fabric before laying down on your side - eternally grateful for the mostly flat chest you were graced with.

"So.. ah.. have you lived down here all your life?"

Sal nodded, taking your queue and bringing her eyes back up to your increasingly flushed face.

"Aye.. most. Always been a bit o’ an outcast among my kind. Was taken in by the sea witch tha' built it. Taught me everythin' I know."

“And she’s the one who taught you how to…”

Your eyes fell to the parts of her you had just previously seen, gaze lingering there only a little longer than you had intended - heat immediately rushing to your cheeks.

Sal smirked as she followed your line of sight. “Aye.. ‘mong other things.”

You couldn’t deny the fact that your mouth went a little dry at the prospects of what those ‘other things’ might be - curiosity getting the better of you.

“Ahem.. ah.. what kinds of.. things?”

The smirk that curled all too dangerously across Sal’s lips reminiscent of a shark that had just noticed it’s prey. Spheres of ember slowly tracing over you as she calculated her next move.

“Heh.. tha’s usually sumthin’ I let people figure out on their own, luv.”

A wave of heat rolling over you like a late summer storm when she winked at you, a mischievous glint in her eyes. Was she.. was this gorgeous creature of a woman actually hitting on you?

Not that you weren’t attractive in your own right.. you just weren’t used to being many people’s type. Especially people who were making it known. Especially insanely hot people who were making it known after just meeting you.

… or rescuing you, for that matter.

You swallowed hard - deciding to say ‘fuck it’, throw caution to the wind, and shoot your shot.

“Is that to say you’re… offering a one on one demonstration?”

“... Aye. If yer into tha’. Don’ get much company down ‘ere.”

“No? Don’t come across too many non-binary pirates to save?” You asked with a smirk.

The next sound that came from Sal was one of the most incredible sounds you had ever heard - husky and warm - the type of laughter that could immediately make a room feel warmer.

“Aye.. none as cute as you, tha’ is.”

Gods, you had just met this woman and she was already able to fluster you entirely too easily. But then again, who could blame you? The clearer and more focused your eyesight became, the more facets of her beauty you were subjected to. Finely toned muscles from her calves all the way up to her broad shoulders. Arms that could lift you up over her head with ease.. or hold you down, either would be welcomed. And perfectly sculpted breasts that sat upon the firmest abs you had ever laid eyes upon.

She was arousing in every way possible. Not only just physically, but the comfortable energy that rolled off her like the waves that had pulled you under… the small creases in the corners of her eyes, and the way her smile lit up even the darkest parts of the cavern.

It was… you wanted her. Completely - there was no other way to put it.

“Trying to make me blush, are we?”

You knew the slight shake to your voice did nothing to hide the heat that was already pooling throughout your body.

“Pretty sure I a’ready did tha’, sweetheart.”

“Ah.. you got me there, Sal.”

“Heh.. plan ter have a lot more of yeh, too.”

The way her tongue skated over her lips, the smolder to her eyes and the utter want in her voice. Fuck, you were so wet already and she hadn’t even touched you yet.

“W-well, what are you waiting for?”

“Heh... yer consent, luv.”

Right, of course. I mean.. it wasn’t all that long ago that you were about to die, after all. And normally you wouldn't jump into bed with someone you had just met. But there was just something about her... something that made every cell in your body scream out for her touch.

“Have it, then.”

Sal’s only response were her fingers coming to the drawstring of her pants - simple cloth falling promptly against limestone with a single motion. This time the length of her coming to face you straight on, showing you the full size of her endowments and making your mouth go dry.

“Aye.”

Every muscle in her body accentuated by the make-shift candles that filled the large cave, each one flexing exquisitely as she walked closer and closer to you. Wisps of what looked like smoke slowly beginning to swirl out around her, closely resembling tentacles. Though you could tell they were fueled solely by her magic, they grew more solid the closer she got - a dangerous smirk upon her lips.

“Heh.. one o’ those ‘other things’ I was talkin’ ‘bout.. if yer into it.”

You gave her an eager nod, quickly discarding Sal’s shirt from your body and resting upon your knees - her eyes hungrily raking over you.

"Heh.. needy, are yeh?”

You smirked, spreading your legs a little further - your arousal glistening in your folds and on the insides of your thighs.

“Perhaps.”

The tendrils that encased her body moving quicker than you ever anticipated. Hands and ankles bound before you even had a moment to gasp. Torso forced downward and ass in the air, the chilled cavern making your desire even more noticeable against your heated core.

“Look pretty needy ter me, luv.”

Sal chuckled as her tall frame circled you, the appendages that became increasingly more solid as her magic grew alongside her arousal forcing your legs apart and holding you in place. The heat of her making you shiver as she came up behind you - a single tentacle ghosting down the slit of you.

“You’re the one who couldn’t wait to get me all tied up and naked, and I’m needy?”

You were about to smirk, but the firm lash that came across your backside quickly replaced it with a moan.

“And yer the one gettin’ wetter by the second.”

Gods, how badly you wanted to brat back.. to see just how far you could push her and what she would do to you. But the moment the tip of her cock found you, with a tendril or two teasing the opening of your ass and flicking at your clit - you knew better of it. You wanted Sal more than you had ever wanted anyone... and that included the famed Captain Dimitrescu, which was saying something.

“Heh.. nothin’ ter say, sweetheart? Gonna behave?”

You cursed softly under your breath, making the merwitch chuckle even more. The tentacles around your ankles and wrists holding you firm as another came to wrap around your neck.

“Mmph- … f-fine, yes.” You answered softly, face already flush with need.

Though, you made a promise to your bratty self right then and there that if you made it to a round two, Sal was going to have to make you submit - to obey - the thought of it alone building the slick in your core to a dripping need. But, as for right now.. right now you only wanted her to wreck you.

You lengthened your tailbone back even more, forcing the tip of her womanhood to just barely enter you - a desperate whimper in your throat.

“Greedy.”

“Please?”

You could practically feel the satisfaction that single plea gave her, the air within the cave almost dripping with it. Sharp fingernails seeping into the sensitive flesh of your hips as she forced you back onto her - willing you to cry out, not only once but twice again when one of her tentacles slipped inside your ass, moving in perfect rhythm with her cock and stuffing you deliciously.

“Fu-!”

To say that every cell in your body was set ablaze.. like ley lines that burned their way across your skin and made it their home. Every inch of you alive - charged - brimming with nothing but absolute desire for her. For Sal. For this gorgeous creature that was fucking you harder than you’d ever been fucked before.

Another lash across your backside making you moan, the tendril around your throat squeezing a little harder as Sal picked up her pace. Thick juices already dripping down your inner thighs and stars swimming behind your eyes.

“Lil’ luv.”

Her words as warm as the breath against your skin when she leaned over you, savoring in your scent for just a moment before letting her teeth sink in. Her cock and tentacles working together - thrusting in and out and stretching you over and over again until your body was practically vibrating against your restraints. Against her.. against the magic that bound you and the length of her womanhood.

“S-so good, Sal.. you’re so good.”

The way she growled at your praise, how her body grew even hotter and her thrusts more relentless. Cock a pulsing heat in your core and your ass stuffed sufficiently as another tentacle slipped inside of it.

“Ah-!”

The amount of orgasms that she willed across you.. the amount of times her named was ripped desperately from your lips only to ricochet off the shimmering limestone that surrounded you. Each crash of pleasure soaking Sal and everything in it’s path. Thighs, knees, the seaweed that had been so cool against your overly flushed skin since the start of it all.

And even when you thought you were finished, with your body spent and your core and ass sufficiently drenched - the sound of Sal’s arousal finally taking over her quickly built you back up again. The width of her cock twitching inside you and her nails digging even deeper into your skin.

Each of the tendrils that restrained you only growing tighter as her whole body tensed - as a wholly sinful moan filled the open space with ease and the pleasure took over her - filling you with her heated desire and forcing more juices from your core.

“Fuck.. Sal.. “

As soon her pace began to lessen, her tendrils started to fall from your body - first from your throat, and then from your wrists and ankles - forcing you to slump breathlessly to the soft seaweed below you. Her own shuddering as she rode out her high - cock still throbbing inside you.

“Heh.. Aye.”

You whimpered softly when she slipped the last two tentacles from your ass, and even more at empty feeling her cock left in it's wake, almost immediately wanting her to fill you all over again.

The cool air of the cavern becoming more and more noticeable as your senses finally started to return. Your body languid - warm - satisfied in a way that you had never known possible.

“That was.. mh.. very nice.”

“Indeed.”

The flush of her skin hot against your own as she laid at your side - both of you enjoying the sound of nothing but your breaths steadying.

“Need anythin’, luv? Yeh thirsty?”

“Mh.. water, maybe?”

You hadn’t even felt her move from her spot - and maybe she hadn’t - but within seconds another vial was in your hands, this time filled with a clear blue liquid. The contents of it cool and refreshing against your tongue and throat.

“Thanks, Sal.”

“‘Course.” She replied, turning to lay on her back, cheeks still flushed with desire. “Eh.. tomorrow I can help yeh look for yer ship if yer like. Sure yer wantin’ ter get back.”

Maybe Sal had thought she’d done a better job at hiding the slightly somber tone to her voice - or maybe she just assumed you wouldn’t notice. But you couldn’t help the instant twinge in your heart when you turned to face her.

“Um.. sure. We can do that… or… ” You moved a little closer, placing a soft kiss to her collar bone before resting your head on her chest.

“.. Aye?”

“Well.. I mean.. we don’t have to rush.”

You could already feel the blush moving back across your cheeks - but you couldn’t help it. You wanted more. More of Sal. More of her kisses... of her touch. You wanted to hear more about her life and what she wanted for her future.

“Yer sure??”

The way she looked at you in almost utter disbelief - you had to wonder how many times Sal had been left behind. At just how many nights she’d spent alone with nothing more than her potions to keep her company.

“Positive.”

She pulled you a little closer at your response, wrapping an arm around you.

“A’right.. after I go fer a swim we can move this ter the bedroom, then.”

Your ears immediately perking at the prospect of more.

“... The bedroom??”

#theo writes #resident evil village #genderbent sal #genderbent sal x nb!reader #transfem!sal x reader #merwitch sal au #pirate reader #also a small nod to captain dimitrescu in this one #honestly i was just proud of myself for finishing this in about a week #seeing how bad my writers block has been lately 😅#but i hope some of you will enjoy!#re8 fanfiction

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thatonepersonwhocantwrite · 2 years

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The sea can't be tamed

Pairing Prince Fred weasley x pirate reader

Y/n's pov

It all happened so quickly. Some pirates had decided to raid a country a kingdom called Diagon. Yet I felt like something was wrong. My father Sirius Black had been one of the Pirates to go into Diagon. I usually would come on raids with my father and the other Pirates but something felt off..... " Y/n ya ok lassie?" My dads first mate Remus or as I call him Uncle Moony asked me. " I don't like this dad and the others should be back by now Uncle Moony. " I replied.

..................................................................................

Fred's pov

" FRED GIDEON WEASLEY! GEORGIE FABIAN WEASLEY!" I heard my mum shout. " Your both in trouble she doesn't appreciate you putting color changing hair dye in her shampoo. " My little sister Ginny laughed. " In our defense... I started and George continued. " we thought it was Percy's shampoo. " I finished making Ginny laugh harder. " I wish I could expect better from you two especially since pranking is no way two young princes should be acting. " Mum said. Dear Merlin when did she get in here? I thought to myself. I didn't even hear her come into one of the living which Ginny, George and myself were in.

Everything happened quickly a guard came in and said something about pirates. Mom looked considered. " You're presents in the throne room is requested by the king my queen. " Guard Lee Jordan said. " Very well thank you. " Molly or mum said to Jordan. " I'm not done with you two. " Mum said to George and I.

..................................................................................

Y/n's pov

I could here the sound of horses. Despite the fact that it was now about 11 pm maybe . I wasn't exactly sure what time it was. I was curious to why I could hear horses so I went up to the deck. I could see Guards on the back of the horses 🐎. Oh no..... " UNCLE MOONY!" I yelled.

#tumblr trash #x reader #fred weasley #george weasley #harry potter #yn #pirates #prince Fred weasley #pirate reader

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witchthewriter · 1 year

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𝐁𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐲'𝐬 𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐬/𝐨 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞

⤷ female, ambiguous race, and any size reader. Requests are open, thank you for reading!

ᴹᵃˢᵗᵉʳˡᶤˢᵗ

🌿ESFP 🍁Hufflepuff (Although I really think he could also be in Slytherin) 📜Chaotic Neutral 🔮Gemini Sun, Aries Moon, Leo Rising

𝑺𝑭𝑾🌿

・Having a significant other that’s a pirate is very, very convenient for not only Jesper, but the rest of the Crows

・It means a get away, extra hands and a way to get things from A to B. But you don’t do it for free -

・Doing things for your boyfriend only goes so far. And Kaz pays you handsomely so that your crewmates aren’t loose-lipped

・Unlike Nikolai, who calls himself a privateer, you’re happy to call yourself a pirate.

・And that’s why you’re one of the most feared - you’re not only dangerous, but very, very determined. If you want something, you will do anything and everything in your power to get it

・That’s why Kaz trusts you - he sees a bit of himself in you. You’re just as ambitious.

・Constantly being wooed. Even though you’re still in a relationship, Jesper likes to make you blush

・You hand-pick your crew, and have a strong friendship with each of them.

・If someone is hurt, you give them the best of care

・Your ship is called ‘The Disgraced Princess’

・Your background and family are a secret, only Kaz, Inej and Jesper know who you truly are. Because if word got out about the truth, everything would come crumbling down and the King of Ravka would retrieve you himself

・You have a close relationship with Inej especially. You both know how it feels to be trapped. Especially somewhere you hate, with people who don’t see you as a person

・You much prefer to be at sea, than at port.

・Although you do love jewellery and wear rings on your fingers, with large jewels and earrings that are pure gold

・Your reputation grows and grows. And you have been in a few battles. Your swordsmanship is getting better, but you’re great with a gun.

・That’s one of the things that Jesper fell in love with - you were almost as good of a shot as he

・Always blows you a kiss before leaving

・There’s always a present for Jesper when you see him. You specifically plunder something he’d like, and ‘surprise’ him when you see him next

・Jesper is so proud of you though, he thinks you’re incredibly impressive and loves to tell people that you’re together.

・You’re very close with your Quartermaster (who is the second-in-command and supervises the crew). You had originally asked Inej to be your Quartermaster, but she had to decline - she couldn’t be away from the Crows for too long

・Jesper is incredibly jealous of your Quartermaster, who he thinks will steal away your affections

・Big adrenaline junkie, and if you’re going on a dangerous misison, he wants to be there

・Constantly gives you a mischievous grin, and you know sh*ts about to go down

𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝑷𝒆𝒕 𝑵𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒀𝒐𝒖: ‘Sweetums,’ ‘Honey-pie,’ ‘Sweet-cheeks,’ ‘My Little Murderous Pirate.’ Jesper is the type to come up with incredibly embarrassing pet names, but completely mean them.

𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝑳𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒖𝒂𝒈𝒆: Gift Giving and Physical Touch. My boy MISSES YOU when you aren’t together, and makes up for it the next time he sees you. Like he’s saved all his affection and couldn’t use it on anyone but you. He also buys you a lot of things that match with things he’s bought for himself.

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆 𝑺𝒐𝒏𝒈:

Sex On Fire by the Midnite String Quartet

𝑹𝒆𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔:

・The idiot number 1 and idiot number 2 that are smarter individually but share 1 (one) braincell when put together

・Would Die For Each Other

・Rivals to Friends to Forced Proximity to Lovers

𝑹𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝑷𝒍𝒐𝒕 𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆:

Seemingly Impossible Love But It’s Destiny

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imasimpforshanks · 6 months

Text

how they react when you randomly say “im so lucky to have you”

ft. luffy, law, zoro, sanji, ace, shanks

a/n: idk what this is but I thought of it! And it’s been a while since I’ve written headcanons/imagines like this so this is kinda weird and badly written this time LOL

with a giant grin plastered across his face, luffy’s response is instant and genuine, “im so lucky to have you too!” he laughs boisterous and bright as he continues, “that’s perfect isn’t it? im lucky to have you and you’re lucky to have me! we sure do make a great team.” you can’t help the way your body shakes with warm laughter at his sincerity.

there’s a moment of silence as law gathers himself. you think he didn’t hear you but then he coughs to break the silence and gain your attention. the tips of his ears are pink and he’s avoiding eye contact with you as he mumble his response, “yeah well, thanks for putting up with me.”

zoro pauses briefly turning to look at you with mild surprise. but before he’s even had time to fully process your remark, he finds his lips quirking into a smirk as you add on “i mean you are a bit of a moron, but you’re MY moron, ya know?” and with that he’s laughing the most he has in a while (but you’ve always had that affect on him, always made him feel things he didn’t think was possible), “you took the words right out of my mouth, dumbass.”

“my love,” sanji exclaims, “it’s me who should be considered the lucky one!” he gently reaches for your hand to bring it to his lips. he places a delicate kiss to each of your knuckles before continuing his sentiment, “i get to see your wonderful face and spend time with you each day. it’s far more than i am worthy of!” but then your eyebrows knit together and your lips are being pulled into a pout and sanji feels his love for you grow tenfold as you object to his statement, “you deserve all my love and affection!” and sanji concedes immediately because your word is law.

wordlessly, ace pulls you into a tight embrace, burying his face in the crook of your neck. “you okay?” you ask, and the concern in your voice is enough to make his heart melt. “yeah, can we just stay like this for a little.” he whispers into your skin. you nod, understanding his need for this reassurance, “i mean it though, i really am lucky to have you.” and as you slowly run your fingers through his hair, ace whispers “i really really love you.”

a cheeky grin sneaks across shanks’ face “you sure are! i am pretty funny, sexy, caring, and intelligent.” you snort at his expected response, “not to mention humble.” he gasps in faux shock, “of course! how could I forget humble?!” as you burst into a fit of laughter so beautifully unrestrained shanks can’t help but think that out of the two of you, he is, most certainly, the lucky one.

#one piece #one piece x reader #one piece headcanons #one piece imagines #roronoa zoro #trafalgar law #portgas d ace #one piece fake texts #red haired shanks #mugiwara no luffy #black leg sanji #straw hat pirates #one piece fake chats #law x reader #ace x reader #roronoa zoro x reader #shanks x reader #sanji x reader #luffy x reader

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eightmakesonebraincell · 2 months

Text

ateez as pirates who fall for you (hyung line)

read maknae line here

genre: pirate!ateez x gn!reader (fem!reader for hongjoong), fluff, angst, crack, and as always - a brainrot of every pirate trope to exist

length: 10.4k

c/w: heavy and mature themes - mdni, explicit language (swearing, insults), death, violence, blood & injuries, weapons, illegal acts (piracy, ransoming, verbal abuse, abduction), alcohol, pet names

a/n: maknae line will come yes but who knows when 🤷‍♀️ work has been really testing my dopamine vibes this year 😔👎 thank you @sorryimananti-romantic for keeping a detailed hitlist for me ♡

hongjoong

pov: you're a royal princess rescued by him

“captain, are you sure we can’t toss her overboard?”

jongho and hongjoong watch as wooyoung’s face falls after you pointedly ignore his attempts to make conversation once again

for someone who is technically their guest aboard the arriba, it seems as though you are hellbent on being as difficult as you can be

“unfortunately, we can’t,” hongjoong grouches to the younger, “not unless we want to exchange our payment for a hefty bounty on our own heads”

when jongho sighs, the captain squeezes his shoulder in comfort and adds on, “trust me, i’ve thought about it too”

hongjoong and his crew are privateers - pirates in theory, but technically excused so long as they have their letter of marque to state that they are authorised to attack other vessels

rescuing a royal princess was never explicitly part of the contract, although he thinks that not rescuing you would have pretty much been equivalent to a blatant show of insubordination

you had been taken ransom by one of the merchant ships the arriba had been plundering

needless to say, they had been close to tossing you overboard too; your kingdom had never paid for your ransom

the lack of response from your parents wasn’t anything you weren’t expecting but it’s a sore spot nonetheless

so it’s certainly hard for you to play friendly when you’re quite literally shucked off from stranger to stranger faster than a hot potato

san tugs wooyoung closer towards him and gently says to you, “he’s just trying to be nice - we all are”

the movement doesn’t go unnoticed by you

“i don’t need your pity,” you answer, the only sentence you have spoken today

you’ve lived two decades of your life pretending you don’t see the pitying gazes of your maids and butlers

you certainly don’t need pity from these people - pirates no less

“it’s not-” wooyoung starts to say

but the captain steps in before he can defend himself

“if this is how you’re always acting, i’m starting to see why your kingdom never paid for your ransom”

had hongjoong been less preoccupied by your words, he would have realised that your tone is candid, as if it is only natural for the people around you to pity you

but he’s clouded with his mindset as captain, unable to stand by idly while his own crew put up with your attitude, and so the words come out anyway - shards of shrapnel that bury themselves into your heart

there is only a fleeting second when your eyes dilate with hurt

you conceal it immediately, replacing it with a steely gaze, yet the image has already seared itself into hongjoong’s mind

“maybe you should throw me overboard, then,” you counter, “i’m sure my family will thank you for it”

and even if you have completely neutralised your expression, no one misses the wounded tone of your voice before you disappear down into the lower deck

mingi lets out a low whistle after the resounding slam of the hatch closing

“you fucked up, captain”

hongjoong doesn’t need anyone to spell it out for him

the heavy feeling in his stomach is telling enough

it isn’t until the moon has long since risen that you emerge through the hatch again

you had bypassed the sleeping quarters to the hold, wedging yourself between barrels of grain until you were sure no one would find you

not that they would have tried to anyway - seonghwa had told them all to give you some space

you had run your finger up and down the sides of the barrels repetitively for hours on end, mind simultaneously void and filled with thoughts

the walls you had built around yourself kept you safe, but it had started to become awfully lonely after a while

when it had become a little too suffocating in the hold and you guessed that most of the crew was asleep, you had softly padded back up the stairs and across the main deck

you now sit on the foredeck where the endless expanse of the sea stretches out in front of you, closing your eyes and letting the swaying of the ship lull you into tranquillity

tonight, the moon winks down fondly upon the waters

hongjoong watches you from the quarterdeck

he’s seen you sit at the front of the ship on many nights when you should really have been asleep

he wonders if you’ve always looked so small and fragile with your knees drawn up to your chest, or whether it’s because the flash of hurt in your eyes and voice is still fresh in his mind

“go, captain,” yunho murmurs from where he’s at the helm, “it’s a quiet night”

hongjoong startles at having been caught gazing, clearing his throat and dragging his eyes away

“why should i, if she’s just going to ignore me?” he scoffs

but he knows he’s just being petty at this point and his chest churns in agreement

“maybe,” yunho hums softly in response. “did seonghwa ever give up on you, though?”

it’s rhetorical - hongjoong knows the answer better than anyone

the captain doesn’t say anything but after several beats of silence, he sighs and makes a move to the foredeck where you are

yunho smiles to himself

you and hongjoong may be more similar than his captain realises

your shoulders stiffen when the sound of hongjoong’s footsteps approaches

you’re not sure what to expect and you don’t exactly want to find out and risk getting hurt

but having spent all day swimming alone in your thoughts, you do want to show that you feel apologetic because admittedly, you were being an ass too

getting up to walk away when he’s taken the first step certainly won’t help your case

you hold your breath in awkward silence as he settles down beside you, leaving a respectable distance between your hunched figures

only now is hongjoong realising that he hasn’t actually thought about or decided on what he wants to say to you

but he can feel the confusion rolling off of you in waves, so he grits his teeth and says fuck it

“i won’t apologise for defending my crew, but i’m sorry for how i did it and for what i said”

he hopes you know he is sincere when he continues, “we all have our prickly edges. i can’t fault you for yours”

compassion is a foreign concept to you and so you’re a little stumped for words

hongjoong isn’t sure whether your silence is a good or bad thing, but you have yet to stand up and walk away from the conversation

“there’s only about a week left until we reach port and we’ll leave after you make it back to your kingdom and we receive our payment. i’m not asking for you to be friendly, but let’s at least be civil with each other until then,” he says

you want to nod, agree, anything

and yet you can’t seem to make your head move or the words to come out of your mouth

rome was not built in a day. but neither did its walls fall in a day

hongjoong doesn’t push for an answer when instead, you ask, “how many people have you actually tossed overboard before?”

he resists the urge to laugh at your question, suddenly endeared by the fact that you’re still bothered by his very empty threat

“none, but my offer still stands. you’re welcome to be my first,” he deadpans

you let out a snort and although you quickly turn your head away, hongjoong sees the hint of amusement in your eyes

no further words are exchanged between the two of you and you do not acknowledge him when he eventually stands to rejoin yunho at the helm

but it’s a start

and as with any relationship, be it friend, foe, or lover, there is always that

a beginning.

hongjoong isn’t really expecting much to change immediately so he doesn’t pay you much mind when you walk into the mess hall the following morning

you hesitate at the entrance when you see most of the crew are already present, the conversation you had with hongjoong last night replaying at the forefront of your mind

you chew on the inside of your mouth

wooyoung stops mid-conversation at the scrape of a plate on the table, looking up to find you sliding into the seat beside him with a tight-lipped smile

to your surprise, he greets you with enthusiasm and immediately drags you into the conversation

hongjoong watches as you slowly warm up and add one or two comments of your own in between bites of your hardtack

and when he catches your gaze after staring for too long, he gives you a smile to convey his appreciation; to acknowledge your efforts

you return it with a small smile of your own and unbeknownst to you, it stays on your face for the rest of the day

slowly, there become more and more reasons that elicit a smile out of you

you still sit out on the foredeck when everyone else has gone to sleep, but on most nights, hongjoong will join you even if just for a while

the two of you are content to sit side by side with nothing but the steady pulse of the ocean and intermittent creaks of the ship’s hull to break the silence of the night

tonight though, you find curiosity burning through you

“what’s it like?” you ask

“being a pirate?” he clarifies

you shrug vaguely, unsure yourself either, “being a pirate. being at sea. sailing with your crew”

he takes a moment to gather his thoughts - not because he doesn’t know what to say, but because there is too much he wants to say

when hongjoong answers, his voice rumbles softly from within his chest, tender and heartfelt

“there’s a sense of freedom that you can’t obtain when you’re bound to land and society. sailing the waters, the only limits are those of the open seas and of your own compass… the sunrises, the storms, the moonlight - it all becomes part of your home”

hongjoong leans back to rest on the palms of his hands, tilting his gaze up towards the twinkling sky

he reflects, “you experience brotherhood and gain a family that is worth multitudes more than the treasures you can accumulate, even if you were to live as a pirate for several lifetimes”

you’re enraptured by his words, like poetry that swirls off the pages of a book and drifts into your very soul

“i may be the captain of this crew, but they make me who i am. without them, i am nothing”

his words wash over you and unearth vivid memories

“that’s what the queen always says to me,” you reveal

a small smile starts to grace hongjoong’s face, but it falls just as quickly when he hears your next words

“that without her - without her title - i am nothing”

it’s funny, how the same phrase can hold such different meanings; can evoke such different emotions

you don’t elaborate any further, but hongjoong doesn’t think he needs you to in order for him to understand

he just wishes he had more time to show you that your mother is wrong

he can’t though

tomorrow they reach port and you will return to your rightful place in the palace

“tell me more about your crew,” you attempt to change the topic, “how did you all find each other?”

so hongjoong tells you

he talks for hours and hours and you listen all the while with a heavy heart, clinging onto his every word

on your final night, you two stay like that until the stars disappear and the horizon becomes streaked with the pale hues of sunrise

after the ship docks mere hours later, only hongjoong accompanies you to your kingdom after goodbyes are exchanged

wooyoung doesn’t take it well, and you find yourself holding back tears of your own as you are let through the palace doors with the captain by your side

but you blink them away when you approach the throne room because vulnerability is not an emotion you are willing to display

“y/n”

the queen addresses you curtly when you enter, and hongjoong wonders for a split second whether he has brought you back to the wrong kingdom

he knows your mother does not treat you fondly, but it’s still staggering to see it before his very own eyes

the monarch glances distastefully over him before her eyes flicker back to you

“i did not expect your return,” she states

your eyes remain impassive as you merely answer, “neither am i delighted to be back”

hongjoong recognises this look

he’s seen it when you first boarded his ship; he’s seen it when your hackles were raised

he’s seen it in himself, when he had been a teenager filled with nothing but growing resentment, before he had met seonghwa

your mother sneers, “then you should have made yourself useful and stayed with the pirates. as a whore or a dog, whatever it took.”

hongjoong has understood you since learning of your demons, but right now, he is you

he sees fifteen-year-old kim hongjoong, standing before a couple who are his parents only by title

he sees fifteen-year-old kim hongjoong, who doesn’t know what he has done that deems him undeserving of love

he sees fifteen-year-old kim hongjoong, all alone with no one to take his hand

“or really, you should have died on the ship”

hongjoong is close enough to you to hear the small hitch in your breath at your mother’s final jab

he may not have had someone to save his younger self, but he can do that now

he can be the person he so desperately needed years ago

and so he does just that.

hongjoong grabs your hand and drags you out of the palace

no one stops the two of you from leaving and he is unsure whether his heart hurts for you or sings with relief

you can only stutter in shock as you try to keep up, “hongjoong, what about your payment?”

his determined steps do not slow down, even as he looks back at you with a sure smile, “i told you before. some things are worth more than money”

the comforting squeeze of his hand conveys that you are worth more than any amount of money

the form of the arriba grows bigger in the distance and you think you can see the movement of excitement on deck when the crew spots your figures

hongjoong has slowed down his steps, but he has yet to let go of your hand

“and you deserve to know that. welcome to the crew, y/n”

to a family and love that you never had

you think you like the sound of that

“thank you, captain”

seonghwa

pov: you're a royal navy officer in disguise

you lay awake in your hammock, listening to the soft snores of the crew members around you

sleep doesn’t come easy to you anymore

particularly tonight

you contemplate whether it’s worth the risk to simply not show up

you know what the consequences are if they capture you - a slow and painful death - but you’re unsure whether you want to put ateez on the line too

your ship is currently docked for the night, having made a port stop at alcarres following one of the crew’s wishes to retire the pirate lifestyle and settle in the small town

their last night with ateez had been celebrated with sloshing rum and rowdy jigs, something you had found strange

there’s none of that in the royal navy

when one leaves, it is shameful and through one of three options only; old age, crippling injury, or…death

you had asked seonghwa, the quartermaster, why he and the captain were so accepting when crew members left as they wished

he had simply smiled and answered, “better a small but loyal crew than a large and unpredictable crew”

his words are like a sharp stone in your shoe as you finally slip out of your hammock and make your way off the ship

as ordered, you head to the tavern addressed

you salute the person in front of you and ease into your seat with a formality only when he disregards you

“admiral jang”

“you’re late,” the royal navy officer raises an eyebrow

“sorry, sir. i had to make sure everyone was asleep”

it’s not exactly the truth, but no one needs to know that you had spent an hour in your hammock questioning your morality

he ignores your excuse, jesting as he asks of your captain, “has the pirate king found the chart’s whereabouts yet?”

the charts

centuries ago, a crew of experienced sailors had travelled the six great seas and created the original navigational charts

the charts had become scattered and lost over time, but its value only increased exponentially as more and more sailors became victims to the sea trying to map its waters to the same detail and accuracy as the original charts

of the six originals, only the whereabouts of five are known, with most of them within the possession of the royal navy

it’s rumoured that hongjoong - the pirate king - has his hands on two of them and is currently tracking down the lost chart of the aurorian sea

the only sea that has yet to be chartered after its original map due to its dangerous and unpredictable sailing conditions

you know that your next words can hold an inexplicable amount of possibilities

“not yet. the last lead didn’t get him anywhere. turned out the last of the ahn clan had passed a decade ago”

his lips flatten at the lack of worthwhile information

“where’s the captain headed to next, then?” he probes

for a split second, the thought of lying crosses your mind

you can’t provide a different location - it would be much too obvious and would raise immediate suspicions

but you could give him a different time frame

after all, it’s not uncommon for navigational routes to be one to two weeks off should the waters be unpredictable enough

you find the truth spilling out of you anyway once you’re looking into his stone-cold eyes

“vlasgar. in about three weeks’ time”

for a moment, time stands still as your heart pounds and you attempt to slow your breathing, the officer staring back at you calculatingly

then he finally hums in satisfaction

you think that he is going to dismiss you, but as you make a move to leave, he leans back in his seat

the split second of hesitation was enough

“remember where your loyalty lies, y/n”

the air feels cold with the underlying threat

seonghwa’s words flit through your mind

better a small but loyal crew than a large and unpredictable crew

you swallow, “of course, admiral”

and then you’re dismissed with a nod

the unsettling feeling follows you all the way back to the ship and every miniscule creak of the floorboards underneath you seems to be amplified in the silence

you let out a short gasp of surprise when you’re about to climb back into your hammock, only to see seonghwa blinking blearily at you

“couldn’t sleep ‘gain?” he mumbles

you choke out a response, “yeah”

“i’ll make you tea b’fore you sleep ‘morrow,” his words slur with sleepiness

“okay,” you whisper

but you know it won’t make a difference

after all, there’s no remedy for guilt

it continues to fester the next day, as you linger outside the captain’s quarters

you can’t remember why you had come down to the lower deck, but it doesn’t matter now, not with seonghwa and the captain discussing what you think is related to the aurorian chart

“do you think he’s still in vlasgar?”

“min taesoo? it’s hard to say. but i’m sure he’ll have acquaintances still on the island who may have an idea of where he’s gone”

min taesoo

your brain tries to carefully file the name away, knowing that it’s what admiral jang would want to know, but at the same time, your heart tries to pretend it doesn’t know what you have heard so that you can forget about it

you find yourself scratching the name onto a scrap of paper anyway

unbeknownst to you, at the almost-imperceivable sound of your footsteps walking away, the two men behind the doors share a look

the crew sets sail again in the afternoon towards the next destination - vlasgar - and the scrap of paper in your pocket weighs you down so heavily that you feel off-kilter as you absentmindedly follow jongho up into the rigging to unfurl the sails

you’re near the top of the ropes when a sudden wave lurches the boat to starboard

it’s only a small push, really, but with your mind elsewhere, it catches you off guard and you miss your next step

the feeling of your hand dislodging from the sudden drag of your body weight brings you back to the present with a yell of surprise

(whether it’s your own or jongho’s, you can’t remember)

your sailing experience takes over and you try to swing your body back towards the safety of the rigging

you barely manage to grasp the ropes again but your hands slip down with your weight until they hit the next knot, the hot rush of friction threatening your grip

with adrenaline rushing through your body, you shakily climb back down, where there are several pairs of hands waiting to help you down the rest of the rigging

seonghwa’s hands do not leave you even after your feet are planted on the deck again

dread and shame heat the back of your neck and curl around onto your cheeks, knowing that a mistake like the one you had just made - accidental or not - would lead to a punishment like confinement in the lower deck back in the royal navy

except, when an apology starts to form on your lips, seonghwa bursts out in dismay

“y/n, your hands!”

you let out an unintelligible noise as seonghwa gently turns your palms over and you realise that the ropes have grazed some of the skin off

“it’s fine,” you want to say

but you’re silenced when he leads you to the small sick bay on the orlop deck

even if there is no surgeon on board, there is a small chest fastened to the wall that is home to their few and valuable medical supplies

you sit as he fusses over you with alcohol and strips of cloth

although he does a good job of wrapping your hands, your insides start to bleed with how intensely guilt eats away at you, like a maggot deep inside the core of a festering apple

that night as you shuffle towards your hammock to sleep, you flinch when you find seonghwa already sitting in his

he’s fighting the heaviness in his eyes as he carefully cradles something

upon seeing you, he wordlessly hands it to you with a sleepy smile before he finally sags into his own hammock with a content sigh

you look down and the warmth of it seems to burn through the padded dressing that the man before you has tenderly wrapped around your palms

the sensation travels upwards to burn your heart too

because in your hands is a cup of warm chamomile tea

and yet, despite the emptied cup, you find yourself unable to fall asleep

but in the darkness of the sky, with no witnesses other than the waves and sea foam themselves, a small piece of crumpled paper gets tossed overboard that night

the closer their ship approaches vlasgar, the more distant seonghwa notices you become

he worries

seonghwa thinks he worries for the reasons that he should be

he is the quartermaster; entrusted to protect the crew as the captain’s right-hand man

if that means ensuring no one will compromise the rest of his crew, even if it’s you, then so be it

that’s what he justifies to himself as he walks through the cobbled streets of vlasgar, slinking through the shadows as he follows your figure from a safe distance

(in reality, seonghwa worries for the reasons that he is not quite ready to admit yet)

he follows you into the dim bar of a tavern and carefully situates himself where he can watch over you without being discovered

he orders a mug of common ale as you approach someone

the man is dressed in civilian attire, but seonghwa can tell straight away from his demeanour and expression that he is not as ordinary as he appears

it’s confirmed when he hears you say, “admiral jang”

and then he sees it

the small but striking lapel pin on the breast of the man’s coat - the royal navy’s insignia

seonghwa feels for the sash that’s hidden underneath his own jacket and his fingertips meet the cool metal of the pistol tied inside

“you better have updates for me, y/n. what’s the pirate king’s purpose here in vlasgar?”

seonghwa knows he only has about five seconds to make a decision - one that could jeopardise the crew, or one that could jeopardise you

but you surprise yourself and the both of them when you answer steadfastly, “i don’t know, sir”

despite the din of drunker patrons in the tavern, it seems to fall deathly silent

“am i hearing wrong, officer?” the admiral questions with a disbelieving scoff

to your credit, your voice does not waver when you state again, “no, sir. i believe the captain and quartermaster are lying low. they have not revealed anything to me nor the rest of the crew”

seonghwa suddenly understands why you have distanced yourself

the admiral’s jaw tics

“is that so.”

you do not respond, only focusing on the spot between his raised eyebrows as he leans forward across the table

“where does your loyalty lie, y/n?”

neither the admiral nor seonghwa need to hear your answer to know the truth

a small crew may be outnumbered, but they have strength in loyalty and devotion

there’s a glint of movement from underneath the table as the admiral inches something out from his belt

seonghwa makes his decision

you flinch, eyes wide as there’s a deafening gunshot and the table beside you splinters and scatters the tankards of alcohol onto the floor

instantaneously, chaos erupts

there are drunken yells of fright and weapons clumsily brandished, tables upturned and chairs hurled across the room

it only takes one other misfired shot for the tavern to descend into hellfire as customers who were previously drinking together now turn on one another

nobody notices the two pirates dashing out, not even admiral jang, who is busy wrangling two inebriated men off his arms

your composure dissolves the moment you are dragged into an alleyway several streets away and you look up in shock to discover-

“seonghwa?! why are you here?”

“i could say the same about you,” he counters, hardly out of breath

you’re stunned by the fact that he seems completely unfazed by the mess that he has just dragged you out of

something clicks

“was that you? did you know all along?”

seonghwa smiles, “let’s just say you’re not as subtle as you think you are when you sneak around. plus, it’s uncommon for sailors to have the experience that you do without having had some sort of training”

you curse under your breath and wince, “does hongjoong know too?”

the quartermaster nods and you fear the answer to your next question

“then why has he not…why have you not…”

“killed you yet?” seonghwa chuckles. “i’m sure you’ve realised by now how skewed the royal navy’s beliefs are”

you’re quiet

the royal navy has always been cult-like in preaching the ruthlessness and barbarism of pirates, drilling into the officers the belief that pirates are the scum of the sea

but everything that you’ve known has been proven false since you’ve joined ateez; ironically, the pirates are more humane than the royal navy themself

their crew stand at attention whenever hongjoong or seonghwa walk onto the deck - not out of cultivated fear but genuine respect

when jongho is sore and tired from handling the riggings on a particularly rough and windy day, the others will offer to cover for his chores instead of flogging him into submission

and when mingi is divvying up the shares of the provisions and loot, the others will slip an extra bar of soap for seonghwa, the shiniest ring for mingi, or the largest bottle of rum for yunho, because they want to make each other happy

“hongjoong is the pirate king, yes, but a king should not take the lives of others for his own power. a true king uses his power to change the lives of others for the better…like yours…and like mine”

you frown with a jerk of your head

“what do you mean?”

you can’t see seonghwa as a broken man whatsoever

he gives you a weak smile, “i, too, used to be part of the royal navy”

your jaw drops

everything clicks into place - how he had figured out you weren’t just a common sailor and why he hadn’t confronted you about it

the shame and guilt come rushing back over you in a storm that is much too familiar by now

“i’m so sorry, all i’ve done is betray your trust-”

“but that’s what second chances are for, no?” seonghwa cuts you off, playfully flicking your forehead as he reminds you, “and i’m pretty sure you’ve chosen me over the royal navy”

your cheeks grow hot

“not you. the crew,” you mutter

he laughs and it’s a wonderful sound

“come on, it’s late,” seonghwa beckons. “let’s get some sleep”

when he sees that you’re still rooted to the spot, unsure whether you are deserving to go back, he decides for you and moves behind you to gently nudge you forward by the shoulders

you let him guide you

his hands are warm, you note, even through the linen of your shirt

his hands are also pretty, you observe, when he tries to fluff your hammock once you two have crept your way back to the berth

seonghwa helps you up into the hammock and you watch as he climbs into his

his hands are also teeming with love, you realise, when he wordlessly extends his arm nearest to you in a silent invitation

if you both reach out, you can just entwine your hands together from your respective hammocks

the burns on your palms have healed nicely and without the need for them to be wrapped, you can feel every expanse of his hand covering yours

he doesn’t retract his hand and neither do you, even though it’s not the most comfortable position and you both lose feeling of your arms soon after

but you lay in your hammock, drifting to the soft snores of the crew members around you and the soft tug of seonghwa’s fingers in yours

sleep comes easy to you

particularly tonight

as it will for the rest of your life

yunho

pov: you're the crew's navigator

you know it’s going to happen even before it actually does

you can feel it in the air and from the way the baby hairs around your hairline start to frizz

but you never say anything because you wouldn’t trade it for the moment when the first raindrop hits the back of yunho’s neck and he abandons his duty at the helm to drag you out onto the upper deck

(hongjoong only sighs in defeat before he stations himself at the helm instead)

you don’t like the rain

not like yunho does

you are already looking up from the map spread out in the captain’s quarters, a knowing smile on your face just from the sound of his bounding footsteps alerting you of his presence, when yunho appears with the beckon of rain

you pretend to let yourself be dragged to your feet along to his urges of come on!

but then you dash forward towards the hatch with yunho chasing after your bright laughter

in the short span of time that it has taken him to fetch you, the sprinkle of rain has steadily grown and the weathered planks of the deck are already a dark grey

you feel the coldness of the raindrops hitting the crown of your head and the spreading chill as your clothes start to become damp

but that’s not what makes you feel alive

yunho catches up to you easily and then he is snaking his arms around your waist to lift you up into the air

you barely have time to squeal and steady yourself on his broad shoulders before he is spinning the two of you around, the world blurring away as the spotlight shines on him and he is all that you can see

the deck is your stage and the sea is your audience

rain with yunho is twirling hugs, tiptoed kisses and tinkling laughter. it’s soaked shirts and rosy cheeks and the only thing that matters in the moment

you don’t like the rain, but it’s easy to like the rain when it’s with him

(hongjoong lets the two of you be - so obviously and hopelessly enamoured by each other - because when one sees people in love, one cannot help but watch and smile)

the rain eventually peters out and you and yunho must return to your respective duties, but not until you two have changed out of your drenched clothes and sneaked in a few more kisses

a few hours later, you hear the racket above the deck as a ship pulls up beside the arriba and ropes are thrown across from both sides to lash the vessels close together

hongjoong comes down to join you in his quarters, but he’s not alone

behind him is the captain of the silver light, dae jihoo, and his quartermaster, with seonghwa entering last

you note that this crew doesn’t have a navigator of their own

but you suppose that’s one of the reasons why their captain had implored an alliance for this particular raid

the crew of the silver light are wanting to target the prosperity triangle - an area between three large ports that is frequently trafficked by wealthy vessels transporting valuable goods

it’s a raid that would prove difficult for a smaller pirate crew like your own and the silver light, and especially if they have no navigator

but it’s not uncommon for pirates to form temporary alliances for such purposes, and together, your crews have a good chance of plundering a fortune

you nod your head in acknowledgement when hongjoong introduces you to the two pirates as ateez’s navigator

you don’t miss the way jihoo’s eyes seem to linger on you for a second too long before he flashes a crooked grin and gestures towards the navigational map spread out on the oak table

clearing your throat of discomfort, you step forward and flatten the creases out with your hands

“this is the most open spot within the triangle that the vessel we’re after will pass through,” you tap an annotated spot on the chart, “and this is where we are now”

you slide your finger across, “we’ll follow the rhumb line west to avoid the shallower waters and when we can catch the trade winds, it should be smooth sailing from there”

jihoo challenges you, “how can you be sure we’ll catch the ship within the triangle?”

“they’ll need to sail past the equator and i’m almost certain their ship will be slowed down by the doldrums. we can easily gain knots on them”

he squints at the scribbles you’ve made noting down what you’ve gathered of the wind patterns

you know for a fact that it will mean nothing to him, but whatever he sees must satisfy him because jihoo appears to make up his mind

“when do we set sail?” he directs his question to your captain

“three days from now”

he grunts a noise of affirmation and stands, which hongjoong takes as the cue to see them and the rest of their crew off your ship

you trail behind the group as you all head back to the upper deck

you prepare to emerge from the hatch with a playful wink, knowing that yunho will be craning his neck from the helm to get a glimpse of you, when a sudden holler surprises you out of your thoughts

it’s immediately met with the answering cries of several other pirates - none from your crew - and you hurry to clear the hatch to gain your bearings

you’re thrust right into the throes of battle as ateez are forced to unsheathe their cutlasses to defend against silver light’s sudden attack

having been caught off guard, basically none of your firearms are loaded with gunpowder, rendering them unusable

you will have to make do with the short sabre at your waist

there’s no time to account for the whereabouts and safety of your crew members and you just have to pray that you all make it out of this unscathed

especially yunho

but as ateez retaliate, you all notice something is off about the situation

your crew is very quickly overpowering the other pirates - it was a losing fight for them from the very beginning

it makes no sense to you nor the rest of your crew

the losses of breaking the alliance before the planned raid, much less through betrayal, far outweigh any gains they could possibly make from their choice of action

it makes absolutely no sense

until it does.

you are blocking the swing of a sabre with your own when you are tugged backwards harshly by the collar of your shirt

there’s an angry snarl in your throat as you prepare to turn around, but it’s quickly silenced by the warning shot of a pistol right beside your ear

the cold ring of metal is then pressed to the back of your head

you know that firearms require time to reload and there’s a chance that this pistol is now useless

but, like wooyoung has taught the rest of the crew to do, they may have pre-prepared several pistols and you are not willing to play with fire - especially when you are only the flex of a finger away from death

you vaguely hear someone yell out your name in panic, but you’re not quite sure you hear correctly over the clamour of cutlasses clashing, warcries resounding and your own heartbeat pounding

“stand down or your navigator dies,” the voice behind you thunders

it’s jihoo…and he wants a navigator for his crew

“ateez,” one of your men commands, “lower your weapons”

your crew may make decisions fairly, but in battle, only hongjoong has the power to make commands

yunho has never spoken against his captain or disobeyed orders

until now

the words do not come out of your captain’s mouth but yunho’s

the rest of the members hesitate - they will not stand down unless hongjoong commands them to, yet, they are unsure whether they will be able to follow should he demand them to fight on, even if it means endangering your life

but there is no guarantee jihoo will let your crew go unharmed even after you all surrender, and as the captain, hongjoong must make decisions in the best interest for the crew

“captain!” yunho yells desperately

yunho never yells

“stand down,” hongjoong commands

silver light’s captain steps in closer behind you until you can hear and feel the noise of intriguement that leaves his mouth down the back of your neck

“that your loverboy, hmm?”

he smirks

there’s a false moment of primal relief when the press of the pistol is removed from the back of your head, but it is immediately replaced with fear that is irrevocably worse as he aims it in yunho’s direction and shoots

“no!”

you shriek and pull against the tug of his hold, still fisted around your collar, your pupils blown wide with terror at the sight of the clean hole in the mast right beside yunho’s head

“it’ll be pretty boy’s head next if you don’t come with me,” jihoo coos into your ear

the fight slips out of you immediately

because if you can save him, a life for a life, then you will

even if the sight of mingi holding yunho back from lunging forward when the pistol’s barrel returns to your head makes your heart clench painfully

“y/n, don’t you dare,” yunho pleads, voice filled with anguish

you’re barely given enough time to lock eyes with him and say resolutely, “remember what you said to me,” before you are tugged away to the boarding plank

ateez can only watch helplessly as the planks are removed from over the bulwarks and the last of the ropes are untied, releasing the silver light from their ship for good

jihoo tugs you down the hatch as the ship starts to pull away, and just like that, you’re gone from their sights

“fuck!” yunho shouts furiously, unable to contain his emotions as he turns around and connects his fist with the mast

right where the musket ball had made a hole

his hand pulls away with bloodied knuckles from the splintered wood and the sheer force of his punch

a concerned whine leaves seonghwa’s mouth and he tries to approach the taller, but yunho shakes him off and looks determinedly at hongjoong

“we’re sailing to the banver isle just east of the triangle. we’ll ambush them there”

seonghwa looks between the two, hope flickering in his chest at the potential plan, “you think the silver light are stupid enough to try taking on the prosperity triangle alone?”

yunho chuckles darkly, “they were fucking shitbrained enough to take y/n, so yes”

nobody disagrees and hongjoong smirks dangerously

“ateez, ready the sails for banver isle,” he commands. “prepare for battle”

because not only have the silver light taken you away from ateez, but they have also annihilated the light from yunho’s eyes

gone are his warm brown orbs - they are now black holes thirsty for retribution

there will be lives to pay and even that will not be enough for the void

unaware of what your crew is capable of, jihoo looks down at you with a triumphant leer

“you’ll navigate us to the triangle in three days’ time. don’t even think about lying - you’ve already shown me where the location is”

with an even nod you reply, “of course”

it’s true though - you have absolutely no intention of navigating them somewhere else

because you know yunho will be waiting there for you

amidst chaste kisses exchanged between plush lips cold from the rain, yunho tells you in a brief moment of seriousness

“don’t show them where the real location is,” his breath is warm across your cheeks. “you know the coastal island roughly ten nautical miles away? show them that instead”

you tilt your head to look up at him, “you think they’ll betray us?”

“no,” he reassures you with a deeper, slower kiss, “but we can never be too safe”

and even if your vessels miss each other this time, you have complete faith that yunho will sail to the very ends of the world just to find you

two days before the originally-planned raid, the arriba sails as closely to banver isle as possible without risking running aground

yunho has navigated the ship around the back of the isle so that the form of the rocky terrain conceals them from sight

once the anchor is lowered, the crew members use every ticking moment to make preparations

swords are sharpened and firearms cleaned

mingi distributes the gunpowder and ammunition, which is pre-loaded into muskets, pistols and swivel cannons ready to be engaged

the ship’s sails and riggings are checked and yeosang keeps a keen lookout in the crow’s nest

and it’s as if the world itself can sense the brewing storm that grows inside yunho

the sea is eerily still and silent, but the sky is an omen to something impending, its rolling clouds dark and angry with the threat of rain leering over the waters

yunho doesn’t actually like the rain

he only likes it because it’s with you

rain with you is barefoot dancing, breathless confessions and bashful giggles. it’s drenched locks and fluttering eyelashes and the only thing that exists in the moment

but as the profile of the silver light finally approaches the isle two days later, the heavens split open and you are not by his side

rain without you is falling pinpricks, frigid winds and flaunting mockery and yunho despises it with his entire being

at yeosang’s call of, “vessel approaching from starboard,” up in the lookout, yunho smothers the fervid desire to barrage the other ship with cannonballs like hail from hell; to unleash an inferno that blazes through their hull as he sadistically watches the crew jump for their lives

he stamps out the hunger to shoot the ones that make it into the sea, not to kill, only to maim and induce a long, painful struggle in the open waters until death becomes inevitable - until there is enough blood spilt that it becomes the only stench in the air that stretches across for miles

yunho leashes his monsters with an iron fist

because he will not do anything that could even remotely endanger your life

even if it means that he has to hold back - to sit and wait like prey instead of advancing on the other ship like a predator

at least not yet.

silver light do not know, but this is the calm before the storm

the heavens may be crying, the winds may be howling and the waters may be roiling

but this is nothing compared to yunho

yunho is a tempest of unparalleled rage and their ship is in the eye of his storm

as the bowsprit of the silver light starts to appear around the isle, the members ready their grappling hooks and yunho draws his cutlass with a menacing whisper of unsheathing metal

you are his treasure, and pirates never lose sight of their treasure

today…you return to him

yeosang

pov: you're a tavern keeper

watching the ale reach the brim of the tankard you are holding, you’re about to step away from the barrel when the voice of a patron sounds behind you

“‘scuse me, could i get a mint-”

you look up and turn around in confusion as their voice cuts off

only to have the question taken right from the tip of your own tongue as you’re met with the face of the person you had loved for years

the same person you have spent twice as long trying to forget

eyes searching each other’s in a surprised stupor, seeing kang yeosang standing right in front of you takes you back to those memories that you have tried to remember and simultaneously bury

it thrusts you headfirst into what used to be of your shared love - like the feathery remnants of a dream, so distant from the fingers of your consciousness, suddenly returning to vivid existence when you least expect it

“hey, mint leaf. i’m back”

yeosang at least has the perceptiveness to appear a little apologetic, immediately pulling you into a hug and pressing soft kisses against your hairline uncaring of the other people in the tavern

it’s been several weeks since you last saw him, and whilst he had warned you he would be gone for longer this time, you hadn’t expected it to mean two whole months

he’s a small merchant who also fishes along the coast to earn enough to make ends meets, so he’s often gone for a few days or a week or two

you knew what you were in for when you first made it official with him, but just because you become accustomed to something, doesn’t mean it gets any easier

and he’s never been gone for this long

something must have happened - something good - because he looks alive, cheeks glowing and eyes fiery

“i met the crew”

“the crew?” you ask, hands reaching for the bourbon to prepare him a drink as he lets himself behind the counter to stand beside you in your workspace

he nods excitedly, "wooyoung’s pirate crew, ateez"

you think you know where this is going to go and you hate that your stomach sinks at the thought of what your future may become, because yeosang looks so happy to tell you about this and a happy yeosang is all that you could ask for

“the captain offered me a position as their lookout”

you pick out your next words carefully as you hand him his finished drink - a mint julep with two sugar cubes, just the way he likes it

"aren't…isn't being a pirate dangerous?"

“not as dangerous as you might think, actually. they’ve been showing me the ropes the last couple of weeks and…and i think i want to join them. officially”

there it is

the forked end of the road

you wonder how far two people can keep walking with their hands intertwined before the distance becomes too great and they have to let go

his words become a little muddled when he goes on to tell you about how they divvied up their recent loot to include his share too

how he’s gained more money than he’s made from the last two years of working as a merchant and fisherman combined

if he joins his old friend and his crew, he could earn enough to buy his parents a proper house; earn enough to build you your very own tavern

you want to tell him that you don’t need the tavern, just him, but you also know just how important his family is to him

his filial desire to take care of his parents was one of the very reasons you fell in love with him in the first place

before you can say anything though, the tavern keeper is interrupting to let you know that your shift is over

yeosang immediately perks up and herds you out of the place, claiming that there is a new fishing spot he discovered that he has to show you

and so you sit while he rows his modest boat, only the splash of his oars disturbing the peaceful stillness that has settled over the waters as the sun dips below the horizon

the waning light casts a soft, warm glow over him, like a gentle kiss against his skin and birthmark

if angels graced the earth, there would be one sitting right in front of you

“i missed you, mint leaf,” he confesses, gaze shyly averted. “i thought about you when i was gone”

“did you think about showing me this place?” you feel a little breathless

he nods, “every single night”

and that’s enough for you

it feels like everything is okay again

it doesn’t matter if you’re standing at a forked road

you think that perhaps, for him, you can walk on an unpaved path - just so that you can keep holding his hand

“y/n”

yeosang’s voice is deep

the word sounds foreign to your own ears but you don’t dwell on it

(because if you do, you’ll wonder whether it’s because you’ve forgotten the sound of his voice or because you want to hear him calling you something else)

“what would you like to order?” you ask

(because it’s easier to pretend that he’s just another patron than to admit that he used to be all that you ever knew)

yeosang fumbles a little but then regains himself, “oh, um- just a mint julep, please”

you turn your back to him to prepare his drink, hands reaching for the barrels lined along the bottom shelves without needing to look

you’ve made this drink too many times to count

half of those times were in the safety of the darkness that midnight offered; when the tears could flow freely without anyone seeing

it’s only when you start to mix his cocktail that yeosang realises he didn’t ask for his sugar cubes, but he figures the drink will taste bitter tonight either way so he opts to watch you instead

he wishes that he could walk past the counter like he used to and wrap his arms around you

he wishes that he could whisper endearments into your ears and press them against your lips

he wishes that he could show you that he still loves you

“do you still love me?” your voice wavers with hurt as you stand in front of him

he’s finally back after being gone for four months this time and you hate this conversation as much as he does, but it was bound to happen eventually

yeosang pleads, “more than anything”

“then why does it hurt so much? loving you…and being loved by you”

he doesn’t have an answer

but god be damned if he doesn’t try to find a way to fix things

“tell me, mint leaf, what can i do?”

you blink back your tears furiously, having already made up your mind while he was still at sea

“let’s break up”

because in the end, unpaved paths have too many rocks, too many thorns and too many arched roots; they were never meant to be walked along

you pass yeosang his finished drink without another word and then move further down the counter to serve a different customer

his eyes linger on you wistfully before he tears them away from you

it’s a good thing his hair has grown long enough to cover his face when he looks down

because his eyes start to grow wet at the sight of the mint julep you have made him

with two sugar cubes in it, just the way he likes it

perhaps, once you’ve loved somebody, you never really stop loving them

yeosang shows up again the next day and seats himself at the bar

you don’t serve him though, actively avoiding his end of the counter and letting another of your staff tend to him

he orders his usual but he leaves out his request for additional sugar cubes

it feels wrong for him to order it from someone that isn’t you

but you’re watching out of the corner of your eye as the worker mixes the bourbon, sugar and water, topping it with a few mint leaves and then sliding it across the counter for him

you let out a little sigh, half amused, when he takes a small sip and smacks his lips together at the bitterness

you take two sugar cubes and drop it unceremoniously into his pewter cup before you realise what you’re doing

yeosang immediately seizes the opportunity to talk to you

“my crew’s docked for the fortnight…” he waits to see if you’ll respond. you don’t, but you also don’t move away, so he continues. “we’re making some repairs to the hull and sails before our next raid”

you have half a mind to walk away after you reply, “i didn’t ask”

he forges on regardless

“we’re going to work with another crew for this one. it’s going to increase our chances of a successful raid because-”

your voice comes out a little harsher than you mean for it to when you hiss again, “i didn’t ask”

yeosang’s mouth closes as he pulls away slightly, back straightening

then he says in a softer voice, “i’ve been doing well. wooyoung still takes care of me, even though i’m not new to the crew anymore. i also saw my parents today and they’re happily retired now…”

you don’t stop him from talking this time

because how many sleepless nights have you spent sitting outside your tavern looking up at the stars; how many times have you served a mint julep to a patron and accidentally added sugar cubes; how many moments have you been consumed by the thought of him, simply wondering if he is living well?

this is everything that you have ever wanted - yeosang in the flesh letting you know that, yes, he has been well

but it is also everything that you have ever feared - that he has been well even without you

you don’t know what to feel

“my parents asked about you,” he says gingerly. “how have you been?”

his voice is barely audible, as if he is afraid of what you might say

or perhaps, afraid that you might not say anything at all

“good. excellent,” you force a small smile, your eyes still focused on the mint leaves floating in his drink. you don’t think you can look at him. “i own this place now”

his body loses its tension, cheeks rounding as he looks at you with genuine relief

“that’s…that’s really good to hear”

his words sting

you are unsure if it stings your ego or if it picks at the wound in the shape of the person you have lost

but it hurts to know that he has worried over you in the exact same way you have over him, the whole time you two have been apart

you’re suddenly overwhelmed by the realisation and hot tears well in your eyes almost immediately

your bottom lip starts to crumple so you rush into the back room to escape

“y/n!” yeosang calls out after you, alarmed

when you don’t stop, disappearing into the storage, he jolts up from his seat and follows

your body shudders with every heaving breath you take, unable to stop yourself from crying even harder when you feel him tug you into his chest

you try to pull away but his sturdy arms tighten around you

yeosang refuses to let you go once more

“i hate you,” you sob, struggling against his hold as you hit his chest weakly

he hushes comforts against the crown of your head, soothing noises as he endures your fists

“you have every reason to”

yeosang holds back tears of his own

he feels your body gradually losing its fight, sinking into his embrace instead, hands desperately holding him close

your voice is so impossibly small when you tearfully confess, “but i still love you”

“oh, mint leaf,” he brushes the stray locks of hair away from your face and cradles your jaw tenderly, “i still love you, too”

he presses a soft kiss against your forehead, pulling away once only to reaffirm, “so, so much”

when he kisses you again, his lips taste salty against your own, but nothing has ever tasted sweeter than this

your breath no longer stutters but the tears continue to run down your face because your heart finally feels right after all these years apart

and yet-

you pull away

“we can’t do this”

yeosang feels his heart shattering

“why not? i don’t understand,” he whimpers

“you know why,” you say distressingly, “my life is here, yeosang. i can’t just leave and return whenever i want. but you, on the other hand? you can. you go where your crew goes - you belong with them”

“but my heart belongs to you. please, y/n,” he begs

his arms are still wrapped around you and you feel his desperation as his fingers cling onto you like a lifeline

you look earnestly into his bloodshot eyes, your own vision blurry, “yeo, you’re not the one who gets left behind here. you’re not the one who waits weeks, months, years on end, just hoping that the next person to walk in is the person that you want to see”

he wants to plead that he waits to see you, too, but he knows that he’s the one who leaves, too

“you’re the right one for me - the only one for me - but it’s not the right time,” you tell him gently

slowly, his arms lower themselves from around you

“it wasn’t the right time then and it isn’t the right time now,” he repeats, “then when is the right time for us?”

you shoot the question right back at him, “when is the right time for someone whose life is to sail the world?”

neither of you know the answer

nobody does, because loving a pirate has no certainties

but yeosang doesn’t give up

“if we can’t ever be sure, why don’t we just make it the right time ourselves?”

you caress his cheek sweetly, and despite having stepped away from you earlier, he leans into your hand, starved of your loving touch and affection

“yeosang…what if we’ve already had it? what if…meeting each other was already it? what if we’re just meant to love from a distance, not side by side?” your voice is poignant but resolute

he brings up a hand to cover yours, still warm and tender against his wet cheek

how is it that he can be touching you yet simultaneously feel worlds apart from you

“okay,” he accepts with a whisper

if loving you silently is the only way he gets to love you, then he will choose it in a heartbeat over losing you entirely

he thumbs away the remainder of your tears

“can i kiss you? one last time?” he asks

you nod

“one last time”

your lips slowly meet, slotting together as they find their home in each other’s dips and curves

his hands cradle the small of your back and neck and your own hands rest against his chest

the kiss you share is steady, longing and bittersweet

it conveys everything that you want to say to each other, and even then, it is hardly enough

thank you

i’m sorry

i love you

goodbye…

you can feel your eyes burning up again, but you focus on the feeling of yeosang’s lips against yours instead

because you know that the moment one of you pulls away, that is it forever

in the world of love, there are people who are ill-fated

they meet the right person, but at the wrong time

and then there are people like you and yeosang

not ill-fated, but star-crossed lovers

the right person…

but just not meant to be

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