#[Return To Treasure Island!AU] | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

uglypastels · 1 year

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Not Wholly Evil |III| Pirate!Eddie au

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

Series Masterlist

word count: 9.7k

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

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

Chapter 3: An Affair of Honor

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

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

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

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

‘It is an order.’

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

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

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

‘Get away from me.’

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

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

The Captain had his ways.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘Glad you could make it, princess.’

‘Make it where?’

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

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

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

It was now just you and the captain.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘I didn’t mean–’

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fire.

Real, warm, man-made fire.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Until it was too late.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Deep breaths. Just for a few seconds.

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

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

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

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

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

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

And for a long time, nothing changed.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

You would get through this.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The door flung open.

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

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

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

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

The trigger clicked, and nothing happened.

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

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

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

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

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

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

What happened next was not that.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘What is it?’

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

‘That what?’

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

In other words, you were lost.

Chapter 4...

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#eddie munson #eddie munson fanfiction #eddie munson x y/n #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson angst #eddie munson au #eddie munson imagine #pirate au #pirate!eddie munson #pirate!eddie #eddie

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mmkin · 5 months

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Shark Bait - Arlong x Reader

Arlong x Fish/Human Hybrid AFAB Reader

Content Warning – This is a darker story than my other Arlong Pirates related work (and has no connection to said works, consider this my dark Arlong AU) and was inspired from a prompt/headcanons from @sheisabitchbicth here on Tumblr and contains elements of yandere, dubcon, and noncon. (and yes, this work is 18+/NSFW!)

If no likey, there’s the Back button. I have other OP stories or other works that may be more your taste.

If you like this kind of thing though, then read on. I’ve been wanting to do something dark for a bit, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to do so, so have fun with this guilty pleasure project of mine :) All feedback is very much appreciated. (Update - the story is now available to read on my AO3. The story will be updated here and there, follow where you wish. Enjoy!)

Shark Bait - Part 1

You had never met another fishperson in your life until Arlong’s crew came across you. Your parents were slaves who had escaped together, using their combined skills to make their way out. From what your mother told you, they became friends while they were slaves, and after their escape they were lovers for a while. Eventually, they parted, though on amicable terms. Your mother never told your father that she was pregnant, though.

She did not want to return to her family or native land, though. So she found an island that seemed out of the way, and settled there. People felt bad for her for being a former slave, so when you were born, they looked in the other direction, so you for the most part led a quiet life. Your father’s heritage gave you the ability to breathe underwater, so you would go fishing, or search for various items that would augment your mother’s meager income. Sometimes you might help out neighbors in a similar manner, so even though you were half fishwoman, you found some acceptance in your community.

By the time you were in your late teens, you were used to most people not noticing your gills, or the color of your skin. You stayed out of trouble and often out of sight. If you dressed appropriately and wore a large hat or hood, you could escape the notice of Marines who touched upon your island during their trips. It was a quiet life. Were you happy? Sometimes you were not sure. As you’d gotten older, you wanted to know more about your father’s people, and there was only so much your mother could tell you.

So one day, you’re out swimming, and looking for treasures that you can bring home. Since you’ve pretty much picked clean the areas closest to the island, you’ve had to venture out further, which hey, it’s great swimming practice. You feel at peace in the sea, feeling it move through your lungs as you move through the water. You know there are fish- and merfolk and Sea Kings and beasts out there, but at the moment it’s easy to imagine that you are alone in this world. You drift past the coral, admiring it.

Suddenly, you see movement out of the corner of your eye and turn around to see what you are almost certain is another person darting off in the murky distance, if it’s not a large fish. A few of the people on the island dive, but you know that none can dive this far or deep. So maybe it’s a big fish that would probably be a welcome meal for your mother. You’re debating whether you should go after it before a shadow passes overhead, and you look up, wondering if it’s another fish, when in shock you realize it’s a ship. You were so absorbed in your work that you’d failed to notice the coming of a ship, nor did you expect one as the Marines did not come by often. You drift towards the hulking dark shape before something much, much closer swoops down in front of you, close enough that you feel the water displacement against your body as he fills the space.

You see clear blue eyes and the longest nose you’ve ever seen, and there is a grin full of the sharpest teeth you’ve ever seen or even imagined. A short shriek bursts from your throat before a wave of lightheadedness overcomes you.

The next moments are a haze as you try to fight passing out. You are pulled to a strong chest before you are dragged to the surface, a red sun filling much of your vision as you stare dumbly at the chest of the person who’s taken you. You gasp softly as the two of you break the surface of the water, and your limbs hang limp as you’re hauled onto a ship that is most decidedly not a Marine ship. Or even a merchant ship, from the looks of it.

As your head lolls back, you get another look at the face of your captor. No, you didn’t imagine that serrated nose, or the mouth full of sharp teeth, and you start to panic, finding your strength and starting to push against him.

“Oh, we have a feisty one here,” Sawnose chortles, letting you go for but a moment before he grabs your wrists in his large hand, hoisting your hands above your head, leaving you helpless under his scrutiny, and he is not the only one staring.

“Let me go!” you cry, trying to kick him as other men surround you, with a variety of skin colors, some of them having fins, or other fishlike features, in a wide assortment. One thing they all have in common – and you do with them – are their gills. If you were not so frightened and anxious, you might be reveling in the fact that you’re finally meeting other fishmen for the first time in your life.

You are lifted off your feet, and can not help but feel like a hooked fish that is being held up by a fisherman for inspection or display. You try a few more kicks, but Sawnose is incredibly tall and his arm is long enough to keep you at just enough distance to keep you from any effective kick. He laughs as your feet graze his upper legs and stomach.

Your next instinct is to curl up as you see the hungry gazes that are fixed on your damp and near-nude form. You’ve found that diving is more comfortable the less clothes you wear, so you’re in a tank top and briefs, which both cling to you, your net bag hanging empty at your side. The way you’re being handled makes you wonder if these fishmen might try to sell you into slavery. You know your mother will worry about that if you do not come home.

“So, what’s a pretty little thing like you doing in a place like this?” Sawnose asks with an amused tone. You try to be silent, but he snarls at you, and it’s obvious he could cause serious injury, so you have no choice but to answer his question, and any other that he wants to ask you. You confirm that you are indeed the child of a fishperson. When asked what that parent’s name was, you utter it, and his eyes widen.

You are dropped to the deck, wincing as you land on the bare wood. It is then that you learn that your father was once a crewmate of the man who’d just kidnapped you. For a moment you feel your heart leap up in your throat. Will you have the chance to meet him? But your heart plummets to the pit of your stomach when you learn he’s been dead for years. You start crying, and surprisingly, Sawnose kneels next to you, stroking your hair.

“I want to go home,” you plead.

“Silly girl. You are home,” he asserts as you give him a confused stare. He informs you that since you are the offspring of someone from his crew, it means you belong to the crew, and to its captain above all else. So… this means you’re not going to be sold into slavery? You’re just going to be conscripted into a pirate crew?

Fuck. Your mind races as you wonder how you can find your way out of this predicament. Because this can not fucking happen to you. Just because your father was a pirate… a father you’ve never met, who’d never even held you in his arms after you were born. What cruel fate has wrought this?

“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” you manage to inquire as you rise to your feet, crossing your arms to maintain as much modesty as you can. It’s one thing to dive near-naked, when there is no one else around to impede on your enjoyment of the sea, and another to be ogled at by so many eyes. When’s the last time these men saw a woman?

Sawnose laughs, and introduces himself and his crew. He is the mighty captain Arlong the Saw, leader of the Arlong Pirates, and Lord of the East Blue. Your island is his next target in the expansion of his territory, and his men have been scouting around it for a couple of days, staying out of sight. You are an unexpected – but not unwelcome, Arlong assures you – find. Since you’re now part of the crew, you will be spared the tribute that Arlong and his crew are going to extract from the island.

Your thoughts fly to your mother. As a single mother, your mother never had much money. Usually there was food in your belly, and always a roof over your head. Your mother occasionally managed to scrape together enough money for a treat, for what was life without small enjoyments, she would say. You knew she had a bit of money squirreled away for medicine or doctors, and to your dismay, you remember how she has needed more of these in the last couple of years. How will she be able to afford all that on top of Arlong’s tribute, especially if you’re not there to help her?

As Arlong’s words sink in, and the reality of what your mother and the rest of the village faces, you feel light-headed again. Since you were a child, you would get an attack like this rarely, usually after being dealt with an emotional blow.

And this isn’t just an emotional blow. It’s a fucking emotional sucker-punch, and you actually pass out.

Someone is stroking your forehead and hair, and for a moment, you think it’s your mother tending to you. But you’re not in a bed, you’re… on someone’s lap, and your head and neck is on top of what you’re pretty sure is an arm. You hear conversation going on around you, footsteps bustling about, commands being given as the island comes into sight. A quiet whine escapes your throat as you struggle to gain consciousness.

“Looks like the little clownfish is coming awake,” you hear someone chuckle. You would come to hate being called that, for your captor uses it when he thinks you are being silly or stupid.

Who is calling you that, you wonder, and it all comes crashing upon you. Arlong. Arlong the Saw. Who just claimed you for himself and his crew. Who just told you the ultimate fate of your father. And who will terrorize your island and collect tribute from villagers who only want to live a quiet life. You try to bat away the hand that’s touching you, and suddenly find your wrist ensconced in the iron grip of the hand you just tried to defend yourself from.

“Now, now, there will be none of that,” you hear him chide, and you open your eyes, seeing these bright blue eyes and that impressive nose hovering over your face. Your first instinct is to scoot back but the arm that had been supporting you now holds you in his lap in an iron grip. It’s hard to not feel vulnerable pressed up against this impressive specimen of a fishman. And as your gaze darts around, you realize that the other fishmen are pretty tall too. Taller than even the tallest man in your village.

Now you really do feel like a little clownfish, surrounded by all sorts of predatory sea creatures.

#yandere #arlong #arlong pirates #one piece #arlong x reader #opla #opla x reader #one piece x reader #writing #fanfiction #arlong/reader #sharks are sexy #arlong the saw

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moonpaw · 2 years

Note

Do you have any one piece fic recs? Mainly stuff that doesn’t really deal with romance. That sweet sweet platonic shit is calling my name

yeah, i got a ......couple!!

Luffy was raised as a marine and makes it everyone's problem (Series, spoilers for all arcs they're in sections so read up to where you are)

Luffy was raised as a marine, but now has more childhood trauma (Series, first fic is a full fledged fic, again spoilers for all arcs)

Somewhere to Belong (childhood ASL, garp strikes a deal for whitebeard to watch them for 6 months)

The Fire and the Sun (A what-if marineford fic, luffy gets hit)

I’ll keep the king (I’ll keep him safe) (a whump fic centered around luffy's injuries and his crew taking care of him, nakamaship)

sweets and chains can't keep away the king's straw hat (AU where luffy is Big Mom's son and Dragon keeps breaking in checking up on him)

There is no such thing as freedom in a cage of your own making (AU where it's found out much earlier that luffy is Dragon's son and the marines are sent after him on Dawn, Garp calls Ace to go get him first)

Dammit Garp (stop kidnapping your grandson) (Garp finds out Ace is on whitebeard's ship and throws luffy over there too)

the sky is falling (but you’re with me so there’s nowhere i’d rather be) (ok i know you said no ship, but i'm obsessed over this fic for being one of the BEST gear 5 fics out there because of how much LORE it has, Gods AU, ch 1044+ spoilers)

Treasures for a Treasure (pearls pale in your eyes) (Gods AU, luffy is the son of the sea)

Who We Were Meant To Be (Marine!Luffy AU)

Undo, Rewrite, Again (Luffy gets blasted to Baltigo instead of the Isle of women)

Smile Again (Modern AU nakamaship, the crew help luffy recover from ace's death after a crash)

Adopted By Default (Luffy gets blasted to the whitebeards instead of the isle of women)

Beginning the Next Dream (Luffy gets reincarnated as his own uncle and raises the ASL brothers lol, only gets to ace though but the fic is worth it for the luffy, dragon, and garp interactions as well as roger and shanks)

The feel of family (ASL brothers but law and corazon are there too somehow)

Boy With a Scar (luffy went missing for 4 years as a fighting ring slave, fic begins after he's been freed and returned to Dawn)

The time the ASL Brothers ran away from home because they didn't want to deal with Garp (ASL brothers become pirates instead of building their treehouse)

How it Should have Healed (Another nakamaship fic about luffy's wounds throughout their adventures)

The Past and Future King (two pirate kings accidentally meet on a weird island)

one bleached from lying in a sunny place (someone comes up to Usopp and asks to join the strawhats)

Twin Flames (Ace calls Sabo his twin when talking to jinbe in impel down, this has consequences)

across ocean tides and snow-covered hills (ace and luffy meet up on Dawn right before luffy's 2 year time limit)

What if (ace is born a few days early and Rayleigh takes him in instead, making the ASL brothers estranged)

In That Bottle, Is an Ocean Of Memories (AU where luffy is big mom's son)

The World Goes Around In Circles ("How come you're called the pirate hunter, when you're a pirate yourself?")

sea king prayers (Gods Au, series)

it's all been done before (timetravel Au but told in ace's perspective who has no idea time travel is a thing that's going on)

on brotherhood (ageswap, luffy is the older brother)

gods apparent. (gear 5 fic)

Claimed by the Sea (pirate king luffy gets kidnapped by a cult, zoro and the crew searches)

light up, light up (Ace goes missing after the fire, leaving Sabo and Luffy alone. Outlook wants Sabo back and sabo agrees only if luffy can come with him)

as the world goes on its wicked way (Luffy gets turned into a kid for a day, big brother usopp moments)

trouble is a friend of mine (Sanji gets captured)

literally anything written by taizi

the weight of you (Platonic strawhats cuddling :D)

over the course of a day (An AU in which Usopp is forced to hitchhike and meets a few concerning characters)

Like Cats and Dogs (Daemon Au)

stared at the sun and the sun smiled back and called itself pirate king (or: loyalty, on the high seas) (Crew loyalty series)

Little Monsters ( Post-Wano, some lucky (or not-so-lucky) Marines capture the still-injured Sanji and Usopp)

no gods (Gods Au/gear 5, days after the Flevance massacre but with an extra guest)

DreadLetting (gear 5 & time travel, luffy ends up back on that day ace sets sail)

All Hail The Sun God (Gods Au, Zoro offers himself as a human sacrifice so the god of the valley will return)

sky blues (little luffy and vivi meet)

to have and to hold on (Spade pirates are worried about ace and tries to recruit luffy into helping them, Deuce pov)

Pain Scale (Nakamaship, luffy gets hurt)

You Still Have Me (Ace and luffy ageswap, marineford)

It was cold without you by my side (Sabo remembers a few days sooner, just in time to break into impel down)

teacup lizards (luffy is born as dragon’s twin)

reach up to me (if you even can) (Ace reacts to gear third’s “side effect”)

Same Difference (Sabo remembers years sooner, revisits Dawn island)

You Can't Teach a Monkey to Read (Nakamaship, the crew teaches luffy how to read after the timeskip)

The Will of D Carries On (Klabautermann au)

Of pirates and touches (Nami & luffy friendship)

Seven Deadly Sins (Modern Au, Law’s new apartment is haunted)

We Set Our Wishes Upon Her Waters (Gods Au, the 4 Blues are seen as gods and these gods have their own chosen)

Captains' Flowers (a kinda soulmate/mark fic, platonic nakamaship)

Sibling Sympathies (ace’s arabasta visit, nami pov)

interviewing the Future Pirate King (REAL! NOT CLICKBAIT!) (does this one even need an explanation?)

Diving Into The Sea AND Diamond Stratosphere (Au where some people with the D name have wings, series but the fics isn’t under one for some reason?)

Overboard (A typhoon hits the Going Merry's crew harder than any of them could anticipate or accept)

Know Me Like Waves Know Shores ( When Dragon and Luffy meet face to face for the first time, Luffy doesn't recognize his father.)

of scissors and combs (usopp gives luffy a haircut)

burning rubber (Chopper worries over luffy, post marineford & timeskip)

hey, let's get lost (along the way) (Ace, Luffy, Vivi, and Nami accidentally get lost in Alabasta)

etch the ocean into my soul like a guiding light (platonic soulmates Au, zolu)

Si c'est une âme (Platonic soulmates, nakamaship)

The Experiment (The crew make a game out of Zoro’s sleeping habits)

A Chance Encounter ( After Ace get's defeated by Blackbeard, he's held at a temporary prison for a little while, and there he meets a quirky, young marine that surprisingly is related to Ace!)

the voice of all things (The ocean's all the same to everyone―but no one else can hear it quite like he can.)

Many Kisses (Nakamaship & kisses)

Bearing the heat (Modern Au, ASL, slice of life)

tumbling overboard, faces full of fear (luffy falls overboard during a storm, franky dives in after him)

a place that burns (It is then, that moment, strikingly clear, that Luffy realizes he doesn’t have a home.)

Sleep is a Beast, Polar and Bear (post marineford, luffy has trouble sleeping, zoro does what he can to help)

you gotta go the long way 'round (Robin teaches luffy how to read, timeskip)

Swimming Lessons (Thanks to Law’s bodyswap ability, Usopp teaches luffy how to swim for the first time)

take a step in mine (marineford au)

Cool! Two Zoros! (the crew somehow ends up in the past. in the east blue. zoro is there)

wish by spirit and if by yes (Sabo tracks down the whitebeard pirates)

don't bury me with gold (Wolrd noble!Sabo Au)

whatever you can still betray (Haruta is convinced Ace is a spy)

Captains Don’t Get Sick (luffy & nami nakamaship)

where the rims have ridges (Outsider POV, a girl happens to meet both roger and luffy during her life, the strawhat is what she notices)

Code of Misconduct (The crew sets down some ground rules)

I Can't Be Selfless (Pre-canon, Aokiji meets luffy in fooshia)

worn to the bones (that scene where luffy, zoro, and sanji are traveling to fishman island and get separated from the crew in bubbles)

sing songs of the sea (Luffy drowned once, series)

God's emperor (Gods Au, shanks meets luffy)

i'll fly away (Au where everyone is born with wings)

a sailor by any other name (Zoro pov, luffy is forced to join the marines at a young age)

Chasing the Remnants (Sabo goes with dragon to lougetown)

Almost Giving up Before We've Even Started (Luffy and dragon meet up, it’s awkward for them both)

Being together we are stronger than ever (ASL bodyswap)

Here There Be Dragons (Dragons Au)

#one piece #fic recs #mp answers

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