#Ms highwater

[incorrect-mtg]

Davriel: Ms. Highwater, we have an emergency!

Ms. Highwater, whispering to herself: ah yes, the horrors from beyond the stars coming to compleat everyone was fine, but now he has an emergency...

Ms. Highwater: What is the problem, Davriel?

Davriel: We have run out of wine! Did you not order new bottles when you noticed the cellar running dry?!

Ms. Highwater: I did. The supply, however, is still recovering from the Phyrexian Invasion.

Davriel: The... what invasion?

Ms. Highwater:

Ms. Highwater: Phyrexia? The biomechanical horrors set on making everyone be like them?

Davriel: Doesn't ring a bell.

Ms. Highwater: And you did not at all notice the plane-wide fighting happening against them by everyone in Innistrad?

Davriel: Can't say I did! Everything looked perfectly Innistrad-ey to me! Maybe all of it happened while I was taking my afternoon nap?

[gingerbeardmansim]

RECEPTIONIST: “The nurse will be right out Ms. Castro. Will your husband be going back with you?”

POPPY- “Yes, he is SUPPOSED to.”

MARCO- “And what does that mean?”

POPPY- “On the way here you were saying how scared you are, and you didn’t know if you could handle it. I mean really Marco, what is it you have to handle. I am giving birth!”

The nurse came out and asked us to follow her. Not sure why they didn’t bring a wheelchair out for Poppy. Anyway, I was going back come hell or highwater, as they say in Windenburg.

MARCO- “Sorry Poppy, I didn’t mean what it sounded like. I am just concerned about us. Well, you and the baby. “

POPPY- “I got this babe. Come on let’s go have a baby!!”

[pvrkacciosan]

The Only Way For Me

❈ Through HELL or HIGHWATER Masterlist

Taglist: @dreamiezpsycho @piratequeen-queenofgames @ms-starlight @yunascular

Word count: 3.6K

Warning: mention of branding (scar), mention of enslavement, emotional turmoil, character death mention

I gape up at the tall blonde as he spoke the response to my question.

Some of these pirates, were slaves to the Pirate Lord. I suddenly feel as though rocks have been dropped into my belly and my heart lept into my throat. I can't have imagined what being a slave to the Pirate Lord would have been like.

"I was one" the tall pirate says, there was no shame in the way he admitted his past as he didn't seem at all phased by what was once the semblance of his life, my body shivers for him at the idea of what he must have endured. He shifted his body around so his back was facing my direction, slipping a hand to the  collar of his cotton pale shirt he tugged down so a branded symbol could be seen on his left shoulder.

Every muscle in my stomach clenched at the grotesquely scarred skin, the white raised tissue was the imprint of a skull with a dagger going through it - the symbol of the Pirate Lord.

I wanted to ask more, what was it like, how did he become a slave for the most ruthless cruel pirate there was. How did he get out, But Wooyoung cuts into the conversation.

"This is Yunho, the ships sailing master"

The tall sailing master bowed his body forwards, in greeting, as if being formally introduced to me was a pleasure bestowed upon him as if he was meeting and becoming acquainted with a Neo royal family member. By no way was I royalty. My history made me far from such.

"and this is Seonghwa, Hongjoong’s First mate and the ships quarter master"

The equally as tall but slightly short first mate leaned his head down to nod in my direction.

" Nice to see you not caked in the scent of smoke" he spoke, his voice soft as he addressed me.

I troubled myself over my words for a second,  " it's nice not to smell as such" I try to make the comment come out as light hearted but I struggle to do so.

I can't seem to help as my mind travels back to Akio, what would he think about all this. Me getting acquainted with pirates. I could picture as his feature contort into fuming anger. Then an onslaught of cusses would follow as he delayed his worry for my safety.

The air catches in my throat, my mind detaching from my body the world falling away around me. Its scares me.

Akio is gone. Truly and utterly gone. There is nothing I can do.

A hand grips my elbow gently and I turn to watch Wooyoung as he meets my gaze. An understanding smile pulled to his lips, the rocks fade away and the hole in my chest stings slightly less as his grip grows soft and he draws my attention back up.

"You've already met Yeosang" he turns to face the main deck from where the small group of us stood.

How could I forget Yeosang. A prickle of anger at the frustration he had caused made the tips of my fingers tingle and my lips urge to pull back in a sneer.

Wooyoung steps closer to me, to the point I can almost feel the warmth of his body evading my space and air, the warmth buzzed and rippled around me as if it was its own living entity, with its own pulse. I bit my lip, tying my focus to the tip of his finger where he has begun to point things out on the ship.

The wood of the Fedora was dark and shone in the rising sun, the water sprayed up as the waves crashed the sides of the vessel. The pit of my stomach churned as the boat rocked.

My hand placed onto the barrier beside me to help steady my not so great sea legs.

There was a chuckle from behind me as I wobbled and I turn to look over my shoulder to find the other three males smirking while watching me not so discreetly.

" You'll get used to it after a while" Yunho spoke covering his amused lips with a hand, the leather bracelets attached to his wrist sliding down the length of his arm at the sudden new angle.

My attention is swung around when Wooyoung nudged my side gently.

" That door there is where the main sleeping quarters are, I'll show you that in a bit"

He points across to the left side of the main deck, pointing to a door which sat slightly more croaked then the door to their sleeping area,

" That's the medical room, where Yeosang mostly spends his time, may I advise you personally stay clear of there unless needed" His comment was hinted with amusement, his enjoyment for the situation shining through his words.

"come on" he clocked his head to the side, waving at the two working pirates we had now left up on the top deck of the ship. San's almost silent footfall following into place behind us as he made our way down the stairs in the direction of the barracks.

Perhaps my knees where on drugs because by the time we actually reached the door I could have sworn they were going to give out from beneath me.

I had to grip and lean into the door frame, giving my legs just a second of rest before I was following Wooyoung further into their sleeping quarters.

San fanned out away from us, his form falling into the shadows surrounding the corners of the room. I watched him from my place by the door as he stalked the length of the room stopping by a hammock hung slightly higher then the rest, he grabbed a bar suspended beside the hanging bed, hauling himself up I didn't even try to stop my jaw as it swung open as he effortlessly lifted himself from the floor and into the safety of the hammock.

" You'll be sleeping in here with us if that's alright, we don't have any where else for you to stay unless you'd prefer our prison hold at the bottom of the ship." Wooyoung toned in from his side of the room, I glance around taking in the neat appearance and smiled, there was something g homely to it all.

" That's okay" I say, walking around the suspended beds.

Wooyoung wandered in and out of the hanging beds and now stood facing me, I glanced away from his crew mate to meet his gaze over the top of two swaying beds, he cocked his head to the side.

I follow the direction to where he was aiming, another door was at the other end of the room, these rooms seemed to be awfully spacious considering they were all inside a ship. The holds inside slavers ships were far bigger.

" That's the captains quarters, we built it for Hongjoong a couple months ago, said he deserved to spend some time away from the rest of us despite his initial reluctance" I peer towards the door as he speaks, the crew had built that for their captain? For what? Pirates only cared about themselves, why would they care where their captain sleeps.

Maybe these pirates weren't just as such, their was part of me waiting out for them to all gut and torture me, go throw me into the prison hold.

But as we continued the tour and introductions around the Fedora, I kept on waiting. But those moments never came.

☽⋆❈⋆☾

My body was pressed to the mast inside the crows nest of the Fedora. The wood was stinging as it dug into the skin beneath my nails when I scratched them into the mast.

The air was cool up here and I had a moment to process all that had happened. To me, to Akio. To the pirates who had so willingly let me onto their boat. I allowed the tears to run which froze my cheeks as the wind hit them.

Perhaps I was merely dreaming and I would wake up inside our little shack and all would be back to normal again. Shiber would be lazily sleeping around next to the hearth, Akio would be nagging at me to do something  productive to help. I would laugh and at first ignore him before getting up to help.

We might have danced until our limbs grew tired and ached too much for us to continue.

With our bellies full and bodies warm we would then curl up and talk, about nothing in particular, we would just talk about anything and eveything until the heat of the day had died and the light of the moon had become our new friend.

A creak breaks me from my focus and train of thought, looking back I watch as a tuff of hair emerges up onto the crows nest. A warm smile still vacant on his features. Wooyoung.

The Pirate didn't utter any word of greeting as he pulled himself up and sat down next to me, legs dangling under the wooden railing.

The wind which caught my hair blew into the sails, giving them a breath of life. The air was ripe with the smell of salt and Wooyoung inhaled audibly from beside me.

I cast my gaze across to look and take in his appearance, upon such a close distance I could admire the softness of his skin and the tint of colour the sun had given him, from his days on sea under the blistering heat.

He breathed in the air as if it gave him life, meaning, purpose. Wooyoung had his eyes shut over but my cheeks flustered red upon the moment He chose to speak up.

" are you just going to continue to stare or are you going to say something to me?" he peeled the eye closest to me open, I saw my dazed expression in the dark hue of his iris.

I swallowed, hard. Lost of words, he chuckled into the air. A unfamiliar knot inside me tightened,

" I like to come up here alot as well, allows me to clear my head feel the wind for what it really is" as if giving a response the wind blew stronger around us.

My curiosity peaks, no word are passed from my lips before he starts to eleborate. I'm facing him now.

" My mother told me and my brother stories" he started, opening his eyes to look out to the open landscape of blue surrounding us.

" She talked of how the wind was one of our powerful forces of nature, she would tell us storied of a women so powerful she would manipulate the wind to bend to her will"

" A women?" I ask watching as a trickle of excitement seemed to ebb into his expression.

" There's four of them, gifted by the gods with gifts for each of the four elements" he answered, a smile etching his lips.

" The wind was always my favourite, there is something so powerful and unpredictable about the wind." the words were electrified with the excitement of his childhood stories.

Wooyoung folded his arms over the muscles of his chest, sighing heavily as the ship rocked back and forth.

The sun had begun to set now, the air around us cooling.

" Who was she?"

Wooyoung looks to me, the brow bone of his features lifted, " The women?" my eagerness churns in my belly. Or perhaps that just the acids in my stomach moving as the Fedora rocked us side to side, either one I couldn't tell the difference.

"She is one of the four NEO princesses in the North" the Pirate beside me turns, his shoulder bumping into mine when he does so,

" I've heard they were great siblings the lot of them, the NEO kingdom is huge spanning across almost the entire northern part of the mainland, lots of heirs from what I've been told" Wooyoung frowns into his words, "Never met one though, they have no business in this part of the world,"

I'm silent, I can't help but be. I had never given much thought to the Northern continent or who confined there.

" From what I've heard the NEO royals want nothing to do with the likes of us or the wrath of the Pirate Lord."

" Who would want anything to do with the pirate lord, I'm only still here because Akio and I didn't have enough money to buy ourselves passage to the northern mainland"

Perhaps I shouldn't be giving this details to a pirate I barely knew but some otherworldly feeling churning inside me, said I could trust him.

Wooyoung look across to me, the setting sun faded into his face, illuminating the curious expression in his features.

" I wouldn't leave even if I had the money for it" He admitted into the air between us.

There was no reply, not even from the wind as I awaited for him to continue sensing the rest of the sentence.

" I'm too tied here, this land, this sea, I've grown up in both. Its part of who I am"

Although I feel inclined to agree as I too grew up in this continent, I can't. There's nothing here for me anymore. Only revenge for Akio's death, a debt I will repay, even if our father had long since forgotten of us.

He deserved to pay. For everything he did to us while he ruled under the jurisdiction of the Pirate Lords rules.

" What lengths would you go to avenge your brother" I found myself whispering after our conversation began to dwindle in topics. My face was turned away from the pirate beside me. The cool air of the open ocean cooling my cheeks,

Though I don't know why, shame perhaps gotten the better of me. Wooyoung stayed silent for a few seconds, pondering over the question.

"to the ends of the sea" he said, his lips twitching as he spoke, a trickle of venom lacing his words.

Just then the hatch to the crows nest cracked upwards as another head popped up, cutting me off from replying to Wooyoung.

Yeosang was facing us, a sour expression crinkling the lines of his features, " Seonghwa sent me to fetch you both, meals ready"

The soft curls of his blonde hair moved as the light breeze brushed the strands across his brow,  the medic of the crew said nothing else as he slipped back down the ladder,

I frown at the space which his face had been, the vague familiarity of his features, I shake of the feeling as Wooyoung clamboures up from the spot he previously occupied.

Extending a hand for me to take, the tips of my fingers burning at the grip to his palm. I'm quick to let go once I'm standing.

Wooyoung clears his throat just as quickly, going for the hatch he begins to sling his body through the gap, taking each pace of the wooden ladder carefully.

I wait for him to get a short distance down,  what the crap was wrong with me, I was acting like a needing pup, I needed to set myself straight. He was a pirate. A pirate.

I begin to climb down the ladder after him, the wind blows against the ladder, catching the sail on either side of me, giving them life and us movement on the wide ocean.

It's a struggle to keep complete grip as the ladder sways with the weight of us both and the wind flowing around our bodies, But I hear the thump as Wooyoung comes in contact with the deck.

He was only a few steps behind me, and so was close enough to grip my waist as I met the last few steps of the rope ladder.

His finger curled to my side for a second longer when my feet were firmly to the ships main deck once more, it wasn't until I turn toward his own body that he pulls his hands away from my sides, which are left cool from the loss of his warm palms.

"This way" he uttered quickly, looking to the ground at his feet, he hurried off toward a door at the other side of the ship. The wind wasn't as strong down on the ships main level as it was when we were at the top of the crows nest.

I follow Wooyoung and thank him as he held the door open long enough for me to slip into the much warmer room.

Lit dimly by candle light, Seonghwa was pottering around the top end of a elongated table perched in the centre of the small room where the whole of the Ateez pirate crew were crowded around.

This one wasn't as spacious as the other rooms which I had been in when Wooyoung showed me around, but it was enough.

I stood by the door watching as each of the pirates took their seats, chatting and moving around one another in a breeze of movement so fluent, following through the motion as they probably had done for a while.

Looking along the table, I see multiple clean plates with crooked trays of food laid out before them, just waiting to be consumed. I stiffen in place when I realise I would have to fit in somewhere of which I did not belong.

The Captain of the Fedora, Hongjoong observed the room and I felt the moment his gaze stopped on me, "We won't bite, you can sit"

The eight pairs of eyes all looked to my direction now,

" Yeah we promise to only bite the food" Wooyoung perked up from beside San who was leaning across the table towards a bowl of steaming buns. His hand was slapped by Seonghwa who shot him a scowl a second after.

The warmth of the room seemed to flush my cheeks, or at least I hoped it was the heat of the room. Forcing my feet to move beneath me I go towards San and Wooyoung who both shuffle and bump into the boys beside them, Jongho and Yeosang, the latter moving a little but more reluctantly with a grumble, but kept his mouth shut.

I was finding myself grateful just to not be sat beside him. I sat myself down on the bench which was beside the table, I looked down as a plate was passed down the table by each member of the crew and dropped into the space before me.

"Have at it you lot" Seonghwa spoke as he sat down on the bench across the table from me.

All around me the room erupted into sound and excitement as each of the Ateez crew members tucked into the food laid before them, meat, hot buns and a small variation of vegetables and broths.

Hands extend everywhere in all direction on the surface of the table, I looked up and down as the plates of the crew grew in proportion.

My own plate clattered as a peice of steaming bread was dropped onto my plate, along with a decent slab of salted meat. I look to the two men on either side of me who both continue to fill my plate as well as their own.

I can feel liquid pool inside my mouth as the scent of the food wafts up into my nostrils, my stomach grumbles in response.

" The scavange for food at the table can be quite fast paced at first, but you'll get used to it" San leaned into my side from the right to whisper into my ear.

I look to him, the light of the candles lining the centre of the table illuminating his face. He is smiling at me when he shoves a peice of food into my mouth.

I bite into it and groan in satisfaction, eyes closing with pleasure as the sweet flavour bursts into my taste buds, the meat which San had made me eat seemed as though it turned into liquid gold when I began to chew.

The room falls silent, and I open my eyes to see what silenced the room when I catches everyone looking at me. San snickering at my side.

Oh god... 

"Is that good then?" Seonghwa smirked out the question, my fist clenches on top of my thigh as the embarrassing feeling spreads through my face.

" I'm glad" he chuckles to himself looking back down to his own plate as everyone begins talking again.

I may need to take a dunk in the sea to cool of my heating body at this rate.

The atmosphere of the room quickly goes back to what it was before, as if I hadn't just completely embarrassed myself in their company.

The clothes around my body feel foreign as I'm sitting in an unfamiliar environment, everything about this situation feels wrong to me and yet so right at the same time. Despite my instincts telling me to get off when we dock again, they were pirates.

Their supposed to be ruthless killers, who do not treat their women with respect and have no dignity for anyone but themselves.

But yet when I'm sitting here, eating their food surrounded by the atmosphere they built amongst themselves I can't help but question my image of the pirates I had once known. Because they, Ateez were nothing like the pirates of the world I had grown up in.

I don't know whether that was lucky or if I was being incredibly naive. But if getting their help was the only way to get revenge on my father for Akio's death then,

it was the only way for me.

[expfcultragreen]

Wow they dont teach ya this version holy shit the footage! That man was going to save patriarchy, hell or highwater; utterly possessed

Meanwhile, ms switzer is hotter now than she was then even, so, good things happen to good people

[hellenhighwater]

Ms. Highwater sometimes I forget you have a corporal being and then I see a part of your face in a picture of the cats or hear your voice in a TikTok of the cats and I am forcibly reminded that you are not a void being who had a very swag house and two very cute cats

If I were a ceaseless void I would probably not need the house. The cats, of course, are essential regardless.

Trust me, I'm disappointed by my corporeal reality too.

[abysmallyawesome]

the fall that kills you, chapter 3

Tina

Five Months Earlier

“Sir, I’m so, so sorry,” Tina stammers. “I don’t know what came over me. That woman - I wouldn’t let her so much look after a cat I liked, let alone a child! And that poor boy, I mean she beats all those kids but she has it out for him especially. You should have seen his hands, Sir, they were all cut up and bloody and how could she do that to a - “

“Sit down, Ms Goldstein,” Graves says. He watches her from his desk, hands steepled together. “It’s Tina, right?” he says. “Do you mind if I call you Tina?”

Tina shakes her head, and sits down, wringing her hands in her lap miserably. “I know I shouldn’t have -” she starts again, but Graves holds up a hand.

“We’ll get to that,” he says. “Do you take cream and sugar?”

“Sir?”

“Coffee,” he says.  “I take it black myself.”  He beckons his fingers lazily and two cups and a coffee pot float towards his desk from the sideboard.

“Um -” Tina swallows. “Yes, please. Both.”

Graves summons both items and sends them towards Tina’s coffee mug. “Help yourself.”

“Thank you, sir.” This is easily the strangest meeting she’s ever had with Graves. Shouldn’t Graves be bawling her out right now. He hasn’t minced words before when telling her exactly how she’s messed up.

Graves waits until she’s drunk half her coffee before he speaks again.

“You always take three sugars, or is it just cause you’re nervous?”

“I - er - like it sweet, I guess,” Tina mumbles. Is he one of those people who judges others based on how bitter they like their coffee? Is this one more way she’s failed to live upto his standards.

Graves shakes his head. “That wasn’t a trick question. My sister drinks it that way too. You know her? She’s about your age. Penelope Graves. Wampus.”

Tina nods slowly. She remembers a dark-haired, pretty girl the year above her always surrounded by a gaggle of friends.

“We weren’t really in the same circles.”

“No, you wouldn’t be,” he smiles briefly. “You know, you remind me of her. She’s a lot like you - fiesty - is that condescending? - what I mean is she’s very determined. If she gets an idea into her head then come hell or highwater she’s going to run with it. And very much like you -” his voice hardens “- she doesn’t listen to a damned word I say.”

There it is.

Tina looks down at her hands. “I really am sorry.”

“Yeah, so am I. Because unlike my sister, I can and will fire you -”

“No!” Tina’s on her feet. “Please, Mr Graves -”

“Sit. Down.” Graves says and sighs. “Don’t make this any worse than it has to be, Tina.”

“But, sir -”

“You know what frustrates me? You’d be one of the best aurors I have if you could just stop fucking up.” Tina flinches at the curse.

“Sorry,” Graves says, not sounding apologetic at all. “The Second Salem job was supposed to be keeping you out of trouble. It was meant to be your last chance. Did you think surveillance meant you could just shit all over the Statute of Secrecy? Is that it, Tina? You can’t just hex No-Majs. I get it, okay? That woman is a nightmare, but we don’t get involved in No-Maj affairs.”

“But if you’d only seen him -”

“Tina, you know there are ways to intervene in extreme circumstances, none of which involve the need for thirty two No-Maj Obliviations.” He groans, pinching the bridge of his nose with his finger and thumb. “My god, the paperwork. I’m going to be here all weekend.”

“You don’t have to do my paperwork, Sir. I should be the one to give up my weekend. I can do it by myself.”

“No, you won’t. You’re no longer an auror.”

Tina’s knees buckle and she drops back into her chair like a stone. “Oh.” She looks at Graves, her mouth open in shock. “But -”

She can’t hold the tears back, and the embarrassment of openly crying in Graves’ office only makes them fall harder.

“Aw, fuck,” Graves says, looking so alarmed that Tina might have thought it funny in another circumstance.

“I’m sorry,” Tina sniffs and dabs at her face with her sleeve.

Graves sighs and comes around to her side of the desk. He perches on the end of it next to her chair and gives her a handkerchief.

“Okay, that’s on me. I should have phrased it better,” he says gently. “I am on your side, Tina. You just haven’t left me many options.”

He pats her shoulder gingerly. Tina looks up at him through her wet lashes. She supposes he’s trying to be comforting, but he has just taken away the job she loves. She blows her nose in his handkerchief a bit louder and more vigorously than needed.

Graves winces. “You can keep that, by the way. Look, here’s what I can do. I can give you a desk job somewhere - they always need people in the Wand Permit office, right? You do six months, without any incidents - keep your nose clean - er - figuratively, and I’ll reinstate you.”

“Six months?” Tina isn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed.

Graves nods. “You’re gonna hate it, I know. They don’t call it purgatory for nothing. But do your time, show me that you can listen, and you’re back on the force. Does that seem like something you can do?”

“I don’t have much a choice,” Tina says. “I’m not ungrateful, Sir!” She adds quickly as Graves frowns. “I just - if you’d just go and see them. At that church. The way they live. I’m not asking you to reduce my sentence! I’ll do my time - but maybe you could help them.”

“Reduce your sentence?” Graves scoffs. “Mother of god, it’s the Wand Permit Office! Anyone would think I was sending you to the Death Pool.”

“Sorry, Sir,” Tina says. “But if you’d -”

“If you apologise one more time, I really will fire you,” Graves mutters. “Fine. I’ll go check on the Barebone woman and her kids, okay. As long as you stay away from them. Understand?”

“Yes, sir,” Tina beams at him. “Thank you, sir.”

Graves waves her off. “Go on. Get out of here before I change my mind,” he says. “And no more trouble. If I have to see you again before your six months are up, I really will send you to the execution chamber.”

  Midnight, Saturday, 11 December 1926.

The first note is dated the day after Tina had been demoted. Graves writes his notes like he’s a thirteen year old girl scribbling in her diary, full of abbreviations and personal observations. Odd symbols are used liberally, some seem to denote some sort of shorthand, but it’s becoming clear that Graves has a doodling habit and that some of the squiggles are simply squiggles.

Went to the 2nd Slmr. Meeting near nm b.

Mlbb worse than I thought. High poss scr. Inv. No wonder tg went all hw. Must be getting soft in my old age letting her get to me. Why do they always cry in my office?

“Imagine the editing he has to do before he files them,” Tina says to Queenie. “No wonder he was always so mad about extra paperwork.”

Queenie yawns as she peers over her shoulder. “Oh that’s pretty good,” she says. “Did he draw that?”

There’s a sketch of the bank partway down the page, the figures have no discernable features but there’s one that’s obviously Mary Lou proselytising, waving her bible at the gathered crowd. Her children mill around her, attempting to hand out flyers. Tina’s eyes are drawn to the central figure, in his too tight suit and bowl cut hair, his face angled so that it seems as if he’s looking directly at the artist.

*

The second entry, dated two days later has a full sketch of Credence, holding out a flyer.

Could have sworn I cast a nmn. Getting old?

He came straight up to me and gave me one of their damned flyers. TG was right, his hands were cut up, saw me looking and tried to hide them. Ran away before I could say anything.

Tina has to looks away to compose herself. The ink-and-paper Credence looks up at her, eyes imploring, yet resigned. He seems to be reaching out for help, even though he already knows that none will be coming.

With rainy eyes he writes sorrow on the bosom of the earth.

*

The next entry is three pages of profanity. Much of it about her own person. The rest is devoted to the incompetence of the Oblivators’ department.

Tina’s face flushes red as she reads some of Graves’ choice expletives.

In between the curses, she gathers that Credence had walked up to Graves and asked if he was “one of those witches like Miss Tina”. He’d remembered the incident even as everyone else in his family had forgotten.

How fucking hard is it to fucking Obliviate one fucking No-Maj? Graves raged. Are they all blind as well as shit eating cock monkeys?

Tellingly, despite all the vitriol spilled over the pages, he says nothing about Obliviating Credence himself.

*

Entry four is a single word in capitals, underlined twice, with such force that the quill has torn through the paper.

SQUIB

*

Graves calms down over the next entries. Reasons with himself that an informant within the church would be useful. If the boy is a squib then he isn’t really doing anything wrong. He meets the boy once a week for the next month. Heals his wounds. Buys him hot dogs and ice cream. I don’t like to watch him eat, Graves writes . He eats like a he’s starving. Like he never knows when he might get the chance again. I don’t like to think about how that’s probably true. Sometimes he looks at me in the same way.

*

The Obscurus attacks begin and Graves is quick to tie them to the Second Salem church. The attacks destroy places that they’ve been, places they’ve been ridiculed, where they’ve been turned away from. Graves’ notes turn clinical, more investigatory. Tina can see the beginnings of the evidence wall in his apartment.. He talks less of Credence now, the pages filling up with Obscurus research, letters from experts from around the globe. One she notes with a pang of longing is Newt’s brother, Theseus who calls Graves “Percy” and says things like “What ho!” in his letters, something Tina hadn’t believed that anyone ever said outside a farcical novel. Theseus talks a lot about people they knew in the war. “Do you remember Tuppers? Jammy git’s only got himself elected to the Int. Fed. So watch out for him next time. Merlin, isn’t that a joke? Who would have thought old Tuppy would end up so respectable?” And then at the end: “I do miss them all terribly, especially -” Tina can’t read the name, the paper is burnt through, like Graves has stubbed it out with one of his cigarettes. “He was the best and the brightest of us all.” Damn you, Theo. Graves writes on the back of the letter. Damn you to hell and back.

*

Tina visibly jumps when she see her own name.

Did we do this, Tina? You and I? If by our presence we were the trigger for one of these children - does it make it all our fault?

*

For the last two months Graves stops writing about Credence and starts to draw him again. Compulsively. Some might say obsessively. In between his case notes, and letters and research he draws Credence over and over again. Some of the pictures are dated. Most are not. He stands huddled in an alleyways, sits in a pew in church hunched over his bible, walks through the streets and avenues handing out his flyers and pamphlets a picture of abject misery. There are some where he’s drawn looking out pensively over the river. There are others where he looks out of the page eagerly, his eyes bright with greeting. A few rare half-smiles, of him almost looking cheerful. And there’s one where he’s happy, leaving the frame, with a smile full of promise and hope and an almost coy look in his eyes, like he has a secret that thrills him, and he doesn’t care who knows. It makes Tina feel uncomfortable like she’s eavesdropping on a private conversation. Graves fills page after page of sketches off Credence’s hands alone. Cut and torn and bloody and sometimes healed and whole. There’s a page with nothing but the boy’s eyes. Another with just his lips. Tina turns the pages quickly, the sight of Credence’s parted mouth, lips dry and chapped somehow more intimate than if Graves had drawn him naked.

*

Dawn is rising by the time she comes to the end of the file.

The last drawing is a moody charcoal piece. Credence stands in the middle of a storm. His face is upturned to face the dark tumultus clouds, rain pouring down on him like benediction.

“Look at this,” Tina says to Queenie as she emerges yawning from her bedroom. “Do you think he knew that Credence was the Obscurus all the time?”

“Oh, Teeny,” Queenie looks around in horror at the scattered drawings. “Is that what you’re taking away from all this? Did you go to sleep at all?”

“No,” Tina says. “I don’t think -  “ she tugs at her collar uncomfortably.

“That they were lovers?” Queenie says blithely reading her thoughts. “Maybe not, Teen, but you can’t say that this was normal. I’ll put some coffee on.”

“It would explain why he was so angry,” Tina says.

“How terrible,” Queenie says. “Do you think Graves is still alive?”

“I hope so,” Tina says. “On second thoughts maybe not if I have to admit I read his - obsession file.”

Queenie sighs. “What happens when he finds out the kid is dead?”

“I’d rather not think about that, right now” Tina says. She takes the mug Queenie hands her and closes her eyes as she takes a long sip. “We have to find him first. You should -”

Queenie shrieks and drops her mug splattering Tina’s legs with hot coffee. Tina goes for her wand, pushing her sister to the side as she rushes back into the main room of the apartment.

Credence Barebone is standing in their apartment. He leans over the table eyeing Graves’ pictures of him curiously.

“Where is he?” he says. His skin ripples with the bubbling energy trapped within it. “Where is Percival Graves?”

[nfcomics]

Night Flight Comics—6222 South State Street Latest Arrivals: Wednesday—January 11th 2017

ACTION COMICS #971 ACTION COMICS #971 VAR ED ALIENS OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 [R] ALL NEW WOLVERINE #16 ALL NEW WOLVERINE #16 BENGAL CONNECTING D VAR ALL STAR BATMAN #6 ALL STAR BATMAN #6 FRANCAVILLA VAR ED ALL STAR BATMAN #6 JOCK VAR ED AMAZING SPIDER-MAN RENEW YOUR VOWS #3 AMAZING SPIDER-MAN SPIDER-MAN ARTFX+ STATUE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #22 CC [R] AMAZING SPIDER-MAN RENEW YOUR VOWS #1, #2 [R] ANNOTATED SANDMAN HC VOL 02 [R] AOD XENA FOREVER AND A DAY #4 (OF 6) CVR A CALDWEL AQUAMAN TP VOL 01 THE DROWNING (REBIRTH) ASSIGNMENT #1 (OF 3) CVR A JEF ASSIGNMENT #1 (OF 3) CVR C DALTON ASSIGNMENT #1 (OF 3) CVR D SCOTT BATGIRL AND THE BIRDS OF PREY #6 BATGIRL AND THE BIRDS OF PREY #6 VAR ED BATMAN TP VOL 01 I AM GOTHAM (REBIRTH) BATMAN HC VOL 04 ZERO YEAR SECRET CITY (N52) [R] BATMAN KNIGHTFALL TP NEW ED VOL 01 [R] BATMAN TP VOL 01 THE COURT OF OWLS (N52) [R] BATTLING BOY RISE OF AURORA WEST GN [P] BEOWULF HC BIRTHRIGHT #21 BITCH PLANET #9 [R]

BLACK PANTHER TP BOOK 02 NATION UNDER OUR FEET BLADE OF IMMORTAL OMNIBUS TP VOL 01 [R] BOBS BURGERS MINI-SERIES TP [R] CALL OF DUTY ZOMBIES #2 CAPTAIN AMERICA SAM WILSON TP VOL 03 CIVIL WAR II CAPTAIN AMERICA STEVE ROGERS #8 DEODATO TEASER VAR [R] CAPTAIN AMERICA STEVE ROGERS #9 CAVEWOMAN DRAGON #1 CVR A DURHAM CHAMPIONS #2 2ND PTG RAMOS VAR CIVIL WAR II #3, #7, #8 (OF 8) [R] DAREDEVIL #15 NOW DARK KNIGHT III MASTER RACE #7 (OF 8) [R] DARK KNIGHT III MASTER RACE #7 (OF 8) COLLECTORS ED DARK TOWER DRAWING OF THREE SAILOR #4 (OF 5) DC SUPER HERO GIRLS TP VOL 01 FINALS CRISIS [R] DC SUPER HERO GIRLS TP VOL 02 HITS AND MYTHS [R] DEADPOOL #24 DEADPOOL BACK IN BLACK #3 (OF 5) [R] DEATHSTROKE #10 DEATHSTROKE #10 VAR ED DETECTIVE COMICS #948 DETECTIVE COMICS #948 VAR ED DIE KITTY DIE #4 CVR A RUIZ DISNEY FROZEN #4 DIVINITY III STALINVERSE #1 CVR A DJURDJEVIC [R] DIVINITY III KOMANDAR BLOODSHOT CVR A CRAIN [R] DOCTOR STRANGE PUNISHER MAGIC BULLETS #2 (OF 4) DOCTOR STRANGE PUNISHER MAGIC BULLETS #2 (OF 4) VAR DOCTOR STRANGE SORCERERS SUPREME #4 DOCTOR WHO 10TH YEAR THREE #1 CVR A BURNS DONALD QUEST #3 (OF 5) DONALD QUEST #3 (OF 5) SUB VAR DUNGEONS & DRAGONS FROST GIANTS FURY #1 EARTH 2 SOCIETY #20 EVIL DEAD 2 REVENGE OF JACK THE RIPPER ONE SHOT [R] EVIL ERNIE GODEATER #5 (OF 5) CVR A PARRILLO EVIL HEROES #4 (OF 6) A CVR MALSUNI EVIL HEROES #4 (OF 6) B CVR ATKINS EVIL HEROES #4 (OF 6) C CVR REYES FLASH #14 FLASH #14 VAR ED FLASH TP VOL 01 MOVE FORWARD (N52) [R] FLASH TP VOL 02 ROGUES REVOLUTION (N52) [R] FLASH GORDON KINGS CROSS #3 (OF 5) CVR B MOUSTAFA FOOLKILLER #3 GFT RED AGENT HUMAN ORDER #2 CVR C TYNDALL GOD COUNTRY #1 CVR A SHAW & STEWART GOD COUNTRY #1 CVR B ZAFFINO GOTHAM ACADEMY SECOND SEMESTER #5 GREAT LAKES AVENGERS #4 GREEN ARROW TP VOL 01 THE MIDAS TOUCH (N52) [R] GREEN VALLEY #4 (OF 9) GRIMM FAIRY TALES OMNIBUS TP VOL 02 [R] GRIMM V2 #4 CVR A SANAPO [R] GROO FRAY OF THE GODS #4 GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #16 GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #16 BEST BENDIS MOMENTS VAR HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #12 HAL JORDAN AND THE GREEN LANTERN CORPS #12 VAR ED HARD CASE CRIME TRIGGERMAN #4 (OF 5) CVR A RONALD HARD CASE CRIME TRIGGERMAN #4 (OF 5) CVR B ASPINAL HARROW COUNTY #19 [R] HEAVY METAL #284 CVR A ROYO HEAVY METAL #284 CVR B HITLER VS JESUS HEAVY METAL #284 CVR C HELLBLAZER #5 [R] HELLBLAZER TP VOL 15 HIGHWATER HELLRAISER LAMENT CONFIGURATION FUZZY DICE [R] HULK #1 VAR NOW [R] I AM JIM HENSON YR HC INFAMOUS IRON MAN #1, #2 2ND PTG MALEEV VAR INJUSTICE GODS AMONG US YEAR TWO COMPLETE COLL TP INVISIBLE REPUBLIC #14 IVX #2 (OF 6) IVX #2 (OF 6) DODSON X-MEN VAR IVX #2 (OF 6) MICHAEL CHO VAR IVX #2 (OF 6) SYAF INHUMANS VAR JAMES BOND FELIX LEITER #1 (OF 6) CVR A PERKINS JEM MISFITS #1 [R] JESSICA JONES #3 [R] JESSICA JONES #4 JESSICA JONES #4 DEKAL VAR JIM HENSON STORYTELLER GIANTS #2 JUGHEAD #12 CVR B VAR ERIN HUNTING JUGHEAD #12 CVR C VAR TULA LOTAY JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA VIXEN REBIRTH #1 JUSTICE LEAGUE OF AMERICA VIXEN REBIRTH #1 VAR ED JUSTICE LEAGUE POWER RANGERS #1 (OF 6) JUSTICE LEAGUE POWER RANGERS #1 (OF 6) BATMAN PINK JUSTICE LEAGUE POWER RANGERS #1 (OF 6) FLASH BLACK JUSTICE LEAGUE POWER RANGERS #1 (OF 6) GREEN LANTE JUSTICE LEAGUE POWER RANGERS #1 (OF 6) SUPERMAN GR JUSTICE LEAGUE POWER RANGERS #1 (OF 6) WONDER WOMAN JUSTICE LEAGUE SUICIDE SQUAD #2 (OF 6) DODSON VAR [R] JUSTICE LEAGUE SUICIDE SQUAD #4 (OF 6) JUSTICE LEAGUE SUICIDE SQUAD #4 (OF 6) CONNER VAR JUSTICE LEAGUE SUICIDE SQUAD #4 (OF 6) FINCH VAR E KHAAL #1 (OF 4) CVR A SECHER KILL OR BE KILLED #4 [R] KING CAT 76 KNIGHTS OF THE DINNER TABLE #239 LOBSTER JOHNSON GARDEN OF BONES ONE SHOT LOCKE & KEY SMALL WORLD [R] LOST BOYS #4 (OF 6) MARVEL UNIVERSE GUARDIANS OF GALAXY #16 MAX RIDE FINAL FLIGHT #5 (OF 5) MEGAMI NOV 2016 MIGHTY THOR #15 DEODATO TEASER VAR NOW MIGHTY THOR #15 NOW MMW INVINCIBLE IRON MAN HC VOL 10 MOONSHINE #4 CVR A RISSO MOONSHINE #4 CVR B BERMEJO MOTOR CRUSH #2 CVR A TARR MS MARVEL #14 NEW SUPER MAN #7 NEW SUPER MAN #7 VAR ED NEWTYPE NOV 2016 NINJAK #23 CVR A BODENHEIM (NEW ARC) NINJAK #23 CVR B OLIVER (NEW ARC) NORMAN THE FIRST SLASH #2 CVR A ELLERBY OCCUPY AVENGERS #3 OUTCAST BY KIRKMAN & AZACETA #2 POP BRAVEHEART WILLIAM WALLACE VINYL FIG POP DC HEROES DKR SUPERMAN PX VINYL FIG POP HEROES BATGIRL 2016 VINYL FIG POP LABYRINTH LUDO 6IN VINYL FIG [R] POP LABYRINTH SARAH & WORM VINYL FIG [R] POWER MAN AND IRON FIST #12 PRIDE OF BAGHDAD DELUXE ED HC [R] PRIDE OF BAGHDAD SC [R] PROMETHEUS LIFE AND DEATH TP VOL 01 PROWLER #1, #2, #3 CC [R] RED DOG #2 (OF 6) FORBES CVR RED DOG #2 (OF 6) VELEZ CVR RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #6 RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #6 VAR ED RED SONJA #1 CVR A BRADSHAW RED SONJA #1 CVR B CAMPBELL RED SONJA #1 CVR C PETERSON RED SONJA #1 CVR D CAMUNCOLI RED SONJA #1 CVR E COSPLAY REGGIE AND ME #2 (OF 5) CVR B VAR DAVID MACK REGGIE AND ME #2 (OF 5) CVR C VAR CHIP ZDARSKY RENATO JONES ONE PERCENT TP SEASON 01 RICK & MORTY #20, #21 [R] ROCK & ROLL BIOGRAPHIES WHITE ZOMBIE [R] ROCKET RACCOON #2 RUE MORGUE MAGAZINE #174 SAMURAI BROTHERS IN ARMS #5 (OF 6) CVR A MCCREA SAMURAI BROTHERS IN ARMS #5 (OF 6) CVR B JUNGSHAN SAMURAI BROTHERS IN ARMS #5 (OF 6) CVR C PERCIVAL SAVAGE DRAGON #219 SCOOBY APOCALYPSE #9 SCOOBY APOCALYPSE #9 VAR ED SERENITY NO POWER IN THE VERSE #1 (OF 6) MAIN CVRS [R] SEVEN TO ETERNITY #4 CVR A OPENA & HOLLINGSWORTH [R] SHADOW GLASS TP SHADOWS ON THE GRAVE #2 SHERLOCK BLIND BANKER #1 (OF 6) CVR B PHOTO SHERLOCK BLIND BANKER #1 (OF 6) CVR C LACLAUSTRA SHIPWRECK #3 SILK #16 CC SONIC UNIVERSE #94 CVR A REG YARDLEY SONS OF ANARCHY REDWOOD ORIGINAL #6 SUB SOUTHERN BASTARDS #16 CVR A LATOUR SPAWN #269 CVR A MCFARLANE SPAWN #269 CVR B MCFARLANE SPIDER-MAN #12 NOW SPIDER-MAN DEADPOOL #13 SPONGEBOB COMICS #64 SPREAD #18 STAR WARS FORCE AWAKENS ADAPTATION #1 (OF 6) [R] STAR WARS POE DAMERON #10 STEAM WARS BOUNTY HUNTERS HELL FOR HIRE (ONE SHOT) STEVEN UNIVERSE 2016 SPECIAL #1 [R] STRAIN MR QUINLAN VAMPIRE HUNTER #5 (OF 5) SUICIDE SQUAD #8 (JL SS) [R] SUICIDE SQUAD #9 (JL SS) SUICIDE SQUAD #9 VAR ED (JL SS) SUPERGIRL #5 SUPERGIRL #5 VAR ED SUPERWOMAN #2, #5 [R] SUPERWOMAN #6 SUPERWOMAN #6 VAR ED TITANS #7 TITANS #7 VAR ED TOTALLY AWESOME HULK #14 UNBEATABLE SQUIRREL GIRL #16 NOW UNCANNY AVENGERS #19 UNCANNY X-MEN #17 CHOI VAR IVX UNCANNY X-MEN #17 IVX VIGILANTE SOUTHLAND #3 (OF 6) [R] VIKINGS UPRISING #4 (OF 4) CVR A GLASS VIKINGS UPRISING #4 (OF 4) CVR B PHOTO VIKINGS UPRISING #4 (OF 4) CVR C CARANFA VIOLENT LOVE #3 CVR A SANTOS WALKING DEAD #157 CVR A 2ND PTG WIDOW PROGENY #2 WOLVERINE OLD MAN LOGAN TP VOL 00 WARZONES [R] WOLVERINE OLD MAN LOGAN TP VOL 01 BERZERKER [R] WOLVERINE OLD MAN LOGAN TP VOL 02 BORDERTOWN [R] WONDER WOMAN #12, #13 VAR ED [R] WONDER WOMAN #14 WONDER WOMAN #14 VAR ED WORLD OF TANKS #4 WYTCHES TP VOL 01 [R]

Night Flight Comics—6222 South State Street Latest Arrivals: Wednesday—January 11th 2017

[pvrkacciosan]

The Revelations of False Truths

❈Through HELL or HIGHWATERS masterlist

Taglist: @dreamiezpsycho @piratequeen-queenofgames @ms-starlight @yunascular (If you wish to be added or removed just ask)

Word count: 3k

Warnings: Swearing

Akari’s POV

The arms unravel from around my torso at my words, as the pirate behind me climbs to his feet. He extends a hand out to me. I met his gaze, his signature engraved cutlass strapped to his side once again.

I slip my hand into his, allowing him to help me to my own feet. I’m a whole head smaller than him and it's only now as I look around that I realise they are all so tall.

“Why did you guys even come back, I assume pirates only look after their own?”

Wooyoung drops my hand after holding it for a second longer than I expected, I smiles at the reddened tone to his cheeks as he steps back from me, hand settling to rest on the handle of his weapon.

“Well we had a little help in our persuasion” one of the pirates with a wide set of shoulders said, turning his body around to open the door behind him.

Joy fills my chest as I recognise the small patter of shiber’s claws on the wooden floor boards of the ship’s main deck.

Going down onto one knee I spread my arms as the preppy wee dog flew into them, almost soundless whimpers of happiness escaping his furry golden body.

“Shiber” I cooed as his stub of a tail shook violently with excitement.

“It's a fine little companion you have yourself there” Hongjoong laughed, as he spoke, eyes never leaving shiber’s body for a second.

“He came to get you guys?” I ask, lulling my head back to look up to them, a couple had now dispersed from the group leaving only a few members of the crew on the deck.

“Yeah, he came flying onto the deck faster than a bullet fired from a gun” San admired sharply, his tone showing nothing but adoration for the little dog.

I dug my fingers into the thick coat at the back of his neck, he was such a good dog.

The captain took a couple steps towards me, gaining himself my attention

“You need to change, your clothing smells of smoke”

My gaze down cats itself to the clothes that still hung from my body. It was never the right fit for me but they had kept me warm when I needed them to.

“Well you lot don’t exactly smell of roses either” I snapped back in defence of myself. There's a snort as someone tries to cover their laughter, Hongjoong tilts his head with an eyebrow raised in waiting, I eventually give out sighing.

Now that he pointed it out, I could also smell the smokey aroma of the burnt wood as it clung to the cotton shirt.

“If I could go back, I can try to salvage some stuff from the house,” I offered, hoping with all hope I could go home and hopefully find Akio still alive.

Hongjoong stared at me with a blank expression for a second before shaking his head.

“Not a wise idea, we're about to set off anyway” he added, casting a guilty look my way. Did he perhaps feel… bad for me?

Never had I ever expected for pirates to be helping me out of everyone in the world. It makes the skin at the base of my neck curl at the mere idea that they may not be this willing to help me if they knew who I was.

“Where exactly are we going?” I ask rising to my feet once more, following behind Hongjoong after he gestured for me to do so. Wooyoung easily passed me with his strides.

“Typiani, it's the next island over from here and we can get you some proper cloths there”

He pushed open another door that I saw one of the crew members enter while we were on the deck.

“In the meantime you can borrow some of our cloths”

Borrow their clothes?

The clothes of a pirate?

What in God’s name have I gotten myself into.

We walked on into the room, there was a chest and barrels layed neatly around the wooden beams supporting the roof above us. The wood began to groan as the ship started to sway, signalling the departure from Zydari’s small port and dock. My throat throbbed as tears of fear brimmed at the surface with my memories. Memories of being out in the open water.

Hongjoong stopped to look at me, I can breathe somewhat normally again when the light of his presence seemed to out glow the surrounding darkness. They were in the past, the memories were simply that─ memories. They can’t touch me, at least not in this form.

“Wooyoung and San will help you find something relatively close to your size and then I expect them to show you around” he sent a pointed look to the pair standing behind me. I wasn’t even aware that San had been with us at all.

I try to hide my shock, but I get the sense the silent-moving man behind me enjoys the surprise he causes people when he goes undetected. It was becoming clear that was his calling in life. Hongjoong give a quick departing nod before walking passed up back towards the door. His presence officially leaves with the creak and sealing of the door.

“Okay” Wooyoung starts, moving to be in front of me, gripping to the lid of one of the chest he lifts it, the hinges protest. He scours through the pile inside assessing the sizing ranges, lifting some up as he searches.

None of them actually answer my question back on the main deck. Why did they help me? I owned nothing to them, or them to me. I was never one to get personal gain from somebody who wasted their sympathy on me. I hated the dishonesty of pirates─ they must be trying to get something from me.

“This should fit, '' Wooyoung said, turning with some clothing laid over his forearm.

“You guys didn’t answer my question” I voiced my thoughts. San had moved out from behind me in the darkness and was perched on top a barrel off to my right, his arm extended to hold the beam above him, steadying himself as the ship swayed.

Wooyoung raised an eyebrow, as they exchanged looks,

“Why did you guys help me?” I repeat my earlier question, Wooyoung looks to the ground beneath him as San purks up,

“I think you’ll find we did answer, it just wasn’t the one you wanted to hear” I struggled to read his expression as he sat his form moving like fluid in rhythm with the ship sailing against the waves. My gut twists as the ship precariously tips slightly to the right, my foot moves to balance my body.

“You are so sure?” I ask, reaching a hand to take the clothing from Wooyoung, he avoids my gaze for a moment before finally looking up, he cheeks a tinted a blush of pink, if I didn't know any better I would suggest he was running on a little bit of a fever, I keep my mouth shut of course. His health should be of no concern to me.

“Well what is it you wanted to hear?” Wooyoung spoke, extending the clothes out to me. I take them mulling over his words in my thoughts,

“I want to know why exactly you all helped me, we own each other nothing”

“We’re all human we shouldn’t have to own each other anything to help when one is in need of it” San said, using his hands to push and drop himself off the barrel

“But you guys are..” I started

“We’re what exactly?” a voice from the door said sharply, a challenge dripping from the words spoken almost in silence.

“Pirates" I challenged back, turning to face him, the blonde waltzed in an air of arrogance exuded from his very skin. It buzzed the air and I could have rolled my eyes.

“What’s she doing with my stuff?'' he voiced, not avoiding to show his anger as his head snapped in the direction of Wooyoung. The other boy held a hand up in surrender,

“Yeosang, Hongjoong just told me to find something that would fit her”

“Well couldn't you have given her something from your chest, or jongho’s I’m sure they would fit the same” Yeosang head tilted to look my up and down, he snatched the clothes from my arms, walking over to the chest Wooyoung had opened, he dropped the clothes back into it carelessly before slamming the lid.

I couldn’t help but jump as it cracked shut like thunder across the clear night sky, he glared at both other boys before sending a death stare at me as he walked back out.

“Who shoved a stick up his ass?'' I ask the other two once I was sure Yeosang was gone. Wooyoung tries to stifle a laugh, disguising it as a cough probably in case Yeosang was still outside listening.

“Try to ignore him, he can be…”

“A twat” I interject, crossing my arms over my chest as Wooyoung dips into another chest pulling out another set of clothes for me to replace mine with. The pair of them don't seem overly fond of me name calling their crew mate, and seem more willing to stay out of our little distribution then get involved. My gut twist in guilt perhaps I shouldn't insult their crew mate directly in front of them.

“Here you can take my stuff” Wooyoung sends a small smile at me when he extends the pile to me, I take it gratefully returning the expression

I stand awkwardly as the two stare at me, there eyes drawing over my skin and the clothing held in my arms.

"Are you both just going to stand there and watch me change?" my eyebrow lifts with my question.

Both of them fluster in seconds, cheeks darkening to an embarrassingly dangerous tint of rosy red.

"Right" San choked over the word as he cleared the air from his chest. Tapping Wooyoung's upper arm the two of them turn and I wait for them to move towards the door but neither do.

I guess this is what I'll have to settle with for now, dropping the clothes to the ground at my feet. I grab the hem of my top and begin to undress. The air feels foreign against my skin as it becomes exposed from under my clothes. The cotton which had encased me now was discarded on the ground as if it was nothing but a price of rubbish tossed to the side of a road.

The sentimentality of the worn cotton shirt makes my head and heart ache at the memories of the nights I had spent cuddled to the material as I wait for my body to finally grown into it. I never got a chance.

Partly because I think I've stopped growing.

The rest of my belongings are quickly stripped and dropped onto the floor at my cooling bare feet, my frigid toes that curl into the wood beneath them.

Picking up the clothes of the Pirate, I'm surprised when I don't immediately catch a whift of a purtid smell instead I'm met with a soft and delicate scent, like flowers. Not that I had the chance to find ones to compare this smell with, but it's what I imagine flowers would smell like. Or freshly cut wood.

It's different from the scent of the others, it's strong but pleasant. In my smelling daze I forgot the two were standing meters from my now half naked form ─ I left my underthings on of course. I make a quick haste in slipping the shirt over my head, pulling it down to fit around my waist. Reaching I pull the pair of dark trousers up, they have fabric straps to string up over my shoulders, to keep the trousers up I presume.

Once done, I stand awkwardly for a second or two before clearing my throat. The duo turn to look over their shoulders, San makes a snort of a noise as he looks me up and down. I can't help the frown that etches onto the present scowl of my brow.

In my distraction I pretend to ignore the smirking look Wooyoung is sending my way, he tries to hide it by bringing his hand up to rub his chin but I don't miss it for a second.

"Well..?" I prompt, San has stopped his sniggering and turns to Wooyoung who's face has now seemingly gone back to normal now that he has managed to contain his emotions.

"Shall we go for a tour?" San suggests, I give my clothes a kick off to the side and nod to them. Awaiting for them to lead the way for us.

Wooyoung moves first, avoiding my gaze when he casts his frown to the wooden floor boards that groans as we walk their spines.

Our exit out the door is quick and we make a haste way across the main deck of the ship.

"This is the Fedora, our ship, our home away from homes" Wooyoung beams, circling his body around with his arms extended at his sides to gesture to the wooden frames, ropes and sails surrounding him.

"You all have homes to go back to? I just thought pirates always lived on their ships"

Wooyoung seems to freeze his spinning for a second, "Well, not all of us have homes to go to.."

The solemn tone to his voice brings the air around us down as it it was tied to weights, he shakes his body with a sigh checking a look with San before exclaiming

"But some of us share our families, we'll be going to mine just in time for the Meuali Festivals" his voice went higher a pitch, a small sparkle of pride shinning in his eyes as he spoke of his home and family.

"What is that? Meuali festival?" I ask as we walk to the other side of the ship. We came to the bottom of a set of stairs.

"shouldn't have asked that" San mumbles as if he has already anticipated Wooyoung boasting and ranting about his home islands festivities.

"Only the biggest celebration in all of the world" Wooyoung exclaimed excitedly. Throwing his arms upwards, leaning into a banister as we began to assent the stairs.

"what's it celebrating?" I ask, genuinely curious as he walk up another level, I spot another couple of bodies busy at work with a pile of ropes.

"we celebrate our freedom and indepenced from the Pirate Lord" Wooyoung speaks aloud as if its the most common sense thing ever.

San appoints a scowl in Wooyoung's direction, my stomach drops at the name.

"The Pirate Lord?" I ask aloud, in shock.

I was hissed instantly, both males putting a finger to their lips, to silence me.

I had heard of the Pirate Lord. How could anyone not, he was the most ruthless of pirates and all his power was spread far and wide and his men where everywhere. My father was in close association with the name. So I kept my tabs on people, or Akio did.

"We don't talk about him on this ship"

My gut twists, as if a great giant from one of the southern islands has grabbed me around the abdomen and begins to knot my body, twisting me entirely.

"Seems pretty stubborn to try and avoid the-" I pause when I see the anxious glimmer to their expressions "- his name, when everyone in this part of the world lives under his rule"

The spies he had all over the world make it pretty difficult for anyone to openly speak ill of their Lord. He would have their heads if they utter their disrespect around one of his men.

"But not all of us live under his rule though do we?"

I'm confused by that, when Akio and I moved to Zydari no one had ever moved against the Pirate Lord, any who did weren't heard or see from again. How had things changed so drastically since out time on Zydari.

Wooyoung had talked about how his town celebrated their freedom from the Pirate Lord. When we left the main land, that would have barely been a dream for many people, for other a distant hope. Perhaps the 'great' pirate Lord's grip on the world wasn't as strong as I once knew it to be.

"Rebel groups have started to form against him" San spoke excitedly, warranting himself a sharp look from Wooyoung. This caught my attention, group's?! there were full on groups going against the Pirate Lord.

"It all started when a group of the Pirate Lords slaves were released in a number so vast it cracked right through his power over the people"

My jaw unhinged in shock. The two pirates in front of me stopped at the top of the stairs looking at me in surprise and mild amusement.

"No one knows who the guy who released them was, but he went missing" San stated, Wooyoung looked between them, moving to make room for me at the peak of the steps.

"We all assumed he was finally captured by the Pirate Lord for what he did, but he gave everyone else the courage and hope to finally fight back"

My mind goes straight to a memory of Akio, he never did like the Pirate Lord, hated him with everything he was. My chest hurt─ the giant was now squeezing harder. Akio was a great person always stood up for what he thought was right. I wonder if he knew about the rebel groups when he went on his checks. I pondered on what he truly thought about the person who released the slaves. I wish I could ask him now.

" I still don't get why that means you guys don't talk about him" I exclaim moving to follow them over to the two figures who had now risen upon noticing us approaching.

"Because some of us were those slaves"

❈ Next Part

[hellenhighwater]

akatonbo replied to your photoset: So this came in the mail today. But it’s going to...

So, Ms. Highwater, would you like to join a Discord chat? XD

.....yes, probably, but not right now! finals. FINALS. I HAVE TO STUDY FOR FINALS AND NOT READ THE BIG BEAUTIFUL BOOK.

this is really difficult and I hate it.

But I don’t doubt that I’ll want to do some yelling in a group chat when I do start reading, so...later?

[pvrkacciosan]

Surprising Arrival Home

❈Through HELL or HIGHWATERS Masterlist

Taglist: @dreamiezpsycho @queenofgames @ms-starlight (If you wish to be added or removed just ask)

Word count: 2.5K

Warning: Ateez seem like a little bit of assholes at first, but I promise by no way do I believe the boys would ever act like this to anyone ever. Sexist, old fashion view of women

Note: 'Gruean', is just the currency I have made up for the purpose of this story.

Akari's POV

The tip of the blade kissed the end of my nose, the four men dressed in rugged clothing, smelling strongly of sea salt argued in front of me.

Bickering like children fighting over the last piece of chocolate─ Pirates, not so dissimilar to children, I thought.

Frantically I'm searching for some way to get myself out of my current situation.

There is a small knife on the counter top arm length away from my position, if only I could reach it.

The tall dark haired man with the sword in my face lowers his weapon as he turns to argue with a much shorter man who has a gun pointed at my head, both their backs are turned, it's now or never.

I slid my bare foot along the flooring panels, trying to creep my body towards the small knife, it wouldn't be much to defend myself, I had given myself the peace of mind─ That it would be enough.

Internally I chant away, praying they don't notice me moving, halfway there...

"Don't move." A voice commands from behind me, brushing the ice cool feeling of a steel dagger to my windpipe.

For fuck's sake, can a girl not just catch a break.

The four in front of me now turn, abandoning their line of arguments against each other. They watch me like predator to prey, my skin feels like it's hit with a cold sweat, some female part of me feels something with four, very good looking men, watching me. My gut twists pleasantly, warming me from the inside.

The shorter out of the four in front of me clicks his pistol into place, aiming the barrel at the centre of my forehead and holding it there, I wait for him to pull the trigger. But he doesn't.

I frown scanning each expression of the men around me, they seem vaguely....excited. Of course they would be, they're Pirate they live and breathe for this stuff.

My eyes are drawn back to the barrel of the small handgun, after another second of nothing happening I urge courage up through my stomach, "I'm sorry" his gaze meets mine along the spine of the pistol,

"Are you going to pull the trigger or not?"

He looked genuinely taken aback by my question, now it my turn to be excited because this excites me. If I could get into their head maybe I could distract them long enough to get my hands on the knife.

The Pirate holding the gun sends an almost confused look back to the three behind him.

"Oh, I get it" I add, aiming to bring his focus back to me, I smile when I succeed, so I continue making my lines up as I go, In a desperate hope it will turn whatever this is into my favour

"Are you waiting for me to start sobbing and begging for you to spare my life" The cold line of the dagger to my throat only makes my adrenaline pump faster, "Well sorry to disappoint boys, but I'll be dead long before I beg a man for anything, so you're better of just pulling the trigger now if that's is what you're looking for"

There was silence in the room for a few seconds before the dark haired tall male who previously had a blade pointed at my face, laughed aloud, it was a bubbly sound which I found myself resisting the urge to join in with.

A man stood at the back of the group behind the others, with his own pistol held loosely at his side, lowered next to his thigh, steps forward, "We aren't looking to take your life, we're just looking for our friend"

Ah so this is the rest of the Pirate crew shit why didn't I think they would come looking for him. "So you're the friends of the guy who got himself stabbed and half bled to death"

Every single one of their faces pale,

"What happened? Is he alright?" A tall blonde headed boy asked rather quickly, I barely had time to register what he said,

This could be my chance

"I could show you to him but..." I flick the dagger held at my throat with my finger, smirking at the satisfying clink my nail made as it made contact with the sharp weapon.

"San '' the shortest of the group spoke, his words heavily weighted with authority. The knife was slowly released from around my neck, They continued to watch me as my hand came up to rub the skin, I gasp lightly when I see spots of blood on my finger tip.

"You drew blood" I mutter under my breath, trying to ignore the sting spreading under my jaw, I sure as hell hope that knife is clean.

"Just be thankful I didn't slit your throat"

I turn to look at the guy behind me, Scowl tightening the skin on my forehead, his angular eyes and sharp set of his jaw draw attention to his attractiveness, he smirks down at me.

"Keep talking like that to me in my own home and I'll castrate you─" His face falters in its cocky expression for a fraction of a second "With your own knife" I finish, adding salt to the wound.

A snort comes from the doorway positioned behind me, that leads towards mine and Akio's room, my defense is instantly up as I look over my shoulder to spot a new Pirate, leaning against the door frame, which was now more an archway after the door fell off its hinges.

His dirty blond hair fell into his eyes, covering them from my view at first, he is scowling straight back at me but that angered expression doesn't dampen his obvious good looks, "You're a girl, you would never be able to do such a thing"

"And I suppose you pirates are ballsy enough to do it yourselves"

"It isn't natural for girls to do such things" he sneered in my direction, I matched the look with my own internal fury. I may not be able to stomach the idea of pirates, but I've never backed down to anyone especially arrogant pirates.

"No, what isn't natural is for someone to be as stupid as his friends and yet here you all stand" the insult passes through the group and the dirty blonde pirate whipes out a knife.

"Yeosang, Chill" the shortest male said, I could only assume he was the captain. This is valuable information

"Yeah Yeosang, behave" I mock, watching his anger build beneath the surface, he is scowling at me. This was fun.

"Do you know where Wooyoung is or not?" The man with the pistol at his side asked, I glanced across the room to him, something about the genuine worry on his face made me want to help them. I nod, sighing before walking through to the back of the small wind rippling house. Running my hand along the counter top where the knife lay.

On the low rise table is the pirate, still looking like death, the colour had started to come back to his cheeks. I stood at the door, watching as a couple of them rushed down to his side, giving him a double check over. The air of nervousness in the room died as soon as Wooyoung's chest rose, it was steady but slow all at the same time, but it rose nonetheless, allowing all those around him to breathe freely once more.

"I can't guarantee he will make it, but I gave him a decent fighting chance" I spoke softly, folding my arms over my chest while I watched the Captain stand to look back at my form leaned against the door frame.

"It looks like there's nothing wrong with him"

"Well I guess I did my job right then" I didn't care if I sounded cocky, I had gained my right to be after everything I had gone through to get here, I didn't care of what they thought of me, they would be gone soon and I would have nothing to do with them ever again. That was what I wanted.

"How did you do it?" Yeosang asked, his tone still sharp with anger which bubbled inside him, I shrug trying to brush off his question.

"Why did you do it?" another one of them asked, providing me with the best distraction, but it ignited a thought within me, why did I help him?

The answer to that I wasn't entirely sure of, other then what I felt in the moment I saw the pain in Wooyoung's eyes after he was impaled, sometime between then and when he hit the floor I realised I couldn't leave him, some attraction to him made me haul his ass all the way here. I didn't really have much more than that to explain myself.

"He saved my life so I chose to return the favour" some of them gave me looks of respect at my words, had it really been that big of a deal.

"What happened?"

I sigh pushing the weight of my body further into the wooden frame, praying it didn't give way.

"Some guy had a hold of my companion, your dear friend came flying around the corner and jumped in to help. '' I was leaving out some details but they didn't need to be privy to all information about me, in fact they didn't really need to know anything.

"Where is your companion now?" the Captain asked, narrowing his eyes in my direction, I bite down into the sneer straining to break out onto my lips.

"Shiber!" I yell,

A couple of the Pirates shift, everyone of them seeking to reach for weapons concealed within the sea-taminated clothing clinging to their bodies.

The tapping of the small canine’s claws catched the boards of the flooring, his small rounded golden head appearing next to the low rise table Wooyoung lay upon. While watching the small dog, my heart beats harder within my chest when my eyes drift across to look at Wooyoung.

Three of the Pirates stood over their friends looking down to scan the body of the small dog, one of them, San if I recalled his name correctly smiled widely down at Shiber though he tried to keep his gleeful expression hidden from his friends.

Pushing my shoulder into the frame I begin walking over to them, crouching down next to the table, brushing my hand into the fur around Shiber's neck, he lips the side of his snout, It was a starking contrast to me, he seemed highly relaxed with the strangers in his house, usually he wasn't like this.

There was shuffling behind me as one of the Pirate's moved closer, He stopped right behind me, the scent of salt was the strongest on him.

It was at this very moment that I slipped the small knife out from my sleeve, tightly gripping between my fingers I spun while rising, driving the knife up so fast until it was under the jaw of the Captain.

The air burst from his lips, fanning my face with warm air that smelt of some kind of alcohol. The five other Pirates around the room all jumped to whip out their weapons, probably ready to kill me within a second in defence of their Captain who was currently under the control of my small knife.

Something solid pressed into the back of my head, I saw the sudden spark of shock in the Captain's eyes when I didn't dare blink with fear at the prospect of dying, I didn't need to, I stared into the face of death and laughed at it before, what was so different now?

"Who are you?" I whispered lowley so the Captain could hear me.

"Tell me when Cap, and I'll drop her" the voice of San said from behind me─ I almost laughed at his statement.

"Tell them to put their weapons down" I spoke softly

The Captain matched my stare, "Why, scared?" The expression on his face reflected a hint of hope, it was clear in the way his lips twisted he was trying to not laugh or smirk.

"Not scared, would just prefer to not have that gun pressed to the back of my head and possibly mess up my hair" I tighten my finger around the leather straps wrapped around the knife "It's a terribly difficult job to fix when one doesn't have a mirror─ Now tell them to drop their weapons" the sweetness I mustered into my voice almost made me want to boak.

"What makes you think they'll listen to me?"

I smile downward "I already figured out that you are their Captain, and if they value your life, trust me they'll listen to you"

The room falls silent, and one by one the noise of weapons drop to the floor. "Now let me repeat myself, Who..are..you?"

I didn't know what changed but something, some expression or thought, but something changed within the Captain, he swallowed against my knife before talking, "I'm Kim Hongjoong Captain of the Fedora ship and Ateez Pirate crew"

"Why are you in Zydari?" I question, applying pressure to the knife when he refrained from answering.

"We're searching for a slaver, he has a price of 50,000 gruean on his head"

The image of the man from the alleyway popped into my head, was he perhaps the one they were searching for, it would make sense why Wooyoung showed up, but one question continued to linger at the back of my mind,

"So, Were you sent by someone?"

Hongjoong looked taken aback by a second, looking to the faces of his friend before looking back to meet my gaze.

I couldn't risk all Akio had done for me, I couldn't do it. I wouldn’t put at risk my brother and all he had sacrificed and so I move the knife from under his jaw, I beat him to a reply

"Leave"

Hongjoong stares at me with a look of almost confusion, I catch the movement of his eyes as he looks down to the knife still gripped in my hand.

"Did you not hear me" The questions slips faster from my lips them the knife did to my hands,

There was a hesitance to their movements, and I watched them with a glare as hard as I could muster while I watched them gather up Wooyoung's limbs, his torso flopping like a ragdoll when two tall men picked him up, each of his arms over their shoulders while they lifted him up. It didn't look like much of an effort to the two tall males, but I watched them all begin to gather their things to leave.

The front door swung open and I saw the reddening face of Akio as he stood in the doorway, his shoulders squaring out with his bag hung over his shoulder, muscle tense beneath them.

His face turned thunderous when he looked over, taking in the sight of the Pirates filling our home space, his eyes meeting mine over the seven figures.

"What the Fuck?!" he hissed,

Well shit,

I’m in for it now.

❈Next Part

[pvrkacciosan]

The Ugly Fate of Family

❈Through HELL or HIGHWATERS Masterlist

Taglist: @dreamiezpsycho @piratequeen-queenofgames @ms-starlight @yunascular (If you wish to be added or removed just ask)

Word count: 3.2K

Note : I'm aware I said I wasn't going to post anything until after May 30, once my exams are finished but this is just sitting here and it's doing my nut ' in. Don't know if I'm happy with this tho, feedback is welcome :)

Wooyoung's POV

I fight the darkness of the smoke as it surrounds us, the girl is clung to my chest, my cutlass no longer in hand as both of my limbs wrap around her form to keep her from falling away from me.

The flames lick up around the walls surrounding us both and her limp weight is clutched tighter to me when I build the urge to move, the heat blooms along my spine─ nips at my heels and corrals me on faster towards the light of the rising sun.

Faltering in a step over an unrooted floor board, I finally burst into cool air and fresh lungs liberating oxygen which makes me cough on reflex as it mixes with the dusty thick smoke caught in my throat. Dropping to the dirt all the while curling over the figure of the girl to ensure she doesn’t hit her head on our shared descent to the floor outside her crumbling home.

A couple coughs is all it takes to clear the shards of figurative glass from my airway, a hand grips tightly to me shoulder, nudging my form back so my face angles up to look at them─ My captain’s worried expression meets mine, barely acknowledging the girl at my lap, he seems to check my a couple times over before he glances down then back up at the house behind us.

“Her brother?” he asks into the space between us, looking down to the girl laid on the ground next to my legs, it's like my heart cracks open at the idea floating through my mind, casting my own gaze over my shoulder at the house now entirely engulfed in flames. My eyes shut over in sorrow, a head shake is all Hongjoong needs to know what to do next.

“Lets go, she comes with us”

“Are you kidding?!” Yeosang suddenly appears, shoving past Mingi and Jongho for a second to come towards us, “Because of her Wooyoung almost died twice and you want to let her onto our ship? Are you guys completely forgetting how hard we’ve all worked to get this far”

“Yeosang..” Jongho tries to reason with the older male, I leaned back watching the interaction from afar, our medic’s expression darkens slightly,

“Don’t drag me into this, both times I almost died I put myself into those positions willingly” I utter, the scratch returning to force me to cough once more. I glanced down at the girl at my legs, specks of smoke dusted her cheek bones and side of her body, but even through that I could see the golden glow to her skin, probably from her time spent in the sun of the Zydari island.

“I agree with Hongjoong, we can’t just leave her '' San spoke softly, his attention casted more at brushing dust or ash from the palm of his hand.

“She isn’t suited for a life with us on that ship” Yeosang protested further, pointing at her. I had been friends with him for quite some time, but I couldn’t help the slight protectiveness I felt when he went to move towards us.

“And what qualified any of us for this life when we met each other?” Yunho whispered, rubbing his lower lip in thought, he met everyone’s gaze by looking up once he finished his sentence.

“She is different from the rest of us” Yeosang commented, adding fuel to his argument as best he can, Hongjoong shook his head but was beaten by Seonghwa in response.

“She may be different to us” Seonghwa takes a second to wave a hand in gesture at the other crew members standing in an almost semi circle formation around the girl’s body in my lap,

“but If I recall correctly Yeosang you were in a much similar position to her when we first found you” he finished.

My mind reels back to the story of how Hongjoong came across Yeosang in the first place. I wait for him to snap at the mention of his past but he doesn’t utter anything in retribution, Seonghwa’s comment all but shuts him up.

“It’s settled then” Mingi expressed, a nod to us, “She comes with us then?”

Hongjoong crouches down to meet me at eye level, wringing his hands together with his elbows balanced utop his knees. The rising morning sun streamed over his shoulder to hit me in the eye. I frowned to shield my delicate sense organ but my captain, the great one that he is , angles his shoulders so it blocks the sun entirely.

“Can you carry her or do you want one of the others to take her?”

If he wasn’t keeping eye contact with me right now he would have noticed when the girl moved to nudge her head into my leg, a warmth bloomed from the contact to my lower thigh but I brushed the touch off with a cough. Nodding to my leader, which I had agreed to follow over a year ago, I had made a promise, all of us had. To follow Hongjoong was an oath we all took. Through Hell or Highwater we would back up and defend him, as he had helped and aided each of us in ways of which we could never repay.

There's a shuffle from around me and a resounding crack as the building behind us starts to give way, the fire gnawing at the material like parasites. Picking myself up from the ground I tuck an arm under the legs and back of the female figure at my legs.

The dead weight of another human body was not a burden I liked to endure often, but she had done it for me.

San had been fully enthusiastic in telling me all about how none of them assumes a girl could drag my heavy ass back to her hut, even though she did just that.

And for that I was forever in her debt.

Akari's POV

Ruination. That all my life had been so far, it was what Akio is, the same if not more so than me. From the day we fled I knew they would one day find us. Akio had been doing so well, especially with the amount of effort he put into his checks. Akio had always…

Akio

Jolting from my position on a bed, my limb flailing around to keep myself from toppling over the edge I clung to, finger tightly gripped into the material of cloth I lay upon. A breeze of air brushes across the exposed skin of my arm, turning my head in the direction it came from. I spot a singular door sat slightly ajar. I push into my arms to sit myself up, the room surrounding me is strange and a cripple of unease curls into my belly, where the hell am I?

There are hammocks hanging around the beams in the room. The bed I’m on seems to be the only one of its kind, there's a strong whiff of putrid sea salt, the aroma making me curl my upper lip and crinkle my nose. The smell was so strong here, wherever here was

The sound of footsteps approaches the door, I throw my body backwards, back onto the bed, the door creaks. I freeze, snapping my eyes shut.

The wooden floor boards make a squeaking sound as the person approaches the bed I was laid utop of.

The room falls silent as the individual stops, my skin prickles as they watch me. Without seeing them, I feel them there as if they’re close enough for me to feel their breath on my cheek. A citrus scent floated as this person drew closer, my heart was hammering in my chest and I had to grip the sheet under me to keep my breathing as neutral as I could.

“Is she still out?” the voice of a male asked softly, from what sounded to be the other side of the room his voice was gentle as he spoke with an edge of worry to it.

“Out cold” another spoke, a lot closer to me, widening my eyes in a snap I met the surprised eyes of the guy kneeling in front of me, next to the bed

He went to jump back away from me but I had the element of surprise in my corner. Grabbing the sheet I unravel it from my legs, wrapping it around his neck and using my body weight and elbow to turn him so his back is to my chest, he faces the door as another male crashes into the room, I can only assume he was the one who spoke with a soft voice before.

His hands came up into surrender and he met my gaze over the shoulder of his friend who I still had strangled under the control of the blanket wrapped around his neck.

I needed to get away from here, Akio would be waiting for me, probably worrying.

The guy in my grasp struggles, his hands coming up to claw at the sheet constricting his movement, I nudge him in the spine with a raised knee,

“Move” I whisper, walking us both forward toward the other guy and the door, if I could just get out I could make a run for it.

The draft from before meant the door had to be near an exit, so I could find my way.

The guy in the doorway, walked out under my word probably doing so just in case I decided to restrict his friend from any more oxygen. Smart guy.

I push myself forward my weight driving the guy in my grip through the door after his friend.

The world suddenly opens up. I’m on a fucking ship.

I follow out onto the deck of the ship,  there's a couple other guys wandering around, they all stop what they're doing when they see us emerge. More than few catch my eye, a flicker of familiarity shones inside me, they were the pirates from before. Wooyoung began walking towards us stopping at the one who had been in the room with me and the guy I currently had hold of,

“Jongho?” he asks, leaving room for an unspoken question and potential elaboration.

“She just grabbed him, we thought she was still knocked out” I heard him whisper, the guy in my arm just wriggles some more, tightening the sheet makes him freeze and he emits a noise like an injured animal that alerts and catches the attention of the others.

Wooyoung hangs his arm by his head and begins to take slow steps towards me, I pull the sheet closer to me and back away, Wooyoung stops,

“We don’t want to hurt you” he said softly, he had changed clothing since last I saw of him, his cutlass was now tightly sucured to his side once more, my gaze flicks to it, It didn’t look too hard to get it off from the rope like belt he wore, I could definitely get it from him.

The weight of the guy held by me appears too much as he finally passes out, he crumpled to the floor, Taking me with him. I’m powerless to stop it as the momentum and gravity bring us both to the ground, subsequently my grip of the sheet is loosened and I can hear the guy suck in breath of air right before we hit the ground. I try to extend a hand out so I don’t land directly on his back, but my wrist snags on the sheet and restricts me as I try to reach out.

He hits the floor a second before I land on top of him, if the air wasn’t knocked from him when he hit the deck, it most definitely was now.

Flattening my palms against the back of the male beneath me, My insides ripple as my fingers feel to the sensation of his tense muscles of his shoulder and upper back, my thoughts jolt to a stop when a grumble eemits from him and he begins to move.

Springing up I only have a second of standing time before I’m tackled to the ground by another body. The new comer wrapped his arms around me, knocking the air from my lungs at the sheer impact of his body against mine, when we hit the floor I hear the yell of the others around us, my spine burns from the hit from the wooden planks of the ships deck, the guy tries to pin me down to the floor, thrusting my hips and waist upwards I knock his balance completely off, rather successfully as he goes flying over my head, rolling onto my side once I’m relieved of his weight I pushed my weight through my wobbling knees, they fail me and I’m kneeling once more, looking up the tip of a cutlass is tucked beneath my chin.

“Well this seems vaguely familiar” the mountain of a man is at the other end of the cutlass, I also recognise him from our interaction before─ Mingi.

I look around to see all the pirates from before, and one who I don’t recognise, he was the one who was in the room with me before, Jongho, Wooyoung had called him. One was getting up from the ground, rubbing at his throat from where the sheet had previously been, Yeosang. He was the one who didn’t seem too fond of me back in the house despite me having saved his friend.

“If you don’t want to hurt me, why is there a cutlass at my neck?” I ask, looking around for the Captain, he is at the top of the set of stairs, he descends down them, walking towards us, the rest of the crew watching his every move as he walks past. They seriously admire and look up to him, I thought. He matches the gaze of Mingi, giving him an unspoken message with the tilt of the head in my direction. The cutlass is removed from the column of my throat.

Hongjoong shifts the material of his trousers with his hands, preparing them as he crouches down in front of me. I can feel the eyes of the crew on me this time. Probably watching to make sure I don’t harm their precious captain.

“Why am I here?” I snap out in a tone sharper than I thought I could make it. Hongjoong’s brow scrunched for a second before meeting my gaze.

“Where’s my brother? Where’s Akio?”

They all stiffened at my question, I don’t miss it as even Yeosang gives skeptical looks to the other guys around him. A sickening feeling plummets into the pit of my stomach, Hongjoong turns to me fully, the look on his face does nothing to ease any of the nerves wracking my body.

“Do you not remember?” Seonghwa asks from behind Hongjoong, his eyes hold a sadness and sympathy to them that makes my skin burn when he watches me. What were they talking about?

“There was a fire…” Hongjoong starts off, drawing my attention back to him,

Akio is knelt on the ground with one of the men standing behind him with a knife to his throat… “Just how long did you think you could hide”....I can hear Akio screaming that he’s going to kill them… “Where’s the fucking amulet?”... “Please get her out of here”... Akio being trapped off by a beam collapsing from above…I’m unable to call out to my big brother as the roof encased in flames collapsed from above him.

There’s bile rising up the back of my throat and I don’t even have time to move before it's all escaping out my mouth, Hongjoong springs back in surprise, the others either looking away or screwing their faces up in disgust. An arm is wrapped around my shoulder and I lean back into the body once I’ve dry heaved a couple times with no result.

The arm encasing my frame didn't ease up, but this is different from the times the pirates grabbed me before, this wasn’t restricting at all, in fact it was comforting, warm and made goosebump ripple and erupt like little volcanoes across my skin.

I’m still tucked tightly to the chest of the pirate behind me when another kneels in front of me, “you guys were hiding weren't you?”

“Hongjoong─” another voice intercepted the air as the ship's captain asked his questions.

A chuckle comes from my lips at the irony of someone other than Akio defending or mildly protecting me, a wipe my cheeks free of tears, not cleaning my throat before I talk

“What gave it away?” even to me my own voice sounds brittle.

One of the other pirates from behind Hongjoong, crossed his arms over his chest leaning in to contribute to the conversation,

“Believe it or not darling but you're not the only one on this ship to have been in hiding before”

I look up, eyeing each of them from head to toe, what were their individual stories?

Hongjoong shifts his weight easing from one bent leg to the other, probably trying to stop them from going numb.

“Back in your home, you asked me Who I was?”

My spine goes rigid despite being moulded to the chest of the still unknown body behind me. They can never know.

Here it comes.

“I think it’s time I ask you the same thing”─ there it is.

I avert my eyes from the captains, he continues.

“So who exactly are you?”

Shit.

“My name is Akari Golwerin, I’m the daughter of a wealthy merchant from the north”

A lump formed faster than the rapid beatings of my heart

“And the guys who attacked you both?” Hongjoong looked at the expression on my face, as if trying to figure out whether it was put on or not, almost as if he was looking straight through me, the nerves begin to bundle.

“Sent by my father” my reply is quick and straight to the point

“A wealthy merchant's daughter is in hiding, what did you do?” Mingi asks, earning himself a sharp and quick jab in the ribs from San. The slightly short male, saves me in a way he never even knew when he retorted

“We don’t tell each other everything, her business is her own”

The bundle of nerves tightens to a full blown knot now. They can’t find out, I fear if they do they will either kill me or hand me over to my father.

Either option is not viable in my view, my only choice was to make my old man pay for what he did to us.

What are you going to do now?

Akio’s voice spoke silently like a whisper in my head, the voice grew louder as it repeated itself over and over. I’m voicing a verbal reply to my brother out loud before I can even stop myself,

“I’m going to make him wish I was never fucking born”

❈ Next Part

[pvrkacciosan]

Forceful Removal

❈Through HELL or HIGHWATERS Masterlist

Taglist: @dreamiezpsycho @piratequeen-queenofgames

@ms-starlight @yunascular (If you wish to be added or removed just ask)

Word count: 3.2K

Warning: Swearing, violence, death

Akari's POV

"What the fuck were you thinking bringing them here?!" Akio bellows in my face, his knuckles no longer a balance between his normal lightly tanned skin colour, his hands all but gone white from pressure, the pressure he was pushing through his hand from his grip on the table.

"I don't know I was-"

"Kari, I have simple rules," he points in my direction, face turning red, spittle close to flying out his mouth "rules which you agreed to follow!"

He is right so therefore it's annoying me.

Chewing into the side of my lip, my eyes drift into the sitting area where Akio had tied up the group of pirates. All back to back with their arms and legs bound, their weapons a pile by the door.

My eyes drift over to Wooyoung, who only woke up a couple minutes ago, I can only imagine the shock he must have felt when he woke. His cheeks appeared flushed, and he looked as though he seemed to be growing a fever, his skin looking almost yellow. I’m suddenly more concerned for his health, and it surprised me when I found myself forgetting about the argument, or should I say one sided yelling session I was currently being subjected to.

"Kari look at me"

My defiance annoys him, so therefore I ignore him.

A deep sigh leaves his lips, " I know you're not happy"

"Not happy?" I snap my head up, "did you only just figure that out? Come on Kio I thought you were smarter than that"

I swear smoke is flowing from his nostrils, like a fire breathing dragon, " do I need to send you to your room?"

He can't be serious? He is fully leant against the table by now staring me down. I copy him, slapping my hands down onto the slab of cold countertop material ,

"Your not my father, you have no way to make me do that"

His face instantly faltered, sorrow flowing over every feature on his rough face. It was only now that I took notice of the stubble running along his jaw bone and chin and the deep sunken look of his eyes, he looked so unbelievably tired. It physically made my heart hurt inside my chest cavity.

"I-I'm sorry" I whisper into the air between us,

The weak shake of his head when he refused to look at me made coils of guilt build in my stomach, feeling like I was going to throw up. Akio is always going away doing his checks and this is how I repay him.

I can't help when my lower lip begins to shake under the sheer pressure of the emotion I try to bottle down, biting back at the bile rising.

"I'm sorry" I whisper again, almost flinching from the raw disappointment shimmering onto my brother's face.

"All those years I've done my check to make sure we were okay, that you would be safe, All I ask is that you don't drag attention to yourself, do I need to remind you of what happened last time"

It suddenly felt like loads of insects were crawling along my skin. No that reminder was plenty,

"I shouldn't have brought them here, but what was I supposed to do, leave him to die?"

Akio pinches his nose, "Akari I love you so much because you're my little sister, I swore to protect you and everything I've done since we moved here has been to ensure you stay safe, if they talk I- I just I can't.."

"You can't do what?" the words got clogged in my throat when I spoke them, if he was about to say what I think he was.

"I can't let them go"

There it was, looking back to the pirates tied up I struggled to suppress the weep of emotion bursting at the seams. I hadn't known them long but when I looked at Wooyoung my heart plummets into my stomach, making my insides feel so heavy, as if I've been filled with weights and tossed into the sea.

"If you're worried we will tell anyone of your location you are wrong" a voice spoke from the direction of the Pirates. San.

He had somehow wriggled himself forward, the rope drawn tight against his wrists still behind his back.

"This is none of your business" Akio snapped, but San persisted on, his ambition was admirable, I fraction of a smile lurked onto my lips.

"We won't tell anybody, we swear" he awkwardly angles his back for some unknown reason and it isn't until Yeosang looks down to his friend that we both realise what's happening

"Are you trying to fucking make a pinky promise?" the other Pirate asks, voice raspy with confusion.

San jolts back into a sitting position, head turning to look at Yeosang while pulling a face "there is nothing wrong with a little honesty once in a while"

I almost laughed aloud, but managed to stop myself, the sound of others was still a weird aversion for me. Often when Akio was away doing his checks I spoke very little, my home wasn't used to having banter in it, the walls and room grew quiet after so many nights spent with the sound of me weeping myself to sleep after a nightmare.

What might my life be like if I knew people outside my brother and Shiber. My chest restricts at the thought, the thought of what I've missed out on in life purely because I've been stuck on this lump of rock.

"We could let them go" I mutter, if these pirates have the choice of a better life than what I have right now then I will make sure to give them that opportunity.

A muscle in Akio's cheek twitches, he sighs while looking to the counter top a vein suddenly appearing on his forearm.

"Akari"

I feel a muscle twitch in my own jaw, I raise my gaze to meet Akio's, his eyes no longer hold their rounded softness, instead being sharp and narrow in a way I've only seen once, there must have been something he saw in my expression because what he said next shocked me straight to my core.

"Fine."

I don't wait a second to race across the room, grabbing a knife from the countertop as I pass. Dropping onto the ground a couple of the Pirates look at me with a perplexed expression but don't shy away as I start to cut away at the rope bounding them all together.

Finishing off after the other I am lastly cutting the rope around Wooyoung's limbs, my fingers brush along his rapidly heating skin.

His gaze magnified to mine and I felt the second the world stopped on its axis, the air halting in my lungs.

There was something unbelievably attractive about him despite his current sickly expression.

I bead of sweat trickles down the side of his temple and I have to pry my eyes from his direction as my cheeks turn to molten lava, I focus my attention back to cutting the rope from his wrists.

When the last strand snaps loose his hands fall apart from each other and two of the other pirates come to his side to help him up to his feet.

I climb up from my knees standing before the group, they watch me like analysts, it makes my skin crawl from the attention but I divert myself, they should be leaving before my brother changes his mind.

As I walk myself to the other side of the room I gesture to their weapons, saying nothing as I walk back in Akio's direction.

His lips part as if he is about to speak but the words seem to lodge themselves half way up as no sound comes from him. And so I walk straight past, towards my room.

I can hear the soft patter of Shiber behind me and as I step into my room I wait for him to come in after me before shutting the door over.

✥﹤┈┈┈┈❈┈┈┈┈﹥✥

I'm suddenly jolted awake when a resounding thumb echoes through the house. Shiber sits up, his ears perked up on alert from next to me on the bed.

There's another thump then whispered voices which I don’t recognise coming in through from the kitchen area. I throw the covers from around me, swinging my legs off the bed rising up as Shiber jumps off after me.

The floor is cold against my bare feet but I try my hardest to ignore it as I reach for the door knob, twisting it slowly I wait for the door to creak as I slowly open it, the hinges, much to my surprise, actually stay quiet, making it a much stealthier move as I slither out into the shadow of the small hallway.

There is a warm glow of a lit lantern brightening up the passage through and as I avoid all the wooden floor boards that could get me noticed I leap lightly across a few until I'm hidden behind the wall, peaking my head around it.

Four burley shouldered men, dressed in dark clothing stood around our kitchen, one was off to the side leant into the archway leading through to the living area. I try to not find amusement in the idea of what might happen if he put too much of his weight into the beam but as one of the men steps aside my heart drops into my stomach at the sight I sit witness to;

Akio is knelt on the ground with one of the men standing behind him with a knife to his throat, his head tilted back as he seemed to stare daggers at the man standing in the doorway. His eyes burned with an anger so potent in the air it made me somewhat scared to look in his direction.

Before I'm able to do anything else the man in the archway begins to talk. It silences everything inside me as I focus on turning my head so I can better hear the words coming from him.

"Just how long did you think you could hide?-" he started, a hint of blissful amusement in his tone, "I'll give it to you, I'm impressed with how well you managed it '' he finished walking up the Akio he leant forward so his face was almost brushing Akio's.

A small gasp breaks from me when the man drives a fist up to strike Akio across the cheek, I slap my hand over my mouth to muffle the sound.

The man turns to look in my direction and I'm quickly spinning to press my back to the wall, squeezing my eyes tightly together while I wait for someone to move towards me, no one does.

The is a small snuffle from next to me and I spot Shiber move in my direction, I assume he will stop but when he doesn't I reach to try and grab him but he somehow evades my hands and runs to the other side of the room slipping out the house by a small dug out hole.

Did the little twat just abandon me?

I barely realise I've now exposed myself until I hear a light chuckle coming from over my shoulder, "Well, well there's the little runt in all her...glory," his voice rattles in through one ear and out of the other, it makes me want to bang my head against a wall.

Akio has now spotted me and his eyes have sunken in sadness and panic as he stares at me, I can feel his sudden worry rolling from him in my direction, As the Man starts to strut in my direction Akio manages to jolt himself free of the other man's grip.

Kicking out one of his legs he swipes the man off his balance, he lands hard and Akio doesn't have time to move before a couple of the guys have tackled him to the floor of our kitchen.

"Kari run!" he yells at the same time the leader yells

"Grab the little bitch"

I spring myself up and begin running when I hear footsteps behind me, I run back to my room jumping over my bed, I throw open the side door, leading into Akio's room, I know the best hiding place.

The fight the urge to look over my shoulder when I hear the henchmen crash into my room behind me, knocking over the few things I do own. My heart only goes out to anything he may have broken when it sounds as if he falls to the floor.

When I make entrance into Akio's room I am halted when I spot the chaos that was once his well organised room, he had close to nothing in there but somehow it now appears as if his room is a dumping ground for every object in the room.

The sheets of his bed are all over the place and splatters of blood cover the cream cotton sheets and floor boards. I run again when I hear the guy behind me swear as he gets back to his feet, I leap over a fallen over pile of books I had never seemed to notice before, but just as my foot comes into contact with the floor again another man, covered almost entirely in blood, sporting a black eye, appears in the open entrance to Akio's room.

He smirks at me, perfectly showcasing the blood stained gaps from missing teeth in his mouth. I cringe at the idea of the metallic taste of blood, but I try to side step away from his outstretched hands only to practically run straight into the path of the man clattering into the room behind me.

A yelp of pain leaves me when he painfully fists my hair from behind, the roots burning when he begins to drag me over the objects and junk lying around the room.

I struggle to get a footing as he hauls me through the house, the bloodied man laughing as he watches me twist and turn in pain.

My hands are clawing at his solid hand holding my hair, he only clenches his fist and yanks at the coil of my hair he has fisted.

Burst of pain like nothing I've ever felt before bloom from ever centimetres of my scalp, like someone was pouring acid onto an open wound I cry out when he purposely slams my into a wall as he round a corner to the kitchen, My ribs crack into the beam and I can already tell it's going to leave a bruise.

He hauls me up right so I'm kneeling beside Akio. I can see the concerned look he is sending me from the corner of my eye but I'm too busy staring the guy in front of me down to turn and acknowledge his look.

The ringleader of this whole...operation crouches down to my eye level and he begins to analyse my face, I build up the saliva in my cheeks before spitting it straight into his sour expression.

His eyes were closed but he brought a hand, using his sleeve to wipe away my attempt at defiance. There is a sudden tug at my hair and my neck is then exposed as the man opens his eyes once more, looking down to me he sends a look to the man gripping my hair.

"I should have expected such actions from Akari, or would you prefer to be called by your other name?"

I don't think I can stop scowling now, "I don't know what you're talking about" If only...

A smile smears his horribly ugly fucking face, "Oh, I think you do...Phantom"

"Fuck you." I spat, My response was rewarded with a hard punch to the side of my temple, then another, another and another.

At some point I was let go by the guy behind me, I fell forward and a swift kick landed into the ribs that I'd hit off the wall before.

I can hear Akio screaming that he's going to kill them. I feel as though I'm about to lose consciousness as I could have sworn I saw actual stars floating in the sky but I'm hooked back up to my knees and someone has again got a tight hold of my head, They tilt it back and I can do little to stop it as the guys come close to my face.

"Although I know there is someone who is so desperate to see you both, that's not why I'm here, where is it?"

It pains me to pull by features into a confused expression but somehow I manage it,

"Where's the fucking Amulet?!" he suddenly screams in my face, slapping my cheek in his fit of anger.

There's a bark that resounds through the air and Shiber comes running into the room, I try to warn him off but my small furry companion runs straight for the man who had just hit me, his jaws clamping tightly around the guy's ankle, the man howls in pain as a result.

As I look up I spot another group running into the house after Shiber. At first I assume this is backup for the guys who had ambushed Akio and I but I feel a shimmer of excitement pulse through me when the faces of the Pirates from earlier come into focus in my field of vision.

So that's where Shiber ran off to.

I'm suddenly dropped, and my head hits the ground hard. Everything becomes a blur, I must have hit my head harder than I originally thought because at one point Akio was in front of me, and then Wooyoung appeared and the pair of them seemed to start arguing.

The room around us seemed to grow in temperature and when I lift my heavy head from off my shoulder I see the dance of fire as it climbs the walls around us.

"Just please get her out of here" I catch Akio yell over the roar of the fire clawing at the ceiling above us.

I feel my body being passed off to someone's arms and the gravity around my changes as I'm picked up off the ground, I'm unable to control the weight of my head and it lulls off into the side of someone's solid shoulder.

I try to fight the urge creaking up my neck and to the back of my head, but the allure of darkness is much stronger than my will.

The last thing I see before the world goes black is Akio being trapped off by a beam collapsing from above him, he catches my gaze and seems to give me a look I don't quite understand, in his final stand in life I am able to see the evidence of a tear as it curls down his cheek bone.

I want to call out for him, but I'm unable to call out to my big brother as the roof encased in flame collapses from above him.

I lose the fight to the darkness, as everything goes black.

❈ Next Part