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darknights04 · 9 hours

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For the Dancing and the Dreaming

Pairings: pirate!Eddie x mermaid!reader

Summary: The dread pirate Eddie Munson decided he wanted a mermaid. And once the captain's mind is made up, there's no changing it. When the captain meets you, however, he may just change his opinion on the beasts.

Warnings: Blood (slightly), not proof read

Masterlist

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Mermaids.

That was the quest the dread pirate Munson decided to take his crew on today. Were the crew scared? Yes. But they knew better than to go against Eddie when he put his mind to it. No matter how badly they wanted to scream “HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST IT?! WE’LL BE KILLED!”

But Eddie was their captain. What he says goes. Even if it may be a death sentence.

“All hands! Batten down the hatches!” Eddie was heard calling out from his spot behind the wheel. “Watch out for those waves!”

“It’s the mermaids,” his first mate and right hand man, Steve, had concluded. “They’re protecting the cove.”

“Well, they’ve yet to encounter us. Gonna take more that a few splashes of water to turn us around. Right men?!”

Small shouts of agreement came from the rest of the crew, hurriedly securing everything on the deck so it wasn’t lost to the waves.

“Drop a rowboat!” Eddie next commanded. “We must row the rest of the way in.”

The men followed in suit, running towards the ropes that help up their rowboats.

“Now,” Eddie continued. “Which of you is joining me in the cove?”

Everyone looked around at one another, none volunteering. Eddie looked at each of the men om board, each immediately looking away so as to not make any sort of eye contact.

“I’ll join you,” Steve had sighed after more moments of silence.

“No. No you stay behind to guard the ship. If we go down you’re next in command.” Eddie continued looked around before his eyes landed on one person in particular. “Dustin,” he grinned, an audible whine left the boy’s lips as he noticeably slumped. “And Robin.”

“Why me?” she began to complain.

“I dunno, you’re a girl aren’t ya?”

“So?”

“Maybe the creatures will feel more comfortable around you.”

“I see something!” their lookout, Lucas, had called from the bow of the ship. “In the water, straight ahead!”

Everyone ran to where the boy was standing to look for what he was referring to. Sure enough, there was a head bobbing on top of the waves, long hair billowing out behind it. Half the men were in awe. The other half, scared to death. Eddie didn’t take the bait. He watched the creature with careful eyes as he lowered their row boat slowly down into the water, unbeknownst to her. He knew that if she saw them they’d be dead in an instant. The larger ship would not be as easy a target.

While the rest of the men were entranced by the mermaid in the water, more began to pop up. One by one, the ship was surrounded.

“Plug your ears, men!” Steve shouted at the helm. “Don’t let their songs reach them!”

Like clockwork, as soon as the men on board plugged their ears, they started to sing. Will nearly had to catch Mike by the collar of his shirt cause he was a second too late and nearly jumped clear over board and into the sea.

“Shouldn’t we help them?” Dustin whispered from his spot on the rowboat. “What if they attack?”

“Steve’s got it,” Eddie assured. “Our goal is their cove. They always leave the weaker ones behind while attacking.”

“So the rest of the crew is to act as bait then?” Robin realized.

“Distraction,” he corrected. “As long as they stay prepared, the beasts won’t be able to sink them.”

“And if we lose some to their siren song?”

Right as the question left Robin’s lips, the trio heard a war cry screamed from the water near the boat. As they glanced back in fear, they saw the hoard of mermaids leaping to action, hurling themselves towards the ship in formation.

“Go,” Dustin told Eddie with his eyes wide. “Go! Row! Row! Row!”

Eddie didn’t need and more urging to increase the speed at which he was rowing their boat towards the cove.

“Quiet,” Eddie ordered as they pulled the boat ashore. “We don’t know how many they left behind. They should be in the heart of the cove.”

Eddie removed his heavy coat and took his guns from their holsters, trying to limit the amount of noise he generated. Robin and Dustin followed suit, all keeping their swords in their spot on their hip just in case.

The trio was in awe at the sights that waited for them past the beach. There were trees hanging towards the ground, leaves swaying in the wind. Waterfalls and babbling brooks could be heard running over the top of rocks in every direction. The grass seemed greener than everywhere else, the water more blue and yet also clearer. They wouldn’t have been surprised if a unicorn had emerged from the bushes at any moment. It was magical.

While the three were marveling at the sights around them. Eddie heard it. Humming. Coming from a nearby pool in the center of the trees. He motioned to the others and put his finger to hips lips, signaling them to be quiet as he carefully drew out his sword, the others following. As they drew closer, Eddie couldn’t help but feel he knew the tune from somewhere.

His suspicions were confirmed, however, when you began singing.

“I’ll swim and sail on savage seas…” she sung, mostly under your breath and just to yourself. “With n’er a fear of drowning.”

Eddie’s breath caught in his throat. It was the song his mother would sing to him as a child. Well before she passed. One of his few remaining memories of her.

“And gladly ride the waves of life…” you continued, a bit louder but still slow and drawn out. “If you will marry me…”

As you said the last line, Dustin seemed to realized you were a mermaid singing, and the fear of being bewitched made him shoot his hands up to cup his ears, dropping the sword he was holding in turn.

“No!” Eddie whispered in protest, reaching for the droppen weapon, but was just a second too late as it clattered to the ground.

You gasped at the sound, turning towards the group and quickly retreating away after seeing them, disappearing into the shadows.

Eddie’s eyes went wide. He had put too much planning into this voyage to lose it all now. He had to do something and quickly.

“No scorching sun, nor freezing cold,” he sang back. His voice far more raspy and no where near as smooth. “Would stop me on my journey.”

Eddie motioned for Robin and Dustin to stay behind as he took a few cautious steps towards you, continuing to sing. “If you would promise me your heart… And love…”

He stood with his hand outstreatch towards you, urging you to come forward. Everyone stood in silence for a long moment. Waiting to see how you would respond. It was evident that not even you knew the answer. Tensions were high. No one knew what would happen next.

Eddie had nearly lost hope after a few more moments of silence. That was until you took another breath. “And love me for eternity…” you sang. Eddie let out a sigh of relief as you moved from the shadows, slowly and cautiously approaching the man.

“My dearest one, my darling dear. Your mighty words astound me.”

As you got closer to Eddie, he approached the edge of the water, attempting to meet you in the middle. Dustin was watching with fear the whole time, afraid you would snap at any moment. No matter how you seemed on the outside, you was still a mermaid. The same breed of mermaids that were attacking their friends not a thousand feet down the coast.

Your lips turned to a shy smile as you continued singing towards Eddie. “But I’ve no need for mightly deeds when I feel your arms around me.”

Eddie knelt down onto he kness, trying to encourage you to be comfortable enough to approach him more.

“My mother sang that song to me,” he said softly, smiling to himself as the memories came flooding back.

By now, you were intrigued. You wanted to know more about the pirate in front of you. He sat in silence after mentioning his mother. You watched as his smile went from a happy smile reminiscing on the past to a sad, sorrowful one. You knew nothing about him, yet wanted to comfort him. You reached out your hand for him to take. Just a small gesture of comfort, it was all you could think to do. His sad smile became a little happier as he connected your hands. He was taught that mermaids were heartless beasts. That they could not feel and would stab you in the back any chance they got.

That must have been the fear Robin felt as she saw her captain in such a vulnerable spot with you, as she dashed forward to protect him. Becoming afraid again, you turned around, trying to swim off as fast as you could. Before you got the chance to get far enough, Robin acted quickly, driving her sword down into the sand, catching the edge of your tail in the process.

“You got her!” Dustin celebrated as your could no longer swim away. Eddie’s eyes went wide as he watched the blood trailing from your fin and becomming diluted in the water. You turned around to face Robin and all Eddie could see on your face… was fear. Sure it was warranted granted you were completely at the mercy of pirates… but he was taught that mermaid felt no emotion. And as far as he knew, fear was an emotion.

“Let’s get it back to the crew,” Robin said, wasting no time in grabbing your arms to hoist you out of the water. You tried to fight her grasp. Your writhed and screamed to no avail. Robin felt as though she was trying to tame a wild cat with the way you scratched at her hands. “Dustin, come help me!”

Dustin rushed to her aid to help and drag you from the pool of water. Despite your attempts to escape, they succeeded.

Almost immediately after you left the water, your tail shrunk and separated into to legs. You stopped your squirming to escape and instead moved you arms to cover yourself, the lack of clothes making you feel quite vulnerable. It only took a moment of Robin and Dustin continuing to drag you across the ground that Eddie stepped in.

“Enough!” he nearly screamed at the two.

“Captain?” Dustin asked, confused. They were, after all, just doing as he asked.

Saying nothing, Eddie took off his coat and threw it over your shoulders, quickly fastening it in the front in order to give you some sense of dignity. Your eyes widened in shock at his kindness towards you. Considering his companions never called you more than an “it”.

“Can’t you see she’s scared?” Eddie hissed at the two.

“She?” Robin repeated.

“She’s scared?” Dustin gawked. “She’s the one who tried mauling us!”

Eddie scoffed at them as he helped you to your feet. As he watched your form tremble beneath him, he was at a loss as to what to do. On the one hand, this was the purpose of the whole mission. To obtain a mermaid. He had done just that. But on the other hand, you looked to be just an innocent girl like this. Not a malicious bone in your body.

With a small, sympathetic smile, Eddie continued to sing to you under his breath. “Through all life’s sorrows and delights,” he sang softly. “I’ll keep your laugh inside me.” And with that, he grabbed your shoulders and carefully pushed you back into the water, allowing you time to escape as he blocked Robin and Dustin from going after you.

“What are you doing?!” Dustin screetched.

“It’ll get away!”

“I changed my mind,” Eddie responded simply.

You watched from the shadows as the three argued. Eddie firmly standing his ground. When the other two backed off, you resurfaced.

“Swim and sail the savage seas,” you smiled towards Eddie. When he turned to face you, you propelled out of the water, wrapping an arm around his neck to pull him to your level. Robin and Dustin both called out in fear, however, when his head reached the water you stopped. You landed a soft, gentle kiss on the pirates lips as a symbol of gratitude and watched as he pulled away with a drunken smile on his lips.

“With n’er a fear of drowning.”

And with that, you disappeared back under the waves.

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