🏴‍☠️

and the kids cried out “please stop, you’re scaring me!” god damn right you should be scared of me.

[bythehook]

A tendril of ice slithered down Hook's spine at the naming of the creature. Merrow. Hadn't Smee spun tales of those evil aquatic beasts; years ago, decades back, breathing life into a darkened pub booth with old Irish lore. They'd never seen one, never encountered the dark beings from the deep, but the name struck a chord just the same. Still, the look on Queenie's face far outweighed his own inner panic, and he forced his face to soften, hand reaching to her shoulder. "You're not going to die," he said, voice lowered. "We'll put him in the brig until we can figure out what to do with him." He added, wanting to calm that terror in her eyes. "Smee might have...some idea of what to do with him."

[mermaidqueenie]

Queenie flinched at the touch and shook her head slightly. "It has to die! You have to kill it but you can't dump the body cause then they'll know and they'll hunt us down, but it can't be let go because it's seen me now and if it ever saw me in the water they would kill me and everyone around me. It might already know! Oh god, what if it's seen me before in the water? Or maybe it can just sense it on me." Tears streamed down her cheeks and the words came so fast they ran together almost as one, before she paused, hands coming to her cheeks as despair set in. "What if I can never go in the water again?"

[bythehook]

"That's not going to happen," he told her, an ache in his chest at her earnest fear. He couldn't be sure of everything, but he'd do all in his power to remove that worry and to destroy that which brought such feeling to her. There was a slight, uneasy shift from the crew; all seemed to be waiting for orders, as well as trying not to appear as though they'd been straining to hear her words. James longed to pull her into an embrace, but her reaction to his touch and the eyes of his men on him, he gave a small nod. "No one removes that net," he called over her head, and turned, summoning his calm resolve that encouraged his crew. "Bind the beast through the netting and throw him in the brig," he stated coolly. "And make a direct course to land; we'll bury him deep in the forest." He angled his head, looking down at the merrow beast. Its icy stare flinched ever so slightly, but defiantly did not buckle at his words.

[bythehook]

The crew shifted on their feet, waiting for orders, and James couldn't very well appear to be in control of the situation by asking Queenie in front of everyone what they should do about it, nor could they keep her origins unquestioned. "Hold, gentlemen," he commanded them, and a couple of them stood a little straighter in attention. Hook turned his back to them, blocking Queenie from the beast's line of sight and tried to make eye contact with her. "What is this thing?"

[mermaidqueenie]

Queenie kept pacing, only stopping when suddenly James was in front of her. She looked up at him, eyes wide and panic stricken and gave a small shake of her head. "They're going to kill us all." She whispered, her breath suddenly coming in fast and sharp as her vision blurred through the tears in her eyes. Queenie put a hand over her mouth as she tried and failed to keep her composure. "It's- it's," She stammered, "They're called merrows." She managed, swallowing hard as her fingers trailed round to rub her temple nervously. "They're unpredictable and merciless killers, they hunt down anything that offends them the slightest bit and slaughter them." Her gaze went distant and she sounded defeated as she murmured "They're going to kill me too."

[bythehook]

A tendril of ice slithered down Hook's spine at the naming of the creature. Merrow. Hadn't Smee spun tales of those evil aquatic beasts; years ago, decades back, breathing life into a darkened pub booth with old Irish lore. They'd never seen one, never encountered the dark beings from the deep, but the name struck a chord just the same. Still, the look on Queenie's face far outweighed his own inner panic, and he forced his face to soften, hand reaching to her shoulder. "You're not going to die," he said, voice lowered. "We'll put him in the brig until we can figure out what to do with him." He added, wanting to calm that terror in her eyes. "Smee might have...some idea of what to do with him."

[bythehook]

It had been a fairly quiet day until the crew had spotted a roiling bit of ocean on the starboard side of the ship. Wary at first, Hook had ordered his men to halt, but as the netting had entrapped a strange, blue creature, he knew it was no mermaid. They'd had a hell of a time hauling it onboard, and cheered raucously when they'd prevailed.

Decades in Neverland waters, and James was still discovering new and fascinating things. This beast had something of cephalopodish about it, but drawing closer it had a slight human form. The captain frowned down at it, turning his head to the side as the creature stilled, its only movement the wet rise and fall of his chest. He had half a mind to tell them to throw it back to whatever dark place it had dwelled, but something in its eye set him against it.

Whatever this beast was, he didn't fancy having it swimming about his ship, where his men often dove to wash or fish. He raised a hand, indicating to his crew, when Queenie's voice cut out before Cookson could touch the blue creature. It seemed to give a smile around that gaping maw.

"You know what this is?" He asked, hand still raised, to stay his men.

[mermaidqueenie]

The way that thing looked at her sent icy terror through her veins, her skin turning unusually pale. It’s horrible eyes looked all knowing, like it was in on a secret and Queenie wondered if it knew her secret? Did it know what she really was? Would it and its clan target her sisters as revenge for this affront? It wasn’t her fault but these creatures were cruel and unwavering in their brutality.

Queenie gripped the rail and looked over the edge, frantically checking for signs of more. Were they mounting an attack? Is that why this one was close enough to the ship to be caught? Whether it was because the sea was empty or because she was too panicked to take anything in, it looked clear enough.

James had asked her a question but she could hardly find the words and turned her back, hands rubbing her temples as she tried to stay calm. She paced a few steps before turning and giving James a wide-eyed nod. Her gaze returned to the creature and she could swear it was laughing at her, amused by the fear it instilled.

[bythehook]

The crew shifted on their feet, waiting for orders, and James couldn't very well appear to be in control of the situation by asking Queenie in front of everyone what they should do about it, nor could they keep her origins unquestioned. "Hold, gentlemen," he commanded them, and a couple of them stood a little straighter in attention. Hook turned his back to them, blocking Queenie from the beast's line of sight and tried to make eye contact with her. "What is this thing?"

[mermaidqueenie]

Queenie stopped kneading the dough when Cookson told her it looked ready. She lifted her hands up and went to lick her fingers but Cookson quickly stopped her, hand on her wrist. “You don’t want to eat raw dough, it’s not good.” He warned her. “It’ll make you sick.”

“Oh,” Queenie said with slightly widened eyes and an understanding nod. “Funny how the fire makes it okay to eat.”

Cookson put the dough in a bowl and covered it with a cloth. “Heat changes a lot of things, like you wouldn’t want to eat raw chicken but the heat kills the germs in it.”

“Huh,” Queenie thought as she washed off her hands in the tub on the side. “I guess I don’t like unbearably hot water either.”

Cookson went on to tell her about how the dough would now double in size over the next hour or so, which seemed like a miracle to Queenie.

All of a sudden there was a ruckus outside, yelling, shots, cheers, a heavy thump on the deck and more cheers. Queenie had ducked into the pantry when the noise started, knowing whenever these sounds came it was safest to stay hidden. Often it was a shark or crocodile, but sometimes it was lost kids, and she didn’t want to be seen by them. She also didn’t want to see them getting hurt, even if she thought they were in the wrong.

When things quietened down the pair headed outside to see what had happened, her nerves were slightly on edge in anticipation. Her blood ran cold when she saw the blue body laying on the deck, frozen in place as she stared at it, large fins extending from it’s shoulders, long thin tail, tendrils hanging from around it’s jaw and it’s mouth hung open full of large, sharp teeth. Her chest tightened and Queenie placed her hand over it, struggling for breath.

She hadn’t been paying attention, but Cookson had gone forward to talk to the others, and reached down to take one of the decorated gauntlets around its wrist.

“Don’t touch that!” She snapped suddenly, the most aggressive she’d ever been towards any of these pirates.

[bythehook]

It had been a fairly quiet day until the crew had spotted a roiling bit of ocean on the starboard side of the ship. Wary at first, Hook had ordered his men to halt, but as the netting had entrapped a strange, blue creature, he knew it was no mermaid. They'd had a hell of a time hauling it onboard, and cheered raucously when they'd prevailed.

Decades in Neverland waters, and James was still discovering new and fascinating things. This beast had something of cephalopodish about it, but drawing closer it had a slight human form. The captain frowned down at it, turning his head to the side as the creature stilled, its only movement the wet rise and fall of his chest. He had half a mind to tell them to throw it back to whatever dark place it had dwelled, but something in its eye set him against it.

Whatever this beast was, he didn't fancy having it swimming about his ship, where his men often dove to wash or fish. He raised a hand, indicating to his crew, when Queenie's voice cut out before Cookson could touch the blue creature. It seemed to give a smile around that gaping maw.

"You know what this is?" He asked, hand still raised, to stay his men.

[sansaorgana]

MICHAEL FASSBENDER as ERIK LEHNSHERR “X–MEN: FIRST CLASS” (2011)

[bythehook]

laravasilyev​:

Lara wasn’t thrilled by his reaction to her entrance but kept her composure, figuring he was just tired or busy, and she could win him over with her usual charms. She paused when he asked for a drink, puffing out a surprised laugh. He wasn’t naive and knew what she’d been offering. Still, instead of being petulant she did as she was asked. Perhaps he needed to loosen up first. “Course.” She headed to the bookcase and poured him a drink, adding a little extra at the end to be generous in the hopes he would do the same towards her. She swayed her hips as she brought it over, leaning on his desk beside him. “Anything…else?” 

James took the glass, eyes on hers as his fingers brushed hers. “What do you know about...” he brought the glass to his lips. “Vivaldi?” Hook’s gaze flickered to the piano on the far side of the room. He was tempted to see just what else she’d do if he asked; he’d heard she’d been quite cozy with Jack when he was captain in his absence, and yet here she was at his doorstep now he was back in the chair. 

[bythehook]

laravasilyev​:

When Hook had returned, Lara had once again left Starkey at the wayside, as fun as he was she liked the idea of being the Captain’s, and he wasn’t captain anymore. With all that was going on, she wasn’t surprised Hook hadn’t called on her, but with things dying down, she figured it was about time she did something about it. She put on her best dress, low cut and accentuating her waist, she painted her lips the perfect bitten pink, and headed to his cabin. 

She knocked on the door and after a few moments waiting for a response, she got what she wanted and headed inside. “Hello Captain.” Lara smiled flirtatiously, heading towards his desk. “It’s been a while. You look tense, how about I help you relax?”

Honestly, James didn’t want to be bothered, but after all the plans of battle had fallen short and nothing had happened, he didn’t have the energy to fight to be alone. He also was captain, and knew that after all the uncertainty had suffocated the air leading up to Helena’s fate, he had to be available to his crew. He sighed when it was Lara that entered, and raised his brows at her before managing a small, grim smile. “I would appreciate that greatly,” he said, sighing slightly, and then added before she could get any closer. “I’ll take a whiskey,” and he nodded to the decanter by his bookcase. 

[sansaorgana]

MICHAEL FASSBENDER as EDWARD FAIRFAX ROCHESTER “JANE EYRE” (2011)

[bythehook]

i divvied up my anger into thirty separate parts || open

Exhausted. That was how James felt after everything that had happened with Helena. Exhausted for nothing and everything; the work they’d put in to stopping the wench had been for nothing and everything. There had been no real closure, and no real loss. He wanted to rip her neck open with his hook for everything she’d taken, and everything she’d threatened. He looked at his hands now, still so foreign to him to have both again. She’d taken his hook from him and replaced it with his long lost, long devoured hand, and yet he wasn’t grateful for that. It had been nice to be able to hold Queenie, but it was a constant reminder of what he’d done, of what he’d given up to stop the chaos Helena had been forcing into his mind. He was a monster, and there was no denying it. No matter what anyone told him, no matter the excuses he made for himself, he had done some terrible things to find peace. An innocent child, now missing. He made a mental note; two children lost to the island now. What would Mary say? 

James sat at his desk in his cabin, eyes pointed to the horizon outside his window, gaze blurring as his mind wandered. His rage was always just at the surface these days; the island had chosen to save the witch that had taken so much from him, and had almost taken the whole island down with her delusions of heroism. He wished he had strangled her before the tree had closed around her, but he’d lost his chance. There was a stab of pain in his right palm as he thought of the witch, and he looked down. He hadn’t been sure right away when the witch had been tucked away, but his hand definitely was losing some color, and a very faded scar around his wrist was growing ever more visible. He pulled his sleeve down and leaned back in his chair, closing his eyes. Would there ever be peace in his life?

[firstfassbender]

[bythehook]

mermaidqueenie​:

Queenie pressed her lips together and shrugged at the no, wishing she could do more and wishing she didn’t feel so useless. She nodded, and when he closed his eyes she pressed a kiss on his shirt. Queen shifted, moving up his body, leaning over him. “Let’s not think about it.” She told him, kissing his shoulder, chin, his brow. “It’s just us, here, you and me.” Queenie murmured, tucking her head beside his, breathing warm on his neck and holding him close. 

James closed his eyes, breathing slowing as he traced circles along her arm. He didn’t remember falling asleep, only the soft breath of Queenie against him that soothed him like a lullaby. By the time he did stir awake, the sunlight had gone, and the pale reflection of the moon could be seen on the distant waters. 

[bythehook]

mermaidqueenie​:

Queenie chuckled lightly, though it wasn’t a light topic. It was all she could do. All she had to offer were her previous conversations with the boy. “He might recognise me.” She joked, though if he wanted her to try she would. The full moon wasn’t too long ago, her legs could be explained away. An idea came to her though, but she wasn’t sure if it was a good one or if James would like it. “If he thinks anyone’s with you, he probably won’t listen. He doesn’t know I’m with you. If I was locked away and told him I’d overheard you talking about it…” 

“Oh Queenie, I couldn’t actually ask you to do that,” James said, grinning down at her, appreciating her willingness to help and how quickly she’d jumped to help. “I’m just,” he shook his head once, looking across the room, eyes scanning the bookcase. “I’m tired,” he finished quietly, closing his eyes. Part of him wanted to give up; give into the end as Helena had planned it. A bigger part of him couldn’t allow her to just destroy so many lives, so many innocent people as well as those who had built a home on these shores. Maybe I’ve lived too long.

[bythehook]

mermaidqueenie​:

“Okay.” She sighed, that ominous feeling didn’t quite disapate, she knew something big was happening if he needed Peter for something. Queen lifted her head and rested her chin on his chest, looking up at him. “Just.. You can’t say it like an order. He’ll never respond well to it. He likes to feel like the smartest one in the room.” All those times where he’d come and tell stories to the mermaids replayed in her head, all those puffed chest moments and dismissive comments to anyone that questioned him in any way. 

“Maybe I should do some meditation before I talk to him,” he groaned, knowing that it would be just as difficult for him to pretend like Peter was his equal as it would for Peter to listen to Hook without blowing raspberries at him from between his legs. James dragged fingers down his face and breathed deep, trying to relax the muscles along his shoulders that had tensed the moment he’d come out from under Helena’s spell. If he could just completely relax; fall into a dreamless sleep or similar, he thought he might be able to manage a good plan. “Maybe he’d listen to you,” he chuckled, toying with the idea of not having to deal with the brat at all.

[bythehook]

mermaidqueenie​:

A small alarm bell went off in her head and she glanced upwards towards him. “On what?” She asked, still not quite sure what was going on. Queen didn’t want to pry, whatever happened had been stressful. Whatever was happening was stressful. She wanted to take it all away, to help in some way, but all she could do was hold him. Her fingers moved gently over his chest and she nuzzled against him, wishing it all away for him. “You’ll figure out how to make him see sense, you’re good with words.”

Hook both did and didn’t want to talk about it all with Queenie. On one hand, she made things a little clearer when he talked them out with her, but on the other, he wanted to protect her from worrying about this. Deciding to go with his gut instinct to keep her from too many details, he shook his head. “I’ll explain it all when I have a working plan,” he sighed, feeling a slight regret for dodging her question. “This would be the first time my wordsmithing would get him to see reason, but one can hope.”

[bythehook]

mermaidqueenie​:

Queenie looked down at him and stroked her thumb over his temple, then leaned down to press a gentle kiss to his forehead. “Of course.” She untangled from him and shifted so they could lay flat, squishing pillows into a comformable position before settling against him. It was almost overwhelming to be in this position again. It had been so long apart and it felt like for the first time in months her body was truly relaxing, as if she was melting under his touch. She knew there was more to whatever had happened to him, things that would upset her later, but for now he was in her arms, and that blocked everything else out. 

Hook sighed as they settled back against the duvet, closing his eyes as his head hit the pillows. Her form beside his was as soft as a breath, and he felt a quiet he’d not experienced in a long time. “We need to work as a team on this. If I’m willing to put our past down for the time being, surely he will understand just how important it is,” he commented, raising the hand that wasn’t holding her against him to his eyes, pressing fingers into them, as if to rub away all that he’d seen. 

[bythehook]

mermaidqueenie​:

Queen smiled at the little win, willingly moving towards him. She rested her free hand on the back of his head, fingers carding through his hair. At his comment her heart skipped a beat. “Then stay.” She whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of his head as she smoothed a hand across his back, the other practically cradling his head. 

It seemed unfair, that someone as messed up as James Hook was afforded this immense comfort, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. All he knew was that this angel needn’t know what he’d given up to spare her and save his mind. The witch had irked him in more ways than one, but implying that Queenie was the one he couldn’t bear to lose, before he could even admit that to himself, was top tier. Helena had meddled with his mind, needled her way in to discover things about him that he hadn’t known himself. Despite accepting the fact that this might be something like love, he couldn’t bring himself to say it to her. Not yet. Not when everything was so fragile, so combustible. His hands pulled her close, one on her hip, the other hooked under her knee. “Can we,” he started, nuzzling at her neck a moment. “Can we just lay down?” James asked, looking up at her through exhausted eyes.

[bythehook]

mermaidqueenie​:

Queenie relaxed when he took her hand, smiling gently when he kissed it. Such a simple gesture but it warmed her all over. It felt like she’d been sitting in the cold for months, but he’d walked in and it was like sitting next to a fire. She simpered at the comment, wanting to cry, but not wanting to fall apart in front of him again. “What? No!” She protested, sitting up on her knees and scooching closer to him, wrapping her arm around his shoulders. “Stay with me a bit longer? He won’t change his mind in ten minutes.” 

James turned to her as she moved closer, his face about five inches from hers, and gave a small grin. “How can I say no?” He asked rhetorically, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her tight. Hook pressed a kiss to her shoulder before leaning his forehead against it, sighing into their embrace. “Oh, it’s hellish outside of your arms, Queen,” he breathed, closing his eyes against her skin.