dependent multimuse for avastrp — penned & loved by alex
anika aishwarya : bio , pinterest , visage
elias heywood : bio , pinterest , visage
clarke henry : bio , pinterest , visage

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@darkhorizcns
dependent multimuse for avastrp — penned & loved by alex
anika aishwarya : bio , pinterest , visage
elias heywood : bio , pinterest , visage
clarke henry : bio , pinterest , visage
closed starter for : @bovndlcss location : the shambles
it’d been weeks since elias had seen dutch, but not for lack of trying. he’d stopped by the siren’s nest almost every day, asking for him, hoping for something, if even a glimpse. but dutch had been busy. and with each visit, a little more hope slipped from elias’ chest. he’d been so certain there was something real between them — something worth holding onto. but what once felt like dutch falling for elias now felt lost, sifting through his fingers like sand on the shoreline. their last night together had felt perfect to elias — until he remembered the look in dutch’s eyes that would haunt him for a lifetime. why did he wear his heart on his sleeve? why had he been so vulnerable?
as he walked through the shambles like a shell of a man — a ghost with no direction, elias happened upon a florist’s stall and his eyes caught a bouquet of purple orchids. he delicately them up, fingers gracing across the soft petals, so soft that they reminded him of dutch’s lips. and a thought flickered through his mind — how beautiful they would look in dutch’s room. elias suddenly felt the air shift, gaze flickering upwards and landing on dutch. as if elias had willed him there. despite the way his heart forgot its tempo, a soft smile pulled on his lips — it’d been too long since he’d been able to witness the way dutch glowed. he was bathed in golden sunlight and he looked beautiful. elias had awoken from dreams, grasping for dutch only to be left with the realization that he was alone. with no hesitation at all, he placed some coin down on the table and took the orchids with him, skillfully slipping through the crowd and his fingers found dutch’s bicep — gentle and unsure. “dutch,” his voice was trembling with fear, “where have you been?” elias was caught off guard by those blue eyes he’d happily drown in and he blinked away the tears that were threatening to fall. “i’ve…i’ve missed you.” his gaze dipped to search for what emotion found its way into dutch’s eyes, “i’ve not stopped thinking about you. did i do something wrong?"
closed starter for : @seasilksins location : the siren's nest , roughly 3am
cassia was the type of warmth that moved like silk — elusive and rare, but soft to those who were lucky enough to experience it. anika had found a friend in cassia, the brunette looked after her and anika could swear her eyes met cassia’s across the room anytime she felt like she was unraveling. cassia didn’t ask questions, instead she offered steadiness and stillness much like a steeping mug of tea with steam curling up like comforting whispers. and oh, how anika needed that. she felt a bond with all of the sirens — they were a family. but, cassia seemed to know anika better than she even knew herself.
it’d been a hard few weeks for anika, for everyone in tortuga. and worry lined anika’s doe eyes, no matter how hard she tried to mask it for those who visited her bed. sleep had eluded her and anika needed some reprieve, so she'd come to cassia's door. darkness had cloaked the siren’s nest hours ago and the all was still, save anika who was threading her fingers through her hair nervously in an attempt to braid her long, dark locks as she looked into the mirror in cassia's room. she turned to the other, a small smile on her lips as she made her way towards cassia's bed. "tell me something," she hummed softly, "have you ever fallen in love?" anika knew as a siren falling in love was a dangerous game, but she wanted to know more about cassia.
with: Anika Aishwarya (@darkhorizcns) where: The Siren’s Nest
If anyone found out about the little secret he shared with Anika, many would mock him and question his worth as both a leader and a pirate. But Magnus needed his few minutes of peace and quiet to clear his head and let his thoughts wander freely, away from his duties as captain, and the siren had managed to gain a grain of his trust with her discretion. Their meetings were peaceful, which probably helped both of them take a break from their duties, expectations, and work. At least, that was what the young man hoped - he did, after all, show a certain understanding towards the girls in the brothel. He didn't know if it was because of his life in England or his sister's presence in his life, but his difficult life had not managed to take away all his humanity.
A heavy sigh escaped his chest as he remembered the girl he loved most in the world. His thoughts often drifted to her, wondering how she was and what she was doing at that moment. Was everything okay with his sister, or had their father shown no mercy to her? And what happened with his brothers?
He closed his eyes, running a hand over his face to dispel the thoughts swirling in his head. He turned slightly and looked at Anika, who was standing very close to him. He smiled at her, expecting her to smile back, hiding her true thoughts, because that was what she was used to. They had to. Everyone had a part to play.
"Don't you get tired of listening to what I say?" Magnus suddenly asked, turning to her. "Don't you want to share something about yourself?"
They both had their secrets, and although it seemed that they were ready to let down their guard, this was not the case, and each continued to hide the most important things in the deepest corners of their souls.
when she’d first met magnus, anika had been intimidated, but enthralled. he carried himself with an air that demanded an audience — his presence magnetic, whether he was aware of it or not. anika, shy and harboring secrets of her own, had offered magnus a listening ear. the two — quite an unlikely pair — spent long hours at the siren’s nest, anika’s fingers gently carding through his hair while he let pieces of himself unravel. she looked forward to his visits — magnus brought a stillness to her heart, a peace she’d never known. with magnus, anika felt safe — free to laugh without bracing for the storm that usually followed joy. she felt unburdened, light weightless, and liberated. despite their bond, anika held part of herself back, like a girl locked in a tower who feared not the walls, but what waited outside. for if she escaped, who would she be? magnus was gentle and far softer than he’d give himself credit for, but anika saw it. she valued it.
her brows furrowed when she heard him sigh, her chest aching as she thought of the worries he carried on his shoulders. she stepped closer to him, moving like silk in the wind — not wanting to disrupt his thoughts. but instinctively, her hand found his shoulder, and fingers danced delicately across it before squeezing gently as if to remind magnus that they were tethered — anything he experienced he didn’t have to go through alone.
she tilted her head to the side, gaze softening as her fingers found their way to the hair at the nape of his neck. and his smile was infectious, causing one to curve onto her lips. but their was pain in both of their eyes, anika knew that well. it was an unspoken truth between them.
“come,” she hummed, delicately taking his hand in hers and guiding him to the bed. anika pulled magnus to her chest, letting them fall backwards onto the sheets. “i don’t ever get tired of listening to you,” her soft voice filled the space between them, “i want to help…i want to make you feel heard.” his question washed over her and she took her lower lip between her teeth in thought. she could’ve lied and smiled, shaking her head and keeping quiet. it would’ve been easy, anika was used to keeping quiet. but instead, she let him see just a little more than usual. maybe if she let him into the metaphorical tower she preferred to stay locked in, she wouldn’t feel so alone.
anika’s hand ran up and down magnus’ back as she thought of something to share and when she finally settled on it, she couldn’t help but laugh quietly. “when i was a little girl, i thought i’d grow up to be a seamstress…making clothes for people…helping them see how beautiful they were.” her gaze focused on the ceiling as she took a pause. “it’s silly, isn’t it? to see where life has taken me.”
“You are,” Dutch spends a good deal of time lying to people about their appearance, about their desirability, flattery dripping from his tongue like so much honey in the service of lining his pockets. But this is not that. The immeasurable warmth in Elias’ brown eyes, in the curve of his smile and the touch of his hand, would shame bright Apollo himself. He is beautiful. More than beautiful. “When you come here, I always hope the others will see you," he admits, watching, breathless, as Elias charts a course across the expanse of his torso, "I know they must envy me, that you choose my bed over any of theirs.”
He does not deny his own loveliness when Elias comments on it - it’s the truest thing he’s said about him so far. Dutch is not good, Dutch is not sweet, and he is certainly not worthy, but he is beautiful. It’s the thing that has ensured his survival. It’s the thing that nearly killed him. His hands don't leave Elias' hair when he comes back up to kiss him, his fingers weaving through the thick strands, anchoring them to one another.
dorian's smirk melted into something gentler, less performative, like a man laying down his mask just for her. "i know, preciosa." he said softly, reaching across the table to brush his knuckles against hers. "you've always had the kind of heart this place doesn't know what to do with." he squeezed her fingers, then pulled back to place his hand over his chest with a warm expression. "eres mi joya."
he leaned back a little more, sipping his drink before gesturing lazily toward the candlelight, the murmur of drunken laughter, the comfort of warm bodies pressed together in defiance of the world outside. "do not forget that we are still alive. leave the fear with me, amor." his smile returned, slower and softer. "drink with me, dance with me if you feel like it. you could just sit there and let me look at you. whatever you wish, do it without such worry. you deserve the break."
anika would never take dorian’s warmth and kindness for granted — he was rarer than any jewel and she was certain of that. her lashes fluttered, soaking in the softness of the moment. in a world that felt like an angry storm, dorian was the steady lighthouse that kept her afloat. “i would’ve hoped i’d have learned how to toughen up by now,” she admitted with a quiet laugh. the warmth of his touch etched itself into her skin, finding its way to her heart like an embrace. she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding, her gaze gentle in the candlelight. “you are too kind to me, dorian.”
she could hear soft laughter filling the room around them, she saw smiles on people’s faces, and twinkles in eyes — could she just soak up the moment and live? anika could try. a flicker of excitement lit up her doe eyes, “dance with you?” she’d never been one for dancing, but maybe it was what she was missing — to feel weightless and free. anika stood, flicking her dark hair behind her shoulders and held her hand out to dorian, a rare and playful grin on her lips, “let’s dance. let’s forget.”
“Dire times bring dire measures, and even the victors have to take a step back sometimes. But you’re right, ” A slow smirk curled her lips as she tilted her head, her voice silk-wrapped iron.“..I do know you better. That’s why I never lose a bet.” She smiled a little to herself when he spoke of how a room changed when she moved through it. Perhaps the air did shift whenever she moved into a room. Somehow she'd held that power since she was little, but honed it to perfection when she came of age and such a thing began to work in her favor. That was, until one intended to move about a room quietly, like today. She knew the other fighters would spill easily, but at least she would have already removed herself from the scene then.
With the lightness of a breeze, she plucked the parchment from Clarke’s hand and let it disappear into the folds of her skirt. A vanishing act. Sleight of hand. Or maybe just habit. “Since you’re now honored by my presence,” she murmured, “I suppose the letter is no longer necessary.”
She had intended to offer him some witty, pointed remark in return. A barbed flirtation to keep him at arm’s length where he belonged, but then came that soft laughter. And his hand. His fingers barely brushed her cheek as they pushed back a fallen strand of dark hair. A a casual touch perhaps by anyone else’s standards, but it lit up her nerves like the first crack of lightning before the storm. A quiet strike beneath her skin. She didn’t flinch. Didn’t lean in. Only the faintest flush of red rose to her cheeks, subtle and swift, more blush than blood. It matched the deep, red silk of her dress—flame meeting flame. It was nothing. She told herself so.
Day and night, eyes followed her. Men looked. Women too. Most stared too long. But no one ever reached close. They knew better. She had a sharp tongue, a sharper bite, and a reputation built on precision. But Clarke had never seemed shun away or position himself at a safer distance. Maybe it was because he’d seen her when she was still just a girl with dirt on her knees and stars in her eyes. Or maybe it was because he’d always meant something. Even when he shouldn’t have.
She angled her chin upward, her gaze steady despite the treachery of her pulse. Her voice, when it came, held just enough heat to cover the softness it carried. “I always worry about you, Clarke. But that’s only because you have the sense of self-preservation of a shrimp.” She allowed her gaze to roam down, unapologetic. Only to check for injury, she told herself. Strictly professional. Entirely objective. Her fingers lifted, not quite touching him as she circled him. Slow, deliberate. Like a panther inspecting prey she had no intention of devouring…yet.
No bruises. No fresh wounds. A miracle, or a lie. Rue finished her sweep and returned to face him, slipping her hand from behind her back and holding out the small, folded bundle. “A little something to help you heal,” she said softly, tone dipping into something almost tender. “I don’t see immediate threats to your health… no more than usual, at least. I’d need a more thorough examination to be certain.” She paused, gaze catching his. "But I’m certain you have places to be...” She left space for him to take the package and leave, flee, if he wished to do so. One of the very few with whom she wouldn’t push. She didn’t move yet. Not right away. The space between them pulsed of what felt like shared history, unspoken things, the ghost of every letter written and every fight she’d watched from the shadows.
“are you waiting for the day you see me throw in the towel and give up?” clarke chuckled as he eyed her curiously. “that’s why i make sure to fight my hardest when i know you’re amongst the spectators,” he hummed, a twinkle flashing in his eyes, “i’ll never let you lose a bet.” he took a pause, his tongue slowly running across his lower lip. despite the fact that they were alone, his tone dropped just slightly as if he was sharing a secret, “and i’ll never let you down, rue.” the words, though vague, seemed to carry a deeper meaning — one for rue to interpret how she wanted. rue was much like the moon — incandescent, mysterious, and always pulling clarke in like the tide — like she had full control over him. and he wondered if she was aware of her powers.
he gasped playfully as she stole the letter from his hands with a swiftness and ease that he could’ve missed had he blinked. “how dare you rob me,” his his narrowed, a teasing grin on his lips. “you know i keep all of your letters,” clarke admitted — offering her a piece of himself, even though it frightened him. still, he cloaked his vulnerability in a charming smile. “what can i do to get it back?” a teasing pout fell on his lips as an innocent look filled his brown eyes.
clarke’s gaze dipped to her lips for a lingering moment — steady and calm, though he felt anything but composed on the inside. he was spellbound by her — he always had been. he was well aware she had that effect on everyone she met, but how many people knew her the way he knew her? heat rushed to his cheeks, blooming across his nose — a pink flurry of a blush washing over his skin. rue’s hair was softer than he could’ve imagined and he already knew he’d be looking for the next chance to brush it over her shoulders. he could’ve sworn lightning pulsed between their close bodies. but, perhaps he was the only one who felt the electricity.
why was it that she ignited something in him? the was like a fire he couldn’t put out — a fire he didn’t want to put out. the sparks between them sent chills up clarke’s spine. rue had seen him at his lowest, she’d watched him claw his way through life — and she stayed. she was the person who’d been in his life the longest and she still made him feel like the shy, giddy boy he was when they’d first met.
he didn’t move as she circled him — his breath hitched in his throat as every hidden insecurity rushed to the forefront of his mind. what was going through her head? he let her measure him and he waited with baited breath to see if she would pounce — he always would. clarke was mystified by the way rue's presence wrapped around him, sharp as a blade, warm as breath, and light as a feather. he tilted his head, offering his neck to her should she choose to attack. "i'm unscathed," he murmured with a small smile, "but if i were injured, i know you'd find great pleasure in stitching me up." his gaze softened as he found her eyes and he echoed her, "you always worry." a hand reached out, meant to stop rue in her tracks and assure her that he was fine, "i always come back, i always make it out alive. maybe you aren't giving shrimp enough credit."
maybe all of his wounds were on his heart, and maybe they were incapable of healing. clarke stepped closer to rue — allowing the space between them to shrink as he took the bundle from her hands, his fingers brushing against hers before he pulled it to rest over his heart. "thank you for thinking of me, rue," he whispered as his gaze memorized her — the way the dim flicker of candles casted shadows on her cheeks. "i have no plans," clarke whispered, "nowhere to go, no one waiting on me." the space between them trilled with electricity — jolting with everything clarke had never quite said. "though, i'm sure you have someone waiting on you, right? i couldn't be so lucky."
At the face and voice Doone relaxed. Not one to generally be so tense but the mood in the town wasn't exactly friendly these days. But watching Elias' frown turn into a grin gave the older pirate a moment to reflect, wondering what had caused the usually gregarious Stormborn to look troubled. But then the other was laughing like usual and Doone removed a bit of the tobacco he had rather than the small blade. Offering the leaf to the other. "Elias." Doone greeted a small smile creeping onto his face at the others infectious jovialness. A soft grunt escaping him at the rough pat on the back. But he didn't mind the closeness or comradery. His own large hand moving to return the pat on the other's shoulder. "Brooding? This is just the way my face looks." He looked back out at the slice of sky that was visible. "The same thing that is on most minds, the blockade. How to break it. Or at least how to get more supplies around it so they move the fuck on." He gestured towards the sky, "Waiting for a sign." He looked over at the other man and said, "You didn't come out here just to check on me. There something weighin' on you then?"
perhaps elias should've been more worried about the blockade, but his mind was rather occupied. he was stuck on an island with a ghost of his past, one he never thought he'd see again. and then there was dutch — the man elias had so hopelessly fallen in love with. elias couldn't bear being so happy, he didn't deserve to feel so happy. but, dutch couldn't possibly love him back. could he? elias had to swim through his thoughts to take the tobacco leaf from ptarmigan, laughing as he felt the other's hand on his shoulder. elias leaned back, hands behind his head as he stared at the sky as if looking for something to appear in the clouds where ptarmigan had gestured to, a grin on his lips, "do you reckon we should make our own sign? i worry the fates have abandoned us." with the drift's eyes on him, elias felt his face flush — if there was one thing doone could read better than a map, it was the look in elias' eyes. he should’ve known better, should’ve buried his fears and insecurities deeper before sitting beside his crewmate. instead, he slipped a tobacco leaf between his teeth, chewing slow, buying time to shape an answer in his head. he shrugged, a rather pathetic attempt at seeming nonchalant, as a curious look flickered in his brown eyes, "does it...does it seem like something's weighin' on me?"
who: elowen duval & anika aishwarya @darkhorizcns where: the shambles
this was not the first time elowen had seen this girl mingling around her stall, but unfortunately she never walked away with anything. the first few times she visted, elowen had gotten her hopes up. excited to potentially have a sale, or a new client to attend to, but every time she left without saying much of anything, her hopes seemed to deminish. now, elowen didn't expect anything. perhaps she simply liked to browse. but for some reason, ellie couldn't hold her tongue this time. she was curious what brought her back time and time again but kept her from making any kind of purchase. "is it all up to your satisfaction?" elowen asked, letting her fingers dance over the hand dyed ribbons, the embroidered handkerchiefs and the folded fabric waiting to be turned into something special. "i only ask because I've seen you before, and i can't help but fear that there is nothing you like enough that has caught your eye." a nice way of saying, why do you never buy anything?
whenever anika had time to step away from the nest, she was almost always at elowen’s stall — admiring the pure art that the blue eyed woman was able to make with her hands. for a few moments anika could step into a world with more color, a world where she could imagine herself cloaked in elowen’s fabrics. anika’s fingers danced delicately over intricate embroidery as if by simply touching it, she could get a glimpse of what it would feel like to wear something so beautiful.
anika felt like a child — the way she got so wrapped up in a daydream, the way her mind dared to believe. but the spell broke when she heard elowen’s soft voice break through the haze of her imagination.
guilt crept in slowly and a rosy blush bloomed across her cheeks. anika was aware of how much time she spent at the stall — and how she’d never once been able to give elowen a single coin. she was trapped an in a deal — her earnings were sent to another’s hands before she could ever enjoy them, so she had nothing to give elowen, but it wasn’t fair of her to linger and to let elowen believe she’d be buying something. “oh,” her fingers moved to rest over her heart that was pounding rapidly in her chest. “it’s all beautiful,” she promised, a soft smile curving onto her lips. anika felt embarrassed as elowen’s words landed, and she couldn’t help but shift her gaze towards her own feet. “i hope to buy something some day,” her voice was timid as she brought her eyes back to elowen’s, “i…i just don’t have the coin yet.” with a shaky breath, anika nodded towards the fabrics laid out before her, “did you teach yourself how to sew?”
where: the shambles closed starter for @darkhorizcns, @whiskykisses, @cursedsails, @fxllxwmyfxxt, @silverseass
nya was in a good mood to say the least, the blockade has been lifted and sawbone slowly has been getting more and more supplies. so instead of finding herself sleeping here, she actually slept in her own home over the past couple of days. did it come out of desperation? yes, as she might have whispered on a couple of bad pirates that nobody would miss in order to save the island and get to treat people properly rather than watch them suffer.
in her very, very rare day off, the nya has decided to take the opportunity to finally visit the shambles as a customer rather than a physician; buying some herbs for medical and personal reasons and fresh fruit to sweeten the start of the day. she was so focused on her own self that she didn't want to admit how much the hand on her shoulder startled her. nya turned out quickly, "oh!" and took a step back, putting her hand on her chest as she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "dear god you scared me, please don't do that again." she chuckled, feeling a little ridiculous.
a hum of peace seemed to ripple across tortuga for the first time in what felt like ages as elias all but skipped down the cobblestone path that led to the shambles. he was happy, truly happy, to see the townsfolk smiling — for too long the blockade had cast a dim shadow across the faces of those he passed. when elias had stepped outside just hours before, he was greeted by the sound of children’s laughter ringing through the air and the soft murmur of conversation, flowing like fresh rain after a long drought. change had finally come. but the warmth in his chest was tempered by whispers — rumors of the gallows — drifting through the crowds like smoke. the thought lingered in the back of his mind, dimming the usual light that flickered behind his eyes. he kept telling himself there was no use in worrying about something he couldn’t control — surely, he could bribe anyone who tried sending him to the gallows, and if not then he was nearly certain he could outrun any guard in tortuga. or — he could only hope. if the island was happier, then maybe the threat of the gallows would fade just as the blockade had, with time.
elias had just enough coin on him to pick up a few mangos — the kind he’d been dreaming of for weeks. as he neared the stall, he flashed a friendly grin at the owner, eyes scanning the fruit with barely restrained hunger. but his gaze soon landed on someone else who seemed to share his craving. a smile tugged at his lips as he threw an arm over nya’s shoulder — only to feel her flinch beneath his touch. elias quickly pulled back, hands raised in surrender. “oh, gods, i’m so sorry,” he apologized, eyes wide with concern. “didn’t mean to startle you, i promise.” he let out a soft chuckle. “i vow to never sneak up on you again, nya.” his head tilted to the side as he eyed the fruit in her hand, a few strands of hair falling into his face as the early morning wind swept through his hair. “what treats have caught your eye this morning?”
Marisol hastened through the marketplace, her flour-dusted apron swaying as she clutched her basket, eager to return home after closing her bakery stall. The market’s clamor was fading, lanterns casting long shadows, but the distant roar of the pit-fighting ring pierced the evening air. Her soft heart stirred as she spotted a figure slumped against a barrel outside The Pit, blood streaking from a cut above his eyebrow, knuckles raw and bloodied. She was never one to hesitate when someone was in need. Marisol knelt beside him, her gentle hands steady despite the gritty scene.
She set her basket down, pulling a clean cloth from her apron, one used to cradle her fresh-baked loaves. With a baker’s precision, she dabbed at the wound above his brow, her touch feather-light yet sure. Her warm brown eyes, kind and resolute, focused on her task as she tore a strip from the cloth and bound his battered knuckles, tying it snugly to stop the bleeding. “Please hold still. I’m sorry if I hurt you. I’m just trying to help,” she reassured, voice gentle and timid. The world around hummed around her—people chattering, the chanting of the crowd within the arena, sailors’ laughter—but Marisol’s world narrowed to her quiet act of care. Her gentle fingers, shaped by years of kneading dough, moved with tenderness, driven by a compassion that burned brighter than Tortuga’s chaos.
“Are you injured anywhere else? My home is not too far from here. Can you walk a bit?” She continued to gentle dab at the wound before applying a small bit of pressure so as to contain the bleeding.
@darkhorizcns
clarke couldn't remember how he'd gotten there — on the cold ground — but he remembered the fight. he remembered every fight. the coursing of his blood hot in his veins, the way his heart hammered as if it had something to beat for, and the way the world faded away as the roar of the crowd led him into a mindless fury. he wasn't fighting people, clarke was fighting his inner turmoil, the storms that raged in his mind. he didn't lose a fight often. but he'd pushed himself too far and he knew that. he was too exhausted, too weary, and he shouldn't have entered the pit for another round — he'd just wanted to feel something, even if it was pain.
marisol's soft voice pulled clarke out of the haze he'd been lost in, and he noticed the sting of his split skin and the throbbing in his skull. his dark eyes fluttered in her direction and softened when they landed on her face. "you don't have to help —" his words were cut off when he felt the cloth on his wound, wincing under her touch. not because her touch was painful, but because he wasn't used to having anyone tend to his injuries, tend to him. clarke tried to stay still per her request, and his gaze found marisol's face. he was too scared to breathe, afraid that if he did it might shatter the moment or frighten her off. her fingers were careful and reverent, and clarke knew he didn't deserve her kindness. "thank you," was all that he could whisper.
he watched marisol, taken aback by how she didn't seem terrified of him. "oh," clarke's voice was low with exhaustion, as he gripped at his left side — another wound that had been throbbing — and felt blood trickle onto his fingertips. he hissed, wiping his hand on his trousers. after taking a shaky breath, he gave marisol a weak smile, "i'm sure it's not too bad." confusion flashed across his eyes, he couldn't fathom why she was willing to help him. "you've been too kind to me. i wouldn't want to ruin your night," his eyes were soft, grateful, "but i think i might need a little help walking."
who: esme & elias ( @darkhorizcns ) where: the docks
there was a part of her which wished that she had never bumped into elias again. a part of her that thought it might've been easier if she hadn't. at least then she wouldn't be worrying right now. the whispers of the people turning on the pirates had turned into screaming in her ears. it had been all that she could think about. was he safe? that question had only just been answered for her. her worries and guilt for him had only just started to ease... and now it felt so much more. was there going to be a time where she would have to see him at the gallows? esmeralda couldn't bare thinking about it.
she hadn't really realised that she was searching the island, looking for him, until she had stopped. she had left the nest that morning and it was well into mid afternoon by the time that she rested against one of the posts on the docks, hoping that something might give her some glimmer of hope that he was okay. had she gone insane? quite possibly. and then, like some sort of vision, there he was. "where the hell have you been?" esmeralda snapped as she crossed to him. she had no right. she was still his wife - technically - but she had no right to know where he was. he didn't have to tell her anything ... and yet she continued. "i've been looking all over this god damn island for you!" she didn't know if she should slap him or just be grateful that he was still there.
the whispers, the rumors — they terrified elias, although he’d never admit it out loud. the gallows. the word alone clung to his thoughts like smoke. still, if anyone could slip through death's grasp, it’d be him. maybe, for once, his reckless behavior would serve him well. he’d cheated death before — he was alive when he should've been six feet under. he’d be fine. elias was always fine. he’d seen traces of esme since their unexpected reunion — glimpses of her, like ghosts in the corner of his vision. the shimmer of her dark hair, catching the light like it had stars tangled in it. the rustle of her skirts disappearing into the crowd at the shambles. things were strained, uncertain — and he found himself retreating, avoiding the mess of feelings she stirred in him. he was hurt, he felt worthless. but he couldn't help but cling to the memories as young lovers with a bittersweet fondness.
he headed to the docks, eager to gaze at the bright sun and how it dappled the ocean like gold. he jolted when he heard esme's voice. turning, his eyes landed on her and it was still as if she was a ghost. the sun shimmered behind her head, her eyes sharp with fire and fear. she was real, though. real and angry and still the only person who could cut through him without even trying. elias let her words hit. she came in like a storm — she always had. the pain of the past weighed on his chest and her anger only twisted the knife further. “esme,” elias said, exhaling her name like it hurt. his eyes rolled, tired and bitter. “you don’t have to look for me. that stopped being your job seven years ago.” he looked away, eyes dropping to the planks beneath their feet and grief flickered across his face like a shadow. “you thought i was dead all this time anyway,” he muttered. “so what does it matter now?”
the devil's cask, dorian & open!
"escucha, mi amor." dorian began, turning from the bar with two drinks in hand, extending one to his company as he guided them to a table to sit. "whatever it is that's bothering you, it can wait. we must celebrate the small things, and this new..." he gesticulated with his free hand, twirling it in the air with a flair that suggested he was trying to think of the right phrasing. "situación. it's not perfect, but it's better than starving. so tonight, just drink with me. come." he gestured to the seat on the opposite side of the table to him as he perched on the wooden chair, leaning back against it with one arm draped over the back, legs extended as though someone might crawl under them to make a foot rest for him.
it wasn’t often that anika found herself at the devil’s cask, but her heart was too heavy. she needed to disappear into the crowd, to lose herself in faces that couldn't buy her body for a night. far from the nest. her expression softened when dorian spoke — he always grounded anika, making her feel at home. she took the drink with hesitantly, a gentle smile tugging at her lips as she took her first full breath in what felt like ages. settling into the seat across from him, she brushed a few loose strands of dark hair behind her ear. "it seems like every tragedy on tortuga is replaced with another," anika whispered, her doe-eyes filled with fear as they met dorian's. "i… i just want everyone to be safe."
The damp cloth had barely left her hand before his playful gasp made her snort under her breath.“I won’t be the one putting a dagger in you,” Theia murmured, tone warm and dry as the salt on her skin, “because you’d certainly come back to haunt me for eternity.” She sank down beside him, letting her bare feet dangle over the edge of the dock, the water lapping at her ankles like it already missed her. The sea always seemed to miss her. Even when she hadn’t left yet.“ Rotten fish smell or not, you’re an... acquired taste regardless. Luckily, I’ve been around when you’ve both smelled and acted worse. I fear I’ve become immune.” She could tease him endlessly some days, almost uncharacteristically. But when he patted her shoulder with that proud grin, warmth bloomed in her chest. At times, she wondered if this was what it felt like to have a sibling—one she could actually remember.
She watched him sift through the net with practiced hands, his hair still wild with brine and defiance, and a soft smile tugged at her lips. Elias was chaos wrapped in sun-warmed laughter and impulsive grins. And yet, in all his madness, he anchored her. Reminded her of who she’d become since the Storm’s Eye pulled her from the sea. Who she was when she wasn’t being swept up in bloodlines and half-remembered truths. “You wouldn’t survive a single day as dull,” she said with a mock sigh, plucking another tangle of seaweed from his shoulder like a mother hen. “Listen, Elias, I caught a whole net of fish while you were out there splashing about like a would-be merman. So yes, your delayed return has earned you the honorable duty of chef tonight.”
The net clinked and shifted. The tide whispered secrets against the dock. Then came his question, quiet but heavy: What adventures have you gotten into lately? Theia stilled. It should’ve been an easy answer. A jab, a laugh, some story about diving too deep or chasing wreckage half-lost to a storm. But her mouth went dry. She opened it, then closed it again. There was so much. Too much. And she hadn’t told anyone. Not really. Not yet. “…You ever feel like the tide’s pulling you somewhere, and you don’t know if it’s a blessing or the start of something you can’t come back from?” she asked instead, her fingers ghosting over the edge of the wood, tracing patterns like runes into the grain. “Like you’re standing on the edge of something important, but you don’t know where to step without falling.”
She paused. A breath.
“I found something. Someone,” she said softly. “A name I didn’t know belonged to me. A person who... feels like a reflection I never expected. Like something in my blood remembered him before I ever did.” She glanced sideways at Elias, her eyes shadowed under the last golden gleams of sun. “And there’s—” Her voice faltered, her lips twitching like she almost laughed. “There’s a boy. A man, I mean. Someone I thought I’d lost forever. He’s here now.” She shrugged, cheeks warm and voice barely more than a whisper. “So... more adventures than usual. Truths I wasn’t looking for. People who feel like shipwrecks and stars, all at once.”
Then, with a small nudge of her shoulder against his, she added with a flicker of a smile: “And still, here I am. Gutting fish with you.”
"and why would that be so bad?" he cut his eyes playfully at her, "you don't want me by your side here and in the afterlife? i fear you'd miss me too much, theia." elias nudged her shoulder gently as she took a seat next to him, grinning at her, "you'll never get rid of me." there was something calming about being by theia's side. she grounded him, brought him back to earth — and elias had never imagined he could find someone who could be his home, not after leaving all he'd ever known in england. but theia was home to elias. "oh, an acquired taste?" his jaw dropped, a look of playful disbelief written across his features, "i personally believe i'm sweet — that's how i won you over, is it not?" elias remembered the first day he'd set foot on the storm's eye, how he’d embraced his fellow stormborn like an old friend, arms thrown around her as if they’d known each other for years. and how she’d recoiled, startled. he chuckled softly at the memory.
elias watched as the ocean nipped at their feet. he’d never really stopped to consider how calming the water could be. he’d never stayed in one place long enough to appreciate the ocean’s gentleness — he’d only ever known its chaos, its storms. and while he had spent years chasing chaos, something — or someone — was anchoring his heart to tortuga. and for once, he was grateful to be held. "i'm so proud of you, my little fisherwoman," elias mused, lips curling into a soft pout as she plucked seaweed from his hair. "would-be merman?" he repeated with mock offense, "theia, i believe i am a merman, cursed with two feet instead of a tail." a bright, full laugh echoed between them, and he gave a shrug, "maybe the heavens knew you needed me, so they took away my tail." he let the rhythm of the waves soothe him, just for a moment, before the stillness grew too much. then, with a mischievous grin, he kicked at the water, splashing theia without warning. fine, i'll play chef," he reached forward, brushing some of her now-wet hair out of her face, "but i can't promise it'll be tasty."
he watched her. elias saw the look in theia's eyes, how they flickered for a moment as if concealing secrets, or truths she hadn't accepted yet. and the way she struggled for words — she only did that when something was on her mind. as her question washed over him, elias felt a shiver run up his spine. it resonated with him, made his heart feel warm as he thought of dutch and how quickly and effortlessly he'd fallen in love — elias knew he was on the precipice of getting his heart shattered. but he could only hope that maybe dutch could love him back one day, and the very thought was the beginning of something that elias didn't want to come back from. he nodded slowly, his eyes tracing her every feature, catching the unfamiliar tremble in her voice — fear. fear he’d never heard from her before. fear that he'd never heard. placing a hand over hers, he squeezed it, "whatever is troubling you, i won't let you fall alone."
elias was quiet for a moment, letting her words settle between them like the tide meeting the shore. he felt something shift in his chest, something tender and aching all at once. theia was a sister to him, she was something more than blood — she was chosen family and everything she felt, whether it be pain or happiness, elias felt. "you have always had a knack for finding the impossible," he said softly, a crooked smile tugging at his lips. "is this someone good? is it something that makes you happy or uncertain?" his fingers brushed against her shoulder, reminding her that she wasn't drifting away. and just like that, a wide grin lit up his face and his eyes widened in excitement. "theia! a man?" a gasp, placing a hand over his chest before he grew serious, "when do i get to meet him? when do i get to interrogate him?" he chewed on the inside of his cheek. shipwrecks and stars, storms and the moon. god, how elias wished dutch could be his moon — steady and glowing — the one to calm the chaos in his heart, to pull his tides with nothing more than a touch.
"that's because i come first," he sent a wink her way, "i will not be replaced by a man in your life, no matter how charming and handsome he is."
Lebas walked up to the sharpening stone, looking at the blade carefully in the light of the fire, studying where it had become dull. He didn’t want to break it, perhaps he’d need to strengthen it first before he sharpened it. He waited before stepping down on the paddle that made the stone move, knowing it made a lot of noise. “I still haven’t touched it, you can’t dock me already,” he said, gently placing the edge of the knife against the stone. He could take the bread back, share it with Jin. “What did you do to get the bread?” he asked. Never having known a father, Lebas always wondered what it would be like if he had one. “He’s still alive?” he asked. “Living overseas?” He didn’t know where Elias was from. He never asked anyone. In Tortuga it didn’t matter. Even those not from this place lay a claim to it.
elias watched lebas with a mixture awe and quiet admiration, appreciation clear in his eyes. heavens knew if he ever tried his hand at blacksmithing, his clumsy fingers would ruin everything they touched. "an elderly woman squeezed my arms and asked if i was strong enough to catch her a few fish," he explained with a fond laugh. "and who was i to say no?" a boyish, surprised grin curved onto his lips, "i didn't expect to get bread in return." he’d tucked away three pieces, saving them for the aquamarine-eyed man who had stolen his heart. the rest, he gladly offered to lebas. elias' chest clenched at lebas' question, not because he didn't want to answer it — simply because he hadn't been asked about his family, and he missed them dearly. "he is," a nod with a soft smile, though guilt ran through his veins. he should be with his father and mother in their old age. "he's a farmer, back in england," there was pride in his voice, "he's tenacious, that one." he shifted for a moment before clearing his throat, "and yours?"
closed: @darkhorizcns
the sun hung low over tortuga, painting the ramshackle port in hues of gold and amber, the air thick with tension, rum, and the chaotic hum of a town that never slept. kaito sighed as he stood tied to a post, close to the docks, more annoyed than anything to be in this predicament…again. he had a terrible habit of getting caught with the wrong crowd and often landed himself in situations like this. so, really, it was just another day for him. “for fucks sake,” he grumbles, wiggling his wrists a bit, trying to loosen the rope. he was going to get out, he always did, just very slowly.
footsteps were heard in the distance, boots crunching on the dirt ground, closing in by the second. he wondered if it was the smugglers that had done this to him coming back to either finish the job or rough him up more. "what a drag," he groaned, softly sighing. well, at least he could still use his legs. dark eyes looked in towards the direction the footsteps were coming from, bracing himself, but nothing could prepare him for the person that came into view. kaito's body stilled as clarke's familiar figure came into view, suddenly he wished it were the smugglers coming back to finish the job.
he wanted the earth to swallow him whole, to chew him up, and erase him from this earth. his heart hammered against his rib cage at rapid speed just at the sight of the other man, while his stomach filled with knots, dread consuming him. "of course," he softly said out loud, silently cursing the universe for its sick sense of humor. "hello, clarke," kaito greeted, chewing the inside of his cheek. of all people, clarke was someone who cut deep. he had been trying to avoid the other like the plague since his recent arrival to tortuga, a selfish thing to do, cowardly even, but he didn't have it in him to face him. he had loved clarke fiercely, recklessly, but gods had he loved him. "it's been a while, hasn't it?"
as clarke walked through the sun-drenched streets of tortuga, the heat was nearly unbearable, as was the grief that he couldn't seem to escape. the air in town was alive in the same wild way it always was — laughter spilling out taverns along with drunken patrons, the scent of sea salt filling his senses, and the bustling of people living their lives. and clarke couldn't relate, he hadn't lived in years — he simply existed, barely making it through each day. late afternoon had arrived and clarke was finished at the pit for the day, but he hated leaving. at least he had purpose there. his knuckles were wrapped and he wore a cut on his lower lip as he walked — to where? he didn't know yet.
his heart dropped as his eyes landed on a man tied to a post. clarke had heard whispers — pirates getting sold out, all for tortuga to thrive again. he hoped this wasn't the case, perhaps the man was in the wrong place at the wrong time. "lucky for you, i have impeccable timing," clarke hummed, stepping closer — and he was met with eyes he knew too well, lips he'd brushed poetry against, and a face he'd cradled in his hands all once upon a time. everything in him told him to leave, told him to run. his heart had been shattered by kaito and he was back. was he here to ruin clarke all over again? clarke noted the tightening of kaito's jaw, the tension between them that was tighter than the rope around kaito's arms.
"it's been a while? that's all you have to say?" clarke hesitated. he no longer trusted himself to look at kaito, for his heart might pull him towards the man he'd loved, the man he'd thought loved him. he crouched to untie the rope, his fingers moving faster than they should’ve, trembling — out of fear of what was going through kaito's mind. “what was it this time? stealing someone's heart?" clarke's voice cracked slightly at the end, and he cursed himself for that. breath brushed against kaito's ear as clarke leaned in to fumble with a particularly troublesome knot. but soon the rope fell away, and clarke stood back, heart pounding. “i looked for you,” he said softly, almost too quiet for the bustling sounds of tortuga around them, “you left with no goodbye. like i was nothing.” he finally met kaito’s eyes and his lower lip trembled, "why?"
Where: Early morning on a beach (current to plot drop 3)
Who: Zarin closed starter for Anika @darkhorizcns
There was a short list of people that Zarin was interested in checking in with now that he was back in Tortuga. And there was one that he knew exactly where she would be and when. It had been the first place they had met. He'd been stretching his legs and she had been perched in the distance, a painted picture, a woman looking out to sea. A sense of longing for something gone or that had never been or could never be again. Something that had resonated strongly in Zarin's own grief scarred heart.
There had been a small worry... What if she wasn't there? Could something worse have happened to her? Had someone found out about what they'd done? There was so much tension in town that being out on the shore was a deep reprieve. He let out a breath when he saw that same picture from the first. A woman, gazing out to sea. But Zarin knew the direction she faced. And the reason why. He cleared his throat softly trying not to startle Anika, his face offering a warm smile, "I thought I might find you here." Maybe he should have started with a hello, since it had been six plus months. But his smile hopefully conveyed his greeting.
sleep had never come easily for anika — but it was especially elusive as of late. she felt unmoored, lost, and homesick. lying awake for hours until the morning light spilled thrught the windows — anika would hop out of bed as soon as the sun peeked onto the horizon and search for some semblance of comfort on the sandy shore. she felt more at home amongst the waves, wrapped in their gentle presence early in the morning where anika could feel alone on the beach without feeling lonely. but in a room full of people? she felt devastatingly isolated — lost in the crowd while wishing for a different life. each wave that lapped onto the shore was a silent companion for anika, one that she valued dearly, one that reminded her that the earth was still spinning and that her family had woken up beneath the same sun that she had.
her dark hair captured the warm sun and how desperately she wanted to let it flow through her veins. she felt so cold. tortuga might never feel like home — and that thought terrified anika. the rising sun dappled the ocean, making it shimmer and she breathed deeply, grounding herself. when she heard someone approach, her gaze drifted and landed on the man she deemed her savior. a relieved smile pulled on her lips and she couldn't help but wrap him in her arms, "oh, zamin." her eyes were bright, "thank heavens you're alright. i'm so relieved to see you." the smile she wore was one of the first that had graced her lips in what felt like ages. "what are you doing back in tortuga?" her words were laced with concern.