Price: "Y/N."
Y/N: "Yes?"
Price: "Leave Ghost alone."
Y/N: "I am."
Price: "You're not."
Y/N: "I'm appreciating him respectfully."
Soap: "He's been avoiding entire hallways."
Gaz: "He took the stairs instead of the elevator because you were in it."
Y/N: "That's adorable."
Price walked into the common room.
Everyone immediately looked up.
Y/N: "Dad's home."
Soap: "Dad's home."
Gaz: "Dad's home."
Ghost looked up from his tea.
Ghost: "Dad's home."
Price stood in the doorway for a full ten seconds.
Questioning every life choice that had led him here.
Finallyā
Price: "Ghost."
Ghost: "Sir?"
Price: "You're the one I expected to have some sense."
Ghost: "Y/N started it."
Y/N: "Snitch."
Ghost: "Favourite child behaviour."
Price nearly threw his coffee at him.
Price: "I am NOT your father."
Y/N: "Okay."
Soap: "Whatever you say, Dad."
Gaz: "Love you, Dad."
Ghost: "Night, Dad."
Price turned around and walked straight back out of the room.
Y/N: "He's going to his office."
Soap: "To calm down?"
Ghost: "To update his will."
Gaz: "Fair."
The team sat around the table.
Price was trying to read reports.
Gaz was drinking his third coffee.
Ghost stood against the wall.
Soap was talking.
Unfortunately.
Soap: "Back in selection, they called me a natural leader."
Y/N: "Was that before or after they hit you in the head?"
Gaz snorted into his coffee.
Price lowered the report.
Ghost's shoulders shook slightly.
Soap: "Funny."
Y/N: "Thank you."
Soap: "I survived things that would break ordinary people."
Y/N: "And yet you're still defeated by automatic doors."
Silence.
Gaz: "...She's got a point."
Soap: "ONE TIME."
Y/N: "Three times."
Soap: "The sensor was broken!"
Y/N: "The door opened for me five seconds later."
Ghost: "Aye."
Soap: "Ghost, you're supposed to back me up."
Ghost: "Why?"
Price walked into the room carrying coffee.
Y/N: "Morning, Dad."
The room went silent.
Price froze.
Price: "...What did you just call me?"
Y/N: "Dad."
Price: "I'm not your dad."
Y/N: "Really?"
Y/N gestured around the room.
Y/N: "You constantly tell us to stop doing stupid things."
Y/N: "You clean up our messes."
Y/N: "You pay for property damage."
Y/N: "And every mission briefing starts with disappointment."
Gaz nodded.
Gaz: "She's making some solid points."
Price: "Gaz."
Gaz: "Sorry, Dad."
Price closed his eyes.
The dinner table was a war zone Simon Riley had no training for.
Teenagers.
Tommy and Daisy, fifteen-year-old twins, had turned synchronized eye-rolling into an Olympic sport. Simon sat at the head of the table, radiating the same quiet menace that made hardened soldiers reconsider their life choices. Y/N placed the mashed potatoes down with the sweetest, most dangerous smile.
"Eat before it gets cold," Y/N said.
Tommy loaded his plate. Daisy snatched a roll from his side.
"You little-"
"Mum said sharing is caring."
"I donāt care."
Simonās low voice cut through the noise. "Behave."
Instant silence. Even the mashed potatoes seemed to hold their breath.
Y/N waited exactly thirty-seven seconds before striking.
"Daddy, can you pass the salt?"
Simonās fork froze mid-air. Tommy made a sound like a punctured balloon. Daisyās glass hit the table with a clink.
Simon slid the shaker across the table without breaking eye contact.
"Thank you, Daddy," Y/N purred.
Tommy shot to his feet. "EEEEWWW!"
Daisy slid halfway under the table, laughing and gagging so hard she wheezed. "Mum, thatās illegal!"
"Heās literally your dad," Y/N said innocently.
"NOT LIKE THAT!" the twins screamed in unison.
Simon kept eating, completely unfazed. "Mum's not wrong."
Both teenagers looked personally betrayed.
"Dad, no!"
Simon chewed another bite of potatoes. "Sit down."
They dropped back into their chairs like trained soldiers.
Y/N was already crying from laughter when Simon, without looking up, rumbled in that gravel voice:
"...Mommy, pass the pepper."
Y/N lost it completely. Tommy face-planted into his hands. Daisy let out a groan that rattled the windows.
"OH MY GOD, WEāRE ORPHANS NOW!"
Simonās mouth twitchedājust onceāinto the tiniest, most satisfied smirk.
Mission accomplished.
Later that night, once the twins were asleep and the house was quiet, Simon cornered Y/N in their bedroom. He didnāt say a word. Just backed her against the wall, one big hand gripping her jaw, the other already tugging her shirt up. His mouth brushed her ear.
"You had your fun at dinner," he growled. "Now itās my turn."
He shoved her onto the bed, yanked her pants down, and spread her thighs wide. Two thick fingers pushed straight into her pussy without warning, pumping deep while his thumb rubbed her clit in rough circles. Y/N gasped, hips jerking.
"Simonā"
"Quiet," he ordered, voice low and dangerous. "You called me Daddy in front of our kids. Now youāre gonna scream it while I fuck you stupid."
He pulled his fingers out, unzipped his jeans, and shoved his thick cock inside her in one hard thrust. Y/N cried out, back arching off the mattress as he started pounding into her, relentless and deep. Simon pinned her wrists above her head with one hand, the other gripping her hip hard enough to bruise.
"Louder," he demanded, snapping his hips faster. "Let me hear it."
"DaddyāfuckāDaddy!" she moaned, legs wrapping around his waist as he fucked her harder, the headboard slamming against the wall with every brutal thrust. Simon leaned down, biting her neck, growling against her skin.
"Thatās it. Good girl. Youāre gonna take every drop of my cum tonight."
Simon stepped through the front door after a long day, setting his keys on the hallway table.
The house was unusually quiet.
He narrowed his eyes.
Silence in this family usually meant someone had done something.
Turning the corner, he spotted Tommy standing perfectly still in the corner of the living room, facing the wall with his hands behind his back.
Simon walked over.
"What happened?"
Without turning around, Tommy answered in the flattest voice imaginable.
"Mom's on her period and I said something."
Simon was silent for a moment.
"What did you say?"
"I asked if she was 'being dramatic because of hormones.'"
Another pause.
Then Simon gave a single nod.
"Right."
He turned and walked away without another word.
Tommy sighed.
"I know. I deserve this."
Two minutes later, Simon returned.
Except this time, he walked straight over to the same corner, stopped beside Tommy, turned to face the wall himself, and folded his arms.
Tommy slowly glanced sideways.
"...Dad?"
Simon exhaled deeply.
"I may have also said something."
"What'd you say?"
"I suggested she 'just take a nap and calm down.'"
Tommy winced.
"Oh, no."
"Oh, yes."
The two stood there in silence for a moment.
Finally, Simon asked, "How long?"
"Thirty minutes."
Simon nodded once.
"You?" Tommy asked.
"Two hours."
Tommy's jaw dropped.
"Two hours? What did Mom do?"
"She looked at me."
"And?"
"I understood."
Another long silence settled between them.
After a minute, Tommy whispered, "Do you think we should apologize?"
Simon didn't hesitate.
"I already did."
"And?"
"I was assigned this corner."
Tommy fought back a laugh.
"So... we're both grounded?"
"We're reflecting."
Five minutes later, Y/N walked into the room carrying a mug of tea.
She stopped when she saw both of them standing shoulder to shoulder, facing the wall like misbehaving schoolboys.
She took a slow sip.
"Learning anything?"
Tommy answered first.
"Yes, Mum."
Simon added without turning around, "Words have consequences."
Y/N nodded approvingly.
"Excellent."
She started to leave, then paused.
"Oh, Simon?"
"Yes?"
"The timer resets every time you talk."
Tommy's eyes widened.
Simon closed his mouth instantly.
Y/N smiled to herself and continued into the kitchen.
Several minutes passed in complete silence before Tommy whispered out of the corner of his mouth,
"Think she'll forgive us?"
Simon stared resolutely at the wall.
"Eventually."
"Until then?"
"We survive."
From the kitchen came Y/N's voice.
"I heard that."
Tommy sighed.
"Timer reset?"
A beat.
"Timer reset."
For the next hour, father and son stood in perfect solidarityāunited not by military discipline, but by the shared realization that sometimes the smartest thing a Riley man could do was simply keep quiet.
The front door clicked open as Y/N stepped into the house, juggling two shopping bags and laughing to herself after a day out with her friends.
"I'm home!" she called.
No answer.
She frowned, setting the bags on the kitchen counter. The house was strangely quiet. Usually Tommy would be blasting music or arguing with someone online.
Then she turned the corner into the hallway and froze.
There was Tommy.
Half-sitting against the wall with no chair beneath him, legs bent at a ninety-degree angle as if he were sitting in thin air. His back pressed flat against the wall, both arms fully extended in front of him, clutching a heavy medicine ball. His face was bright red, his muscles visibly trembling.
Y/N blinked.
"Tommy... what on earth are you doing?"
Without moving so much as an inch, the fifteen-year-old groaned through gritted teeth.
"My punishment from Dad..."
Y/N looked around, completely bewildered.
"Your punishment?"
"Yep."
"For what?"
Tommy sighed dramatically. "I told him his old playlists sounded like they belonged in a museum."
Before Y/N could respond, heavy footsteps approached from the living room.
Simon Riley appeared, coffee mug in hand, wearing his usual unreadable expression.
He took one glance at his son.
"Back straight."
Tommy immediately corrected his posture with a miserable whine.
Y/N folded her arms. "Simon."
Simon raised an eyebrow. "Love."
"Why is our son pretending to be an invisible chair while holding what looks like half the gym?"
"He mouthed off."
Y/N stared at him.
"So your solution was... military wall sits?"
"They build character."
"They build leg cramps."
"They also build respect."
Tommy weakly interrupted, "They build regret."
Simon ignored him.
Y/N tried very hard not to laugh, but the sight of her six-foot-tall teenage son shaking like a leaf while Simon calmly sipped coffee was simply too much.
A snort escaped.
Tommy looked offended. "Mum!"
She covered her mouth, failing spectacularly to hide a smile.
"Sorry, sweetheart."
Simon checked the timer on his watch.
"Thirty seconds."
Tommy's eyes widened in horror.
"Thirty seconds? Dad, I thought I was done!"
"That was before you complained."
Tommy let out the longest sigh Y/N had ever heard.
She walked over and gently took the medicine ball from his hands.
"I think he's learned his lesson."
Simon considered it for a moment before giving a small nod.
"Fine."
The second Simon spoke, Tommy collapsed onto the floor with a dramatic groan, stretching his aching legs.
"I can't feel my quads."
Y/N patted his shoulder.
"Maybe next time don't insult your father's music."
Tommy looked between them.
"So you're taking his side?"
Y/N smiled innocently.
"Oh no. I just know better than to challenge a man who thinks discipline is a recreational activity."
For the briefest moment, Simon's lips twitched into something almost resembling a smile.
GUYS. Imagine a Simon Riley zombie apocalypse fanfic inspired by The Last of Us.
Reader is basically Ellie. Simon is forced to travel with her, absolutely hates the idea at first, thinks she's annoying and reckless, and wants nothing to do with her. But as they survive together, he slowly becomes protective of her, until one day he realizes he'd do anything to keep her safe.
Grumpy Simon Riley + found family + father-daughter bond + apocalypse survival.
Taken by the sea and caught between two lives, Y/N finds something she never expected aboard a pirate ship-family, survival, and Keegan Russ.
Words: 4k
Part 8
The rope tightened. Water dripped from Keeganās sleeve as Logan and Hesh hauled upward with all their strength.
āPull!ā Logan shouted.
The thick rope groaned against the railing as they dragged it up inch by inch. Below, the ocean slammed against the hull of The Resolute, waves splashing violently against the wood.
Keegan held the rope firmly with one arm. The other remained locked securely around Y/N. Her arms were still wrapped tightly around his shoulders. Her face pressed against his chest. She trembled so badly he could feel it through the soaked fabric of his shirt.
āIām slippingā!ā she gasped suddenly. Her hands tightened again as another wave lifted them before dropping them.
āYouāre not,ā Keegan said calmly. His grip never loosened. He kept her body pressed tight against his chest as they rose, holding her securely above the churning water.
Above them Hesh leaned over the railing. āIāve got eyes on them!ā
Logan gritted his teeth and pulled harder. āCome on!ā
The rope lifted again. Keegan braced his boots against the side of the hull as they were dragged upward. Water streamed down from their clothes. Y/Nās breathing still came fast and shaky. Her fingers clutched the back of Keeganās shirt desperately.
āI hate the ocean,ā she muttered weakly.
Keegan glanced down briefly. āā¦Noted.ā
Another strong pull from above. Their bodies rose high enough that Logan finally reached down.
āGot you!ā He grabbed Keeganās arm firmly and pulled. Hesh grabbed Y/Nās soaked sleeve at the same time. Together they dragged them over the railing.
Y/N collapsed onto the deck immediately. The wooden planks were warm compared to the freezing ocean. Her chest heaved as she rolled slightly onto her side. Water pooled around her from her soaked clothes. Her whole body shook uncontrollably.
Keegan climbed over the railing a second later. He stood immediately, scanning the deck. Still alert. Still watching.
The battle had mostly shifted away from the ships now. Rorkeās crew were retreating. Their ship already pulling away across the waves. Cannons fired one last time before the enemy vessel turned into the distance.
Logan wiped seawater from his face. āDamn lunatic,ā he muttered toward Keegan.
Hesh laughed breathlessly. āYou really jumped off the enemy ship.ā
Ajax jogged over from the other side of the deck. His grin wide. āNow that was dramatic.ā
But Y/N barely heard them. She sat on the deck with her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her soaked blouse clung to her skin. Her wet hair stuck to her face and neck. Her teeth chattered slightly. Her eyes were still wide. Still shaken. Still processing what had just happened.
āI almost died,ā she murmured quietly.
No one answered immediately. The crew exchanged glances. Then Hesh crouched slightly nearby. āYouāre fine.ā
Y/N looked up at him slowly. Her voice still small. āI fell off a pirate ship into the ocean while cannons were firing.ā
āā¦Yeah.ā
āAnd I canāt swim.ā
āā¦Also true.ā
She stared at him. Hesh rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. āBut you didnāt die.ā
Y/N looked away again. Her gaze drifted across the water where Rorkeās ship was disappearing into the distance. Then slowly her eyes moved toward Keegan. He stood only a few feet away.
Still soaked. Still quiet. Watching the horizon to make sure the enemy ship wasnāt turning back. She studied him silently for a moment. Then her voice came out quietly.
āā¦You pushed me.ā
Keegan finally looked at her.
āā¦Yes.ā
Her brows furrowed slightly. āI told you I couldnāt swim.ā
For a second she looked like she might yell. Or cry. Or both. Instead she exhaled slowly. Her shoulders sagged a little. āā¦Youāre insane.ā
Ajax laughed loudly. āOh he definitely is.ā
But Keegan just looked at her calmly. And after a moment Y/N muttered quietly.
āā¦Thank you.ā The words were soft. Almost reluctant. But real.
The battle was over. Or at least far enough away now that the deck of The Resolute had begun to settle again. The enemy ship carrying Rorke and his crew was already disappearing into the distance across the darkening water.
Cannons were quiet.
Smoke slowly drifted away with the wind. The crew moved across the deck checking ropes, inspecting damage, dragging fallen weapons aside.
But near the railing Y/N still sat exactly where Logan and Hesh had pulled her onto the ship. She hadnāt moved. Her soaked clothes clung tightly to her skin. Water still dripped from the ends of her hair, sliding down her neck and onto the wooden planks beneath her.
Her arms wrapped around herself tightly. Her shoulders trembled. Uncontrollably. The cold from the ocean had settled deep into her bones. Her teeth chattered softly. She tried to push herself up once.
Her hands pressed weakly against the deck. But her arms trembled too badly. Her legs didnāt cooperate. She dropped back down again.
āā¦I canātā¦ā Her voice came out small. Embarrassed. Frustrated. āI canāt stand.ā
Logan glanced over from where he had been coiling rope. His brows lifted slightly. āYeah that happens after you jump into freezing ocean water.ā
Hesh crouched beside her again. āYouāre shaking like a leaf.ā
āI noticed,ā she muttered weakly.
Ajax crossed his arms nearby, watching. āYouāre turning blue.ā
āThatās very comforting,ā Y/N replied dryly, though her voice still trembled.
But the shaking only got worse. Her hands gripped her sleeves tightly. Her shoulders hunched slightly. Her breathing uneven.
Keegan had been standing nearby the entire time. Watching quietly. His clothes were still soaked too, but he didnāt seem to notice. His gaze stayed fixed on her.
The trembling. The way she couldnāt even push herself up.
Then he spoke.
āBlanket.ā The word was calm. Firm.
Hesh looked up. āYeah.ā He stood immediately. āLogan!ā
Logan tossed the rope aside. āAlready on it.ā He jogged toward the stairs leading below deck.
Y/N barely followed the movement with her eyes. Her body felt heavy. Cold. The shaking refused to stop. Her fingers trembled harder as she rubbed her arms. āI hate the ocean,ā she muttered again through chattering teeth.
Ajax crouched down in front of her now, tilting his head slightly. āYou jumped pretty dramatically though.ā
āI didnāt jump,ā she said weakly. āKeegan threw me.ā
Ajax grinned. āEven better.ā
She glared at him. Or tried to. But it came out more tired than angry.
A moment later Logan reappeared carrying a thick wool blanket.
āMove.ā Hesh stepped aside. Logan dropped the blanket around Y/Nās shoulders. The warmth hit her instantly. Her fingers clutched the fabric tightly. She wrapped it around herself as much as she could. Her shaking slowed slightly. But not much.
āBetter?ā Logan asked.
āā¦A little.ā
Keegan stepped closer now. Standing directly in front of her. His shadow fell over her slightly. She looked up at him. Her eyes tired. Still shaken. Still cold. Her voice was quiet. ā...My legs donāt work.ā
Keegan didnāt hesitate. āShock.ā
Hesh nodded. āCold water does that.ā
Y/N swallowed. Her fingers tightened around the blanket again. āIām not dying, right?ā
Ajax chuckled. āNah.ā
Logan smirked slightly. āYouāre too stubborn to die.ā
Y/N rolled her eyes weakly. But she still couldnāt stand. Her legs refused to cooperate. She remained sitting on the deck wrapped tightly in the blanket. Shivering.
Keegan looked down at her for another moment. Then crouched slightly in front of her. His voice calm again. āTry again.ā
She shook her head weakly. āI tried.ā
āTry again.ā
Her eyes met his. For a moment she looked like she might argue. Then she sighed softly. ā...Fine.ā
She placed one hand on the deck. The other still clutched the blanket. Slowly she tried to stand again. But the moment she pushed up her legs buckled. Her balance vanished.
She tilted sideways and Keegan caught her immediately. One arm steadying her before she could fall back to the deck. Her hand instinctively grabbed his sleeve.
ā...See?ā she muttered tiredly. āDoesnāt work.ā
Her legs still shook beneath her. Unable to hold her weight.
The blanket slipped slightly around her shoulders as she leaned against him for balance. And for the first time since the battle ended she looked less angry. Less stubborn. And more like someone who was simply exhausted.
For a moment the deck was quiet around them. The wind moved softly through the sails. The ocean rolled gently beneath the hull.
Y/N leaned slightly against Keegan still wrapped tightly in the blanket Logan had thrown around her shoulders. Her fingers clutched the thick wool like it was the only warm thing left in the world. Her legs trembled beneath her. Completely useless. She tried to stand straight again. Her knees wobbled instantly.
ā...Nope.ā Her voice came out weak and tired. āStill broken.ā
Logan crossed his arms watching. āYeah youāre not walking anywhere like that.ā
Ajax tilted his head. āWe could drag her.ā
Y/N lifted her head just enough to glare at him. āDonāt.ā
Ajax held up his hands. āJust offering solutions.ā
Hesh rolled his eyes. āYour solutions are terrible.ā
Y/Nās grip on Keeganās sleeve tightened slightly as another shiver ran through her body. The cold still clung to her skin from the ocean water. Even with the blanket her teeth still chattered faintly. She exhaled slowly. ā...I really hate the ocean.ā
Keegan looked down at her. Then without another word he moved. One arm slid behind her back. The other hooked easily beneath her knees. Before Y/N could even react he lifted her.
Effortlessly.
The world tilted suddenly.
āāWait!ā
Y/N gasped as her feet left the deck. Her hands instinctively grabbed his shirt.
āWhat are you doing?!ā
Keegan didnāt answer. He simply adjusted his grip slightly to keep the blanket wrapped around her shoulders, holding her securely against him.
Y/N blinked in surprise, her brain clearly lagging behind the situation.
āYouāreāā She looked down, then back up at him. āā¦carrying me.ā
āYes.ā
Her eyebrows lifted. āYou canāt just pick people up!ā
āYou canāt walk.ā
āThatās not the point!ā
Hesh burst out laughing behind them. Logan shook his head. āHonestly, this is the most efficient option.ā
Ajax grinned. āLooks romantic.ā
Y/N immediately snapped her head toward him. āIt is not!ā
Ajax just laughed harder.
Keegan had already started walking toward the stairs leading below deck, completely ignoring the commentary.
Y/N shifted slightly in his arms, clearly unsure what to do with herself. The blanket slipped a little around her shoulders. She grabbed it quickly with one hand to keep it wrapped. Her other hand still clutched the front of Keeganās shirt for balance.
āā¦You could at least warn someone before doing that,ā she muttered.
āYou were falling.ā
āThat still doesnāt meanāā
Another shiver ran through her. Her teeth clicked together softly. Her protest weakened instantly.
Keegan noticed. His grip tightened slightly around her to keep her steady as he stepped down the stairs into the ship. The warmer air below deck greeted them.
Y/N sighed quietly as the wind from outside finally stopped biting at her skin. Her voice came out softer now. āā¦Okay maybe carrying isnāt the worst idea.ā
Logan called after them from above. āTry not to drown anyone else tonight!ā
Y/N turned her head toward the stairs. āI did not drown!ā
Hesh shouted down. āTechnically you almost did!ā
āNot helping!ā she yelled back.
Keegan continued walking down the corridor without reacting. Calm. Steady.
Y/N shifted slightly again in his arms, still shivering, still wrapped in the blanket. But now at least she wasnāt sitting helpless on the cold deck anymore.
Her eyes flicked up toward him briefly. Then she muttered quietlyā
āā¦Youāre still insane for pushing me off that ship.ā
Keegan didnāt even look down. āYouāre alive.ā
She frowned slightly. āā¦Thatās annoyingly good logic.ā
And for the first time since the battleā The tension in her shoulders loosened just a little as he carried her down the hallway toward her cabin.
The hallway below deck was warmer. Not warm enough to dry soaked clothes immediately, but warm enough that the freezing bite of the ocean wind finally stopped clawing at Y/Nās skin.
Lanterns swayed softly from hooks along the wooden walls as the ship moved across the waves. Their light flickered gently across the narrow corridor.
Keegan carried her the rest of the way without slowing. His boots thudded quietly against the wooden floor. Y/N stayed wrapped tightly in the blanket, still shivering slightly in his arms.
She had stopped protesting somewhere halfway down the stairs. Mostly because the warmth below deck and the exhaustion creeping through her body had started to win the fight against her stubbornness. Still, her fingers remained curled loosely in the front of his shirt. Not gripping as tightly as before. But not letting go either.
When they reached her cabin door, Keegan pushed it open with his shoulder. The small room looked exactly how she had left it earlier.
Bed. Table. Small round window.
The damp cloth from the ice earlier still sat on the table.
Keegan stepped inside and closed the door behind them. Then he walked to the bed, carefully lowering her onto the mattress.
Y/N let out a small sigh the moment she sat down. The bed felt surprisingly soft after everything that had happened.
Her legs still trembled slightly. She pulled the blanket tighter around herself as another shiver ran through her.
Before she could say anything, Keegan grabbed the second blanket folded at the end of the bed. He wrapped it around her shoulders as well, layering it over the first one.
Y/N blinked slightly in surprise. āThatās a lot of blankets.ā
āYouāre still shaking.ā
She looked down at herself. Two blankets now wrapped tightly around her shoulders and arms like a cocoon. Her nose wrinkled slightly.
āOkay thatās fair.ā Her wet hair dripped faintly onto the fabric. Her fingers curled deeper into the blankets. Her breathing slowly steadied now that she wasnāt out in the cold wind anymore.
Keegan stepped back slightly. āIāll bring dry clothes.ā He turned toward the door. But before he could leave, Y/N spoke again.
āWait.ā He paused. She looked up at him. Her eyes moved slowly across him for the first time since he had carried her down here.
Only now noticing something.
His shirt. Still soaked. Water still dripping from the sleeves.
His hair damp. Boots wet. She frowned slightly.
āAre you not cold?ā
Keegan glanced down briefly at his own clothes. Then shrugged. āNot really.ā
Y/N stared at him. āYou jumped into the ocean.ā
āYes.ā
āAnd swam through freezing water.ā
āYes.ā
āAnd youāre standing there like itās nothing.ā
He didnāt answer immediately. Just looked at her calmly. Then said simply, āIām used to it.ā
Y/N narrowed her eyes slightly. āYou pirates are weird.ā
āProbably.ā
She shifted slightly on the bed. Still wrapped in her blanket fortress. Still a little shaky. But much warmer now. Her gaze followed him as he moved toward the door again. Then she muttered quietly,
āStill.ā He paused again. She looked down at the blankets around her hands.
āThank you.ā The words came out softer this time. Less reluctant.
More real. Keegan didnāt say anything. He just gave a small nod. Then stepped out of the cabin to find dry clothes for her.
The door closed softly behind him.
Y/N sat there for a moment, wrapped in layers of blankets that made her look more like a pile of wool than a person. The cabin felt quieter now. The sounds of the ship had returned to their normal rhythmāwood creaking, waves brushing against the hull, the distant murmur of voices above deck.
Her body was still trembling a little, but the violent shaking had finally started to fade. She rubbed her hands slowly against the blanket, trying to warm them faster.
āThat was horrible,ā she muttered to herself. Her eyes drifted toward the small round window. The sky outside had darkened slightly.
The sea stretched endlessly, calm again as if the battle had never happened. Her mind replayed it anywayāthe cannons, the pirates, the knife at her throat, the moment she fell into the freezing water. Her stomach twisted slightly. āNever again.ā
She leaned back against the wall behind the bed. The blankets shifted around her shoulders. Her hair was still damp, small drops of water sliding down her neck.
She wiped her cheek absently. Then sighed.
āAnd he pushed me.ā The thought annoyed her again, even if she knew deep down it had saved her life.
The door creaked open again before she could continue that thought. Keegan stepped back into the room. This time he carried a small bundle of clothes.
Dry ones. A pair of dark trousers.
A loose shirt. And another thicker wool sweater folded over his arm.
Y/N immediately straightened slightly. āPlease tell me those are dry.ā
Keegan walked over and set them on the bed beside her.
āThey are.ā
She reached out and touched the fabric.
Warm.
Dry.
Her shoulders visibly relaxed. āOh thank the gods.ā She grabbed the shirt immediately. Then paused. Her eyes flicked up toward him. He was still standing there. She stared. He stared back. A few seconds passed. Then she slowly lifted one eyebrow.
āYouāre still here.ā
āYes.ā
āI need to change.ā
āYes.ā
Her other eyebrow lifted now. āThat usually requires privacy.ā
Keegan blinked once. Then nodded. āRight.ā He turned toward the door again.
Y/N waited until he reached it. Then called after him. āKeegan?ā
He stopped in the doorway. āWhat.ā
She hesitated for a second, her fingers still holding the dry shirt. āDonāt drown yourself too.ā
He looked at her, confused for a moment. āYouāre still soaked.ā
He glanced down at his wet clothes again. Then shrugged slightly. āIāll manage.ā
She frowned at him. āThatās what people say before they get sick.ā
āI donāt get sick.ā
āYou jumped into the ocean during a pirate battle.ā
āThat happens.ā
Y/N stared at him. Then slowly shook her head. āYou are absolutely insane.ā
Keegan gave a small shrug. Then stepped out of the room again. The door closed behind him.
Y/N looked down at the dry clothes in her hands. Her fingers ran over the fabric slowly. Warm. Comfortable. She smiled faintly.
āStill insane,ā she murmured. But this time there was a little less annoyance in her voice. And a little more relief.
The door of Y/Nās cabin closed softly behind Keegan.
The hallway outside was quiet, lanterns swaying gently with the movement of the ship. The warmth below deck lingered, but the faint smell of gunpowder and sea salt still clung to the air after the battle.
Keegan walked down the corridor without slowing. His clothes were still soaked, the damp fabric sticking to his arms and shoulders. Drops of seawater fell from the edge of his sleeve every few steps, leaving a faint trail on the wooden floorboards.
He climbed the stairs back toward the deck. The evening air met him again as he stepped outside. The sky had darkened now, orange sunlight fading into deep blue over the ocean.
The crew of The Resolute were still moving around the ship, repairing damage from the fight. Ropes were being retied. Broken boards replaced.
A few men dragged a damaged cannon back into position. But the chaos from earlier had calmed. The enemy ship carrying Rorke had vanished beyond the horizon.
Captain Elias stood near the helm, his arms crossed as he studied the water where Rorkeās vessel had disappeared. Merrick stood beside him quietly. Logan leaned against a crate nearby, cleaning seawater from his rifle. Hesh was checking the side of the hull where one of the cannonballs had struck earlier.
Ajax sat casually on a barrel, spinning one of his pistols around his finger like the battle had simply been a bit of afternoon entertainment.
Keegan stepped onto the deck. Logan noticed him first. āWell look who survived.ā Hesh glanced up.
āStill breathing?ā Ajax grinned.
āBarely.ā
Keegan ignored them and walked toward the helm. Captain Elias heard the approaching footsteps. He turned slightly. His eyes moved slowly over Keeganās appearanceāsoaked clothes, wet boots, water still dripping from his sleeves. Elias exhaled slowly through his nose.
Then shook his head once.
āYou are insane, son.ā
Keegan stopped in front of him. āProbably.ā Logan chuckled from behind them. āThatās the understatement of the year.ā
Elias continued studying him for a moment. āYou jumped onto Rorkeās ship.ā
āYes.ā
āYou grabbed the girl.ā
āYes.ā
āAnd then jumped into the ocean during a cannon battle.ā
āYes.ā The captain raised one eyebrow. āā¦With someone who cannot swim.ā
āāShe floated,ā he says.ā Ajax clapped once. āThat might be the worst rescue plan Iāve ever heard.ā Merrick chuckled quietly under his breath.
Elias rubbed his temple for a moment. āYou couldāve been killed.ā Keegan glanced toward the horizon where Rorke had vanished.
āSo could she.ā
The words settled quietly over the group. For a moment no one joked. No one laughed.
Logan leaned back against the crate again. āWellā¦ you did bring her back.ā Hesh nodded.
āAnd she didnāt drown.ā Ajax pointed.
āThat part is important.ā Elias lowered his hand from his temple. His eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Keegan again. Then he asked calmlyā āWhere is she now?ā
āIn her cabin.ā
āAlive?ā
āYes.ā
āAngry?ā Keegan thought for a second. āā¦Cold.ā
Logan smirked. āThat tracks.ā Hesh leaned against the mast. āHonestly I thought she was going to stab one of us earlier.ā Ajax shrugged. āStill might.ā
Elias shook his head slightly. But the corner of his mouth twitched faintly. āWell.ā He turned back toward the horizon again. āYou brought her back.ā Then he added quietlyā āTry not to start another war tomorrow.ā
Keegan nodded once. āIāll try.ā
Behind themā Logan muttered to Hesh. āHe absolutely will start another one.ā Hesh grinned. āOh definitely.ā
The wind moved slowly across the deck. The last light of the sun had almost vanished now, leaving the ocean dark and endless around The Resolute. Lanterns had been lit along the railings, their warm glow swaying with the motion of the ship.
For a moment the crew stood quietly. The adrenaline from the battle was fading. But the tension lingered.
Captain Elias remained near the helm, staring out across the water where Rorkeās ship had disappeared. His expression had changed. The small hint of humor from earlier had vanished. Now his face looked thoughtful. Serious.
Merrick noticed it first. āWhat is it?ā
Elias didnāt answer immediately. His eyes stayed on the horizon. Then he finally spoke. āRorke saw her.ā
The words hung quietly in the air.
Logan looked up from where he had been checking his rifle. āā¦Yeah.ā
Hesh leaned back against the mast. āSo?ā
Elias slowly turned toward them. His gaze moved between the crew. Then landed on Keegan. āThat means something.ā
Keeganās expression didnāt change. But his attention sharpened. āWhat.ā
Elias spoke calmly. But the weight of his words settled heavily over the deck. āIt means she canāt go home.ā
Silence followed.
Ajax frowned. āā¦What?ā
Logan straightened slightly. āWhy not?ā
Elias gestured toward the horizon. āBecause Rorke knows her now.ā
Elias continued. āYou think a man like Rorke forgets faces?ā
No one answered. Because they all knew the truth. Rorke didnāt forget anything.
Merrick folded his arms. āHeāll remember she was on our ship.ā āYes.ā āAnd that she matters enough for Keegan to jump onto his deck to get her back.ā
Keeganās eyes flicked toward Elias briefly.
The captain continued. āIf she goes back to her islandā¦ heāll find her.ā
Loganās jaw tightened. āā¦You think heād go that far?ā
Elias gave a quiet, humorless smile. āYouāve fought him before.ā
Logan didnāt argue. Because they all had. They knew exactly what Rorke was capable of.
Ajax scratched the back of his neck. āSoā¦ what are we saying here?ā
Elias looked toward the hallway leading below deck. Toward the cabins. Toward where Y/N currently sat wrapped in blankets, probably still shivering and cursing the ocean. āHe knows her face now.ā He looked back at the crew. āThat makes her part of the board.ā
Merrick nodded slowly. āIn his game.ā
Hesh sighed. āā¦Great.ā
Logan rubbed the back of his neck. āSo we just whatā¦ keep her?ā
Ajax shrugged. āCould be worse.ā
Keegan hadnāt spoken. He stood quietly near the railing. Looking out across the dark ocean.
Elias glanced at him again. āShe canāt go back to her island now.ā The captainās voice was calm. But final. āNot safely.ā
A long silence followed. The waves rolled against the ship. Lanterns swayed.
Then Logan muttered quietlyā āā¦Sheās going to hate that.ā
Hesh chuckled under his breath. āOh yeah.ā
Ajax grinned. āEspecially after the whole kidnapping thing.ā
Merrick smirked faintly. āShe hasnāt even accepted being here yet.ā
Elias folded his arms again. āThen we better start figuring out how to explain it to her.ā
Because one thing was certain now. Y/N hadnāt just been caught in a pirate raid anymore. She had been seen by Captain Rorke. And that means her lifeā¦ had just become a lot more complicated.
Let me know if youĀ“d like to be added to my Keegy taglist!
Pairing: Knight!Perpetua x Female!Reader princess (Y/N)
Summary: They have known each other since childhood, when Perpetua was only the boy who always stood between her and harm. Now sworn as her knight, his only duty is to protect the princess, even as affection grows into something forbidden. What begins in soft devotion and familiar warmth slowly turns fragile, for they both know that if their feelings are discovered, the cost will fall most heavily on her knight.
Warning: Angst. Smut.
Words: 6k <- holy. not sorry lol.
Chapter XII
Y/N walked quickly through the palace corridors, her vision blurred as she fought desperately to keep the tears from falling. Her breathing came unevenly nowāslow inhales, shaky exhalesāas she tried to hold herself together before someone saw her like this.
She felt completely lost.
Every thought in her head twisted painfully into another.
What was she supposed to do now?
She was a princess. The future queen. Her life had never truly belonged to her, not really. Every lesson, every appearance, every expectation placed on her shoulders since childhood had all been leading to thisāto duty, to sacrifice, to a marriage chosen for the kingdom instead of for love.
But nowā¦ now everything was different.
Because now she knew what it felt like to love someone.
And worseāshe knew what it felt like to be loved back.
Her chest ached painfully as she kept walking, her fingers tightening into the fabric of her dress. She could still hear his voice in her head, still feel his hands on her skin, still remember the way he looked at her as though she were the only thing that mattered in the world.
How was she supposed to give that up?
How was she supposed to stand beside another man one day, smile politely, let him touch her, speak to her, marry herā¦ while every part of her belonged to Perpetua?
The thought made her stomach twist so violently she almost stopped walking altogether.
She couldnāt do it.
She couldnāt.
But what choice did she really have?
That was the cruelest part.
No matter how much she wanted him, no matter how deeply she loved him, the world would never see them as possible. A princess and her knight. A future queen and the man sworn only to protect herānot love her.
And the thought that thisātheyāmight already be slipping away from her made the ache in her chest unbearable.
What was going to happen now?
Would this destroy them?
Would they slowly be forced apart until all they had left were stolen memories and quiet regrets?
Y/N pressed a trembling hand against her mouth, finally stopping near one of the empty hallways, her shoulders shaking slightly as she lowered her head.
She didnāt want to think about losing him.
She couldnāt.
Because the idea of waking up one day and no longer having him beside herāno longer hearing his voice, no longer feeling his quiet presence following her through the palace, no longer being able to touch him freelyāfelt like someone tearing the air from her lungs.
And what hurt most of allā¦
Was that for the first time since they had finally found each otherā
She was afraid love might not be enough.
Later that day, Y/N stood once again in the training yard, wooden sword in hand, the afternoon sun warm against her skin. But unlike usual, the space feltā¦ wrong. Empty.
Because Perpetua was not there.
He was always there.
Always standing nearby with crossed arms and that permanent frown on his face whenever Copia got too close or swung too hard. Always watching her. Always there.
And now he wasnāt.
Copia noticed immediately.
Not just because his brotherās intimidating presence was missing from the edge of the yardābut because Y/N herself was completely distracted.
āPrincipessa.ā Clack.
Her wooden sword barely blocked his strike in time.
āHmm?ā she muttered absentmindedly, stepping back too slowly.
Copia narrowed his eyes slightly. āYou almost lost your hand.ā
āOh.ā She blinked. āSorry.ā
That alone told him something was very wrong.
Y/N was never this unfocused during training. Frustrated sometimes, stubborn constantly, dramatic oftenābut not absent. Not like this.
Copia lowered his sword slowly, studying her more carefully now. āOkayā¦ what happened?ā
āNothing happened,ā she answered too quickly.
āMhm.ā He tilted his head. āAnd my brother suddenly vanished from training becauseā¦?ā
Y/N looked away immediately.
Ah.
Interesting.
Copiaās brows lifted slightly as realization slowly began creeping in. Something had definitely happened. He just didnāt know what exactly. But whatever it was, it involved both of them. Deeply.
āY/N,ā he said more gently this time, walking closer, āyouāve been staring into nothing for the last ten minutes. You didnāt insult me once today. Thatās how I know itās serious.ā
Usually she would have rolled her eyes at that. Maybe thrown the sword at him.
Instead she just stood there silently, gripping the wooden blade tighter.
And suddenly Copiaās teasing expression faded.
āā¦Hey,ā he said quietly now. āWhatās wrong?ā
Y/N swallowed hard. Her chest tightened again instantly, just hearing the question aloud. She had spent the entire day trying not to think too much, trying not to fall apart completelyābut the moment someone asked sincerely, it all came rushing back.
The breakfast.
Her fatherās words.
Marriage.
Duty.
Perpetua standing perfectly still by that pillar while the world quietly shattered around both of them.
Her eyes burned suddenly and she looked away fast before Copia could notice too much.
āNothing,ā she whispered again, but this time it sounded tired. Hurt.
Copia frowned deeply now. He rested the wooden sword against his shoulder and stared at her for a moment before speaking again. āYeahā¦ no. Something definitely happened.ā
Silence.
Then quietlyācarefullyāhe added, āDid you and my brother fight?ā
That question hit harder than it should have.
Y/N laughed softlyābut it sounded broken. āNot exactly.ā
Copiaās stomach sank slightly hearing that. Because whatever this wasā¦ it sounded worse than a fight.
Y/N looked down at the sword in her hands, blinking rapidly as she tried keeping herself together. And all the while one thought kept repeating painfully in her head over and over againā
What if this is the beginning of losing him?
Copia watched her quietly for another moment before sighing softly. Then, without another word, he stepped closer and carefully took the wooden sword from her hands before she could protest.
āEnough training for today,ā he muttered. āYouāre somewhere else entirely, principessa.ā
Y/N didnāt even argue. That alone worried him more.
Copia rested the sword aside and gently guided her toward the low stone ledge nearby beneath the shade of the old tree at the edge of the yard. āSit,ā he said more softly this time.
She obeyed silently, lowering herself onto the stone while staring down at her hands.
Copia sat beside her, elbows resting on his knees as he studied her face carefully. Usually she was expressiveādramatic even. Angry, sarcastic, stubborn. But now she just lookedā¦ hurt. Quietly hurt.
And he hated it immediately.
āAlright,ā he sighed, turning slightly toward her. āTell me what happened.ā
Y/N shook her head faintly. āIt doesnāt matter.ā
āBullshit.ā
She blinked slightly at the bluntness.
Copia softened his tone a little, nudging her shoulder gently with his own. āDid my stupid brother say something? Hmm? Did that idiota finally lose the tiny amount of sense he has?ā
Despite herself, Y/N let out the faintest breath of laughter through her sadness.
āThere,ā Copia pointed dramatically. āSee? I made you laugh. Iām clearly the superior brother.ā
But the smile vanished from her face almost immediately again.
Copia noticed. Of course he noticed.
His expression slowly grew more serious. āHey,ā he said quietly now. āLook at me.ā
Reluctantly, Y/N lifted her eyes toward him. And the moment Copia saw the tears she was still trying desperately to hold back, his entire demeanor changed.
āOhā¦ā he murmured softly. āMadonnaā¦ā
He leaned back slightly, frowning now. āOkay no, this is serious serious.ā
Y/N looked away again quickly, blinking hard. āMy fatherā¦ā she started quietly before stopping herself. Her throat tightened painfully.
Copia waited patiently.
Finally she whispered, āHe talked about marriage this morning.ā
Silence.
Then slowlyāvery slowlyāCopiaās teasing expression disappeared completely.
āā¦Ah.ā
Y/N nodded faintly, her fingers twisting together in her lap. āHe said discussions will start soon. Princes. Noble families. Alliances.ā Her voice cracked slightly on the last word. āAnd all I could think about wasā¦ā
Perpetua.
She didnāt even have to say his name aloud. Copia understood instantly.
His shoulders dropped heavily as realization settled over him fully now.
āOh, principessaā¦ā he said quietly.
Y/N finally broke then, not loudly, not dramaticallyājust silently. Tears slipping down her cheeks while she stared at the ground. āI just got him,ā she whispered painfully. āAfter all this timeā¦ I finally got him, Copia.ā
And hearing that hurt him too. Because suddenly so many things made sense. The looks between them lately. Perpetua disappearing. Y/N glowing one day and devastated the next.
Dio mio.
Copia dragged a hand slowly down his face before exhaling deeply. āIf my brother is suffering through this too,ā he muttered darkly, āheās probably somewhere brooding so hard the walls are shaking.ā
A weak laugh escaped her again through tears.
Copia looked at her softly now, far gentler than usual. āDid you two fight?ā
Y/N shook her head slowly. āNoā¦ thatās the worst part. We didnāt.ā Her voice trembled again. āHe justā¦ he thinks realistically. And I hate it.ā
Copia sighed quietly. āYes well, Perpetua has the emotional range of a haunted knight in a tragic poem.ā
That actually made her smile faintly.
But only faintly.
Because the ache inside her chest still remained.
āWhat if this ruins everything?ā she whispered after a moment. āWhat ifā¦ this is how we lose each other?ā
Copia looked at her for a long moment then leaned back slightly against the stone, his expression thoughtful now instead of teasing.
āNo,ā he said finally, quietly but firmly. āYou two survived years of pretending not to love each other. I donāt think this is what destroys you.ā
Y/N shook her head immediately, tears slipping faster now as she wiped at them in frustration. āYes it is,ā she whispered brokenly. āThis is what destroys us.ā
Copia frowned deeply but stayed quiet, letting her continue.
āIāll marry someone else one day,ā she said, her voice trembling more with every word. āSome prince. Some nobleman I donāt even know. And Perpetuaā¦ā Her breath caught painfully. āPerpetua will have to stand there and watch it happen.ā
The image alone made her chest ache so violently she pressed a hand against it.
āHeāll have to watch me stand beside another man. Watch someone else touch me, hold me, call me his wifeā¦ā Her voice cracked completely then. āAnd Iāll have to pretend Iām happy while all I want is him.ā
Copiaās expression slowly fell apart the more she spoke.
āAnd the worst part?ā she laughed softly through tears, though it sounded miserable. āIāll have no choice. Iāll have to force myself to be with someone I donāt love for the rest of my life because thatās whatās expected of me.ā She shook her head bitterly. āHow is that fair? How is any of this fair?ā
Silence settled heavily around them.
Even Copiaāwho always had a joke, always had something clever or comforting to sayādidnāt immediately know how to answer. Because suddenly this wasnāt just secret kisses and longing looks anymore. This was reality. Cruel, unavoidable reality.
Y/N stared down at her trembling hands, her voice quieter now, exhausted from hurting. āAnd he already knows it too,ā she whispered. āThatās why he pulled away this morning. Thatās why he kept talking about duty and reality and what he is.ā
A tiny laugh escaped her despite everything, but it disappeared quickly again.
āHe thinks loving me is wrong,ā she said softly. āLike heās already preparing himself to lose me before it even happens.ā
Copia leaned back against the stone slowly, exhaling through his nose. āNo,ā he said quietly after a moment. āPerpetua thinks wanting you is dangerous. Thereās a difference.ā
Y/N closed her eyes briefly, fresh tears falling. āI donāt care about dangerous anymore.ā
And that was the truth that terrified her most.
Because she had spent her whole life understanding duty, rules, expectationsāunderstanding exactly who she was supposed to become. But now every single part of her wanted something selfish for once. Something impossible.
She wanted him.
Only him.
And the thought of losing thatālosing himāfelt unbearable now that she finally knew what it was like to be loved by him openly, freely, completely.
Copia watched her carefully, his usual playful energy gone entirely now. Then quietly, softer than usual, he asked, āDid you tell him all this?ā
Y/N shook her head faintly. āNo.ā
āWhy not?ā
Her lips trembled slightly. āBecause if I say it out loudā¦ā she whispered painfully, āthen it becomes real.ā
And somehow that sentence hurt more than all the tears combined.
Copia looked at her quietly for a long moment after that, his expression softer than she had ever seen it before. Usually there was always some joke behind his eyes, some teasing remark waiting on his tongueābut not now. Now he just lookedā¦ sad for her. Sad for both of them.
He leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on his knees as he stared out across the training yard. āYou know,ā he said quietly after a while, āwhen we were younger, I used to think my brother was cursed or something.ā
Y/N blinked faintly, caught off guard by the sudden comment.
Copia huffed softly through his nose. āNo really. He barely smiled. Barely slept. Barely lived outside of duty. Everything was rules and discipline and protecting everyone else before himself.ā He shook his head slightly.
āThen you came into a room and suddenly the man remembered he was human.ā
Y/Nās chest tightened painfully hearing that.
Copia glanced sideways at her. āYou should see the way he looks at you when youāre not paying attention, principessa. Dio mio.ā He let out a quiet laugh. āItās honestly embarrassing.ā
A watery smile pulled weakly at her lips before fading again.
āBut thatās why this is killing him too,ā Copia continued more seriously. āPerpetua loves like a man preparing for war. Completely. Desperately. And once he gives his heart awayā¦ā He exhaled quietly.
āThatās it. Thereās no taking it back.ā
Y/N looked down quickly as fresh tears gathered again. Because she knew that already. She had felt it every time he touched her gently like she was something precious. Every time he looked at her like he wanted to memorize her existence.
Every time he pulled himself back because he thought wanting her too much would ruin her life.
āI hate this,ā she whispered again, exhausted by the ache living inside her chest now. āI hate that loving him suddenly feels like something tragic.ā
Copia frowned faintly at that. āNo,ā he said quietly. āLoving him isnāt tragic.ā
She looked at him.
āThe tragic part,ā he continued softly, āis that the world around you might not allow it.ā
That silence returned again after that. Heavy. Painful. Honest.
Y/N leaned back slightly against the stone, staring blankly ahead while trying to steady her breathing. But her mind wouldnāt stop. Images kept replaying endlesslyāPerpetua holding her in the tower, kissing her forehead softly that morning, the way his face looked when her father mentioned marriage.
That expression haunted her most.
Not anger. Not jealousy.
Resignation.
Like part of him had already accepted losing her someday.
And that hurt more than if he had shouted.
āI donāt want him to give up on us,ā she admitted quietly after a while, her voice small now. Vulnerable. āBut Iām scared he already is.ā
Copia immediately shook his head. āNo.ā
She looked uncertain.
āMy brother would walk through hell itself for you,ā he said firmly. āThe problem isā¦ he also believes he should suffer quietly while doing it.ā
That sounded exactly like Perpetua.
Y/N closed her eyes briefly, another tear escaping despite her efforts. āI donāt know how to fix this.ā
Copia was quiet for a second before muttering dryly, āHonestly? Neither do I. Usually my solutions involve wine, bad decisions, or mild violence.ā
That finally pulled a real laugh from her, small and shaky though it was.
Copia smiled faintly seeing it. Then more softly he added, āBut one thing I do knowā¦ā
Y/N looked at him again.
āYou two love each other too much to end this without a fight.ā
And somehowā¦
That hurt.
But comforted her at the same time.
Y/N stared at him quietly after that, her eyes still glassy from tears, her chest aching a little less now only because someone finally understood. Maybe not completelyānot fullyābut enough. Enough to make her feel less alone in all of this.
And suddenly, before she could even think too much about it, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Copia tightly.
It caught him completely off guard.
āāOh,ā he breathed out, startled for a second before immediately relaxing into it. āWellā¦ this is new.ā
Y/N laughed softly against him through the remains of her tears, holding onto him tighter for another moment. āThank you,ā she whispered quietly. āReally.ā
Copiaās expression softened instantly. Slowly, gently, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and rested his chin lightly against the top of her head with surprising tenderness.
āAh, principessaā¦ā he murmured softly. āDonāt cry like this. Youāre making me emotional now too and I have a reputation to maintain.ā
That pulled another weak laugh from her.
Good.
He preferred hearing that far more than her crying.
They stayed like that quietly for a moment beneath the shade of the tree, the training yard around them unusually peaceful now. And for the first time since breakfast, Y/N felt like she could breathe again without her chest collapsing inward.
Copia pulled back slightly after a while, looking down at her carefully. āYou know,ā he said lightly, brushing a strand of hair away from her face dramatically, āif you ever break my brotherās heart, Iāll have to challenge you to a duel.ā
Y/N snorted softly. āIām the one heartbroken right now.ā
āTrue,ā he admitted with a sigh. āDio mio, you two are exhausting.ā
Another tiny smile appeared on her lips before fading again into something quieter. More thoughtful.
āā¦Do you think heās alright?ā she asked softly after a moment, unable to stop herself.
Copiaās expression shifted slightly at that. He leaned back again against the stone and exhaled slowly through his nose. āNo,ā he answered honestly. āAbsolutely not.ā
That hurt to hear even though she already knew it.
āHe probably looks calm,ā Copia continued. āThatās what Perpetua does. But inside?ā He shook his head slightly. āHeās likely destroying himself with thoughts right now.ā
Y/N lowered her gaze immediately. Because she knew him well enough to know Copia was right.
Perpetua would not scream or break things or shout about how unfair this all was.
No.
He would suffer quietly.
Alone.
And somehow that made her chest ache even more painfully than before.
Copia noticed the expression on her face and sighed softly again. āMadonnaā¦ you both really are in love.ā
Copia smirked a little seeing it. āAh there she is. The embarrassing blush returns.ā
āStop,ā she muttered weakly.
āNo.ā He grinned. āNever.ā
And for just a little while longer, sitting there beside him beneath the afternoon sun, the world didnāt feel quite as hopeless anymore.
Later, after sitting with Copia for a while longer, they returned to trainingābut only barely.
Y/N tried.
Truly tried. She swung the sword, blocked strikes, listened to instructions. But her thoughts kept drifting elsewhere.
Toward dark eyes and quiet suffering and the unbearable distance that had suddenly grown between her and the one person she wanted closest.
Eventually even Copia sighed dramatically and lowered his weapon. āAlright, enough,ā he declared. āAt this point Iām training with your body while your soul is somewhere crying in a tower.ā
Y/N rolled her eyes faintly, but he wasnāt wrong.
So training ended early.
And later that evening, the castle halls glowed softly with torchlight as Y/N walked through them quietly, searching. Her heartbeat quickened the deeper she went into the corridors because part of her feared she wouldnāt find him at all.
But then she saw him.
Perpetua.
Walking slowly through the hallway in full armor, posture straight, expression unreadable as he continued his usual patrol like nothing in the world had changed. Like his heart wasnāt breaking quietly inside his chest.
The sight of him hurt instantly.
Y/N stopped in front of him.
He looked at her immediately, something shifting in his eyes the second he realized she had been searching for him. āPrincessāā
āFollow me.ā
Her voice was quiet but firm.
Perpetua blinked slightly, surprised by the sharpness in it. But he obeyed instantly, falling into step behind her without another word.
Y/N didnāt look back once as she walked through the corridors toward her chambers, her breathing steady only because she was forcing it to be. Her emotions had been twisting inside her all day long, growing heavier and heavier until she felt like she would suffocate if she didnāt say something.
And this timeā
She would not let him retreat behind duty and silence again.
The moment they entered her chambers, she shut the door firmly behind them and immediately locked it. The sharp click echoed loudly in the room.
Perpetua turned toward her fully now, concern already visible in his expression. āY/Nāā
āNo.ā She spun around instantly, cutting him off before he could continue. Her chest rose unevenly as she pointed at him sharply.
āNo. You are going to listen to me now.ā
He froze.
āIām going to talk,ā she continued, her voice trembling slightly from emotion but growing firmer with every word.
āAnd you are not going to interrupt me. You are not going to cut me off, you are not going to tell me about duty or reality or what you think you are supposed to do.ā Her eyes burned again, tears threatening despite how hard she fought them.
āI talk. You listen.ā
Perpetua stared at her silently, clearly caught off guard by the intensity in her voice. But slowlyā¦ he nodded once.
Good.
Because Y/N was done pretending she could quietly survive this alone.
She took a shaky breath, her hands trembling slightly at her sides before finally speaking again, quieter this timeābut somehow even more painful.
āYou donāt get to decide for both of us that this is hopeless.ā
Y/Nās chest rose sharply as she tried gathering all the thoughts that had been tearing through her mind since breakfast, since the garden, since the moment she saw him look at her like he was already mourning something that hadnāt even ended yet.
āYou donāt get to do that,ā she repeated, her voice trembling harder now. āYou donāt get to decide this is impossible before weāve even tried to fight for it.ā
Perpetua opened his mouth instinctively.
She pointed at him immediately. āNo.ā
He stopped again. Jaw tightening.
Good.
Because if he interrupted her now she thought she might actually scream.
āI spent the entire day thinking,ā she continued quickly, words rushing out faster and faster now like she couldnāt stop them anymore. āThinking about everything. About us. About what my father said. About marriage and duty and kingdoms and all these stupid rules that suddenly feel like chains around my throat.ā
She laughed softly thenābut it sounded miserable. āAnd the whole time all I could think about was you.ā
Perpetuaās expression shifted painfully at that, but he stayed silent like she demanded.
āI kept imagining it,ā she whispered, her eyes shining now. āStanding beside someone else one day while youāre forced to watch. Pretending to smile while all I want is you. Letting someone touch me while Iā¦ā
Her voice cracked violently. āGods, Perpetua, I canāt even think about it without feeling sick.ā
His hands clenched slowly at his sides.
āBut what hurts most?ā she continued shakily. āIs that this morning it felt like you already accepted it. Like you already decided we lose. Like part of you was already pulling away from me because you think that somehow protects me.ā
She stepped closer then, anger and heartbreak mixing together in the tears threatening to fall again.
āI donāt want protection from this!ā she snapped. āI want you.ā
That hit him visibly.
Y/N shook her head hard, breathing uneven now. āDo you know how cruel this feels? To finally have you after all these years? To finally know what it feels like when you hold me, when you kiss me, when you look at me like Iām something preciousāand then suddenly be told none of it is supposed to exist?ā
Perpetuaās gaze dropped briefly, pain flashing openly across his face now.
āAnd I know what youāre thinking,ā she continued immediately, not letting him retreat into silence again. āI know you think youāre being realistic. I know you think youāre protecting me by preparing yourself for the worst. But do you have any idea what it feels like for me to watch you do that?ā
Her voice broke again.
āIt feels like youāre leaving me before Iāve even lost you.ā
Silence filled the room after that sentence. Thick. Crushing.
Y/N wiped angrily at the tears finally falling down her cheeks now, but they kept coming anyway. āIām scared too,ā she admitted more quietly now. āIām terrified. I donāt know whatās going to happen either. I donāt know if my father will force this. I donāt know if we can stop it. I donāt know anything anymore.ā
She looked at him thenāreally looked at himāand her expression softened into pure heartbreak.
āBut I know one thing.ā
Perpetua finally lifted his eyes to hers fully.
āI love you.ā
The words hung between them like something fragile and devastating all at once.
āAnd maybe thatās selfish,ā she whispered shakily. āMaybe itās reckless and stupid and dangerous but I donāt care anymore because itās true.ā Her voice dropped smaller then, more vulnerable than before.
āI love you so much that the thought of losing you actually hurts.ā
Perpetua looked like he couldnāt breathe.
āAnd I know what you are,ā she continued softly through tears. āI know youāre a knight. I know Iām a princess. I know what the world expects from us.ā She shook her head weakly. āBut for once in my lifeā¦ I just wanted something for myself. Just one thing.ā
Him.
It was always him.
Y/Nās voice cracked one final time as she whispered, āSo pleaseā¦ stop acting like this means nothing just because itās difficult.ā
And godsā
That hurt him more than any blade ever could.
The room fell completely silent after her words.
Perpetua stood there unmoving, staring at her like she had just reached into his chest and exposed every single thing he had tried so desperately to bury. His breathing had gone uneven now too, though far quieter than hers, controlled only through sheer force of will.
Y/N could see it happening in real timeāthe war inside him. Duty against love. Fear against desire. The knight against the man.
And she was so tired of watching him destroy himself trying to choose the first.
Tears still burned in her eyes as she stared back at him, waiting. Waiting for something.
Anything.
But he remained silent too long.
And that hurt all over again.
Y/N let out a shaky breath, her voice quieter now but no less intense. āSay something.ā
Perpetuaās jaw tightened.
āNow,ā she whispered, stepping closer again. āAnd donāt you dare say something stupid.ā
That almost pulled the faintest broken breath of laughter from himābut it died immediately beneath the weight of everything else.
His eyes closed briefly.
When he finally spoke, his voice sounded rougher than she had ever heard it before. āYou think Iām pulling away because this means less to me than it does to you?ā
Y/N swallowed hard but said nothing.
Perpetua shook his head slowly, almost in disbelief. āY/Nā¦ this is destroying me.ā
The honesty in his voice hit her instantly.
He took a slow step forward now, finally abandoning the careful distance he had been trying to keep between them all day.
āDo you know what I thought when your father mentioned marriage?ā he asked quietly.
āNot politics. Not alliances.ā His voice lowered painfully. āI thought about another man touching you.ā
Y/Nās breath caught sharply.
Perpetua laughed softly thenābut there was nothing happy in it. āAnd I hated myself immediately for it because thatās not what Iām supposed to think.ā He dragged a hand down his face slowly.
āI stood there imagining you standing beside someone else while Iām forced to guard the room like nothing inside me is dying.ā
Y/Nās eyes filled again instantly.
āYou think Iām preparing to lose you because I want to?ā he continued, his voice tightening now with years of restrained emotion finally breaking loose. āIām preparing because if I let myself hope too muchā¦ā He stopped abruptly, jaw clenching hard.
āI wonāt survive it if youāre taken away from me.ā
The room felt smaller suddenly. Heavier.
Perpetua looked at her then with an expression so raw it almost hurt to witness. āYou asked me earlier why this is a problem.ā His voice softened dangerously. āBecause I love you enough to ruin myself over it.ā
Y/N stopped breathing for a second.
āAnd that terrifies me,ā he admitted quietly. āBecause Iām supposed to protect you from painānot become part of it.ā
A tear slipped down her cheek immediately.
Perpetua stepped closer again until barely any space remained between them. His eyes searched hers desperately now, all walls finally cracked open.
āBut if you think I could ever stop loving you just because this became difficultā¦ā He shook his head faintly. āThen you truly donāt understand what youāve done to me.ā
That broke something inside her completely.
Because for the first time since breakfastā
Since the fear started swallowing them wholeā
She could finally hear it clearly.
He was terrified too.
Not because he wanted to let her go.
But because he loved her so much he didnāt know how he would survive if he had to.
Y/N looked at him for barely a second after that confession, her chest rising unevenly, tears still clinging to her lashes as her heart pounded so violently she thought he must hear it too.
Then she whispered immediatelyādesperatelyā
āKiss me.ā
Perpetua broke instantly.
Like the last thread of restraint inside him finally snapped apart.
His hands came up fast, cupping her face tightly, almost possessively, and then his lips crashed against hers with so much force and emotion it stole the breath from both of them.
Y/N gasped softly into the kiss, gripping the front of his tunic immediately as he pulled her impossibly closer, like he needed proof she was still there. Still his.
The kiss was nothing careful this time. Nothing hesitant.
It was heartbreak and fear and longing and love poured into one desperate collision.
Perpetua kissed her like a man starving. Like a man trying to memorize her before the world could take her away from him.
And Y/N kissed him back just as fiercely.
A soft sound escaped her lips as his hand slid into her hair, tilting her head deeper into the kiss while both of them breathed hard against each other between desperate moments of air.
āDioā¦ā he whispered roughly against her mouth before kissing her again immediately, almost angry with how much he needed her.
Y/Nās fingers tangled tighter in his clothes as another shaky sound left her, overwhelmed by himāby the way he touched her, kissed her, held her like losing her was his greatest fear.
Because it was.
Perpetua pressed his forehead briefly against hers between kisses, both of them breathing hard now, their chests rising against each other rapidly. His eyes were dark, emotional, completely wrecked.
āYou drive me insane,ā he whispered hoarsely.
Y/N almost laughed through the tears still threatening in her eyes. āGood,ā she whispered back instantly before pulling him into another kiss herself this time.
Her fingers found the straps of his armor before the kiss had even fully broken. She worked blind, desperate, tugging at leather and buckles while his mouth stayed on hers, consuming, devouring.
A soft growl rumbled from his chest as her hands yanked at the pauldron, and he broke away just long enough to helpāshrugging the heavy plate off his shoulder, letting it clatter to the stone floor with a deafening crash.
Neither of them cared.
Y/Nās breath came in ragged gasps as she moved to the next buckle, the next strap, her nails scraping against the padded gambeson beneath. Perpetuaās hands found her hips, gripping hard, fingers digging into the fabric of her training trousers like he needed something to anchor himself.
She tugged the gorget free, then the vambrace, each piece falling away with a heavy metallic thud that echoed in the small chamber.
He stood there half-undone, chest heaving, eyes dark and wild as she worked.
When her hands finally found the last clasp of his breastplate and pulled it loose, he let out a shuddering exhaleānot from the weight lifting, but from the sight of her, so close, so determined, her lips swollen and glistening from his kisses.
Perpetua didn't wait. His hands dropped to her waist, then slid down, catching the hem of her shirt and pulling it up and over her head in one swift motion.
The cool air hit her skin, but before she could shiver, his palms were on her, hot and calloused, sliding up her sides, over her ribs, thumbs brushing the underside of her breasts. She arched into his touch, a sharp intake of breath escaping her lips.
His mouth found her throat immediatelyāhot, open-mouthed kisses trailing down her neck, teeth scraping lightly over her pulse point. A low moan rumbled from her chest, her head falling back as he sucked a mark into the curve where her shoulder met her neck.
His hands moved lower, fumbling with the ties of her trousers, and she helped him, pushing them down her hips along with her smallclothes, kicking them aside in a tangle of fabric.
Now she stood bare before him, save for the thin training tunic that had bunched around her wrists. He pulled that off too, leaving her completely naked, her skin flushed and glistening in the dim torchlight.
Perpetua groanedāa deep, guttural sound that vibrated through his chest. His eyes roamed over her, hungry, reverent.
He stepped closer, the rough fabric of his remaining padded tunic brushing against her nipples, making them pebble instantly. His hand slid down her stomach, fingers splaying over her hip, then lower, finding the slick heat between her thighs.
She was already wet. So wet.
His fingers tested her, sliding through her folds, circling her clit with deliberate pressure.
A strangled cry broke from her lips, her hips bucking into his touch.
He groaned against her mouth, kissing her againāmessy, desperate, all tongue and teeth and need.
Without breaking the kiss, he guided her backward until her thighs hit the edge of the cot. He broke away only to strip off the rest of his own clothingāyanking the gambeson over his head, kicking off his boots and trousers, revealing the hard, scarred length of his body.
His cock stood thick and rigid, pre-cum beading at the tip, and the sight of him made her stomach tighten with raw want.
He didn't give her time to think. He was on her, covering her body with his, pushing her back against the thin mattress.
His weight pressed her into the straw, the heat of him overwhelming as he settled between her legs. He positioned himself at her entrance, the head of his cock teasing her, sliding through her slick folds, making her whimper and arch beneath him.
āPleaseāā The word escaped her before she could stop it, a broken whisper.
He answered with a thrust.
The sound she made was rawāa high, breathless moan as he filled her completely. His hips pressed flush against hers, seating himself deep inside, and he paused, just for a moment, his forehead against hers, his breath ragged and hot against her skin.
Then he began to move.
Slow at first, but with a force behind each roll of his hips that had her gasping with every stroke. His name tumbled from her lips like a prayer, broken and desperate.
He grunted, the sound low and primal, his hand sliding under her back, pulling her closer, angling her hips so he could go deeper.
The rhythm built quickly. His thrusts grew harder, faster, the cot groaning beneath them. Her legs wrapped around his waist, heels digging into the small of his back, urging him on.
His mouth found her breast, sucking hard, tongue flicking over the peak before he bit down gently, then harder as her moans grew louder.
āYesāyesāfuckāā The words spilled from her between ragged breaths, her fingers clawing at his shoulders, his back, leaving red lines in their wake.
He was lost.
Utterly lost.
His hips pistoned into her, each stroke driving her higher, her inner walls clenching around him, pulling him deeper.
The room filled with the sounds of their joiningāwet, obscene, perfect. His grunts mixed with her moans, a symphony of pure, unfiltered need.
He shifted, one hand dropping to where their bodies met, pressing his thumb against her clit in tight circles. The added sensation sent a shockwave through her. Her back arched, a choked cry tearing from her throat as her orgasm crashed over her, sudden and violent.
Her body clamped down around him, pulsing, milking him.
Perpetua groaned through clenched teeth, his rhythm faltering as she came undone around him.
He buried his face in her neck, his hips stuttering, grinding deep as he spilled inside herāhot, thick pulses that seemed to go on and on.
His own guttural roar was muffled against her skin, his body shuddering above her as he emptied himself into her warmth.
For a long moment, neither of them moved. Only their harsh breathing and the rapid thundering of their hearts filled the space.
He stayed inside her, softening, his forehead pressed to hers, eyes closed. When he finally opened them, they were glassy, vulnerable, and full of something deeper than words could ever capture.
She lifted a trembling hand to his cheek, and he turned his head to press a kiss to her palm.
Taken by the sea and caught between two lives, Y/N finds something she never expected aboard a pirate ship-family, survival, and Keegan Russ.
Words: 5k.
Part 7
The first cannon blast split the air like thunder. The sound cracked so loud it felt like the sky itself had split open. BOOM.
The entire ship shuddered violently beneath Y/Nās feet. Her ears rang instantly. Smoke exploded across the water as the cannonball tore through the air. ThenāCRASH. Wood splintered along the side of The Resolute as the shot slammed into the hull. Men shouted.
āRETURN FIRE!ā Captain Eliasās voice cut through the chaos.
āStarboard cannonsāNOW!ā Another deafening BOOM erupted from their own ship as Hesh and the other gunners fired back. The recoil jolted the cannon backward violently.
Smoke swallowed half the deck. Y/Nās heart slammed wildly in her chest. She had never heard anything like it before. The air filled with gunpowder, screams, and shouting.
Cannons roared again and again. She stumbled backward as the ship rocked from another impact.
A cannonball smashed through part of the railing only a few feet away. Wood exploded outward.
āGET DOWN!ā Someone shouted.
Y/N barely reacted before the next blast hit. The ship lurched hard. Her balance vanished. She fell straight onto the deck.
The wooden planks slammed against her palms as she caught herself. Her ears still rang. Smoke drifted across the deck. Men ran past her carrying weapons. The sky above had disappeared behind thick gray cannon smoke.
Another explosion rocked the ship. Pieces of splintered wood rained down nearby. Y/N lifted her head, her eyes wide with shock.
The battle was chaos. Cannons fired from both ships. Men shouted orders. Gunshots cracked through the air. The enemy ship had closed the distance frighteningly fast. Then she saw it. Ropes. Dozens of them. Hooked from the enemy ship to The Resolute. Pirates from Rorkeās crew swung across the water. Boots crashed onto the deck as they landed. One after another. Dark coats. Curved blades. Pistols flashing in their hands.
āBOARDERS!ā Logan shouted.
The pirates rushed forward immediately.
Steel clashed.
Gunshots cracked. The battle turned brutal in seconds.
Y/Nās breath caught in her throat. She pushed herself up slightly from the floor, her heart racing wildly. Men were fighting everywhere now. Swords striking. Bodies colliding. The deck that had been calm only minutes ago was now a war zone.
She scrambled backward toward a stack of crates, trying to stay out of the fighting. Her hands trembled. Another pirate swung down from a rope and landed only a few feet away. He barely noticed her as he rushed forward to attack one of Eliasās crew.
Y/N pressed herself against the wood, trying to make herself smaller. Her eyes darted across the deck desperately. Through the smoke and chaos she spotted familiar figures. Hesh firing a pistol before tackling a pirate to the ground. Logan striking another enemy with the butt of his rifle. Ajax laughing wildly as he fought with two blades at once.
Merrick calmly cutting down an attacker near the helm. And thenā Keegan.
He moved through the chaos like a shadow.
Fast.
Controlled.
Every movement precise. One pirate lunged at himāKeegan stepped aside. The enemy stumbled forward. Keegan struck him hard in the ribs before knocking the weapon from his hand.
Another attacker rushed him. Keegan grabbed a fallen sword from the deck and blocked the strike with a sharp clang of steel. He kicked the man backward and disarmed him in one swift motion.
Y/N watched with wide eyes. Her heart still pounding.
The battle raged around them. Cannons still fired. Gunshots echoed. More pirates boarded the ship. And somewhere across the waterāCaptain Rorke stood on the enemy vessel, watching the chaos unfold. Like a man enjoying a hunt. The battle swallowed the ship whole.
Steel clashed against steel. Gunshots cracked through the air.
Cannons roared again somewhere behind her, shaking the deck so violently that Y/N had to grab the crate beside her to keep from falling again. Smoke rolled across the planks. The smell of gunpowder burned her nose. Men shouted. Screamed. Boots thundered past her as pirates fought all around. Y/N pressed herself harder against the stacked crates, trying to stay small, invisible.
Her heart hammered painfully in her chest. I shouldāve stayed below. Another pirate from Rorkeās ship crashed onto the deck nearby after swinging from a rope.
He shoved one of Eliasās crew members aside and charged into the fight. Y/N scrambled backward a little more. Her hands slipped slightly on the deck. Her breathing came fast and shallow.
She looked around desperately. The battle was everywhere. There was no safe corner.
No place to hide. Her eyes searched the chaos instinctivelyāLooking for a familiar face. But all she saw were fighting men.
Steel.
Blood. Smoke. ThenāA shadow fell over her. Y/N froze.
Slowlyā¦She looked up. One of Rorkeās pirates stood only a few feet away. Tall. Broad. His coat torn from the battle. A pistol hung from his belt. A wicked grin spread across his face as his eyes locked onto her.
āWell nowā¦ā His voice was rough, amused. āWhat do we have here?ā Y/Nās stomach dropped. Her breath caught in her throat. T
he pirate took a slow step closer. His eyes scanned her quickly.
Noticing her smaller frame. Her loose blouse. Her frightened expression. āā¦Youāre not one of Walkerās men.ā
Her body moved on instinct. Y/N gasped and scrambled to her feet. Her boots slipped slightly against the deck as she backed away from him.
āStay back!ā Her voice shook. But the pirate just chuckled.
āDonāt worry.ā He drew a knife slowly from his belt. āI wonāt hurt you.ā The way he said it made her blood run cold. Another step toward her.
Y/Nās back hit the railing. Nowhere else to go. Her heart slammed wildly against her ribs. She glanced around again desperately. Hesh was fighting on the other side of the deck.
Logan had disappeared into the smoke chasing another pirate. Ajax was locked in a brutal fight with two enemies near the mast. No one saw her. The pirate in front of her lifted the knife slightly.
āCaptain Rorke likes prisoners.ā Her mind panicked. Her lungs burned. Her thoughts scrambled wildly for anythingāanyoneāwho could help. And only one name came to her. The first name that burst from her lips.
āKEEGAN!ā
Her scream cut through the chaos of battle. Loud. Desperate. The pirate laughed.
āGo ahead and shout.ā He grabbed her arm suddenly.
āYouāre coming withāā The sentence never finished.
Because behind him a voice spoke.
Low. Cold. Dangerously calm.
āLet her go.ā The pirate stiffened. Slowly he turned and saw Keegan standing only a few steps away.
His expression had changed. Gone was the calm quiet pirate from earlier. Now his eyes were dark. Focused. Dangerous. The pirate holding Y/N scoffed.
āOr what?ā Keeganās hand tightened around the sword he held. His voice dropped lower.
āOr you lose the arm holding her.ā
The pirate hesitated.
Y/Nās heart pounded as she looked between them. The battle still raged around them. Cannons. Gunshots. Steel striking steel. But in that moment the space between Keegan and the pirate felt like the only thing in the world that existed.
And Keeganās gaze never once left the man holding her.
The pirateās grin faded the moment he saw Keegan.
Not fear. Not yet. But caution. The kind that comes when a predator realizes another predator just stepped into the fight. His grip on Y/N tightened. Hard. Before she could react he yanked her backward.
āāAh!ā Y/N gasped as her back slammed against his chest. His arm locked around her waist like iron.
The knife in his hand flashed upward. Cold steel pressed suddenly against her throat. Her breath caught instantly.
The blade rested just beneath her jaw. Sharp. Unforgiving. Y/N froze. Her entire body trembled. The pirate dragged her a step backward using her as a shield between himself and Keegan.
āWell nowā he muttered darkly.
āLooks like you care about this one.ā
Y/Nās hands instinctively grabbed his arm trying to pull it away from her neck. The blade pressed slightly closer.
āDonāt moveā the pirate hissed into her ear. Her heart slammed violently in her chest. Her breathing turned shaky and shallow.
She could feel the cold metal against her skin. One wrong movement and she knew exactly what would happen. Her eyes darted toward Keegan. He hadnāt moved. Not even an inch.
But something about him had changed. His entire body had gone still. Dangerously still. The sword in his hand lowered slightly. Not in surrender. In calculation. The pirate smirked when he noticed.
āYeahā¦ thatās what I thought.ā His grip tightened again.
Y/N whimpered softly as the knife shifted against her throat. Her hands trembled around his arm. Her eyes wide. Her chest rising quickly with panicked breaths.
āPleaseāā The word slipped out before she could stop it. The pirate chuckled. āYou hear that?ā He called toward Keegan.
āSheās scared.ā Keegan didnāt answer.
His eyes remained locked on the man. On the blade. On the exact position of Y/Nās neck. The pirate leaned closer behind her. His breath hot against her ear.
āDrop the sword.ā Silence stretched. Smoke drifted across the deck around them. The sounds of the larger battle still echoed nearby. Steel clashing. Gunshots cracking.
Men shouting.
But none of it seemed to reach the small circle around them. The pirate pressed the knife just a little tighter. A thin line of red appeared where the blade grazed her skin. Y/N gasped. Her whole body trembled harder.
āDrop itā the pirate repeated. Keeganās grip tightened slightly around his sword. His jaw clenched. Then slowly he let the blade fall. The sword hit the deck with a dull clatter. The pirate grinned widely.
āSmart man.ā Y/Nās chest rose and fell rapidly. Her hands still gripped the pirateās arm desperately. Her voice came out shaky.
āā¦Keeganā¦ā Her eyes met his again. Fear filled them. Real fear. Not anger. Not stubborn defiance. Just fear. The pirate began dragging her backward toward the edge of the ship. Toward the ropes still connected to Rorkeās vessel.
āCaptain Rorke will be very pleased with this one.ā He laughed quietly. āPretty little hostage.ā Y/N shook her head weakly.
āNoāā But the knife pressed tighter again. She stopped resisting instantly. Her breathing turned uneven. Her heart racing. Keegan hadnāt moved from where he stood. But his eyes had gone completely cold. And the pirate holding her didnāt realize yet that letting Keegan drop his sword didnāt mean the fight was over.
The pirateās arm tightened around Y/Nās waist. His grip was iron. The knife remained pressed cold against her throat.
āMove,ā he hissed.
He jerked her backward toward the edge of the deck. Y/N stumbled with each step he forced her to take. Her boots slipped slightly on the planks. Her heart pounded so violently she could barely think. All she could feel was the cold steel against her neck. Her breathing came in short, shaky gasps.
āPleaseāā
The pirate chuckled softly behind her. āQuiet.ā
The battle still raged around them. Men shouting. Steel striking steel. Gunfire cracking through the smoke. But no one noticed them slipping toward the side of the ship. The ropes connecting the two vessels swayed dangerously between the decks. Enemy pirates still crossed over them to board The Resolute.
One of them glanced toward the man dragging Y/N. āTaking a prize?ā
The pirate behind her grinned. āCaptain Rorke likes gifts.ā
Y/N shook her head weakly. āNoā¦ā
The man shoved her forward again. āKeep moving.ā
Her legs trembled as they reached the edge of the ship. The ocean churned violently below. Dark water crashing against the hull. The rope connecting the ships swung slightly with the waves.
The pirate stepped onto it carefully. Still holding her tightly. āCareful now,ā he muttered.
Y/Nās breath hitched. Her eyes widened as she looked down. The rope stretched over open water between the ships. Her stomach twisted in fear.
āI canātāā
āYou can,ā the pirate snapped. He pushed her forward. Her foot stepped onto the plank. It creaked immediately. Y/N gasped. Her balance nearly vanished. The pirateās arm tightened around her again to keep her steady. But the knife never left her throat.
āMove.ā
Her legs shook as she stepped again. The plank dipped under their weight. The ocean roared beneath them. Every step felt like she might fall. Her fingers instinctively grabbed the pirateās arm again, not to fight but just to stay upright.
Behind them on the deck of The Resolute, Keegan watched. His expression hadnāt changed. Still cold. Still calculating. But his eyes followed every movement. Every step. The pirate dragging her halfway across the plank. The distance between the ships slowly growing.
Logan suddenly shouted from across the deck. āHEY!ā But he was too far. Still fighting another pirate. Hesh turned as well. āDamn it!ā
Y/Nās breath trembled as they reached the other side. Her boots finally stepped onto the enemy shipās deck. He dragged her forward roughly again. The knife still at her throat.
āCaptain!ā one of the enemy pirates shouted. āWeāve got a hostage!ā
Y/Nās eyes lifted slowly. And there, standing near the center of the enemy deck, was the man she had seen earlier. Captain Rorke. He watched them approach. Completely calm. Completely still. His dark eyes studied her slowly. Then drifted toward the pirate holding her. And finally toward the ship they had just come from. Toward Keegan. A faint smile touched Rorkeās lips. Cold. Interested.
āWellā¦ā His voice was smooth. Almost amused. āNow thatā¦ā His gaze returned to Y/N. āā¦is unexpected.ā
The deck of Rorkeās ship felt wrong. Everything about it did. The wood beneath Y/Nās boots was darker, worn deeper by years of rough battles. The air smelled thickerāgunpowder, salt, and something metallic that made her stomach twist. Men surrounded her.
Not like Eliasās crew. These pirates didnāt laugh. They didnāt joke. They watched. Cold. Hungry. Predatory.
The pirate who had dragged her across the rope finally shoved her forward. She stumbled a step. The knife left her throat. For one secondāone single secondāshe was free.
Y/Nās body reacted before her mind could think. She ran. Her boots hit the deck hard as she turned toward the ropes connecting the ships. Toward The Resolute. Toward the only place that felt even slightly safe now. But she barely made two steps. A brutal jerk yanked her backward.
āāAH!ā Pain exploded across her scalp. The pirate had grabbed her hair. His fist tangled deep in her curls as he pulled her violently back. Y/N screamed. Her body snapped backward with the force. She clawed at his hand instinctively. āLet go!ā
The pirate laughed harshly. āYouāre not going anywhere.ā He dragged her back toward the center of the deck by her hair. Her eyes filled with tears from the pain. Her chest heaved as panic flooded her again. She twisted desperately, trying to pull free. But his grip only tightened.
Her gaze flew across the water toward the other ship. Toward The Resolute. Toward the people she had been trying to escape only hours ago. Her voice cracked as she screamed across the distance.
āHELP!ā Her voice trembled. āLOGAN!ā Her chest burned with fear.
āKEEGAN!ā
Her fingers still clawed at the pirateās wrist. The enemy crew laughed around her. One of them smirked.
āSheās loud.ā The pirate holding her yanked her head back slightly.
āQuiet.ā But Y/N didnāt stop. Her voice broke with desperation as she looked across the narrow gap between the ships. Her eyes searched frantically through the smoke and fighting. She could see them.
The crew of The Resolute. Logan fighting near the mast. Hesh firing a pistol at another enemy.
Ajax pushing two pirates away from the railing. And Keeganāstanding near the edge of the deck. Watching. Her voice shook as she cried out again. āPLEASEā
The pirate behind her twisted her hair harder. She gasped painfully. "Shut up!"
But her eyes never left the other ship. Never left them.
Because nowā¦ For the first time since being kidnappedā¦ She didnāt want to run away from them anymore. She wanted them to come get her. And across the waterā Keegan was already moving. Straight toward the boarding plank connecting the ships. His movements calm.
Purposeful. Deadly. But before he could reach itā A strong hand grabbed his arm. "
What are you doing?!"
Keegan stopped. Captain Elias stood behind him. His face was hard. His eyes sharp with the awareness of the battlefield around them. The captainās voice lowered, but the tension inside it was unmistakable.
"You take one step onto that ship and youāre walking straight into Rorkeās trap." Keegan didnāt look at him.
His gaze remained fixed across the water. On Y/N. The pirate still holding her. The knife still near her throat.
"Sheās ours," Keegan said quietly. Eliasās grip tightened slightly.
"This is a battle."
"And sheās on his ship." Logan shouted nearby as he shoved another pirate back.
"Dad! More coming over the ropes!" Hesh fired another pistol shot.
"Little busy over here!" But Elias didnāt take his eyes off Keegan. "You cross that plank now," the captain said firmly,
"and youāll be surrounded before your boots hit their deck." Keegan finally looked at him. His expression was colder than the ocean wind.
"Then Iāll move faster." Elias exhaled slowly.
"Youāre not thinking." Keegan glanced back toward the enemy ship. Where Y/N was still struggling against the pirateās grip. Her voice cracked again as she called across the water.
"HELP!" The sound carried clearly over the waves. Logan turned at the shout. His eyes widened when he saw her.
"āY/N?!" Hesh followed his gaze. "Ah hell." Across the waterā Rorke watched everything. His hands clasped loosely behind his back.
His dark eyes studying the scene unfolding between the ships. Watching Keegan. Watching Elias. Watching the girl being held on his deck. A faint smile touched his lips again. Like a man watching a chess game reach its interesting moment. Back on The Resoluteā Keegan stepped forward again. Elias moved slightly into his path.
"You go over there," the captain said quietly, "and you might not come back." Keegan didnāt hesitate.
"She definitely wonāt." The words hung in the air between them. Elias studied him for a moment. Really looked at him.
Then slowlyā¦ He released his arm. The captain stepped aside. But his voice followed him.
"Bring her back." Keegan didnāt answer. He was already moving. Straight for the boarding plank. And across the waterā Rorkeās smile widened slightly. Because the game had just begun.
The plank stretched between the two ships. Salt spray burst upward as the hulls slammed against the waves beneath them. Keegan didnāt slow down.
He stepped onto it without hesitation. The ocean roared below. The plank creaked under his weight. Behind himā Logan swore loudly.
"Keegan, youāre insane!" Hesh reloaded his pistol with a sharp click.
"Wellā¦ heās definitely committed now."
Captain Elias remained near the railing, watching closely. His voice carried sharply over the battle.
"Cover him!" Gunshots cracked across the deck as Eliasās crew fired toward the enemy ship. Bullets struck the railing of Rorkeās vessel. Enemy pirates ducked and shouted. The plank swayed again as Keegan moved across it with terrifying speed.
Balanced. Precise.
The chaos around him didnāt seem to exist. His eyes stayed locked on one thing. Y/N. Y/N struggled against the pirate holding her. Her fingers clawed at his wrist tangled in her hair.
"Let go!" The pirate laughed harshly and yanked her head back again. Pain shot across her scalp. She gasped.
"Stop fighting," he growled. But she kept twisting. Her eyes were locked on the plank between the ships. On the figure crossing it.
Her heart jumped when she realized who it was.
"ā¦Keegan." Fear twisted with something else in her chest. Something dangerously close to hope. The pirate holding her noticed. He followed her gaze across the water. And saw him. The man running across the plank. His grin disappeared instantly.
"Well, well." He tightened his grip on Y/N again. "Looks like someone cares about you." Y/N shook her head desperately.
"Donātā" But the pirate jerked her backward again. The knife returned to her throat. Cold. Sharp. Her body froze instantly.
"Take one more step," the pirate shouted toward Keegan across the water,
"and she dies!" The words cut through the battle like thunder.
Even Rorke turned his head slightly to watch.
Curious. Interested.
Keegan stopped halfway across the plank. The ocean roared beneath him. Wind whipped through his dark hair. His eyes lifted slowly toward the pirate holding her. Toward the blade resting against her throat.
Toward the way she trembled in his grip. The pirate smirked.
"Thatās better." Y/Nās breathing was uneven now. Her chest rising quickly. Her voice barely a whisper. "
ā¦Donāt stop." The pirateās grip tightened again.
"Quiet." Across the plankā Keegan stepped forward again. Slowly. Deliberately. The pirateās eyes widened slightly. "Did you not hear me?" Another step. Closer now. Close enough that Keegan could see the thin red line on Y/Nās neck where the blade touched. Close enough to see the fear in her eyes.
The pirate snarled. "Stop!" Keegan spoke calmly.
"Let her go."
The pirate laughed. "Youāre in no position toā"
The sentence ended abruptly.
Because a pistol shot cracked across the water.
BANG.
The pirate jerked violently. The knife fell from his hand. His grip on Y/Nās hair loosened instantly as he collapsed to the deck.
Y/N gasped as the sudden release sent her stumbling forward. She dropped to her knees, clutching her head.
Across the deckā
Hesh lowered his smoking pistol. "Got him."
Logan grinned beside him. "Nice shot."
Back on Rorkeās shipā
The moment the pirate fellā
Keegan moved. He crossed the final steps of the boarding plank in seconds and landed on the enemy deck. Boots hitting wood hard.
Y/N looked up just as he reached her. Her eyes wide. Her breathing still shaking.
Keegan crouched quickly beside her. "Can you stand?"
She nodded weakly. "IāI think so."
His hand grabbed her arm firmly and pulled her to her feet.
But around themā
Rorkeās pirates were already closing in.
And at the center of the deckā
Captain Rorke watched the entire moment unfold. His faint smile never fading. Because nowā¦ The real fight was about to begin.
The moment Keegan pulled Y/N to her feetā
The enemy crew moved. Boots thundered across the deck of Rorkeās ship. Pirates surrounded them fast. Steel flashed in the smoky air as blades were drawn.
One of the men snarled. "Kill him!"
Y/Nās heart slammed against her ribs. She barely had time to steady herself before the first pirate lunged.
Keegan pushed her back behind him instantly. "Stay behind me." His voice was low. Firm. There was no hesitation in it.
Y/N stumbled a step backward, her back hitting the mast behind her. Her hands grabbed the rough wood instinctively. Her breathing came fast. Her eyes wide with fear.
In front of herā
Keegan stood between her and the attackers.
Two pirates rushed him at once. One swung a curved blade toward his shoulder. The other came low, aiming for his ribs.
Keegan moved fast. Faster than she could follow. He grabbed the first pirateās wrist mid-swing. Twisted. The blade spun from the manās hand and clattered across the deck. The second pirate lungedā
Keegan drove his elbow straight into the manās jaw. The crack of bone echoed sharply. The pirate dropped instantly.
Another attacker came from the side. Steel clashed loudly as Keegan caught the strike with the sword he had grabbed from the fallen pirate earlier. The force of the blow rang through the metal.
Y/N flinched behind him. Her fingers clutched the mast tighter.
More pirates circled them. Three. Four. Five.
Her chest tightened. "Keeganā"
Her voice trembled. He didnāt look back. But he shifted slightly. Positioning himself so his body blocked her completely from the attackers.
The next pirate rushed him with a shout. Keegan sidestepped. His blade moved onceāquick. Precise. The pirate collapsed.
Another lunged. Keegan kicked him backward into two others. They crashed against the railing.
Y/Nās breathing grew faster. Her eyes darted around the deck. More of Rorkeās men were approaching. Too many.
She pressed herself tighter against the mast. Her voice barely a whisper now. "ā¦Thereās too many."
Keegan heard her. His reply came calmly. "I know."
Another pirate rushed forward. Keegan struck him across the chest with the hilt of his sword. The man dropped. But two more replaced him instantly.
Steel flashed again. The fight was relentless. Keegan moved constantly. Blocking. Striking. Pushing them back. But never stepping away from her. Never leaving the space between her and danger.
Y/Nās heart pounded as she watched him fight. Every time a pirate got too closeāKeegan forced them back. Every step he took kept her shielded. Her fingers trembled against the mast. "ā¦Why did you come?" The words slipped out quietly. Half disbelief. Half fear.
Keegan knocked another pirate aside before answering. "Because you called."
Another enemy rushed him. Their blades clashed hard. Sparks flew from the impact.
Behind themā
Captain Rorke watched the entire fight with calm interest. His dark eyes narrowed slightly as Keegan held off the attackers. Still protecting the girl behind him. Still refusing to fall. A faint smirk touched Rorkeās lips. "Interesting," he murmured.
Because this wasnāt just a rescue anymore. This was becoming something far more entertaining.
And on the deckā
Y/N stood trembling behind Keegan. While he fought like a wall between her and the entire enemy crew.
The battle roared around them. Steel clashed. Gunshots cracked through the smoky air. The deck beneath Y/Nās feet trembled with every cannon blast fired between the ships.
Suddenly a horn sounded from Rorkeās shipāloud, sharp, commanding. The pirates surrounding Keegan hesitated. Then one shouted, āFall back!ā Another voice echoed, āBack to our ship!ā The attackers retreated, rushing toward the ropes connecting the vessels, swinging back, jumping across, climbing quickly. The fighting thinned rapidly.
But that made things worse. Now Keegan and Y/N stood alone on the enemy deck, surrounded. Dozens of Rorkeās pirates gathered, blocking every path, every escape, every rope. Y/Nās heart dropped. Her breathing turned shallow. āKeegan,ā she whispered.
The circle tightened. Steel glinted. One pirate laughed, āNowhere left to run.ā Captain Rorke stepped forward, coat moving in the wind, dark eyes studying them with interest. āWell,ā he said calmly. āThat was brave. But not very smart.ā
Keeganās eyes flicked around the deck, calculating. Then he turned to Y/N, voice sharp. āJump.ā
She blinked. āWhat?ā
He grabbed her arm. āJump.ā
Her eyes widened. She turned toward the railing, toward the churning ocean belowādark, deep, endless. āWhat?ā she repeated. āI canāt!ā
Keeganās grip tightened. āJump.ā
Her heart pounded. āI canāt swim!ā
The pirates moved closer. One smirked, āYouāre not going anywhere.ā Keegan stayed focused on her. His voice rose. āJump!ā
Her chest heaved. āI canāt swim!ā He stepped closer, grabbing her firmly. āTrust me.ā Her eyes searched his faceāfear, uncertainty. The ocean roared below. The pirates rushed forward.
Before she could protest again, Keegan shoved her. Y/N screamed as her body tipped backward over the railing. Cold air rushed past. āKEEGANā!ā Then SPLASH. The ocean swallowed her whole. Freezing water slammed into her body. Her breath vanished. The shock stole the air from her lungs. The water dragged her downward. Her arms flailed. Her chest burned. Panic exploded inside her.
Another splash hit beside her. Keegan surfaced immediately. The waves tossed them violently between the ships. He grabbed her, one arm locking around her waist. āGot you.ā Y/N gasped desperately for air, fingers clutching his shirt. āIām going to drown!ā
āYouāre not.ā The ships loomed above. Cannons still fired. Pirates shouted. But down in the water the battle sounded distant, muted. Keegan held her firmly as the waves rolled over them. āHold onto me.ā Her arms wrapped around him instantly, terrified, shaking, clinging. And together they disappeared into the chaos of the sea beneath the battling ships.
The ocean was freezing. So cold it burned. The moment Y/N hit the water, the shock had ripped the air from her lungs. Even now her body trembled violently as the waves lifted and dropped them between the towering hulls of the ships.
The battle above them still raged. Cannons thundered. Gunshots cracked. Men shouted. But underwater it sounded distantā¦ muffledā¦ like the world had moved far away.
Y/N clung to Keegan with desperate strength. Her arms wrapped tightly around his shoulders. Her fingers dug into the fabric of his shirt as if letting go would mean sinking forever.
āIāI canātāā Her breath came in panicked gasps between sobs. āI canāt swim!ā
āI know.ā Keeganās voice was steady despite the crashing waves. One arm stayed firmly around her waist while the other cut through the water, pulling them forward. He kept her close, her body pressed tight against his chest as he swam with powerful strokes, holding her securely above the surface.
Each movement pushed them farther from Rorkeās ship. Farther toward The Resolute.
A wave crashed over them suddenly. Cold water splashed across Y/Nās face. She gasped and coughed violently. Her grip tightened even more.
āIām scared!ā she cried, her voice breaking completely. Her whole body shook against him. āIām really scared!ā
The fear she had been holding in since the battle began finally burst out. She buried her face against his shoulder as another wave rolled beneath them.
Keegan adjusted his grip on her slightly, holding her higher so her head stayed above the water. āYouāre alright.ā His voice stayed calm. Controlled. Even as the sea tossed them around. āIāve got you.ā
But Y/N could barely hear the reassurance through her panic. Her breathing was uneven. Her chest hurt from the cold and the fear and the constant swallowing of seawater.
āWhat if I sinkāā āYou wonāt.ā āI canāt feel my legs!ā āThatās the cold.ā Her fingers clutched tighter. āIām going to die.ā āYouāre not.ā
Another wave lifted them suddenly before dropping them again. Y/N whimpered quietly. Her tears mixed with the salt water on her face. āI donāt want to die hereā¦ā The words came out soft. Broken.
Keegan didnāt answer immediately. He kept swimming, strong strokes through the water, pulling them steadily closer to their ship while keeping her body tight against him. The massive hull of The Resolute was already growing larger beside them. Ropes hung down from the side. Crew members leaned over the railing above.
Loganās voice shouted down. āKEEGAN!ā Hesh appeared beside him. āOver here!ā A rope splashed into the water nearby. āGrab it!ā
Keegan shifted slightly in the water, still keeping one arm tight around Y/N. āHold on to me.ā āI already am!ā Her voice trembled again.
Keegan reached for the rope with his free hand. Grabbing it firmly. āAlright.ā He wrapped the rope around his arm once for stability. Then looked down at her. Her eyes were wide. Her face pale. Her hair soaked and clinging to her cheeks. Tears still mixed with the seawater. She looked absolutely terrified. But still clinging to him. Still trusting him to keep her above the surface.
āWeāre almost there,ā he said quietly. Her fingers tightened slightly against his shirt. āā¦Donāt let go.ā Keegan gave a small nod. āI wonāt.ā
And above themā Logan and Hesh began hauling the rope upward. Pulling them slowly out of the freezing ocean and back toward the safety of their ship.
Mommys home!
Let me know if youĀ“d like to be added to my Keegy taglist!
Hi guys, I'm sorry that I haven't been uploading new parts to my fanfics.
I recently moved into a new apartment, so I've been busy cleaning, decorating, and unpacking. And then yesterday, our cat got out of the apartment, and this little diva refuses to come back. š¤
Soooo, I hope I'll be able to upload new parts soon!
The mall was busyātoo bright, too loudābut John Price handled it like he handled everything else: steady, unbothered, and carrying far more than he probably should.
In this case, that meant bags.
A ridiculous number of bags.
Shopping bags looped around both his hands, wrists, even hooked over his forearms. Branded paper, crinkling plasticāhe looked like a one-man supply convoy. His shoulders were relaxed, though, like it weighed nothing.
You walked just ahead of him, pretending not to notice.
Pretendingā¦ until you slipped your phone out.
The camera turned on. Recording.
You angled it casually, catching him in the frameābig, bearded, mildly grumpy, completely loaded down.
Then you spoke, soft and dramatic.
āI canāt believe youāre not holding my hand,ā you sighed.
Price didnāt react at first. He just kept walking, boots heavy against the polished floor.
You pushed a little further, voice teasing now.
āDonāt you want to hold hands anymore?ā
That made him stop.
Slowly.
He turned his head toward you, blue eyes narrowing just a touchānot annoyed, more likeā¦ calculating. Like heād just realized something.
āā¦You serious right now?ā he muttered.
You bit back a smile, still filming. āVery.ā
He looked down at his hands.
Then at the bags.
Then back at you.
There was a pause.
A long one.
And thenāwithout a wordāhe shifted everything.
It was absurd to watch.
He hooked more bags up his arm, clenched others between his fingers. It took a second, but somehowāsomehowāhe freed exactly one hand.
Just one.
He stepped closer, that familiar presence instantly filling your space, and held it out.
āCome on then,ā he said, voice low and gruff. āDonāt say I never do anything for you.ā
You blinked, caught off guard for half a second.
āJohnāyour hand is literally the only one free.ā
āExactly,ā he replied, deadpan. āUse it wisely.ā
You laughed, slipping your fingers into his.
His grip was warm. Firm. Steady.
He started walking again like nothing happened, bags rustling with every step, your hand secured in his like it belonged there.
You glanced at your phone, still recording, catching the moment.
āSee?ā you said softly, teasing again. āYou do want to hold hands.ā
