~Little Steps: The First One~
So....I promised fluff, but I didn't say anything about angst. I hope everyone enjoys this multi-part not so one-shot. I will say a minor spoiler warning for Live Action onlys will the reveal of a certain pirate.
Regardless enjoy!
Rating: Explicit (eventual sexual content etc)
Summary: Dalton X shorter!F!Reader, marriage is never easy, especially when one is married to the captain of the guard. In which your simple, but happy lives are turned upside down as the events of Drum Island unfold. It all started with your husband's confession one late night. Warnings: Fluff, angst and a not too happy chapter. No use of Y/N. Word Count: 2.3K A/N: Not my longest start but I did promise something for yall tonight!
Drum island was home, it had been since you took your first breath. You had seen more harsh winters than it was warranted. Yet, it made you all the tougher, like the hard bark of the pines you helped your father chop down in your youth. However, even the hardest of hearts can soften under the influence of love, catching the eye of one soft spoken captain of the guard. Courtship had been slow and gentle like the thawing of a river in spring, but all the same it moved in a natural progression. A first kiss, a gentle promise and eventually a quiet marriage ceremony.
However, Dalton's life wasn't simple as he come home to your cozy cabin in the woods looking more exhausted with each passing week. Until one day, he didn't come at all as you waited night after night. The sting of cuts from your bowstring that had been clutched in your hands since that ominous plume of smoke rose from Drum Castle. It was because of that foreboding castle and the tyrant that occupied it that Dalton had all but hidden you away in the depths of the woods. Your only company for days, the lone but aging hound that curled at the foot of your bed. Not that you minded, you preferred the solitude, besides you had him. The gentle warmth in his gaze when he crawled into bed after a long night.
Or at least you did.
It was the low growl of the hound that awoke you from sleep as your hands immediately scrambled for your bow and the singular arrow on your bedside table. The hair prickling on the back of the hound's neck made you swallow tightly. Waiting, waiting, patience, all lessons that years of tracking game had become akin to instinct as you backed against the rough hew wooden wall in the corner of the bed. The taunt string of the bow drawn back as the singular arrow screamed it's 'welcome' at the loud creak of the door.
The sharp crack of wood from the steel of the arrowhead sounded like bones snapping. It had met it's mark above the intruder's hand braced against the now open door. A low whine in the hound's voice turned the atmosphere from hostile to surprise as you hastily scrambled toward the door.
"Dalton!" Even your whisper sounded like a shout in the darkened cabin. Thick leather gloves caught your hands as you reached upward towards the man's concealed face. You couldn't make out any more detail except the gentle expression in his eyes.
"Easy." A soft command. Tired, he sounded so tired as you bit your lower lip, but allowed your hands to go limp in his grip. Quickly you held them together to resist to urge to investigate your now returned husband's face. But you couldn't stifle the harsh intake of breathe once that familiar scent of iron.
"Dalton.."
"Easy, easy, I'm fine."
The strain of emotion in your voice made you feel all the more childish against his gentle reassurance as a gloved hand lightly brushed against your cheek. Wiping away a singular tear that threatened to turn into a river as you pressed your face against the rough wool of his tunic, the low throb of his heartbeat against you. However, you noticed the jump in beats as he wordlessly picked you up into his arms, the iron gauntlets against the thick nightgown on your body a rough but welcome sensation. You were easily dwarfed by his larger frame, a source of annoyance at times, and other times, it was like an unspoken treasure only for you. The creak of the iron wrought frame of the bed made you jump slightly, as his embrace reflexively tightened around you.
"Are you hurt?"
"Dalton, please."
"What happened?"
The first question was met with silence as his lips pressed against your temple. The second had gently lowering you down onto the mattress, looming above you now as he wordlessly stroked your cheek. Reverently, like he would have never seen it again.
"I resigned."
"Dalton!" Now that fatigue in his voice made you jolt upward, as your knees accidentally collided with his frame, provoking a low groan from his lips. Your hands quickly pulled him closer to you, hands curling into the short black hair that reminded you of a bear's coat. Or perhaps an ox would have been more accurate. This time there was little resistance from Dalton as your fingers gently brushed over bruised skin, a swollen left eyelid and who knew what other mess of injuries waited under his tunic. The sharp taste of iron against your tongue when his mouth met yours for the first time since his return. A split lip? A cut inside his mouth? You wouldn't find out tonight, not with the way his hands had begun to pull at your nightgown. Sometimes it was better to let sleeping dogs lie. ~The Morning After~
"You look like shit." You muttered as you pressed a hot cloth against the dark purple bruise underneath Dalton's left eye. A low groan coming from him as you lightly pressed against his ribs, but at least his breathing wasn't any heavier. A few fractures at least as you wordlessly thanked whatever gods were listening that your husband had been so stupid to eat a Devil Fruit. A Zoan type, the psychological change seemed to allow Dalton to be..sturdier than most humans. Or perhaps it was a mere act.
"I know. At least, I think Wapol has had his fill of me. For now." Dalton rumbled as your eyes went wide with alarm. His right hand quickly grabbed your free one and squeezed it with a hint of a smile on his split lip. Wapol, the name send both a shiver of fear and anger down your spine as you pressed the wet cloth to his bruised face. It was why Dalton had insisted on building the cabin you both called home in a remote part of one of Drum's many wooded areas. The further away from 'civilization' the better as you both knew that Wapol's thirst for cruelty could only be sated for so long.
"Sleep." You whispered as your fingertips lightly grazed his face, pulling away the stern expression of a solider into one of an exhausted man. His lips pressed against your palm as a smile pulled at your face, the first one in a long while. It was all too easy for you to scoot into the bed next to him as his face buried into your chest, mere seconds later the low rumble of snore coming forth.
~One Week Later~
A dark plume of smoke floated upward in stark contrast with the deep blue of the afternoon sky. Soldiers or something worse? Your nails sank deeper into the thick log of firewood you had been carrying into the cabin as your eyes met Dalton's as he stood in the doorway. The sharp sting of smoke was soon followed by the distinct scent of wood burning. No, the town of Gyasta burning as the wood clattered to the snowy dirt beneath your feet.
"We need to move." Dalton muttered as you could feel your heart leap into your throat at the dull statement.
"Easy, it will be okay."
A reassurance that didn't quite stifle the thudding of your heart, swallowing tightly when Dalton's lips pressed against your forehead. There wasn't much to pack, but still each minute ticking by felt like a noose hanging about your throat. A simple leather bag around your back, a quiver of arrows and a bow would all that you could manage as you turned to face the cabin that had once been your home.
"Storm's coming."
"Does that favor us or?"
"It depends how fast we are."
There was a heavier crunch of snow as four hooves sank into the white powder, a large bovine head lightly nudging you as you scrambled up the creature's shaggy hide. Your hands tangling into thick fur as you slightly swayed back and forth riding side saddle, it was comforting in it's own way. The low noise of snow crunching all the louder in the quiet woods. At least, it was until a low snort came from Dalton, his bulk coming to stop as you worried looked around. The sharp crack of a gunshot broke through the treeline, sending you tumbling to the snow.
"Easy, easy" You hissed under your breath as your hands hastily grabbed Dalton's face, forcing dark eyes to look into yours. You didn't release your grip, holding onto the shaggy fur of his neck to prevent him from charging off. Not even when a sound akin to a growl rumbled deep in the bison's chest directed at the distinct sound of footsteps crunching in the snow.
Cruel laughter sent a chill down your spine, unfamiliar but cruel all the same. A faint whimper slipped from your lips as you stared up at the laughing man, with a beard thick and black as the smoke from earlier. Next to him stood the apparent gunman as a faint wisp of smoke drifted from the tip of the rife in his hands.
"A woman?" The rifleman's voice flat with disinterest.
"and her far more interesting pet. Look at the size of that creature. Who knows what other monsters are lurking on this island. Ah looks like it isn't merely a dull beast of burden, you can all but see the rage in his eyes."
Your nails sank deeper into the thick fur of Dalton's full form as his head swung about in agitation. Nose flaring in a direct challenge towards the strangers. The gleam of white horns catching in the air with a low whistling noise as another rumble came from his chest.
"Dalton, Dalton..easy.." You whispered fervently against his ear, knowing his sensitive ears would hear it.
" Perhaps she is a herbalist, Drum is known for it's medical knowledge, captain."
"Is it now? What good is that gonna do me? I seek treasure not some bitter plants and tears of some woods woman. As..charming as it may look on that face." The captain's words turned into a low leer as you were now acutely aware that all the fur and hides wouldn't be able to conceal you from his dark eyes. However, that didn't mean that Dalton's stocky bison form couldn't as he daringly planted himself between the captain's gaze and you. Provoking another bark of laughter from the captain and a smirk from the rifleman at the creature's protective stance.
"Treasure? The people of Drum have long since scrounged for any bit of coin and wealth since the accession of King Wapol. It's said the royal vaults of the castle gleam like fresh fallen snow, piles of gold and riches. You will only find bitter plants, angry beasts and frightened women down here." A hint of a tremble in your voice as you peered around the dark hide of Dalton's much to his displeasure with a snort.
"Down here? So, we must go up, and how would one accomplish that, little woman?" The rifleman quipped as the spectacles on his narrow face glinted in the afternoon sun.
"Gondola, there is a gondola that goes straight up to Drum Castle. The easiest way up, as long as you aren't afraid of heights. Just head north."
The captain grinned, revealing several missing teeth as he reached into his red coat pocket. A small den den mushi shivered in the colder temperature. Yet the cold would do little to stop the man from barking orders over the receiver. The message was answered with single low 'yes' followed by the final click of the call. A low gag slipped from your lips as a large hand seized your throat, the cold burn of metal against your skin as the grip tightened for a moment. The loud bellow of Dalton as his horns swung towards the captain's hand, the distinct sting of gunpowder as the rifleman fired a warning shot into the creature's shoulder.
"Dalton." You wheezed out as your hands frantically fought against the captain's grip, dropping to the snow in a coughing fit when he did release you. The harsh cold stung your lungs, but it was nothing to the hot splash of blood that you tried to halt as it dripped from Dalton's shoulder. Steam drifting into the air as you bit down on your lip.
"Think of that bullet in your pet as a reminder of what I, we, will do if you are lying to us girl. Now out of the way." The captain snarled as you hastily did as you were told, lightly pulling on Dalton's right horn to bring him with you into the cover of some pine trees. Minutes felt like a lifetime as you tried to ignore the cooling blood against your palm, the heaving shudder of Dalton's massive hide as his head swung side to side in conflict.
"I think, they're gone.."
"You stupid woman, you could have been killed, I could have wat-"
The low growl of the bison's voice turned into a huskier tone of a human man as fur turned to tunic. The dripping wound of the gunshot changing into a trickle, covered by the metal plating of his shoulder guard. A low groan of pain coming from Dalton as he reflexively rolled said shoulder, doing his best to ignore the fresh stream of tears dripping from your face. Said resistance all but crumbled within seconds as you wordlessly pressed your face to his chest, your silent cries turning into heaving sobs that wreaked your frame. The gentle crackle of leather his gloved hands pulled you closer from the briefest second before stepping away.
"Dalton. I-"
"We need to make it to Bighorn, at least there will be some fortifications there."
Flat. Direct. The Captain of the Civilian instead of your husband, wordlessly pulling you forward by the wrist. Tears blinding your vision as it was all you could do but continue walking after the green cloaked figure. The storm was here and it wasn't stopping, be it snow or pirates.