Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/11028918.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage, Major_Character_Death
  Category:
      M/M, F/M
  Fandom:
      Percy_Jackson_and_the_Olympians_&_Related_Fandoms_-_All_Media_Types,
      Percy_Jackson_and_the_Olympians_-_Rick_Riordan
  Relationship:
      Nico_di_Angelo/Will_Solace
  Character:
      Nico_di_Angelo, Will_Solace, Percy_Jackson, Jason_Grace, Annabeth_Chase,
      Leo_Valdez, Luke_Castellan, Ethan_Nakamura, Octavian_(Percy_Jackson),
      Frank_Zhang, Hazel_Levesque, Piper_McLean, Reyna_Avila_Ramírez-Arellano,
      Connor_Stoll, Travis_Stoll, Michael_Yew, Magnus_Chase
  Additional Tags:
      Alternate_Universe_-_Pirate, pirate!Nico, Cabin_Boy_Will, Implied/
      Referenced_Underage_Sex, Consensual_Underage_Sex
  Stats:
      Published: 2017-05-29 Completed: 2017-06-13 Chapters: 9/9 Words: 25751
****** High Seas and Dark Sails ******
by AnUnerringMuse
Summary
     When the H.M.S. Andromeda is attacked by Pirates, Will Solace is the
     only survivor. But he survives at what cost?
     He's brought aboard the Katakhthonios, the feared Pirate Vessel that
     once belonged to the fearsome Pirate Hades, So named for his bloody
     past.
     Will is placed as a Cabin Boy to the Captain of the Ship, Nico di
     Angelo. As the prospect of rescue falls, their stories come out of
     the woodwork.
     With unseen attraction, intrigue, and the specter of War, will Will
     be able to save himself from his secret, or will it destroy him
     completely?
     ~~~
     Or, the one Pirate AU that I desperately wanted, couldn't find, and
     decided to write myself. Hope you enjoy!
Notes
     Rated E for Smut in Chapter 5.
     A/N: This AU exists where our characters aren't Demigods. Clues are
     left to imply that you can still count their fathers as iterations or
     reincarnations of Canon Gods (Such as Will's father being an
     incarnation of Apollo, or Nico's father and Uncles being Hades,
     Poseidon, and Zeus. Though, with the exception of Will's father,
     their names are explicitly not said.) Hope this clears up a little
     confusion.
See the end of the work for more notes
***** Chapter 1: The Cabin Boy *****
Will hit the deck hard enough for the air to be knocked out of his chest. When
he inhaled, the acrid smell of smoke filled his nostrils, though it was tinged
with the smell of blood and sweat and death. The last thing he’d expected when
he signed on to be crew of the H.M.S. Andromeda was to be attacked by Pirates.
The Andromeda was never supposed to go off course. They were simply supposed to
return from the American Colonies with their cargo. Yet, the order had come in,
and the Andromeda sailed south.
A hand grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and hauled him up to his feet.
All around him, faces glared at the newly boarded boy, and Will could only work
away. Could only look down at the boots on his feet…until nimble, slender
fingers grabbed the skin of his chin and forced him to look up, straight into
the face of a boy wearing a tricorn hat. He didn’t look to be much older than
Will was, but the air around him was undeniably regal. He was wearing leather
boots, a black and silver brocade coat over a white shirt, and a pair of black
trousers to complete the look. His long hair was pulled into a ponytail, which
gave the boy an undeniably feminine look.
“Captain,” The male said, before the speaker’s fingers tightening on Will’s
skin. “We’ve saved one, as you requested. And we think you’ll like this one.
Skin like a baby he’s got.”
A round of laughter from the crew of this vessel, and the rush of blood to his
cheeks that made him feel abject shame, and embarrassment. His eyes dropped
from the Captain of the vessel to the boards of the deck once again, as
obscenities and words were thrown at him. The sound of boots on the deck,
moving closer to him, caused the crowd to fall silent. Though Will could not
see it, he felt the humor disappear from the crowd. He was aware of the Captain
coming closer. And his voice, despite the babyish, feminine looks, was full of
command. A strong voice that made Will shiver.
“Let him go, Percy. No need to scare the poor boy out of his wits.” The Captain
said, and the effect of his words were immediate, as the male, Percy, let go of
his chin. “What’s your name, and what did you do on the Andromeda?”
Will chanced a glance to look up at the Captain, and found himself staring for
a few seconds before he spoke. “W-William Solace. I was simply a cabin boy.” He
said, before he moved to take in his surroundings. The last thing he’d expected
to truly see, were a bunch of boys that all seemed to be around his age, with
only a few that would be considered adult. What kind of Pirate crew was this?
When his eyes came to rest on the man called Percy, he involuntarily took a
step back, which caused him to run right into the captain.. He had broad
shoulders, with stunning sea green eyes and black hair that fell down to his
ears. Yet the look on his face wasn’t fierce. It was kind. Playful, even.
A wince escaped the Captain’s lips, but he placed a hand onto Will’s arm. “Well
then, William Solace. Welcome to the Katakhthonios, the fiercest Pirate Ship in
these seas. I’m Nico di Angelo, Captain of this vessel, and you just joined my
crew.”
~~~
The first order of business was for Will to be shown around. That fell to
Percy, the Bo’sun. There were no chains, just the taking of the blue coat that
he had worn for his service in the Navy. The last look he had of the Andromeda
was of the blackened hull, sinking below the dark blue waves of the ocean. Then
Percy was leading him below decks, with a congenial smile upon his lips.
“Sorry about all of that. My job to present all new recruits to the Captain.”
He said with a gentle voice that made Will question whether or not this could
be a true pirate ship, with a crew full of boys his at or around his age. With
a Captain with a babyish face. “Odds are, Cap’n will make you Cabin Boy to
Himself, Jason, and I.”
That made Will’s stomach twist inside his abdomen. As a Cabin Boy on the
Andromeda, he’d been propositioned enough by the crew. A few of the statements
swam through his mind as he remembered. Give you three quid for your mouth. How
about a whole month’s allowance for you to bend over?  What would these boys
have him do?  Yet. Will didn't voice these concerns.  “Who’s Jason?”
“Jason Grace? Best swordfighter we’ve got. Blond hair, stormy blue eyes? He’s
the guy who ran your captain through with a sword.” Percy said, as he turned
down a stairwell. He noticed, ever so briefly, that Will seemed to be about one
massive wave away from emptying the contents of his stomach onto the steps.
“It’s just business, William. You don’t know what they’ve done to us. To our
families.”
“Do you think that you’re somehow better? You still killed them all.” Will
said, as he continued to follow Percy into the depths of the ship.
“You fool yourself if you think that they wouldn’t have done the same to us.”
Percy said in a level voice. His boots hitting the wooden steps. “Storage is
down here…Rum and salted pork. Though we ration until we get to Nassau or Port
Royal.”
“You’re pirates. Of course they’d kill you.” Will said in a small voice. Yet,
wasn’t he a pirate now?
“Pirate. Yes, we take from the Imperial Powers. We steal the treasure of Spain,
and of England, and of France. Every European Nation that seeks dominion over
the rest of the World, as if it’s their God-Given right to do so. Do they need
it, William? For what? To fund their endless wars over which side of the
Reformation is right? To see if Martin Luther was right in his critique of the
Church? If Henry VIII was right to divorce his wife to satisfy his lust?” Percy
asked, turning to face William. There was no anger, just a bit of sadness. “We
steal from the rich for our own ends. Our own survival. I was once on a ship
too. Just like yours. I was dirt poor, with a father who beat me and a mother
who did her best. Consumption took her in the end. So I left to join the navy.
Let the Captain of my ship have his way with me for a few pieces of silver. The
Captain’s father saved me. Saw the plight of a poor cabin boy and took him in.
You lot back in London tell the tale of Robin Hood, he who steals from the rich
and gives to the poor. We don’t keep it all, you know. We share the wealth.
Here, we bow to no man. Don’t salute. Here, we’re free to do what we wish. Say
piracy all you want, as if it’s a dirty word. In the end though, we’re free.”
The rest of the tour passed by in relative silence, aside from Percy describing
the various places. The crew quarters, the galley, small though it was. It was
here that Will encountered the first woman aboard this vessel. Percy’s
significant other, Annabeth. The Fiercest fighter aside from Jason, it was
said. However, it was the back of the ship that Will found himself staying in.
Percy brought him to a white pained door, and shoved Will, literally, inside.
The room itself was undeniably the Captain’s room. With its window that looked
out on the ocean behind them, its wooden desk, and the four poster bed,
wreathed in black silk. Beside it was a smaller cot, one that he assumed would
be his, naturally.
“You may as well take off those clothes, William.” A voice said. From a side
door, Nico emerged in a sleeping gown that was white, and his hair was out of
his ponytail; a cascade of ink down the back of his head, over his ears, and
over a single eye. It made the Captain seem as though he were a ghost. Outside,
the sun had gone, leaving the sky streaked with orange and pink and violet.
They were sailing east, into the night. “I’ll see about getting you a new pair
of clothing tomorrow. I’ve a nightgown you can borrow.”
Will stood there, partially in shock, partially out of a sense of rebellion he
felt he had. And the lack of movement caused Nico to turn, a peculiar look on
his face. “I…I won’t perform for you. Be your special cabin boy.” Will said, in
a voice that was meek, so unlike him.
A simple scoff escaped Nico’s lips, before he moved to his own bed and sat on
it. Those eyes never leaving Will. “Then sleep in those clothes. I don’t want
you to perform. I know what it’s like to lose a crew. A boy like you? The
Captain of the Andromeda must have been your father. You share remarkable
similarities. The curvature of your cheekbones, the color of your eyes. Even
the Cupids Bow of your lips. Jason is sure of it.”
Will moved toward the cot and sat down on it. His form bent over to undo the
laces of his boots, which were promptly taken off and put aside. He didn’t
answer right away. Couldn’t bring himself to look at the Captain. In the end,
he only removed his shirt, before laying on the cot. His back was to the
Captain. “My Father’s an Admiral. He’ll come looking for me. And when he finds
me, he’ll stick a knife into your back.”
~~~
In the early morning hours. Before the sun would rise and bid the world Good
Morning, Nico di Angelo, Captain of the Katakhthonios, stood over the cot where
the new Cabin Boy slept. At the tender age of Sixteen, Nico had never thought
that he would be the captain of the Ship his father had commanded. He never
thought that just two years prior, he would take command.
Looking down at the sleeping teen, Nico felt a twinge in his heart. William was
tanned, with golden and wavy hair that framed his delicate face and a lithe
body that seemed as though it had been taken from one of his fathers immaculate
paintings. He took all of the boy in, from the way he slept with one arm bent
at the elbow, his hand behind his head of hair; to the way his other hand
rested across his toned abdomen, to the slight rise in his pants. Nico knew one
simple thing about the William. His undoing would come from the blond beauty,
The Cabin Boy.
***** Chapter 2: Black Sails, Dark Stories. *****
Two Weeks Later
Will awoke to the sound of scribbling. He lifted his head from his cot and let
his gaze wander around the room. At his desk, Nico sat, a single lit candle
casting light onto his face. The resulting illusion was that half of Nico’s
face was illuminated in golden light, while the other half remained shrouded in
darkness. Will quickly adjusted his pants, which had shifted during the night,
before yawning.
“Morning,” Nico said suddenly, which caused Will to startle. “Sleep well?”
“I suppose so. Better than what I had on the Andromeda.” Will retorted, as he
moved to slip his shirt over his body. It had become a thing. Sleeping
shirtless here, dressing to go take care of business. He had found himself
surprisingly comfortable on the Katakthonios, because he was still doing menial
tasks. Emptying chamber pots, cleaning shirts, helping the Captain dress. Yet,
there was no sense of hierarchy. No bowing to those who would have been his
betters.
We’ve no King here. Jason had said, the morning after Will had been pressed
into service. He’d bowed to the man when he’d entered Jason’s quarters. He was
to make the bed, empty the chamber pot, help dress the swordsman. Jason had
laughed and motioned for Will to stand to his full height. Don’t bow to me.
Hell, don’t bow to the Captain. Here, we’re all equal. A novel concept, to be
sure. Yet, Will still found himself keeping a head slightly bowed toward
everyone on the ship. He knew he was fresh meat, so to speak.
“Who do you write to?” Will asked, once his shirt, once a pristine white,
covered his chest and torso. “Every morning, I see you writing in that book,
though I know you’ve never dispatched letters. Do you have a girl back home?
Wherever home is?”
Amazingly, the Captain smiled, which should have seemed creepy, considering the
play of light on his face. “I write to my father. It’s a way of…therapy for me,
if you will.” Nico said, before he wrote a few more lines and capped the pen.
“He’s dead now, which is why I’m in command of this Vessel. As to your other
inquiry, I’ve no girl back home. I’ve no actual home outside of this ship.
Besides, women have never been my preference.”
“Your father captained the vessel, then?” Will asked. He had busied himself
with putting on his boots in the meantime, and looked away, trying to ignore
the burn in his cheeks. Of course, there had always been those who preferred
men. It was no place of William’s to judge.
Nico nodded, before he stood up, the legs of the chair scratching upon the
wooden floor. “Yes. My father captained this vessel. Before it was the
Katakhthonios, is was the Bianca Maria, named for the permanent vision of my
mother in her wedding gown.” A smaller smile then, one that would have been
undeniably adorable, had it not been for the sad look in his eyes. “She was a
trading Galleon from Venice, originally. My father owned stake in the family
business with his brothers.”
“What happened? Why did your father turn to Piracy?” Will found himself asking,
despite himself. And he knew that the question he had asked was off limits.
Nico’s face changed. The sad, vulnerable look in his eyes immediately glossed
over, and the smile gone, replaced by his lips pulled taut in a thin line, as
though it were simply one of the ropes comprising the ships rigging.
“Don’t you have chores to do, William? I suggest you get to it, or you’ll miss
breakfast.”
~~~
Will threw the contents of the last chamber pot over the stern railing, and his
crystalline blue eyes, the color of arctic ice, watched the white foam of the
wake that the ship left behind it. He remembered the first time he had seen
this view, a sprightly six year old boy with hair pulled back into a ponytail.
His father’s hand on his shoulder. As the boy looked up to his father, he was
met with a smile that overflowed with pride. The sun was a disk behind his
father’s head, making it seem as though his father were a saint that he had
seen in the many church books. The air had smelled much as it did now: salty,
with the scent of men and musk. A single tear spilled over his eyelid, and
cascaded down his fair, if not tanned, cheek.
“It’s not that bad, hermano.” A voice spoke out, followed by fish flying over
the stern railing. Will’s head swiveled to the right to see a boy with skin
that screamed New Spain, and ears as pointed as a sprite. He had black hair
that fell in ringlets to his neck, and a smile that was undoubtedly
mischievous. “You’re the new Cabin Boy, right? Name’s Leo, Ship’s Cook.” He
stuck a hand out, one that was caked with red spices and smelled of fragrant,
far away plants.
“William Solace.” Will replied, gingerly shaking the others hand. He’d gotten
used to seeing grimy kids, but something about the spices didn’t make him
recoil. He seemed to be one of the few boys on this ship that smelled good. Was
soap that rare? Even he, a proper British Lad, smelled like he hadn’t taken a
shower in, well, two weeks. “Ship’s cook, huh? Are you from New Spain? You have
the look of a Mest—” Will cut himself off.
Leo, surprisingly, grinned. “You can say it. Mestizo. My padre was a Pure-
Blooded Spaniard.Mi Madre was born in New Spain. I’m not ashamed of it, because
it makes me who I am. You don’t see Charles ashamed because he’s African. It’s
just…who we are.” Leo said, before he turned to walk toward the main deck. He
nodded at Percy, who was at the Wheel, before making his way down the stairs.
“So, Will, follow me down to the kitchen, eh? I could use some help, once
you’re done with the chamber pot.” Leo then turned and slipped into one of the
doors that led to the interior of the ship.
Will glanced back up at the stern deck, and saw that Percy was staring at him.
His sea-green eyes, even from the distance, seemed to bore a hole into the very
depths of his soul; as though his gaze were able to seek out the skeletons that
Will kept in the deepest and darkest parts of his soul. He turned, suddenly, to
face the open seas once again, and Will walked the same path that Leo had
taken, to the door that led inside.
It was amazing to him that he’d come to be so familiar with the ship. His boots
thudded on the boards of the ship that led him past the Captain’s quarters,
past Jason’s room, to the door that led to Percy’s room. His room was
different. No bed, save for a cot that was set up by the window, with the
pillow set up in such a way that, if Percy had his back to the door, he could
look out upon the restless waves. A small chest at the far wall contained his
clothing. Will slipped the chamberpot into a small spot between the cot and the
chest. In the next moment, he turned and made his way out of the room. He
glanced down the hallway, the way he’d come, and caught a glimpse of Nico
slipping out of the door that led to the main deck. He slipped, as silently as
he could, to the stairwell on the other side of the small hallway, and took
them down into the depths of the ship. Here, the crew slept, made obvious by
the rows upon rows of hammocks. When he turned, he was met with another room,
from which the aromatic smell of fish, spices, and charred wood, drifted out.
He slowly peeked his head in and found Leo, standing over a table. The salted
fish lay on the table, and Leo was seasoning them.
“You can’t make fire. So…how do you make it smell so fragrant?” Will asked, as
he ran a hand through his golden locks of hair. Even as he walked toward the
other, he found himself glancing around the room, where a plethora of knives
were left to dangle from hooks, or where other tools were strewn, haphazardly,
around. By the small porthole, he was aware of a box, whose lid was propped
open.
“You’re the first person to ask that, Amigo. And the answer’s Mirrors,
surprisingly enough. You can use the rays of the sun to cook food. And..well,
look at the window.” Leo said, as he left the table to walk toward the box with
the propped open lid.
Will followed the other, and stood opposite Leo, with the box between them. The
lid was covered in small mirrors, whose light shone into the box. Unseen
beforehand was the inside of the box, which was lined with metal. “Is that
silver?”
A laugh escaped Leo’s lips. “Si! Took a ton of convincing the Captain to let me
put this together…had to melt a good deal of silver. The mirror refracts the
sun’s rays into the interior of the box, and heats up whatever it is that’s
inside…eventually.” Leo glanced over at Will, and grinned again. “Works better
some days, and other days it’s the worst invention in the history of
invention.” He turned away from the box and went back to the table, where he
was once again preparing the food that would be consumed by the crew later.
Will began to walk toward the other, and leaned against the end of the table
upon which the Latino worked. “Can I ask you a question?” Leo glanced at Will,
a single brow arched in apparent question, which Will took as a sign of okay.
“Why are there only youth on this boat? Why are there so little adults on a
ship that seems to be overrun with Youth. Is it because the Captain’s little
more than both of us? A boy?”
Will hadn’t expected the small smile to cross Leo’s face, nor the words that
followed. “Hermano…A lot of us were kids when Nico took over. It’s even worse
when you remember that not everyone on this ship wanted to be on this ship. And
a lot of these people? They lost family when Nico took over. You may not see
it, but we’re a family here, forged in fire, woven in friendship through blood,
sweat, and tears. Lots of tears. Jason and Percy? They’re Nico’s family, if not
by blood, by marriage.”
Leo paused, as he took a few fish over to the box, and dropped them into the
sizzling silver interior. “Nico’s dad was taken in by as an apprentice to one
of the wealthy merchant families of London. Rumor had it that they were a
bastard branch of the Yorks. Somewhere along the lines, they moved to Venice,
where Nico was born. I…I don’t know all the facts, just that Nico’s dad was the
oldest of the three Sons, and that Percy and Jason are children of the other
sons. The alliance that the brothers had…the business? It broke apart, Hermano.
The Big Three of the ship are the only family any of them has left anymore.”
Will turned, because that hadn’t answered his question, but Leo shook his head,
ever so softly. “They give us a chance to make something of ourselves, William.
Charles would be on a sugar plantation in Hispaniola. Annabeth would have been
an indentured servant to some horrible man in Virginia, had we not rescued her.
I would be dead, more than like. This ship is a second chance for us. It may
not be honest, and it may not be good, if put to the point of view of a proper
British Boy, who walks straight and points his nose at those he deems lesser
than himself. But it’s living. Not many others can say that. We were the
downtrodden and hopeless when Nico came along. So use your second chance
wisely, eh? Now, get upstairs. I’ll give you an extra fish tonight…just don’t
tell anyone.” Leo said, before shooting the other a grin.
Will nodded and made his way from the kitchen. There was no smile on his face,
just curiosity.
***** Chapter 3: Silver Linings *****
Chapter Notes
     I know this is a slightly shorter chapter, but it does introduce
     elements that will come into play in future installments!
     Do leave a comment about how you feel about this fic!
The sun beat down on the vessel in ways that Nico hadn’t experienced in the
better part of the past six years. Not since he was ten had he felt the urge to
run about the deck, in nothing but his undergarments, laughing with abandon,
while the crew smiled down at him with fatherly affection. None were prouder
than his own father, standing at the helm of the ship in a red and gold brocade
coat, similar to the one he wore now. Despite himself, the corner of his lips
curled upward into a small smile, as he walked forward, from the half-deck at
the stern to the main deck, where the crew worked, setting rigging, raising
sails. The sound of jovial laughter, of crude remarks common among teenage
boys, filled the air. A cool breeze carried the scent of salt air over the
deck, surrounding Nico and filling his nostrils. Before him, a single shirt
landed on the deck. A cursory glance showed a boy with the face of a baby,
perhaps only twelve, shirtless and swinging from the main mast back toward the
mizzenmast as though he were a monkey.
Too much had changed in the past six years, though. Gone was the boy who ran
around in undergarments, who cursed like a sailor around the others and spoke
like his namesake, an Angel, around his beloved Papa. The crew were restless,
and Nico could understand why. They’d been sailing south for the better part of
a month now, heading for Port Royal. Despite Nico’s reputation as a formidable
pirate, and the fact that Port Royal was, indeed, a Royal Stronghold, he’d had
connections there. The boys would be happy for a night out on the town, with
drinking and girls or boys. Nico knew he wasn’t the only one out there. That
left the problem of why he’d come out onto the deck in the first place. Before
him was the tanned boy with the golden hair. He’d become a good crew member,
dutiful in what he had to do, shy when it came to questions, though Nico did
turn a stony face on the prying questions. The members of the crew had grown to
like him, and he’d been privy to a few conversations that compared William
Solace to Adonis. He stepped forward and wrapped his fingers around his upper
arm, and it felt as though electricity shot between them.
“Solace, talk with me.” Nico said, as he, perhaps a little forcefully, led the
other to the railing of the ship. He was aware, in that first moment, of Will
turning wide, perhaps fearful eyes, upon the Captain, and Nico was surprised to
see the beginnings of stubble upon his cheeks and chin. He was all angular
cheekbones, ice blue eyes, and a smile that, whenever Nico was blessed with
that smile, made his stomach and heart do flips. The thing that made Nico
frown, however, was none of this. William was taller; just enough for Nico to
be at eye level with the Cabin Boy’s shoulders. “We anchor at Port Royal
today…and I know,” Nico paused here, putting on the face of a Captain: stony,
uncaring, nonchalant. There could be no emotion. “I know it’s a royal port.
We’ll leave in a few days time, God willing. If you wish to make your way up to
the Garrison, you’re free to do so.” It wasn’t a new proposition. Nico always
gave those he picked up the chance to leave. Few had taken the opportunity.
Now, however, Will had the opportunity to make his own path.
Will stayed silent for a few moments. His gaze had moved to rest on the never-
ending ocean. When the wind blew, his golden hair blew around his face. “You’re
giving me leave to…well, leave?”
“If you wish to leave, then yes.” Nico said, despite the fact that his throat
had suddenly gone dry. “We don’t keep hostages. The goods we’ve plundered will
be sold. And you’ll receive a small portion. Feel free to spend it all on women
and rum. No doubt that’s what everyone here will be doing.” Nico said, as his
gaze turned from Will to the horizon, where the dark blue of the ocean met the
light blue of the sky. Where the separation between the unknown depths and the
great firmament above the world was a line of silver that was as thin as a
human hair. One had to pay attention to see it. “My father used to say that the
silver line of the horizon was a demimonde, a half world. It was there that you
would find the dead, and the Sirens who lure sailors like you and I to their
deaths with songs so sweet and pure that they would shatter your heart.” A
gentle smile crossed his lips then, which was quickly followed by a soft laugh.
“My father loved the tales of the Fair-Folk. He told me stories of nixies and
other water spirits. Of Manannán mac Lir, the Irish God of the Sea, and how he
ferried the souls of the dead to the Otherworld. It was strange…hearing the
tales of the Celts when I lived in Italy. There, it was all about Rome and the
Gods of the Greeks.”
Will turned to stare at him, before he looked back at the horizon, as though he
too were trying to discern the silver line, yet couldn’t. “I was always told of
the green flash, though I never had the pleasure of witnessing it. You didn’t
tell me one thing, though, Captain.”
Nico’s brows furrowed, as he cocked his head to look at Will. “What did I
forget to tell you?”
A smile graced Will’s features, as he turned to look at the Captain. “What are
you doing when we get to Port Royal?” To Will’s surprise, Nico smiled.

~~~
“Land!”
The voice called out from the Crow’s Nest, and the gaze of the Captain turned
from the lookout to the direction that he pointed: straight ahead. The male
increased his speed forward, and up the steps onto the forecastle. From here,
the land was at a distance the suggested they would reach the coast come
nightfall. However, he knew better. Port Royal was on the other side of the
Island, at least a few hours journey; pegging their arrival somewhere around
Midnight.
“Captain?” A voice asked. He turned around and was met with the graceful face
of his Bo’sun, Ethan. “What are your orders?”
The Captain let a small smirk cross his lips. “The Admiral was quite clear.
We’re to visit every port of call in the Caribbean, and enquire as to the
whereabouts of his son, Nakamura. Set course for Port Royal!”
“Aye!” Ethan said, before turning on his heel to address the crew at large.
“Set course for Port Royal! We make shore tonight!”
Around him, the crew began to scurry around, raising sails. There was a
creaking sound in the boards beneath his feet, as the wind caught in the newly
unfurled sails. As his hands moved to rest on the railing, Luke Castellan
smirked. He had a good feeling about this port of call. The Exeter would find
its prey here. Then, he could go home in victory, assured that he had gained
the favor of the admiral.
***** Chapter 4: Port Royal *****
The crew had long since left the decks of the Katakhthonios, and were somewhere
in the winding streets of Port Royal. Nico, however, had remained on the ship
for about an hour. As he felt the bow of the small dinghy he inhabited hit the
sand of the beach, Nico jumped out of the boat, and reveled in the way that his
black leather boots sank, ever so softly, into the sand. How long had it been
since he’d last set foot on land? A month? Two? Swiftly, he made his way up the
beach, past tents and stalls. People calling out their wares. None of that
interested Nico. He was after one thing tonight: rum. He knew that William
would take the pass to go up to the fortress, and that, when the Katakhthonios
sailed again in a few days, he’d be gone.
With a huff, he threw open the door of the first bar he came across, and let
the sound of talking men fill his ears. As he walked across the wooden floor,
he noticed the way the noise died down as he did so. My reputation precedes me.
He thought, which caused a smirk to cross his lips. He pulled out a few gold
coins and slapped them down onto the hardwood bar, which he came to rest at,
flanked by two burly Sailors. “Two bottles of rum.” The man behind the bar
smirked at the young Captain, as he swiped his hand across the surface,
sweeping up the gold coins in the process. He turned and bent over, only to
resurface with two bottles of golden liquid, capped with a simple cork. He slid
them across he counter, and Nico promptly grabbed them, before he turned and
walked away from the bar. His footfalls seemed to echo through the interior,
and he could feel all eyes on him. Some of these men had deserted him in the
aftermath of the Battle two years ago. Some of these men had left on good terms
with the Captain, and they nodded at him. Nico nodded back. He found himself
before a table occupied by a lone woman and two other men. The woman, an old
friend of his, smiled fondly at the sight of the Captain, though Nico glared,
coldly, at the two men. “Get out. We’ve business to discuss.”
The older of the men, twice Nico’s age, with a balding head and hair that was
curled and greasy, barked a laugh and stood up, though he didn’t move. Instead,
he straightened is back, seemingly trying to intimidate Nico. Nico glanced up
at the other, and let his lips curl into a small scowl. “Don’t try it, Garcia.
You know full well what I’m capable of. Out of the respect you had for my
father,” Nico said, raising his voice only slightly, though it had been enough
to carry across the bar. “Leave this table, or I’ll force you out.” That was
enough for Garza, who promptly smacked the other man. Within seconds, the two
were walking away. He turned his head to the side, and he saw, at the edge of
his peripheral vision, the eyes of the building on him. “Drink and be Merry!”
Nico said, before he set a bottle of rum down on the table, and dropped his
butt into the seat. His feet were promptly propped up on the chair that had
previously been occupied by Garza.
“Good to see you, Reyna. You must have taken a week to get here.” Nico said.
“Let’s talk business, huh?”
Reyna let a small smile cross her lips, as she set about pouring two glasses of
rum for the pair. “Once again, you’re the highest earner out of the Pirate
Lords, Nico. Though I heard that you sank the Andromeda. ARoyal Ship.” The
displeasure in her voice was evident. Her black hair was braided, with the tip
hanging over her shoulder. The gown she wore was elegant, yet not exactly lady-
like. Her face was fair, if not displeased.
“Got the gold, got the guns, and I—” He was cut of by Reyna.
“Got a boy, Nico? You have the largest crew already. What’s the point in having
another one?”
Nico scoffed. This same tune. “You know my Modus Operandi. I always take one
who can be useful.” Nico downed the drink I a straight gulp. “He has knowledge
of the Royal Navy. He can vouch for me in a port of Call like this dump.”
“If he stays.” Reyna said in a soft tone. But the words struck the intended
blow. “After the travesty Francesco cau—”
“Don’t.” Nico said, cutting off the woman who was known, simply, as the
Governess of Nassau. The Pirate Queen. “Francesco was a mistake. For the
endeavor…for me. You’ve driven that point in enough.”
Reyna offered a sympathetic smile. “He sold you all out to the British. God
knows he lured you into bed, took what you gave him and then left.”
Nico shot her another warning glare. They had been friends since Nico was
younger. Nico had inherited a ship, and Reyna had inherited a Pirating Empire.
“Almost left, Reyna. When I realized that it was he who had sold us out, I
didn’t let him escape back into the hands of the British. I shot him in the
back, then choked the life out of him. Francesco now makes his home with Davy
Jones. Enough unpleasant thoughts. How much did we gross?”
Reyna accepted the change in subject. She knew the pain that it all caused
Nico. She gingerly took a sip of her own rum, and began to lay out figures. Her
eyes lifted briefly, and she saw a head of golden hair across the bar. The
boy’s eyes, a bright, luminous blue, were staring not at her, but at Nico.
~~~
Three glasses of rum later, and Nico opened the second bottle as Reyna tipped
her hat and headed for the door. A gentle frown crossed his lips as she went.
It was rare that he saw her for anything other than business; let alone drinks.
He’d no sooner poured a fourth glass for himself than the seat across from him
was filled by a familiar head of blond hair, who promptly took the bottle from
Nico’s hand and poured some into the glass that Reyna had used. “You haven’t
gone to the Fortress yet?”
William Solace, the Cabin boy, cast Nico a wry smile as he brought the glass up
to his lips to take a sip of the tart alcoholic beverage. “I don’t think I’ll
be going up to the fortress. They can’t offer me anything.”
There was something in that smile, Nico thought. Then he realized it wasn’t the
smile, but in the eyes. It was something that whispered of things far away, of
memories that filtered up from some place deep in his mind. Nico realized, as
he often found himself realize about his crew, that they’d had a life before
the Katkhthonios. They’d had a mother and a father. Perhaps some siblings. He
and Percy and Jason had once raced across the islands of Venice, had lived in
houses that rose above the humdrum of the City. Had shopped with their mothers
for Lace and Glass on Murano and Burano. Will had had a life, too. Did he miss
his parents? Have a girl that he’d wanted to get back to back in England? For
some reason, that hurt Nico to think of. There was no doubt in his mind that
William was a catch for any girl. “You have questions…every boy does after a
certain time on the ship. What do you want to know, William? I’ll answer.”
Then, with a small smile, he took a sip of his drink.
“Why do you captain the Katakhthonios?” Will asked, almost instantaneously. His
arctic-blue eyes lay on the form of the Captain, with his olive skin and dark
eyes, the color of freshly tilled earth, or of dark and bitter chocolate. Will
thought that Nico was hauntingly beautiful, as though he were formed of a fine
mist that would slip through his fingers if ever he attempted to grasp for him.
Nico’s face darkened at the question…but he couldn’t back out of the corner
he’d pushed himself in. He’d said he would answer, and Nico despised going back
on his word. He swallowed the remaining contents of his glass, poured himself
another, and gazed into the amber liquid. “I know that Leo told you about my
father and his family. So…let me start there. My uncle, Jason’s father, wanted
my father’s share of the company for himself. He was a greedy man, though he
was the youngest of the three. Unlike my uncles, my father took a direct
interest in the sea. However, Jason’s father was unmanly enough to take it by
force, so he maneuvered Percy’s father into swindling my father out of his
share. My father found out and was furious. He liquidated his shares in the
company, turned them into bullion and other goods.” He paused here, took a
drink of the alcohol, and continued.
“When my uncles found out, they were furious, so they sent men to my home. My
mother and sister were killed. My father and I were gone, on this ship, and my
uncles sent ships after ours, to reclaim the bounty that they had lost. I was
ten when the first battle happened. Huddled in the bed you sleep in, crying
every time a cannon went off. Looking back, it was a miracle that I wasn’t
killed. The Bianca Maria was damaged, and we landed in Nassau to repair her. I
met Reyna, my father met her father, and…we became Pirates. For two years, we
were chased around the Atlantic, until at last my Uncles boarded their ships.
Folly on their part. They’d had no great love for the sea, and they figured
that they could tame the seas as easily as they had tamed the Doges into less
taxation. Tame the seas as easily as they had tamed their Children.”
Nico laughed bitterly, as he took another gulp of the liquid. William hadn’t
touched his drink since Nico began. “Drink…Captain’s Orders, Solace.” Nico
paused, waiting for Will to take a sip. “There’s one thing you learn about the
sea, Solace. Ten thousand feet roll beneath you and your ship. A myriad of
creatures, from fearsome Kraken, to wondrous mermaids and imposing leviathans.
Man thinks that since he has higher thought processes and can build marvels
like the Tower of London or the Palace of Versailles, that he can claim mastery
over the seas. But man’s control stops at the shore. Water holds power over man
in perpetuity.
“Without water, man cannot hope to live, nor can man’s crops grow. Without
man’s crops, how will their livestock be fed? How will man be fed? Man is full
of folly if they believe that they will ever master the seas, when the seas
rise up in violent, sudden waves and destroy all that man has built. My Uncles
learned that the hard way. The tried in vain to fend off the expert maneuvering
from my father. A boy at twelve should never witness the demise of his family.
The Ganymede went down first. A cannonball caught her in the powder room, and
the explosion tore the vessel asunder. I had to plead with my father to pull
Jason from the water. The Thetys was the second to sink. Hit a hull with enough
below the waterline, and it can’t hope to stay afloat. We pulled Percy from the
water, but he refused to talk to me for a year. He despised me. Blamed me for
his father’s death. The first ship we took after that, the Infanta, was where
we found Leo.” Here, Nico paused, and took another drink. Will thought that he
could see a vulnerability behind his captains eyes.
“Two years after the demise of my family,” Nico said again, gazing straight
into William’s eyes. “We were the best Pirate Crew this side of the Atlantic.
The top earners for anyone in Nassau. Reyna, the girl I was with before you sat
down, was thrust into a leadership role when her father died. She holds the
great Fort on Nassau. She holds the bay, and trade, by extension. That was the
year I became Captain.” Nico said, before he smiled, somewhat sadly. “Two years
ago, My father and I were sailing near Saint Augustine when the Victory fired
upon us. Treachery from a man named Francesco.” Nico seemed to choke on the
name, and Will was sure there was a hint of pain in his voice. Yet, as quickly
as it had appeared, it was gone. “The battle was quick. I…I shan’t go into gory
detail, Will. I just remember kneeling on the deck, with the main mast against
my back, and my father cradled in my arms. A wound on his chest. The man who
shot the fatal musket ball into my father’s chest was…a unique man. He had hair
as golden as yours, though his was covered by one of those ridiculous powdered
wigs. Admiral Apollonius Smythe shot my father in the chest, barely missing his
heart, but not his lung. He left Percy, Jason, Leo and I alive, as well as our
wounded, as we were only kids. What harm could we do?”
Will noticed the fire that seemed to light behind Nico’s eyes. The way that his
lips curled into a small smirk. “Before he could scuttle our ship, we four
managed to raise the sails and simply sail off. Most of the crew left us after
that, searching for better waters, richer prey. Percy, Jason, Leo and I were
the last of the Bianca Maria to stay with the ship. At Nassau, we rechristened
the Galleon as the Katakhthonios. It was a epithet of Hades, God of the Dead.
Simply put, it means Of the Underworld. Fitting, when you think of how many
people we’ve sent to a watery grave. That’s how I came to be Captain. Those who
stayed by me hold positions of relative power. Percy is Bo’sun. Jason, aside
from being the best swordfighter I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, is my
Quartermaster. And Leo? He loves cooking, making sure people are okay. I still
trust him with my life.”
Nico stopped talking for a moment, and finished his glass. He knew that within
perhaps a glass or two, he’d be well out of bounds. “You deserve to know,
William…I’m not exactly a normal man. Surely you’ve seen some of the crew go
into the brothel. And they’ll be nursing infections soon enough. I’ve…thought
about you, though. I prefer the company of the same sex than to the company of
women. And…if you were to want me, in that way,” Nico paused here, because he
realized that he was practically opening up, something he never did. It must
definitely be the alcohol, he thought. “You can have me tonight.”
Will’s face seemed to go through a cycle of emotions. Confusion, and sadness,
mayhap regret, at the tale that Nico weaved; to a delighted look in his eyes as
the conversation shifted. He had always considered himself to enjoy the company
of both men and women. The way that Nico spoke though, and the urges that all
teenaged boys seemed to have, pushed him to stand up roughly, a hand extended
out. “Captain, let’s get you back to the ship. I’ll take care of you.”
Nico took Will’s hand, and grabbed the bottle. Only a quarter of it remained.
Something to lighten the spirits that would be there, then they strolled out of
the bar together. Nico’s left hand strung out over Will’s shoulders, and Will’s
right arm wrapped snuggly around his Captain’s waist. The town of Port Royal
was alight with the silvery glow of the moon. Must be midnight. Nico thought,
as he was led back toward the alluring sight of the sea, and the ship that lay
nestled in its bay.
~~~
“Drop Anchor!” Luke shouted. His gaze was on the fortress that protected Port
Royal, as well as on the ships that lay in the bay. He had prepared a crew to
go ashore to search for the boy. Perhaps it was here that the Exeter would find
its prize. He slowly walked along the length of the deck, up to the forecastle.
Movement on the water caught his attention. Luke spied another dinghy heading
toward a ship anchored a little farther out, with two males inside. The glint
of the moonlight shone down on a boy with lighter hair, and a boy with darker
hair, tied back into the ponytail. There was no need for his spyglass to tell
that the dark haired boy was drunk,nor that the two were laughing. The sight
caused Luke’s lips to curl upward into a small smile. “Young love.” Was all he
said.
A splash echoed from the side of the ship, indicating that the anchor was in
the water. Luke turned and was met with a head of blond hair, as straight as an
arrow, that fell to the neck of the pasty, sickly looking kid. A knife was held
in the boys hand, tip pointed at the floorboards. “Octavian. Go find me my
golden-haired boy. I long for the comforts of home again. Whenever you return,
you can meet me in my quarters.”
“Aye, Captain.” Octavian said, as a cruel smirk crossed his lips. He let out a
shrill whistle, before running over to the nearest railing and jumping
overboard. Four others did the same.
Luke returned to his spot at the bow of the ship, and grinned a sickly grin out
over the waters of the bay, toward the settlement and the fortress of Port
Royal, the Premiere Colony of the British Empire. “William Solace, come to us.
Admiral Smythe misses you oh so much.” He said in a soft murmur; a prayer of
sorts. A prayer he hoped would be answered.
***** Chapter 5: Man's Control stops at the Shore. *****
Chapter Notes
     This chapter is pure, unadulterated Smut between two 16 year old
     boys. Don't like it, skip this chapter for Chapter 6.
     Also, feel free to comment on how you think this is. I don't normally
     write smut.
The dinghy came to rest at the side of the Katakhthonios,and Nico was the first
to grab hold of the rope.  The next moment, he was expertly climbing, more or
less, up the side of the galleon’s side.  As his feet hit the deck, he swung a
hand over the deck to help Will onto the vessel.  In the moonlight, his golden
hair seemed to be a sheet of silver.  His cheeks and nose were dusted with
freckles, and his lips were only slightly chapped.  Nico hesitantly leaned
forward to press a soft kiss to his lips.  Will had never implicitly said he
wanted to sleep with Nico.  And Nico had rarely offered to help the crew. 
Percy had Annabeth, and Jason had Piper, who had stayed behind in Nassau. 
Before Leo had met Calypso, named after the Sea Goddess, he had sometimes
graced Leo’s bed…but it had never been sexual.
 
To his surprise, Will kissed back, and even went so far to let his hand,
roughened by callouses, lower to caress Nico’s hip.  “Nico,” Will asked,
breaking the kiss to look down at his Captain’s face. Sharp cheekbones, skin
that glowed as though it were the purest metal, a mix of silver and ivory; a
treasure all its own.  “Are you sure that you want to?”
 
Nico had to suppress a laugh, because he thought he had made it clear to Will. 
So in answer, Nico grasped Will’s hand, and began to lead him toward the door
that led down a small flight of stairs, and straight to the Captain’s
Quarters.  “Come on, Cabin Boy.  Your Captain requires you.”  Will let a gentle
laugh escape his lips, and he eagerly followed.
 
A laugh bubbled up from Nico’s lips as the cabin room door shut behind them,
blocking out the ship.  Within hours, Nico knew, the crew would all come back. 
But for now, the ship was theirs.  The last watch would leave, only to return
shortly before three, when the bars closed and the women stopped their
services. In the next moment, Will’s lips were pressed against his in a flurry
of passion and want. His hands were traversing over the curves of Nico’s body.
The kisses were lingering, passionate. Though they escalated quickly into lust-
induced kisses. For a moment, all Nico was aware of is the way Will seems to
dominate him, their tongues mingling; their hands roaming and groping. 
Suddenly, Will bucks his hips forward, and his arousal becomes evident in the
way the hardness rubs against Nico’s thigh; and Nico knows that he’s hard
and…fuck.

The next moment, Will is pulling away, tugging at Nico’s lower lip, while
simultaneously grinding against Nico. The sound drawn out of his throat was a
cross between pleasure and unbridled need. Who knew that rum could do this?
They pulled away from each other long enough for the shirts to fly off, and
their shoes to follow suit. Nico felt his wrist grabbed by Will, who pushed him
back onto the bed, back down, as he crawled over him. He was reminded of the
day he first met William, sprawled out on the deck, scared to death.

Yet now, here they were, Nico practically gasping for air while Will kissed
him, those slightly chapped lips trailing down his neck. The sensation of those
lips trailing over, kissing the point where, just under his skin, his pulse
ran. Will’ hands were on him. One hand placed on his hip, where his thumb
rubbed slow circles into the exposed skin, the other tangled in his dark hair.
Nico’s hand slid down to grab Will’s rear, pulling his hips down to meet Nico’s
own. He needed friction, needed to feel Will against him, know that Will wanted
him. As if in answer to his silent wondering, Will suddenly veered southward,
his lips moving along the prominent outline of his collarbone. Nico’s eyes
fluttered closed as Will sucked until there could be no doubt of a mark.  A
silent, if not physical, declaration of their mutual lust.  Yet, he knew what
would happen if Will continued, and if Will continued? Well, he wouldn’t last
long at all.
“Will, you don’t have to.” Nico said, noticing the breathlessness of his own
voice. Noticing how damn hot he was. He’d barely gotten the words out when he
felt his hand moving over his crotch, and Nico strained, his back arching ever
so softly.
“I want to.” Will said, as both hands now went to roughly pull down the jeans
that still kept their bodies apart.
“Have…you ever even..done that?” Nico found himself asking, before letting
himself rest against the bed. Only underwear now clothed him.
“No, but I’ve been privy to more than a few trysts.” Will said, before grasping
the waistband of the black pants that clothed Nico and pulling down just enough
to reveal his dick.
In the next moment, Will was on his knees, and he’d once again pulled Nico,
this time to the edge of the bed. Nico was perhaps seven inches, already hard.
Cut, unlike Will. He was acutely aware of the bead of precome that had
appeared. One glance at Nico, who had propped himself up on his elbows, was
encouraging. He didn’t look expectant. His cheeks were flushed a bright pink.
Nico looked about as sheepish as he could; considering that he was probably as
close to the edge as he possibly could be without blowing his load. Will leaned
forward to press a kiss to the soft skin of Nico’s inner thigh. And he began to
move upward. He paused briefly to yank that underwear down, revealing all that
Nico had.  The next moment, when there was nothing left to kiss, Will leaned
forward and pressed a soft kiss to the base of his dick, and he was surprised
that the brunette didn’t come right then and there. Nico bucked his hips up,
and was met by Will’ hands on the soft skin again, this time pushing his hips
down into the bed, a silent command: Don’t.
A groan escaped Nico’s parted lips, already swollen from kissing, when Will
took him in his mouth.  Will had pulled Nico up, lest he come in his mouth. 
Will he let his tongue run down every surface; taking cues from the subtle (and
not-so subtle) sounds that escaped Nico’s lips. Every glance up showed that
Nico’s eyes were closed, that he was grasping the sheets in clenched fists.
Then, as if he had received some divine inspiration, Will took all of him in
his mouth, and began to truly suck; saliva coating Nico’s length.  It was
enough for Nico, who, without any semblance of warning, came after a minute.
Instead of pulling away, as Will would have done, he let Nico ride out his
orgasm.

He was first aware of Nico in his post orgasmic bliss: the way the tension in
Nico’s body left, the grip on the sheets relaxing and the rapid rise and fall
of his chest. Then, he felt the wetness that was slowly making its way down his
chin. Standing from his place, he made his way over to the porthole, where he
spit the come out, toward the sea below. A cursory swipe by his forearm wiped
the come on his chin away. Then, feeling quite proud of himself, made his way
back into the main room. When Will was standing in the spot where he had been
kneeling, he undid his pants and dropped them to the floor, followed quickly by
undergarments. He was hard, and moved to grab the small vial of oil that rested
on the small table to the right of the bed.  Oil for the lamp that was seldom
used.  He quickly opened it and sniffed.  It smelled of olives.  Nico’s voice
broke the silence.
“I-I’m sorry. I didn’t even mean to come that fa-”
Will interrupted him, smiling ever so softly as he came to rest beside him.
“Don’t apologize for getting off. Are you still up for me?” He asked, holding
up the vial of oil to illustrate his point. “You can choose our position.”
“Of course I am. Just..prep me.  Fingers and all. As for position…we can do
missionary.”
Nico turned around onto his stomach, and spread his legs, as Will hurriedly
opened the bottle of lube and poured some on his fingers. When Will put his
finger in that most intimate place, Nico shuddered. How could he not have, when
it was cold. Will circled the puckered rim a few times, before he hesitantly
pushed in. The sharp intake of breath from Nico made him pause, sure that he
had hurt the boy he loved. He had been all too aware of the resistance. But
Nico seemed to relax, and Will continued, only once he had received a nod of
approval from Nico. A few minuted passed before he tentatively added a second
one, his eyes taking in every reaction that Nico had. Soon, new sounds escaped
his lovers lips, soft mewls and moans of pleasure. The wriggling of hips, the
way that Nico subtly pushed back on Will’ fingers. A signal that he wanted
more. And Will wouldn’t deny him that. Wouldn’t deny the way that he wanted it
to. He withdrew his fingers and grasped Nico’s shoulder, turning him around
onto his back. The debauched way that Nico looked up at him, with those
beautiful red tinged cheeks, the chocolate eyes, biting his bottom lip, was a
bigger turn on than anything he’d done.
As Nico took the vial of oil in hand, carefully dribbled some into the palm of
his right hand, before he took Will’ length in his hands. Stroking it only a
few times, a small smirk escaped his lips as his oiled hand moved down his
length, toward the base of dark blond hair. The shaky breath from Will made him
smile softly, and he moved to kiss the taller male.  Will moaned into the kiss,
while he let one hand move to tangle in the hair of the boy he was about to
make love to. He was sure he would lose it and come before he even got that
far. It seemed as though the world tilted sideways for him, and it took a
moment to realize that it had. The hand tangled in Will’ hair was met with the
warmth of the mussed up sheets, and it registered with him that he was laying
on top of Nico. Instinctively, he bucked his hips, his length, into Nico’s
hand, and broke the kiss to let out a needy groan. The next thrust was harder,
and he had to pull away from Nico, before looking down at him.
“I need you. I need to be inside of you.” Will said, as his hands slid down the
entire length of Nico’s lithe body, to the thighs he had kissed earlier. He
spread them and looked back up to Nico for approval. Nico had grabbed a pillow
and placed it under him, at the small of his back. Will was momentarily
confused, before he saw the way it helped. Nico’s lower half was raised, and
Will moved to settle between his legs.
Nico slid his hand between them, grabbing Will’ member and guiding him to his
entrance. He felt his heart racing, could hear the pound of blood in his ears.
He moved his right leg to wrap around Will’s waist, and felt the minute
movement, the soft way Will pushed forward until he saw stars. His head fell
back against the sheets as Will’ head pushed in, and felt the first hints of
arousal in him. Will didn’t stop, but instead continued to push in until he
couldn’t anymore, until he was fully sheathed inside of Nico. Both of their
chests rose and fell rapidly, the breathing increased from the pleasure of
their joined bodies. He waited for Nico. For him to give the all clear, that he
was free to continue.

What he got instead was Nico bucking his own hips up, bringing attention to
Will that he was ready, and that the boy below him was very hard. He felt
himself withdraw, until just the tip was inside, and thrust back in, taking in
the exhilarating feeling that came from the sound of skin hitting skin. At
first, the pace was slow, and steady, taking in both of their awkward lack of
skill. The way that both of them moved at first in opposite directions, to the
way their bodies moved in sync. Moans of pleasure, groans and grunts of ecstasy
escaped their lips. Will slid a hand between them to stroke and tease Nico,
jerking him off as he moved within him. Their moans broken by sudden kisses, by
love bites on sensitive and heated skin. By clasped hands and the way that Nico
grabbed at Will’ ass. Soon, the movements became erratic, as their need was
made more evident. As Will withdrew and thrust in, Nico suddenly jerked, his
eyes shutting suddenly, while a single word passed those delectably swollen
lips.
“Fuck!” Then, as he grabbed Will’s ass again, a sentence. “Do that again…That
felt-” He was cut off as Will thrust back into him, and a cry of pleasure
escaped those lips.
All pretense fell away then. Will’s hands moved to grab Nico’s thighs, and
pushed them farther apart.  He moved to lay Nico’s feet on top of his
shoulders. Nico, for his part, seemed surprised, before Will rammed back into
him, and he cried out again. This time, the rhythm was unsteady. Less
lovemaking and more rutting, in an effort to achieve the bliss of climax. Each
thrust sent Nico closer to the edge, and Will continued to stroke Nico; watched
as every bit of pleasure, every minute movement rocked Nico to his core. His
hands had once again grasped the sheets, and he was moving as best he could to
meet Will’ thrust. He was faintly aware of the creaking of the bed beneath
them, the dimming of light at the periphery of his vision. The way that,
beneath him, Nico changed. The slight clenching in Nico’s nether-regions, and
the way that he seemed to become harder; and the look of ecstasy blooming on
his face. He knew it even before Nico opened his mouth.
“I’m gonna c-” He cried out then, as his body clenched around Will. The white
spurts of come shooting onto Nico’s chest and abdomen. The way in which his
face twisted up as the orgasm took over him. The way Nico was around him, he
couldn’t hold back anymore. And thrust again only twice before he came. His own
vision darkened, until all he could see was Nico.
He continued to stroke Nico, even as he began to go soft. When he finally
stopped, he withdrew his hand to lick off the few drops of come that were
there. Then, he slowly, gently, pulled out of Nico. As soon as he was out, Nico
seemed to collapse onto the bed he was already laying on. Will felt the energy
drain from him. He didn’t remember laying down next to Nico. He was there
though, laying on his side, kissing Nico again.  In the next moment, Nico was
resting his head just to the right of Will’s shoulder, while his arm crossed
over Will’ chest. Where his fingers rested, a warmth seemed to radiate out. 
Will chanced a look over, and he was startled that Nico had his eyes closed,
his lips spread in a small smile.
“I love you, Will.” Nico said, moving to press a kiss to the bare skin of his
shoulder.
He let the words wash over him, sink into every pore, every ounce of his being.
Felt the emotion well up in his chest. “I love you too, Nico.” With those five
words, and the smile that formed on his own lips, the two boys, nestled in each
others arms, drifted into a deep sleep.
 
***** Chapter 6: Betrayal of the Heart. *****
“You’re sure that your information is correct?”  Luke asked Octavian.  He had
to be assured that the course of action he was going to take would not be in
vain.  For Luke, this mission would have a direct bearing on the future of his
Naval Career.
 
Octavian looked at the man with a gaze that flashed in anger, if only for a
moment, before his better senses took over.  “Yes, Captain.  Our prize and his
captain were staggering toward a boat to take them back.  Captain di Angelo
sails the--”
 
He was cut off with a wave of his hand by Luke, whose gaze had turned toward
the Man-Of-War that lay, berthed, in the bay.  The Katakhthonios was no
secret.  It had once been a feared ship among the Navies of the world.  A ship
280 feet long, with 99 Guns and a crew of nearly as many people.  It had been
feared for being longer than the HMS Victory, the flagship of Admiral Smythe. 
Yet, it was also respected.  The former captain of the Katakhthonios, a
merchant by the name of Captain Alessandro di Angelo, nicknamed Hades, was once
a well-respected man before the death of his wife and children.  Not all of
them, Luke thought, as he remembered the dark haired male in the dinghy.  He’d
had the cheekbones and regal look of the captain.
 
“How strange providence is,” Luke began, as he turned his gaze back to
Octavian.  “That the son of Admiral Smythe was taken captive by the son of the
Pirate the Admiral slew in battle.  Ready the Cannons.  We’ve found our prize.”
 
~~~
Deep sleep was something that never stayed with Nico for long.  It had been
mere hours before he’d woken up.  His left arm was slung around Will’s bare
chest, and he realized, rather embarrassingly, that their legs had somehow
become entangled.  Both were still undressed, Nico noticed, and Will had the
smallest of smiles upon his lips.  He’s having a good dream. Nico thought.  He
himself felt somehow better. Perhaps Jason and Percy were right. Nico had just
needed to suck it up and give in to his desires.  They didn’t even care if it
was a guy or not.
 
He gently disentangled himself from William, and moved to dress himself.  He’d
be able to afford a proper bath today, one that didn’t involve jumping into the
calm seas and sloughing off the dirt and grime, even if it worked wonders for
his skin.  Once he was up from the bed, he set about getting dressed. 
Undergarments, a pair of breeches, a shirt, and the infamous black brocade
coat.  Hands ran through his dark hair, which was promptly pulled back into a
ponytail, which Nico secured with a small band of cloth, and, for the sake of
it, a long, metallic hairpin which had been sharpened to a point.  Just in
case.  Nico thought to himself.  He glanced back at the sleeping boy on his
bed, and felt himself smile.
 
This hadn’t been part of a plan.  He was used to seeing acts on the ship.  You
can’t stick so many boys together and not expect bonds of friendship or favour
to form.  Nico never slept with crew though, not since the betrayer.  Not in
any way that was like this.  He’d spent the night with Leo once or twice, where
they talked, and laughed, and perhaps kissed.  But they never moved past that
into the realm of what he and Will had done.  This would create complications
with the crew.  An endless stream of teasing from Jason and Percy on their
younger cousin ‘Finally getting bedded again.’
 
Boom.  The sound was barely audible, and Nico thought that a crewman had fallen
over.  Until, he realized, that the sound would have been louder.  Behind him,
the glass that covered the large stern window shattered into a thousand
thousand pieces, and shards of wood flew into the wound.  A yell escaped Nico’s
lips as he fell to the ground, and as pain shot up his leg.  A glance up showed
Will falling out of the bed, his nude form hitting the ground with a solid
thud.  Outside his door, he could hear the scrambling of the crew as they
rushed from their bunks.  “Guns at the ready!” He heard Jason call out.  This
was sudden and uncalled for. No ship was permitted to fire on another in the
Harbor.
 
Except, Nico realized belatedly, that this was Port Royal, not Nassau.  His
gaze lowered to his calf, where a shard of glass, no bigger than his middle
finger, had penetrated the flesh of his thigh.  He closed his hand around the
sharp edges and withdrew it, carefully.  As he dropped the glass, now coated
with his blood, onto the deck, his door opened.
 
Percy looked first at Nico, then at William, who was struggling to pull on his
own pants.  His cheeks were red with embarrassment, perhaps panic.  Then his
gaze moved to the back window.  Part of it was still intact, but the hole in
the wall was an obvious teller of where the cannonball had come from.  When
Percy’s eyes came back to rest on Nico, there was a look of silent surprise, of
knowing, and of worry for Nico, all within that sea-green gaze that Nico had
adored as a child.  “There’s a ship in the bay, Captain…Royal Navy by the
looks.”
 
“They know we’re pirates, then.”  Nico said.  He grasped at the bedsheet, tore
a strip off, and tied it, tightly, around the wound.  “Fire back at them!  We
need to get underway, and quickly!”  Percy nodded and shut the door behind him.
 
William had since pulled his pants up, and was working on buttoning them up. 
“Royal Navy?  They’ve probably been searching every port between Boston and
here.  My father…”  There was an anxiousness in his voice, perhaps a longing. 
Nico didn’t stay long enough to find out.
 
The next moment, he’d thrown open his door and was strolling out toward the
main deck.  He hid the wince that fought to make it to the surface of his face
with every step.  Will, pulling on his shirt, was right on his heels, as if he
were a lost puppy.  This time, a volley of cannonballs shot from his ship.  The
deep Boom, Boom, BOOM of consecutive cannons firing echoing, reverberating
through the ship as though his father’s deep baritone voice were the ship
itself.  With a huff, he threw open the door and walked onto the main deck,
which was in disarray. Crewmen scattered to check rigging and lower the sails. 
Nico turned to tell Will to head downstairs and help with the gun crews, but
Will was looking out at the bay, at the other ship.
 
“That’s the Exeter.”  Will said with a hint of excitement in his voice.  “My
Father--”
 
“Who exactly is your father?”  Nico asked, cutting the male off.  He knew the
Exeter, and knew that the Captain couldn’t have sired Will, lest the poor boy
became a father at the age of seven.
 
“Captain!”  It was Percy, who pointed at the water.
 
Nico looked over toward the Exeter and frowned, for between the two vessels was
a dinghy, steadily rowing toward the pirate ship, and at the head was a man in
the standard blue of the Royal Navy.  “Luke Castellan.  Bastard of a man, and
cross.”
 
Nico beckoned Jason over, and quickly relayed instructions that Will couldn’t
hear.  The instructions given to Percy, however, were unmistakable.  “Be
prepared to sail at full speed back home.  I’ll either return to this ship
alive, or make my home with the bay.”
 
Nico then slowly walked toward the edge and began to climb over, down the steps
that were embedded in the side of the Katkhthonios.  At the bottom was the
dinghy that he and Will had used to get back.  The crew had found their own way
back.  Some would swim, others would pay men to ferry them across the black
waters of the bay, as though they were the deceased and he were Charon. Once
Nico had settled at the bow of the boat, Jason made his own way over to the
dinghy.  He placed a leather-bound book on the floor of the boat, and began to
row out to meet the other.  This was what they’d done a year ago, when Nico and
Luke had first exchanged blows.
 
There was a mutual respect between them.  Both knew that, without the other,
they could not exist.  Without Pirates, what was Luke’s purpose as a Captain. 
And, without the Royal Navy, what would Nico and his crew plunder?  Nico had a
deep distrust of the other, however.  For all of his qualities, that charming
smile, the sun-bleached hair, and the charm that could lull even Nico, he was
still a ravenous man out for his own advancement.  The two boats stopped just
short of one another.
 
“Castellan.”  Nico said, rather coldly.  “What right have you to fire on my
ship, aside from the issue of Piracy, which we’re in mutual…not agreement, as
so much understanding on?”
 
Luke regarded him with cold blue eyes.  “Admiral Apollonious Smythe lost
something of importance when you plundered the Andromeda.  Don’t even think of
denying it, di Angelo.  No other person would have the gall to attack a
galleon, except for someone with a Man-Of-War.  And only one pirate has a Man-
Of-war as their ship.  You.”
 
Nico straightened himself at the sound of the man’s name.  The man who had shot
his father and left Nico to die..  His leg hurt, and the pain shot up his leg
as though someone were shooting him with lightning.  “If you’re talking about
the cargo of linen, tobacco, and sugarcane, it’s already long gone, Castellan. 
Sold it all when we arrived. Our letters were in good order, according to the
man who runs trade here.  And the Gold’s already been distributed to the crew. 
You may still be able to salvage some from the women that my men made use of in
Port Royal.”
 
“The Admiral cares nothing for whores or gold or any of that!”  Luke suddenly
snapped. Nico took a step back.  He tried not to let the comment on whores
bother him.  It was still as honest a living as any. “He lost something
valuable on the Andromeda. His son.”
 
Nico hinged on the word. Son.  He’d heard Jason inhale sharply behind him.  A
clear indicator of what was meant.  “The only bounty we picked up was what is
clearly listed in the manifest.”  Nico said, and held a hand out.  Jason put
the leather book in his hand, which he held forward to Luke.
 
Luke scoffed, clearly amused.  “I know how you work, Nico.  You always leave
one alive…give him the opportunity to join your sorry crew of misfit boys.  You
mean to tell me that you didn’t save a boy about your age?  Blond hair and
tanned skin?  With a dazzling smile across his lips and blue eyes that light up
the world?  Answers to the name William, I presume.”  Despite the questioning
tone to his voice, a grin crossed his lips.
 
Jason saw it first, in the way that Nico’s shoulders tightened, and the way
that his arm grasped at nothing.  He remembered the betraying blow that
Francesco had landed on Nico.  Remembered the way that Nico had lay forlornly
in bed, crying and inconsolable for days.
 
“You’re lying.”  Nico said, his voice defiant.  “William…he knows about my
father.  He would have told me if his father…”
 
“But he didn’t.  Perhaps,” Luke said, his tone becoming a taunting one.  One
that Jason was familiar with.  “Good little William just wanted to bed the
Captain.  It would make an interesting story.  Fucking the Captain of the
Katakhthonios.”
 
Nico lunged, and Jason was grabbing at his coat, preventing him from plunging
into the waters of the bay.  A smirk was plastered on Luke’s face.  Jason
managed to pull Nico back, when there was a flurry of movement, and a single
shot pierced the otherwise quiet night.  Behind Luke, another blond haired boy
looked down at his stomach, where a circle of dark red was beginning to pierce
through the white linen.  Wordlessly, he fell over, into the interior of the
boat.
 
Luke looked behind him, at the fallen Octavian.  There was no sense of pity in
his eyes as he turned back to the other boat.  “You missed!”
 
Jason was already rowing away, back toward the ship, when Nico turned and
yelled a single word.  “FIRE!”
 
As Nico turned to look back at the Captain, the sound of firing cannons filled
the air, and the whizz of the cannonballs as they ran through the night made
Nico’s skin shiver.  “Burn in hell, Castellan!”
 
Luke, however, had already turned away, and had begun to row back toward his
ship.  He stopped, prematurely, to toss Octavian over the side.  His body
splashed into the water, and slowly sank beneath the waves, into the waters of
the bay that was as black as india ink.
 
The dinghy had come to within shouting distance, and Nico turned toward those
on the deck.  “Fire below the waterline!  Sink her!”  The orders were swiftly
relayed, and Nico looked up to catch Will staring over the edge.  His face was
knit with concern, though Nico knew not if it was for Nico, or for himself.
 
Already, other ships were waking, coming to the deck to look at the two ships
firing upon one another.  The Boom of cannons firing shook Nico down to the
bones.  He swiftly began to climb up the side of his ship, ensuring the Jason
was right behind him.  He swung one leg over the edge of the Man-Of-War, and
half collapsed onto the deck.
 
“Fire at will, and unfurl the sails!  We must leave, now!”  Nico said.  The
firing of cannon continued, as the sails lowered to catch the morning wind. 
The sound of men heaving the anchor out of the water.  He slowly pulled himself
up, wincing at the pain in his leg.
 
A volley of cannon shot out, filling the bay with the sound of thunder, and the
volley rang true.  The Exeter suddenly shuddered, before the hull, partway back
from the bow, tore apart in brilliant orange light, which briefly turned the
early morning bay into daylight.  The water turned blue with the reflection of
the light of the explosion.  A cannonball must have hit the powder magazine. 
Luke was nowhere to be seen, but his ship, and most of his crew, would sink
beneath the waves.
 
Nico stayed where he was, as the ship, torn nearly in two, began to list to
port.  By the time the main mast fell over, it was falling behind them, which
surprised Nico, as he never realized when they started to sail.  He slowly made
his way down the deck and up the short set of stairs that led to the stern
deck, toward the wheel, where Percy stood, his eyes ahead.  A soft look of
disapproval was on his lips.  Jason stood next to him.  “Nassau, Percy.  Let’s
get home.”
 
As he turned around to descend the stairs, he was met with the worried face of
Will.  He stood at the bottom of the flight of stairs.  Nico saw those ice-blue
eyes on his; noticed the way the cupid’s bow of his upper lip was drawn taut in
a thin line; relished the way that the wind blew his fine golden hair around
his face…the same hair that his hand had been tangled in last night.  A pang of
pain went through his heart. The way it had when his hands were covered with
his fathers blood.  The way it had when he’d held his weapon up at Francesco. 
Asked him the question that would result in Nico shooting the older boy.  The
first person he’d ever let close to him, aside from his father.  The boy that
he had first loved…
 
“Is Admiral Apollonius Smythe, the man who murdered my father and left me to
die, your father?”  He asked softly.  Yet, to his surprise, the crew stopped,
and the ship became deathly quiet.  Everyone had heard the story.  His gaze
briefly scanned the deck.  Annabeth, her golden hair in a ponytail, was the
only one who took a single step forward.  Even Leo, toward the boy, had stopped
mid hoist to turn.
 
Will didn’t turn.  His gaze was only for Nico.  His gaze connected with Nico’s
eyes, which in this light seemed to be obsidian, whispering of danger and of
secrets that he’d not yet cracked.  His heart seemed to contract, because this
wasn’t a question.  It was an accusation, a silent curse.  “N-Nico, I tried to
tell you, before you spotted the Captain of the Exe—”
 
The look of pain, of heartbreak, that crossed Nico’s face was what stopped
Will, mid-sentence.  A look that spoke not of simple hurt.  It was a look of
someone who had been betrayed, and had taken a chance, only for that chance,
that sliver of hope, to come right back and shove a stake through his heart.
 
“I trusted you, which was my mistake.”  Nico said, as he fought to keep just
how badly he was hurt from showing.  “I…I told you stories, secrets, of my
life.  I let you fuck me.”  Nico said, without much regard for what the crew
thought.  Even the captain needed someone.  “And…And all the time, you knew
your father killed mine?  You knew who I was when I let you into my
confidences, into my bed?”
 
Will didn’t care that the tears had risen in his eyes.  It was horrible enough
to see Nico seem to break apart above him.  Even worse to realize that he was
the cause.  He could have, should have, told him.  Yet he knew that when he
did, Nico would despise him for it.  Now, however, it was oh so obvious that it
was worst.  Obvious that the look in Nico’s eyes, when next they met his, when
he glanced at the crew and subtly nodded, was not simply hate.  It was
loathing, a look that seemed to call down the worst curses from Heaven above. 
A single hand closed around his right arm, and he turned to see a woman with
piercing blue eyes and golden hair tied into a ponytail.  Annabeth, the only
woman on the ship.  “N-Nico, please!”  He said, and he realized that his voice
was just short of panic, frantic with pleading from someone who realized what
his meant.  The plank.  Was this how Anne Boleyn had felt, as she was torn away
from Henry?  “I—I should have told you!  I was stupid, Nico, please!”
 
Nico glanced down at the Cabin Boy with the golden hair, as a single tear
cascaded down his cheek.  “Take him to the brig.  For this treachery…we’ll let
the crew decide his fate.”
 
Jason rushed forward, past Nico, and took hold of Will’s left arm.  A cry of
elation, went up from the crew as Will was dragged backward across the deck. 
His ankles dragging across the floor, and tears staining his perfectly tanned
face.  His cries were lost on most of the crew, but they reached Nico’s ears.
 
“Nico, I’m sorry!  Let me explain!  Please, Nico, Please!” He said, over and
over, his voice rising higher in desperation and panic the farther he was
dragged, until the sound of a wooden door slamming shut silenced his voice; as
he was dragged into the interior of the ship.  Yet Nico could only replay one
thing, over and over in his head.
 
How could I have been so stupid, to think that a boy like him could truthfully
love me?
***** Chapter 7: Nassau, Prepare for War. *****
One_Week_Later,_Nassau:_The_Pirate's_Republic.
Will’s shoulder ached from the iron bar that pressed into his flesh.  It was
one of 12 bars that made up the cell he’d been roughly shoved into a week ago. 
He remembered the scene oh so clearly.  Him screaming, pleading for Nico’s
forgiveness.  The jeers of the crew, and the look of heartbreak on Nico’s face
as he watched.  He remembered Annabeth letting go of him, briefly, to throw
open the door of the cell before Jason tossed him in.  The pain that shot up
his side when he hit the wooden floor.  The scathing look on Jason’s face after
Annabeth had left, and the words he said that still rang inside his head: 
You’re no better than your father.
After that, the week had passed by in misery.  Twice a day, he was given food
and water.  Once a day, his chamber pot was emptied.  Yet, he’d suffered
indignities at the hands of the crew.  He’d been pissed on by some.  Been
called obscene names by others.  Percy had permitted him a change of clothing
and some water to scrub off.  Leo had afforded him company, at night, when he
could spare it.  Annabeth came by with Percy every so often, and somewhere,
somehow, he’d found her pitying him.  Nico, however, never stopped by.  The
crew never mentioned him.  He felt the sting of tears well up in his eyes
again.  How many times had he cried in the last week, due to his loss of the
one person he’d had feelings for?  He’d never had the courage to tell Nico that
the night they had spent together was the first time he’d ever slept with
anyone.  He had been privy to seeing others, a voyeur…but he’d never been
approached.  Never been lucky enough to sleep with someone.
The sound of boots thumping across the floor, toward his cell, made Will
prepare for the worst.  Someone else to come abuse him in some way, shape or
form.  When the boots were visible, before the front of the cage, Will was sure
someone was going to use him as though he were a chamberpot.  Instead, however,
a familiar voice broke the silence.
~~~
Luke paced up and down the deck of the Victory, as anger lit his face up.  He
was still sore from the way the explosion of the Exeter blew him into the
water.  He was angry, too.  Wanted revenge on Nico for the destruction of the
Exeter and the death of most of his crew.  Angry that his prize had been oh-so-
close, only for it to be snatched away.  His blatant victory taken away.  His
future now hanging in the balance.
“How far are we from Nassau, Sir?”  He asked, turning toward the man at the
wheel.
Above him, on the half deck, the man with piercing eyes turned to face the
Captain of his now lost barque.  Ice blue, with a chiseled chin and angular
cheekbones that some said were simply divine in nature.  His hair, as golden as
the rays of the life-giving sun, were covered by a powdered wig.  The royal
blue of his Naval coat impeccable, with no sign of staining.  No wrinkles on
any part of his uniform.  Everything was ship-shape.  Nothing out of place,
nothing where it should be.  Except, he thought, for the seven ragged crew
members that he had to drag out of the bay at Port Royal.
“Do you still think you can catch him, Castellan?  You sail ahead of the fleet
for your own personal gain, put William at risk, and you still think you can
somehow salvage this mission of yours?”  His voice was cold.  Admiral
Apollonius Smythe gestured for the male beside him to take the wheel, and he
began to approach the younger man.  “Your little outburst could mean the end of
my dear boy’s life.  He’ll be branded a traitor, subjected to the plank, or
worse, a trial at Nassau. Do you know what the Pirates do to Traitors, Captain
Castellan?”
Luke suddenly turned his gaze away from the man, as his gaze was simply too
strong, as though it would reach through the very depths of his soul.  “I do
not, Sir.”
“There are many possibilities, none so obvious as the punishment we mete out to
their kind.  A short rope and a long drop.  That’s a reputable way to go.  Yet
these Pirates are ruthless in their justice.  They could stab him in the gut
and disembowel him.  Leave him to spend his last moments holding his entrails
as though he were a pig at slaughter.  They could burn him alive.  They could
slice his throat as easily as if ‘twere normal.  The thing about Pirates,
Castellan, is that they’re barbaric.  They’re subhuman.  Go downstairs and get
some rest. You’re done.”
Luke nodded softly and turned from his place, before walking toward the door
that would lead him to the crew quarters below the deck.  A voice stopped him.
“One more thing, Luke.  If any harm’s come to my son, the Pirates won’t be the
only thing I destroy.”
Luke let the door fall shut behind him.
~~~
“You look like shit.”  Nico said, matter-of-factly, from his place outside of
the cage.  He’d spent a week raging inside of his room; between extremes of
anger and heartbreak.  But he had realized that he needed to come see him.  To
tell him everything.  To destroy William as much as William had destroyed him. 
Vindictiveness ran through his blood, and Nico could hold grudges that lasted a
lifetime.  He looked down at Will, who sat on the floor, one leg propped up,
foot flat on the ground, while the other rested firmly on the floor.  His left
elbow rested on his knee, and his fingers, dirtied, curled and pointed at
nothing.  His lips were chapped, his hair lackluster, dulled.  The shine gone. 
His clothing was a simple cotton shirt and pants, their ends ripped off to make
shorts that ended just below the knee.  They had been white once, but were
darkened from God knew how many days of continuous wear.
“Thanks for the vote of confidence.  You come to piss on me too?”  Will asked,
looking utterly dejected, as though that act would be the lowest he could get.
“Why would I do that?  It’s disgusting.  And besides, I’ve come to ask you
why?”   Nico asked, and he hated the way that his voice broke on the last
word.  Because for the past week, that’s the one question he could never find
some semblance of an answer for.  “You heard the story from Leo, he told me as
much.  You knew who I was, and you still…we still…”
“I didn’t know how to tell you.”  Will said, as he let his gaze fall back to
the floor of his cell.  Because you would hate me like you do now.  Because if
you knew who my father was, you would throw me overboard and let me drown in
the deep blue seas. “I didn’t want you to see me as the son of your kin-
slayer.”
Nico’s gaze seemed to harden, and he grabbed an empty bucket that lay against
the wall, overturned it, and set it down.  A moment later, he was sitting down
on it.  “You are the son of my father’s slayer, though.  Despite anything you
do, you can’t shuck that part of your life out of you, anymore than I can cast
off the fact that I’m a Pirate, or that I’ve murdered people like Francesco. 
Do you know of him?”
Will, upon hearing his words, fought back the tide of tears that threatened to
overflow.  But he slowly shook his head in answer.
“Francesco was the first boy I’d ever loved.  He was our age two years ago. 
Something of a forbidden crush that I had.  He only wanted to live on the seas,
and had been Cabin Boy on the Bianca Mariabefore my father became a Pirate.  I
would meet him in secret places aboard the very ship, and we would talk.  He
was tender, and sweet…just like you, even when he looked like Leo.  Even worse
than that, he was charming, and he would talk me into giving small kisses.  He
was my first introduction into the realm of romance.”
Will felt the sense of regretful fondness that Nico had when talking about this
man, Francesco.  The way that Nico talked about him, he was aware that Nico’s
feelings for Francesco had been serious.  A young boy on the verge of
pubescence, and love, and lust.
“He was the first boy to come into my bed, and hold me on nights when storms
raged and the ship creaked and groaned.  He was the first boy to ever touch me
in that way.  He was new to it, as was I.  He was fifteen, I was thirteen. 
Forbidden adventures to anyone else. But to us, it was all we had.  Then, I
found out that he was a self-serving man when he sold us out to your father.”
The change in Nico’s voice was evident almost instantly, from a fond affection,
remembering the great memories, to the hard tone; the way that the seas could
shift from peaceful to a rogue wave, or a maelstrom that could sink ships and
level cities.  The way a sea could rise up and destroy coastlines.
“Because of Francesco’s actions, I held my father in my arms, as his lifeblood
poured out of his wounds…wounds inflicted by your bastard of a father.  Do you
know what happened to Francesco?  I shot him.  But that wasn’t how he died.” 
The sharp sound of a blade being pulled from its sheath made Will look up, and
fear became evident in his eyes when he saw the dagger that Nico held in his
hand.  “I pushed this blade into his throat, just where I knew he would bleed
out.”
“Why are you telling me this?”  Will suddenly asked, as he moved to stand. 
“Are you going to shove that dagger into my throat?  Let me bleed out in this
horrible cell?  All because I didn’t tell you of who I was?”
“No!”  Nico said, as he himself rose, sliding the blade of the dagger into the
sheath.   “I’m telling you so you know that you’re no better than Francesco or
your bastard father!”  Nico said, as anger flared across his features once
again.  “You snuck your way into my bed, and you were fully aware of who I
was!  You used me to…to gain some kind of secret!”
“What secret would that be?”  Will asked, and he felt the anger rising in his
own voice.  “That you said you loved me?  I didn’t sneak my way into your bed! 
You invited me in when you were as drunk as anyone I’d ever seen!  I’m not my
father, so don’t you dare compare me to him.  He’s ruthless.”
Nico scowled, and rammed his hands into the bars of the cage.  “You’re just
like him!”  Nico said, before he sank down to his knees, face hidden in
shadow.  “You seek out vulnerabilities.  You seek out weakness and exploit it,
and when you strike, you ensure it’s when the enemy is weak.  Francesco and
you…you were both placed here by your father.  You’re as guilty of my father’s
death as he is.”
Will looked aghast at that sudden statement.  To think that he was being held
accountable for his fathers actions two years past?  That was unheard of.  “We
aren’t guilty for the deeds, good or bad, of our Fathers, Nico.  We are men who
have our own agency, our own reasons for doing what we do.  You can’t hold me
accountable for what my father did anymore than I can hold you accountable for
your own fathers actions.”
Nico scoffed, from his place on the floor, and when he looked up, Will was
surprised to see tears upon his cheeks.  “Your beloved King bids me hang for
the crimes of my father.  My crew bids you hang for the crimes of yours. 
Agency or not, our lives were entwined by fate.”
“You should hang for the death of Francesco.  And for the death of countless
crews at your hand.  But you can’t hang for what your father did, Nico.  You
were a child.”  Will retorted, as he drew himself up to his full height.  A
last stand of pride.  “Have you come to lead me to the noose, then?”
Nico slowly stood up, and swiftly wiped away the tears.  “You’re to face trial
by crew here, at Nassau.  Whatever punishment they mete out, I…I will try to
pull my weight to ensure you’re freed.”
That startled Will, who had since moved to grasp at the bars in the front of
his cage.  “Why?  Let them hang me.”
Nico turned and began to stroll away, toward the door.  As his hand reached for
the latch, and light flooded into the chamber, he turned and faced Will. 
“Because,” He said, and his own eyes met Will’s, if only for a moment.  “I
didn’t lie when I said I loved you.”  Then he turned to step out of the hold. 
“The Prisoner’s all yours!”
A chorus of cheers went up from the crew.
~~~
Nico entered the fortress of Nassau with a scowl on his lips.  Reyna stared
down at him from her place, and she was flanked by her closest allies.  To her
right was Frank Zhang, his bow in his right hand, and an arrow nocked.  To her
left, her hair covered by a brown cap, was Jason’s girlfriend, Piper.  She had
been inspired by Anne Bonny.  Hazel stood next to Piper, a small look on her
lips as Nico came through the gate.  Despite himself, he smiled.  Hazel, oh so
long ago, had opted to stay at Nassau, after the death of her father during the
same raid that killed his father.
“Hazel!  How are you?”  Nico asked, moving toward the stairs that would take
him upstairs.
A small grin crossed her own lips, as she held out her arms to him, bounding
down the stairs in the light blue dress that made her seem as radiant as any
Goddess.  When the two reached each other, he picked her up in a well meaning,
joyous hug.  “I’m doing well!  You?”
“We’ve a lot to discuss, dear sister.  But I’m fine.”  Nico said, before his
eyes shifted to Reyna.  “Are the Other Captains here?  I see that Frank is.”
Frank nodded softly, before he entered the main structure.  Silently, everyone
followed him inside.
~~~
“I say we hang him!”  One man shouted, as Will stood before the massed group of
Pirates, Merchants, and general riff-raff that made up the population of
Nassau. There was a respectable town inland, but the coast belonged to the
pirates.  Had become a Pirates Republic.
A roar went up from the crowd, affirming the man’s proposal to hang the
traitor, and Will’s heart skipped a beat.  Across the way, leaning on a second
floor brothel balcony, were Percy and Jason, taking in the proceedings with
stone faces, never showing a single emotion.
“Amigos!”  The voice drifted across the crowd, and Will turned to see Leo,
sauntering onto the scaffold as though he owned it.  “I know we all want
blood.  Especially the blood of traitor…But I don’t think William is a
traitor.”
 
A murmur made its way through the crowd, and Will looked up to see that Jason
had stood up to his full height; and Percy was smirking.  Leo, unperturbed,
continued.
“Yes, Will is the Son of an Admiral in the Royal Navy, but he’s got a good
heart, which is more than I can say about the lot of you!”  Leo said.  “I can
see why he didn’t say who his father was.  He didn’t want to be singled out
like he’s being singled out now!”
“Enough, Leo!”  Jason shouted from his spot upon the balcony.  “Let’s not stall
any longer!  I call for William to be hanged, and I want to pull the lever
myself!”  Will felt his stomach drop as the cheer from the crowd went up.  “I
call for a vote!”  Jason called out, and he pulled his sword out of its
sheath.  “All in favor of hanging the traitor!”
Will, turned to the crowd, as the swords, their method of vote, began to be
drawn.
~~~
“Are you sure, Nico?”  Reyna asked, as her left hand massaged the head of one
of her two dogs.  Her face was a mask of concern.  “Your plan’s a gamble.”
“If Frank’s right,” Nico began, with a soft nod at the Captain of the Falcon. 
“Then the Exeter was a scout ship, and the Victory is behind.  Which means that
Will’s father is on the sea, looking for him.”  Nico said, before he paused to
raise the pewter cup to his lips to take a sip of the rum held within.  His
goal tonight wasn’t to get drunk, but he didn’t trust the water here.  “Will’s
fate lays in the hands of the crews, and he will be put to death.  The Victory
will come here, and when Admiral Smythe learns about Will’s death, he will rain
hell down onto this island, to ensure that Pirates are destroyed.”
Hazel shifted uneasily, and Piper looked over at Nico through half-lidded
eyes.  Nico knew, however, that this was a front.  Beneath that supposedly
bored expression was a mind that was busy calculating.  And it was Piper who
spoke.
“You want that, don’t you?  For the flagship of the British Navy to come
here?”  A gentle smile crossed her lips.  “That’s why Jason isn’t with you.”
“Jason is at the square, to ensure that Will dies.”  Nico said in a calm
voice.  “As for Smythe, Yes, I want him to come here, so I can kill him myself
for what he did.”
“Yet you won’t kill Will, like you killed Francesco?”  Frank butted in, as he
set his elbows on the table.  Nico remembered when he’d first met the other,
who was pudgy.  He hadn’t realized how muscular the other was until this
moment.  “We all know the story of the ruthless Ghost maker, the Prince of
Darkness.”
Nico laughed, because that had not been something he’d heard.  “Prince of
Darkness, Zhang?  I’m nothing of the sort.”
“We’ve heard stories.”  Hazel said, as she set down a mug of something hot
before her.  She wasn’t one for rum.  “You kill men twice your size with a fury
in your eyes and a darkness in your heart.  You’ve killed so many men, that the
men whisper that, when you die, Satan himself will give you a throne.”  Though
she wouldn’t admit it, Nico thought, Hazel was worried.  They had been friends,
and he had wanted to protect her, Reyna was all too happy to have company here,
in this gruesome fortress.
 
“I won’t kill Will because, unlike Francesco, he can’t get away.  Leave it to
the crew to draw blood.”  Nico said, with a wave of his hand.  “Do I have your
word that your ships will fire on the Victory should it come to that?  Do I
have your word Reyna that the fortress will fire upon it?”
 
Around the table, there were slight nods.  Frank’s face was stony, yet his eyes
were fire.  Piper, the captain of the Bonny, of course, nodded.  And Reyna,
regarded Nico for a moment, before she too, nodded.  Reyna stood up suddenly,
her purple dress flowing around her.  Before she could speak, however, Nico
turned to look at the others.  The Stoll Brothers, both of whom nodded their
heads.  Captain Yew who stood and pledged his sword to Nico.  Around the room,
other Captains nodded their heads.  A total of fifteen ships that would fire
upon the Admiral, defend Nassau and the Pirates Republic.
 
“Very well, then!”  Reyna called out, and slammed her cup onto the table.  “Go,
prepare your crews!  We’ve a day at most to prepare, before battles upon us!”
A chorus of cheers went up, as the Captains stood up and walked from the room. 
It was a minute before Frank and Piper left, with Hazel following along, arm in
arm with Frank.  Nico stood up and strolled toward the door, before he turned
to look at Reyna.
“Say what you will,” She said, as she turned to look at him.  “You won’t kill
William Solace yourself because you love him.”
Nico turned and wordlessly walked from the room.
~~~
Will fell to his knees, at the pitiful amount of swords that had been raised
when the ‘Nay’ vote had been put.
He wouldn’t cry, however.  Wouldn’t give the pirates the satisfaction of seeing
him shed tears.  He slowly lowered his face, until his gaze rested on the worn
and weathered wood.
“William Solace,” The voice was Jason, who had come closer, and was probably
about to climb up the scaffold.  “The various crews have voted, and you’ll die
for your treason by hanging, tomorrow morning.  Take him away!”
He heard himself cry out, as two hands grabbed at him, and dragged him away.
 He looked up to see Jason, looking at him with a smirk on his face.
***** Chapter 8: Baited Hearts *****
Chapter Notes
     AKA:
     The scene with feels and a cliffhanger, because I'm apparently Satan.
     I hope you all enjoy.
There was nothing quite like staring death in the face. Never mind the fact
that Will has dry heaved all morning, and made more than enough use of the
chamber pot. He’d watched as the others erected a makeshift scaffold, where a
length of rope now stood. Will slowly brought a hand to his neck and rubbed at
the skin there, unbroken by signs of stubble or other features of manliness
that didn’t involve removing ones breeches. Once again, he felt the dread, the
leaden heaviness of his heart, at the certainty that he would never live to see
another sunset, nor would he live to taste the rum on Nico’s pristine lips;
feel Nico’s smooth skin beneath his calloused hands. He resisted the urge to
cry again, for he knew that he’d only give a sick sense of satisfaction to
those who had voted to see him hang. Will looked through the small window once
again, and saw that a crowd was beginning to form in the area surrounding the
platform. Beyond then, perhaps a quarter of a mile away, was the pristine
waters of the bay, and the great blue ocean beyond. If God smiled upon him, his
last sight would be the blessed sea that he’d grown up around. The door opened,
and Will turned to see who it was who would take him on his death walk: Jason
Grace.
“Let’s go, Solace. Best not to drag it out.” Jason said, before he entered the
room and grabbed his upper arm. Jason dragged him from the room, and toward his
demise.
Will was surprised that it was so beautiful, with nary a cloud in the sky. It
was as blue as it had ever been, and the breeze smelled like mango, or perhaps
incense. As he was led forward, he let his eyes travel to the sky, even as the
men threw rotten fruit at him, as the women flashed their breasts at him, as
though taunting him that he would never again enjoy carnal pleasures. It was
all for naught, however. For he only yearned to see Nico. His shins hit the
steps as he was led up to the platform. The pain was brief, but intense. A
final sign that he was alive; that this wasn’t a dream. Jason, who had dragged
him all the way, tightened his hand on the boy’s shoulder, which prompted him
to stop. A moment later, Jason’s blue eyes were staring into his, a small smile
upon his lips as he put the noose around his neck.
“You’re lucky that Nico thinks you’re cute.” Jason said, as he moved behind
Will to tie his hands. Just when Will thought that this couldn’t get any more
undignified, Jason slowly grasped the hem of his pants and pulled them up. Had
they sagged? “Should at least stay decent, not showing half the beach your
admittedly nice ass.” Then he slowly moved toward the lever, just a foot away.
It was just far enough for Will to see Jason from the corners of his eyes. He
suddenly turned toward the crowd. “Are you ready for a hanging?!”
As the crowd cheered, Will let himself look straight ahead. Despite the few
ships, he noted that one was nowhere to be seen. He caught sight of a few fast
moving clouds to his right, and he turned his head ever so slightly. At the
same moment that he gasped, a shout went up from farther up the beach.
~~~
“Nassau is around this corner, Admiral.” Ethan said, as he glanced over the
railing, and at the blessed blue water. This was solely to judge the depth, or
to look for potential dangers. There were none here, so close to the only
natural bay on this island that would allow for ships.
Apollonius slowly walked back to the wheel, as his gaze strayed toward the
shoreline. It already smelled of a pirate town even here. A soft scowl crossed
his lips as he ordered his crew to prepare for battle. Below deck, he heard the
telltale sound of cannon being prepared. He prepared his own flintlock gun for
battle, and put a hand on the hilt of his blade. Today would be the day that he
would accomplish two things: Retrieve his son, and wipe out his captors. Every
last one. His gaze moved along the shoreline, where there was pristine beach
before forest. It appeared that, for now, no one was going to send up the alarm
of potential attacks. His mind drifted to the day he’d first held William. His
mother had opted not to take her husband’s last name, causing quite the scandal
among the London Elite. Yet, Naomi Solace had always been fiercely independent,
and fiercely loyal. As the only child, she’d wanted the Solace line to
continue, and it had, through their son William. When she’d died, when William
was yet a boy, at the tender age of six, Apollonius had sent him off to learn
at the Royal Naval Hospital School. He’d been so proud of his son, with the
golden hair and the ice-blue eyes. With the smattering of freckles that could
make anyone, male or female, swoon. With the promise of a future so great that
no one knew. All of that was at stake now, and Apollonius had to get his son
back. The appearance of the stern of a ship made him change his gaze. Ahead,
where the beach reached a small point and turned inland, was the first ship he
had seen. It was the Gemini. Flagship of the infamous Stoll Brothers. “Prepare
to fire!”
It was now or never. When the full ship was in view, Smythe noticed that other
ships had started to come into view. The Bonny, the Bloody Mary,even theKing
Richard’s Vengeance. The Katakhthonios was nowhere to be seen, however. Perhaps
it had left. The beach had come into view, finally, and Ethan was suddenly
beside him, white faced as he held out the spyglass.
“Sir,” He said, before swallowing. Apollonius watched the muscles in his throat
move. A sign of nervousness. “The beach.”
The Admiral nodded and slipped open the hourglass, before he trained it upon
the white strip of beach upon which were the pirates. It didn’t take long to
find the centerpiece of the galley, and he felt his heart stop. It was a
crudely constructed platform, upon which a boy was standing. This wasn’t a
simple speech. It was an execution, and the condemned was his darling son.
~~~
Nico gave the nod, and the sails unfurled, catching the wind. The crew had left
in the early hours of the morning. They had sighted the sails of the Victory
shortly before dawn, and Nico had skirted the island, making it seem as though
they were leaving. In truth, it seemed that his plan would indeed work. The bay
of Nassau was pointed at one end, hiding the beach from anyone approaching.
Facing the point was the great fort that guarded the bay. And Nico? Well, as
the Victory was concerned with the other ships, he would swing out and join the
fight. It all ended today, after all. That was if the timing was perfect.
His thoughts drifted back to Will once again. He had thought long and hard
about his words, and Nico realized that he couldn’t fault Will for the sins of
his father. Besides, there was something about Will that made him get all
jittery. Maybe it was because Will had been the one to actually get Nico off,
or because it had been so good to wake up in the arms of a smiling boy with
hair like sunshine. All he knew was that, if any part of this plan failed, Nico
would be dead in one way or another. His hands moved to ensure that all of his
weapons were in place, before he moved to stand next to Percy.
“You sure about this, Nico?” Percy asked, as he took a hand off of the wheel to
pull Nico close in a side hug, something that had been all too common for them
all. Not to mention the random acts of Percy, Jason, and himself shoving one
another off of the boat when at anchor.
Nico felt a small smile cross his lips, and he slung an arm around Percy’s
waist, before he looked up at his cousin. “I’m sure. What you feel for
Annabeth, I feel for Will. You told me that your stomach hurts, in a good way
and not a “I’m going to destroy my bowels” way.” Even now, Nico couldn’t help
the snort that crossed his lips at the exact wording that Percy had used. “As
trivial as it sounds, I didn’t realize that I’d been looking at Will the way I
had. And…well, I’m not exactly going to complain about what we did. He’s
essential to the plan. I only hope it doesn’t go to shit.” Nico paused and
turned. “RAISE THE BLACK!” He cried out, before turning to face the bow.
Percy nodded softly. The ship was gaining speed, when the sound of Cannon fire
split the silence.
~~~
“SAIL!” The voice called out, and Will saw the maidenhead of the Victory cross
into view. Before half of the beach had turned to see what Will had seen, the
Gemini fired its cannon upon the ship.
Will felt himself let out a scream, but it was too late. The Bonny, Bloody
Mary, and the King Richard’s Vengeance had begun to fire. It was like a dull
sensation in his bones. The BOOM BOOM BOOM of the cannon firing. The crews on
the beach had begun to run toward the dinghies that would take them toward
their respective ships. From here, he could see that some of the cannon found
their mark, as holes began to appear in the ship. The Victory was in its great
black paint, seemingly as though it were made from shadows, and the holes were
seemingly not there, but Will could see them.
His view was blocked by a woman with blonde hair. Annabeth, who swiftly pulled
a blade and slashed the rope that bound his wrists together. A gentle smile
crossed her lips, as though she were asking for forgiveness. “Keep your hands
where they are. You’ve come of use to us, Solace. It took us a long time to
find you.” Then she jumped from the platform, landed in a roll, and took off
toward the beach, yelling and ready for battle. She reminded Will of Boudicca,
ever so briefly. Another new, resounding boom made Will turn his head to his
left, where the Fortress loomed before them. It too, was firing its cannon upon
the Victory. Will could only look back at the sea, as Jason was doing the same,
and watch the demise of his father, as the ships began to close in.
~~~
Connor Stoll was the first to swing over, yelling from the top of his lungs,
onto the deck of the Victory. He brandished his sword and was met with Luke
Castellan, who had a vicious gleam in his eyes. If the Cannon fire didn’t mark
the start of the battle, this surely did. The first clang, the clash of blades,
was met with more. Beside him, Leo Valdez landed and brandished his own blade,
an impish smirk upon his lips. Slowly, more began to swing over. Travis Stoll,
Fearless Clarisse La Rue, even Hazel, who had left the Island to spend time
with Leo, her second best friend. All brandished swords, daggers, and
flintlocks that were sure to cause damage.
“En Garde!” Connor screamed, and lunged once again, slicing through the air as
if this were his first ever fight. The impish grin upon his own lips widened,
however, when he realized that Luke was someone of his caliber. This would be a
fight to the death. He parried most of the other male’s strikes, and managed to
land a few of his own. Every so often, however, his eyes would shoot to the
side, awaiting the sail that would signal the arrival of the other vessel. For
now, though, he was on his own.
~~~
Apollonius drew his sword and rushed into the heat of the battle. A man who did
not fight with his crew was unworthy of being a Captain. The first man he met
was the Captain of the Bonny, who immediately raised her flintlock and fired at
the man. It breezed right past him and slammed into Ethan, who collapsed onto
the deck, a stunned look on his lips. Apollonius raised his sword and sliced
downward with uncanny malice toward the woman, who cried out as the blade cut
into her right shoulder and fell to the ground. He took the steps down two at a
time, and was met in battle by others who were generally unskilled fighters.
Most went down without much of a fight. It was quite disappointing, actually.
His heartbeat slowed down, as the calm of battle set in. He remembered why his
old shipmates had called him the Plague. He cut through men as though he were
the infamous Plague itself. His target, for now, was Frank Zhang, the Dragon,
who captained the King Richard. To take down one of the infamous Pirate Lords
would be a great boost to his repertoire. He began to walk forth with utter
intent now, a murderous glare in his eyes. Anyone who dared approach him was
cut down in one or two brutal strikes, and he continued on his merry way.
As he began to climb onto the forecastle, where Frank was battling another
member of his crew, he saw it. The black flag with the double-pointed sceptre
that graced the fabric. The standard of the late Pirate who he had laid waste
to, so many years ago. The Katakhthonios had finally made an appearance.
~~~
“FIRE!” Nico cried out, as the Victory came into view.
The dull thud of his guns firing at the other ship was like a symphony to his
ears, as he gave the nod to Percy, who promptly turned the wheel to the side.
The ship began to turn accordingly, and if Nico was right, it would bring them
right up alongside the Victory. The scene before him was beautiful. The five
ships that had docked in the bay were now firing upon the Royal vessel with
gusto. In the water were dozens of dinghies that were shuttling crew from the
beach to their vessels. The once wonderfully blue water was frothy with foam
and riddled with debris. On the island itself, The fortress had ceased firing,
for fear, Nico presumed, of hitting their allies. His gaze turned back toward
the Victory just in time to see one of his cannons crash into the Maidenhead,
smashing the wondrous looking woman to bits. The crew were now appearing on the
deck, readying themselves to board the vessel. Nico slowly took off his outer
jacket, leaving himself in a billowing white shirt, its lace partially undone
to reveal the slight indentation between his pectoral muscles, and a pair of
black breeches. His hair tied in a ponytail, and the hairpin, topped with an
onyx stone, stuck through it.
From his pocket, Nico produced a single page of paper, ripped from the manifest
of the HMS Andromeda, the ship he had sacked nearly a month ago. On it, listed
under important cargo, was the key that had given him everything he needed for
this moment. Yet, this single key had also had an unexpected consequence: The
possibility of Love, though he’d wrecked it. Upon the page, written in ornate
script, was the single sentence William Edward Solace, payment to be received
upon safe delivery to London to Apollonius Smythe, First Sea Lord. Everything
had come into play so quickly, that he’d half-doubted whether this would work
or not. Yet, the scene before him was proof that it was.
“Take the Wheel, Billy!” Percy called out, and Nico whirled around to see Percy
running toward the edge. He turned apologetically, before shrugging. “I can’t
let Annabeth go into battle without me, Neeks. We promised each other. You go
down, I go down too.” Then he leaped overboard, just as a cannonball destroyed
the railing right where he’d been standing.
Billy, a boy just under Nico’s age, grabbed the wheel. Nico thought that the
boy was about to shit his pants from the look on his face, and he swiftly
walked over to pat the others back. “See the point?” Nico asked, gesturing to
the jut of rock. “Once I’m off of the ship, you turn the wheel toward the sea,
and give the orders to lift sails.”
Billy looked over at Nico, with moss-green eyes and red hair that was a
stunning combination to behold, but he swiftly nodded, and turned back toward
the bow, a new resolution in his eyes. Nico pulled the newest dagger in his
possession, only four inches long with a leather handle, and slid it into
Billy’s belt. Then he ran off to rejoin the crew.
~~~
Annabeth laughed as she pulled her boyfriend from the sea. She could have sworn
that in a different life, Percy would have been a Merman. “Nico ready?” She
asked, moving to take off her outer jacket. Before the boat, the Victory rose
from the ocean like an impenetrable fortress. If there were one thing that
Annabeth knew, it was that nothing were impenetrable.
“He’s ready. I dunno about Billy, though.” Percy said with a laugh, before he
moved in to press a kiss to his girlfriend’s cheek. “Let’s kick some ass.”
When the dinghy pulled up alongside the hull of the Victory, Annabeth was the
first off of the boat and onto the ship. She swiftly, expertly climbed, and
Percy was right behind her. She remembered the day she’d met Percy, on a dock
in New Amsterdam. She’d laughed when Percy bragged about being a pirate,
because no pirate would have such amazing chiseled features and even better
teeth. When the truth had come out, however, she left behind the stifling
atmosphere of the city for the freedom of the seas, and had never looked back.
A single shot was fired from the end of her flintlock, before she had slid her
way into the window on the gun deck. She was met with the gawking faces of
about twenty men, who all momentarily paused. “Hello, Boys. I’ve come to kiss
you.” She said, before drawing a blade and stabbing the nearest man. All around
the room, others were pushing through the windows, including Percy behind her,
who stared at the body of the poor man at her feet. “Did I say kiss? I meant
kill, my bad.” Then she charged the nearest man, and took him out not with a
knife, but a well placed kick between the legs.
The best thing about it all was that Percy was there to ensure that no one
harmed her. He was slicing and dicing as much as the next man, which gave her
leave to begin moving the cannon from the windows. There was always a method to
her madness. And right now, it was ensuring that the cannon were freely moving.
She was aware of one of the others who entered with them having the same idea.
At first, she hadn’t known who it was, but the black hair, curling just at the
edges, gave it all away. “Michael! Move them toward the beach!”
Michael Yew, Captain of the Bloody Mary, turned to give Annabeth a dazzling
smile, before he nodded and glanced around the room. All the men had fallen,
and He began to push one of the cannon backward. “We’re going to have to fire
these if your plan works.” He said, before he began to load the cannon for his
own purposes. When he glanced back out the window, he stopped and cursed ever
so softly. As Annabeth herself moved to look out, she saw why. The
Katakhthonios had come up alongside the Victory.
~~~
Nico gave a cry as he swung across the space between the two vessels, and hit
the deck of the Victory with a roll. When he stood up, he drew the sword from
its sheath and began to stalk across the deck. He spotted his adversary on the
forecastle, fighting Frank with gusto. Most of the deck seemed to have been
cleared of threats, and many of the pirates were moving downstairs to help with
the rest of the crew. As Nico began to stalk toward the forecastle, Leo grabbed
his arm.
When he turned, he saw both Leo and Hazel frowning at him. “Nico, we’ve gotta
get Piper out of here, Smythe got her pretty good.”
Nico simply nodded, and moved to press a gentle kiss to Hazel’s forehead. “Get
out of here. This ship’s going down.” Then, as Hazel and Leo ran toward the
wheel, he turned and began to walk forth, just in time to see Frank leap
overboard, and into the sea below.
“Smythe!” Nico called out, and he felt the rage blossom in his chest, because
for the past two years, he remembered how the male before him had stood above
him, as the young boy had held his fathers body. He despised the smirk that had
crossed his lips, as though he enjoyed seeing Nico in pain. “Come fight me, you
Son of a Whore! You killed my father, and now, I’ll kill you!”
~~~
Connor felt the blade enter him, and Luke stood before him with a smirk. They
were the last few of the people on the deck, and he’d finally found a small
flaw in Connor’s fighting style.
Luke slowly twisted the blade, and Connor cried out in pain. Blood welled from
the wound, and Luke pulled the sword out. Before him, Connor fell to his knees
upon the deck, and let his hands go to the wound on his abdomen.
“That’s where you belong, boy. On your knees, doing whatever your betters
command of you.” Luke said, before he gasped from a sudden pain that blossomed
in his chest. He glanced down to see the point of a blade protruding from the
center of his chest, where his heart was.
“Get on your knees then.” Travis said with a sneer upon his lips. He slowly
placed a kiss to Luke’s cheek, before he twisted the blade and withdrew it, in
a similar fashion that he’d just seen happen to his brother. “I can’t believe I
ever let you sleep with me.” He watched as Luke Castellan fell to his knees for
only a moment, before he slid to his stomach, dead.
Travis ran to his brother and lifted him, bridal style. “Don’t you even think
of dying on me, Connor. I’ll bring you back and kill you myself.” He said, in a
gentle voice, but he couldn’t hide the worry from his face. Then, He made his
way to the edge, slung his brother over his shoulder, which made Connor yell
and call his brother some really rude names, then grabbed a rope to swing away,
onto the passing Katakhthonios, right behind Hazel and Leo, who had been
carrying Piper.

~~~
Apollonius turned around at the voice. Did someone else dare challenge him,
after he had beaten the infamous Frank Zhang? Before him was a boy at least
half a foot shorter than he was, with a scowl on his hairless face. The black
hair gave away exactly who the boy was.
“Nico di Angelo, we finally meet.” A gentle smile formed upon his own lips as
he began to strode forward, without regard for his own safety. “How far you’ve
come, from the weeping boy on board a pirate ship to being Captain of that
Pirate Ship! How odd that our paths have crossed, and that it was my son that
did so. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Your son? You mean the one who’s about to hang?” Nico retorted, as he
brandished his weapon.
A flare of anger seemed to shoot through his own features, and it took every
ounce of restraint that Apollonius had not to show it. “You would harm an
innocent child? One who has done no wrong?” He too, brandished his own weapon,
and prepared for the first parry.
“Innocent?” Nico asked, as he finally launched into the attack, swinging with
all of his might. “You would have burned me and my cousins on the deck of the
Bianca Maria! What do you care if someone is innocent?”
“You’re right,” Apollonius said, as he swung back. This was what he lived for,
the clash and clang of swords, the smell of blood and iron. The smell of the
salt sea. “Kill the boy. He’s no true born son of mine. Simply a bastard, like
you.” Anything to secure Will’s safety. Make Nico think that he didn’t care.
“Perhaps,” Nico said. “I’ll let you live long enough to see him hang.”
There were no more words. Just the heaving, the grunts, of battle. Nico and
Apollonius seemed to dance across the deck with grace, each one slicing air or
hitting each others swords. Neither one causing more than a nick or a scratch
to the other. They were as much each others equals than any man, despite the
fact that Nico was half the others age. He had a fire in his eyes that demanded
justice for a wrong that had been wrought. Apollonius knew that the debt had to
be paid. He began to slice again, to drive Nico back toward the railing, and
Nico was none the wiser as to what was happening.
BOOM! The sound of a cannon firing, and Nico stumbled back, hitting his back
upon the railing. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the white smoke,
but no cannon protruding from the hole that it had shot out of. Pain flared
across his chest, and he glanced down to see a line of blood that welled up
from a scratch. Apollonius loomed above him, with a triumphant smirk in his
eyes.
“I’ll give William your regards.” Apollonius said, before he raised his blade
and brought it down.
~~~
“Are you sure this will work?” Percy asked, as the first cannon rolled to the
other side, crashing into the wooden wall.
Annabeth and Michael Yew bumped fists, before they grabbed Percy and withdrew
to the far wall. “Positive!” Annabeth said. “Those cannons are unsecured. When
they all blow, they’ll roll back to this wall, and when that happens…” She
pointed at the keg of gunpowder that had been placed. “The cannons will hit
that string, which will cause the flint to ignite. Then, the ship goes boom,
and it, hopefully, overturns. Either way, this ship isn’t leaving.”
“Should we go, then?” Percy asked, as he scrambled for the window. Annabeth
nodded at Michael, who lit the strings to the cannons, before the two of them
turned and ran for their own windows.
They hit the water and began to swim for the Gemini, which was taking on as
many as they could. After nearly a minute of swimming, Annabeth paused and
turned around to glance at the ship, when the cannons all went off. She turned
around and dipped underwater, as the blue water was tinged with the orange of
fire.
~~~
The blade missed its target as the entire ship turned to its side. The cannons
on the starboard, sea facing side, went off in sync, which caused the blade to
instead cut into Nico’s thigh. The next moment, however, Nico had fallen
overboard, and Apollonius looked over to see Nico’s head hit the side of the
vessel, before his body hit the water. The smirk that crossed his lips faded as
the entire deck shuddered, and he fell from his place. A strangled cry escaped
his own lips at the sudden terrifying sensation of falling, before he was in
the water, and his ship burst into flames; a fireball arcing its way into the
sky.
Here, he could see the keel of other ships in the water, and the dinghies that
floated to and fro, picking up the survivors. The Victory was destroyed, Nico,
having hit his head, was surely dead, and now, his only chance was to find his
son. He slipped out of the royal blue coat that marked his status in the navy,
and began to swim for shore. He would surface every so often for a breath of
air, but his sights were set upon the shore beyond, and the platform, for
there, still standing, and guarded by a boy with a shock of similarly blond
hair, was his son.
It took him just under ten minutes to get to shore, and as he did, he realized
that many had begun to gather on the shore. Ahead of him was the platform, and
he was right in having thought it was crudely constructed. No one moved to
intercept him as he took a few steps forward. Will had spotted him, and tears
bristled in his eyes, though if they were tears of sadness or happiness, he
couldn’t tell.
“William!” Apollonius called, as he drew a single dagger from his belt. “My
darling boy, I’m here! The Pirate Boy who took you…he has met his end!”
There was a sudden commotion from the crowd, as the magnitude of the words sank
in. From atop the platform, Will uttered a single word, but the tone was not
one of joy, but one of grief. “Dad!”
~~~
He has met his end.
The words were a death knell if ever there was one. Will had to resist the urge
to cry out in grief and despair, had to resist the urge to crumple to the
ground. Now he had understood. As the battle raged, as the cannons fired and
the muffled sounds of shouts and screams had echoed back to the beach, Jason
had quickly explained it all. How, when Nico first saw William’s name in the
manifest, he’d come across a jackpot. How his plan was to use William as bait
to lure the Admiral out. The battle in Port Royal hadn’t been planned for, nor
had Nico thought he’d end up falling for, let alone sleep, with the boy whose
dad had killed him.
“It was all a lie? He—He knew who I was?” Will had asked, shocked.
Jason shrugged. “Nico needed you to think this was all real. We knew we were
being tailed by some ships. Some of the other Captains confirmed as much to us.
Nico…he may be ruthless, but he doesn’t play with hearts.”
The rest had come, how William was bait for his father, and that, with the
Victory in ruins, and Apollonius Smythe a captive, they could ransom him for
far more than the infamous Urca de Lima gold that had been lost. How Jason had
insisted on being the one to pull the lever, because he’d also cut the rope.
Reyna had showed up after that, to ensure that everything was still going to
plan.
“Does he…still care for me, at least? Or was that night a lie?” He remembered
asking.
At that point, Jason had only laughed, before moving to stand before the other.
“Nico’s easy to fall in love, and he’s easy to get drunk. He never slept with
anyone thought. He must have thought you were special enough, so I say that he
cares.”
Now, that was all over. He would have run to Nico, slapped him once, but kissed
him in the end. All of this had been an elaborate ruse? It was genius, to be
sure, even if Will did seem used. But he was dead. His father stood here,
triumphant, with no idea what was to befall him. He called out to him, and felt
the utter grief in his voice.
“Dad!” He said, before moving forward, and Jason moved to hold him back.
“Stay back, the lot of you!” Jason said, as Apollonius began to move forward.
Apollonius gazed at Will, his precious boy with the hempen rope around his
neck. “I’m here, my boy. Don’t you worry about any of this, I’ll get you down.”
Jason moved back toward the lever, and tightened his hand on it. A sudden cry
erupted from the beach, and Will, who had turned to look at Jason, turned back
to see a look of surprise on his father’s face, and a small blade protruding
from his throat. He slowly fell to his knees, the light dying in his eyes.
Pirates began to rush forward, filling the horseshoe shaped void that had
formed around Apollonius.
“Dad, NO!” Will cried out in undeniable pain, as though his heart itself had
shattered into a thousand pieces. To see how father's life fade from his eyes,
see his blood spill onto the sand. It hurt beyond measure. He found himself
wishing now for the warm embrace of his father. His hand running through his
hair. A hug so tight that Will was sure a rib would break.
Then, he yelled as the trapdoor opened beneath his feet, as though it had read
his mind.
***** Chapter 9: Roll on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean, Roll! *****
Chapter Summary
     The Final Chapter to a fic that I've immensely enjoyed writing, even
     if it is shorter than some of the other ones, but with an added
     Crossover Character!
     The Poem that is used here is Lord Byron's "The Ocean", and can be
     found here: http://www.bartleby.com/270/1/7.html
     I hope you have enjoyed this fanfic as much as I enjoyed writing it.
     ~Nico (AnUnerringMuse)
     P.S. Yes, Nico is my real name.
This was what triumph and vengeance felt like. His eyes moved to the platform
that Will had been on. The rope had been cut, and Nico saw Will on all fours in
the sand at the base. His face was a mask of pain and shock. Admiral Apollonius
Smythe lay at Nico’s feet, face tilted just to the side, and blood trickled
from the corner of his lips. In his hand was the onyx crowned hairpin, bloodied
as one had ever been. Nico saw something that no one else saw: tears streamed
down Will’s face, and his eyes were glued to the body of his fallen father.
“Pirates of Nassau!” Nico called out, before he laughed ever so softly.
“Admiral Smythe, Scourge of the Royal Navy is dead!” A cheer went up from the
crowd, with even Reyna, standing on the platform now, next to Jason, sending up
her own cheer. All, that is, except Will. “You see now,” Nico began again, and
his eyes came to rest on Will, only on Will. “That Smythe would have bombarded
all of our ships, before he turned his wretched guns on the rest of
us…including you! You were just as expendable as I.”
Will looked up at that, before he dissolved into tears, his face a mask of
grief and misery. Nico, unperturbed, continued. “The Victory is ruined, and it
shall never sail the Seven Seas again! He claimed that we should hang the
bastard boy, William Solace, for not being his true-born Son, as though the boy
you see before you were nothing to him.”
Nico had begun to walk forward then, to the boy who wasn’t just crying, but
sobbing into the sand. His own heart ached, because this was how he’d felt,
holding his own father on the ship that, when he turned to face the bay, was
visible behind the burning wreckage of the Victory.
“I say to you now, before God and my peers,” Nico said, raising his voice.
“That he was part of a plot by myself, and that he means something to me! I
would plead with you, that William Edward Solace be permitted to leave with my
crew!”
A murmur rippled through the crowd, as if Nico had thrown a stone into a
pristine and calm pond. Voices decried the Captain; yearned for the blood of
the boy who had been cut free. Even after the small battle that had been waged,
and the blood of crewmen spilled, they still wanted more. Was that not the way
of Pirates, after all? Of all the people who spoke up, it was Reyna, who
announced that she supported the plan. And for her to do so was perhaps the
biggest endorsement one could have given, and soon, the various Pirates
gathered on the beach began to shout “Aye!” Before anyone could change their
mind, Nico rushed forward and grabbed Will. Within moments, Jason was at his
side, and the three of them departed the beach.
~~~
Aboard the Katakhthonios, Leo cleaned the wound that would leave a scar aboard
Piper’s shoulder. Not too far away, Connor Stoll, who had looked gray in the
face mere hours ago, had been bandaged by Captain Yew for the time being, and
was retelling the story of how he and Luke Castellan had fought it out. His
hazel eyes moved out to look at the bay. Once, it had been a pristine
wonderland, and now, for the time being, it looked like…well, a war-zone. The
Bonny had been sunk, and the Gemini was slowly listing to port. How many men
had died this day for Nico’s folly, a game of chance to kill the man who had
started all of this two years past? More than Leo cared to count. More than Leo
cared to see ceremoniously released into the great seas.
“What are you thinking about, Leo?” Piper asked, in a voice that conveyed a
weary tone.
He realized that he’d found himself staring at the seas, which stretched
endlessly into the distance. He glanced back at Piper with saddened eyes, and
removed a piece of paper from his pocket, with the broken seal of the King upon
it. A piece of correspondence from the wreck of the Victory. “Where do we go
from here, Piper? The War in Europe is over, and Spain, España has a King. The
only reason this Pirate’s Republic was formed was because the Imperial Powers
were too busy to pay any attention to us.” An exasperated sigh escaped his
lips, before he continued. “This letter confirms the war is over. They’ll be
coming for all of us, Piper. Do you really think we can stand against them
all?”
Piper looked at Leo with a scowl. She took the letter from him and ripped it in
half. “We have each other, Leo. That’s all we need, is it not? The King
Richard’s Vengeance still floats. And the Bloody Mary needs repairs. For now,
I’ll sail with you all. I’ve missed Jason after all...besides, we have all the
time in the world.”
Leo groaned and stood up. “Just don’t be loud and obnoxious kissers like last
time we all sailed together.” Then he walked off, laughing softly. Piper
watched him go with a smile of her own. Mere moments later, Jason hauled
himself up onto the deck, and ran to embrace her.
~~~
Will hit the deck next, followed by Nico, who was swiftly hauled to his feet.
He was aware of the sudden silence, and, despite his puffy eyes and tear
streaked face, he looked up to face those on the deck. There, paused in the act
of setting up rigging, were Percy and Annabeth. And there was Jason with the
woman who could only have been Piper. On the Forecastle was Leo, having stopped
a conversation with a blond haired male who at first glance, could have been a
singer in a King’s court. There were no sneers. No anger on the faces of those
gathered. Only a look of pity. He let Nico let Nico lead him down below,
wordless, with only the thumping sound of their boots on the wooden deck. Once
he was in the room he had once shared with Nico, however, he reared on the
other out of pure heartbreak; and shoved the male back. Nico hit the wall with
a thud, and winced, even as Will placed a hand over his throat. The anger was
finally coming out. Bubbling up from within like magma bubbles up in a volcano,
right before it explodes and wipes out whole cities.
For the first time, Will took him in. The ragged, inflamed cut on his chest,
and the previously white shirt that had turned as pink as a perfect sunset at
the hems, and as red as a cherry closer to the site of the gash. The way that
the cut resembled a knife that had cut through steak. Hardened on the outside,
but tender within. Will swallowed, as he allowed his fingertips to ghost over
the red skin. The sound of Nico wincing didn’t stop him, even as he continued
to trace the wound, from where it started below his ribcage on the right side
of his body. As it climbed, Will felt the slight undulation of Nico’s ribs
beneath the cut and the flesh. It was warmer than he’d ever felt. Nearly
feverish. Finally, it ended just below Nico’s left nipple, raised by the
temperature in the room or from Will’s ministrations, he couldn’t know. He’d
not gazed upon Nico’s form since that night. The anger within him suddenly
died, and he let the hand at Nico’s throat fall to his side.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Will finally asked, as he slammed his own back into
the wall beside Nico’s, and slid down to the ground.
Nico removed his shirt and tossed it to the side, before he silently walked to
the other end of the room to pour some rum over his wound. Cleanliness be
damned. If it stung, he felt it was working. “I thought I wanted you to feel
pain. The same pain I felt when your father killed mine. But…that wasn’t what I
wanted at all, after all. I just wanted him dead.”
“I would have helped you. I had no love for my father. You lied to me. Used me
for your own purposes and devices.” Will said, before glancing at the bed,
feather-soft. He remembered the warmth of it the morning after, even after Nico
had gotten up. Right up until he was blown out of bed by the cannon, he had
been so comfortable. “When we fucked, was that a lie too?”
Nico turned suddenly, a look of…horror? Shock at that accusation on his face?
But the words that he spoke were nothing but a truthful declaration. “That
wasn’t a lie, Will. I…I never expected to sleep with you. I never sleep with
crew. But you drew me in, made me want to feel something other than hatred. I
didn’t care that you were the Son of my father’s murderer. I wasn’t using you
when I tasted the salt of the sea on your lips, or when I dug my fingers into
your back. That, all of that, was real. And I hope that one day you can forgive
me, for everything that I’ve done. Because,” He paused then, and Will saw the
tears that had threatened to spill over and stain Nico’s cheeks. “I do love
you, William Solace. One day, I hope you can love me too.” Without another
word, and with no time for Will to respond, Nico grabbed a shirt and walked out
of the cabin, leaving Will to his thoughts, and his grief.
~~~
Two_Years_Later
The stern of the ship looked back on Nassau, which was receding in the
distance. Jason and Piper were both at the helm, and the sails, newly painted
to resemble the sails of the Spanish Navy, were full of the wind. Up on the
Main Mast, Leo and Percy were cajoling and flipping off Connor and Travis
Stoll, who were one ship over, on the King Richard’s Vengeance, along with
Frank and Hazel. Below them, on the Forecastle, were the two golden heads that
were the brains of the ship. Annabeth Chase, who was laughing at something that
Magnus, her cousin, had said. On the other side, theBloody Mary sailed
alongside them, captained by Michael Yew and carrying Reyna.. Three Pirate
Ships at the head of seventy five more. Pirates from all around the world who
had come to sail with them against the great imperial Powers. A last stand. It
had been two years since the Battle of Nassau. Two years since Apollonius had
died. Two years since Nico’s heart had been beaten to a pulp. Most of his crew
was eighteen. He was finally eighteen, and had the inklings of a beard growing
upon his chin.
How fate had brought them all together, Nico would never know. All he knew was
that these last two years had been devoid of a savage need for revenge. Nico
finally felt free. His heart was light, his smile was bright, and he had luck
on his side. The sun had set, and soon, the world before them would be dark.
And the darkness didn’t scare Nico. There would be no bad dreams, only the
soothing sound of waves.
“Nico?” The voice cut across the silence like a hot knife through butter, and
Nico turned to face Will, who had a small smile upon his lips. “Are you
alright? You…seem lost.”
“Do I?” Nico queried, as he turned his head to the side. Things had improved
between them near instantly. It had started the night following the battle,
with a shared kiss between he and Will. Nico wanted William to be sure of
anything that would occur between them. Within six months, it had been quite
obvious that Will wanted this more than anything. “I’m thinking is all.”
“About what, Captain?” Will asked, pressing on, as he moved to suddenly wrap
his arms around Nico’s waist, pulling him closer, so that their foreheads
touched, their breath mingled.
Nico laughed; a sound that was infectious in and of itself. “The sea. It’s a
powerful thing. Destructive, yet life giving. And Fire is seen as the symbol of
all life. To me, ‘tis the sea, William, that gives all life. And you are my
sea.” Nico said, before he saw the blush that made its way onto Will’s cheeks.
He always loved how he tried to hide it.
The sound of a clearing throat made Nico turn to see Jason partially glaring at
them, and when Nico looked around, he saw the others staring at them too.
Magnus was watching them with keen interest. “Go get a room, for Christ’s
sake.” Jason said, before he cracked a small smile. Will, instead opted to move
behind Nico, wrapping his arms around his waist. Even as Nico turned to watch
the sea before the ship, he couldn’t forget that Will still had the look of a
youth. As though it were Nico who would continue to age, and Will would be a
sixteen year old boy, forever. An eternal youth.
As Nico looked upon the sea, he was struck with words, as though it were divine
inspiration from Apollo himself. Words on the absolute power, the mystery, the
life, that were the seas.
“ ROLL on, thou deep and dark blue Ocean, roll!
Ten thousand fleets sweep over thee in vain;
Man marks the earth with ruin; his control
Stops with the shore; upon the watery plain
The wrecks are all thy deed, nor doth remain
A shadow of man’s ravage, save his own,
When, for a moment, like a drop of rain,
He sinks into thy depths with bubbling groan,
Without a grave, unknelled, uncoffined, and unknown”
Will leaned in suddenly, and pressed a kiss to Nico’s cheek. “Captain, Come to
the bedroom with me. You can mark me with ruin instead.”
It was Nico’s turn to blanch. As the color drained from his face, he turned to
see Will had let go, and was racing across the deck toward the all too familiar
door that led to his quarters. Captain Nico di Angelo was no idiot, and
followed Will into the interior, while those upon the deck: Jason, Piper, Leo,
Percy, Annabeth and Magnus, watched.
Before them all, a never-ending force loomed. A darkened, tumultuous ocean with
whitecaps, icebergs, and lightning far on the distance. Somewhere past the
horizon, ships from the greatest countries roamed; filled with treasure,
bounty, and promise of a better tomorrow full of freedom and free of tyranny.
For now, however, the only two things that anyone aboard theKatakhthonios could
see, were High Seas and Dark Sails.

~~The End.~~~
End Notes
     Thank you for reading through this! Leave a comment to tell me what
     you thought, or if you wanted to see something else for a future fic
     in the Pirate Verse!
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