"Aye!", Sapnap yelled over to another pirate ship that sailed into the port alongside them.

A young, brunette man that currently climbed down the rope ladder that was connected to the center mast and the deck, turned his head, captains hat throwing shadows into his face.

"Aye!", he replied and took his head off to wave at him with it. "What is such a fragile youngling doing with the captains hat?", Sapnap asked, leaning onto his own railing and Karl frowned. "What do you mean? Fragile youngling?", he asked and Sapnap shrugged. "You look too small and pretty to be a captain", he said and in the next moment Karl reached for a rope, swung over onto Sapnaps ship while whistling and calling all hands on deck with it.

He landed behind Sapnap, sharp blade to his neck. "I appreciate the concern, but", he looked around, "Looks like you have more to learn then this fragile youngling with a crew as unresponsive as this."

He turned to the few people on deck.

"I could kill you right now and non of them even try to pull a blade on me", he said, before looking at his crew with a smirk, "But my crew is loyal, ready to kill whoever lays a hand on their captain"

Sapnap felt humiliated, red shame creeping onto his cheeks.

With little look around, Karl a rope tied to the railing, reached for it and cut it in two with his blade, immediately pulled into the air swinging back onto his ship.

Back on his own deck he waved at Sapnap with his pouch of coins and a smile.

"Thank you for the generous apology, fellow captain", he said and laughed at Sapnap realizing he had taken his money.

They were pulled into two different docks, ways parting by the stream and Sapnap didn't know if he should feel greatly insulted or greatly impressed.

He decided to decide on neither, instead turned to his crew. "What was that?", he asked and his first mate, Dream, shrugged with a smile. "You said he was fragile, we trust your better judgement captain", he said as if to rub salt into the wound and smirked, "Not a greater danger, that youngling"

Sapnap crossed his arms.

"You're on watch today, you're not leaving this ship.", he said and when Dream tried to protest he quickly added, "I am the captain and I thought you trust my better judgement so much?"

Dream sighed and scowled at him, before walking up to the helm and sitting down behind the wheel.

"Anyone else trying to get ship arrest?", he asked, but no one replied. He nodded. "Didn't think so. Alright, get this ship ready for her deserved rest!" "Aye, Captain!"

The sails were closed, the anchor lowered as they arrived at the dock, the deck cleaned and the plank lowered onto the pier for them to get onto solid ground in the first time in what felt like a year.

"Everyone take a hundred coins from the treasure, have a good time", he called out, opposed by a loud cheer.

He restocked on his own money, before leaving into the city. It was loud and crowed, but a Tavern was quickly found.

Old and rustic, with counters made from dark rich wood, oil lanterns lighting the place a warm orange. He sat down on the bar, tapped the counter twice with a silver coin and soon the old man behind the counter pushed a tankard of ale into his direction.

"How're you doing, son?", he asked and Sapnap shook his head. "Don't even ask, Eugene. Just had to except defeat by a youngling of a captain", he said and chuckled bitterly. The old man put a little plate in front of him. A chocolate bun, with a salted caramel topping. "It's in the house and for the ego.", he said and patted his shoulder, before turning to the next costumer.

After the door of the tavern busted open and a familiar brunette jumped onto one of the tables. "A round for everyone! Tonight we celebrate!", he shouted out with a wide smile when cheering erupted from the crowd in the room. A few musicians started playing a festive tune and the young captain started dancing with his crew, shortly conversing with the strangers and at the end he sat down on the counter, counting gold pouches with a grin. "Oh my, oh my", he said to himself and then he noticed Sapnap, but a finger up to his lips. "Pirate code, you're not to rat out another fellow captain", he said and Sapnap would've laughed, if his coin pouch wasn't one of the many the brunette was holding. He held him his open palm. "Give it back", he said and the brunette chuckled, shook his head.

"Only for a little apology", he replied, "But your ego is to big for that, isn't it?"

"I'm sorry", Sapnap said, not meaning a single bit of it. The other shook his head again, snapped a finger against Sapnaps hat, almost flipping it off his head.

"No, no, a sincere apology, confessing that you were wrong and that you're oh so sorry for it", he said, smug grin on his lips, before shaking the hand Sapnap still held up, "And just so you don't have to call me fragile and too young again, the names Captain Karl Jacobs of The Grand Lightning."

Sapnap scowled, turned to his ale again.

"Oh come on, after insulting me you could at least give me a name too", Karl said, before giving Eugene three of the pouches he had stolen, giving him a wink, that was returned by a nod and an ale being pushed over the counter for him.

"Captain Sapnap of The Silver Siren", he said, before downing his ale on one go, tapping the tankard on the counter twice for a refill.

"So you want your money back?", Karl asked and put his arm onto the counter, resting his head on the palm of his hand, "Cause would certainly like the apology for your insensitive comment." "I said you look like like a fragile youngling", Sapnap replied, "Not that you are" "That was in the context, cause you know what you also said?" "Enlighten me", Sapnap sighed, taking another swig of his drink. "What I am doing with the captains hat, so you didn't even consider me as an equal, but that's what I am, another captain.", Karl said, snatching Sapnaps hat and removing one of the feathers.

"Hey, don't touch my stuff!", Sapnap said, taking it back and putting it back on.

At the same time Karl placed the orange feather on his own hat, before removing a purple card from a ribbon he had tied around it. He leaned forward and stuck it into a ribbon on Sapnaps hat.

A little more serious he said: "Don't judge a book by it's cover. It's hurtful. And you look like you know what I'm talking about, cause you don't seem that much older then me and you know how it is out there."

With that he dropped Sapnaps coin pouch on the counter, downed his ale and left.

Slowly Sapnap took off his hat and looked at the purple card, edges a little worn and it contrasted the orange and red feathers and beads he had put on the hat himself.

He looked at the door Karl had just walked out off, just for a moment, before putting his hat back on and taking his coin pouch off the counter. "I'll see you around, Eugene", he said and the old man gave him a firm nod.

They had arrived at a late hour already, but by now it was dark in the streets and the light that illuminated the streets came from windows and showcases that were still lit.

A light rain fell from the sky and the sound of a low thunder in the distance promised a storm coming their way.

Sapnap hid his hands in his pockets as he walked to the port and before he reached his ship something made him take a right turn instead, walking to where he had seen Karls ship drift off to.

A few sailors and other pirates roamed around, a few drunk, a few working on ship maintenance, a few just staring out to the horizon.

He walked further and further until he noticed the chipped white paint on one of the ships, spelling The Grand Lightning.

He hesitated for a moment, before he jumped over his shadow and walked towards the pier, up a plank onto the deck.

He found Karl quickly, seeing him sit on the deck legs pulled up to his chest, a bottle of whiskey in his right hand.

Sapnap walked up to him and tossed him his pouch. "Pirate code says you shall always respect other captains and they are not to be hurt in their honour or looked down on.", Sapnap said, as Karl looked at the pouch, "Forgot that one when we first met. I apologize, I'm sorry for looking down on you, instead of showing you kindness from one captain to another."

For a moment they looked at each other, dim lights of the moon and the few lit windows throwing silver and golden light onto their silhouettes. "May I stay?", Sapnap asked and a small, almost unnoticeable smile tugged on Karl lips. "Yeah, sit down", he said, holding him the whiskey. Sapnap accepted, took a swig before handing it back for Karl to take one.

They silently starred over the docks and into the night sky, slight swaying of the waves rocking the ship and despite the rain, it wasn't unpleasant to sit here like this.

"So, how did you become captain?", Sapnap asked and Karl looked down at his feet.

"The old one died. I got the ship and the crew over night. I was just another crewmate and suddenly I had a whole new responsibility.", he said, "I didn't want to be captain this early, but I'm so proud that I am now, cause I'm doing a good fucking job."

"How did the crew react to you getting everything, except for the first mate or someone of high rank?" "They almost killed me, if it wasn't for our helmsman. He said to give it time and that we might not know what that captain thought when he decided on me as an heir, but that he didn't make that choice without thinking about it before.", Karl said, "And it took me fucking forever to make them the crew they are now, but somehow I made it. I might not have the experience it takes, to be a good captain, but I know that I can't survive without my crew and I treat them that way. With respect and kindness and they return the same to me."

Sapnap nodded slowly.

"And your captain... Did you have a good bond?", he asked carefully and Karls voice was thick with tears when he answered.

"He was fucking amazing.", he replied, "He got me off the streets and gave me a family and a purpose. He made me who I am now"

Sapnap pressed his lips into a line, before he said: "My captain got me out of a horrible orphanage. He send me off to my own adventures a few years ago."

"How did you handle being a captain so sudden?" "I didn't. I still don't. I do what I saw him do and somehow I survived it.", Sapnap said and suddenly he felt Karl reaching for his hand, squeezing it tightly with his.

"We're not all too different, huh?", he asked and huffed out a laugh.

Sapnap smiled a little, squeezed his hand back and nodded. "I guess not and somehow that makes me feel worse", he said, "For judging you before talking to you"

"Feels like shit, doesn't it?", Karl asked and grinned as Sapnap nodded.

He took another swig of whiskey, before passing the bottle to Sapnap. "Here, maybe that makes it funny", he said and as his fellow captain took a swig he took the opportunity to just look at him, gaze met when Sapnap put the bottle down.

The rain by now was drenching them, getting stronger every second they didn't seek shelter, but it seemed like they didn't even notice. "Didn't make it funnier, just makes me wanna tell you how beautiful you are", Sapnap said, "I'd never admit that sober"

Karl took his hat off and pushed Sapnaps up a little, as he asked: "Why not?"

"Cause I'm in big, big denial", he replied, letting Karl lean their foreheads together.

"About what?" "About finding men attractive and about falling for pretty boys that happened to make me a better person", he replied, "I could never admit that without alcohol" "Why wouldn't you? There's nothing about it" "I don't know. I just feel shame for wanting a pretty boy in my arms instead of a girl.", he mumbled, hand reaching for Karls cheek, rough fingers trailing gently over soft skin. Hesitantly Karl closed the distance, kissed him slowly and whispered: "There's nothing shameful about this, is there? Just two sinners souls wanting to ease each other's pain. That's not bad."

He kissed him again, breath shaky as Sapnap suddenly kissed him back with such force it knocked the air out of his lungs.

With a sort of urgency, he kissed back with the same longing, as if he desperately needed it to survive.

It turned more passionate the longer they kissed, Karls hands wandering to Sapnaps chest, up his shoulder until he grabbed him by the collar and tugged him closer. Sapnap pulled him onto his lap by the waist, enjoyed the heat that ignited on his skin and burned him wherever Karl touched him through his clothes.

Karl licked at his lips, inviting him to more then just lips on lips and he took the invite, tongue touching his, hot and wet and longing.

Karl shivered in his grasp and pulled away just a bit, to take a shaky breath, but Sapnap hungrily captured his lips not even two seconds later. Karl was trembling, if it was from the cold or the way Sapnap kissed him like he was the only one he ever desired, he wasn't sure.

"You know what is a proper apology? If you stayed with me tonight", Karl whispered, "Come with me"

He stood up, reached for Sapnaps hand and pulled him after himself into the warmth of his captains quarter, tugging off his coat and relieving himself of his own, letting them drop to the ground heavy with the water of the rain. Sapnap stopped him in his hurry, held his cheeks with both hands and slowly he leaned in and before Karl could kiss him, he whispered: "Don't take off your clothes. Don't give yourself to a man that doesn't know if he will accept that he wants you this desperately when he's sober or if he will pretend like this didn't happen."

Karl stopped, looked at him for a long time and it was like a storm was raging within him. Then he pulled him to his bed, layed down and pulled Sapnap on top of him.

"Kiss me good night", he said and Sapnap did, slow and gentle he kissed him good night and let Karl pull him close.

And it felt good, with his head on Karls chest, arms wrapped around each other, legs tangled as they just held each other.

It felt so good his heart threatened to jump out of his chest and so good he reached for Karls hand, pressing a gentle kiss to it and holding it as he fell asleep.

And on the next morning he didn't leave Karls side, almost like a puppy that found it's home and didn't want to go.

He pressed kisses to Karls cheek, to wake him up, lazily kissed him in this tired daze, accepting that this was who he wanted to be. It would take getting used to, that was for certain, but he liked this. With all he was, he liked kissing Karl and being held by him at night. He liked the gentleness they had and the soft lips pressed to his.

He liked liking Karl.