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gaydeviantscw: brief mention of suspected past attempted noncon, some injuries
ps oh my GOD the show got renewed, thank fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
im just trying to get caught up to where i am on twitter so i might post a few entries in a day
The first few days with their new passenger are rather chaotic. The merman is still weak, but he makes a fuss whenever someone enters the bathroom, snarling, growling, flicking his tail aggressively. It makes it difficult to treat his wounds, and to bring him food, as well.
Which is another problem entirely. They have no idea what he eats, and at first, Stede insists Roach prepare a nice spread for him. He's a guest, after all.
The merman doesn't seem to appreciate it, knocking the tray away with his tail when Stede approaches. Jim suggests fish, which makes sense, but none of them are very good at fishing. Still, they manage, and offerings of fresh fruit and raw fish seem to go over slightly better with him.
He gets defensive when anyone gets too close to him, making it difficult for Roach to treat his wounds. And yet, the whole crew seems eager to take care of him, or at least volunteer to take him his food to get a look at him.
Stede takes to sitting with him in the evenings, talking to him about nothing in particular. The merman glares from the tub, but Stede has a suspicion that he understands every word.
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He's with the crew one evening, discussing the merman, trying to come up with a plan of action.
"He's worse than a demon cat," Frenchie says, showing them the scratches the merman left when he got too close. Stede sighs. He can't have his crew getting hurt.
"I'll take care of him from now on, he's my responsibility," he says. The crew protests. He thinks they're all growing fond of their guest, in a way. Roach, who had been strangely silent during the discussion, finally speaks up.
"He's scared. It's not his fault."
Stede is taken aback by Roach's defense of the merman, after his initial reaction to him. "Well, that's understandable, I think," he says. "This must be very confusing for him."
Roach shakes his head. "It's not just that…" he says, trailing off, not looking at them.
Stede frowns. "What do you mean?" he asks.
Roach hesitates, before sighing. "Some of his wounds…" Roach starts, unsure how to proceed. "Well, I noticed a bite mark while I was working on him, and several other injuries suggest…"
Stede feels ill with this new insight. "Oh, " he whispers.
Roach looks uncomfortable, as do the rest of the crew. Jim's face is screwed up in anger.
"That's fucked up," they say. Oluwande wraps an arm around their shoulders.
"Perhaps I should have a talk with him," Stede says.
Pete rolls his eyes. "What's the point, we don't even know if he understands us."
"I suspect he does," Stede says, thinking of the merman's intelligent gaze.
Afterward, when Stede makes his nightly trip to the washroom, he rehearses what he’s going to say. It’s all for nothing, though, as he enters the room and finds the merman calm for once, dozing in the water.
Still, Stede sits down in the chair (now a safe distance from the tub) and clears his throat. The merman opens his eyes briefly, before closing them again, perhaps too tired to make an effort for him right now.
Stede touches his own chest, about the same spot the merman sports a nasty bite mark. The merman flinches, but then shows his own teeth, and Stede gets the message.
“Well, I do hope you got a few good bites in, too,” he says. The merman tilts his head, and Stede swears he almost sees the hint of a smile. Maybe. He inclines his head slightly, and Stede has his answer.
“I’m glad,” Stede replies honestly. The merman is watching him now, shifting in the tub, folding his arms over the side and resting his head on them. Stede feels almost held in place by his stare.
“And I just, I suppose, I wanted to tell you… what Jim said before, about us being lousy pirates, it’s… not untrue.” The merman exhales what could be considered an amused breath, and Stede is encouraged to continue. “I guess I just wanted to reassure you that whatever happened to you on that other ship is not going to happen to you here.”
The merman glances away, looking like he’s really digesting Stede’s words. Then he leans back into the water, getting comfortable again, closing his eyes. Stede sighs and stands up. Maybe he’ll try again tomorrow.
"He's scared. It's not his fault."
Stede is taken aback by Roach's defense of the merman, after his initial reaction to him. "Well, that's understandable, I think," he says. "This must be very confusing for him."
Roach shakes his head. "It's not just that…" he says, trailing off, not looking at them.
Stede frowns. "What do you mean?" he asks.
Roach hesitates, before sighing. "Some of his wounds…" Roach starts, unsure how to proceed. "Well, I noticed a bite mark while I was working on him, and several other injuries suggest…"
Stede feels ill with this new insight. "Oh, " he whispers.
Roach looks uncomfortable, as do the rest of the crew. Jim's face is screwed up in anger.
"That's fucked up," they say. Oluwande wraps an arm around their shoulders.
"Perhaps I should have a talk with him," Stede says.
Pete rolls his eyes. "What's the point, we don't even know if he understands us."
"I suspect he does," Stede says, thinking of the merman's intelligent gaze.
Afterward, when Stede makes his nightly trip to the washroom, he rehearses what he’s going to say. It’s all for nothing, though, as he enters the room and finds the merman calm for once, dozing in the water.
Still, Stede sits down in the chair (now a safe distance from the tub) and clears his throat. The merman opens his eyes briefly, before closing them again, perhaps too tired to make an effort for him right now.
“Hello,” Stede says, like he does every evening. No response. He didn’t expect one. “There were a lot of things I wanted to say to you,” Stede continues, “but they all sound so… foolish. Roach mentioned one of your injuries tonight, though,” Stede says, and the merman blinks his eyes open slowly, looking at Stede.
Stede touches his own chest, about the same spot the merman sports a nasty bite mark. The merman flinches, but then shows his own teeth, and Stede gets the message.
“Well, I do hope you got a few good bites in, too,” he says. The merman tilts his head, and Stede swears he almost sees the hint of a smile. Maybe. He inclines his head slightly, and Stede has his answer.
“I’m glad,” Stede replies honestly. The merman is watching him now, shifting in the tub, folding his arms over the side and resting his head on them. Stede feels almost held in place by his stare.
“And I just, I suppose, I wanted to tell you… what Jim said before, about us being lousy pirates, it’s… not untrue.” The merman exhales what could be considered an amused breath, and Stede is encouraged to continue. “I guess I just wanted to reassure you that whatever happened to you on that other ship is not going to happen to you here.”
The merman glances away, looking like he’s really digesting Stede’s words. Then he leans back into the water, getting comfortable again, closing his eyes. Stede sighs and stands up. Maybe he’ll try again tomorrow.
