HIRAETH // Captain Puffy X Reader

8

The Night Ghost was much different when you weren't locked in the hold. 

Up on deck, the crew moved in a thousand different directions, each set about their own tasks. The sails were pulled open and rigging was put into place. You could see a pair of bare feet swinging up above your head - someone was lounging in the crows nest, absently keeping a lookout for any military ships.

This was an entirely different feeling than being on the Blue Knave. Everything was more relaxed here, and the crew members smiled and tipped their hats to Puffy as she walked by - none of the formal saluting you had done on the Knave. She grinned back at them as well, like they were equals even thought she ranked above them.

It was strange to watch. 

You didn't pay it too much mind though, because you were out of that tiny cell. You couldn't help but smile as you felt the humidity in the air around you, and the sun beating down on your skin again. The smell of the sea had never truly faded, but it was more potent here, when you could see the water around you. You closed your eyes to just feel it for a moment, reveling in the feeling of fresh air again.

A week didn't seem like that long of a time until you were stuck in the same five feet of space and sleeping on the floor every night. 

When you opened your eyes, Puffy was looking at you, obviously amused. You just rolled your eyes, going back to mapping out the ship. You hadn't been able to see too much of it during the fight, but up close it was even more ragged than you had noticed. It must have been older than you thought-

"She let you out!"

Your thoughts were interrupted when you turned to see Tubbo toddling down the steps from the helm was, that tall dark skinned woman - Gemma, if you remembered correctly - a half step behind him. He rushed right over to you, hugging your legs excitedly. You glanced up at Puffy for a half second before giving Tubbo a little pat on the head.

Gemma came to stand beside Puffy, re-tying an orange strip of fabric around her head to hold her braids out of the way. Only one of the plaits escaped the cloth - the one with the pink stone braided into it. Upon a closer look, and now in the light of day, you could see that it was a crystal of some kind, and it almost seemed to glow within. It looked otherworldly, like something an adventurer would bring back from another dimension.

She'd probably stolen it like everything else on this ship.

Seeing your look, Puffy turned to Gemma, gesturing in her direction. "This is my first mate, and my most fearless friend, Gemma." She said. "She'll probably be the one watching you while you're up and about."

"We've met." You said, remembering how she had stepped on you during the battle on the Knave. 

Gemma hummed, giving you the once-over. "Briefly, yes."

You frowned a little - if this was the person Puffy picked to watch over you, there was no chance that you could even think about escaping. Just feeling her eyes on you made a shiver run up your spine and every urge to jump off the ship while you had the chance disappear.

Puffy was wise to make her the first mate. 

Tubbo let go of your legs, going to grab onto Puffy's jacket instead, tugging excitedly on the gold buttons. "Does this mean Y/N gets a hammock too? There's an empty hammock next to mine, we could sleep next to each other and I could show 'em my bee!" He rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet, gazing up at his mother excitedly. 

Puffy ruffled Tubbo's curls. "We'll see." She said. "Why don't you go see if Perseus has caught anything yet?" Tubbo seemed satisfied with that, and ran off towards the stern of the ship, towards where the fishing lines that cast off the back were, grinning wide enough that you could see his missing teeth. Puffy watched him go with a wistful sort of smile before turning to you and Gemma. 

"No funny business." She said pointedly, looking at you.

You said nothing - you knew the deal. A single toe over the line would land you right back in that cell - exactly where you didn't want to be. You would have to hold your tongue if you wanted to be able to stay in this limited freedom you had - and it would be hard, when every bone in your body was telling you that these people were the scum of the earth, but you could do it.

Puffy turned to Gemma then. "Just keep an eye on that one." She said. "I've got to go man the helm, but if anything happens-"

Gemma flicked the brim of Puffy's hat. "I'll handle it." She said. 

Puffy grinned, flicking Gemma's forehead back. "Right then." She said, before heading up towards the helm of the ship. You watched her go for a moment before turning your attention over to the open sea. The wind was strong today and the ship moved swiftly. 

"I can trust you not to do anything stupid, right?" 

You turned back to see the first mate looking at you, yellow eyes looking directly into yours. She narrowed her eyes slightly. "You don't seem stupid." She said. 

"I don't think I am." You said. 

She hummed, before turning and starting down into the hold, gesturing for you to follow. You really would have rather stayed on deck and enjoyed the sunshine, but you followed along anyway, clambering down into the ship after her. You didn't want to earn a place back in the cell for loitering about on deck.

After all, there was only so much freedom to be had living with the enemy, and you would take what you could get.