Caught in the Fisherman's Bend [Benn Beckman x Fem!Reader]

Repeat Offense

A beautiful piece of art with Shanks with 2 arms! :O Don't know who it's by though :(

You glared at the post. And at the fresh X carved across the tally marks.

You brushed your wet bangs out of your eyes with an aggressive sweep of your arm and swam the last few strokes to reach the pole. The swell of the waves lifted you until your head brushed the underside of the dock. The water just barely touched the lower wings of the butterfly, but it left glistening droplets on the newly exposed wood.

A growl slipped out from around the knife clenched between your teeth.

You didn't tie yourself down this time. Drowning by being secured to a post under a dock at high tide was not how you wanted to die. Two bare legs and one arm swiftly wrapped around the pole while your free hand took the knife from your mouth and began carving away.

It only took you a few seconds to realize this was hopeless. The new X was too deep, cut with precision and force exactly over the X carved earlier this week. If you wanted to get rid of it, you'd have to whittle away half the post (and the butterfly along with it).

A new wave splashed you in the face. Another swell caused you to hit your head on the planks above. The pain urged you to slash a new notch to join the others.

"One thousand. Eight hundred. Twenty."

You could see her in the water beside you, her short blonde hair plastered to her forehead and her teeth chewing her lip as she carved away slivers of wood.

"I was a caterpillar, but now I'm a butterfly."

Her smile was one of determination and excitement. She never noticed your glances of poorly concealed shame and pity.

"It's time for me to fly away. But I'll come back once I've had a grand adventure and made mountains of cash."

Your legs tightened around the pole and you let the next wave wash over you. The brief moment when the roar of the sea filled your ears was blissful.

"We'll revamp the Tannery so Pops and Dad don't have to work so hard. And I'll become so strong that no pirate would ever dare to come here."

"Do you swear?" your voice had trembled.

"Yeah I swear, you scaredy-cat."

You swallowed the lump in your throat.

She would come back.

And you would be here.

And you would shove her face into this pole and make sure she counted each and every notch you'd made so she would understand just how long she had made you wait. Just how long she had made you stay on this island while she was off having her grand adventures.

Without you.

The wave passed and you took in a fresh breath. You blinked the salt water out of your eyes and found the post, the butterfly, the marks of the passing years,... and the X.

If you narrowed your eyes a certain way the gashes looked like nothing more than a shadow, easily wiped away by the shifting of the sun. You'd have to convince yourself of such from now on and ignore the bitterness that had already settled in your gut.

Who had done this?!

You pushed off the post and swam out from under the pier.

Who knew about your treasure? The docks were always barren at high tide, with the fishermen long gone out to sea and the next cargo shipment from Morrikon not due for another half-hour. You'd specifically chosen this time so no one would be around to see you.