Hatty X Reader

Prologue : Setting Sail

You sat alone in the near back of a very long bus. Several unique characters filled the area around your seat, being as rambunctious and childlike as an elementary school bus. You identified them all as your friends; everyone was friends with everyone around here, but most of your friends often didn't feel very friendly towards you, which is why you sat alone.
You leaned your head against the large window you were placed by, staring out at the landscape whizzing by as the bus rumbled on. Your mind began to wander. You thought about how you would rather be at home with some of your closer comrades, watching your favourite movies and eating your favourite snacks. You thought about how often you did that anyway, but with less comrades, and more of just you. You thought about these things so hard that you hadn't noticed the bus screeching to a stop to let some more friends step aboard; as if it weren't crammed fuller than a sardine can already.
There was a soft squeak of the leather seat beside you as someone settled themselves there. You waited to take a peek at who it was until the world outside had started to whizz past again. When you turned your head, the character beside you turned his as well, and smiled at you warmly.
It was Hatty Hattington, everyone's bestest bestie, the one who had called everyone on this bus trip in the first place. Hatty was a true friend to all; he knew everyone's name, birthday, and favourite food by heart, and would always make one feel special by expressing it every chance he could. How he found the time to maintain such a relationship with everyone baffled you.
Still, you knew he cared very deeply for you, and you for him. This friendly encounter with him reassured you of such.
"Good morning!" Hatty chirped at you, sounding very pleased to interact with one of his best friends. You couldn't help but smile and return the greeting with a small, "Hi."
"Great day for an adventure, eh?" Hatty leaned closer to you so that he wouldn't have to yell over his other friends. You nodded in agreement with him, glancing back outside. It was indeed a great day; the trees and grass were looking greener than ever, and the sky as clear as a blank paper.
"Where exactly are we going, Hatty?" You asked, staring at him expectantly. Hatty's usual smile stretched nearly off his face as he swung his legs back and forth in great excitement.
"I don't know!" He replied, his coal-black eyes twinkling. "We're making a voyage no other group of friends has ever explored before! Isn't that exciting?"
There was a strike of fear in your heart, but this wasn't the first adventure Hatty had taken you and your friends on, so you were sure he could handle it. You nodded in agreement with his previous statement.
You loved to be with Hatty. He was the only one of your associates that truly felt like a friend. His very presence next to you filled you with joy, and he always smelled like hot cocoa, which was a plus. You loved hot cocoa; everyone did, especially Hatty. His voice was enough to make you laugh, even if he hadn't made a joke. His touch, whether he were giving you a comforting hug or holding your hand to lead you someplace, was always gentle and kind. It gave you a feeling that made you want him to never let go.
You stared at him for a long time as you were thinking about these things. You were so lost in thought that you hadn't noticed Hatty look away to chat with some other friends, nor that the bus had arrived at its destination and the crowd inside had begun to pour out.
You and Hatty were the last ones to step off. He had to shake your shoulder softly in order to bring you out of your trance, and from there he led you by the hand out into fresh air.
The sound of crashing waves, smell of salty sea breezes, and sight of the bluest of blue oceans filled everyone's senses. Some friends began to horse around in the water, some sat and played in the sand, and others waited at the dock, eager to begin the journey.
Hatty's voice beside you cut through the din coming from your comrades.
"Would you mind helping me finish preparing the ship? There isn't much left to do." He requested, grinning at you and squeezing your fingers gently. You sighed internally, never being fond of chores or helping, but for your very best friend in the whole wide world, you would make an exception.
"Of course!" You chimed, ready to follow him. Hatty led you to an empty area of the dock, except a few large crates, where the ship was located. A large title; "S.S. Friendship" was painted near the head. A large bit of its outer wall was swung open and acted as a bridge between the dock and the ship, leading into a storage room inside.
Hatty picked up one crate with a quiet grunt and carried it inside. You followed his example, sometimes carrying two on top of each other to show off and give Hatty a good laugh, and sometimes working together to bring in a crate too large for either of you to carry alone.
"What's in these?" You asked once, out of breath from picking up a crate too heavy for you. You didn't want to show him that you were tired, though, so you carried it anyway.
"Provisions and such," Hatty replied, "Hot cocoa packets, snacks, stuff like that." He passed you with empty arms. Once he moved out of view behind your cargo, the burden suddenly felt significantly lighter. Hatty had seen your struggle and stopped to help you.
Despite being embarrassed at being caught taking up more than you could handle, you smiled your thanks at him once you were able to set it down and catch your breath.
"Looks like that's all." Hatty declared after stepping out and surveying the empty dock. You sighed with relief and leaned back to rest against the ship's wall. However, you missed by only a hair and began to topple off the dock and towards the big ocean blue.
"Woah!" You cried, fear and adrenaline rushing to your brain, nearly giving you a headache. Just before your feet were pulled down with you into the water, Hatty rushed forward to catch you by grabbing your wrist. When you were pulled back up, you had to place your free hand on his chest to keep a distance from him and prevent your faces from colliding.
"For heaven' sake, do be careful!" He warned, his eyes large and reflecting panic and concern. Your face stung with warmth, but you didn't break eye contact with him and just stood there awkwardly.
"Would you say we're ready now?" Hatty stammered to break the silence. You nodded shortly, at which he stepped away and cleared his throat. Was that a tint of pink you saw at his cheeks? It didn't matter, as he walked away to gather all of your other adventuremates.
"Time to go, everyone!" Hatty's voice rang out from the side of the ship, catching everyone's attention. They all cheered and made their way up the dock and poured into the ship like human water. Hatty walked down through the ship and into the storage room, where the ship was still wide open and you were still standing. Once he had caught your eye, he jerked his head in the direction from whence he had just came to beckon you inside. You smiled and walked past him, stepping out into the light of day just as the door had been closed, engulfing the entire room in complete darkness.
You walked towards the head of the ship, leaning against the railing and staring out into the horizon. You stared for a long time without thinking about it, so deep in another trance that you hadn't noticed the ship begin to move away from the land.
Hatty stood by your side, facing towards the ship and leaning with his back against the railing along with you, watching you daydream with great fondness. You didn't see him, and therefore he went without acknowledgement.
You began to tune in to some of the conversations taking place behind you between some of your friends.
"What if we come across a haunted pirate ship, and meet some ghosts?" The familiar voice you recognized as Lilith, one of your acquaintances, suggested. She was fun to hang around, but sometimes was a little too edgy for your taste.
"I dunno. I think it would be fun if we came across an island to explore." Another comrade, Gregory, remarked. He was particularly boring, especially judging by this reaction to Lilith's idea.
"An island made of candy!" Magnus chimed, a voice that belonged to an obviously significantly younger individual, therefore making him the adorable one.
Hatty's laughter in reaction to these comments startled you out of your eavesdropping. You blinked in surprise and turned to face him.
"What do you think we'll find?" He asked you, grinning warmly as he always did. You thought a moment, then shrugged, looking back out into the horizon, where the sky and the sea melted together like marshmallows in a cup of hot cocoa.
"Whatever it is, at least we'll all be together,"