When the Time Has Come to Fly - Chapter One: Green as Grass
Title: When the Time Has Come to Fly - Chapter One: Green as Grass
Pairing: Rould/Myde [Luxord/Demyx]
Written For: samurai_usagi, who I absolutely love to death :D
Type: everything
Rating: PG-...R? dunno how it'll be in later chapters.
The Alexandros, outwardly a theater ship and courier, was ready to sail. Cargo stowed, sailors accounted for, extraneous matter dumped.
Except for one small detail.
The Captain.
Right, thought Myde, hurrying through the streets of Tortuge. Captain Rould. Blonde hair, blue eyes, beard.
Really, that wasn't much to go on!
He also knew that Rould - Captain Rould, he reminded himself - was young to be the captain of a pirate ship - er, theater ship.
"'Scuse me, I'm looking for Captain Rould."
"Rould~?" The redheaded lady in question gave him a calculating, appraising look. "Found your bed empty this morning, did ye?"
Myde tilted his head. "...What?"
"Scarlett!" Another lady, blond, smacked her friend on the arm. "He's not one of those. This one's fresh meat on the Alexandros."
"Er..." Myde raised an eyebrow. "I don't know about fresh meat... but uh. Yes. I'm the newest recruit."
"Green as grass, eh?" Scarlett shook her head and sighed. "Well, remember this for the future - Captain Rould is almost always to be found robbing honest pirates of their gold at the Black Feather." She pointed out a bright, raucous tavern across the street. "Of course, that's not all he robs..."
"Scarlett!" Another smack, this one audible even over the din. The blond smiled apologetically at Myde, then dragged her friend off by the arm. "Best of luck to ye, sailor!" she called over her shoulder.
Myde wasn't finding their words very encouraging, but at least he knew where to find the captain, now.
The Black Feather was full of people, all of whom seemed to be a lot bigger than Myde. Even so, it wasn't too terribly difficult to find Rould - he was seated at the head of a felt-covered poker table, surrounded by gold and other various treasures. He had a bottle in one hand and a spread of cards in the other, and both arms were wrapped around wenches with pretty faces.
Or not. Myde gulped. The one on the right? Was male.
His face was pretty, though - fine features, with wide green eyes and wavy golden hair falling almost to his shoulders. He had an innocent look about him, almost that of a deer in the wilderness.
Myde pushed through the crowd, which was considerably tighter around the table. As he drew close, a handsome, ringing voice soared over the cacophony - "Well, my lad, would you like to quit now, or d'you want to lose your clothes as well?" Rould sounded like he would greatly appreciate option two - for all the wrong reasons. Myde frowned.
His opponent was dark, swarthy almost, with a red bandana and dreadlocks. He considered Rould's words, then replied, "I'd never bet my clothes on you, my dear Captain, or I'd be betting my rear end as well."
This comment was greeted with a roar of laughter from the blond captain. "Well spoken, Jack! But seeing as you're resigned to your fate already, you might as well just - "
"Captain Rould, sir?" Myde knew it was probably a dumb idea to interrupt him in the middle of a phrase like that, but he wasn't exactly comfortable with the way this conversation was going, and if he let them get on any longer, he might never have the courage.
Rould stopped, and looked up. "My... a pretty face like yours could break hearts in an instant. What do you want with me, lad?" And to Myde's astonishment - and embarrassment - he winked.
"Ah... er... um..." Myde flushed. "The Alexandros is waiting for you, Captain."
"Is she now? Well, she's just going to have to wait a little longer..." he eyed Jack rather predatorily.
"Actually..." Myde cut in, shoulders hunched. It was taking every bit of the courage that he barely had to even be this forward. "Blank said that if you didn't come back before midnight, the ship would leave without you. Sir."
Rould sighed. "All right, all right, boy. I'll be good this time."
The lady under his arm laughed. "You, good? Never!"
He kissed her heartily. "Ah, but the sea is my lover, and a man doesn't leave her waiting unless he wants a fate worse than death." He then shoved her forward roughly. "So, Jack, you can keep your wench - it seems I won't be around to cash in on my winnings this time." He lifted his arm off the boy, too, who looked half grateful - and half disappointed.
Jack smiled brightly. "Actually, I don't want the wench at all. You can keep her! Bring her on your ship, make her..." he waved his hands vaguely. "...do your laundry, or something. However..." he reached out towards one of the items on the table.
Snap. Rould was quicker. "Ah, Jack. I won this, fair and square." He dangled a plain-looking black compass from his fingers. "I'm not so drunk as to let you get away with what you prize the most."
Jack Sparrow leaned back in his chair and scowled.
"Good night to you all then - next game goes to you, Captain Rhal, I promise on my honor." He held his hat against his chest in an expression of mock contriteness.
Captain Rhal - a stocky, honest-looking man - laughed and shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't trust your honor, Rould - swear on your love of the sea and I might begin to believe you!"
"You wound me!" Rould pretended to be hurt, then recovered and bowed to the lady next to Captain Rhal. "And my lady Gwethelyn, you look more lovely every day."
"You've only seen me for one day!" she murmured, laughing.
"All right, all right! You all want to make an honest man of me!" There were many more shouts and clamors from the happy crowd. "But I'm afraid the sea doesn't take fondly to honest men! And now? I'm off!"
Finally, Myde thought, still reeling a little from the heady tavern atmosphere and Rould's forceful personality.
"So, lad... you're the new hire to replace Zidane?"
Myde gulped. "I hadn't realized I was replacing anyone, but yes, I was just hired this morning."
"Hmm." The handsome captain gave him a long, searching look as they made their way through the rowdy throngs of people. "You don't look familiar, and I'm sure I'd remember a face like yours."
Myde blushed, glad for the hazy moonlight. "No, I only just got here last night. I've been traveling with a band of musicians since I was born, but my mom died a few weeks ago..." He swallowed; the thought was still hard to take in. "...I just didn't want to be there anymore. So I joined up with the Alexandros, because I can perform..."
Rould leaned his head back and chuckled, eyes closed, but still somehow walking straight ahead. "So, you signed up with a theater ship..." He cracked an eye open and glanced at Myde. "...only to find that we're actually a bunch of lawless pirates?"
Myde gulped. "Um. No, actually, I signed up with a theater ship... and no one told me anything about pirates."
Rould let out a bark of laughter, then slung an arm around a suddenly surprised Myde. "Ah. Then you'll have a lot to learn." They were at the ship now, and Rould bounded up the plank - then stopped halfway. "I don't believe I asked your name, boy."
"Um. Myde," he said nervously, walking up a little less gracefully than the Captain.
"A pretty name for a pretty lad. All right!" At the sound of the captain's voice, activity on the ship picked up. "Loose the sails! Lift the anchor! Have hot steamy sex! On second thought, wait until we're out at sea for that. All hands to the deck!"
Myde shook his head, blue eyes wide. He had no idea what any of that meant - all he knew is that his life was going to be wildly different, from here on out.
{ + }
A/N: GAAAAAY PIRATE. Gay pirate! Okay. I was intending Chapter One to be a little longer, but it felt like ending itself here. Fine. Whatever. Enjoy!
Pairing: Rould/Myde [Luxord/Demyx]
Written For: samurai_usagi, who I absolutely love to death :D
Type: everything
Rating: PG-...R? dunno how it'll be in later chapters.
The Alexandros, outwardly a theater ship and courier, was ready to sail. Cargo stowed, sailors accounted for, extraneous matter dumped.
Except for one small detail.
The Captain.
Right, thought Myde, hurrying through the streets of Tortuge. Captain Rould. Blonde hair, blue eyes, beard.
Really, that wasn't much to go on!
He also knew that Rould - Captain Rould, he reminded himself - was young to be the captain of a pirate ship - er, theater ship.
"'Scuse me, I'm looking for Captain Rould."
"Rould~?" The redheaded lady in question gave him a calculating, appraising look. "Found your bed empty this morning, did ye?"
Myde tilted his head. "...What?"
"Scarlett!" Another lady, blond, smacked her friend on the arm. "He's not one of those. This one's fresh meat on the Alexandros."
"Er..." Myde raised an eyebrow. "I don't know about fresh meat... but uh. Yes. I'm the newest recruit."
"Green as grass, eh?" Scarlett shook her head and sighed. "Well, remember this for the future - Captain Rould is almost always to be found robbing honest pirates of their gold at the Black Feather." She pointed out a bright, raucous tavern across the street. "Of course, that's not all he robs..."
"Scarlett!" Another smack, this one audible even over the din. The blond smiled apologetically at Myde, then dragged her friend off by the arm. "Best of luck to ye, sailor!" she called over her shoulder.
Myde wasn't finding their words very encouraging, but at least he knew where to find the captain, now.
The Black Feather was full of people, all of whom seemed to be a lot bigger than Myde. Even so, it wasn't too terribly difficult to find Rould - he was seated at the head of a felt-covered poker table, surrounded by gold and other various treasures. He had a bottle in one hand and a spread of cards in the other, and both arms were wrapped around wenches with pretty faces.
Or not. Myde gulped. The one on the right? Was male.
His face was pretty, though - fine features, with wide green eyes and wavy golden hair falling almost to his shoulders. He had an innocent look about him, almost that of a deer in the wilderness.
Myde pushed through the crowd, which was considerably tighter around the table. As he drew close, a handsome, ringing voice soared over the cacophony - "Well, my lad, would you like to quit now, or d'you want to lose your clothes as well?" Rould sounded like he would greatly appreciate option two - for all the wrong reasons. Myde frowned.
His opponent was dark, swarthy almost, with a red bandana and dreadlocks. He considered Rould's words, then replied, "I'd never bet my clothes on you, my dear Captain, or I'd be betting my rear end as well."
This comment was greeted with a roar of laughter from the blond captain. "Well spoken, Jack! But seeing as you're resigned to your fate already, you might as well just - "
"Captain Rould, sir?" Myde knew it was probably a dumb idea to interrupt him in the middle of a phrase like that, but he wasn't exactly comfortable with the way this conversation was going, and if he let them get on any longer, he might never have the courage.
Rould stopped, and looked up. "My... a pretty face like yours could break hearts in an instant. What do you want with me, lad?" And to Myde's astonishment - and embarrassment - he winked.
"Ah... er... um..." Myde flushed. "The Alexandros is waiting for you, Captain."
"Is she now? Well, she's just going to have to wait a little longer..." he eyed Jack rather predatorily.
"Actually..." Myde cut in, shoulders hunched. It was taking every bit of the courage that he barely had to even be this forward. "Blank said that if you didn't come back before midnight, the ship would leave without you. Sir."
Rould sighed. "All right, all right, boy. I'll be good this time."
The lady under his arm laughed. "You, good? Never!"
He kissed her heartily. "Ah, but the sea is my lover, and a man doesn't leave her waiting unless he wants a fate worse than death." He then shoved her forward roughly. "So, Jack, you can keep your wench - it seems I won't be around to cash in on my winnings this time." He lifted his arm off the boy, too, who looked half grateful - and half disappointed.
Jack smiled brightly. "Actually, I don't want the wench at all. You can keep her! Bring her on your ship, make her..." he waved his hands vaguely. "...do your laundry, or something. However..." he reached out towards one of the items on the table.
Snap. Rould was quicker. "Ah, Jack. I won this, fair and square." He dangled a plain-looking black compass from his fingers. "I'm not so drunk as to let you get away with what you prize the most."
Jack Sparrow leaned back in his chair and scowled.
"Good night to you all then - next game goes to you, Captain Rhal, I promise on my honor." He held his hat against his chest in an expression of mock contriteness.
Captain Rhal - a stocky, honest-looking man - laughed and shook his head. "I'm afraid I don't trust your honor, Rould - swear on your love of the sea and I might begin to believe you!"
"You wound me!" Rould pretended to be hurt, then recovered and bowed to the lady next to Captain Rhal. "And my lady Gwethelyn, you look more lovely every day."
"You've only seen me for one day!" she murmured, laughing.
"All right, all right! You all want to make an honest man of me!" There were many more shouts and clamors from the happy crowd. "But I'm afraid the sea doesn't take fondly to honest men! And now? I'm off!"
Finally, Myde thought, still reeling a little from the heady tavern atmosphere and Rould's forceful personality.
"So, lad... you're the new hire to replace Zidane?"
Myde gulped. "I hadn't realized I was replacing anyone, but yes, I was just hired this morning."
"Hmm." The handsome captain gave him a long, searching look as they made their way through the rowdy throngs of people. "You don't look familiar, and I'm sure I'd remember a face like yours."
Myde blushed, glad for the hazy moonlight. "No, I only just got here last night. I've been traveling with a band of musicians since I was born, but my mom died a few weeks ago..." He swallowed; the thought was still hard to take in. "...I just didn't want to be there anymore. So I joined up with the Alexandros, because I can perform..."
Rould leaned his head back and chuckled, eyes closed, but still somehow walking straight ahead. "So, you signed up with a theater ship..." He cracked an eye open and glanced at Myde. "...only to find that we're actually a bunch of lawless pirates?"
Myde gulped. "Um. No, actually, I signed up with a theater ship... and no one told me anything about pirates."
Rould let out a bark of laughter, then slung an arm around a suddenly surprised Myde. "Ah. Then you'll have a lot to learn." They were at the ship now, and Rould bounded up the plank - then stopped halfway. "I don't believe I asked your name, boy."
"Um. Myde," he said nervously, walking up a little less gracefully than the Captain.
"A pretty name for a pretty lad. All right!" At the sound of the captain's voice, activity on the ship picked up. "Loose the sails! Lift the anchor! Have hot steamy sex! On second thought, wait until we're out at sea for that. All hands to the deck!"
Myde shook his head, blue eyes wide. He had no idea what any of that meant - all he knew is that his life was going to be wildly different, from here on out.
{ + }
A/N: GAAAAAY PIRATE. Gay pirate! Okay. I was intending Chapter One to be a little longer, but it felt like ending itself here. Fine. Whatever. Enjoy!