Work Text:
---STEVE---
Steve didn’t have any siblings, but he imagined if he did his life might be a bit more bearable. His parents practically forgot he existed half the time, ever since he could walk on his own, he had to fend for himself. They came to be a well-known name in their town. They built their shop next to the beach and before long, the Harington’s shop was the biggest in town. They were rich. And Steve could have almost anything he wanted. But nothing he could do would get his parents to love him.
He worked in the shop when he was old enough, fourteen, wanting to have something to his name besides his parent's image and their money. It helped him feel a little more like he mattered. Like he wasn’t only here as an extension of his parents' success. But maybe he had his own story.
His parents rarely taught him anything, but they still would strike him if he made a mistake. He had to tread lightly wherever he went. There was only one place where Steve felt like he could really just be himself. And that was the beach.
Steve always felt more loved and understood with the sea lapping at his ankles, it felt like it was calling to him, begging for him to dive in. It was nice to feel wanted for once.
As he got older, he got to know the feeling of being wanted in other ways. His own parents seemed to take pride in his stunning looks. At sixteen when it came time for him to start courting they took it upon themselves to start fussing over him, every detail. When he woke, what he ate, how he dressed. It was exhausting. He felt trapped and strangled. While all kinds of girls in town threw themselves at him, and visitors off of ships begged for him to join them, he only did his best to please his parents. Suddenly they cared, he couldn’t let them down now that he’d gotten their attention.
So he let the young ladies hang off his arms in droves, let the towns folk talk about the Harrington boy. His parents always lit up when it drew in more business. Girls would flood into their mercantile when he was working. He felt seen, loved, and wanted by perfect strangers. It was a strange type of satisfaction that didn’t quite reach all the places he had hoped it would. But he didn’t want to complain, for fear of watching it all slip away.
Steve rarely got the chance to go down to the beach by himself now. So he ended up sneaking out after dark to watch the moon push and pull the water. Like maybe the moon wanted him too.
He climbed down the terrace outside his window, wondered the path to the beach, and walked towards the sand. It was chilly, without the sun to heat the sand or his skin. His skin had been speckled with kisses from the sun after years of walking up and down the sandy coast on his own. But now only the moon's light caressed his skin as he dug his toes between the sand and looked out over the waves.
He stood there for nearly an hour, simply letting the salty breeze waft around him.
“Hello.”
Steve startled and spun to see who spoke. It was a girl. She had soft brown hair that hung loose and short around her face, a soft smile, and eyes a soft shade of blue. It reminded Steve of the sea.
“Hello…” he responded hesitantly.
“I don't normally see people out here this late.” the girl said as she stepped closer. Steve stepped away. Keeping the same distance. He’d come here to be alone, and she had interrupted.
“I don't normally come out here with people,” Steve responded.
The girl laughed, lowering her gaze and huffing through her nose. She didn’t try and get closer. “My name is Nancy.” she offered her name like a peace offering.
Steve wasn’t sure if he wanted to give his own in return. At least not his last name, then she would know too much about him. If she didn’t recognize him at sight, she must be new, though people talk in small towns, she had to of heard of him.
“Steve.” he nodded. Small short responses always seemed to get the best reactions from his parents.
Nancy tilted her head slightly, then wrapped her scarf around her shoulders tighter. “Do you come out here to watch the waves, or the stars?” she asked, looking out at the horizon.
Steve hesitated. Then shrugged. “Both, I suppose.”
Nancy sat down in the sand and held her knees to her chest, content to stay a while and it took Steve a moment to process the action. But then he sat down too.
It was only the beginning, the next night Nancy showed up again, and then the next and the next. Each night the two of them sat closer together until they were side by side, enough so that Steve would sometimes bump her shoulder with his own. Sometimes on accident. Others on purpose.
Steve found it strange that he never really saw her during the day, but didn’t think much of it, he was busy. Until one day, he was working at his family's mercantile, and Nancy walked in. When she saw Steve, she smiled and walked right over to him.
“I heard rumors you worked here, but to be honest, I wasn’t even sure you were real,” Nancy said sweetly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She was even prettier in the daylight. While the moon complimented her voice and her laugh, the sun made her eyes shine. Her smile made a sunrise envious.
Steve smiled down at her. “I thought the same.”
“I’m glad I found you,” she admitted.
“And why is that?”
“I wanted to ask you to join me for a picnic on the beach, during the day this time.” she bit her lip in anticipation while Steve pretended to think it over.
“What would you have me bring?” he asked, agreeing to go.
Nancy beamed and let out a small and happy laugh. One that Steve had begun to memorize. “Just you, I’ll do the rest.” she insisted.
“When?”
“Tonight, just after seven.” she nodded. Steve smiled and nodded in agreement.
“I’ll see you there.”
Nancy was overjoyed, she glowed as she left the store. The second she was gone, his parents started to berate him for letting her leave without buying anything. But Nancy was different. She wasn’t just business or any old customer, Steve liked her.
He liked her in the way he loved the sand, as if he were the ocean, wanting to run to her the second they parted. He wanted to wrap himself around her and bring her with him. He wished they did not have to meet in passing, wished they could bind themselves together and never part. He was sure that together the two of them could make something beautiful, like the shells and pearls pulled from the depths of the sea, buried in sand.
But his parents didn’t seem to understand.
Steve went to the beach at seven, never wanting to be late or miss a moment with Nancy. When he got to their usual spot, she was there, laying out the picnic. When she spotted him she was on her feet, calling out and waving to him.
“Steve! You’re early!” she laughed. Her skirt was pinned up more than normal, showing her feet, free of shoes or stockings.
Steve smiled. “So I am.” he chuckled, then got to removing his own shoes and rolling up his trousers. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to keep you waiting.”
“That’s alright, I’ll forgive you.” Nancy rolled her eyes with a small smile like she was trying to hide it from him, though he saw it anyway.
They ate together as they chatted, but every few minutes there would be silence between them. It wasn’t unfamiliar. Silence often filled the space between them during their nights on the beach. It was nearly comforting.
When they had finished their food, Nancy got to her feet and ran towards the surf. She halted just before the waves lapped at her feet and then ran back up the beach, letting the water chase after her. She laughed and ran, flirting with the tide, but never letting it touch her. She kicked up the sand and shouted for joy, calling for Steve to join her. Before long, Steve was up, running with her hand in hand.
He would let the water catch him, curling around his toes and kissing his heels before he was tugged away. Sometimes he would even try to kick the water up at Nancy. She would shriek and run faster, not wanting to get wet. Steve laughed and they played for hours until the sun started to set and the beach started to cool.
Steve helped Nancy pack up her picnic before they parted and Nancy headed home. But Steve couldn’t get himself to leave the beach just yet. He walked into the surf a bit and let the water flirt up to his knees, but he never ran like Nancy did. He soaked it in. he stood there long enough that small fish swam up to him, thinking he was nothing but a rock, or a log, swimming around his legs. They only swam off when one tickled his foot and he wiggled his toes.
He looked up and watched as a ship headed into port. His parents would be thrilled, business on every ship that passed through, they had always said. However, this ship didn’t look like the regular ships that passed through. It had torn and sewn-together sails and mismatched colors. From the direction of the docking ship came the faint sound of singing.
Curious, Steve walked over to the dock to watch as the men climbed off and headed into town for a drink and a meal like sailors always did. However, after a few minutes of waiting and the men not coming, Steve got even more curious.
They had docked their ship at the end of the row, Steve could see lanterns lighting their deck and figures dancing as they sang loud enough to be heard from this end of the doc. Steve walked closer. They all seemed to be having so much fun, none of them caring much that they had reached their destination.
He felt something tug in his chest, longing for some semblance of that kind of contentment. He wandered closer. He wanted to see their dancing. Wondering if they were dancing with girls, if maybe they had anyone as pretty as Nancy, though he doubted it.
The closer he got, the more he could hear. They had music, too. He felt so drawn to it he couldn’t help but walk right up to their ship to watch. A few crew members pulled out the ramp and unloaded a few things, but they had all gotten caught up in the festivities, so Steve crossed the ramp and stood in the threshold to see it all.
The crew had no uniform like most sailors did, they wore what they wanted exactly how they wanted. There were no ranks, no classes, it was less like a round of employed men, and more like a large family. They all laughed together, drank together, and danced together.
There were women, but they wore trousers just like the men. And some of the men had long hair like the women. And every single one of them was beautiful. Steve was shaken. He wasn’t sure what to make of it.
There was a man and woman sharing a drink over on the side, though each had a partner on their arm. There were women dancing with each other, men dancing together- and then Steve saw two men who had been dancing, walk to the side of the ship and lean into each other, and then they kissed.
Steve couldn’t help but stare, he’d never seen that before. He was pretty sure it wasn’t proper, or even tolerated. But then why were they-
“Hey there.” Steve jumped and turned quickly, feeling like he’d been caught doing something wrong. There stood a tall man with long blond hair and blue eyes. He had on a loose white tunic and a pair of brown trousers. He was gorgeous. He had no shoes on, they all seemed to dance barefoot.
“Sorry-” Steve started immediately. “I didn’t mean to intrude- I just heard the music and I was curious-”
The man laughed and silenced him quickly. “No need to worry. I ain't harpen’ on you.” he shook his head. “I was going to invite you to dance, no good missing out.” he offered a hand to Steve.
Steve shook his head and waved his hands immediately. “Oh- no I don't know how to dance, not like that-” he’d been shown the proper way to dance, but the way these people danced- was so unique, he wasn’t sure there was a name for it.
The man laughed. “There ain't no rules to it, you dance how ya like.” he nodded. “No wrong way, no right way, as long as you’re enjoying yourself.”
Steve liked the idea of not being able to do something wrong. It’s like it was made for him. He hesitated, not sure what to do.
“My name is Billy.” The man smiled. “You can watch if you’d like, but you’re also free to join.” he offered Steve his hand one more time. And this time, Steve took it.
“Show me how you dance,” he said softly.
Billy smiled, the corner of his mouth turning up into a smirk. “You got it.” he pulled Steve down onto the deck and straight to the middle of the crowd of people dancing. Billy danced as erratically as the rest of the crew, haphazardly and full of energy. Steve laughed nervously, having a hard time getting into it.
So Billy pulled him over to a barrel and got him a drink of rum. Steve had never had rum before, he'd had whiskey and wine, but never rum. He didn’t like rum, turns out. It’s bitter and tastes like regrets, but it worked. It got him drunk and he was dancing with the rest of the crew in no time.
The moon came out and the stars shone as their dancing started to slow. Crew members started to head off to bed, or pass out around the main deck. Steve was laughing and didn’t want to stop having fun, but Billy had to grab onto him and shake some sense into him.
“Come now, the parties over, mate,” he told him. Steve shook his head. “Where’d ya live, I’ll take ya home.” Billy offered.
Steve found his way out, if he didn’t tell Billy where he lived, he couldn’t be brought home. “Nowhere.” he giggled.
Billy smirked and shook his head. “Whats’r name?”
He didn’t see a problem in telling him that much. “Steve Harrington.” he shrugged.
“Your parents own the mercantile?” he asked, and Steve realized his mistake. “That where ya live?”
Steve got defiant and scowled. “No.”
Billy sighed and put an arm around Steve to help him home. Steve panicked. He didn’t want to go home. When he was home he could only do things wrong, but here there was no such thing, not even kissing another man was wrong. He couldn’t let Billy bring him home.
Steve turned in his grip and then reached up, pulling Billy down into a kiss. Billy pulled back quickly, a quizzical look on his face.
“Please don't bring me home,” he whispered.
Billy stared at him for a few long seconds, then pulled him closer and kissed him again. Steve smiled, knowing he’d won and not much else, Billy wouldn’t be making him leave just yet. His hands were on his hips and guiding him but Steve didn’t mind, he kind of liked it. When he’d been with girls he’d always had to take the lead or make the first move, but letting someone else do it was nice.
Steve was pushed against a wall as they broke apart for air, their faces still so close he could feel Billy’s breath on his face. He peaked through his eyelids to try and see Billy’s face, but Billy was taller than him, and in front of him was Billy’s neck.
When Billy swallowed he watched his Addams apple bob down and back up, like a fishing line, the bait tainting him. He lunged forward and bit into Billy’s neck.
The rest was a bit of a blur.
He remembered being pulled into Billy’s room below deck. Then shoved into bed. There was a bit of missing time and then their clothes were gone and Steve tried really hard to pay attention for some reason. He wanted to know how everything was being done. In case he ever wanted to do it again.
While most of that night was hard to remember the next morning when he woke up beside Billy, he knew he’d liked it.
Which scared him.
He liked Nancy, but she couldn’t be to him what Billy had been. And when Billy woke he told Steve he had to go home.
Now that he was sober, Steve agreed. He got dressed as quickly as he could and ran straight home, praying his mum and dad hadn’t noticed he was gone.
By the time noon rolled around, Steve was the only thing the town could talk about. But this time, it was not for something his parents were proud of.
Many people had seen Steve leave the ship that morning in a haist, but a few had even seen him get on it the night before. The first thing wrong with what he’d done was interact with pirates. The second thing he’d done wrong was sleep with one, third, he’d stayed out all night, and fourth, the pirate he had slept with was a man.
He was the gossip the town had been waiting for. By noon his parents had to send him up to his room so people would stop coming in to ask him about it and berate him. Someone threw eggs and their store windows and Steve cried.
He never meant to ruin anything- he wasn’t sure why he could never do anything right, he just knew it was true.
He started to think of Nancy, how she must have heard by now. She must hate him more than anyone. He could bear the thought. He wanted to curl up and die.
His father came up that night and beat him. He screamed and yelled, telling Steve everything he’d ever done was a mistake, that they wished he was never born. Steve was a disgrace and no longer their son.
He didn’t see Nancy that day.
When customers asked his mum and dad about him, they pretended they didn’t know who he was. He got fired and kicked out of their house.
He didn’t see Nancy that day either.
He spent that night on the beach, with nowhere else to sleep, but the pirate ship had already left. Billy hadn’t cared for him. He’d only liked the look of him.
He didn’t see Nancy that night.
The next morning, a ship came into port. The crew wore uniforms. Sailors, not pirates. Steve didn’t care, he had to get away, no matter what. Once all the men had left to get food and supplies, Steve snuck into their ship and found a place to hide. He was leaving this town. No one here wanted him. He would sail on this ship somewhere far away, find Billy, and ask him to take him with him. He had to have cared at least a little. He’d seemed so nice.
Steve hid for hours before the sailors started to board the ship again. And then a few hours after that, they set sail.
He stayed in his hiding spot till the next morning, making sure it was too late for them to turn back, then snuck out to try and find some food. He was starving.
He’d only just spotted some food when someone grabbed the back of his collar and tugged him back, making him choke.
“What the hell are you doing on our ship?” it was an older man, big enough to kill Steve. Steve tried to explain, but the man didn’t want to hear it. He dragged Steve up to the main deck and threw him to the ground in front of the whole crew. “We have a stowaway!” he announced.
Steve shook slightly as he tried to push himself up. He hadn’t eaten in the last two days. A man pushed him back down and knocked the wind out of him.
The captain approached. Steve knew it was the captain because of the click of their boots. He looked up to see the tall man in uniform looking down at him. He crouched down and smirked.
“Do you know what we do to stowaways?” he asked, his voice cold.
Steve shook slightly, then shook his head and lowered his eyes. “No sir…”
“We throw them overboard.” the captain stood back up before Steve even had the chance to beg for mercy. “Tie him up!” he shouted.
A second later crew members were on him, binding his hands behind his back as he struggled against them, he tried to kick them away and they bound his feet. He cried out for someone to help him, to let him go as tears tracked down his face and they tied a gag around his head, shutting him up.
Four men worked together to lift him up onto the edge of the ship and he cried, pleading with his eyes for someone to help him.
“Drop him.” the captain said, not even bothering to look over his shoulder to meet Steve’s eyes.
They pushed him back and he tipped over the side of the ship.
It was a long way down, but he barely held his breath in time. He kicked as best he could and struggled, trying to free himself, but he slowly sank with something heavy tied to his feet. His eyes stung against the salt water as he watched the ship above him get farther and farther away.
He started to see moments from his life. The endless nights and days he spent admiring the ocean, only for it to be the one to swallow him in the end. He thought it a bit ironic.
He thought about Nancy, the way she flirted with the tide and ran along the beach. The way she was content to sit in silence with him at night to watch the water.
He thought of his parents, the girls who fawned over him, Billy, the other pirates, and the sailors who pushed him off.
Steve choked, his chest burning against the pressure. He let out his breath and the bubbles escaped to the surface without him. The edges of his sight began to fade and when he choked in a wet and water breath it burned, pain shot through him and it felt like a knife was being taken to his neck.
He pushed the watery breath back out as best he could, distantly hoping the next breath in would be air. It wasn’t, but this one hurt less.
Steve distantly knew he was dying. At this moment, he knew it was his last.
But when all the ropes around him turned to algae and foam and thought that maybe he was already dead. The green foam and algae attached to his skin, it burned a little, and it took a little before Steve noticed he was breathing the water around him. He looked down at his hands to see the foam had stuck between his fingers like webbing, staining his fingers green as well, he reached up and touched his neck to find gills.
Then he looked down to see the algae eating away and replacing his skin as it slowly turned to scales and fins.
The sea didn’t swallow him like he’d thought it was going to. No, the ocean did so much more than that. The sea gave Steve a second chance. It gave Steve rebirth, a new purpose to his life. One that he wasn’t going to waste, or question this time.
---EDDIE---
Eddie ran what most people would call a ‘tight ship’. Sailors might see the way he captained his crew and be the opposite of envious. But Eddie understood that running a ship had to come with even amounts of consistency and flexibility.
His crew followed his word to the letter. Each man and woman trusted him with their lives. Owed him theirs too.
Eddie had once been the co-captain of a navy ship. There was only one man he took orders from, but when it came down to it, a storm caught them a month out at sea, his superior didn’t have what it took to get them out alive. The captain did not have the flexibility it took to take on the storm.
They lost many sailors that day.
Eddie was one of the only men to survive, and when he returned to land, he vowed to be better than the captain who had killed his brothers and sister of the sea.
Now, he captained a different kind of crew. The world called them pirates. He was rather fond of the name. Every now and again they would come across a navy ship and they would do what pirates do best.
Eddie knew how much extra supplies they carried, and how much of it went unused. So they took what they needed. He also liked to test the captains of the navy ships, see if they were any better than the man who had failed him a few years ago.
None of them were.
Eddie outranked every captain they came across in wit and creativity.
If Eddie ever saw a storm approaching, he did his best to avoid it, never wanting to risk the storm being smarter than he was. But if they ever got stuck in one, he made sure to never lose a single member of his crew.
He’s been away from home for nearly three years now, he wanted to go visit to see his uncle and his cousin. They had been his family after his parents died when he was just a little boy. So they set their sights on home and sailed off.
It took weeks, but when they finally arrived, there was an air of hatred the townspeople had toward him and his crew. Pirates. He wasn’t sure if pirates had ever actually done them any wrong, or if they simply held a grudge over rumors.
Eddie was the only one who left the ship after they docked. He feared his crew might be rated and feathered if they made the wrong move.
He made his way past the beach and through the town to his uncle's house, then gave three loud knocks on the door.
A moment later, the door was opened.
“Edward!” His younger cousin shouted and jumped up to hug him. Eddie hugged her back before pushing her away gently.
“It’s Eddie. Is Wayne home?” He asked.
Chrissy rolled her eyes. “Yes, he’s in the back, but you’re here to see me, right?” She smirked up at him. Her golden hair curled around her face. The two of them didn’t look related, but they had the same quick wit and cheeky attitudes. They always made trouble for Wayne.
“Yes, I’m here to see you.” He chuckled and tousled her hair. “I’d like to see him too, may I come in?” He asked, nodding past the door into the house.
Chrissy stepped back inside and nodded for him to enter. Then she went to fetch her dad as he stood and waited.
When Eddie saw his uncle again they embraced, and the three of them sat and talked for a long while, catching up. Then Eddie asked about the attitude of the town towards pirates.
“We’re not bad people.” He explained.
Wayne shifted in his seat. “A few years back. The town had a favorite. Every family threw their daughters at him. Not me, Chrissy deserves better than to be used as a pawn for riches. The boy was the son of merchants. Rich. But then the pirates took him.”
Eddie frowned. “What ship?”
Wayne shrugged and shook his head. “First the boy had an affair with a pirate, he got thrown out, both we’re men and all. But then one day he just went missing. It’s been years.”
“You don’t think pirates took him?” Eddie asked. “Doesn’t sound like something we’d do, maybe he ran away with them or on his own.”
“That’s what we think.” Chrissy nodded. “I made friends with a girl who’d been close to him. But Nancy believes he’s some kind of bedswerver. Or devil spawn.”
Eddie frowned. “We’ll, until they put grow the rumors, we won’t be stopping here again.” He sighed. “I’ve got to be gone, places to be, my crew is waiting.”
“Right, well, don’t let us hold you.” Wayne stood along with Eddie and pulled him into a hug.
Eddie gave Chrissy another hug before he headed back out. He stopped in at the Harrington mercantile to grab a few odd ends before heading back to his ship.
When he reached the pier he heard his cousin calling out to him. He turned back and saw her running after him. He waited and when she caught up she put her arms around him.
“Edward, please. I fear if you go, you’ll never return again… the navy is out to kill every pirate. Please… don’t go…” she hid her face in his chest and cried softly.
Eddie gently hugged her in an attempt to comfort her. “It’s Eddie, Chrissy, I’ll be back, the navy can’t get me. I used to be the Navy.” He smirked.
Chrissy sniffled and pulled away. “Alright… I love you.”
Eddie smiled softly, then kissed the top of her head. “I love you too.”
But then he had to go. His crew was getting antsy, not liking the townsfolk’s eyes on them. Fearing to even set foot off their ship.
Eddie was climbing back into his ship when he saw something under the dock. He thought it was a boy, but then he saw the tail and fin and thought it to be a dolphin.
Eddie gave his crew instructions and took out his captain's log. He put down the date and time and then his entry.
Leaving behind the Walls of Wapping, heading to Tower Hill, I visited my uncle and my cousin, they are well.
-Captain Eddie Munson
They were at sea for a day or two before Eddie noticed they were being followed. The first few times he saw it, he thought the dolphin from Walls of Wapping had followed them, but when night fell and the crew sent off to bed or started to drink they could hear the most beautiful sound coming from the mist hanging over the water.
Some of the men and women even joked about going off to find the one who was singing. Eddie always laughed at them and told them it wasn’t a good idea. It was when they came across the first navy ship of their trip, it was just after dusk, mist floating over the water, they took the ship, and robbed it clean- but when the sailors started to fight back more than they used to, Eddie called for a retreat.
But that was when they heard the singing, clear as crystal.
The voice ran through the mist like a cutlet. It pierced the ears of the sailors, leaving Eddie’s men unaffected. The sailors all dropped their weapons, each turning to the closest edge of their ship, they marched right over and jumped.
Eddie ran to the edge of the ship and leaned over to see what was going on. He saw just in time. The dolphin he thought was following them wasn’t a dolphin at all. It was a half man, half fish.
A Siren.
Grabbing onto the sailors who jumped and tied rocks to their feet. Dragging each one down below the waves till Eddie couldn’t see them anymore. The siren lured each and every navy crew member off the ship and to their deaths. Eddie was astounded. At a loss for words.
His band of pirates gathered around him to watch. All of them were silent as the last of the navy sailors were drowned. They looked among each other, then to their captain. To Eddie. They needed directions, answers.
“Well, we’ve got a new ship,” Eddie smirked. “Get all our essentials, bring them over, let’s not look a gift horse in the mouth,” he instructed. He hadn’t killed all the men, but he wasn’t going to waste a nice ship like this.
The crew got to work, doing what they were told while some of them murmured about Eddie being in over his head, not knowing how to run a navy ship. Eddie hushed them up real quick when he told them he used to be in the Navy. It didn’t take too long before all their stuff had been moved to their new ship. The navy ship was much bigger and the crew celebrated as they continued their course to Tower Hill. Eddie kept his eyes on the water. Watching for signs of the siren.
As the next few days went by, Eddie learned how to read the Siren's body language, when he was telling him about a navy ship, sharks, or even storms. It was helping them. Eddie found it curious. Every tail he’d ever heard of sirens painted them as demons of the sea. Having no mercy and leaving no survivors. But this one was different.
When they docked at Tower Hill, Eddie watched for the Siren, wanting to see him up close, needing to know if they could communicate with words. But when he spotted the Siren, he was still too far out at sea for Eddie to call to him. He tried. The Siren either didn’t hear him or didn’t care to come closer to shore.
A day or two later they set back out, Eddie put it into his captain's log, heading to Blackwall, but didn’t mention the siren. They had an ally below the waves, it was their secret for now. A secret weapon.
---STEVE---
After becoming a sea siren, Steve swam as far and wide as he could, trying to find Billy. But he never could. He took to getting his revenge on navy ships like the one that had thrown him over board, by singing to them and convincing them to jump and drown. A year or so later, Steve went back to his home, he wanted to get back at his parents, so he went to make them drown too. But when he got there, he spotted the most beautiful man he’d ever seen.
He was talking with a girl and she was upset, so Steve swam as close as he dared to try and hear what they were saying. She was scared he wouldn’t return if he left.
She called him Edward. But he corrected her, his name was Eddie.
They parted and Eddie headed for his ship, so Steve swam over to it. He was drawn to the man, like the sea was drawn to the moon. He followed Eddie’s ship as he sailed, he learned that Eddie avoided bad weather, and he learned Eddie hated the navy as much as he did. So when he took over a navy ship and they started to fight back, Steve sang them all to their deaths.
Every navy sailor jumped from that ship and Steve took them down to the bottom of the ocean so they would never bother Eddie again. That’s when Eddie really started to see him. They would wave to each other, and Steve started to warn Eddie about bad weather and tell him where Navy ships were. But he never got close enough to the shore when they docked for anyone else to see him.
He didn’t want to risk it.
He followed Eddie from Tower Hill to Blackwall, then again when they set out from there. They were out at sea a day or two before Steve saw them lowering a row boat. There was only one man in it.
Eddie.
Steve swam circles around it, trying to figure out why he wasn’t on his ship. He was the captain. Was he thrown out? No, they wouldn’t have given him a raft. Then, Eddie stuck his hand in the water and Steve felt it. He turned and looked up at Eddie's boat on the surface of the water. Eddie’s hand extended in a kind and soft invitation. Calling to him like the moon did to the sea.
Steve swam up slowly, reached out his hand in return, and let their fingers brush before gently holding Eddie’s hand. Eddie’s hands were big with long skinny fingers, covered in rings. Eddie tightened his grip on Steve's hand just slightly and pulled, trying to get Steve to come closer.
Steve pulled against it. The last pirate he’d let touch him left him behind and never came back.
Eddie stopped pulling.
Steve hesitated, then let himself rise to the surface. Steve’s hair fell around his face, thick and wet, sticking to the back of his neck and face in places. His big brown eyes sparkled in the sun as he took the time to study Eddie’s face. His hair hung in black ringlets around his face, long and untamed. His eyes were as dark as coal, pools of ink that his thousands of stories Steve wanted to hear. They drew him in like the moon pulled on the tide.
“You’re beautiful,” Eddie whispered.
Steve felt himself flush deeply. He hadn’t expected that. Steve was scared to speak to Eddie, worried his voice would carry like his song and make Eddie drown himself. But if he tried, he could just save him.
“So are you.” he nodded back. They were still holding each other's hands, though their fingers couldn’t interlock. Steve had mossy green webbing between his fingers.
“Why are you helping us?” Eddie asked.
Steve shook his head. “You.”
Eddie frowned slightly and tilted his head. “Not us… just me?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow.
Steve nodded. Still scared to use his voice. But it was like Eddie knew his thoughts. He reached out with his other hand and placed it on the side of Steve's face and he pressed his cheek into it. Eddie’s hands were so warm. Unlock the deep waters he spent his time in.
“You can speak to me. You won't make me drown.” Eddie told him softly. Steve looked at him with his large golden eyes, silently asking if that was true. If he really could trust Eddie. He searched Eddie’s face for signs that he was hiding something.
He couldn’t find anything. Eddie was honest.
Steve smiled softly.
“So why are you helping me?” Eddie asked.
Steve hesitated a moment longer. He put a hand to his own chest. “Sea,” he said softly. Then Steve put a hand on Eddie’s chest and smiled softly. “Moon.”
He looked up and met Eddie’s eyes. He always thought of the moon as some kind of secret admirer of the Sea, always too afraid to reach out and love the sea. But now Steve could see he was the distant admirer, always looking up at Eddie like he was the moon, reaching out only enough to catch his attention. But now the moon had come down just to meet him. It was humbling, he felt honored.
Eddie’s face softened and he smiled. “You’re more than just the sea-” Eddie paused with a small frown. “What’s your name?” he asked softly.
“Steve.”
Eddie nodded. “I’m Eddie.”
“I know.” Steve smiled softly and Eddie chuckled.
“You’re more than just a part of the sea, you’re Steve, and you’re wonderful.” Eddie smiled. They locked eyes for a few seconds before Eddie let go of Steve’s hand and face and started to take off his layers of pirate clothes. Steve blushed and stared.
“What are you-“ Steve tried to ask him, confused and startled.
“I’m going to swim with you.” Eddie pulled his tunic up over his head and dropped it to the bottom of his rowboat, leaving himself in just his trousers. He stood up and his boat rocked, Steve moved back a few feet just as Eddie jumped in.
When he surfaced he threw his hair back out of his face, a huge grin on his lips. Steve dove down and circled around him a few times. Then he spotted a tattoo on Eddie’s ribs. He reached out and traced his fingers over it lightly.
Thin black lines painted the picture of a full moon surrounded by stars, floating over a calm ocean view.
Steve surfaced in front of Eddie with a bright smile. Eddie reached out and gently took Steve’s face in his hands as he tread water. Then he pulled Steve in and kissed him, both their lips tasted of salt from the water as the Moon and Sea melted into each other.