Song Title: Lighthouse by Nina Kraljic

It has been a few days since the assault from the royal navy, and seeing as though everyone could use some rest and relaxation, the North Sea King decided it was a good time to make landfall. They found and docked at a peaceful coastal town down south to unwind.

Knock. Knock.

"Ve, ReeRee, are you in there?" Feliciano looked towards Berwald when no one answered him from inside the Reaper's room. "Hmm, it is the afternoon…maybe he's taking a siesta? That actually sounds like a good idea right about now,"

The person who answered the door was not the Reaper.

"Uwah! Hello, captain!" the chef saluted.

Mathias grinned at the Italian. "Well hey there, Feli! What brings ya here?"

"I wanted to check up on ReeRee and see if he wanted to go shopping with us today! It is so nice outside, and the town looks beautiful," Feliciano tilted his head, the curl of hair on his head bouncing from the motion. "Is he in there?"

"He sure is!" The captain swung the door open wider to excuse himself. "Y'all have fun now!" He patted the chef on the head as he passed by him.

What was he doing in Reaper's room?

Berwald trained his eyes on Mathias warily when the Dane made his way towards him next. The friendly smile the other gave Feliciano turned into a smirk by the time that blue eye landed on his figure.

The North Sea King leaned casually into Berwald's personal space, resting an arm on the Swede's shoulder as he whispered "And how are we doing this lovely afternoon, Ber?"

"Just fine," he answered back, hoping that would be enough to satisfy the captain. But it wasn't; it never was.

"Ya know..." Mathias drawled. "The Reaper took quite a beating in that last fight. I wonder why that is?"

"..."

Although the rifleman didn't mind what happened, Berwald himself and apparently the captain would not live it down.

Mathias took the other's silence as a sign to continue. "He saved your life, didn't he? How much do ya think that was worth?"

Berwald could practically sense the blond smirk mischievously. He had a grim idea of what was coming next.

"Listen, Ber, I don't exactly appreciate the fact that my best mate is injured because of one of your screw-ups, but I'm a nice captain. So what I'll do is tack on this little service fee onto your current worth and you can pay me back that way. Sounds fair, right?"

The taller blond could only bite his tongue, trying not to make a scene in front of the Reaper and Feliciano.

Silence was an answer Mathias accepted and he clasped a hand on the other's shoulder roughly. He continued walking towards his own cabin, but not before saying "That's a good boy. By the way, congratulations on making it on the bounty list, Lion of the North."

"Yes, yes, Feli, I'm fine, I swear," The Reaper's voice brought Berwald back to his senses, trying to calm the brunette as he recited what Ludwig told him about his injuries.

"Ve, so does that mean you can go into town with us?" Feliciano beamed, clasping his hands together anxiously. "I want to shop for some groceries here. Ludwig usually goes with me, but he's been busy..." He was referring to the recent incident with the royal navy. "So I was hoping both of you can accompany me instead!"

"Both?" The Reaper turned his head and saw Berwald standing on the side in the hallway. He smiled sadly as he agreed to join them.

"Yay!" To the Reaper's and Berwald's surprise, Feliciano pounced on the rifleman and hugged him affectionately, delighted with the other's answer. He got even giddier when the man returned the hug.

"Let me get something real quick," The platinum blond disappeared from view, going back into his room.

When he came back out, Berwald noticed that the man had left his mask and black long coat behind. They were hung over the back of the chair near the desk in the room.

The Reaper wore a simple outfit of a clean white undershirt, his black and tan trousers with its little gold chain dangling at his left hip, and boots.

However, upon further scrutiny, the bespectacled blond noticed that under the black sash he decided to wear today, two flintlock pistols were concealed beneath the dark fabric.

"Okay, let's go!"

In the tranquil town, Feliciano and the Reaper chatted away as they walked around from one vendor to the next while Berwald would nod and grunt his agreement to a comment from time to time.

The town really was quaint and beautiful, with its coast providing a panoramic view of the ocean. It was a mix of old and new architecture, some buildings seeming off in both time and place. On one road they would be stepping over cobblestones and a turn after that, nothing but dirt to pave the way. But it held a rustic charm that Feliciano ogled over and Berwald couldn't help but appreciate. It was different and new, something he never got to see back in his hometown.

"Do you think we need more coffee?"

"Hmm," the chef referred to his list. "I didn't write it down, but we can get some anyway!"

Berwald found himself enjoying this experience very much, simply carrying the groceries and having company. Back at the brothel, he carried out these kinds of errands alone and without aid. So it was truly nice to hear footsteps and a voice that was not his own beside him.

A few hours later, when they have weaved through majority of the town and most of the shopping was done, the Reaper turned to Feliciano. "Feli, why don't you and Berwald go on ahead and finish the rest of the items on the list? You two can then head back to the ship afterwards." He smiled sadly into brown eyes peering at him worriedly. "I have some errands to run myself for the captain, so I'll be in town for a bit longer. Was there anything else you wanted me to help you get while I'm here?" he offered.

"…!" That set off alarm bells in Berwald's head.

Feliciano pouted, but fished out a small list in his left pocket and handed it over to the rifleman. "Just this – it's a list of medicine Ludwig asked me to get for him,"

The Reaper glanced at the neat handwriting and requested items before folding the list and putting it away in his pocket. "Consider it done."

"I'll go with you," Berwald offered impulsively. The Reaper has been recovering nicely in the last few days, but that didn't mean the man should be out getting into a fight. If he had to go and kill someone here too, the Swede wanted to be there in case something went awry. He still owed the other that much.

But the Finn shook his head, looking at him with those dull violet eyes. "Feli needs help carrying everything back to the ship," he insisted.

Berwald was about to push the issue further when he felt hands tugging on his arm.

"Come back safe, ReeRee," Feliciano requested as he pulled the larger man away with him.

To this the Reaper replied "Don't worry, I will. It's just a small errand after all." He spared them both a smile and wave of his hand before turning around.

They parted ways on a dirt path.

By the time they were through with the shopping list, Feliciano ended up with only one bag of groceries in his hand while Berwald carried the rest along both arms.

"Ve, you're so strong, Ber! Just like Ludwig," Feliciano complimented as they made their way back to the Draugen. He was humming a tune while he walked.

"Mn, it's nothing," His mind wandered and concerns grew with each step he took.

Feliciano slowed in his pace a bit. "Don't worry, Ber," the Italian said knowingly, reading the Swede's mind. "ReeRee is strong, like you. He'll be fine," his eyes were soft as he tried to comfort the larger man.

"…"

"It's not that he hates you or anything when he didn't want your help. He just doesn't want you to get hurt,"

That may be, but it didn't quell Berwald's fears.

"He really is nice, and it's because he protects us that he's the one who ends up getting hurt all the time…It's why he's always in pain...and sometimes it's like he's fighting something all by himself,"

The comment made Berwald cringe inwardly. He knew exactly what the other meant, having witnessed it firsthand. Yes, that was exactly it. It was the reason why he was so worried. It was the reason why he wanted to help so badly.

Feliciano added "My big brother, grandpa, and Ludwig all lived in a small village on the coast of Italy…it kind of looked like this town," His voice was soft. "But then bandits came by one day and raided us. My grandpa died trying to protect Lovino and me…he was strong! He took a whole group of them out," He tried to sound optimistic about it, but his brown eyes swam with sorrow from the memory. "When I told them I surrendered and asked them not to hurt me, they just smiled…" he shuddered. "They were going to kill me and brother…but then the strangest thing happened," he paused and gave his companion a small smile.

Berwald coaxed the other to continue his story. "What happened?"

"A shadow broke into our home! He had a skull for a face and looked so scary," Feliciano giggled. "But he came in and took the rest of the bandits out by himself! I found out he was a pirate, and wondered what he was doing here…still, he came by and saved brother and me! He even offered to bring us back aboard his ship! We lost everything to the bandits and…and Ludwig didn't want to get left behind since his brother passed away the other year, so here we are." He concluded his story with a smile.

The taller blond nodded, a hint of a smile playing on his own lips. He was glad that this tale had a happy ending, especially since he knew the characters in this one.

"It's funny because sometimes, big brother and I would see our grandpa's ghost sailing alongside the Draugen, singing…It's like he wanted us to be there…like it was meant to be," The brunette then pouted a little as an afterthought crossed him. "What Lovino calls ReeRee isn't nice; he shouldn't be so mean like that…ReeRee's only trying to help…" But then his frown disappeared and he looked up at the bespectacled man gratefully. "But you're not scared of him, right? You went out with us today! I'm glad you're his friend too,"

Friend?

The word had such a nice ring to it.

But before Berwald even had time to dwell on the concept, he felt the other pull him away from the main street and towards a candy shop.

"Ve, can we take a look inside here before we get back on the ship?" Feliciano pleaded. "We might be able to find some salmiakki here – it's ReeRee's favorite."

Hmm, this should do

Now that they were separated, the Reaper could finally figure out who the person stalking them in town was really after. He slinked into an abandoned alleyway between two decrepit buildings and felt the presence still lingering behind him. Briskly, he continued down the alleyway, glad that it was him who was targeted and not the other two.

"…"

Once at the end of the narrow alley that opened up to the back of the buildings, the rifleman made a dash to the outskirts of town and into the woods. He heard someone give chase.

The sun was slowly starting to set now, and by the time the Reaper thought they were far away enough from everyone, he ended up in front of an abandoned lighthouse perched on the edge of a cliff overseeing the ocean.

"That's enough running now,"

The Reaper turned around to face the stalker. "Vash the Bounty Hunter…" he muttered the name. There was no mistaking it; he recognized the notorious man anywhere.

The blond was younger than the Reaper himself, but very talented, donning a forest green long coat with black epaulets falling off the shoulders, a black undershirt, white beret, brown hunting boots and rifle in hand. His mint green eyes were hard as they glared into dull violet ones. The white crosses pinned on the upper arms of his coat were a dead giveaway to his identity.

"You live up to your name and bounty…even in town, you never once let down your guard." Vash grimaced. "You provided no openings for me. Still, how bold of you to show your face around in broad daylight like this. I thought ghosts were afraid of the light,"

The rifleman offered him a small smile and light chuckle at the comment. "So I take it you've found the right person?"

Vash's grip around his rifle tightened. "You may dress differently than how you usually do, but there's no mistaking it – you really are the Reaper."

The Finn was surprised. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you know?" Most only knew him if he wore the mask, so he was glad when the other indulged him.

"I saw you without your mask once at Aurora Cove…one look was all I needed," he scowled at him. "I could never forget such a depraved face."

"…I'm sorry you had to see that,"

"Your apology is not what I'm here for, however." Vash cut in sternly.

The Reaper smiled at him softly. "Indeed not. But if I may ask just one more thing, was I the only bounty you were after today?"

The hunter stilled but admitted "No. I would have gone after the newly listed bounty, the Lion of the North first, but I had a feeling that if I did, then I would have become the hunted. Isn't that right, Reaper?"

The aforementioned man confirmed his suspicion. "I will not let you lay a finger on my friends, even if it's someone as dangerous as you, Vash." His voice got a bit lower, thin smile fading.

"Me? Dangerous? You give me too much credit, Reaper," the blond said humbly. "I'm not the one with a high price on my head,"

"Is there any way for you to change your mind about this?"

"Absolutely not."

Bounty hunters normally sought after the Finn, so he was not new to this type of confrontation. That was the reason why he preferred to stay on the ship if he could help it. The Reaper was honestly hoping that this small trip into town would be without its problems, but it was just his luck that he would be tracked down by one of the best hunters around. The condition of his body wasn't ideal either…

Nothing escaped those mint green eyes and Vash pointed out "Is the madness dulling your senses as well? You're already injured…this should make things a little easier for me," He was referring to the wound grazed across the bounty's shoulder and back. He then cocked his rifle and pointed it at the Reaper. "I want to end this quickly – I have a sister waiting for me back at home."

The Reaper's stance widened, violet eyes focused. "I agree. I have people waiting for my return as well."

"Humph, you make it sound like you're getting out of this alive!"

Bang!

The first round went off, disrupting the tranquility of the forest behind them. Flocks of birds fluttered into the sky in all directions. Some of them fled towards the sun that has sunken halfway into the horizon now.

Vash missed his initial shot, the Reaper flitting out of the way by a margin of the bullet and was charging towards him. By the time he reloaded his rifle the platinum blond was upon him, tackling him to the ground. But he saw the attack coming and braced for impact, holding the rifle up to his chest between himself and the Reaper so that when his back hit the ground, the other's hands weren't around his neck. Using the momentum from the tackle, he pushed the other off him with his firearm.

But the Reaper was quick to react as well, redirecting the force and pushing down against the bounty hunter. Using the firearm as a platform for his hands, he propelled himself away from Vash, flipped forward and landed on his feet.

"You think you can defeat me without using your pistols? You're making a big mistake,"

"I don't want to kill you,"

"The feeling isn't mutual." Vash quipped abrasively. He was up and on his feet again, rifle poised and ready to fire. Although the bounty was at a slight disadvantage, he still had to be very careful, knowing what the other was capable of. The nose of the rifle trailed after the Reaper as the man circled slowly around him, the pirate refusing to pull out the royal blue and white firearms.

The moment he fires…

Bang!

The Reaper moved in again once the bullet missed him, charging at the younger blond.

What?!

"Won't work a second time on me," Vash anticipated the man's pattern of attack and instead of trying to defend himself, he whipped out a dagger from within the linings of his green coat. He pointed the weapon straight out, waiting for the Reaper to run right into the blade.

The Reaper dug his tan boots into the dirt to stop his charge, only half succeeding and he ended up falling forward and cartwheeling to the side – away from the range of the dagger. He had little time to recover, however, as the bounty hunter sprang towards him.

The two sparred in the dirt for a while, with mostly the Reaper evading the blows and Vash throwing them with dagger in hand, making quick and successive stabs. Eventually the Finn caught the wrist and twisted it, forcing the bounty hunter to drop his weapon…but not before the younger blond pulled out a black multi-barreled pistol from his waist with his free hand and shot the Reaper at point-blank.

"I got you now!"

I should've guessed he would have more weapons than this…

Bang!

With as much force as possible, the Reaper jumped and flipped backwards, kicking Vash's arm to throw his aim off. Narrowly escaping the shot, he was still sailing through the air when he heard bullets whip by him as the grounded male fired from below.

I have no choice…

After readjusting himself in midair, the Reaper pulled out his pistols from underneath his black sash and returned fire.

Bang! Bang!

"Argh!" The dirt around Vash's leather boots erupted as it was spotted with bullet holes. The bounty hunter was able to dodge the brunt of the aerial barrage, but the Reaper's aim left little room for evasion. He suffered a shot to his left shoulder.

By the time the Finn landed on the ground again, he sprinted towards the lighthouse.

"Hey, get back here!" Once he was done reeling from the pain of the bullet, Vash followed suit and entered the abandoned structure.

Making his way inside the lighthouse, the Reaper took this time to assess himself and reload his flintlock pistols. The wound on his back still smarted, and he had a feeling it was reopening from the strain of this fight. Fresh blood ran from a small scrape alongside his head where a bullet whizzed past it. The gold chain on his hip was blasted off, hanging feebly by one end now.

Bang!

A bullet embedded itself into the wall next to the Finn as he ran past it.

They fought up the spiral staircase, the light fading from the windows as night descended upon them.

It was a furious exchange of bullets.

The Reaper was ahead on the stairwell, but every once in a while he would be directly facing the other at a certain angle in the spiral. Vash would always be ready to greet him with a bullet each time this happened, staying still and waiting for him to get into position. But then the bounty hunter had to move as well when the Reaper returned fire and the whole process repeated itself until there were no more stairs to climb and they were outside on the gallery overlooking the dark ocean.

The sea breeze was cool and salty against their skin as they both breathed heavily from the engagement. It was completely dark outside, the stars the only source of light in the sky above them.

Vash made the first move once they landed on the gallery, knowing that there wasn't much space for the other man to run around and dodge his bullets.

Bang!

"What?!" Unless his eyes were deceiving him, the Reaper had barely moved in order to draw his pistol first. It was so fast…"How-!" A searing pain tore through him when a second bullet landed in the same area as before – his left shoulder.

"I'm afraid this is goodbye, Vash. Take care of that wound,"

The bounty hunter leered at the Finn and raised his firearm once more. But before he could pull the trigger, the Reaper threw himself over the ledge of the gallery of the lighthouse and fell backwards. Haunting violet eyes looked up at him as the figure disappeared, taken away by the darkness below.

It's already night…

Back on the Draugen, Berwald was in his cot with a tiny sewing needle between his large fingers. It appeared almost awkward, but deftly the needle weaved its way in and out of the material of the black long coat in the Swede's hands. Earlier that day, Berwald noticed that the Reaper's coat was still torn where the saber slashed through it. Thus, while they were in town today, he went and bought himself a sewing kit, grabbed the coat from the man's room and began working on it the moment he and Feliciano returned to the ship. It was a huge cut, but Berwald worked on it relentlessly and meticulously. And before he knew it, the window next to his cot ceased to provide light and he was working under a lantern instead.

Done!

Cyan eyes then drifted to the tail of the coat. His fingers ran through the tattered ends, feeling it fray here and there. They were crusty and dyed with aged blood. Berwald thought about fixing these too, but on second thought went against it. It had a certain aesthetic to it, and some pieces at the end were just too torn to fix.

Turning the coat around to marvel at his work, the motion wafted the scent of the other even stronger towards Berwald's direction. It had lingered and kept the Swede company the whole time he was working. But now that there was nothing to keep him focused, Berwald brought the article of clothing up to his face, pushed his nose into the collar of the black long coat and breathed in deeply, inhaling the Reaper's scent. It was a distinctive smell, and he picked up traces of blood, sweat, gunpowder, and soil in it. It was the scent of death. But it was the Reaper's scent, and Berwald found himself taking huge whiffs of it from the long coat. He didn't know how long he had been doing this…it was as though the smell lulled him into a dazed state, his eyes slipping closed. But this trance was quickly shattered when he heard the sound of barking and soft footsteps from the stairwell leading to the sleeping quarters where he stayed.

"Arf! Arf!" Hanatamago pointed to Berwald who froze on the spot.

He was still holding onto the black garment tightly in his hands.

"You found where my coat went, good girl!" The Reaper came up from behind his dog and petted her lovingly.

Berwald was caught red-handed. He didn't even hear the other coming! Curses, he had planned on finishing it sooner and dropping the coat off on the chair again unnoticed. But then the tear was more than he had bargained for…and the Reaper's scent distracting him…and the sniffing, and Hanatamago…and Reaper…

This is so embarrassing!

The poor Swede was so ashamed that he just wanted to slip through the cracks of the ship and out into the sea. His face was hot and flushed and he just knew it crept up to his ears when the Finn got closer.

"Berwald?"

He couldn't even make eye contact at this point. The sound of blood rushing in his ears was deafening and his breathing came out short and uneven.

"Did something happen? Are you all right, Berwald?"

At the sound of that concerned voice he finally snapped his head up and shoved the black long coat into the Reaper's arms. "Here!…I…I…the cut from before, sewing needle…was patchin' it up and gonna give it back ta ya…but dog and…'m sorry," His tongue was in knots and it sounded like babble even to his own ears when the words came out. But the Reaper seemed to understand all of it.

The Reaper chuckled softly, unfurling the article of clothing in question and inspecting it. "Oh my, you fixed my coat!" His fingers traced the needle work along the back and his eyes widened in awe. "What in the world are you apologizing for? This is incredible, Berwald!" He turned to face the taller blond on the cot who still refused to make eye contact and was biting his lip. "I simply must pay you for such fine work!"

"No!" The words snapped Berwald out of his mortified state. Payment from the other was out of the question. "It's ah, the least I can do…fer savin' my life…so thank you!"

I want to die!

Berwald cursed himself for not saying so sooner. Why was he always late when it came to saying something so simple and earnest? Why was he feeling this way? It was too much!

The Finn's eyes were kind and gentle as he said "No, thank you, Berwald. You really are so talented!"

The Swede blushed even harder. It was getting hard to see because his glasses were fogging up from the heat. So in order to distract himself, he pulled the wired frames away from his face and rubbed at the lenses. The Reaper's face was still sharp and clear in his vision.

"I thought I had to bring this to a tailor, but you fixed it in a day!" The rifleman sounded elated. "I hope it didn't cause you too much trouble, but know that I appreciate your effort very much, Berwald," he grinned at the other.

"Mn…if…if there's anythin' else ya need fixin' just give 'em to me," Great, now he was talking too fast…

"Are you sure? I'll keep that in mind…thank you for your offer,"

By now Hanatamago was winding herself between her owner's legs, whining.

The Reaper kneeled down. "It's okay, Hanatamago, I'm okay."

Now that the initial embarrassment was beginning to fade and he regained some of his senses and composure, Berwald decided to look up. The rifleman was at his eye level from where he was sitting on the cot. He didn't notice it before, but in the lantern light it became obvious as to why Hanatamago was concerned.

The man had tried to hide his wounds, but he saw them. His shirt had fresh drops of blood on it, a bit of the crimson substance smearing on the side of his face and matting in his platinum blond hair. Small cuts grazed his arms, and the man looked like he encountered the natural elements. It was as though he ran through thickets of some kind and waded through mud or water.

"What happened?" Berwald's mouth hung open when he was done assessing the Finn. His concerns were manifesting.

Did he get into a fight? Was he out killing someone? Is he hurt?

The Reaper slowly rose from his position on the floor and picked up Hanatamago in one arm. The other hand held onto the long coat. "Ah well, it took me longer than I expected to get the medicine. But the store was kind enough to open late...I already handed them over to Ludwig, so that's done," He slowed when the other blond looked at him imploringly. "A dog attacked me on the way back," he tried when cyan eyes trailed on his wounds.

Berwald quickly put away the sewing tools around his cot and instead pulled out a small medical kit he received from Ludwig in its place from beneath his cot. "Does it hurt?" He patted the spot next to him on the edge of the cot, silently asking for the other to sit. He wanted to have a better look.

"Oh, not really, I'll live," he offered and smiled, but nonetheless sat down next to the Swede. Gently placing Hanatamago and the coat on the cot, he then gave the other his scratched arm when the blond reached out for it and proceeded to treat his wounds.

The smell of blood, the sea, and gunpowder was even stronger now because the source of it was so close to Berwald. As carefully as he could and just like how the doctor taught him, he disinfected the wounds and wiped the area clean of blood. He was particularly gentle when he came towards the Reaper's head, brushing aside platinum blond hair nearly reverently in order to get to the graze there. The same amount of care was given when he rubbed the blood away from his cheek. At one point during the procedure, his hand subconsciously went around to the other's back and ran a finger along the bandage that was still there. Throughout the treatment, the Finn remained completely still, his eyes closed and a small smile gracing his thin lips. Berwald so wanted to know what the rifleman just went through, but that content face made him do otherwise.

A comfortable silence fell between them until the last of the minor injuries were tended to.

"Thank you so much, Berwald. You really are a man of many talents," The Reaper opened his violet eyes and turned them towards the bespectacled male. "Ludwig has been busy tending to the other crewmates...it's a good thing you're here. I don't want to bother him more than I already have."

Berwald only nodded. Unconsciously, he was still holding onto the bandaged arm in his hands. Only when the warm arm slipped through his grasp did he remember something and reached into the pocket of his beige coat to pull out a box of salmiakki for the Reaper to have. "We bought some after you left,"

The Finn's smile and eyes grew brighter when he saw the treat. "Can I really?"

"Mn." The blond watched contently as the other ripped open the box and began devouring the sweets. It made his heart light and flutter to see the Reaper like this, knowing that this took away the pain and discomfort the other felt if only for a little while. When Berwald was offered some, he took one as to not be rude, but only one. The Reaper had exquisite taste.

"Mm, this is the best way to come back aboard," the Reaper commented. Fatigue was set in his features, but he still smiled up at the man beside him and said "If this is what I return to when I have to go, then I'll definitely find a way back each time."

Berwald wanted to make sure the other did.

"Yer back," the North Sea King greeted his subordinate later that night.

They were in the Reaper's room once again. Mathias was leaning casually against the closed door while the owner of the room was sitting up in bed.

"What kept ya? The other two made it back before you did,"

"I was…held up," the rifleman started slowly. "Vash the Bounty Hunter spotted me."

At this the captain cocked an eyebrow. "Well I'm glad ya made it back here in one piece!" His usual grin fell a bit and he noted "Yer leaving the ship more often nowadays, don't cha think that's kinda risky? You're still injured too…and it could've gotten a lot worse by the looks of it,"

"Yes, perhaps…" the Reaper looked into the Dane's blue eye. "But I am only doing so in order to keep a better watch on Berwald, as you have ordered. He hasn't tried anything,"

The captain of the Draugen smirked then. "Good, good, I know I can always count on you, Reaper." He turned and opened the door to leave. "But do try to be more careful. I can't afford to lose my best rifleman, ya know?"

"Yes, of course, captain."