Author's Note: Ahoy, mateys, and welcome back to A Pirate's Life for Us! We have arrived at CHAPTER 4! I'm so sorry it took me so long to update! I got busy with work, and I had a bit of writer's block. But no worries! I powered through it, and we're back on track. I don't know if this will be finished by end of July, but no matter what, I will finish this story. So I hope you continue to enjoy it! This chapter takes place right after Chapter 3, so it's after Peter gets over his seasickness! So I hope you all enjoy it!
Disclaimer: I do NOT own anything related to the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Chapter 4
Prompt: Star-Charting/Curse/Sea Monster/Hammock Cuddles
It took about a day's worth of sailing to finally escape the rough water, and the Quinjet steadied once again. With the rough water finally calming down, Peter woke up that night with dizziness and nausea leaving him and Pepper and Bruce tending to him.
"Well, ahoy there, matey," Pepper said smiling at him as he opened his eyes, "how are you feeling?"
"Much better," Peter replied with a smile of his own, "thank you, Ms. Pepper."
"Are you still feeling quiffy at all, Peter?" Bruce asked from behind Pepper.
"Not at all, sir," Peter replied shaking his head. "I think sleep and the bed did the trick. Thank you…again, Ms. Pepper."
"You're welcome, dear," she said with a gentle smile.
The cabin boy widened his smile at the Captain's wife and the surgeon. He was about to say something. The ship wasn't moving, and more importantly, it wasn't rocking back and forth anymore. He looked out the window only to see that the sun was setting and that…there was a certain someone missing. He looked around the room before turning back to Pepper and Bruce. "W-Where's Captain Stark?" he asked.
"He's outside with the rest of the crew," Pepper replied. "Once you went to sleep, I managed to convince him to switch with me to keep an eye on you."
"Really?" Peter asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh yes," Bruce added with a smile of his own. "He and Pepper had been taking turns watching you, so that he could still run the ship. It's never easy for us to convince the Captain to do something, but if Pepper sings like a siren, he will follow her no questions asked."
Peter couldn't help but chuckle at the thought of Captain Tony Stark being so in love with his wife that he would do whatever she said. However, that went away when he realized that the Captain actually kept vigil at his side while he slept the seasickness off. Then again, he remembered what Tony had said earlier that day…
"…let us help you…"
Peter's smile widened at that feeling the warmth in his chest again. He then slowly sat up in the bed. "Where is he now?" he asked. He then stopped again. "Does he want me to get back to work now? You know…now that I'm awake?"
"I'm afraid I must inform you," a voice suddenly said from the doorway causing Peter, Pepper, and Bruce to look up only to see that it was Tony, "that you are under strict orders from the captain himself—me—to take the night off tonight and rest." He walked into the room and up to the bed Peter was laying in with a smile. "Seasickness takes a lot out of you, lad, and you deserve a night to take it easy."
Peter couldn't help but smile at the Captain. Toomes would never have allowed the thought of resting when he got sick to enter his mind. "T-Thank you, sir," he said. "Truly, thank you for allowing me to rest."
"Like I said," Tony began with a wink, "I can't have my cabin boy keeling over."
"Well," Peter said as he sat up, "I truly hope I'm done with it now."
"Worry not, Shark Bait," Tony replied, "you will. It doesn't last forever. Soon, you'll get used to it and get your sea legs like us, but until then, I wanted to see if any of you would like to come out and join us for a little gathering around the fire."
"I think that's a great idea," Pepper replied as she stood up straightening out her dress. "Peter, would you like to join us?"
The boy smiled as he sat up slightly in bed. Over the past few weeks or so, Peter noticed that there would be a few times where the crew, Pepper, and Happy would gather around a fire once they stopped for the night to drink and sing songs. It had become one of his favorite parts about being at sea because Tony would always invite him to join them, and he just listened to them joke around and sing songs...sort of like what he and his family did occasionally at night. So of course, he was more than happy to join. "I would really like that, Ms. Pepper," he said.
Peter felt himself smiling the entire time as he sat on a barrel in between Tony and Rhodey as they and the rest of the crew laughed listening to Thor and Bruce singing together with mugs of beer in their hands. Once they finished, the entire crew clapped and cheered for them while they sat back down.
"Nice job, mateys," Tony said smiling and clapping with approval.
"Happy, splice the mainbrace," Rhodey said to the cook. "I think that deserves another round."
"Aye, sir," Happy said with a smile of his own as he stood up and went to prepare the next round of drinks.
"So, Peter, how are you feeling, lad?" Clint asked leaning his elbows on his knees.
"I'm feeling much better, Clint," Peter replied with the smile never leaving his face. "Captain Stark and Pepper took great care of me, and I'll forever be grateful for that. I just hope I can avoid that again."
"Don't worry, Shark Bait," Natasha said as she sipped from her mug. "It takes time, but you'll get your sea legs in no time."
"I hope you're right," Peter said.
"You're young, bucko," Steve said as he sipped from his own mug. "You have plenty of time to master the sea. I'm sure Tony has told you that we have plenty years of experience under our belts."
The boy nodded. That was what he was hoping for…to one day have enough experience and knowledge to sail the seas himself one day…to explore what was out there…just like the Avengers. "So…I wanted to ask you guys something," he said as he hugged his knee to his chest. "I-I mean I know pirates sail, plunder, and find treasure, but what…what are you guys doing? I mean…are you looking for treasure…other ships?"
All the adults stared at him…making his heart pound…possibly for the first time since he met them.
"Uh…are you going to throw me overboard now or…?" Peter asked scratching the back of his neck awkwardly.
"No, no," Tony said quickly, "it's just that…we're surprised that we…never really told you about the treasure we're looking for."
"Especially when you've been here for at least a month or so," Steve said.
"Well, you could tell me now," Peter said shrugging with a small smile.
Tony chuckled and shook his head patting the boy on the shoulder. "We absolutely can," he said. "Well, to answer your question, yes, we are looking for treasure. We have been for years, but this one, we learned about it a few months ago and have been looking for it since."
"What is it?" Peter asked excitedly.
"The Infinity Treasure…" Rhodey replied, "only 6 gemstones that are worth millions…and could make anyone richer than a king or a sultan."
"Shiver me timbers…" Peter whispered in astonishment. "Well, where is it?"
"It's said to be on an island in the north," Natasha replied. "Legend has it that this island is guarded by a sea monster, who attacks anyone who dares to come anywhere near there."
"Others say that anyone who dares to set foot on the island will be cursed for the rest of their lives," Thor added with a small smirk.
"Cursed with what?" Peter asked with a raised eyebrow. "I would've thought that the threat of a sea monster was scary enough."
The adults laughed at his little joke as Tony ruffled his hair while Rhodey patted him on the shoulder.
"One thing you learn out here, laddie," Tony said with a smile of his own, "anyone will say anything to deter others from going after any kind of treasure. So, once we leave the next port, that's where we set sail. It will be nothing but ocean from there on until we reach that island."
Peter was about to respond…to tell them how exciting it was and how he wished he could go with them to see for himself, but he stopped himself when he remembered his deal with the captain…that once they would reach the next port, he would leave them and start his new life. He wouldn't get to go with them…with Tony, and that alone made his heart ache. The past month or so with the Avengers had been great. For the first time in a while since he lost his family, it felt as though he belonged and that people cared about him, and it wasn't going to last forever. He hated that. He hated that because there was probably not much he could do to change it. He couldn't just ask. Why would they want to have some boy tagging along on what was probably their biggest expedition? Not only that, but what would happen if someone were to learn that the Avengers kept someone, who was accused of stealing from Adrian Toomes? Would they get into trouble, too? It wasn't worth the risk, so he simply smiled and looked at Tony. "Well, sir…I…I hope you all find it," he said after a moment.
The crew remained silent with bated breath as they waited for their captain to respond.
Tony let out a shaky breath and gave his own smile. "T-Thank you, lad," he said. However, he couldn't help but feel his own heart ache as he himself realized that Peter wasn't going to be around forever. He remembered the deal between him and Peter, and they couldn't go back on it now. Besides, why would Peter give up a chance to start over for a life among pirates?
Not long after that, after more stories were told and more songs were sung, the crew eventually decided that it was time to learn in for the night. After Peter and Thor put out the fire for the night, they all said their good nights before going below deck. Peter couldn't help but notice that Tony appeared to be staying behind as he wished everyone, including his wife, good night. However, he didn't say anything as he followed Rhodey and Steve down to their quarters with a melancholy feeling in his heart over what he realized—that he wouldn't be with the Avengers forever. He considered that maybe he could ask about staying, but how could me? What reason would the Captain have to keep him around? He couldn't go back on their deal no matter how much he might've wanted to.
Thunder rumbled, and lightning flashed over the ship. Rain pelted down at a merciless pace to the point where it hurt. The waves were huge as they pushed on both sides of the ship causing it to rock back and forth. However, Peter wasn't getting seasick. Instead, he grabbed the steering wheel for dear life trying to steady the ship, but the ship was too heavy and continued to rock from side to side. He couldn't control it. Peter looked around and couldn't find Tony or any of the Avengers. He was all alone…There was no one to help him…
"PETER!" a voice shouted.
Peter froze upon hearing the all-too familiar voice call out to him over the thunder and the waves. He recognized that voice… Was it really who he thought it was? "Mom?!" he called out.
"PETER! PLEASE HELP US!" another familiar voice called out.
Peter breathed shakily. "DAD!" he shouted. "MOM! DAD!" He furrowed his eyebrows together in determination and grabbed tighter onto the steering wheel. "HANG ON! I'M COMING!"
"PETER!"
"PETER!"
A wave towered over him and the ship…as Peter stared at it in shock.
"PETER!"
The wave came crashing down.
Peter gasped and jolted awake gripping onto the sides of his hammock as it surveyed back and forth from the movement. His widened brown eyes looked around as he sat up slightly breathing heavily taking in his surroundings. It was too dark to see, but he could tell that he was back in the crew's quarters on the Quinjet. He could hear Steve, Rhodey, Bruce, and Thor snoring around him. Natasha and Clint were the only two, who didn't snore, so he took a deep breath to steady his pounding heart before leaning back on his pillow.
"Just a bad dream…" he whispered to himself. He hadn't dreamt of his parents in a long time, so he wondered what brought it on now. The boy couldn't help but realize that that was the first time he dreamt of their voices and wonder why. He then shook his head knowing full well he wouldn't truly get the full answer, so he considered going back to sleep. He tried to close his eyes only to have the memories of his parents…his aunt…and his uncle and his nightmare come rushing back, and Peter finally decided that he couldn't take it anymore and sat up climbing out of the hammock while being careful not to wake the others.
Once he was sure they weren't disturbed, he quietly walked up the stairs to the deck of the ship. Maybe the sea air would help him fall back to sleep for the night. When he came out to the deck, Peter couldn't help but notice how still and quiet it was compared to earlier that day and even to his nightmare. The Quinjet was not moving back and forth. There were no waves from what he could see under the clear moonlit sky. The sea was completely still, and that was what was needed after such an eventful day. Peter walked over to the banister resting his elbows on it as he stared out at the sea. He couldn't believe how different it was from the chaos in his nightmare, and he took a deep breath inhaling the smell of the salty air feeling a sense of calm wash over him.
He was then jolted out of his thoughts when he noticed a light out of the corner of his eye. Peter looked over at the bow of the ship and saw a small oil lamp and a figure in a hammock. He furrowed his eyebrows together as he tried to see who it was, so he slowly walked toward the light and the hammock.
"Who's there?" a familiar voice from the hammock suddenly said once Peter was close enough causing him to stop in his tracks.
"Oh, it-it's just me, Captain," Peter quickly said holding his hands up nervously. "I-I just saw the light, and—"
He stopped when he heard Tony chuckling. "Steady, boy," he said, "you only startled me, that's all." He turned to look over his shoulder. "You can come closer, Peter."
"Yes, sir," Peter said as he continued walking so that he was parallel to the captain and his hammock. "I-I didn't think Captain Tony Stark could be startled."
Tony chuckled again and shook his head as he returned his focus to the notebook and quill he was holding. "Even pirates get startled every once in a while," he said. "What are you doing out here, laddie? I thought you were sleeping by now."
Peter couldn't help but blush as he scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I…I had a nightmare, sir," he said. "I just came out…to get some air."
"Oh…I'm sorry to hear that, lad," Tony said after his face fell. He quickly cleared his throat in hopes to hide his heart breaking for the boy.
"Oh, no, sir," Peter said quickly, "y-you don't need to apologize. It happens from time to time. It's just…something I deal with sometimes."
"Well, if you…" Tony began as he leaned forward in his hammock so that his elbows were resting on his knees, "don't want to go back to sleep just yet, you could sit with me…if you would like. M-Maybe we could talk for a little while." He could see Peter's eyes widen in the light of the oil lamp, and he couldn't help but wonder if he crossed a line he shouldn't have, and he mentally kicked himself preparing for whatever Peter could possibly use in his response.
"Uh…yes, sir," Peter said in reply, "I would like to. Umm…it's just…I-I…" he looked around only to find nothing to sit in, "I don't have anywhere to sit."
Tony simply shifted over and held his hand out to Peter to invite him to sit next to him on the hammock waiting for the boy's answer.
Peter simply smiled and sat next to the captain in his hammock. Normally, it probably would've felt awkward, but for Peter, it didn't. It felt normal…felt right to sit next to Tony Stark in his hammock in the dark of the night. "Thank you, sir," he said with the smile never leaving his face.
"You're welcome," Tony said with a smile of his own.
"So…" Peter began after a moment of silence, "what are you doing this late at night?"
"Star-charting," Tony replied as he opened his notebook again to show Peter his notes. "It helps me figure out where we are and if we're still going in the right direction toward the treasure."
"How can stars help you find the way?" Peter looked up at the sky marveling at the immense night sky…and the billions of stars that lit it up.
"Well, the stars are in these…patterns," Tony began, "and I look up at the sky when I could see if they shifted or…changed spots in the sky. If they seem out of place, then I know we need to change course. If not, then we're going in the right direction."
"But…isn't Steve the navigator? I thought he usually plots the courses. You meet with him all the time."
"That I do," Tony replied nodding. "We take turns. Some nights he'll do it. Other nights, I'll do it. He may be the navigator, but I'm still the captain. I need to lead my crew."
Peter nodded eagerly. "Could you…maybe teach me, sir?" he asked after another moment of silence.
"Teach you?" Tony asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah, teach me how to chart the stars," Peter said with a smile. "Maybe…maybe I can help with…you know…charting the course."
Tony couldn't help but smile at the boy in return. "I would love to, laddie," he replied.
They spent the next hour or so looking up at the stars as Tony walked through the process of charting the stars and using them as a map to the island. The whole time, Peter marveled at how effortlessly Tony used this method to pinpoint where they were and…how long of a journey they had left. Not once did it feel awkward either. Sitting together…under the stars with a small oil lamp as a source of light…in the captain's hammock…felt right…It felt like they had been doing this for a long time, and both Peter and Tony loved it. However, they didn't make it known through words. When Peter finally understood it and tried it out himself, they didn't make to get up to go back to sleep. They simply sat together shoulder to shoulder in Tony's hammock looking up at the stars.
"You know…I used to do this with my family all the time," Peter finally said after a moment of silence. "We would come out on my father's boat and look up at the stars."
The captain chuckled fondly. "Really, now?" he asked the boy.
Peter looked at him and smiled before nodding. "Really," he replied, "my…" he swallowed a lump in his throat, "my dad…my dad always told me that shooting stars are souls going to Heaven."
Tony turned to look at his cabin boy with a sad smile on his face as he watched Peter keep his eyes on the sky above them "Blimey…that's beautiful," he said in astonishment. He paused and looked back up at the sky…just in time to see a shooting star flying over them, and he couldn't help but think of his own parents. "You know…my parents—well, mostly my mother and I used to do all the time, too."
Peter then turned to look at the captain. "W-What ever happened to your parents, sir?" he asked. He couldn't help but notice that this was possibly the first time Tony had ever mentioned his parents…at least to him. He had no idea if the other Avengers knew. Peter had to assume that at least Rhodey and Pepper knew the story.
"Oh…they…" Tony took a deep breath, "they died a long time ago…when I was young, Shark Bait. I didn't have…any other family members, so their good friend Obadiah Stane took me in."
Peter furrowed his eyebrows together as he noticed Tony's left hand shaking, and he couldn't help but feel concern rising in his chest as he saw how tense the captain became. "A-Are you okay, sir?" he asked quietly.
Tony cleared his throat and grabbed his left hand with his right. "Y-Yes, Peter," he said quickly, "I-I'm fine. It's…just a sore subject."
"Did…did something happen you and this…Obadiah Stane?" Peter asked.
"No, we just…didn't get along very well, lad," Tony replied, "but that's a story for another time."
Somehow, Peter knew that Tony wasn't telling the entire truth, but he knew it wasn't his place to say anything else. He and Tony barely knew each other, and Tony was his captain…his boss. He had no right to claim that Tony wasn't telling him the truth. Tony didn't owe him that. However, he then realized that…Tony also lost his family at a young age and was taken in by someone he didn't like. The only difference was that his family wasn't friends with Toomes. "C-Captain Stark?"
"Hmm?"
"I-Is that why…why you gave me a chance? B-Because we…we both lost our families? Because w-we're the same?"
Tony appeared to relax and chuckled. "Well, it was part of it," he replied looking at Peer, "but it was also because I could tell you were telling the truth. I-I wanted to make sure you have a good life...a second chance."
Peter's smile widened. "Thank you, Captain Stark," he said.
"You're welcome, lad," he said. "So…" he nodded to the notebook in Peter's hand, "if our star-charting is correct—and it usually is—when will we reach that next port?"
Peter chuckled and looked at the notebook. "We should be there in about…two or three weeks," he said as the smile fell on his face.
Both felt sadness in their hearts as they came to the cold realization that their time together would come to an end, and they both hated it. Peter didn't want to leave Tony and the crew…not after finally finding somewhere he felt like he belonged to…where he felt cared for…especially by Tony and Pepper. Tony himself didn't want Peter to leave…not after taking this boy, who had been dealt with the same loss he had…under his wing…taught him the ways of the sea…who filled in a hole that had been in his heart for a long time…since his own parents died. However, they both knew that they made a deal, and they couldn't go back on it now.
Author's Note: Annnnnnnnnnnd that's all for now, boys and girls! I really hope you all enjoyed it! Let's see what happens when they reach this port and if Peter will get to stay after all! For now, up next is CHAPTER 5, and Tony teaches Peter how to sword fight! Don't forget to read and review, thanks, guys!