Steve stops short when he walk into his chambers aboard the ship. He can't quiet wrap his mind around what he sees, he never believed this would happen in a million years. This whole scenario never even crossed his mind.

But there, laying across his bed, is a man. He wears clothes similar to those weapon merchants they had just boarded. But if this man had jumped ship, why would he go to the Captain's cabin where he would no doubt be found. Like he had been just now.

He takes a cautious step forward and locks the door behind him, making sure not to let the man out of his sight.

The man on the bed notices him and gives him a big flashy grim. "Captain!" the man calls out, waving his arms wide. "I dare say you are not quiet how I imagined you. I would expect a pirate captain to have… well more beard. Maybe a peg leg or a hook? An eye patch a least"

"Who are you?" he asks, his hand resting on his sword.

"My name is Antonio Edward Carbonell-Stark" The man gave him a small bow, as much as a bow as he could laying down across the bed.

Steve stiffens as he recognises that name. For one the name 'Stark' was all over the weapons of the ship he just boarded – in attempts to destroy the weapons before they help cause more deaths. And second is that Stark weapons are well known, especially in that of build quality and the amount of damage they can cause.

He asks the question burning his mind. "Are those your weapons we just destroyed? Are you their maker?"

The man – Stark – sighs. "Indeed I am. I took over making weapons after my late father."

"Why are you here? On my ship?" he asks.

Stark looks away from him, visibly taking a moment to compose himself. "I want to right the many wrongs caused by my creations. I have seen the deviation they cause. I was captured not long ago by a militia group, they wanted me to build weapons for them. I wasn't interested, I told them no. So I was tortured for weeks. They used my own weapons against me and my cell mate. He died so that I might escape. I not only owe it to myself, but to him, to dispose of my weapons. I want to put an end to my legacy of war and death"

Steve sighs, "But why my ship?"

"Chance." Stark says with a laugh. "I-… My renouncing of inventing weapons was not well received. Those I considered close and trusted dearly had dealings behind my back. I needed a way to take back control. But I didn't know how to go about it per-say. Then the ship was boarded. Needless to say I was shocked when the pirates that boarded our ship destroyed everything and tossed it overboard. I would have thought you would have kept it to sell. It didn't take me long to work out our goals aliened, Captain."

"So… you're on my ship?"

"So I'm on your ship." The man says, grinning. "I want to make a difference, a good one, I want to have a positive aspect on people's lives."

Steve rests his hands by his side, the man certainly isn't what you would expect. And his intentions seem pure so far. "So where to now? What is the next step of your plan? Shall I let you off when we next make port?"

"Captain," Stark says as he stands up from the bed. "I would like to tag along on your adventures. I want to join your crew. I'm an inventor, I could be useful. Please, I need this. I need to make things right."

Clint groans at the raucous coming from the Captain's cabin.

The Captain was happier than they had seen him in years, the man had fair reasons for his black moods. Their Captain's life has not been kind.

After the past eight months the whole crew knew to ignore the noises, they knew not to disturb.

Far be it from them to interrupt their Captain and his first mate. But for all the good things the Captain's man invents, he sure wished the man would make something to shut away the noise so they wouldn't have to hear it. And he is sure the rest of the crew would agree.

But deep down. They were all happy for their Captain and his first mate, Stark.

The End

Notes: For the MHEA Harlequin Hoopla, Suspense Prompt - Feb 7th: Pirates