Eren cleaned the ship as needed and was able to get to know Krista a little better. And it wasn't until a week later that one of the riggers had called down that the island was on the horizon. According to Gunther's and Farlan's calculations, the Maria would be docked at their island in a day, two if the wind and sea don't agree with them.
Eren had mixed feelings about going ashore. He was loving being on the sea, and didn't want to leave yet. But he did miss the steadiness that soil gave him, and he wanted to see where the Survey Pirates lived when not searching for treasure, picking up crew members like him, or protecting their own.
"Alright!" Levi had yelled as he came out of his cabin later that day. "We will be here for about a week. That should be enough time to see your families, unload the treasure hold, restock supplies, and get our back up members to replace those we'll be leaving behind this time." Eren's blood went cold at that. Would he be left behind and replaced by another?
"Um, Captain Levi." Armin finally spoke up, all eyes snapped to the surgeon's assistant. "There isn't enough room in the dorms for Eren once we go ashore." Levi groaned slightly before turning to the cabin boy.
"Remind me to tell Shadis to expand the dorm while we're gone this time." And then went back to giving orders.
"Wait, where am I staying then?" Eren asked. Armin shrugged.
"I don't know." Armin said as he watched Levi. Once the man was done, everyone returned to their duties. Once Eren had finished, he went to the medical ward to help Hanji and Armin with the wounded. They had a few not make it, and after writing their names, date of death, and the coordinates the ship was at when they we injured and at the moment of death, were lowered into the ocean. It was serene, and Levi had given the friends of their fallen crew mates a few days to mourn, and even apologized that they wouldn't be able to mourn properly. Eren was dumbfounded, but it improved his opinion of Levi.
Eren wasn't sure what to expect when they docked. He knows for hell he didn't expect to see a large crowd of cheering people quickly hurrying to dock the ship or help get people off the ship.
"Oh wow." Eren said as he looked out at the crowd.
"Gawk later you shit." Levi said as he walked pass. "We need to unload our wounded and findings. So hurry the fuck up. You're helping Shit Specs with our wounded since you proved you could at least do THAT right." Eren was about to respond when Armin pulled him away. Where did he come from anyways?
"Come on Eren. This is a little more important than defending your pride." Armin said. Eren pouted, but did as he was asked. Because Armin was right, again. And while Eren helped transport the injured, the crowd would help take them once they were off the gangplank.
It still took almost two hours for the Maria to be completely unloaded, what with the injured, supplies, and treasure that was aboard. Once everything was done, everyone huddled to the center of the town where Levi was sitting on what looked like a throne swiped from one of the palaces on one of the western islands, Erwin standing next to him and an older man that wasn't on the ship on his other side.
"Alright, this is what's going on and why we're back early. Krista found us a new treasure map. About damn time. Seems that the MPs either got wind of it, or decided to just be a bunch of pricks, because they attacked her ship. The only thing lost on her end was her ship. But the bastard's did manage to injure some of our own, and not all of them made it back. Hanji has the list and everything, so once I'm done here, if you didn't see someone get off the ship, check with her." Levi said. The people of the island just listened to him like every word spoken was from Poseidon himself. And Eren couldn't comprehend why.
"We also have a new member to the family." Erwin said with a smile, motioning for Eren. The cabin boy looked around, and Isabel pushed him forward.
"Get up there!" She said with a smile. And so Eren climbed up and stood next to Erwin.
"This is the Maria's new cabin boy, Eren." Erwin said.
"And he's a fucking shit, not even 18." Levi said. There were whispers about the crowd, and Levi jut rolled his eyes. "We're pirates, not kidnappers. Though I wouldn't put it past shit specs to for shits and giggles. We don't need to go into specifics, just know no one's gonna come looking for him." Eren scowled at Levi, but bit his tongue.
"And where will our new recruit be staying?" The older man said. He looked nice enough, completely bald, tall, sort of lanky, with a gray mustache and a flask in hand.
"Pixis, is that from the rum reserve, or did you use the treasury's money to buy that?" Levi asked. The old man laughed and took a swig.
"Reserve. I'm not stupid enough to use the treasury without strict orders." The man, who obviously must have been Pixis, said, taking another swig from his flask. "But you didn't answer my question about the boy."
"Shadis!" Levi yelled. Another man stepped forward, and Eren flinched when the man looked at him. He was definitely older, bald as Pixis, but with a brown beard and this mean look stuck on his face. Levi may have permanent resting bitch face, but this guy looked like he was waiting for someone to try and stab him.
"Captain?" He asked.
"We need to make renovations to the males barracks. And make some to the females as well. Use what you need from the treasury." Levi said. "And then talk to Eyebrows and Izzy about what needs to happen to the Maria. We'll be here until my ship is fucking fixed." Shadis nodded. "We're going to need new crewmates on this next hunt. Talk to Eyebrows and he'll decided if you come aboard this time. That's all. I'll talk to all you shits tomorrow. I need my damn tea." And Levi stood and walked away. Eren just stood next to Erwin dumbfounded.
"So do I still bring him tea or..." Eren asked, trailing off slightly. Erwin was about to respond when Levi hollered back.
"Come on you shit! You're staying with me until we get a room for you! You better make decent fucking tea!" Eren frowned.
"I'm gonna fucking piss in it." Eren growled out and followed, leaving Erwin to shake his head with a small smile.
Eren followed Levi into the forest around the city until they made it to a cottage. It wasn't anything fancy, but it was beautiful compared to what Eren had seen in the village they had just left, or the one he had lived in over a month ago.
"Shoes off at the door. You will not track filth into my home, or you will be sleeping on the ground outside, and I have the feeling you don't want to be back there." Levi said, opening his door and taking off his boots. Eren followed suit, glaring at Levi's back. Then he glanced around him and he slowed down his actions, taking in the room.
It was only really a one room cottage, with only the bathroom and bedroom separate. And it was obviously furnished with the pirate captain's findings over the years. Two chairs that were embroidered and lined with silver and gold thread. A small table between the two that had a similar theme. In front of the east facing window was a dark wood desk, and at the back of the room was an ice box, wood stove that double at a kitchen stove, and a sink. Nothing really looked like it was supposed to go together, but it definitely did. There was even a day bed sitting under the western window. There was also a lot of du-
"Hey!" Levi barked out, bringing Eren from enjoying the room. "Help me fucking clean this shit." He said. The captain already had a mop bucket, mop, scrubber, rag, and broom out. He had also already started cleaning with a white handkerchief holding back his hair and another covering his mouth, which was pulled down slightly so he could speak to Eren.
"So now I'm cleaning your house? Is that all I'm good for?" Eren asked as he grabbed the handkerchief he kept tucked in his pocket and tied it around his mouth, taking the broom to begin sweeping by the kitchen area.
"Unless you can also make tea, yes." Levi said as he started wiping down the walls. Eren fumed as he continued to clean, looking at Levi once and taking note of the man's own eye patch. It was black, and had golden thread embordering the edge. It really was a beautiful eye patch, but the gold didn't really seem to match the rest of the captain. He seemed more of a man that would enjoy the beauty of silver, though it's obvious that the man is fine with both.
Eren couldn't help but remember that his own eye patch had a similar design to his captain's, but it was silver embroidering. Eren had been told many times that he looked like he would enjoy gold, but Eren had a golden eye, and he honestly had a love for silver. It was more like a mirror, and it just looked more beautiful to him. He liked gold, don't get him wrong, but he preferred silver.
And then a thought crossed Eren's mind. What happened to cause his captain to need an eye patch?