HEllo! I've been very excited about mermay! I've outlined a story for each day so far (whether or not I'm able to write a full story each day is a completely separate issue lol) But I'm happy to have gotten this one done! This will be much longer than any other story I do this month I think, especially if I'm doing them every day. Hope you enjoy!

TW: Self-harm (Spoiler: Eren dislocates his thumbs to escape a manacle. That is all)

Pirate by EVERGLOW came on as soon as I started typing out the summary lmaoooo

Seagulls screamed outside the captain's cabin windows, the noisy shits gathering near the port they just set off from in order to pilfer food. The sea was calm, the ship rocking lightly with the swell of waves. His cabin creaked with each slow shift, the familiar rocking setting the captain's mind at ease. The soft scratches of his quill filled the stagnate air as he recorded the provisions added at their latest rest stop. The captain was a fearsome-looking man. Donning a beautiful forest green waistcoat and white breeches that had small ornate details embedded in the pristine fabric. His tri-cornered hat sat neatly on his desk, long majestic quetzal feathers tucked into the dark fabric. He had short black hair styled into an undercut. His skin was pale, scars all across his body, a map of the victories and defeats immortalized on his body. He had never disliked them, each pucker and gash just another story to tell, another reminder that he may not be immortal, but he was strong. Strong enough that despite the numerous things and people who want to kill him, he survives.

"Cap'n Levi, Sir!" Levi looked up at the three figures in his doorway, smirking at the sight. Finally.

"We got 'im sir!" Oluo said quickly, smiling wildly with sweat trickling down his face.

"A real problem this one was but we got him." Petra followed up, the two dragging the struggling boy in between them. Levi stood and walked around his desk, his shiny black boots thudding loudly against the wooden floors. The captive looked up, blazing emerald eyes glaring daggers at the captain. Oh? Got some fight in him. How nice. Levi leaned down to stare into those eyes, his own pointed glare usually enough to send even the fiercest pirate cowering, but the young boy didn't back down. Levi felt his smirk widen when the brat had the audacity to growl at him from behind his gag. His emerald eyes held such rage, the way he glared sent a ping of something he couldn't identify up his spine. How pretty.

"Prince Eren Jaeger of the Southern Shiganshinan Strait. My my, aren't you a little far from home?" Levi pulled out a jeweled dagger from his boot, watching as Eren's eyes followed the glint of the golden blade. "What's with this glare? If I didn't know any better, I'd think you didn't like me or something." He effortlessly spun the blade around his fingers, entranced by the glinting gold that reflected in his eyes. What a pretty jewel, if I had been king, I'd never let him leave the kingdom, let alone the continent. Levi stilled, the knife poised very close to the prince's cheek. Slowly, gently, the blade grazed the tanned skin. Levi very intently watched the goosebumps on the boys' arms, his eyes widening, the way his pupils dilated, his chest moving just a bit faster. Delicious. With a quick slice, the gag previously silencing the prince was cut through, the filthy wet rag falling onto his pristine floors with a plop as the prince spit it out.

"I'LL KILL YOU! LET ME GO THIS INSTANT YOU FILTHY FUCKING PIRATE! I'LL GUT YOU WHERE YOU STAND YOU TINY FUCKING BASTARD-" Eren wasted no time in shouting, words full of venom but Levi was quick to correct him. His dagger was quickly placed on the boy's lips, the fast movement startling the poor prince. Effectively silenced, Levi watched a drop of blood fall down the boy's chin, his lip cut just enough to bleed.

"Tch, what a noisy brat. I allow you to speak n' this is the thanks I get?" Levi taunted, intrigued at the murderous look in the prince's eyes. What beautiful, expressive eyes. He pulled the dagger away from his lips slightly. "Maybe if you speak nicely I'll keep the gag off ya."

Eren seemed to take a moment, looking around himself before focusing on Levi. Or more accurately, the two large scars slashing through the otherwise smooth skin. A long line from hairline to chin went through the right side of his face, crossing straight through the captain's eye. Levi knew the look, saw the horror crossing into the prince's face as he studied the hazy grey eye it cut through. Below that one was a smaller scar on his cheek, the white scar still long enough to cause concern to those who see it. Eren looked into Levi's good eye, a determined look sweeping across his face.

"What do you want with me?" His tone showed he was clearly trying to remain calm, and Levi had to give him props for that at the very least.

"You are the son of a king, can you not think of one reason you might get kidnapped?" Levi teased, enjoying the anger that clouded his face.

"You wish to use me as a bargaining chip or ransom." He replied. Levi smirked and sat back on his heels.

"Ay, good boy. We aren't savages. If you play nice, I can be easily persuaded to treat you nicely. After all, daddy won't hand over the money if you're too damaged." Levi said, studying the boy's lean frame and surprisingly common clothes. However, he hadn't expected that sudden laughter from the kid.

"You must be moronic if you think the king would give you a single silver serpent for me! Save yourself the trouble and let me go now, maybe I can be persuaded to not bomb your ship if you do." Eren said triumphantly, a smug smirk now plastered on his face. Oluo smacked him over the head, reprimanding him about talking to the captain that way while Levi stared. Oh wow. The prince is pretty dumb. Does he really think we'd believe that?

"Nice try, brat. We'll ask the king for his opinion when we reach Southern Shiganshina." Levi took the dagger and put it back in his boot, which seemed to make the brat a little more confident.

"I hope you and your ship get pulled down by the devil himself." Eren spits out, renewing his struggle. Levi let out a bark of laughter, standing upright and turning back to his desk.

"Don'cha go worryin' about me. I've fought the devil more times than I can count." He walked back behind his desk, already focusing on the records and maps sprawling across the surface. "Take 'im to his new home for the next month. Make sure he's nice and comfortable." Levi ordered without looking up, expression neutral as he heard his crew pulling the cursing prince into the hall.

"You'll pay for this you fucking midget bastard! I swear on my mother's grave you will fucking rue-" The prince continued to ramble even as he left his earshot. Oh, don't worry boy. I'll pay alright. Maybe a nice lady of the night for her company when we dock with our newly acquired ransom.

The ship rocked and Levi simply enjoyed the smell of the sea wafting through his cabin. Now, to set course for Southern Shiganshina.

It was two days later that Levi found himself going below deck to see the prince his crew kept gossiping about. Apparently, the Prince managed to bitch and moan for 5 hours before he finally quieted down. He must have a good set of lungs to go that long. Definitely a new record for any prisoner we've had aboard. He descended the stairs and walked down, the lanterns lighting his way swayed with the natural rock of the waves. Unlike other brigs, like the rest of his ship, the entire area was spotless. However, due to its nature, it was not nearly as nice as the rest of his vessel. Random cracks or bullet holes riddled the walls, and scratches and dents littered the floors. The floorboards creaked beneath his leather boots, the thuds echoing in the musty hall as he descended the stairs and found himself looking at the empty cells of the brig. He walked slowly, deliberately. Out of the corner of his eye, he searched for the prince. The captain managed to find the brat, curled up on the little padding on the floor. The boy was filthy, once fine shirt stained to hell and skin covered in irritated red patches. The chains connecting his hands to the wall rattled with every movement he made, the small clink sounds setting Levi's teeth on edge with memories of a past he tried to forget. Levi studied him for a moment, noting that while the brat was still, he was very clearly awake. He sighed and leaned against the wall in front of the cell, content to watch the boy for a few minutes.

"What do you want?" Eren murmured, body unmoving.

"Just wanted to see if the Prince of Shiganshina was comfortable. I see someone got you a bed." Levi snarked, watching the way Eren's chest rose and fell. Noisily he sat up, glaring at the captain with those damned emerald eyes. The chains clanked together as he moved, looking extremely uncomfortable as the brat couldn't turn around fully with them. What had Levi doing a double take was his hands. His thumbs were purple and red, facing the wrong direction, and looking like they were ten minutes away from falling off.

"Oi, what the fuck did'ya do to your hands?" Levi asked, walking up to the bars to look closer. Eren simply stared at him for a few moments before looking back down at the grotesque way his thumb was pointed in the wrong direction. He shrugged and pulled his hands closer, wincing when his thumb got caught on the chain for a moment.

"They're dislocated." He murmured, eyes no longer meeting his.

"N' why the fuck are they dislocated?" Levi asked, feeling his patience wearing thin.

"… I dislocated them." This fucking brat. Levi shook the bar, a loud groan from the cell door and the sound of it slamming back into the grooves seemed to alert the prince enough to look into his eye.

"Stop with the cryptic shit. Why the fuck would you do that?" He growled, glaring straight into those pretty green eyes. Eren stared right back and sighed, lifting his hands up, the cuffs jangling noisily.

"I was trying to take the cuffs off. My hand would fit if my thumbs weren't in the way. So, I tried to fold them in." He admitted, head down. This fucking… Levi stared at his hands for a moment, clicking his tongue and looking down the hall he came from.

"I'll get our medic here and have them take off the shackles. Don't do stupid shit like that again." Levi ordered, noticing the surprise in Eren's eyes before he turned and left the cell. In the quiet, he swore he heard a 'wait, really?' but he didn't turn back.

Levi was definitely sick. There was no other way to describe the way his heart thumped painfully in his chest whenever he thought of that stupid prince. It had been a few days since he found him with his thumbs nearly unattached and he had gone down every night to check on the brat. He found himself just watching the way he breathed, the way his hair fell into his eyes. Even during the day, he found himself standing in front of that damned staircase for a few moments too long. Why did he have to be so… pretty? That dangerous line of thinking was how he found himself outside Eren's cell at 3 in the morning. He stood there quietly, watching the rise and fall of the boy's chest as he had been for the last few days. He no longer wore the chains, his hands bandaged and healing from his previous fuck up. Armin had reported that Eren's hands were healing quite quickly and that he should be fine within a few days.

The captain also noticed that Armin tended to spend his break with their guest. He would listen with envy at the laughter he heard every so often as he walked past the stairs, the sound causing his heart to rush before swooping back into his stomach. Followed of course by confusion at the laughter he heard. At one point he even eavesdropped on the two as they talked. He learned that Eren loved the sea, but that he had been getting seasick being down in the cell as he was for the first few days. He also not so subtly interrogated the blonde when he was off his break, learning more about the prisoner in the process.

"He is actually quite nice sir. He left his home in order to learn more about the world. He really likes fruits, especially strawberries. We've mostly been exchanging information about our lives. I've been telling him about my duties and what life on this ship is like, and he's been telling me about growing up in the palace. Although, If I can be frank sir. I don't think he will last long down there. I don't… I can't help but feel like this isn't his first time in a cell. He's only really hinted at it but… I don't think his life has been as privileged as we thought. I think something really bad happened to him."

He tried to forget he heard that, but around midnight he found himself staring at the boy through his cell doors, cringing at the buckets full of who knows what beside him. He looked distraught, his hands held protectively to his chest, the bruises from the manacle he had worn just barely beginning to heal. How hard did he have to pull on those to get such nasty bruises? Before he could stop himself, he was opening the cell door, keys clanking together noisily enough to wake the brat. Eren sat up, confused at the rude awakening before realizing who it was.

"Captain?" He mumbled softly, the second syllable getting stuck behind a yawn that Levi refused to acknowledge as cute.

"Get up, you're going to a different room." He ordered.

"Different… room?" His eyebrows furrowed, his chapped lips puckered as he thought over the words. "Are you a deaf brat? Different room. Get up before I change my mind." This seemed to bring him out of his stupor, as he quickly stood and rushed towards the door. In his haste, he tripped over one of the buckets, sending him sprawling right into the captain. Levi huffed but caught the brat easily, a little concerned at the lack of weight he felt. Is he not eating? Are we not serving him enough? Perhaps he is, but he's throwing it up before it does him any good.

"You good brat?" He asked. Eren sighed and stood, not letting go of Levi for a long few moments as he got his bearings.

"Yeah, not used to walking with the waves…" He murmured, staring at his feet and looking a lot like a newborn horse taking its first steps.

"You'll get your sea legs eventually." He assured, unsure why he felt the need to comfort him at all. Eren nodded and followed him down the hall and out the brig. Coming up to the deck, the stars were out and shining brightly in the sky. Without all the light pollution from the cities, Levi could see everything clearly. He heard Eren gasp behind him and his hand shot to his side where his gun rested, ready to draw as he looked for a threat. No one was on deck right now, only whoever was at the wheel was awake beside them so he looked to the brat, about to ask what the fuck he was gasping for when he saw his eyes.

Beautiful.

Emerald eyes sparkled beneath the stars, the glittering lights flickering in Eren's eyes as if they wished to be trapped there, forever gleaming out through his pupils. He was admiring the sky, clearly as enraptured with them as Levi was with the boys' eyes. His chapped mouth was open in awe, head moving this way and that as he stared at the stars. Levi sighed and stepped towards the railing, willing to wait as the brat admired the sky.

"Like it?" He found himself asking after a few minutes. Eren had paced around the deck, trying to see past the masts and billowing sails for more. The brunet managed to ear his eyes away from the heavens to look him in the eye and his heart skipped a beat. His hair was in disarray, fluttering around his blushing face with each gust of wind.

"Like it?! It's… It's fantastic! I've never seen anything more beautiful in my life!" Eren gushed, running to the rail he leaned against and leaning over, finding a good spot as he gasped and pointed.

"Look! You can see Ursa major! Oh and Ursa Minor! Which means that… There! Polaris!" He said excitedly looking over to Levi to see if he was looking. Levi good-naturedly appeased him and looked out into the glittering sky. He had no idea what Ursa minor was, or Polaris, but he did enjoy seeing all the stars so bright. He looked where Eren was pointing and instantly recognized the bright star.

"Ah, the North Star."

"North Star?"

"One of the most important stars in the night sky. We use that to guide us. If you can see that star, you will never be lost." Levi explained, remembering all the times he would've been up shit creek with no paddle had it not been for that little twinkle in the heavens. Eren soaked in his words and looked up again, admiring the star in a new light.

They stood there for another few minutes before the captain noticed the subtle shake in the prince's shoulders.

"C'mon brat. Let me show you your room."

Eren followed him as they went deeper into the ship, Eren admiring the artwork along the walls from foreign places, eventually stopping to admire one. Levi stopped when he realized the prince no longer followed and looked to see the painting. It was of him, Erwin, Hange, and the two leaders of the Purépecha people. It had to be a decade or so ago that they landed on the sands of the Purépecha people. They were welcomed warmly, trading goods and stories with the people. The two leaders, Sesasi and Irepani, even offered for him and his crew to live there permanently. He had declined, unable to fathom a life lived away from the sea, but at least two of the crew members at the time had taken them up on the offer. The painting was of them standing in front of Lake Pátzcuaro, the scenic lake that was very important to them, something about a goddess and her tears. It was a pain standing still for that long in the sun but Moblit did a great job.

"Who are they?" Eren asked, seemingly entranced by the foreign and colorful garments the two leaders wore.

"Sesasi and Irepani. Hange mentioned that Moblit was an artist and the two insisted we have our painting done." He explained, remembering how Sesasi and Hange ganged up on him until he begrudgingly agreed to the frivolous painting. Moblit tried to gift the painting to them afterward, a reminder of their new friendship, but they insisted they keep it on their ship, a reminder to return one day.

"Where are they from?" Eren asked when it became obvious that Levi was reminiscing.

"The Purépecha people of Southern Tzapatco. They were willin' to trade so we set anchor for a few weeks." Levi said with a small smile that he didn't let the prince see, studying the barely there grin he had in the painting. He truly loved the place, making it a point to visit every couple of years.

"What was it like?" Eren asked as they started walking again.

"Hot. There are these annoying ass bugs that make the loudest noise at all hours of the night. The jungle that surrounds them is also full of all sorts of beasts that would kill you in a second. But, the waters of the lake feel really nice and are full of fat, tasty fish. The people were… nice." Levi ended awkwardly, unsure how to describe the lightness that being there gave him. Eren took a few more moments to admire it before they continued on. They finally arrived to his room, the large imposing door hard to miss as he turned the knob and motioned for the brat to go ahead. Eren did so slowly, looking around the huge room with ever-widening eyes.

"Someone will bring you breakfast in the morning. The tub is filled, use it." Levi ordered, ignoring the confused and hopeful look in emerald eyes as he shut the door.

Tch, now where the fuck am I supposed to sleep?

Eren slowly managed to integrate himself with the ship as the days passed by. Armin was worried and confused when he came to the captain that following morning, unable to find Eren in his cell. He assumed the worst, crying that he thought Eren had jumped overboard and drowned. Levi stretched in his chair, back cracking at the odd position it had been forced in all night.

"He's in my room."

"… sir?"

Levi sighed, rolling his shoulder blades and standing up stiffly.

"I moved him to my room last night. Make sure to bring his meals there." He left the gaping blonde there, heading up to the main deck to see how far they were in their course.

News spread like wildfire. The first person to pester him was of course none other than Hange.

"YOU PUT HIM IN YOUR ROOM?!" They suddenly shrieked at him. Levi stopped polishing his boots, staring up at his second mate. He sat there glaring for a moment, but when it didn't phase them he sighed and went back to polishing.

"Yes."

"WHY?! YOU DON'T LET ANYONE IN THERE!" Hange continued to screech, so Levi took the closest thing, a book that had been left on his desk, and threw it at them. They squealed and dodged, letting out a belligerent 'hey!'.

"Get the fuck out if you don't have anything important to say shitty glasses."

"No way! Our beloved captain has taken a prince into his custody and now all of a sudden he's sleeping in his bed! Tell me, Levi, are you sleeping in that bed with him?" Hange teased with a mischievous light in their eyes. Levi growled, heart speeding up at the thought which had him feeling confused.

"I've been sleeping in here you fuckin' banshee. Leave me alone and stop gossiping about me."

"That makes this even juicier! The Captain Levi I know wouldn't even let someone go in to clean. Now all of a sudden you're letting the pretty prince sleep in there? Spill it shorty. Do you like him?" Hange accused, eyes squinting and watching at the telltale tensing of his shoulders.

"No now get the fuck out!" He ordered. Hange stared for a moment, an insane smile suddenly pulling at their lips.

"AHHHH! IT IS TRUE! SHORTIES IN LOOooOoOVEEEE!" Hange suddenly sang, their grating voice bouncing off the walls of his office as they ran out the door, Levi cursing them out with every word he could think of.

The crew whispered about him every time he stepped foot out of his office, no doubt hearing the bullshit Hange was spewing. He found himself visiting the brat the next evening. He needed a new pair of clothes, and of course it was his room so that's where his shit was. Eren was sitting in bed, reading a star chart Armin had given him. When Levi walked in he sat up suddenly, looking odd as Levi came in and began changing clothes.

"C-captain? What are you doing?!" He suddenly shouted, hiding his eyes behind the chart that had been sitting on the bed. Levi stopped pushing his pants down for a moment, already having relieved himself of his coat and shirt.

"Getting naked." He deadpanned, staring at the prince as he finished pushing down his pants and finally slipped off his underwear. Eren made some high-pitched noise Levi couldn't place, one green eye peaking at him from in between his fingers. Once he saw Levi staring back he hid them again, curling up in the bed.

"I CAN SEE THAT! Why are you getting naked!?" He shouted again, Levi smirking at the stupid brat.

"I can't change into new clothes without gettin' naked." He sighed, pulling on a new pair of underwear and a new pair of pants. However, the pants were an older pair, only going up past his ass but getting stuck on the bulge in front. He grunted and tried to push himself into the pants but it wouldn't budge. He was startled when Eren made some sort of beached whale noise, looking over to see the brat was gaping at him. Emerald eyes wide and cheeks red as a lobster. Oh? Once he realized Levi was again looking at him, he grabbed a pillow and shoved it in his face.

"Just finish changing already!" Levi chuckled at the reaction, palming himself through his underwear in an attempt to make it smaller so that he could fit in his pants. After struggling for another few minutes he finally managed to pull up his pants and button them. Quickly grabbing a nightshirt and slipping it on.

"Ne'r seen a cock before?" He teased, enjoying the shriek the brat let out.

"Shut up!"

It was that next morning that Levi ordered Armin to let Eren out of the room. The blonde did so happily, if not skeptically. No doubt confused at the captains' odd behavior when it came to their 'prisoner'. Levi wasn't sure why he was acting this way either. He went to sleep in his chair as he normally did now that his room was occupied, and he couldn't get the brat out of his head. That cute blush, that messy hair… fuck. He gave himself a good slap to the face, hoping it would snap him out of it, but all it did was push his eye patch to the side. He sighed and put it where it belonged, looking past the rails to the smooth sea. It glittered invitingly in the morning sun, the waves rocking his beloved ship in a soothing way.

The rest of the morning was a trip for him, watching as Eren interacted with the crew. Levi assumed he would quickly slip into a more 'royal' persona, bossing people around, looking down at those he held closest simply because they fought for the riches they obtained. In fact, Levi wanted that. The captain was tired of these weird feelings that sloshed around his body whenever he thought of the prince. He needed a reason, any reason at this point, to dislike the brat. He watched the prince like a hawk, watching every interaction.

They loved him. It was like the prince was the walking embodiment of the sun. Everywhere he went, everyone he talked to, ended up smiling and laughing. Levi was stunned when he even managed to make Oluo laugh at something he said. Oluo had a particularly long stick up his ass since meeting the brat, not liking how the prince disrespected the Captain one bit. However there he was, pulling at the sails and chuckling alongside Petra and Eld. The brat didn't even complain when Levi took it upon himself to assign him work. He attacked the floorboards with his mop as if the fate of the world depended on it. He was horrible at it at first, Gunther scolding him for his horrid technique. But eventually, he got the hang of it and was practically gliding across the floorboards.

He was especially floored when he returned from his office and he saw all the younger brats crowded around the prince. Eren was sitting on a barrel, the kids all sitting on the floor in front of him as he recounted a tale.

"Zeus came down to the underworld with Demeter in tow, demanding that Hades release Persephone immediately." He narrated, a chorus of gasps and 'no! rising from the small group. "Hades argued against Demeter, explaining that Persephone was there on her own free will. He told the king of the gods that he loved Persephone and wished to marry her. But, Demeter would hear no such thing. 'Every moment I am apart from my daughter, the earth will dry, harvests will fail, plants will no longer be fruitful, animals will die, and famine will spread. Until my daughter returns to me, the earth will know nothing of my guiding touch.' Zeus could not allow the humans to die, so he was left with no choice. He ordered Persephone to return to the surface immediately, leaving behind Hades. Persephone argued against her parents, but her mother's threat was simply too heavy to bear. However, in a moment of desperation, Persephone did the unthinkable…" Eren trailed off, looking around the enraptured faces of the children, unknowing of the many adults also listening in.

"And then what!?" One kid, Gabi, asked quickly when Eren didn't immediately continue. Falco gave her a small punch to the arm, shushing her along with the other kids. Eren smiled, taking Levi's breath away.

"As her mother pulled her away from her true love, she reached for the table before them and grabbed the first thing she could. She scooped her fingers into a pomegranate, eating six seeds before her mother could stop her." Eren revealed.

"Ehhh?!"

"What's a pomegranate?"

"Poor Persephone!"

Eren laughed at the reactions, pushing the hair that fell into his face behind his ears.

"A pomegranate is a fruit. It's purple and filled to the brim with seeds." The prince explained.

"But why did she eat a pomegranate? How does that help?" Udo piped up, wincing when Zofia elbowed his side.

"Uh duh! He literally said in the beginning that anyone who eats food from the underworld is stuck there." Eren chuckled and nodded.

"She's right. Anyone who eats the food of the underworld is forever bound to it. Demeter sobbed at this, trying to get Persephone to throw up the seeds but she resisted. Persephone ran to her love, embracing Hades as her mother cried behind her. 'Fix this! Fix this now or the humans will die! I will never bless a crop for as long as my daughter resides here!' Demeter cried. Zeus pondered for a moment before an idea struck him like the mighty lightning he wielded. 'Persephone ate six seeds, therefore she shall stay in the underworld for six months of the year. For the other six months she will return to the surface world with her mother.' Demeter, Hades, and Persephone were stunned. None of them liked this idea, but Hades understood that Demeter was a spiteful woman, her threat was not one to take lightly. Demeter howled that she could not bear six months without her daughter, but the decision was final. Now every year when Persephone comes back to her mother, the earth flourishes. She remains with her mother from spring through summer. Then, when she returns to her husband's side in the underworld as his queen, Demeter keeps her promise and leaves the world barren. And that is why we have different seasons!" Eren finished with a flourish.

The deck was silent for a moment, everyone staring at the prince as he slowly lowered his arms and the smile became a bit more strained. Levi was the first to start clapping. Soon the deck was filled with roaring applause, the kids whooping and demanding another. That smile returned, the one that made his stomach flip like a capsized boat.

Eren became a constant in his life that he wasn't sure how to handle. In the morning the captain would watch the prince enjoy breakfast with the crew. Eren would then offer to help anyone who was struggling with their duties. The younger members of his crew tended to gravitate towards him, demanding Eren tell them stories as they worked. He happily obliged, recounting tales of myth and legend to his captivated audience. Levi couldn't blame them, the way Eren so seamlessly sucked them into the world of fable was astounding. Levi found himself taking his work outside often, sitting behind a partition so that many didn't even realize he was there. He listened to Armin, Eren, and Mikasa, his younger cousin, open up to the prince. Levi felt like the tide being called to the moon. Unable to pull back under Eren's grand light. He also had the pleasure of listening to Eren talk about the stars.

Now that Eren had a bit of freedom on deck, the prince sat up in the crow's nest every night to watch the stars. Levi usually joined him, listening to Eren's excited chatter about the way the constellations moved. Sometimes the prince asked Levi about his adventures, all the sights he's seen and the people he's met. Levi obliged, finding it easy to speak to him.

The last few days passed far too quickly for the captain. He found himself doing something he had never done before; regretting his decision.

It wasn't until the morning they arrived in Shiganshina that he realized how fucked he was.

A knock on his door resounded through the room. Levi groaned and looked out the window, noting that the sun hadn't even begun to rise yet.

"Come in." He called out, squinting when Erwin walked in. He held a lantern and wore his usual dark purple waistcoat. He had a gaudy amount of medals and pins on his lapel, most were his with a few that were taken from those they fought. He helped himself to the seat in front of his desk, giving him a polite smile.

"Good morning, Captain."

"What the fuck do you want, shitty eyebrows?" He growled, not wanting to deal with this already. Erwin huffed a laugh and set the lantern on the desk. The orange light flickered across his face, the shadows making him look much older than he was.

"A pleasure as always, good friend."

Levi sighed, rubbing his tired eyes.

"Get on with it then."

Erwin took a moment to speak, no doubt dissecting every move he made until he understood exactly what the captain was thinking. How annoying.

"Eren is leaving in a few days." He started.

"I know." Levi murmured, feeling his heart sink all over again at the thought.

"What if he didn't leave?"

They both were still, Levi could hear his heart beating.

Ba dum. Ba dum. Ba dum.

His eyes moved up to Erwin's, thin brows furrowed.

"What?"

Erwin gave him a small smile, barely a curve of his lips.

"What if he didn't leave?"

"I heard you the first time you fuck."

"Levi, you care about him."

"Shut the fuck up."

"Levi…"

"No! He is going home, to his family, and we are getting a massive fucking payout." Levi shouted, slumping in his plush chair and pushing his hand into his eye.

"Levi, as your friend, I think we should forget about the ransom," Erwin suggested. Levi sat up, surprise evident in his usually stony features. Erwin was always in it for the conquest, the gold, and the jewels. After all, money funded the life they wanted.

"I don't think, no, I know Eren doesn't want to go back. He enjoys the sea, the ship, and the people here. I think he also cares deeply about you. The crew also really cares about him. In less than a month's time, he's really become a friend to many people here. To suddenly sell him off, the morale would be at an all-time low." Erwin argued but Levi was stuck. He cares about me? Of course, Levi had figured out that he cared about Eren. How could he not? Eren was a twisting siren, singing to him tales of love and belonging, pulling him further into the depths and drowning his lonely heart in his beautiful song.

But how could he possibly want this life? The life of a pirate was not glamorous, sure you got gold and shit, but only after prying it out of the cold, dead hands of the person you stole it from. Levi didn't choose this life willingly, it was the only option he had. Same with most of the others on his ship. Close to death, criminals, beggars, and people looking for a way out of the horrible life fate stuck them with, these were the people that became pirates. How could a rich kid prince ever want to debase himself this way? He couldn't, He couldn't force Eren into this life when walls of glittering gold, plush beds, sophisticated conversations, and the finest food were what awaited him. If he truly cared about Eren, could he do that to him? Even if it meant they'd never meet again? Levi knew then that as much as it hurt, he had to go through with it. Eren had to go home.

"It's for the best."

Erwin looked down, a frown twisting his thin lips.

"Levi-" Erwin started.

"Leave me." He dared not look into Erwin's eyes. He knew what he'd see there. "Please."

Erwin stood, taking his lantern with him as he left, leaving Levi alone in the darkness of his office.

The air was tense, a sad aura floating about the deck. Levi watched with heartbroken eyes as the King's galleon sailed toward them. The giant gilded helm framed by small cherubs glinted in the light of the sun. The giant billowing sails were white and gold, just like the rest of the ship, the royal family crest sat proudly on them. The crew were all stationed for a fight should the king decide not to listen to their demands. His main squad stood beside the canons both above and below deck, waiting for his signal to fire as the ship came closer. Eren stood by his side, head bowed and shoulders tense. He had only ever seen Eren like this in the first few days of his stay, clearly, the imprisonment was catching up to him as his freedom sailed ever closer.

He also did not miss the fleeting looks he got from his crew, the pleading looks they gave him as he walked passed. He grits his teeth, for he wanted the same thing.

Erwin steps forward as the ship finally settles beside their own, the king's servants hoisting the sails and dropping anchor. Levi smirks, mentally calculating how fast he would absolutely demolish them for such a rookie mistake had they not been about to carry precious cargo. Every good pirate knows that when it comes to negotiations, dropping anchor could be the difference between escape and death.

"Your majesty, King Grisha Jaeger of the Southern Shiganshina Straits. I am Commander Erwin Smith, first hand of Captain Levi. I will be speaking on his behalf for this negotiation." Erwin introduced himself, the uniform he wore boasting of his old sailor days as part of the king's fleet. The king had long brown hair and green eyes, the familial tie clear between him and the prince. He wore a flashy golden coat and white frocks, a luxurious red cape and a golden crown finished off the very expensive outfit. He looked pompous as fuck. He merely glared at Erwin, a different man in uniform stepping forward to sneer at Erwin.

"I am Commander Keith Shadis, 12th commander of the Royal Guard. I will be speaking on behalf of his Majesty." The bald man shouted out, bowing once to the king.

"I will cut straight to the point. We have aboard Prince Eren Jaeger. We wish to negotiate a fair price to release him to you unharmed." The king let out an odd sneer and Levi glared when the commander let out a chuckle.

"I'm afraid this won't be feasible. His Highness does not negotiate with pirates. Nor does he wish to reclaim Eren."

The deck was silent, the wind blowing through the sails the only sound to be heard.

What?

"I don't quite understand. Your majesty does not wish to reclaim Prince Eren?" Erwin asked, brows furrowed in confusion at the sudden turn in events.

Keith Shadis was about to respond when the King intervened.

"Why would I pay filthy pirates for something I threw away in the first place? Why would I want that waste of space back in the castle? He's a useless heir and an otherwise embarrassing speck on my kingdom." The King suddenly spit out, Levi's vision going red.

What!?

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Eren slump even farther into himself, head bowed to hide his face. That didn't stop Levi from noticing the sudden wet spot at his feet.

"See?" Eren murmured, voice hollow. "I told you."

"In fact, I will pay you to throw him overboard right now. Save me the embarrassment of my people finding out he was kidnapped again." Then the king had the audacity to laugh. On cue, two cabin boys came onto the deck with a large chest, dropping it at the king's feet.

"Do we have a deal?"

"No!" Levi immediately responded. "I don't care who the fuck you think you are. You say another word about Eren and I will burn your ship to the ground and personally ensure my bullet finds a new home in your skull." Levi vowed, voice full of venom as he stood in front of the man he loved.

The commander gasped and the king glowered at him. Many of the crew on both ships put a readied hand on their guns.

"Did you just threaten His Majesty!? We have the right to execute you for such blasphemy towards the crown! How dare-"

"It was not a threat. That was a promise. I will sink you and your king just like I have many men before you if you take my word lightly." Levi took out his pistol, twirling the gun between his fingers in a fluid motion. The king's guard looked towards Commander Shadis, who was busy looking between Levi and his king. Grisha looked furious behind his bifocals, face red with anger at the scathing words. After a few tense moments, he let out a breath and turned, holding a hand up.

"Let the scum leave, I wish never to deal with them again." He ordered, Levi sneering at his back as the ship began to move. Sails were dropped and the anchor pulled, his crew watching with bated breath as the royal ship began to grow smaller and smaller. The crew looked to him then, wondering what the next course of action was. He stood straight, readjusting the eye patch that got knocked about when he passionately threatened a king.

"Raise the flag! Free the sails, we head north! Get to it!" He commanded, watching as the crew scrambled to do as they were told.

Levi turned then, looking at the brat he so quickly couldn't see himself without. He was staring at him, pretty green eyes filled with tears and his mouth pulled into a smile.

"Levi… you… thank you." He murmured, hands twisting about like he didn't know what to do with them.

"Eren." His voice with thick, his throat clogged. Even with tears in his eyes he looked divine. "I can… we can drop you off. If you wish. Anywhere you want, any port or city." Levi offered, noting the sudden disappointment on the boy's face.

"Oh, I-"

"Or," Levi interrupted, "You can stay here. On this ship." Levi finished awkwardly. Eren's eyes lit up, that fire he saw so intensely that first day reignited.

"Really!?" Levi nodded, his cheeks burning with the way Eren looked at him. Like he hung the stars in the sky, like he presented him with an entire armada of gold.

"And-" Levi started but cut himself off. Eren waited for a moment, gently placing a hand on Levi's shoulder.

"And?" He encouraged, that easy smile warming his insides.

"And… you can stay in that room. My room. With me." How fucking lame. Levi was about to just throw himself overboard, after all being eaten by sharks in a pool of whale shit surely had to be a better fate than being rejected by the only person he cared about. However, Eren had other plans. Before Levi could react, Eren was leaning forward and suddenly warm lips were touching his. His brain short-circuited and he barely hears the sounds of cheering, no doubt Hange doing their stupid bullshit. Just as those lips leave him, he surges forward, pulling the brat by his shirt and into him. Eren makes a small noise at the sudden force but otherwise melts into the kiss, accepting all that Levi offered him. When they finally pulled away, the captain realizes it wasn't just Hange cheering. The whole fucking crew was screaming and hollering. Levi hissed and glared t anyone he saw looking.

"What the fuck are ya filthy fucks looking at?! Get back to work!"

Eren laughed, the sound that set his heart on fire bringing his attention back to his prince.

"I'd love to. I… I want to see the world. Plains of ice, rivers of fire, all of it. But I want to see it with you by my side, Levi." Eren admitted, eyes shining in the afternoon sun. Levi felt his heart soar right out of his chest, flying through the breeze and into the sails above them. He would show Eren the world, every port and city would be his, simply because he wanted it.

Levi would make sure of it.

I hope you liked the story!
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daemonic_nomad
I'm attempting to learn how to be active like other writers on their posting cute edits and such. I am constantly on there just lurking lol. Happy Mermay!