Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Captain!”

Techno tilted his head toward the sky, his eyes settling on the scout perched up in the crow’s nest. Their hand was outstretched and pointed toward the open sea, guiding Techno’s gaze to the horizon line.

Even from the distance, Technoblade could recognize a Navy flag anywhere.

Techno’s ship rocked on the waves, hovering over the ocean floor and serving as a reaper for the souls that crossed his path. His Jolly Roger was red, and he could say he favored the color, especially when it rested on the tip of his sword.

He was a merciless soul. He wanted the world to know that. 

He couldn’t help but smile as he turned over his shoulder, his first mate just as excited from the singular sighting of a blue flag. With one look from Techno, he launched into motion, swinging himself onto the ship’s ledge and holding tightly to a rope.

“All hands on deck!” Wilbur announced to the crew, the bell already beginning to ring. People flew to every corner of the top deck, keeping their eyes trained toward the horizon. Techno surveyed them with pride he only got during times like these, in the early evening, preparing to catch a ship trying to outrun them.

“We won’t be able to drop anchor.” Techno motioned for Wilbur to come closer. “It’s not a military ship, they’re going to do everything they can to get away.”

“No hit and run, then?” Wilbur smirked, his hair flying in front of his eyes from the sea breeze. Techno almost rolled his eyes as Wilbur tried to push his fringe away and was unsuccessful. Wilbur caught on. “Don’t mock my hair, Techno.”

“I didn’t say anythin’,” Techno shrugged, though his blossoming smile only continued to grow. “You’re goin’ to get killed trying to brush your hair away durin’ a fight.”

“Now you’ve said something,” Wilbur punched him in the shoulder. “I prefer not to cut my hair with a sword.”

Techno stifled a chuckle. “It’s efficient.”

“You just like to show off,” Wilbur rolled his eyes, settling his brown irises back on the horizon. “It’s the same reason your hair is pink.”

“It’s the brand, Wil,” Techno huffed, setting both hands on the ship’s metal railing. He rubbed the brass under his thumb as he studied the ship, steadily dropping distance, even as it tried to turn into the tailwind. Techno didn’t even have to give an order for his helmsman to turn with it, edging up on it’s other side.

His crew was loyal, most of them in his debt, some of them asking to join or recruited by Techno himself. He'd been at war with the land ever since he was born upon a sinking ship, and decided to take the lives and supplies of anyone he crossed, just so he never had to see the land once.

That made the Navy vessel a playground for the crew of The Blood God.

“Orders, Captain?” Wilbur asked, his expression settling into seriousness again. While he didn’t look all that impressive physically, more like a piece of floating driftwood, that stare of his was calculating. Techno had always thought Wilbur could see more than the human eye. The only person who knew the seas better than Wilbur was Techno himself.

“Seize and capture,” Techno commanded, “Leave them pinned on top deck, any means. I’d like to see what this ship is doin’ all the way out here.” In his territory went unsaid, but this was a valuable opportunity, after all. Who knew what kind of things they carried on that ship.

“Aye aye, sir,” Wilbur partially mocked. Techno didn’t even bat an eye as Wilbur swung to face the rest of the ship, using his bright voice to command the crew. “Niki, Jack, Charlie, stay top deck and keep the ships together. Sam, Eret, seize the Navy helmsman and take control. The rest of you, occupy and capture!”

The crew shouted in chorus, each taking their positions, ready to swing over to the Navy ship’s deck. Techno stuck his boot underneath the metal railing, not even needing any handhold to stay steady on the lip of his boat.

They were so close now that Techno could see the crew running about, trying to get the ship to go faster, grabbing swords and pistols. They had no cannons, which made it all the easier.

Techno couldn’t wait to see that blue flag and the royal coat of arms sink beneath the sea with the rest of the damned bastards.

One person made eye contact with him from the other ship, and a silent challenge passed between the salt in the air. Techno concealed his grin when he recognized the hat they wore.

He drew the sword from his belt with a soft shing. His crew could recognize the sound of battle by now, stilling by their posts. Wilbur tossed Techno a rope, a mini salute offered to him as Wilbur drew his blade as well. The crew followed. The ocean held its breath.

Techno breathed it in. The salt had lost its taste over the years, being all he ever had in his system. Wilbur often joked that it was crystalizing in his lungs, but Techno thought it just made him one with the sea. The ocean was used to its own taste, and Techno was far too familiar.

The only thing he was more familiar with than the sea was the taste of iron and the color red.

Niki pulled The Blood God right alongside the Navy ship, and Techno led the charge.

All was chaos and sound. Blood stained the desk immediately as the two parties clashed with shouts and curses. Techno didn’t have to stick around, knowing his crew, knowing their trust. He pushed forward with Wilbur, leaving the brave ones who approached them with heavy hits to the head and a tangle of crumpled limbs. Techno spotted the captain’s hat from a distance, recognizing the way they talked to their first mate, and pushed them away just as quickly when their eyes met a second time.

“They’re splittin’,” Techno grunted, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he pushed another sword back. Wilbur ran his blade through a pistol.

“Not a problem,” Wilbur sang with a malicious smile. “Watch your back.”

Techno and Wilbur pushed forward and slipped to different ends of the deck. Techno followed the head of blonde hair and the tricornered rim up to the helm, the sound of blades already fading. Techno knew for a fact that his crew outnumbered this small sailing vessel.

It was a fight to live, and those who could not recognize the hostility of pirates had already dropped to their knees in surrender, others forcefully pinned.

Finally, Techno caught up with the man who commanded this ship, setting eyes on him just as his blade ran through one of Techno’s men.

That was the captain’s first mistake. Techno’s anger fueled his swing down at the captain, who had been expecting the blade, but not the person behind it.

“Shit,” the captain grunted under his breath, recognition sparking in his eyes. Techno didn’t grace him with an introduction. There was no doubt he recognized Techno from the wanted posters, so his swings became more forceful. Not that it mattered. The captain was an excellent swordsman, but it still took only minutes for his grip to falter on the blade, his knuckles nicked with Techno’s sword. The blade dropped, and Techno kicked it aside before swiping at the captain’s chest, cutting through the first layer of skin.

He hissed in pain, though Techno knew it was really only a scratch. It just kept him from moving away as Techno leveled his sword at the man’s neck.

The captain didn’t react, fingers clenching and unclenching before he raised his hands up beside his head.

The ship was quiet, just the waves lapping at the side of the ship and the sails catching wind graced Techno’s ears. Techno pushed the captain down by his shoulder until he was kneeling on the deck with the rest of his crew, sword forced under his chin.

Wilbur opened his mouth to ask what was next but never got the chance.

“You leave my dad alone!” A brave soul shouted. Techno reluctantly turned his attention to the only person of the crew who seemed to be struggling against their assailants, the threat of the blade at their neck not deterrent enough.

It seemed that was because they were a child.

He only had eyes for Techno, an angry stare permanent on his brow as he cussed and struggled against the two pairs of hands holding him back. Techno could see his resemblance to the captain, the halo of blonde hair, the sea-blue eyes.

If he was anything like his father…

“Orders, captain?” Wilbur asked over the sound of the kid, who was getting nasty stares not only from Techno’s crew but his own.

“Shut up,” Fundy hissed at the kid, his hand coming in front of him to try and cover his mouth, but the kid bit down on a finger.

That was something you didn’t see on the ocean very often. Fire.

“Leave the boy,” Techno ordered with a gesture. “Kill the rest.”

Screams filled the air not a moment later, red covering the deck in puddles and streaks. The captain beneath Techno’s blade lurched forward with a cry, calling out to his crew, but was quickly silenced by the blade that dug into his throat, drawing a thin red line.

Techno liked making the captains watch their crew die. The pain in their eyes made a warm feeling bubble up from Techno’s soul… or, at least where it should have been.

The boy was at the point of wailing, helplessly trying to claw forward toward his dad, frustrated tears running down his cheeks. “Dad— Dad, please —” His scrambled words cut off with sobs.

The captain was crying silently, keeping his chin high. “It’s ok, Tommy,” he whispered, just loud enough for the boy to hear from a few feet away. “Stay strong.”

Techno met the captain’s gaze, strangely curious. He couldn’t say he often had experiences with children, much less with fathers. Every child he met was an orphan stowaway or a hired hand who was just in it for the food and blankets at night.

The captain stared at him straight back, weathered blue-grey eyes that assured Techno that his spirit would haunt him for the rest of his days.

Techno had often seen that look of experience and loss in his own eyes, swirling brown into red. He'd watched his gaze harden with time, and his soul disappear. This man had the same look in the opposite way. He had the look of experience and loss, but he had gained sympathy and determination.

Techno glanced at the boy again, who had fallen limp and silent with his tears. Those left who weren’t dead men held the silence in respect for whatever decision Techno may come to.

Techno’s grip tightened on his hilt. The captain closed his eyes.

The thud of a blade striking wood could have been heard for miles, the metal cutting right through the velvet of the captain’s hat and pinning it to the deck.

“Let go of the kid,” Techno ordered swiftly, prying his sword from the wood. The boy didn’t waste a moment, scrambling into his father’s arms while the man shushed him, clutching him tightly back. The captain buried his face into his son’s curls, eyes tightly shut to keep the horrors of the world away.

Techno wasn’t sure what to think of it, and that enough intrigued him.

“Loot the ship,” he ordered those who were standing around. They knew what to do from there, heading below to find anything of value. Wilbur strode quickly to Techno’s side, hesitancy and confusion in his eyes

“Let them have a minute,” Techno gestured behind him with the tilt of his head, ignoring Wilbur’s unspoken questions and keeping his voice low. “And then bring them down to the cells. Don’t separate them, got it?”

“Techno, what—”

Techno cut him off with a stare, and Wilbur bit down on his tongue before grabbing the two people nearest and giving them the orders. Techno walked back over to his ship on the planks his crew had laid between them, watching as the captain kept his son pressed to his side even as he was dragged by his shoulders to the deck below.

Techno gave the order to sink the Navy ship after everything had been brought over. It only took one cannon shot, and the mast began to sink beneath the waves. He stayed until the flag disappeared, the sun following as the stars began to poke out.

Techno turned back to his quarters, ignoring the side eye Wilbur gave him, and resigned for the night.

Chapter Text

A knock on Techno’s door signaled that the night was not yet over.

“Come in,” Techno grunted, not lifting his head up from his journal. The door squeaked open, and Techno knew it was Wilbur just from the sound of his footsteps. Techno didn’t let his pen still as Wilbur edged the door closed, marking down the day’s ordeal in his log as he did every day.

“Techno,” Wilbur started when Techno didn’t so much as look up at him. Techno hummed an acknowledgment, but from his tone, Techno could tell what he was going to say. They could have stopped the conversation before it even began.

“Wil,” Techno greeted after a moment as if he had misunderstood Wilbur’s subtle warning. His first mate had always been like an incoming storm, rolling low over the waves, with flashes of lightning and thunder, but beautiful in a way Techno could never draw his eyes away from.

Wilbur picked up on the gentle sarcasm, his eyes tightening.

“What is it you want, Wilbur?” Techno sighed, flicking his eyes up just for a second to see crossed arms and a pinched expression.

“That captain killed Vikk.”

Techno nodded. He had stood by as the crew recovered his body, his friends giving him the send-off every member of Techno’s crew got when their worst came upon them. It was bad luck, a little too slow with a sword, a little too good of a swordsman. It happened to every pirate eventually.

“He went down valiantly,” Techno sympathized, continuing on with his entry. “He will be remembered.”

Wilbur walked forward a few steps, obviously not liking that answer. “You were supposed to kill the captain.”

Techno hummed, not exactly confirming or denying it, just writing away.

“Tech, why didn’t you kill him?”

Techno looked up for a moment, seeing the storm brewing in Wilbur’s eyes. He always had a quick tongue, and Techno had never berated him for asking questions, as defying as they might seem.

Still, Wilbur knew his place, and Techno would put him there if he had to.

“My ordeals are not open to criticism.” Wilbur shrunk back at the phrase, but the look didn’t edge up from his eyes. “But if you must know, I think that boy could be of good use. I don’t want him broken.”

Wilbur bit down on his cheek. They knew each other well enough by now, Wilbur didn’t even need to speak his words in order for them to exist. “That captain has ages of experience.” Observant , Techno thought to himself. Always too observant, though never drawing connections. “He could break out in a heartbeat.”

“We have his son,” Techno said simply, blowing on the page to let the ink dry. “If the captain gets out of hand, we threaten his son. If the son gets out of hand, we threaten his father.”

Wilbur still remained unconvinced. “You’ve never taken in kids before.”

“Not true,” Techno smirked, “I took you in.”

Wilbur’s mouth dropped open in an offended, though amused shape. “I was nineteen .”

“Child.”

Wilbur huffed, having a hard time hiding his smile. Techno was glad he finally broke through, dating the captain’s log and shutting the leather-bound book with a snap of pages.

“That kid will be of use to us in due time.” Techno opened his drawer to put the book away. “And when he is, I will kill his father.”

Wilbur raised an eyebrow. “Don’t break that, Techno.”

“I don’t plan to,” he agreed, and just like that, the topic dropped.

Wilbur plopped himself into another chair, sprawling his limbs out on the cushion with an easy grin. Techno moved to clear his desk, pushing pens and papers away into drawers. He put his hat and coat on the hook near the door and unclasped the sword from his belt.

“Did you hear that Jack wants to move bunks again?” Wilbur started up, unflinching when Techno took the sword from its sheath and laid it across his desk. “He’s been saying that Connor has been keeping him up all night, he sleeptalks.”

“If Connor keeps pushing away his bunkmates I’ll have him sleep in a hammock in storage,” Techno chuckled, wiping down his blade though he didn’t really get it dirty today. “Isn’t that the third time?”

“He’s only been on the ship for two months!” Wilbur exclaimed with a bright laugh. “And honestly, I don’t even know why you took him in. He was obviously bluffing.”

“I’ve steered my way clear of curses long enough that I no longer wish to take chances,” Techno waved his hand off, sliding his sword back into the sheath and hanging it on the wall. “He could have siren blood, you never know.”

“Oh please, there’s no one on this ship more human than he is.” Wilbur tossed Techno his sword when Techno gestured for it, wiping the blade clean of the day’s work. “Did you see what we got from the Navy ship?”

“I haven’t had the chance,” Techno responded, his curiosity rising a bit. If it wasn’t more than gold and good food, Wilbur wouldn’t have even mentioned it.

“ Maps ,” Wilbur whispered like it was a secret. “Some of the most detailed ocean maps I’ve ever seen. Coral reefs, trenches, uncharted islands— whole lagoons, Techno!”

While the lagoon part was impressive, Wilbur tended to upsell anything that involved geography. Before he was his first mate, Wilbur was Techno’s navigator. He had a knack for remembering random things about places in the ocean and was the quickest reader of the stars out on the seas.

“I’ll have to take a look,” Techno nodded, smiling at Wilbur’s clear look of wonderment. The candle on his desk flickered, almost to its stub. Both of them caught its stutter, glancing out to the window that stared at the open sea and the dark sky.

“I should turn in,” Wilbur sighed, not wanting to but knowing it would hurt him in the morning. “Will you go see the two prisoners in the morning?”

“Yes,” Techno nodded. “I think having time to simmer down there will make the conversation better. I’ll see what I can get out of them.”

“They didn’t go down with any protests.” Wilbur stood from the chair, bouncing on his feet. “I think they’re just happy to be alive.”

“I can’t say I blame them,” Techno chuckled. Wilbur smiled as he moved toward the door, grabbing his blade from out of the air when Techno tossed it over.

“Goodnight, Tech,” Wilbur mocked a salute.

“Goodnight, Wilbur,” Techno rolled his eyes. The door shut tightly behind him, the boat rocking beneath his feet in the pattern he had memorized long ago.

Techno brought his knife out from his coat pocket and added a tally mark to the count above his bed, one for every ship downed under his command, before he blew out the candle at his bedside.

- ⚔︎ -

Tommy had eventually worn himself out crying, settling into an exhausted sleep cradled in Phil’s arms. Tears still leaked from his eyes every so often, his body shivering with the damp chill of the ship’s cells.

Phil had to be grateful for the little things. This was not the worst holding block he’d seen, certainly not the worst he’d been trapped inside. His experience outshone his years, landing him in a number of troubling situations. He was without a ship, his crew’s skeletons laid unresting at the bottom of the sea, but his son was in his arms. Tommy was alive, and that was all he could really hope for.

Still, Phil couldn’t keep the images of his dying crew out of his mind’s eye. He should have gone down with them, with a sword through his skull and a life he could leave behind. The sea would take him with its cold hands, and the world would be still. The captain went down with the ship.

But a father should be there for his son.

He was torn. He knew that he should have been hopeful for his future. The pirates, The Blood God had spared his life and his son’s, but he knew better than to think it was an act of mercy. No, it was an act to break his son, who would probably be let out in time to join the crew and would be forced to kill Phil when the time came. If Tommy got to live and thrive in the way he wanted to, Phil would accept it in due time.

He would accept his life , but he’d be damned if he accepted piracy.

He couldn’t help but hold Tommy closer to him when a door behind them opened. The only light to see by was the candlelight that spilled from under the door and between the cracks of the ceiling, far too little to see by, and so Phil had no idea who had entered their holding.

It seemed they weren’t anyone of real significance because all they did was slide a wooden slab under the bars and walk away.

Just a roll of bread and a cup of water, Phil could tell already. It wouldn’t be enough for one person, let alone two. He would let Tommy have it when he woke, Phil could last a few more days, he didn’t think he was going anywhere.

Hours passed, or perhaps it was just minutes. Phil could hear the swaying of the waves around him, but without any real change, counting the time was futile. Tommy’s chest rose and fell, he squirmed every so often in Phil’s hold, but nothing else changed.

Phil was blinking his eyes open at some point, not even sure if he had fallen asleep. Exhaustion tugged at his body, but he found the strength to hold more tightly to Tommy. He registered the brighter light around him, more lamplight filtering beneath the crack of the door, followed by heavy footfalls.

The door opened. Phil craned his neck to see past Tommy’s curls.

The captain of The Blood God was a legend of a man. Technoblade’s tales had barely escaped across the waves, as no one usually survived encounters with him. He never came to land, and the only people who had seen him were those who had hidden well enough during a raid of their ship and managed to survive the shipwreck. The numbers were few, but each came back with haunting nightmares of a large figure with eyes the color of blood and a well-loved sword at his hip. Technoblade took lives, spared no one, and everyone had been taught to fear the sight of a red Jolly Roger.

The stories and posters failed to mention how his hair was bright pink .

It made him no less intimidating, but Phil didn’t have much left to lose, and he latched onto everything he could just so he could relax in the eyes of the enemy.

“Don’t wake my kid,” was how Phil greeted the legendary pirate captain. It wasn’t hostile, but it wasn’t exactly a friendly way to greet your captor.

Then again, Phil should have gone down with the rest of his crew, which this man gave the order to kill.

“Mm, fine,” Technoblade responded, a rumbling voice like a mimic of the roaring tides. He set down his oil lamp on a burner stand across the wall. “I will talk to him later, but I’m interested in you.” Phil hated the way he was studied. “Your name?”

“Philza.” There was no harm in a name. “Captain of The Wandering Crow .”

“ Former captain,” Technoblade emphasized, much to Phil’s disdain. “And your son.” Phil’s grip tightened. “Tommy, was it?”

Phil swallowed down a bitter comment. “Yes.”

“How old is he?”

“Eleven.”

The captain looked… skeptical.

“And the imperial Navy—Essempi—they just let him tag along?”

Phil huffed out a small laugh, partially caught off guard by the question, though it was an understandable one. “I haven’t seen land since he was born,” Phil only half answered the question, deciding to just explain everything he needed to. “The Navy doesn’t know about him. We were a self-sustaining ship meant to patrol the waters and chart the occasional island. We were due back in three years.”

Technoblade crossed his arms. “Quite the trip,” he commented gruffly.

“Not nearly as long as yours,” Phil leaned his head forward just a bit. “That is if the stories are true.”

“Oh, they’re true,” Technoblade hummed, his hand absentmindedly thumbing over a scar. “Haven’t touched land in my life.”

Phil hummed an acknowledgment. “And what about your parents?”

He raised an eyebrow. “What about them?”

“They’re said to be a god and a siren,” Phil recounted, eyes scanning over the man. Phil thought he would know a half siren when he saw one, and he didn’t look like, nor sound like one. “That is how you lure ships to their deaths,” he told the myth to the very person in it.

“Considering you heard no singing, you can assume that isn’t true,” the captain huffed. “My parents were human, at least from what I was told. They didn’t exactly live long enough for me to remember them.”

Phil frowned. Despite this being a heartless, savage, murdering pirate, Phil was sure that must have had some impact on his early development, and probably one of the factors that let him become a heartless, savage, murdering pirate.

“Why spare me then?” Phil asked, toeing the line between pushing for answers and staying compliant enough to live. “It would be more fitting for someone like you to kill me in front of my son.”

Phil didn’t like the look he received in return, a cold smile with unknown intentions. “It would, wouldn’t it?” Technoblade considered, eyes glancing between Phil and Tommy. Phil put a hand into Tommy’s curls, pressing him close to his chest. “My plans for you aren’t set in stone, Philza, but if your son proves to be a useful hand, perhaps I’d let you live.”

Phil didn’t believe that. “Instead of having him kill me to prove his loyalty?”

One of the pirate’s eyebrows popped up. “Don’t give me ideas you don’t want implemented.”

“I doubt I’ll see the day,” Phil laughed, bitterly, quietly. “With the half portion of food you’re going to force me to give to my son,” Phil gestured to the ration. “I won’t live to see the day Tommy becomes a pirate.”

Technoblade considered him for a moment in cold silence, the sound of the waves lapping somewhere above them being a sound familiar enough to fade into the background.

“I’ll make sure you don’t starve to death, then.” Technoblade tapped his fingers on the tip of his blade before turning toward the door. “Good day, Philza.”

“Fuck you, captain.”

Phil almost thought he saw the pirate’s mouth twitch up in a smile before the door closed, and the room was left in mocking shadow.

Technoblade had left his oil lamp behind.

Chapter Text

The swords came down with a clang , metal sparking as they collided. The blades were thrown at each other, sharp edges swiping through the air and leaving sparks dripping from the metal. Hilts were gripped tightly, with enough flexibility to counter at intricate angles. The flurries painted a picture in the air. Both Wilbur and Techno were smiling.

“You’ve gotten better,” Techno commented vaguely, drawing in close enough to jab Wilbur in the shoulder with his elbow. “You haven’t lost in the first thirty seconds.”

“Dick,” Wilbur spat, though his smile gleamed. “This is supposed to be an honorable duel.” Wilbur ground his teeth at the next parry. “No trash-talking.”

“There’s no honor in practice,” Techno returned, far less out of breath than his counterpart, and not nearly as focused on the weight at which he swung his blade. “Practice is for learning.” Techno swung down at his knees, making Wilbur jump over the blade since he couldn’t move away fast enough. Techno took the opportunity, grabbing Wilbur’s collar with his off hand and flinging him to the deck, where he landed with a thud. “And you are still shit.”

Wilbur groaned, though more out of annoyance. “You said you wouldn’t trash talk during spars anymore.”

“I complimented you,” Techno smirked, offering his first mate a hand. Wilbur took it gratefully, pulling himself to his feet.

“You said I was shit.”

Techno huffed out a laugh. “I said that after I won.”

Wilbur dropped his jaw in mild disbelief before gaining his wits and throwing a punch. Techno blocked it and swept Wilbur’s feet out from underneath him.

“I don’t understand how you do it,” Wilbur sighed from where he was lying on the deck again, not even bothering to rise. “I haven’t lost a duel since I was nineteen except to you.”

“Yes,” Techno agreed. “In that department, you’ve never won.”

“I will.” Wilbur jabbed a finger at him. “I will one day.”

“Maybe when I am dead, Wilbur.”

Wilbur spluttered, grabbing for Techno’s arm to try and pull him down. Techno rolled his eyes at the action, his stance not even moving. Wilbur gripped harder, actually pulling himself up in the process, trying to push Techno down by his shoulders.

“Where the fuck is your center of balance?” Wilbur pushed and prodded at him like cattle, shaking him when it got too frustrating.

“In the heels,” Techno grinned, sweeping his leg back. Wilbur didn’t stand a chance, landing flat on his face. “Where yours should be.”

“You’re infuriating,” Wilbur groaned, flipping Techno off. “I’m done, all I’ve done is land on my ass this whole time.”

“It took you more than thirty seconds, though.”

“Oh fuck you—”

Techno let out a hearty laugh, sheathing his sword so he could lean against the railing and wait for Wilbur to recover. Wilbur did eventually pull himself to his feet with a lot of extra mumbling, settling at Techno’s side and placing his head on Techno’s broad shoulder.

“It’s supposed to be a full moon tonight,” Wilbur muttered, watching the ocean tides pull the boat along and splash along the sides. “We have a decent haul from the Navy ship. We should celebrate.”

Techno hummed, thinking about it as he twisted his braid between his fingers. They did have a decent amount of food, some that would go bad within a few days or so; Techno had gotten the supply list that morning. His crew had always loved to party, and they seemed almost nocturnal with the way they sang under the moon.

“If this is one of your plots to get me drunk enough to dance, Wilbur, I’m not interested.”

Wilbur chuckled, but from the way he didn’t whine, the suggestion seemed genuine enough. “It’ll be fun, Tech. I’ll even sit with you up in the crow’s nest.”

That got Techno’s attention. Despite the two being close, Wilbur never really was one for listening to old stories about the stars that made up the sky. He saw them more as a tool for navigation and cared much less about the constellations they belonged to.

Techno, though, adored the stories of fallen heroes, placed up in the stars, or of the gods that made them shimmer. It was one of the older traditions they had. When one couldn’t sleep, the other would accompany them to the crow's nest and would share their side of the tale for the stars. Techno remembered the long-winded explanations of where each of the stars pointed to, the lands that resided there that Wilbur one day wanted to visit.

Techno had long since accepted that he would never make those journeys with him. He had never felt the urge to set foot on grass, to not have the ocean mist in the air or the sea breeze follow him everywhere. This was home, why would he leave it?

“You promise you’ll sit with me? Actually listen to me?”

Wilbur smirked. “I’m not that bad of a friend, am I?”

Techno rolled his eyes, though a smile crossed his face. “Just take it easy on the alcohol.”

Wilbur pumped a fist up in the air with an excited exclamation and ran off with a quick goodbye to set up and get people ready. Techno watched him go with a warm feeling, a blossom in his chest.

His mind, left with no other real distractions, wandered to the two people below.

Philza, a Navy captain, was far too experienced to have been chartering all his life. He must have done something before he was just an explorer, something that gave him both his skill in sword fighting and his quick tongue. He wondered how well of a politician he might have been, managing to get Techno both interested in what he had to say and enjoying his words despite being part of Techno’s born hatred for the Navy.

His words made him seem like he knew the worst of pirates, but the way he held himself was almost casual, not afraid to comfort his child even in the eyes of danger.

It was something far too easy to exploit.

He had no true plan for Tommy. He didn’t know whether he was going to wait the child out, see how long it took until hatred became boredom with the same room and same person all day, or if he wanted to make a good impression and solidify some doubt in his mind that pirates were disgusting, murderous monsters.

All he knew was that Tommy would make a great person to keep the name of The Blood God alive. With his father’s teachings, Techno’s guidance, and Wilbur’s quick wit leading him, he’d be the best pirate on the seas in no time.

First, he had to convince both Tommy and Wilbur.

Maybe all the kid needed was to see pirates in a different light. Moonlight .

Techno smiled and made his way down to his quarters to prepare for a night unlike Tommy had ever seen.

- ⚔︎ -

Techno heard whispers as he pushed open the door to the cell block, keeping the key to the actual cell tight in the grip of his hand so it wouldn’t be seen. His footsteps trailed over the floorboards, and the voices dispersed as he settled across the wall from the metal bars.

The kid was awake this time, narrowing his eyes with a deep scowl, putting his arms out in front of his father like he was shielding him.

“Good evenin’, Tommy,” Techno greeted, much to the kid’s disdain. “The crew is about to have dinner, care to join us?”

“Over my dead body.”

The phrase caught Techno so off guard that he laughed, stifling the sound quickly, but not the smile. Philza seemed to loosen up behind the boy a little bit, minorly amused.

“What’s wrong with a bit of food?” Techno raised an eyebrow, gesturing to the door casually. The boy’s gaze traveled to what he could see of the room next door but kept his scowl.

“You’re— you’re going to take me out to hurt Dad!” Tommy shouted, pointing to the wall behind Techno. Techno’s confusion took hold of his expression as he looked behind him.

Sure enough, there were slightly rusted chains, rope, and a whip resting on the wooden wall. Techno honestly could not remember the last time he had used a whip for anything, nor where the crew even got it from. The cells hadn’t been used very often, Techno nor his crew were very fond of prisoners, so the whip could have been there from a cache of weapons they had picked up and placed down here for convenience.

Tommy had been staring at that wall all day. It was sound thinking.

“I’m not goin’ to hurt you or your dad, kid,” Techno cleared up, shaking his head.

“Well— Dad said you’re going to try and corrupt me!”

Techno couldn’t deny that one, not that he counted it as ‘corruption.’ “I’m just tryin’ to offer some hospitality,” Techno shrugged, moving toward the door. “But suit yourself.” He wasn’t going to beg Tommy to come with him, he’d get bored of the same for walls eventually.

“Wait!” Philza called out, which got Techno to stop in the doorway. The former captain tugged his son close, whispering some things into his ear. Tommy’s hardened expression became a little softer as he listened, eyes filling with determination.

“But I don’t want to be with a bunch of pirates ,” he still complained, but with a far smaller voice. “They’re murderers .”

“Go get some food, Tommy,” Philza still urged. “Keep up your strength. Go see what’s left of the ship .”

Techno caught the emphasis immediately, and it seemed so did Tommy. Tommy, however, tried to hide it, crossing his arms with a sort of faked scowl, though this time he was truly considering. If Techno was as dumb as a sea cucumber, maybe he wouldn’t have picked up on Phil’s stress on the words, suggesting that Tommy could search the ship to find a way out.

There was no way out. They were on a ship that never touched land, and Techno was certain Phil wasn’t as stupid as to think that getting out on the open ocean with nothing was any better than staying in a cell beneath the planks of a pirate ship.

But Tommy, all of eleven years old, didn’t know that.

“Fine,” Tommy grumbled. “I’ll go.”

Techno smirked, twirling the key around his finger before he stuck it in the lock. Tommy shuffled out once the door was open, and Phil hung back on the bare mattress, not making any attempt to move.

Once Techno had locked the cell again, he offered Tommy his hand. The kid refused by stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking to the side. Techno gestured him to follow without too much bitterness, leading him through the ship’s halls and trap doors until they reached the top deck.

The sun was almost set, and the deck was lively, mostly thanks to Wilbur. The first mate was striking his guitar strings with movements so fast his hand was just a blur in the air. The strings rang out with his voice and wove the melody over the crowd. It was a song everyone had heard plenty of times before, on other nights with a full moon, and so others were singing along and making general fools of themselves.

Tommy was timid at Techno’s side, shoes scuffing against the wood as Techno nudged him forward. Tommy flinched but seemed to just be taking in the scene, trying to discern where the threats were among the crew of twenty. His eyes were wide, shoulders hunched in like he was expecting an attack.

“Food’s over there,” Techno told him, gesturing over the few barrels holding up what was gathered from the recent haul, all food Tommy had probably seen before. It got a part of him to relax, with it being familiar, and he made a wide birth around all the action to get to the food.

It wasn’t a feast, but it was a little fancier, a little more than usual, and everyone was enjoying it. As always, the alcohol came out quickly, and the deck got wilder by the second. Wilbur was playing his heart away on the strings, grinning from ear to ear.

Tommy sat by the steps up to a higher deck, trying to decide between eating slowly to savor it all, or eating quickly and getting out of this pirate-filled nightmare. A few people gave the boy cautious looks, always quick to look to Techno, who kept away from the rum to watch the kid. But there were a few that had enough to drink and approached anyone they could to have a conversation. If looks could kill, Techno would be down several crew members already, but he didn’t intervene until the kid made eye contact with him.

Techno raised a brow in response. Tommy looked about ready to murder him, even if all of Eret’s questions were plenty friendly.

“Technoblade,” the kid hissed, trying to push himself further into the corner of the stairs. Techno’s mouth twitched up.

“What was that?” Techno mocked, averting his eyes, which just pissed the kid off more.

“Technoblade, get this fucking— I don’t want to talk to people.”

Techno knew Eret wasn’t dumb, they would recognize the phrase go away , which the kid had been repeating after every question they asked. It was quite apparent to Techno that they were just playing along.

“Mm, I don’t respond to that name on deck,” Techno hummed, scanning his eyes over the deck.

“The fuck…” Tommy muttered, clearly not meaning for Techno to hear. Techno was honestly impressed by the kid’s use of curses, having not heard any since the first night. Maybe it was Philza that dissuaded that behavior.

“So, Tommy,” Eret nudged him again. Tommy flinched so hard he could have jumped right overboard. “What position of the crew would you take over if you were, you know, still part of the Navy ship?”

It was then that Tommy realized what Techno wanted. Techno almost laughed at the silence from him, trying to distract himself with the change in tune from Wilbur’s guitar. Some of the crew cheered.

“ Technoblade ,” Tommy hissed even harsher. Yes, it was clear to even Tommy now that Eret was playing along.

Techno ignored him.

“Fucking hell…” Tommy dragged a hand down his face. “ Captain. ”

Techno’s head turned, just like that. Tommy had his full attention, and Tommy did not look pleased, but he did finally look relieved.

“Get ‘em to leave me alone.” Tommy crossed his arms, and Eret almost had a moment to look offended, though it was clear they didn’t expect anything different.

Techno sighed. “You heard the kid, Eret. There will be other days for interrogations.”

They chuckled softly, tilting an imaginary hat to Tommy before they departed, moving back to the lively deck once again. Tommy let his head hit the back of the stairs, eyes slipping close with relief and pent-up frustration.

“You are not my captain,” Tommy said as plain as day, venom spewing from his words. “And I refuse to call you that.”

Techno only shrugged. “You’ll learn your place eventually,” he said, pushing himself up from where he was leaning against the railing. “You’re a smart kid.”

“Not a kid,” Tommy spat, turning away. Techno almost made a second remark, but his attention was called away.

“Tech!” Wilbur was waving him over. Techno reluctantly walked over, Wilbur’s smile brighter than the full moon. “Play a song or two with me.”

“I have a charge tonight,” Techno protested, glancing back at the eleven-year-old, whose eyes were narrowed. “Can’t get distracted.”

“No fun,” Wilbur rolled his eyes, pulling Techno the rest of the way toward the bench situated at the base of the mast. “Have someone else watch him for a couple minutes. The crew wants to dance.”

Techno got… just a little bit of an idea.

He waved Niki over, and she listened to his short instructions, nodding along, and then walking over to where the kid was sitting.

With a sigh, Techno pulled out his violin from where Wilbur had already brought it out, testing the strings beneath his fingers. They bounced along the fingerboard, situating themselves in a familiar place. With a quick look from Wilbur, he drew his bow across, playing out the first few notes.

Wilbur smiled, bringing his hand up.

They moved in time, bouncing between note exchanges and playing over each other’s additions. The pace began to pick up, Techno plucking between the silences. A few others started to hum, and Techno couldn’t hold back a smile as it grew, rhythm humming beneath the boards of the ship.

Techno started the bridge. The ship erupted.

Cheers were followed by shoes clicking against the wood, bouncing in time. They were laughing, friends spinning each other around. Techno’s bow was moving as fast as his heart, and though he could never remember the first time he picked up this instrument, he remembered the feeling like the rocking of his ship.

It only got better when, during the second song, Niki managed to drag over a little boy to where everyone was dancing.

The ocean was alive, that was always apparent, but it was never the same when the music rolled over the water. The moon seemed to amplify it beyond the heavens, and the world stopped for just a few moments to listen.

Wilbur’s voice broke through Techno’s notes to sing the verses, and others joined in, a song they all knew well. People were spinning through their haze, it was glorious. Techno wondered why he would have hesitated at the mention of it, he loved his crew and he loved these outbursts of energy, it was just a bit overwhelming.

The kid had no such qualms. He had completely forgotten where he was, spinning and laughing as Niki dragged him along to the time of the music, a smile wide on her face. Those who hadn’t joined in, which was very few, were clapping with their drinks raised high in the air.

It was like a siren song had enchanted the ship, but it was just Techno and his crew, hearts of steel and souls nothing but charred remains, but just as human as anyone else. With humanity came the pleasures of life, and that included the indefinability of making a fool of yourself and enjoying it.

When the music stopped, four or five songs later, the pirates lept up into cheers. Techno set down his instrument, rolling out his shoulders. He almost moved toward the rum, but the little bob of blonde hair slipping away was enough of a deterrent.

The moon was high in the sky, and Tommy seemed done with picking over the food. He eyed the netting that acted as the way up to the crow’s nest, but Techno didn’t need a kid to break their neck trying to get up there without any daylight.

Tommy’s scowl returned as Techno approached, but he had no intention of teasing him anymore tonight. “Would you like to turn in?”

Tommy considered it, not leaping to the idea immediately, but it was clear he was both exhausted and humiliated by the fact that he had actually been roped into the festivities.

“Yes,” Tommy said surely, but his eyes wouldn’t go higher than Techno’s chest.

Techno placed a hand on his shoulder, receiving another violent flinch in return, but his grip stayed firm and he had no other intentions but to lead Tommy back below deck to his father.

“Did you have fun?” Techno spoke when they had descended a level, a genuine question rather than one in a mocking tone.

“No,” Tommy retaliated, though it was far too quick to be of any real truth. Techno hummed an acknowledgment, walking him down another level.

“We’ll invite you again, then,” Techno said sarcastically, though he had no intention of leaving Tommy out of any crew festivities, not if Tommy was meant to get accustomed to the crew.

They walked into the cell block, and Tommy didn’t waste a moment after the door was open before he was flinging himself into his father’s arms, the captain holding him tightly back.

Techno locked the cell door, fully intending to leave as soon as it was done, but Philza looked up.

“What were you all doing up there?”

He expected Tommy to answer, but he stayed quiet.

“We had some extra food from the lootin’ of your ship, and it’s a full moon tonight,” Techno explained. “We have some fun every so often. Music, food, dancin’,” he listed off. “Rum.”

Philza chuckled. “Wouldn’t be pirates without rum, huh?”

“You take me for an uncultured pirate?” Techno smiled. “It’s part of the deal. Kill people, steal, like treasure, and drink.”

“Meant you no offense, mate,” Philza hummed. “Just curious.”

Techno scoffed and didn’t say anything more as he left. He knew Tommy had fun, despite what he said, and it seemed that even Phil was warming up to the inside of his cell.

He seemed to know what he was doing after all.

Chapter Text

The thundering boom that roared across the waves was always an unwelcome surprise when it found the territory of The Blood God .

The heavy storms on the ocean tended to last hours, rather than the feeble minutes that they usually took over land. Raindrops pelted in large bursts, and sometimes pebbles of hail accompanied the torrential rains. Thunder and lighting made their rivalry known as they dueled for the title of the most obnoxious element of nature.

Techno couldn’t say he hated it, but he certainly didn’t love it. The less experienced crewmates always struggled to hold their balance as they took the ropes and lowered the ship’s canvas mast. The feeling of fabric sticking to your skin was something Techno would never hear the end of from Wilbur, not to mention the bailing of water from the lower levels that would inevitably follow.

Wilbur, this time, was at the helm, battling with the rudder and giving it just enough leeway so that it didn’t snap from the tension. That was at least what Wilbur claimed, but everyone could tell that it was not the sturdy wood of the rudder that would go first, but Wilbur’s lanky bones that would snap in its place if he were to hold it.

The rain poured down heavily, slipping under surfaces and making them slick. Some did their best with the sandbags, lining them to any unsealed crate or slightly loose door. They never were perfect, they were pirates after all, but it kept the ship from flooding and Techno had never had the crew fail him before.

He gritted his teeth and waited out the storm with the others stuck in the rain in solidarity. He’d make the shifts switch out every hour so no one was at risk of sickness—stars above knew how much they didn’t need that spreading right now. The rest barricaded themselves below, and Techno kept his grip tight as the storm raged on, uncaring of anyone in its path.

Techno supposed that if the storm did care, his ship would be a primary target.

Niki pushed herself to the top deck a few hours in, approaching Techno with those sea-glass eyes of hers, beautiful and round, but could cut deep when she wanted to.

“Some storage and the cells are flooded,” she raised her voice over the storm. “Nothing too serious, but we will need to bail when it all dies down.”

“Are the prisoners ok?” Techno asked her in return. He stared unforgivingly at the sky when the thunder covered up his voice, causing him to repeat himself.

Niki pursed her lips when she finally heard what he was trying to say. “The kid is a little shaken, but his father is calming him down.”

“Make sure they know it’s being handled.” Techno turned back toward the sea, the raging waves causing their little speck of driftwood among the ocean to bob dangerously, waves splashing over the sides. He was freezing, every part of him was soaked to the bone, but he refused to let himself shiver.

“Sir,” Niki tried to get his attention again. It was almost unexpected, Techno looking back with a skeptical eye. “If I may, why are the prisoners of any concern?”

“This is not a conversation to be havin’ right now, is it?” Techno asked over the rumbling and sparks of the sky. Niki kept her eyes trained on his. “We’re pirates, Niki. Not monsters.”

“They’re prisoners.” She waited for a bout of thunder to pass. “And we murdered their entire crew.”

“Are you questionin’ my motives?”

Niki was a perfect pirate. She cared deeply about those she loved, and was resourceful and smarter than the rest of his crew combined, but lacked in the ‘human decency’ department when there was nothing in it for her or the crew.

She was still more unwilling than Wilbur to press the limits, however.

“No, sir.”

Techno wished it could be easier. He saw something in the kid, dammit, and he wasn’t just going to let it go. It was just so unlike him that his crew had begun questioning if it was still his brain controlling his body.

“You should return below,” Techno dismissed her. “Thank you for your help.”

Techno should be thankful that his crew didn’t follow orders blindly, that they had wills and wit and were willing to question what the world threw at them. Watching Niki return below, however, he wished they could see what he did.

There was something special about all of this. He was determined to show them such.

-⚔︎-

When the storm did die, Techno repaired what he could, assigned posts to who could take them, and bailed some of the water himself, though most of it just had to be mopped up with a cloth and laid to dry.

He was exhausted by the end, still human in every right of it, and his body was reminding him. He hid away for just a few minutes, changing into dry clothes and letting himself shiver into the fur of his cape until his body had warmed itself up enough to pull itself together.

Techno ate a little and then descended the layers of his ship to visit the two prisoners. It had become a daily endeavor, an extra chore with a bit more taunting involved. Tommy was still just as held back, and Philza was still just as nonchalant about it all, but Techno enjoyed it. Things would get easier between them, he was sure, and then he could properly get Tommy settled with the rest of the crew.

The duo seemed just a little damp, the edges of Philza’s hair sticking to his face. Tommy was asleep in his arms again, Philza’s overcoat draped over his shoulders like a blanket. Philza himself was pressed into the corner, his eyes partially lidded.

It set off bells in Techno’s mind.

“Philza,” Techno greeted, coming right up to the bars of the cell rather than standing back with his oil lamp. “Have you eaten anything?”

It had been four days. If he hadn’t—

“I will be fine for a few more days,” Philza waved off. Tommy shifted in his arms but remained asleep. He closed his eyes to lean into Tommy’s curls, embracing the warmth. “As long as Tommy—”

“I am not lettin’ you starve yourself,” Techno cut him off, already lifting the lid of a barrel in the adjacent room. He pulled out some bread and salted fish. “There is no need to push your limits.”

“I’m completely fine,” Philza protested. “Tommy is the one that needs food, he’s still growing.”

Techno threw it down onto the wooden slab that adorned every other of their meals. He pushed it into the cell, fully expecting Philza to at least consider its existence.

He eyed it with disdain and averted his gaze.

“Why are you refusing to eat?” Techno demanded. His voice was not forceful, but it was plenty demanding. Philza stayed silent as he kept his gaze trained on the wall. “You don’t intend to kill yourself, do you?”

From the lack of recoil at the phrase, Techno could heavily assume that what he had accused was exactly Philza’s plan.

“It would be easier,” he muttered in return, but his hands tightened around Tommy’s body, keeping him close. “A captain is meant to go down with his ship.”

“Yet, you and your son were spared.” Techno gestured outward. Tommy stirred, and Techno wondered how Philza got his idea of self-starvation past the eleven-year-old who clearly wouldn’t let him go. “You are not meant to die, Philza, or I would have killed you.”

His gaze finally traveled up to meet Techno’s, that weathered, grey gaze of his hardening dangerously. “You are to turn my son against me,” he spat with venom. “Create a murderer out of an angel. Is it only then that am I allowed to die, Technoblade? You plan to get rid of me when you feel like it?” Under Techno’s equally heavy stare, he turned away. “I will die on my own terms, Blood God, and that will not be after I am forced to watch you corrupt my son with your devilish followings.”

Techno was taken aback by the weight of that statement. Philza was so against the idea of watching his son become a pirate that he would kill himself just to avoid it?

“Do you believe that is all we are?” Techno crossed his arms. “That all pirates are murderers and villains?”

“It’s certainly most of it.”

Techno’s jaw solidified to stone. “You believe by me recruitin’ your son that he too will become a monster?”

Philza’s voice was level, cold. “I wish to avoid the day he becomes ignorant to it.” 

Techno was considering taking back that plate now and letting Philza suffer the way he intended.

He decided, instead, to reason, to let a bit of his mask slip and let the porcelain rest in the sea floor’s sand. “I am not all that my legends say I am,” Techno admitted to the cell and the singular person awake to hear it. “I do not spare lives easily, yes, and I find pride in spilling blood, but I care for my crew. If someone wishes to be part of my crew and does not want to kill, I do not force them to.”

Was he a killer? Yes. Did everyone on his ship have to be? No. Absolutely not.

“Yet, they are friends with killers,” Philza shut his eyes, breathing in the damp smell of the saltwater on wooden boards. “If that is what Tommy is destined for, so be it, but I will not live to see another son of mine become a monster.”

Techno considered Philza and his sleeping son for a long moment before departing. He left the food on the floor and assumed he would return to find it gone, but not eaten by the former captain.

His walk back to his quarters was quiet. The moon had risen enough to tempt the night dwellers to turn in. All that was left on top were the helmsman and the scout for the night, but he didn’t acknowledge either of them before entering his space. The door hadn’t even closed behind him before he was slipping off his cape and hanging it on its hook.

He was more than a little surprised to see Wilbur sitting in the chair specifically placed for him. Techno took a moment to still but just pushed through the abnormality to get to his desk. He hadn’t yet filled his log for the day.

“What’s got to you?” Wilbur questioned with a mocking tone of voice, but his smile slipped when Techno didn’t answer. His pen scratched against yellowed paper. “Tech?”

“Don’t worry about it,” Techno brushed his concern away. How long had the storm gone on for? Six hours?

“Were you with the prisoners?” Wilbur wouldn’t let it be dropped. “Did that bastard of a captain say something to you?”

“It’s not of any concern.” Techno ground his teeth together. He had to remember the details of the day, but it was just Philza cycling through his head, weathered, wise grey eyes chiseling a dent into Techno’s mind.

“I think it is, Techno,” Wilbur said with a click of his tongue. “You speak like a prick when you’re mad.”

Techno couldn’t say he ever noticed.

“The former captain isn’t eating.” Techno forced the words out. “That’s all.”

Wilbur sucked in air through his teeth. “He wants out that bad? He’s willing to kill himself over staying there?”

“He doesn’t wish— want to see Tommy become a pirate.” Techno gave up on writing, setting down his pen and rubbing at his eyes. “He’s convinced himself that he’s supposed to die.”

“I mean, he is,” Wilbur shrugged. “He’s not wrong. You’re going to kill him afterward.”

Techno was supposed to kill him afterward. Philza was only leverage for Tommy. But the knowledge behind those eyes was untapped.

“Techno?” Wilbur leaned forward. “You are going to kill him.” It wasn’t really a question, but there was that hint, waiting for Techno to confirm it.

Techno only sighed. “I can’t be sure yet. Not until we have Tommy.”

“Tech—”

“I know, Wil,” Techno shot him a glare. “Can you trust that I can make a singular choice without bein’ questioned at every turn? I realize this is unusual, but I’d like to be trusted by my own crew that I know what I’m doing.”

Wilbur kept his mouth shut, looking off to the side. His hardened look was so much like Philza’s, he had so much left to say and no point in saying it.

“Goodnight,” he said instead, getting up from the seat. Techno felt bad, but he knew there wasn’t going to be a consensus tonight or the following nights. It was better to end it here when they both had a decent amount of time to sleep.

“Goodnight, Wil,” Techno replied, though it was much more quiet. Wilbur still flashed him a small smile on his way out, closing the door behind him.

Techno finished his captain's log and retreated into his bunk, rubbing at his temple and trying to get his head to rest.

It didn’t come easily or gently, but he succumbed to the drifting of his ship across the sea eventually.

Chapter Text

Techno woke the next morning with a pounding headache.

It happened occasionally, though Techno had to express his disdain for the days. Whenever the sky was grey and the water was deep the world would spite him and force a hammer to pound at his skull until he couldn’t stomach getting up. It was a result of his past injuries and pushing himself too far, or that was at least what he was told.

Techno would swear that it was direct intervention from the stars, keeping him down so he didn’t do something he would have if he had his full range of motion.

Wilbur was familiar with these days. The moment Techno wasn’t up and out the door at sunrise, Wilbur would ease the door open to his quarters and assess the scene. Once he had confirmation that Techno was taking the day to rest, he assumed Techno’s position and did whatever the sea forced him to.

Wilbur eased the door open ten minutes after sunrise and made his way over to Techno’s bedside.

“Bad day?” He asked softly. Techno appreciated the concern, but it always made him feel patronized. He wasn’t some ancient captain that needed to be watched, he just… had been at war with the world for too long and was paying the price.

“Hat’s on the wall,” Techno gestured, rubbing at his temple. “There shouldn’t be much to do today.”

“Just the normal rounds,” Wilbur agreed, walking over to take the tricornered hat that Techno loved dearly off its hook. “Can I wear the cape?”

“No.” Techno rolled his eyes because Wilbur was too intimidated to wear it anyway, but he did love to ask. In reality, Techno didn’t think he’d look all that bad in it. Maybe a different color would suit him better.

Wilbur gently took the red feather out of the hat, the one that symbolized Techno’s experience and his superiority on the ship. Wilbur knew the tradition among pirates, and as the stand-in, he couldn’t rightfully wear the feather.

“Let me know if you need anythin’,” Techno told him, letting his head rest back on its pillow again. The few seconds he couldn’t find the will to open his eyes again were a blessing, but he still cracked them open again to watch Wilbur leave.

He looked so natural in that damn hat. It hurt his soul that he’d never be able to see Wilbur wear it full-time. Techno had too much pride to let it go, and Wilbur wouldn’t dare separate a man from his hat.

Wilbur would wear it eventually, and that was what let Techno sleep at night.

“I’ll check back in at lunch,” Wilbur smiled as he pulled the door open. “Take it easy.”

And then he was gone.

Techno sighed as he rolled over so that his back was facing the door. He watched the clouds drift by from his window and waited for his exhaustion to seep in again as it always did. He was never without it for very long.

He woke again at lunch, just minutes before Wilbur came in through the door again. Wilbur raised a brow at him, and Techno shook his head. He couldn’t stomach lunch right now.

Wilbur sat down at his side anyway. “Jack kicked Connor out last night.”

Techno scoffed. They had seen it coming, and Jack had come to him to see if Connor could be moved. Again. Techno had asked him to wait another week. It apparently hadn’t lasted that long.

“Where’d he take refuge?” Techno moved to sit up in his bunk. It head swam, but he managed.

“In the armory,” Wilbur said between a laugh. “Said he woke up hugging a barrel of gunpowder.”

“If Connor can sleep on the floor he should continue sleeping on the floor,” Techno leaned against the wall with a smile.

“Jack has already started a petition to make him a hammock just to get him out of the bunks.” Techno liked how much his crew didn’t rely on him.

“Well, if that goes through, maybe I can pull some strings and get you your own cabin.” Wilbur’s eyes lit up. “If you’re interested at all, that is.”

“Don’t fucking mock me, Techno,” Wilbur hissed lightheartedly. “Stars… Charlie’s not a bad bunkmate but he does weird stuff with his space.”

“If only this ship was a little larger…” Techno hummed, though he liked his ship. It was just big enough to hold all of the people he needed to take over decent-sized Navy ships but small enough that he wasn’t overwhelmed by all of the resources required to take care of them.

“I’m going to fucking sign that petition.” Wilbur got out of his chair. “And start making a hammock.”

“Check on the prisoners while you’re at it, please?” Techno asked, moving over to his desk. Maybe he could read through a few of his logs while he had the time.

“Why?” Techno wasn’t expecting a response, his eyes shooting over. “I mean, they don’t need to be visited every day, right? Isn’t Sam feeding them?”

“See if the captain’s eaten yet.” It wasn’t exactly why Techno wanted him to be checked on, but it would work for Wilbur, at least.

Wilbur sighed, “Aye, captain.”

“Don’t look so disappointed,” Techno called with mild amusement. “I think you’ll like the kid.”

“Sure,” Wilbur huffed. “I’ll be back.”

He closed the door behind him, and Techno took out his log book, hoping to read at least a few entries before his pounding head stopped him.

Wilbur returned with a deep scowl, which was more than Techno was expecting.

“He’s still not eating,” Wilbur closed the door with a heavy thud. “And he didn’t have an ounce of respect in him.”

Techno’s lips threatened to tug downward. “Well, yes, he’s a prisoner and his entire ship and crew are gone. He doesn’t think very highly of us.”

“I felt like forcing the bread down his throat,” Wilbur collapsed into the chair. Techno’s gaze traveled to the hat on his head, an unfamiliar warm feeling always surfacing when he looked at it. “He should know that badmouthing will just get him and his kid a layer deeper in the ship.”

That made Techno laugh, as there was no level of the ship deeper than the cells and the storage around it.

“I have a feelin’ you threatened him,” Techno glanced up from his desk. His headache had cleared significantly, and he’d managed to stay at his desk cleaning up his logs. “Unprovoked, most likely. And so he did it back.”

“I threatened to make him eat,” Wilbur crossed his arms. “Like you would have.”

Techno raised an eyebrow. “I thought you knew me, Wil.”

“You do it all the time!” Wilbur tossed his hands up into the air. Unlike most times, the sarcasm wasn’t translating. “There was a captain in our cell six months ago, and you would threaten him daily until we tied him to a mast in the middle of the ocean.”

“There’s a difference between keepin’ them around to suffer and keepin’ them around because I can get somethin’ out of them.” Techno leaned back in his chair. “That captain knows more about the sea than he lets on, and I’m curious.”

Wilbur scoffed. “What? You think he has more time on the sea than you?”

“Not more time,” Techno tapped his thumb. “He’s seen more than I have.”

“And you can tell?”

Those eyes of the captain were something Techno had seen in his own gaze. The painful knowledge held deep down at the pit of your soul, the stars punishing you for simply knowing it. There were things that Techno had seen before that he knew most hadn’t. He’d met a mermaid, survived crossing with a siren, and hacked a tentacle off a Kraken.

Philza had seen more. Done more. Techno wanted to know what.

Those that had been cursed by the stars would know another.

“I can tell,” Techno confirmed. “His eyes look like mine.”

He didn’t expect Wilbur to know what he meant, and Wilbur brushed it off instead of pressing for more information. He took the hat off of his head, which Techno mourned, and put the feather back.

“He reminds me of my father,” Wilbur started, running his finger over the rim of the hat. “He’s determined as hell not to let anything shape his way of life, would kill himself just to do it, and won’t mention the past for the life of him.”

Techno tilted his head a bit. “Is that where you get your stubbornness from?”

Wilbur smiled, brushing the hair away from his face. He’d matured since Techno had found him, clinging to the scattered wreckage of a downed ship. Techno had met Wilbur after he had abandoned his father, sailing the seas on a separate pirate ship until it was defeated by the Navy. Wilbur and Niki were the only survivors that Techno managed to find when they came across the wreckage, they said they escaped by staying underneath the water for hours, hopping from air pocket to air pocket left in the underbelly of the ship.

It was one of the reasons Techno had decided to keep them at all instead of throwing them out at the next uninhabited island they came across. Stubborn, quick-witted, and determined as hell pirates that would kill to keep their place.

“My dad was quite the stubborn man,” Wilbur hummed, pulling his hair back with a distant look. “He was a Navy lieutenant that had managed to bring me along. And it was cool for the first few months, sure, but once I had been on there for three years I was so sick of the water.” Wilbur chuckled to himself. “I left on a pirate’s ship at seventeen; they’d promised to take me back to land after I worked for them for a bit. We sank before that happened.”

Techno looked at him skeptically. Sure, he’d heard the story before, and Wilbur was a gifted storyteller, but the new details didn’t line up. “You left your Navy ship after three years to go with pirates so they could bring you to land… but you stayed with them for two more years?”

Wilbur’s smile flickered and died. “I found out it wasn’t the ocean I was bored with.” Wilbur prodded at Techno with his eyes. “If that wasn’t obvious enough. I’m still here, after all.”

“That you are,” Techno smiled to get the mood back up. Wilbur’s hostility dropped away.

“I do miss land sometimes,” Wilbur said with a flutter of his eyelids, letting his eyes close. “You’ve never smelled a flower before, Techno, I don’t know how you live.”

“I have the salt in the air,” Techno waved off. “I don’t need anything more.”

“But flowers , Tech.”

Techno chuckled. “I’m sorry I found you, then.” Wilbur’s mouth dropped open at the tone. “I hope you aren’t too mad about bein’ alive.”

“Oh please, you’d be dead five times over if I didn’t have your back.”

Techno threw a pen at him. “Technoblade never dies. That’s slander.”

Wilbur threw it back. “Bitch, admit I’ve saved your life at least once.”

Techno could think of many times, but he faked his look of consideration. “Mm, no, I don’t think so.”

Wilbur threw his head back and laughed, and Techno joined suit when he couldn’t hold it in much longer. He took his hat off the desk after the conversation dulled and placed it back on its hook. He’d be back in action again tomorrow.

“Think I could stay here for the night?” Wilbur asked with no worry at all about being rejected. “Charlie will be organizing his bones right about now.”

Techno rolled his eyes. “Grab a pillow.”

They kept each other company until they both eventually passed out, Wilbur curled up on the floor in a blanket and pillow right at the edge of Techno’s cut-out bed in the wall.

Techno couldn’t wish for a better first mate. Wilbur was everything a friend could be and more.

Chapter Text

Techno woke up before the sun, which meant he was the first one to see the rising flag on the horizon.

The calluses on his palm gripped a rope, checking the sails with the rest of the early morning crew. The flag in the distance was a normal Jolly Rodger, and as fellow pirates, they didn’t have much to worry about. It was important, however, that everything be secured and in top shape. They weren’t preparing for an attack, no, they just had to keep their reputation.

“Purpled,” Techno called out to his youngest crew member. His eyes flicked over to Techno, the very irises that got him his nickname scanning the situation as he made his way over. “I want you below deck until we separate. I’ll have someone tell you when they’re gone.”

“Sir…?” Purpled’s eyes were narrowing in confusion. “I’ve met plenty of other pirates before—”

“Not this one.” Techno’s eyes drifted over to the approaching ship. He’d recognized it even from the distance, but now he could fully see the details of the vessel. Dark script etched along the side of the wood, The Mallard painted in threatening letters. “If you need to keep yourself busy you can help Fundy repair the hull.”

Purpled frowned but nodded in understanding. “Aye, cap.”

“Be useful!” Techno called back lightly as Purpled descended below. He felt bad confining him, but this ship had a track record of captivating young eyes and tangling them up into a knotted mess of sketchy business. Techno’s ship dealt with murder and looting, sure, but at least he hadn’t sworn his soul away gambling.

He should probably send Charlie below too. Stars only knew what kind of trouble he would get himself tangled up in.

He ended up hoping that Charlie didn’t do anything drastic and stood at the railing. Wilbur was working on commanding the hull and anchor to get the two ships exactly next to each other without ramming into the other.

“Techno!” The captain of The Mallard greeted cheerfully as he vaulted over the side. Techno eyed him with disdain, hoping at least this time he’d have the decency to greet him by his title.

It seemed that he was still on the track to pissing off everyone on the seas.

“Quackity,” Techno greeted in return with a sigh, just brushing it off.

“How are you looking, Blood God?” Quackity pushed himself to sit on the ledge. Techno’s crew gave the two of them a wide berth, and Techno envied them. “Got enough of everything?”

Quackity and Technoblade had met a handful of times on the seas, as neither of them stopped much on land and liked to go everywhere they possibly could. They often traded for things they couldn’t get themselves, and more often than not did that include information.

“We just looted,” Techno grunted out, not giving Quackity his full attention. “We have an excess of most things. What might you need?”

“Confirmation of a rumor,” Quackity stated, always predictable. “There is a ship that the Navy is looking for, said it held the most detailed maps of this region to date.”

“ The Wandering Crow , perhaps?” Quackity’s eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas, not that Techno had seen that before. “We sunk them six days ago.”

“And the maps?”

“In our possession,” Techno confirmed, though he was not willing to trade for them. Knowledge of the sea was a powerful tool, and having both his prized navigator, Wilbur, and the very creator of those maps, Philza, with him was an advantage he wasn’t looking to trade for.

Quackity laughed at Techno’s expression, “Man, I’m not interested in them, don’t look so pissed.” He waved off the stare. “I was just curious. I was actually wondering if you happened to spare a crew member or two.”

That happened to get Techno’s attention. “What for?”

“Now you’re interested, huh?” Quackity raised a brow. “I assume you killed the captain, but he’s rumored to have a son.” Quackity smiled widely. “He’s the son of a siren.”

That was certainly news to Techno. Tommy didn’t look less than human, and Philza certainly didn’t look like the type to give his soul away to an evil creature of the sea, one that was usually regarded as far worse than a pirate.

Children and half-children of sirens were certainly interesting to the common sailor, but they were a commodity if you were a pirate. He could see why Quackity would be interested in a hypnotist, someone to not only draw others in but keep them there.

But Techno knew Quackity rather well. They had been working in a semi-beneficial rivalry, and he had seen the twisted things that went on below their deck. His crew was just the same amount of bloodthirsty as Techno’s but without the added mercy in quick deaths. Quackity took prisoners just to play with them. Even people who weren’t prisoners still had to earn their freedom as they walked onto Quackity’s ship.

Tommy was eleven, and as much as Techno could profit from this trade of a prisoner, he would be resigning a mere child to a fate worse than death.

“If I had heard that I would have taken more care to observe who was on the vessel,” Techno lied through his teeth, his expression stayed blissfully neutral. “But the crew gave mine a decent amount of trouble, and I spared no soul.”

Quackity’s carefree grin slipped away into a look of masked frustration. “I didn’t take you as one to kill children.”

The fact that Quackity knew he was a child scared him even more.

“As far as I was aware, I saw none,” Techno shrugged. “Perhaps your rumor was merely a rumor.”

While Quackity didn’t seem to like that he was apparently wrong about the siren child, he accepted it. Techno was thankful he didn’t have to duel Quackity and his crew because, while he would definitely win, casualties could be immensely higher.

They did end up trading. Techno collected the couple of bags of coins that they had looted from ships in the past few months and traded them for anything that could be useful to the crew. They gained several barrels of food, medicine, tools, and even some clothing.

Quackity set on his way after it was obvious Techno wasn’t in the mood to host the others, and as soon as their ship was over the horizon line, Techno turned his heel and marched straight to the cells.

---

“Have you eaten yet, Philza?”

The piercing look he got in return was enough to tell Techno that, no, he had not, but it was just as obvious from the way he sat hunched over himself, digging his arms into his stomach. Tommy got up as soon as Techno entered, standing in front of his father as if to shield him from Techno’s wrath.

“You should have,” Techno commented as he crossed his arms. “So you have enough energy to talk to me.”

“I can talk for him,” Tommy cut in before Philza could say anything. “Talk to me.”

Techno eyed the eleven-year-old. Techno had never met a half-siren, at least to his knowledge, but he doubted that someone far less than human would look so normal. He wasn’t aware of any real ways to cover up inhuman features, especially not if those included scales and the slitted eyes that he knew real sirens to have.

Techno hoped for both his and Tommy’s sake that there was red blood in his veins and nothing more.

“Fine,” Techno shifted his attention to the kid. He would know of his own heritage, surely? “I’ve heard in a passing rumor that you aren’t completely human.”

Of all of the reactions to have, Philza’s panic was not expected. His hands came up to cover Tommy’s ears, which caused Tommy’s confused expression to get concerned. He batted at his father’s fingers, trying to pry them off to no avail.

“Not in front of Tommy,” Philza spat out quickly. “We can discuss this without him.”

If there was a doubt before, there was no doubt now. Tommy was not as human as he appeared, but did the kid himself even know that?

Why wouldn’t he? Why wouldn’t Philza teach him how to defend himself with a weapon that was extremely difficult to fight and impossible to disarm?

“Sam!” Techno called to the other room. The pirate’s footsteps shifted across the floorboards as he stuck his head in.

Techno moved toward the cell door, Tommy backing up slightly at the movement. Techno twisted the key into the lock.

“Take Tommy and get him some food.” Techno waved him over without even looking at him. “Do not let him out of your sight.”

“I’m not fuc— I’m not leaving!” Tommy pushed himself against the back wall as Sam moved forward without a word. “You can’t make me leave!”

“Captain’s orders,” Sam shrugged, offering a hand instead of just picking Tommy up off the ground like Techno knew he could. “C’mon, kid, we’ll be back before you know it.”

“No!” Tommy clawed at the wall for a handhold. “You’re going to hurt Dad!”

“We’re just talking,” Techno leaned against the bars. “Did I do anything last time?”

“You’re all pirates ,” Tommy sneered. “It doesn’t matter what you did last time, you don’t keep promises and you like to hurt people!”

“Tommy.” Philza reached up to grab one of his son’s hands. “We’re just talking. I promise nothing is going to happen to me.”

“You don’t know that!”

Philza placed Tommy’s hand in Sam’s, which is when the kid started screaming. Sam moved forward with a sigh to bring him off the ground, minding the kid's hands and the large teardrops that fell past them.

Techno would rather not do this. He wanted to gain Tommy’s trust, even if it was slow, bit by bit. He didn’t want to reset all of his progress, what little he had managed to get.

But if Tommy was a half-siren, then he was both dangerous and in danger, and Techno needed to know as much as he could as soon as he could.

He eased the door closed after Sam and Tommy left, Tommy’s cries no longer in earshot.

“I’m sorry about that,” Techno found himself apologizing. “That wasn’t entirely ideal.”

Philza only sighed, running hands through his hair. He wasn’t standing or even moving forward toward the open door to prepare to talk to Techno, and that might have been because he couldn’t.

A problem he would have to deal with later. He needed answers.

“Your son,” Techno prompted, leaving it there. Philza bit his bottom lip harshly as if he was regretting how he agreed to talk about it.

Eventually, he leaned his head against the wall and let his eyes slip shut. “Tommy is half siren,” he confirmed. “But doesn’t have anything to show for it.”

“How can I be sure of that?” Techno didn’t trust that one bit. Siren’s voices didn’t simply skip generations. “Half-sirens are incredibly destructive and would be putting my crew in danger.”

Philza’s eyes narrowed. “How would you propose I try to prove it to you? I can’t prove that something doesn’t exist.”

“Why wouldn’t he have a voice?” Techno shifted off of leaning against the open doorframe. “Did you not tell him he has one? Is that why it ‘doesn’t exist?’”

“It doesn’t work that way and you know it,” Philza dropped his voice to something akin to a growl. “He didn’t inherit it because he is my second child.”

At the beginning of the world, three types of intelligent species roamed the earth. The mer were good, powerful beings that nurtured the life of the oceans. The sirens were destructive and cruel, meant to balance out the universe. The humans were stuck to land, with a mixture of good and evil in their souls but none of the power the sirens and mers had.

Because of this, the humans were able to pass on their lives to multiple children, while the sirens and mers only had enough magic to give to one child: their firstborn.

If Philza had two children with the same siren, his firstborn would inherit the voice of their mother, but the second would be practically human.

“What happened to your other child?” Techno’s voice had quieted significantly, his mind stuck replaying that day almost a week ago, wondering if one of his crew members had run a blade through a real half-siren.

Philza looked down at the floor, hugging his knees to his chest, but his expression held all of the hostility in the world. “If rumors don’t lie, he’s dead.” Techno watched a shiver run through Philza’s body. “He betrayed me back before I was a captain and joined a pirate crew. His ship sunk a year and a half later.”

As was life on the seas, you only got so lucky before you sunk to your grave with the rest of your crew.

“Does Tommy know about this?”

“Tommy was three when his brother left, eight years ago.” Philza took in a breath. “I told him that w— he died defending the ship. He barely remembers him, nor does he remember that he has a siren for a mother.”

Techno couldn’t ignore the strange feeling bubbling in his gut. He had felt like he had heard the story before, a different version.

“Your oldest son,” Techno cleared his throat. His heart began to pound. “What was his name?”

Philza gave him a strange look. “I try not to speak it.”

“I would like to know.”

“And I would prefer if his memory did not live on,” Phil snapped.

“You hold no power here, Philza,” Techno spoke coldly. The question would gnaw at him forever if he didn’t get an answer. “I don’t have to bring your son back here.”

Philza clenched his fists. “What do you gain from this, Blood God?”

“Phil,” Techno demanded with just the word, striking a tender space like the lashes of a whip.

“Wilbur,” Philza spat out with a hiss. “His name was Wilbur.”

Careful not to let his recognition show, Techno swung the door closed and locked it with a flick of his wrist. He walked out of the room with a flourish of his cape and managed to make it to the top deck and into his quarters before slumping against a wall, breathing heavily.

He reminds me of my father.

Techno’s world was large. The ocean was everchanging and unpredictable. Things he ran into twice were either looking for him or he was looking for it. 

Wilbur’s relationship with the father he left behind was a connection that he had forcefully severed, and it was clear that Philza had felt the weight of the snap that came with it. Techno had not only been unknowingly harboring a powerful half-siren for the better end of six years, but he had managed to accidentally reunite him with both his father and brother on just a whim.

Techno was the only one who knew it, and he wasn’t sure who to tell first.

If he were to tell them at all.

Chapter Text

Wilbur collapsed into his chair in Techno’s quarters with a long sigh but a rather large smile. “Good evening, my favorite captain.” He smirked as he stretched his arms out above his head. “How are you on this fine night?”

Techno’s heart was pounding in his ears. His pen wasn’t moving; he should have been filling out his log, but he was worried about committing the words to paper, as if that would make them come true.

“Why are you peppy?” Techno distracted himself by asking. His hair fell in front of his face. He usually kept it tied in a braid but he just kept yanking the end off of it the whole day and gave up trying to maintain it.

Wilbur spluttered. “What? I’m not peppy. ”

“Then do you want something?” Techno glanced up, but as soon as they locked eyes Techno’s shot back down. He couldn’t even look at him. Wilbur was the type of person who didn’t look anything like his father until someone said something, and then the similarities were almost obvious.

“I can’t talk to my favorite person on this ship?” Wilbur pouted in a joking manner. “I thought you liked me, Tech.”

“Wil.” Techno ran another hand through his hair. “Usually your greeting is an insult.”

Wilbur huffed, but couldn’t find a way to argue with that one. “I just thought you seemed a little down.”

Techno was not down , he was just trying very, very hard to cover up the thoughts that were ready to protrude out of his ears.

“Was it Quackity?” Wilbur leaned forward with a determined expression now. “Did that son of a bitch say something to you? Because if he did, I will jump right into the ocean, find his ship, and drag him down with me.”

While the sentiment would have been nice any other day, Techno couldn’t help but wonder how real that threat actually was. Could Wilbur breathe underwater? It wasn’t like he had gills, but he’d never met a half-siren before and Techno had only seen Wilbur in the water a handful of times.

Was that how he survived the shipwreck…?

“Techno?” Wilbur snapped in front of Techno’s eyes, bringing him back to the cabin, to the pen that was still hovering over paper. “What’s on your mind?”

Would Wilbur lie to him about this? It wasn’t like Techno had ever asked or had a reason to ask. He’d never heard Wilbur practicing a voice. Had he made Techno forget about it? Did they even work that way?

Techno braced himself for impact, slamming his notebook shut and forcing himself to meet Wilbur’s eyes. They were a dark brown, like the driftwood of a sunken ship.

“I’m going to ask you a question,” Techno began carefully. “And you cannot ask me where I got the information, agreed?”

Wilbur blinked slowly, confusion scrunching his face together. Stars , just like the way Tommy did it.

“Fine?” Wilbur was clearly curious. “What’s going on?”

Techno took in a deep breath and spat it out all at once.

“Was your mother a siren?”

Wilbur paled instantly, his fingers digging into the upholstery on the chair. Techno let his head fall into his hands.

“Where—” Wilbur started but never got to finish.

“I told you not to ask,” Techno cut him off. “Answer the question.”

Wilbur sucked in an uneasy breath. The feel of the room had changed almost instantly. Techno could have been sinking to the ocean floor and the air still would have been warmer than it was right now.

“Y— yes…” Wilbur sunk back down into his chair, easing away his tension. “Yes, my mother is a siren.”

At least he was honest.

“And you never thought to mention it?” Techno looked up, seeing the way Wilbur was nervously chewing on his lip. Just like Philza.  

“ Mentioning it almost got me killed last time.” Wilbur leaned his head back against the chair. “Do you want to know why that other ship I was on sank?” Techno stayed deathly still, silent as he watched his friend unseemingly come out of the shadows and reveal his true colors: a predator. “They found out who I was. So I sank the ship and drowned everyone on it.” He cleared his throat. “Except Niki. She was always nice to me.”

“Does she know?”

“No,” Wilbur whispered. “She doesn’t remember the wreck.”

Techno’s hands gripped his hair tighter. He could pull it out for all he cared. “Is that destined to happen again? Are you going to down this ship now that I know?”

Wilbur glanced warily at him. From the lack of an immediate response, Techno’s exterior shell began to crack.

“Do I need to?” Wilbur barely breathed. “Are you going to use me?”

“ Stars, Wil.” How could he think Techno would even consider it? “No. No , Wil. Absolutely not.”

Wilbur let out a breath, shoulders relaxing. “I wouldn’t be of much use anyway. I haven’t used any of that in— it’s been six years, right?” At Techno’s nod, he closed his eyes. “I wanted to give up that side of me after the ship, start new. So I did.”

That was only half of the issue. There was still the issue of Wilbur being related to both of the prisoners down there. Neither of them had recognized the other, and probably hadn’t heard their names either.

“I won’t tell anyone,” Techno dropped his voice to something just above a whisper. “Nothing changes. I just wanted to know.”

“Thanks, Tech.” Wilbur was struggling to swallow the lump in his throat.

Techno hummed a little something, much more pieced together than he had been a few minutes ago. “You can go.”

Wilbur’s eyes shot open. “What? No— no, I’m not leaving until I get an explanation. Where did you hear that?”

“I’m not answering that.” Techno opened his log, pen finally hitting the paper enough to date it. “Goodnight.”

“Techno—”

“Good night. ”

Wilbur hovered over his chair for a few seconds before he made a frustrated sound into his palms and stormed out the door.

---

Neither of them got sleep that night. It was for reasons unknown to Techno that he and his first mate’s sleeping cycles were closely woven together, meaning that if one couldn’t sleep, neither could the other.

Techno couldn't tell whose fault it was this time. He tossed and turned in his bed with his brain buzzing harshly, frustrated sounds leaving his lips whenever he felt inches from sleep, and then a sudden pound of a headache would spark between his eyes for just a moment. He stared at the ceiling until the devil's hour before finally giving up.

He wrapped his cape around his shoulders, not bothering to change in any other aspect, and climbed up to the crow's nest, fully prepared to call off the scout on duty.

The scout had already been dismissed, because when he got up there, Wilbur was sitting with his knees curled up to his chest, watching the stars.

Techno sheepishly sat across from him, not even a broken hum to fill the silence.

They listened to the waves crash against the hull, the slight creaks of the new boards as they got used to the neverending onslaught of the ocean.

On nights like these, the person who couldn’t sleep would watch the stars in silence while the other told stories about the pinpricks of lights up in the sky. Techno knew all of the myths and stories about the golden light of the gods that sprinkled their power among the blanket of night. Wilbur took a much more realistic approach, saying which stars would lead you where, and what you would find if you followed them.

It was the opposite of how they were during the day, with Techno facing forward, strategy and knowledge pinging around in his eyes while Wilbur wove creative tales with his words and song; he was an entertainer in all things. Techno hoped he would never change.

Tonight, he wasn’t sure who kept the other up. He wasn’t sure if Wilbur couldn’t let go of his paranoia or if Techno couldn’t set free his wariness. The only certain thing was that Techno’s knowledge of Wilbur’s superhuman background was the reason behind both of their troubles.

So Techno started talking.

“There’s a star toward the east, it has a bit of a red glow around it,” he began, his eyes settling on that one particular star. “That star’s name is Primo: First. Not super impressive on its own, still pretty bright, good color.” Techno felt his throat close for a second, swallowing the tightness in his voice. “It got attention because it used to be super close to this other star, Cordus. If you look at the myths, it was told that these two stars were brothers.”

Techno directed his gaze for a moment to look at Wilbur, who had his eyes trained on the star Techno was speaking about, or at least one of them in the vicinity. It was a harder star to find if you hadn’t seen it before.

“Legend spoke of the brothers being a beacon in the sky, rivaling the north star. They were playful spirits, joyous, and troublemaking— they masked the other stars behind them because of their brightness. And they just grew brighter with the years.” Wilbur’s forehead had a growing line dividing his skin. “It seemed that they would just continue to light up the sky, but the north star forced them to separate, saying they weren’t being any help, that they needed to contribute to the sky instead of taking up space.” Techno let out a silent but uneven breath. “There was a big fight that lit up the sky for days until it finally dimmed. Primo was still there after it all, just with a new red glow— he was furious because Cordus was no longer with him.”

When Techno looked down from the stars again, Wilbur’s eyes were heavily glazed and terrifyingly still. Instead of what his normal daydreams looked like from the outside, it seemed that Wilbur was simply observing them, not controlling anything.

Techno continued after the pause. “Primo continues to get more red as the years go on, and if his brother isn’t returned to him, he’ll go out in a blaze of glory and be a threat to all of the other stars around him.”

The story had no flashy ending, simply because the myth hadn’t truly ended yet. If the star died, then Primo would have followed through with his threat. If it dimmed enough for its brother star to be seen again, then it would be a happy ending.

They were stuck in the in-between, right now, with an unfinished book.

“What does Cordus mean?” Wilbur asked, slightly startling Techno, who was not expecting Wilbur to speak at all. His eyes were still partially glazed.

“The name has a few translations,” Techno began slowly, trying to conjure up what he remembered about the old language of the stars. Only some mer spoke it now, along with the old sirens’ songs preserved in that tongue. “It’s a loose translation of ‘second,’ but used more to refer to the heart— the metaphorical heart. I’ve also heard it used as the word for ‘aftermath’ as part of a traumatic event, which probably works the best.”

Wilbur took that information in for a long time, sitting in silence and pondering the made-up stories of the stars. Minutes through the silence, one of Wilbur’s thoughts must have gotten to him, because he ground his teeth audibly until he practically pushed himself out of the crow's nest with a huff and a muttered phrase under his breath.

“It’s just a stupid supernova and a made-up story,” was what Techno heard, but he didn’t press and he absolutely didn’t follow. He sat in the perch of his ship until the sun broke over the horizon line and someone else came up to relieve whoever was supposed to be on shift.

Techno didn’t bother trying to sleep. He got to work and spent the morning with Niki at his side until Wilbur dragged himself up from the lodging at noon with a look that held none of the resentment that it had harbored the night before.

Chapter Text

Techno had decided to visit the prisoners earlier than usual just because of how frequently they were on his mind. He had decided this midway through a practice duel with Wilbur and didn’t even blink back to the present until Wilbur was whining on the ground, pinned underneath his blade.

“You didn’t even trash talk me,” Wilbur complained. Techno had yet to move his point, so his first mate was still on the ground. “Am I that bad?”

“I was lost in thought,” Techno made a half-apology, sheathing his blade again. “You weren’t awful, considering everything.”

Wilbur gave him a deadpan stare as he hoisted himself up. “You don’t remember the last thirty seconds, do you?”

Not at all.

“I’m going below to check on the prisoners,” Techno changed the subject before Wilbur could feel too bad about himself. His face just fell further. “Care to join me?”

Wilbur huffed, “Usually I would say no, but the smithing stone is down there and I need it.”

“Why would you need it? You haven’t used your sword against me at all.”

Wilbur’s infuriated look was swept away by the wind soon enough, leaving a lighthearted chuckle and a muttered curse in its wake. Techno just moved forward, adjusting his hat to account for the wind, before heading below.

Wilbur followed with feigned nonchalance. Techno knew him well enough to know that there were waves of anger and resentment bubbling off of him as they approached the cells.

Philza looked increasingly weaker by the day, and it was just enough to keep Techno awake at night thinking about it. He wouldn’t force Philza to eat because, in all actuality, he shouldn’t give a shit, but he’d lose a valuable future asset if Philza decided to kill himself like this. He assumed that it was the hope that Tommy wouldn’t be as traumatized from starving to death as he would an actual weapon or improvised hanging.

It seemed that Tommy was none-the-wiser. Maybe he believed Philza was just sick and that he’d get better. Whatever he thought, it was clear that it wasn’t bugging him as much as it should. Tommy was sitting against the corner of where the bars met the wall, pouting as he stared off into space. He refocused harshly when Techno leaned against the bars, his bright red cape being the object that caught his attention.

Phil had his head pressed between his knees like he was trying to sleep. Techno wouldn’t bother him.

“Is it dinner time already?” Tommy squinted his eyes around like he’d get any clue from the surrounding area of solid wood and steel bars.

“Early afternoon,” Techno corrected. “I thought I would visit earlier, see what you were up to.”

“I’m not up to shit,” Tommy spat, crossing his arms in newly found defiance. “There’s nothing to do.”

“Bored, child?” Wilbur sneered from the other room, the grinding of blade on stone just beginning to start up.

“Yes, I’m fu—” Tommy bit down his curse. “Of course I’m bored! How would you feel being trapped in the same room for— for…?”

“A week.” Techno watched Tommy’s posture drop, his shoulders drooping. “Seven days.”

His voice got remarkably smaller in just seconds. “That’s it?” He breathed a long sigh, prying at his curls with dirtied fingers. “I thought for sure it’d been more than that.”

Techno looked at Tommy’s hands, grimy and unwashed just like the corners of the cell he had most likely been prying at.

He wondered how much restless energy Tommy had pent up in that body of his with no real outlet for any of it. Just watching the kid sit against the wall he was already jittery, knee bouncing and fingers twitching.

The key in Techno’s pocket got heavy.

“How desperate are you for an out?” Tommy’s head snapped up, pretty much answering Techno’s question with his wide eyes. “Because I can easily cure your boredom.”

Techno watched as Tommy weighed his choices, between going with pirates or sitting for another day, restless and fatigued with tedium.

Tommy pushed himself to his feet and walked silently over to his father’s side, whispering something in the man’s ear. Techno hadn’t been sure Philza was awake, but he nodded to whatever Tommy asked and gave him a wry smile.

“I want out,” he announced not a second later, marching up to the bars. “Get me out.”

“If you say so,” Techno shrugged. The noise from the grindstone died for a moment, Wilbur poking his head in with narrowed eyes as Techno unlocked the cell. Tommy pushed his way out, stretching his arms above his head as if he couldn’t have done that before.

“Are you killing him?” Wilbur had an eyebrow raised at the kid, who was unknowingly his brother; said brother took three stumbling steps back and looked wildly at Techno.

“Don’t scare the kid.” Techno shot a look in his direction as he locked the cell once more, not that he thought Philza would try to get out. “He’s just coming out for a little remediation.”

Tommy spluttered. “I don’t fucking need re-meditation, that’s all I’ve been doing!”

“That’s meditation ,” Wilbur rolled his eyes, but there was a concealed smile in his irises. “Remediation is rectifying a wrong.”

“A re-erect what ?”

A sharp laugh came out of Techno’s mouth, and another was smothered by Wilbur’s hand as he turned away with an audible, though faked, sound of frustration. Techno wasn’t sure if the eleven-year-old actually didn’t know those words or was purposely making as many jokes as he could to get away from what sounded like punishment to young ears.

“You’re working,” Techno cleared up, watching Tommy’s excited gaze droop. “I don’t allow deadhands on my ship.”

“I was forced to be here,” Tommy retorted with a hiss.

“You can go back in the cell.” Techno swung the key around his finger with a knowing smile. Tommy wouldn’t back down now. He had all of the ship at his fingertips.

He considered it for maybe a second or two before grinding his teeth together and walking through the doorway. Techno made a satisfied hum and followed him out, nudging him up the ladders to get to the top deck. Wilbur curiously followed a few paces behind, slightly wondering what Techno would make the kid do.

When they got underneath the blazing sun, Techno nudged Tommy to the side in the direction of a stack of crates. Tommy watched with eager eyes as Techno picked up a rope nestled between them, tying the ends to the handle of a bucket and the railing of the ship.

He tossed the bucket over the side of the ship with one motion, watching the rope pull taunt as the bucket reached the water.

“Haul it back up, with the water still inside, preferably,” Techno instructed Tommy. The kid made a frown that would have been amusing had Techno been looking for entertainment.

“Why can’t you do it?” Tommy pouted. “You just threw it over.”

“Oh I’m sorry,” Techno drawled sarcastically. “Are you busy?”

Their stares held for several seconds, but Tommy was the first to cave, moving over to the rope with a respired cuss. Techno watched him for just a few more seconds before turning his eyes to the rest of the ship, seeing where he could fill in and what he could do.

He was helping Fundy clean the cannons when he heard his name be called over the wind by a younger voice. He didn’t even stop to look, just continuing to do what he was doing.

“ Technoblade ,” he heard called more urgently. It was hissed between teeth, though he thought that this time it might have been more out of strain than actual hatred. “ Technoblade. ”

He didn’t answer to that on deck, he’d stated that as clear as day to him before, it would do him good use to remember it.

“Fine! Fucking hell…” Tommy exclaimed to just himself. “ Captain. ”

Techno’s head turned, he stopped what he was doing to look over.

Tommy was almost parallel with the deck, trying desperately to keep his hold on the rope. His arms were shaking and his face was drawn up in that expression of grit that Techno knew so much about.

He doubted Tommy got the bucket up even halfway.

“Wil,” Techno called over to his first mate. Wilbur glanced over from where he was perched on a crate looking over the ocean. Techno tossed his head in Tommy’s direction, and the man huffed before moving over to Tommy’s rope.

He pulled the bucket up with ease, setting it down at Tommy’s feet and giving him a pointed look. Techno’s mouth twitched up as Tommy shied away, perhaps out of embarrassment.

That wouldn’t be going away any time soon.

“What now?” Tommy rubbed at his arms as Techno walked over. Wilbur resumed his place by the rim of the ship.

“That bucket’s for you,” Techno crossed his arms. “You’re filthy.”

Tommy immediately got offended. “Well, whose fucking fault is that? And I’m not washing with a bucket I just pulled out of the ocean. ”

“Yes, you are,” Techno crossed his arms. Tommy’s eyes traveled down for just a second, recognizing the threat. “I’m sure you had heaps of fresh, hot water for you in the Navy as the captain’s son, but you’ve dropped about twenty ranks since then.” Tommy’s confidence started whittling away. “So you’re going to wash every piece of skin you can reach with the water in the bucket. And you’re going to do it right here.”

“Wha— it’s freezing up here!”

“Get it done quickly, then.” Techno turned his back with a huff. “Or don’t, I have all day.”

Tommy didn’t get another chance to complain, he took the blessings he was given and pushed aside the curses to get rid of the grime over his skin. Techno managed to commandeer some of Purpled’s clothes who, despite him being several years older, was the closest in size to little Tommy.

In a little under an hour, Tommy was brand new. His curls, though still damp, were actually blonde again. He no longer had grime covering his skin, and his clothes were clean and soft.

Techno let him have a towel and a break, and Tommy spent it clinging to the ropes used to get up to the sails and the crow's nest, watching the pirates around him work.

Techno was curious what an eleven-year-old with nothing to lose would do if unsupervised on a pirate ship.

The opportunity came when Techno looked back at where the kid was and caught the tail end of him slipping below so swiftly there was no way he thought he would get caught.

Techno followed.

Tommy went straight past all of the bunks, dampening his footsteps when one of the rooms was occupied. He went all the way down, and Techno thought that maybe he was going to check on his father right before he sped past the cell block and into food storage.

Techno watched from the doorway as the occupied kid scrambled around in the barrels, checking each crate. He pushed fish and bread and even some produce off to the side before finally landing a jackpot as he pushed a cabinet door open and revealed the liquor.

Don’t get Techno wrong, he worked against the law, and whatever the law said he liked to do the opposite. He had let plenty of his crewmembers drink before the ‘legal’ age to do so, it was right of passage for a pirate.

But eleven? And unsupervised? Or… unknowingly supervised?

Techno made up his mind when Tommy bypassed all of the lighter stuff and went straight for the rum.

As Tommy popped the top, Techno put his hand over the rim. Tommy jumped out of his shoes, letting go of the bottle and backing up against the wall.

Techno secured the top again, raising an eyebrow. “This isn’t water, kid.”

Tommy frowned. “I know it’s not water.”

“Can I ask why you’re in my liquor cabinet?”

“What makes you think I’ll tell you?” Tommy raised his chin defiantly.

For a moment, Techno thought he was looking in a mirror set maybe a little less than twenty years in the past. It was so familiar, all of a sudden, what Tommy was doing, because Techno had gotten away with it so many years ago.

Pirates were protective of their precious resources: treasure, maps, food, and especially their alcohol. A ‘caught stealing’ fiasco with something weighed as severely important to the owner would immediately cloud everything else about the situation.

Like the lump in Tommy’s pocket that hadn’t been there before.

Techno was impressed to the point of almost letting him get away with it. Unfortunately, he couldn’t really let that happen.

“Turn out your pockets,” Techno sighed, crossing his arms after he had set the rum back in its place. Tommy tensed, trying to smooth out his expression, but it wasn’t fast enough.

“I just got these pockets, big man, I don’t have anything in them.”

“I would say otherwise,” Techno hummed, letting the words vibrate in his chest. Tommy’s eyes darted around before he tried sprinting for the door, which Techno blocked with a single sidestep. “Nice try. Give me the knife.”

“ Piss and balls he’s good.” Tommy didn’t speak the words aloud, mouthing them discreetly, just not enough so. Techno smirked, accepting the blade that was placed into his hands.

It wasn’t even well made; it was just a shiv that someone on his deck had probably left somewhere and forgotten about. It was maybe thin enough to pick a lock, however, which was more what Techno was worried about. He doubted Tommy could move it fast enough to catch anyone but Connor off guard, and Connor wasn’t exactly a valuable asset to the crew enough to be threatened.

“No more running off.” Techno clamped a hand down on Tommy’s shoulder, who surprisingly didn’t flinch at the contact, just tried to squirm out of it. “Or I’ll put you back in that cell early.”

“I’m not going back?”

“Not unless you want to,” Techno said, guiding him back. He spared a look down. “Did you want to?”

“I just thought that was the end of the line.” Tommy had switched to that level of genuine intrigue that Techno had seen so little of. “I did something you didn’t like, so I lost the privilege.”

Techno understood now what he was getting at. “Believe it or not, kid, but I don’t want you in that cell for longer than you need to be. There are other forms of punishment I could use—” Tommy’s shoulder tensed. “But those would be unneeded. I saw what you were doing. You’re just testing limits. No one was hurt, nothing was lost.”

Tommy’s look softened. “Why?”

“Why do I not want to punish you by putting you back in the cell?” Tommy nodded. “Why do you think I brought you on this ship, Tommy?”

“Dad said you would try to corrupt me.”

Techno shook his head. Right idea, wrong use of words. “I want you to join my crew, Tommy. There’s no corruption needed, I don’t make anyone do anything they don’t want to do.”

Tommy crossed his arms, stopping in the middle of the hallway between bunks. “Well, I don’t want to be a pirate. So there.”

Techno offered a half smile. “Are you saying that because you think that or because your father told you that?”

When Tommy didn’t answer, Techno continued to lead him to the top deck and handed him a rag and another bucket of water with the task of wiping down all of the railings. Tommy grumbled a complaint but set to work.

Techno felt like the future was becoming clearer by the second.

Chapter Text

The next afternoon, Techno came down to the cells again for a few reasons. He was still worried about Philza and how far he might take this personal challenge of his, as he hadn’t even said a word the other day. As Techno expected, he was still in the same position, in the same place as yesterday. Though this time, he was shivering.

The second reason was to check on Tommy. He had seemed to partially enjoy the little outing he had yesterday, refusing to let the smile he was wearing show in front of Techno, but the content look that he held as he whispered to Philza at the end of it was a nice reminder that a little show of trust could go a long way.

The third reason Techno came down didn’t even have to be addressed. As soon as Techno came down, Tommy was already bouncing on his soles at the cell door.

“Can I go help on deck again?” He asked with a sense of urgency that must have arisen in the past couple of hours, somewhere between when he woke and when he got his food.

If Tommy wanted to do chores again, Techno wouldn’t stop him. He was glad that the little unimportant activities he had Tommy do yesterday were enjoyable enough for him to ask to return.

“Sure, kid,” Techno hummed, digging the key out of his pocket. He didn’t let it out of his pockets anymore, knowing that he would continue to make spontaneous, frequent visits down to the lowest level to see them. The cell door swung open with a squeal. “Would you mind waiting in the other room for a moment so I can speak with your father?”

Tommy pouted gently. “Why?”

“I just have a few questions,” Techno assured with a shrug of his shoulder. “Take something from food storage if you need something to do.”

Tommy’s eyes lit up, and he darted into the other room without protest. Techno heard the groaning of wooden crates being pried open, but anything that kid could scavenge up, they could spare.

He moved forward to the former Navy captain, standing in the cell block in front of him. Philza glared up at him, knowing that Techno’s sudden closeness was a call out to Philza being less than a threat to the legendary pirate.

“Still not eating, then?” Techno spared a glance at the wooden block that was used as their plate. It was empty, all the food taken, but Techno knew it wasn’t from Philza. There was no answer to his question. “How’d you get away with explaining that to Tommy?”

Philza’s eyes diverted to the ground. “I tell him there’s two fish every morning, and I eat one before he wakes.”

“And your lack of energy?”

“Sea sickness.” At Techno’s raise of an eyebrow, Philza elaborated. “From being on a bigger ship.”

It wasn’t a horrible lie to the logic of an eleven-year-old, but to any experienced traveler, most ‘sea sickness’ is cured after a day, and it’s worse with smaller ships rather than bigger ships.

Techno sighed and raked a hand down his face. “You really plan on killing yourself over this?”

“What choice do I have?” Philza retaliated, though his voice was hoarse and cracked. “It’s either this or spend the rest of my days in a cell.”

“You could cooperate,” Techno suggested. “Like your son.”

“If you think I’m going to do anything to help this fucking ship you might as well have your head in a bucket,” he spat. “I hope this ship and everyone in it are devoured by sirens.”

“Even your own son?”

“If he becomes a pirate, he’ll be as bad as the rest of you.” The captain put his head down and closed his eyes again. “I can’t do anything about you using his stir craziness against him, but he’s not acclimating to your side. And how dare you manipulate a child into thinking a man like you isn’t the ruined god I know you are.”

Techno was honestly surprised by the amount of hatred for Techno that he had stuffed into his soul. After all, Philza had also done some pretty malicious things in his time. The Navy had its fair share of charred souls, they just came with the extra level of perfection the military required of them.

He couldn’t help but chuckle, the laugh ringing low off the walls. “How long have you been perfecting that speech in your brain?” Philza’s glare got even more prominent. “I haven’t asked anything of you or your son that would require all of that.”

“You want him to become a pirate. That is enough.”

Techno had another remark thrumming through his bones, but Philza was far past his limit, and his anger had just made the shivers worse. So Techno sighed and resigned himself to not winning anyone over today.

He grabbed a blanket from a cabinet in the room and tossed it over Philza’s frame before locking the cell door again.

He didn’t see the way Philza’s eyes considered the blanket for a long moment before settling it over his shoulders and burying his face into the dusty fabric.

“Tommy,” Techno called into the other room, pushing the dilemma with Philza out of his mind for now. There was some scrambling happening after his call and the familiar clinking of glass bottles. Techno quickly pulled himself through the doorway, not sure what he would see.

Unlike what he assumed, Tommy was just prying at a glass jar full of red fruit. He was sitting on top of a crate with the jar between his legs and both of his hands working at the lid. His arms were already shaking and his lips were pulled down in a frown.

“ Technoblade ,” Tommy whined. “All I wanted was some stupid strawberries and they’re— just fucking—”

“Stubborn?” Techno filled in the blank. “Like you?”

“Oh fuck off,” Tommy sneered. “If I wasn’t so nice I would have already shattered the thing, and then none of us would have strawberries.”

Techno flicked his knife out of its sheath, causing Tommy to freeze, but all Techno did was gesture for the jar. Tommy tossed it to him, and with a swift motion, he had dug his blade beneath the lid and opened the seal.

Tommy beamed as he was given the fruit, something quite rare to find on the seas. It must have come from a haul a while back and they had forgotten about it as it was shoved into a place only an eleven-year-old could reach.

Techno guided Tommy back up to the top deck as he got his fingers slick with the fruits. Wilbur gave them an interesting look in passing.

“So what’s the plan today, big man?” Tommy licked the juice off his fingers. “More cleaning?”

“Not quite,” Techno hummed, tapping his fingers on the hilt of his blade. “You’re familiar with hurricane season, I’m sure?”

Tommy nodded somewhat hesitantly.

“Karl is normally in charge of supplies,” Techno gestured to a practically glowing brunet over on starboard. “He needs some help distributing some things through the ship, and then before dinner the whole crew will be up here and we’ll be changing out the sails for something thicker.”

Tommy nodded consideratly. “The thicker sails are so we can travel faster between storms, right?”

Techno raised an eyebrow. Of course, with Tommy being the captain’s son, he must have picked up on a decent amount, but Techno was still impressed by how he knew something so niche.

Tommy took his silence as the opposite of what Techno was actually thinking. “I— I mean, that’s what Dad always said. He also said that it helped during the storms too when the sails had to be lowered because the thicker sail is harder to rip.”

“You’re completely right,” Techno nodded. Tommy relaxed a little more. “I was just impressed.”

“Yeah, well,” Tommy rubbed at his arms, slightly embarrassed. “Dad said the same thing you did yesterday on his own ship. He doesn’t like deadhands, so I did a lot of stuff with the crew and asked a lot of questions.”

If Techno wasn’t right about Tommy being a good successor before, he certainly was now.

“Don’t stop,” Techno offered a bit of advice. “Keep asking questions. Anyone will answer, and if they don’t, come to me. I’ll answer anything.”

Tommy nodded, opening his mouth once more to say something else, but he closed it again and let the wind fill the silence. Techno didn’t push, surveying the deck.

“Go work with Karl,” Techno gestured to the brunet again, who looked over at the mention of his name. “And if you need a break just ask for one, alright kid?”

Tommy nodded sharply and walked briskly over to Karl, who greeted the kid like an old friend.

Techno thought that maybe the kid had forgotten where he was, that this wasn’t his old ship and Techno wasn’t his father. Tommy just fell into the role so easily and had dropped the protests completely within a day. It was natural for him.

Techno wondered if that was just who that family was. They were made for the sea and anything the sea told them to do they would follow.

Those were the kinds of people that made the best pirates. Those were the kinds of people Techno sought after and kept close.

“I know that look.” Wilbur nudged him out of his head. Techno didn’t spare him a glance.

“What look?” He asked anyway out of curiosity. Wilbur smirked back at him.

“That’s the way you looked at me for months before you promoted me to first mate.”

The realization was a soft one. Techno had such an eye for potential. He knew just by looking at a person what they would be good at, what role they would play, and how easily they would take it up.

“I may have found your replacement.” He watched the bob of blonde bounce over to pick up a stack of buckets that Karl had to distribute between floors.

“You’re not replacing me already?” Wilbur gasped as if he was offended, though he knew Techno wouldn’t replace him as long as he was still breathing.

“He’s still got a lot to learn,” Techno dropped his voice. “And big shoes to fill. But when one of us goes, he’s next.”

Wilbur rolled his eyes. “He’s not even part of your crew.”

Yet. “He will be.” Techno huffed. “And he’ll make a damn good pirate.”

- ⚔︎ -

Phil couldn’t seem to keep his warmth. It slipped through his fingers like the very water he called his home. As much as he tried to cup his hands around it and keep it all close, he couldn’t seal his fingers enough to hold it for very long.

The way Tommy was curled into his side was helping, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Phil would have to stretch out in front of the very sun if he ever wanted to feel warm again. His bones were frosted and crystalized underneath his skin. He couldn’t stop shaking.

Tommy was worried, and Phil thought that worry may have contributed to his restlessness. For the past four days, Tommy had been itching to be let out of the cell the moment he woke up, ready to go participate in the pirates’ activities like a true crew member, only to return to his cell once he had worn out his welcome or, most recently, had been falling asleep.

He settled down in Phil’s lap for the night without much hassle, murmuring a few good things about his day before nodding off. Phil brushed through his hair with pained, aching muscles, but he refused to acknowledge the thrumming of his chest and stomach. The pains there could be ignored, and would continue to be ignored.

He had a few days at most. He couldn’t stand any longer, and he couldn’t talk much. Breathing was getting more difficult, and he was spending most of his hours sleeping despite the buzzing in his head.

He didn’t know how to explain it to Tommy. He wouldn’t be around to see the aftermath, but he knew it wouldn’t bode well. It would probably do more to set back Tommy’s progress with the crew, as long as Technoblade didn’t trick him into thinking that this was some greater work at play.

But would he just leave without saying goodbye to his son? Like Wilbur had done to him? It had crushed his soul in more ways than one, even more so when the rumors came about. He was no fool, he wouldn’t cling to false hope that said that his rebellious son was still alive somewhere. He had convinced himself eventually that he did not want to ever see him again if he was out there. He had left of his own free will without a goodbye, so Phil would not mourn him.

It still hurt, but that was not what mattered.

What mattered was Tommy. Phil still had him. He was ready to leave him. He wouldn’t know what Tommy would accomplish later, as a pirate, or if he escaped at some point. Phil would not be going with him. He’d return to the water and lay among the stars like everyone was destined to.

His wife will be furious.

Not that Phil had seen her in… since Tommy was born.

He was long overdue for a visit. He guessed he wouldn’t get a chance now.

Instead, he let his mind drift to old memories. Back when he commanded his own free-sailing ship, visiting her cove any time he’d like. Their honeymoon was quite the trip, as they were young with nothing to hold them down.

Soft memories wrapped in an embrace far warmer than the damp chill of The Blood God ’s cell. Phil let them wash over him, leaving his predicament for the next day. He could afford to wait.

He let himself slip from reality, falling into a sway of gentle humming, a haunting tune. Her laugh was quiet, barely breaking past her lips, and Phil opened his eyes to a dark sky and a sharp beach.

“My love,” she whispered. Her form was hazy, as was the rest of the world around him, but he could make out her figure just as well as any other time. Dark scales glimmered iridescently on the charred sand, sparkling like the waters she lived on.

Her voice held none of the hostility her expression did.

“You think you are destined to die?” She whispered. That thrumming in her chest that harbored the voice she used to lure him in that first time rumbled along with her words. She laughed again, baring teeth sharper than the so-called canines that humans used. “You think I would let you?”

Phil had almost forgotten about that small detail from a vow he hadn’t thought twice about.

“Kris—” he began but was cut off by a thrum of music floating through the air. His little human brain stuttered, a feeling of want replacing the phrase he had been going to speak.

“No, no, my love,” she shushed him. Her eyes began to clear through the fog of the dream, sparking like flint on steel. “If you do not wish to live, I will keep you alive by your sheer will. ”

She was merciless. Cruel. A murderer. His love.

She controlled much more than his heart. She had his soul and his life and whatever else she wanted. There was no equality with a siren, it was all or nothing.

And stars did Phil love her for it.

“You are destined for more, Philza,” she sang. “You are destined for life .”

When Phil’s mind slipped back into his cell, he ate what was in front of him.

Chapter Text

Techno’s brain was buzzing as he rubbed the small piece of gold between his fingers.

The ring was old, a gift from his parents, he assumed, though he couldn’t exactly be sure. He never got a chance to ask them. What he did know was that the emerald pressed into the gold circle was a symbol of inheritance, not only of money and resources, but of position.

For as long as he could remember, the ring had been attached to a chain around Techno’s neck. It was a marking to his crew that if something happened to the captain or first mate, he was next in line to take over the ship. It had never come to pass, sadly, as the captain and first mate both died in the sinking of Techno’s ship. He was just young enough to remember it, about four, but the stories he passed along would state that he was born upon that sinking ship, swept along the seas as a baby before being taken in by a passing merchant vessel.

Techno had kept the ring, despite its significance being next to nothing. He wore it on his thumb at the first opportunity and switched it to his other fingers as he grew. Much like his sword, he didn’t leave it unless he was sleeping.

Only when he had managed to commandeer his own ship did it hold significance again. He passed the ring between some of his closest crew members, taking it back after they perished, even diving into the ocean after it one time. It had been with him too long for him to let it go.

The first mate he had when he came upon the ruins of another pirate ship was only in that position because of experience and loyalty, but Techno found himself drifting eyes over to one of the two new crewmembers on his vessel. He had already made himself known as a navigator, taking up the open slot, and Techno had considered him for a long time before gifting him the ring, explaining neither its significance nor its value. Wilbur took it with a bit of a confused smile.

When that first mate passed on a few years later, his crew looked to him to see who would fill the slot, not knowing that one had been chosen already. The meeting with Wilbur had gone off to a shaky start when Techno asked for his ring back, but it all eventually mulled over into something they could both appreciate: a partnership.

Techno troubled himself with finding the next person for the ring for only a month before realizing that Wilbur, a gifted swordsman, a useful crew member, a rallying voice, and a tactical officer with years of ocean experience, wouldn’t need a successor immediately. Techno put the ring to rest in a chain around his neck and decided he’d know when the right person came along.

After all of the history this ring had been through, it was only fitting that Techno would be giving it to another person whose hands weren’t quite big enough to wear it.

He had sworn he would do it with the next full moon, presenting the ring to Tommy in front of the rest of the crew, asking him to join their ranks as a community member, if not family. Techno swore to let time fill the space inside Tommy’s soul with trust before asking him outright, but there was this itch underneath his skin that he couldn’t scratch.

It was nearly midnight. There was barely a sliver of a moon up in the sky, but the ocean was calm and the wind was still, and Techno was awake and staring at this little ring of gold between his fingers.

He didn’t want to ask too soon. It might still be too soon.

But he was awake. And the ring was in his hand.

And suddenly he was below deck walking into the cell block with a dim candle.

He smiled at the peaceful scene, of Philza and his son wrapped tightly in each others’ arms. Philza’s quaking had ceased, and from the look at the empty wooden slab, it seemed he had finally given in to his human instincts rather than continuing this game of starvation.

“Tommy,” Techno called softly, waiting a few moments before calling again. “Tommy.”

The boy stirred after the third time, shifting in his father’s arms before blinking blearily up at the light. He rubbed at his face before meeting Techno’s eyes, there was a gleam in them that made his soul spark.

“I would like to show you something,” Techno spoke more quietly. He didn’t want to wake the other, all he needed was Tommy. He took out the key in his pocket and weighed it in his hands, listening for a confirmation to know if Tommy was listening.

“Now?” The boy said in a harsh whisper, pushing himself off the floor. “It’s not morning yet, is it?”

“Not quite,” Techno chuckled, inserting the key and having the door swing forward. He offered his hand through the doorway. “I think you’ll like it.”

Tommy didn’t look convinced, glancing back at his dad for a moment like he was considering waking him. He decided not to, taking Techno’s offer of his outstretched hand without really thinking about it. The kid was still half asleep, and despite Techno not usually being one for contact, it was nice to think that Tommy wasn’t as wary as he had been a week ago.

They walked side by side up to the top deck after Techno locked the door again. Tommy was still rubbing at his eyes, the haze of sleep keeping his mouth from running without filter like it usually did. He blinked hazily at the almost empty deck, just the helmsman manning the wheel, the scout already sent to bed.

Techno nudged Tommy up to the next level, right next to the main mast. He stared up at the rungs of rope with a frown, knowing that the gaps were just a bit too big for little legs.

Tommy looked up at him when Techno paused for too long; Techno bit the inside of his cheek before reaching down and scooping Tommy right off the deck, letting him settle in his arms. Tommy tensed, stiffly considering his new position. His mind woke up a little more, and his mouth opened and closed to prepare for words.

None came out. Tommy leaned in and placed his head on Techno’s shoulder and his arms around his neck. Techno held him with one arm, not thinking too hard about it before starting up the ropes to the crow’s nest.

The wind was a bit stronger up on the perch that hung over the mast, but Tommy took in the waters around them with a smile. It wouldn’t suprise Techno if Tommy had never been on his own ship’s nest, it wasn’t exactly the safest place to be on a ship, and there was of course the problem that Tommy would have a hard time getting up here anyway.

When they reached the top, Techno set him down, and Tommy put his hands on the lip of the glorified bucket, watching the waves slowly lap at the sides of the ship.

“Look up, Tommy,” Techno gestured, tilting his chin up toward the sky. Tommy’s mouth dropped open a little bit at the number of stars, not a cloud in sight to cover them. Techno watched the stars’ reflection in Tommy’s eyes more than the stars themselves. His heart gave him a skip to remind him what they were even doing up here, so close to the gods that had made them.

Tommy reached a hand up like he was trying to reach for them. Technoblade’s soul squeezed.

“I want to tell you a story, ok?” Techno set one of his hands on the mast in the center, looking up at the red flag that billowed in the wind for just a moment.

“Ok,” Tommy whispered back, turning toward Techno. When Techno lowered to the floor, Tommy followed, their backs settling on opposite sides of the perch.

Techno breathed in the salty air that he could no longer taste, but it was always present and comforting to his chest.

“A long time ago,” he began with reverence, tipping his own head toward the sky. “The stars were the only beings in the universe. There were no humans, there were no sirens, there were no animals or plants. There was only the stars, the land, and the ocean.”

Tommy nodded, probably having heard the story before some way or another.

“The stars decided that they needed something to watch, something to bless with their power.” Techno’s thumb found the ring again, twisting it over his finger. “They created the plant life, still and beautiful, and then they created the animals that lived among them, all on the land so the stars could see them at all times.

“But the stars were not yet happy, they decided that the water too needed life, and created the fish and the ocean life, with coral for flowers and animals that both breathed air and water.”

Tommy took an involuntary breath in, and Techno followed his exhale.

“Then they wished some could be in both land and water,” Techno continued, “and they created the humans who could live on land, or could sail above the water. They conquered all.

“The star that shone the brightest, the north star, was pleased, but they were not happy.” When Tommy’s eyes betrayed that he was searching the sky for the familiar star, Techno pointed to its residence. Tommy’s eyes crossed its path and locked, allowing Techno to resume. “That star wished they could see more conflict, fire, pain. They wanted the humans to shape character, and be able to understand those that created them.”

Tommy tilted his head just barely, as if hearing the next part for the first time. 

“That star created the sirens and the merpeople, the good and the bad, and they let the humans choose. And some chose to be good, and others chose to be bad.” Techno let his eyes close for just a second. “And one… one chose to be both.”

The flash of understanding that crossed Tommy’s face betrayed his realization that this story wasn’t simply for entertainment; there was a moral to it.

Techno waited for Tommy to look down before finishing. “That star followed them forever and then shone down upon all those who decided to follow the same path. The balance of good and evil was equal, and finally, no one was simply one.”

Tommy met his eyes, waiting for something more; he was waiting for the moral to turn into purpose—the reason for telling it.

“Do you understand the story, Tommy?” Techno asked instead of giving him a straight answer. Tommy pursed his lips for a moment, nodding to himself but not to the world around him.

“I think so,” he mumbled instead. “But it’s just a myth. The world wasn’t actually made like that.”

Techno shrugged, “Maybe not,” but there was a content part of his soul now. “It’s not meant to be the truth, it’s meant to explain the truth. No one is good or evil. Everyone is both.”

Tommy nodded again, but it still hadn’t hit him yet.

“Are you good and bad, Tommy?”

There it was. It hit Tommy with a jolt and his eyes were seeing Techno in a new light. Starlight , Techno hoped.

“Yeah,” Tommy eventually croaked out. “And Dad is too.”

“And me?” Tommy pursed his lips together until they were white. “Am I good and bad?”

Tommy swallowed down something stuck in his throat. “I’m supposed to think you’re bad,” he said with a croak.

“But I’ve been good to you, haven’t I?” Techno pressed. Tommy squirmed under his gaze, clearly torn. “I let you live, I let you out. You asked me to keep your father alive and I did, didn’t I?”

“Yes…” Tommy started. His arms wrapped around his knees as they came up. “But you killed everyone else.”

“So I am good.” Techno paused after his phrase. “And I am evil.” He raised his head again to look at the sky, right where the north star guided sailors of all kinds. “And that star shines for me too, as I’m sure it does for you.”

“But pirates hurt people for fun.” Tommy let the words tumble out quickly as if they were in there for far longer than the conversation. “So pirates are more bad.” He tightened in on himself, as if worried Techno would berate him for saying such a thing.

That happened to be exactly what he wanted to hear.

“Good people hurt other people for good reasons,” Techno pushed, hoping to get his point across simply. “And bad people hurt other people for bad reasons. But I am both. So I hurt bad people for good reasons.”

“And good people for bad reasons?” Tommy’s eyes flickered: a test.

“Sometimes.” Techno wouldn’t lie to him. He was no pure soul. “But less.”

Tommy considered that for a while, watching the stars shift in the sky, the ink black of night calming on the eyes. Techno watched it with him, allowing the words to settle, allowing the moral to click.

When enough time had passed, and the silence had become a safe middle ground, Techno spoke again. “I think you’re good, Tommy,” he said with a whisper. “What do you think I am?”

Tommy breathed in, and Techno followed.

“...I think you’re in between,” Tommy began, finding his words as if he was pulling them from the very stars. “You killed everyone else on the ship, but you still wanted me and Dad to live.” His words stuttered for a second before he looked away from the stars. “Even if Dad didn’t want to.”

Children were far smarter than the world believed. They thought more than they spoke aloud. They saw more than others showed them.

“Whether you believe it or not,” Techno smiled. “I want what is best for you two.”

Techno shifted over just a few scoots until he was shoulder-to-shoulder with the kid. He didn’t scoot away, if anything he leaned in a little.

“I want to make you an offer.”

Techno slipped the ring off of his finger, allowing the little circle to catch the starlight. Tommy’s eyes traced it with that sense of wonder that could only be found in children. When Techno held it out to him, Tommy took it in his fingers, trying it on around his thumb. As Techno thought, the gold band was still too large for him.

“I want to make you part of my crew.”

That was all Techno had to say. Tommy could find out about his place in line later; right now, all Techno needed was a yes or no. He held onto that spark of hope and that little point of contact at their shoulders. Trust.

Tommy kept his silence, running over things in his head. He watched the stars for a little bit, his brain trying to dust off the words to find the color underneath it, but there was nothing Techno was hiding. He had told Tommy everything he needed to know.

“Dad—” Tommy started, clearing his throat when it caught. “Dad said you would want me to prove myself.”

Techno shook his head, a bit of his braid falling loose around his ear. “Saying you’d join me is proof enough. I don’t need anything more.”

Tommy still had questions. “This means no more cell, right?”

“You’d get your own bunk,” Techno huffed a little with amusement. “You’d share a room with another crewmate, but you would have your own space below and free reign of the ship—with the exception of the crow’s nest until you’re older.”

Tommy smiled a little at the prospect. “Would Dad get out too?”

That was a trickier question. “Your father isn’t you,” he began, trying to be soft with his words. “If he would like to join my crew, he can get out.”

“You’d let him?”

Techno nodded, though he doubted that trust would be won any time soon. He’d hold Philza in that cell as long as he needed to, but he had some other plans up his sleeve if need be.

“Can I convince him?” Tommy asked this time, and Techno chuckled, nudging Tommy’s shoulder with his own.

“Always.”

Tommy raised his head in determination, a hand wrapped around the ring on his finger. “Ok,” he announced loudly, telling the world. “I’ll join your crew.”

Techno breathed out in relief, eyes fluttering just for a moment.

“Welcome aboard The Blood God ,” Techno told him, wrapping an arm around Tommy’s shoulders. Tommy leaned in with a giggle, pressing himself under the velvet of Techno’s cape.

“Thank you,” Tommy whispered, and at Techno’s look he added a sheepish “...captain.”

Techno spent the rest of the night thanking the stars.

Chapter Text

The cell was quiet.

Phil had trouble reigning the fog of sleep back to its normal constraints. There wasn’t much light, but the sound of footsteps on the boards above him betrayed the time of day. Even with the scuffle of floorboards, the cell felt much more quiet. Phil could hear his own breaths as they flowed in and out like the ocean’s tide.

He blinked his eyes open with a shiver, bringing his arms around him and the blanket he had been given just a few nights ago. There was another heap of fish on the wooden slab in the corner, but Phil’s shrunken stomach wouldn’t be able to handle any more than he had last night.

Stars, he’d broken the fast.

“Fuck…” He drawled out the word until his voice died away, and only regretted saying it after he’d run the cuss through. Tommy did not need to be cussing just yet, but Phil had to admit he wasn’t a good influence in that department.

But from the silence of the cell, it seemed Tommy was still asleep.

Phil blinked at the blank walls, finally getting a grasp on his surroundings.

Tommy.

He wasn’t here.

“Tommy?” Phil called to the room. His voice broke despite the lack of syllables. His body was exhausted. There was no answer. “Tommy? Bud?”

Nothing.

Phil’s breathing heightened. He stumbled to his feet and ran up to the bars. Tommy wasn’t in the other cell, nor was he in the part of food storage that was visible from the cell block. “Tommy!” His voice rang out, vocal cords rubbing unpleasantly. Those trips with Kristin always wore out his body, as his mind wasn’t fond of being torn away from his physical form. “ Tommy!” He shouted as loud as he possibly could. It was far below what he usually could.

He just wanted his son , dammit. What if he was in danger? Maybe he was being forced to work on the ship, pushed to integrate with the crew. Maybe those pirates were trying to drill things into his mind and manipulate him into their perfect little worker bee.

“Hello?” He called out when footsteps grew louder in any direction. “Tommy? Anyone! Please?”

It was minutes of shouting until his voice gave out when someone finally gave him the time of day, a man he recognized from the only day Technoblade hadn’t come down to visit: the first mate.

The pirate’s eyes dropped into a deep scowl at the sight of him. “What’s the ruckus for?” He practically growled, a deep hatred etched onto his face. Phil must have interrupted something. Good. They should fucking know not to take his son from him.

“Where is my son?” Phil hissed back. The action was easier on his voice. “Where is he?”

Phil could feel the eye roll he got in response, the first mate just leaning against the doorway like this was a waste of time. “He’s with Techno.”

Not unusual, but definitely worrying. Technoblade usually took him early afternoon, and Phil’s circadian rhythm was better than that. It could only be late morning.

“Can I see him?” Phil asked somewhat desperately but changed his tactic almost immediately. “I want to see him,” he stated instead, he couldn’t go around allowing the pirates to dictate what he could do or not do more than what had happened already.

“He’s on the same ship,” the pirate deadpanned. “Don’t overreact.”

“I just want to know if he’s safe,” Phil tried, which was something of the truth. He was sure he and this pirate had very different definitions of danger.

Instead of a deeper scowl like Phil expected to see, the first mate began to grin. “You won’t have to worry about that anymore.”

Phil’s heart skipped and picked up to a speed several times faster than it had been before. “What does that fucking mean?” He asked in somewhat of a panic. “If you hurt him I fucking swear to you — ”

“As of this morning,” the pirate raised his voice above Phil’s, which wasn’t the hardest thing to do, but it effectively cut him off. “Tommy is under our protection,” the pirate continued after his silence, a smile sitting on his fanged teeth. “He decided to join the crew.”

Phil’s soul sank in his chest. The news hit like a wave of dense water, pushing him back until he stumbled into the wall. His head spun, desperate questions forming from a panicked haze. “ What…?” He breathed into the open air. He thought he had done well enough to keep Tommy at his side for more than two weeks — not even! Pirates were tricky, horrid people, and Phil had pointed out every lie, stretch of truth, and manipulation tactic to his vulnerable son, knowing they would want Tommy on their crew. It was a given that he would bend at some point, but this soon?

“I’m sure he’ll be down to tell you in time,” the first mate smirked, turning his body toward the open door again.

“Wait! Please — ” Phil called after him, but the pirate barely hesitated. “Can — can you call him down?”

“He’ll be down to see you in time ,” he emphasized once more, shooting Phil another triumphant look. “Good day.”

Phil sunk against the wall and let his terrified tears drop into his hands.

- ⚔︎ -

The midday sun was sparkling across the water, a beautiful mirage of gleaming colors twirling on a blue sea. Techno had just finished pulling the mast back up with a few others, as it had been taken down to patch a hole. He was just tying off the rope and securing it to the mast when he caught sight of Tommy out of the corner of his eye. He was on the highest deck, the one that housed the helm, leaning over the railing and staring off into that shimmering reflection of the sun on the water.

He was quiet and still; that alone was not the best sign.

He excused himself from the group and climbed up one more level to the kid, coming up to the railing next to him.

“Are you alright, Tommy?”

The kid jumped, so deep in his head that he hadn’t even noticed Techno come up to him. He easily relaxed when he set eyes on Techno, reacting by punching the captain in the shoulder playfully.

“Don’t fucking do that,” he said, but with none of the playfulness Techno had seen over the days. “You scared me.”

Tommy’s hands crept up to the chain he had been gifted last night, a golden ring with an embedded emerald resting on the end of it. His fingers had already made a habit of twiddling with it, spinning the ring around the chain just like Techno used to.

“Something on your mind?” The question was just for courtesy because it was clear there was something on the forefront, tipping Tommy dangerously to starboard.

Tommy swallowed, clearly weighing his options of telling him or not before finally mumbling out “...guilty.”

That was not the answer Techno had been expecting. Maybe nervous or overwhelmed would have been a normal response, but guilty was a little harder to fix.

“What do you feel guilty for?” Techno leaned farther over the railing, trying to get to Tommy’s height so they could exist on the same level. Equals.

“Dad said not to trust you guys,” Tommy continued to mumble, not wanting to speak the words into existence. He rubbed at his arms in an echo of comfort. “And now I’m nervous to talk to him because he’ll be mad.”

Techno couldn’t really argue with that logic. Philza had made it abundantly clear that he was not fond of the idea of pirates, and even less that Tommy would become one. But the former captain had to have known it would be inevitable, so Techno wasn’t sure if Philza would be mad .

Maybe devastated would be a better word. The one thing Techno was certain of was that there would be some strong feelings when Tommy went down to the cell block again.

“I’m sure he won’t be mad at you for making a decision for yourself.” Techno leaned forward, trying to console. Tommy should feel welcome and excited to join the crew, it was a time for celebration. “You’re old enough to decide things for yourself, don’t you think?”

Tommy considered his words at the very least. “Still guilty…” he admitted with a huff.

“Alright.” Techno stood up straight, readjusting his hat. “Let’s go see him then.” Tommy’s eyes shot over with a nervous look, and Techno offered his hand. “I’ll go with you. We’ll talk to him. There’s no reason to be guilty of a decision you wanted to make.”

There was no denial of Techno’s statement, and Tommy took his hand after a brief moment of hesitation.

The boat rocked gently underneath them as they descended levels. Techno stopped for a moment by the bunks to peak into Wilbur’s. Charlie had just moved out of it, bunking with Jack while Connor set up shop in a storage room. Wilbur only had the room to himself for a few nights, but Techno would break the news to him that Tommy would be his new roommate tonight.

Then they went down to the cells, and at the sound of footsteps, Philza ran right up to the bars.

He visibly relaxed when he saw Tommy and barely backed away from the bars when Techno went over to unlock it. Tommy ran to him and Philza engulfed him in a hug.

Techno didn’t bother closing the door. Philza wouldn’t be going anywhere.

“Dad… I — ” Tommy started, stuttering and clutching Philza’s clothes so he wouldn’t pull away. “I — I did something — ”

Philza just tucked Tommy closer, crouching to try and keep his small body closer. “I know,” he whispered, causing Tommy to stop his stuttering. “I know.”

“You know?”

Philza nodded into Tommy’s hair. “The first mate told me you joined the crew.”

Techno made sure to school his expression. What was Wilbur doing down here?

Tommy was tensed; he looked about ready to run.

“Are you mad?” Tommy asked, raising his head to look at him. Philza’s expression was tensed, almost pained, but he still managed to hold a soft smile.

“Not mad, Tommy, I — I knew it would happen eventually.” Techno slightly smiled at the admission, but it wasn’t like Philza was looking. “I just… I think we should talk. Alone.”

Techno was moderately surprised when Tommy flinched back, trying to hide his wince but failing to hide his body’s reaction. Phil’s expression held a moderate amount of concern and confusion, and Techno didn’t blame him.

“Why can’t Techno stay?”

And if nothing had surprised him before, Techno was sure as hell surprised now. While plenty of other people had called him Techno in front of the kid, he’d never heard the nickname from Tommy. The almost casual use of it seemed to suggest that Tommy had been calling him Techno in his head this whole time.

And he was ignoring the entire other half of the message, which is that Tommy wanted him to stay.

Philza couldn’t answer Tommy’s question in the way he wanted to, not with Techno standing so close on the other side of the open door, with Tommy already leaning away from him.

“I think we need to talk,” Phil stated again, eyeing Techno with a harsh stare. Techno resisted the urge to smile in taunt.

Tommy shook his head quickly. “I want Techno to stay.” Philza’s look was blanching, a million questions in his mind. Techno was feeling the warm satisfaction of triumph.

Tommy didn’t want to be convinced otherwise. That’s why he wanted Techno to stay.

“Tommy — ” Philza started after a breath, that scolding tone of his beginning to fester. Techno took a step forward, effectively cutting off the former Navy captain and asserting his place in the conversation.

“What he says goes, Philza,” Techno said with a slight smile. “He is part of my crew now and technically outranks you.”

Stars, that was something. The eleven-year-old brand-new pirate outranking a former Navy captain with eons of experience who was, in fact, his own father.

Philza was visibly angered. Techno knew to take it personally.

With a breath and a sigh, Philza held his hands on Tommy’s shoulders to gain his full attention. If he couldn’t be alone, he would act like they were alone.

“You know what these men do, right, Tommy?” Philza asked with all of the authority he could muster. “You know what they might make you do?”

“Techno said I don’t have to kill anyone if I don’t want to,” Tommy told him back, gaining a little more confidence. “I don’t even have to see it.”

There was a vein popping out of Philza’s head. “But it’s still happening,” he pressed on. “Doesn’t that bother you?”

“But you killed someone.”

Philza’s breathing hitched. Techno knew exactly who he was talking about. When Techno’s crew swung over to claim The Crow , Philza’s ship had been overwhelmed by the action. Philza could claim self-defense; technically, Vikk did have the intention of killing him, and Phil had to kill to avoid it, but it wouldn’t help his case. Tommy would just argue that it was the same, that the ships Techno passed would attack him in the same way. Which wasn’t always true, but it was certainly how Techno had started out.

“I did, bud.” Philza had no choice but to agree. “But I didn’t enjoy it. And Te — these men — ” Techno caught the stumble. “They do.”

Tommy looked back at Techno at that moment. Techno raised an eyebrow at the kid, his arms crossed in front of him which was only a tactical pose in case Philza lost his wit all at once and went to attack. Techno’s hand was near his hilt and his blade would put an end to things quickly one way or the other.

He hadn’t planned to defend himself in this argument, only planned on playing the peacemaker, but if Tommy wanted him involved, he would become involved.

“I’ve been hurt in many ways, Tommy.” Techno didn’t move from his place, but he tensed his fingers just enough for Philza to lock eyes with Techno’s hilt. “My parents were killed before I remembered them, and those people tried to kill me too. Everywhere I went people killed my friends, my family, and they tried to kill me.” Tommy nodded along like he had heard the tales of Techno’s upbringing. Techno wouldn’t be surprised if Philza did tell him at some point. “If your father was killed in front of you, Tommy, that day we attacked your ship, wouldn’t you feel the same way about the world? Wouldn’t you want to kill me and my crew in return?”

Tommy barely hesitated before nodding, letting Philza’s gaze harden.

“There is no justification for evil,” Techno continued, planning to bring their discussion from last night back into the picture. “There never has been. But if I balance it out with good, I am less evil, correct?”

Maybe Techno didn’t explain why he enjoyed such a thing, but he at least defended his why . Enjoyment was just a side effect of desensitization; the action had become so normalized that Techno found ways to shape it into a game of some sort.

He would explain that to the kid in due time when he was older and could better understand the necessity of revenge.

Tommy nodded once more to Techno’s statement, causing Philza to open his mouth in shock like he was going to scold his kid. But his eyes trailed back to Techno and drew an invisible line through the fold of reality, as if he could see that no matter what he said, the future would remain the same.

Techno watched tears form in the creases of his eyes.

“I see it’s too late for me, then.” Philza separated himself from Tommy, who seemed to panic for a moment, like this wasn’t the outcome he wanted. “Good luck, Tommy.”

“Wha— Dad!” Tommy tried to move forward to connect with his father again, but as Philza continued to move back, Techno set a hand on Tommy’s shoulder. Tommy whipped around, hoping Techno would say something that would convince Philza that this was a good thing, that Tommy had made the right decision.

“Let’s go, Tommy,” Techno said instead with a tilt of his head. Tommy stuttered out some half-formed words, blinking his eyes rapidly, keeping tears away. Philza just sat back down in the corner, his head turned toward the wall.

Tommy’s lip was wobbling when he finally just walked into Techno’s side and hid himself underneath his cape. Techno let him take refuge under the fabric as he locked the cell again and guided Tommy out.

“He just needs some time to think,” Techno promised the kid. “Let him think things over.”

Tommy’s feet stumbled over themselves, and Techno had to stop to get Tommy to regain his stability.

“Dad’s mad at me,” Tommy whispered into Techno’s clothes. “Just like I said.”

“He told you he wasn’t mad.” Techno ran a hand through his curls, trying to get him to relax. He’d seen Philza do the motion several times, it was obviously familiar to the kid. “He’s processing. I’m sure he will come around in time. He’s been fighting pirates just like me for as long as he’s lived.”

Tommy’s blue eyes looked up to meet Techno’s red ones. “Pirates like me?”

Techno softened with a smile. “Pirates just like you,” he agreed reverently.

Tommy relaxed into his side, and Techno decided that he didn’t have nearly as much work to do as he had set for himself that morning.

Chapter Text

Wilbur marched in with all of his theatrical ability, slamming the door behind him with a swoop of his coat and a spin that landed him right in front of Techno’s desk.

Techno barely glanced up, a smile forming. He knew exactly why Wilbur was barging in.

“ Why,” he spoke with as much taunting venom as he could. “Do I have to room with the child?”

Techno didn’t even bother with keeping himself busy, smiling just slightly enough that maybe it wouldn’t be caught by the candlelight.

“Do you see any other beds open?” Techno crossed his arms in front of his chest. Wilbur pouted but couldn’t keep eye contact.

“He could take the hammock,” Wilbur muttered, closing in over himself. “In the storage room.”

“You’d rather room with Connor over Tommy?” Techno laughed softly. “Now you’re being ridiculous.” Wilbur didn’t admit it, but the shadows over his brows certainly did. “And I would rather not have Tommy rooming alone, especially when surrounded by piles of gunpowder, weapons, and rum.”

Wilbur still found a reason to huff. “Why can’t you room with him? You’re the one who invited him here in the first place.”

Now, despite Techno possibly having the accommodations to house the child, there were several flaws to that logic. The one Techno felt like rebutting with was the fact that Tommy and Wilbur shared the same blood, but decided that, with Phil still fairly unstable with his situation, it wasn’t time to blow a cannon in the hull just yet.

Instead, he shot Wilbur a questioning look. “Because of my bad days and chaotic schedule, Wil. And no one rooms with the captain and you know it.”

Wilbur found no more arguments to justify his unwillingness, especially since Techno wouldn’t let him win anyway. Wilbur flopped down on the chair and spread out his gangly limbs, huffing to make his clear displeasure known. Techno took the moment to look pleased with himself.

“What’s your plan with this kid anyway?” Wilbur asked with an eye roll that practically circled the room. “Like, I know he’s going to be my replacement or whatever, but he’s not of much use right now—not even twelve, just taking up space.”

“I doubt you would say that about your guitar,” Techno countered without missing a beat. Wilbur spluttered as he tried to get himself upright in the chair again. He didn’t manage to get settled fast enough to cut Techno off. “To answer your question: yes, Tommy is going to be my replacement when I die. If he learns young he’ll be an amazing successor, keep the legacy alive.”

Wilbur scoffed. “So that’s your whole plan? You’re becoming a father?”
Techno knew Wilbur said that specifically to get on his nerves, as he usually wouldn’t be fond of being compared to his prisoners. He didn’t find too much hatred in it this time. Phil was a good father with some definite flaws. But it wasn’t his vision to become a father figure for the kid.

“A mentor,” Techno corrected. “And I hope you will be too.”

Wilbur didn’t expect to be included, but he just sighed and sunk deeper into the upholstery. “You’re lucky I like you,” he grumbled, but his cheeks had a tint of red to them.

Techno discarded it, just thankful he got an agreement. “Go make sure Tommy gets settled.” He made a shooing motion at Wilbur to get him to leave. The pirate in question wasn’t amused, but when Techno pulled out his log, he reluctantly got to his feet.

“Yes, captain, ” he mocked a bow and spun on his heel, waving a middle finger in the air as he pranced out.

“Goodnight, Wilbur,” Techno called after him with a smile. The door didn’t slam quite as loud.

- ⚔︎ -

Techno’s eyes shot open.

For a moment, he couldn’t tell why. His heart was pounding in his chest louder than the waves against the hull. His adrenaline was trying to catch up to him, but it too was exhausted.

Then, the ship shuttered.

Techno had never been up that fast. He had no time to sling the cape over his shoulders, only to place the cornered hat on his head and wretch the door open.

Towering over Techno’s home were the tentacles of a creature he’d only faced once before.

“Captain!” Niki was at the helm, Techno whipped his head over to her. He fought to get to her side to help her struggle with the wheel, trying to keep the ship from tipping. He took it from her hands, yelling over the crash of the interrupted waves to ring the bell.

His crew was already starting to pour over the deck even before the bell rang. Swords were drawn but were just hanging there at people’s sides. What use were blades when they couldn’t reach the threat?

Jack was up in the crow’s nest, trying desperately to get down as a tentacle wrapped itself around the mast. Sam was trying to yell at those nearest to him to tie stuff down. Skeppy was fighting his way to cannons.

The ship creaked, and Techno turned the wheel so that the hull was ramming into the monster’s side. It was the only way they’d stay upright.

The last time he’d faced a Kracken it hadn’t gone very well. His crew dwindled to a mere ten, his ship couldn’t raise its anchor or it would tip with the first strong wave. They had been sitting ducks until the Mallard had finally came to their rescue, and Techno had been in Quackity’s debt for a long time after that.

“Techno!” That was Wilbur, he had a sword outstretched but the tentacles were still out of arm’s reach. “What’s the fucking plan?”

Survive, was all that Techno could come up with. There was no strategic way to take this thing down. It was a mass of might and metal, one that attacked from all sides and devoured all that was edible. It would wait until the ship was in the correct position and then it would squeeze, crack it down the middle, and eat the insides like The Blood God was a glorified oyster.

Seaspray came up over the sides. Techno thought only of Tommy, who might be a pirate all of one day.

“Fight to the death,” he called back to Wilbur. “Give it everything it doesn’t want.”

Wilbur decoded his words, running back to the main deck to shout orders. Cannons boomed after just a few moments, each in succession. If they got out of this, they’d have nothing left, but they could fight the Navy better than they could a terrestrial monster.

What’s your plan? Techno asked the stars. What’s the point of this?

Techno drew a pistol and fired. It hit but didn’t hinder.

“Captain!” Techno focus was drawn again, but this time to a shorter figure clinging to the railings for dear life.

“Tommy!” Techno reached for him, pulling him close. Tommy latched onto the wheel with both hands. “Are you crazy? Go below!”

“And leave you fuckers to die?” Tommy reached up for Techno’s gun, of which Techno held higher over his head. “Let me at it!”

“You don’t even know how to work one of these!”

Tommy didn’t answer, clawing at Techno’s arm to get the pistol down. The ship rocked, tilting dangerously, and Techno had to abandon the effort to keep the ship upright.

Tommy snatched the gun from his fingers before trying to unlatch himself from the helm. Techno struggled with him, no words left to speak, just the struggle of two pirates and their skewed sense of duty.

Tommy escaped with the gun. Techno could not follow.

“Eret!” Techno had to hand off the helm, no one else spotted Tommy through the chaos. He could hurt himself, and Techno would be damned if the reason Tommy got hurt was because of him.

It took several more tries, but Eret got to the helm, and Techno rushed down to the main deck to try to get the eleven-year-old, but Tommy was missing. Techno swiftly got pulled back in to help keep tentacles off the mast. They’d have nothing if that broke off.

The next time he spotted a head of blonde hair in the fray, it wasn’t Tommy.

Phil was gripping the railing with all he had, prying his son up from the cabin below. Tommy gripped his father with only one hand, the other holding the pistol by the muzzle. There was an absence of weight in Techno’s pocket. The gremlin had stolen his key.

Techno could do nothing as the two of them secured each other to the railing, and Techno couldn’t bring himself to care much. If they were all going down, Phil might as well be free as they do it.

Techno turned a blind eye, wondering if that would be the last decision he ever made.

- ⚔︎ -

Phil knew exactly what was happening when the ship shuttered without a storm. He had gotten to his feet immediately, prying at the bars for the first time since he’d been down there. Like hell was he going to die down here.

The cell was locked tight, but his son was a savior.

“Dad!” Tommy skittered down into the hold. Phil’s hands wrapped around the bars as Tommy juggled a key and a pistol. “Dad there’s— there’s a Kracken!” He heaved air, trying to catch his breath. “You— you know how to—”

Tommy had heard Phil’s story before of that time along the seas when Phil faced a monster so unmatched that he was certain he could see his end. It was only thanks to some throwaway knowledge from Kristin that he’d managed to survive.

Tommy remembered it too, he just couldn’t do it himself.

“Help the ship,” Tommy begged as the door swung open, the key clutched tight in his hand. “ Please. ”

They raced to the top deck once again, both of them out of breath when they pried the door open. It was worse in the open air, where you could see and hear the creature. The waves tumbled over the sides, screeches and yells coming from every direction possible.

Phil made eye contact with Technoblade, but the captain turned deliberately away.

One chance.

Phil heaved Tommy up from below, making sure he had a good grip on the damp railings before even thinking about letting him go. He took the pistol from Tommy’s grip.

“I need you to hold me steady against the railing, ok?” Phil addressed with a clear urgency. Tommy didn’t waste breath, just latching one of his arms around the railing and wrapping his other arm around Phil.

The crew was already struggling to keep the ship upright, so the floor underneath him was tilted upward. He needed both hands and hoped to the stars Tommy could keep him steady enough. It was this ship’s only hope.

He raised his pistol, keeping both hands over the trigger. The Kracken popped its head over the waves at just the right moment, letting Phil lock on to the spot right above its eyes. The brain canal, the only spot that would kill it.

Phil centered his shot with shaking arms and pulled the trigger.

There was a horrible wailing like the sea itself was crying out. The crew dropped their swords to cover their ears, and Phil was no exception, the pistol dropping at his feet. The ship creaked, rocked, and then collapsed back onto the waves. Everyone lost their footing, and Tommy went tumbling away. Phil had to clasp the railing to keep from falling into the sea.

The ship settled heavily into disturbed waters, with ocean swells soaking all of those close enough to the sides. Phil took a minute to catch his breath, hand clutching his chest as dots danced in front of his eyes.

He’d just saved a ship full of pirates.

But he’d also saved his son, and that was excuse enough.

Phil looked up to see Technoblade marching towards him.

He scrambled in a panic for the discarded gun, which he fumbled with for a moment before lifting it to the captain’s eyes. Technoblade stopped in his tracks, opening his mouth to say something that Phil never got to hear.

“Drop the gun!” The first mate shouted over the settling of waves. Phil expected to see another pistol pointed at him, but it was far worse than that.

“Drop the gun,” the first mate demanded again. “Or I’ll shoot.”

There, with a barrel to the back of his head, was Tommy.

Chapter Text

Phil couldn’t drop the gun.

Wilbur couldn’t lose his captain.

Tommy couldn’t win.

Techno couldn’t break.

---

Two pistols pointed to the heads of two people too precious to think of losing. Phil shifted his eyes frantically, looking for an opening somewhere , somewhere where he could gain an advantage to get his son to safety and keep his own upper hand.

Phil's heart pounded in his ears, and he had a thought that maybe he’d never been at the mercy of the sea because he thought it must have felt something like this. He was stuck between his undying loyalty to the mess of the churning waves and the lives of the crew he was in command of.

Phil had no crew left, he had only his own life and that of his son. He always had his loyalty to the sea, and he felt like she should repay her loyalty now that he really needed it. He could not be separated for another moment from the clear sky and the sea spray.

But his son. His son.

He’d already lost one. How was he supposed to fare losing another one of his children too early?

How could he possibly decide?

---

Wilbur felt awful.

He could feel Tommy trembling under his hand. The kid couldn’t see the pistol, but he knew it was there, and with every little tilt of the waves it grazed the back of his head.

Despite shouting that he would, Wilbur didn’t think he could force himself to pull the trigger. It would have been different if Tommy was some passerby on a ship they had overrun, perhaps left to survive the sea on an empty or sinking ship. But to Wilbur’s very hand?

And he couldn’t stop the feeling that this kid could be no older than his own brother, the one he had left behind all those years ago.

He couldn’t do it, but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t pretend he could.

It didn’t matter who else was at risk, Wilbur owed his life to Techno, and he wouldn’t let anything happen to the man he owed the world to.

---

Tommy didn’t know what was going on. It all happened so fast. One moment he had been holding his father to the railing to take down the Kracken, and the next he was trapped under the hand of the first mate he had just shared a room with.

And he liked Wilbur. He didn’t understand why it wasn’t mutual.

He didn’t understand the guns, or the threats, and he certainly didn’t know why he was here at the mercy of it. He thought Dad would be the one threatened to get Tommy to behave, but Techno said they wouldn’t do that.

He’d never said they wouldn’t do it the other way around.

Even still, he wasn’t sure what to do. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t open his mouth to speak, all he could do was watch his dad and his captain stare each other down.

He wondered if this was what pirates were. Enough of the stories, enough of the lies—the man behind him was a pirate.

Pirates would do anything to get what they wanted.

---

Techno knew a tricky situation when he saw one. Usually, it was in the midst of battle when he was ready for the surprise attack.

Staring down the barrel of a pistol in shaky hands with a second gun held to the head of his brand new crewmate, he was the only one who could do something about this.

Phil was just scared. He was scared of going below again and wasting away. Wilbur was just like Phil, scared that the prisoner would abandon all sense just to take out a pirate. Wilbur couldn’t lose him.

Techno couldn’t lose Tommy.

He’d give his own life for Tommy’s. The captain went down with his ship.

“Drop it,” Techno commanded, but not at the gun that was pointed at him. No, he directed right at his first mate with all of the fury of a burning star. “Drop the gun.”

Wilbur blanched, not expecting to be addressed in such a harsh manner. His hand wavered, but it did not relent. “What? Captain—”

Techno was not taking suggestions. “Drop. The. Gun.”

Wilbur’s eyes narrowed. “Techno—”

“That’s an order. ” If Techno wasn’t pinned in place by the second pistol he would have marched over there himself and pried it out of Wilbur’s hands. Using a prisoner’s weakness was fine, but not when it dealt with the lives of his own crew.

“Techno,” Wilbur demanded his attention more harshly. There was a fire churning in Techno’s gut. If Wilbur didn’t put down that pistol he was going to ruin everything Techno worked for. “I am not letting you lose your life over a stupid mistake.”

“Mistake?” Techno turned his whole body, disregarding Phil as he tunnel-visioned on Wilbur. “That is your crewmate. Put down the gun.”

“You’re the captain!” Wilbur seethed in return. “Your life is worth more than the rest of ours.”

That was not in the slightest bit true.

Techno couldn’t believe that had come out of Wilbur’s mouth.

“I am saying this for your sake , Wilbur.” Techno raised a hand. “You are holding a pistol to your brother’s head. Put the fucking gun down.”

Techno watched the air shatter between the three of them.

The realization tasted sweet on Techno’s tongue. After so long of keeping it confined to the lines in his log, watching Wilbur and Phil see each other for the first time in years inhabited just the reaction Techno expected from them.

Shock. Disbelief. Horror.

Wilbur dropped the gun.

Phil dropped to the floor.

For Phil, Techno knew he could see him now, the little teenager Phil had never thought was lost to the sea. Wilbur was grown, fitting kindly into his skin, but some of his juvenile features remained.

Wilbur couldn’t even focus on Phil. He was stumbling back from where he had been, a hand coming over his face as he considered what he had just done. Dread and panic were not his only emotions as he whispered with increasing desperation, drawing the connecting line between the name he knew, Thomas, and the one he had been given, Tommy.

The eleven-year-old who had been stuck in the fray broke off right at the moment he could, racing across the deck with his feet hitting the deck in rapid footsteps. He ran right to Techno, who scooped him up into his arms. Tommy buried his face in Techno’s shirt and muffled his tears.

“Everyone else should return below for the time being,” Techno addressed the crowd of onlookers. He needed a moment without them. “Thank you for your help.”

Techno nodded only to Niki, who took over the helm. Everyone else disappeared with haste.

It was just the brothers, their father, and the captain of the ship they stood on.

Techno could have addressed the two adults, the ones who had no idea what to believe, the ones who were grasping for straws at the very thought of the other’s existence, but he didn’t. He turned to the boy in his arms, who wasn’t at fault for anything but inheritance.

“Hey, Tommy,” Techno gently called to the boy shaking in his arms. Tommy sniffed at being addressed but did not look up. That was alright. “Did your dad ever tell you about your brother?”

Tommy nodded into Techno’s shoulder, his grip tightening just a little bit.

“Do you know his name?”

Tommy shook his head.

“His name is Wilbur,” Techno’s voice rumbled across the waves, low enough to be heard but not to startle. “He became a pirate just like you , did you know? He joined a little crew to sail the seas, but his ship ended up sinking. I rescued him and Niki, the only survivors of that shipwreck.” Tommy slowly raised his head. “You haven’t seen him in a long time.”

Tommy’s eyes sparkled with shed tears and confusion. “Da— Dad said he was dead— he said that he— that Wilbur fought the pirates and died.”

“He almost died,” Techno agreed. “But he didn’t. He was just missing. He was with me.” Techno turned Tommy around. “Do you want to meet him?”

When Tommy nodded, Techno set him down on the deck again, guiding him over to the first mate he knew, but hadn’t met yet.

“This is your brother, Tommy.”

Wilbur kneeled as gently as he could, getting down so they could make eye contact with each other. They didn’t have the same eyes, but they were outlined with tears in the same way.

“Hi, ” Wilbur breathed, the word barely present but holding the weight of the world. Tommy looked down at the floor. “Stars, I shouldn’t— I shouldn’t have ever done that to you.” Wilbur reached out, just barely gracing Tommy’s cheek. “I’m so— I’m so sorry, Toms.”

Tommy nodded, and, without much warning, latched onto him with the grip of a leech. Wilbur tugged him in until Tommy was barely visible, Wilbur cradling every inch of him and whispering apologies over and over again.

Techno left them, reaching a hand down to Phil, and helping him up off the deck. Before Phil could ask, Techno answered him.

“I’d heard that story of Wilbur leaving before somewhere.” Techno smiled a little. “I managed to piece it together.”

“You didn’t tell me…” Phil couldn’t make eye contact, his gaze was stuck on his two sons. “You— you should have—”

“You thought he was dead,” Techno remarked and then clarified. “You wished he was dead.”

Phil shook his head. “I didn’t want Tommy to follow in his footsteps.”

Techno smirked. “You underestimate the power of familial ties.” The two watched as Tommy slowly opened up, accepting Wilbur’s round of apologies and starting to spill all of his secrets. Wilbur’s wet laugh carried. “I’m not horrible, Philza.”

Phil’s eyes snapped over to him, a question lingering in his irises.

“I’m not a horrible person,” Techno spoke once again, looking out at the sea. “I killed your crew, yes, but I saved Wilbur. I kept other pirates away from Tommy when they were looking for the son of a siren. I spared you, didn’t I?”

Phil swallowed. “I can’t condone—”

“You were a pirate yourself, if I remember correctly.” Techno watched Phil pale. “You left the Navy to live , and after you killed an entire ship except for one little toddler, you were captured by the Navy and sent away on a ship for ten years to chart the seas, and then another fifteen.”

Techno had seen Phil that first time, a captain of will and wit, and matched his features to the figure that used to haunt his nightmares. That pirate of green and gold, the crow on his shoulder, and the sword at his side.

Techno had sworn as a teen that if that captain was still alive, Techno would kill him and make it hurt. But, after years of processing, he knew that pirate was the reason Techno could call himself the Blood God. He would be nothing if he hadn’t been able to build up from scratch.

Phil’s hands pulled at the roots of his hair, and his face began to mirror the shade of green on his dirtied captain’s coat. He realized, after several seconds, who he was looking at.

“That was you.”

Techno nodded. “Thank you for sparing me, Philza,” he partially smiled. “I returned the favor, I believe.” He offered out a hand, and Phil took the offering and more, leaning his whole weight on Techno so he wouldn’t collapse to the ground.

“I’m so sorry…” Phil’s words sounded as if they were being torn from his throat. “I’m— I killed your parents—”

“All is forgiven, Phil,” Techno assured, adjusting Phil’s weight so neither of them would topple. “As long as you do me a favor and join my crew.”

Phil hesitated, mouth stuttering and spotting, eyes traveling so fast you would think he was reading words floating in the air in front of him. Techno could see his thought process. Phil didn’t want to become what he was before, a heartless murderer, with red as his favorite color.

Techno smiled up at the flag that announced his ship. He knew that side of humanity quite well.

“I don’t make anyone kill if they don’t want to,” Techno reminded after a brief silence. “You have experience I could use in other ways.” He gestured to the gun resting at their feet. “Or I’ll let you go on the next ship, but I will be keeping your sons.”

Phil was a father before anything else. He’d just gotten one back. He wasn’t leaving.

Phil knew that. Techno knew that. All he needed to do was admit to it.

“Ok…” Phil whispered. “Alright. I’ll— I’ll join your crew.”

Techno raised an eyebrow.

“...captain.”

In the next moment, Wilbur and Phil locked eyes, and the whole family drew to each other like a magnet. Tommy was squished in between father and son, but his smile was as bright as a remerging star.

Cordus and Primo reunited at last.

Chapter Text

“That’s why you made me live…”

Kristin hummed, a smile creeping over her face. A hazy fog flowed over the waters as well as his mind.

“Mm, yes,” she answered after a pause, where Phil got lost in the sound of the drifting tide. “I did want you to know that our firstborn is alive.”

Phil sighed, relaxing into whatever position the dream shaped him in. Though he would have a headache in the morning, this island, this lagoon, was a safe space for his mind. He missed Kristin, he wished he had the chance to visit her again.

“Thank you,” he settled on. “I shouldn’t have thought of leaving.”

“No, you should not have.” Kristin settled against his shoulder, her tail drifting in the waters below. “I am glad you have come to your senses, but do not forget your promise now that it is past.”

Phil picked his head up. “Promise?”

In an instant, the dark sail on her back raised as if she was threatened. The pinpricks that had been resting in her irises were overtaking the color now, expanded and wide and threatening. “You really do not remember?” Her voice was a hardened tone, with a mystical energy residing just at the base. Phil knew that even a physical separation wouldn’t stop its effect.

She never used it on him. Not since that first meeting.

“I’ve…” Phil cleared his throat, but she wasn’t stupid enough to think there was something stuck in it. “I’ve been busy…”

“I saved your life, Philza,” she reminded. Chills crept over his skin, confining him in a way he disliked. “You owe me a soul.”

Right. The trade.

Kristin didn’t get her powers for free.

“Who… did you have in mind?”

Her gaze turned toward the sea. “I have no true preferences.” She pulled away from his skin, slipping back into the water below, the dark liquid rising up to cover all of her inhuman features. “Maybe… someone who has lived longer than the world has wanted.” A smile tugged at her lips as she turned. “A killer, perhaps.”

Phil’s lips pursed. “It doesn’t seem much like you to dole out justice.”

She laughed, her teeth flashing against the water and the moon. “Oh no, it’s simply for my own pleasure.” She looked at him as if he knew. He was ashamed that he did. “Lots of torment. Anger. Agony. Simply lovely.”

He nodded and averted his eyes, studying the only parts of the island that weren’t covered by the fog. “When do I owe you?”
She hummed, considering, but her smile prevailed in the end. “When you have chosen someone, I will be there.” She came out of the water just enough to rest her chin on his knee. “Don’t stress, my love. You have a lot to think about already.”

She was far more understanding than she had any right being.

Phil loved her.

“I will leave you to rest.” She backed away, a clawed hand trailing down his knee in parting. “Goodnight.”

Just a soul. He needed just a soul.

It had been so long since Phil’s blade had been red with intent.

“Goodnight,” he bid to the waves of which no sailor had ever lived to see before. They faded from his sight in time, and he set himself to rest on the bed tucked between the two sons he swore to never lose again.