Chapter Text
Up close, the Manhunt is a gorgeous ship- sleek and shiny, made of beautiful teak wood that’s somehow been polished to perfection. The sails are cream-colored and trimmed with gold. Across the hull is the ship’s name, written in golden letters; the figurehead is a roaring dragon. Looking at the Manhunt ’s streamlined build and full sails, it’s no wonder that she’s considered the fastest ship on the seven seas.
Of course, Illumina muses as he lowers his spyglass, even the fastest ship can be caught. His own ship, the Night Wind , is fast, too- the fastest in the royal navy, in fact. His crew had been trailing the Manhunt for days, and now they’re finally catching up. Soon they’ll be close enough to fire the cannons. With any luck, today will be the day that Illumina finally captures the Manhunt and her infamous crew.
He lowers his spyglass and strides to the bow of the ship. “Get ready to load the cannons,” he calls to his crew. “We’ll be close enough to shoot soon.”
“So are we engaging with the cannons? Or are we trying to get on there?” Punz, his second-in-command, slips up next to him. “Our objective is to capture the Manhunt ’s crew, right?”
Illumina hums in agreement, resting a hand on his cavalry saber. He’s been chasing the Manhunt for months now, trying to catch it. Normally the navy wouldn’t put so much effort into catching pirates, but the Manhunt ’s crew happen to be the most notorious pirates on the seven seas, aside from the Syndicate . Illumina’s pretty sure they’ve raided every city on the coast at least twice by now. The last few captains sent out to capture them had all failed, so now it’s Illumina’s turn- and he’s determined to succeed. Today will be the day that the infamous Manhunt finally falls.
“Captain! They’re turning!” someone suddenly shouts. And so they are- up ahead, the Manhunt has stopped sailing away and is instead turning, exposing its port side to the Night Wind . If Illumina squints, he can just barely make out tiny figures on the deck, scuttling around ilke ants.
“What are they doing?” Punz mutters beside him. “It’s like they want to be caught.”
Illumina frowns. “Or they want a fight.” He’s not entirely sure he wants one, though. The Manhunt ’s crew is notoriously hard to beat in battle- it’s why they haven’t been captured yet. Illumina can hold his own- there is a reason why he’s a captain, after all- but still, the prospect of going up against pirates is scary. Especially since pirates don’t play fair.
The Manhunt has fully swung around by now and is heading towards the Night Wind . Clearly, the pirates want a fight. Well , Illumina thinks, stepping away from the rail, if they want a fight, they’re going to get one .
“Be prepared to shoot on my command!” he calls to the gunmen at the cannons. “Get all the ammo ready. And get ready to lower the gangplank if needed.”
As the Manhunt and the Night Wind steadily sail closer together, Illumina makes a quick trip around the deck, making sure everything is ready for a fight. Chances are he and his crew will be engaging in melee combat- if what he’s heard about the Manhunt ’s pirates is to be believed, they love to engage in sword fights. Illumina would feel much safer shooting the cannons from afar, but there’s still a flutter of excitement in his stomach as he gives his sword a brief wipe. It’s been years since he’s faced a worthy opponent. Maybe he’ll finally find one today.
“Captain, do we fire?” one of the gunmen asks as he passes by on his way back to the bow.
Illumina shakes his head. “No. We have to capture them, and firing could scare them off or sink their ship. I’m thinking the Manhunt could be a great addition to the navy.”
The gunman salutes, and Illumina continues on his way. He passes by several more crewmen preparing for the battle and taps the coxswain, Fruit, on the shoulder. “Just stop here. Let them come to us.”
“Are you sure?” Fruit asks. He doesn’t add on “Captain”, which is customary, but Illumina doesn’t mind. He and Fruit have been friends for years, and they rarely ever use formal titles like that to address each other.
“Yeah, I’m sure,” he replies. “Just let them come to us. They want a fight.”
Fruit takes his hand off the wheel. “Is this the day, then?”
“Hopefully. We have to at least get the captain.”
“I heard they raided Battalia just a week ago, and it’s basically on the other side of the coast,” Fruit says, shaking his head. “They’re so fast. It’s a miracle we’ve caught them.”
Or maybe , Illumina thinks, they wanted to be caught . The captain of the Manhunt is notoriously clever- perhaps they slowed down on purpose. But Illumina doesn’t see what strategic advantage that would give them. Maybe the gods just decided to favor Illumina’s ship these past few days.
“Well, we’ve got them now,” he murmurs. “All we have to do is capture them and turn them in.”
The Manhunt is in within firing distance of the close-range guns now. Up closer, the dragon figurehead seems to glare at Illumina with an intricately carved eye. He tightens his grip on the hilt of his sword and gestures to his gunmen to be prepared to shoot- just in case things get hairy.
“How do we get to them?” he hears one of the crew members mutter.
“We don’t,” Punz replies grimly. “They’ll come to us.”
Illumina glances at his right-hand man. “You’ve fought them before, haven’t you?”
“The Manhunt’s captain and I go back,” Punz says airily. “We’ve had some encounters.”
“What are our chances going to be, then?”
Punz smirks at him. “No way of knowing. We’ll just have to see.”
On that reassuring note, Illumina turns back to look at the Manhunt . It’s close now, close enough that he can see the pirates moving around on board. He almost raises his spyglass to get a better look at them, try to spot their weapons, but something else catches his eye- a long rope, swinging freely from one of the masts. As he watches, one of the pirates grabs onto it and braces a foot against the rail.
“What the-” Illumina mutters, seconds before the pirate jumps off.
The rope swings down in a wide arc, the pirate’s boots brushing the top of the water. Illumina feels his heartbeat quicken, but he tries to reassure himself. There’s no way for him to swing on board. It’s just not physically possible.
As momentum pushes the pirate back up, however, a second pirate leaning over the rail of the Manhunt lifts his hands and shoves his arms forward. A gust of wind slams into the first pirate, pushing him all the way up and allowing him to easily somersault over the railing of the Night Wind and land on his feet.
Captain Dream Waztayken of the Manhunt adjusts his gold-rimmed tricorn hat, adorned with a green parrot feather, and smirks. “Hello, everyone. Lovely weather we’re having.”
“Oh yeah, I may have forgotten to mention,” Punz whispers in Illumina’s ear. “They have an air faerie on their crew.”
Two more pirates land on either side of Captain Dream- a black-haired man with a white bandana tied around his head and a tall man with pointed ears and a trident. Most of Illumina’s crew back up, nervous at their first actual encounter with the most notorious pirates on the seven seas. Only a few stand their ground- Illumina including, even as his heart begins to pound. That trident might be one of the scariest things he’s ever seen, but he’s not about to let these dirty pirates take his ship. He was sent here to capture them. He’s not going to fail.
“Lovely ship you have here,” Captain Dream comments, tapping his foot against the deck. “Hope you don’t mind if we have a look around. Navy ships always have valuables hidden around somewhere.”
Illumina takes a deep breath to calm his fluttering nerves, carefully lets go of his sword, and crooks two fingers. Instantly, Punz leaps at the tall man, who turns and blocks Punz’s strike with his trident. Benex- one of Illumina’s more capable fighters- takes the hint as well and lunges for the black-haired pirate.
All hell immediately breaks loose. Two more pirates somehow land on the deck, a tall one with a forked tail and a cat hybrid wielding an axe. They jump immediately into the battle, engaging with Illumina’s crew.
Meanwhile, Captain Dream stalks over to Illumina, his steps slow and luxurious. Illumina stands his ground, taking the time to analyze his enemy- look for any signs of weakness. But instead, he finds his gaze being drawn to the pirate’s face.
Dream is- for lack of a better word- extremely pretty. Beneath this hat, his hair falls in soft curls the color of gold. His face is tanned and freckled, his nose and cheekbones perfectly carved like a figurehead made by a master woodworker. His eyes are stunningly green- a deep shade of emerald that’s reminiscent of summer days. They have a strange, alluring glint to them, the same kind of captivating sparkle as sunlit ocean waves.
(Underneath the adrenaline pumping through his veins, the nerves sparking to life, Illumina’s heart flutters just the tiniest bit.)
“So you’re the captain they sent this time,” Dream drawls. He’s a good few inches shorter than Illumina, but with the way he carries himself, with his head held high and an aura of ease, he might as well be taller. Illumina’s not scared- of course not- but he can’t help but feel just a little intimidated.
“That’s right,” he says, doing his best to sound confident. He draws his sword and grips it tightly, ready to swing at any moment. “You have quite the bounty on your head.”
“Don’t I always.” With one smooth motion, Dream draws his own sword- a cavalry sabre like Illumina’s. “You’re the fifth person they’ve set after me, you know.”
“And I’ll be the last,” Illumina says, carefully shifting his weight back in preparation to lunge. He’s got one shot at this- he can’t mess it up. “You’re not getting away this time.”
Dream smirks, his bewitching eyes glinting. “Confident.” Leaning in, the pirate drops his voice to a whisper and murmurs, “I like that.”
Illumina feels heat rise to his cheeks. Is this pirate flirting with him?
It’s a distraction tactic , he thinks to himself. He’s trying to distract you . And it’s working embarrassingly well- but he needs to focus. Dream can flirt all he wants, and it won’t change the outcome. Illumina is going to win this fight.
He lunges, jabbing his sword at Dream’s stomach. The pirate captain easily dances out of the way, his own sword flashing through the air to swipe at Illumina’s exposed side. Illumina barely manages to parry in time and backs up a few steps. So Dream’s fast. That’s going to make things a bit difficult.
Adjusting his grip, he charges again, and they fight- blades clashing, metal glinting, the sun beating down on their backs. Dream is wickedly fast, darting out of the way and dancing around Illumina like one of the seabirds that Illumina’s crew is always having to chase away from the ship. But Illumina has the advantage of being physically taller, and so when their blades do meet, he’s able to use his strength to push Dream back a few steps.
Still, the fight drags out longer than he’d expected. The other crews sent out to track down the Manhunt hadn’t been kidding when they’d said that Captain Dream was hard to beat. Illumina is sweating in no time, his jacket and shirt clinging to his skin as he continues to exchange blows with Dream.
A particularly hard swing has their blades clashing together with a metallic clang . Dream smirks at him from the gap between their interlocked swords. “Come on, now,” the pirate almost purrs . “You can do better than that. Come on, give me a challenge.”
Illumina grits his teeth, ignoring the flush in his cheeks, and lunges. His own blade moves almost too fast for him to see as he attacks, fueled by a fresh rush of determination. As Dream backs up, defending himself from the blows, Illumina spots an opportunity. He hooks his ankle behind Dream’s, and just like that, the pirate captain goes crashing to the deck, his sword clattering out of his hand.
Immediately, Illumina presses a boot down on Dream’s wrist and points the tip of his sword to the pirate’s throat. Victory surges through his veins, and he revels in it as he digs the tip into Dream’s throat, just enough to hurt. “Surrender.”
Just then, he hears a yell from one of his men. He glances up to see a few of his crew beating out a small fire near the stern; the others are either unconscious on the deck or tied up. As Illumina watches, the other four pirates that had attacked with Dream jump overboard; moments later, the tall one with the trident and the cat hybrid fly out of the water, the trident spinning by some kind of magic.
“Captain!” Punz calls, running over to him. Punz is sporting a black eye and a wound in his arm, but other than that he looks unharmed. “Do we give chase?”
Illumina glances out over the water. Somehow, the Manhunt is already moving again, its sails full of wind as it steadily cruises away. How all the pirates had managed to get back on board so quickly, Illumina has no clue. He almost wants to chase after them, but it’s not worth it. He has their captain now- best thing he can do is head home as quickly as he can. This is a prize he can’t risk losing.
He shakes his head. “No. We got their captain. Tell Fruit to start heading back to the port, and then go make sure everyone’s okay.”
“Wow,” Dream says as Punz hurries away. “Do you order everyone around like that?”
Illumina scowls- there’s a hidden message there, he can tell, and whatever it is, he doesn’t like it. “No,” he snaps, kicking Dream’s sword safely to the side. Reaching under his coat, he grabs the coil of rope he keeps on himself and pokes Dream in the chest with his sword. “Now get up. No funny business. Up and give me your hands.”
“What? Don’t like having me on my back?” Dream asks, smirking as he slowly stands and turns around.
Why is this pirate so goddamn flirty? Illumina grits his teeth and tries his hardest to ignore the insinuation as he ties the rope tightly around Dream’s wrists, binding them behind the pirate’s back. Then he gives Dream a jab in the back with the point of his sword. “Move.”
To his mild surprise, Dream complies, allowing Illumina to prod him over to the trapdoor that leads below decks. Illumina flips open the trapdoor and gives Dream a push inside, then slides down the ladder himself. He nudges Dream, who’s on his knees. “Up.”
Two of his crew- Punz and another man- join him, flanking Dream on either side. They reach the cell that had been set up specifically for this, and Illumina gives Dream a shove. Punz locks the door with a clang , leaving Dream trapped inside the cell.
The pirate somehow still doesn’t seem bothered. He leans against the wall and gazes around the cell. “Lovely place. I don’t suppose I get something to sleep on? A hammock, perhaps?”
“Shut up,” Punz growls.
“No, I don’t think I will,” Dream muses, stalking over to the bars. “You’re pretty, Punz, but I like your captain better.”
Illumina fights back the stupid heat threatening to crawl down his neck and taps his sword against the bars- a warning. “How do you know Punz’s name?”
“Oh, we go way back,” Dream replies, smirking. “Don’t we, Punz?”
“Do you want me to shut him up?” Punz asks Illumina. “I can go get a gag.”
“It’s fine. I have some questions for him.” Illumina jerks his head down the corridor. Part of him wants to tell Punz it’s stay, just for the added security- but at the same time, he can’t let this pirate intimidate him on his own ship. He’s the captain- he needs to play the part, needs to be confident. No way is he going to be scared of his captive on his own ship. “You two can leave. I’ll call if I need help.”
As Punz and the other man vanish, Illumina leans closer to the bars, keeping his hand wrapped around his sword- just in case. “So. Captain Dream.”
Dream tilts his head. “At your service,” he says sarcastically.
“Why don’t you tell me where you and your crew hid the gold you stole from Battalia?”
“And why should I?”
“Because if you don’t-” Illumina jabs his sword through the bars and rests it on Dream’s shoulder, the sharp blade pressing against the pirate’s neck. “I can make things uncomfortable for you.”
Frustratingly, Dream doesn’t even flinch. He merely smirks and leans closer. “Yeah? Go ahead.”
Illumina tightens his grip. One little flick of his wrist to the left, and he could cut into Dream’s neck, just enough to draw some blood and make it hurt. But for some reason, he finds his arm locked in place, unable to move.
With an internal growl of frustration, he lowers his sword. “I would. But on second thought, I don’t think I want your dirty blood staining my ship.”
“Hm.” Dream’s eyes glow an almost poisonous shade of green in the dim lights of the cell, and Illumina has a terrible feeling that the pirate had seen right through his facade- seen the real reason why he hadn’t made good on his threat.
He scowls and straightens his back. Be confident. Don’t show any weakness . “You’d best remember, pirate - I’m in charge here. I beat you up there. If I wanted to, I could easily kill you.”
“That’s true. I do like a man who can push me around,” Dream purrs, tilting his head to expose the graceful curve of his neck and looking up at Illumina from under his long lashes.
Illumina feels his heart beat harder as heat creeps up to his cheeks again. He grits his teeth and, in one fluid motion, rests his sword against Dream’s neck again. “Stop it.”
“Stop what?” Dream asks coyly.
“You know what you’re doing.”
“I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, pretty boy.”
He just called me pretty. Illumina immediately shoves the thought away, but the words still echo in the back of his mind as he presses lightly, just enough to draw a thin line of blood on Dream’s neck. “Stop,” he growls.
“What?” Dream’s eyelashes flutter, the green of his irises glinting alluringly. “Don’t like it when I call you that?”
Why can’t this stupid pirate captain just shut up ? Illumina is tempted to call Punz back so that the two of them can just toss Dream overboard and be done with it. But the navy wants the pirate alive- and so Illumina clenches his jaw and ignores the weird fluttering of his heart.
“I know what you’re trying to do,” he snaps. “And it’s not going to work. Within a week we’ll have reached the coast, and then the navy officials will decide what to do with you. You should hope that they’ll be as merciful as me.”
“Hmmm.” Dream arches an eyebrow; his lips twitch into a little smirk that traps Illumina’s gaze like a fly caught in a spiderweb. “The real question is, are all navy captains as good-looking as you? Or are you just special?”
Illumina grits his teeth so hard that his jaw hurts and does his damn hardest to just ignore the pirate’s words. He uses his key to unlock the door of the cell, then steps in, backing Dream up to the wall. “Stay still,” he orders, tapping his sword against Dream’s neck for extra threat.
Dream complies, holding still as Illumina unties his wrists and strips him of his jacket. The green fabric slithers off, leaving the pirate in just a white undershirt with the top button undone. And of course, Illumina’s traitorous eyes immediately go to the tiny bit of tanned, exposed chest before trailing down to the subtle curves of Dream’s hips through the shirt.
Heat burns through Illumina’s cheeks like the sun on a sweltering sumer day. He swallows and forces his gaze onto Dream’s left eyebrow- after all, there’s nothing special about a left eyebrow. But he still sees the rest of Dream’s face easy enough, and because Illumina is just so wonderfully lucky, the pirate is smirking. Great. So he’d noticed Illumina staring.
Just keep your calm. Act normal. Don’t let him know that you know. Pretend like you weren’t staring at all .
Illumina starts to pat Dream down for weapons, something he really should’ve done earlier, but he’d forgotten. He feels around for any hidden knives, trying his hardest to ignore the pounding of his heart. What is wrong with him today? He’s supposed to be a no-nonsense navy captain transporting a captured pirate, not a schoolboy with a crush- never mind that said pirate is unfairly attractive.
There are no weapons that he can feel, so he ties Dream’s wrists back up, pulling the knot extra tight just in case. Then he grabs his sword again and straightens to his full height, glaring down at his prisoner. “I’ll give you another chance. Where did you hide the gold?”
“I don’t know,” Dream says coyly, tilting his head again so that the dramatic arch of his cheekbones suddenly stands out. “But I’m sure you can find ways to convince me to tell you. You’re smart enough- and certainly pretty enough.”
“Shut up,” Illumina snarls, and in one swift motion he shoves Dream up against the wall and presses his sword to the pirate’s neck again.
His captive laughs and smirks up at him. “What? Don’t like it when I compliment you, Captain Illumina?”
“How do you know my name?” Illumina snaps, even as his brain immediately clings onto the way Dream says his name, rolling the vowels around in a luxurious way, like a cat stretching.
“I have my ways,” Dream purrs, and gods, why do his eyes have to be so damn alluring? Illumina is trying not to look, he really is, but it’s so hard when Dream’s eyes are like every shade of green at once, a whirling kaleidoscope that sucks Illumina’s gaze in like a leaf being swept into a hurricane. And even when he does manage to look away, there’s still everything else- luxurious golden hair, high cheekbones, lean muscles and a lithe build.
The longer Illumina spends around this pirate, the more he can feel his dignity slipping from his fingers. Thankfully, he’s saved from having to reply by Punz’s voice calling out from behind him. “Captain? We need you.”
Illumina takes a deep breath and levels a glare at Dream. “You’d better behave, pirate. That’s a warning.”
As he steps out of the cell, locking the door, he catches a glimpse of Dream’s smirk. “Goodbye, Captain.”
His cheeks flushed, Illumina quickly follows Punz down the corridor and away from the cell. Punz soon falls into step beside him, and they walk in silence for a moment before his right-hand man speaks. “You have to be careful with Dream. He’s known for his tricks.”
“I can tell,” Illumina says. “He kept flirting with me.”
Punz casts him another look, this one amused. “Did he?”
“Yeah. Probably just a distraction tactic, though. Tricks, as you said.”
“Mm. You’re not going to let it get to you, though, right?”
“Of course not.” Illumina straightens his back. He’s not going to let himself be distracted from his duty by some pirate flirting with him. It doesn’t matter that he’s always had a weakness for pretty men, and that this pirate happens to be very pretty. It doesn’t matter that Dream’s eyes are so captivating, so alluring. He’s a navy captain, in charge of his own ship after years of steadily climbing the ranks, and he’s not going to let one stupid pirate ruin that.
He’s not.
---
There’s a smile on Dream’s face as he watches Captain Illumina’s back disappear down the hall after Punz. Of all the many navy captains he’s encountered during his career, this one has got to be his favorite. The most handsome one, too- not to mention cute as hell when he’s blushing from Dream’s flirting.
Dream hadn’t meant to flirt that much, really. His original plan had just been to throw in a comment here and there, because flirting with people is fun. But after he’d seen the way Illumina had blushed… well, can you blame him for taking it farther?
Maybe it had worked as a distraction, too, because Illumina had missed the knife hidden in his boots. Dream could probably get it even with his hands bound, but not right now. He’s tired from the battle- Illumina was strong, nearly as strong as Techno, and faster too. Dream had never expected for a navy captain to be able to beat him when only Techno ever could, but he’s honestly not even disappointed. It was the best, most exhiliarating fight he’d had in a while, and that tight naval captain’s jacket had done wonders in showing off every flex of his opponent’s arms.
Of course, Sapnap is probably going to tease him for weeks for losing a fight. But that’s a problem for Future Dream, he decides as he settles down in the corner of of the cell. Present Dream can just relax in this cell, biding his time. He doesn’t even need to do anything to escape- rescue will come soon. Either Punz’ll have sent the message, or his crew will. All Dream has to do is figure out what to do about this intriguing new navy captain.
At some point, the gentle rocking of the ship over the waves lulls him to sleep. When he blinks back awake, his internal clock tells him that it’s already the next morning. There’s a plate of food sitting near the door of the cell. Someone had untied his wrists, probably to allow him to eat. A mistake on their part, he thinks- anyone with half a braincell should know that an unbound pirate is a dangerous pirate- but he’s not going to do anything yet. For now, he’s content to just nibble on the stale biscuits and wait.
He finishes his meal and is sitting there idly, fidgeting with his hat, when the sound of footsteps pricks at his hearing. There are two people approaching his cell- one of them Punz. Could the other one be Captain Illumina, then, come to interrogate him again?
It’s not Captain Illumina- it’s a random sailor with burly arms and a scowl. Dream feels a flicker of disappointment, but it vanishes when Punz unlocks the door and harshly grabs him by the arm. “Up. The captain wants to talk to you.”
“Oh?” Dream feels the disappointment turn into curiosity- and maybe a little, tiny bit of excitement. His cell is nice enough, but he’d much rather be with the captain than stuck in that box. It’s a more productive use of his time, too- maybe the most productive thing he could do now that he’s a prisoner.
“Yeah.” Punz ties his wrists back up, fingers brushing very briefly over Dream’s hand. A tiny sign, a hidden show of loyalty. “So no funny business.”
Dream smirks. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”
Punz and the other man pull a blindfold over his eyes, then start to drag him down the hall. He stumbles along, feeling the solid wood and the gentle sway of the ship beneath his feet. The blindfold is secure, but he can still see the shift in lighting as he’s pulled around a corner and finally into a dim room.
Hands push down on his shoulders, forcing him down into a chair. He blinks as the blindfold is lifted from his eyes and immediately begins to take in the room. The walls made of dark, polished wood and lined with maps; a bookshelf is pushed up in one corner and a decent-sized bed is tucked away in the other; a desk made of the same dark wood is settled right in front of Dream. It’s pretty obvious that he’s in the captain’s quarters- not least because of the figure standing on the other side of the desk.
Captain Illumina has one hand on the hilt of his sword, as if ready to draw it at any moment. He’s wearing the same deep blue jacket with gold trim and epaulettes that all naval captains do; it hugs his broad shoulders and hangs down to his knees. His hat is a tricorn and the same pretty color as his coat, although Dream finds it rather a shame that it hides the majority of his dark brown hair. The captain’s face, though, is certainly the prettiest thing about him- rich hazel eyes, dark eyebrows, a sharp jaw and a nicely carved nose. If only all naval captains were this handsome.
Illumina tilts his head at Punz and the other man, standing silently behind Dream. “You two can go. I’ll call if I need anything.”
As soon as they’ve left, Captain Illumina turns back to Dream. His eyes narrow, but his next words are spoken calmly. “How have you been enjoying the cell so far?”
“It’s lovely,” Dream replies, letting some sarcasm spill over. “Amazing food as well. I’ll be sure to give it a high rating.”
“Hmm.” Illumina steps closer and draws his sword, resting the tip on the desk- a clear threat. “Alright, then. Let’s try this again. Where did you hide the gold?”
“And why should I tell you?” Dream asks again, arching an eyebrow. Now here comes the fun part- playing around with this handsome naval captain, carefully twisting his words to rile his captor up. Teasing, pushing just enough to feel that spark of satisfaction. It’s a fine line to walk, but he’s confident that Illumina won’t actually hurt him. The captain just doesn’t seem the type.
“Because,” Illumina replies; his sword tip inches closer. “You tell me, and when we get to the base- which should be in about three days- I can convince the officials to have mercy. Give you a swift death. Otherwise- good luck.”
For the first time, Dream feels his stomach tighten. Three days is less time than he’d thought. Maybe the winds have been favorable, or they were closer to shore than he’d originally thought. Suddenly, a sliver of doubt rises inside him. If his crew don’t come to save him in time, he might have to end up putting that knife in his boot to good use after all- because if the government gets their hands on him, then it’s over. It doesn’t matter what information he gives away, doesn’t matter if he begs and pleads- his fate will be sealed the moment he sets foot in that base.
“Thinking about it?”
He realizes that he’s been silent for a moment too long and quickly schools his expression into something impassive. “Perhaps. But tell me, Captain- what does it matter if I’ll die anyways?”
Illumina arches an eyebrow. “You wouldn’t take a quick death over a long one? I could get you an execution the day after we land, you know. But if you don’t tell me, then it could very well take weeks.”
“More time to enjoy the surely delicious prison food,” Dream replies with an easy smirk. The thing is, though, it’s not about dying. It’s about what they’ll do to him before they kill him. The same thing that they did to his family, his old friends, to all the beings like him who have ever been caught in their nets or washed up on their shores.
He forces himself to focus again as a scowl flashes briefly over Illumina’s face. “Trust me, pirate- you don’t want to be stuck in there for long. Just tell me where you hid the gold, and I’ll make sure your death is quick.”
“A charming offer. But, like I said yesterday-” Dream leans forward, intentionally tilting his head and lowering his eyelids a little. “If you want to know that bad, I’m sure there’s other ways you can convince me,” he purrs.
Satisfaction blooms in his chest as Illumina’s cheeks turn pink. The captain visibly clenches his jaw and inches his sword forward another few centimeters. “Stop.”
Dream almost laughs. Gods, this is way too entertaining- not to mention that rosy flush is adorable . It seems that luck has finally blessed him with a naval captain who’s actually affected by his flirting- not to mention good-looking as hell. He decides that maybe isn’t such a bad predicament to be in, just as long as he gets off this ship before it reaches the base.
(If he doesn’t, well. At least maybe then, he’ll get a chance to see Alyssa and Callahan again.)
“You know, Captain,” he drawls, shoving that depressing thought away and adding a bit of a purr to his tone- just for fun. “There’s nothing wrong with being attracted to men.”
“I am not attracted ,” Illumina practically growls. “And you, pirate, should learn to stop talking. I promise the officials back at the base won’t take as kindly to your… your flirting as me.”
Dream shrugs with practiced ease. “Maybe they just don’t have taste.”
Illumina glares, and- wow, okay, that’s unexpectedly attractive. “Or maybe you’re not as good looking as you think you are.”
“You sure about that?” Dream asks, tilting his head and subtly shrugging his shirt sleeve off of his shoulder. He could use his natural charm if he wants to- let a bit of the magic loose- but he doubts that he needs it, judging by the way Captain Illumina’s cheeks immediately turn pink again. Plus… well. It’s best to keep his abilities secret from the captain for now.
His glare intensifying, Illumina suddenly thrusts his sword closer so that the point is directly under Dream’s chin, pressing lightly into his throat. “Tell me where the gold is. Now.”
Dream takes a split second to analyze his choices. He doubts Illumina would cut too deep, but the captain has drawn his blood before, and Dream really is not in the mood for that right now. The cut from yesterday, although scabbed over by now, still hurts a little, and he would quite like to avoid another one. So- what to do now? Certainly not give over the location of the gold. He could lie, but… where’s the fun in that?
He pulls his lips into a smirk and lowers his eyelids again. “Why don't you make me?”
Illumina clenches his jaw. “Has no one ever taught you to stop talking? Do you not realize that I could slit your throat right now?”
“But you wouldn’t,” Dream points out, grinning. “You need me alive. Isn’t that right, pretty boy?”
“I told you to stop calling me that,” Illumina snaps, even as his cheeks turn visibly pink again.
“Mmmm… no. Something tells me that you like it.”
There’s a moment of silence in which Illumina glares and Dream smirks back, keeping his head tilted just enough to draw attention to his neck and shoulder. He doesn’t miss the way Illumina’s eyes flick briefly down, and it sends satisfaction rushing through his veins. He’s pretty, he knows- it’s part of what he is. And his looks are far from all there is to him, but it’s still satisfying as hell when people can’t help but stare- especially handsome people like this captain.
All of a sudden, the bell starts to ring. llumina whips his head around, his shoulders and back tensing, and Dream frowns. He doesn’t know the bell patterns on this ship, but he can guess. This is the battle alarm- or the “enemy spotted” alarm.
“Captain!” Punz comes racing into the cabin. “Ship spotted at 6 o’clock. It’s the Syndicate .”
Oh . Dream straightens in his seat. That was faster than he’d expected. Somehow his crew had already managed to get the message to Techno, and now Techno’s ship is giving chase to rescue him. Then again, the speed also could be because Techno does owe him a favor. The chance to capture a navy ship is probably also an added bonus.
Illumina curses. “Alright, I’m coming. Get him-” he jerks his head at Dream, still in the chair- “back into the cell.”
Dream doesn’t protest as Punz grabs him by the arms, forcing him out of the chair, and begins to drag him out of the cabin. His mind is racing, calculating all the possible scenarios. The Night Wind - Captain Illumina’s ship- is probably faster than the Syndicate , but it’s also manned by humans. Techno’s crew is anything but, and Dream is sure that his own crew is also giving chase somewhere. Maybe the Manhunt just isn’t in view yet. Either way, he’s sure to be out here before they reach shore. The question is- does he free himself before that? Give his allies a hand during the inevitable battle?
He’s jolted out of his thoughts by Punz shoving him back into the cell. The blonde locks the door silently and leaves, so that Dream is alone in the cell again.
With nothing more to do than wait for his allies to catch up so he can get out of here, Dream slumps against the wall and closes his eyes. He takes in a deep breath and allows the air to fill his lungs like the relief spreading through his chest. Soon he’ll be out of here. He’ll be out and back on his ship with his crew, where he belongs. The one disappointment is having to leave this handsome, fascinating captain behind, but oh well. Once’s he’s out and back on his ship, he’ll have plenty of opportunities to chase Captain Illumina back down for another fight.
He takes off his hat, clutching it close to his chest, and allows the lull of the waves to rock him to sleep.
---
“Dream!”
At the sound of his name, Dream jolts awake. He blinks the sleep out of his eyes and scrambles to his feet as Punz bursts into his cell, looking mildly panicked. Punz is gripping a knife, and Dream squints suspicious at the blade. “What-”
“We’re caught in a storm,” Punz says breathlessly. “Don’t know if we’ll make it out in one piece, especially with everyone occupied with fighting off Techno’s crew. We need to get out now.”
“We?” Dream asks, quirking an eyebrow as he turns around so Punz can free his wrists. “So you’re coming back finally?”
Punz scoffs and slices through the rope binding Dream’s wrists. “Why would I stay here? The pay’s not even that good.”
Dream laughs. He turns around and catches the sword that Punz tosses at him- his sword. Confidence rushes through his veins. It feels good to have a weapon back in his hands and one of his most loyal allies back at his side. Punz is technically a mercenary, bouncing between whatever employer, whether pirate or navy, will pay him the most, but he always ends up gravitating back to Dream. After all, not even Punz can deny the rush of being a pirate, free to do whatever- an experience that the navy could never provide. Dream’s still not sure why Punz decided to try the navy out, but it doesn’t matter now that he has his friend back.
Together they leave the cell and charge down the hall, the ship rocking beneath their feet. Dream can hear it now- the rush of the wind, the dull thudding of raindrops hitting the deck above. He puts his hat back on his head and reaches for the ladder, scrambling up the rungs with Punz at his heels.
When he heaves himself out of the trapdoor and onto the deck, he’s greeted with chaos. The Night Wind is flanked on either side by two ships- one of them Dream’s own, the Manhunt ; the other a sleek man-of-war with Syndicate painted across its side. Dream can see two figures aboard, manning the ship, but neither of them have long pink hair- which is to be expected. Techno would never not be found in the middle of action.
Speaking of Techno- Dream spots his ally locked in combat with none other than Captain Illumina himself. The two are exchanging fierce blows, swords flashing almost too fast to see. Neither of them seem to be gaining the upper hand- so, perhaps time for an intervention, Dream thinks as he grips his sword.
Punz appears at his side. “What’s the plan? Straight for the Manhunt ?”
“Nah,” Dream replies. “I’m in the mood for a little battle. Let’s see if we can’t raid this ship a little, yeah?”
“You don’t have to ask me twice,” Punz says, loading his pistol. “Meet you on board?”
“Meet you on board,” Dream confirms, and together they plunge into the whirling mass of bodies on the deck.
Immediately, Dream spots some familiar faces. All of his crew except for Bad and Ant are here, fighting the navy sailors. Through the rain blurring his vision, he can also see Phil near the stern, exchanging blows with the green-haired coxswain. But he ignores them all and heads straight for where Techno and Illumina are dueling.
Illumina spots him before he gets there. Surprise flashes across the captain’s face first, then anger. “You,” he growls as he blocks Techno’s strike. “How did you get free?”
Dream smirks. “I told you. Punz and I go way back.”
“You two done?” Techno drawls, and in one swift motion he knocks Illumina’s sword out of his hand and pins him up against the railing with a hand around his throat. “Good. Because I wanna ransack this ship before we get outta here.”
“You do that.” Dream smirks at Illumina. “I want to have a go with our navy captain here.”
Illumina glares at him. “I beat you once. I’ll do it again.”
Techno gives Dream an appraising look. “You lost to him ?”
“In my defense,” Dream says, “those jackets are very tight.”
Techno’s eyebrows soar practically to his hairline, but he shrugs- probably well used to it by now. “Alright. Don’t lose again, though. I’m not rescuin’ yer ass if ya get beat up by this shrimp.”
Shrimp is far from an accurate description, Dream thinks as he watches Illumina struggle to break free, but then again, to Techno everyone is probably a shrimp. “I won’t,” he promises. “You go raid the ship or whatever. We can split the goods.”
“Fair enough.” Techno releases Illumina’s throat and steps back. Illumina immediately snatches up his sword and lunges at Techno, but Dream steps in the way and raises his own sword to block. He smirks at Illumina over their crossed blades.
“Oh, no, pretty boy, you’re not going anywhere. I want a fight, and I’m going to get a fight.”
Illumina’s cheeks turn mottled red- whether from anger or Dream’s flirting, Dream can’t tell. “Don’t be so cocky,” he snaps. “I beat you once.”
“Or maybe I let you beat me,” Dream purrs. He didn’t- but Illumina doesn’t need to know that.
“No you didn’t,” Illumina says, and with startling speed he lunges again. Dream barely manages to parry in time, and they begin to fight in earnest, their blades clashing with metallic clangs as the rain pours down, soaking their clothes, and the shouts of the battle surround them on every side, barely audible over the roar of the wind.
Swept up in the rush of the fight, the clash of blades and the adrenaline flooding through his veins, Dream loses track of the world around him. His vision narrows to just the person in front of him- Illumina, windswept hair damp beneath his hat and soaked jacket clinging to his frame. The captain’s hazel eyes are narrowed in concentration, his jaw clenched, and Dream can feel the addiction setting in already. His arms are aching, his palms smarting from gripping his sword so tightly- but he never wants this fight to end. It’s exhilarating, it’s satisfying, and best of all, it’s against this gorgeous and fascinating navy captain.
(That’s the thing, isn’t it? Illumina is fascinating. He’s incredibly good at swordfighting and seemingly stoic, yet blushes so easily. He gets flustered by Dream’s flirting and being called a pretty boy. He looks amazing in that tight jacket and could’ve easily slit Dream’s throat during the interrogation but didn’t. And maybe, just maybe, this information isn’t enough. Maybe Dream wants to know more.)
As their swords clash again, they both take a mutual step back, chests heaving as they analyze one another. This time, Dream takes the first move- he spins his sword in his hand and thrusts at Illumina’s stomach in a move he knows the navy is fond of using. Illumina barely manages to block in time, his eyes wide. “How did you learn our techniques?”
“I’m a pirate, baby,” Dream purrs, smirking as Illumina’s neck turns visibly pink at the pet name. “That’s just one of my tricks.”
“Tricks aren’t enough,” Illumina growls, his face dark with anger, and he lunges again, pulling both of them back into the familiar rhythm of battle.
All of a sudden, the ship tilts sickeningly to the side. They both stumble, Illumina crashing against the railing and Dream barely managing to steady himself in time. He looks up at the sky, and for the first time feels a flicker of nervousness. Somehow, during the time that he’d been fighting Illumina, the storm had gotten worse. Now the sea looks swollen and angry, and the Night Wind is tilting unsteadily as the waves roil beneath it and smash into its hull.
Techno and Phil come running up, both of them clutching plundered goods. “We gotta get out of here,” Techno says urgently. “This ship is too unstable. It might go under at this rate.”
Dream swears. “Can you get my crew? Punz, too.”
His allies nod and dash away. Dream turns his attention back to Illumina- just as a particularly large wave smashes into the starboard side of the ship and sends it tilting dangerously far to the left. Dream loses his footing and crashes into Illumina. For a split, terrifying moment, they’re pushed up against the railing together, teetering on the edge of falling off, and Dream has just a split second to register Illumina’s wide hazel eyes meeting his, reflecting his own panic.
Then the ship tilts just the tiniest bit more, and they both go flying overboard.