HIRAETH // Captain Puffy X Reader

13

Puffy didn't bring it up again, and you didn't either. It was easy to pretend like it had never happened - your paths didn't usually intersect anyway, and you just went about your time as you would have normally, doing your chores around the ship in the morning and teaching Tubbo in the afternoons. 

Something had changed though. You felt drawn to her, in a way. You kept looking for her subconsciously, watching her out of the corner of your eye as she manned the ship or ate her dinner or bounced Tubbo on her lap. You were doing it now, even, as you helped Gemma take stock of what ropes were fraying and needed replacement. 

Puffy was lounging up at the helm of the ship, eyes scanning over the ocean ahead. She looked like a painting up there - a lone watcher of the sea, with the sunlight reflecting off of the gold in her jacket and making her hair look like a cloud. For once, she didn't look intimidating or scary - she looked like a captain. It was a good look. 

"Y/N?" 

Your attention turned back to Gemma, who was looking at you expectantly. "Sorry." You said, quickly trading the old rope she had handed you for a new one from the basket you were holding. 

Gemma took it from you, tying it in place where the old one had been with a secure knot. "What were you thinking about?

You glanced behind you at Puffy once more. "She doesn't look so scary when she's up there."

Gemma smiled lightly, amusement dancing in her eyes. "She's not scary to anyone on this ship but you."

You huffed, hefting up the basket to follow Gemma to the next spot along the edge of the ship, checking the ropes there as well. "She's not scary, she's just intimidating."

Gemma laughed. "You just said she was scary-"

"Well, I didn't mean it like that!" You said. "I meant it like she's intimidating and mysterious, not that she's terrifying." You handed Gemma another new rope, taking an old one that was fraying from her. "How did she become a pirate anyway?"

Gemma hummed, glancing up at Puffy. "It's not as exciting as you think it is."

"I'd like to know anyway." You said. "Maybe she would be less intimidating to me if I knew more about her."

Gemma shrugged. "Maybe." She paused, moving to the next section of ropes before starting her story. "Puffy and I grew up together in Eastmoore." She said. "Right by the shore - we always used to take a little canoe out on the water and catch sun fish." A small smile came to play on her lips. "She wasn't so good with a fishing pole, but she could always get 'em with her hands." 

"So you've both been near the ocean your whole lives." You said. 

Gemma nodded. "It was always a goal of hers to have a boat of her own one day - there was just something about seeing the ships go by that made her want to be out there." She shrugged. "I kind of get it, I guess. There is something nice about being on the ocean."

You nodded in agreement, sparing a glance to the sun dancing over the waves outside the ship. There was just something about being on the sea that just made you feel at ease - maybe it was the salt in the air or the gentle sway of the waves, but you knew what Gemma meant. "Why not just join the navy then?" You asked. "Why turn to piracy?"

Gemma smiled thinly. "The crown has never been too kind to Eastmoore, and Puffy didn't take too kindly to the thought of working for the same people who had killed Tubbo's father."

Your eyes widened at that. "The crown killed Tubbo's father? Why?"

Gemma shrugged. "I don't know. I had already moved to Audunbast at that point, and I wasn't going to press Puffy to talk about it, you know?" She said. "The most I knew about it was that something had happened, and then Puffy dumped her savings into getting an old ship and set out. She only came back to the mainland when I sent her a message that I wanted in on the crew - and for the map, of course."

You turned to look at Puffy again - she was still leaning against the rail of the ship, idly tracing her fingers across the worn wood. She looked pensive and full of thought, but now that you knew at least a little about why she was here now, much less intimidating. In fact, you felt a little bad for her - of course she would be bitter about losing someone she obviously cared enough about to have a child with. 

And poor Tubbo. No father, and a life at sea, away from any other children. 

Gemma tugged at one of the ropes, testing it's strength and looking for any sign of fraying. "Almost everyone on this ship has lost someone to the crown." She said. "I think that's why we're such a tight knit crew - we've all sort of shared that experience, in a way."

You glanced to Gemma, the question on the tip of your tongue - who was it for you? - but at that moment she dropped the last of the ropes in the basket, taking it from you with a smile and balancing the wicker on her shoulder. 

"That should be it for today - I go find somewhere to put the old ones, and I'm sure Tubbo is aching to get back to his reading." She said. 

"Right." You said, watching as Gemma started away. "Uh- Gemma?"

She turned her head slightly. "Hm?"

"Thank you for telling me about Puffy. And the crew." You said. 

Gemma looked at you for a second, yellow eyes piercing through yours - and shiver ran up your spine. But then she smiled, just turning and toting the basket back down to the hold of the ship, leaving you on deck. 

Up by the helm, Puffy was still leaning against the railing, looking out to sea.