HIRAETH // Captain Puffy X Reader

30

You woke up slowly, just feeling the gentle sway of the ship for a moment as you opened your eyes. Sunlight streamed through the window of the cabin and down onto the bed, and you sat up slowly, stretching the sleep out of your body. You slipped your feet out of bed and stood up, padding past the cluttered table of maps to get to the door - you would have to tell Puffy to clean that later, since she wouldn't let you touch it, lest you mess up anything. 

You opened the door and stepped out on the deck, squinting as the bright sunlight hit you dead on. The ship was bustling with activity, as it usually was when you woke up. You took a moment just to inhale the scent of the sea in the morning before turning around to peer up at the helm. Puffy was usually up there this time of the morning.

Standing at the helm, was not Puffy, but Gemma. You headed up the steps anyway - if anyone was going to know where Puffy was, she would. 

Gemma smiled as she watched you walk up the steps. "Mornin' Y/N." She said. 

"Morning Gem." You yawned. "Any idea where Puffy's gone? She wasn't in the cabin when I woke up-"

Gemma just nodded behind her, to the space behind the helm of the ship. You walked up the last couple of steps, revealing Puffy and Tubbo, leaning against one of the masts as they sat on the ground, Tubbo in Puffy's lap as he worked his way through a page in a book, reading aloud. 

Your heart squeezed in your chest just looking at them together. 

"The sea... was? Was... roog? Mum, what does this one say?"

Puffy looked up, catching your eye as she grinned. "Why don't we take a break, Tubs." She said, marking his place in the book before setting it aside. Tubbo noticed you then as well, a wide smile stretching over his face. He leapt out of his mother's lap and ran over to you, hugging around your legs. 

"Morning Y/N." Tubbo said. 

You reached down to ruffle his hair with a smile. "Morning Tubs."

Puffy picked herself up from the deck as well, coming over to press a kiss against your lips. You smiled into the kiss, pressing another to her forehead as she pulled away. "Morning love."

Tubbo wrinkled his nose, letting go of your legs and wandering over to Gemma instead. He reached up to tug on the sleeve of her shirt. "They're being all gross again." 

Gemma laughed, letting go of the helm to pick Tubbo up and set him on her shoulders, letting him pull her hat off her head and drop it on his own. "How about you and I go do some sparring then, yeah?"

Tubbo brightened at that, tugging gently at one of Gemma's braids. "Can we?"

Gemma glanced over at Puffy, and she nodded, waving Gemma off. "I've got it up here, go ahead."

Gemma smiled, jostling Tubbo on her shoulders a bit so he squealed, gripping on tighter. With that, they were clattering down the stairs, Tubbo laughing as Gemma thumped down to the hold. 

Puffy took her place at the helm, and you stepped up behind her, resting your head on her shoulder. Instinctively, she melted into the touch, leaning back on you as she watched the sea. You wrapped your arms around her waist, closing your eyes for a moment, just to feel the sunlight on your back and the gentle thump of Puffy's heart. 

"It's such a nice morning." You said.

Puffy hummed in agreement. "Nowhere I'd rather be in the whole world." 

You grinned, burrowing your face into the soft cloud of curls that stuck out from underneath her hat. You could agree with that statement - out of all the places you had been in your life, this was the best of them. When you had first seen the Night Ghost, you had thought it was just another run down ship, but now the sun bleached wood and stained planks meant more than you could express. After all, this one ship housed all the most valuable treasure in the world - at least to you.

This was the most home you had ever felt in your life. You had a place here - teaching Tubbo how to read and helping around the ship during the day, and spending the nights laughing on deck until you were barely awake and had to drag yourself back to bed. The air was always warm and salty and there was always another adventure waiting around the corner.

"What'cha thinking about?" Puffy asked.

You hummed, nosing at the side of her face until she turned her head and you could properly lock your lips together. "Just how much I love being here with you."

Puffy grinned, wide and bright. "I could say the same, love." She said. "Pulling you out of the sea was the best decision we've ever made."

"You'll have to thank Gemma then." You said, tucking your head into the crook of her neck. 

Puffy snorted out a laugh. "I suppose... technically, anyway." Her hands wrapped around the rough wood of the helm, gently guiding the ship a little to the starboard side, letting the wind hit the sails at a better angle and pushing you along. 

Behind you, you could hear the lap of the waves as they met the wake of the ship, and a breeze ruffled by, running through Puffy's hair and pushing some of the curls into your face. You brushed them away, running a hand over Puffy's shoulders before it fell back to her waist. You could feel the edge of parchment tucked into her belt - a map, of some kind. 

"Heading anywhere specific?" You asked. 

Puffy shrugged. "Wherever the wind takes us."  

You smiled at that, squeezing tighter around Puffy's waist for a second. Hopefully, another adventure was in the future. You would go anywhere with her, as long as you would have her by your side.