Even In The Grave, All Is Not Lost

Drowning, Not Waving

A/N:

Sorry for the late update guys, my body decided to be a bitch - as usual - and made it really difficult to finish this chapter. On the bright side, though, I'm now an auntie! My little nephew, Charlie, was born healthy and cute tonight. Does not feel real at all. I'm hoping I get to meet him within the next month or so, depending on Covid.

so the following chapters (33-50) weren't actually originally in this fic. I started writing them when I got really sick last year (cos writing is my therapy, apologies in advance). This meant that I then had to rewrite chapters (51-66) because they originally came in after chapter 32. So things might not flow completely smoothly but I'm hoping it isn't too noticeable. I suppose we'll find out when we get past chapter fifty lol.

Also this fic is turning out to be SO much longer than expected. It's definitely probably going to end up in the 90s or 100s which I was hoping against. Though I have been moving some chapters/scenes to other sea mechanic fics that I'm working on, since they no longer fit in this one or conflict with what I've gone on to write. So that might end up affecting the length, who knows.

We're back in Luna's POV now so it's angst o'clock

. . .

[Trigger warning: self-harm, canon torture, implied threat of sexual assault (very vague), implied suicidal thoughts (also very vague), past child abuse]

. . .

'I don't wanna drown no more

Sick of the same old people

The kind that will sell your soul

Trade it for a shining stone

Ain't nothing in this life for free

Running from the greatest evil. . .'

- Wolves by Rag'n'Bone Man

Luna gasped herself into consciousness, sputtering at the assault of bright light as salt stung her lips.

A blurry shape hovered over her, slowly coming into focus.

A man.

Dripping wet, eyes full of unnerving intensity as he gazed down upon her, the hulk of his frame almost enough to block out the sun.

What-

It was then she became aware of the weight on her shoulder, the hand that rested there. Realized with a start the position she was in. The familiarity of it. The danger.

Luna tensed.

How long had she been out?

Reflexively, she checked her clothes, panic rising as she grasped what was missing.

The man noticed. "I'm sorry. That coat was weighing you down far too much. I had to discard it in order to get you back to the boat as quickly as possible." His mouth creased in regret, as though he truly was sorry.

As though he cared.

Luna wouldn't be fooled. She'd fallen for such charades before.

Never again.

(the world was nothing but a nest of vipers - and you didn't trust a viper. No matter how many innocent flowers it hid beneath)

Then the weight of his words fell on Luna and her heart heaved through its next beat, heavy and painful in her chest.