𝐖𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐅𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐘, 𝖺 𝗀𝗅𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗅𝖻𝗎𝗆

welcome home, nico🧟

The group had gathered around the table, chatting with Nico. He seemed hesitant at first, unsure of how to interact with this new group.

"So, Nico, you were a pirate, huh?" Matt asked curiously.

Luke chuckled, "That's pretty cool. Ever see any buried treasure or fight off any sea monsters?"

Nico chuckled, a hint of pride in his tone. "Nah, mostly we just stole food and supplies from other ships. But once we found a hidden cave filled with silver and gold coins."

The group's eyes widened with a mix of awe and jealousy.

"That sounds amazing!" Hugo exclaimed. "I bet that was a sight to see. So much treasure!"

"Yeah, we were loaded with gold," Nico confirmed, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "It was incredible. But it didn't last long. Other crews caught wind of our treasure, and a few months later, we got ambushed. Lost it all in a sea battle."

"What's your full name? Is it just Nico or you have some cool pirate name?" Aris intervened.

Nico chuckled, clearly amused. "Just Nico. But I've had several nicknames over the years. The one I liked best was 'Nightshade.' It was because I could slip away like a ghost in the night, and because I could make someone taste their own poison if they crossed me. Guess I was quite the menace back then."

Luke let out a whistle of appreciation. "Nightshade, huh? That's a badass name. You must have been quite the pirate with a nickname like that."

Nico grins widely, clearly liking the praise. "Oh, I was something alright. A real pain in the ass for a lot of people. I had a reputation for being quick, ruthless, and damn good at what I did."

The group chuckled, clearly enjoying the tales of his pirating escapades.

"You sound like a real-life Jack Sparrow," Frypan joked.

Nico let out a hearty laugh, clearly enjoying the comparison. "Jack Sparrow, eh? I ain't as flashy, but I'll take it as a compliment. He was a hell of a pirate, after all."

"Tell us more about your pirate adventures." Teresa said warmly.

Nico leaned back, clearly enjoying the attention. "Alright, where do I start? There was the time we tricked an entire navy ship into thinking we were a ghost ship, making them flee in terror... And then there was the time we discovered a secret underwater city and got chased by merfolk... Oh, and the time we made the Governor's daughter fall in love with me..."

"Governor's daughter?" Bea voiced out from laying at the back with her head on Vicky's lap.

Nico's eyes gleamed with mischief. "Yeah, and she was a real looker. The Governor was loaded, and his daughter was more beautiful than any woman I've ever seen. I had plans on stealing some of his riches, but instead, I ended up stealing his daughter's heart."

"Where is she now?" Brenda asked.

Nico's face became more solemn at the question. "We had a falling out." he said, his voice laced with a hint of sadness.

"She wanted me to settle down, to give up my life at sea and become a respectable man. But I wasn't ready to give up my freedom, the thrill of the adventure. We parted ways, and I never saw her again."

The group became quiet, the weight of Nico's revelation hanging in the air.

Hugo, always eager to lighten the mood, spoke up. "Well, more fish in the sea, right?"

Nico let out a soft chuckle, appreciating their attempts to lift the mood. "Yeah, more fish in the sea," he repeated, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes.