Twelve Days of Fruk

Day One: Mermaid AU

There had been stories, of course, but that's all they were, really. Just stories made up to scare sailors and naughty children. Ones that taught you to be wary of the sea at night, not to wander off to the ports past sunset or before dawn, not to veer off course when sailing. They were all bullshit myths to Arthur Kirkland.

Arthur was a sailor, but not one in a traditional sense. He and his crew aboard the Britannia Jewel were pirates, and pretty fierce ones at that. There was Arthur the Captain, Antonio, the first mate, Gilbert, a fair cook, along with Lovino and Feliciano, the cabin boys.
It was an odd crew, but they managed to make their way to be a respected batch among the other pirates.

"And then, as zey sailed closer... and closer... and closer... he jumped! Ze Siren had claimed another victim, as ze boat hit ze rocks!"

"Big brother! Please don't let the Siren get meee!" Feli clung to his brother, as Gilbet laughed.

"Dumbass!" Lovino hit Gil, shutting him up a bit. "You know he's stupid and get scared too damn easy!"

"And not to mention, sirens aren't even real," Arthur snapped, turning to look at the pale Prussian. "They're just made up stories to scare children into behaving," he stuck up his nose as he read his book by flickering candlelight.

"Are you sure about that, amigo?" Antonio chimed in. "I mean, there are many reposts of sailors going loco, because they heard the siren's call..."

"Just focus on steering, spaniard, I don't feel like crashing into any rocks since you were to busy going on about magical fish-people," Arthur gave Antonio a glare, making to brunet shrug his shoulders.

"What ever you say, but I'd keep an eye out- they tend to have the strongest effect on those that don't believe in their powers, since they don't know what to expect," he turned back to the wheel, letting the four on the lower deck sit in relative quiet.

"Well, ze awesome me needs his beauty sleep, so I'm going to bed!" Gilbert stood up, a few joints in his legs popping. "Sleep tight, don't let ze sirens bite!" The door closed behind him loudly, a sharp crack of oak against the quiet waves below.

"Ve~, big brother, can I sleep in your bed tonight? I'm kinda scared..." Feliciano looked at his brother in a begging manner, who huffed.

"Fine. But I don't want you cuddling up to me, you're not five anymore, Feli," he sighed, getting up with his slightly taller younger brother.

"Goodnight Tony, goodnight Artie!" Feli waved up at Antonio, who waved back, and then to Arthur, who gave a slightly dismissive wave in the brothers' general direction.

"Hey, Artie?" Antonio broke the silence.

"Don't call me that."

"Anyway, do you mind taking control while a take a quick siesta? I'll try to be back in a few hours, and it's not good to steer when you've got sleep in your eyes, eh?"

They switched positions, Antonio briskly walking toward the cabin.

After the Italian brothers and Antonio had retired to bed, the deck became almost eerily quiet. The summer air was thick with moisture, but cold in the late hour that it was. Low waves rolled against the wooden boards of the Britannia Jewel, creating a slow, steady rhythm. The boat creaked, the old wood rolling steadily. But once you got used to the sound of the sea, it didn't seem so loud, and without the others around, it was silent. The kind of silence that makes your mind wander to places it tries to steer clear of during the daylight hours. But now, no sun was there to chase dark paranoia away, and no loud Italians or Prussians to distract Arthur's thoughts. His grip on the steering wheel tightened, and he shook his head, blond hair shaking. The moon cast an eerie glow over the deck, bathing everything in a slightly surreal silver glow. A lantern behind him gave a sudden creak, a long, high-pitched whine that made him nearly jump out of his skin.