Cutlass | Jeno x Reader | Completed

03

Sewing the clothes of pirates deemed to be more difficult than you had originally anticipated. For one, the fish odor Chenle and Jisung's - who you found to be the cabin boys - clothes gave off were too much for your nose to handle. You were never a fan of any type of seafood so having to deal with the constant smell of your least favorite sea animal was torturous in some ways.

"​Ow​," you whine, snapping your hand away from the cloth and dropping the needle to suck on your forefinger. You glare at the needle, internally cursing at it for pricking your finger.

The subtle movement of ship crossing the water's waves caused you to sway, your back occasionally hitting the wall from where you sat on the floor. You had grown accustomed to being on the ship on the two days you have been trapped on it. During your escape from home, you anticipated to finally have the freedom of going out to sightsee whenever you'd wanted. But all you've seen the last few days was a blackish blue sea and one pretty sunset.

"Usually you see a baby suck their finger," Jeno's voice startles you out of your thoughts, "and it's normally the thumb."

"I pricked my finger." You retort, frown apparent on your lips. You grasp the pants you were working on and held it out for him to see, "You try stitching this monstrosity back together and let me know how well it goes."

Jeno's chin tilts up, his expression momentarily turning stoic. "Is that any way to talk to your captain?"

Your arm lowers and you lay the pants back onto your lap whilst looking away from him, cheeks reddening. You didn't enjoy the way he carried himself and talked to you in this mock authoritative tone. He reminded you of the men back in your hometown who carried themselves on a higher pedestal as the women. It irked you that you were now stuck with another just like them.

"Sorry, ​Captain​." You huff out, turning your attention to finding the needle you dropped earlier. You fail to see his amused grin during your search.

"Are you almost finished?" he questions, shuffling closer to your seated figure.

"Not yet. I have enough thread to fix the hems at the waistline but the stitching here and..." you turn the pants over, running your finger along the seams that go up the leg, "over here need to be redone. There won't be anymore thread to finish it, though."

"There isn't any more in any of these bags?" Jeno walks over to the scattered bags, poking through a few of them to search their contents. You roll your eyes at his next comment, "Oh, I guess there isn't."

I just said that.

"I guess we can pick up some more on our next stop." He declares. The heavy thuds of his boots' heels echo as he comes to stand next to you, once more. "Any colors you want?"

You look up at him, confused by the kind tone he's using. In the short amount of time you've known him, you were able to deem it uncharacteristic of him to be talking like this.

Especially to you who he acted so haughty to upon your first encounter.

"Black should do." You mumble in response, unable to meet his gaze due to the way it made your cheeks grow warm.

"That's it?" he kneels, coming to face you directly. You slightly shuffle away from him, the sudden action surprising you. "Come on, what else would you like? I'll get it for you."

I'll get it for you​.

Growing more flustered by the second, you stand up, accidentally pushing Jeno to the floor in the process.

"U-um, black thread is fine, thank you." You drop the pants onto the pile of clothes and make your escape before he could say or do anything else.

Pushing the heavy metal door with your shoulder, you stumble out into dim-lighted hallway and step to the side to allow the door to slam shut behind you. You close your eyes for a moment to calm yourself, willing yourself not to be affected by Jeno.

"You okay?" Jaemin's hand on your shoulder alarms you and you're swinging your arm at him before either of you could process what is happening. He teeters back, swiftly grasping your wrist before it could collide with his nose. "Last time I ask you how you're feeling."

"I'm so sorry," you quickly apologize. He loosens his grip and lets your arm fall back to your side. You glance back at the door then back to Jaemin, bowing your head in apology, "I'll be going now."

Jaemin watches you twirl on your heel and - quite literally - sprint down the hallway towards the stairs that leads to the upper, main deck. For a moment, he wonders what's gotten you so worked up but then shrugs. It wasn't any of his business.

The door you came out of opens and Jeno steps out, hand on the lower part of his back. Jaemin fixes his posture, standing straighter with his hands folded behind his back.

"Captain." He greets. Jeno waves him off as he gazes down both directions of the hallway, seemingly looking for something - or someone. "Do you need help with anything?"

"Where'd she go?"

"Who? Y/N?"

"No, the siren who was flapping down the hall, just now," Jeno's sarcastic reply makes him wince. "Yes, Y/N."

"Went up onto the deck." He points towards the ceiling.

"She's weird." Jeno promptly declares, causing Jaemin to squint at him in confusion. Jeno, noticing the look his crew mate was giving him, goes on to say, "I mean, disrespectful. She doesn't address me as Captain and never looks me in the eye when I'm talking to her."

"None of us look at you when you're talking," Jaemin comments, thoughtfully. Unbeknownst of the sudden death glare he was being given, he continues on, "Why does she have to?"

Silence sweeps over the duo and Jaemin raises his eyebrows, awaiting for his superior's response. It never came, to his amusement.

"Hey..." He asks. "What if she's... you know?"

"I highly doubt it." Jeno snaps, turning away from his friend. "I don't like rich lasses."

"But it could-"

"Don't you have a crow's nest to be handling?"

Jaemin's former sentence falls apart at these words, his shoulders drooping. "Yes, Captain."

He trudges pass him without another word, knowing all too well that this conversation was over and the topic was one to not be brought up again.

Jeno watches his exit in silence until Jaemin is out of sight. He allows himself to heave out a breath, one he had been holding onto since he had walked into the room you were in earlier.

"I ​can't like her."