Chapter Text
The ocean had always piqued Tommy’s interest ever since he was five. He grew up on the coast for End’s sake! It was in 'The Great Tommyinnit’s' blood to be on the water-well, according to the eleven year old that is. He had always believed that the life of a pirate was made for him, that it was in his destiny to be a part of the greatest pirate crew of all time. He would be able to explore the world by water, find treasure with his crew, and maybe even get one of those little parrots on the way. He would be able to make the ocean his home, and be able to fall asleep to the lullaby of the waves crashing against his ship every night.
This is not at all what his destiny was supposed to look like.
It was cramped. The belly of the ship he was thrown into filled to the brim with wooden barrels and about twelve weeping children, Tommy unfortunately being one of said children (though he was not weeping, big man is too big to weep) The dark stuffy air smelt of dingy alcohol and of salty water, he could hear the angry waves crash against the wood right next to his ear as well as the screams of orders from the men above the rotting wood.
Tommy couldn’t really tell how long it had been since he had been thrown into this shit hole. The only way of light being the very dim and nearly dead lamp hanging from the ceiling, the light flickering as the ship swayed back and forth. He knows he got here after the kid with the purple eyes, but before the kid with the two different colors in his hair. Though that didn’t give him much information at all, since he had never actively tried to talk with them. They were both very silent, and both shared a very frazzled look in their eyes.
Oh, but he did know that there was a new kid in the heap somewhere. The men tossed them in a while ago, though it was fairly dark so he isn’t sure where the kid is now in the crowd of kids. Maybe he can ask him about how much time has passed, since he was pretty new and should remember some things from the outside. There was also the fact that Tommy was never that good with math anyways.
Waiting for a moment of still peace, Tommy heaved himself up from his spot on the floor. Making sure to hide his makeshift knife behind a barrel (he had worked hard on that knife, he would never let any one of those men up there take it without leaving with a bite mark) Making sure his legs were working and that he did have a stable balance on the once again rocking ship, Tommy started to carefully maneuver his way around the other children on the floor, making sure to step around the fingers on the floor and murmuring and apology when he accidentally does.
He scanned around the crowd for the new kids main features. Brown hair and horns. Brown hair and horns. Brown hair and horns. Eventually he found the kid, located in the more darker area of the ship next to a barrel and one of the younger children on this boat, both weeping, curled up into themselves. As if trying to curl into a small enough ball to just disappear. Tommy didn't blame them for trying, he had tried to do the same thing when he first came here.
Tommy frowned. Even after all this time he still wasn’t used to the sad weeping noises the other kids would make. The crying, the begging, the empty wishes, it was all too much for 'The Great Tommyinnit' to handle. It would leave him with an achy feeling in the pit of his stomach, as if butterflies were constantly pounding at his heart and belly, and it would leave him with a few of his own tears running down his face.
Tommy was brought out of his thoughts by another violent lurch of the ship, making him suddenly sway to the side. He caught himself before he would fall, holding on to the nearest barrel to steady himself again (and also to wipe away the wet tears on his face) He looked down to see monochromatic eyes staring back up at him. Even with the dim lighting it only seemed to make their red and green eyes stand out more.
“Sorry…” Tommy muttered, furiously wiping away any stray tears left on his face. “Sorry” He said again, this time without the tears blocking his vision and with a little more confidence, urging a small smile to appear on his face.
The boy just continued staring up at him until he seemed to finally break out of his own train of thought. Suddenly looking down with a small hum of acknowledgment. He took note of the two horns poking out of their black and white hair, as well as the tail that swayed back and forth behind them. He also took notice of the purple particles floating around them, some of them making a quite vroomp sound once in a while. Oh those absolute bastards... Tommy gave a light huff of annoyance, not at the kid, but at the men running around above them.
Tommy had taken notice that most of the kids that were here were hybrids, and being hybrids, well... Tommy was positive that they couldn't really take this scenario lightly. Tommy gave a hum of acknowledgment back. The boy looked back up, eyes slightly shining brighter in the dimly lit room, Tommy's own smile growing slightly more wider and genuine. The boy quickly looked down again, though Tommy didn’t take it to seriously, the guy seemed to be naturally shy.
With a sigh, Tommy looked around again trying to find the new kid (the tossing around and his lack of sleep really messed up his sense of balance and direction) he skimmed the crowd for the new guys features, accidentally making eye contact with a pair of strikingly purple eyes staring back at him. Sucking in a quick breath Tommy quickly looking away.
It wasn't that he was particularly scared of them, it's just that they just seemed sorta... Feral... In a way that felt like they would do anything to survive. But then again, if in a dire situation, anyone would do anything. After catching his lost breath he eventually spotted the new kid in the same place as before. Waiting until he had a few seconds of stable peace he started carefully walking towards the sobbing horn guy, even with the dying lantern in the background Tommy could still see the stream of tears on their face.
Upon getting near him Tommy scooted the barrel to the side, allowing him to slide into the little space it created next to the horn guy. The new kid, now realizing the new presence next to him, looked up to him from his balled up position. Tommy scooted himself to the left, making sure to leave a comfortable gap between the two of them, as to not overwhelm the boy more. It left him being very squished against a barrel, but he was sure he would survive. Big blue eyes looked at him, irises overflowing with tears and the look of fear. Tommy had seen that look the most in his time here.
The fear of the unknown. The fear of not knowing what will happen to them.
Tommy's brows furrowed. He wanted to comfort them, wanted to tell them that things would turn out fine. But that would tip too far into becoming a lie, and with the guys emotions taking the best of him, Tommy wasn't sure if they would accept that statement. Tommy could feel some of his own tears form in his eyes, furiously blinking them away (he felt so unhelpful right now. But he chose to at least look strong in front of the weeping kid) He sighed loud enough to get the kids attention back, it might not be the best idea, but like most of Tommy's ideas, he went with the spur of the moment.
Putting his arm up to hover for a second, he placed a comforting hand on the kid's shoulder, ignoring the small flinch that came with the action. He looked right into those sad sad eyes, with his own bright diamond blue eyes, filled with determination. With dreams. With hope.
He looked right into their eyes, and gave them the best genuine smile he could give in his tired state…
Hey there big man…”