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The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, smoke and blood. Captain Bakugou Katsuki walks across the top deck killing the last survivors of the King’s ship with ease while barking orders for his crew.

“Dunce Face, where is Racoon Eyes?”

“Mina and Jirou are looting the captain’s cabin! Kiri and Sero should be below deck checking their stores.” The blonde explains finishing off one last brave fucker who decided to fight for his king’s honor instead of playing dead and hoping the pirates ignored him long enough for this hell to be over.

“Alright, the wenches can carry whatever doubloons they can find in Captain Clown’s underpants. Let’s help out the two idiots down there.” Captain Bakugou grunts already making way downstairs to see what his crew found out.

Captain Bakugou’s crew, the Bakusquad, is small but extremely fierce and ruthless. They are the scourge of the seven seas and they stir fear in the heart of every sailor who had heard about them. Bounties on their heads are plentiful and costly, but no one has ever been lucky enough to get a chance of collecting them. Right now they had just attacked one of the King’s personal ships hoping to collect riches. The riches are the price their hateful king pays to other countries in exchange for keeping his bloody reign intact.

When Katsuki and Kaminari get to the lower deck, they see Shitty Hair and Ropey looking around with puzzled looks on their faces. Kirishima was checking out an empty crate like it was tricking him and Sero was going through barrels as if he was looking for something and finding something else.

“What plunder do you fuckers have for me?” Bakugou barks making themselves known.

“Shiver me timbers!” Kirishima says jumping from the scare of hearing his captain. “Baku! Everything alright in the upper deck?”

“Those army clowns weren’t even worth the gunpowder we wasted on them.” Katsuki says rolling his eyes. “What did you guys find here?”

“Ahn… nothing?” Sero explains scratching his head.

“Nothing?” Bakugou repeats in disbelief.

“Aye, Captain. We checked all the crates, barrels and stores. All they have is the food for their crew. No riches, nor booties.” Kirishima says showing a crate full of apples to his captain.

“ARGH!” Bakugou screams. “FUCKING USELESS VESSEL! The shitty King is not even good enough to rob!” Katsuki kicks an empty barrel away. 

“Talk about useless, there isn’t even rum in this ship. All they have is some bottles of fancy-pants wine.” Sero complains.

“Whatever, take the food back to King Explosion. I’m gonna do another round to find any surviving scoundrels.” Bakugou says walking away.

“I can go with you looking for survivors, Captain” Kirishima offers.

“You got your orders, now get lost!” Katsuki snarls.

“Aye, aye Captain!”

The three men begin taking crates and barrels of food as their captain walked around the lower deck looking for hidden survivors. A big marine ship like this one would have a huge crew, but the only ones who showed up to fight were soldiers. Bakugou expects to find some low-class workers hiding away in the kitchen.

Checking door by door, Katsuki walks down the corridor towards the back of the ship where the kitchen would be. Finally, when he opens the last door he finds what he was looking for. Crouched behind a big wooden desk there are two boys who can’t be older than thirteen and an old fat lady who must be the cook. 

Usually, Captain Bakugou follows the belief that dead men tell no tales. However, these are not men, they are children and a granny and even Katsuki isn’t mean enough to kill them. The poor fuckers probably don’t even have another choice but to be here, who knows if the young boys have families? And the old lady probably would die of hunger if she doesn’t keep a job.

“Alright fuckers, get up,” Katsuki grumbles.

While the kids get up from the floor shaking like leaves, their ugly faces dripping with tears and snot, the older lady just looks sad and resigned. Bakugou takes some thin ropes that were lying around and ties their hands behind their backs. He won’t kill them, but he doesn’t trust them enough to let them roam free.

The Captain escorts the prisoners all the way to his ship, the old lady almost falls to the sea while walking the plank and Bakugou has to catch her. As soon as the prisoners are taken by Sero, the Captain starts barking orders.

“DUNCE FACE! Sink the King’s vessel!” He screams to Kaminari, then turns to Mina who is by Sero’s side. “Racoon, take these three in the tender to Musutafu Island. It should take around two days to get there; we are going towards Hosu so you can find us on the way in four moons.”

Mina pouts, “why do I have to go? I hate taking the tender on my own!”

“Because none of these other knuckleheads can read a fucking map, if I send one of them we will never find the idiot!” Katsuki barks at her. “Now follow my orders and don’t fucking annoy me!”

“Why are you sending us there?” One of the boys asks between sobs. “What are you going to do to us?”

“I’m gonna get fucking rid of you two crybabies and the old wench. Ashido will drop the three of you in Musutafu and then I don’t wanna see your ugly mugs ever again in my life.”

The old lady looks surprised, “are you really gonna let us go? Aren’t you going to kill us?”

“Old hag, you’re gonna drop dead any second now from old age. Killing you would be a waste of effort, and these two little fuckers’ balls haven’t even drop yet. I’m not gonna feed children to the fish, it may give them indigestion.” Katsuki answers the woman, then turns to Mina. “Take these three away from my sight, I’ve got work to do.”

Ashido grunts and huffs but follows the Captain’s orders. After that is dealt with, Katsuki checks the inventory Jirou just finished with their loot from the King’s vessel.

“We have a barrel of apples, two crates with wine bottles” Jirou explains as she points to the loot. “One barrel of flour, some boxes of salted meat and even a bag of sugar.”

Not great, but not that bad either. They would eat fucking well for the next couple of weeks at least.

“We also found some… treasure in the captain’s cabin. We took everything to your cabin for you to… enjoy.”

Kaminari does a wolf whistle, Sero and Kirishima laugh openly. What the fuck did these idiots find in that shitty captain’s room? Usually, they got some good weapons, gold and maybe some fine clothing after raiding a place like that, but whatever they found in there isn’t the usual by the way his crew is behaving.

“Go enjoy your booty, Captain. You deserve it!” Kaminari says winking for him. 

Katsuki rolls his eyes and walks towards his cabin. No point in delaying this, and honestly now he is curious to what his men are so excited about. Bakugou opens the door to his room a little wary, somewhat expecting something to jump at him but when he finally looks inside, he finds a young man sitting on top of his bed.

He looks about Katsuki’s age, maybe a little bit younger. Huge green eyes, fluffy curly hair, not wearing the soldier’s uniform, just some blue pants and a white shirt. The man looks at him curiously, bright eyes assessing Katsuki carefully. He doesn’t look scared at the sight of an infamous pirate who just killed the crew of the ship he was in, and that pisses Katsuki off. Who the fuck does this kid think he is to not be afraid of Bakugou Katsuki? Is he looking down on him?

“Who the fuck are you?” Katsuki snarls at him furious.

“I’m Izuku” the man answers.

“The fuck are you doing in my room?” 

“Oh… I was brought here? By your crew? Something about me being the booty?” Izuku doesn’t sound very sure himself of why he is in Captain Bakugou’s cabin but suddenly everything clicked inside Katsuki’s head. 

The fuckers gave him booty . They expect Katsuki to bed the lad as a reward from their successful raid. What a bunch of meddling fuckers. Sure he knows his crew says he needs to get laid, but this is taking shit to a whole new level. This is borderline mutiny! Katsuki should make them all shark bait for their disrespect!

Bakugou opens the door to his cabin again and yells “OI, SCALLYWAGS! GET YOUR ASSES HERE BEFORE I MAKE YOU ALL WALK THE FUCKING PLANK!”

In five seconds he has Jirou, Kaminari, Kirishima and Sero standing in front of his door. He enters back into his room and comes out again dragging the smaller man by the collar. He throws Izuku at the feet of his crew making the boy scramble on the floor.

“ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? I don’t want this useless extra in my fucking room! Whose idea was it anyway?” He yells at his crew.

Jirou shrugs, “Mina told us to bring him.”

“And none of you birdbrains thought this was gonna be a fucking bad idea?” Katsuki snarls and they all shrug. Perfect, he is surrounded by morons. “Whatever, Mina took the tender so we can’t get rid of him before she returns. Put this idiot to work washing something before I kill him myself. Welcome to fucking King Explosion Murder, dipshit, now get to work.”

***

The plan was simple: make the lad pay for his stay on the boat with work until Mina returns, then ship him away and never talk about this again. However, there was something that wasn’t taken into account when Katsuki hatched the plan and it was the fact that Izuku couldn’t do anything right to literally save his life.

In less than twenty-four hours, the amount of mistakes Izuku has made exceeds even Kaminari’s worst months. The idiot doesn’t know how to cook, almost lost a finger peeling potatoes, made a fucking mess on the deck when he tried mopping it, knocked over everything when told to store the food. It was like the man hasn’t worked a fucking day in his life and it was grinding on Katsuki’s nerves. It didn’t take long for Bakugou to christen him Deku because that boy is completely useless.

And what is even worse: the fucker looks happy! ALL. THE. FUCKING. TIME.

He looks at everything with a child-like wonder like he has never seen it before. He was so freaking excited to peel potatoes he actually snatched the fucking knife out of Sero’s hand in haste to try it himself. He went around saying anything his crew did was great and incredible. The idiot even said how amazing Katsuki was at tying ropes while Bakugou threatened to tie a noose around his neck and throw him off board.

The crew absolutely loved the idiot too. Deku followed everyone around like a lost puppy and his shitty crew was all too happy to pet him. Katsuki has already caught Kirishima teaching Deku how to tie the sails, Sero was teaching him how to climb to the crow’s nest, Kaminari was singing to the idiot! Really, how did a Captain such as himself find a such a stupid crew? Because Katsuki was this close to throwing them all in the sea and finding new mates.

“HOW CAN YOU NOT KNOW HOW TO SWEEP THE FLOOR?” Bakugou yells at Deku who was using the broom to brush the ship’s ropes. “What you were doing doesn’t even make sense! What is wrong with you? Did your mom drop you on your head when you were a baby?”

For the first time since he arrived, Deku’s smile faltered. Oh, so he doesn’t care how many times Katsuki threatens to kill him, but talking about his mother is off limits? Deku takes the broom back looking dejected and whispers quietly.

“I’m sorry, Captain. I’m going to try again”, before walking to the other end of the ship.

“That was cold, Cap. Didn’t have to drag the lad’s mom into this.” Kirishima says seriously by his side.

“Cold? The idiot is in my ship and can’t even pull his own fucking weight! He is lucky I haven’t made him walk the plank yet!”

“Bro! He is trying! It’s not his fault he never learned how to do these things!” Kirishima says before getting closer to whisper. “When I asked if his father never taught him how to tie the ropes, he said he didn’t have a lot of contact with his father. And then I asked about his mother and he said she died when he was small. Lad has had a tough life, Cap, we gotta help him.”

“We are not a charity case for abandoned bastards, Shitty Hair. We are fucking pirates!” Bakugou barks at his first mate.

“Aren’t we? ‘Cause I remember we put together a band of abandoned bastards to become pirates. None of us had a place in the world before we became the Bakusquad, Captain.”

Kirishima leaves the Captain with his thoughts after saying that. Fucking Shitty Hair making Bakugou have a conscience crisis over Deku. But he was right, they all became pirates because society didn’t want them around. The sea is less judgmental; if you want an adventure, it doesn’t care about your past.

Katsuki finds Deku still trying to sweep the wrong way. This time he’d grabbed the end of the broom with one hand and was dragging it behind himself as if he were taking an unruly child for a walk. There is no way in hell that deck is going to be clean after this.

“You are still doing it wrong, idiot.” Bakugou grunts pulling the broom from Deku’s hands and showing him how to do it. “This is the way. You gotta work in small movements or else the dust will just scatter around.”

Izuku pays attention to every movement he makes with the broom, brows furrowed in concentration. Katsuki shoves the broom in his hands, “now you do it.”

He takes the broom, grasps it properly in his hand with such care one might think he was grabbing a sword and begins careful movements to sweep the floor. When a small little pile of dust rises in front of his eyes, he opens the biggest fucking smile Bakugou has ever seen.

“It’s working!” Deku looks at Katsuki, eyes shining with excitement. “Thank you so much, Captain!”

Bakugou sits down on top of a barrel to look at the boy working. It’s incredibly endearing; he never thought he would find someone so happy to learn how to sweep the floors.

“You really don’t know shit, hm? Shitty marines are so stupid they hired a lad who can’t work on a fucking boat.” Katsuki says shaking his head in disbelief.

“But I can learn if you show me! Captain Katchuski is so amazing! There is nothing you can’t do!” Deku says smiling brightly.

“What the fuck did you just say?” Katsuki asks annoyed.

“That you are amazing and know everything?” 

“Yeah, that part is right, I mean before that shit. My fucking name, how did you pronounce my name?”

“Captain Katchuski?” This asshole is fucking asking for it.

“No.”

“Captain Kabuski?” Really?

“Not even fucking close. Do you wanna die, dipshit?”

“Captain Kaaa-cchan?” 

Deku says as if he changed his mind about how to say in the middle of the word and just butchered the ending, but somehow it sounded cute. Too cute. Katsuki hates how it makes him feel so he lashes out.

“Forget this! If you ain’t smart enough to say my shitty name, just stick to ‘Captain’!”

“Aye, aye, Captain,” Izuku says smiling, completely unfazed by the threats and curses.

***

By dinner time, Deku had already become the crew’s mascot. Kirishima and Kaminari preened with the idiot’s praises as they told stupid stories about times they had more luck than brains in their adventures. They taught him songs, staged fights and overall acted like fucking clowns to entertain the useless lad.

Katsuki had half the mind to yell at everyone and send them to bed early. But at least they weren’t getting on his case to participate in their idiocy, so he supposed it could be worse. So he ate and drank his fair share and went back to his cabin to study the maps. Let the idiots be idiots, he thought, the boy won’t be around for long. When Mina returns, they are putting him on the tender and never seeing the green-eyed man again.

After a couple of hours crouched at his desk forcing his eyes to study the maps in the faint candlelight, Katsuki decides to take a break and breathe some fresh air. The salty breeze that blows on the deck helps Bakugou relax instantly. The black sky is peppered with stars, not even one cloud in sight and the moon is full, lighting the night ethereally. 

The deck is quiet, the crew must have already drunkenly stumbled to their beds. Everything is so calm that Bakugou almost doesn’t notice there is someone still here. Sitting with his legs swinging off the ship while holding onto the wooden rail, Deku looks at the black expense of the sea transfixed.

“The fuck are you doing here?” Katsuki barks at him hoping to make the boy jump out of his bones, but Deku just turns his head to him and smiles brightly looking a little dazed.

“Capt*hic*ain Kacchan! You came back!”  Great, now they got him drunk. Katsuki really needs to find a new crew.

“If you fall off deck, you are going to save me a lot of work.” He grunts but decides to sit down by Deku’s side. It’s just to be able to enjoy watching the idiot drown if he does fall, Katsuki thinks to himself.

Izuku chuckles, “I’m not gonna fall *hic*. And if I *hic* was going to jump, I’d have jumped from the other *hic* ship.”

“The Marines were riding your ass because they noticed you are useless?” Katsuki teases him hoping to make Deku flustered, but the boy only looks sadly to the horizon.

“I didn’t want to be there. I thought I didn’t have a choice… but that was before you guys rescued me.” The boy finishes looking at Katsuki with a smile back on his face.

“We didn’t fucking rescue you, dipshit. You just came together with the loot, like a damn rat! And now I’m stuck with your stupid ass.” Katsuki barks at him and finishes in a more grumbling tone. “Can’t even sell you as a slave since you are so useless, the buyer would come for my head later.”

Deku has the audacity to laugh openly at his threat. “I know, I’m sorry Captain Kacchan. But I’m still very thankful for your *hic* help. And for getting the chance to know the crew, they are all great!”

Katsuki rolls his eyes, “they are a bunch of morons.”

“No, they are nice and funny. And you *hic* are so smart, strong and *hic* kind, you are amazing.”

“Fuck you! Kind? I’m a pirate! I’m not kind!”

“Yes, you are. You saved the cook and the boys even though you didn’t have to. Your squad only steals from the king’s vessels who are taking our riches to other countries, and you share so much of your loot with the im*hic*poverished population. You are a hero, Captain Kacchan.”

Izuku is looking straight at him and his eyes sparkled in the moonlight. The wind blows his wavy hair and his freckles seem to mirror the million stars shining on them right at that moment. Katsuki can’t help the blush that creeps onto his cheeks, but he bites down the wish to mirror Izuku’s smile with a smirk of his own.

“You-! You are too stupid to understand your situation. I’m gonna go to bed. If you are smart, you will go as well. I’m not taking any easier on you in the morning!”

“Aye aye, Captain Kacchan” Izuku giggles and Katsuki runs back to his cabin before he really does shove the bastard offboard.

***

The three days with Deku on his ship were the most disastrous days of Bakugou’s pirate life. You never knew what screw up the boy would pull off next. But no one seemed to be able to stay mad at him since he was so eager to learn and so excited to help. Well, no one but Captain Bakugou, who went out of his way to track down the lad to make sure Izuku knew Katsuki thought he was an idiot.

Those days were so hectic, the fact that Mina was scheduled to meet them that afternoon completely skipped Katsuki’s mind until Sero yelled from the crow’s nest.

“MINA IS BACK! SHE IS COMING FROM THE EAST!”

Kirishima and Kaminari scrambled about to help get the girl on board and hoist the tender. 

“Ahoy, me hearties! I’m never going away alone again! It’s so incredibly boring!” Mina complains as soon as her feet hit the deck.

“Don’t think you are gonna be that lucky, my girl. Captain already has another package for you to deliver.” Jirou says in way of greeting her friend.

Mina frowns, “what package? Did you guys raid another vessel?”

“No! Captain didn’t like the bed warmer you picked for him. He has been making the poor lad work his ass off around the King Explosion.” Kaminari says after tying the tender in place.

“That is too bad,” Kirishima says shaking his head. “He is nice and he’d be good for Captain, but Bakugou is too stubborn!”

“What are you talking about? I didn’t leave any bed warmer for the Captain! I left him a ransom opportunity!” Mina says confused.

“Ransom opportunity?” Kirishima parrots just as confused, but before Mina has chance to explain they are interrupted by the arrival of the Captain.

“What fucking ransom, Raccoon?” Bakugou asks seriously.

***

Izuku is sweeping the stores with every bit of concentration he can muster. This is the first time they allowed him to try sweeping all on his own, he can’t let the crew down! Kirishima is counting on him, and if Izuku messes up the Captain will scream at the both of them!

He should have paid more attention to the workers cleaning around the castle. But, in all honesty, Izuku never thought he would be in a situation like this. Away from his family, from his home, around people who don’t know who he is, having to get by only using his skills and dressed in his sleeping clothes even!

If he had ever thought this was a possibility, he would have tried harder to learn some more useful things. He isn’t stupid or useless like the Captain likes to say, but the things he knows aren’t really applicable in pirate life. Izuku can play the piano and the violin, he knows calligraphy, can paint with oils, knows the order of business of a State banquet, and can say ‘I’m glad to meet you, your grace’ in five languages.

And now Izuku can sweep floors. Because Captain Kacchan taught him. Izuku can’t help but giggle when thinking about the handsome pirate. His tattooed arm and the shark-tooth hanging from his neck give him a dangerous look, but Izuku has never met any man as amazing as the captain. He may seem menacing, yell a lot and scream even more, but he is a very good man. 

The Captain is smart, hardworking, just and compassionate. He doesn’t kill just for killing, he always does his best and he cares so deeply for his crew. Izuku knows he should have been scared when he was ‘kidnapped’ by pirates, and maybe he would be if it were any other crew that caught him.

But he has been hearing about the great deeds of the Bakusquad for a couple of years already. He heard his father curse them for stealing the vessels carrying riches for other countries again and again. And Izuku cheered the band of pirates every time his father lost a ship. The pirates were right, those treasures shouldn’t be given away to other nations just to keep his father on the throne.

The last ‘treasure’ his father sold to keep his reign was Izuku himself. And that is how he came to be in this situation; he was being shipped away to be married to a foreign king twice his age that he has never seen before. Izuku couldn’t help but see the kidnapping as a rescue. And, if learning how to sweep floors and peel potatoes is what it takes for him to be free, Izuku will gladly give his best to learn these new skills.

Izuku is so consumed by his thoughts and the repetitive task of sweeping, that he doesn’t even hear the door opening and closing. That is why he gets startled when he hears a cold voice talk to him.

“Did you have fun lying to me, shitty Prince ?” Bakugou looks serious and deadly. The last word he says hits Izuku’s stomach like a block of ice.

“Wh-what?” He stutters.

“Don’t fucking play me. I want to know if you had a good old laugh at tricking the dumb pirate .” Bakugou’s voice drips with venom and Izuku is shaking like a leaf now.

“I-I didn’t! I would never-!”

“THEN WHY THE FUCK DID YOU LIE TO ME?” The Captain yells and Izuku jumps back until his back hits the wall. “Made us walk around like clowns! The shitty crew treating you like one of our own and during all this time you were lying to us!”

“I wasn’t! I didn’t lie!” Izuku tries defending himself. “I just didn’t… correct you when you assumed I was a worker on the other ship. I’m sorry, I didn’t have any other choice! If I told you the truth, you would send me back to my father!”

“So that is what this was about, you didn’t want us to take any more of your father’s money!”

“No! No, I swear!” Big fat tears started to run down Izuku’s cheeks right now. “My father wants to send me away to get married in another country! That is why I said you had rescued me that night!”

“Well, my prince , you better clean those shitty tears to look pretty for your new husband. I already sent a letter scheduling the exchange with your father.” Bakugou says before turning his back and leaving the room.

Izuku falls on his knees crying copiously.

***

That night Izuku isn’t allowed to have dinner with the crew. Kirishima is ordered to lock him in a small room and bring him food. It breaks Eijirou’s heart to see Izuku crying like that, one would think the lad would be glad to be going back home. So he asks Izuku what is wrong and hears the sad tale of his forced marriage.

Kirishima is almost brought to tears hearing Izuku’s story, but he knows Bakugou is feeling betrayed and dead-set about returning Izuku to his father. Sure the Captain may say it’s because of the money, but Eijirou has been his best friend since they were both knee-high little boys. He has never seen Bakugou get so attached to someone so fast.

Bakugou was trying to hide, but Eijirou noticed he kept stealing glances at the lad all the time. Also, he has never seen the Captain personally try to teach things to anyone, but he was all over the place showing Izuku how to peel potatoes and coil the ropes. Kirishima really can’t blame him; Izuku is sweet, eager and looks at the Captain as if the sun came out of his arse.

The two of them would be so happy if they had the chance. And Kirishima wouldn’t be a good friend if he didn’t try to make Bakugou see that.

“Good evening, Captain!” Eijirou greets smiling. Bakugou is in the quarter deck manning the rudder.

“Go away,” he grunts without taking his eyes off the horizon.

“Nice weather we are having, right? The sea looks calm.” Kirishima says unfazed. 

“It’s not going to look as calm if I throw you off board.”

“So, I need to talk to you about something.” Eijirou can see Bakugou rolling his eyes. “It’s about Izuku.”

“What about him?” He asks as if he doesn’t really care, but Eijirou can see how his eyes dart to the stairs that lead lower deck, where Izuku is locked away.

“Do you really think it’s a good idea to give him back to the King?”

“What would we do with him? Can’t sell the fucker as a slave, he is useless.” Katsuki grunts nonchalantly but Kirishima doesn’t take it well.

“Bro! No! Don’t even joke with something like that! We aren’t that kind of people, we don’t sell slaves!”

“Well, all the more reason to give him back and take the money.”

“He doesn’t want to go back, his father is a tyrant with him too!”

“That is not my fucking problem!” Katsuki barks furiously, his knuckles going white as he grips the rudder.

“But it can be if you admit that you like him!” Eijirou pleads.

“WHAT? I have nothing of the sort to admit! Fucking asshole! If I hear you saying such tomfoolery again, I’m going to tie you on the bowsprit!” Katsuki really looks a hair away from ripping Eijirou’s throat out.

Kirishima sighs defeated, “there is nothing wrong in liking someone, Bakubro. Think about it before you do anything you might regret later.”

***

Katsuki didn’t sleep that night. He tossed and turned in his bed, the gentle lulling of the waves doing nothing to ease his troubled mind. Which is fucking bullshit because he’s doing the right thing. He’s giving Izuku back to his father and he didn’t even ask for a lot of money! The shitty King could certainly pay more.

‘ You didn’t ask for more because you weren’t sure the king would pay’ an annoying voice whispers in his head. ‘Doesn’t matter, I’m still returning him to his family. Can’t blame me for this shit ’ he answers, but even Katsuki knows that is bullshit. Izuku is being returned to a family he claimed to have been rescued from by bloody pirates.

His mind plays back the conversation he had with Deku the night he found the lad drunk after dinner. Izuku had said that if he was going to jump, he’d have done it on the other ship. Meaning Deku might have even thought of jumping off board to not be taken to his future husband.

However, at the same time, Deku can’t be a pirate. He’s completely useless at the sea, no pirate crew would ever accept him as one of their own. If they dropped him off on any island free from the King’s control, Izuku wouldn’t even be hired to serve tables. Katsuki doesn’t even want to think about what kind of job the idiot would have to do.

Izuku is a prince, he wasn’t born to live out on the open sea. He needs to be inland, safe and cared for. Katsuki could never offer him the life Izuku deserves and- No! No! No! He’s not following that line of thought! 

When the first rays of sun enter his room, Katsuki is already dressed and ready for his day. They sailed the whole night towards the place he told the King he would be waiting - a few leagues from a famous independent island, far enough so that the King’s army can’t set up a trap. Katsuki used his last carrier pigeon to send the message, so the shitty King better show up.

Leaving his cabin, Katsuki sees that the crew is already waiting for him with expressions of mourning on their faces. The Captain sets his own glare even meaner to warn against any of the idiots from trying him today. 

“Racoon, how far are we?” He asks roughly.

“We should reach the place in less than three hours, Captain,” Mina answers seriously.

Katsuki nods and turns to the rest of the crew,  “Dunce Face, bring the prisoner.”

“Don’t call him that, Baku. Izuku is our friend and-” Kaminari tries pleading but Katsuki isn’t having any of it.

“You got your orders, go before I turn you in for the King too!” He barks making the blond run away in fear.

Katsuki marched to the highest point in the quarter-deck, where the rudder is and began watching the horizon looking for the King’s ship. It should be very easy to find, the King only travels in his private ship that has bright yellow sails. The sails are supposed to be the color of gold to represent the King’s riches or some shit like that. What really matters is that the King’s ship is huge, very slow but pretty much unsinkable - definitely the safest ship in these waters.

Not long after, Kaminari escorts Deku to his side. Izuku’s hands are tied with rope behind his back. Bakugou makes a point to keep looking to the horizon and not acknowledging them, but points to a spot on the floor next to him where he wants Izuku to sit. 

Kaminari quietly indicates to the prince what he should do. After everything is ready, he looks torn about staying with Izuku and going back to tend to his tasks, so Katsuki sets him straight.

“Get to work, Dunce Face. You aren’t here to babysit a tied man.” Katsuki grunts.

Kaminari gives one more sad look to Izuku and leaves the quarter-deck resigned. Bakugou keeps his eyes firm in the horizon and his hands steady on the rudder, doing his best to ignore the sniffles coming from the ground next to him.

Why did he even ask for Deku to be brought here? They have hours until they reach the exchange point, he could have let the idiot stay locked away where he was before. It makes no sense to want Deku next to him; he knows the prince can’t run away. The thought of having Izuku near him came to Katsuki when he saw his crew this morning and he didn’t stop to think why.

Bakugou guesses there really is no denying he enjoys Izuku’s company. The useless Prince lights up the place with his shiny eyes and cheery personality. Their ship will be more quiet and gloomy when he goes back to his family. Katsuki’s life will be a little bit darker without Izuku’s light.

However, he’s doing the right thing. This is what is best for Izuku. He wasn’t born to pillage and plunder, Deku was too naive and delicate for piracy. Damn lad can’t fucking peel potatoes, for god’s sake! Another sniff finally breaks Katsuki’s calm façade.

“QUIT YOUR FUCKING CRYING, ASSHOLE!” He yells, making Izuku jump scared. “I’m taking you back to your family, not leaving you to die on a desert island,” Katsuki says under his breath.

“I know that,” Izuku mumbles. “Captain Kacchan would never do something like that. You are too kind; I’m not afraid of what you’ll do to me.” ‘ I’m afraid of what my father will’ remains unsaid, but it pierces through Katsuki’s heart anyway.

“It can’t be so fucking bad. You’re a Prince and they will marry you to a King. You’ll live a life of luxury without a single concern in your head. Much better than mopping floors in a dirty pirate ship.” Katsuki tries reasoning with Deku (and with himself).

“I know you hate me for hiding things from you, Captain. But don’t tell me what life I should be happy with. I’d choose sweeping the floors of this ship a hundred times over living like a prized possession of a man who’d lock me away in a tower.” Izuku says coldly. “I may not be allowed to get away from this fate, but they’ll never force me to like it.”

“For crying out loud, Deku! You can’t sweep! You can’t clean, you can’t cook, and I’m pretty sure you can’t fight either! What life can piracy offer you?” Katsuki barks back frustrated.

“A free life! A life where I’m free to choose, to make friends, to fall in love! And I can learn! I know I’m useless now, but I only had a few days! How long did it take before you became amazing at everything?” Izuku yells back.

Katsuki was ready to scream at Deku for being so naive when he hears Sero screaming from the crow’s nest.

“MARINE SHIPS ON THE NORTHWEST!” 

That snaps Bakugou back to reality. He picks up his binoculars and looks for the King’s ship in the sea.

However, that is not what he sees. He doesn’t see the big safe ship that is used to transport the king and the royal family. The ship he sees has no yellow sails, is much smaller and is built for speed - much like the Marine ship they raided about a week ago.

Katsuki looks around, trying to spot at least a small yellow dot that could indicate the King is waiting nearby, but he doesn’t see it anywhere. Fucking Shitty King didn’t come to rescue his kidnapped son and, from the looks of the ship that came, Izuku isn’t even going back to his home. 

He’s going to be put on an express vessel straight to his new husband. Probably with way more riches to make up for the groom’s inconvenience of having to wait an extra week to receive his new toy.

Captain Bakugou feels his blood boiling with anger. How dare this shitty King treat his own son like this?! How dare he treat Deku like this?! He doesn’t deserve to have Izuku in his life! 

Sure, the life Katsuki has to offer Izuku isn’t what the young Prince deserves, but neither is being treated like an expensive doll! 

“Deku,” Katsuki asks solemnly, “do you want to be a pirate?”

He looks down straight into determined green eyes.

“Yes, I want to be a pirate, Captain.” Izuku answers without a shred of doubt in his voice.

Katsuki takes his knife off its holder, pulls Izuku to his feet roughly, making the Prince knock against his chest, and cuts down the rope tying Deku’s hands in one swift movement.

“Welcome to the crew, Deku,” Katsuki whispers looking into the man’s startled eyes. 

They only have a couple of seconds looking at each other. Izuku’s expression doesn’t hide his wonder, and Katsuki can’t help the little smirk pulling on his lips. Then the Captain looks towards the crew and yells.

“CHANGE OF PLANS! WE ARE GONNA SINK THOSE FUCKERS AND TAKE THE LOOT! EVERYONE IN POSITION!”

The Bakusquad cheers excitedly, it’s like life has been breathed back into the ship. One second everyone was looking gloomy and depressed, and the next they are running around to prepare for the raid. Orders are barked, canons are positioned, everything following a script they have played dozens of times before.

“DON’T BE FUCKHEADS! WE FOLLOW THE PLAN! BREAK THEIR SAILS AND INVADE TO TAKE THE LOOT! RACOON, YOU TAKE THE CAPTAIN’S CABIN! SHITTY HAIR, DUNCE FACE, CLEAR THE TOP DECK AND I’LL MAKE SURE THERE AREN’T ANY COWARDS HIDING BELOW!” Katsuki yells as they close in on the ship.

“And me? What can I do to help?” Izuku asks eagerly following Katsuki around the ship.

“You don’t get in our way, Deku. You don’t know how to fight yet.” Bakugou tells him decisively.

“But I-!”

“No! You stay here in King Explosion Murder and hide if any marine comes looking for you! I’m your Captain and that is an order!” Katsuki barks and Izuku freezes in place with a torn expression.

Katsuki gets up on the side rail with the other members of the crew as they wait for their ship to get close enough to the Marine’s vessel.  Everyone in the Bakusquad is excited and ready for a fight. On the other vessel, the marines run around like headless chickens - all it took was a couple of cannonballs on their deck to break every ounce of military training those idiots had.

“GET READY! ON MY MARK!” Katsuki yells as the ships get closer. “LET’S FUCKING GO!”

The Bakusquad jumps fearlessly, surprising the bluejackets. The pirates fight their way through the vessel’s deck easily, almost too easily. There weren’t as many cadets as would be expected, but Katsuki thinks that is just more proof that the King didn’t care much about his son.

Captain Bakugou was alone on the lower deck finishing his fight with a couple remaining marines when he hears desperate yells behind him.

“KACCHAN! KACCHAN! YOU NEED TO GET OUT! IT’S A TRAP! IT’S A TRAP!” Izuku comes running towards him.

“Deku? I told you to stay back on the ship! This is mutiny!” Katsuki yells terrified at the idea of Izuku being taken by a Marine who wants to be in the King’s favor.

“It’s a trap, Kacchan! The stores are filled with gunpowder! They’re gonna blow the vessel!” Izuku says with a terrified look on his face.

“SHIT! Let’s go! We need to tell the others!” Katsuki says as he deals the final blow to the cadet he was fighting with.

“I already warned them! You’re the only one who is left! Let’s go!” Izuku grabs his hand for them to run upstairs but a Sergeant shows up near the stairs holding a lit lantern.

“I don’t think so!” The Sergeant says with a lunatic smile on his face. “The King sent us here to die, but I don’t really agree with this plan. I’m putting my own plan in motion now.”

“GET OUT OF OUR WAY, YOU CRAZY BASTARD!” Katsuki yells and the Sergeant pretends to drop the lantern downstairs, making them both flinch.

“No, no, no! You stay right there, filthy pirate. This is how we are doing this, me and the Prince are taking a tender so I can negotiate with the King some… better living arrangements for myself. And you and your pack of mangy dogs are going to stay still or else I’ll blow up this vessel. Your ship is close enough to the blast radius for us to be sure no one will get out of this alive.”

“FUCK YOU! I’M NOT-”

“Alright! I’ll go with you! Just please don’t hurt them!” Izuku pleads, interrupting Bakugou.

“NO! DEKU, YOU CAN’T-” Katsuki yells but Izuku is already walking towards the Sergeant.

“I’m sorry, Kacchan. I’m sorry for putting you in this position, but I’m gonna make sure you all are going to be ok.” Izuku says with tears in his eyes, the Sergeant grabs his arm roughly as soon as Deku is close enough.

“Perfect, now turn around and enter the back room so I can lock you there.” The Sergeant says to Katsuki, but the Captain holds his ground seething in anger.

“Kacchan, please!” Deku pleads with tears flowing from his beautiful green eyes.

Bakugou can’t accept that! He’s not going to lose Deku! Izuku is his now and there are so many things they need to do together! He needs to teach Deku to read maps, tend the sails, fight and- and- there’s just so much! He needs Deku in his life! Katsuki needs to have Izuku!

“Go inside the room now or I’ll blow this ship up! Don’t think I won’t do it! The King already sent me here to die anyway!” The Sergeant yells completely out of his mind.

“Kacchan!” Izuku cries trembling.

But before Katsuki can make up his mind, their stalemate is broken by the Sergeant being hit on the head by Kirishima. The Sergeant stumbles forward, and the lantern rolls away. Katsuki moves quickly to retrieve it before it can break and detonate the gunpowder.

Kirishima does a quick job of knocking the Sergeant unconscious and looks at them with a worried expression.

“We need to go! This vessel is a time bomb, bros!”

He doesn’t have to say it twice, Katsuki grabs Izuku’s hand and the three of them run back to their ship as fast as they can. Their ship is already moving away from the cursed vessel when they make the jump, so they stumble on the floor in their haste.

Katsuki feels disoriented, his heart is still beating frantically and he is panting. Luckily, his crew is smart enough to not wait around for orders, they all work together to get their ship as far away as possible.

Looking to his side, he sees Izuku just as frazzled. He’d be dead if Katsuki had just returned him to his father. Deku would be dead and it’d all be Katsuki’s fault. And Bakugou could be dead too. Deku was the one to find out about the trap and he ran back to tell the crew, and even went deep into the vessel to make sure Katsuki was warned.

“You crazy fucker! You almost got yourself killed!” Katsuki can’t deal with so many feelings at once, so he just focuses on his anger and releases it towards Izuku.

“I had no choice, Kacchan! I couldn’t let him kill you and the crew!” Izuku yells back. 

What the fuck?! Now this little shit thinks he can respond to Captain Katsuki!?

“You shitty little Prince! I’m gonna teach you to keep your damn mouth shut!” Bakugou yells as he pulls Izuku by the collar and kisses him.

Bakugou doesn’t know why his brain decided this is the best way to teach Deku a lesson. But as Izuku starts kissing back, he can’t say he regrets it. 

He hugs Izuku against his chest, enjoying how safe and warm the man feels in his arms. It feels like things finally settled in place and Katsuki can properly breathe again. Izuku is his now and they are going to conquer the seven seas together.

… as soon as Deku learns how to be a pirate.

“Don’t go thinking I’m gonna take it easy on you.” Katsuki says against Deku’s lips. “You’re gonna have to work your ass off in this ship.”

Izuku smiles brightly to him and answers,  “Aye, aye, Captain. Anything you want.”

They kiss again under the sounds of cheering from the crew.