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Black Mist Harbor. An overcast sky above a dock crowded with all kind of boats. Merchants, adventurers, explorers, mercenaries, pirates and other crooks swarmed night and day about the port town in an endless flow.
It wasn’t the biggest harbor, and it wasn’t the dirtiest one. Just a busy merchant city where sailors liked to have some fun after months at sea. With a market, a church, barracks, uptown and countless bawdy houses and taverns.
The pirate crew had decided to rest in one of those houses for the night. The room was filled with heavy smells of rum and burnt grease, and loud laughs echoed in every corner, along with the higher pitched voices of women.
Hanta got quickly bored of the place. There was nothing noteworthy here, and he was not interested in the least in the conversations of the adults, even if the way they gobbled impressive amounts of fried cod while speaking, showing their decayed and gold teeth, was always entertaining. Because once they had parked their backside in a chair, there was no means of getting them to move before the dawn.
He skittered between the tables, stood on tiptoe to grab a few of those spicy cod fish cakes displayed on the counter, stuffed them in his pocket, and made his way to the exit.
The city was always humming with shouts and cries of gull, accompanied by boots, clogs and hooves beating the cobblestones. The scrawny little boy jumped in puddles as he walked in the bustling streets, zigzagging between crowds of legs. Since he had nowhere to go, he followed the faint notes of a mandolin coming from an alley. The twangy sounds of old strings mingled with a voice so delicate and pure it could have belonged to an angel.
It was a bawdy song that pirates belted out in every tavern, but at his age, Hanta didn’t understand the real meaning of the lyrics.
No duchesses are more graceful than her
When she hikes up her skirt
High up above her girt
For that matter, the kid that he found singing under a porch didn’t get it better. He was seated on the ground, arms wrapped around a mandolin too big for him with a string missing. He had chubby cheeks and short yellow hair that shone strikingly in the eternally grey and dreary town. While he struggled with cords, his voice escaped easily from his lips, flying away like swallows. Hanta stood still just steps away to listen to him.
Never unnoticed when she begs
No Nymphs have longer legs
No pussies are hairier than hers
On the…
In Half…
The boy scratched his head as he tried to remember the lyrics, then he smiled sheepishly at Hanta. Disarmed for a second by that gentle look, the brunet then took out a fried cake that he handed to the other boy before leaning against the wall next to him. They ate without a word although the blond kid made chirping sounds while he licked his fingers. He started singing again and Hanta dug his hands in his pockets.
When it was too dark to play, the little musician took Hanta’s hand and led him across the town. In a quiet side street, a tall woman was smoking on the doorstep of her house.
‘Hey kiddo, long time not see,’ she said when the children stopped in front of her. ‘You’ve brought a little friend?’ She bent over Hanta and smiled kindly. ‘He’s cute.’ She had long black hair, red glasses, gentle eyes and very little clothing. ‘Come in boys, I’ll make coffee. Will you sing for me after?’
The blond child nodded eagerly with a bright smile and the woman opened the door.
‘Hanta! Where have you been? Damn brat! I’ve been looking for you all over town!’ A man shouted from the other end of the street, angrily shaking an empty bucket. ‘Come over here, the doc needs seaweed.’
Nothing new. The pirates always sent him to get or bring stuff, and usually the boy didn’t mind running here and there at their will. But not tonight. He was enjoying himself and the first mate had turned up just when a lady was about to offer him coffee. Even if he had no idea what it was, it was surely more fun than a bunch of slimy seaweed.
‘Doc said he wants them right away,’ the man added and walked toward him.
‘Then get off your ass and hurry to fill your stupid bucket!’ Hanta shouted and ran as fast as his short legs could carry him.
‘COME BACK HERE LITTLE SHIT!’ the first mate yelled behind him.
As if Hanta would listen to him. He kept running until he could no longer hear the enraged screams.
When he finally stopped, he had reached the outskirts. There he found a nice stable to spend the rest of the night, curled up in the straw behind a big workhorse.
In the following days, he spent most of his time in the company of the boy with the mandolin. He just had to wander around the town, keeping his ear open to find him wherever he was playing. It was always the same song, because kids don’t get tired of what they love.
Hanta loved the song too, the gentle voice of his friend, and his round and rosy cheeks. He also loved the way the blond child happily devoured the fritters that Hanta stole at the market, and eagerly thanked him with kisses, his plump lips leaving trails of oil and sugar on his cheek.
Sometimes it was the blond boy who was looking for him, waving excitedly and beaming at him when he spotted him in the crowd. It was like the sun had finally appeared.
They often slept under the stars, which is a way of speaking because they could never see the stars beyond the thick cloud layer. They lay down in the wet grass of the dune, just above the sandy beach where fishermen left their small boats. They didn’t mind getting soaked by the perpetual drizzle as they peacefully watched the sky, holding each other’s little hands and slowly falling asleep.
Kids don’t worry about tomorrow. But kids also have no notion of time, so Hanta was caught off guard when the heavy hand of the captain fell on his shoulder and he was told to hurry up and board the ship before departure.
‘What? No!’ he squirmed but couldn’t escape the grip of the broad-shouldered man. ‘Let me go! I have to say goodbye to my friend!’ he shouted himself hoarse, realizing he had seen the blond boy for the last time yesterday and he hadn’t spoken to him yet.
‘We don’t have time to wait for you,’ the captain replied and released the boy. ‘Either you get on the boat already or we leave you here.’
Now, Hanta didn’t have any bonds with those pirates, but they were the closest thing to family he had at that time. And because of that damn fear of abandonment that haunts children, he fell into step behind the captain.
It wasn’t until the sails were hoisted and the boat was slowly leaving the port that he noticed the tears streaming down his cheeks. He clenched his hands on the ship’s ray, watching the town disappearing in the morning mist and sobbed without restraint.
He didn’t even know the name of the beaming boy, and yet he had left a huge hole in Hanta’s too frail chest.
***
Port of Hassaikai. In a quiet district along the shore, the only light came from a lively tavern and the stars, planted in the clear sky of a summer night.
The pirates were drinking and stuffing themselves, and Hanta enjoyed listening to them as he silently emptied his tankard. There was the cheerful banter of the girls, the calm and deep voices of Shoji and Tokoyami, and the fantastic tales of Yaomomo and Iida. And he loved the way Midoryia cringed whenever the captain barked at him, then smiled at the ash blond man as soon as he wasn’t looking.
They were like a pack of hungry wolves sailing the ocean, seeking for gold and glory one day, nefarious creatures to fight the other day, and who knows what tomorrow. The other pirates looked down on them because they were still teenagers, but the truth was, they feared them, and particularly their hot-blooded captain. And yes, they had been rather cocky when they had decided to name their ship All Might, but they had no doubt that one day she would be the most infamous vessel of the seven seas.
As much as Hanta enjoyed the company of his fellows, there was always a little child in him who couldn’t keep still for long. He sneaked out of the tavern a little later for a stroll in the neighborhood, quietly closing the door behind him.
He was no longer scrawny but lanky, so long that when he looked down he was sometimes surprised to see the ground was so far away. The streets went by faster too. Even if he walked nonchalantly, his long strides took him from place to place in no time.
What didn’t change however, was the way he wandered aimlessly and got easily attracted by a simple tune. Tonight it was a guitar that led him to the port.
Sea, spatter around the ship
Your spray on my face
Are like her sweet kisses
She was kind and she guarded my heart
Sirens can sing all through the night
But their voices cannot come close
To the soft melodies she sang to me
In the morning
The song was about a sailor missing his beloved, like so many others. However this one wasn’t sad or melancholic. The chords accompanied rhythmically the hearty voice, and it was like waves lashing against the hull of a boat.
Hanta first spotted Ashido and Kirishima, sweethearts amongst sweethearts, arms resting on the low wall which ran along the dock. Facing the sea, they were alternately chatting casually or enjoying each other’s presence in silence, like good fellows. Those fools didn’t realize that the moon was gorgeous and shining just for them, and that love was close at hand.
The singer was sitting in the shadow of a warehouse a little further back, thus Hanta didn’t see him immediately when he walked to the source of music. His voice wasn’t as angelic as the voice of the boy from Black Mist Harbor, but the dark-haired man loved the joy that oozed from it. It made the song sound like a declaration of love, love that was too strong to be held back. The wild rhythm made the pirate’s heart pound louder, almost dancing in his chest.
Sea, you can rock the ship
I don’t care if my hands bleed on the sheet
Your wild winds brought an olive branch
In the storm I’ve seen the white dove
Sea, rage against the sails
You can shake me and toss me around
Too bad if I chuck up my guts
I don’t care
As long as you bring me back to my love
The guitarist played fiercely a few chords to conclude his song, and Kirishima and Ashido looked at each other as if it was the first time. They joined their hands slowly, keeping their eyes locked. Immobile, they drowned into each other’s gaze like it was what they were meant to do all their lives.
‘Finally,’ Hanta murmured to himself and grinned.
He exchanged a knowing look with the singer. He couldn’t really make out the features of the boy in the moonlight but he looked young, with shaggy pale hair that must be blond, and a darker patch shaped like a bolt of lightning, but maybe it was his imagination.
He dropped a few gold coins in the hat turned upside down on the ground.
‘Wow! I didn’t know pirates were so generous!’ the eyes of the guitarist popped in surprise. He jingled the coins in his hand and pocketed them, grinning mischievously.
‘I owe you that much. They are my friends,’ Hanta replied, gesturing toward the lovebirds, still holding hands and smiling from ear to ear, frozen like statues.
‘Hey, do you have a request for the next song?’
The pirate gulped, suddenly flustered for no reason.
‘Well… there is that one I don’t remember the name… There’s a lady in it…’
‘The song of Lady Nagant?’
‘Nah, it’s an old one. I think she has a cat. It went na-a na na…’ he tried to hum the tune but he only produced croaky sounds, nowhere near the original melody. He didn’t quite remember it, actually.
The guitarist chuckled. ‘That doesn’t help much, my friend,’ he said with a teasing grin.
Hanta shrugged.
‘Sing Old Torino’s cane, then.’
‘Really? A children’s song?’ The boy raised an eyebrow, an incredulous smile tugging at his lips.
‘I like it. It’s funny.’
‘You’re right. That’s a good one. Maybe it will give those two some ideas,’ he added, pointing at Ashido and Kirishima (no, they had not moved an inch during all that time).
Hanta snorted and drew away while he started to play. He walked along the pier, where he could enjoy the sea breeze and music.
But as he tried to listen to the guitar, the song from his childhood kept coming back to him in dribs and drabs. That and the shadowy figure of the little boy with bright yellow hair and an old mandolin.
Why was he suddenly recalling him tonight? Of course, he had always kept that kid in the back of his mind, along with the pretty song they both loved so much. And now the memories were awakening, fussing and struggling to resurface.
Those were just pieces, however, fragile and blurry. As a child, Hanta had never really paid attention to the features of people. Certainly, the boy had round cheeks like most of children, but he couldn’t remember the color of his eyes or the shape of his nose. And the lyrics… How could he forget the entire song? The voice of his friend, though, was still clear and enchanting.
It used to be a sad memory, but not anymore. It was henceforth his most precious treasure.
*
The next night, the pirates were once more gathered in the tavern.
Kirishima and Ashido were joyfully joking around with the others, but every time their eyes met, they beamed even more, making Bakugo ‘Tch!’ and ‘Humph!’ scornfully. However Hagakure cheered for them and Asui blushed slightly at the overflowing happiness they couldn’t hide.
Hanta was grinning broadly at the sight, leaning back on his chair. He could hear the guitarist from the day before playing near the tavern and he thought to himself that he would go out and chat with him a little later.
Bakugo banged his fist on the table as he argued with Midoriya about the map. Then the green-haired boy was yelling back at him, because no matter how shy and self-effacing he was, when it came to Toshinori’s map, he was just as stubborn as the captain.
In the inn, pigging out and drinking are the pirates
They don’t see a ship is approaching
They don’t see the Navy flag
‘WHAT DID THE FUCKING BARD JUST SAY?’ Bakugo suddenly shouted, making Hanta fall out of his chair with a crash. He hadn’t paid attention to the lyrics but…
The captain rushed out, ready to grab the singer’s collar and certainly shake him until his teeth rattle but the guy had wisely chosen to disappear.
‘Dammit! Shitty Hair, my spyglass!’
Kirishima promptly tossed the requested item across the room and Bakugo pointed it at the sea.
‘Fuck, fuck, fuck! We have to get the hell out of here!’
‘What? But we’re having fun! Can’t we stay a little longer?’
‘I SAID WE HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE, DAMMIT! THE MARINES ARE COMING! MOVE YOUR ASSES AND SET SAILS!’
‘Aye-aye, Captain!’
***
Mudhole. Hard to consider it a town or a port. More like a heap of dirty houses, the only stone-built building being the navy barracks.
A little further along the coast, the pirates were dropping anchor in a hidden cove.
Hanta stretched his limbs and cracked his neck, feeling like an old man although he was in his early twenties. Years at sea had worn him down, and his brain, washed by strong winds and untamable waves, was in a buzzing lethargy. But always, the voice of the boy from Black Mist Harbor kept humming in his ears, quietly, obstinately.
Sometimes, the young pirate thought the boy of his childhood was a figment of his imagination. But even so, he liked to think about him. And about his bright, shiny hair.
That night, dark clouds were again gathered in the sky, slightly colored by the setting sun. There was never good weather on these seas. The last beautiful day he had seen dated back months ago. Far away were the sunny lands where he had learnt to walk. Maybe that was what made the beaming smile of his childhood friend so vivid in his memory.
Hanta’s spine made an awful crack and he grimaced. The others didn’t seem to be in a better shape, shuffling their feet like sea zombies. It was about time they got back to dry land.
Uraraka jumped next to him, raising her arms in excitement.
‘We’ve made it! I hope they have some grub in this town, ’cause I’m getting tired of salt cod. I’m gonna eat till I burst! Who’s game?’
Hanta smiled at her enthusiasm. Whenever the morale of the crew dropped, they could count on the lively girl to cheer them up.
Ashido was already on the shore, grasping Kirishima’s hand to take him who knows where and keeping her other hand on her bulging belly. All the stars of the sky were gathered in their eyes as they dashed toward a small wood, disappearing in the shadow. Most of the crewmembers disembarked too, setting foot on solid ground with grunts of satisfaction, and started to set off. But Bakugo and Midoriya stayed aboard the ship. They were standing on the deck, watching the sunset side by side and pretending their fingers weren’t intertwined.
When the crew entered the town a little later, a light but steady rain had started to fall.
Maybe because of loneliness, or simply because the sky was grey and gloomy, Hanta found himself following Mineta toward the whorehouses. But there were only women there, so instead of a companion for the night, he found a nice bottle of rum and walked to the harbor to enjoy it.
I’ve seen so many go by
But there is only one
I want to remember
The voice was sad and sounded different than the last time, nevertheless he recognized the guitarist from Hassaikai who had saved their skins a few years ago.
He found him sheltering from the rain under a dark porch, looking down as he played.
‘Boy, that’s not a very joyful song,’ Hanta said as he came closer.
The young man seemed to recognize him and greeted him with a nod.
‘Can I join you?’
‘Sure, who am I to reject a depression companion?’
Hanta uncorked his bottle while sitting down next to him and took a sip.
‘Ladies, uh? Did someone spurn you?’ he asked teasingly.
‘Well, I’m not gonna pretend it never happened…’ the other replied with a brief crooked smile before shaking his head. ‘I’ve just hit rock bottom. I don’t have a penny to my name and I miss my homeland.’ He tried to smile but his mouth remained bitter. ‘Can you believe that last year I was performing in the court of Prince Monoma? He kicked me out because I’ve chatted up his nanny!’ he scoffed at himself.
‘Want some?’ Hanta offered to share his rum. ‘That will warm you up.’
‘No thanks. I prefer to sing while I can. The sergeant doesn’t let me sing aboard the ship.’
He started playing again and the pirate eyed his chore boy uniform stained with mud, before deciding he didn’t care. He also noticed the strange black strands in his yellow hair that definitely looked like lightning.
The moon was bright in the daylight
When the vessel took him away
Black sails dancing under black clouds
My heart he taught to love
And my heart he awakened
May I never forget
The guitarist had closed his eyes, and Hanta looked away when he saw a small tear rolling down his cheek. Then he shifted a little to lean his shoulder against the young man. They fell silent for a moment before the dark-haired man asked very softly: ‘the song was about somebody you know?’
‘Yeah… a long time ago.’
‘Are you that old?’ Hanta couldn’t help the mischievous remark.
The blond chuckled.
‘I mean, he was my childhood friend.’ He paused, but something on the face of the other asked him to continue. ‘We met briefly but I’ve never been close to someone like we were close to each other,’ he said with sad golden eyes that made Hanta want to cry. ‘We were too young but… that was love, I believe. Of course kids can’t fall in love, yet I know we were.’ He laughed and scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed. ‘You must think I’m a weirdo, right?’
The raven-haired pirate swallowed as he looked down at his hands.
‘No, no, I get it,’ he whispered because he was too moved to speak aloud. ‘Kids love genuinely.’
They both held their breath for a second. Then the blond man started to pluck the guitar strings absent-mindedly, playing a wistful melody.
‘Why don’t you search for him?’ Hanta asked suddenly. It was none of his business, of course, but he didn’t want the story to end like this.
‘I did, eh! That’s why I put out to sea, I think. I’m a man of land, my friend. Dry land. I felt seasick and threw up all over the ship before I got used to that damn rolling. But… I’d have better luck looking for a drop of water in the ocean. I’m not even sure I would recognize him if I meet him again.’
‘I’m sorry.’
The musician rolled a sigh inside his throat.
‘Don’t be. Maybe it’s better this way. Maybe he has become a feral and bloodthirsty pirate.’
‘Err…’
‘I mean, not you guys, obviously. Everybody knows Katsuki Bakugo is a softie in the shape of a rabid dog.’
‘Hey! That’s my captain you’re talking about.’ He sounded slightly threatening.
The blond tilted his head and quirked an eyebrow. ‘Am I wrong?’
Hanta let out a groan that wasn’t a “no”, but not a “yes” either, causing the other to laugh. Looking at this beaming face, he couldn’t repress a smile. He was glad he had cheered the young man up. Pretty and funny young man. He wished he could also hold him and warm his wounded heart against his. But he knew better than meddle in such a beautiful (although sad) love story. After all, he wasn’t the kind of guy who had songs written for him, albeit he would like that.
He leant back against the wall, closing his eyes as he enjoyed the rum and music, a lopsided smile still on his lips.
*
‘Hey, wake up!’
He must have fallen asleep at some point, because he next found himself stretched out on the muddy ground, and when he opened his eyes, the guitarist was bending over him and shaking his shoulders.
The sun was just rising, pale and cold, but the faint rays were reflected on the yellow hair and made it shine dazzlingly. He blinked at the face so close to his, blond strands brushing his skin, and he stared hazily at the bright yellow eyes.
‘Man, snap out of it, I say. I have to go. And you too, had better go back to your ship if you don’t want your crew to leave you here!’
‘Leave me here?’ was all Hanta could stammer before he pulled himself together. ‘Hey, why don’t you join us?’
‘What?’
‘You could travel with us. We sail all over the ocean. Surely we will come close to your homeland someday!’
The musician opened his eyes wide in surprise and burst into laughter.
‘Someone like me aboard a pirate ship?’ he asked incredulously. ‘You must be joking, right? Stop dreaming, pirate, and go back to sea! Now I really have to go or I’ll get in trouble. The caporal gonna throw a fit.’
‘Wait!’ Hanta held him back by his sleeve. ‘What’s your name?’
The blond rolled his eyes but couldn’t hide his amusement.
‘Denki,’ he said and dashed off.
Left alone, Hanta stood up and shook his long limbs. He was soaked and stiff from a night on the ground, but he didn’t care in the least. The town around him was all grey and white in the morning mist, looking unnaturally ethereal, but the rain that had just started to fall (again) would soon break the spell and reveal the mud and dirty houses.
‘Denki’, the young man repeated the name and grinned broadly.
In his head, his childhood friend was singing at the top of his voice, and Hanta even caught a few words this time. He had the feeling that he would maybe remember the song one of these days and nothing could spoil his good mood.
*
With a thunderous, ominous crack, All Might’s hull broke in two, petrifying the Marines in dread.
It hadn’t been until noon that same day that the marine ship had caught up with the pirates. The battle had been merciless, cannon balls flying all over the place, screams and gunshots ringing out in both vessels.
The old and run down pirate ship had held steady for hours against the terrible blows, until she had gone beyond her limit and had broken, shouting out one last wrathful war cry.
Still, she was majestic in her wreck, slowly starting to sink in the deafening silence.
A light gust of wind. A cry. Like in a slow motion, a piece of paper was carried away and fell in the ocean, followed by Midoriya who dived behind it, to everyone’s shock.
Toshinori’s map, Hanta reflected, clinging on to a net above the deck.
The splash caused the Marines to snap out of their torpor and the order was given to board the pirate ship.
‘Captain, do we abandon ship?’ Kirishima asked.
He and Bakugo were a little further away below Hanta. Rough day for Katsuki Bakugo, the dark-haired man couldn’t help but sympathize.
The captain nodded sharply, eyes glued to the spot where Midoriya had disappeared.
‘ABANDON SHIP!’ Kirishima shouted. ‘EVERYONE TO THE LIFEBOATS! SAVE YOUR SKIN AND GET BACK TO DRY LAND!’
Hanta caught sight of Uraraka and the ship’s doctor busy at the tip of the yardarm. They were untying the mainsail, seemingly. Oh! They planned to drop it on the Marines to slow the assault. Clever. He could give them a hand. He climbed to the other tip and undid the rope on their mark.
The sail unfolded and fell on the deck, trapping the soldiers who had ventured there, and Hanta could swear All Might was still fighting for them.
He then thought that it was high time for him to get to a rowboat. He just spotted one to the stern, and swung down along a rope.
‘Please! Come aboard, Captain!’ Mineta was whining near the small boat.
‘Hell, no!’ Bakugo thundered and threw the very short sailor in the rowboat. ‘I’m the captain, for fuck’s sake! If my ship sinks, I sink with her.’
The cannons were still shooting from both ships, so he didn’t hear Hanta landing behind him and creeping up. He collapsed onto the floor without a scream when the tall man knocked him out.
Hanta grimaced and massaged his knuckles (seriously, what was his head made of?) before grabbing the captain tricorn and coat and putting them on.
No doubt the hotheaded blond would make him pay for that later, but they couldn’t afford to lose him.
Ojiro arrived then and helped them hauling Bakugo’s heavy body aboard the boat.
‘I’ve seen Aoyama falling over there,’ Hanta stated, pointing at the sea. ‘Pick him up and get away from here.’
He pulled the tricorn down over his head and climbed the net again, a knife between his teeth.
The cannons of All Might had stopped shooting, which meant that most of the crew had left the ship and Yaomomo and Iida would soon blow up the gunpowder reserve.
It was time to do his little number. Drive the Marines up the wall and clown around. That was what he was good at. They wanted Bakugo’s head, so if he could fool them, they would try to catch him and let the others escape. Hopefully they wanted him alive.
He proudly stood up on the yardarm of the mainmast, just under their pirate flag, that seemed to cheer on him as it flapped in the wind. Swiftly flying between cordage and sails, Koda’s parrot was circling around him and crying defiantly at the soldiers.
Hanta gulped and drew his gun. Not the first time he was playing with fire. It was always exhilarating. Made him feel alive.
He shot into the air and pinned the hat of the sergeant with his knife, getting instantly all the attention. Then he took a deep breath before shouting:
‘TAKE YOUR DIRTY HANDS OFF MY SHIP FUCKING MARINES!’
‘FUCKING MARINES, CROAA!’ the parrot echoed angrily.
Okay, let’s start the show.
*
The chain clinked when Hanta ran his hand over his face.
His whole body ached after the beating he had received from the sergeant. Sure, the officer had not been pleased when he had understood that his men and him had been chasing after a random pirate instead of Katsuki Bakugo for half an hour. At least Hanta had managed to get captured unharmed. He had “accidentally” fallen in the sea and had let the Marines fish him out.
Thus he was back in Mudhole, rotting in a cell.
Through the narrow window he could see the night sky, as black as ink. The next morning would be the last, since there was no way a nobody like him got a judgment before being hanged. Too bad he’d never have the chance to meet Ashido and Kirishima’s baby. Or remember the song from his childhood.
Those were his thoughts when the sound of a familiar guitar reached his ears.
He held his breath as the delicate notes pierced through the thick wall of his jail. He could tell Denki was just on the other side, and he dragged himself closer.
What was he doing here? Right, his musician friend worked for the Navy these days. He had probably been aboard the marine ship during the battle, although Hanta hadn’t seen him.
Anyway, it was very nice of him to come and sing for him that night.
Under cover of the night
The children of the Moon are gone
Sleep, sleep my little boy
In warm beds snore the decent people
A poor guy’s gonna be hanged tomorrow
Never again will his mom hold him
Hanta swallowed hard, thinking that the “poor guy” referred to him. Jeez, if this was the last song he would get to hear, he wished Denki would choose something more cheerful! At least the melody was beautiful.
With a sigh, he rested his head against the cold stone wall and let his mind wander wherever it wanted. It naturally drifted toward his childhood friend, who hopefully was in a better situation than him, wherever he was.
He felt sparks of joy when he realized he remembered him a bit clearer. A little boy so cute, beaming like the sun, with chubby and rosy cheeks. And a smile, ooh! And yeah, he resembled Denki a little but that was because his tired brain started to play tricks on him.
‘YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO HERE, YOU WASTREL! GET OUT OF HERE AND HURRY IT UP!’ Someone shouted suddenly, interrupting the quiet music.
Hanta heard men yelling and muffled sounds of fighting followed by quick footsteps. He cursed under his breath as he stood up, hoping that Denki hadn’t got himself in trouble by hanging around the jail.
He hauled himself on the window ledge, but there was only the black night out there, and the street had fallen silent again.
Then he remembered the song he had just heard. He had been absent-mindedly listening to the lyrics so he wasn’t sure, but he had caught the outline. In the end the guy didn’t die because the sergeant was distracted and his friends had helped him escape.
Had the guitarist attempted to pass a message to him? Well, it didn’t cost anything to try.
He knocked on the bars of his cell to draw the attention of the jailer, seated a little further away.
‘Keep quiet, pirate!’
‘I want to talk with the sergeant.’
‘Too bad he doesn’t want to talk with you!’ the man scoffed.
‘I can tell him where to find Katsuki Bakugo. I know his hideout.’
The jailer heavily stood up and brought his drunkard face against the bars.
‘You’d better not tell fibs,’ he threatened and walked away.
Soon after came the sergeant who immediately entered the cell and grabbed the prisoner by the collar before he could utter a word.
‘Where is it?’ he barked in his face, a crazy glint in his eyes as he exhaled a breath that smelled of rum.
‘I…’ Hanta’s mind was racing. The part where he was supposed to negotiate for his life was already out of the question. How could he do to buy time? ‘I need a map!’ he stammered with rattling teeth because the broad-shouldered man was shaking him. ‘I will-
The sergeant slammed him into the wall, knocking the wind out of his lungs.
‘Speak now!’ he growled and put his hands around Hanta’s neck.
‘Black Mist Harbor!’ the young man cried out in an attempt to soothe him but the officer kept squeezing his throat.
‘Where?!’
‘In…’ at this point it didn’t matter whether Hanta found a lie or not. The grip of the madman was so tight he couldn’t breathe. He desperately punched and squirmed to no avail and started to see white spots. He could feel the blood throbbing at his temples while his ears were ringing, and he didn’t hear a loud thud.
The hands of the sergeant finally unclenched when he fell unconscious to the floor, bringing Hanta down with him. The young man blinked and put his hand on his aching throat before noticing the blond man towering above him.
‘Ow Captain, I’ve never been so happy to see your ugly face!’
‘On your feet!’ Bakugo snarled. ‘We have to get the fuck out of here!’
‘Got the keys!’ Jiro chimed in and slipped in the jail with a jingle.
Really, Hanta couldn’t help the broad smile spread across his face when the shackles clicked open and hit the ground. They hastily walked out of the building, passing the stunned jailer and a few soldiers.
Kirishima and Midoriya were waiting for them in the street, keeping on the lookout.
‘We’ve stolen a fishing vessel in a shitty village further down the coast,’ Bakugo explained, his voice unusually low. ‘Fucking Deku fished the map out so we set sail tonight.’
‘Okay, but where are the other soldiers? You didn’t beat the whole brigade, I guess?’ Hanta cast furtive glances all around him.
‘Of course not! The fuckers are still in the barracks,’ the captain said and pointed his thumb at the broad building adjoining the jail. ‘Some stupid recruit provoked the caporal and slapped him across the face. He ran after him with the patrol so there was no one to raise the alarm.’
Oh no, Denki! The caporal was a vicious man, as Hanta had learnt during his brief journey aboard the marine ship. If he got ahold of the guitarist he would give him a rough time.
‘We have to help him! Which way did they go?’
‘What? We don’t have time for your shit!’
‘He’s the one who saved us in Hassaikai! And he helped me escape tonight, we can’t abandon him.’
‘This way!’ Kirishima exclaimed hurriedly, gesturing toward the main street.
Jiro and Midoriya were already running in that direction, and Bakugo followed them, cursing profusely.
It was the first time that Hanta was chasing after soldiers. Normally, it was the contrary. In Black Mist Harbor, his friend and him had had to run away countless times, when the militia chased them out of the market or when a merchant caught them shoplifting. Most of the time, it was the brunet who took the hand of the other to flee across the labyrinth of tortuous streets.
But tonight, if felt like the ghost of the blond child had put his little hand in his to show him the way. He led him straight ahead to the dark dead-end street where Denki was lying on his side, surrounded by three men and the caporal. He seemed unable to stand up and his ankle was red where the officer had hit him with the butt of his musket.
Kirishima was the first to jump on the two closest men, fiercely banging their heads together while Hanta stunned another. Bakugo arrived then and stabbed the caporal in the calf, in his junkyard dog way. He knocked the man out just after because he was annoyed by his whining.
Denki cringed at the sight.
‘That’s why I can’t get along with pirates,’ he moaned faintly, resisting the urge to crawl backward.
Hanta came closer, holding his bare hands out to show he meant no harm.
‘You cannot walk, right? Let’s take you to the ship, then. You’re gonna be alright with us, I promise.’ He knelt in front of him and offered a grin, opening his arms. ‘Sounds good?’
The blond man looked at him worriedly but nodded, so the pirate put his arms under his knees and back.
‘Erf!’
‘Uh?’
Hanta let out a sheepish chuckle.
‘Err, you’re heavier than I thought. Hmm… Kirishima?’
‘I take care of him!’ the red head said with a merry laughter.
He scooped up Denki like it was nothing, and carried him in his arms very carefully, as if he was holding a little child.
At the other end of the street, Bakugo was calling back Midoriya and Jiro with a lot of unnecessary swearwords. Hanta picked up the guitar from the ground. He stopped moving when he noticed a string was broken, and looked pensively at the instrument for a few seconds.
Over Kirishima’s shoulder, Denki was watching him curiously.
*
Denki sat up on the cot and cautiously put his foot on the floor. The pain was bearable thanks to the ship’s doctor.
Speaking of which, the young musician had never met such an unfazed man. The guy looked strange, with mismatched eyes and hair half red and half white, but that was the case of most of the pirates of this crew. What really bothered Denki was his severe lack of humor.
He was funny and entertaining, dammit! He had made the sad little Empress Eri laugh heartily, as well as her deadly severe knight, Shota Aizawa, also known as the man who never smiles.
So what was wrong with this doctor? The guy had no understanding of irony, Denki could swear. He’d have to teach him.
He looked around the small wooden cabin that served as a sickbay and was glad to spot his guitar in a corner.
Finding himself aboard a pirate ship was not an ideal situation but he had seen worse. Anyway, he could leave next time they make a stopover.
Someone was whistling on the other side of the wall, stopping and starting again.
‘WILL YOU SHUT UP AND FOCUS ON THE FUCKING MAP, FLAT FACE?!’ This voice belonged to the captain, indisputably.
‘What’s that tune, Sero?’ Denki recognized the red-haired man who had carried him to the ship and put him to bed. Kirishima, if he wasn’t mistaken.
‘It’s an old song I can’t remember. Everyone sang it when I was small. I think it’s about a lady who hikes up her skirt…’
The guitarist felt a pang of emotion. Was it because he heard the voice of the tall pirate he couldn’t help but call his friend? Or because his words rang a bell?
‘Ooh! I think I know this one. Is it The whore of Halforon?’ Kirishima asked and belted out:
In the Port of Halforon
She hikes up her skirt, high, high
Denki’s heart started to race. Then Sero went on:
Where sailors land one by one
She hikes up her skirt, high, high
‘What? No! You sing like a choirboy,’ Kirishima guffawed. ‘It’s a pirate song, you have to sing loud and shout your lungs out!’
‘I like it better this way,’ the young man replied.
‘Focus on the map, assholes.’
Denki was overwhelmed with joy. He felt like he would never stop smiling. Getting up promptly, he grabbed his guitar and started to play with enthusiasm.
When was the last time he had heard that song? Probably the last time he had sung it in his childhood. He had never played it again after Hanta had left the port.
It felt so good to sing it at the top of his voice again! The lyrics came back easily, as if it was yesterday. Boy! Now that he had grown up, the words had a completely different meaning. He finally understood why the respectable ladies frowned at him when he sang it at the market.
No does have more languorous eyes
No mermaids have thinner girts
When children hide in nuns’ skirts
Why wouldn’t men hide in hers
She welcomes good and bad eggs
And they sink between her long, long legs
‘FLAT FACE! TELL YOUR DAMN FRIEND TO SHUT HIS TRAP OR I TRHOW HIM OVERBOARD!’
The guitarist froze up and there was a silence.
Then the door opened slowly and Sero popped his head into the room.
‘Hey, tell me…’ he said softly and grinned. ‘Your childhood friend, did you meet him in Black Mist Harbor, by any chance?’
Denki was smiling so broadly that his cheeks hurt.
‘I don’t know. I never knew the name. All I remember is that your smile looked like a crescent moon.’
***
It was a sunny day, and Hanta was enjoying it. He was stretched out on some crates, just under the window of the stockroom. There he could feel the warm rays of sunshine and the gentle rocking of the ship.
He reached behind his head, brushing the wooden planks with his fingers until he felt the bag that Sato had given him. He grinned.
Denki was humming softly, a hand on Hanta’s chest while he leant over to leave a trail of kisses along his neck.
The pirate then recognized the tune and frowned. It was the one he was singing the first night they had spent together in Mudhole, Farewell to a stranger.
‘No more sad songs,’ he said and put his forefinger against Denki’s lips.
‘But it’s not sad anymore,’ the young man retorted and took his hand. He kissed his long fingers one by one before smiling mischievously. ‘Plus, I’m sure I can write a song so sad that I’ll make Bakugo cry like a baby.’
‘I’d like to see that,’ Hanta mirrored his grin. ‘And you’ve also promised to make the doc laugh, right?’
‘Promise made, promise kept! He didn’t resist Old Torino’s cane,’ Denki replied and climbed on the crate, placing his knees on each side of Hanta’s hips. ‘Anyway, which song would you like?’ he asked, bending over to nuzzle the palm of his hand.
‘I like The prisoner of Mudhole,’ the dark-haired man said with a flash of white teeth.
‘Not this one,’ Denki murmured with a hint of fear, and he put his hands around Hanta’s neck, as if making sure his head was still attached to his body.
‘Okay… There’s always The lady of Halforon.’
The other laughed and sat up on his stomach.
‘You know it’s actually The whore of Halforon? Aren’t you tired of this one, by the way?’
‘Never!’ He smiled and his eyes shone intensely.
The guitarist shivered imperceptibly at the sight. He took a short breath before leaning in for a kiss, slowly closing his eyelids as his lips parted.
But just then Hanta took a fritter out of his bag and swiftly shoved it into Denki’s mouth. The golden eyes popped in surprise and immediately filled with tears of emotion while the forgotten taste overwhelmed the young man. With a grin, the pirate brushed his blond hair back and wrapped his hands around his neck, pulling him closer.
Denki thrust the cake deeper into his mouth with both hands, nearly choking on it, and eagerly kissed Hanta with his mouth covered in oil and grains of sugar that melted between their lips.