Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Jim, are you almost done with your homework?” Sarah called out, gathering the last of the dishes that had been left out by customers. Normally they stayed open later than this, but the drastic shift in weather had sent many people away, wanting to travel safely before the weather got worse. It wasn’t like she could blame them, Montresser storms were notoriously bad.

Where was Leland? Had he gotten caught up in the storm? 

Watching the rain hit the window, Sarah prayed for her husband's safety. But that’s when she realized the rain was all that she heard. “Jim?” Upon getting no response, Sarah let out a heavy sigh as she set the plates aside.

Stepping out of the kitchen, she caught the youngster red-handed. “And what do we have here?” She asked, looking over her son's shoulder.

“Ah, I was just-!” The young boy looked around in a panic, grabbing one of his school books and flipping it open to a random page.

“Jim, we talked about this.” She tsked, pushing the book aside to take a look at what he was doing. Even if she wasn’t very versed in mechanics or spacecraft, it was easy for her to see Jim was doodling the newest model of his solar surfer. Looking over the hard work her son had put in, a sigh of defeat left her. “Okay, just this once. You can work on your designs for five more minutes and then do homework until bed. Got it!”

The young boy's face lit up, jumping off the chair to hug his mother. “Thanks! You’re the best!” Squeezing her a little longer, he hastily sat back down, “I can't wait to show Dad! My designs are way more realistic now, I got the thrusters and sail right this time.”.

Her son's genuine enjoyment never ceased to make her smile, giving him a quick kiss on the forehead. “Remember, five minutes. You have to get your homework done before bed.”

And the moment those words left her, a loud strike boomed over them and all the lights of the inn had gone out. “Mom!” Jim cried out, reaching out for the last place he saw his mother. 

“Shhh, it’s okay sweetie, mommy’s here.” Pulling Jim against her hip, Sarah felt around the table until she found the candle. With a quick flick of a match, the candle was lit, giving them some form of light in the dark.

Another loud noise came from outside, but it sounded drastically different compared to the earlier noise. “What was that?” Jim asked.

“I don’t know.” Anxiety coursed through the woman’s veins, but she knew she couldn’t just ignore the sound. What if a part of the inn had broken off in the storm, or a window shattered, or if it was even Leland? She had to investigate this noise for their safety.

Taking a moment to gather herself, she knelt before her son, getting down to his level. “Jim, sweetie, I’m going to see what that was. I need you to go up to your room and stay there for me, got it? I know you’re scared, but please listen to me. I’ll be right back.” Cupping his cheeks, she quickly kissed her son on the forehead before passing him the candle.

Once she had gathered a lantern and a shawl to protect her from the elements, Sarah finally made her way outside. By the sounds of the noise, it came from the direction of the port. Could it have been a parked ship that crashed into the port?

Covering herself the best she could, Sarah began to move around the perimeter of the inn. While she’d love nothing more than to be inside where it was dry and warm, she knew Jim would be anxious over what was outside. She was anxious about the noise.

Finally approaching the source of the noise, a startled gasp left her upon seeing the cause. She had been partially right, a busted-up longboat crashed just outside the port, but lying at the center of the mess was a figure. “Oh-oh, my Etherium!” Sarah exclaimed, running over. The mother crashed down to her knees, taking in the sights. “What do I do? What should I do?!” She panicked.

“ Aye, that bastard Scroop .” Hearing the man’s voice made Sarah feel like she could breathe again. Oh, thank goodness she wasn’t dealing with a dead body! But there was still the panic of dealing with a crash victim. 

“Just hold on. Let’s get you inside and-“ Sarah leaned forward to turn him forward and let out a shriek of a gasp.

Upon moving closer, she realized it was a Ursid man, but the most horrific part was the absolute state he was in. His right eye looked sunken in as if gouged out in some sadistic manner. His right arm was no better, completely kissing up to his shoulder. No, how could he possibly even be alive after these kinds of injuries?

Struggling not to spiral into a panic, Sarah knew she had to act fast. “Okay, your mother worked at an apothecary! You can do this.” Sarah hurried to her feet, tying her shawl around the wound to the best of her ability. With how massive he was compared to her, she knew that there was no way she could pick him up naturally.

At this moment, Sarah had never been prouder of her son being as big of a tinkerer as he was. There was a surplus of bits and bobs scattered about the inn, including sheet metal and rope. Hastily pulling something together, Sarah was able to pull him inside. It had taken much effort and nearly took out her knees, but at last, he was inside.

“O-okay gotta wrap it up. Stop the bleeding.” Sarah panted, trying to catch her breath before moving on to the next step. To make bandages for the injured Ursid, Sarah tore the curtains off the wall. 

Oh well, it had to change. Curtains were out, and visual window covers were in.

Tossing the curtains on the floor, Sarah placed the lantern between her and the unconscious man. “Just hold on, you’re going to be okay.”

As she spoke these words, she could hear a relieved exhale leave the man, giving her the reassurance she needed to proceed.

What she didn’t know was how saving one man would drastically change her and her son's life permanently.

Chapter Text

Silver let out a raspy groan as he began to wake up. The hell had he drunk the night before, his body was all sorts of out of it. Reaching out to rub his eyes, pain snapped him awake. “Aye, BLAST!” He screamed, lurching forward.

Trying to focus himself, Silver looked around and found himself confused. “Wh-where the bloody hells..?” Silver gasped, trying to collect his bearings. 

The man tried to recall how he got here but found himself at a loss. Nothing was coming through. 

As he prepared to get off the bed he was on, the shift in gravity made his stomach sink. Laying back in the bed, Silver finally allowed himself to take it in. His right arm was completely gone, wrapped up by some frilly curtains by the looks of it and the world was near impossible to see out of his right eye. With his remaining hand, Silver went to touch it and flinched his hand back in pain.

The door clicking open made him jolt, hastily pretending to be asleep in case this was some sort of kidnapping. Aye, it’d make sense. He had made many enemies over the last decade.

Light footsteps approached him, prompting Silver to crack an eye open as they passed him. Even with his blurred vision, Silver could distinctly make out a young lad. A human from what he suspected.

The young boy walked as quietly as he could, gently setting a tray down on the nightstand. “Oh shit-!” He gasped, nearly knocking over the glass but he caught it just in time.

Hearing such a young boy curse, Silver couldn’t help but laugh, making the boy look over surprised. “Ar’nt you a lil too young to be speakin’ in such ways, lad?” Silver chuckled, wincing a bit in pain.

Surprise turned into anger quickly, “I’m not a young boy! I’m 10!”

“Aye, m-my apologies.” Despite the pain in his side, the lad’s temper made him laugh harder than he had in years. 

The young boy let out an audible huff before turning to the tray, “I brought you food.” There was a momentary pause before he looked at the man, his eyes wandering to the missing limb. 

“Can’t blame ye for staring, lad. Tis a grizzly sight. But maybe avoid lookin if possible, alright? Not a sight such a young lad should see.” Silver explained, pulling the covers up a bit before looking around, “Say, lad. I know you didn’t rescue me. How did I come about here.”

“It’s Jim. And my mom saved you during a storm. You crashed outside our inn, that’s where you are now. Mom says we’re gonna keep you here til we can get a doctor out.” Jim, the name fit the young lad perfectly, said, hopping onto the chair across from his bed.

While he appreciated the thought, there was a growing concern within the man. He couldn’t remember why he had ended up in the port, but he knew there were a million reasons it could be. Some old crews he had screwed over in the past, the international police from one of the many planets he was wanted from, there were so many reasons he found himself unable to recall some. “While I appreciate the effort, laddy, that’s too generous. I couldn’t possibly stick around. As soon as I’m up for it, I’ll be out of yer way! Look, right as rain.” Silver said, leaning forward to sit back only for his body to give out on him.

“Woah, woah! Careful mister!” Jim hopped off the chair, easing the man back into lying down before he fell off the bed, “Jeez, are you trying to get hurt even more?”.

Sassy little one, this lad was.

“I’ve had worse, lad. Trust me, augh, this isn’t my first time losin’ something.” To ease the boy's concern, Silver pulled the blanket down, revealing how his right leg was nothing more than a cybernetic prosthetic.

Most children screamed, stared, or cried upon seeing his leg, but rather than disgust, there appeared to be wonder in the young boy's eyes. “Woah! I’ve never seen a cyborg before!” Jim knelt by the bed to look at the leg closer, and without missing a beat he looked up at the man, “Are you going to get cybernetics for your leg and eye!? Are you going to get a laser eye or a knife hand?”

“Now, now-” Silver stammered, trying to keep up with the sudden onslaught of questions from the young boy.

Between the piercing pain from his wounds, the bludgeoning migraine that he had woken up to, and the lad’s constant questions, Silver was finding himself quickly overwhelmed. “Listen, laddy, if you could just ease it for a moment I’d deeply appreciate that.” Silver sighed out, rubbing his remaining eye.

The words cut through Jim, visibly deflating as Silver said those words. The pirate noticed the shift of tone immediately, it was a drastic shift. “I didn’t mean it like that, lad. I just need a moment is all. And then we can go back to discussing-”

“YOU DID WHAT?!” The sound of a door slammed rippled through the antique inn, the walls practically vibrating from the force. Jim tensed up hearing the door slam, biting his lip with worry as he stood up. In all the chaos of bringing in Silver, Jim had forgotten all about his dad not being home. 

Whenever Leland Hawkins returned home from whatever he was doing, it was brief and quiet. It felt just like when he was gone, how he had no presence even when he was here. Hearing his dad scream at such a volume startled the young boy. The only reason he could think of for this was that his mom had told his dad about rescuing Silver.

The noise made Silver’s headache, wincing as he rubbed his ear. “Blast, bloody bastard,” Silver murmured.

The shouting didn’t cease, the only shift was that it had grown quieter. Jim grimaced, looking at the door anxiously. He preferred the quiet. He very much preferred it when it was quiet. 

Seeing how tense the lad was, Silver noticed a piece of parchment that had fallen onto the wooden floors. “Say, what’s that you have there?” Silver asked, hoping to distract the boy from the shouting.

Much to their mutual relief, Jim picked up the parchment, folding it open. Craning his neck for a better look, Silver squinted to try and get a better look. “What’s that?” He questioned.

Seeming a bit embarrassed, Jim went to hide the paper in his pocket. “Now, now, don’t do that, lad. I’d like to see it if ye’d allow me.” Silver hastily said, beckoning the boy over with his remaining arm. 

Hesitating for a moment, Jim finally made his way over, sitting on the edge of the bed. “It’s nothing special.” He muttered, passing it off to the man.

“There, wasn’t so hard now was it?” Silver flashed the boy a smile, before looking over the paper, seeing it was a drawing. While the drawing of course had elements of it being a child’s drawing, the thing was damn impressive. “Is this the blueprints fer a solar surfer? You design this all by yerself, laddy?” Silver asked, looking over each line of sketch and the detailed notes of what each part of the solar surfer was made of.

It felt like the light was returning to the boy, sitting up straighter as he moved closer to Silver. “Yeah, we got a ton of scrap parts from the junkyard nearby! I can get the engine I need there as well as the sheet for the sail! But I can’t go there without my mom or dad. It’s some stupid child safety rule or whatever.” Jim scoffed.

A hearty laugh ripped through Silver, rubbing a tear out of his eye. “Aye, lad. I get the frustration and need to dive into yer passion, but those rules are meant to keep ye safe. Now, don’t stop! Tell me more about this little design of yers!”. Within moments the two were completely focused on the blueprint, spouting ideas back and forth as Jim took a seat in front of the nightstand to edit his designs based on Silver's own remarks on solar surfers he had seen during his travels.

And in this very moment, nothing else mattered other than 10-year-old Jim Hawkin's solar surfer designs. Nothing, not even Leland and Sarah still arguing deeper within the inn or Silver's inability to remember how he ended up here.

Chapter Text

Alas, the Ursid couldn’t avoid talking with the adults for long. Standing at the foot of the bed was the couple that he presumed to be the boy's parents. On his left was a young human female, certainly younger than he expected to have a child of Jim’s age. The young lad looked identical to his mother, the same twinkle in the eyes and dimples upon smiling. Despite her young beauty, he could see how the years had worn on her. Inn life would do that, he had heard many barkeeps and inn owners complaining of it all the time.

Beside her was a man similar in age, looking in stark contrast to the woman beside him. His outfit reminded him of some of his old crew, even some mercenaries in training. Look and attitude alone already amused him. Least he wouldn’t be the only one of his type here.

“Alright, for starters, how do you feel?” The woman asked, her eyes glancing warily at his injuries.

“Burns like the seven suns, but this isn’t my first injury, lass.” Silver responded, gesturing to his leg.

While Sarah was still anxious, this eased her slightly. She had never been more grateful for the lessons her mother’s taught her. “That’s good. Now, it’s really help if we had your name.”

“And an explanation.” “Leland!”

“Aye, it’s only fair. Ye did save me sorry behind, lass. The names John Silver, though most of me friends just call me Silver. As fer an explanation. I’m afraid that’s going to be ah little harder to explain. Me heads still all fuzzy, truthfully can’t recall a moment of how I ended up here.” Silver explained.

It wasn’t a complete lie. His memories were fuzzy to how he came here. He had some theories but he doubted these folks would want to know about his…colorful past.

The couple looked at each other, the woman looking at her husband before he let out a deep exhale. “Fine, you can stay. For now. At least until you’re good to travel or someone comes for you.” Leland explained, “But you can’t just stay here for free.”

The woman grimaced, “well, he has a point. We don’t have the best income and it’s a. It's a bit of a hassle already trying to keep up all the chores and work.”

And that’s when an idea came to Silver. “Well, if I may suggest lass, I could pitch in a tad with these of yers. It’s not that hard to do dishes with one hand and I made a damn good stew. Part of the family recipes and such.”

This visibly seemed to ease the woman, looking at her partner, “That’d help a lot. Really. Oh, sorry! I just realized I never gave you my name. I’m Sarah.”

“Pleasure to meet ye, lass. I promise I’ll work harder than anyone else you’ve seen. It’s the least I can do for all yer kindness and such.”

A job and temporary shelter. This was the perfect situation til he got on his feet again.