Bakir, Goro, Hansel, and Larkin (Rescued)

COYOTE

[Setting: Day 375, after Bakir is rescued from the Sudden Storm. Larkin and Goro go to meet their cousin for the first time.]

Rieka kept fussing over him-- fussing in her own way, that was, ribbing him and teasing him while also checking him over for injuries. The guards had beaten her up pretty good when they're dragged her into the brig. She was bruised and bloodied all over, so when no one was looking, Bakir used the last of his magic to patch her up.

He'd been rescued.

He still couldn't quite believe it.

It didn't quite fit into the narrative he'd built into his head. Somewhere after the first eight months of being imprisoned on this pirate ship, Bakir had figured that nobody was coming after him. But then a year in, somebody had started Sending to him, talking to him, telling him they were gonna come get him. Goro. His brother, of all things. And-- other people had Sent, too, Roddy the bard, and Theo herself, and--

It was overwhelming. Bakir hadn't actually figured he'd been important enough to rescue. Theo was a kid, sure, and everyone wanted to protect kids, but Bakir was an adult, wasn't he?

That's what Jasmilia had always said. That he was an adult, and he needed to figure out messes like this himself. That's what she said when she shoved him over to the pirates and pocketed the gold. She'd said, You'll figure your way of this, or you won't, and then she'd just walked off while he screamed.

And someone had come to get him. Insane.

He hadn't talked to them yet. That... that taller one, with the olive skin and the dark hair that looked like Jasmilia, that had to be Goro, but... he was clueless about the other one. The androgynous-looking tiefling fellow. Bakir had scurried off as soon as possible.

Once he extracted himself from Rieka, he went back down to the belly of the ship, to the brig, and hid there, curled up in the cage where they kept him. All his stuff was here.

LINA

Goro tried not to hover while Hansel was making the sandwich. If there was anyone he could trust to not fuck up a grilled cheese sandwich, it was Hansel. Instead, Goro stood back and chewed on his nail when Hansel wasn't looking.

After it was all done and plated, and Goro had given Hansel a grateful hug and kiss, he beckoned for Larkin to follow him out of the galley.

JEN

They'd lost sight of Bakir some time between rushing to patch up the hole in the ship's side and kicking the last of the bodies overboard. It was a ship, though, so how far could he have gotten anyway. Larkin followed Goro, chewing on a piece of cheese salvaged from the kitchen. "Bet you he's in the hold," she said.

LINA

Goro winced some, nodding. He led the way, Larkin close behind, until they reached the brig. There, inside one of the cells, Goro recognized the curled-up form of his little brother. Gave him a weird lurch in his gut.

God damn it. Family was scary. Caring about people and shit.

"Hey Bakir," he called softly before approaching the cell.

COYOTE

Bakir jerked up.

He'd dozed off. He'd been having a dream about the pirates who kept him locked up. He dreamed he was in his cell, and then canonfire had started, and the ship had begun to sink, and he'd nearly drowned.

When he first heard the voice-- hey, Bakir-- he thought, Ah, they must need me for something. Food or water or wind. Something like that. Gosh-darn magic.

But the voice was... wrong. Different. He squinted through the low light of the brig. It was... the tall half-elf, the one that was probably his brother, and the other one. The tiefling.

"Hello," Bakir said.

LINA

"Got a sandwich for you," Goro said, sitting down next to the cell. He held the plate out. "Best grilled cheese you ever had, I bet."

JEN

The kid looked scared. Which was kinda fair. They'd fucking massacred this ship's crew. Larkin want to stand a bit to the side so she wouldn't be blocking Bakir's way out. Give him some space.

COYOTE

Bakir's eyes darted to the person next to him. "Um. Are you, um. Are you... Goro?" He didn't take the sandwich. Sometimes people held stuff out to him and then took it away, and he hated that.

LINA

"Oh. Yeah. Sorry." Goro thought he'd mentioned that, but he guessed when you met a whole bunch of people at once, it could be hard to keep 'em straight. He held the plate out a little further.

COYOTE

Bakir still didn't take it. He edged towards it a little, held out his hand, wavered, and dropped it.

It occurred to him, briefly, that if he was hiding in here, they could just shut the door and lock it and he'd be trapped again. He edged towards the exit of the cage. They weren't blocking his escape; Goro was sitting down to the side, and the other one stood with him.

JEN

"It's alright, kid," Larkin said in the most gentle voice she could manage. "We didn't kill all these people so we could hurt you."

LINA

He must've thought the sandwich was poisoned. Goro set the plate on the floor, tore off a small piece, and popped it in his mouth. He raised his eyebrows at Bakir and slid the plate toward him while he chewed. "Mm?"

COYOTE

Goro moved the plate far enough it was out of his own reach. Meant he couldn't take it back faster than Bakir got it.

Still, Bakir reached for it slowly, taking his time to see how it went. It went... fine. It went fine. He inspected it all over (no bugs, nothing like that) and the smell hit him. That cheesy, buttery smell. The bread looked perfect. Crispy, but not hard. Fresh. Warm like somebody just plopped it out of the pan.

Bakir stuffed it into this mouth. His eyes shifted back to the other one, the tiefling. He nodded at the tiefling awkwardly. He tried to say thank you to Goro and choked on crumbs.

JEN

Larkin grinned. "Bet they didn't feed you so well, huh?"

LINA

Goro swallowed down the rage that threatened to choke him at that thought. They were already dead. "You want another?"

COYOTE

Bakir shook his head at the tiefling's question. He rested his hand on his stomach, checking briefly beneath his shirt. His skin was sunken in; he'd been pleasantly chubby before he'd been kidnapped, but now he was all hard angles and bone.

He hadn't grown in the past year, either-- all his clothes still fit him the same, maybe a little looser-- and before he'd been sold, he'd been shooting up like a beanpole.

He hesitated when Goro asked him if he wanted another. "Yes?" he said hesitantly. Why wouldn't he?

JEN

"You wanna come into the galley with us?"

COYOTE

Bakir's eyes shifted between them. They were both heavily armed. The tiefling was kinda short, but she-- he? it was unclear-- was lean like a fighter, and they had a lot of weapons. Goro looked like... some kinda healer, maybe, but he had a hard look about him, like the pirates.

"Yes," Bakir said hesitantly. "Um. Who are you?" he asked the tiefling. "Do I know you, too?"

LINA

"Oh--this is, this is--" Goro waved at her. "Larkin. Our cousin. Kheman's daughter, if you know Kheman."

He climbed to his feet, considering offering a hand to Bakir. He wasn't sure Bakir would wanna take it, though.

COYOTE

"Oh," Bakir said, a bit startled. He stared at Larkin a minute. She didn't look very much like anyone in their family, but-- sometimes Roddy gave him updates on what was going on, and Roddy would talk about how Larkin was babysitting Theo that day, so... she must be good.

He stumbled upright, snagging the plate as he went.

JEN

"I know, I don't really look the part." She'd always had more of her mother than her dad. Renar had disliked that, too. He'd be proud of Bakir, though, who looked just like his uncle might have in his childhood. A Basha face.

LINA

Goro stepped forward when he saw Bakir struggling to balance. If this kid was anything like him, though, he wouldn't want the help. He'd be so glad to be able to move around on his own, without someone breathing down his neck.

Was this kid anything like him, though? God. Who knew.

"Hansel made the sandwich," Goro said. "My fiance." Well, shit, Bakir would know that. Goro had mentioned him in sendings. "He's a real good cook."

COYOTE

Bakir instinctively dodged, a little, when he saw someone— Goro— moving towards him. Wasn’t on purpose. He didn’t even realize he was doing it at first.

“Which, um, one was he?” Bakir said. More family, maybe. Did fiancés count as Bashas?

JEN

"Big one, with the trident."

LINA

"Half orc," Goro added. God, he hoped Bakir wasn't weird about orcs.

COYOTE

“Oh. Oh god.”

JEN

"Hey, didn't I say it's fine? None of us are gonna bite you, promise." Larkin glanced at Goro, who she could see clenching his jaw even in the dim light.

LINA

"He's really nice," Goro said. Well, obviously depended on who you asked. But he had no doubt Hansel would be nice to Bakir.

COYOTE

Bakir nodded jerkily. “Right. Right. Um. I’m sorry. I just— he looks, um— he looks a lot like the, the pirates who, um. Kidnapped me. He’s... really big. But... he... he can’t help that.  I suppose some people just— look terrifying. Sorry. Sorry!”

LINA

Goro nodded, trying to look encouraging. "Uh. Yeah. He does look scary." Goro didn't actually think so. He'd never thought so. But he got why Bakir would. "He won't... touch you, or anything, or get too close, if you don't want him to. He'd be glad just to make you another sandwich. Some hot chocolate, maybe, if they got the stuff for it in the galley. He makes great hot chocolate."

JEN

Larkin took a few steps back, nodding her head for him to follow.

COYOTE

Oh. God, that was a relief. So they were the good guys, they just— looked kind’ve bad. Larkin in particular had a particularly hard and sharp look about her.

On their way to the kitchen, they passed Rieka, who was sauntering along with some fancy elf pushing her towards the deck. The elf gave Bakir a flashy smile and steered Rieka off before Bakir could talk to her, though, and they stepped into the kitchen.

It was warm and toasty, which was nice. A relief. Bakir was brought here sometimes to provide magical food for the crew. The big trident guy— that was, Hansel— stood grilling food in a pan. Bakir edged towards the corner where he’d be unnoticed.

IZZY

Hansel glanced over his shoulder, frowning a little when he just saw Goro and Larkin, then a mite belatedly noticed Bakir. Poor kid looked spooked. He raised his spatula in greeting, glancing back to the other two for guidance, here.

LINA

Goro looked anxiously between Bakir and Hansel. He made eye contact with Larkin and nodded toward Bakir, hoping she'd make sure he was alright.

He went to Hansel's side, wrapping an arm around his waist and speaking quietly in Orcish. "He's kinda scared 'cause you look like the pirates who kidnapped him. I told him you're real nice, though, and you wouldn't... get all up in his space." He switched to Common. "Bakir, you want some hot chocolate, too?"

JEN

Larkin walked over to Bakir and put a hand on his shoulder, gently pushing him towards the barrel with a wooden plank nailed to it serving as a table.

COYOTE

They were talking in some language. Sounded like Orcish-- Bakir had an ear for languages, even though he'd never had the opportunity to learn them-- and he briefly thought, Oh no, they're talking about me, before he squashed that idea. Nervous thought.

Bakir went, obediently, to the table. He sat down. They were being very nice to him. Maybe-- maybe things were okay. Maybe things were good.

"Yes?" he said to Goro, still a little confused. Who on the mortal plane wouldn't want hot chocolate? Bakir always wanted hot chocolate.

IZZY

Ah. Yep. Nah, that made sense, given that Hansel was in fact a fuckin' pirate. "Aye. I got stuff in my bag." He nodded over towards the table, where he'd sat it in a chair. He didn't wanna go over there, though, since Goro had told Bakir he'd keep his distance.

LINA

Goro skittered over to get the bag and carry it back to Hansel.

JEN

Larkin took the chair Goro had just freed. She rested her elbow on the table and her chin in her hand to look Bakir over. Fascinating, how this one kid looked like to many other people at once.

COYOTE

"Um. So. You're-- Kheman's daughter?" Larkin didn't look very much like the noble girls or merchant girls Bakir knew. Or the servant girls. Or any girls.

JEN

"Yeah."

COYOTE

"And you all just-- came to get me?"

LINA

"You're my brother," Goro said, baffled. He passed Hansel the chocolate.

IZZY

Hansel made a quiet, gentle sound of agreement and started on the hot chocolate. Real quiet. Not gonna spook the kid more.

COYOTE

Bakir gnawed a loose fingernail. "Right, but-- Jasmilia was my mother, and--"

There was a mixed-up mumble in the back of his head reminding him that Jasmilia wanted what was best for him, and she just didn't know better, and Goro and Larkin probably wanted what was best for him, too, since they were his cousin and his brother, and apparently what was best for Bakir was pirates, somehow, and--

He was so hungry it was hard to think.

JEN

"- a massive bitch," Larkin cut him off. Maybe not the most sensitive thing to say but certainly the truth.

LINA

"She wasn't no fucking mother," Goro muttered. "Mothers don't do what she did to us."

IZZY

Hansel finished the sandwich he'd been working on and offered it to Goro.

COYOTE

Bakir started to get defensive, a minute-- she's not a massive b-word, she doesn't know any better, nobody ever taught her how to be nice-- you've gotta be better than her-- but then he stopped, uncomfortable, replaying what Goro had said in his head.

Mothers don't do what she did to us. Us, he'd said.

"What'd she do to you?" he asked, suddenly uneasy.

LINA

Goro took the plate and gave Hansel a quick kiss on the cheek.

He brought the sandwich over and offered it to Bakir. He felt weird hearing the question--like he'd taken it for granted that everyone already knew.

My oldest son wandered away from me in a market, Jasmilia had said, that first night at her house.

Goro worked to keep the bitterness from showing on his face, not wanting Bakir to think it was directed at him.

"She ditched me on the street," Goro said. "In Skyport. I was six years old. I grew up alone."

COYOTE

"She-- she-- why?" Bakir was horrified.

JEN

"'cause she got shit for brains," Larkin said. "Like- she sold you, that ain't giving you a clue?"

COYOTE

"Yeah, but."

JEN

"For fuck's sake." Larkin threw a look at Goro but he seemed out of it. She sighed and leaned in to make Bakir really focus on her. "There's no but. Your so-called mother dumped her son on the streets, 'cause she didn't wanna deal with him, and even had the fucking nerve to tell him to his face she did it for his own good. To make him strong." She glanced Goro's way again. "Only thing growing up on the street makes you is either mean or fucking dead. And then she goes and pops out another kid, and lo and fucking behold, she does the same, but this time at least she figures she can get a cut for herself outta it. That's not being a mother, that's being a fucking slaver. This-" Larkin tapped a finger on the table. "This is family. Getting your hands dirty for each other, and not letting anyone fuck with 'em."

IZZY

Hansel came over with three mismatched mugs of hot chocolate, setting them down on the table and keeping his distance from Bakir, still, but shooting Larkin an approving look. Was probably okay for her to say that. Bakir already knew she was family, and all. Fuckin' nice.

He kissed Goro on the head in passing and went back to the stove.

LINA

Goddamn. Every word outta Larkin's mouth was the straight fucking truth. Goro wasn't sure what Bakir was gonna do with it, though. Theo had that Basha viciousness in her for sure, but Goro already got the feeling it had skipped over Bakir.

Goro slid one mug toward Bakir and one toward Larkin, then picked up the third to sip from himself.

COYOTE

Bakir stared at Larkin, mouth open a little. He started to nod emphatically. That actually, uh. That actually made a lot of sense. "Okay," he said, then grabbed his mug of hot chocolate and took a big swig to give himself something to do.

It was scalding. He really should've waited until it cooled off. He'd committed to this now, though, so he choked down the burning liquid.

JEN

Larkin stared at him for a moment longer, then mumbled a "yeah" and sat back. Wasn't the kind of reaction she'd expected. Maybe it was all too much right now. Maybe later would've been a better time for that rant. But there it was now, and Larkin hoped he'd heard what she'd said.

LINA

Goro nudged her under the table with his foot and signed a quick thanks.

Which reminded him. Bakir was gonna have to learn Nighthand, so Theo could talk to him. Yeesh. Talk about an adjustment. No need to bring it up right this moment, though.

Goro cleared his throat. "So uh, me and Hansel--I mean, you know what a fiance is, right? I dunno when kids learn shit."

COYOTE

Bakir stared at him. He started to sip his hot chocolate again, then remembered and stopped himself. "I'm fifteen," he said weakly. "Yeah. Yes. I know, um. Fiances."

His stomach growled. There was a pile of fresh tomatoes on the counter next to the grilled cheese sandwiches, and he really wanted them. He edged towards them.

IZZY

Hansel glanced at him and kept fretfully making sandwiches. He didn't say anything, 'cause he didn't wanna say the wrong thing, or be too loud.

LINA

Goro got up and came over to join them, tugging nervously on his bracelet. "Guess I should formally introduce the two of you, eh?"

COYOTE

"Formally? Like how." Bakir grabbed a tomato in case this was his last chance to get one.

LINA

"Like--Bakir, this is my fiance, Hansel. Hansel, this is my brother, Bakir." Fucking weird to say out loud.

JEN

Larkin snorted.

IZZY

Hansel fought the urge to shoot her a look and just lifted a hand, staying busy. "Hey." He kept his voice real soft. "Can grill you a tomato an' cheese sandwich if y'want."

COYOTE

"Um. You don't-- have to. I know how to make them."

IZZY

"Nah, I like to." Still very soft. Kid had to be pretty tough, out here with pirates all this time, and all, but he didn't have to be, now. Hansel could make him a sandwich. "Ain't any trouble."

JEN

"Yeah," Larkin said. "Have some rest, kid. You're gonna have to help get us back into port later."

LINA

Goro shot Larkin a look. "If you want. Don't gotta do anything anymore if you don't feel like it."

COYOTE

"Nah, um. I'm-- good at that. Making the wind point the right way." A little overwhelmed, he said, "Are you guys pirates or sailors, or what? Or did you just-- hire people?"

LINA

"We hired some people to help. Hansel and Mishka--that's the blonde elf--they used to be pirates, but they're retired now. And I think that... bird thing, I think he was in the navy, or some shit. Rest of us, we're just figuring it out as we go. I'm a fast learner, though, right, weapon's master?" He took a step closer to Hansel and nudged Hansel's foot with his.

IZZY

Hansel smiled a bit. "Aye, lookout." He kissed Goro's head and reached for the bunch of tomatoes -- didn't wanna ask for the one Bakir'd grabbed, 'cause kid was holding it like someone might take it from him. He pulled his knife off his belt to start slicing the one he'd grabbed, though, for sandwiches. Was gonna run outta bread soon, though, and then he'd have to find something else to occupy himself with.

JEN

Larkin rolled her eyes, but did so smiling and bit back the dirty comment that'd come to her mind. Though she loved to make those idiots stutter.

"We don't do ships that often," she said. "Used to have one, though. Was rad."

COYOTE

"Oh. Huh." His eyes shifted between the three of them. He sat down again. "Thank you for... thank you." He felt twisted up inside and confused, but Larkin had said that-- apparently this was what family did for each other, and that made a lot of sense. "You could've just-- kept Theo, and not come after me. I mean, she's... small, and cute, and... she's a kid, so... I get you looking after her. But-- I'm an adult, and you didn't have to. You didn't have to. Thank you."

IZZY

"You're fifteen," Hansel blurted.

COYOTE

Bakir nodded uncertainly.

LINA

"That's not a fuckin' adult," Goro said. "The fuck?"

JEN

Larkin couldn't keep from snorting again. "Y'know, I thought I was an adult at fifteen, too, because I did all the adult shit. Didn't make me more grown-up though."

COYOTE

Bakir was affronted. "What can adults do that I can't?"

LINA

"Escape from pirate ships," Goro said. Patently fucking untrue, particularly in his own case, but maybe it'd make something click for Bakir.

COYOTE

Bakir sulked. "Some adults can't do that."

JEN

"It's not about what you can and cannot do. It's-" Larkin flapped a hand, searching for the right thing to say. "Y'know, whether you know if the shit you do will fuck you up or not. It's about understanding the reality of things."

COYOTE

It sounded like she was right. Larkin was really hard to argue with. The things she said just sort’ve made sense.

Bakir was too numb and tired to know what to do, though, so he just sort’ve slunk down, nodding. He went back to his seat by the table and sat dully, eyes drifting shut. His stomach rumbled.

LINA

Goro watched Bakir but stayed at Hansel's side until the sandwich was done. He carried the plate over to the table and sat down across from Bakir, pushing the sandwich towards him.

"Dunno why the hell any of it matters, anyway," he said. "I don't care if you're an adult or not. You needed help."

IZZY

Hansel grunted in agreement.

COYOTE

Bakir nodded. He wanted to protest that he was an adult, but it was just such a gosh-darn relief someone had come to rescue him. Still felt unbelievable, like he was gonna wake up caged in the hold at any moment.

“Thank you,” he stammered again, and shoved the tomato grilled cheese sandwich into his mouth. The tomato was tangy and perfect.

[end]

LINA

Bakir, Goro, Hansel, and Larkin (Rescued). Day 375. Goro and Larkin lure Bakir out of hiding with promises of grilled cheese and chocolate. Bakir is somewhat overwhelmed, but touched by all these people who seem to care about him.