Fool's Fare: Chapter Five
Fool's Fare: Chapter Five
Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader
Summary: Captain Jake "Hangman" Seresin had come close to swinging from the gallows more times than he would care to admit. He's stolen, cheated, even killed. The worst thing he's ever done? Broken the heart of a woman. Having broken the heart of the woman whom Davy Jones himself had fallen for six years ago, Jake is now cursed to live as something not dead, but not alive. He's doomed to live a half-life for the rest of his existence unless he manages to obtain the treasure Davy Jones deems most valuable. The problem? He has no idea what it is, and he only had seven years to obtain it.
Trigger Warning: Language, Big brother Bradley, Secrets, Feelings of betrayal, Abandonment issues from the reader, Reader says something she'll regret later, Allusions to prostitution and violent men, Magic, Curses, Supernatural is real, Reader cries, Feelings of helplessness, Pirate!Jake. I think that's it, but let me know if I missed anything!
Word Count: 4k
Series Masterlist || Moodboards || Playlist || Jake "Hangman" Seresin Tag List
âWhat do you mean you still havenât eaten?â
Bradley winced at your tone, running a hand through his brown locks as he eyed you wearily. You had meant to drag him to the physician at the last port you had docked at, but the excitement from the day prior had wiped the issue completely from your brain. Who knew falling overboard could do that to a person?
Now here you were a week later, and it had finally dawned on you that you hadnât seen your brother eat much more than an apple here and there. You had kept quiet the past two days, silently observing him, and here you sat in the galley, Bradley to your right with Mickey and Nat sat across from you. The rest of the crew milled about, and it wouldnât be long before Bob and Reuben joined your little group for breakfast.
âItâs not that serious, Guppy,â he murmured, casting a weary look at the two sitting across from you. âI feel fine.â
âBradley, you arenât eating,â you scowled, turning your own gaze to your new friends. âTell him he needs to go see a physician.â
The two shared a look before Mickey shook his head, putting his hands up in surrender while Nat sighed.
âYeah, Iâm definitely not getting in the middle of a sibling squabble,â she drawled, taking a bite of her apple. You rolled your eyes, turning back to look at the brunette beside you.
âAs soon as we dock, Iâm going to go find a physician,â you told him, pressing your lips into a firm line as you stared him down. Your father had always said that you get your temper and attitude from your mother.
âItâs like a miniature you running around everywhere, Pen!â Heâd laugh, throwing his head back as you gave him the best scowl your six year old self could come up with. Your mother would roll her eyes, biting back a smile as she watched you glare at the older man.
âSheâs going to strike fear into the heart of everyone who crosses her, mark my words!â He grinned, reaching out to gather you in his arms.
âDonât give me that look,â you scowled as Bradley gave you a dubious look. âI mean it! Weâre finding a physician the next time we dock.â
âAlright, fine,â he grumbled, moving to stand, holding up his hand when you made to say something else. âBy all means, go find a physician, Guppy. In the meantime, Iâm going to go get some work done on deck before we dock.â
âJavy said we should make landfall within the hour,â Nat provided, watching as the brunette rounded the table towards the stairs. You watched after him, chewing on your bottom lip in worry. Were you really in the wrong for worrying after him so? Surely not. Bradley had always been stubborn, ever since the two of you were children. If anything, he wasnât worrying nearly enough about his current condition.
âHeâs going to be okay, you know,â Nat said, reaching out to hold your hand in hers. She offered you a gentle smile as she squeezed it lightly. âMaybe you should give him some time?â
âIâve given him plenty of time,â you mumbled, glaring half-heartedly at the stairs where Bradley had just disappeared. âHe needs to see a physician if heâs not eating. It could be illness.â
âHe seems fine to me,â Mickey offered with a shrug. âA physician would be a waste of time, anyway.â
âWhyâs that?â You asked, brow furrowing at his words. Nat shot him a pointed look, and Mickey straightened up as if just realizing what it was that he said.
âOh, I just mean,â he trailed off, looking at Nat for help. All she offered was an unimpressed glare as he fumbled for how to continue.
âI just mean,â he stammered, âthat physicians never really know what theyâre doing, right? I mean, theyâll prescribe plants and leeches and-â
âMickey?â Nat interrupted, raising an eyebrow and resting her chin on her fist.
âYeah?â
âShut up.â
âOh thank God,â Mickey mumbled, looking away and catching sight of Bob and Reuben making their way towards your table. Bob sat down next to you, bumping your shoulder with his in greeting as Mickey and Nat made room for Reuben on the other side.
âWhat are we talking about?â Bob asked, taking a bite of his oats.
âIâm going to go and find a physician for Bradley once we dock,â you told him. He paused, stiffening next to you for a moment before continuing with his food.
âWhat?â You asked, a tinge of annoyance evident in your town. He didnât say anything for a moment, just chewing before swallowing.
âIs a physician really what he needs?â He asked carefully, glancing up at your friends on the other side of the table. You rolled your eyes fixing the bespectacled man with an annoyed look.
âIs there some sailor superstition about physicians being bad luck that I donât know about?â You questioned, glancing around the table. Everyone refused to meet your eyes, and you felt another twinge of aggravation in your chest.
âNo,â Bob replied, shaking his head, spoon clacking against the side of his bowl as he moved the oats around. âItâs just that theyâre costly, you know? Iâd hate for you to waste all that money only for there to be nothing wrong with him.â
âHeâs not eating,â you replied dryly. âI think thatâs plenty of cause to go and see a physician. Iâll deal with the cost when we get there.â
Shouting could be heard from on deck, and all of you glanced up at the sudden outcry.
âSounds like weâve reached land,â Reuben commented, focusing back on his plate.
âPerfect timing,â you chirped, already moving to stand. You cast a final smile to your friends, giving a small wave as you made your way towards the stairs. âIâll see you all up there!â
It was still a few hours before anyone was allowed to leave the ship, Jake and Javy making sure that everyone had been inspected for signs of illness per the harbormasterâs orders. You kept silent about Bradleyâs lack of appetite, certain that if it were contagious, then the others would be showing signs as well. Once the ship had been cleared and deemed healthy, you all set about preparing the ship to settle.
It was the late afternoon by the time you finished your tasks, and you set about trying to pin down Bradley.
âHave you seen him?â You asked Nat as you hung in the doorway to your shared cabin, having ran from the galley to the private quarters. She glanced up at you in the mirror, a quizzical look on her face as you fought to catch your breath.
âWho?â
âBradley, of course,â you chuckled, straightening up and stepping further into the room. âWho else would I be talking about?â
She hummed noncommittally, turning her focus back towards her bun.
âI havenât seen him,â she responded finally. âBut I havenât seen the others either. Perhaps theyâve already gone ahead and gone out?â
Your lips pulled into a frown as you realized that, save for Bob just moments before, you hadnât seen Mickey or Reuben either.
âHe wouldnât,â you growled, earning another look from the woman in front of you. Your jaw dropped in indignation. âThat rat!â
âHeâs your brother,â she shrugged, once again turning back to the mirror. You let out another growl, turning to stomp your way back onto the deck. The oaf you called a brother would have to come back to the ship at some point, and it was then that you would corner him.
Meanwhile, your boots stomped across the deck and towards the gangway, mind bound and determined to find a physician at this small port. The docks were already crowded in the late afternoon, and you found yourself having to push through throngs of people just to get into the streets themselves. You werenât sure where you should be looking, but you were sure that a port town of this size had to have some kind of physician. All around you, merchants of all kind hollered to the passing travelers, some selling food, others selling trinkets.
âFine wares for your misses, sir!â
âFish for sale!â
âHowâs about a shilling for an hour of your pleasure, mister?â
You shied away from the last one, not wishing to be caught up in that business. People did what they needed to survive, but you were weary of the men who tended to hang around those parts.
âInterested in apples, miss?â
You turned to find an older woman staring directly at you, knobbed fingers outstretched to offer you a bright, red apple. She was missing a few teeth, that you could see as she smiled up at you, her silver hair falling out of her bun in wisps.
âTheyâre just a three for a shilling,â she continued, waving it up at you. âThaâs quite the bargain.â
âNo,â you shook your head. âNo, thank you. Would you happen to know where I can find a physician?â
âA physician?â She parroted, her arm dropping back to her side as she studied you. âDoesnât look like anythinâs wrong with you.â
âItâs not for me,â you corrected her. âItâs for my brother. I think he might be sick since he hasnât been eating.â
âNot eatinâ, you say?â She hummed thoughtfully. âWas a boy back when I was a girl meself who stopped eatinâ one day, there was. Was fit as a fiddle and then just dropped dead one day, the poor lad.â
âYes, well,â you swallowed thickly, feeling ice run up your spine at her words, âIâd like to keep that from happening to my brother, if you donât mind. So, do you know of any physicians here in town?â
âOh, aye, aye,â she nodded, her wayward strands of hair flying all over the place. âPhysicianâs just a few streets over, love. A fine man he is, too. Helped me sister when she was puking buckets a few years back. Set her right as rain he did.â
âYou said heâs a few streets down?â You prodded.
âAye, just three streets down and to the right from here. Thereâs a big ole sign out front, you canât miss it,â she said, waving in the general direction of where you needed to head. You followed the gesture, looking back and nodding.
âThank you,â you smiled, turning and making your way through the crowd once more. It took you all of fifteen minutes to find the building the old woman was talking about, a bright blue sign with the word âphysicianâ painted in white letters hanging above the streets as you approached. Worming your way through, you finally managed to trudge your way through the door, slamming it closed behind you with a wince at the loud sound in the unusually quiet room.
It was your standard physicianâs office, the wood floors creaking as you wandered further into the dimly lit room. The walls behind the counter were filled to the brim with different herbs and potions meant for treating different ailments. It wasnât long before an older man walked out from the backroom, peering at you curiously from over the rim of his glasses.
âMight I help you with something, young lady?â he inquired, rubbing his hands clean with a cloth towel.
âYes, actually,â you smiled, crossing the rest of the distance to stand just in front of him, only the counter separating the two of you. âI came because of my brother. He hasnât been eating the last few weeks, and it has me worried.â
âHasnât been eating, hm?â He hummed, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. âDoes he have any other symptoms?â
âNow that you mention it, no,â you frowned, suddenly finding it odd that the only thing physically wrong with Bradley was his apparent lack of an appetite. âHe sleeps just fine, and he looks healthy as he usually does.â
âNo fever?â He continued.
âNo, nothing like that,â you assured him.
âVomiting?â
You shook your head, earning another hum from the older man.
âAnd, uh,â he smiled, a gesture you were sure was meant to be comforting, âwhat is it your brother does for a living?â
âHeâs a sailor.â
âA sailor,â he nodded, cocking his head to the side. âAnd why isnât he here with you now?â
âHe thinks he doesnât need a physician,â you scowled, crossing your arms. âHe was supposed to come with me, but snuck off before I could grab him.â
The physician chuckled at that, tossing the cloth onto the counter as he leaned against it.
âWell, unfortunately, thereâs not much I can do about his situation without seeing him in person, miss. How long is he in town for?â
âWeâre here for at least another day,â you told him, earning another nod.
âBring him by tomorrow,â he instructed. âIâll take a look at him before you two leave town.â
âThank you,â you sighed, relief washing over you in waves. âI really appreciate this, you have no idea.â
âIâll keep the shop open until sundown. After that, I make no promises.â
âWeâll be here!â You assured him, turning to leave, weary of the setting sun shining through the window. You waved at him from over your shoulder, offering one last smile as you exited the shop.
âBradley,â you huffed, arms crossed and eyes narrowed at the taller brunette. The two of you were currently in another argument about going to the physician, your window before the shop closed rapidly waning as the sun sank lower and lower towards the horizon. You had tried to stay awake the night before, waiting for Bradley on deck before falling asleep on one of the dozen barrels scattered about. You had inexplicably woken up in your bed that morning, still dressed in the clothes from the day before. When you had entered the galley, he was still absent, the rest of your little friend group remaining tight lipped about where he might be. The rest of your day was spent meal prepping and taking inventory with Bob until finally, the man had run out of chores for you two to do. If you didnât know any better, youâd think he was keeping you busy on purpose.
You had sat perched in the same spot as the night before, eyes trained on the gangway until a familiar head of brown hair peeked over the deck. He spotted you right away, freezing in his tracks before making a beeline for the stairs leading below deck. You were hot on his heels, your temper surfacing as you finally cornered him.
âGuppy,â he replied cooly, refusing to meet your eye as he scanned the galley for help.
âYouâve been avoiding me,â you accused him, earning a scoff.
âHave not.â
âHave to.â
âHave not.â
âYou have to, and donât even try to deny it again,â you snapped, poking him in the chest. âWe have precious little time to get to the physician before he closes up shop for the day. He was kind enough to keep it open as long as he is, now letâs go.â
âIâm not going,â he muttered. You froze, balking at his tone.
âWhat?â
âIâm not going, Guppy,â he repeated, still not meeting your gaze, golden eyes locked on something just past your shoulder. You let out a humorless chuckle, shaking your head in exasperation.
âBradley-â
âIâm not going, and thatâs final,â he growled. âDrop it.â
You stared at him for a long moment, your anger and sadness welling up all at once inside of you.
âYou really want to leave me alone, donât you?â You whispered. Bradleyâs eyes snapped to you, still firm, but now with an edge of uncertainty to them. âFirst it was Papa, then Mama. I only had you, and now youâre determined to leave me too. Youâd rather see me alone than go see the stupid physician, is that it?â
His face dropped into a look of horror, regret swirling in his eyes as he reached for you. âGuppy-â
You took a step back, feeling the hot, angry tears sting at your eyes. You fixed him with your meanest glare, cursing yourself when you felt your bottom lip begin to tremble.
âIf you want to die so bad,â you sniffled, âthen by all means, go ahead. Just leave me out of it.â
And with that, you turned on your heals and practically sprinted towards the stairs, the eyes of the rest of the crew fixed on you the entire way. You were vaguely aware of Bobâs concerned face peering at you from the kitchen, Mickey and Reuben seated not too far away. You passed Nat, ignoring her outstretched hands as you thundered past her and Javy up the stairs. The wind sent a chill down your heated face, only made worse when the tears finally began to fall. The sun was just above the horizon now, the sky painted in an array of pinks and oranges as it beckoned the night.
âRough time?â
You jumped, spinning around to find Jake leaning against the railing on the far side of the ship. His golden blonde hair shimmered in the evening light. The sun kissed the horizon just passed his shoulder, creating a halo that glowed around him. If you didnât already know him, youâd think he was an angel. He stares at you as if he could see into the very depths of your soul, his olive green eyes never wavering.
âWhat do you care?â You snapped, furiously rubbing at your eyes to rid them of any tears. Jake watched you intently, as if knowing that you would continue. âBradleyâs not eating.â
âOf course heâs not,â Jake replied, no hint of malice or sarcasm in his voice. Just a simple statement, but it made you tense up nonetheless.
âHe hasnât eaten in weeks,â you clarified, unsure if maybe he misunderstood you. He nodded, face unchanging.
âI know.â
âYou know?â You asked incredulously. âYou know, and youâve done nothing about it?â
âThereâs nothing to be done about it,â he shrugged, and you felt your whole body stiffen in anger.
âHe needs a physician,â you snapped, fists clenched so hard at your sides, you thought you might draw blood with how your nails dug into your palms.
âA physician canât cure whatâs wrong with him, darlinâ,â he drawled, as if explaining something so obvious. Your jaw ticked in annoyance.
âAnd what, pray tell, is wrong with my brother, captain?â You spat, the title earning a twitch from the blondâs lips.
âDo you believe in Davy Jones, Guppy?â he asked. That was unexpected. The change in conversation had your head jerking back, confusion stifling the anger momentarily.
âI believe heâs a scary story that parents tell their children to scare them into being good,â you responded, thinking back to the stories your own father would tell you. âHeâs not real.â
Jake gave a humorless chuckle, closing his eyes and letting out a deep sigh. He ran a hand through his golden locks, looking out over the side of the ship and to the sea. The sound of the gulls and the creak of the ship as it rocked in the waves were the only things to be heard before he spoke. âI can assure you, heâs real.â
âStop teasing,â you snapped, crossing your arms and fixing him with a glare. He gave you a wry smile, a look of sadness barely discernable in his eyes as they swept over you.
âIf only it were that,â he started. âI didnât believe in curses until six years ago, if you can believe that.â
âAnd what happened six years ago to make you a believer?â you asked, rolling your eyes. You were in no mood to be mocked or played with, and this man was wasting your time with his nonsense. You glanced over his shoulder. If you could wrap this conversation up, perhaps you could somehow convince Bradley to go with you to get the care he needed.
Jake paused. âSix years ago, I met a woman. She was beautiful, sweet, caring. The kinds of things most men want in a woman.â
âAnd you donât?â you questioned.
âThose are nice things to have,â he hummed thoughtfully, then he gave you a small smirk. âBut Iâve always wanted a little more.â
You ignored the shiver that smirk sent through you. âSo, Iâm guessing you took this woman to bed?â
âI did,â Jake admitted, pursing his lips. âAnd then I left her. Only, I didnât know that there was another man in love with her at the time.â
âAnd he beat you senseless?â You guessed, letting out a snort of derision.
âHavenât you been paying attention, darlinâ?â He chuckled. âThat man was none other than Davy Jones himself. Risen from the deep to exact vengeance on little, old me.â
âRight,â you scoffed. Surely he couldnât be expecting you to believe him? He was speaking of fairytales. âAnd what, pray tell, does this curse involve exactly?â
âI, and everyone in my crew, are destined to exist on this earth in limbo. Not alive, but not dead either. A half-life. We eat, but we are never full. Our food tasting like ash.â He stood up, walking slowly towards you as he continued talking. âWe drink, but our thirst is never quenched. The finest wines leave our throat dry like the desert.â
He cupped your cheek, stroking it before resting his thumb on your bottom lip, and you willed yourself to stay focused on the conversation at hand, despite the warmth the seemingly innocent action sparked in you. âWe can feel, but no touch leaves us satisfied. I and every other member of this crew have taken many women to bed, only to crave more and more as this insatiable need for contact drives us mad. Iâve not known relief from another personâs touch in over six years.â
âMust be lonely,â you said softly. A look of unadulterated despair ran across Jakeâs face, and it was then that you knew in your heart that he was telling the truth. It was the look of a man with ghosts that followed him, taunting him into submission, and you sucked in a harsh breath as he stared at you. His eyes shone with unshed tears, his breaths coming in ragged for a moment before he was able to compose himself.
âItâs agony,â he admitted quietly, dropping his hand back to his side, almost reluctantly.
âDid Davy Jones give you a way to lift the curse?â you asked, a sense of urgency in your tone. If there was a way you could help Bradley and your new friends, you had to try.
Jake didnât say anything for a moment. Then he sighed, âI have to find what he considers to be the greatest treasure of all.â
âAnd what is that?â
âHe didnât say,â Jake muttered, head hanging low.
Your brow furrowed. âBut, how are you supposed to find it if you donât even know what it is youâre looking for?â
âIsnât that the point?â he snorted, a humorless smile etched onto his face as he looked back at you. A sense of dread filled you, and you did your best to push it to the side. Giving up was not an option, it never had been for you.
âWell, you have all the time in the world to find what it is youâre looking for,â you offered, giving him a soft smile. He shook his head, the wry smile finding a home on his face once more.
âOld Jonesy only gave me seven years to find it before the curse becomes permanent.â
âSeven years?â you exclaimed, ice drenching your bones. âBut you said this happened six years ago!â
âI did,â he said softly, watching you put the pieces together.
âBut, that meansâŠâ you trailed off, horror overtaking your senses. Jake nodded.
âI have less than one year left to find the treasure.â
A/N: This one goes out to all my Fool's Fare girlies who have been waiting patiently for two months now for an update and haven't complained once! Y'all are the real MVPs. If you haven't heard, I'm redoing my tag lists, so please be sure to sign up for this new one! As always, reblogs and comments are appreciated and encouraged! And don't ever hesitate to pop into my inbox to talk about my fics or anything else! You can also find my works on AO3 under the username sailor_aviator!
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