His crew knew. They knew of stolen glances their captain took whenever he saw you around. They knew the way his body tensed when another crew member of his stared at you for too long. They knew everything.

At first, you were just being sold off to pirates, awaiting your fate. You looked scared, frightened by the sight before you as you watched your friends get taken away one by one.

And he couldn't stand all of this, and simply snatched you away from the merchants without a warning. You thought you'd suffer a fate worse than death, as the others usually did. However, Captain Brant was not that kind of guy -- his crew and him treated you like their own.

But there was a moment where he thought he should've never taken you in. Not because you were a hassle, or you were dangerous -- but because he never knew that even he'd be utterly powerless before you.

You've captured his heart effortlessly, all by simply existing and smiling alone.

Even when he told you that you were free to go, to go out and live your own life, you had refused, telling him you'd stay and help with the crew. And that made his heart and mind go wild. That you, someone who was supposed to be out and about, was willing to stay with the crew.

Yet, you wondered why he had let you stay. No pirate -- even Captain Brant, in your judgement -- would ever keep someone who wasn't a member of the crew on his ship.

So you questioned him. "Why do you let me stay?"

"Would you rather I throw you overboard?" He playfully teased, a smirk on his face as he leaned on his side, against the railing of his ship.

"You wouldn't," you shook your head, your hands on your hips.

Brant hummed, taking a small step closer towards you. "That's right, I wouldn't," he confirms. "That wouldn't make me so kind, would it?"

He gently took your hand, placing it over his heart. Leaning closer to your ear, he whispered in a rather serious tone. "But I'll be honest... the reason I let you stay, is because you always, will be the ruler of my heart."