#pi2

Arthur finished the last of his drink, setting the tankard down and pushing it towards the barkeep. He sat at the bar just waiting. Waiting for what? He didn't know. But he was waiting, drunk and depressed.

The pub Arthur sat in was shoreside, in a seedy part of the city. He knows that pirates of frequent this port, but he can't find it in himself to care for his own safety.

He's lost so much. His freedom, his wife, his daughter, his life. He'd be happy to lose everything else if it meant he finally got to rest.

Arthur Lester rested his head on the bar, sliding one of his last few coins he had reserved for this particular binge to the barkeep, gladly taking another drink to nurse until he got it in him to make his way up to the rented room he had been staying in for the past week or so.

He was running out of money, there was no way around it. He had no mind to compose since the death of his child, so his cash flow had stopped. He had sold the house, he had sold just about everything that had belonged to his Bella and his sweet Faroe.

He nursed his drink calmly as he heard the sounds of what was, without a doubt, another pirate crew making their way into this city. Grimey pub. He didn't even pay mind as a couple of the crew made their way up to the bar near him. A man that was almost certainly the captain of the crew that had trickled in sat in the stool right next to his own.

Arthur minded his business as the man ordered his own drink, and didn't even flinch as he felt the man's eyes lock onto his slouching form.

Arthur took another sip of his drink, it wasn't very good. His face is scrunched up a little bit at the unpleasant flavor until he felt a warm hand fall upon his shoulder.

"You look like you're a little worse for wear, my friend. You ever tried a blood and sand?" Arthur looked up at the well kept man with some disbelief. Getting a better look at him, Arthur realised that the man was Chinese. Not rare, exactly, but still uncommon in this area. The strange man had an armored breast plate, made of leather and metal in a scaled pattern. Arthur watched him with disbelief as the strange man ordered a drink for Arthur, paying for it himself.

"Honestly, sir, you look like you need it." The drink is set in front of him by the barkeep, and Arthur takes it in visually before he ever touches the glass. The name felt apt, the way the red and almost golden mix layered on top of one another and mixed into each other was nearly beautiful. Arthur gingerly took the drink in his hand, and tilted it up to this strange man in toast before taking a ginger sip.

It was sweet compared to the harsh swill he had been drinking before, a small smile twitching at the corners of his lips as he set it back down onto the bar.

The stranger smiles at him, seemingly happy about his reaction to the drink.

"I really should've introduced myself," he said, a lopsided smile starting to pull his lips.

"My name is Captain Yang. But of course you can just call me Parker, my good sir."

"Namesss.. Arthur. Arthur Lester," Arthur's voice was slurred from the drinks he had throughout the day, and Parker's eyebrows knitted into slight concern before he put back on the friendly smile he had beforehand.

"Nice to meet you, Arthur. You look a little aimless, if you'll forgive me for saying." The captain let his hand slip from Arthur's shoulder to settle in between his shoulder blades, rubbing small circles at that point on his back.

Arthur tensed up. Logically he knew that it was better to not get involved with pirates, but it's not like he had much left to lose at this point anyway. Arthur swallows nervously and relaxes ever so slightly.

"Wh" -He clears his throat, it suddenly tight with nerves. "What makes... you say that?" Arthur tried to make eye contact, his sudden nerves keeping him from looking anywhere above the man's shoulders. He knew the man was studying him, he could see the shifts in Parker's face in his peripheral.

"Let's just say I've got experience with lost souls. Do you want a direction?" Arthur looks up at Parker's face again, confused.

"Huh?" Eloquent.

Parker smiles, doing his best to be comforting.

"A direction. Or rather, a place. A job, even."

Arthur's eyebrows nearly shoot off his face in surprise. A job? On a pirate ship? He didn't even know how to sail, let alone swing a sword past the very over-formal fencing lessons he had been in during his few years at university.

"Listen, Arthur." Parker leans a little closer, the comforting circled on Arthur's back disappearing in favour of him resting his arm across his shoulders.

"Don't tell anyone, but I'm soft-hearted. And I can tell you need something in your life. There's no use in me letting you rot at some pub, y'know?" His smile gets a bit warmer. "And you look like someone I can trust as part of my crew. You'll be paid accordingly, of course, but I'd like if you took the chance."

Arthur was thinking it over. Oh God, he was actually considering it. Maybe being a pirate wouldn't be all that bad, honestly. Not like he cared much for his own safety, so the danger wasn't a turn off for him, and he didn't exactly have anything waiting for him here.

Say he did agree, that he became part of a pirate crew, and sailed the Ocean blue with Parker and his crew. He'd have purpose, people to lean on, potentially people that cared for him.

And if he didn't... Well, just as Parker said, he'd probably just drink himself to death and end up rotting in a ditch somewhere.

Arthur nodded nervously. His voice still wobbly, but sure.

"Alright. I don't have anything keeping me here anyway. We can sell anything unnecessary of mine so I don't take up too much space." Parker's eyes light up, and he pulls Arthur in for a tight half-hug.

"Fantastic! I can tell you'll be great help. Me and my crew will be done getting supplies in a few days, and we'll be casting off again by Monday. Where can I get you on Sunday? We can take care of everything then." Parker was beaming, excited. It was hard to believe that such a cheerful man was a criminal, let alone one that likely had blood soaking his reputation.

"I'm staying here, actually. Upstairs room." Parkers eyes briefly flicked to the ceiling before going back to looking at Arthur.

"Fantastic. I can tell you're.... I mean this kindly, but you're pretty drunk. Do you want me to walk you up to your room? We can talk more about your future employment there. I'd just have to tell my crew, then we can go on up."

Arthur nods, taking the cocktail that Parker had bought him and taking a final large sip before flagging down the barkeep to say he was turning in for the night. He turned back to face Parker, allowing himself to be guided into a standing position, doing his best not to sway in too alarming a manner.

Once he was sure Arthur was steady, Parker darted to someone that Arthur assumed was a member of his crew, leaning close to tell then where he'd be over the din of the pub. Arthur could see the other man speaking back, and whatever it was was enough to make the Captain roll his eyes and lightly shove the shoulder of the man before walking off.

Parker slides an arm around Arthur's back, supporting him easily.