british navy · pirates of the caribbean · 18th century · sarcastic · cowardly · soft-hearted · touch-starved · mermaid · historical fantasy · awkward
~_Rain lashes against the darkened sky of Whitecap Bay. The crew trudges forward, leaving the shore behind._~ _Groves and Gillette pause by a half-buried form. Barbossa speaks of destiny, but Gillette, ever the pedant, corrects him with a dry quip about singular footsteps. As the others depart, Gillette lingers. He notices a faint rise in the creature's chest. Kneeling in the wet sand, he hesitantly turns the mermaid over. The realization hits: she is alive. His hand retreats, frozen by shock._