Chapter Text
Tissues lied in his hammock, he was sick again. He heard boots click on the deck above as he sat up, legs aching. He sneezed once, then twice and sniffled.
“Tissues be quiet, we're having meditation time!” said a distinctly familiar posh accent of a certain silver haired man.
Tissues sneezed again, not on purpose mind you, but Silver would definitely take it personally. Tissues vaguely heard the grumbling of Silver and sniffled again, as quiet as he could. The mumbling upstairs stopped and Tissues let out a deep breath. Tissues intertwined his fingers and tapped his foot anxiously. He knew Caption OJ was being way too kind in letting him, a sickly man who adds little to no value, to be in a pirate crew. He felt awful that the crew had to lug him around everywhere they sailed and wished he didn't have to be ill all the time. Sometimes, honestly a small percentage of times, Tissues wished that OJ just left him at the island to die, so he wouldn't be a burden to the ship; Tissues shook off this thought, he knew that OJ really cared, and he would never have really considered that.
The tapping of boots on the hardwood ground started Tissues from his thoughts of self pity. The door opened hard and slammed.
“Damn, OJ gave me stupid stabbing duty, I'll curse him one day.” A familiar raspy voice complained. Tissues sat up, listening to his friend's conversation.
"Yang! We can't go around cursing people! Remember what happened last time." a less raspy version of the same voice replied.
The raspy voice grumbled and the boot taps got louder as Yin-Yang rounded the corner.
“Hi guise.” Tissues said as he saw them, “OJs being strict again?” Yang scowled but they nodded. Tissues wiped his nose, “Do you guise wanna talk about it?”
The ship swayed rhythmically as Yin-Yang crossed their arms and sat down in front of Tissues. Yin spoke first, “I let Yang be in control for today, I probably shouldn't have, he um-” Yin stopped and his brows furrowed, “he ate all of the chocolate beans!” "Not all of them…” Yang grumbled, “you left three! We have to be considerate of the rest of the crew!” Yang blew a raspberry and rolled his eye. "And then, he decided to have a smart mouth with OJ! As if he hasn't given us more than we deserve!"
“Yin-Yang! Would you be a DEAR and QUIET DOWN! Meditation time isn't over yet and if Paintbrush doesn't get to meditate the ship will catch fire!” Silver yelled from upstairs.
“Why don't YOU be a dear and DROP DEAD!” Yang growled.
“Sorry Silver, we'll be more quiet!” Yin yelled up to the crew on the upper deck.
Yang grumbled but didn't say anything back. Yin-Yang sat in silence while they fidgeted with their hands, picking at their cuticles. Tissues got up from the hammock and plopped down next to them. “I'um sourry you guise are hauving a buad duay.." He pulled his knees up and laid his cheek on them to face Yin-Yang. Tissues stared at Yin-Yang, the way their eyes glimmered in the lantern light fascinated him; he almost believed that they were green and red stars, floating in Yin-Yang's sclera.
Yin-Yang turned their head and put their hands in their lap, “it's not your fault Tissues.” Yin said, smiling softly, “we chose this life, as much as you did, and I think between you and us…” he put his hand up to whisper in Tissues’ ear, “we wouldn't have it any other way.” Yin-Yang leaned back, “plus.” Yang said looking away, “this is kinda the only place we've found where beings like us are treated normally…” Yin-Yang fidgeted with their pant leg, “I wouldn't trade it for the world.” Yang whispered, just loud enough that Tissues could make out a coherent sentence. Tissues smiled, “I'um gluad,” He turned to Yin-Yang, “becuase I wouldn't truade thuis four the wourld eithur.” Tissues sneezed into his elbow. Yin-Yang snorted and looked at him, their smile soft, “you're so cute.” Seemingly waking up from a daze Yin-Yang clapped their hand over their mouth, Tissues swore their face was perfect shades of scarlet with how red it was. Although he may have thought it was the funniest thing in the world, Tissues couldn't judge because he felt his face heating up as well. “Reaully?” Tissues asked after a moment of silence. Yin-Yang buried their head in their hands, Yang spoke, “No! You're ugly and I hate you and you're stupid and you're dumb and Yin is stupid as well!”
“Meditation is not over yet yang! All I ask is for you to be quiet for 10 more minutes, please!” Tissues could hear Silver strain his voice in order to be nice.
Tissues and Yin-Yang looked at each other and chuckled, soon the chuckle turned into them lying on the ground laughing hard, hands over their mouths trying to stifle their giggles. After a while their chuckles quieted down and they both sighed. Tissues smiled and looked in Yin-Yangs eyes, “iof it muakes you feel buetter, I thuink you're cute aus wuell.” Yin-Yang's eyes searched his face before they smiled, “thank you Tissues.” Yin said before reaching for Tissues’ hand, he squeezed it. “Thank you.” Yang mumbled, reaching his hand over to Tissues’ non occupied one. Tissues took this opportunity to move closer and snuggle up to them, head under their chin, legs tangled, he drifted off to sleep, today was tiring, maybe tomorrow would be better. Yin-Yang didn't move once while Tissues was asleep, even when OJ scolded them for slacking off, yang blew a raspberry at them and snuggled closer to the sickly man.
