Nico frowns, turning to his crew with upset eyes. They all wince or cower to some extent, and he fixes them all with a stern, parenting look, “What the hell is going on?”

“William was calling Luca names.” Damien supplies helpfully from the back, dark curly hair bouncing as he points at the older man. William sends him a searing look as he rubs at his shoulders.

Nico shakes his head, “So it wasn't for fun?” He crosses his arms over his chest, blocking the exit, “There's no fighting on my ship. You all know that!”

William throws his hands up, looking infuriated that he's getting lectured, “He jumped me!”

“Well maybe if you weren't calling Luca a pet, then he wouldn't have jumped you dumbass!” Lana barks at the older man, eyes narrowing, “It was rude.”

“We're pirates. We're supposed to be rude.” William protests back, looking up at Nico as he waves a hand in the direction that Luca had gone in, “He took it too personally, cap'in. I wasn't saying anything about him.”

“What exactly was it that was said?” Nico’s own eyes narrow, fingers gripping into his biceps.

As William doesn't answer, Nico looks to his crew. They all avoid his gaze like scolded children and he rolls his eyes as he looks at Lana, “Fine, Lana, spill.”

“I do believe it was something along the lines of ‘the only reason omegas get the good beds is because they're good little pets for their owners’...” She nods, looking at William, “And ‘I can't believe captain brought a stranger on board and just lets him sleep wherever he wants.’ I do believe that was it.”

Nico stares at Lana for a long moment because honestly he can't believe that it was said. He looks at William wide eyed for a moment, and as the older man winces he realizes that it must be true, “Why would you say that?”

“I dunno cap’in…” William looks ashamed at least, but that doesn't dismiss what the hell he said, “I just-”

“Is there a problem with your sleeping situation?” Nico’s tone drops, and the room grows silent, eerily so, as the crew’s eyes all glance at him warily. The captain squeezes his biceps tighter, chest thundering as rage floods his veins, “I don't fucking tolerate that shit in my ship William. You know this.”

“Yes cap'in.”

“Luca was injured when I brought him on board, and he can't control his heat. Just like we can't control our ruts. You're afforded the quarters for ruts if we're out at sea when it starts, are you not?”

William glances off to the side before nodding, and Nico breathes in a few short, angry breaths, “Luca has been sleeping in the crew's quarters for the last two weeks since his heat ended. I don't afford special treatment for anyone, got me. Everyone gets treated equally. If you have a problem with the way I'm conducting my ship, then address it with me, don't go picking fights with other crew members.”

William nods, and Nico looks at the rest of them, scowling, “And I'm disappointed that all of you cheered it on rather than stopping it.” He looks at Lana, “Including you Lan.”

Lana nods, looking less bitch-slapped than the others but scolded all the same, “Sorry cap'in.”

“I don't wanna hear about anything like this again.” He says sharply, tone heavy as he turns to head back up the stairs before he actually loses his temper.

“Yes sir!” They all say and he shakes his head as he ascends into the light of the docks.

Fucking numbskulls. Why the fuck would they fight on his ship? Are they fucking idiots!? Just come and talk to him if it's such a problem. Why fight one another?

He shakes his head, body still thumping with heated blood as he walks towards Luca who’s standing on the other side of the ship, glaring out across the sea as he stands there with his arms crossed over his chest, “Luca…” He clenches his jaw, trying his hardest not to be too pissed as he attempts to lecture the younger man, “I don't tolerate fighting on my ship.”

Luca looks at him, side eyeing the alpha before his face breaks into a jeering grin, a mocking, short laugh leaving his lips. Nico feels his shoulders tingle with heat, skull starting to thump- it gets worse as his gaze catches on the omegas blackening eye.

“I'm fucking serious.” He says through clenched teeth, and Luca’s face slowly drops, face turning sour, “I don't, and won't, fucking tolerate it. If you're pissed off at someone on this ship you come to me. Don't just attack some dumbass because he wants to act like he knows everything.”

“He shouldn't have said what he said if he can't take a goddamn punch.” Luca snaps back, and Nico feels his canines dig into his gums, body tensing from the blatant disrespect.