The Life You Gave Me
by Ren Brenner
Street kid Maddy Cecil doesn't know what he's in for when he gets recruited into a ship of vigilante pirates. He falls for the young captain, Araevin Siannodel, but grows frustrated with constantly having to compete for his attention. When Araevin finally gives him a chance, he falls just as hard, until one day Maddy disappears without a word.Years later the two stumble into each other with new lives and new traumas. It will take a lot of work and dedication to fit all the lost puzzle pieces back into place, but it's work worth doing.
Banner art by Grendel Menz.
This site was last updated March 29th, 2026.
About the book;
TLYGM is adult fiction in the romance genre (with a fantasy setting and some relating elements). There's plenty of cursing, as well as a bit of violence and sexual content. Both main characters are trans men, but themes of identity aren't delved into significantly. This book is about the characters rather than the labels.
This book has been in development since late 2020/early 2021, and though I thought three drafts would suffice, I'm now onto draft four. I want to take my time to ensure the story is the best that it can be, and I'm confident this draft will be the last. For the most accurate and up to date progress tracking, this spreadsheet is updated every writing session.
A timeline towards publishing is too difficult to pin down, but when it does happen, the book will likely be self published. I want full creative control, even if that means less of a widespread audience.
Grendel Menz, the artist who did the art shown on this site's homepage, will be designing the book cover for TLYGM. Check out their portfolio (linked on the homepage) as their catalogue is immensely impressive. The homepage art was commissioned based on a scene from draft two, and the entire comic can be viewed in full here.
About the characters;
Click icons for their individual pages.
Framed icons by Anzu.
Araevin Siannodel;
Araevin is known by friends as Vin and a spare few as Vinny. Raised by pirates, he has an innate love for adventure and the sea, but refused to treat people with the cruelty and greed required of pirate life. After stealing a fair bit of gold and fleeing the ship known as The Watchful Eye, Araevin acquired his own ship and crew, the former he named Resilience. His crew soon became family, and he sought to help people wherever he could.
A bit of a hedonist, Araevin focuses on pleasure more than true connection. When he brought aboard a street kid from a dismissable harbor town who only introduced himself as Cecil, Araevin didn't expect the boy to be so damn stubborn about getting close to him. Even when his sights were set elsewhere, Cecil refused to let up. Eventually Araevin conceded only to realize just what he was missing out on, finding something clicking into place with his relationship with Maddy. That was, of course, until Maddy disappeared without a trace.
Character art by Ren (self).
Maddy Cecil;
Maddy, known better in his youth by his middle name Cecil, grew up in small harbor town Halsron with a population of only a few hundred people. By age fifteen he was fully independent, living on the streets and fending for himself after being renounced by his parents. Locals either pitied him for his situation or disliked him for his bad attitude and tendency to cause trouble. The only person who offered him any decency was the barkeep of the local tavern, Robin, who allowed him free drinks despite his hefty tab.
It wasn't until a strange ship came to port - with an even stranger captain - that Maddy was given the opportunity to make a life that was truly his own. Shown compassion, encouragement, and a world outside of the small town he grew up in, Maddy began to carve his own path. He falls hard for spry and youthful captain Araevin, who isn't on the same page about the kind of relationship they're both after. After time, attention, and some brutal honesty, the two work things out and find a middle ground that suits them well - until Maddy disappears without a trace.
Character art by Ren (self).