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Basking in moonlight, Stede hums contently as he wraps his arms around Ed’s beautiful body atop his in their bed. Ed’s long hair drapes over one shoulder, curtaining their soft, slow kissing from the rest of the captains’ quarters. Ed tangles his fingers in Stede’s hair and scratches gently at his scalp.
“That feels lovely, Ed,” Stede whispers.
“What, my fingers in your hair? Or my body on top of yours?” Ed inquires between gentle kisses.
Stede grins. “Both.”
Ed chuckles softly, then delicately tugs Stede’s bottom lip with his teeth. Stede groans and skims a hand down Ed’s back to squeeze one firm asscheek. He ghosts a finger over Ed’s entrance, causing Ed to rock against Stede’s hip, his half-hard cock stiffening every second.
Stede’s head is in the clouds. It’s been three months and thirteen days since their reunion, and he still cannot believe this is his life. The Misunderstanding That Shall Not Be Named Because There’s No Sense In Relitigating The Past—or as Ed calls it, Stede’s Fuck-up—is behind them, so now Stede gets to enjoy kissing and groping and making love with the most fearsome and gorgeous pirate in the Caribbean.
And they do all that a lot.
After a brief miscommunication in which Stede assumed Ed had no interest in submitting, their sex life greatly improved. Stede took to dominating Ed like a duck to water, if he says so himself. He fingers and fucks Ed until Ed is begging for release. Stede always believed that, as a pirate, he’d hear many men pleading for him to spare their lives. Instead, he often hears one man—Ed—begging for his cock in his ass, and quite honestly, Stede likes that a lot more because Ed’s pleas are some of the prettiest sounds he’s ever heard.
That’s not to say they don’t have sex the other way around. Stede can’t help himself when Ed comes back from a raid all sweaty and musky, so he pulls down his trousers and bends over the table, presenting himself for Ed to ravage. (And ravage he does.) He still loves when Ed manhandles him and treats him like an object to fuck. Sometimes he gets too into it and calls Ed Blackbeard, earning him extra aggression and some moderate spanking which Ed says he enjoys.
They make it a point to talk to each other more about what they want during sex, uncovering some fun new interests. For instance, Ed likes it when Stede pulls his hair as he fucks him from behind, and Stede likes it when Ed ejaculates on his face. It’s a careful balance, but it works for them.
Ed drags Stede down to Earth when he gently tugs on Stede’s hair.
“You still with me?” Ed asks, kissing along Stede’s jaw. As lovely as Ed’s bare face is, Stede is impossibly horny for his thick beard. His facial hair tickles, but Stede will never complain.
“Mhm,” Stede confirms. “My thoughts are always of you.”
“What are you thinking about me?” Ed murmurs seductively before licking at his ear. It sends a shiver down Stede’s spine straight to his cock.
“Oh, you know,” he answers, trying to sound casual as his breath shortens from Ed’s ministrations. “How utterly stunning you are, how you feel under my hands, how much I absolutely adore you.”
“So, the usual.”
Stede laughs softly. “Yes, I suppose so.” He pauses, then asks Ed, “What do you think about me?”
Ed moans so softly that he would’ve missed it if his lips weren’t beside Stede’s ear. It’s the holiest sound Stede’s ever heard.
“You’re the most achingly beautiful man I’ve ever met,” Ed whispers tenderly. “You’re perfect, Stede Bonnet.”
But when Ed gives compliments, oh Lord, does he give a compliment.
“Fuck, Edward…” Stede gasps. He directs Ed by his luxurious mane to kiss him and kiss him Ed does. It’s all loose lips and tongues sliding against one another as Stede holds Ed’s hair tighter in his grasp. His other hand scratches Ed’s back to his ass, grabbing a taut globe and squeezing. That spurs Ed to grind his cock harder into Stede’s, their hips now engaged in a delicious tango.
After years of feeling unwanted, Stede now burns with the flames of passion. He adores the feel of a hard cock beside his own; a long, lean body atop his; and the bristle of facial hair against his chin. He loves to trace the tattoos painted over Ed’s beautiful brown skin and watch the gooseflesh rise in his wake. He loves Ed’s lush, curly locks, perfect for holding onto as he screams for release. Most of all, he loves how downright sexy Ed makes him feel, that he is the only one to make Ed feel so deliriously hard and wanting.
Stede opens his legs wider and palms Ed’s ass with both hands, directing him to rock against him harder.
“Yes, yes, that’s it, Ed, just like that…” Stede breathes against Ed’s lips. “God, your body is sublime…”
Ed moans and tucks his face in Stede’s shoulder. Stede relishes in the power of Ed’s hips driving him into the mattress, though it would be far better if his cock were already inside Stede…
“Stede… Stede…” Ed gasps. “Stede, hold on.” He draws back to look at Stede’s face.
“Yes, my love? What is it?”
“I’m… I don’t want to submit tonight.”
Stede grins devilishly. “That’s perfect because I would very much like you inside me…” He leans up to kiss Ed, but Ed turns away.
Stede’s stomach sinks. He lets go of Ed, holding his hands above his body like he’s been rapped across the knuckles. Is this the day Ed tires of him?
“Ed, did I… was it something I said?” Stede asks.
Ed doesn’t answer, and his brow furrows in thought like he’s contemplating the best way to let Stede down easy. (Though, Stede would understand if Ed never said another word and left. Turnabout is fair play, after all.)
After a moment of silence, Stede asks, his throat thick with dread, “What did I do wrong?”
Ed’s expression moves from ponderance to apologetic. “Oh! Oh, Stede.” He quickly swoops down to kiss him. “No, no, you didn’t do anything wrong. I’m just… I’m really fucking confused right now.”
Okay, now Stede’s confused, too. He starts checking Ed’s head for signs of trauma. “Is there something wrong? Did you take a jib to the head when we were rigging?”
Ed chuckles and then says, “I’m fine, Stede.”
“What are you confused about, darling?” Stede gently strokes Ed’s back.
“Well,” Ed begins as he props himself up on his elbows, still laying atop Stede. “I’m not sure. I know I really want to fuck you—I always do, so get whatever bullshit thought that came into your head earlier out of there. You’ll know when I’m done with you ’cause you’ll have a knife to your throat as you soak in a pool of your own blood.”
Stede stifles a laugh and nods. Noted.
“But… I don’t know. You’re being all dominant, which is really fucking sexy and I love it. Clearly.” Ed lightly thrusts his erection against Stede as emphasis. “But I don’t feel like getting fucked tonight, which is why I said I didn’t want to submit.”
“And that works out because I would very much like you inside me,” Stede reminds him.
“Right, but I don’t want to dominate you either,” Ed continues. “Not in the mood to be so… aggressive.”
Stede understands in the sense that he’s feeling the opposite: he wants Ed to bugger him but doesn’t want to be at Ed’s whims. It’s perplexing. How can one submit but… not submit?
“Well,” Stede says, the gears in his head turning very slowly. “We can do it slow, and I can tone down my aggression, assume more of a passive role to match your energy tonight?”
“Oh, don’t do that. My dick is so hard it could cut diamonds because you’ve been aggressive.”
Stede blushes. He loves knowing how much Stede turns him on.
“So… what do we do?” Stede asks. “Sounds like we’re at a bit of a crossroads.”
Ed thinks for a moment before saying, “Wanna watch each other jerk off instead? We haven’t done that in a while.”
It isn’t Stede’s favorite. He prefers sex where Ed is connected to him in some way—inside him, around him, touching him—whereas Ed likes showing off, for lack of a better term. He knows exactly how to sit and touch himself and talk and moan to make Stede come from looking at him. Stede gets too much in his own head when he considers what Ed’s watching. He’s not nearly as appealing as Ed, who’s all long and lean and so masculine…
“No?” Ed says. Stede must’ve made a face.
“No, no, we can do that,” Stede assures him, though he’s not so sure himself.
Ed grins and pecks Stede on the lips before rolling off of him. Stede takes a deep breath. His erection is flagging, but he knows it’ll be back in full force once Ed starts talking dirty.
Stede sits up against the headboard as Ed situates across the bed nook at the footboard, oil in hand. Somehow Ed always knows how to make himself look the most appetizing without consulting a mirror. His ink-stained skin glows in the moonlight, creating intriguing shadows on his visage. His curls cascade over one shoulder. He casually stretches a leg out, the other foot planted on the bed, perfectly displaying his long, hard, cut cock and big balls.
Stede naturally zeroes in on Ed’s dick, curving elegantly skyward. Ed wraps an oil-slicked hand around it, pushing the dark head through his fist.
“You like what you see?” Ed says flirtatiously. Stede’s eyes trail upward over Ed’s tatted torso to his face, where he bites his lip with a devilish smirk.
Stede blushes. “You know I do,” he replies shyly.
Ed tosses the oil vial onto the sheets beside Stede. It’s his turn.
Stede can’t achieve the effortless sexiness Ed has, so he goes for comfort. He props himself up on a couple of pillows and sinks into them. How Ed can find him sexy with his legs spread like this, looking like a woman about to give birth, is beyond him, but at least Stede’s view is superb.
He drizzles too much oil in his palm and takes his half-hard cock in hand. It shouldn’t take long to get back to total hardness with the way Ed looks at him.
“Mm, yes, so good,” Ed says as he slowly works his cock. “You’re so fucking hot, Stede. Giving me the best fucking view on the ship.”
“I think I have the best view,” Stede retorts.
Ed chuckles. “Agree to disagree, mate.”
Ed squeezes under the head and tips his head back, biting his lip and moaning softly. This is definitely a performance, but it doesn’t matter because it’s having its desired effect: Stede is now rock-hard.
“Yeah, pump that thick rod,” Ed murmurs. “You have the best fucking cock, Stede. Love it when you choke me with it, fuckin’... can’t think about anything but keeping my throat open for you to fuck…”
Stede whimpers. He knows Ed was explicitly referencing the other day when Stede fucked his mouth in the auxiliary wardrobe. Ed made all these wet, gargling noises around his dick that Stede could not stop thinking about for days.
“Keep going, Ed,” Stede gasps. He shuts his eyes and focuses on Ed’s voice and the slick sounds of their mutual masturbation.
“Your taste, man… nothing like it,” Ed continues. “When you cum on my tongue… god, I could drink you all day.”
Stede pumps his cock faster. He’s almost out of his own head, almost forgetting the shameful position he’s in.
“Fuckin’ gorgeous body,” Ed growls. “Strong, firm, so fucking manly with the best fuckin’ tits and ass and—fuck—your goddamn legs, Stede. Fuckin’ wrap those things around my waist…”
Stede breathes through Ed’s words. He’s getting there, yet he craves something more than just his hand around his erection. He considers how oily his fingers are and remembers other things can go in his ass.
With shaky hands, Stede swaps his grip on his cock to let his slickened hand drift south past his balls.
“Stede,” Ed gasps. “What are you—”
Stede barely registers Ed’s words before he sinks two digits into his hole. Pumping slowly, he works himself open as he squeezes his dick. He groans loudly at the sensation, finally having something filling him, even if it’s his own fingers.
Ed goes eerily quiet across the bed. Even the soft sound of his hand over his cock disappears. Stede cracks one eye open to check on him, make sure nothing terrible happened.
What Stede sees is Ed’s gaze completely transfixed on his fingers in his ass. His composure has slipped, and his usual swagger is gone. Now, he’s just a horny guy mesmerized by his boyfriend fingering himself.
Oh, Stede never realized it was still possible to stun Edward into silence. He thought Ed had seen everything, and they’d done everything. There was nothing left for them to do differently. Stede was dead wrong. He supposes that Ed’s so surprised is that Stede’s never needed to finger himself. He’s always had Ed do it for him.
Since he has an audience, Stede figures he may as well put on a show.
He moans performatively as he opens his legs wider and sinks down further into the pillows to give Ed an even better view. He carefully watches Ed, who has not looked up once since Stede began.
As Stede pushes his fingers in deeper, Ed starts jerking his cock again in time with his motions. Stede smirks. It’s like Ed’s lost his ability to think. This is what it often feels like when Stede dominates him; Ed switches off his brain and succumbs so pliantly to Stede’s seductions. Yet, this time Stede is the one being penetrated. Interesting…
Purposefully, Stede moans, “Oh, Edward…”
That gets Ed’s gaze up to his face. His eyes are jet-black and entirely unfocused with lust, and his mouth parts slightly. His hand moves faster over his cock when Stede moans again.
In his head, Stede narrates his actions with the same intense descriptions Ed uses on him: you like watching me finger myself? Imagine your cock cleaving me open… Running me through until I come wrapped around your dick… But the words get trapped in his throat. He can’t bring himself to say it aloud. (Stupid proper upbringing.)
Instead, he pushes in another digit and groans, three fingers now inside him. He can’t go nearly as deep as Ed’s tremendous cock, but he can stretch himself out like he enjoys. Stede loves it when Ed plays with his ass and the feeling of his body being remolded for Ed’s pleasure only.
He focuses on his breathing as he works his fingers at a slow, steady pace, in and out of his hole. His other hand lightly strokes his erection, making his thighs twitch.
Stede’s wrist begins to cramp from the reach, so he pulls his fingers out to switch. His ass tries to clench, and he can’t—a great sign. He’s about to pour more oil on his fingers when he hears Ed suck in a shuddering breath. His eyes are back down at Stede’s now-empty hole.
That piques Stede’s interest. He stops and experimentally clenches again. Ed chokes on a whine, and his hand flies over his cock. Stede flexes again and again as if Ed were actually fucking him, and oh, that’s certainly something.
Stede slides one hand around his leg to hold himself open, showing off his stretched rim, and Edward comes with a choked gasp, gushing over his fist as his body tenses with release.
“There you are…” Stede purrs. His chest swells with pride. Never in all the times they’ve been in this arrangement has Ed ever orgasmed first.
“Fuck…” Ed moans hoarsely through his last shudders.
Stede lays back against the pillows and closes his eyes. He needs to focus; he feels incredibly on display now that Ed has finished, as if Ed will grow impatient he hasn’t come yet.
But then big hands push his knees apart, and Ed appears between his legs, sliding four fingers covered in his own cum into Stede.
A grin spreads on Stede’s lips, and he exhales, “Yes, that’s it…”
Stede jacks his cock with quick, expedient strokes as he shallowly rocks on Ed’s fingers. Ed doesn’t move his hand but merely keeps Stede open, and that’s alright by Stede; he’s close anyway.
“C’mon, Stede,” Ed murmurs. His dark eyes gaze intensely at Stede, watching all the pleasurable gasps and twitches on his face. “Look so good, so so so good…”
“I’m—I’m gonna…” Stede feels the orgasm start in his quivering thighs and shoot up his body. “Oh, fuck, Edward!” His back bows, clenching down on Ed’s fingers. He comes spectacularly over his stomach, his fist flying over his rigid cock.
Stede opens his eyes when Ed pulls out his fingers and hastily wipes them on the bedsheets. He collapses beside Stede with an arm thrown over his middle, hugging him close. Both catch their breath before another word is uttered between them.
“Soooo, that was something,” Ed finally says with a smirk, peering up at Stede, who can only chuckle.
“I don’t know what came over me. I mean, other than myself.”
“It was hot as fuck, is what it was.”
Stede hums in acknowledgment even though he doesn’t necessarily agree.
“You don’t agree?” Ed says as if reading Stede’s mind.
“Well,” Stede begins, trying to sort out his thoughts before sharing. “It was a bit… weird, wasn’t it? That I submitted but you were… also kind of submissive? That shouldn’t work.”
Ed chuckles. “I’d say it worked very well.”
He isn’t understanding. Stede sits up a bit to emphasize this isn’t just a simple post-coital chat.
“Ed, think about it: You penetrated me with your fingers. I submitted but you didn’t dominate me. You had more of the energy of when I dominate you. This is the same issue we had earlier,” Stede explains. “One cannot submit without submitting and dominate without dominating.”
A confused furrow returns to Ed’s brow. “That’s a good point. You can’t submit without submitting.”
“Precisely.”
“Huh. Did we… I dunno, break sex?”
Ed and Stede lay silent for a moment, mulling over the trap they’ve fallen into. Did Stede ruin sex again? He wouldn’t put it past himself to do it. It’s how he was always taught, so it must be true. There are rules for these things. One person dominates the other through penetration—the penetrator and the penetrated.
So, yes, Stede concludes, he absolutely did ruin sex again with his stupid brain remembering the rules.
Ed’s voice cuts through Stede’s negative thoughts.
“But maybe there’s a way you can submit without submitting and dominate without dominating. There has to be.”
“I think you might be onto something there, Edward,” Stede says. “And I know just the person we should ask.”
The next day after their morning tea, Stede paces the length of their quarters while Ed leans against the table, arms crossed, watching him.
“Do you think he’ll have an answer?” Stede asks.
“Probably, mate,” Ed assures him for the umpteenth time.
“Ed, I languish in ‘probably’. I need a ‘definitely’.”
“Okay, he’ll definitely have an answer.”
Stede pauses to glare at Ed, who smirks.
“Relax, man. We can figure this out ourselves, no need to drag someone else into it. It’s not the end of the world.”
“It might be! I may have created irreversible damage to our sex life yet again—”
A soft knock at their door cuts Stede off. It cracks open just a hair.
“Sirs? Are we decent?”
“Yes, yes, Lucius, come in,” Stede calls out.
Lucius steps into the room and closes the door behind him. Stede’s ledger and a quill in hand, he sits on the small bench to face the captains. He flips to a new page, readies his quill, then looks up, waiting for them to begin.
Stede glances at Ed, who gestures coolly toward Lucius, a silent “go ahead.” Lucius eyes both of them suspiciously.
“Is everything alright?” Lucius asks, a tremble of fear in his voice.
Stede and Ed answer simultaneously:
“Frankly, it’s a disaster.”
“Yeah, mate, everything’s fine.”
Lucius flinches. The captains look at each other. How can Edward be so calm about this!
“Do you need me to come back later so you can sort this out…?” Lucius offers, slowly rising from his seat.
“No. Sit,” Ed says gruffly, then turns to Stede again, waiting expectantly. “You said you wanted to talk about it.”
Stede lightly stamps his foot in stubborn determination. He does want to talk about it, but conversations like this don’t come naturally.
Lucius, meanwhile, watches them in anticipation. Stede huffs. The poor boy doesn’t need to witness this.
“Okay,” Stede finally says. “Lucius, we have a very important and very personal favor to ask of you.”
Lucius shifts uncomfortably in his seat. “I’m flattered, but no, thank you.”
“What?” Stede and Ed ask, thoroughly confused.
“Hm?” Lucius replies, pretending he said nothing.
Stede glances at Ed, who shrugs. Neither of them has a clue what Lucius is talking about.
“Anyway,” Stede continues. “We were wondering if you could advise us on a particular matter in the bedroom.”
Lucius groans quietly. “Not this again…”
“Again?” Stede says.
Lucius and Ed look at each other, Ed staring daggers into the boy.
“Um, nope, not ‘not again’,” Lucius corrects, then lets out a nervous laugh. “Don’t know why I said that. I’ve never discussed anything about your sex life with either of you before this very moment.” Given how often Lucius’s eyes dart to Ed, Stede knows something’s up.
Stede turns to Ed. “Have you already consulted Lucius about our sexual relations?”
Ed’s eyes grow big, attempting for innocence but giving himself away completely. “No, man, I’ve never talked to anyone—”
“When you two were having problems before,” Lucius interrupts, the words spilling out of him. Secrets were never his forte. “Blackbeard told me about how much he wanted you to fuck him in the—”
“Okay, that’s enough out of you,” Ed cuts him off.
Stede is agog at the admissions happening before him.
“Edward, you made me believe I was insane for wanting to ask Lucius about carnal matters and here I come to learn you’ve already used his services?!”
“Sir, please don’t say ‘services’—”
“Treachery at the highest level,” Stede sneers, folding his arms and glowering at Ed.
“Mate, that’s a bit harsh.”
Stede huffs indignantly before walking around the couch to sit opposite Lucius, who looks mighty fearful at this point. If his boyfriend and his scribe previously conspired, there’s no shame in Stede using Lucius to his benefit.
“Now, Lucius,” Stede says with authority. “The issue that Ed and I seem to be having is with regards to submission and submitting.”
Lucius nervously nods as he closes the ledger. No need to take notes on this.
“We ran into an impasse last night when I wanted to submit to Edward but not submit, and he wanted to dominate me but not dominate.”
“I’m not following,” Lucius says with a shake of his head.
“You know, when you submit you’re submitting and when you’re dominating…” Lucius’s face grows more confused. Stede looks back at Ed. “I don’t know how to make it any clearer.”
“Stede wanted me to fuck him in the ass but I wanted to be the more passive one, y’know, more lying-back-and-taking-it sort of fucking,” Ed clarifies.
“Is that not what I said?”
Lucius buries his face in his hands.
“It was, but I know the boy gets it better when you don’t beat around the bush.”
“Should we tell him about the thing we did…?”
“Where you fucked yourself on my fingers? Don’t know if that’s relevant…”
Lucius sits up with a sharp inhale, interrupting them. “Okay! Please stop talking. I don’t need explicit details.”
“But do you understand what we’re getting at, Lucius?” Stede asks.
“Stede wants to bottom but not submit and Blackbeard wants to top but not dominate. Yup, I got it,” Lucius says impatiently.
“‘Bottom’ and ‘top’?” Stede repeats. “Are those new terms?”
“No, they are not.”
“And bottom in this instance means…?”
“Mate, it clearly means whoever’s on the bottom.”
“Oh my god, you’re killing me,” Lucius mumbles, then says to Stede, “Bottom means receiving, top means you’re giving.”
“Like, a bottom is catching the ball and a top is throwing the ball?” Ed interjects. Stede beams at him.
“Oh, I like that analogy,” Stede says. “Why don’t they call them catchers and throwers?”
“I don’t know!” Lucius exclaims out of frustration. “Look, if you’re a bottom, you don’t always physically have to be on the bottom. That’s just the term for the person who’s getting fucked. And you don’t have to be passive, either.”
“You’re saying one can have power as a bottom…?” Ed says.
“Yes.”
“Hm, there should really be a term for that,” Stede muses. "There's a term for everything else."
“There is. It’s power bottom.”
Stede and Ed chuckle to themselves.
“You really hit the nail on the head on that one, Ed.”
“Just following the conversation.”
Lucius lets out a deep breath. “So, to answer your question, yes, you can ‘submit’ without ‘submitting’ or whatever weird phrasing you used. Submission and bottoming are not the same and neither is domination and topping. So like, yeah, go nuts.”
Stede could not be happier than he is at this moment. His whole perception of sex just tilted on its axis. With regards to relations between men and women, he’d always been taught the woman (the “bottom”, as he’s just learned) always submits to the man (the “top”). It was that simple. Given his past relations with Mary, it would never have occurred to him that the two could be separated. Obviously, Ed was under a similar impression, given his personal history of always penetrating and dominating.
God, sex with men is so much better, Stede decides.
“Well, that is… extremely welcome news,” Stede grins. He looks back at Ed, who has an excited glint in his eyes.
Lucius scrunches up his nose. “Can I go now?”
“Oh, yes, yes, Lucius, you may,” Stede says as he stands up from the couch to usher him out. Stede has never seen the boy move so quickly.
Once the door is closed, Stede turns to Ed, who has finally moved from beside the table to stand amidst the sitting area. His hands are on his hips, and a cheeky smile graces his lips. Stede all but skips over to him.
“So…” Stede says, failing to suppress a huge smile. He fiddles with a buckle on Ed’s jacket.
“So…” Ed echoes as he wraps his arms around Stede’s waist.
“I think we found our solution.”
“I believe we did, too.”
“Tonight?”
Ed bites his lip and nods.
“I have some… ideas,” Stede murmurs seductively.
“Oh, I bet you do, mate,” Ed purrs. He leans in to brush his lips over Stede’s. “And I’m going to love every single one of them.” When they kiss, Stede tangles his fingers in Ed’s hair and tugs, drawing a soft moan from his boyfriend.
Stede smirks. Tonight is going to be very fun.
If Stede hadn’t lost his pocket watch somewhere off St. Kitts, he would’ve been checking it repeatedly during this mediation between Frenchie and the Swede.
“But if I didn’t want the hat back, why would I have said you could ‘borrow’ it?” Frenchie argues in a harsh whisper.
“You did not say ‘borrow’,” the Swede insists. “You said I could have it.”
The spat came up right after their bedtime story. The two men accosted Stede right before he headed inside, their argument threatening to keep the rest of the crew awake.
Talking it through as a crew has its downsides when one has an extremely sexy co-captain/boyfriend waiting for him in his quarters.
“Yeah, in like, a ‘yeah, mate, you can have it for now’ kind of way, not a forever kind of way!” Frenchie turns to Stede. “Captain, it’s not my fault he doesn’t speak English good!”
“Um, I do speak English good! You don’t speak English good!”
“Gentlemen! Keep your voices down!” Stede urges quietly. He glances at the puddle of crew members asleep across the deck. Roach, the lightest sleeper of them all, stirs, rolling over with a frown. “Swede will keep the hat for the night and we will continue this conversation in the morning.”
“Captain, I’m the one who looted it from—”
Stede’s patience is wearing thin. “We will discuss this in the morning.”
“But—”
“One more word and the hat will be mine,” Stede hisses. He doesn’t like being so testy with his crew, but he is horny because Ed is likely waiting for him, naked in their bed. “Good night, men.”
Stede turns on his heels and stalks off to the captains’ quarters. He’s not in the amorous mood he wants to be in; mediating crew disputes is one of Stede’s least favorite duties. But he couldn’t let them wake up the entire ship because then he’d have eleven people interrupting his time with Ed.
He breezes into the captains’ quarters and firmly shuts the door behind him.
To both Stede’s relief and dismay, Edward isn’t naked and waiting in bed. He’s draped in his Fuschia robe, hair delicately pulled back, and pours their nightly brandy at the table. He may not be unclothed, but he still looks like an absolute dream.
“Is everything alright, mate?” Ed asks, brow furrowed.
“Just a… disagreement between Frenchie and the Swede,” Stede answers, brushing it off. He joins Ed at the table, placing a gentle hand on his waist.
Ed smiles knowingly as he passes Stede his glass. “Is it about the hat?”
“Yeah. How did you…?”
“They asked for my help at dinner. They didn’t like my solution.” He pauses. Stede raises his eyebrows in interest. “Cutting it in half.”
Stede chuckles. “No, I suppose they didn’t.”
Ed pecks him on the lips before saying, “That’s why they go to you to solve their problems.”
Even the briefest touch of Ed’s lips to his makes Stede go weak in the knees. Standing this close to him, feeling his body under the banyan… All of it loosens the coil of stress in Stede’s chest, bringing him to the mindset he wanted to be in when he entered the room.
Stede sets his glass down in favor of cradling Ed’s jaw and coaxing him into another softer, longer kiss. He can feel Ed complying, allowing himself to be kissed in whatever way Stede wants. It reignites the heat low in Stede’s belly that went out during the earlier dispute.
Ed moans gently, a soft, breathy sound that makes Stede so hard. The most powerful pirate of the Caribbean—possibly the world—loves him, wants him. Ed trusts only him with his heart, mind, and body. Stede’s the only one for whom Edward rewards with his beautiful, tender noises, the only one for whom Blackbeard submits.
That thought drags a groan out of Stede, and he kisses Ed harder. Ed finally puts his glass down in favor of pulling Stede in by his waist as if anchoring himself before he floats away.
The robe does nothing to hide Ed’s growing erection pressed into Stede’s thigh. Stede gets a rush from imagining what they must look like at this moment. He’s fully dressed in the pinnacle of men’s fashion, and Ed… well.
“You are a dream in this robe, Edward,” Stede murmurs against his lips. He slips a hand under the fabric to Ed’s bare skin and groans happily. “And a dream under the robe as well.”
“I wanted to wait for you completely naked on the couch, y’know, ready for you to power-bottom me,” Ed explains between kisses. “But I thought someone might follow you in since you were taking so long.”
Stede chuckles. “Well, since we’re alone…”
Ed bites his lip as Stede unties the robe and gently pushes it off Ed’s shoulders, letting it fall to the ground and pool at their feet.
Stede can’t stop himself from taking a small step backward to take Ed in: his beautiful tattoos and many scars etched over tantalizing muscles and skin and sinew; his wiry body hair trailing up his legs to his pubis to his bellybutton; his lush beard and flowing hair perfect for threading one’s fingers; and his gorgeous erect cock with its shiny, wet head glistening in the candlelight.
“Like what you see?” Ed purrs as he stretches his arm behind his head, pulling his brown skin taut and showing off his magnificent bicep. He places his other hand on his hip, his fingers like arrows pointing to his hard dick.
Fuck, if Stede didn’t like men before now, this view would’ve sold him immediately. Ed makes Stede want to pinch himself; how is this his life?!
Stede must have been staring for too long because Ed says with a devilish grin, “You gonna fuck me, Stede Bonnet?”
A flame erupts in Stede’s belly.
“Yes, I fucking am,” Stede growls. He roughly hauls Ed in for a steamy kiss. He grabs at Ed’s back, holding him impossibly close. Ed moans as he grips Stede’s lapels, emphasizing that Stede is still fully clothed in all his finery.
He could do anything to Ed right now. He’s entirely at Stede’s disposal, and all Stede wants is to worship this man’s cock.
Stede shoves Ed against the table and grinds their hips together. He then trails kisses across Ed’s cheek to his ear and down his neck, pausing to bite at the thick cord of muscle at the base.
“Oh, right there…” Ed gasps softly, and Stede takes the opportunity to bite harder, sucking at the tender skin and laving it with his tongue. Ed inhales shakily as he twines his fingers in Stede’s blonde curls, a silent encouragement, and who is Stede to say no to a request like that?
He ruts his hips against Ed as he continues to suck and bite at the same spot. When he finally pulls back for air, Stede sees a pretty red spot he knows will grow into a tapestry of blues, blacks, and purples. Perhaps he’ll leave a few more like that later…
Stede moves down Ed’s chest, kissing and licking his tits, then nipples, then soft belly. Finally, on his knees, Stede holds Ed’s hips firmly against the table before he nuzzles at the base of Ed’s cock, taking in the heady musk of him down here.
Stede peers up at Ed and waits until Ed meets his gaze before he swallows his cock down. Ed’s jaw drops as he fights to keep his eyes open with every inch passing Stede’s lips. Then, Stede relaxes his throat, taking in the elusive final inch, his nose now buried in Ed’s thicket of pubic hair.
“Oh, oh shit, Stede…!” Ed breathes shakily.
Stede’s only able to keep Ed so deep for a moment before pulling off, gasping for air. He recovers quickly, sucking wet kisses along the shaft. Once his breath returns, Stede takes Ed’s cock back into his mouth, thoroughly laving the head with his tongue.
Ed babbles above him, praying silently to some god, as Stede thoroughly blows him. His hips jerk slightly in an attempt to thrust into Stede’s mouth, but Stede’s reflexes are on tonight. He grabs Ed’s hips and forcefully pins them to the table’s edge. Other nights, Ed could fuck his mouth with abandon. Not tonight.
“Fuck, fuck, Stede… you’re gonna… fuck… I’m… shit…”
Ed’s muscles spasm under Stede’s hands as he fights back his orgasm. As much as Stede wants to suck Ed’s brain through his dick, he has other plans for his cock tonight.
Stede pulls off his cock with a loud slurp, drawing a throaty moan from Ed, who already looks absolutely wrecked. Hazy eyes and a slack jaw mean Ed is putty in Stede’s hands.
Stede stands and presses his body against Ed. He cups Ed’s jaw with both hands and kisses him; Ed’s lips are utterly pliable under his. Stede whispers commandingly against his mouth, “Lay down on the bed.”
Ed nods obediently and heads to the nook. Stede follows, hastily undressing along the way. His eyes never leave the sight of Ed’s long body stretched out on the bed, fist around his cock, watching him with jet black eyes as the moonlight illuminates his gorgeous form. This is a dream Stede has had many times, all of them ending in the most earth-shattering pleasure of his life. How did he get so lucky?
Now naked, Stede climbs onto the bed and straddles Ed’s waist. He sits on Ed’s stomach, contemplating what to do next with this handsome man beneath him.
“What’re you thinking about, m’love?” Ed asks as he runs his hands over Stede’s thighs.
Stede traces a finger around the bird wings tattooed on Ed’s chest. “I’m debating how I want you to open me up.”
Ed gives him a cocky grin. “Well, you know I’m good with my tongue.”
Oh, does Stede know. The first time Ed ate Stede out is forever burned in Stede’s memory. The complicated emotions of that night have been gradually replaced by the overwhelming euphoria of Ed’s tongue licking out his own cum.
But this is Stede’s night to take control, and he doesn’t want Ed to get the idea he has influence in his decisions.
“I’m also considering opening myself up and making you watch,” Stede says, smirking. “An encore of last night.” The grin on Ed’s face dissipates.
“Please let me help,” Ed begs softly. His big brown eyes force Stede’s hand.
“Alright,” Stede says. “But you must stay still. I have an idea.”
“Love your ideas,” Ed replies hurriedly, settling into the bed. “Love all of ’em.”
Stede lovingly pets Ed’s chest. His ideas tend to waver between the extremes—utterly insane to horribly dull—but Ed goes along with them whole-heartedly. For that, Stede is eternally grateful.
As Stede crawls up Ed’s body, Ed’s eyes widen, and he quietly chants his approval for what he presumes is about to happen. Stede ends his journey on his knees with Ed’s face between his legs. He has to cup his cock and balls and move them out of the way to see Ed. Seeing his boyfriend like this makes his heart pound wildly in his chest.
“This alright?” Stede checks in. They’ve never been in this position before, but this is a good choice judging by the wild excitement in Ed’s eyes.
“Yes, yes, it’s perfect,” Ed answers impatiently. His hands curl over the backs of Stede’s thighs, encouraging him to lower down. He feels Ed’s whiskers brush against his cheeks before Ed’s wicked tongue laps at his entrance. A soft moan escapes his lips at the heavenly sensation.
With one hand on the wall, Stede holds his junk out of the way with the other. The last thing he wants is for Ed to suffocate under his—
“Let go,” Ed says from beneath him.
“What?”
Ed reaches over his thigh to gently pry Stede’s hand from his genitals. Stede’s balls land unceremoniously on Ed’s forehead. Just as Stede ponders how strange it must feel for Ed, his lover inhales deeply—obviously wanting him to hear—then moans before doubling his efforts on Stede’s hole.
“Shit…” Stede swears under his breath as he puts both hands on the wall, balancing himself above Ed. His thighs quake from the pleasure and the strength needed to keep himself right at this level.
Ed makes a frustrated grunt and sharply tugs at Stede’s thighs, urging him lower. Stede fights against it. He doesn’t want to hurt Ed like this when they have so much more to do.
A slap on his ass makes him jump. He’s done too much. He’s hurting Ed. He’s ruined it. He’s…
“If you’re going to sit on my face, Bonnet, fucking sit on my face,” Ed growls.
If that’s not permission.
Stede lowers himself to rest fully on Ed’s face. Ed moans beneath him, a deep, resonating sound of a man quite pleased with his current situation.
He eats Stede out with zeal, licking and probing at his entrance like it’s his job. Stede loses himself to the wet ministrations between his legs and begins to rock his hips, fucking himself down on Ed’s tongue. This is power-bottoming, Stede thinks, but he could definitely put a bit more oomph into it.
“Look at you between my legs,” Stede murmurs nervously. The dirty words feel foreign in his mouth. He sees Ed’s eyebrows raise questioningly and forges on. “Your face was made for sitting on.”
Stede has never heard Ed moan so desperately, so hungrily. He glances over his shoulder, and Ed’s cock leaks messily on his belly as he rolls his hips minutely, his thrusts matching each stab of his tongue into Stede.
Fuck, it feels so fucking good. Of all the sexual avenues they'd traveled down, Ed's mouth on his entrance is one of Stede's favorites.
“You’re so hard, all from being my seat,” Stede says, nervousness vacating his voice. “You love having me envelope your senses, so you can’t think of anything else but how hard I make you.”
Ed whimpers, and his fingers dig into Stede’s thighs. That’s a yes.
The words pour out of him like a broken spigot. “Your face would make a lovely cushion as I read my books or write letters. You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Edward? You do such a splendid job sucking my cock for as long as I like—perhaps we can add this to the menu of servicing me?” Stede has no idea where these thoughts or sentences are coming from, but he cannot—and will not—stop.
Ed whines and rapidly taps on Stede’s thighs, worrying him.
Stede sits up straight away and scootches to see Ed, and oh, what a sight he is. His face is an absolute mess; his lips, beard, and nose shine wetly with spit.
“Fuck, Stede,” Ed gasps. “Need you… need you on my cock now… not gonna last…”
Stede doesn’t think twice. He grabs the oil vial from the shelf and crawls down Ed’s body to his waist. His hands quake with desire as he pours too much over Ed’s dick. It doesn’t matter. None of it matters so long as Ed is inside him.
A small voice in Stede’s mind says he’s not prepped enough and needs more stretching, but he absolutely cannot care a fuck about that right now. He steadies himself over Edward’s cock and lowers himself down. The initial push is divine; he’s so loose from Ed’s expert tonguing, but as he sinks further—
“Oh, fuck, Ed,” Stede swears to the heavens. “You’re so big, feel like I’m going to split in two.”
“Slow down, then, Stede,” Ed says as he runs his hands up Stede’s thighs.
“No, no,” Stede smirks. “Feels incredible, like you’re forcing me open to fit only you.”
The blessing of this position is that Stede can see Ed’s face and all his gorgeous expressions. Ed stares at him with hooded eyes, his mouth slightly agape, a slight twitch in his left cheek. His hair is spread around his head like the most perfect halo.
“You like fucking me, Edward,” Stede continues. “Like having your cock inside me.”
“Yes…” Ed groans once Stede is fully seated on Ed’s dick. Stede places his hands on Ed’s stomach for balance, taking a moment to appreciate how far they’ve come. They’ve never been in this position before; it never occurred to them with all their notions about what sex is supposed to be.
Stede loves it.
“Oh, Ed, this position is exquisite,” he says as he starts to ride Ed, fucking himself on his hard cock. “You’re so deep.”
“Yeah?” Ed whispers, egging him on.
“Yeah,” Stede answers. “My glorious plaything.”
Ed writhes beneath him, moaning brokenly.
“You love being my plaything,” he continues. “Pleasing me just the way I desire. You would do anything I ask if it made me come.”
“Oh, fuck, Stede, yes,” Ed sighs. “Always.”
Stede bounces on Ed’s cock like he was born to do it. He chases the glide of Ed inside him, occasionally brushing his prostate, creating tiny sparks in his body. He leans down to kiss Ed, their lips colliding in messy, desperate passion. Ed thrusts his hips upward at this angle, his hips smacking hard against Stede’s ass. Stede groans at the sinful sound; this is fucking, pure and simple.
Ed’s breathing grows shallower, and his abdominals tense under Stede’s hands. His fingers flex on Stede’s thighs, inching closer to his cock. God, this is not going to last very long. They’re both too close to the edge.
“Touch me, Edward,” Stede says, sitting up. “Make me spend on your beautiful chest.” He needs to see.
Instantly Ed wraps a hand around Stede, who chokes on a gasp. Ed jerks him so well, the pleasure building rapidly in Stede’s belly.
“Oh, fuck! Oh, shit, Ed!” Stede yells as he ejaculates forcefully across Ed’s stomach, watching his cum land as far up as his nipples.
Stede barely gets a moment to appreciate his work before Ed holds him by the waist and fucks him hard and fast. He is singularly focused.
“Yes, yes, Edward,” Stede rasps. “Come inside me. Fill me up. Bloat me with your seed—”
Ed’s eyes widen in surprise before snapping shut.
“FUCK!” he shouts like he’s been punched in the gut. His body seizes, and he comes deep in Stede, who groans in immense pleasure. He loves having Ed’s cum inside him, a filthy reminder of who he belongs to, mind, body, and soul.
Once Ed’s orgasm passes, he collapses into the mattress, boneless and spent. Stede climbs off his lap to join him. Ed curls into him, wrapping his arm around his waist and kisses him sweetly. Stede hums contently as he pulls Ed closer. After a moment or two, Ed chuckles.
“What’s so funny, darling?” Stede whispers worried he missed out on a joke.
“Your dirty talk, mate,” Ed says through more laughter.
Stede’s stomach sinks. “I–I didn’t think—”
“Oh, oh no, Stede,” Ed assures him, his eyes soft and happy as he clasps Stede’s hand. “It was fucking brilliant. Didn’t think you had it in you. ‘Bloat me with your seed’ is like, the fucking dirtiest thing you’ve ever said and only like, ten minutes prior, you said my face was made to be your seat.”
Stede feels his blush spread down his cheeks to his neck. He was in such a fugue state he doesn’t remember the words that came out of his mouth. Yet he can’t stop grinning, matching Ed’s delighted smile.
“You usually say really nice things. Encouraging. Makes me wonder what you’ve really been thinkin’ when we fuck,” Ed muses.
“Well…” Stede says sheepishly. “Just… a lot more of that, I suppose.”
“I love it. I love you.” Stede has never seen Ed so alert and excited after an orgasm. “You’re so creative and sexy. And a great power bottom.”
Stede giggles. “Thank you, my love. I was certainly in my element.”
“Yes, you were.” Ed says between sweet kisses. “Can’t wait til it’s my turn to power-bottom.”
Oh. Oh.
Suddenly Stede’s mind floods with the image of Ed perched in his lap with his long mane cascading down his back, beautiful muscles shifting beneath his tattooed skin, and mouth-watering erection bobbing between his legs as he rides Stede’s cock, his expression one of pure bliss.
If Stede were a younger man, round two would be imminent.
“I can’t wait either,” Stede murmurs as he leans in to kiss Ed passionately. Ed hums contently, scooting closer. Stede closes the gap by wrapping an arm around him, so their chests are pressed together. Unfamiliar wetness sticks to his torso, and that’s when they both remember. Stede grimaces. Ed laughs.
“We should get you cleaned up,” Stede says.
Ed sighs. “I suppose. But maybe in a minute. I’d like to lay here with you, if that’s alright?”
Stede smiles and settles back down. “Of course, darling. Anything for you.”
“Lucius! Lucius!” Stede calls from the captains’ quarters.
Instead, Oluwande opens the door to find Blackbeard lounging on the couch and Stede sipping his tea in a nearby chair.
“Oh!” Stede says as he sets down his teacup and stands. “Oluwande, good morning. Where’s Lucius? Is everything alright?”
“He’s actually feeling a bit under the weather,” Olu explains. “Like, puking his guts up and stuff. Something about rancid coconut, I think.” It was hard to get an answer through all the puking.
Stede wrinkles his nose. “Ah. That’s not good.”
“Rancid coconut’s gotten me a coupla times,” Blackbeard says. “Nasty stuff.”
“So I figured, as a proper mate, I’d come see what you needed or if I could relay a message to ’im.”
Stede furrows his brow in confusion. “Well, obviously we want to go over today’s agenda but you don’t know how to write.”
“No, I do not. Is that all?” That couldn’t be it if Stede is asking for Lucius before the regular time.
“And maybe thank him for his guidance?”
“Guidance for what?”
As soon as the words escape Olu’s mouth, he realizes he has made a huge mistake.
“Well,” Stede says coyly.
Blackbeard pleads quietly, “Stede, don’t—”
But he presses on. “Turns out, someone here is an excellent power bottom.” The wink Stede gives him makes Olu's soul leave his body.
“Stede…” Blackbeard sighs as he rubs his face in embarrassment.
“What? He asked!”
Yup. A massive fucking mistake.
“Congratulation, sirs,” Olu says, regretting every life decision he’s ever made that led him to his moment. “Very happy for you and your—” Regretting every second. “—power bottoming.”
“Thank you, Oluwande. It was truly an enchanting evening we seek to replicate, perhaps in the opposite arrangement,” Stede informs him.
Blackbeard swings his legs off the couch and steps between Stede and Oluwande.
“Alright, that’s more than enough information,” Blackbeard mumbles gruffly as he shuffles Olu toward the door. “Thank you, you’re dismissed, and say nothing about this to anyone.”
“Aye, captain. Not a problem,” Olu nods respectfully and leaves the room.
Once the door is shut behind him, he tries to silently shake the grossness out, muttering, “Never again. Never fucking again.”