Chapter Text
Stede Bonnet, named for his pirate ancestor, was being dragged towards a room where he was going to meet the person he was to marry. His father opened the door, shoving him into the small drawing room. The house they were in technically belonged to Stede, having been left to him after his maternal grandfather’s passing. His father, the spiteful man that he was, didn’t allow Stede to reside there. It was too much wealth for a soft, pathetic excuse of a man – or so his father told him every chance he could.
The door slammed closed, rattling the hinges. It made Stede jump in fright. As he turned from the only point of escape, knowing it was pointless trying to run away, he set eyes on the only other person in the room. It was a tall, dark, leather clad man with long hair already going grey. The man stood straight, his back to the room projecting an air of indifference. Stede swallowed hard. This was the person he was supposed to marry. There was something wild about that man that called to him, drawing him closer.
Edward “Blackbeard” Teach had been living the high life. His regular job was tending bar at a seedy back ally club that catered to all sorts of types. That was the profession he had for the government at least. In reality, he ran a crew of thieves that pulled jobs all over the world and were never caught. Then, one evening, he’s at the bar, and in walks his uncle, telling him about some whacked out deal his dead dad made that now he has to live up to. Ed had to get married. To some stranger. At first, he was annoyed, then, he was intrigued.
A few days later, Ed found himself standing in a well appointed drawing room in an old plantation house awaiting the arrival of his intended. The manor was old, dating back to the 1700’s at least, or so he assumed from the architecture. Old money. Very old. A door opened, someone stumbled in, and then the door slammed. Ed forced himself to remain still. He was used to displays of violence. Power moves to maintain dominance. He’d used them many times himself to keep his enemies in line.
“Hi…”
Ed let the small, soft voice wash over him. He could hear a note of fear that broke his heart. There was a quick flash of desire that made him want to soothe away the fear. He was meeting a total stranger for the time; he shouldn’t be feeling things like that. Turning, Ed got another shock – but a good one. The stranger before him was shorter than him, pale skin, soft wavy honey colored blond hair down to his shoulders with whisps of orange streaks through it, and shy eyes. It drew him across the room. This was who he was going to marry, a small man in blue jean, sandals, and a trim baby blue t-shirt that hugged his slender frame. “I’m Ed,” he introduced himself, holding out his hand.
“I’m Stede,” he responded, taking Ed’s hand, feeling the warm press of his palm against his own. Up close, he could see the other man had a few days’ worth of beard growth on his handsome face. It was going grey too. His black t-shirt sported a few holes around the collar and had THE QUEEN ANNE’S REVENGE across the chest in faded white letters.
“So, we’re going to get married, huh?” Ed teased, wanting to put Stede at ease. He could see fear in those gentle eyes, and he wanted nothing more than to make it go away.
“I guess so,” Stede responded shyly. There was something about Ed that made him feel safe. He hadn’t had that in his life – not since his grandfather’s passing.
Ed could see this place was making Stede nervous. “You wanna get out of here?” he asked, wagging his brows. His intended nodded adamantly. “Okay, you gotta trust me first.” Another eager nod. Ed kept hold of his hand, leading the way to the window. The ornate molding around the window seemed out of place to him, which told Ed that it concealed a mechanism of some sort. He let go of Stede’s hand so he could inspect the Tudor style roses.
Stede moved in close to Ed’s hand, gripping his shirt. He was afraid his father would come in any minute and stop them. The man was nothing if not controlling. It was what killed Stede’s mother. She had taken her own life just to get away from Jedidiah Gains. The Bonnet wealth hadn’t gone to Jedidiah when Elizabeth died. It went to Stede. That was another reason for him to be hated by his own father.
Ed could feel the tension rising in Stede. It made him work faster. “Ah, gotcha,” he mumbled. He found the one rose that stood out from the others. Pressing the center, it triggered a mechanism, and a section of the nearby bookcase popped open. Reaching back, he took Stede’s hand and said, “Let’s get out of here.”
Stede didn’t hesitate. Keeping his hand in Ed’s, he let the man he was going to marry pull him into the secret passage. It was dark, filled with cobwebs, and so much dust, he wanted to sneeze. Ed never let go of his hand as he pulled out his phone and turned on the flashlight app. It illuminated the short passage as they walked. Coming to an end, they had to turn left, and then descend a few stairs. “I think we’re in the cellar,” Stede whispered.
Ed nodded in agreement. They reached a door and he had to let go of Stede’s hand to open it. The hinges protested loudly as he muscled the aged wood open. Once they were out of the passage Ed looked around, seeing that they were actually in the cellar. He shut off the flashlight and then put his phone back in his pocket.
Stede closed the door as quietly as possible. One squeak had him freezing in place, suddenly terrified it would draw his father right to them. Then, Ed was there, his hands covering his, giving him a small squeeze. “Sorry…” he apologized looking away.
Ed knew abuse when he saw it. Stede had been abused in his life and it made Ed want to stomp the face of the fucker who had dared to do such a thing to a soft human. That sudden urge startled him. They were still strangers. It didn’t stop him from making this promise. “I know we don’t know each other, but I swear I will never make you afraid of me.”
Stede didn’t know what made him believe Ed, but he did. He placed his hand flat down on Ed’s chest, his fingers curling into the black fabric. Slowly, he nodded. Ed drew him in against his body, wrapping his arms around him. Stede embraced him in return, sighing happily.
*~*~*~*~*
Outside, Ed stood by his black kowasaki ninja motorcycle. He had his helmet in his hands and asked, “Have you ever ridden a big bike before?”
“No,” Stede answered, eying the intimidating machine.
“Want to?” Ed asked, holding out his helmet.
“No,” Stede mumbled, shaking his head. “I’ll take my car,” he added demurely.
“Another time then,” Ed responded, nonplused about Stede’s reaction. He could see he was going to have to ease him into things.
“Stede Bonnet, you pathetic excuse for a son, get back in this house!” A thunderous voice boomed.
Stede jumped behind Ed, immediately ashamed for being so terrified. He was in his thirties. He should be able to stand up to such a bully.
“Babe, get in your car,” Ed said, calling Stede ‘babe’ without even thinking about it. “Start driving and I’ll be right behind you.” He marched across the lawn, his racing helmet still in his right hand. Ed used it to stop Stede’s father in his tracks, pushing it right against the other man’s barrel chest.
Stede didn’t hesitate. He got in his car but didn’t start driving. His eyes watched the spectacle behind him in the rearview mirror. Whatever Ed was saying made his father angry. Stede could see the red color in Jedidiah’s cheeks – knowing a fist to the face wasn’t too far off in Ed’s future. Stede wished he had the courage to stop this. Then, he saw something he’d never seen in his life. His father backed down. Whatever Ed had said made the color leave his father’s face.
Ed saw Stede hadn’t listened to him. It was both equal parts cute and annoying. Going to the white BMW, he knocked on the driver’s side window, his silver Flur de Le ring rapping loudly against the glass. It rolled down and he said, “I told you to drive.”
“I wanted to wait for you,” Stede said smally.
Ed smiled softly. “We’re all good now. Start your car and follow me to town,” he said decisively. Life on the island of the former Republic of Pirates was never dull. Ed swung his leg over, shifted the bike, and used his heel to move the kick stand. He fit the key in the ignition bringing the beast to life. Then, he put his helmet on, and set off with Stede’s car following him.
Stede drove, fearfully checking the rearview mirror to see if his father was coming after him. Once they reached Nassau town limits, he found himself relaxing a little. His father hated coming to town. To him it was dirty and overcrowded with tourists indulging in the overhyped pirate mystique of the island. It was petty of him, he knew it, but it warmed his heart to know his father was trapped on Nassau. If he left, then he’d be broke. The money was all in Stede’s name.
Ed pulled up to the curb of a nice little café that he liked to frequent. It was in walking distance of the marina where he lived. He’d take Stede there later, but for right now, he wanted to get the other man something to eat and get a little color back in his cheeks. They definitely needed to talk about what happened and what would happen in their future.
Stede parked his car behind Ed’s bike, turning it off. He got out, going to join the man that had made his father back down. “What now?” he asked shyly.
“We eat,” Ed answered, reaching out to take Stede’s hand. Their fingers laced together naturally, as if they’d done it a hundred times before. Ed didn’t know if he’d get used to this feeling, but he was determined to see this through.
Inside, Stede let Ed guide him to a table at the back. He was taken in by the pirate décor – the mock treasure map, the crossed swords, a helm, and other pirate paraphernalia. His attention was back on Ed when he pulled out a chair for him. He smiled, taking a seat. “This is a nice place,” he said, looking around again.
“I like it,” Ed replied quietly. He signaled the woman at the counter. She waved. He knew it would be a few minutes until she came over. “What do you know about the arrangement we find ourselves in?” he asked diplomatically.
“Nothing,” Stede answered honestly. “I only knew that at some point I was going to marry a stranger.” He was glad that stranger was a handsome rugged rogue in leather. “My father thinks I’m too simple to understand anything about life.”
“He’s a cunt,” Ed snapped, a little growl rumbling in his voice. The sound made Stede flinch. “Damn, broke my promise already,” he mumbled. “I’m sorry…”
“It’s not you,” Stede assured him, reaching out to place his hand over Ed’s. He was trying his best not to react to every little noise. It had taken him over a year to stop looking behind him at every turn, expecting to find his ex waiting to strike.
Ed leveled his gaze with Stede, saying, “I meant what I said. You never have to be afraid of me.” Stede nodded, his honey-colored hair swaying from the motion. Ed wanted to bury his hand in that lustrous mane so bad.
“What do you know about this arrangement?” Stede asked, feeling a little bold under Ed’s accepting gaze.
“From what I know, my dad lost a wager, or some such nonsense. My old man couldn’t pay up and decided to offer me up as a future husband. I saw legal papers about it once but got a headache from all the legalese as I tried to read it,” Ed explained poorly. He had been going through his dad’s stuff after the asshole died and found the envelope that the contract was in. At the time he hadn’t understood what he’d been trying to read and he’d chucked it all in the trash, forgetting about it.
“It sounds so archaic when you say it like that,” Stede commented. He would understand if Ed was looking for a way to get out of – for lack of a better description – arranged marriage.
“Then my dad had the nerve to die and leave me in this position,” Ed responded, annoyed at his father. The man had been a sorry excuse for a human being and an even worse parent and husband. “I turned up at the house today, intent on honoring this debt,” he explained. “I don’t like having things hanging over my head or owing anyone.”
“I understand….” Stede felt rejected and looked down at the tabletop.
“But then I saw you and knew this was going to be more,” Ed continued. Stede’s head shot up, his eyes wide with shock. “You look so fucking precious that I can’t help but want to protect you, to treasure you.” He reached out across the table, holding his hand out to Stede and asked, “Stede, will you marry me?” If he was going to do this, then he was going to do it right.
Stede couldn’t deny the magnetic pull he had towards Ed. It was the most intense connection he’d ever felt in his life. There was this sense that he was staring at his future. “Yes, Ed, I will,” he answered, resting his hand over Ed’s.
The smile that overcame Ed was warm and genuine. “Now that that’s settled,” he commented, drawing his hand back, “we’re going to have a nice lunch and then go home.”
“Okay,” Stede agreed giving Ed another shy smile. “I’ve never eaten here before. What’s good?” he asked.
“Do you trust me?” Ed replied, giving his fiancé a wink.
“Yes,” Stede answered without having to think about it.
*~*~*~*~*~*
After lunch, Ed took Stede by the hand, lacing their fingers together as they walked towards the marina. It was where he made his home and felt connected to his seafaring ancestry. He was descended from the pirates that had called Nassau home when it was the Republic of Pirates. Casting a side long glance at Stede, Ed wondered if he knew the infamy surrounding the Bonnet name. That would be something for them to talk about later. He wanted to get them home.
Stede saw where they were headed. “You live on a boat?” he asked suddenly.
“Something like that” Ed replied, winking playfully. They walked together with Stede hugging his arm, resting his head on Ed’s shoulder. It was all so normal when nothing about their situation was normal.
Stede was trying not to be nervous or afraid of where his life was taking him. Ed had been nothing but amazing and kind and had even stood up to his father. Somehow, he knew that as long as he was with Ed nothing terrible could happen to him. He was going to marry a man who would take on the world for him. Maybe he could learn to be more confident from his leather clad rogue.
They reached the older part of the marina where the bigger boats were moored. At the very end of the dock was where Ed rested his head and called home. It was an honest to God pirate ship that he had had restored and converted with solar power and a water filtration system that most modern yaht’s had.
Stede felt his jaw drop. “You live on a pirate ship,” he stated in a bit of a dreamy fashion.
“It’s the only place suitable for a man named Edward Teach,” Ed responded and took Stede’s hand, pulling him towards home.
On deck, Stede didn’t know where to look first. “Does it sail?” he asked before he thought better of it. He shook his head, feeling stupid. Of course, it doesn’t, it’s not the 1700’s.
“Nah, need a crew for that,” Ed answered. “Even with the modern touches, still need manpower to weigh the anchor and everything else that comes with sailing a glorious ship like this.” The pride was evident in Ed’s voice.
“But it could?” Stede giggled. He was so excited standing on the deck of an actual – modern – pirate ship. It was amazing.
“In theory,” Ed responded. He held out his hand to Stede quite content to know he’d be doing that for the rest of his life. Without hesitation, his fiancé took his hand following him below deck.
Stede wanted to take it all in. “This is brilliant!” he exclaimed. They climbed down the wooden steps, going to the left into a galley. Rows of tables were waiting to be filled with people. Ed guided him down the center aisle towards the kitchen. It was fully stocked with a fridge/freezer, a stove, sink, and center island for meal prep. Stede could already picture himself in here making breakfast.
“If you like this, then you’ll love the captain’s cabin,” Ed teased darkly. He kept his hand in Stede’s drawing him back to the stairs.
There was too much to see. Stede couldn’t believe his eyes when Ed opened the door to the cabin. Walking in, he was in a small sitting area with a black sectional facing a wall with a tv mounted on it. He could imagine himself there, curled against Ed’s side as they watched a movie. Moving further into the cabin, he inevitably found himself standing by a large four poster bed. The mattress was covered in black and purple silks, silver pillows, surrounded by carved dark cherry wood. He was enamored with the sight of the headboard. It had been carved to look like a mythical sea monster. The top two posts had tentacles wrapped around them, and the bottom two posts were made to look like mermen, their tails touching to form the footboard.
“Think you’ll like sleeping here?” Ed asked from behind Stede. Lately, the cabin he become too big for him, too lonely. He tried to fill it with diversions and a series of one-night stands that left him feeling cheap. Then, when he needed it the most, his uncle turned up, telling him to be at the Bonnet house on the east side of the island. It was time to pay the debt his father owed. Stede was everything he hadn’t known he was looking for and failed to find.
“I love it,” Stede answered, glancing at Ed over his shoulder.
Ed smiled and nodded. He went to the cabin door and closed it. For as long as he could manage, he was going to keep his life on the other side of that door. Tonight, it was all about getting to know Stede Bonnet.
“When we were at my house, what did you say to my father?” Stede asked, moving to take a seat on the edge of the king-sized bed.
Ed leaned against the back of the couch so he could take his boots off. He dropped them to the floor and then moved over to the bed. “I told him that if he ever talked to my wife like that again that I’d beat him into the ground,” he answered.
Stede blushed. “Your wife? I like that,” he whispered. Being called Ed’s wife didn’t sound ridiculous when Ed said it. Stede knew he could be demure – unmanly. With Ed, he felt perfectly accepted. It was too quick and yet completely normal at the same time. It didn’t make sense.
“Good,” Ed replied, closing the distance between them. He stood in front of Stede, looking down into his impossibly innocent eyes. Ed had the urge to kiss those soft lips, to taste the sweetness they offered. Pulling back on that desire, he went over to the window, taking a seat on the wide sill. “We should get to know each other,” he decided.
Stede could admit he was a little disappointed that Ed didn’t kiss him. He wanted to feel the scrape of that stubble against his cheeks. “Okay…. What do you want to know?” he asked meekly.
Ed patted the sill next to him. “Come, sit next to me,” he offered with a little smile. One-minute Stede would be happy and all smiles and then the next, it was as if he was trying to make himself impossibly small and quietly unnoticeable. Whatever had happened to him in the past went well beyond his horrible father. “Have you been in a relationship before?” he asked as Stede sat down next to him.
“I had one a few years ago, but it ended,” Stede answered vaguely. He started to pick at the cuticle of his right index finger as she tried not to think of his past relationship. It had been the worst time of his adult life. The joke of it was he actually thought he’d been in love. He was so blind he hadn’t realized he was dying by slow degrees.
Ed reached over, immediately taking one of Stede’s hands, stopping his nervous picking. He wouldn’t ask anymore about that today. Stede had to be comfortable with him, had to trust him before confiding something like that. “My bad, I shouldn’t have asked the real heavy stuff right off the bat,” he said apologetically. “How about something easy? What do you do to fill your day?”
Stede looked down at his hand that Ed held, his thumb rubbing back and forth absentmindedly to comfort him. It worked. He was nearly ready to run out the door and back to the familiar verbal abuse of his father. At least that distracted him from the past and the pain he endured. Turning his attention to Ed, he answered, “I work at a pirate themed inn along the beach.”
“You like doing that?” Ed asked lightly, giving him a little encouraging smile.
“I have friends I work with. It’s nice,” Stede responded softly. “What about you?” he asked, unsure if it was okay to do so. Work was the one place he could pretend to be someone else. Someone undamaged.
“Well, I run the club The Queen Anne’s Revenge, and I tend the bar there,” Ed answered proudly. He was going to make it a point to take Stede there, showing him the business he built. It was a good living but not as lucrative as his real business. For now, he wouldn’t trouble Stede with those details. “Tomorrow, if you’re up for it, I’ll take you there, introduce you to a few of my mates.”
Stede gave him a small shy smile. It felt nice that Ed was already including him in his life and making plans for them. It didn’t stop the old mental wounds from opening, from reminding him that he was broken.
Ed knelt in front of Stede, trying to catch his gaze. “Babe, whatever happened to you in that last relationship, you can tell me when you’re ready. I won’t push, I promise,” he said carefully. He was committed to seeing this arranged marriage through.
“What if I tell you and it makes you change your mind about me?” Stede asked, closing his eyes, noting wanting Ed to see the tears that had risen up. He thought he had moved past crying over someone who had never loved him, who had only seen him as a pet to be tormented.
Ed stood up, reaching out to cup Stede’s face, tipping his head back so their eyes linked. “I’m not going to change my mind. There’s this little voice in the back of my head that says I shouldn’t let you go, and I won’t. Once I put a ring on this finger, that’s it babe, you’re mine and I’m yours. I don’t do divorce. You will be the only marriage I’ll have.”
Stede wrapped his arms around Ed’s waist, hiding his face against his chest. The tears he’d been fighting broke free, soaking into the fabric of Ed’s shirt. One of the last thoughts he had was how good it felt to have Ed’s fingers stroking through his hair.
*~*~*~*~*
Ed had let Stede cry himself into sleep. He would have to be more careful with the questions he asked and the tone in which he asked them. The nervous ticks went far beyond the verbal abuse of his father. Ed surmised that it was from the relationship Stede said he’d been in. He was resolved to show his timid fiancé that not all men were assholes. In truth, Ed was no bastion of temperance. He’d been known to brawl when the mood struck him or if he’d had too much to drink. One thing he prided himself on was never abusing a lover who had chosen to give him their body. For him, pain and pleasure didn’t mix.
After Ed had gotten Stede settled in bed to sleep off the emotional exhaustion he stole himself away in one of the hidden rooms on the ship where he kept valuables from jobs that couldn’t be fenced or that he didn’t want to part with. Studiously, he considered each ring in his collection until he found the one he wanted. It was a slim sliver band inlaid with small diamonds. It was too delicate for someone like him, but for Stede it would be perfect. He put it in his pocket and returned to the bed to watch over his pretty boy.
Awareness was slow to return to Stede. His eyes were sluggish as they fluttered open. A groan rumbled in his chest as he rolled over on his back. The bed was strange. Not his. Panic was quick to come, forcing him up, his eyes wide. Almost immediately, he relaxed when he saw Ed sitting at the foot of the bed watching him. He covered his face, falling back against the mound of pillows. Events of earlier came rushing back – especially him crying his eyes out, clinging to Ed. “I’m sorry…” he mumbled, keeping his eyes covered.
“For what?” Ed asked, moving to sit next to Stede.
“You must think I’m an emotional mess,” Stede muttered, lowering his hands. He looked at Ed, expecting to see irritation. The flickering of the flames cast his face in shadow but showed only a soft acceptance.
“I don’t,” Ed answered softly. “I think you’ve been hurt in your life and I’m going to do whatever I can to give you a future without that.” While he had Stede’s attention, he pulled out the ring. He nodded to Stede’s left hand, waiting for him to hold it out. Slowly, his pretty blond held it out. “I got you a ring to show you I’m serious about this,” he said, sliding the thin silver band down Stede’s finger. It was a perfect fit. Before he let go, he leaned down kissing the ring and the finger.
Feeling a blush rising, Stede took his hand back, eyeing the band, seeing the way the diamonds glinted in the candlelight. He wasn’t going to ask when Ed had time to do that. “It’s perfect,” he whispered, “and I love silver.” It always looked better against his pale skin. At least, he thought so.
Ed smirked, scooting closer, taking Stede’s right hand. “That’s not silver,” he pointed out, using his thumb to fiddle with the gold ring on his right ring finger. To his appraising eye, it looked to be made from an old Spanish doubloon.
Stede sat up, keeping his right hand in Ed’s grasp. “It’s a family heirloom, dating back to the golden age of piracy. Story in the family goes that this ring belonged to my namesake – Stede Bonnet.”
“I like that,” Ed whispered, still moving the ring back and forth.
Curiosity got the better of Stede as he asked, “Are you related to the infamous Blackbeard?”
Ed chuckled, bringing Stede’s hand up, placing a kiss to his knuckles. “I could be,” he answered lightly. “Blackbeard wasn’t a saint and was known to indulge excess and eccentricity,” he joked.
“A good time had by all, was he?” Stede responded and then he realized what he said. “I’m sorry… I shouldn’t…”
“You’re not wrong,” Ed replied, unruffled by the comment. He slid closer to Stede, bracing his right hand on the bed. “My ancestor could be a bit of tart,” he whispered darkly. His lips brushed against Stede’s as he spoke. He was tempted to kiss the blond, wanting to see the way he would respond. At the last second, he pulled back, getting up from the bed. He put a little distance between them so he could get himself under control. If he hadn’t caught himself, he would have kissed Stede, potentially pushing him into something he was ready for physically. Ed had to be more careful for the time being.
Stede touched his bottom lip, feeling it trembling. He’d been expecting Ed to kiss him, and it hadn’t happened. He had wanted Ed to kiss him deeply, to possess his mouth in any way he wanted. That desire nearly overwhelmed Stede. He dropped his hand to his lap and said, “Ed…” The man he was going to marry had his back to him, but that didn’t stop him from asking, “Will you kiss me?”
“Are you sure you’re ready for that?” Ed asked, walking back to the side of the bed. Stede was already sitting up, his legs dangling over the side. He stood between his parted knees, waiting for an answer.
Stede reached up, placing his hand flat on Ed’s chest, fingers curling into the black t-shirt so he could pull him down. Their lips met, softly at first. Then Ed applied a little pressure, kissing Stede down to the mattress. He moaned sweetly, swept up in the power of the kiss. Instinctively, he bought his knees up against Ed’s side. He was losing himself to the leather clad scoundrel between his thighs.
Ed drank down Stede’s moans. He possessed his mouth, infusing him with all the passion that had been rising in him since they met that afternoon. Before he could push Stede into something he wasn’t ready for, Ed forced himself to stop, to pull back under the guise of needing to breathe. “Christ, you kiss like a siren. Absolutely take my breath away…” he chuckled, praising his soon to be spouse.
TBC....