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“Blackbeard demands an audience,” Izzy calls out. Ed can hear his stern rasp float across the air, where he’s leaning against the mast, arms crossed and out of sight, on the Queen Anne. Izzy is on the ship beside them, the two of them connected by a single wide plank hooked to both railings.
The Revenge. She’s as unique and fancy as they say. Her crew is even more intriguing. Ed pushes off the mast and extends his spyglass, walking towards the stairs so he can get a better look. Some of the crew on the other deck look nervous. Smart of them. Some of them, however, seem entirely unphased by Izzy’s declaration. Less smart.
But certainly interesting.
The name Blackbeard imposes fear into the hearts of all merchants, sailors, and pirates alike that they cross paths with. Ed’s made a name for himself out here; he practically owns these waters. He doesn’t even need to show his face. Hence why Izzy is over there, not himself. And it’s all so fucking boring.
Some of these pirates aren’t scared, though. In fact, they’re regarding Izzy with an annoyed impatience that would be comical if it weren’t so surprising. Ed supposes it makes sense. After all, their captain sure has made a name for himself too. It’s why they’re here after all.
The Gentleman Pirate… Ed’s heard some tall tales in his time and has been at the center of many of them himself, but the things they say about The Gentleman Pirate are just as outlandish. Folks talk in hushed whispers at port as though they’re speaking of a legend. Some say his body is made of mist and fire. Others say he’s twelve feet tall. People speak of him as though he’s a siren, and that the entire crew are trapped under his influence.
Blackbeard is known as history’s most ruthless and brilliant tactician, one who is thorough and leaves behind no trace. On the flip side, The Gentleman Pirate is known as a slippery magpie, always seeking out treasure and somehow leaving every crew unharmed, disoriented.
Ed’s absolutely fascinated by the guy. He has to meet him.
After weeks of trying, they finally caught sight of the Revenge and followed her trail. The winds were kind to them this week, thank fuck. Now, Ed stands here mentally demanding Izzy to not screw this up for him.
“The Gentleman Pirate doesn’t grant audience,” one of the crew says, a younger man with sideburns and the most unimpressed expression Ed’s ever seen on a person. Ed can barely suppress the amused snort at someone addressing Izzy that way.
“This audience is with Blackbeard,” Izzy spits out harshly.
“I don’t care if it’s with His Royal Highness’ grandmum,” the boy says, looking Izzy up and down with an arched eyebrow. “It’s not happening.”
Izzy sputters indignantly. Ed can tell he’s one irritated moment away from stomping his foot on the deck furiously. “Now listen here—”
“THE Blackbeard? Why, of course!”
This new voice cuts through the air, causing everyone on the deck of the Revenge to freeze. Ed blinks, looking everywhere his spyglass can possibly reach to find the source of this voice, with no luck. Instead, he sees another of the crew—a gentle-looking guy in an orange beanie—frown and turn to take a few rushed steps towards a door that Ed guesses leads to the Captain’s Cabin.
“Boss, are you sure?” He asks, though Ed can barely make out the words.
“Yes I’m sure!” The nebulous voice says excitedly. “I won’t deny the Legendary Blackbeard an audience!”
Ed feels his heart pound and he grins. Damn right he won’t. The Gentleman Pirate sounds cheerful, which Ed supposes is to be expected, based on his name. He must ask how he’s able to project like this. Ed could absolutely use a trick like that.
“A smart decision,” Izzy smirks, lifting his chin triumphantly. “Prepare yourse—”
“I’m afraid my invitation only extends to Blackbeard himself,” the Gentleman Pirate interrupts again. “So very sorry, uh… What was your name? Iggy? I must ask you to go back to your ship. And I’m afraid I must ask you to disembark for a while too.”
“Are you mad?!” Izzy snaps, looking back and forth at the crew, who either look away or just shrug.
Right, that’s his cue.
“Heeeey,” Ed says loudly, dropping his spyglass and skipping over to the railing. All eyes turn to him immediately, a mixture of surprise, nervousness, and confusion on everyone’s faces.
“E—Boss!” Izzy hisses through gritted teeth, barely catching himself before dropping Ed’s actual name. Good. Ed narrows his eyes in warning as he hops up on the plank.
“You heard the generous captain, Iz,” he says, hooking his thumbs through his belt loops and striding across the plank, oozing as much confidence and authority as he can muster. “Let’s respect his wishes. Back on the ship, give us some distance.”
He hops down onto the deck of the Revenge with a heavy thunk as his boots hit the wood. Izzy’s at his side in seconds, leaning close enough to whisper under his breath.
“Are you fucking mad?” Izzy asks with a growl. “This is a fucking trap.”
Ed reaches up and pats Izzy on the shoulder, which only seems to irritate his first mate even more. He’s gotta get Izzy to relax some.
“I’m not a defenseless maiden,” he says back, getting more serious. “And I’m not an idiot. Go back to the ship, Iz. Sail a few miles out until I signal. That’s an order.”
Izzy stands there, locking eyes with Ed for a few beats. He looks as though he wants to push back, but he’s smart enough to not do it in front of a strange crew. The disrespect would be detrimental to everything they’ve built and be enough for Ed to exact swift punishment to keep him in line. He lets out a soft growl low in his throat, but huffs through his nose and steps to the side of Ed, storming over to the plank and going back to the Queen Anne.
“Right then, hi all,” Ed greets with a smile. It disarms them, having most likely expected him to come in guns blazing. But he’s a guest on this ship, being granted an audience from another renowned captain; of course he’s going to put on his best behavior. He scans the ship, noting every face and every escape.
“Okay, well…” Sideburns says slowly, clearly unsure about what to do now. “I guess… come with me? Blackbeard, sir?”
“Gladly.” Ed reaches for his belt and settles a hand on the butt of his gun hanging there, in clear view of everyone. A silent, casual reminder that he’s still Blackbeard, and they better respect his presence.
He follows the boy to the door the other crew member had approached previously, pushing it open and pausing to check that Ed was behind him before continuing down the small hall. Ed feels a heaviness in the air, a tension that he chalks up to anticipation as they turn a corner and head for an inner door. They pause, and the boy rolls his shoulders before knocking.
“Come in!” The voice calls out. It’s bright with excitement, and Ed finds it surprisingly charming. He presses his lips together tightly to keep from smiling.
The boy looks back at Ed and then pushes open the door. Ed immediately clocks how massive the cabin is, and a chandelier hangs overhead. It’s well-lit, and yet has an odd obscurity to it. Ed is absolutely fucking burning with questions. He wonders if the Gentleman Pirate will be willing to reveal some of his secrets. Maybe Ed could reveal some in return.
Ed steps in after the boy, who steps to the side, and he glances around the room in search of the captain. Instead, he’s met with smoke; the cause behind the obscurity he’d noticed before. Ah, that makes sense then. Nice. He waits for a moment, but when no one speaks or moves, Ed lifts his chin.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me,” he says, injecting all the authority and experience he has into his voice.
“Oh, it’s an honor,” the voice says eagerly, less booming now that they’re in the same room. Ed can hear footsteps in front of him, slow and heavy foot falls that make his heart skip. More smoke billows up, settling in a thick cloud a few arms’ length in front of him. “The chance to meet with Blackbeard? Oh, I’d be a fool to pass that up.”
“So you’ve heard of me, hmm?” Ed asks, smirking. A tease, a power play. Of course the Gentleman Pirate has heard of him. Everyone on these waters has.
“Oh yes,” the Gentleman Pirate says, his voice dipping into something smoother. It makes Ed’s blood fizzle. In front of him, there’s movement, and suddenly Ed can make out a shape in the smoke. The smoke sways, and the shape grows larger.
Much larger.
Ed’s eyes widen in surprise as a footsteps into view. Blue heels, white textured stockings stretched taut around very thick legs, except… No. That’s not right, and yet… Well, it surely can’t be what it fucking looks like, right? No way.
Ed lifts his gaze as the Gentleman Pirate emerges, and suddenly his entire world is tilting on its axis. Ed, who’s a smart fucking guy thank you very much, who’s well-traveled and well-read, can’t find an explanation for the figure standing in front of him. Those aren’t shoes, but bright blue hooves, and legs that seem to be covered in shimmering white scales, not stockings. A figure that towers over him, taller than anyone Ed’s seen before, adorned in flowing orange and yellow silk and expensive pearls, skin decorated with hair and more scales.
“I’ve heard all about you,” the Gentleman Pirate purrs.
Their eyes meet. Ed’s eyes widen as he sees the Gentleman’s piercing gaze and slit pupils. His mouth is open as he takes in the sight of the teal and white ears that look horse-like, and the three curved, gorgeous teal horns sprouting from his head. The horns are surrounded by perfectly styled golden blonde hair and have more pearls hanging from them. The Gentleman doesn’t have a mustache, more of a set of flowing teal whiskers that seem to hold themselves up, and poking out from his smile is a sharp fang nestled alongside his teeth.
Ed blinks. He closes his mouth and swallows, unable to speak. His eyes don’t leave the Gentleman’s, and smoke swirls around him, as if being drawn into his orbit. Ed feels himself being drawn in too, the desire to take a step forward almost overwhelming, to reach out and make sure he’s not fucking dreaming right now.
The Gentleman’s expression shifts, pinching in and losing the smooth confidence from before. A dry cough slips free. He tries to school his expression again but coughs again, and the Gentleman is lifting a scale-covered hand up to his mouth and nose. He breaks eye contact, glancing to the side as he tries to suppress a few more coughs.
“Oh damn,” the Gentleman says in a strained voice. “I was trying to look cool.”
Ed watches as the Gentleman glances past him, looking to the side where he assumes the boy is still standing. Ed turns to glance as well and sees the boy looking at his captain with an exasperated expression.
“Was it cool, Lucius?”
“Mmm, not quite.” Lucius gives the Gentleman what looks to be an almost mocking pout, tilting his head. “But almost.”
Ed begs to differ actually, because that was cool as fuck. The Gentleman Pirate and Lucius are chatting comfortably now, sniping back and forth about the smoke being the problem, and Ed continues to stand there absolutely awestruck. The Gentleman taps his fingers together nervously, as though he can’t stop fidgeting; a very human gesture for someone who’s definitely not.
“Anyway!” The Gentleman says, cutting off whatever Lucius was about to say and clapping his hands together in front of him. That’s when Ed notices his fingers, teal in color with nails that are sharp enough that they look like proper claws. He spins to face Ed, and Ed feels completely knocked off kilter all over again. “You can go now, Lucius.”
Lucius says something that Ed doesn’t hear, and then behind him, there’s the sound of a door opening and closing. The air immediately feels different somehow, now that the two of them are alone. Two captains, two legends, one human.
“Would you like some tea?” The Gentleman asks, turning and striding across the room through the dissipating smoke with renewed confidence. Ed can’t help but notice the way his thigh muscles flex with each step, wider and thicker than any set of thighs Ed’s ever laid eyes on. He finally notices the teal hair on the sides of his thighs, and he’s fascinated by the way the pearls and silk hanging from his waist sway as he walks. “Or some whiskey?”
He’s gone over to a drink cart sitting next to a large sofa in the middle of the room. He turns his back to Ed—a shockingly bold (or stupid) move for someone who’s alone in a room with a strange pirate, one who has weapons in clear view on his waist—and that’s when Ed notices the tail. It’s long and thick, with more teal hair trailing down the back and covered in the same shimmering scales, with a massive teal tuft at the end. It looks strong, much like his legs do, and yet also… soft. Everything about the Gentleman Pirate seems strong yet soft, and it makes Ed feel lightheaded.
“Whiskey please,” he says hoarsely, finally remembering what words are. The Gentleman chuckles, already picking up an expensive-looking glass decanter.
“Thought that might be your preferred choice,” he says, pouring the amber liquid into an equally expensive-looking glass. “Please, sit where you like. I’m sure you have questions.”
Ed snorts, he can’t help it. No shit he has questions. Glancing around, he clocks a drafting table with a large wooden chair, the sofa itself, and two plush chairs as options. He takes one of the chairs, one that’s angled close to the sofa, and sits down.
“I requested a meeting for us to have the chance to speak face to face, one well-renowned pirate captain to another,” he says, watching the Gentleman. He’s impressed by the way all the silk fabric hanging from his waist falls, covering the more intimate parts of him without slipping, but only just. Ed doesn’t intend to stare, but when he’s sitting here and at just the right height to really see the shape of the Gentleman’s thighs and what he assumes to be the curve of his ass…
Ed can’t help but appreciate the sight. He shifts in his chair and tears his gaze away, clearing his throat. “But, well, you can imagine I’ve been caught a bit off guard.”
“Yes, well.” The Gentleman turns, eyes shining as he smiles and hands Ed a glass. “There’s a reason I don’t take audiences normally. But you, Blackbeard, are far from normal. It’s an honor.”
He turns back and picks up a second glass, and then sits down on the sofa, crossing his legs. Ed grips his glass tightly as he takes a sip. It burns nicely, and he lets it sit on his tongue for a moment before swallowing it down with an appreciative hum. It makes the Gentleman smile.
“It seems some of the tales folks say about you are a bit less outlandish than mine, Gentleman Pirate.”
“Please, call me Stede.” Shifting, Stede leans against the side of the sofa and reaches an arm out in Ed’s direction, offering his hand. “Stede Bonnet.”
Ed glances down at the offered hand, and then leans forward and takes it. They shake. Stede’s grip is warm, his palms soft and a bit sweaty, and when Ed curls his fingers around he feels the roughness of the scales on the back of Stede’s fingers. It’s a mixture of sensations, and Ed feels his heart rate spike.
“Ed Teach,” he says. Stede offered up his name, it’s only fair he does the same. After all, even though everything he had in mind for this meeting has flown completely out the window, one thing remains: he sought Stede out to meet him as a pirate captain, not a legend. He sees no need for them to use titles.
As they let go, Ed can feel Stede’s nails slide lightly against his palm. It’s clearly an unintentional touch, but it sends a shiver down Ed’s spine as they both sit back. Ed crosses one leg over the other, suddenly feeling a bit hot under the collar. He glances down at his whiskey and swallows thickly, before bringing the glass to his lips and taking a significantly larger sip than before.
“Ed,” Stede says, his voice soft as though he’s touched to know. He tilts his head, and the pearls hanging from his horns sway. He taps the edge of his glass, and his tail gently hits the cushion next to him. “I think it’s only fair to address the elephant in the room, as it were.”
“I’ll admit I was having a bit of a time figuring out how to ask,” Ed says with a laugh, feeling his cheeks warm. “You’re… not at all what I expected.”
Not in a bad way.
“Yes, I’m sure you were expecting a human,” Stede says with a shrug, speaking as casually as if they were talking about the weather. “When I am very clearly not. I appreciate that you did not react unkindly towards me, Ed. When my crew first saw, they certainly were a mixed bag.”
“So, your whole crew knows?” Ed lowers his leg back to the floor and leans forward.
“Of course.” Stede nods. “We couldn’t operate the way we do if they didn’t. All of them are invaluable to me, both as crewman and as people.”
“Mental,” Ed whispers. “Sorry, this is just. Fascinating. So, what are you?”
He wonders if that’s too blunt, but Ed’s higher functions are kinda hindered right now in the midst of this shock. Stede doesn’t seem insulted or phased, though, just smiling and shifting his legs, uncrossing them only to cross the other one over now.
“I’m what’s known as a kirin, though on this side of the world, less known, I must admit. I’m… Well…”
“I know of kirin,” Ed says. Stede blinks in surprise; clearly, he expected to have to launch into some explanation, which makes sense. It’s not like he’s a mermaid or kraken, or any one of the more common fabled creatures on these waters.
“Oh, wonderful!” Stede smiles brightly. The way it lights up his whole face is something wonderful, and it makes Ed feel lightheaded again. “I should have known. You are brilliant, after all. Everyone says so.”
Ed feels himself preen a bit under the praise. It’s true but hearing Stede say it does something pleasant inside of Ed’s brain. Pushing that aside, though, his mind starts racing about what he’s read about kirin. It’s wild, not just meeting what is supposed to be a mythological creature entirely, but especially this particular kind of mythological creature. Person. Pirate Captain. Fucking hell.
“Surprised that you became a pirate, of all things,” he says carefully, chewing on his bottom lip, thinking. “Everything I’ve read about kirin discusses purity, goodness, serenity. Not that I’m saying you’re not, but all of that’s pretty impossible to find out here on these waters.”
Stede taps the side of his nose and smiles, scooting up on the sofa and leaning forward. “Yes, but the adventure was just too attractive to pass up! Besides, you must know better than most, every pirate captain captains pirates differently. Traditionally, yes, piracy is a culture of abuse. Floggings, chaos, kidnapping—but my thought is why? And also, what if it weren’t like that?”
Ed blinks. Stede looks absolutely delighted, and he doesn’t know whether to find it endearing or absurd. He guesses it’s a bit of both. As wild as it is, though, it makes a strange kind of sense. Every single raid that the Revenge does leaves behind unharmed crew, intact ships, just… missing treasure.
“Huh.”
Ed doesn’t know what to say. His head is spinning all over again for a multitude of reasons. He watches as Stede sets his glass down and stands, walking over to him. Ed straightens in his chair and looks up, admiring the way Stede fucking towers over him, eyes shining, and holds a hand down for him to take.
“Wanna do something weird?”
Ed glances at Stede’s hand, before slowly dragging his gaze up the entirety of him. Stede looks down at him with unmistakable wonder. Grinning, Ed nods, taking Stede’s hand and squeezing. “Abso-fucking-lutely I do.”
Art by Tsutsuya