Work Text:
A Bell In Motion
They were standing on the slowly moving deck, and the moonlight was bright on Ed's hair. Bright on his skin, bright on his clothes, bright on his eyes… Making them sparkle. Looking back, this was something that Stede had wanted to do for a long, long time.
To reach out. Feel the hair, and the skin, the clothes. Feel Ed . And feel Ed's eyes on him when he did it.
And for a moment it felt like no time had gone by at all. Like they were still standing there, a few months ago.
But the seasons had changed, as they were known to do. The sea itself, always changing, always new. The moon would rise and sink back behind the horizon. Nothing had changed for them. Not really .
But at the same time, everything had changed. The moon was different now, and the world new, for them at least. He could touch now.
Now, just standing here in this moment, just looking. And knowing . Knowing he could kiss Ed, if he so desired. If Ed so desired. It made his chest hurt something terrible. Like his ribs were a prison for his heart, in the same way the land had been a prison to his spirit and his soul.
Oh, his poor heart. Beating and jumping, and driving blood through his body. Keeping him warm and alive.
Stede knew in this moment, not only his mind, not only his soul was reaching out for this wonderful, terrible man. No, his body as well.
Starting with his heart. As it sent blood into his fingers, the same fingers that were now reaching out.
And, oh it must be a wonderful spell, Ed was reaching out as well. Like a mirror to his own longing. There was a breeze in his hair. And he was so beautiful that it was almost Stede's demise.
It only took a second for them to collide, to press so impossibly close to each other.
He closed his eyes. There was nothing to see now. There was nothing to see that he had not already saved forever in his mind, behind closed eyes.
No painting could have captured this, and so he gently tucked it into his soul, so it should be safe forever.
Only tasting Ed's lips would have been enough nourishment to last him a lifetime. But he could have more . He was allowed more. And he craved , God, he needed .
This was a revelation . This was life and it was death. And if he honoured every single brush of Ed's hand against his, and every look they were fortunate to share, every chaste kiss they had bestowed on each other's lips, he was going to worship this. He was going to find answers to all his questions and soothing to all his worries right here. In a man's arms.
But it did not stay like this, chaste. The sea was not a gentle lover, and this was body and soul, committed to share a space. Share a destiny.
Destiny, Stede thought. And it was, wasn't it?
His destiny. The thing he was made for.
A hand in Ed's hair was no longer enough, the night was cold, and he could feel the magnetic pull taking him in like a man caught in a vicious current. Only when he was pressed flush against Ed's front, he felt safe. And how relieved he was when he found that he was not alone in his mortal desires.
A whisper between hungry lips. A prayer.
“God. God, please. ”
A prayer to Ed, to himself, to the moon, maybe. He barely recognised his own voice like this. It had never sounded like that.
He shuddered as the wind picked up and pulled Ed, his Edward, closer. As close as possible, and closer still. Warmth. Oh, how he needed the warmth. Surely, even Icarus, melting his wings right before the sun's eyes, could not have found such warmth as he did here, in this moment.
He pushed himself up, just a little, leaned in even more. Just to taste. Just so Ed could take only a bit more of his weight. So Stede would feel steady, maybe. It felt like the breeze was going to take him with it.
Ed stumbled, but caught himself quickly, not wanting to part. Just as desperate to touch. At the very edge of Stede's awareness, he thought he could hear the faint sound of the little bell ring through the night.
By now their lips were wet, he couldn't feel the weather-cracked edges anymore. Their tongues tasting each other, deep.
They couldn't let go. Stede pushed his hand further into Ed's hair, scratching over his scalp right above the slight of his nape. He pulled lightly to give them space to breathe. Just for a second, he thought, any longer and he would surely freeze to death. Separated from this heat. But once he caught Ed's eyes, he felt like a statue. Unable to move.
And he held Ed there, just a few inches from his face. They were still breathing together, so close, their mouths drawing from each other's air. Frantic, fast, too hot. Stede was surprised that their breath didn't steam in the air.
“Stede…”
And it sounded like a plea.
“But do you know what you are asking of me, my heart?”
He wanted to sound calm, self-assured. He didn't. His voice was shaking. He barely contained himself, his body, from moving closer, yet again.
So much closer. God, so much warmer .
“Because…I could hold back tonight. We could do this slowly, and by God , I would do right by you. If you pull back now, if you pull back ever , I shall not make it your burden to carry. I should take you to beaches, to eat fine things, to gift you soft clothes.”
He slowly let his hand, the one that wasn't still tangled tightly in Ed's hair, wander down the slightly scratchy cloth that covered his skin. And how he hated that cloth now, knowing just how beautiful this man's skin could shine under the pale-silver light of the moon.
“And I would take my time, years, if you needed them… If you asked it of me!”
Impossible to imagine such a thing, with the way his body was singing now. The way Ed's wide eyes still pleaded with him. The way that Stede's heart was still beating, reaching out, using his body as a tool to breach the distance. His hands already touching…
“But if you allow it, I shall not leave you cold tonight. If you allow it, I will take you with me, hide you away under the deck, lie you down in my sheets. If you allow me, I shall have you.”
Stede's voice turned low and airy, it was a confession, a conviction, when he repeated.
“I shall have you!”
And for a moment, there was only the wood groaning, the wind getting caught in the sails. Just for a second, his words hung between them, between their lips.
“Then have me, Stede Bonnet!”
There was fire in moonlit eyes now. Determination. Courage.
“You've already taken my heart, my soul, and my god-damned dignity, so take me with you now. And don't you dare let me go!”
Their lips met again, desperately, with purpose now, before Stede pulled them apart again, starting towards the stairs. Hand still grasping Ed's hair.
And Ed was following him, shaky steps, his knee not bending right, not cooperating. On the second step, Ed hissed a hateful curse at it, slapping his hand against the offending knee.
“Are you in pain?”
“It's fucking fine, it's no problem!”
Stede came to a stop. Pain was decidedly not part of his plan tonight. Well, maybe a little, but not like this.
“It may not be a problem, but I do have a solution! I may not, by any standards, be a gentleman pirate still, but there is really no need to leave my manners behind with my status.”
There was a surprised sound, when he lifted Ed off of his feet. Carrying him. Like a bride, Stede thought hotly. Like my bride. Like my man.
Like mine.
A sentiment he did not express aloud, but one that seemed apparent the way that Ed was looking at him with equal parts amusement and arousal.
They reached the room, and Stede slammed his back against the door to close it behind them. No time for finesse, he had to touch skin!
He was hot and greedy and craving. And he would feast now.
“You look so lovely in my sheets. So, so lovely in my bed~”
“Our bed, maybe, if you'd like”, Ed muttered, sounding unsure, but holding aggressive eye-contact.
“Our bed”, Stede's voice too rough. “Where I shall keep you.”
Ed hissed again, furious like a slighted cat, reaching out to him with both of his arms.
And Stede followed, he would have followed anywhere. The promise of Ed's warmth, the sweetest siren-call he could imagine. The only siren-call he could ever see himself follow, even if it should lead him to demise and death.
When their bodies met, belly to belly, face to face, hands in each other's hair, it was like some wrong in the world had suddenly become a right. This was how it was meant to be.
This was the promised paradise, this was foretold in all of the books Stede had read. Paradise and salvation, in this small room, on a ship that had seen more blood than it was ever intended to.
They began kissing again, slowly. Their small trip had cooled them off to some extent. Deep kisses, hot, steamed breath between them. Stede buried even closer, pawing at Ed's chest, pressing his head even closer.
He smelled like the sea and like sweat. Faintly like iron. There was no lavender, and no fine oils that Stede thought he could prefer over this. This was real, and rough. His heart sang.
Ed had started making small noises, deep in his throat. As if his breath was too big, catching against gravel when trying to escape. Stede's cheeks prickled, the beard scratching him. It was delicious, he pressed closer. Even if he were willing to open his eyes, he would not be able to see anything at all.
Stede's legs were still mostly outside of the bed, he couldn't reach the way he wanted to. Couldn't touch where Ed's body was calling for him. He pushed his thigh between Ed's legs, up on the bed, heaved him higher, and crawled after him. Claiming his lips again.
And now, his hand, finally victorious, found treasure. More worth than gold and crystals, paintings and books. He spread his fingers on Ed's soft, scarred, fuzzy belly. Kneading, revelling in the way that skin and fat gave under his hands. Plush and hot. He couldn't stop himself from taking his nails and scratching lightly along the skin. His reward was a breathless groan, that his own mouth almost swallowed.
His lips felt tender already, his cheeks roughed up. He was burning up.
“Off! Off with that…”
He got rid of it as fast as he could, Ed helped, uncoordinated but determined. He threw it behind him, so he could look at Ed. All the bare skin. And he did.
One knee between Ed's thighs, splayed apart. He was touching parts of Ed's body he couldn't wait to meet. One leg higher over Ed's hip, keeping him down, letting Stede discover him in peace.
Ed cursed and arched his back to kiss him again, but Stede held him down.
“Will you not allow me to look? Will you not allow me to appreciate beauty, the way it was meant to?”
It was true. Ed had never seen beauty like this before. He had not known the meaning of the word. There was no perfection to find here. No cold marble, free of any blemishes. No expressionless statues, frozen in youth before they could live a life at all. No flawless melody drifting over his head to ring out meaningless in the air. No poetic words, sounding out grand ideas and still empty of all truth.
This was real. This had substance. This held the truth. This was beauty.
“But you are glorious, Edward Teach. You truly are~”
There was so much skin, an overwhelming amount, truly. Scars crossed over his belly, ribs, and chest. Raised bumpy skin. Maimed and cut and hurt and bleeding.
And surviving. Healing.
This man in front of him, under him, was strong. A fighter and a survivor. Someone who had lost, and who had won. Had lived a life.
The black ink made his skin appear more golden. The coarse hair on his chest, a delicious sight and a wonderful contrast to the soft hair that covered his belly.
“Will you stop fucking looking at me and do something? Just, Stede… Please? When you look at me like this, I can't… I really can't. It's too much…”
Stede had always liked to see himself as kind, generous, benevolent. Which is why he obeyed, bringing his head down again. But not to Ed's waiting lips. Lower this time, to his neck, his shoulders, his collarbones. Greedy lips on salty, golden skin. Leaving faint marks that would surely be gone when it got bright outside.
Ed's hand cupped his neck and pressed him further into his skin. Guiding him down to his chest.
Soon, he was nuzzling at the hair, breathing in the scent. Licking and sucking here too. Nipping at Ed's breasts, tonguing his nipples. They were hard. They had been because it was cold, now they were because it was hot.
His hands wandered up, helping his task by squishing at the skin, digging into the muscle below, making it easier for his mouth to find purchase. Drawing the nipple and surrounding flesh into his mouth. Sucking, hard.
Under him, Ed flinched, and before Stede could lift himself up, his head was pressed closer against Ed. Two hands in his hair now, pressing his head down while arching into his mouth.
“Fucking… fuck you! How fucking dare you? Oh my…”
“Should I assume that you like this then?” Stede mumbled against hot breath making Ed squirm, before moving his mouth to the other side. Leaving red and tender skin behind. Faintly glistening in the dim light.
“Shut up! I will leave, you hear me?”
Ed's good leg came up to press Stede even closer against him. Caging him. Begging him to stay. His body as greedy as his voice.
“Stop… hah, stop laughing you dick! I mean it! Oh yeah, that's, fuck… ”
“Yes, of course you do~”, Stede assured him, leaving a very pretty purple mark behind. This one would stay beyond the morning light.
Purple, Stede thought, had always been a good colour on Ed.
Their breaths didn't come out quiet anymore.
This wasn't enough. Stede sat back up again, sadly leaving behind the fire-burning heat that had developed between their bodies. Hastily, he fumbled with his shirt. His hands, quickly joined by another pair. He almost ripped it off. Beautiful as it was, it did not hold more importance than their want.
“Fuck, Stede~”. Ed groaned, seeing his bare chest. His head fell back into the sheets. Like he was giving up. Giving in. Giving into the moment, into the night. Their moment. Their night.
When Stede kissed him, wildly, in return, drinking the moans and groans from his lips, he jostled the bell. Making it ring.
Like the angel's bells, he mused. Weren't they supposed to sound when you met the one destined for you and only you? Such a silly thing, really. But now it held an ocean full of meaning.
I belong, Stede thought. Nothing had ever felt more right than this. If this is destiny, then the world and all the stars, sun and moon, have been kind to me. If my life has led me here, I would do it all over again. I would choose every day the same.
A hand found his hair again, pushing him back down to Ed's body. The other hand traveled up Ed's own chest, cupping at it, and guiding the skin back to Stede's mouth. A sound like a curse and a prayer rang through the air.
“Yes, fuck, please~”
“God”, Stede breathed, when his lips let go. “God, you don't have to beg me, I would pluck the stars off the sky for you like cherries!”
He sucked at Ed's chest again.
“If only you asked me. If only I was able!”
A sob.
“Stede, fuck, I need. Now. Can we? I am so good for it, I'm so ready! I need… I need to feel! I feel, I am gonna lose it!”
“Fuck, wait…”
Stede's trousers were easy to get rid of. There was no halting, no hesitation. He was past shame, sense, or reason. He just had to be closer. He just had to feel. Maybe there truly was fire under his skin. He was burning, he was flushed red. So was Ed.
Ed, not wanting to wait for even a moment more, tried to free himself from his trousers as well. Stede backed up, trying to help remove the brace from his knee. Pressing greedy, soft, tender kisses to every bit of skin that was exposed to the night.
The bell jumped up and down above Ed's sternum. Agitated by the rushed movement and the heaving breaths. Singing sweetly to Stede.
So when Ed closed his hand around it, trying to rip it down, to silence it, Stede stopped him. Kisses to his cheek, lips to his fist.
“Leave it be~ I want to hear how I make you move.”
“Fucking…”, Ed caught his head again, kissing him, sucking at his tongue. Interrupting himself, exasperated. Aroused. Burning hot and tingly.
The bell sang for them.
Naked now, Ed spread himself open for Stede. The good leg pulled up to his chest, held with a hand. The other leg placed carefully on the sheets.
Everything in the open. Already hard and flushed. Foreskin pulled over the head and balls not yet drawn tight. Sweat and fluid glistening. Stede allowed himself a taste. And another. His nose pressed in the coarse, curly hair surrounding Ed's duck, somehow less gray than anywhere else. He tongued at the slit, sucked down the head, taking a hand to massage the shaft. Kissing now, travelling down, encouraged by Ed's moans and whimpers. Nosing and kissing at the sack, soft and heavy in his hand.
He himself was hard as well, cock weeping for it. It was dripping down his length, into the hair, down to his leg.
God, he was so ready.
When he kissed upon the tight, furled hole, Ed's whole body jolted. Dick jumping and releasing more clear fluid.
“I'm ready, I'm ready… Just, put it in. Do it! Fuck me, come on! Please… I can't…”
“Like this? I would never! I'm not gonna hurt you!”
Ed groaned, annoyed.
“Mate, I don't care! I don't need no fancy treatment! Just… Take me, keep me! I need it so fucking bad, you don't even know!”
His voice, desperate, rough from moaning. He meant it. Still…
Oil, they needed oil. Any kind. Stede would not just “put it in”, like that. The mere thought! He looked around, thoughts quick. Not the best, but close enough. There was grease to shine metal, for guns and for knives. It wouldn't smell nice, but it would work.
He got up, a confused, pleading whine from Ed ringing through the room. He clutched the phial and threw himself back onto the bed.
“I'm sorry, I'm sorry, fuck, I am here, it's okay, it's okay~”
His fingers were coated so fast, that the grease left spots on the sheets, but Stede did not have it in him to care at all, as he slowly started to massage that inviting, lovely place between Ed's legs. It pulsed, moving under his fingers, trying to relax. Slowly, with a whispered warning, he pushed one finger inside. Stede let out a long, low groan. Like fire around his fingers, hot and tight. So fucking tight. Clenching around him, massaging, trying to pull him in further.
Ed was moaning openly now, unashamed. No mistaking it for breathing. His head placed on a stray pillow, hair fanning out around him. He watched as Stede slowly started fucking him open with a single finger. Hooking at the rim, pulling, teasing him loose. Mouth hanging open, eyes as dark as coal, like fluid. Like the deepest sea by night. There was sweat on his forehead, dripping down his neck, catching at the slight hollows of his collarbones. His legs shook
Stede wanted them to shake more. He wanted to see the effect he had on Ed, he wanted Ed to lose it. To lose himself in Stede's touch the same way as Stede was already losing himself in Ed's body.
They were both so loud now. Stede pushed a second finger along the first. Started to put some strength behind his movement, intention. The sounds Ed made were delicious. If he could drink them all up, find nourishment in them, he would feast forever. He would, God, he would.
He wanted to.
A third finger now, Ed was starting to really open for him, to get loose, relaxed. Stede's fingers were still deliciously squeezed, but the grease did its job. Everything was soft like velvet, slippery with pre-come, sweat and oil. Sloppy sounds could be heard, and there was no real resistance as his fingers pumped, stretched out and explored. Searching…
“Oh fuck~”
Ed sounded desperate, close to tears.
“There we go love, there we go…”
“Why… oh~ fuck! Why the fuck are you so good at this? God, what have… What have you been doing? ”
Stede gave him a teasing, happy bite. Left a small mark for good measure.
“Now don't be stupid, I attended an all boys school growing up. This is hardly the first time I have been… engaged in such activities.”
He was answered by an ugly little snort.
“Engaged in activities? Mate, shut the
fuck
up!”
Ed continued to make little punched out, harsh noises, that had Stede getting more and more restless. Truly, he could think of nothing worse than hurting Ed, but Ed was not the only one needing it. Needing this.
“So”, Stede had to stop to catch his breath, panting while trying for composure he didn't actually possess. “You ready?”
“Fuck yes! I've
been
ready! I'm so good for it, come on~”
Ed pulled his leg up further and Stede lined up, carefully. Slowly.
With matching long groans, Stede pushed in. The pressure was punishing, and Stede kept his movements slow and soft. Like ocean waves on a sunny day. Until, finally, the tip pushed through the rim, and the pressure lessened to a tolerable, wonderful, level.
“Yes~”, Ed hissed. Breathy, blissed out. His legs shook, chest heaving dramatically, making the bell sing for them.
Stede needed to move, he craved to push further, to get closer. God, he needed to be so much closer. And it all felt so fucking good.
“God, fuck Ed, you are so tight…You're gonna kill me, I swear~”
Slowly he started pushing, deeper and deeper, the oil aiding him, making the slide tight but smooth and pleasurable. Painless. When he bottomed out, Ed made a high, thin sound. His hands slipped from his sweaty skin, reaching for Stede, pulling him closer. Bringing their lips together, their bodies closer. Skin on skin, chest to chest. Locked together in a heated, wet embrace. Ed's dick pressed between their bodies, rubbed with every thrust. The leg he had to let go, now propped against the wall for stability.
As Stede started thrusting in earnest, encouraged by Ed's loud, filthy sounds, he tried to keep as close as possible. Free hand roaming, lips kissing lips, neck, chest, when he could reach. His tongue licked the sweat of Ed's body, tasting the salt.
Wasn't it funny, he mused, that the ocean, sweat and tears all tasted of salt, and yet he could always tell which one he tasted?
They built up a glorious, grinding rhythm. Slow, wet, deep and filthy. Stede was sure he had never felt like this, or sounded like that. He barely recognized his own voice. Like an animal, he thought.
Ed started rocking against him more strongly, getting louder. Voice getting higher.
“Harder… fuck, harder, I need it, I do~ I can't. It's not… oh my fucking God! This isn't enough, I need it harder. Please. Fuck, please, I'll do anything… Anything! Can we just. Please, go just a bit harder? I really can't! Stede!”
“Okay, fuck. Wait…”
Stede pressed a hand to Ed's chest and pulled out. Slow enough not to hurt, but Ed still made a surprised grunting sound.
“Turn around, hand and knees. Take this pillow for the bad one, here, just put it under. That okay? Great. Hands on the wall, come on, fuck…”
Manoeuvred into a new position, he pushed back in, easier this time. His mouth on Ed's neck. Kissing, sucking behind the ears, pushing his hair to the side to bite at his neck. Leaving marks. Wonderful, purple marks.
Mine. A possessive little voice said in his head. All mine. Soul and body.
Stede was able to go deeper now. One leg on the ground for leverage, one hand on Ed's hips to pull him back harshly. Thrust after thrust.
Their rhythm had turned harsh, fast. Their moans frantic, louder than before, joined by the sound of sweat-wet-skin slapping together. With every thrust, with every push that jolted Ed forward, the bell slapped against his sternum. Singing, singing, singing. It sounded muffled to Stede's ears. He could hear his blood roaring, the wood squeaking. But mainly, he could hear Ed.
“You're. Fucking. Glorious.” Stede grunted out with every snap of his hips.
“And you need it so bad, don't you? Fuck, you were begging for it. Even now. Can you hear yourself? This hard enough? Can you hear the fucking bell, fuck! I am moving you. Just like I promised you, huh? My love. I would give you anything you want. Fuck! I want you to cum!”
Picking up the pace, he was close. So fucking close.
“Yes. Stede. Almost, almost there… Oh my, oh my, oh yes~ Almost… almost~”
Ed was shaking, twitching. Little droplets of sweat kept flying off of him. There were white spots on the sheets beneath him, against the wall. When Stede turned Ed's head to mouth at his jaw, he could see that his eyes were half closed, his eyebrows furrowed, like he was trying to concentrate. Mouth hanging open, a bit of saliva was dripping down his chin. He moaned, wild, licking it off.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes, God, yes! ”
And with a last, high pitched, sob, Ed's body shuddered. Muscles locking, squeezing him inside, milking him dry. Stede followed Ed.
They were both breathing hard, shaking. Ed was whimpering still, as they were riding out their high.
They stayed joined for a while, just lying there. Petting each other, soothing, fluttering sweet kisses on each other's faces and hands, until their muscles had relaxed enough and they had found the strength to separate.
Stede decided to sacrifice Ed's >garment< to clean them up rudimentary. After that, he crawled between the sheets, and joined Ed again. Neither of them spoke, there was no need, and there was no strength left. Everything that needed to be said, could be said in the morning. Now they curled around each other, between the sheets. Tangled hair, sweaty and warm, and they fell asleep. Feeling safe for the very first time in a long while.
The end.
(The crew, meanwhile, wondered what the loud, rhythmic bell-ringing meant, until Lucius and Izzy decided to help them solve the mystery. Next time he saw them, Izzy vowed, he would tell them to actually make sure to close the door to their room.)