gaydeviants

Stede awakens sometime in the early evening, stiff from his nap on the ground, but happy as anything to be near Ed. The events of the day catch up to him, making him feel almost dizzy when the enormity of what they’ve done hits him all at once. He sits up, and finds his lover already awake, gazing at him fondly. The soft glow of the evening sun spills in through the open window, illuminating Ed in a particularly lovely way. Any doubts that Stede might have entertained vanish in that single moment.

Ed is everything he’s ever wanted.

“Hello,” he whispers, almost afraid to break the silence.

Ed grins at him.

“Hey,” he says, his voice equally low as he shifts about, leaning over the side of the tub. Stede closes the distance between them, giving Ed a gentle kiss.

“I should check on the crew,” he murmurs against Ed’s lips, “and get us something to eat.”

Ed nuzzles his face against Stede’s as he replies, “yeah, I’m fuckin’ starving.

“I won’t be long,” he promises, tracing his fingers along Ed’s jaw, tilting his chin up to hold his gaze. Ed’s eyes go hooded as he stares back, his lips parting slightly. Stede can’t help but drag his thumb along Ed’s soft bottom lip, swallowing thickly when Ed takes it into his mouth. “Darling…”

Ed hums, giving him a playful nip, dragging his tongue along the length of Stede’s thumb. Stede’s face feels warm, and it takes all his willpower to withdraw, for now.

“You’re a menace,” he murmurs, with absolute delight. Ed grins, before leaning back, making himself comfortable again.

“Oh, god,” Stede groans, arousal stirring in his gut as Ed begins to touch himself. He palms his own cock through his robe, barely managing to tear his gaze away. Exhaling a deep breath, he heads for the door, determined to do his duty as captain before indulging in more intimacy with his lover.

He pauses in the doorway, though, to murmur, “Ed?”

He gets a breathy, “yeah, love?” in response.

“I’ll want to ride you when I return,” he says, trying to keep his voice casual. “See if you can figure out a way to make that work, please?”

Stede makes his way out onto the deck after taking a few deep breaths to settle himself, trying to decide who to debrief with. Everyone looks mostly relaxed, friends and lovers gathered in small groups, settling in for the evening. Upon noticing his arrival, though, Lucius is already rising to his feet, scrambling up from his seat beside Pete and hurrying over to him.

Stede clears his throat, doing his best to keep his expression neutral. “Very enjoyable,” he replies, sure that won’t be the end of it.

“Yeah, I know,” Lucius says, and yep, here it goes. “The whole ship knows, actually, the way you two carry on.”

“Don’t be sorry,” he says, as if the idea is ridiculous. “If anyone needed a good shag it was you. No offense, but you’ve been way less uptight since you started having good sex on the regular. Besides, Edward’s the screamer."

Stede opens and closes his mouth several times, not sure how to respond. He supposes he has mellowed out since he became physically involved with Ed. He finally settles on, "...thank you?"

Lucius laughs. “My pleasure. Or yours, really, I suppose." He laughs again at his own joke, before adding, "did you, erm, happen to leave the window open, by any chance?” He points out toward the horizon, and Stede can just make out the silhouettes of the three mermen, floating stoically in the waves. “The pissy one was getting really wound up. All snarly.”

Ah.

“Oh, god,” Stede mutters, pinching the bridge of his nose “That’s Izzy,” he explains with a sigh. “He’s–”

“It’s slightly more complicated than that, but essentially,” Stede replies, clasping his hands behind his back. “So I see they’re following us, then.”

Lucius is surprisingly gracious enough to let him change the subject, and he nods, rocking back and forth on the balls of his feet. “Yeah, I dunno where Buttons is taking us, but they seem to be along for the ride at the moment. Turns out they can swim quite fast.”

Stede nods, remembering how Ed moved through the water. It was like nothing he’d ever seen before. The thought makes the idea of him being stuck on the ship even more upsetting.

"Wonderful," he mutters, unsure what their next move should be. But it's getting late, and like he told Ed, they'll figure it out tomorrow. “I suppose we can’t do much else for the time being, and they seem to be biding their time. Let’s deal with it in the morning.”

He says it casually enough, but Stede knows him.

“Don’t even think about it,” he murmurs, looking out toward the sea. “They’re dangerous, Lucius. They’re not like Edward.”

Lucius rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest. “Yeah, all right, fine,” he mutters. Stede glances at him out of the corner of his eye, trying to gauge his sincerity. Lucius seems to get over it quickly enough, because the very next moment he’s pestering Stede for details.

Stede presses his lips together, unsure if he’s amused or embarrassed. But despite his teasing tone, Stede can tell Lucius is offering him the opportunity to open up, if he wants.

“...it’s lovely,” Stede says, after a quiet moment. "I suppose, to someone else, maybe it is weird or kinky,” he adds, shooting Lucius a look, “but… it’s just Ed and I. And that’s all that matters."

Lucius looks surprised that he actually answered, and his teasing grin softens a degree. “Yeah?” he asks, scooting closer to him, making their conversation more private. Stede appreciates it. He’s not used to having people he can confide in. And Lucius seems to be particularly knowledgeable when it comes to matters of the heart.

So Stede nods, not meeting the other man’s eye, cracking a reluctant smile when Lucius nudges him with his elbow. “You going to leave me hanging like that?” he teases. “I am seriously so curious.”

Stede chuckles, clasping his hands together, wanting to give Lucius something. “I have–I had never been with anyone besides my wife before this,” he finally says, glancing to the side, determined not to be embarrassed about his lack of experience. It’s not exactly as if he was completely clueless. He did more than his fair share of reading, after all. But still. “And yet, intimacy with Ed, it’s like nothing else. It feels right, and familiar, but different and exciting all at the same time. It was new to both of us, and we figured things out together. And–being with him? It’s been life-altering in many ways.”

Lucius is quiet for a moment, before swatting at his arm.

like?” he says, but Stede can tell it’s his way of inviting him to share more, if he wants. He exhales an amused breath, shaking his head.

“It’s good,” he says, offering nothing more, no matter how much Lucius pouts.

"He's asked me to be his mate," Stede confides, changing the subject after another moment. "I've accepted his proposal." It feels exciting, saying the words out loud, to someone other than Ed. While it’s already official as far as they’re concerned, it seems all the more real now that Lucius knows.

Lucius looks unsure how to react. "Is that like, a sex thing, or did you just get mer-married?"

Stede chuckles. "You could compare it to a human marriage, I suppose," he says, trying to keep his voice casual. It feels surreal to admit. “I don’t think merfolk tend to really… date, as such. It’s all or nothing, it would seem. And I am all in with him.”

Lucius looks about ready to burst with this new knowledge, and Stede’s sure the rest of the ship will know by tomorrow. He hopes Ed doesn’t mind.

"Of course, Ed and I could never marry in the traditional human sense–," he starts, but Lucius waves a dismissive hand before he can even finish the sentence.

“Fuck traditional human bullshit,” he says. “There’s nothing traditional or human about this, babe.”

Stede supposed he has a point, one he'll have to think about later. He shakes his head, before continuing. "And there is the slightly more pressing matter of what to do about his former partner.”

"Oh, so this isn’t just some forbidden love thing, you also stole someone's man–"

"They were broken up at the time–" Stede interrupts with a glare, making Lucius burst into a surprised fit of laughter. He throws an arm around Stede's shoulders, hanging off of him, giving his chest an affectionate pat. "God, captain," he says. “You are full of surprises.”

Stede isn't sure they're even having the same conversation anymore, so he ducks out from beneath Lucius' arm and straightens his robe, hoping he doesn't seem too flustered.

"I surprise even myself, more often than not," he replies. "I should get back to Edward now, though. He’s waiting on me, I’m afraid.”

Lucius grins, giving him a gentle nudge.

“Why are you out here talking to me, then?” he asks, rolling his eyes. “I’ll let you know if anything changes, but seriously, get out of here.”

Lucius waves it off, one hand on his hip. “Go.”

Stede makes one final stop in his rooms, pocketing the oil that Lucius so graciously provided him with, making a mental note to acquire more at the next port. Then he makes a beeline for the bathroom, already untying his robe.

myself."

Stede groans, shutting and locking the door before hurrying to shed his robe. It falls to the floor, pooling around his feet as he leans over the edge of the bath to kiss Ed. It's a clumsy, desperate kiss, both of them too wound up to coordinate properly.

He breaks away for just long enough to find the oil, slicking his fingers without delay. "Give me just a moment," he breathes, propping one leg up on the edge of the tub, hastily working himself open. It feels awkward, but Ed looks entranced, his eyes dark and full of longing.

"Take your time," he purrs, watching Stede's fingers disappear into his body. "Fuck, that's gorgeous."

Stede's face feels hot under Ed's intense gaze, and normally he’d like to perform a little, tease Ed, tease himself, make sure they’re both desperate for it. But he's been thinking of little else since he woke up, and he thinks they’re well past desperate by this point. He quickly works his way up to three fingers, groaning at the stretch, eager for more. For Ed.

"Okay," he pants, after another minute. He eyes the bathtub, feeling uncertain. "Do you think I can fit in there with you like this?"

Stede goes without further prompting, clambering into the tub, straddling Ed's tail. Ed gazes up at him in wonder, and while it takes some awkward shuffling, Stede finally settles, gripping Ed’s upper arms, glancing at him from beneath his lashes.

"Oh, shit," Ed gasps against his lips, but Stede wants more, and he reaches around, finding Ed's cock and holding it steady. Ed’s slick and ready for him.

"Okay?" Stede murmurs, teasing the head of Ed's cock against his entrance. He swallows thickly, already imagining sinking down onto him.

Ed nods, holding his gaze, hands going to his hips. "Yeah, baby," he purrs, and oh, Stede likes this new endearment very much, "sit on my cock."

It's perfect, Stede thinks, as he settles onto Ed's lap, filled completely by his cock. Ed makes a quiet, desperate noise, kissing down his neck and across his collarbone. Stede lets his head fall back, exhaling a long breath.

"You good?" Ed asks, his voice gentle as he kisses Stede’s fluttering pulse. Stede swallows, nodding, moving his hips in a slow circle. A moan spills past his lips as Ed presses against all the right places. Ed groans, attaching his mouth to Stede’s neck, leaving a bruising kiss mark behind.

Stede loves this: the way Ed’s breath hitches with each roll of his hips, the way his nails bite into his skin but never break it, the way Ed kisses him until he forgets about everything else but how perfectly they fit together.

“Were you thinking about having me the whole time I was gone?” Stede murmurs, slowly lifting himself up. Water splashes out of the tub, soaking his bedclothes on the floor, but Stede can barely spare it a passing thought. Ed nods, doing an impressive job of restraining himself, Stede thinks, all things considered.

“I thought you wanted to fuck me, Ed,” he teases, lowering himself back down.

“Stede, fuck,” Ed whines, his hands all over, as if he can’t decide where to touch next. They settle briefly on his thighs, before defaulting back to his hips, halting his movements for a moment. “It’s so hard to hold back, I want–I want to claim you, fuck, but I really want to show you how much I love you, baby.”

Stede cups Ed’s face in his hands, staring into his eyes. “I already know how much you love me, my sweet,” he says, feeling Ed’s hands traveling random paths up and down his back. It’s nice. “Because I love you just as much.” Stede supposes he should feel some form of embarrassment, for being so open, and so cliche, but he can’t seem to help himself when it comes to Ed. His entire life feels like a flowery poem since his lover swam into it.

“Besides, I think you can claim me and love me at the same time, don’t you agree?” Stede knows that Ed worries about their differences, and about doing something off-putting because of them, and he’ll do everything he can to assure him that will never be the case.

“Fuck,” Ed breathes, licking his lips, staring up at Stede. “That’s–fuck, yeah I can do that.”

tease him for.

The thought reminds him of something, something Lucius said–the window–

“Ed, I think–oh!” he starts, words fading abruptly into a moan as Ed rocks his own hips up, as if testing the waters. His angle is just right, making Stede see stars, and suddenly the only thing that matters is Ed. And Ed’s dick. Inside of him. “Oh, do that again. Please.”

Ed’s smile blooms into a slow grin, his grip tightening on Stede’s hips as he repeats the motion. “Okay,” he breathes, earning himself another loud moan in response. “No need to beg.”

“Fuck,” Ed breathes, stealing desperate kisses between gazing at him in awe. “God, Stede, you’re so fuckin’ beautiful, man. And you take my cock like you were meant for it, baby, oh, shit–”

Stede cuts off his babbling with another kiss, parting his lips, inviting him in. It’s an invitation that Ed readily accepts, licking past his teeth, making the kiss delightfully intimate.

“You don’t play fair,” Ed growls when they part for a breath, nipping at his bottom lip, tugging at it with sharp teeth. “Let me tell you how good you look bouncing on my dick.”

The words send a fresh shiver of arousal down Stede’s spine. He licks his lips, running one hand through his own hair, pushing it out of his face. Ed trails the movement with his eyes, sliding both hands up, fingertips brushing over his ribcage. The light scratch of his nails makes goosebumps erupt all over Stede’s body.

Stede kind of wishes he could see, too. “I’ll invest in a larger mirror,” he promises, making Ed groan.

"And you'll treat me to a repeat performance?" he asks.

Stede nods, intoxicated by the thought.

"God, yes, Ed, anything you want," he agrees, making Ed give him a look of approval.

"You're doing so good, Stede," he whispers, pausing to thumb at a nipple, sending another jolt of pleasure through him. He rolls the pebbled bud between his fingers, making Stede moan once more.

"So are you, sweetheart," he pants in response, kissing him again. "Mmm, you feel perfect inside of me." He presses their foreheads together, gazing into Ed's eyes as Ed continues to rock into him. "You're wonderful, Ed."

Ed groans, reaching between them, webbed fingers wrapping around Stede's cock. "You're wonderful," he repeats back, stroking him in time with the rolling of their hips. "I'm gonna make you come so hard."

"That's it," Ed murmurs, working his cock, fucking up into him. "Fuck, baby, lemme hear you. I bet the whole damn crew knows exactly what I’m doing to their captain."

Stede feels his face flush, realizing his volume has been steadily rising, making Ed grin. "Mhm," he purrs, rhythm never faltering. "Keep going. Let them know you're mine."

Stede's so close, and Ed's voice certainly isn't helping matters. "Yes, Ed, all yours," he breathes, watching the expressions that flicker across Ed’s face. "Fuck me, I'm all yours."

Ed gasps, going rigid, a loud moan echoing around the room as he reaches his peak without warning. Stede feels him spill inside of him, pulses of warmth filling him up, and that’s enough to send him tumbling over the edge, as well. Their sighs and moans blend together as their orgasms sync up, and Stede feels so lucky to be able to share this with Ed. With the man he loves. Ed fucks him through it, milking his cock, leaving Stede trembling by the time it ends.

Stede’s still not used to it. He has trouble knowing how to respond to such sincere compliments, having never been on the receiving end of one before Ed. Being attractive to someone else, being desired, seemed like things that didn’t happen to him. But the way Ed looks at him, his big, brown eyes radiating adoration, leaves little doubt that Ed is anything less than infatuated. “And fuck, the way you rode my dick,” Ed continues. “Those pretty sounds you make? You drive me wild.”

It feels good, Stede thinks, being admired like this. His face feels pleasantly flushed, from the sex and from the praise, and as much as he’d like Ed to continue, his knees are starting to ache as he comes back down. So with great reluctance he shifts, and Ed’s softening cock slips free, leaving him feeling empty. He misses the connection right away, and Ed positively whines at the loss.

“So,” Ed murmurs, an arm wrapped securely around him, “did you get a chance to talk to the crew?”

“You’re doing it again,” Stede grumbles, pressing a kiss to his jaw. “Distracting me.”

Ed chuckles.

“...it’s probably not great he overheard that,” Ed admits after a beat, his brow furrowed. “It’s only gonna rile him up even more, in the long run.”

“Oh, I agree,” Stede says, despite not feeling worried about it at this particular moment. “And it’s certainly an invasion of our privacy.”

Ed laughs, cuddling closer. “Not much privacy on a ship to begin with, mate.”

Fair point.

“Yes, Lucius has made that abundantly clear,” Stede mutters, and Ed huffs out an amused breath. Stede hesitates for a moment, before quietly admitting, “part of me feels quite smug about it, though.”

It’s true, the idea of having Ed, and others knowing that he has Ed, appeals to him, in a way he can’t really explain. It makes him feel guilty and excited at the same time. And Stede’s not quite sure if he should have confessed to having such a thought, but when he glances up at Ed, the other man is grinning, his sharp teeth evident.

“I feel pretty fuckin’ smug about it, too, baby,” he purrs, nuzzling his face into Stede’s neck. “I want everybody to know that I’m the only one who gets to do this to you. With you.”

And that’s just it, isn’t it? That’s exactly what Stede wants, too. He wants the world to know that the two of them belong to each other, that he’s the one who takes care of Ed and brings him so much pleasure.

“Precisely,” Stede murmurs, smiling serenely, and Ed’s grin melts into something softer as well. He plants a playful kiss right on Stede’s cheek, and such a sweet, simple gesture shouldn’t send his heart fluttering quite so much.

“And Stede,” Ed murmurs, when they part for a breath. ”I didn’t even know I could make half the sounds you pull out of me, baby. If Izzy’s gonna keep hanging around, he’s gonna hear some new shit, too.”

Stede’s face feels hot. Ed’s never said it outright, but all clues lead him to believe that his and Izzy’s sex life was… subpar at best, and at worst… he doesn’t like to think about it, and he’s pleased as anything to give Ed the pleasure he’s always deserved. He curls back up against his love, the heat still lingering between them more than enough to make the cool water feel pleasant.

“Our physical relationship is very important to me,” Stede says, “and making sure you’re enjoying yourself is always going to be my priority. I’m honored to be the one that you choose to share this with, and I hope to give you everything you need.”

A knot of emotion forms in Stede’s throat, making it difficult to think of a reply. Ed doesn’t seem to be expecting one, though, as he pulls Stede in for a slow kiss, one hand cupping his jaw. He drags his thumb along Stede’s cheek, against the stubble growing there, humming with satisfaction.

Ed kisses the top of his head, smiling against his hair. “Don’t you dare fall asleep before you fuckin’ feed me,” he mutters, making Stede laugh, and remember his own hunger, as well, now that carnal hungers are sated.

,” he replies, as they rinse away any leftover evidence of their lovemaking. They drain and refill the tub while Stede dries off and dresses, kicking his sodden blankets off to the side, to deal with later.

“I’ll just be one moment,” he promises, turning toward the door. “I’ll get us something to eat and then–”

Ed laughs, and tears spill neatly down his cheeks, into his beard. He’s smiling all the while.

“God, no, it’s just–fuck, thank you. I wish I could properly explain what this all meant to me. “It’s like you knew exactly what I needed, gave me everything I could have asked for, and god, now you’re going to get me fucking dinner and I just–

Oh, Stede thinks, realizing Ed’s never been taken care of before him, not like this. He cups Ed’s cheek gently with one hand, thumbing away a stray tear.

Ed sniffs, wiping hastily at his eyes. “Gave up on all this a long time ago,” he whispers, before glancing away, as if embarrassed to have admitted it. “Still feels too good to be true.” Stede frowns to himself, unsurprised to learn that Izzy was not one to linger once the deed was done.

“I am going to take care of you,” he promises, carding gentle fingers through Ed’s long hair. "I love you." There’s so much more he wants to say, but he leaves it at that, for now.

Ed shivers. “Thank you,” he whispers, leaning into Stede’s touch. “Fuck, crying after sex, that’s embarrassing.”

Stede shakes his head. “I think it’s beautiful,” Stede replies, making Ed glance up at him in surprise, his eyes still wet. “We’ve just shared something incredibly intimate, and I think it’s beautiful that it would move you that much.”

Ed gives him a watery smile, his bottom lip trembling. “You’re too good to me, man.”

For a moment, Stede curses Izzy. Curses the man who made Ed feel weak for wanting affection, who taught him that he didn’t deserve to be treated gently.

“Oh, darling,” Stede sighs, leaning in, giving him the softest kiss. Ed melts, exhaling a quiet whimper against his lips. “It is my greatest wish to make you happy, Ed. I’ll give you whatever you need.”

Ed presses their foreheads together, and they share a breath, and another kiss, before finally parting. “And right now, my dear, I think you need dinner.”

****************************