nswd-ofmd

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 30: Adventure Calling

Read: @ A03

Summary: Edward Teach. Captain Edward Teach. Finally Edward has his own ship, fully crewed and course laid in. True the ship is third hand, and true the crew is made up different bands of people with shifting alliances; true that Edward's not sure who he can trust, or if he can trust anyone. And as much experience as Edward has, he's going to find out he's still got a lot to learn.

Snippet:

“We don’t have to go out to sea to avoid a storm that isn’t there,” says Bland Fuck. “I assure you I will stand by your side if you say that it dissipated.”

Edward gives Aconi a look, trying to tell him without words that this was why he didn’t want the fucker aboard, let alone as a helmsman. Bland Fuck will take twice of everything he’s given until he thinks he’s better than anyone else. Aconi closes his eyes briefly as if he takes Edward’s point.

“If Edw— if the Captain says the storm is coming, a storm is coming,” says Aconi.

“So certain? I would like to know the magic of it,” says Bland Fuck sarcastically.

“It’s in the wind,” Edward says, because it’s fucking obvious. “It’s in the smell, it’s in the feel, it’s in the way that the water moves. Maybe if you kept your hand on the wheel and stopped bitching with your mates, you might have felt it too.”

#our flag means death #Our Flag Means Death Fanfic #Hornigold Era #Edward Teach #Calico Jack #Anne Bonny #Sam Bellamy #Hornigold era #backstory fic #Never Shall We Die #Nocturneequuis Fanfic

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 29: Learning to Fly

Read: @ A03 Summary: There is only a little left to do, talk with Bart, meet the crew, and party his ass off. Edward is starting to discover that there's more to himself, more to find and explore, inside and out there and he intends to explore it. And now, on his last wild night in the Republic of Pirates, he's testing his wings and learning to fly. Snippet:

“Fuck yeah, this is awesome!” Jack bellows over the music and Edward laughs because it fucking is. “Come on, let’s dance!”

Edward’s about to throw himself in the melee, but then spots Manny across the room, sitting in a fancy ass chair away from the clusterfuck of tables and drinking. Might as well let Manny know he’s here, maybe drag him out to dance.

“I’ll join you in a sec!” he shouts.

“Suit yourself! Annie?” Jack holds out his hand and she takes it, and he practically lifts her off her feet as he swoops her out onto the dance floor. They’re both grinning like idiots and Edward thinks, it’s good to see them really happy.

#our flag means death #Our Flag Means Death Fanfic #Edward Teach #Calico Jack #Anne Bonny #Sam Bellamy #Hornigold era #backstory fic #Never Shall We Die

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 28: Dawn Break

Read @ Ao3

A new day and one step closer to setting sail under his own flag. Before he can, Edward has to connect with friends, connect with enemies, and find confidence in his new role-- sooner rather than later. Because the world doesn't stop for Edward Teach and there are still shadows in the Republic of Pirates that want nothing more than to see him fail.

Snippet:

“Only remember, it’s not just us you’ll have to convince, but whoever is captaining this little voyage.” He taps his fingers on the table and looks at Aconi and Fadel. “I still say it should be Ben.” Goddamnit. “Or perhaps Mr. Bellamy.”

Why the fuck is he Mr. Bellamy now?

Edward can already see it getting away from him. Already see it pulling away. Can practically feel Kupe’s disappointment. He’s shifting as if he’s going to say something or do something but Edward hopes he doesn’t. If he can’t do this on his own then there’s no fucking point.

“That’s what I was thinking,” Fadel is saying. “If not Hornigold, pull away his young pup, give him a first mate and then—”

“I’m going to be the captain,” Edward says. He tries to sound strong and tough but when they go dead fucking silent and look at him, he feels like he wants to melt into the chair. It’s the fucking parley all over again.

“Edward,” Aconi says too kindly. “We need someone with experience.”

#our flag means death #Our Flag Means Death Fanfic #Edward Teach #Calico Jack #Anne Bonny #Sam Bellamy #Hornigold era #backstory fic #Never Shall We Die

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 27: Still Waters

Read @ Ao3

Summary: Edward is fine, everything is over and he's safe at the Lusca. Never mind that he's restless, that nightmares plague him, that he longs for the sea, and the Storm of Hornigold follows him wherever he goes. But still waters run deep and though Edward has not fully recovered from everything that happened, he still has a place to rest and recover-- before a new adventure begins...

...and it won't wait for long.

Snippet:

“Are you going?” Isidro asks, stern now, angry now, looking like a little storm cloud. Edward can’t help but smile. He’ll never get this kid.

“Just into town.” He tugs on the other belt too, angling it against his hips, and checks the blade of his knife before sheathing it and shoving in the holster.

“You need all that to go into town?” Isidro says as Edward attaches the cutlass too.

“Yep.” He checks the flintlock, then pulls the rod from underneath the muzzle to check down inside, finds no resistance of a ball and is glad there isn’t, even if he can’t help feel a little bad about it. There’s more than one reason not to leave him with a loaded flintlock. There’s powder though and ammo so he proceeds to prime the gun.

“I wanna come with you.” There’s a challenge in his voice. Edward has the feeling that if he says no, Isidro come anyway which could be dangerous. Yeah, he’s tough, but he’s still small and easily carried off or lost or broken. “It is just town.” He slants Edward a suspicious look. “I’ve been in town before and I’m strong.” He folds his arms. “Anyway, I don’t trust you not to sneak off.”

Edward wants to say no. Should say no. Is about to say no, but then Isidro frowns at him and says:

“Please?”

And how the fuck can he say no after that? He’s just a kid, as Kupe had said, needing a place to call home There are worse places than the Republic of Pirates, especially for people like them, but he’ll need to know it and they’ll need to know him.

#our flag means death #our flag means death fanfic #Edward Teach #Hornigold Era #Calico Jack #Anne Bonny #Sam Bellamy #backstory fic #Arc IV #Never Shall We Die

[nswd-ofmd]

Coming soon: Never Shall We Die Act: IV The first step toward a new beginning...

#our flag means death #our flag means death fanfic #Edward Teach #Backstory fic #Hornigold era #Calico Jack #Anne Bonny #Sam Bellamy #Never Shall We Die

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 26: Lost and Distant Shore

Read @ Ao3

Summary: Back with Hornigold once more and it's all Ed can do to hang on to who he is, let alone who he used to be. But as raids and fights ramp up and Hornigold's addiction spirals out of control, it's on Ed's shoulders to keep the Ranger moving forward… before everything falls apart.

Snippet:

Ed sighs, lets his hands drop to his lap, watches the ships through his eyelashes. Really, he’d prefer to do neither. He’d prefer to kick Kidd out of his berth, scrub it clean of his presence somehow and tug the curtain closed and sleep in the secured darkness under the pillows. Or he’d like to go back in time somehow when this didn’t matter. Back before he met Manny. Back to Biscornu maybe…or before that watching the stars with Anne… Or before that, lying on the capstan next to Jack, brushing knuckles against his spine as they looked at Buchard’s corpse.

Or else do a yardie into the cold gray water, lapping choppily against the hull. To just dive in and not come back up. To just sink down down down into greater dark that would press in until he was nothing.

But then he looks back at the deck, the top of Felix’s head and pale hair, Hornigold’s head too as he hunches in his chair, blanket wrapped around him. A kid and an old man who should get in his berth before he dies of the slight chill or some shit.

Ed can’t just fucking leave them on their own. 

#Our Flag Means Death #Our Flag Means Death fanfic #Edward Teach #backstory fic #Ben Hornigold #Calico Jack #Anne Bonney #Sam Bellamy #cw: suicide ideation #cw: drug abuse #Never Shall We Die

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 25: Pale Blue Sky

Read @ Ao3

Summary: The second day of parley dawns and Ed is more busy than he's ever been, but as the various threads of his past and present tangle together, he's going to find it harder and harder to keep it going; and sometimes the only thing left on the table is sacrifice.

Snippet:

“Yeah, I’m helpin’. Shit. But you know we gotta get the goods first.” He dumps his canvas on the floor and strolls around the chair. “I’m gettin fancy ass over he…Holy shit, this is Lulu’s first mate!”

“Lulu?” Ed has to laugh. “Holy fuck, I’m calling him that. Lulu. Oh my God.”

“No, you are not calling him that, Edward! Are you mad? Don’t make the problem worse!”

“Ohh Eddie’s in trouble with the doctorrrr,” Jack coos. “Behave, Eddie! Don’t make it worse~ Or I won’t kiss ya goodniiight.” He makes squeaking sounds through pursed lips and Ed laughs and punches him.

“Fuck off. And it’s fine, Doc, I know what I’m doing.” He rolls the guy whose throat John slit onto the canvas and begins to root through his clothes. There’s not much, though his flintlock is solid it’s not interesting enough to take so he slides it over to Jack who slips it in his belt. He does take the man’s small stiletto though and slips it in his own boot to give Isidro later, takes a bag with a few rounds of shot, a few doubloons and leaves a frayed pretty ribbon where he found it, but tucked under the man’s shirt so Jack doesn’t see it.

“Disgusting,” John says, voice cold. “This is grave robbery!”

“Yeah, well they’re French so it don’t matter,” Jack says. John lets out a breath and mutters:

“I suppose.”

#our flag means death #our flag means death fanfic #Edward Teach #Calico Jack #Anne Bonny #Sam Bellamy #backstory fic #in which Ed has way too fucking much going on #halfway there folks #one hopes #Never Shall We Die #reblogs comments and kudos welcome!

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 24: Parley

Read @ Ao3

Summary: The first day of the parley and Ed is eager to prove himself as someone other than just a pawn in another man's game. But as his past and present start to tangle together and his own assumed responsibilities begin to pile on, Ed has to find a way to fulfil all his promises or buckle under the weight.

Snippet:

A gust of wind sends a splattering of hail against his neck and he ducks into a narrow alley, not even minding the trash and shit smell to be out of it. He clamps his cold hands between his knees to keep them somewhat warm and sinks a bit against the brick wall, hardly feeling the chill of it.

He watches a swinging sign, the picture something like a rat with a needle, glinting in the lantern light. Somewhere out there is the Blue Inn. He’d nearly asked Noémie about it only he knew it’d be a bad idea. But he wants to know, and fucking doesn’t. Wants to go… go see what’s up and wants to stay the fuck away from it. He can imagine Hornigold and Bellamy sitting there, near a fire maybe, having a serious conversation with serious faces.

It makes him feel warm.

It makes him feel sick.

As if the world had gone fuckeyed somehow when he wasn’t looking.

Well fuck it and fuck them. He’ll meet up with Anne and grab a bottle of wine and curl up with her on the bed and they can drink and talk and plan and tomorrow will be better. Even if he still has to figure out what to say to Prevost, goddamnit, and John, goddamnit.

But that is for tomorrow.

He holds his breath and ducks his head and heads back out into the wind.

#our flag means death #our flag means death fanfic #edward teach #anne bonny #sam bellamy #jack rackham #backstory fanfic #never shall we die

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 23: Côte des Voyous

Read @ Ao3

Summary: Just getting to Côte des Voyous is a challenge in and of itself. But when Ed finally arrives, he will meet old friends, make new enemies, and have before him the chance of a lifetime.

Snippet: "With every crew there’s always a line, they come this far and no further. As a captain you have to know where that line is. Once you do, you can do one of two things. If you’re strong and have the balls for it, you can push the line back, tell them that you don’t care if they’re unhappy because you’re the captain. It’s dangerous but good to do sometimes just so they know who the boss is. Or you can distract them.” 

Manny pours them both the last of the brandy and tosses his back with an elegant gesture. “With booze, a port, a fight, a beating, shift the blame. Whatever you must. In this case those lovely fools  think the kid is a fucking saint. So I’ll just blame you for it. I mean, they’re going to want to kill you the next time they see you but if they’re stupid enough to actually come after you, then they don’t really deserve to live through it.” He shrugs. 

Ed chuckles, feeling drowsy. Might be nice to see what the Melusine crew will try to do. Might be fucking funny. Might also be a pain in the ass, but whatever. Anyone stupid enough to come after him doesn’t deserve Manny’s crew to begin with. 

“But whatever you choose to do,” Manny says quietly. “Never compromise and never apologize. Once you do that, you’re seen as weak.” He sighs and takes Ed’s glass as well. Ed lets him have it though he hasn’t even touched it yet. Manny tips the glass back then sets it on the table with a clack. “And once you’re weak,” he says, eyes glinting in the darkness. “You’re nothing.”

#our flag means death #our flag means death fanfic #backstory fic #ed teach #anne bonny #sam bellamy #jack rackham #emmanuel wynn #hornigold #never shall we die

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 22: The Wide Starry Sky Read @ Ao3

Summary: The more Ed tries to keep things together, the more things try to fall apart. But Ed is determined to do the impossible and, this time, he's not alone. Snippet: “Mmm. Well the Greeks tricked the Trojans into bringing a wooden horse like this-” he taps the statue. “-but bigger into their city and then in the middle of the night the Greeks popped out and killed everyone.” 

“Holy shit that’s amazing.” No wonder Doctor John hadn’t told him that story it’s fucking incredible. But there’s a catch to it, he knows. There’s always a catch to his stories. “Bet the Greeks regretted it and cried about it.” 

“No, but the Trojans were an evil race of pirates.” 

There it is. “A lame race of pirates. If I were a Trojan I would have crawled in the fucker.” And he still would haven been killed maybe but what the fuck kind of pirate just left something cool just sitting there?

“Me too.” Isidro taps again, face distant like he’s thinking of something. “I don’t like pirates.” 

Which is fucking fair, Ed thinks. 

“But I like yours.” A smile lifts his cheeks which have gotten rounder and softer since he’s been aboard and Ed just wants to poke one.  “I didn’t know pirates could be nice.” 

“Pirates can be fucking anything.” Ed crouches by the pelican to look at its delicately carved feet. Some dubloons were resting on the curve of the webbing against the bone. Like it’s some kind of good luck charm. “But the nice ones usually aren’t nice very long, or they end up dead.” 

“Monsieur John said you were nice once.” 

“Monsieur John is full of shit.” 

#our flag means death #our flag means death fanfic #edward teach #calico jack #anne bonny #sam bellamy #backstory fic #and a huge ca #never shall we die

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 21: Under the Still Dark Moon

Read @ Ao3

Summary:

Emmanuel Wynn is a better host than Ed is expecting. He doesn't exactly fit in on the Melusine, but he doesn't exactly fit in anywhere. Sill, despite being a guest, there are still expectations weighing on him. And an enemy is an enemy, even one that wears a friendly face.

Snippet:

“Is it time? Am I dying?” the poor fucker whispers.

“Yeah, mate,” Ed says. And then in English, slowly to make sure he’s heard, understood. “Are you afraid?”

The poor fucker’s breath catches and at first Ed thinks he doesn’t understand. And is relieved when the man murmurs in French:

“Very.”

“Eh, nothing to be afraid of,” Ed says, also in French for the moment. He gestures for Guy to bring the booze, slowly.

“It’s just an ending,” Ed says. “You start at birth and then you just go through it and come around again.” Which doesn’t make much sense actually, but he can’t stop now. “Honestly the hardest part is just being alive for the whole fucking thing.”

The poor fucker breathes a laugh and then winces. He flinches a little as Guy’s shadow falls over him and then relaxes as Guy says in his soothing tones:

“I will help you drink the elixir of death.”

Which would freak Ed out more, but the poor fucker just nods, allowing himself to be eased upward and for the bottle to be placed to his lips. Ed watches as the man slowly swallows the liquor.

Asking about No One is right out. Point blank about Doctor John is as bad as asking about No One. But…oh. Maybe…

“Just think of death like a journey into the unknown.” And then continuing in English. “Think of yourself as Odysseus, trying to get home.”

#Our Flag Means Death #Our Flag Means Death fanfic #Backstory fic #Ed Teach #Calico Jack #Anne Bonny #Sam Bellamy #Emmanuel Wynn #Never Shall We Die

[nswd-ofmd]

coming soon... Never Shall We Die, Arc IV

#Our Flag Means Death #Our Flag Means Death fanfic #Edward Teach #Backstory #Never Shall We Die

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 20: A Night on the Island

Read @ Ao3

Summary: Biscornu offers many things, from brothels to food to the night market, all ready to be explored. But as Edward stands at the threshold of something completely knew, there are things inside him to discover that he's never had time to consider.

Every new beginning brings an end, and every end a beginning.

Snippet:  “What do ya want to do? Who do you wanna be?”

 Stupid fucking question. He feels like she’s asked something like that a dozen times by now and he’s never had a good answer.

 At least the first question is simple. Kind of. He knows what he has to do. He knows what waits for him at the end of this bullshit and it’s nothing that he wants to think about.

 And for the second…he stirs his spoon in his stew, feeling just as caught up by the branches as Bellamy. What does he want to be? Fuck if he knows. What is there to be? What is there to want? He’s not going to be able to want anything for a while after Hornigold is through with him. And then even after that he’ll have to be careful about what he wants in case someone sees and Hornigold uses it against him.

He would like to pull Anne on his lap and wrap his arms around her waist and rest his chin on her head. He would like to press his hands against Bellamy’s chest and maybe if he could sit on his lap if that wasn’t weird, but straddling him, facing him, steal the breath right from his mouth. He’d like for Jack to understand he didn’t need to be Edward or Hornigold to be awesome. That Jack himself was awesome enough and the most fun person Edward had ever met. If he were here he would say something dumb and trashy and funny and Edward would laugh and forget everything and just lose himself in the roaring current that was Jack Rackham. Sure he’d wake up hungover and wanting to die with no memory of what happened but his body would remember the good times. 

But who he wants to be. What the fuck is the point of even knowing? Even if he knew how to figure that out it would just be another thing that could be taken away.

#our flag means death #our flag means death fanfic #edward teach #calico jack #sam bellamy #anne bonny #backstory fic #never shall we die #the end of one era #the start of another

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 19: Uncharted Waters Part I: Making Port

Read @ Ao3

Summary: Edward has to leave, he knows this, but it's not easy leaving a ship mid-voyage in unfamiliar territory. Still, the longer he remains, the more the lines strain and if he isn't careful, something, soon, is going to snap.

Snippet:

“I think you should stay,” Jack says, with a little frown though his eyes are hard above his brows and Edward knows he doesn’t mean it. 

He wants to stay here on this little ship with its graceful sturdy lines.

But he can’t. He can’t and everyone knows it.

“Yeah, no fuck that,” Edward says, turning toward the dinghy.

“The fuck do you mean fuck that? What you think you got some fuckin’ choice? Huh?”

Edward ignores him and drops his canvas sack in the belly of the dinghy, nearly on Turpin who looks up startled. The little fuckface is practically bristling with weapons. Edward watches as Turpin fumbles out a flintlock and drops it and then goes about trying to load it with shaking hands.

“Really, you’re just fucking embarrassing now.”

 “Hey, don’t just ignore me, you shit! Goddamn!” Jack sighs. “I didn’t want to have to do this.” 

#our flag means death #ofmd #ofmd fanfic #edward teach #calico jack #anne bonny #sam bellamy #backstory fic #never shall we die

[nswd-ofmd]

Coming soon....

#our flag means death #ofmd #ofmd fanfic #edward teach #calico jack #anne bonny #sam bellamy #never shall we die

[nswd-ofmd]

Chapter 18: Breakwater

Read @ Ao3

Summary:

The eastern side of the islands are dangerous, lousy with pirates and reefs and rocks, and, so far, sparse with information. But Edward is determined, even if it's difficult to balance the increasing neediness of Jack and the politics of the crew while not completely smothering his own ambition. Sometimes the line between ally and enemy blurs, and soon enough, Edward might be unable to tell the difference.

Snippet: Annoying fucker, Edward thinks, with his white shirt and dark blue waistcoat and the way his dark hair, longer now, sits at the back of his neck above his collar. Edward wonders if he’ll change too. He kind of hopes not. He likes this Bellamy. Annoying. Unchanging. Mysterious and cool. No weird touches or whispered names that seemed to…seemed to promise something, but it was really nothing but a fever dream. 

“Boring ass Cuntamy,” Jack mutters, slurping down the wine. “He’s a lot more fun when he’s drunk.” 

Edward knows it but doesn’t remember, just the lingering ghost of skin and tickling hair against his palm. He rubs his hand against his trouser leg to make it go away, smooths it over the patched leather of the waistcoat, now freckled with blood he realizes with a sigh. He’ll have to scrub it out but it’ll stain and the leather is already starting to wear thin in places and soon…

Jack nudges him hard and Edward glares at him.

“What?” 

“I said Cuntamy is boring. Shit. Are you even paying attention.” 

“I fucking know he’s boring,” Edward says, rolling his eyes, even as he hates himself for saying it. But what is he supposed to do? Tell the truth? Jack will rip him apart and he’ll deserve it.

Though how Jack can’t see that Bellamy’s…

That there’s something that’s…that’s just…

“Well you ain’t really enthusiastic about it.” Jack squints at him. “You ain’t suckin’ his dick are you?” 

“What the fuck?  No!” 

#our flag means death #ofmd #ofmd fanfic #edward teach #calico jack #sam bellamy #anne bonny #never shall we die

[nswd-ofmd]

Jack at 19. I have no idea where that hat went...and probably Jack doesn't either. From: Never Shall We Die

#ofmd #our flag means death #calico jack #never shall we die #backstory fic #and yes #he is #an asshole #but he has his moments