❛ I'm so tired of being a book on the shelf. Tired of stories for somebody else, think that I'm ready to start a new chapter. ❜
SEASON 1, EPISODE 6
the art of fuckery
NIKITA RELOCATED HER hiding spot to the lavish bathroom in Stede's room. The only person she chanced crossing in here was Stede, with the likes of Lucius passing through the main room. Luckily, Stede had gathered his crew to plague some fuckery on a passing Dutch ship and were busy on the deck.
⠀⠀⠀Nikita curled into the chair in the bathroom, dazing in and out of sleep with nothing else to do. Her thoughts kept her up, but she tried to push them away so she could plunge into darkness. However, her attempts were squashed when terrified gasps crawled down the hall toward the bathroom.
⠀⠀⠀Scowling, Nikita stood. She knew it was her father, but she also knew that they wouldn't be leading the Dutch to come screaming through such a small space. Nikita opened the door to find her father on the floor, lying on his side. She'd only seen him like this once or twice before, and it set a wildfire in her veins.
⠀⠀⠀"Dad? Dad, what's wrong?" Nikita asked, panic settling in her words as her eyes darted everywhere. She looked for a wound or a body or blood trailing after, but there was nothing.
⠀⠀⠀Blackbeard stood, bending at the waist, and hobbled into the bathroom. He crawled into the bathtub, which seemed to calm him down immediately. His breathing returned to normal, and he was able to find her before staring blankly at the faucet.
⠀⠀⠀Nikita left the room but returned with a blanket hidden in one of the closets. Despite the tub being much bigger than any Nikita had seen, it still looked too small for Blackbeard. Nikita didn't care, forcing him to scoot over to let her in. She sat down, the porcelain hurting her bones and her arms pinned to her chest.
⠀⠀⠀Blackbeard was stiff. Their earlier conversation left some bitterness between them. Nikita rested her head on his shoulder, and he relaxed enough to bring his arm around her.
⠀⠀⠀"I'm sorry," Nikita whispered.
⠀⠀⠀"For what?" Blackbeard asked. His hand stroked her hair comfortingly.
⠀⠀⠀"Being mad at you," Nikita replied.
⠀⠀⠀"Ah-ha! I knew it," he forced himself to laugh, but it was strained. "Why?"
⠀⠀⠀"It's stupid," she said, feeling childish.
⠀⠀⠀"Never," he assured her.
⠀⠀⠀"It's just—" Nikita began, looking down at her hands and swirling her thumbs nervously. "You've become quite good friends with Stede. I feel... like you haven't wanted me around as much."
⠀⠀⠀"Nonsense!" Blackbeard exclaimed, readjusting his weight in the tub, then frowned. "I suppose I haven't been giving him more of my attention. It's just—"
⠀⠀⠀"You've felt bored," Nikita finished for him, nodding her head. "I understand. I know my feelings are stupid."
⠀⠀⠀"Nikita, you have every reason to feel how you are," Blackbeard assured her, kissing her head lovingly. "I'm sorry for ever making you feel less than."
⠀⠀⠀Nikita craned her neck to look at his face, finding the words strange for him. Before this, Blackbeard would never apologize. He might try to be better for a time, but he was still Blackbeard. Heartless, cruel, untouchable.
⠀⠀⠀Whatever Blackbeard had found here, it was already changing him.
⠀⠀⠀"Are you alright?" Nikita finally asked. Her worries for her father and that look that had been on his face, completely terrified, were eating away at her.
⠀⠀⠀"I'm fine, darling," Blackbeard assured her with a smile.
⠀⠀⠀"Back to lying about our feelings," Nikita chuckled. The day wearing down on her as her eyes fluttered closed. "Just like the good old days."
⠀⠀⠀Nikita's attempt to fall asleep earlier struck her, and her body relaxed as she lay with her father. Her eyes closed, and her mind shut down to a limbo between dreaming and wakefulness. She was nearly out when Stede's voice ruptured the silence in the room.
⠀⠀⠀"Ed?" Stede called into the room, his words quiet with a tinge of worry.
⠀⠀⠀"The Kraken didn't kill my dad," Blackbeard admitted. He sounded distant despite being right beside Nikita. "I did. I'm the Kraken. If I'm honest... I haven't killed another man since. Not personally."
⠀⠀⠀"I mean... I have seen you main some people," Stede commented thoughtfully, closing the door behind him and walking further into the room.
⠀⠀⠀"Maiming's different. Love a good maim," Blackbeard muttered. "But, I always outsource the big job. And tonight... I'm supposed to kill... you."
⠀⠀⠀"Oh."
⠀⠀⠀"I was supposed to burn your face off and take your identity," Blackbeard continued.
⠀⠀⠀"And, um, is that still in the cards, or—?"
⠀⠀⠀"You don't belong in doggy heaven," Blackbeard told him, the words assuring but obviously strange to Stede.
⠀⠀⠀"Doggy heaven? Is that a pirate term, or—?" Stede asked, confused.
⠀⠀⠀"I'm not a good person, Stede," Blackbeard continued, dismissing his question as he shook his head. "That's why I don't have any friends. I hardly deserve Nikki."
⠀⠀⠀"Hey, I'm your friend," Stede assured him.
⠀⠀⠀"No."
⠀⠀⠀"Listen, what if... what if we just pretend that whole murder idea never happened?" Stede asked kindly. He hardly even seemed perturbed by the idea that the man in front of him wanted to kill him.
⠀⠀⠀"We could?" Blackbeard asked, sniffling.
⠀⠀⠀"I mean, I could... if you could."
⠀⠀⠀"I think I might like that."
⠀⠀⠀Stede sighed, happy to hear it, and said, "I would love that."
⠀⠀⠀"Thank you," Blackbeard warmly said.
⠀⠀⠀Nikita felt like she was intruding on something intimate just by being awake. Her skin flushed hearing their soft voices, the reassuring words, the way they spoke as if they had known each other their whole lives.
⠀⠀⠀It wasn't what she felt with Bash. It wasn't what she had felt with anyone.
⠀⠀⠀"We should probably head back up to the crew," Stede muttered after a moment. "Um..."
⠀⠀⠀"It's alright," Blackbeard assured him, then his arm shook violently against Nikita. "Nikki, I know you're awake. C'mon!"
⠀⠀⠀"I'm not awake," Nikita responded, standing to her feet. "I'm sleepwalking."
⠀⠀⠀"Surely," Stede agreed and held his hand out to her.
⠀⠀⠀Nikita accepted and stepped out of the tub. Blackbeard followed after her, then the three-headed back to the deck to greet the crew. The second they exited the door, the crew was cheering and applauding happily for their Captain. Not Blackbeard, but Stede.
⠀⠀⠀"Bravo, everyone!" Stede cheered back to them, a bright smile passing over his face.
⠀⠀⠀"So, uh, Blackbeard, what did you think?" Roach asked nervously, smiling in anticipation of Blackbeard's response.
⠀⠀⠀"Wonderful fuckery," Blackbeard praised. "Scared the pants off me."
⠀⠀⠀"I thought Blackbeard didn't feel fear," Black Pete commented.
⠀⠀⠀"And I didn't," Blackbeard agreed, looking across the crew with a pleasing smile. "Until today."
⠀⠀⠀"Woah!" Black Pete exclaimed, shocked to hear that.
⠀⠀⠀"And you!" Stede exclaimed, pointing toward the Swede. "What a voice!"
⠀⠀⠀"Me?" Oh, come on. Don't tease me," the Swede said, a blush coming to his cheeks.
⠀⠀⠀"Oh, he's not teasing. You sounded like an angel. Well done," Blackbeard told him, and the crew followed with another applause.
⠀⠀⠀"And Lucius! Quite the feat even though it was his hand!" Stede exclaimed, looking around the deck. "Where is he?"
⠀⠀⠀"Shh! He's asleep!" Fang whisper-shouted across the deck.
⠀⠀⠀Lucius lay in Fang's lap, looking pale while asleep. Fang cradled him, and Nikita noticed the missing finger that was likely not fake. She grimaced.
⠀⠀⠀"Stede Bonnet! Draw your weapon," Izzy demanded from the other side of the deck, glaring down at Stede.
⠀⠀⠀"No, Izzy, we're not doing this," Blackbeard told him firmly, holding his hand up to ask Izzy to back down.
⠀⠀⠀"No, you're not doin' this, so I must," Izzy agreed, stepping down to stand with Stede, sauntering toward him. "Stede fuckin' Bonnet... I fuckin' challenge you to a fuckin' duel."
⠀⠀⠀"Well, I accept your challenge," Stede said, catching the blade Izzy tossed to him.
⠀⠀⠀The crew murmured in shock, and even Nikita was surprised by the amount of balls Stede had to accept Izzy's challenge.
⠀⠀⠀"Stede, be careful. He does know his shit," Blackbeard warned.
⠀⠀⠀"As do I. You've taught me well," Stede assured him.
⠀⠀⠀"Not that well," Blackbeard muttered, his eyes skittering feverishly between the two.
⠀⠀⠀"Right, I'm assuming standard duel rules apply," Stede said to Izzy, preparing his sword to fight. "What are those exactly?"
⠀⠀⠀"Let's make it interesting, shall we?" Izzy asked, adjusting his glove, then held his sword at the ready. "The loser is banished from the ship if they're not dead."
⠀⠀⠀Izzy didn't wait for Stede to accept or fill the air with useless rambling a second time. Instead, he whipped his needle-thin blade, and Stede hurriedly defended himself without getting stabbed.
⠀⠀⠀"Come on!" Stede exclaimed. "Give a man a warning!"
⠀⠀⠀"That was your warning," Izzy sneered.
⠀⠀⠀They reset, and Stede took a moment to gain his composure while the crew cheered him on from the sidelines. Izzy rushed Stede, their swords scraping against one another's before Izzy used his hand to slap Stede and forced him back. Stede fell backward onto the deck floor, and Izzy's sword pointed at his face.
⠀⠀⠀Nikita watched the two men, then her father. He was always excited for a duel, egging on the side he knew would win. But now, he watched with sharp eyes, ambling as if he hated the idea of fighting suddenly.
⠀⠀⠀"Yield or die," Izzy commanded.
⠀⠀⠀"I choose... this!" Stede exclaimed, then threw a fistful of gunpowder into Izzy's face.
⠀⠀⠀Izzy tripped over his feet, surprised by the cheap trick. Stede stood back up, holding up his sword.
⠀⠀⠀"Do it now!" Oluwande exclaimed. Stede listened and whipped Izzy in the ass. "No, stab him!"
⠀⠀⠀Izzy was at top performance in seconds, however. They stood with the capstan between them. Izzy tried to jump at Stede, but he kept dodging him until Izzy was faster and sliced Stede's arm. Stede yelped in pain, falling against the mast and his sword on the ground.
⠀⠀⠀"So, it looks like we've arrived, Bonnet. The end of the road," Izzy mused, scowling.
⠀⠀⠀Blackbeard turned away. Nikita continued to watch.
⠀⠀⠀"Alright, let's call it a draw," Stede suggested hopefully.
⠀⠀⠀"Nah, I'm good."
⠀⠀⠀Izzy forced his sword into Stede's stomach, groaning in pain. He doubled over for a moment, then his head turned to stare at Blackbeard.
⠀⠀⠀"Did I do it right?" he asked. "He missed all the important bits."
⠀⠀⠀Blackbeard raised his head and turned to look at them. Stede had gotten Izzy to stab him where Blackbeard had shown him a few nights before. Nikita was impressed as Izzy tried to pull the sword from Stede's stomach.
⠀⠀⠀"This mast it's made from the finest cherry wood in Brazil. It's rather strong, actually," Stede told Izzy through pinched words.
⠀⠀⠀"Shut up!" Izzy spat. "Don't you ever shut up, you rancid rat!"
⠀⠀⠀Izzy struggled with his sword until it cracked, and all he could remove was the handle.
⠀⠀⠀Buttons laughed with his chest and claimed, "Well, now, Mr. Hands. Reckon he's rendered your sword inoperable. By dueling tradition, that means—"
⠀⠀⠀"Stede wins!" Frenchie exclaimed, interrupting Buttons.
⠀⠀⠀The crew screamed with excitement that Stede had won it over Izzy. They danced and cheered drinks together as the look on Izzy's face fell to a loss. He turned to Blackbeard, who couldn't say anything. Stede had won, even if it was on a technicality.
NIKITA, BLACKBEARD, AND Ivan stood at the railing to give Izzy his send-off. Since he had lost and wasn't dead, he was now banished from the ship per his terms. That didn't mean Izzy was happy about it. He stood in the boat Stede had given to him, angry he had lost against the likes of Stede and baffled that his Captain was so willing to see him off.
⠀⠀⠀"So, is this it then?" Izzy shouted up at them. "You're actually allowing this?"
⠀⠀⠀"You shouldn't've dueled him, Iz! We could've worked this out," Blackbeard called down to him.
⠀⠀⠀"You will rue this day, Edward! You will rue it long, and you will rue it hard!" Izzy cursed, his eyes darting to Nikita.
⠀⠀⠀Nikita didn't like the way he looked at her. A terrifying vengeance settled into that gaze that did not only seep for Stede but also Nikita. Those weaknesses Blackbeard had were the cause of this. Nikita knew that was what he was thinking, and he had believed it for a long time.
⠀⠀⠀"Hey!" Roach exclaimed, appearing without warning between Nikita and Ivan. "Made you a sandwich for the trip."
⠀⠀⠀Roach tossed the sandwich, but it hit Izzy in the head and then fell into the water.
⠀⠀⠀"Hey!" Ivan exclaimed at Roach in annoyance. "I would've eaten that."
⠀⠀⠀"A fucking pox on all of you!" Izzy screamed.
⠀⠀⠀"Well, that's that," Blackbeard muttered, patting Nikita on the shoulder before moving on.
"TODAY, WE COMMIT a piece of our beloved Lucius to the sea," Fang lamented to the mourners as he held the infected finger Lucius had cut off. Then, Fang turned to the sea and launched it with all his strength. "Begone, you foul thing!"
⠀⠀⠀Everyone cheered while Stede complained that the offering could've been more elegant.
⠀⠀⠀"Nikita, I haven't seen you since last night," Bash greeted, a nervous smile gracing his face. "Everything alright?"
⠀⠀⠀"Yeah," she assured him, lightening her hard features when she saw him. "I was having some... me time. Sorry I didn't tell you."
⠀⠀⠀"That's alright," Bash assured her, but the waver his voice told Nikita it wasn't. "It's just... we had just done it, so I worried—"
⠀⠀⠀"No, it wasn't that," Nikita said quickly and frantically. She waved her hands to try and dismiss Bash's thoughts, but she worried they were naked on her face. "Just... I needed to figure out some things with my dad. We're okay now."
⠀⠀⠀"That's wonderful to hear. I was worried about you two," Bash admitted, and the kindness he brought to his words made Nikita feel again.
⠀⠀⠀Nikita wanted to pull her hair out, scream, and do anything to make these weird feelings make sense. Bash was someone she could talk to without struggling. He opened himself up to her as well. He watched the sunset with her and didn't make fun of her for considering the ocean her friend. He was pleasant and spent time with her, and he liked her. She wanted the attention and appreciated how her loneliness subsided when he was around.
⠀⠀⠀"Um, I know it's not the same, but wanna watch the sunrise?" Bash asked, pointing to the end of the deck as the sky started to brighten away from the dreary darkness.
⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, I'd love to," Nikita said, her heart hammering against her chest.
⠀⠀⠀Nikita and Bash walked to the front of the ship and watched the sun spark the sky to life with beautiful reds, oranges, and yellows.
⠀⠀⠀This is what Nikita liked. She liked watching the Sun with Bash. She liked being around him and talking to him. Her hand stung when he touched hers, but she told herself she would get used to it. She hardly touched anyone at sea, much less a lover. She was likely just not used to being intimate. It was new.
⠀⠀⠀Of course, that was all it was.
AUTHOR'S NOTE —
SONG: mona lisa by mxmtoon
Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you'd like. However, this is an all kind of reader safe space. So even if you ghost read or comment every chapter, I hope you know it means the world to me that you've come into this fic ♡ I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and until the next one.