#* / character study ( james flint. )

[mr-culper]

In general, the brothel scene was brilliantly film. I especially liked the shooting angle from above, because Aemond looks like death there.

I really like how they did it. Although for me this whole scene was, as it's said, too much, a bit thick. Well, I don't know, but it was hard for me, I felt uncomfortable watching the brothel scene from the beginning to the end. And yet milk. Oh, Christ.

But then I thought maybe it should be uncomfortable.

We had grown accustomed to watching someone being killed, tortured, maimed in TV series. Game of Thrones has rape scenes. Outlander has rape scenes, and they are filmed in remarkable way. Several women were raped there, at least one child, – on top of that then his hand was cut off after some time, – and one man. And the scene with the male character, oddly enough, is the worst of all: he was in prison at that time, he was tortured, abused and raped. The scene is truly monstrous, awful and nightmarish, but I watched it, and you know what, it didn't really scratch me. I mean, I was like: well, ahh, that was terrifyingly, what next? let's continue to watch next. And my gut tells me that I wasn't the only one who thought so.

That is, now, for some reason, we – humanity – take a calmly view of very scary things. Or very indecent ones. In TV series, there are explicit scenes of torture, explicit scenes of sexual content, which are also generally inappropriate to show, yes, some other 'too much' moments... and that passes for normal. However, as soon as one shows a scene where a character is just lying on someone's soft lap, trying to abstract their mind, and all this is so vulnerable, tender and fragile, that people say: we feel uncomfortable!

So, watching someone being raped or murdered, or how captain Flint struck Singleton across the face with a cannonball and beat him to a bloody mess – this is normal for us, but watching a person who is vulnerable, open and seeks solace – is no.

We, the audience, are so unprepared to face our own vulnerability that we feel uncomfortable seeing it in someone else.

We are ready to meet with any expressions of violence against other people, against ourselves, because life is dark and full of terrors. One reads the news items every morning, there is an endless chain of murders, explosions, riots, arson attacks, terroristic acts, and some other villainies happen all the time. It has even start to wear thin! We have become so accustomed to it that at some point one sits and says: ah, someone was blown up here again, something fell there, something was burned out, someone was shot, those built a trebuchet and bomb their neighbors across the border, someone was flayed alive. In general, nothing new. You just sit and think: okay, things are getting worse every minute, but overall, it's possible to live, just live on, we are constantly faced with all this, so, darling, just keep yourself alive, please...

And then they show us Aemond in a brothel, and we are not ready for it. We feel uncomfortable, because we begin to feel vulnerable ourselves.

In Black Sails, in Season 3, John Silver says an absolutely wonderful phrase: I cannot look weak, I cannot feel weak, I cannot be weak.

I totally agree.

We are all obsessed with... well, not all of us, but many of us, I know people like that, I am that person myself... with not being weak, not looking or feeling weak, with being strong in any situation. I'm obsessed with self-control as well. Maybe that is why Aemond is so like-minded for me, not only because of fierce embitterment contained in both of us, but also because of the idea of controlling our own feelings.

I used to be very wishy-washy in my previous life. Now I'm a kind of reasonable person, but before... I'm very ashamed of who I had once been, because I complained about my life, I was spineless, weak, neither fish nor fowl. It really pissed me off, I hated and despised myself for it. At some point, I realized: I must to grab myself by the balls (figuratively speaking), clench my fists and jaw, stand out the cords of my neck and become a strong person or do something of that kind to stop despising myself. So yes, I'm obsessed with the idea of ​​self-control, with being someone who solves problems, neither creates ones nor suffers from them.

And maybe for me, and maybe for many others, it was uncomfortable to watch the scene with Aemond and Sylvi for this very reason, because all of that is such an exposure of the human soul that you just unable to bear it.

I really like the House of the Dragon screenwriter's innovation in this regard. The brothel scene hit us where it hurts the most. Well done. I'm delighted. They did this scene so great. I love it showed Aemond from his vulnerable side, from the side of a person who is also worried, being emotional over, but is trying to somehow solve all this in other ways. It doesn't mean Aemond does nothing. He does what no one else does – he thinks. He takes a break and reflects.

That's an excerpt from the new episode of the Tea & Rum podcast about Aemond's first brothel scene.

To find more episodes go to Boosty.

Other posts about that.

[etoilesombre]

What Lies Beneath - Chapter 3 - x_etoile_x - Black Sails [Archive of Our Own]

archiveofourown.org

Chapters: 3/3 Fandom: Black Sails Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Captain Flint | James McGraw/John Silver Characters: Captain Flint | James McGraw, John Silver Additional Tags: Demon AU, Monsterfucking, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Episode Related, 2.7, Flint is very tormented, and Silver is always looking for an angle, because someone around here has to have common sense when dealing with the supernatural, Rimming, i would not say the consent is dubious exactly, but its tricky at some points, they're working through some things, Jewish John Silver, very incidentally, what if Silver's canon ideas about Flint were true: the fic 

Summary:

Silver is braced for the transformation, and so he manages to maintain his composure, though when the pressure of fingers against his skull becomes the sharp flex of talons his knees go weak. Huge, bat-like wings erupt from Flint’s back, and horns sprout above his temples; by the time it's over, he has grown to at least half again his normal size. His face is still more or less his own, but his eyes are decidedly reptilian, and they watch Silver warily.

“Oh, hello,” Silver murmurs, soft and soothing, determined not to be ruled by his fear. “Aren’t you magnificent?”

Flint’s lips pull back to reveal sharp, gleaming teeth; he gives a warning growl.

“None of that now,” Silver says, holding his ground as he would with a skittish animal. “You aren’t going to frighten me away. Did you not think I knew what I was asking for?”

____________

Chapter the Third: In which everyone finally gets what they want. 

[immobiliter]

i write so many stubborn muses but flint really does take the cake. there is no arguing with this man. he will either refuse to even give you the time of day or he will thusly consider you an obstacle and good luck getting him to change his mind lmao

[saintvainglorious]

10 Best Black Sails Fics I Read in 2023

In honor of Black Sails' 10th anniversary, here's a list of my top 10 favorite Black Sails fics I read in 2023, in order from shortest to longest. Most Black Sails fic rec posts I've seen are now around 2 or 3 years old (though not all, bless @jaynovz and your #jay's esoteric rec lists tag) so nearly half of the recs in this list spotlight newer fics. It's amazing to see fantastic fics still being written and updated years after the show ended - y'all are keeping this fandom alive!

I didn't read that much Black Sails fic this year, comparatively speaking, so I'm sure there's plenty of newer gems that I missed. All the fics in this rec list are Silverflint unless otherwise stated.

1 - Gone To Port Royal by Apetslife (G, 3k) - a delightful oneshot from Gates' POV where they all go to a pirate afterlife. every scene is perfect. endlessly re-readable and never fails to make me smile.

Definition of Valhalla 1: the great hall in Norse mythology where heroes slain in battle are received 2 : a place of honor, glory, or happiness: heaven

2 - i’ll be seeing you by youatemytailor/@annevbonny (NR, 19k) - this is THEE post-canon Silverflint reunion fic. the anguish, the rage, the quiet jokes, the tenderness, it's all devastatingly in-character. particularly the chapter 5 climactic unspooling leaves me in awe upon every reread.

Silver is out of his chair and across the room before he knows it. He has a grip on the barkeep’s shirt before he knows it, and he’s pulling him up, hauling him eye-level, only to head-butt him to the ground again. The barkeep’s mouth is thrown open in a wail, but there’s no sound, Silver thinks, no sound at all, save for the blood rushing in his ears as he looks at the other man on the ground, watches him roll to his side with a groan. Flint, Silver thinks, and nothing else. It beats around the knife in his gut like a drum. Flint. And then Flint is looking at him.

3 - The Dark Lord Proprietor by Amiril/@runawaymarbles (M, 19k, Silverflintham) - a fuckin hysterical supervillain AU. Thomas has amnesia, Flint is pining, Silver tries to get them back together. what could go wrong? could not stop cackling.

A year ago, James Flint was in a stable relationship and was within spitting distance of taking over London. Now he’s single, with a dubiously loyal henchman, a lairmate determined to learn his every weakness, and a Secret Past with the new supervillain on the scene. And thanks to a new government program, it’s all a race to the bottom.

4 - the cross dimensional nassau bar of getting izzy hands laid by FortinbrasFTW/@fortinbrasftw (E, 19k ~WIP~, Flint/OFMD Izzy Hands) - a Black Sails OFMD Flint/Izzy Hands crossover. the very best kind of smut-as-character study. funny, gripping, and endlessly re-readable.

The first thing Izzy realizes is he looks absolutely fucking furious — which yeah, alright, fair enough. He’s got shorter ginger hair. A beard like Izzy’s but kept neater. Earrings like Izzy’s but worn simpler. Bleeding like Izzy but, well, maybe a bit less. And he’s handsome. Izzy realizes it suddenly and slowly somehow all at once. Bit like a bloody painting even. The kind you saw up on walls in rich folk’s houses. Only, well, no painting had eyes like that, did it? You’d have to be mad to keep a painting with eyes like that in your home. They were bright and clear and looked — honest-to-fucking-Christ — ready to set the whole damned world on fire. Izzy's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad night takes an interesting turn thanks to a completely different sort of pirate captain.

5 - frail and fragile bars by Ajaxthegreat/@francisthegreat (E, 21k) - Silver realizes, post-shark date, that he's in love with Flint. an instant, iconic fave fic. SO many delicious scenes and quotes that live rent free in my head. just read it, you won't regret it.

“I think you fuck,” Silver says. By which he means, with great intent: I think you are human. I know you are human. I see you.

6 - the whole estate of mortal man by Amiril/@runawaymarbles (T, 43k) - Creature Silver AU where he'll grant wishes in exchange for souls. first read this fic in 2020 and cried. reread it this year and cried again. the nature of the AU intersects so cleverly with Black Sails' themes, and the end result is devastating.

Silver has a limited memory, an unlimited lifespan, and a need for human souls. He spends months trying to buy Flint’s.

7 - our feast is but beginning by x_etoile_x/@etoilesombre (E, 55k) - Flint teaches season 1 Silver how to cook. they're definitely not dating. no, really. this writer writes dialogue so in-character that it cuts like a knife. features sensual cooking, Flint being a queer mentor for Silver, fun genderfuckery, and Them Being Real Tender.

Flint should walk away. Silver can figure out how to feed the men, it isn’t his problem. But roasting a pig is so easy, and when was the last time he had a hand in creating something rather than destroying it? Anyway, what else is he doing, with Billy taking the crew in hand with such annoying competency? He absolutely does not think about why he is reluctant for this interaction with Silver to end. “Go get another pig,” he says before he can reconsider. “Do exactly as I say.”

8 - With Strange Aeons by Amiril/@runawaymarbles (M, 60k, Silverflint + Flinthamilton + Jackanne) - Came for the Silverflint, stayed for the Silverflint but also for holy fuck Jack and Anne are sent to Savannah and break out of there with Thomas to battle literal Cthulhu. How can you NOT read this. I don't typically read Flinthamilton, but by god Thomas is amazing in this.

After the disappearance and presumed death of Captain Flint and Long John Silver, Max smuggles Jack and Anne to Oglethorpe’s plantation. Thomas learns that not only do the three of them have a friend in common, but he is not the only one whose dreams are haunted by a strange city and a terrifying name. Meanwhile, Flint and Silver try to escape an island trapped in time, impossibly built and impossibly old. Along the way they’re forced question reality, each other, and themselves. And in his house in R’lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming.

9 - The Salt and the Sea by x_etoile_x/@etoilesombre (E, 60k) - a between season 2 and 3 recovery fic. i still remembered months after reading that chapter 4 in particular left me undone. a harrowing journey into the ruins of post-leg loss Silver's mind, plus exquisite hurt/comfort.

John Silver was always able to make the best of a situation. If this particular situation had started to feel complicated, well, a vast fortune ought to prove clarifying. Whatever he might have imagined he’d seen in Flint, the reality was they had used each other. And he had been set to walk away on top. Except now he couldn’t. Now he was trapped.

10 - the straight walk home by vowelinthug/@vowel-in-thug (E, 73k, Silverflint + Jackanne + Maxanne + Billy/Vane) - A western AU and one of the best long fics in the fandom. Excellent comedy, amazing AU twists on our favorite characters, found family vibes, nail-biting action, and a fucking fantastic climax. Also, I can't believe this fic got me invested in Billy/Vane.

Let me tell you a story, about a vaquero named Vasquez...

[1americanconservative]

James Coburn, with his unmistakable presence and steely blue eyes, embodied the essence of Hollywood cool. Tall, lean, and effortlessly charismatic, he became a staple of action and adventure films during the height of his career, carving out a niche as the rugged antihero with an enigmatic edge. Though his screen image exuded confidence and control, Coburn’s path to stardom was anything but smooth—and the challenges he faced only added depth to the characters he portrayed.

Born on August 31, 1928, in the small town of Laurel, Nebraska, Coburn’s early years were shaped by the hardship of the Great Depression. That tough upbringing instilled in him a resilience and grit that would later define both his life and his performances. Drawn to storytelling and performance, he pursued acting at Los Angeles City College before continuing his studies under the legendary Stella Adler in New York. Early television roles introduced audiences to his striking features and resonant voice, but it was his breakthrough in 1960’s *The Magnificent Seven* that put him on the map.

As Britt, the knife-wielding gunslinger of the ensemble, Coburn turned minimal dialogue into a memorable performance. Sharing the screen with titans like Steve McQueen and Yul Brynner, he stood out through sheer presence and precision. It was a star-making role, one that positioned him as a new kind of action star—cool, understated, and quietly dangerous.

Coburn followed his breakout with a string of films that showcased his range. In the 1966 spoof *Our Man Flint*, he played secret agent Derek Flint with a satirical flair that poked fun at the James Bond phenomenon while still delivering charisma in spades. Audiences loved the mix of charm and irreverence, and Coburn proved he could lead both action flicks and comedies with equal ease. Throughout the 1960s and early 70s, he became one of the industry’s most reliable leading men, unafraid to take risks or embrace unusual roles.

But fame didn’t shield him from pain. In the 1970s, Coburn was diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis, a condition that caused excruciating pain and drastically limited his mobility. For much of the next two decades, acting became a struggle. Though he made occasional appearances, the disease kept him from working at full capacity. Yet Coburn never gave in. He explored alternative treatments, including natural medicine and lifestyle changes, eventually experiencing significant relief that allowed him to return to his craft.

His comeback was powerful. In 1997, Coburn delivered a raw, devastating performance as the violent, emotionally damaged father in *Affliction*. The role earned him an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor—proof not only of his talent but of his perseverance. It was a performance that reflected his own battles, full of pain, honesty, and emotional depth.

Off-screen, Coburn lived with a passion for life that matched his on-screen intensity. He had a love for classic cars—his prized Ferrari would one day become one of the most expensive ever sold at auction. He also studied martial arts and was close friends with Bruce Lee, whose philosophy and discipline left a lasting impression on him. Coburn credited Lee with helping him develop a greater sense of focus, both in his personal life and his craft.

His gravelly baritone made him a popular choice for narration and voice-over work in his later years. Whether in a film, a documentary, or even a commercial, Coburn’s voice carried authority, wisdom, and a hint of mischief. Even as his health fluctuated, he remained a commanding presence—stoic, dignified, and never one to chase the spotlight.

Despite his fame, Coburn was deeply respected for his humility and warmth. Colleagues described him as approachable and genuine, someone who preferred meaningful roles over box-office hits. He made choices based on instinct and integrity, often turning down roles that didn’t resonate with him personally. That quiet principle set him apart in an industry often driven by compromise.

On November 18, 2002, James Coburn passed away at the age of 74, after suffering a heart attack at his Beverly Hills home. He died peacefully, listening to music with his wife, Paula, by his side. His passing marked the end of an era—one in which cool confidence and unspoken depth defined a man as much as his talent.

Coburn’s life stands as a tribute to quiet strength and unwavering resolve. He faced illness with courage, approached fame with grace, and brought an undeniable magnetism to every role he played. His legacy endures not just in his films, but in the example he set: that true greatness comes from living authentically, weathering the storms, and leaving behind a life filled with purpose, passion, and art.

[corvuserpens]

A Girl, an Ocean {A Black Sails fanfic.} Ch. 9

Fandom: Black Sails Rating: Teen and up audiences Warnings: None Characters: Billy Bones, James Flint, Hal Gates, Muldoon, Dooley, protagonist OC, supporting OCs Relationships: Billy Bones/OC, Hal Gates/OC (paternal), Max/OC (friends), James Flint/OC (mentor) Additional tags: Original character-centric, first person POV, canon character x original character romance, self-discovery journey, kinda alternative prequel to canon, canon compliant, slow burn, mutual pining, friends to lovers, tooth-rotting sweetness, cute but also sexy, angst galore, found family, Hal Gates has two children now, canon typical violence Series: Part One of Six of A Girl, An Ocean Chapters: 9/13 Summary: While investigating a shipwreck in a small island, Constance observes as two crewmen free-dive in search of sunken treasure, staying under for several minutes at a time. To her, it's almost a miracle that they don't drown - and obviously, she wants to learn to do it, too.

Author's note: Here it is, finally. Chapter 9. Again, I apologize for the delay but my life has been chaotic and emotionally devastating, lately. One of my eldest cats passed away this morning after long, harrowing months fighting to keep her comfortable and happy through an irreversible illness, all while trying to meet deadlines for my Masters and making ends meet at home. Hopefully now, things will calm down and I can dedicate a little more time to posting. Cheers ✌

PS: Links to the songs included here in the replies!

Chapter ix.

At first, it was hard.

Everywhere I looked on the ship, I expected to see Jean coming out from a doorway, or down the stairs, or entering the galley hall for dinner. But he never did.

Some times, I would hear footsteps approach and turn around with delusional hope, only to see one of the other crew members walk past or come to relieve me from my watch. I knew perfectly well my friend was never coming back, yet it was as if my heart was struggling to catch up with what my mind had already accepted.

The most difficult part was when I went to bed and looked at the vacant hammock next to mine. More often than not, mere minutes after lying down, I had to get back up and go on the main deck for a smoke. When I truly wished to be alone, I would sneak onto the bowsprit and climb over the railing to sit on the beakhead, where I was hidden from sight. It was a dangerous place for one to sit; if I slipped and fell over board, the Walrus would run right over me and continue to plow the waves like nothing happened.

Still, there was no better way to disappear in a ship. Even the platforms up on the masts always had a rigger running back and forth while minding the sails and I had no wish to get in their way, either. When sleep finally gripped me and forced my eyelids to shut, I would go into the empty sickbay and sleep there. It took me nearly two weeks to get accustomed to my own hammock again.

Thankfully, my mates were very understanding of my grief and never said a word about my choice to crash away from them. Randall's cat, Betsy, sometimes would tuck herself next to me to keep me company and lend her soft fur to stroke until I fell asleep. It was my luck she was much more accessible than her owner.

Bjorn told me that what I truly needed was a distraction. While working, my mind would be too occupied to think about Jean or the void his death had left in my heart, but during the vacant hours, none of my usual entertainments worked anymore. Knot practicing was too easy for me now; my thoughts would often run away from me as my hands worked. I could barely focus on the maps I studied. The only thing that still proved an effective distraction was cleaning the guns and pistols, but only because if my attention faltered, I could hurt myself or someone else. Still, there were only so many times I could polish them before it turned ridiculous.

Logan suggested I drank a tankard or two of ale, just enough to become drowsy and forget everything, but I had seen what alcohol did to some of the men, both in high seas or ashore. I, for one, did not wish to become reliant on drinking to function until the drinking itself became the source of my utter lack of function.

Billy and I would train with the cutlasses and it helped for the most part. I even started improving; on one occasion, I almost managed to best him in combat, until he kicked my feet out from under me and held the tip of his blade to my throat.

“You're dead,” he would mock with that smartass smirk at the corner of his mouth, and I would narrow my eyes in return, slap the blade away and stand up again for another round, at least until he declared I'd had enough for the day and sent me off. One day I would get him. One day...

A full month passed before I could spend a day without remembering Jean. I felt so guilty for it, I almost vomited. If I didn't keep him in my memory, who would? These people were used to losing friends and moving on from their grief as quickly as possible, but this was all new to me. I had no idea how to do that.

I brought the subject up to Gates, seeking guidance. Out of all the advice and suggestions I had received, his was what really got through to me.

“We never truly move on from anyone we've lost,” he told me one evening at the forecastle while we watched the sun set together. “They always stay with us, every day of our lives. Some times, for whatever reason, they pop back into our minds or appear in a dream, but time soothes all wounds and turns any pain into comfort. You won't forget about Jean or the other friends you will eventually lose to this lifestyle. You couldn't even if you tried. But try to think of it this way: if it were you who died and left all your loved ones behind, would you want them to be sad and heartbroken forever, or blame themselves for not being able to save you?”

I didn't have to think hard on that question to know the answer. “No... No, I wouldn't. I would wish for them to find a way to live on without me. I would want them to still be happy.”

Gates smiled and winked at me. “Exactly. I'm of the same opinion. So is everyone who isn't a selfish, narcissistic bastard. And so was Jean. There was nothing you could have done to save his life, so don't you waste a single second weighting the “what ifs”. He wouldn't have wanted that for you. Live and keep him in your memory, and he will never truly die.”

That very same night, I pulled out Jean's pipe, had my smoke and wept for him for the last time in a long while. Then, I went down to my hammock, curled up facing the empty one neighboring mine, and slept soundly until dawn.

*** At last, one beautiful morning out at sea, we passed by a grouping of islets, scattered wide over turquoise waters. Some were barely a mile in length, no more than lines of sand, while others were large enough to host a whole patch of forest from which strange birds sang. It was on one of these larger islets where we came across an unusual sight: a shipwreck.

She was a decent sized schooner, beached on a sandbar. The stern of the ship was mostly underwater, so that the bowsprit rose in a near vertical angle that stretched far into the sky. The sails were in tatters as they blew gently in the wind, the wood long lost to rot. The foremast had snapped in two. The tip of it was partially buried in the sand.

From the quarterdeck, Captain Flint took a peek through his spyglass. Gates and Billy flanked him on either side and squinted at the sight, using their hands to shield their eyes from the intense sun. I happened to be close by, on the mizzen mast, so I was able to hear their exchange:

“Looks like she has wrecked no longer than a month or two,” Flint said without lowering the glass. “I see bodies on the beach. Longboats are gone, though.”

“What do you think?” Gates asked. “Marooned?”

Flint lowered the spyglass. “No, I don't think so. We are at least a week and a half from the nearest port. It would take triple that time to get there rowing. My guess is most of the crew decided to risk leaving on the longboats and hope to find a passing ship that would pick them up, while these men decided it would be best to stay and wait. It would seem those who sided with rowing were the cleverer group.”

“And they didn't come back for them?” Billy pointed out with bitterness in his voice.

“Or came back too late,” Flint countered. He stowed his glass away in his frock coat's pocket. “No matter. Drop anchor, but keep the sails at the ready, just in case. Gather a search party to see if we can find something useful and bring it aboard. Send Luca and O'Neill to investigate the ship.”

“Aye, captain.”

Gates and Billy descended from the quarterdeck to give the order, while Flint stayed behind.

Meanwhile, I refocused on helping the other riggers tuck the mizzen mast main sail. I was tying a lose knot that would allow its unfolding easily in an emergency when I caught Flint staring up at me. He tilted his head in a gesture to beckon me down.

I shuffled along the foot rope, then down the shroud. With a sense of pride, I verified I was getting rather quick moving along the yards or up and down the masts. In part, I owed it to Flint himself. If he hadn't encouraged me to face my new fear of heights after the careening incident from months ago, I would still be cowering on the deck. In those days, grateful as I was for his guidance and understanding, his acceptance of me, I would have done almost anything he asked me to. He had my full, unwavering loyalty.

At the bottom of the shrouds, I jumped off onto the deck and let my knees bend with the impact until I was almost on all fours, then hopped up straight and presented myself to Flint.

“Captain?”

“I want you to join the search party on the beach. It should be an educational experience for you. Comb the beach for valuables or clues for what might have happened here.” He paused when he saw the uneasy expression on my face. “Yes, that means search the corpses as well. Make sure to wash yourself thoroughly after. You don't want to catch the plague off of their decay.”

I had hoped he would tell me not to touch the corpses, but that would have to mean Flint had suddenly turned into a sensitive, compassionate man who gave a shit about people's discomfort about robbing the dead. That I knew of, he had not, and here was my proof.

I slowly exhaled through my nose and slumped my shoulders. “Yes, Captain.”

“Dismissed.” And he turned his back on me to look through the spyglass once more.

I started down the stairs to go get my gear and prepare to come ashore with the others, all the while doing my best not to hurl at the thought of touching a dead body.

The search party consisted of nine members, myself included: Billy, Thierry, Muldoon, Joshua, Joji and Dooley, plus three men named Morley, Luca and O'Neill.

The first, I remembered from my first day. He was sitting in the galley with another sailor who gave me the side-eye, but Morley was kind to me. Showed me where to find breakfast and chided his friend for being rude. The second was young, no older than twenty, with dark brown skin, vivid onyx eyes and a beautifully hooked nose. The last was an Irishman, one of the riggers, with a thick accent and even thicker black hair that hung in ringlets around his shoulders. Small shells decorated the inky waves.

Luca and O'Neill were both slim but broad of shoulders. Along with their usual gear, they also brought strange looking belts with what seemed to be rocks attacked to them. I had no idea what they were for, but had the feeling I would soon find out.

We arrived on the beach via longboat and hopped onto the pearl white sand. Since I was closest to the bow, I grabbed the rope and tied it off to a tree nearby with a clove hitch, plus an extra knot for safety. Billy lead our party toward the shipwreck.

The closer we got to her, the more impressive the sight got. The way the bowsprit stretched upwards gave the impression that the ship was imploring to the heavens to be saved from being swallowed by the sea. I was confronted with that strange sensation that her whole weight would suddenly tilt and fall on us, crushing us instantly; still, no matter how the wind blew on her ripped sails or the waves pounded at her hull, she didn't move an inch.

Billy stopped once we reached the ship's shadow and turned to us.

“Alright, tasks: Thierry, Muldoon and I, we take a lap around the island, see what we can see. Joshua, Morley and Constance, search the bodies. Joji and Dooley will climb aboard, though I don't expect you to find much. O'Neill and Luca, see if you can get into the hold. We report back here in ten minutes. Dismissed.”

We divided into teams and began our work, though I was intrigued by what he meant with “go into the hold.” It was almost completely submerged, there was no way they could get in there, was there...?

And then I saw those two remove their shoes and tops, letting them fall onto the sand along with all their weapons except for a single knife each, which they tied around their right ankles. Next, they wrapped their waists in those belts with the stones - and that was when I saw they were no stones at all. They were weights.

With a start, I watched them make their way to the water. I turned to Billy, who happened to be closest to me, and called out to him before he could leave with Thierry and Muldoon.

“Are they going to swim under the ship? With those belts weighting them down? What if they drown?”

Billy snorted, amused at my ignorance. “No, they're not going to drown. They're divers, and quite good ones at it. They know what they're doing.”

“But getting into that ship will take several minutes,” I insisted.

The idea of letting them go in there left me thoroughly anxious. They were already in the water, slathering their arms with to reduce the temperature shock before taking the plunge. I looked up to Billy, wide eyed, while he just grinned at me, totally at ease and unbothered.

“How will they not drown? No one can hold their breath that long!”

“Oh, they can't?” He reached into his pocket and searched around for a bit. He pulled out an object tethered by a silver chain and held it out for me.

Confused, I stretched out my hand, palm up, and saw what he had put in it: a time piece. With a furrowed brow, I tilted my head up, but he simply continued to give me that cryptic smile.

Billy tapped my shoulder. “Tell me how long they were down there when I get back. Don't get too distracted, though. I want those bodies thoroughly searched by then.”

And then he was gone with the others, leaving me astonished with that pocket watch in my hand. I turned just in time to see Luca and O'Neill dive beneath the waves and set the hands to twelve, giving the seconds a head start of about five seconds. Intrigued, I clasped the chain around my neck and set out to work.

There were a total of seven corpses littering the islet, all varying in distance from the shipwreck. Some were quite far from it; Morley even found one in the trees, bones and dry skin mostly taken over by plant growth and insects.

Cautiously, I approached one and fought the reflex to gag: it was a ghastly vision, a human shaped mound of rot, yet nothing like what a human should be. The skin was ashen and stretched over the outline of the bones underneath, the flesh and organs that once filled it long gone. Whatever hair this person once had, had mostly fallen off the skull in heaps half buried in the sand. And the stink...

I had smelled rotten food before and this was much worse. The smell was so abrasive it invaded my sinuses, positively assaulted my senses to the point I had to pinch my nose, though the thought of breathing it in through my mouth was just as repulsive. It was like I could taste the decay on my tongue, which reminded me of Flint's warning. I swallowed hard and turned away to try and mentally prepare for that ungodly task, to no avail. To distract myself, I checked the watch.

One minute and twenty-eight seconds. I looked out to the water, expecting to see either one or both divers come out, but there was no one there. Most astonishing was how unconcerned my companions seemed to be. Neither Morley nor Joshua even glanced up, too busy digging their hands through pockets or turning the cadavers over.

I looked down at the dried out mummy at my feet and grimaced before I knelt beside it.

The corpse was lying face down, skeletal hands outstretched as if the man had been crawling through the sand. Trembling from head to toe, I dug my fingers into an arm and under the torso, then pushed him over to flip him around.

"Sorry, mate," I muttered.

Without the weight of fat and muscle, the skeleton was easy to move. I felt pity for his fate, as I couldn't imagine what it must be like to be stranded on a beach like this with no food or water, waiting for rescue that would never come.

It made my heart heavy with guilt, desecrating his body like this, but if there was one vital lesson I had learned on a ship, it was this: waste not. We spent weeks or months at sea on limited supplies with no way to replenish them unless we made port or attacked another vessel. A shipwreck like this represented a rare opportunity to collect resources we could not overlook. And, to be completely fair and pragmatic... These people were dead. Nothing we would find on them would make a difference to them, but for us, it could prove life saving.

Still didn't make me feel any better for it, but this was one of those "brutal, harsh and ugly" parts of being a pirate that I had to accept and become insensitive to. All I could offer them was a quick prayer and ask the Good Lord to save some mercy for their souls, if He found them worthy of it.

And then I laid the cadaver on its back and saw his face.

"Fucking--!" I recoiled and fell on my arse.

There was a crab crawling out of the empty eye socket. It used its pincers like cutlery to pick what was left of the man's brains and bring them to its mouth. Another had tucked itself in the mouth and feasted on what little flesh still clung to the gums and the throat. But the worst of it all were the maggots: thousands, maybe millions of them, crawling and writhing around in the chest cavity.

I couldn't take it anymore. Twisting on my side, I retched and evacuated my entire breakfast onto the sand.

"You all right there, Constance??" I heard Joshua call out from a few yards away, worried but also entertained.

I spat the bile and carrots from my mouth and raised a hand in a thumbs up to indicate I was fine. When I recovered my breath, I sat back on my palms, let my head drop back and shut my eyes tight against the sun.

"There goes my breakfast," I joked. "Fucking crabs and maggots scared the shit out of me."

Joshua, who had approached to check on me, laughed.

"At least it wasn't snakes," Morley quipped up as he finished with a corpse and moved on to the next like this was nothing. I envied his composure. "Snakes are much worse. Joshua, remember what happened to the carpenter's mate, Tiago? The guy with a lisp, some three years ago?"

Joshua made a face of utter disgust. "How could I forget? He didn't even have time to yell "snake!" before it bit him right on the jaw." He pointed to his own, right next to his chin. "He was just lucky it wasn't a venomous snake. Still got a wicked looking scar from it."

I huffed a laugh and stood up. "At least it wasn't snakes."

Suddenly, I remembered Luca and O'Neill and turned to the shipwreck. Nothing. I consulted the watch once more: two minutes and forty-two seconds.

A chill ran down my spine. "Oy! It's been almost three minutes and they still haven't come up! What if they need help? They're gonna drown, shouldn't we do something??"

Morley and Joshua traded a look and snorted. I stared at them, distressed at their indifference. Our crew mates might die soon, if they weren't dead already! How could they be so nonchalant over this...?

"Don't worry about them, girl." Morley waved me off. "Get back to work."

My mouth opened and closed several times as I watched them continue to search the poor bastards spread out on the beach. "But..."

They ignored my pleas. Despite being told to focus on the task at hand, I just couldn't. I kept my eye on the watch, growing more and more anxious.

Three minutes and fifteen seconds. Three minutes and thirty-three seconds. Three minutes and forty-six seconds--

Luca's head finally burst through the surface.

I huffed out, not having realized I had been holding my own breath while waiting for them to give a sign of life. From my spot, I could see the diver was breathing laboriously, but very much alive. He floated there for a moment to recover, then swam to the beach and walked out of the sand like he had only gone for a dip. In his hand, he held a net full of shiny trinkets, which he dropped on the sand along with the weight belt.

I was stunned. Completely stupefied. Not long after, at four minutes and eight seconds, O'Neill also resurfaced, and like Luca, he took some time breathing deeply before coming to shore with his own satchel full of treasure.

Orders forgotten, I walked up to them, fully aware that my mouth was open in a round O to match my saucer sized eyes. Behind me, Joshua and Morley laughed at my figure, so much so that the former was writhing on the floor from how hard he chortled and the latter had to bend over with his hands on his knees.

Luca and O'Neill eyed them and me, totally at a loss to what was going on while they had been out. "Everything alright, here?" O'Neill asked me with a frown. "I should be the one asking you that!" I exclaimed, frightened, fascinated and amazed all at once. "You were down there for four minutes without breathing!""Aye, you were lucky to come back when you did," Morley told them once he calmed down. "Constance was just about ready to dive after you, thinking you were dead." "It's not funny!" I shrieked, which just made them laugh some more. Worse, O'Neill and Luca joined them, so that I was surrounded by a choir of ridicule. Bunch of assholes. "It's a little bit funny," Luca admitted.

"Regardless!" I waved a hand and pulled the subject back into focus. "How did you do that? How did you hold your breath for so long without dying?"

"With proper training and practice," O'Neill simply said. "It's possible to make yourself function with little air without blacking out. I knew a guy who could dive up to seven minutes."

"Seven minutes...?" I stared at him, unable to fathom going that long without breathing.

"Aye, didn't live much longer after that, mind. There are limits and he met his soon after establishing that record. Drowned somewhere off of Costa Rica, diving after a sunken Spanish galleon."

"How long does it take to learn this?" I immediately asked.

Since I was a child, I had always wandered what hid beneath the waves, only ever managing to glimpse through them without making sense of the broken up picture below the surface. But if it was possible to hold your breath even for just four minutes without perishing... Suddenly, that mysterious hidden world would become open to explore. It was too exciting a notion to pass up.

O'Neill snorted and crossed his arms. "A long time. It can take months, some times year to perfect the technique. Why, did you want to learn--?"

"Yes."

I stared at him deadpan, that single word spoken almost aggressively, giving him no space for argument or to say no. I wanted to learn. I wanted to be able to follow them into the depths of the ocean and reveal her secrets for myself. This was like a wild dream coming true, for me.

O'Neill returned my stare with a blank expression, taken aback by my eagerness. He looked to his partner, who mirrored his astonishment and shrugged. He then opened his mouth to speak, but stopped himself short, considered the mad glint in my eyes, the hard line my mouth pressed into, my closed fists, and he seemed to change his mind about refusing me. Likely, he was thinking there was no argument he could make to convince me not to go through with this.

"Fine, we'll teach you," he finally said. "When do you want to start?"

A grin spread from ear to ear and nearly tore my cheeks open.

"Today!” I replied. “As soon as possible. Please."

Luca laughed quietly and shook his head. "You really are something else, Constance. Never change." And he returned to the water like he belonged there rather than on land.

"Come find us when the watch ends and we can start your training," O'Neill told me with a secret smile. "For now, you should get back to work, before Billy comes back and catches you slacking off."

Ah, right. Here I was wagging my tongue instead of grave robbing. Or corpse robbing, rather. The image of the crabs and maggots feasting on my first victim lingered in my brain and I wasn't eager for more of it. But, neither did I want to risk Mr. Gates' wrath if Billy reported I had neglected my duties. I groaned and turned around to continue searching the fallen sailors, hoping all content in my stomach had been successfully evacuated.

*** Later in the afternoon, little after midday, my watch ended, so I went looking for the divers.

We still hadn't left the islet; some of the more religious members of the crew insisted on giving the poor souls that perished on that spit of land a proper burial, which I agreed with. It was the least we could do after emptying their pockets and disturbing their eternal rest. So, we dug up a common grave, laid the rotted out cadavers in it and buried them, joining together in prayer so they may be received in the Kingdom of Heaven.

The endeavor took over an hour, by which time the morning was almost through, so Flint decided it would be a good idea to have our mess right there on the beach and let us rest for the day. Obviously, everyone was more than happy to take up such a generous offer, given how rare these kinds of attitudes were, coming from our captain. Food and rum was brought onto the islet and the crew took the opportunity to wash in the sea or take a nap in the shade. Folsom and a few other musician sailors brought their instruments and sat together near Randall's fire pit to sing a few shanties.

It was pleasant and I could use the rest myself, but I was too excited to learn how to dive to sit still. I found Luca and O'Neill sitting on a rock that was regularly hit by the waves, sharing a pipe and some biscuits between them while they waited for lunch. On the way over, I removed my shoes and left them on the sand before I climbed on the rock and sat with them.

"I don't have the appropriate clothes, but I'll manage," I told them.

O'Neill blew out a cloud of smoke and passed it to Luca. "Doesn't matter because you're not going in the water."

My grin sunk like a stone. "What? But I thought--"

"Before you can go in the water, first you must learn how to properly breathe and how to hold your breath," Luca explained. "If we let you go in right now, you will drown and Gates would tan our hides."

"And Billy, too," O'Neill commented in a barely audible murmur.

"All right..." I huffed and tried to mask my disappointment. "What do I do, then?"

Luca gave O'Neill the pipe and sat up straight. "First of all, you have to know how to inhale correctly. You breathe in through your nose, inflate you belly first, then your chest, for about five seconds. Like this."

He sucked in a slow breath and tapped his belly with his hands to draw my attention. He let it bloat, then filled in his chest, and held it all for a second or two before letting it out.

"See? The point of this exercise is to lower your heart rate and relax your mind, so that you get used to the experience of holding your breath without panicking. Try to think about things that are soothing for you while you do it. Go on."

I crossed my legs and did as he said, mimicking how he filled in his belly, then the chest. Five seconds later, I slowly let the air out through my mouth.

"Not quite so deep," he indicated. "Keep it small and light, natural. Pull back your shoulders so your lungs can stretch and your rib cage can open. This way you can pull in more air with half the effort. Try again and follow my count: one... two... three... four... five. Stop... And exhale. Like that."

I repeated the exercise and closed my eyes to help my mind stop focusing and wander. I didn't have to conjure anything to relax. The sound of the waves and the birds in the trees, Folsom's violin playing nearby and the men singing shanties, all of it worked fine.

"Can you feel your body loosen up? Your muscles decompressing? Your heart beating slowly?"

I could. Everything about me was so calm, I might have fallen asleep while sitting. It was nice. I nodded a reply, smiling lightly.

"This is the mental state you need to be in to dive."

"Of course, it's not so easy to stay in it while you're in the water," O'Neill added. "Out here, if you run out of air, you can just start breathing again. In the water, you have to swim all the way to the surface before you can take a breath, and therein lies the difference between life and death. Therefore, it's imperative that you know your own limitations."

Luca continued: "And the way to know them is to test how long you can hold your breath for. Pay attention, because this is important: when you start running out of air, you're going to feel your torso contracting. When you feel it, take a breath right away. Don't try to push through it, don't try to force it. The goal is not to blackout, it is to slowly build up your capacity to hold your breath longer. You start contracting, you breath. Understand?"

"I understand."

"Very well. In that case, take a big gulp of air, as much as you are able, this time, and hold it in.” He snapped his fingers. “Do you still have that time piece?"

I had forgotten to return it to Billy, so it still hung around my neck. I unclasped the chain and gave it to Luca, who set the hands to twelve.

"Ready?" He said.

Again, I nodded and squared my shoulders, like he told me.

"Take your breath."

My belly inflated, followed by my chest, as I pulled in as much air as I could into my lungs. When I stopped and held it in, Luca started the clock.

"Relax your mind," O'Neill reminded me. "Stay in that quiet mental headspace."

I focused my ear on the sounds all around me, especially the crash of the waves. I recalled the feeling of them caressing my feet and ankles at the beach back in Nassau, how it washed all my exhaustion away in a matter of minutes. I became as tranquil as pond water, as lazy as Betsy lying in front of the galley stove. I thought I had managed to hold out quite some time when I started noticing the feeling of contraction, like my lungs were trying to claw themselves open.

Following Luca's strict instructions, I stopped holding back and panted, surprised by how dizzy I felt.

"Slow down, don't pant like that. Breathe through your mouth and keep it at a steady rhythm."

I did so. Almost instantly, the dizziness passed. After recovering, I looked up at him. "How long was that?"

"Forty-eight seconds," he told me with a grin. "Not bad, for a first try."

I smiled back with pride. Nearly a full minute! Not bad at all.

"Now recover for three minutes and try again." O'Neill stood up from the rock and hopped into the shallow waves. "In the meantime, I'll go see if lunch is ready. See you in a few."

I repeated the exercise three more times, holding my breath for nearly a minute, taking three to recover, then holding again. By the third go, the dizziness had become too persistent, to the point I could hear my heart's beat drum in my ears. When I reported this to Luca, he decided to call it a day.

"It's no use insisting, it won't help you improve. In fact, it might be dangerous. You don't want to end up with brain injuries like Randall, do you?"

I shook my head, eyes as wide as dinner plates. "No, no, I do not."

"I didn't think so, either," he laughed. "What day is it today, Wednesday...? We'll try again on Saturday, then. Twice a week, we will do these sessions and you'll see improvements soon enough. When we arrive back in Nassau, if you feel capable, we'll try doing it in the water. Sound good?"

"Sounds fine," I agreed.

We too, stood up and started our way up the beach, toward the others. I picked up my shoes from the sand and smiled to my new mentor. "Thank you, Luca."

"Don't mention it.” He waved me off. “I never had a student before. Most people think O'Neill and I are insane for doing what we do."

"Until you emerge with handfuls of treasure, no doubt," I jested.

Luca chortled. "Very true! Why do you want to learn, then? Is it also for treasure?"

I shook my head. "No... That is more of a perk to me. I want to know what it's like, to be down there. I want to see the fish we eat swim around and explore their world a bit. I have always been so curious about it all. Had I known it was possible to do what you do, I might have tried it sooner."

"Maybe you were a mermaid in a past life," he suggested playfully.

"Maybe we both were," I countered. "It must have been a good life. Swimming around and not have to come up for air. I don't think I would ever return to land."

"Some times, I think so, too." Luca looked ahead and his eyes crinkled with a smile of pure joy and full of peace. "But if I did that, I would never see anyone again. This crew, it's my family. And O'Neill, as much as he is able to follow me underwater, is here, too. So no, I don't think I could completely give up my life at the surface. There is too much here for me to come back to."

My heart melted with warmth, hearing him talk. "That's a very sweet way to look at it."

As we approached the camp, my eyes found Gates barking orders, and Folsom with his violin, and Thierry, Bjorn, Joshua, Muldoon, Logan, Morley... I remembered how they all stood over me, that day I had almost died, worried for me and wishing to help with my recovery. My family.

The only member missing from it was Jean, but, like Gates said, I kept him in my heart so it would never feel like he was truly gone.

Lastly, I saw Billy sitting with Dooley somewhere to the side. The two conversed while he sharpened his knife on a whet stone. As I watched him laugh at something Dooley said, I was certain that I could never fully give up my life on land, either. Not if it meant leaving him behind.

That realization made me feel... strange. Maybe it was some leftover residue from losing Jean. Maybe it was because I owed Billy so much, including my life. What I knew for sure was that the thought of living in a world without him in it made my chest contract the same way as when I ran out of breath.

Flashbacks of him lying on his back while am ogre of a man prepared to plunge his sword into his chest shot needles of panic into my heart. I couldn't lose him, too.

"You know what, Luca?" I sighed. "I think you're right, actually."

I heard a clinking noise and turned to see him hold out the time piece I had borrowed from Billy. I took it back, said goodbye to Luca and walked toward Billy and Dooley.

They glanced up when they saw me approach. The two were sitting on a fallen log by the trees, protected from the bright sunlight currently burning my head and shoulders. I stood at Billy's side and sagged with relief in the cool shade.

"I wanted to return this." I held out the watch by the chain for him to take. "Sorry, I forgot, earlier."

"That's alright," Billy replied as he took it back and put it in his pocket again. "It's just a trinket I picked up, nothing more. You could have kept it for yourself and I probably wouldn't even notice."

"All the same, it's yours and I always return what's been borrowed to me." I sat down on the sand and closed my eyes to appreciated the breeze.

A hand tapped my shoulder and took a peek: Dooley was holding out a canteen full of fresh water to me. I gladly accepted it and drank my fill before giving it back and lying out with my hands behind my head. Hopefully, lunch wouldn't take much longer. I was starving.

In the evening, when the sun was setting and painted the sky in beautiful shades of orange and pink, I sat by the fire pit and looked out at the ocean, turned into a vast expanse of emerald and jade green.

The majority of the crew were already drunk and being merry; some were wrestling for fun, others played cards, many had already fallen asleep on the sand, including Logan. Even Gates had had a mug of rum. I could see from the red tint of his cheeks he was getting a little too tipsy. He was telling Flint a joke and it must have been a good one, because Flint was laughing. I had never seen Flint smile, let alone laugh. And of course, the shanties continued.

The only one who hadn't had a drink besides water was me. I hadn't yet acquired the taste of alcohol to have more than a few sips. Ale was tolerable enough, but still, I avoided it. Besides, I needed a clear head for what I was doing.

I was sewing a tear on one of my blouses. It was funny; before, it had been one of those feminine activities I had never enjoyed prior to becoming a pirate, but now that I had realized what a useful skill it was... I had to admit it was kind of fun, even relaxing. It was delicate and precise work that demanded my full attention, and while before I wasn't particularly gifted for it, I could see how fast I was improving.

I held out my white blouse and assessed my work. The needle work wasn't unnoticeable, but held fast, which was the objective. Smiling to myself, I tied the finishing knot and broke the thread with a tug.

"Hard at work?"

I looked up to grin at Billy. He held a tankard of ale in each hand and offered me one, which I gladly accepted with a soft “thank you”. Now that I was done mending, I supposed it was fine to have a sip.

"Aye, taking advantage of the last light to fix my clothes.” I held up the fixed hole for him to see as he sat next to me. “Just finished this one, in fact.”

"Not bad,” he nodded. “Maybe you could do mine, next."

He took a conspicuous swig from his drink while side-eyeing me suggestively.

I half shrugged. "Sure."

And examined the contents of my mug as if deep in thought. Then, after a long enough pause, I smirked and added: "For a price, of course."

"Ah, here we go." He laughed. "You really are a fast learner, aren't you?"

"When all my mentors are pirates, what else can you expect?"

He made a funny expression and tilted his head in a gesture of all right, fair. "Point taken. What do you want, then?"

I put my mended blouse aside and brought up my knees to rest my elbows on them. In truth, there was nothing I wanted in particular; I had already decided that, if he really asked, I would do him the favor as a friend. Teasing him was just for the fun of it. I took a drink and hummed a long, thoughtful note.

"Surprise me," I answered at last. "Use your imagination."

Now Billy was the one to smirk. He eased himself back so he was half lying on the sand, upper body propped up on one elbow. His biceps bulged so hard from the effort I could practically hear his rolled up sleeve straining.

"You're not going to ask me to take my clothes off, are you?" He asked.

I laughed compulsively and snatched a piece of my hair to twirl around my fingers. My face must have gone so red it would have been visible even from the Walrus. Embarrassing.

"Billy, I've seen you shirtless plenty of times already. Let's just say it looses its luster after a while."

That was a big, fat lie, and I knew it. Worse: he knew it, too.

His eyebrows arched up in fake surprise. "You don't say? So when I catch you staring at my chest whenever I go around semi-exposed, what's that?"

"I-- I don't STARE," I stumbled. My grin widened from knowing I had been caught, if only to disguise the fact it so shamed me that he was aware how attracted I was to him. I had to play it off as a joke, because if he even suspected about my more... profound feelings for him and rejected them, I wasn't sure I could handle that gracefully. "I'm just checking to make sure you're not injured or anything."

"Ahh, I see. Just looking out for my well being, then? Nothing to do with you wanting to appreciate my physique?"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "I didn't know you were the type to brag, Mr. Bosun."

Billy bit his bottom lip while his eyes crinkled at the corners from how much he smiled. Clearly, he had been pleased with my little pet name for him.

"Like I told you once,” he said. “I work hard to get this big and look this good. I'm allowed to be a little proud."

"Alright, I suppose that's fair. Still irritating, but fair."

His eyes travelled to my arms, which were exposed since I had opted for wearing only my cotton vest - it was too damn hot for a shirt. I realized my chest area was a tad too exposed, but this was the best half measure I could come up with and I could live with a few stares.

"You're gaining quite a bit muscle yourself," he commented.

I glanced down and tensed up, surprised to see how round the biceps got for it. Throughout the last few months, I had noticed my body shifting from soft and somewhat plumb to hard and chiseled, like it had been sculpted by a greco-roman artist. My thighs were especially thick, from the hours running around, standing up without rest or from climbing the rigging. I had never looked so unfeminine, and yet... I didn't hate it.

I smoothed a hand over my arm with a smile. "Yeah. Not as big as you, but not bad for a woman. I like it. Feels right."

Admittedly, a part of me worried I might become unattractive, always dressed like a man and gaining so much muscle. I particularly worried Billy might not enjoy the sight and hated myself for thinking like that. I had always sought validation for the person I was meant to be instead of the perfect picture everyone expected me to become, and now I regretted that my body showed my truest state of being? I couldn't have it both ways. The way I looked now made me feel confident in my own skin. If men couldn't appreciate that about me, then that was their problem, not mine. And that included Billy.

"I think you look great," he said in a warm, husky tone, eyes gentle and truthful as they bore into mine.

I shouldn't have felt as good as I did hearing those words, but my chest filled up with joy and relief nonetheless, which certainly showed on my stupid smile. "Really...?"

"Really."

We stared at each other then, and the way he did so made me lose my breath completely. I couldn't look away.

The sun was close to touching the horizon, so its last rays bathed us both in their warmth. Every part of his frame was painted gold: his dust blond hair shimmered in a pastel yellow color, his skin, sprinkled with sand, seemed to glow from within. And his eyes, my God, his eyes... They were the color of Nassau's shallows, a beautiful translucent blue that made me want to swim in them, drown in them. The breeze blew at his shirt, which burned like a bright white flame from the sun, almost blinding. More than an angel, he looked like some sea god from ancient myth, materialized out of the waves to seduce me.

He was both irresistible and thoroughly out of my reach.

I let my gaze drop to his lips, sweetly pink, full and slightly chaffed. They parted with a silent gasp, revealing the rim of his teeth. What I wouldn't have done to feel them pressed against the back of my hand, along my arm, my neck... My mouth...

"Oy, Constance!!"

I nearly jumped out of my skin, causing the ale in my tankard to jostle around and drip on my trousers. Shit, I had just washed them the day before. I looked up to see Muldoon coming over, and that's when I noticed the shanties had stopped.

"Yes, what is it?" I huffed, more than a little annoyed and very, very wary. Had he or the others seen me stare at Billy like a love struck teenager? Christ almighty, I hoped not. I would never hear the end of it.

Muldoon stopped in front of us with an empty cup hanging from his hand. His face and eyes were tinged red, an obvious indication he was either pissed or very close to it. "Can you sing?"

I frowned at the question as my insides froze over. "Beg pardon?"

"Can... you... sing?" He repeated, enunciating each word with a bit of a slurr.

"I... suppose?"

I had flashbacks to my family's Christmas eve dinners, when I was a child and my Grandfather and Grandmother insisted I sang for them every year. My singing always brought them so much joy, especially if accompanied by my cousin Bernie at the lute. They had offered my Father to find a tutor for me so I might become proficient at the craft, but he had always declined, saying a lady's place was at home, not in concert halls. Then my Grandparents passed away and no one ever asked me to sing again.

"Great, then you're coming with me." And just like that he reached out to grab my arm and pull me to my feet.

"Excuse me--? Hey!" I tugged out of his grasp and glared at him. "What is your damn problem??"

"I'm sick and fucking tired of hearing that chorus of dying gulls. I need to hear something feminine, for a change. Y'know, clean and delicate."

"That's all well and good, but what if I don't have a "clean and delicate" feminine voice? What if I'm not that good?"

In reality, I just wanted an excuse not to do it. I had never sung for anyone outside my family, so doing it for the whole crew, including Billy, Gates and Flint, wracked me with anxiety.

Muldoon stared at me like I was insane. "Then we'll tell you to shut up. Come on."

I opened and closed my mouth several times, palms sweating and heart hammering. "And what if I don't want to?"

"Please, Constance?" Muldoon pleaded, hands clasped together in supplication. "Just one song. One song to clean our ears, yes? What's the harm?"

I bit my lip and drummed my fingernails against my half empty tankard.

"We promise we won't laugh at you," he offered.

That did little to help, but well... I thought one song wouldn't be too bad. And if they hated it, then at least they would never ask me again, would they?

I downed the rest of my ale and sighed. "Fine. One song."

Muldoon sagged in relief. "Thank you, you're an angel from heaven."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we? You haven't even heard me, yet."

"Your voice is handsome enough already just by speech," he said while I accompanied him toward the others. "I'm sure you're a fine singer. You can't be worse than the rest of us."

I glanced over my shoulder in search of Billy, who had also stood to his feet to followed us with a playful smile. I mouthed "save me!", but all he did was shrug and smile wider, too curious to put a stop to it.

Traitor. He could forget all about my mending his shirts.

We reached the fire pit from where Randall had been serving dinner, now turned into a simple campfire around which the whole crew sat. Most just laid on the sand, while others had brought fallen logs and medium sized boulders to serve as seating. Across from me, on the other side of the fire, Gates and Flint sat and observed the scene with curiosity.

The air was still thick with the smell of food, spices and booze, which mingled nicely with the cool evening breeze carrying the perfume of the sea. Stars doted the violet sky as the sun sank into the ocean, and the constant crash of the waves offered me some comfort for the anxiety. At least it seemed like it would be a fine night.

"Fellas!" Muldoon laid his hands on my shoulders and pushed me forward. "Constance has kindly agreed to sing to us tonight. She's a bit nervous, so no laughing. Be nice."

"When are we ever not nice?" Someone protested from the crowd. Everybody laughed, including I.

"I have a list," I retorted. "Would you like to hear it in chronological order, or in gravity order?"

Another round of laughs. Muldoon gestured for me to sit on an upside down bucket, then went to sit by Logan's side, eager.

I looked around and wrung my hands together on my lap, back straight as a pole. I tried to think of a song, but I was so nervous I couldn't jog my memory.

"Uh, what should I sing?" I asked, hating the tremble in my voice.

"How about My Jolly Sailor Bold?" Bjorn suggested somewhere at my right. He was relaxing against a log with a smoking pipe and offered me an encouraging smile.

The rest nodded and voiced their approval.

"Alright, that's fine for me."

I took a deep breath while an overwhelming silence filled the beach. The only sounds I heard came from the fire as it crackled and burned the logs that fueled it, and the waves sweeping the beach. All eyes were on me, reminding me for a moment of the trial months ago, after the incident with the Walrus.

Without looking away from him, I cleared my throat and began to sing:

"Upon one summer's morning, I carefully did stray; Down by the walls of Whapping, Where I met a sailor, gay.

Conversing with a young lass, Who seemed to be in pain; Saying, "William, when you go, I fear, You'll ne'er return again."

My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold; There is nothing can console me, But my jolly sailor bold."

No one told me to shut up. In fact, as I continued into the following verse, something shifted in the air around me. My companions' faces went slack - some of them had their jaws hanging, even. Others leaned on their knees, eyes closed to better take in my song. They seemed to be enjoying it and it gave me the confidence I needed to lay my hands on my lap and lift my chin proudly. My voice gained strength, lost all fear and shame, and I even managed to smile.

I caught Gates' eye, who nodded slowly to let me know I was doing well. Thierry, sitting cross-legged in front of me, rested his cheek on one hand and watched at me with lazy eyes. Luca and O'Neill, further in the back, traded a loaded look with each other that made me stumble on the lyrics and blush, though I recovered quickly. O'Neill leaned in to whisper something in Luca's ear, earning a mischievous grin from him, before they sneaked away unnoticed, hands woven together.

"Come all, you pretty fair maids, Whomever you may be; Who love a jolly sailor, That plows the raging sea.

While up aloft in storm, From me, his absence mourn; And firmly pray arrive the day, He's never more to roam."

As I finished the song, I chose that exact moment to look at Billy once more, and what I saw got my heart to skip a beat: his eyes were a little wider than normal, mouth hanging slightly open, like many of the others. He leaned forward as if drawn to me by my singing, completely, hopelessly entranced. Bewitched, even. And it was all because of me.

That look of enchantment, it was all for me.

My confident smile faded away as I reached the conclusion of the song, and I purposefully loaded it with a little extra emotion just for him, daring to have him see only a piece of my true feelings for him.

"My heart is pierced by Cupid, I disdain all glittering gold; There is nothing can console me... But my jolly sailor... bold."

My lips closed and silence reigned. Billy and I continued locked into an intense stare and I watched with mild satisfaction as his Adam's apple bobbed with a hard swallow. Then it became too much for me and I allowed my gaze to drop to my lap, though I couldn't contain a small smile.

At last, someone began to clap in a slow rhythm. Soon, another joined, then one more, until an ovation built up and I was being whistled at, cheered, celebrated.

With a chortle, I hid my face behind my palms, no longer able of handling their praise. Several hands patted my back, as my new found family congratulated me and thanked me for the performance.

"That's a siren's song, if ever I heard any," Folsom commented with a smirk.

"Aye, and she's going to learn to dive with O'Neill and Luca," Brewer added. News traveled fast in this crew. "The girl has mermaid blood in her, says I!"

My cheeks hurt from my fierce blushing and how wide I was smiling. I couldn't have asked for a better compliment even if I asked for it.

"One more!" Muldoon shouted. Others joined his plea, struggling to make themselves heard over each other. "One more, Siren!"

"You said just the one, Muldoon!" I shouted back, still laughing.

"But you sing so well!" Thierry added. "I agree, one more! Just one more! Just one more!"

As he clapped in tandem with the chant, the rest of the crew joined in a single chorus. Just one more! Just one more! So, obviously, I had no choice but to throw my hands up and acquiesce.

Another song popped into my head and, before nerves could over take me again, I started to sing it:

"They came for him one winter's night, Arrested, he was bound; They said there'd been a robbery, His pistol had been found."

The men went wild with excitement and joined in on the song, muttering the melody that accompanied the lyrics so I could have a better transition between verses, then Folsom pulled out his violin once more and played the tune masterfully.

Encouraged by their participation, I even stood up and mimed along with the story in the song like a storyteller.

"They marched him to the station house, He waited for the dawn; And as they led him to the dock, He knew that he'd been wronged!

"You stand accused of robbery," He heard the bailiff say; He knew without an alibi, Tomorrow's light will mourn his freedom."

And the crew sang: "Over the hills and far away, for ten long years he'll count the days..."

Long into the night I sang to my crew, until I was sweating and panting, my voice half hoarse, but heart light and bursting with happiness.

Finally, some time when the moon went high into the night sky, one by one they lied down on the sand and fell asleep, wasted, exhausted and content. As for myself, I took the opportunity to go wash in the ocean, somewhere near the shipwreck, where the current was smoother. I floated with my belly up, bared breasts fully exposed to the stars, hair floating around me in the waves, without a care in the world. I brought the memory of the look on Billy's face as he heard me sing to mind, as well as the moment we had shared right before that, before Muldoon interrupted it.

The image of him bathed in sunlight was still fixed clear in my head, how beautiful he looked. Lord, how I wanted him.

Maybe it was the alcohol influencing me, maybe it was something else, but in that moment, as I floated under the moonlight and pictured him joining me, taking me into his arms and smoothing his calloused hands down my back, my sides, my thighs... I gasped with overwhelming desire and knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that I was hopelessly in love with Billy Bones.

[elisedonut]

Hello hello! My name is Elise.

I keep meaning to make an intro post and finally got around to it

To start off JKR supporters are blocked on sight because she sucks and I don't want people who actually like her around me.

I mostly post about Percy Weasley but occasionally i do also talk about other golden era characters.

Like Colin and Dennis Creevey, Lavender Brown, and Luna Lovegood. As well as whoever else happens to grab my attention for a little while.

I don't really consider this a Marauder blog

but i know from asks I've gotten and such that some people think I am

I really don't care much about Marauder era characters unless it's taking place in Golden Era or they're being shipped with Golden Era characters or it's like time travel related

I am a very heavy multi-shipper when it comes to characters I like.

Percy gets that treatment alot from me.

At the moment my main favs are Perclin (Percy/Colin Creevey) and Flintley (Percy/Marcus Flint)

I ship him with a stupid amount of people though so you will see plenty of others here

I'm normally only focused on a few at a time though.

I am pretty canon focused when it comes to characterization (or at least I try to be I don't always succeed at it though imo)

but i am also pretty big on the "hey what if this one thing was different" style of au

with the difference in most cases being soulmate aus

I love soulmate aus a lot and talk about them a lot because i enjoy thinking about how the world would change with them and how like politics and stuff would differ

Also looping back to shipping Percy alot it's an easy way to mash him together with someone especially when I'm trying to figure out how I think they would work as a ship

I have a second account I use for more anime style interests over at @elisemochi

Random tags that might be helpful

#Elise's thoughts and concepts (what it says on the tin just random fandom thoughts, ship concepts, ect though im kinda bad at remembering to add it)

#elise's other hobbies (for any hobby i have that's not writing related)

I do write fic and post it over on Ao3 under the same name

https://archiveofourown.org/users/EliseDonut/works

Currently I have 117 total works which is way too many to share here

So I'm going to try to keep this up to date with my three most recent fics because I think that seems like a reasonable amount

Self Study (Percy Weasley + Harry Potter, slight James Potter/Percy vibes, 781)

The Birth of Nigel Wolpert (Nigel Wolpert + Creevey family, 571)

Missing Shoes and Nargles (Luna Lovegood/Penelope Clearwater, 795)

[thenatashapulleyuniverse]

fic writer game 10, 17, 24 (your sense8 au) and 35 (share a snippet from a wip pls)

10. Is there a character or ship you'd love to write for, but haven't yet?

Technically I have written about him, but I would actually really like to try my hand at a sole January Stirling character study, especially the one where I headcanon him to be biracial (there is no textual evidence to support this ((but there is also no textual evidence to go against this)). I just wanna project my pinoy self onto him.) All the stuff I do have of him is always in regards to River, so I wanna explore his life on Earth before everything.

17. What is something you recently felt proud of in your writing?

I think I'm getting better at using the abstract to describe physical traits. Like in my recent Kingdoms fic where Kite sings, I'm really satisfied with the metaphors I've chosen to describe his voice.

It was the shy limn of brightness around parting storm clouds, or the retiring of a steel-edged sword into its scabbard for the final time.

I hope I conveyed well enough that I think his voice to be a gravelly tenor. Like the voice I have in my head for him doesn't exist, but the closest is James Flint from Black Sails but less British and a little bit higher.

24. Which scene/theme was the inspiration for "And All the Wonderful Oddities"?

If this question is asking what scene in my fic inspired me to write it, then it would be in chapter 1 where I chose randomly who was getting switched with who for the first time and how each character would react. It felt like I was being tested and had to get each one right lol

If this question is asking for my inspo that didn't come from my fic, then it would be every time in Sense8 characters switched/borrowed languages from each other by accident

35. Wildcard: share a snippet

“Aubrey,” the Consul said slowly. “What are you doing?”  Aubrey held a bottle of wine in one hand and two glasses in the other. “Celebrating my win of course.” They already drank some (most) of the alcohol, so the glasses were just a formality. Gracefully, they poured a generous amount into each and handed one of them to Song.  Song looked down at it, then right at Aubrey, unreadable. “On my lap?”

[badass-queer-couples-battle]

Full list of all guaranteed entries for the sword gays showdown so far!

(aka you don't have to submit them anymore, but propaganda is always appreciated!)

One Piece - Zoro has 13 submissions, Kikunojo has 7, Mihawk has 5. There were several other characters submitted as well, but since my limit is 3 characters per fandom the others will get a bonus poll but won't get into the tournament (sorry Law and Shanks, I still love you).

Fandoms with multiple guaranteed entries, in no particular order:

MDZS/The Untamed - Lan Wangji with 6 submissions, Wei Wuxian with 4

The Dragon Prince - Runaan with 4, General Amaya with 6, Janai with 4

Revolutionary Girl Utena - Utena with 7, Juri with 3

Nimona - Ballister with 9, Ambrosius with 7

Avatar: the last airbender - Zuko with 8, Sokka with 5

Star Wars - Shin Hati with 3, Luke Skywalker with 3 as well

Raya and the last dragon - Raya with 4, Namaari with 3

Black Sails - James Flint with 4, Anne Bonny with 3

The scum villain's self-saving system - Liu Qingge with 3, Luo Binghe with 4

The Locked Tomb - Gideon Nav with 8, Camilla Hect with 3

Willow (TV series) - Jade with 3, Kit with 3 as well

Heaven Official's Blessing/TGCF - Xie Lian with 5, Hua Cheng with 4

The Old Guard - Joe with 4, Nicky with 3

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Leo with 5, Usagi with 3

2. Single characters (with fandoms listed as well)

Izzy Hands (Our flag means death) - 3

Nico di Angelo (Percy Jackson series) - 5

Haruka Tenou AKA Sailor Uranus (Sailor Moon) - 3

Adora/She-Ra (She-Ra and the princesses of power) - 6

Sasha Waybright (Amphibia) - 5

Pearl (Steven Universe) - 6

Xena (Xena: Warrior Princess) - 4

Diana of Themiscyra/Wonder Woman (DC) - 3

Link (The legend of Zelda) - 6

Inigo Montoya (The princess bride) - 4

Seiji Katayama (Fence comic) - 5 [decided to allow this media despite my initial concerns about the author's past works]

Lady Oscar Francois de Jarjayes (The rose of Versaillles) - 3

Di Feisheng (Mysterious Lotus Casebook) - 3

Hikaru Sulu (Star Trek) - 4

Richard St Vier (Swordspoint) - 3

Wade Wilson/Deadpool (Marvel) - 4

Zhou Zishu (Word of Honor/Faraway Wanderers) - 4

Dave Strider (Homestuck) - 4

Magnus Chase (Magnus Chase and the gods of Asgard) - 3

Castiel (Supernatural) - 3

Adolin Kholin (The Stormlight Archives) - 3

Felix Hugo Fraldarius (Fire Emblem: Three Houses) - 3

Arthur Pendragon (Merlin) - 3

Jean-Pierre Polnareff (Jojo's bizzare adventure) - 3

Kurogane (Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle) - 3

Ava Silva (Warrior Nun) - 3

Zagreus (Hades) - 3

Dominique de Sade (The Case Study of Vanitas) - 3

Demoman / Tavish Degroot (Team Fortress 2) - 3

Yasha Nydoorin (Critical Role) - 3

Kaedehara Kazuha (Genshin Impact) - 3

Cassandra (Tangled the Series) - 3

[etoilesombre]

Hi im a new here i finally watched black sails after someone convinced me. And im changed. I'm. Yeah. I'm not who i was before. It's a bizarrely good show?

I'm so so so glad that so many ppl on ao3 agree with me that flint and silver need to fuck. Have fucked. Will fuck.

This will be all i think about for the next month or so.

If you have fic recs do let me know. I'm in dire need.

Hi my friend and welcome to hell! It's the best, right? ("Month" is a HIGHLY optimistic estimate about how long this will consume your brain...)

So honored that you asked for recs! I don't think I've ever compiled a general list of favorites, I had a great time and I think I'm happy with the results. This is by no means comprehensive, and obviously HIGHLY reflective of my own tastes, which are... uh.. I am known to not enjoy nice things very much. I invite others to reblog with their own favorites. Here we go...

Notes: These are in vaguely chronological order. I'm including word count and brief descriptions so you know what you're getting into but no warnings or anything, that's all on AO3. They are all silverflint and all explicit (I think, there might be one or two 'mature' in there but, this is the they need to, have, and will fuck list.) I didn't include any of my own work because presumably that's how you found my blog so you're aware, but I do have a pinned list, and if you want recs for mine or to talk about any of these just message, I will talk about silverflint all day.

Overall Recommendations:

The Most Unexpected Things by forbiddenarchives (~20k words) I think this one is a great starting point. It is very.. fic flavored fic, if that makes sense, in a great way. Hits the spot. The author's description is "season 2 if everyone were 5000% hornier" and that is accurate. Note this is marked as unfinished, but the place it wraps up feels totally reasonable to me.

As Good as Gone by spinninginfinityboy (~5.5k words) Complicated hot weird semi-hate sex on the way to Charles Town. A thing with a Spanish Dubloon that is emblazoned on my brain forever.

Combat by equestrianstatue (~10k words) A two part series, which I think captures the push-pull early frenemies vibe of s1-2 perfectly. Also the writing itself is stellar.

All alone in a moonlit shanty by PrimalScream (4.3k) Celebrating a good day hunting, Flint gets very drunk and tells the crew a dirty story. Silver tries to put him to bed, but he has different ideas. By far one of the lighter things on this list.

after the winnowing by princesskay (~14k) Set after Silver loses his leg, early in his recovery. Silk pajamas, multiple orgasms and overstimulation as well as their usual codependent fuckery.

What It Feels Like Not to Hurt by Robotboy (~9k) Another recovery fic. As the author says, it's 9k of slowburn watersports but really it's about Silver's pain and autonomy and humiliation and. Just. Even if it's not your usual cup of tea it's hot, give it a try.

vigia by doomcountry (~3k) A short, perfect rendering of their dynamic during early s3 raid times. Heartwrenching character study, excellent porn.

The Sack of James Flint by princesskay (~107k) So, yes, this is a novel length sub!Flint cock and ball torture series. I would make the argument that it is one of the best character studies in the fandom, for real. Absolutely worth your time, but fuck, it hurts your heart as much as your captain's balls in the end.

Concurrence by ember_firedrake (~2.5k) Mid s3. The first time they call each other by their first names. Now, that's not actually a thing I think they do, but, good porn and lower angst.

appreciation by nysscientia (~8k) Flint cultivates a certain aloof persona, but Silver sees right through it, and eventually they kiss about it.

Don't Fear The Ships (Fear The Black) by Farasha (~10k) - Silverflint use learning to sail as a coded way to flirt and talk about feelings (and eventually they kiss about it).

A Ship Is A Republic by Robotboy (~20k) A slow burn fic set during the inter-season sword training times. Love this dynamic, this author does power bottom Flint and sub Silver so fucking well.

deliverance is ours by the light of the stars by piratecaptainraven (3.1k) Flint sees Silver and Madi together, and doesn't stop watching when he should. They don't technically fuck in this, but its SO much pining, and the writing is poetic and gorgeous.

frail and fragile bars by ajaxthegreat (~21k) Possibly the hottest thing I've ever read, this rewrote my brain chemistry. Slow burn-ish. It captures that late season love and dependence and resentment and power struggle.

Cold, Dark, Depraved by notfelix (~10k) When fucking fixes absolutely nothing. This hurts in a way that feels, to me, similar to canon. I hate it (affectionate).

Opportunist by anonymous (~6.1k) This was part of the kinkmeme event (see below) and it fucking changed me. If I recommend one fic and only one fic to process the ending, it's this. It's awful. It's necrophilia and light cannibalism. It's the only thing I can imagine happening after, if Silver actually shoots Flint on that island. It makes me feel bad in the best way.

hand in unlovable hand by brinnanza, Jaynovz (~9.9k) Affectionately known as the worst ending AU, this is actually a great followup to the last one. How Silver copes, after Skeleton Island.

Bonus: AUs. I don't generally read AUs, but these two worked for me, in very different ways that still felt very silverflint.

did the twin flame bruise paint you blue by Jaynovz (138k) Novel length mod AU where silverflint broke up, and we see their relationship along two different timelines, before and after. Toxic fucked up goodness, lots of BDSM dynamics, bonus silvervane! All set in NYC.

holy ghost fire by ajaxthegreat (~52k) Appalachia horror au! The author clearly knows the area, and silverflint is already a ghost story, so it works really well. If you've ever been there you'll know how right it feels, if not, just trust me.

extra bonus: fic event collections and rec lists

kinkmeme

built on sand

beach blanket black sails

@jaynovz has also compiled a number of much more specific rec lists, which can be found at #jay's esoteric rec lists

[immobiliter]

✿ eleanor and flint!

send “ ✿ ” for 2 headcanons for our muses' relationship / @imbricare

flint's respect for eleanor never ever wavers. not when they are actively working together and he returns to nassau to find her loyalties over charles vane to be a potential issue in their partnership, not when she is traded to the british navy by hornigold and he later hears that she is still alive and has accompanied woodes rogers to retake nassau ( i don't actually think this surprises him in the slightest ), not when he sees her again during s4 and questions whether rogers is really so different to the rest of them. yes, he's still a manipulative bastard and this fact doesn't change around her, but i think what goes unspoken between these two is that same relentless, ruthless, fighting spirit. they are both people who have and would claw their way back from the very brink and are willing to make the hard choices necessary to ensure that. he sees a kindred spirit in her and no matter the times that they are forced into conflict with one another and their motivations, that fact doesn't change, and even if they are on opposing sides he will always, always respect her.

i think this is also why he understands the eleanor that he meets in season 4, the one wearing a dress and contorting herself into a more palatable, civilised shape for the sake of her continued survival. he's been there, he knows what it is to play a role while simultaneously feeling like that role doesn't fit and is just a veneer to hide the wild, angry, ugly thing he has spent his life trying to keep hidden from the world. that is why, i think, he is so sympathetic to her when they meet again in s4 and why she really does get to witness the best of him, right up until her death.

[jaynovz]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💗

Oh hi, thanks so much for sending this!

did the twin flame bruise paint you blue aka Break Up AU:

My favorite story of all time is of course my monster of a Silverflint mod au/novel. My pinned post gives a more thorough summary of this extravaganza, but basically: Silver and Flint meet back up at a holiday party a year-ish after a devastating break up and the cycle of heartache and desperate unhealthy codependency begins again.

This took over a year of my life to write, it nearly fuckin killed me lol. it's my greatest accomplishment. Complete with two interlocking timelines, alternating POV, a shitton of introspective kinky porn, doing the hardest parts of original fiction and fanfiction at the same time, and writing an ambiguous ending that feels the way that canon does.

and I nailed it imo. please enjoy the pride of my life (so far!)

the sweetest devotion, hitting me like an explosion aka Cupcakes AU:

Funny, sweet, and sad all at the same time. Mine and @brinnanza's baker Flint and guitarist Silver rom com, complete with an INTENSIVE beat for beat structure that like, god I’m so fucking proud of and was def the precursor for learning how to write Break Up AU.

I love this verse intensely, it holds a special place in my heart. It's basically the only time the boys get a happy ending :P

Also exists in podfic form!

in this garden there’s no feeling aka Hanahaki/flowers au:

Written as a prompt for Beach Blanket Blacks Sails Event in 2021.

This might actually be the piece I’m most proud of from a canon Silver character study angle. I really crawled deep into his head for this (derogatory). It was also VERY VERY difficult technically/structurally. Got to explore the Howell-Silver dynamic the way I always wanted while executing the hanahaki trope in… a very Silver-y way. 

This is not for the faint of heart lol.

a stained glass variation of the truth aka the Silver backstory: 

Yeah I'm still putting this one. This may be the most deeply personal piece I've written to date. In many ways it's my fucking heart and soul. A character study and a writing exercise, just one potential “what happened to Silver,” by no means a definitive take since that doesn’t exist. But I wrote this to get into his head more, or to have him get into mine maybe lmao, to fully embrace and understand him as a character as much as possible. It was hard, excessively researched, gave me fits, and was fucking PAINFUL EMOTIONALLY lol but I love it to pieces.

Also was the first podfic I ever recorded, if you would rather listen.

sipping on your lips, hanging on by a thread aka Milkingfic:

I talk a lot about John fucking Silver around here, but this story is a full on thorough Captain James Flint brain swizzling. I'm so proud of this character study of Flint as shown through magic freak lactation. Yep you read that right! I made it work and it's fucking brilliant if I do say so myself. Featuring Silverflint becoming partners through strife much earlier, humor, reveling in joyous sensation, and Big Flint Gender Feels.

Oh also, it's really REALLY hot.

--

Thanks for asking! My answers had changed a bit from the last time I did this challenge and it was really validating to see how far I've come since then. Mwah.

[sir-gwaine-of-camelot]

Masterlist of my writing (AO3)

Hey everyone! I write for a variety of fandoms, and thought I'd make a masterlist to help promote some of my work! If you like any of my stuff, let me know! I love reading comments, even though I'm bad at responding to them.

THE QUARRY:

If I Seem Dangerous, Would You Be Scared? (Dylan/Ryan) INCOMPLETE WIP

X-MEN:

We Fear That Which We Cannot Understand (Charles Xavier & Darwin)

Dialed Up To Eleven (Charles Xavier/Eric Lehnsherr)

Silk and Lace (In Black and Red) Can Drive a Man Right Off His Head (Charles Xavier/Eric Lehnsherr) INCOMPLETE WIP

DOCTOR WHO:

Would You Like To Stay For Dinner? (Would You Like To Stay Forever?) (Tenth Doctor/Martha Jones/Jack Harkness) INCOMPLETE WIP

BALDUR'S GATE 3:

Their First Night of Many (Astarion/Gale, Bloodweave)

A Quiet Evening (Astarion/Gale, Bloodweave)

You Need Not Face The Darkness Alone (Astarion & Gale, pre-slash)

DUMBGEONS AND DRAGONS (PODCAST):

Together, We Can Weather The Storm (Thia Amastacia/Flint Firebeard/Nulara Moonbrook)

The End of the End, and the Beginning of a Beginning (Thia Amastacia/Flint Firebeard/Nulara Moonbrook)

BBC MERLIN:

Just Another Monday (Merlin/Lancelot, Mercelot)

Secret Keeper (Merlin/Lancelot, Mercelot)

Guilt and Ghosts (Merlin/Lancelot, Mercelot) INCOMPLETE

Nightmares (Merlin/Lancelot/Gwaine, Merwaincelot)

Death of an Immortal (Merlin/Lancelot, Mercelot) Temporary Character Death

Camping (Gwaine & Everyone (except Arthur), Platonic, pre-slash)

LORD OF THE RINGS:

The King's Bathhouse (Éomer/Faramir, Éomer/Faramir/Aragorn)

Comfort In The Dark (Éomer/Faramir)

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON:

To Dance Beneath The Stars (Bruno Madrigal/Hiccup Haddock, slash or platonic, crossover)

ENCANTO:

To Dance Beneath The Stars (Bruno Madrigal/Hiccup Haddock, slash or platonic, crossover)

If The Sky Comes Falling Down (Bruno Madrigal & Mirabel Madrigal, platonic) INCOMPLETE

FANTASTIC BEASTS:

Pure of Heart (Newt Scamander & his creatures)

CRIMINAL MINDS:

Career Day (Derek Morgan/Spencer Reid) INCOMPLETE

Would You Be My Safe Space? (Spencer Reid & Jason Gideon, Spencer Reid & Penelope Garcia, platonic, wingfic) COMPLETE, but the first in an INCOMPLETE series

MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE:

Injured...Yet Again (Peter Parker & Tony Stark & Pepper Potts)

Studying The (Actual) Civil War Sucks (Peter Parker & Tony Stark)

Under Open Skies (Perhaps We Can Heal) (Clint Barton/James "Bucky" Barnes) INCOMPLETE

ORIGINAL WORKS:

Mirror Image (poetry)

[starkblazer]

WIP Game

I was tagged for the WIP game by @asterofthevoid, thank you my dear ❤

Rules: post the names of all the files in your WIP folder, regardless of how non-descriptive or ridiculous. Let people send you an ask with the title that most intrigues them, and then post a little snippet or tell them something about it! and then tag as many people as you have WIPs.

---

these are only my black sails wips but here they are

Operation Rumble Tumble in the Jungle

Silverflinthamilton modern au

Aftermath of John drowning cause i hate myself

Flint actually jumps after Silver when he drowns in 4x01

silver's rescue in 4x03

Modern AU Silverflint meeting

Black Sails Pacific Rim AU

Black Sails S2 fix it - time loop

5 times flint's crew didn't defend him + 1 time they did

Who's Billy

Vampire Flint canonverse

rainy evenings spent inside his London house with Miranda and James. Spending their time wrapped in blankets in their bed, trading kisses and book passages, sharing heat and red wine.

demigod flint

fire creature flint

the captain needs a nap (or a fuck)

time traveler silver

silver can read flint's mind - soulmates au

the peple you love leave a mark on your skin au

the creation of captain flint

van gogh dw episode with silver

identity porn

we keep wishing flint had met max or at least interacted with her more but that is just not possible,

where are you, my dear

i want to write a fic where flint is the man he is believed to be, ruthless, violent and, dark.

Everything happens so fast, Flint shouting a ragged

John knows he's staring, but he can't help himself.

He is so tired of fighting and everything hurts. As he sinks, he spares a thought to Miranda, but they never say how good it feels.

S1 Silver gives off strong come-fuck-me vibes and I like to imagine S4 Silver still gives off those vibes and Flint takes him up on it.

It doesn't feel real, nothing that's happened feels real.

If I was dying on my knees

James is hardly a small man, yet, Thomas' shirt hangs loose well past his thighs.

why bother with the truth when lying feels much more truthful to my character

this is a ghost story

James doesn't remember his parents.

i also have a bunch more like a couple of leverage fics, some da vinci's demons, one kingsman and some others.

QuinnxEliot

Series - Eliot FUCKS

Leario Fic

LorenzoxLeo

Merwin-Merhartwin Outlander Au

Detroit Become Human - Everybody dies

The Losers Comics jensenxcougar fix it

Martin Riggs - Lethal Weapon

Post Canon OT3 Lost in Space Christmas fic

Post Canon OT3 Lost in Space The kids find out

Post Canon OT3 Lost in Space A soft morning

Post Canon OT3 Lost in Space John's flinthamiltons experience

Ineffable Husbands - Why do you never kiss

Bucky killing howard not-cacw-compliant aftermath

The best apology is a changed behaviour Tony char study

MCU Rewrite

Tagging whoever sees this post on their dash because I am certainly not tagging 50 people so please if you are a writer seeing this post, consider yourself tagged by me :))

[trashbaget]

Hello i see you haven't heard of black sails?? I am DELIGHTED to inform you that it's a four season masterpiece and that if you like pirates you should ABSOLUTELY check it out.

It's set in 1715, and it's a prequel to the story Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. It tells the tale of where the treasure un that story came from; how it came to be hidden on the island, how Long John Silver came into existence, how he knew James Flint, etc -- and it is SO fucking good.

It SEAMLESSLY merges real life historical pirates like Jack Rackham, Anne Bonny, Charles Vane, etc, with the various fictional characters from Treasure Island (the aforementioned James Flint and John Silver; Billy Bones; etc) and is genuinely the best tv show I've ever seen in my life. The character development that all the characters go through is unparallelled, and it's also very much a study in motivation - what motivates people to do the things that they do; what can drive people together or apart. The way that alliances and enemies shift around and swap places with each other based on character motivations and what each individual values is so amazingly done and so interesting to watch. You'll have two people who could not be more aligned with each other, and then one thing will change, and suddenly they're on opposing sides-- and youve got sworn enemies who, again, one thing changes, and the enemies suddenly find themselves as allies.

It's also very much an analysis of colonisation and the power of the English empire. One of the characters, Flint - he hates the British empire with every cell in his body, and initially you don't get to know his motivation for that hatred; you know he wants to find the gold and you assume it's because it's gold, right, of course he wants it; everyone wants gold. But then you find out WHY he hates the British empire and everything that England stands for; you find out WHY he wants the gold; what he wants do do with it, and suddenly not only does his character have SO much more depth than you thought it did, but also, you look at every heinous thing he's done so far and you're like "Yeah actually you are SO correct for this, keep doing what you're doing."

The writing for the show is PHENOMINAL - there are several pieces of character dialogue that I deadass want to get calligraphied so I can frame them and put them up on my wall. And the layers to the show and the themes of it, the reflections of society, the analysis of what a story truly is, are incredible once you start noticing them.

It's the kind of show that you can watch over and over and over again and still pick up new details. New themes new parallels new Easter eggs new musical motifs new messages. Honestly I say with my whole chest that it is unquestionably the best show I've ever seen in my life. I ABSOLUTELY recommend you check it out. ESPECIALLY if you already like pirates.

this sounds absolutely brilliant omg alfhskdj thanks lovely ✨✨

i am so two cakes excited about this and gonna write black sails on my forehead so i remember to watch it soon

[hellobloger0000]

Exploring the World of Baby Boy Names: From Tradition to Trend

Choosing from the countless baby boy names available today can feel like a daunting task for new parents. From cultural heritage to personal preferences and current trends, many factors shape the decision. In this post, we'll break down the most important considerations for selecting a meaningful and timeless name, along with some trending suggestions and practical tips to guide your decision.

Why Choosing Baby Boy Names Deserves Thought

Naming a baby isn’t just about picking something that sounds nice. Names can carry deep significance, connect a child to their roots, and even influence how they’re perceived socially and professionally. As baby boy names continue to evolve over the years, the desire for originality, character, and meaning has only increased.

Unique Fact #1

Recent neuroscience studies from 2023 suggest that infants respond more strongly to names with two syllables, making them easier to recognize and associate with familiarity early on.

Top Trends in Baby Boy Names for 2025

Parents are increasingly blending classic structure with modern flair. Here are the top baby boy name trends dominating 2025:

1. Cultural Fusion

Names like Rayan, Kairos, or Soren combine international flair with easy pronunciation.

2. Nature-Inspired Boy Names

With rising interest in sustainability, nature-themed baby boy names such as Cedar, Ash, or Flint are becoming popular.

3. Mini Names

Short, punchy names like Leo, Jax, or Eli are trending for their simplicity and strength.

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Classic Baby Boy Names That Never Go Out of Style

While trends come and go, certain baby boy names have stood the test of time. If you're seeking a name that's both respected and enduring, consider these timeless choices:

James – A royal name with universal appeal.

William – Formal, yet friendly.

Henry – Regal, yet down-to-earth.

Samuel – Strong biblical roots.

Joseph – A soft, graceful classic.

These names consistently rank high on the list of top baby names and carry significant cultural and historical weight.

Unique Fact #2

Names like James and William have remained in the U.S. top 20 baby boy names for over 100 years, showcasing their unbeatable staying power.

Modern Baby Boy Names With a Unique Edge

Many parents today are steering away from tradition and embracing baby boy names that reflect individuality and creativity. These names strike a balance between uniqueness and charm:

Kai – Short and strong, popular in multiple languages.

Zayden – A modern twist on Aiden with a futuristic sound.

Orion – Celestial and mysterious.

Bodhi – Meaning “awakening” in Sanskrit.

Enzo – A stylish Italian pick.

These names align with the desire for unique boy names that still feel easy to say and remember.

Unique Fact #3

According to a 2024 global baby names database, names with celestial themes like Orion, Nova, and Cosmo have risen over 40% in popularity due to growing interest in space and science.

Tips for Picking the Perfect Baby Boy Name

With so many baby boy names out there, here are a few practical tips to help you narrow down your choices:

1. Sound It Out Loud

Say the full name several times. Does it roll off the tongue? Does it pair well with your last name?

2. Visualize the Initials

Avoid awkward or confusing initials.

3. Avoid Overly Trendy Names

What’s popular now may not hold up in 10 years. Choose something that can grow with your child.

4. Consider Global Use

Will the name be understood or pronounced well in multiple countries?

Unique Fact #4

Names that are easy to pronounce in both English and Spanish have doubled in usage across the Americas in the past five years, highlighting the growing influence of bilingual families.

Baby Boy Names Inspired by Global Cultures

Baby boy names rooted in cultural heritage can add deep meaning and offer a sense of identity. Here are some international options with rising popularity:

From India:

Aarav (peaceful)

Vivaan (full of life)

Ishaan (the sun)

From Scandinavia:

Leif (beloved)

Stellan (calm)

Axel (father of peace)

From Africa:

Tariq (morning star)

Omari (God is the highest)

Jabari (brave)

Unique Fact #5

Scandinavian baby boy names have surged in the last two years, driven in part by popular Nordic dramas on streaming platforms that showcase strong, heroic characters.

Short and Strong Baby Boy Names

Short names continue to be a top pick for many parents. They are easy to spell, quick to say, and carry a strong presence.

Popular picks include:

Max

Leo

Eli

Zeke

Theo

These names often appear in both modern and traditional name lists, providing the best of both worlds.

Unique Fact #6

Short names (3-4 letters) are linked to faster recognition by toddlers during name association learning, according to a 2023 child development study.

Baby Boy Names from Mythology and Literature

For something truly unique and rich in meaning, many parents are turning to names inspired by ancient mythology and literature:

Atlas – The Titan who held up the sky.

Apollo – God of music and healing.

Atticus – The wise lawyer from To Kill a Mockingbird.

Dorian – From Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Percy – From Percy Jackson series, growing in modern popularity.

Unique Fact #7

The name Atticus saw a 75% spike in usage after 2020, reflecting a renewed interest in literature and ethical storytelling in modern parenting.

Making the Final Choice: Family Input or Personal Intuition?

Some families vote on names, while others wait until birth to decide based on the baby’s personality. Either way, the most important factor is that the name feels meaningful and right for your family.

Here are a few things to consider as you finalize your baby boy name:

Do you want a name with spiritual or religious meaning?

Should it honor a family member or ancestor?

Do you prefer a modern sound or a vintage charm?

Unique Fact #8

In a 2024 global parenting poll, 61% of couples said the final name choice was made during the hospital stay, often after seeing the baby’s face for the first time.

Final Thoughts on Baby Boy Names

The journey to finding the perfect baby boy name is deeply personal. Whether you lean toward classic, modern, unique, or globally inspired names, the key is to choose something that resonates with your values, sounds great, and grows well with your child.

With trends constantly evolving, baby boy names in 2025 offer more creativity and flexibility than ever before. So take your time, explore all options, and trust your instincts.