Chapter Text
Stede had been in the seminary library when one of the acolytes informed him that there was a penitent that desired confession.
“Thank you, my son. I’ll be along shortly.” As he reshelved the books he had been using, Stede wondered who awaited him in the confessional. Members of his congregation usually performed their sacrament of penance regularly, and while Stede was careful to uphold the privacy of confession, over the years he had become familiar with the repentants who espoused their sins from behind the divider. It soothed him to know that members of his flock found him trustworthy and sought him out for advice.
As he entered the chapel, Stede could see the outline of the penitent waiting through the wicker screen of the confessional door. “I apologize for keeping you waiting, my child,” Stede said as he settled onto the wooden bench. “Please, begin whenever you are ready.”
“Forgive…Forgive me Father, for I have sinned.”
Stede was struck by the penitent’s voice. Unfamiliar; not one of Stede’s usual congregants. It was a man’s voice, deeper than Stede’s own, rather gruff, but pleasant. It warbled slightly, unsure of itself. “Please continue, my son,” Stede said, trying to encourage the man.
“Well,” the voice sighed, “There’s a lot to cover. I’m not really sure where to start.” The bass of the voice reverberated through the confessional, and Stede sat forward with interest.
Who was this voice attached to? Not a young man, certainly, there was enough grit in the voice to make Stede think the man must be of age with him. Now, hang on, he scolded himself. Your curiosity is getting the better of you. This man deserves his privacy.
“It’s alright, my son. Do you remember what happened between your last confession and this one?”
“Well, Father, the thing is, this is my first confession. First one since I was a kid, anyway.”
Now that was a surprise. While Stede was not sure of the man’s age, it is quite unusual for older penitents to have not attended confession before. “If I may ask, what made you decide to pay our humble church a visit?”
The voice sighed again, taking on a weariness that hadn’t been apparent before. “I’m not sure. I’ve just felt rather…aimless, lately. I've sort of been in the doldrums for a while now. Life wasn’t really bringing me joy anymore, you know?”
Stede had himself been in much the same situation before and felt immense sympathy for the man. “I understand. I feel honored that you have chosen to come here, and that I may talk with you. I hope I can offer some guidance.”
The voice was quiet for a moment, before beginning again. “I don’t know how much it will help. I’ve done a lot of terrible things.”
“Our sins are not the sum of who we are, my son.” Stede reassured him, and hoped the man could hear the earnestness he was trying to put into his voice. “We’re all deserving of forgiveness.”
“Maybe…maybe I could just start with the big ones?” The voice suggested. “If I have to confess to every bad thing I’ve ever done, we’re gonna be here all night. I hope your schedule is clear.”
Stede couldn’t help laughing a little. “Of course. We can talk for as long as you like.”
“Okay.” The voice sounded more relieved now. “Well, I’m a pirate. Was a pirate. So, I’ve done a lot of, you know, looting, maiming, burning down ships. Those kinds of things.”
Stede’s eyes widened. A pirate? Even though he should have been horrified, Stede found the man on the other side of the wicker screen more and more interesting. In addition, Stede was pleased that this man had chosen to be honest with him, and a rather selfish part of him was excited by the opportunity to show the man the path to salvation. What was the point of becoming a priest, if not to guide others? “You were a pirate, but not anymore? Why did you stop?” Stede asks.
“This is going to make me sound like a terrible person, but to tell you the truth, I was bored. People don’t realize that pirating is mostly doing the same shit every day. Ah--I mean--the same stuff every day. Sorry, Father.”
Stede smiled. The idea of a hardened outlaw tiptoeing around swearing in front of a priest was such an absurd picture that he couldn't help it. “You are forgiven,” Stede said with a laugh, “just mind your words in the future. Now, you said you were bored?”
“That, and there’s about a thousand different people who want to kill me. It’s exhausting. Sometimes, I’d wish they’d just do it already.”
Stede’s smile faded, and his heart filled with pity for the man. “I am sorry to hear that, my son. Life is God’s greatest gift, and yet unfortunately many of us lose our taste for it.”
“Did you ever lose your taste for it? Life?” The man asked.
Stede pondered his previous life as a landowner, betrothed to a woman he didn’t love and empty inside despite having never wanted for anything. Stede occasionally still felt that emptiness, but it had lessened somewhat over the years after he had donned his robe and cassock. Here at the seminary, at least, there was community, and books, and no wife or father for him to disappoint.
“Once, long ago,” he admitted, trying to sound more positive than he felt. “That was why I joined the clergy. Obviously, that’s not God’s plan for everyone. You could become a man of the cloth yourself, if you want, or you could go out into the world and find honest work; start a family. It’s never too late for us to find joy in the path the Lord has laid out for us. Have you thought about your path?”
“Not really, but I don't think a family is for me,” said the man. “Father, would it be alright if we continue this conversation in person? I thought the divider would help, but I’m having a hard time talking to a voice in the wall like this.”
The request was a bit odd, but Stede took it in stride. He won’t deny that his curiosity about the man’s appearance had been piqued. “Certainly. We can walk the grounds, so our words remain private. Follow me.”
Stede exited the confessional towards the great wooden doors of the church. He threw them open and turned to see his once faceless penitent step into the light.
Stede was not sure what he had been expecting this anonymous pirate to look like, but it was not the man that stood before him now. The man was taller than him and dressed sharply in leather. Smoke-grey hair spilled down his shoulders, flowing into a long, grey beard. His right arm, bare, was decorated with tattoos. He was an imposing figure, but the fear Stede should have felt upon meeting such a dangerous person dissipated when he met the man’s warm, brown eyes. The man seemed to be holding his breath. To ease the tension, Stede offered his hand.
“It’s good to meet you in person,” he told the man. “I’m Father Stede Bonnet.” The man hesitated a moment, and then answered Stede’s hand with his own.
“Ed. Well, my full name is Edward, but I mostly go by Ed.”
Stede tried to ignore the rush of heat he felt upon contact with Ed’s warm skin. “Lovely to meet you, Ed. Shall we walk?”
They strolled along the footpaths around the seminary, heading towards the grove of orange trees. The light filtered through the leaves of the canopy, dancing across their faces. Stede tried to keep himself from staring at Ed’s visage. Usually, when one thought of heavenly beauty, angels or cherubs came to mind. Ed could not be more different from the pink little winged babies that decorated cathedrals, and yet Stede was certain that God had handcrafted Ed in all his magnificence.
What has come over you? Stede thought to himself. Most priests don't wax lyrical about men they have just met. Refocus yourself. Trying to ignore his sudden fascination with this man, Stede attempted to continue their previous conversation. “I know you said you were unsure of your future. Do you have anywhere to go? Family you can stay with?”
Ed shook his head. “Last family I had was my mother, and I’m pretty sure she’s dead now. I don’t have a crew anymore, either. The English were closing in, so I ditched them in Tortuga. If I’m being honest, though, I think I was looking for an excuse to leave. Only problem is that now I’m a drifter.”
They passed the gardens, where the brothers were hard at work weeding and tilling the soil. Stede considered them before turning back to Ed.
“Well, we have plenty of beds here,” Stede offered. “You could stay with us while you figure out what you want to do next.”
Ed looked at him curiously. “Really? You have no problem putting up an outlaw? How do I know that I’m not going to be woken up in the middle of the night with an English soldier’s gun pointed at my head?”
The last thing Stede wanted was for this man to distrust him. “You admitted your sins to me during confession. I assure you that everything you shared with me today is confidential.” Stede dropped his voice a little lower. “Besides, a number of the brothers here have had run ins with the law. You’d hardly be the first man with a criminal record housed at this seminary. No one lives a life unblemished, after all.”
“Unblemished, huh.” Ed tugged at his beard absentmindedly. “Even you, Father? I can’t help but wonder why a holy man such as yourself feels the need to repent.”
Stede wasn’t quite sure what to say to that. Had Ed always possessed such a talent for reading people? Had he noticed Stede looking at him with interest?
Stede smiled, hoping Ed didn’t notice how nervous he was. “No more holy than anyone else. I’m a servant of the Lord, but I look to him for guidance as all his children must.” Ed considered him, and Stede could tell he was not quite convinced.
“If it would soothe your worries, I would happily swear upon the good book that you have sanctuary here.”
Ed’s dark eyebrows lifted slightly, wrinkling his forehead. Why did Stede feel the urge to massage away those wrinkles and to ease Ed’s concerns? Stede desperately hoped that Edward would stay. He told himself that he could help guide Ed towards a more peaceful life, as was his duty, but there was also a selfish part of him that wanted Ed to stay because he wanted to learn more about this dangerous, troubled, fascinating man.
“That’s quite a promise. I wouldn’t want to impose.”
Stede put on his most welcoming smile. “No imposition at all.” Ed smiled back at him, and for Stede it was like watching the sunrise.
“Then I’d love to stay. Thank you, Father,” Ed said, and Stede was a little unnerved at how much he enjoyed the way Ed called him Father.
“Wonderful!” Stede clapped his hands together. “I’ll show you to your room. We’ll get you some soap and water, and some clean clothes. Oh, and the bell rings for dinner at six.” As he walked back towards the seminary with Ed, a cold breeze blew over Stede. He shivered, an odd thing to do in the Caribbean summer, but a moment later the chill was gone, and he thought nothing more of it.
---
The scent of longing was oozing from the seminary.
Izzy had been prowling the countryside in search of a new victim to possess when he passed by the old church. Now that could be interesting, he thought, and decided to investigate the source of this impassioned pain, hoping it was something he could exploit.
He flew through the orange grove, invisible. He followed the trail of the odor as it became stronger until he happened upon the two men walking back towards the seminary. Izzy was delighted to discover that the fount of desire he was seeking out was in fact a priest. Oh, and his interest was obvious. Izzy could tell when humans were afflicted by lust, but any being with eyes could see that this blonde Padre was smitten with the tall, dark man next to him, even if he didn’t want to admit it to himself yet.
Izzy smirked. Some men hitched their cart to God’s horse thinking that they wouldn’t miss being with women, only to find out too late that they were never interested in them in the first place. Izzy suspected this priest was going to be learning that soon, much to his sorrow. Izzy followed along behind the men as they entered the seminary. Being in the jurisdiction of a holy place like this made his skin prickle, and he would only get more uncomfortable the longer he waited to feed. If he wanted to possess the priest, he would need to do it soon, or else find a weaker victim. He would just have to wait until the Priest was alone.
He didn’t have to wait long.
---
After leaving Ed to bathe and change, Stede returned to his own room. He was breathless, elated, and trying extremely hard to get his emotions under control. He had only met Ed that day, and yet Stede was positively overjoyed that he would be able to spend more time with him. What he thought had started out as a genuine interest in the other man’s soul seemed to have spiraled out of control into an infatuation which was very much not something a man of God should be feeling. When he looked to the portrait that hung on his wall depicting the Virgin with her baby, he was overcome with shame.
“What is wrong with me?” He asked. The portrait gave no answer, only judged him with flat eyes.
He knelt at the bed to pray. He crossed himself, repeated the Our Father, and began.
“Lord, this man has come to me during a time of need. He is trying to repent for his sins, and I only wish to guide him through his penance. These feelings I’m suffering from…they are not fair to him. I ask that you uncloud my mind. Help me see Edward as you do. A good man. One who has committed crimes, yes, but a good man, I am sure.”
Stede couldn’t help but wonder what Ed had been like as a pirate. He seemed so friendly, so gentle. Stede had a hard time imagining him doing anything violent. He didn’t seem like the type to sink ships, injure sailors, or ravage maidens.
Although he’s pretty enough that I’m sure all the maidens he’s been with came to bed willingly.
The thought came unbidden to his head, and he was both horrified and intrigued by his own crudeness. How had his mind drifted so far from God during prayer? He shook his head and continued.
“Please, Lord, forgive me for my weakness. I know you wouldn’t give me any cross to bear that I couldn’t handle. Please give me strength to be a good man. I look to you for guidance. Amen.”
His words appeared to be falling on deaf ears, because the image of Ed stealing a woman from a ship won't leave him. He imagined the scene over and over again until it’s no longer a woman Ed is stealing, but Stede himself. He imagined Ed’s strong arms wrapping around his waist as he was bodily pulled aboard Ed’s pirate ship. He shifted, uncomfortable. His breeches were suddenly much tighter, and his face was growing hot. He squeezed his hands together on the bed, trying to keep from touching himself. His hips bucked forward of their own accord, pressing his crotch to the hard, wooden bedframe. He sucked in a breath through his teeth, the pressure almost too much.
How long had it been since he had last touched himself? He thought he had mostly gotten these urges under control, but meeting Ed sparked something in him. Suddenly he was a young man again, rutting up against the furniture in a fruitless effort to keep himself from jerking off. Perhaps he couldn’t prevent himself from sinning entirely, but what he wanted more than anything was his hand, and he was sure that on some level God appreciated his sacrifice.
He rubbed himself against the bedframe again, moaning quietly. Rather than kneeling on the floor of his little room, he imagined he was splayed out on the deck of a great pirate ship. Instead of the bed, he pictured Ed’s boot on his crotch while the pirate looked down on him with those big brown eyes of his. His prisoner, to do whatever he wants with.
“Edward,” Stede groaned.
“Who’s Edward?” said a voice from behind.
Stede’s heart almost burst with panic. He flailed, clumsily rushing to get to his feet. He turned to see a smartly dressed man he did not know leaning against the wall. The man was handsome enough, with a neatly trimmed goatee and sharp cheekbones, but there was instantly something unnerving about him. Aside from the fact that he has materialized in Stede’s room, of course.
“Who on earth are you? How did you get in here?” Stede asked him, unconsciously reaching down to cover his rapidly wilting erection.
“Well, you yourself said that you know your God wouldn’t give you any cross you couldn’t bear.” The man grinned. His smiled was wicked, his eyes were dark. “Consider me that cross.”
The man approached. Stede’s felt a strange tingling in his spine. His vision went white, and he collapsed on the bed.
---
Izzy was seated on the side of the bed when Stede came to.
It only took a moment for him to enter the man’s body, prowl the dark corners of his mind, and learn all he needed about tempting him. He knew all about Stede Bonnet, the wealthy landowner who had given up his life of luxury and what was to be a very profitable marriage to become a priest. He learned about the priest’s disconnect from women, from other men, his soft persuasions, his bookishness. Finally, he learned that what had appeared to be a stagnating life had just been shaken up by the presence of a particular man. A pirate, no less. However, it seemed that Stede did not yet know which pirate was the object of his lustful gaze. Interesting.
“Welcome back to the world of the living, Father,” Izzy drawled.
Stede slowly sat up from the bed and blinked at him. “Are you real? Am I dreaming right now?”
“I assure you; you are not.”
Stede realized where his was and his eyes widened in horror. “You…how much did you see?”
“Oh, plenty,” Izzy smirked. “Enough to see that you, pathetic excuse for a priest that you are, seem to really want to fuck this penitent of yours. But I promise, I won't tell a soul.”
Izzy had watched the priest’s display with great interest. Horny priests were nothing new to him, but there was novelty in this particular instance of desire. Most priests didn’t hunger for the embrace of another middle-aged man, much less the dread pirate Blackbeard himself. Izzy was curious how Stede would react when he learned that little nugget of information.
“Who are you?" Stede demanded. "Why are you here?”
Izzy grinned at him. “Izzy. And you’re Father Bonnet, yes? Well Father, my purpose here is to make your life a living hell.”
Stede looked rather bewildered. “I don't understand.”
“Come on, Bonnet, you’ve read that rag you call the bible enough times, haven’t you? Haven’t you exorcised a demon before?”
Stede’s lips parted. Izzy imagined his mouth was dry with terror. The priest pulled away from Izzy as far as he could, pressing his back to the headboard. “You-you're a demon! Are you here to punish me?”
“Oh no, worse. I’m here to corrupt you.” Izzy chuckled. “Though from what I saw, you’re already quite the debased little man.”
“You…you’re the one that put those evil thoughts in my head, aren’t you?” Stede asked angrily. "The one who made me think about him like that!"
“Oh, no, Bonnet.” Izzy placed his hand over his demonic heart. “I swear on my Lord Lucifer himself, you imagined humping Edward like a dog all on your own.” Izzy’s eyes flicked down to Stede’s crotch. “Ah, forgive me, Father, where are my manners? Terribly rude of me to interrupt you before you were finished.”
Stede shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t need it.” He said, not meeting Izzy’s gaze.
Izzy dropped his voice to a whisper. “It’s not really about need, though, is it? It’s about want.” He placed a hand on Stede thigh, and the man whimpered. Izzy laughed. “Or maybe it is about need, after all! Come on, Bonnet, I’m not your precious Edward, but I can help you with what you need.”
Stede eyed him suspiciously. “I don’t know what kind of help a creature such as yourself could offer, but I'm certain I'm not interested.”
Izzy got off the bed. “How about a demonstration, then?” Izzy rolled his head and when he looked back at Stede, his appearance had shifted. Stede’s eyes went wide. Izzy no longer stood in front of him; Edward had taken his place.
The fake Edward smirked when he saw the way Stede’s lips parted. “Well, come on, Father,” he offered. The voice was still Izzy’s. “You want to rut up against my leg? Rut away.”
Stede hesitated and Izzy could tell he was weighing the moral outrage of his desires against the all-consuming need between his legs. Stede may have loved God, but at the end of the day, he was just a man, and he climbed down off the bed as Izzy expected he would.
“Kneel,” Izzy-Edward commanded. Stede’s knees hit the floor without hesitation, his legs spread wide. Izzy grinned wolfishly. Bonnet was a handsome enough man, but the pure desperate ache on his face was currently the most attractive thing about him. With every command he followed, Izzy felt his own power growing. Izzy sauntered forward, placing his boot just in front of the juncture of Stede’s thighs. He hesitated.
“What’s wrong? Why did you stop?” Stede whined, frustrated.
Izzy-Edward leaned down and grabbed Stede by the hair. “I want to hear you say it. Don’t worry, there’s no one around to hear you. Just you, me…and God.”
Stede swallowed. From the look on his face, you’d think he’d been starving for years. “Please, it’s already so much, I can’t—”
“You’ll say it or you’ll get nothing.” Izzy moved his boot an inch closer.
Stede’s pupils were blown wide. “I want it. Please. I want it very badly.”
Izzy very slowly pressed to toe of his boot against Stede’s crotch, and the priest hissed. “You pathetic man, you want to rub your cock on my leg until you come?” Izzy asks.
“Yes,” Stede gasps. “Please!”
Izzy set his boot flat on the floor. He released his grip on Stede and tossed Edward’s long hair out of his face. “Well, on with it, then. There’s not much time until dinner.”
Izzy watched with delight as Stede awkwardly crawled forward, straddled his boot, and began to grind. For a moment, there were only the sounds of fabric slipping against leather and of Stede’s panting. Stede’s hands were braced against the floor, and his eyes were squeezed shut tight. That wouldn’t do.
“Don’t be afraid to grab hold, Father," Izzy said, running his hand through Stede's curls. "I’m a fearsome pirate, after all, you won’t break me if you squeeze my leg.”
Stede nodded and wrapped his hands around the back of Izzy’s calf. His head was braced against Izzy’s knee as he moaned “oh, Edward!”
Izzy grabbed Stede’s jaw and forced him to look up into Edward’s face. Stede’s face was flushed a delicious pink. “How does my boot feel, Father?” Izzy asked.
“Oh!” Stede moaned. “Oh, exquisite!”
“Yeah, I’ll bet. You say you want to believe I’m a good man, but I think you want to believe I’m a bad one, more. You want me to take you back to my ship, make you my prisoner?” Izzy can feel the heat from Stede’s shame where his hand holds the priests face.
“Yes, Ed, I do,” he squeaked out.
“You gonna finish in your pants for me, you little whore?” Izzy asked.
“Yes, please, I’m so close!”
Izzy dropped his glamour. Instead of Edward, Stede could only see the face of the demon that had possessed him.
Izzy took great pleasure in the way Stede wailed at this intrusion into his fantasy. However, despite his obvious frustration, the priest didn’t stop rutting. He was too close now, panting hard. Izzy could feel the erratic rhythm in the movement of Stede’s hips. He watched as tears appear at the corner of the priest’s eyes. Izzy barely had to touch him, and yet Stede sounded absolutely wrecked.
“Sorry to disappoint,” Izzy said, with an expression that conveys he’s not sorry at all. “I’m not your precious Edward…but maybe you could have him, if you’re brave enough. Who knows, he might even let you rub that filthy cock of yours all over his boot. Maybe he’ll let you spray all over it, then make you lick it up. You’d like that, hm?”
Stede’s fingers dug deep into the meat of Izzy’s leg and the priest bit back a scream. Oh yes, Izzy thought Stede would like that very much.
Stede shuddered against Izzy’s leg as he came, back arching, while Izzy forced him to hold his gaze. When the convulsions have ceased, Izzy released him. Stede fell back on to the floor, chest heaving. Izzy watched as the blissful, post-orgasmic expression on his face was quickly consumed by one of intense guilt. Stede groaned and pressed his palms to his eyes. “That will never happen again. I forbid it.”
Izzy’s laugh was cruel. “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, Bonnet. There’s a whole world of human pleasure out there to discover, and this is only the beginning of your expedition into it. You've spent your whole life repressed, humping the furniture; don't you want to touch another human being?”
“No!” Stede argued, sitting up and baring his teeth. “I’m a servant of God. I have vows. I won’t allow myself to continue this sort of…debased behavior!”
Izzy smirked. For someone who had just gotten off by grinding on another man’s leg, Stede was trying awfully hard to sound like he had the moral high ground. “Sure, you say that now. What happens tonight, when you’re laying in bed thinking about Edward, and your cock is just throbbing for him?”
“Quiet, demon!” Stede clambered to his feet. “You may think you have the upper hand on me, but I promise that tormenting me won’t be easy for you. I will be rid of you soon enough!”
Izzy stepped closer and cupped Stede’s face in his hands. “I like your optimism, Bonnet,” he said, his voice patronizing. It was always more fun when his victims put up a bit of a fight, and based on this one interaction, it seemed like torturing Stede would be plenty easy for him. “Now, before you go and meet your holy brothers for dinner, you ought to clean the jizz out of your breeches, hm?” He gave Stede a condescending pat on the cheek. Stede blushed.
“I’ll leave you to it, then,” Izzy said, slowly fading into transparency. “Don’t miss me too much, though. I’ll be right behind you.”