Chapter Text
Lieutenant McGraw stood at the bow of the ship as it made its way into Port Royal’s harbor. They had been sailing their way across the ocean for several weeks by then, and he hadn’t seen land since the coast of England had disappeared under the horizon. James couldn’t help but long for solid land under his feet. No matter he had been serving in the Navy for over a decade, no matter how comfortable and at home he felt on a ship, he was eager to escape the cramped quarters and increasingly irritable fellow crew members.
The higher officers that could leave the ship were the first ones off, then, finally, James could board a boat as well. He was too aware of the scrutiny of his fellow officers to let out more than a relieved sigh when his boots left the water, but the urge to remove them and enjoy the feel of sand against his bare feet was hard to resist.
As the rest of the crew, except for the poor souls that drew the first rotation on the skeleton crew, made their way to the beach behind him, James left for the town. He wanted to get himself a single room while they were still available. They were only staying in Port Royal for a few days, and James would be damned if he had to share his room with another sucker.
The room he acquired was small, but it was reasonably clean, and most importantly dry and private. James resisted the temptation to lie down to catch up on his sleep, and rather chose to go enjoy his brief liberty.
As he walked through the town, he caught sight of a few of his crew mates enjoying a pint at the various taverns, or gossiping with the locals. He also spied a few of them sneaking away to remote buildings he could only guess were whore houses.
James sniffed bemusedly, and walked on. He had no interest in engaging strangers, either to obtain irrelevant information or to ‘scratch an itch’ in the arms of a woman he would feel little attraction toward.
He debated for a moment whether to enter in the tavern where he knew the officers gathered when in town, but decided against it. He knew the officers on his ships appreciated him, if only because after so many years serving by their sides, he had proven his worth as a Lieutenant, regardless of his origins. He had no doubt, however, that the others less familiar with him would not be so kind, and he had no patience to deal with them at the moment.
James bought himself a loaf of bread still warm from the oven and fresh fruits, neither of which he had enjoyed in far too long, and walked back to the beach. He sat himself down on the sand, under the shade of a large tropical tree, far enough from the ships and the main access to land to be left in peace. Only then did he finally relent and remove his boots, sinking his feet into the sand with a relieved groan, leaning back against the trunk of the tree to enjoy his meal. He looked on as people came and went, busying themselves around the various ships in the bay, carrying crates of goods, fishing for gossip or simply pretending to work.
It was the third time James made it to the West Indies, and the stifling heat never failed to take him by surprise. It couldn’t be more different than England’s wet coldness, and James never could help but wonder whether it meant that an Englishman couldn’t live down there, or that they would need to shed everything that made them English to survive it.
With a sigh, he let his head fall back against the tree, and closed his eyes, trying to soak in the quiet and peace while he could. He had to admit, as he shucked off his coat, the warmth was enjoyable if one could stand to be idle in the shadow.
James was just dozing off when he heard someone running his way, and he cracked open his eyes just in time to see a young man sprinting his way. Frowning, he straightened up just as the other passed him by. He could hear people shouting from some distance, but whoever was pursuing the man was still out of sight.
James barely had the time to register the man’s dark curly hair and his scrappy clothes before he turned toward him with a confident, blinding grin and wide too-innocent-to-be-sincere eyes.
“Good day, sir. I’m sorry to bother you in such a manner, but I find myself in a tricky situation, and I would be eternally thankful if you could help me dispose of the gentlemen tailing me?” He grinned winningly at James, eyes sparkling.
James was too stunned, either by the young man’s brazen words or captivating face, to formulate any kind of answer. Before he could regain his senses, the pursuers shouted once more, and the other man swiftly slipped out of sight between the trees with one last grin.
James turned back toward the beach just before the men came into view and caught him staring dumbfounded at the trees. They growled their way toward him, and one of them gruffly asked James if he had seen someone come this way.
“There was a young man, dark hair, clear eyes. Is this the man you speak of?” James kept his tone polite but disinterested, looking the other straight in the eyes. He was glad that now that the bewildering young man was gone, he had regained the use of his voice and senses.
“Yeah, that’s the scoundrel. Where’s he?” The man spun around, as if glaring hard enough at the sand would make the other man pop out of it.
James took as second to assess the group, and found them half a dozen men, most squat and thick, a few lean and mean, several sporting a wide variety of scars and remnants of past injuries. While he disliked the idea of lying if he didn’t have to, James couldn’t help but balk at the prospect of the slight man facing six men who could probably each snap him in half all on their own.
“I’m sorry if I’m am prying in private matters, but what is the nature of your disagreement with the man?” He asked, weighing his options.
The leader of the pack turned his glare to him, displeased that he didn’t answer his questions directly and give the young man an opportunity to increase his lead on them, but before he could tell James off, another of his man, a tall thin one, jumped in, too angry to think clearly about such things as time sensitivity.
If he was ever able to think clearly about anything, which James doubted.
“Little cheat made fucking fools of us, insulting and tricking us out of our own fucking money in our own fucking tavern!” He spat, his hands going to the knife on his belt.
James noted the way he slurred his words despite his anger. He cast a quick look to the others and found several of them unsteady on their feet. Drunk as midday was barely passed it seemed. James suddenly had very little sympathy for these men who, through their own decadence, had made themselves easy targets for any clever soul who passed through town.
With a calm nod, he inclined his head toward the other end of the beach, keeping his tone detached.
“He went running that way, but what his final destination might be, I would not know.” He answered, before settling back against the tree. He turned his gaze once more to the bay, dismissing the others without a word.
Not that any of them would take offense. They had already forgotten about him, their addled mind once more consumed by the chase.
James didn’t have to wait for too long before the young man reappeared from the tree line. He skipped up to him and plopped himself down beside James. James couldn’t help but notice that he had chosen the side where James would shield him from view long enough for him to disappear once more, should the group of angry drunks decide to retrace their steps on the way back,.
When he raised an eyebrow to throw an inquiring look at the young man, his sharp grin made it clear it had been intentional.
Clever man indeed.
“I’m terribly sorry for not introducing myself properly before. I am John Silver, at your service!” The man, Silver, proclaimed with another wide smile. James was beginning to wonder whether he knew how to close his mouth properly. He nevertheless shook the offered hand with a strong grip that the other matched easily.
“Lieutenant James McGraw.” He mostly succeeded at keeping his curiosity out of his voice, but Silver’s face told him he wasn’t fooled.
“Well, Lieutenant James McGraw, you have my endless gratitude for coming to my aid. These gentlemen were becoming very aggravating.” His voice was smooth in a way that made everything he said sound convincing, his words more intelligent and cultured than James had the habit of finding in such a place.
“Perhaps you shouldn’t swindle people that could become more aggravating than you can handle.” James answered evenly, but with a small grin that belied his tone.
Silver waved a dismissive hand.
“Please, I had the situation perfectly under control. And how could I resent anything that allowed me to befriend such charming company?” He squinted as he looked James over, before coming back up to smile at him once more. James suddenly felt hot and uncomfortable under the Caribbean sun, and he cleared his throat, hands fidgeting uselessly in front of him.
“How could you possibly have known I wouldn’t tell them where you were?” James asked, trying to regain the upper hand, trying to gather some of his eloquence back together.
“Well, I am incredibly easy to like”, Silver answered grandly, gesturing wildly at himself. James found himself staring. Silver didn’t have the most handsome face he had ever seen, a bit too round and lacking in chin to be considered such, but it was marvellously expressive in a way that made it mesmerizing, and his bright blue eyes shone with intelligence.
“I do not think your friends over there would agree with that assessment.” James was proud that he kept all trace of appreciation out of his wry tone.
“Let’s say I’m well-liked by anyone with enough brain power to appreciate my true worth. And you seemed both a smart man and an honourable one, who would never dream of leaving an innocent man face such brutes by himself.” Replied quickly Silver, and James could have sworn he inched closer to him.
“I would hardly call you innocent.”
“I assure you, I have broken no law, nor have I cheated these gentlemen. I offered them a game of card, of which I respected all the rules, and if they couldn’t keep up with me, well that is hardly my fault, is it?” Once again, his voice and smile enticed James to believe him, to agree with him.
Only this time, James chose to simply give him an unimpressed look, and refrained from answering, looking back to the bay.
“Where are you from?” Apparently Silver disagreed with his plan of interrupting the conversation. James turned his head toward him marginally, just enough to cock an eyebrow at him. Silver seemed to consider that all the encouragement he needed, and he leaned forward.
“I mean, you’re obviously from England, with the accent and the Navy. But I’ve not been around your folks long enough to differentiate you all by sound alone. I’m from Charleston myself, back on the continent.”
“I’m from London.” James chose to answer shortly, not sure if Silver was expecting him to be as verbose as himself.
“Truly? I’ve never been to London, but I’ve heard it’s quite grey and dreary.”
“It can be. Especially compared to the sun of the West Indies.” James surprised himself by offering a longer answer. Silver seemed delighted at his newfound cooperation and gestured up at the sky.
“I don’t think I could live in such a place. Give me the light of the sun any day over the cold.”
James had to admit that tanned skin quite agreed with Silver, and that should he ever stay in London long enough to turn pale like so many of James’ compatriots, he would probably lose some of his charm.
James’ ground his mind to a halt, cursing inwardly. He couldn’t afford to entertain those thoughts, not in such small a town, not when his superiors and fellow crew members would be scrutinising him.
“Well it is fortunate England fell to my lot and not yours.” James answered evenly.
“Luck has always been my friend, I must admit.” Had he been a weaker man, James would have qualified the look Silver threw his way of enticing leer, but he quickly shoved that thought aside as a misinterpretation on his part.
Surely, someone as clever as Silver would not be stupid enough to try and seduce a military man in broad daylight and in easy distance of numerous Navy ships.
Even if he shared James dangerous proclivities.
As if sensing James’ unease, Silver smoothly redirected the conversation toward calmer waters. He spoke of his fantastical travels, of the wondrous people he’d met and mystical places he’d seen.
It was all obvious bullshit, and Silver clearly never intended to be believed, but he weaved his words in such a seamless fashion that the stories took appearances of old jokes between intimate friends, and James found himself humouring him.
He interjected gamely whenever Silver deigned to pause, prodding the other man into flourishing his tales with even more outrageous lies.
“-and then I answered “Lockhart, if your ears were to grow even an inch larger, we could use them to sail the ship, and what a relief that would be to tie you to the mast where we wouldn’t have to suffer the stench of your farts anymore!” Silver finished his story with a ridiculous twirl hands, and James couldn’t help but burst out laughing, a full, loud laugh like he hadn’t had in too long.
He fell back against his tree, eyes closed as he tried to rein himself in, with moderate success, but eventually he stopped shaking with mirth, and he turned back to Silver with a grin.
The younger man was smiling too, as he was want to do, but it was softer than his usual cocky grins, almost wondering as he stared at Flint, leaning a bit closer to the other man than he had been previously.
Flint swallowed his smile, belly twisting. Clenching his fists, he answered drolly.
“I can’t imagine Mr. Lockhart appreciated the jab immensely.”
“Ah, the man was as daft as a cow, by the time he caught on to what I was saying, I was long gone.” Silver shrugged his shoulder dismissively.
A silence fell, and James, who so valued his peace when he could get it, found himself wishing for something to say, anything to spark conversation, and yet fell short. He looked away awkwardly, twisting his hands.
“What about you, Lieutenant James McGraw? What tales of untold adventures do you carry with you?” Silver came to his aid, nudging him lightly with his shoulder.
It was James’ turn to shrug.
“No much shenanigans to get up to on a military ship.” He said.
“Men are men everywhere, James. You can’t stick a hundred of them on a ship for weeks on end and have them behave themselves at all hours of the day.” Silver prodded with a cheeky grin.
“They do if they wish to improve their positions.” James’ tone was sharper then he had wanted it to be, laden with years of fighting for where he was now and where he wished to be in the future.
Silver started at his tone, moving away an inch. James immediately regretted the distance, and shot him an apologetic look. The man stared for a few second more before nodding and relaxing his stance once more.
“Well, Lieutenant McGraw, after I told you my story so well, will you let me know nothing of yours?” he asked, not exactly changing the subject, but the playful edge in his smile gave James an out, should he wish it.
James didn’t have Silver’s wild imagination, but he had stories to tell. They weren’t his, but then again, Silver’s hadn’t been either.
So he told Silver his favorite story, of a man arrogant enough to defy a god who found himself punished by a decade of meandering the world, losing everything he had and was before he was allowed to come back home.
By the time his weary traveler was finally allowed to find solace in the arms of his Penelope, his voice was hoarse, the sun was long gone, and Silver’s side was pressed against his. James had forced himself to ignore the warmth of his body, his hooded eyes, and the way he seemed entranced by James’ tale, trembling and gasping and cheering as if he was part of the story himself.
James ignored all of this and the way his gut twisted every time in answer. He ignored it because to heed it would be folly.
Silence fell once more on them, but this time James didn’t resent it. It felt like a breath of fresh air, and he willed his mind to get back under control.
“That was quite a story for so young a person to have lived.” Silver broke the quiet, of course he did, his voice hushed.
James couldn’t find something to answer to that, and simply turned his head to look at Silver. The moonlight only touched half of his face, leaving his expressions undecipherable to James.
Silver stared right back at him. James didn’t know what his own face was showing, didn’t know what Silver could see or understand.
Silver’s warmth was intoxicating. The darkness seemed to envelop them into thick velvet that muted the rest of the world.
James saw Silver moving. He saw him leaning forward, closer and closer still, one hand coming to rest on the tree James was leaning on, right by his head.
Yet James’ mind did not comprehend any of it until Silver’s other hand was resting on his shoulder and his lips were on James.
James gasped into the kiss, one of his hands jumping up to rest light, oh so lightly, on Silver’s waist.
For a second, for a heavenly moment, his world was nothing but soft lips and a clever tongue, a warm body against his and shifting muscles under his palm.
A nip on his lips jarred him back to reality, and his eyes flew open.
He scrambled away, climbing to his feet in an inelegant fit of desperation, sending Silver sprawling on the sand.
James started cursing under his breathe, spinning in direction of the town. Silver jumped to his feet, behind him, grabbing his wrist.
“James?” he said, tone bewildered and a bit hurt.
“Let me go.” James answered without turning back. He couldn’t bring himself to wring himself free. He couldn’t bring himself to shake Silver off.
“What are you talking about? We were just getting started.” Silver’s voice slid into silky tones, those who cajoled you into doing as he wanted.
And James wanted to do as he wanted. He still felt the liquid heat burning through his body, and he wanted more of it, until he was charred, until he couldn’t feel anything anymore.
How could he want something so dangerous? How could he be ready to risk himself for carnal pleasures?
He didn’t. He couldn’t.
He felt the fire gather to his chest and he spun around, hissing at Silver, grabbing the front of his shirt to keep him at a safe distance.
“We weren’t starting anything. Nothing was or will be happening and you will let me go.”
“You’ve been looking all day, James, let’s not pretend this was all in my head. You wanted to kiss me, you did, and now you want more. It’s all yours to take, James. I’m all yours to take.” Silver started leaning forward, pushing against Flint’s fist with a sinful smirk.
James’ possessive urges flared up at the prospect of having someone like Silver, his knees weakening for a second.
James felt his grip on Silver’s shirt loosen. Silver’s smile widened as he felt it too. James shook himself, glaring daggers at the younger man.
“If you think I will risk my reputation, my life and my career just for- for- for this, then you have known nothing of me.” He pushed Silver away, strongly enough to get his point across, but not to hurt him or unbalance him.
He turned around again, and made it a few steps before Silver stopped him again with hands on his waist, plastering himself against his back.
James froze, fists clenching.
“Oh James,” James resolutely ignored how Silver twisted his tongue around his name, whispering in his ear “I assure you this would be worth anything, all the gold in the New World. Stay here, stay with me, I’ll make you fly. I promise you won’t get caught, I know all the secrets crannies of this island. Stay, you know you want to. Let the Lieutenant sleep for a night and live a little. I’m all yours to take.”
James hadn’t known that anyone could weaken his knees with only a few words, and yet here he was.
With strength he hadn’t known he possessed, he wrenched himself away from Silver, walking briskly toward the town.
“James!” Silver called after him. He was following him, a few paces behind, not daring to touch him anymore as they came within sight of the town.
James slipped into the street with a sigh of relief and disappointment churning in his belly. After a few paces, he realise he didn’t hear Silver’s steps behind him anymore, and he looked over his shoulder to see that the man had stopped under the lantern of an inn, staring at James’ retreating back.
James saw his heaving chest, his dark eyes and the tantalising peek of skin between the open buttons of his shirt. Every torturous details of Silver’s existence seemed to carve themselves at the back of James’ eyes in that split second.
When he noticed James looking back at him, Silver turned slightly back toward the beach, toward the dangerous darkness that threatened to wake up the worst of James’ desires, his eyes never leaving James, the invitation obvious.
James ignored the yearning in his chest and the tightness of his throat and he turned away one last time, leaving Silver behind at he reached his inn.
His room offered no respite, however.
Every piece of clothing he shed was a tease as it brushed harshly against his oversensitive skin. Every time felt the touch of his fingers he desperately wished they were Silver’s. Every second his brain spun faster and faster, creating wild fantasies of what James could have had.
He slumped into his bed with only his breaches and his under shirt, hoping against hope that sleep could come. However, laying on the thin mattress did nothing but conjure vivid fantasies of Silver climbing in after him.
James groaned and pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes, but he couldn’t dissipate the thought of Silver straddling his lap, his ass rubbing against James’ groin as he tugged his shirt over his head and tossed it away.
James wriggled his hips to try and remind himself that Silver was in fact not there, that he had left him outside, but his efforts backfired when the fabric of his breaches rubbed again his cock.
James’ eyes flew open as he realised he was hard, harder than he had been in a long while, maybe since he left England, and he swallowed, breathes harsh as he stared at the ceiling.
He didn’t want to touch himself, didn’t want to give Silver any more power over him, even in his imagination, but after several weeks of abstaining himself from any relief for fear of being caught by his men, the chance of his erection waning on its own were slim to none.
With a resigned sigh, James tugged his breaches down, and wrapped his hand around his cock. He gasped, throwing his other arm over his eyes. His feverish mind conjured images of Silver’s cocky smiles and bright eyes.
James imagined sinking his hands into Silver’s dark curls and dragging him into a biting kiss. He remembered the bliss of their brief kiss, and his mind conjured a hundred filthy ways Silver could have kissed him here, with only the two of them, with a bed and a door.
He squeezed his hands just this side of too tight as he thought of rubbing his cock between Silver’s thighs, feeling all the heavenly warmth of his body over all of his, permeating every inch of James’ skin, sinking in to his very bones.
He thought of Silver gasping and whining and begging for him, never shutting up for a second, driving James’ even madder, his voice conjuring a new universe of sinful pleasures from tin air.
James thought of Silver sobbing his name in his ear as he would come, laying over him, as undone by James as James was by him.
James came with a gasp, arching of the bed as Silver grinned down at him through his mind’s eyes.
The next time James opened his eyes, sunlight was streaming through the window. With a quiet groan, he sat up on his bed, carding his fingers through his hair. He hadn’t slept so deeply in a long time, and was about to chalk it up to the luxury of a private room until John Silver pushed himself to the forefront of his thoughts, making James sigh in frustration.
No matter, if his encounter with the young man had earned him a masturbation séance satisfying enough to knock him out for an entire night, it had almost been worth it.
He ignored the spike of regret twisting his gut as he remembered Silver’s offer. No good would have come of it anyway, he tried to convince himself. No intercourse he had ever partaken in, regardless of the gender of his partner had been memorable, and Silver would probably have been the same. He was only on the island for another day and another night, and soon enough the sea winds would blow away the memories of Silver’s maddening grins.
James made his way to the tavern at the ground floor of the inn a few minutes later, asking for food and water as he took a seat at a small table. He cast a lazy look around the room, taking in the expected mix of merchants, officers, ship boys and women in alluring outfits. He was ready to dismiss them all when his stomach plummeted.
Silver was sitting at a table on the other side of the room. He was too far away to speak to James, and the half-finished plate in front of him told James he had been there far longer than him. Nevertheless, the satisfied look in his eyes when James finally noticed him and the way he knowingly raised his glass to him in a mockery of a toast gave James much doubt that his presence was a coincidence.
James clenched his jaw at the impudence of the man, but when he expected Silver to take up his plate and join him, the man simply nodded one more time at him and went back to his meal, his eyes never straying back up to meet James’ again.
Once again, disappointment he shouldn’t be feeling stung his gut and James could barely remember his manners to thank the mistress of the inn when she brought him his own food.
He ate quietly, taking the time to appreciate the tastes and textures as he would tomorrow be back on ship food. Their cook was perfectly competent, but there’s only so much variety to be found when cooking with non-perishable ingredients.
He wished he could say he hadn’t noticed when Silver left, saying his goodbyes to the mistress with a cheerful smile, but he followed his movements from the corner of his eyes.
When he walked out himself, the sun was already up the sky, casting a sizzling heat over the town. Going back to his secluded spot on the beach was out of question, so James decided he might as well explore the town and see what it had to offer.
The last time he had been there, he had discovered a small book shop during one such walk. It wasn’t as large as it would be in London, of course, but it was well stocked, and he could pick up new reading material, as he had already finished a few times over the ones he had brought with him.
The shop also had the advantage of being outside of the busiest part of town, away from the merchants yelling the praises of their products, the whores trying to beckon closer anything that so much as glanced their way and the company of his crew members falling prey to the allures of both.
Just as he was getting under way, he spied Silver standing a few meters away, seemingly deep in conversation with Carter, one of James’ men that he knew to be as dull as a brick. Yet, Silver seemed fascinated by what he had to say, looking away only long enough to cast a look at James that he couldn’t interpret for the life of him.
With a frown, James forced himself to be on his way.
The shop was just as he remembered, and the woman keeping it was wise and well spoken. Her company and the books kept James busy for almost an hour. He left the shop with two new books in his possession and a list of recommendation from her for when he would get back to the mainland.
However, when he turned the corner of the street, there was Silver again, walking his way and opening a banana. His eyes widened with pleasant surprise, and James could almost believe it was happenstance if he hadn’t known Silver better by that point.
As it was, after a quick look around to make sure no one else was walking down the road, he stalked forward until he was a feet away from the other man.
“Lieutenant James McGraw! What a pleasure to meet you again!” Silver exclaimed, unconcerned with the way James was glaring at him.
“What game are you playing at, Silver?” he growled.
Silver grinned innocently at him and took the time to take a bite out of his banana, before answering. James couldn’t help but blush when he deliberately wrapped his lips around the fruit before biting.
“I have to admit I don’t know what you are referring to, James?” Silver’s voice was just as James remembered it, smooth and confident.
“Following me to my inn, waiting for me in the street, being here.” He accused.
“Everyone knows Misses Smith has the best food on the island, why couldn’t I enjoy it as well? And my, Lieutenant, what a narcissist you are, the world doesn’t revolve around you. I can appreciate the conversation of others.” Silver opened wide eyes at him and returned to chewing on his banana, seemingly without a care in the world.
“That man is an imbecile and we both know it. You wouldn’t give a damn about him except to swindle him out of his money.” James retorted.
Silver grinned around his mouthful, but didn’t answer, content with staring at James.
“What do you want?” hissed James through a clenched jaw.
“Well…” Silver didn’t bother to finish the sentence, eyes sweeping lazily over James’ entire body before looking back at his eyes. James couldn’t misinterpret that even if he tried, even if he wanted to.
A part of him was amazingly flattered that Silver still wanted him, still wanted him badly enough that he was willing to ask for it again in the middle of the day, standing in a public street, even after James had left him hanging the day before.
The other part of him was ashamed that he was even considering it, and it won out in the end, James spinning around to leave, pushing forward, trying to get away.
“Wait!” Silver called, voice suddenly lacking his carefree tone.
James hated that he froze instantly, but he did, and he half turned to Silver with a guarded expression, still ready to stalk away at a moment’s notice.
“Wait, I’m sorry.” Silver sounded genuinely remorseful, and James allowed himself to turn to face him fully as the younger man took a small step forward, just enough so that they could talk without being easily overheard, but not nearly as close as he had been standing previously.
“I’m sorry, that was wrong of me. You’ve made your feelings on the matter clear. My mouth gets away from me sometimes. I apologize. I would simply want us to be as friends again.” He said, face open.
“We’re not friends.” James found himself blurting out, unbalanced by the sudden shift of Silver’s countenance.
He saw a flash of hurt dance across Silver’s face, and immediately felt bad. Silver didn’t need to be dragged into James’ trust and commitment issues, didn’t need to know that James McGraw had very few friends, and none that he hadn’t known for years.
Before he could retract his statement though, Silver pushed forward with a smile that was at least half sincere.
“As agreeable acquaintances then. Neither of us will be on this island for very long yet, let us enjoy the only stimulating company either of us is likely to find here while we can.”
James should say no. In fact he should have left long ago, told Silver to go fuck himself and walked back to his inn to read in peace.
But he found Silver’s expressive face as fascinating as the day before, and his clever mouth was still a marvel to listen to.
Silver could clearly see James was conflicted, and met his eyes head on, expression open and sincere.
“I promise I won’t make any… offers again.” He swore, sticking his right hand forward.
James looked down on it, surprised, and looked back up with a raised eyebrow. Silver simply looked down at his hand briefly, smiling encouragingly.
James- James caved in, grabbing the hand and shaking it firmly. Silver’s smile stretched out until it seemed to be swallowing his whole face, and James had to look away. Silver didn’t seem to notice, as he bounced on the balls of his feet, skipping to stand beside James’, peeking under his arms at the books he was holding.
“I see the hunt has been successful. What are you reading?” he asked, looking back up at James.
James silently handed him ‘The Adventures of Telemachus’ and ‘The Court of Neptune’. Silver took a good look at them, fingers sliding over the covers before he handed them back to James.
“I’ve never had much of a taste for reading, myself. Perhaps it’s more useful to great men. Great people writing for other great people’s benefits, you know.” Silver offered, as he started to walk leisurely along the street. James followed him easily.
“I find books are essential to gain better understanding of the world around us, and yet I am hardly a great man.” James retorted.
Silver threw him a skeptical look that told James all he needed to know about his opinion of the latter part of the sentence.
“In your world, where everyone think themselves smart and wish to make themselves mysterious to others, so they might be mistaken for important, perhaps. But in my world, you learn a lot more by looking at the people rather than reading about them. No one will never tell the story of the Madam of a brothel, or of the merchants who go out at sea simply to trade goods, or of the drunks that waste away in taverns. Great men will never meet them, and therefore great men will never want to read about them. Yet I must know all about them to make as much of my lot as I can.” Silver’s answered, and once again James had to wonder at the skill he had in shaping words in a powerful tapestry.
What a terrifying politician Silver would have been, had God placed him in the proper family.
“How did you learn to read then? If it was such a useless skill for you to have?” James asked.
“On the contrary, it is a most useful gift, especially in these parts. It makes me more valuable for those who know, and makes it far easier for me to glean information from those who don’t! Books are what seem superfluous to me, not the skill itself.” Silver retorted with a wicked smile.
James should have expected that Silver’s ability came from a cunning sense of self-preservation and not a thirst for pure knowledge.
“How very shrewd of you.” Was all he said, but he grinned at Silver from the corner of his eyes.
“Very few of us common folk can afford to be romantic and idealistic, Lieutenant.” He answered.
“My father was a carpenter. I’m as much from the common folk as you are.” James said quietly, looking away. He didn’t want to be ashamed of his origins, but when he spent most of his days surrounded by other officers who all were born in some level of gentry or another, he usually avoided the subject as well as he could.
Silver, however, wasn’t in a position to judge him for it, and it emboldened James. He looked over just to see Silver’s eyebrow creep up his forehead and he knew Silver suddenly understood a lot more of him than he had before.
“Truly? And you made it to Lieutenant at what, 27? I apologize, James, clearly I have nothing to teach you about elevating yourself to the maximum of your capacity.”
James nodded but couldn’t find anything to add. Silver refused for them to fall silent however, and he inquired as to what James’ plans for the day was. When the older man admitted he didn’t have any, Silver lightened up and dragged him to the main square where, according to him, the tastiest food and the most ridiculous men could be found, which to him, was the best possible combination for enjoyment.
“Was that where you were yesterday before you needed to run away for you skin?” James inquired wryly as he followed the younger man along the streets.
“Potentially?” answered Silver with an impish grin over his shoulder, “I will behave myself today however. It would be a lot less fun experience without a respectable man to speak on my behalf!”
“I didn’t speak on your behalf, I simply misdirected them. Anyone trying to argue for your innocence would be fighting a losing battle.” James replied, but harshness of his words was ruined as an amused grin tugged the corner of his lips.
Silver shot him a mock affronted look, complete with the hand pressed to his chest in outrage, but he didn’t bother trying to dispute the fact.
They settled themselves at a table in the corner of the square, where they could see all that was going on while being fairly discreet themselves.
Silver immediately launched himself into speculation about the people passing through the square, trying to guess their history, what could possibly bring them to this town, what they yearned for in the future.
James listened with an amused ear, interrupting Silver whenever he talked about someone James knew and could offer additional knowledge on. Otherwise, he let Silver talk, remembering what the man had said earlier about learning invaluable information by observing people. Silver could notice minute details, a subtle accent or a particular color of fabric and draw conclusions about the person that astounded James. Obviously, most presumptions he couldn’t validate, but whenever one of his crewmate passed the square, Silver’s allegations were generally stunningly close to the truth.
As time went by, James looked less and less at the square, and more and more at his companion. Silver was so immersed into his art that he didn’t even notice James staring at him.
James had never been the best at dealing with people. He could give them orders, he could lead them. He could talk at them and sound smart and convincing. He was a great strategist. Understanding persons, individuals, connecting easily with them, on the other hand? That was more often than not out of his reach. The way Silver seemed to slip into all their minds with ease was foreign to him.
In the end, Silver was snapped out of his razor sharp focus by the lady of the tavern coming to ask whether they wanted to order anything else.
Silver blinked absently for a few seconds, as if coming back to his own body was disorienting for him, but he recovered quickly, and he aimed his most charming smile at the lady, politely asking for two plates of food and some ale.
James felt his gut twist with jealousy as the lady blushed and smiled sweetly back at Silver, who didn’t take his eyes off her. James had no reason to feel like this. He was the one to turn Silver down, twice. Of course the man was perfectly in the right in setting his sight one someone else, and the young woman was undeniably pretty, even if at the moment James felt that no one could truly shine in a room where Silver was smiling and speaking.
God give him strength.
However, as soon as she was gone, Silver turned back toward James with a grin.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to get carried away like that, you must have gotten tired of hearing the sound of my voice.” He apologized, leaning back in his chair.
James thought it would take a lot more than one afternoon for him to pierce the mysteries of Silver’s gift with words, and that until then, he would be more than happy to listen to the man talk himself hoarse.
He refrained for saying any of that, opting to shrug instead.
“It’s always good to gain better understanding of the places where we go. England can’t be expected to remain in control of the West Indies if its officers know nothing of the people living there.” He told Silver, trying to keep his tone even.
“Everything in service of Queen and Country, then.” Silver quipped, smirking as he cast a look at the square.
The sun was setting, and the lasts merchants were packing up. The people were walking by without stopping now, either going back home, to a tavern, or to the brothel. James had been frankly impressed by the number of his crew mates he had spied slipping in or out of whore houses. He couldn’t grasp why someone would be so desperate for sex that they would visit such an establishment, let alone multiple times a day like a few of them had.
“Where are you going afterward?” James asked, opening a conversation for the first time.
Silver threw him a careful look. Both he and James had avoided talking about the fact that from the next day, they would probably never see each other again.
If Silver was anything like him, James thought, it was probably out of a refusal to contemplate why that thought pained him after only a day of acquaintance.
“We’re going back up to the continent, to sale the goods up there.” Silver answered.
James nodded, hands twirling a butter knife.
“You?” Silver prodded.
“We’re going down to Nassau to do some reconnaissance and talk to the governor, deliver the weapons we’re carrying, then we’re going back to England.” James answered quickly.
“Such a long travel for so little.” Silver remarked.
James could only shrug. They would be staying in Nassau for a little while, definitely longer than they had been in Port-Royal, but at the end they would have spent a lot more time on the sea than on land. One didn’t sign up for the Navy if they couldn’t deal with being on water.
The woman came back with their food, leaning a little bit further than necessary as she smiled at Silver. The man answered in spades, thanking her profusely. She went away blushing again, and this time, James couldn’t resist raising an eyebrow at Silver.
The other man simply smirked at him before attacking his food, and James rolled his eyes and did the same.
Despite his attention toward the lady of the tavern, Silver left the establishment with James. James supposed there was always time to come back later after they had gone their separate ways.
They walked idly in the streets, silent for once, Silver apparently too full and satisfied to babble away, and James too focused on the way their arms would brush against each other every few steps.
Suddenly, Silver stumbled on an uneven cobblestone, and James grabbed his arm out of shear reflex. He tugged Silver back up, helping him balance himself again.
“Thank you, James.” Silver said, with a breathy laugh that faded out in the breeze as their eyes met again.
Their faces were merely a foot apart, too close, far too close. James still hadn’t let go of Silver’s arm. He should let go. He needed to let go now.
Silver was suddenly unsure, eyes dancing over James’ face, looking for something, James didn’t know what. He only knew uncertainty was not a good look on Silver.
“James?” Silver’s voice was confused and hopeful and careful and James couldn’t understand it, couldn’t understand any of it.
A loud bellowing laugh shredded the bubble of intimate quiet that had shrouded them from the rest of the world. They jerked apart, James finally letting go of Silver.
From a small street close to them came a half-dozen men, most of them obviously quite drunk. James was about to shake of the weird feeling that pushed on his shoulders and resume walking when the men passed under a neighbouring lantern, and he felt his stomach drop.
They were the same men that had been running after Silver the day before.
“Well if it isn’t the fucker that robbed us.” The leader growled, stalking forward. The other men spread out, as if James or Silver were going to run.
Well, Silver might, but it definitely wasn’t James’ style. He widened his stance as the men crowded them against one side of the street, his eyes not leaving the leader of the group.
“And would you look at that, it’s the English asshole who got us lost yesterday. What did he pay you for your services? Did he give you our money? Or did he get on his knees to suck you cock like the tramp he is?” The man growled with a cruel smile.
From the corner of his eyes, James saw Silver flinch ever so slightly, and suddenly, all the frustrations of the past day that were crawling under his skin surged and he jumped forward, punching the man nearest to him on the jaw hard enough to throw him on the ground.
All at once, three other guys were on him. James knew that, were they all sober, it would have ended quickly in their favor, but the three of them ranged from tipsy to barely holding themselves up, and James knew how to throw a good punch.
He may also have kicked one of them in the balls. A three against one fight allowed him to play dirty.
He was just elbowing the last one of the goons in the gut when a loud yelp brought him short.
Silver had obviously tried to do his part in the fight, one of the other guys lying on the ground holding his throat, but the last one was holding him pinned to the wall, with a knife to his throat.
James felt fear wash over him, and he took a step forward instinctively.
“Stop! One more step and he’s dead!” The thin man with the knife screamed shrilly at him. James froze. Silver sent him a distressed look from the corner of his eye.
James felt rage course through his veins as the man forced him into inaction by threatening Silver’s life. He wanted to punch him until his skin split open. He wanted him to bleed. James heard a few of the other men slowly get to their feet, and he clenched his fists. He knew what was coming. He would have to let them do as they please lest Silver suffer the consequences.
“Let’s all take a deep breathe, here, okay?”
James’ eyes jumped back up to Silver’s, but the man wasn’t looking at him anymore, but rather at his assailant. The thin man pressed forward with a growl, and Silver hissed when the knife drew blood from his throat.
“No, no, no, please, let’s all be rational about this. See, I admit, what I did to you was very wrong. I shouldn’t have taken your money like that, but the thing is, I don’t have your money with me at the moment, and I assure you, this fine gentleman over there had nothing to do with the whole scheme. Our presence here was absolutely happenstance.” Silver spoke in a smooth and calm voice. James could see a few of the men waver, unsure what to do with someone who appeared so controlled an inch away from death. The thin man, however, was not swayed.
“Why shouldn’t I just make sure you know never to cross us again?” He hissed. James felt his pulse jump and his blood roar as the man twisted the knife ever so slightly.
“Of course, slicing my throat would be a perfectly natural answer to a few lost pieces of eight. And you are nothing but a reasonable man. The thing is, that gentleman over there? That’s Lieutenant James McGraw, of the Navy. You know the big ship in the harbor? Well it’s due to leave tomorrow. Now what do you think the Navy would say if one of its officers were to not come back, or to come back telling them of the murder he witnessed the day before? By all mean, let’s sacrifice my life and your freedom for nothing more than pocket money, what do you say? Or you could let both of go, unharmed. We would be out of your hair forever, and we could all put this ordeal behind us, like it ought to be.”
By the end of his speech, all the men except the one still holding Silver had taken several steps away from James. The thin man sneered as he looked James up and down several time, sizing him up, until at last he relented with a spiteful string of curses, moving away from Silver who kept his back on the wall. With a tilt of the leader’s head, all the men quickly disappeared.
James took three long strides to Silver, grabbing his chin and delicately moving his head to the side so he could see the cut on his throat. It was shallow and short, and had already stopped bleeding. James let out a sigh of relief.
“So, will I live?” Silver asked, head still tilted to the side, and James stared, transfixed, as he swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, begging to be tasted.
Slowly, softly, he pushed Silver’s face so the man was facing him again. Silver went easily, like he had simply been waiting for James to tell him where this was heading.
They stared at each other, the air becoming so thick James could barely breathe. His hand fell from Silver’s cheek to his chest, where he could feel Silver’s heartbeat thunder under his palm.
Silver opened his mouth, but for once, words escaped him. There was nothing he wanted to say at the moment than he hadn’t sworn he wouldn’t utter anymore.
With a painful start, James realised that this was it. After tonight, he wouldn’t even hear Silver’s voice again. This clever, clever man that could talk a drunk man out of slicing his throat would be lost to him forever.
Suddenly, it was too much. He couldn’t let go of Silver, not like this, not- not like this.
He needed- he needed- He needed.
With a growl he lunged forward, pushing his lips against Silver’s. Their teeth knocked together, and their noses got in the way, but it didn’t matter because Silver groaned and grabbed two fistfuls of James shirt, dragging him flush with him.
It didn’t matter because James could finally sink his fingers through Silver’s curls. It didn’t matter, because all that mattered was Silver’s soft lips and clever, clever tongue.
When they broke apart, gasping for breath, Silver’s fingers tightened their hold on Flint’s shirt, fearful James would leave again.
“James?” he asked, voice cautious, and James couldn’t help but kiss him again, quick and dirty.
“Not here.” James didn’t recognize his own voice, gravelly and deep, but Silver shivered in appreciation against him.
“My inn’s close. It’s small and no one will care, I swear.” Silver offered, voice just this side of desperate.
James was past caring at this point. He needed this. He needed Silver, he needed to feel good for a night.
“Go.” He whispered, taking a step back. The air felt painfully cold against his chest were Silver’s heat had been seeping through his shirt, inflaming his skin.
Silver pushed himself off the wall and walked away with unsteady but determined steps. James fell in steps with him, very cautiously not touching Silver, knowing they might not make it to the inn if he did.
The place was indeed small, at the edge of town, and looked mostly empty. Even the keeper was asleep at his desk, not stirring as Silver and James walked to the stairs.
James felt the click of Silver’s door like a punch to the stomach.
They stared at each other for a few second before Silver raised a tentative hand to James’ chest, resting it gently on top of his pectoral. With equal care, James pressed a hand to Silver’s waist, slowly drawing the man to him.
Just as their chests touched, Silver raised his hand to cup the back of James’ neck, undoing his hair-tie. James hair fell down, Silver’s eyes drawn to it as he caught a few strands and wrapped them around his fingers gently.
“God, I thought I’d go crazy thinking about this, you being so kept together, so clean, so fucking proper. Fuck, James, I just want to mess you all up.” He whispered urgently, fingers carding through his hair over and over again. His breathe brushed against James’ mouth, making him shiver
It was too much. James needed Silver to shut up, lest he vibrates out of his skin. He caught his lips again, pushing his tongue in Silver’s mouth. The young man moaned and melted against James, his body pliant and willing and delicious.
It was too much.
James needed more.
He wrapped his arms around Silver’s waist, pulling him flush against himself. He groaned when Silver’s hardening cock pressed his own, forcefully keeping his hips still, trying to regain some measure of control.
Silver had other plan, unsurprisingly. He started moving backward until he spun them around and pushed James down on the bed. James fell back as Silver climbed after him, straddling his hips with more flourish than strictly necessary, shimmying against James’ groin for a second to settle himself. James had a vivid flashback of his fantasies from the night before.
Reality felt impossibly better. Silver laid down on top of him to kiss him, nipping at his jaw on the way and licking messily at the corner of James’ mouth to be granted access.
James tugged Silver’s shirt out of his pants and slid a hand up under it in retaliation. He barely had time to appreciate how his muscles shifted under his skin before Silver wrenched himself away, sitting back up on his heels with a huff.
James’ protests died on his lips when he realised Silver was tugging his shirt over his head. He stayed frozen for a second, mesmerized by the expanse of unexplored tan skin suddenly on display, suddenly unsure how to proceed. Only Silver tugging on his own shirt with a pointed “James.” brought him back to his senses, and he tried to get rid of his clothes as quickly as possible. With Silver’s help, they were quickly cast aside.
Silver pressed his hands around the curve of his ribs, still sitting on his heels, staring at James like a starved man.
“God damnit, James, look at you. I swear I’m going to give you the night of your life, just like I fucking promised. You look like one of the gods from your stories, you know that?” He rasped, his hands creeping up to rub against James’ nipples.
“Silver.” James gasped, grabbing the man’s thighs.
“Yeah, that’s it James. You wanna fly with me, don’t you? Of course you do, look at you. When’s the last time someone touched you properly?” Silver asked with a little twist of his hips that got them both gasping.
“Will you shut the fuck up?” growled James. Silver’s voice was sweet torture, making everything sharper, realler, until it was almost painful, until James couldn’t bare it.
“Why don’t you make me, James?” Silver teased with a wicked gleam in his eyes.
James grabbed his neck and dragged Silver in a biting kiss. Just as Silver moaned, he flipped them over, pressing Silver’s back to the mattress with a satisfied smirk.
Silver immediately wrapped his legs around James’ hips and moaned. James pulled himself away from Silver’s mouth to attack his neck, sucking and biting at Silver’s throat. Silver threw his head back, arching off the bed to push against James’ mouth.
James shifted even closer and groaned with Silver when their cocks rubbed against each other the friction maddening in its insufficiency. James wasn’t able to restrain himself from rutting roughly against Silver again until he wrenched himself away.
Silver’s desperate whine was intoxicating.
“Everything, off. Now.” He ordered. Silver’s mouth fell open for a second, than he was scrambling to remove his breaches and boots all at the same time. James did the same, his eyes never leaving Silver as the younger man fought with his clothes. Every inch of skin exposed was a gift. James’ eyes admired the way his skin went from tanned to milky white under the waistband of his pants, the way it contrasted delightfully with the dark hair that surrounded Silver’s cock.
He felt a hunger like none he had felt before when he looked at Silver’s cock, already fully hard and purpling at the tip.
At last however, he was able to drag Silver back under him, gloriously, deliciously naked. The first time he laid himself over Silver, the overwhelming sensations almost killed him. He caught Silver’s mouth again, swallowing the little moans that would punch out of the young man’s mouth every time their cocks would touch.
James pushed a hand between them, grabbing their cocks, and suddenly understood why Silver kept talking about flying. He gasped, unable to gather the coordination necessary to keep kissing Silver. Instead he started pressing his lips softly all over his face, his jaw, his eyelids, his nose. Silver was whispering an endless litany of ‘James’, like it was the only word that he remembered. His body kept shifting and twitching, chasing after James’ like he was going mad with it.
James felt his climax coming, felt it build in his belly, tugging from his cock and radiating all over his body. He pressed down against Silver harder, needing to be impossibly closer. He pushed his face against the crook of Silver’s neck, panting harshly. Silver’s hips were tight like a vice around his waist, his fingers clawing at his back like James was still too far, like he might never be close enough.
Determined to give Silver what he needed first, James let go of his own cock to focus on the young man’s. He tightened his hold, twisting his strokes, going faster and faster.
Silver came with a gasp that faded into a whine as he arched against James. The feeling of his semen against his belly and his own cock was too much for James and he came with a sob against Silver’s neck after rutting uncontrollably against his thigh.
He barely had the wherewithal to twist to the side so he wouldn’t crush Silver before he stopped moving, exhausted and satisfied down to his very bones. Silver stayed on his back, staring up at the ceiling, trying to get his respiration back under control. Their hands found each other, fingers intertwining. James’ back suddenly seemed terribly cold in the warm Caribbean air, like everything might as well be frozen next to Silver’s heat.
“Do you need to leave?” James had honestly no idea how long at passed before Silver spoke, bliss making him fade in and out of consciousness without ever truly sleeping.
“I’ll need to leave at dawn.” He answered, words slurring together.
“But you can sleep here for now?” Silver seemed oddly vulnerable, and James stretched out a hand to rest on his chest.
“Yes, I can stay for now.”
Silver didn’t answer, simply turning on his side so he was facing James, tucking himself under his jaw, throwing a leg over James’.
James felt like there was a million things he wanted to say, but none would come to his tongue. In the end, he exhaled, and let sleep take him.
The morning after, untangling himself from Silver was a challenge like he had never faced before, both because in his sleep the young man had grabbed him and now refused to let go, and because James wanted nothing more than to let him do just that.
Even the cool air of the sea, hours later, couldn’t blow away the phantom warmth of Silver’s touch that marred James’ skin like invisible scars.