Better than We've Had (boyxboy)

Chapter One

I never thought I'd see him again. Sebastian, that little tryst in the dark all those months ago, yet here he stood, strong and proud, the quartermaster of the Intrepid, the lovely disreputable pirate ship I was sailing on. My eyes did a casual once over of his physique. He looked good.

Just as I remembered.

Then I went back for a second and third glance.

Unsurprisingly he caught my ogling and gave me a stern look that did little to curb my reignited desires.

He was just as I remembered him, outwardly, at least.

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I suppose at this time I should explain how I came to be aboard a ship such as the Intrepid in the first place. The easiest explanation: I needed money.

Being a long time member of a crew on a sailing vessel, I became pretty good at my job at sea. I was competent at all the on deck positions and could even navigate the ship in a pinch.

Life was looking up.

Then they discovered my secret.

Something they didn't like about me at all.

I'm a lover of men.

Back gammon player.

Molly.

Sodomite.

Call me what you will.

I cannot change how I am.

And I don't want to.

Instead of throwing me overboard the benevolent captain decided he would let me off at the next port. After all, I had been a capable and valuable member of his crew for twelve years. His final decision with all the details spelled out was that I would work without pay for the remaining time on the ship and then they would drop me, never to be seen by the likes of them again. They left me penniless.

After the tearful parting, I tried to get work for weeks. No ships were looking for anyone. I suspect that my old ship might have dissuaded others from hiring me, but of this I have no proof. Who, in their right minds would not hire someone who spent half their life out on the ocean?

Then, through word of mouth, in one of the bleaker sections of town, I learned of the Intrepid making port. She was looking for additional sailors for her next voyage. I had heard of the ship. I knew she was a pirates' vessel. A well-known pirates' vessel.

After a long debate between me and my grumbling stomach I decided, irate ship or not, I was going to become a member of the crew.

We, the other Intrepid hopefuls and myself, lined up on the dock. A man from the crew who introduced himself as the boatswain inspected out appearance, seeing if we measured up to the physical standards set by the captain. He walked down the line slowly seeing if anybody would crack under his intense gaze. Occasionally he would stop and ask a few questions of some poor individual before either shaking their hand or moving on to the next person. As luck would have it, he stopped in front of me.

"Well, you certainly look like an able bodied sailor," he sneered making the offhanded comment seem like an insult. "Any experience?"

"Yes sir," I answered quickly.

"How long? What position?"

I felt my cheeks begin to heat up at the prolonged attention. Didn't like it one bit, even though this meant the odds of me getting a place on the ship were vastly improved. "Pretty much an able bodied sailor," at the eye roll from the boatswain and his sudden look of disinterest I hastily added, "and stand in navigator."

That brought his attention back to me. "A navigator, really?" he spoke with interest.

I nodded my head.

"Haven't had a willing one of those in a while," he mused thoughtfully.

I knew it was unusual being a navigator and seeking to work on a pirate ship. Usually pirates forced navigators from ships they raided to sail with them. I should have easily been able to find work elsewhere, and I prayed he wouldn't ask me more on the matter.

"An' how many year's experience did you says ya have?" he asked again.

Mortified that I completely forgot to ask his earlier question, I felt my face flush anew at my careless omittance.

"Four and twenty."

He abruptly cut our conversation off by sticking out his hand for me to shake. I obliged. "Welcome aboard the Intrepid," he said with a toothy grin. "May God save your soul."

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After our introduction to the rest of the crew I was shown to my quarters. Apparently as the sailing master, as they called their navigator, I got a small room to myself. It was situated near the stern of the ship near two other doors. One was for the cook, the other for the quartermaster.

I had the rest of the day to get reaccustomed to the sway of the ship before we left the area tomorrow. I looked around my space. Never before had I had a room to myself. There was an actual bed, not a hammock like I was used to, with a storage area under it and a little floor space in front of the bed. In the corner was a chamber pot that I could use if I didn't feel like whipping it out and peeing over the side of the ship. It was more than I was accustomed to and I loved it immensely.

I laid in my bed in wonder over the softness of the sheets. As I rested my mind began to wander thinking back to Sebastian. On that passionate night we shared. Just thinking about that one time was enough to send heat pooling to certain areas of my body.

I wonder if he even remembered me.

Probably not.

I sighed.

These next couple of weeks were going to be torture. I had a feeling my hand and I would become great acquaintances in the late hours of the night. Maybe I shouldn't have taken this position.

There was a knock on the door, a quiet three raps. Whoever was there didn't wait for me to allow them in, instead they just let themselves into my space.

Glancing over to the door from my position on the bed I was met with a stormy gaze. "Sebastian," I breathed out not able to keep all of the swirling emotions I was experiencing out of my voice.

His beautiful blond locks looked tousled from the wind. He opened those wonderful lips to speak.

"Hello William."

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Picture's of William.