Welcome To The Tortured Showgirl Department

It was Lily's second pirate raid without her father and, quite frankly, she was sick of it already. Lily had managed to convince her father that pirates only came to shore once in a blue moon. Now the universe was smiting her for thinking that she could handle herself alone for the few months he went back to England to marry her sister off. The produce store they sold goods from wasn't a high target for pirates, luckily. Everything they sold was from Lily’s garden which meant it would all spoil rotten during long days at sea.

That didn't stop her pirate, it seemed.

In the last raid, Lily had been more prepared. She’d hid away in the loft above her head. The loft had pull-away steps for safety so no one could climb up. There was even a loaded pistol up there, one Lily always kept loaded. Even though pirates had entered her shop that night, they took one look at the food, stole a few potatoes, and then left. No one found her, which was exactly how Lily expected every pirate invasion to go.

The world was clearly playing with her now. Currently stuck behind a barrel of apples, Lily was an easy grab for any pirate. She struggled to make herself smaller, wishing desperately that she had grabbed the fire stick for protection. It sat useless, far away from her, and she stared at it angrily. If she was spotted, she wondered if she could make it to the metal in time.

At least this pirate didn't seem like the last crew. They had burned a neighbor's house out of sheer spite because they couldn’t open the door. That crew had also taken women and children from their homes, never to be seen again. Lily was thankful everyday that those pirates never found her.

This pirate though, he seemed young and curious.

She watched as best she could, without giving her hiding spot away. He let his fingers slip over the countertops made of wood from the palm trees. He pocketed various little things as he went.

A handful of garlic.

A little knife that she used for cooking.

That bastard even took a bit of the pie that Lily had baked that morning. It was still warm and his eyes opened wildly with pleased glee. He quickly took a second piece of pie, and Lily watched as he savoured each bite. 

Then, in the most un-pirate-like fashion, he placed a tiny gold coin next to the pie tin. She’d never known a pirate to take, and then give something back. All the stories about them charged them with thievery, murder and evil. Everyone on the docks said most of the time, pirates only came to their small island in quiet because they used it as a rest stop between the larger islands.

Lily was starting to wonder how often pirates needed to rest. 

They were a small English trading post off the coast of the main island. The island had little in the way of protection from pirates since the KingsGuard was made up of twenty individuals. The other island had over one hundred soldiers to protect the larger city and its inhabitants working the spice trades. 

Lily's own father was one of the twenty or so men sworn to protect the little island. Her father told her the Commodore on the main island believed that they were expendable. After all, they were a quick stop on a longer journey to the mainland.

Normally, the pirates left the small trading post alone anyways and hit the bigger islands. Unfortunately for Lily, the unprotected town was starting to become a treasure that no pirate stood to pass by. During the last raid, the pirates had taken five children and six women. Lily wondered how many more people would have to be stolen before the Commodore started to care.

She had a feeling the whole island could burn to the ground and no one would mourn them, except the people who survived. 

Lily's curiosity got the best of her as the pirate made his way over to one of the barrels and plucked an apple from it. Lily only had one apple tree and so, they were a special treat. He bit into the apple as he looked around the shop with a conceited air. He acted as if he owned the place, standing there so bold, as if the world revolved around him. 

The man had to be around her age, no older than twenty. There was still a boyish charm to his features that intrigued Lily. He looked clever, based on the sparkle in his eyes. He placed the half-eaten apple core on the table and shifted through some of the papers on the table. They were all letters to her father, not that he could probably read them. Pirates weren’t educated, most of them came from poor backgrounds, this one was probably no exception.

How had someone as young as him ended up on such a dark path? 

How did someone end up like him, trading souls for the wind and waves of the ocean? 

As he took another bite of the apple, she leaned too far forward to see a tattoo on his arm. She barely got a look before she lost her balance. Lily’s elbow hit the ground first and she cried out in pain. The rest of her body followed until she landed roughly on the dirt floor.

She scrambled to get up, but she wasn’t fast enough to go grab the fire stick for protection. The pirate dropped his apple, grabbed her by the arm and yanked her to a standing position all in one swift swoop. The tension between them was so thick, she might’ve been able to cut it with a knife.

She pulled her arm against his hold. “Let me go.”

And then he said the strangest thing in return: “Would you let me go?”

She looked at him, sincerely confused by his blunt suggestion that she’d hand him over. Not because she wouldn’t hand him over, she would. Still, having the pirate point out that she’d jump to put him in shackles was the reason he was keeping her shackles with his hand was interesting. 

“You’re a pirate.” She continued to try and pull her arm loose from his strong grip.

He stared her down with his clever eyes, “and does that make me worth anything less than freedom?”

“You steal women like me and sell us into slavery,” she gave him a bit of her own biting truth, “my freedom rests with you at a the gallows.”

"Not all pirates steal women."

"Not all women trust pirates."

“I have not met anyone like you in a while,” he winked at her, “most women know when to bite their tongues so that they do not lose them.”

“I don’t need my tongue.” She tried to remain stern and unafraid.

He seemed surprised by her answer as he retorted, “is that so?”

She tugged at his hold again while she said smartly, “I would still find a way to get my point across.”

“Something tells me you’ve never learned not to speak your mind.” He pulled out a sharp silver blade, twisted her arm, and then held the blade to her neck. She opened her mouth to scream but he moved his hand free of the dagger over her mouth. "I much prefer hearing a lady scream in a more pleasurable manner, not to send me to the gallows.”

She didn’t know what made her do it, probably fight or flight response, but she bit down on his hand.

The pirate didn’t even flinch. 

“Really?” He sighed, as if annoyed by her attempts at self defense. “Biting, now, are we?”

“Let me go.” She wiggled against his grasp, not caring that he had a blade sharp enough to cut her open. “Let me go!”

“As you wish.”

He let go of Lily and took her by surprise, so she fell to the floor in a tangled mess of legs and skirts. He kept his knife aimed at her heart. She looked up from the floor, wiping her cheek with her sleeve. The man kneeled beside her, looking her dead in the eye. He twirled the knife between his fingers as they got caught in a staring contest. 

Despite the terror in her heart, Lily managed to take a deep breath and assess her assailant. Their noses were inches apart and he seemed fascinated by her. Lily was struck by how handsome he was. She was certain that with a proper bath and nicer clothes, the man holding a knife to her life would have no trouble on a ballroom dance floor.

She wasn't the only one staring; his hazel eyes were tracing her face with sudden interest. The knife lowered an inch closer to her neck and his grip loosened. His eyes dropped to her neck where her only piece of jewellery was shining bright against his blade. One of his hands reached for the gold chain with its golden flower pendant.

"Please don't touch that," she begged as his thumb brushed against the flower petals.

He paused, "have you ever held your tongue in your life?”

"I will not be quiet," she said bravely, or stupidly, “when something must be said.”

The pirate shook his head, impressed at her cheek. "You’ve got a hurricane in your veins, girl."

“I am a woman,” she said venomously, “not some child.”

“I was commenting on your small stature, good Lady.” He seemed to enjoy bantering with her. “You are just as I imagine a member of the Fae court would look.”

“I am no Fae,” Lily said, “but I should thank you, for a kind compliment as they are rumoured to be devastatingly beautiful.”

“You’re beautiful.” He winked, “now, about your lovely necklace...”

“Please don’t take my necklace.” Lily hoped that the smile on his face was as kind as it looked. "It's all I have left from my mother." 

“Where is your mother?”

Lily pushed onto her elbow. "She died from fever when I was young."

His knife was almost fully pulled away. “And your father?”

“In town.” She lied quickly, too quickly. 

He shook his knife at her, raising one of his brows suspiciously. “Don’t lie, Fae.”

“I’m not lying.”

“You looked away when I mentioned your father,” the pirate said, “and I also saw letters written in a woman's tidy hand, for a father, meaning the good gentleman is not here.”

“You can read?” She asked in astonishment.

 “Yes.” The Man seemed tickled by her shock at his education. “Now, where is your father?”

“Gone,” she finally admitted, “he’s gone to marry off my older sister in London.”

The pirate looked even more confused, “he intends to marry your sister off, but not you, who also is presumably of marrying age?”

She flushed as his roundabout question, “I am not the marrying type.”

“I can understand that.” 

She watched as he held out his hand to her. She took it carefully, not trusting him, even as he pulled her to her feet. The pirate dropped her hand almost instantly after she was standing, acting as if she’d burned him. Lily placed her necklace between her palm and her chest, not sure what was about to happen.

The pirate motioned around at the whole shop. "Do you have anything I could take?" 

"Nothing of value," she replied curtly, “but there is a barrel of potatoes behind this shanty.”

"You don't need the potatoes?"

"I don't fancy potatoes as much as I do the fresh fruit from the island." 

"Then I'll take the potatoes." The man leaned closer to Lily and wrinkled his nose at her impishly. "I must be honest, as there is something else I've been admiring."

"The necklace isn't worth anything to you, what it’s worth to me," she said, “you would just sell it.”

"Debatable." The pirates hand fell to her neckline, racing the gold chain through his fingers. “I quite fancy unusual things.”

"Please, take whatever else you like in the shop but let me keep my necklace.” 

His smirk threw her off, "what if the reason I like the necklace is because I fancy the Fae wearing it?"

Lily took a step back and her eyes fluttered to the fire stick, still far away and out of reach. The pirate saw her eyes fluttering and he shook her lightly to get her attention. She turned her gaze back to him slowly just as he was rolling his eyes.

"I don't mean to take you." 

“You sure?”

He said passionatly, "Gods, no, I don't work in slavery trades."

"Then what kind of pirate are you?" she questioned.

"A horrible one really."

“I don’t believe that.”

His smile faded and he nodded at her necklace, "I’m horrible enough to want that necklace around your neck, around mine instead, so I might remember you."

"You can't have it," Lily said firmly, “it’s not for taking.”

She couldn't prove it, but she had a feeling this pirate would never harm a hair on her head.

There was mischief in his tone and she was taken off guard when he pulled his knife back and stuffed it into his belt. "I must take something, Fae."

She shook her head, "no, you mustn't."

She took a step back when the pirate stepped forward. He had a dangerous look in his eyes and Lily covered her necklace with her hands, glaring at the him.

"Take anything in the shop," she told him, "go ahead."

He shrugged and took another step closer. "Your shop literally has nothing else of value. Your produce would spoil after two days."

"Then leave," Lily posed, her eyes dropping to his lips when he licked them.

"Oh?" He asked, reaching up and running his fingers through her hair. The pirate took a step forward and he stepped into her. She was startled when he wrapped an arm around her waist. "I think I know what I'd like to borrow from this shop..."

“Borrow?”

Lily’s voice shook as he grabbed her chin with his fingers. He was handsome, smooth-talking, and she was smitten. There was no denying it, not when she couldn’t look away from his eyes. She had been feeling alone for so long, it only seemed normal for her to let down her guard the minute a handsome man showed the slightest of interest. Island life had its perks, but she had to admit that even she got lonely sometimes. 

"You can't take my necklace,” she murmured weakly.

“I know,” he whispered back, “but this is more like borrowing."

"Borrow what?"

"One thing, so that I might not forget your eyes, or how lovely that necklace looks against your skin when I get lonely.”

She was surprised at the turn of conversation. “What does that mean?”

“I might walk away from here without you,” he said, “but I imagine it will be a long time before I live without you invading my spare thoughts late at night.”

“I imagine you wouldn’t like me much at night,” she said wittily, “I find my tongue grows looser in the dark.”

The pirates grip on her waist tightened. "I don't think you quite understand."

“I understand,” she replied, “are you not understanding me?”

“I don't believe we're speaking in tongues anymore, Fae."  

“You don’t need to take anything,” she supposed, tilting her head at him, “not if I give it.”

“I so hoped you’d say that.” 

And then he kissed her.

She'd only been kissed once before and this was nothing like that. His lips guided hers by moving slowly, pushing and tugging to open her mouth. He tasted like the apple he'd been eating before finding her. His fingers gripped the sides of her face, maneuvering her so he could deepen the kiss after she didn't protest.

How could she protest? 

He was kissing her like he’d known her forever.

The little movement of his fingers on her jaw made her raise onto her tiptoes. She pressed against his mouth a little more presumptuously, feeling equal parts invigorated and wild. She never wanted to kiss another man, not after this one swept her so easily off her feet. Her fingers wrapped themselves in the long strands of hair at the base of his neck as her knees weakened from staying on her toes. 

Finally, when she realized she was panting and gasping for air, she pulled herself away from his touch. They both just stared at each other as she drew air into her lungs. He swallowed thickly and then stroked her cheek with his knuckles sweetly. The sound of a bell rang through the air, far enough away that she knew it came from the shipyard.

"Stay here, and don't follow me." 

“What?” She was still dazed from his kisses. 

He placed one more chaste kiss against her mouth before he bounded for the door, "I'll keep my promise."

"What promise?" She asked, tilting her head at him. 

"Check your neck." 

Her fingers flew to where the necklace normally sat and she found her neck bare. She looked up in shock to find him dangling it and winking at her. He must've taken it while kissing her. 

“You—you—ugh! Pirate!”

He saluted her as he ran out the door, "it's been an honor doing business with someone as beautiful and as clever as you, Fae."

He ran out and she almost followed him but at the last second, she froze. He’d stolen less than her life. She didn’t want to risk fate by tempting another pirate to find her. 

At least the pirate who stole her necklace stayed true to his word. No more men or women entered her shop the whole afternoon. In fact, moments after he sauntered out, the threat seemed to dissipate on it’s own. Lily's neighbor, an old woman with thick black hair, came to check on her at night. The old woman assumed Lily was shaking from the shock—not from the kisses of a charming pirate with messy black hair.

The pirates stole a few guns from the KingsGuard and dried meats from the butcher. A barrel of potatoes had been stolen from out behind Lily's shop. She wrote her father to tell him of the stolen goods but left out her adventures with the pirate. No father wanted to hear his daughter had a quick snog with a seaman when he strolled into the shop.

Lily thought of the pirate often, even though she knew she shouldn't. She couldn't help wondering if the pirate thought of her just as often, as he predicted he would. She dreamed about what his name could be and how he’d become a pirate in the first place. She also dreamed about his kiss, which lingered longer than intended at night when she was alone.

~~~

A rainstorm brought massive waves and flooded the town a week later. Lily’s house was far enough off the shore that there was little damage but she still had to check on a lot of her garden. She spent a full week replanting and trying to save most of the garden. The local plants survived the storm, but some of the flowers Lily grew from London were struggling in the humid heat. Her fingers were deep in the soil, digging holes for the greens she was planting next to the radishes when the pirate returned. 

“Hello little Fae.” 

She looked up from her job at the sound of his voice. Her eyes widened when she saw it really was her pirate. She stood up slowly, unsure in his presence after so many weeks wondering. He wore grey breeches and a white shirt that had golden trim. He looked much nicer than the last she saw of him, more like a gentleman. She brushed her dirt covered hands against her apron as he sauntered up to her.

“You came back,” she breathed in awe, “you’re here.”

He gave her a white smile. “I figured I needed to give you a reason to trust me.”

“My necklace?”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar golden chain. She outstretched her hand and he dropped the trinket back into her grasp. She immediately went to put it on and he watched her with interest. 

“Thank you for bringing it back,” she said as she clipped it into place, “I thought I’d never see it again.”

“I wore it everyday,” he said, “just so I wouldn’t forget to bring it back to you.”

“Are the other pirates here with you?” She furrowed her brow, “the ones from the last raid?”

“No, I hitched a ride from the main island.” He reached out to touch her red braid. “A fisherman owed me a favor and I didn’t have a assignment this weekend.”

“Don’t pirates normally live on a ship in the ocean?” She asked as he leaned over to smell her only rose bush. “Isn’t that your job?”

He plucked one of the roses as he responded lightly, “the land is safer in these parts and not all men who travel with pirates, are pirates.”

“So you’re a fake pirate?” 

He chuckled as he twirled the rose between his fingers, “I’m a marauder, a man for hire.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means that I am hired for many different jobs based on my skill set.” 

“And what are your skills?” She knew she was being nosy, but she couldn't help it when she’d thought about him so much. She had so many questions to ask him, her marauder-ing pirate. 

He reached forward and placed the rose between the ribbon holding her braid. “Spying, lying and not dying are my top three skills.”

She looked up from staring at the rose and his tan hand. “You’re a spy?”

He shrugged. “Depends on the mission.”

She looked down at her bare feet and wiggled her toes, “I don’t see why you have to be hired to plunder a small island like ours.”

He crossed his arms and defended himself. “Now hold on a second, we didn’t plunder. We only took what we needed.”

She grabbed her necklace pointedly. “You didn’t need my necklace.”

“Why do you think I brought that back?” He asked, flicking at her braid. “Besides, I had a few questions for you.”

“What?” She tilted her head, “you have questions for me?”

“Yeah,” he said, “about pirates.”

She snorted, “I would think you were well versed in such a subject.”

“I’m talking about specific pirates,” he explained, “pirates who wear tattoos of snakes up their arms and legs.”

“You’re the only pirate I’ve ever met,” she said, “the last time a ship came into the harbor, they stole a few wives and children, but I was spared from too much attention because I live so far from the docks.”

He scratched his chin. “When did they take the children and women?”

She thought back to her first raid alone. “About two full moons ago.”

“Interesting.” 

He stayed quiet, thinking to himself. She rolled the flower on her necklace as she stared at him. He was so much more handsome when he was all clean and wearing proper clothes. She eyed his arms in particular, remembering what it was like to be held by them. He turned away and she was woken up from her daze. 

He was leaving, just like that.

“Where are you going?” She called, half hoping for another kiss. 

He stopped to look over his shoulder. “Well, the fisherman will be waiting on me. I only had so much time.”

“It was nice to see you again!” She wrapped her fingers into her skirts, stepping over her radishes as she partially made the move to follow him. 

He tipped an imaginary hat at her, “likewise, little Fae.”

“Will you be back?” she called.

He didn’t answer. 

~~~

After that, she assumed she’d never see the pirate-for-hire again.

She worked her days away in the gardens and spent nights by the fire sewing herself a new dress. Her father had sent fabric to her, along with a note promising that he would return as soon as Petunia was married off to the Duke that Lily had originally been promised too. 

Lily was thankful that she was no longer promised to the awful Duke, for she never wanted to leave her tiny island. She almost died from inflicted fever when she was sixteen. It had seemed like the end of any hopeful prospects for Lily when the doctors explained to her that she would likely never have children. The higher society ladies wouldn’t even come near her when rumors got out.

Everyone said she was ruined because no man would want her. 

They were wrong, it turned out, because a marauder wanted her.

Sure, Lily would never see the pirate again, but it was nice to know he saw something in her that made him pause. He liked her enough to bring her back her necklace. He had looked at her once and decided he wanted to kiss her. She wasn’t a usual woman, so it fit that she would never have a usual relationship. The day her father got stationed on the island was honestly the biggest blessing Lily could have asked for. No one on the island cared that she couldn’t have children. Most of the inhabitants only cared about the produce that she brought to markets. 

Her island was a paradise compared to the superficial London society. 

Lily stopped thinking about her pirate friend, for the most part.

Sometimes, when she was down by the docks, she thought she saw him once or twice. She didn’t, but it kept him on her radar. She mostly thought about him when she was working in her garden and had a lot of time to drop into fantasy. 

On one particularly hot day, when she was trying to keep her flowers from wilting, she thought of his smile. She wished she could see it again, as it had been a very nice smile to look at. 

“You look even more like a Fae among the flowers.”

She looked up and felt her heart lurch in her chest. Her pirate was back. He was leaning against a lattice of peppers, when she spotted him. Suddenly, she felt a flush rising onto her cheeks. She stood up and almost ran to him, but held herself back.

“Lady Fae.” He tipped his hat at her politely. 

She washed her hands in the bucket of water she’d been using to water her flowers. “I didn’t expect you to return.” 

“What's your name?" He demanded brusquely.

"I’m called Lily." She said, pushing her fingers through her long red hair, "like the flower."

He nodded, as if her name seemed acceptable.

He plucked a pepper off a vine and chewed on it, his hazel eyes were still staring at her. Lily noticed he was wearing black shorts that seemed short at the knee. A tattoo of a crescent moon was placed at his ankle. Lily bit her lip as she scanned him up and down, appreciating his tan skin. There were a few more tattoos but she just couldn't make them out. 

"What do they call you?" she asked.

He noticed Lily bite her lip and he pushed off the lattice in response. "I don't think it'd be wise to tell you my name."

"Afraid I'd turn you into the authorities?" she countered.

"No," he said, “you’ve had plenty of chances to put me in the gallows and you haven’t yet.”

"Why can't I know your name then?" Her toes sunk into the loose ground where she’d watered. “Don’t you trust me?”

The pirate waltzed casually towards her with a shrug of his shoulders, "there are worse people out there looking for me than the KingsGuard."

When he stood next to Lily, she was reminded just how tall her pirate was. He looked down at her and she kept her nose pointed up at him. The warm breeze twisted through his hair, turning some of the longer strands into curls. The silence between them was suffocating and filled with lust, between the both of them. 

"I thought pirates were meant to be intimidating and cruel," she confessed, “but I can’t stop thinking that might be wrong when it comes to you.”

 "And I thought no woman could hold my fancy longer than a moment." He brushed back her red hair, tucking it behind her ear, but then he retracted his hand. "Then again, I’m still not convinced you aren’t a Fae and you have me under some magical spell."

“I’m just a woman.”

“You’re more than just anything.”

She glowed as he leaned down to press his lips against hers. Lily didn't find herself stopping him as he drew her tight into his frame. She opened her mouth against his with surprising eagerness. The taste in his mouth was sharp from the hot pepper he’d eaten. Her hands were like ice against his hot skin but that didn’t make him flinch away. Lily relished the kiss before it was gone again.

She kept expecting him to pull away, but his fingers only tightened at her waist. His lips left hers so that he could plant kiss after kiss along her jaw. Lily kept her fingers wrapped in his shirt while he memorized her neck with his tongue and teeth. A part of Lily knew that at any moment, anyone could pass behind the garden and see her but she couldn't bring herself to care.

It’s not like anyone would find it scandalous, or unladylike.

There was only one rule on her paradise island: stay alive. 

And kissing the pirate made her feel so alive. 

Her toes dug into the loose soil at her feet as she leaned into her tiptoes, brushing her lips against his ear as he kissed her neck. All she wanted to do was lean up against something to give herself the ample leverage to appreciate his kissing. Slowly she managed to nudge him back to the trellis covered in colorful peppers. His lips made their way back to hers. The kisses were hot and opened mouthed, like he couldn't get enough of her.

She felt the sweltering sun shining down on her arms and back through the lattice. It was nowhere near as hot as his body against hers. She moved her hands from his hair to his jaw, taking over the kissing so it was longer and deeper. The shape of her body fit against his so perfectly it almost felt like he was made for her. 

"I have to go," he told her, but his grip only tightened. 

She nodded, but they kept kissing. He pushed her back up against the lattice and it rocked from the pressure. Her nails clawed into his shoulders as he hitched one of her legs onto his hip. She felt him everywhere all at once, she began shaking from the anticipation. The friction between them only grew, making her dizzy. 

He ripped his mouth from hers, "I rode a fisherman's boat here; I have to catch it back to the main island before my friends notice I'm gone."

"You're not supposed to be here?" Lily questioned as he brushed his fingers through her hair. 

The pirate shrugged, letting go of her hips. "I'm not supposed to become attached to anyone."

"You've grown attached?" 

“I think of you everytime I look out at the waves, Fae.” 

“I’ll think of you everytime I see the peppers,” she touched his chin. “And late at night, when I meet my loneliest self.”

“Lily,” He used her real name and she felt her heart soar. “Do not think that I won’t think of you, even when I am surrounded by people, I will think of you most often, then.”

“When will you come back?” she asked, unraveling herself from him, “soon?”

“I have a job,” he said, “and it could take me far from here for longer than any usual woman would like to wait.”

“I’ll be here,” she said, “dreaming of you.”

“Will you smile when you dream of me stealing your kisses?” he asked as he adjusted his shirt.

“Yes.”

Just like before, he pressed a chaste kiss against her lips and then ran away. She didn't have the time to tell him that he didn't have to steal anything from her, she was certain she'd give him everything for free.

Instead, he left her alone in the garden with a new fetish for the taste of peppers.

~~~

The next time he came back to the island was different.

A desperate banging came from the back door of the shop in the middle of the night. Lily woke up in the loft from the banging and scampered down the stairs. Terrified, Lily peered through a tiny peephole and spotted her Pirate, he was bloody and battered on the stoop. He was holding another boy in his arms, a adolescent boy with a beautiful face and slick black hair.

“Lily!” He begged, “help me!”

Lily yanked open the door and her pirate looked relieved when she did. Wordlessly they exchanged a look as he came inside the shop without a word. Lily fastened and barred the door behind the boys. Her pirate took his friend to the wooden table by the fire and immediately started tearing a bloodied shirt off the boy. Lily winced when she saw a wound producing sticky blood on his side.

"What happened?" she exclaimed as she turned on the oil lamps.

"I'm sorry!" Her pirate exclaimed, tears glistening in his eyes. "You were the closest person I knew and Sirius—he got shot. Can you help him?"

Lily bit her lip and didn't say anything as she got the herbs and medicines from the glass cabinet in the back of the shop. Lily's sister had taught her enough about healing for Lily to know she had to get the shards of bullet from the wound. She plucked a pair of metal pickers from the tabletop before rushing to her Pirate's side. The pirate was holding on tightly to the unconscious boy, almost like he'd hold onto Lily when they kissed.

"I need to get the bullet shards from the wound." Lily didn't think her pirate cared about how she did it, as long as it worked but she felt better talking about it. "Could you get me the pot of honey from the cabinet in the back?"

"Honey?" He was cute when he was puzzled.

"It helps bring inflammation down." She promised as she fished through the wound to find thick chunks of bullet, causing the boy on the table to call out in his shattered dream.

She worked in silence, not focusing on the amount of blood and only on the wound itself. She was trying her best to help his friend, knowing she must have been his only option. She assumed the KingsGuard shot his friend. Lily wondered what her pirate was doing when it happened. She decided it was probably better not to ask. 

He wouldn't even tell her his name, let alone what job he’d been doing. 

After she extracted every piece of bullet she could see, Lily cleaned up the wound as her pirate sat by the fire with his head in his hands. She used a clean wet cloth to wipe up the blood and spilled the last bit of gin her father had over the wound. The boy (Sirius was what her pirate called him) was still breathing and Lily hoped he'd be all right.

“Is your father still gone?" Her pirate finally spoke when she finished cleaning the wound.

She brought a clean cloth to her pirate and knelt down on the floor next to his chair. He looked up from his hands and she saw the anguish in his eyes. They stared at each other as she placed the cloth against his face, wiping away the blood. She was happy to see he was bullet free, even if he had a nasty bruise on his cheek. 

"My father is in England, at least until the Spring." She explained her situation. “He will return after my sister's wedding.”

“That’s another few months.” 

“Yes,” she nodded, “but I don’t mind.” 

"You must be some woman," he murmured, "to live on this island alone for so long."

“I get lonely sometimes.” She swallowed, “but sometimes, I am visited by a handsome gentleman.”

“Do you smile when you dream of him?”

“Everyday.” 

Lily reached up and pulled back his collar so she could rub away at the blood on his shoulder. He winced when she did so she untied the shirt and pulled it off. He was covered in multiple bruises all over his neck, shoulders, stomach and back. She bit her lip and shook her head softly.

“You should see the other guy,” her pirate joked.

"Who did this to you?" Lily wished she knew how to heal bruises quickly. 

"A pirate."

She looked him in the eye, “your crew did this to you?”

He shook his head. "No, this was Captain Riddle’s crew. He burned the ship Sirius and I were working on. Killed the whole crew. Stole all the treasure. Sirius and I barely escaped through the brig as the ship went down."

“Captain Riddle?" Lily grew more concerned after recognizing the name. "He's the most vile pirate captain on the seven seas, my father has told me stories about him."

Her pirate winced when she pressed her fingertips against the bruise on his shoulder. “Easy, Fae, that's tender." 

She lifted her hand, removing the pressure. “I need to clean you up.”

“I know, just go easy.” He winced when she tried again. "Gods, I'd take the KingsGuard over that bloody pirate crew, any day."

Lily wondered about this boy, this man, who had found his way into her life by stealing a kiss during a raid. She continued cleaning his wounds, only pausing when he reached out to pull at a strand of her hair falling over her shoulder. He tucked it behind her ear and she met his gaze, so passionate and ominous.

“I’m sorry for bringing this upon you, Lily.” He sounded so sad, “but we were right off the island when he attacked, and I knew I could get Sirius to you before I lost him to the bullet.”

“I hope he makes it,” she whispered. “I’m not a doctor or a healer.”

“You’re made of magic, little Fae,” he said softly, “that’s enough for me.” 

"Will Captain Riddle look for you?" she asked curtly as she wiped dried blood from his side.

His fist clenched by her right shoulder. "He wouldn't dare."

Something about his tone made Lily believe that Captain Riddle would dare.

"Does he know you escaped?"

He shook his head, “Riddle probably thinks we went down with the ship.” 

“Might be better,” she assumed softly, “to be a dead man.”

“Might be,” he agreed, “but I’ve always been a dead man walking.”

“I, for one, would never kiss a dead man.”

Something flickered in his eyes and he laughed. The sound made her smile too. James reached up to run his fingers through her hair, likely remembering their rendezvous in the garden. His eyes searched her face, like he was looking for something there. She hoped he found whatever he was looking for, because her face was usually an open book. 

"Thank you for helping him." He nodded to the boy on the table. "He's my best friend, my brother, and I—"

"It's fine." Lily interjected, "I'm glad I could help."

"He'll need time to recover, do you think we could stay a while?"

Lily took his hand, "my home is your home."

He said, squeezing her hand, “thank you, Fae.”

She thought he'd kiss her again in that fiery way he so liked, but she was surprised when instead, he planted a soft kiss on her forehead. She watched as he stood up and walked over to the boy passed out on the table. He stared at the boy with as much worry as any brother would.

Lily wondered how long they'd been together as partners in crime.

"What's your God-given name?" She asked him as she washed the bloodied clothes in the wash basin.

"James."

She turned to lean against the washbasin and continued to stare at her pirate. He had one hand in his hair, ruffling it as he gawked at her. She tilted her head at the pirate, considering his name and the name of the boy on her table.

"Sirius and James." She spoke their names like she was testing them out. "Bit blue-blood if you ask me."

"Sirius is a run away blue-blood." James sat down on the chair closest to him and weaved a tale with his hands, "he joined a crew of pirates after he found the military to be too rigid." 

“And you?”

He squinted at her. "I’m an orphaned blue-blood, but a blue-blood, nonetheless.” 

“You have no family?” She deduced.

“No,” he said, “unless you count Sirius.”

“What happened to your family?” 

James barely flinched when he said, “Captain Riddle took them down with their ship in the middle of the Atlantic when I was twelve.”

She rubbed her arms and stared at the floor before she declared, "I'm happy you're okay and he didn’t get you too."

“Even if he does get me eventually,” James said darkly, “I’ll come back and haunt him until his dying day.” 

Lily did not know what else to say to James, so she checked on the boy laying on her table. When she was certain he’d be okay, Lily dismissed herself for bed. James just nodded slightly at her, his eyes trained on his brother.

She fell asleep in her loft listening to James talk to Sirius softly. He used a voice so low, she couldn’t make out what he was saying. Still, it was nice, knowing she wasn’t alone and they weren’t either. 

~~~

The next morning, Lily woke up and came down from the loft to find James making a fruit salad on the table where his friend Sirius had been asleep. Now, Sirius was awake and nursing his head in his hands. Sirius looked up from his hands when she descended the ladder. Her skirts swung around her ankles as she landed near the table. 

Someone had cleaned the blood off her table. James had a collection of fruits in his hands. Some were from the island but most were from her garden. He must’ve gone out on his own at some point. Lily turned to the boy with the bullet wound first, keeping him her too priority.

“Are you feeling better?” 

The boy said, nodding his head in her direction, "I am! Cheers for the help, Lady Lily."

"I can clean your wound again, if you like?" she offered, pointing to the red mark on his abdomen, “it looks inflamed.”

Sirius shrugged her offer, "nah, I've had worse."

"You got shot." James said doubtfully from where he was mixing the fruit together, “let her clean it.”

"I fought off a shark once." Sirius countered, “if that didn’t kill me, this won’t.”

"It was a dolphin." James replied dubiously, “and all it did was play with your breeches.”

"I was viciously attacked,” Sirius emphasised.

James rolled his eyes as he bickered, "A bullet and a dolphin are two entirely different entities."

Lily stifled a giggle and both boys shot her entirely different looks. James smiled back goofily at her, making her heart beat faster. Sirius still looked at her like she was a puzzle to solve.

James, encouraged by her smile, held up the bowl of mixed fruit. "I made us breakfast."

"Domestic." Sirius said gruffly, cutting over Lily's soft thank you. “You going to go out and hunt dinner for us too?”

Lily took a piece of banana before she considered James again. "Martha Edleton, my neighbor, might stop by soon. She always brings fresh bread for some of my jam."

"Will she find it strange for you to have us here?" Sirius piped up while he was fishing pineapple from the fruit bowl.

"Not any stranger than she usually finds my solitary lifestyle." Lily shot back, “she is the only person on this island who truly cares that I am a young woman living on her own with no husband, and naturally she must remind me of it. So, she’ll probably be elated that I have two eligible bachelors in my home.” 

“I wouldn’t call me eligible,” Sirius said.

“Do you have a cock?”

Sirius snorted from amusement and James coughed into the apple he’d just taken a bite of. “Yeah, I’ve got one of those.”

“Then you’re eligible enough for Martha,” Lily said. “She’d match me up with any man who’d take me.”

"Oh, your Fae's got a tongue on her," Sirius nudged at James. "Now I kinda see what you were saying about her.” 

Lily let her eyebrows raise. “What was James saying about me?”

“That you’re-” 

James grabbed an apple from the barrel at his feet and shoved it into Sirius' mouth before asking Lily swiftly, “want us to hide when Miss Martha comes?"

Lily shrugged, still interested in what Sirius had to say. "If you've got to stay here for a while, you might as well let yourselves be seen by my neighbours."

“No one will question what a young lady is doing alone with two men?” James seemed surprised, “not at all?”

"Yeah, we'd prefer to keep a low profile." Sirius asked once he had finished chewing the apple bit in his mouth.

Lily leaned on her elbows as she said curtly, "well, I'm certain that Martha has no connections to Captain Riddle, so you both should be safe on that note." 

“We don’t want to get in the way of your reputation amongst the others in town.” James said, “a young woman is not supposed to live alone with two bachelors.”

“You’ll find our island is less about societal standards,” she said, “and more about just living.” 

“Society is a bitch.” Sirius said, “so your island sounds like paradise.”

“It is,” Lily replied, “why do you think I stayed, while my father and sister are in London?”

“Yes well,” James said, “we can at least tell people that we work for your fathers trading company.”

“My father is a soldier,” she explained, “this shop is technically my own.”

“Really?” Sirius sounded impressed, “you own this place?”

“The town had no fresh greens,” Lily said, “but I had brought seeds from London and when I started trading, this became my place.”

“Fine,” James said, “then we’re here to work with you.”

“That's fine,” Lily eyed the blood from Sirius on all the shirts and towels, "but perhaps we should wash the blood off everything, so Martha doesn’t ask too many questions."

Lily found the men some old shirts that her father had left in the loft. They both washed up near the well using some of the soap Lily made. After a good shave and helpful shampooing, Lily had to admit that both boys looked more like local travelers than sea-faring pirates.

James had won the heart of Mrs. Martha Edleton in ten seconds flat. Lily had convinced the older woman that James and Sirius were business partners with her father. Martha didn't once question that smooth-talking James was a trader from the high seas. She did warn Lily that Sirius seemed like trouble but Sirius only found that to be delightful.

~~~

One week passed and the boys were accepted into the island life as if it had been made for them. 

Sirius warmed up to Lily quickly, often going out to collect pretty shells from the ocean for her to use as decoration. She quite liked him too, when he wasn’t being a prick. Sirius had a sharp bite to his character, but deep down he seemed incredibly loyal. 

One night, the second week into their stay, Lily became ill.

James went to town on his own to get her herbs for the fever. Sirius got to work while James was out and made Lily tea. He took her mind of the fever with stories of his crazy blue-blood family back in England. Lily shared stories of her social climbing sister to appease Sirius, who seemed happy to hear he wasn't the only one with odd family members.

James returned with the medicine and they mixed it into her tea. Sirius tucked her into a pile of blankets by the fire. James sat next to her while Sirius brushed her hair and kept talking about his childhood.

“Why didn’t you stay in London, Lily?” Sirius asked when he had finished his story. “Certainly a woman as pretty as you must have been betrothed.”

Lily fingered the edges of the blanket. Beside her, James had gone rigid where he’d been playing with a shell. She leaned into Sirius as he braided her red hair intricately across all the red and gold strands.

“I was betrothed,” she told them, “I was actually betrothed to the man that my sister is now marrying.”

“What?” Sirius acted as if she’d just said the Queen was eloping with a rabbit. “Your sister stole your betrothed?”

“I wouldn’t say stole,” Lily sipped her tea, “as much as borrowed.”

Sirius didn’t stop braiding her hair but James had stopped fiddling with his shell. Lily caught him staring at her worriedly through the corner of his eye. She pulled the blanket around her legs more.

“Did you love him?” James wondered out loud. 

“No.” James seemed to relax at her reply. “My sister can have him.”

“How did he go from you, to your sister?” Sirius asked. “That’s got to be a wild story.”

“I got really sick,” she said, “worse than this, so much worse. The fever almost killed me. When I recovered, the doctor said that I would probably never be able to have children.”

James’ hand found hers and he squeezed it, “I’m so sorry that happened to you, Lily.”

Lily shook her head, “it’s okay, I’ve accepted it.”

“Don’t tell me that asshole didn’t want to marry just because you couldn't have children,” Sirius said.

“That’s exactly why,” she drew her hand away from James’ hand, “and the ladies who used to be my friends, they wouldn’t even come near me because they thought it might be contagious.”

“Lily,” James grabbed her hand when she tried to pull it away. “Are you sure we shouldn’t go get you a doctor, if you’ve been that sick before?”

“This fever is nothing like that one.” She shrugged, embarrassed. “Anyways, that’s why I’m not married, or betrothed. No one wants a broken girl.”

“You are not broken.” Sirius tied off her braid with a ribbon. “The right man will look at you and see you as whole, and you will be perfect for him.”

Lily turned to smile sadly at Sirius. “I dream of such a man.”

James was quiet the rest of the night but he didn’t leave her side. He let her fall asleep holding his hand, and when she woke up the next morning, it was without a fever. 

They went right on back to living. 

~~~

James loved to spoil Lily by bringing her flowers from weird corners of the island that he'd adventure to during the day.

Her favorites were purple flowers that grew near the beach and smelled like heaven. When James found out that they were her favorite, he brought an entire bush and planted it in her garden. That was the extent of his affection for her. Lily caught him staring at her as she worked in the garden, often more than once a day.

Despite now living under her roof and having endless opportunities, he didn't try to steal any more kisses. Lily tried more than once to give him the chance, but eventually she assumed that he was no longer interested.

The boys and Lily slept in the loft together. She was normally between them, tucked into one boy or the other. Sirius’ wound was still healing, so he often slept without a blanket. James would give Lily most of the blanket, but he always stole it in the middle of the night.

Eventually, she started sleeping closer to James just to place her cold feet under the blanket he always stole. Every morning, when she woke up, he had his back to her. Time had clearly worn away his attraction to her and now, they were two ships passing through the night.

They slipped into a way of living together that made it seem like the boys had always been there. Lily even forgot their pirating, until one night when they were all at the table eating and they heard cannons in the distance. Lily froze in her seat, it was Sirius who went running out the door.

He came back in, face white as a sheet. “It’s one of Riddle’s ships”

James jumped up, grabbed Lily’s hand and ordered, “grab anything valuable, Sirius.”

Lily looked between her boys, worried. “What’s happening?”

“We’re going into the middle of the island.” James said as he tugged her into his side like he wasn’t ever going to let go of her again, “we’ll be safer in the trees.”

Sirius had his nose up like a dog that smelled trouble. “You go ahead with Lily, James.”

“Sirius—“

“Get her to safety,” Sirius ordered James. “I’ll be right behind you, I’m just going to grab things we might need.”

James and Sirius shared a silent look. James nodded curtly at Sirius before he looked down at her. Lily had one hand gripping his shirt, as worry flooded her ribs. 

“Come on,” he said, “they won’t go into the trees.”

James ran her out the back door. Her shoes, the only pair she owned, hit the ground with loud thumps. James kept her at a steady jog until they’d made it into a dense tree line. He pulled her to a stop and grabbed her face when he saw her crying.

“It’s okay,” he promised, “this is just a precaution, it’s to keep you safe.”

“But my shop,” she said, “what if they burn it?”

“As long as you aren’t there...as long as we’re not there...it’s safe.” 

“James,” her lip wobbled. “I’m scared.”

James sighed and pulled her into a hug. “I won’t let Riddle take anything from me, ever again, and that includes you.”

She breathed into his chest, “but Sirius is still-”

“Sirius is going to meet us.” James nudged her face up so she looked at him, “but we have to keep going, this isn’t a safe spot to stop for long.”

Lily nodded and let him lead her through the thicket of trees until they turned into a jungle. Monkeys jumped over their heads as James helped her through dense undergrowth and over large boulders. After what seemed like forever, he finally stopped.

“Where are we?” she asked, “in the middle of the island?”

“About a quarter way to the middle,” James said, “at least, according to my maps.”

“You’ve been mapping it?” Lily asked as he set her on a rock to rest her feet.

James nodded as he sat down on a rock next to her. “What do you think I’m normally doing all day?”

She shrugged sheepishly. “Sleeping on the beach?”

He rolled his eyes. “No, that’s Sirius.”

“Okay, but why are you mapping the island?”

“Riddle.” James leaned back on his rock, letting sunlight flood his face. “I think this is the island he hides his treasure on.”

“Why?” Lily put her hands in her lap and waited patiently for James to answer.

“I have been tracking Riddle since the day he took my family from me.” James said, still looking up at the sun. “Everytime he takes a ship, he stops at one of two islands. One is closer to Scotland, up north and very cold. The other is here.”

“How do you know which one has treasure?” she asked.

“I don’t.” He looked back down at her. “It’s just a theory.”

“Why do you want to find his treasure?”

James rolled up his sleeves as he stood up, “because some of it belongs to me.”

She was surprised when he held out his hand. She took it carefully, startled when he pulled her to her feet. James led her through some thicker bushes and they looked out over a pool of bright blue water.

The pool looked magical, like it went all the way to the middle of the Earth. She was in awe of the way the sunlight glittered on the smooth surface. 

“Wow,” she said, “I never knew this was here.”

Beside her, James pulled off his shirt. “I found it two weeks ago.”

She watched as he dove into the blue, leaving her behind. He popped back up in the middle, pushing his wet hair from his eyes. Lily waved at him and he motioned at her to follow him in.

She was hot from their run and the water looked inviting so she peeled off her shoes and then undid her dress ties. James watched her as she slipped from the dress until she was standing there in nothing but her plain white slip. 

She sat down at the edge of the pool first, dipping her toes into the cool water. James swam over and took hold of her ankles so she leaned over to splash at him.

“Get in.” 

“I’m taking my time.”

James reached out to take her hand when she went to splash him again, and then pulled her in. She crashed into the crystal clear pool of water. It wasn't as deep near the edges of the pool. Rocks jutted out from the sides and she took to standing on the closest one. James swam up to her side and stood up too, pressing his body against hers. 

“Now you look like a siren,” his fingers reached up to push back her red hair from her cheeks, “like you might drag me to the depths, and make me yours amongst the fish and their bones.”

Her hand lifted to his face. “But you’re already mine.”

The hazel in his eyes shifted into a smouldering look. He kissed her, his mouth firm and attentive against her own. She kissed him back, relishing in the way it felt to be back in his arms. When James pulled back, she had goosebumps on her skin.

“Do you truly care for me?” He pressed his forehead to hers, both of them soaked but not caring in the slightest. 

Lily wrapped her arms around his waist. “From the moment you kissed me, I realised I would only like to know your lips for the rest of my life.” 

James pressed a kiss to her forehead before he let go of her to lift himself out of the swimming hole. She followed his actions, willing to go wherever he went.

James led them back to the rocky outcropping where they dried out their clothes. She fell asleep at his side and didn’t wake up until much later, when the sun was sinking below the sky.

Sirius was there now and he’d brought a knapsack full of supplies.

The boys looked up from their conversation when she crawled over to grab an apple she spotted on the ground between them. James tossed an arm around her shoulders as she ate, tucking her into his side. If Sirius noticed anything, he didn’t say much, but Lily guessed he was worried about the other pirates.

“When can we go back?” Lily asked.

“Sirius says it's a wing ship, meaning they’re just here to meet up with Riddle’s fleet nearby.” James said, “we should be okay to go back in the morning.”

“I don’t think they’re going to come back for a while either.” Sirius said, “they were taking a lot of supplies onto their ship.”

Lily watched James’ lips thin before he said, “when we get back to town, I’ll send a letter to Albus, he’s the only one who can stop Riddle at this point.”

“Who’s Albus?” Lily asked before she took another bite of apple.

“Albus is a Lord back in Scotland.” James explained, “he was a close friend of my family and he hired me on as a spy to find Riddle.”

“That’s how James and I met,” Sirius told her, “James was on my first ship, posing as an artist looking for a new life.”

“Yeah,” James chuckled at the memory, “but Sirius recognized me from court and called my bluff.”

Sirius winked at Lily, “he wasn’t very good at lying when he first started out as a pirate.”

“I was young,” James threw a stick at Sirius, “besides, I was never a real pirate.”

“Just a pirate for hire,” Sirius scoffed, “where’s the fun in that?”

“One day,” James said, “you’ll be wishing you took Albus’ offer to join.”

“Join what?” Lily placed her apple down.

“Albus runs an underground company that helps locate and free slaves,” James crossed his legs and she leaned back onto them. “He pays people to get onto slave trade ships and start a mutiny, its what I’d be doing, if he didn’t have me on special assignment.”

“Why are you on special assignment?”

James pinched her hip, “because I have a personal reason to go after Riddle.”

Sirius pulled his knees to his chest when he said, “I can’t wait for Riddle to get what he deserves.”

“Did Riddle do something to you?” Lily asked Sirius, “besides shoot you, that is.”

“No,” Sirius said, “but he’s killed enough of my friends and sent their ships to Neptune's graveyard.” 

James told her later that Sirius’ partner had been one of thousands of pirates who refused to join Riddle, and paid the price for it. Lily immediately spent extra time that night hugging Sirius.

~~~

The boys decided after that night, that they needed to teach Lily to fight with a sword. Her lessons started the next morning at the house while James ventured to the docks for information on the raid. Sirius was teaching Lily the basics of swordplay when James returned from the docks.

James had a grim look on his face as he said, "I sent out the letter to Albus.”

"Why do you look so sour?" Lily questioned, dropping the sword she'd been holding to a lower position.

James shrugged, “just tired after last night.”

She sighed and dropped the sword into the dirt completely. She walked over and took his hand, tugging on it. He looked up when she kept tugging.

“What?” he asked her, staring at her adorably.

“You’re going to go take a nap,” she ordered, “you need sleep.”

“If you’re giving up on sparing lessons,” Sirius said, “I’m heading to the pub for a pint.”

Lily nodded at Sirius, “I’ll get some dinner on the table for when you return.”

Sirius kissed her cheek and then slapped James on the back. Lily tugged at James again. This time he followed her lead into the cool shadows of their home.

She climbed into the loft first, helping him up with a careful hand when he followed. James fell into the straw pad they all slept on, not even bothering to remove the blankets. She snorted and then she fell down beside him, placing her nose at his nose. James inched his face forward and nudged her.

“What?” she whispered.

“I love you,” he whispered back.

She brushed her hand against his cheek. “I thought you weren’t supposed to form attachments.”

“I’m not.”

“What kind of pirate are you?” she teased.

“A horrible one, really,” he murmured, “since I want to give up everything to stay here, with you.”

“Then stay.”

"Sirius and I can't stay here forever, Lily."

Lily's eyes welled up at the truth behind James’ statement.

She had gotten so used to James and Sirius being around that she hadn't considered the fact that one day they'd need to leave. Sooner or later, Sirius' fireside tales would turn into the boring crackling flames of the fireplace.

One day, James' adoring looks would just be memories built up in her head like daydreams. 

Lily wrapped her arms around her waist tighter, refusing to look at him for fear she might watch him leave her alone in their bed. If the thought of Sirius leaving Lily was painful, she knew all too well that the thought of James leaving would be unbearable. She'd never imagined she'd ever become so attached to a couple of dastardly men.

Lily kept her eyes shut firmly to hold back the tears threatening to spill.

"We're pirates, Lily. Pirates for hire, but pirates just the same." James muttered, "You know that."

She knew it, and it killed her.

She forced her eyes open to look up at him. His hazel eyes were glowing against the frame of the old home they’d been sharing like lovers. His skin was lighter without the constant interaction of the sun, but it was still so dark it seemed burned. 

"I guess I just hoped you'd want to stay." She admitted, furrowing her brow when she saw a flash of pain across his face.

"You've no idea how much I'll miss you." He pressed his cheek against her hand. “You have no idea how much I miss you now, just thinking about going back to Albus, knowing you’d be here.”

“I would spend that whole time, loving you,” she lamented. 

James planted his lips firmly against hers, giving more than she could possibly rebuke. His kiss was wild, frantic, and immodest. Habit forced her hands into his hair and soon she forgot anything else but James. Her hands had left his hair to run up and down his body greedily, desperately, as if he were already saying goodbye.

"I need you," he moaned, his hands tilted her by her cheeks.

She didn't mind, getting caught up in the moment incase it was her last. "I'm yours," she promised.

James’ shirt was quickly discarded thanks to her grabbing hands, allowing her to touch more of his burning skin.

James sucked on her bottom lip possessively, shining himself overtop of her. Lily's back was firmly pressed against the blankets below her as James' hips dipped forward and into hers. She breathed in deep at the contact, loving the feeling that shot up her spine, like liquid courage.

The humid island air felt cool with his body pressed up against hers in such a fashion. James's fingers started unlacing her dress until he pulled all the fabric over her head in one final movement. Lily helped him with her slip, shrugging out of it while they kissed eagerly in now freshly revealed skin. 

He was touching her in places that she never knew could feel so nice. She wiggled tenderly under his constant affection, feeling as if she couldn’t stop moving while underneath him. James kissed along her neck, his biting kisses turning her into a mess of needy sighs. When his hips swung forward against hers again, her fingernails dug into the skin on his shoulders.

 "I want to stay with you as much as I want to leave." He breathed hotly between kisses. "I want you to come with me, all so I never have to be without you."

"Then stay," she begged, earning a groan from the pirate as she ran her fingers through his hair, tickling his scalp, "stay with me."

"Temptress," he accused her before locking lips with her again, biting her lower lip insistently.

Lily preened into him, relishing the familiar way he kissed and held her. She knew this might be her last chance to take it all in, so Lily let James take as much as he wanted. She did not regret the way his hands slipped between her legs, or the moans from both their mouths that followed soon afterwards. In fact, Lily let him push her up against the blankets so roughly that their bodies almost seemed to be one. 

She was sand in his hands, shifting and being moulded just the way he wanted.

"Please, stay with me," she pleaded again under his bucking form. "Please, James."

She stole James' kisses this time, placing kiss after kiss on his all-to-willing mouth. Lily was stealing as many kisses as she could from him, pushing herself against him and never waning. She was desperate, feeling his will break down like crumbling dust as she lavished him. H

er hands gripped his cotton slacks tightly, shoving them down his hips. He helped her wiggle them off, the look in his eyes akin to desperation. Her legs fell open and he slid between them, settling into her.

"Don't make me choose." He was begging now, hands tight around her waist as she pushed herself up against him in a way that was pensively placed, until she felt his body touching hers in a way she's only dreamed of.

She drew him back down into her. "You can have both. Adventure and a wife..."

"But what if I can't have both?"

"You can," her head fell back as he met her like waves on the shore, rocking with forward momentum. "Gods, you can have me whenever you want."

He tucked her hair behind her ear as she spread her legs farther. "Lily, your father would never approve."

"I love you." Lily placed her hand on his cheek and glared, "love should be enough for my father."

"And if it's not?" James whispered worriedly.

"Then I'll sail away with you."

"And for now?"

"You can keep stealing my kisses." Lily kissed him deeply again, getting lost in the push and pull of his core perched between hers.

James finally pressed into her in a purposefully eager move that had them both gasping, foreheads crashing together. When he started moving more swiftly, Lily's lips fell to his shoulder so that she could breath through the motions that were as natural as anything.

Lily considered telling James that she'd follow him to the ends of the earth if she had too, but for now she continued letting him think he was stealing her time, her love and her kisses.