#jameskidd

The man seemed amused, “What makes ya’ assume I’m a pirate, lass?” He leaned closer to you, using the bar you sat at for a perch. However, unlike many others who had tried this, he did not invade your personal space.

“Look, lad,” You said, mocking the way he’d used ‘lass’, “I did not travel across the ocean, to this tavern, just to be flirted with by a lousy marauder such as yourself, while I’m trying to enjoy my drink!” You had spun your body to face his by this point, and were now making a fool of yourself, poking your finger into his shoulder at every second word. You’d had a long day, and you were not in the mood.

If a man wanted to wet his dick, instead of going home to his wife, he should pay a courtesan to do the job! You were not interested!

“Calm down, love!” The young man’s tanned skin twitched around his lips, as he tried to hold in a smile. “I’m sorry to have bothered ya’, I was just hoping ya’ would be good company to share a drink with. No harm done, lass.” He winked at you, rather cheekily, sending an odd flutter of emotion through you, before he went to walk away.

In this instance, you felt a bit uncomfortable by your over-the-top reaction to the boy asking you to share a drink with him. “Wait!” He froze, turning to face you with a confused look on his face, “I apologise for my behaviour, it was completely unfounded! I’ve just had a horribly stressful day.”

He raised his eyebrows in understanding, looking terribly considerate of your emotions. “Love, I’m not going to bother ya’. If ya’ want to be alone, I’ll leave ya’ alone.”

A smile began to develop on your face. “Actually, perhaps having company would be ideal right now.” You pushed out a stool with the toe of your shoe, “Can I buy you a rum, pirate?”

“I’d enjoy that, love.” He settled down into the stool, before extending his hand towards you, “The names James Kidd.”

You took the outstretched hand, “Y/N Y/L.”

“Pleasure to meet you, lass.” Then James leaned closer, and pressed a kiss to the back of the hand he was holding – the action left you feeling warmer than you had a moment prior.

A few months later, you’d travelled from that familiar pub further across the sea, to the shores of Nassau. It was said to be an island of pirates, filled with miscreants and wretched behaviour – and it was. The moment you’d stepped off the ship, a rather large man tried to accost you into sexual relations. He was stopped by a pirate named Edward Kenway.

Edward was blonde, and tanned from the endless days he spent under the sun, but unlike many other pirates you’d met in Nassau; he was kind. It was a facet of his personality he definitely tried to hide under his snarky comments and faux-bravado, but it still existed. Edward saved you that day, and you later pledged your allegiance to him, the Jackdaw, and to his crew. Essentially; you became a pirate.

Since working under Edward, he’d allowed you to spend your nights sleeping in the Captain’s quarters, to keep some semblance of your modesty. As such, you often awoke to Edward’s voice, “Well, good morning, love.”

“Morning, Kenway.” You mumbled, as you sat up in the bed, rubbing your tired eyes as you did so, “Anything terribly exciting to do, today?”

“Yes, actually. Today, we have to go ashore.” Edward grumbled, seeming unhappy with the idea of doing so, “There’s a meeting between a few of our fellow pirates, about the protection of Nassau from the British.”

You gave him a fairly interested look, but there was underlying humour in your eyes, “Oh. Tell me, Kenway, will yourself and these pirates talk of the atrocious state of Nassau?” At his questioning look, you continued, “Well, without a government on Nassau, it has been allowed to fall into hideous conditions. For example, disease runs rampant, because those who live there have allowed it to fall into squalor. Also, you all should consider founding a counsel of some sort, or a place where the citizens of Nassau can go to voice the issues they face.”

Edward gave you a shocked look, “Tell me, love, why didn’t you go into civil work?”

You let out a snort of amusement, “My gender, Master Kenway, precludes me from being someone any man listens to.”

Edward remarked then, “You should join me at this meeting, Y/N. We all could use someone, who has ideas such as yours.” Noting that you were going to object to his words, he continued, “I’ll vouch for you, love. Any idea you have, I’ll gladly back.”

“Alright… but if you allow those men undermine me, I’ll leave.” Edward nodded his consent to your stipulations, “Then, I suppose I should make myself presentable.”

“Kenway, why is it, you have brought a woman to our meeting?” A tall man, with an impressive beard, asked haughtily. “Surely, your whore would be better suited somewhere else.” He laughed cruelly, sending the other man he was with to snigger as well.

“Shut yer’ traps, mate!”

“Bugger off!”

Two protests came from two men, one who stood in front of you (Edward), and the other from behind you. All the men turned to face the newcomer, you as well. Familiar tanned skin, and red bandana, greeted you.

“Kidd, nice of you to show up!” Edward greeted the young man, all his previous animosity seemingly gone. “I thought you said you weren’t gonna’ make it!”

“Change of plans, Kenway.” He sauntered into the room, “Well, hello, love.” James Kidd purred at you, as he wandered over to yours and Edward’s side. “Tell me, have ya’ gone off with Kenway? I thought ya’ despised pirates, lass?” His teasing voice was very close to you now, and he ran his palm down your arm, almost too sensually for current company.

Admittedly, you had spent many hours conversing with James, that night all those months ago. You’d talked long into the night, well after the drinks had been consumed. Both of your opinions, on array of subjects, had been spilled to each other, and eventually you’d invited him to walk you to your home. The two of you had shared a long kiss at your doorstep.

“Oh, you know Miss Y/L, James?” Edward looked very entertained by this information, or at least by your very obvious reaction to James.

“Oh, we know each other well, don’t we, love?”

“Can we get along with this assembly, the day is getting away from us.” You rolled your eyes in faux-annoyance, but you were betrayed by your blush. Both Edward and James noted the redness in your face, letting out hushed laughs at your expense.

The meeting had gone on long into the night, but at some point, it had turned into a drinking contest between the men. It was just you and James Kidd left on the sidelines, watching as Edward attempted to out-drink the other two pirates. “Go on, Kenway!” James cheered, before raising his mug to his lips. “Thought ya’ were a man, Edward!”

“Oh, shut up, James!” Edward somewhat slurred out, “You need to bugger off, mate!” His waved his hand at James, “Bloody child, you are! Oi, take Y/N back to the, uh, the-”

“Jackdaw, perhaps, Edward?” You asked teasingly, making James chuckle.

Edward nodded, looking oddly serious, “Yes! Thank you, lass! Kidd, make sure she gets back alright!” He turned to face a red-headed lady at the bar, who had been eyeing him for almost an hour, “I shall see you both, tomorrow!” The Captain merrily informed you, before standing up and shakily walking over to the woman. “Hello, love!”

James shook his head, thoroughly amused, but stood up anyway. He held out his arm to you, “Would ya’ like an armed escort home, Miss Y/L?”

You laughed, “Thank you, Master Kidd, that would be wonderful!” Quickly draining the last of your rum, you too stood up, and took the arm presented. Your walk back to the Jackdaw was short, as the tavern wasn’t too far from the harbour. Once you’d approached the ship, you turned to James, “I thank you again, Master Kidd…” You watched as the moonlight glinted in his eyes, making your heart beat faster for a moment, “Tell me, James, would you like to join me, for one last drink in the Captain’s quarters?”

It was clear, what you were suggesting.

“That sounds lovely, lass.”

One drink later, you found yourself kissing James Kidd once more, lips pressing harshly to the other pair. As James began to trail his lips down your neck, you arched sharply into his prone body, knowing surely what was going to occur. You’d consumed enough alcohol this night, to know your inhibitions about propriety were lost. As you two continued, though, you noticed something odd…

“James,” You’d pulled back, gasping softly, “Are you not… Do I not arouse you?” You observed his expression. He looked sheepish, almost like he’d forgotten something. “James, we don’t have to do this, if this isn’t what you want.”

James softly chuckled, shaking his head. “Trust me, love, I want this. It’s just that, I’m not…” He shuffled in his seat, before he bluntly stated, “Love, I’m not a man.”

You were very confused, “James, what- What do you mean?”

Sighing, ‘he’ stood up, moving off the bed the two of you were sitting on. “Lass, I was not born a man.” ‘He’ reached up, pulling off his bandana, causing hair to spill out from where it was contained. Then ‘he’ softly pushed down one side of his loose shirt, revealing body-bindings, which were surely holding back a female’s breasts. “Love, my real name is Mary Read. I’m a woman.”

You felt tears sting the corners of your eyes, forcing you to look away from ‘Mary’ to hide them. Unfortunately, your voice still thickened slightly (as it does when someone begins to cry), revealing your true emotions, “So, this was all a lie? You don’t want me?” How could she? Laying with a woman? You’d never heard of such a thing…

“I wasn’t purposely lying to ya’. I go by James Kidd, as it is easier for what I do.” She paused, “Look, I met ya’ when I was James, not as Mary. I didn’t think we’d get this far, honestly, so I didn’t think it necessary to tell ya’.” Mary chuckled, but stopped when she noticed you did not join. Continuing, “I’m attracted to women, Y/N, and I’m especially attracted to ya’.” She reached for your hand as she spoke, and you felt yourself flinch slightly when they met, but she continued to hold it anyway. “I understand if ya’ don’t want to do this, anymore, love. Not many people enjoy this sort of thing. But, if ya’ do, I’d like it to be more permanent, I’d like a relationship with ya’.”

“James- Mary, are you saying; that you’re attracted to me, even though you’re a woman? …Can we even do that? Can we, you know, have-”

Mary cut you off, with an intense look in her eyes. It was the one you remembered as the desire apparent within James’ moments ago. “We can. I’ll show ya’, if ya’ like.”

You flushed at the insinuation, unsure of the idea of being intimate with another woman. Oddly, you were aroused by it too – which you felt even odder about, considering you had been only moments away from being intimate with ‘James’. Perhaps, you held no preference between being with a man, or a woman?

Mary leaned back slightly, seeing the different emotions cross your face, but she still held your hand in comfort. “It’s alright, lass. We don’t have to do anything, tonight. Maybe, we could get to know each other better? With me as Mary, this time?”

You weighed the option up in your mind, before nodding in agreement to the notion.

For a moment, the two of you just looked at each other, you finally seeing the slight femininity of ‘James’, that before you had not considered. There had always been the oddly smooth chin and cheeks, a clear lack of facial hair that most men in the Caribbean usually had. Also, ‘he’ had never been as crass or as brash as other men, always respecting what you had to say – another odd quality in most men, who often believed themselves better than their female counterparts.

Your eyes trailed down Mary’s face, eventually falling onto her lips. You found yourself wondering if it would feel the same kissing them, now that you knew she was a woman.

Slowly, ever so slowly, you leaned closer to her, intent on testing your theory out. Mary, in return, also leaned in. Both of you closed your eyes, as your lips sealed together. Softer than before, the two of you kissed. You felt such emotion in that kiss, much stronger than what you’d felt prior, perhaps due to the fact you now knew the truth, or due to the fact Mary was no longer holding a piece of herself back … Either way, you knew this was only the first of many kisses yet to come.

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