❛ When I'm around slow dancing in the dark. Don't follow me, you'll end up in my arms. ❜

SEASON 1, EPISODE 5
the best revenge is dressing well

NIKITA ENTERED THE lounge, where she found even more of those powdered freaks. They lined the walls and filled the space with tall, coiled white hair and colorful bouncing dresses.

⠀⠀⠀Nikita's eyes darted around the room as the strangers noted the new arrivals. They smirked coyishly before turning away to whisper their devilish thoughts through red-painted lips. Nikita had forgotten her arm was wrapped in Bash's until she held onto him even tighter.

⠀⠀⠀"Nikita, are you alright?" Bash asked, his words resting at the same whisper as the devilish talkers.

⠀⠀⠀"Fine, just... a lot of people. A lot of... women," Nikita explained. Her heart started thundering in her chest as she stared at the soft-faced women. They laughed girlishly, which chimed in her ears, and their dresses fell to the floor, but they were hardly modest as a sea of bosoms caught Nikita's every attempt to look away. Her cheeks turned rosy, and she fanned herself to keep from going overboard.

⠀⠀⠀Nikita felt trapped on the boat, which was never much of an issue, but with all of these people and nowhere to go... Nikita turned to find her dad, but he enjoyed himself as he socialized with Stede. His eyes were bright in excitement, and he looked finely dressed in his purple clothes and hair pulled back elegantly. He seemed to be enjoying himself, and Nikita felt that she would only be ruining his night if she reached out for his help.

⠀⠀⠀"Why don't we just sit down? We don't need to socialize," Bash said kindly, knowing exactly what to say. His hand patted against hers reassuringly, then dragged her off to follow him to a more secluded area.

⠀⠀⠀"Mm, yes, sit," Nikita repeated, a bit dazed by her racing mind, then sat on the couch.

⠀⠀⠀"Drinks?" a server offered, holding a plate of champagne flutes on a silver platter toward them.

⠀⠀⠀"Please," Nikita sighed, taking one of the flutes and forcing it down her throat. It bubbled in her mouth, and she nearly spat it back up. It didn't burn like whiskey.

⠀⠀⠀The server eyed her strangely, but Nikita pushed the thought out of her mind as she took another two. She kept one for herself and handed the other to Bash. The server quickly left once she finished, and Nikita was left restless with her champagne and Bash's company.

⠀⠀⠀"Not good with crowds?" Bash asked curiously.

⠀⠀⠀"Or high society freaks," Nikita answered, darting his eyes towards Bash and then at the chattering crowd. "Look at them."

⠀⠀⠀"They are quite freakish," Bash agreed.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah," Nikita said, frowning glumly.

⠀⠀⠀"Alright, what's so freakish?" Bash asked her, a broad smile cracking across his face. He bounced in his seat, slapping his hands against his knees, then looked into her eyes. "If we make fun of them, you won't feel so judged."

⠀⠀⠀"I don't feel judged," Nikita said defensively, shying away from Bash.

⠀⠀⠀"No, of course not," Bash said, nodding, but he didn't mean it. Nikita narrowed her eyes while Bash patted her knee. "Here, I'll start. This man here he's wearing tiny baby shoes. You can see his ankles swelling in his stockings."

⠀⠀⠀Nikita laughed as she turned to look at the man Bash mocked. She didn't want to admit that it did make her feel better, but she played along anyway.

⠀⠀⠀"Um, this woman, her... uh, her eyes are very big and... scary," Nikita said, then let out an annoyed sigh when she could hardly find the right things to pick apart.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, yeah, good!" Bash praised her anyway, a weird feeling knitting in Nikita's stomach.

⠀⠀⠀Bash and Nikita continued to pick apart the beauty standards of French aristocrats with great amusement. The champagne had them warming up to one another and creating intricate stories the longer they went. But then, their fun was squandered as one of them began calling for everyone's attention.

⠀⠀⠀"Ah, everyone, everyone! Sir Godfrey Thornrose is going to palpitate Antoinette in the parlor, and everyone shall watch!"

⠀⠀⠀The crowd applauded, laughing in amusement with one another. Nikita's face paled at the claim, disgusted by the French's entertainment and that Stede would be participating.

⠀⠀⠀"He's going to do what to her?" Nikita asked, unable to keep the disgust from her voice.

⠀⠀⠀"We have to watch?" Bash followed, a similar sound in his tone as well.

⠀⠀⠀Once Stede started to 'palpitate' Antoinette, it became clear that palpitating was not some strange sexual amusement for parties but a matter of massaging the head to determine facts about one's ancestors.

⠀⠀⠀"Uh, so, phrenology, which is the study of the human head," Stede said to the room nervously, resting his hands along the woman's bulbous head of bright red curls. "Feeling here... I can tell that Antoinette is of... Dutch descent?"

⠀⠀⠀The room gasped in shock, surprised he had determined this all by touching her head.

⠀⠀⠀"No, I'm Prussian," Antoinette corrected him, bowing her head slightly in disappointment.

⠀⠀⠀"Wow, I killed a Prussian once," Blackbeard muttered under his breath, but the quietness of the room sounded like he was screaming.

⠀⠀⠀"Excuse me?" Antoinette's husband asked, standing back aghast.

⠀⠀⠀"In self-defense," Blackbeard continued.

⠀⠀⠀Stede shook his head, telling Blackbeard to stop, but he kept going. Finally, he reassured Stede with a quick nod that said he had the situation handled.

⠀⠀⠀"Sometimes... a quick death's the best way to end a bad conversation."

⠀⠀⠀The room stood still as they reeled from his comment. Nikita had her hand resting within the folds of her dress where she had hidden her knife waiting for the room to suddenly turn to chaos. Then, Antoinette laughed hysterically. The others followed, amused by Blackbeard's outrageous claim. Antoinette even threw her hands at Stede to dismiss him as her attention focused on Blackbeard.

⠀⠀⠀"This man is absolutely hilarious!" Antoinette exclaimed.

⠀⠀⠀"And fascinating!"

⠀⠀⠀"Wait till you hear about my life..." Blackbeard continued dramatically with a bright grin. "As an accountant."

⠀⠀⠀The room exploded into laughter, and Nikita couldn't believe his luck.

THE ROOM FULL of French aristocrats swarmed Blackbeard, or rather Jeff the Accountant, in awe of his charm and stories. Nikita and Bash lounged in their seats as they watched on. Nikita wasn't nearly as interested in the stories as Bash was. He soaked in every word with childlike wonder. She understood his fascination. Every pirate had dreamed of being among Blackbeard's crew, standing in his presence, coming to know how he had become a legend among men.

⠀⠀⠀Nikita just wanted the night to be over. The server's silver tray now sat in her lap that had once been full and now was halfway down her gullet. Blackbeard just started his story about cannibals he was so fond of, and she knew she might need to drink the rest of the tray to get through the story.

⠀⠀⠀"So, there I was living as a sort of God-King among the cannibals of Nuperi, and they insisted I indulge, if ya get my drift," Blackbeard explained excitedly, his mouth spread into a wide grin and his hands flying with every word.

⠀⠀⠀The room gasped, and Nikita groaned in annoyance. She downed another glass.

⠀⠀⠀Bash turned to look back at her. A worried frown pulled down his face. "Don't make yourself sick."

⠀⠀⠀Nikita frowned back. Her thumb reached out and rested on his lip and trailed it down further.

⠀⠀⠀"Don't worry your pretty self," Nikita assured him. "I know how to handle my liquor."

⠀⠀⠀"Pretty?" Bash asked, a smirk coming to his lips as she removed her thumb.

⠀⠀⠀"Shh, I'm trying to listen," Nikita scolded him, patting his thigh as she returned to her father's story and sipped at her champagne.

⠀⠀⠀"Jeff, are you saying you've tasted human flesh?" Antoinette asked him as the crowd settled.

⠀⠀⠀"Not really, no," Blackbeard admitted.

⠀⠀⠀"Oh," Antoinette responded.

⠀⠀⠀"I did my best to get it down without tasting it," Blackbeard finished with a sharp laugh that had the room spinning.

⠀⠀⠀"You are an incorrigible tease!" Antoinette laughed, standing beside him with an impish smile.

⠀⠀⠀"What? I actually did eat a man—"

⠀⠀⠀"Actually, I, too, have traveled!" Stede interrupted the story faster than a lightning bolt. "In fact, I've got an amusing anecdote about the time—"

⠀⠀⠀"Oh, Thornrose, will you never cease with your incessant nattering?" Gabriel groaned. "We are trying to hear Jeff!"

⠀⠀⠀"Forgive him. Forgive my friend here, okay?" Blackbeard asked the crowd, resting his hand on Stede's shoulder. "Once he's palmed your cranium a few times, it's impossible to shut him up. Seriously. Half the time, I'm like, 'Oh, Godfrey, will you stop fingering my dents, and let's get back to some accounting!'"

⠀⠀⠀The crowd burst with laughter again.

⠀⠀⠀"If you ever want to change careers, you can finger my dents anytime," Antoinette preened naughtily over her glass.

⠀⠀⠀Nikita shot straight up, kicking off her heels and lifting her skirts.

⠀⠀⠀"That's enough for me," Nikita said and left the room with Bash scrambling after.

"BACK TO THE ocean," Bash mused as the two stood on the deck. He wasn't far behind Nikita after she left but found her at the rail like she had been there since they arrived.

⠀⠀⠀"The sun will set soon," Nikita said.

⠀⠀⠀"Yes, and then we'll get to see natural beauty, as it was meant to be," Bash said, smiling delicately at her. His eyes soaked in the work of her cheekbones and the chisel of her nose, her soft lips, and her eyes that were... staring back at him.

⠀⠀⠀Music started to play from the lounge below, familiar sea shanties that brought a smile to Nikita's face. Only her father would have fancy men dance to sea shanties at a fancy party.

⠀⠀⠀"May I have this dance?" Bash asked, bowing at the waist as he held his hand out toward her.

⠀⠀⠀"I'm not much of a dancer," Nikita stated, staring at his awaiting hand then his face.

⠀⠀⠀Bash lifted his chin to look back at Nikita, a devilish smile hiding. "Neither am I."

⠀⠀⠀Bash took her hand and then dragged her to the middle of the deck. They were alone except for the man who had checked their invitation earlier. He seemed bored and uninterested in the two.

⠀⠀⠀Nikita noted that Bash was right. He wasn't a danger. They twirled in circles with their hands holding one another rather than standing close, swaying in slow motions. Their feet were on top of each other, their pace was quick, and when the music stopped, they were left breathless.

⠀⠀⠀Nikita had never had so much fun. She hadn't had a friend in years other than the sea. The loneliness that had coated her skin was chipping away, and she was drawing closer and closer to Bash. His hands rested on her shoulders and hers on his hips.

⠀⠀⠀Bash looked like he wanted to say something, but Nikita didn't want to hear it. The daze, the alcohol, the dancing, it all brought her here, and she didn't want to break the moment into awkward piles. Nikita pushed up onto her toes, and Bash leaned down, meeting her halfway.

⠀⠀⠀His lips stuck to Nikita's. The kiss was awkward and uncomfortable but warm and new. It was enough to satiate the bubbling feelings in her stomach. Bash didn't move, and neither did Nikita. This is what a kiss was supposed to be like, she thought. It was like holding hands or hugging someone. A soft feeling of comfort, a warmth from a friend, a soothing feeling to the weirdness in her gut.

⠀⠀⠀Then, he pulled away, bright-eyed as he stared down at her. A goofy grin made up half his face, and she smiled in return, albeit a little awkward.

⠀⠀⠀"That was... nice," Bash said.

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, it was," Nikita agreed.

"YOU'RE MY FIRST real friend... or whatever," Nikita mused uncovering the silence as they stood back at the railings to stare at the dark water.

⠀⠀⠀"Or whatever," Bash repeated, a teasing smile as he turned to her. "I like the sound of that."

⠀⠀⠀"Shut up," she sighed, rubbing her forehead as a headache started to pound.

⠀⠀⠀"Sorry," he laughed. "You haven't had any other friends or whatever, then?"

⠀⠀⠀"No, I have my dad, I guess, but that's different, obviously," Nikita explained. "And the ocean, my only constant, has always been there for me. Even before Blackbeard."

⠀⠀⠀"Yeah, I guess she has for me, too," Bash agreed.

⠀⠀⠀"When I was a kid, I would leave the house and go to the beach because I hated it there so much. I would stare at the water and wish I could live in it. Like a siren, but I guess pirate is second best."

⠀⠀⠀"Siren would be pretty near," Bash said, nodding before he grimaced. "Well, not for me. I'd get eaten."

⠀⠀⠀Nikita laughed, and said, "We wouldn't be friends if I were a siren."

⠀⠀⠀"It'd be sad if you were turned into a siren," Bash said with a frown. "But who knows, maybe it would've been better."

⠀⠀⠀"Or worse," Nikita muttered. "Or nothing. It's nothing to me because it doesn't exist but in my mind."

⠀⠀⠀Nikita could see the frown peeking on Bash's expression from the corner of her eye. She kept her face straight-on to act as if she didn't see it. Then, her father interrupted their time together and stormed onto the deck.

⠀⠀⠀"Get the fuck outta my way!" Blackbeard shouted at two Frenchmen in his way.

⠀⠀⠀Nikita turned to see him stumbling over toward Stede and stood sheepishly in front of him and Frenchie. She glanced at Bash, nodding her head at him. The two walked over to the group and stood to the side as Blackbeard spoke.

⠀⠀⠀"I think I wanna go now," Blackbeard told Stede quietly.

⠀⠀⠀"What?" Stede asked, his brows furrowed.

⠀⠀⠀"What's they do to you, man?" Frenchie asked, terrified by the shell of the man that had come to them.

⠀⠀⠀"Did something happen over dinner?" Stede fretted.

⠀⠀⠀"Uh, yeah, well, uh, I don't know," Blackbeard admitted. "Um, I used escargot tongs and a melon spoon to eat a fucking prawn!"

⠀⠀⠀"Oh, God. No!" Stede exclaimed in horror.

⠀⠀⠀Nikita hardly understood what they were saying. It was all French to her.

⠀⠀⠀"Oh, they are such dicks about spoons," Frenchie cursed.

⠀⠀⠀"Why would you?" Stede asked.

⠀⠀⠀"I don't know, I panicked!" Blackbeard exclaimed. "And then, they laughed at me. Nobody laughs at me," he muttered, his entire visage turning from scared boy to rageful man as he whipped out his gun.

⠀⠀⠀Nikita followed, unsheathing her knife from her skirt folds in a flash. Bash jumped at the sudden appearance of the weapon.

⠀⠀⠀"Edward, put that away!" Stede exclaimed, intently focused on the man with a determined expression on his face.

⠀⠀⠀Blackbeard stopped in his tracks, staring wide-eyed at Stede as he waited to hear whatever profound explanation the fanciest man of them all had to say.

⠀⠀⠀"These are my people. I'll death with it," Stede concluded. He held his head high, adjusted his vest to sit perfectly along his waist and marched inside.

⠀⠀⠀They followed in after Stede, a few minutes shared without him in response. When they arrived to the lounge, they found it in utter chaos. Stede stood at the door with a thin, approving smile at the screaming aristocrats around him. A fire started in one side of the room and couches, ripped cloth and fighting men and women littered the room. And it seemed Stede had done it all without lifting a finger.

⠀⠀⠀Nikita wished she had been there to see him pull it off.

"What the hell did you do to 'em?" Blackbeard asked in astonishment.

⠀⠀⠀"Passive aggression," Stede answered, a coy smile curling up his lips.

AUTHOR'S NOTE —

Sorry I really suck at updating this fic for whatever reason. There's a lot of scenes in these episodes, so even though they're short, they're daunting when I look at my scene list to edit.

Anyways, I'm hoping to update once a week. Maybe Wednesdays? I'm not sure.

SONG:  Slow Dancing In The Dark by Joji

Thank you for reading! Please leave a comment if you'd like. However, this is an all kind of reader safe space. So even if you ghost read or comment every chapter, I hope you know it means the world to me that you've come into this fic ♡ I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and until the next one.