[krakensmaw]

# 𝐊𝐑𝐀𝐊𝐄𝐍𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐖 : private & selective edward teach of hbo max's our flag means death. unaffiliated. primarily series & headcanon based, with minor historical influence. penned by allie. she / they, 25+, gmt -1 ! mains : @revengecaptain / @seadcgs & @pyratezlife

carrd. / pinterest. / playlist.

including themes of : depression, heartbreak & betrayal, self-loathing, poverty, injustice, found family, immortal reputation, loneliness as a destructive force & more !

[krakensmaw]

i moved ed to my multi @seafavoured yesterday and didn't mention it, so that was my cancelation prophecy i guess. call me apollo

[krakensmaw]

i moved ed to my multi @seafavoured yesterday and didn't mention it, so that was my cancelation prophecy i guess. call me apollo

[krakensmaw]

❝  you look different in sleep, beautiful but cold as moonlight.  ❞ (blackrose, college au, even better if this is said before they’re together asdlkj). @pyratezlife / ned.

𝐈𝐓 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐋𝐋 𝐃𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐖𝐇𝐄𝐍 𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐖𝐎𝐊𝐄, 𝐒𝐎𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐈𝐌𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐄𝐄 𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐑𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆. moonlight filtered in through the gaps in the curtains of their dorm and dappled the rumpled sheets draped across their form. fully bare beneath them as so oft he was. shifting, cotton dragged over smooth flesh and lithe limbs, strewn upon the bed. they couldn't have been sleeping for longer than two hours, having been out drinking with jack 'til last call at the pub. but, somehow, he felt no exhaustion. seized as they were by some hazy fight or flight response immediately upon waking.

then, ned's voice emerged from the shadows, seemed to seep from them like billowing smoke, and drew a hitched gasp from their throat. the other leaned forward then, in the chair by the window adjacent their bed. leaned into the cold stream of light. the reflection of it glinted in those grey eyes, piercing, but blown so wide in the dark that it nearly swallowed his irises whole. affixed so intent upon ed that it stole the words from their tongue.

was he imagining this? or lost to a dream, perhaps? mind still heavy with booze and sleep, flitting in and out of reality. the sheets tangled about his legs and clung, protesting as they arched into a languid stretch and rolled closer. the fabric tugged and pooled lower in their movements.

❛ do i feel cold as well? ❜ their own voice sounded distant, muffled to their ears. he watched his own hand reach out as if it was someone else's. reached to curl about ned's wrist and dragged him to settle a palm flat against their chest. he blinked up at him, doe eyed, and the shadows seemed to unfurl from ned himself. his body pulled from the chair by ed's grasp and urging him forward, to hover over and blot out the moon. ❛ am i still asleep, dreaming ? ❜ it was a foolish question, but they felt the cloying need to ask. did the answer even matter? they leaned against the other's palm and shifted, coaxing it lower, lower, 'til ned's fingertips met with the hem of the sheet and their cock twitched in anticipation.

a bead of moisture bloomed from where their tip strained at the fabric. bloomed and spread, stained the stark white as he shuddered.

[krakensmaw]

[ lit ]  your muse lighting a cigarette , spliff , etc. for mine (blackrose or blackjack, college au). @pyratezlife / jack & ned.

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐄 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐎𝐌 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐎𝐗𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐋𝐔𝐁, 𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐃 𝐁𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐏𝐄𝐄𝐑𝐒. funny, how an institution so internationally renowned for its elegance and intellect, could also be home to such debauchery. this evening was tame, with exams lurking just 'round the corner and most of the student body otherwise occupied at the library or locked up in solitary dorms, fretting.

but edward had never been one to worry himself with academia. especially not considering the whole thing was a farce : enrollment for the sake of their father and their family name, with precious little incentive for himself. he found the law degree interesting enough, the classes mildly engaging, if only for its opportunities at heated debate. they had always been so effortlessly smart, had always succeeded in their endeavors without much challenge. but law didn't stimulate them the way that art did, the way fashion did. even their many varried extracurriculars were of greater import, captain of the swim team and student council president by a sweeping vote.

it was how he'd found himself here, instead of studying diligently as his father would no doubt be lecturing them about this very moment, were he here to do so. but he wasn't. old ben hornigold was miles away, and edward was here. settled into the cradle of jack's lap and draped against him, long and languid. legs splayed open and an arm slung 'round the other's neck and shoulders.

the fresh line from not moments passed had them relaxed, melting boneless against his friend and lover. they heard something which sounded vaguely like, ❛ open up, baby, ❜ and obliged. parted his lips for the cigarette and closed around the tip fed to him with an eager puff as jack lit it up. a hum of content, head tipped back to bare the arch of their throat, the dip of their collarbone above a plunging neckline. he could feel the slow creep of a palm along his inner thigh and up. could also feel the weight of eyes on him ; hardly a novel occurrence, but this felt deeper, more intense than the passing fancy of most their peers. head tipped, brown eyes blown wide with lust & coke levelling on ned at the armchair across from them.

jack took the cigarette back to share, and ed's mouth hung open still, smoke billowing from the gape and hazing the vision of ned he'd locked on before he sucked it all back in and turned away. ❛ he's staring again, ❜ murmured against the other's jaw & lingering 'til the cigarette left jack's lips and their own rose to ghost against them, sharing the smoke. they arched into the other's broad hand and keened.

[pyratezlife]

@seafavoured said: [ possessive ]  your muse resting their hand on mine’s leg or the small of their back while they’re sitting beside each other .  (some blackjackrose scenario for regular or modern gods aklgs) meme: accepting

As far as early morning surprises came, Ben Hornigold sitting across from him on his living couch was a rather unwelcome one. Ned could only be relieved that the other god had caught him before he left for work, even if it meant he'd be late. Of course, Hornigold evidently wished Ned wasn't here, for he'd done nothing but glare since arrival and now, tired of waiting for Ned to catch a hint, pointedly declared, "I came to talk to my son, not you. You can go."

Crossing his legs in a show of very much not getting up any time soon, Ned let a hand come to rest, blatant, obvious against the small of Edward's back, fingers inching up under their shirt to trace lazy nonsense patterns into their skin, "Come now, we're practically family Ben. No need for that tone." Placating, easy, a pleasant wan smile on his face - a smile that, for once, only grew when he heard the familiar obnoxious tone of a certain wine god.

"Yeah, don't be mean, dude!" A cheerful, mocking tone that he would've never taken with the sky god a few centuries before heralded Jack wandering into the room - the exact opposite of Ned's put together business suit and perfectly coiffed hair with his barely tied robe half open, showing a chest slathered in scratches and love bites, hair a mess, certainly looking like he just fucked not too long ago, and carrying a tray of something alcoholic in hand, "Mimosas anyone?" he asked with a cocksure half grin aimed at Hornigold, "Heard you had stopped by, figured you might want a drink."

"No." Hornigold growled, "This is not a social visit." Opening his mouth, obviously about to get on with whatever whining he'd come to do at Edward, Ned cut him off with an easy, "I'd love one. Thank you Jack."

It wasn't common that Ned and Jack were on the same page about something, but evidently, they'd silently conceded to build a united front today, for once Ned had reached out for a mimosa, taken a delicate sip of the drink, "Tastes delicious as ever, darling." A purr all but dripping with innuendo, directed at Jack, who offered the older god a wink and pointed lick of his lips in response, both watching Hornigold's face turn puce in the peripheral.

The once god king could never seem to decide what to find most horrifying, most infuriating, most deplorable - Ed dating Jack, Ed dating Ned, Ed dating them both, or all three of them in some sex crazy threesome. And both Jack and Ned knew that, had heard all about the man's hold ups from their shared lover's complaints, and seemed to have decided to play into them, have some fun at the old god's expense.

For once, Ned's lips twitched to hide approval when Jack settled on Ed's other side and possessively splayed a large hand high on their leg, fingers dragging lazily up and down their inner thigh, all attention on Ed when he cooed, "Good morning, love." Leaning forward, a languid, slow, mimosa soaked kiss, catching their bottom lip between his teeth and giving a little tug as he drew back, before murmuring, "Sleep well?"

An affronted noise, somewhere between a scoff and a groan, frustration and distaste obvious, color high on his cheeks, Hornigold ground out, "Edward."

Instantly, "Yes?" Ned - Edward Low - asked, innocently raising a brow from behind the rim of his mimosa.

"Not you!" Patience snapped, Hornigold jerked to his feet, glaring down at the three of them tangled together and sneering directly at Ed, "Are you going to let me speak me or have I just come to witness you being a whore with my own eyes instead of through the papers?" Jack's fingers dug into Ed's leg, jovial expression dropping for narrowed eyes and a curled lip, and while Ned's easy, indifferent expression and cool smile didn't fade away, his hand settled flat, still, against Ed's back and the shadows in the room suddenly seemed much, much darker, even in the early morning light.

[krakensmaw]

𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐒𝐍'𝐓 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐘 𝐇𝐎𝐖 𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐋𝐀𝐙𝐘 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆. ideally, he would have enjoyed the first early, sunrise hours of it spread out in ned's king sized four poster. tangled in silk sheets and being fucked, languid and thorough, by the dead king himself. taken apart at the seams, bit by bit, til he couldn't so much as think for himself. when they were both properly satisfied and ned had left for work, ed would have ventured to the guest suite and crawled into bed with a still sleeping jack. they'd have wrapped up with one another and slept nearly 'til noon, no doubt. more morning sex would surely have preceded brunch in bed.

instead, he was sitting on the sofa, straight backed and stiff, facing his father. so much for a good start to the day.

still, they had to hand it to ned and jack both for making the man's life a living hell. both had come to a silent agreement, it would seem. one goal in mind and one only : make ben hornigold regret ever setting foot through this door. ed had a feeling it wouldn't become a regular occurrence, after this morning's display. a slow, satisfied curl of a smirk settled over their own lips, preening under all of the attention. ned's hand tracing patterns against his spine beneath his sweater, jack's fingertips grazing a path up and down their inner thigh against the seam of their sweatpants.

each time they opened their mouth to speak, one or both of his lovers spoke up to antagonize his father in their stead. this time, jack caught their parted lips in a kiss and deepened it with the heavy taste of mimosa. lashes fluttered and a soft, contented sigh breathed into the other's mouth as their tongues met and slid together, slow and lazy. the kiss was enough to muddle his mind, no drink required. he would have remained that way, pleasantly distracted by the tender affection the two more unified than they had ever seen them ... were it not for the huffing & puffing from across the coffee table.

nonetheless, his smirk remained. they tipped their head onto jack's shoulder and leaned back, relaxing finally into the supple leather cushion. the arch of their throat advertised love bites and other reddened marks of flesh. his legs spread, knees falling open, to brush one against the man at either side. a hand settled idly against ned's thigh, fingers curling inward with a squeeze.

even as the god king rose, ed remained in place, casual as he met eyes with his father. the atmosphere of the room shifted. they felt jack stiffen against them and could recognize the deepening shadow encroaching on their periphery. ed was the only one who seemed unaffected. ❛ honestly, you're being awfully dramatic. this is hardly the most whoreish i've been in the last twenty-four hours be glad you didn't drop by last night. ❜ laughter clung to their tone. he was accustomed to being called that and worse by the man hovering over them, threateningly. they would hardly be cowed by name calling. still, his jaw did set after a moment, head rolling forward to face hornigold properly.

❛ jokes aside, father ... i don't particularly care how you speak to me in private, it hardly phases me anymore. but i'd ask you to hold your petty, prudish fucking tongue in front of the men i love. thanks. ❜

edward hadn't voiced those words aloud to either of them yet, let alone to both at once. he'd been waiting ; half terrified to be dismissed as little more than a fling, and half insecure that he should deserve such affection to begin with. but now, in this moment, with their united stance against the tyrant before them, it seemed right. fell from his tongue with ease and felt good upon it. still, self conscious and flushed from the passing admission, they were keen to distract. he looked to ned, and nodded toward the tray of mimosas atop the table.

❛ pass me one, please, daddy ❜ a mischievous, pointed flick of their eyes toward hornigold. ❛ not you. ❜

[krakensmaw]

[ pay ]  your muse paying for mine at a store , bar , restaurant , etc . @pyratezlife / ned.

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐎𝐈𝐃 𝐏𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐙𝐙𝐈 𝐖𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐕𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐀 𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃 𝐃𝐀𝐘 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 & 𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐘 𝐓𝐎 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄. ever keen to be the center of attention, drowning in an eager crowd and blinded by the flash of camera lights. neither seemed present today, but they had thought so on many occasions, only to be proven wrong by the following morning. awakening to their father's rampaging dramatics over another cover story.

ned's limo rolled to a stop in front of the beverly hills louis vuitton and edward was forced to disentangle himself, much to both their disappointment, no doubt. they had been lounging, long and languid, legs slung over their lover's lap and a champagne flute in hand. the lingering of fine grapes and bubbles on his tongue reminded him of his beloved wine god and brought a smile to their lips. ❛ jack'll be upset you didn't invite him to tag along, you know. he's been whining all weekend, says you're being greedy. ❜ his tone was light, jovial. they leaned in with a wandering hand to graze ned's thigh, up and up, settling atop the front of his slacks. ❛ he's right, of course. ❜ a teasing cup and squeeze to the length he felt beneath the fabric.

they drew back with a last kiss to the other's cheek. the slight shimmer at his lips left the vague shape of them imprinted upon ned's skin. the door opened and they adjusted, stepped out into the midday sun and heat after their lover, and took his offered hand in aid. sunglasses snagged from where they hung at his neckline and slipped on. an obliging smirk to the vallet, upon whom edward pawned off his empty flute but bestowed the reward of simple touch ; fingertips brushing in the exchange.

what a contrast, the pair of them. ned fair and silver haired, older and dressed to the nines as always, as if he'd stepped straight from a business meeting of hollywood execs. edward, however, looked the hollywood star themself. exuding youthful arrogance, tanned and dark haired, that lustrous mass of curls pulled up to a bun. his denim was slit at the hips and down the thighs, held together by chains. another fine chain clasped about their bare waist, on display from the cropped shirt. a strip of black leather was fitted about his throat with a small silver ring front and center.

ed slung their arm through the elder god's and clung to him like a debutant being led to a ballroom. chin fell to rest at his shoulder, lips hovering adjacent to ned's ear. ❛ thank you, daddy, ❜ practically purred.

[pyratezlife]

On more occasions than Ned would ever like to admit, Jack was somehow able to convince him to do things he really had no interest in doing. He wasn't entirely certain how it happened, but he really had to look into it so that he didn't wind up in situations like this again: lurking around an overcrowded club alone since Jack had been stolen away by Charles near the moment they arrived. They had fought hard to get him here and somehow the only concession Ned got out of the deal was an outfit that was not too much. Black silk shirt with a pattern of burgundy roses, a few buttons undone, and a black suit jacket tossed over his shoulders, well fitted and expensive. Not far off from his usual suits, just slightly more relaxed.

Ned was about to leave this wretched place, escape before Jack's attention turned back to him - for he knew well the point of this venture had been to get him 'laid' as if Ned had any interest in a collection of mortals that would never compare to any sort of god and would only die in the blink of an immortal's eye. Sex for sex's sake was unneeded, no matter how much his body had gotten used to attention after his marriage - failed disaster the relationship was, he did still miss Flint's physicality at times.

He was about to leave this place, before he saw them.

A pair of godlings, undeniably so, grinding upon one another on the dance floor as if no one was around to see. Only a moment's hesitation, before Ned leaned back against the wall, ordered another drink, and watched. The broader one was attractive enough, in a messy sort of way, but Ned's eyes did not linger long on him, no. It was the other who seemed to radiate light, radiate warmth, radiate pure sex appeal even halfway across the club floor. Too much time spent with his gaze on his hips, the way they swiveled and rocked, on the hint of a smile on his pretty lips, on the way his dark hair fell round his head, looking like it needed nothing more than a hand to thread tight and pull.

When their partner left for the bar, well, Ned simply had to take it as a sign from the Fates themselves. Stalking through the crowd of unimportant little mortals, his eyes tracked the spring god, kept their gazes caught upon one another until he was close enough to reach out, a hand going to splay almost possessively across the dip of their waist, step in close, head tilted back slightly to keep their gazes locked, "Edward." he realized. Hornigold's get. He had yet to meet the other god in person, with Ned's tendency to avoid gatherings with the pantheon, but he had heard much and more about him and recognized him now through story alone.

There was an electric, dangerous sort of air to them, underneath the far more prominent flowery softness of his aura, and Ned wondered who else could sense that. Certainly not any of the silly mortals whose covetous greedy little eyes watched Edward dance. No, they watched him because he was beautiful. Not like Ned, who watched them because they were beautiful and something more. A second hand rose, clasped the side of Edward's neck, a thumb pressing lightly against the underside of their jaw, "Tell me boy, do you know who I am?"

[krakensmaw]

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐃 & 𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐎𝐃 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐂𝐇, 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐌𝐔𝐂𝐇 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐍𝐓 𝐀𝐓 𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄. the enormity of his presence was a palpable aura which no mortal man could exude. those patrons caught within his radius seemed to shrink away from the ever encroaching shadow. edward, however, did not move a muscle. did not lean away like a flower from the shade, not even as the other stepped into their space and curled a hand about his waist and neck. instead, they laughed. a light, chime of a laugh still heard effortlessly over the blare of club music.

❛ of course i know who you are, my lord. ❜ the title served well as respect and flirtation both. head dipped and tilted into the touch at his jaw, baring the smooth arch of their throat to the dead king. not a show of defiance, but a lack of fear. a chill seemed to radiate from the other's very flesh, fingers cold enough to draw a shiver from him. ❛ my father's told me all about you. warned me to steer clear from you, as a matter of fact. ❜ the warnings seemed to have made little impression, if edward's body language was any indication. or, perhaps, had achieved the very opposite to hornigold's intended effect.

arms wrapped 'round ned's neck and drew him in close against them. settled in flush, mouth hovering against the shell of his ear, conspiratorial. hot breath ghosting against the other's cheek with each word spoken. ❛ luckily for you, i don't do everything daddy tells me to. ❜

a smirk toyed at their lips, fingers buried deep into the short, silken strands of silver at the base of his neck. what a fine, pristine picture the GOD KING painted ; they could well imagine how he might look with all that air of civility stripped away, to leave naught but bare passion ... they could also well imagine the look on his father's face, if the tabloid covers advertised this very moment. his body pressed in, hips rolling in time with the beat of the song, heavy & sensual. the rhythm of their sway coaxed the same from the other as ed ground down against him. a well mixed cocktail of booze and drugs left him content, lightheaded, draped over ned and all but melting against him.

an idle, crackling hum of electricity pumped through their veins, buzzing from his fingertips and the curl of their tongue 'round ned's earlobe. ❛ do you like roses, then? thorns and all ? they're my favourites. ❜ fated, how even their choice of attire matched this evening. hands resurfaced from ned's hair and dragged down his throat and collar, nails catching along the skin.

[krakensmaw]

[ DANCE ] : our muses dance together in close quarters. @pyratezlife / ned ( & jack )

𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐅𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 𝐋𝐀𝐈𝐃 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐓𝐖𝐎, 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐘 𝐕𝐀𝐆𝐔𝐄 𝐆𝐔𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒 𝐅𝐎𝐑 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 : don't get drunk at another seedy dive bar, and don't dress like a cheap whore. edward was two for two, as far as any manner of technicalities were concerned. for one, this place was a far cry from seedy. it was one of the most lively and high profile nightclubs in downtown los angeles, frequented by celebrities and the uber rich. one needed to be on the premium guest list for even a single night's entry, or, one needed their father to be the state senator. thankfully, he had both.

that their father happened to be a SKY GOD, presiding over the weather and heavens themselves, was an addition that didn't exactly come up in public conversation.

second, there was nothing cheap about ed's whoreish attire this evening. black lace fashioned in patterns of leaves & roses adorned his mostly bare torso, the material fashioned in such a manner that it revealed much of their chest and abdomen, sweat slicked and glittering with golden shimmer. black slacks fit snug and matched the suit jacket currently worn wide open. as if the hint of formal wear would truly appease the god king, or brand them less promiscuous to the tabloid press.

but none of that would bother him tonight. not while jack's solid weight pressed against them from behind, broad hands settled low at their hips. not when they were swaying to the club music, loud and resonate, feeling the bass rattle in his very bones. and certainly not with their head pleasantly fogged by free flowing drink and drugs alike, whatever they so desired, at his lover's behest. jack was at the bar now, for the first time in what felt like the hours they'd been dancing, wrapped up hot and heavy in one another. he could feel the presence of EYES upon him ; normally a well accustomed feeling, for the god of spring and fertility drew the gaze of many.

but this felt different. powerful. ed was busy tying his hair back to some semblance of a bun at the crown of their head, swaying idly, a lone diamond in the rough of the dancefloor, when he saw him. a dark clad figure, set away from the crowd's throng, eyeing him through the shadows which seemed to congregate, eager to enshroud him. all at once, they felt wholly ensnared.

[pyratezlife]

Even as he moved ever closer, Jack couldn't say what he was going to do, couldn't think straight, wouldn't. It was nicer, easier, to get lost in his own mind rather than confront what was happening before him. Still, his whip stayed dragging behind him, and he had already come far too close to use it effectively, so whatever madness was rolling around his head, it wasn't violence.

Those brown eyes struck through him harsher than any lightening bolt, for suddenly, even drenched in blood and black, there stood Ed again. Mind twisting, forcing his conscience back to the forefront whether he liked it or not, conjuring images, memories of an Ed gone but not. Ed, mouth open, tongue flat, lazily awaiting to be fed a grape. Surrounded by the worship of Jack's followers - all but Ed's followers too, for how closely they were linked. The taste of his wine soaked tongue, the feel of their warm breath against the shell of Jack's ear, whispering words of love.

Fingers loosened, and what was once a whip scattered into nothing more than so many leaves in Ed's lingering storm winds. Hands reached out, caught on the metal and leather across their chest - nothing like the soft silks and loose cottons Ed once favored - half stumbling into the other god, half pulling him closer. "This isn't all you are though." Jack nearly begs, pressing their foreheads together, "You aren't just some god of the dead realm. You have life, give life, feel life. I wasn't all wrong about you. You're both."

It sounded as if he was trying to convince himself more than he was Ed. It sounded as if he didn't believe the words even as he said that. The only thing that kept that thin strand of hope alive was those big brown eyes and the memories. Surely, surely, Ed was both. Jack could handle both. He could accept the darkness so long as it didn't swallow the light whole, didn't extinguish the bright sunshine that was the Ed he knew.

[krakensmaw]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐃 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐓𝐇 𝐎𝐅 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊'𝐒 𝐏𝐀𝐋𝐌𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐓 & 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐒 kept him grounded. anchored to this plane of existence, to the god before them. a tether, grown worn and frayed in these last days of conflict, strengthened anew by touch alone. their lashes fluttered shut, chest heaving with a deep inhale, breathing jack in deep and trembling on the exhale. breathing in the warmth, breathing out the cold. a calm seemed to settle over him.

the wild, untamable winds which whipped, violent, about his form grew quiet. the crackle of lightning lingering in the air about their joined bodies grew dull and fell silent. the rolling grey blanket of clouds above seemed to grow thin and part, allowing sparse sunlight to filter through. it seemed to fall on them alone, washing ed in orange & yellow hues once again.

❛ i'm both, ❜ they echoed, soft and quiet, as if trying to convince them both. remind them both. brown eyes opened once more to blurred vision, wet with the silent tears that rolled down his cheeks. they stared up at jack, desperate and doe eyed. he grasped his love's face in both hands and drew him down into a kiss. sweet and tender, almost chaste, as they lingered and pressed flush in his arms. he remained close when the gesture broke and made no move to pull away. ❛ i'm sorry, jack ... i love you, i need you to know that i love you. please, just listen to me for a minute, i ❜

a fair, graceful hand settled upon the spring god's shoulder from behind. ❛ well done, jack. pick him up and let's get out of here. ❜ there was no room for ed to respond. not when the goddess' other hand passed 'cross their brow, and they fell unconscious at once by way of her will alone. he slumped forward, dead weight, into his lover's arms. eleanor stood there, tall and strong. clad in golden armour, and wrapped in crimson cloak and skirts. dark ichor looked to have splattered, sickly, along her chest and forearms. the sunlight caught in flecks of it among her flaxen hair.

❛ follow me. we're going home. ❜

[pyratezlife]

@krakensmaw said: would you like me to grovel with gratitude for bringing me here? (blackjackkk ed imprisoned in mt olympus thinking jack helped eleanor bring him there) meme: accepting

Jack had put off coming here, certain Ed wouldn't wish to see him. Yet lost in his thoughts, willingly wiling away his time with not thinking anything at all, his feet had acted without consent of his mind, until he stood outside Ed's cell - no, his room. Yes, they couldn't leave, but the space itself was opulent, gorgeous, everything fitting for the king's heir.

"I didn't..." Jack began to object, but trailed off, because it didn't truly matter, did it? He'd played a part, intentional or not, and he'd expected Ed's ire for it and here it was. A rake of his eyes over Ed, dressed as fine and light and pure as any spring god - that cursed crown was off his brow for the first time Jack could remember in an age.

And it looked...wrong. Somewhere along the way, Jack had grown accustomed to that vile sort of cold emanating from Ed's head, had learned to keep his fingers to himself, had even thought that it fit the other, in some strange way. Finally dragging his gaze away from the empty space where a crown once rested, he tried to console, tried to assure Ed that, "I know you're not happy, but you won't be here for long." As if that was Ed's issue in all of this.

But as far as Jack could tell, Ed shouldn't be too upset. Hornigold had laid the plan out to Jack clear enough, when Jack had gone to him, more concerned than he was willing to let on about what would be done now that Ed was finally back in Olympus. "Everyone knows your husband loves you." The words were bitter in his mouth, but undeniably true, "He'll lay down his arms and call off the gods pledged to him in order to get you back and then the king will crush Flint." A shuffle of his shoulders, too tired to be a shrug, "Then you'll be returned to Ned."

Jack didn't know if it would work in the long run. If there was one thing he knew about the death king, it was that he had a vicious protective streak that probably wouldn't take kindly to even the nicest of hostage situations. Still, with Hornigold in charge of earth, sky, and sea, there was nothing he'd be able to do. A bloodless victory for Ed and the one he cared about. Cavalier, easy, he drawled, "You just have to sit here and look pretty. This war will be over soon and we'll all go back to peace and good times, rum and revelry." A desire that Jack wanted more than anything. He hadn't realized he'd been living in the good times until they were gone.

[krakensmaw]

𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃𝐍'𝐓 𝐊𝐄𝐄𝐏 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐊 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐀𝐓 𝐁𝐀𝐘. 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 & 𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐘, 𝐌𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐀𝐋, as his laughter had so often been in the days of peace and revelry. this was singular and cold. the laugh of one gradually becoming wise to their fate, and the ignorance of those around them. they stood by the balcony doorway, long hair caught gently by the warm summer's breeze. brown eyes stared out over the picturesque landscape and he wondered, for once, how much of his father's poison it took to craft this perfect picture. a view they had seen every morning for centuries, only now thrown into perspective.

❛ i just have to sit here and look pretty, ❜ they echoed, still staring out. the sunlight washed over them like a warm bath, painting warm hues of the whites and creams his father had insisted upon. ❛ everything will be alright if just do exactly as my father says, like old times. how convenient ! ❜

he turned and stepped closer, the soft, loose silk billowing behind as he approached. ❛ come on, jack ! please tell me you don't really believe that. tell me you aren't that naive. ❜ there was something resigned to their words. something that suggested they already knew the answer, but were hoping for a different one nonetheless. still, his tone wasn't cruel or malicious. it was tired.

a sigh escaped parted lips, tinged in pink and painted with shimmer. they crossed to the bed and sat down upon it, tucking their loose waves behind an ear. he drew the full length of it over one shoulder and ran his fingers through the strands, absent minded and anxious. ❛ it's not going to be over soon. even if ned concedes, do you think i'll just be free to go? do you really think my father's pride could allow for that? ❜ it was a rhetorical question. they both knew the god king well enough to know his fearsome and righteous ego. ❛ he'll make sure that he wins it all. the war, the crown, the heir. and if there's any doubt he'll make sure there's nothing left for anyone else to win. ❜

they could feel the telltale sting of burgeoning tears, but blinked them away, unwilling to let them fall in the wake of his anger. they clung wet to his lashes as he looked up at jack in the doorway. ❛ can you just ... sit with me a while? ❜ the request came shockingly quiet, soft. ❛ i hate you right now. i hate you. but i feel so alone, and i miss you still. ❜

[krakensmaw]

you don't look half as bad now. @pyratezlife / hornigold.

𝐅𝐔𝐑𝐘 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃 𝐖𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐑 𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐃 𝐆𝐀𝐙𝐄, 𝐁𝐑𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐃𝐑𝐀𝐖𝐍 𝐓𝐎 𝐀 𝐅𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐎𝐖. had it been days, weeks, or months since he'd been brought back to the towering slopes of mount olympus herself? caught within the palace they had once called home, by the man they had once been so very proud to call father. trumpets had flared, celebrations held : the sweet prince of spring had been returned to his rightful place alongside the true king of the gods.

he wondered, absently, if the olympians knew the real story of events, or were simply fed a fabrication by hornigold himself. perhaps it didn't matter. the only thing their father was more skilled at than lying, was molding the truth into a narrative better suited to his needs. the gods above would believe whatever was told to them, for the storyteller had spent millennia weaving brutal fiction to truth. even edward himself only saw it now, and only because their husband had lifted the veil of his father's influence from their eyes.

❛ thank you, father. but i hardly think virginal white suits me any longer. ❜ a tone sweet as honey, but the words were crafted as a reminder. perhaps even as a threat. that they were not the same godling who left this mountain. they were not an agreeable, innocent little thing, unmarred by sex or death. he was wise to the realm's flaws and his own ; there was a river of blood on his hands.

ah, but all evidence of such had been wiped clean. he himself had been stripped of any dread symbolism, any mark of the underworld left yet upon them ; black swaths of cloth and leather traded for loose and billowing cream silks, obsidian for fine gold jewelry and girdle, moonstones for flowers. all white, lilies and roses and daisies, woven into the loose plait of their hair or about bands at their biceps and wrists. even his beloved crown was missing from his brow, a very part of their heart shorn at its removal by their own hand. the condition for the guaranteed safety of their loved ones in the battles to come. the assurance that all would be well, everyone could live happily, if ed submitted to this one simple thing. how selfish would he be to deny?

in the absence of the dead king's crown, another took its place. a stunning golden tiara fashioned as laurel leaves and small buddings florals set atop their head. there was a time he'd have loved and cherished it, but now ... it felt wrong.

❛ jack said that i just have to sit here and look pretty. that when all's said and done, you'll give me back my crown and return me to ned. that everyone lives. ❜ he rose from the edge of his bed and away from the oppressive radius of his father. ❛ so, you lied to him, then? ❜ they stood, back to him a moment, before turning to face him with eyes black as pitch. their powers stifled by the other's own, but this one last bastion of darkness unable to be quelled when rage struck him.

❛ ned will kill you for this. he'll storm the mountain, and he'll take your life. i promise you that, father. ❜

[pyratezlife]

@krakensmaw said: ❛ i revolt you, don’t i? ❜ (blackjack gods au) meme: accepting

A battlefield of fallen godlings, demigods, and heroes, a sight becoming ever more common as this awful war between the true powers in the world progressed. And stood amidst the carnage, two gods who did not, would not attack one another. A long tableau of silence reigned, before the Queen of the Underworld gathered the courage to break it.

"You don't revolt me. Never." Despite the almost kindness in the words, Jack's voice was morose, sounding near as dead as the corpses littered at his feet. His whip of vines was held lax in his hand, body swaying slightly side to side but making no move to attack Ed. There could be no world where Jack could raise a hand against Ed with intent to kill, even now, even after witnessing the carnage the other had unleashed upon the battlefield this day, even looking into eyes black as night, tasting lingering ozone on the air, carrying the horrifying scent of burnt crisp flesh and bone in his nose.

Jack's own brand of battle lust had been whipped into a frenzy and he'd taken his share of lives today - for all that he'd prefer having a drink and talking things over, perhaps work things out in a different, friendlier form of physicality, he was quite capable of violence as needed. No, it wasn't witnessing Ed killing that bothered him, even if the other's methods had proved themselves to be both vicious and effective - it was those who he had killed that rankled.

"You don't revolt me." Jack repeated, before, with a sigh, "But you are a stranger to me. To fight your father, to fight me, to turn on those who love and adore you." A shake of his head, something mournful and a growing touch of something mad in his gaze, as he realized, "I don't recognize you anymore. I suppose he's got you good now." A slow bubbling laugh poured out his throat, tinged with hysteria, fingers clenching tight round his whip as he lurched towards Ed, nearly tripping over corpses of the fallen, ichor staining his heels, "He's done it. He's made you the perfect picture of the Queen he wanted. There is nothing in you I know now."

[krakensmaw]

𝐄𝐃𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐎𝐃, 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐁𝐈𝐃 𝐃𝐈𝐒𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘, carnage strewn about his feet. a field once lush and verdant, now littered with the mangled flesh and bone of their kin. flooded with godly ichor. black and sickly as it seeped through the topsoil and bled deep, poisoned the ground beneath for centuries to come. he mourned the earth in the same shuddering breath that he mourned those lost today, with a solemn heart and vision blurred by burgeoning tears.

but jack would not be counted among them. not by their doing.

he stood, blade in hand. it was a dark and menacing thing, much as edward himself now was. crafted of obsidian, curved and mean, its hilt wrapped in black leather and beset with moonstones to match the crown at their brow. to match them wholly, as for once they were clad above as they were below. draped in black silks and leathers, metal pauldrons curved from his shoulders with cruel, curling spikes. cloak billowed in the storm winds that whipped all about his lone form.

❛ jack, ❜ it came out as a choked syllable, soft and broken. their eyes still swallowed in darkness, but the anguish shone clear within their shadowy depths nonetheless. ❛ do you think it pleases me? their blood on my hands? and to poison my beloved fields with their deaths? ❜ his voice began breathless, barely heard above the crackle of cold lightning still alight in the atmosphere about them. fingers curled tight about the hilt of their weapon ; not in attack, but for anchorage. something tangible to grasp onto in the wake of their reeling mind.

jack's laugh cut through him, sharp as any whip strike would be. the high, manic sound of it rang in their skull and drew a gasp from parted lips. ❛ of course i adored them, loved them, each and every one ! but they did not love me. ❜ he was shouting now, high and strangled, all the earth seeming to quiet and listen. ❛ they loved who they imagined me to be. who my father told them i was. and if you thought me that person too ... then it was a fantasy you ever knew me at all. ❜

both hands clasped the hilt now and held their sword aloft. trembling. he watched his lover approaching with baited breath and a rush of silent tears that spilled past the threshold of his lashes. eyes shut tight against the flood. ❛ please, jack. please. if you ever loved me ... don't make me kill you. ❜ with every step closed between them, his grip loosened, his hands lowered. by the time jack drew within striking distance, ed's blade fell to the grass and their arms to their sides. when he opened his eyes, they were the same warm brown as ever, soft and wide.

[krakensmaw]

@pyratezlife / jack & ned.

𝐄𝐃𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐃 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐒𝐏𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐃 𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐄 𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐏 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐃𝐈𝐀𝐒, 𝐋𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐂𝐄 to a room of bare and writhing bodies. it was not yet midday, but drink flowed freely, no lack to the endless summer wine which kept spirits high. sunlight filtered in through the sheer fabrics of the festival tent and danced, glimmering, across a mess of sweat slicked skin.

all about them were mortals lost to the throes of ecstasy, basking in the presence of their god : he of wine and pleasure, for whom they threw this very gathering. or, perhaps more accurately, it was a gathering of celebration for their god's reunion with his spouse. he of springtime, growth, and fertile lands. they worshipped edward as well, for their flourishing crops but especially for the joy that he brought to their most blessed deity. of course, ed was spouse to another, but perhaps another story had been presumed by the humans of this land. perpetuated, certainly, by olympus herself.

jack's followers stood on hand between bouts of their own pleasure. those not yet recovered enough for sex, eager to wait upon the gods own coupling with food and drink and whatever else they could desire. one such worshipper knelt behind edward now. the spring flower was lounging on his stomach, their long legs stretched and spread, elbows propped atop a mass of silken pillows. their smooth expanse of copper skin shone with fine oils as the mortal betwixt his thighs massaged them in. broad, strong hands working at the godly muscle to coax a series of breathy moans from him.

most, however, were muffled by the hard and heavy length of jack's cock nestled hilt deep to the back of their throat. his jaw grew slack, tongue flat and settled obligingly atop his bottom teeth as he received him. warm brown eyes, blown wide with lust, flit up to look upon their lover. a stifled whine sent their throat fluttering open further for the nudge of jack's leaking cock head, clenching 'round him and pushing forward eagerly to swallow him whole. buried full and deep, their nose touching the other's groin. tongue cupped along his underside as he sucked, grateful, as though jack himself were the feast.

the fingers curled greedily in a handful of his luscious, dark waves had made a concession necessary : edward's obsidian crown sat atop the table adjacent to them, nearby, but removed for the sake of this act. they could still feel the brush of its cool radius against one side, seething at the god of pleasure's very presence.

then, suddenly, he felt the radius of that chill extend and grow with intensity. shadows seeped into the tent to war against the daylight. burgeoning unease began to spread within jack's congregation, but edward merely hummed, content, around the god's heavenly cock. he tipped his head and pulled back from it, slow, with a lingering thread of saliva tethering them. lips reddened and swollen, curled to a smirk as they purred, ❛ you certainly know how to make an entrance, my love. ❜

their gaze turned sideways to ned, but their head remained still, angled to jack and tipped up, held in place by the hand fisted within his hair.

[krakensmaw]

hiii, happy holidays !! ed is still my specialest guy, but i've been more active over here engaging in black sails brain rot

[pyratezlife]

Ned knew well the whispers spoken about him now. The overworld spoke of him like the villain, as ever, telling tale of how he stole away the king's perfect flower, tricked and bewitched him and oh, what a poor, naive thing the spring god was, to think himself able to hold sway over death. His underworld perhaps knew Ned better, but their whispers were no less cruel: they spoke of how he had gone soft, how he had fallen in love with someone who was made of life and light and didn't belong, how he risked ruin for them all by angering the sky king and taking his heir.

He was of course furious at those who wished to define Edward as something he wasn't, act like he was a victim or a pretty puppet and not a partner, but beyond that, he was exhausted. His entire life had been this, ever since he claimed dominion of the afterlife, showed his interest to be genuine. He was tired of the whispers, tired of those who thought they knew him, thought they knew Edward. Never before had any of Hades dared to try and uprise against him, but now the fear had fled them, and it was easy to see why for only one thing had changed: he'd given away his crown, wore a new one that was marred by spring with a rose front and center.

Even as the would be usurpers begged and pleaded, it was Edward to which they looked - Edward, who they thought sweet and merciful, who they thought would take pity, whisper in Ned's ear, bend him to his will and save them. Ned could almost laugh, at how little they knew of his queen. He was hardly surprised Edward took offense to their assumption.

When Edward stood and Ned spook, it wasn't a reprimand he offered, but a way out. He would never force Edward to act on his behalf, would be content to allow Edward to keep living in their light for as long as they pleased. Only to take a slow, controlled inhale as Edward looked back upon him, eyes dark as pitch, expression fierce, the very picture of a vengeful ruler of the underworld. Edward had made his decision already. So be it.

Ned reclined back onto his throne and watched his dear spring storm strike, expression alight with a vicious sort of approval. It was pleasing, to watch the horror grow upon the faces of those who suddenly realized that they would find no mercy from Edward. And by the Styx, it was attractive to watch the queen of the underworld work, something hot and hungry curling low in the pit of his stomach. Intentional or not, Ned supposed that Edward would give mercy to those that remained, for Ned suddenly lacked any desire whatsoever to keep dealing with them.

The leader of this little revolt laid dead at his husband's feet and there remained four conspirators. Almost lazily, he left his throne, stalking forward. The sharp scent of ozone and burning flesh grew the closer he got - a cruel part of him wondered if Hornigold knew lightning had been used, even if not his own, wondered when tale of this moment would travel to the overworld. Hands settling low on Edward's waist, he rested his chin upon his shoulder, their crowns clinking lightly together, greeting each other like old friends. "Israel." A bark to the loyal dog, stood guard near the throne room doors, "Take three of them to the Acheron. Pick one to spread the tale of what happens to you when you make foolish decisions." And suddenly it was someone else's problem, to decide their ultimate fates. The doors had barely shut behind dog and doomed before Ned was spinning Edward around, catching their face and dragging them down into a starving kiss, licking into his mouth, practically feeling the lingering sparks dancing across their skin.

[krakensmaw]

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐇𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐖𝐀𝐈𝐒𝐓 & 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐃 𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐍𝐄𝐃'𝐒 𝐖𝐄𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐁𝐄𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐃 𝐇𝐈𝐌 𝐋𝐈𝐓 𝐀 𝐒𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐊. burgeoning embers lit to a proper blaze within him. a searing heat against the chill of this realm. they kept their chin held high and proud, eyes forward, watching the final proceedings as a queen's duty insisted. lips curled to a smirk, satisfied with his husband's final word on the matter, but unable to resist one of their own. they spoke once more ere the doomed were led from the throne room.

❛ if you speak to my father, do tell him i enjoyed it. ❜ his voice, oft so light and lyrical, had grown cold in this moment. a low rumble from the depths of their throat. then the door shut tight, and they were alone.

there was a flash of concern as ned spun him around, uncertain as to the nature of his urgency. had he overstepped his bounds in taking the life of the king's prisoner? would their husband be less keen on this side of them, this dark and destructive side, than the innocent spring with which he fell in love? all such concerns fell away at once as ned's lips came crashing into his.

he breathed a sigh of relief into the other's mouth and allowed himself to be dragged down. went willingly and parted his lips in eager acquiescence. who was he, to deny his husband's hunger? static remained built about their form, lingering at their skin and the tips of their fingers as he dragged ned in flush by the collar. could feel the god's hair stand on end from the crackle and buzz of it as both hands ran through and grasped at the strands. even the tip of his tongue must spark with it, as he felt the sharp sensation of lightning's remnants as he stroked against ned's own. the taste of ozone was overwhelming.

he pulled back just enough to shove at ned's chest 'til the back of his knees hit the throne and he toppled back into it. edward followed him down, climbing into his husband's lap with ease to straddle him, a thigh braced at either side. ❛ i'm not wearing anything beneath the skirts of these silks, you know wanted to be ready for you, my king. ❜ they were meant to be a paragon of virtue, of innocence. had spent all their young centuries told of how good and sweet they must be. it was as though a dam had burst and those false perceptions lay await below, to be flooded with the rush of ... this. whatever taste of darkness, of rebellion, he could get his hands on.

they hiked up the fabric, bunched in their hands 'til their bare ass settled into the cradle of ned's hips. they let the silks fall once more and ground down against the press of the other's cock. hands dropped to the front of ned's breeches and worked open the clasps with deft fingertips. ❛ i want you to fuck me here, now, in your throne. ❜ whether it was the violence, the promise of good sex, or the electric buzz still circulating about his frame, edward was fully hard. aching, leaking against the front of their silks as their hips rocked in unconscious rhythm. a desperate need for friction, to be filled, beyond all else.

then suddenly, uncertain, he stilled. pitch black eyes, shrouded in shadow, stared down at ned. ❛ that is, if ... you're certain you still want me? ❜

[pyratezlife]

@krakensmaw said: [ GAZE ] : sender watches receiver from across a crowded room. + reverse (blackrose gods au) meme: accepting

It had been a scant few weeks since Edward had been pulled away from Hades. Ned's realm, and Ned himself, missed the other already. Things seemed darker, colder, drearier, almost too much so now when before he had always felt comfortable in his night kingdom. Of course, there was little that stopped Ned from visiting, beyond Hornigold's anger which was easy to ignore, yet he still usually refrained, his own duties to the underworld keeping him far too busy to make the journey.

Not today. Today, he had delegated the daily runnings of his kingdom and made the trip. It was a day chosen by chance, but a day he wanted to have nonetheless, if only to confirm a suspicion. Inevitably, he found himself lurking, cloaked in the shadows - though he suspected Edward might sense something before long. Regardless, he saw what he needed.

Edward laid with his head in his dear companion's lap as the god of depravity gestured wildly, obviously embellishing some sort of story to make Ned's queen laugh. And they did laugh, bright and beautiful and his eyes drank in the sight greedily, even if the laughter was not for him. But that was the thing, wasn't it? Ned saw Edward. From the day Ned had first met them, he had seen every part of them. Every bright, sparkling flower of spring, every dark, shadowed corner of night, and every small piece of their heart that loved another.

The worst part of it all is that Ned could see Jack too, here in this moment, looking down at Edward as they laughed, eyes a touch wide, awed, obviously feeling blessed to bear witness. It would be one thing, if the god of sex just wanted another conquest added to his legend - death's spouse, underworld queen, stolen from the dark king himself, bedded and discarded. But no. Jack was not nearly so brave, not to go against Ned for something so petty. The god did have some self preservation, underneath all the wine and fun. To continue this seduction, continue this attempt to lure Edward to his side, it spoke to deeper feelings and to look in his eyes now, it was clear: Jack loved Edward too.

The most irritating thing was that Ned couldn't be angry, not truly. Not when he understood. It had taken one night, one moment together for Edward to steal his own heart - he could not blame Edward's friend of many, many years for having the same feelings. He could be jealous of course, and could imagine how satisfying it would be to dig his claws into the wine god, drag him down to hell and toss him into the pits of Acheron to suffer for an eternity, but it would be a short lived satisfaction - Edward's heart would break and that was not something Ned would ever do to them.

An amused twitch of his mouth when Edward's laughter stopped and their gaze finally found him - and as Jack's gaze followed and his expression soured. "Hello, my love." he called in greeting, even as moved to meet the other, catch Edward in his arms, "Dismiss your friend." Enough inflection to hint at something, that Ned knew something, even if he did not know whether that something had even been acted upon, yet, "We need to speak for a moment, Edward."

[krakensmaw]

𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐘 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐓 𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐎𝐅 𝐉𝐀𝐂𝐊'𝐒 𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒, 𝐅𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐓 & 𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐄 𝐀𝐁𝐔𝐍𝐃𝐀𝐍𝐓. of course they two were the guests of honour, revered above all others, mortal or god. for all those who worshipped the god of wine and sex must, by their very nature, worship edward as well ; god of spring and fertility, whose presence brought about their flourishing grape vines and whose laugh coaxed a spark of desire to the bellies of all who heard it.

what a contrast these days were, to those spent below. bright and loud to compete with dark and peaceful. boisterous company against the more austere tendencies of the underworld's king. neither were preferred over the other. both held their place in edward's life and their heart, unable to exist fully in either light or shadow without missing the other. and so it was now. those months below had been spent with some part of him missing the overworld, missing jack and his family, missing the warmth of the sun. but now, having returned ... they found their thoughts lingering to ned, to the quiet comfort of below.

but oh, how he had missed jack. they laid, spread out upon the chaise and tented by the shade of silken tarps overhead. his black silks and fine silvers of the underworld had been traded for sheer fabrics in white and floral patterns, draped in all manner of fine gold chains and vibrant jewels. even the crown at his brow has been set about with small, white flowers. more flowers sat, woven into his dark hair, plaited loose by jack's own deft hands.

they stared up at their friend with eyes crinkled in laughter, the sound of it still light upon their lips. ❛ i've missed this ... i've missed you. ❜ things have felt different between them, since his marriage. some softness seemed to have grown in jack. flirtation that once felt light and joking now felt tender, backed by feeling. the other god had hardly left their side since their arrival weeks ago. had held festival after festival to celebrate edward's return and, perhaps, to keep the god of spring himself happy.

indeed he was, even with a portion of their heart still below the earth. a hand reached up to cradle jack's face, a thumb catching at his bottom lip. his gaze lingered there as well a moment, 'til another drew his attention : the burgeoning shadows in their periphery. heart leaping, edward's hand dropped at once as they sprang from jack's lap. ❛ my love ! you had time to visit? ❜ he ran forward, bare feet against the grass, and flung himself into ned's arms with full faith that the other would catch him. their arms wrapped 'round his neck at once, clinging, leaned flush against him. ❛ i've missed you already, ❜ spoken genuine, ere their head dipped to kiss him.

it was deep, but slow and sweet. lips parted for a languid stroke of tongue as his fingers buried into ned's hair and clutched him close. when they parted, they remained close and entwined, nose nudging against their king's. the request itself did not trouble him, but the chosen inflection did furrow his brow. with arms slung about ned's neck still, he leaned back and twisted to peer over a shoulder. ❛ jack, darling could you give us a minute? ❜