The Maiden's Conquest was smaller than the previous ships. Pirates were already gathering, settling onto barrels and crates with fresh tankards.
"The lovebirds are here! Fresh from their honeymoon knots!"
"A finer match I've never seen aboard!"
"Still walkin' straight, I see—give it time!"
My skin still felt hot from the ropes. Llewellyn had not really moved away, even though I expected he would, and our shoulders kept brushing as we walked.
"Ahoy!" A man with silver braids stepped forward, grinning. "Ready for the final challenge?"
The System chimed before either of us could answer.
-
[System Notification: Hands on Deck Challenge!
Objective: Locate hidden Crew Beads through tactile search.
Rules:
Each player conceals one bead on their person.
Both players are simultaneously blindfolded during search phase.
Search continues until both beads are recovered.
No clothing removal permitted.]
-
"…"
Wait. Tactile search?!
I didn't know how Llewellyn was doing, but I was definitely still too turned on for this!
Should I ask someone to splash water on my face or something?!
"…We're doing this, then?" I asked.
Llewellyn eyed me, amused. "You don't sound too upset about it."
Well. I obviously wanted to jump him, so.
And this was the last quest.
Llewellyn eyed the crowd. "…They're going to enjoy this a bit too much."
I snorted. "Think you'll enjoy it more than they will."
Llewellyn raised an eyebrow. "Will I?"
…My stomach gave a funny jolt.
We walked forward, ready to start.
The man asked us about the tokens Alberan had given us and we both took them out.
"Alright, lads! Hide these somewhere on your person—sleeve, collar, waistband, wherever ye fancy. Just make sure they're accessible without strippin'."
He gestured to opposite sides of the deck. "Turn away from each other. No peeking while ye hide 'em."
I put Penguin down. "You can go explore for a bit if you like," I told him. "Just be careful."
Penguin chirped happily and scampered off.
I walked to the port side, back to Llewellyn, and considered my options.
Pockets were too obvious. Collar would risk falling down and sleeves would be found immediately.
Waistband wasn't any better, but there happened to be a little clothing tag sewn inside on only two sides, leaving some space from the fabric. I tucked the bead there, so it wouldn't fall but could be reached with careful fingers.
"Done!" I called.
"Same," Llewellyn said from his side of the ship.
The man approached with two pirate flags folded into blindfolds.
"Blindfolds now, lads!" he said cheerfully.
He tied mine first, plunging me into darkness.
I shuffled forward, until my fingers met warm fabric. Llewellyn's shirt.
"Hey," I said.
"Hey," Llewellyn said back, moving closer. His hand also found my shirt and settled on my waist.
…Definitely still too turned on for this.
"Aye!" someone announced. "Search begins... now!"
I went for his trench coat pockets first. They were obvious, but he might think I thought they were obvious and hide the bead there.
Unfortunately, he didn't.
Llewellyn's hands found my shoulders, patting down my coat, checking my pockets too—and I had to remember not to lean into the touch and just get on with it.
The pirates were already getting invested.
"They're bein' too polite about it!"
"Quit skippin' spots—search him proper!"
"Get yer hands all over! Feel him down like ye mean it!"
Llewellyn's hands moved to my trousers.
"…"
Back pockets first. My breath caught. Still manageable, more or less. I did the same and reached behind him, then moved to his front pockets while he searched mine.
There was some… unintentional brushing.
Uh.
I swallowed.
Well.
We both moved on.
The crowd whooped.
"Synchronized gropin'—that's true partnership!"
"Captain's barely started an' the lad's meltin'!"
"That's no search, that's courtin' done proper!"
"Look at 'im leanin' in, beggin' for it!"
I mean… I wouldn't mind cutting that distance.
"I'm going to pat down your legs and socks," Llewellyn said—and knelt.
"…"
I couldn't see anything, but I could imagine it.
My hands went automatically to his nape, into his hair, savoring that a bit too much.
"I'm not hiding anything in my hair," Llewellyn said, amused.
"Then you won't have any problems with me checking."
Llewellyn finished his patting down.
"I should too, then," he said, getting up.
His hands found my hair too, checking behind my ears, along my neck.
It felt incredibly good. I found myself leaning into it without thinking.
"Enjoying yourself?" Llewellyn asked, fingers trailing down to check my collar.
I should probably say something, but my mind had gone blank.
"See that sway? He's enjoyin' it plenty!"
"Ayee. Are they gonna just keep pettin' each other?"
"Get a hand down his breeches already captain—he's gonna let ye!"
"Get on with it! Rules be damned—strip 'im good! Lad's standin' there beggin', plain as day!"
Llewellyn's fingers reached my lips.
My turn to be amused. "What, do you think I'm keeping it under my tongue or something?"
There was a pause. Then Llewellyn said, "Well, are you?"
I'd really drunk too much, because I said, "You can check if you want," and opened my mouth.
I felt Llewellyn freeze for a moment.
Then, very slowly… he slid a finger in.
The pirates erupted in cheers.
"Aye, see? He opened up like a treasure chest!"
"Look at 'im! Takin' it like a lad who knows 'is place!"
"Captain's goin' to spill all his pride right here on deck!"
Damn it. I couldn't help but swallow, and Llewellyn let out a noise.
I really hadn't expected to be so much into this.
I'd meant it as an alcohol-fueled joke, but— uh.
My lips were still half-parted. I raised my tongue and gently pressed down.
"Captain's takin' his sweet time with that mouth—"
"Can ye blame 'im? Look at the lad!"
"Hold 'im steady, captain! He'll gag sweet if ye push in more!"
I'd completely forgotten my own search by now.
"Further, captain! Push in deeper, don't hold back!"
"He's beggin' without a word—ye hear that breath?"
"Touch 'im proper while he moans—he'll spill in yer hands!"
Llewellyn let out a shaky breath and slid another finger in.
I grabbed his shirt.
My heartbeat was very loud. I couldn't see anything. I could only hear the pirates' heckling and Llewellyn's harsh breaths as he slid over my tongue.
"Aye, look at 'im—letting the captain do as he pleases! He's servin' fine!"
"A lad that willing? Fill 'im steady, captain!"
"Ye could keep him filled all night—he's beggin' for it!"
"He's ready to let ye spill in deep!"
Llewellyn let out a sound and started to retrieve his hand.
A jolt of panic rushed through me. I curled my tongue around him to stop him.
I felt Llewellyn freeze.
Then, with a shuddering breath, he slid back in. His other hand cupped my head, sliding over my nape.
I swallowed, helplessly.
"Ayeee, told ye he was askin' for it!"
"Look at 'im, open as the sea—captain's got full claim!"
"See that shiver? Gone slack in the knees! Guide 'im down proper!"
…They weren't wrong. The blindfold was diabolical.
I was seriously starting to worry about the state of my trousers if this kept going, but—
Well.
I wasn't about to stop him.
I closed my lips and sucked gently.
"Ayeee, there he goes!"
"He's lettin' ye have him, captain— Put 'im to his knees!"
"Captain's keepin' it sweet—but he wants that mouth below the belt!"
Llewellyn slid his fingers out this time.
…Right. What now.
I was burning up.
I couldn't see anything. I needed some physical contact.
I tipped forward and dropped my forehead on Llewellyn's shoulder, breathing hard.
Llewellyn shivered, but didn't stop me.
A few moments later, I reached for the hand that had just been in my mouth, slid my fingers up and found the bead tucked into his rolled sleeve.
I laughed.
"I win," I said.
Llewellyn hummed, lips brushing my temple.
His arm slid easily around my waist, under my shirt, on my lower back, then into the back of my trousers, collecting the bead from where I'd tucked it.
"Those are still my trousers," he said against my temple.
…Uh. Had he kept that going on purpose?!
Not that I was complaining.
"And yet, I still won," I grinned, anyway.
"Mmh," Llewellyn said against my temple. "Well done."
I let out an undignified noise.
[System Notification: Challenge Complete!]
The crowd cheered.
However, I could barely hear them over the sound of my own heartbeat.
My face was scorching hot.
I didn't want to move away yet, I was too off-kilter.
"You can let go now," I told Llewellyn as we stood there, both blindfolded.
Looking him in the eye after that was going to be its own challenge.
Llewellyn's hand was still under my shirt. His mouth found my cheekbone.
Oh.
Yeah, nevermind then.
"Ayeee! Closer, lads—get on with it!"
"Enough teasin'! Take 'im against the mast an' see if it holds!"
"Quit courtin' 'im like a maiden—get those clothes off 'im!"
Yes, exactly.
Wait—no! Shouldn't!
Ah, I really didn't know how we were going to recover from this.
I couldn't believe I thought kissing him would be a problem, and then I went and did this!
Though if he'd decided to escalate things… Well, I really wouldn't have stopped him.
Even now, if he dragged me down onto the boards—
Someone pulled our blindfolds off. The sudden light made me blink, but Llewellyn was right there.
I swallowed and pulled back slightly, not knowing where to look.
The pirates were still going wild.
"Don't ye pull away now! One more shove an' he'll melt!"
"Ye've got him trembling! Give it to 'im proper!"
"Aye, press on! He's beggin' t'be taken however ye want 'im!"
The silver-braided pirate stepped between us, breaking the moment.
"Ye both look like ye've been keelhauled!" he said with a grin. "Well done, lads! Some proper trustin' teamwork, that was!"
Um.
Llewellyn let go and I stepped back to avoid yanking him back.
At a table set up nearby, a woman stamped our booklets then told us to wait a moment and came back holding Penguin.
"One o' the lads set him ridin' the rudder like a merry-go-round. Round an' round he went, chirpin' like a fiddle tune. Happiest pirate aboard—eyes shinin' like a lantern!"
Penguin chirped happily, as if to confirm.
Ah, that was good!
"Did you have a good time?" I asked.
Penguin chirped again.
He'd somehow acquired three more feathers since the last ship. I put them in my inventory.
The pirates were still shouting.
"We need to get the map," Llewellyn said.
"Right, yes," I said.
Even though we kept our eyes ahead, we were gravitating close, which… uh… felt like we could restart all that any moment.
Llewellyn's ears were scarlet. We both eyed each other for a moment, then looked away.
"…"
I bumped his shoulder in what I hoped came through as reassurance and watched him relax slightly.
"Well, that was fun," I said after a moment.
Llewellyn snorted.
…I really, really wanted to kiss him.