bowl of food down for my muse | TF’s Cutler to Theo- you know he’s come a long way when he’ll run small errands for Adella like this.

It was becoming more and more familiar to notice his guest in the corner of his eye, going about some menial task with an odd sort of focus. Adella had spoken with him about it at length, feeling as though Cutler was learning to find some sort of meaning in life and that providing him tasks would help him to settle better.

Theodore had not been so certain at first, thinking as he did of the man who had not too long ago commanded the seas with an untouchable aura about him – but he supposed with all that stripped away, Cutler Beckett was no more than a man who had lost track of his purpose.

There were times when he could see a hint of the old Lord Beckett – but in moments like this, he was simply Cutler. A man welcomed by his sisters, and even accepted by the most discerning member of the Groves family – their admittedly very fat cat, Bumble.

He had long since stopped doubting in his eldest sister’s wisdom on the topic of tasks, though he found himself amused to note that this one was very much a silent scolding. “I did say I would be down when I was done my correspondence,” He remarked, leaning back to smile at the man, “I had not meant to make her so impatient.”

@tidefated

👕 Tug on my muse’s sleeve/shirt/skirt | Cutler to Theodore in the Willing Home verse

{ Nonverbal Starters }

The gentle tugging drew his attention as he straightened from putting on his boots, expecting Eudora and her imploring looks for him to stave off his adventures for one more day ( never understanding the difference between the ones he went on by choice and the ones dictated to him as a man who had sworn to the crown to serve! ) and found himself surprised to see it was his guest.

“Ah, Cutler – I was actually about to come and look for you,” He smiled warmly, “Everything is alright, I trust?”

@tidefated

[intolerablexsacrifice, for Theodore] 👗 Fix/Straighten my muse’s clothes [ FUSSY DOMESTIC CARROT CAKE REQUIRES AN OUTLET FOR IT ]

{ Nonverbal Starters }

The tugging on his shirt sleeves stills him, and after a brief time finding himself brusquely adjusted, he could not help but smile. “I’ve gotten too comfortable among the crew, I think.” He had not lost his naval discipline by any stretch – rather, he recognized the fact that adhering to it when he needed to appeal himself to pirates would not be at all endearing, and so he had endeavored to relent in certain areas that were more immediately notable, to make it easier for them to accept him. Now, it came without thought – though he supposed there were limits to it. “Thank you,” He offered, making a note of what the captain preferred, so he might be able to replicate it consistently.

@intolerablexsacrifice

Flint seems to stay in Theo’s orbit, now and then- brushes past him with a pat to the arm, or lingers nearby without touching at all, like a cat keeping company. It’s no secret that Flint’s allies have tired of him; with Silver gone, there’s no disguising that he is now tolerated for his utility, and nothing more. It’s perhaps no surprise, then, that he’s driven to seek Theo’s company this evening, and settles a little closer than usual. “You don’t seem concerned by the tension in this place.”

He has grown accustomed to Flint’s presence – having sought it out himself, Theodore can only presume the man found some sort of solace in the closeness now that he registered it as permissible. It was interesting to note though, that as the crew seemed to distance itself all the more from the captain, the man himself seemed drawn closer still. It was difficult to tell if he had always been comfortable this close, or if it was simply more notable, now that everyone else was so keen on being as far away as possible.

The remark, when it came, draws Theodore’s gaze from the book in his hand, and he is thoughtful a moment before pointing out simply, “The world is full of tension. You can either freeze up, or continue to move freely through it – personally, I have never been a fan of stiffness in day to day matters, so I prefer to simply behave normally whether those around me are capable of doing the same or not.”

Closing his book, Theodore leaned back, smiling a little as he confessed, “When it becomes a problem for me, I will address it – but for now, these concerns and frustrations are not something that really involve me. What purpose does it serve to allow my own humors to be set out of alignment over something that won’t shift my position either way?”

“You look really tired.” from bram to theo (,:

{ Four Word Prompts }

He was exhausted actually – the only thing keeping him up was the intimate awareness that he could not afford to repay Bram any damage to his belongings, and the state of his uniform was perhaps only matched by the state of the flesh that lay beneath it. He was bandaged of course, but he had been in such a rush to at least see Bram before he was whisked off to his next posting he had not bothered to change. Now, he wished he’d taken at least a little time to do so, if only so it would not feel so shameful to grab the man and collapse upon the pale, pristine sofa.

“I could use some rest,” He agreed mildly, “Do you mind if I stay the night – I do not believe I will be excused from duty long,” Not with the state of affairs at any rate – Dauntless would be sailing out as early as tomorrow afternoon provided no damages could be located. “I’ve leave to spend the time ashore, all matters considered.” The benefit of being wounded in battle, it seemed.

The Need Of Kindness

@intolerablexsacrifice [x]

Adaptable though he surely was, Theodore would be the first to confess that he was not the sort of person who was used to loneliness. There was always someone to lean on – and having never been in a position where he was thoroughly isolated, he’d never saw need to test his capacity for striving onward without companionship.

Though he had never thought of it ( and likely would not, until someone saw fit to point it out ) Theodore had chosen a profession that would ensure he would always be surrounded by a sense of family. A brotherhood as opposed to the sisterhood he came up in, if one wished to wax poetically upon it.

Going from first lieutenant aboard a ship with over eight hundred souls, to a pirate of circumstance aboard a far smaller vessel with absolutely no connections or allies ought to have been terrifying – but Theodore had seen the adventure for what it was and thrown himself into the work as though he had chosen to be there all along.

He had made a few friends among the crew, even, but there was no denying he’d made a favorite of the captain himself. Some likely saw it as pandering, or some method of payment for his place aboard the ship, but such manipulative measures were rather beyond Theodore. He felt a gratitude toward Flint for setting him free, and for giving him work, but he had felt gratitude toward many people he would not be so keen to lean on as he was the quiet man beside him now.

In truth, it was simply a familiarity – Flint had a grumpy and reticent air about him, but he was gradually accepting of contact and seemed to thrive from it, though nothing about that was ever said or acknowledged. It reminded Theodore a great deal of how Daniel used to be, and that alone was encouragement enough to maintain his quiet favoritism – for if Flint was anything like Daniel, he surely needed kindness a very great deal, even if he’d never ask for it, let alone admit to wanting it.

The silence was companionable, and Theodore maintained it even when he noticed something he felt might be of interest to Flint. Patting the man’s arm lightly, he pointed toward the forms rising above the crest of the water, spray indicating their exact positions. Theodore wasn’t sure how many – he could count five, for certain, but there seemed to be smaller forms that were harder to make out in the growing dimness as the sun settled toward the last of its rays for the day.

To Love What We Die For

the-empires:

_{“No,” Bram said, almost too sternly. It was pitiful, his meager attempts at controlling himself. Everything he said came out fleeting and distressed. He guarded himself, leaving Theodore to do the hard work. There was no way Bram could continue like this, holding his heart out to Theodore just to snatch it back every time the man came close. “Listen to me.” It felt like an order, but, miserably, it was far from such.}

_{“You must -” he cut himself off and tried again. “I want you to understand that I have never done this before, whatever you might define this as. There has nary been a moment in my life where I did not know exactly what my actions were and what my purpose in doing so was. Mister Groves, I don’t know what I am doing and, even coming here and saying these blasphemous things to you, I don’t know what I hope to gain from this, but, nevertheless, I will confess.” He turned from his place of retreat to the couch as a trio of men lingered in the hall just outside the door. From their conversation, there was little intention of leaving any time soon. Bram stood before the coat rack beside Theodore and kept his voice low, brown eyes staring anywhere but the man of his affections.}

_{“You have been my downfall since the day we departed from each other. You haunted me. Your smile, your laugh, the outrageous things you spoke of, the …” Bram’s voice fell away and his heart thundered in his chest. His mouth was dry with protestation, but he forced himself onward; he would not let Theodore slip through his fingers. “The feeling of your body against mine.}

_{“Though it pains me so, for I know we can never be more than what we are now, I feel I cannot deny myself the sweet, sinful knowledge that I love and am loved in return.” Bram sighed and pursed his lips.}

_{His heart had never been bared, never been surrendered to the terrifying whims of Venus, for he had never before needed to bare it. “My conflict makes for poor company, but I would like you to stay, lest I forever wonder what could have become of this.”}

Perhaps to any other man, Bram’s internal conflict and its devastating results would prove maddening. To be pushed away and grasped at in turns, to be told how deeply they mattered in the same breath as how naturally nothing could come of it, would surely have been a positively heartbreaking experience and possibly, not worth the pain of it.

Theodore, however, was not quite the average man. He did not despair or rejoice for the words he was offered but rather took them for the whole that they were – complicated and vulnerable in turns. He smiled reassuringly, wanting Bram to feel comfort in the wake of such powerful admissions that doubtless cost him a great deal to profess.

“Your conflict is honest – and honesty is always good company in my books,” Theodore assured, holding to his chest the warm knowledge that he was loved, even if it was a complicated sort of love. Knowing in his heart that he haunted Bram was a strange feeling – he wasn’t the sort of person who let himself be haunted – if he loved, and was loved, then surely that was all that mattered.

Bram was a different sort of man from the sorts Theodore usually fell for, and he supposed this strange dance was simply a part of loving a man who truly loved back. Or maybe it was simply the difference in loving a man who was good at heart. Such thoughts only endeared Bram to Theodore all the more, of course.

“I do believe it might look strange for us to have gotten up like this, only to return to our game,” He pointed out, gently aware of the cost of appearances for men like Bram. “Might I propose we go for a walk together, and perhaps clear our heads?” Theodore had no need – he was thinking just fine – but he had a feeling Bram could benefit from an environment that had less of a sensation of eyes upon him.

🤒 – caring for them when sick/injured [ for theodore! bc i read shit about the captain taking on the ship’s surgeon’s duties in the absence of a surgeon in emergencies so Here We Are ]

{ Nonverbal Starters }

Theodore was not brought low by much in life, but not even an indomitable spirit could overcome the grim reality of fever at sea. He had become dreadfully delirious, and had it not been for the quick action of Silver he would surely have fallen to the churning sea, convinced that it was a familiar lagoon in which he so often swam.

Now he was sequestered in the safest place aboard for a man as sick as himself, and with the fever somewhat breaking he registered the burden he was placing upon Flint by being here. In true fashion, he had gotten up with every intention of making it up to the man by getting right back to work, but the world had lurched and the next thing he knew, he was staring up at his newfound captain’s slightly mismatched eyes with a dim awareness of being held down.

“I suppose I am no good just yet,” He agreed amiably, surrendering easily enough to his position if only because he was too bone tired to argue. “I think the fever is breaking though.” He remarked, unaware in his hopeful reassurance that he sounded like death warmed over.

To Love What We Die For

the-empires:

_{If he closed his eyes, the warmth of the hearth could be mistaken for the hint of the heat that the Kingston sun beat down on them. The air was balmy and the sound of waves crashing on the sand was always within earshot. An icing of humid wax hung to the broad, vibrantly green leaves of the flora, shushing together in a distinct sound as the pair wandered along the paths together. Being with Theodore made the heat just the more warm. The memory brought a smirk to his lips.}

_{His eyes opened and he felt confined in the dim light of the empty room. Cold rain beat against the building and he shivered momentarily. He studied Theodore, brown eyes narrowing as he watched him put his outer clothes to leave. As much as he wanted to be left alone to catch his breath, Bram did not want Theodore to leave him. But then again, he could not voice that. Did that make him weak, or was it a show of his lack of strength?}

_{He realised that now would be an appropriate time to admit his own emotions for Theodore, but he could not do that either. He wished he could. Theodore said that he was special. What part of him was so, he wondered. There were only two things that Bram had ever been told were remarkable about him: his purse and his mind. Not…him. As refreshing as it was to hear that he was more, it was terrifying.}

_{“There’s no need,” he croaked, a weak attempt to keep Theodore from doting upon him even further in fear that he might explode. “Are you leaving so soon?” The Earl asked, trying to seem nonchalant, though his protestation burned through the thin veil.}

@oceanfoamed

Lips quirked themselves into a smile, though it seemed even in this he was perhaps conflicted as only one half tilted upward. It was rare, for Theodore’s smile to become a lopsided thing – generally a sign that he wanted to smile but recognized that the timing was off just enough to restrain the brightness of it. He could tell that Bram was unbalanced as much by the honesty as by the potential for more of the same kind, and though he knew he could have delivered if prompted, a part of him was warmed by the awkward refusal. There was a humility in it that was pleasant, though he was wise not to comment on that, either.

“I had thought you would want me to,” Theodore was no more willing to lie now than he had been moments ago. Considering the topic of their conversation and the sharp dramatics with which Bram had responded ( which were unlike him enough to hold their own power ) it had seemed to him wise to both cover for the man and to retreat from him until he determined what it was he wanted out of their friendship going forward.

He lowered his gaze to the board thoughtfully, considering as much the game ahead as his role in it, before he glanced up and met Bram’s eyes squarely. “I’m not opposed to staying, if you desire it – but you have no obligation to allow it, either. What you choose changes nothing in the long run. We can pick up the game where we left off, whenever you feel comfortable doing so.”

“Let’s talk about what you want.” [ for theodore! ]

{ Profound & Emotional | Always Accepting }

It had been a most unfortunate shift in the relationship between himself and Aaron. The realization of the man’s intentions had – to say the very least – come out of nowhere. It was impossible to deny the implications when he had awakened, his head still stinging from the blow it had been forced to absorb, bound and gagged in what appeared to be a ship’s storage.

It was not the first time his uniform in combination with his youth had brought about the conclusion that he was a man of gentry – a fortune clothed in purchased authority as opposed to a man who had started at twelve and worked his way into position through honest labours. It was, however, the first time anyone had gotten quite so far in their attempts to profit from it.

Aaron had not thought his actions through entirely, it seemed. He had been discovered and now, brought into a private discussion with the man who was not only responsible for releasing him from the bonds he’d been trussed up by, but for the sanctity of this entire crew, he found himself in a most unique position for adventure he’d never quite considered before. The Navy was not the only way to live life by the sea, after all – and it was not as though he could ask pirates to leave him in a safe harbour without risking themselves, either.

He turned it over in his mind, the whole of this situation, quietly rubbing feeling back into the numbness of his fingers as he chased debates until he found the answer most suitable. As always, it was the truth – he had never been a man for lies – but perhaps it was a bit too much of the truth for a question that perhaps had been seeking a simpler answer.

“To live a life that leaves behind no regrets is all I have ever wanted — and for that, I have always found myself relatively prepared for the strange twistings of fate life can sometimes bestow upon people.” Easing his gaze up, he took this time to observe Captain Flint thoughtfully. He had heard of him, naturally – a pirate so infamous as he was hardly going to go unheard of in Port Royal, where he was one part hero and one part monster, depending on who was spreading his legend at the time.

It was interesting to note, that in all the stories that spoke of his eyes ( some saying they glinted silver when he killed a man, others going so far as to say they turned as red as his beard ) not a one saw fit to mention they held differing hues. As always, it was the truth that was more captivating than the stories and their embellishments, which furthered Theodore’s appreciation for honesty.

“In this moment what I want is to know how I can be of service on this ship. There is no room on board for idle hands, this I know quite well. I am afraid your man was mistaken in thinking I would be very profitable – my position was not purchased, and the only money to speak of in my family is what I send home to my sisters, and what they manage through sewing clothes for rich women who are quite unlikely to pay for a man they’ve never met. Sympathy can be purchased, that much is true, though as I would rather die than have my sisters trade themselves for me – that leaves my worth in what I am capable of as a sailor, as opposed to what I can be sold for.”