Chapter Text
Stede and Blackbeard had been reunited. So far it was not going well.
“Just fucking listen to me!” Stede shouted. In his fervour, he picked up the closest thing, a ceramic cup, and threw it at Ed’s head. Ed registered panic and shock just in time to duck as the cup sailed over his head, crashing through the window over the bed.
Ed looked back at Stede, his eyes wide with disbelief. Stede, his Stede (not his anymore) had thrown that at him like an irate barmaid. He started to giggle.
Stede’s face quickly went from thunderous anger to embarrassment and shame.
“Oh Ed, I- I could have hurt- Forgive- the window-“ he dropped his head, muttering into his shirt, “I liked that cup.”
Ed’s giggles turned to hysterical laughter, and he dropped to the floor. He caught a glimpse of Stede’s horrified face which only fuelled his mirth.
“Ed-?”
He took a few deep breaths, trying to calm himself, but couldn’t stop the giggles. Oh it felt so good to laugh! He had bottled up all emotion for too long and now it was erupting out of him.
Stede knelt next to him. Ed took another deep breath and gestured for him to sit. They settled cross legged on the floor of the captains’ quarters.
“Ok, let’s talk.”
Stede took a shaky inhale. “That night, that asshole Badminton tried to kill me. He would have succeeded if his gun hadn’t backfired. I went to the beach, but you were already gone. I thought… I thought you didn’t want me. So I went to Mary. Turns out she’s much better off without me. So I gave her everything and came to find you. I found the crew, took them to port, and that’s when I heard that Blackbeard had returned. I thought you changed your mind. I thought… what did you want with a dandy twat like me?”
Ed touched Stede’s fingers with his. He saw right away that his hands were calloused and brown, nails dirty and ragged. Not the soft gentle ones he remembered, the ones he dreamed of.
“That’s not true. I always wanted you. I think the only thing that kept me from…. The only thing that kept me alive was the thought that I might see you again.” His voice felt rough in his throat and it took a moment to realize he was crying.
“Here, my love, let me help.” Stede pulled out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from Ed’s face.
My love. No one had ever called Ed that. Tentatively, he touched Stede’s cheek, pausing to see how he would react. Stede just gazed into his eyes, soft, concerned, beautiful. They moved closer, lips parted.
Ed had only kissed him the once, but it had been enough to seer it into his heart. Their lips touched, testing at first, then firmer. They both shifted closer, lips parting, tongues meeting for the first time. Stede sighed and sound shot straight to his gut.
Stede’s arms went around him, pulling Ed closer, and the world seemed to stop. Finally Ed pulled back, just enough to breath, and rested his forehead against Stede’s.
“I’m still mad at you.”
“So am I.”
“I don’t want to do this by myself anymore.”
Stede squeezed him for a second before pulling back and standing. “Let’s get cleaned up.”
Ed looked down at himself. When was the last time he bathed? He couldn’t remember.
Stede left to fetch some clean water. Ed stood, pulling off his vest and scratching his beard. He let it grow back, but he found himself so annoyed with it. It itched and tangled and he was always finding crumbs in it.
“I just caught everyone eavesdropping,” Stede chuckled as he returned with two buckets of hot water. “Roach is taking bets on who gets stabbed.” Ed snorted.
“Did you use up all my soap?”
“Marmalade, yes. Soap, no. There’s a crate by the tub with all that.”
They sat in the tub, still clothed. Stede lathered a wash cloth and began by cleansing Ed’s face. Ed’s heart swelled at his careful ministrations, his touch telling him everything he needed.
The cloth was steadily soaking his shirt as Stede wiped along Ed’s neck, and he pulled it off. Stede drew the cloth down to this sternum, before dipping it back in the soapy water. Ed took the cloth from him.
“May I?” He asked, suddenly feeling shy. Stede nodded, a little smile on his lips. Ed washed Stede’s face, dropping little kisses as he went. He moved down to his neck, pressing another feather light kiss on his clothed collarbone. Wordlessly, Stede discarded it and he leaned into Ed.
It felt so good to be this close again. They lay back in the tub, Ed across Stede’s chest, listening to the even rhythm of his heart. He savoured his unique scent, lavender and sea salt and citrus.
“Darling, your hair is a mess. Can I wash it?”
Stede carefully ladled water over the mess of knots, rinsing away weeks of dirt, before combing oil through. Every tug on his roots seemed to melt away the misery he had carried.
Ed would never consider himself bashful, but he flushed red when he said, “I’m gonna take care of the rest.”
He turned his back to quickly wash from the waist down and snagged one of Stede’s robe that had been left on the floor. He was half hard with arousal, and if it had been anyone else, anywhere else, he’d have shown off with a flirtatious joke, but he needed to do this right.
Stede had gone to the wardrobe and selected his own, his wet clothes hanging over the tub edge.
“Let’s talk this through,” he said, wrapping the robe around himself.
“As a crew?”
“As a crew.”
They crawled into the blanket fort. Ed cringed at the state it was in, empty marmalade jars scattered about, empty rum bottles. He had wanted to tear it down, torch it, so many times but it was such a comfort to lie in it and be surrounded by Stede.
They lay together on the pile of cushions, taking advantage of the open robes to touch.
“When you didn’t come, I thought you changed your mind. I came back to mourn, and Izzy… he goaded me into being Blackbeard again. I was so lost.” Ed settled his head on Stede’s shoulder and tracing his fingertips across his freckles. “I suppose I didn’t know how to be Ed without you.”
Stede’s arms tightened around him and he kissed his forehead.
“I love you,” Ed rose up enough to see Stede’s face and he was so radiant, angelic. “I’m not very good with words-“
Stede pinned him on his back, kissing him fiercely. Ed’s fingers threaded that cherubic blond hair, needing to feel him closer. Stede pulled back long enough to whisper, “I love you too,” before recapturing his mouth.
The fort was quickly heating up, and their robes pooled at their waists. Stede moaned when Ed pulled him closer, now chest to chest, heart to heart.
“I thought we were talking,” he murmured.
Stede pressed his hips into Ed’s. “Later.”
Ed rubbed against Stede, their bare skin making delicious friction and their cocks straining against each other. They groaned in unison.
“May I touch you, love?” Stede asked, his voice low and husky. Ed took his hand, guiding it, and wrapping Stede around his cock. His hand lingered, the feeling of them stroking together incredibly erotic. He turned his head, biting down on Stede’s shoulder, then soothing it with a kiss.
He could feel his release already welling up, building all the way from toes and roots of his hair, arrowing towards his groin.
“Aw fuck don’t stop-“
“Captain?”
He wasn’t sure who was at the door, but he was about to rip out their lungs if they didn’t leave.
“Fuck off!” He shouted, which was punctuated by a very undignified squeal from Stede as he grasped his cock firmly. He vaguely heard laughter outside, but was more preoccupied with the strangled sounds of pleasure his lover was making.
Ed straddled his thighs as they continued to stroke each other.
“Stede,” he groaned, his cock throbbing, so painfully aroused.
“It’s all right, my love, cum for me.”
His words pushed him over the edge, and Ed was flying then crashing like a tidal wave, his head thrown back, body shuddering.
“My darling, my love, my sweet…” Stede crooned, stroking Ed’s lips.
Ed felt his eyes fill with tears, but it was no time to cry, not when Stede was beneath him, looking like a horny Cupid. He slid down and greedily licked up the jizz he’d left on his stomach, before moving lower still and taking his cock in his mouth.
Stede’s back arched, rising to meet Ed. He whimpered at the ecstasy washing over him, and he reached out, linking fingers with Ed. He felt like he might float away on the wave of pleasure crashing over him.
Ed have given his share of blowjobs, but this time he needed to make it count. He wasn’t educated like Stede, wasn’t as good with words, and hoped desperately he could show him his love with his touch instead.
Stede looked down, and Ed looked up, his eyes dark and fiery.
“Edward,” he groaned, “oh Ed, so close-“
He flashed back to all those of the times he’d breathed out that name while he touched himself. Ed’s free hand came up to firmly stroke the base of his cock, drawing a litany of nonsensical words from his mouth.
“Oh fuck, love,” he finally managed, as he came, his hips rocking as Ed swallowed.
They held each other for a long time after, as their sweat cooled and breathing slowed.
“Do we have to get out of here?” Stede finally said, kissing Ed’s forehead.
“Of course not. The crew can slide meals under the blankets. We’ll have to eat only flat food though,” Ed sat up, stretching. “I do need to get up though, I’m starving and need to wee.”
“I thought you just ate,” Stede said dryly. Ed was struck speechless at the bawdy joke coming from the Gentleman Pirate, but began to cackle when Stede winked at him.
Stede covered himself in his robe and went to the galley for provisions. When he stepped out, most of the crew were standing around in earshot, all seemingly trying to look busy.
“You missed a spot,” he told Pete, who was swabbing with a dry mop.
He returned with a tea tray, loaded with fruit, biscuits and a steaming pot of tea. In his absence, Ed had rearranged their fort removing the empty jars and bottles and straightening the makeshift bed.
Ed watched as Stede fixed their tea, passing him the delicate cup. He sipped.
“Perfect.”
“Milk and seven sugars,” Stede said, sipping his own.
They shared their snack, not talking too much, just enjoying each other’s company, which led to more kissing and cuddling. Ed gathered up Stede, rolling on to his back, pulling him onto his chest.
“I wrote you letters,” Stede murmured.
“Really?” Ed looked down at him, smoothing his hand down Stede’s bare back.
“I never sent them, but I still have them. Perhaps I should burn them.”
“No,” Ed said firmly. “I want you to read them to me.”
My beloved Edward,
I write from this from the plantation. Tonight I ate seated across from that orange, talking to it as if it were you. My return has only reinforced my affection for you and reminds me that I no longer belong here. Perhaps I never did.
I crave the scent of the ocean, the taste of an orange, the sight of your dark eyes gazing into mine. I pray to see you again someday so that I may express the depth of my affection for you.
Yours,
Stede
My sweet Edward,
I’m not sure why I’m writing this. I fear that I’ve lost you forever. It’s late, the moon rising outside my window. Are you looking at the same moon this night? Perhaps I’ll dream and we can be reunited.
My beloved,
I awoke from the most delicious dream earlier, one that left me drenched in sweat and my loins churning.
Stede blushed as he read the words, but continued.
We were making love on a beach, waves crashing over us, cooling our heated bodies. I was so aroused that I crept from bed and went out to the garden where I took myself in hand, calling your name in my ecstasy. Did the night breeze bring that to you?
I keep having to sneak off like that, as the thought of you wearing my clothes makes my knees buckle. The memory of you wearing my robe, of it sliding against your bare skin, always leads to me hiding in a closet like a horny schoolboy, stroking myself until I bite my lip to stop myself from crying out.
I believe that I will do it again, despite having only cum a few hours ago, since I’m throbbing from just writing this letter. Perhaps I’ll go to my bed where I can fantasize of you lying next to me, or maybe I’ll stay here in my library and sit in the reading chair where I can be surrounded by the scent of leather and pipe smoke and imagine you are here with me, and I will moan Edward as I pretend it is your hand wrapped around me.
I crave you, my darling Edward. I am lost without you.
“Stede?”
“Yes?” Stede was flush from embarrassment and arousal and could only peek at Ed from the corner of his eye.
“Shut the fuck up,” Ed said, as he leapt at Stede, pulling his hungry mouth to his.
“Ed?”
“Yes?”
They were sprawled out on the floor, the fort having collapsed while Stede had been worshipping Ed’s cock like a new god. They were feeding each other the remnants of their earlier tea party, and Stede paused to lick the crumbs off Ed’s fingers that just fed him a bit of shortbread.
“We should finish our conversation.”
Ed sighed. “We can talk through more later. We were both fuckheads and maybe it was okay we spent some time apart. I think we both know what we want now. I want you. I don’t want to be a pirate. You’re here with me now, the rest is just details.”
Stede kissed his hand, lacing their fingers together. “Youre right. Shall we clean up a bit and prove to everyone no one got stabbed?”
They picked up the blankets, gathered their cups, swept up the broken glass on the bed. Dressed, they emerged hand in hand.
The sun had long set and the deck was empty, save the handful of crew playing cards.
Frenchie called to them in a singsong voice, “Evening Captains!”
They climbed up to crow’s nest together, watching the horizon, until they dozed off, snuggled together.
Ed woke to the chatter of China cups. Stede passed him a cup of tea with a kiss.
“I would have made you breakfast too but you ate all the fucking marmalade.”
“I ate it all because it was the closest I could get to tasting you again.”
Stede flushed and sipped his tea. “So what’s on the agenda today?”
“Oh, I don’t know… got anymore letters to read?”