Preface

Revenge
Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/38732118.

Rating:

Mature

Archive Warning:

Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con

Category:

M/M

Fandom:

Our Flag Means Death (TV)

Relationship:

Blackbeard | Edward Teach/Stede Bonnet

Character:

Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Stede Bonnet, Benjamin Hornigold

Additional Tags:

Post-Season/Series 01, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-S2 Reunion and Getting Back Together, Stede and Ed are happily co-captaining together, Past Sexual Abuse, Attempted Sexual Assault, Hurt Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Hurt/Comfort, Blackbeard | Edward Teach's Knee Brace, Flashbacks, Vengeful Stede Bonnet, Affectionate Stede Bonnet, Stede Bonnet Takes Care of Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Traumatized Blackbeard | Edward Teach, Rape Recovery, Comforting Stede Bonnet, Protective Stede Bonnet, Hugs, Cuddling & Snuggling, No Sex

Language:

English

Stats:

Published: 2022-05-01 Completed: 2022-05-03 Words: 5,610 Chapters: 3/3

Revenge

by fogsrollingin

Summary

"Remember he just beat us down? Just- Just ground us down into nothing?"

"Oh, I remember. I was there. He treated us like dogs. Worse than dogs!"

Notes

This story is like 90% completed. I'll post the next chapter tomorrow. XOXO!

Chapter 1

Chapter Notes

See the end of the chapter for notes

It was a balancing act. Three days now and Ed had managed to keep up the respectful protégé act with Benjamin Hornigold. It helped that Stede had already heard of Hornigold through that breakfast with Calico Jack. Ed had saved face; bolstered by the camaraderie Jack had offered, he'd managed to laugh at the memories. 

With the memories turned to present day, embodied by the scourge that was his ex-captain, an inclination to laugh was just about the last thing Ed was feeling.

Still, Ed was so good feigning decent terms with the man that Stede was jealous of the bastard. Admittedly, there was some untouched, unexamined satisfaction that Ed got out of that.

He was regretting it now, though. All of it.

Ed, Hornigold, and Stede had been in the Captain's quarters when Roach had knocked and called Stede away for further direction on their inventory. Ed idly hoped there wasn't going to be another orange shortage when he noticed Hornigold's eyes lighting up at the prospect of Stede's departure. The senior pirate kept surreptitiously glancing at Ed and licking his lips as Stede made his apologies to leave. 

Ed paled, but no one was the wiser. His pallor was hidden behind the charcoal mix along his jaw and eyes.

When Stede left, the room's warmth vanished. In his wake, something charged and heavy infused the air. Hornigold's eyes darkened and he smiled slyly at Ed. It had been years but it was a sickeningly familiar expression. Ed swallowed and shifted in his seat.

"So, finally we get a moment to ourselves," Hornigold announced lowly. It sent shivers down Ed's spine. He stood and moved over to Stede's shelves along the wall. He touched and fiddled with the ones Stede had read to him. A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare, a Cleopatra biography, Lord Byron.

"You read now?" Hornigold gruffed the question, mocking amusement underneath.

Ed frowned. He shrugged. "Somewhat," he hedged.

Hornigold harrumphed. "Be straight with me, Edward," he prefaced. Ed winced, disliking the tone, the implication they were squaring up as equals. "What are you doing with this imbecile?"

Ed clenched his jaw but kept his focus on the books, their bindings, their faint parchment velour scent that Stede shared with them. It steadied him, kept him relaxed. Stede would be back soon, he assured himself, and then the air of polite discourse and proper behavior could continue until Hornigold left.

Hornigold blew out a frustrated breath at Ed's silence. "He'd better be a great fuck."

"You jealous?" Ed replied bitingly, turning, wanting to see the old man's sputtering reaction.

Instead, Hornigold scoffed and stood up with an indignant huff. "Of that sorry excuse for a pirate? No, Edward, I'm not jealous." He spoke softly as he approached. 

Ed lifted his chin to look down his nose at him. Subtly, he pressed himself into the shelving further, trying for distance where there was none.

"He's not competition," Hornigold sneered, "and he'll never be your first, will he?"

Ed swallowed, but otherwise betrayed nothing. Hornigold grinned, tilted his head, and trailed his boot up Ed's leg. It hit the knee brace. Ed couldn't stop himself from flinching and winced. 

Dark amusement shimmered in Hornigold's eyes. "Remember the good old days?"

Ed looked down at his bad knee and breathed. He refused to let himself be taken in so badly. Yet he couldn't bring himself to meet Hornigold's eyes. 

What the hell was wrong with him? He was Blackbeard, for fuck's sakes. Bloodthirsty cutthroat, horror of the high seas. The greatest pirate that ever lived.

Hornigold cupped his chin, pushing his head against the books. Ed gasped, gripping the man's arm, his other hand pushing against Hornigold's chest. He didn't lash out though. For anyone else, he would've. But, caught in some confusing, oppressive mix of past and present, Ed stayed there, trembling with revulsion and fear.

He gathered his courage and looked into the old man's dark eyes. "Those days are over, Benjamin," he said, pushing harder now and slowly detaching the man's hand from his face. "Give it a rest." 

Ed hoped he sounded exhausted. He was exhausted. He hoped Hornigold would laugh wistfully in a "let bygones be bygones" kind of way and back off. It was a gamble, but it was all he had. The waters were choppy today, the wind howling, the evening storm coming. No one would hear Ed's calls for help if it came down to it.

Stede should be coming back any minute now. He had to.

Hornigold laughed, low and dark, and instead of backing away, he came closer. "I could take you right now, couldn't I?" He whispered. 

The way he said it, Ed's heart raced, his breath went sharp and shallow as he looked into Hornigold's eyes and read dangerous intent. 

"You've gotten so soft with that Bonnet, I won't even have to," he tapped Ed's brace with his foot and Ed jerked again, "hobble you, like I used to."

Ed winced and closed his eyes against the memories. They surfaced, unbidden.

He'd been a young, promising pirate named Edward Teach, clean-shaven with a weak knee. Calico Jack had been his ship mate, the two of them striving to distinguish themselves to their Captain, Benjamin Hornigold, amongst many other hopefuls on board.

But then Hornigold did notice Edward. And it wasn't in the way Edward had wanted. The man was ten years his senior, coarse, unattractive. He wasn't notably cruel or murderous, but he was not to be denied.

Ed had been masterfully avoiding or deflecting the Captain's advances for a fortnight - even Calico Jack had told him to just give it up, "anything goes at sea" and all that - when the man had noticed his limp. It was exaggerated only because the day prior had been bad - stormy weather on deck had made him take several hits to the knee.

It wasn't long before he invited Ed into the Captain's quarters and the nature of their relationship had changed forever. It had taken one vicious kick to cripple him for the night, and the threat of another to get his clothes off. 

That was the night Edward Teach became Benjamin Hornigold's protege. 

It was a promotion Edward wouldn't have taken if he'd had a choice. 

Ed's hatred of the man surged with his memories. "You couldn't take me right now," Ed spat and shoved Hornigold away. The man leaned away, snickering, and Edward thought he'd back off finally. Instead he casually moved into Ed's space again and without warning, slapped him hard across the face, shocking him backwards into the shelved books. 

"Stop," Edward gasped, shaking, hands up. Hornigold slammed him into the wall again, this time the back of Ed's head nailing the sharp mahogany edge of a shelf. The man's beefy hands pinned him in a strangle. Ed choked, eyes wide and terrified. 

"I couldn't take you? Look at you!" He roared, his large, bulbous face less than an inch away. 

Ed pulled out his knife from his leather vest and aimed for the gut. Hornigold blocked it, smacked the weapon from his hand. "You-!" Livid, he didn't even finish, just hefted his knee up and brought his boot down, stomping Ed's knee.

Ed's vision whited out, his breath stolen out of his lungs. He gagged, might've screamed but it sounded like something distant, like it was filtering through a long tunnel. 

Ears ringing, vision flickering back in, the agony in his knee was pure fire streaming up and down his leg from the center. He blinked and realized he was on his stomach, on the floor by Stede's bed. He must've dragged himself there. 

Was it over? 

Please, let it be over, Ed begged inwardly.

He heard heavy footsteps fast approaching. He couldn't do anything to stop rough, powerful hands flipping him over. Hornigold straddled him. He was heavy and smelled like tobacco. He spoke the same phrases he did when Ed was twenty, and his voice echoed in Ed's mind. With a stuttered sob, Ed was thrown back in time.

"You want another kick to the knee?"

Hornigold ripped Ed's leather vest, then his purple shirt off.

"Lie still, stop fighting or I'll blow out your other one."

He pulled Ed's trousers down, past the shattered knee and Ed screamed in agony. Thick, calloused hands touched him where he'd never…

"Good, you're learning."

Ed's eyes slit open, renewed rebellion burning bright. He'd never "learned" - he'd always fought. Before Hornigold, he'd never needed a brace.

Frantically, he searched with his hands, fingers scrabbling, and found something sharp-ish on a low shelf built into the wall by the bed.

It was the stupid whale that had ended the life of Nigel Badminton. Ed rolled his eyes at it. Of all the fucking things. 

Suddenly the door opened, Stede bursting in while talking to Lucius trailing behind him, nose deep in the journal. 

Benjamin Hornigold froze over Ed's body, fiery eyes threatening. He grabbed the whale from Ed's hands and threw it aside.

He mouthed, "Do not say a fucking word." 

Ed bit his lip, eyes brimming with tears. He couldn't say why he was following Hornigold's orders. He just knew he was in agony and trapped and Hornigold had stopped touching him. Staying still and silent to keep everything frozen like glass as it was right now… that sounded good.

"Oh," Stede gasped, stopping in his tracks at the scandalous sight before him. Lucius bumped into him. A second later, the heavy journal thudded to the floor. 

"A little privacy? Would be appreciated," Hornigold bluffed.

Ed squeezed his eyes shut and tried to breathe.

Chapter End Notes

Thank you so much for reading - please kudos or comment if you can spare the time! <333

Chapter 2

Chapter Notes

Oh man, this fic has now gotten a bit longer! Third chapter to be posted tomorrow (I'm on such a roll 🥰)

See the end of the chapter for more notes

Stede had been trying his best since Benjamin Hornigold had boarded The Revenge as an honored guest. 

The trouble was mostly how the man eyed Ed when he wasn't looking. Sly and hungry, Stede was altogether unsettled by it.

Ed had laughed, joked that Stede might be jealous. 

Stede didn't feel jealous, though. He would have preferred to feel jealous.

Instead, he felt something darker. Wary of this man, and worried about Ed. There was something about the way Ed acted around Hornigold that was off kilter. By all accounts, Ed was amicable, even jovial with Hornigold. By the way the crew engaged with open interest, they weren't sensing anything either. It was only Stede, really, who was noticing how close Ed kept to him. He wasn't even touching him more than normal. It was just proximity. Anything Hornigold would do that attracted attention and instead of leaning into it, Ed was always taking small, barely-there steps closer to Stede. It didn't feel affectionate or protective as these things usually went between them. No, it felt… insecure. 

So, Stede wasn't fond of the idea of leaving Ed and Hornigold in the same room alone together but unfortunately, Roach did need him. They had to assess their foodstuffs for what to protect and preserve in anticipation of the storm that evening. It was very important, and when he was done with that, Lucius came by to talk about stormy weather patterns on the sea, and Stede was excited to ask and learn more from Ed about that.

Stede and Lucius entered the Captain's Quarters at a fast clip, chatting happily, only to find Hornigold straddling Ed, nude with his clothes torn off.

"A little privacy? Would be appreciated," Hornigold said smoothly; such convincing, charming merriment threaded the request.

The journal dropped out of Lucius's hands.

"No," he whispered dramatically, unable to believe Ed would cheat on Stede. 

Stede was way ahead of Lucius, though. He took in Ed's glittering eyes, the tear streaks down his cheeks, his labored breathing, the purple undershirt he liked ripped down the front.

Worse than anything though, Ed wasn't speaking, wasn't calling for help. His lips were pressed together, his jaw so clenched, Stede could see veins along his temple. 

What leverage could Hornigold possibly have over him?

It didn't matter.

Stede turned to Lucius and whispered, "Go get Jim." Jim was lethal and discrete. They'd be perfect backup. Lucius nodded and raced out of the room.

Hornigold grunted. "I suppose we're gonna have a problem, then." 

He lifted up, off of Ed, and as he did, his gun slid out of its holster while Ed held onto it, still prone on the floor.

It took Hornigold a moment to understand what had happened, looking between Ed naked on the floor and the same man brandishing his own gun at him.

"You wouldn't," Hornigold seethed. Ed's eyes were shiny, black pools. He was trembling, the gun shaking in his hand as he dragged a blanket from off Stede's bed to cover himself up.

"Ed," Stede breathed, tearing up. Ed flinched but refused to look at Stede.

"Oh, don't you worry about him," Hornigold sneered. He must've decided that if Ed were going to shoot, it would've been earlier. "He's playing the victim. He always got so maudlin about these things," Hornigold laughed good-naturedly, turning to an increasingly horrified Stede.

The door opened and Jim slinked in, followed by Oluwande and Lucius. 

"Captain?" Olu asked.

 "Seize Captain Hornigold. Now." Stede's voice was low and commanding. 

Hornigold blustered. "This is preposterous. Blackbeard and I were enjoying ourselves. He's just trying to make it look like this now that you've caught us-"

Jim put a knife to his throat, backed him all the way across the room, far away from Ed. They slammed him into a wall. "One more word," Olu spoke for Jim, "and it goes in your neck." 

Hornigold shut his mouth, eyes blazing at the sight of Stede rushing over and sliding to his knees beside Ed. 

Ed lowered the gun but he couldn't take his eyes away from Hornigold. "I'm okay," he whispered to Stede.

"You're not. You're shaking like a leaf. It's shock." 

Ed wrenched his gaze away from Hornigold. "Oh." he looked down at his shaky hands. The rest of him was trembling too, he realized. "Okay."

Stede got his hands under Ed's arms and lifted so he could lean him against the wall below the bed. The movement jarred Ed's knee and the pirate cried out in pain.

"What-?" Stede couldn't see the problem. Ed was reaching towards his leg. "What…" Stede whipped the blanket off to look at it - specifically the broken brace dangling, the knee swelling.

Ed breathed heavily, moving through the pain. He watched and waited for Stede's reaction and for some reason, he was afraid. Stede might blame him for this; might find fault with him for Hornigold's behavior.  Stede might buy Hornigold's story that they'd willingly been together in the past. Or he could see Stede thinking he'd been leading Hornigold on these past three days. It'd explain why Stede had been a little jealous.

Stede betrayed nothing though, at the sight of Ed's mangled knee. He just frowned, studying it. He brought his hands up like he'd touch it but stopped when Ed gasped and jerked away.

"It's… it's okay, Stede," Ed heard himself saying. "Just, it was an accident." 

Stede gave him a look he'd never seen before - almost like he'd been stunned: eyes wide and blazing, mouth half open and frowning - before gently placing his hand over Ed's and the gun. He slid the weapon out from under Ed's hand, and checked it was loaded and ready to fire.

"S-Stede?" Ed stared up at him, eyes wet, uncertain.

Stede quickly turned away from the love of his life and got up, took four precise steps, faced Hornigold, and shot both his knees out.

The screaming was wretched.

It was satisfying, too.

"Throw him and the rest of his crew overboard if they're not gone in three minutes. Starting," Stede looked at the clock, completely unperturbed by Captain Hornigold's outraged, horrified shrieks. "Now."

Olu, Jim, and Lucius nodded and carried out their orders with something like pride. Because this? This was justice. Their Captain never chose violence before but this time he had, and none of them felt a great loss of character for it. 

Stede least of all.

He returned to Ed's side. Ed swallowed nervously, hoping Stede was alright after the most violent act he'd ever committed. Stede took a deep breath and let it out, then finally fixed his sights on Ed.

"Maiming's different, right? We love a good maim."

Ed started laughing, small and giggly at first until he needed bigger breaths for a deeper laugh but instead his throat was closing on him, his sinuses were stinging and the pit in his stomach dug deeper. He was supposed to be laughing. 

He fell to sobs. He held his hands out above his chest, not quite daring to reach for Stede. Stede scooted closer along Ed's side.

"Tell me if it hurts, okay? I'll stop whatever I'm doing. One, two, three," and Stede gently shifted Ed's upper body against him. 

Ed whimpered and tightened his grip around Stede, smelling the lavender and firewood, touching his clean clothes, letting Stede's comforting warmth surround him. 

Stede whispered love, rubbed Ed's back and let him cry. 

His hand moved to the back of his head and startled when he felt slick wet strands. Stede's fingers came away with blood.

"I couldn't… He…" Ed tried to explain but failed. Stede shushed him and hugged him tighter. 

Sinking into Stede's embrace, exhaustion came fast. Ed's cries tapered off. His vision drifted to his arms around Stede's back. Distantly, he thought about how he'd always liked his tattoos contrasting with Stede's beautiful clothes. 

Things were starting to feel floaty and surreal. Ed was going limp, his mind mixing reality and dreams.

Stede said something and kissed his neck, rubbed his back. They were soft but strong touches that Ed could've soaked up forever because he'd never known a man who could be so respectfully affectionate. 

Impossible unrealities were folding in on each other. Ed decided he wasn't worried. He could be dying and it would be fine because he was in Stede's arms. 

His last thoughts were a sensible reasoning that he was just passing out after everything that had happened. Not dying. The universe knew he needed more time with Stede before he could die.

Darkness enveloped him.

Chapter End Notes

Thank you for reading! Please kudos or comment if you can spare a second 💛💛💛

Chapter 3

Chapter Notes

Final chapter. Thank you so much for everybody's who's commented - it's such a blast seeing your reactions and replying back!

See the end of the chapter for more notes

It was dusk, and the storm that'd been brewing all day had descended. Books were sliding all over the floor as the ship rocked with the seas. Ed could hear the men outside yelling to each other and calling instructions, obeying orders that'd keep them alive. Maybe. Hopefully.

He needed to get out there.

He sat up and realized he'd been placed into bed. He had gauze around his head. He whipped the blankets off and discovered he'd been clothed in one of Stede's nightshirts. Pulling up the hem, he felt in the dark: thick gauze padding wrapped around his knee, practically immobilizing it. 

Good, that was good, he thought. He could do this until he got another brace. It'd have to be stronger now, and worn more often. His heart sank at the thought, but it was what it was. Now, especially, was not the time to wallow.

Ed gingerly brought his feet to the floor and breathed. He felt clean . His hair was combed and pulled back neatly, his face was absent of charcoal, he smelled of Stede's lavender. He was slightly embarrassed at the thought of Stede tending to him like this, but also… blatantly loved. 

The Revenge tilted sideways and Ed snapped out of it. He threw off the gown, put his leathers back on, picked through the sea of ashy books - for the fireplace's dregs had slid out of their proper spots too - and limped his way on deck to make sure the greatest pirate in the world wouldn't perish over a stupid tropical storm. 

To be fair, Stede and his crew were adequate and they would likely survive without him. It was just better to be safe than sorry. At least with Ed's help they'd get out of the worst of this thing faster, and that was not an advantage to dismiss.

Ed knew the minute Stede caught sight of him, limping along, holding on to the rails and ropes.

"Are you nuts!?" Stede cried over the howling storm, running to him.

"A little bit, yeah!" Ed grinned, exhilarated. The tempest was something to behold. The sea was black with cresting whites crashing against the Revenge. The ship lurched and groaned, the seamen whooped and hollered. The skies were breaking open, fathoms of gray swirling above with flashes of light streaking through and it was… it was catharsis. Ed's damaged soul channeled into this beautiful natural violence.

One look at Ed, his wild eyes and spirited grin, and Stede said no more about Ed's choice to Co-Captain on deck. He was Blackbeard. He was the Kraken. The seas and winds were his home even at their most ferocious.

Captains Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet screamed themselves hoarse on the deck, bellowing commands. They communicated flawlessly, their crew proved receptive and quick on their feet for their Co-Captains. Two hours later, their wet smiling faces shone in moon glow, the night sky above them clear. As Buttons stripped to bask on the bow, Frenchie strolled the deck playing a relaxing melody on his lute. Black Pete had his arms around Lucius as they watched the storm's dark clouds and lightning gain distance. Wee John, Fang, and Ivan were sitting together on barrels on deck, talking casually about what food they would get at whatever their next port would be. The Swede was already sleeping, having secured himself in the Revenge’s ropes. Roach was probably asleep up in the crow's nest too. Jim and Olu were their own unit, discussing whether it would be a good idea to follow the storm and scavenge from the shipwrecks it had left behind.

Stede was surveying them all while keeping his closest eye on Ed. It wasn't terribly difficult, seeing as he was holding Ed against him with an iron grip. His limp had worsened considerably through the night as the gauze had gotten wet and lost its integrity. The ship had launched sideways under a massive wave and Ed almost slid down the deck into the roiling waters before Stede was right there, hefting Ed up against his side. They hadn't separated since.

For Ed's part, his head pain was a thumping rhythm and his knee was screaming for relief. He wanted to roll into Stede, curl around him and just rest . He was already halfway there, practically hanging off Stede by the time they made it back inside the Captain's quarters together. 

"I'm not too clingy, right?" Ed joked as Stede got him inside. 

"Cling away," Stede replied generously. 

They picked their way through the sea of books on the floor. Most of them had been slid to a far wall, so it wasn't that bad.

Stede carefully put Ed down on the floor. They were soaking wet so the closer to the fire's hearth, the better.

Olu and Lucius followed them and got to lighting the fireplace. They were kind. They offered their availability to help their two captains should they need anything before taking their leave without so much as a wistful glance back at the crackling flames.

Stede, after giving his usual polite thank you's and goodbyes, gathered some more gauze from his supplies in a cabinet. He brought it over and sat next to Ed to warm up.

Ed hadn't even realized how cold and clammy he'd been until he began to thaw. He was feeling the first twinges of pain spiraling out from his knee. The adrenaline and cold must've been numbing him earlier. Ed decided he'd ignore it for as long as he could. He pulled off his leather vest and wet undershirt.

Stede looked over, studied Ed's tattoos a little before he asked, "Which robe can I get you?"

"Raspberry birds," Ed replied easily and Stede grinned, getting up and going over to his bed to find it. He changed into his own nightshirt and yellow robe quickly. 

"You want a nightshirt?" Stede offered it along with the tasseled velvet robe. Ed hummed in pleasant acquiescence, taking the garments in hand. He pulled the nightshirt over his neck and chest. He started on his pants and Stede thought to give him some space until he hissed with pain when he got to his knee. 

"Turns out I'm going to need your help here," Ed gritted out. "The fire - the feeling's coming back into the leg."

"Oh no, but that does make a lot of sense," Stede murmured compassionately as he came over and knelt in front of him. Ed snorted, rueful. The leather pants were bunched around the ball of wet gauze around Ed's knee. Stede worked to loosen them a little.

"Okay, so now we're just going to…" he trailed off. With steady fingers, Stede delicately began pulling Ed's pants down, inch by inch over the knee and its soggied wrap. Ed's breathing hitched, he gasped and whimpered as Stede got over the topmost part of his knee. "And it's over, it's done," Stede assured, getting Ed's pants all the way off. He grabbed a pillow from the ottoman. "Lie down," he instructed, and Ed's reluctance was cursory; he really had no strength left, his knee throbbed with sudden, staccato shooting pains, his head still ringing like a gong, and Stede was holding him, directing him to the floor already, setting the pillow under his head, petting his hair and rubbing his back through the soft cotton of his nightshirt.

Stede draped the raspberry velvet robe over him and Ed nestled into it with a shiver. "I'm gonna wrap your knee in dry bandages now. Okay, Ed?" Stede was looking at him. Ed pressed his lips together and nodded. Stede gently brushed his hair off his face. "Okay. It'll just be a few minutes."

Stede trailed his hands down Ed's body, just a light pressure so Ed knew where he was without having to look. The man settled in front of his bad knee and used a sharp knife to make quick work of the wet bandages.

Stede let out a breath. "It's not… too bad," he murmured and Ed chuckled. "I've got it," he assured, and it seemed he did. Ed was impressed, even, as Stede did a great job with bandaging the knee again. Not too loose, not too constricting; it felt secure.

"How's your head?" Stede asked distractedly.

Ed closed his eyes and sighed. "It's fine," he lied. There was nothing to do about it even if he'd told the truth. Might as well spare Stede the worry. 

Stede finished with his knee. He pulled the hem of Ed's nightshirt down and bit his lip, looking Ed over. His breathing was steadying, eyes closed. He’d moved his hair out to the side closest to the fire at some point, all the faster to dry. The nightshirt and robe covered most of his tattoos except the hawk on his chest, its wings spread open and free. The rush of love and affection for the pirate spread through Stede, warmed him, and gave him courage. Stede took a big breath, pressed a comforting palm to Ed's hip. "Darling-?"

Surprised by the endearment, Ed opened his eyes.

"How are you?" Stede's sincerity struck deeper than Ed could’ve anticipated and totally against his will, the pirate’s eyes glistened as he swallowed the lump in his throat. He thought about the day and almost couldn't believe it had happened. But, he could remember Hornigold's stench, his beady eyes, his foot stroking his knee brace. The dread and fear Ed felt, which he refused to acknowledge until it was too late and as a result, he'd almost fallen prey to this man again . It was infuriating. It’d been terrifying.

A tear slipped down Ed’s cheek, his chin quivered, and instead of saying anything he looked around and found Stede's hand with his own and squeezed, far preferring stabilizing touch over speech. 

"Hey," Stede whispered, moving in closer. "You're shaking."

"It's cold," Ed defended. He let go of Stede’s hand in favor of reaching for a hug. It still amazed Ed, how easily Stede could be touched, how he just naturally moved into Ed's orbit, perfectly in synchrony with how he wanted to hold, or be held. 

Pulling Ed into his arms, Stede was unwavering solid warmth. He hefted them up to a seated position on the floor and Ed carefully wrapped himself around the man even more. 

"Careful of the leg," Stede murmured kindly. Ed hummed and nuzzled into the crook of Stede's neck.

“Ed-”

"Talking won't help, Stede," Ed said. He was sure Stede wanted to 'talk things through as a crew' or as captains, or partners as they were, but Ed couldn’t see it. "Not for this." He hoped Stede wouldn’t take it as an affront, or insist they talk anyway. Ed wasn’t sure he could handle that.

Instead, Stede nodded. He kissed his neck, his hair, and Ed was so thankful that Stede wasn’t pulling away from him.

"Maybe not now," Stede whispered into Ed's ear. His breath was warm and smelled like Earl Grey tea, and Ed loved every detail of this man. "But if you ever change your mind, I want to know. I want to know everything, Ed."

Ed grimaced at the idea of telling Stede everything. It had been torture. Ed turned his head so his chin hooked over Stede's shoulder. “Okay,” he agreed. “I don’t want to think about it, though? If that’s okay?” 

“Okay, my love,” Stede whispered back. “More than okay.” Another tear slipped down Ed’s cheek, but it was gratitude and joy that Stede was still holding him, loving him. Ed watched the flames flicker in the fireplace and thought about Stede. He sniffed, getting himself together. "And you? How are you?" 

He hadn't been able to spare much thought to it, but now with Stede, after what Stede had done, guilt had begun to gnaw at him. What happened today had led to Stede making a decision that'd follow him the rest of his life. He was a changed man. He was that much closer to being a ‘real pirate,’ and Ed mourned the loss of innocence; knew it was because of him, and his dark, filthy past.

But Stede just shrugged and pulled away for a split second to readjust them. He got Ed to look into his eyes before he pressed his forehead against Ed's. "I have no regrets. I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

Ed took a shuddered breath. He heard what Stede said but he couldn't stop thinking now. If he'd just rejected Hornigold's request to come aboard, if he'd just told Stede at the outset of his visit, if he'd fought harder, Stede wouldn't have had to do what he did. "But…" Ed's face screwed up. "It's my fault you had to do it," he whispered, his voice crackling with emotion.

"No," Stede dragged the word out like an urgent hum, brows furrowed. "My love, it wasn't your fault," Stede whispered and Ed started crying, quiet but persistent gasps. "It wasn't your fault," Stede repeated the healing words between soft, shallow kisses around Ed's face. 

"Say it."

"It wasn't my fault."

Stede's teary smile was radiant. It made Ed smile too. The two of them looked ridiculous, surely, gazing into each other's eyes, wrapped around each other on the floor in their night shirts, lit up by the crackling fire.

At some point, Stede got up to stoke the fire and strip his bed of blankets, unknowingly making something like the pillow fort Ed had constructed some time ago. This was less of a fort though; more of a nest. The blankets and pillows were strewn around for various strategic purposes. Notably, to cushion every possible direction Ed might move his knee in the night. It made him laugh, even more so when Stede said he hadn't forgotten Ed's head injury, and threatened to strap a pillow around his skull.

Despite everything, the rest of the evening felt like a boyhood dream to Ed. He'd somehow befriended a wealthy playmate from the Carmody Estate, and after a stormy adventure on the high seas, he'd gotten permission to sleep over with all their nice things. 

It was so much better than that though, Ed knew. Stede had saved him so many times, in so many ways…

Completely oblivious to Ed's romantic musings, Stede zoomed in with a mischievous glint in his eyes and landed a particularly wet kiss on his lips. Ed let out a disgusted laugh. His knee twitched and Stede stilled quickly, cautious but still grinning.

"How close are we to the next port?"

"Um," Ed made a face, trying to estimate where they'd been blown by the storm. "Maybe a few days. Might be Nassau, might be further north, near St. Augustine's or something. Why?"

"We've got some shopping to do."

"What shopping?"

"New brace for your knee. Can't have you limping around all day."

"You'd carry me," Ed replied, comically overconfident and smiling with his eyes closed.

Stede made a face. "M-Maybe I could give you a piggyback ride every now and then.”

“Yeah.”

“But mostly we’d probably just cart you around in a wheelbarrow,” Stede reasoned. 

Ed raised an eyebrow. “You’ve got a fancy wheelbarrow?”

“We could try to make the one we’ve got fancy. Put… jewels on it and such.”

“I suppose just getting a new brace would be best.”

“Yes. We should put jewels on it though.”

“Definitely.”

Chapter End Notes

I felt it necessary to end my story with the prospect of a new bedazzled leg brace for Ed 😂

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Afterword

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