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They parted from that kiss, but they stayed so close their breath mingled in the air between them. After a few heartbeats, Ed spoke.
“That was better, don’t you think?”
“Yeah, yeah, much better,” Stede agreed, reasonably. “Last time was a bit rubbish. I mean, you were so nervous, and--”
“I was nervous? You looked like you were about to shit yourself and vomit all at once! You should’ve seen your face, mate, I thought--”
“Excuse me, but I haven’t availed myself of every whorehouse between Nassau and Port Royal twice over, so I haven’t had quite the--”
“Is that what you’ve heard? Is that what they’re saying about me?” Ed looked half-delighted at the idea.
“Well, I mean, not precisely in those terms, but your reputation is, well it’s, ah, not inconsiderable, is all I’m saying, so it’s rather--”
“Intimidating? Overwhelming?” Ed was grinning, a light in his eyes that Stede had worried he might not ever see again. “Awe-inspiring?”
“You smug bastard, shut the hell up.” Stede was scowling but also biting back a smile, and he drew back the scrap of fabric and smacked Ed’s chest with it. “And this! This!” he exclaimed as if he suddenly realized what it was he held. “This was my favorite dressing gown, and you… you cut it up?”
Ed had the sense to look at least slightly ashamed. “Wanted a part of you to keep with me. Couldn’t make myself get rid of everything.” He reached out to run the fabric between his finger and thumb. “Smelled like you.” He looked up at Stede through thick, black eyelashes. Stede’s heart skipped a beat. “I kept it. The robe. We can patch it up.”
Stede looked down at the grubby scrap of fabric, covered in black grease, wrinkled, shredded on the sides. “Yeah, maybe,” he said, trying to keep the skepticism from his voice.
“And then… I’ve thought about this long and hard… I want to fuck you while you’re wearing it.”
He said it so evenly, so matter-of-fact, that Stede almost didn’t believe what he’d heard. His crew had spoken candidly of such things, of course, and so had Ed on a few occasions. But never about him!
“O-oh,” said Stede, his eyebrows rising practically to the ceiling. “You… you do, do you?”
Ed looked instantly regretful, frightened that he had gone too far. “If that’s… you know… something you’re interested in. With me. Are you? Interested in… that?” His voice went up in pitch with every word, ending almost on a squeak.
“Yes, yes I am,” Stede was quick to say. “I think. I think I am. I don’t really know, actually, having never, ah… done… that before.”
Ed frowned. “You have children, man.”
“Yes, I do, you are correct. But children result from a certain kind of… activity. And the activity you are speaking of is… it’s different, I believe. Right?” He knew the mechanics of it. Anyone who shared close quarters with Lucius for more than a few days would have learned that, if nothing else.
“Right,” said Ed. Carefully, he asked, “So you’ve never… Only with your wife?” Stede nodded. Ed blew out a long breath, his eyes widening. “Okay. All right. I mean, of course it’s all right, ‘s your body, isn’t it, and you can do with it as you like.” Stede didn’t know what to say to that. Ed went on. “I suppose we’ll take things slow.” He put his hand on Stede’s knee and squeezed lightly. Stede shivered. “We can--”
There was a knock at the door. They both turned toward it and, in unison, shouted, “Fuck off!”
Stede looked into Ed’s eyes. “You were saying?” he prompted, a slight tremor in his voice. His gaze dropped to Ed’s mouth.
“What was I saying?” Ed murmured. His own eyes were on Stede’s mouth now, and he leaned closer, closer…
There was a banging on the door now. A voice called through, “You’d both better put some clothes on, because I’m coming in!”
“What the--” Ed muttered, but he was cut off when the door opened and Lucius stepped in.
“Oh for fuck’s sake,” Lucius exclaimed, his expression falling when he saw them merely sitting side by side on the edge of the bed. “Really? You’ve had hours!” He threw his hands up in exasperation.
Stede started to mutter some excuse, but Ed jumped in. “You’re alive?” His eyes were wide.
“Yes, no thanks to you,” Lucius sneered, folding his arms. “I see you’ve made up, at least,” he said, directing his attention to Stede.
“We have, thank you,” Stede said primly.
“Well, you’ll have to save it for another time,” said Lucius. “There’s a whole fleet of English navy ships bearing down on us, and we need our captains.” He turned to go, then turned back and added, “Oh, and we put all the assholes in the brig.”
“What assholes?” asked Stede.
“The new crew, and his lot.” He nodded at Ed.
“Izzy, too?” asked Ed.
“Yes, Izzy, too.”
“Oh thank god,” Ed breathed.
“We kept out Fang and Ivan, though. They’re all right, really.” Lucius threw one last lingering glance over his shoulder, smirking in a very “it’s about bloody time” way, then sashayed out and closed the door.
“Well,” said Stede. Their arms were pressed together, and their knees bumped. He took a breath, then forced himself to stand up. It was one of the hardest things he’d ever done. “Shall we, Captain?” He held out his hand to Ed.
Ed took it and let himself be lifted to his feet. “We shall. Captain.” He gave a nod, his eyes twinkling. The black paint was gone. The kraken was gone. He was just Ed. My Ed, Stede thought. Still holding his hand, Stede led him out onto the deck to face their next adventure together.