Work Text:
The matter of the spot nearest the door belonging to Ed, really hadn't been up for debate. Didn't mean they hadn't tried.
-*-
“Move in, that's my spot.”
Despite clearly speaking to Izzy, being that he was the one currently dosing off where he didn't belong; it was Stede who raised his head, from its comfortable spot on Izzy's chest, “I did not know we had assigned seats Edward.” He flashed him his trademark 'I'm about to compromise us out of an argument'-smile, and patted the spot behind him, “there is half a bed right here, a prime piece of real-estate just waiting for any handsome big spoon to wander by.” He was very sweet as he drew circles on Izzy's chest, and sent him that look.
So, Ed bent down and gave him a soft kiss for this troubles, before moving his mouth to hover right by Izzy's ear, “move or be moved.” This wasn't an argument.
“Captain, I heard somebody request a large spoon somewhere over there”, he made a provocative hand wave in the general direction, eyes still shut, lazy grin telling him he knew exactly what he was doing.
Throughly provoked, and being a man of his word; Ed scooped one hand under his neck and the other under his knees and tossed him toward the window spot, with as little effort as warning. First time in years he heard him yelp.
“What the fuck!?” The look he sent him could have bend steel.
“Edward!” And the look Stede sent him left no confusion as to who's side he was on, in what now very much was an argument.
Ok, maybe he shouldn't have done that, but oh well, in for a penny in for a pound, “see, compromise, I get to sleep on my side, you turn around and get this absolute unit of a spoon,” he tried to eyebrow wiggle his way out of this whole mess, “and you get..to be man-handled...by a handsome spoon...” His eyebrows were so failing him. “Some people are into that, you know”.
“Twat.”
Oh, that was bad, Izzy might swear like a... well, a sailor, but that one meant he was proper mad.
And he was. He was absolutely, visible, seething with rage as plonked himself back down, on his back but very much facing away from him. Stede gave him a final exasperated glance, before carefully snuggling himself back half across his chest; drawing nervous circles. Izzy gave him a quick, blink and you'll miss it, stroke on the cheek.
Ed felt like a scolded school-boy as he crawled into bed; wincing as he maneuvered his especially-sore-today knee into position. Maybe he should have been less of a twat, and told them this was about not wanting to climb over them. “Soo, I wasn't really trying to claim 2/3 of the bed, you can come closer..if you want to...”
The silence told him to go fuck himself.
-*-
Izzy prided himself on being the first aboard to rise, every morning, without exception. It was his duty as first mate to be up and ready for them when the imbeciles decided to make an appearance, or when he decided to make them make one.
Having to crawl over two people really wasn't ideal.
Stede was easy; supporting his head as he wiggled out from under him, rolling him on his side to face Ed. His pampered nature would allow nothing to wake him at dawn. Even in his sleep, he found his way to being nuzzled up in the nape of Ed's neck with little effort.
Ed was a whole other story; his effort to stay way clear of his knee, just meant he was straddle across his hip, when the light-sleeping bastard's eyes shot open.
“Well, Shit. Go back to sleep.” He whispered, and tried to retract the back leg, when Ed grabbed him, pulling him down in a frankly possessive hug, and god damn him if he didn't yelp again. Not to speak of the flailing. That would never be spoken of.
“Edward for fucks sake!” He was no longer whispering, and back to seething, “release me, I have work to do.”
“Nah mate, can wait, heard your boss's a bit of a push-over,” one arm stayed tight around his waist, whilst the other hand was carded through his hair, before squishing his head into Ed's other nape, nose to nose with Stede, who remained miraculously dead to the world. “Let's just hang out for a bit.”
He caught on at some point that it was meant to be an apology, even if it was a pretty shit one. Thoughts that matter, or whatever the fuck Stede said. “Fuck's sake, Edward,” he relaxed into insufferable man's insufferable arms, and gave the nape a quick nose nuzzle, that he, even to himself, would deny ever having done. The arms loosened their grip, the one in his hair stroking softly.
The arms wouldn't properly release him till he was way late for work, and Stede was looking at them with that damn near ever-present look of pleasant surprise.
After that the sleeping arrangements were an unspoken rule.