A/N: Enjoy this pretty long chapter! It does have some suggestions to some sexual activity but does not get explicit. I have written the full M-rated version so if anyone is interested I can post that too.

Ed slid up beside Stede, startling him. Stede's gaze softened into an adoring smile and instantly leaned in towards his co-captain.

"Do you trust me?" Ed asked with a grin.

"Of course." Stede answered swiftly but his eyes then narrowed inquisitively, recognizing the mischievous glint in his eyes. "What are you up to?"

Ed reached out to clap his shoulder. "I'll chart a new course for us. Don't worry, it shouldn't be too out of the way."

"What isn't?" Stede frowned, turning as Ed pranced happily across the deck of the Revenge.

Ed turned back to him with a grin. "It's a surprise, Stede!"

Stede furrowed his brow, his lips pressed together as he watched Ed disappear into the captain's quarters.

He did trust Ed, explicitly, and knew that whatever Ed had planned would be absolutely brilliant.

Several hours later, after evading every attempt of Stede trying to sneak a look at what Ed had planned, Ed called him up to the helm.

He grinned at Stede and then grabbed hold of the telescope and peered out across the seemingly empty sea.

"I don't believe it." Ed laughed. "It's still there."

Stede squinted across the distance to get the barest glimpse of a small smattering of trees. "An island?"

"Not the island." He thrust the telescope into his hands and gestured for him to take a look. Stede gave him a brief glance and then did so.

His eyes scanned the area - the open water, the island and then…there. A ship appeared to be marooned on the beach, partially hidden by some overgrown trees but still visible.

"Are we looting?" Stede asked with a grin, excitement bubbling inside of him as he looked at Ed.

Ed was grinning at him. "Can't loot your own ship."

Stede's brow furrowed. "My…what?"

"Not yours, mine."

Stede's eyes widened and his eyes shot back out over the ocean and then back to Ed.

"Admittedly, my original stay upon the Revenge wasn't meant to be so long. I always intended to go back to my ship so I just docked it here, figuring it would be well out of the way enough that no other pirates would come across it. It was a low chance mind you, but it worked." Ed explained with a giddy grin.

Stede blinked, trying to ignore the pull in his chest. "You want your ship back?"

"Hm?" Ed murmured, distractedly, and then quickly shook his head and reached out and placed his hand on his arm. "No, mate, I don't want my ship back. This is my ship. But what's on the ship…that I want."

Stede let out a small breath of relief and then let the curiosity stir within his stomach. "What's on it?"

Ed winked at him and patted his arm. "You're gonna find out."

Ed practically flew up the ladder and onto the Queen Anne, grinning as he swung over the side and onto the deck.

Stede was not far behind him with an awe-filled smile of his own.

It seemed like a lifetime ago Ed had left the ship. When Stede was just the mysterious, intriguing Gentlemen Pirate who was bleeding out. The longer he spent aboard the Revenge, the more he forgot about this ship. It hadn't even occurred to him to return to it during those dreadful weeks of the Kraken.

Nostalgia tugged at his insides as he looked around. He had been bored aboard this vessel and so he embraced his journey and place aboard the Revenge wholeheartedly, but he had spent years of his life here.

Stede was gawking as he looked around the ship. It was larger than the Revenge but not too much larger, but Stede was fascinated by any ship they came across and was particularly fascinated by anything that was Ed's.

Their crew also boarded behind and Ed enjoyed watching their reactions.

Whether he left it behind or not, this ship was a part of him, and he was happy to share it with his new crew - with people he was starting to accept as friends.

With a grin, Ed grabbed hold of Stede's hand and pulled him towards the captain's room.

Stede followed him eagerly with a grin of his own.

With his free hand, Ed pushed open the door and let out a small breath of relief and a smile when he found everything just as he had left it.

Stede's eyes widened and his jaw dropped as he entered the room behind Ed.

He took a few silent moments to scan every inch of the room, taking in everything that was Ed.

He released Ed's hand and walked further into the room, walking immediately over to the large desk cluttered with very many objects.

"What'd you think?"

Stede's face lit up in a smile and he turned to Ed. "This is wonderful. This is what you wanted to show me?"

Ed nodded with a smile of his own and approached him. "It came to me as you were talking about what you might want to fill your room with."

"Our room." Stede corrected. "But go on."

Ed's smile widened, his heart soaring at the correction.

"All the talk of buying or stealing and rebuilding and I remembered -" he paused and raised his arms, gesturing to their surroundings. "I have a whole bunch of shit just waiting here. Now I realize probably a lot of it isn't your style…"

Stede shook his head with a smile. "It's your belongings, Ed. If they're important to you, they're my style."

Ed raised an eyebrow with a small smirk. "That's a real human skull mate."

Stede's eyes widened slightly as he looked behind him to the skull sitting on the desk.

"Did you kill this man?"

"What? No. Found it."

"Okay then. Human anatomy is fascinating." He took the skull into his hands, cradling it gently and examined its surface. "You have to wonder…how did this poor man die? How long ago? What kind of life did he live before meeting his demise? Is this mark here part of his cause of death or wear and tear from the elements?"

Ed laughed, out of pure delighted shock. "I bloody love you."

Stede grinned at him, eyes shining as he placed the skull back down.

"I took your things away from you," Ed said, suddenly sobering and Stede's brow furrowed as Ed took a few steps toward him, "and regardless of the reason why, that was a really shit thing to do and no matter what you say I will feel bad about it. The least I can do now is share my things with you."

Ed sniffed and shrugged nonchalantly as he took a quick glance around the room. "I wouldn't say I'm a collector of things, not like you, but these things did interest me enough to take them and keep them but I never had anyone to share that interest with."

Stede's face lit up in an adoring, loving smile as he gazed at Ed, holding one of the knick- knacks tenderly in his grasp.

"I love you." He said simply because those three words expressed every bit of what he was feeling.

Ed looked back at him and smiled. "I love you too, mate."

Ed watched, delighted, from his place sprawled out over the chair in the corner, as Stede continued to examine every object with genuine interest and glee.

He asked about each one and Ed answered, telling his story about how he had acquired it and why.

It was his past as Blackbeard colliding with his present and the feeling was powerful. He still wasn't sure if he would be calling himself Blackbeard anymore to the world but it would always be part of him, a part of him that he could accept and share with the man he loved. The man who accepted and loved him.

Watching Stede appreciate his things was a marvel and he could watch it all day.

Stede eventually found the pile of fabric that was Ed's own wardrobe.

His brow twitched and he frowned in adorable distaste but didn't remark at the state of the disorganized pile.

He simply started to pick each garment up with tender care and examine it. His face twisted into new, delightful expressions, accompanied by noises of astonishment.

He continued his questioning to Ed with each one and Ed recounted the story of each one to the best of his memory.

Stede, after he finished his questions and examination of each garment, would fold each one carefully, smile over at Ed and then place it down gently.

About halfway through the pile, Stede's eyes widened as he gently grabbed hold of a beautiful violet and gold trimmed vest. A delighted gasp caught in his throat and his eyes filled with awe as he ran his fingers tenderly across the material.

"Edward, where did you find this one?"

"Hm?" Ed lifted himself up, craning his neck to see across the room where Stede was still holding the garment close to his person.

"Oh, that one. A marooned and abandoned ship - oh my god Stede you would have loved this one. It was bigger than the Revenge and the captain's quarters was filled with so much shit, my crew had a field day looting it. We ended up hawking almost everything but that I kept for myself - ended up not wearing it much because well…" he shrugged. "Bit too much of a fine thing for Blackbeard."

Stede made a face at him but quickly returned his attention to the vest. "It is exquisite." Stede breathed with a smile.

"Then it's yours."

Stede lifted his eyes to Ed and found him smiling warmly at him.

Stede shook his head and crossed the room toward him. "No darling, you should wear it."

Ed's heart stuttered at the term of affection. It was still so new and he loved it. No one had called him darling aside from his mother when he was very young.

He lifted a brow. "But you love it."

Stede's face lifted in an adoring smile. "I do but I love it for you."

With that same warmth and adoration in his eyes, he extended out the garment towards Ed.

Feeling that familiar thickness in his throat as was ever becoming usual these days as he spent time with Stede, Ed rose from his chair and gently took the vest from Stede, his fingers gently brushing against the back of his hands.

His gaze never left Stede's eyes as he took it.

"I'll add it to the keep pile then?"

"Well yes, but um..." Stede's cheeks suddenly flushed and Ed's brow shot up. "I was actually hoping you'd wear it now. If you want to, that is, but I'd really love to see how it looks on you. I bet it's magnificent."

He said the last words in such breathless adoration that it freed Ed of any doubt he may have had - which wasn't much. He'd do absolutely anything for Stede Bonnet so long as he looked at him like that and asked him with those beautiful brown eyes.

"Sure, yeah, of course mate." Ed answered just as breathless and Stede's face lit up in a heartwarming smile.

"Wonderful." Stede briefly squeezed his hands and then patted them.

Then he walked back towards the pile of clothes and continued to sift through them.

Ed began to undress himself, keeping an eye on him, noticing with each second that Stede was purposely avoiding turning back his way.

"Stede?"

"Yes?"

"Turn around."

"Oh, have you-" he turned around as he spoke and his breath caught in his chest, stilling all speech.

Ed had put the vest on but hadn't buttoned it. The vibrant colors clashed beautifully with his skin and the black ink of the tattoos.

Stede's eyes focused on each one as he trailed his gaze helplessly down his torso, his mouth growing dry, eyes going wide and his stomach erupting in flames.

Once he finally realized he was ogling, his eyes shot up to Ed's and a flush coated his cheeks red at the self-satisfied smirk on his lips.

"You don't have to turn your back, mate."

"I wanted to give you some privacy."

"If I want you to turn your back, I'll ask you to." Ed said simply. "We've changed in front of each other before." Ed pointed out, raising an eyebrow with a smirk. "The first day we met each other. Fuck, man, we sleep together every night."

"I know that. I'm not uncomfortable with you undressing, Ed. It's quite the opposite, in fact…" His cheeks flushed deeper, but he met Ed's eyes with a confident flash of hot desire and Ed's breath caught in his chest.

"I don't trust myself to not touch you." He confessed and Ed took a sharp breath, his eyes darkening as a pleased smirk teased his lips.

"Come help me."

Stede knew perfectly well Ed was able to dress himself, but Ed's voice was demanding, and he was more than happy to jump at the invitation, his heart racing as he crossed the short distance between them.

"I um..." Stede's hands hovered in the air between them and he let out a small nervous laugh. He didn't know why he was nervous, he and Ed had been intimate and close in many number of ways in the last weeks.

"Here." Ed's hands grabbed his gently. His skin was delightfully hot and Stede shuddered at the sensation. No matter how many times Ed touched him he knew it'd never get old.

Then Ed met his eyes with a gleam in his eyes and brought his hands to his hips.

"That's not where the buttons are." Stede whispered breathlessly.

"No it isn't." Ed answered, his grin widening and lifting a brow and Stede's heart swooped into his stomach.

With a daring breath Stede moved his hands from Ed's hips to his exposed stomach. As his fingers brushed against the warm, soft skin there Ed's breath hitched and his eyes fluttered.

Stede, thrilled, flattened his palms against Ed's skin and slowly started upwards. He paused only moments to drag his thumbs across every line of Ed's tattoos.

His fingers then found the healed pink scar from where he had stabbed him and he caressed it a few times.

Ed's breath stuttered and he reached out and grabbed onto Stede's arms, holding him tightly, steadying himself, his eyes closing in pleasure.

Stede's gaze dragged up to his face and he felt breathless watching the effect he had on him just by simple touch. He had never felt more desirable than with Ed and still couldn't believe such an unbelievable, beautiful man would want him in any way.

Stede finally looked away from his face, back down to his torso where he continued to trace every beautiful line that marked him.

"Beautiful…" he whispered and hadn't even realized he spoke aloud until Ed's eyes snapped open, pulling Stede's gaze back to him. His dark eyes were full of awe and desire and Stede felt he could melt into a puddle just from the heat of it.

His knees quaked and his hands momentarily grabbed onto Ed's sides to steady himself.

"You're beautiful." He told Ed again in reverence and Ed's eyes widened, his lips parting and then he quickly moved his hands to gently cradle Stede's face and brought him in for a kiss.

Stede groaned quietly against his lips, the warmth of his mouth against his, the heat radiating off of him underneath his palms was glorious.

He slid his hands up Ed's back, drawing himself closer and stepping in just a little more.

One of Ed's hands moved into his hair and held him firmly in place as he deepened the kiss, lips moving frantically, hungrily, and then finally closed the remaining distance between them.

Stede and Ed emerged from the captain's cabin, keeping a modicum of distance between them, if only to physically restrain themselves from touching one another.

For Ed it wasn't too difficult, most of his clothes were similar in style, but Stede had very clearly emerged in an outfit he was not previously wearing.

Lucius eyed them suspiciously and then a knowing smirk crossed his lips. "Trying on clothes, were we?"

"Something like that." Ed answered, winking at Stede and Stede grinned, flushing.

Lucius exchanged a look with Black Pete, nudging him with his elbow.

Stede cleared his throat and clapped his hand together to address the crew. "Ed and I have gone through and found what we'd like to keep. Those items are now piled on the bed. You all are welcome to do the same with what remains. Anything that's left we will sell."

For the next several hours, they moved almost everything off of Queen Anne and onto the Revenge.

Most of the crew stayed on the Revenge, yelling and arguing with each other over who would get to keep what, as Stede and Ed took one last trip to the Queen Anne.

"Ed?" Stede looked over to Ed as Ed stood in the middle of the now empty ship, staring up at the helm.

"Yeah?" Ed called back, distractedly, not breaking his stare.

Stede frowned and walked over to stand beside him. "Are you sure you don't want to keep this ship?"

Ed blinked, breaking his reverie and turned his head towards Stede. His lips twitched in a small smirk as he turned fully to him. "I think if I changed my mind now the crew might mutiny."

"You're the captain. They'll do whatever you say."

"Co-captain." Ed corrected. "Of the Revenge. There's no other place I wanna be. I was just…saying goodbye is all. Lots of memories." His voice softened as his eyes trailed over the Queen Anne.

Stede placed a tender hand on his arm and Ed let out a wistful sigh.

"It's strange though. This was Blackbeard's ship and unless someone finds her she's just gonna sit and rot." He pursed his lips and walked over to the entrance of the captain's cabin. "Maybe it's fitting…" he ran his hand over the walls, stained with blood, dirt and god knows what else. "The end of Blackbeard's solo run just left here to die."

Stede groaned, his nose twitching in disgust. He stood in the midst of their cabin, feeling the day's work on himself. "I really could go for a bath right now."

"Go on then." Ed said. "I think we're pretty much done. I'll just go check on the crew and finish up some things."

"Are you certain? We are co-captains, you know."

Ed smiled at him fondly placing his hand on his shoulder. "Yeah mate, I know. Sometimes that means us doing things together and sometimes that means me doing things some of the time and you doing things some of the time."

Stede smiled gently, a little relieved that Ed would give him such a reprieve, and nodded. "Alright then."

Ed squeezed his shoulder and then began to head towards the door.

"Ed..?"

Ed paused and turned around expectantly.

"If you want to, if you have time, I'd…very much love it if you joined me."

Ed's eyes widened slightly and flickered towards the direction of the bathroom and then back to Stede and then a smirk pulled at his lips. "Oh, I think I'd like that very much."

Stede's face lit up. "Wonderful. Well, when you're done come find me. You know where I'll be."

Ed marched forward, crossing the room in a few large strides and drew Stede in for a kiss.

"Keep the water warm for me." He said huskily and then was off again before Stede could even catch his breath.

Ed stepped into the bathroom a short while later, already starting to undress himself. His boots had been kicked off already and he was shrugging off his vest as he approached the tub.

"Took care of what you needed to?" Stede asked, trying to keep his gaze on Ed's face the more layers he shed.

"Yep."

Ed stepped out of his trousers and Stede's breath hitched in his chest at the fully naked Ed before him.

Ed grabbed a tie and began to lift his hair up, but Stede stopped him.

"Leave it down."

Ed's hand froze on top of his head and Stede flushed under his gaze but smiled.

Ed smirked at him, lowered his arms, and then walked slowly over to the tub.

"You tease." Stede and Ed chuckled as he stepped into the tub.

Stede widened his legs the best he could, his eyes unabashedly trailing over Ed's backside as he lowered himself into the water.

Ed let out a groan of pleasure as he sank into the hot water and then nestled himself between Stede's legs.

A smile tugged at his lips as Stede's arms surrounded him gently, cocooning him into place, which Ed willingly went into.

He tilted his head back, resting against Stede's shoulder.

Stede smiled and pressed a kiss to the side of his head before leaning over to grab some soap.

He lathered up his hands and began to rub them across Ed's body. A low groan was pulled out of his lips as Stede's warm hands trailed over his skin. Stede occasionally accentuated his movements with a kiss to his shoulders.

Not too many words were spoken between them, they were enjoying the happy silence and the warmth of the water and each other's bodies.

Once he had cleaned Ed's body and rinsed him off, Ed grabbed his hands and brought them to rest comfortably over his abdomen.

"Fuck." Ed hissed as he shifted and his knee twisted the wrong way.

"Alright, love?"

"Yeah, stupid, goddamn bloody knee." Ed muttered glaring at his leg. "Worked it too much today I suppose."

Stede hummed, his hands disappearing under the water for a moment and when they resurfaced, he grabbed hold of each side of the tub.

Ed frowned as Stede slowly pushed himself up. "Where are you going? I'm comfortable."

Stede chuckled and briefly squeezed his shoulder. "Just moving across from you, love."

Ed's brow furrowed, leaning out of the way as Stede inched around him to then settle down across from him, his knees pulled up to allow Ed more room.

"Why'd you do that? As much as I do love your face, mate I really rather like sitting between your legs."

Stede's face lit up in a grin. "Oh, as do I." He reached out and placed one hand on Ed's leg while the other reached and grabbed a small bottle of oil on the small table beside the bath. He dropped a few drops into his palms and rubbed them together.

"But from this position it's a lot easier to give you a massage."

He smiled at Ed as he met his eyes and then leaned forward and placed his hands on Ed's exposed knee.

Ed watched and a groan was pulled out of him as Stede began to apply light pressure and rubbed his palms against his knee.

The familiar pain shot through his leg but it was a good pain. Stede's warm, oily hands were a godsend.

Stede smirked, looked up at him for a moment and then continued to focus on his task.

"How does that feel?" Stede's voice, low and husky, combined with the steam in the room, the lovely scent of the soaps and oils, the warm water and his loving, careful touch, was enough to send Ed into a state of pure bliss.

"Really good." Ed sighed, sinking further into the water.

Stede continued in silence, using his fingers and his palms to ease out the pain.

He glanced up and found Ed watching him, eyes full of awe and perplexed.

"What is it?"

"No one's ever taken care of me like this before. S'kinda nice."

Stede paused for a moment, his face softening in a smile and then he leaned just a little bit closer and dropped a kiss to his kneecap. "I will take care of you forever."

His eyes slowly dragged up to meet Ed's misty ones. "You deserve nice things."

Ed's breath caught in his chest, and he grabbed Stede's hand.

"I don't deserve you."

Stede's eyes crinkled and the water around them rippled as Stede's body cut through the water until he moved as close as he possibly could to Ed.

"You do." He whispered, taking his face in his hands. "If I am what you want, then you do."

Ed closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against Stede's.

Stede sniffled. "We deserve each other I think."

He brushed his nose against Ed's and shivered as Ed's hands slid up his arms.

"We deserve love."

He then drew Ed's mouth to his own and kissed him long and deeply.

They finished their bath and then spent some time towel drying the other, learning and exploring their bodies with patient and tender care and devotion.

Dressing only in bathrobes, Ed drew Stede to their new couch.

New to the Revenge anyway. It had been battered and worn, used by who knows how many previous owners doing God knows what. It wasn't anywhere near as fancy as Stede's original, but the smile Stede had as they tore it from an abandoned house on an abandoned island and dragged it onto the Revenge a week prior, made it seem infinitely more so. Stede had, of course, made sure to clean the fabric to the best of his ability and though it looked far from new, it looked perfect in their cabin.

They spent more time cuddled beside one another, arms and legs intertwined, kissing and enjoying each other's presence.

"Are you happy?" Ed asked, his head on Stede's shoulder as he tilted up to look at him and found him looking over the room with intense interest.

With Ed's things it had a much different vibe than Stede's original room and was still pretty empty comparatively. Ed didn't have books for one - the empty bookshelves were glaringly obvious but were slowly being filled with various knick-knacks they found (and stole).

He'd wanted to impress Stede and Stede seemed impressed while on the Queen Anne but there was a difference between seeing Ed's things in Ed's room and seeing them in his.

Stede turned a furrowed brow down at him and his hand moved to brush his cheek. "Of course, love. Why do you ask?"

"I just…" Ed sighed and snuggled in closer to him. "I wonder if this is all what you imagined."

"Ed," Stede laughed, "none of this is like I imagined." He paused and kissed the top of his head. "It's so much better."

"My things…" he went on. "They were part of my old life, and they were things I loved, certainly, and still do. I don't believe that will ever change but all of this," He took another glance around and his smile reassured Ed. "It's new to me but it's you and I love that you want to share these things with me. Ed, honestly, you have no idea…"

His throat tightened with a sudden swell of emotion. "I never felt comfortable enough to share myself with Mary and I don't think she ever shared herself with me. I could see that when I went back…she was so much happier with Doug, just as I am so much happier with you. And just to have that with someone, to have it with you…it means the world to me." He took in a long, slow breath and a smile lit his face as he looked around, taking everything in. "I don't want this room, this ship, to be mine any longer. It's ours and living this life with you is better than anything I could have ever dreamed my life to be."

He turned his eyes to meet Ed's, soft and dark and glowing in the dim lighting. His hand lifted to his cheek, thumb brushing across the line of his beard. "I meant it then and I mean it now more than ever." He leaned in, eyes closing and brushing his lips against his. "You make Stede happy."

Ed's hand moved to cover his, and he felt his smile against his mouth, before he kissed him again.

"Are you happy?" Stede asked after pulling away a few minutes later.

"You need to ask?" Ed countered, raising an eyebrow and Stede smiled in return.

"I hope I know the answer but yes, it would be nice to hear it."

Ed grinned and then gently pushed Stede backwards until he was lying against the arm of the couch. Stede yelped quietly in surprise, grabbing onto Ed's arms for support.

Ed nestled himself between his legs, resting against his chest as he kissed him with all the love in the world. Stede hummed delightfully, his hand moving to comb through Ed's hair, pulling him in closer.

"Yes, Stede." He paused to whisper against his lips only to kiss him again. "You make me very, very happy."