Can we just… take things slowly? (Ed/Stede)
Random takes and scenes in space and time for various fandoms I love as inspired by Fanart and the Fandom in general.
Can we take things slow for now?
Was it simply a request, a suggestion perhaps, words stated because Ed still felt rather hurt?
Part of Fandom Shorts / Ed/Stede series
Can we just… take things slowly?
Ed and Stede had left it at that. Taking things slowly for now.
Both of them retiring to their respective cots to sleep for the night. Separately but of course. The request of Ed's pretty clear indication what needed or rather would not happen between them. Not yet anyway. Not on this night. No matter what Annie and Mary just might have implied. There would be no sex! Not even a quick friendly handy given. Despite the very fact that both of them might just have needed one after the somewhat heated kissing spell.
That same kisses having just happened under the rather romantic setting under the pale and blue moonlight. The needy touches still lingering on both their lips long after the moment had passed. The gentle and not so gentle pressure of the others soft wetness present there, conjuring up all kinds of scenarios their imaginations could muster.
Yeah… all that having happened just then… And so…
Neither man being able to sleep with the thoughts of the other disturbing the much needed rest. Still, it could not be helped. The two of them having pretty much agreed they needed to take things slow. Having kind of rushed into basically eloping, well… at least running away from their would be jailers, the Brits and their blasted military the first time around. The first kiss and promises made before Stede had gotten cold feet.
Alas, that decision, the agreement they both had made together was slowly but surely starting to fold in on itself like a termite infested house. The resolve, especially for Ed becoming harder and harder… all puns intended… to keep.
Despite the fact that Stede had betrayed Ed. Left him for… well.. left him, Ed even if they had agreed to leave together. Be together. Their first shared kiss sealing the deal which had then been broken by Stede. Yeah, well, guess it was all water off the duck's back now as they had both made mistakes. Ed carrying a part of the blame for sure. The pirate Captain having pretty much broken the crew of the Revenge while acting out his heartbrokenness and blaming everyone and anyone except himself for it. Ed having pretty much become the former and perhaps worser version of himself ever.
Blackbeard 2.0.
And yet here Ed was, in the potato sack and a cat's bell around his neck. Suffering the consequences.
Touching his collar, Ed was reminded of how Stede had nudged it ever so gently when they had broken off their kiss. As if…
Well, Stede was the Captain of the Revenge again and ownership usually followed such a position. Ed surely had had his while in charge of his old ship and crew. Even for a while there of the Revenge. Then again, Stede had always guided his crew with his heart rather then asserting dominance over them. And surely Stede was far from a dominant personality.
Yet, Ed could not help the oh so good tingles sent down his spine of the memory of the touch of Stede's on his collar…
Stede was tossing and turning in his own quarters.
His mind going back to the moment spent with Ed in the most romantic way possible. It had been a perfect spellbound moment for Stede since… well, forever really! The ambience, the kiss, the man he… loved? Yes, Stede had utterly and totally fallen for the most gorgeous bearded and long haired pirate. Hook, line and sinker. It was simply put, magical!
Poetic really, as Ed had dangled his daily catch in front of Stede being so proud of his accomplishment. The tiny little fish he had caught! As had Stede been too!
Of course there were things they still need to sort out, to talk through. But, Ed's request of taking things slow… well… as good as it had sounded in the moment, Stede was starting to regret agreeing to it so fast. Jumping into anything wasn't exactly what Stede was looking for either, but there was the inkling of perhaps having something more the slowness could entail, right?
Snuggles and kisses? The handy thing suggested perhaps?
Whatever it was Stede wanted right now, his body literally being on fire no matter how much he tried to push away the sensations kissing Ed again had roused deep inside of him. This was all new territory for Stede, having never really been in love or even this aroused. If he was brutally honest with himself and he was. A pity really. But ever since, well, guess when they first met with Ed, Stede had been feeling all kinds of ways around the beautiful pirate Captain.
And tonight, things were surely getting worse for him. Stede.
What to do? What, to, do?
Slow? Yeah, that's what they agreed to, right? Right!
Ed was creeping across the deck, trying not to wake others of their crew sleeping there while juggling around them in the darkness.
Keeping his hand on his collar so the bell would not go off while prowling amongst the slumbering beauties. After all, that had been the whole point of said punishment(?) Ed hat to wear, to let the others know well in advance Ed was on his way so not to scare the living daylights out of the lot. As they were all pretty traumatised still of the shenanigans of Blackbeard.
Ed almost tripped over a someone though as the nightly skies had grown cloudy suddenly, not really able to see real well ahead. Finally managing to make through the maze of bodies scattered across the deck in the warm night though, Ed reached the cabin where he could easily make his way from memory to Stede's quarters even in the total darkness.
Reaching the rooms of the Captain, Ed did not even bother to knock. Entering the space like he owned it. Well, Stede did and they were together again so… in a manner of speaking by proxy, Ed did own it too? Yeah, Ed was going with that.
Making his way to the sleeping area of the quarters, Ed found Stede sound asleep on his bed.
Having turned to his side, the sleeping gentleman pirate looked… perfect to Ed.
Ed stood there for a long moment, staring at the other man. The sliver of moonlight pushing through the viewport, shining its light on the pale skin of Stede's. Making him even more beautiful to Ed than he had remembered Stede to be. Despite having seen each other only a few hours ago the sight of Stede never failed to awe Ed. And so, Ed could not help but stare at them man he so, so loved.
Somehow forgetting why he had come there in the first place…s
Stede was not sleeping.
It had been hours and he had kept in tossing and turning. Finally forcing himself to calm down, to lay on one side and stare at one chosen point in the total darkness. Trying to concentrate on it to rid his mind of all other thoughts. Willing himself to fall asleep or pass out from all that staring. Whichever came first. Either way, something would have to give if Stede was to get some sleep.
Suddenly he heard it. The soft footfalls patting across the wooden floors.
Stede froze in his place. Not moving, not even daring to breathe. The worst of the worts thoughts suddenly flooding his mind.
Had they been invaded? A rival pirate ship having made them in the middle of the night, without any warning at all, no even one sound? What of the others, his crew? Had they all been killed? Lying dead out there, on the deck in their bedspreads not realising what was about to happen before it had been too late? What of Ed?
Oh, dear lord! What of Ed!?
Stede's heart was pounding so fast and loud it was defining in his ears.
Only waiting for the inevitable to happen. The cut of the knife on his throat and it would all be over quickly enough! At least Stede could hope. Well, at least he and Ed would be together, in heaven or hell, did not really matter.
Stede waited and waited and waited, but the slice of deadly knife never came. The footfalls had stopped right somewhere close by and there was no further movement.
What. The. Hell…?
Stede decided, finally, to slap on a pair. Daring to turn to look at whom it was invading his privacy, his sanctity.
What or rather whom he saw, standing right there, in the pale of the moonlight, staring right back at him, was a total shock and a surprise. Those glorious eyes locking with his own.
"Ed?"
"Yeah mate, is me."
"Wha… what are you doing here?"
Stede's heart was still racing. But now it was for all different reasons.
Seeing Ed there, so gorgeous and perhaps vulnerable even was surely raising all those familiar sensations from earlier right back into the surface again. In both the good and bad ways.
"I was… I wanted to… I mean…"
Ed touched his collar again, fidgeting nervously. His mouth going suddenly dry. Ed's resolve having already vanished even before he entered Stede's bedroom. That of wanting to go… slow.
Stede, reading the myriads of feelings on his love's mind, did not speak rather reached out to Ed with his hand. Ed moved in closer, taking the offering and letting Stede guide him to the bed right beside him.
Reaching desperately for Stede, Ed was half on top of the other man, his lips finding Stede's without hesitation. The softness of the kiss from before forgotten. Demanding entrance to Stede's mouth with his tongue, nibbling on Stede's lower lip, it was so much more than either had imagined being doing for the foreseeable future.
Breaking off for air, panting heavily, the two stared at each other for a long spell.
"What… made you change your mind darling?" Stede managed to ask after a moment of silence.
"Touch my collar again and you'll find out." Ed had a wicked grin on his face, something Stede had seen before. The one usually leading to nothing good(?).
Reaching for the bell, the collar, Stede tugged at it. Gently at first, then encouraged by the low moan let out from Ed, Stede dared to tug just a tad harder. Feeling bolder suddenly, Stede was holding onto the collar with clear ownership while dragging Ed on top of him.
They kissed again, their hands roaming each others bodies. Ridding of the clothing quickly enough. Skin on skin, familiarising with the other, gentleness long forgotten. The kisses, the licks, the bites, marking the other as theirs. Stede's hand finding the collar of Ed's every now and again… Yes! this was it, Ed thought. Belonging to Stede, finally and totally and perhaps, forever?
Ed could not for the life of him understand why he had ever wanted to take things slow while writhing against Stede. The heat growing among other things. Certainly, neither of them settling for a simple handy any more. As it had been far too long and far too much happening for neither of them to take things slow. Not tonight. Not ever again.