Hey guys! I know that this fic is super late, and probs irrelevant at this point, but its been sitting in my to write list for months (since my last rewatch, before the one I did yesterday), and I haven't watched any of S2 yet cause I've been waiting to binge it all at once, so I wanted to write and post it before I watched S2 (which I'm doing as soon as I post this).

Anyway, this takes place in Episode nine of season one directly after Chauncey forces Stede out of his bunk at gunpoint.

Hope you're all doing ohk after the S2 finale! I'll likely be back soon with more OFMD fics after I finish it. Enjoy the fic, much love xox (Off to watch S2 :D)

XOXOXOXOXOX

When it was time, Ed set out for the little dock where he'd secured a dinghy for him and Stede to sail away in, to start a new life, together.

It was a short trek, through various plants and trees, across sandy pathways, easy, nothing a seasoned sailor couldn't navigate effortlessly despite it being night time. He was confident that even Stede, who was not seasoned, would be able to find his way down to the dock.

The warm, soft – softest he'd ever felt - touch of Stede's lips on his own lingered on his skin, bringing a euphoric hint of a grin to his face each time he recalled the moment they'd kiss, and Stede had agreed to come with him, had told Ed that he made the man happy too. Ed couldn't remember ever feeling so elated, so cared for, so wanted in return. He saw Stede as his equal, a partner, more than just business…someone to be by his side for the rest of his days, to enjoy living, to see what the world had to offer them far from the dramatics and danger of being Blackbeard. More than Co-captains even, a life partner, perhaps.

Voices drifted on the slight breeze, and Ed pussy footed his way over a few rocks, intending to just sneak on by, and continue to his destination, and Stede. Something about the voice caught his attention though, and he carefully trod closer, staying hidden behind shields of green, but managing to peak through between a gap in the leaves.

He spotted two men in the moonlight, walking rather uncertainly down a path. A glint of metal, and Ed knew a pistol when he saw one, it was pointed at the man in front, who seemed to be whimpering quietly. Blonde hair looking almost white in the moon's rays, the white shirt on his back almost glowing, vibrating as he trembled, the posture and gait of the man was familiar also. Then the man was instructed to turn around by the one with gun…Ste-?

"Stede Bonnet…"

Oh shit.

And then he realised who the man with the gun was as he continued to speak, calling the man he thought the world of a monster, a plague – as if Stede could ever be either of those things.

Double shit.

Ed's initial reaction was to jump out from the bushes and help Stede, but something held him back, he wanted to know what this was about, he also wanted to see Stede hold his own. The Gentleman Pirate wasn't holding it together well though as Chauncey listed all of the 'beautiful things' that Stede had apparently defiled. Ed was surprised to hear that he was included in this list, he didn't feel defiled, ruined perhaps, yes, but not in the way that blathering fool made it sound. He was ruined in a glorious, freeing, enlightening way, a path he would happily walk down, neigh, run down – even with his fucked leg – again if it meant being with Stede.

God this asshole's voice was irritating, he wished Stede would just shut him up already. But he didn't.

No, instead Stede Bonnet begun to cry, stuttering and shaking as he stood there, the cold barrel of the gun still pointed at him. For Ed, it was like a fist had punched through his chest and clenched it's fingers into his heart, seeing the man he cared for so deeply in such a state. He'd had enough, he put one hand on the plant in front of him to push it out of the way, but then Stede did something so unexpected that he froze again.

"I think you're right," he concurred between tears. "In fact, I…I completely agree."

The fist crushed his heart. How could he agree with that dickless idiot? How could Stede think so little of himself? Stede Bonnet, a defiler of beautiful things? A monster? A plague? He'd sooner walk the plank than believe any of those things about this most caring, doting, gentle, sweet man. And worst of all, how could he think that he'd ruined Ed – in the bad way – and not made his life a thousand times better? Had he not shown him that? Demonstrated it with all the little things, and the big things, and the way he'd kissed Stede like he'd never kissed anyone before.

Chauncey, on his bullshit still, didn't accept Stede's admission, and started forward, spouting about ending Stede's reign of terror – what the fuck, honestly? – and Ed was suddenly very concerned that Stede was about to allow himself to be shot.

He was half way out of the brush when the shot rang out, piercing the otherwise quiet darkness, followed by Stede's horrified scream. His heart hammered in his chest as it took Ed a few moments to realise that it wasn't Stede's body that had dropped to the ground, but Chauncey's. Somehow the idiot seemed to have shot himself.

Good. It served him right for fucking with Stede's head, and pointing a gun at him, and every other thing that he'd ever done to Stede Bonnet.

Stede begun to hyperventilate, the noise of loud gulps of air and sobs filling the emptiness. Ed ran to him – as best he could – almost colliding with him as he wrapped his arms around Stede's soft middle and held him close.

Another scream rang out, he was obviously jumpy from what had just expired, and Ed realised too late that his approach may have been the wrong one right at that moment. Stede started to beat his fists against the arms holding him, and Ed only held him tighter, not willing to let go for reasons he didn't want to examine too closely.

"Stede, shhh, shhh, it's me, it's Ed," he soothed, face close to Stede's ear, where he could smell the saltiness of tears mixing in with Stede's natural scent. He wanted to nuzzle into his neck until he'd memorised the smell, lick a strip of skin to taste it on his tongue, but now was not the time for that.

"E-Ed?" Stede questioned with a sniffle as he stopped fighting and turned in the pirate's arms.

"Yeah, mate. You alright?" it was a stupid question, but he wasn't sure what else to say.

Stede promptly dropped his head onto Ed's shoulder and sobbed wildly, clutching at his clothes as if for dear life, and Ed held him, arms secure around his back. He'd wanted to hold this man for some time now, but…this was not how he'd imagined it.

"I'm-I'm sorry," Stede cried after a minute.

"Nothing to be sorry for, c'mon now, it's okay," Ed tried, not knowing the right words to use.

"It's not okay! I'm not-not…not good. I ruin everything…everyone."

"That's not true, Stede."

"It is!" he insisted loudly, still crying.

"Hey, hey, look at me," Ed told him gently, releasing his arms to allow the other man to raise his head. The rivers of tears glistened on his soft cheeks in the moonlight, the fist in his chest was still holding tight, squeezing, bruising, as wet eyes, containing a beaten, broken soul stared into his own dark pupils. "Now listen to me, you need to believe me when I tell you that you're not a monster," Stede whimpered," you're not a plague," he tried to look away from Ed's eyes, but Ed brought a hand up to cup his cheek, rubbing a thumb through his tears, keeping their gazes connected, "you're not a defiler, nor have you ruined anything or anyone."

Stede was rapidly inhaling air again, and Ed was worried he might start hyperventilating again.

"Stede, those were the words of a cruel man, who wanted to blame all his woes on someone. He doesn't know you, not like I do."

"I don't, Ed, I'm-"

Ed thought back to every moment he'd witnessed between Stede and his crew, every conversation they'd had, every spark of charged tension between the two of them, the way Stede made him feel, "You inspire, and nurture. You're a teacher, and a friend. Someone to trust, and rely on. I've watched you grow, find your feet, and flourish. And you've made me a better person in return, just from being around you, you've restored my faith in the potential for good in the world, and that maybe I can have some of that for myself…with you," he added wistfully, hopefully, on the end.

He was crying again, but not hyperventilating. Small victories.

"I walked out on my family, Ed, just up and left in the middle of the night. How is that a good person?"

Ed knew he had to be careful here, one wrong word could make everything worse.

"Why did you leave?"

"I-I wasn't happy…I wanted adventure, to be a pirate, to see the world like in my books," he admitted miserably, then added, "Mary hates the sea."

"And did you find happiness?" Ed asked, holding his breath.

"Well, I mean…yes, more than I thought I would, but…"

"You still feel guilty about leaving…" he exhaled.

Stede nodded as his face scrunched up, on the verge of breaking down again.

Ed didn't know where to take it from there, but he'd muddled his way through that far, so he had to come up with something. Idly he thought, 'what would Stede do?' and then it came to him.

"Alright, I've got a new plan."

Stede's eyebrows raised, eyes wide and glassy, he sniffled but he didn't speak.

"We're going to go find your family, make things right with them, and then we can get back to our happiness. Sound good?" he wasn't sure that would fix every doubt in Stede's mind, but it was a good start, and something that Ed would help with every day.

Stede's mouth dropped open, and for a moment Ed wasn't sure that anything was going to be alright. But then Stede asked, somewhat timidly, "You'd really come with me?"

"Yeah, mate, 'course. I don't care where we go, as long as we're together."

"Oh, Ed," Stede gasped, lurching forward.

Stede's lips were just as lush and soft as they had been a few hours ago, however they were also wet this time, not that Ed cared, he flicked his tongue out to taste the saltiness, and Stede made a surprised but pleased noise in his throat that Ed would kill to hear again. The fist crushing his heart let go and receded, letting the good feelings that Stede usually inspired in him take back over.

When the moment was over and Stede pulled away, a small smile brightening his face, Ed said, "Well, lead on…"

"What? You want to go now?"

Ed shrugged, "As good a time as any."

"What about…" he pointed to Chauncey's dead body.

"What about it?" Ed asked, "He's dead, one less thing to worry about."

"But do we just leave it here?" the anxiety of the situation showed on Stede's face.

So Ed offered, "Help me drag him under these bushes over here."

Stede looked a little green at the idea of moving a dead body, but they did it, and when they were done, Ed looked at him, seeing the wonderful, intriguing man he'd always seen. Fucking Chauncey, putting shit in the poor bloke's head, if he wasn't already dead, Ed might have just killed him.

"Ready?"

"I think so," Stede replied.

Warm, slightly clammy fingers tentatively nudged at his own, and Ed filled in the gaps between Stede's fingers with his own.

"I'm glad you were here, Ed" Stede told him with a shy smile.

As they started walking, Ed replied, "It was by accident I even stumbled across the two of ya, to be honest, but I'm glad I did too."