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Ever since Stede Bonnet had left his home and family for the second time things had been confusing. He found his crew washed away on a small island, each nearly ready to eat each other. On top of that they had found his right hand man Lucious lying in a broken dinghy on a deserted beach, burnt and delusional.
Despite the state he had found his crew, or as he was starting to realize, his real family in, the man could not bring himself to be angry at Ed, his Ed. He knew the pain he had caused him, knew from the stories the crew had shared, knew he deserved every bit of hatred the man had to give him. Stede did not deserve forgiveness, but he owed it to Ed to at least try to break him from the darkness once more. Stede refused to give up, he would fight for Ed, not literally of course, he would never harm that beautiful man. Just then Buttons called and broke him from his thoughts.
“Ay, Captain, I see the Revenge on the horizon”
“Well then we better get rowing faster!” the gentleman pirate called, trying to bubble down his nerves.
By the time the crew caught up to the big ship in their tiny dinghy, the sun had set, and the revenge had laid anchor near a small island. Stede saw the Revenge’s crew, new and old rowing out in dinghies to the shore. Perfect an opportunity to talk to Ed in private. Stede ordered his men to row to the shore just a little away, behind a small patch of woods, so they would be safe from a possible ambush.
Stede made his way slowly towards the fires down the beach. As he walked he saw Ed, his Ed, walking to the woods. It had been the first time he had seen the man sense the day on the beach. He approached slowly so as to not startle the man, you could see the falter in his eyes as soon as he caught sight of Stede.
“What are you doing here” Ed said, clearly trying to sound tough, but the uncertainty was clear in his face.
“I’m sorry” Stede replied, and it was then that all of Ed faded from the face of Black Beard.
“Now there’s a bloody ghost here to haunt me! In case you forgot you're supposed to be dead” the feared pirate yelled with as much scorn as he could manage.
“Legally I am, mighty good fuckery I must say” Stede took a breath, “I’m sorry, I made the biggest mistake of my life deciding to leave”
“You shouldn’t have come back Stede,” He said, the mask faltering, if only for a second. He held his pistol out in front of him now. “I should shoot you, y’know.”
“Probably” Stede chuckled, breaking the mask of Blackbeard even more. He took another breath before saying, “God knows I don’t deserve your forgiveness, there is no excuse for what I did, but there is an explanation. And after hearing the stories from the crew of the pain I caused, I knew I owed it to you to try.”
The pistol lowered a little, only to rise back a moment later. His hand was shaking, and his eyes were wet with tears.
Stede took a few steps closer, slowly.
“Chauncy got to me, long before your guard ever could, woke me with the barrel of the gun at my temple” Stede took a breath, “He was drunk, he took me to the woods and told me horrible things- and I believed him. He told me I defiled beautiful things, my family, his brother, especially you, the world’s most feared pirate giving up everything for a pathetic little man like me” The tears gathered in Stede’s eyes too now. “He called me a monster, and I agreed, I mean I only have stupid ideas, ones that cost people their lives”
“Sh-shut up” Ed mustered, the sobs wrecking his voice like a wave to a sand castle.
“I’m so sorry” Stede began again “He tried to shoot me, and god I was so scared.”
“What?” Ed breathed, face falling
He sobbed as he spoke now. “He tripped, shot himself right in the eye, ironic isn’t it” he chuckled a little, “He was dead, blood everywhere, I just broke. I had to leave, because if I could do this to a man without even trying what would I do to you. I thought you would be better off without me”
“You were wrong” Ed shouted through the mask of blackbeard
“I know that now, and I regret that thinking more than anything”
“You broke my heart!” Ed sobbed, hand still shaking tremendously “Do you know what it’s like to be abandoned by the only person who has ever made you feel alive!” He lowered the pistol now, letting it fall on the sand. “You decided going home to your perfect little family would be better than me” he did not add the ‘I don’t blame you’ stuck in his brain.
“Sadly yes,” Stede sighed. “I went home to Mary, to find her happier than I had ever seen her. She made a career for herself, found herself someone she truly cared about. I just fucked everything up by going back.” Ed had fallen to his knees at this point, and Stede moved to join him. “She tried to kill me, and frankly I don’t blame her, but she nearly skewered me through the ear in my sleep.” He chuckled now “We talked, she told me what it felt like to be in love, and the entire time all I could think about was you Ed. My wonderful, beautiful, Edward. God I love you so much"
“And what? You thought you could just waltz back in, and everything would be fine?” He was angry, pissed that seeing Stede in front of him brought him the same butterflies. It wasn’t fair he still had to feel this way for the man who ripped his heart out and threw it into the sea.
“I actually didn't. Ed, I knew this would take work, but god if it did, it would be worth it.” Stede whispered, both sitting on their knees with tears in their eyes. “I know I have to earn your forgiveness, but I will do whatever it takes to do that.” He took another breath before saying, “When Mary and I were wed, we were told to be lighthouses to each other, guiding each other away from harm. In reality this kept us apart, guiding each other was an obligation, the only way to keep from hitting each other. Ed I don’t want us to be lighthouses, because you are the stars in the sky. You guide me to a place I love, and wrap around me like the night sky.”
Stede carefully took his hand, and brushed the hair out of Ed’s face. The man before him took a shaky inhale, seeming to be calming down. Wiping away the traces of black kohl, he spoke once more.
“There he is, my beautiful, beautiful Ed, that's much better isn’t it?”
Ed brought his hand to where Stede’s sat gently on his cheeks.
“Hi” Stede said once more when their eyes finally met.
This is where the facade of Blackbeard finally shattered, breaking into a million pieces, a puzzle that could never be put together again, and Ed was grateful for that. He leaned forward, falling into Stede’s protective embrace. He sobbed and Stede held him.
“It’s okay, I’m here” The blonde man whispered into the crown of his head.
“Please don’t leave” his voice sounded broken, so quiet that it was almost non existent.
“Never again my love” This only brought a new wave of sobs,
“I’m sorry,” Ed whispered, “I, threw everything away, your books, your men, Lucius”
“Nonsense, the men are fine, a little annoyed but fine. And the books, they are just possessions, you are far more important than they ever were.”
Ed looked tentatively up at Stede, still mostly hiding in his grasp.
“I’ve got you love, and I always will”
“Can I kiss you?” Ed said, voice still shaking
No reply was needed, as Stede just smiled and nodded. At this Ed surged up and captured Stede’s lips. It was nothing like their first kiss, it wasn’t chaste or nervous. To Stede this felt like finally coming home, lips meeting, deep and longing.
When they parted Stede spoke again “Now, let's get you cleaned up love”
Ed leaned in for another kiss, and Stede met it with a promise, one that can not be spoken with words.
“Okay”
And so they walked, hand in hand through the thick night air of the caribbean. Izzy may be mad when he sees them return but it would be alright, as long as they were together.