#this was going to be a short scene to give to haflacky for commissioned art

[fromkenari]

WIP Wednesday: Ed/Stede

"So you've made love before?"

With a roll of his eyes and a snort, Ed bent a bit closer to Stede. "No!" He was only able to hold that defiant response for a moment. Eventually, Ed sighed in defeat, pressed his head against his arm, and grimaced. "I mean, yes... I thought I did. Once. Twice even." Ed had started nodding with his admissions as he thought back on situations, but he suddenly stopped moving as he pulled a disgusted expression and raised his head enough to hide his face in his hair. "Three times, actually..."

The emotion was suddenly there, but Ed refused to acknowledge the devastation in his chest or his tightening throat. Instead, he blew roughly against his hair to keep the strands from sticking to his face, particularly his tear-pricked eyes.

Stede was moving beneath Ed as Ed closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. A soft hand found Ed's cheek, but Ed didn't lean into the touch until a careful thumb touched his lower eyelid, and he felt what must have been an escaped hot tear that had cooled before Stede squashed it away.

"Darling," Stede softly gasped with concern as Ed pushed his face into Stede's touch. "Oh, darling, I didn't realize..."

Ed took that breathless moment to release the couch and hide against Stede's warm neck. Then, twisting and shifting, Ed got both legs on the settee with his left leg kicked out across Stede so his knee didn't get stiff. He laid his head on Stede's chest and reached out with his nimble fingers to snatch Stede's hand to keep held to his cheek.

"We never talked," Ed eventually offered as an explanation. "None of them. Ever. Not like this. So I just assumed they felt the same way. I didn't know it wasn't like -- well -- like we are."

"Reciprocated?" Stede suggested.

Ed quickly nodded and took a sentimental breath. He didn't mean to ruin the afternoon, but he also never expected Stede to say the words he'd sorely needed in times passed. With a great sniff, Ed silently refused to move away from Stede for the time being. Laying there with a pout on his face had him feeling pitiful.

"So, do you still want to make love?"

With a jerk of his head, Ed squinted and then began pushing himself up to see Stede's face. Ed's confused frown met Stede's hopeful smile.

"You just saw me crying."

"Yes."

"Crying over other men."

"Well, I didn't know that for certain, but yes."

"Men who aren't you."

"Darling, I hope you have a point--"

Ed pulled up entirely to sit on Stede's thigh. "After all that, you're still horny?"

"Oh! Yes."

"For me."

"I don't believe anyone else is here."

Ed dove back down onto Stede as he grabbed Stede by the nape of the neck and the back of the head. Getting three open-mouthed kisses from a grinning Stede, Ed pulled them up on the couch and ran their foreheads together in a snuggle.

"I fucking love you," Ed confessed, his eyes still rimmed with redness.

#wip wednesday #blackbonnet #gentlebeard #edward teach #stede bonnet #our flag means death #this was going to be a short scene to give to haflacky for commissioned art #they've both had mild breakdowns #but at least they have their shirts off now #out of curls