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Stede Bonnet had always loved fine things. As a boy he loved the flowers that lived in the foyer and in the meadow near his house. From a young age he’s had a fine appreciation for fabrics. It first started when he was a boy with his duvet. He remembers the way the fabric felt against his skin. It was soft and light but kept him warm when the nights were cold. He loved fine jams especially marmalade, lime is his favourite, not too sweet but not too bitter either. It always tastes best with afternoon tea.
His love for books came from his mother. While he doesn't remember much about his mother he remembers her books. He remembered the way her voice sounded when she read him bedtime stories. About the dutch fairy tales she read to him when he was sick or feeling sad. He remembered that his mother hid the book under a loose floorboard before she passed so his father would never find it.
His love for fine things never waivered no matter how many times his father berated him and how the boys at school tormented him for picking flowers or reading books.
His love for boats came later. When he was 16 he was sitting near a port watching the waves when he saw it. He can never remember the name of her but the boat was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
She was vast and looked to be 2 levels. She had rows of canons and a mermaid as the mast. He spent hours looking at the boat. From that day on he knew he wanted a boat, wanted to live at sea. Stede thought being a pirate would be the best way to live at sea. He never told anyone his dream. From then on he read everything he could about pirates. He tried to find the way a crew works and how they talk. He did everything he could.
Then he met Edward Teach. Ed was like no one he had ever met. He didn't mock him or make fun of him for his books or his fabrics, his knick knacks and his auxiliary wardrobe. He told Ed about his summer linens and his marmalades. He told him all about his books and Ed had looked fascinated and for the first time in his life Stede feels seen.
When Ed kisses him the world stops spinning and Stede forgot how to breathe. Kissing Ed was a breath of fresh air, it was everything he never knew he needed.
Ed told him he makes him happy. That he had the most fun with him than he had in years. No one had described Stede that way. The people he went to parties with called him peculiar and laughed at him to his face. Always made him the but of the joke.
Then came along Ed, who never made fun of him for being fancy and calling himself the gentlemen’s pirate. Instead he indulged him, called him a lunatic and looked at him in awe when he technically burned down a boat due to passive aggression and told him he wore fine things well. He did, Stede had never seen someone look so amazing in fine fabrics then Ed had.
So when Ed kissed him his world stopped. He never knew kissing someone could be like this. That it could consume you entirely until the only thing left in the world is the two of you. So he kissed back because kissing Ed was one of the most lovely things he’d ever done.
He told Ed that he made him happy and he did. Stede had never felt such complete and utter joy than he had when he was with Ed.
Ed told him they could run away and go to China about how amazing it would be and Stede agreed. He would love nothing more than to run away with Ed and start their lives together.
Of course Chauncey Badminton had to ruin everything.
The Badminton twins made his life a living hell as a boy, and he foolishly thought he’d never have to see them again. Then he became a pirate and Nigel died and Chauncey wanted him dead.
So when Stede was taken out into the woods to die he had so many regrets. Not saying goodbye to Mary and the kids, saying that he’d write to them. To try and make sure that they wouldn't suffer in his absence. He hadn't done any of that, instead he just left in the middle of the night like a coward. Then Chauncey came along, said he wasn't human and called him a monster. That he defiles beautiful things that he ruined his family, his brother and Ed.
He told Stede that he ruined Ed. Sweet wonderful kind Ed. Then he had to go shoot himself in the head, and Stede broke down. He didn't know what to do, he didn't know where he was. How was he supposed to go to Ed now?
His wonderful Edward was waiting for him at the docks ready to start a new life together and Stede had no idea how to get to him.
But he had to go to him. He will forever regret leaving his family the way he did but they thought him dead anyway. Ed though, Ed was waiting for him, probably wondering where Stede went. So he had to find Ed. He would leave badminton here and he would find his way through the forest all the way to Ed.
He knew he was running out of time. He could see the sun beginning to rise and he had no idea how close to the beach he was. It would be so easy to give up. To leave Ed and go back to Mary or to just let the guards find Stede. It would be so easy to just lie down on the ground and never get up again.
But he promised Ed. He said he would be waiting at the dock for him ready to sail away to China. Well they would have to find the Revenge so he could pack accordingly but the sentiment is the same.
So Stede runs. He doesn't know if it's in the right direction or if Ed will still be there when he find him but he runs like a man possessed.
After what feels like hours of running he sees a clearing in the trees. Then he see’s Ed. He sees Ed getting into a boat. He runs faster.
“Ed, Edward! Wait!”. He sees Ed pause, but Stede still runs faster. He comes to a skidding stop in front of the dinghy. The sun has almost risen but that doesn't stop Ed from getting out of the dinghy.
Their eyes meet and Stedes breath gets caught in his throat. Ed looks sad, no not just sad- heartbroken.
“I thought you weren't coming,” says Ed brokenly.
“I know, but I promise I was, there were just a few complications”. Stede needs to explain, to make Ed understand that he wasn't trying to leave him. He was only kidnapped and held at gunpoint before making his way here. He steps closer to Ed and cradles his jaw in the palms of his hand. “I wasn't going to leave you my darling I swear it, it’s just Chauncey- the admiral that tried to kill us kidnapped me and took me to the woods to try and shoot me, but then he said all these horrible things about me, things that were completely true. Then he tripped and shot himself in the head. It was all truly very horrendous”. He stops to catch a breath and tries to continue his story but Ed interrupts before he can continue.
‘I thought you changed your fucking mind, that- that I wasn't what you wanted, that you realized what I was and decided I wasn't for you. But Stede, you’re not a fucking monster. You never could be, you like cashmere and fucking fancy marmalade. You have an entire separate closet for summer fucking linens behind a secret door.” Ed stops and a few tears escape both their eyes. “You are the first person in so long that made me feel like I could truly be myself, you make me happy, Stede and I haven't been happy in so long”
Edward Teach Stede decides is the most wonderful human on the entire planet and Stede will never know what he did to deserve him. “Ed, I- I have never felt like this before and everything Chauncy said to me scared me because I believe it true, but, but you make me happy too and you are the most fantastic thing that’s ever happened to me and I don't know what i’d do without you”.
And because Ed is Ed he says “I love you Stede” and because Stede is Stede he says “I love you too my dear”. This time when their lips meet Ed’s lips tasted like freedom.
But they have to go, they have a boat to get too and seas to sail.