Edward Teach Died on a Beach (OFMD)

Chapter 24

Why does publishing a chapter only work like half the time I stg I keep publishing things and they disappear

Ed felt Stede climb into bed behind him. He sat quietly, keeping his eyes shut and not moving. Stede inched closer to him, putting an arm over his shoulder and running his fingers through Ed's hair. Ed rolled over, surprising Stede a little.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry," Stede asked quietly.

Ed silently moved closer to him. He snaked an arm under Stede's and moved closer until their chests were pressed against each other. Stede squeezed him tighter, letting out a breath into his hair. He could tell Stede was blushing.

They laid like that for what felt like a long time. When Stede's breaths became slow and even, Ed pulled away as softly as he could. Once he'd successfully untangled himself from Stede, he got out of bed and waited a few minutes to make sure Stede hadn't been knocked awake.

He used the light of the moon to pull on one of the fancy night robes Stede had found in the box of clothes. He remembered wearing one just like it after Stede had left him. Now he was leaving Stede.

Ed used the moonlight to retrace his steps. He ran through the trees barefoot, leaping over logs and rocks. He eventually ended up on the beach that the Revenge was anchored by. He saw the dinghy sitting on the beach.

Ed began to push the dinghy into the water. He jumped into it and began to row. It hurt his shoulder, but he didn't care. His hands were shaking.

As he approached, he saw Buttons standing on the railing of the bow naked, his arms outstretched. Buttons was facing up at the moon, his eyes closed.

Ed pulled the dinghy up to the boat and tied it off, climbing up the ladder with a wince. He wondered if his shoulder would ever heal.

"And Pinocchio said— oh, fuck's sake!" Lucius said, eyes narrowing at Ed.

Black Pete frowned. "I don't remember that being..."

Ed turned and quickly went to the captain's quarters. The light rocking from the waves soothed him. He shut the door behind him, quickly crawling into the bed by the window and curling up into a ball.

Lucius closed his book. "That's it for tonight, then. I've got to go deal with that."

Black Pete glanced at the room warily. "Shout if he's trying to kill you."

Lucius nodded and hesitantly walked to the door of the captain's quarters. He knocked on it, putting his head fairly close to it. The room was quiet.

Lucius rolled his eyes and opened the door. He popped his head in nervously.

"Blackbeard?"

Ed didn't move. "No. Just Ed."

"Thank God," Lucius said, entering the room. "Oh God, you're wearing something under that, right? I don't want to see your dick."

Ed found himself chuckling slightly. "Yeah. Don't worry."

"Okay. I didn't want to like be rude," Lucius replied.

Ed didn't say anything.

"So... where's Stede? Not dead, right?"

"Sleeping," Ed replied.

"And you're in here," Lucius said.

"Yep."

"Do you want you talk about it?"

Ed shrugged. "I don't know."

Lucius frowned, slowly approaching the bed. "You're not going to throw me off the boat again if I come over and sit down, right?"

Ed shook his head.

"That's a relief," Lucius replied. "So what seems to be the issue here?"

Ed shrugged. "I needed a break from high society. And I can't sleep on land."

"Yeah, right," Lucius replied.

Ed looked over at him. Lucius sat on the bed a little bit away from him.

"Well, it looks like you're having a bit of a breakdown right now, and I'd really prefer that to not happen," Lucius says. "So let me make an educated guess."

Ed watched him curiously, momentarily brought out of his whirlwind of guilt and fear.

"You're not used to such... fanciness," Lucious said, waving his hands slightly. "You're out of your element there and it makes you uncomfortable. If I had to guess, you feel guilty about something. It'd be easier if you'd tell me what it was, but-"

"It was the orange. Stede had split the petrified orange in half and given one half to his daughter," Ed said, looking down at his hands.

Lucius frowned. "And?"

"It reminded me of what I did. I don't deserve him. I deserve to be tied to an anchor and sunk to the bottom of the ocean. He left them, in the end, for me. I took him away from his kids," Ed said.

Lucius thought for a moment. "I don't think that's true."

Ed looked over at him.

"I mean, he originally left because he felt like he didn't fit there. And I mean, he doesn't really fit as a pirate either, but he fits as whatever he is now. You're not making him do anything. He made his choices to leave, to meet you, to go back to you. Stede is odd but he's not a total idiot. He knows when he wants something and he knows that he doesn't belong there. Not in the way that he was meant to. It probably seems like he fits in so well, but it's all an act. You know it is. You know about it more than anyone."

Ed frowned. "But-"

"No. No. You're finding problems that you're not really even a part of. You're just grasping for a reason as to why you're all... freaked out," Lucius gestured again. "You're scared and you're projecting your issues onto him and you don't even realize it. I mean, that man loves you. He'd drop everything to be with you, but you'd know if he didn't like it, if you bothered to notice. He shows like most of his thoughts right on his face."

Ed blinked, the words sinking in.

"And I don't know what your problem is. I mean, I know some of it. Stede had me write some of it down. He described you as a beautiful but haunted man. So, Ed, don't let your ghosts possess you. They're not real," Lucius said.

Ed slowly sat up straighter. Lucius watched him like a hawk, as if waiting for him to lash out.

"And maybe, get your shit together, and talk to him, dickhead. You're obsessing over this and you want something that'll really help? Talk to him. And breathe. In and out. Try to not let your mind unravel."

Ed nodded slightly.

"And you can talk to me too, as long as you won't kill me," Lucius said. "But other than that, I'd advise you to hurry on back. If he wakes up and you aren't there, he's going to freak out."

Ed tensed slightly. "Shit. You're right."

"I know. Get out of here," Lucius said.

Ed got up. He crossed the room and turned slightly to look at Lucius. "Thank you, Lucius."

Lucius waved dismissively. He picked up the bounty poster. "You left this."

Lucius opened it, his mouth dropping open. Ed walked back over. Lucius held it out.

"Five hundred?" Lucius said with wide eyes.

"Does my nose really like that?" Ed asked.

Lucius grinned, looking back at the poster and then at Ed. "Eh. It's a bit smaller in real life."

"Thank you!" Ed replied.

Lucius chuckled as Ed took the poster and crossed the room, quickly going through the door.

"Stede Bonnet and Edward Teach. The fucking idiot couple," Lucius said with a grin as he stood up.