Edward Teach Died on a Beach (OFMD)

Chapter 18

While Stede explained the logistics of his wife's friend who'd helped him fake his death, the crew raided a merchant vessel. Ed sat quietly on a barrel, his head bowed. He still felt odd.

Or the oddness was starting to leave. He couldn't tell. He still felt strange. He felt on edge and still... raw. He could tell the crew was looking at him, but he didn't care.

He jumped slightly when he felt a hand on his lower back. He knew it had to be Stede because anyone else would have already gotten their hand cut off for touching him like that. With such... fondness.

"Hey," Stede said quietly.

Ed grunted softly. Stede stepped closer. Ed felt Stede lean against the barrel. Stede put a hand on his thigh and leaned slightly closer.

"Come here," Stede said softly.

Ed looked over at him warily. Stede grabbed his arm and tugged it gently. Reluctantly, he followed Stede into the captain's quarters. Ed was a little surprised at the lack of the awful smell that had been haunting the room. The chandeliers and the fireplace were lit, and the light danced around the room.

Despite the brightness, the place still looked wrong... hollow, even. Stede brought Ed to the bookshelf and pulled the little bust that served as the lever to open it. Ed frowned as Stede ducked through the door and began to run his fingers over the clothes in the closet.

Stede had reluctantly opened the door of the closet earlier that day. He was insanely pleased to see that it was mostly untouched. Ed stood uncomfortably in the doorway.

For the most part, they'd managed to pull it together enough to appear as though they were sort of okay in front of the crew. In private, though, things were still a bit tense.

"Why didn't you throw this all out?" Stede asked quietly.

He didn't want to make Ed feel more guilty than he already was, but he was too curious to not ask. Ed grunted a little and shrugged. Stede paused to look over at him.

"Talk it through..." Stede said softly.

"Fuck off," Ed replied and then instantly sank backwards guiltily. "Sorry."

"I'm just curious," Stede said softly. "And I'm not upset about the rest of my things. I understand why you did it."

Ed's eyes flicked over to him. "Don't say that. Don't forgive me."

Stede began to search through his clothes again. "Too late."

Ed sighed deeply. "I couldn't bare to open the door. And... Izzy didn't know about it, so he wasn't pressuring me to get rid of it."

"But why'd you keep it? Just... didn't have the heart to throw it out?" Stede asked as he pulled something off of its hanger.

Ed nodded, looking at the floor. "Yep."

Stede didn't belive him. To be honest, Ed didn't really know why he hadn't thrown it all off the ship. Maybe he had still been clinging onto something.

"Would you let me bathe you?" Stede asked.

Ed eyes snapped onto him. "What?"

"Edward," Stede said evenly, looking at him. "You smell a bit. A lot, actually."

Ed stared at him darkly. "I don't... I don't know."

"Okay. We'll wait on that until you feel a bit better. Here. With me," Stede said, going back to the door and pulling Ed through it.

Stede went to another door and pulled it open. He pulled something white out of it and turned back to Ed. He held his arms out. Ed stared at him blankly.