Ed is trapped on his ship with Izzy Hands and a new crew of murderous pirates who will kill him at the first sign of weakness. Meanwhile, Stede has returned and realized his terrible mistake. With no ship and no money, he goes to Spanish Jackie for help. Jackie puts him in touch with an infamous pirate who has her own reasons for seeking out Blackbeard. But Stede isn't about to let a small thing like an entire ocean and no ship stop him from making amends with Ed before it's too late. (This story started out as a vignette of Ed in the bath, but then I realized it would be a good start for my own version of Season 2. Bonbon is played by Tessa Thompson, because let's be honest: she'd make a badass pirate and she's friends with Taika, so it feels very plausible that she'd show up in this world.) --- As always, comments deeply appreciated. It keeps me motivated to keep writing, and I love to hear from people!

"Well, that's that, then. I know he's your friend, Ed, but he was a toxic influence on the crew. And on you as well," Stede declared. Something about those words stung Ed just a little. He wasn't not-not himself with Jack. It was just that being around him seemed to bring out the part of him that enjoyed giving and receiving pain. Cut your finger and you'll forget about your chronic headache, if only for a little while. But slowly, Stede was showing him that a moment of warmth and connection could be just as distracting. ------ This story begins assuming Calico Jack left the Revenge, Ed stayed, and Jack didn't betray the crew to the English. How would the slow burn of Ed and Stede's relationship have carried on? How long would it take for them to realize their feelings for each other in the absence of life-changing events? Plot-light, especially compared to my hypothetical S2 fic, A Pirate's Life for Us. The main driver of plot is Ed and Stede's accidental flirtation and growing intimacy.