Passing Ships | Our flag means death

Too close for comfort

Once Hornigold's ship had sailed away, Blackbeard was immiediatly at the fallen man's side, rolling him over to be greeted by a worrying amount of blood seeping into his shirt and staining the wooden boards. The only thought that was playing through Ed's mind was simply 'no'. He kept repeating it like some kind of mantra or prayer to any god for them to not take this man just yet. His hands fumbled as he gingerly lifted Stede up in his arms and carried him like a bride.

"Captain!" Izzy called.

"What fucking now?" He spat, glaring behind him.

"What do you want us to do with this lot?" his right hand asked, gesturing to Stede's crew.

"Leave them. Just clean this place up" Was all he ordered before disappearing in his cabin and laying stede on the bed. He was quick to work, having dealt with his own countless slashings, and gathered alcohol, needles and thread. He tore off the rest of Stede's shirt before he poured the alcohol on the wound causing him to hiss as he jolted awake. He blinked up at Ed and frowned, "Oh I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I failed you again" he croaked, but Blackbeard fervently shook his head and soothed him, letting him slip back into unconsciousness. He cleaned off the blood before cleansing his tools with more alcohol and stitching the man back up. Wiping the sweat off his brow, he threw a blanket over the sleeping man and perched on the edge of the bed. The fearsome pirate finally let his gaurd down as he gazed at the slumbering man's face with reluctant concern.

Blackbeard so desperately wanted to hold Stede in contempt, to have him be a vile, trecherous lech he could despise for good reason. It would make his tangle of emotions so much easier to unknot if Stede was like the rich people he spoke of who got bored of things quickly; if that was the case, he could hate him, hate himself, hate everything and be perfectly happy doing so. Instead, Stede came back to him, he let himself get stabbed just to talk to him and then went and attacked a terrifying pirate just to save him. But if Stede did care for him that much why would he leave in the first place.

Blackbeard let himself become completely enveloped in his internal conflict that he only snapped out of it hours later when Stede fluttered his eyelids open again and let out a breathy chuckle.

"I believe this is what the french call Deja Vu" The blonde joked, remebering they were in a similar situation to when they first met. When Blackbeard seemed less entertained by his lightheartedness, Stede sighed and propped himself more upright with a wince, his expression now sombre, "Right...Where do I start..." He mused.

"How about you start with where the fuck you've been for a month" The darker haired one hissed finally locking misty eyes with the other's. His face was utterly sorrowful as if all the anguish was now rising to the surface and he couldn't stop the words from pouring out, "I know we had a disagreement but surely that doesn't warrant running away. You fucking left all of us- left me without any reason. You could've been dead and I wouldn't have known. And you know at first I... I blamed myself for you leaving, and that was the worst part of it all. Because i found the best thing in my life and I was the one who drove you out and into the arms of your wife"

Blackbeard was now leaning close to Stede with a snarl on his lips, "Well look at me now. The infamous Blackbeard is back, just like you wanted"

Stede just wrapped his arms around him, holding tight even when he slammed his fists agasint his chest to break free until he relaxed into the embrace, the pain from the wound on his chest a mere afterthought.

"I would apologise a thousand times a day to make it up to you if that's what it took. I deeply regret what I did and I wasn't thinking right at all. I-.. The Admiral said somethings... He told me I ruin everything I touch, that I ruined Blackbeard. I was such a bloody fool and I belived him and I thought if left...you would be better off.... so I thought I could at least fix things with my family at least and not have my life be a complete failure... But she had moved on from me.... however she did help me realise what love actually was" He mumbled, his voice breaking as emotion filled every word. Blackbeard finally pushed out of his arms to give him a look of betrayal.

"So you left me... For your wife... And came back when it didn't work out. What did you fucking expect would happen when you returned? I'd welcome you with open arms?" He retorted.

"No! Heavens no, it's.. not like that... But I would not blame you for not forgiving me. I just wanted to clear the air because... I do care about you Edward. I....I love you. I understand how that feels now" Stede said softly, earnesty in every ounce of his worried and wide eyes as he tried to scan Ed's.