Chapter Text
“So good for me,” Ed coos as Stede transfers the cookies onto a wire cooling rack. Stede is practically vibrating out of his skin, and Ed is absolutely enjoying winding him up even further. “Can’t wait to taste you, to feel your cock slide into my throat as I —“
”Done!” Stede shouts, throwing the cookie sheet and spatula in the general vicinity of the sink, the parchment paper liner fluttering to the floor. He’s pulling his apron off, tossing it halfway across the kitchen as he starts working his fly open.
Ed laughs, enjoying how messy Stede gets when he’s horny. He’s usually so fastidious and particular, but when his cock gets hard, all that goes out the window. It’s a heady feeling, knowing he has that effect on Stede. Ed likes it.
He lets Stede wiggle halfway out of his jeans before spinning him around and walking him back over to the island, which is partially covered with dirty mixing bowls and spatulas, the roll of parchment paper, and the wrapper from a stick of butter. But the other half is clear, and there’s enough space for Ed to have his way with Stede. He lets go of Stede so he can untie his own apron, and Stede whines.
”Be patient,” Ed instructs, which only makes Stede pout. He reaches down to touch himself, but Ed growls at him, so he pulls his hand back with a startled little yelp.
“That probably shouldn’t be so hot,” Stede breathes, but fuck that.
”It can be hot if you want it to be hot. We both like it. Nothing else really matters.” Ed reaches behind Stede to lay out his apron on the island, both to protect Stede from the cold surface and to protect the surface from Stede’s ass, before picking him up by the waist and settling him onto the island.
Stede’s eyes glaze over, his mouth hanging open in surprise and arousal, and Ed chuckles lowly as he waits for Stede’s brain to come back online. “That definitely was hot,” Stede says after blinking a few times and shaking his head as if that will help kick it back into gear.
“Glad you think so,” Ed rumbles as he works Stede’s cock free from his underwear. “And if you liked that, you’re really gonna like this.” He leans down so he can take Stede into his mouth. Stede gasps, groaning out Ed’s name, shaking with the effort to keep from thrusting up.
Ed tugs at Stede’s thighs until he wraps them around Ed’s shoulders, laying back on the island with a moan so sexy Ed will be thinking about it for years. Stede’s back is a little arched, his head tipped back, one hand gripping tightly onto his own hair. He looks incredible like this, erotic and sultry, focussed intently on his own pleasure. Ed aches to give it to him.
“Ed, please,” Stede begs, and the desperation in his voice makes Ed’s cock twitch in his jeans. Absolutely putting a pin in that and exploring it some other time, but right now all Ed wants is to give Stede whatever he wants.
Ed wraps his hand around Stede’s cock, strokes him slowly as he says, “Don’t hold back,” and takes Stede into his mouth.
Stede doesn’t. He’s wild with it, sinking into the sensations as he thrusts his hips up off the island in an ever-increasing pace, moaning as Ed takes him deeper and deeper. The noises he’s making are driving Ed insane, and if he didn’t have to support Stede’s body, he’d have his hand down his own pants by now. Ed loves the way Stede’s using his mouth for his own pleasure, how he’s chanting Ed’s name and working a hand into Ed’s hair to keep him in place when he finds an angle he likes.
“Fuck, Ed, right there, don’t stop, don’t stop ,” Stede groans, thrusting so deep his cock slides into Ed’s throat, gasping at the feeling. Ed swallows around him, and that’s all it takes for Stede to tense up and come. Ed sucks him through it, keeping Stede in his mouth until Stede’s shuddering with oversensitivity, his softening cock finally slipping from Ed’s mouth. His hips have to be killing him, so Ed gently moves Stede’s legs off his shoulders and rests his forehead against Stede’s thigh. He’s still hard and so desperate to come that as soon as Stede is settled into a more comfortable position, he grasps his own cock and starts stroking. He’s so close from sucking Stede that it only takes a few strokes until he’s coming into his own hand, groaning and panting against Stede’s sweaty skin.
“Fucking hell, Ed,” Stede says once he can speak again. “I can’t believe I was ever nervous about having sex with you. We are so fucking good at this.”
Ed snorts against Stede’s thigh, laughing when Stede flinches and squeals, “Ticklish!” Ed uses his clean hand to help Stede hop down from the island, catching him with an “oof” when Stede’s legs wobble as he steps down onto the tile floor. Stede melts against Ed, and Ed wraps his arm around Stede’s waist, holding Stede tight as he breathes into the curve of Ed’s neck.
He asks Ed if he can return the favor, leading him upstairs to the shower instead when Ed tells him he’s already come. Stede fiddles with the dials until the water is steaming, then he pulls out a basket full of shampoos and soaps from a basket in the linen closet, smelling each one before grabbing a couple of bottles. Ed can feel himself smiling as he watches Stede fuss, knowing it’s probably a combination of the way Stede is anyway about his showers and wanting everything to be just right for Ed.
Stede smiles shyly when he catches Ed looking at him, and Ed thinks he knows how the Grinch felt when his heart grew three sizes. It’s gonna take some fucking getting used to, being able to hold this much emotion in his chest. Maybe once they’re out of the honeymoon phase things will settle a bit, and part of him knows that’s what love does: it changes and evolves as it grows, sometimes feeling heavier and other times lighter, but always there to comfort and adore and nurture.
The water pressure is incredible when Ed steps into the shower, soothing on his shoulders and neck where he carries so much of his tension. Stede’s washing him gently, tracing the lines of his muscles and tattoos with a soapy washcloth. He’d asked if he could, and Ed nodded, finding himself a little too overwhelmed to speak. Not in a bad way, just in a “no one has ever cared for me like this” sort of way, a little bit awed and humbled by the experience. Everything feels a little soft right now, muted, like he’s gone up in altitude and his ears have yet to pop.
Watching Stede tend to him feels like a gift. It makes him feel like a gift, or maybe a treasure, something worth protecting and caring for to keep it at its shining best. He lets Stede wash his hair, lets him condition in, lets him wrap Ed up in the fluffiest towel Ed’s ever seen, lets him lead Ed to the bed and gently pat him dry, lets Stede pull back the covers and nudge him underneath, lets him tuck him in with a kiss to the forehead.
Stede tells him he’ll be right back, just has to do something real quick, and Ed waits until Stede is in the bathroom to sit up and peek in to see what Stede’s doing, not wanting him out of his eyesight for a moment. Stede brushes his teeth and uses at least three different skincare products before he moisturizes. Ed sees him very intentionally not look at the state of his hair, and then he’s turning off the light and coming back into the room, so Ed ducks back down and pretends he wasn’t watching.
“I saw you in the mirror, you know, peeking into the bathroom,” Stede says once he’s back under the covers next to Ed. Ed shrugs, not sorry one bit. Stede scoots closer, close enough that he looks a little bit like a Cyclops when Ed tries to look him in the eye, and then they’re giggling, and Stede’s pulling down the covers to their waists because “It’s too fucking hot,” and that’s good, that’s better, actually, because it was too fucking hot.
There are tentative fingers on his shoulder, “Is this okay?” from Stede’s lips, and Ed nods so Stede will start tracing warm fingertips across his skin, chasing the lines of his tattoos yet again. He can’t seem to get enough of them, wants to touch them all the time. It makes Ed wonder why.
“They suit you,” Stede says, like he can read Ed’s mind. “It feels like a window into your mind, so many things just running through your clever brain, all vying for your attention. Some of them made it onto your skin so other people could give them the attention they demand and you could give your brain a rest.” Ed feels a tear start winding its way down his cheek before he can blink it away. Stede notices but doesn’t stop moving his hand. “Do you want me to stop?” Ed shakes his head.
There’s not a single line on Ed’s body Stede misses before he’s done. Ed’s half-hard, has been since Stede put his hands on his skin, but he doesn’t want to do anything about it, and Stede seems to understand that intrinsically. Ed feels so warm, so whole, so full to bursting with affection for this man, with love.
And it is love, Ed realizes as Stede traces the mizzenmast of the frigate tattooed on his chest. He is catastrophically in love with Stede Bonnet. He’s never been in love in his whole life, but he’s wanted it since he was old enough to listen to his mother tell him fairy tales of beautiful princesses and dashing princes who loved each other enough to slay dragons and move mountains. He wanted that for himself, so badly it made him ache. But he lived in the real world and tender romance wasn’t for him, so he quenched the fire and let it grow cold.
Then along came Stede, a burning ember, a steady hearth, a spark over tinder, and suddenly Ed is ablaze, simple as anything.
Stede’s hand is resting above the fore top-gallant sail now, right over his heart. Ed wraps it up with his own. “You win,” Stede whispers, and Ed’s heart thumps wildly in his chest. He hopes Stede can feel it. He hopes Stede understands what it means. He doesn't want to say it yet, wants to luxuriate in the feeling a while before letting his feelings loose. He thinks Stede will understand.
“Here,” Stede says, shifting so he’s laying on his back, arm raised so Ed can curl up against Stede’s side and rest his head on Stede’s chest. Ed sighs and gets settled, breathing in the scent of soap and Stede’s skin. Stede pulls the covers back up to Ed’s shoulders, tucking him in with a sweet smile.
Ed’s ear is right over Stede’s heart. He wonders if Stede did that on purpose, if he wanted Ed to hear how it beats just for him. If his chest is full of emotions he can’t name yet, just like Ed’s. He starts stroking Ed’s hair and humming tunelessly, the vibrations pleasant against Ed’s face. Ed closes his eyes and lets himself fall asleep to the sound of Stede’s gentle affection.