#gentlebeard

[eddie-redcliffe]

'And we laugh a lot. We just pass the time so well. I'd call those things love.'

[xray-vex]

thinking about Ed Teach & all the life-altering moments that happened to him in Stede's bed

- thinking about how Ed went back to check on Stede knowing that Stede needed him but that he needed Stede, too & how they made love in that bed where Ed endured the worst heartbreak of his life & how the love they share is healing them both.

& Ed's remembering.

he's remembering the times he broke down crying so hard about Stede that he thought he might actually die from grief.

but Stede's HERE now.

& Ed's heart is full to bursting with love & wishes he could comfort his past self & tell him it'll be ok.

[sherlockig]

[crimson-and-clover-1717]

The problem with reading Ed’s nod as ‘dub-con’ is the idea that consent is an event. It isn’t. It’s ongoing and can be withdrawn at any time. The nod was for us. But behind the curtain, both Ed and Stede are looking for and giving ongoing consent. What they want, what they don’t want. We are shown over and over that Stede is extremely respectful of Ed’s boundaries. We are shown that Ed is confident to assert those boundaries. Had Ed wanted to stop at any point, he knew he could do so safely. As could Stede.

Dubious consent is when an individual consents to sex because they are afraid of the repercussions if they don’t, and know they are not safe to withdraw that consent should they wish to. It’s about power imbalance. If Ed had said no, would he have been beaten up, starved, thrown off the ship, ostracised, assaulted, or watched Stede find someone else to have sex with? Would Stede have sulked and name-called, belittled and bullied? There is no power imbalance here. If there is, it’s slightly in Ed’s favour. He’s far more sexually experienced despite neither being romantically so. All of this is new to Stede. He’s going to need guidance and love and support making love to a man for the first time.

Do you know what might be classed as dubious consent? The sexual relationship between Stede and Mary. Both forced to perform within a heteronormative marriage to produce an heir as part of the hereditary principle of noblesse oblige. Mary states ‘we never would’ve chosen each other’. I’m not suggesting sex between them was abusive in any way, but they were forced to consent to a marriage they didn’t want, and therefore forced to consent to sex with a person they didn’t wish to, within the system they found themselves in. And to not do so carried consequences. That, perhaps, is your dubious consent.

None of this is true for Ed and Stede. Regret (and Ed doesn’t regret it, he’s scared) the next morning does not equal dub con the night before. Stede is devastated to even consider that Ed might regret what happened. The idea he would or could coerce Ed into sexual activity he didn’t want goes against everything we know of Stede’s character. It’s actually insulting to people who find themselves in domestic violence situations in which they do consent to sex they don’t want out of fear. Honestly, if you think Stede Bonnet is capable of that level of manipulation of the person he loves to the core of his being, or that Ed is capable of being manipulated in that way, you are not watching the same show I am; and frankly, I don’t know why you’re watching it at all.

[sollee-art]

Colored sketches today

[cosmic0ak]

Hello ofmd fandom.

[follows-the-bees]

Ed wakes up first every morning during the early hours when the sun is just cresting the horizon. Most nights Stede and he slightly drift apart, the hot Caribbean temperatures too much for constant full contact. But Ed loves waking up to see which part of Stede will still be stretched out and touching him.

This morning it's both an ankle and a hand. Stede's placed his foot over Ed's, like an anchor, but instead of making Ed sink, it keeps him from floating away.

Stede's fingers have looped around the twine tied around Ed's wrist. Only a month ago, Stede had presented the twine around a bouquet of flowers; he had kept it in his pocket for months after their first time together. Ed added it in a moment of panic, trying to give the tray a flourish, and Stede kept it with him. It was such a small thing, not a fine silk or piece of lace, but Stede treated it like it's the most precious thing in the world.

They both have it wrapped around their wrists now, little reminders of their love for each other.

Ed slides forward and kisses Stede on the nose. He gets exactly what he was hoping for, a small scrunch and defining of the lines around Stede's closed eyes, his dimple appearing. Ed kisses that too. Stede lets out a sigh and his hand tightens slightly on Ed's wrist.

It will be an hour or so till Stede gets up, so Ed settles back down and lets sleep take him under again. He's still getting used to being safe, of not having to be on guard at all times. But with Stede by his side, he feels peace for the first time in — forever.

He knows when he wakes up Stede will greet him with the normal wake up routine. A kiss to his temple, the scars on his belly, a small peck on his lips where it once was split. And then Stede will nuzzle in, tucking his face into Ed's neck, slightly tickling him, while he holds him close, pressing kisses into his skin until they become permanent.

[dimplyowl]

Ed just constantly hanging off of Stede at all times. Just like. Out shopping for groceries and Ed is walking behind him with his arms around Stede’s shoulders and chin resting on his neck. Sitting on the counter while Stede makes tea draped over one of Stede’s arms. Literally laying on top of Stede when they’re snuggling on the couch. Stede’s in his reading chair next to the window and Ed’s on his little pillow on the floor with his head resting on Stede’s thigh and arms around his calf.

[zulizenz]

Some tough angles in this scene. Lessons learned, but all in all a good time. Didn't hurt my feelings to stare at this scene for hours on end. 😅

[eddie-redcliffe]

'He adores you.' 'That bizarre little man over there likes you very much.'

[sherlockig]

[becausethenightzine]

Our final sale will open this Friday, September 27! We have a very limited number of physical zines and merch items, but digital zines will also be available for sale. The sale will end October 11.

[captain-charlemagne]

Tallship Elissa

Well and Truly Docked on the Strand

Galveston, TX

September 21, 2024

Edward: @sonotthekraken

[follows-the-bees]

This frame!!!

There is so much going on in this frame.

Lucius is off to the side by himself, angled slightly down from Ed; Ed is technically his captain but in this moment Lucius is speaking to him as a person, not a boss.

Ed is slightly hidden behind a tree which shows how he's guarded.

But more importantly, he is "touching" Stede. Stede is to the left of the frame with Ed and Ed's face is touching him, because this conversation is about Stede, his feelings for him and vice versa.

The pop of purple in the frame, and on a shovel! The love could be buried but it's right there on the surface, on land. Just like Ed's purple shirt, his feelings are out there.

Every frame of this show is amazing. Purposeful and meaningful.

Pic from here.

[ghostalservice]

Another little short post s2 PWP for you all! Inspired by the incomparable @monica-rysik-art’s piece!

———————————

dig deep

Stede thinks he might die if Ed doesn’t touch him soon.

Distantly, he knows he’s being irrational: of course one can’t die from their cock not being touched, but if anyone could be the first, it would be Stede! His heart’s pounding in his chest, a rapid thumpthumpthump that sounds like thundering hooves in his ears, and his breathing is wild, great gasping breaths that shudder on the exhale in stretched-out, desperate whines...

And his breathing isn’t the only thing stretching out.

Ed presses a kiss to the soft flesh just below Stede’s navel, and Stede can feel the way he’s smiling into it, can feel every millimeter of movement in his lips, and his hair—fuck, his hair’s hanging down, brushing the base of Stede’s throbbing, desperate erection.

Stede takes the hand that’s been petting helplessly at Ed’s back, shoulders, neck and gathers all his willpower, focusing every bit of energy he can spare on making his fingers move, making them gather the loose steel-and-silver curls that are draped over Ed’s shoulder, gathers them up and pulls them back to hang on the side not inches from the dripping head of Stede’s cock.

Ed nuzzles his nose into Stede’s hip, and when he nips a bit—just one sharp, sudden clamp of teeth—Stede’s fingers scrabble for skin, tighten all at once and shove.

“Nope,” Ed says, but there’s a roughness to the word, and he’s shifting his hips, dragging his own cock against the side of Stede’s calf and god Stede had no idea his calf was so sensitive, so alive. “Said I wasn’t gonna touch you.”

read more…

[scarrletmoon]

Do you have any Ed and Stede fic you could recommend to me? I love your fics so I think I'd like your recommendations :)

i'm so flattered 😭i barely read anything to begin with for multiple reasons (nothing to do with quality -- i've been in a lot of fandoms and this one BY FAR consistently has the most incredible fic) but uuuuhhhh let's go through my most recent bookmarks!

in case you don't want to scroll through all the rambles (oh and feel free to tag anyone if they're on tumblr, i just linked their ao3 pages):

An Uncharted Level of Waves by Living_City (E)

politely menacing by daydreamcrash (E)

charted by darcylindbergh (E)

serial blusher by daydreamcrash (T)

CringeFail Mob Boss Stede (series) by Panda_Birds (T)

but that's none of my business by chaotic_neutral_knitter (T)

Telescope by Jimsnose (E)

Untitled by oatmilktruther (T)

An Uncharted Level of Waves by Living_City (E)

something about this trans ed fic just got me. something about ed talking about his body with someone he trusts? something about how you can tell how deeply stede adores ed even when it's not from his perspective? also uuummm this has coming untouched, so. i'm a simple man,

politely menacing by daydreamcrash (E)

i'm so stupidly picky when it comes to stede characterization, but i took a chance bc i saw "what if......stede in the cat collar" and you know what. it was fuckin great. i love when stede gets to be the brat. i love seeing ed and stede trust each other. i like when ed gets to dom on his own terms. i love them being disgustingly in love

charted by darcylindbergh (E)

i assume im like, the last person to read this but it's one of those fics that just pops into my head out of nowhere sometimes and i just 🫠 as i said before, im a simple man and i'm a sucker for play that involves one of them trying to distract the other. sexually. anyway it's hot AND shows off how intelligent and skilled ed is. win-win

serial blusher by daydreamcrash (T)

(see sometimes i read stuff that isn't filth!) this fic is SO FUCKIN FUNNY. i just love the fact that ed's spent so long trying to meet someone, but of course the guy he instantly falls head over heels for is the one archie never even considered. it's "stede? STEDE stede?" manifested into a hilarious 5k fic. i love it

CringeFail Mob Boss Stede by Panda_Birds (T)

just gonna rec this entire series bc it's so FUCKING funny. i haven't read Performance Review but i trust sowmz' humor so much that i'm going to rec it sight unseen. they just manage to capture stede's terrible but kind-hearted boss energy without going too far into clueless michael scott territory. also ed is completely smitten and everyone is confused by it. it's great

but that's none of my business by chaotic_neutral_knitter (T)

i've probably hyped this fic too many times but idc. it's 1.5k of lucius losing his mind bc he's CONVINCED ed and stede have something going on but NO ONE will believe him (except exactly who you'd expect)

Telescope by Jimsnose (E)

another one of my always-recs. pretty sure jimsnose has left the fandom at this point but that doesn't change the fact that Telescope is incredible and i hope one day i write something even half as good as this. one thing i love about their writing is how you don't so much read it as let it HAPPEN to you. and sometimes i remember parts of this fic like glimpses through that telescope and it's just so incredibly vivid. you can feel the tension so well between ed and stede here, how much they care for each other, how that breaks them, how it brings them together. and jimsnose so good at what they do that i happily read their Ted Lasso fic. i've never watched Ted Lasso. idk if i ever will. idk what i was doing over there, reading it. but the fics are fuckin banger

Untitled by oatmilktruther (T)

first of all, read anything abs writes on sight, like go sub to them right now if you haven't already (i'm biased but im RIGHT). im picking kind of a weird one but you try and get the image of leather and stede and tongue-tied ed out of your head. right. exactly.