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#And Stede cheerily goes 'Ah yes. Trying something new! Do you like it?'
saltpepperbeard · 7 months
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gnawing on my arm because i think there's something to be said about how stede not only dreams about himself with a beard, but ed with his full beard back too. like, the dream seems to be riddled with imagery that he thinks ed would want.
and i say this especially because of how stede reacted when ed had to shave his beard. he freaked out on his behalf. he shrieked in horror whereas ed was entirely unbothered. he feared he had ruined him, had dragged him down to some despicable level, when in actuality, ed was completely content to shed that part of his persona.
and then there he is dreaming about ed with that part right on back.
so there's very clearly still a part of his mind that's convinced that's what ed wants. because why wouldn't he? everyone else seems to. and why would he want the softness and femininity stede had been bullied for his entire life?
which in turn plays into his own imagery too. bearded, masculine, fiercesome, rugged...
because how could someone love what everyone has hated him for? how could someone want what everyone has tried to quite literally beat out of him?
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