Stede’s heart leaps in his chest when Ed touches him, and it’s all he can do not to close the distance between them and fall into his arms. He wants that comfort so much that he aches—nevermind that Ed was the one that made him hurt like this in the first place.
Well. Not Ed. That was Stede to himself, with Ed by proxy, which is exactly why he can’t let himself be tempted. There’s still a moment where he has to close his eyes, overwhelmed, and steady himself. It doesn’t help that Ed is beautiful like this. Soft, somehow. Those eyes… and that look on his face, it’s just…
No. Bonnet, when are you going to learn? Hope and longing battle it out in his heart and on his face, and it takes an immense force of will to push it all back down.
“Tell me to leave.” He blinks his eyes open again, catching Ed’s gaze and holding it. “I’m not doing it until you tell me to this time. But I think it’s clear why you should.” His voice shakes a bit at the end of that last sentence. He’ll explain if Edward needs him to, but it seems so obvious to him at this point.
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Well. Not Ed. That was Stede to himself, with Ed by proxy, which is exactly why he can’t let himself be tempted. There’s still a moment where he has to close his eyes, overwhelmed, and steady himself. It doesn’t help that Ed is beautiful like this. Soft, somehow. Those eyes… and that look on his face, it’s just…
No. Bonnet, when are you going to learn? Hope and longing battle it out in his heart and on his face, and it takes an immense force of will to push it all back down.
“Tell me to leave.” He blinks his eyes open again, catching Ed’s gaze and holding it. “I’m not doing it until you tell me to this time. But I think it’s clear why you should.” His voice shakes a bit at the end of that last sentence. He’ll explain if Edward needs him to, but it seems so obvious to him at this point.