Work Text:
The walls were talking to him, which was probably deserved, but it still concerned Ed. He heard whispers coming from them. Sounding suspiciously like Lucius. He was currently sitting (curled up in a fetal position) on the floor of Stede's secret closet. He had made a make-shift bed out of his old clothes and blankets on the floor. It still faintly smelled like Stede. He missed the man.
That fact was obvious to anyone who interacted with him for more than five seconds. Ed took another swig at his bottle of some alcohol Jim bought and pulled a waistcoat to his chin like a blanket. He heard a sigh from behind him and turned his neck to glane at the bare walls of the hidden room. While he could not bring himself to throw out Stede’s clothes he stripped the walls of the room bare. Ed twisted around on the bed and groaned.
“God, you're pathetic.” The far-away voice of Lucius piped up to torment him again. It was a common occurrence these days. The voice continued to call him a myriad of insults, some more rude than others. Ed just nodded along. He had come to accept these faults of his a long time ago. Stede had made him believe he could heal, but now he was more broken
than before.
“Shut up voice.”
“Never, it’s too fun.”
Ed heard shouting coming from outside. He took a deep breath and pulled himself out of his pile. He went above deck and was greeted by Izzy angrily shouting at Jim. They seemed mostly unbothered by the man’s shouting and turned to face Ed.
“Can you tell him to shut up. I’m just doing what you told me to do.” They gestured to the pile of rope next to them. Izzy grumbled and turned to face his captain.
“Blackbeard. Why would you have them collect rope?” Blackbeard shrugged.
“I need to check out some places on the ship.” They both gave him a confused look, Blackbeard grabbed the rope and went back to the inside of the ship. He heard Izzy calling his name but just ignored him.
He entered the cabin and locked the door. Izzy knocked and juggled the handle for a couple minutes. Eventually he gave up and Ed heard him walk away.
“I’m back voice, I need to prove you aren't real, and this rope is gonna help me.” He opened another one of the secret passages in the ship. The secret passage dips down deep into the ship.
He tied one end of the long rope on the side of the desk near the entrance. He dropped the other end down the hole. Ed slid down the rope and pulled out a match from his pocket. He lit it against the wall and held it up to light the path.
“Show yourself Lucius' voice, you've caused me enough trouble.” He heard shuffling around him and turned to face another empty hall. Ed moved forwards. His feet brushed against something. He brought the match down and saw a bundle of fabric on the floor.
“What the…” He heard another noise from behind him and turned to see a figure in the dark, just out of his light’s reach. He ran towards the figure but was just met with another wall.
“Fuck!” His match was about to go out as well. He decided to go back to the rope and try again tomorrow. He heard chuckling while he was climbing but just accepted that it was his mind finally betraying him, like everyone these days.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“You’re really wearing that? It’s smelly and all you put on.” Ed groaned at Lucius's judgemental voice. He dropped the worn leather outfit and groaned. His eyes darted to the open door leading to Stede’s closet.
He entered the room, avoiding his blanket fort, and pulling out one of Stede’s blouses, it was less ruffily than the other ones hanging next to it. Ed went to look at the pants rack and found a pair of simple purple trousers. He put them on, but kept the leather gloves and gun holster. He needed to still be armed.
“That is so much better man.” Ed ignored him and sat down at the desk in the center of the cabin. The only remaining piece of furniture from when Stede was the captain. He brought his feet up to rest on the desk and started to play with a knife. He stopped his fidgeting when an aggressive knock came from the door.
“Yeah Izzy?” Izzy entered the room and walked up to the desk. Izzy cleared his throat to get Ed’s attention. Ed looked up at him and gestured for him to speak.
“Sir, we have reports that a British ship has been following us. Should we wait for them or make contact now?” Ed groaned.
“Wait them out. I wanna try to scare them.” Izzy nodded and walked out.
“You're bored aren't you?” Lucius’s voice was heard from the ship’s walls.
“No-no I’m not. I’m powerful.” Ed huffed out. He stumbled out of his seat and pointed at the general direction Lucius spoke in the wall. “I love this.” Ed heard Lucius chuckle loudly. Ed knocked his fist on the wall in frustration.
“I don’t knoow. You seem way too sad to be some powerful pirate.” Ed slammed his fist into the wall and shouted.
“I am Blackbeard. NO I AM THE KRAKEN.” Lucius went silent. Ed walked out of the room. His steps made a sound like thunder in a roaring storm.
Ed walked out to the front of the ship. Izzy tried to approach him, but he just shoved passed him as he shouted out a command.
“Set a course for that boat! We board it in one day’s time!” The crew-members on the deck nodded. All but one. Frenchie was watching near the mast. He had a small scowl on his face but said nothing. Ed made eye contact with all of the pirates. His gaze lingered on Izzy. The shorter man looked downwards to try to avoid it. Ed smirked and went back inside.
“God you really are trying. I can’t even-like-make fun of it. It’s just sad.” Ed made a noise similar to a growl and went to sit in the clothes closet. “Don’t go back there it just makes you worse mate. How about this. Why don’t we talk.” Ed snorted.
“If I do that then my last ounce of sanity will finally leave me.” The voice laughed.
“You just did! And you really think you're sane. Nope.”
“Fine! I was betrayed by someone I thought I could trust.” Ed crossed his arms in front of himself and tapped his foot against the floor.
“There we go that’s a great start, Stede left and he hurt yo-”
“He didn’t hurt me, I don't get hurt.” The voice muttered something Ed could not hear and responded.
“I know you're tough and strong, but you need to admit you got hurt from this. Please it’s what's best for you.” Ed thought he heard a quiet “and me” as well.
“I-I don’t deserve that I hurt people and they leave me.”
“But you get hurt too! And if you admit that then you can help yourself get better and work on how you treat people.” Ed stood in the center of the room shell-shocked. The voice may be right.
“Maybe, maybe I do get hurt by people sometimes.”
“There we go! Now it’s getting late so try to sleep in a real bed and not that sad pile.”
“Fuck of I take everything back now.” The voice did not respond. He went to curl up in the bed that he hasn’t touched since the night he threw Lucius overboard. It still smells so much like Stede.
Ed awoke to the sound of shouting, mostly from Izzy. He freshened himself up, mostly by applying his kohl. He stayed in Stede’s clothes and went outside.
“Shoot them down! Blackbeard has no time for these frilly fake pirates!” Ed approached Izzy from behind and tapped him lightly. He spun around a scowl on his face. It slipped off quickly when he saw who had come up to him.
“Boss go back inside, this ship is not worth our time, just some stuoid people who must've stumbled upon a british ship.” Ed looked at the pirates on the ship and recognized all of them from hi-Stede’s old crew.
“That’s- wait.” He pulled out his spyeglass and saw him. Somehow he was here. Not dead. “Everyone stop! Let them board.” Izzy opened his mouth to object but Ed walked away. He avoided looking at Stede and went to Jim and Frenchie who were very obviously whispering to each other.
“No fucking funny buisness.” They nodded and Ed walked to the plank they had laid out for the crew. Black Pete and Olu were the first to board. Ed looked for Stede but saw him nowhere.
“Where is Lucius?” Ed kept looking at the ship and ignored Black Pete’s question. He saw Jim and Olu reunite with a tender kiss and his heart panged. Suddenly he felt a tug on his sleeve and finally looked down at Black Pete.
“Where is he?”
“He’s d-”
“Ed!” Ed felt a strong embrace wrap around him before he saw the person contacting him. He knew who it was though. How could he not. Before he said anything he heard a door slam open and looked at the ship’s cabin to see. Lucius?
“How?” Ed felt Stede let go and almost let himself whimper at the sudden lack of contact. Stede approached Lucius and wrapped him in a tight hug as well. Lucius hugged back but,after a minute, pushed Stede off.
“You two need to talk.” He pointed to Stede and then at Ed. “Also yes Ed tried to kill me.” Black Pete went to charge at Ed, reaching for his sword. Lucius was able to get to him in time and kissed him softly on the lips. “It’s- well it’s not okay, but don’t kill him.” Ed tuned out of their conversation and turned to Stede.
“I-” They both had spoken at the same time. Stede gestured to him to speak. And speak he did.
“Stede, you hurt me. And I want to forgive you, but it was some of the most pain I ever felt.” Stede nodded and got closer to Ed. He put Ed’s hand into his own and brought it up to his mouth to give it a quick kiss.
“I know, and I am truly sorry. I - well I won’t ramble, but I thought I was making you worse, and I needed to go back to Mary as well to make things right.”
“Worse?”
“I thi- I thought I ruined you. I know now I didn’t but-”
“Ruin me? Ruin me? YOu made me such a better man. I was happier than I had been in years.”
“Oh Ed, I am so incredibly sorry, please let me try again.” Ed was silent. His eyes darted around and landed on all the people watching them, some were nervous, most looked oissed at him.
“Yes. Yes you can try again.”