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Ed had been floating on air for the last few days. The memories of the feeling of Stede’s mouth on hers, of his arms wrapped around her, acted as a source of energy as pure as the sun as she went about her work. She’d say she was working as usual , but there was nothing usual about it anymore.
When she knocked on Stede’s door in the morning, she was now greeted with a kiss and the feel of his fingers tracing down her neck. She was ushered through the foyer to the kitchen with his hand at the small of her back. When he handed her her favorite coffee mug, already filled with coffee—perfectly prepared with a dollop of cream and seven sugar cubes—his hand lingered over hers at the kitchen island.
Her skin tingled with the possibility of it all and she smiled over at him. He smiled back, a blush creeping up his neck to rest beautifully in the apples of his cheeks.
After a moment he pulled back. “I have something for you,” he said, biting his lip in a moment of uncertainty.
“I’m sure I’ll love it, whatever it is,” she told him, fighting down her own blush. Christ, she felt sixteen again, and was grateful for her beard that hid the worst of the color rising dark across her skin.
Out of his jacket pocket, Stede produced an envelope and handed it over to Ed. She opened it to find two tickets to La Bohème at the Opera House for Saturday night. The tickets were for box seats—they must have cost a small fortune.
“Stede, what the hell,” she breathed, eyes wide. He wanted to take her to the opera . No one had ever wanted to take Ed somewhere fancy, even when she’d been brushing shoulders with some of the biggest horticulturalists and floral artists in the country.
“We don’t have to go,” Stede rushed to say. “Forget it, it was a stupid idea.”
“What?! No!” Ed pulled her gaze from the tickets in her hands to see Stede, even redder in the face, looking quietly devastated while he looked down at his hands on the table. “Stede, this is fucking brilliant . Thank you.”
That got him to look up at her, peeking up over the soft blond curls of his fringe. “Really? You actually want to go?”
“Yes, of course,” she said, reaching across the table to squeeze his hands in hers. She was reassured when he squeezed back. “No one’s ever taken me to the opera before. I guess everyone thinks playing in the dirt means that stuff’s too fancy for the likes of me.”
“Absolutely not! The opera is for everyone,” Stede insisted.
“I’m sure the price of those seats begs to differ.”
Stede looks a bit abashed at that, at least. “I’ve been getting a season pass for years. Though I haven’t been in a while, since I haven’t had anyone to go with.”
“Well, now you do,” Ed told him with a grin. She lifted his hand in hers and pressed a kiss to his knuckles. When she released his hand, he tugged her close across the island and kissed her. Stede was late for work and Ed didn’t get started in the garden until mid-morning. She thought she could get used to a new usual if it would be like this.
When Ed headed home that night, she immediately called Lucius from speakerphone in her truck.
“I need your help, mate,” she said as soon as he answered.
“Who do I need to have John beat up now?” he quipped without missing a beat.
“No, man, it’s nothing like that.”
“Babe, you sound terrified, what’s going on?”
“Nothing’s wrong! Fucking Christ, this was a bad idea.”
“Is Stede being a dick to you? I can send Jim to threaten him. It will be very satisfying, trust me.”
“No, mate, call off your guard dogs,” she told him. “Stede’s wonderful. More wonderful than I fucking deserve.”
“Well, that’s bullshit, but okay.”
“He’s taking me out on a date,” she blurted out. “To the fucking opera .”
Lucius let out a low wolf whistle on the other end of the line that crackled strangely, but Ed got the gist.
“And you’re freaking out,” he said knowingly.
“Yes! Of course I’m freaking out!”
“Look, I know I’m good at relationship shite but I’m gonna need you to use your words here, love.”
“What the fuck am I gonna wear to the bloody opera, Lucius?!”
A loud burst of static across the line told Ed that Lucius was laughing at her.
“You’re a wonderful friend, cheers,” she gritted out as she pulled up alongside her building and parallel parked between an old junker that never moved and a flashy little Fiat, grateful for the muscle memory that a lifetime of city living gave her.
“Whew,” Lucius said, catching his breath. “Sorry, that was just too funny. Never in a million years would I have ever thought I’d hear Ed Teach worrying about what she was gonna wear .”
“I just got home,” she said, snatching the phone from the cupholder and turning off the speaker phone. “Can you come over and help me pick something out, or not?”
“Hmm,” Lucius wheedled. “What’s in it for me?”
“Is my mortification not enough, you fucking sadist?”
“Throw in dinner from the chippie down your block and I’ll be over in 15 minutes.”
“What the fuck ever, man,” she said and hung up on him.
Lucius Spriggs was a whirlwind, and that really said something coming from Ed. He’d bullied his way into her life five years back when he answered her ad for a social media manager for the garden’s community classes. It paid a meager stipend and free classes for him, and Lucius had taken on the job and then some. Over the years he’d really helped whip the place into shape—made sure the instructors had honest-to-god curricula for their courses rather than just some vague notion of the knowledge in their heads. He’d even managed to wheedle funding from the county, which was fucking unheard of . After that, they’d had enough money coming in to hire more folks, and suddenly Ed’s community garden was no longer just a patch of dirt being begged back to life, but a flourishing and welcoming space for her neighbors—just as she’d always imagined it could be.
As he was in his professional life, Lucius was no-nonsense at Ed’s place, too—except when he had more than half a beer in him, then he was pure nonsense. Tonight he was gratefully sober and rifled through Ed’s closet and drawers like a man on a mission. He pulled things seemingly at random and tossed them onto Ed’s bed. Ed stayed out of his way, sitting in a ratty old armchair she’d salvaged from the side of the road last year and ate her takeaway in silence.
After about ten minutes of muttering to himself, Lucius finally turned back to her and clapped his hands. “Alright then!” he said with raised brows. “You were right to be concerned—”
“Hey!”
“ But I think I’ve pulled together a few options that can work just fine in a pinch.”
Ed looked over at him reproachfully. Lucius was enjoying her suffering far too much.
After they’d both finished their meals and Ed had washed the grease from her hands, she went over to the pile of clothes Lucius had laid out for her to try on. Of the options he’d provided, one she immediately discarded: a black satin corset that she’d bought for a fetish party a few years back. It was beautiful and cinched her waist in a flattering way, but it would be murderous to sit in for hours on end.
The next option was a glittery black dress with three quarter sleeves that hit right below her knees and clung to her figure. It was stretchy and comfortable, hugging her hips and showing off her ass. It shone brightly when it caught the light.
“Wow,” Lucius said, standing up where he’d been sprawled on her bed reading a seed catalogue.
“Yeah?” Ed asked.
“Definitely. You look effortlessly hot in that,” Lucius said. He tapped at his chin and looked her up and down, before moving across the room to the rack on the back of her bedroom door. “What about this, too?” He had grabbed a cropped leather jacket and slipped it up over her shoulders.
“I feel like myself, at least,” she said softly. She felt like herself, yes, but she also felt beautiful in a way she rarely did, in a way she rarely considered worthwhile. But she liked it and she was excited to see the way Stede reacted to the sight of her in something other than worn overalls and ratty T-shirts.
When Saturday night came around, Stede texted Ed that he’d pick her up for dinner beforehand. Ed had just finished with her makeup and was working some small braids into her beard when Stede pulled up. When she stepped outside, he was double parked but standing on the curb with a bouquet of colorful sweet peas which she was certain he’d pulled from his own garden. They were some of her favorites.
His eyes widened when she turned and stepped down off the stoop. She’d pulled her hair up into a messy styled bun and had trimmed her beard so it was less flyaway than usual. She’d dug out a pair of short black gloves to go with her dress, along with black stockings and a pair of special occasion Docs that she hoped didn’t offset the fanciness of the outfit.
“Is it too much?” she asked, self-consciously reaching up to tug at her hair. “I can change, if you think it’d be better.”
“You look absolutely stunning,” Stede said, like he hadn’t even heard her embarrassed babbling. He stepped forward and looked her up and down, like he was trying to memorize every inch. “My god, Ed.”
“Hey, I clean up well,” she said, a touch defensive.
Stede blinked, like he was shaking himself out of a reverie, and looked her in the eye. “Darling, you are and always will be the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen, fancy dress or filthy dungarees.”
Ed felt her eyes welling up and she looked away. “You can’t just say shit like that, what the fuck, Stede.”
“It’s all true.”
“Yeah, well I’m gonna fuck up my makeup if you make me cry anymore.”
He pulled a handkerchief from inside his jacket and Ed finally took the chance to take him in. She was used to him wearing suits to work, but this was another level entirely. He wore a steely gray suit with a dark teal waistcoat underneath, with a matching pocket square. The fabric he pulled out to dab at her eyes was a similar shade of blue, with white polka dots. She took it from him and touched it lightly to the tear tracks on her cheeks, careful not to smear the eyeliner. She leaned forward and sniffed at the bouquet. The familiar scent of both Stede and the flowers calmed her.
Before they could stand on the sidewalk staring at each other any longer, a car horn sounded and they had to get into Stede’s sedan to avoid blocking the one-way street.
“You clean up well, yourself, Mr. Bonnet,” she said, tugging lightly at his cufflinks in the shape of compasses. Stede looked over at her, his earnest eyes and bashful smile almost more than she could take. He said nothing, but turned his hand so they could link their fingers together. They stayed that way for the rest of the drive.
They ate dinner at a little bar near the opera house that Stede was familiar with. It was more upscale than anywhere Ed usually frequented, but not so fancy as to leave her fumbling with too many pieces of silverware. Stede ordered wine for them both and Ed ate a chicken caesar salad, feeling self-conscious about getting anything on her dress the whole time.
When they arrived at the opera house, the lobby was milling with people. Ed was feeling more confident in her outfit now—everyone was dressed up, with glittering heels and satin skirts, but aside from a few idle glances as she scanned the space, no one paid them any mind.
The box seats Stede had gotten them were truly amazing—they overlooked the stage in a way that made Ed feel like she was floating. After she was finished looking out over the balcony, they took their seats. Ed glanced through the little booklet to learn a bit more about the show—she could barely name any operas, but she had heard of La Bohème — probably from Lucius or Frenchie, who were more artistically inclined, at least when it came to traditional arts . Theater of any variety was not something she’d ever prioritized, and surely not something her parents would have spent their meager paychecks on. As the lights dimmed, Ed curled in close to Stede and held his hand in the dark.
She didn’t speak a lick of Italian, but the opera transfixed Ed. She whispered delightedly into Stede’s ear at various occasions as parts of the show caught her attention. When it was time for the intermission, she was startled that so much time had passed, that the show was halfway over already. They poured back into the lobby with the other guests and wandered over to the bar. While their drinks were being made, Stede excused himself to use the bathroom and Ed stood at the bar.
As she waited, a couple came up to the bar and placed their own order with one of the bartenders. Ed glanced their way briefly, noticing that the woman was thin and blond, in a pale purple satin dress that Ed thought clashed horribly with her features.
“The dress code around sure has grown embarrassingly lax,” the woman muttered to the man she was with, leaning against the bar and looking out over the crowd. Ed would have assumed she was talking about any number of people milling around until the woman cast a sideways glance her way.
“Wearing that shade of lilac this time of year is pretty fuckin’ gauche,” Ed muttered right back. She would not let some cunt ruin her night out by just taking insults quietly.
This time the woman dropped all pretense at subtlety and turned to glare directly at Ed. “Says the man with the gall to wear pleather and combat boots with his little black dress to the opera ,” she snapped, face twisting up into an ugly sneer. “The drag shows are on the other end of town, don’t you know?”
Ed held her breath, willing herself not to turn and take a swing at the woman. Her date had also turned to look Ed up and down, a sleazy tilt to his mouth. “Look at the tiny braids in his beard, too, how quaint,” the man chuckled.
That’s it . Ed turned to them, her face a storm cloud. “First of all—” she started, before she felt a warm hand land at the small of her back.
“Darling,” came Stede’s voice in her ear, and suddenly the tilting ground that she’d been standing on as her anger boiled over settled slightly. “Is everything alright?”
She glared daggers at the couple for a moment longer before turning a tight smile on Stede. “I’m fine, love.” She was surprised to also see a steely look in his eye that he directed at the cunts who’d been insulting her.
Before their staring contest could go any further, the bartender interrupted them with a glass of red wine. “Thank you,” Stede said with a cheery smile. “And there should also be a whiskey soda for my girlfriend .” He stepped close behind her and pressed a chaste kiss to her temple. The tension in her shoulders eased and she practically sagged back against Stede’s chest. Stede cast an imperious glare at the couple beside them as he looked them up and down. “ Ugh , that shade of lilac looks disgusting on such a pale complexion, don’t you think?” he muttered in Ed’s ear, though loud enough to carry. “And out of season, no less. How positively tacky.”
Ed pressed her lips together to suppress a laugh as the woman grabbed her date’s hand and stalked off. Stede snickered in her ear and wrapped his arms around her waist.
“Thank you,” Ed said softly, turning in Stede’s embrace to face him. “You didn’t need to do that.”
“Didn’t need to do that?” Stede huffed, bringing a hand to her cheek, prompting her to meet his eyes. “What I heard of that conversation was truly disgusting behavior from that pair of animals. Of course I did, Ed. No one talks to you like that and gets away with it.”
The quiet anger in his eyes, the flicker of sadness, felt like a gut punch to Ed. No one had ever defended her like that without having something else in it for them. But Stede wasn’t here making a show of white knighting for her. He’d quietly told them off without drawing any unnecessary attention. Now, despite being treated horribly in a public place only moments before, the way Stede held her felt like they were in their own quiet bubble. It felt like a truly safe space for Ed. She realized with a sudden bolt of clarity that Stede himself was a safe space for her, the only real one she’d ever known. Oh .
“Are you alright, darling? What do you need?” Stede was saying, searching her face.
Ed looked up and met his eyes. “Let’s get out of here.”
They drove back to Ed’s place, where Ed proceeded to order a pizza.
“I’m bloody starving,” she told Stede as they walked in the front door and she flung her jacket over the living room sofa. “I was too afraid to get something on my dress to eat much earlier.”
Stede stood awkwardly in her kitchen, hands buried deep in his pockets while he admired her immense collection of houseplants.
“Would you rather we went back to yours?” she asked tentatively, suddenly aware of how small and shabby her flat was compared to his massive suburban house.
“No, of course not,” Stede said, turning to her with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Then what’s up?”
“I just buggered this whole night up,” he sighed, running a hand through his hair and tousling it into messy ringlets. “I wanted this to be romantic, and I just made you uncomfortable and took you to a place filled with bigots.”
Ed stepped forward and pulled Stede into her by his lapels. “You didn’t make me uncomfortable, Stede,” she said firmly. “Those cunts at the bar did that. The worst thing about assholes like that is they can show up anywhere. It’s not your fault.”
“But you didn’t even eat dinner because I took you somewhere too posh,” he said, leaning his forehead against hers.
“I liked being taken somewhere posh. I liked that you wanted to take me somewhere posh. My shitty eating habits aren’t your responsibility, love.” She took his jaw gently in her hands and tilted it up so they were looking at each other again. “I’ve had a lovely night with you , despite a shitty detour, and we’re gonna keep having a lovely night, okay?”
Stede smiled at her and nodded shyly. It made her heart ache so she did the only thing she could think of to make it stop—she leaned in and kissed him.
He returned the kiss with more force than she expected. He wasn’t pushy, but all hesitance had vanished. He held her firmly by the waist and followed her lead. She leaned into him, wrapped her arms around his shoulders and slipped her tongue out to swipe along his bottom lip. He gripped her waist tighter at the sensation before opening his mouth to hers, letting her in to meet his own tongue, to get acquainted with the warmth of his mouth.
After a few moments, Stede broke away, only to gather her in closer and hold her head in his hands, sinking his fingers into her hair and slowly pulling it out of her bun, before switching angles and kissing her again. Ed clutched at his hair in return and when she needed him closer, she snaked her arms under his suit jacket, pulling him in so they were hip to hip. She could feel the beginning of an erection hot against her thigh, just as she could feel her own forming, trapped beneath her stockings. It was the first time they’d truly made out and Ed never wanted it to end. She was about to reach for the ridiculously beautiful mother of pearl buttons of his waistcoat, when there was a buzz at the door—the intercom.
“ Fuck ,” she breathed. She paused, catching her breath and willing the delivery man to simply drop the pizza and leave. Instead, he buzzed again and she reluctantly pulled away, stomping toward the front door and jabbing the button. “Be right down, mate.”
“Cheers,” said the voice at the other end, but Ed barely heard it as she raced down the stairs and grabbed the pizza from the kid.
When she came back inside, Stede was no longer standing in the kitchen. He’d moved to sit on the sofa. His jacket was removed and his shirt sleeves were rolled up, revealing his glorious forearms.
“Now that’s unfair,” she said, setting the pizza down on the coffee table.
“What is?” he asked, a beatific grin on his face as he looked up at her.
“You, looking this devastating, sat on my sofa,” she said coyly. “And me, having to decide between you and this pizza.”
Stede burst out laughing and Ed couldn’t help but laugh, too.
They moved to Ed’s bedroom to change into some of Ed’s sweats, both to be more comfortable and to avoid getting grease on their nice clothes. Stede helped Ed out of the dress and she noticed him staring as she hung it up. She was still in her boots, the black stockings and a practical black bra, and he was looking at her like the only source of water in a desert.
“I guess I’ve made my decision between you and the pizza,” she said with a sly smile, walking up to him.
“Is that so?” he asked. “Shall I go get the pizza, then?”
“Shut up,” she told him, and kissed him again, pulling him close by his tie and pressing her lips firmly to his, picking up exactly where they’d left off. When her fingers moved to the buttons of his waistcoat, his hands came to rest on her back, trailing his fingers up and down her spine, mapping every gnarled scar, every old raised piece of ink, every mole, like it was treasure. She gasped at the sensation. His touch was like sparks over her skin.
Ed made quick work of Stede’s waistcoat, pushing it off his shoulders and forcing him to let go of her for a brief moment, which he was barely willing to do. Once it hit the floor, she began on the tie. She pulled him closer and licked a stripe up the side of his neck. She felt him shiver and almost lose his footing, but she held on, loosening the tie at his throat the whole time.
Once the tie was gone, Stede took a step back and made quick work of the buttons on his dress shirt, pulling it from the waistband of his slacks and flinging it aside before moving to kneel in front of Ed.
“ Fuck ,” Ed breathed, legs going wobbly at the sight of Stede below her.
“Is this alright?” Stede asked, eyes wide and adoring as he looked up at her. Ed reached down and brushed her fingers across the damp curls falling across his forehead.
“Yes,” she breathed, swiping her thumb across his lips. “Fuck, Stede, please.”
Stede knelt between her booted feet and ran his hands up over her legs, reveling in the friction of the nylon stockings against her skin. Ed shivered at the sensation and arched her back, inadvertently pushing her trapped cock into Stede’s face. He ran his thumbs carefully up the insides of her thighs, tracing the line of her panties beneath the stockings, a teasing pressure so close to her erection, but not nearly close enough. She let out a breathless whine and her hands flew to Stede’s hair to steady herself and let him know just how much he was affecting her.
He pressed a warm, wet kiss to the crease of her hip. If he’d only tilt his head to the right, he’d be able to touch his nose to the head of her cock. She canted her hips to get the attention she needed and Stede’s nose did brush against her. He gasped and ran his hands up the backs of her thighs to grab at her ass, to hold her firmly in place as he ran his tongue along the head of her cock.
“Fuck, Ed,” he breathed against her, the gust of warm breath against her spit slicked skin sending a shiver down her spine. She tightened her grip in his hair to keep herself from falling forward. She felt like if he let go of her ass, she’d topple backwards. They held each other in that perfect, tenuous alignment for a long beat. But she needed more . She needed these damned tights off of her.
“Help me with these,” she said, voice wobbly as she pushed at the waistband. Stede reached up and pulled from the back until Ed had gotten them past her hips, freed her poor cock, and shimmied them down her thighs, only to get them trapped at her ankles, where her boots were still on her feet. Stede scooted back to help with her laces at the same time that Ed started to step back, and suddenly she was losing her balance, toppling backwards onto the bed behind her, only avoiding kicking Stede in the teeth because her feet were trapped by the stretchy nylon.
“Ed!” Stede rose to his feet to stand over her, only to find Ed giggling helplessly on the bed.
“Fucksake, I hate nylons,” Ed groaned, covering her face with her hands while a few more giggles escaped.
“Are you alright, love?” Stede asked, leaning over her on the bed.
Ed moved her hands to peek out at Stede. “Yeah,” she said softly. “Just a tiny bruise to my ego.”
“Well we shan’t have that,” Stede said, gently pulling her hands away from her face. Ed looked down at his hands around her wrists and a jolt of lust rocketed through her. Stede looked down, too, before looking back at her. “Yeah?”
She nodded, eyes wide and face flushed. Stede held her wrists carefully and moved them over her head to hold them firmly against the mattress.
“This okay?” he asked, and Ed noticed his voice had become rougher, his eyes heavy-lidded as he looked down at her.
“Yes,” she breathed. “Don’t stop unless I say ‘stop,’ okay?”
“Okay,” Stede said, and moved to straddle her hips, keeping his grip on her wrists firm but not crushing. Ed bucked up against him and cried out at the feeling of his hard cock against hers. She continued to buck, half seeking friction and half working her boots off her feet. When she heard them thump against the floor she redoubled her efforts and ground herself against Stede with conviction.
“Please, Stede, fuck,” Ed groaned.
“What do you need, darling?” he asked, a deep rumble against her ear. The question felt like fireworks going off in her brain, she could barely think straight.
“I need you to touch me,” she whined. “Please, oh fuck, please .”
Stede rearranged his grip on her wrists, holding her with his left hand and moving his right to float teasingly over her cock.
“You need me to touch you here, love?” he asked, breath hot against her ear.
Ed nodded. She could feel tears of frustration prickling at the corner of her eyes.
“What’s that?”
“Yes!” she gasped, far louder than she’d intended. “Yes, fuck, yes, I need you to touch my cock, Stede.”
He smiled down at her, a wicked glint in his eye, before he finally touched her cock.
“There you go, sweetheart,” he whispered. He stroked her cock through the soft satin of her boyshorts and up to the head that peeked out the top before hooking a finger inside and pulling them down her hips to bunch up beneath her balls.
He let go of her arms and sat back, the sly smile gone, and replaced by a look of pure wonder as he looked down at her. Ed tried to breathe evenly under his gaze. He looked at her silently, opened his mouth, as if to say something else, but then closed it, looking back down at her body and running the tips of his fingers feather light up her dick. When he reached the tip, he swiped his thumb across the bead of precome that had gathered there and swirled it around the head, adding pressure as he formed a ring with his hand. Ed canted her hips up into his hand, reveling in the pressure and friction as he gave her what she needed.
As the pleasure coursed through her, she could feel her orgasm building, but she wasn’t ready for it.
“You need to be more naked,” she pouted, reaching for the button at Stede’s waistband. “I don’t wanna come without seeing your cock, Stede.”
Stede’s eyes darkened and he undid his trousers, pushing his boxers out of the way and pulling his own dick out, where it jutted out hard and flushed. Ed thrust her hips up once. The angle wasn’t right but it was enough for them to touch for a brief, fleeting moment. Stede didn’t need telling twice to lean back over her, pin her arms back over her head and grind his dick against hers.
Ed let out a wail and rocked her hips frantically against Stede’s, feeling the rough, hot friction and the feel of his balls hitting hers.
“Jesus Christ, Ed,” Stede choked out above her, mouth ghosting over hers.
“I’m close, baby,” she whimpered. In an instant, Stede reached down and grasped them together, pumping rapidly. Heat pooled heavy in her hips and Ed arched her back, a shout ripping from her lungs as she came hard across Stede’s hand and her own stomach. Stede wasn’t far behind her, and she saw his honied eyes widen as he held her gaze, coming between them with a stunned gasp.
Once they’d cleaned up and actually changed, Ed and Stede moved to the living room sofa, dressed down in sweatpants and t-shirts. Ed put the pizza in the oven to heat back up and selected from her collection of films. She had a penchant for old school horror movies, so she put on Rosemary’s Baby , which Stede had never seen before. He spent the night hiding his face in her hair while she tried not to get too many pizza crust crumbs in the sofa cushions.
Ed wasn’t sure what she expected being in love with Stede Bonnet would entail. She knew it would include cozy morning coffees, Stede’s penchant for 60s rock, and of course their shared love of the garden. She hadn’t quite imagined just how mindblowing the sex would be, on top of all that. And now, tucked up together on the sofa, clean, warm and safe, still coming down from the best orgasm she’d had in years, eating takeaway and watching films, Ed thought that this must be what happiness actually felt like.