#l'ore posts

⛓️❤️ the red string of fate ❤️⛓️

While I don’t deny these points by any means, let us not forget that Stede was led out of his bed at gunpoint, verbally beaten into submission and finally made witness to yet another (accidental) death that he now feels responsible for. Yes, while he did run back to his old life—severely affected by Chauncey’s words and actions, and made ashamed of his little maritime adventures—ultimately it did lead to his revelation about just how much he deeply cares for Ed. What it truly feels like to be in love. Now Stede knows what he wants, he’s grown more confident in himself and how he wants to live, and I’m pretty sure that with this experience under his belt he would actually have the courage to fight for it.

However, Ed was left completely unaware of any of this—adrift, unmoored, completely bereft, believing that Stede had had a change of heart in the night and abandoned him. It’s no surprise that he would resort to ridding himself of reminders of the man who had shown him kindness and fine things, destroying his books, emptying his room, marooning the crew; trying to erase all traces of Stede Bonnet from his own ship. The problem is that Ed doesn’t know the depths of how Stede feels and so he regresses as best he can, trying to return to the Blackbeard he once was in an effort to move on, believing that’s all everyone wants from him anyway. But the sad truth is that he can’t do that either—Ed is already a man caught between two worlds and he can’t rid himself of the feelings that have swelled full in his chest, cresting like a tremendous wave threatening to pull him under. He’s caught in a hopeless sort of purgatory of his own making.

I’m so eager to explore how they will both react upon seeing each other for the first time again. I think without a doubt it will be A Bad Time™ (and believe me, I am so here for that because who needs feelings anymore) but I honestly cannot wait because I truly find their character development—both individually and as a couple—fascinating.

Ed is a wonderfully complex, chameleonic man but I think he suffers tremendously under the burden of expectation. Blackbeard—a name synonymous with fear and dread—is a hard title to shrug off when he feels like it, but allowing himself to just be Edward has proven to bring him more pain than he thought possible. The sheer amount of emotional upheaval and inner turmoil I can foresee for him at not only seeing Stede again, but hearing the reason why their plan did not go ahead… Will he simply feel anger towards a dead man? Or at himself for not anticipating something going awry and being there when Stede needed him—heaping more unrealistic expectations upon his own shoulders? Or at Stede for still running away and leaving their life behind? Will he push Stede away for the sake of the Blackbeard mantle; his pride hurt and heart broken? Or will he fall into Stede’s arms like waves crashing upon the shore—like he’s coming home?

I'm just rambling rn but like, one of my absolute favourite things to read/see/think about is stede and izzy bickering in the way that they do, and understandably the sexual tension is high, and then ed just tries to diffuse it a little; a not-so-gentle nudge to push izzy over the edge into compliancy.

and of course stede likes that, he likes seeing that side of izzy and how ed can influence him, sway him with his words, watch the fight leave izzy's body when he finally admits that he does in fact want it—because he can't lie to blackbeard. izzy is always impatient and rough, but will always do as he is told (though he may still run his mouth, that much is obvious), whereas stede is soft and gentle, inexperienced but eager.

it's not so much a fight for dominance between them, but more so that they aren't quite in sync, so it's just... messy and a little awkward. but ed loves to watch them together, his two loves from two lives, both wanting and still trying despite the odds. and so he guides them, able to flow between these two energies as easy as breathing, matching them. giving izzy cruel words or a firm hand, squeezing stede's hand or stroking his hair—sometimes reversed, if it's one of those nights. he helps them find their pace, find a point where they can sync up together and then he just slides himself in with them, right where he belongs.

I like to think that stede teaches them all a thing or two about being gentle, romantic and sweet; and izzy brings that fiery, desperate passion into it; and ed helps to blend everything together, to mix up that sugar and spice into something they can all enjoy.

too exciteddd

something something Izzy Hands in stockings and pearls I'm fine 🚬

I just got called out at work coz someone was talking about celebrity crushes and I tried to Casually™ drop Con O'Neill in there (because of course) and one of my coworkers looked him up

she just went "who? this guy?", almost incredulously, and showed the recent pic of him with long hair and I swear to god MY STOMACH FLIPPED and I just started gibbering like a fucking idiot

she just stared at me and started laughing like "oh my goddd [deadname] you're BLUSHING"

and too late did I realise that "he exudes daddy energy" is not a thing that you say to people in polite society

I want to yeet myself into the fucking sea

comin at you with some more Steddy Hands for wip wednesday 💕