I know the joke is like, haha, how did we all collectively decide that THIS GUY is the soft Dom of Blackbeard’s dreams?
Consider: All he does is give. He pays his crew wages, regardless of their plunder. He makes sure they have creative and recreational outlets. He sees Ed, whom he has just met, secretly brush the corner of some of his fabric against his face, and his reaction is, “Like that? You’ll love this!” and takes this complete stranger into his secret closet, lets him touch whatever he wants. Lets him wear his clothes. Brings him breakfast in “bed” the next morning. Agrees to take him to a party he doesn’t want to go to. Lets him wear more of his clothes. Has a private breakfast spread for him what we can assume is every morning.
Consider: “On your feet! We’re having a day!” Ep7 is probably my favorite because imo it does more to further the romance than anything else outside of the moonlight scene. Our well-coiffed sunshine could have let Ed nap, but instead convinced him to do something new—which is what Ed wants; it’s what he’s wanted from the beginning. (Classic infuriating soft Dom behavior: knowing you better than you.) And Ed is rewarded with unearthing Stede’s petrified heart, realizing it isn’t a stone—more importantly, showing Stede it wasn’t a stone—and establishing and toasting their partnership. Alone. In Stede’s designed-for-flow candlelit quarters. Their faces…this far apart.
Sure, you say, that’s some real service top energy, but soft Dom?
Consider: “Good, because I kind of enjoyed it.” “Stand down, Ed!” “Get off my ship. Now.” “Unhand me or bleed.” He doesn’t do it a lot, but when Stede issued an order, it is followed. Maybe with grumbling or pouting (@ Ed, u precious babygirl) or insults, but no one really challenges him once he puts his back into it.
Stede knows finery, and he knows Ed is the finest thing he’s ever had. He knows you treat fine things gently, with love, but also that you put up hard boundaries to protect them.
ellievsbear
vaporwave
pixelskylines
romaincrisis
blakekathryn
discoholicmusic
