They only have a thin mattress, filled with straw, it rests on the floor, on the only patch they have cleaned for now, and the only one where the wooden boards didn't seem about to cave in.
It's hard and their sheets are rough.
Ed wonders if it will be enough for Stede, laying awake, there is a hole in the ceiling, he can see the North Star through it, keeping watch over them. No need to follow it, he is already home. No need to follow it he has a new, bright, golden and gleaming, star to follow.
The mattress is stiff, a bit too small, almost not lengthy enough.
Stede wonders if he will be enough for Ed, laying awake, looking out the window, he can hear the sea from here, just like he could back on the Revenge, but here the waves don't cradle him to sleep.
"Can't sleep?" Ed can almost hear Stede think, his back to Ed. There is a sigh, some rustling, Stede turns to look at him. "I know the mattress isn't -"
At the same time Stede says " I don't want you to regret-"
They go quiet at the same time too, neither of them wanting to break the silence now, "I don't care about the mattress," Stede is the first one to speak up, "you are here." He finds Ed's hand in the space between them.
"I could never regret this," a gust of wind, the structure around them groans with it, good foundation, just needs some work and love for it to be something great, long-lasting, solid , the house isn't that bad either, "you are here." He moves then, his head finding its rightful perch on Stede's chest, fingers finding their way through his hair, getting rid of any knot they find, gently, twirling his curls, playfully.
