Ed's tattoos have stories to tell. ---- “Now, close your eyes. Try not to think about anything.” Stede wonders what kind of game this is, exactly. Ed’s skin is warm as ever under his hand and it’s silly, but he fancies he can feel the small crosses and pin-prick stars as warmer still, heating up against his palm. The pulse in Ed’s thumb beats in time with the pulse in Stede’s wrist. Ed starts to hum. It’s a low rumble, gently swooping between deep tones; the design under Stede’s hand gets hotter and hotter. It feels red and sharp. Stede feels the vibration of Ed’s humming inside him as though it’s coming from his own chest. Stede’s eyes are closed but he sees—feels—knows the room around him is receding. The walls are rushing away. The gentle rocking isn’t the Revenge riding the ocean swell, but their bed floating amongst waves. He can smell a sharp sting of salt and feel a biting wind on his cheeks. Ed speaks, but the humming doesn’t stop. “Can you see it?” He can. #fanfiction #ofmd #edward_teach/stede_bonnet