Gunpowder and Leather - our flag means death au

Charmed

Stede inhaled deeply as he roused from his slumber, noticing the hint of pine as his fingers grazed against skin. His eyes snapped open, hit with the realisation he had fallen asleep on the man. Propping himself up with his arm, he saw something roll over the man's cheekbone as his head gently tossed and he mumbled incoherent words. He touched his cheek and felt the dampness from his tears; was Ed having a nightmare? Unsure of what to do, he gently shook Ed but this only prompted his wrist to be grabbed in an iron grip as the man's other hand grabbed his neck. He squirmed against the restraints, gasping out his name as his fingers tightened.
"E-Ed-... Ed, you're hurting me."
Finally, dark lashes fluttered open to reveal wide eyes that rippled with ire but his grasp loosened enough for Stede to bring him close into a tight hold. The blonde didn't budge, his arms remaining wrapped around the man that struggled against it in his confused state.
"You're safe. You're safe, it's okay," He soothed, a comforting hand stroking his back until Ed eventually calmed down and slowly brought his arms up to return the hug. They remained in a quiet embrace while rolling thunder and downpour filled the silence, Ed seemingly tensing every time the flashes of light were followed by a tremendous boom. When he lifted his face from Stede's shoulder it glistened with tears.
"Are you alright? You seemed to be having a bad dream and I wasn't sure what to do..."

Ed's head tilted down to face the hands that fell into his lap, "I didn't mean to hurt you. Storms always get me a little tetchy..."

"What were you dreaming about, Edward?"

"I.. Uh.." A hint of disgust shifted across his face as his gaze bore into his palms, " I dreamt of my father. The man was a deadbeat and a drunk, the little money we made was gambled away. I had to start work as a stable boy just to help out. Some nights he'd come back, drunk as a skunk and he'd-... he'd hurt my mother. On a stormy night, I had finally had enough of his tyranny and I-... I-... He became the first man I killed. I can't hear thunder without thinking of him, without being reminded of what a monster I am."
He took Stede's wrist and brushed his thumb over the red marks as tears fell onto it, "There's a reason I have no friends. I hurt people. I hurt you."

Stede interlocked their fingers and squeezed, "I'm your friend, Ed. And I don't befriend monsters so you surely are not one. Trust me, I'd know, the rich twats I grew up with are utter sharks. You are more honourable than all those bastards out there. And from the sound of it, your father deserved what he had coming. I sure would've liked to stick it up to my old man... C'mon, I know just the thing to cheer you up," He dragged the sulking man out from under the canvas tent into the rain.
With a face tilted to the sky, he let the icy droplets of water wash over him, slicking back his hair and dampening his shirt to his chest as he let out a joyful laugh, "refreshing isn't it? Now come here. If you want to hobnob with other rich knobs you're going to need to learn how to dance."

Stede guided Ed's hand to his back as he readied their potion for the waltz, stepping close to him, "It'll be easier when you're with a woman. I'm a bit too tall to take that role but you'll have to make do. Just pretend I'm some beautiful dancer."

"I don't need to pretend," Ed uttered without missing a beat.

His lips parted in surprise but he quickly brushed off the comment and began teaching the steps, muttering 1, 2, 3 under his breath as he manoeuvred Ed through the dance. They both repeatedly paused as he couldn't seem to differentiate his lefts from his rights, and while he got increasingly exasperated Stede just chuckled at his curses.

"Ow!" Stede yelped when Ed stepped on his toes for what seemed like countless times now.

"Sorry! Must we really do this in the rain? Maybe I'll step on you less."

"Trust me, partner, the weather is not to blame for your dancing skills."

The blonde spun the man before catching him in his arms, a grin on his face, "The rain is wonderful! You just need to learn to like it!"
Neither of them moved back, staying locked in eye contact as if both were hesitating to move forward with the same idea. It seemed almost as if Ed's face drew closer but a bounding dog parted them as it excitedly jumped at Stede, smearing mud onto him.