Chapter Text
Stede’s POV:
When Stede wakes, sunlight filters through the sheer curtains, casting pale gold across the room. Ed’s arms are snug around him, and he smiles into his chest, pressing soft kisses to the warm skin there. He knows staying the night might not have been the wisest choice, but with the secret passageway, he feels safer about it. If anyone notices he wasn’t home, he can say he spent the night at Lucius’s place. It’s something he’d done plenty of times before Ed, so it won’t raise suspicion.
“Good morning,” Ed murmurs, voice rough with sleep but carrying a smile. “Fuck, I like waking up next to you.”
Stede’s stomach flutters. He lets out a soft sigh, lips curving as he plants more kisses against Ed’s chest. He aches everywhere, and it’s glorious. He can still feel every place Ed had been last night—with his teeth, his nails, his cock—all over his body. Ed had claimed him, and he loves it.
“Good morning to you, too,” Stede replies, tilting his head up, brushing his fingertips along the stubble on Ed’s jaw. “Feels right, doesn’t it?”
Ed frowns, eyes darting over Stede’s neck as his fingers graze one of the tender spots. “Made a mess of you,” he mutters, worry clouding his expression. “Shouldn’t’ve done that. Fuck, if someone notices…”
“Who’s going to notice?” Stede soothes. “The ones on my neck, I can cover. I’ve got concealer.”
But he knows that’s not really what Ed means. His mind jumps straight to Ricky. If Ricky notices, what then? Is Ed thinking Stede may have to play along more intimately than either of them wants to keep the ruse alive? Because Stede has thought of that, too. And now, after last night, after saying the words out loud, he doesn’t think he could. Being touched by anyone else would feel… wrong.
But Ricky’s interest has been clear. Sooner or later, Stede worries he may need to convince him. The thought turns his stomach, especially when Ed is right here beside him, so warm, so steady, so his.
“I haven’t done anything with him other than kiss him,” Stede says. “I don’t even want to do that.”
Ed’s expression twists, pain and anger colliding. “I fucking hate this,” he says, brushing his fingers into Stede’s hair near his temple, cupping his face as if anchoring him there. “You shouldn’t have to do anything with him if you don’t want to. Fucking Vincent…”
Stede presses his forehead to Ed’s, holding his face between his hands. “I would do anything if it meant keeping you safe.”
“But you shouldn’t have to,” Ed replies, voice breaking, tears welling in his eyes. “I should be doing more to protect you. Getting you away from that creep… and your father.”
“You know it’s not that simple,” Stede murmurs. “Ed, I’m okay. I don’t… want to do anything with Ricky, but I will if I have to, to keep you safe. And it would be fine if I did have to. I’d be okay.”
He leans back, catching Ed’s pained expression, thumb brushing away a tear that slips down his cheek.
“But… I will say,” Stede continues carefully, “as creepy as Ricky is, I don’t think he’d ever force me into anything. If I tell him I want to wait until marriage, I’m pretty sure he’d understand. He may be a creep, but he’s not like that.”
Ed exhales sharply, shoulders sagging, voice rough when he finally speaks. “Well, that’s… reassuring, at least.”
“You know I respect your decisions, right?” Ed says after a beat of silence. His voice is low, careful. “I trust your judgment, and I respect your autonomy. I just… don’t want you to feel you have to do something you don’t want to do, that’s all.”
Stede exhales, a soft, slightly weary smile tugging at his lips. “I know you do, Ed. You’ve never given me any reason to think otherwise. You respect me more than anyone ever has before. But just like I know you’d do anything to protect me, I’d do the same for you.”
At that, Ed’s eyes spill over, tears sliding freely down his cheeks before he pulls Stede into his arms, holding him as if he never plans to let go.
“I love you,” he whispers against Stede’s ear, breath warm, voice unsteady with emotion.
“I love you,” Stede replies, feeling the ache of it in his chest, the way loving Ed is the easiest and hardest thing he’s ever done. He only hopes one day they can stop surviving and just… live. Safe. Happy. Together.
“Can we… get out of town for a day?” Ed asks after a moment, his lips brushing Stede’s temple. “Just us. Maybe head west, toward the mountains, find a spot to have a picnic?”
Stede’s smile blooms against Ed’s shoulder, his arms tightening around him. “That sounds perfect.”
*************
“Long time, no fucking see,” Lucius says with a smirk when Stede meets him in the student union after the holidays.
“Seriously, where have you been?” Mary asks, pulling him into a hug.
“Oh, probably getting railed by his sexy bodyguard boyfriend,” Lucius whispers, eyes passing to Ed, who’s sitting at a table a stone’s throw away reading a book, and Stede shoots him a glare, lips pressed thin.
He hasn’t actually told Mary about Ed. He doesn’t like the idea of too many people knowing—it’s too dangerous. Not to mention, Ed is literally right there, and he’s sure he can probably hear them.
“Oh, come on, Stede, it’s Mary,” Lucius says, rolling his eyes. “She’s not gonna rat you out.”
“Wait,” Mary says, her face draining of color. She drops her voice lower, eyes darting over to Ed before back to Stede. “You’re not… seeing the man who’s supposed to make sure you marry Ricky, are you? He works for your father, Stede! How do you know he’s not playing you?!”
“I know,” Stede says firmly, eyes catching Ed’s, who offers him a soft smile. Mary’s responding skeptical look makes his stomach twist.
“Stede…” she begins, but Lucius cuts her off.
“Yeah, babe, I’ve seen them together. Ed’s genuine,” he whispers with uncharacteristic seriousness. “I don’t think Stede’s got anything to worry about.”
Stede turns to him, relief softening his features. “Thank you,” he says quietly. “That means a lot.”
“Yeah, yeah, don’t get all misty on me,” Lucius says, holding up a hand in Stede’s face. “We should probably just focus on how to keep your boyfriend alive.”
That’s the second time Lucius has used that word . And Stede finds he really fucking likes the sound of it. They haven’t defined things yet. Not with everything stacked against them. But the word feels right. It feels like truth.
“Stede!”
He turns at the sound of his name, stomach dropping when he sees Ricky heading his way, a too-bright smile plastered on his face as he waves enthusiastically.
“Hey, Ricky,” Stede says, forcing a polite tone as Ricky pulls him into a hug he doesn’t want.
He wants Ed’s arms around him, not Ricky’s. Always Ed’s. But he reminds himself that this is for Ed. Every touch, every smile, every word he has to fake, it’s all to keep him safe. With that thought, it becomes easier. Like slipping into a role.
“I thought maybe we could go out for a late lunch together!” Ricky says, holding onto Stede’s arm. “I’ve missed you.”
The words land heavier than Stede expects. Ricky squeezes his arm, earnest and warm, and Stede feels a pang of guilt. It isn’t Ricky’s fault he’s caught in the middle of all this. He’s not a villain, not really. Just someone who, while slightly obnoxious, doesn’t know he’s being used. And that makes Stede soften, if only a little.
Stede catches Ed’s eyes just past Ricky’s shoulder, close enough that he knows Ed can hear every word. He’s also pretty confident he knows his body language well enough to tell he’s not actually reading the book in his hands anymore. Ed’s gaze flicks to Ricky’s hand on Stede’s arm, sharp and cutting, and Stede instinctively shifts back just slightly. Hopefully subtle enough to look natural, but enough that Ricky lets go.
The timing couldn’t be worse. He’s supposed to be having dinner with Ed tonight, out of town, at Spanish Jackie’z, a quiet little diner they’d found a few weeks back. Jackie herself had taken to them quickly, saving them a tucked-away table at the back where no one else could really see. She’d even clocked them immediately—as a Bonnet, and as a couple—which had sent Stede spiraling into panic until she’d assured them she had no interest in reporting anything back to Vincent. She seemed to hate the man, and honestly? Stede couldn’t blame her.
It should have been reassuring. And mostly, it was. Jackie’s diner had become something of a safe haven, a place where they could breathe without constantly checking over their shoulders. But there’s something about Jackie that puts Stede just slightly on edge. A look in her eye he can’t quite place, as if she recognizes him in some way that has nothing to do with him being the infamous Bonnet heir.
“Oh, um,” Stede says, glancing between Lucius and Mary, willing them to catch on. “I actually already had plans with Lucius and Mary. We were going to Lucius’s place to work on homework.”
“I’m sure that can wait,” Ricky says easily. “We haven’t been out in a week. There’s a new French place I wanted to take you to. Supposed to be wonderful.”
Before Stede can scramble for another excuse, Ed pushes up from the table and strides over, every line of his body tense.
“Hello, Mr. Banes.” His voice is polite, his hand extended, but Stede recognizes the fake smile for what it is. “I think Stede would be delighted to go to lunch with you.” The pain flickers in Ed’s eyes as he says it, and Stede feels his stomach twist.
Ricky takes his hand, only to wince when Ed’s grip tightens just past polite. He shakes his hand out after they let go.
“Right, uh—see?” Ricky says, forcing a grin through the discomfort. “Your bodyguard agrees. Lunch it is!”
“You know, our professor gave us a lot of homework,” Lucius cuts in, shooting Ed a look that’s sharper than it should be. “It’s a group project. We’re supposed to be doing it together.”
“Well, I’m sure you two can manage without Stede for one afternoon,” Ricky insists, brushing off the protest.
Stede catches Ed’s eyes again, and in them he reads every unspoken word: You’re supposed to be making this man think you want him. And Ed’s right. As much as it makes Stede’s skin crawl, turning Ricky down outright would be reckless. Dangerous. If Ricky stops believing in this façade, Ed’s safety is gone.
So he steels himself, pastes on a smile, and tells himself the same thing he always does: this isn’t about him. It’s for Ed… And more than that, it’s for them.
“Ed’s right,” Stede says, forcing his voice steady as he turns to Mary and Lucius. “You two go ahead. I’ll make up for my lost time later. I need to make time for Ricky.”
“Well, that’s more like it.” Ricky’s grin spreads, oily and self-satisfied, and Stede’s stomach knots. “I’ve got it from here, Mr. Teach,” he adds, tossing a glance at Ed. “My team will look after Stede, you have my word.”
Ed doesn’t respond, but the silence is heavy, dangerous. Stede can feel his gaze burning into him even as Ricky curls a hand around his waist, pulling him close.
Fuck. They need a plan. Because if this keeps going much longer, he’s not sure how much more pretending he can take.
************
“Can I ask you something… personal?” Ricky says as they wait for their food an hour later.
They’re seated beside a wall of glass, the city spread out beneath them in golden light. It’s beautiful, the kind of view Stede aches to share with Ed, but instead, Ricky’s hand is warm in his, and Stede has to force his lips into a smile. He gives the hand a quick squeeze, the gesture as hollow as it is necessary.
“Of course.”
“I get the sense… you’re not exactly fond of your father,” Ricky says. His tone is casual, but his eyes are sharp. “And this isn’t judgment… it’s just me wanting to understand you better. I’m on your side, not his. I care about you, not about making him happy.”
Stede’s chest tightens. Shit. What is he supposed to say to that?
Ricky has never struck him as the type to run back to Vincent with reports; if anything, he seems to bristle at the man’s name, though Stede can’t imagine why. The Banes family and Vincent mingle in the same circles, yes, but that’s as far as it goes. And as far as Stede knows, Ricky’s only spoken to his father once, when he first asked to court him.
Still… this is a knife’s edge. One wrong word, and it could all come crashing down.
“I don’t… feel like I fit into his world,” Stede says, forcing the words out, Ed’s warning about Ricky’s curiosity echoing in his mind. “You know, running his business? I want nothing to do with it.”
“And what exactly is his business?” Ricky asks.
Alarm bells scream in Stede’s head. Why would he be asking that? Everyone knows what his father does—if not on paper, then in whispers. It’s suspicious.
“Why’re you asking?” Stede pulls his hand back, heart thudding. “He does logistics and real estate. You know this.”
“I think you and I both know that’s not entirely true.” Ricky’s expression sharpens, all charm wiped clean.
He holds Stede’s gaze, unblinking, and Stede’s pulse skyrockets. Something’s wrong. Something’s very wrong.
“I know you want out,” Ricky says softly.
Ice floods Stede’s veins. Does he know about Ed?
“I don’t know what you’re getting at,” Stede says, careful, measured. “But I think you’re mistaken.”
“Am I?” Ricky leans forward, eyes cutting straight through him. “Stede, come on. I think we’ve gotten to know each other well enough for you to be honest with me.”
Stede fights to keep his face still, though inside he’s spiraling. He wishes desperately for Ed. Ed would know how to navigate this. Instead, Stede feels backed into a corner with no exits.
Ricky’s voice drops lower as he leans in. “I can help you. You just… need to help me.”
From his coat, Ricky pulls something small and flips it over just long enough for the light to catch. A gold FBI badge gleams before vanishing back into his pocket.
Stede’s breath stutters. Dizzy, his mind reels. FBI? Suddenly everything about Ricky makes sense. His pointed questions, his too-eager interest in Vincent… It had never been about Stede, not really. From the very beginning, it had been about his father.
“Listen,” Ricky whispers, sliding his hand back over Stede’s, and Stede forces himself not to jerk away. He can’t show his cards now. Ricky leans closer, words meant for him alone. “I like you, Stede. I was supposed to be gathering intel, but the truth is… I’m falling for you. And I think you’re falling for me, too.”
Well, shit. That couldn’t be further from the truth. But Stede doesn’t dare answer… not yet, at least. Silence is safer, for now. And besides, this all but confirms Ricky most likely doesn’t know about Ed.
If Ricky had the faintest clue Stede wasn’t actually interested, there’s no way in hell he’d be flashing a badge and spilling secrets. And that guilt washes over him hard. Here’s this man, putting his entire operation on the line because he trusts Stede, and Stede’s only using him.
But then, like a spark in the dark, an idea forms. This could be their way out. If he cooperates, if he helps Ricky take his father down, then he and Ed could finally be free.
Not yet, though. Not without Ed. Any plan they make has to be theirs, together.
Stede shifts his hand in Ricky’s, considering every word before he speaks. He lets his fingers curl tighter around Ricky’s palm, his face softening.
“I do care about you,” he says, and it’s not entirely a lie. Ricky’s never given him reason to wish him harm; it just doesn’t go any deeper than that. “This is all… a lot to take in. You’re right that I don’t like my father, and I want nothing to do with his business. But I need some time. To think about your proposition, to figure out how I fit into this. I… hope that’s okay?”
He furrows his brow, lets his mouth curve into a tender, hesitant smile, silently hoping it reads as concern.
And Ricky beams. His hand squeezes back, thumb brushing across Stede’s knuckles with something almost reverent.
“Of course,” Ricky says softly, leaning in to press a kiss to Stede’s cheek. “Take all the time you need. I’m not going anywhere.”
The way he says it—too earnest, too sure—sends a chill down Stede’s spine. He’s not even sure why.
************