for all the freaky stuff I read and write, I do genuinely think Ed and Stede revel in the banality of their relationship, and the life they're building together is going to be the most vanilla shit ever. They're giggling as they cook the easier soup recipe together and Ed laminates the chore wheel and they mock fight about "pick up your socks!!" and they take weeks to land on curtains that are mostly different shades of the same colour and they plan complicated date nights but decide to stay in and just eat cereal for dinner on the day of, and they're so so happy that they get to do this now and be just like other people and every little wet plate Stede hands to Ed to wipe just adds to their joy and love ❤️

Taika directing for hunt for the wilderpeople just hits different 🔥

Ed heard the word 'boyfriend' come out of Stede's mouth, got into over the top flirting mode, realized it happened in front of everyone and got so flustered he started talking about cats. The man is fighting for his life

Another way that Stede and Ed balance each other out - they're both so smart and creative, but in very different ways.

Ed is very much a One Plan kinda guy. It'll be a damn fucking good plan, his reputation as a genius tactician is by no means unearned. His original plan in s1e4 had a lot of complex moving pieces and he had it timed down to the second. He defaults to trying to get it done perfectly on his own, and puts the pressure on himself to get everything perfect the first try.

But one of Ed's weaknesses is he actually gives up so easily when that one plan fails. He tends to catastrophize and assume the worst, and although he's generally a very adaptable person, when his one great idea doesn't pan out, he'll jump straight into thinking he's already failed. And that's where Stede shines! Stede is excellent at improvising, thinking on his feet, and rolling with the punches. He's not as good as Ed at thinking everything through before jumping into action, but he kinda expects some snags and can work with them easier than Ed can. His ideas can be crazy and outlandish because his instinct is to dream big, but he's so good at improvising and working with the tools and information at his disposal that things usually turn out damn well for him.

And they just work so well together! Ed can help Stede identify what's most practical and realistic about his ideas, and Stede's stubborn, "what if it works out"-type optimism can help Ed avoid the temptation to give up too easily. Ed helps keep Stede from aiming too high, and Stede helps Ed get off the ground.

I have a few more of these sketches left that I want to post quickly before I forget or get disappointed how I drew this, for some reasons I’ve been unable to do full color art last few weeks, don’t know why. But this two pirate captains always perfect in their love, there’s no doubt!💜🧡

lucius is such an iconic character like he's absolutely terrified of blood and violence and all the more aggressive aspects of pirating and yet he's also not afraid to stand up in front of history's most feared pirate and tell him he's being a little bitch

i’ve been working on a big ol tarot series for one of my finals and i WILL finish it at some point but for now here’s the first 9 i’ve done ^_^ having a ball

Once Ed realizes that Stede's "real winners quit" philosophy will extend to all manner of things Ed hates, it's all over. Say what you will about Stede but my man knows when to leave a situation. The second Ricky started acting a fool in s2e1, Stede was GONE. And Ed is going to be thriving when he realizes he can take advantage of this.

Too-fancy party? Ed needs to pout ONCE, Stede is stealing a full cheese platter and getting them out the door. Mean waiter at a restaurant? Stede's making a whole scene and literally carrying his princess away. It's late and he's tired at a social gathering? Ed just needs to whisper "I wanna go hooooome" in Stede's ear and Stede's coming up with some excuse for their friends so they can go home and snuggle.

Ed is going to LOVE getting to leave situations.

fingers 🫠

something something the beard picking scene and the most early explicitly queer character on the show being the one observing it and recognizing it and naming "this is happening", something about queerness as a site of knowing, something about the audience is queer and the audience knows what is happening between the leads before the leads themselves do, something about self recognition, something about being hurt so many times it needed to be said explicitly on screen, something about so many STILL didn't believe it was happening despite being told, something about straight audiences being so used to ignoring queer audiences they ignored being told, something about the relief of not being tricked by the narrative, for once not being tricked by the narrative, for once being told and having it be true, for once, this is

really

happening

If you were in OFMD who do you all think you'd be. No main characters, I'm talking the background characters. I'd be the guy at Spanish Jackie'z in s1e3 who after Stede says "the drinks are on us" and someone throws their drink on Lucius shouts "the drinks be on ye now!"

Stede went from crying in his bed pretending to be asleep and a life that was killing him to now listening to Ed softly snoring on his chest every night and waking up to "5 more minutes" as Ed refuses to let him leave the bed 🥹

there are people who go "I acknowledge that this guy I am madly in love with is maybe annoying to some people but couldn't be me can't relate" but not Ed. He can't even comprehend that anyone in the world wouldn't be absolutely delighted with Stede. Would legit listen to someone talk shit about Stede and before even reacting, he'll open the heart shaped locket he's wearing with Stede's picture inside, point to it and ask "this guy???"

We’re just not those kind of people. We never will be.