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Matching Marks

The Badminton story-arc finally catches up with Stede in 109 and he is forced to sign the Act of Grace. Ed is caught up also, and chooses to sign the Act partly to save Stede’s life. We know it’s a pseudo marriage contract, making their individual marks of commitment for ten-years, a lifetime then. Ed does so willingly; but later, Stede feels the guilt of Ed’s perceived sacrifice.

As a mirror to 109, the Ned Low story-arc finally catches up with Ed in 206. This time, Stede is caught up in Ed’s mess. We see matching marks again, this time by way of torture-branding. It’s a subversion of the face-slashing during matelotage. A more painful and dangerous mirroring of 109. This time Ed feels the guilt; but we know Stede would remain by Ed’s side here even given a choice, just as Ed remained committed to Stede in Act of Grace.

Both blame themselves for the other’s sacrifice and the subsequent fallout. They have marked or blemished their loved one with their faults.

The ‘ruined’ one interestingly is the catalyst for moving the relationship forward each time. It’s as if the development in their character allows them to be braver, truer to who they are and what they want.

The ‘ruinee’ is the one to run subsequently; partly because of the belief they’ve destroyed their loved one, but also because the change causes them to run smack into their own unresolved trauma. They appropriate the other’s personal journey as a commentary on their own perceived flaws:

I am soft, and have therefore made him soft

I am violent, and he is violent now because of me

None of this is true. Ed was attracted to softness before he met Stede. Stede was drawn to aspects of violence before he met Ed. And neither of them is wholly soft or particularly violent, nor are they responsible for the other’s moving towards one aspect or the other.

They realise finally the influences they have on each other is, for the most part, positive. They’re good for each other. They don’t need to be whole or fully-healed to be together. Healing takes a lifetime, and they can do so alongside their developing relationship. They need also to recognise the other has agency over their own character growth, and to learn to not talk past each other. It won’t always be an easy straight road, but they love each other enough to succeed.

They’re both soft, gentle men who will commit violence to protect those they love. And it’s meeting the other which has allowed them to go on a journey of self-discovery; not through imposed changes, but by giving each the room to grow. The only lasting mark, the only mark that is true, is the mark of love they’ve left on the other. A mark that gives them space to breathe and grow, mess up and try again. That’s the real mark. That’s the permanent ink.

A little sneak peak to what's going on in chapter 15 of Flip Side. Kuno secretly loves the little nickname Marko has given him, not that he's likely to admit that aloud!

if it's good enough for you, then it deserves to be made. don't let anyone else decide if your story is worth it or not.

For those enjoying Flip Side, would you all be interested in more from the lost boys x Kuno world? I'm not sure I'm ready to let this world go so soon and was thinking of doing one shots or maybe something of a continuance with Kuno's band. What do you think?

I, too, have misread the sentence. Send me back to author school! 😅😭🤣

Preach I guess

16, Marko

16. "You like me?" "Just figured that out, huh?" with Marko

This is the cutest thing I’ve written in a while UGH thank you for this request <3

Also you can def tell in reading the Marko pov that I’m currently crushing on an either completely obvious or completely uninterested man, we are fighting for our lives out here 💀

Includes: gn reader, total fluff, Marko has a crushhhhh

The night after asking Marko to pretend to be your boyfriend and scare off an overeager surf nazi, you realize he isn’t acting like himself.

“Okay- what’s going on Marko? You said you were okay with helping last night, why are you suddenly being all… weird?”

He looked at you for a moment, thinking as he bit the inside of his cheek.

Marko truly couldn’t believe you were this dense. From the moment you’d crossed paths on the boardwalk he’d been smitten. He thought he was being obvious! He’d flirted 24/7, he took you for joyrides on his bike, he’d brought you gifts and trinkets- hell, he’d let you wear his damn jacket! How had you not put it together? Were you just that disinterested? He knew he was treading dangerous ground, you being a human and all, but he just couldn’t let you go. The thought of you truly not wanting anything to do with him to this extent was killing him.

Then, last night, you’d basically asked him out, just to keep a surf nazi who was in love with you off your ass. He agreed, of course he did, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t bitter about it. During the (fake) date he was able to just play it off and have a good night with you on his arm, but after 24 hours of steeping in the reality that he’d probably never get the real thing, he was pissed.

“I helped you, didn’t I? What’s the problem?”

You frowned at Marko. He did help you, and you appreciated it, but then he started acting all cold. Sure, he’d been nothing but sweet to your face, but you knew him well enough to see through it. He’d barely said a word to anyone all night. He’d turned down your offer to cheat the rigged carnival games out of all their cheap prizes, or terrorize the comic book store kids that were convinced he was a vampire. It wasn’t like him.

“I don’t know- you’re just not yourself. If it was gonna make you act all weird you could’ve just turned me down. I’m sure Paul or Dwayne would’ve done it.”

You’d had the time of your life being on his arm last night. It felt right, just a comfortable step further from your usual dynamic. Maybe it was mean, but there was a reason you’d asked him to fake date you specifically. You wanted to know what it would feel like.

Marko’s brows furrowed. It’s like you were trying to make him jealous on purpose. Dwayne or Paul absolutely would’ve walked you around the boardwalk all night, happily and knowingly driving him insane.

“No. I said yes, I wanted to do it, I did it, and I’d do it again, okay? I’d do anything for you, you know that”

Despite the reassuring words, he still looked just as mad, prompting a sigh from you. He was being ridiculous.

“Then why are you being like this?”

After a drawn out silence, Marko stood up, resigning himself to facing your rejection. He couldn’t believe that you just didn’t know how into you he was. If you really hadn’t gotten it by this point, he had a feeling it probably wasn’t mutual.

He gently took your hands in his, looking you in the eyes with a sigh.

“Last night was great, and I fucking hate that it was great, because I want it to be like that all the time. I want us to be like that all the time.”

He was explaining it to you like you were stupid, and with how long it took you to process, it might have been warranted.

Holy shit. Marko wanted you for real.

“…You like me? Like, actually?”

He scoffed out a laugh, eyes going a little wide.

“Just figured that out, huh?”

It all made sense. Of course he’d been pissed, he’d been hoping for a night like this for months, only for you to give it to him all because of another guy.

“I thought you were just being you! Hell, all of you flirt with me, and everyone else on the boardwalk. I thought it was just what you did!”

He couldn’t help but be endeared by how wrong you were. If he wasn’t concerned about you thinking he was crazy or dangerous or both, he’d inform you that none of the other people they flirted with were ever seen again. You weren’t like any of them.

“I mean yeah, it is, but have you ever seen anyone else wear this jacket? I wasn’t just flirting with you”

Your face went red remembering how heavy and comforting the jacket had felt wrapped around your shoulders. Come to think of it, you’d wondered at the time why all the guys were looking at you crazy when you had it on. You couldn’t help but laugh.

“Yknow… if I’d have known that, I would’ve just asked you on a real date last night”

His eyes lit up. Did you just say what he thought you said?

“Really? I mean, you still totally can-”

It’s not that he’d thought he had no chance with you, but after months of pining he was bound to lose a little hope. This was what he’d been fantasizing about since the moment he’d met you- well, that and other things.

You grinned, removing your hands from his to wrap around his shoulders.

“Marko, will you go on a date with me?”

He smiled just as wide, not taking a moment too long to wrap his arms around your waist, pulling you flush with him.

“I thought you’d never ask, dollface”

Flip Side

Just posted Chapter 20 and maybe I'm drawing this out a little. I don't want to let this go, fearlings. 😭 But I promise I'm still writing each day. Just taking it slow and savoring it before I have to post the finality that is the epilogue.

Meme I made to send to a friend that I am now unleashing upon tumblr dot com