Ed's nose wrinkled a little. He didn't like the idea of hurting Stede, even metaphorically. He still remembered what he'd looked like the first time Ed had seen him in person, stabbed, hanged, half dead, and getting closer every second. He'd been so pale, looked almost hollow with dark shadows over his face. Nothing like the man Ed held now, sun-kissed and broader than ever, both of them having put on a little weight from the easier life full of sweets and chocolate and decadent dinners without the work to balance them out.
But maybe there were ways to inject some excitement without pain. Ed...wasn't sure he knew of any, but it was worth the thought. Stede seemed to want exploration, that should be easy enough?
"Maybe we can find a smaller boat," he suggested, still speaking mostly into Stede's shoulder. There were a few others on the water with them but they seemed to be owned by other residents and he thought it might be better not to piss off their fellow captives. "Or build one."