Chapter Text
There were many ways in which the café could have been described, but large was not an adjective that would come to one’s mind. Cozy maybe, quaint, homey, cramped with antiques from a variety of eras. The walls were a colour that was difficult to describe; perhaps due to how old it had been.
Stede had been there, just once and fleetingly so. Edward had taken him when they had gone to the republic of Pirates, just to say hi to the owner. Once on the ship, Edward had told him about the legend that had been going around. The café was magical. It was said that one could travel back in time there if they truly wanted to. They both had laughed, then, both at the silliness of the legend and at the fact that Stede would want to go back in time just to call his father a knob. After sharing another bottle of rum and a whole lot of imagining going back in time and telling anyone who had ever so slightly inconvenienced them where they could stuff it, Edward had passed out on the sofa. Stede had smiled at the sight, putting a blanket over him. For just a moment the desire to kiss his forehead came over him, but he simply rested his hand on Edward’s cheek for a second before dragging himself to bed.
As Stede was polishing the glasses of Jackie’s bar, the thought reoccurred to him. He wasn’t quite sure how to feel about it. Going back in time seemed like a tale he had read about in his books, not something that could be real. Still, as his heart ached for his Ed, he would do anything to make it possible. He would do anything to go back in time and talk to him just once more. Writing letters every single day, hoping one would reach Edward seemed silly, come to think of it. It would take a whole lot of luck to get one to find him, and so far Stede had not been a lucky man.
It was that very reason that had led Stede to the little café, hidden in the crook of two larger buildings. It took two stairs to get down into the basement-like setting and every step Stede took, he grew more hopeful. However silly it seemed, he hoped that this place could take him back. What he wanted to say, he was not quite sure yet. There was very little he could say to make up for what he did, very little he could do to soothe the pain he caused.
With trembling hands, Stede sat on one of the chairs at the bar. “Is it true?” he merely asked.
The person behind the bar looked at him stoically. Their face remained unchanged as they continued to wipe the counter. “Is what true?”
Stede’s face dropped, “The legend, is this the place where I can travel back in time?”
“Maybe.”
“Please,” Stede said. He leaned forward, reading the nametag of the barista. श्रुति, was the name written upon it. “Please, uh… Friend, I need your help.”
The barista rolled their eyes, planting their elbows on the counter. “What would you give?”
“Anything. Everything, please, sir,” Stede reached for his pocket, but the barista stopped him.
“I’m no sir,” they replied monotonously, they tapped their name tag, “And it’s pronounced Shruti, Friend .”
“Right,” Stede said, cheeks tinted red, “Of course.”
Shruti nodded their head towards the table in the corner, where a pale man was sitting. “You need to sit in his seat.”
Stede veered up instantly, pacing to the man. “Hi, I’m awfully sorry but you’re in a very important seat, and—”
“I wouldn’t do that,” Shruti said. They seemed to be amused by Stede’s misery and desperation. “Come back here, and I will explain.”
Stede’s head was spinning. “So you’re telling me I need to wait for that man to leave the seat, I cannot change the present no matter how much I try. I can’t undo what I did or undo the hurt I caused… And I need to finish the chai tea before it goes cold?”
Rolling their eyes, Shruti gave a nod, “Yes, you finish the tea tea before it goes cold. That man leaves his seat about once a day, and you have to be fast and sit there. I’ll serve you the chai, from the moment it touches the cup, you will be transported to the past. Once you take the last sip, you’ll be back. Just like that.”
“And I can talk to him then?”
“You can, but you must remember that it won’t change the present,” Shruti shrugged at this, disinterested still.
“So it’s futile?”
“I did not say that, did I?” Shruti toyed with the end of their long braid, “It won’t change what happened, no, but it may change how you go forward.”
Nodding pensievely, Stede sighed. “Around what time does he usually leave his seat?”
“Your guess is as good as mine,” Shruti said, “It’s different every day.”
“So all I can do is wait?”
“Yes. All you can do is wait.”
Stede sighed once again. “May I have some coffee then?” he asked, “I might as well make myself comfortable then.”
A gentle tap on his shoulder woke Stede up from his slumber. He sat up disorientedly. As he looked up, he could see Shruti nodding at the empty seat in the corner of the café. “I’d be quick if I were you.”
Stede stood up, grabbing hold of the counter to keep himself from tripping. He hurried to the seat and sat down. Shruti was right behind him with a small platter. Upon it was a solitary cup, adorned with little swirly designs. In their other hand, Shruti carried a teapot. “Sit,” they merely said.
Shruti placed down the platter in front of him. For the first time since Stede had met them, they gave a warm smile. “You remember the rules?”
“Yes, I do.”
“You’re ready then?”
“Yes, I am.”
“I wish you good luck, then,” Shruti said as they poured the chai in the cup.
Steam rose up, and Stede felt slightly nauseous as it filled the room. He could vaguely smell the various spices of the tea, yet his other senses had abandoned him. He saw nothing, nor could he hear the chatter in the cafe any longer. The moment he began to regret his careless decision to travel back, the fog evaporated. He was sitting in the chair still, overlooking the entire cafe. Edward sat before him, smiling mischievously.
He was exactly the way he remembered. His eyes radiated wisdom beyond his years, though something hardened too, the eyes of someone who had seen too much, who had been hurt too often. Stede had to stop himself from touching his face, just to see if he was real.
“What’s up with you, mate?” Edward asked, shoving a handful of peanuts in his mouth. “You seem distracted.”
Stede blinked, once, twice, but the man before him did not disappear, as he had done so many times in his dreams. “Ed…” Stede began slowly. He touched his palm to the cup; still hot. He had time, albeit not too long. “I need to tell you something.”
“Oh, you do? Interesting, let’s hear it then.”
He cleared his throat, taking Edward’s hands in his own. He shivered at the familiarity, the way his fingers immediately curled around his own. I love you… “There is this thing…” he said, I love you, and that is why I need to go… “And I don’t know how to say this…” This Edward, he was not yet aware of the hurt Stede would inevitably cause. He still trusted him, he still loved him, even if he had not told him openly. “There may come a time where I need to leave,” he said softly, before taking a tiny sip. It had already been lukewarm, he needed to hurry. “I don’t know when, but it may happen. It won’t have anything to do with you, but everything with my own cowardice.”
Edward tilted his head, as though he tried to figure out whether or not Stede was joking. “Okay?”
“I’m sorry, Ed, it will happen. I want you to know that you are not to blame. I am scared, I am terrified. I need to make things right.”
“Where is this coming from?” Edward asked, seemingly having gauged that Stede was not joking.
Stede sighed. He needed to be fast. “I love you, Ed.” He said it without any doubt. “You don’t have to say anything back, you don’t have to do anything with it. Not yet, it’s too soon.” He sipped his tea, only about a mouthful left. He shook his head, determined to get through this. “I know it seems strange, but I love you. And I am so sorry for things that I will do in the future that appear to negate this, but you mean the world to me.” He reached out his hand, forcing Edward to look at him. “Listen, I will make mistakes, there will come a moment where I won’t be there when you need me and I am sorry. You just have to believe me and when it happens, all I ask is for you to be patient, because when I leave, it will only be temporary.” He took his last sip, “I will be back. I will always be back.”
As the fog rose up again, he could still faintly see Edward mouthing something at him and relief came over Stede. I will be waiting, Edward had told him. The hand that had been touching Edward’s cheek fell to the table. As the fog began to dissipate, Shruti stood beside him again, clearing the table.
“Welcome back,” they said, “Did it go well?”
Stede nodded, hopefully so. “Yes,” he said, “I have faith that it did.”