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Edward had so much he wanted to say to Stede if he ever saw him again, he'd thought about it constantly, how he would make Stede understand the pain he put him through, how he would scream and yell and cry at him, but he never thought he would actually get to, especially not after hearing Stede had died.
Now there Stede was, standing mere feet away from Ed. His hair had grown out as well as his beard, and he was dressed down to a simple white shirt and black pants. Yet Ed had no idea what to say. All these months he spent writing poetry and wallowing in his thoughts, and he couldn't think of a thing to say.
"Ed?"
"What?"
Ed snipped, and yet Stede took a few paces towards him.
"I'm sorry. I should have gone to you, and I didn't, and if you say there's nothing I can do to fix that, I understand, but I could never forgive myself if I didn't at least try."
He seemed a bit.. miffed. He expected excuses, he expected anything but this. Ed motioned for Stede to follow him to his quarters.
Stede sat down on the couch, Ed pacing back and forth in front of him without ever making eye contact with him.
"Ed? Please say something, anything, scream and shout if you want, I'm ready to hear anything you have to say."
Ed stopped in front of Stede, turning to look at him.
"How could you leave me?! First you abandon me, then you fucking die! and now you're fucking here?!" He shouted, collapsing in on himself "I was so alone, Stede, and then rumors started going around that the gentleman pirate had died after reuniting with his wife.. I thought you chose her over me, that you were just.. done playing pretend and going back to your real life, and then you died. I thought it was karma. For leaving me."
Stede sat silent, just watching Ed.
"Well go on! Shout! Scream! Say something! Tell me I was awful! That it was bitchy to throw all your things out! To push Lucius overboard and strand your crew!"
"I understand, Ed, I'm not upset at you for what you did, maybe a little bit for Lucius and the crew, but they are safe now, so it's alright."
Ed was on his knees in front of Stede, sobbing hysterically as he grasped Stede’s legs.
"You are enough for me, Ed, and I didn't leave because of you. I was wrong to leave but I was scared, I accidently took another man's life while he was trying to take mine, he said that I ruined you, and I ran. I faked my own death when I saw how painful it was for Mary for me to be there, and I left to find you."
Ed looked up to Stede, his makeup streaking down his face. Stede gently cupped his face in both of his hands.
"I love you, I'm in love with you, Edward, I realized that, and I realize how badly I messed up, I want to rebuild your trust in me, if you'll allow me."
"I love you too. I missed you more than anything, Stede, you're the first person who's treated me like a human, like Ed is enough, I don't have to be blackbeard."
Stede leaned down, pressing his lips against Ed's.
"I want to make you feel that way forever."
"Please, don't ever leave me again."
"I won't."