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Stede strides confidently into the captains' cabin, the clackity clack of his shoes announcing his presence before he comes into Ed's - Blackbeard's - Ed's view.
Once the door is closed, though, Stede lets the mask fall, peering carefully into the dark. "Ed?"
"'M here." The pirate replies from the shadows of the bookshelves. He's better, no longer curled up in the fetal position in the bed, but he's still sitting with his knees up to his chest, and his face hidden.
"That can't be good for your knee, darling." Stede crosses the room to kneel next to his friend? lover? co-captain?
Co-captain.
"'S ok." Ed tells him. "I'll be fine. Don't need me, anyway. You heard him."
"He's wrong." Stede seethes. "I can't begin to tell you how wrong he is."
In the gloom, Stede can just barely see Ed turn to face him, whites of his eyes a stark contrast against the kohl he's painted his face with.
"It's all just a fuckery, the whole thing." Ed continues, as though he hasn't heard Stede. "That's all I am. Or was. Am?" He loses himself in the grammar for a moment, stopping the internal debate only when Stede reaches out to touch him.
Ed leans away from his touch. "'T's why you didn't come." He sounds so sure, "you saw it. Saw that it wasn't real."
Stede takes a deep breath. "No, darling. That wasn't it at all. If you want to hear it, I'll tell you the whole sordid tale, but it can be summed up easily: I listened to the voices of my past instead of my heart."
Ed stares. "What's that supposed to mean, then?"
Stede grimaces, "Chauncy Badminton - the admiral who wanted me dead?" At Ed's nod of recognition, he continues, "was the one to wake me, not whatever guard you'd colluded with."
This time Ed reaches out, placing a hand on Stede's arm. Stede doesn't seem to notice, caught somewhere between a flashback and the present day. "He didn't say anything new, other than bringing you into it, but it was the same things my father used to say, that Izzy still says, locked in the brig, the things my crew said before you took me under your wing."
Ed nods, "I know all about those voices from the past, mate. Prob'ly should have gone looking for you, but my own voices . . ." He trails off.
Stede shrugs with a rueful smile, barely visible. "Yes, well, he had a lot to say. And then he was going to shoot me. And I just . . . Froze. I didn't have a plan, I couldn't find the words. And all I was thinking about was hoping you were safe."
"And then the gun went off, it misfired, and Chauncy was dead."
Ed brings his other arm up so he has Stede in an awkward hug. "Let's go sit somewhere a bit more comfortable. Maybe get some tea?"
Stede nods, "I'll call for Lucius."
Ed opens his mouth to stop him, then closes it again. He wants the tea to arrive before it gets cold. It's better if the request comes from Stede.
Ed lights the lantern by the sleeping nook, and takes a seat on the bed while Stede talks to . . . It actually sounds like Jim.
But it's Lucius who brings the tea things. "I'm glad you're talking. I don't want to hear about it. You both owe this crew so many apologies."
Stede nods. "Make sure someone takes Izzy his meal. No physical injuries, and don't let him out, otherwise, do as you like."
Lucius smirks, "Oh, we are."
Stede waits for the door to close before picking up his tea cup and toying with it.
"I was lost, I could tell it was getting lighter, but under the canopy, I couldn't tell from what direction the light was coming, and the body of the 2nd man I'd known since we were children was laying at my feet."
Ed murmurs something, and Stede sort of half smiles. "I'm not prevaricating when I tell you that one moment I was staring down at Chauncy's ruined face, and the next I was interrupting my wife's gathering of widows in our parlor."
"Must have been quite the shock. I'm sure she was happy." Ed looks down, "Not sure why you're back."
Stede shakes his head. "She wasn't happy. Quite the opposite." He looks down at his hands, "I'm back because I belong here. Because you're here."
"Yeah?" Ed asks, reaching for Stede's hand.
Stede takes it, gratefully, "I love you, Ed. I didn't know it. And if I misread"
Ed shakes his head, "No. Iz was right about that, at least."
"Good" Stede moves closer to the other man, "I'd like to be your co-captain again."
"Yeah. Yeah. We can do that." Ed leans forward, "Seal the agreement with a kiss?"
Stede blushes, and meets him halfway.