Work Text:
When the bell to his apartment rang, Ed was in the middle of his Sunday evening ritual. Just about to get up for another cup of hot chocolate while watching his favourite TV show and laughing to himself about silly jokes. Who dared disturb his special time!
In any case, he was grumpy, in his pyjamas and really didn’t care for this. Thought about just not going to the door, actually. But the door bell rang a second time. What if it was someone dangerous? Maybe he should bring a knife to the door? No! No. That was too much. His brain was going too far. So instead of working himself up even more, he finally got up and threw the door open, ready to stare down the intruder.
„Oh! Mr Teach! I am so glad you are home. Please pardon the intrusion! And my sudden arrival at your door!“ the flustered man in front of him seemed to want to hide and not be there, not impose, and he buzzed with nervous energy. „Would you maybe have some pretty napkins I could borrow? Oh, I am doing everything wrong, I am sorry. I think I need to introduce myself first!“ he rambled. Ed already knew exactly who he was. He had moved in a month ago with a lot of boxes, helped by an interestingly queer group of movers (friends?). Not quite working up the courage to approach them and offer help (wasn’t his style anyway), Ed had silently watched them from his window. Especially his new neighbour who was very…
“...Stede Bonnet! So glad finally to be able to introduce myself. It was just so much going on. The move itself. Finalizing the divorce. Unpacking. Did you know how hard it is to pack all your life in a few boxes and then expect everything to fit neatly into a new life? I certainly hadn’t ever thought about that before I had to do it myself. Oh... but... Oh no! I am oversharing again, am I not? People tell me I tend to do that.“ He smiled to Ed – a bit shyly, but Ed found it endearing. So this was the lunatic who had assembled his bookcases at 2 am and then went out shopping the next day to get more bookcases. Ed had known about those simply because of the constant verbal commentary Stede had given while trying to put those together and the rather thin wall between their apartments.
“ ‘m Ed! ‘s fine. Glad to finally meet you too, mate.“ And he was. He had not wanted to open the door but it was a pleasure to him listening to this odd man and finally being able to actually see him up close and just… talk. The way Stede talked so vividly (even if still very nervously) about his life was somehow soothing his nerves. It felt fresh and there was no underlying danger to Ed, no conversational traps, like he knew from everyone else.
Ed had to ask though: “I wanna start off honest and, well, I'm intrigued, mate, how many books do you have?” At this, Stede’s face flushed. “Books? Why? I mean, I love books! But nobody ever asks about...”
“Sorry mate, but that wall we share is thin as paper, so yeah, I kinda heard you cursing those poor bookcases.” An insecurity creeping into Stede’s features “So, those walls really are that thin? I hope I haven’t made too much of a fool of myself!”
“No worries mate, not a fool, just a passionate man scolding bookcase manuals with big words. Had it coming though, those buggers, it seemed like!” At this Stede’s face turned into a big smile. “Oh indeed! Those nasty things were a terror. But you know, being a father, one learns how to deal with little terrors.” And a wink. Beautiful, really.
“Though I am really glad you told me about the thin walls. Better to know before anything worse happens.” His face reddened again.
“In any case, I really need to inquire about those napkins!” Stede went on. Ed had forgotten any mention of napkins at this point, being drawn into their odd conversation. “Napkins?”
“Napkins. Yes! So… you might have noticed it’s close to December?” “Yeah mate, it’s one hour to midnight to the first… one might say it’s pretty damn close.” Ed teased.
“Uhm, yes. Hrmph. And my children are coming over tomorrow. For the first time, I should add! So obviously, I had to make sure my flat looks presentable and is safe for them to play in.” Stede answered while puffing his chest a bit.
“Obviously, yes. Hope it wasn’t too much of a hassle.”
“Well nothing I couldn’t handle. Or who am I supposed to deceive, you have heard my use of strong language yourself.” “I did!” Ed chuckled. For a moment, Stede seemed insecure whether Ed was laughing with or at him, but he seemed to settle on the second option quite fast. “So yeah, everything is good now. Still some boxes in some nooks, but nothing that is a problem in itself.”
“Alright, so where are the napkins coming into play here, mate?” Ed asked the question at hand.
“Just about to get to that. So... My wife Mary and me” “Your wife?” Ed’s face fell a bit at that. “Well… ex wife. Technically, the divorce isn’t finalized but we haven’t really been that way for a long time. Or maybe ever? I am not sure!” “Did she eat your napkins?” Ed countered to lighten the mood a bit. “Ed! She would never. Couldn’t digest them properly. Always told the kids not to eat paper, too.” A smile was spreading on Stede’s face. It felt to Ed as if they hadn't been joking with each other like this for just a few minutes but had rather been sharing smiles and jokes for an eternity.
Stede continued: “Anyway… we have a tradition with the kids. We both had… difficult parents. So we want to give our kids what we didn’t have. And Christmas is supposed to be a time of joy and family. And I loved the idea of that. I mostly felt alone and sad, but when I had the opportunity with my own kids, I wanted to built traditions that would show them how much we care for them! That they are loved” Ed was overcome with a feeling of warmth. Stede was such an angel. “So every year, Mary and me make an Advent calender. Not just getting one from the shops, but we always make one ourselves. The gifts each day vary, one day it will be some chocolate or candy and the next will be something useful or a small toy. All of them will be hung on the kitchen wall from a thread, so the kids can come first thing in the morning and open the new gift bag and also guess what might be in the next ones. You know, it’s part of the fun, the guessing. Just getting gifts is boring. What makes it fun is the excitement, the anticipation. That’s really the whole thing!” While saying this, Stede leaned forward a bit like he was letting Ed into a secret well kept. His eyes glimmering with a spark Ed hadn’t felt himself in recent years and had come to miss so much.
“Mate, that’s amazing!” He said and meant it.
“Well, I do hope they can somehow feel the love we try putting into this. And appreciate it.” Stede said earnestly. To which Ed just had to answer with the same kind of genuine sincerity. “I am sure they do. And even if they don’t see it now, they will at some point!” Ed knew that to be true. He knew ‘cause of his mother. And for once in his life he felt like sharing that. Even if here he was talking to this stranger still. “Can I tell you something?”
“Ed, you can tell me everything!”
“Really? What if I robbed a bank and was part of a money laundry gang?” Ed nudged. “I don’t think that ‘money laundry gang’ is the correct term, but if you ever feel like robbing a bank, please knock at my door, I have a few notes on what most people do wrong and also ideas about how to increase the likelihood of not getting caught.” Stede countered with a mischievous grin on his face. “That’s good to know! Probably won’t rob a bank right now. Totally could though.” Ed mumbled in response.
“What did you want to tell me, then. If it’s not about our upcoming heist?” Stede inquired still grinning.
“My mum. I know they will love what you do, because of mum.” Ed was still for a moment, taking time for his words. Stede who was so bubbly and talkative somehow seemed to know he needed that and waited for him to continue. “She tried making me advent calenders when I was younger. Tried. Cause my dad made a mess out of all of them. Said I didn’t deserve treats like that. Took all the chocolate when he came home after drinking. Those things.”
“What an asshole!” Stede muttered under his breath.
“Yeah, he was. Big time. My mum she didn’t let him stop her though. I really love her for everything she did for me. Should have left him though. I know she couldn’t. But yeah… When she figured that anything she made, he would just take and destroy, she continued in secret. She put some stuff in my clothes after she had done the laundry. Or fit them into my lunchbox. Things like that. Household chores my father wouldn’t ever think of doing or checking. It was never anything big. Mostly small letters that she appreciated me. Telling me she loved me. Encouraging me with the things I was excited for. She told me those things in person too. But those letters, they made it easier to grasp, you know? Sometimes there were some candies or stuff, too. But mostly those letters. I still keep them like a treasure. Even if I would lose them some day, I know I’ll carry them with me forever.” Ed felt so cheesy for baring his heart like this. But when he looked up, Stede’s face just spoke of kindness and understanding. “Oh Ed! I am so sorry your father was such an ass. And I am so glad you had your mother. I know I would have loved receiving anything like that.”
“You never got any advent calender or similar thing?”
“No. My dad was similar to yours, I would say. Just telling me how I was a failure and not deserving of any nice things, or they might spoil me even more. My mum… she was mostly absent. In hindsight, I think she also escaped to her own reality from time to time. I might have gotten that from her. But doesn’t excuse her not ever showing she cared about me.”
“It really doesn’t, Stede! I know we don’t really know each other but…” Ed fidgeted with his hands while saying that. “Yes?” Stede asked with care and affection. Ed decided to trust that caring voice. “Can I give you a hug? Or get one? I dunno. I just think we shared something here and I really wanna hug you. Sorry if this is too much, mate.”
“No, I mean yes! It’s not too much and I would love that.”
They stepped to one another and hugged. It was a good hug. Comfy. Warm. Strong arms. Mhhh. There was no hesitation in the proximity. It was perfect. Still hugging, Ed mumbled “Thanks, Stede!” To which Stede just hummed affirmatively. After some time, they both separated from the hug. They had already spend quite some time standing like that in the middle of the hallway, a hug maybe longer than what would be perceived as normal for two people who just met. But Ed felt like maybe, just maybe, they were not really strangers anymore, but friends. There could even be more hugs in the future. Wouldn’t that be something?
Clearing his throat, Stede tried to regain the focus of the conversation “Ahem, so… Napkins. I… I got all the gifts. And then I took care of the flat. And the children will be here for two weeks starting tomorrow and I have forgotten to wrap them. And I couldn’t find any fun napkins. Just boring grey ones I got from my dad, which I will never use for anything except for picking up trash with!” Oh, Ed finally felt like he got where this was going: “So, your coming to me at 11pm to ask for napkins so you can wrap your Advent calender gifts for your kids. That’s right?” There was no judgment meant by Ed, but Stede still seemed to take it that way. Maybe being too used to judgment by others. “Well, yes. I know it sounds ridiculous. I am sorry!”
That wouldn’t do for Ed. “No mate, don’t apologize. It’s lunacy, sure, but it’s perfect. I have the perfect napkins. I mean… if..” He hesitated.
“Yes?” Stede inquired. “If it doesn’t have to be christmassy?” Ed continued then. To which Stede started to chuckle. “Oh no, we like traditions for the value they can bring us, but we are not that traditional!” That brought a wave of relieve to Ed. Not just regarding Christmas traditions. “Do they like pirates?”
“Yes I do! Wait. They. Oh yes, my kids love pirates.“ Stede added that last bit seeming a bit ashamed of his enthusiasm. No need for that with Ed though: “Awesome, mate. I love pirates, too. And I definitely have a package of napkins with all kinds of piratey symbols on them. Jolly Rogers, Bones, parrots, treasure, all kinda things really. Would be happy to give ‘em to you!”
“Oh that would be lovely Ed! Thank you so much. They will love it. Oh, this is wonderful!” Stede beamed.
Ed ran into his flat to get the napkins. Half wanted to invite Stede in and just spend the whole night talking, but he knew Stede still had too much to do, packaging all those gifts. And he also had work to worry about. Not that this would've really stopped him.
“Really Ed, this is perfect. Thank you so much!” Stede’s eyes were shining even brighter when he had the napkins in his hands. “No worries mate. Anytime!” And after hesitating for a second, Ed added: “It was really nice to get to know you a bit. Come by anytime you wanna chat more, ok?” Did Stede get flustered by this? Ed thought that maybe he did. “I would love to, Ed! I really need to get going now. But you know…” adding with a bit of flavour and fake threat “I know where you live!”
“You sure do! Night night, Stede!”
---
Ed should have gone to bed. Really should have. He had to work early the next day. As head pastry chef of “The Kraken” it was his duty to open on that day. But the whole conversation lingered in his mind. Kept creeping around his other thoughts while he was trying to get ready for bed. Something in there was bugging him. Quite a lot. But what? Deciding this circling around wouldn’t get him anywhere, he started writing things down a bit. Writing calmed his thoughts. Made them clearer. And it helped. By jotting his thoughts down, he figured that he just couldn’t stand this beautiful and honest man not getting the attention and care he deserved and not ever having gotten an Advent calender for himself. “Well, this won’t do, mate!” he mumbled to himself.
After rummaging in the kitchen cabinet, he found some napkins he had stashed for special occasions. They had a soft violet gradient. Looking nearly plain, but then, just when you thought that was all that there was to them, you would find some hidden small pictures on the other, the white side of the napkins, telling adventurous stories. They were fancy with a little bit of whimsy. They were perfect.
And thus, Ed started writing. Little notes of appreciation. He didn’t know Stede for long yet, but he had loads to say. About his wonderful and refreshing style. About the way he made him feel safe when talking just now. About how he was looking forward to getting into adventures together. And so much more. When he had 12 little messages ready, he started wrapping them and put up a line of thread between their flats. Leaving a bit of space between each of the gifts.
He was really looking forward to seeing and hearing what Stede would say. In truth, he was really looking forward to anything involving Stede.
First note:
“Dear Stede,
Secret Santa here (or something)! Hope you’ll enjoy this, cause you deserve a bit of excitement too.
Sadly you won’t be able to guess at the even numbered gifts yet. (They have to be fresh!)
I hope they can be even more of a surprise then.
Yours,
Blackbeard”