Work Text:
Today is Ed's favorite day of the week.
He tries not to be too giddy as he arranges his work station and tidies the shop, thinking about the first time the eccentric stranger had entered his life.
Stede had been wearing a bright blue Derek Rose cashmere sweatsuit and a nervous, dopey smile. Izzy had tried to push him out. Sure he didn't fit in with their usual clientele, but he was clearly sober, just nervous. Ed had stepped in, to Stede's obvious relief. It turns out Stede was recently divorced, always had a thing for pirates, and wanted a pirate-y tattoo. They spent some time pouring over flash sheets, but Stede was both extremely particular and wonderfully catty. Eventually Ed pulled out some paper and started on a design himself. By the time they were closing, Ed had half a design worked up and three appointments for Stede lined up on each of the following Friday afternoons.
The appointments never stopped. Everytime Stede visited he set up more. Six months later Ed noticed an all day appointment scheduled with a V.I.P. client the Friday he was supposed to pierce Stede's nipples. Ed had promptly cancelled the appointment, sent an apology basket, blocked his schedule all day of Friday for the next three years and password protected any changes to it. Izzy had realized it when the shop was full and had to walk stiff and red faced into the alley to scream. That had been a good day for Ed.
"Hi, Ed!" The bright man of Ed's dreams himself enters the shop, pulling Ed from his happy reflection and he draws himself up from his slouch on the counter. Stede's sweatsuit combination is a deep red today, not one of his usual colors but the holidays are approaching. Snow is caught in his fluffy blonde waves and he has a caddy of coffees in one hand, a box of pastries in the other.
"Hey, mate! Good to see you!"
"Likewise. How goes the poking game?" Stede asks, setting his provisions on the counter and taking one of the coffees from the cardboard holder and checking name on the side.
"It's not a game mate, it's serious work."
"Well, it that case, fuel up! Don't want miss handle a prince albert piercing." Stede says, nodding solemnly as he hands Ed his coffee and picks up his own.
"That what we doing today?" Ed asks with a smirk, watching the color drain from Stede's face.
"Oh, god no." he says with a nervous chuckle and a sip of coffee, "No judgement of course. Not that I, I don't know if you-eh hem." Stede clears his throat and opens the box of pastries, a light blush spreading across his cheeks, "I bribed Roach into changing his offer schedule so I could pick up some orange and cream cakes. Here, try this!" Stede cleanly changes the subject by shoving a decadent confection at him.
They chat about their weeks as they eat, Stede distributing drinks to Ivan, Fang, and a very begrudging Izzy as they arrive. Eventually clients start to show up and they make their way over to Ed's area, looking through some of the designs he's been working on for an octopus tattoo. Stede is as light and chatty as ever, but Ed can see a tightness around his eyes that isn't usually there. Stede's also subtly checks his watch more than once, which has never, ever happened.
"You alright mate? Somewhere to be?" Ed tries to be understanding and not jealous of whatever is pulling Stede's focus.
"Hmm? Oh, no, not really. I have an engagement tonight..." Stede runs his fingers gently over the blues and purples in Ed's octopus design. "I don't want to go." he confesses quietly.
"Then don't."
Stede's face broke into a sad, albeit sad, smile. "I wish it were so easy. It's a holiday party for Bonnet Industries."
"I thought you left that shit."
"Yes, well, I gave it all over to Mary. And she wants me there to, and I quote, "Handle your own shit because I'll be too busy dealing with mine."
"Charming."
Stede just shrugs.
"I thought these corporate holiday parties were supposed to be all ritzy and shit. Will it really be so bad?" Ed asks after a few moments of silence.
Stede goes still and Ed's worries for the first time in their friendship that he's said the wrong thing.
"I don't know." It came out in a whisper that Ed could barely hear above the buzz of the shop, "Sometimes I think I'm too sensitive. But I don't really want to spend an evening listening to "jokes" about Baby Bonnet, gay and divorced and still can't find love." Stede slumps slightly, "I mean, they'd be right. I don't mind hearing it from my friends. But hearing it from childhood bullies-" Stede heaves out a wet sigh, "hits different."
"I'll go with you." The words are out of Ed's mouth before he has time to think them.
Stede whips his head round to look at Ed so quickly, Ed swears he hears his spine click.
"Really?" Stede asks softly.
"Fuck yeah, mate! We can tell them were dating, if you want. Keep the sharks at bay."
"You'd do that for me?" It sounds awestruck, unbelieving.
"You know what, why don't we go grab lunch. Then when we tell people we're dating, it'll be true." Ed gives sultry grin.
Stede's face suddenly brightens like the sun. "I'd love that! Oh! Two dates in one day!" Stede claps his hands together lightly.
"Three." Ed winks, nodding to the empty containers from their breakfast. "Alright, boys, I'm out for the day!" he calls to the room.
Ivan and Fang give him cheerful waves good-bye and Izzy rolls his eyes.