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The Holiday party was boring. It was certainly nice, a hotel ballroom with an open bar, jazzy “holiday” (Christmas) music played by a small band, a dance floor with some people lightly laughing and swaying together to the songs.
But, apart from the forced corporate jollity, there was no one Ed wanted to talk to here. It was all small talk and banter about projects. Not that he had many friends outside of work, either.
He sat at a table in the far corner of the large open room, swirling his mulled wine around in the plastic glass, debating how long it would take Ivan and Fang to get back to the table so he could make his excuses about feeding his cat and leave. Ivan and Fang had convinced him to come to the party this year and face it after last year’s disaster. He needed to “make new memories” or something like that, but now the two of them were off making the rounds and chatting with other departments, basically doing what Ed was meant to be doing instead.
The two had cornered Ed the day before, promising it would be fun, at least to make fun of all the ridiculous corporate antics. “Jack won’t even be there!” Ivan had helpfully added.
Jack Rackham.
So far, Ed hadn’t caught sight of the man, but he still technically worked for the company so there was a chance he’d be here tonight. The thought wormed it’s way around Ed’s mind, leaving nasty paths of anxiety and heartache swirling, just like the wine in his glass. What would he do if he showed up-
A deep, unmistakable laugh rang out nearby. Ed’s eyes searched for the source before he could tell himself to stop. When he laid eyes on Jack for the first time in a year, he saw him cozying up to an intern; laying his arm across her back and laughing with her about whatever the other people in their circle had said. Ed’s stomach turned sour. He had to leave, had to escape this nightmare, but he was frozen. Stuck watching Jack’s disgusting attempt at flirting, which was easily bordering on bullheaded workplace harassment with how low his hand was sliding.
After staring for far too long, Jack’s eyes landed on Ed from across the room. Ed’s breath halted in his throat, but Jack was either playing it cool or really hadn’t recognized Ed from that distance. He turned his head back to the girl, seemingly none the wiser to Ed’s presence.
“Well, I guess it doesn’t fuckin’ surprise me.” Ed muttered into his wine, throwing back the last of it. Jack always had tunnel vision when he was trying to hook up with someone. He could leave now, but he promised Ivan he wouldn’t leave before the two of them got back to the table. As long as Jack wasn’t about to walk over and start “chatting”, he could wait for Ivan and Fang. He rose from his seat to get a final round of wine, when suddenly it seemed Jack had gotten with the program and looked ready to walk over to Ed.
Holiday party be damned, Edward Teach was not about to face some smiling hollow version of Jack after what he had done to him.
Instead of getting more wine, he made for the door to some kind of side room attached to the main area. The door closed behind him, and he threw his empty plastic glass into the bin while looking around. It seemed to be a small meeting room, with folded up tables and stacked chairs in the corner for flexible use. No door aside from the one Ed just used, and a couple frosted glass windows looking towards the hotel’s main lobby. There were abstract paintings around and one man who had not looked back from staring at one of the paintings.
“Lucius, if you’re here to try and drag me back out there again, I’d really rather not.” the man said.
“Not Lucius, mate.”
That got the man turning around to face Ed and oh- he was beautiful. Perfectly placed blonde hair swooped and curled framing his handsome face, and his clothes were so colorful and bright while still looking so elegant and dapper. A teal suit and pants, with a multicolored, patterned buttoned shirt and- is that a fucking ascot?
“I’m terribly sorry, I assumed you were my assistant coming to drag me to meet another group of executives and salespeople.”
Ed gasped dramatically, clutching invisible pearls in horror, “And you’re telling me you aren’t interested in meeting every single valuable employee of Nassau Republic Enterprises? Shame on you…” he paused expectantly, so the man would give his name.
“Stede, Stede Bonnet.”
“Stede Bonnet.” Ed finished his sentence, rolling the strange name off his tongue.
Stede smiled and held up his hands in surrender, “Sue me, but I think I would have preferred a night in to being paraded through that madhouse. Everyone I met out there was so-“ he looked to be struggling to find the right word.
“Everyone out there is fake.” Ed already knew what Stede meant.
“Yes! Exactly, completely lifeless outside of this office, and I don’t much care for people like that.” He stepped toward Ed, “I would, however, very much like to know you…”
“Ed Teach.”
“Nice to meet you, Edward.” The sweet way Stede said his name sent shivers down his spine. He stared into Stede’s lovely hazel eyes, getting a little lost in how beautiful he was, before clearing his throat and stepping away a touch. They both blushed in the quiet of the room, not sure what to say or do next.
Ed finally broke the tension with something simple, “I like your ascot.”
Stede positively lit up and began speaking a mile a minute, “Well thank you! Though, technically it’s a cravat. Ascots are a type of cravat, you see, and cravats as a general term cover all kinds of neckties, bow ties and scarves. I suppose you could classify it as a sort of hybrid ascot-slash-tie, but I believe it’s best to just define it as a cravat-”
He seemed to realize he had been going on and his enthusiasm withered before Ed’s very eyes.
“I’m sorry, I’m a bit of a clotheshorse. Get me going about it and I’ll never stop rambling.”
Ed shook his head, “Mate, never apologize about something you enjoy. You were just saying how everyone out in that ballroom is fake and dead behind the eyes. There’s no one out there with passion, no fuckin life outside this office. And here you are with your colorful suits and ascot-slash-ties. You’re fucking fascinating, Stede Bonnet.”
From that moment, the conversation flowed between them like water. Talking with Stede about anything and everything was easy; cracking jokes, pointing out things about the abstract paintings around the room, getting more fashion knowledge about his own dark plum suit with black shirt and shiny dress shoes than he had ever thought possible. It was magnificent. At some point they each had grabbed one of the stacked chairs and pulled over to a small table on the side of the room, a comfortable silence falling over them.
“I’ve just been through a divorce.” Stede unexpectedly spoke up.
“Sorry to hear that.” Ed said, not quite sure how he was meant to react.
“Oh no, it was for the best. Afterwards, I moved to this city and got the job here in client relations and I’m really happy. Plus I’m quite glad to be friends with my ex-wife, and her new boyfriend. It’s nice to have someone who knows you well like that to talk to while starting over and trying to live authentically.”
Ed could tell there was more that Stede wasn’t saying, “What made you two finally break it off?”
“Turns out it’s best not to stay married to a woman once you figure out you are only attracted to men.” Stede blushed, nervously wringing his hands and twisting his watch on his wrist.
Ed’s mouth quirked into a smile, “I’ve heard that’s generally preferred by heterosexual people. Not that I would know anything about them. I’ve been out since college.”
Stede got those sparkles in his eyes again, leaning into Ed a little more-
Jack’s laugh rang through the door, he and his group were clearly walking past it. Ed must have noticeably flinched at the sound, because Stede looked worried. He waited a moment before carefully asking,
“Ed, why did you need to escape the party?”
Swallowing past the lump in his throat, he spoke, “Jack showed up. He wasn’t supposed to be here and I panicked when I saw him.”
“What happened between you two that you felt the need to hide with me? Not that I’m ungrateful, obviously.” Stede was still asking questions carefully, still being kind with Ed’s jagged edges. It was enough to make him feel safe enough to answer honestly.
“He and I were in the same department, merchandise and shipping. We had been hooking up and going out drinking on weekends together, and it made me feel like someone actually wanted me. I started to fall for him and rely on him because we were friends and had so much fun together. But I guess to him I was just an easy lay and a good time. Once I was even his shoulder to cry on.”
Stede nodded along and listened intently, so Ed kept going.
“Last year, at this exact party, I gave Jack a present with a note that told him I loved him, and that I wanted to be his boyfriend, get serious and go on dates. He didn’t open it in front of me, but the very next day, he texted that he was switching to the sales department and wouldn’t be around much. It was a traveling position. But that next time he was in town he’d be sure to drop a line -and I quote- ‘little Jacky will make a stop in the Eddie express.’”
Stede let out a disgusted sound. “Yuck, that was awful of him.”
“It was, but I was so hung up I still let him come by my place a couple times in January before he stopped answering my calls and texts. He just had this way of putting on a face, like he felt the same way I did. But he just kept leading me on and tearing me apart.”
He sniffled, pulling open his tie to stop his traitorous emotions from showing on his face. He felt a tear slip down his cheek.
Too late, Ed. Now you’re going to scare him off for good.
Stede’s hand softly came to rest on top of his, soothing and warm.
“Obviously, he played me for a fool because I acted like one. I was a fucking lovesick idiot. Do you want to know the worst part? I worry that if he kissed me right now, I feel like he would get the chance to fool me again.”
Stede was quiet for a moment.
“Well fuck that guy.”
Ed's eyes snapped to Stede’s, which weren’t pitying or sad, but full of understanding, as well as some righteous anger. There was something underneath the look too, a sweetness and caring nature that Ed was quickly becoming addicted to.
“And for the record, I don’t think you’d fall for his shit again. You’re intelligent, gorgeous, funny, kind, and talking with you this evening has been the best part of my week, hell, the best thing that’s happened to me since my divorce.” Stede fell silent for a moment, seeming to debate if he should say the next words on his mind out loud. He opened and closed his mouth just once before diving in,
“What if you and I go back out there together, get nice and tipsy, and smile and dance where everyone can see? Show that bastard Jack you don’t need him anymore.”
Ed felt the smile creep back onto his face, “I think I might like that.”
“Well then,” Stede stood up, offering a hand to pull Ed off his chair, “may I have this dance, Edward?”
They stepped out of the meeting room, still holding hands. A man who Ed could only assume to be Lucius came barreling towards them.
“Boss if you’re going to hide out all night I’m going to go home and have ludicrous amounts of sex with Pete-“ Lucius noticed their entwined hands, “Well who do we have here, Captain?”
Stede blushed ( beautiful, again ) “This is Ed, and we are going to have a lovely evening. If you’d like to head out, I need you to do one small favor first.” He turned to Ed, pointing at Jack, still with the group from before, “Is that Jack?”
Ed nodded.
Stede leaned over and whispered in Lucius’s ear, gesturing toward where Jack had subtly cornered the girl from earlier, talking her ear off while she clearly was growing uncomfortable.
Lucius pulled back from Stede with a wicked grin. “Babe it’ll be like taking candy from a baby.”
Lucius marched over to Jack and the girl, putting on an act like he knew her and wanted to chat with her. She went with him gratefully, heading out to the main lobby with Lucius, hopefully to get a car home.
Ed watched the scene unfold with his jaw on the floor. He turned back to Stede, who was smiling like the cat that got the damn cream. Stede squeezed Ed’s hand and pulled him towards the dance floor, beaming.
Stede pulled Ed in, putting the hand that wasn’t already linked onto Ed’s shoulder. Ed put his free arm around Stede’s back, pulling them chest to chest. They didn’t move too far, just swaying in each other’s arms to the smooth jazz being played. Looking in Stede’s eyes again, Ed let himself get lost imagining taking this perfect man on a date. Maybe a lot of dates?
Yes , he decided, Stede Bonnet deserves so many dates.
Suddenly, Stede’s eyes roamed behind Ed’s shoulder and widened a touch.
“If I’m guessing right I think Jack is about to come towards us.” Stede thought for one moment before a mischievous glint sparkled in his eye, “Follow my lead, okay?”
Ed nodded. At this point he was pretty sure he would do just about anything this gloriously strange man asked.
Stede put his head on Ed’s shoulder and deliberately tugged him impossibly closer just before he heard unmistakeable footsteps come up behind him.
“Eddie! Long time no see my man.” He slapped Ed on the back, jostling both him and Stede. Stede separated them only a little, ending their dance and looking at Ed with theatrically clueless doe eyes.
“Darling, who is this? I’ve never heard anyone call you ‘Eddie’ before.”
Catching on quickly, Ed shook Jack’s hand and hoped he could get his part right. “Umm, right. Stede, this is Jack Rackham, an old coworker of mine. Jack this is Stede. He’s my-
Stede cut him off perfectly, shanking hands with Jack. “I’m Edward’s boyfriend. Nice to meet you.”
Jack made a derisive tsk sound, “What, he’s never brought me up before? Couldn’t have been together long then.”
Stede took the reigns, “Actually it’s been about three months, right, dear?”
Ed could only nod in agreement, letting out a tiny yep that didn’t seem to be audible.
“We met just a week or two after I started here as manager of client relations. Couple of emails and phone calls later and, well, here we are.” Stede was hamming it up just enough that it wouldn’t be readable to anyone outside himself and Ed, and Jack was clearly losing his conversational footing.
“Eddie, you really have gone soft. What’s up in the ol’ merch department anyways? Same old same old I assume?”
Ed slapped on his best happy corporate mask, tossing an empty smile Jack’s way, “I guess so, yeah. How’s sales treating you?”
Stede swooped in again, “Oh! Jack, who do you sell for?”
Jack was taken aback, “Steve, you’re new, so I’ll spare ya this time, but I work here and am one of the best salesmen in the company. And for the record, it’s going great. I’ve pulled some incredible figures this year and signed on lots of new buyers.”
Stede’s head subtly tilted to the side, “Well that’s odd. Most new clients go through my office and I talk to all the sales people attached to those accounts. You’d think I would have seen your name at some point… unless, you’re having a bit of a dry spell at the moment, Jack?”
Jack’s eyes widened in surprise as he began to splutter.
Stede giggled, “I’m kidding, of course. Your files must be going to some of my staff instead of me.” The band had paused between songs. “Oh, darling, it’s getting late, would you like to go home? I have better wine than this swill they serve and we can watch a Christmas movie before going to bed.”
The smile on Ed’s face turned from empty to genuine at the drop of a hat. “I’d love that, babe.” He leaned over and kissed Stede on the cheek. The glow on Stede’s face as he pulled away was enough to inspire his last line.
He turned back to Jack, arm holding Stede firmly around the waist, “So great to catch up, Jack. Why don’t you shoot me an email next time you’re in town, I can try and meet you for a lunch or something.”
Jack nodded, dumbstruck, as Stede pulled Ed away by the hand. They laughed all the way to the parking ramp. They slowed down, fingers linked as they walked. Finally stopping by Ed’s black Subaru Forester.
“Well, this is mine.” Ed said nervously.
“Ah.” Stede’s face fell.
Ed decided in that moment to be the brave one, tugging Stede back into his arms and brushing a bit of hair away from his forehead, leaning until their noses brushed together,
“What Christmas movie would you like to watch before we go to bed then, my sweet boyfriend?”
Stede’s laugh echoed in the empty ramp, “Darling, I don’t think it will matter, since I’ll give up after five minutes and take you to bed anyways.”
Ed couldn’t be sure who kissed who, since they both pressed together to meet at the same time.
This year, Ed knew he would give his heart to someone special.