Archive of Our Own

Epilogue: Crazy Little Thing Called Love

Sing us a song, you’re the piano man

Two years later

Ed’s sitting on the bench at the Steinway in The Lighthouse, but he’s not playing it. Instead, he’s listening as Stede plays Crazy Little Thing Called Love, with his thigh pressed against Stede’s. He can’t really watch his partner of two years play, because if he does, he’s probably going to explode into little flecks of glitter. The crew are watching with rapt attention, and Stede deserves it. He’s been learning something new, after all.

They’ve both learned a lot of new things since their first kiss those two years ago. So many things changed—most of them for the better.

Because yes, Ed quit his job at the bar that night, and Izzy hadn’t been happy about it at first—“Ed, you were finally happy while earning money, why are you dropping that now?”—but he’d understood after Ed explained that dating your boss is never a great idea. Izzy and Ed had sat together a few days later and they had been able to hammer out a plan—despite Ed still being high on the buzz of finally getting to kiss Stede and having planned their first date. Nowadays, Ed doesn’t really play many of the more formal concerts he so disliked. Instead, he plays smaller venues and different genres—he tends to ask the audience what they’d like to hear him play, tries to make it something collaborative—and occasionally, he plays for children. It’s fun to have them ask the strangest questions (“Why are the keys black and white, not fun colours?”), have them diss him or make fun of him for not knowing the latest children’s music or what a Bluey is (he has since learned, after the first few requests about Bluey songs). They talk to him about anything that pops into their brains, and Ed kind of likes it, although he does need some quiet time afterwards to calm down. The children are a lot, after all.

But Ed’s happy. At his lowest point, he thought he’d never enjoy playing the piano ever again, but now, he’s happier than ever behind the instrument. He’s found things that make him laugh again.

Like the bar—where he still occasionally plays, just for fun—and, of course, Stede.

Stede’s been a constant in his life since they met, and Ed loves it. He didn’t think he’d fall in love, didn’t think he’d get to date someone. Didn’t think he’d get to think about a relationship, or which house they’re going to move into, or whether they could maybe one day get married.

Their first date—two years ago today, actually—had happened at the zoo. Ed knows how much Stede loves bugs and nature, but Ed isn’t great with either of those two. So they’d opted for something that had bugs and nature that wouldn’t touch Ed. Which had been a lovely choice for them both. Stede had told him all about the spider exhibition with Ed clinging to his arm, still unable to shake his anxiety that the glass in front of the enclosures would suddenly disappear. Stede’s enthusiasm had taken away some of his fear, though, as Stede’s spider facts morphed into little stories about the spiders where they were just as scared and human as Ed. Ed didn’t leave the zoo cured of his arachnophobia, but he’d stopped squeezing Stede’s arm to pulp. They enjoyed the rest of the day with lots more made-up stories about the animals in the zoo, lots of laughter, and many more kisses. It was hard to kiss Stede goodbye again at the end of the date, but they’d both left for their own homes with smiles on their faces. Ed had felt on cloud nine that the date had gone so well, when they hadn’t actually hung out for a full day before.

He never thought he’d get to have that, but he’s happy, and he’s in a loving relationship, and he loves Stede so much that he doesn’t care that they’re still not officially living together, even though most of Ed’s stuff has migrated to Stede’s house. Of course, Stede’s house is absolutely the better option between their places, but… but it’s not official. Not yet. Ed still has his own house, too, and even though he’s got the key to Stede’s house, it still feels like Stede’s house, not his, or theirs.

Mostly because Ed’s piano is still at his own place. They haven’t found the right location for it yet in Stede’s house, and so it’s still… Stede’s house.

And look, Ed swears they’ve gotten better at using their words, but sometimes, it’s easier to leave things as they are. They don’t need Lucius to spell everything out for them anymore, or to nudge them into a conversation that’s weeks overdue, but it’s still hard to ask for what he wants, sometimes.

Although he’s grown much better at picking up cues about how Stede feels and actually asking Stede. That’s how he figured out that Stede wasn’t really happy at the bar. On days he’d been there, he kept coming to bed later and quieter than on non-bar days. Ed had initially given Stede some space, but Stede didn’t say anything, just kept getting home in darker and darker moods until Ed had asked. It took some gentle prodding and cuddles, and a lot of tears on Stede’s side. He told Ed that he felt wrong for not enjoying it anymore, that it felt like he was letting the crew down.

It had taken them several weeks to work through the issue—figure out where it came from, if it was really Stede feeling fed up and burnt out (or whether it was something else), and then coming up with ideas and solutions before Stede broke the news to Jim. Jim had immediately offered to take over the bar and said that Olu’d been looking for another job so might be up for being interim manager.

Stede had burst into tears on the spot.

He hadn’t been happy running the bar for a while, and being able to hand it to Jim and Olu for the day-to-day jobs had been liberating. It had freed up time for Stede to figure out what he did want to do, and the answer was… he didn’t know.

He still doesn’t know, actually, which is one of the reasons why Stede’s currently playing the Steinway. Stede’s only involved with the bar when needed, now—just does payroll, and occasionally he takes care of orders—and that means he’s got plenty of time. Ed’s busy season is over, and he offered to teach Stede to play piano, picking up where his grandmother left off all those years ago, and Stede had taken him up on that with a smile.

And look, some days Ed doesn’t end up teaching Stede anything. Some days, they just wake up together, then decide that they’re not going to do anything but laze around. Some days, though, are full of Stede’s new hobbies. He’s started knitting with Wee John, Frenchie’s teaching him to play guitar, Roach occasionally comes over to give cooking lessons. Ed joins in when he can—he likes doing these things with Stede, likes learning new things alongside his partner.

The thing Stede’s liked best, though? Ed’s piano lessons. They take it slow, slower than Ed thought possible at first, but it turned out that even playing on Ed’s piano had brought up more memories than Stede expected, and some sessions were simply Stede working through his feelings with Ed by his side. Those sessions, Ed puts aside his teaching and instead offers comfort however Stede wants it—a hug, a simple hand on his knee, a kiss. Or a full-on distraction, sometimes.

The crew teaching Stede new hobbies has given Stede an idea for a themed evening at the bar: a talent show. It’s advertised as a low-stakes ‘show off your skills’ night, where amateurs and professionals alike can simply show what they can do.

In Stede’s case, it’s playing the piano.

Ed’s so proud of him.

Stede’s rendition of the song isn’t perfect, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s for them, most of all, and Ed’s probably more nervous than Stede. Ed isn’t doing anything but be present as moral support for Stede, and yet, he’s the one feeling anxious about the performance.

Maybe his anxiety is compounded by the fact that Izzy is here. Ed still feels nervous around Izzy, these days. Even though they’ve mostly patched up their working relationship, their friendship is still not doing great. Ed’s still not ready to share everything with Izzy. But it’s better, and it’s a start, at least. Having Fang and Ivan over alongside Izzy is always a great buffer, and it helps that Fang and Ivan adore Stede—their approval of him made Izzy’s feelings towards Stede thaw considerably. Even then, Stede has occasionally snarked back on some of Izzy’s more biting comments about him, which Ed had to kiss him about. But with Izzy watching Stede’s first actual performance, Ed somehow feels the need to shield Stede from Izzy entirely, even though he knows that Stede can stand up for himself.

There is so much Ed has learned about Stede since they officially started dating. Like the fact that his favourite colour is “anything not white or brown or black”, he drinks his coffee with a dollop of milk (but prefers a freshly brewed tea, something Ed still hasn’t quite perfected), he likes to listen to classical music while driving (and yes, tries to conduct the entire orchestra, also while driving, and he laughs about Ed’s comments about actually playing the pieces), and he’s always wanted to own horses. He sings along to anything loudly and off-key, but with enough enthusiasm that Ed always ends up joining him—also off-key. It’s a joy to be around Stede, and Ed just keeps falling further and further in love.

It doesn’t hurt that Stede is stunning, if Ed says so himself. In Stede’s search for hobbies, he’d taken up rock climbing, and his arms are now even bigger than before, and Ed does get to bite them, which makes Stede laugh and Ed moan. And well, Ed has occasionally humped himself to completion while gently digging his teeth into any part of Stede he can while Stede’s just laughing at Ed’s antics, content to watch his “madman partner” get his kicks that way, which is often followed by Ed taking care of Stede’s own arousal right after.

As Stede plays the final notes of Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Ed can’t help but kiss his cheek. He’s still just as in love with Stede as he was two years ago, when he was scared to say something. He figures the song might as well be about them, if he’s honest. Being able to admit that he’s head over heels for this man has been the greatest thing in his life, and sharing his happiness with Stede brings him joy every day.

“And that concludes Stede’s rendition of Queen’s Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” Calypso—Wee John’s best drag queen persona yet—booms over the microphone. “Please give him a hand!”

Stede beams as the bar gives him a standing ovation, and he bows to them before hugging Ed and tugging him closer for a kiss. “Thank you,” he says, beaming, and Ed doesn’t really have anything to say to that except kiss Stede again.

“I’m proud of you,” he tells Stede between kisses, and it doesn’t take long before they’re booed away from the piano. Calypso announces the next performer who’s going to take the improvised stage in The Lighthouse, and Stede and Ed make their way to the booth they’ve claimed for the evening. It almost feels like they’re VIPs, set apart like that from their friends, but it’s not like they’re on their own—the booth with the crew is just way too crowded to even try to carry a conversation, and Stede enjoys getting to talk to everyone who comes by, so they aren’t as alone as it might have looked.

“You did great,” Ed whispers as they watch some kind of complicated mating ritual happen between Frenchie and Calypso on the stage. Ed still doesn’t know if they’re dating—and how Roach fits into their relationship—but it’s mesmerising to watch Frenchie twirl around with a lute in his hand, serenading Calypso.

“Thank you,” Stede whispers back. He slides closer to Ed, and Ed wraps an arm around him. Stede leans his head against Ed’s shoulder and sighs. “I’m glad I did that.”

“You should be proud of yourself,” Ed says, squeezing Stede’s shoulder before he drops a kiss on Stede’s head. He lets the silence settle between them, basking in just being close together. Some of the crew chat with them during a break, most of them coming by with compliments about Stede’s performance.

“How do you feel about finally getting to play on the Steinway yourself?” Ed asks when Roach has just left, dropping a platter full of deep-fried snacks on their table and urging them to let him know what they think. He takes one of the little balls of dough and wants to bite into it when Stede halts his hand.

“You’ll burn your mouth. Give it a minute to cool.”

He knows it’s for the best that Stede stopped him, and he’s also realising that Stede’s still working through his feelings about the Steinway, and so he just… puts his snack down. He does kind of pout about it, though. But he remains quiet and lets Stede think. There’s no need to repeat his question.

After a minute, Ed tries again—the snack, that is—and Stede just watches him. He almost burns his mouth because the inside is still hot, but it’s no longer scorching, and he gets to enjoy the crispiness of the outside coupled with a filling he can’t quite place. It’s soft and warm and a little salty, though, and he likes it. Maybe a cheese of sorts? But worked into something else, probably. Ed doesn’t really care what it is—it’s good, and that’s what matters. He also knows that Stede will love it, too, so as Stede mulls over his answer, Ed holds out another one of the small little bites for Stede to take.

Stede takes it gratefully, eats it out of Ed’s hand, even, and he moans in pleasure. Ed, of course, has to kiss him about that, and it shuts them both up for a little bit, until Jim clears their throat, loudly and pointedly, like they’d been waiting at their table for a while already.

Ed pulls back and Stede groans at it, but when Ed opens his eyes, he sees a fond smirk on Stede’s face. Not all bad, then. It’s also Jim, so that probably means—

“I’ve made you two a drink,” they say, holding out the tray with two light purple drinks on them. “They’re lavender lemonade mocktails. Enjoy!”

Jim winks at them and then disappears again, leaving them on their own again. The mocktail looks pretty, and Ed and Stede take their glasses simultaneously, clinking them together before taking a sip.

Ed kind of likes it. He’s never tried anything lavender-flavoured, even though Stede really likes the flavour. It reminds Ed of soap, though, and he’s always vaguely scared that whatever it’s in will also taste like soap. This isn’t like that, though—it simply tastes flowery, like lavender, with a hint of sweetness cut through it, chased by the acidity and sour note of the lemon. Ed likes it. It’s not a favourite, but it doesn’t need to top the chocolate martinis Stede made them two years ago (and they still make, together, on the anniversary of their first kiss).

Stede seems to enjoy it, though, and so Ed puts his glass in front of Stede as well, simply enjoying his partner’s enjoyment of the drink. He can stick to his water, or order something a little sweeter or more fruity. This lavender lemonade feels like it’s made for Stede, hitting all those notes that Stede loves so much.

They watch the next participant in the talent show with half an eye—it’s not one of the crew—and stay curled up together in the booth. Ed’s enjoying the intimacy of it, the fact that they’re still so close even though they’re in public, and he sighs softly, leaning his head against Stede’s shoulder.

“I wasn’t avoiding answering your question,” Stede says, as Roach takes the stage with a few knives. He winces, and Ed hopes it’s aimed at Roach and his knives, not at Ed’s question. “Just… trying to figure out how to answer it. Because… I’m proud of myself, and I’m happy I played the Steinway, but it also feels… wrong, to have it here now. I liked having it here when it was only connected to my own memories.”

“So… good?” Ed ventures. He’s pretty sure he knows the answer to his question already, but he prefers double checking.

“Yes, very good.” Stede smiles at him and kisses him. “Thank you for teaching me.”

“It’s my pleasure.” Ed laughs. “But if you want to move the Steinway, we might have to look at another place to live, love.”

Stede looks shifty, focus suddenly entirely on the nearly-empty mocktail glass in his hand, and Ed narrows his eyes.

“Stede…?”

“I might already have… looked at a couple of houses that look promising, and I’ve been wanting to talk to you about buying something new together, but it felt like a step too far for us, where we were at, and then it didn’t really come up and I just…” Stede shrugs, helpless.

“Oh,” Ed says, suddenly feeling a lot more relieved. “Is that why you’ve not formally asked me to move in with you yet despite all of my stuff living in your house?”

“Maybe a little?” Stede squeaks. “I wanted to find the perfect house first, and then… buy together? Maybe?”

Ed laughs. “Of course I’ll buy a house with you, Stede,” he says, and he nuzzles his nose into Stede’s neck, sighing softly. “Mate, you could just have asked me. I would love to view your top contenders with you.”

“Well…” Stede trails off, seemingly stunned by the fact that Ed might be interested in that, and Ed wants to shake his partner because of course he is. They’ve talked a lot about houses, and somehow this has never come up.

“I’m assuming you’ve got them all bookmarked with lists of pros and cons already. Talk me through your picks tomorrow?”

Stede looks up from his glass and then finally Ed can see that smile he lives for bloom on Stede’s face. “I’d love to. There’d be plenty of space for your piano as well as the Steinway, if we wanted to keep both. And some properties have some amazing details from the original build that I really love.”

“I can’t wait to see them,” Ed says, and he kisses Stede. He’s excited about the prospect—not just looking for a house together, although he thinks Stede has probably sussed out the best houses already and it’s just a matter of finding the one they love most and getting an offer accepted. But there’s no need to have two pianos in their new house, Ed loves the Steinway too much and it means too much for them. So… “Although maybe… if you were to move the Steinway into our new home, we could put mine in here instead? You know. Put some of the memories we made on that instrument in here, take the heavier things and the… more personal ones back home?”

Stede is quiet for a moment, but then Ed’s got an armful of Stede who’s frantically peppering kisses all over his face. Ed turns his face slightly to catch Stede’s lips with his own and then they’re just kissing.

“I take it you like that idea?” Ed asks, laughing, when Stede finally pulls back.

“Yes,” Stede says. He sounds out of breath, and Ed can’t help but kiss him again. A little shorter, this time, but that confirmation means a lot. This is a place that’s so interwoven with their entire relationship, and it leaves Ed with butterflies in his stomach that they’re making new plans here too. “Yes, it sounds perfect. I didn’t want you to have to give up your piano. I know you love the one here but… it’s different when it’s your own.”

“It is.” Ed swallows, thinking of his Bösendorfer—the first instrument he bought himself, with his own money. It was a ridiculous indulgence then, and it sounds like a ridiculous idea now to offer to put that in the bar instead, but Ed prefers the Steinway anyway, loves the memories he’s made there. “I think the bar deserves a piano, though, and the Bösendorfer reminds me of… of the concerts I didn’t like. That whole period. As much as I love it, I think the Steinway will make us both happier.”

Stede squeezes Ed’s hand with a small smile on his face. “Okay. We’ll go look at houses, and we might just move both instruments and get an upright piano in the bar instead of a grand piano. They do kind of take up a lot of space, and Jim keeps grumbling about it being in the way most of the time.”

Ed laughs, squeezing Stede’s hand right back, leaning forward until his forehead touches Stede’s. “Good point.” And then, softer, “Thank you.” Stede definitely understood that it’s still a big step for Ed to admit how he feels about the pianos.

He’s grown in that, too. He still struggles occasionally to talk about his feelings, but Stede is great at helping Ed share his thoughts, and the therapist Ed had found after their first big fight and Ed’s subsequent feelings of failure helps Ed deal with the rest.

That fight happened after the first less-than-perfect thing that happened between Ed and Stede. It was the first time Ed met Mary, Doug, and Evelyn. Evelyn and Mary, for some reason, kept doubting Ed’s intentions towards Stede. Doug had been lovely and kind throughout, but Evelyn and Mary (but mostly Evelyn, with her snide remarks) made Ed feel horrible, reminded him of how scared he’d been before they’d talked, how much doubt he’d had throughout their relationship—how uncertain he still is, sometimes, that Stede really likes him like that and wants him in his life—and Ed had shut down during dinner, until Stede had, quite literally, stood up, dragged Ed off his chair, and marched out with just an icy cold “If you keep insulting my partner like that, we don’t need to be here to listen to it” in their direction. Ed prides himself in being able to stand up for himself, but in that moment, he hadn’t been able to, and it had felt horrible—but Stede had his back, still, and somehow, that hurt Ed.

He couldn’t explain his reaction, but he’d shut himself off from Stede, withdrawn into his own, rather bare, house. He’d spent a few days like that until Jim and Olu had knocked on his door to ask him why he was ignoring Stede, and Ed found himself sharing more information with them than he’d expected to, down to telling them about how incompetent he felt that Stede had to defend him against accusations from Mary and Evelyn. Olu and Jim had managed to talk him down from doing something as radical as give up and break up with Stede (which would probably just play into Mary and Evelyn’s hands). Instead, they’d encouraged him to talk to Stede, even with this, and then go find a therapist.

That meeting with Mary, Evelyn, and Doug had knocked more things sideways, most of all the relationship between Stede and Mary, and Stede had avoided her for a month or two before Ed and Doug managed to get them all back into a room together, and they had talked it through and made up again. The best thing that came out of that mess was the fact that Ed has learned that using his words is a good thing. If he hadn’t told Stede that Mary and Evelyn seemed to have hit an insecurity Ed didn’t even knew he had, they might not have made up as easily, and Ed would have felt guilty about ruining a friendship, even though he wasn’t the entire reason of their falling out. It helped that Mary admitted she was just keeping an eye out for Stede and that she, and Evelyn, were feeling protective and just wanted the very best for Stede.

It was sort of annoying how much better everything was when they talked everything through. Ed had worked through some of his Izzy-issues with a therapist, but that didn’t mean everything was just good all of a sudden. No, he still needed to talk to Izzy, get everything out in the open. And it had worked, up to an extent. But they’re not there yet.

So when Izzy joins them in the booth, Ed’s first instinct is still to withdraw and curl in on himself. He doesn’t though, allows himself to take up the space his body needs, and he takes a deep breath.

“Hey Izzy,” he says.

“Edward. Bon—Stede,” Izzy nods in Stede’s direction. “You played well there.”

“I have a great teacher,” Stede demurs, but Ed can see him preening at the compliment. Of course he does—Ed has told Stede about how rarely Izzy gives out compliments—and that means that Ed doesn’t really know what to do with himself. Stede deserves to preen, of course, but also… he doesn’t know if he should trust this. And he hates it, hates that he distrusts Izzy’s intentions even though they’re working on honest communication and learning how to work together again without Ed feeling like Izzy’s going to stab him in the back but—

“Ed is a great teacher,” Izzy says, a small smile on his face as he takes a sip of his drink. “One of the best. You should be honoured he offered.”

“I want to say that he saw potential but I don’t think that was quite the case,” Stede says, laughing. “I’m glad Ed was willing to teach me, though.” Stede reaches out to Ed and squeezes his hand.

Ed manages a smile as he calms his racing heart. There’s no need for him to panic, nothing is going to happen. Stede and Izzy are just having a polite conversation, even though that is a rarity in itself—they’re more likely to snipe at each other—and yet… and yet, his brain seems to want him to leave. No need, he tells himself, yet again.

“You seem cosy in this booth,” Izzy observes. “You look happy together.”

That does make Ed smile more genuinely. “We are,” he manages, and Izzy turns his head back to Ed, simply watching him for a bit before he nods.

“Good,” he says. “Good.” He looks at the bar as Calypso announces yet another performer and a smile steals over his face as his eyes find Roach. “As much as I’d like to talk longer, I’ve got another appointment to keep.”

Interesting, Ed thinks, but he doesn’t say anything, just thanks Izzy for dropping by even if it was brief. Part of Ed is glad that it was brief.

“Do you think Roach is going to let Izzy take him home tonight?” Stede asks when Izzy’s out of earshot again. “They’ve been dancing around each other long enough at this point.”

“Oh?” Ed feels like this is something Izzy would have told him, back when they were good friends. They used to share so much more than they do now, and Ed feels… well, a distinct sense of loss, really. Sad that he’s no longer on those kind of speaking terms with Izzy. He’d have liked to know if Izzy’s trying to date Roach.

“Yes!” Stede lights up at the prospect of getting to share some more gossip, and Ed settles back against Stede, pulling his arm around himself and snuggling close. “Roach has had Izzy running around the block in the past few weeks. I know you haven’t been in the bar much lately, but Izzy has, and it’s kind of… intriguing, to see what’s happening. You’ve told me plenty of stories about Izzy, but I’ve not heard anything about this side to him.” Stede drops a kiss to Ed’s hair, both of them still watching Izzy as he waits at the bar. “He flushes when Roach flirts with him, Ed. Seems to lose his bearings, can’t really string together decent sentences anymore. It’s interesting to see this side to him.”

Ed hums. It sounds very much like Izzy—always overconfident until someone he’s interested in dares flirt with him, then he turns into a bumbling mess. He remembers watching with Fang and Ivan as Izzy was flirted with, and it always made for great conversation and some light teasing aimed at Izzy if he came back to their table flustered and a little snippy.

“Has he always been like that?” Stede asks, and Ed nods.

“Yeah, he likes pretending to be the big independent man but he’s a softie.” Ed swallows. “It’s… It’s good to see him here. It’s good to see him work on his own happiness.”

“Even though you get tense when he’s in the bar?”

Ed can feel Stede nosing through his hair, keeping him held securely so Ed knows that Stede’s there for him. Touch helps ground Ed massively, and Stede’s touch even more so. This feels nice, Ed thinks, and then he sighs.

“Yes,” he says. “Even though I still tense up when I see him in social situations. I… I’m working on it.”

“Today seems slightly better than a few weeks ago,” Stede observes, and Ed nods again. A few weeks ago, they’d run into Izzy in a little bistro, and Ed hadn’t eaten much after he’d spotted Izzy. Ed hates that his body and brain aren’t quite on the same page around Izzy yet. But they’ve been doing more and more things together, and it’s mostly unexpected meetings that startle Ed. He’d love to have his friend back, to be able to tell his body and brain that it’s Izzy, his friend! Nothing more, nothing less. But he’s got some more work to do before he’ll get there, probably. And he’s learning that that is okay.

Their conversation trails off again in favour of watching Izzy some more. Roach has joined him at the bar, and Izzy’s curled around himself a little more in what Ed thinks might be a combination of being embarrassed and pleased. Roach is talking with his hands, gesturing all around, and Izzy’s clearly following what he’s saying, a happy expression on his face.

As much as he’d like to keep watching, it’s starting to feel like he’s intruding on whatever is developing between Izzy and Roach, and he’d rather have his friend tell him about what’s happening than watch it right now.

Plus, someone else is playing Crazy Little Thing Called Love on a ukelele, and of course he has to sing along softly in Stede’s ear instead. Stede laughs through it, occasionally interrupting Ed by kissing him.

It’s fun that this song is played again, if Ed’s honest. None of the participants of the talent show had shared their acts beforehand, and Stede had picked this song after a long discussion of Queen’s best songs between Stede and Ed. The discussion had taken them several months, where they’d raised a new point almost every evening. Eventually, they’d settled on a long list of best songs based on various different criteria. Some of the options they picked were best long song (Bohemian Rhapsody), best song to have a good cry to (Who Wants To Live Forever), best karaoke song (We Will Rock You), best cleaning song (I Want To Break Free), and best song to sing sultrily in a dress (Killer Queen). They ended up trying to find a “best” option for every Queen song, and so far, they’ve managed something for almost everything.

And then Stede had said that he liked the romance and upbeatness of Crazy Little Thing Called Love. Ed knew he had the sheet music somewhere, and it had felt like something they could work towards with their piano lessons. And maybe some of their lessons had turned into romantic little moments, Stede trying to serenade Ed (and then Ed serenading Stede a little more successfully). Some turned into long make-out sessions.

And some had turned into Ed wondering if asking Stede to marry him was a little too early if they weren’t even formally living together yet. He’d imagined proposing to Crazy Little Thing Called Love, thought about proposing during or just after Stede’s performance once they knew Stede was going to be a part of the talent show—something about the way it’d be in the bar they met, at the piano that means so much to them both, with a reversal of roles of Stede playing rather than Ed had made so much sense to Ed—but he didn’t want to upstage Stede’s moment. Or maybe the song was better suited to them walking down the aisle together after a proposal. Or for their first dance.

And so now he’s still thinking about marrying Stede. So much, in fact, that being so close to Stede is almost stifling, and as much as being near Stede usually soothes him, he’s starting to feel a little fidgety.

“Are you okay?” Stede asks, as the halfway point of the song hits, and Ed shrugs.

“Little restless,” he answers, sort of annoyed that he can’t sing the entire song at Stede and just have him read Ed’s mind, but that’s not how this works. He takes a deep breath. “Considering whether we could walk down the aisle to this song.”

Stede’s hand stills in Ed’s hair. “Oh? Would you want to?”

Ed swallows. “Yeah.” He doesn’t know whether Stede means to ask him whether he wants to get married at all, or if it’s just about the song choice, but either way, the answer is the affirmative. And maybe, just maybe, it’s time to actually be brave for once. “Yeah, I’d like that. If you… if you wanted to marry me?”

“Did you mean to—” Stede cuts himself off, then pulls away from Ed so they can look at each other, and as much as Ed wants to drop his gaze, he can’t look away from Stede, who looks frantic. “Ed, did you… Did you just ask me to marry you?”

Ed can’t help the snort that escapes him, because… yeah. “Yes, I did. I… I have a ring, even, just not here, one that was probably always meant for you. But I can’t get on one knee and propose right now, so—”

Stede laughs and kisses him. “We’ll exchange rings at home. I’ve got one for you, too. I just didn’t know when to ask you. I wasn’t even sure if you even wanted to get married, actually.”

“Well, if it’s with you, I think I do.”

“You’d better be absolutely sure about that when we finally walk down the aisle to the tune of Crazy Little Thing Called Love, Edward Teach. I can’t wait to be your husband.”

Ed sighs happily. “A house and a husband. Didn’t expect the night to end with two big things  to look forward to.” He leans forward to kiss Stede again, too, entangling their fingers. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of our lives together, Stede.”

“I can’t wait to grow old with you, Ed.”

With their foreheads pressed together and the promise of a future together, Ed relaxes. It’s not what he expected when he stepped into The Lighthouse over two years ago, but he could never have predicted this. A new job, a new life, a new community. A partner—fiance, even. And many more plans to come, probably, especially if they end up buying a house.

Maybe Ed’ll end up playing in The Lighthouse more often, maybe alongside his husband. Maybe he’ll be friends with Izzy again. Maybe Ed and Stede find the perfect house for their new life, ready for memories both new and old.

Whatever is to come, Ed is ready to start playing their next song. And tonight—this night, the one he’s ending with Stede as his fiance—he’s going to close out the talent show with a rousing rendition of Piano Man, and he’s ready for the entire bar to join him in singing along. As a crew.