[Ed leans back, one hand still curled tight around Stede's arm. He doesn't need the help to stay upright, and Stede seems to have the stability of a baby deer anyway, but all of that is Ed's business. He pulls a matching face.]

Alright, well, not for long. We're doing something about that.

[When Ed heard he was cursed, he was angry. Confused. A little dubious, considering he hasn't noticed fuck all just yet. But there was also a part of him that felt resigned. That held a mirror up to everything he did and everything people whispered about him, and thought, I might deserve this, actually.

He doesn't feel that way about Stede. Finding a way to become un-cursed, as of this conversation, is now one of his top priorities.]

Pffft. Nah. Did it myself. Barely even felt it.

[He holds up the hand he'd sliced to free himself, showing off a kind of gnarly but obviously healing scar.]

Uh, hang on, why d'you ask? Did someone do that to you?

[menacing energy]