let me take a moment to talk about Ed's truly excellent bedside manner, thank you
This guy has clearly been in Stede's position more than once and knows exactly how to behave to be as reassuring and non-threatening as possible.
Ed starts out by being there; he's keeping vigil to make sure Stede isn't alone when he wakes up and doesn't take his eyes off him once (this is a - normal thing to do). He's doing this because he is already obsessed with intrigued by Stede and he's also determined to make a good first impression, yes. But he also just knows how important it is for someone to be there when Stede wakes up, someone who knows how to handle the situation.
There's this thing in nursing called initial touch: You place your open palm on someone's shoulder or upper arm when you greet them. The idea is that if someone is not fully conscious, it is often easier for them to recognize touch than words; the patient feels your hand and that makes it easier for them to focus on your words. It's also reassuring to be touched like this, solid, calm, just a single but broad point of contact. That's basically what Ed is doing here, even though he does it to Stede's hand. Look how he makes sure there's skin-on-skin contact. He's wearing the gloves but he makes a point of touching Stede with his fingers.
It's also just this, just placing his hand there, not a stroke or a shake; calm and straightforward, easy to process. Just long enough for Stede to wake up.
And it's only then - only when he knows Stede is awake and can hear him - that he speaks to him. I've never been delirious with fever but I have had general anesthesia, and I can tell you how incredibly important it is to have someone there when you come to, who tells you what the fuck just happened. You wake up incredibly confused, maybe (certainly, in Stede's case) in pain, there's unfamiliar sensations and you don't know what's going on. It is so reassuring to have someone there who puts things into context, just enough to jog your memory.
Ed does it beautifully. He speaks calmly but not quietly, clear and simple sentences, before Stede can wake up fully and become agitated. He just gives him the basic facts, and he looks him in the eyes while he speaks. And just like that Stede knows what's going on and where he is and why, and that there's someone there who he can trust.
And then we see why it is so important to establish that kind of trust and reassurance because Stede instantly worries about his crew, and is about to get up (bad idea) but Ed is able to calm him down immediately.
Look at this! He's only using the heel of his hand this time. I had to watch it multiple times purely for research to determine hat there was any actual contact happening at all, but there is; he's only giving the lightest of pushes, and he's using the part of his hand that's clothed.
He is giving Stede space. He doesn't want to crowd him or make him feel restrained. He's there to be a reassuring presence so Stede doesn't do anything dumb to hurt himself, and he's so respectful about it.
That's clearly a man who has previous experience with these kind of situations and knows exactly what he's doing.
I feel normal about this.
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