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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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Early Retirement

Summary: Izzy washes up on a beach after leaving the Revenge and rowing through a storm. Luckily for him, a kindhearted stranger took it upon themselves to take him in and nurse him back to health. Maybe even give him a new home.

Word Count: 6478

It’s cold. Too cold.

It seeped down into his bones and settled there until he couldn’t feel his limbs, he couldn’t feel anything other than that debilitating cold. He forced his eyes open but saw nothing but darkness, the salt stinging them. His lungs burnt in their attempt to suck in air but received nothing but water.

Then everything just…disappeared.

The amount of time that passed was a mystery to Izzy but when he came back to consciousness, it was warm. It felt like his body had thawed out, limbs heavy but at least he could feel them now.

His heavy eyelids blinked open, the sunlight coming in through a window making him wince. Everything had a slight blur to it but he could make out that he was in a bedroom, one that he definitely didn’t recognise. He was tucked into a bed, pillows cradling his head and plush bedding cocooning his body, his injured foot elevated on a pile of cushions.

The last thing he could remember was…the sea. Fuck. He had left the Revenge after Stede’s return, at least being allowed the dignity to make that decision himself. A freak storm had rolled in when he was half way to reaching land in his rowboat. It ripped his little boat to shreds and the ocean had pulled him beneath the waves.

He had barely even fought it when it happened. Izzy had always known this would be how he went, at the mercy of the sea, better than the end of a sword. Men like him didn’t get peaceful deaths, he accepted that a long time ago.

Yet, here he was and it was too warm and soft to be Hell.

As his senses returned to him he focused on a smell that wafted up from somewhere else in the house, it was something savoury, something warm and comforting.

He wasn’t alone then. It made sense, of course, but it still put him on edge.

Izzy tried to pull himself up from the bed but it felt like his body was weighed down and his foot throbbed when he tried to move it. With a grunt, he fell back down onto the bed. He could barely move, he’d need a proper plan before he flung himself out of bed.

Before he could try to move again, the door to the bedroom he was cooped up in opened. “You’re awake,” you smiled warmly, “how are you feeling?”

The pale, ragged, looking man in your guest bed was glaring at you. You were sure he would be threatening if he didn’t look like he just crawled out of an ocean grave.

“Where am I?” he questioned accusingly.

“Somewhere safe,” you assured him, ignoring his hostility as you crossed the room.

He hesitated, watching you cautiously. You supposed you couldn’t blame him, he was in a strange place and somewhat incapacitated.

“What happened?”

You sighed. “You washed up on the beach a few days ago. Saw you on a morning walk, thought you were dead by the look of you. Nearly scared the life out of me when you breathed,” you told him honestly.

“Days?” Perhaps his surprise would have been a little more audible if his voice wasn’t so scratchy. His wide eyes conveyed it enough though.

“Your foot is injured but it was wrapped so I assume you know that. You had an infection, have been in and out of consciousness with a fever for the last four days. I’m not surprised you don’t remember any of it,” you informed him.

“So you just happened upon me, dragged me back to your home, and nursed me back to health?” He was suspicious of you and he wasn’t trying to hide it.

“The doctor got some men to help haul you up from the beach and stopped you from dying on us, he left some medication, but then just left me to it.”

“Where are my things?” It was only then, as he shifted on the bed, that he realised he was only wearing his smalls under the blankets.

“For somebody who just avoided death, you are awfully quizzical,” you raised an eyebrow at him. “Everything that survived your little swim is safely stored in another room. I’m generous enough to try to help a stranger but not naive enough to let them have blades on them. I’ll bring you your clothes now that you’re awake and a pair of linen pants, they’ll be easier to get on and more comfortable than those leathers you washed up in.”

“So you know I could be dangerous?” Izzy squinted at you. You know he was dangerous but taking the chance anyway only made him more suspicious. People didn’t just do things out of the kindness of their hearts, especially for people who they thought were dangerous.

“No offence but when a man washes up on the shore, armed to the teeth and clad in black leathers, I don’t assume they’re just a travelling merchant,” you rolled your eyes.

“This happen a lot?” he asked sarcastically. At least he was well enough to give you some snark.

“Nope, you’re my first,” you shrugged, smirking slightly. “So, what do I call you?” you asked.

“None of your business,” Izzy growled, though it came out weak and scratchy.

“Well, you’re in my home but okay,” you rolled your eyes at him, as if he wasn’t a threat. Then again, he supposed he wasn’t much of a threat right now.

Izzy frowned, but his glare remained hard on you. “Who are you?”

“You tell me and I’ll tell you, for now you can just call me…your guardian angel,” you offered, making him scowl. “Anyway, you’re looking a lot brighter than when you washed up. You should be able to keep solid foods down now, so I made some healing stew special for you. Oh, and the bread just came out the oven this morning.”

Before Izzy could question you further, you had waltzed out of the room.

He didn’t have to wait long for you to return though, this time entering the room with a tray balanced on your hip. You walked up to his bedside, placing the tray down on the table beside his bed.

The tray held a bowl of stew, a couple slices of bread, a mug of herbal tea, and a glass of water.

Izzy just glared at the tray as you took a step back.

“Look, I’m not holding you hostage. If you want to leave, you can, but have some common sense and stay put for a while. Your foot was inflamed when you showed up, the doctor had to shave down the bone and redo the stitches. You need to rest it if you want it to heal properly,” you chastised him.

The man frowned, looking down at his foot. You saw the pain in his eyes and it made your voice soften. “Doctor said you’ll be able to move around in a couple of days if you use a crutch, then you’ll just have to use a cane. Once it’s healed though, he said it probably won’t affect your movement or balance at all.”

“You sure?” he dared to be hopeful.

“The doctor seems pretty sure. But you have to follow orders if you want it to heal properly. So you can’t go hobbling around looking for your ship just yet.”

He squinted at you, suspicions returning at full force. “What do you know about my ship?”

“Relax. I don’t know anything. I’m just not stupid, I figured you’re a pirate,” you shrugged.

Apparently, that only made him more suspicious of you. “And you still risked taking me in?” You had to have ulterior motives, it’s the only thing that made sense.

“You gonna kill me?”

“No. Not if you don’t give me a reason too.”

“Rob me.”

“No, unless I kill you.”

“...take me hostage and sell me?”

“No…”

Izzy sighed. You were right, he wasn’t a threat right now and even if he was, he had no intentions on hurting you unless you gave him a reason too.

“Then it looks like we’re safe,” you smiled, like you had just sorted some problem out. “Eat, I’ll be back soon to collect your dishes and change your bandages,” you ordered lightly before leaving the room again.

The next time you returned it was to take away his dirty dishes. He had emptied the bowl, having not realised how hungry he had been until he took that first bite. He would probably be able to eat more but knew better than to risk it, too much too soon could have him bringing it all back up.

You had brought some supplies with you to change the bandages on his foot. He had glared at you the whole time, as if expecting you to do something to purposely hurt him. You didn’t though. Instead, you handled his foot and ankle delicately, cleaned the wound as carefully as you could and rebandaged it. Working diligently, only speaking when you were apologising for something you couldn’t help or asking him if the bandages were too tight.

The rest of the day went much like that. He didn’t speak whenever you came into the room to bring him food or take away empty plates, and you didn’t try to engage him in conversation, just polite small talk before leaving again.

The next morning, Izzy woke up to you bringing him another tray of food. “Morning,” you greeted him, placing the tray down beside him. “Made you some breakfast, have to keep your strength up.”

Izzy tried to sit up, making himself wince. You moved quickly, helping him shift into a comfortable sitting position. His whole body still ached but the comfortable bed was helping, he couldn’t imagine how he would have felt if he had been recovering on his little cot back on the Revenge.

“How are you feeling?” you asked, sounding like you genuinely wanted to know, weren’t just being polite.

“Like my boat wrecked,” Izzy mumbled, letting you settle the tray over his lap.

“Well, that’s to be expected. You look better than you did yesterday already, that’s a good sign,” you encouraged. “I’ll be around, have some things to tend to, but just shout if you need something.” Izzy only nodded before you were out the door again.

The next few days went very much the same but with each passing day, Izzy could feel his strength coming back. He could sit up perfectly fine on his own, had even stood once, only to fall back down when his injured foot touched the floor. He could feel himself recovering, the room was comfortable and the food was good. He supposed he shouldn’t complain but…he was feeling cooped up, trapped, useless.

Izzy lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling when he heard movement outside his window. It was probably nothing of interest but even that was appealing to him right now.

He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed, bracing his weight against the bedside table as he stood on his uninjured foot. He kept the wounded foot from touching the floor as he hobbled towards the window.

It was morning, you had just taken his breakfast dishes from his room, and the weather outside was bright. He looked out over the garden.

From what he could make out, he was on the second floor of a cottage, no other residences in sight.

From his window, he could see your garden where you were tending to your chickens. Tossing feed out for them. He lent against the window frame to support his weight and just watched.

You wiped your hands on your apron once you were finished tending to your chickens, looking up to see your guest in the window of the guest bedroom.

Izzy felt his face heating up, a shame building in his chest as if he had been caught doing something he shouldn’t. But you just smiled brightly and waved at him, silently noting to yourself to chastise him for moving around without support.

Izzy scowled at you from his position, perched on the edge of his bed.

“Here you go,” you presented him with the wooden crutch the doctor had given you for him. “Think you can manage?” you kept your hands out, as if ready to catch him if he fell, as he pulled himself to his feet, letting the crutch take the weight off of his bad foot.

“I’ve used a crutch before,” he grumbled, determined to be able to be properly independent again.

“Just making sure,” you were still watching him closely, hands hovering around him as you moved out of his way.

Rolling his eyes at you, Izzy gave the crutch a test run, using it to walk across the room without grabbing at tables and walls. You just nodded to yourself, satisfied that he was adjusting well to it.

“Listen, now you move around more by yourself but don’t take the piss,” you scolded, surprising him a little. “You still need to rest, to stay off of your foot as much as possible. Okay?”

As much as he wanted to scoff and dismiss you, he could tell you were serious.

“Yeah, whatever.”

“Seriously, just accept some help, alright?” you found yourself rolling your eyes at him again, you had lost count of how many times you had done so since this man could hold a conversation again. Still, you found you did it with a little fondness.

Now that Izzy had started using his crutch, he could move around your cottage, moving up and down the stairs with your help. He insisted that he didn’t need your help but you wouldn’t let him near the narrow staircase unless you were with him.

At least that meant he could come downstairs and sit in the living room or the kitchen instead of being locked away in his room all alone, he could even go and sit outside and get some fresh air.

He was currently in the living room, you had left him in front of the fire with a selection of books to choose from, while you finished cleaning up in the kitchen. You had just put the last of the dishes away when you heard hissed cursing coming from the other room.

Tossing the rag down, you rushed into the living room to find Izzy standing, gripping the back of the couch with one hand and clutching his crutch with another. The pain was etched on his face.

“Alright, come on,” you spoke softly, with care, as you hurried to his side.

You took hold of his arm, listening to him complain as you encouraged him to lean some weight against you. Still, he let you guide him back to the couch and sit him down.

Once he was sitting and you had placed the crutch to the side, you knelt down in front of him and pulled his wounded foot into your lap.

He had knocked it against something when he was walking around and when you unwrapped the bandages you saw that it was a little red but looked perfectly fine otherwise. He hadn’t broken any of the stitches, he wasn’t bleeding, it didn’t look too irritated. Thankfully, he was still on the mend.

“You have to take it easy, be careful and don’t over do it,” you sighed. Something about this man told you that he wasn’t used to sitting idle for long.

“I’m fine. Just knocked it,” he insisted petulantly.

“Yeah, well…just be careful. Once the bandages come off for good and you can put proper weight on your foot again, you’ll be able to get around with just a cane.”

“And then I’ll have outstayed my welcome,” Izzy nodded like he was agreeing with something.

“What? No!” you frowned, sitting back on your heels. “Of course not. You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you need.”

Izzy blinked at you, face contorting in confusion. “Why?”

“Because I’m kind and you’ve been a decent guest so far,” you shrugged, like it was truly that simple and that true, standing and brushing off your knees. “Now, sit still for once and I’ll fetch you some tea,” you ordered and, well, Izzy could follow orders, couldn’t he.

You were just about to leave the room, just about to cross the threshold, when he spoke up.

“My name is Izzy.”

You paused in the doorway, taking a moment to make sure you had heard him correctly. You turned back to him with a smile, all soft and sweet in a way that warmed him from the inside out.

“Izzy,” you repeated, testing the word on your tongue. Izzy found that he liked the sound of it and you decided that you liked the feel of it. “I like it.”

Izzy only nodded when you gave him your own name, still smiling as you disappeared back into the kitchen to prepare that tea for the two of you.

That evening, the two of you enjoyed a soothing tea in front of the fire together.

“I think it makes you look distinguished,” you complimented as you monitored his movements, smiling at how far he had come since you found him half dead in the sand.

“That’s a generous way of saying old,” Izzy rolled his eyes, adjusting his hold on the handle of his new cane. It wasn’t anything fancy but it was simple and sleek, good enough for him in his opinion.

“Absolutely not,” you tutted. “Anyway, you wear the age well so it still wouldn’t be an insult,” you shrugged.

Izzy looked away from you meaningfully, hoping to play it off as casual. “If you say so.”

“You could get a real nice one with a silver handle or something. Oh! You can get one with a hidden knife in it!”

You could just picture holding a sleek but ornate cane, just simple enough to satisfy him. Looking all distinguished and formal until somebody says the wrong thing, looks at him the wrong away, and he unsheathes his hidden blade.

“Huh…that’s not a bad idea, actually,” Izzy hummed, looking at the cane more approvingly this time. Yeah, maybe he could make this work.

Evening tea had become a bit of a routine for the two of you now. Sitting in your cozy living room in front of the fire, blankets over your laps, a cup of tea in your hands, and maybe a book each depending on your mood. It was a pleasant, calming way to end the day.

Izzy kept glancing at you, watching as your eyes followed the lines in your book, lost in the fictional world. He wanted to speak, to get this off of his chest, to take the weight off of your shoulders but…but he found himself worried that saying what he needed to say would take all of this away from him. He liked this, even if it wasn’t a life made for him. He would miss it.

“I’m really able to leave now. I’d find a ship,” he finally managed to speak, to push the words out without faltering.

You paused, lowering your book to look at him. “And I’ve told you, you’re still welcome. I like living out of the way, like the quiet, y’know, but it’s been nice to have you here. You’re interesting and I enjoy your company. Izzy scoffed. “Really, I do,” you insisted.

“Well, you’re probably the only person who does,” he muttered, thumbing at the pages of the book he hadn’t been reading.

“That can’t be true.”

“Apparently, I’m difficult.”

“Okay…yeah, I can see that. But it’s kind of…endearing, you know?” you laughed a little.

Izzy pondered it for a moment, still not really believing it despite how sincere you sounded. “...if you say so.”

“I do,” you didn’t care how many times you needed to reassure him, he needed it and that was all you needed to know. “Anyway, don’t you go worrying about rushing out of here. You can stay as long as you need.”

“You wouldn’t want me here if you knew who I was,” Izzy insisted firmly.

“Well, tell me who you are, Izzy,” you placed your book down, completely forgotten about, so that he could see your full attention was on him. “Tell me, Izzy. It won’t change anything,” you promised.

Izzy sighed, placing his unopened book down as well, refusing to look at you as he spoke. “You can’t promise that.”

“You’ll never know unless you tell me,” you shrugged.

Izzy took a stabling breath but nodded, knowing you were right, that you would probably find out eventually anyway. It would be better if you heard it from him.

“My full name is Israel Hands and you were right about me being a pirate,” he started. For some, that would be enough information.

“...that name is familiar,” you hummed thoughtfully, trying to remember where you heard it. It didn’t sound like a common name and you were certain you didn’t know anyone with the name ‘Hands’, but you had definitely heard the name before somewhere.

“I’m the first mate of Blackbeard,” he added.

For a moment, you could only gape at him. It wasn’t everyday you found out you were housing one of the most infamous pirates of your time.

Izzy waited for the horror or disgust to set in. He knew the stories and tall tales people told, some true and others wildly fabricated. He knew that you had likely heard one or two stories yourself if you recognised his name.

You shook off the surprise but found yourself more confused about how he ended up here. “What is the first mate of Blackbeard doing washing up here with a missing toe?” you asked, not sounding disgusted or afraid of him.

“It’s a long story,” he sighed, figuring you didn’t really want to hear it anyway.

“I have the time.”

Izzy was certain that you were just being polite, perhaps even afraid that if you weren’t he would hurt you in some way, but when he looked at you, you were nothing but genuine. Your eyes held the usual care and sincerity that they usually did when they gazed upon him. Your smile was still soft. Like nothing had changed, and maybe it hadn’t.

So, unable to find a reason not to, Izzy told you everything. You just made yourself so easy to talk to. He started from the very beginning because you wanted to know who he was, not just how he ended up here.

He told you of a young boy at the docks sneaking onto a ship, of a cabin boy aboard Captain Hornigold’s ship, of a newly made captain and first mate that still had sparks in their eyes. He told you about the creation and rise of Blackbeard, of the fuckeries, the victories, and the losses. He told you about Queen Anne’s Revenge and of all the years they served her well. He told you of men growing bored and restless, of a ship christened The Revenge. Of the landed gentry come pirates.

He told you a saga of hope and pain that ended in betrayal, desertion, mutilation, reunion, and finally in the enlightenment that had Izzy Hands climbing into a dinghy in the middle of the night. Only two days away from shore. Only one day before a storm that only his previous captain could have predicted.

Izzy told you everything in front of a crackling fire, the warm mug of tea growing cold in his hands. And you listened, like he was somebody worth listening to.

That night, you both fell asleep in the living room. The fire burning out but the blankets draped over you both keeping you warm. For the first time in a long time, neither of you fell asleep alone.

When you woke up the next morning to find the other side of the couch empty and the house silent, you worried. Your talk last night went very well, in your opinion. Izzy had opened up and you had listened, had reassured him when he was finished or doubted himself.

You threw off your blanket and jumped to your feet, heading out the front door. You walked around to the rocks that overlooked the beach, finding him sitting there, looking out at the sea.

You relaxed at the sight of him, reassured that he hadn't run away in the middle of the night. You joined him quietly, he didn’t look up but he seemed to welcome your company.

The two of you watched the sun rise over the horizon but you couldn’t help stealing looks at Izzy’s face, he looked so…content. There was a faint longing in his gaze, lost in his thoughts, but he looked happy, the early morning sun illuminating his face.

“Do you miss it?” you asked, staring out at the gentle water with him.

“Sometimes…” Izzy confessed on a soft exhale. “It’s all I’ve ever known, really. It’s strange being on land. The ground is always so still.”

“Yeah, it tends to be,” you joked a little, catching the way the corner of his mouth tugged upwards in the imitation of a smile.

A beat of silence passed. “I understand if you want me to leave now.” Unfortunately, he kept speaking before you could protest. “My foot is healed enough. The worst that can happen now is that I need the cane for the rest of my life, I’m sure I’ll manage just fine.”

This again…you sighed.

“Izzy, I don’t want you to leave.”

“Even when you know who I am?”

“Even then,” you nodded, smiling fondly. “I’ve known you long enough to know you’re not some violent barbarian that people tell stories about. I’ve known you long enough to know you wouldn’t hurt me and that I’m rather fond of you. My home is open to you for as long as you want it to be,” you promised.

“Kindness gets people killed,” Izzy chastised quietly.

“Lucky thing I have the best swordsman in the Caribbean to protect me then, huh?” you teased, knocking your shoulder against his.

“Yeah…real lucky…” Izzy mumbled out at the ocean.

“So you’re staying?” you asked, not hiding the hope in your voice. Izzy just nodded. “Good, I’m glad,” your smile grew.

“At least for the time being,” he shrugged.

“I’ll just have to make the most of it then, won’t I?” You tried not to roll your eyes at his attempt to play coy. Izzy shook his head at you but found himself smiling despite himself.

“Now come inside and get something to eat,” you patted his shoulder.

Izzy let you help him to his feet and hand him his cane without complaint. He even let you take him by the arm and guide him back into the cottage, though he pretended that he didn’t find the whole thing comforting.

You walked into Izzy’s room, which you had started calling it instead of ‘the guest room’, and found him shaving in front of the mirror.

“Aw, I was likely the scruffy look,” you pouted playfully.

“It’s a fucking nightmate,” Izzy muttered as he shaved his cheeks clean. Now he could stop scratching at the stubble. You just chuckled fondly at him.

“Want me to trim your hair when you’re done?” you offered. His stubble had grown in almost enough to not be considered stubble anymore and his hair had grown as well, you figured he’d want that trimmed back down if he was so particular about his facial hair.

“I can do it myself.”

“I have no doubt. I usually do my own as well, but a little helping hand would do no harm.”

Moving on to neatening around his goatee, Izzy sighed. “Fine…just…”

“I’ll do it exactly the way you want, don’t worry,” you promised him.

“Fine.”

You sat on the bed while Izzy finished shaving and trimming his goatee until it was perfectly neat. Izzy’s stubble had grown in while he was bed bound, so this was your first time seeing him properly groomed the way he liked. Turns out, you liked it too.

He was huffy about it but allowed you to pick up the shears and comb through his hair. You worked slowly, making sure to speak to him and not take it too short. As you spoke and worked, Izzy seemed to relax, trusting you.

You cut his hair back down to the length he preferred but he still hadn’t slicked it back with pomade like he usually did, hadn’t done so since he woke up in this very bedroom. Instead, it hung loose and soft over his ears. It made him look soft, less intense. He supposed it was more suitable for his current living conditions so he tried not to dwell on it too much.

“There you go. You look lovely,” you complimented, running your fingers through his hair and letting it fall, smiling proudly at your handiwork. Izzy scoffed. “Oh just accept it,” you tutted, “you’re all neat and tidy again, all nice and handsome.”

“Christ,” Izzy complained, glaring at your reflection. “I will maim you.”

“Ah, so there is some pirate left in you. Very nice to see,” you teased. “I’ll leave you to keep grooming yourself.”

You could hear him muttering curses to himself as you left the room, giggling to yourself.

Izzy sat at the kitchen island, cane propped up beside him, peeling apples while you worked on making a pastry. “You really need to make a pie?” Izzy questioned, but didn’t slow his work.

“We need to use up the apples somehow or they’re just going to go bad and that would be a waste,” you reminded him. “Anyway, you’ll like it. I make a great apple pie.”

“...you’ll have a high standard to beat,” he warned.

“You’ve made me curious, Izzy,” you looked over at him but he didn’t look like he wanted to talk any further about it, so you didn’t push. “You can tell me another day.”

You continued to make the pie, the fluidity of your actions telling Izzy that you had indeed done this many times. You would give him a task here and there, and he would carry it out diligently. You could imagine him as a first mate, just as diligent on the deck as he was as your sous chef.

Izzy watched you plate up two slices of freshly baked pie. “Here, have a slice while it’s still warm,” you placed a plate in front of him. “Cream?”

“Sure,” Izzy nodded and poured some over his slice before joining him, sitting beside him. Izzy took a spoonful of pie and brought it up to his mouth before pausing and scowling at you. “Stop fucking watching me like that.”

“I want to know if you like it,” you whined.

“Then I’ll tell you,” he huffed.

“No you wouldn’t. You’d mumble ‘yeah, it’s fine’ even if it was the best thing you had ever eaten.”

Izzy fought back his smile, knowing you were right. “I promise to tell you just stop looking at me like that.”

“Fine,” you sighed heavily, dramatically. “If you insist.” No, you weren’t pouting.

But you also didn’t watch him eat, and that was enough to satisfy him. “Okay, yeah…” Izzy sighed after swallowing his second bite. “This is good,” he praised.

“Thank you,” you grinned, bright and proud, before digging into your own slice.

Izzy just chuckled and shook his head at you, going back to enjoying his pie.

Izzy slows his chewing when a thought dawns on him. This was all so…domestic, the way you moved around each other, shared the space together. He didn’t think he’d ever be sitting in a kitchen of a cute cottage, eating a pie that was made for him by his…fuck, he needed to shake off that thought immediately.

His what? His carer? The person who took him in when he was on death’s door, who took pity on him.

“We could go for a walk later, maybe even down to town if you feel up to it. Give that cane a proper test run,” you suggested between bites.

“Sure,” he agreed.

“But I swear, if I see a single flinch or hesitation in your steps, we are turning around and coming right back home.” You didn’t come off as a threatening person, you were rarely stern with him, but he knew you were being serious about this.

Maybe he was focusing on the wrong part of your warning but…

Home.

You talked about it like it was both your home and his home, a home you shared. Like it could be his home. Could this be his home? Fuck.

“Sounds good,” Izzy nodded.

Izzy had allowed himself to grow too comfortable, he only realised that when the worries seeped back in. He had grown used to your home, your presence. He didn’t like change, never had, and a lot of things had changed lately but the two of you had developed a bit of a routine that helped calm his nerves. Now it felt like it was all changing again.

You had been acting strange, almost distant towards him. As much as you could do while sharing the same space. He would often catch you losing yourself in through but never voicing them, never letting him in on it when he asked. Something was wrong, he must have done something wrong, it was the only thing that made sense. Maybe you were building up the courage to kick him out and send him on his way, you had realised he was more trouble than he was worth.

“Izzy, can we talk about something?”

This was it, you were going to ask him to leave. He has outstayed his welcome, if he has ever truly been welcome in the first place.

“Sure.” His voice didn’t falter and he was proud of himself for that.

“You told me how you ended up here, about what happened and I was wondering…well, the crew, Blackbeard, aren’t expecting you to return, are they?”

That question threw him off. Oh, maybe you were worried about Blackbeard coming to your shores and causing trouble. “Probably not. They’re probably relieved about it as well,” Izzy answered, honest but a little bitter about it, even he could admit to that.

“And you aren’t going to try to go back?” you asked, though the question wasn’t judgmental in any way.

“Wouldn’t be welcome if I tried, I imagine. But I have contacts, I’d find another ship or something,” he didn’t want to lie to you but he also didn’t want you to keep allowing him to live in your home out of pity or guilt. He would manage, he would survive, he always did.

“…Blackbeard was talking about retiring, right?”

Izzy felt himself sigh before he heard it. “Sure. Guess he managed it too, in his own way I suppose. Didn’t think retirement was a fucking option. Still not sure it is,” he admitted.

You looked nervous again, aimlessly fixing a cushion on the couch you both sat on. “What if this could be your retirement?”

“What do you mean?” Izzy frowned.

You might have huffed and rolled your eyes at him for being dense but you could see his genuine confusion. “Somewhere peaceful and quiet for you to relax. Good weather. Somewhere comfortable by the sea. Sounds like a good retirement spot to me…”

“I…what are you saying?”

You had to fight the temptation to reach out for him. “I’m saying that maybe you deserve to have a retirement too. Some…some good days without constant worry and fear. Maybe you deserve it and have earnt it just as much as Blackbeard,” you gave into the need, reaching out and placing your hand over his, “and I’m asking if you could have that here, I’m asking if you would stay.”

“You want me to stay…for good?” His face was scrunched up like he was trying to figure out some complicated puzzle. Like he didn’t believe that you could just want him to stay here with you.

“I do,” you nodded like it was as simple as that, because it was. “I’ve lived out here for a long time. Never felt lonely despite the distance I am from town. I think I would be lonely if you left. Think I would miss you. No, I know I would.”

“I don’t need charity,” Izzy growled, pulling his hand away from yours.

It made you ache but you didn’t fight him, didn’t try to touch him again, giving him the space he needed. “I’m not doing you a favour. I just want you here, Izzy. If you want to go, I’ll support you and do whatever I can to help, of course, but I want you to stay.”

Izzy couldn’t argue with you, apparently. He didn’t snap or accuse you of lying, he paused and considered it. Why would you lie? What would you be getting out of this if you were lying?

“…why?”

There was so much you could say, so much you had yet to put into words. But one of the many things you had learnt about Izzy during your time together was that actions spoke louder than words, the care you had shown him had earnt his trust more than anything you had said.

You acted before you could talk yourself out of it.

You shifted closer to him on the couch, placing a hand against his shoulder when you lent in. The kiss you pressed to his lips was short and tender, just enough to express the way you felt.

When you pulled back, hand still on his shoulder, he was just looking at you. The lines on his face softened and lips slightly parted as he blinked at you.

“Will you stay with me, Izzy?” you asked, barely above a whisper.

“Yeah,” Izzy nodded, looking a little stunned but the answer felt right. “Yeah, yes, I will. I want to stay as well.”

You smiled adoringly, lifting your hand from his shoulder to stroke his cheek.

Izzy had woken up in your home thinking he had died out at sea but he knew there was no way that was the case because this couldn’t be his afterlife. He hadn’t done enough good to earn this, you were just giving him this out of the kindness of your heart.

He didn’t know what he did to deserve it, didn’t think he did deserve it, but he was here anyway. Maybe you were right, maybe this could be the next, maybe even the last, phase of his life. He would do whatever he could to earn it now, to earn you and this home.

#israel hands x reader #izzy hands x reader #izzy hands #ofmd izzy #our flag means death izzy #ofmd x reader

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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Making Things Right (EdIzzy)

Summary: It wasn’t until Izzy left the Revenge after that godforsaken duel that Edward realised how bad things had gotten. Maybe Stede and his crew had taught Edward just enough for him to make things right, to track down Izzy and fix everything they had let fall to ruin over the last few years.

Edward was going to make it right, he was going to get Izzy back, and he was going to give him everything he needed.

Word Count: 6826

#edizzy #izzy hands x edward teach #israel hands x edward teach #izzy x blackbeard

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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The Feeling of Being Held

Part 3 of 'Part of the Pack'

Summary: Maybe the Pack of the Revenge wasn’t so bad, maybe Izzy could allow himself to be vulnerable around them, at least when he wasn’t working.

Lucius finally gets to add a new subject to his personal sketchbook, The Swede has a heat approaching, Stede plans a dinner that doesn’t at all go the way he and Edward had predicted, and the crew get a vacation. Izzy is actually having a good time, for the most part.

Word Count: 12251

#israel hands x lucius spriggs #israel hands x ivan x fang #our flag means death #ofmd #ofmd izzy #izzy hands

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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Super Secret Services

Summary: Izzy sees a sex worker but not for what you might expect. He finds himself paying for your services every time he is in port, only the lines between fantasy and reality begin to blur until he can’t tell what’s real and what’s not.

Word Count: 9414

The room was filled with quiet chatter and the clinking of cups. Things were relatively slow for an afternoon but it was normally quieter than the evenings, that’s when everything normally picked up.

The establishment you worked in was far from your worst option. It wasn’t anything special but it was held in good regard on the port it was located in, the people you worked with were like a family, and the madame that ran the place cared about those who worked for her.

You were tucked away in a corner, talking to one of the girls you worked with, Val. The two of you pressed close to each other to share private conversation in a room where privacy wasn’t often given.

“I’m telling you, I think you have a bit of a regular now,” you insisted. The same man had been by once a week for nearly a month now, and always waited until Val made an appearance to approach anyone.

Val just hummed, glancing over at the familiar man. “He’s not too bad. Knows what he wants and leaves decent tips,” she shrugged.

“Ah, good man,” you laughed a little to yourself.

She laughed along lightly but her face only truly brightened when he looked over your shoulder. You just cocked an eyebrow at her questioningly.

Val inched a little closer, her smile morphing into a small smirk. “Look who just wandered in,” she nudged you. You rolled your eyes fondly but still subtly looked over your shoulder, seeing the one and only Israel Hands walking into the mainroom. “Your boyfriend’s back,” she teased in a sing-song voice.

“Boyfriend,” you huffed, turning back to her with a glare, “shut up.”

“Aw, I think it’s cute. He won’t even talk to anyone but you,” Val continued.

“Knows I can give him what he needs,” you winked, making her laugh. Once her laughing died down, your expression turned serious. “Seriously though, remember what I said?”

“Not a word about the first mate,” she vowed, just as serious, “can’t help but notice the pattern, though.”

This wasn’t Hands’ first visit to you or this establishment but he appeared to keep those visits a secret. When he had first sought you out, he had paid extra and stressed just how confidential he expected this to be. Of course, you had agreed, but other people who you worked with were bound to notice his repeated appearances. Thankfully, your line of work included a lot of secrecy and confidentiality, so nobody had a problem with keeping it to themselves.

“Gotta go,” you give Val a smile before turning away from her. Val chuckled to herself, fixing up her hair before getting back to work.

Izzy was sat at the bar, ordering himself a drink. You sauntered over casually, leaning against the bar with a cocked hip, just a couple inches too close to the older man. “First mate Hands,” you greeted him with a smile.

“Afternoon,” Izzy nodded back politely. You bit back a bigger smile. He could be so adorable, barely even able to look at you.

“Sammy!” you called the young bartender over. He slid over with a smile. “I’m gonna head up to my room for a bit if anyone asks for me, it’s kinda slow around here.”

“No worries, I’ll let them know,” Sammy nodded, sweet and knowing. You thanked him and gave Izzy a meaningful look before heading up to your room.

It wasn’t long, but an appropriate amount of time later that left room available for plausible deniability, before Izzy walked into your room. He didn’t greet you, only looked over to acknowledge you sitting on the foot of your bed. He locked the door behind him, shutting the world out.

“You look stressed, love,” you were in front of him in an instant, stepping into his space and loosening the collar of his shirt. The click of the door’s lock triggered the beginning of the session, meaning you were allowed to touch him.

“Always stressed,” Izzy murmured, watching your hands as you worked.

“I’m sure, you have a very stressful job,” you sympathised. It was true, Izzy always came in here stressed, but there was something different this time. “Something new happened recently?”

“...boss has a new plan, I suppose. Working with a new crew,” he told you as you finished undoing the top couple of buttons of his shirt and loosened his cravat.

“They any good?” you asked, smoothing your hands over his chest.

“Terrible. Half of them aren’t even sailors, the captain is a rich ponce who just bought a ship and gives the crew a wage.” Izzy was so much more willing to talk than he was during his first visit, having asked for silent company rather than anything else. He opened up so much more these days, trusting that you kept your mouth shut.

“A wage is generous,” you hummed. “Not the way things are usually run though. You working for this new captain?”

“They’re trying to talk me into it, can’t see myself ever answering to that man,” Izzy scoffed. You bit back a small smirk, seeing his stubbornness raising to the surface. “Doesn’t matter though,” he sighed, sounding far too defeated for your liking.

“‘Course it does,” you insisted, hands stroking down his arms, resting against his elbows. “Why do you think it doesn’t matter?”

“The captain doesn’t respect me, neither does his crew,” he told you.

“What? You’re Israel Hands, how can they not respect you at least a little based on that alone?” you asked, face scrunching up in genuine confusion.

“They don’t care. Don’t fucking listen,” Izzy shrugged. He was tense, clearly he needed a little trip to this port.

“Alright. Would you like a choice?” you offered. Izzy nodded, relaxing a little like a physical weight had been lifted from his shoulders. “Do you want to talk about this some more or do you want to get comfortable and forget it for a while?” you asked kindly, making sure to speak in a way that didn’t influence his choice. Izzy always seemed to find these things easier when you gave him choices rather than open ended questions, you had learnt that pretty quickly about him.

Izzy let out a breath, relaxing further. “Get comfortable,” he decided.

“Can I remove a few layers?” you asked and he nodded.

All that leather just couldn’t be comfortable, he had to be overwarm in the middle of the Caribbean, but he always came in wearing the same thing. You carefully unbuttoned his waistcoat, removing it and folding it before putting it down. Then you removed his cravat, something he hadn’t let you touch during your first session but now trusted you to do so. You folded the ring in his cravat and placed it safely down with his waistcoat.

Taking Izzy by the hand, you led him over to the bed and sat him down on the edge. He just watched as you knelt down in front of him and removed his boots, you slid them off and neatly placed them by the bottom of the bed.

“There we go, darling,” you smiled as you stood again.

Izzy didn’t speak, just let you arrange the blankets and fluff the pillows before making yourself comfortable. You gestured for him to join you and he did, lowering him down by your side. You guided him a little closer, encouraging him to relax even more. He followed, draping himself over you and dipping his face down against your neck as you played with his hair.

Despite the type of profession Izzy had sought out all that time ago, cuddling while mostly fully clothed was the most physically intimate thing the two of you had ever done during his visits to your room

You could remember the first time he approached you, it would be pretty difficult not to remember being approached by Blackbeard’s first mate.

It was an afternoon like any other, you hadn’t even noticed him walk in. You did, however, notice him sitting alone at his table in the back corner, nursing his drink. He was assessing the room, waved off anyone that approached him but wasn’t particularly rude about it. He looked like he wanted to be left alone, so you didn’t approach to offer him some of your time. You remember thinking it was a bit of a shame. He was handsome, you wouldn’t have minded spending an hour or two with him.

It was Sammy who had told you exactly who that man was, always being up to date with the latest coming and goings on this port. Israel Hands, Blackbeard’s first mate. It only increased your interest in him but he did not look like he was looking for company, so you kept away to lessen your risk of being maimed.

It must have been about an hour after you noticed him that he approached you, pulled you to the side. A part of you actually expected him to ask for directions or something, maybe to see your madame, maybe they had business together. Instead he asked if you respected the idea of client confidentiality, you assured him you did, of course. Anything the two of you did during your time together, unless somebody got injured, would be completely private and wouldn’t leave those four walls.

You still don’t know what he saw when he assessed you after that, but it must have been what he was looking for because he asked to speak in your room. It wasn’t standard procedure but you figured you could make an exception for such a well known name, so you led him to your room. He had placed a large purse coin down, more than a client would normally pay, and you found yourself almost worrying about what he wanted from your services.

Then, he asked you to sit with him. To just…be in each other’s company. He was stiff, sat at least a foot away from you. You were half way through the hour he was paying for when you first touched him, just a hand against his shoulder. He seemed like he needed that touch…something soft and kind.

It was almost miraculous to you that the man you met that day was the same man that lay with you now, face pressing closer to your neck with your hand buried in his hair.

“I haven’t seen you this tense since the first time you came to see me,” you massaged his scalp “I hope things begin to get easier soon, love, or at least get back to normal.”

“Can we…just not talk for a while. Just want to…feel…” Izzy requested, which thrilled you a little. Asking for something so vulnerable, it felt like some sort of progress. Even if you still weren’t completely sure what it was that the two of you were doing together.

“Of course, sweetheart,” you agreed, pressing a kiss to the crown of his head. You heard him let out a surprised little breath but didn’t comment on it.

The two of you lay in silence for a moment. He had relaxed against you but his muscles were still tense under your hands. Izzy had never actually fallen asleep in your room before and, while you thought he looked in need of a nap, he didn’t seem to be trying to fall asleep now either.

“Do you want me to call for a bath or do you just want to lay here?” you asked. A good soak could really help with all that tension.

Izzy was quiet for a moment, you knew by now that meant he was thinking. You didn’t rush him. “...a bath sounds good,” he whispered.

“Gonna take good care of you, love,” you vowed. Izzy smiled against your neck, tucking his face in a little closer in an attempt to hide it. He believed you, because you always did. Ever since you first lay a hand on his shoulder, you seemed to know what he needed.

A month later, the Revenge docks at the familiar port. Izzy moves like he’s in a trace, just going through the motions, but his feet know exactly where to take him. He trudges off of the busier streets and slips through the door of the small establishment, taking a seat at the bar.

He orders his drink but just stares at it, the chatter around him fading into a constant buzzing sound. A hand settles against his shoulder, feeling heavier than it actually was. It made everything in Izzy’s body tense until he caught a faint familiar scent, it was whatever you usually wore. A perfume or lotion of some kind, a smell that Izzy had come to associate with comfort.

“-I’ll be in my room.” He caught the end of your sentence and then your hand was lifted, the only thing anchoring him to his seat. Without it, he felt like he might float away.

Normally he would leave some time before following you up, just long enough for plausible deniability, but this time he didn’t wait. Couldn’t even consider it. He left his full cup on the bartop and slipped from his seat, heading up to your room.

You weren’t on the other side of the room when he entered, you were right by the door, quick to lock the door and usher him inside. His dazed state continued but he felt the plush give of your mattress as you sat him down.

“Izzy, you with me?” you asked steadily, hands gentle against his shoulders, just enough pressure for him to know that you were there.

Izzy nodded weakly. He could hear you, but he didn’t seem quiet with you. Something about him felt so absent.

“Breathe with me, okay?”

You crouched down in front of him so that he would meet your gaze, taking his hands in yours. He gave another small nod and followed you through some breathing exercises, trusting you to lead him in the correct direction.

After a couple of minutes, though Izzy really didn’t have much sense of the time that passed, he was feeling more grounded and present. He wasn’t on the Revenge anymore or wandering through town. He was inside your room, his hands in yours. The place he felt safest in this port.

“Izzy…what happened?” you asked, nothing but worry and concern on your face.

“...Bonnet left,” was the only answer you got, his voice void of any emotion.

Bonnet, the other captain they had been sailing with. Izzy didn’t like talking about it but it had been obvious that he didn’t like the man, you would have thought that him leaving would be a good thing.

“Okay…okay, and what else?” you asked carefully, just wanting to understand, wanting to know how to help.

“Edward he…he’s different. He’s hurt and…fuck…” his voice caught in his throat, voice cracking slightly.

“Alright, love, it’s okay. You’re safe here, just breathe with me,” you were quick to soothe him again, an instinctual reaction to his distress.

“Come on, lets get some of these suffocating clothes off.”

When Izzy didn’t protest, you slowly removed his waistcoat and cravat, just like you usually did. The only difference was you being a little more on watch for signs of protest or discomfort than usual.

Then you moved onto his boots, removing one and then the other. As you slid off his second boot, you saw the bandage wrapped around his foot. You frowned to yourself, thumb tracing the edge of the bandage. Was he missing a toe?

“Oh…what happened?” you weren't sure if you would get an answer and you wouldn’t push if he didn’t want to talk about it.

“It doesn’t…” Izzy was going to dismiss it, brush you off, but then he looked down at you properly, made the mistake of meeting your gaze. You were looking up at him through your lashes with sad, caring eyes. Fuck, if he didn’t know any better he’d think you actually cared. “It was Edward,” he found himself almost unable to lie to you, “punishment for Bonnet leaving.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” you knew better than to discuss that mess with him, but you made sure to give him the sympathy he deserved. “Does it still hurt?”

“Yeah, it’s healing alright, though,” Izzy admitted.

“I’m so sorry, Izzy,” you whispered, pressing a kiss to the side of his ankle, short and tender. Izzy choked on a silent gasp, but you moved on like it was nothing. “Do you want to talk about it?” you asked.

“No…no, please.” He couldn’t talk about it, he just couldn’t. Right now, he just wanted you to do whatever it was you did that made everything feel manageable again.

“Then it won’t be mentioned again, love,” you promised before releasing his injured foot.

You stood again but remained close. You undid a few buttons of his shirt, hoping it might help him feel like breathing was a little easier.

“Want to lie down?” you asked. Simple choices were probably the best thing to offer him right now.

“Please,” Izzy breathed out.

The two of you found yourselves huddled up in the centre of the bed like you usually did, cradling Izzy close to your body. “I’ve got you, Izzy. Just close all of that out for now. That’s out there, in here it’s just us,” you reminded him softly.

Outside was cold and dangerous and difficult, but in here it was warm and soft and safe.

It was like you flipped a switch, Izzy snapping and finally letting the dam break. The first broken cry he let out made your chest again, you had never seen him this bad before. He sobbed into your neck, letting out everything he was feeling. You didn’t care that he was wetting your clothes or pillows, you only held him tighter.

You weren’t keeping an eye on the time as he cried, just focused on soothing the way his body shook. When the tears dried and the shaking stopped, you wiped the left over wetness from his face and kissed his forehead.

“Sleep, love. You need it.”

Izzy knew it wasn’t a good idea to fall asleep in your bed but he didn’t have it in him to protest or tell you all the reasons why he shouldn’t. He finally let the exhaustion flood over him and sink into his bones. He fell asleep in your arms.

When Izzy leaves that session, it was reluctant, a look of longing and dread mixing in his features. He left a larger tip this time than usual, as if you needed monetary reparations for holding him through his breakdown. You supposed he was just paying you for a service and you certainly didn’t make a habit of forgetting that with clients, but you couldn’t deny when real connections formed and occurred.

Two months passed with no sign of Izzy. It was uncommon these days to not see the man on his nearly timetabled visits, but you tried not to let it bother you, tried not to let the others see the way you scanned the bar for the familiar leather. He was a pirate and a client, it wasn’t something you should even think about, certainly not something you should dwell on. But the state he had been in when you last saw him…

“Your leather clad little man hasn’t dropped by for a while,” Mark commented one morning, managing to catch you alone.

“Do you all know about him?” you asked with a small huff. First Val, now Mark.

“He kinda stands out,” Mark defended himself.

“Oh, we’re talking about your pirate?” Val asked, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. You just sighed, accepting your nosy co-workers. “Something go wrong last time?”

Despite how concerned you had been for Izzy after his last visit and how it had sat in the back of your mind, you hadn’t spoken a word to any of your friends. You had promised that much to Izzy and you would respect that.

“He’s just a client,” you insisted petulantly.

“Maybe so, but you at least care about him somewhat,” Mark pointed out as if it was obvious. You just glared at him. “You know that young, quiet fella that comes in here?” you sighed and nodded, letting him make his argument. “He’s a sweetheart. Ain’t gonna fall in love with him or nothing, but I wish him the best. Kinda care about what happens to him,” he admitted with a small shrug.

“Fine, alright…I guess I’m just worried,” you confessed.

“Worried?” Val frowned a little. They knew he was a pirate, a pretty renowned one, but you had never seemed overly worried about him being at sea before.

“He normally comes in about once a month, right?” you recalled and they nodded knowingly. “His ship circles back here regularly, he comes here when they dock. It’s a little strange they haven’t stopped by for two months and last time he admitted that the situation was a little…uncertain,” you didn’t want to give too many details, nothing about Izzy’s condition, but your friends wanted to support you and maybe you needed their support.

“Think something happened to him?” Mark asked.

“Maybe. Something was just so wrong last time I saw him, y’know? Can’t quite let it go,” you dragged your hand over your face. You had never gotten attached to a client. You’ve had sympathy for them in certain circumstances, you were all human after all, but never like this.

“Hey, we’re here for you,” Val’s voice was soft and comforting as she embraced you, letting you deflate against her.

It was another two months later because a familiar leather clad figure walked into the main room.

You were perched on the edge of a table, speaking with a group of men, giggling at their shitty jokes and batting your lashes at them. Glancing over at the door when you heard it had become a habit for you, so it wasn’t surprising that you saw him almost immediately.

At the sight of the familiar man, you froze. You felt like your body was buzzing. “If you excuse me gentlemen, I think I need to get myself a drink,” you tried to maintain your sultry expression as you slipped off of the table. You think you managed to play it pretty cool. “I’ll send some of my friends over?”

The men all gave an affirmative, cheering among themselves. You flashed them a final wink before spinning and crossing the room, instantly forgetting all about them.

Izzy was standing by the bar, but he just waved Sammy away when he asked what he wanted. He turned at the sound of footsteps, there was only one person here who bothered approaching him anymore.

“My room?” Normally you would be so direct, would play the little game you usually do, but something felt like that was necessary this time. It didn’t feel like it was expected.

Izzy nodded.

You turned on your heel, hearing your blood rushing in your ears as you walked up to your room. Izzy didn’t linger behind, only a few steps behind you. You entered the room first and he locked the door before just looking at you, seeming unsure of himself. Your routine had been disturbed, he didn’t know where he stood. All he knew when the ship docked at this port was that there was only one place he actually wanted to go.

“You’re alive,” you observed intelligently.

“You thought otherwise?” Izzy asked, though he didn’t actually sound very offended or surprised. It was a valid risk in his line of work.

“Honestly, I wasn’t sure. After what you said last time and it being so long…I was worried,” you confessed. You always wanted him to be open and vulnerable with you, it only felt fair to offer some of the same.

Izzy frowned a little. “Worried?”

He was…surprised? Confused? “Of course, I was worried, Izzy,” you rolled your eyes fondly, shaking your head in disbelief. Could you spend so much time with somebody in such a vulnerable state without coming to care for them in some way?

“Well, uh…I’m alright,” Izzy reassured, like he had never had to do that before. Not sincerely anyway.

“Good,” you smiled, hoping that he knew that you truly were happy he was alright. “What happened? If you don’t mind me asking,” it had been bugging you for months now but you knew there was a good chance Izzy wouldn’t want to talk about it.

“Edward didn’t want to stop at ports for a while, I won’t get into it. Bonnet came back and things were…I wasn’t sure how things were going to go,” Izzy admitted, something close to fear flashing on his face. A memory of the Gentleman Pirate’s return. “Guess things have just gone back to normal, they finally decided to stop by a port and restock properly, repair the ship. Things are…still getting figured out, it’s unstable but…it’s better.”

“And you?” As pleased as you were to hear that things appeared to be looking up for his crew, you were more concerned about how he was.

Izzy blinked at you, head tilting ever so slightly to the side. “What do you mean?”

“How are you?”

Izzy seemed to consider it for a moment. He was a lot of things, had been a lot more things over the last few months, most of which he had tried to repress and push down as deep as possible. “...tired,” he admitted, shoulders dropping.

You smiled affectionately, a little sadly. “Let’s get you some rest then, yeah?” you both knew what that meant.

“Yeah,” Izzy sighed, giving his assent.

You worked in silence as you carefully went about your routine, stripping him of his more confining layers. As you removed his boots, you sneaked a peek at his two to see that it was more healed than when you last saw it.

You lay him down on plush pillows and blankets before joining him on the bed, caressing his cheek. Izzy let out a soft breath, leaning into your warm touch. “Glad to have you back, Iz,” you whispered out into the silence, “I missed you.”

It makes him ache, that somebody might actually be able to say those words to him and actually mean it. It was those moments that he craved the most with you, and yet they were the same moments that most reminded him that you were being paid for just this.

He couldn’t take his eyes away from yours as you brushed your thumb over the tattoo under his eye. You shifted forward and then your lips were touching his. The kiss was light and tender, chaste even. Izzy still gasped into it, still stared at you like you hung the stars when you pulled back from him.

“Let’s get you comfy,” you smiled, letting him curl up into your embrace.

Izzy’s next visit was about a month later, and you were pleased to see that your usual schedule seemed to be returning. He also seemed more like himself than he was on his last two visits, and that pleased you as well. He was always stressed, you were beginning to think it was in his nature, but he seemed less stressed this visit. Maybe things back on his ship and with his crew were doing better these days.

You didn’t go about your normal routine of telling Sammy that you would be in your room where Izzy could overhear so he could join you a few minutes later. He just followed you up.

When offered a nap or a bath, Izzy chose a bath. It both surprised and pleased you, he seemed to enjoy his bath the last time you offered one.

You had the tub filled with warm water and set up the room divider to offer some privacy. Izzy disappeared behind the divider and sank down into the bath.

You listened to the movement of water from the otherside of the divider. “Mind if I come around?” you asked. You had seen him bathe that last time, gave him privacy to climb into the tub before sitting with him just the same, but still thought it best to ask.

“Sure.”

You rounded the divider with a smile and sat on the stool beside the tub. “Want some help?” you offered.

Izzy considered it for a moment. You thought it was such a big step that he was even considering it, if you had offered such an intimate gesture during his first couple of visits he surely would have ran from the room.

He had only bathed in your room once before and you hadn’t touched him during it, just sat and talked with him while he soaked. Izzy took a moment to remind himself that you had always been beyond respectful of his boundaries, only wanting to give what he wanted to receive.

“Yeah, okay,” Izzy nodded and you tried not to let your glee show.

You hummed quietly to yourself as you worked, first starting with his hair. Lathering the shampoo and massaging it into his scalp. Izzy found himself drifting away under your touch, a fuzzy feeling appearing in the back of his head. You were really good at this, he couldn’t remember the last time somebody washed his hair for him. Must have been when he was a very young boy.

Once his hair was cleaned, you moved on to washing his body. You took your time, taking things slow, making sure you didn’t surprise him with any touches, that he could always anticipate where your hands were going next.

You knew he was hard, you couldn’t pretend you didn’t. Your hand had brushed against him as you dragged the soapy cloth over his stomach. It had made his breath hitch loudly but neither of you commented on it, letting it pass as an innocent accident.

Once you were satisfied with your job, you placed the cloth down over the side of the tub but dipped your hand back into the water. It was still warm but cooling. Your fingertips grazed against his knee, making Izzy twitch but he didn’t comment on it, just watched you.

Slowly and softly, you slid your hand up the inside of his thigh. Before your hand could reach the very top of his thigh, Izzy caught you around your wrist and you stopped immediately, meeting his gaze.

“You make the rules, Iz, you set the boundaries. Will only do what you want,” you reminded him, soft but serious.

Izzy assessed you for a moment, eyes flickering over your features. He must find what he was searching for because he slowly released your wrist and took his hand away.

“Will you let me make you feel good, Iz?” you asked, still not wanting to progress without clear consent. Izzy nodded, you smiled softly. “Need to hear you say it.”

“Yeah…” Izzy’s voice was quiet but it didn’t shake, he sounded sure.

“Thank you, love.”

He nearly fucking passed out. Did you just fucking thank him? Thank him for letting you touch him, letting you get him off, what the fuck?

Your hand was soft and your hold was just firm enough. Your touch was sweet and slow, nothing about it feeling rushed. Izzy gasped out, more from surprise than anything. He’d been tugged off before, it was…fine. This was better somehow.

“Can I kiss you?” you asked.

Izzy nodded and was rewarded with two things. Your mouth against his and a twist of your wrist, he gasped into your mouth again.

The way you kissed him was deep and slow, all consuming. It set his nerves on fire, his hands gripping on the edges of the tub. He could touch you, he supposed, didn’t think you would scold him for it, but still avoided it.

Instead, he just let himself lose himself to the sensations you provided. Your kisses trailed over his jaw and neck, covering every inch of flushed skin, but they were always soft and sweet, never hurried or biting. Like you were fucking savouring it.

It wasn’t long, almost embarrassingly quick, before Izzy felt the fire curling in his belly. You just praised him for his release, smiling sweetly at him. You worked him through his high, pulling your hand away just as overstimulation began to creep in.

You took the dirtied cloth to quickly clean him up again before pressing a kiss to his forehead.

“Come on, let’s get you in bed.”

Izzy followed your lead, stepping out of the bath and drying off. He only put his smalls back on before climbing into the bed, the most undressed he had ever been in your sheets.

You lay on your back, cradling his head against your chest and playing with his hair. Izzy just lay there, being held by you, his mind racing. He couldn’t help but feel like he had tarnished something.

He was under no illusions about what this was but he had felt like your little arrangement was somewhat…pure. You both understood what you had, what you were doing, and now he felt like it was tainted. And it was his fault. He had ruined this.

This was literally your job, to be whatever he paid for, right? It was his own fault for feeling some sort of connection that didn’t actually exist, that you had fabricated by his request. If he didn’t feel pathetic before, he did now. Surely, getting off was what most people aimed for when hiring your services, it was his fault for asking for something different. He could keep playing along but he was worried that you would assume he had gotten what he came for, that all of these visits had just been some elaborate build up to his orgasm. But, surely, if he just kept paying you…you would still do all the things he liked, right? The company, the gentle touches, you would still hold him and let him talk, right?

You sighed as his breathing evened out and Izzy fell asleep on you. You planted another kiss to the top of his head, just for yourself. You didn’t think you would have it in you to wake him when the time came, he just looked so peaceful.

It really had been difficult for you to bring yourself to wake him when the time came but you knew you had to, he would only be leaving stressed if he was off schedule. So, you woke him up gently and helped him dress just to see his face heat up.

You saw him out like you usually do but this time you asked for another kiss before he left. He granted your request, even though he didn’t understand why you would even make the offer when your time was up.

The kiss was just as gentle as the one you previously gave him, a little more chaste. It was sweet and tender, and left the first mate reeling as he made his way back to the ship, feeling looser than ever.

As soon as Izzy was dismissed for his shore leave about a month later, he waited for the chattering crew to diverse before making his way to his usual spot. He knew the route like the back of his hand.

He went about his usual routine, setting up at the bar and ordering a rum that he may or may not drink. Of course, he noticed as soon as he was through the door that you weren’t there in the main room. He could wait, though.

Izzy tensed as two forms came up on either side of him. “They’re in their room, it’s they’re day off,” the young man on his left told him.

Izzy paused, looking between the two of them. A young man and a young woman on his other side, both vaguely familiar. They worked with you, had probably noticed he was a regular of yours. Best not to ask many questions.

“Right,” Izzy nodded as he stood from the stool, making to leave the little establishment.

“Hold on!” the young woman stopped him. “You should go see them,” she advised.

Izzy squinted at her, “...they’re not working today.”

“Listen, man, I’ll give you one piece of advice,” the man placed a hand on his shoulder, only confusing Izzy further. “Ask ‘em out.”

Izzy pulled abruptly away from the other man’s touch. “What the fuck are you talking about?” He couldn’t help but feel like he was being mocked.

“Just do it,” the man rolled his eyes.

“You know their room,” the woman winked before dragging the man off with her, leaving Izzy thrown and confused.

As Val dragged Mark away, he complained about people being dense while she chastised him and told him to ease up on the whole thing a little.

Izzy shook his head, trying to be reasonable. They probably just meant that you might take the job anyway, he did tip well after all. He might as well give it a shot, could always blame your friends if you laughed in his face.

He trudged up the stairs and came to your door, reconsidering before convincing himself to just knock on the door. He barely had to wait before the door was pulled open.

“Izzy?” you were clearly surprised to see him but your face also lit up at the sight of him. Izzy just wasn’t sure what to make of that.

“Sorry, I know it’s your day off. Two of your friends, I think, sent me up,” Izzy felt the need to explain himself.

“That was probably Val and Mark,” you sighed, not all that surprised that they had to get themselves involved. “So, what’s up?”

“I, uh…I don’t know, I guess.” You still couldn’t help but be endeared by him.

“Well, like you said, I’m not working today,” you repeated, seeing the way Izzy’s expression dropped slightly as he nodded in understanding. “But I could go for something to eat, you could come with me if you want,” you suggested, feeling like taking that chance was the right thing to do.

“I don’t…”

“Yeah, sorry, stupid idea,” you shook your head, cutting him off before he could drop his rejection. You knew it was a long shot, asking a client and infamous first mate of the mighty Blackbeard out on a date was absolutely ridiculous. If anyone you worked with saying they were going to do the same thing, you would laugh in their face. A terrible idea.

Izzy at least picked up on your slight panic. “No, it’s not that. Just…you want me to go with you?” He sounded genuinely confused.

“I’d like some pleasant company,” you shrugged, “if you want to go with me, that is.”

For a moment, Izzy was certain he was misunderstanding you or something. But, no. You were asking him to go get some food with you, and that felt like…something. “Yeah, sure, let’s go,” he agreed.

That had you smiling properly again. “Great, I know somewhere good.”

You quickly grabbed your jacket and locked your door before heading out with him. As you left, passing through the main room downstairs, you didn’t see Val anywhere but Mark caught sight of you and shot you a wink as you passed by. You shot him a glare in return before slipping out of the door with Izzy.

Izzy found himself following you through the familiar port town, unsure where exactly you were leading him but allowing you to anyway. A part of him expected you to walk a little ahead of him, since you knew where you were going and he didn’t, but instead you stayed firmly by his side.

“Huh.” The soft noise made Izzy look at you, caught off guard by the way you were looking back at him. Eyes sparking.

“What?” he asked gruffly, insecure under your gaze.

“I’ve never actually seen you outside, like, in direct sunlight,” you mused.

“Well, sorry to disappoint,” Izzy cleared his throat, keeping his gaze straight ahead, unable to look at you.

You laughed a little, slapping his arm playfully. “Stop doing that.”

“Doing what?”

“Talking down to yourself,” you chastised softly. “You’re handsome, and you’re good to spend time with, you need to start seeing that.”

Izzy felt his heart clenching in his chest. You sounded so sincere, like you really meant it, and it was killing him. “You remember I’m not paying you right?”

You laughed again, though more in disbelief than with humour. “I’m a very good actor but you never paid me to act. Never lied to you, Izzy.”

Izzy sighed slightly, trying to put the pieces together, trying to figure out what you were trying to say. “You’re very good at your job.” He wasn’t exactly sure why he said it but he meant it, you always managed to make him feel…wanted.

Another soft laugh. “Thank you but I’m off duty, and would you look at that,” you lent in conspiratorially. “I still want to spend the day with you,” you smiled, nudging your arm against his.

“Why?” Izzy couldn’t help but question you, couldn’t just let himself accept something nice like this.

“Because I like you, I’ve told you that,” you rolled your eyes but were still smiling fondly. “Now, any dietary requirements?”

Izzy frowned as he looked at you properly, your question throwing him off. “What?”

“I’m taking you out for food,” you reminded him.

“Oh, right. Uh, no dairy.”

“Got it!”

Even though it was exactly what you said you were going to do, a part of Izzy was still a little surprised when he found himself sitting outside of a little eatery with you, eating and talking. It was…well, it was nice. He felt comfortable.

Izzy offered to pay for the food instead of paying for your time, but you had tutted and paid anyway.

“I would have paid,” Izzy muttered as the two of you started walking through town again.

“I know, which is why I paid,” you sighed, coming to a halt. Izzy frowned, stopping as well and turning to you. Once he was properly looking at you, you spoke again. “Listen very clearly Izzy. I am not working right now, I am not doing anything currently that is related to my job, I am just getting something to eat with somebody whose company I enjoy.”

“...oh.” Izzy really did just need it all spelled out for him, didn’t he? You supposed it was fair, considering what your arrangement had been up until now. “Okay.”

You smiled at his acceptance. “Come on,” you took hold of his hand and started guiding him through town again.

As you walked, Izzy stared down at your intertwined hands. His mind raced, trying to fully comprehend what was going on, while just letting you lead the way. Was what the two of you shared real? Had it become something real or were you just humouring him?

Despite spending most of the time worrying about, well, everything, Izzy found himself actually having a good time. Enjoying your company, finding himself relaxing. It had all been going so well, until the usual nuisance appeared out of nowhere.

“Izzy!” an excitable blond man approached with a bright smile, making you pause. It only stung a little when Izzy pulled his hand out of yours. “Is this your recruit?” he asked.

“Recruit?” you frowned at Izzy, confused about who this man was and what he was talking about.

Your confusion was almost overtaken by concern when you got a good look at his face. The poor guy looked like he was about to have an aneurysm.

“Oh, perhaps Izzy hasn’t mentioned it yet,” the man cleared his throat like he was preparing for a speech. “I’m Captain Stede Bonnet, the Gentleman Pirate, of the Revenge and we are looking to recruit new crew members. We’re a little on the short side and we have sent the crew out to find any new recruits with potential.”

Oh, so this is Stede Bonnet. It made sense with the descriptions and complaints Izzy had uttered from time to time.

“It’s a pleasure, Captain Bonnet,” you nodded politely before turning back to Izzy. “So, am I your recruit, Izzy?”

“I…” He was shaking.

“Well, do you have any skills that would be useful on a pirate ship?” Stede asked, covering for, what he perceived to be, Izzy's poor social skills.

You and Izzy looked at each other, trying to get a feel for what the other was thinking. His eye twitched, you’re just amused.

“I’m great with knots,” you declared proudly. Izzy had to cough to cover up a startled laugh.

“Wonderful!” Stede’s smile widened. “They seem like a wonderful pick, I’ll let you finish up here. I suppose I might see you both back at the ship later on,” he nodded his goodbyes before continuing his path into town.

“Good with knots?” Izzy raised an eyebrow at you once Stede was out of sight.

“I am! Maybe I’ll show you one day,” you winked, earning a sweet blush from him.

“Let’s just move before Bonnet decides to come back,” he grumbled but you only laughed as he tugged you away by the hand.

Once Izzy felt that there was enough distance between him and Stede Bonnet, he began to relax and slow his pace. That’s when you decided to speak again.

“So you’re looking for new crew?” you asked.

“Edward finally came to his senses, realised that Bonnet’s crew is too small to properly maintain the ship. Even if they were decent fighters, we’re too outnumbered to conduct worthwhile raids,” Izzy explained. “Bonnet’s brilliant idea was to send the crew out at port to pick up any interested parties.” Of course, he thought he and Edward should be in charge of recruiting, with Fang and Ivan offering assistance. You know, since they actually knew what they were looking for.

“So, do you have an eye on anyone for the job?”

“Haven’t really looked around yet. We docked just before I came by your place,” he shrugged. You smiled to yourself, thinking it was just a little sweet that the first thing he did was come to see you.

“I am really good with knots,” you told him.

“Nautical knots?”

“Yeah.” He raised an eyebrow at you doubtfully. “What? I’ve met a lot of sailors,” you huffed, making Izzy laugh.

You laughed along softly, liking that your job doesn’t freak him out. That he can laugh about it just like you can, that he doesn’t get uncomfortable about. Still respects you and still accepted your invitation to dinner.

“I mean, if you’re looking for a new career, you could easily bluff your way into the crew,” Izzy shrugged. To be fair, he didn’t think they would be that difficult to fool.

You looked at him, trying to figure out if he was being serious or not. “Really?”

“Bonnet seems to like you enough, Edward would probably see through you but give you a chance anyway if Bonnet likes you. The crew would like you and you’d probably be a better pirate than most of them.” You really couldn’t tell if he was joking or not.

“Izzy,” you spoke a little firmer than usual, bringing him to a halt. “Are you asking me to join the crew?” you asked.

“It’s your choice-”

“No, Izzy, listen,” you cut him off, needing a direct answer to a specific question. “Are you, Izzy Hands, asking me to join your crew. To sail on the same ship as you. Are you asking me to sail with you, as an actual deckhand, where you will see me every day?”

For a moment, the two of you just looked at each other. Izzy processing exactly what you were asking and exactly what him inviting you to join the crew would involve.

“...yeah,” Izzy answered before squaring his shoulders, looking a little more confident when he spoke again. “Yes. I’m asking you to join the crew, if that’s something you would be interested in.”

Well, that was fairly direct. Still, you needed to know one more thing. “I have one question,” he nodded for you to ask it. “Was this, today, a date?”

“A date?” he repeated dumbly.

“I didn’t come out with you or spend time with you for money. Was today a date?”

“You’re the one who asked me to get something eat.”

“Okay, then, would you have liked it to be a date? A proper date.”

He opened his mouth to speak but no sound came out. You felt yourself deflating. Even if he did want that, if he couldn’t say it, you couldn’t join the crew. It wouldn’t be fair to you and you wouldn’t do that to yourself. You were just about to give up when he spoke.

“...yes.” The answer was quiet, making you look at him for some sort of confirmation that you had heard him right. He was blushing, his face a deep red, and was averting his gaze. “Yes, I guess I would,” he nodded, still not looking at you properly. There was…something like embarrassment in his expression.

“Izzy?” you spoke softly, shifting a little closer to him.

He looked at you then, determined but nervous. “I know it’s your job, I know I was paying you and it was just that. I knew I needed what I was asking for you but I guess I didn’t know how much I needed it. I have seen whores before, for the same thing…they were never as good as you. Thought you were just better at your job but began to realise that…that I just happen to like you more,” he confessed.

“I like you too, Izzy,” you smiled softly. “It was just a job, it was for a long time, we know better than to get close to clients, to buy into whatever they’re presenting. But I guess I just couldn’t help it with you, I grew fond, grew attached.”

Your little admission seemed to give Izzy the spark of confidence he needed to officially make the offer. “It’s fucking insane, I know that, but do you want to join the crew of the Revenge?”

“Yeah…I think I’d like that,” you nodded, suggesting, “and maybe we can get to know each other properly?”

“I’d like that too,” Izzy smiled back at you.

“Izzy?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I kiss you?”

Izzy swallowed down the lump in his throat and nodded, not trusting his voice enough for a verbal response. Maybe those kisses you had given him had been genuine, done out of your own desire rather than obligation.

You stepped closer yet again, closing the distance between you both. Your hands cradled his face as you brought your lips to his in a gentle kiss.

You hadn’t kissed him goodbye that last time because he paid you or because you felt you had to provide an experience, you were off the clock. You had kissed him goodbye, all sweet and lingering, because you wanted too. Just like you were kissing him now. Just because you wanted to.

Izzy kissed you back, not held back by the worry that you didn’t actually want him. You did want him. You wanted him and were choosing him. You held him and kissed him because he meant something to you.

Maybe it was because of that that he kissed you like he may never get another chance. You had kissed him before but this was different, this felt like the true first, those boundaries crashing down around you both. Allowing each other to know how you really felt.

When you pulled away from the kiss, you were smiling, hands falling down to his shoulders. “I guess I’ll have to pack so how about one last visit to my room before we head to the ship?”

“Sounds like a good plan.”

Izzy almost felt like he was dreaming, like this wasn’t actually happening, as you led him back to the brothel. When the two of you entered, Val was in the main room but Mark wasn’t this time. She just grinned when she saw you, following you both up to your room.

“Thought you weren’t working!” Val teased, following you both inside. Izzy felt his face flush while you just rolled your eyes.

“I’m not!” you huffed. “Uh…well, it’s kinda sudden but there’s something I need to tell you…”

Val listened intently as you told her about your new plans, about how you were going to become a pirate. She had smirked and looked at Izzy now and again, knowing you had no real interest in pirating. That wasn’t the reason you were stepping foot on that ship. Of course, she expressed her concerns but supported your decision.

As you packed your things, Val was chastising Izzy and making him promise not to let anything bad happen to you. Izzy made those promises sincerely while you just laughed at her protectiveness.

Once she was satisfied that he wouldn’t let you get gutted on a raid or by an angry captain, she insisted on fussing with his hair until you were done collecting what you would be taking with you. You were pretty sure she was testing him in some way only she understood.

Thankfully, it didn’t take you long to pack the things you would be taking with you.

“Alright, you,” you batted Val away from a tense and flustered Izzy, giving him some space. “We’re leaving later, I want to say goodbye to everyone first.”

“You better and you better send letters,” Val scolded.

“Val!”

“I’m going!”

She barely got the words out before you had closed the door on her.

Izzy stood back with your bags as you said your goodbyes. Then men and women you worked with pulled you into embraces, pressed kisses to your face and the top of your head as they wished you luck and told you to write.

The Madam had embraced you, kissing both of your cheeks and your forehead before releasing you. She had always been a good and fair Madam, had always been good to you and you would miss her. You would miss all of them.

Said Madam had also snuck off to threaten Izzy with torture and death if he did wrong by you, he had taken it and promised everything he could. She must have believed him because she left his side without maiming him. Leaving him to watch you say your farewells.

You went back for a few more hugs before returning to Izzy’s side, telling him you were ready to leave. He insisted on carrying your bags for you. You had rolled your eyes fondly and let him carry them as he led you to the Revenge.

When you arrived and boarded using the gangplank, the crew was already gathered on the deck. Stede was standing beside Edward, looking rather disappointed.

“Iz!” Edward grinned when he saw the first mate, not faltering at the unfamiliar face beside him.

“Ah, at least somebody found a new recruit,” Stede huffed. The rest of the crew murmured apologies, having apparently failed their tasks.

“Unsurprisingly, I’m the only one who did the fucking job,” Izzy grumbled.

“Oh come on!” Lucius scoffed. “They’re a pirate but I’m not?” he asked knowingly. You just winked at him, making him shake his head.

“Lucius, please, be welcoming to our new crewmember,” Stede scolded, earning a dramatic sigh from Lucius.

“Welcome aboard! Let me give you the tour,” Stede was dragging you off before you or Izzy could even protest.

Thankfully, the crew didn’t have much to say to Izzy and started to busy themselves with idle chatter. Edward, on the other hand, sidled up to Izzy with a small smirk.

“Really, Iz?”

“Shut the fuck up, Edward.”

“I think it’ll be good for you,” Ed threw an arm around Izzy’s shoulders, giving him a friendly shake. Izzy muttered a string of curses, beginning to wish the sea would open up and swallow him whole.

At least the teasing felt worth it when you emerged from below deck, conversing with Stede. Whatever you were talking about clearly had Stede’s full attention, his smile growing as he animatedly contributed. Your smile was bright and friendly, but your expression noticeably softened when you looked over at Izzy. Yeah, it was worth it. He had made the right decision.

#israel hands x reader #izzy hands x reader #ofmd izzy #our flag means death izzy #ofmd x reader

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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A Place Among the Pack

Part 2 of "Izzy Becomes one of the Pack" (Izzy x Everyone)

Summary: Izzy is growing used to being an Omega with a proper pack, slowly letting his walls down. His next heat comes along, too soon in his opinion, and Edward is still determined to be helpful even if it isn't as easy as he thought it would be. Stede still isn't invited but that doesn't mean he isn't thinking about it. The rest of the only cares for Izzy's comfort and are happy to fuss over the needy Omega.

Word count: 12919

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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A Bond Broken, A Bond Mended

Sooo it's a CJizzy fic! Omega!Izzy and Alpha!Jack with past Ed/Izzy

Word Count: 12163

Summary: Izzy thought that experiencing a mating bond break would be the worse thing he ever felt, but the knowledge that Edward didn't even realise it happened stung far more, then when Edward bonded with Stede without even letting him know...well, you get the idea. Nobody mentions it, most don't even know it happened, until Calico Jack saunters onto the deck of the Revenge, immediately able to tell the differences in the scent of his favourite Omega. Jack is ready to be the mate Israel Hands deserves but is Izzy ready to bond again?

#israel hands x calico jack rackham #israel hands x jack rackham #izzy hands x calico jack #jackhands #cjizzy

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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Loyalty

Summary: Izzy Hands has always been loyal, always needed somewhere to place that loyalty, even the crew of the Revenge knew that and could respect it to some extent. Only...they didn't think it was possible for him to be more loyalty to somebody that wasn't Blackbeard. At least...until you come back.

Word Count: 8331

“First mate Hands! Three vessels approaching,” Buttons called from up on the quarterdeck. He didn’t turn to look for the first mate, or anyone else for that matter, he just stared out at the open ocean and the three specks in the distance that were approaching in a V formation.

“Fuck,” Izzy strode over to his side and pulled out his spyglass to get a good luck at the approaching fleet. Three vessels. Three of them. There was no way the Revenge and her crew could take them on, he hoped the winds were right to flee.

All worries of fleeing or fighting left Izzy, leaving him cold and in shock. The flags raised on the three ships were familiar, causing an aching in his chest. A distinct flag he never thought anyone would see again and, somehow, he knew that nobody else had come across the design and claimed it for themselves. Somehow, for some inexplicable reason, he just knew. The way Edward always knew how the weather would turn. He felt it in his goddamned bones, in his very being.

“Fuck…” Izzy’s curse came out weaker this time, breathier.

“Orders?” Buttons asked, not seeming perturbed in any way by Izzy’s reaction. Maybe he just didn’t notice. Izzy hoped he didn’t notice.

“Drop anchor, raise Blackbeard’s flag…and prepare to let them board,” Izzy ordered stiffly.

As if from nowhere, the fucking scribe appeared, always showing up at the worst times. “We’re letting them board?” he asked, both insubordinate and concerned. Where did the little shit even come from? “Shouldn’t we, like…be moving in the other direction, very fast?”

“Nobody fucking asked you,” Izzy snarled. “Just do as I said, I’ll deal with the captains,” he didn’t give them any time to argue with him, already leaving.

“You’re really going to do what he said?” Lucius asked, turning to Buttons. He could smack himself, looking to Buttons of all people for some sensible behaviour.

“Aye, they are the orders,” Buttons nodded. That was that.

“Oh my God, we’re going to die,” Lucius whispered to himself, frowning at the three dots in the distance.

Izzy knocked on the door to the captain’s cabin and waited for some muffled shout to be invited in. He already knew this was going to be tricky, so he entered as formally as he could, not looking to cause problems. Not this time. He closed the door and stood in front of the couch where the two captains sat.

“There is a fleet approaching, three ships, we’re preparing to let them board,” Izzy reported.

“Let them board?” Bonnet asked, eyes wide and curious.

“Why the fuck are we doing that?” Edward asked lowly, at least giving Izzy a chance to offer a reasonable explanation.

“It’s Captain L/n,” Izzy told him. Bonnet blinked, wondering if that should mean something to either of them.

Clearly, it meant something to Edward because he tensed a little, glaring at Izzy now. “...so you went above my head?”

“They aren’t here for a fight. We’ve raised Blackbeard’s flag, they’ll know who we are. They aren’t going to raid us,” Izzy reasoned.

“If they’re here, they’re here for us. It’s not a mistake,” Edward agreed with that at least.

Izzy just nodded, letting Ed believe whatever he wanted to believe. Izzy already knew why you were here, there was only one thing you would come for.

“You know each other?” Stede asked.

Izzy felt the need to roll his eyes but hold himself back. “We used to sail together,” he answered instead before insisting, “they aren’t going to attack us.”

Edward huffed, throwing himself back in his seat. “Fine, whatever. Let us know when they’re preparing to board,” he dismissed the first mate.

“Aye, Captain,” Izzy nodded, taking his leave without complaint nor hesitation.

“Is everything alright?” Stede asked Edward carefully.

“The crew will be fine,” Edward promised, putting those worries to rest. “Haven’t seen L/n in years, they got into some trouble a while back and disappeared. Looks like they got themselves a fleet together, though…”

The largest ship in the fleet expertly pulled up along the side of the Revenge and dropped anchor. The crew of the Revenge watched, antsy and curious, as the other ship’s crew prepared the gangplank.

Edward and Stede had come up onto the deck to overwatch the crew and to greet the boarding crew. Izzy stood by Edward’s side, trying not to fidget or bounce his leg in anticipation.

On the deck of the other ship they could see the crew thrumming about, securing the ship, preparing. Izzy’s gaze wandered to the helm, heart skipping a beat when he saw the familiar figure speaking with a member of their crew.

Izzy could already feel the excitement bubbling in his chest.

Once the gangplank was secured, the other crew’s first mate and a gunner crossed over to the Revenge, introducing themselves curtly before glancing over their deck.

“Is Israel Hands here or are we wasting our time?” the first mate asked.

Immediately, the crew of the Revenge was looking at Izzy.

“Fucking hell,” Izzy muttered to himself. “They send you over as a threat?” he asked, unamused.

The first mate looked him up and down. “Yeah, you match the description,” they nodded. “The crew understands?”

“They’ll behave,” Izzy sighed.

The first mate nodded to the gunner, and the gunner returned to their ship. During the wait, Izzy could still feel the eyes on him, and could feel the unasked questions from the crew.

It must have been only a minute at most but, for Izzy, it felt like hours, before you were crossing over the gangplank. Hopping down onto the deck of the Revenge with practised grace.

“Too cowardly to board first?” Edward asked accusingly.

“Too busy to sit through small talk if Israel wasn’t here. I don’t like wasting my time,” you rolled your eyes, not rising to whatever fight he wanted.

Then, in an instant, all of your attention was focused on Izzy. He was older now, of course, as were you, but you would recognise him anywhere. He was looking at you the same way he used to, devoted and adoring, like you were the only other person standing on the crowded deck.

It was too much for him, seeing you, having you look at him like that.

You always could read Izzy well, you would consider yourself fluent in Israel Hands, and you could tell that he was practically shaking to hold himself back, to keep himself composed. You wouldn’t make him wait any longer, you weren’t cruel.

“Oh, Israel, I’ve missed you,” you strode over to him confidently, quick to wrap your arms around him.

Izzy returned the embrace like it was second nature, letting out a heavy sigh of relief, practically melting against you. You couldn’t help yourself, having to run a hand over his hair before forcing yourself to pull away and release him.

Well, you released him for the most part. Your hands remained against his upper arms. “I’ve been away for too long,” you observed but both of you were already well aware of that.

“Where have you been?” Izzy asked, the only thing he could think to say. You had been assumed…dead, disappearing without a trace. Yet here you stood, very much alive. Older than he last saw you but perfectly recognisable to his eye.

“You know about how the navy got a little too close, had to lay low for a while. Got a new crew together, started operating in different waters, took years for everything to cool down but once I got word, I sailed right over here,” you explained, not aiming to make him wait for such an important answer. “Sought out Jackie, of course, she knows everything. Found the Anne but you weren’t there, got into a boring conversation with the quartermaster. Wasn’t making the same mistake once I tracked down the Revenge.”

Izzy seemed to think your story over, trying to figure out whether you were telling the truth or not. You had never lied to him before but you understand that disappearing for years can damage somebody’s trust in you. If his trust in you had faded, you’d make sure to earn it back.

Izzy thought over the details, he supposed they made sense. There technically hadn’t been any proof of your death, just rumours, and the British had continued their search for you after your supposed death. You always had been clever, able to get out of difficult situations. And you were always careful, wouldn’t have risked the lives of your crew by returning too early to the Caribbean.

Izzy gave a slight nod, assuring you that he believed you. That he was glad you were back.

The sound of shifting beside you reminded you that you weren’t as alone as you would have liked to be.

“Alright. I suppose I should speak with the captains of this vessel,” you addressed it to Izzy, not anybody else. Like nobody else mattered.

“If you must,” Izzy mumbled, filling you with a feeling of fondness.

With a hand against Izzy’s back, you turned to the two captains, Izzy following your movements like it was just a natural thing for him to do.

“Sorry to invite myself over but I’ll be out of your hair soon enough,” you promised the two of them, only one of them familiar to you.

“Izzy makes it sound like you and he were friends and you know Edward…I suppose it wouldn’t hurt if you stayed for a little while. Got reacquainted,” Bonnet, you assumed he was, offered.

You looked at Izzy questioningly. “He’s being serious,” he told you with a sigh.

“The Gentleman Pirate,” you nodded in understanding and Stede preened under the recognition. You considered it for a moment before nodding, “I can’t stay long, I have business to attend to, but it would be rude to turn down your offer.”

“Wonderful!” Stede clapped his hands together, though Edwarded looked decidedly less happy about it.

“I’ll let the crew know we’ll be anchored for a little longer than planned,” you announced before turning to Izzy. That’s when the crew really noticed it, the way your gaze locked in and softened as soon as it turned on to Izzy. “Israel, do you have a cabin?” you asked.

“Yes. I’m the first mate,” Izzy answered, as if it was obvious, but not with the irritation he would if one of the crew had asked such a stupid question.

“Good,” you nodded before shrugging, smiling at him. “Though you’ll be staying in my cabin, of course.” The way you said it wasn’t demanding, just as though it was a given.

The captains would sleep in their cabin, Jim and Olu would sleep in their room, Lucius would sleep between Pete and Fang, the crew would sleep under the stars, and Izzy would be staying with you in your cabin. That’s just the way things were.

Izzy just nodded, relaxing at the idea of being welcome in your cabin once again.

“First mate needs to stay aboard the ship,” Edward commanded. In all fairness, it was a fair demand to have.

“We’ll stay anchored, don’t you worry. I’ll even leave a couple crew members over here if it makes you feel better. But Israel will be staying with me,” you really didn’t think Edward was asking too much, just for some security that you would kidnap his first mate, but you made sure he knew that you weren’t asking him.

“Izzy,” Edward looked to his first mate then, expecting him to agree with him.

“I’ll be fine, Edward,” Izzy promised him.

Edward opened his mouth to argue but no words came out, he looked stunned. You decided that was enough of a confirmation for you.

The crew just watched, feeling dumbfounded, as you spoke quietly against Izzy’s ear and guided him over the gangplank and onto your ship. Watched how your hand sat against his lower back, thumb stroking up and down against his leather waistcoat. Watched how easily Izzy let you lead him.

Once you crossed over to your ship, you quickly announced to the crew that you would be sticking around for a little while. Your crew just nodded, accepting the small change in plans, and starting preparing for their stay.

With your crew up to date and content, you led Izzy to your cabin. As soon as he was through the threshold and the door had clicked shut behind him, Izzy felt himself relaxing completely.

“I thought you were dead,” Izzy heard his voice before he even realised he was speaking. It was quiet and water.

“Oh, sweetie,” you were in front of him in an instant, his face cradled in your hands. “I won’t lie, it was a close call for a while, but I’m here and I’m perfectly fine. Better than ever, actually. Went from one ship to three…just one thing missing, the very thing I’ve been tracking down since I returned to the Caribbean.”

“And what’s that?” he asked quietly, desperately. He needed to hear it.

“Oh, please, you just like to hear me say it,” you accused fondly before your expression softened completely, thumbs brushing over his cheekbones. “You, baby.”

Clearly, that was the right answer, because Izzy all but threw himself into your arms. Clinging to you.

“I’ve got you, sweet thing, and this time I’m not going anywhere,” you promised, carding fingers through his hair.

“You’ll have to leave, you have a fleet…responsibilities…” Izzy mumbled into your shoulder.

You paused for a moment, earning a displeased sound from the man in your arms. “It really has been a long time, I didn’t realise I had to ask,” you whispered, prying him off of you as gently as you could but you needed him to look you in the eyes for this. “I want you to come with me, Iz. Will you come with me? Will you come home?”

Izzy felt like he was floating, glowing. He felt warm. “Nowhere else I’d rather be,” and everything about the way he looked at you told you that he meant it.

You smiled, kissing his temple before guiding him back into your embrace. It was good to have him back in his arms.

“Edward won’t be happy,” Izzy warned you. All he really wanted was to lock himself away with you, to lock the world out, but he couldn’t ignore the reality on the other side of your door.

“Nobody with a lick of common sense would be happy about losing you, baby, but we’ll handle it,” you promised.

“He won’t like that you’re poaching a member of his crew. Especially not his first mate,” Izzy was fretting, he always was so good at that.

You buried your fingers in his hair, gently massaging his scalp. “Let me handle it, sweetheart. Do you trust me to do that?”

“‘Course, I do,” Izzy almost sounded offended. Offended that you thought he wouldn’t trust you.

“I’ve got you. Edward never really did, he knows that,” you soothed him. There had always been an unspoken understanding. He could run around with Izzy trailing after him but he was only ever borrowing the man. No matter what, no matter what he did or what they became, Israel Hands was yours and always would be.

“I’m yours,” Izzy stated firmly.

“I know, Love. Just as I am yours.” Izzy hummed as you pulled back just enough to press a tender kiss to his lips.

You always did that, always insisted on it. You were his just as he was yours, you belonged to each other in any way you wanted too. His loyalty was always reciprocated by you.

When you pulled away from him again, you noticed that a few tears had slipped down his cheeks.

“Oh, love,” you cooed, brushing away the tears.

“Sorry,” Izzy apologised, feeling like he had somehow ruined the mood. A reunion was supposed to be a happy thing and he was happy, and yet here he was crying.

“Don’t apologise, it’s alright,” you tutted softly. “What’s wrong?”

“Just…missed you,” he confessed.

“I missed you too, more than I ever realised possible.” In all honesty, you were a little surprised you haven't teared up yet. You supposed you had more time to process, having been searching for Izzy for so long, while Izzy only just realised you weren’t dead today.“Come on, let’s get you comfortable and maybe some tea,” you suggested.

“That sounds nice,” Izzy nodded softly.

“I’ll get you some comfortable clothes, I got you a few things,” you offered, unfortunately having to release Izzy completely.

“You didn’t need to do that,” he frowned a little, watching you move through your cabin.

“I just wanted to be prepared if you agreed to come with me,” you shrugged. As if buying Izzy some extra clothes was a big deal, you would do anything for him, this was nothing.

“‘Course I’d come with you,” he responded quickly, as if you might actually be doubting that.

“I know, love. It’s just been a long time, I suppose I had to prepare myself in case things had changed,” you admitted with a small sigh. Mostly, you had felt confident that you and Izzy would fall in together like anything had barely changed, because the two of you were just…right.

“They haven’t.” It wasn’t the complete truth. So much had changed between him and Edward since you first went your separate ways, things had changed in ways that he hadn’t even thought possible. A lot of that change began when they got word of your disappearance, Edward hadn’t liked how Izzy mourned then Ed’s dark moods started getting more frequent.

So much had changed, but not the way Izzy felt about you. That just wasn’t possible.

“No wonder Izzy’s been a miserable pain in the arse,” Lucius commented, sounding somewhat sympathetic for the prickly old man. Almost as if he had developed some new understanding, even if he had been a pain in his arse.

“What do you mean?” Pete asked with a little frown.

In truth, the whole crew had been thrown by the recent events. The pirate captain who boarded their ship with grace and confidence, barely acknowledged Blackbeard and Stede before whisking Izzy Hands away without a single complaint from him.

“He’s been separated from the person he loves!” Lucius declared like it was the most obvious thing in the world, grabbing the attention of the rest of the crew that lingered on the deck.

“Oh…oh yeah, I can see that,” Pete nodded. He hadn’t really considered Izzy having some long lost love that made him the way he was but now that Lucius mentioned it, that did look like a sweet reunion, the restraint obvious on both sides. Then Pete frowned, suddenly feeling a little sad. “I couldn’t be apart from you for years, babe.”

“Aw, neither could I, babe,” Lucius lent into his side, kissing his cheek that plastered a grin on his face.

“Iz isn’t like that, don’t worry,” Edward scoffed, coming up behind the two of them, drawing more attention to their conversation.

Lucius only jumped a little at the sudden appearance before frowning in confusion. “What do you mean by that?”

“Iz,” Edward shrugged, “he isn’t all sappy or whatever.”

“You’re kidding right?” Lucius just looked at the bearded man, certain that he was joking with him. He wasn’t. “Sure, clearly he shows it in a different way. He’s a devoted little fucker, but he’s very clearly sentimental. I’ve never seen him look so…relaxed and comfortable than when they hugged him.” He couldn’t truly believe that Edward couldn’t see that. Perhaps denial was more rampant in pirates than he first thought.

“They used to sail together, they were his superior for some time. He’s just loyal,” Edward shrugged again, though seemed a little less sure of his words this time.

“But…more loyal to them than he is to you…” Lucius observed, making Edward frown. “If that weren’t true, he wouldn’t have even left the ship, right?” he wasn’t sure why he was pushing the matter so much, maybe it was his own nosiness.

Clearly, Edward didn’t like what he had to say though because he was soon stomping off with Stede hurrying after him. Probably with a lot of questions about what just happened.

You couldn’t help but smile against the rim of your teacup. Already, Izzy looked more relaxed than he did when you first stepped aboard the Revenge. He sat on the other side of the couch, his feet propped up in your lap, shoulders drooping with tiredness, and his hair slightly mussed up from your attention as he sipped from his own cup.

A knock on the door had him tensing, though. You tried not to react too much, hoping he could fall back into that safe space the two of you had once created together a long time ago. You just dropped one hand down to his ankle as you called for the guest to let themselves in.

Your first mate stepped into your quarters. The whole time the two of you conversed about Captain Bonnet having apparently invited you and Izzy to dinner in their cabin, you rubbed soft circles against Izzy’s ankle. He managed to relax under your touch, not seeming to mind the extra set of eyes in the room then.

“Dinner?” you hummed, “what do you say?”

Izzy was pondering over his answer before he even truly processed that you were asking him. Nobody asked his opinion about things these days, Edward used to of course but recently it was just whatever whim either he or Bonnet wanted to pursue.

“Sure, have to face them sometime,” Izzy muttered into his cup before drinking from it again.

You gave his ankle a small squeeze of reassurance before facing your first mate again. “Tell the captains we’ll be there,” you ordered. They nodded and left without another word, you were pretty sure they knew that you didn’t wish to be interrupted unless it was an emergency for a little while. They knew how much time and work and even coin in some cases you had put into tracking down your dear Israel Hands.

Once the door was shut, you gave Izzy a moment to be sure that your first mate was gone, before turning to him with a serious expression.

“Izzy, we don’t have to tell them that you plan to leave or anything yet. We’ll hang around for a few days so everything’s not so sudden, okay?” you assured him. “I thought we’d have at least until the morning before seeing them again, if I’m being honest,” that earnt a small blush from Izzy, “I’ll just follow your lead on the matter.”

“Thank you,” Izzy sighed, deflating against the arm of the couch. In the back of his mind he was vaguely grateful for the fact that you had tutted at him and shoved a cushion behind his back when he sat down.

“Anything for you, my darling,” you smiled, stroking your hand up and down his calf as you finished your tea.

You were right on time for your dinner with the captains of the Revenge, you didn’t want to be any ruder than necessary after all. Edward had his back up as soon as you stepped through the door and he noticed Izzy’s new clothes, clothes that he was certain Izzy didn’t own and yet seemed to fit him almost perfectly.

Of course, you had to make some guesses about Izzy’s sizes when you bought the clothes but you could easily have them tailored to fit him perfectly, you were pretty pleased with yourself for getting it this close anyway.

Stede had also seemed a little thrown off, blinking at Izzy’s new look. Honestly, it wasn’t a drastic difference. He had just switched his leather pants to black cotton for the sake of comfort and was wearing a deep blue shirt, he always had preferred to wear darker shades, under his waistcoat.

Stede shook it off quickly, politely welcoming you and inviting you both to sit at the table. Izzy sat by your side without any prompting, without even thinking about it really, while Edward and Stede sat opposite you both.

You were at least rather impressed with the meal their cook, Roach, had prepared for the four of you. It just about made up for the tension that lingered at the table.

“So, how do you know Edward and Izzy?” Stede asked, a clear attempt at making polite conversation. You could appreciate the effort.

“Used to sail together, long before Edward or I became captains,” you told him.

“They were on the first ship I joined,” Izzy added, making you smile a little. You hadn’t really expected him to tell any sort of story but you weren’t disappointed about it in the slightest. “They were a few years older than me.”

“Took my little dove under my wing,” you teased, tapping your knee against his under the table and making Izzy blush. You had wondered if he would fluster as easily as he used to, assumed that he wouldn’t, but you were definitely pleased to find it was just as easy as ever. “I became quartermaster shortly after Israel joined us and he was the smallest boy on the crew,” you recalled fondly.

“Fuck off,” Izzy muttered, “just ‘cause you had a growth spurt.”

You gave him another fond smile, one that was reserved purely for him, before looking at Stede again. “We sailed together for a good couple of years before Edward joined the crew.”

“Yeah, then we mutinied Hornigold,” Ed grinned, perking up at his chance to contribute.

“Me and some of the crew had already made plans to head out on our own, we all agreed I would captain,” you nodded, “Izzy and Eddie left with me at first, guess it was just easier that way. Once we raided a decent ship, Edward wanted to leave and captain his own crew, wanted to build a legend.”

“I knew he could do it and I wanted to help him achieve it,” Izzy smiled a little to himself.

“And they did it,” you grinned proudly at Izzy. You were honestly proud of both of them but Izzy had always been so dear to you, Edward knew you only had eyes for him.

“Legends are just that, though,” Izzy sighed, “then the legend gets bored of his own story.”

“Iz-” Edward’s expression dropped.

“No, Edward, it’s fine. Guess I got tired of it too,” Izzy confessed, poking at his food a little, “...around the time we caught word of Y/N’s disappearance.”

You couldn’t help yourself, feeling the overwhelming need to comfort him. You placed your hand on top of his.

“Knew something changed, wasn’t sure what it was,” Edward admitted with a small frown. He knew something had changed, could slap himself for not realising what it was.

“Guess I realised a legend doesn’t really mean anything. At that point it just assured our safety, other crews didn’t fight back, raids were less risky, and that was enough for me,” Izzy continued, letting you take hold of his hand properly, letting it ground and support him, “but it wasn’t enough for you and you got bored.”

Edward nodded his agreement, looking a little guilty about it. “Just became a trudge, y’know?”

Izzy agreed, he did know, he had seen it on Ed’s face day after day. Surviving had been enough for him at the time, still would be if your fleet hadn’t sailed towards them he imagined.

“Sorry, Iz,” Edward sounded genuinely apologetic, a heaviness lingered over their time together and all either of them could really do now was acknowledge it and offer condolences.

“Me too, Ed,” Izzy returned, as equally apologetic and guilty looking.

You were almost smiling, proud of them for being able to see things from each other’s perspective even if it was only just a little bit right now. Then Stede had to go and talk. “Well, I hope we can all agree that things worked out in the end,” he smiled and knew he meant well but…

Edward didn’t respond, just gave him a faint smile, while Izzy scowled and you blatantly ignored his comment.

The rest of dinner continued in mostly silence, Stede occasionally commenting on some side and how it was prepared or asking questions about your travels during the time of your ‘disappearance’. You had actually enjoyed the conversation until he said ‘that sounds marvellous! A real adventure!” Again, you knew he meant well, and he was right in a way, some of the things you did and saw could be described as marvellous, it wasn’t all misery once you pulled everything together, but it left a sour taste in your mouth.

It wasn’t long before it came to dessert, Roach bringing in a tray of different flavoured tarts. Roach received the compliments for his hard work before leaving the captain’s quarters.

Stede and Edward were quick to pick their favoured flavour, familiar with the cook’s pastries. You glanced over them, considering, before picking the one you thought you’d prefer.

Before you ate, though, you noticed Izzy frowning at the selection in that way he does. Not frowning because he was upset or displeased, more out of confusion and thought than anything.

“Here, you’ll like this one,” you picked up a lemon tart and placed it in front of him, “it’s lemon and the texture is more like cream than jam.” If Izzy’s preferences in sweets were anything like they used to be, you were certain he would prefer this tart.

Always trusting your advice, Izzy took a bite of the tart. Your heart fluttered at his little hum of approval. There was so much to learn about Izzy that was new, but it was comforting to be reassured that you still knew him well.

“Good?” you asked, casually.

“Good, thank you,” Izzy nodded, taking another bite of the dessert.

Stede watched the little interaction and felt familiarity pang in his chest, he could easily recall sharing new recipes and luxuries with Edward. He always assumed that Izzy couldn’t stand anything that wasn’t for the purpose of base survival, now he wondered if he just didn’t like him and the Revenge. Yeah, that seemed to make the most sense…

After eating, the captains of the Revenge asked you both to share a drink with them. Izzy had given you a small nod and you had accepted their invitation. Stede poured you each a port and chattered about his recent adventures with Blackbeard and his first mate. The exaggerated storytelling and rambling was enough to have Izzy’s patience wearing thin.

“You should check in with your crew,” Izzy suggested quietly when he saw the chance, a light lull in conversation. You took the hint, he wanted to leave and you wouldn’t deprive him of that. There were other places you would rather be as well.

“Good idea, hun,” you smiled, nothing but adoration in your expression, as you placed your empty glass down. “Always one step ahead,” you placed your hand on Izzy’s shoulder as you stood.

You said your polite goodbyes to the captains before heading for the door, Izzy right by your side, only holding back a few inches when you had to pull the door open.

“Izzy,” Edward’s voice brought you both to a halt, turning back to face him. “You’re not leaving, are you?” he asked. It was obvious that he meant for good, not just for now.

“Ed…” Izzy sighed. He really had hoped this would wait until morning, to give him just a little more time with you before he had to deal with this.

Apparently that was enough of an answer for his captain, former captain? “After all these years?”

You glared a little, not liking that Edward was making Izzy feel bad but you let it go, not wanting to involve yourself unless you thought it truly necessary.

Some like hurt flashed across Izzy’s face, some old ache returning. “I thought they were dead, Edward. I thought that I left, and they died, and I would never see them again,” he told him with some slight panic. You moved closer instinctively at his distress, placing a hand against his back. “I can’t lose them again,” Izzy confessed plainly, voice rough.

Edward was about to speak but you got there first, needing Izzy to understand what you wanted from him. “You won’t lose me if you stay, Izzy. I hope that isn’t why you’re coming with me. You’ll always be mine.”

“I know,” Izzy looked at you with wide eyes, eager to correct you. “I want to come with you.” That was all you needed to hear.

“Izzy-” Edward tried again.

“Ed, if you can give up Blackbeard, I can give up First Mate Hands,” Izzy insisted. He couldn’t be sure that Edward was going to try to convince him to stay but he refused to risk it, couldn’t handle that right now. Today had been…a lot, and that was a wild understatement.

“We’ll stay for another couple of days, but we can’t stay any longer,” you told the captains. “But it’s late, we’ll discuss this further tomorrow if you wish,” the way you spoke assured them that there was no room for argument but that you would keep that promise. If they wanted to speak further on the matter, it would happen tomorrow, not tonight.

Izzy was tense as the two of you left the cabin but pressing into your touch the whole way across the deck and the gangplank. You didn’t speak until you were aboard your ship again.

“How are you feeling, love?”

Izzy actually took the time to consider it, to assess himself and try to put words to how he was feeling. He never was particularly good at that but you had always insisted on him trying his best. “Good…good, actually,” his answer was a little quiet, a little breathy, like he was surprised by his own answer.

“It’s okay if you’ll miss him, he’s been your best mate for years,” you told him.

“Just don’t want to hurt him,” Izzy confessed sincerely.

“He’s a grown man, he’ll manage. And you’ll see him again,” you wanted him to know that if he wanted to see Edward again, then of course he would be able to and you would make sure it happened.

“I’m not having second thoughts, I want you to know that,” Izzy’s glossy eyes focused on you again, his words firm, like you could ever doubt him.

“I know that, just making sure you’re alright, hun,” you promised, rubbing small circles against his back. “Now, should we go to bed?”

“Please,” Izzy let out a heavy breath like some weight had been lifted from him and he could finally breathe properly.

Without hesitation, you led Izzy back to your quarters where he could properly unwind and the two of you could get properly reacquainted without any further interruptions.

The next day you had made yourself comfortable over on the Revenge, not wanting to be too far away from Izzy as he continued on with his first mate duties. You couldn’t help but watch over the strange crew with amusement, they were certainly endearing but not the best sailors. You bet the whole thing was driving Izzy insane.

“Still have your midday coffee?” Izzy asked, bringing you out of your musings.

You turned to him with a smile, accepting the warm mug from him. “I do, I always get drowsy this time of day. Don’t have to sneak them anymore now, though,” you sipped the coffee, sighing, pleased, as you lowered the cup. “It’s around lunch, did you get yourself something?” you asked.

“Nah,” Izzy shrugged.

“Go and get something, even if it’s just an orange. If you don’t fancy anything down in the galley, my cook will whip something up for you. They love a challenge,” you insisted, your demand soft and made out of nothing but care.

“An orange is fine,” Izzy rolled his eyes, “I’ll get you one too.”

Before you could huff and insist that he doesn’t need to fetch you things, he was already gone. You shook your head in slight exasperation but smiled fondly as you sipped at your coffee, made just the way you like it. It seems that he had remembered some things as well.

“He makes quite the little errand boy, huh?” a younger man came up to your side.

You instantly went tense, expression darkening as you turned to him and lowered your mug. “You’re Spriggs, the scribe?” you squinted at him.

“Izzy talked about me?” Lucius asked, preening somewhat.

“He’s mentioned you,” you nodded, letting him bask in the satisfaction before stepping up to him. “One more word about him and I’ll slice your dick like an onion.”

In an instant, Lucius froze and stared at you with wide eyes. “Why an onion?” he was already cursing himself for asking a stupid question instead of fleeing. He didn’t know you well but he had a feeling that you would follow through on the threat.

“Would you rather I cut it into neat little segments like an orange?” you cocked an eyebrow at him.

“Uh…no?” Lucius answered carefully, unsure if you even wanted an answer.

“Go,” you rolled your eyes as he scampered off.

Izzy returned shortly after with two peeled oranges. “Why did the scribe look like he was about to hurl?” he asked, only a little accusingly.

“Dunno,” you shrugged innocently, accepting one of the oranges.

Izzy hummed, standing by your side, close enough that your arms brushed against each other’s. “You threaten him?”

“Maybe…”

“...dick onion again?”

“It’s effective,” you smirked to yourself, “nobody says a bad word about you if I have anything to do about it.”

Izzy huffed but you caught the way his cheek turned a light pink. “Don’t need protecting.”

“Of course you don’t, you’re a fucking vision with a blade. But I like taking care of you…and maybe I like threatening people just a little, but mostly taking care of you,” you teased, leaning your shoulder against his. “I’m always going to have your back, Izzy, my love,” you kissed his cheek.

Izzy sighed but was unable to suppress a little smile. He’ll forgive himself, he didn’t think anyone saw it.

It was just like Izzy to insist on doing his job until he had officially left The Revenge and joined your crew. You didn’t mind though, patiently waiting for him to finish his nightly rounds.

The rest of the crew was sitting around with some drink and telling stories, they had pestered you to join them and you didn’t see the harm in it. You accepted the bottle of rum they handed you but mostly just held it in your lap as you listened to their tales.

Izzy finished up his rounds, as satisfied with the condition of the ship as he could be. He glanced around the deck to see where you were waiting for him and saw you sitting with the crew. Suddenly, he felt unsure if he should interrupt but there was a little voice in the back of his mind that reminded him that it was you, and there was no such thing as interrupting when it came to the two of you.

“Finished my rounds,” Izzy announced as he came up to the group, getting your attention.

Immediately, you turned your attention to him with a smile. Unfortunately, you didn’t have the time to respond before the others were speaking.

“Join us, Izzy,” Lucius encouraged. You looked him up and down but saw that he was being sincere, so you didn’t comment on it.

“Yeah, they just told us all about the Hornigold mutiny. Totally badass,” Pete grinned, hooked on the stories you had to tell.

Izzy frowned at the group, all looking at him with varying levels of eagerness but all seeming pretty welcoming, before looking to you. “Are they mocking?” he asked with a small snarl.

“No, darling. They just enjoyed the story,” you assured him, smiling even when your heart ached. “Do you want to sit or do you want to go back to our cabin?”

Truthfully, Izzy didn’t want to spend time with the rest of the crew but he didn’t want to ruin your fun either…

So, he just sat beside you in response.

You smiled and shifted closer to him, placing a hand on his knee. “This guy is fascinating,” you told him, gesturing to the Swede, who preened and blushed under your comment.

“Really?” Izzy asked, unamused.

“The stories he has are insane. Don’t know how many of them I believe but entertaining nonetheless,” you insisted, “born under blood rain, now that’s a great start to a story.”

Izzy rolled his eyes but he had to admit that was a tale he and Ed might have tried to sell under the legend of Blackbeard.

“Drink?” you offered your bottle to him.

“No, thanks.”

You nodded, placing the rum bottle beside your feet.

The crew quickly fell back into their dramatic stories, trying to one up each other in entertainment.

Once you were certain that the crew was distracted enough, you lent into Izzy and spoke low against his ear so only he could hear you.

“We don’t have to stay if you don’t want to,” you could sense he wasn’t exactly comfortable, you didn’t have to know him that well to realise that, and you didn’t want him to force himself to do anything.

“It’s fine,” Izzy mumbled back.

That just confirmed to you that you were right.

“Come on, let’s turn in for the night,” you patted his knee, shifting to stand.

“No,” he clasped your hand tightly, stopping you from standing, looking a little worried when you met his gaze.

“What’s wrong?” you squeezed his hand comfortingly, making sure to stay quiet and now draw anyone’s attention.

“Nothing, it’s fine. We can stay.” Izzy couldn’t quite hold your gaze and you made up your mind.

“Well, it was good sitting with you guys but I really should go check on my crew,” you declared as you stood from your seat, gently tugging Izzy to his feet again. Despite his halfhearted protests a second ago, he followed without argument.

The crew wished you a goodnight and didn’t try to stop you when you left, returning to your ship with Izzy in tow.

You greeted your own crew and bid them all a goodnight before disappearing into your quarters.

“You didn’t have to do that,” Izzy complained as soon as the cabin door was shut. “You could have stayed if you wanted too.”

You nearly rolled your eyes. Of course you could have stayed if you wanted too, just as he could have stayed without you if he wanted, or asked to return to the ship if he wanted. You didn’t roll your eyes though, understanding that this was stemming from something deeper.

“All I want is to be with you, my dove,” you promised him, taking his hands in yours. “I’ve spent enough time drinking and telling tales and I haven’t spent nearly enough time in your company.”

“You sure?” How could the infamous Izzy Hands, best sword in the Caribbean, look so vulnerable and unsure? His eyes just gave everything away.

“I’m completely certain,” you answered firmly but with an underlying tenderness.“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want or aren’t comfortable with,” you quickly kissed the tip of his nose.

Izzy flushed and grumbled a little but you still saw the way he smiled to himself. “Are we still leaving tomorrow?” he asked.

“We are. If you’re still okay with that,” you nodded.

“I am.”

You smiled softly, placing a hand on the back of Izzy’s neck and touching his forehead to yours. “Good. I was thinking we could have breakfast with Ed and Stede in the morning, say goodbye properly before heading out. It’s your choice,” you suggested.

Izzy hummed in thought before nodding slightly, leaning into you some more. “...we can have breakfast.”

You had decided to host breakfast in your quarters, figuring it would be the polite thing to do, where Izzy’s belongings had already been put away neatly, like they had been there all along. You couldn’t wait for the cabin to properly look like it was lived in by Izzy.

After breakfast, which went surprisingly well, you and Izzy walked Edward and Stede to the gangplank. “It really was good seeing you again, Edward,” and you really did mean it, you had been friends once upon a time. “No hard feelings, right?”

Edward looked at Izzy and saw the way the tension in his shoulders was less than he could ever remember seeing. “Yeah, no hard feelings,” he nodded, a little hesitantly.

You smiled, glad. You really hadn’t come to cause trouble, just to get your Israel back.

“And it was fascinating to meet you, Captain Bonnet,” you hadn’t fully decided if that was a compliment or not. Izzy did seem fond of him and that had clouded your judgement, you could admit that.

“Likewise,” Stede grinned, “feel free to visit anytime.”

“See you around, Iz,” Edward nodded to his former first mate and long term friend, a weight to his words.

“See ya, Edward,” Izzy nodded back, just as heavy.

Edward and Stede returned to the Revenge and your crew took down the gangplank.

“Ready, love?” you asked, touching your hand to Izzy’s elbow.

“Ready,” Izzy nodded, sounding sure of himself.

You shouted for the crew to raise anchor and set on the course you had previously given them. The crew called back their acknowledgements and got to work.

You smiled at your bustling crew before leaning against Izzy, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. “Welcome home, my dove.”

“Don’t think that petname really fits me anymore,” Izzy grunted, making you chuckle.

“Nonsense. You’ll always be my dove,” you tutted. Izzy sighed softly as you ran your fingers through his hair, honestly enjoying watching a competent crew working again. “We’re heading to port, going to give the crew some extra coin and shoreleave for a job well done. Think they can manage sailing straight for a few days,” you hummed.

Izzy looked around the deck, seeing your crew bustling and busy, talking between themselves as they worked diligently. “Look like they have it handled,” he agreed.

Your hand settled against his lower back as the two of you returned to your quarters. Once inside, you shrugged off your coat and folded it neatly over the back of a chair. The cabin had already been cleaned up from your breakfast meeting.

“Can I ask a question?”

You frowned a little as you turned to Izzy, hoping he was only asking such a question as a formality. “Of course,” you nodded.

“What is my position among the crew?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“You already have a first mate and I don’t like the title of ‘bed warmer’.”

You were taken aback by his words, as if you would ever refer to him as such or allow anyone else to do so. “Izzy, you don’t think…that’s not how the crew sees you, I promise. You’re a respected pirate, a respected member of the crew. When I told the crew just who we were looking for, they were excited to have Israel Hands on the crew.”

“I would just like to know my position,” he sighed, still as stubborn as ever.

“I suppose I didn’t really think about it, was too focused on just getting you back,” you admitted. “I would offer you the position of first mate but…well, mine is very loyal and put a lot of work into helping me track you down. It would be wrong to demote them. But you’re far too qualified for a lower rank,” you thought out loud before your face lit up, an idea coming to you. “How do you fancy being co-captains?”

“Co-captain?” Izzy gaped at you. “You’re joking?”

“If Blackbeard can do it, so can I,” you shrugged.

“Co-captains, a fucking stupid thing,” Izzy muttered. He really wasn’t ready to be taking ideas or suggestions from Stede fucking Bonnet. “Could just be…could just be your partner…”

“Partner, captain. Whatever you want. Either way, you’ll be respected and listened to aboard this vessel. You have my word,” you vowed.

“I believe you.” He always did, you never gave him a reason not to.

You met him where he stood, snaking your arms around him. “I can’t believe I have you back.”

“I can’t believe you’re back,” he breathed, settling his hands on you, just needing to touch and feel. Still needing to remind himself that you were alive, you were here, and you were real.

“Never going anywhere without you again,” you promised. “Will have to fucking kill me,” your dedication sent a shive down Izzy’s spine. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” It felt like a prayer falling from Izzy’s lips. How long had he longed to hear you say those words again, to be able to speak those words again?

“Thank you for keeping this,” you whispered against his lips, toying with the ring on his necktie.

“As if I’d ever stop wearing it,” Izzy had never even considered it, had only taken it off of his finger before it began to feel heavy on his hand. It was too easy for him to see, to remind him. So he moved it to his neck, wanting everyone to know that somebody had gifted him such a ring once, cherishing it, while clad in black in mourning.

Izzy didn’t need to mourn any longer because you were here, holding him and kissing him. He would have to put his ring back on his finger.

#israel hands x reader #izzy hands x reader #izzy hands #ofmd izzy #our flag means death izzy #ofmd x reader

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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Me at work: I can't wait to get home and write my CJizzy porn...

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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Hello! Reaching out to tell you what an amazing writer you are :)

Hi!!! Thank you, you're so kind! ❤

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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Thank you so much for all the beautiful fics, I love your writing!

Hope I'm not bothering you with this request but could you write Izzy x Calico Jack x Reader? Even something nsfw if you feel like it. Maybe they had known each other for years because Reader works in Nassau 🤔 whatever you want, I'm sure I'll love it!

(Sorry for my writing, English isn't my first language)

Thank you for an excuse to write Izzy x reader x Jack!

Paramour in Nassau (NSFW)

Word Count: 5177

When Calico Jack Rackham sauntered back aboard the Revenge a couple of weeks ago, the crew wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Buttons obviously wanted him dead and ended up with half of the crew holding him back while Frenchie hurried to hide his fangs.

Of course, when he first appeared, he and Edward had a full out brawl in the middle of the deck, ending up with various cuts and bruises by the time Izzy was chastising them and snapping at them to separate. Then it was like nothing happened, Ed and Jack were friends again, much to Stede’s dismay.

Thankfully, Jack wasn’t as unbearable as he was when the crew last met him, since he wasn’t there to get Ed off of the ship and sell Stede out to the British. Jack seemed more interested in following Izzy around like a shadow than partying with Edward, a confusing but welcome turn of events. He was even helping out around the ship, Izzy and Stede agreed on the first thing ever, that Jack would need to work to stay aboard the ship.

Jack had been aboard for a couple of weeks and had made himself at home, and there was no sign of him leaving anytime soon. eseseAs the Revenge steadily approached the republic of pirates, Izzy stood by the railing, watching the island take form in the distance and slowly approach.

Large hands clasped over his shoulders from behind, giving him a small shake. “Nassau, Iz…” Izzy could hear the smirk in Jack’s voice, the almost giddy excitement.

“Fucking hell,” Izzy grumbled but still found himself smiling a little.

He couldn’t lie, he was looking forward to the visit just as much as Jack was. They hadn’t been to Nassau since the duel with Bonnet and plotting with the British, and that hadn’t exactly been the most fun visit. But they were going back now, they would be there soon.

“What’s in Nassau?” Lucius appeared out of the blue, a habit that he was getting increasingly comfortable with much to Izzy’s irritation. “It was not fun last time I was there,” he recalled, possibly expecting one of them (most likely Jack) to ask for further details.

Neither of them did.

“Mind your own business, Spriggs,” Izzy huffed, smile disappearing immediately.

“Iz and me have a bit of a paramour in Nassau,” Jack told him with a proud grin, rubbing firm small circles into the back of Izzy’s shoulders with his thumbs.

“A paramour, really?” Izzy raised an eyebrow, looking over his shoulder at Jack, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Jack laughed, digging deeper into Izzy’s shoulders, forcing the smaller man to hold back a small groan. He would not let that slip in front of Lucius Spriggs of all people.

“Learnt it from Steve. Did I use it right?” Jack asked, letting his hands drop from his shoulders when Izzy shrugged them off and turned to face him and Lucius.

“God, I sure hope you did,” the scribe grinned, looking just as excited now, maybe even more so. “So…a shared paramour…are we all going to be able to watch a fight for their hand? Oh, I bet on Izzy!”

“Really?” Jack huffed, pouting while Izzy smirked.

“He’s scrappy,” Lucius shrugged.

Izzy rolled his eyes, assuring him that, “there won’t be a fight.”

“Confident or giving up?” Lucius questioned, seemingly both teasing and serious.

Jack laughed again, throwing an arm around Izzy’s shoulders. “What Iz means is that our little paramour wouldn’t be satisfied with just one man.”

Lucius looked between the two men until he was satisfied that Jack wasn’t just pulling his leg. “...holy shit, really?” His grin grew even wider. “Really, Izzy?” He wanted every little detail.

Izzy knew that his face was heating up under the interrogation, with how excited and suggestively the scribe was looking at him. “Why do you look so excited about this?” he asked petulantly.

“...I knew about the two of you but a third?...that’s tasty.” Lucius couldn’t help but reevaluate everything he thought he knew about Izzy Hands. Now he was rethinking the whole ‘we don’t own each other’ conversation he had with the older man. What did his relationship look like? How long had he been involved with Jack? How long had either of them been with their other mysterious partner?

“I fucking hate you,” Izzy muttered, unable to feel too angry when Jack gave him another little shake and squeezed him closer to his side.

“Can I meet them?” Lucius asked, eyes bright and hopefully.

“Absolutely not,” Izzy scoffed. Why was this man always involving himself in everyone else’s business?

Lucius looked between them both again, looking more curious this time. He was still always taken back when Izzy allowed Jack to touch him like that in public, all casual and affectionate. “And the two of you…they have an interesting taste…”

“Fuck off,” Izzy sneered.

Jack frowned a little this time as well. “What’s that mean?” He wasn’t sure if he should be offended but he was ready to defend the honour of both his partners.

Lucius shrugged before smirking. “Just interesting…kinda hot, though.”

Jack was grinning again, grip on Izzy tightening. “It’s really fucking hot,” he agreed.

“Jack,” Izzy said his name in that stern way he does when he needs Jack to pay attention.

“Yeah?”

Lucius was also always a little taken by that, the way Jack’s expression would change when his gaze turned to Izzy. Becoming all soft and attentive.

“Shut the fuck up,” Izzy grumbled.

“Yes, sir,” Jack beamed, shooting Lucius a playful wink.

Once the Revenge was docked and Izzy’s duties were carried out, he let Jack drag him towards Spanish Jackie’s. Normally, Izzy would feel a little lighter while he was in Nassau, but the fact that Lucius and Black Pete were so obviously following them was pissing him off.

“Are you even allowed in Jackie’s?” Izzy called to the two men following behind him and Jack.

Lucius and Pete scampered forward until they were walking beside the other duo. “Stede was barred. Technically, I wasn’t,” Lucius explained.

“Uh-huh, I’m not saving your ass if she wants your nose,” Izzy shrugged.

Lucius gulped but steeled himself as Pete took hold of his hand. He thought it was worth the risk.

When the four of them walked into Jackies, they headed to the bar, Lucius and Pete sitting a few stools down from them when Izzy threatened them to leave them alone.

The man behind the bar handed Jack and Izzy their drinks seconds before Jackie walked out of the backroom. Lucius purposely kept his head down and shuffled closer to Pete’s side, but kept his attention on the unexpected couple a few seats down the bar.

“Fucking hell, you two,” Jackie adressed them, warningly.

“Good to see you too, Jackie,” Jack smiled, wide and a little goofy. Like he was purposely trying to piss her off. “Don’t worry, I have my safe entry pass,” he flinged an arm around Izzy.

The three of them had come to an agreement a long time ago, Jack was only allowed inside Jackie’s when he was with Izzy. The shorter man would be responsible for keeping him on enough of a leash to keep Jackie pleased.

Jackie eyed them both before rolling her eyes. “They’re picking up a delivery, they’ll be back soon. Behave,” she informed them.

“Thanks, Jackie,” Izzy gave her a small nod.

Jackie just shook her head at them before continuing through the bar.

You moved through Jackie’s with a practised ease, crate in your hands. You headed straight for the bar, handing the delivery to one of Jackie’s husbands who was tending the bar. “Was told to drop it off with you.”

Jackie’s husband took the crate. “Probably the good liquor Jackie likes,” he hummed.

“Well, she usually had pretty good taste,” you joked, shooting him a playful wink.

He huffed a small laugh as he left to put the delivery somewhere safe. You lent against the bar, thinking you should probably buy yourself a drink for your troubles before heading out again.

“Work more important than us, baby?”

You let out a little surprised gasp at the familiar voice, a smile taking over your face when you turned to see both Jack Rackham and Izzy Hands standing from their seats.

“Izzy! Jack!”

Jack caught you in an embrace when you rushed to them, lifting your feet off of the ground and spinning you around just for some dramatic flare. Just enough to have Izzy shaking his head at the two of you. Once Jack placed you back on your feet, you turned to Izzy and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Both of you in the same place, it must be my lucky day,” you couldn’t suppress your smile as you took the two of them in. It had been so long since you saw either of them, even longer since you saw both of them together. You were very committed to not counting their last visit to Nassau since Izzy always invited members of the British Navy.

“Has been a while, hasn’t it?” Jack was smiling right back, teeth on show.

“Too long,” Izzy agreed. His smile was a little more subdued but just as sincere.

Jack must have noticed that too because he gently gripped the back of his neck in his hand. “Aww, always so sentimental,” he teased.

“Fuck off, like you aren’t worse,” Izzy huffed, pushing his hand away. Jack just rolled his eyes fondly.

“I missed you both,” you confessed, planting more kisses on their cheeks.

“We missed you too, sweetheart,” Jack snaked his arm around your shoulders, pulling you against his chest.

“How long are you in port for?” They never stayed for too long, it was just part of the job, but you always hoped they’d give you some extra good news from time to time.

“A couple of days,” Izzy said as you took his hand, pulling him a few steps closer to the two of you.

It wasn’t the best answer he could give you but it was enough.

“We’ll have to make the most of what we got, then,” you shrugged, earning another smile from Izzy and a pleased little groan from Jack.

Lucius watched with wide eyes and his mouth slightly agape as Jack and Izzy left Jackie’s with the mysterious person. He had never seen anyone so happy to see either of the men, not Jack to see Izzy, not even Ed to see Jack that first time on the Revenge. Then again, he had never seen Izzy so happy to see somebody, actually properly smiling. It was almost a little unsettling, but also a little nice.

Lucius and Pete looked at each other, Pete mouthing ‘oh my god’ before they turned back to their drinks. Izzy and Jack really were seeing somebody in Nassau, and it looked kinda serious…

Your men walked on either side of you as you led them through the streets of Nassau, leading them to the less violent side of the town. They followed you up to the familiar apartment above a dusty bookstore that was definitely a front for something else, something you hadn’t actually figured out yet.

As soon as you were through the door to your little home, Jack was on you. He had you pressed against the nearest wall, his mouth capturing yours in a deep and characteristically messy kiss. You couldn’t find it in yourself to complain, clutching at his shoulders to keep him close and to keep yourself standing upright.

Izzy shook his head, smiling to himself, as he was tasked with shutting the door. Jack was not known for his patience but Izzy couldn’t blame him, he had missed you just as much, he just prided himself on having a sensible amount of self restraint.

Once the door was securely closed, Izzy grabbed Jack by the back of his shirt and tore him away from you.

“God, I fucking missed you both so much,” you panted, letting your hands fall away from Jack as he stumbled away, muttering his complaints.

You barely got to move away from the wall before Izzy was in front of you. You slipped a hand into Izzy’s hair, fingers curling and tugging gently. Izzy whined at the slight sting, pressing his forehead against yours.

“Promise me we’ll never go so long without seeing each other again,” you whispered against his lips. “I promise,” Izzy whispered right back.

“Not going to let it go this long ever again,” Jack came up to the side of you both, a hand against your back and another at the nape of Izzy’s neck. “Can’t be away from my sweethearts for that long.”

Jack could be a difficult man to properly understand, never really letting anyone see his true self. He was an arrogant jokester but also a total sweetheart, at least when it came to the people he actually gave a damn about. Even when he was looking at you both with that dopey smile.

“Shut the fuck up, Jack,” Izzy mumbled but there was clear fondness in his tone.

“You’re such a softy,” you teased Jack, playfully fiddling with the edge of his moustache.

Izzy rolled his eyes while Jack just beamed at you. Jack wrapped an arm firmly around your waist and pulled you close, something hard pressing against your hip. “Nothing soft about me right now, baby,” he said against your ear.

Izzy groaned at the terrible joke but you gave a little laugh. “Can you just get his mouth busy or something so he stops talking?” Izzy pleaded with you.

You smirked, grabbing him by his cravat and planting a kiss on his lips. “Well, give me a hand, will you?”

You had to be the one with the cognition to pull them both to your bedroom, laughing as Jack threw off most of his clothes on the way, tossing them around your apartment until he was just in his pants.

Jack huffed a little, being the most undressed out of the three of you. He was quick to set his mind to stripping you both down.

“You wear way too many layers, babydoll,” Jack taunted Izzy, pressing up behind him and gripping his hips.

“It is a lot of black and leather for the caribbean,” you agreed, rubbing your hands over his chest.

“It’s practical. Doesn’t have to be comfortable,” Izzy rolled his eyes, hands finding your waist.

“Kinda hot though,” you hummed, popping open the buttons of his waistcoat.

“Those tight leather pants,” Jack pressed a little closer, nipping at Izzy’s ear. “Cute little ass.”

“Fucking hell,” Izzy groaned, unconsciously pushing his hips back against Jack’s while tugging you closer.

Jack groaned against his ear. As much as you both loved how sweet and pliant Izzy could get when the right type of attention was showered upon him, both men had come to your apartment with the attention of spoiling you. They had the last couple weeks to reconnect, missing their missing piece. They had you back and intended on showing you just that.

“It is adorable,” you smirked, slipping a hand around to squeeze his ass.

Izzy grumbled to himself but made no protest as you and Jack stripped him of his waistcoat, cravat, and shirt.

You stepped away to place his ring and cravat down safely on your vanity before hands were grabbing at you again. You were pulled back into the centre of the room and manoeuvred until you were between the two men.

They worked in tandem, quickly having your shirt pulled over your head and thrown somewhere over Jack’s shoulder. Izzy was already stroking calloused hands over your abdomen and unlacing your pants.

The only reason it took so long to get your pants off of you was because the two men kept turning you around to take turns kissing you. Finally though, Izzy had your pants properly unlaced and Jack was on his knees, tugging them down your legs and helping you step out of them.

Finally, after far too long of being apart, you were all back together and undressed. Large hands on your hips spun you around to face Jack again, you only got a second to see his beaming grin before he had hoisted you off of your feet.

You yelped, clinging to his shoulders and wrapping your legs around your waist. You didn’t complain though, nuzzling against his jaw and nipping at his neck as he carried you over to the bed.

Jack dropped you down onto the bed, the mattress being at least good enough quality for you to bounce a little when you landed. Jack was standing over you, teeth on show, as Izzy climbed onto the bed and crawled over your body.

“I’m beginning to think you’re teaming up on me,” you accused, sighing pleasurably as Izzy kissed down your neck, his facial hair pleasantly scratching against your skin.

“We’ve missed you!” Jack thought that was plenty enough reason to gang up on you just a little, they both just wanted to get their hands on you after so long.

“Yeah,” Izzy lifted his head to look at you. “Let us spoil you a little.” And, well, how could you say no to that when he was looking at you like you were the only damn thing that mattered.

“Hell yeah, I get to be in the middle,” you joked. Well, half joked. You really were thrilled by the prospect of once again being sandwiched between the two men.

“Damn right you do, baby,” Jack laughed.

“I’m ready,” you announced dramatically, flopping back on the bed with your arms and legs spread.

“You two are as bad as each other,” Izzy tutted from above you.

“Take that back,” you tilted your chin down to glare at him.

Izzy could only chuckle fondly to himself before kissing you. He had missed that light, warm feeling he felt when he was around the two of you. You wrapped him up in your arms immediately, kissing him soundly, like you never wanted to forget what he tasted like.

Jack took a moment to just admire the sight the two of you made, bodies flushed together. He was one lucky bastard and he knew it. The mattress dipped slightly as he knelt up on the bed, pressing up behind Izzy.

“You two having fun?” Jack asked, resting his chin on Izzy’s shoulder.

“Feeling left out?” Izzy mused as he pulled away from your lips, turning his head slightly to see Jack out the corner of his eye.

“Thought I got to be in the middle?” you pouted.

Jack’s chuckle vibrated through him as he slapped a sloppy kiss on Izzy’s cheek and slapped his ass. “Go sit against the headboard, babygirl.”

Izzy rolled his eyes at the pet name, even though it managed to make him blush every time, giving you another kiss before extracting himself from between you both. Neither of you made it easy for him, you couldn’t stop touching him and Jack was still plastered to his back despite being the one who told him to move in the first place.

Jack grabbed you by the legs and pulled you down the bed so that your thighs were sitting on top of his. You couldn’t help but laugh fondly through your surprised shout, he was always so impatient.

Doing as he was told, Izzy sat back against the headboard comfortably, legs outstretched in front of himself.

Jack lent down to capture your mouth with his own, the kiss a desperate mess of lips and tongues. Jack always kissed like that, completely uninhibited, with his entire being.

You barely got a chance to breathe when he pulled back, already flipping you over onto your belly. You cursed quietly to yourself as you landed with a tiny bounce.

You swore you could hear Jack chuckling softly behind you as he tapped your hip. You got the message, lifting yourself up onto your hands and knees before inching forward. As you moved closer, Izzy parted his legs so that you could settle between them.

You smiled up at him, sure your lips were swollen and bitten and your face was flushed. Much like his own.

He gave you a small smile of his own as he took hold of your chin, keeping you still as he kissed you again. You gasped into his mouth as Jack ran a calloused hand up the inside of your thigh. You hadn’t dared let yourself dwell on your last meeting with them both, or lament how much time had passed since you could be touched by them, but now it felt like an eternity since you had felt their touches or shared their kisses. It was almost too much but at the same time it wasn’t enough at all.

You could feel the larger man warm and heavy against your ass, and it had you squirming.

“Eager?” Izzy cocked an eyebrow at you.

“Getting impatient. You’re both taking too long,” you taunted breathlessly.

Jack retorted by rutting against you. Once. Twice. Making you feel even more needy for him. “Won’t make you wait any longer then, sweetheart,” he promised.

You snuck one more kiss from Izzy before lowering yourself onto your elbows, nuzzling against his hip before moving further down to kiss and nip and suck marks into the inside of his thighs.

Behind you, Jack continued to tease, but you set your mind to doing the same to Izzy. Licking a broad stripe over him, making him gasp.

You smiled to yourself at the response before giving it your all, nose nested against coarse hairs, feeling utterly pleased with yourself when he choked on his breath and gripped your shoulder.

“There we go. Give them a nice little distraction,” Jack cooed behind you.

“Fuck, ah, off,” Izzy gasped back at him, not as menacingly as he might have liked.

“Ready?” Jack asked, directed at you now as he gave your hips a squeeze and angled them better.

You nodded the best you could, purposely pushing closer into Izzy to hear his breath hitch.

Then, without any more warning or fanfare, Jack pushed in. He entered you with one fluid thrust, slower than you expected from him. You gasped and moaned at the feeling of him filling you, making Izzy moan in turn.

Jack folded over you, his body blanketing yours, and pressed his forehead between your shoulder blades. “Yeah, been way too fucking long,” his breath was warm against your already flushed skin.

You removed your mouth from Izzy with a lewd, wet sound. “You’re fucking telling me,” you panted into his thigh.

Jack kissed the back of your neck quickly, searing the skin like a brand, before pulling back and slamming his hips back against your ass.

Izzy cradled the back of your skull as you got your both back on him, making sure to look up at him through your lashes in the way you knew had his stomach twisting with desire.

You lost yourself in the sensation of being pulled back and forth between the two men, of the two pairs of hands on you, clutching and caressing. Your body rocked between them both like you were made for it, giving and taking in equal measure. The feeling of warm bodies pressing together and the sound of heavy breathing.

You could hear Jack’s low moans behind you and you could just imagine him tipping his head back, eyes fluttering shut as he dug his fingers into your hips and waist. Izzy was panting above you, gaze flickering between you and Jack like he couldn’t quite decide which to focus on. When his gaze dipped down to where you were connected, he groaned low in his throat. From his position he couldn’t quite see Jack repeatedly entering you but he could make out just enough to have him twitching against your mouth.

“Fuck, looks like you’re treating Iz real nice,” Jack rumbled, having the perfect view of the two of you. The slope of your back to where your head rested in Izzy’s lap. “Best show in the Caribbean here and I’ve got the best seat,” he rambled, punctuating his words with jolts of the hips.

Jack was always the most vocal in bed. He loved hearing the sounds he could get you and Izzy to make but he always talked the most. At first you had thought that he had just liked the sound of his own voice but now you knew that he wasn’t as conscious of it as you first thought he was. He just said whatever came to mind, not caring much about what it was.

“Look so fucking pretty, the two of you. Fuck. Feel so good, I’ve got you.”

Izzy began to rock against your face and you knew he was close. He was always so careful to take what he was given when you went down on him like this, even when you assured him that you wanted him to take what he needed instead. He always lost that control when his orgasm was close.

“Think you can come with him, baby?” Jack asked, seeing the same signs as you.

You just nodded the best you could but the way you clenched around him gave him more of an answer than your actual response. Jack groaned and cursed at the feeling, his own thrusts faltering and jolting a few times.

Izzy came first, on hand clutching a pillow and the other on the back of your head, just touching, not holding. You followed right after him, making sure to savour the taste of him on your tongue first. You came with a cry of their names, possibly mashed together incoherently, you weren’t sure but Izzy was petting your head lazily as you muffled your sounds with his thigh.

Jack managed to hold out for a few more trusts, riding you through your high before pressing his hips flush with your ass, groaning his own release.

The room was filled with heavy breathing as the three of you caught your breath, Izzy muttering something about being too old for all of this excitement but not complaining about the sweaty press of your three bodies.

With a few tired groans and complaints, the three of you slowly manoeuvred yourselves into a more comfortable position. Jack lay in the centre of the bed with both of you on either side of him, your heads laying on his chest.

Your dalliances usually ended like this, both of you cradled to each side of Jack. His arms wrapped around you both to hold you close, you and Izzy touching hands over Jack’s stomach. He was just that little bit bigger, that little bit broader, and really fucking warm. He made a surprisingly good pillow and he liked being pressed between you both.

You closed your eyes and smiled softly to yourself, feeling Jack running fingertips against your arm and shoulder while Izzy played with your hand. You had slept in this very bed so often, alone. It was nice to have them both by your side again.

Once enough time had passed for Jack to deem conversation appropriate, he spoke. He never could stay quiet for too long, especially when something was on his mind.

“Eddie talked about me signing on with you lot properly,” Jack said up to the ceiling.

You just allowed yourself to drift comfortably, assuming he was talking more directly to Izzy. “Bonnet was alright with that?” Izzy asked, voice a little gruffer than usual.

“Yep. I have been on good behaviour.”

“And you’re going to do it?”

You listened to their voices, just happy to hear them. It didn’t really matter what they were talking about, you liked listening.

“Might do. Might stick around…if you want me too.” You could hear the vulnerability in Jack’s voice and frowned a little when Izzy didn’t answer straight away, likely due to his own vulnerability rather than dismissal.

“Fucking hell, your pillow talk kinda sucks,” you mumbled into Jack’s chest.

“I’m trying to get to something!” Jack huffed, jostling you and Izzy a little.

“Then get to it,” Izzy grumbled at him.

“Right so, if I sign on with Eddie and Stebe, then me and Iz will be sailing together…” You lifted your head to look at him properly when you realised he was talking more to you now. “...so if you sign up with Eddie and Stefe…”

“...are you serious?”

Jack gave a guilty little smile at your question, though you didn’t sound angry with him, just surprised, an edge of seriousness to your tone.

“Why didn’t you say something before?” Izzy demanded, lifting himself up to look down at Jack.

“I just thought about it!” Jack defended himself.

You sat up a little, hearing Jack’s grumbled protest, to look between them both properly. “Do you…both want me there?”

“Wouldn’t ask if I didn’t,” Jack scoffed.

“And you, Izzy? That’s something you’d want?” you turned to the other man for his answer.

“...yeah. ‘Course, I would,” Izzy shrugged, trying to play it off as unimportant, like it didn’t matter what he wanted. “Thought you were kinda happy here, though.”

“I’m content here. It’s…not perfect but it’s enough for me,” you responded honestly. You had a comfortable little life here but…but they were always so far away from you and if they were serious…“I would be a whole lot happier being wherever the two of you are though,” you confessed.

“Fuck yeah,” Jack launched himself up and pulled you into a messy kiss. You giggled against his mouth, kissing him back, laughing more when he flipped you onto your back and pressed you down into the mattress.

Izzy huffed at being thrown off but recovered quickly, moving to your side as Jack sank down between your legs, trailing kisses down your body the whole way. He hooked your legs over his shoulders and got his mouth on you, making you twitch a little with overstimulation.

“You’re sure?” Izzy asked, quiet and serious, as he cupped your face in his hand, forcing you to look at him. He wanted to make sure he didn’t see any hesitation or uncertainty.

“More than sure. No more waiting for moments like this,” you promised, placing your hand over his.

“No more waiting,” Izzy agreed, kissing you like he needed it to breathe.

Jack popped his head up from between your legs, grinning and his moustache obscenely damp. “Gonna have to get a bigger bed though,” he commented.

“I know a carpenter that could probably do it,” you grinned back down at him, combing fingers through his hair.

“Love when you have all the answers, babe,” Jack winked before dipping his head back down.

Izzy chuckled and shook his head at the two of you. When Jack pulled a moan from you, Izzy silenced you with his mouth again, greedily swallowing any sounds you made.

#israel hands x reader #izzy hands x reader #calico jack x reader #jack rackham x reader #ofmd x reader

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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Sorry for spam liking all your fics 🙈 you are single-handedly carrying the angry man tag and we could not be more thankful for your service 🧎🏻

I'm just so obsessed with this little man, I have to let it out somewhere. I'm glad there are people to share it with! ❤

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

Text

What I wrote and meant to say: ...he clutched his crutch...

What Google Docs thought I must have meant: ...he clutched his crotch...

...it knows me so well

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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Hey just a heads up, I think you may have missed something in Starting Fresh, as about halfway through you just have the sentence: 'Shore leave with Izzy, getting a couple of drinks together like old friends'

Would you look at that, I sure did. Thanks for letting me know, I've taken it out now! ❤

Put it there to remind myself to include that scene and forgot it entirely. This is why we reread our works folks! 😂

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run-me-through-but-not-like-that · 1 year

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Edward Teach x Reader where they break up and reunite on Stede’s ship. They’re still annoyed with each other (as exes often are) and Y/n mostly avoids him on the ship. Eventually, tension kind of eases up and Ed starts to take a romantic liking to Stede. Maybe Izzy had an unrequited crush on the reader for a while and now that they’re closer, Izzy and the reader start a thing. But after seeing them together Ed gets pissed. I just enjoy hot men w irrational jealous anger sometimes. Idk how it would play out but yeah. Anyway off topic but I got a 57 on my math test and I thought I got a 95???

Starting Fresh:

Izzy sighed to himself after dismissing Ivan and Fang. As if this whole exercise wasn’t troublesome enough, now they had unexpected guests. He ran a hand through his hair and steadied himself before entering the captain’s cabin.

“Captain, there is a rowboat approach,” Izzy reported.

“Who?” The change in Edward was instant, the way he sat up and his expression darkened.

“We don’t know, boss. What should we do?” Izzy asked.

“Oh!” Stede perked up, looking unbothered by the report of a threat. “They aren’t trouble, it will be some of the crew returning. I completely forgot to mention it,” he laughed at himself, waving his hand dismissively. Even Izzy had to admit that for somebody who had been stabbed recently, Bonnet was recovering well.

“Your crew?” Edward asked, slowly relaxing back into his lounging position from before.

“Yes. Two of our crew were conducting some business nearby. One of them is my first mate actually, they’re incredibly capable, perfectly qualified to handle it without me. We were boarded while they were away, that’s why you haven’t met them yet,” Stede explained.

“Fucking hell,” Izzy muttered to himself. That would have been good information to have earlier.

“Well, let's go see how their business went,” Edward shrugged, stretching his bad leg before standing from the settee.

The two captains headed up onto the deck, a disgruntled first mate trailing behind him. Just as they were emerging onto the deck, the returning crew members were climbing aboard the ship.

“Frenchie!” Wee John greeted the first crew member to climb over the railing, sweeping the smaller man off of his feet in a ‘welcome back’ embrace.

A hand grabbed the railing, and the second crew member pulled themself up over the railing with ease. Edward and Izzy completely froze when the second person hopped down onto the deck, straightening out their clothes.

“The Spanish?” you shouted in disbelief, looking at the crew for some sort of update or explanation. Not that you actually gave them time to respond. “We were boarded by the Spanish? Is everyone alright?” you asked, frustration morphing quickly into concern for your crew. “Fucking hell, I knew I shouldn’t have left the ship. Captain, I told you-Edward…” you spun around to face your captain, freezing at the sight of your ex-captain.

“The crew is perfectly fine, I promise,” Stede assured. “Edward here, and his crew of course, came along just in time,” he placed a hand on Edward’s arm, a warm comradery obvious between them, though you didn’t really have the chance to think too hard about that.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” Edward questioned.

Izzy sighed. Edward’s expression had darkened again, his voice lowering dangerously. The Caribbean was big but not that big and the two of you ran in similar circles, Izzy knew it was only a matter of time before your paths crossed again. He just didn’t think this would be the circumstance.

“Me?” you scoffed, “what the fuck are you doing here?”

“Saving the lives of your crew, apparently,” Edward retorted, earning a small snarl from you.

“You two…know each other?” Stede asked carefully, looking between you both. You had never mentioned knowing Blackbeard even when the crew shared stories about his legend.

“Fuck,” Izzy muttered, this was the last thing he needed. This ship was enough of a headache, and now this.

You and Edward just glared at each other, as if daring the other to answer. “Used to sail on the Queen Anne,” you answered.

“You sailed with Blackbeard?” Black Pete asked from somewhere to your right, the excitement clear in his voice. You didn’t take your eyes off of Edward but you heard a small grunt that suggested Lucius had elbowed his boyfriend to signal that now was not the time.

“Can’t get the fuck away, apparently,” you grumbled.

“Last I checked, I kicked you off of the ship,” Edward scoffed.

“Yeah, keep bragging, Eddie. That makes you sound like the good guy,” you smiled sarcastically, crossing your arms over your chest.

“Can we not do this here?” Izzy suggested.

“Do what? What is happening?” Stede asked.

You took a breath, squaring your shoulders and turning your full attention to Stede. Your captain. “Captain,” you cleared your throat, getting his focus on you. “I’ll give my report later. I’ll go check the rations,” you turned and walked away without being dismissed, just needing to create distance, to get some air.

Edward muttered something to himself, something Stede couldn’t make out, before storming back into the captain’s cabin. Stede frowned and hurried after him, already looking like he was about to fret over everything.

Izzy looked up at the sky, almost cursing the clear blueness of it, begging whatever higher power might exist to just stroke him down where he stood.

Lucius, with wide eyes and his mouth agape, quickly kissed Pete’s cheek and ran after you. He caught up with you in the corridors of the ship. “You used to date Blackbeard?!” It was supposed to sound like a question but came out more like an accusation.

Halting, you spun on your heel to face him. “What the fuck, Lucius?”

Lucius scoffed, it wasn’t like you to play dumb. “You’re obviously exes, and things apparently didn’t end very well.”

“I’m not telling you anything, so don’t even ask,” you jabbed your finger against his chest to get your point across before storming off down to the hold.

Lucius blinked. “Holy shit, what the fuck is going on around here?” he whispered to himself as you left him alone below deck. First Blackbeard boards their ship and their captain is obviously crushing on him, and now it turns out that you’re his ex? Finally something exciting was happening around here!

Izzy couldn’t believe Edward wasn’t taking the goddamn ship, that he wasn’t following the fucking plan. No, instead he was going to try ‘co-captaining’ with Bonnet or some dumb shit like that.

So, due to this new arrangement, Bonnet had sent Izzy to speak with his first mate, since the two of you would be co-first-mates now. Normally Izzy would snap and remind him that he isn't his captain, but he was just thankful to have an excuse to leave their quarters.

Izzy is going to stab himself…

You were up on the helm, stance relaxed and one hand on the wheel. You gave him a smile, small but genuine, as he joined you. At least spending some time with you wouldn’t be so bad, you were the most bearable person to be around on this ship, and the two of you used to be decent friends. At least, he thought you had been.

“So, you’re a first mate, now?” Izzy asked. A weak attempt at conversation but he never claimed to be good at it, and you should know that by now.

“What can I say, you inspired me,” you teased.

Izzy felt the corners of his mouth quirking up but fought it. “You know this ship is full of idiots, right?” You must see what he saw, you had served on proper pirate ships and weren’t as whimsical as Edward. Surely, you knew how absurd this whole thing was.

“They’re learning, I’m teaching them. Captain Bonnet doesn’t have any experience but he cares about the crew. The crew…they’re good people, I like them.” You knew the crew wasn’t…skilled…but they were good people. You liked this crew, they were a welcome change to the ship life you knew. They had been good to you and in return you had been good to them.

“You used to sail for Blackbeard,” Izzy huffed, as if you needed reminding.

“Yeah, and this is a very refreshing change of pace,” you shrugged.

It was definitely a change, though Izzy wouldn’t call it refreshing. “Still not forgiven him?” he asked.

“I assume the captains wanted us to talk about the ship, not my past relationships,” you mumbled.

Izzy sighed, that was fair. “At least tell me you think this whole thing is ridiculous,” he needed to know that he wasn’t the crazy one.

“Oh, completely ridiculous,” you agreed, the two of you chuckling. You smiled to yourself, looking out at the crew on the deck, feeling a little lighter. “Will be nice to work with you again, Iz. I missed you,” you admitted.

Izzy paused, refusing to look at you as he felt his cheeks warming slightly.

“Yeah, missed you too,” Izzy begrudgingly admitted

The two of you really had been good friends aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, he would even call you his best friend. The closest friend he had. Though Izzy could now admit to himself that he had always felt more for you.

Izzy knew that it was all just his luck, it pine after somebody who wouldn’t look twice at him because Blackbeard was right fucking there. He could still remember watching as Edward made you swoon, the two of you laughing as you plotted your next fuckery together. He still remembers how pissed he felt when Edward had fucked it all up, hadn’t appreciated what he had, what Izzy wanted.

You were on night shift when Edward next approached you, a few days after you returned to the ship and discovered him already aboard. He had approached in silence and just stood beside you, at least he didn’t seem angry.

“I’m not in the mood to fight, Edward,” you sighed. It didn’t seem like he was here to argue but you could never be too careful, and you really didn’t want to fight with him.

“Not here to fight,” Edward promised, “just want to talk.”

“Talk?” you couldn’t help but be a little curious, looking at him properly now. The two of you hadn’t really talked all that much towards the end of whatever you had.

“They do that a lot here, apparently it’s effective. Been kinda…good, thought we could try it.”

You managed not to roll your eyes at Edward acting like he had been here longer than you. “Alright…talk.”

Edward sighed and looked at you properly. “I shouldn’t have kicked you off the ship.”

You weren’t sure if you would get an actual apology from the man, so you would take what you could get. At least he was trying. “...I shouldn’t have shouted at you in front of the crew,” you said in return, “though, I think that was more embarrassing for me than you.”

“You know how I get when Jack is around, we bring out the worst in each other,” he attempted at some sort of jovial tone, but it didn’t really land.

“Yeah, you do,” you scoffed a little. Everyone knew how Ed and Jack got when they were around each other, it was a headache if nothing else. “But it wasn’t Jack’s fault, Ed. You can’t blame him, you made those decisions,” you reminded him.

Edward nodded, looking something close to remorseful. “You’re right…I’m sorry.” You almost couldn’t believe he was actually apologising.

“...yeah, me too. I’m over it, really. I moved on,” you shrugged softly. “I admit, I was angry at you for a long time, was angry when I saw you on this ship, but it’s just not worth it and I don’t feel that anger when I look at you anymore. It’s over, what’s done is done.”

“So…we’re cool?” Edward asked carefully. You couldn’t help but wonder if he had tracked you down just because he wanted to put things right or because Stede had convinced him to improve relationships among the crew.

“Yeah, whatever, Ed. We’re cool,” you agreed.

“Okay, great…yeah, okay,” Edward nodded, he looked like he was going to pat you on the shoulder for a moment before choosing not to and leaving instead.

“Ed,” you stopped him, cursing yourself for it when he turned back to you. “I don’t know what’s going on between you and Stede, and you don’t have to tell me, it’s none of my business. He’s odd but he loves a lot, and he really seems to like you. If you hurt him, if you pull the same shit on him that you did on me, I won’t be as forgiving this time,” you warned.

Edward should have been offended, and he would be when he wasn’t so caught off guard, but instead he settled on, “me and Stede aren’t-” and you didn’t let him finish.

“Yeah. You weren’t with a lot of people,” you rolled your eyes. It at least shut him up. “Just don’t fuck it up with him. Either do it right or leave now,” you advised.

The crew had become fond of their eccentric captain and you could honestly see a mutiny happening against the great Blackbeard if he broke Stede’s heart. Edward’s mouth opened to argue but instead just left without another word, letting you get back to your shift.

After that late night, and uncomfortable, conversation with Edward, you had to admit that the tension had eased up. You still wouldn’t call each other friends but you were civil, you could work together, even if you still made a point of reporting and answering more to Stede than him. He seemed to accept that, especially since Izzy behaved the exact same way towards Stede.

Your conversation must have also given Edward a push to consider his feelings for Stede because they had somehow become even closer, attached at the hip all the time. You were glad to see Stede happy and figuring himself out, but you almost felt protective over him. Edward better watch his step, you actually liked that blond dumbass.

You always ate your meals with the crew, ever since you signed on with Stede. You still did, technically, but instead of sitting at the bench with the rest of them, you had tucked yourself into a quiet corner off to the side with Izzy.

Izzy didn’t really like sitting with the crew, he didn’t feel comfortable around them yet, but you liked sitting with Izzy. You usually ate your lunches with Izzy back on the Queen Anne, and occasionally sat together for supper.

“C’mon, you have to admit that Roach’s cooking is way better than whatever our cook was doing,” you teased, waving a chunk of fresh bread between you both.

“It’s…yeah, alright, it’s good. Bonnet wastes a lot of fucking money on this but…yeah, it’s good,” Izzy reluctantly admitted. Like complimenting a chef was so humiliating.

“Hey, it’s not our money, let him spend it and keep us well fed,” you shrugged.

“Ah, so you are still a real pirate after all,” Izzy smiled a little to himself, glad that this crew hadn’t changed you. Maybe you were calmer now, less impulsive, but that often came naturally as time passed, but you were still you.

“Just more house trained,” you joked, earning a small chuckle from the grisly man that warmed your heart. “How was everything after I left?” you couldn’t help but feel a little nostalgic, when you had left you had missed the ship you called home and the crew you called family.

“Probably what you’d expect. Your argument threw Ed into one of his moods. It didn’t last too long, a couple of risky raids and things mostly went back to normal,” Izzy shrugged. It was pretty standard for the Queen Anne, though it felt a little tougher without you there.

“Fuck, Iz, it’s been way too long since we’ve properly talked.” Izzy had been on the Revenge for a while now and you felt like you had only really spoken about work. You wanted a proper chance to talk with him, to catch up, to hear about how things were after you left, to tell him how you met Stede and joined his crew, to properly reconnect. “We’re stopping at port in a few days, we’re going out,” you decided.

“Going out?” Izzy cocked an eyebrow, a little taken back by your determination.

“Yep. We’re going ashore, we’re going to whichever tavern you suggest, and we’re hanging out,” you told him, matter of fact.

Normally Izzy wouldn’t like somebody telling him what to do, just assuming he would comply, but instead he only found himself pleased that you were so eager to spend time with him. “...sounds good,” Izzy nodded, fighting off a small smile.

“Roach!” Edward called as he entered the galley, flashing the crew a smile when they looked at him. “Stede said you have more of those yummy cakes,” he turned back to the cook.

“One second, I’ll grab them for you, captain,” Roach nodded, sounding a little irritated, before going to fetch the sugary treats.

Edward lent against the longer table as he waited, only basking in the attention of the crew a little bit, looking around the room until he saw you sitting separately with Izzy. You hadn’t even looked up at his entrance, neither of you had, the two of you talking low enough that the others couldn’t hear you. Like you were in your own little world.

He didn’t know why it bothered him so much, that you were both too caught up in each other to pay him any attention. He supposed he was just used to naturally demanding it, he had once had your attention and even after you left Izzy had hung on to his every word.

Thankfully, Roach returned with the cakes before Edward could dwell to long on the feeling.

Another month had passed and the two crews had completely found their place together, with more ease than anyone expected. Stede and Edward were still co-captaining and officially courting each other, other than Izzy, Ivan and Fang were the only crew members from the Queen Anne that had decided to stay aboard the Revenge for the long term, and you and Izzy stuck by each other’s side more than you ever had before.

Edward couldn’t believe how much had changed over the last couple of months, all he knew was that this was the most fun he has had for years, maybe ever, and he had Stede to thank for that. That fascinating, loving, man. Stede felt much the same about Edward, happy to indulge in the other man’s affections.

“It’s a clear night, will you please teach me how to navigate by the stars?” Stede asked, not even needing to bat his lashes to have Edward jumping to his feet.

“All you have to do is ask!” Ed grinned, planting a happy kiss to his partner’s lips before guiding him towards the door.

They left the cabin with their arms intertwined, leaning against each other as they emerged onto the deck. There was a lantern lit up on the quarterdeck, most likely whoever had a shift tonight.

“Who’s on watch?” Stede asked, not being the one in charge of creating a rota.

“Not sure. We’ll just tell them we’ll cover for them,” Edward shrugged, also not responsible for the schedule. That was the job of a first mate or quartermaster, not the captains.

The two men quietly walked up to see who’s night they would be making before pausing at the sight. Instead of a tired looking crewmember leaning against the railing, they saw you and Izzy sitting together comfortably, with mugs of something warm in your hands.

You were leaning against each other, shoulder to shoulder, talking quietly between yourselves. Both captains felt as if they were intruding on something even though they hadn’t yet been caught.

Occasionally one of you would point up at the sky and discuss something, voices low but light. Izzy spoke, close enough to you that his nose brushed against your temple and quiet enough that the captains couldn’t make out his words, but they did hear you laugh and see him smile in response.

Shaking your head fondly, you placed your mug down safely beside you and lent over to give Izzy a kiss. Just the faint brush of your lips against his that had Izzy leaning in, as if under some sort of spell.

“Let’s leave them be, Ed,” Stede whispered, giving him a small shake when he didn’t respond. Edward still felt like he was in some sort of shock, unable to protest as Stede guided him away and back to their cabin. They could stargaze another night.

“You’re adorable,” you cooed, loving the way Izzy’s face heated up at any compliment you gave him. Of course, his easy to fluster nature only made complimenting and praising him all the more satisfying for you.

“Fuck off, no I’m not,” Izzy grumbled, even as he lent into your hand that stroked through his hair.

“Yeah, you kind of are, though,” you whispered, almost wistfully. “Can’t believe we didn’t do this sooner.”

Izzy sighed a little. “You were a little preoccupied,” he reminded you.

“Ugh, don’t remind me,” you groaned before tenderly pressing your forehead to his. “Can I tell you something?” you asked.

“Sure,” as if he could ever deny you.

“Before I was with Ed…I kinda had a crush on you. Didn’t think you were interested, you were, like…unattainable. Unreachable, y’know? Didn’t seem to take an interest in anybody, especially if they weren’t Edward. And then I started spending time with Ed…and y’know, things just happen,” you confessed, feeling like you had made some silly mistake somewhere along the line.

Izzy closed his eyes for a moment, before pulling away. “I don’t need you to say that to make me feel better.”

“I’m not,” you frowned, keeping your hand against his shoulder but not stopping him from moving away if he wanted to. “I mean it,” you promised.

Izzy looked at you, all glassy eyed and vulnerable in that way he got. You looked genuine, sounded sincere. Anyway, lying really wouldn’t get you anything, nothing he could think of anyway. You didn’t need to convince him of anything, he was already here with you. “You really didn’t know I was sweet on you?” he asked, blushing as if he was confessing feelings that you didn’t already know about.

“Looking back now…it was kind of obvious, I guess. But no, I honestly didn’t know. I was pretty stupid back then, have learnt a lot since. Matured and all that bullshit.” Back then you hadn’t noticed the more quiet affection that Izzy offered, the stolen glances and shy looks, the way he just did things to make your life easier without even acknowledging it.

You saw those things now, cherished them they way they deserved to be, but back then you had been blind. Izzy hadn’t teased or flirted, hadn’t touched and lent in close at every opportunity, had nervously sat beside you instead of pulling you down onto his lap. He wasn’t the type to pursue and you had overlooked that.

“Would it have changed anything?” Izzy asked, though he wasn’t sure how he wanted you to answer.

“I don’t know. I’d like to think so,” you confessed. “No point thinking about that now. We’re here now,” you gave him a sweet smile that had him relaxing again.

Right, just like you said. You were here, with him, and you were happy. He was happy. The past was in the past, you were here now. “Yeah, guess we are,” he gave a small smile in response as he leant back into your touch.

You were both still smiling when you kissed him again. Izzy kissed back, just as he always did when it came to you, and let his arms loop around your waist. You didn’t hesitate for a moment, slipping yourself onto his lap.

Ever since he walked in on your date night with Izzy, Edward had been flipping through possible explanations in his mind. He knew that the two of you were friends, all three of you had been, but that night certainly wasn’t purely platonic. Izzy was looking at you the way he always had, with adoration, and you were looking back at him much the same. The same way he would catch Stede looking at him, the way that always made him melt and feel fuzzy inside, made him feel loved and cherished.

It was only a couple nights after the discovery that Edward decided that he just had to speak with you about what you were doing with Izzy. Whether it was serious or not, just friends keeping each other company, just a one time fluke thing, or something else. He had to know…he was captain and it was his responsibility to keep an eye on the crew afterall.

Edward left Stede sleeping in their bed and searched for you, finding that you weren’t sleeping with the rest of the crew. He double and triple checked that you hadn’t just disappeared bundled under a blanket among them before he realised where you must be. You must have been in Izzy’s cabin, which only served to worsen his mood.

Izzy hated sharing a cabin, sharing his cabin. And his space on the Revenge was much smaller than what he had on the Queen Anne, and yet it seems that he let you in. Were you staying in there with him or just every now and again?

Before Edward knew it, he was down in the ship and throwing open the door of the first mate’s cabin.

Instinctively, you and Izzy jolted awake, ready to defend yourselves from the intruder. The blanket falling to the floor, leaving you both in the underclothes you had gone to bed in.

“Should have fucking known you’d be here,” Edward scoffed, looking at the two of you like you had done something wrong.

“What the fuck, Ed? Is something going on?” Izzy asked, voice even hoarser with sleep but blood pumping through his veins, ready for an impromptu raid or storm.

“I don’t know, you tell me,” Edward retorted petulant.

“Ed?” you groaned, rubbing the sleep from your eyes now that you knew you weren’t under attack. “What the fuck, man? I’m too tired to try to figure out what you’re talking about,” you grumbled. The sooner he told you what was wrong, the sooner you could tend to it and get back to sleep.

“What’s going on here?” Edward questioned.

You just frowned at him, trying to understand the question. When you did realise what he was talking about, you sighed and rolled your eyes. “Are you serious, Edward?”

“Told you he’d be pissed,” Izzy muttered, running a hand through his hair in an attempt to get it under control as he grabbed the blanket from the floor.

“And I told you, I don’t give a shit. He needs to get over it,” you huffed back, crossing your arms over your chest.

“Are you doing this to piss me off?” Edward asked, though it sounded more like an accusation than a question.

“Edward-” Izzy began but you cut him off.

“Fucking hell, Edward! Not everything is about you. This isn’t about you,” you couldn’t help but snap, feeling the anger surge up inside you.

“Sure, it isn’t,” Edward scoffed, “you’re fucking my first mate.”

Izzy froze by your side but you could only stare at Edward. “So?” you asked slowly.

“You’re fucking my first mate but it’s not to get back at me,” Edward stated like it was the most obvious thing on this fucking ship.

“It’s not about you!” you snapped again. “I like Izzy, we like each other. We’re giving it a try. Most importantly, it’s none of your business.” At least when this all took a turn for the worst, you could claim that you tried to be reasonable.

“Oh c’mon. Izzy was always following you around like a stray, drooling over you. You’re telling me you’re not just fucking him because you know he’s obsessed with you and it would make me look bad.”

Izzy looked away from you both, suddenly finding the thread count of his blanket incredibly interesting. Clearly he must have shared some of Edward’s thoughts and that only made you angrier.

“Fuck you, Ed,” you snarled, suddenly protective, “Izzy has always been my friend, you know that.”

Whenever Edward would disappear for an undisclosed amount of time, usually when Jack was around but not always, it was you and Izzy that would maintain the ship together. It was Izzy you would spend your time with, and after getting over your initial annoyance with Edward’s disappearing act, you would find yourself not even caring that much. You and Izzy had always been close, always been there for each other, and Edward knew that.

“It’s my fault that I didn’t realise what I felt for him before. I’m trying to make that right now,” you were seconds away from jumping up from the cot and shoving him out of Izzy’s cabin.

Edward’s glare turned dangerously neutral. “We’re you fucking him when we were together?”

“Fuck you!” Without even realising, you were up on your feet, stepping up to Edward. Izzy shot to his feet behind you, standing still and careful. “You don’t get to make accusations like that,” you spat at the dread pirate captain. When Edward only snarled back, you swallowed down your rage and spoke stiffly. “No. I wasn’t fucking him, but maybe I should’ve been. Maybe I should have just been with him instead of you in the first fucking place.”

“...fuck you,” Edward growled. “Is it because I’m with Stede now?”

You took a deep breath to calm yourself as you stepped back from him, you were not going to have this argument. You had to be better than this. You could deny it all you liked and it would be the complete truth, but Edward would believe what he wanted until he calmed down.

“Get out, Edward,” you ordered lowly. You didn’t give him a chance to protest even when he tried, “get out now and I won’t tell Stede that you’re such a jealous fuck.”

Edward gave another snarl before storming off, you were just glad that it was that easy to get rid of him. The door slammed behind him, shaking on its hinges.

You let out a breath and turned around, watching as Izzy tugged his pants on. You didn’t know what to say, partly hoping Izzy might speak, partly hoping neither of you had to speak and could just let things settle down for a moment.

Unfortunately, Izzy did speak. His words making you ache.

“Maybe you should go…”

“Iz-”

“It’s not worth it,” Izzy wouldn’t even meet your gaze, wouldn't even look at you.“You know how Ed can get…”

“What’s not worth it, exactly?” you asked, not taking your eyes off of him even if he refused to look at you.

“Me. I’m not worth it,” his gaze snapped up to meet your own, something heartbreaking about it.

“Iz, love-”

“Are you just doing this to piss off Ed?” he asked. He was accusing you but it sounded like he believed it well enough, that there was just a part of him hoping that you would deny it.

“No!” you answered sternly, not wanting to leave any room for doubt. “Izzy, that’s not what-do you really think that?” your voice cracked. Had Izzy been worried about this the whole time?

“I’m not Blackbeard. Either you are doing this because he’d hate it or because I’ve always just been your second choice,” Izzy concluded sorrowfully.

“Izzy, no. Please listen to me,” you pleaded, ready to beg as much as he needed, as you walked up to him. “When I came back to the ship and saw you and Ed, I was more excited to see you, you were my best friend. Seeing you again made me realise some things. This honestly isn’t about Ed, it’s about us,” you promised.

“You know he can get jealous.” Even Izzy wasn’t completely sure what he meant by that, if he was accusing you of some plot or warning you of how Edward might react.

“I know, which is why I was hoping it would take longer for him to find out. How could I have been doing this to get a reaction out of Edward when I didn’t even want him finding out yet?” you asked and Izzy had to admit that you made a good point.

“Izzy,” you gently took one of his hands in yours. “Look, neither me nor Ed were great in that relationship. We weren’t good for each other in the long run but we had fun and got into trouble, and maybe that was what I wanted then but it’s not what I want now. Now, I want somebody to care for and have care for me, somebody to rely on and love. I want something real, a real love that doesn’t just burn out. And I want that with you, Iz-love.”

“I want that with you too,” Izzy breathed out, like speaking any louder might break him.

“I promise you. Whether Ed was here or not, I’d want you, I’d want to be with you. If Ed wasn’t with Stede, if he was single, even if he wanted me back, I don’t want him anymore. It’s you that I think about nearly every second of every day. I’m crazy about you, Iz,” you confessed, nothing you hadn’t already tried to tell him over the last month.

Overwhelmed with feelings, so much having happened in the last few minutes, Izzy knew he had to do something but he couldn’t find the words to fit. Instead, he surged forward to meet you in a clumsy but passionate kiss, needing to get those emotions out, needing you to feel them. And you did, giving just as good as you got, clinging right back to him.

This wouldn’t be the last time you had to defend your relationship to Edward in some way but it felt like a strong start. You hoped that now that Ed had got out his initial outburst he would calm enough to do a little introspection. You hoped that he would see that nobody took anything from anyone, that he now got to be happy and now so did you and Izzy.

Either way, Edward would just have to accept it because you had taken Izzy for granted once, lost him once, and you wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

#israel hands x reader #izzy hands x reader #ofmd izzy #izzy hands #ofmd x reader

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